News Story not available This story has been published on: 2022-11-05. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. This story is no longer available on our site. School of Languages faculty member of the Jawaharlal Nehru University was stopped by JNUSU members from entering his offices. Makarand R Paranjape -- professor and poet -- managed to enter the office after threatening the students with satyagraha and touching their feet. By India Today Web Desk: Professor, author and poet Makarand R Paranjape, a faculty member at the School of Languages in the Jawarharlal Nehru University shared on both Facebook and Twitter, how a group of JNUSU students stopped him from entering the office this morning. Saying, "I was prevented from going to my office this morning by striking JNUSU cordons of students," in a Facebook post, Paranjape also shared a video from his social media profiles. #JNU: Blocked from entering the School of Languages, I was the only one who succeeded in getting inside in the end. pic.twitter.com/Ftm8Fyt3ep Makarand R Paranjape (@MakrandParanspe) February 6, 2017 advertisement Narrating the incident on Facebook, Paranjape wrote, "The stand-off continued for a long time. They shouted slogans against me, called me names, and hinted that I was outnumbered twenty to one. But I also shouted slogans that I would fight for my democratic rights and the rights of all those who wish to dissent." In a series of tweets, Paranjape said, "when I asked one of the students his name, he said "Najeeb", and others repeated that they were all Najeeb. Responding to it, Paranjape said, "I am Najib too, but I want to go to my office; you can't stop me." Blaming the security personnel present at the spot, the professor said, "Security was so ineffective; it was their responsibility to ensure that those who wanted to go inside the building should be allowed. Even the security backed off. I said, "Why aren't you doing your duty? You can see that they have blocked the entrance." Clear the way." Paranjape continued his narration both on Facebook and Twitter saying, "In the end, I succeeded, but only after I had offered satyagraha myself, sitting down in dharna, and holding the students' feet to push them away from the door." He tweeted saying he didn't mind touching studnets' feet for a good cause. #JNU In our culture, students touch our feet, even if we don't like it; what's wrong in touching their feet for a change.???For a good cause. Makarand R Paranjape (@MakrandParanspe) February 6, 2017 When the protesting students said that they were preventing him from entering his office on "social justice ideology", Paranjape could be heard saying that they cannot force their opinions on him. He tweeted that at one point, he told the students that he has been teaching since before they were born, that he has been a professor for 16 years and asked them not to teach him what JNU's culture is. He also said, "If I disagree with you, you have to let me discharge my duties, to teach, read, and write; that is JNU culture too, not bullying." --- ENDS --- DOE approves operation of DUF6 conversion facilities 06 February 2017 Share Mid-America Conversion Services - a joint venture of Atkins, Westinghouse and Fluor - has received approval from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to begin operation of its depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6) conversion facilities. Workers inspect DUF6 cylinders at Paducah (Image: DOE) The DOE in September 2016 awarded Mid-America Conversion Services a five-year contract to operate the facilities, located near Paducah, Kentucky and Piketon, Ohio, and to manage cylinder-storage yards at the DOE's Portsmouth and Paducah gaseous diffusion plant sites. The Portsmouth and Paducah gaseous diffusion enrichment plants ceased production operations in 2001 and 2013, respectively. The DOE has an inventory of about 700,000 tonnes of DUF6, a by-product from the gaseous diffusion uranium enrichment process. The DUF6 conversion plants convert the material into depleted uranium oxide for reuse or disposal and aqueous hydrofluoric acid for industrial use. Under the contract, Mid-America Conversion Services will also provide maintenance services for the conversion facilities and associated equipment, dispose of end products, and conduct surveillance and maintenance of the cylinder storage yards. The conversion plants were previously operated by BWXT Conversion Services. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Health in Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea is an oceanic country with a population of around 7 million. It is home to over 852 known languages in the country and most of the population live in unique customary communities different from one other. However, the development of health infrastructure is not always up to the demand for it. The life expectancy is in the mid-60s, which is below the international standard quality. Leading Causes of Death Cancer Cancer is responsible for around 11% of total deaths. Cancer happens when cells grow uncontrollably and do not die. Numerous forms of cancer exist and the ones rising in this country are breast, cervical and oral cancer. Cervical cancer takes over 3,000 lives annually in Papua New Guinea. Due to low funding in the health department plenty of people continue to die from cancer and other diseases. Liver cancer is also quite common as it is associated with chronic hepatitis-B infection. Most of these diseases occur in the rural areas, where the majority of the population resides. Lower-Respiratory Infection Plenty of children suffer from respiratory disease in Papua New Guinea. One of the major respiratory diseases plaguing the country is pneumonia. Pneumonia is a disease in which lung inflammation occurs due to bacterial or viral infection. Despite its high numbers, it has improved in recent years due to the slight increase in health care. 17% of deaths in Papua New Guinea are due to Lower-Respiratory infections. A speculated reason for why this is such a problem is because of early and dense colonization with numerous different types of species that had different genes and strains of respiratory pathogens. Tuberculosis Amounting for a grand total of 4% of the deaths in Papua New Guinea, the effects of this disease are evident in the region. It is an air-borne disease caused by the bacteria mycobacterium tuberculosis. According to this graph provided by the World Health Organization, the mortality rates due to Tuberculosis were on a decline as of 2014. However, the disease made a comeback in 2016, with a new epidemic breaking out in the island of Daru, where about 1% of the population was infected by a drug-resistant strain of the virus. Similar to the Lower-respiratory infection, dense population distributions lead to easier transmission of this air-borne disease. Health Care Facilities Since the late 80's there has been evidence that there are plenty of deficits in the health department of the country, particularly in rural areas. Tropical diseases are significant as they continue to worsen. Despite there being modern medical systems, they are not utilized as they should be since they have had reduced effectiveness in the country since the 80's because the health workers have limited skills and access to resources. Majority of the budget on health is spent on urban areas even though that majority of the population and health problems are in rural areas. Africa is home to vast stretches of unspoilt nature and landscape filled with rich wildlife, varied landscapes, and eclectic cultures. The land is thus full of wonders, but seven among these wonders feature above the rest and were selected by popular voting on February 11, 2013. Here, we present the list of the Seven Natural Wonders Of Africa. 7. Red Sea Reef The Red Sea is an inlet of seawater in the Indian Ocean that is located between Asia and Africa. The Gulf of Aden and the Bab el Mandeb strait connects the Red Sea to the ocean. The sea is underlain by the Red Sea Rift which has been selected as one of the Seven Wonders of Africa. The Red Sea occupies an area of 169,000 square miles and is 1,400 miles long and 221 miles wide. The Red Sea's maximum depth is 7254 feet. The extensive network of shallow shelves of the Red Sea is noted for the corals and marine life. Over 1,000 species of invertebrates and 200 hard and soft coral species live in the Red Sea. Around 10% of the more than 1,200 species of fish found in the Red Sea are endemic in nature. The fringing coral reefs of the sea are about 5,000 to 7,000 years old and formed primarily of porites and acropora corals. The reef habitat is associated with various features like platforms, lagoons, cylinders, etc. Nearly 44 species of sharks visit the reefs of the Red Sea. 6. Okavango Delta The Okavango Delta is a massive stretch of swampy, inland delta that exists where the Okavango River reaches a tectonic trough. The delta is located in the central region of the Kalaharis endorheic basin. The water of the river never reaches the ocean and evaporates during the dry season. On the eastern side of the Okavango Delta is the Moremi Game Reserve. The region hosts a great diversity of wildlife including the African bush elephant, hippopotamus, South African cheetah, Southwest African lion, African buffalo, greater kudu, rhinoceroses, chacma baboon, and more. Due to its magnificence and scale, the Okavango Delta has been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 5. Ngorongoro Crater The Ngorongoro Crater is the main feature of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a World Heritage Site and protected located west of Arusha in Tanzania. The Ngorongoro Crater is the biggest inactive and intact unfilled volcanic caldera in the world. The crater was formed nearly 2 to 3 million years ago when a massive volcano exploded and collapsed on itself. The eastern side of the crater highlands is covered by montane forest while the western wall which receives low rainfall has a landscape dominated by grassland and bushland. The floor of the crater is open grassland, and two fever tree dominated small wooded areas. Due to its unique properties, the Ngorongoro Crater is also regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of Africa. 4. Serengeti Migration The Serengeti is an African ecosystem that extends from northern Tanzania to south-western Kenya. The Serengeti in Kenya is known as the Maasai Mara. The ecosystem hosts the worlds largest terrestrial mammal migration. The ecoregion is divided into several game reserves and the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. Besides lions, 70 species of large mammals and 500 species of birds also live here. The landscape of the Serengeti is varied and features grasslands, woodlands, riverine forests, swamps, and kopjes. Each year witnesses the circular great wildebeest migration in Serengeti. The migration begins in Tanzanias southern Serengetis Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Between January and March nearly 260,000 zebras, 1.7 million wildebeest, 470,000 gazelles, and other plains game begin migrating. By about February, these animals start grazing on the short grass plains of Serengetis southeastern section and give birth to about 500,000 calves. The end of rains in May trigger the movement of animals northwest, and they stop in the region around the Grumeti River till late June. In late July to August, the herds arrive and stay in Kenya. The great migration is an eventful journey that witnesses both the birth and death of the migrants. Nearly 250,000 wildebeest die during the journey due to thirst, hunger, and predation. 3. Sahara Desert The Sahara Desert is the worlds third largest desert after the cold Antarctic and Arctic deserts. Among the hot deserts of the world, however, the Sahara ranks the highest. The size of the desert (3,500,000 square miles) is comparable to the size of the United States. The Sahara Desert covers much of North Africa with the exception of the Mediterranean Sea coast, Egypt and Sudans Nile Valley, and the Atlas Mountains of the Maghreb. The arid desert is not completely lifeless. Several species of fox, addax, dama gazelle, Saharan cheetah, monitor lizard, sand vipers, African wild dog, red-necked ostrich, desert crocodiles, Saharan silver ant, dromedary camels, and goats call the Sahara Desert their home. The desert is also home to several wandering tribes or nomads while some settlements can be found in the oases of the desert. Several tourist activities like camping, wildlife-viewing, cultural tours, and camel rides, are arranged in certain sections of the Sahara Desert under expert guidance by those who know the desert well. 2. Mount Kilimanjaro A dormant volcano in Tanzania, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa. The mountain rises about 16,000 feet from its base to attain an altitude of 19,341 feet above sea-level. The mountain is the central feature of the Kilimanjaro National Park and is also a popular climbing destination. Mount Kilimanjaro is the worlds highest volcano outside of South America. The stratovolcano features three distinct cones, the Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. There are official trekking routes leading to the peak of the mountain. Among these routes, the Machame is regarded as the most scenic one. Although the trek to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro is not as difficult as climbing the Himalayan or Andes peaks, deaths are not uncommon. Hence, the climbers are requested to adhere to certain guidelines set by the government to maximize the chances of a safe climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. 1. Nile River The list of Seven Wonders of Africa could never be complete without the mention of the Nile River, the longest river in the world. The Nile is s north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. The 4,145 Nile is shared by 11 countries of the world, and in Sudan and Egypt, it is the primary source of water for the entire populations. The Nile Rive ends in a large delta before draining into the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt. It is this river that gave birth to and nurtured the Egyptian civilization and the Sudanese kingdoms. Most of the major historical and cultural sites of Egypt are thus based along the banks of the Nile River. Canada is located in the northern half of North America and is the second largest country in the world by total area covering 3.85 million square miles. The nation of Canada is subdivided into three territories and ten provinces with the most populated regions laying close to the southern border with the United States. An Overview Of The Population Of Canada Canada has an estimated population of about 36,443,632 people as of 2016 which accounts for 0.5% of the total population in the world. However, the population of Canada is not uniformly distributed since parts of the country with the largest surface areas have the lowest population density. Although Canada has a low population density on average, some regions are very dense, such as Southern Ontario.The four most populous provinces in Canada are Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta. Collectively, these four provinces account for 86% of Canadas population. The two least populated territories in Canada include Yukon and Nunavut which account for 0.3% of Canadas total population. The Most Populated Province In Canada Ontario, located in east-central Canada, is the most populous province and the second largest by total area in the country. Ontario has an estimated population of 13,983,000 which accounts for almost 40% of Canadas total population. Ontario is not only home to the countrys capital city, Ottawa, but also the most populated city which is Toronto. Immigration plays a huge role in the population growth of Ontario which has been experiencing an influx of Latin American, Asian, African, European, and Caribbean immigrants. Urbanization due to industrialization has also played a role in the population growth of Ontario because it provides job opportunities, better living environments together with good educational institutions. The region is a vast area of arable land which also helps encourage population density. The Least Populated Province In Canada Nunavut, located in the northern region of Canada, is the largest territory as well as the least populated. Nunavut has an estimated population of 37,100 inhabitants. Despite its size in the area, Nunavut is least populated because of extremely harsh climatic conditions with land that is not arable. The harsh climate in Nunavut makes it hard for economic development which in turn limits the number of people moving in and out of the area thus resulting in low population density. The Population Of Canadian Territories Canada has three territories of Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Of the three territories, the Northwest Territories is the most populated accounting for 44,500 inhabitants followed by Yukon with 37,500, and Nunavut which is the least populated region and territory in Canada with an estimated 37,100 population. The Canadian territories have low population densities because of their location in the northern part of the country characterized by limited arable land and harsh weather. Parts of the territories experience subarctic climates, and their landscapes are featureless with barren grounds, rock, ice and snow. The extreme northern parts of Canada comprise of frozen land that is inhabitable and due to its proximity to the Arctic, experiences 24 hours of sunlight in summer and 24 hours of darkness in winter. Despite temperatures in the Canadian territories being subarctic most of the land is not arable because it is considered desert and suitable for the survival of only a few plant and animal species. The three-member committee appointed by the Bombay High Court found Jolly LLB 2 guilty of defaming the judiciary and the legal profession. By Vidya : The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court has ordered the deletion of four scenes in Akshay Kumar and Huma Qureshi's upcoming film Jolly LLB 2 - a scene where a scared judge is hiding behind the chair, another where a shoe is hurled, a scene with objectionable signalling and dialogues in an argument scene have to be modified. advertisement ALSO READ | Akshay Kumar in Jolly LLB 2: Is this Arshad Warsi's revenge? The Central Board of Film Certification had already cleared Jolly LLB 2, but will have to reissue the certificate in light of the court order. The Akshay Kumar-starrer got caught up in controversy when Nanded-based advocate Ajaykumar Waghmare filed a petition, saying that the film is "nothing but an attempt to portray the Indian Legal Profession and Judicial System as a laughing stock to the society at large." The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court today ordered the makers of film Jolly LLB 2 to delete four scenes from the film after the committee that it had formed to view the film objected to a few scenes in the film. The committee comprising two senior lawyers from Aurangabad and a doctor said that the film does show the lawyers and judges in bad light. The filmmakers agreed to go ahead with the deletion of scenes and dialogues to which the committee had objected. The division bench of Justice SS Shinde and Justice KK Sonawane then disposed off the petition. With this, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) will have to reissue a certificate after the deletion of scenes, so that the film can be released on its scheduled date, February 10. WHAT THE COMMITTEE REPORT SAYS The report was submitted on February 5 by the committee. The report says, "After the entire film was viewed by us, we found following scenes which according to us is objectionable. 1. The screen shot that depicts the male protagonist approaching the dias and returning from the dias after dialogue with the learned judge and immediately thereafter the male protagonist signalling to his client as a result of which the client commits further act of throwing the shoe at the judge. (sic) 2. Subsequently in the dialogue between two lawyers, namely the male protagonist and his male colleague where it is said that, "Kya akkal lagaai hai," indicates that this act was pre-planned and lawyer signalling to commit the act according to us is defamatory to the lawyers' profession and would be contempt of court. (sic) advertisement According to us, the said visuals or words involves defamation of body of lawyers as the said scene according to us tend to disgrace or undermine the dignity of lawyers and courts, in view of the section 5B of the cinematography act 1956 and guideline 2 (18) for certification of films of exhibition. WHAT THE FILMMAKERS SAY Jolly LLB 2 director Subhash Kapoor today gave an undertaking in the Bombay High Court that they would delete four scenes as found objectionable by the committee appointed by the court. The two-page statement said, "In view of the imminent release of the film Jolly LLB 2 and steps undertaken in relation thereto, we offer the following statement without prejudice to the objections raised by the film producers on 30th January with regards to the jurisdiction, constitution and appointment of a committee particularly when the film has been duly certified by the statutory authority that is the CBFC." The director also said, "Without admitting and whilst denying the petitioners' case and contents of the committee's report dated February 5 on the basis that only the four objections noted in the amicus curiae report dated February 5 will be considered by the honorable court." advertisement WHAT IS BEING ALTERED Dias SceneThe jumping on and off the dias will be removed; however, the dialogue conversation between the protagonist and the judge will be retained. SignallingThis will be deleted Shoe sceneThe modified scene will now depict the disgruntled litigant venting his frustration. However, the same shall not be shown as being thrown directly on the judge and / or landing on the judge's table. Dialogue"Kya akal lagaai hai": Such a dialogue does not and will not form part of the film The issue as to whether the decision of the CBFC to certify a film can be subjected to review / scrutiny by a court appointed committee is expressly kept open. The order dated 30th January 2017 and the order dated 6th February 2017 shall not be treated as precedent. (sic) The court had appointed a three-member committee to review Jolly LLB 2 for objectionable content, and the amicus curiae found that several contents in the film are defaming the image of the Indian Judiciary and the legal fraternity, amounting to contempt of court. The producers are likely to approach the Supreme Court again today or tomorrow, as the film is due for release this week. The Supreme Court had earlier said that it will let the Bombay High Court decide first and hear the matter only if the need arises. ALSO WATCH Jolly LLB 2 trailer review: Akshay Kumar's comedy exceptional, but nothing seems new advertisement --- ENDS --- Christa Shockley By: Alexis Bell WorldWideWeirdNews.com (Scroll down for video) People were shocked to learn that a young boy armed himself with a gun and killed a convenience store cashier during a robbery, according to police in Arkansas. Fouke police said that they have arrested the 12-year-old boy, who was not identified, after being accused of killing 21-year-old Christa Shockley. The boy has been charged with one count each of capital murder and robbery. The suspect will not face the death penalty as he is a minor. According to the criminal complaint, on Thursday around 2:00 a.m., the boy entered the E-Z Mart convenience store and pulled out a gun. He asked for money and shot Shockley, who was working as the cashier. The boy then fled from the scene. A newspaper delivery person discovered the womanas body on the floor of the E-Z Mart convenience store, and called the police. Police reviewed surveillance video footage, and arrested the boy the following day at school. Geneva Robinson By: Tanya Clark WorldWideWeirdNews.com (Scroll down for video) A witch grandmother of Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of felony child abuse. According to court records, Geneva Robinson, 51, dressed as a witch in order to carry out horrific punishments towards her 6 and 7-year-old grandchildren. The incidents were uncovered when police were called to a hospital after Robinson brought her 7-year-old granddaughter for treatment. Hospital staff said that the child was malnourished, and had numerous burns and bruises all over her body, police said. The victimas ankles had cuts that were infected and marks on the wrists, consistent with possibly being tied up. The 7-year-old girl told authorities that her grandmother would dress up as a witch named Nelda, and abuse her and her sister. She sometimes took the 7-year-old girl to a garage at night, tie her wrists and make her sleep on the cold floor for misbehaving. Other times, she would atake a pink dog leash and hang the victim in the middle of the garage underneath her armsa and she would tell the girl athe creatures in the attic would come and get her.a One time, Robinson kicked the girl in the pubic area, causing a fracture to her pubic bone. Robinson is also accused of cutting the finger of the six-year-old girl with scissors. Sgt. Gary Knight of the Oklahoma City Police Department said that detectives found whips and chains as well as a witch hat in the home. Robinsonas son Joshua Granger, claimed that the girl was a atroubled child,a but he denied the allegations that his mother abused her. However, he was arrested, and he also pleaded guilty to child abuse and child neglect charges after police said he withheld food from the 7-year-old victim to the extent that the girl had to steal food to eat. Bride and groom (illustration) By: ADD AUTHOR NAME HERE WorldWideWeirdNews.com A mother claims that she married off her daughter to an older man out of concern and love for the child. The 44-year-old mother of Zimbabwe, was sentenced to five months in prison after forcing her teenage daughter to marry a 40-year-old man. The mother, who was not identified to protect the identity of her daughter, claimed that she married off her 15-year-old daughter to asecure her future when she was no longer alive.a The mother told the court that she contracted a serious illness that could lead to her sudden death. She did not want to leave her daughter with no one to take care of her. The court also heard that the mother forced her daughter to marry Jelias Nyika, but the girl refused. However, the mother took her daughter to Nyikas house, where they allegedly got married. The mother then stood at the door of her new son-in-lawas house so that her daughter cannot run away while Nyika raped her. The case came to light after the teens grandmother reported the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of the mother and the groom. Nyika was sentenced to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of having sex with a minor while the mother was sentenced to five months in prison. Last year, Zimbabwes Constitutional Court banned marrying children under 18 years old. Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, TB Jayachandra while speaking to India Today after the governor's address to the joint session of both the houses said that in the next few days, he will bring in the amendments. By Nolan Pinto: It is going to be a smooth sailing for the state government that wants to pass amendments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Bill, 1960 with the Opposition clearly in the mood to support them wholeheartedly. Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, TB Jayachandra while speaking to India Today after the governor's address to the joint session of both the houses said that in the next few days, he will bring in the amendments. advertisement "It has come to a final shape," is what Jayachandra tells India Today on the bill. On whether the Centre will provide the required support, the law minister added, "This is in the concurrent list and we are proposing some changes. It is mandatory on part of the Union government to agree to it." Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar likewise has given his party's support to the bill saying, "If they bring the Kambala Bill, we will definitely support it." Also read: Karnataka HC Chief Justice to take call on lifting Kambala ban after apex court decides on jallikattu Kambala was being held for nearly 800 years and according to experts, it allegedly does not cause any cruelty to the participating animals. After Jallikattu protests in Tamil Nadu, people in Karnataka have been demanding an immediate ordinance to lift the ban on traditional buffalo race Kambala. The Karnataka High Court had stayed the conduct of Kambala in November 2016 on a petition filed by animal rights activists. However, the government of Karnataka not wanting a Marina beach-like situation in the state, immediately resolved to move an amendment in the forthcoming assembly session. Also read: Jallikattu held in Madurai, 37 men injured, 9 admitted to hospital --- ENDS --- On February 2, about one hundred students at the University of Bremen attended a meeting in support of the General Student Committee (Asta), which is the target of legal action from Jorg Baberowski. Baberowski, the right-wing professor of Eastern European history at the Humboldt University in Berlin, has sued the Bremen student committee after it criticized his denunciation of refugees and his theory of violence. This was one of the biggest meetings in the past few years, despite the fact that we were only able to do relatively little work to promote it, said Irina Kyburz from Asta. Those in attendance reacted with indignation to the reports detailing Baberowskis activities and his political positions. At the end of the meeting, a vote was held in which all those present unanimously expressed their solidarity with Asta. At the start of the meeting, Kyburz and Jan-Eric Hahn explained what had taken place. Baberowski has filed an interim injunction with the Cologne District Court against Asta. According to the terms of the injunction, leaflets drawn up by Asta, which criticise Baberowskis statements on refugees, could no longer be circulated or reproduced. We are outraged by the fact that the Cologne District Court has described our criticisms of Baberowski as vile slander which are to be banned, and has failed to defend our constitutional right to free expression, Kyburz said. All of the critical comments made in the banned Asta leaflet cited Baberowskis own statements to the press. The Bremen Asta invited two representatives of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) from Berlin to report on their own research and experiences with Baberowski. Sven Wurm, spokesman for the IYSSE at Humboldt University, began by reading a declaration of solidarity for the Bremen Asta from the student parliament of Berlins Free University, adopted on the morning of the same day. Wurm then explained that the IYSSE is the youth organization of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI). We are fighting in many countries of the world to build an international, socialist and anti-war movement based on the working class to overthrow capitalism. Wurm said. One of the central tasks of the IYSSE is the struggle against the ideological campaign at universities to justify and prepare for war and dictatorship. Humboldt University is a centre for right-wing, militaristic ideology, Wurm explained. In particular, history is being rewritten in order to whitewash the crimes of German imperialism. HU lecturer Herfried Munkler relativizes Germanys responsibility for the First World War, while Baberowski plays down the crimes of National Socialism. The second speaker was Christoph Vandreier, assistant national secretary for the Partei fur Soziale Gleichheit. Vandreier addressed the quote by Baberowski with which the Bremen Asta had advertised the meeting: Hitler was no psychopath and he wasnt vicious. He didnt want people to talk about the extermination of the Jews at his table, Baberowski declared in Der Spiegel in February 2014. Such a statement about the man responsible for the greatest mass murder in history is groundless and cold-blooded. It is also completely false, Vandreier said. As proof, Vandreier played a video featuring Budd Schulberg, who assembled evidence used against the Nazi defendants at the Nuremberg Trials following WWII. Schulberg reports that the SS had its own unit that documented the atrocities of the Nazis on film. The films portraying the atrocities were nicknamed desserts because they had been shown to Hitler and his confidantes after dinner as a dessert. It is quite stunning that the brutality of the Nazis and their leader Hitler is once again up for debate in German universities, based on crude historical forgeries, Vandreier said, summing up Baberowskis position. The quotation had not been taken out of context, but had rather been put forward by Baberowski to argue that the opinions of the apologist for Nazi crimes, Ernst Nolte, were historically correct. Vandreier went on to demonstrate that this statement was no mistake. In fact, the relativisation of Nazi crimes is a thread running throughout Baberowskis work. Again and again, one finds formulations in his work that deny that the Nazis carried out a systematically planned mass murder in Eastern Europe, and that justify the extermination of millions as a reaction to the resistance of the Red Army. Vandreier then cited a number of quotations demonstrating the reactionary character of Baberowskis theory of violence. In essence, he justifies social inequality and oppression while advocating military violence and the construction of a police state. On this basis, he argues that terrorists should be fought eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Terror can only be met with violence, according to Baberowski. Baberowski also denounced refugees, which he has described as a burden. One can only understand the vehemence with which Baberowski advances his views in relation to a major shift to the right by the political establishment, Vandreier said. With the election of Trump, nationalism, xenophobia and militarism have once again become politically acceptable in Europe as well. It is therefore no wonder that Baberowski reacted enthusiastically to the election of Trump. Vandreier pointed out that the far-right US web site, Breitbart News, which was headed for years by Trumps current chief strategist, Stephen Bannon, had praised Baberowski for his stance against refugees. Similar praise for Baberowski came from the biggest neo-Nazi site The Daily Stormer, as well as the far-right German newspaper Junge Freiheit and the fascist German Democratic Party, NPD. It would be no problem for Baberowski to undertake legal action against any of these publications and parties, or to at least publish a comment distancing himself from their views, Vandreier explained. Instead, he sued Bremens Asta, which dared to criticize his right-wing opinions. Evidently, Baberowski feels at home in such far-right circles. At the same time as the political establishment is reacting to the deep crisis of capitalism and the growth of social inequality with a sharp turn to the right, broad layers of the population are moving to the left. The IYSSE has confirmed this development in its own campaign to oppose the ideological preparation for war. While the university management, newspapers and professors all defended Baberowski and denounced us, we were able to mobilize masses of students and workers to defend our rights. Every time Baberowski and his allies stepped up their campaign against us, we were able to mobilize more and more support. Now, after trying to deny us rooms and throw us out of the university, he is now trying to sue Asta in Bremen. He evidently has a very ambitious agenda, Vandreier concluded, to considerable applause. After the meeting, students expressed their support for what had been said. One student thanked the speakers for their excellent presentation. At the very end, Kyburz read a declaration of solidarity from Professor Frieder Nake, who taught computer science at the University of Bremen and had attended the meeting. The statement read: What a thin-skinned teacher this man must be, how underdeveloped is his sense of the importance of the right to free expression, how low must be his opinion of those who seek to draw lessons from Germanys recent and not exactly distinguished history. Nakes statement criticising Baberowski was also greeted with great applause. A new report released by the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability (CTBA), a Chicago-based think tank with close links to the Democratic Party, sheds light on the true nature of the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), which should be more appropriately understood as an organization hostile to public housing and whose goal is restricting access to it rather than providing it. Under cover of the Clinton-era Moving to Work (MTW) program that allowed CHA to circumvent normal housing agency practices, CHA officials have essentially funneled federal housing money to banks while waiting lists swelled and homelessness in the city increased. Among the more despicable details are that CHA has for years failed to provide all the Housing Choice Vouchers (popularly known as Section 8 vouchers) to qualified residents for which it received funding from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The voucher utilization rate averaged 73.2 percent between 2004 and 2014, though it increased to 89 percent in 2015 as CHA attempted to keep up with a HUD-imposed requirement of 90 percent to stay in the MTW program. This underutilization of vouchers amounted to 13,534 fewer housing vouchers per year, on average, that went unused. CHA also failed to meet its goal of rebuilding, replacing or rehabilitating 25,000 public housing units by 2009. As of the end of 2015, CHA had completed 89 percent of the units, and now expects the rest to be completed by the end of 2017, eight years behind schedule. D. Bradford Hunt, author of the 2009 book Blueprint for Disaster: The Unraveling of Chicago Public Housing, spoke to the WSWS. Hunt believes that one reason CHA fell behind on construction is that it cant get developers to do mixed-income. One of the cardinal rules of recent CHA development has been that two-thirds of new developments should be set aside for market-rate renters, with one-third for recipients of public housing assistance. But, underscoring the complete failure of capitalism to meet social needs, it can be difficult to secure enough market-rate renters to make the whole project financially worthwhile for developers. Hunt also recognizes that there is a tremendous amount of need in the city, and yet there is no real call for more affordable housing or helping low-income residents, which he attributes to a failure of vision and no sense of whats next among public housing leaders. The savings from the underutilization of vouchers was used to build up enormous cash reserves, which grew to a high of $471 million in fiscal year (FY) 2011. The single largest expenditure of this money came when CHA spent $184.3 million to pay off bond debt that was not scheduled to be paid off until 2026. With this, CHA total bond debt fell to $40.3 million from $224.6 million. By the end of FY 2015, this was further reduced to $18.4 million. In other words, CHA opted to pay banks off years earlier than required, instead of providing housing vouchers or rehabbing and building new public housing units. According to usual HUD requirements, many of the practices CHA has engaged in are not allowed, as HUD funds are required to be used specifically for the purpose for which they are given. But in 1996, the Clinton administration and Congress, with the avowed aim of pushing people out of public housing and reducing costs, established the MTW program. This program freed participating public housing agencies from many of these HUD regulations. In particular, it allowed CHA to spend money on so-called non-cash outlays, such as the debt payments and build-up of reserves. Excluding these expenditures, CHA effectively ran an annual surplus of $90 million each fiscal year from FY 2004 to FY 2012. According to the CTBA, CHA applied to join the MTW program in 2000, following its exit from federal government receivership and its return to mayoral control under Mayor Richard M. Daleys Plan for Transformation. The Plan for Transformation was a public housing privatization initiative designed to destroy thousands of public housing units and replace some of them with market-rate mixed-use development, in order to transfer even more public housing funds to developers, as well as force thousands of CHA residents out of public housing and even out of the city. Even though CHAs voucher utilization increased in recent years, the CTBA expects that this commitment to providing vouchers will not last. CHA was supposed to be up for renewal of its MTW agreement in 2018, and faced a HUD-imposed requirement that public housing authorities give out 90 percent of funded vouchers in order to stay in the program. But this requirement was eliminated in the 2016 federal appropriations act, removing CHAs incentive to give out vouchers. The federal budget act also apparently extended CHAs MTW agreement through 2028, with no changes unless those changes are mutually agreed upon between HUD and CHA. CHAs commitment to spending money on anything besides housing can also be seen, perversely, in CHAs decision to overfund its pension plan. In FY 2012, CHA contributed $28.9 million to the CHA Employee Retirement Plan and Trust, when the legally required contribution was only $2.8 million. In other words, according to the report CHA elected to fund its retirement system in FY2012 by an amount that was over nine times what was required. The retirement plan had in fact been underfunded, being only 39.74 percent funded in FY 2009, similar to the criminally-low funding level of most state and city pension systems. It is now 102 percent funded. The effect of all this financial trickery has been a growth in CHA waitlists and homelessness. In FY 2012, 91,591 households were on the CHA waiting list, up from 34,336 in FY 2007, though slightly down from a high of 102,667 in FY 2010. Meanwhile, the total number of households receiving assistance has remained nearly steady through that time, and stood at 55,783 in FY 2012. Though the average wait for housing assistance is from one to five years, according to CHA, news reports indicate that some can remain on the waitlist for decades. CHAs failures have also likely contributed to the net population decline the city has seen in recent years, as a combination of housing costs and lack of jobs has contributed to workers migrating away from the city to more remote suburbs and even to other regions of the country. Out of all large cities in the country, only Detroit has experienced a higher decline in population. Blame for CHAs policies lies squarely on the Democratic Party, which has controlled city government since the CHA was created in 1937, during the New Deal. Consistently opposed to the concept of public housing that would compete with private real estate interests, CHA built and maintained public housing for much of its history in such a way as to discourage better-off workers from remaining in CHA, instead pushing them into private housing, leaving public housing projects for the poorest of residents and concentrating all the problems of poverty. Under Richard M. Daley, CHA then used the problems it had largely created through its own policies to argue for the demolition of those projects, most notably Cabrini-Green and the Robert Taylor Homes. The areas those projects once occupied have since been seized by developers and are now unattainably expensive for the average worker. Underscoring the class-basedas opposed to racisthostility of Democrats to public housing, as well as the utter corruption they presided over, is that even African-American Chicago Mayor Harold Washington considered CHA a lost cause, telling his press secretary Alton Miller, Nobody can make the CHA work The only solution is just to get rid of it. Daley, whose own father, Richard J. Daley, presided as mayor over the construction of many CHA housing projects and the neglect and indifference towards its residents that began in the 1960s and 1970s, would begin to do just that, in close coordination with developers and the banks. Meanwhile, the CHA under the administration of Rahm Emanuel has continued with the Plan for Transformation. The mayor, a former investment banker, and the Democrat-dominated city council have been in charge during the recent criminal divergence of public housing funds towards banks and private interests. In keeping with Emanuels continuation of Clinton-era attacks on welfare and other social programsanti-working class policies which Emanuel helped to developin November CHA announced it would pilot a program imposing an eight-year time limit on public housing vouchers for 100 families, with plans for wider implementation. Chile is facing one of the worst forest fires in its history. The worst hit areas are OHiggins, Maule, Biobio and La Araucana, all located in the extreme south of the country, where in addition to small Mapuche farming communities, there are large forestry companies. The fire, fueled by strong winds, high temperatures and an eight-year drought, has had an enormous impact on the countrys fauna and flora, which experts consider irreversible. Valparaiso, one of Chiles main port cities, is known for frequent fires that consume its hillside forests. It has been declared on Red Alert after a fire on January 2 consumed 50 hectares and dozens of homes. The whole city of Valparaiso has been blanketed in a layer of white smoke for over a week. The smoke is a daily reminder of the wildfires that continue to incinerate forests in seven of the countrys fifteen regions, four of which have been declared disaster areas. President Michelle Bachelet announced that the fires, which have already burned over half a million hectares, taken 11 lives and left over 3,000 people homeless, represent one of the worst emergency situations in Chiles history. But, why is Chile constantly subject to such fires? Why, with such a long history of battling fires of epic proportions, is the country not more prepared to face these emergency situations? The answer lies in why the Chilean forests are so prone to catching fire and why fires spread so quickly. The configuration of the trees in Chiles forests today is: 75 percent pine, 15 percent eucalyptus, and 10 percent native. Pine and eucalyptus trees are known for being incredibly dry. So, why then was the majority of Chiles native, humid forest destroyed and replaced with this monoculture of dry pine and eucalyptus trees? To understand this, one has to go back to the first year of Pinochets dictatorship. In 1974, Decree Law 701 (better known as the forest development law), which subsidizes plantations of monocultures of pine and eucalyptus trees with 75 percent of resources, was enacted. Once the state attached a high cost value to a plantation of trees, along with the subsidy, companies rushed in to destroy native forests, in order to replace them with plantations of pine and eucalyptus that could produce profits. This law, which is still in effect today, allowed for the appropriation of huge areas of national territory by two main monopolies: CMPC, run by the Matte family, and Bosques Arauco run by the Angellinis. Seventy percent of Chiles forestry business (2 million hectares) is controlled by these two families. As part of this process, these companies stripped the Mapuche community of its native lands, leaving them with a mere half a million hectares. Since then, a multi-million-dollar fortune has been accumulated by the two families, yet the regions they exploit suffer from among the highest rates of poverty in the country. For example, over 100,000 residents live in homes without access to water. While these two companies are worth at least $10 million, they have shown little interest in investing in fire prevention to protect their land. Ken Pimlott, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, who has done consulting for Chiles National Forest Corporation (CONAF), noted that with the intensity of forest fires and its impact on residents losing their homes, Chile is about 30 or 40 years behind California, in terms of fire prevention. It begs the question, why doesnt the state own any planes that can carry more than 10,000 liters of water? Why are there no specialized training programs for wilderness firefighters? Over 9,000 people (including 4,500 volunteer firefighters and 4,600 members of the military, police, and public functionaries) have been working to extinguish the fires with the aid of 24 planes, 45 helicopters, and 124 fire trucks, not counting the Supertanker plane that can carry up to 75,000 liters of water, which is currently being rented out by Benjamin Waltons (of the Wal-Mart Waltons) Chilean wife, Lucy Ana Aviles. According to CONAF, there are still 110 active fires, including 49 currently under control and 60 still out of control. Those most affected by the disaster are obviously the thousands of poor families who have lost their homes, belongings and land, not the major forest companies, whose land and assets are protected by insurance, ensuring their continued profit. In the final analysis, the natural disaster of Chiles fires is another fatal result of a capitalist state which only serves to maintain the wealth of a small group of individuals, at the expense and exploitation of millions of impoverished people. By India Today Web Desk: On Sunday night, she owned the ramp as she sashayed in a white and gold ensemble for Anita Dongre at the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week. Unapologetic about her baby fat, she ruled like a diva as the curtains on LFW came down. More than the creations, it was Kareena Kapoor Khan's presence which grabbed eyeballs. Known to break the set norms and stereotypes, the yummy mummy once again did something phenomenal. Just 40 days after the birth of her son, Taimur Ali Khan Pataudi, Kareena is back in action and how. advertisement ALSO READ: 5 times Kareena Kapoor Khan proved she is Bollywood's coolest mom-to-be ALSO READ: Kareena says Saif and she are like Ki and Ka, he changes Taimur's diapers The 36-year-old actor, who has been an inspiration for many during her pregnancy days, has been a trendsetter and she raised the stakes with her latest outing. In one of her interviews during her pregnancy, Kareena had promised that she will be back on her toes within a month of her delivery. And boy! She did stick to it. Sporting minimal make-up and an off-white gown, Kareena became the showstopper for designer Anita Dongre at LFW finale. Nothing can stop her ?????? Kareena Kapoor Khan walked the ramp for @anitadongre pic.twitter.com/SZlbkyq6HA Kareena Kapoor Khan (@KareenaUpdates) February 5, 2017 After her memorable walk, she told IANS, "It feels amazing. It's just been day 46 (post delivery) and it feels great. The idea is to do what I have been always loved to do, which is work. It is a part of my DNA, it's a part of me. It's never going to change." When most designers look for size-zero models for their shows, Anita took some inspiration from Sabyasachi Mukherjee and saw in a much-chubby Kareena her muse. Last August, Kareena took everyone by surprise when she scorched the ramp in her quite visible baby bump for Sabyasachi at LFW 2016. When most Bollywood actors go underground during their last months of pregnancy, Kareena became the subject of admiration for many. She flaunted her baby bump like a badge of honor throughout her pregnancy and now, post the birth of her son, she is once again back in the limelight. Kareena is unlike any other Bollywood actor and she has proved that a way too much in the last few months. Be it flaunting her baby bump or indulging in promotions during last few months of pregnancy or attending parties or get togethers just a few days after the birth of her son, Kareena is unstoppable at every stage of her life. And now, we can't wait to see her back on the silver screen with Veere Di Wedding. advertisement ALSO WATCH: Saif and Kareena become proud parents to a baby boy --- ENDS --- On Friday, Federal District Judge James Robart entered an order halting the enforcement of President Donald Trumps anti-Muslim travel ban, which has prompted large protests across the US and worldwide. The Trump administration has responded by filing an immediate appeal, arguing that the judges order violates a fundamental sovereign attribute of the president. Robarts order was entered in a lawsuit brought by the states of Minnesota and Washington, which argued that the ban was motivated by unconstitutional religious animus and would hurt the states economically. Robart, a George W. Bush appointee, expressly struck down the ban nationwide. Trumps January 27 executive order prevents citizens of seven Muslim-majority countriesIraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemenfrom entering the US for 90 days. The order also indefinitely halts all refugee admissions from Syria, halts all other refugee admissions for 120 days, and permits Christian refugee applications to be prioritized over applications by Muslims. The order was widely viewed as a fulfillment of Trumps campaign promise to ban Muslim immigration, as well as a boon for racist and far-right groups, which promote theories that there is a Muslim conspiracy to oppress Christians and enact Sharia law in the United States. Breitbart News, formerly headed by Trumps chief strategist Stephen Bannon, ran an article in November headlined, Muslim Migrants Secretly Hate Christians, Seek to Outbreed Them. Bannon once proposed a documentary about how the US is in danger of being transformed into the Islamic States of America. While the executive order itself does not include the word Muslim or Islam, it is freighted with anti-Muslim stereotypes and tropes. The United States cannot, and should not, admit those who do not support the Constitution, or those who would place violent ideologies over American law, the order states. In addition, the United States should not admit those who engage in acts of bigotry or hatred (including honor killings, other forms of violence against women, or the persecution of those who practice religions different from their own) or those who would oppress Americans of any race, gender, or sexual orientation. Trump responded to the judges order on Friday with a Twitter rant that all but accused the judge of being a traitor. The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned! Trump continued: The judge opens up our country to potential terrorists and others that do not have our best interests at heart, Trump wrote. Bad people are very happy! Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! Trumps accusation that the judge is complicit in future terrorist attacks is particularly ominous, suggesting that any opposition to his decrees will be considered treason. On Saturday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals summarily rejected an emergency appeal filed by the Trump administration for an immediate administrative stay of Robarts order. Further briefing on the issue by the states of Washington and Minnesota was due in the Ninth Circuit by midnight on Sunday, with the Trump administration to respond by 3:00 p.m. Monday. The case, State of Washington et al. v. Trump et al., is expected to move rapidly through the federal judicial system and may even reach the Supreme Court. In addition to the question of whether the Trump administrations executive order was motivated by religious bigotry, the most significant legal issue raised by the case concerns the scope of presidential powers. In the brief for the Trump administration, Justice Department lawyers bluntly argued that the US president has authoritarian powers that cannot be second-guessed by anyone. Judicial second-guessing of the Presidents determination, the administration lawyers wrote, would constitute an impermissible intrusion on the political branches plenary constitutional authority over foreign affairs, national security, and immigration. They went on to argue that the the power to expel or exclude aliens is a fundamental sovereign attribute that is largely immune from judicial control. In its latest brief, the Trump administration pointed to arbitrary executive powers previously asserted by the Obama administration, which the Supreme Courtin an opinion by Antonin Scaliahad affirmed in a 2015 case called Kerry v. Din. (See: US Supreme Court upholds arbitrary executive power in immigration visa case) Citing the precedents set by the Bush and Obama administrations, Trumps lawyers argued essentially that the president is a dictator whose authority cannot be challenged. There are tensions within the ruling class over the issue of the Muslim ban. The states of Washington and Minnesota were supported in court by briefs filed by Amazon, Expedia and Microsoft, all of whom opposed the ban. There is a concern that such a flagrantly bigoted action by the president will be bad for business, not just in terms of its immediate consequences for individuals affected, but also in terms of undermining Americas ability to posture as the leader of the democratic free world. No confidence can be placed in the Democratic Party or its big-business allies to wage a principled opposition to the Muslim ban. While ex-President Barack Obama now postures as a sympathetic friend of immigrants, the former deporter-in-chief was responsible for the brutal expulsion of a record 2.5 million people during his eight years in office. Indeed, the Trump administration is expressly relying on authoritarian precedents set by the Obama administration that were supported by the Democratic Party at the time. Whatever show of opposition they may make to the Muslim ban, congressional Democrats are meanwhile assisting the Trump administration in its campaign of economic provocations against Iran. While Judge Robarts order temporarily halts enforcement of the Muslim ban, the remainder of Trumps anti-immigrant orders remain in effect. According to calculations published by the Los Angeles Times on Saturday, up to 8 million people living in the US could be targeted for deportation under the Trump orders. The Central Intelligence Agency announced February 2 that its new deputy director will be Gina Haspel, a 32-year CIA veteran who ran one of the first secret prisons where Al Qaeda suspects were subjected to torture in the period following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US. In an official statement, newly confirmed CIA Director Mike Pompeo hailed Haspel as a devoted patriot and a proven leader with an uncanny ability to get things done. The Trump administration highlighted the fact that Haspel is the first female deputy director of the spy agency. Among the things Haspel is known for getting done is the torture of Abu Zubaydah and Abd el-Rahim al-Nashiri at a black site prison in Thailand in 2002. Zubaydah and al-Nashiri were kidnapped as part of Washingtons extraordinary rendition program in the months following the 9/11 attacks. Shipped to foreign countries, the detainees were then subjected to medieval tortures, including waterboarding. Zubaydah was subjected to that technique on 83 separate occasions in the space of one month, before the CIA torturers concluded that he had no information to provide. Also on Haspels resume is the 2005 order to destroy the videotapes of the interrogation sessions at the Thai site, code-named Cats Eye, as well as at other secret prisons. The order was given by her boss at the time, Jose Rodriguez, the head of the CIAs clandestine service. It was Haspel who carried it out. The destruction of evidence followed well over a year of CIA stonewalling in the face of requests from the official 9/11 Commission, formed in 2003 supposedly to get to the bottom of the terror plot and the governments response to it. The fact that the tapes had been destroyed did not surface until later. In 2008, the commission co-chairs, Democrat Lee Hamilton and Republican Thomas Kean, felt obliged to call the CIAs role obstruction. During this time, Haspel was working under cover at the CIA, but her identity was well known in official circles. By 2013, Haspel was acting director of the clandestine service. Then-CIA Director John Brennan shifted her out of the position, however. The fact that Haspel was considered within top government circles to have been compromised by her torture record was a likely factor in that personnel move. That has changed in the administration of Donald Trump. The new president, who has almost gleefully declared that torture works, appointed former Kansas Congressman Pompeo, another supporter of waterboarding, to head the CIA. At his Senate confirmation hearing, Pompeo verbally softened his position on enhanced interrogation and Trump has said he will defer to retired Gen. James P. Mattis, the new secretary of defense, who has publicly disavowed waterboarding and other torture techniques. This could change at a moments notice. Trumps nomination of Pompeo, followed by the selection of Haspel, are signals that torture remains very much under consideration. Also significant was an executive order prepared in recent days that looked toward the reopening of some black site prisons. That order that was amended after opposition from Congress and, apparently, some debate within the Trump cabinet. The elevation of Haspel is one more illustration of the unprecedented character of the current administration in Washington. Its policies rest on a political foundation that has been built up over previous governments, but it is taking these policies to a qualitatively more reactionary and menacing level. George W. Bush, for instance, came close to an open defense of torture, but never celebrated it as openly as Trump. In Obamas case, there was a public disavowal of torture combined with the insistence that the country had to look forward, not backward, a euphemism for shielding the torturers and their Bush administration superiors from prosecution, based on the understanding that they might be needed again. Leading Democrats have made a muted show of concern over the selection of Haspel for the CIA post. To the extent that there is anything genuine about their statements, it is concern for the image of American imperialism around the world and the damage to its interests caused by what they consider Trumps too-brazen behavior. This concern, however, did not stop California Democrat Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee and former chair of the Intelligence Committee, or Charles Schumer, the new Senate minority leader, from joining with a dozen other Democratic senators in voting for Pompeos confirmation to the top CIA post. The Trump administration has introduced a number of testimonials to Ms. Haspel. Among those who have lauded her service and welcomed her appointment are James Clapper, the director of national intelligence under Obama, and Michael Morell, who was on two occasions the acting director of the CIA and was one of the most vitriolic critics of Trump and enthusiastic supporters of Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election campaign. Protesters opposed to US President Donald Trumps travel ban on people from seven majority Muslim countries entering the US spoke to the World Socialist Web Site at Saturdays demonstrations in London, Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester. London Mary said, The problems we have go deeper than this one US presidential election. It stems over decades with a lack of any politics that represent ordinary people. What you see in the US, you have the same here. London is a bubble compared with much of the UK so I can understand why people are angry. Anna is half-American and half Irish. She had been contacted by her grandmother, who had marched against the Vietnam War, who told her, You have to get out there now and get on these marches. Adiva from east London said, Trump is going to divide people around the world. Immigration is not responsible for the problems we face. None of those seven majority Muslin countries banned by Trump were responsible for the 9/11 attacks. People wont accept it. Therell be a massive uprising. Therell be a revolution. Im confident about that. Neda said, Im a US citizen and US resident and I come from Iranian heritage. My family came to the US after 1979 only to be discriminated against now. They should be able to live the rest of their life freely and not be ostracised. There are quite a few members of my family who came with a Green Card and now they cant actually leave the US because they are worried they will be stopped on their return. I have family from Iran who have been detained for several hours. Im worried about the new threats on Iran. We are talking about an old culture that goes back before Christs time. There are so many important landmarks from history that are at risk now. The people in Iran just want peace and just want to live their lives. Asked about the global protests against Trump, Neda said, It made my heart very full because I dont want another holocaust, and its nice to see Jews, whites, blacks, Muslims coming together to make sure this doesnt happen again. Neda said of Trumps election, I see that the very rich have a lot of interests that will be multiplied by Trumps presidency, and the poor have a big sense of injustice and I think may have thought they would get a sense of release with Trump. But people are now saying, I wish I could redo my vote and take it back as he is not going to be helping us. He has already started upsetting the working class. Amelia, a student, said, With someone as reckless and ignorant as Trump with the finger on the nuclear buttons, its dangerous for the entire world. We had hopes in Obama. So did most Americans. He did so many horrible things in the latter part of his presidency. But Donald Trump, we can compare him to Hitler. ... His economic nationalism and protectionism are taking us to the dark days of the First World War and the Second. Adheeba, a human rights researcher, said, I believe that when laws such as the Muslim ban are passed, they go against the constitution and human rights. We need to stand up and start resisting. Ishran Khan, a musician, said, Trump represents the worst sections of the corporate and business world. He is the most hated president in American history. Unending wars, drone killings, mass surveillance on the world and attacks on democratic rights have been American policy for some time. It is going to be far worse under Trump. Look at what he is doing to Iran. He sacked the attorney general last week. His threats are not only limited to Muslim people. He is threatening Mexicans, Latinos and immigrants. Today if we stand together against capitalism we can defeat the evils that come out of it, not only in America but all over the world. Gavi said, I have a UK husband born to a Mexican mother and an American father. What is happening in America right now is terrible. The Muslim ban, racism and other economic policies of Trump terrify me. I have got a lot of Iranian friends and his threats against Iran worry me. Sosha, a student, said, We are here to protest against the divisive policies of Donald Trump, whereas Theresa May is building a relationship with him. She is a prime minister that no one voted for. Trump is aggressively trying to defend the business interest of corporate America. People need to rise up against him and the establishment he defends. Trump is a product of the capitalist system. He represents the extreme of that system. James said, Being free to travel anywhere one wants to or needs to be is a basic human right. Alan said, I deeply cherish the basic democratic values we have enjoyed since the end of the Second World War. Jacob said, I dont think the worst thing about Trump is the sexism or the racism. These are issues but they will be small fry compared with the corporations running riot. I think the left needs to take responsibility for its failure to connect with the working class. The left are just like splinter groups from liberalism. The Democrats and liberals are too smug. They did not focus on the economic issues. I dont think they want genuine social change. Maria said, I am against the visa ban. It is discrimination. I am young and I want to be able to travel where I want for finding a job after I finish my studies. Delph said, I dont like his stance against women in general. I dont like the fact that he is against abortion. Its a basic right every woman should have. We have the right to decide when we want to be a mother. Leeds Tamsin, a student, said, What is happening in the US is a massive wake-up call and a big warning to anyone who may be complacent and who may have thought that politics doesnt affect them. People have expressed a lot of shock about recent events, i.e., the Trump presidency and Brexit. But they didnt fall from the sky. There is such an imbalance of wealth and power. The gulf between rich and poor is getting bigger and bigger. I think we are reaching a point where we have no choice but to unite against all these attacks. Sheffield Farnoush from Sheffield University joined friends at her first-ever rally: Im from Iran and Ive seen and heard of people who cant go to the US and see their families and childrenso many people. No one likes Trump, especially the younger generation like us. Asked whether people saw any connection between Trumps policies and those of the Obama administration, Samia from Egypt replied, I think most people saw Obama as a kind of nice guy, but he was probably just as bad as any other American president. There were all of these videos on Facebook, of Obama being goofy, but hes been murdering people. She spoke about the Egyptian revolution in 2011, explaining the military was now back in power: Basically we are back to square one, or worse than square one. People speak of Trump banning Muslim countries, but he hasnt banned Egypt. Its clearly not about religion. ... If you just think about religion then you dont get to the real interests and whats clearly beneath the surface. Janice said, I am concerned that Trump is the kind of dangerous person who would carry out the threat to use nuclear weapons. I read that America is upgrading its whole nuclear arsenal. Theresa May got very cosy with Trump and if Brexit is going ahead, as looks likely, the plan is to get even closer to the US, and that means Britain will be its number one ally in any war. I agree with what you say about Hillary Clinton being as war-crazy as Trump. I never trusted her. During the presidency of Obama there were conflicts and wars across the Middle East and in Ukraine. Thats amazing, considering he came with such hope after the Bush years. I agree with you about the Labour Party. My dad supported them through thick and thin and he would be disgusted the way its turning out. ... I dont think my dad would like me saying this, but it is time for a different party, one that shows real fight for the working class. Manchester Vanessa, who studies art history, has a lot of friends in the US. I had believed that it was the land of the free, she said, and people came to the US from all over the world to escape terrible situations in the past, to find hope and liberty. What is happening now is denying everything that America was built on. Siobhan from Liverpool said, I dont want to live in a world that thinks that having a racist leader in the most powerful nation in the world is okay. Its not okay and its not acceptable. Reporters from the World Socialist Web Site spoke to a number of students, workers and retirees who attended demonstrations opposing the sweeping immigration ban imposed by the new US administration of Donald Trump. While the Greens and the pseudo-left used the demonstrations as an opportunity to promote Australian nationalism, and to call for a more independent foreign policy, many of those who joined the demonstrations were animated by genuine opposition to the persecution of refugees, the eruption of militarism and war, and the growth of far-right movements around the world. In Sydney, Carolyn, a 76-year-old retired deputy principal, spoke about the anti-establishment sentiment that the Trump campaign had capitalised on. I think people were fed up in the long term with the series of Bushs, Clintons, probably even going back to the Kennedys, Carolyn said. I think they were fed up with the whole political establishment. Thats fair enough but you dont do that by voting in someone like Trump. They didnt want to vote for the establishment but for gods sake dont jump the boat for someone with a narcissistic, personality disorder. Commenting on Trumps foreign policy, she said, The age of imperialism is gone and the US realised they lost in Vietnam and didnt get anywhere in the Middle-East. Theyve got to wake up to the fact that they are not going to stop China. I think its a survival instinct and they are hunkering down. Carolyn agreed that this heightened the threat of a global conflict, noting, Every time countries look inward that is the result and its not funny now that warfare is entirely different and you have idiots like Trump with their fingers on the nuclear button. Grace, who works in digital media, carried a sign pointing to the parallels between the persecution of refugees and the crimes carried out by the Nazi regime. I feel that history will judge us really poorly for what weve done in this period of time, she said. I want to feel that Ive done whatever I can to protest against the immoral actions of this government. Grace said that during the Holocaust, People denied it and pretended that they didnt see. They turned a blind eye. But we can see whats happening here and I think we should do something about it. She commented on the responsibility of the major imperialist powers for the refugee crisis, stating, Weve intervened in those countries and created wars that those people have had to flee from. I think there is a lot of hypocrisy between international actions and the flow of refugees coming. People dont see the connection between the two. Nati, a lawyer from Chile, and Larissa, a refugee advocate, also spoke out against US-led wars in the Middle East. You dont need to invade other countries for resources, Larissa said. Let the Iraqis live their lives. I wouldnt be surprised if Trump started his own war, because it has become somewhat of a fashion for American presidents to start wars. They also pointed to the erosion of American democracy. They think they have a democracy but they dont have a democracy, Larissa said. More people voted for Hillary Clinton than Trump. Sydney, a pensioner said, We thought it was an appropriate time to come and give some support. And there is the fact that it is not illegal to come as a refugee. The government keeps having to change their language to illegal boat arrivals instead of illegal immigrants to avoid the fact that it is perfectly legal for people to turn up and ask for refuge. We think that both sides of politics are to blame, Liberals and Labor. Her friend, Carolyn commented, The western world is going so right wing, so Me First. Everything is America First, Australia First. We have lost compassion. We have lost concern. We used to give a lot more money to funding overseas. All of that is being pulled back. In Melbourne, Claudia, a student, said, If anything, Trumps actions will lead to grassroots activism. I want to be part of a global movement against racism, bigotry, xenophobia and war-mongering. He is cutting off funding for abortion, putting in climate deniers. He wants to reinstate torture, maintain Guantanamo Bay detention. Her friend Georgia added, The ban on immigrants is so hypocritical. Trump is not banning people from Saudi Arabia or Turkey, because of his business interests there. Oliver, a software engineer, said, The majority of US politicians are interested in war, the oil industries and big business. All the wealth goes to the top. Wealth is concentrated in few hands, its a joke. I dont think the election of Trump is a surprise. People voted for change. That doesnt mean that every change makes things better. To be honest I wasnt expecting Trump to be so reactive when he got in. His attack on people with visas is illegal. George, a scientist from Germany said, Trumps election has implications for the whole world but particularly for countries like Mexico. I think if you specifically ask me about Germany, I see some common policies between German President Angela Merkel and Trump. They are both intolerant and selfish. George noted the rise of far-right parties across Europe, and Brexit, Britains vote to leave the European Union. One of common characteristics between those that voted for Trump and those that voted for the Brexit is that they were attempting to avoid the alternative, he said. Many people in England have been very disappointed in the European Union, so voting for Brexit was a vote against the EU. I think it might have been the same situation in the US. I remember a long time ago when Hilary was going for mayor in New York so many of my friends opposed her. Im guessing that opposition was even stronger this time. In other words, the so-called alternatives such as Clinton did not offer something that people could vote for. Im very worried about what Trump is planning to do and what he is already destroying, George said. The vast inequality in the US is expressed right throughout the western world, in Germany, France and Britain, not just in the US. The society is vastly split and divided. Tens of thousands demonstrated in London, and thousands more around the UK Saturday, to protest Donald Trumps presidency and his travel ban on citizens from seven majority Muslim countries entering the United States. The demonstration was organised by a number of organisations, including the Stop the War Coalition, Peoples Assembly, Stand Up to Racism and the Muslim Council of Britain. Protesters assembled at the US Embassy in the capital and marched a few miles to Downing Streetthe residence of Prime Minister Theresa Maywhere a further rally was held. The overwhelming majority attending were young people. Many carried homemade banners denouncing the ban and other policies being rolled out by the Trump administration. While the vast majority of protesters attended on the basis of seeking to oppose Trump, the organisers sought to divert this opposition into the dead end of appeals to May on the basis that she end the special relationship between the US and Britain. Speeches from the platform at the beginning and end of the rally were centred on appeals to May to disinvite Trump from attending an official state visit to the UK later in the year, when he is scheduled to meet the queen at Buckingham Palace. Andrew Murray, the chair of Stop the War and a supporter of the Stalinist Morning Star, went so far as to state, I must admit I stand here as a republican, but my first thought when I heard that was Donald Trump, keep your wandering hands off the Queen. He called on May, Let go of his [Trumps] hand. Its time, at last, to call time on the special relationship. Concealing the onslaught against democratic rights carried out by successive Labour and Tory governments, including the period that May recently spent as home secretary in the Cameron government, Murray concluded, Its time we had a British government that will stand up for the dignity of our democracy and the values that we believe in. None of this is aimed at mobilising the working class in Britain and the US against either Trump or May, but on appeals to sections of the ruling class and upper layers of the middle class to force May to recognise that such a close relationship with Trump would be detrimental to the interests of British imperialism. In the lead up to the demonstration, Stop the War issued a petition calling for an end to the special relationship tied to opposing Trumps proposed state visit. A January 27 statement read, Our government should not be seen to be endorsing the sorts of ideas and policies he [Trump] is putting forward. A January 23 article by leading STWC figure and member of the Counterfire splinter from the Socialist Workers Party, Chris Nineham, stated, Any civilised or sensible government would be breaking links with him. He concluded, We must demand now that our government breaks ties with the Trump regime and ends the special relationship. Only then can we begin to move away from war and towards a sane foreign policy (emphasis added). What unites all the organisers of the London protest is their resolute opposition to any independent movement of the working class against the ruling elite. John Rees, another leader of Counterfire, spoke in the name of the People Assembly outside Downing Street. Rees claimed that the only way forward in the fight against Trump and May was by supporting and joining the trade unions. Trump, he said, was attacking the unions. This completely misrepresents the relationship between Trump and the trade unions, which have reached out to the fascistic demagogue based on asserting a common platform of economic nationalism in defence of US capitalism. Last December, the New York Times published an op-ed piece by Richard Trumka, the president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), arguing that Trump would be far more successful if he saw the unions as partners rather than antagonists. January saw the AFL-CIO urge Trump to honour his pledge to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, with Trumka pledging, We are ready to fix it. In February, Trump held a White House lunch with corporate executives and officials from the United Steelworkers (USW) and the International Association of Machinists (IAM) from motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson. Trump said of the unions, You folks have been terrific to me. The head of the USW, Leo Gerard, has applauded Trumps executive order pulling the US out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact, pledging to work with Trump on the promised, pro-worker, pro-income-growth agenda that prioritizes revitalizing manufacturing. In the UK, the unions have an unbroken record of organising defeat after defeat for the last three decades. But this didnt prevent Rees from declaring, What we should chant today is union, union, union! The same pro-British capitalist message was repeated at protests all over the country. In Sheffield, for example, around 800 people rallied outside City Hall to be subjected to a platform dominated by the Labour Party, Green Party and pseudo-left groups including the SWP. Former Greens leader Natalie Bennett condemned Mays support for Trump as being opposed to British national interests. We are focusing on Trump, said Bennett, but were also focusing very much on Theresa May, walking hand-in-hand with Donald Trump, and I think shes got a message from Britain that says, thats just not acceptable. Sheffield Trade Union Council (TUC) Secretary Martin Mayer condemned May as a racist but was silent on the Labour Partys anti-immigrant record, including its repeated callsbacked by the Trades Union Congressfor a legitimate discussion against the free movement of labour. Rally organisers presented speakers from a range of ethnic and community associations, including local Labour councillors Mohammed Maroof, and Abdul Khayum, whose political affiliations were deliberately concealed. The SWPs Maxine Bowler was introduced as a leading trade union activist and combined demagogic attacks on Trump (Youre fired!) with overt support for the imperialist powers in Europe and elsewhere. Politicians around the world are having a go at Trump, she declared. We need to stop Theresa the appeaser. Prior to the London demonstration, an attempt was made to sabotage it by Guardian columnist Owen Jones and a number of his journalistic co-thinkers. Jones, a Labourite who, last year, played a pivotal role in the attempted coup against Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, launched a slanderous witch-hunt against the SWP, claiming the group were behind one of the organisers of the event, Stand Up to Racism. He tweeted Friday, Im not taking part in tomorrows Trump demo because of the leading role of the SWP in it, a cult which covered up rape. The aim of the attack on the SWP, using its bureaucratic efforts to suppress accusations by two members against one of its leaders in 2013, is aimed at whipping up hysteria against all left-wing political thought and tendenciesasserting that the Comrade Delta affair is an indictment of Leninism, Trotskyism and proof that gross abuses of power are inevitable on the far left. Joness aim is to stigmatise anyone who even remotely challenges his efforts to subordinate politics to the Labour Partyand above all the pro-capitalist, pro-European Union perspective of its Blairite wing that he regurgitates every week within the pages of the Guardian. Jones is a leading figure in the Stop Trump Coalition, which is seeking to exploit mass hostility to the right-wing regime in the White House and to the Tories to argue that last Junes referendum decision to leave the EU must give way to a reorientation towards a new anti-US, pro-EU foreign policy. Since the inauguration of Donald Trump just over two weeks ago, millions of people have demonstrated in the streets of cities throughout the US and internationally. They are motivated by deeply felt opposition to the national chauvinism and authoritarianism of the new administration, as expressed in particular in its anti-Muslim immigration and refugee order. The criticisms of the Democratic Party, however, are centered on an entirely different issue. Continuing a theme developed by Hillary Clinton during the election campaign, the Democrats are seeking to channel opposition behind a politically foul and neo-McCarthyite campaign depicting Trump as an agent of Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The latest round of Russia-baiting was signaled, as usual, in the pages of the New York Times. Paul Krugman, who kicked off the Russian hacking campaign last summer with a Times column labeling Trump the Siberian candidate, began his op-ed piece last Monday with the words, Were just over a week into the Trump-Putin regime. Senator Elizabeth Warren took up the baton in a speech to the Progressive Congress Strategy Summit in Baltimore on Saturday, declaring: In November, America elected Donald Trump. Yes, the Russians helped. Yes, the FBI director helped. Yes, he lost the popular vote by three million. But we cannot let ourselves off so easy. There followed much posturing as a left critic of the Democratic Party establishment, but endorsement of Russia-baiting was duly noted by another leading Democrat, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who gave full vent to her inner Joe McCarthy in an appearance on the NBC program Meet the Press on Sunday. Asked about Warrens criticism of the right-wing character of Democratic Party campaigns, Pelosi quickly changed the subject: But let me just go back to the first part of the senators statement. I want to know what the Russians have on Donald Trump. I think we have to have an investigation by the FBI into his financial, personal and political connections to Russia. She continued, And we want to see his tax returns so we can have truthin the relationship between Putin, whom he admires, and Donald Trump. Former Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders sounded the same theme Sunday during an appearance on the CNN program State of the Union. He criticized Trump as a president who I fear very much is moving us in a very authoritarian direction, citing both his attacks on the courts and the media and the fact that he attacks our intelligence agencies as operating in neo-Nazi fashion. That was a reference to Trumps criticism of the intelligence agencies for their role in peddling the Russian hacking narrative during the weeks following the November 8 election. In the midst of this campaign, both Democratic and Republican critics of Trump are seizing on perhaps the only true thing that Trump has said. Most of the politicians interviewed on the Sunday morning television programs, Democrats and Republicans, criticized Trumps comments about Vladimir Putin made in a taped pre-Super Bowl interview with Bill OReilly of Fox. OReilly tried to elicit a condemnation of the Russian president, saying, Putins a killer. Trump replied, Weve got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our countrys so innocent? This provoked a wave of condemnation from politicians and media commentators about the moral equivalence drawn between the United States and Russia. The Democratic senator from Minnesota, Amy Klobuchar, echoing the words of many others, told ABC News, You cannot compare any leaders in our country to what Vladimir Putin has done. This is a man and a regime that has taken down a passenger plane in Ukraine, killing hundreds of people This is a regime that, we believe17 intelligence agencies in our own country have saidhas tried to influence our own election. I dont think theres any comparison. If truth be told, the Russian government, for all Putins KGB past, is a rank amateur at mass killing compared to American imperialism. Since the Second World War, which ended with the dropping of two US atomic bombs on Japanese cities, the victims of American imperialism number in the tens of millions: wars in Korea, Vietnam, Central America, the First Gulf War, the air war against Serbia, the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, the bombing of Libya, the destruction of Syria and Yemen, to say nothing of the bloodbaths conducted by CIA-backed stooge regimes in Latin America, Africa and Asia. The fifteen years of the war on terror have led to the deaths of more than one million people in the Middle East, with millions more turned into refugees. Not a day goes by in which American imperialism is not killing someone somewhere in the world. It was Barack Obama, not Vladimir Putin, who held regular Terror Tuesdays to personally approve drone missile assassinations of thousands of people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and other countries. Klobuchar is being positioned as a potential Democratic presidential or vice-presidential candidate, burnishing her credentials with the military-intelligence apparatus by joining war hawk Republican senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham on a tour of US-NATO military operations in the Baltic states and Ukraine last month. There are clear political calculations involved in the Democratic Partys campaign on Russia. It serves, on the one hand, as a distraction, an effort to divert attention away from the right-wing, antidemocratic and pro-corporate character of the Trump administrations policies, which the Democrats broadly support. At the same time, the Democrats are seeking to exploit the opposition that exists to promote their own agenda. They represent a faction of the ruling class and the military-intelligence apparatus that sees an anti-Russia policy as critical to the maintenance of NATO, deems Russia to be an intolerable obstacle to US domination of the Middle East, and believes that taking on China is not possible without first dealing with Russia. All of this demonstrates that a fight against the Trump administration and the danger it represents requires a break with the Democratic Party. Any opposition that the Democrats express is entirely within the framework of the interests of the American ruling class and US imperialism. Genuine opposition must be rooted in the working class, connecting the fight against war and authoritarianism with opposition to social inequality and the capitalist system. Over the past three days, several thousand people participated in demonstrations around Australia against the immigration restrictions imposed by the US administration of Donald Trump, including a ban on citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries entering the US. Many of those who joined the protests, including students and young people, expressed their hostility to the persecution of refugees by successive Australian governments, the growth of nationalism and militarism, and the onslaught on the social conditions of the working class. The aim of the protest organisers, however, was to channel these progressive sentiments behind Labor, the Greens and the political establishment, and promote the reactionary line that a more independent Australian foreign policy would mark a step forward. The demonstrations in Sydney and Melbourne were both attended by around 1,000 people. Smaller events were held in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. In Melbourne, Greens leader Richard Di Natale was the featured speaker. He was introduced by Anneke Demanuele, a member of the pseudo-left Socialist Alternative and education officer of the National Union of Students. Demanuele fawningly declared that Di Natale has been one of the few voices in parliament to stand up to Pauline Hanson, the racist far-right loser. Hanson is the leader of the xenophobic One Nation party. Di Natale led a walk-out during her maiden speech, Demanuele said. This is the type of resistance we need to see so we dont normalise racism in our society. Demanueles remarks demonstrated how the pseudo-left invokes the danger of the far right to establish closer ties with Labor and the Greens. Like every other speaker, she was silent on the Greens record of supporting the former Labor government of Julia Gillard, which sent refugees to detention camps on Manus and Nauru Island in the Pacific, and aligned Australia with the massive US military build-up in the Asia-Pacific, directed against China. Di Natale restated his earlier calls for an end to the US-Australia alliance. He denounced Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for remaining silent when leaders across the world are condemning the actions of this dangerous president. He was referring to the self-serving statements of Angela Merkel and other European political figures, who are themselves implicated in the wars in the Middle East and the persecution of asylum seekers. Its time to stand up and say to Donald Trump, our interests are no longer your interests, Di Natale declared. It is time to say, no longer does the US alliance protect us, but that it is now a source of danger. The nations peace and security, indeed the worlds, lies not in the US but in resisting the actions of the US. It is no longer time for appeasement, it is time for leadership. We can no longer leave our security to a mad man on the other side of the world. Di Natales references to the nations security made clear that he was speaking as a representative of the corporate and political establishment. His remarks were indistinguishable from a host of worried comments in the financial press, which have warned that the bellicose stance of the new Trump administration threatens Australias trading relations and strategic interests. In other interviews and media appearances, Di Natale has called for a renegotiation of the alliance. The Greens have long called for military forces to focus on bolstering Australian dominance in the South Pacific, and have at times voiced concerns over Australia becoming embroiled in lengthy US-led wars in the Middle East. Di Natales references to ensuring our security, paralleled comments by foreign policy hawk and former deputy secretary of defence Paul Dibb, who issued a call in the Australian today for a major expansion of the defence forces amid mounting tensions in the South China Sea and uncertainties over the Trump administration. Di Natales nationalist line was repeated by representatives of the pseudo-left in Sydney. Ian Rintoul, a leader of Solidarity and the Refugee Action Coalition, stated: Malcolm Turnbull needs to be told very clearly that we dont want Turnbull sucking up to Donald Trump. We want a political leadership that will stand up to Donald Trump. Rintoul, who occasionally claims to be a socialist, was speaking, no less than Di Natale, as a representative of the national interest, i.e., of the interests of Australian big business. New South Wales Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi called for a peoples movement of resistance, while other speakers promoted the lie that limited protest actions could halt the persecution of refugees. A representative of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union, which has carried out xenophobic campaigns against foreign workers, was given the platform to posture as a champion of multiculturalism. Rintoul later underscored what sort of movement the organisers were seeking to build when he bemoaned the fact that Labor leader Bill Shorten was not in attendance. He declared: We need to pressure the Labor Party. Bill Shorten should be here. Because Donald Trump will have no respect for Bill Shorten, we will have no respect for Bill Shorten, until he stands up for the people on Manus and Nauru sent there by Labor in the first place. For Rintoul and the pseudo-left, the goal is a Labor government that pays lip service to human rights, while pursuing the interests of the corporate elite, and securing respect, from other governments, on the world stage. Rintouls comments also showed that for the pseudo-left, the bipartisan persecution of refugees is unfortunate, largely because it tarnishes Australias national image. None of the speakers in Sydney or Melbourne from the Greens or the pseudo-left even referred to Australias central role in US-led wars in Iraq and Syria, which have contributed to the greatest refugee crisis since World War II, or to Australias integration into the US military build-up in the Asia-Pacific. The remarks of two Syrian community representatives at both protests confirmed the fact that the pseudo-left milieu, speaking for affluent layers of the upper middle class, supports the wars and predatory intrigues of the major powers. Both hailed the US-led regime change operation in their homeland directed against the regime of Bashar Al-Assad. In Melbourne, Monther Alhamdoosh obscenely declared that the Syrian government was much worse than Trump. He appealed to the new US administration, stating: Mr Trump, if you have a good intention and want to put America First, stop the Syrian regime and its government officials from entering the US. In Sydney, Mukhtar Jansiz denounced Iran and Russia for supporting the Syrian regime, declaring they were terrorist states and using language indistinguishable from the most hawkish sections of the US military establishment. He called for an expansion of US wars in the Middle East, stating that if the US and Australia dont want Syrians as refugees in your countries, help them to get rid of the dictator and his regime. In opposition to the nationalist line-up at the protests, Socialist Equality Party campaigners warned of the dangers of military conflict, and called for the development of an international anti-war movement based on a socialist program. With the Australian parliament due to resume tomorrow for its first sitting of 2017, question marks hang over the survival of the Turnbull government, which has been clinging to office by a threadbare one-seat majority since last Julys election. The ruling Liberal-National Coalition is riven with divisions on foreign and domestic policy that have only been intensified by the advent of the Trump administration. Media reports are speculating that the government, facing rapidly declining public support and possible splits by some of its most right-wing members, will not last the year. The commentaries generally focus on the plight of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as an individual, but more fundamental issues are coming to the surface. The Trump administrations menacing threats of trade war and war with China have compounded the dilemma facing the Australia ruling elite: Washington will undoubtedly press Canberra to play a frontline role in any confrontation with Beijing, putting in jeopardy lucrative economic relations with China, Australias largest trading partner. Trumps bullying phone call to Turnbull last week over a refugee deal is just a foretaste of what is to come. Todays Australian Financial Review editorial noted: Over the past decade, Australian foreign policy has become understandably obsessed with not being forced to choose between Chinese economic prosperity and American national security. The Trump presidency has brought the tensions into harsher relief, meaning the chances of Australia having to make difficult strategic trade-offs has increased uncomfortably. Turnbull has attempted to put the best possible face on his dressing down by Trump. Last night, on the 60 Minutes television program, Turnbull claimed that this has been a very good week for Australia, because in response to Trumps phone call, we have seen dozens and dozens of congressmen and senators talking about the importance of the Australian alliance. Yet, all of these statements emphasised that Australia had been involved in every major US war since World War II and thus, by implication, would be required to do so again. Senator John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential candidate, stressed the shared sacrifice in wartime, in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as Vietnam. On 60 Minutes Turnbull also tried to dismiss Murdoch media reports that, supposedly in return for a refugee deal, the White House would expect Australia to send more special forces troops to Iraq and/or send warships or planes into the territorial zones around Chinese-controlled islets in the South China Sea. Questioned by veteran journalist Laurie Oakes, Turnbull did not rule out sending Australian troops for some Middle Eastern adventure or ships in the South China Sea. But he said any such requests would be no surprise, because at the end of the day our two military establishments work very, very closely together, seamlessly, extremely closely together. Thus, Trumps call appears to have achieved its immediate objective. Turnbull, who once expressed reservations about the US pivot to Asia to confront China, and whose government has not yet followed the US in provocatively challenging Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea, has been forced to state his governments readiness to accede to the demands of the White House. Nevertheless, doubts remain in Washington about Turnbull and the public airing of the content of Trumps phone call has undoubtedly undermined his standing. His predecessor Tony Abbott, whom Turnbull deposed in September 2015, was a far more forthright participant in US military aggression and clearly has not given up his ambitions to become prime minister again. As well as creating enormous tensions in the Australian establishment, Trumps election has given succour to right-wing populists seeking to emulate him in demonising refugees and immigrants, and inciting protectionist sentiment, as a means of diverting rising discontent into reactionary nationalist directions. Among them are Pauline Hansons anti-immigrant One Nation Party and Senator Cory Bernardi, whose Australian Conservatives grouping is threatening to split from the ruling Liberal-National Coalition. Both are being given extensive publicity in the corporate media. Bernardi is reportedly set to announce his break from the Coalition in the coming days. The Murdoch medias Newspoll added to the pressure on Turnbull today, reporting that the Coalitions support plunged from 39 percent to 35 percent over the summer holidays, down to its lowest since Turnbull ousted Abbott. None of the anti-government swing went to Labor or the Greens. Instead, support for other parties jumped to 19 percentup from 13 percent at the July electionincluding 8 percent for Hansons One Nation. Reporting the results on its front page this morning, the Australian noted with alarm that a record 29 percent of people would not give their first preference vote in a House of Representatives election to either the Coalition or Labor. Turnbull has experienced what the Australian Broadcasting Corporation dubbed a summer of discontent. As well as the phone call from Trump, the US president also dumped the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade bloc, despite Canberras pleas to the contrary. Turnbull has also had to deal with the forced resignation of Health Minister Sussan Ley, and constant sniping by Abbott, who is seeking to destabilise Turnbulls leadership. Turnbull also admitted he donated $1.75 million of his own private fortune to the Liberal Partys election campaign last yearan indicator of flagging backing from corporate donors. Behind the media conjecture about Turnbulls future stands a deepening economic and social, as well as geo-political, crisis. There is mounting frustration in the corporate elite that Turnbull has not delivered what he promised them when he toppled Abbott. Turnbull, a multi-millionaire ex-banker, declared he would provide the economic leadership and narrative to ram through the austerity agenda that Abbott had failed to carry out. The Coalition government already confronts intense popular opposition over the inroads it has made into health, education and other essential social services. But under conditions of a collapse of the mining boom and a slide towards recession, big business is demanding much more and is concluding that Turnbull may not be up for the task. Turnbulls government, like Abbotts, is the latest in a line of unstable administrationsback to the last Rudd and Gillard Labor governments of 2007 to 2013that have sought to impose the austerity agenda of big business on politically hostile population. Todays Australian editorial puts Turnbull on notice: For perhaps the tenth time in the past five or six years, as our politicians return to Canberra for the resumption of a parliamentary sitting period, there is a heavy burden of necessity on the government to reset and start afresh. Malcolm Turnbull, barely six months into his first term as the elected Prime Minister, seems to have lost his way, or is struggling to find it. Meanwhile, the world situation has changed, accelerating this crisis. Trumps domestic program, on behalf of the billionaires he represents, of slashing corporate taxes, business regulation and health, education and welfare spending, must be matched. This means the Australian ruling elite requires a far deeper assault on the jobs, working conditions and social rights of the working class. 25 Years Ago | 50 Years Ago | 75 Years Ago | 100 Years Ago 25 years ago: US send refugees back to death squads in Haiti The US Supreme Court refused on February 10, 1992 to halt the forced return of Haitian refugees to their homeland, thus giving the green light to the Bush administrations brutal campaign. The court gave the government until Friday to respond to an emergency request, filed by lawyers for the refugees and aimed at halting all forced returns. The forced repatriations were carried out in the face of incontrovertible evidence, including dozens of reports of beatings, imprisonment and murder, of systematic persecution directed against those who had been sent back. On Monday, February 10, 510 refugees were sent back from the Guantanamo Bay US naval base in Cuba. Another 500 were to be returned Wednesday, with further repatriations Thursday and Friday. The State Department insists that the refugees are economic, not political, and therefore undeserving of asylum in the US. An immigration expert with the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, Arthur C. Helton, told the press, On the one hand, you have the INS receiving credible reports of death, torture and imprisonment, and on the other hand, you have the State Department spokeswoman claiming there has never been any evidence of mistreatment ... In Port-au-Prince, Haitis capital, the violence and terror that had already claimed at least 1,500 lives continued. A mass celebrating the one-year anniversary of deposed President Jean-Bertrand Aristides inauguration was disrupted by police gunfire February 7. [top] 50 years ago: Liu Shaoqi, Deng Xiaoping removed from power in China On February 6, 1967, Japanese media reported that the President of the Peoples Republic of China, Liu Shaoqi, and the secretary general of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Deng Xiaoping, had been removed from their positions, as the crisis of the Chinese Stalinist bureaucracy deepenedand its rivalry with the Soviet bureaucracy escalated. Targets of CCP Chairman Mao Zedongs Cultural Revolution, Liu and Deng, and their faction of the bureaucracy, had been under political attacks for months as capitalist roaders, while Mao and his allies consolidated their rule. Liu and Deng had been under effective house arrest since the summer. However, Japanese reports speculated that they still enjoyed considerable backing in the CCP and their supporters retain control of wide areas of China, thus posing the threat of civil war. A third faction of the bureaucracy, led by Foreign Minister Zhou Enlai, solidarized itself with Maos purges, but began this week to openly criticize the excesses of the 10 million-strong Red Guards, whose rampage through the country, in the name of the Mao cult, had led to public humiliations and beatings of prominent CCP officials and destruction of Chinas historic patrimony. Deepening the crisis, the peasantry, who had suffered millions of deaths during Maos catastrophic Great Leap Forward, began to hoard grain. Mao lieutenant Lin Bao strengthened his control over the military, purging Deng loyalists, asserting military control over Beijing and suspending all non-military domestic air traffic. On February 8, it was reported that Red Guards had been ordered to return to their homes. Simultaneously, the rift between the Soviet and Chinese bureaucracies erupted to the surface. Red Guards continued a weeklong siege of the Soviet embassy in Beijing. In retaliation, protesters in Moscow on February 7 barged into the Chinese embassy. On February 10, speaking on BBC in London, Soviet Prime Minister Alexei Kosygin criticized Maos dictatorial regime and expressed support for his bureaucratic rivals. On February 11, Beijing blocked Soviet advisers from traveling through China, en route to Vietnam, without visas. Izvestia accused China not only of obstructing the work of Russian diplomats, but of blocking the delivery of military support to North Vietnam, much of which was shipped via rail, or flown directly over Chinese airspace. Mao accused Moscow of mobilizing soldiers along the long Soviet border with Xinxiang province, claiming that international imperialists and revisionists [are] preparing large-scaled anti-Chinese activities, taking advantage of our Cultural Revolution. For all of Maos revolutionary rhetoric, sections of the US ruling class began to realize that Beijing could be used against the Soviet Union and Vietnam, exploiting the nationalist rivalries among the competing bureaucracies. Speaking at a Public Policy Institute conference on China at the University of Chicago on February 8, Senator Robert Kennedy criticized the Johnson administration for its wildly exaggerated presentation of the supposed Chinese threat. The record of Chinese efforts to export revolution is one of constant and dramatic failure, Kennedy said. He added that the influence of socialism in Vietnam was basically a native growth and that the North Korean regime, in spite of Chinas intervention in its civil war, strongly declared their independence if not hostility toward Beijing. [top] 75 years ago: Yugoslav Partisans retake Montenegro On February 10, 1942, Partisan units led by the Yugoslav Communist Party succeeded in recapturing major parts of Montenegro from Italian occupying forces and their Montenegrin collaborators, among them, the bourgeois-nationalist Chetniks. In the summer of 1941, the Chetniks had initially gone along with the uprising in Montenegro against Italian annexation. But the revolutionary implications of the explosion of the Montenegrin masses, under the leadership of the Yugoslavian Communist Party, led the Chetniks to break with the Partisans and join forces with the Italian occupation forces to suppress the uprising. As the Partisans fought throughout December 1941 and January 1942 to retake their positions, a bloody civil war developed between them and the Chetniks. The Montenegrin CP ruthlessly dealt with the Chetniks and established regimes that they called soviets, declaring communist aims in the areas they controlled. Later in February, a conference of the Montenegrin section of the Communist Party and its adherents among the peasants and workers in the Partisan movement was held which proclaimed Montenegro a part of the Soviet Union. But the actions of the Montenegrin Partisans came into conflict with the line laid down by Stalin to the Yugoslav Communist Party for a popular front with the Chetniks: Remember that at present it is a question of liberation from Fascist domination and not a question of Socialist revolution. Stalin only wanted to use the resistance of the Yugoslav masses to divert German military forces from the eastern front facing the USSR. But failure on his part to suppress the revolutionary strivings of the masses threatened to disrupt his alliance with British and US imperialism, which supported the Chetniks. Josip Broz Tito, head of the Yugoslav CP, denounced the Montenegrin Partisans for their harsh, sectarian and incorrect attitude and dispatched one of his key lieutenants, Milovan Djilas, to Montenegro to disband the soviets. [top] 100 years ago: Tsarist autocracy steps up repression in Russia This week in February 1917, members of the Workers Group of the War Industries Committee of St. Petersburg were arrested by the Tsarist government of Russia. The move was part of a wave of repression by the autocratic regime, amid mass opposition to Russian participation in the war effort, and a wave of political strikes and demonstrations, including one on January 22, attended by as many as 150,000 workers in St. Petersburg. In 1915 Russias leading capitalists had formed the War Industries Committees to promote Russias intervention in World War I. Workers groups were formed within these committees in a bid to promote patriotism and increase productivity. In order to give the workers groups legitimacy, meetings of factory delegates were called across the country. In October 1915, a meeting called to prepare the founding of the Petrograd workers group voted 95-81 in favor of a Bolshevik resolution calling for a boycott of election to the group and a revolutionary struggle against the war. The national-opportunist Mensheviks, led by Gvozdev, colluded with the capitalists who had founded the War Industries Committee, holding a meeting without Bolsheviks in attendance and securing control of the Petrograd workers group. Lenin, who opposed giving any legitimacy to the Committee, nevertheless pointed to the significance of the political disputes that had emerged, writing, The outstanding fact in the life of Russian Social-Democracy today is the elections of St. Petersburg workers to the war industries committees. For the first time during the war, these elections have drawn masses of the proletarians into a discussion and solution of basic problems of present-day politics; they have revealed the real picture of the state of affairs within Social Democracy as a mass party. What has been revealed is that there are two currents and only two: one is revolutionary and internationalist, genuinely proletarian, organized by our Party, and against defense of the fatherland; the other is the defense or social-chauvinist current this bloc being backed by the entire bourgeois press and all the Black Hundreds in Russia, which proves the bourgeois and non-proletarian essence of the blocs policy. In January 1917, the Workers Groups launched a campaign for a new government to save the country. In a letter to workers they proposed to demand that the Duma eliminate the autocracy and create a provisional government supported by the people. They issued a call for a march on the day the Duma convened, in complete order, not disturbing the peace of the inhabitants, not antagonizing anyone, not offending anyone, and not inciting the police to violence. The Menshevik line coincided with concerns within the bourgeoisie that the Tsarist regime was on the verge of collapse amid an unprecedented crisis of the Russian war effort. The Bolsheviks opposed the promotion of illusions in the bourgeoisie by the Mensheviks, and passed resolutions in a number of meetings warning that the proposal was weakening the independent initiative of the working class. The Menshevik appeal did not win mass support, but the Tsarist regime moved against its authors in a symptom of the intense fear of the regime toward any, even politically limited, opposition. [top] The duo will reportedly appear together in a renowned magazine's upcoming issue. By India Today Web Desk: An indispensable member of the Kardashian Klan, Kendall Jenner, was reportedly in Jaipur last week. Said to be in the country for a magazine's cover shoot, the supermodel was spotted at the Jaipur airport after wrapping up her schedule. While this news might excite Jenner's fans in the country, what we're going to say now is bound to make things even better. advertisement Picture courtesy: Twitter/@KendallJ_ITA According to The Times of India and Quint, Bollywood star, Sushant Singh Rajput was also a part of this high-profile shoot that took place at Jaipur's Samode Palace. Also Read: Girl gang unites for Kendall Jenner's 20th birthday Also Read: Ramp scorcher: Kendall Jenner on the runway "After spending two days in Jaipur for the shoot of a magazine cover, Kendall Jenner flew to Delhi by a chartered flight on Friday evening," a report in The Times of India reads. The report further confirms Singh's presence at the Jaipur airport. Picture courtesy: Twitter/@KendallJ_ITA The two stars will reportedly be seen together in an upcoming issue by Vogue Magazine that has been shot by renowned photographer, Mario Testino. --- ENDS --- BROOKSVILLE, Fla. (AP) - It might be called the art of the drug deal: Florida authorities seized scores of individually wrapped heroin packets stamped with the image of President Donald Trump. The Tampa Bay Times reports law enforcement officers seized the heroin Jan. 27 in Hernando County. Some of the packets bore the names or likenesses of other notorious figures, such as Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and Colombian cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar. Authorities couldn't explain the markings' purpose. Dealers often stamp heroin bags with street "brand names." The bust netted about 5,550 heroin doses altogether. Police arrested 46-year-old Kelvin Scott Johnson on suspicion of heroin trafficking and other charges. His bail is set at $75,000. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi said the dealer "made a big mistake" using Trump's picture. ___ Information from: Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.), http://www.tampabay.com. (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) ATLANTA (AP) - The Atlanta History Center is preparing to host a series of four exhibitions related to World War I and the centennial of U.S. involvement in the conflict. The first of the exhibits - The Great War in Broad Outlines - is set to open March 6. The three other exhibits open on later dates through the summer of 2018. The history center said three of the exhibitions are in partnership with Belgian, French, and British organizations. Atlanta History Center Executive Vice President Michael Rose said in a statement that in many ways, the war is nearly forgotten in our nation's memory, despite a staggering 38 million casualties across the world. The war began in 1914, and the U.S. entered the fighting on April 6, 1917. (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The Florida Public Safety Institute is set to host its 10th annual Black History Month Breakfast. The FPSI, a part of Tallahassee Community College, will honor criminal justice personnel at the annual event. Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil is also scheduled to be the guest speaker. The theme for this year's breakfast will be "Recognizing the Role of African-Americans Shaping Florida Today." The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 6th. COLQUITT COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) - Georgia authorities are investigating a Saturday afternoon officer involved shooting in Colquitt County. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said that they were called to investigate an officer involved shooting at a home on Blackberry Lane. The Colquitt County Sheriff's Office was called to the home on Saturday regarding a domestic dispute. When deputies arrived, the person who was complained about was in the back yard. Prior to their arrival, they said that he had assaulted others in the home and destroyed property inside. They said that a deputy tried to speak with the man, but said that the man began charging at the deputy and refusing to stop when told to do so. Eventually, the deputy ended up shooting the man. They said that the man as transported to the hospital for his injuries while the deputy was uninjured. Investigators say that the investigation is active and on-going. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Protesters in the Capital City and around Florida are gathering at the offices of Senator Marco Rubio, saying that donations to Rubio's campaign made by Betsy DeVos, President Trump's pick for education secretary, could result in a conflict of interest and that the senator should abstain from the vote or resign. The Womens March Florida said that Rubio has accepted $98,300 dollars in campaign donations from Betsy DeVos and her family. The organization insists that DeVos' donation is an ethical violation, especially if Rubio proceeds with his vote to confirm her. For them, the only ethical alternative is for Rubio to recuse himself from her confirmation vote or resign as senator altogether. According to the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) DeVos, and her family, have engaged in campaign corruption in the past. Christina Mandreucci, a spokeswoman for Rubio's office said that people contribute to Rubio's campaign because they believe in his agenda. A full statement from his office is below. "People contribute to Senator Rubio's campaign because they support his agenda. Ms. DeVos is a strong supporter of empowering parents and providing educational opportunity for all, policies Senator Rubio has supported for over a decade," said Mandreucci. "Her nomination is opposed by Democrats who take millions of dollars from the big unions obsessed with denying school choice to low-income children. Senator Rubio looks forward to voting to confirm her." On Monday, Women's March Florida met at Rubio's office around 1 p.m. to protest his refusal to resign. Tallahassee, Fla. (WTXL) - A teenager has admitted to killing a retired Tallahassee teacher on August 3rd in a stabbing rampage near the British Museum in London. Somali-Norwegian Zakaria Bulhan, 19, pleaded guilty to manslaughter during a hearing Monday at London's Central Criminal Court. Bulhan is responsible for the killing of 64-year-old Darlene Horton. He also pleaded guilty to five counts of wounding. Prosecutors said Bulhan was suffering an "acute" episode of paranoid schizophrenia at the time. Horton had been visiting London with her husband, Florida State professor Richard Wagner, while he was teaching summer classes. The couple was due to fly home the next day. By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 6 (PTI) AAP leader and chief of Delhi Commission for Women Swati Maliwal was today granted bail by a Special Court in a case of alleged irregularities in the recruitment process of the womens panel. Maliwal appeared before the court in pursuance to summons issued to her by the court on January 18. advertisement Special Judge Hemani Malhotra said the evidence in the matter was documentary and Maliwal was not required for custodial interrogation and granted her bail on furnishing of a personal bond of Rs 20,000 and a surety of like amount. During the hearing, the court asked the investigating officer and prosecutor Atul Shrivastava whether the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) was further probing the matter as per its direction. To this, the IO replied in the affirmative and said it would take some time to conclude the investigation. Maliwal also told the court that she has received the copy of charge sheet and other documents. The court had earlier taken cognisance of the charge sheet filed in the case and summoned Maliwal as accused. The court, however, had said the probe has not identified Maliwals associates with whose connivance "illegal practices were adopted" and directed the police to probe their role and file supplementary charge sheet against them. The charge sheet was filed by ACB on December 21, 2016 against Maliwal in connection with alleged irregularities in appointment of AAP workers in DCW. The ACB had taken up the probe on a complaint by former DCW chief Barkha Shukla Singh, who had alleged that several AAP supporters were given plum posts in the womens panel. (More) PTI SKV DV --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 6 (PTI) A man wanted in connection with several cases of robberies and snatchings was arrested in the wee hours today near Nehru Place in southeast Delhi following a shootout, police said. The accused, Akbar alias Danish and his accomplice Asif, allegedly opened fire at a police party around 2.30 AM, a senior police officer said. advertisement He was also found to be wanted in more than 15 cases of robbery and snatching registered in different police stations of Delhi. He is also wanted in connection with an attempt to murder case. On the basis of a tip-off received by special staff of southeast district, a team was formed to nab the accused. "Information was received that two men, who are allegedly involved in many cases and had also fired on police teams in the past, carrying a cash reward of Rs 25,000 each, would pass from near Eros Hotel, Nehru Place from Moolchand side and would go to Govindpuri to meet some of their associates between 2-2.30 AM," said Romil Baaniya, DCP (Southeast). The information was further verified and a raiding team was constituted under the overall supervision of ACP (Operations) KP Singh. "At about 1.20 AM, one police picket was deployed at the traffic signal of Eros Hotel on Lala Lajpat Rai Marg that started checking the vehicles and other staff also took strategic position accordingly. "At about 2.50 AM, two persons riding a silver colour motorcycle were identified as Asif alias Kala and Akbar alias Danish," said Baaniya. The accused were also wanted in a shootout case of Pul Prahaladpur. More PTI SLB AAR --- ENDS --- You are the owner of this article. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Update 2:30 p.m.: Honeyford said he is considering a different tack for next time: Making daylight saving time permanent. If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. The Prime Minister will start with a rally in Haridwar on February 10 to be followed by another in Pithoragarh on February 11 and two each in Shrinagar and Rudrapur on February 12. By Press Trust of India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address four rallies in Uttarakhand starting February 10 to drum up support for BJP for the February 15 Assembly elections in the state. The Prime Minister will start with a rally in Haridwar on February 10 to be followed by another in Pithoragarh on February 11 and two each in Shrinagar and Rudrapur on February 12, state BJP media in-charge Devendra Bhasin said. advertisement Also read: PM Modi in Aligarh: People want change, BJP tightening the noose around corruption The campaign scene is gradually hotting up in Uttarakhand with both BJP and Congress having already announced their election manifestos and their top brass descending upon the state one after another to hit the campaign trail. Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and Radha Mohan Singh have already addressed rallies in different parts of the state to garner support for BJP. Congress star campaigners Sonia Gandhi and Rahul are also likely to address elections rallies in the state over the next few days. --- ENDS --- Our new president recently created a travel ban preventing Muslim refugees (who have been vetted for longer than any of his cabinet nominees) from entering the U.S. He also wants to change the focus of the governments counter-extremism program to focus exclusively on countering Islamic extremism. Refugees from the seven banned countries have carried out exactly zero fatal terrorist attacks in the U.S. So how does it feel to be Muslim in America right now? Sagirah tells us. Tell us a bit about yourself! My name is Sagirah. Im from the great city of Minneapolis in Minnesota, land of the Anishinaabe and Dakota nations, birthplace of Prince and many lakes. Im a writer by trade. Currently Im working on my first book of poems loosely based on my upbringing and experiences as an African American Muslim woman. Im planning on calling the book Bean Pie (a sweet pie made of navy beans and popularized by the Nation of Islam during and after the civil rights movement) to pay homage to both my religion and my culture. Im 27 years old. Minneapolis has a large Muslim population, but its still a primarily Christian state. How do people generally react to your faith? There are so many Muslims in our lovely city I think in some ways Islam is a norm here. That was not always the case. Compared to other large Midwestern cities, the Muslim community in Minnesota is still relatively new/young. I think the arrival of the Somali community throughout the 90s & 00s really helped normalized the visibility of Muslims in the Twin Cities. Growing up in the 90s I felt really grateful for that personally, because I never had to search very hard to find community. After September 11th, things shifted for our communities in a way that made being visibly Muslimcomplicated or dangerous, even in the Twin Cities. Again, thanks to the visibility and the sheer size of the East African Muslim community in Minneapolis, I was blessed to find other Muslims almost everywhere I went. Older Muslims, closer to my parents age tell me this was not always the case. How did you feel when Trump came to visit Minnesota and made his comments about Minnesota suffering because of our Somali refugee population? I dont like even thinking his nameThe president obviously has not spent very much time in Minnesota or Minneapolis. I read the Somali-American community is among the fastest assimilating refugee group in Minnesota. They are among the largest communities contributing to our local economies. Anecdotally, if you look around the Twin Cities, you know this to be true. There is a huge entrepreneur drive in their community that I believe adds to the quality of life here. In addition, I dont know how Minneapolis ever survived without the contribution of the Somali community or other new immigrant and refugee communities like the Hmong, Tibetan, or Oromo communities. Minneapolis is now a global metropolis with a thriving overall economy. The only thing Minneapolis suffers from are economic and education disparities that negatively impact communities of color in Minnesota (African Americans in particular dont benefit from Minnesotas thriving economy in the same way White Americans do). Also, Minnesota struggles in providing solutions to address the extreme poverty experienced in parts of rural Minnesota. Those people often get erased or completely ignored in these conversations, I believe those communities suffer due to the ruthlessness of wealthy business men like our President who ignore or abuse their communities in order to turn a profit. What was election day like for you? What I imagine living in Jim Crow America was like: sucky. Have you noticed a shift since hes been elected? Im so grateful to be living in the city I live in. With all our problems, Minneapolis is the type of place where most people try to show up and support each other. I havent felt particularly unsafe, but Im also not a Hijabi anymore. I stopped wearing the headscarf full time when I was about 21. I think I felt more scared being a hijabi at after September 11th. That said, I get nervous and extremely protective of my Hijabi friends and family members. Im even protective of random Hijabi strangers in public spaces, when there arent very many Muslims around. You hear so many scary things happening to Muslim women in particular. Because I have experienced some of those things personally, Im always prepared to defend my sisters if some nut-job tries harassing them. Have you made any changes since the election? Not really. To be honest, as a Black American Muslim woman, this presidents version of America is a version most Indigenous and Black folks were already familiar with. For that reason, much of the way I lived my life already reflected my deep rooted Islamic values to speak up and resist injustice wherever it is and in the best way I can. One personal change I did make though was my New Years resolution. My 2017 New Years resolution was to travel more (Ive only ever been to Canada, once), but I am definitely not traveling outside of the country anytime soonSo theres that. If anything, I feel even more connected to my faith and to my beautiful community. Im grateful and blessed to be a part of the ever diverse Muslim community. A lot of people arent worried about Trump because his policy changes wont affect them. What would you say to those people? It affects you. Just recently, I read an article that said if our President built a wall along the Mexican/U.S. border, farmers in Minnesota would suffer as 1/3 of their exports go to Mexico, The wall would create an added financial burden that our farmers arent capable of bouncing back from. The whole world knows the potential consequences of this president, and world is watching. Americans are charged with a moral responsibility to ensure that we do not repeat or re-create the wicked history that brought all of us (regardless of where our ancestors came from originally) here to this point in time. With the exception of the Indigenous Nations that once thrived on these stolen lands, and the African Slaves that were forced against their will to build the economies of the Americas, America was always supposed to be a safe haven for immigrants and refugees. The eyes of the history books and the world are upon us, we have the power to build an America that is truly a safe haven and democracy for all, if we truly want to. That takes folks who disconnected from the past and current atrocities of this country to take action. I cant convince them to do this. A supporter of our president would never listen to someone like me in a sincere way. However, someone they know can. I have yet to find, a supporter of this president who doesnt have a friend or family member who is on the opposite end of the spectrum. I truly believe it will take families over a holiday dinner or, during a church brunch, having the courage to have dialogue with each other without judgment and to humanize the experience of people like me and my community under this administration.I think this is an important first step in change and requires kindness and persistence. Black history teaches us that even after emancipation Black people were (and still are) actively discriminated against. Why? Because even with the change of federal law (which by the way didnt protect the Black community from Share Croppers, Jim Crow, police brutality, and what have you) the vast majority of the White Americans still harbored bigotry in their hearts and mindsets. They passed these views down through the generations. Even if this president and his entire administration is impeached, well run into this problem again if we dont deal with the roots. The problem and the solutions begin at home. Do you have a plan for navigating the next four years? Leaving the U.S. is blasphemy for me personally, because of what my ancestors suffered to bring me into this world, to give me the freedoms I currently experience. Im not going anywhere. Inshallah (God Willingly), I will continue to stay and protect my Islamic values to stand on the side of human rights for all and to resist injustice in the best way I can. I have hope for this country because my great-great-great-great-grandparents were considered property once, They were not even considered full human beings and now, here I am. My source of power is their legacy and survival, and my faith. I dont feel the need to fear anything this new president throws our way. My plan is to live, love, pray, resist, speak up, defend, laugh, support, show up and to experience joy in as many ways as possible. How can those of us in positions of privilege best help? If you have family or friends who believe misconceptions or who harbor hatred in their hearts for people like me, start having regular dialogue with them, humanize our experience. Study Black History. Study Native folks histories. Study the Histories of all of the immigrant communities oppressed in this country ( Irish, Italian, Jewish, Catholic, Chinese, Japanese, etc). Spend some time learning the history of Christianity and the Bible. Spend some time learning the history of Islam and the Quran. Spend sometime with your local Muslim community and ask people to tell you their stories. Listen. Teach your family, friends, and children all these histories and about our stories. Save the number of your local representatives and organize community call in-sessions to let them know when you disagree with harmful policies and tell them honestly how you feel, educate them too if you have to. Most importantly, never turn a blind eye to the local injustices happening in your community. Thank you so much for sharing your story, Sagirah. Do you guys have any questions for her? photo credits: Anna Min and Makeen Osman // cc We cant be surewith President Donald Trump one can never be sure of anythingbut we must be prepared. Prepared for a sharp turn in the White Houses stance on the settlements. It is included in Trumps statement , signed by the White House press secretary, which was issued after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus announcement to approve the establishment of a new Jewish community in the territories. The press secretary repeated the statement word for word in a press conference on Friday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter For close to a quarter of a century, Israels governments have avoided approving the establishment of new settlements in West Bank and have stressed that any construction in the territories is carried out only within the boundaries of existing settlements. The borders are wide enough to take in half a million more Jews, without crowding. Netanyahus announcement contradicts this unwritten principle, and in normal days we would expect, therefore, a harsh condemnation from the White House. Trump and Netanyahu. Its no coincidence that the term two states for two people was excluded from the White House statement (Photos: EPA, AFP) But these are not normal days. Trumps statement is not only worded loosely, far from a condemnation, it also reflects a completely new policy. It states that the American administration does not perceive the existing settlements as an impediment to peace. It states that only the construction of new settlements and the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful in achieving that goalthe goal defined as peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The obvious conclusion, exposed to all, is that Trump is giving the Israeli government the green light to build as much as it wants in the settlements in the territories, as long as the construction does not go beyond their borders, borders which were drawn by Israel itself. And even if it does build beyond those borders, never mind. The presidential statement further clarified that Trump had yet to form his final position on the issue. He is looking forward to his meeting with Netanyahu. If that is not a change, what is a change? A group of commentators in the American and European media have yet to shake off their perception of Trump as the successor of previous presidents, rather than as a populist revolutionist. The same applies to his attitude towards the settlements: See, Trump is embracing the pillars of Obamas foreign policy, those commentators rejoiced. Nothing of the kind. He is neither embracing nor strokinghe is rejecting. It is no coincidence that the presidential statement, as well as Trumps few comments on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, does not include the term two states for two people. Trump obviously does not believe in the feasibility of such a solution and is leaning towards a different kind of arrangement, based on the autonomy idea, the Palestinian self-government. The self-government idea was first raised in the 1977 Camp David Accords. The term self-government from 40 years ago is equal to what Netanyahu defines as a Palestinian state minus or an authority plus, in post-Oslo language. The idea, it seems, is a hybrid in which the area between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River is controlled by one supreme security sovereign, Israel, and the remaining civil sovereignty is divided somehow between Israel and the Palestinian autonomy (Republic? Community?) which will have most of the characteristics of an independent state, without being one. It is quite possible that the kingdom of Jordan will also be invited to take part in the arrangement or the deala word Trump is particularly fond ofwhich will essentially reflect the existing situation in the territories. Not a single settlement will be evacuated. At most, it will be moved. This is a huge difference: During the days of Ariel Sharon and George W. Bush, the Jewish communities were evacuated from the Gaza Strip and their residents were moved to Israel. During the Netanyahu and Trump days, Amona was only moved and its residents were not uprooted, but driven (against their will) a few kilometers within the West Bank. The White House statement on the settlements goes very well with the new administrations foreign policy. Trump may not want to cancel the nuclear agreement with Iran with a single blow, but he wont shed any tears if the agreement collapses as a result of Iranian moves and American reactions. The sanctions he imposed on Iran over the weekend prepared a fast route in that direction. And lets not rule out American military activity in North Korea, if Pyongyang is tempted to test a long-range nuclear missile. With Trump, as I said, its hard to know in advance which direction the capricious wind is blowing in, but one thing is certain: It will be different from what we were used to in the past. By Press Trust of India: From Shirish B Pradhan Kathmandu, Feb 6 (PTI) As the mandate of Nepals transitional justice commissions set up to probe war crimes is set to expire, international rights bodies have asked the government to extend their tenure "indefinitely" to ensure justice for the victims of the countrys decade-long civil conflict. In a joint statement issued on Saturday, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have also urged the United Nations and donors, who played a major role in post-conflict peacemaking and rights protections, to request the Nepal government for the amendment in line with international norms and extend their mandates. advertisement "In spite of delays caused by political parties, the two commissions have succeeded in accumulating a body of evidence of wartime atrocities that can lead to justice, accountability, and reparations for survivors," said Brad Adams, Asia director at the Human Rights Watch. "The victims and their families who showed great courage to appear before the commissions did so expecting the commissions to complete their work. It is time for Nepal?s political parties to prove their commitment to justice and truth." The mandates of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) are set to expire on February 10. According to officials, the two commissions have registered over 60,000 complaints of conflict victims on which they plan to start comprehensive investigation after extension of the mandate. More than 16,000 people were killed during the decade- long armed conflict that ended after the government signed a peace deal with the rebels in 2006. Former Maoist rebels and security forces have both been accused of carrying out torture, killings, rape and "forced disappearances" during the civil war. The government is likely to decide on the extension at a Cabinet meeting later this week. PTI SBP PMS --- ENDS --- Algerian blogger Merzoug Touati is known in his country as someone who causes quite a few problems for the government. It now appears that they have found an excuse to arrest him, after he uploaded a video to his YouTube channel wherein he interviews Hassan Kaabia, the Israeli Foreign Ministry's spokesperson for Arabic-speaking media. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The interview was uploaded on January 9 and focused on the public response to the 2017 Algerian Finance Law, which went into effect on January 1 and was followed by strikes and riots that erupted across the country. According to the Algerian League for the Defense Human Rights (LADDH), the group's lawyers are representing Touati in court; police arrested Touati on January 18 and confiscated his computer and camera. He was arrested five days after Algeria allegedly uncovered a spy ring that worked for Israel, claiming that "an international network to recruit Algerians for the Mossad" has been exposed. LADDH lawyer Ikken Sofiane told Algerian news site El-Watan that Touati was charged for exchanging with agents of a foreign power intelligence that could harm the military or diplomatic status of Algeria or its vital economic interests. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison. The blogger Merzoug Touati (L) and the diplomat Hassan Kaabia Kaabia has responded to the allegations against Touati, saying that "Israel has no connection to what's happening in the Arab nations." He then added that there is no quarrel between Israel and Algeria and reminded that until 2000, Israel had an embassy in Algeria. Since his interview, nothing was uploaded to Touati's YouTube channel. The Annahar Algerian newspaper, which covered the story at length, came out with an article titled "The blogger's case exposes an international network to recruit Algerians to the Mossad." The article included a detailed map allegedly documenting all of Touati's vast connections. In the article, which was released on February 2, it was written that "Following Touati's arrest, a preliminary investigation has uncovered a vast network working for foreign agents who tried to undermine the political stability in Algeria." A follow up article was published by the paper one day later, allegedly quoting statements Touati made during his investigation: "I tried going to Israel and I was in contact with a former Mossad agent." The article also claimed that he gathered information on Jewish property in the Algerian city of Ghardaia and "passed it to the Zionists." It further claimed that he administrated a Facebook page called "Israeli citizenship" and published an ad for Algerian recruitment for the Mossad. In related news, an Algerian report was published in Arab news networks on January 13 that "An international spy ring working for Israel was uncovered in Ghardaia." The report claimed that the networked was comprised of ten members, including citizens of Libya, Mali, Ethiopia, Liberia, Nigeria and Kenya. Mohammad Walid Al-Koka, a rocket engineer for Hamas' military wing, died Sunday morning of wounds he sustained during a training accident in the Gaza Strip. According to estimations, he was killed in the midst of manufacturing a missile. Another operative sustained medium injuries in the incident. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Hamas military wing announced that 44-year-old Koka and the other operative were injured in a structure in the coastal Sudania region, which is in northern Gaza. Mohammad Walid Al-Koka Israeli and Palestinian security sources have told Ynet that contrary to reports, Al-Koka was not the head of Hamas' military wing missile array. A Palestinian source claimed that Al-Koka was a rocket engineer in the Organization's military wing and that they presumed he was killed by an explosion during the manufacturing of a missile. Hamas demonstration in Gaza (Photo: Reuters) Ever since Operation Protective Edge ended, Hamas has been conducting frequent experiments intended to improve their rocket array. It is likely that some of the experiments end in failure, wirh rockets exploding on the ground,shortly after being launched. In the majority of cases, these malfunctions do not incur injuries. While Donald Trump's administration imposed sanctions on Iran following a ballistic missile test launch, the Houthi rebels in Yemensupported by Tehrancontinued in their defiance. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Media outlets identified with the Yemeni rebels announced on Friday that their forces launched a long range ballistic missile, intended to reach the Saudi capital of Riyadh. Sources who spoke with Saba News Agency, identified with the Houthis, claimed that the long range missile was fired toward a Saudi military base in the region of Al-Muzahmiyya, west of Riyadh. Yemeni Houthis against Zionist entity X "The test was successful and the missile hit its mark with great accuracy," the news agency said. In a statement issued by the rebels, they claimed that "the capital of the Saudi devil is now in the missile range from Yemen." However, it remains unclear whether the missile actually crossed the Yemeni borders and reached Sadi territory. In any case, this signals another defiant step against the Arab coalition in Yemen, led by Saudi Arabia. Last week, the Houthis attacked a Saudi frigate vessel near the port of Al Hudaydah. A number of crew members were killed, while others were wounded. On Monday, the vessel returned to Jeddah port in Saudi Arabia and Saudi military officials have promised to continue operating around Yemen's coastline. The anomalous incident also garnered a reaction from the new American administration, who linked Iran's ballistic missile test to the vessel attack. Following the attack, the American military deployed its guided missile destroyer, the USS Cole, to the red sea. In the meantime, the rebels' PR war continues online. Hezbollah's military PR page posted a video of the Houthi forces performing a drill simulating an attack against the 'Zionist entity' and the blue and white flag. In the video, where the speakers threaten"We are ready for you on every piece of land"the Houthi rebel flag is displayed, with the writing: "Death to America, death to Israel, death to the Jews." This is a new generation of fighters, skilled and trained to fight on the frontlines against the Yemeni president's forces and the Arab coalition supporting them. They call it"The American-Saudi aggression" against Yemen. Even in the midst of the frigate attack, the rebels were heard yelling, "Death to Israel." Foreign Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beytenu) spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday. The ministers spoke about the present state of Syria, and specifically about current negotiations aimed at brokering a ceasefire between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebel forces. Lieberman and Lavrov also discussed the possibility of resuming talks between Israel and the Palestinians. The two scheduled to meet in person during the security conference set to take place in Munich later this month. MOSCOWThe Kremlin said on Monday it did not agree with US President Donald Trump's assessment of Iran as "the number one terrorist state" and wanted to deepen what it described as already good ties with Tehran. The Kremlin was responding to comments Trump made to Fox News in an interview aired at the weekend in which he complained that Iran had "total disregard" for the United States. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call with reporters that Moscow saw things differently. "Russia has friendly partner-like relations with Iran, we cooperate on a wide range of issues, value our trade ties, and hope to develop them further," said Peskov. Trump and Putin say they want to try to rebuild US-Russia ties, that were badly damaged by Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea and by Western sanctions imposed on Russia in response. LONDONPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is meeting Prime Minister Theresa May in London for talks he hopes will focus on Iranian weapons, and not Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Netanyahu told reporters in Jerusalem that he would "emphasize the need for a common front against Iran's defiant aggression which has raised its head in recent days." Iran fired a ballistic missile last week. Netanyahu vehemently opposes the 2015 international agreement that imposed curbs on Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctionsa deal Britain backs. US President Donald Trump, with whom May's government wants close ties, is a critic of the deal. May also is under pressure to condemn Israeli settlement-building on occupied Palestinian land. May's office says she'll raise Britain's longstanding concerns during Monday's meeting. The rugged geographical structure of Rosh HaNikra doesn't allow bathers in Israel's northernmost coast or visitors of the nearby grottos to see what's going on in the Lebanese side of the sea border. Those who can, and do, are the combatants of the Navy's 914th Division, from their Dvora and Dabur patrol boats, where they operate both openly and covertly to maintain border safety. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Despite the quiet and calm that attract many tourists, the Navy has marked the northern border an operational weak point that Hezbollah's commando unit is training to take advantage of when the time comes, similarly to Hamas's commando unit breaching Zikim beach during the 2014 Operation Protective Edge. But there are also some obvious differences: Hezbollah, unlike Hamas, is relying on Iran and Syria's operational capabilities. That is added to the vast confidence the group gained for their massive part in the Syrian civil war. Lt. Col. Adi Ganon (L) and Lt. Col. Ronen Mirkam (Photo: Yoav Zitun) The scenario which the navy is preparing for is a covert breach by seabound commandos from Hezbollah to the Israeli coast north of Nahariya in an attempt to carry out a mass terrorist attack in combination with launching anti-tank missiles from the Lebanese coast towards navy forces and heavy mortar strikes. The IDF has implemented a widespread sensory system in the naval border designed to warn against an attempted breach. Simultaneously, the 914th practices those scenarios on a near weekly basis in collaboration with military forces in charge of holding the coast. This collaboration has lead to an unusual sight: The Golani Brigade's 51st Regiment Commander Lt. Col. Adi Ganon joined his Navy counterpart Lt. Col. Ronen Mirkam for a patrol on the Israeli border. IDF Navy drill (Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit) (: ") X "As platoon commander and company commander I wasn't familiar with the Navy", said Ganon. "Today, collaboration and coordination is on the personal level." Ganon and Mirkam looked together towards southern Lebanon. "Officially, soldiers of the Lebanese Armed Forces are stationed in the outposts ahead of us, but Hezbollah also has combatants in this area. That is why we are armed and ready," said Mirkam and instructed his soldiers to put on helmets and to assume operational readiness. Navy patrol ship near the Lebanese border (Photo: Yoav Zitun) Lebanese ships can be seen cruising a few hundred meters from us. "That kind of ship or jet ski could reach Israeli shores in no time. That is why we're here 24/7, assisted by observation posts ashore and other means to combat this threat, that as far as we're concerned could come at any moment, with no warning or notice from military intelligence," said Mirkam. The sector border between Mirakam's soldiers and the combatants of their infantry corps counterparts is tested with every joint military exercise, to prevent friendly fire or any loss of control during a real event. "In the case of a real combat scenario we will support each other, and if needed our forces will continue inland, while keeping continuous communications between us," explained Mirkam. Northern border outpost (Photo: Yoav Zitun) Ganon then added: "One of the biggest advantages we have is that we're both on the 'Meso'a' digital command system. When I'm on my way to a scene I know exactly where the navy ships are and they know where my forces are spread out on the shore or near it." Periodic joint briefings take place at the Rosh HaNikra Base between IDF and the Lebanese Armed Forces, mediated by UNIFIL forces. "Rosh HaNikra is an important strategic point and friction here could lead to some problematic situations," summarized Mirkam. "Both sides are very cautious and deeply invested in keeping the peace." The IDF, Shin Bet and Israel Police have been working together to arrest and interrogate Hamas operatives from the Palestinian village of Bani Na'im, in the Hebron area. A Hamas infrastructure was revealed during a Shin Bet investigation. According to the information found out, those involved planned to carry out serious terrorist attacks in Israel, while Hamas higher ups passed on instructoins to fields operatives via Facebook. The Hamas infrastructure planned several attacks, among them a shooting attack, a detonation attack and a kidnapping in the Hebron area. A teenager has admitted killing a retired Florida teacher and injuring five other people in a stabbing rampage near the British Museum in London Somali-Norwegian Zakaria Bulhan, 19, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility in the Aug. 3 slaying of 64-year-old Darlene Horton. He also pleaded guilty to five counts of wounding during a hearing Monday at London's Central Criminal Court. Police subdued Bulhan with a stun gun after the late-night attack in Russell Square. The incident raised fears of terrorism, but police said it was not considered a terrorist attack. Prosecutors said Bulhan was suffering an "acute" episode of paranoid schizophrenia at the time. The Lebanese sure do love their tea and coffee, both domestic and foreign made. But if there is one thing they do not like, it is buying products from their neighbor Israel. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Lebanese media reported that a supermarket in the city of Sidon was selling a box of tea made by the world-famous brand Lipton. Based on photos uploaded to social media, the box had the price of NIS 10 printed on its side in Arabic. The teabag box News site Sidon Online published the pictures as well, and asked the supermarket owner about the matter. The owner claimed that he did not notice the label, and that the box was removed as soon as it was brought to his attention. An attempt to figure out how the item arrived on a Lebanese shelf in the first place found that it was originally shipped from Egypt, and that the price in shekels was intended for the Arab Israeli market. The site called on "department stores in Sidon and the area to beware of products of this kind, so as not to become the victims of the mafias of the enemy's normalization." The site also called on Lebanese security and law forces to find out how such products manage to enter Lebanon. After it was notified by concerned citizens, the Lebanon Economy Ministry tried to calm people down by saying, "As of this morning, we sent inspectors to all the stores raided to check the tea bags." By Press Trust of India: Tokyo, Feb 6 (PTI) Scientists have developed a next generation system which can transmit digital data over 10 times faster than 5G mobile networks, an advance that will pave the way for faster downloads and improve in-flight network connection speeds. Researchers from Hiroshima University and National Institute of Information and Communications Technology in Japan have announced the development of a terahertz (THz) transmitter capable of transmitting digital data at a rate exceeding 100 gigabits per second over a single channel using the 300-gigahertz band. advertisement The THz band is a new and vast frequency resource expected to be used for future ultrahigh-speed wireless communications. The research group has developed a transmitter that achieves a communication speed of 105 gigabits per second using the frequency range from 290 GHz to 315 GHz. This range of frequencies are currently unallocated but fall within the frequency range from 275 GHz to 450 GHz. Last year, the group demonstrated that the speed of a wireless link in the 300-GHz band could be greatly enhanced by using quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM). This year, they showed six times higher per-channel data rate, exceeding 100 gigabits per second for the first time as an integrated-circuit-based transmitter. At this data rate, the whole content on a DVD (digital versatile disk) can be transferred in a fraction of a second. "This year, we developed a transmitter with 10 times higher transmission power than the previous versions. This made the per-channel data rate above 100 Gbit per second at 300 GHz possible," said Minoru Fujishima from Hiroshima University. "We usually talk about wireless data rates in megabits per second or gigabits per second. But we are now approaching terabits per second using a plain simple single communication channel," said Fujishima. "Fibre optics realised ultrahigh-speed wired links, and wireless links have been left far behind," he said. "Terahertz could offer ultrahigh-speed links to satellites as well, which can only be wireless. That could, in turn, significantly boost in-flight network connection speeds, for example," Fujishima added. "Other possible applications include fast download from contents servers to mobile devices and ultrafast wireless links between base stations," he added. "Another, completely new possibility offered by terahertz wireless is high-data-rate minimum-latency communications," said Fujishima. "Optical fibres are made of glass and the speed of light slows down in fibres. That makes fibre optics inadequate for applications requiring real-time responses," he said. PTI NKS MHN SAR MHN --- ENDS --- A terror cell including a 24-year-old Israeli Ar'ara resident and two Palestinian brothers from the town of Bani Na'im near Hebron, planned to blow up a train in the Binyamina station, abduct an Israeli citizen from Afula, and execute a terror attack in a military base near Ara village. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter An indictment was issued on Monday to the Haifa District Court. The Shin Bet stated that the Palestinian defendants were familiar with the locations in which they planned to execute their attacks from their work in the area as undocumented residents. Footage: Ido Erez (: ) X The indictment stated that two brothersHassan Sidat, 23, and Mohammad Sidat, 25were illegally residing in Arara village, which is in Wadi Ara. Binyamina train station (Photo: Josh Lazarus) Mohammad Sidat worked in a carpentry shop where he met Mamdouh Younis from Arara. Three years ago, Mohammad Sidat told Younis that he intended to place explosive devices at the Binyamina train station or on the tracks to murder many Jews; however, Younis was reluctant and refused at the time, fearing the two might get caught due to the multiple security cameras in the area. The defendants in court The indictment further stated that two years ago, Hassan Sidat decided to join Hamas and form a terror cell. He contacted a Hamas operative in Gaza, asking him for assistance and funding. The Gaza operative, Mahmoud Kassas promised to assist, and following his instructions, Hassan Sidat planned to abduct an Israeli from an Afula hitchhikers' station as a bargaining chip. Hassan Sidat recruited another citizen from Bani Na'im named Mohammad Atrash, who purchased a rifle on his behalf. In the second half of 2015, Younis and Sidat planned to "execute a terror attack, during which they would cause a powerful explosion in a crowded location in Israel, and kill many Jews," stated the indictment. They discussed possible crowded locations for the attack, emphasizing those frequented by soldiers. Younis suggested the Binyamina train station as an appropriate place for an attack, after refusing to plan an attack in that same location, a year earlier. The two planned to use a vehicle filled with large amounts of explosives, and even agreed on using their own vehicle for that purpose. According to the Prosecutor's Office, the two told Mohammad Sidat of their plan to execute the terrorist attack, but he preferred doing it alone. The defendants decided to learn how to make an improvised explosive device. To that extent, Hassan Sidat asked Younis to get a hold of some improvised explosive devices so they could learn their composition. One of the defendants also tested an explosive device in an open area in Ara. They used several refrigerator compressors and fire extinguishers in their explosive devices and stored them in a carpentry, however, the attack was ultimately not carried out. In the beginning of 2016, Mohammad Sidat provided his brother, who was working for Hamas, with information regarding possible targets for terror attacks, including the Binyamina train station, a Zikhron Ya'akov synagogue, and a Wadi Ara bus station where there is usually a substantial presence of soldiers. (Photo: Eran Yuppy Cohen) Sidat and Younis planned to purchase a car with their own money, which would be used to execute the attacks and for the transfer of weapons. The two even planned to purchase a lathe shop in Jerusalem they would have used for the preparation of explosive devices. On December 31, Hassan Sidat was arrested, and his brother Mohammad was arrested a week later along with Younis. The indictment attributes charges of membership in a terrorist organization, providing services to an illegal association, contacting a foreign agent, undocumented residency and firearms offenses. In addition, Younis is also accused of conspiring to assist an enemy at war. The Prosecution asked the court to order the defendant's arrest until the end of legal procedures. Nearly 100 companies, including Apple, Google and Microsoft, banded together on Sunday to file a legal brief opposing President Donald Trump's temporary travel ban, arguing that it "inflicts significant harm on American business." The brief, filed in the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, included Facebook, Twitter, Intel, eBay, Netflix and Uber, as well as non-tech companies such as Levi Strauss and Chobani. US tech companies, which employ many foreign-born nationals, have been among the most vocal groups in speaking out against Trump's travel order, which he has defended as necessary to ensure closer vetting of people coming into the country and better protect the country from the threat of terrorist attacks. Four days after residents were removed from the illegal West Bank settlement of Amona, the security sent trucks on Monday to clear out the settlement's buildings. Structures that can be transferred whole are to be moved to a caravan site near the West Bank settlement of Shilo, and those that cannot are to be demolished. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Amona's synagogue, whose evacuation included a violent altercation between settlers and protestors and the police, some of whom were injured as a result , will be demolished after all sacred Jewish paraphernalia will be removed. Structures removed from the site of Amona (Photo: Amona Headquarters) Meanwhile, the evacuated settlers remain in the nearby outpost of Ofra for housing alternatives to be offered to them. Amona Headquartersa group supporting the settlers' fightare also working on a plan to found a new settlement, as was promised to them by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At present, they are considering land in the Binyamin region within the West Bank, some near the settlement of Rimonim and some near Shilo. Bird's eye view of Amona (Photo: Amona Headquarters) Former Amona residents staying in the Ofra Youth Hostel attested to very cramped living quarters: families of as much as five children staying in one room, and those with more than five children received two rooms. Amona being evacuated (Photo: Amona Headquarters) On Sunday, some 5,000 people carried out a protest on Ofra against the planned demolition of nine housing units in the outpost. Judea and Samaria Council Head Avi Roeh, likened the impending demolition to death. "Jews are being thrown from their homes. These are tales of the Diaspora, of destruction, arson and exile. And now here in Israel the authorities are doing it to the People of Israel. Why?" Roeh continued to say that "This is happening under our watch. We need to learn a lesson. The Holy One is sending us a message, we need to understand why this is happening. Have we truly loved each and every person? Have we truly accepted everyone into the settlement project? Because that is the essence here. Cyber and economy are important, but the spirit is what really matters. The spirit that we suckle comes from the Torah, and that is whither we are headed." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and British Prime Minister Theresa May held a meeting in the UK Monday afternoon to discuss a series of issues involving the strengthening of their strategic, security and diplomatic ties. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The two prime ministers expressed their commitment to working together for the mutual benefit of their countries, and countering a host of challeneges threating international stability. Netanyahu meets May outside her residence in Downing Street (Photo: AP) "I'm very pleased to welcome you to 10 Downing Street, particularly in the year in which we recognized the Balfour Declaration, May said in her opening remarks. PM Netanyahu and PM Theresa May (: ) X Britain remains a very strong, close friend of Israel, with lots of areas in which we already work together, such as science and trade, but also other areas like security." May went on to list a number of fields in which the two allies could boost their cooperative efforts. Netanyahu with Theresa May, London (Photo: Kobi Gideon/GPO) "There are a multiple areas that we can add to that, looking to the future, and I'm sure we will talk about that and how we'll continue building our relationship today, but we'll also talk about some issues around the region, such as Syria and Iran, and the whole question of the future of the middle east." Photo: AP May also reiterated her countrys support for reaching a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. "We remain committed to a two-state solution. It's the best way of building stability, peace and prosperity in the future," she stated, before opening the floor to Netanyahu. Thanking Prime Minister May for her warm greeting, which he said reflected the strength of the relationship between the two countries, Netanyahu emphasized the security challenges facing the Middle East, adding that his country shares Britains desire for peace. This is our dream, from day one, and we will never give up on our quest for peace with all of our neighbors. I think there are challenges there, but there are some new and interesting opportunities because of these regional and global changes." Pro-Palestinian protest (Photo: Reuters) Reverting to the subject of Iran, Netanyahu catalogued a plethora of dangers that Iran posed to regional and international security. "Iran seeks to annihilate Israel, it seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the West, it threatens the world, and it offers provocation after provocation. That's why I welcome President Trump's insistence of new sanctions against Iran. I think other nations should follow suit, certainly responsible nations," he asserted. Pro-Israeli protest (Photo: Yaniv Halily) Netanyahu also congratulated Queen Elizabeth as she made history by reaching the Sapphire Jubileemaking her the first British monarch to reach a 65-year reign. A short while before Netanyahu arrived the PM's residence, several pro-Palestinian activists protested outside Downing Street while a group of pro-Israeli protestors arrived shortly after to stage a counter-protest. Police recently confiscated around 500 weapons accessories, including scopes, that were imported into Israel via mail packages in a special operation after a preliminary examination raised suspicions that they were intended for terrorist activities in the West Bank. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Additionally, hundreds of devices described by police as "dual-use" such as telescopes, goggles, drones, laser pointers, metal detectors and morethat could be used for both civilian and terrorist purposes, were confiscated by the police. Photo: Israel Police A police official said that some of the parts were ordered from eBay, and could be used to assemble makeshift weapons similar to the M16. The parts were found in around 200 packages with recipient addresses in the West Bank, the content of which were transferred to the Shin Bet for further investigation. Photo: Israel Police Police stated that mail packages that arrive in Israel are checked, and some pass through scanners according to their threat level which is defined by their destination. Packages which raise concern are transferred for police examination. In this case, while some 200 packages were deemed not to pose a bomb threat they were stored in one of the Jerusalem mail branches and were later checked by the police. Photo: Israel Police In addition, border security forces and the Shin Bet seized hundreds of packages containing contraband en route to Gaza in the last few weeks including drones, micro engines, concealed cameras, micro cameras, laser pointers, laser sights and other weapon parts. The majority of the packages were ordered from the internet, and included seemingly innocuous products and devices for allegedly innocent clients. However, it is believed that they were intended for terror activities in the Gaza Strip. PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that he will arrive at the Knesset in the evening to vote on the Regulation Bill. In his press briefing during his visit in Britain he also stated that he updated the US government on the bill's vote, because "you don't surprise friends." Jordan's King Abdullah II met with reporters a few days after returning from his visit to the United States. He noted that after talks with the new US administration, officials respect the views of Jordan on dealing with a multitude of challenges. Abdullah said that during his visit he stressed the importance of resolving the Palestinian issue and added: "What is happening in Palestine and Jerusalem strengthens the ability of terrorists to recruit people and inflames the feelings of all Muslims." SANAA -- Yemen's Shiite rebels said on Monday they have "successfully" fired a ballistic missile at Riyadh for the first time, vowing more attacks on the Saudi capital. There was no immediate comment from the kingdom but the claim came exactly a week after Saudi Arabia said a "suicide gunboat" belonging to Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels rammed into one of its frigates in the Red Sea, killing two crew members. MKs voted in favor of the Regulation Bill seeking to legalize government-backed outposts in the West Bank Monday evening in the Knesset plenum during its second and third readings. The vote, which passed by a majority of 60-52, comes after hours of heated committee discussions and after months of political maneuvering. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The bill was brought for its second and third reading in the Knesset, despite Prime Minister Netanyahus request from Bayit Yehudi leader MK Naftali Bennett to postpone the vote until his return from his state visit to Britain where he met with Prime Minister Theresa May. Knesset (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg) With Netanyahu still on his way back from the United Kingdom, the vote took place in his absence. The final draft of the proposed bill seeks to regulate the status of thousands of homes in settlements located on land privately owned by Palestinians, amounting to around 2,000 homes. According to the proposal, the state will transfer the rights of the lands use to the Commissioner of Government Property in the West Bank while Palestinian landowners will be compensated with a financial package amounting to a sum exceeding the lands actual worth, or receive alternative plots in accordance with their choice. One by one, opposition members stated numerous reservations to the bill and advocates took to the podium to fire back, with the opening shots being fired by opposition leader MK Isaac Herzog. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg The Regulation Bill is de facto annexation," he contended. Our opposition to the bill stems from our opposition to annexation. It does not stem from the problem that there is a nation of residents (in the West Bank) or that there are communities (in the West Bank), but rather with the entry of thousands of Palestinians into the Jewish State. There are a few more minutes to stop this train of horror before it proceeds on its way. This train will depart from here and stop at the final station of The Hague, he warned. International indictments will leave its carriages against Jewish soldiers and officers and Israelis. The Prime Minister of Israel (will be responsible) for these indictments. Throughout Monday, members of the Likud party said that there was a good chance that the vote would be delayed, in no small part because of the timing deemed by many, not least the prime minister himself, to be less than opportune. Notwithstanding Netanyahus hastened return from the UK in light of Bennetts intransigence, Likud members stated that their leader had made clear his desire to postpone the vote until after his scheduled meeting with US President Donald Trump scheduled to take place in February 15. Despite the diplomatic calculations at play however, Bennett proved unwilling to budge, opting instead to proceed full force with the vote. Isaac Herzog (Photo: Gil Yohanan) The bills chief proponents were aware even as MKs vcast their vote that should it pass its second and third reading in the Knesset, a far greater, and possibly insurmountable, stumbling block lay ahead in the form of the High Court of Justice. Indeed, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced last week that he would not defend the bill in the High Court even if it did pass in the Knesset. Almost immediately after the vote, former residents of Amona, who were evacuated last week in accordance with a High Court of Justice order, issued a statement saying that the bill was born out of our enormous fractures and great pain caused by the sacrifice of our home and community. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the organization Peace Now issued its own statement responding to the bills passage, promising to stop this dangerous bill in the High Court of Justice. The 910th Airlift Wing welcomed back Col. Daniel J. Sarachene as he returned to become the next commander of the wing and the installation commander of YARS. Col. Sarachene assumed his duties during an Assumption of Command ceremony that took place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, here. The ceremony was presided over by Maj. Gen. John P. Stokes, Commander of 22nd Air Force, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia. Leading these Airmen is a privilege, and Col. Sarachene is the man to do it, said Stokes. I know him to be a true professional, a skilled aviator and a leader who can rightly balance between the mission and the people. Sarachene returned to YARS after his most recent assignment as vice commander of the 914th Airlift Wing, Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, New York. Prior to his assignment at Niagara Falls ARS, Sarachene was assigned to YARS from 1992 to 2014. During that time, he served as a pilot, instructor and evaluator pilot, chief pilot and commander of the 910th Operations Support Squadron, 773rd Airlift Squadron and 757th Airlift Squadron, respectively. Sarachene, a long-time resident of Austintown, Ohio, is the first Mahoning Valley resident to take command of YARS since at least 1981 when the 910th Tactical Airlift Group, the wings heritage unit, began flying the C-130B model cargo aircraft. Im very excited to come home, said Sarachene. I never thought this opportunity would arise. Its very exciting to be back home with family and friends and working with Airmen I got to work with in the past. Sarachene talked about the characteristics he felt were important to achieve the 910th Airlift Wings mission: Deploy, deliver, defend. Trust, teamwork and leadership, said Sarachene. Thats what I see in you all, and I hope thats what you see in me. And thats what will keep the pride, attitude and integrity rolling. Its go time. After wrapping up Bigg Boss 10, Mona Lisa has reunited with husband Vikrant Singh Rajpoot on the sets of their upcoming film. By India Today Web Desk: Mona Lisa is shooting with her real life hero these days. The Bhojpuri actress is back to work post marriage and shooting her upcoming project--Jai Shree Ram--with hubby Vikrant Singh Rajpoot. The couple got married on Bigg Boss 10 in the presence of close friends, family and housemates. Also read: This is what Mona Lisa is up to after Bigg Boss 10 advertisement During her stay in the house, her equation with co-contestant Manu Punjabi was much talked about. So much so that it started affecting her relationship with Vikrant. The duo however sorted out their differences when Vikrant entered the house. Meanwhile, Mona is happy to be back to what she loves the best--shooting for movies. She has been posting pics from the sets which includes a Holi sequence and a dance number. We wish you all the best for your new venture, Mona! --- ENDS --- When he smelled the smoke Staff Sgt. Thomas Carter, knew he had to act fast if he was going to save himself, and the eight other tenants of his apartment complex in Salina, Kansas. On Jan. 5, Carter, a 931st Maintenance Squadron crew chief and traditional reservist, had barely been home from work for two hours when he heard a loud pop, followed by his fire alarm. What Carter didnt know at the time was that his neighbors clothing had caught fire after being left near a furnace.After determining that the cause of the alarm was not coming from his apartment, Carter smelled smoke and decided to open his door. He was immediately greeted with a cloud of smoke emanating from the door of his neighbors apartment. In those short, hurried moments, he admitted the only thing on his mind was getting everyone out of the three-story building, particularly the five younger residents living in the other three apartments. Theres five kids that live in my building, Carter said. That was the main thing on my mind at the time." The building, a large multi-story house converted into smaller apartments, included three other apartments in addition to Carters. He began on the door with smoke coming out of it, to alert the three residents whom he knew lived there. Unfortunately, he heard no answer and realized that the smoke leaking from the sides and bottom of the door was now growing blacker and thicker by the moment. He had to warn the other residents in the basement of the building. Upon entering his other neighbors apartments, he was relieved to see that the neighbors who dwelled in the apartment where the fire originated were safe as they were visiting with their neighbors in the basement apartment.Carter and the tenants grabbed what they could and helped carry the children to safety.I tried to go back upstairs to grab my phone to get help, but by that time, the smoke was too thick, so I ran back outside and we gathered everyone at the front of the house, he said. After meeting up with his neighbors, Carter realized a woman who lived in the basement apartment was missing. He acted fast and ran to the basement to retrieve her. After three knocks on her door, the neighbor responded and followed Carter to the outside gathering. While Carter retrieved the final neighbor from the basement, one of the other residents dialed 911 and three fire trucks and ambulance arrived at the scene. Before the trucks arrived, Carter noticed the children tenants had forgotten their shoes and coats. To escape the cold, Carter found a nearby moving truck. The whole ordeal lasted a little over five minutes, and the firefighters arrived early enough at the scene to prevent further damage to the rest of the building. Carters fellow Citizen Airmen were not surprised to learn of his actions during the next Unit Training Assembly. Master Sgt. Greg Mitchell, 931st MXS aero-repair supervisor, has known Carter since he joined the unit in 2012, and said Carter is known for his inventiveness and generosity. This guy would literally give you the shirt off his back if he could. he said, I wasnt surprised to learn about his actions during the first because of this, and his ability to always think outside the box. The victim's father Badrinath Singh and mother Asha Devi said they were disheartened by the way their daughter's case was progressing and how the 2012 tragedy, which shook the conscience of the nation and brought flash protests across the country, is now largely forgotten. By Harish V Nair: Parents of 'Nirbhaya' have described the Supreme Court's decision to re-examine the death penalty awarded to the four convicts in the sensational rape and murder case as 'travesty of justice' and the amicus curiae as 'friends of the convicts'. Speaking to Mail Today, the victim's father Badrinath Singh and mother Asha Devi said they were disheartened by the way their daughter's case was progressing and how the 2012 tragedy, which shook the conscience of the nation and brought flash protests across the country, is now largely forgotten. advertisement "Amicus sirf ek tarfa bol raha hein (Amicus is speaking on behalf of only one side)," Asha Devi said. "Jis tarah ke baat court mein ho raha hein aisa lag raha hein ki amicus accused ke taraf se hein (The way he has argued the case in the court makes one believe that he is representing only the accused)." Both Raju Ramachandran and Sanjay Hegde, the senior lawyers appointed by the court as amicus curiae in the case, refused to comment on the allegations. "If this is what they are saying, I would not be responding," Hegde said. Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, who is the special public prosecutor in the case, also declined to comment. Also Read: Nirbhaya case: Supreme Court to hear sentencing of four accused again JYOTI SINGH'S FAMILY WOES The parents sought to counter the arguments presented by the amicus in the court by saying, "The amicus is giving out various reasons as why the convicts should not be hanged and one of them is that they are young and poor. I want to ask him, 'wasn't our daughter young? Aren't we poor who were saving to spend for the education of our daughter whom they finished off?'" "It is sad that our struggle for justice for our daughter has now turned into fight to save the convicts," said Singh. As per procedure, the SC needs to confirm the death sentence and only then the four convicts can be hanged. The court is also hearing the appeal filed by the four convicts Mukesh (24), Pawan (20), Vinay (22) and Akshay (29) challenging the death penalty. In its order on July 18, 2016, the Supreme Court said: "We may hasten to clarify the amicus, the learned friends of the court, shall assist the court with regard to the case and not with regard to any particular petitioner" (convicts who have challenged the death sentence awarded by trial court and upheld by the Delhi HC). On Friday, giving a new twist to the case, an SC bench headed by justice Dipak Misra said it would re-examine the death penalty after accepting the submission of Ramachandran that there has been violation of the CrPC with regards to the sentencing of the four convicts. The amicus had primarily argued that charges and the nature of crime alleged against each of them were separate and all of them could not have been sentenced to death in one brush without hearing them separately. "While arguing with regard to the imposition of the capital punishment on the accused persons, one of the main submissions of Ramachandran was that neither the trial court nor HC has followed the mandate enshrined under section 235(2) of CrPC. He also argued that the trial judge had not considered the aggravating and mitigating circumstances, as are required to be considered," the SC said on Friday. The parents, who have been attending various fast track court hearings since December 2012, said they were shocked beyond belief how senior lawyers were able to turn the case on its head in so short a period. "Nyay nahi mila, pahle juvenile ko chhod diya, ab inko bhi phansee se bachane ki koshish ho rahi hai (we have been denied justice, first the juvenile convict was let off and now these four may also escape the gallows)," said Singh. On the night of December 16, 2012, five adult men and a juvenile lured the 23-year-old trainee physiotherapist and her male friend onto a bus in Delhi, where they repeatedly raped the woman and beat both with a metal bar before dumping them on a road. The woman, later dubbed Nirbhaya (meaning fearless), died two weeks later of her injuries. Four of the adults were sentenced to death while the fifth hanged himself in prison. On August 31, 2013, the juvenile was convicted and sentenced to three years in a reformation home. He was released in December 2015. The incident stirred widespread public outrage forcing the government to rewrite rape laws and enhancing the punishment for all crimes involving sexual harassment of a woman. Budget 2017: 90 per cent hike for Nirbhaya Fund, no change in Delhi's tax allocation --- ENDS --- News Washington, DC - President Trump's Second Week of Action: 7: Presidential Actions to Make America Great Again 4: Diplomatic conversations with foreign leaders to promote an America First foreign policy. 4: Meetings to get input from workers and business leaders on jumpstarting job creation. 2: Events for the nomination of Judge Gorsuch to the Supreme Court 2: Events to commemorate African American History Month 2: Members of President Trumps Cabinet sworn in. 1: Bill signed into law 1: Meeting with cyber security experts 1: Commemoration of American Heart Month 1: Speech at the National Prayer Breakfast 1: Letter of Recognition for National Catholic Schools Week Following Through On His Promise To The American People, President Trump Nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch To The Supreme Court On Tuesday, President Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to become Associate Justice on the Supreme Court, filling the seat left behind by the late Justice Antonin Scalia. The next day, President Trump met with various stakeholders to thank them for their input in making such an important decision. President Trump Continued To Drain The Washington Swamp And Further Protect All Americans PROTECTING AMERICANS: President Trump signed two executive memoranda to protect Americans and sanctioned the worlds largest state sponsor of terrorism in Iran. On Friday, the Trump administration sanctioned twenty-five individuals and entities that provide support to Irans ballistic missile program and to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force. Last Saturday, President Trump ordered a 30-day review and development of a new plan to defeat ISIS. Last Saturday, to better get advice and information needed to ensure the safety and security of the American people, President Trump signed an executive order that modernized the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council. DRAINING THE SWAMP: President Trump used the power of his office to promote government transparency, preventing lobbying influence, and limiting regulatory overreach. Last Saturday, President Trump signed an executive order establishing new ethics commitments for all Executive branch appointees to limit the influence of lobbyists and Washington insiders. On Monday, President Trump signed an executive order to reduce government regulations by requiring two existing regulations to be ended if a new one is approved. On Tuesday, President Trump signed into law the GAO Access And Oversight Act Of 2017 (H.R.72) allowing the Government Accountability Office to gather records from all federal agencies so it can be more responsive to civil action. President Trump Continued To Put Jobs Front And Center Through Two Executive Actions And Holding Four Stakeholder Meetings With Labor And Business Leaders FREEING UP THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM: President Trump made two Presidential actions to better enable the financial system to promote job creation and serve all Americans On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order to regulate the financial system in a way that protects consumers while promoting economic growth and job creation. On Friday, President Trump issued a memorandum to prevent the unintended consequences of financial fiduciary rules from limiting economic opportunity and Americans investments. HEARING FROM STAKEHOLDERS: Throughout the week, President Trump met with labor and business leaders to get input on how best to jumpstart job creation for all Americans. On Monday, President Trump met with small business owners to get input on how to spur job creation and help businesses like theirs succeed. On Tuesday, President Trump met with leaders in the pharmaceutical industry to discuss how jobs can be brought back to America and reduce prices so all Americans can afford quality healthcare. On Thursday, President Trump met with the executives of Harley-Davidson and union representatives to encourage American manufacturing. On Friday, President Trump met with his economic advisory council to discuss ways to deliver jobs to all Americans. To Start African American History Month, President Trump Honored The History Of The African American Community And Their Vast Contribution To American Society On Wednesday, President Trump met with African American community leaders to honor their contribution and listen to their input on what can be done to improve the lives of all Americans. The same day, President Trump signed a proclamation honoring February 2017 as Black History Month. Despite Historic Democratic Obstructionism, President Trump Continued To Get His Cabinet Nominees Confirmed By Congress On Tuesday, Elaine Chao was sworn in as President Trumps Secretary of Transportation. On Wednesday, Rex Tillerson was sworn in as President Trumps Secretary of State. President Trump Held Three Conversations With Foreign Leaders To Promote American Interests Around The Globe On Sunday, President Trump spoke with King Salman bin Abd Al-Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia on creating safe zones in Syria and Yemen to help refugees and strict enforcement of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran. On Sunday, President Trump spoke with the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan of the United Arab Emirates to reaffirm the strong partnership between both countries and combating radical Islamic terrorism. On Sunday, President Trump spoke with Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn of the Republic of Korea on the important of the their mutual alliance and defending against North Korea. On Thursday, President Trump met with King Abdullah II of Jordan where he conveyed the U.S.s commitment to Jordans stability and defeating ISIS. To Further Protect Americas Cyber Security, President Trump Met With Experts On Tuesday, President Trump held a listening session with cyber security experts to help fulfill his campaign promise of securing America against cyber threats. President Trump Spoke At The National Prayer Breakfast On Thursday, President Trump continued to champion repealing the Johnson Amendment to allow representatives of faith to speak freely and without retribution. President Trump Commemorated American Heart Month On Friday, President Trump proclaimed February 2017 as American Heart Month. President Trump Recognized National Catholic Schools Week On Friday, President Trump issued a letter recognizing National Catholic Schools week. In Two Weeks Of Action, The President Has Been Relentless In This Effort To Make America Great Again Sharing is caring! 8 shares Share 2 Tweet 6 Pin HELLO ALL! And welcome to my shiny new blog, Young Adventuress 2.0. Whatcha think? Howd I do? What do you like? What do you not like? Spill. Ive been meaning to do a redesign on here for years, guys. Literally years. God, what took me so long!? Well, actually the answer is pretty easy. Redesigns are scary. And they are exceptionally scary when you dont know anything about redesigns. And you have seven years of content to boot. While Im all about creativity and innovation, I was seriously dragging my feet on this one and was totally on the whole dont fix what aint broke bandwagon. Ive also always been a big advocate on content is king when it comes to blogging. You can distract people with fancy looking websites (plenty of those out there) but if the message behind them suck, then its a fail in my books. I always put content first. But sometime over a year ago, I was really starting to hate how my blog looked. It was dated, and it was killing me on the inside a little bit every time I looked at it. Web design had changed sooooo much over the years, and I hadnt kept up. And I dont like to be behind on anything. It was time for the big redesign. So I was ready to take the leap into the abyss. Lucky for me, Ive had the guys of Performance Foundry to help me out and hold me hand the whole way. I met Craig way back when at a conference in 2012 and we stayed friends ever since, especially as hes a kiwi. Theyve been managing my blog for years (and fixing things when they broke that I couldnt) and now they host my blog for me too. Though if you are starting out, I definitely recommend hosting with Bluehost to begin. If youre like me, and you need a lot of help, they are great and ridiculously patient. So what did I learn during this redesign? Well, I definitely know a lot more now than I did six months ago. Honestly, it was like pulling teeth with me. I couldnt make up my mind about anything. But we persevered and came up with something I am in love with! Im still tweaking lots of stuff, especially my older posts and images, so bear with me. And Ive got some cool features coming out soon on the blog that arent ready to go live just yet. But in the meantime, itll be business as usual on my blog. Whats next? SO MUCH GUYS! I dont want to spill too much yet because I am still confirming a lot of things and I dont want to jinx myself. But trust me when I say 2017 is going to be a year of next level shit. Get excited. One trip I am super excited about is that Im taking my parents to Ireland in May. Have any tips for us? I am trying lots of new things. Apart from being my year where I finally start all of the projects Ive been meaning to for ages, its also going to be the year of me trying all sorts of new creative and challenging adventures. For starters, Ive already launched my Youtube channel where video will play a big part in what I get up to. And also I am hosting my own tour around New Zealand this year (PS a spot just opened up if someone is keen to come along for the ride). Im also up to my eyeballs with my Travel Bootcamp a conference I co-launched last year in Australia where we teach you how to make money and build a career in travel through photography, writing, and blogging. We share all the secret stuff no one talks about, like rates and how to pitch. Our 3rd event is in Melbourne on April 29th if youre in this neck of the woods and tickets are almost gone! Anywho, this post is basically just a lot of rambling on my end to shout yay! and share my new blog redesign with you guys. Id really love your feedback as its a work in progress. Please share what you think in the comments and if you notice something or have any suggestions! Oh, and thanks for sticking around here for seven years, what what! Legends! By India Today Web Desk: Nora Fatehi and Angad Bedi have been dating each other for a while now. Though they have not come on record regarding their relationship, they reportedly made it public at Yuvraj Singh's wedding. The relationship rumours have been doing the rounds since April last year. "Yes, we have been getting to know each other over the past year. Nora's a lovely girl, We have been hanging out in a common group of friends for a while now since we met last year. She is doing some great work and her enthusiasm and positivity inspires me. Let us see how it goes from here," Angad had told Mumbai Mirror. advertisement Also read: Sorry Prince Narula, Nora Fatehi is dating this model-actor Nora on the other hand preferred to stay mum on Angad. Nora was also rumoured to be dating Prince Narula, who she met during her stint at Bigg Boss 9, a year back. The two even went on a romantic date inside the house; and we were hoping that the relationship will continue outside the house. However, the two denied dating each other after coming out of the house. Also read: Bigg Boss 9 contestant Nora Fatehi sets the temperature soaring with her hot photoshoot Nora is also a good dancer and participated in Colors' just-concluded dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. She experimented a lot with her dancing skills on the show and her belly dancing skills especially were much appreciated by the viewers. Recently, the Moroccan beauty also shot for Kingfisher Calendar 2017, and aced her bikini look. Also read: Has Angad Bedi made his relationship with Nora Fatehi official? Angad recently starred in Bollywood movies Dear Zindagi and Pink. Here's wishing a very happy birthday to the lovebirds! --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: Bhubaneswar, Feb 6 (PTI) The Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) today started hearing the issue of electricity tariff revision for 2017-18. Headed by Chairperson U N Behera, OERC on the first day heard the proposals of the Odisha Hydropower Corporation (OHPC) and Odisha Power Generation Corporation (OPGC). OHPC, a state-run undertaking, has submitted the annual revenue requirement (ARR) application for 2017-18. advertisement The estimated energy withdrawal of Machhkund reservoir is proposed at 262.50 MU (million unit) while ARR for OHPC in 2017-18 is projected at Rs 1,026.35 crore. Wary of an increase in power tariff, the Odisha Electricity Consumers Association (OECA) said it would oppose the move in this regard before OERC. "The state government companies such as GRIDCO, OHPC, OPGC have sought a tariff hike. The tariff is likely to increase due to flawed policies of the government. We are going to object," the association President Ramesh Tripathy said. OERC had rejected demands of the distribution companies to increase the power tariff last year as the Consumers Federation had strongly opposed the tariff hike proposal at a public hearing. OPGC, sources said, has proposed to generate 2,765.63 mu in 2017-18 from the IB thermal station and approve at 263.90 paise/kwh (kilowatt-hour) (capacity at 82 paise/kwh and energy charges at 181.90 paise/kwh) for 2017-18. Like OHPC, at least seven objections have been submitted on various issues related to generation tariff proposal of OPGC for 2017-18. PTI AAM SUS ARD --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: From Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, Feb 6 (PTI) Pakistan and China today held high level counter-terrorism talks, days after Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed was put under "house arrest" in Lahore. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi met Chinese State Commissioner for Counter Terrorism and Security Cheng Guoping who is here on a three-day visit and reviewed all aspects of bilateral relationship, with a special focus on security and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). advertisement Fatmi said Pakistan viewed its relationship with China as the "cornerstone" of its foreign policy and the country will continue to support Beijing on all its issues of core interest, including combating "evils" of terrorism and separatism. "The SAPM affirmed that friendship with China was the cornerstone of Pakistans foreign policy," Foreign Office quoted Fatemi as saying. He said Pakistan supported China on all its core issues, while firmly opposing any attempt to undermine Chinas sovereignty. "Pakistan will continue to support Chinas efforts to combat the three evils of terrorism, extremism and separatism," he said in a statement. Appreciating Chinas forthright position on Pakistans counter-terrorism strategy and its successes, Fatemi thanked China for its support to national security and territorial integrity. The talks take place days after Saeed was put under "house arrest" in Lahore by Pakistan government after Punjab Provinces Interior Ministry issued an order in pursuance to a directive from the Federal Interior Ministry on January 27. During the talks, both sides noted that the all-weather friendship between the two countries has withstood the test of time, notwithstanding changes in the international, regional and domestic environments. Noting the importance of CPEC for the economic development of Pakistan, the two sides stressed that timely completion of the USD 46 billion project would not only give a boost to Pakistans economy, but would also significantly contribute towards regional connectivity, peace and development. Fatemi stated that Pakistan was fully committed to the timely and effective implementation of all the projects under CPEC. Cheng said China attached great importance to its relations with Pakistan, and supports its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. He thanked Pakistan for its consistent support to China on issues of core interest and lauded Islamabad for its fight against terrorism, extremism and separatism. The two sides expressed satisfaction at the continuing progress in bilateral relations in all fields and expressed their resolve to work towards further solidifying political relations, deepening economic bonds and security cooperation and closer people-to-people contacts to achieve the common goal of China-Pakistan "Community of Shared Destiny". PTI SH MRJ AKJ MRJ --- ENDS --- Congress MP KC Venugopal and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) MP NK Premachandram have moved the adjournment motion over Ahamed's death. By India Today Web Desk: Expect another acrimonious day in Parliament today with the Congress and another Opposition party moving an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha over Kerala MP E Ahamed's death a day before the Union Budget was presented against the wishes of many Opposition leaders. Congress MP KC Venugopal and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) MP NK Premachandram have moved the adjournment motion over Ahamed's death, which the Opposition alleges was hushed up by the government. advertisement Also read: E Ahamed's death hushed up, alleges Congress, Rahul Gandhi leads protest outside Parliament HERE ARE THE LATEST UPDATES: PM Narendra Modi attends Lok Sabha proceedings Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends Lok Sabha proceedings #BudgetSession pic.twitter.com/73nPsvxaX6 ANI (@ANI_news) 6 February 2017 Rajya Sabha adjourned till 02:00 pm Lok Sabha adjourned till 12 noon. Parliamentary committee should be constituted & those found guilty after inquiry should be punished: Mallikarjun Kharge on E Ahamed's death Rahul Gandhi joins protest over issue of E Ahamed's death by MPs from Kerala inside Parliament complex TMC stages protest against government in front of Gandhi statue inside Parliament complex Govt will answer if issue raised.They are trying to politicise it. Doc did their best;don't understand what is the issue?: V Naidu Request political parties not to link it with votes.Govt will present its view when matter comes up before SC: Venkaiah Naidu on TripleTalaq BJP MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe to raise issue of violence against RSS and BJP workers in Kerala during Zero Hour of Rajya Sabha Also read: E Ahamed served country with great diligence: PM Modi E Ahamed, doyen of Muslim politics in India, passes away --- ENDS --- Queen Elizabeth II has reigned for 65 years and surpassed her great-great-grand mother Queen Victoria as Britain's longest serving monarch. Here are seven things to know. By India Today Web Desk: Queen Elizabeth II has already surpassed Queen Victoria as Britain's longest-serving monarch and today, she has made history becoming the first British monarch to celebrate a Sapphire Jubilee. She became Britain's Queen on February 6, 1952 and completes 65 years of reign today. The Buckingham Palace confirmed that she plans to spend the day at her Sandringham House estate in Norfolk. advertisement Official ceremonies will include royal gun salutes in London, celebratory music close to the firing position by the Band of Royal Artillery, and 89 horses will pull six First World War-era 13-pounder field guns into position in the park. Add to that a 62-gun salute by the Honourable Artillery Company will be fired at the Tower of London. Here are 7 things you need to know about Queen Elizabeth II: Born on April 21, 1926 Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor of York is the sixth woman to ascend the British throne and her coronation was the first to be televised in England. She celebrates her birthday twice, once in April and then in June. The Queen is the only person in the United Kingdom who does not require a driver's license to drive. She also does not need a passport to travel internationally. Queen Elizabeth celebrated her 90th birthday last year on her actual birthday with beacon lighting and a black-tie dinner for family and friends in Windsor. Madame Tussauds has created 22 waxworks of the Queen, starting when she was just two years old. Apart from visiting 116 different countries, she has conferred more than 4,00,000 honours and awards. A 2014 portrait of Queen wearing sapphire jewelry given to her by King George VI as a wedding gift is being reissued to celebrate her Sapphire Jubilee. --- ENDS --- According to the amended rules, an income tax raid may be authorised if there is a "reason to believe" or "reason to suspect" that a person is hiding his wealth. The law will allows taxmen to not reveal to the person raided or any appellate tribunal the "reason to believe" or "reason to suspect" a violation. The amendment to the law will be effective from April 1, 1962. One of the changes made in the law says an Income Tax authority can ask another authority to "requisition from some other officer or authority to deliver books of account, documents or assets of the assessee to the income tax authority so authorised." The amendment effectively makes taxman unaccountable to any court or appellate tribunal to explain whether he or she had any credible information before ordering the raid. The amendment is being attributed to the Vodafone tax case that erupted during the Congress-led UPA government. In the Vodafone case, the retrospective tax changes were made from 1962 to undermine a Supreme Court verdict that went in favour of the UK company. In his Budget speech in 2014, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had assured the government there will not be any retrospective amendment to a law. "The sovereign right of the government to undertake retrospective legislation is unquestionable. However, this power has to be exercised with extreme caution and judiciousness keeping in mind the impact of each such measure on the economy and the overall investment climate. This government will not ordinarily bring about any change retrospectively which creates a fresh liability," Jaitley had said. Jayant Choudhary took the lead as the party announced that the focus for UP Assmebly Elections 2017 would be the youth and plight of farmers. By Ilma Hasan: With just 5 days left before Uttar Pradesh goes to the phase I of Assembly election, the Rashtriya Lok Dal today released its manifesto for the state. RLD founder and supremo Ajit Singh accompanied with Jayant Choudhary and other senior leaders released the list. Jayant Choudhary took the lead as the party announced that the focus for UP Assmebly Elections 2017 would be the youth and plight of farmers. The party has kept its slogan, 'Sukh Kisaan Swaavlambi Naujawan' (Satisfied farmers, self sufficient youth) advertisement Key points of the RLD manifesto includes: Providing 33 per cent reservation to women in all government job posts. Finishing payment of pending sugarcane farmers in under 14 days. Apart from Allahabad, set up High Courts in Western UP, Bundelkhand and Northern UP. Fill all vacant posts in the state in 100 days. Make AIIMS like hospitals in various parts of the state. Bring in a separate budget for farmers in Uttar Pradesh. Contesting more than even the Samajwadi party seats in UP this time, the RLD will be fighting elections in over 300 seats this time. The SP will be fielding candidates on 298 seats, in the alliance with the Congress which will have 105. Traditionally having popularity in western UP, the party is venturing in other parts of the state as well, campaigning aggressively. Ajit Singh said, "We will fight as many seats as possible to win the state this time." --- ENDS --- Former finance minister P Chidambaram said it is the right of the people to ask if a leader deserves to be the Tamil Nadu chief minister. By India Today Web Desk: Sasikala's elevation as the AIADMK legislature party leader, paving way for her to become the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, has evoked a range of reactions across the political spectrum. The latest to join the debate is former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram. "It is the right of the AIADMK MLAs to elect their leader. It is the right of the people to ask if the leader deserves to be the Tamil Nadu chief minister," Chidambaram tweeted. It is the right of AIADMK MLAs to elect their leader. It is the right of the people to ask if the leader deserves to be CM P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) February 6, 2017 advertisement Chidambaram said the people of Tamil Nadu and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) are moving in opposite directions. "Looking back with pride, Tamil Nadu chief minister's chair was occupied by Kamaraj and Annadurai," reminisced Chidambaram. ALSO READ: AIADMK after Jayalalithaa: Can Sasikala, Panneerselvam rein in factions, rival ambitions? NO CELEBRATIONS, JUST EERIE SILENCE Chennai-based chartered accountant and RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy spoke in a similar tone about Sasikala taking on the position of the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. "Sasikala the new CM. No celebrations. No crackers. No cheer. Eerie silence. Never seen a person so hated within and outside the party becoming CM," Gurumurthy tweeted. Sasikala the new CM. No celebrations. No crackers. No cheer. Eerie silence. Never seen a person so hated within n outside party becoming CM S Gurumurthy (@sgurumurthy) February 6, 2017 As debate on her elevation continues, AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala was on Sunday elected as the leader of the legislature party by the MLAs at the party head office in Chennai. O Panneerselvam tendered his resignation from the chief minister's post soon after the party meet. Sources said Sasikala is likely be sworn-in as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu soon depending on the availability of the governor. ALSO READ: Can Sasikala really replace Jayalalithaa? Challenges she will face as Tamil Nadu CM and AIADMK chief The other Sasikala writes to PM Modi opposing Chinnamma as Tamil Nadu chief minister ALSO WATCH --- ENDS --- Earlier today, Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao accepted incumbent Chief Minister O Panneerselvam's resignation after the AIADMK MLAs chose Sasikala their legislative party leader on Sunday. By India Today Web Desk: VK Sasikala will be sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Tuesday at the Madras University auditorium. The oath ceremony is likely to be held at 11 am. Earlier today, Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao accepted incumbent Chief Minister O Panneerselvam's resignation after the AIADMK MLAs chose Sasikala their legislative party leader on Sunday. advertisement In a letter to Panneerselvam, copies of which were distributed to the media Rao said: "I hereby accept your resignation and the resignation of your Council of Ministers tendered vide your letter dated 5.2.2017." "I request you and the present Council of Ministers to function until alternate arrangements are made," Rao said. The legislators unanimously chose Sasikala, who is not a member of the assembly, for the post. And she lost no time in saying that outgoing Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam himself wanted her to head the government. Addressing the legislators, the 59-year old Sasikala, a long-time confidante of Jayalalithaa, said Panneerselvam had also insisted earlier that she become the party head too. Sasikala said: "Since everyone stressed that one person should hold both the posts - Chief Minister and General Secretary of the party - I agreed." Panneerselvam, who had earlier been acting Chief Minister twice, sent his resignation to Sasikala. The main opposition DMK said it was "shocked" that the AIADMK had chosen an administratively inexperienced Sasikala as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, one of India's biggest states. "People didn't vote for Sasikala," DMK working president MK Stalin said. The DMK said Sunday was a "black day" for Tamil Nadu. According to AIADMK sources, Panneerselvam proposed her name and the other MLAs seconded it to show unanimity in the party. Sasikala belongs to the Thevar community, which has a dominant say in the AIADMK. ALSO READ:Jayalalithaa illegal assets case returns to haunt Sasikala, Supreme Court verdict in a week Jayalalithaa illegal assets case returns to haunt Sasikala, Supreme Court verdict in a week --- ENDS --- A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court to put a hold on the swearing in of VK Sasikala as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. By India Today Web Desk: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking to hold the swearing in of VK Sasikala as Tamil Nadu chief minister. The oath taking ceremony of Sasikala, a close aide of the late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, was earlier scheduled for 11 am on Tuesday. The petition demands that Sasikala not be allowed to take charge as the chief minister until the graft cases she is involved in are resolved. advertisement The petition has been filed in the name of one Senthil Kumar, aged around 40 years old, on behalf of an NGO that fights against corruption and against consumption of liquor and drugs. The filing cites an ongoing court case against Sasikala to say that she should not be allowed to take the office of the Tamil Nadu chief minister. Referencing the riots that followed the conviction of the late J Jayalalitha in 2014, the petition also alleges that if Sasikala gets convicted in her case, "party workers of AIADMK may once again protest and disturb the normal life of Tamilnadu." The petition names the state of Tamil Nadu, the general secretary of AIADMK and Sasikala herself as respondents. Click here to Enlarge Copy of petition filed by Tamil Nadu-based NGO CLOUD OVER SWEARING IN With the Tamil Nadu governor cancelling all plans to visit Chennai tomorrow, the swearing in ceremony is likely to be delayed. CR Saraswati, spokesperson of the AIADMK told India Today that till now they have no communication from the party headquarters. Rao and Home Minister Rajnath Singh today held close-door meeting for one hour after which the governor left for Mumbai. The Tamil Nadu governor is expected to go to Mumbai first on Tuesday. AN AIADMK worker said, "The party is ready with everything, once the governor gives the goahead, we can hold the function." PANNEERSELVAM TENDERS RESIGNATION Earlier today, Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao accepted incumbent Chief Minister O Panneerselvam's resignation after the AIADMK MLAs chose Sasikala their legislative party leader on Sunday. The legislators unanimously chose Sasikala, who is not a member of the Assembly, for the post. And she lost no time in saying that outgoing Chief Minister O Panneerselvam himself wanted her to head the government. In a letter to Panneerselvam, copies of which were given to the media, Rao said: "I hereby accept your resignation and the resignation of your Council of Ministers tendered vide your letter dated February 5." advertisement "I request you and the present Council of Ministers to function until alternate arrangements are made," Rao said. Panneerselvam tendered his resignation on Sunday to enable Sasikala, who was elected the legislature party leader of AIADMK, to become the third woman Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. WATCH With inputs from Rohini Swamy and Sahil Joshi --- ENDS --- At non-profit Food Tanks summit in Washington DC last week, an impressive line-up of speakers from Congress, food and agriculture policy and research, and farming spoke on a panel about what to expect from the next Farm Bill. The conclusion? Its hard to say, particularly in todays political climate. Under the Trump administration, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, the Democrat from Maine (D-ME) said she was looking into the foggiest crystal ball ever. Kathleen Merrigan, executive director of sustainability at the George Washington University (GWU) and deputy secretary of agriculture between 2009 and 2013 said it was a time of chaos here in town. The speakers did outline their wishes for the Farm Bill, however, and offered some predictions for how certain areas would play out. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) The food stamp program accounts for 80% of the Farm Bill, which has prompted opposition from some organizations that believe it should be removed from the bill and handled separately, or significantly reduced. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank, is a vocal opponent of SNAPs inclusion in the Farm Bill. Food Tank speakers and audience members expressed fears that the organization had influence in the government, which could threaten SNAP. Heritage could write the whole thing, said Congresswoman Pingree. All the speakers were supporters of SNAP. Matthew Herrick from public affairs firm Story Partners said the US has the lowest rate of child food insecurity in history because of the program. This positive impact has made SNAP very popular across the board, which will make it hard to remove, argued Joe Glauber, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute. Herrick also argued that its the heart and soul of the coalition that gets the Farm Bill done each year. We need to get the nutrition and ag folks together; without that coalition, you dont have a Farm Bill, said Herrick. Ive done some informal polling of the nutrition and ag folks, and they are already having conversations about what it will take to get it done. Heritage might have its own conversations, but if the coalition sticks together, we will get it done [with SNAP]. Kip Tom, chairman of Tom Farms and an advisor to Trumps administration, agreed that the bill couldnt pass without SNAP, but also added that he would like to see a strong economy and more jobs to get people off the SNAP program. Merrigan agreed that a big tent approach was needed but thinks SNAP will be cut back. I dont think they will try to separate out SNAP; I dont think it makes sense and the most seasoned characters know that. But they are going to try and cut it, and put different restrictions on it. Merrigan and Pingree both agree that with SNAP accounting for such a large portion of the bill, other initiatives are often pushed aside. When winding the last Farm Bill, most of the political debate was about how big SNAP would be, which meant other things, that were very important but in smaller ways, got forgotten, said Pingree. Agriculture R&D and agtech investment Throughout the day, not just on the opening panel, speakers talked about the need to increase public spending on research & development and innovation. Speaking at the very beginning of the event, Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-C20) mentioned the need for more investment in agtech, particularly in his state of California where labor shortages are proving a big challenge for farmers. The Government needs to support funding for agriculture technology research, and also for the private businesses working with farmers on sustainable agriculture tools, he said. When we help our farmers and equip them with technologies and tools, we help all communities by increasing their access to nutritious products. Glauber said he hoped that the decline in government funding to ag R&D would be addressed in the new Farm Bill because of the tangible benefits R&D brings. Public sector funding is needed in particular for land grant universities that can feed their discoveries into the private sector and on to farms, said Dan Glickman, executive director of the Aspen Institute Congressional Program, the nongovernmental, nonpartisan educational program for members of Congress. Kip Tom is a strong proponent of agtech and has invested in a Silicon Valley startup that helps his business to understand how the farm works and protect it, and the environment, in the future. Speaking to AgFunderNews later in the day he said: I believe technology is a cornerstone of our future success. Crop Insurance What people dont understand is that the federal government subsidizes 60% of crop insurance, said Merrigan, adding that she hoped it might change to encourage better environmental stewardship among farmers. Something I hope becomes a big issue, is if we will continue to offer crop insurance with no strings attached. I hope that we start to ask more of our farmers and ranchers, such as environmental achievements, for them to get that same subsidy. Im not saying it should be a mandatory regulation that they have to achieve these goals, but if youre offering crop insurance that tax payers are paying for, its a risk management strategy to ask them to achieve certain goals. And theres precedent for that with some conservation goals. Story Partners Herrick spoke about renewable energy: If I was a corn producer, Id be asking questions about what kind of support Id be getting for renewable energy because were getting mixed signals from the White House. Itss very important for rural ag as the supply shocks [for bioenergy feedstock] really drove demand and gave farmers the opportunity to earn additional income. Other initiatives Under the big picture of the Farm Bill, were always talking about how to move a little bit of resource from commodity groups into the issues and areas we care about like local food, promotional farmers markets, and organic, said Congresswoman Pingree, who is putting together a bill of issues to lobby for. Organic food production is particularly poorly funded, she said, with less than 1% of funding going towards organic research, despite the growing demand. She also spoke about the need to support small and medium-sized farmers, and to improve the scope of SNAP to incentive better food purchases. She suggested that could mean enabling SNAP card holders to buy double the amount of fresh produce from farmers markets, for example. Food waste will also form a component of Pingrees Farm Bill wish list. What do you think will happen with the Farm Bill? Email Media@AgFunderNews.com YEREVAN, DECEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS. The Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development the assets of which is managed by the Eurasian Development Bank has affirmed the disbursement of the second loan tranche of $ 100 million to the Republic of Armenia. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the EDB the transfer of the sum will take place in 2017. The key areas of reforms supported under the EFSD programme include strengthening the financial soundness of the energy sector, raising the efficiency of the public finance management, and improving the investment climate. Armenia has already received $40 million loan for modernizing irrigation systems and $150 million for the construction of the the 4th stage of North-South highway. On November 4, 2015, an agreement was signed to provide Armenia with 300 million USD loan as a budget assistance program with 100 million USD tranches annually. Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is an international financial institution founded by Russia and Kazakhstan in January 2006 with the mission to facilitate the development of market economies, sustainable economic growth, and the expansion of mutual trade and other economic ties in its member states. EDBs charter capital totals US $7 billion. The member states of the Bank are the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, and the Republic of Tajikistan. The Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSD) amounting to US $8.513 billion was formed on 9 June 2009 by the governments of the six countries. The objectives of the EFSD are to assist its member countries in overcoming the consequences of the global financial crisis, ensure their economic and financial stability, and foster integration processes in the region. The EFSD member countries signed the Fund Management Agreement with EDB giving it the role of the EFSD Resources Manager. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Defense of Nagorno Karabakh told Armenpress the Azerbaijani forces violated the ceasefire regime 20 times from various caliber small arms across the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact. The Ministry issued a statement, saying: On February 5 and overnight February 6 the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime 20 times by firing more than 220 shots from various caliber small arms at the Armenian positions in the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact. The NKR Defense Army forces continue confidently carrying out their military duties and take countermeasures in case of necessity. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had allegedly in a rally said, "Congress is with the terrorists." By Rahul Noronha: MP Congress Committee on Monday filed a criminal defamation case against Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state BJP president Nand Kumar Singh Chauhan in a local court for the CM's statement linking the Congress with the alleged SIMI operatives who were killed by police in November, 2016. The petition has been filed in the court of the CJM Bhu Bhaskar Yadav and the next date for hearing has been fixed for March 1. advertisement Case details so far: 1. State Congress spokesperson KK Mishra said that CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan had during a poll rally in Shahdol where by-elections to the Lok Sabha seat were being held in November last year, had said that the Congress was with the SIMI operatives. 2. The CM during a rally had allegedly said, "Congress ka haath, aatankwadiyon ke saath." 3. Mishra said that the CM had been asked to tender an unconditional apology for his remarks failing which the party had warned him that a defamation case would be filed. 4. Since the chief minister did not apologise for his remarks, a case was filed, he said. 5. Senior counsel Vijay Chaudhry appeared for the Congress. 6. Incidentally, both KK Mishra and the CM have filed a number of defamation cases against each other in the past. Also read: Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan's nephew caught evading mining royalty --- ENDS --- YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. The dream of Bagrat Alexanyan a soldier who was killed during the April War fighting, is coming true: The collection of his poems will be published in 2017, poet Shant Mkrtchyan, publishing director of the Union of Writers of Armenia told ARMENPRESS. It is already confirmed that the collection will be published by state assistance. Perhaps it will be ready in summer, maybe earlier. 200 copies will be printed, he said. Earlier, the parents of the fallen soldier said their son loved writing very much, he had a number of poems. He wrote about everything, poems with titles like Ararat, For my Fatherland, Regret etc. His parents addressed the Culture Ministry and the Union of Writers, with hopes that their sons poems will be published. That was Bagrats only dream. Bagrat Alexanyan fought heroically in Jrakan (Jebrayil) and fell with his brothers-in-arms. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. A session of the joint task group of Russia, Turkey and Iran over ceasefire in Syria has kicked off in Astana, Kazakhstan, a source said, reports TASS. The first session of the joint task group of Russia, Turkey and Iran has started at 10:00 local time, the source said. Earlier the source said the representatives of Jordan will also take part in the session. Moreover, the UN representatives are also attending the session. The meeting aims to discuss the process on maintaining ceasefire regime between the conflicting parties in Syria, to develop measures to control the ceasefire, as well as prevent its violations, to strengthen mutual trust between Syrias government and opposition, as well as to solve humanitarian assistance issues. Particular attention will be paid to the issue of separating moderate opposition forces from Jabhat al-Nusra groups. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Over half a million Romanians are protesting nationwide in the country, demanding the resignation of the Government. Only 300,000 protesters took to the streets in the capital of Bucharest, BBC reports. Massive rallies were held across the nation on Sunday, including at Victory Square in the capital of Bucharest. At 9 p.m., protesters turned on their cell phone lights and pointed them at the sky, creating a sea of bright pinpoints. They sang the national anthem and later went silent for five minutes in memory of the heroes of the 1989 revolution that overthrew Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu. The people of Romania demand the governments resignation, however PM Sorin Grindeanu announced he wouldnt step down. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discussed issues related the cooperation within NATO and the settlement of conflict in Ukraine during a phone conversation, the White House said in a statement, reports Armenpress. The statement says the sides discussed the US policy on NATO. Trump expressed his readiness on firm support to the alliance, close cooperation and coordination to address the challenges facing NATO. Donald Trump affirmed he will take part in the European meeting of the heads of NATO member states to be held in late May, 2017. During the phone talk, the two leaders also discussed the situation in Ukraine and the opportunities to settle the Ukrainian conflict. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Qatar Airways has kissed the cloud almanacs by completing the worlds longest flight from Doha, the capital of Qatar, to Auckland, New Zealand, RT reports. Qatar Airways Flight 920 covered a distance of 14,535 km, taking around 16 hours, spanning 10 times zones in the process. The return trip is actually expected to take even longer, 17 hours 30 minutes, due to prevailing jet streams.Tickets on the record setting flight cost $1,265 one-way for an economy seat while business class seats cost $4,500. Qatar may not hold the record for too long, however, as Singapore Airlines is planning on opening a route from Singapore to New York route in 2018, which will come in some 800 km longer. The Boeing 777-200LR is described as being one of the world's most technologically advanced aircraft and is built for such long-haul flights with a maximum range of 10,840 miles. "On the flight to Auckland there were four pilots on board and 15 cabin crew, who served 1,100 cups of tea and coffee, 2,000 cold drinks and more than 1,030 meals," the New Zealand Herald reported. Akbar Al Baker, the CEO of Qatar Airways, was also on board of the passenger jet for the worlds first longest non-stop commercial flight, according to the New Zealand Herald. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. On February 6 newly appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Armenia (residence in Moscow) Kriangsak Kittichaisaree presented the copy of his credentials to Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian, press service of the MFA told Armenpress. FM Nalbandian congratulated the Ambassador on his appointment and said Armenia attaches importance to the development and strengthening of the relations with Thailand, and wished success on his important diplomatic mission. In his turn, the Ambassador of Thailand thanked for the wishes and said Thailand is interested in expanding the cooperation with Armenia, and he will make all efforts to intensify the bilateral agenda. Issues related to holding regular consultations, intensifying the mutual partnership in international structures between the MFAs of the two countries were discussed at the meeting. The sides exchanged views on issues related to organizing visits of high-ranking officials, expanding the legal framework, boosting the partnership between legislative bodies, trade-economic ties, cultural exchange which will further strengthen the bilateral ties. Both sides highlighted the existing potential in the tourism sector and the need to take steps aimed at revealing it. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. With the assistance of the development foundation of Armenia, 23 Armenian companies are presenting their products in a single pavilion February 6-10 in the Prod Expo 2017 international exhibition in Moscow. Armenian companies are presenting canned fruit and vegetable, juices, alcoholic beverages, dairy products, meat and fish, the Development Foundation of Armenia told ARMENPRESS. After the last years exhibition, Armenian companies established new business ties, singed long-termed deals with suppliers and significantly boosted the volumes of exports to Russia. Using this effective way of meeting foreign wholesale buyers, Armenian food producers met with over 600 possible buyers last year, including representatives of world famous trade networks. Due to new business ties, export agreements worth over 186 million drams were signed, Executive Director of the Development Foundation of Armenia Karen Mkrtichean said. Armenian companies also take part in competitions during the exhibition, and win in different nominations, which also contributes to expanding the awareness level of Armenian products and attracting the attention of new partners. This exhibition is the largest in Russia and in Eastern European countries. Around 2000 companies took part in the last years expo from over 67 countries. More than 55000 people visited the event. According to the National Statistical Service, Russia remains the main economic commercial partner of Armenia with a trade turnover of 1 billion 367 million USD. The indicator has increased by 15.1% compared to 2015. Exports from Armenia to Russia comprise 371 million USD a growth of 51.5%. EREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian National Congress (ANC) plans to launch a petition aimed at discussing the issue of changing the date of upcoming election in the Constitutional Court, ANC faction head Levon Zurabyan said at the Parliaments session, reports Armenpress. We will very quickly prepare the petition form in order to gather the necessary 27 signatures to apply to the Constitutional Court over this issue, he said, urging the MPs to join their initiative. Armenias parliamentary elections will be held on April 2, 2017. Some political forces and lawyers propose to the change the election date. Minister-Chief of the Governments staff Davit Harutyunyan presented clarifications over the issue, stating that the Presidents decree was adopted and published in accordance with the constitutional law, the Electoral Code of Armenia. The spokesman of the ruling party (RPA) Eduard Sharmazanov said the RPA is ready to discuss the issue of changing the election date if it will be supported by all political forces participating in the electoral process. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenias state debt amounted to nearly 5.9 billion USD by the end of 2016, including that of the Central Bank, which amounts to 503 million USD, Armenpress reports Minister of Finance of Armenia Vardan Aramyan told the reporters. According to him, the Government debt, both foreign and domestic, amounts to nearly 5.4 billion USD, which is approximately 54% of the GDP. All the indexes show we are among countries with low level of state debt. By the results of 2016 the net present value (NPV) of external public debt is at 38% of the GDP. The threshold for a medium burden of state debt is 4. Armenias NPV of debt-to-exports ratio is 115%, while 132% is the threshold for the countries with low burden of state debt, Aramyan said. The Minister forecasted that in 2017 Armenia will have total debt of 6 billion and 250 million USD, 530 million out of which will be the CBs debt. The Minister of Finance added that he sees no troubling trends in terms of the state debt. The forecasts for the upcoming years indicate that we will have no troublesome issues, he said. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Watch has urged the European Union to press Aliyev to set free the arrested political activists, journalists, critics of the authorities, as well as stop oppressions against independent groups, allowing them to act freely. European Union officials should press President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan to free unjustly imprisoned political activists, journalists, and other government critics, Human Rights Watch said today. EU officials should also urge Aliyev to end the crackdown on independent groups and allow them to operate without undue government interference. President Aliyev will be in Brussels on February 6, 2017, to inaugurate talks on a new partnership agreement between Azerbaijan and the EU to enhance political and economic ties between them. He is set to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Council Donald Tusk, and other top EU officials, Armenpress reports the human rights organization said, adding that this opportunity should be used to secure concrete commitments for urgently needed rights reforms in Azerbaijan. Human Rights Watch reminds that in 2016 Azerbaijan released 16 politically motivated prisoners thank to pressures by the EU and other organizations. But in 2016 and 2017, the authorities have made dozens of new arrests of other activists and bloggers on spurious criminal, often drug-related, charges to prevent them from carrying out their legitimate work, Human Rights Watch added. More than a dozen activists convicted in politically motivated trials between 2013 and 2015 remain in prison. Among them is Ilgar Mammadov, leader of the pro-democracy opposition movement Republican Alternative (REAL). The Council of Europes Committee of Ministers has repeatedly called for his release, in line with a 2014 European Court of Human Rights decision finding that Mammadovs imprisonment was in retaliation for his criticism of the government. None of the convictions of those released in 2016 were quashed and some face travel restrictions, including the award-winning investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova, and the human rights lawyer Intigam Aliyev. Others have fled the country fearing further politically motivated prosecutions, the organization says, adding that any negotiation with Azerbaijan should include clearly expressed EU expectations for concrete human rights improvements by Azerbaijans government, including the immediate and unconditional release of rights activists, political opposition members, and journalists. Meanwhile, police have reportedly arrested 18 students so far which include 8 foreign and 10 Indian students. By Gopi Maniar Ghanghar : At least 20 students have been injured in a clash between Indian and foreign students on Sunday night at Vadodara-based Parul University. Injured students have been admitted to university hospital. Meanwhile, police have reportedly arrested 18 students so far which include 8 foreign and 10 Indian students. The incident occurred when Indian students were passing by the international hostel. At first, there was some altercation between the two groups, which later turned into a clash. Vadodara (Gujarat): Clash broke out between students of Parul University, late last night. Almost 20 students injured. pic.twitter.com/tm6OqvqCRn ANI (@ANI_news) 6 February 2017 advertisement Also read: Siliguri: Clash between TMC and SFI students over withdrawal of nomination form The injured include 6 students from Afghanistan, 2 from Uganda, 1 from Congo and 12 Indian students. According to university students, there were simmering tension between both the groups for the last one week and when they met yesterday, they ended up clashing with each other. Sensing tension, a heavy contingent of police personnel has been deployed on the campus. --- ENDS --- YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. The bill on amendments in the Criminal Code of Armenia provides for decriminalization of tax frauds less than 4 million AMD, ARMENPRESS reports Justice Minister Arpine Hovhannisyan announced at the National Assembly on February 6, adding that any act of tax fraud less than 4 million AMD is subject to civil liability. This means that if until now criminal liability was imposed for tax evasion of 2 million AMD or more, now this benchmarks rises to 4 million AMD, the Minister said, noting that the issue had been discussed for over one year in various formats with the representatives of relevant NGOs and SMEs. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh (NKR) Karen Mirzoyan sent a congratulatory message to Rex Tillerson on his appointment as Secretary of State of the United States of America. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of NKR MFA, the Foreign Minister expressed his confidence that Tillerson would definitely facilitate the mediation efforts of the US, as one of the Co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, to find a long-term and peaceful settlement to the conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh. The Foreign Minister also expressed his gratitude for the assistance the US renders to the Artsakh Republic and its people. We are looking forward to continued cooperation, built on shared values of democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as a vision of stable and peaceful South Caucasus, reads the congratulatory message of Karen Mirzoyan. Famous for its canals, Amsterdam welcomes more than 17 million visitors every year Amsterdam has slapped a record fine of 297,000 euros ($318,000) on a landlord and agency which broke council rules in renting out 11 apartments via home-sharing giant Airbnb, officials said Monday. "We were called in by the neighbours who complained of disturbances," said city spokeswoman Jeanine Harders. "After investigating we found that they were illegally renting out apartments." The owners and the agency which listed the apartments on Airbnb must each pay 13,500 euros for each of the 11 apartments, situated in the centre of the busy Dutch capital. "It's the usual fine, but multiplied by 11 that makes it a record," she said, adding that the municipality had imposed almost 200 such fines in 2016. In December, Amsterdam reached a pioneering agreement with Airbnb to limit the sharing of private homes in the city to 60 days a year. The city of some 830,000 residents, famous for its canals, welcomes more than 17 million visitors every year, leaving many jostling for space on its busy roads and pushing up the price of accommodation. Under the agreement, which went into effect in January and continues until the end of 2018, Airbnb vowed to introduce a new day counter on its site to help hosts track their rentals and to ensure no-one breaks the rules. The increasingly popular site has been targeted by several cities exasperated by what is seen as a bid at times to avoid local laws and taxes. US President Trump's immigration ban has sparked mass protests, such as this rally at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on January 28, 2017 Dozens of tech companies and two former US secretaries of state savaged Donald Trump's travel ban in court filings posted Monday, while the president remained defiant in the face of a high-stakes legal battle. It was the latest chapter in a saga which began on January 27, when Trump issued a blanket ban on all refugees, and travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Silicon Valley giants such as Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter filed a legal brief late Sunday in support of a lawsuit against the travel ban, which was suspended by a federal judge on Friday. The 97 companies which signed onto the brief, most of them from the US tech industry which heavily employs immigrants, charged that the ban "inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth," according to a copy of the document published Monday by US media outlets. A group of prominent Democrats including former secretaries of state John Kerry and Madeleine Albright joined their voices to the criticism on Monday, calling for a federal appeals court to continue blocking the ban which they argued harms national security. Trump, who spent the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida, has unleashed a string of fiery tweets defending his policy and attacking the Seattle judge who blocked his travel ban. - National security - "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" he wrote. "I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult!" The appeals court over the weekend ruled against immediately reinstating the ban, a decision that Vice President Mike Pence called "frustrating." "We will move very quickly," he told Fox News on Sunday. "We are going to win the arguments because we will take the steps necessary to protect the country, which the president of the United States has the authority to do." Story continues Trump's executive order slapped a blanket ban on entry for nationals of the seven countries for 90 days and barred all refugees for 120 days. Refugees from Syria were blocked indefinitely. The Trump administration has appealed the suspension of the ban to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, saying the halt was causing "irreparable harm" to the American public. The appeals court has asked both the state of Washington, which filed the suit challenging the travel ban, and the Trump administration to file more documents bolstering their arguments, before it decides how to proceed. The 97 companies speaking out against the travel ban said it harms recruiting and retention of talent, threatens business operations, and hampers the firms' ability to attract investment to the United States. - Arrivals - Other tech companies that are part of the coalition include AirBnb, Dropbox, eBay, Intel, Kickstarter, LinkedIn, Lyft, Mozilla, Netflix, PayPal, Uber and Yelp. Meanwhile, several prominent Democrats including former secretaries of state John Kerry and Madeleine Albright called for the appeals court to continue blocking the travel ban, arguing that Trump's order was "ill-conceived, poorly implemented and ill-explained." "We view the order as one that ultimately undermines the national security of the United States, rather than making us safer," they argued in a brief submitted Monday to the appeals court. "Reinstating the executive order would wreak havoc on innocent lives and deeply held American values." Specifically, the Democrats said Trump's travel ban could endanger US troops in the field and disrupt counterterrorism cooperation. It also feeds Islamic State group propaganda that the United States is at war with Islam, they said. The brief was filed by Kerry, Albright and several top aides to ex-president Barack Obama. Among them were national security advisor Susan Rice, CIA chief and defense secretary Leon Panetta, and homeland security chief Janet Napolitano. With the travel ban suspended as of Friday, travelers from the targeted countries holding valid visas have begun arriving on American soil. In New York, 33-year-old Sudanese doctor Kamal Fadlalla rejoiced -- after a week blocked in his home country, he was back in the Big Apple with friends and colleagues. "It feels great," Fadlalla told AFP on Sunday at John F. Kennedy International Airport. "It was a tough week actually." Iranian graduate student Sara Yarjani, who was initially deported under Trump's order, arrived in Los Angeles. "I am so grateful to all the lawyers and others that helped me," she said tearfully. The State Department has said visa holders from the seven countries are allowed to travel to the US as long as their documents have not been "physically canceled." The restrictions fueled weekend protests at home and abroad -- from London and Hong Kong to Washington and Palm Beach, where Trump spent the weekend. US President Donald Trump salutes upon arrival at MacDill Air Force Base on February 6, 2017 in Tampa, Florida President Donald Trump lashed out Monday at signs of rising public opposition to his controversial travel ban as tech giants threw their weight behind a push in US courts to roll it back. With the ban suspended since Friday, the legal battle has moved to San Francisco where a US court of appeals ordered the administration to submit a brief Monday defending Trump's January 27 decision. The president's executive order summarily denied entry to all refugees, and travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen -- a move critics charge will damage US interests. Despite initial public support, two new polls show that a majority of Americans now oppose the ban -- findings that Trump angrily dismissed as media lies. "Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election," he said on Twitter. "Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting." Trump, who spent the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, is said to be increasingly frustrated with his staff's failure to contain the fallout from the ban's botched rollout, which sparked chaos at US airports and drew international condemnation, the New York Times reported. The order slapped a blanket ban on entry for nationals of the seven mainly-Muslim countries for 90 days and barred all refugees for 120 days. Refugees from Syria were blocked indefinitely. But Friday in Seattle, a federal district judge ordered the temporary nationwide suspension of the president's order, allowing the thousands of travellers who were suddenly barred from US soil to start trickling back in. - Mounting opposition - In an additional blow, a slew of Silicon Valley giants led by Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter filed a legal brief late Sunday in support of the lawsuit. The 97 companies speaking out against Trump's travel ban said it harms recruiting and retention of talent, threatens business operations, and hampers their ability to attract investment to the United States. Story continues The ban "inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth," said the brief, whose backers also include Airbnb, Dropbox, eBay, Intel, Kickstarter, LinkedIn, Lyft, Mozilla, Netflix, PayPal, Uber and Yelp. A group of prominent Democrats including former secretaries of state John Kerry and Madeleine Albright joined their voices to the criticism on Monday, in a legal filing to the San Francisco appeals court. "We view the order as one that ultimately undermines the national security of the United States, rather than making us safer," they said. "Reinstating the executive order would wreak havoc on innocent lives and deeply held American values." Specifically, the Democrats said Trump's travel ban could endanger US troops in the field, disrupt counterterrorism cooperation and feed Islamic State group propaganda. - 'Frustrating' - Top Republicans also have also shown renewed signs of discomfort with the new president, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell chiding Trump on Sunday for attacking the judge who suspended the ban. "I think it is best to avoid criticizing judges individually," he said on CNN. Trump had blasted Judge James Robart in a series of angry tweets. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" The appeals court in San Francisco on Sunday refused to overrule Robart, and ordered the administration to present a brief by 2300 GMT on Monday. Vice President Mike Pence called the setback "frustrating." "We will move very quickly," he told Fox News on Sunday. "We are going to win the arguments because we will take the steps necessary to protect the country, which the president of the United States has the authority to do." The attorney generals for the states of Washington and Minnesota, which won the temporary stay of Trump's ban, have asked the appeals court to refuse to reinstate it. Before now, they argued, no US president has imposed "a categorical bar on admission on a generalized (and unsupported) claim that some might engage in misconduct," they argued. "The order flouts Congress's clear command prohibiting nationality-based discrimination," they said. - Arrivals - With the ban suspended, travelers from the targeted countries holding valid visas have begun arriving on American soil. In New York, 33-year-old Sudanese doctor Kamal Fadlalla rejoiced -- after a week blocked in his home country, he was back in the Big Apple with friends and colleagues. "It feels great," Fadlalla told AFP on Sunday at John F. Kennedy International Airport. "It was a tough week actually." Iranian graduate student Sara Yarjani, who was initially deported under Trump's order, arrived in Los Angeles. "I am so grateful to all the lawyers and others that helped me," she said tearfully. The State Department has said visa holders from the seven countries are allowed to travel to the US as long as their documents have not been "physically canceled." An astronaut on the International Space Station snapped this striking photo last month of forest land adjacent to the Priest River in northern Idaho. From NASA: The squares in this landscape checkerboard appear to be the result of forest management. Similar patterns originated in the 1800s, when alternate parcels of land were granted by the U.S. government to railroads such as the Northern Pacific. Many parcels in the Pacific Northwest were later sold off and harvested for timber. The land shown here is now managed for wildlife and for timber harvesting. The white patches reflect areas with younger, smaller trees, where winter snow cover shows up brightly to the astronauts. Dark green-brown squares are parcels of denser, intact forest. The checkerboard is used as a method of maintaining the sustainability of forested tracts while still enabling a harvest of trees. Nebraska State Sen. Burke Harr is pushing for a redesign of his state's flag because, well, it sucks. From the Omaha World-Herald: For 10 days, the state flag, which is hoisted over the State Capitol's west side when lawmakers are in session, flew upside down. "Nobody noticed it," State Sen. Burke Harr told members of the Legislature's Executive Board. "It took someone drawing it to my attention before it was changed" An effort in 2002 to develop a new flag design with the public's help, however, died after critics called it a blow to the state's heritage. Harr brushed off criticism from earlier this month that the state has more pressing issues to deal with, saying that the lawmakers can take a look at the state flag while addressing the looming budget deficit, the troubled Department of Correctional Services and other areas of concern. "We can walk and chew gum at the same time," he said. The head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce told an Ottawa business audience today that the demise of the North American Free Trade Agreement would be bad news for Canada, the U.S. and Mexico in terms of jobs, which is why he's confident that an even stronger trade agreement is the most likely outcome. Tom Donohue told the Economic Club of Canada that "the jobs of 14 million Americans depend on the agreement." He said it was likely politicians on all sides will find a way to strengthen the business ties of North America even as some of the details get renegotiated. "Let me say right up front that withdrawing from NAFTA would be devastating for the workers, businesses and economies of our countries," Donohue said. "We do $670 billion in bilateral goods and services trade annually," Donohue said of trade between the U.S. and Canada. "Nearly $2 billion in trade crosses our shared border every day." U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to abandon NAFTA if it can't be renegotiated to his satisfaction. Much of the new president's vitriol regarding trade has been targeted at Mexico, which he accuses of flooding the U.S. market with its goods, at the expense of American workers. But Donohue assured his Canadian audience that U.S. officials are well aware of the value in the free flow of goods. "This is hardly the first time in the U.S. that we've had a knock-down, drag-out domestic fight over trade," he said. "The truth is that we go through some version of this argument every time we negotiate a major deal." He said Canadian business leaders have nothing to fear from the rhetoric coming out of America at the moment, and should instead take the opportunity to discuss trade issues to build an even better and stronger pact moving forward. Visa changes "Do no harm," will and should be the first priority in any trade discussions, he said. But he singled out a number of areas with mutual room for improvement. Story continues E-commerce and the digital economy didn't exist when NAFTA was created 23 years ago, so those are two areas that he suspects all sides can find common ground on which to build a better foundation for the $1.3 trillion worth of trilateral trade by the three countries every year. He also singled out the need to "modernize our visa arrangements" so that skilled workers are able to pass freely and frequently to the areas in which they are most needed. "No matter what challenges or changes we face, our nations must always come together in a spirit of good will, common cause, and enduring friendship," Donohue said. But "on trade, it's understandable that our neighbours might have questions about what's in store," he said. Maliwal appeared before the court in pursuance to summons issued to her by the court on January 18. By Press Trust of India: AAP leader and chief of Delhi Commission for Women Swati Maliwal was today granted bail by a Special Court in a case of alleged irregularities in the recruitment process of the women's panel. Maliwal appeared before the court in pursuance to summons issued to her by the court on January 18. Special Judge Hemani Malhotra said the evidence in the matter was documentary and Maliwal was not required for custodial interrogation and granted her bail on furnishing of a personal bond of Rs 20,000 and a surety of like amount. advertisement Also read: Delhi BJP seeks removal of DCW chief Swati Maliwal During the hearing, the court asked the investigating officer and prosecutor Atul Shrivastava whether the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) was further probing the matter as per its direction. To this, the IO replied in the affirmative and said it would take some time to conclude the investigation. Maliwal also told the court that she has received the copy of charge sheet and other documents. The court had earlier taken cognisance of the charge sheet filed in the case and summoned Maliwal as accused. Also read: Former DCW chiefs slam incumbent Swati Maliwal for lodging corruption case The court, however, had said the probe has not identified Maliwal's associates with whose connivance "illegal practices were adopted" and directed the police to probe their role and file supplementary charge sheet against them. The charge sheet was filed by ACB on December 21, 2016 against Maliwal in connection with alleged irregularities in appointment of AAP workers in DCW. The ACB had taken up the probe on a complaint by former DCW chief Barkha Shukla Singh, who had alleged that several AAP supporters were given plum posts in the women's panel. --- ENDS --- Film photography is experiencing a small renaissance and P.E.I. Photo Lab in Charlottetown is happy to be part of it, developing and printing film both new and old. The unassuming little store on Queen Street had already been running for more than 30 years when photographer Alhan Ashnaei purchased it in 2012. "It is a little bit more expensive now, so there is not that much profit for the companies to do that, so they stopped doing that," said his brother, marketing manager Keyvan Ashenaei. Expensive indeed. P.E.I. Photo Lab charges $14.99 to develop and print a roll of 24 35-millimetre photos, but Keyvan Ashenaei estimates the work actually costs the lab about $35. They lose money in the process, he said, but they do it out of love. "We are trying to keep it as cheap as we can so people can continue using film, because we love photography," said Keyvan. 'It will touch your heart' Keyvan pointed to the popular photography course at Holland College in Charlottetown as a source of new film customers, as well as young hobbyists, some of whom buy chemicals from the lab to do developing at home. "It's a challenge and a good experience," said Keyvan, noting most old cameras don't have auto focus, so people have no choice but to learn how to focus manually, as well as learning how to control shutter speed, ISO and lighting. "Especially young people, they like surprises," Keyvan smiled. "With the digital you can see what you did, but with the film you cannot see what you did. "Because it is a surprise, it will touch your heart, you know? With film, you can feel the photography." Film Fridays During the winter the shop develops five to 15 rolls of film per week they do them all at once on Fridays and the past few summers they've processed 30 to 40 rolls a week. Alhan hopes camera companies like Kodak or Fuji will take note of the renewed interest in film and bring back affordable, quality film cameras and darkroom chemicals. Story continues "A lot of the young generation are asking for film," he said. The brothers are happy to help people just learning about film cameras who are "really excited" but don't know where to find batteries and film and how to load the film. "They find the camera through eBay or found it in yard sales. Sometimes they don't know if it's working or not!" said Keyvan. Vintage technology When the brothers bought the shop, they inherited the vintage machine that develops the film negatives. "We try to take care of that as our baby!" laughs Keyvan. The brothers have made an offer to its manufacturer to purchase any similar machines so they can have a supply of spare parts, which are almost impossible to find. Another antique machine that printed photos from negatives broke last year, and the brothers were unable to fix or replace it. Luckily, they've worked out another scanning process. Immigrants to P.E.I. The brothers' love of photography is in their blood their grandfather and father before them were photographers, too. Their father moved from Iran to Kuwait in the 1950s and started a photography business, teaching his boys about the business. Together Alhan and Keyvan ran a large photography studio, taking publicity photos of celebrities, selling it in 2008 to emigrate to Canada under the PNP program. "Even though we were born and raised it Kuwait, it wasn't our country," said Keyvan even though they owned a successful business, the government of Kuwait denied them citizenship. Their children were denied access to post-secondary education and would be blocked from most employment. 'Welcome home' "It wasn't safe for us and even our children," he said, noting as a follower of the persecuted minority Baha'i religion, the family could not return to Iran, where Baha'i are executed. "We don't have a country," Keyvan said. "So, we emigrated to Canada." "They told us from the first day in the airport, welcome home. You felt you have a country, you have a home," said Keyvan, choking up slightly. Besides developing film, P.E.I. Photo Lab does photo restoration and enlarging, photography services like portraits and passport photos, and sells digital camera gear and frames. They'd also be happy to develop film that is mailed to them, the brothers said. - MORE P.E.I. NEWS I 6 fun ways to stay active outdoors on P.E.I. this winter - MORE P.E.I. NEWS I Hiking El Camino Trail: Islander writes new guidebook MONDAY, Feb. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment received in childhood to help fight cancer can have an impact on sexual health in adulthood, a new report suggests. However, the study also found that most adult survivors of childhood cancer report having satisfying sexual and romantic lives. "As positive as it is to see this, we still should be closely monitoring sexual health in adults who did have cancer treatment as children, especially those needing high-dose neurotoxic [brain-harming] treatments," said Dr. Matthew Lorber, who reviewed the new findings. He directs child and adolescent psychiatry at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. The new research was published online Feb. 6 in the journal Cancer and was led by Vicky Lehmann, of Nationwide Children's Hospital and Ohio State University in Columbus. Lehmann's team noted that treatment for childhood cancer can harm the developing brain in a way that can cause long-term difficulties. These difficulties might involve problems with social interaction, which means adult survivors may face challenges in developing romantic and sexual relationships, the study authors explained. The study of 144 young adult survivors of childhood cancer found that, overall, they did not differ from other young adults in terms of their satisfaction with their sex lives and romantic relationships. However, those who had received cancer treatments that were especially toxic to the nervous system were least likely to have had sex, be in a relationship or have children, the findings showed. Still, even this group tended to say they were satisfied with their sex lives and romantic relationships, the researchers noted. The findings highlight "the subjective nature of psychosexual issues, and the importance of addressing any concerns in survivorship care," Lehmann said in a journal news release. According to Lorber, the overall message from the study is one of hope. "This analysis does not allow us to make definitive conclusions, but it does show that children receiving treatment for cancer can expect to have happy intimate relationships in the future," Lorber said. Dr. Victor Fornari directs child and adolescent psychiatry at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y. He believes that long-term outcomes for survivors of childhood cancers may be even better in years to come. "As treatments for childhood cancers achieve greater cure rates, being able to support the psychosexual development of these adult survivors of childhood cancers becomes a promising new opportunity," he said. More information The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more on the late effects of childhood cancer treatment. MONDAY, Feb. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Two new studies offer insights into the medical plights facing undocumented immigrants in the United States. One finds that some hospice programs often refuse to accept these immigrants in the final days of their lives. The other reveals the hardships faced by those suffering from kidney failure who can't get regular dialysis, the study authors said. Dialysis rids the body of toxins when the kidneys don't work properly. The laws limiting dialysis for immigrants who are in the country illegally "have a profound impact," said Dr. Lilia Cervantes, a Colorado researcher who interviewed 20 kidney failure patients about their experiences. "They have immense distress," she said. At issue: The limitations of publicly funded health care for poor undocumented immigrants for routine dialysis and hospice care. The Medicaid programs in some states like California and New York cover routine dialysis, typically needed three times a week for four hours, for undocumented immigrants with end-stage kidney disease, Cervantes said. There are an estimated 6,480 of these immigrants with the condition in the United States, her research team said. But most other states do not cover routine dialysis, meaning these patients must go to the hospital for emergency dialysis when they're in bad shape, Cervantes said. For the study, Cervantes and her colleagues interviewed 20 undocumented immigrants who are only able to undergo dialysis once a week, via an emergency room, when they're critically ill. In some cases, the ER patients get dialysis on a Monday "when they're short of breath and feel like they're drowning," Cervantes said. They leave the next day and feel fairly well for a couple days, she said, but by Friday, "they're feeling really sick again, nauseous, short of breath." By Saturday, they're in bed, and by Sunday, "they're at death's door, but they don't go to the hospital because they feel like they're not sick enough and won't be treated after a five-hour wait. Instead, they come in on Monday when they can barely move," she said. One patient said: "It's happened to me twice, not being able to breathe... They saw me vomiting blood and that is when I was taken to the intensive care unit and after that I was unaware of anything around me for two days... A different time, I ignored my symptoms too long and then when I came here I couldn't breathe." The patient added: "I was going to be taken to dialysis but after a while I had no pulse ... they kept talking to me to keep me awake because they couldn't find my pulse." In addition, Cervantes said, "many of these patients talk about receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation like it's a normal thing. One said she's had CPR three times." Some of the patients even admitted they would consume food or drink high in potassium just outside the hospital when they experienced a drowning feeling, so the lab results would be dire enough to guarantee emergency dialysis. It's not clear whether the patients who get dialysis only on an emergency basis have poorer health and die earlier. However, Cervantes said research has suggested that it's more expensive to only provide dialysis on an emergency basis. In the second study, Duke University researchers led by Dr. Nathan Gray of Duke Palliative Care sent surveys to 230 hospices in the United States and received answers from 179 about whether they treat undocumented immigrants. Nine percent (16) said they don't accept them, and nearly 24 percent (42) said their enrollment is restricted. The rest, 68 percent (121) said they don't restrict undocumented immigrants. According to the study, Medicare -- the federal insurance program for seniors and some other people in the United States -- doesn't cover hospice care for undocumented immigrants. The study said hospice care reduces health care costs and improves the quality of the end of life. The two studies were published Feb. 6 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. Dr. Alicia Fernandez is a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, who cowrote a commentary accompanying the studies. She praised the research. "I doubt the policies that create this suffering reflect the values of most people in the United States," Fernandez said. "Physicians need to advocate for their individual patients and, equally importantly, join with other physicians in their medical societies in advocating for medical care that does not discriminate based on immigration status." More information: For more about dialysis, visit the National Kidney Foundation. MONDAY, Feb. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Obesity affects many facets of life, and now a new study suggests that carrying a great deal of extra weight also may affect the way a person dies. Obese people are less likely to spend their last days in hospice care and more likely to die at home, the new research found. It's not yet clear why the difference exists or exactly what it means for the quality of life for obese people in the final stages of their lives. But theories include potential bias against the obese and the unique challenges obese people face in getting proper medical treatment, the study authors said. "People who are more obese do sometimes feel stigma from providers and may get less care," said study lead author Dr. John Harris, an assistant professor with the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. David Casarett, chief of palliative care at Duke University in Durham, N.C., was not involved with the study but was familiar with the findings. Casarett said, "We know that obesity is a large and growing public health epidemic, but we know little or nothing about how obesity shapes late-life care, including nursing home care, hospice use and end-of-life care." The study authors tracked the experiences of almost 5,700 Medicare beneficiaries who died between 1998 and 2012. The investigators looked at weight levels and whether or not someone died in hospice care. The patients were categorized by three body mass index measurements: 20, 30 and 40. Body mass index (BMI) is a rough measure of a person's body fat based on height and weight. A normal BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. Overweight is between 25 and 29.9. A BMI over 30 is considered obese. Someone with a BMI of 40 or more is considered morbidly -- or severely -- obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For someone 5 feet 9 inches tall, a normal BMI weight is between 125 to 168 pounds. Overweight is between 169 to 202 pounds. And, anyone over 203 pounds is considered obese for that height. Morbid obesity begins at 271 pounds, according to the CDC. In the new study, the 117 severely obese patients died earlier, at an average age of 72. People with a normal weight (2,509 people) died at an average age of 82, the study authors reported. Overall, nearly 35 percent of those in the study received hospice care, but just 23 percent of the severely obese did. In addition, the severely obese spent four fewer days in hospice care than those with a BMI of 20. The researchers found that 55 percent of those with a BMI of 40 died at home, which is one of the goals of hospice when it's possible. The number was 61 percent for those with a BMI of 20. The study wasn't designed to pinpoint any causes of the differences. However, one theory is that "people who are carrying more body weight at the end of life may look slightly healthier," Harris said, "and doctors may be less likely to recognize that they're dying and recommend hospice." Harris also noted that patients with extreme obesity pose special challenges to the health care system. "I can think of women with obesity who are bed-bound at the end of life and the amount of care that it takes to move them to provide good skin care, toileting and bathing. It sometimes requires multiple nurse aides," said Harris, who's an obstetrician/gynecologist and so his experience is only with women. Duke University's Casarett said obese patients themselves may find it difficult to get care. "I took care of a patient once who was morbidly obese and had trouble getting out of the house," he said. "Despite our best efforts, she became homebound, skipping medical appointments and ignoring what were probably early signs of colon cancer, which eventually took her life. I can't say that obesity caused her death, but it was definitely a contributing factor to her choices not to seek health care," Casarett said. Dr. Eric Widera is an associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He noted that one of the biggest challenges for the obese at the end of life is not having the needed support at home. "Hospice at home often relies on friends and families to help with care needs throughout the day, which is only made more challenging when it requires more than one or sometimes more than two people," said Widera, who is also director of hospice and palliative care for the local VA Medical Center. Dr. Deepak Gupta, a clinical assistant professor of anesthesiology at Wayne State University in Detroit, said one solution could be to create special hospices for the obese. "Almost half of the aging population is overweight and obese, and all will eventually require end-of-life care," he said. Study author Harris said it's important for doctors to recognize the special issues facing the obese "and consider hospice at earlier points in severe illness than they would for a standard patient." In addition, higher levels of reimbursement for caregivers may be appropriate when care for these patients poses special challenges, he said. The study was published online Feb. 6 in Annals of Internal Medicine. More information For more about obesity, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Darkness at noon: Public beheading in Saudi Arabia Rising Arrests, Prosecutions (Beirut) Saudi Arabia has stepped up arrests, prosecutions, and convictions of peaceful dissident writers and human rights advocates in 2017, Human Rights Watch said today. In January, a Saudi court sentenced two prominent activists to long jail terms, accusing them of being in contact with international media and human rights organizations. The authorities jailed two others, one of whom remains in detention while under investigation. Saudi courts have convicted at least 20 prominent activists and dissidents since 2011. Many faced sentences as long as 10 or 15 years on broad, catch-all charges such as breaking allegiance with the ruler or participating in protests that do not constitute recognizable crimes. Saudi Arabia is trying to silence and lock away anyone who doesnt toe the official line or dares to express an independent view on politics, religion, or human rights, said Sarah Leah Whitson , Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. When will the Saudi authorities understand that talking to the media or an international organization should not be a crime. On January 18, Saudi Arabias Specialized Criminal Court (SCC), the countrys terrorism tribunal, sentenced Nadhir al-Majed, 39, a prominent writer, to seven years in prison and a seven-year ban on travel abroad. The conviction was based on his participation in protests in Saudi Arabias Eastern Province in 2011, over discrimination against the countrys minority Shia community, his communication with international media and human rights organizations, and a series of articles supporting the protests and calling for an end to discrimination against the Shia. The charges included slandering the ruler and breaking allegiance with him, and sending a group of electronic messages to a number of media outlets and satellite TV channels and human rights organizations, with all charges based solely on the peaceful expression of his views. Saudi authorities arrested him on April 17, 2011, at the school where he taught, in the Eastern Province city of Khobar, and detained him for 15 months. They formally charged him in December 2015. He is in al-Hair prison, south of Riyadh. Local human rights activists told Human Rights Watch that al-Majed has not been permitted to call his family or receive visits since his detention on January 18, 2017. On January 10, the SCC re-sentenced Abdulaziz al-Shubaily, 31, a human rights activist, to eight years in prison, an eight-year travel ban, and an eight-year ban on using social media after his release. The charges against him included incitement against public order, insulting the judiciary, describing the ruling Saudi state unjustly and wrongly as a police state, and participating in an unlicensed association. In March 2015, prosecutors added the additional charge of being in touch with outside agencies and sending them reports including many fallacies against the kingdom, which were behind two reports issued by Amnesty International. Al-Shubaily is a founding member of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA), one of Saudi Arabias first civic organizations, which called for broad political reform and more pluralistic interpretations of Islamic law. Al-Shubaily remains free on bail while he appeals the ruling. Saudi authorities have been holding another activist, Essam Koshak, 45, without charge since January 8. Koshak has used social media sites such as Twitter to push for human rights, including highlighting Saudi Arabias a repression of peaceful activists and dissidents and advocating for their release. Local activists told Human Rights Watch that the Criminal Investigation Department summoned him for questioning in Mecca on January 8, without giving a reason, and detained him when he arrived. He is in Mecca General Prison. On January 5, authorities detained Ahmed al-Musheikhis, 45, a founding member of the Adala Center for Human Rights, based in Saudi Arabias Eastern Province, and held him until February 1, then released him. The detentions fit a pattern of ongoing repression against peaceful advocates and dissidents, including harassment, intimidation, smear campaigns, travel bans, detention, and prosecution. Since 2014, Saudi authorities have tried nearly all peaceful dissidents in the SCC. Authorities have arrested and prosecuted nearly all activists associated with the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA), which a Saudi court formally dissolved and banned in March 2013. The members faced similar vague charges. The Arab Charter on Human Rights, which Saudi Arabia has ratified, guarantees the right to freedom of opinion and expression in Article 32. The United Nations General Assemblys Declaration on the Rights of Human Rights Defenders states that everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to impart or disseminate to others views, information and knowledge on all human rights and fundamental freedoms. Saudi Arabia repeatedly demonstrates its complete intolerance toward citizens who speak out for human rights and reform, Whitson said. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! Source: Human Rights Watch , February 6, 2017 Tamil Nadu Governor Vidyasagar Rao has accepted the resignation of O Panneerselvam. By India Today Web Desk: Tamil Nadu Governor Vidyasagar Rao today accepted the resignation of incumbent Chief Minister O Panneerselvam. The governor has asked Panneerselvam to continue until further arrangements are made. Pannerselvam had tendered his resignation on Sunday after Sasikala was elevated to the post of legislative leader of AIADMK. HERE ARE THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: We congratulate Sasikala, it is very interesting to watch what is going in Tamil Nadu: Congress leader Renuka Chaudhary. Governor has asked Panneerselvam and his council of ministers to continue till alternative arrangements are made. It was Pannerselvam who proposed the name of Chinnamma (Sasikala Natarajan) as the leader of AIADMK Legislature Party Leader. Earlier today, former finance minister P Chidambaram said it is the right of the people to ask if a leader deserves to be the Tamil Nadu chief minister. Chennai-based chartered accountant and RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy spoke in a similar tone about Sasikala taking on the position of the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. "Sasikala the new CM. No celebrations. No crackers. No cheer. Eerie silence. Never seen a person so hated within and outside the party becoming CM," Gurumurthy tweeted. DMK leader TKS Elangovan said, "No party can go against wishes of people. MLAs might have chosen Sasikala, whether people will accept her as CM has to be seen. advertisement Also read: Sasikala set to become Tamil Nadu chief minister, OPS tenders resignation Concentrate on your work: Stalin advises Panneerselvam to stop worrying about his chair As talks of Sasikala heading Tamil Nadu grow louder, CM Panneerselvam says will follow Amma's path --- ENDS --- By Barbara Lewis CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Technological improvements have boosted productivity by 40 percent over the last three years and a further 40 percent can be delivered by 2020, Anglo American Chief Executive Mark Cutifani said on Monday. "Since we started thinking about our business in a very different way, our productivity is up by around 40 percent since 2013," Cutifani told the annual Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town. "I would expect to see the same level of improvement from where we are today to be delivered through our current programmes by 2020." Anglo was focused on the smart use of data and "integrated systems thinking" to cut maintenance spending and reduce safety risks. "We are using advanced analytics to interrogate existing data and to estimate the probability of component failure in some of our most important mining equipment," he said. Miners have been focused on cutting costs and boosting productivity in recent years as metals prices slumped, hitting multi-year lows early last year and squeezing profits. Anglo reported a sharp production fall at its Los Bronces copper mine in Chile at the end of last year offsetting an overall increase in mineral output across its mines. The global mining sector recovered strongly last year as metals prices rebounded, led by Anglo American, the top performer in the FTSE 100 index <.FTSE> as the company's shares recovered from a big sell-off in 2015. Although the worst period for the mining sector may have passed, tough and uncertain times continue to lie ahead, Cutifani said. "That is why resilience is so important," he said. "We have to be leaner, we have to be hungry and we have to keep evolving quicker than our competitors." (Additional reporting by Eric Onstad in London; editing by Jason Neely) houthi suicide boat New footage from Al Arabia settles a dispute over what exactly hit a Saudi Arabian navy ship and killed two sailors last week. Iranian media first reported on the attack, which was carried out by Houthi rebels who receive support from Tehran. Iranian media reports said that an anti-ship missile hit the Saudi vessel and released questionable footage along with it. Later, a statement from the Saudis said the attack had been carried out with suicide boats. Now that the Saudi ship has returned to port, the footage, confirmed by Saudi sources, seems to show prove Riyadh's narrative. The attack caps off a 2016 that saw a major uptick in Iranian provocations towards the US and its allies. The Houthi rebels managed to strike an Emirati ship with an anti-ship missile in October. Later, the Houthis tried to hit a US ship, but the ship intercepted the missile and retaliated by destroying the Houthi-controlled radar sites. Saudi Arabia leads a military coalition of Gulf states, that includes the United Arab Emirates, involved in bombing Houthi rebels in Yemen. While the Saudis support the internationally recognized government of Yemen, they stand accused of war crimes in the massive air campaign there for potentially bombing civilian targets. Watch the footage below: NOW WATCH: This 12-million-gallon 'indoor ocean' can simulate the world's worst wave conditions More From Business Insider By Tova Cohen and Karolin Schaps TEL AVIV/LONDON (Reuters) - Israel's Delek Group has agreed to buy Ithaca Energy Inc in a deal valuing the North Sea oil producer's equity at $646 million (519.1 million) and building on Delek's expansion in the North Sea ahead of a planned London listing. The deal follows a number of transactions in the British North Sea after a rise in oil prices above $50 a barrel has given confidence to buyers and sellers to agree on valuations. Ithaca , listed in Toronto and London, said on Monday its board had recommended the Israeli conglomerate's cash offer of C$1.95 per share, which equates to 1.20 pounds. Delek, with natural gas exploration and production activities in the eastern Mediterranean, already owns 19.7 percent of Ithaca. However, two of Ithaca's largest shareholders, Artemis Investment Management and Cavendish Asset Management which together own around 8 percent of the stock, said the offer was too low, considering the potential of Ithaca's newest field, Greater Stella, which comes on stream later this month. "We would like to have a chat with the management of the company to understand why they recommended a bid which we see as disappointing," Mark Niznik, co-manager of the Artemis UK Smaller Companies Fund, told Reuters. The deal requires that holders of more than 50 percent of shares not held by Delek accept the offer. "As things stand I would be voting against it unless something crops up in the meantime to convince me otherwise," Cavendish fund manager Paul Mumford told Reuters. In late trade, Ithaca's London-listed shares were up 10.2 percent at 118.8 pence, after touching 121 pence, their highest since September 2014. Delek's offer, a premium of about 12 percent to Ithaca's closing price of C$1.74 on Friday, implies an enterprise value - including debt - of about $1.24 billion. The offer is the latest in a string of North Sea deals after last week Chrysaor, backed by private equity, said it would buy many of Shell's North Sea assets for up to $3.8 billion and EnQuest agreed to buy a 25 percent stake in BP's Magnus oil field. Delek itself bought a 13.18 percent stake in Faroe Petroleum , another North Sea operator, for 43 million pounds in December. Delek's bid for the 80 percent of Ithaca it does not already own is worth $524 million. "This is a full and fair offer from a very credible buyer who have the financial resources to complete the transaction," Ithaca Chief Executive Les Thomas told Reuters. LONDON LISTING Delek Chief Executive Asaf Bartfeld said the deal would contribute to the company's growth and to solidifying its position in the international market. A spokesman for Delek said the company planned to list in London during 2017 but could not say whether new shares would be sold or give further details. In August, Delek said it was considering spinning off its holdings in the large Tamar natural gas field offshore Israel into a separate company traded abroad. Under a deal reached with the Israeli government to boost competition in the sector, Delek has about five years to sell its 31.25 percent stake in the field. Ithaca is a partner in 25 projects and is the operator in 12 of them, including the Stella field in the North Sea. Delek said Stella would be a big step up for Ithaca in terms of production amounts. "This looks like a reasonable price, although Delek is clearly retaining some upside, particularly around Ithaca's 'pre development' portfolio as well as its attractive tax loss position," BMO Capital Markets analyst David Round said in a research note. RBC Capital Markets acted as financial adviser to Ithaca's special committee set up to vet the deal, while GMP FirstEnergy is acting as the formal valuator. (Additional reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru; Editing by Adrian Croft and Mark Potter) JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Mondi bought UK-based packaging firm Excelsior Technologies for 33 million pounds ($41 million) from funds managed by private equity firm Endless LLP and certain minority shareholders, the firm said on Monday. Mondi's Chief Executive David Hathorn said in a statement that the British business will support the development of Mondi's consumer packaging division. Excelsior makes packaging, mainly for food, and owns a packaging technology for microwave steam cooking. For the year ended 31 December 2016, it generated revenues of 39 million pounds, Mondi said. Mondi, which has operations in more than 30 countries, makes and sells consumer packaging and paper products as part of its Europe and International division's Packaging Paper business. In 2016 Hathorn told Reuters that Mondi could borrow to fund acquisitions after spending 94 million euros ($101 million) buying consumer packaging businesses in 2015. ($1 = 0.8031 pounds) ($1 = 0.9306 euros) (Reporting by Nqobile Dludla; Editing by Adrian Croft) By Gwladys Fouche and Jonathan Saul OSLO/LONDON (Reuters) - The pace of consolidation in the crisis-hit shipping industry accelerated on Monday after three of Norway's biggest offshore oil industry service vessel (OSV) operators announced plans to merge to create one of the biggest fleets in the sector. Shipping tycoon John Fredriksen and Norwegian billionaire Kjell Inge Roekke said they had agreed a restructuring plan for Farstad Shipping , via a debt-for-equity swap and additional share issue, solving long-running efforts to address liabilities worth 12.6 billion crowns ($1.53 billion) at end-September. The duo will then merge Farstad and Fredriksen's Deep Sea Supply into Roekke's Solstad Offshore . The move comes just days after Frontline , Fredriksen's listed oil tankers operator, launched a $475m offer for Double Hull Tankers , a smaller rival, while Fredriksen is also trying to resolve a $14 billion debt crisis at his drilling rig firm Seadrill , where he is chairman and the biggest shareholder. It also marks the latest deal in a sector hit by overcapacity and low demand from oil firms, due to a halving of the oil price since mid-2014. The three-way merger between Farstad, Solstad and Deep Sea Supply will create a newly named company, Solstad Farstad, which will have a combined fleet of 154 ships, making it the biggest owner of large vessels in the supply, anchor handling and construction support segments of the OSV market worldwide. It would rank fourth overall when smaller vessels are included in the count, and will have an enterprise value of around 30 billion Norwegian crowns ($3.64 billion), according to estimates by brokerage Pareto. "With this solution, we provide Farstad, Solstad and Deep Sea Supply with an industrial platform to sustain the current downturn in the OSV market and be well positioned to exploit a market recovery," Farstad's chief executive Karl Johan Bakken said in a statement. As part of the deal, Farstad's banks, bondholders and other creditors have agreed to convert billions of crowns owed into shares. In addition Roekke and Fredriksen are to fully underwrite a share issue by Farstad to raise 650 million crowns. Subsequent to completing Farstad's restructuring, the companies will then merge, with Solstad Offshore taking over the other two companies under a share exchange, with Farstad shareholders getting 0.35 Solstad shares for every 12.5 Farstad shares and Deep Sea shareholders getting 1.32 Solstad shares for every 12.5 Deep Sea shares. As a result Roekke's Aker will own up to a quarter of the enlarged Solsted Offshore, while the Fredriksen family's Hemen Holding will hold up to 18 percent, but following the merger they plan to adjust their holdings to become "approximately equal shareholders," the companies said. "This restructuring proposal means an increase from 39 million Farstad shares to 4.9 billion shares. It is a huge dilution (for Farstad shareholders)," said DNB credit analyst Magnus Vie Sundal. Shares in Farstad were up 15 percent at 4.85 crowns by 1335 GMT, when Solstad was up 23 percent at 13.50 crowns, Deep Sea was down 6.6 percent at 1.55 crowns and Aker was up 4 percent at 362 crowns. BIG WOLF The move to consolidate the support vessels sector comes as Fredriksen, nicknamed "Big Wolf" for his business tactics, seeks to reinforce other parts of his shipping empire. A week ago his tanker firm Frontline proposed a takeover of rival DHT, which was unanimously rejected late on Sunday by the DHT board. [nL5N1FR0PD] Analysts and industry sources say Fredriksen would be looking to scoop up DHT's new fleet of crude supertankers cheaply, to add to his ageing fleet of vessels, some of which are over 10 years old and less efficient. DHT's tanker fleet, which includes two vessels due to be delivered next year, were currently worth in the region of $1.18 billion, according to estimates from shipping intelligence provider VesselsValue. Paddy Rodgers, chief executive of oil tanker company Euronav , which has a commercial tie-up with Frontline, ruled out a counter bid for DHT and saw a successful acquisition by Fredriksen as a positive step. "It would be a major mistake for another ship owner to come in there, counter bidding against it to the point where one of you overpays to the detriment of your own shareholders. We are certainly not prepared to throw our hats in the ring on that basis," Rodgers told Reuters. "We can only hope that he succeeds," he said. Meanwhile at Seadrill, whose share price has dived 92 percent over the past three years, Fredriksen is trying to rescue a company sinking under the weight of $14 billion in liabilities. The company recently said it may opt for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing in the United States. At the same time it was also possible Fredriksen could put more of his personal money into Seadrill if other investors follow suit, financing sources said. Seadrill's CEO Per Wullf declined to comment when contacted. Fredriksen and Seadrill's top management have been working on a rescue plan, codenamed Project Eagle, according to documents presented to bondholders in December, ever since the crash in crude oil prices in mid-2014. Getting a deal is complex because 42 banks are involved, as well as bondholders, and the debt involves several Seadrill subsidiaries, including North Atlantic Drilling , Seadrill Partners , Archer , Sevan Drilling and Asia Offshore Drilling. "Creditors know that it is better to find a deal with a willing John Fredriksen than to drift into Chapter 11. So with a little help from rising oil prices in the next two months the parties will be closer to finding an agreement," said Norne Securities analyst Karl-Johan Molnes. Underscoring the challenges ahead, the value of the Seadrill group's total fleet has fallen to $9.8 billion from $19 billion in 2014, according to estimates from VesselsValue. The total debt pile for all Fredriksen's business interests is estimated by Reuters at close to $20 billion, based on data from published quarterly reports and Seadrill's plan to bondholders. Fredriksen has diversified his investments significantly in recent years however, including into real estate and the lucrative fish farming industry. Business magazine Kapital, which tracks the wealth of rich Norwegians, estimated his net worth at 92 billion crowns ($11 billion) in 2016, down from 97 billion in 2015. ($1 = 8.2504 Norwegian crowns) (Additional reporting by Ole Petter Skonnord and Terje Solsvik in Oslo; Editing by Greg Mahlich) Hi there!Thanks for sharing your details with us.For the husband: your UG performance falls behind the pack, but fortunately you have a strong GMAT to counter act that. It doesn't erase your UG performance, but it's a great score. For your two research papers, are you published? If so, that's great and you'll want to cite them in your application for the adcom to review. Your work experience is sort of run of the mill for your applicant pool. So, how do you stand out? You need too call out your leadership capacity with specific details. Being "the best" or being a "top performer" isn't quite enough. The adcoms at top schools need to hear about how you led a team to achieve a complex goal and how you overcame adversity to do it.You have listed a lot of involvement activities, but they're all a bit generic. It's hard for me to judge your impact and contribution in these roles. Also, a piece of advice - I would omit your blood donations as an extracurricular. If it's something that's important to you, *perhaps* it may make sense to discuss it in your essays, but definitely not an involvement activity.I think all of the schools on your list fall in the stretch category, but believe you could apply to 1-2 of them along with others in the top 15 in the US / top 15 in EU.For the wife: UG GPA conversion doesn't seem right. 80th% is more of a 3.3 - 3.5 depending upon the rigor of the institution. But I wouldn't worry about the conversation - %-ile is good enough for now. Work experience is quite standard - nothing really stands out. Same feedback on the involvement - generic statements noting participation. You should note that you're going up against applicants who have started their own volunteer organizations or people who have been leading meaningful causes for several years. If you've been doing similar work, that is great, you just need to be more specific.I think all of the schools on your list fall in the stretch category. If you achieve a score of 730+ I could support an application to one of these, but it's a tough road ahead given the information you shared. There are plenty of top programs in the top 20 in the US that will give you a great shot at a product manager role in tech. Take a look at some of our rankings for marketing/product management here . Here are also some of our thoughts on school selection _________________ A 21-year-old married man has killed himself after a prostitute refused his marriage proposal. The Zimbabwean man, Donald Trust, died after drinking poison. Trust allegedly drank a poison known as, Acaricide. Married man kills himself after prostitute refuses marriage proposal According to the deceaseds aunt, Beauty Hove, Trust was having an affair with a prostitute named, Modester Zhou. Hove explained that the two had a fight at a business centre after Zhou refused to become Trusts second wife. PAY ATTENTION: Get all the latest gossips on NAIJ Gossip App She said: Trust allegedly stabbed Zhou with a knife once on the upper shoulder and fled the scene as some good Samaritans rushed Zhou to hospital. Police officers were sent to arrest Trust but the deceased who feared that the victim had died from the attack drank poison and ran away to Gwengwena Dam where he wanted to drown himself. Trust died soon after arriving at the hospital because his lungs and kidneys were already damaged by the poison. Zhou who confirmed the story in an interview with, The Mirror, said she was having an affair with the deceased but she refused his proposal when he said he wanted to make her his second wife. READ ALSO: 31-year-old man kills himself after girlfriend refused his marriage proposal She said: Trust was my client and he was now insisting on making me his second wife but I refused." Trust is survived by a wife and a child. Wonders shall never end! Source: Legit.ng Are you ready for Season 2 of Stranger Things? By India Today Web Desk: Everyone's favourite Netflix show Stranger Things is coming back soon, and its new teaser promises a lot of scares. The first season of the show grabbed a considerable amount of spotlight, thanks to its original script and stellar cast. The show even took home prestigious awards. And now, it is back to repeat history. advertisement Hopefully. Also read: These 5 international shows will solve all your TV woes The teaser aired during the Super Bowl, and left everyone at the edge of their seats. The kids are seen in the Ghostbusters costume at the very start of the teaser, cut to a large declaration of 'The world is turning upside down' on the screen. Scary paintings and red band of rays towards the end of the 36 second teaser leaves one guessing what could the new season be about. Have a look: Season 2 is set to release this Halloween. --- ENDS --- A secondary school teacher in Zambia has cried out for help to be rescued from female students who are trying to seduce him. Teacher says his secondary school students are trying to seduce him He explained that he also works as a professional photographer and he takes shots of his students for business. The 21-year-old teacher who is afraid that he might fall for one of his students asked for advice on how to avoid being tempted into committing a crime. PAY ATTENTION: Get all the latest gossips on NAIJ Gossip App Read what he wrote below: "I am a male teacher aged 21 years at one of the boarding girls secondary schools in Southern Province. I was deployed last year in 2016 under a replacement exercise. The trouble I have is that my pupils like seating half-naked in class when I am teaching. I have been advising them to stop doing that but they failed to change." "My HOD in Mathematics told me; school girls are just like that. But the fun thing is that as a teacher/cameraman, school girls come to me to have half naked photos and as a businessman, I have no option but to photography them the way they want." "And when I am going through their photos before handing them over to them, i am forced to touch myself because of the attractive thighs they expose. They are really seducing me. Sometimes when I am on duty and tries to supervise them at their dormitories, some undress, triggering my sexual feelings." "Now, following the Kasama Girls saga and Nakonde Headteacher s*xual abuse, I am afraid that i might to lose my employment as well. Please Advise, what can I do in order not to be tempted by these s*xy school girls who are deliberately seducing me? I am the youngest male teacher at school." " was planning to get a transfer to St Marks Boys Secondary School but I am still weighing the situation. The school girls of nowadays are behaving like South Africans." "I need your quick advice, otherwise i can make a mistake here just like my colleagues at Kasama Girls Boarding School. I have nothing to hide, some school girls are very beautiful and extremely attractive s*xually." Na wa oo! Source: Legit.ng News_release Research conducted at University of California San Diego School of Medicine found that current trends in diagnostic coding for patient risk scores will lead to Medicare overpaying Medicare Advantage (MA) plans substantially through 2026-likely to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars. The study is published in the February issue of Health Affairs. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) pays MA plans, defined as insurance plans offered by a private company that contracts with Medicare to provide benefits, more when they enroll a patient who is expected to use a large volume of medical services and less when plans enroll low risk patients. MA plans have strong incentives to find and report as many diagnoses as they can, called coding intensity. These incentives are not present in fee-for-service (FFS) patients. The study found there is no evidence that MA enrollees have actually gotten any sicker relative to FFS beneficiaries, and if this payment method continues Medicare could overpay MA plans by $200 billion over the next decade. Congress and CMS have the opportunity to establish a payment system that will protect taxpayers from the strategies used by MA plans to increase the payments they receive, said Richard Kronick, PhD, principal investigator and professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at UC San Diego School of Medicine. The projected $200 billion in overpayments over the next ten years is stunningly large in absolute dollar terms. To provide some perspective, federal support for community health centers is approximately $5 billion per year. CMS uses patient demographic and diagnostic information to calculate a risk score for each beneficiary, and these risk scores are used to determine payment to insurance plans. For example, spending is expected to be greater for an 85-year-old than for a 65-year-old and greater for a beneficiary with heart disease, diabetes and depression than for a beneficiary with none of these diagnoses. Over the past decade, the average risk score for MA enrollees relative to the average risk for FFS beneficiaries has risen steadily. More than 30 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage. The problem could be largely solved if CMS adjusted for coding intensity using the principle that Medicare Advantage beneficiaries are no healthier and no sicker than demographically similar fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries, said Kronick. CMS has the authority to adjust payments to MA plans to account for coding intensity and has taken some actions to mitigate the effects of MA efforts at increasing risk scores. In the three decades that Medicare has been contracting with health organizations and plans, figuring out how to pay the plans accurately and fairly has posed a persistent challenge, said Kronick. The study provides an insight that could help solve an expensive issue. I hope these findings foster a discussion of how to best measure and adjust for differential coding between Medicare Advantage and fee-for-service Medicare. Solving this problem is an important prerequisite to the establishment of a stable and equitable future for the current Medicare Advantage and could save the federal government approximately $200 billion, said Kronick. 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 The warning comes a week after Pentagon chief James Mattis said Iran was "the single biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world." By Press Trust of India: US Vice President Mike Pence has warned Iran to "think twice" over its "hostile and belligerent actions" as "all options" were on the table for the new Trump administration, days after America slapped fresh sanctions on the Islamic republic after a ballistic missile test launch. "The President said...all options are on the table. The Iranians will do well to look at the calendar and recognise that we've got a new president in the Oval Office," Pence told Fox News. advertisement The warning comes a week after Pentagon chief James Mattis said Iran was "the single biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world." US-Iran ties have hit the bottom since Donald Trump took office last month promising a tough line on the nuclear deal with Tehran reached during the previous Obama administration. "That disastrous nuclear deal that the last administration entered into with Iran, should have encouraged better behaviour by the Iranians. But instead they're flouting UN Security Council resolutions, banning ballistic missile test or whether it be the way they're arming of Houthis in Yemen who just last week attacked a Saudi Arabian ship," he alleged. "What were seeing here is hostile action, belligerent action being supported by or taken by the Iranians. And were just not going to put up with it anymore," Pence said. In another interview to ABC News, he said the ballistic missile test launch last week were in direct violation of UNSC resolutions dealing with limiting them in that regard. "That's the reason why the president took the decisive action that he took to impose economic sanctions on their supply chain for their missile programme," he said. Also read | Iran biggest state sponsor of terrorism: US Defence Secretary "But also, lets recognise that the Houthi rebels in Yemen are fully subsidised by Iran. The attack that the Houthis leveled using Iranian arms against a Saudi Arabian ship this last week, all represent the kind of hostile and belligerent actions that are simply not going to be tolerated by this administration," Pence said. The Iranians got a deal from the international community that Trump and his administration think was a "terrible deal". "It essentially allows Iran to develop a nuclear weapon - in the years ahead at a date certain. And they received hundreds of millions of dollars in cash," he alleged. Pence said Trump is reviewing the deal and make a decision on it the days ahead. "Hell listen to all of his advisors, but make no mistake about it. The resolve of this president is such that Iran would do well to think twice about their continued hostile and belligerent actions," he said. advertisement Also read | Iran bans US wrestlers in retaliation to Donald Trump's visa ban --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: From Lalit K Jha Washington, Feb 6 (PTI) President Donald Trump has drawn a parallel between the US and Russian President Vladimir Putins regime by saying many people have been killed around the world due to Americas "mistakes", receiving flak from his opponents. "Well, take a look at what weve done too. Weve made a lot of mistakes. Ive been against the war in Iraq from the beginning," Trump said during an interview with Fox News. advertisement "A lot of mistakes, OK, but a lot of people were killed. So a lot of killers around, believe me," said the US President when told that the Russian President Putin is a "killer". "There are a lot of killers. Weve got a lot of killers. What, you think our countrys so innocent? " Trump asked. Trump said he would like to co-operate with the Russians in the fight against ISIS. He also said that he respects Putin, but this does not mean that the two would get along. "Well, I respect a lot of people but that doesnt mean Im going to get along with them. Hes a leader of his country. I say its better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world...," Trump said. "Will I get along with him? I have no idea," he said in response to a question. The comment drew criticism from his political opponents. "Equating our country with an authoritarian, murderous regime is outrageous and reprehensible, even for Mr Trump. All elected officials in the United States have a responsibility to speak up against the President?s dangerous rhetoric," said Senator Ben Cardin, Ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Cardin said Trump made clear he does not believe in Americas exceptionalism when he equated the United States to Putin and his murderous regime. "Such a ridiculous statement sends a signal that this White House does not in fact prioritise the United States but increasingly champions a Russia First Policy. It is offensive to the American people, veterans, and brave servicemen and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our principles, liberties, and way of life," Cardin said. Political opponents and independent journalists in Russia have been attacked, jailed, and killed under Putins regime, he said. Democratic Leader in the House Nancy Pelosi also accused Trump for being soft on Russia. "I want to know what the Russians have on Donald Trump," Pelosi told NBC News in an interview. advertisement "I think we have to have that investigation by the FBI into his financial, personal and political connections to Russia, and we want to see his tax returns so we can have a truth in the relationship between Putin whom he admires..., she said. Trumps respect for Putin was a familiar trope during presidential election which the major US intelligence agencies believe Russian intelligence sought to influence on Trump?s behalf. PTI LKJ NSA --- ENDS --- Trump's criticism comes after the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, in a brief order, denied the administrations request to set aside a Seattle judge James Robart's ruling that put a temporary hold on the ban. By Press Trust of India: US President Donald Trump ramped up his criticism of the judiciary for blocking his travel ban on citizens from seven Muslim-majority nations, saying the federal judge and the court would be to blame "if something happens". Trump said that he has asked the Department of Homeland Security to do a very "careful" checkup of those entering the country after the court order. HERE IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED SO FAR "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" Trump tweeted yesterday. "I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult!" Trump's criticism comes after the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, in a brief order, denied the administrations request to set aside a Seattle judge James Robart's ruling that put a temporary hold on the ban. Trump says the 90-day travel ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, and a 120-day bar on all refugees, are necessary to protect the United States from Islamist militants. The travel restrictions have drawn protests in the US, provoked criticism from US allies and created chaos for thousands of people who have, in some cases, spent years seeking asylum. In his ruling, Robart questioned the use of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States as a justification for the ban, saying no attacks had been carried out on US soil by individuals from the seven affected countries since then. For Trump's order to be constitutional, Judge Robart said, it had to be "based in fact, as opposed to fiction". In a series of tweets on Saturday, Trump attacked "the opinion of this so-called judge" as ridiculous. US Vice President Mike Pence yesterday called the federal judges ruling a "wrong decision" and vowed the Trump administration will take "all legal means" to protect the country. "We believe the judge made the wrong decision, the Boston court made the right decision. Were going to continue to use all legal means at our disposal to stay that order and move forward to take the steps necessary to protect our country," Pence told Fox News. advertisement Also read: Who is the 'so-called judge' whom President Trump derided for lifting travel ban? Also read: Donald Trump moves to appeal, after US govt suspends enforcement of immigration ban Also read: Trump's travel ban to stay blocked after US court rejects government's appeal Watch now: --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: San Francisco, Feb 6 (PTI) Nearly 100 of Americas top tech companies like Apple, Google and Facebook have joined the court battle against President Donlad Trumps controversial immigration restrictions, warning the move would hurt their businesses and violate both immigration law and the US Constitution. In a filing to a federal appeals court on Sunday, the companies argued that Trumps temporary ban on all visitors from seven predominantly Muslim countries would hurt their businesses and violate both immigration law and the United States Constitution. advertisement A lower court on Friday temporarily halted crucial parts of the ban, but the Trump administration has said it would fight to have them reinstated. "The tremendous impact of immigrants on America ? and on American business ? is not happenstance," the companies said in a friend-of-the-court filing. "People who choose to leave everything that is familiar and journey to an unknown land to make a new life necessarily are endowed with drive, creativity, determination ? and just plain guts," The New York Times quoted the filing as saying. "The energy they bring to America," it said, "is a key reason why the American economy has been the greatest engine of prosperity and innovation in history." The issue is set to be considered this week by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, here. In addition to Apple, Facebook and Google, major technology names that signed the brief included Microsoft, Uber, Twitter, Airbnb, Intel and Snap, the parent of Snapchat. A few names from outside the technology field, like Levi Strauss, the jeans maker, and Chobani, a yogurt company, also signed the brief. Separately, a group of prominent Democrats also protested the ban in a court filing. It is not the first legal move by tech firms over Trumps ban. Amazon and Expedia filed motions last week in the Washington attorney generals lawsuit. They argued the immigration order will hurt their employees and their businesses. An estimated 37 per cent of the workforce in Silicon Valley is foreign born, according to a report by the think tank Joint Venture. The temporary travel ban which affects seven Muslim-majority countries that include Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen has been a highly controversial move by the new Republican President causing widespread protests around the world. The filing is likely to fray already tense relations between Trump and the technology industry. Its most prominent figures largely backed Trumps Democratic Party rival, Hillary Clinton, in last years election campaign. PTI AMS AKJ AKJ --- ENDS --- advertisement By Press Trust of India: From Youssra El-Sharkawy Cairo, Feb 6 (PTI) Egypts top Islamic body has rejected President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissis suggestion for a legislation to ban the practice of Muslim men verbally divorcing their wives, saying it is an "undisputed practice" since the days of Prophet Muhammad. The Council of Senior Clerics in Al-Azhar, the highest authority in Sunni Islam, yesterday unanimously ruled that verbal divorce, meeting all requirements, has been an "undisputed" practice since the days of the Prophet Muhammad. advertisement However, it said the legislative superior should legislate a deterrent punishment for men who did not or delayed in documenting the verbal divorce. In a statement, the council said the verbal divorce should meet requirements, including that the man has a sound mind, full consciousness and uses appropriate phrasing. Addressing the "people" without mentioning the Presidents name, the carefully-drafted statement said the man should document the verbal divorce immediately to preserve the rights of the divorcee and children. The council expressed concern over the soaring divorce cases in Egypt. According to a recent study by Egyptian Cabinets Information and Decision Support Center, divorce cases increased from 7 per cent to 40 per cent in the last 50 years, making Egypt the first in divorce rate worldwide. Last month, President Sisi had suggested to put a new legislation to invalidate verbal divorce. During a speech, the President told Al-Azhar Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, who was among the attendees, "Don?t you agree with me, your eminence?", indirectly acknowledging that he needed al-Azhars backing for his proposed legislation. Then he said with a smile "you tired me, your eminence". The Committee of Religion issues of the Egyptian Parliament today welcomed the councils statement which confirms the validation of verbal divorce. Osama el-Abd, head of religion issues committee in the parliament, said the decision of the council has elaborated three important points. "The first one is that it confirmed that verbal divorce is an undisputed practice. The second point, is that it confirmed the importance of documenting the divorce to preserve the rights of the woman. The third point is that the Council gave the president the right to adopt a legislation to punish men who do not documenting the divorce," Al-Abd told Al-Ahram Arabic newspaper. Prominent constitutional law expert Nour Farahat tweeted that Al-Azhar sided with the views of senior jurists without looking at what happen in reality or taking into account the welfare interest and the developments happen in the society. PTI YES PMS ZH PMS --- ENDS --- advertisement Lenovos Yoga Book made a splash when the laptop launched in 2016 for $500 and up, thanks to its unusual design: the 10 inch notebook features a Create Pad where youd normally find a keyboard. This allows you to write or draw with a pen or type on a virtual keyboard that lights up only when you want it. At the time Lenovo introduced two models: one with Android and another with Windows 10. But the company also made it clear that it was just the first of several Yoga Book devices. Say hello to the next model in the lineup. The Lenovo Yoga A12 may not be called a Yoga Book, but its basically the same laptop with a larger screen, a lower price tag, and downgraded specs to match the new $299 price tag. The Yoga A12 will be available starting February 8th, and the official announcement confirms specs that leaked a few weeks ago when the laptop started showing up in retail listings. Its already up for pre-order from Amazon, for example. The new model has a 12.2 inch, 1280 x 800 pixel display, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and an Intel Atom x5-Z8550 Cherry Trail processor. Lenovo says it should support up to 13 hous of battery life. In other words, it has the same processor as the smaller Yoga Book, but the Lenovo Yoga A12 has a lower-resolution display and half as much memory and storage. Unsurprisingly, the 12 inch model is also a bit heavier, weighing in at 2.2 pounds (rather than 1.5 pounds). Its still pretty slim though, at 0.43 inches thick. And while the 10.1 inch Yoga Book is available with a choice of operating systems, the Yoga A12 only comes with Android. You still get a USB 3.- Type-C port, a USB 2.0 port, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1, and the Create Pad in place of a keyboard. Update: an earlier version of this post stated that the Yoga A12 had the same Wacom digitizer and pen support as the Yoga Book, but Laptop Magazine states that it does not, and a Lenovo rep says the same thing in response to a question posed at Amazon. The Yoga A12 also has a simpler 360-degree hinge than the watchband-style hinge used on the smaller, more expensive model. Overall, the $299 Yoga A12 seems like an interesting option for folks looking for a tablet that can also be used as a laptop and who want support for pen input. While the touch keyboard isnt quite as effective as a physical keyboard, the Yoga Book and Yoga A12 might be better options for artists than typical Android tablets thanks to their support for pressure-sensitive pen input. On the other hand, if youre just looking for a convertible laptop with a physical keyboard and support for Android apps, a Chromebook like the Asus Chromebook C302 or Samsung Chromebook Pro or Chromebook Plus might be a better option for now, since they support a desktop-style Chrome browser as well as Android apps. But Lenovo is expected to release a Yoga Book variant that runs Chrome OS in the future. Physician inoculates patient, hopefully after receiving informed consent. Credit: blakespot, Flickr Making sure that participants of a clinical trial provide informed consentunderstanding their role, along with any risks and benefits of voluntary participationis a cornerstone of ethical trials. Now, researchers reporting in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have, for the first time, directly compared the quality of the informed consent process in a developed and a developing country in similar clinical trials of the same hookworm vaccine. Informed consent depends on five necessary criteria: the willingness to participate, the capacity to make a decision, disclosure of information, comprehension, and the decision to participate. Research conducted in developing countries is often thought to have weaker informed consent due to limited education and healthcare access in those countries, but few studies have delved into this. In the new work, David Diemert, of the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Flavia Gazzinelli of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, and colleagues used a 32-question survey to assess the quality of informed consent in Phase 1 trials of a hookworm vaccine that were being conducted in two locations in Brazilone rural and one urbanas well as the United States. 105 participants completed the questionnaire, which asked about their understanding of the study as well as their reasons for participating. Overall, there were few statistically significant differences between participants in urban Belo Horizonte, Brazil and Washington, DC, but more differences between people in those locations and in rural, resource-limited Americaninhas, Brazil. Knowledge about the trial was poor in all places, with the mean number of correct answers about the study being 45.6% in Americaninhas, 65.2% in Belo Horizonte, and 59.1% in Washington, DC. And while around 40% of participants in Belo Horizonte and Washington, DC, had doubts about participating, only 1.5% has concerns in Americaninhas. Moreover, most people in Washington, DC, and Belo Horizonte cited helping others and benefiting the world as major reasons to participate, while most in Americaninhas said it was a personal decision, or they wanted to benefit their own health. "Based on our results, we conclude that the use of the terms "developed" and "developing" to describe countries is a reductionist exercise to define participants as vulnerable, whereas a rigorous consideration of the specific characteristics of each group of individuals recruited as participants in a clinical trial is necessary," the researchers say. "These findings also demonstrate the need for educational interventions directed at clinical trial participants, both in developing and developed countries, in order to improve understanding of the informed consent document." More information: David J. Diemert et al, A Comparison of the Quality of Informed Consent for Clinical Trials of an Experimental Hookworm Vaccine Conducted in Developed and Developing Countries, PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases (2017). Journal information: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases David J. Diemert et al, A Comparison of the Quality of Informed Consent for Clinical Trials of an Experimental Hookworm Vaccine Conducted in Developed and Developing Countries,(2017). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005327 By Press Trust of India: Kolkata, Feb 6 (PTI) In remarks that are likely to trigger a row, BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya today compared the Opposition unity to a "pack of dogs" coming together to take on the Prime Minister, saying neither the TMC nor a united opposition can do any harm to the Modi government as it "enjoys" the peoples support. advertisement He also said anti-national elements will be "kicked out" of the country. "Mamata Banerjee is touring the entire country. She is trying to unite the Opposition. But that will not reap any dividend. Even if 50-100 dogs come together, can they fight a tiger? The answer is no. Narendra Modi is a tiger," the BJP national general secretary told a rally here. He also ridiculed Mamata for continuing with her demand for rollback of demonetisation decision. "She is still demanding rollback even after three months. I want to question: Does any honest taxpayer still have old 500 and 1000 rupee notes? The answer is no. But she is still shouting and that is because crores of money, looted in chit fund scams, are on TMC leaders," he said. Lashing out at the "appeasement politics" of the TMC government, Vijayvargiya said the day is not far off when Hindus would have to flee Bengal and the state would turn into a second Jammu and Kashmir. "Hindus are not allowed to immerse Durga idols on Vijaya Dashami. But people from other religious communities are allowed to do whatever they want to. We are not against Muslims, but we are against those who live in India and shout slogans in favour of Pakistan. We will kick those anti-national elements out of India," he said. He was referring to some restrictions imposed on immersion of idols last year due to Vijaya Dashami coinciding with Muharram. State BJP President Dilip Ghosh said his party would not tolerate Bengal being "turned into an Islamic state". "A Maulvi is issuing fatwa against Prime Minister and the state administration is keeping mum. (Saraswati) Puja is being banned in schools and the state is keeping quiet. Bengal has gone through a painful history of Partition, we will not let that happen again," he said. Last month, Vijayvargiya had used the titles of two recently released Bollywood films to praise Modi and hit out at Rahul Gandhi, saying "our countrys Kaabil is better than the Raees of other country", apparently referring to the Congress vice presidents foreign roots. PTI PNT MD CK --- ENDS --- advertisement Human heart. Credit: copyright American Heart Association Of the more than 700,000 Americans who suffer a heart attack each year, about a quarter go on to develop heart failure. Scientists don't fully understand how one condition leads to the other, but researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have now discovered a significant cluewhich ultimately could lead new therapies for preventing the condition. Heart failure can develop after a heart attack due to a long-term damage response by the immune system that transforms much of the heart muscle into stiff, fibrous, scar-like tissue. In a study published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers report that a set of signaling proteins produced in the epicardium, a layer of special cells that lines the heart muscle, appears to play a key role in keeping this wayward damage-response process in check. "These findings highlight the importance of the heart's interaction with the immune system in the post-heart-attack response," said co-senior author Rajan Jain, MD, an assistant professor of Cardiovascular Medicine. "They hint at the possibility of developing designer therapies aimed at modulating specific aspects of immune system in the future as part of treating patients who have had a heart attack. " Prior work from Epstein and colleagues at Penn has shown that in the epicardium, a cascade of protein-to-protein interactions known as the Hippo signaling pathway occurs early in life and is important for normal heart development. Other research has suggested that two key components of the Hippo pathway, the signaling proteins YAP and TAZ, also promote the regeneration of heart muscle after experimental heart-attack-like damage in newborn mice. In this study, researchers examined the role of epicardial YAP and TAZ after heart attack in the adult heart, which, compared to the fetal or newborn heart, is much less able to regenerate itself following injury. After an experimentally induced heart attack, normal adult mice, as expected, showed a small amount of fibrous change in the heart, limited to the area where a coronary artery were blocked and heart muscle had been deprived of oxygen. By contrast, in adult mice whose YAP and TAZ genes had been deleted from their epicardial cells just before the heart attack, there were signs of widespread inflammation and fibrosis in the heart muscle. "The hearts of these mice were essentially encased in fibrotic cells," Jain said. "We found that this extreme fibrotic response was accompanied by a decline in heart function resembling what is seen in human heart failure, as well as rapid weight loss and a much higher death rate." Researchers found evidence that the Hippo-pathway proteins normally trigger the increased production of the immune protein interferon gamma. The latter summons regulatory T cells"T-regs"which generally calm immune responses, and have been shown in prior research to reduce heart-muscle inflammation after a heart attack. In the YAP-less, TAZ-less mice, a heart attack failed to induce the usual rise in interferon gamma production and recruitment of T-regs, allowing inflammation and fibrosis to run rampant. "We are hoping to harness the immune system, just as we are doing at Penn to fight cancer, in order to improve the balance between scar formation and regeneration after a heart attack," said co-senior author Jonathan A. Epstein, MD, executive vice dean and chief science officer at Penn Medicine. "The more we look, the more we discover that the immune system is regulating how we heal from injury in every way - acting like the conductor of a complex cellular orchestra." In a further experiment, the researchers applied a hydrogel laced with interferon gamma to the hearts of some of these mutant mice just after their heart attacks. As hoped, the artificial restoration of interferon gamma led to higher T-reg levels in the heart and much more moderate inflammation and fibrosis. The findings show that epicardial YAP and TAZ are important not only for the normal development of young hearts but also for a healthier repair process in damaged adult hearts. Jain, Epstein and their colleagues now plan further experiments to map out the fibrosis-causing immune response in more detaila project that could reveal multiple targets for future drug interventions to prevent heart failure in heart attack patients. The team also plans to develop mice in which the YAP and TAZ genes are not deleted but are instead overexpressed. "The hope is that higher levels of these proteins will lead to a scar-free healing of the heart after a heart attack," Jain said. John Violanti, Ph.D., research professor of epidemiology and environmental health, University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions. Credit: University at Buffalo For most people, cortisol, the vital hormone that controls stress, increases when they wake up. It's the body's way of preparing us for the day. But in police officers who've experienced intense stress on the job, cortisol functions much differently, according to recent research from the University at Buffalo and funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). A study of more than 300 members of the Buffalo Police Department suggests that police events or conditions considered highly stressful by the officers may be associated with disturbances of the normal awakening cortisol pattern. That can leave the officers vulnerable to disease, particularly cardiovascular disease, which already affects a large number of officers. "We wanted to look at what stressors most affect police officers in their work and what affect that has in the dysregulation of this awakening cortisol pattern," said John Violanti, PhD, research professor of epidemiology and environmental health in UB's School of Public Health and Health Professions. "Past studies haven't really looked at the intensity of the stressor and how it affected this cortisol pattern. Here we looked at actual intensity," adds Violanti, lead author on the paper, published in the January issue of the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology. The study included 338 Buffalo officers who were enrolled in the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) study, a long-term study Violanti began in 1999. What stresses officers the most? For this study, participating officers assessed a variety of on-the-job stressors using a questionnaire that asks officers to rate 60 police-related events with a "stress rating." Events perceived as very stressful are assigned a higher rating. Exposure to battered or dead children ranked as the most stressful event, followed by: killing someone in the line of duty; having a fellow officer killed on duty; a situation requiring the use of force; and being physically attacked. Identifying the five most intense stressors police can face was significant, Violanti said. "When we talk about interventions to help prevent disease, it's tricky because these stressors are things that can't be prevented," he said. "That's why the availability of peer support programs within police departments is important." The survey showed that the officers experienced one of the five major stressors, on average, 2.4 times during the month before the survey was completed. Blunted cortisol pattern seen in stressed officers Researchers looked at the cortisol patterns of officers who reported experiencing one of the top five stressors and compared the patterns to officers who encountered the five least stressful events, such as promotions and strained relations with non-police friends. Cortisol was measured using saliva samples taken upon waking up, and 15, 30 and 45 minutes thereafter. Officers who weren't as stressed showed a steep and steady, or regular, increase in cortisol from baseline. However, officers with a moderate and high major stress index had a blunted response over time. That's because stress affects a system in the body known as the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, or HPA Axis. When you're stressed, the HPA Axis elicits cortisol, a hormone that gets the body going and activates against the stressor, Violanti explained. Under normal circumstances, the body's cortisol pattern looks like a normal bell curve: It rises when we wake up, peaks around midday and comes back down at bed time. "If you experience chronic stress or high stress situations, the cortisol can no longer adjust normally like this. So what happens with people under a lot of stress, the cortisol flattens out. For some people it goes down and others it goes up and stays up. That's called the dysregulation of the HPA axis," said Violanti, who served with the New York State Police for 23 years before shifting into academia. Implications for departments across the U.S. Previous studies have found that a dysregulation of awakening cortisol can lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, Violanti said, adding that police officers die from cardiovascular disease more often than the general population. In fact, Violanti's research revealed that heart disease, diabetes and suicide, among other causes, are why the average age of death for male Buffalo Police Officers is 68, compared to 78 for the general population. While the current study focused on Buffalo officers, the findings have implications for cops around the country, said paper co-author Michael Andrew, PhD, chief of the Biostatistics and Epidemiology Branch of the CDC/NIOSH Health Effects Laboratory Division in Morgantown, West Virginia. "These findings show that exposure to major events inherent to police work may lead to a temporary reduction in the biological ability to respond to further stressful events. Since the major stressor events in this study were originally developed to reflect events that can apply to any police department, these results should generalize, more or less, to any police department in the U.S.," Andrew said, adding, "This points to the need for continued focus on supporting police officer health." More information: John M. Violanti et al, The impact of perceived intensity and frequency of police work occupational stressors on the cortisol awakening response (CAR): Findings from the BCOPS study, Psychoneuroendocrinology (2017). Journal information: Psychoneuroendocrinology John M. Violanti et al, The impact of perceived intensity and frequency of police work occupational stressors on the cortisol awakening response (CAR): Findings from the BCOPS study,(2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.10.017 The preliminary results of legal medical and recreational marijuana use are encouraging says Medical School Associate Professor Staci Gruber, but more research should be done before any more legislation is written. Credit: PhotosForClass.com With marijuana legalization advancing in several states, including Massachusetts, scientists are working to answer questions about the drug's effectiveness as a medicine and its impact on health and the brain. In doing so, they face a disconnect between state and federal policy, including marijuana's continued categorization as a Schedule I controlled substance by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Food and Drug Administration. Staci Gruber, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and director of the MIND program (Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery) at McLean Hospital, has explored the effects of both recreational and medical marijuana. She thinks state marijuana legalization policy has run ahead of science. The Gazette talked to Gruber about the limits of marijuana research and the roadblocks scientists face in their quest to learn more. GAZETTE: Is the science on the health effects of marijuana settled enough for lawmakers to make informed public health decisions about recreational and medical marijuana? GRUBER: The question "Is the science settled enough?" is a good one and the answer in my mind at this point is "No, not yet." There is an awful lot that we don't know. What we do know primarily comes from studies of chronic, recreational marijuana users. There is still a lot left to learn about the effects of less frequent, casual use. Also, there are a number of differences between recreational and medical marijuana use. Recreational and medical users very often differ quite strikingly with regard to what they use, how they use, etc. Some of the products may overlap but the indications for use and what they expect to get out of using marijuana are usually very, very different. Frequency and magnitude are often very different, as is mode of use. A lot of recreational users might, for example, enjoy using concentrates. It's less common in medical users, who are not looking for super high THC-containing products all the time. When we think about legalization we always like to have science inform policy. In this particular case, it seems to me that policy has outpaced science. These products are widely available but to date, we have no studies on the direct impact of concentrates versus flower products on our recreational or medical userswhich is important, especially given concerns for our youngest users. There's been an awful lot of excitementand much of it is well foundedabout the potential for medical cannabis use. [But] there's a striking paucity of research on the use of medical cannabis, and it's been around since at least 2700 or so B.C. It's not that there's nothing out there, it's that there's no large, clear, clinical, or empirically sound research trials that tell us what I would consider everything we need to know. That is why we started the MIND program here at McLean Hospital. GAZETTE: You published a study in October on medical marijuana and one thing I found surprising is the difference between medical marijuana and recreational marijuana. You found what looked like striking differences in their effects on executive functions. Could you talk a little bit about your findings and also about the chemical differences between medical marijuana and recreational marijuana? GRUBER: For the better part of two decades, we've been looking at the effects of recreational marijuana on measures of cognitive performance, specifically executive functions, those that are mediated by the frontal part of the brain. In general, what we've been able to glean from those research studies, along with the work of many colleagues across the country and across the world, is that overall, individuals who use marijuana look different from those who don't in very specific cognitive domains. The most striking differences, however, are between those with early onset of usepeople who use regularly prior to age 16versus those who use later. When you group marijuana users togetherregardless of their age of onsetyou may or may not see differences between them compared to control subjects. [But] once you separate the marijuana users into those with early versus late onset and then compare to controls, almost all the differences with regard to executive function are driven by the early onset group. GAZETTE: Why is that? GRUBER: Probably because the brain of an adolescent is still neurodevelopmentally immature; it is still under construction. And when you expose something that is neurodevelopmentally immature to exogenous or outside cannabinoids that interact with our own endocannabinoid system in the developing brain, you can alter the developmental trajectory of the brain. This is also true for other drugs and alcohol. We also see the same types of differences in measures of brain function and structure, so it's a consistent picture. It's not that recreational marijuana consumers do terribly across the board in every cognitive domain. Specifically, with regard to executive function, the early onset users look worse than controls and definitely different from those with later onset in many cases. The first study from the MIND program looked at a group of medical marijuana patients who were certified for medical marijuana use for a number of indications and conditions. We have patients who are using marijuana for anxiety, for chronic pain, for PTSD, for sleep dysfunction. What we found was that at the three-month visit, individuals did not look worse on measures of cognitive function, despite the fact that they had started using medical marijuana. In fact they looked better. They showed some improvements in measures of executive functions. They also had some improvements in sleep quality and some measures of mood and quality of life. Cognitive performance may be better because their symptoms have been addressed. We saw improvements in a subset of people who were using for chronic pain. If you feel better, it may be that the part of the brain that is processing painful stimuli all of the time is now able to do other things. So maybe you complete these cognitive tasks more efficiently. We also saw a decrease in use of conventional medicationsfor example, a 42 percent reduction in opiate use. It's a tiny sample size but that's important because it means subjects didn't need the same level of conventional treatment if they were also using a cannabinoid-based product. To your point about the actual product used, it is a well-known fact that recreational users are interested in products that contain THC. That's the main psychoactive constituent of the plant, which binds to receptors in the brain and is responsible for altering your state of being. It's what gets you high, in other words. We have samples of patients' products analyzed and a number of our patients are taking products that are high in CBD [cannabidiol] and other non-psychoactive cannabinoids. It is very possible that one reason we don't see decrements in executive performancethus faris because, one, the average age [of the study's medical marijuana users] is about 49. At this age, patients are generally beyond the critical neurodevelopmental stages, which occur from childhood throughout your 20s. Number two, they're using products that are not exclusively high in THC. In fact, as I mentioned, they're often high in other cannabinoids that are not psychoactive, which are also less likely to exert a deleterious effect on brain function and may in some cases even be neuroprotective. GAZETTE: Given the pain-alleviation qualities of medical marijuana and the fact that your study showed a decline in the use of opioids, is it possible that medical marijuana could be an alternative? GRUBER: There's every reason to be hopeful that at least adjunctive therapy, if not substitution therapy, with cannabinoids or cannabinoid-based products could be extraordinarily helpful for individuals who are currently on opioids. We've seen individuals who've stopped using opioids altogether. Now, is that going to be true for everyone? Probably not. Will it depend on the condition? The magnitude of the pain? The severity? Probably. But that doesn't mean it's something that shouldn't be exploited and explored. I've heard a lot of people express concern, "Well, we're basically going to exchange one problem for another. We're going to substitute an opioid addiction for a marijuana use problem." I'm not sure that's true. We'd need studies to prove that and so far that's not what we're seeing at all in the medical marijuana patients. GAZETTE: How big a hurdle to research is the fact that the federal government is keeping marijuana a Schedule I substance? GRUBER: Its current classification as a Schedule I substance makes clinical trials difficult. Currently, if you want to do a clinical trial of a cannabinoid or a cannabinoid-based product, you have to have your material sourced by the National Institutes of Drug Abuse. Here's one potential problem: If you really want to understand the effects of cannabis or cannabinoids on the brain, on cognition, on brain structure, function, mood, sleep, sexI don't care what the variable isit's helpful to study what it is that people are actually using. As it stands, people can use all sorts of products I simply can't study in a clinical trial model, which is a bit of a problem. I think a lot of people would be interested to know if their products actually work. GAZETTE: With legalization looming here in Massachusetts, what do you think the most important thing is for the public to know? GRUBER: I think the most important thing for the public to remember is that we are extraordinarily vulnerable creatures, not just to marijuana, but to alcohol, to injury, to illnessto lots of thingsup to a certain age. Adolescents and young adults are neurodevelopmentally immature and it's very important to keep that in mind. It's important to keep an open dialogue with our most vulnerable consumersour kids, our adolescents, our emerging adults. In our community outreach, we say, "Don't tell your kids never," because messages of abstinence don't work. Instead of that, we say, "Just not yet. It's worth the wait. Give your brain a chance to get to a point where it's less likely to [be impacted] negatively." If it's widely available, we have to be mindful of how people are educated and what they know. My goal as a scientist is to provide the right informationthe truthand let them make informed decisions. I would like all people, regardless of recreational or medical status, to be able to understand what's in their weed or medicine. What exactly are you getting and what can you expect from it? That's really the most important part: education and open dialogue. No judgment, that's the thing. This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu. Dr Harry Georgiou & Dr Megan Di Quinzio. Credit: Paul Burston A simple bedside test for pregnant women to accurately predict early labour is under development at the University of Melbourne. Researchers are working towards the affordable, painless and reliable test, that could be taken at 24-weeks pregnant, giving doctors a clear indication of risk of pre-term birth within days, or even weeks. Scientists at the University of Melbourne's Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Mercy Hospital for Women and the Royal Women's Hospital are searching for the unique chemical changes that occur in a woman's cervicovaginal fluid before she goes into early labour. For more than a decade, obstetrician Doctor Megan Di Quinzio and senior scientist Doctor Harry Georgiou, have studied the changes in these 'biomarkers'. Working together with Carmentix, a Singapore-based venture-backed company developing novel biomarker tests for preterm birth, they have narrowed it down to 10 biomarkers out of hundreds of potentials. "Thousands of women who have had premature babies have volunteered for this study because they realise while it may not benefit them personally, it could really help families in the future," she said. "The site where these swabs were taken is very close to where the cervix ripens, matures, remodels and where the membranes thin and rupture before birth, so it's right at the site of activity. That is where will find the answer." The test will most likely involve a vaginal swab, administered by a doctor or nurse. A sample of fluid taken from under the cervix would be tested for specific biomarkers. "Our aim is to predict labour within seven to 14 days. Ideally, I would love to see this as a routine test taken during the highest risk stage of pregnancy, between 24 and 28 weeks." She said women could take the test multiple times throughout their pregnancy to determine their risk of a premature birth. Being born too early accounts for 85 per cent of early infant deaths worldwide. Up to one in four early pre-term babies suffer chronic lung disease, impaired mental development, cerebral palsy, deafness, or blindness. One in 10 births in Australia are premature, rising to 15 per cent in the Indigenous population. Yet, researchers currently cannot accurately predict when labour will occur and it is symptom-free in 50 per cent of cases. "There are women who come in contracting early who have been perfectly well throughout their pregnancy. They want to know why has this happened and the truth is often, we just don't know why," Dr Di Quinzio said. "Pre-term birth doesn't discriminate. The greatest burden is in the third world, where access to antenatal care is limited, but it can happen to anyone." Credit: CC0 Public Domain (Medical Xpress)A team of researchers at the University of Auckland has found evidence that suggests people who are depressed can improve their outlook simply by modifying their posture while sitting. In their paper published in Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, the team outlines experiments they conducted with volunteers and what they learned from them. Most people know that posture is related to mood. When feeling tired or down, we tend to slump or slouch, especially when sitting. Prior research has suggested that simply improving one's posture can lead to an improvement in mood. But what about people who are depressed? Could something as simple as sitting up straight help improve symptoms? That is what the researchers with this new effort wanted to know. To learn more the researchers enlisted 61 volunteers, all of whom showed signs of depression in a questionnaire responses. The researchers asked all of the volunteers to sit and to give a five-minute speech that would be judged afterward, each was asked to try to count backwards from 1,022 by 13, two activities known to evoke stress and thus depressive symptoms. Each volunteer was also asked to fill out several questionnaires given during various stages of the experiment. Prior to the start of the experiments, the volunteers were unknowingly assigned to one of two groups, Improved Posture (IP) and Usual Posture (UP.) Those in the IP group were asked to sit up straight during the tasks and some even had sturdy tape applied to their back and shoulders to help them maintain an upright posture. Those in the UP group were allowed to sit any way they pleased. After analyzing data from the experiments, the researchers found that those in the IP group reported feeling less tired and more enthusiasm, which, the researchers suggested, indicated more energy and less negativity. The IP group also answered questions using more words than those in the UP group and used words such as "I" and "me" less often, which the researchers suggest indicated they were feeling less focused on themselves. The researchers did not conduct a follow-up with the volunteers; thus, it is unclear how long the mood changes persisted. The researchers caution that they are not suggesting posture improvement as a strategy for treatment of people with depressiontheir intent was simply to learn more. More information: Carissa Wilkes et al, Upright posture improves affect and fatigue in people with depressive symptoms, Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry (2017). Carissa Wilkes et al, Upright posture improves affect and fatigue in people with depressive symptoms,(2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2016.07.015 Abstract Background and objectives Slumped posture is a diagnostic feature of depression. While research shows upright posture improves self-esteem and mood in healthy samples, little research has investigated this in depressed samples. This study aimed to investigate whether changing posture could reduce negative affect and fatigue in people with mild to moderate depression undergoing a stressful task. Methods Sixty-one community participants who screened positive for mild to moderate depression were recruited into a study purportedly on the effects of physiotherapy tape on cognitive function. They were randomized to sit with usual posture or upright posture and physiotherapy tape was applied. Participants completed the Trier Social Stress Test speech task. Changes in affect and fatigue were assessed. The words spoken by the participants during their speeches were analysed. Results At baseline, all participants had significantly more slumped posture than normative data. The postural manipulation significantly improved posture and increased high arousal positive affect and fatigue compared to usual posture. The upright group spoke significantly more words than the usual posture group, used fewer first person singular personal pronouns, but more sadness words. Upright shoulder angle was associated with lower negative affect and lower anxiety across both groups. Limitations The experiment was only brief and a non-clinical sample was used. Conclusions This preliminary study suggests that adopting an upright posture may increase positive affect, reduce fatigue, and decrease self-focus in people with mild-to-moderate depression. Future research should investigate postural manipulations over a longer time period and in samples with clinically diagnosed depression. 2017 Medical Xpress Lysosomes of healthy neurons prevent accumulation of cellular waste. In juvenile Batten disease, lysosomes clear cellular waste inefficiently, leading to its accumulation. Inhibiting Akt leads to activation of TFEB and enhanced clearance of cellular waste. Credit: M. Sardiello. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital and King's College London have discovered a treatment that improves the neurological symptoms in a mouse model of juvenile Batten disease. This discovery brings hope to patients and families affected by the disease that a treatment might be available in the future. The study appears in Nature Communications. "Patients with juvenile Batten disease are born healthy and reach the expected developmental milestones of the first 4 to 6 years of age," said senior author Dr. Marco Sardiello, assistant professor of molecular and human genetics at Baylor. "Then, these children progressively regress their developmental achievements; they gradually lose their vision and develop intellectual and motor disabilities, changes in behavior and speech difficulties. Most people with this condition live into their 20s or 30s. This inherited, rare disease has no cure or treatment other than palliative care." "As we started this project, patients and families affected by this condition visited us in the laboratory," said first author Dr. Michela Palmieri, who was a postdoctoral fellow in the Sardiello lab during this project and currently is at the San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan, Italy. "We were deeply affected by our interactions with the patients and their families and this further motivated us to pursue this research with the hope that maybe one day it will lead to a treatment that will improve the lives of people affected by this condition." Juvenile Batten disease, a problem with cellular waste management Like a large dynamic city, a cell carries out many activities that generate waste. Waste needs to be disposed of properly in order for the city to continue its activities without interruption. If waste management fails, waste progressively accumulates and eventually leads to interruption and paralysis of the activities of the city. Something similar happens in cells when cellular waste is not discarded. The lysosomes are the structures in charge of clearing the waste produced by the cell's regular functions. Lysosomes are sacs inside all cells containing enzymes that degrade cellular waste into its constituent components, which the cell can recycle or discard. When lysosomes fail and cellular waste accumulates, disease follows. Although all types of cells can be affected by defects in lysosomal waste processing and cellular waste accumulation, brain cells - neurons - are particularly susceptible. "In juvenile Batten disease, one of nearly 50 human lysosomal storage disorders, the function of brain cells is progressively affected by the accumulation of cellular waste," Sardiello said. "This accumulation leads to perturbation of many cellular processes, cell death and progressive regression of motor, physical and intellectual abilities." A novel approach to finding a treatment "A few years back we discovered a protein in cells called TFEB, a master transcription factor that stimulates the cell to produce more lysosomes and degrade cellular waste more effectively," said Sardiello. "So we thought about counteracting the accumulation of cellular waste in Batten disease by acting on TFEB." "We and others had found that enhancing the activity of TFEB genetically can help counter the accumulation of cellular waste in different diseases," Sardiello said. "What was missing was a way to activate TFEB with a drug that in the future could be put in a pill to treat the condition. We focused on investigating how to activate TFEB pharmacologically." "We discovered that TFEB is under the control of another molecule called Akt, which is a kinase, a protein that can modify other proteins," said Palmieri. "Akt has been studied in detail. There are drugs available that can modulate the activity of Akt." The researchers discovered that Akt modifies TFEB by adding a chemical group, a phosphate, to it. This chemical modification inactivates TFEB. "We wanted to inhibit Akt to keep TFEB more active," said Palmieri. "We discovered that the sugar trehalose is able to do this job." Testing a treatment for juvenile Batten disease in a mouse model of the condition The scientists tested the effect of trehalose in a mouse model of juvenile Batten disease. "We dissolved trehalose in drinking water and gave it to mice that model juvenile Batten disease," said Sardiello. "Then, over time we examined the mice's brain cells under the microscope. We found that the continuous administration of trehalose inhibits Akt and activates TFEB in the brains of the mice. More active TFEB meant more lysosomes in the brain and increased lysosomal activity, followed by decreased accumulation of the storage material and reduced tissue inflammation, which is one of the main features of this disease in people, and reduced neurodegeneration. These changes resulted in the mice living significantly longer. This is a good start toward finding a treatment for people with this disease." "We are very excited that these findings put research a step closer to understanding the mechanisms that underlie human lysosomal storage diseases," said Palmieri. "We hope that our research will help us design treatments to counteract this and other human diseases with a pathological storage component, such as Alzheimer's, Huntington's and Parkinson's diseases, and hopefully ameliorate the symptoms or reduce the progression of the disease for those affected." More information: Palmieri, M., et al., "mTORC1-independent TFEB activation via Akt inhibition promotes cellular clearance in neurodegenerative storage diseases," Nature Communications, February 2017, Journal information: Nature Communications Palmieri, M., et al., "mTORC1-independent TFEB activation via Akt inhibition promotes cellular clearance in neurodegenerative storage diseases,", February 2017, DOI: 10.1038/NCOMMS14338 Vanessa Stevens, Ph.D., found patients with a severe CDI were less likely to die when treated with the antibiotic vancomycin. Credit: University of Utah Health Sciences Over the past two decades there has been a sharp rise in the number and severity of infections caused by the bacteria Clostridium difficile often shortened to C. diff now the most common hospital acquired infection in the United States. But a new study suggests that the most routinely prescribed antibiotic is not the best treatment for severe cases. Scientists at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System and University of Utah report that patients with a severe C. diff infection (CDI) were less likely to die when treated with the antibiotic vancomycin compared to the standard treatment of metronidazole. The findings will be published online on Feb. 6 on the JAMA Internal Medicine website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that almost half a million Americans, mostly 65 or older, developed CDI in 2011. Of those, 83,000 patients experienced recurrence of infection within 30 days of completing the standard course of antibiotics. "This is a very real problem that impacts the patients' quality of life," says the study's lead author Vanessa Stevens, Ph.D., a research assistant professor in the department of internal medicine and an investigator at the IDEAS 2.0 Center at the VA. In addition, the study showed that there is up to a 20 percent chance of mortality within 30 days of a CDI diagnosis. C. diff does not cause illness outright. The bacterium produces two chemicals that are toxic to the human body. These toxins work in concert to irritate the cells of the intestinal lining producing the symptoms associated with the illness. Symptoms of CDI include watery diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite, nausea, and abdominal pain and tenderness. Severe cases are associated with inflammation of the colon. Current guidelines primarily recommend two antibiotics metronidazole or vancomycin to treat CDI. While vancomycin was the original treatment, the medical community has favored metronidazole for the past few decades, because it is less expensive and will limit vancomycin resistance in other hospital-acquired infections. The guidelines are based on small clinical trials carried out about 30 years ago. "For many years the two antibiotics were considered to be equivalent in their ability to cure C. diff and prevent recurrent disease," says Stevens. "Our work and several other studies show that this isn't always the case." In the current issue of JAMA Internal Medicine, the research team looked at the effectiveness of the two drugs by comparing the risk of mortality after treatment with these two antibiotics. The investigators conducted the largest study to date by examining the data from more than 10,000 patients treated for CDI through the US Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system from 2005 to 2012. A severe case of CDI was defined as a patient with an elevated white blood cell count or serum creatinine within four days of the CDI diagnosis. A mild to moderate case of CDI was defined as a patient with normal white blood cell counts and creatinine levels. About 35 percent of cases in this study were considered severe. Patients with a severe case of CDI had lower mortality rates when treated with vancomycin compared to metronidazole (15.3 percent versus 19.8 percent). The scientists calculated that only 25 patients with severe CDI would need to be treated with vancomycin to prevent one death. "That is a powerful, positive outcome for our patient's well-being," explains Stevens. She cautions that the researchers still do not understand how the choice of antibiotic affects mortality rates. "Although antibiotics are one of the greatest miracles of modern medicine, there are still tremendous gaps in our knowledge about when and how to use them to give our patients the best health outcomes," explains Michael Rubin, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor in internal medicine and an investigator at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System. "This research shows that if providers choose vancomycin over metronidazole to treat patients with severe CDI, it should result in a lower risk of death for those critically ill patients," said Rubin. This study showed that less than 15 percent of CDI patients, including severe cases, received vancomycin. The study results did not show a difference in the rate of the illness returning following either antibiotic treatment whether the initial illness was mild to moderate or severe. Nor did it show a difference for the rate of death following either antibiotic treatment for mild to moderate CDI cases. Stevens cautions that the study was observational in nature and does not prove cause and effect of the drug. In addition, the study focused on patients that were primarily men; however, past studies show that the C. diff treatment outcomes for men and women were similar. According to Stevens, future work should balance the targeted application of vancomycin treatment, especially for severe CDI cases, with economic considerations and the consequences of antibiotic resistance. "The optimal way to move forward is to do decision analysis that allows us to weigh the pros and cons of the various treatment strategies," she says. (Left to right) Research Associate Audrey Richard, Associate Professor Hyeryun Choe and Research Associate Byoung-Shik Shim led the study on the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute. Credit: The Scripps Research Institute The most frightening aspect of Zika virus has been its ability to produce severe fetal birth defects during pregnancy, especially microcephalya small head. Now, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have uncovered the details behind the virus's unique ability to cross the placental barrier and expose the fetus to a range of birth defects that often go beyond microcephaly to include eye and joint injury, and even other types of brain damage. The new study, led by TSRI Associate Professor Hyeryun Choe, was published online ahead of print this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. How Zika virus crosses the placental barrier, while other closely related viruses in the flavivirus family including dengue and West Nile viruses do not, has puzzled researchers since the crisis began some two years ago in Brazil. Obstacles to reaching the fetal brain are substantiala virus must move from the mother's blood into fetal circulation, which is separated by placental barrier cells designed to prevent that very occurrence. The researchers found that human umbilical endothelial cells, derived from four donors in the study, proved far more susceptible to Zika infection than to other viruses, with viral counts as much as a hundred or thousand times higher than West Nile or dengue virus. The new research also suggests that Zika virus learned to exploit something of a secret passage, a cell surface molecule known as AXL, while West Nile and dengue viruses did not. "Zika uses AXL to efficiently slip past one of the major barrier cell types in the placenta: fetal endothelial cells, which are the gateway to access fetal circulation," said Choe. What may help make the Zika virus particularly infectious in cells that other flaviviruses can't infect, said TSRI Research Associate Audrey Richard, a first author of the study, is that it profits from the built-in function of AXL. "The physiological function of AXL is to quench activated immune reactions, including the antiviral interferon response," said Richard. "By using AXL, Zika virus catches two birds with one stone; it enters cells and also gains favorable environment for its replication inside the cells." Zika is able to take advantage of AXL by binding to an intermediate molecule known as Gas6, which is present in blood and other bodily fluids. Gas6 acts as an active bridge between the virus and AXL by binding AXL on one end and the virus membrane on the other, helping the virus utilize AXL and gain entry to host cells. These differences may help explain why, among related viruses, only Zika can efficiently access and infect the fetal bloodstream. "We don't yet understand why Zika virus uses AXL and the others don't," Choe added. "The common belief is that all flaviviruses have similar structures, but our findings suggest that Zika virus may have a different average population structure than others. This has significant scientific and clinical implications." "Structural studies show that most of the infectious virion membrane is completely covered with viral proteins, which makes it difficult for Gas6 to bind to the Zika virus membrane underneath the protein shell," said TSRI Research Associate Byoung-Shik Shim, the study's other first author. "However, flavivirus particles assume many asymmetric shapes and are in continuous dynamic motion, which likely exposes patches of the virion membrane. Our study suggests that Zika virus exposes enough membrane for Gas6 binding, whereas West Nile and dengue viruses do not." The researchers also speculated on Zika virus' pathology. AXL is also present in the blood-brain barrier, the eye-blood barrier and the testeswhere it maintains integrity of the blood vessels and the functions of the testes. It may be used by Zika virus to infect those cells and may explain Zika virus' ability to infect the fetal brain and eye and to transmit sexually. More information: AXL-dependent infection of human fetal endothelial cells distinguishes Zika virus from other pathogenic flaviviruses, PNAS, www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1620558114 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences AXL-dependent infection of human fetal endothelial cells distinguishes Zika virus from other pathogenic flaviviruses, A new approach to the practice of surgical pathology for brain tumor patients could make for a powerful combination: more accurate, safer and more efficient operations. Neurosurgeons and pathologists at Michigan Medicine are the first to execute stimulated Raman histology, a method that improves speed and diagnostic efficiency, in an operating room. They detail the advance in a new Nature Biomedical Engineering paper. The researchers imaged tissue from 101 neurosurgical patients using conventional methods and the new method. Both techniques, they found, produced accurate results but the new method was much faster. That, if applied widely, could change the pace and structure of an operation. "By achieving excellent image quality in fresh tissues, we're able to make a diagnosis during surgery," says first author Daniel A. Orringer, M.D., assistant professor of neurosurgery at the University of Michigan Medical School. "This eliminates the lengthy process of sending tissues out of the OR for processing and interpretation." Today's workflow for determining a diagnosis during an operation requires the surgeon wait for 30 to 40 minutes while tissue is sent to a dedicated pathology lab for processing, sectioning, staining, mounting and interpretation. The entire team in the operating room may be idle while waiting for pathology results, Orringer says. A more efficient surgical procedure would save money by requiring less time in the operating room. "Our technique may disrupt the intraoperative diagnosis process in a great way, reducing it from a 30-minute process to about 3 minutes," Orringer says. "Initially, we developed this technology as a means of helping surgeons detect microscopic tumor, but we found the technology was capable of much more than guiding surgery." Near-perfect agreement Stimulated Raman scattering microscopy, the technology behind SRH, was developed in 2008, but the hazardous lasers it involved made it unsuitable for use in an operating room. A clinical version has now been developed and tested in the operating room for more than a year at U-M, with the fiber-laser-based microscope mounted right onto a clinical cart that plugs into the wall. To interpret the samples, researchers developed SRH, which creates images familiar to those currently in use. SRH uses virtual coloring to highlight the cellular and architectural features of brain tumors, with a result resembling traditional staining. The pathologist is then able to differentiate the tumor tissue from normal brain as usual. Neurosurgeons want the quickest, most accurate information to help them make decisions during brain tumor surgery. A new technique could help. Credit: Michigan Medicine "It's very similar to what we currently do in our intraoperative diagnosis, with the exception that the tissue is fresh, has not been processed or stained," says senior author Sandra Camelo-Piragua, M.D., assistant professor of pathology at the U-M Medical School. In the Nature Biomedical Engineering study, neuropathologists were given 30 specimen samples, processed via SRH or traditional methods. They were told the same information about each patient's medical history and the location of the tumor and asked to make a diagnosis. Those pathologists, the U-M researchers found, were equally likely to make a correct diagnosis whether they used SRH or conventional slides. "SRH imaging will ensure that appropriate and good quality tissue is collected to reach our ultimate goal: accurate diagnosis," Camelo-Piragua says. Artificial intelligence As Orringer and his team continue to improve this imaging technology, they're also teaching a computer how to use SRH images to make diagnoses. They built and validated a machine learning process that was able to predict brain tumor subtype with 90 percent accuracy in a subset of 30 patient samples. "The more we feed the computer, the more accurate its diagnoses will become," Orringer says. Connecting hospitals Using SRH might also improve the workflow for facilities without access to expert neuropathologists. Orringer notes that smaller hospitals may be able to partner with larger systems that do have access, since there are fewer than 800 board-certified neuropathologists compared to the approximately 1,400 U.S. institutions performing brain surgery. "Bringing the SRH to smaller hospitals would extend their capabilities because the images can be interpreted remotely," he says. Sample preparation is minimal and the SRH could quickly deliver virtual histologic sections to aid diagnosis remotely. The next step is a large-scale clinical trial, with an eventual goal of showing equivalence between SRH technique for making diagnoses, Orringer says. The prototype system is currently intended for research use only. These ought to have been the honeymoon days of Trump-era diplomacy. With no major foreign policy crisis to troubleshoot and world leaders anxious to decipher what, exactly, America First would look like on the global stage, President Trump had an opportunity to reassure allies and start laying the foundation for joint approaches to international challenges. Then the president began picking up the beautiful Oval Office phone. In the span of a couple of weeks, Mr. Trump has rattled the world by needlessly insulting allies and continuing to peddle the dumbfounding narrative that the United States has long been exploited by allies and foes alike. His administration has not departed radically from some core positions it inherited from the Obama administration. Last week, for instance, it admonished Russia over its destabilizing role in eastern Ukraine and signaled unease about Israeli settlements. Yet Mr. Trumps pugnacious approach to foreign relations and his first executive orders the most misguided of which was the sweeping travel ban targeting people from seven predominantly Muslim nations have already undermined Americas standing. The fallout has included large demonstrations in Europe, searing news coverage (the latest cover of the German newsweekly Der Spiegel features an illustration of Mr. Trump holding the severed head of the Statue of Liberty) and strong rebukes from United Nations officials. It began, predictably, with Mexico. Mr. Trump made Americas southern neighbor and third-largest trading partner the prime punching bag of his campaign. While Mexicos president, Enrique Pena Nieto, has met the deluge of insults and provocations with exemplary restraint, White House officials have done nothing to dial down the tension. Late last month they insisted they would find a way to bill Mexico for a border wall, perhaps by slapping taxes on imports. This message left Mr. Pena Nieto no option but to cancel a trip to Washington that had been arranged to begin undoing the damage. In a subsequent call between the two leaders, Mr. Trump reportedly threatened Mr. Pena Nieto with deploying troops across his border to take care of bad hombres. This was, his aides later claimed, just a joke. A ward boy in Roorkee hospital broke the leg of an infant after being peeved by incessant crying. By Press Trust of India: In a shocking incident, a ward boy at a private hospital in Roorkee allegedly broke one of the legs of a three-day-old infant as he was annoyed with the baby crying incessantly. The infant was born on January 25 and was admitted at a private children's hospital in Roorkee due to some respiratory problems, according to a complaint lodged by the child's father with the police. advertisement It said the ward boy was so irritated by the incessant crying of the child that in the early hours of January 28 he broke one of the baby's legs when he was alone in the ward to keep guard. But the ward boys act of cruelty was not immediately known. It came to light only after the child was referred to a hospital in Dehradun, where the doctors detected a fracture in one of its legs, he said. A purported video footage of the incident was also being shown on some of the news channels. The baby's father said a complaint had been lodged with the police which has assured it will take action. When contacted Haridwar SSP K V Krishnakumar said an inquiry is being held into the incident. Also read: Mumbai: 10-month-old girl thrashed in creche by caretaker, owner arrested --- ENDS --- Over the last few weeks, Ford Southern Africa CEO Jeff Nemeth and FNB CEO Jacques Celliers tried to contain the damage caused by problems with their products. The motoring and banking industries are different, but the way Ford and FNB handled problems with their products was very similar. Instead of immediately taking responsibility for the issues which occurred, they hid behind legalese and corporate speak which left affected consumers feeling betrayed. It was only after their clients fought back, and in the case of Ford when the National Consumer Commission got involved, that they changed their tact and acted in a customer-centric manner. How the companies changed their tune from when the incidents happened, to when the affected clients fought back, is detailed below. Ford Kuga debacle In December 2015, Reshall Jimmy died when his Ford Kuga caught fire. Independent investigations led the family to believe a mechanical or electrical fault with the Kuga was to blame for the inferno. Ford did not take responsibility for the incident and even after other Ford Kuga owners reported fires, the Kuga was not recalled. Kuga owners whose vehicles caught alight said Ford refused to investigate the cause of the fires. The South African police even accused Ford of deliberately obstructing detectives in their investigation into Jimmys death. The issue hitting the mainstream media, after around 40 Ford Kuga vehicles caught fire, was still not enough for Ford to recall the cars. It was only after the National Consumer Commission (NCC) got involved, following numerous complaints by consumers, that Ford decided to initiate a safety recall. It took Ford over a year to issue a recall after the first Kugas caught fire, which placed owners in serious danger during this period. However, when Nemeth discussed the problem in January 2017, he said the safety of their clients was a top priority. This was a slap in the face to thousands of Kuga owners. For a year, Ford allegedly dragged its feet and, according to the police, deliberately obstructed detectives in their investigation. It took an intervention by the NCC to force Ford to recall the Kuga after which it claimed it always put customers first and acted as swiftly as possible. If the company really cared so much, why did it take independent investigations, a fightback from consumers, legal threats, media reports, and an NCC intervention before a recall was tabled? FNB safety deposit box theft In December, the safety deposit boxes of hundreds of FNB clients were stolen from the Parktown and Randburg FNB branches. According to the victims, FNB took no responsibility for the incident stating it was the responsibility of the victims to insure their goods. The victims felt FNB was negligent and that the bank should take responsibility, as it did not deliver on its promise to keep their valuables safe. Without a satisfactory response from FNB, the victims decided to fight back. They joined forces and hired investigators to find out what really happened. They said they were considering legal action against FNB to be compensated for their losses. In a Carte Blanche interview, the customers spokesperson Kelly Fraser said Celliers spoke to several clients and indicated that his feedback to them was less than helpful. Jacques [Cilliers] actually spoke to the people I have met in this group. They would have something to say about him, she said. Carte Blanche CCTV footage of one of the heists shows the robbers pulling the safe door open without much effort. They hit the jackpot, said Carte Blanche. After the issue hit the mainstream media and the victims launched an investigation and legal threat, FNB said it was helping affected customers. FNB said impacted customers will be reimbursed for reasonable costs incurred for the replacement of marriage certificates, identity documents, birth certificates, and passports. It said customers who submitted successful claims to their insurance companies would have their excess payment reimbursed. FNB will, despite not being legally obliged to do so, take a further step to help impacted customers by initiating settlement discussions with uninsured Randburg, Parktown, and Sunnypark customers who had their safety deposit boxes tampered with, said FNB. While these actions are commendable, it should not have taken independent investigations, legal threats, and reputation damage to force it to act. Acting quickly and proactively FNB and Ford can learn how to handle incidents which adversely affect their customers from South Africas telecoms industry. When Telkom users were impacted by network problems last year, the company proactively gave its subscribers free data as an apology for the downtime. Afrihost did the same when it gave its mobile data subscribers an additional 1GB of data for free as an apology for an MTN network outage. What Ford and FNB must learn is that companies which act quickly and proactively in the interest of their customers when a problem occurs can avoid reputation damage. Problems should be turned into opportunities to show customers that companies care and not used as an exercise in avoiding responsibility. Blinken calls on Israel and Palestine to urgently de-escalate tensions Romania signs deal with Norway for purchase of over 30 F-16 fighters Stoltenberg: The alliance has no plans to change nuclear positions and deployments Tagesschau: Nearly 200,000 people took part in strikes at industrial enterprises of Germany Teenagers hacks Uzbekistan senate website Artsakh Ombudsman: Azerbaijanis fired at tractor in Khramort village of Artsakh Rally participants' statement: Artsakh can't be a part of Azerbaijan Person accused of arson in Russia cafe confesses Fars: Iranian Foreign Ministry reported UAV deliveries to Russia a few months before the start of the UAS Bayramov: Azerbaijan, Armenia leaders next meeting will take place in Brussels this month Unity rally of participants start march in downtown Yerevan North Korea launches 4 ballistic missiles Council of Border Guard Troops commanders discusses situation at CIS external borders Armenia ex-President Kocharyan joins rally in downtown Yerevan Russia oil, natural gas companies plan to collaborate with Iraq Armenia army intelligence troops 30th anniversary is solemnly celebrated (PHOTOS) Rally of unity in support of Karabakh kicks off in downtown Yerevan Pentagon announces sending 8 NASAMS air defense systems to Ukraine Armenian Apostolic Church Supreme Spiritual Council meeting ends, Armenia and Artsakh security discussed Tropical Storm Nalgae death toll climbs to 155 in Philippines Artak Beglaryan is appointed advisor to Artsakh Minister of State (PHOTOS) US House committee extends deadline for Trump to produce documents on Capitol attack Over 200 elephants die in Kenya amid drought 13 dead in cafe fire in Russia Armenia Security Council chief to head for Poland, Netherlands, Lithuania Rishi Sunak: State cannot fix all problems Newspaper: To what extent Armenia adheres to sanctions on Russia? Biden accuses Twitter of spewing lies Newspaper: There are active political processes in Karabakh Qatar FM slams hypocrisy of calls to boycott World Cup France, Singapore and Switzerland begin joint testing of experimental digital currencies Oil war is Biden's biggest mistake Japan considers possible deployment of hypersonic missiles by 2030 Germany to install better air defense system over Defense Ministry buildings Erdogan and Stoltenberg discuss war in Ukraine Armenian MOD: Azerbaijani Armed Forces open fire in direction of Armenian positions True cost of Europe's rejection of Russian gas White House tries to explain Biden's statement about freeing Iran Former Pakistani Prime Minister: Either we will have a peaceful revolution or a bloody one Aramyan: Why are police officers' salaries increasing, while defense officers' are not? Pentagon and U.S. weapons manufacturers to discuss Russia, human resources and supply chain Ankara says U.S. may approve sale of F-16s to Turkey within few months IMF: Turkey should tighten monetary policy and give the Central Bank more independence Pope urges religious leaders to keep the world from brink of abyss Putin awards Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II with Order of Honor U.S. says G7 countries realize need for coordinated response to China Round-the-clock curfew is introduced in Kherson Borrell says they can't put China and Russia on same level Olaf Scholz calls on China to influence Russia G7 foreign ministers express 'unwavering commitment' to protecting Ukraine, criticized PRC and IRI Political technologist explains why Pashinyan was elected chairman of board of ruling party in Armenia Erdogan signs up for TikTok China's army is constantly preparing for war amid provocative U.S. actions Kalin: Armenia is constructive about normalization of relations Poland asks EU to suspend fines Putin: Situation in Ukraine was deadly for Russia Portugal to test a four-day workweek US embassy in Armenia issues statement ahead of November 5 protests in Yerevan Dollar, euro go up in Armenia Baku authorities once again refuse to allow PFPA to hold protest rally Iranians commemorate anniversary of US embassy seizure Richard Kauzlarich: Azerbaijan, Armenia FMs meeting in Washington 'will send message to Putin' Russia ratifies protocol on requirements for length of service of EEU bodies' employees for pensions Armenia deputy defense minister in Russia, discusses military cooperation Yerevan receives proposal to hold Russia-Armenia-Azerbaijan interparliamentary talks Health minister: We will work with fallen Armenia detainees relatives one more time after which bodies will be buried Putin allows mobilization of citizens with unexpunged criminal record for serious crimes Arnika, NESEHNUTI NGOs of Czech Rep. issue joint statement on plan to expand gold mine in Armenias Karaberd Putin urges to evacuate civilians living in Kherson from the war zone Iran parliament speaker to visit Armenia Ruling force MP: Canada is opening embassy in Armenia because we are one of worlds most democratic countries Girl with Armenian roots ends up in Vladimir orphanage Erdogan says he has agreed with Putin to supply grain to needy countries for free Armenia President, UK envoy agree to continue cooperation, close contacts Armenia FM receives EU Monitoring Capacity Spanish MPs don't approve agreement with Baku as a sign of solidarity with Armenia Japan says North Korea may go ahead with nuclear test Armenia government to allocate about $5M to Karabakh refugees support program Belarusian border service: Border guards intercepts Ukrainian training drone President appoints Ruben Vardanyan as Karabakh Minister of State US embassy expresses concern about human rights violation in Azerbaijan Azerbaijan continues muscle play on Iran border Ibrahim Kalin says Turkey will become an important gas center one way or another Biden: We're gonna free Iran Reuters: G7 countries and Australia agrees on fixed price for Russian oil World oil prices dropping Wizz Air to launch new flights between Venice, Yerevan EU assesses Armenia, Azerbaijan border commissions meeting in Brussels as constructive Artsakh President convenes enlarged working consultation Envoy: China supports Armenians Azerbaijan MOD disseminates disinformation, Armenia army did not fire Armenia ruling party recounts congress voting results Quake jolts Turkey Newspaper: Armenia PM once again manipulates topic of negotiations, Karabakh conflict Newspaper: Studies underway on Armenia MPs business involvement US wants to prevent Germany, other allies from working together with China Protests turn violent in Iran's Alborz Province Portugal is considering abandoning golden visa scheme Biden and Erdogan to meet at G-20 summit NATO supports normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and welcomes EU efforts European Union officials should press President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan to free unjustly imprisoned political activists, journalists, and other government critics, Human Rights Watch said today. EU officials should also urge Aliyev to end the crackdown on independent groups and allow them to operate without undue government interference. President Aliyev will be in Brussels on February 6, 2017, to inaugurate talks on a new partnership agreement between Azerbaijan and the EU to enhance political and economic ties between them. He is set to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Council Donald Tusk, and other top EU officials. Time and time again, the EU has praised courageous human rights defenders, pledging to throw the EUs full weight behind them, said Lotte Leicht, EU director at Human Rights Watch. As the EU and Azerbaijan forge a new era of cooperation, now is the time to make good on those EU promises and not sweep Aliyevs crackdown on dissent, and basic human rights under the red carpet. In a joint letter signed by 76 human rights groups worldwide and sent to top EU officials, the groups said the EU should use the meetings with President Aliyev to secure concrete commitments for urgently needed rights reforms in Azerbaijan. Any negotiations with Azerbaijan should include clearly articulated EU expectations for concrete human rights improvements by Azerbaijans government, including the immediate and unconditional release of rights activists, political opposition members, and journalists, Leicht said. Deepening engagement without securing concrete rights improvements would signal to the people wrongfully imprisoned in Azerbaijan and to those bravely continuing their work in the face of government hostility that the EU has abandoned them. By Karishma Kuenzang: In India, about 2.5 million people are currently suffering from cancer and about 8 lakh new cases are added every year. While cancers of the oral cavity and lungs, prostate and colon are common among men in India, followed by cancer of the larynx, mouth, esophagus, throat, bladder, kidney, liver, stomach, pancreas, rectum as well as blood cancers; women are more prone to breast and cervix cancers, followed by lung and ovarian cancer. Breast cancer is more common in urban areas, where 1 in 22 women is likely to develop breast cancer during her lifetime, while cervix cancer kills more women in the rural areas than urban. advertisement Stating that cancer is more of a lifestyle disease today, caused due to the consumption of tobacco, obesity, lack of exercise, regular consumption of junk and fried food, Dr Shyam Aggarwal, Oncologist, Gangaram Hospital, Delhi, says, "Alcohol consumption also increases the probability of oral and lung cancer." Also Read: World Cancer Day: This woman fought cancer and emerged victorious But, the development of cancer is a very complex multistep process, where our genes (particularly the mutated ones), conspire with various environmental triggers and risk factors. Explains Dr Maitrayee Roy, MD (Pathology), former senior resident, AIIMS, Maitri Diagnostic Lab (Ambala), "Hence, we can't entirely prevent but modify the environmental risk factors which help in development of some cancers. In Delhi, the air pollution and toxic chemicals are choking lungs and has led to a rise in cancer cases. The number of breast cancer cases have risen in the urban areas partly due to lifestyle changes like high stress levels, poor eating habits, irregular sleeping hours, early onset of menarche, late menopause and increasing maternal age." She also points out that tobacco use is one of the most common causes of cancer, which can prevent 80 per cent of oral cavity and lung cancer cases. Cervix cancer, which affects over one lakh women every year, is caused by a virus called Human Papilloma. though a vaccine is now available against it. Not only the number of cases, but even the age bracket of getting cancer is widening. Says Dr Shyam, "Earlier, people who got cancer were usually above 40 or 50 years old, but today, age is no longer a factor and even kids are getting cancer, though the numbers of patients in their 20s and 30s has visibly shot up. Though international guidelines say that people should go for regular check-ups for cancer once they are 40 (annual check-up including a pap spear and mammogram for women), people in India should opt for the screening once they are 35." Dr Sajjan S Rajpurohit, Consultant, Medical Oncologist, adds, "Men above the age of 50 years should undergo a low dose CT Scan of the chest every two years if they are smokers. They should also go for a colonoscopy every 10 years and a Serum PSA examination if they have any urinary symptoms." Pop singer Kylie Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. She recovered the following year.Photo: Mail Today Early diagnosis is key to treatment of cancer. But, symptoms of cancer are so common that people generally ignore it. Indigestion related to food intake, persistent back pain, pelvic pain, bloating or muscles spasms are some early signs of cancer. Dr Mandeep S Malhotra, Deptt Head- Head, Neck & Breast Oncolplasty, Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, says, "Unhealed sores in the mouth or persistent white or red patches on the gums, tongue or tonsils should raise concerns about pre-malignant lesions like leukoplakia or erythroplakia. Hoarseness or change of voice which lasts longer than three to four weeks and reduced mouth opening over a time period in tobacco chewers are some common symptoms of throat or mouth cancer. For breast cancer, check for lumps in the breasts, armpits or breast tail. Blood stained nipple discharge or any dimpling over breast skin shouldn't be ignored." advertisement Dr Shyam, who sees 4,000-5,000 cancer cases every year, says cancer treatment is now becoming manageable in India with these few new developments: 1. Instead of giving one/two lines of chemotherapy treatment to a patient (one line gives a patient six months to live) suffering from an advanced stage of cancer, we can now give five or six lines of treatment, thus increasing their life expectancy. 2. Earlier, chemotherapy was given to patients every three weeks, but now we will only give it once a week. It's more effective, less toxic and has fewer side-effects. advertisement 3. Cancer is caused by gene aberrations and mutations, and so, we have medication to target that particular gene as method of treatment, called Targeted Therapy. It's like a tablet that people can consume at home instead of opting for chemotherapy. 4. Immunotherapy as a treatment for cancer. Though it's expensive at the moment, five more companies will be coming out with the product within a year, hopefully bringing down the price. It's useful in curing lymphoma, oral cancer, etc. 5. There are now drugs to combat the side-effects of chemotherapy, like vomiting and low blood count. --- ENDS --- The meeting between the President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevhas scheduled to take place in Baku has been canceled upon the initiative of the Azerbaijani side. Aliyev declined to speak with Tajani because of the debates held in the European Parliament today on human rights violations in Azerbaijan, contact.az reports, citing the website of the European Union. Such a demonstrative behavior indicates that Baku does not want to listen to criticism in its address in respect of these issues, the source notes. The debate will be attended by two former political prisoners, Emin Milli and Hadija Ismailova, as well as five members of the European Parliament, who will raise the issue of the violation of fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens in Azerbaijan. Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly accused the European Parliament of its anti-Azerbaijani position and cooperation with the adversaries of Azerbaijan. However, Baku gladly refers to the opinion of the European Parliament when it supports its position on the Karabakh conflict, the source says. Armenian Ambassador to Lithuania Tigran Mkrtchyan on Monday had a meeting with the newly-appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Darius Skusevicius. The Ambassador congratulated Mr Skusevicius on his new appointment, wishing him success, the press-service of the Armenian MFA informed Armenian News NEWS.am. Mkrtchyan referred to the Armenia-EU negotiations, noting that the Framework Agreement is planned to be signed during the current year. He also added that the issue of the visa liberalization is under discussion. Apart from this, the Armenian Ambassador briefed the Lithuanian official on the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan in April 2016, as well as the situation emerged as a result of the diversionary infiltration attempt initiated by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on the border with Armenia in December 2016. In this context, Mkrtchyan stressed that Azerbaijan refuses to fulfill the agreements reached at the Vienna and Saint Petersburg summits, thereby further destabilizing the situation. YEREVAN. - 14 deputies have joined the initiative of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) to extend the parliamentary election day. Secretary of ANC faction, Aram Manukyan, said the aforementioned in the National Assembly (NA) on Monday. No more signatures were collected only because there are almost no deputies in the parliament now, he added. The signature collection will continue tomorrow as well. Several deputies have already promised to join it. If the necessary 27 signatures are collected, the ANC will apply to the Constitutional Court, proposing to change the parliamentary election day. Among the deputies, who signed the initiative are Hrant Bagratyan, other members of the ANC faction, deputies of Consolidation Party headed by Vartan Oskanian, members of Prosperous Armenia Party Naira Zohrabyan, Vahe Enfiajyan, Mikayel Melkumyan, as well as Heritage Party faction MP Tevan Poghosyan. The European Unions quiet diplomacy just got much quieter Remarkably, Brussels dragged its feet to inform the public of an upcoming visit by Azerbaijan president Ilham Aliyev, who is coming to town on Monday (6 February) to personally inaugurate negotiations on a new EU-Azerbaijan partnership agreement, writes Giorgi Gogia, Director for the South Caucasus, in his article published in the EU Observer. According to the author, the lack of transparency in Baku is not a surprise any more. The Azerbaijani authorities are extremely hostile to their critics, opposition activists, journalists, and other dissidents. " But the secrecy around the visit suggests that Bakus deeply problematic approaches to transparency are rubbing off on the EU. Is the EU really so quick to set aside its own commitments to transparency and accountability? Apparently so. " writes the author. As Gogia notes, the officials have been too secretive during a dozen official meetings in Brussels on January 26 and 27 about Alievs visit. Once we understood it was in the works, and pressed for some, any, information, officials and diplomats flatly refused to share the date of the visit, he said. One of the diplomats even confessed, that the agreement about the information about the visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev will not come out of the holy walls of European foreign policy service. According to him, they learned about Aliyevs visit last week only, after the agenda of the European Commission president had been updated. " Does the EU fear publicity of Aliyevs trip to Brussels and inevitable criticism of Azerbaijans human rights record and the EUs failure in pressing for reforms? It may fear it, but that criticism would be well-earned, considers Gogia. In his viewpoint, the EU seems not to be much concerned about the criticism addressed to Azerbaijan in regard to the attacks on human rights defenders. Instead, it manifests a great interest in receiving economic benefits from the relationship with Baku. As EU officials quietly prepare to roll out the red carpet and treat the Azerbaijani strongman with fanfare, it should make sure that this deepening relationship is the one adhering to its own principles of democracy, the rule of law, the universality and indivisibility of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as it committed to in all of its negotiations with third party countries, concludes Gogia. When the interviewer called the Russian leader "a killer" over allegations of murders carried out by the Russian state, Trump said, "There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country's so innocent?" By Press Trust of India: US President Donald Trump has brushed off his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin's description as a "killer", saying the US has "a lot of killers" and suggested that America was not so "innocent". In an excerpt of an interview yet to be aired, Trump said he "respects" Putin, but that does not mean they will get along. advertisement "I respect a lot of people, but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with him. He's a leader of his country. I say its better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world that's a good thing," Trump told Fox News Bill O'Reilly. When the interviewer called the Russian leader "a killer" over allegations of murders carried out by the Russian state, Trump said, "There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country's so innocent?" Also read | Donald Trump's first press meet after win: If Putin likes me, that's an asset Trump and Putin agreed to establish "real coordination" against the ISIS during an hour-long discussion last week, which the White House hailed as a "significant start" to improving the strained ties between the two nations. Just ahead of demitting office, Barack Obama had ordered sanctions on Russian spy agencies, closed two Russian compounds in the US and expelled 35 Russian diplomats that he claimed were really spies amid US intelligence reports that Moscow meddled in the 2016 election to help Trump become president. Also read | Trump administration eases Obama-era sanctions on Russian intelligence agency --- ENDS --- YEREVAN. - Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan expects leading clinics to take an efficient part in transmitting their culture to provinces, as well as introduction of electronic healthcare. He said the aforementioned at the discussion of the reports on the work carried out by state agencies in 2016 and the priorities for next year. Minister of Healthcare Levon Altunyan, for his part, reported on the work carried out within the framework of the program Modernization of Healthcare System, the Government press-service informed Armenian News NEWS.am. According to him, the Meghri multi-profile medical center along with 5 rural medical centers were put into commission. Besides, the construction of the Sevan hospital building kicked off. Moreover, Yolyan Haemotological Center was equipped with modern technology. In Altunyans words, the priorities for the year 2017 will include the ensurance of quality and availability of medical services, improvement of government order mechanisms, introduction of international standards in the pharmaceutical sphere, introduction of international practice in the sphere of patient registration, as well as promotion of healthy lifestyle. The Premier, for his part, noted that he expects good results from the healthcare workers, considering that this year 85 billion AMD will be directed to the sphere. He also added that this is not much but good results can be achieved also by that funding. Jihadist Analyzes Increasing Use by IS of Explosives-Equipped UAVs, Threat They Pose to Enemies Canadian Safety Board Finds Compressor Failure Caused Helicopter Crash During the marker ball installation on lines above the North Saskatchewan River, the single-engine helicopter was hovering 325 feet above the ground when it experienced an engine failure and hit the ground. Both the pilot and the platform worker were killed. Engine failure at low altitude led to the fatal October 2015 crash of an Oceanview Helicopters Ltd. helicopter near Paynton, Saskatchewan, as its crew were installing marker balls on SaskPower hydro lines, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) concluded Feb. 2. TSB's investigation report A15C0146 outlines findings in the case. The Hughes 369D helicopter operated by Oceanview Helicopters was conducting aerial work on Oct. 22, 2015, with a pilot and an external platform worker on board. During the marker ball installation, the single-engine helicopter was hovering 325 feet above the ground when it experienced an engine failure and hit the ground. Both the pilot and the platform worker were killed, and the helicopter was destroyed by fire after the impact. The accident occurred on an island in the North Saskatchewan River. Investigators determined it is likely that the failure of an internal engine component resulted in the loss of engine power while the helicopter was in a hover, and there was insufficient altitude to conduct an autorotation landing. The report also found the risk of injury or death increases if a single-engine helicopter is operated at altitudes and airspeeds from which a successful autorotation landing may be difficult to perform. Oceanview Helicopters Ltd., which was contracted by Forbes Bros. Ltd. to carry out the aerial work and install marker balls on power lines strung over the North Saskatchewan River, voluntarily suspended external platform worker operations after the accident and has not resumed them, the report says. It says Forbes Bros. Ltd. reported it has reviewed its helicopter operation standards, adopted the Helicopter Association of Canada Pre-Flight Risk Assessment best practice as a requirement for all Forbes Bros. Ltd. helicopter vendors, and engaged third-party aviation safety experts to assist in evaluating its helicopter practices. The board's findings are: 1. It is likely a stage 2 compressor blade was subject to fatigue and eventual overload failure, resulting in a loss of engine power. 2. The engine failure occurred while the helicopter was in a hover. There was insufficient altitude to conduct a successful autorotation, and the helicopter collided with the terrain. 3. If a single-engine helicopter is operated within the confines of the cross-hatched region of the Height Velocity Diagram, the likelihood of a successful autorotation after an engine failure is significantly reduced, increasing the risk of injury or death. 4. If operators do not follow manufacturer-recommended procedures when operating in an erosive/corrosive environment, there is an increased risk of an undetected and premature failure of the compressor. The board concluded the compressor failed before its prescribed overhaul period had elapsed. Professor Develops Breath Monitor to Detect Flu Virus Perena Gouma, a professor in the Materials Science and Engineering Department of the University of Texas at Arlington, explained in a journal article how her inexpensive handheld breath monitor was developed, the university announced. Perena Gouma, a professor in the Materials Science and Engineering Department of the University of Texas at Arlington, has developed a handheld breath monitor that can detect the flu virus, the university announced Jan. 31. She published an article last month in a scientific journal explaining how the device works and was developed; the research was funded by the National Science Foundation through the Smart Connected Health program, Jeremy Agor reported. Agor's article explains that it resembles breathalyzers used by law enforcement: "A patient simply exhales into the device, which uses semiconductor sensors like those in a household carbon monoxide detector. The difference is that these sensors are specific to the gas detected, yet still inexpensive, and can isolate biomarkers associated with the flu virus and indicate whether or not the patient has the flu. The device could eventually be available in drugstores so that people can be diagnosed earlier and take advantage of medicine used to treat the flu in its earliest stages. This device may help prevent flu epidemics from spreading, protecting both individuals as well as the public health," Agor reported. The article quotes Stathis Meletis, chair of the Materials Science and Engineering Department, who said the research shows how UTA's nanotechnology research can have a profound impact on community health. Gouma joined UTA in 2016 after spending 16 years at SUNY Stony Brook. February 4, 2017 Phuket, Thailand: JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa is once again very proud to be listed in the 2017 Travellerss Choice Awards, by the worlds largest travel site, TripAdvisor. The hotel is ranked No. 22 out of Top 25 Hotels in Thailand category and placed in the top percentile of winners in the city according to TripAdvisor. It is an honour to receive this Travellers Choice Award. We would like to express our sincerely thanks and appreciation to all the guests for their generous support in choosing to stay with us and most importantly write reviews as well as recommending our hotel to all the travellers on the TripAdvisor. The hotel will continue to actively encourage excellence in all areas that is measured and recognized as a top hotel of choice in Thailand and globally, said Mr. Oriol Montal, General Manager. This continuous recognitions of excellence and guest preference is utmost significant to the associates as it is a reflection of the hotels continuous effort to provide a memorable journey and phenomenal experiences therefore the guests decide to keep coming back to the hotel year after year. For the 15th year, TripAdvisor has highlighted the worlds top properties based on the millions of reviews and opinions collected in a single year from travellers across the globe. Winners were identified in the categories of top hotels, small hotels, bargain, luxury, best service, B & Bs and Inns, romance, family and hall of fame. The hallmarks of Travellers Choice winners are remarkable service, quality and value. To see all the result of the 2017 TripAdvisor Travelers Choice awards winners, go to https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/TravelersChoice Check out the 3,643 TripAdvisor traveller reviews and opinions of JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, please visit our page on https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Hotel_Review-g1223683- d519702-Reviews-JW_Marriott_Phuket_Resort_Spa-Mai_Khao_Thalang_District_Phuket.html Travellers can also follow the conversation on social media with the hashtag #2017TCWinners Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University,Leibniz University of Hanover and University of Oulu established the international consortium 'Research laboratory of high-speed pulse avalanche transistor switches for vision systems'. Credit: Peter the Great Saint-Petersburg Polytechnic University Scientists of Institute of Physics, Nanotechnology and Telecommunications of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU) and collaborators have established an international consortium to increase the accuracy of optical radar. An optical radar is a device for estimating distance, consisting of an emitter that transmits an optical signal (for example, a laser beam); a receiver that catches the signal reflected by objects around the radar; and a data processing system that creates the picture of the surrounding landscape based on the specific differences and delay times between the outgoing and incoming signals. Earlier studies from SPbPU with colleagues from Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology and University of Oulu increased the accuracy of optical radars nearly ten-fold. These results were achieved by applying shorter optical pulses of about one nanosecond in duration for the scanning procedure. Reducing the pulse length while maintaining its power can significantly improve its accuracy. The typical indicators in similar devices are 30 to 40 V / 3-5 ns, while the device created in SPbPU demonstrates 40V / 1 ns; this is a notable achievement. The device has broad applications including shipbuilding, automobile and aircraft manufacturing, optical detection and electronic equipment. The aim of the scientific consortium is to continue improving the characteristics of the optical emitter to increase the radiating power, the pulse repetition rate, and the transition to the sub-nanosecond scale. In mid-January, a seminar held in St. Petersburg brought together the representatives of the Leibniz University of Hanover, the University of Oulu and Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. Its purpose was the joint development of a new approach to the design and implementation of a unique avalanche switch, the heart of the high-speed transmitter. The basic fundamentals have been described in an article published in the IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices. "New technological solutions are required to make the pulse shorter with higher power, because now we are faced with some physical limitations. The shorter pulses can't be obtained with the properties of semiconductors currently used. Therefore, we should not just concentrate on development of purer semiconductors of thinner layers, but a drastically new approach," says Dr. Alexey Filimonov of SPbPU. In order to obtain the output parameters according to newly developed theoretical approach, it is necessary to develop a bipolar avalanche transistor that provides high-speed avalanche switching with lower heat loss. It is difficult to implement this idea technologically, so the Institute of Microelectronic Systems of Leibniz University of Hanover will provide the equipment and expertise required to carry out the processes of development of new unique switch. Technological implementation and experimental study of the device were taken at the University of Oulu, Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology and Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. Currently, the equipment is almost assembled for the metrological study, which will be held at SPbPU. Leibniz University of Hanover will provide technological support for the development of a silicon switch with a drastically increased frequency of repetition, which should significantly improve the accuracy and reduce measurement time. More information: "Switching Mechanisms Triggered by a Collector Voltage Ramp in Avalanche Transistors With Short-Connected Base and Emitter." IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices. Provided by Peter the Great Saint-Petersburg Polytechnic University A new set of machine learning algorithms developed at U of T Scarborough that can generate 3-D structures of tiny protein molecules may revolutionize the development of drug therapies for a range of diseases. Credit: Structura Biotechnology Inc A new set of machine learning algorithms developed by U of T researchers that can generate 3D structures of tiny protein molecules may revolutionize the development of drug therapies for a range of diseases, from Alzheimer's to cancer. "Designing successful drugs is like solving a puzzle," says U of T PhD student Ali Punjani, who helped develop the algorithms. "Without knowing the three-dimensional shape of a protein, it would be like trying to solve that puzzle with a blindfold on." The ability to determine the 3D atomic structure of protein molecules is critical in understanding how they work and how they will respond to drug therapies, notes Punjani. Drugs work by binding to a specific protein molecule and changing its 3D shape, altering the way it works once inside the body. The ideal drug is designed in a shape that will only bind to a specific protein or proteins involved in a disease while eliminating side effects that occur when drugs bind to other proteins in the body. This new set of algorithms reconstructs 3D structures of protein molecules using microscopic images. Since proteins are tinyeven smaller than a wavelength of light - they can't be seen directly without using sophisticated techniques like electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM). This new method is revolutionizing the way scientists can discover 3D protein structures, allowing the study of many proteins that simply could not be studied in the past. A new set of machine learning algorithms that can generate 3-D structures of tiny protein molecules may revolutionize the development of drug therapies for a range of diseases, from Alzheimer's to cancer. Credit: Structura Biotechnology Inc Cryo-EM is unique because it uses high-power microscopes to take tens of thousands of low-resolution images of a frozen protein sample from different positions. The computational problem is to then piece together the correct high-resolution 3D structure from the low-resolution 2D images. "Our approach solves some of the major problems in terms of speed and number of structures you can determine," says Professor David Fleet, chair of the Computer and Mathematical Sciences Department at U of T Scarborough and Punjani's PhD supervisor. The algorithms, which were co-developed by Fleet's former Post-Doctoral Fellow Marcus Brubaker, now an Assistant Professor at York University, could significantly aid in the development of new drugs because they provide a faster, more efficient means at arriving at the correct protein structure. "Existing techniques take several days or even weeks to generate a 3D structure on a cluster of computers," says Brubaker. "Our approach can make it possible in minutes on a single computer." Punjani adds that existing techniques often generate incorrect structures unless the user provides an accurate guess of the molecule being studied. What's novel about their approach is that it eliminates the need for prior knowledge about the protein molecule being studied. "We hope this will allow discoveries to happen at a ground-breaking pace in structural biology," says Punjani. "The ultimate goal is that it will directly lead to new drug candidates for diseases, and a much deeper understanding of how life works at the atomic level." The research, which included a collaboration with U of T Professor John Rubinstein, a Canada Research Chair in Electron Cryomicroscopy, received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). It's also been published in the current edition of the journal Nature Methods. More information: cryoSPARC: algorithms for rapid unsupervised cryo-EM structure determination, Nature Methods, nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/nmeth.4169 Journal information: Nature Methods Scientists intermingle two rival bacterial groups stained blue and red and watch as they phase separate by stabbing each other. Before separation, they appear as a purple mass then concentrate into separate territories, where their red and blue colors become visible. Credit: Georgia Tech / Yunker, Hammer, Ratcliff The enemies were thrown together, so the killing began. Brandishing harpoon-like appendages covered in poison, two armies of cholera bacteria stabbed each other, rupturing victims like water balloons. Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology tracked the battle over sustenance and turf mathematically to gain insights that could, someday, lead to new, targeted therapies to fight infections. But dueling bacteria would not be the infectors in that scenario; they'd be the remedy. Conceivably, specially engineered assassin bacteria friendly to humans could kill harmful bacteria while sparing hordes of microbes that keep people healthy. By contrast, the antibiotics we use today vanquish harmful and helpful bacteria alike. "If you could target harmful bacteria in the human gut, you could use engineered bacteria as a living antibiotic," said Brian Hammer, an associate professor at Georgia Tech's School of Biological Sciences. He cautioned, "We're not anywhere near that right now." Calculating bacteria But to harness bacteria for use in medicine or industry, or just to better understand how they thrive and spread, it's helpful to determine the consistency of their actions over time. That's where the math comes in. Georgia Tech researchers applied to the bacteria existing physics equations developed to precisely describe the interactions of atoms and molecules. They found that those calculations could also precisely predict that two cholera armies would separate from each other into phases, like oil and water, when they met on the battlefield. "The models predicted pretty much exactly when the phase separation would occur, and then we observed it happening just like the math said it would," Hammer said. The bacterial interactions turned out to be nearly as calculable as chemical reactions. Hammer and Georgia Tech biologists Will Ratcliff, an assistant professor, and Samuel Brown, an associate professor, teamed up with Peter Yunker, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech's School of Physics for the research. They published their results in the journal Nature Communications on Monday, February 6, 2017. First authors were Hammer's former graduate student biologist Eryn Bernardy, and Brown's former postdoctoral assistant Luke McNally. Their research was funded by the National Science Foundation, the NASA Exobiology program, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Wellcome Trust and the Human Frontier Science Program. Dr. Seuss's Horton the Elephant was right: There are vast worlds on tiny scales, and microbiologist Brian Hammer tells us about when bacteria go to war. Credit: Georgia Tech's Brian Hammer and TEDx Douglasville Rotting crab shells Cholera bacteria are commonly found in water attached with other microbes to the shells of crabs and tiny krill, and people who drink that water can die within hours due to the severe vomiting and diarrhea the germs cause. The impetus for doing math on dueling cholera came from how they wage turf war on crab shells, which contain a material called chitin that switches on the harpoon function in Vibrio cholerae. No chitin, no stabbing. "I was studying this amazing biological system," Hammer said, "and I was looking for a way to visualize it." Ratcliff and Yunker had been applying microscopy and mathematics to study the dynamics of yeast evolution and suggested Hammer give the method a try. But before getting to the math itself, it's important to understand a few things about Vibrio cholerae. First of all, most microbiologists think cholera bacteria use the harpoons to kill competing bacteria and not to destroy human cells. The poisonous weapon is called a Type VI secretion system (T6SS), and is common. "This harpoon system is in about one quarter of Gram-negative bacteria," Hammer said. "So, this bacterial dueling is going on all around you." Gram-negative bacteria have thinner walls, which can be punctured more easily. Gram-positive bacteria have thicker walls less susceptible to the harpoons, and human cells may be even more difficult to penetrate. And the stabbing mechanism is not limited to pathogens like cholera. Many harmless bacteria use it, too. But more is known about the mechanism in pathogens, because harmful bacteria are more often the focus of scientific study than harmless bacteria, Hammer said. Armed and generous Harpooning cholera stab randomly at all bacteria they come into contact with, including each other, but Vibrio cholerae of the same strain are immune to each other's stabs. So, they kill their enemies but not their own kind. Georgia Tech physicist Peter Yunker, microbiologist Brian Hammer and evolutionary biologist Will Ratcliff look at an image of rival bacterial groups that phase-separated after a battle with poison stabs. Credit: Georgia Tech / Rob Felt The killing also appears to go hand in hand with cooperative social behavior. The researchers found that bacteria that are good at killing together are also good at sharing with each other and building a community. It starts with creating a common pool of food. "Bacteria do a lot of their digestion outside their cells," Hammer said. But having all that food lying around is risky. "You need a strategy for ensuring that all the effort of chewing up and digesting food benefits you and your relatives, and not someone else who comes and plunders it." When a strain of bacteria kills invaders, it preserves the fruits of its labor, and multiplies, passing on its genes. Brown's postdoctoral researcher Luke McNally examined the genomes of many types of bacteria (in addition to cholera) that use poison harpoons. Some strains had six or seven harpoons, and some harpoons had multiple poisons. And there appeared to be a correlation between weapons and cooperation. "We found that the more weaponry a bacteria strain had in its genome, the more it looked like it was apt to share," Hammer said. Metal math applies Under the microscope, the battling bacteria strains actually did look a little like beads of oil and water separating out on a flat surface. They were stained two different colors like red and blue, so they could be told apart. "We start with two strains well mixed," Hammer said. "We jokingly call this the salad dressing model, because you shake oil and water, and they're well mixed, and you let it sit, and they phase separate." When they're well mixed, the two strains of cholera appear as one purple mass, but as they kill each other and conquer separate territories, they divide into red blotches and blue blotches. There are significant differences between how chemical and living systems operate. For example, the bacteria also reproduce and multiply; molecules don't. But the basic math that worked for materials, also worked for the bacteria. "The type of curve we observed describing our results had never been used to describe living systems before," Hammer said. "Empirically, it's been used to describe metals that undergo phase separation." Predictive models based on the formula, called "Model A" equations, proved to be extremely accurate. "The mathematical simulations overlapped with the observed data almost perfectly," Hammer said. Future applications? "In your gut, a lot of useful bacteria are Gram-positive," Hammer said. "But there might be a small number of Gram-negative bacteria messing up your gut community, and perhaps engineered bacteria with spears could get rid of just those Gram-negative." Also, an external material like chitin, which switches the harpoon function on in cholera bacteria, could be given along with assassin bacteria to trigger their weaponry, and then deactivate it when the chitin is gone. An engineering team at Washington University in St. Louis says a compound found in green tea may be of particular benefit to patients struggling with multiple myeloma and amyloidosis. Credit: Washington University in St. Louis A compound found in green tea could have lifesaving potential for patients with multiple myeloma and amyloidosis, who face often-fatal medical complications associated with bone-marrow disorders, according to a team of engineers at Washington University in St. Louis and their German collaborators. Jan Bieschke, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the School of Engineering & Applied Science, studies how proteins fold and shape themselves, and how these processes can contribute to a variety of diseases. He says the compound epigallocatechine-3-gallate (EGCG), a polyphenol found in green tea leaves, may be of particular benefit to patients struggling with multiple myeloma and amyloidosis. These patients are susceptible to a frequently fatal condition called light chain amyloidosis, in which parts of the body's own antibodies become misshapen and can accumulate in various organs, including the heart and kidneys. "The idea here is twofold: We wanted to better understand how light chain amyloidosis works, and how the green tea compound affects this specific protein," Bieschke said. Bieschke's team first isolated individual light chains from nine patients with bone marrow disorders that caused multiple myeloma or amyloidosis, then ran lab experiments to determine how the green tea compound affected the light chain protein. Bieschke previously examined EGCG's effect in both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, and found it prevented dangerous buildups of protein present in both diseases. His team had a similar conclusion in this study: In bone marrow patients, the EGCG transformed light chain amyloid, preventing the misshapen form from replicating and accumulating dangerously. "In the presence of green tea, the chains have a different internal structure," Bieschke said. "The ECGC pulled the light chain into a different type of aggregate that wasn't toxic and didn't form fibril structures," as happens to organs affected by amyloidosis. While Bieschke is gaining a greater understanding at the intracellular processes involved, his partners at the University of Heidelberg are working in tandem with him, running clinical trials. "My group is looking at the mechanism of the protein in a test tube; we are studying how it works on a foundational level. At the same time, clinical trials at the Amyloidosis Center in Heidelberg, with Alzheimer's in Berlin and with Parkinson's in China examine the process in people. We all want this compound to work in a patient." The research was recently published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. More information: Kathrin Andrich et al, Aggregation of Full Length Immunoglobulin Light Chains from AL Amyloidosis Patients Is Remodeled by Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, Journal of Biological Chemistry (2016). DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M116.750323 Journal information: Journal of Biological Chemistry Credit: University of California - Santa Barbara As human emotions go, pride has earned a bad rap. Christians count it among the seven deadly sins, the ancient Greeks charged it with provoking destruction by the gods, and non-industrial peoples around the world consider it a source of bad luck. Still, some behavioral scientists reject pride as a universal emotion, arguing that individuals in other cultures, such as Japan, lack the pride-achievement motivation so familiar to Westerners. But does pride really deserve its reputation both as a menace and as an emotion limited to only some cultures? Perhaps not, say a group of researchers at UC Santa Barbara's Center for Evolutionary Psychology (CEP). Pride, they argue, served an important function in social life that led to its evolution among our foraging ancestors. Their study, which covers 16 countries and four continents, appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The Pride System "The function of pride is to motivate the individual to cultivate traits and pick courses of action that increase others' tendency to value them," said lead author Daniel Sznycer, a CEP research scientist at UCSB and a postdoctoral researcher at Arizona State University. "Natural selection would have crafted a neural programpridethat makes you care about how much others value you, and motivates you to achieve and advertise socially valued things." The authors refer to this theorywhich brings together the views of several evolutionary researchersas "the advertisement-recalibration theory of pride." "Our ancestors lived close to the edge, and depended in their daily life on acts of kindness by their fellow band memberskindness that was increased the more they valued you," explained Leda Cosmides, a professor of psychology at UCSB, co-director of the CEP, and a co-author of the paper. John Tooby, a professor of anthropology at UCSB, co-director of the CEP, and also a co-author of the paper added: "The pride system is designed to give others some vote in what behavior you end up choosing, so that they have an ongoing stake in your welfare. This predicts not only that people should have a detailed map of what members of their community value socially, but that the intensity of pride someone feels in achieving some specific outcome should closely match the degree to which others would value that specific achievement. This helps you determine which value-promoting acts are worth the effort." Depending on the magnitude of the anticipated pride when considering a course of action, individuals will pursue and advertise behaviors that increase others' evaluations of them. According to the researchers, the anticipated feeling of pride is a social pricing signal, allowing the mind to weight the private payoff of an action (e.g. the nutritional value of hunting a given type of prey) against the social payoff (e.g. showing others that you are a skilled hunter, or giving the meat to others). Pride as a neural system inclines people to factor in others' regard alongside the private benefits so that the act with the highest total payoff is selected. Private Payoff vs. Social Benefit To test the prediction that anticipated pride at taking an action matches the community's valuation of that action, the researchers created 25 brief fictional scenarios depicting behaviors or traits that were expected, on evolutionary grounds, to lead to valuation from others. Among them are possessing skills, being trustworthy, being generous and being physically attractive. They ran these scenarios on 2,085 participants in 16 countries on four 4 continents. One group of participants was asked to report, for each scenario, how positively they would view another person if those things were true of that person. A different group of participants was asked how much pride they would feel if those things were true of themselves. "We observed a surprisingly close match between the community's positive regard for people who display each of these acts or traitsthat is, the magnitudes of valuation by an audience and the intensities of pride that individuals reported they would feel if they had taken those acts or displayed those traits, Sznycer said. "Feelings of pride really move in lockstep with the values those around you place on various acts and traits. This is true in all the 16 cultures we tested." Further studies, he noted, showed that it is pride in particular, and not positive emotion in general, that tracks others' values. Cross-Cultural Similarities For this reason, the authors argue, pride does not deserve its dark reputation. Rather, pride generates socially valuable outcomes for others as a side effect of a natural desire to be approved of, they said. Even more fundamentally, the studies uncovered massive cross-cultural similarities in the qualities people value in others. "It's not just that Americans and Italians and Turks and Koreans like trustworthiness, attractiveness and generosity in others. The relative values people assign to those positive attributes are astonishingly similar across cultures," Tooby said. "This suggests that the underlying grammar of valuation that makes you experience others as more or less appreciated is a culturally invariant feature of human nature." Cultural psychologists have argued that people lack motivation to enhance their reputations in some collectivist cultures, such as Japan. However, the authors find in their data that the Japanese have the same patterns of pride as do people from other cultures. "The pride of the Japanese participants closely tracked not only the evaluations of their fellow Japanese, but also the evaluations of people from all the other countries, collectivist and individualist alike," noted Sznycer. "These data are hard to reconcile with the notion that the Japanese don't 'self-enhance,' but are easy to assimilate if you assume that the Japanese have a rich psychology for self-promotionpridejust like everybody else." Elegantly Engineered But if pride is found across cultures, why is it so widely maligned? Perhaps, the researchers note, it is because pride is occasionally miscalibrated and causes an overly high sense of entitlement in the achiever. "People dislike the social subordination that sometimes follows others' increases in status," Sznycer explained. "And when there's envy the mere success of others is experienced as a grievance. This may explain why pride is a target of righteous indignation around the world. "A careful mapping of this emotion suggests a different view, however," he continued. "Pride appears to be an elegantly engineered emotion: It makes you pursue socially valued courses of action, and it facilitates the gains in esteem that make those actions worth pursuing." The American black bear can rest easier thanks to conservation research conducted at UBC's Okanagan campus. A recent study indicates that while urban sprawl results in more human-bear interactions, human education can hinder negative encounters. "Unless steps are taken to reduce human-bear interactions, we will see an increase in bears that are habituated to humans, leading to property damage, human injuries and more dead bears," says Lael Parrott, professor of Biology and Earth and Environmental Sciences at UBCOkanagan. "These situations are unacceptable and sustainable solutions are needed. One approach is to implement education programs that teach humans how to keep their properties attractant-free and how to behave during a bear encounter." Parrott, along with UBC mathematics Associate Professor Rebecca Tyson and student research assistants, developed a computer model to simulate the effectiveness of human-bear awareness education about bear movement and foraging behaviour in an urban setting. The program, based on field data, made it possible to run hundreds of scenarios and investigate the outcomes and best practices.,In the model, bear awareness education included training about proper garbage disposal and deterrent use. The researchers found that the biggest contributor to bear status was urban land use. A one per cent increase in urbanization resulted in a 91 per cent increase in human-bear conflict. The model also suggests that education targeting the border areas between the residential community and bear habitats will have the biggest impact on limiting bear conflict. "Our model suggests that bear management strategies involving education programs reduce the number of 'conflict bears,'" says Parrott. "Although this is a computer simulation, it is required since some field studies are unethical or extremely difficult to take on. Modelling provides a useful and cost-effective alternative and can be used to select promising programs for further field study." Parrott's team is currently testing some of the solutions in Whistler, BC. The American black bear's habitat includes Canada, the United States, and Northern Mexico. According to Wildsafe BC, British Columbia has one of the highest populations of black bears in the worldbetween 120,000 and 150,000 animals. And there are some 25,000 reported sightings each year. Bears require about 20,000 calories a day to prepare for hibernation; during this time, some bears are attracted to residential areas by fruit trees and unsecured garbage. The study, published in Ecological Modelling, was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. The LKAB iron ore mine in Kiruna, in northern Sweden, lies on Laeva Sami land, where reindeer are still grazing. Credit: Niila Inga Extractive industries affect Indigenous peoples in Sweden and Australia, and Indigenous group's perspectives are often ignored or trivialised, according to a PhD thesis from Umea University in Sweden. Kristina Sehlin MacNeil has collaborated with Indigenous organisations in developing concepts that include Indigenous peoples' perspectives on conflicts and power relations. The PhD study compares situations for Laevas cearru, a Sami reindeer herding community in northern Sweden and Adnyamathanha Traditional Owners, an Indigenous people in South Australia. Both groups identify various forms of violence caused by extractive activities on their lands as threats to their societies, livelihoods and cultures. Furthermore, the results show that in order to address violence against Indigenous peoples and improve processes of conflict transformation, Indigenous and decolonising perspectives should be heard and taken into account. "By illuminating asymmetrical conflicts and power relations between Indigenous groups and extractive industries and by highlighting Indigenous peoples' perspectives, a better foundation for inclusive dialogue and conflict transformation can hopefully be achieved," says Kristina Sehlin MacNeil, PhD student at Vaartoe - Centre for Sami Research at Umea University. As a part of Umea University's Industrial Doctoral School, Kristina Sehlin MacNeil, with the mentorship of the Swedish Sami Organisation, Samiid Riikkasearvi, has also developed methods and analytical tools aimed to make the research more relevant for the communities it concerns. In her study, Sehlin MacNeil has used Indigenous and decolonising methodologies to centre the research participants' perspectives and create space for their voices. Kristina Sehlin MacNeil has adapted the Violence Triangle, developed by Norwegian peace researcher Johan Galtung, in order to understand the conflicts and power relations. The model includes structural violence (unfair social structures), cultural violence (discriminating attitudes) and direct violence (physical violence). "As the model didn't allow for the type of violence that the Sami and Aboriginal research participants experience when their lands are destroyed by extractive industries, I introduced the term extractive violence, to replace direct violence. Extractive violence is a concept that illuminates how extractivism impacts Indigenous peoples negatively and how this is often ignored or trivialised," concludes Kristina Sehlin MacNeil. Kristina Sehlin MacNeil comes from Umea in northern Sweden and has a background in communications and conflict studies from the University of South Australia in Adelaide. From an early age, she has been interested in conflicts, particularly in conflict transformation, and has worked and studied in the peace and conflict field for a number of years. More information: Extractive Violence on Indigenous Country: sami and Aboriginal Views on Conflicts and Power Relations with Extractive Industries, www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1068229&dswid=newPopUp NASA scientist Ryan Vandermeulen deploys a set of profiling radiometers to measure ocean color. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Stephanie Schollaert Uz The microscopic size of phytoplankton, the plant-like organisms that live in the sunlit upper ocean, belies their importance in the global environment. They provide the food source for the zooplankton that ultimately feed larger animals ranging from small fish to whales. And like plants on land, phytoplankton use carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to grow and thrive through photosynthesis, which ultimately releases oxygen into the ocean and atmosphere. Phytoplankton also play a large role in reducing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere: A recent study found that phytoplankton take in about 24 percent of this greenhouse gas. When they die and sink to great depths in the ocean, phytoplankton also move carbon dioxide out of contact with atmosphere. Among the most pressing questions scientists are investigating is how much of that carbon is being stored in the ocean over the long term. Another question is how rising carbon dioxide levels and associated changes in the ocean environment are affecting phytoplankton communities. To tackle those questions, on Jan. 26 scientists from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, along with researchers from across the country embarked on 27-day seaborne campaign from Hawaii to Portland, Oregon, to categorize and observe phytoplankton populations and their environment. The team is working aboard the R/V Falkor, a research vessel owned and operated by the non-profit Schmidt Ocean Institute, which grants scientists use of the ship to advance oceanographic research. Where carbon dioxide, once taken up, ends up in the global carbon cycle depends on the species of phytoplankton, said Goddard/USRA oceanographer Ivona Cetinic, the campaign's chief scientist. "Their size as well as their shape and color determine the role that they play," she said. "By knowing who's there, you can predict what's going to happen to that carbon." For instance, the interactions between smaller phytoplankton and the organisms that eat them are mostly confined to the ocean's surface layer. The carbon they take up remains at the surface or eventually escapes back into the atmosphere. But organisms that eat larger types of phytoplankton, along with their waste, are more likely to sink deeper into the ocean. Uneaten, dead phytoplankton may also sink as they decompose. "When phytoplankton pass below the surface layer and reach the deepest portions of the ocean, they sink out," Cetinic said. "That's key, because the carbon they have sequestered is removed from contact with the atmosphere." Diatoms are a kind of phytoplankton and an example of particles that affect ocean color. Credit: Colleen Durkin, Moss Landing Marine Lab Physical processes also play a role in phytoplankton diversity and carbon transport. A complex interplay of different water masses, often visible in ocean color imagery, allow for the formation of pockets of highly specific ecosystems. Furthermore, processes such as subduction, or mixing, present another pathway for carbon deposition into the deep ocean. Ocean color is also an important indicator of phytoplankton health and activity, and so from above the water an instrument is collecting hyperspectral measurements (ocean reflectance greater than 100 colors), from the ultraviolet to the shortwave infrared bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. The data collected will inform NASA's current and planned ocean color satellite instruments, including the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission scheduled for launch in 2022. Fourteen researchers are deploying a range of instruments to track phytoplankton communities as the R/V Falkor traverses the northern Pacific Ocean. They are continuously measuring phytoplankton diversity through either microscopic imagery, pigments analysis or analysis of their genomic material. For the first time, they are testing new NASA-funded technology that will allow them to collect measurements of particle size. Similar measurements will be taken from deeper portions of the ocean using an apparatus called a rosette, which comprises a cluster of bottles that captures water at different depths and instruments to measure salinity, temperature, and oxygen. Such physical measurements give clues about environmental conditions that support specific phytoplankton types. These types will be additionally recognized using images collected by a holographic camera, which will then be reconstructed in virtual reality space. An autonomous platform called a wirewalker will help to assess the physical environment as well as the flux of particles into the deep ocean. The wirewalker allows for a package of instruments to travel along a wire to as far down as 100 meters measuring temperature, salinity, oxygen, as well as phytoplankton biomarkers such as chlorophyll. An autonomous float will hover at the 100-meter depth and collect settling particles as they sink from the upper ocean. Ocean color satellites afford a global view of phytoplankton, but PACE will be the agency's first hyperspectral (high spectral resolution) satellite and an improvement over its predecessors in that it will be able to distinguish between different kinds. All of the research on this seaborne campaign will enable improved satellite data product validation and development of unprecedented data products. PACE project scientist Jeremy Werdell, who is co-investigator on the proposal for ship time on the R/V Falkor, said, "The goal of the cruise is to collect data that will help us better understand the imagery collected by ocean color satellites. Studying ocean color can tell us a lot about the ocean." Provided by NASA Cephalotus follicularis, the Australian pitcher plant. Photographed here in its native range in Western Australia, this carnivorous plant evolved to digest insects through a strikingly similar evolutionary pathway as other plants that developed the same capability independently, a new study finds. Credit: Mitsuyasu Hasebe To the average plant-eating human, the thought of a plant turning the tables to feast on an animal might seem like a lurid novelty. Now, science is showing just how remarkable these macabre traits really are. A new study probes the origins of carnivory in several distantly related plantsincluding the Australian, Asian and American pitcher plants, which appear strikingly similar to the human (or insect) eye. Although each species developed carnivory independently, the research concludes that the biological machinery required for digesting insects evolved in a strikingly similar fashion in all three. The findings hint that for a plant, the evolutionary routes to carnivory may be few and far between. "It suggests that there are only limited pathways for becoming a carnivorous plant," says University at Buffalo biologist Victor A. Albert. "These plants have a genetic tool kit, and they're trying to come up with an answer to the problem of how to become carnivorous. And in the end, they all come up with the same solution." The research, "Genome of the pitcher plant Cephalotus reveals genetic changes associated with carnivory," which will be published on Feb. 6, 2017 in Nature Ecology and Evolution. It was conducted by an international team led by Mitsuyasu Hasebe, PhD, of the National Institute for Basic Biology in Japan and SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies) in Japan; Kenji Fukushima, PhD, of the same institutions and the University of Colorado School of Medicine; Shuaicheng Li, PhD, of BGI-Shenzhen in China; and Albert, PhD, a professor of biological sciences in UB's College of Arts and Sciences. A close-up of the pitchers of Cephalotus follicularis, the Australian pitcher plant. A soup of digestive fluids sits at the bottom of these waxy pitchers, breaking down the flesh and exoskeletons of insects that fall in. The plant is photographed here in Western Australia, the only place in the world where the species is known to naturally occur. Credit: Mitsuyasu Hasebe How to become a pitcher plant: a narrow evolutionary road Pitcher plants capture insects by luring them into a pitfall trapa cupped leaf with a waxy, slippery interior that makes it difficult to climb out. A soup of digestive fluids sits at the bottom of this chamber and breaks down the flesh and exoskeletons of prey. Australian, Asian and American pitcher plants possess these features despite having evolved independently to become carnivores, as Albert and colleagues discovered in a 1992 study published in the journal Science. The new paper builds on this older work, conducting a deeper investigation into how unrelated pitcher plants came to share so much in common. As it turns out, the path to carnivory was remarkably similar for the three species examinedCephalotus follicularis (the Australian pitcher plant, related to starfruit), Nepenthes alata (an Asian pitcher plant related to buckweat) and Sarracenia purpurea (an American pitcher plant related to kiwifruit). A genetic analysis, which included sequencing the entire genome of Cephalotus, found strong evidence that during their evolution into carnivores, each of these plants co-opted many of the same ancient proteins to create enzymes for digesting prey. Over time, in all three species, plant protein families that originally assisted in self-defense against disease and other stresses developed into the digestive enzymes we see today, genetic clues suggest. These enzymes include basic chitinase, which breaks down chitinthe major component of insects' hard, exterior exoskeletonsand purple acid phosphatase, which enables plants to obtain phosphorus, a critical nutrient, from victims' body parts. Enzymes in a fourth carnivorous species, the sundew Drosera adelae, a relative of Nepenthes that is not a pitcher plant, also appeared to share this evolutionary road. 'Constraints on the available routes' to carnivory The findings represent an example of convergent evolution, in which unrelated species evolve independently to acquire similar traits, say co-authors Hasebe and Fukushima. "Such parallel development often points to a particularly valuable adaptation," Hasebe says. As Fukushima explains, "Carnivorous plants often live in nutrient-poor environments, so the ability to trap and digest animals can be indispensable given the dearth of other sources of nourishment." It's striking that the plants studied took such a similar route to becoming predators, the co-authors say. Convergent evolution often works this way: For example, Albert and colleagues showed in a previous study that while coffee and chocolate plants developed caffeine independently, they co-opted closely related proteins to produce caffeine. The new study's results "imply constraints on the available routes to evolve plant carnivory," the authors write in Nature Ecology and Evolution. This prospect is underscored by unusual commonalities between digestive enzymes in Cephalotus and Nepenthes plants. During the course of evolution, building blocks of enzymes called amino acids are often swapped out and replaced by other amino acids. In C. follicularis and N. alata, basic chitinases and purple acid phosphatases share numerous identical or highly similar amino acid substitutions that don't occur in non-carnivorous species, suggesting that these alterations may help these enzymes function in special, carnivorous ways. Similarly, the enzyme RNase T2, which breaks down a material called RNA in insect cells to produce food for plants, had multiple evolutionarily convergent amino acid substitutions in C. follicularis and a common ancestor of N. alata and D. adelae. More information: Kenji Fukushima et al, Genome of the pitcher plant Cephalotus reveals genetic changes associated with carnivory, Nature Ecology & Evolution (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-016-0059 Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution Provided by University at Buffalo Sharks are often caught as incidental catch in fisheries for other species and sold locally as a source of cheap animal protein. This photo shows sharks in a market in Sri Lanka were caught in a multispecies inshore fishery. Credit: Colin Simpfendorfer Conventional wisdom holds that sharks can't be harvested in a sustainable manner because they are long-lived animals. It takes time for them to reproduce and grow in numbers. But, researchers reporting in Current Biology on February 6 have evidence to suggest that sustainable shark fishing can be done with careful, science-based management. In fact, they say, an outright shark ban won't work. The only way to protect sharks and the food security of people who depend on them is by managing shark fisheries sustainably. "There are two main reasons why bans on shark fishing don't work," says Colin Simpfendorfer (@SharkColin) from James Cook University in Australia. "First, most are caught incidentally in fisheries for other species, and many die during capture and handling. Second, many communities depend heavily on sharks and rays as a source of animal protein, so banning fishing may eliminate their only affordable source." There's no doubt that sharks (including rays and chimeras) are in trouble, facing possibly the largest crisis of their 420 million year history. As the researchers note, "tens of millions of sharks are caught and traded internationally each year, many populations are overfished to the point where global catch peaked in 2003, and a quarter of species have an elevated risk of extinction." In the new study, Simpfendorfer and colleague Nicholas Dulvy (@NickDulvy) from Canada's Simon Fraser University assessed data available for 65 worldwide populations of sharks and their relatives including rays and chimeras. They found that 39 of those populations representing 33 species met the criteria for biological sustainability. The sustainably fished sharks accounted for about 9 percent of the current global catch. That's more than 200,000 tons in live weight. So, sustainable shark fishing is not only possible, it's already happening in some places. The researchers offer five recommendations to help in achieving sustainable shark fisheries, which exist today in nations including the US, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, in other parts of the world. They are as follows: Species with the lowest biological productivity must be protected. Precautionary science-based catch limits should be implemented by international management organizations for the high-seas sharks. International treaties can help to support sustainable international fisheries and trade. Developed countries should offer assistance to developing countries to support the transition to sustainable shark fishing. Fisheries should implement mechanisms that trace shark products to their source, allowing consumers to choose products fished sustainably. Rays are often an incidental catch in trawl fisheries. This photograph shows blue spot lagoon rays were captured in a trawl fishery in Sri Lanka. Credit: Colin Simpfendorfer "At present the notion of sustainable shark fins is unthinkable to many," the researchers write. "Yet, today's sustainable (but not necessarily managed) shark fisheries yield ~4,406 tons of dried fins." Of course, consumers have no way of knowing today whether products they buy were fished sustainably or not. Simpfendorfer says there are many techniques to help reduce incidental catches of sharks and rays, and new innovative techniques should continue to be developed. For example, he says, the banning of wire leaders on longlines can reduce the catch of sharks. The use of turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in shrimp trawls also helps to avoid capture of larger sharks and rays. There won't be simple answers, however. That's because there are 1,200 shark species, and the challenges will be different in each country where they are found. "We need to redouble species-level data collection and increase status assessment of the most heavily fished populations so that we know how and when sustainability is achieved," Simpfendorfer says. "We can fish for sharks and avoid extinctions without banning fishing, but we urgently need improved assessment and management." They say the next step for them is to identify the lessons learned in sustainable shark fisheries and begin translating those into management recommendations that can be implemented in countries around the world. Fishes and healthy coral show the benefits of marine protected areas designed to protect reef ecosystems. Credit: Cody Clements, Georgia Tech For marine protected areas established to help coral reefs recover from overfishing, size really does seem to make a difference. In a study that may sound a new alarm for endangered corals, researchers have found that small community-based marine protected areas may be especially vulnerable to attack by crown-of-thorns sea stars (Acanthaster species) that can devastate coral reefs. The findings, published this week in the journal PLOS ONE, don't diminish the importance of protected areas, but point to a new threat that may emerge from the degraded areas that often surround healthy ecosystems. "The marine protected areas that are enforced in the Fiji Islands are having a remarkable effect," said Mark Hay, Regents Professor and Harry and Linda Teasley Chair in the School of Biological Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology. "The corals and fishes are recovering. But once these marine protected areas are successful, they attract the sea stars which can make the small marine protected areas victims of their own success." The research, conducted on marine protected areas in the Fiji Islands, was supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the Teasley Endowment at Georgia Tech. The findings conflict with earlier studies that showed diminished sea star threats in large-scale marine protected areas. "Successful small marine protected areas are like oases in the desert that may attract the sea stars, which can move tens of meters per day from degraded areas into the more pristine areas," said Cody Clements, a Georgia Tech graduate student who conducted the research. "One of the potential benefits of marine protected areas was supposed to be protection against these outbreaks, but that didn't seem to be the case in the areas we studied." In the Fiji Islands and other areas of the tropical Pacific, many villages have established marine protected areas where the local residents don't allow fishing. Protecting the fish helps control seaweeds that harm the coral, a foundation species whose presence helps ensure a healthy ecosystem. Enforcing the ban on fishing depends on community support for protecting the reefs, which are part of the local culture - and can provide economic benefits through tourism and spillover of fish to the areas where harvest is allowed. A tagged sea star is shown in the lower center part of this view of the Coral Coast of the Fiji Islands. Researchers tracked sea stars to see if they preferred marine protected areas or fished areas. Credit: Cody Clements, Georgia Tech The impact of the restored reefs goes beyond the recovered areas, which can contribute coral and fish larvae to help repopulate nearby areas. These sea stars are natural predators that attack coral by climbing onto reefs and turning their stomachs inside out to digest the coral. Large populations of sea stars can rapidly degrade reefs, consuming healthy coral and causing large-scale coral decline in a matter of weeks. To determine the extent of the problem and learn if the sea stars indeed preferred marine protected areas, Clements studied reefs within and immediately surrounding three marine protected areas on the Coral Coast of the Fiji Islands. First, he conducted a survey to determine population densities of the predators on both protected reefs and fished reefs outside their borders. The protected areas, Clements found, had as many as 3.4 times as many of the pests as the fished areas, and their densities were high enough to be considered Acanthaster sea star outbreaks. Next, he tagged 40 sea stars and caged 20 on the eastern and 20 on the western borders of each protected area for two days before releasing them. Clements tracked each sea star, recording whether they had entered the protected or fished areas, and how far they moved into each. Nearly three-quarters of the sea stars entered the marine protected areas rather than the fished areas. "There seems to be something that is attracting them to the protected areas," said Clements. "They are picking up on something, but we don't necessarily know what it is." The research did not examine chemical cues that may be attracting the sea stars, though other studies have suggested the scent of corals being consumed may draw the crown-of-thorns. A crown-of-thorns sea star is shown on a coral reef in the Fiji Islands. Researchers found that the sea stars are a threat to small marine protected areas. Credit: Cody Clements, Georgia Tech Hay theorizes that the degraded coral reefs may protect the juvenile sea stars, which often hide by day until they reach a certain size. Adult sea stars have poisonous spines to protect them against fish or other potential enemies. Once they reach a certain size, they may move into areas with higher coral density. Though the small size of the Fijian protected areas - averaging less than a square kilometer - may be a negative for protecting against the sea stars, they could be a positive in efforts to control the pest. Teams of local residents could capture the predators in periodic harvests to keep populations at lower densities, Hay said. The animals can hide in the reefs, but their feeding habits usually make them visible. "Once you deal with them enough, you don't have to see them to know where they are," said Clements. "You can follow the feeding scars they leave on the coral. Where the scar ends, you know you'll find one nearby." The sea stars are a natural part of the tropical Pacific environment, and outbreaks have been known for years. But there is concern that the densities of the pests and number of outbreaks have been increasing at a time when the coral reefs are more vulnerable. "Reefs are facing many novel stressors today," said Clements. "They might have been able to tolerate crown-of-thorns attacks in the past that are too much for them now. There are multiple threats facing coral reef ecosystems, and this doesn't help." Coral conservation efforts can require a decade to show results, and Hay hopes the latest threat will not discourage designation of marine protected areas. "Our findings do not negate the value of the protected areas, but raise an issue of concern to the people who manage them," he said. "This looks like a threat that could be accelerating, and we wanted to raise the awareness." More information: Cody S. Clements et al, Size matters: Predator outbreaks threaten foundation species in small Marine Protected Areas, PLOS ONE (2017). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171569 Journal information: PLoS ONE In this model of a neuron, the neuron learns by adjusting the weights of its connections with other neurons. Credit: Goldt et al. 2017 American Physical Society (Phys.org)While investigating how efficiently the brain can learn new information, physicists have found that, at the neuronal level, learning efficiency is ultimately limited by the laws of thermodynamicsthe same principles that limit the efficiency of many other familiar processes. "The greatest significance of our work is that we bring the second law of thermodynamics to the analysis of neural networks," Sebastian Goldt at the University of Stuttgart, Germany, told Phys.org. "The second law is a very powerful statement about which transformations are possibleand learning is just a transformation of a neural network at the expense of energy. This makes our results quite general and takes us one step towards understanding the ultimate limits of the efficiency of neural networks." Goldt and coauthor Udo Seifert have published a paper on their work in a recent issue of Physical Review Letters. Since all brain activity is tied to the firing of billions of neurons, at the neuronal level, the question of "how efficiently can we learn?" becomes the question of "how efficiently can a neuron adjust its output signal in response to the patterns of input signals it receives from other neurons?" As neurons get better at firing in response to certain patterns, the corresponding thoughts are reinforced in our brains, as implied by the adage "fire together, wire together." In the new study, the scientists showed that learning efficiency is bounded by the total entropy production of a neural network. They demonstrated that, the slower a neuron learns, the less heat and entropy it produces, increasing its efficiency. In light of this finding, the scientists introduced a new measure of learning efficiency based on energy requirements and thermodynamics. As the results are very general, they can be applied to any learning algorithm that does not use feedback, such as those used in artificial neural networks. "Having a thermodynamic perspective on neural networks gives us a new tool to think about their efficiency and gives us a new way to rate their performance," Goldt said. "Finding the optimal artificial neural network with respect to that rating is an exciting possibility, and also quite a challenge." In the future, the researchers plan to analyze the efficiency of learning algorithms that do employ feedback, as well as investigate the possibility of experimentally testing the new model. "On the one hand, we are currently researching what thermodynamics can teach us about other learning problems," Goldt said. "At the same time, we are looking at ways to make our models and hence our results more general. It's an exciting time to work on neural networks!" More information: Sebastian Goldt and Udo Seifert. "Stochastic Thermodynamics of Learning." Physical Review Letters. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.010601, Also at arXiv:1611.09428 [cond-mat.stat-mech] Journal information: Physical Review Letters 2017 Phys.org Credit: Brian J. Skerry / National Geographic Stock / WWF As the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) meets for an extraordinary session this week, WWF is calling on member countries to urgently reach consensus on conservation measures for ecologically- and commercially-important tropical tuna species. Management controls on fishing several species expired last month, leaving the stocks open to exploitation without essential safeguards. "The reality is that there are no management and conservation measures in place right now for intensively-fished tropical tuna species in the Eastern Pacific - this is a dangerous situation," said Pablo Guerrero, WWF LAC Fisheries Director. ". Even the old conservation measure -which wasn't perfect and needed improvements - is not in effect for the 2017 fishing season." WWF has been speaking with members and fishing industry representatives to express concern that a lack of action will be a major setback to the IATTC decision-making processes. If another meeting adjourns with no measure in place, it raises the risk that populations of bigeye and yellowfin tunas will become overfished. Fishing mortality in the eastern Pacific has risen notably in parallel with the continuous increase in capacity of the purse-seine fleet operating in the region. "A continued lack of consensus will also hurt several tuna fishery improvement projects in the region and will have an immediate effect on impeding sales to markets that demand sustainable products," added Guerrero. Tuna resources in the Eastern Pacific Ocean sustain a very large industry that supports the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people and contributes to economic growth and social development in the region. Responsible management is a necessary condition for achieving sustainable fisheries. Currently there are three conservation proposals of tropical tunas in the EPO, submitted by the United States, Ecuador-Colombia and Mexico: a) establishing catch limits for bigeye and yellowfin by individual vessels; b) establishing a global catch limit for bigeye and yellowfin caught in sets on fish aggregating devices (FADs); and c) implementing restrictions on the use of FADs. WWF urges the IATTC to reach agreement at this meeting and resume deliberations on addressing overcapacity. "WWF considers it necessary to address the main threats, such as overfishing and overcapacity, and urges countries to find common ground and agree on effective conservation measures to reduce fishing mortality of yellowfin and bigeye to levels recommended by the commission's own scientists," concluded Guerrero. Provided by WWF Credit: University of Plymouth A method based on the north-south atmospheric pressure gradient along the Atlantic coast of Europe could lead to enhanced forecasting of extreme wave conditions and increased preparedness within coastal communities, a new study suggests. Researchers from the University of Plymouth, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, l'Universite de Bordeaux and l'Institut Universitaire Europeen de la Mer have developed a new climate index, termed the West Europe Pressure Anomaly (WEPA). It is based on the atmospheric pressure difference between the Canary Islands and Ireland, and is very strongly linked to the winter wave variability along most of the west coast of Europe. Initial tests have shown it significantly outscores existing functions, particularly an index called the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), which has long been known to affect climate variability in the Northern Hemisphere and wave climate arriving at the coasts of the UK, Portugal, France and Ireland. The NAO index is computed based on the difference in atmospheric pressure between the well-known 'Azores High' and 'Icelandic Low', and more energetic wave conditions are generally associated with a large atmospheric pressure difference. However, during the 2013/14 winter, when repeated storms battered Europe's Atlantic coastline (and when the UK was impacted by extensive river flooding), the value for the NAO was far from exceptional, despite the fact that in terms of wave conditions it was the most energetic winter in almost seven decades. A study of the new tool has been accepted for publication in Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union, with researchers using modelled wave and weather data to generate their findings. Gerd Masselink, Professor of Coastal Geomorphology at the University of Plymouth, said: "WEPA is the most relevant index to explain storm wave variability, both spatially and temporally, along the Atlantic coast of Europe. It is critical to our understanding of coastal hazards across western Europe, including in the UK. Further testing should be carried out to assess whether it is also correlated to other climate factors and consequences, such as rainfall and river flooding." Sea-level rise is seen by many as the major threat to our coast, and previous studies led by the University of Plymouth have shown that extreme wave conditions can induce dramatic coastal erosion that may take many years for the coast to recover. Being able to forecast such extreme winters is a key issue for coastal management and the climate indicator reported in this study can be an extremely useful tool for making such predictions. Dr Tim Scott, Lecturer in Ocean Exploration, added: "The real value of climate indices such as WEPA is that if climate modellers can predict how such indices may change in the future due to climate change, we will have a means to indirectly assess the impact of climate change on storminess. Even if we can predict the value of WEPA several months year ahead, this would already be of great use to coastal managers and help them with preparing for the winter." More information: Bruno Castelle et al. A new climate index controlling winter wave activity along the Atlantic coast of Europe: The West Europe Pressure Anomaly, Geophysical Research Letters (2017). DOI: 10.1002/2016GL072379 Journal information: Geophysical Research Letters Dr. Chor Tee Tan, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research associate research scientist in Amarillo, prepares KASP assays. Credit: Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Kay Ledbette The Wsm2 gene is located on chromosome 3BS in wheat and most recently eight tightly linked flanking markers have been identified and mapped. To most, that means very little. To Texas A&M AgriLife Research geneticists and breeders, it's the key to battling one of the most important biotic stresses affecting wheat. Dr. Shuyu Liu, AgriLife Research small grains geneticist in Amarillo, and his team recently published two articles, "Saturated Genetic Mapping of Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus Resistance Gene Wsm2 in Wheat" and "Development and Validation of KASP Markers for Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus Resistance Gene Wsm2," in the Crop Science journal. In both articles, Liu and his collaborators outlined how wheat streak mosaic virus, also known as WSMV, is a major threat to wheat production in the Great Plains, one of the largest wheat regions in the nation, Liu said. While the threat may not be as high as it is in the U.S., the virus has been found in all major wheat-growing regions of the world. There is no effective chemical treatment available for the disease, he said. Host resistance is the most cost-effective and environmentally safe approach for combating this disease. "WSMV resistance is an important target trait for our wheat breeding program," said Dr. Jackie Rudd, AgriLife Research wheat breeder in Amarillo. "We have evaluated many diverse sources of genetic resistance over the years, including a wheat breeding line from Colorado State University, CO960293-2, known to have good resistance." Rudd and the AgriLife Research wheat team began crossing with the Colorado line in 2005 and by 2011 had identified and mapped WSMV resistance on chromosome 3BS and named the gene Wsm2. Liu said wheat breeding programs worldwide now rely on two primary sources of resistance, Wsm1 identified in the early 1990s from a wheatgrass, and the Wsm2 from a bread wheat, for development of WSMV-resistant wheat cultivars. Effective molecular markers closely linked to the target genes are the key for the success of marker-assisted selection on traits such as WSMV resistance, he said. Among the available markers, single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs are routinely used in plant breeding programs to distinguish potentially superior genotypes with genetic merit for traits of interest. Two clusters from the KASP assay shows wheat lines exhibiting resistance with Wsm2, blue, and susceptibility, red, to WSMV. Credit: Texas A&M University His genetic team has identified eight SNPs flanking Wsm2, Liu said. This helps increase the efficiency in selection for the resistance needed to battle the virus. "A single marker linked to target genes may not be sufficient to screen across diverse genetic backgrounds," Liu said. "Therefore, a set of tightly linked markers on each side of the gene is the best predictor for Wsm2 with higher accuracy." These tightly linked SNPs will be useful for marker-assisted selection for WSMV resistance, he said. Dr. Chor Tee Tan, an associate research scientist in Amarillo, has been able to carry the AgriLife Research work one step further. Working in the wheat genetic program for almost four years, he led the effort to develop breeder-friendly Kompetitive Allele Specific Polymerase Chain Reaction or KASP assays for those SNPs tightly linked to Wsm2 and validated them in multiple breeding populations. If a breeder is screening 1,000s of breeding lines, as is typical, the KASP acts as a flag to say the necessary sequence for wheat streak mosaic virus resistance exists in a particular line of wheat, Tan said. "These KASP SNPs were tested on a panel of nine wheat breeding and mapping populations with diverse genetic backgrounds and were found to be very effective in differentiating resistant and susceptible genotypes for WSMV," he said. "We have many lines with Wsm2 in our breeding pipeline now and these new markers will help us get to the finish line," Rudd said. "Marker technology has greatly improved, and these latest findings are easy to use and very predictable." Liu said the joint effort from breeders at AgriLife Research, Kansas State University-Hays and Colorado State University, has "made great progress to fight this disease that is not easy to screen by infection." Research for these studies was supported in part by the Texas Wheat Producer Board, Monsanto's Beachell-Borlaug International Scholars, AgriLife Research and a U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant to the Triticeae-CAP project. More information: Silvano Assanga et al. Saturated Genetic Mapping ofResistance Genein Wheat, Crop Science (2017). DOI: 10.2135/cropsci2016.04.0233 Chor-Tee Tan et al. Development and Validation of KASP Markers for Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus Resistance Gene, Crop Science (2017). DOI: 10.2135/cropsci2016.04.0234 Nigerias main opposition party Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to tell Nigerians the true state of his health. Heath status of President Buhari unknown PDP made this call following President Buharis extension of his medical leave indefinitely and his inability to return to Nigeria from the UK. The PDP said it was wrong for the President to also send letter to the National Assembly, extending his leave, without telling Nigerians when he would resume. READ ALSO: APC benefitted from anti-govt protest Senator Shehu Sani PDPs spokesperson Dayo Adeyeye who spoke with Punch newspaper said it was wrong for the President and his handlers to be trivializing the health of the President. The President should know he is not a private citizen. He should know that Nigerians are the ones paying his health bills and therefore, he should tell them the true state of his health. He should not treat Nigerians with levity and he should also know what is obtainable in civilised countries. Nigeria is not a jungle. Imagine the President talking about a leave extension but not saying when he would resume? Medical tests have dates of collection of results. It cant be open-ended without dates, he said. Reacting to PDPs call, the national publicity secretary of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, questioned the PDP stating that Does the PDP know more than what we have been told? What we know is what we have been told. This is the President of the country. The elections are over; he is our President, he is the President of Nigeria not that of the APC or the PDP. If the President has told us that he needs to stay back to do some other medical things, it behoves us, as responsible citizens, to pray for him and stop sensing an opportunity to retaliate. Does the PDP know more than what we have been told? What we know is what we have been told. We believe that the President has demonstrated an acute sense of responsibility. We are all living witnesses to our recent history where a President travelled and did not even communicate to the National Assembly the appropriate document to make the then Vice-President act in his stead. But this is a President that, on every occasion that he has to travel, he not only communicate to the National Assembly, but creates the enabling environment and the space for the Vice-President to act as President in his absence. READ ALSO: Biafra: No retreat, no surrender, IPOB tells FG I dont know why people will start going green in the eyes as if we are actually hoping that tragedy befalls this country. The PDP should not behave in a way that will make Nigerians begin to think that it is actually spreading the rumour that the President is dead. Source: Legit.ng Google Setback Shows the Microsoft Ireland Datacenter Case May Not Be Over Google's recent legal setback requiring the cloud giant to hand over customer e-mails stored on servers outside the United States suggests that the U.S. Department of Justice will fight a recent decision by a higher federal court in a similar case involving Microsoft and its datacenter in Ireland. In the Microsoft case, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, in New York City, in late January declined to re-hear a case in which the Appeals Court previously ruled that Microsoft did not have to turn over e-mails that the government demanded that were stored in Microsoft's datacenter facilities in Ireland. Conversely, on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Magistrate Judge Thomas J. Rueter ordered Google to comply with search warrants and turn over to the FBI customer e-mails that were stored abroad. "Although the new decision is only a single opinion by a single magistrate judge, the decision shows that the Justice Department is asking judges outside the Second Circuit to reject the Second Circuit's ruling -- and that at least one judge has agreed," wrote Orin Kerr, a professor at The George Washington University Law School, in a blog post for The Washington Post after the Google decision on Friday. Rueter did acknowledge the 2nd Circuit ruling in his decision but ultimately ruled against Google. One key difference between the cases involved the way Microsoft and Google stored the data. The e-mails in question in the Microsoft case were exclusively stored in Ireland and were there for some time. The data that Google had refused to turn over had been partitioned so that portions were stored in the United States, while others landed in datacenters in different countries. The cases are complicated, and hinge on the Stored Communications Act (SCA), the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLAT) and many other factors. The importance of the issues involved to the U.S. government and to U.S.-based tech companies with global business interests virtually guarantees that the fight will continue. As Kerr nicely summarized the interests at stake in an earlier blog post about a previous twist in the Microsoft case: "For Microsoft, it is thought that lots of European business may hinge on the outcome. In the post-Snowden world, many Europeans are very concerned about the risk of U.S. spying on foreign communications. U.S. government access to foreign e-mail accounts is a sensitive question. ... And it's easy to see why it matters to [the] Justice Department. A U.S. provider can easily put the e-mail of U.S. customers on a server abroad. If doing so would place the e-mail outside the reach of a U.S. warrant, then U.S. providers could readily thwart U.S. search warrants in domestic cases by putting their servers in places where alternative legal process would be spotty or unworkable." In short, these questions aren't settled. Look for new legislation from Congress, a continuing push by the DoJ to develop dueling federal court rulings or for the U.S. Supreme Court to eventually take up one of the cases. Turkish Police Arrest Hundreds in Largest Anti-ISIS Operation Turkeys anti-terrorism police have detained over 440 people for alleged links to ISIS, a state-run agency reported on Sunday, Feb. 5. The Anadolu Agency said 60 ISIS suspects were taken into custody early Sunday in the capital. A total of 445 people were detained in simultaneous pre-dawn police operations that spanned several cities, including Gaziantep that rests near the border of Syria. The largest operation was in the southeast province of Sanliurfa, where police took into custody more than 100 suspects from multiple addresses and found materials relating to ISIS militants. Security forces believe that also apprehended at least nine suspects who were allegedly preparing an attack on the northwestern city of Izmir. Turkey has been stepping up their anti-terrorism efforts as a result of dozens of bloody attacks linked to ISIS or Kurdish militants in the last couple of years. BRUSSELS (AP) The European Union's top diplomats vowed Monday to uphold sanctions against Russia for destabilizing conflict-torn Ukraine, despite confusion over how U.S. President Donald Trump plans to manage his relations with Moscow. Determined to wait no longer for a clear message from Washington, EU foreign ministers said their economic sanctions must remain in place until Russian President Vladimir Putin respects his promise to work for a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine and ensure that heavy weapons are withdrawn from border areas. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini underlined that the EU will never recognize Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, and insisted all sides must respect the Minsk peace agreement aimed at ending the fighting in eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russia-backed separatists. "I cannot say where the U.S. administration stands on this, but I can say where the Europeans stand on this," Mogherini said. Fighting has escalated over the past week in eastern Ukraine, killing at least 36 people, including civilians, and wounding dozens. More than 9,800 people have died since the war began in 2014. The EU imposed a series of rolling economic sanctions against Russia in July 2014. They include economic and diplomatic measures, like the cancellation of top meetings, and travel bans and asset freezes on people linked to the annexation of Crimea or accused of interfering with Ukraine's territorial integrity. Some of those measures were renewed in December until July 31. "The U.K. will be insisting that there is no case for the relaxation of the sanctions, every case for keeping up the pressure on Russia," British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linus Antanas Linkevicius described the developments in eastern Ukraine as "highly unpredictable." "It could erupt at any time," he said. "The sanctions must be preserved, to say the least. We see no reasons why we should lift our review. We see no improvement." Story continues EU member countries were rattled by Trump's generally benevolent view of Putin during the election. Trump has repeatedly praised Putin and signaled that U.S.-Russia relations could be in for a makeover under his leadership, even after U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen said he was reassured by declarations from the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, suggesting that sanctions over Crimea will remain in place. "If the Americans change direction - I don't think they will - EU will have to play a stronger role," Samuelsen said. The past has shown, he warned, that "every time there is a vacuum, someone will step in and fill the void." AFP News Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was recovering in hospital Friday after a gunman shot him in the leg, with his supporters vowing the assassination attempt will not derail his "long march" bid to return to power. The attack on his convoy, apparently by a lone gunman, killed one man and wounded at least 10, significantly raising the stakes in a political crisis that has gripped the South Asian nation since Khan's ousting in April. Khan "was stable and he was doing fine" at Shaukat Khanum hospital in the eastern city of Lahore, his doctor Faisal Sultan told AFP Friday. Seemi Bokhari, a lawmaker with Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, said after visiting Khan the former premier was in high spirits. "The doctors are allowing him to move ... He is feeling perfectly well and he will soon be discharged," she told AFP. The 70-year-old former international cricket star had been leading a campaign convoy of thousands since last week from Lahore to the capital Islamabad when he was attacked. Khan suffered at least one bullet wound to his right leg when a gunmen sprayed pistol fire at his modified container truck as it drove slowly through a thick crowd in Wazirabad, around 170 kilometres (105 miles) east of Islamabad. "Everyone who was standing in the very front row got hit," former information minister Fawad Chaudhry, who was standing behind Khan, told AFP. Senior aide Raoof Hasan said it was "an attempt to kill him, to assassinate him". Chaudhry said party officials would meet later Friday to discuss the immediate fate of Khan's campaign march. "The real freedom long march will continue and the movement for people's rights will remain until an announcement on the general elections," he tweeted. - Threats - Party officials also called for supporters to stage rallies and marches across the country after Friday afternoon prayers, the most important of the week. Protesters lit fires and blocked roads in several cities late Thursday as news of Khan's shooting spread. His campaign truck has become a crime scene for now, cordoned off and guarded by commandos as forensic experts comb the area. Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said Thursday the attacker had been taken into custody. Officials shared an apparent confession video that was circulating online. "I did it because (Khan) was misleading the public," says a dishevelled man in the leaked video, shown with his hands tied behind his back in what appears to be a police station. He says he was angry with the procession for making a racket during the call to prayer that summons Muslims to the mosque five times a day. Pervaiz Elahi, the chief minister of Punjab, said officers who leaked the video would be disciplined. Pakistan has been grappling with Islamist militancy for decades, with right-wing religious groups having huge sway over the population. It has been no stranger to assassination attempts during decades of political instability, and the powerful military has led the country several times. Pakistan's first prime minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, was shot dead at a rally in Rawalpindi in 1951. Another former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, was killed in 2007 when a huge bomb detonated near her vehicle as she greeted supporters in the city of Rawalpindi. - Kicked from power - Khan was booted from office in April by a no-confidence vote after defections by some of his coalition partners, but he retains huge support. He was voted into power in 2018 on an anti-corruption platform by an electorate tired of dynastic politics, but his mishandling of the economy -- and falling out with a military accused of helping his rise -- sealed his fate. Since then, he has railed against the establishment and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government, which he says was imposed on Pakistan by a "conspiracy" involving the United States. Khan and Shehbaz have for months traded bitter accusations of corruption and incompetence, raising the political temperature in a nation that is frequently at boiling point. Khan has repeatedly told supporters he was prepared to die for the country, and aides have long warned of unspecified threats made on his life. The attack drew international condemnation including from the United States, which had uneasy relations with Khan when he was in power. "Violence has no place in politics, and we call on all parties to refrain from violence, harassment and intimidation," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. sjd/fox/ecl/pbt/dhc AFP News Zhang Yao recalls the moment he realised something had gone deeply wrong at the Chinese mega-factory where he and hundreds of thousands of other workers assembled iPhones and other high-end electronics. In early October, supervisors suddenly warned him that 3,000 colleagues had been taken into quarantine after someone tested positive for Covid-19 at the factory. "They told us not to take our masks off," Zhang, speaking under a pseudonym for fear of retaliation, told AFP by telephone. What followed was a weeks-long ordeal including food shortages and the ever-present fear of infection, before he finally escaped on Tuesday. Zhang's employer, Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn, has said it faces a "protracted battle" against infections and imposed a "closed loop" bubble around its sprawling campus in central China's Zhengzhou city. Local authorities locked down the area surrounding the major Apple supplier's factory on Wednesday, but not before reports emerged of employees fleeing on foot and a lack of adequate medical care at the plant. China is the last major economy committed to a zero-Covid strategy, persisting with snap lockdowns, mass testing and lengthy quarantines in a bid to stamp out emerging outbreaks. But new variants have tested officials' ability to snuff out flare-ups and dragged down economic activity with the threat of sudden disruptions. - Desperation - Multiple workers have recounted scenes of chaos and increasing disorganisation at Foxconn's complex of workshops and dormitories, which form a city-within-a-city near Zhengzhou's airport. Zhang told AFP that "positive tests and double lines (on antigen tests) had become a common sight" in his workshop before he left. "Of course we were scared, it was so close to us." "People with fevers are not guaranteed to receive medicine," another Foxconn worker, a 30-year-old man who also asked to remain anonymous, told AFP. "We are drowning," he said. Those who decided to stop working were not offered meals at their dormitories, Zhang said, adding that some were able to survive on personal stockpiles of instant noodles. Kai, a worker at in the complex who gave an interview to state-owned Sanlian Lifeweek, told the magazine Foxconn's "closed loop" involved cordoning off paths between dormitory compounds and the factory, and complained he was left to his own devices after being thrown in quarantine. TikTok videos geolocated by AFP showed mounds of uncollected rubbish outside buildings in late October, while employees in N95 masks squeezed onto packed shuttle buses taking them from dormitories to their work stations. A 27-year-old woman working at Foxconn, who asked not to be named, told AFP a roommate who tested positive for Covid was sent back to her dormitory on Thursday morning, crying, after she decided to hand in her notice while in quarantine. "Now the three of us are living in the same room: one a confirmed case and two of us testing positive on the rapid test, still waiting for our nucleic acid test results," the worker told AFP. Many became so desperate by the end of last month that they attempted to walk back to their hometowns to get around Covid transport curbs. As videos of people dragging their suitcases down motorways and struggling up hills spread on Chinese social media, the authorities rushed in to do damage control. The Zhengzhou city government on Sunday said it had arranged for special buses to take employees back to their hometowns. Surrounding Henan province has officially reported a spike of more than 600 Covid cases since the start of this week. - Distrust - When Zhang finally attempted to leave the Foxconn campus on Tuesday, he found the company had set up obstacle after obstacle. "There were people with loudspeakers advertising the latest Foxconn policy, saying that each day there would be a 400 yuan ($55) bonus," Zhang told AFP. A crowd of employees gathered at a pick-up point in front of empty buses but were not let on. People in hazmat suits, known colloquially as "big whites" in China, claimed they had been sent by the city government. "They tried to persuade people to stay in Zhengzhou... and avoid going home," Zhang said. "But when we asked to see their work ID, they had nothing to show us, so we suspected they were actually from Foxconn." Foxconn pointed to the local government's lockdown orders from Wednesday when asked by AFP if it attempted to stop employees from leaving, without giving any further response. The company had on Sunday said it was "providing employees with complimentary three meals a day" and cooperating with the government to provide transport home. Eventually, the crowd of unhappy workers who had gathered decided to take matters into their own hands and walked over seven kilometres on foot to the nearest highway entry ramp. There, more people claiming to be government officials pleaded with the employees to wait for the bus. The crowd had no choice as the road was blocked. Buses eventually arrived at five in the afternoon -- nearly nine hours after Zhang had begun his attempt to secure transport. "They were trying to grind us down," he said. Back in his hometown, Zhang is now waiting out the home quarantine period required by the local government. "All I feel is, I've finally left Zhengzhou," he told AFP. bur-tjx/oho/je/mca/cwl AFP News Pope Francis warned the world is on the edge of a "delicate precipice" and buffeted by "winds of war" as he held inter-faith talks with one of Sunni Islam's top leaders in Bahrain on Friday. The 85-year-old Argentine decried the "opposing blocs" of East and West, a veiled reference to the standoff over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in a speech to religious leaders in the tiny Gulf state. "We continue to find ourselves on the brink of a delicate precipice and we do not want to fall," he told an audience including Bahrain's king and Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Cairo's prestigious Al-Azhar mosque. "A few potentates are caught up in a resolute struggle for partisan interests, reviving obsolete rhetoric, redesigning spheres of influence and opposing blocs," he added. "We appear to be witnessing a dramatic and childlike scenario: in the garden of humanity, instead of cultivating our surroundings, we are playing instead with fire, missiles and bombs." The pope's visit, aimed at strengthening relations with Islam, comes with the Ukraine war in its ninth month, and as tensions grow on the Korean peninsula and in the Taiwan Strait. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who met Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in September, told journalists that there had been "a few small signs" of progress in negotiations with Moscow, warning that peace initiatives should not be "exploited for other goals". Francis, who is on his second visit to the wealthy Gulf, later met privately with al-Tayeb, with whom he signed a Muslim-Christian manifesto for peace in the United Arab Emirates in 2019. "This meeting has great symbolic importance, both locally and internationally, for promoting peace and peaceful co-existence between different religions and civilisations," said Hala Ramzi Fayez, a Christian and member of Bahrain's parliament. - Sunni, Shiite talks? - Leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics, Francis has placed inter-faith dialogue at the heart of his papacy, visiting other Muslim-majority countries including Egypt, Turkey and Iraq. Al-Tayeb, who met with the pope on previous Middle East visits, also called on Friday for talks between Islam's two main branches, Sunni and Shiite, to settle sectarian differences. Later, the pope addressed 17 members of the Muslim Council of Elders, an international group of Islamic scholars and dignitaries, at the mosque of the Sakhir Royal Palace. He told them dialogue was "the oxygen of peaceful coexistence". "In a world that is increasingly wounded and divided, that beneath the surface of globalisation senses anxiety and fear, the great religious traditions must be the heart that unites the members of the body," he said. He also struck out at the arms trade, a "commerce of death" that he said was "turning our common home into one great arsenal". The pope, who is using a wheelchair and a walking stick due to long-standing knee problems, began the first papal visit to Bahrain on Thursday by hitting out at the death penalty and urging respect for human rights and better conditions for workers. Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Bahrain's minister of finance and national economy, insisted the country has "led the region" with its criminal justice reforms. "We have some of the most robust and wide-ranging human rights and criminal justice protections in the region," the minister told AFP on Friday. "There are very well-established channels through which any of these critics can go, well established institutions of accountability," he said, adding that the pope's comments on the death penalty did not single out Bahrain. "It is important to note that that reference... was a general reference to countries around the world," the minister said. Bahrain has executed six people since 2017, when it carried out its first execution in seven years. Some of the condemned were convicted following a 2011 uprising put down with military support from neighbouring Saudi Arabia. cmk-lar/par/ho/th/dwo (Photos of Workers Party chairman Sylvia Lim and Minister in the Prime Ministers Office Chan Chun Sing: AFP/Reuters) Workers Party chairman Sylvia Lim questioned in Parliament on Monday (6 February) whether the designation of Wee Kim Wee as Singapores first elected president was politically motivated, prompting a rebuttal from Minister from the Prime Ministers Office Chan Chun Sing. Lim and Chan were speaking during the debate on the Presidential Elections (Amendment) Bill. Earlier Monday, Chan told the House that the next presidential election will be held in September. Chan also announced new campaigning rules for future elections. Last November, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced in Parliament that the next election will be reserved for Malay candidates. Lee said that the government had received advice from the Attorney-Generals Chamber on how to apply the hiatus-triggered mechanism for reserved elections. Under this mechanism, the presidential election should be reserved for candidates from a racial group if it is not represented for five terms, or 30 years, to ensure minority representation from time to time. Lim said, We were told that the advice was to count from President Wee Kim Wee who was then the first president to exercise the powers of an elected president. This advice was surprising and illogical to many Singaporeans given that President Wee Kim Wee was never elected to office. Wee was an appointed president in 1985, and during his second term, the Constitution was amended in 1991 to allow for direct presidential elections. In response, Chan asked, Are you suggesting the Attorney-General did not give the government the appropriate advice? Or that the Prime Minister has not been truthful with the Attorney-Generals advice? If its the first, then I think Miss Lim, as suggested by DPM Teo (Chee Hean), can challenge this in the courts. But if its the second, then Im afraid its a very serious issue to cast aspersions on the integrity of our Prime Minister. Lim said the governments decision to count from Wee as the first elected president was arbitrary and not a matter of getting legal advice to interpret any existing laws. Story continues In 1993, Ong Teng Cheong succeeded Wee after he won the presidential election. Ong served one term and was succeeded in 1999 by S R Nathan, who served two terms before handing over in 2011 to President Tony Tan, who will step down in August after serving one term. Lim questioned, Why not count from the first elected president, Mr Ong Teng Cheong? Is it because if President Ong was the first one to be counted, we would have to go through this years election as an open election and risk the contest by Chinese or Indian candidates who may not be to the governments liking? Lim highlighted that if Ong was counted as the first elected president, only four terms would have passed by the next election. But Chan explained that Wee had exercised the discretionary powers of an elected president during his second term. President Wee Kim Wee was the first president to exercise the powers under the new Elected Presidency act, he said. Chan added that the amendments to the Bill were not for any short-term political gain, explaining that the moving of this Bill carry with it high political risk with some political cost. He said, We are here to build systems for Singapore for the long haul. Not for short-term political advantage, not for the political advantage of any particular parties. We are but stewards for our nation. The changes to the Presidential Elections Act were passed with all the Peoples Action Party MPs in the House voting for them, while all the WP MPs and Nominated MP Kok Heng Leun voted against them. During the debate, Chan inadvertently addressed Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob as Madam President twice instead of Madam Speaker, drawing laughter from the House. Good idea, Slovakia! is the slogan to present the country abroad. Font size: A - | A + The new slogan and logo-type of the brand Slovakia are the result of a several years search for a new identification brand, Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak said at its official presentation to media on April 28. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The result of this process based on expertise, communication with experts and the wider public tried to find what people can conceive when hearing the brand of Slovakia, what it should include, according to them, Lajcak said, as quoted by the TASR newswire. Only the brand of a country which its inhabitants can identify with has a chance to succeed. The new logo and slogan have a huge potential to positively present Slovakia abroad. The slogan itself is simple, sounds nice, is clear, brief and kind at the same time, minister said. The data collected in a poll conducted by the Focus agency on 1,000 respondents between January 27, 2015 and February 3, 2015, generated four key words which came to the basis for the creation of the brand variedness, inventiveness, authenticity and vitality. Then the winner of the tender, the Creative Department company, began working and after searching for something extraordinary, something identical, original which would show Slovaks in what a good country we live, it made the final result. The winning design cost 80,000. Part of the public procurement was also the unification of the visual identity of public administration which will now have a unified visual which will be differentiated according to the levels of state administration. The whole process lasted seven years, Lajcak told the SITA newswire. Ministries and central bodies are obliged to use the new logo-type, while subordinate bodies and self-administration are recommended to use it. It is necessary to implement the new visual since October 1, and full launch is set for the beginning of 2017, minister said. Slovak President Andrej Kiska is on a two-day official working trip in Italy. Group of statues from the Nativity of Jesus Altar, Gothic Treasures form Slovakia expo (Source: Courtesy of SNM) Font size: A - | A + Apart from negotiations with Italys top officials Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Senate Chairman Pietro Grasso he will also visit the Roman seat of the European Union Naval Force Mediterranean (EUNAVFOR MED) Sophia headquarters and the Slovak Papal College of Saint Cyril and Methodius on September 28 and 29. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Kiska, along with Mattarella, will officially open the Gothic Treasures from Slovakia exposition in Rome, the Presidents Office informed the TASR newswire. In the Slovak Embassy to Italy, Kiska will bestow a state honour in memoriam to sea captain Carlo Orlandi who tried to transport 500 Czech and Slovak Jews in a steamboat called Pentcho from Nazi-ridden Bratislava to Palestine in 1940. The works of Master Paul of Levoca and other gothic treasures of Slovak cultural heritage from the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries will be displayed in the residence of Italian president Palazzo del Quirinale in Rome. The exposition called Tesori gotici dalla Slovacchia (Gothic Treasures from Slovakia) will be opened on September 29. The Slovak National Museum (SNM) in cooperation with the Italian President Office General Secretariat has prepared one of the most important projects of Slovakias Presidency of the Council of the EU that presents Slovak culture and history, Dagmar Brisudova of SNM informed TASR. All Slovak exhibits are national cultural landmarks of extraordinary artistic and historic value. Some exhibits, such as the group of statues from the Nativity of Jesus Altar or the Lamentation of Christ statue from the Saint James Church in Levoca have left Slovakia for the first time ever. Other works of Master Paul will be featured as well, including the statue of Virgin Mary from the Virgin Mary Altar in Spisske Podhradie, Crucified Christ in Spisske Vlachy, among others. Master Pauls sculptures are complemented by paintings of his contemporaries. Visitors have the chance to see goldsmith products, samples of textile and lighting production, the three biggest late-gothic monstrances and two christening bowls. In addition, Decretum Gratiani, printed in Venice in the 15th century, will also be on display. The Culture Ministry contributed 185,000 to SNM for the preparation of exhibits for the exposition. The exposition will feature 52 exhibits from 20 various owners and will run until November 13. Both government and opposition leaders channel support for billionaire American xenophobe Font size: A - | A + For people who grew up in North America, the regard in which Americas right-wing Republican Party is held by politicians from the former East Bloc has always been a mystery. Admittedly, the wall came down under Reagan and Bush Sr.s presidencies, and the Democratic Partys emphasis on income redistribution may have unwelcomely evoked Communism. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement But one always felt like asking: Dont you see that its all a lie, that Americas fiscal conservatives are just running a bait-and-switch scam to win votes for the 1 percent? Cant you see that the demands of economic and social reform make you more natural partners of Clinton-type Democrats? The exercise of CV-22 OSPREY planes will focus on brown out and shooting. Font size: A - | A + Two planes, type CV-22 Osprey of the 7th Special Operations Squadron, an active flying unit of the United States Air Force, will train in Slovakia between November 28 and December 2. They will focus especially on the so-called brown out, i.e. an intentional or unintentional drop in voltage in an electrical power supply system, as well as shooting on ground targets in the complex of the air shooting range near Kuchyna in the Zahorie region, the TASR newswire reported. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The Armed Forces of Slovakia offer training spaces and basic logistics support with operators at the airport in Kuchyna to the US, said Defence Ministrys spokesperson Danka Capakova, as quoted by TASR. The CV-22 Osprey planes are an American multi-mission, tiltrotor military aircraft with both vertical takeoff and landing, and short takeoff and landing capabilities. They were used in the missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, TASR reported. The pattern is pre-prepared in a graphic editor and then translated by a special programme into a code which then instructs the device. Font size: A - | A + Graphic designer and programmer Juraj Miklas from Bratislava has developed a new way to decorate traditional Easter eggs he designed a special robot for this purpose. The device linked to a computer holds an empty, painted egg shell. The robotic arm above it holds a gel pen. After a few taps on the keyboard, the engines start running to decorate the egg. The work may take from five minutes to about an hour, depending on the complexity. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The simple patterns, drawn in one line, take the shortest time, Miklas told the Pravda daily, adding it takes longer when the pattern is more difficult and the pen needs to be picked up and moved to other place. video //www.youtube.com/embed/waT6xUnY7TY The idea and even the device is nothing new. Something similar has been developed under the name EggBot, he added. Miklas described for the daily that his egg decorator, the construction of which took some 40 hours, works as a printer. The pattern is pre-prepared in a graphic editor and then translated by a special programme into a code which then instructs the device. The egg decorator (Source: Juraj Miklas) The orders are quite simple as they command the robot how to turn the egg shell and in which direction the pen should move to create a certain pattern. The signals are transferred into a micro-computer installed in the robot. The only difference is that the pen does not draw on paper but on a 3D object, Miklas told Pravda. It pays to spend some time looking for a good job - it might determine the persons career for the rest of their life, expert says. Font size: A - | A + A glossary of words as well as exercise related to this article are also published online. Are young people irresponsible and not used to working? While a recent analysis says such is the case, experts argue a more human approach to young jobseekers on the labour market would not hurt. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Numerous young people leave Slovakia to work or study abroad, but even those who stay are not interested in the jobs created for them. Such are the results from the final report of the Supreme Audit Office (NKU), which inspected the programmes aimed at promoting employment and reducing youth unemployment in Slovakia. The Labour Ministry, however, argues that the office only inspected a small sample and that overall the projects, financed from the European Social Fund, helped decrease the unemployment rate among the young: as of the end of November 2016 there were 74,336 unemployed under 29 years of age. The number dropped by 43,987 between November 2012 and November 2015. Bad habits and work ethic In 2015, the NKU inspected 12 companies that created 67 jobs from public funds. However, in the 18 months of the duration of the project, almost 100 people came and left the jobs. This high turnover of young people under 29 years was caused by a lack of interest of candidates to integrate into the working process, the analysis reads, citing their inadequate high wage demands, bad habits and work ethic as reasons. The ministry said that the NKU only looked at a small part of the created jobs, as overall it supported the creation of 12,781 jobs, with 86 percent sustainability by the end of the programme. We thus evaluate these projects very positively, they met with great feedback among the employers and in the European Commission, the ministry told The Slovak Spectator. A small sample Sociologist Zuzana Kusa from the Slovak Academy of Sciences also suggests that one should not be too quick to ascribe the situation to the simple lack of interest among the target group of young people. While working with such a small sample, the findings cannot be used as a source of information to judge the behaviour of young people in general. We cannot generalise this specific experience on all or most of the unemployed youth, she told The Slovak Spectator. Another reason why this report should be viewed rather critically is that it lets only employers have their say, Kusa noted, adding that employers are not impartial in this matter and want to defend themselves, to explain a failure of the programme carried out with EU funds. Monitoring how young people perceive these job offers would result in more information about how they see obstacles that may hinder them while working, according to Kusa. When it comes to the notions of bad habits and bad work, a kinder approach with interest in the person and their family situation would solve many things, she said. Insufficiently qualified A more in-depth inquiry about the offered jobs and the way they are rewarded concerns everyone, not just youngsters, and such an inquiry is lacking, according to Michal Palenik from the nongovernmental Employment Institute. A persons first job significantly influences their lifelong career, Palenik told The Slovak Spectator. If a young man or woman takes up a poorly-paid precarious job, the probability that they will continue with bad jobs until the end of their working career increases. On the other hand, a good first job increases the probability that they will have good work until retiring. That is why it is good for young people, and for society, if they spend a reasonably long time looking for a good job, Palenik explained. Kusa would also have liked to see the projects be accompanied by a monitoring of how the young employees perceive their work and where they see possible obstacles. The research should have concerned the situation in the company too: are there people who help the young people to integrate, who are their mentors, who help them build relationships in the collective, etc, Kusa said. The Labour Ministry also ascribes the high unemployment among young people to the educational system, with insufficient development of technical education and a lack of interest in vocational training, said the ministrys spokesperson Veronika Husarova, pointing to the dissonance between the labour market requirements and the education of graduates. Despite the high number of unemployed persons per vacancy, there are still professions lacking in qualified labour, she stated. The ministry recognises the urgent need for changes in secondary vocational education in Slovakia, especially in pairing an apprentice with a practise, according to Husarova. The dual education system, which was recently reintroduced, should ensure smooth transition of secondary vocational school students to the labour market without the need of their further training, Husarova said but admitted that the results are only to be seen in a few years time. Palenik however points to another problem connected with the education system - the long-term unemployment of young people from segregated communities. The government hasn't done anything positive there, Palenik told The Slovak Spectator. The Spectator College is a programme designed to support the study and teaching of English in Slovakia, as well as to inspire interest in important public issues among young people. The project was created by The Slovak Spectator in cooperation with their exclusive partner the Leaf Academy. Pointing to several discrepancies, the transport minister ultimately cancelled a tender for trains to operate between the cities of Bratislava and Banska Bystrica, arranged by his predecessor. Font size: A - | A + Transport Minister Arpad Ersek (of coalition party Most-Hid) stopped the competition to procure better train connections between Bratislava and Banska Bystrica, announced by Jan Pociatek of Smer in 2015. Ersek revealed his plan already in November 2016. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The originally announced tender for finding an operator of the Bratislava Banska Bystrica trains showed several flaws, Ersek pointed out on February 3, as cited by the TASR newswire. It is our task to learn from them and set new conditions in a way that enables us to start the new liberalisation of railway tracks in Slovakia. The competition was attended by eight carriers. The minister now promises to launch a new competition that should secure comprehensive services in the area. We want to cover the complex servicing of this territory not just by long-distance trains, but also by regional commuter trains, Ersek noted. The Transport Ministry chose this step due to new rules and conditions of the fourth railway package which will change European Union regulations, ministry spokesperson Karolina Ducka said, according to TASR. This includes the so-called package of transport services that implies a definition of a unified travel ticket. Due to procedural complications, the disciplinary proceeding against former top judicial representative Stefan Harabin has been postponed. The procrastination of such disciplinary proceedings has already evoked measures in a prepared amendment. Font size: A - | A + The disciplinary proceeding where it is to be decided whether Harabin will be suspended to a lower court has been postponed from February 10 indefinitely, the Sme daily wrote. One of the members of the panel to decide on him will be on a foreign business trip at that time. This member replaces another one due to a decision from January 30, and he has also asked for some time to study the case more minutely, according to the SITA newswire. The new date will be set in coordination with the members of the panel. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Disciplinary motions against Harabin Harabin faces five disciplinary motions and in two cases he may even lose the position of a judge. Four were filed by chairperson of the Supreme Court Daniela Svecova and one by Judicial Council chairperson Jana Bajankova. None of them has been concluded yet. On February 10, the disciplinary panel was supposed to handle the motion of Svecova from November 2015 to punish Harabin for not summoning without a justifiable reason a session of the college to adopt a unifying stance on police inspection, as the opinions on them are differing among individual panels. In this case, Svecova proposed to punish Harabin by moving him to a lower level court and cutting his salary by 50 percent. The amendment to the act on judges and assessors has now included the notion that the Judicial Council will oversee the continuity of the disciplinary proceedings against judges. This move stems from widespread procrastination in the decision-making of disciplinary panels. Justice Minister Lucia Zitnanska believes according to SITA that this step will help to make their functioning more effective; and if not, she is ready to re-open the issue. The former chairman of the nationalist party repeatedly met underage girls, seduced them and offered them alcohol; now, he faces a sentence of six months to five years in prison. Font size: A - | A + The Zilina Regional Prosecutors Office has pressed charges against a former Slovak National Party (SNS) chairman, Jan Slota, for endangering the moral upbringing of youth, office spokesperson Milan Cisarik told the TASR newswire on February 3. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement In 2014 and 2015, the accused was repeatedly meeting underage girls at restaurants and night clubs, drinking alcohol in their company, paying for their consumption of alcohol and engaging in sexual innuendoes, said the spokesman. On November 20, 2015, Zilina police received a motion by two girls, aged 15 and 16, accusing him of having raped them. One of the girls claimed he made her drunk and gave her a pill to make her woozy. This allegedly happened on September 17, 2015, in the centre of Zilina. Slota, on the other hand, accuses one of the girls of stealing 800 from him in a pub, according to the SITA newswire. The case will be dealt with by the Zilina District Court. If found guilty, Slota faces between six months and five years in jail. Digital Literacy QwertyTown Launches Version 2.0 of Web-Based Keyboarding App QwertyTown, a web-based application that teaches keyboarding, digital literacy and online communication skills, has relaunched as version 2.0 with all new and updated lessons, games, teacher and admin tools, as well as a completely redesigned website. QwertyTown, developed by K12 educators at Second Nature Learning, employs rewards-based gamification to help motivate students in grades kindergarten to eighth to learn essential digital literacy skills. Students earn QwertyCoins on the platform, which can be used to unlock certain features as they move through lessons. Coins can be used to purchase clothes for the students avatar in the program, for example. Additionally, the Head2Head challenge, where students can face off against their classmates or students across the globe, engages students in peer-to-peer learning to foster fluency in keyboarding. (QwertyTown is launching a Chrome app for its Head2Head challenge later this month.) QwertyTown 2.0 was rebuilt from the ground-up in HTML5, making it compatible on Chromebooks, tablets, PCs, Macs and other devices. The student, teacher and admin dashboards have been reimagined and feature an intuitive design. Image Credit: QwertyTown. The relaunch occurred for a few reasons, namely due to the companys expanded user base over the last two years, according to QwertyTown CEO Paul Garofano, who co-founded Second Nature Learning with David Grammerstorf. The company now serves more than 250,000 K12 students and teachers worldwide, which called for a more robust platform, he said in an interview. Version 2.0 is easy to implement in classrooms as well. It uses Clever to auto-integrate with most student information systems, assisting teachers in managing and keeping class rosters up-to-date. The updated version also features new administrative tools that make it easy to manage student progress. Teachers and parents can, for example, customize performance benchmarks in lessons and level challenges. They receive detailed data reports that can be viewed online or downloaded. QwertyTown was built by educators, said Garofano. Throughout the development of QwertyTown, weve really been building from a place of information, research and teacher and student feedback. Whenever we release a new feature or update, were always asking for feedback from our hundreds of thousands of students, teachers and administrators, so that we can offer the best, most informed keyboarding product on the market. To learn more, watch the video below or visit the QwertyTown site. Charter Schools SC Department of Ed Begins Study of Charter Outcomes With alternative schools much in the news as the Senate continues considering charter-school advocate Betsy DeVos as President Trump's choice for Secretary of Education, a new study of South Carolina charters examined how many of its charters were "beating the odds." A study team made up of researchers from Florida State University and the American Institutes for Research worked with the South Carolina Department of Education to explore what school characteristics could be associated with schools where students do better than expected on the state's learning standards. The idea was to begin gathering data to help state leaders decide whether to expand the charter school option. The study found that 26 to 42 percent of South Carolina's charter schools were "beating the odds" in 2013-2014. Source: "Identifying South Carolina charter schools that are "beating the odds". The project used data covering grades 3 through 8 from the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years in 38 charter schools. Among the variables were student scores on assessments in math and English language arts as well as the percentage of students who were black, white, English language learners, and eligible for the federal school lunch program or special education services. During the 2013-14 school year, charters in the state had a 3.2 percent share of total student enrollment, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. A charter school was identified as beating the odds if it performed better than expected on the state's Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (SCPASS) in the 2013-14 school year based on the demographic characteristics of the students being served. Of the 33 charter schools serving students in any of grades 3 through 5, 39 percent were found to be beating the odds in both math and English language arts. One additional school beat the odds in math only. Of the 35 schools serving students in any of grades 6 through 8, 26 percent beat the odds in both subjects. Three additional schools did better specifically in ELA alone. The researchers noted that the study had limitations (such as the relatively small number of charters in the state, which limits the precision of the overall analysis). However, the hope for the study was that it would help the state identify "promising practices" or other success factors that could be shared in and out of the state. Next up, a leadership project to figure out whether the "beating-the-odds" charters "engage in unique practices associated with school success." A report on the results is available on the website for the Institute of Education Sciences National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance. roksana2 Roksana Ciurysek-Gedir DAVOS, Switzerland Roksana Ciurysek-Gedir seemingly has it all at the age of 42. She is an investment banker holding one of the most sought-after and difficult qualifications to obtain (Chartered Financial Analyst), as well as a Masters in Science in Management and Economics from Technical University of Gdansk, Poland. She is also celebrated artist, where her unique photography work regularly features hundreds of gems embedded in the artwork and recently was loaned to the executive chairman of Alphabet Google's parent company Eric Schmidt for a private dinner in Davos this year. On top of that, she is a movie producer, a mother of two boys, and is one of the most connected people in elite circles within Davos. The World Economic Forum even awarded her a position as a Young Global Leader in 2014. So how does she fit it all in? "You make time for the things you love and I guess what gives me strength is art and creativity. I feel that everyone has different [aspects to them] and I believe in having a portfolio career it doesn't have to be one thing. Everything is interconnected," said Ciurysek-Gedir to Business Insider in Davos, Switzerland. It is with this philosophy that Ciurysek-Gedir has carved a unique career for herself that has seen her gain her degree, CFA and work for the most prestigious banking institutions in the world. "I guess since I was young, I have always a strong interest in art and it is something I am passionate about. I am a jack of all trades, only master of some, and I decided that I should be true to myself and follow my passions," she said. "I originally wanted to be a brain surgeon but at the last minute, I decided to study business which would give me a lot of different options [for my career]." roksana1 Roksana Ciurysek-GedirAfter obtaining her qualifications, she moved from Poland to London, where she has lived and worked for 17 years (apart from one year in Vancouver, Canada). Story continues She has risen up the ladder from working for Edmond de Rothschild, Merrill Lynch, JPMorgan and EBRD. She now is a director at private Swiss investment bank, where she looks after ultra high-net-worth clients from emerging Europe. But she says, "art has always been part of my life and journey and photography is my biggest passion." Creating art that is famed for being encrusted in precious gems Ciurysek-Gedir thanks her father for igniting her passion photography. He gave her her first camera while they developed photos in the kitchen together. After years of testing out different types of photography, which mainly included portraits as well as landscape and architecture, she got her first exhibition in Vancouver while she was working out there. "Originally, I was purely using my own images of different subjects but I was not fully happy. Some of them I felt they looked like IKEA prints. So it got me thinking," she said roxy diamond setting pic1 Roksana Ciurysek After years of experimenting, she forged her unique style of original photography printed on brushed aluminium, with hundreds of precious gems embedded in the artwork, that put her name on the map. "My signature is printing photographs on metal on a large scale and drilling holes in the artwork and setting diamonds, or other gems, in it. It was a technique I developed that partly defines me," she said. "Even though I'm far from 'bling,' I love the juxtaposition of cold metal with the diamonds, which highlight the light in the photographs to give it three dimensions. "In some photographs, I have been using a lightbox behind the artwork which gives an interesting effect. It incorporates technology and art." Here is an example of one of her more famous works of art, which was recently featured at a private dinner with Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of tech giant Alphabet the parent company of Google. It is called "Diamonds in the Sky" and is her interpretation of most expensive Faberge egg in history, which has hundreds of ethically-sourced emeralds and diamonds in it: roxyart2 Guy Bell 2016 And this one shows her signature portrait of actress Bridget Bardot, printed on metal with 300 diamonds embedded in it, which was also featured at the Schmidt dinner as well as an exclusive club in Davos this year: roxyart gems2 Lianna Brinded/Business Insider Her next big project is going to be out of this world Ciurysek-Gedir has achieved an incredible amount in her career, personal life, and her passion in art already. But she does not intend in slowing down. "My next project is sending an exhibition in space. I thought, 'I've done Davos, what next?' It is a secret for now but I have been talking to some people about this," she said. "Clearly in life, trying to juggle passions with a full time job and being a mother can be a challenge at times but my life is so much fuller and richer with so many dimensions." She currently has private clients through a collectors circle that buy her work, which have also been sold through world famous auction houses, such as Sotherby's, from 10,000 to 150,000. Her photography career is also hitting new heights too after she met Terry O'Neill, the famous photographer who was renowned for his work with 1960s fashions and celebrities. She said he was "fascinated" with her photographic technique and said they should collaborate on a new exhibition. While most people would see this reaching a peak in their careers, it looks like, for Ciurysek-Gedir, this is only just the start. NOW WATCH: The incredible life of Roger Federer, the highest-paid tennis player on Earth See Also: SOFIA (Reuters) - The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) pledged to speed up economic growth and fight corruption when it presented its programme on Sunday for the early parliamentary election in March. Socialist ally Rumen Radev, a Russia-friendly newcomer to politics, won the presidential election by a wide margin in November, prompting centre-right Prime Minister Boiko Borisov to step down. The resignation triggered a snap parliamentary poll set for March 26 - the third in three years - that analysts say may again fail to produce a stable majority government in the European Union's poorest member state. The BSP's election programme includes the ambitious goal of achieving economic growth of no less than 12 percent over four years. Bulgaria's economy grew by 3.4 percent in the third quarter of 2016 from a year earlier. The Socialists vowed to make a significant improvement in living standards. More than a quarter of Bulgarias 7.2 million people live below the poverty line and many Bulgarians have moved abroad in recent times. In its election manifesto the centre-right GERB party promised on Friday to boost the average monthly salary by over 50 percent to 1,500 levs (659.57 pounds) over four years, to double teachers' salaries and to keep corporate and income taxes unchanged at 10 percent. The BSP, heir to Bulgaria's once-mighty Communist Party, plans to introduce a 20-percent tax for people with an annual income of over 120,000 levs, tax breaks for young entrepreneurs and interest-free credits for young families to purchase a home. Bulgaria was ranked the EU's most corrupt country in Transparency International's 2016 Corruption Perceptions Index and has been rapped repeatedly by Brussels for failing to combat rampant organised crime and to jail high-level officials. "The mafia, corruption, the wrong transition model have their own parallel state," Kornelia Ninova, the first female leader in the BSP's 126-year history, told delegates at the party's 49th congress. "We will close down this parallel state." The BSP came second in the 2014 parliamentary election, collecting 18.3 percent of the vote. Now the Socialists are neck-and-neck with GERB, a recent Gallup International poll showed. On Friday, Ninova said that Bulgaria will "categorically" seek a lifting of European Union sanctions against Moscow if her party wins the election. The Socialists are also considering restarting some Russian projects, including the Belene nuclear power project. Bulgaria pulled out of the project in 2012 because of its costs and concerns over increased energy dependence on the Kremlin. (Reporting by Angel Krasimirov; Editing by Andrew Bolton) Donald Trump with Steve Bannon, former executive of Breitbart News and the President's chief strategist: Reuters China has accused Donald Trump's administration of putting regional stability in East Asia at risk following remarks by the President's defense secretary that a U.S. commitment to defend Japanese territory applies to an island group that China claims. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang has called on Trump's administration to avoid discussion of the issue and reasserted China's claim of sovereignty over the tiny uninhabited islands, known in Japanese as the Senkaku and Chinese as Diaoyu. The 1960 US-Japan treaty is "a product of the Cold War, which should not impair China's territorial sovereignty and legitimate rights," Lu was quoted as saying in a statement posted on the ministry's website. "We urge the U.S. side to take a responsible attitude, stop making wrong remarks on the issue involving the Diaoyu islands' sovereignty, and avoid making the issue more complicated and bringing instability to the regional situation," he added. Widespread alarm over how the region could shape geopolitical tensions was raised following the revelation that Steve Bannon, the chief strategist in Trump's White House, said he believed the US would go to war with China within five to 10 years during a radio broadcast in 2016. While the prospect remains relatively remote, experts have told The Independent they believe such a conflict would be catastrophic, throwing the entire globe into turmoil and potentially ending "life as we know it on Earth". The United States would likely win because sending China's untested forces against the might of America's military would be like pitching farmers against Achilles and his warriors, said one, but even a conventional military victory would be a strategic disaster. It would set off a global economic crisis and create a potential power vacuum inside defeated China "the like of which we can't imagine". Mr Bannon said war would erupt in the South China Sea in "five to 10 years". He said: "Theyre taking their sandbars and making basically stationary aircraft carriers and putting missiles on those. They come here to the United States in front of our faceand you understand how important face isand say its an ancient territorial sea." Story continues The US and China have been engaged in a back-and-forth dispute over military build-up and territorial claims in the region for some years. In December the US said it would base its deadliest fighter jets in Australia, and days later China seized an unmanned US Navy drone. It followed a diplomatic spat around then-President-elect Trump's congratulatory phone call with Taiwan's Prime Minister Tsai Ing-wen, which broke with decades of US policy. Mr Trump has been forthright about China's influence, blaming it for the loss of American jobs. The war of words recently heated up when a Chinese military official was quoted as saying talk of war with the US under Mr Trump "are not just slogans, they are becoming a practical reality". Trevor McCrisken, associate professor of politics and international studies at the University of Warwick, said that if war broke out "we would be looking, I would imagine, at World War Three". He said: "I really do think that would be the end of life as we know it on Earth. "From a global strategic risk level I would say the last thing you want is war between the United States and any of the major powers because of the risks of escalation, obviously the potential for nuclear weapons to be used. The likelihood of nuclear exchange between the two principals involved is high." But, he added, the "overwhelming view of most policy-makers in Washington since at least the late 1970s" favours a form of "cooperative, if competitive" relationship with China. Dr Peter Roberts, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute, said: "America would take military losses. They would lose thousands and thousands [of personnel]. But China would be utterly defeated. If America goes to war, it wages war in its totality. They would go to this with unparalleled violence and energy." The US has an "overall competitive edge" partly due to technological superiority, Dr Roberts said, but also because the four branches of its militaryArmy, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Forceare trained to work closely together. "It's demonstrated how it can use all those arms to deliver military victory," he said. In contrast, China's services operate "individually" and also have less, and less recent, combat experience compared to their American counterparts. "There's a huge difference between someone who's been in combat before, and someone who hasn't," Dr Roberts said, comparing the potential confrontation to one between Greek hero Achilles and farmers recruited from the fields. Kerry Brown, professor of Chinese studies and director of King's College London's Lau China Institute, said: "US naval superiority is massive. And if we are talking just military, then for sure, a conflict right beside China would hurt China more than the US. "It would, of course, totally upend supply routes, however, and probably cause a global recession. So it would, no matter who won in terms of military outcomes, be lose-lose and cut against the logic of self interest of both the US and China." Professor Brown added: "We have to expect this war of words to simply get worse. The best outcome is that the two sides ultimately compromiseChina acts more responsibly, and stops its adventurism, and the US concedes it more space. The worst outcome would be a misunderstanding that would lead to real conflict." Michael Zhang Takes Down GUKPT London Main Event February 06 2017 Matthew Pitt Editor The 11th season of the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour has crowned its first champion after Michael Zhang topped a field of 435 entrants at The Poker Room formerly known as The Vic, turning 1,100 into an impressive 113,000 in London. Official Final Table Results Place Player Prize 1 Michael Zhang 113,000 2 Javier Gomez Zapatero 74,000 3 Fahd Bennani Smires 48,900 4 Carl Pickles 29,400 5 Paul Siddle 22,200 6 Sam Meeuse 18,200 7 Alexios Zervos 14,400 8 Muskan Sethu 10,400 9 Khoa Le 7,800 The top 40 finishers shared the 435,000 prize pool, with a min-cash weighing in at 2,200, a final table appearance boosting this cash haul to 7,800 and the eventual champion leaving the English capital city with 113,000. Louise Duffy, Ross Boatman, Simon Deadman and Paul Romain were four well-known stars to navigate their way to the money places, but fell short of the nine-handed final table. 2017 GUKPT London Final Table Seat Player Chips 1 Alexios Zervos 786,000 2 Paul Siddle 715,000 3 Sam Meeuse 1,655,000 4 Michael Zhang 1,424,000 5 Khoa Le 988,000 6 Javier Gomez Zapatero 1,367,000 7 Carl Pickles 478,000 8 Fah Bennani Smires 527,000 9 Muskan Sethi 762,000 It took almost an hour of play for the final table to lose its first player, that dubious honour being bestowed on Khoa Le. Le was down to 200,000 chips at the 15,000/30,000/3,000a level and got his short stack into the middle in a blind-versus-blind confrontation with Javier Gomez Zapatero. It was ace-seven for Le against the king-eight of Gomez Zapatero and when the latter found both a king and an eight on the community cards Le was gone. Shortly after Les demise, Muskan Sethi fell by the wayside. Sethi moved all-in with ace-queen for 420,000 and Gomez Zapatero made the call with a pair of red queens. The board ran out ten-high and Sethis tournament came to an abrupt end. Seventh place went to Alexios Zervos who ran into the seemingly unstoppable Gomez Zapatero. Zervos was all in for 400,000 with ace-king and needing to win a coinflip against the pocket eights of his talented Spanish opponent. Gomez Zapateros snowmen held and the tournament was down to six players. Six became five with the elimination of Sam Meeuse who had been card dead for long periods of the final table. Meeuse finally found a good hand with ace-queen and moved all in for 450,000 only to run into the dominating ace-king of Zhang. The latter caught an unnecessary king on the river and Meeuse headed for the exits. Gomes again took up the role of executioner to send Paul Siddle home in fifth place. Siddle looked down at king-jack of clubs and decided to move all in for 650,000. Gomez Zapatero called with ace-king to put Siddle at risk of busting, which is what happened when the board double paired and Gomez Zapateros ace-kicker played. With blinds now 25,000/50,000/5,000a, Carl Pickles found himself languishing in fourth place from the remaining four players, nursing a stack of 440,000. Those chips went into the middle with nine-eight of clubs and needed to catch some of the flop to beat the pocket nines of Zhang. The board four-flushed with diamonds, Zhang held the nine of diamonds, and Pickles was no more. Heads-up was set when Fahd Bennani Smires fell in third place. Bennani Smires opened to 120,000 and then called off his remaining 800,000 when Zhang three-bet all in over the top of that raise. Bennani Smires showed ace-nine, Zhang red eights and when the five community cards fell with no nine or ace in sight, Bennani Smires tournament ended. Zhang held a massive 7,000,000 to 1,700,000 chip lead over Gomez Zapatero, a former World Poker Tour champion, and it proved to be too much of a gap to bridge for Gomes. The final hand saw Gomez Zapatero raise with and Zhang call with . Zhang checked, Gomez Zapatero led for 100,000 on the flop and Zhang called. The turn was the , Zhang checked, Gomez Zapatero bet 325,000 and Zhang called again. The river completed the board and Zhang checked again. Gomez Zapatero moved all in for 1 million in what was an ill-timed bluff because Zhang was sat there with a king-high flush and had the easiest call of his career. Zhang did call and with that won all of the chips in play, becoming the 2017 GUKPT London champion in the process. Next up on the GUKPT is a trip to Manchester Bury New Road between Feb. 26 and Mar. 5 where there is another 200,000 guaranteed Main Event costing 1,100 to enter. Win your seat to it at Grosvenor Poker where new customers can claim a 200% up to 700 first deposit bonus. Hakes brothers was a 2016 Fall Parade of Homes buyers choice award winner, and theyre new to Albuquerque, bringing with them the building standards and quality that have made them southern New Mexicos largest builder over the last ten years. Hakes Brothers is based in Las Cruces, and also has operations in Santa Teresa and El Paso, Texas. Epand the market In 2006, Kimball, Chris, and Josh Hakes began building luxury custom homes in Las Cruces. As the economy weakened, they shifted their focus to building more economically sized homes, but with the same luxury feel. In 2013, the Hakes Brothers took this concept and expanded into El Paso and Santa Teresa, New Mexico, and in 2016 they made the decision to bring their product to the Albuquerque market. Albuquerque was the next logical step, said Kimball Hakes, President at Hakes Brothers. Albuquerque is a beautiful city with a rich heritage, and were excited for the opportunity to introduce our product to a larger market. High quality, great value Hakes Brothers lives by the philosophy, give the value to the customer. What has made Hakes Brothers great over the years is the foundation were built on,said Chris Hakes, VP of Operations. Its a golden rule that is simple, but it works, and that is our steadfast commitment to providing superior value to the home buyer. The magic is in the mix. Value in new homes is a mix of professional design, high quality materials, excellent neighborhoods and outstanding customer service, at a competitive price, said Josh Hakes. For example, Hakes Brothers typically includes more features in their homes that would normally be considered options by other builders. We take pride in our homes and we understand that our reputation is built from happy buyers, said Kimball Hakes. HB doesnt just stand for Hakes Brothers, for us it stands for happy buyers. Customization Hakes Brothers offers homes for people in every stage of life; from first time home buyers to move-up buyers seeking more space, or buyers looking to right-size their home, yet still enjoy the amenities of a custom home. With an extensive variety of options, colors, and materials to choose from, home buyers can have a custom home-buying experience, at a reasonable price. Unlike many larger builders, Hakes Brothers keeps its warranty service in-house. They prefer to personally serve their customers, because exceptional warranty service is at the foundation of customer satisfaction. We are passionate about providing our customers with the best value in new homes, and we look forward to sharing our product with the Albuquerque market, said Kimball Hakes. Damian Abeita, Communication and Membership Specialist for Home Builders Association of Central New Mexico, contributed to this story. Now that the Legislature has passed a $180 million solvency package that rescues the state from a dangerous current-year budget crisis with strong bipartisan agreement lawmakers must turn promptly to the serious jobs crisis afflicting New Mexico. Today, too many families and young people in our state are confronted with poor prospects of finding or getting a job. The truth is that too many residents are living in real economic distress, and anxious about the future for themselves and their children. We continue to have the highest unemployment, now at 6.6 percent, while the rest of the nation and region prosper. Young and better-educated New Mexicans are leaving our zero-growth employment state for better-paying and more available jobs in Texas and Colorado, and elsewhere. Democrats are taking action now in this 60-day session to restore their hopes and dreams. Our current policies are failing us and a new direction is needed. The Legislature and the executive together must act boldly, and quickly, to meet the economic challenges New Mexico faces. The lack of jobs is driving the ongoing budget crisis, too. For Democrats in the Legislature, jobs are our No. 1 priority. We are passing legislation to spur more employment and economic activity in all areas of the state. We are taking action to attract new jobs to, and expand existing businesses in, New Mexico. I am hopeful that, together with the House of Representatives, the Senate will pass six bills in the coming days to improve our states dire economic situation We call our package of legislation The New Mexico Jobs Now! Plan. It focuses on six job-creating policies: Broadband expansion: We will pass legislation to significantly increase broadband access across New Mexico. Investments in broadband can have real impact on jobs and business growth, especially in rural communities. Expanding access to broadband technology is a proven method to encourage more jobs. Capital outlay for needed infrastructure: Infrastructure projects create jobs in communities starting right away, when done correctly. The Senate intends to pass a $63 million package of spending projects for state-wide infrastructure repairs and improvements. Minimum wage increase: New Mexico suffers with some of the lowest median wages in the country. Working people really need a livable wage. Rising wages lift all boats, creating more demand for goods and services, and spurring more economic activity. We will pass a pay raise for the lowest-paid workers. Whether it is a larger or smaller increase, a minimum wage increase is long overdue and workers have waited long enough. Industrial hemp research: Changes to federal law cleared the way for states and universities to cultivate hemp for research purposes. It has thousands of commercial uses, from rope to biofuels. There is strong bipartisan support for laying the foundation for a new industry that will create thousands of jobs and bring investment. Closing fund reform: It is time to reform the way we distribute our Local Economic Development dollars to make them work better, not only for companies that we recruit to New Mexico, but also for our local businesses in communities throughout our state. We will pass legislation to adjust the way LEDA dollars are used to jump-start home-grown businesses and see that more of these funds go to them so they can grow. Job training funds reform: We will improve the way job training funds are distributed, to grow promising small businesses better. I believe that both Republicans and Democrats can get behind most of these measures. Bipartisanship is alive and well in the New Mexico Senate. We urge the governor to join us in a similar spirit of cooperation and support this ambitious package of bills to create thousands of new jobs and stimulate economic growth now. The hard realities facing so many of our states families and residents demand resolute action from all of those who govern from the Roundhouse today. Sen. Clemente Sanchez is Chairman of the Corporations and Transportation Committee. The University of New Mexicos handling of a protest of the Jan. 27 speech by firebrand Milo Yiannopoulos, a provocateur and conservative tech writer for Breitbart News, gets an A. Some UNM faculty, staff and students, however, get an F. So does the University of California at Berkeley. Yiannopoulos, who is gay, is speaking to full houses at university campuses as part of his obnoxiously named Dangerous Faggot Tour. His stock-in-trade is profanity-laced diatribes about left-wing activists who decry hate speech, Trumps planned U.S.-Mexican border wall, actions to limit immigrants, especially those from predominantly Muslim countries, and lewd jokes. Lets be clear. Allowing him to speak doesnt mean you like him. It means you understand the basic principles of the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights. UNM earned its high grade because it made it possible for Yiannopoulos to give his speech, despite about 250 protesters who were kept in check by law enforcement. While his sponsor, UNM College Republicans, were originally required to pay $3,400 in extra security costs a move event organizers called a free-speech fee acting president Chaouki Abdallah suspended the fee and said UNM is reviewing its policy on such costs and could eventually seek reimbursement for the added security. Thats a smart move that shows the university is committed to free speech and an open exchange of ideas even those many people may find abhorrent. In contrast, UC Berkeley flunks for canceling Yiannopoulos talk. Protests there turned violent and ended up with most of that university on lockdown. Yiannopoulos wrote on his Facebook page that violent left-wing protesters had broken into a buildings ground floor, ripped down barricades and threw rocks. About two weeks ago, protesters also shut down a Yiannopoulos appearance at UC Davis. Joining Berkeley in elitist small-mindedness are hundreds of UNM faculty, staff and students, who have signed a letter decrying Abdallahs decision. They essentially say the university should ban any speech they dont agree with or that might lead to violence. Thats basically allowing thugs to decide who gets to talk and who doesnt by resorting to violence or the threat of violence. These incidents and others across the country have prompted debates about free speech, what constitutes hate speech, and how universities, where free speech is generally considered a hallowed right, should handle controversial speakers and topics. They are important conversations that need to happen to keep the First Amendment strong and relevant. So while people of various political persuasions might find Yiannopoulos positions reprehensible his Breitbart articles include Theres No Hiring Bias Against Women in Tech, They Just Suck at Interviews and Why Equality and Diversity Departments Should Only Hire Rich, Straight White Men he does have a right to voice them. Just as groups like Refuse Fascism have the right to say that Yiannopoulos is spewing hate speech. But canceling speeches, charging disproportionate fees and encouraging protesters to shut events down is anti-First Amendment and arguably more fascist than anything coming out of Yiannopoulos mouth. The First Amendment says Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press. That includes the right to burn a flag, which the president has suggested might net the burner the loss of citizenship or jail time. So in a real sense, the people who signed the UNM letter and Donald Trump are on the same page when it comes to speech: Punish and stifle those with whom you disagree. In this country, there is a right to speak, voice opinions and to report the many sides of news and opinion and for Yiannopoulos, Breitbart News, BuzzFeed, CNN, Refuse Fascism and others to peacefully voice their opinions while respecting the rights of the others to do the same. Thats how democracy works in America and how it worked last week at UNM. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. Twenty-one years ago, a travel piece in the Washington Post described Taos Ski Valleys Hotel Edelweiss as a cozy three-story inn and a chalet in the most Austrian sense of the word, which is a curious thing to say about a French word. But you get the idea. That old structure is long gone, replaced by modern condominiums known now as Edelweiss Lodge and Spa. The story of the new lodges development and construction is a tangled tale of lawyers, litigation and regulatory issues, to quote from a 2015 decision by the New Mexico Court of Appeals. That decision was overturned by our Supreme Court shortly before Christmas. The rarity of business litigation producing not just one, but two published appellate opinions in New Mexico tells you that much money or ego, or both, was involved. The old hotel was owned by a couple, William and Marci Kipnis. Seeking investment for renovation, they formed a new corporation with who else? wealthy Texans. Michael Jusbasche had for thirty years been the owner of very successful chemical businesses in Texas, according to an email from his lawyer to the Taos News. His wife, Rebecca Mark-Jusbasche, was ranked the 29th most powerful woman in the business world by Fortune Magazine in 1999. Fortune explained that she was the CEO of a spinoff from Enron Corp., on whose board she then still served. Enron famously collapsed in 2001, having long been propped up by what Wikipedia describes as institutionalized, systematic, and creatively planned accounting fraud. It was the worlds biggest con game. But the Enron connection wasnt enough to deter the Kipnises from going into business with the Jusbasches. At a 2003 dinner to work out the details of the project, Mr. Kipnis allegedly asked if there was anything in their personal histories he should know about before going into a business relationship with them, by which he apparently meant anything besides the Enron taint. According to the subsequently filed lawsuit, Mr. Jusbasche answered that vague question with a definitive no. He didnt volunteer that, some nineteen years previously, he had pleaded no contest (or nolo contendere the phrases mean the same thing) in Texas court to theft of trade secrets. He paid a fine and served a hefty five-year period of probation, after which the charge was dismissed. (In New Mexico, that kind of conditional-forgiveness program for first offenders is known as pre-prosecution diversion.) Importantly, he was never convicted. After a promising start, the Edelweiss project ran into problems. The corporation was dissolved in 2010, leaving a residue of bad feeling. The Kipnises sued the Jusbasches, alleging various forms of fraud. They claimed they would never have entered into business with them if they had known about that old charge of theft of trade secrets. To prove their claims, they had to show that Mr. Jusbasches answer to the vague question over dinner was dishonest and that it induced the Kipnises to take action they otherwise wouldnt have taken, and that they lost money as a result. Those are three big factual questions, as the lawyers say, and the resolution of factual questions is usually the jurys job. But the Kipnises couldnt prove any of the elements of their claims, much less all of them, unless they first told the jury about the no-contest plea. And Rule 11-410(A) of New Mexicos Rules of Evidence squarely prohibits any party from introducing evidence of another partys no-contest plea. The rule contains a couple of narrow exceptions, but none that helped the Kipnises. If Mr. Jusbasche had pled guilty instead of no contest, or if a conviction had been entered against him, those facts would have been admissible. But not the no-contest plea. Because the Kipnises were prohibited from proving the factual basis for their claim, the trial court granted summary judgment against them. In my view, the Kipnises claim was weak to begin with. But the end result would have been the same if they had asked over dinner, So, have you ever pled no contest in a Texas court to a charge of stealing trade secrets? and Mr. Jusbasche had denied it. In that hypothetical situation, proof of the bald-faced lie would still be inadmissible under Rule 11-410(A). That result struck our Court of Appeals as wrong. On appeal, it reversed the grant of summary judgment, holding that the rule should not be strictly applied in a way that provides a license to lie without consequences. But, with last Decembers opinion, the Supreme Court insisted on a strict application. The Supreme Court considered a hard and fast rule necessary to encourage criminal defendants to plead no contest. If people facing felony charges knew they couldnt lie about it in the future, the court worried, they might not enter no-contest pleas. And if they didnt enter no-contest pleas, the processing of criminal cases might be slowed down. That possibility, the Supreme Court ruled, was more to be deplored than the possibility that people would lie about their criminal records to prospective business partners. In practical terms, it held that judicial efficiency was more valuable than honesty. The Rules of Evidence contain many provisions that withhold various types of relevant evidence from the jury. Such concealment of information can be justified when it promotes the just and fair resolution of legal disputes. But in Kipnis v. Jusbasche, our Supreme Court didnt even pay lip service to justice and fairness. Instead, it used Rule 11-410(A) as an instrument for shifting the burden of judicial efficiency from government, where it belongs, to the business community. Let the business person beware. Joel Jacobsen is an author and has recently retired from a 29-year legal career. If there are topics you would like to see covered in future columns, please write him at legal.column.tips@gmail.com. The burns were in varying stages of healing and over different areas of their bodies, including the private parts of one of the two developmentally disabled men. Albuquerque attorney Nancy Simmons further details the damage done: Victor D., 56, had 18 separate burn marks near his rear, his inner thighs and his genitals. David V., 38, had eight burn marks on his arms and rear, one of the burns in the shape of a spoon. That shape, she says, helped police connect the marks to a spoon found in the group home on Kiowa Street in Clovis where the men resided with a third developmentally disabled client. The spoon had been heated to such a degree that it could sear skin like a branding iron. These are the most vulnerable, innocent folks youll ever meet, and for this to be going on anywhere in the state is just heartbreaking, Simmons says. News accounts and court records indicated that the mens caretaker, Terrance Barela, an untrained and inexperienced 18-year-old whose previous job had been schlepping sodas and burgers at Sonic, was already in a mood when he came to work at the group home that night in January 2016. He told officers that one of the men had started agitating him so he hit the man with the hot spoon until the agitation ceased. The spoon, he explained, was an effective method to control the men, who until the day of Barelas arrest in January 2016 had never received medical attention for the wounds, some classified as second-degree burns. Because neither man could verbally communicate, they could tell no one whether they felt pain or fear or were in need of help. They could tell no one what was happening to them. And no one, Simmons says, had done anything about it. A lawsuit she filed Wednesday in state district court in Santa Fe on behalf of Victor D. and David V., as they are identified, also describes other abuses and neglect the men endured at the house on Kiowa Street for heaven knows how long. That includes being left inadequately supervised, having their money and possessions unaccounted for, failing to meet their medical needs and going without adequate food and water, the latter leading one of the men to sometimes slurp straight from the toilet, according to the lawsuit. Among those named in the lawsuit is Barela, who pleaded no contest in December to felony abuse of a resident and was sentenced to 1 years probation. But perhaps more culpable, according to the lawsuit, is the Eastern New Mexico Rehabilitative Services for the Handicapped, more commonly known as ENMRSH, a large Clovis-based agency that employed Barela and manages the group home and many other similar facilities in the region; ENMRSH president and CEO Damian Houfek and five unnamed employees and supervisors are defendants. The lawsuit alleges that ENMRSH has a long and troubling history of abusing, neglecting and exploiting the states most vulnerable individuals, despite receiving thousands of dollars through the states Medicaid developmentally disabled waiver program, or DD Waiver. ENMRSH defendants were motivated by administrative convenience and profit rather than safeguarding the physical health and safety of plaintiffs and other developmentally (disabled) adults like them, the lawsuit claims. The lawsuit also alleges that the agency does not adequately train or supervise its employees and maintains a culture of retaliation against employees who report abuse or neglect. Moreover, the lawsuit claims that the state Department of Health and its Developmental Disabilities Supports Division, Division of Health Improvement and Incident Management Bureau all named as defendants had the statutory, regulatory and contractual responsibility to protect the clients in ENMRSHs care but failed for years to adequately supervise the agencys performance or take effective action to prevent the abuse and neglect. There have been numerous allegations over the years that ENMRSH is a rotten provider and that should have been a red alert to the state, Simmons says. Officials for ENMRSH and the state DOH were contacted but did not offer comment. In previous Journal stories on other similar lawsuits involving the same parties, both entities have stated they do not comment on pending litigation. Simmons says she hopes the lawsuit prompts the state to examine how it oversees the care of the disabled. She also hopes the lawsuit provides compensation that affords her clients a better, safer, more humane life. And soon. Until recently, the only group home provider in the rural Clovis area is the one named in the lawsuit. 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. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump offered a fulsome defense of Russian President Vladimir Putin over the weekend, leaving Republican lawmakers frustrated and flummoxed yet again by the presidents warm feelings toward the rival nation. In a Fox News interview, Trump, who during the campaign repeatedly praised Putin, again said he respected the Russian leader and hoped to get along with Moscow, and he seemed to equate the United States with its adversary when pressed by host Bill OReilly, who said, But hes a killer though. Putins a killer. There are a lot of killers, Trump said, in an interview that aired Sunday before the Super Bowl. Weve got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our countrys so innocent? Trumps comments came even as his United Nations envoy, Nikki Haley, on Thursday condemned Russias aggressive actions in eastern Ukraine and as both the Senate and House intelligence committees launched investigations into alleged hacking by Russia of the U.S. election that the intelligence community believes was intended to benefit Trump. The issue of Russia dogged Trumps presidential campaign including after a news conference where he suggested that Russia hack Hillary Clintons emails and his latest comments left Capitol Hill Republicans scrambling to distance themselves from the president and his unusually friendly stance toward Putin, who has praised the president as a smart man. In an interview with CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called Putin a former KGB agent and a thug, and he rejected any comparison between the two nations, citing Russias annexation of Crimea, its incursions into Ukraine and its interference in the U.S. presidential election. I dont think theres any equivalency between the way that the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does, McConnell said. The senator added that while he hoped not to critique the presidents every utterance, he found significant differences between the two nations. I do think America is exceptional. America is different, McConnell said. We dont operate in any way the way the Russians do. I think theres a clear distinction here that all Americans understand, and no, I would not have characterized it that way. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., was similarly wary. Speaker Ryan has consistently and frequently spoken out on Russia and Putin and made his opinions well known, including the need for continued sanctions, spokeswoman AshLee Strong said Sunday. She pointed to Ryans comments at a CNN town hall broadcast last month, where he called Russia a global menace and said Putin does not share our interests; he frustrates our interests. Let me put it this way, the Russians are up to no good, we all know that, Ryan said, responding to a question about Russias election meddling. Weve got to make sure going forward that we do everything we can on cyber, on all of the other things to make sure that they cant do this again. Congressional Republicans have broken with Trump over dozens of controversial statements he has made during his campaign, his transition and now his presidency. But few issues appear to have confounded lawmakers as much as his consistent defense of Putin. Trumps coziness is at odds with years of Republican foreign policy orthodoxy calling for a more aggressive stance toward Putins regime. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., weighed in on Twitter with two missives that he personally penned. When has a Democratic political activists ever been poisoned by the GOP or vice versa? We are not the same as #Putin, he wrote. In a second tweet, he said the United States should lift sanctions on Russia only if it ends its violations in Ukraine. And Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wy., the daughter of former Vice President Richard Cheney, also took to Twitter to say that Trumps statement suggesting moral equivalence between Putins Russia and the United States of America is deeply troubling and wrong. Appearing on four Sunday shows, Vice President Mike Pence rejected the notion that Trump had equated Russia to the United States. I simply dont accept that there was any moral equivalency in the presidents comments, Pence said on CBS Face the Nation. There was no moral equivalency. What you heard there was a determination to attempt to deal with the world as it is to start afresh with Putin and to start afresh with Russia. Pressed by John Dickerson, the shows host, on whether he believed the United States was morally superior to Russia, Pence repeatedly dodged the question, instead finally saying, American ideals are superior to countries all across the world. Pence, who would not commit to maintaining sanctions against Russia if it continues to violate a cease-fire agreement in Ukraine, nonetheless took a slightly harder line than the president on Russia. Asked on ABCs This Week whether the White House planned to put Russia on notice, as it had Iran, over violating the cease-fire, Pence said, Were watching, and very troubled by the increased hostilities over the past week in eastern Ukraine. But he also broadly defended his boss, saying, Theres a new style of leadership, not just a new leader in the White House. President Trump is bringing a very candid and direct type of leadership to the White House, Pence said. And in conversations with leaders around the world, frankly, I think they all find it very refreshing. Not everyone seemed to agree. Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, who ran against Trump during the 2016 Republican primaries, issued a sharp rebuke on Twitter. America has been a beacon of light and freedom, he wrote. There is no equivalence with the brutal regime of Vladimir Putin. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., even called for an investigation by the FBI into Trumps financial, personal and political connections to Russia. I want to know what the Russians have on Donald Trump, she said on NBCs Meet the Press. We want to see his tax returns so we can have truth in the relationship between Putin, whom he admires, and Donald Trump. When the Boy Scouts of America announced last week that it would now accept transgender boys, it was the latest example of how the storied institution has transformed as the country changed around it. Communities and state laws are now interpreting gender identity differently than society did in the past, Chief Scout Executive Michael Surbaugh said in a statement. And these new laws vary widely from state to state. In recent years the group has found itself embroiled in larger national debates about gender roles and sexual orientation. These debates, in turn, have led the Boy Scouts which consists of about 2.3 million members to examine long-held policies that date back to its founding days. In some instances, change has come swiftly. In others, it came only after years of legal battles. Here are some pivotal moments in the Boy Scouts transformation: Question: No women allowed? Answer: The name speaks for itself: Boy Scouts of America. The group, founded in 1910, was for boys and their male leaders, focused on promoting responsibility through an array of outdoor activities and educational opportunities. Some boys came from single-parent households, and when their mothers volunteered to participate as Scoutmasters, they were rebuffed. Over the years, the group successfully defended the policy in court. But in the 1980s, Catherine Pollard, a mother from Milford, Conn., sued the group to overturn the ban against women Scoutmasters, alleging it violated sex discrimination laws. The lengthy legal proceedings drew international attention, with attorneys for the Boy Scouts making a flurry of controversial comments during oral arguments. A Scoutmaster has gone through the biological changes taking place in boys, thus making him more qualified to be a Scoutmaster, attorney George Davidson argued on behalf of the Boy Scouts during a 1985 a hearing in Connecticut. While the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities sided with Pollard, the courts did not. Ultimately, Pollards case made it to the state Supreme Court in 1987, which upheld a lower-court ruling that sided with the Boy Scouts. But Pollards fight caught the public imagination, and in 1988, as the Boy Scouts faced mounting criticism from civil rights groups, the groups national executive board voted to allow women in leadership positions including Scoutmaster. Pollard became the first female Scoutmaster, and today, according to the Boy Scouts, nearly a third of the groups volunteers are women. Q: What about gays joining the Scouts? A: From its founding, the group had a strict policy: No openly gay members. Boy Scouts of America, the group said, believes that homosexual conduct is inconsistent with the obligations in the Scout Oath and Scout Law to be morally straight and clean in thought, word and deed. The position reflected, in part, the sponsorship of Scout troops by churches. A lot of churches played a significant role in the Boy Scouts, said Jay Mechling, a professor emeritus at the University of California, Davis and an Eagle Scout who has written books about the group. Churches still do play a role, but times have changed and views have changed. In a 2016 Pew Research Center poll, 55 percent of Americans said they support same-sex marriage, compared with 37 percent who do not. (By contrast, a similar Pew poll in 2001 showed almost the opposite 57 percent opposed same-sex marriage, compared with 35 percent in support.) The advent of the Obama administration led to several policies aimed at improving the lives of gays and lesbians, and the dont ask, dont tell policy that banned openly gay men, lesbians and bisexuals from military service was overturned in 2010. That same year, the Boy Scouts of America executive board began what would become a two-year review of its policy on gays. It really was kind of a dont ask, dont tell in the Boy Scouts. It mirrored the military policy, Mechling said. Some Scout leaders opposed lifting the ban, and the board voted to retain its policy. But in 2013, as the group faced criticism from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights groups that assailed it as pushing discriminatory policies, the Boy Scouts formally announced an end to its ban on gay Scouts. Q: What about gay adult leaders? A: Well, that remained in place. This created a conundrum: Once a gay boy turned 18, he would be barred from the group. Such was the challenge facing Pascal Tessier. In 2014, Tessier, a 17-year-old from Maryland, became the first openly gay Eagle Scout. He wanted to continue to be associated with the group once he turned 18, but couldnt. Enter former Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who became president of the Boy Scouts of America. Gates, who served under President Barack Obama when dont ask, dont tell was repealed, urged the group to end its ban on gay leaders. I truly fear that any other alternative will be the end of us as a national movement, Gates said in a 2015 speech. Eventually, the executive board sided with Gates and voted that year to end the policy on gay adult leaders. Q: How about the transgender debate? A: Rather than allowing any court battles or strong public pushback, the group this time looked to be pre-emptive as the debate over transgender rights continues to roar. In North Carolina last year, lawmakers passed a bill that banned transgender people from using the bathrooms of the gender they identify with. And in Texas this year, Republican lawmakers have filed a similar bill that would require people to use the bathroom or locker room according to the gender on their birth certificates. These laws continue to be castigated by the American Civil Liberties Union and LGBT rights groups, which call them discriminatory. In December, the issue arrived before the Boy Scouts of America when an 8-year-old in New Jersey was asked to leave his Cub Scout troop after leaders and other parents found out he is transgender. The group acted quickly. After weeks of significant conversations at all levels of our organization, we realized that referring to birth certificates as the reference point is no longer sufficient, said Surbaugh, the groups executive. He announced the new inclusive policy Jan. 30. Zach Wahls, who cofounded Scouts for Equality, a nonprofit group that advocates for stronger protections in the organization for gay and transgender people, lauded the move. This is another historic day for the Boy Scouts of America. The decision to allow transgender boys to participate is an important step forward for this American institution, he said in a statement. NEW YORK Travelers from the seven Muslim-majority countries targeted by President Donald Trump who were denied entry into the United States a week ago are arriving at airports around the country and into the open arms of their loved ones. Fariba Tajrostami, a 32-year-old painter from Iran, came through the gate at New Yorks Kennedy Airport on Sunday with a huge smile and tears in her eyes as her brothers greeted her with joyful hugs. Im very happy. I havent seen my brothers for nine years, she said. Tajrostami had tried to fly to the U.S. from Turkey over a week ago, but was turned away. I was crying and was so disappointed, she said. Everything I had in mind, what I was going to do, I was so disappointed about everything. I thought it was all over. Tajrostami said she hopes to study art in the U.S. and plans to join her husband in Dallas soon. He moved from Iran six months ago, has a green card and is working at a car dealership. Similar scenes played out across the U.S. after a federal judge in Seattle on Friday suspended the presidents travel ban and after a federal appeals court denied the Trump administrations request to set aside the ruling. The U.S. canceled the visas of up to 60,000 foreigners in the week after the ban on travel from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen took effect, according to the State Department. Trump also suspended nearly all refugee admissions for 120 days and barred Syrian refugees indefinitely. The order triggered protests and a multitude of legal challenges around the country and blocked numerous college students, researchers and others from entering the U.S. Trump, who said the goal was to keep terrorists from slipping into the country, lashed out against U.S. District Judge James Robart for putting the ban on hold. He referred to Robart as a so-called judge and called the ruling ridiculous. On Sunday, the president tweeted: Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! Iranian researcher Nima Enayati, a Ph.D. candidate at a university in Milan, was prevented from boarding a flight to the U.S. on Jan. 30. He had a visa to conduct research on robotic surgery at Stanford University in California. On Sunday night, he arrived in New York. It feels great finally Im here, Enayati said at JFK. Considering the last 10 days we had no idea if well be able to make it or not. Enayati said he feels safe for now, but worries that the travel ban could inhibit research in the future. We always had this open collaboration around the world, he said. We never had concerns about whether we would be able to go somewhere physically or not. Mahsa Azabadi, 29, an Iranian-American who lives in Denver, was forced to put her wedding plans on hold after her fiance, Sorena Behzadfar, was turned away when he tried to board a plane to travel from Iran to the U.S. on Jan. 28. Over the weekend, though, Behzadfar was cleared for travel and was expected to arrive at Bostons Logan Airport on Sunday afternoon. Its been a really tough week to figure out what will happen to us, said Azabadi, who has lived in the U.S. for 11 years and is now a U.S. citizen. The couple is hoping to keep their wedding date of May 12. Seeing the support from the lawyers and different people trying to help, it was really nice, she said. We want to be the best and do the best for the people and for this country. We would love to have the opportunity. ___ Associated Press writer Emery Dalesio contributed to this report from Raleigh, North Carolina. Lavoie contributed from Boston. Theres no doubt about it: The outlook for the oil industry is decidedly sunny as the Trump administration takes shape. But some energy analysts say a number of issues ranging from protectionist trade policies to the controversial executive order restricting travel from seven countries may put some segments of the industry at odds with the new president. Its a more nuanced picture, said Rob Desai, energy analyst for the investment firm of Edward Jones. At first glance, it appears the oil industry and the Trump administration are practically joined at the hip. Trumps Secretary of State is Rex Tillerson, former CEO at ExxonMobil, the worlds largest oil company. Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt each from oil-rich states have been nominated to run the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, respectively. And in one of Trumps first moves as president, he signed an executive order to green-light the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and the Dakota Access Pipeline. So far, so good for the industry, said Bernard Bud Weinstein, associate director of the Maguire Energy Institute at Southern Methodist University. I think whats important about both of those pipelines is theyre critical components of North American energy infrastructure. But not every one of Trumps moves and overtures have been greeted with glee by the industry. The controversial order to restrict travel from seven Middle Eastern countries resulted in protests and withering criticism but may also prove troublesome for large, multinational U.S. oil companies. Even though the U.S. has dramatically increased its domestic production of crude in recent years, the country still imports just under 8 million barrels a day from foreign countries. Of that amount, about 500,000 barrels a day come from Iraq. Angered by Trumps immigration order, the Iraqi parliament has urged its government to retaliate by banning travel by airline passengers from the U.S. Such a move may hurt oil giants ExxonMobil and Chevron, who each have production facilities in Iraq. Security contractors and oil service providers often work in rotational shifts and go back and forth from Iraq every few weeks. We are reviewing the executive order to understand any implications for our employees, Kent Robertson, Chevrons manager for global external affairs, said in an email last week to The San Diego Union-Tribune, adding that so far the order has had no impact on the company. The executive order may hurt Chevron and Exxon when it comes to competing for new contracts in the region, including Iran, said Saeed Irani, president of Irani Engineering, a company headquartered in Sacramento, Calif., that drills and completes wells for independent petroleum producers. We have big oil companies like Total (based in France) and British Petroleum (BP, based in London), Irani said. So if you are seen as anti-Muslim, the heads of those countries might lean toward Total and British Petroleum rather than Exxon and Chevron. Its estimated the U.S. imports about a half million barrels a day from Iraq. Total production of the oil is not going to change but whos going to be making money off the oil? Irani said. Is it going to be American companies or is it going to be European companies or Chinese companies or Russian companies? This has created a situation that is not favorable to American companies in the Middle East. Within days of Trumps announcement on Keystone and Dakota Access, the new president also said he wants all pipeline companies and suppliers to use steel and other products made exclusively by U.S. companies. Thats not something the pipeline-makers want, Desai said. They want to have the lowest cost pipelines. That goes against at least one part of the energy sector. Oil refineries in the U.S. are also looking closely at another potential policy move. Trump has threatened tariffs on specific countries and industries and in response, Republican leaders in Congress are discussing a 20 percent border tax on all imports, including crude oil. At current prices, a 20 percent tax is estimated to cost U.S. refineries about $30 billion because most are equipped to handle heavier crude that comes from overseas destinations such as Saudi Arabia and Venezuela instead of lighter crude that comes from most U.S. oilfields. At the same time, while a tax on imported oil would hurt refineries, it figures to give domestic shale producers a big boost. Having a tax on imported oil almost overnight makes U.S.-produced oil more valuable because youre not having to pay that tax on top of the import, said Desai. All that being said, the Trump administration is expected to be decidedly beneficial to the energy industry and the fossil-fuel sector in particular. Moves aimed at expediting energy infrastructure projects, relaxing a rule on methane emissions (issued by the Obama administration after Trumps election) and opening up federal lands to drilling have been applauded by the industry while drawing scorn from environmental groups. On the campaign trail, Trump promised to revive the coal industry. When it comes to environmental push back, we aint seen nothing yet, said Weinstein. The anti-carbon movement has been energized. A columnist on the Sierra Clubs website said, Big Oil won the 2016 election and now its drooling over the size of the spoils. A banner headline above the column urges readers to make monthly donations and Join The Fight, Protect Our Planet From Trump. Dan Jacobson, the state director Environment California, agrees that Trump has galvanized green activists. All these moves have environmental groups on red alert, Jacobson said. We have to make sure that all the protections weve gained over the past eight years dont get washed away because many of the protections of our beautiful places cant be undone. Desai anticipates more legal challenges from environmentalists, especially when it comes to midstream projects such as pipelines where state and local governments can challenge federal edicts. I think youll see a lot more push-back on those local levels, Desai said. We think it will take longer, even if (projects) get approved. So basically growth gets pushed out, things take longer and you get more challenges in courts, Desai said. 2017 The San Diego Union-Tribune Visit The San Diego Union-Tribune at www.sandiegouniontribune.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. LOVELAND, Colo. Friends, family and fellow law enforcement officers turned out to honor the transit guard shot and killed in Denver last week at his funeral on Monday in Loveland. Fifty-six-year-old Scott Von Lanken was working for a security contractor for the Denver areas Regional Transportation District Tuesday night when police say a 37-year-old Texan who had been living lately in a suburban Denver motel walked up from behind him, put a gun to his neck and said something to the effect of do what you are told before firing. Joshua Cummings has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting but police havent released a possible motive. Von Lanken previously worked as a police officer in La Crosse, Wisconsin and as a pastor. He is survived by a wife and two daughters. LAS CRUCES Concern and uncertainty plague New Mexicos economic development community as it grapples with President Donald Trumps nebulous plans to build a border wall, withdrawal from the Trans Pacific Partnership and his argumentative tone when dealing with Mexico the states largest trading partner and neighbor to the south. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2015, the last full year for which data is available, New Mexico exported $3.781 billion in goods. Of that, $1.683 billion went to Mexico, making that country the states largest recipient of exports. In turn, the state imported $2.249 billion in goods during the same period, with $635 million coming from Mexico, second only to Chinese imports of $789 million. Those numbers are expected to be even greater when the 2016 figures are tallied. We are the seventh-largest manufacturing hub in North America and a globally competitive advanced manufacturing center, with over 340 significant manufacturing operations, employing over 275,000 individuals in the region, said Jon Barela, New Mexicos former economic development secretary and now CEO of the Borderplex Alliance, a bi-national economic development group that includes Las Cruces, El Paso and Juarez, Mexico. Almost all of the roughly $1.7 billion in 2015 exports is being generated in the Santa Teresa industrial base, said Jerry Pacheco, president and CEO of the Border Industrial Association, which has nearly 80 business members, ranging from Union Pacific to an array of manufacturers; logistics and shipping companies; and others involved in the cross-border production and transportation of goods and services. The region is also home to a planned bi-national community, Los Santos, being developed near the existing communities of Santa Teresa, New Mexico, and San Jeronimo, Mexico. The businesses in southern Dona Ana County send items such as electronics, steel, and plastics across the border for further processing and manufacture. Those items then return north to the U.S. for distribution and sale. The construction of a wall would hamper the cross-border partnerships, if not in the form of physical difficulty in crossing, definitely in sending a message to foreign companies that the border is, at least symbolically, closed for business, Pacheco said. New Mexicos legislative delegation, with the exception of Rep. Steve Pearce, have opposed the border wall. Pearce said he supports securing the border and that Trump is keeping a campaign promise to the American people. But, he said, building a wall or increasing border patrol staffing alone will not fix the faults with our border security. And, Congress must work to seek funding, he said. Our nations debt continues to grow, with no end in sight, Pearce said. As President Trump moves forward with the construction of a physical wall on the southern border, the federal government absolutely must develop and examine funding mechanisms that allow the wall to be built without contributing to our long-term debts and deficits. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress, and the Trump administration to find a funding structure that benefits and protects New Mexico. Statewide impact The Santa Teresa industrial base has been credited as the bright spot in the states economy by the Federal Reserve Bank in Dallas. Its growth is due in no small part to Mexicos maquiladora industry. The maquiladoras import roughly 95 percent of the materials used in manufacturing. Most of these items plastic injection components, metal parts, resins and packaging are supplied by U.S. firms that are being pressured to move closer to the Mexican buyers to shorten the supply chain and reduce cost, according to the NMBIA. Juarez is the Pittsburgh of Mexico, the production base of northern Mexico, the cap of the maquiladora industry in terms of volume, Pacheco said. Of all the products made in Juarez off road vehicles, flat screens, phones, medical products, gummy bears, whatever Juarez sources less than 2 percent of what goes into its industrial base (in Mexico); so, 98 (percent) has to come in, and it comes from us. Slap a tariff on that and see whats going to happen to our suppliers on this side of the border, he added. Its not brain surgery to understand at face value what the consequences could be. New Mexico has seen an increase of 350 percent in trade with Mexico in the last 10 years. Arizona has had a 75 percent increase, Texas 65 percent and California 46 percent. We are trouncing the rest of the border, Pacheco said. Granted, we are coming from a lower (starting) number. But its striking New Mexico is in the conversation. Back in the 1990s, no state in the U.S. had such trade with Mexico; and its based on Santa Teresa. If the preliminary numbers for 2016 hold true, Santa Teresa will eclipse Albuquerque as the states largest exporter. Today we have $26 billion worth of value passing through Santa Teresa. We have gone from being one of the tiniest ports of entry to the seventh highest in terms of traffic, Pacheco said. Building a wall, Border Industrial Association members argue, would send the wrong message on trade. Business owners who are members of the BIA declined to be interviewed for this story, saying they feared possible repercussions if they speak out in public. Trumps penchant for singling out companies in his Tweets has been seen, and local businesses cant risk falling into his spotlight, Pacheco said. We have jobs on the border, American jobs, and to start the rapport with second-largest purchaser of U.S. exports on the planet to incite, insult and use disrespectful language jeopardizes those jobs, Pacheco said. We are utilizing the advantages Mexico has and they use ours. We work together against China and the European Union. And, here we are picking a fight with a partner. The Borderplex Alliances Barela said multiple businesses that were considering relocating or establishing a new business presence in the region have become reluctant to do so after Trumps recent announcements. Some have discussed a hiring freeze. Others are holding off on capital investments and expansions. There are a lot of frozen investments due to the uncertainty, Barela said. The tensions that are escalating between Washington, D.C. and Mexico are leading to not only a more difficult environment in which to negotiate NAFTA and have civil discourse on other issues like border security, but it is starting to fuel a rise of Mexican nationalism and boycotts of American products like McDonalds and Coke. Its also playing into the hands of far-left candidates (in Mexico) and the ramifications can be very profound. Negotiating in good faith requires mutual respect and an air of civility, Barela said. Renegotiating NAFTA Another of the Trump administrations proposals is to renegotiate or abandon the 23-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement. While it may be advisable and even profitable in the long run to address some elements of the deal, it must be done from a position of mutual respect, Pacheco said. Is NAFTA in the shape and format we want it 20, 30 years down the line? I think thats a responsible question, Pacheco said. But you dont start the conversation by insulting Mexico with a wall and call them rapists, murderers, and blame them for destroying the U.S. economy. Addressing the U.S. Congressional Border Caucus during a hearing in January, Barela noted the Borderplex is a booming region with endless possibilities. Despite some initial reservations, NAFTA has been an economic engine for the region and for our entire country, Barela said. All of the nearly 200 investors of The Borderplex Alliance are positively impacted by trade with Mexico. It would be devastating to abrogate or terminate the agreement not just for our region and other U.S. border cities, but for the nearly 6 million Americans across the country whose jobs depend on the trade partnerships it established. A 2016 report by the Wilson Center found that at least 30 states have 50,000 or more jobs supported by trade between the U.S. and Mexico, Barela said. When NAFTA was signed 23 years ago, many items were not on the table, including the energy sector and renewable energy. Barela suggests several areas for renegotiation. First among them is the energy sector, which was not included in the original agreement. Significant improvements can be made regarding environmental and labor issues as well, but the agreement cant just be tossed aside, he said. Frankly, legislative propositions like the border adjustment tax or abrogating NAFTA will not only kill jobs on both sides of the border, it will unwittingly destabilize our southern frontier, Barela warned. When people are unable to provide for their families, they will seek opportunity regardless of a political boundary or a physical barrier. Many will turn to violence, and human suffering will replace hope and opportunity. Jason Gibbs may be reached at 575-541-5451, jgibbs@lcsun-news.com or @fjgwriter on Twitter. 2017 the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) Visit the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) at www.lcsun-news.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. _____ ALEXANDRIA, Va. Authorities say a 50-year-old northern Virginia man who used to work as a teachers assistant in Texas has been sentenced to more than 8 years in prison for receiving and downloading child pornography. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia said in a statement that James Jeffrey Schroeder of Arlington was sentenced Friday to 100 months in prison. Thats after he pleaded guilty in October. According to court documents, from approximately 1997 to 2015, Schroeder received and downloaded child pornography. The statement says a review revealed more than 13,000 images and 400 videos of child pornography, including some that were sadistic or masochistic in nature. Schroeder also faces 20 years of supervised released and was ordered to pay $182,000 in restitution to victims. BEIJING China said Monday it had lodged a formal protest with the United States over a decision to impose new sanctions targeting Iran that affect a handful of Chinese companies and individuals. The state-run Xinhua news agency said the sanctions cast a shadow over the prospects for a peaceful settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue and called them a ticking time bomb for peace and stability in the entire Middle East. At the same time, though, Beijings concerns about the new Trump administration appear to have been somewhat calmed by comments regarding the South China Sea made by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. After other Trump administration officials hinted at the possibility of a naval blockade of Chinas artificial islands there, Mattis called for diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute and played down the need for U.S. military maneuvers in the contested sea. Mattiss comments, during a tour of Japan and South Korea last week, were a mind-soothing pill that had dispersed the clouds of war that many feared were gathering over the South China Sea, the official English-language China Daily newspaper said in an editorial Monday. Mattis has inspired optimism here that things may not be as bad as previously portrayed, the newspaper said. While warning that the U.S. stance toward South Korea and Japan could jeopardize regional security, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the remarks about the South China Sea were worthy of affirmation. The Iran-related sanctions were imposed Friday after Tehran conducted a ballistic missile test. They affect 25 people and entities allegedly involved in helping Iran develop its ballistic missile program or in supporting groups that the United States considers terrorist, such as Lebanons Shiite Hezbollah militant group. They include two Chinese companies and three Chinese individuals, who are now blocked from the U.S. financial system or dealings with U.S. companies. Foreign companies and individuals are also prohibited from dealing with them at risk of being blacklisted by the United States. On Monday, Lu said that Beijing had lodged a formal protest. We have consistently opposed any unilateral sanctions, Lu told a regular news conference. The sanctions will not help in enhancing trust among the different parties involved and will not help in resolving international problems. China has close economic and diplomatic ties with Tehran but also played an important role in a landmark 2015 deal to curb the nations nuclear program. Irans foreign ministry spokesman, Bahram Qasemi, described the Trump administration as still in an unstable stage but insisted that Iran did not conduct the recent missile launch to test the new White House. Irans missile test was not a message to the new U.S. government, he was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency. There is no need to test Mr. Trump as we have heard his views on different issues in recent days. . . . We know him quite well. Iran says its missile launches do not violate U.N. resolutions since the missiles are not designed to carry nuclear warheads. The Trump administration, however, views the launches as provocative and has vowed to curb Irans missile program. Executives from the two Chinese companies included on the list denied doing anything wrong. Yue Yaodong, an executive at Cosailing Business Trading in the eastern city of Qingdao, said his firm was collapsing, with his account at the Agricultural Bank of China frozen, a shipping company refusing to accept his goods and clients abandoning him. We have not done any business with Iran for three to four years, he said. There have been some Iranian customers coming to us asking prices, but we have not conducted real business. Go search the customs record. He said his company sells items for everyday use, as well as porcelain, hydraulic parts, and motors for treadmills, but he said it was only a small, private firm. I am so lost. Both the United States and China are sanctioning me, he said. There is no way to do business now, I dont know what our little company did wrong. An export manager at Ningbo New Century Import and Export Co., based in the eastern city of Ningbo, told Reuters that the company had only carried out normal exports to Iran but did not elaborate. U.S. relations with China have hit a distinctly rocky patch since President Donald Trump took office, with the new president seeing the government in Beijing as more of a threat than a partner. Indeed, since the inauguration, Trump has yet to speak to his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, despite talking to at least 18 other world leaders. The Washington Posts Congcong Zhang in Beijing and Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report. President Donald Trumps executive order on immigration was ill-conceived, poorly implemented and ill-explained. To be fair, it would have been hard to explain since it was not the product of intelligence and security professionals demanding change, but rather policy, political and ideological personalities close to the president fulfilling a campaign promise to deal with a threat they had overhyped. Ive heard from a lot of intelligence professionals who are going to have to live with the consequences. They noted that six of the seven countries involved in the ban (Iran being somewhat an exception) are troubled, fragmented states where human sources are essential to defeating threats to the United States. Paradoxically, they pointed out how the executive order breached faith with those very sources, many of whom they had promised to always protect with the full might of our government and our people. Sources who had risked much, if not all, to keep Americans safe. I understood their angst. As CIA director, I reminded them at their case officer graduations that, when they recruited a source, they would likely be the only face of America that the source would see. And that in the act of recruitment they would assume a powerful and permanent moral responsibility for the well-being of the source and his or her loved ones. The case officers believed that they were also empowered to offer the full faith and credit of the American nation for that task. Now, they told me, that promise was eroding. Some will quibble that this, at least technically, is not really the case. That this is a temporary ban (maybe) and exceptions can be made (possibly). But as a former station chief told me, in the places where intelligence officers operate, rumor, whisper and conspiratorial chatter rule peoples lives. It doesnt take paranoia to connect the action of the executive order with the hateful, anti-Islamic language of the campaign. In the Middle East, with its honor-based cultures, its easier to recruit someone we have been shooting at than it is to recruit someone whose society has been insulted. As the station chief reminded me, the fundamental posture of an intelligence service looking for sources is that We welcome you, you have value. Our society respects you. More than your own. He feared that would no longer be the powerful American message it once was. The simple idea of America didnt hurt either. The station chief said that one of the fundamentals of his business was selling the dream. The Soviets had a hard time with that. We had it easy. A lot of intelligence targets officials, military figures, African revolutionaries, tribal leaders railed against our policies, our interventions, many things . . . but they loved America. It was the idea of the country as a special place. They didnt necessarily want to go there, but it was a place they kept in their minds where they would be welcome. The station chief and I knew Mohammed Shahwani, an Iraqi and American hero. Shawani carried the Iraqi flag at the 1960 Rome Olympics and later became a war hero as a commander of a special forces unit in the war against Iran. His popularity grew to a point where Saddam Hussein viewed him as a threat and he had to flee for his life. Shahwani settled in Leesburg, Virginia, from where the United States convinced him after the invasion of Iraq to return to set up and run Iraqs post-Hussein intelligence service. A Sunni, he established a nonsectarian service that was a trusted, professional partner to the CIA and U.S. forces. Not sectarian enough for Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Shahwani was eventually sacked as U.S. influence waned. Shahwani acted because he was an Iraqi patriot, but also because he was welcomed and sheltered by the United States, and believed he would be again. Of course, today any members of Shahwanis family still in Iraq are forbidden to enter the United States. My station chief asks, How would you look him in the eye these days and promise him wed take care of him and the men who follow him? What do you tell him to tell those men? Well take care of them no matter what? That our president is shoulder to shoulder with them? Great questions, since we are at war in Iraq today and desperately need partners of Shahwanis character. These effects will not pass quickly. These are not short-term, transactional societies. Insults rarely just fade away. Honor patiently waits to be satisfied. In the meantime, we will be left with the weak and the merely avaricious, agents who will cut a deal just for the money, the worst kind of sources. To all the tough-guy ideological thinkers who created this, professional CIA case officers will do what they can to deal with the unnecessary burden you have given them. But in the future you might want to consult them before you rush proclamations out the door. Michael Hayden, a principal at the Chertoff Group and visiting professor at George Mason Universitys Schar School of Policy and Government, was director of the National Security Agency from 1999 to 2005 and the Central Intelligence Agency from 2006 to 2009. Heres where things stand heading into Day 18 of the Trump administration: President Trump is tweeting, lawsuits are multiplying, and escalation to the Supreme Court seems imminent. Welcome to the second weekend of Trumps controversial travel ban, which barred refugees and people from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the country. Heres what happened over the past three days. On Friday, a federal judge in Washington state temporarily blocked enforcement of the ban nationwide, allowing travelers previously barred from entering the country to board U.S.-bound planes. Trump, as you might expect, was not happy with the decision, and he used Twitter to criticize the judge who made it. The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned! he tweeted Saturday morning. The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned! On Saturday night, lawyers for the Trump administration filed a notice to appeal the decision. On Sunday, a federal appeals court ruled against the government, saying the immigration ban will remain suspended for now. Monday and Tuesday are expected to see more action as lawyers for both sides file written arguments. After that, the court could schedule a hearing or rule whether the ban should remain suspended. And the developments wont stop there: Remember, this is just one of the many legal battles springing up over Trumps ban across the country. In the meantime, Trumps criticism of U.S. District Judge James Robart as a so-called judge continues to reverberate, drawing rebuke from some Republicans. Ill be honest, I dont understand language like that, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., said Sunday. We dont have so-called judges, we dont have so-called senators, we dont have so-called presidents. TRUMP RAISES EYEBROWS WITH STRONG DEFENSE OF PUTIN The other matter distancing Trump from would-be Republican allies is Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump mounted a strong defense of Putin over the weekend during an interview with Fox News, even attempting to neutralize host Bill OReillys description of Putin as a killer. There are a lot of killers, Trump said, seeming to equate the United States with Russia. Weve got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our countrys so innocent? Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., rejected any comparison in a separate interview Sunday, calling Putin a former KGB agent and a thug. I do think America is exceptional. America is different, McConnell said on CNN. We dont operate in any way the way the Russians do. I think theres a clear distinction here that all Americans understand, and no, I would not have characterized it that way. As for Vice President Pence, he once again found himself veering from Trump on the question of Russias incursion into Ukraine. Were very troubled by the increased hostilities over the past week, he said on ABC. PENCE TO LEAD VOTING INVESTIGATION, TRUMP SAYS Furthermore, Trump still believes without evidence that 3 to 5 million illegal votes cost him the popular vote in his election battle against Hillary Clinton. Now, after promising an investigation, he announced who is going to run it. Im going to set up a commission . . . headed by Vice President Mike Pence, and were going to look at it very, very carefully, Trump told Fox News. Trump described the alleged problem like this: When you see people that are registered in two states, that have voted in two states, when you see other things, when you see illegals, people that are not citizens, and they are on the registration rolls. Its not uncommon for voters to be on rolls in more than one state. TRUMP STILL BENEFITING FROM BUSINESS, DOCUMENTS SHOW Ethics experts urged Trump to set up a blind trust to protect himself against conflicts of interest while in office. And he has set up a trust, but he is much closer to it than those experts would like. According to newly released documents, Trump is the sole beneficiary of the trust created to separate him from his business. The trust is legally controlled by his oldest son and a longtime employee. Trump also retains the legal power to revoke the trust at any time, the documents show. As our colleagues wrote, this is the kind of situation those ethics experts feared: While Trump has promised he will observe a separation between his business and the presidency, he retains ownership of the business and will personally benefit if the business profits from decisions made by his government. WHERE THINGS STAND ON CAPITOL HILL This week, Senate action on Trumps nominees will be less of a frenzy and more a concentration of big developments. Education secretary nominee Betsy DeVos is scheduled to receive a floor vote Tuesday, and she has no support to spare after Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, said they would oppose her confirmation. Democrats are hoping they can peel off one pro-DeVos vote and sink her nomination, but its unclear whom they could turn at this point. The White House says its confident DeVos will be confirmed. Next up to receive floor votes though none has been scheduled yet are attorney general nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., health and human services secretary nominee Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., and treasury secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin. Also on the calendar for this week is a Tuesday vote in the Committee on Veterans Affairs for VA secretary nominee David Shulkin. PITTSBURGH Before scheduling a hip or knee replacement procedure, retired orthopedic surgeon Edward Kelly says he often insisted on examining the patients mouth first. Many medical problems occur because of infections that might take place in the mouth, said Kelly, who now serves as volunteer medical director for Catholic Charities Free Health Care Center in downtown Pittsburgh, which provides free dental and medical care for those who cant afford to pay. An untreated mouth infection could spread through the body and attack the area around the new prosthesis, typically requiring its removal, he explained. So if he spotted any problems during those exams, he told the patient, You need to see a dentist first. Research has linked gum disease to a number of maladies, including heart disease, lung infections, as well as complications for pregnancies and diabetes. But health care has been slow to move away from traditional thinking that infections in the mouth should be viewed or treated differently than those elsewhere in the body. There is no rational reason why they should be separate, said dentist Robert J. Weyant, who chairs the Department of Dental Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh. Government-sponsored insurance programs have lagged on dental coverage. Pennsylvania reduced its medical assistance dental benefit for adults in 2011 and the federal Affordable Care Act left dental care for adults off its list of required essential benefits, although coverage for children is included. With rare exceptions, Medicare does not cover routine checkups or other dental care and only about 12 percent of seniors purchase dental insurance. A recent federal Department of Health and Human Services report found that only about 40 percent of those 65 and older had visited a dentist in 2014, leaving them vulnerable to possible infections that could compromise their overall health. Private insurers and employers may be a catalyst for changing that thinking. Pittsburgh-based UPMC Health Plan officials say 90 percent of their large employers offer dental coverage, as do 70 percent of employers with 100 or fewer employees. For individuals buying plans through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, only about 4 percent have opted for full dental coverage. Meanwhile, United Concordia, the dental insurance arm of Pittsburgh insurer Highmark, has been working on what it calls its medical-dental integration strategy breaking down barriers between the medical and dental sides. The initiative was launched in 2012 and expanded two years later, following studies done in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania. Those studies found that regular dental exams reduced annual medical care costs by 40 percent for patients with diabetes or cerebral vascular disease, and more than 70 percent for pregnant women, saving thousands of dollars in each case. Hospital admissions dropped by nearly 40 percent for patients with type 2 diabetes. With such convincing evidence, United Concordia Chief Dental Officer Quinn Dufurrena says the ultimate goal is to develop an integrated health care system, so people can get dental care and see their doctor in one place. That still may not solve what is typically the biggest barrier for people accessing dental care: the cost of treatment, which Weyant says prevents roughly 40 percent of adults from seeing a dentist any given year. People are pretty price sensitive, especially low income people, he said. If you get a treatment plan thats more than your monthly rent, youre going to think hard about making that appointment. Perhaps no one sees more low income people for dental care than the Catholic Charities clinics. The clinic, funded by grants and donations, does not accept insurance nor does it charge patients. Some who visit the clinic are homeless, but most hold jobs that simply dont offer health benefits or offer some medical coverage but not dental insurance. When the Catholic Charities dental clinic opened in 2004, hundreds signed up, Kelly recalled, quickly creating a six-month waiting list to sit in one of the four dental chairs. Many patients just never had care, or it was 20 years ago when they had a tooth pulled, said Mark Prybyl, the clinics full-time dentist. Maybe one or two might have remembered the last time theyd seen a dentist and no one remembered if theyd had their teeth cleaned. Today people can usually get a spot for a regular checkup in about six weeks, sooner if theres an emergency. More typically, they wait until theyre in pain with bleeding gums, or have severe decay, both preventable problems with regular brushing and checkups. For the 10-25 patients seen each weekday at the clinic, though, basic dental hygiene is not always so simple. I tell them, I could save your teeth, but they just say, I cant afford toothpaste. Im not going to brush my teeth. I was hoping youd pull them,' said Prybyl. People just figure its easier. With 20 million people waiting to see what will happen with their Affordable Care Act marketplace medical plans, building a true marriage of medical and dental care may not be close at hand. But proponents say science, and common sense, are on their side. Insurance companies are starting to be aware, said Prybyl, that if you maintain peoples dental health maybe you wont have to pay for that heart valve. 2017 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Visit the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at www.post-gazette.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. PITTSBURGH Shopping for medical care is like shopping for nothing else: the charge is almost never known until the patient gets the bill. Now, health insurer Highmark Health is cracking a door into the arcane world of health care pricing by trying to guide members to the lowest cost, highest quality providers in its network. The carrot: choosing the best doctors and medical facilities will put cash in the patients pocket in the form of a rebate. Members are increasingly becoming aware of cost variability, Highmark Senior Vice President Lori Schoonmaker said. We have big plans for this product. Bigger co-pays and deductibles for health insurance and the sharp rise in the number of high-deductible plans in recent years are forcing consumers to be smarter about where they get an MRI or blood test. The hitch is theres virtually no comparative pricing information available, no Kelley Blue Book for medicine, and charges can vary wildly, even among providers within the same network. Employer groups, including the Pittsburgh Business Group on Health, have long pressed for pricing transparency in medical care, saying its critical to holding down costs and improving quality. In the Highmark Health pilot, Lyndhurst, N.J.-based Vitals SmartShopper will provide the buying guide for the companys self-insured groups, which comprise the bulk of its customers. Heres how it works. Using claims data, employers identify the highest cost, most common medical services used by a particular group. They can choose from several dozen specific services imaging, diagnostic testing, elective surgery to tailor the advice given to employees. Employer groups pay for the service on a per-member, per-month basis or as a percentage of the savings realized. When a patient goes to the doctor, theyre making decisions that ultimately will cost the payor money, Vitals SmartShopper Founder and Executive Chairman Mitch Rothschild said. And historically, no one has helped the patient make that decision. For example, the nationwide charge for an infusion of Remicade a medicine used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, Crohns and other diseases can range between $1,500 at an outpatient clinic and $10,000 at a hospital, Rothschild said. Deductibles had been used to make consumers smarter, said Med Health CFO Josephine Oria, who encourages patients to shop around before getting tests done. But simply avoiding getting care was the unintended consequence. Variability in charges is astoundingly wide, he said, with very little correlation between cost and quality. Highmark members can see any provider in the insurers network, but using SmartShopper, Rothschild claims the average savings per employee is over $500 annually for the employer, with member rebates ranging between 10 percent and 20 percent of the employers savings, up to about $500. Vitals recommendations will be based on Highmarks internal quality and cost data, and members can access the advice on the companys website. Highmark is just rolling out the new service, so its uncertain whether it will get traction. Vitals was founded in 2005 and, according to its website, helps more than 150 million people annually make health care decisions. Consumers have long been in the dark about health cares billing system, where charges are unrelated to the amount paid by the insurer and even the actual cost of providing the service. Worse, health care costs have been rising. Premiums for family coverage were up 58 percent between 2006 and 2016, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based health policy research outfit, while the percentage of insured workers with an annual deductible of $1,000 or more for single coverage was 45 percent in 2016 up from 6 percent during the same decade. Increased premiums and copays have also spawned such companies as Greensburg, Pa.-based Pratter LLC, which uses patient invoices to compile a proprietary price list for medical procedures performed at institutions nationwide. Pratter founder Bill Hennessey praised SmartShoppers intent, but said it didnt go far enough. Theyre doing good stuff, trying to save employees and employers money, and thats good, he said. But, They are partnering with a health insurance company. Name the last time a health insurer saved money for the consumer? It really hasnt worked. They dont answer to consumers. In Western Pennsylvania, charges for routine blood work can range between $500 and $1,900, depending on the facility doing the test, Hennessey said, and a doctor isnt needed to interpret the results. He identified Monroeville, Pa.-based Med Health Services as among the lowest-cost providers in the region for blood work, imaging and other tests. But Med Health is not available to all consumers: Its lab and headquarters, located a few miles from UPMC East Hospital, is not a UPMC Health Plan provider. In recent years, insurers have used high copays and high-deductible health plans as a stick to encourage smarter health care decisions. Instead, consumers skipped getting care, said Med Health CFO Josephine Oria. Deductibles had been used to make consumers smarter, said Oria, who encourages patients to shop around before getting tests done. But simply avoiding getting care was the unintended consequence. Now, deductibles cant continue to go up, she said, forcing employers and insurers to find new ways of shaping consumer behavior. As a low-cost provider, Med Health stands to gain by the Highmark pilot. Rewarding patients for making smarter health care decisions could change consumer habits, she said. This is going to be an impetus to drive change much faster, she said. Its a way to engage patients. 2017 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Visit the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at www.post-gazette.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. DENVER A Colorado State University graduate student separated from her family because of President Trumps travel ban is back in Fort Collins. Hanan Isweiri (HAH-nan Is-WIR-ee) had traveled to Libya with her 1-year-old son to visit her sick mother and attend her fathers funeral. She was stopped in Jordan on her return trip because of the presidents executive order halting immigration from Libya and six other Muslim-majority countries. After a federal judge swept aside the order, she and her son was able to fly back to the United States. Her husband and their three other children were waiting for her with flowers and balloons at Denver International Airport on Sunday. She told KUSA-TV (http://on9news.tv/2kjcynG ) that its really great to be home. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working the Santa Teresa port of entry seized 8.5 pounds of cocaine over the weekend from a man who was traveling with his wife and 5-year-old child. This is an unfortunate trend in that the smuggler was traveling with his wife and young child in the vehicle in an apparent effort to deflect attention away from the drug smuggling attempt, said CBP Santa Teresa Port Director Ray Provencio in a statement. Smugglers will occasionally attempt to blend in with legitimate travelers by using family members to help mask their true intent. The man was traveling in 2004 Ford Lobo with two adult passengers and a young child as they attempted to enter through the Santa Teresa port. A CBP officer noticed anomalies in the appearance of the backseat of the truck that led to the discovery of a hidden non-factory compartment. The officer probed a bundle found in the compartment and recovered a substance which tested positive for cocaine. A total of three cocaine-filled bundles were recovered from the hidden compartment. The driver, a 38-year-old Mexican male from Chihuahua City, Mexico, was turned over to ICE HSI special agents to face charges in connection with the failed smuggling attempt. His 29-year-old spouse and 5-year old child were processed and returned to Mexico. A few months ago, conservative talk show host Tomi Lahren had a surprisingly civil chat with Trevor Noah on The Daily Show. On Friday, Lahren appeared on another liberal talk show HBOs Real Time With Bill Maher. How did the discussion go? It depends on whom you ask. In many ways, it makes sense that Maher would host Lahren. Hes a staunch advocate for free speech and frequently hosts guests who disagree with him. (One of those guests is conservative pundit Ann Coulter. Maher told the New York Times in 2009 that they were good friends.) On The Daily Show, Lahren and Noah went head-to-head on Donald Trump and Black Lives Matter for more than 26 minutes. Lahren got far fewer words in on Real Time, where she was joined by fellow panelists Republican strategist Rick Wilson and Missouri Democrat Jason Kander, who served in Afghanistan. Maher kicked off the panel by discussing the Trump administrations efforts to overturn regulations enacted by former president Barack Obama using the Congressional Review Act. Congress has already acted to overturn a rule designed to prevent coal mining debris from being dumped into streams and a rule requiring more extensive background checks for gun purchases by Social Security recipients with mental disabilities. This looks like special interest stuff. How does letting a coal company dump the sludge in the river help the little guy? Maher asked, citing Trumps campaign rhetoric. The forgotten American, I would say, Lahren answered. Because the coal industry has been attacked. Obama went to war against the coal industry and they saw massive declines, and they were on their way out the door. You look at these little towns. Look at the American worker. We need to take a minute, take a step back and realize. Maher interrupted her. Even if we allowed coal, why allow the company to dump the sludge in the river? Its a more complex issue than that, though, Lahren said. And some of this regulation was doubled-up upon. Maher also brought up the deadly Yemen raid that left a Navy SEAL and several civilians dead. It was a huge fup, Maher said. Now Im not saying thats all Donald Trumps fault, although it doesnt look good. But heres the thing, Maher continued. If it was Hillary Clinton, this would be the new Benghazi. So we shouldnt talk about intentions, Lahren said. Intentions? Maher asked. Youre right on the left, and the right. We shouldnt, Lahren said. I would also agree that if Hillary did this, youre right, there would be a backlash from those on the right and they would say it was the second coming of Benghazi, and I agree with you. So we should stop talking about intentions and just go to the merit of the thing. So, Maher asked, would Lahren also agree that it was bulls for Republicans to blame Benghazi on Clinton? No, Im saying it would have been unfair to peg this on Hillary. It would be unfair to blame it on Trump, Lahren said. Maher tried again. It was bulls to blame Benghazi on Hillary we know that, right? No, Lahren said. Thats another discussion to be had. Kander agreed that Clinton would have faced harsher criticism if she had been the one to carry out the Yemen raid and said that the people who died in Benghazi were used as political chess pieces. Kander suggested that Lahren probably didnt know the names of the Americans who died in Benghazi. She did and named them all. Good for you, Kander said. You two have just proved absolutely nothing, Maher said. The harshest criticism against Lahren actually came during a segment with Georgetown professor Michael Eric Dyson. Say there was a black man president and he had three wives and children by three wives and he was sort of erratic as (Trump) is and belligerent as (Trump) is, Maher said. Do you think a black person could act like Donald Trump and be president? Hed be in prison, Dyson said. Do you think if a black person acted like that it wouldnt matter? Maher asked Lahren. I dont think it would matter. No, Lahren said as the audience erupted in laughter. Maher cited a poll that said two-thirds of Republicans believe racism against whites has become as big a problem as discrimination against minorities. He asked Lahren if she agreed. I think theres certainly an element of division that needs to be addressed, yeah, as evidenced at UC Berkeley the other night, she said. Theres certain issues in society where were becoming more divided, and its not just blacks against whites or whites against blacks, its all of us against each other. And its toxic. But thats not what I asked,Maher said. As we sit here toda,y I do think that there is an element of racism against white individuals, I do, Lahren said. Wilson took the opportunity to weigh in here: Since Im a conservative, but not a Trump person, let me just say this: Thats absurd. WASHINGTON In a decade as a federal appeals court judge, Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has criticized courts for giving too much power to government agencies that enforce the nations labor and employment laws. As a lawyer in private practice, he also backed curbs on some class-action lawsuits. His conservative approach could tip the balance in labor rights cases and other high court clashes that have split the court. I think employers have a supporter with this particular nominee who is unwilling to go along with agencies just because they interpret the law in a certain way, said Gerald Maatman, a labor lawyer based in Chicago who represents employers. In a closely watched case the Supreme Court is expected to hear later this year, the justices will decide whether companies can require workers to sign away their right to pursue class-action lawsuits. The National Labor Relations Board says such waiver agreements violate the rights of millions of workers who want to sue over wage disputes and other workplace clashes. Labor union critics also hope the court will revisit a case that could threaten the financial viability of unions that represent government workers. A short-handed Supreme Court split 4-4 on the issue after Justice Antonin Scalias death. And the justices may eventually take up a dispute working its way through lower courts over whether federal law banning sex discrimination in the workplace also covers bias against gays and lesbians. The legal and public policy worlds are scouring Gorsuchs writings and record for clues to his posture toward these and other issues. What theyre finding is a lawyer, and then judge, who has lashed out against securities class-action lawsuits and frowns on agencies that, in his opinion, overreach. In a 2005 article written when he was in private practice, Gorsuch urged the Supreme Court to curb frivolous class-action securities lawsuits. He called such cases a free ride to fast riches for plaintiff lawyers. On the appeals court in Colorado, Gorsuchs opinions have taken aim at federal labor and employment agencies for going beyond their congressionally mandated missions. He has suggested that the Supreme Court should overturn a 1984 ruling that says courts must defer to government agencies when it comes to interpreting laws that define their mission. Gorsuch dissented in a 2011 case where Labor officials wanted to fine an excavating company for violating federal standards after one of its workers died in a Colorado electrocution accident. The federal appeals court upheld the $5,500 penalty, but Gorsuch wrote that the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission did not interpret the rules correctly. Administrative agencies enjoy remarkable powers in our legal order, Gorsuch wrote in dissent. Still, there remains one thing even federal administrative agencies cannot do. Even they cannot penalize private persons and companies without some evidence the law has been violated. He also chastised his fellow judges for siding with the Labor Department in a 2016 case in which a driver for TransAm Trucking Co. left his broken-down trailer on the side of the road. The company fired the driver for defying a supervisors orders to stay with the vehicle despite freezing temperatures. The Labor Department ruled that the drivers actions were protected under federal law and he was to be reinstated, and the appeals court concurred. But Gorsuch wrote in his dissent, It might be fair to ask whether TransAms decision was a wise or kind one. But its not our job to answer questions like that. Our only task is to decide whether the decision was an illegal one. In another case last year, Gorsuch grumbled in a dissent that the National Labor Relations Board had overreached when it ordered back pay for hospital employees whose hours had been unlawfully reduced. Despite those and other writings, some labor leaders have held their fire on Gorsuchs nomination, perhaps in the interest of choosing battles against the unpredictable Trump administration. But AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said Gorsuch doesnt seem like a friend to employees. Hes been a very, very strong advocate for corporations at the expense of working people, Trumka said in an interview. You think corporations need more help? And that theyre not strong enough and that they should be stronger, then hes probably your guy. If you think that workers need more protection and corporations need less protection, then hes probably not your guy. Gorsuchs conservative legal philosophy has won praise from business groups that want to rein in government regulation and limit the rights of labor unions. Judge Gorsuch has been very firm on confining regulatory agencies to the text of the law, said Juanita Duggan, president of the National Federation of Independent Business. ___ Follow Hananel and Kellman on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SamHananelAP and http://www.twitter.com/APLaurieKellman HELSINKI With chants, poetry and traditional dress, the indigenous Sami people of Europes Arctic north, formerly nomadic reindeer herders in Lapland, celebrated their national day Monday with hundreds of events across the Nordic lands. The Sami settled with their reindeer herds 9,000 years ago in Europes Arctic and now number 70,000 people spread across Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. Mondays start to the weeklong festivities attended by Norwegian King Harald and Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg in Norway, and Finlands president, Sauli Niinisto, in Finnish Lapland marked the centenary of the Sami peoples first congress in the Norwegian city of Trondheim in 1917. Seventy-five years later, the Sami formerly known as the Lapps declared Feb. 6 their national day. Speaking in Inari, northern Finland, Niinisto said he hopes cooperation between the government and the Samis the only remaining indigenous peoples in the EU, would continue. For generations, the Nordic ethnic majority sought to assimilate the Sami into mainstream culture by banning their language and culture. Russian Samis, meanwhile, were isolated by the Iron Curtain during decades of Soviet rule. Now Sami have their own parliaments, schools, newspapers and broadcasts in their own language broadcast on national radio and TV. In Trondheim, Solberg said the treatment of Samis by the Norwegian majority was a stain on Norways history. Previously, we have apologized on behalf of the Norwegian people, for the Norwegianizing policy that was led for not only decades, but in fact hundreds of years, where we tried to remove the Samis cultural expression, she said. She also decried the poor educational facilities offered to the Arctic people for decades. The formerly nomadic Samis nowadays live mostly modern lifestyles. Yet some still tend reindeer, wear bright-colored traditional dress and perform joik songs a mixture of chanting and poetry as they did Monday at several events. LONDON Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday urged British Prime Minister Theresa May to follow the American administration and impose new sanctions on Iran over a recent missile test. The two leaders met at 10 Downing St. for talks British officials tried to focus on boosting trade ties between the two countries once Britain leaves the European Union. But as photographers captured the start of the meeting, Netanyahu told May: Id like to talk to you about how we can ensure that Irans aggression does not go unanswered. Iran and Israel are bitter enemies. Netanyahu vehemently opposes the 2015 international agreement that imposed curbs on Tehrans nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. Britain backs the deal, which May has called vital. U.S. President Donald Trump, with whom Mays government wants close ties, is also a critic of the Iran deal. His administration imposed new sanctions on more than two dozen companies and individuals after Tehran tested a ballistic missile last week. In pointed remarks at the start of his meeting with May, Netanyahu said he wished other countries would follow the U.S. lead. Iran seeks to annihilate Israel, it seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the West, it threatens the world, he said. And it offers provocation after provocation. Thats why I welcome President Trumps assistance of new sanctions against Iran. I think other nations should follow suit, certainly responsible nations. Mays office said after the meeting that the prime minister was clear that the nuclear deal is vital and must be properly enforced and policed, while recognizing concerns about Irans pattern of destabilizing activity in the region. The Trump administration is also perceived as sympathetic to Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land, an issue that caused friction between Netanyahu and former President Barack Obama. The Palestinians claim the West Bank and east Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as parts of a future state. They say the settlements, home to 600,000 Israelis, are making it increasingly impossible to partition the land into two states a position that has wide international backing. Pro-Palestinian campaigners and opposition politicians urged May to condemn Israeli settlement-building. A small group of protesters calling for an end to Israels 50-year occupation of Palestinian lands protested outside the gates of Downing St. during Netanyahus visit. May said at the start of the meeting that we remain committed to a two-state solution as the best way of brokering stability and peace. Downing St. said later that she had reiterated the U.K.s opposition to settlement activity. SANTA FE Taking a new approach after two previous proposals were vetoed, the House moved quickly Monday to endorse a pared-bared back bill appropriating emergency funding for New Mexicos cash-strapped court system. The bill, which is headed to the Senate after being approved 68-0 in the House, aims to avoid jury trials being halted starting next month. It would also forestall planned employee furloughs and related closures at the state Supreme Court. This deals with the immediate problem of paying jurors, said House Minority Leader Nate Gentry, R-Albuquerque, the sponsor of the court funding measure. Specifically, the legislation, House Bill 261, would provide an immediate infusion of $593,000 for the court systems jury fund and $83,000 to the Supreme Court. Gov. Susana Martinez has used her line-item veto authority to ax two previous court funding proposals that featured higher dollar levels, accusing the Democratic-controlled Legislature of failing to scrutinize spending. Top Democrats have fired back, saying the two-term Republican governor would be to blame if a court shutdown occurred. Unlike the stand-alone bill approved Monday in the House, the previous versions sent to the governor during this years 60-day session had been included in bills funding legislative session expenses. After vetoing the second court funding proposal of $800,000 last week, Martinez scheduled an emergency Wednesday meeting of the state Board of Finance to address the issue. However, that meeting could be canceled if lawmakers send her a new bill before then. Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Daniels told members of the House Appropriations and Finance Committee earlier Monday that the stand-alone legislation would allow the judicial branch to keep paying for jury trials until mid-April. That would allow additional funding to be provided in the states budget bill for the coming fiscal year. If additional dollars are not provided in the next few weeks, he has warned, the judicial branch will have to halt jury trials starting March 1. This is not a complete solution; this is an emergency solution to get us to April 14, Daniels told lawmakers. Judicial branch officials have warned of a constitutional crisis if jury trials cannot be held, and some lawmakers also appear nervous about the consequences of such a scenario. If theres no grand jury to convene, the state doesnt even get to first base on these cases, said Rep. Antonio Moe Maestas, D-Albuquerque. The debate over court funding has prompted some lawmakers to question juror pay levels jurors currently get $6.25 per hour but that would not change under the bill approved Monday. BOSTON Most of the more than 40 people from Iran who arrived at Logan International Airport on Saturday afternoon were ecstatic, the first wave of travelers to come to the United States a week after President Donald Trump banned them from entering the country. The decision late Friday by a federal judge to temporarily halt Trumps denial of entry to travelers from seven majority-Muslim countries had created an opening and in a frantic race on the other side of the globe, thousands of people rushed to book flights to the United States, uncertain of how long the opportunity would last. The first flights carrying previously barred travelers reached Logan on Saturday afternoon, with more expected at airports across the country starting Sunday. But amid the euphoria and excitement, the Jalili family of Iran passed through the checkpoints at Logan and onto American soil in a heartbroken state, even though their dream to emigrate 10 years in the making had been revived by the federal judge. At the last minute, after passing through security in the Tehran airport, officials would not let their oldest daughter, 19-year-old Helya, board the Boston-bound plane. She was kept back with about 15 others whose names were called. They got no explanation. After a quick and agonizing decision, and with Helyas urging, the rest of the family boarded the plane with heavy hearts. They spent most of the flight crying, next to Helyas empty seat. The familys plight was emblematic of the some of the confusion that continued Saturday even as government officials and airlines tried to restore normality after a week of chaos surrounding the travel ban amid protests and legal challenges, and after the issuance of the nationwide stay. We were very, very sad last night, said Hamid Jalili. If [my daughter] will come here tomorrow, our gladness will be complete. Only a small number of citizens of the seven Middle Eastern and North African countries covered in Trumps banning order arrived at U.S. airports Saturday, but attorneys representing them expected a flood in the coming days. Becca Heller, the director of the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) in New York, said considerable problems remained as citizens of the seven nations Libya, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Syria trickled Saturday into the United States. Its just completely unclear what coordination is happening. . . . What were witnessing is the Wild West of immigration law, she said. And the people who are suffering are the people who desperately need to come to the U.S. She said her group is hearing reports from travelers of inconsistencies in how airlines are complying with the judges order; it appeared that some low-level employees of some carriers were still unaware Saturday that a stay of Trumps ban had been issued. Nevertheless, Heller urged travelers to book flights soon, given that the Trump administration has said it will challenge the stay, which was issued by U.S. District Court James Robart in Seattle but affects the entire nation. Theres a window right now. No one knows how long the window will last, Heller said. People that need to get to the United States for an urgent reason should get on a plane as soon as possible. IRAP was preparing packets of information for travelers to present to authorities if they encounter any problems. The documents explain their right to travel to the United States. A number of airlines including Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Air France and Lufthansa announced that they would allow travelers from the seven nations to board flights after the State Department said Saturday that it was restoring visas that had been revoked under Trumps Jan. 27 executive order. And Department of Homeland Security workers were told at the start of their shifts to start processing travelers with visas as normal. The Jalili family and others at Logan described few problems when they arrived in the country, a marked change from the previous weekend, when some travelers from countries named in the banning order were detained for hours and some sent out of the country on return flights. Hamid and Bahareh Jalili and two of their daughters, Helya and Hanya, 13, had been issued immigrant visas to join Hamids brother, who moved to the United States 40 years ago, and the brothers recently widowed mother. They had spent most of the first leg, from Tehran to Frankfurt, Germany, in shock after being separated from Helya. In Frankfurt, they received text messages from Helya saying that their names had been called just after they left officials had wanted to keep them, too. But the Seattle judges decision, which came before they left for Boston, had shifted the situation, and they were hopeful again, Hamid said in halting English. Arriving in Boston, Bahareh with tears in her eyes and Hanya looking stunned, the family was greeted by a small but enthusiastic crowd of well-wishers, lawyers and relatives of other passengers. The family applied for visas in 2004. The visas came through at the end of October, and the family decided to leave at the end of January. Then came Trumps entry ban. Brothers Reza and Hamid had not seen each other in three years. Hamid could not attend their fathers funeral last year. He worried that his mother, 84 and with a heart ailment, would die before he could reach the United States. Reza had tried to reassure Hamid when Trumps executive order was announced. I said, Theres no way they can take this away from you. Now, he said, I have egg on my face. Asked whether the situation had changed his view of the United States, Reza Jalili said: Ive been here 40 years. You cannot change my view now. He said he was upset that such a thing could happen in what he called a country of immigrants, but at the same time, I want to thank the other half of America that has nothing to do with this. The Jalilis were not the only travelers who had had to scramble to get on flights. Syrian national Nael Zaino had spent three days at airports, unable to sleep because his cellphone kept buzzing with the latest news about Trumps temporary ban on refugees and the U.S. courts reaction to the ban. Zainos wife and 18-month-old son had received asylum and entered the United States last year; now he was increasingly desperate to join them. At the airport in Istanbul, where he has lived since fleeing Syria two years ago, Zaino was told a half-hour before his flight was scheduled to leave that he would not be allowed on. He had already twice been barred from boarding U.S.-bound flights. He went to find a place to sit and wait for his next chance, when his name was called. The court had just reversed the U.S. entry ban and Zaino would be allowed to fly. He grabbed his bags and ran full-tilt to the gate, the last to board the Boston flight. He was still nervous when he landed, worried that he would be sent back. It sank in that he was safe, he said, only when a customs officer handed his passport back to him. He told me go start your new life with your son. Choose a very good doctor for him, a very good school, Zaino said in accented but fluid English, choking back emotion. As some waited for loved ones at airports, protesters in New York, Miami, the District and other cities around the world turned out to express anger at the entry ban. Hundreds gathered near the White House in Lafayette Square. Many in the crowd wore Statue of Liberty foam crowns or displayed posters with the Statue of Libertys face plastered with the words: Silence Equals Violence. Jessica Fix, 27, of the District, attended Saturdays protest at the White House just as she did the previous week. She said she is Jewish and that her ancestors had migrated to the United States from Russia. In my opinion, this is how the Holocaust started, said Fix, a senior at the University of Baltimore. Its important to come out and fight for people who are too scared to. Back at Logan Airport, immigration lawyer Susan Church spent the afternoon keeping a record of arriving foreigners and offering pro-bono services from American lawyers. As people from the listed countries walked out of customs and into Logans lobby, lawyers and others cheered and offered them flowers, pastries and gift bags. Church welcomed most of them, shaking their hands and saying, Im sorry. Kate Jubboori, from the Boston suburb of Hopkinton, stopped at Logan just before 6 p.m. to drop off goody bags for arriving migrant children. Jubboori, whose father-in-law migrated to the United States from Iraq in the 1960s, said the family had toys left over from her sons fourth birthday party earlier Saturday. She had printed labels that said Welcome home on the small gold-colored bags. Asked why she made the effort, Jubboori said she was just being a human. Ian Shapira and Abigail Hauslohner in Washington, Vera Haller in New York, Steve Freiss in Detroit, Leah Sotille in Portland, Ore., Lornet Turnbull in Seattle, Camille Pendley in Atlanta, Mark Guarino in Chicago, Francisco Alvarado in Miami and Rob Kuznia contributed to this report. The flight from Dubai to Dulles International Airport in suburban Virginia took 15 hours. The whole way, Mustafa Aidid, 22, worried that he would not be permitted to enter the United States. But there he was, walking bleary-eyed through the international arrivals gate Monday morning, one of several passengers turned away last week because of President Donald Trumps far-reaching entry ban. He got another chance after a federal judge in Washington state blocked the executive order. I cant believe it. I am so happy, Aidids aunt Anab Ali said, wiping away a tear and wrapping her nephew in a hug. Aidid, a Somali citizen who was coming to the United States to marry his childhood sweetheart, held his aunt tight, saying nothing. On the third day of the preliminary injunction against Trumps order, the scene at Dulles was one of angst and celebration. Clusters of immigrants from Somalia and other countries targeted in the order some carrying flowers or balloons reading Welcome Home erupted in cheers as the first wave of international travelers arrived shortly after 8:30 a.m. Nearby, Zahro Warsame and her relatives waited anxiously for signs of Warsames daughters and toddler granddaughter, having driven overnight from Lexington, Kentucky, and borrowed $2,625 for new plane tickets. The travelers original tickets became invalid after they were barred from leaving Ethiopia last week. Aidid and his fiance, Hoda Abdi, met in the United Arab Emirates when they were toddlers. Their mothers were friends. When Abdis family immigrated to the United States, she and Aidid lost touch. As they grew older, their families agreed that the two should be married. They were easy to persuade. Slowly, slowly, we started seeing each other outside and things took off from there, Aidid said. In December, he was approved for a K-1 temporary visa that allows him to marry Abdi, who is a U.S. citizen. They were planning their wedding for June, giving him time to find a job, perhaps using his new degree in business administration. She is studying speech pathology. Then, last Wednesday, Aidid was turned away at Dubai International Airport. I didnt know what to do. We had waited so long, he said. He returned to the airport Sunday night, four hours before his scheduled flight. Although he boarded the plane without incident, he was convinced that someone would pull him off. At Dulles, Aidid nervously moved through the U.S. Customs line. A federal agent read his paperwork, stamped the visa and waved him through. Then it was on to Ashburn, Virginia, to join his fiancee. Warsame, who works at a chicken processing plant in Kentucky, was devastated when her daughters and granddaughter were barred last week from leaving Ethiopia. They moved there for safety about three years ago, after their mother immigrated to the United States from Somalia. The 18-year-old daughter has a child who is 3. The other daughters are 16-year-old twins. All four were all approved for family visas on Jan. 11, sponsored by another Warsame daughter who is a U.S. citizen. When they were turned away from their scheduled flight at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport last week, Warsame basically gave up hope, said Luul Sheikh-Ali, a niece. We were worried about her health. She, Warsame and other relatives arrived at Dulles about 5 a.m. and waited for hours, long after the flight from Adis Ababa had landed. Did something else happen? Sheikh-Ali said. Warsame stood expectantly, at times clutching her headscarf over her mouth. My head hurts, she said through an interpreter. The flood of passengers became a trickle, and then Warsame and her family were the last ones waiting near the baggage carousel. Finally, daughters and granddaughter appeared, and everyone wept. Its a miracle, because I never thought Id see my mother again, said Roodo Abdi-Nasir, one of the twins. Asma Abdi-Nasir, the other twin, breathed a sigh of relief. Its unbelievable, she said. I still dont believe Im here. JERUSALEM Israels parliament passed a contentious law late Monday that allows the state to seize land privately owned by Palestinians in the West Bank and grant the properties to Jewish settlements for their exclusive use. The measure is designed to protect homes in Jewish settlements, built on private Palestinian property in good faith or at the states instruction, from possible court-ordered evacuation and demolition. Thousands of homes in dozens of settlements and outposts may now be protected, at least temporarily. The bill is likely headed for a high court challenge. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supports the legislation and has told his constituents that no government had done more for the settlers. On Monday, the Israeli leader said he had informed the Trump White House that a vote on the legislation was imminent. Israeli legislators in the opposition condemned the bill as reckless and warned that it would turn the world against Israel while goading prosecutors at the International Criminal Court in The Hague to take action against the Jewish state. The bill passed on a vote of 60 to 52. The private Palestinian land would be seized by the government and held until there is a final resolution of the decades-long Israel-Palestinian conflict. Palestinian landowners could apply to the state for annual rents or be given another parcel. A member of parliament in Netanyahus own Likud party, Benny Begin, son of the former Prime Minister Menachem Begin, speaking before the vote, labeled it the robbery bill. Another Likud legislator, former justice minister Dan Meridor, condemned the bill as evil and dangerous. Meridor, a lawyer, warned the Israeli parliament that the West Bank remains under a belligerent occupation, 50 years after Israel won the territory from Jordan in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Palestinians who live in the territory are not Israeli citizens. They dont vote in Israeli elections. They live under a military authority. If Israels parliament legislates for the Palestinians rather than control them by military rule then Palestinians would have the right to become citizens and vote in Israel, Meridor argued. Dont cross a line weve never crossed before, Meridor pleaded with his fellow legislators in a newspaper column. No government in Israel has applied its sovereignty to the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority said the measure was an illegal land grab. Former Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat compared the Israelis to looters. Last week, President Trumps spokesman Sean Spicer told Israel in a statement that new settlement construction in the West Bank may not be helpful in achieving a Middle East peace a mild rebuke compared with those by the Obama administration. Trump and Netanyahu are scheduled to meet in Washington next week. The settlement legalization measure was pushed forward by Naftali Bennett, the education minister and leader of the Jewish Home party, who opposes granting the Palestinians a state and instead wants to annex to Israel the 60 percent of the West Bank where the Jewish settlements are located. Bennett, a religious nationalist, said the bill seeks to normalize life for the settlers and allow them to remain in homes that the state has encouraged them to build, while providing roads, water, power and protection by the army. After the bill passed, Bennett tweeted just one word: Revolution. There are about 400,000 Jews in the West Bank and an additional 200,000 in East Jerusalem living in settlements that most of the world considers illegal. Israel disputes this. Shuli Moalem-Refaeli, one of the bills sponsors, called it a historic achievement and a strategic event for the settlement movement. Its another step in normalizing the lives of thousands of citizens. The fate of thousands of homes will no longer be dependent on the whims of left-wing organizations. She was referring to the forced eviction of 40 families living in the Amona settlement. Lawyers with the Israeli human rights group Yesh Din successfully argued that the land was owned by Palestinians in the nearby village of Silwad. The Amona settlers said God had promised the land to the Jews and denied the Arab claims. The Israeli supreme court ordered the settlement demolished. It took 3,000 police to clear the isolated hilltop of radical youth, who threw excrement, bleach and rocks at the officers. The settlement legislation was passed to stop more demolitions. The Israeli anti-occupation group, Peace Now, estimated that more than 3,800 homes on 53 illegal outposts could eventually be legalized by the bill, which they claimed would turn Israeli citizens into thieves. A pro-settler advocacy organization, Regavim, said the number of protected homes is half that. Reporters in parliament said the most recent revised version of the bill would safeguard homes in 16 settlements but that the justice minister could add to this list. The law will almost certainly be challenged in the courts by pro-Palestinian groups and human rights activists in Israel who say it upends Israels own protections of private property. Before its passage, Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit said the bill violates international law and that he would not defend it before the state high court. Israels defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman, who is essentially the military governor of the West Bank, said in the days before the vote, You dont have to be a genius to understand that when the attorney general is opposed to the bill, this means that he is not willing to defend it in the High Court of Justice and that it is an unconstitutional bill, and its chances of being disqualified are 100 percent. The Washington Posts Ruth Eglash contributed to this report. WASHINGTON Three weeks in, President Donald Trump is dismissing polls showing low approval ratings as fake news. But opposition persists to his go-it-alone actions. From corporate boardrooms to the halls of Congress, Trump is facing an unprecedented effort to disrupt even the most basic of his presidential functions. Its an evolving, largely grass-roots effort that aims to follow Trump and his potential supporters everywhere they go and there some early signs its having an impact. But Trumps supports still praise him as a man of action. Core backers in states such as Iowa and Wisconsin welcome his efforts to shake up Washington. Today February 6, 2017 is the last date for sending in nominations for the inaugural edition of DIGIXX Awards. Rush in your entries today. The Awards, being brought by Adgully in association with ad:tech, have received overwhelming response from the industry. To be held during the ad:tech conference in Delhi on March 9 and 10, 2017, the DIGIXX Awards are designed to recognise and celebrate excellence in Digital Marketing & Advertising. The Awards seek to set industry-wide benchmark in digital engagement. DIGIXX Awards will be a true marker for digital initiatives that are innovative, creative and effective. With the entry process culminating today, the action now moves to the judging round. A Jury panel comprising Indias leading industry thought leaders will identify the path-breaking work in digital marketing and advertising that have successfully used creativity and innovation to push interactive to new levels. The DIGIXX Awards screening committee comprising senior marketing and media professionals will evaluate and score each submission. Every entry is evaluated by multiple committee members to ensure an accurate, thorough review. The five entries with the highest scores become the finalists for each category. Finalists will be notified. The DIGIXX Awards recognise and celebrate the best of the best in digital marketing that creates an exceptional user experience that is moving, deeply engaging, and/or interactive. The winning work ultimately serves to educate the marketplace about what works and why in digital advertising, as well as inspire the community by pointing to future trends and where the industry is heading. The Awards have been divided into three broad categories: TIMES NETWORK, the broadcast arm of Bennett, Coleman & Company Ltd, has announced the elevation of Navika Kumar as the Managing Editor Politics at TIMES NOW. In her new role, Navika Kumar will lead the political team of TIMES NOW and guide the channel to scale greater heights by upholding the journalistic tradition of breaking exclusive stories that epitomize the channels position of Action Begins Here. Based out of Delhi, she will directly report to Rahul Shivshankar the Chief Editor of TIMES NOW. Commenting on the elevation, MK Anand, MD & CEO TIMES NETWORK said, I am pleased to announce the elevation of Navika Kumar as the Managing Editor - Politics, TIMES NOW. She is known for her level of dexterity in handling both political and economic news and is a leading political historian and commentator of the current decade. We are confident that Navikas vast knowledge and domain expertise will hold TIMES NOW in good stead and reaffirm the channels leadership position in the market. Rahul Shivshankar, Chief Editor of TIMES NOW, said, Navika is known for her extensive knowledge of Indian politics and business which reflects in the kind of stories she has broken so far and I congratulate her on the new role as the Managing Editor - Politics, TIMES NOW. I'm confident that she will continue to contribute immensely towards the growth of TIMES NOW. On her new role at TIMES NOW, Navika Kumar said, I have been with TIMES NOW since its inception 11 years ago the channel is like my second home. Politics in the life blood of a vibrant democracy like India. Along with my colleagues at TIMES NOW, we will set new standards in objective political reporting for all our valued stakeholders. Navika Kumar is a post graduate in Economics and is among few journalists who have made their imprint in both political as well as business reporting. Known for her extensive interest in Indian politics, she has been credited for investigating and breaking some of the most prolific stories which includes Office for Profit story that led to the resignation of Sonia Gandhi, the CWG scam that led to the exit of Suresh Kalmadi, the Augusta chopper scam and Aircel Maxis deal to name a few. With more than a decade of experience in Television News, she plays a major role in the editorial, programming and production team at TIMES NOW the leading English news channel from the TIMES NETWORK bouquet. Chairman Mr. Nitin Khandelwal, Vice Chairman Mr. Pramod Agrawal and the new Committee of Administration officially took charge of the administration of All India Gems & Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF) at a glittering ceremony coinciding with the 8th edition of Jewel Trendz Gems & Jewellery show at Hotel Sahara Star. Mr. G. V. Sreedhar, immediate Past Chairman, GJF, passed on the coveted mantle to Mr. Khandelwal and the new Committee of Administration at a glittering ceremony in the presence of Mr. Ajay Sancheti, Hon. Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), motivational speaker Dr. Vedprakash Mishra and several luminaries of the gem & jewellery sector. Mr. Nitin Khandelwal, Chairman, GJF, said, It is an honour to accept the responsibility of steering a national trade federation and apex body like GJF during challenging times facing the gem & jewellery sector. In sync with the Governments policies, GJF has to transform and energise jewellers across India to a new normal in a rapidly evolving cashless & digital India. The new challenges include newer tasks such as transition into a GST-regime and tax compliant economy and existing ones of creating new markets and sustainable profitable growth. GJF will strive to inspire many more jewellers and their association to get more organized so as to project a unified approach to policy changes. We want to increase our membership in rural India and increase activities for members through an inclusive approach. Mr. G V Sreedhar, Immediate Past Chairman, GJF, added, GJFs priority is to be a friend, philosopher and guide to jewellers, who are grappling with diverse issues such as manufacturing-outsourcing, skilling, hallmarking, PAN card, retail & marketing related investments, financing their business, documentation-compliance and restrictions/ limits on cash transactions. Since the Government is very keen to implement most of its policies, jewellers will have to represent their case to the policy makers through apex body GJF and simultaneously learn to adhere to the prevailing norms. GJF will always strive to work with the Government for the benefit of the Industry. Elected through e- Voting, the 18-member Committee of Administration (CoA) of GJF, comprises Zonal Chairmen - Mr. Shankar Sen (East Zone), Mr. Vijay Khanna (North Zone), Mr. N. Anantha Padmanaban (South Zone) and Mr. Nitin Khandelwal (West Zone). The entire e-Voting election process was conducted by an authorized independent person (Chief Election Authority), and the voting platform was created by a digital agency, both appointed by GJF. The electronic voting facility conducted hassle-free election of various panel & zones. From being an avid blogger to a published author, a roadie, a mother, and an advertiser, Babita Baruah has been an epitome of todays women leaders and trend-setters. Baruah has been associated with J. Walter Thompson India for over two decades. She was recently entrusted with independent charge of JWTs business unit Power of One (PO1) that handles a large number of PepsiCos flagship brands, crowning the role of Senior Vice President & Managing Partner and Head, PO1 JWT Delhi at present. Baruah is also part of the inaugural edition of DIGIXX Awads 2017, an initiative of Adgully in association with ad:tech. DIGIXX will be held during the ad:tech conference in Delhi on March 9 and 10, 2017. Beyond work, Baruah is actively engaged in mentoring students and women at work, speaking in industry forums, and is part of JWTs Worldwide Diversity Council. She stands as an inspiration for all women and defines a women leader aptly in todays ecosystem. Diversity in the workforce has become a necessity today, and more so in the leadership positions. It cant be denied that women bring a high level of creativity and empathy while solving problems and handling crises. Involved in many womens causes, Baruah has initiated the #SheHour session recently at her Delhi office in PO1, where women shared stories about Fitness and health, Parental love and responsibilities, Creative Expressions, Productivity at work, The power of networking, Diversity of ideas and more. The first session culminated on February 2, 2017. Commenting on the introductory session of #SheHour, Baruah told Adgully, Our first session was extremely encouraging. It was an hour where everyone dropped designations and inhibitions. Fitness and health, creative expression, drive productivity at work, issues of family and parental responsibilities, how to get around them were just some of the many things on the table. The most important thing was the fact that we were together around one table, connecting beyond just work. That is the first step towards diversity and a productive work place. Talking about the objective behind initiating #SheHour at PO1 and the other initiatives in place at JWT to further the cause of women empowerment in the agency, Roopa Badrinath, Chief Talent Officer, JWT South Asia, said, #SheHour at J. Walter Thompson will be a networking platform for all women employees where they can connect on various issues - Sharing stories, Challenges, Opportunities. There are several initiatives to be launched this year to encourage and promote an inclusive work culture. When asked about the plans to take forward the #SheHour initiative to encourage the women workforce in JWT after the first session, Badrinath said, This will be an initiative which will be driven across J. Walter Thompson South Asia. The aim is to create a network where women leaders serve as inspiring role models. This initiative aspires to demystify the challenges by sharing compelling and powerful real life stories. The mantra at the moment is For the women by the women. Baruah was Business Head in JWT Mumbai till July 2010, before moving to JWT Delhi. She worked on Nestle for two years before moving on to head PO1, an independent business unit for PepsiCo. Her portfolio has been extensive Unilever brands, Godrej brands, Kotak brands, Aditya Birla Capital, Kingfisher Airlines, Diageo, Kelloggs, Wills, Bata, Emami, World Gold Council, De Beers, and Nokia. She blogs regularly on Advertising and takes guest lecture sessions in leading Indian management institutes like IIM, SP Jain, IIFT and MDI. Baruah is a first class economics graduate from Cotton College and holds a first class MBA degree in marketing from Gauhati University. The Board of Directors of Zee Media Corporation has approved the appointment of Jagdish Chandra as Executive Director Regional News Channels. Chandras appointment was recommended by Zees Nomination & Remunerative Committee. Chandras appointment is for a period of five years with effect from February 3, 2017. Chandra, a veteran of regional news media, was a senior bureaucrat with the Rajasthan Government, wherein he held various key positions in a tenure spanning over three decades, including Commissioner Jaipur Development Authority and Commissioner & Ex-officio Secretary Transport. Almost two years before his retirement on August 31, 2008, Chandra took voluntary retirement from the Indian Administrative Service to join Eenadu Group as Head ETV News Channels. During his stint of over eight years with ETV, its regional news channel business expanded multifold in size, spreading across 15 states with 13 ETV and News18 channels. State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation Bern, 06.02.2017 - The State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation, Mauro DellAmbrogio, is on an official visit to Belgrade at the invitation of Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic. Together with the prime minister, the state secretary will officially launch the From Education to Employment project, led by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The state secretary will also give a talk at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and at the University of Belgrade. Vocational and education and training (VET) will be at the centre of discussions with Mr Vucic, which will also be attended by a number of ministers, including the Minister of Education, Science and Technological Development, Mladen Sarcevic. Mr DellAmbrogio will present Switzerlands system of vocational education and training at a public conference organised by the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. During his visit, Mr DellAmbrogio will participate in the official launch of the From Education to Employment (E2E) project. The project, supported by the SDC, aims to improve the framework conditions for employment by offering more VET programmes in the south and south-west of Serbia. Around 40,000 young Serbs could benefit from the E2E project. Mr DellAmbrogio will meet with several partners in the project, which will be implemented in close collaboration with various stakeholders from the Serbian and Swiss public and private sectors. The visit will also highlight the excellent collaboration between the two countries in the field of research: many Swiss and Serbian researchers are cooperating in particular in the European Unions Framework Programmes. With this cooperation in mind, Mr DellAmbrogio will give a talk at the University of Belgrade, and will visit the citys Science and Technology Park, which is home to 36 companies, including two Swiss start-ups. The technopark was inaugurated by Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann in 2015. It is the first institution of its kind in Serbia and has become a major player in the innovation ecosystem. Switzerland and Serbia Around 1,800 Swiss nationals live in Serbia, and some 69,000 Serbian nationals live in Switzerland. Nearly 200 Swiss companies are active in Serbia. Swiss direct investments in Serbia have created around 3,800 jobs, making Switzerland one of the largest foreign direct investors. Since 2006, around fifty young Serbian researchers have benefitted from the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship. Address for enquiries Anouk De Bast State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation International Relations Division Tel. +41 58 463 31 76 anouk.de-bast@sbfi.admin.ch Publisher State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation http://www.sbfi.admin.ch Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland Bern, 06.02.2017 - The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland is taking over the ongoing criminal proceedings against a former Gambian government minister, in response to a formal request by the Office of the Chief Public Prosecutor of the Canton of Bern to accept jurisdiction. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has considered the request made by the Office of the Chief Public Prosecutor of the Canton of Bern on 1 February 2017 to accept jurisdiction in an investigation the Canton of Bern had opened against a former Gambian government minister. The OAG takes the view that the elements presented in the request would not rule out a suspicion of crimes against humanity; since 2011, these international offences have been subject to federal jurisdiction. Accordingly, the OAG is taking over the ongoing criminal investigation. As always, the presumption of innocence applies in these criminal proceedings. The OAG was notified on 29 November 2016 by the Swiss Federal Office of Police fedpol that the former Gambian interior minister had applied for asylum in Switzerland on 10 November 2016. The following day, the OAGs Mutual Legal Assistance and International Criminal Law Section instructed fedpol to conduct a preliminary investigation. In addition, various matters were clarified with international partners, including the International Criminal Court (ICC). Legal issues relating to jurisdiction were examined, in particular the question of federal jurisdiction for the offences concerned under international criminal law. The initial enquiries at that time revealed no grounds for making an arrest. However, based on a criminal complaint filed by the TRIAL International, the Chief Public Prosecutor of the Canton of Bern opened criminal proceedings on 26 January 2017. On 28 January, a court ordered that the former Gambian minister be remanded in pre-trial detention. With these events, and the request by Office of the Chief Public Prosecutor of the Canton of Bern to accept jurisdiction, which was received by the OAG on 1 February 2017, the situation has changed. The criminal complaint filed by TRIAL International, however, does not make any allegations of crimes against humanity, an international crime which would require a widespread or systematic attack directed against the civilian population (Art. 264a Swiss Criminal Code (SCC)). Instead, it appears that the complainant deliberately chose to make allegations of, among others, serious assault (Art. 122 SCC), coercion (Art. 181 SCC), false imprisonment (Art. 183 SCC), offences for which jurisdiction lies with the competent cantonal prosecution authorities. Moreover, it appears that TRIAL International gathered valuable information relevant to the criminal proceedings. In addition, the political situation in the Gambia has fundamentally changed in recent weeks, which will have implications for the functioning of the Gambian justice system and possibly for any cooperation with the Swiss prosecution authorities. As a result of this new information and developments, and following discussions between the Attorney General of Switzerland and the Chief Public Prosecutor for the Canton of Bern, the OAG decided to take over the criminal investigation. The OAG will continue its investigations in the coming weeks and until the end of the three-month period of remand authorised by the court, in particular with a view to establishing whether there are sufficient grounds to establish crimes against humanity under Art. 264a SCC. Until that time, the OAG will not be issuing any further information on the case. Address for enquiries Communication and Public Affairs, Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland, info@ba.admin.ch Publisher Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland http://www.ba.admin.ch/ YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 4, ARMENPRESS. Finance Minister Vardan Aramyan on February 3 held a meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States to Armenia Richard Mills during which they discussed key issues related to the Armenian-American economic cooperation, press service of the Ministry told Armenpress. Minister Aramyan identified certain issues stating that substantial and drastic steps are being taken towards their solutions. In particular, he talked about ensuring stable, inclusive economic growth, developing and improving the local potential, training the specialists, as well as regularly improving the existing electronic systems. The Government embarks on rapid reforms aimed at reducing the corruption risks. In order to achieve the best result it is necessary to combine the Governments steps and the wishes of the public, the Minister said. In his turn, US Ambassador Richard Mills congratulated Minister Aramyan on his appointment and expressed hope they will continue the healthy cooperation. He expressed readiness to assist the priorities and reforms identified by the Ministry. The Embassy appreciates its long-term partnership with the Finance Ministry. We encourage the Ministry to continue efforts aimed at improving public procurement process and assist the Ministrys commitment directed towards working with the private sector on issues related to the new tax code, as well as solving issues that hinder increasing the investments, the Ambassador said. Minister Vardan Aramyan attached importance to increasing the communication level with the public, stating that the publics opinion on the newly adopted laws must be considered through the way of cooperation. The US plays an important role in Armenias political and economic life since it is a major donor on providing humanitarian and technical assistance and is one of Armenias key partners. The Armenian-American trade-economic cooperation is being regulated within the frames of the Armenian-American inter-governmental commission on economic affairs which is being convened once a year in Yerevan and Washington. MQB TDI This latest attempt at recreating the posh supermini comes from RM design . At first glance, it seems hamfisted. However, after comparing it to our own carparazzi footage, we're beginning to think he might be on to something. From the front, the A1 really will have the same sort of grille design made famous by the Prologue and later adopted by the A5 Coupe. The shape of the side air intakes is also the correct one.Stronger shoulder lines define this set of images, leading us to imagine that the new Ibiza somehow formed the basis. But, in typical Sportback fashion, the A1 needs to have thick rear buttresses, horrible for visibility but immediately recognizable as Audi traits.Around the back, the A1 looks like it's trying to give birth to an A3 trunk, much like the BMW i3 is pushing out a 911. But that's not a mistake on the part of the designer, as there really is supposed to be a character line there, maybe not one that's this defined, though.While continuing to push into the MINI's market, Audi will drop the 3-door body style completely, leaving only the practical 5-door. Though we can't confirm this yet, it's likely that the A1 will be based on theA0 platform, especially since production is being moved from Belgium to the SEAT factory in Spain. The engine every journalist will say you should buy is going to be the 1.5 TFSI. However, the German buyers who do a lot of miles will be much happier if the 2.0makes a comeback.Since the MQB A0 is designed to take more advanced forms of suspension, we wouldn't be surprised to see an S1 or even an RS1 as early as 2019. NHTSA National Highway Traffic Safety Administration In January 2017 , 1,515 units of the Levante were recalled over a software problem. In December 2016 , the Italian company issued a stop-sale order for the Ghibli and Quattroporte. What next, you might wonder. Well, how about an increased risk of vehicle fire?The first of two recalls well talk about today iscampaign 17V046000, which reveals that the potential number of vehicles affected is 39,381. Maserati highlights that simply adjusting the front seats may cause the seat wiring harness to rub, possibly resulting in an electrical short. And an electric short, of course, translates into smoldering wires.There are three affected models which need to have the seat wiring harness replaced. More to the point, the 2014 to 2017 model years of the Ghibli sedan, Quattroporte sedan, and the Levante sport utility vehicle. Lets not beat about the bush and say it as it actually is: Maserati North America is recalling nearly all cars sold in the U.S. from the 2014 model year onward.NHTSA campaign number 17V045000 reveals that the second recall features 10,879 potentially affected units of the Ghibli and Quattroporte. 2014 and 2015 model year vehicles are equipped with fuel lines that may weep or leak fuel. Maserati describes this mess-up as the fault of a supplier, which cocked things up during production. Naturally, the fix for this issue is to install an all-new fuel into onto affected vehicles, at no cost to the owners.The two recalls are expected to start on March 21, 2017, and February 28, 2017, respectively. The automakers numbers for these campaigns are 342 and 339. Owners who wish to be sure that their cars need fixing may contact the automakers customer service at 1-201-510-2369. Thes website is another way of learning if a specific vehicle needs to be repaired as part of a recall. The 53-year-old man named Adalberto Aponte was driving his Camry in a reckless manner, witness reports say, and he was close to causing several accidents. He was driving too close to the vehicle in front of him, and he decided to confront its driver when both were stopped at a red light.The man got out of his Toyota and punched the driver in front of him through the window. The two were arguing, and the girlfriend of the victim told the attacker that they had a gun in the truck, which was not true according to police reports, Ocala informs.The two were trying to protect themselves and their child, which was also seated in the Ford F-150 you can see in the photo gallery.Apparently, Aponte was not impressed by the young mothers words, so he told that he would show them a real gun. As he walked towards his car, the driver of the pickup truck had to make a tough call - he could not drive ahead because there was another automobile stopped in front of them, and waiting for the attacker to bring out his gun was not an option.So, the 18-year-old father decided to drive his lifted pickup truck on top of the vehicle behind him, which was done to prevent its driver from getting his gun. Apparently, it worked, even if the police have not confirmed if the attacker had a firearm in the Camry.Regardless, the 53-year-old was arrested, and he has several charges ahead of him, which include assault, driving with a suspended license, and burglary.While this is not the recommended course of action in the case of road rage , it is nice to read that nobody was injured from this incident. The EPA is Americas watchdog for all things that could affect the air, soil, water, and other resources of the United States of America, and the said proposition, called H.R.861, does not contain any text on the congresss official website.The bill was proposed by Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, who represents the first district of Florida . His proposition was delivered to several committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Agriculture; Transportation and Infrastructure, Science, Space, and Technology. From the moment of its introduction to becoming law, a bill must pass the House, the Senate, and get signed by the President of the United States of America.The Republican congressman has gained support from several of his colleagues, and it appears that the elimination of the EPA would lead to each state governing oversight and regulations regarding the environment, Courier-Journal explains.According to legal experts quoted by the same publication, eliminating the EPA might result in devastating impacts on human health, not to mention the damage it could do to the environment.Unfortunately for everyone, the EPAs employees have been instructed no to speak to the media, which makes it even more complicated to understand what is going on behind closed doors within the Trump administration.Regardless of the possibility of this bill reaching the 45th President of the United States of America, the EPA was going to have a significantly reduced budget under the new administration. The situation with the budget cuts for the EPA is already known, and it may be linked to the fact that the POTUS does not believe in the concept of global warming.If individual states were to operate individual environmental regulations, automakers could face significant costs in making their products compliant in all 50 states. We must also note the risk that such a policy could pose to the environment if a country as vast as the USA decides to waive an organism as important as the EPA. The Jaguar Land Rover facility in Solihull was their target, and the crooks came prepared. They had a truck, which was apparently also stolen , and the group entered the premises of the facility through a manned security gate, where it is believed they showed forged documents.The stolen truck was then driven to a parts depot, and the thieves hooked it up to a trailer that was full of car engines. Pretending that nothing wrong had happened, the driver went back through the security gate and disappeared into the night. A few hours later, the thieves came back with the same truck, entered through the same gate, and drove off with another trailer full of engines.As Birmingham Mail notes, an insider claims that it only took the thieves six minutes to complete the first heist . West Midlands Police officers are asking the public to provide information regarding the theft if they are aware of anything fishy these days, or if they had seen something suspicious on that night.Jaguar Land Rover officials have confirmed that thieves raided the Solihull manufacturing plant, and that they are offering a reward for whoever has information that leads to the successful recovery of those parts. The British company has refused to comment the story any further while the investigation is underway.An interesting aspect of this burglary would be the fact that the perpetrators entered the facility without masks, since they had to pass through a manned security gate, and they displayed identification in an area where the facility had surveillance installed.The West Midlands Police department should have them caught relatively fast, if you ask us, because you cannot hide two trailers full of engines.Each unit requires at least two people with an engine hoist to carry it, and the trailers were already found empty, so there must have been someone that has witnessed the gang that unloaded the cargo. The Vanguard Roadster was unveiled last December at the New York Show, raising the publics interest through its unique construction, advanced materials, and even 3D printing The first round of testing has begun, aiming to create a production model viable for every day use. The process involves lots of industry specialists and engineers, but the company is also looking for a few average riders to test out its bike and offer feedback.Ive always dreamt of peeking behind the curtains at motorcycle companies, so I thought wed give this exciting opportunity to three lucky riders who are interested in our endeavor, said Francois-Xavier Terny, Vanguards CEO. Were expecting valuable and honest feedback from these riders so we can deliver on our promise an exceptional premium motorcycle at a reachable price.Using an online contest, Vanguard is offering you, a non-professional rider, the opportunity to become an official prototype test rider for a day. To enter the contest, you simply visit this webpage , answer the question, complete the form and hit submit.You will then have to confirm your entry via a link you receive in your email, and you are don. Oh, you can also share the contest, and you can get up to three more entries with each friend who gets convinced to enter.Built in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the Vanguard Roadster here uses a 1,917 cc V-twin engine, which is so sturdy it also doubles as the motorcycles frame, keeping it simple and minimalist.The power is transmitted to the rear through a shaft drive, while the Ohlins suspension and Brembo brakes offer the needed handling characteristics. Another special thing worth noticing is the fuel tank, which can pivot upwards to allow access to the cylinder heads and spark plugs. TDI The legal action was started by Deutsche See after the company did not manage to reach a settlement with Volkswagen regarding the lease of its fleet with the automaker. The Bremerhaven-based company has a fleet of almost 500 vehicles made by the Volkswagen Group, and all of those are leased from the automaker.Deutsche See insists that it tried to reach an amicable agreement with Volkswagen, and the company underlined the fact that it was not informed by the automaker of the existence of the defeat device technology in its diesel-engined vehicles.Furthermore, those at Deutsche See are disappointed that all of the environmentally-friendly projects they proposed were not supported by Volkswagen, which included electric vehicles, and other solutions to reduce the environmental impact of its fleet.The press release issued by the fish distributor does not mention what kind of compensation is desired from Volkswagen, but German newspaper Bild am Sonntag claims that VW is being sued for 11.9 million, which is the equivalent of $12.8 million, as Automotive News informs.Volkswagen has admitted in September 2015 to employing a defeat device to make its vehicles cheat in emissions tests. At first, the fraud was recognized for 2.0-literengines of the EA189 line, but smaller displacement units were also using the technology, and it was later discovered that the V6 TDIs also had a trick up their sleeves.This lawsuit is more important as a precedent for Volkswagens Dieselgate in Europe than the monetary compensation it could bring to the plaintiff. Theres a good chance that Deutsche See will win this case, but the legal battle could take many months or even years until a solution is reached.The worst part for Volkswagen is that other companies might be inspired to pursue similar claims in Europe, which might be a financial disaster for the conglomerate from Wolfsburg. Luciani added, This is not a new theology, but a way of doing theology in dialogue with other cultures and people, from the reality of the excluded in every society and with a respect for differences and identity. It is about integrating diversity instead of separating people and cultures. The conference will conclude on Feb. 10 with a Mass at 6:20 p.m. at St. Ignatius Church. Local members of Hispanic religious and social groups have been invited to the Mass, which will be celebrated in Spanish by Cardinal Porras. The outreach involves different people and organizations, some Catholic, others not, who are all working on behalf of the Hispanic community and immigrants in Boston. Other conference organizers are STM Visiting Associate Professor Felix Palazzi, Carlos Maria Galli of the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina and Fr. Scannone, a professor emeritus at the Jesuit Seminary of San Miguel in Argentina. In addition to Luciani and Palazzi, BC theologians participating in the conference are Flatley Professor of Catholic Theology Robert Goizueta and STM Associate Professor Nancy Pineda-Madrid and Assistant Professor Hosffman Ospino. Cardinal Sean OMalley, O.F.M., Cap., archbishop of Boston, will also meet with the conference participants. Luciani says it is most appropriate that Boston College, and in particular the School of Theology and Ministry, takes on the pivotal role of hosting this international theological discussion. As a Jesuit university, Boston College is committed to building bridges, said Luciani. STM is a place of many cultures and a place where people work together to respond to Pope Franciss call to action. Added STM Dean Thomas Stegman, S.J.: The School of Theology and Ministry is delighted to be a co-sponsor of this important gathering of so many top theologians in the field. This is theology being done in service to the Church. To host such an illustrious group of scholars is a real feather in Boston Colleges hat. Luciani says he sees evidence of the interest in this topic from his own teaching. This past fall, he and Palazzi taught an online course in Spanish through STM titled Theological and Social Aspects of the Pontificate of Francis. The course attracted more than 3,000 students. The upcoming 'Apocalypse - Terror or Hope for Humanity?' course taught by Palazzi will address the current climate of fear in the lives of Hispanic communities in the U.S. The Ibero-American Conference of Theology is co-sponsored by the BC's School of Theology and Ministry, Office of the President, Institute for the Liberal Arts, and Theology Department. Kathleen Sullivan | University Communications Ahead of the Brussels visit of Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev on 6 February 2017, 76 NGOs sent a joint letter to high-ranking EU officials, urging them to use this visit to insist on concrete, lasting human rights reforms in Azerbaijan. The signatories to the letter urged the EU and its member states, in particular, to secure tangible human rights improvements from Azerbaijans government at the very outset of the negotiations of the new EU-Azerbaijan partnership agreement, which the EU Foreign Affairs Council has now mandated. The letter stresses that such improvements should include the release of wrongfully imprisoned human rights defenders, journalists, civil society and political activists; an end to the politically motivated persecution of such individuals; and reforms of laws and regulations that restrict the operation of NGOs, independent media and freedom of speech. Read the full letter below or download it here. Mr Donald Tusk President of the European Council Rue de la Loi 175 1048 Brussels Mr Jean-Claude Juncker President of the European Commission Rue de la Loi 200 1049 Brussels Ms Federica Mogherini High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the European Commission Rue de la Loi 200 1049 Brussels February 1, 2017 Dear President Tusk, President Juncker, High Representative / Vice-President Mogherini, We, the undersigned organizations, are writing in advance of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyevs upcoming visit to Brussels and meeting with you. We urge you to use this high-level visit to insist that President Aliyev commits to concrete, lasting human rights reforms in Azerbaijan. Insisting on such reforms would help ensure that the EU guides its engagement with Azerbaijan in a manner that honors Article 21 of the Lisbon Treaty, and the EU strategic framework and action plan on democracy and human rights, by fostering democracy, the rule of law, the universality and indivisibility of human rights and fundamental freedoms. President Aliyevs visit takes place following the EU Foreign Affairs Councils authorization of a mandate for negotiating a new partnership agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan. At the same time, the Azerbaijani government restricts the space for independent activism, critical journalism, and opposition political activity by imprisoning and harassing many activists, prominent human rights defenders, and journalists, as well as by adopting laws and regulations restricting the activities of independent groups and their ability to secure funding. The Azerbaijani authorities are sensitive to concerns from partners such as the EU, as demonstrated by their release of 17 human rights defenders, journalists, and political activists in 2016. Despite this, the authorities continue to keep many other government critics wrongfully imprisoned, and have arrested more political activists and bloggers throughout 2016 and 2017, underscoring that partners can only expect to see meaningful results if they have principled and consistent engagement and set clear benchmarks for sustained reform. Non-governmental organizations in Azerbaijan face serious obstacles to operating independently due to excessive legal and regulatory restrictions. Cabinet of Ministers regulations issued in January 2017, as part of the governments review of laws regulating NGOs and donors, offer limited prospect for fundamentally improving the operational environment for NGOs. Although the new regulations simplify some procedures for registration of foreign grants, they leave intact the large discretion of the authorities to arbitrarily deny their registration. Azerbaijan violates its human rights commitments to free speech, assembly and other protections, blatantly ignores the European Court of Human Rights judgment in the Ilgar Mammadov case and blocks all funding to independent civil society organizations by any EU institution. Deepening engagement with a government without securing concrete and sustainable human rights improvements sends a message that these issues are not of concern to the EU and could lead to further deterioration in human rights protection. In 2015 the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) downgraded Azerbaijans status from member to candidate, due to the inability of civil society to adequately participate in EITI decision-making processes because of the countrys severe restrictions on free speech and free association. In October 2016, after re-assessment, EITI chose not to reinstate Azerbaijans status due to a lack of improvements. The Open Government Partnership voted in May 2016 to downgrade Azerbaijans membership to inactive status, citing the authorities arrests of activists, freezing of NGO bank accounts and restrictions on foreign funding, and other concerns. We urge the EU and its member states to secure tangible human rights improvements and changes from the government of Azerbaijan at the very outset of negotiations of the new partnership agreement. Any new partnership agreement signed with Azerbaijan should similarly include strong provisions committing the government to upholding universal human rights standards and securing lasting, meaningful human rights reforms. Doing otherwise would also seriously question the principles set out in the EUs founding principles and in the EUs Strategic Framework on Human Rights and Democracy, as well as the commitments enshrined in the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders and the EU Human Rights Guidelines on Freedom of Expression Online and Offline. In light of this, in your upcoming meetings with President Aliyev, we urge you to insist on: The immediate and unconditional release of wrongfully imprisoned human rights defenders, journalists, civil society and political activists, first and foremost among them Ilgar Mammadov, a prominent opposition political activist. The government of Azerbaijan has ignored repeated demands from the Council of Europes Committee of Ministers for Ilgar Mammadovs release, as part of the implementation of the 2014 European Court of Human Rights judgment in his case. Reform of laws and regulations governing nongovernmental organizations and their access to independent funding, in accordance with recommendations made by the Venice Commission and the corrective actions required by the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative; Immediate and enforceable guarantees that the EU and its institutions are able to fund independent civil society organizations without undue hindrance; An end to politically-motivated prosecutions of human rights defenders, journalists, civil society and political activists; The quashing of convictions against human rights defenders, journalists, civil society and political activists who have been released, and the removal of ongoing restrictions on their freedom of movement; Reform of laws and regulations which restrict independent media and freedom of speech, including on the internet. We also call upon relevant European Union institutions to abide by their commitments to transparency, including ahead of and during the process of negotiating the new partnership agreement between the European Union and Azerbaijan. Transparency and public scrutiny are fundamental elements of good governance. We thank you for your attention and remain at your disposal for any further questions. Sincerely, Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Front Line Defenders Human Rights House Foundation (HRHF) Human Rights Watch International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) Center for Civil Liberties, Ukraine Democracy and Human Rights Resource Center, Azerbaijan Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS), Azerbaijan Human Rights Club, Azerbaijan Human Rights Information Center, Ukraine Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group, Ukraine Legal Education Society, Azerbaijan Public Association for Assistance to Free Economy, Azerbaijan NGOs members of the Civic Solidarity Platform: ARTICLE 19, UK Crude Accountability, United States HRM Bir Duino, Kyrgyzstan Human Rights Monitoring Institute, Lithuania Centre for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights, Russia Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan Index on Censorship, United Kingdom Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety (IRFS) Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law Macedonian Helsinki Committee Moscow Helsinki Group Norwegian Helsinki Committee Office of civil freedoms, Tajikistan Promo LEX, Moldova Public Association Dignity, Kazakhstan Public Verdict, Russia The Kosova Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims The Netherlands Helsinki Committee The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), Switzerland Ukraine Helsinki Human Rights Union and Analytical Center for Interethnic Cooperation and Consultations NGOs members of the Human Rights House Network: Barys Zvozskau Belarusian Human Rights House in exile, Vilnius (on behalf of the following NGOs): Belarus Watch (ByWatch) Belarusian Association of Journalists Belarusian Helsinki Committee City Public Association Centar Supolnasc Human Rights Centre Viasna Human Rights House Belgrade (on behalf of the following NGOs): Belgrade Centre for Human Rights Lawyers Committee for Human Rights YUCOM Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia Educational Human Rights House Chernihiv (on behalf of the following NGOs): Ahalar Civic Education Center Almenda Chernihiv Public Committee of Human Rights Protection Local Non-governmental Youth organizations R Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union Human Rights House Oslo (on behalf of the following NGOs): Health and Human Rights Info Human Rights House Foundation Human Rights House Tbilisi (on behalf of the following NGOs): Article 42 of the Constitution Caucasian Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Studies (CAUCASIA) Georgian Centre for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (GRCT) Human Rights Centre (HRIDC) Media Institute Union Sapari Human Rights House Voronezh (on behalf of the following NGOs): Charitable Foundation Civic Initiatives Development Centre Confederation of Free Labor For Ecological and Social Justice Free University Golos Interregional Trade Union of Literary Men Lawyers for labor rights Memorial Ms. Olga Gnezdilova Soldiers Mothers of Russia Voronezh Journalist Club Voronezh-Chernozemie Youth Human Rights Movement Human Rights House Warsaw (on behalf of the following NGO): Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights Human Rights House Zagreb (on behalf of the following NGOs): APEO/UPIM Association for Promotion of Equal Opportunities for People with Disabilities B.a.B.e. CMS Centre for Peace Studies Documenta Centre for Dealing with the Past GOLJP Civic Committee for Human Rights Svitanje Association for Protection and Promotion of Mental Health CC: Head of Cabinet of the President of the European Council, Mr Piotr Serafin Chief Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of the European Council, Ms Riina Kionka Head of Cabinet of the President of the European Commission, Mr Martin Selmayr Diplomatic Adviser of the President of the European Commission, Mr Richard Szostak Secretary General for the European External Action Service (EEAS), Ms Helga Schmid Deputy Secretary General for the European External Action Service (EEAS), Mr Jean-Christophe Belliard Head of Cabinet of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the Commission, Ms Fabrizia Panzetti Chair of the EUs Political and Security Committee, Amb. Walter Stevens Ambassadors to the EU Political and Security Committee EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Mr Stavros Lambrinidis Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia, EEAS, Mr Thomas Mayr Harting Chair of the EUs Working Party on Eastern Europe and Central Asia (COEST), Ms Caroline Vinot Members of the EUs Working Party on Eastern Europe and Central Asia (COEST) Chair of the EUs Working Party on Human Rights (COHOM), Ms Ciara OBrien Members of the EUs Working Party on Human Rights (COHOM) Head of Cabinet of the Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations, Mr Michael Karnitschnig Director General of DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Mr Christian Danielsson President of the European Parliament, Mr Antonio Tajani Vice-President of the European Parliament responsible for Democracy and Human Rights, Mr Alexander Graf Lambsdorff Chair of the European Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr David McAllister Chair of the European Parliaments Subcommittee on Human Rights, Mr Pier Antonio Panzeri Chair of the European Parliaments Delegation to the EU-Armenia and EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees and the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee, Mr Sajjad Karim Chair of the European Parliaments Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, Ms Heidi Hautala By Cormac O' Keeffe Ian Bailey has said it is likely that French courts will convict him of the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier and that a fresh arrest warrant will be issued to hand him over for sentence. But he said he would fight any such warrant and said he was being subjected ongoing mental torture by French legal authorities. Mr Bailey received the French indictment last Thursday and on Friday wrote his fourth letter to the DPP Claire Loftus, pleading with her to try him for the murder here so he could "defend his name". He said he would send his second letter to Taoiseach Enda Kenny tomorrow. Mr Bailey (pictured) said two detectives came to his west Cork home last Thursday and handed what appeared to be an indictment from France. It's a French file, created in Paris, which appears to be an indictment, indicating I am being processed on a charge of murder and another of witness-tampering, Mr Bailey said. He said he had expected to be arrested under a second European Arrest Warrant (EAW) issued by French judges last August. But he said that he has heard nothing about that second EAW. I expect that it is likely I will be processed and found guilty of murder and witness intimidation in France and then there will be another European Arrest Warrant application to hand me over for sentence, he said. If there is another EAW I will fight it. I fought the first one and defeated it in the Supreme Court. In 2012, the Supreme Court overturned a High Court decision to hand him over, ruling that Mr Bailey could not be extradited for the purposes of questioning. Four of the five judges also ruled that he should not be extradited because the offence had been committed outside France. Under the French legal system, people, including foreign nationals, can be prosecuted for offences against French citizens that occurred outside the country. Mr Bailey could also be tried in his absence. Ms du Plantier, 39, was discovered fatally beaten outside her holiday home in Schull, west Cork, on December 23, 1996. Mr Bailey, originally from Manchester, was arrested twice in connection with the murder, in 1997 and 1998. The 60-year-old has always protested his innocence. His solicitor Frank Buttimer said: Obviously this is part of the ongoing persecution of Mr Bailey by the French legal system who are receiving ongoing assistance from the Irish justice department. I'll issue a formal response on behalf of Mr Bailey when I've finished considering the papers and the implications for Mr Bailey. The PSNI has strongly denied allegations that they provided public order training to officers from the Gulf state of Bahrain. PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd has admitted that police facilitated a delegation of Bahraini officers on a study visit to Belfast during the marching season in 2015. But he insisted that the PSNI "have never provided training to Bahrain police officers in Bahrain or Northern Ireland". Human rights group Reprieve has criticised the PSNI for "sharing its expertise on gathering intelligence ahead of parades" with around half a dozen Bahraini police officers during the visit to Belfast in August 2015. The visit was funded by the British Foreign Office. Reprieve said that protesters in Bahrain, which has been heavily criticised for human rights abuses, have been targeted by police and tortured into falsely confessing to capital crimes. The human rights organisation said the Bahraini delegation to Belfast followed the PSNI's Crimson Commander at the Royal Black Preceptory parade and the Henry Joy McCracken parade in Belfast. The visit also included sessions on water cannons, dog handling and public order tactics. It has been claimed that the training was prepared by PSNI officers during a week-long "scoping visit" to Bahrain between April and May 2015, where they assessed Bahrain's public order systems. "The PSNI have never provided training to Bahrain police officers in Bahrain or Northern Ireland," insisted Mr Todd. The Assistant Chief Constable said that the British Foreign Office, through Northern Ireland Co-operation Overseas (NI-CO), made a request to the PSNI to facilitate a delegation of Bahraini officers on a study visit "to observe globally recognised best practice in human rights based public order policing". He added: "The Bahrain delegation visited in August 2015 and, while in Northern Ireland, they observed a number of public order events and received a number of presentations on aspects of PSNI public order policing planning and delivery. "At no time did the PSNI undertake any form of training with the officers. As an organisation recognised across the world for placing human rights at the centre of policing, the PSNI are often asked to host study visits from international policing bodies. "This is viewed as part of our responsibility to participate in the development of global policing standards." However, Reprieve director Maya Foa criticised the PSNI and the British Foreign Office for their involvement with Bahraini police. She said: "Bahrain is notorious for arresting, torturing and sentencing to death people involved in protests, such as Mohammed Ramadan, a father of three who is held on death row and faces execution at any moment. "By training Bahrain's police how to gather intelligence on protesters, there is a serious risk that Britain is helping them arrest and execute people who are guilty of nothing more than calling for reform. "It is scandalous that the (British) government has sought to sweep this under the carpet." After Flynn finished his press conference, Trump went on Twitter with his warning. This is the first demonstration of the new American policy toward Iran, and it was issued by Flynn, whose disagreement with the former Obama administration led to his resignation, some say dismissal, over his views on resolving the situation in Syria. Flynn previously spoke about the rise of al-Nusra Front and ISIS in Syria. He called it out as not a coincidence or a mistake but a willful decision by the Obama administration. American policy toward the region has shifted with the incoming administration. American news media say that Flynn has had strong influence on Trump since the beginning of his presidential campaign. In an interview, Flynn was once asked whether the Obama administration turned a blind eye to his analysis of military intelligence regarding the threat of the rise of terrorism in Syria. He answered, I dont know that they turned a blind eye. I think it was a willful decision. Sawsan Al Shaer writes, This was our exact same opinion. Therefore, we agree here with this point in terms of a future American policy toward Iran in particular. In Flynns book, The Field of Fight, which was published in August 2016, he says that Iran established an alliance with al-Qaeda and the Lebanese party Hezbollah against their mutual enemy, the West, and particularly the United States. He affirmed that Iran participated in the explosions of the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, although there is documentation saying that al-Qaeda carried them out. According to Flynn, the roots of this enmity are due to the nature of the Islamic Republic. According to Flynn, Irans victory over the Great Satan (read, the West) in Iraq will force small countries in the Middle East to submit to Iranian policies and adopt hostile behavior toward the US and its allies. He believes that this can be achieved without the nuclear bomb, with which the West has become preoccupied. Isnt this what we repeatedly said to all American officials who visited the region? All these warnings fell on deaf ears. General Flynn thinks that focusing on the nuclear cause is a serious mistake in the Wests strategic vision and that the major cause is the Iranian regime and its extremist concept of Islam, writes Sawsan Al Shaer, adding, Isnt this what weve been saying for eight years but no one believes us? We thought the Americans were stupid or acting stupid due to their hesitant policy which ignored all these facts and indisputable evidence of Irans involvement in threatening mainly American interests and our interests in region. The Americans thus insisted that Irans containment is possible. Sawsan Al Shaer goes on to ask several questions: How can one contain a country that exported more than 19,000 kilograms of weapons, ammunition and explosives to a country like Kuwait and insist to adopt a policy of wisdom with it although according to Kuwaiti National Security Bureau Chief Sheikh Thamer al-Ali theres evidence that all these weapons and explosives came from Iran? This was the penalty of Kuwait which has been gentle with Iran so let alone what it did in Bahrain, Yemen and Iraq. How can you contain a country that exported thousands of tons of C-4 and TNT, the most dangerous of explosives, to Bahrain and trained and funded terrorist operations? Many still die as a result of these operations and most recently, lieutenant Hisham al-Hammadi fell a martyr after he was shot dead by a Kalashnikov. How can you contain a country which in August 2016 admitted through the Iranian official news agency (IRNA) that the missile which Houthi militias fired against Saudi territories was Zelzal-3, an Iranian-made missile? In May of last year, the American navy said it intercepted an Iranian ship in the Arab Sea and seized an arms shipment that was intended for the Houthis in Yemen. These questions must be answered and the answers must be focus of Gulf foreign policy. Namely, how can we maximize benefit from this Gulf-American consensus regarding the issues linked to Iran, and how can we coordinate Flynns vision of radical Islamic terrorist groups, and the vision of the Gulf Cooperation Council in terms of joint cooperation. A fair vision of radicalism is one that views all terrorist acts as terrorism whether they are enacted by Sunni or Shiite. Wasnt our problem with the former president, i.e. Obama, is that his administrations vision on terrorism was not fair as they only saw terrorism when it was carried out by Sunni groups but turned a blind eye to it when it was carried out by Shiite ones? asks Sawsan Al Shaer, as well as, Didnt we offer our help to fight al-Qaeda and ISIS and complain of deception and mysteriousness of the former American administrations claims in this war to combat terrorism? And now, Flynn confirms our worries and agrees. A Gulf-American consensus may achieve gains that will serve the regions security and stability, and positively affect everyones interests. Communist guerrillas in the Philippines want to proceed with peace talks that President Rodrigo Duterte has scrapped. But they warned that reimposing a ceasefire would be difficult if the military keeps on violating the truce. Mr Duterte on Friday lifted the government's six-month-old ceasefire with the rebels and said on Saturday that he was scrapping the talks brokered by Norway. Those moves came after the guerrillas abandoned their own truce and killed six soldiers and kidnapped two others in fresh violence. The government and the rebels separately declared ceasefires last year to foster peace talks, which had steadily progressed in recent months before rapidly deteriorating in recent weeks. On Monday, rebel adviser Luis Jalandoni accused the military of violating the government's own ceasefire. He said it had deployed troops in about 500 villages across the country, occupied village halls and schools and continued counterinsurgency operations like surveillance that he said inevitably led to new fighting. The guerrillas are ready to continue with talks in Norway scheduled for February 22-25 to negotiate a possible joint ceasefire agreement, Mr Jalandoni said. He added that the government has not issued a formal notice required to terminate the talks. "We're saying the peace talks are still possible in the absence of a ceasefire," he told radio DZMM by telephone from Europe. Mr Duterte called the insurgents terrorists after accusing them of killing some of the six soldiers like pigs and raking them with gunfire. He said several rebel leaders who were temporarily freed to join the peace talks as consultants should return to the country and go back to jail, threatening to have them arrested if they refused. Mr Jalandoni, however, said the 17 freed rebels are protected by a 1995 agreement under which the government agreed to grant them immunity from arrest while serving as peace talks consultants. All the rebels have returned to the Philippines after joining a recent round of talks in Rome and should not be arrested, he said. Despite his tough stance, Mr Duterte said on Saturday that he may reconsider his decision if there was a compelling reason. His adviser on the peace talks, Jesus Dureza, suggested on Sunday that the president's decision may still change. "At the moment, he has clearly spoken on the directions we all in government should take," Mr Dureza said. "As I always say, the road to just and lasting peace is not easy to traverse. There are humps and bumps, and curves and detours along the way. What is important is that we all stay the course." The setback in the talks is the latest reality check for Mr Duterte, whose crackdown on illegal drugs, which has killed thousands of suspects since he took office in June, has also hit a dilemma. Mr Duterte prohibited the 170,000-strong national police and the National Bureau of Investigation, another key law enforcement agency, from enforcing his campaign. The order came amid an extortion scandal sparked by the killing of a South Korean businessman by police officers involved in the anti-drugs fight. The president has said he will enlist the military to support the crackdown, now in the hands of a small anti-narcotics agency. That would put more pressure on government forces, which are carrying out an offensive against Muslim extremist groups in three battlefronts in the south and now have to prepare for a possible resumption of fighting with the communist rebels. AP The Prime Minister announced yesterday that the government has agreed a deal with the National Housing Federation that will see the sector deliver the governments right-to-buy policy voluntarily. The Conservatives had previously said they would legislate to force housing associations to offer the right-to-buy, and charities had objected that this would breach charity law, as housing associations are mostly exempt charities. David Cameron said yesterday: Some people said this would be impossible and that housing associations would never stand for it. Today we have secured a deal with housing associations to give their tenants the right-to-buy their home. That will mean the first tenants can start to buy their homes from next year. Greg Clark, Communities Secretary, said: Todays historic agreement with housing associations and the National Housing Federation will extend that offer even more widely, while at the same time delivering thousands of new affordable homes across the country. David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said: This reflects our commitment to work in partnership with the government to deliver the commitment to extend right-to-buy, increase home ownership and boost the supply of desperately-needed homes across the country. This is a great offer for housing association tenants. It is also a great offer for the country, as our proposal means homes sold will be replaced, delivering an overall increase in housing supply. This is an ambitious sector that last year built more than one in three of the countrys homes, matching each pound of taxpayers money with 6 of its own. We will build more. The National Housing Federation asked its members to vote on a voluntary agreement that will see its members deliver the governments right to buy scheme without the need for legislation. Under this agreement housing association tenants would have the right to purchase a home at right to buy level discounts with the presumption that housing associations would sell the tenant the property in which they live. The government would compensate the housing association for the discount offered to the tenant and housing associations would retain the sales receipt to enable them to reinvest in the delivery of new homes. Housing associations would use sales proceeds to deliver new supply and would have flexibility to replace rented homes with other tenures such as shared ownership. Reflecting the existing right-to-buy, housing associations would have discretion not to sell a particular property in some limited circumstances, for example where a property is in a very rural area and could not be replaced, or where it is adapted for special needs tenants. However, even in these exceptional cases, housing associations would offer tenants the opportunity to use their discount to buy an alternative home from either their own or another associations stock. A decision to require charities to file quarterly online tax returns for their trading subsidiaries is likely to waste millions of pounds of charities money, the Charity Finance Group has said. Last week the government said it will exempt charities from new requirements to file digital tax returns every quarter, but trading subsidiaries will have to follow the new rules. HM Revenue & Customs conducted a consultation called Making Tax Digital consultation last year, which included proposals to require all organisations to maintain digital tax records. Last week the government confirmed that it would exempt charities from filing quarterly returns, but said trading subsidiaries would have to comply with new rules. While the proposal to exempt those trading companies who distribute all profits to charity (and therefore had no corporation tax liability) had some merit, they could still have substantive VAT obligations, the response said. A significant reason for exempting charities is that many of them do not currently have to submit a tax return, and have a number of reliefs available to them for VAT purposes. 'Could waste millions' But Andrew OBrien, head of policy and engagement at the Charity Finance Group, said the decision not to exempt charity trading subsidiaries could potentially waste millions of pounds proving that they do not have tax liabilities. The UK Civil Society Almanac suggests that there are at least 1,800 charities with trading subsidiaries and many of those are likely to have more than one. Charity trading subsidiaries Gift Aid up all their profits to their parent companies and are very rarely liable for any corporation tax. Typical figures would suggest you could easily pay 1,000 a year to file quarterly returns for a simple trading subsidiary. More complicated operations could easily be much more expensive. This means that government could be wasting millions of pounds of donors money not to mention money government itself has given out itself in grants requiring charities to prove every quarter that they do not pay tax. Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Portfolio Monitoring Top Stock Lists Premium Reports Stock Screeners Live News Feed Premium Support Free for your first month. The Queen Mary 2 will anchor in Geographe Bay on Monday Feb. 13 and over 2,000 passengers are expected to come ashore in Busselton, Western Australia. The QM2 will anchor near Buselton Jetty on the morning of 13 February. Passengers will be provided with a unique view of the longest timber jetty in the southern hemisphere. Passengers will disembark via tender using the new purpose-built berthing platforms on the Busselton Jetty (weather permitting), according to a statement. Mayor Henley said: The QM2 is one of the most admired and famous ocean liners in the world. Attracting her to the region is a significant achievement. This visit from the QM2 marks an important coming of age for the region in terms of establishing Geographe Bay as a world-class destination point for cruise ships. Passenger satisfaction surveys rate Busselton as one of the friendliest destination points on the Australian cruising circuit, said Mayor Henley. This is thanks to the friendly welcome offered by the many volunteers who greet passengers on arrival and the enthusiasm of local business and community members. Activities scheduled for the arrival of the QM2 include live music, a choir and a bush band. These will be held at the Busselton Forshore and within the Busselton Cultural Precinct. City retailers will be open for business on Monday offering cruise-day specials and decorating their shopfronts to provide a special welcome. 1st Financial Federal Credit Union prides itself on helping members achieve their financial dreams. It received the Community Credit Union of the Year Award for credit unions with less than $250 million in assets during the CUNA Community Credit Union Conference. Carol Minges, CEO of the $215 million asset credit union in Wentzville, Mo., recently discussed the impact the credit union has on the community with Credit Union Magazine. CU Mag: What does it mean to be a community CU? Minges: Simply put, a community credit union is a financial institution that isnt looking to break into a market, but rather exists in a market for the benefit and betterment of the people who live in it. Weve worked hard to not simply position ourselves as a checking account for the masses, but rather as a bastion of hope for the people in the community who are intimidated and frightened by their own credit score. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday that sets core principles for U.S. financial regulation while directing the Treasury secretary to meet with members of the Financial Stability Oversight Council on ways to ease regulatory burden under the Dodd-Frank Act. NAFCU President and CEO Dan Berger said NAFCU welcomes the presidents focus on potential regulatory relief. We welcome regulators taking a hard look at the Dodd-Frank Act for ways to lift current burdens, said Berger, but we will also continue to press the CFPB to use the authority it has now to exempt credit unions from regulations that were created to address abuses in which credit unions did not engage. Ultimately, we look forward to the administration, Congress and the regulators working together to reduce regulatory burden, he said. We will continue to advocate for credit unions best interests as this review moves forward. The main argument is over a specific decision: choosing between a firm policy against the mullahs as the Godfather of terrorism in todays world and supporting the Iranian peoples call for democracy, or standing alongside the ruling dictatorship as promoted by the regimes lobbies and apologists. Considering developments of the past 16 years, and especially the eight years under the Obama administration that went the limits and provided numerous concessions to the mullahs, defending the mullahs actions is considered impossible for anyone even with relative common sense. The mullahs dictatorship and those who have been lobbying and justifying their hideous measures have once again resorted to their old tactics: claiming realpolitik and political realism only justifies appeasing the mullahs and attempting to win their hearts. This alone is quite disgraceful, yet the political scene in Iran dictates other elements to realize this objective. Delegitimizing Irans democratic opposition, specifically the MEK, has been the inseparable portion of this policy. Labelling the MEK and distancing from this organization has been a constant demand raised by the mullahs from day one of the Wests efforts to find moderates in this regime, dating back to the 1980s Iran-Gate scandal. The fact that the MEK is the main victim of the theocracy ruling Iran is not subject to debate. However, the question raised is as far as Tehran is concerned, why are the mullahs so sensitive about the MEK? The Iranian regimes first priority is to crackdown on the MEK, The Wall Street Journal wrote on May 7th, 2008, citing diplomats involved in nuclear talks with Tehran. The reason is the MEK represents the all-out antithesis against the mullahs dictatorship in Iran. Irans current fear of the MEK more than ever before is quite comprehendible. The theocracy ruling Iran is surrounded by increasing domestic and international dilemmas, threatening its very existence more than ever before. More than a year into the nuclear deal none of Irans issues have been resolved. In fact, this subject has become an increasing conflict amongst Irans ruling factions. On the other hand, social unrest and domestic support for the Iranian opposition has gained unprecedented scope. In addition to Irans unparalleled regional isolation, the international community has more than ever before focused on this regimes threats. In such a status quo, the widespread and growing presence of a democratic force, such as the MEK, around the world and across Iran, in line with the Iranian peoples increasing welcomingespecially amongst the youthhas rightfully triggered fear throughout the mullahs apparatus. This is especially true since the mullahs regime had attempted to take advantage of the special situation in Iraq, investing and pursuing a 13-year plan in this country aimed at either massacring thousands of MEK members or forcing them to surrender. However, the mullahs plot failed and in 2016 the last group of MEK members mass-transferred out of Iraq safe and sound. Who is the MEK and what do they promote? The MEK is a national force with deep beliefs in a democratic, progressive and anti-fundamentalist perspective of Islam. The MEK, with widespread roots and social support, has for over 51 years been struggling against two dictatorships, the Shah and the mullahs, aiming to establish democracy, human rights and gender equality. The MEK is the pivotal force of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a democratic alliance consisting of Irans religious and ethnic minorities, seeking to establish a democratic, pluralistic and secular state. Mrs. Maryam Rajavi is the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran for the transition period. The theocracy ruling Iran, condemned 63 times by various United Nations organs for flagrant violation of fundamental human rights, has executed 120,000 MEK members and supporters for supporting the MEK and defending human rights, freedom and democracy. The youngest of these victims were 13-year-old girls whose only crime was reading MEK newspapers. 30,000 of these victims were political prisoner serving their terms. They were all massacred in the summer of 1988 under a fatwa issued by Iranian regime founder Ruhollah Khomeini. This massacre was so horrifying that in the past Mr. Montazeri, then successor to Khomeini, protested the measure and wrote to Khomeini describing the MEK as a mentality and logic that cannot be destroyed through killings. Khomeini dismissed Montazeri and he remained under house-arrest until he passed away. MEKs widespread social base Despite the medieval crackdown, the MEK not only continued its struggle, but is also expanded and grew in size and strength. The reason is that MEK enjoys a widespread social base amongst three generations of Iranian society. The network of MEK supporters in Iran, amongst various walks of life including college professors, guilds, technocrats and marketers, is considered the largest non-government social network in the country. By relying on this very network, the MEK has been able blow the whistle on the mullahs clandestine nuclear program and alert the world about the threat of this regime obtaining nuclear weapons. The MEK has also unveiled the mullahs plots and terror networks. If back in 2002 the MEK had not exposed the Natanz (uranium enrichment) and Arak (plutonium production) sites, today the world would have before it the fundamentalist mullahs armed with nuclear weapons. Many senior U.S. government and former IAEA officials have emphasized time and again that the MEK had first informed the world about the existence of the Iranian regimes nuclear program. The MEKs widespread network has also exposed this regimes terrorist conspiracies in the region and across the globe. In the past few years the MEK has also provided detailed intelligence regarding the mullahs warmongering, and the export of crises and terrorism around the Middle East, most specifically in Syria. MEK supporters in hundreds of cities across Europe, the U.S., Canada and Australia, and literally anywhere allowing political and public activities, have established official organs very well known to host governments. These individuals are from the most educated, intellectual and constructive segments of Irans society who left their country for the sole reason of the crackdown and oppression imposed by the mullahs. They found their hope for a future Iran in an organized resistance. More than 110,000 took part in the MEKs last large gathering in Paris in June 2013. International recognition of the MEK and Iranian Resistance The Iranian Resistance has been widely recognized and in addition to the most dignified American senators the majority of over 45 parliaments including the U.S. Congress, the British Parliament and the French National assembly have expressed their support for the MEK and Mrs. Rajavis plan for the future of Iran. The history of such support dates back to 1992 when a majority of the U.S. House of Representatives supporting the MEK. Moreover, in the past few years an unprecedented bipartisan slate of senior U.S. official and military commanders have voiced their support for the Iranian Resistance and MEK. MEK: Main victim of mullahs demonizing campaign In the first 2 years following the 1979 revolution in Iran the MEK focused all its efforts to use the democratic atmosphere and direct Irans society to a democracy. However, the fundamentalist mullahs, considering the slightest trace of democracy against their entire existence, from day one began oppressing all democratic forces, and specifically the MEK being the antithesis to the mullahs rule and their extremist perspective of Islam. Finally, in June 1981 the mullahs forces launched bloodbaths and massacres against the MEK to confront their growing social support. The only solution left for the Iranian people was to either surrender in the face of fundamentalist or launch an organized resistance. After failing to physically and politically eradicate the mullahs despite a ruthless and unprecedented massacre campaign, the mullahs resorted to an effort focused on demonizing the MEK by spreading lies and fabricated facts. This fact that the MEK is the main subject of the mullahs demonizing campaign has been confirmed time and again in numerous annual intelligence reports issued by German and Dutch authorities, and even the Library of Congress in a publication requested by the Pentagon. Western media have in numerous instances even exposed heavy budgets proposed by the mullahs regime to academicians and research institutes to publish anti-MEK articles or booklets. Throughout the afternoon of January 27, the panel of speakers at the 12th annual International Humanitarian Law Conference shared their expertise on the issues surrounding cyber warfare with around 80 people in Room 105 at the Schulich School of Law. The conference was hosted by the John E. Read International Law Students Society (JERILS) and Dalhousies Law & Technology Institute, in partnership with the Canadian Red Cross. Schulich Law alumna Catherine Gribbin (LLB 06), senior legal advisor for IHL at the Canadian Red Cross, was the moderator. The keynote speaker was Colonel Gary Brown of Marine Corps University, a former judge advocate with the United States Air Force who speaks on cyber operations law and policy. In addition to Gribbin and Colonel Brown, the panel consisted of Schulich Law Professor Jonathon Penney; Stephanie Carvin, assistant professor of international relations at Carleton Universitys Norman Paterson School of International Affairs; and Major Max Reede, legal advisor to Joint Task Force Atlantic and Maritime Forces Atlantic. Schulich Law Dean Camille Cameron welcomed the speakers and attendees, taking a moment to praise the law students for organizing the conference. Hats off to our students who have worked so hard to pull this together, she said, Its an important educational event not only for our university community but also for the broader community. Schulich Law Professor Robert Currie, director of the Law & Technology Institute, says the topic is timely. Cyber warfare has landed in the news recently because of the [alleged] Russian hacks on the U.S. election, he says. While militaries have been working on the front line of trying to develop the law, its important that other civil society voices be brought to the table. This conference brought together different viewpoints on a front-burner topic. The Schulich School of Law, with its strong tradition of engagement with both international law and technology, was the ideal place to have it. Understanding cyber warfare According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, cyber warfare has been defined as any hostile measures against an enemy designed to discover, alter, destroy, disrupt, or transfer data stored in a computer, manipulated by a computer, or transmitted through a computer. Examples of hostile use include computer attacks on air traffic control systems, oil pipeline flow systems, and nuclear plants. Lawyers and technical experts such as information security professionals working at security firms like CrowdStrike and ThreatConnect agree that the potential of computer network attacks is massive, leading to questions about how to apply international humanitarian law (IHL) and how to define armed conflict. While there is no specific mention of cyber warfare or computer network attacks in the Geneva Conventions or their Additional Protocols, the principles and rules in these treaties governing the means and methods of warfare arent restricted to situations that existed when they were created. Those who work in IHL clearly anticipate advances in weapons technology and the development of new means and ways of waging war. Cyber warfare adds a new level of complexity to armed conflict that may pose challenging questions for IHL. Theres so much thats unknown thats why were excited to be here today, said Gribbin. We must understand the legal context in which cyber warfare is being conducted. "Cyber is interested in you" Colonel Brown made the audience laugh with his first slide, which read, You may not be interested in cyber, but cyber is interested in you He explained that all of the systems we use now rely on cyber systems. Is anyone here concerned about your privacy on the Internet? asked Brown. Well, forget it! We gave it up a long time ago. We assume things like the webcams we buy are safe and secure, but everything that touches the Internet is a potential bot in a cyber attack. Brown explained that cyber disruptions, as opposed to warfare, are events that only cause inconvenience but no direct injury or death or property destruction; for example, limiting access to bank machines. Among global nations, he cited Russia and China as the best at manipulating data. Professor Penney said that he confronts international humanitarian law and cyber warfare in his research. We throw around legal and public policy terms like cyber warfare, but we have to focus on how IHL and other laws influence or dont influence cyber attacks, he said. In other words, do state and non-state operatives think about international human rights law and other legal requirements of war when they carry out these attacks focusing on military rather than civil targets, for instance? And if not, why not? An area of significant challenge Major Reede said that in the foreseeable future, cyber warfare is an area of significant challenge and an important area of growth and development for the Canadian military. Its easy to understand a [traditional] bomb, but its less easy to understand a logic bomb, he said. What makes it even more challenging is that the cyber weapons of today might soon be obsolete. Professor Carvin pointed to the increasing role that artificial intelligence will play in cyber defence and security in the future. Theres also no international standard practice on how data should be stored and maintained, or who should have access to it and when it should be deleted. Governments are good at protecting themselves, she said, but small and medium enterprises arent. She advised the aspiring lawyers in the room to think about this question: What is the right to data privacy under IHL? Third-year law student Dylan OLeary helped organize the conference. The support and participation of the Canadian Red Cross, the Law & Technology Institute, and the student organizers made the conference a great success, he said. Creating a legal regime that can tackle the problem of cyber conflict is one of the foremost challenges that we face as a society. Were grateful to the speakers for sharing their expertise and encouraging us to work through the tools and concepts necessary to confront this challenge. University honours newest graduates 3000 miles away Published On Mon 6 Feb 2017 by Roddy Isles The University of Dundee is celebrating the graduation of our latest round of successful students in Kuwait. A ceremony in Kuwait has seen almost 50 new graduates handed their awards in Diabetes Care, Education and Management. The University has been delivering postgraduate education in Kuwait for five years, helping tackle the countrys chronic diabetes problem. It has been estimated that up to 1 in 4 of the adult population of Kuwait suffers from the disease, which equates to almost 700,000 people. The University of Dundee has been central to establishing world-leading standards of diabetes research and treatment in Tayside. The expertise which has underpinned that revolution in diabetes care is now being applied in Kuwait, in partnership with the Dasman Diabetes Institute and the Ministry of Health in Kuwait. Professor Gary Mires, Dean of the School of Medicine at Dundee, said, We are delighted to honour our newest graduates, who can go on to have a significant impact in clinical practice here in Kuwait and make a real difference for diabetes patients. Our Diabetes Care, Education & Management programme and the relationship between the Dasman Diabetes Institute and the University of Dundee started after Professors Hilal Al Sayer and Kazem Behbehani in Kuwait identified the need to ensure the highest possible levels of diabetes healthcare for patients. All of us working together the Dasman Institute, the University, NHS Tayside and the Kuwait Ministry of Health has led to a unique, sustainable programme integrating education, clinical improvement, management and research. Around 200 graduates of the programme are now working to support the development of diabetes healthcare provision across Kuwait. Professor Hilal Al Sayer, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Daman Diabetes Institute, told graduates, You have accomplished something of great magnitude, and of that you must be proud. Your perseverance and hard work are a testament to your success and I thank you for the difference you will make in many a life in the future. Nehad Taha is among the Masters graduates of the programme. Reflecting on her experience, she said, It is gratifying to see how I matured and became proficient and ready to tackle every challenge to further my life-long career in diabetes. For media enquiries contact: Roddy Isles Head of Corporate Communications University of Dundee Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN Tel: +44 (0)1382 384910 Mobile: 07800 581902 Email: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the United States, yet there are no effective medicines that improve mortality from the disease. While smoking remains the single most important risk factor for COPD, genetics also play an important role. In a new Research Letter published in Nature Genetics on Feb. 6, 2017, investigators describe 13 new genetic regions associated with COPD, including four that have not previously been associated with any type of lung function. The researchers also found overlap of the genetic risk of COPD with two other lung diseases, asthma and pulmonary fibrosis. These findings create an improved understanding of the genetic basis for this deadly disease. "We are excited about these findings because we have not only uncovered new genetic risk factors for COPD, but also shown overlap of COPD genetic risk with the risk to asthma and pulmonary fibrosis," said lead author Brian Hobbs, MD, MMSc a physician-researcher in the Channing Division of Network Medicine and Pulmonary and Critical Care Division of BWH. "This is the first step in a longer process in which we hope to better understand the genetic basis for COPD, or what may be several different diseases that present as COPD. Now that we know there are new regions of the genome associated with COPD, we can build on this research by probing new biological pathways with the ultimate goal of improving therapies for our patients with this disease." Researchers conducted a genome-wide association study of risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a large, multi-ancestry cohort (15,256 cases and 47,936 controls). This type of study allows investigators to look across a comprehensive set of genetic variants in different individuals to see if any variant is associated with disease. Top findings from this study were replicated in a second cohort. The authors also sought to understand more about their findings by examining overlap with other diseases and examining what was known about gene function in these regions. In addition to identifying 13 new genetic regions associated with COPD, they also discovered four genetic regions that were not previously associated with any lung function trait. Nine of the genetic regions have been identified as playing an important role in lung function. Two have previously shown an association with pulmonary fibrosis; however, the specific forms of these genetic variants that increase risk for COPD decrease risk for pulmonary fibrosis. All analyses accounted for the effects of age, gender, and cigarette smoking on disease risk. "While it is extremely important that patients not smoke for many health reasons - including the prevention of COPD - we know that smoking cessation may not be enough to stave off the disease," said Michael Cho, MD, MPH, one of the senior authors of this manuscript and a physician-researcher in the Channing Division of Network Medicine and Pulmonary and Critical Care Division. "Many patients with COPD experience self-blame, but they may be comforted to know that genetics does play a role in who ultimately develops the disease." The BWH group also co-authored a companion paper in the same issue of Nature Genetics, led by researchers from the University of Leicester and University of Nottingham. In this large study of lung function in the UK population, they almost doubled the number of genetic variants associated with lung function levels, and found a strong association between this combined genetic risk score and COPD. This research was conducted by the International COPD Genetics Consortium, a collaborative research effort established in 2010 at a conference at BWH. Marike Boezen, PhD, of the University of Groningen, co-led the study with Cho. The consortium now involves more than 20 studies around the world. "This work is representative of the importance of global collaboration and the shared goal of improving care for patients everywhere," said Cho. "We're grateful for the efforts of all of the authors, each of whom played a valuable role in this discovery." "These findings would only be possible with the kind of large collaborative efforts that supports this study. Not only do the results build on our knowledge of COPD, but also reveal potential links with other lung diseases, like pulmonary fibrosis and asthma and can form the underpinnings of a precision medicine strategy for the treatment of more than one lung disease," said Dr. James Kiley, Director of the Division of Lung Diseases of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). ### This research was funded by: NHLBI R01 HL084323, R01 HL113264, R01 HL089856, and P01 HL105339; K08 HL097029 and R01 HL113264, R01 HL089897 and P01 HL114501; the Alpha-1 Foundation and a VA Research Career Scientist award. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study is carried out as a collaborative study supported by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute contracts (HHSN268201100005C, HHSN268201100006C, HHSN268201100007C, HHSN268201100008C, HHSN268201100009C, HHSN268201100010C, HHSN268201100011C, and HHSN268201100012C), R01HL087641, R01HL59367 and R01HL086694; National Human Genome Research Institute contract U01HG004402; and National Institutes of Health contract HHSN268200625226C. Infrastructure was partly supported by Grant Number UL1RR025005, a component of the National Institutes of Health and NIH Roadmap for Medical Research. Nora Franceschini is supported by R21HL123677-01. This work was also supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. We acknowledge use of phenotype and genotype data from the British 1958 Birth Cohort DNA collection, funded by the Medical Research Council grant G0000934 and the Wellcome Trust grant 068545/Z/02. Genotyping for the B58C-WTCCC subset was funded by the Wellcome Trust grant 076113/B/04/Z. The B58C-T1DGC genotyping utilized resources provided by the Type 1 Diabetes Genetics Consortium, a collaborative clinical study sponsored by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF) and supported by U01 DK062418. B58C-T1DGC GWAS data were deposited by the Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research (CIMR), University of Cambridge, which is funded by Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, the Wellcome Trust and the National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre; the CIMR is in receipt of a Wellcome Trust Strategic Award (079895). The B58C-GABRIEL genotyping was supported by a contract from the European Commission Framework Programme 6 (018996) and grants from the French Ministry of Research. This CHS research was supported by NHLBI contracts HHSN268201200036C, HHSN268200800007C, HHSN268200960009C, N01HC55222, N01HC85079, N01HC85080, N01HC85081, N01HC85082, N01HC85083, N01HC85086; and NHLBI grants U01HL080295, R01HL087652, R01HL105756, R01HL103612, R01HL085251, and R01HL120393 with additional contribution from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Additional support was provided through R01AG023629 from the National Institute on Aging (NIA). A full list of principal CHS investigators and institutions can be found at CHS-NHLBI.org. The provision of genotyping data was supported in part by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, CTSI grant UL1TR000124, and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease Diabetes Research Center (DRC) grant DK063491 to the Southern California Diabetes Endocrinology Research Center. The COPACETIC study was supported by a European Union FP7 grant (201379, COPACETIC). NELSON was funded by 'Zorg Onderzoek Nederland-Medische Wetenschappen, KWF Kankerbestrijding, Stichting Centraal Fonds Reserves van Voormalig Vrijwillige Ziekenfondsverzekeringen, Siemens Germany, G. Ph. Verhagen Stichting, Rotterdam Oncologic Thoracic Steering Committee, Erasmus Trust Fund, Stichting tegen Kanker. Kim de Jong is supported by grant number 4.113.007 the Lung Foundation Netherlands. The COPDGene project (NCT00608764) was supported by Award Number R01HL089897 and Award Number R01HL089856 from the National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute. The COPDGene project is also supported by the COPD Foundation through contributions made to an Industry Advisory Board comprised of AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, Pfizer, Siemens, Sunovion, and GlaxoSmithKline. The ECLIPSE study (NCT00292552; GSK code SCO104960) was funded by GSK. This work was partially supported by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study (contract number N01?HC?25195) and its contract with Affymetrix, Inc for genotyping services (contract number N02?HL?6?4278). Also supported by NIH P01 AI050516. KARE was funded by the Consortium for Large Scale Genome Wide Association Study III (2011E7300400), which was supported by the genotyping data (the Korean Genome Analysis Project, 4845-301) and the phenotype data (the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study, 4851-302). This was also supported by the National Project for Personalized Genomic Medicine (A111218-11-GM02), Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (2013R1A1A1057961) and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (NRF-355-2011-1-E00060, NRF-2012R1A6A3A01039450). The Lung eQTL study at Laval University was supported by the Chaire de pneumologie de la Fondation JD Begin de l'Universite Laval, the Fondation de l'Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Quebec, the Respiratory Health Network of the FRQS, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP - 123369), and the Cancer Research Society and Read for the Cure. Y.B. holds a Canada Research Chair in Genomics of Heart and Lung Diseases. The Norway GenKOLS study (Genetics of Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, GSK code RES11080) was funded by GSK. The ICGN study was funded by GSK. The LifeLines cohort study was supported by the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation, the province of Groningen, the European Union (regional development fund), the Northern Netherlands Provinces (SNN), the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, de Nierstichting (the Dutch Kidney Foundation), and the Diabetes Fonds (the Diabetic Foundation). The Lovelace cohort and analysis was primarily supported by National Cancer Institute grant R01 CA097356 (SAB). The State of New Mexico as a direct appropriation from the Tobacco Settlement Fund to SAB. through collaboration with University of New Mexico provided initial support to establish the LSC. Additional support was provided by NIH/NCI P30 CA118100 (SAB), HL68111 (Y.T.), and HL107873-01 (YT and SB). MESA and the MESA SHARe project are conducted and supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in collaboration with MESA investigators. Support for MESA is provided by contracts N01-HC-95159, N01-HC-95160, N01-HC-95161, N01-HC-95162, N01-HC-95163, N01-HC-95164, N01-HC-95165, N01-HC-95166, N01-HC-95167, N01-HC-95168, N01-HC-95169, UL1-TR-001079, UL1-TR-000040, and DK063491. MESA Family is conducted and supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in collaboration with MESA investigators. Support is provided by grants and contracts R01HL071051, R01HL071205, R01HL071250, R01HL071251, R01HL071258, and R01HL071259 by the National Center for Research Resources, Grant UL1RR033176, and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Grant UL1TR000124. The MESA Lung study was supported by grants R01 HL077612, R01 HL093081 and RC1 HL100543 from the NHLBI. This publication was developed under a STAR research assistance agreement, No. RD831697 (MESA Air), awarded by the U.S Environmental protection Agency. It has not been formally reviewed by the EPA. The views expressed in this document are solely those of the authors and the EPA does not endorse any products or commercial services mentioned in this publication. Funding for SHARe genotyping was provided by NHLBI Contract N02-HL-64278. Genotyping was performed at Affymetrix (Santa Clara, California, USA) and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (Boston, Massachusetts, USA) using the Affymetrix Genome-Wide Human SNP Array 6.0. The National Emphysema Treatment Trial was supported by the NHLBI N01HR76101, N01HR76102, N01HR76103, N01HR76104, N01HR76105, N01HR76106, N01HR76107, N01HR76108, N01HR76109, N01HR76110, N01HR76111, N01HR76112, N01HR76113, N01HR76114, N01HR76115, N01HR76116, N01HR76118 and N01HR76119, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The Normative Aging Study is supported by the Cooperative Studies Program/ERIC of the US Department of Veterans Affairs and is a component of the Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Center (MAVERIC). D.S. is supported by a VA Research Career Scientist award. The Rotterdam Study is funded by Erasmus Medical Center and Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands Organization for the Health Research and Development (ZonMw), the Research Institute for Diseases in the Elderly (RIDE), the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Sports, the European Commission (DG XII), and the Municipality of Rotterdam. The generation and management of GWAS genotype data for the Rotterdam Study (RS I, RS II, RS III) was executed by the Human Genotyping Facility of the Genetic Laboratory of the Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The GWAS datasets are supported by the Netherlands Organisation of Scientific Research NWO Investments (nr. 175.010.2005.011, 911-03-012), the Genetic Laboratory of the Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, the Research Institute for Diseases in the Elderly (014-93-015; RIDE2), the Netherlands Genomics Initiative (NGI)/Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) Netherlands Consortium for Healthy Aging (NCHA), project nr. 050-060-810. The generation and management of spirometric data was supported by FWO project G035014N. Lies Lahousse is a Postdoctoral Fellow of the Fund for Scientific Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO). SPIROMICS was supported by contracts from the NIH/NHLBI (HHSN268200900013C, HHSN268200900014C, HHSN268200900015C, HHSN268200900016C, HHSN268200900017C, HHSN268200900018C HHSN268200900019C, HHSN268200900020C), which were supplemented by contributions made through the Foundation for the NIH from AstraZeneca; Bellerophon Therapeutics; Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc; Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA; Forest Research Institute, Inc; GSK; Grifols Therapeutics, Inc; Ikaria, Inc; Nycomed GmbH; Takeda Pharmaceutical Company; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc; and Sanofi. The UK BiLEVE study was funded by a Medical Research Council (MRC) strategic award to M.D.T., I.P.H., D.P.S. and L.V.W. (MC_PC_12010). The research undertaken by M.D.T., M.S.A., L.V.W. and N.S. was partly funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health. M.D.T. holds a Medical Research Council Senior Clinical Fellowship (G0902313). This research used the ALICE High Performance Computing Facility at the University of Leicester. The Universities of Leicester and Nottingham acknowledge receipt of a Collaborative Research and Development grant from the Healthcare and Bioscience iNet, a project funded by the East Midlands Development Agency, part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and delivered by Medilink East Midlands. I.P.H. holds a Medical Research Council programme grant (G1000861). This research has been conducted using the UK Biobank Resource under Application Number 648. The research undertaken by M.D.T., M.S.A., L.V.W. and N.S. was partly funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health. The content of this study is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Heart, Lung, And Blood Institute or the National Institutes of Health. Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) is a 793-bed nonprofit teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of Partners HealthCare. BWH has more than 4.2 million annual patient visits and nearly 46,000 inpatient stays, is the largest birthing center in Massachusetts and employs nearly 16,000 people. The Brigham's medical preeminence dates back to 1832, and today that rich history in clinical care is coupled with its national leadership in patient care, quality improvement and patient safety initiatives, and its dedication to research, innovation, community engagement and educating and training the next generation of health care professionals. Through investigation and discovery conducted at its Brigham Research Institute (BRI), BWH is an international leader in basic, clinical and translational research on human diseases, more than 3,000 researchers, including physician-investigators and renowned biomedical scientists and faculty supported by nearly $666 million in funding. For the last 25 years, BWH ranked second in research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) among independent hospitals. BWH is also home to major landmark epidemiologic population studies, including the Nurses' and Physicians' Health Studies and the Women's Health Initiative as well as the TIMI Study Group, one of the premier cardiovascular clinical trials groups. For more information, resources and to follow us on social media, please visit BWH's online newsroom. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital and King's College London have discovered a treatment that improves the neurological symptoms in a mouse model of juvenile Batten disease. This discovery brings hope to patients and families affected by the disease that a treatment might be available in the future. The study appears in Nature Communications. "Patients with juvenile Batten disease are born healthy and reach the expected developmental milestones of the first 4 to 6 years of age," said senior author Dr. Marco Sardiello, assistant professor of molecular and human genetics at Baylor. "Then, these children progressively regress their developmental achievements; they gradually lose their vision and develop intellectual and motor disabilities, changes in behavior and speech difficulties. Most people with this condition live into their 20s or 30s. This inherited, rare disease has no cure or treatment other than palliative care." "As we started this project, patients and families affected by this condition visited us in the laboratory," said first author Dr. Michela Palmieri, who was a postdoctoral fellow in the Sardiello lab during this project and currently is at the San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan, Italy. "We were deeply affected by our interactions with the patients and their families and this further motivated us to pursue this research with the hope that maybe one day it will lead to a treatment that will improve the lives of people affected by this condition." Juvenile Batten disease, a problem with cellular waste management Like a large dynamic city, a cell carries out many activities that generate waste. Waste needs to be disposed of properly in order for the city to continue its activities without interruption. If waste management fails, waste progressively accumulates and eventually leads to interruption and paralysis of the activities of the city. Something similar happens in cells when cellular waste is not discarded. The lysosomes are the structures in charge of clearing the waste produced by the cell's regular functions. Lysosomes are sacs inside all cells containing enzymes that degrade cellular waste into its constituent components, which the cell can recycle or discard. When lysosomes fail and cellular waste accumulates, disease follows. Although all types of cells can be affected by defects in lysosomal waste processing and cellular waste accumulation, brain cells - neurons - are particularly susceptible. "In juvenile Batten disease, one of nearly 50 human lysosomal storage disorders, the function of brain cells is progressively affected by the accumulation of cellular waste," Sardiello said. "This accumulation leads to perturbation of many cellular processes, cell death and progressive regression of motor, physical and intellectual abilities." A novel approach to finding a treatment "A few years back we discovered a protein in cells called TFEB, a master transcription factor that stimulates the cell to produce more lysosomes and degrade cellular waste more effectively," said Sardiello. "So we thought about counteracting the accumulation of cellular waste in Batten disease by acting on TFEB." "We and others had found that enhancing the activity of TFEB genetically can help counter the accumulation of cellular waste in different diseases," Sardiello said. "What was missing was a way to activate TFEB with a drug that in the future could be put in a pill to treat the condition. We focused on investigating how to activate TFEB pharmacologically." "We discovered that TFEB is under the control of another molecule called Akt, which is a kinase, a protein that can modify other proteins," said Palmieri. "Akt has been studied in detail. There are drugs available that can modulate the activity of Akt." The researchers discovered that Akt modifies TFEB by adding a chemical group, a phosphate, to it. This chemical modification inactivates TFEB. "We wanted to inhibit Akt to keep TFEB more active," said Palmieri. "We discovered that the sugar trehalose is able to do this job." Testing a treatment for juvenile Batten disease in a mouse model of the condition The scientists tested the effect of trehalose in a mouse model of juvenile Batten disease. "We dissolved trehalose in drinking water and gave it to mice that model juvenile Batten disease," said Sardiello. "Then, over time we examined the mice's brain cells under the microscope. We found that the continuous administration of trehalose inhibits Akt and activates TFEB in the brains of the mice. More active TFEB meant more lysosomes in the brain and increased lysosomal activity, followed by decreased accumulation of the storage material and reduced tissue inflammation, which is one of the main features of this disease in people, and reduced neurodegeneration. These changes resulted in the mice living significantly longer. This is a good start toward finding a treatment for people with this disease." "We are very excited that these findings put research a step closer to understanding the mechanisms that underlie human lysosomal storage diseases," said Palmieri. "We hope that our research will help us design treatments to counteract this and other human diseases with a pathological storage component, such as Alzheimer's, Huntington's and Parkinson's diseases, and hopefully ameliorate the symptoms or reduce the progression of the disease for those affected." ### The following researchers also contributed to this work: Rituraj Pal, Hemanth R. Nelvagal, Parisa Lotfi, Gary R. Stinnett, Michelle L. Seymour, Arindam Chaudhury, Lakshya Bajaj, Vitaliy V. Bondar, Laura Bremner, Usama Saleem, Dennis Y. Tse, Deepthi Sanagasetti, Samuel M. Wu, Joel R. Neilson, Fred A. Pereira, Robia G. Pautler, George G. Rodney and Jonathan D. Cooper. This work was supported by NIH grant NS079618, grants from the Beyond Batten Disease Foundation, March of Dimes Foundation grant #5-FY12-114, and a King's College London Graduate School International Studentship. This project was also supported in part by the Hamill Foundation and by IDDRC grant number 1U54 HD083092 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Cores: Mouse Neurobehavior, RNA In Situ Hybridization, and Integrated Microscopy). More information: Visit here for more information about juvenile Batten disease. Dr. Sardiello explains juvenile Batten disease and his research in this video. Palmieri, M., et al., "mTORC1-independent TFEB activation via Akt inhibition promotes cellular clearance in neurodegenerative storage diseases," Nature Communications, February 2017, DOI: 10.1038/NCOMMS14338. Conventional wisdom holds that sharks can't be harvested in a sustainable manner because they are long-lived animals. It takes time for them to reproduce and grow in numbers. But, researchers reporting in Current Biology on February 6 have evidence to suggest that sustainable shark fishing can be done with careful, science-based management. In fact, they say, an outright shark ban won't work. The only way to protect sharks and the food security of people who depend on them is by managing shark fisheries sustainably. "There are two main reasons why bans on shark fishing don't work," says Colin Simpfendorfer (@SharkColin) from James Cook University in Australia. "First, most are caught incidentally in fisheries for other species, and many die during capture and handling. Second, many communities depend heavily on sharks and rays as a source of animal protein, so banning fishing may eliminate their only affordable source." There's no doubt that sharks (including rays and chimeras) are in trouble, facing possibly the largest crisis of their 420 million year history. As the researchers note, "tens of millions of sharks are caught and traded internationally each year, many populations are overfished to the point where global catch peaked in 2003, and a quarter of species have an elevated risk of extinction." In the new study, Simpfendorfer and colleague Nicholas Dulvy (@NickDulvy) from Canada's Simon Fraser University assessed data available for 65 worldwide populations of sharks and their relatives including rays and chimeras. They found that 39 of those populations representing 33 species met the criteria for biological sustainability. The sustainably fished sharks accounted for about 9 percent of the current global catch. That's more than 200,000 tons in live weight. So, sustainable shark fishing is not only possible, it's already happening in some places. The researchers offer five recommendations to help in achieving sustainable shark fisheries, which exist today in nations including the US, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, in other parts of the world. They are as follows: Species with the lowest biological productivity must be protected. Precautionary science-based catch limits should be implemented by international management organizations for the high-seas sharks. International treaties can help to support sustainable international fisheries and trade. Developed countries should offer assistance to developing countries to support the transition to sustainable shark fishing. Fisheries should implement mechanisms that trace shark products to their source, allowing consumers to choose products fished sustainably. "At present the notion of sustainable shark fins is unthinkable to many," the researchers write. "Yet, today's sustainable (but not necessarily managed) shark fisheries yield ~4,406 tons of dried fins." Of course, consumers have no way of knowing today whether products they buy were fished sustainably or not. Simpfendorfer says there are many techniques to help reduce incidental catches of sharks and rays, and new innovative techniques should continue to be developed. For example, he says, the banning of wire leaders on longlines can reduce the catch of sharks. The use of turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in shrimp trawls also helps to avoid capture of larger sharks and rays. There won't be simple answers, however. That's because there are 1,200 shark species, and the challenges will be different in each country where they are found. "We need to redouble species-level data collection and increase status assessment of the most heavily fished populations so that we know how and when sustainability is achieved," Simpfendorfer says. "We can fish for sharks and avoid extinctions without banning fishing, but we urgently need improved assessment and management." They say the next step for them is to identify the lessons learned in sustainable shark fisheries and begin translating those into management recommendations that can be implemented in countries around the world. ### This work was funded by the MacArthur Foundation, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, the Cathay Pacific, Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (Canada) and the Canada Research Chairs Program. Current Biology, Simpfendorfer and Dulvy: "Bright spots of sustainable shark fishing" http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(16)31464-6 Current Biology (@CurrentBiology), published by Cell Press, is a bimonthly journal that features papers across all areas of biology. Current Biology strives to foster communication across fields of biology, both by publishing important findings of general interest and through highly accessible front matter for non-specialists. Visit: http://www.cell.com/current-biology. To receive Cell Press media alerts, contact press@cell.com. E-cigarettes are less toxic and safer to use compared to conventional cigarettes, according to research* published in Annals of Internal Medicine today (Monday). Cancer Research UK-funded scientists found that people who swapped smoking regular cigarettes for e-cigarettes or nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for at least six months, had much lower levels of toxic and cancer causing substances in their body than people who continued to use conventional cigarettes. For the first time, researchers analysed the saliva and urine of long-term e-cigarette and NRT users, as well as smokers, and compared body-level exposure to key chemicals.** Ex-smokers who switched to e-cigarettes or NRT had significantly lower levels of toxic chemicals and carcinogens*** in their body compared to people who continued to smoke tobacco cigarettes. But, those who used e-cigarettes or NRT while continuing to smoke, did not show the same marked differences, highlighting that a complete switch is needed to reduce exposure to toxins. Dr Lion Shahab, senior lecturer in the department of epidemiology and public health at UCL, and lead author of the publication, said: "Our study adds to existing evidence showing that e-cigarettes and NRT are far safer than smoking, and suggests that there is a very low risk associated with their long-term use. "We've shown that the levels of toxic chemicals in the body from e-cigarettes are considerably lower than suggested in previous studies using simulated experiments. This means some doubts about the safety of e-cigarettes may be wrong. "Our results also suggest that while e-cigarettes are not only safer, the amount of nicotine they provide is not noticeably different to conventional cigarettes. This can help people to stop smoking altogether by dealing with their cravings in a safer way." Alison Cox, Cancer Research UK's director of cancer prevention, said: "Around a third of tobacco-caused deaths are due to cancer, so we want to see many more of the UK's 10 million smokers break their addiction. "This study adds to growing evidence that e-cigarettes are a much safer alternative to tobacco, and suggests the long term effects of these products will be minimal. "Understanding and communicating the benefits of nicotine replacements, such as e-cigarettes, is an important step towards reducing the number of tobacco-related deaths here in the UK." ### For media enquiries contact Kathryn Ingham in the Cancer Research UK press office on 020 3469 5475 or, out of hours, on 07050 264 059. Notes to editor: *Lion Shahab, L., Goniewicz, M, L., PhD; Blount, B, C., Brown, J., McNeill, A., Alwis, K, U., Feng, J., Wang, L., & West, R. Nicotine, carcinogen, and toxin exposure in long-term e-cigarette and nicotine replacement therapy users: a cross-sectional study. Annals of Internal Medicine. doi:10.7326/M16-1107 Post-embargo link: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M16-1107 **Previous research into the toxicity of e-cigarettes has focused on assessing concentrations of potentially harmful chemicals within the products themselves, or the vapor they produce. ***Levels of TSNAs (tobacco-specific nitrosamines) and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) metabolites were examined - these compounds have well-established smoking-related toxicological and carcinogenic risks. About Cancer Research UK * Cancer Research UK is the world's leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research. * Cancer Research UK's pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives. * Cancer Research UK receives no government funding for its life-saving research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on every pound donated. * Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival in the UK double in the last forty years. * Today, 2 in 4 people survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK's ambition is to accelerate progress so that by 2034, 3 in 4 people will survive their cancer for at least 10 years. * Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses. * Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured. For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1022 or visit http://www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook With funding from The Rockefeller Foundation, Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, home to the nation's first academic program in climate and health, today announces a Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education to share best scientific and educational practices and design model curricula on the health impacts of climate change for academic and non-academic audiences. The Consortium builds on a pledge by 115 medical, nursing, and public health schools in North America, South America, Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia to add climate and health to their curricula. "The science linking climate change to human health problems is abundant," said Linda P. Fried, MD, MPH, Dean and DeLamar Professor at the Mailman School. "It's time to ensure that leaders across all sectors receive the tools necessary to prepare for its impacts and are able to translate that science into action. Schools that train health professionals are best equipped to catalyze this effort and to introduce climate and health curricula for stakeholders in the knowledge economy." The Consortium will also develop a core knowledge set on the health impacts of climate change and support the development of academic partnerships to foster mutual learning, particularly in under-resourced countries which face a disproportionate share of the burden of climate-related illness. The Consortium's ultimate goal is the creation of a cadre of highly trained health professionals to provide guidance as nations, businesses, and civil society grapple with the harmful health effects of climate change. World leaders have already had to react to longer and more severe heat waves, prolonged allergy seasons, changes in the spread and timing of infectious disease due to changing vector patterns, and worsening air quality associated with human-induced climate change. The vision for the Global Consortium began at the 2015 COP-21 conference in Paris when the Mailman School partnered with the White House on a special session to establish baseline knowledge for disease prevention, business growth, and sustainable development particularly in the global south. Since the COP-21 meeting, the WHO's July 2016 Second Global Conference on Health and Climate, established the need for "mainstreaming climate change and health topics into medical and public health training." Most recently, the Lancet Countdown, which tracks worldwide movement on health and climate change, defined as a progress indicator, "inclusion of health and climate change within medical and public health curricula." "Climate change science must sit alongside biology, ethics, and epidemiology as a vital part of health professionals' education," said Kim Knowlton, DrPH, a Mailman School faculty member who will help lead the Consortium. "Whether our graduates work in ministries of health, clinical services, private industry, or stay in a university, climate knowledge will be crucial to their efforts to improve population and planetary health." Knowlton, who serves as senior scientist and deputy director of the Science Center at the Natural Resources Defense Council and served as a co-convening lead author for the human health chapter of the U.S. Third National Climate Assessment, will also guide the Consortium's Advisory Council of senior leaders from academic, business, philanthropic, and health sectors (see list of members below). The Mailman School invites representatives of global health professional schools to join the Consortium and help position climate and health education into the toolkit of the next generation of health professionals worldwide. Jeffrey Shaman, PhD, director of Columbia's Climate and Health Program, leads and oversees the Consortium. Members of the Advisory Council include the following: Laurent Chambaud, MD, Dean, EHESP School of Public Health, France Carlos Dora, MD, PhD, Coordinator Public Health and the Environment Department, World Health Organization Howard Frumkin, MD, MPH, DrPH, former Dean and Professor of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington-Seattle Lynn Goldman, MD, MS, MPH, Dean, Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, Professor Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC Andy Haines (Sir Andrew Paul Haines), MD, F Med Sci, Professor Public Health and Primary Care, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Keith Hansen, Vice President for Human Development at the World Bank Group, overseeing the Global Practices for education; health, nutrition, and population; and social protection and labor Alice C. Hill, Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, and former Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Resilience Policy on the National Security Council Haidong Kan, MD, PhD, Professor Public Health and Environmental Sciences Fudan University, Shanghai, China Linda McCauley, RN, MSN, PhD, Dean and Professor, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University, Atlanta, GA Michael Myers, Managing Director of the Rockefeller Foundation Jean-Marc de Royere, Senior Vice President International Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility, Air Liquide Corporation (based in France) ### Amsterdam, NL, February 7, 2017 -- For many years, cytology has been the established method used for cervical cancer screening. Commonly known as the Pap test, cytology and its regular use in yearly exams has been credited with significantly reducing the number of deaths from cervical cancer. Evidence now shows that sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is almost always responsible for cases of cervical cancer with two HPV types responsible for 70% of all cases. Many members of the health care community are now calling for a shift in screening procedures to reflect our improved understanding of cervical cancer development. In a special issue of Preventive Medicine, experts look at the emerging evidence that HPV screening may be a better way than Pap tests for doctors to screen for cervical cancer. They also address the difficulty of implementing such a change in different parts of the world based on available resources or public health priorities. "Whether in conventional or automated forms, Pap cytology has been a core technology in medicine and public health; that is until it was firmly established that cervical cancer was the long-term consequence of persistent infection with a specific sexually transmitted infection. It has since become clear that testing for the causal agent, HPV, can bring substantial improvements and efficiency to cervical cancer screening," remarked Preventive Medicine Deputy Editor Gayle A. Shinder, PhD, Department of Oncology at McGill University. "The above transition in technologies serves at the backdrop for this special series of articles and commentaries." The issue presents in-depth coverage of the scientific evidence supporting the transition from cytology to HPV testing, along with reasons why policy around cervical cancer screening is so context specific. The contributors to this issue endorse that HPV testing offers a better way to screen for cervical cancer, but also acknowledge that changes to screening paradigms cannot be made in a vacuum, based only on scientific findings. As Guest Editor for the special issue, Mark Schiffman, MD, MPH, Senior Investigator in the Clinical Genetics Branch at the National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, wrote, "HPV testing is coming and the role of cytology will be reduced; however, this collection of evidence summaries, guidelines, and editorials aims to illustrate the variety of ways the changeover will occur globally. More broadly, this special issue illustrates the importance and limits of epidemiology as the 'basic science of public health.' The conclusion is that given an established epidemiologic set of scientific facts and validated prevention tools, real-life concerns that vary by region will determine which public health strategies are used." Dr. Schiffman's straightforward editorial touches on the potentially controversial elements of HPV testing as a primary screening method for cervical cancer. "It turns out that detailed implementation of HPV primary screening to replace cytology reveals many choices reliant on value judgments and not risk assessment, particularly when resources are limited," said Dr. Schiffman. "Controversial areas include acceptable costs and effort, choices of safety and action thresholds, and the role of the clinician in the integration of test data vs apps and guidelines." This special issue highlights the evidence for supporting the switch from cytology to HPV testing, contrasted with regional responses. Two reviews address the efficacy and specificity of HPV testing, along with providing possible triage methods to help clinicians identify the highest risk patients. Another study uses HPV vaccine data to make the case for phasing out first-line cytology and replacing it with HPV testing. In addition to the studies, the special issue also features five commentaries focusing on how different approaches to health care and levels of available resources around the world are set to influence this change in screening protocols. They address how these changes would affect various parts of the world based on their existing health care systems, the values of those systems, and the available medical resources in different areas. The special issue is designed to help facilitate a meaningful conversation about evidence-based best practices for cervical cancer screening in many different parts of the world and to begin to look at the challenges associated with implementing such a shift. "I believe that, among experts, there is an emerging consensus that HPV testing is theoretically the optimal available primary screening testing, but that optimal implementation is far from settled," concluded Dr. Schiffman. "As different strategies are applied worldwide, the hope is that they will be translatable and represent different societal conclusions sharing a jointly-understood scientific base." ### Hiroshima, Japan--Hiroshima University, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, and Panasonic Corporation announced the development of a terahertz (THz) transmitter capable of transmitting digital data at a rate exceeding 100 gigabits (= 0.1 terabit) per second over a single channel using the 300-GHz band. This technology enables data rates 10 times or more faster than that offered by the fifth-generation mobile networks (5G), expected to appear around 2020. Details of the technology will be presented at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) 2017 to be held from February 5 to February 9 in San Francisco, California [1]. The THz band is a new and vast frequency resource expected to be used for future ultrahigh-speed wireless communications. The research group has developed a transmitter that achieves a communication speed of 105 gigabits per second using the frequency range from 290 GHz to 315 GHz. This range of frequencies are currently unallocated but fall within the frequency range from 275 GHz to 450 GHz, whose usage is to be discussed at the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) 2019 under the International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication Section (ITU-R). Last year, the group demonstrated that the speed of a wireless link in the 300-GHz band could be greatly enhanced by using quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) [2]. This year, they showed six times higher per-channel data rate, exceeding 100 gigabits per second for the first time as an integrated-circuit-based transmitter. At this data rate, the whole content on a DVD (digital versatile disk) can be transferred in a fraction of a second. "This year, we developed a transmitter with 10 times higher transmission power than the previous version's. This made the per-channel data rate above 100 Gbit/s at 300 GHz possible," said Prof. Minoru Fujishima, Graduate School of Advanced Sciences of Matter, Hiroshima University. "We usually talk about wireless data rates in megabits per second or gigabits per second. But we are now approaching terabits per second using a plain simple single communication channel. Fiber optics realized ultrahigh-speed wired links, and wireless links have been left far behind. Terahertz could offer ultrahigh-speed links to satellites as well, which can only be wireless. That could, in turn, significantly boost in-flight network connection speeds, for example. Other possible applications include fast download from contents servers to mobile devices and ultrafast wireless links between base stations," said Prof. Fujishima. "Another, completely new possibility offered by terahertz wireless is high-data-rate minimum-latency communications. Optical fibers are made of glass and the speed of light slows down in fibers. That makes fiber optics inadequate for applications requiring real-time responses. Today, you must make a choice between 'high data rate' (fiber optics) and 'minimum latency' (microwave links). You can't have them both. But with terahertz wireless, we could have light-speed minimum-latency links supporting fiber-optic data rates," he added. The research group plans to further develop 300-GHz ultrahigh-speed wireless circuits. ### This work was supported by the R&D on Wireless Transceiver Systems with CMOS Technology in 300-GHz Band, as part of an R&D program on Key Technology in Terahertz Frequency Bands of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan. References [1] K. Takano, S. Amakawa, K. Katayama, S. Hara, R. Dong, A. Kasamatsu, I. Hosako, K. Mizuno, K. Takahashi, T. Yoshida, M. Fujishima, "A 105Gb/s 300GHz CMOS Transmitter," International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) 2017. [2] K. Katayama, K. Takano, S. Amakawa, S. Hara, A. Kasamatsu, K. Mizuno, K. Takahashi, T. Yoshida, M. Fujishima, "A 300GHz 40nm CMOS Transmitter with 32-QAM 17.5Gb/s/ch Capability over 6 Channels," International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) 2016. Media Contacts: Hiroshima University Public Relations Group Email: koho@office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp National Institute of Information and Communications Technology Press Office, Public Relations Department Tel: +81-(0)42-327-6923 E-mail: publicity@nict.go.jp Panasonic Corporation Public Relations Department Tel: +81-(0)3-3574-5664 Fax: +81-(0)3-3574-5699 The visionary enterprise at Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen is recruiting top international researchers from different disciplines to form an integrated operation taking on major disease challenges of our times. Under the leadership of Director of Biomedicine Prof. Dr. Matthias Tschop and Director of Bioengineering Prof. Dr. Vasilis Ntziachristos, the first pioneer divisions will start as soon as 2017 to search for technological breakthroughs to advance medical research. The Pioneer Campus focuses on the prompt development of innovative solutions and products for metabolic disease and envisages the combination of biomedicine and engineering sciences under one roof; a paradigm shift in Germany. Teams of excellent scientists from various fields (biology, medicine, physics and engineering) are working together using novel approaches for new answers, galvanizing the future of medicine. Due to its longstanding expertise in health research, its unconditional commitment to addressing the major challenges of our society as well as its close cooperation with hospitals, universities and research institutions worldwide, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen represents an optimal crystallisation point for this ground breaking endeavour. Major boost for science and the economy "History shows that technological breakthroughs have always served as catalysts for advancing biological discovery with clinical relevance," says Prof. Dr. Vasilis Ntziachristos, the newly appointed Director of Bioengineering. "The Pioneer Campus and its exceptional talents provide a much needed synergy between biological discovery and the engineering culture of converting discovery to solutions, toward accelerating the invention of successful prevention, early diagnosis and new treatment options for the benefit of society." With 4500 square metres, the building of the Pioneer Campus will promote a creative research atmosphere within an outstanding technical infrastructure where creative ideas can be turned into transformative solutions. The appointment of internationally experienced science managers will largely free the research pioneers from administrative work and allow them to entirely focus on collaborative research. Prof. Dr. Matthias Tschop, the new Director of Biomedicine at the Pioneer Campus, outlines the direction that future research could take: "Complex metabolic processes reside at the core of most major diseases - not just Diabetes or Obesity. With the Pioneer Campus we are investing into multidimensional interdisciplinarity to reach beyond traditional ways of collaborating. If engineers, physicists, chemists, physicians and biologists commit to learning each others "language" and engage in daily dialogue -we just may be able to overcome some of the grand medical challenges our society is facing today." Prof. Dr. Gunther Wess, the CEO of Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, is sure that in addition to science, also the economy will benefit from the planned investments. "Thanks to the Pioneer Campus and its great talents, scientific spinoffs will be expedited and long-term jobs will be created.* We also expect prompt innovative solutions and products in the fields of biotechnology, medical technology and pharmaceutical technology." The world's comparable models include the Howard Hughes Janelia Research Campus or the Koch Institute (both USA). ### Further information * In past years, the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen has produced numerous spinoffs that have in turn created more than 350 current jobs in Munich. These include iThera Med (innovative biomedical imaging procedures, since 2010) as well as SurgVision B.V. (live images of tumours during image-controlled surgery, since 2013), both spinoffs from Prof. Ntziachristos, one of two Pioneer Campus directors. Website: http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/pioneer-campus The Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, the German Research Center for Environmental Health, pursues the goal of developing personalized medical approaches for the prevention and therapy of major common diseases such as diabetes and lung diseases. To achieve this, it investigates the interaction of genetics, environmental factors and lifestyle. The Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen is headquartered in Neuherberg in the north of Munich and has about 2,300 staff members. It is a member of the Helmholtz Association, a community of 18 scientific-technical and medical-biological research centers with a total of about 37,000 staff members. http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/en Contact for the media: Department of Communication, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstadter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg - Tel. +49 89 3187 2238 - Fax: +49 89 3187 3324 - E-mail: presse@helmholtz-muenchen.de Scientific Contact at Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen: Prof. Dr. Vasilis Ntziachristos, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Biological and Medical Imaging, Ingolstadter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg - Tel. +49 89 3187 3852 - E-mail: vntziachristos@helmholtz-muenchen.de Prof. Dr. Matthias Tschop, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Ingolstadter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg - Tel. +49 89 3187 2103 - E-mail: matthias.tschoep@helmholtz-muenchen.de They (Iranians) are the number one terrorist state. Theyre sending money all over the place and weapons. And they cant do that, Trump told Fox News. During his campaign the new US President repeatedly described the Nuclear Deal with Iran as the worst agreement ever negotiated, saying, I think it was a deal that should of never been negotiated. The new administration imposed additional sanctions against Iran last week, for its alleged destabilizing behavior in the region, and a ballistic missile test that is alleged to be in violation of the UN Security Council resolution. Trump also issued tough warning against Iran: The deal that was made by the Obama administration. I think its a shame that weve had a deal like that and that we had to sign a deal like that. And there was no reason to do it. And, if youre going to do it, have a good deal, he said, adding, We gave them $1.7 billion in cash, which is unheard of. We put the money up and we have really nothing to show for it. Trump was unclear about the possibility that he would tear up the Iranian nuclear deal. Well see what happens, he said. I can say this, they have total disregard for our country. A US aircraft career is currently moving into the region. Scientists have developed sensor technology for a robotic prosthetic arm that detects signals from nerves in the spinal cord. To control the prosthetic, the patient has to think like they are controlling a phantom arm and imagine some simple manoeuvres, such as pinching two fingers together. The sensor technology interprets the electrical signals sent from spinal motor neurons and uses them as commands. A motor neuron is a nerve cell that is located in the spinal cord. Its fibres, called axons, project outside the spinal cord to directly control muscles in the body. Robotic arm prosthetics currently on the market are controlled by the user twitching the remnant muscles in their shoulder or arm, which are often damaged. This technology is fairly basic in its functionality, only performing one or two grasping commands. This drawback means that globally around 40-50 per cent of users discard this type of robotic prosthetic. The team in today's study, published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, say detecting signals from spinal motor neurons in parts of the body undamaged by amputation, instead of remnant muscle fibre, means that more signals can be detected by the sensors connected to the prosthetic. This means that ultimately more commands could be programmed into the robotic prosthetic, making it more functional. Dr Dario Farina, who is now based at Imperial College London, carried out much of the research while at the University Medical Centre Gottingen. The research was conducted in conjunction with Dr Farina's co-authors in Europe, Canada and the USA. Dr Farina, from the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial, said: "When an arm is amputated the nerve fibres and muscles are also severed, which means that it is very difficult to get meaningful signals from them to operate a prosthetic. We've tried a new approach, moving the focus from muscles to the nervous system. This means that our technology can detect and decode signals more clearly, opening up the possibility of robotic prosthetics that could be far more intuitive and useful for patients. It is a very exciting time to be in this field of research." The researchers carried out lab-based experiments with six volunteers who were either amputees from the shoulder down or just above the elbow. After some physiotherapy training, the amputees were able to make a more extensive range of movements than would be possible using a classic muscle-controlled robotic prosthetic. They came to this conclusion by comparing their research to previous studies on muscle-controlled robotic prosthetics. The volunteers were able to move the elbow joint and do radial movements - moving the wrist from side to side - as well as opening and closing the hand. This means that the user has all basic hand and arm functions of a real arm. Further refinements are needed to make the technology more robust, but the researchers suggest the current model could be on the market in the next three years. To take part in the study, volunteers underwent a surgical procedure at the Medical University of Vienna that involved re-routing parts of their Peripheral Nervous System (PNS), connected with hand and arm movements, to healthy muscles in their body. Depending on the type of amputation, this re-routing was either directed to the pectoral muscle in the chest or the bicep in the arm. This enabled the team to clearly detect the electrical signals sent from the spinal motor neurons - a process the team liken to amplification of the signals. To create the technology, the researchers decoded and mapped some of the information in electrical signals sent from the re-routed nerve cells and then interpreted them in computer models. These models were then compared to models of healthy patients, which helped them to corroborate the results. Ultimately, the scientists want to decode the meaning behind all signals sent from these motor neurons, so that they can program a full range of arm and hand functions in the prosthetic. This would mean that the user could use the prosthetic almost as seamlessly as if it was their own arm. The team then encoded specific motor neuron signals as commands into the design of the prosthetic. They then connected a sensor patch on the muscle that had been operated on as part the re-routing procedure, which was connected to the prosthetic. The amputees worked with physiotherapists so they could learn how to control the device by thinking about specific phantom arm and hand commands. This research has taken the team to the end of the proof of concept stage with laboratory tests. The next step will involve extensive clinical trials with a much wider cross section of volunteers so that the technology can be made more robust. ### The work was supported by the European Research Council, the Christian Doppler Research Foundation of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy and the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. Colin Smith Senior Research Media Officer Communications and Public Affairs Imperial College London South Kensington Campus London SW7 2AZ Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 6712 Email: cd.smith@imperial.ac.uk Duty press officer mobile: +44 (0)7803 886248 Notes to editors: An image of the sensor system and robotic prosthetic operated by a patient who took part in the laboratory experiments as part of the study. "Man/machine interface based on the discharge timings of spinal motor neurons after targeted muscle reinnervation" published [insert date] Nature Biomedical Engineering. [1] [2] Dario Farina, [1] [2] Ivan Vujaklija, [2] Massimo Sartori, [2] Tamas Kapelner, [2] [3] Francesco Negro, [4] Ning Jiang, [5] [6] Konstantin Bergmeister, [7] Arash Andalib, [7] Jose Principe, [5] [6] Oskar C Aszmann. [1] Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK [2] Clinic for Trauma Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery and Plastic Surgery - Research Department of Neurorehabilitation Systems, University Medical Center Gottingen, Gottingen, Germany [3]Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy [4]Department of Systems Design Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, CANADA [5]Christian Doppler Laboratory for Restoration of Extremity Function, Medical University of Vienna, AUSTRIA [6]Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, AUSTRIA [7]Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA About Imperial College London: Imperial College London is one of the world's leading universities. The College's 16,000 students and 8,000 staff are expanding the frontiers of knowledge in science, medicine, engineering and business, and translating their discoveries into benefits for society. Founded in 1907, Imperial builds on a distinguished past - having pioneered penicillin, holography and fibre optics - to shape the future. Imperial researchers work across disciplines to improve health and wellbeing, understand the natural world, engineer novel solutions and lead the data revolution. This blend of academic excellence and its real-world application feeds into Imperial's exceptional learning environment, where students participate in research to push the limits of their degrees. Imperial collaborates widely to achieve greater impact. It works with the NHS to improve healthcare in west London, is a leading partner in research and education within the European Union, and is the UK's number one research collaborator with China. Imperial has nine London campuses, including its White City Campus: a research and innovation centre that is in its initial stages of development in west London. At White City, researchers, businesses and higher education partners will co-locate to create value from ideas on a global scale. http://www.imperial.ac.uk TV and radio interviews Imperial College London academic experts are available for interview via broadcast quality Globelynx TV facilities and an ISDN line for radio at our South Kensington Campus. To request an interview, please contact a member of the communications team http://www.imperial.ac.uk/communications/contacts/research-communications/ The International Potato Center (CIP) announces the launch of its free online mobile accessible Pest Risk Atlas for Africa that assesses potential pest risks under current and potential future climate conditions for a number of important pests that effect African agricultural and horticultural crops like potato, sweetpotato, vegetables, and maize. "African communities are highly dependent on agriculture, which is vulnerable to unpredictable changes in climatic conditions," said Dr. Jurgen Kroschel, CIP's Agroecology and Integrated Pest Management science leader. "Any increase in temperature caused by climate change will have drastic effects on pest invasions and outbreaks affecting pest management, crop production and food security." Climate change will exacerbate existing vulnerabilities of resource-constrained farmers who depend on agriculture for a living. CIP launched the Pest Risk Atlas for Africa to benefit researchers and extension workers involved in pest risk analysis and pest management. Ultimately, this information will create better awareness of current and future pest risks under climate change and promote the inclusion of pest risk adaptation plans at country level. Consequently, it may lead to the adaptation of sustainable pest control methods that are not overly dependent on pesticides and therefore are best suited for farmers in Africa to improve their food security and daily lives under future climates. In its global pest management research efforts, CIP's Agroecology and Integrated Pest Management program developed a scientific framework based on advanced pest phenology modeling and Geographic Information System risk mapping to better understand future pest risks on global, regional, and local scales and to use this information for adaptation planning. The Pest Risk Atlas for Africa provides detailed information for pest risk analysis including: Detection and identification, morphology, and biology with an emphasis on temperature-dependent development Means of movement and dispersal, economic impact, geographical distribution, and phytosanitary risks Risk mapping under current and future climates: global risk and regional risks for Africa with individual country risk maps Phytosanitary measures and adaptation to risk avoidance at farm level. On average, 30-50% of the yield losses in agricultural crops are caused by pests, despite the application of pesticides to control them. Climate, especially temperature, has a strong and direct influence on the development and growth of insect pest populations. A rise in temperature due to climate change may both increase or decrease pest development rates. Hence, an increase in temperature can potentially affect range expansion and outbreaks of many insect pests. Therefore, if adequate integrated pest management (IPM) strategies are not developed and made available to farmers, greater losses in crop yield and quality could ultimately result. Natural enemies play an important role in managing pests and are often used in classical biocontrol programs to manage invasive non-indigenous pests. It is important to better understand how climate change will affect this trophic level and how crop management can build and rely on biocontrol strategies. The Pest Atlas for Africa includes important data and mapping information to better use this powerful pest management option. ### The Pest Risk Atlas for Africa is now available online at http://cipotato.org/riskatlasforafrica/and will be periodically updated and enriched with new pest chapters. All individual pest and biocontrol agent chapters can be downloaded for free. It also contains interactivity that allows users to zoom into maps, and do quick searches for specific information. The International Potato Center, known by its Spanish acronym CIP, was founded in 1971 as a root and tuber research-for-development institution delivering sustainable solutions to the pressing world problems of hunger, poverty, and the degradation of natural resources. CIP is truly a global center, with headquarters in Lima, Peru and offices in 20 developing countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Working closely with our partners, CIP seeks to achieve food security, increased well-being, and gender equity for poor people in the developing world. CIP furthers its mission through rigorous research, innovation in science and technology, and capacity strengthening regarding root and tuber farming and food systems. CIP is part of the CGIAR Systems Organization, a global partnership that unites organizations engaged in research for a food secure future. CGIAR research is dedicated to reducing rural poverty, increasing food security, improving human health and nutrition, and ensuring more sustainable management of natural resources. Donors include individual countries, major foundations, and international entities. Thyroid hormones are very important for the development of the brain. And when the transporters of these hormones are not functioning properly, the consequences for the development of the cerebellum or 'the little brain' are very serious. These are the findings of a study by researchers from KU Leuven (University of Leuven, Belgium) and King's College London. Thyroid hormones control our everyday metabolism, but they're already crucial before birth: they are essential for the development of the organs, including the brain. "These hormones ensure that different cell types originate in the brain at the right moment, move to the right place, and make the right connections," explains Professor Veerle Darras from the Lab of Comparative Endocrinology at KU Leuven. "Until the thyroid is fully developed, a foetus depends on the mother's hormones. If the mother-to-be doesn't produce enough thyroid hormones, this has a negative impact on the brain development of the foetus from a very early stage." Determining whether the thyroid is properly functioning is typically done by measuring the amount of hormones in the blood. Unfortunately, this is not always a good indicator. "This proved to be the case with the rare Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome (AHDS), a hereditary condition of the nervous system that only affects boys. These children suffer from severe mental retardation and locomotor deficits. Doctors looked for possible thyroid hormone deficiencies but, surprisingly, the level of hormones in the blood was abnormally high. The problem turned out to be in the transporters that bring the hormones from the blood to the inside of the cell. Due to a genetic mutation an important transporter - MCT8 - is deactivated in patients with AHDS." To find out more about this mutation Professor Darras's team examined what happens in a chicken embryo when this transporter is deactivated in a part of the little brain, PhD student Pieter Vancamp continues. "The little brain is important for locomotion. A thyroid hormone deficiency impairs its development, but the role of the transporters was not yet known. In our study, we noticed relatively quickly that some important proteins - necessary for the development of brain cells - were not produced in sufficient amounts in the part of the brain with no active transporter. In a later stage, we noticed that the Purkinje cells - nerve cells located in the cortex of the little brain - have less dendritic branches. Therefore, brain cell signalling goes haywire, and problems arise in other cells as well." The results show that thyroid hormones are essential for embryonic development right from the start. "The earlier things go wrong, the harder it is to repair the damage after birth. Newborns are always screened for thyroid problems with the heel prick, but it's better to test the mothers-to-be as early as possible. Unfortunately, this does not yet happen in all hospitals. For the Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome, in particular, our study raises questions about possible prenatal treatments with variants of thyroid hormones: these can enter the cell without the transporter. But this is still an experimental treatment - one that is only being tested after birth." ### Australian researchers are a step closer to understanding immune sensitivities to well-known, and commonly prescribed, medications. Many drugs are successfully used to treat diseases, but can also have harmful side effects. While it has been known that some drugs can unpredictably impact on the functioning of the immune system, our understanding of this process has been unclear. The team investigated what drugs might activate a specialised type of immune cell, the MAIT cell (Mucosal associated invariant T cell). They found that some drugs prevented the MAIT cells from detecting infections (their main role in our immune system), while other drugs activated the immune system, which may be undesirable. The results, published in Nature Immunology overnight, may lead to a much better understanding of, and an explanation for, immune reactions by some people to certain kinds of drugs. The findings may also offer a way to control the actions of MAIT cells in certain illnesses for more positive patient outcomes. The multidisciplinary team of researchers are part of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, and stem from Monash University, The University of Melbourne and The University of Queensland. Access to national research infrastructure, including the Australian synchrotron, was instrumental to the success of this Australian research team. Dr Andrew Keller from Monash University's Biomedicine Discovery Institute said that T cells are an integral part of the body's immune system. "They protect the body by 'checking' other cells for signs of infection and activating the immune system when they detect an invader," he said. "This arrangement is dependent on both the T cells knowing what they're looking for, and the other cells in the body giving them useful information." PhD student Weijun Xu from The University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience used computer modelling to predict chemical structures, drugs and drug-like molecules that might impact on MAIT cell function. Such small compounds included salicylates, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like diclofenac, and drug metabolites. University of Melbourne Dr Sidonia Eckle from the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity said the implications point to possible links between known drug hypersensitivities and MAIT cells. "A greater understanding of the interaction between MAIT cells and other host cells will hopefully allow us to better predict and avoid therapeutics that influence and cause harm," she said. "It also offers the tantalising prospect of future therapies that manipulate MAIT cell behaviour, for example, by enhancing or suppressing immune responses to achieve beneficial clinical outcome." ### For interview: Dr Andrew Keller (Monash University) Dr Sidonia Eckle (University of Melbourne) Mr Weijun Xu (The University of Queensland) About the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging The $39 million ARC-funded Imaging CoE develops and uses innovative imaging technologies to visualise the molecular interactions that underpin the immune system. Featuring an internationally renowned team of lead scientists across five major Australian Universities and academic and commercial partners globally, the Centre uses a truly multi scale and programmatic approach to imaging to deliver maximum impact. The Imaging CoE is headquartered at Monash University with four collaborating organisations - La Trobe University, the University of Melbourne, University of New South Wales and the University of Queensland. About the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute Committed to making the discoveries that will relieve the future burden of disease, the newly established Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University brings together more than 120 internationally-renowned research teams. Our researchers are supported by world-class technology and infrastructure, and partner with industry, clinicians and researchers internationally to enhance lives through discovery. About the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity Finding solutions to prevent, treat and cure infectious diseases and understanding the complexities of microbes and the immune system requires innovative approaches and concentrated effort. This is why the University of Melbourne -- a world leader in education, teaching and research excellence - and The Royal Melbourne Hospital -- an internationally renowned institution providing outstanding care, research and learning - have partnered to create the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity; a centre of excellence where leading scientists and clinicians collaborate to improve human health globally. About The University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Bioscience UQ's IMB is a leading multidisciplinary life sciences institute working to advance scientific knowledge and deliver new health and industry applications. IMB has six research centres focusing on sustainable futures, pain, heart disease, inflammation, superbug infection, and the interplay of genetics and disease. These research centres bring together academic, industry and clinical collaborators to make and translate discoveries for disease applications. Researchers recommend safe storage of all medicines and to only give pets medicine when children are not in the room Almost two thirds of households in the US own a pet and many of these households have children that either live in or visit the home. As pet owners know, it is common for pets to need medications either to treat health conditions or to prevent things like fleas, ticks, and heartworm. Many parents, however, may not be aware of the risks these medications can pose to their families. A new study from the Center for Injury Research and Policy and the Central Ohio Poison Center (COPC) at Nationwide Children's Hospital looked at calls to the COPC for pediatric exposures to medications intended for pets from January 1999 through December 2013. In the study, which was published online today by Pediatrics, researchers found that the COPC received an average of 95 calls each year about youth 19 years of age or younger having been exposed to medicines intended for pets. That's about 2 calls every week. Most of the calls were about children age 5 years and younger (88%) who ate or swallowed the pet medication (93%) after they found it through exploratory behavior such as taking medication off the counter or finding it in a bag (61%) or when there was an accidental or unintentional exposure that occurred while the parent was trying to give the medication to a pet (23%). The majority of exposures occurred at home (96%) and were not expected to result in long-term or long-lasting health effects (97%). Most (88%) of the calls were for medications intended for dogs. While the majority of the calls were about young children, the study found that this can be a problem among teenagers as well but for different reasons. More than half (56%) of the calls for this age group were the result of a teen mistakenly taking pet medication instead of medication intended for humans. Storing pet medications in a different place than human medicines could help prevent some of this confusion. "When you have kids and pets in the home, sometimes things get a little busy. Thinking about how your pet's medicines could be a risk for your family might not even cross your mind" said Kristi Roberts, MS, MPH, study author and research project coodinator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "The good news is that by taking a few simple steps like storing medicine for pets and humans in different places that are up and away and out of sight and only giving medicine to pets when the children aren't in the room, you can help keep everyone in the family a little safer." "Veterinarians can also help prevent these unintended exposures by recommending that clients follow the guidelines listed below and by making sure to dispense all medications in child-resistant containers," said Henry Spiller, MS, D.ABAT, director of the Central Ohio Poison Center. Researchers recommend the following tips to help parents and caregivers keep their children safer around pet medications. - Keep all medications safely stored until it is time for the next dose. - Keep medications up, away, and out of sight. Store pet medications where children cannot see or reach them - in a locked cabinet is best. - Store away from human medicine. It's easy to grab the wrong container and mix up pet medicine with human medicine. Help prevent this mistake by storing medicine for humans and medicine for pets in different locations. - Keep in original containers. Keep all medicines, including those for pets, in their original, child-resistant containers with the label attached. - Check for a clean bowl. Many vets recommend mixing pet medicines with food so they will eat it. If you need to do this, make sure your children are in another room before giving your pet the medicine/food mix and make sure the pet has finished all the food (and hasn't spit it out somewhere) before children are allowed back in the room. - Allow fur/skin to dry. For medication that you apply to the pet's skin or fur, put it on when the children are in another room and allow the fur to dry and the medicine to be put away before children play with your pet. - Know how to call the Poison Help Line. Save the national Poison Help Line number, 1-800-222-1222, in your cell phone, and post it in a visible spot in your home. Call right away if you think your child may have swallowed pet medication. You do not need to wait for symptoms to develop to call. ### The Central Ohio Poison Center provides state-of-the-art poison prevention, assessment and treatment to residents in 64 of Ohio's 88 counties. The center services are available to the public, medical professionals, industry, and human service agencies. The Poison Center handles more than 42,000 poison exposure calls annually, and confidential, free emergency poisoning treatment advice is available 24/7. To learn more about the Poison Center, visit http://www.bepoisonsmart.org. The Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP) of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital works globally to reduce injury-related pediatric death and disabilities. With innovative research at its core, CIRP works to continually improve the scientific understanding of the epidemiology, biomechanics, prevention, acute treatment and rehabilitation of injuries. CIRP serves as a pioneer by translating cutting edge injury research into education, policy, and advances in clinical care. For related injury prevention materials or to learn more about CIRP, visit http://www.injurycenter.org. Making sure that participants of a clinical trial provide informed consent--understanding their role, along with any risks and benefits of voluntary participation--is a cornerstone of ethical trials. Now, researchers reporting in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have, for the first time, directly compared the quality of the informed consent process in a developed and a developing country in similar clinical trials of the same hookworm vaccine. Informed consent depends on five necessary criteria: the willingness to participate, the capacity to make a decision, disclosure of information, comprehension, and the decision to participate. Research conducted in developing countries is often thought to have weaker informed consent due to limited education and healthcare access in those countries, but few studies have delved into this. In the new work, David Diemert, of the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Flavia Gazzinelli of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, and colleagues used a 32-question survey to assess the quality of informed consent in Phase 1 trials of a hookworm vaccine that were being conducted in two locations in Brazil--one rural and one urban--as well as the United States. 105 participants completed the questionnaire, which asked about their understanding of the study as well as their reasons for participating. Overall, there were few statistically significant differences between participants in urban Belo Horizonte, Brazil and Washington, DC, but more differences between people in those locations and in rural, resource-limited Americaninhas, Brazil. Knowledge about the trial was poor in all places, with the mean number of correct answers about the study being 45.6% in Americaninhas, 65.2% in Belo Horizonte, and 59.1% in Washington, DC. And while around 40% of participants in Belo Horizonte and Washington, DC, had doubts about participating, only 1.5% has concerns in Americaninhas. Moreover, most people in Washington, DC, and Belo Horizonte cited helping others and benefiting the world as major reasons to participate, while most in Americaninhas said it was a personal decision, or they wanted to benefit their own health. "Based on our results, we conclude that the use of the terms "developed" and "developing" to describe countries is a reductionist exercise to define participants as vulnerable, whereas a rigorous consideration of the specific characteristics of each group of individuals recruited as participants in a clinical trial is necessary," the researchers say. "These findings also demonstrate the need for educational interventions directed at clinical trial participants, both in developing and developed countries, in order to improve understanding of the informed consent document." ### In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases: http://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0005327 Citation: Diemert DJ, Lobato L, Styczynski A, Zumer M, Soares A, Gazzinelli MF (2017) A Comparison of the Quality of Informed Consent for Clinical Trials of an Experimental Hookworm Vaccine Conducted in Developed and Developing Countries. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 11(1): e0005327. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0005327 Funding: DJD, MZ, and MFG received support for the work reported herein from the Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute through grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Grant OPP1016395) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands (Project Number 23386). LL, ASo and MFG received funding from the Brazilian Federal Agency of Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education (CAPES) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. The critically endangered Nimba toad is long known for its exceptional reproductive biology. The females of this unique species give live birth to fully developed juveniles, having for nine months continuously provided nutrition to the foetuses in the womb (matrotrophy). While live birth (viviparity) among frogs and toads is rather an exception than a common characteristic, matrotrophy, in place of alternatives such as the foetus being fed with yolk, unfertilized eggs, or smaller siblings, is what makes the Nimba toad one of a kind. However, more than 40 years of research had not been comprehensively, accessibly and completely summarised. The gap has recently been filled with a new paper, published in the open access journal Zoosystematics and Evolution by German scientists Drs. Laura Sandberger-Loua and Mark-Oliver Rodel, both affiliated with Museum fur Naturkunde, Berlin, and Dr. Hendrik Muller, Friedrich-Schiller-Universitat Jena. Studying the phenomenon, the scientists went through the literature published over four decades to gather the scattered details. They have also discussed the relationship between the toad's reproductive biology and its specific habitat of merely 4 km of high altitude grasslands located at a minimum of 1,200 m in the Nimba mountains, West Africa. The climate of the area is characterised by a rainy season lasting from April to October and a dry season from November to February/March. These seasons are found to determine the activity of the Nimba toads. The amphibians are only active during the rainy season, when they give birth to their young, mate, and then find shelter underground, where they stay dormant during the dry season. Visibly females can be distinguished from male Nimba toads by their differing cloaca and often larger size, compared to the males. Also, males show darker backs and, during most of their adult life, nuptial pads on their thumbs, which look like spiky swellings. This secondary sex characteristic, in its seasonal change linked to spermatogenesis, is used by the males to grasp tightly the female while mating. In this species mating occurs without a copulatory organ. Instead, the sperm is transferred through connection of the cloacae, where the male's swells and encloses the female's cloaca. Furthermore, Nimba toads have a unique behavioural repertoire. Males crouch on their front legs and as soon as the female moves, follow her and grab her tightly in the groin. Due to the spiky nuptial pads, the males often injure their partner. Giving birth in Nimba toads may take over two days, depending on the number of offspring, which can be up to 12 in older females - far fewer than the hundreds of eggs in most toad species. While giving birth, a female assumes a unique "birthing posture" to compensate for the lack of enough muscle power to expel juveniles. By the time the juveniles are ready to be born, they have already taken up nearly all the space in their mother's body. The scientists conclude that the offspring play an active role in the process, as a juvenile toad's death midway in the oviduct leads to the mother dying of sepsis. Living exclusively in the Nimba mountains, and being listed as Critically Endangered, according to the IUCN, the studied toad is only one of the species restricted to the high altitude grasslands, which led to the declaration of the Nimba mountains as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Separated from other mountains, its inhabitants are isolated from external contacts, thus presumably leading to their evolutionary separation from related species. Furthermore, the toad's unique reproductive biology is probably the result of this isolation, argue the authors. In conclusion, the authors suggest that "it is likely that the harsh unpredictable environment and scarcity of open water promoted viviparity in Nimba toads, or supported the survival of this unique reproductive mode in these special and isolated conditions. Considering their complex life cycle, in which reproductive and seasonal cycles are tightly linked, understanding and protecting the Nimba toad's threatened environment is of utmost importance." ### Original source: Sandberger-Loua L, Muller H, Rodel M-O (2017) A review of the reproductive biology of the only known matrotrophic viviparous anuran, the West African Nimba toad, Nimbaphrynoides occidentalis. Zoosystematics and Evolution 93(1): 105-133. https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.93.10489 HOUSTON -- (Feb. 6, 2017) -- Chemists scouring Appalachia for exotic microorganisms that could yield blockbuster drugs have reported a unique find from the smoldering remains of a coal mine fire that's burned for nearly a decade in southeastern Kentucky. In new findings this week in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, a research team from Rice University, the University of Kentucky and the University of Oklahoma made new -- and in some cases more effective -- versions of the antibiotic daptomycin using an enzyme from a soil bacterium found in smoke vents of the Ruth Mullins coal fire. "We don't know the mechanism for why it makes daptomycin work better," said Rice structural biologist George Phillips, whose team determined the three-dimensional structure of the enzyme. "It may be that it just gets into membranes better because the enzyme's specialty is adding a prenyl group, an organic molecule that typically comes into play when a molecule docks with the outer membrane of a cell. The target for the drug is associated with the membrane, so this might be the mechanism for the improvement." The study's authors said the prenylating enzyme, which is called PriB, could prove useful to drug companies. Study co-author Jon Thorson, director of the University of Kentucky's Center for Pharmaceutical Research and Innovation (CPRI), said, "A major focus of CPRI is the discovery of novel microbial natural products and corresponding biocatalysts that have synthetic applications. The PriB discovery represents an example of the latter and, unlike most permissive prenyltransferases that can modify simple molecules, PriB is one of the first capable of modifying highly complex drugs like daptomycin." Thorson's center specializes in "bioprospecting," the search for new organisms like the one that yielded the prenylating enzyme, as well as the follow-up laboratory studies on the organisms to uncover and exploit new biosynthetic pathways, enzyme mechanisms, ligation chemistries and other biochemistry that could be useful for making drugs. Since the center's founding five years ago, Thorson and colleagues have isolated more than 750 microbial strains, including some that live miles below ground in coal mines. In addition, the team has isolated more than 250 corresponding microbial metabolites, more than half of which have never been previously documented. The organism that yielded PriB is Streptomyces species "RM-5-8," where RM reflects the strain's point of origin -- the Ruth Mullins coal fire, which has burned in eastern Kentucky for almost a decade. "Biological activities of prenylated compounds encompass virtually all fields of pharmacological sciences, hence prenylation of drugs is a novel way of creating new drug leads," said study co-author Shanteri Singh, an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma whose research focuses on understanding and exploiting prenylating enzymes. "In addition, developing an enzymatic prenylation platform is an interesting alternative, especially for molecules such as daptomycin, which is chemically challenging to modify." Phillips, Rice's Ralph and Dorothy Looney Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology and professor of chemistry, has collaborated closely with both Thorson and Singh for more than a decade. Phillips' team specializes in using X-ray crystallography to determine the precise structure of proteins like PriB. "In the organism, the enzyme both makes prenyl groups and attaches them to the standard amino acid tryptophan," Phillips said. "This is part of a much larger metabolic pathway, but the (University of Kentucky) team isolated the gene that produces the enzyme, and they used that to create a form of E. coli that produced the enzyme in bulk." Phillips' team crystallized the protein and determined its shape. Phillips said the enzyme has a pocket where it binds with tryptophan and attaches the prenyl group. Studies at the University of Kentucky found the enzyme readily prenylates more than a dozen other compounds and can also use "nonnative" prenyl donors that notably expand its synthetic utility. Phillips said his group is already looking for ways to modify PriB's pocket to make it even more useful in biosynthesis. "This prenylation reaction could be broadly useful in producing drugs and other chemicals through biotechnology," Phillips said. "Because the enzyme is permissive, it is possible to think of using it to produce all sorts of drugs, including antibiotics and anti-cancer therapies." ### Additional co-authors include Rice's Hongnan Cao and the University of Kentucky's Sherif Elshahawi, Khaled Shaaban, Larissa Ponomareva, Thangaiah Subramanian, Mark Farman and Peter Spielmann. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. VIDEO is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VglEEjMviVA High-resolution IMAGES are available for download at: http://news.rice.edu/files/2014/06/0630_ORGANS-phillips-web.jpg CAPTION: George Phillips (Photo by Jeff Fitlow/Rice University) http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/01/0206_COAL-PriB-lg-1ww0vew.jpg CAPTION: An illustration of the PriB enzyme with a product molecule bound at the active site (center). (Image courtesy of George Phillips/Rice University) http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/01/0206_COAL-mine-JT-lg-1vh7hvi.jpg CAPTION: Jon Thorson (left) collecting samples in a Kentucky coal mine. (Photo by Allison Perry/University of Kentucky) http://news.rice.edu/files/2017/01/0206_COAL-vid-smoke-lg-1sl4n97.jpg CAPTION: A smoke vent from the Ruth Mullins coal fire in eastern Kentucky. (Photo courtesy of University of Kentucky) The DOI of the Nature Chemical Biology paper is: 10.1038/nchembio.2285 A copy of the paper is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nchembio.2285 Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,910 undergraduates and 2,809 graduate students, Rice's undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for happiest students and for lots of race/class interaction by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger's Personal Finance. To read "What they're saying about Rice," go to http://tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview. The analysis of samples in situ in which CSIC participated shows that it did not contain the minimum CO2 level required for the existence of a liquid water lake in Gale Crater The CO 2 level in Mars' primitive atmosphere 3.5 billion years ago was too low for sediments, such as those found by NASA's Curiosity exploration vehicle in areas like the Gale Crater on the planet's equator, to be deposited. This and other conclusions are drawn from a paper written with the participation of researchers from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and published in the latest issue of the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The area Curiosity has been analysing since 2012, as part of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission, is composed primarily of sedimentary sequences deposited at the bottom of a lake 3.5 billion years ago. These sediments contain various secondary minerals, such as clays or sulphates, which indicate that the primitive surface was in contact with liquid water. The existence of liquid water requires a warm surface temperature brought about by a minimum content of CO 2 in the atmosphere. Yet this was not the case with Mars in its beginnings. "This contradiction has two possible solutions. Either we have not yet developed climatic models which explain the environmental conditions on Mars at the beginning of its history, or the Gale sedimentary sequences really did form in a very cold climate", explains CSIC researcher Alberto Fairen, who works at the Centre for Astrobiology near Madrid (a joint centre run by CSIC and Spain's National Institute of Aerospace Technology). A very cold environment "However, the rover has not found carbonates, thereby confirming the results of studies by all previous probes: carbonates are very scarce on the surface of Mars and, therefore, the CO 2 level in the atmosphere was very low", adds. Fairen. Specifically, the direct analysis of samples on the surface of Mars carried out by these researchers shows that the level of CO 2 in the atmosphere at the time the Gale Crater sediments were deposited was between 10 and 100 times less than the minimum required for the surface temperature to be above the freezing point of the liquid water. On Earth, carbonate deposits form on lake and sea beds when CO 2 in the atmosphere interacts with liquid water. Carbon dioxide is a gas capable of generating a powerful 'greenhouse effect' and, therefore, of heating the planet. According to the scientists, an image that maybe would describe Gale in the early days of Mars would be that of a glacial lake, surrounded by huge masses of ice, which would be partially or seasonally frozen. "The environment would have been similar to the Canadian Arctic or to Greenland today," says the CSIC researcher. In addition, although ice would have dominated, it would also have been common to find liquid water present in abundance. The formation of clays and sulphates would have occurred at specific places and times, seasonally, or under an ice cap in liquid water lakes. ### JUPITER, FL - February 6, 2017 - The most frightening aspect of Zika virus has been its ability to produce severe fetal birth defects during pregnancy, especially microcephaly--a small head. Now, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have uncovered the details behind the virus's unique ability to cross the placental barrier and expose the fetus to a range of birth defects that often go beyond microcephaly to include eye and joint injury, and even other types of brain damage. The new study, led by TSRI Associate Professor Hyeryun Choe, was published online ahead of print this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. How Zika virus crosses the placental barrier, while other closely related viruses in the flavivirus family including dengue and West Nile viruses do not, has puzzled researchers since the crisis began some two years ago in Brazil. Obstacles to reaching the fetal brain are substantial--a virus must move from the mother's blood into fetal circulation, which is separated by placental barrier cells designed to prevent that very occurrence. The researchers found that human umbilical endothelial cells, derived from four donors in the study, proved far more susceptible to Zika infection than to other viruses, with viral counts as much as a hundred or thousand times higher than West Nile or dengue virus. The new research also suggests that Zika virus learned to exploit something of a secret passage, a cell surface molecule known as AXL, while West Nile and dengue viruses did not. "Zika uses AXL to efficiently slip past one of the major barrier cell types in the placenta: fetal endothelial cells, which are the gateway to access fetal circulation," said Choe. What may help make the Zika virus particularly infectious in cells that other flaviviruses can't infect, said TSRI Research Associate Audrey Richard, a first author of the study, is that it profits from the built-in function of AXL. "The physiological function of AXL is to quench activated immune reactions, including the antiviral interferon response," said Richard. "By using AXL, Zika virus catches two birds with one stone; it enters cells and also gains favorable environment for its replication inside the cells." Zika is able to take advantage of AXL by binding to an intermediate molecule known as Gas6, which is present in blood and other bodily fluids. Gas6 acts as an active bridge between the virus and AXL by binding AXL on one end and the virus membrane on the other, helping the virus utilize AXL and gain entry to host cells. These differences may help explain why, among related viruses, only Zika can efficiently access and infect the fetal bloodstream. "We don't yet understand why Zika virus uses AXL and the others don't," Choe added. "The common belief is that all flaviviruses have similar structures, but our findings suggest that Zika virus may have a different average population structure than others. This has significant scientific and clinical implications." "Structural studies show that most of the infectious virion membrane is completely covered with viral proteins, which makes it difficult for Gas6 to bind to the Zika virus membrane underneath the protein shell," said TSRI Research Associate Byoung-Shik Shim, the study's other first author. "However, flavivirus particles assume many asymmetric shapes and are in continuous dynamic motion, which likely exposes patches of the virion membrane. Our study suggests that Zika virus exposes enough membrane for Gas6 binding, whereas West Nile and dengue viruses do not." The researchers also speculated on Zika virus' pathology. AXL is also present in the blood-brain barrier, the eye-blood barrier and the testes--where it maintains integrity of the blood vessels and the functions of the testes. It may be used by Zika virus to infect those cells and may explain Zika virus' ability to infect the fetal brain and eye and to transmit sexually. ### In addition to Choe, Richard and Shim, other authors of the study, "AXL-Dependent Infection of Human Fetal Endothelial Cells Distinguishes Zika Virus from Other Pathogenic Flaviviruses," include Young-Chan Kwon, Yuka Otsuka, Kimberly Schmitt and Fatma Berri of TSRI; Rong Zhang and Michael S. Diamond of Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. The study was supported by start-up funds from the state of Florida, the National Institutes of Health (grants R01 AI110692, R01 AI073755 and R01AI101400). About The Scripps Research Institute The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) is one of the world's largest independent, not-for-profit organizations focusing on research in the biomedical sciences. TSRI is internationally recognized for its contributions to science and health, including its role in laying the foundation for new treatments for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilia, and other diseases. An institution that evolved from the Scripps Metabolic Clinic founded by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps in 1924, the institute now employs more than 2,500 people on its campuses in La Jolla, CA, and Jupiter, FL, where its renowned scientists--including two Nobel laureates and 20 members of the National Academies of Science, Engineering or Medicine--work toward their next discoveries. The institute's graduate program, which awards PhD degrees in biology and chemistry, ranks among the top ten of its kind in the nation. In October 2016, TSRI announced a strategic affiliation with the California Institute for Biomedical Research (Calibr), representing a renewed commitment to the discovery and development of new medicines to address unmet medical needs. For more information, see http://www.scripps.edu. By Juan Wilson on 5 February 2017 for Island Breath - Image above: Photo for this article by Juan Wilson of Osprey aircraft landing over Salt Pond Beach Park. Visdeo above: Osprey aircraft takes of after passing over Salt Pond Beach Park and landing on tarmac of runaway near Puolo Point near Hanapepe, Kauai, on 31 January 2017. Filmed by Juan Wilson. From ( landing on tarmac of runaway near Puolo Point near Hanapepe, Kauai, on 31 January 2017. Filmed by Juan Wilson. From ( https://youtu.be/j6eAKPpbun8 ). Image above: Two days before this landing on Kauai an Osprey crashed in burned in Yemen during the ill-fated Al Qaeda raid by Seal Team Six. From ( https://theaviationist.com/2017/01/29/u-s-mv-22-osprey-tilt-rotor-aircraft-crash-lands-in-yemen-during-special-ops-raid-on-al-qaeda/ ). SUBHEAD: Multiple landings and takeoffs of controversial aircraft at Kauai public beach.Last Tuesday, January 31st, I was at the beach with my wife Linda and granddaughter Ruby. We were at the kiddy beach at the west end of Salt Pond Park in Hanapepe, Kauai, Hawaii. It was a pleasant sunny day and there were several locals and tourists on the beach and in the water.At four-thirty in the afternoon a deep guttural growl could be heard coming from the east. In moments the sound amped up as a strange looking "plane" flew past going west offshore of the southern extremity of nearby Puolo Point. The profile was that of uniquely odd MV-22 Osprey helicopter/plane that was developed primarily for the US Marine Corps.The Osprey has rotational wings that old two turbine propeller engines that allow it to fly much faster than a conventional helicopter yet rotate its engines and land vertically."The best of both world's?" Not exactly! I knew from previous reporting that the Marine Corps had been having performance issues with the Osprey.It was found that the Osprey is quite sensititve to dust entering its turbine engines when landing in sandy and dusty conditions. It has experienced crashes. Hovering for even a short while over dusty terrain had to be severely limited.I had hard that the military had plans to do training for the Ospreys on Kauaiand be stationed out of the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF). I heard it involved difficult landings and takeoffs from narrow valleys on the Napali Coast. I assumed the passing Osprey was on its way west to land at the PMRF for that training.But once shortly just past Kamakani near the old Gay & Robinson sugar mill the Osprey could be seen turning around. It approached Salt Pond Beach low and fast. As it past the sound of the rotors was quite load. The Osprey passed right over swimmers and people on the beach and slowed as it came to the runway near Puolo Point.That's when the thing got really noisy. As it rotated its wings to vertical orientation it ceased traveling horizontal and the engines whined loudly. There must be some strange dynamic between the horizontal and vertical flight that causes chaotic and disturbing vibrations boomed across the water to where I stood a half a mile away. It sounded like a controlled crash.The Osprey never shut down its engines after landing. In a moment it revved up the turbines and began a vertical take-off. Again chaotic and noisy at it made it transition to horizontal flight. Some people did not understand what was going on and seemed disturbed.The Osprey took off going east and somewhere over Hanapepe Sound came around to west again and past again heading towards Kamakane. Once there it did a one-eighty and returned to land again. It seemed a little closer to where I stood in the kiddy pond.By this time I was shaking my fist at the Osprey.Altogether there were three test landings over the public beach.A a resident of Hanapepe, and a frequent user of Salt Pond Beach Park, I strongly request that the US military use its own 10,000 foot runways at the PMRF for this training activity and stay away from public recreational areas with this controversial aircraft.The Japanese on Okinawa have had a long struggle with the US Marines and their Ospreys. This Janaury 9th there was a non-fatal crash of an Osprey in Okinawa that brought safety fears to the fore. See ( http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/01/09/reference/nonfatal-osprey-crash-okinawa-brings-safety-fears-fore/#.WJe8rRAnr6g ).Closer to home their has been a crash on Oahu.After relating this encounter with the Marines to a friend he identified a valley on the Napali Coast where if one hikes these days you will be met with camouflaged armed soldiers coming from hidden structures who will frog-walk you out of the valley.See also: Ea O Ka Aina: Kauai and Niihau endangered 9/24/16 Ea O Ka Aina: Oceans 4 Peace Pacific Pivot Panel 6/18/16 Ea O Ka Aina: Judgement against RIMPAC 2016 5/29/16 Ea O Ka Aina: Okinawans wish US military gone 8/26/15 Ea O Ka Aina: RIMPAC 2014 in Full March 7/17/14 Ea O Ka Aina: Stop bombing Kaula Island! 10/8/12 Ea O Ka Aina: Marines backing off 8/24/12 Ea O Ka Aina: Unproved Osprey on Kauai 8/21/12 The annual summer monsoon that drops rain onto East Asia, an area with about a billion people, has shifted dramatically in the distant past, at times moving northward by as much as 400 kilometers and doubling rainfall in that northern reach. The monsoon's changes over the past 10,000 years likely altered the course of early human cultures in China, say the authors of a new study. Researchers from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Xi'an studied ancient water levels for Lake Dali, a closed-basin lake in Inner Mongolia in the northeast of China. They found that the lake was six times larger and water levels were 60 meters higher than present during the early and middle Holocene--the period beginning about 11,700 years ago, and encompassing the development of human civilization. "I think it is important to emphasize that these spatial fluctuations in the monsoon drive large changes in northern China," said Yonaton Goldsmith, a graduate student at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and lead author of the paper. "When the monsoon is strong, it shifts northward and northern China becomes green. When the monsoon is weak, the monsoon stays in the south and northern China dries out. Such large fluctuations must have altered the ecosystems in northern China dramatically." The study, appearing this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also ties the shifting monsoon to changes in the earth's orbit and other periodic changes in the climate system. The study should help scientists understand how the monsoon is affected by those natural cycles, and how a changing climate today might influence the monsoon in the future. Goldsmith said it's still unclear how the monsoon will react to global warming. One view is that the monsoon should grow stronger, but the area studied has been drying out over recent decades, he said, "so there is still a lot that needs to be done in that region before we can get definitive answers." Dali Lake is located near the northwestern limit of the East Asian monsoon, and so would reflect the changes brought about when the monsoon shifted north. The researchers studied outcrops of sediments left behind when the lake was far larger, and used those and other markers to construct a timeline of lake levels, and the fluctuation of rainfall over millennia. They found that the lake reached peak levels around 123,000 years ago, again around 58,000 years ago, and once more between 11,000 and 5,500 years ago. They tie the periodic increases in rainfall to the range of the monsoon shifting north by as much as 400 kilometers. The lake record is "highly correlated" with measurements taken earlier from cave deposits in both northern and southern China. Between 5,500 and 5,000 years ago, the monsoon weakened and rainfall over northern China decreased by 50 percent, the researchers found. They speculate that this drying triggered a major cultural transition in the region. As they describe it, two early Neolithic societies, the Hongshan culture in North China and the Yangshao culture in central China, collapsed around 5,000 years ago. In central China, the following period saw the rise of more stratified and socially and politically complex societies, including the Longshan culture. Previously unoccupied areas on the eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau were populated. Meanwhile, northeast China experienced a sharp population decline, represented by the Xiaoheyan culture. "These findings show that climate change can have dramatic effects on human societies and highlight the necessity to understand the effect of global warming on rainfall patterns in China and all over the world," the authors write. Intense variations in rainfall may have played a role in the collapse of other civilizations. A study led by Lamont scientist Brendan Buckley, published several years ago, suggested that extended drought coupled with changes in the monsoon could have doomed Cambodia's ancient Khmer civilization at Angkor nearly 600 years ago. Drought is thought to have played a role in the decline of the Classic Maya civilization, too, though in that case, another Lamont study suggests that the Maya themselves contributed to the drought by clearing forests for cities and crops. ### The Lake Dali paper's other authors are Wallace S. Broecker, Pratigya J. Polissar and Peter B. deMenocal of Lamont-Doherty; Hai Xu, Jianghu Lan, Peng Cheng, Weijian Zhou and Zhisheng An of the State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences; and Naomi Porat of the Geological Survey of Israel. This work was supported by a Gary Comer Science and Education Foundation grant to Yonaton Goldsmith and Pratigya J. Polissar; Columbias Center for Climate and Life; the National Basic Research Program of China Grant 2013CB955900; the External Cooperation Program of Bureau of International Cooperation, Chinese Academy of Sciences Grant 132B61KYSB20130003; and LamontDoherty Earth Observatory Contribution no. 8084. The world's first astrophysics-ecology drone project at Liverpool John Moores University could be the answer to many global conservation efforts The world's first astrophysics-ecology drone project at Liverpool John Moores University could be the answer to many global conservation efforts. Four hundred years ago Galileo created a revolution by pointing his telescope to the skies. Now an astrophysicist and an ecologist from Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) are reversing this perspective to help endangered species including rhinos and orang-utans. The authors of the study, published in the International Journal of Remote Sensing, have brought together their expertise using drones, thermal cameras and the techniques used to analyse objects in space to find a solution to this 21st Century challenge for Earth. Professor Serge Wich, from LJMU's School of Natural Sciences and Psychology and the University of Amsterdam's Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, is a pioneer in using drones for conservation work and is the founder of conservationdrones.org, commented: "As an 'eye in the sky', conservation drones are helping the fight against illegal deforesting, poaching and habitat destruction, all leading to many species being endangered, including rhinos, orang-utans, and elephants. Now, teamed with the same astrophysics analysis techniques used to find and identify objects in the far-distant Universe, we can try to do this more efficiently." "The World Bank estimates that ecosystems provide $33 trillion every year to the global economy and biodiversity loss and consequent ecosystem collapse is one of the ten foremost dangers facing humanity. We hope this research will help tackle these problems by allowing anyone in the world to upload their aerial data and in real time get back geo-locations of anything, whether that be survivors of natural disasters, or poachers approaching endangered species, or even the size, weight and health of livestock." Dr Steve Longmore, from the LJMU Astrophysics Research Institute, explains why this is possible: "Astrophysicists have been using thermal cameras for many decades. Crucially, it turns out the techniques we've developed to find and characterise the faintest objects in the Universe are exactly those needed to find and identify objects in thermal images taken with drones. The key to success is building libraries of the thermal heat profiles that act like "thermal finger prints", allowing us to uniquely identify any animals detected. Our goal is to build the definitive finger print libraries and automated pipeline that all future efforts will rely upon." The next stage of this research, which will be funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), is to start expanding these techniques to other equally significant applications, including disaster relief and search and rescue. This new drone technology is part of the growing technological innovation within LJMU. The Astrophysics Research Institute is also developing the world's largest fully robotic telescope, a scaled up version of the Liverpool Telescope, located at the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory, on the island of La Palma, and operated by LJMU as a national facility. ### Notes to editors The paper is available at: http://ukads.nottingham.ac.uk/abs/2017arXiv170101611L. Or http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2017.1280639 (from 06.02.17) Video demonstrations of drone and thermal camera research Image Caption: False-colour, thermal-infrared image of a "crash" of rhinos taken from drone video footage at Knowsley Safari Park. https://www.dropbox.com/s/56vx5svbbo8gwhg/Rhinocrash.png?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/56vx5svbbo8gwhg/Rhinocrash.png?dl=0 Movie Caption: Thermal-infrared movie of a "crash" of rhinos taken from drone video footage at Knowsley Safari Park. Coloured contours are the different objects (rhinos) found in the movie by the automated detection algorithm. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5xovijjUyx4YWc1QmU1U0FBSVE. Image & Movie Credits: Serge Wich, Andy Goodwin (Remoteinsights), James Crampton, Maisie Rashman, Maria de Juan Ovelar, Steven Longmore. LJMU and the Knowsley Safari Park Drone video footage - humans (credit Dr Steve Longmore, Professor Serge Wich, Andy Goodwin, Ron Collins, Simon Pfeiffer) https://www.dropbox.com/s/7ocnzad0efre6uk/Drone_Humans_cv+hv.mp4?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/7ocnzad0efre6uk/Drone_Humans_cv+hv.mp4?dl=0 Drone Video footage - cows (credit Dr Steve Longmore, Professor Serge Wich, Andy Goodwin, Ron Collins, Simon Pfeiffer) https://www.dropbox.com/s/z0m9qv1h3ef34e8/Drone_cows_cv+hv.mp4?dl=0 Interview contact details Professor Serge Wich 07511059740 / S.A.Wich@ljmu.ac.uk Dr Steve Longmore +44 7847 255 082 / s.n.longmore@ljmu.ac.uk LJMU Press Office 0151 231 3369 press@ljmu.ac.uk NOTE TO JOURNALISTS When referencing the article: Please include Journal title, author, published by Taylor & Francis and the following statement: * Read the full article online:http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01431161.2017.1280639 About Taylor & Francis Group Taylor & Francis Group partners with researchers, scholarly societies, universities and libraries worldwide to bring knowledge to life. 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A small study of undocumented immigrants with kidney failure reports that not having access to scheduled hemodialysis results in physical and psychological distress that impacts them and their families, according to a new article published online by JAMA Internal Medicine. About 11 million undocumented immigrants live and work in the United States but they are excluded from a range of public benefits, including Medicare, federally funded Medicaid and the insurance provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Hemodialysis is a life-sustaining treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). An estimated 6,480 undocumented immigrants in the United States have ESRD and some states use state emergency Medicaid programs to finance scheduled hemodialysis for these patients, while in most states these patients receive only emergency hemodialysis in emergency departments reimbursed by states' emergency Medicaid programs. Lila Cervantes, M.D., of Denver Health, Colorado, and coauthors conducted an interview study with 20 undocumented immigrants (10 women and 10 men) at a Colorado safety-net hospital from July to December in 2015. Patients described unpredictable access to emergency-only hemodialysis, the burden of symptoms (including shortness of breath as fluid builds up in the chest), and having to consume food or beverages high in potassium outside the hospital so they could meet the criteria of critical illness. Patients also reported having to miss work, anxiety over dying because of their life-threatening illness, and distress experienced by their families. Patients expressed appreciation for their care, although it was nonstandard and suboptimal, according to the article. Limitations of the study include its small sample size from one safety-net hospital in Colorado. "Undocumented patients with ESRD and no access to scheduled hemodialysis describe significant physical and psychological distress that affects their families and their own ability to work. This distress, coupled with higher costs for emergent dialysis, indicate that we should reconsider our professional and societal approach to ESRD care for undocumented patients. Comparing the experiences of different states and localities may aid in identifying more humane and higher-value solutions," the article concludes. ### (JAMA Intern Med. Published online February 6, 2017. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.8865; available pre-embargo at the For The Media website.) Editor's Note: The article contains funding/support disclosures. Please see the articles for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc. BUFFALO, N.Y. - For most people, cortisol, the vital hormone that controls stress, increases when they wake up. It's the body's way of preparing us for the day. But in police officers who've experienced intense stress on the job, cortisol functions much differently, according to recent research from the University at Buffalo and funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). A study of more than 300 members of the Buffalo Police Department suggests that police events or conditions considered highly stressful by the officers may be associated with disturbances of the normal awakening cortisol pattern. That can leave the officers vulnerable to disease, particularly cardiovascular disease, which already affects a large number of officers. "We wanted to look at what stressors most affect police officers in their work and what affect that has in the dysregulation of this awakening cortisol pattern," said John Violanti, PhD, research professor of epidemiology and environmental health in UB's School of Public Health and Health Professions. "Past studies haven't really looked at the intensity of the stressor and how it affected this cortisol pattern. Here we looked at actual intensity," adds Violanti, lead author on the paper, published in the January issue of the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology. The study included 338 Buffalo officers who were enrolled in the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) study, a long-term study Violanti began in 1999. What stresses officers the most? For this study, participating officers assessed a variety of on-the-job stressors using a questionnaire that asks officers to rate 60 police-related events with a "stress rating." Events perceived as very stressful are assigned a higher rating. Exposure to battered or dead children ranked as the most stressful event, followed by: killing someone in the line of duty; having a fellow officer killed on duty; a situation requiring the use of force; and being physically attacked. Identifying the five most intense stressors police can face was significant, Violanti said. "When we talk about interventions to help prevent disease, it's tricky because these stressors are things that can't be prevented," he said. "That's why the availability of peer support programs within police departments is important." The survey showed that the officers experienced one of the five major stressors, on average, 2.4 times during the month before the survey was completed. Blunted cortisol pattern seen in stressed officers Researchers looked at the cortisol patterns of officers who reported experiencing one of the top five stressors and compared the patterns to officers who encountered the five least stressful events, such as promotions and strained relations with non-police friends. Cortisol was measured using saliva samples taken upon waking up, and 15, 30 and 45 minutes thereafter. Officers who weren't as stressed showed a steep and steady, or regular, increase in cortisol from baseline. However, officers with a moderate and high major stress index had a blunted response over time. That's because stress affects a system in the body known as the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, or HPA Axis. When you're stressed, the HPA Axis elicits cortisol, a hormone that gets the body going and activates against the stressor, Violanti explained. Under normal circumstances, the body's cortisol pattern looks like a normal bell curve: It rises when we wake up, peaks around midday and comes back down at bed time. "If you experience chronic stress or high stress situations, the cortisol can no longer adjust normally like this. So what happens with people under a lot of stress, the cortisol flattens out. For some people it goes down and others it goes up and stays up. That's called the dysregulation of the HPA axis," said Violanti, who served with the New York State Police for 23 years before shifting into academia. Implications for departments across the U.S. Previous studies have found that a dysregulation of awakening cortisol can lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, Violanti said, adding that police officers die from cardiovascular disease more often than the general population. In fact, Violanti's research revealed that heart disease, diabetes and suicide, among other causes, are why the average age of death for male Buffalo Police Officers is 68, compared to 78 for the general population. While the current study focused on Buffalo officers, the findings have implications for cops around the country, said paper co-author Michael Andrew, PhD, chief of the Biostatistics and Epidemiology Branch of the CDC/NIOSH Health Effects Laboratory Division in Morgantown, West Virginia. "These findings show that exposure to major events inherent to police work may lead to a temporary reduction in the biological ability to respond to further stressful events. Since the major stressor events in this study were originally developed to reflect events that can apply to any police department, these results should generalize, more or less, to any police department in the U.S.," Andrew said, adding, "This points to the need for continued focus on supporting police officer health." ### The American black bear can rest easier thanks to conservation research conducted at UBC's Okanagan campus. A recent study indicates that while urban sprawl results in more human-bear interactions, human education can hinder negative encounters. "Unless steps are taken to reduce human-bear interactions, we will see an increase in bears that are habituated to humans, leading to property damage, human injuries and more dead bears," says Lael Parrott, professor of Biology and Earth and Environmental Sciences at UBCOkanagan. "These situations are unacceptable and sustainable solutions are needed. One approach is to implement education programs that teach humans how to keep their properties attractant-free and how to behave during a bear encounter." Parrott, along with UBC mathematics Associate Professor Rebecca Tyson and student research assistants, developed a computer model to simulate the effectiveness of human-bear awareness education about bear movement and foraging behaviour in an urban setting. The program, based on field data, made it possible to run hundreds of scenarios and investigate the outcomes and best practices.,In the model, bear awareness education included training about proper garbage disposal and deterrent use. The researchers found that the biggest contributor to bear status was urban land use. A one per cent increase in urbanization resulted in a 91 per cent increase in human-bear conflict. The model also suggests that education targeting the border areas between the residential community and bear habitats will have the biggest impact on limiting bear conflict. "Our model suggests that bear management strategies involving education programs reduce the number of 'conflict bears,'" says Parrott. "Although this is a computer simulation, it is required since some field studies are unethical or extremely difficult to take on. Modelling provides a useful and cost-effective alternative and can be used to select promising programs for further field study." Parrott's team is currently testing some of the solutions in Whistler, BC. The American black bear's habitat includes Canada, the United States, and Northern Mexico. According to Wildsafe BC, British Columbia has one of the highest populations of black bears in the world--between 120,000 and 150,000 animals. And there are some 25,000 reported sightings each year. Bears require about 20,000 calories a day to prepare for hibernation; during this time, some bears are attracted to residential areas by fruit trees and unsecured garbage. The study, published in Ecological Modelling, was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. ### Media Contact: Christine Zeindler Communications Strategist | University Relations The University of British Columbia | Okanagan campus Phone: 250-807-8470 Email: christine.zeindler@ubc.ca The Earth's mantle -- the layer between the crust and the outer core -- is home to a primordial soup even older than the moon. Among the main ingredients is helium-3 (He-3), a vestige of the Big Bang and nuclear fusion reactions in stars. And the mantle is its only terrestrial source. Scientists studying volcanic hotspots have strong evidence of this, finding high helium-3 relative to helium-4 in some plumes, the upwellings from the Earth's deep mantle. Primordial reservoirs in the deep Earth, sampled by a small number of volcanic hotspots globally, have this ancient He-3/4 signature. Inspired by a 2012 paper that proposed a correlation between such hotspots and the velocity of seismic waves moving through the Earth's interior, UC Santa Barbara geochemist Matthew Jackson teamed with the authors of the original paper -- Thorsten Becker of the University of Texas at Austin and Jasper Konter of the University of Hawaii -- to show that only the hottest hotspots with the slowest wave velocity draw from the primitive reservoir formed early in the planet's history. Their findings appear in the journal Nature. "We used the seismology of the shallow mantle -- the rate at which seismic waves travel through the Earth below its crust -- to make inferences about the deeper mantle," said Jackson, an assistant professor in UCSB's Department of Earth Science. "At 200 km, the shallow mantle has the largest variability of seismic velocities -- more than 6 percent, which is a lot. What's more, that variability, which we hypothesize relates to temperature, correlates with He-3." For their study, the researchers used the latest seismic models of the Earth's velocity structure and 35 years of helium data. When they compared oceanic hotspots with high levels of He-3/4 to seismic wave velocities, they found that these represent the hottest hotspots, with seismic waves that move more slowly than they do in cooler areas. They also analyzed hotspot buoyancy flux, which can be used to measure how much melt a particular hotspot produces. In Hawaii, the Galapagos Islands, Samoa and Easter Island as well as in Iceland, hotspots had high buoyancy levels, confirming a basic rule of physics: the hotter, the more buoyant. "We found that the higher the hotspot buoyancy flux, the more melt a hotspot was producing and the more likely it was to have high He-3/4," Jackson said. "Hotter plumes not only have slower seismic velocity and a higher hotspot buoyancy flux, they also are the ones with the highest He-3/4. This all ties together nicely and is the first time that He-3/4 has been correlated with shallow mantle velocities and hotspot buoyancy globally." Becker noted that correlation does not imply causality, "but it is pretty nifty that we found two strong correlations, which both point to the same physically plausible mechanism: the primordial stuff gets picked up preferentially by the most buoyant thermochemical upwellings." The authors also wanted to know why only the hottest, most buoyant plumes sample high He-3/4. "The explanation that we came up with -- which people who do numerical simulations have been suggesting for a long time -- is that whatever this reservoir is with primitive helium, it must be really dense so that only the hottest, most buoyant plumes can entrain some of it to the surface," Jackson said. "That makes sense and it also explains how something so ancient could survive in the chaotically convecting mantle for 4.5 billion years. The density contrast makes it more likely that the ancient helium reservoir is preserved rather than mixed away." "Since this correlation of geochemistry and seismology now holds from helium isotopes in this work to the compositions we examined in 2012, it appears that overall hotspot geochemical variations will need to be re-examined from the perspective of buoyancy," Konter concluded. ### As human emotions go, pride has earned a bad rap. Christians count it among the seven deadly sins, the ancient Greeks charged it with provoking destruction by the gods, and non-industrial peoples around the world consider it a source of bad luck. Still, some behavioral scientists reject pride as a universal emotion, arguing that individuals in other cultures, such as Japan, lack the pride-achievement motivation so familiar to Westerners. But does pride really deserve its reputation both as a menace and as an emotion limited to only some cultures? Perhaps not, say a group of researchers at UC Santa Barbara's Center for Evolutionary Psychology (CEP). Pride, they argue, served an important function in social life that led to its evolution among our foraging ancestors. Their study, which covers 16 countries and four continents, appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The Pride System "The function of pride is to motivate the individual to cultivate traits and pick courses of action that increase others' tendency to value them," said lead author Daniel Sznycer, a CEP research scientist at UCSB and a postdoctoral researcher at Arizona State University. "Natural selection would have crafted a neural program -- pride -- that makes you care about how much others value you, and motivates you to achieve and advertise socially valued things." The authors refer to this theory -- which brings together the views of several evolutionary researchers -- as "the advertisement-recalibration theory of pride." "Our ancestors lived close to the edge, and depended in their daily life on acts of kindness by their fellow band members -- kindness that was increased the more they valued you," explained Leda Cosmides, a professor of psychology at UCSB, co-director of the CEP, and a co-author of the paper. John Tooby, a professor of anthropology at UCSB, co-director of the CEP, and also a co-author of the paper added: "The pride system is designed to give others some vote in what behavior you end up choosing, so that they have an ongoing stake in your welfare. This predicts not only that people should have a detailed map of what members of their community value socially, but that the intensity of pride someone feels in achieving some specific outcome should closely match the degree to which others would value that specific achievement. This helps you determine which value-promoting acts are worth the effort." Depending on the magnitude of the anticipated pride when considering a course of action, individuals will pursue and advertise behaviors that increase others' evaluations of them. According to the researchers, the anticipated feeling of pride is a social pricing signal, allowing the mind to weight the private payoff of an action (e.g. the nutritional value of hunting a given type of prey) against the social payoff (e.g. showing others that you are a skilled hunter, or giving the meat to others). Pride as a neural system inclines people to factor in others' regard alongside the private benefits so that the act with the highest total payoff is selected. Private Payoff vs. Social Benefit To test the prediction that anticipated pride at taking an action matches the community's valuation of that action, the researchers created 25 brief fictional scenarios depicting behaviors or traits that were expected, on evolutionary grounds, to lead to valuation from others. Among them are possessing skills, being trustworthy, being generous and being physically attractive. They ran these scenarios on 2,085 participants in 16 countries on four 4 continents. One group of participants was asked to report, for each scenario, how positively they would view another person if those things were true of that person. A different group of participants was asked how much pride they would feel if those things were true of themselves. "We observed a surprisingly close match between the community's positive regard for people who display each of these acts or traits -- that is, the magnitudes of valuation by an audience --and the intensities of pride that individuals reported they would feel if they had taken those acts or displayed those traits, Sznycer said. "Feelings of pride really move in lockstep with the values those around you place on various acts and traits. This is true in all the 16 cultures we tested." Further studies, he noted, showed that it is pride in particular, and not positive emotion in general, that tracks others' values. Cross-Cultural Similarities For this reason, the authors argue, pride does not deserve its dark reputation. Rather, pride generates socially valuable outcomes for others as a side effect of a natural desire to be approved of, they said. Even more fundamentally, the studies uncovered massive cross-cultural similarities in the qualities people value in others. "It's not just that Americans and Italians and Turks and Koreans like trustworthiness, attractiveness and generosity in others. The relative values people assign to those positive attributes are astonishingly similar across cultures," Tooby said. "This suggests that the underlying grammar of valuation that makes you experience others as more or less appreciated is a culturally invariant feature of human nature." Cultural psychologists have argued that people lack motivation to enhance their reputations in some collectivist cultures, such as Japan. However, the authors find in their data that the Japanese have the same patterns of pride as do people from other cultures. "The pride of the Japanese participants closely tracked not only the evaluations of their fellow Japanese, but also the evaluations of people from all the other countries, collectivist and individualist alike," noted Sznycer. "These data are hard to reconcile with the notion that the Japanese don't 'self-enhance,' but are easy to assimilate if you assume that the Japanese have a rich psychology for self-promotion -- pride -- just like everybody else." Elegantly Engineered But if pride is found across cultures, why is it so widely maligned? Perhaps, the researchers note, it is because pride is occasionally miscalibrated and causes an overly high sense of entitlement in the achiever. "People dislike the social subordination that sometimes follows others' increases in status," Sznycer explained. "And when there's envy the mere success of others is experienced as a grievance. This may explain why pride is a target of righteous indignation around the world. "A careful mapping of this emotion suggests a different view, however," he continued. "Pride appears to be an elegantly engineered emotion: It makes you pursue socially valued courses of action, and it facilitates the gains in esteem that make those actions worth pursuing." ### Other co-authors of the paper include Sangin Kim and Tadeg Quillien of UCSB; Laith Al-Shawaf of Bilkent University and the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin; Yoella Bereby-Meyer of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Oliver Scott Curry of the University of Oxford; Delphine De Smet of Ghent University; Elsa Ermer of the University of Maryland, Baltimore; Sunhwa Kim of the Gongneung Welfare Center; Norman Li and Jiaqing O of the Singapore Management University; Florencia Lopez Seal of the Universidad Nacional de Cordoba; Jennifer McClung of the Universite de Neuchatel; Yohsuke Ohtsubo of Kobe University; Max Schaub of the European University Institute; Aaron Sell of Griffith University; and Florian van Leeuwen of Aarhus University. DENVER, Colo. (Feb. 3, 2017) - By failing to provide scheduled dialysis treatments to undocumented immigrants with kidney failure, states pay higher costs for care and the patients face greater pain and psychological distress, according to a new study appearing in the latest issue of the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. "The Illness Experience of Undocumented Immigrants Receiving Emergent-Only Hemodialysis," was conducted over a 12-month period by researchers from Denver Health Medical Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Denver and The Hastings Center. "Undocumented patients with ESRD (end-stage renal disease) and no access to regular, scheduled hemodialysis describe significant physical and psychological distress that not only affects them, but their families as well," said the study's principal investigator Dr. Lilia Cervantes, a physician at Denver Health and assistant professor of medicine at the CU School of Medicine. "This suffering, coupled with higher costs for emergent dialysis, indicates that we should reconsider our professional and societal approach to ESRD for undocumented patients." Cervantes and her co-authors interviewed 20 patients at Denver Health between July 2015 and December 2015 and asked them to describe their experiences. The patients in the study do not receive regular dialysis because the special Medicare benefit covering scheduled dialysis for patients with ESRD excludes undocumented immigrants. In Colorado, only "emergent hemodialysis" is covered by emergency Medicaid, which reimburses hospitals for certain emergency treatments when a patient lacks coverage. Emergent hemodialysis is only provided when a patient becomes critically ill. The urgent symptoms that alert the patients they've become critically ill are a sensation of drowning as fluid builds up in their chests or nausea and vomiting as blood urea levels rise. One patient described the experience: "It's happened to me twice, not being able to breathe...They saw me vomiting blood and that is when I was taken to the intensive care unit and after that I was unaware of anything around me for two days." The study recommends an analysis of state policies to clarify whether health care professionals can define the emergency threshold so that scheduled outpatient dialysis treatment can be covered by Medicaid after a single, emergent event. Some states already take this approach, which is consistent with professional guidance on the management of ESRD as a chronic condition. "Prior studies comparing scheduled versus emergent dialysis show that scheduled dialysis is more cost effective, because it prevents the need for interventions under emergency and critical care conditions," said Nancy Berlinger, PhD, Research Scholar with The Hastings Center and a co-author on the study. "Our research shows the experience of emergent dialysis from the patient's perspective, drawing attention to the level of suffering these patients experience before receiving treatment." ### In addition to Cervantes and Berlinger, the authors of the article are Stacy Fischer, MD, of the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Denver Health; Maria Zabalaga, BA, of Denver Health; Claudia Comacho, BA, of Denver Health; Stuart Linas, MD, of Denver Health; and Debora Ortega, PhD, of the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver. About the University of Colorado School of Medicine Faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine work to advance science and improve care. These faculty members include physicians, educators and scientists at University of Colorado Health, Children's Hospital Colorado, Denver Health, National Jewish Health, and the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The school is located on the Anschutz Medical Campus, one of four campuses in the University of Colorado system. To learn more about the medical school's care, education, research and community engagement, visit its web site. About Denver Health Denver Health is the Rocky Mountain Region's Level I academic trauma center, and the safety net hospital for the Denver area. The Denver Health system, which integrates acute and emergency care with public and community health, includes the Rocky Mountain Regional Trauma Center, Denver's 911 emergency medical response system, Denver Health Paramedic Division, nine family health centers, 17 school-based health centers, the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, NurseLine, Denver CARES, Denver Public Health, the Denver Health Foundation and the Rocky Mountain Center for Medical Response to Terrorism, Mass Casualties and Epidemics. About The Hastings Center The Hastings Center is a nonpartisan bioethics research institution dedicated to bioethics and the public interest since 1969. The Center is a pioneer in collaborative interdisciplinary research and dialogue on the ethical and social impact of advances in health care and the life sciences. The Center draws on a worldwide network of experts to frame and examine issues that inform professional practice, public conversation, and social policy. About the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work Faculty at the Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) at the University of Denver are committed to excellence in teaching, community leadership and service. GSSW's mission is to foster social responsibility regarding social and economic justice, quality of life and multicultural communities, based on equality for all people. As a center for the creation and dissemination of knowledge, the School provides graduate social work education in order to alleviate and prevent social problems of individuals, families and communities. Key Facts: World's biggest study of genetics of lung health and disease - participants from 13 countries Scientists compared 24 million genetic differences in individuals to develop a model for more accurately predicting your chances of developing COPD COPD is a deadly lung disease - third biggest killer in the world Study helps predict the chances of smokers developing the disease By quitting smoking in early adulthood, COPD can be reduced in 5 out of 10 people at high genetic risk The world's biggest study into an individual's genetic make-up and the risk of developing lung disease could allow scientists to more accurately 'predict' - based on genes and smoking - your chance of developing COPD, a deadly disease which is the third commonest cause of death in the world. By comparing 24 million genetic variants - genetic differences between people - in each participant with measures of lung health, the scientists from 14 countries, led by a team from the University of Leicester and University of Nottingham, were able to group people based on genetic variants to show their risk of developing COPD. They discovered that those in the highest risk group were at 3.7 times the risk of developing COPD than those in the lowest risk group. Because smokers are already at higher risk of developing COPD, this could mean that 72 of 100 smokers in the genetically high-risk group will develop COPD in later life. Through this study, the researchers almost doubled the number of genetic variants known to be associated with lung health and COPD. These advances could help to explain why and how COPD develops and one day could help personalise treatments based on an individual's genetic make-up. The breakthrough advance could help defuse a 'ticking timebomb' for serious lung disease, with over 1 billion smokers worldwide at risk. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease which makes it difficult to breathe and is the third commonest cause of death worldwide. In the UK there are around 900,000 people living with COPD, costing the NHS over 800m annually and costing the economy 3.8 billion in lost productivity. Smoking is a strong risk factor for COPD, but not all people affected by COPD are smokers and not all smokers develop the disease. In large part, this is due to one's genetic make-up. The new research aimed to discover genetic variation in the DNA content of cells between individuals that is associated with the risk of developing lung disease. At present there are no drug treatments for COPD that alter the course of the disease. But this study led by the scientists at the University of Leicester and University of Nottingham has identified many new genetic variants which are associated with enhanced or worsened lung function in both smokers and non-smokers. It paves the way for the development of new treatments. The study, published by Nature Genetics, was funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) using detailed genetic data provided by UK Biobank and data provided by other countries, and supported by the Wellcome Trust. Led by the Universities of Leicester and Nottingham, the four-year study involved over 100 scientists and 350,000 people from 13 countries. It is spurring new collaborations with pharmaceutical company partners aimed at developing new medicines for COPD. Professor Martin Tobin from the University of Leicester who co-led the study said: "Our findings point to proteins that will help guide the development of new drugs and to proteins that are targets for drugs already tested for different diseases. This indicates that repurposing drugs already tested for different diseases could be one way to improve treatments for COPD. "As a result of this work, we can now better predict who will develop COPD - opening up the possibility of using this information in prevention (such as for targeting smoking cessation services). "This genetic information guides future treatments including the development of new drugs as well as the repurposing of drugs already tested for different diseases." Professor Ian Hall from the University of Nottingham who co-led the study said: "Given how common COPD is, we know surprisingly little about the reasons why one individual develops the condition whilst another does not. The study of genetic variation between individuals provides a powerful way to understand these mechanisms which underlie disease risk, which in turn will provide a stimulus for drug development." Dr Louise Wain, Associate Professor in Genetic Epidemiology who led the team of analysts at the University of Leicester added: "The research shows the value of the UK Biobank study and of 'big data' for making discoveries that will improve health. The discoveries were the result of bringing together these very large datasets, highly skilled analysts and the outstanding high performance computing facilities at the University of Leicester." Apart from help in developing new drug treatments for COPD, the study is important for understanding whether there may be distinct subtypes of COPD in which patients respond differently to treatment. This means some patients may benefit from particular treatments whereas in others these treatments may be ineffective or harmful (precision medicine). The research is also important for understanding risk of COPD in smokers and in non-smokers, giving the potential to offer better advice and preventive strategies. Professor Tobin added: "I'd like to thank the UK Biobank participants who have contributed to these studies and the junior scientists who have shown sustained dedication throughout the project. I'm very proud of the 10 Leicester researchers who have undertaken analyses and contributed to the paper and delighted that this has transformed our knowledge of the genetics of lung health and disease." Professor Hall added: "The research represents the culmination of almost a decade of strategic collaboration between the Universities of Nottingham and Leicester. We are delighted that East Midlands-led genomic studies have made such an impact on our knowledge of lung health and COPD, paving the way for improving treatment for COPD in the future." Ian Jarrold, Head of Research at the British Lung Foundation, said: "COPD has a devastating effect on the lives of people who live with it, and on their loved ones and carers. Understanding how COPD develops and progresses is key to the discovery of new effective treatments and for using existing treatments more effectively. This work represents an important step towards this, and may also lead to better prevention, earlier diagnosis and earlier treatment of COPD." The same group of researchers also co-authored another paper published in the same issue of Nature Genetics. The research described in the parallel paper was led by Harvard University and the University of Groningen. It corroborates that many genetic variants that affect lung health in general populations also affect the risk of COPD. It also shows some overlap between the genetic causes of COPD and those of the less common but severe disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. This study was part-funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute ### The DOI for this paper will be 10.1038/ng.3787. Once the paper is published electronically, the DOI can be used to retrieve the abstract and full text by adding it to the following url: http://dx.doi.org/ NOTES TO EDITORS: Download an infographic of study findings and photographs of researchers at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4iz7l344ygutg9o/AABDuMu7KybgB6VwC_S7Nlita?dl=0 Watch/embed a video interview with Martin Tobin explaining his research into the genetics of lung health and lung disease: https://youtu.be/Pc8oWAzi1FI Patient interview available via beverley.hargadon@uhl-tr.nhs.uk. Tel: 0116 2583825 Contact for more information: Professor Martin Tobin mobile 07905 626471 (not for publication) Email: mt47@le.ac.uk Professor Ian Hall: email: ian.hall@nottingham.ac.uk The researchers led the first genetic study in UK Biobank (UK BiLEVE), published in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine in October 2015. Precision medicine will provide early and accurate diagnosis and identify the best treatment and disease management for patients. It will move therapy away from a trial-and-error approach to one that selects the most appropriate prevention or treatment based on quality science, clinical evidence and economic value. It encompasses the development and use of genomic diagnostics (underpinned by research evidence of the kind generated by this study) and other diagnostic tools to guide clinicians in identifying the predisposition to disease, and selecting the best treatment and care for patients. More positive clinical outcomes will occur with earlier detection coupled with appropriate treatment of disease. In this way genomics supports both the health of the nation but also the wealth of the nation, enabling more effective and cost effective treatment provision by NHS, ensuring that patients are able to return to normal life and the national workforce sooner, attraction of research investment to the UK, creation of innovative life science companies and the diagnostic industry thereby increasing national employment and overseas exports. The researchers undertaking this work were from 14 countries including the UK, Canada, Malta, Finland, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Croatia, USA, Norway, Netherlands, Iceland and China. The study participants originated from 13 countries including the UK, Canada, USA, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, China, Australia, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Croatia. The Florida Everglades' cypress swamps, mangrove trees and "river of grass" cover the southern 20 percent of the state, making it the largest freshwater wetland in the United States. Since people started draining the wetlands for habitation and agriculture in the 1800s, about 50 percent of the Everglades have been lost, resulting in less available freshwater for residents, droughts and flooding. As a result, Congress authorized in 2000 the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), a multibillion-dollar project created to "restore, preserve, and protect the South Florida ecosystem while providing for other water-related needs of the region, including water supply and flood protection." The CERP planned an extensive number of projects with the overarching goal of restoring water flow to pre-drainage patterns while accounting for the needs of current residents. According to a new National Academies report on the project's progress, the CERP has accomplished positive results--more water flows through the Everglades system than when the restoration began, and short of extreme conditions the new system performs better in the face of rain or drought. However, the CERP needs to account for climate change to achieve projected levels of water flow and extreme weather tolerance, according to the report. "You can think of the CERP as a replumbing of the Everglades water system, and if you want the plumbing to work right, you have to account for how climate change affects the amount of water in the system's pipes--its wetlands, canals and reservoirs," said Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm, a co-author of the report and a professor of atmospheric and oceanic science at the University of Maryland and interim director of UMD's Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center. The report recommends specific actions be taken to update the CERP, such as performing new assessments and analyses, and developing planning and management models that take climate change into account. The goal is to adjust plans for future canal and reservoir engineering projects to account for climate change before they are built. "Adjustments are necessary because climate change leads to both a rise in sea levels and changes in rainfall patterns," explained Miralles-Wilhelm. "The sea is salt water and the rain is freshwater. The combination leads to dramatic changes in the distribution of freshwater throughout the Everglades wetlands. This impacts not only the ecosystem, but also the ability of the canals and reservoirs to provide adequate protection against floods and droughts in the increasingly urbanizing south Florida environment." Miralles-Wilhelm's scientific expertise and personal background drew him to the committee of 14 independent experts who authored the latest progress report, which is produced biannually. Not only does his scientific research focus on the way water moves through complex ecosystems such as wetlands, he also lived in Miami for over 10 years and held faculty positions at Florida International University and the University of Miami. At Florida International University, Miralles-Wilhelm published a paper in 2011 in the journal Ecohydrology titled "Possible climate change impacts on the hydrological and vegetative character of Everglades National Park, Florida." In this paper, he and his co-authors found that mean annual rainfall, and therefore freshwater availability, in the Everglades can be expected to decrease with climate change. The paper recommended that future efforts to restore the Everglades landscape take into account the forecasted influences of climate change. "I think the Academies wanted someone who was a little bit of an outsider to Florida politics but who understood the issues surrounding the Everglades and was an expert in hydrology," said Miralles-Wilhelm. During the two years the committee spent preparing the report, Miralles-Wilhelm took several trips to the Everglades to inspect the existing and planned canals and reservoirs. He also participated in a series of intense meetings with stakeholders--state agencies, NGOs, private companies, local municipal governments, Florida and U.S. government officials, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Park Service. "We reviewed the science being used for restoration and examined whether that science was sound and whether every effort was being made to incorporate the latest science," said Miralles-Wilhelm, who led the committee's climate change-related research efforts. "That's when we realized climate change had not been considered in the original CERP and may be the reason why the system cannot handle increasing conditions of drought or flooding." In addition to the scientific and engineering work that lies ahead to incorporate the effects of climate change, financing the CERP remains a challenge. The report warns that less than 20 percent of CERP projects have been funded to date, and it could take 100 years to complete the CERP at the current rate of funding, during which time the Everglades would decline further. The report notes that completing the CERP in 50 years, as estimated in a 2014 Congressional Research Service report, would require "substantial additional investment." Miralles-Wilhelm believes a top priority for tackling these challenges is to make the economic case for Everglades restoration as impacted by climate change. "If you look at the economic activity of South Florida, the big three are tourism, agriculture and urban development. Climate change hits all of them," said Miralles-Wilhelm. "I don't think it's a huge leap to say that improving the Everglades ecosystem will improve each of these economic sectors, but I do think that convincing the average citizen, business person and policymaker remains to be done. Otherwise people will say 'this is another climate change project' when it's actually geared toward the social and economic development of the state." For his part, Miralles-Wilhelm will continue to contribute what he can to help restore the Everglades--he has already agreed to work on the 2018 report. ### The report, "Progress Toward Restoring the Everglades: The Sixth Biennial Review, 2016," Committee on Independent Scientific Review of Everglades Restoration Progress; Water Science and Technology Board; Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology; Division on Earth and Life Studies; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, was prepublished online in December 2016 by the National Academies Press. This work was supported by the Department of the Army (Cooperative Agreement No. W912EP-04-2-0001), the U.S. Department of the Interior and the South Florida Water Management District. The content of this article does not necessarily reflect the views of these organizations. The research paper, "Possible climate change impacts on the hydrological and vegetative character of Everglades National Park, Florida," M. Jason Todd, R. Muneepeerakul, F. Miralles-Wilhelm, A. Rinaldo, and I. Rodriguez-Iturbe, was published April 29, 2011, in the journal Ecohydrology. Media Relations Contact: Irene Ying, 301-405-5204, zying@umd.edu University of Maryland College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences 2300 Symons Hall College Park, MD 20742 http://www.cmns.umd.edu @UMDscience About the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences The College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland educates more than 7,000 future scientific leaders in its undergraduate and graduate programs each year. The college's 10 departments and more than a dozen interdisciplinary research centers foster scientific discovery with annual sponsored research funding exceeding $150 million. By Kirsten Downey on 6 February 2017 for Civil Beat - Image above: After the state the Federal government is the largest owner of land in Hawaii including the land around Haleakala on Maui shown here. Photo by the Good Reverend Flash. From original article. A congressional land grab of 3.3 million acres didnt sit well with groups that use public lands, a significant issue for Hawaii, too. The first attack on public lands under the Trump administration came fast, and it died fast, too. The federal government owns 20 percent of the land in Hawaii including Haleakala National Park on Maui. Political activism is the only way to protect public lands from President Trump and his cheerleaders in Congress, and it works, said U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva , an Arizona Democrat, ranking minority member of the House Natural Resources Committee The Democrats on the committee havent gotten a lot of vocal support from the public for the past few years with President Barack Obama in office, people thought their efforts werent needed so he and his staffers watched the developments unfold, first with worry, and then with surprise and admiration. Hawaii U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa will be playing a major role watching over federal lands. On January 24th she was named ranking member of the federal lands subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee, which will give her jurisdiction over the National Park system, national trails, historic and prehistoric sites on federal lands, Forest Service and wildlife resources. . SUBHEAD: Hunters and Fishers score quick kill on Republican plan to sell western public lands. When Muslims and Mexican immigrants feel dehumanized by Americans, they are more likely to exhibit hostile responses, including support for violent over nonviolent collective action and unwillingness to assist counterterrorism efforts The President's recent Executive Order is attempting to close U.S. borders to citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, with the rationale that it would make Americans safer against the threat of terrorism. But new research from the University of Pennsylvania and Northwestern provides evidence that this action may do just the opposite. The study, "Backlash: The Politics and Real-World Consequences of Minority Group Dehumanization," looked at Americans' dehumanization of Muslims and Mexican immigrants during the 2016 U.S. Republican Primaries, and the consequence that feeling dehumanized had on these minority groups. In the study, the authors presented American participants with the popular 'Ascent of Man' diagram, and had each participant place groups of people where they thought they belonged on this scale, from the ape-like human ancestor (0) through modern human (100). They found that participants placed Muslims and Mexican immigrants significantly lower on the scale than Americans as a whole. Even after controlling for conservative views and racial prejudice, the authors found that Americans who held dehumanizing views of Muslims or Mexican immigrants were also more likely to cast them in threatening terms, withhold sympathy for them and support tactics toward them like increased surveillance, restricted immigration and deportation. Overall, support for Donald Trump, who was a candidate for President at the time the data were collected, was strongly correlated with dehumanization of both Muslims and Mexican immigrants. In fact, the correlation between dehumanization and Trump support was significantly stronger than the correlation between dehumanization and support for any of the other Democratic or Republican candidates. Crucially, the researchers found that these dehumanizing perceptions had consequences. When they asked Latinos and Muslims to report how dehumanized they felt by Donald Trump, Republicans, and Americans in general, they found that perceived dehumanization (or 'meta-dehumanization') was high, and the greater this perception, the more inclined individuals were to support violent versus non-violent collective action. Muslims who felt dehumanized also were less willing to assist law enforcement in counterterrorism efforts. "Feeling not only disliked, but dehumanized by another group has a profound effect on people," says Emile Bruneau, PhD, the study's co-author and Director of the Peace and Conflict Neuroscience Lab at the Annenberg School for Communication. "Our past work has shown that Americans who feel dehumanized by Iranians strongly oppose the Iran Nuclear deal and prefer instead to consider military options. It is no different for American Muslims." According to Bruneau and his co-author, Nour Kteily, PhD, of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern, dehumanization can establish a vicious cycle: "If we use rhetoric and enact policies that make Muslims feel dehumanized, this may lead them to support exactly the types of aggression that reinforce the perception that they are 'less civilized' than 'us.' In this way, dehumanization can become self-fulfilling in the minds of the dehumanizers and justify their aggression," Bruneau says. The authors also noted that American-born Muslims were more likely than foreign-born Muslims to respond to feeling dehumanized with hostility. "Although speculative," they write, "it may be that those who were born in the United States have a greater expectation than those born elsewhere (and who may not be U.S. citizens) that they will be treated by the rest of their society as fully human." According to the authors, dehumanizating views can lead to policies like the present immigration ban, but by making Muslims feel dehumanized, these policies increase the very danger against which they purport to safeguard. The study was published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. ### PHILADELPHIA (February 6, 2017) - Young men who have sex with men (YMSM), particularly racial/ethnic minorities and youth living in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, are disproportionately affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic in the United States. By examining multilevel studies for evidence of how geospatial indicators are associated with HIV prevention and care outcomes for this population, a new study proposes strategies to intensify prevention efforts in communities where HIV is heavily concentrated. By synthesizing how the demographic, physical and social contexts where individuals interact correlate to behavioral and biological HIV risk, the researchers identified a range of geospatial vulnerabilities that contribute to HIV disparities among YMSM across 17 different studies published since 2010. Their findings, "Geospatial Indicators of Space and Place: A Review of Multilevel Studies of HIV Prevention and Care Outcomes Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men in the United States," have been published in The Journal of Sex Research. The study aligns with the vision of the National HIV/AIDS Prevention Strategy's call for policy and community efforts to strengthen accessibility to, and quality of, HIV prevention and care resources for YMSM. It proposes new areas of inquiry and informs the design of future multilevel interventions for this population. "Our ?ndings highlight the importance of understanding how structural factors shape access to high-quality HIV prevention and care services and contribute to HIV disparities across geographic areas," says University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing's Jose A. Bauermeister, PhD, MPH, Presidential Associate Professor of Nursing, who led the study. Bauermeister also is director of the Program in Sexuality, Technology and Action Research (PSTAR). ### The research team also included Daniel Connochie, MPH, Research Project Manager; Lisa Eaton of the Department of Psychology at the University of Connecticut; and from the University of Michigan School of Nursing, Michele Demers, MPH, Project Director, and Rob Stephenson, PhD, MSC, Director of the Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities. The research was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (U01MD011274). About the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the world's leading schools of nursing, is consistently ranked as one of the top graduate nursing schools in the United States, and is among the nation's top recipients of nursing research funding from the National Institutes of Health. Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists and nurse leaders to meet the health needs of a global society through research, education, and practice. Follow Penn Nursing on: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube. PHILADELPHIA -- Of the more than 700,000 Americans who suffer a heart attack each year, about a quarter go on to develop heart failure. Scientists don't fully understand how one condition leads to the other, but researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have now discovered a significant clue -- which ultimately could lead new therapies for preventing the condition. Heart failure can develop after a heart attack due to a long-term damage response by the immune system that transforms much of the heart muscle into stiff, fibrous, scar-like tissue. In a study published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers report that a set of signaling proteins produced in the epicardium, a layer of special cells that lines the heart muscle, appears to play a key role in keeping this wayward damage-response process in check. "These findings highlight the importance of the heart's interaction with the immune system in the post-heart-attack response," said co-senior author Rajan Jain, MD, an assistant professor of Cardiovascular Medicine. "They hint at the possibility of developing designer therapies aimed at modulating specific aspects of immune system in the future as part of treating patients who have had a heart attack. " Prior work from Epstein and colleagues at Penn has shown that in the epicardium, a cascade of protein-to-protein interactions known as the Hippo signaling pathway occurs early in life and is important for normal heart development. Other research has suggested that two key components of the Hippo pathway, the signaling proteins YAP and TAZ, also promote the regeneration of heart muscle after experimental heart-attack-like damage in newborn mice. In this study, researchers examined the role of epicardial YAP and TAZ after heart attack in the adult heart, which, compared to the fetal or newborn heart, is much less able to regenerate itself following injury. After an experimentally induced heart attack, normal adult mice, as expected, showed a small amount of fibrous change in the heart, limited to the area where a coronary artery were blocked and heart muscle had been deprived of oxygen. By contrast, in adult mice whose YAP and TAZ genes had been deleted from their epicardial cells just before the heart attack, there were signs of widespread inflammation and fibrosis in the heart muscle. "The hearts of these mice were essentially encased in fibrotic cells," Jain said. "We found that this extreme fibrotic response was accompanied by a decline in heart function resembling what is seen in human heart failure, as well as rapid weight loss and a much higher death rate." Researchers found evidence that the Hippo-pathway proteins normally trigger the increased production of the immune protein interferon gamma. The latter summons regulatory T cells -- "T-regs" -- which generally calm immune responses, and have been shown in prior research to reduce heart-muscle inflammation after a heart attack. In the YAP-less, TAZ-less mice, a heart attack failed to induce the usual rise in interferon gamma production and recruitment of T-regs, allowing inflammation and fibrosis to run rampant. "We are hoping to harness the immune system, just as we are doing at Penn to fight cancer, in order to improve the balance between scar formation and regeneration after a heart attack," said co-senior author Jonathan A. Epstein, MD, executive vice dean and chief science officer at Penn Medicine. "The more we look, the more we discover that the immune system is regulating how we heal from injury in every way - acting like the conductor of a complex cellular orchestra." In a further experiment, the researchers applied a hydrogel laced with interferon gamma to the hearts of some of these mutant mice just after their heart attacks. As hoped, the artificial restoration of interferon gamma led to higher T-reg levels in the heart and much more moderate inflammation and fibrosis. The findings show that epicardial YAP and TAZ are important not only for the normal development of young hearts but also for a healthier repair process in damaged adult hearts. Jain, Epstein and their colleagues now plan further experiments to map out the fibrosis-causing immune response in more detail--a project that could reveal multiple targets for future drug interventions to prevent heart failure in heart attack patients. The team also plans to develop mice in which the YAP and TAZ genes are not deleted but are instead overexpressed. "The hope is that higher levels of these proteins will lead to a scar-free healing of the heart after a heart attack," Jain said. ### Additional Penn authors on this study include co-first authors Vimal Ramjee and Deqiang Li, both of the Epstein Laboratory at the time of the study; Lauren J. Manderfield, Feiyan Liu, Kurt A. Engleka, Haig Aghajanian, Christopher B. Rodell, Wen Lu, Vivienne Ho, Tao Wang, Li Li, Anamika Singh, Dasan M. Cibi, and Jason A. Burdick. Co-senior author Manvendra K. Singh, formerly of Penn Medicine and now at Duke-NUS Medical School, also contributed to this research. The research was supported by the American Heart Association, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the Singapore National Research Foundation, the Cotswold Foundation, the WW Smith Endowed Chair, and the National Institutes of Health (U01 HL100405). Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $5.3 billion enterprise. The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 18 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $373 million awarded in the 2015 fiscal year. The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report -- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Chestnut Hill Hospital and Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine. Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2015, Penn Medicine provided $253.3 million to benefit our community. A new set of machine learning algorithms developed by U of T researchers that can generate 3D structures of tiny protein molecules may revolutionize the development of drug therapies for a range of diseases, from Alzheimer's to cancer. "Designing successful drugs is like solving a puzzle," says U of T PhD student Ali Punjani, who helped develop the algorithms. "Without knowing the three-dimensional shape of a protein, it would be like trying to solve that puzzle with a blindfold on." The ability to determine the 3D atomic structure of protein molecules is critical in understanding how they work and how they will respond to drug therapies, notes Punjani. Drugs work by binding to a specific protein molecule and changing its 3D shape, altering the way it works once inside the body. The ideal drug is designed in a shape that will only bind to a specific protein or proteins involved in a disease while eliminating side effects that occur when drugs bind to other proteins in the body. This new set of algorithms reconstructs 3D structures of protein molecules using microscopic images. Since proteins are tiny -- even smaller than a wavelength of light - they can't be seen directly without using sophisticated techniques like electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM). This new method is revolutionizing the way scientists can discover 3D protein structures, allowing the study of many proteins that simply could not be studied in the past. Cryo-EM is unique because it uses high-power microscopes to take tens of thousands of low-resolution images of a frozen protein sample from different positions. The computational problem is to then piece together the correct high-resolution 3D structure from the low-resolution 2D images. "Our approach solves some of the major problems in terms of speed and number of structures you can determine," says Professor David Fleet, chair of the Computer and Mathematical Sciences Department at U of T Scarborough and Punjani's PhD supervisor. The algorithms, which were co-developed by Fleet's former Post-Doctoral Fellow Marcus Brubaker, now an Assistant Professor at York University, could significantly aid in the development of new drugs because they provide a faster, more efficient means at arriving at the correct protein structure. "Existing techniques take several days or even weeks to generate a 3D structure on a cluster of computers," says Brubaker. "Our approach can make it possible in minutes on a single computer." Punjani adds that existing techniques often generate incorrect structures unless the user provides an accurate guess of the molecule being studied. What's novel about their approach is that it eliminates the need for prior knowledge about the protein molecule being studied. "We hope this will allow discoveries to happen at a ground-breaking pace in structural biology," says Punjani. "The ultimate goal is that it will directly lead to new drug candidates for diseases, and a much deeper understanding of how life works at the atomic level." ### The research, which included a collaboration with U of T Professor John Rubinstein, a Canada Research Chair in Electron Cryomicroscopy, received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). It's also been published in the current edition of the Journal Nature Methods. Meanwhile, the team's start-up, Structura Biotechnology Inc., has developed the algorithms into a new cryo-EM platform called cryoSPARC that is already being used in labs across North America. The start-up has received funding and support from U of T's Innovations and Partnership's Office (IPO) through the Connaught Innovation Award, U of T's Early Stage Technologies (UTEST) program, the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), and FedDev Ontario's Investing in Commercialization Partnerships program with York University. Much of the data of the World Wide Web hides like an iceberg below the surface. The so-called 'deep web' has been estimated to be 500 times bigger than the 'surface web' seen through search engines like Google. For scientists and others, the deep web holds important computer code and its licensing agreements. Nestled further inside the deep web, one finds the 'dark web,' a place where images and video are used by traders in illicit drugs, weapons, and human trafficking. A new data-intensive supercomputer called Wrangler is helping researchers obtain meaningful answers from the hidden data of the public web. The Wrangler supercomputer got its start in response to the question, can a computer be built to handle massive amounts of I/O (input and output)? The National Science Foundation (NSF) in 2013 got behind this effort and awarded the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC), Indiana University, and the University of Chicago $11.2 million to build a first-of-its-kind data-intensive supercomputer. Wrangler's 600 terabytes of lightning-fast flash storage enabled the speedy reads and writes of files needed to fly past big data bottlenecks that can slow down even the fastest computers. It was built to work in tandem with number crunchers such as TACC's Stampede, which in 2013 was the sixth fastest computer in the world. While Wrangler was being built, a separate project came together headed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the U.S. Department of Defense. Back in 1969, DARPA had built the ARPANET, which eventually grew to become the Internet, as a way to exchange files and share information. In 2014, DARPA wanted something new - a search engine for the deep web. They were motivated to uncover the deep web's hidden and illegal activity, according to Chris Mattmann, chief architect in the Instrument and Science Data Systems Section of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at the California Institute of Technology. "Behind forms and logins, there are bad things. Behind the dynamic portions of the web like AJAX and Javascript, people are doing nefarious things," said Mattmann. They're not indexed because the web crawlers of Google and others ignore most images, video, and audio files. "People are going on a forum site and they're posting a picture of a woman that they're trafficking. And they're asking for payment for that. People are going to a different site and they're posting illicit drugs, or weapons, guns, or things like that to sell," he said. Mattmann added that an even more inaccessible portion of the deep web called the 'dark web' can only be reached through a special browser client and protocol called TOR, The Onion Router. "On the dark web," said Mattmann, "they're doing even more nefarious things." They traffic in guns and human organs, he explained. "They're basically doing these activities and then they're tying them back to terrorism." In response, DARPA started a program called Memex. Its name blends 'memory' with 'index' and has roots to an influential 1945 Atlantic magazine article penned by U.S. engineer and Raytheon founder Vannevar Bush. His futuristic essay imagined making all of a person's communications - books, records, and even all spoken and written words - in fingertip reach. The DARPA Memex program sought to make the deep web accessible. "The goal of Memex was to provide search engines the information retrieval capacity to deal with those situations and to help defense and law enforcement go after the bad guys there," Mattmann said. Karanjeet Singh is a University of Southern California graduate student who works with Chris Mattmann on Memex and other projects. "The objective is to get more and more domain-specific (specialized) information from the Internet and try to make facts from that information," said Singh said. He added that agencies such as law enforcement continue to tailor their questions to the limitations of search engines. In some ways the cart leads the horse in deep web search. "Although we have a lot of search-based queries through different search engines like Google," Singh said, "it's still a challenge to query the system in way that answers your questions directly." Once the Memex user extracts the information they need, they can apply tools such as named entity recognizer, sentiment analysis, and topic summarization. This can help law enforcement agencies like the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations find links between different activities, such as illegal weapon sales and human trafficking, Singh explained. "Let's say that we have one system directly in front of us, and there is some crime going on," Singh said. "The FBI comes in and they have some set of questions or some specific information, such as a person with such hair color, this much age. Probably the best thing would be to mention a user ID on the Internet that the person is using. So with all three pieces of information, if you feed it into the Memex system, Memex would search in the database it has collected and would yield the web pages that match that information. It would yield the statistics, like where this person has been or where it has been sited in geolocation and also in the form of graphs and others." "What JPL is trying to do is trying to automate all of these processes into a system where you can just feed in the questions and and we get the answers," Singh said. For that he worked with an open source web crawler called Apache Nutch. It retrieves and collects web page and domain information of the deep web. The MapReduce framework powers those crawls with a divide-and-conquer approach to big data that breaks it up into small pieces that run simultaneously. The problem is that even the fastest computers like Stampede weren't designed to handle the input and output of millions of files needed for the Memex project. The Wrangler data-intensive supercomputer avoids data overload by virtue of its 600 terabytes of speedy flash storage. What's more, Wrangler supports the Hadoop framework, which runs using MapReduce. "Wrangler, as a platform, can run very large Hadoop-based and Spark-based crawling jobs," Mattmann said. "It's a fantastic resource that we didn't have before as a mechanism to do research; to go out and test our algorithms and our new search engines and our crawlers on these sites; and to evaluate the extractions and analytics and things like that afterwards. Wrangler has been an amazing resource to help us do that, to run these large-scale crawls, to do these type of evaluations, to help develop techniques that are helping save people, stop crime, and stop terrorism around the world." Singh and Mattmann don't just use Wrangler to help fight crime. A separate project looks for a different kind of rule breaker. The Distributed Release Audit Tool (DRAT) audits software licenses of massive code repositories, which can store hundreds of millions of lines of code and millions of files. DRAT got its start because DARPA needed to audit the massive code repository of its national-scale 100-million-dollar-funded presidential initiative called XDATA. Over 60 different kinds of software licenses exist that authorize the use of code. What got lost in the shuffle of XDATA is whether developers followed DARPA guidelines of permissive and open source licenses, according to Chris Mattmann. Mattmann's team at NASA JPL initially took the job on with an Apache open source tool called RAT, the Release Audit Tool. Right off the bat, big problems came up working with the big data. "What we found after running RAT on this very large code repository was that after about three or four weeks, RAT still hadn't completed. We were running it on a supercomputer, a very large cloud computer. And we just couldn't get it to complete," Mattmann said. Some other problems with RAT bugged the team. It didn't give status reports. And RAT would get hung up checking binary code - the ones and zeroes that typically just hold data such as video and were not the target of the software audit. Mattmann's team took RAT and tailored it for parallel computers with a distributed algorithm, mapping the problem into small chunks that run simultaneously over the many cores of a supercomputer. It's then reduced into a final result. The MapReduce workflow runs on top of the Apache Object Oriented Data Technology, which integrates and processes scientific archives. The distributed version of RAT, or DRAT, was able to complete the XDATA job in two hours on a Mac laptop that previously hung up a 24-core, 48 GB RAM supercomputer at NASA for weeks. DRAT was ready for even bigger challenges. "A number of other projects came to us wanting to do this," Mattmann said. The EarthCube project of the National Science Foundation had a very large climate modeling repository and sought out Mattmann's team. "They asked us if all these scientists are putting licenses on their code, or whether they're open source, or if they're using the right components. And so we did a very big, large auditing for them," Mattmann said. "That's where Wrangler comes in," Karanjeet Singh said. "We have all the tools and equipment on Wrangler, thanks to the TACC team. What we did was we just configured our DRAT tool on Wrangler and ran distributedly with the compute nodes in Wrangler. We scanned whole Apache SVN repositories, which includes all of the Apache open source projects." The project Mattmann's team is working on early 2017 is to run DRAT on the Wrangler supercomputer over historically all of the code that Apache has developed since its existence - including over 200 projects with over two million revisions in a code repository on the order of hundreds of millions to billions of files. "This is something that's only done incrementally and never done at that sort of scale before. We were able to do it on Wrangler in about two weeks. We were really excited about that," Mattmann said. Apache Tika formed one of the key components to the success of DRAT. It discerns Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) file types and extracts its metadata, the data about the data. "We call Apache Tika the 'babel fish,' like 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,'" Mattmann said. "Put the babel fish to your ear to understand any language. The goal with Tika is to provide any type of file, any file found on the Internet or otherwise to it and it will understand it for you at the other end...A lot of those investments and research approaches in Tika have been accelerated through these projects from DARPA, NASA, and the NSF that my group is funded by," Mattmann said. "A lot of the metadata that we're extracting is based on these machine-learning, clustering, and named-entity recognition approaches. Who's in this image? Or who's it talking about in these files? The people, the places, the organizations, the dates, the times. Because those are all very important things. Tika was one of the core technologies used - it was one of only two - to uncover the Panama Papers global controversy of hiding money in offshore global corporations," Mattmann said. Chris Mattmann, the first NASA staffer to join the board of the Apache Foundation, helped create Apache Tika, along with the scalable text search engine Apache Lucerne and the search platform Apache Solr. "Those two core technologies are what they used to go through all the leaked (Panama Papers) data and make the connections between everybody - the companies, and people, and whatever," Mattmann said. Mattmann gets these core technologies to scale up on supercomputers by 'wrapping' them up on the Apache Spark framework software. Spark is basically an in-memory version of the Apache Hadoop capability MapReduce, intelligently sharing memory across the compute cluster. "Spark can improve the speed of Hadoop type of jobs by a factor of 100 to 1,000, depending on the underlying type of hardware," Mattmann said. "Wrangler is a new generation system, which supports good technologies like Hadoop. And you can definitely run Spark on top of it as well, which really solves the new technological problems that we are facing," Singh said. Making sense out of big data guides much of the worldwide efforts behind 'machine learning,' a slightly oxymoronic term according to computer scientist Thomas Sterling of Indiana University. "It's a somewhat incorrect phrase because the machine doesn't actually understand anything that it learns. But it does help people see patterns and trends within data that would otherwise escape us. And it allows us to manage the massive amount and extraordinary growth of information we're having to deal with," Sterling said in a 2014 interview with TACC. One application of machine learning that interested NASA JPL's Chris Mattmann is TensorFlow, developed by Google. It offers open source commodity-based access to very large-scale machine learning. TensorFlow's Inception version three model trains the software to classify images. From a picture the model can basically tell a stop sign from a cat, for instance. Incorporated into Memex, Mattmann said Tensorflow takes its web crawls of images and video and looks for descriptors that can aid in "catching a bad guy or saving somebody, identifying an illegal weapon, identifying something like counterfeit electronics, and things like this." "Wrangler is moving into providing TensorFlow as a capability," Mattmann said. "One of the traditional things that stopped a regular Joe from really taking advantage of large-scale machine learning is that a lot of these toolkits like Tensorflow are optimized for a particular type of hardware, GPUs or graphics processing units." This specialized hardware isn't typically found in most computers. "Wrangler, providing GPU-types of hardware on top of its petabyte of flash storage and all of the other advantages in the types of machines it provides, is fantastic. It lets us do this at very large scale, over lots of data and run these machine learning classifiers and these tool kits and models that exist," Mattmann said. What's more, Tensorflow is compute intensive and runs very slowly on most systems, which becomes a big problem when analyzing millions of images looking for needles in the haystack. "Wrangler does the job," Singh said. Singh and others of Mattmann's team are currently using Tensorflow on Wrangler. "We don't have any results yet, but we know that - the tool that we have built through Tensorflow is definitely producing some results. But we are yet to test with the millions of images that we have crawled and how good it produces the results," Singh said. "I'm appreciative," said Chris Mattmann, "of being a member of the advisory board of the staff at TACC and to Niall Gaffney, Dan Stanzione, Weijia Xu and all the people who are working at TACC to make Wrangler accessible and useful; and also for their listening to the people who are doing science and research on it, like my group. It wouldn't be possible without them. It's a national treasure. It should keep moving forward." ### A new method has been found for identifying therapeutic targets in cancers lacking specific key tumor suppressor genes. The process, which located a genetic site for the most common form of prostate cancer, has potential for developing precision therapy for other cancers, such as breast, brain and colorectal, say researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Study results were published in the Feb. 6 online issue of Nature. By searching for gene deletion patterns in cancer through a concept the investigators call "synthetic essentiality," the team identified a synthetic essential gene known as chromatin helicase DNA-binding factor (CHD1) as a therapeutic target for prostate and breast cancers lacking a tumor suppressor gene called phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). Tumor suppressor genes are deleted in many cancers leading to tumor formation and growth. "We searched for genes that are occasionally deleted in some cancers but which are retained in cancers caused by specific tumor suppressing genes, such as PTEN," said Di Zhao, Ph.D., Odyssey postdoctoral fellow in Cancer Biology and first author on the Nature paper. "We reasoned that this retained synthetic essential gene might be required for cancer-promoting actions when the cancers lose specific tumor suppressor genes." Prostate cancer often occurs when it deletes PTEN, commonly associated with advanced prostate cancer. The Centers for Disease Control cites prostate cancer as the second leading cause of cancer-related death for men in the U.S., with 176,000 new cases and 28,000 deaths reported annually. Up to 70 percent of primary prostate tumors are PTEN-deficient. Through analyzing prostate cancer genome databases from The Cancer Genome Atlas and other sources, the research team found that CHD1, while occasionally deleted in some prostate cancers, was consistently retained in PTEN-deficient prostate cancer. Further investigation uncovered CHD1's role as vital to PTEN signaling, and as a potential therapeutic target in prostate and breast cancers with PTEN gene loss. "Identifying targets essential to cell survival in tumor suppressor genes has long been an investigational goal with the aim of offering cancer-specific vulnerabilities for targeted therapy," said Ronald DePinho, M.D., professor of Cancer Biology, MD Anderson president, and senior author for the Nature paper. "This study provided a conceptual framework for the discovery of 'traceable' targets in cancers harboring specific tumor suppressor deficiencies." DePinho added that further analyses are needed to verify additional synthetic essential genes in cancer cells that harbor specific genomic alterations as well as to identify potential regulatory interactions and cell-essential mechanisms. ### MD Anderson research team members included: Xin Lu, Ph.D., Guocan Wang, Ph.D., Zhendao Lan, Ph.D., Wenting Liao, Ph.D., Xin Liang, Jasper Robin Chen, Sagar Shah, Xiaoying Shang, Ph.D., Pingna Deng, Prasenjit Dey, Ph.D., Deepavali Chakravarti, Ph.D., Peiwen Chen, Ph.D., Denise J. Spring, Ph.D. and Y. Alan Wang, Ph.D., of Cancer Biology; Jun Li, Ph.D., Ming Tang, Ph.D., and Jianhua Zhang, Ph.D., Genomic Medicine; Nora Navone, M.D., Ph.D., Genitourinary Medical Oncology; and Patricia Troncoso, M.D., Pathology. The study was supported by the Odyssey Program at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (6000649-80-116647-21); the Department of Defense (W81XWH-14-1-0576 and W81XWH-14-1-0429); the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (RP140106); and the National Institutes of Health (CA117969, CA084628 and 1K99CA194289). SALT LAKE CITY - Over the past two decades there has been a sharp rise in the number and severity of infections caused by the bacteria Clostridium difficile often shortened to C. diff now the most common hospital acquired infection in the United States. But a new study suggests that the most routinely prescribed antibiotic is not the best treatment for severe cases. Scientists at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System and University of Utah report that patients with a severe C. diff infection (CDI) were less likely to die when treated with the antibiotic vancomycin compared to the standard treatment of metronidazole. The findings will be published online on Feb. 6 on the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that almost half a million Americans, mostly 65 or older, developed CDI in 2011. Of those, 83,000 patients experienced recurrence of infection within 30 days of completing the standard course of antibiotics. "This is a very real problem that impacts the patients' quality of life," says the study's lead author Vanessa Stevens, Ph.D., a research assistant professor in the department of internal medicine and an investigator at the IDEAS 2.0 Center at the VA. In addition, the study showed that there is up to a 20 percent chance of mortality within 30 days of a CDI diagnosis. C. diff does not cause illness outright. The bacterium produces two chemicals that are toxic to the human body. These toxins work in concert to irritate the cells of the intestinal lining producing the symptoms associated with the illness. Symptoms of CDI include watery diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite, nausea, and abdominal pain and tenderness. Severe cases are associated with inflammation of the colon. Current guidelines primarily recommend two antibiotics metronidazole or vancomycin to treat CDI. While vancomycin was the original treatment, the medical community has favored metronidazole for the past few decades, because it is less expensive and will limit vancomycin resistance in other hospital-acquired infections. The guidelines are based on small clinical trials carried out about 30 years ago. "For many years the two antibiotics were considered to be equivalent in their ability to cure C. diff and prevent recurrent disease," says Stevens. "Our work and several other studies show that this isn't always the case." In the current issue of JAMA Internal Medicine, the research team looked at the effectiveness of the two drugs by comparing the risk of mortality after treatment with these two antibiotics. The investigators conducted the largest study to date by examining the data from more than 10,000 patients treated for CDI through the US Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system from 2005 to 2012. A severe case of CDI was defined as a patient with an elevated white blood cell count or serum creatinine within four days of the CDI diagnosis. A mild to moderate case of CDI was defined as a patient with normal white blood cell counts and creatinine levels. About 35 percent of cases in this study were considered severe. Patients with a severe case of CDI had lower mortality rates when treated with vancomycin compared to metronidazole (15.3 percent versus 19.8 percent). The scientists calculated that only 25 patients with severe CDI would need to be treated with vancomycin to prevent one death. "That is a powerful, positive outcome for our patient's well-being," explains Stevens. She cautions that the researchers still do not understand how the choice of antibiotic affects mortality rates. "Although antibiotics are one of the greatest miracles of modern medicine, there are still tremendous gaps in our knowledge about when and how to use them to give our patients the best health outcomes," explains Michael Rubin, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor in internal medicine and an investigator at the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System. "This research shows that if providers choose vancomycin over metronidazole to treat patients with severe CDI, it should result in a lower risk of death for those critically ill patients," said Rubin. This study showed that less than 15 percent of CDI patients, including severe cases, received vancomycin. The study results did not show a difference in the rate of the illness returning following either antibiotic treatment whether the initial illness was mild to moderate or severe. Nor did it show a difference for the rate of death following either antibiotic treatment for mild to moderate CDI cases. Stevens cautions that the study was observational in nature and does not prove cause and effect of the drug. In addition, the study focused on patients that were primarily men; however, past studies show that the C. diff treatment outcomes for men and women were similar. According to Stevens, future work should balance the targeted application of vancomycin treatment, especially for severe CDI cases, with economic considerations and the consequences of antibiotic resistance. "The optimal way to move forward is to do decision analysis that allows us to weigh the pros and cons of the various treatment strategies," she says. ### The research was funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Research and Development, Health Services Research and Development. In addition to Stevens and Rubin, co-authors include Richard Nelson, Karim Khader, Makoto Jones, Lindsay Croft and Matthew Samore (University of Utah and the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System), Elyse Schwab-Daugherty and Kevin A. Brown (Public Health Ontario and University of Toronto), Tom Greene (University of Utah), Melinda Neuhauser (VA Pharmacy Benefits Management Services) and Peter Glassman and Matthew Bidwell Goetz (VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System). DALLAS Feb. 6, 2017 UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have identified an ion channel required for brain cells to suppress eating behavior in response to the hormone leptin or to the anti-obesity drug lorcaserin. Ion channels are tunnel-shaped passageways on the surface of neurons through which charged particles, or ions, can travel in and out of the cell. A deeper understanding of this brain-metabolism relationship could someday lead to new, better targeted treatments for obesity or diabetes, said lead author Dr. Kevin Williams, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern and senior author of the study, published recently in Cell Reports. We found that an ion channel made up of TrpC5 (transient receptor potential cation 5) protein subunits is required for the proper regulation of basal metabolism and body weight, Dr. Williams said. In the mouse study, loss of TrpC5 caused types of nerve cells in the brain called Pomc neurons to become unresponsive to leptin or lorcaserin, resulting in increased body weight over time. The normally beneficial effect of lorcaserin on blood-sugar levels was also lost in mice deficient for TrpC5, the study showed. As researchers, we are trying to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms that contribute to changes in body weight and blood-sugar balance. There is a possibility that this ion channel may someday be directly targeted for therapeutic regulation of eating and blood-sugar balance, Dr. Williams said. Leptin and lorcaserin exert their effects on eating and other aspects of metabolism by binding to different types of receptors that sit on the surface of Pomc neurons in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that helps govern metabolism and other involuntary bodily functions such as breathing and sleeping. The ion channels, formed when TrpC proteins gather together to form a channel, or tube-like structure, are also on the surface of Pomc neurons. Although leptin and lorcaserin bind to different receptors, binding is ineffective unless nearby TrpC5 ion channels are opened to allow the passage of ions in and out of the cell. The researchers conducted experiments comparing normal mice and mice genetically unable to make TrpC5. Energy balance, eating behavior, and activity levels were measured. The researchers found that a lack of TrpC5 in Pomc neurons was enough to block the usual appetite-suppressing effects of leptin and lorcaserin. Lack of TrpC5 also seemed to blunt the cells electrophysiological response to leptin and lorcaserin. The research helps explain some intriguing observations previously made by researchers at UT Southwestern and elsewhere. Studying the seven proteins in the TrpC family, earlier studies determined that TrpC1, TrpC4, and TrpC5 (and to a lesser extent TrpC6 and TrpC7) were detected in Pomc neurons. Although it was known that these TrpC family members could form ion channels, the effects or relative importance of TrpC5 proteins in particular to regulate metabolism were unknown, Dr. Williams said. Moreover, the molecular mechanisms underlying appetite suppression in response to activation of receptors for leptin or lorcaserin were unclear, he added. Our results link TrpC5 subunits in the brain with leptin- and lorcaserin-dependent changes in nerve activity as well as energy balance, eating behavior, and blood-sugar levels, Dr. Williams said. ### Lead authors of the study from UT Southwesterns Division of Hypothalamic Research were former postdoctoral fellow Dr. Jong-Woo Sohn and current or former visiting graduate students Yong Gao, Ting Yao, and Zhuo Deng. Instructor of Internal Medicine Dr. Tiemin Liu and visiting researchers Dr. Jia Sun and Dr. Yiru Huang also contributed to the work, as did researchers from Harvard University; the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas; and several institutions in China. This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the China Scholarship Council, the National Research Foundation of Korea, the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. About UT Southwestern Medical Center UT Southwestern, one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institutions faculty includes many distinguished members, including six who have been awarded Nobel Prizes since 1985. The faculty of almost 2,800 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide medical care in about 80 specialties to more than 100,000 hospitalized patients and oversee approximately 2.2 million outpatient visits a year. This news release is available on our website at http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/news To automatically receive news releases from UT Southwestern via email, subscribe at http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/receivenews Extractive industries affect Indigenous peoples in Sweden and Australia, and Indigenous group's perspectives are often ignored or trivialised, according to a PhD thesis from Umea University in Sweden. Kristina Sehlin MacNeil has collaborated with Indigenous organisations in developing concepts that include Indigenous peoples' perspectives on conflicts and power relations. The PhD study compares situations for Laevas cearru, a Sami reindeer herding community in northern Sweden and Adnyamathanha Traditional Owners, an Indigenous people in South Australia. Both groups identify various forms of violence caused by extractive activities on their lands as threats to their societies, livelihoods and cultures. Furthermore, the results show that in order to address violence against Indigenous peoples and improve processes of conflict transformation, Indigenous and decolonising perspectives should be heard and taken into account. "By illuminating asymmetrical conflicts and power relations between Indigenous groups and extractive industries and by highlighting Indigenous peoples' perspectives, a better foundation for inclusive dialogue and conflict transformation can hopefully be achieved," says Kristina Sehlin MacNeil, PhD student at Vaartoe - Centre for Sami Research at Umea University. As a part of Umea University's Industrial Doctoral School, Kristina Sehlin MacNeil, with the mentorship of the Swedish Sami Organisation, Samiid Riikkasearvi, has also developed methods and analytical tools aimed to make the research more relevant for the communities it concerns. In her study, Sehlin MacNeil has used Indigenous and decolonising methodologies to centre the research participants' perspectives and create space for their voices. Kristina Sehlin MacNeil has adapted the Violence Triangle, developed by Norwegian peace researcher Johan Galtung, in order to understand the conflicts and power relations. The model includes structural violence (unfair social structures), cultural violence (discriminating attitudes) and direct violence (physical violence). "As the model didn't allow for the type of violence that the Sami and Aboriginal research participants experience when their lands are destroyed by extractive industries, I introduced the term extractive violence, to replace direct violence. Extractive violence is a concept that illuminates how extractivism impacts Indigenous peoples negatively and how this is often ignored or trivialised," concludes Kristina Sehlin MacNeil. Kristina Sehlin MacNeil comes from Umea in northern Sweden and has a background in communications and conflict studies from the University of South Australia in Adelaide. From an early age, she has been interested in conflicts, particularly in conflict transformation, and has worked and studied in the peace and conflict field for a number of years. ### In 2014-15 Sehlin MacNeil was a Visiting Scholar at University of South Australia's David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education and Research. There she worked together with Adnyamathanha Traditional Owners in exploring Adnyamathanha people's resistance to proposed nuclear waste dumps on Adnyamathanha land. After completing her PhD at Umea University this February, Sehlin MacNeil aims to continue researching conflicts and power relations between Indigenous groups and extractive industries. Umea University, located in the north of Sweden, is characterised by strong research conducted in a vast number of fields, and many of our researchers belong to the global elite in for instance global health, epidemiology, molecular biology, ecology, plant physiology and Arctic research. Umea University is one of Sweden's largest teaching universities that offers a wide-spanning and attractive selection of courses and programmes, and stimulating environments for working and studying for the over 4,300 employees and 31,000 students. It was from Umea University that the work in discovering the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 was led. A study of over 33,000 people, published today in the journal BMC Public Health, indicates that public health strategies that aim to prevent adult weight gain in the whole population have the potential to prevent twice as many cases of type 2 diabetes as strategies that target individuals at high risk of diabetes due to being obese. Current clinical practice and public health programmes generally target those at high risk of type 2 diabetes, such as people who are obese (body mass index (BMI) over 30 kg/m2) and have higher than normal blood glucose. While there is evidence to show that these programmes are effective for the individuals who are targeted, their potential to impact the prevalence of diabetes in the whole population is limited. There is less evidence concerning the impact of moderate weight loss or weight maintenance in adults across the whole population on the occurrence of type 2 diabetes. This study sought to determine the potential to reduce the occurrence of diabetes of strategies that aim to shift the distribution of body weight in the whole population. The researchers from the VIPCAM collaboration between MRC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge and the Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine at Umea University analysed data from 33,184 people aged 30-60 years who attended two health examinations 10 years apart between 1990 and 2013 as part of the Vasterbotten Intervention Programme (VIP). By analysing these data they were able to determine the association between change in body weight between baseline and 10 year follow-up and occurrence of newly diagnosed diabetes at 10 year follow-up, and assessed the impact of population-level shifts in body weight on the occurrence of diabetes. In their analysis they controlled for potential confounding factors, including sex, age, calendar year, family history of diabetes, tobacco use, education and marital status. During 10 years of follow-up, 1,087 (3.3%) study participants developed diabetes, 17,876 (53.9%) study participants gained more than 1 kg/m2 relative to their starting weight (equivalent to 3 kg for an adult of average height in Sweden), and 12,020 (36.2%) maintained their weight (defined as change of less than 1 kg/m2). Compared to those who maintained their weight, people who gained more than 1 kg/m2 had a 52% higher risk of diabetes (odds ratio (OR) 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32-1.74). The researchers estimated that if everyone who gained weight had maintained their weight, regardless of their starting weight (known as primary weight maintenance), one in five of all type 2 diabetes cases in the population could have been prevented (population attributable fraction (PAF) 21.9%). By contrast the researchers estimated, based on previous research, that if everyone in the population at high risk of diabetes due to having a BMI over 30 kg/m2 was referred to a commercial weight management programme, only one in ten (PAF 8.2%) type 2 diabetes cases could be prevented. Dr Adina Feldman, from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, who is first author on the paper said: "We have shown that a population-based strategy that promotes prevention of weight gain in adulthood has the potential to prevent more than twice as many diabetes cases as a strategy that only promotes weight loss in obese individuals at high risk of diabetes. Thus, when it comes to body weight and diabetes, from a public health perspective it would be advisable to consider both high-risk and population-based strategies for diabetes prevention." The researchers caution that the modelling estimates should be interpreted carefully as they represent outcomes under idealised conditions, but they are useful to contrast the potential impact of different diabetes prevention strategies. ### The research was funded by the Medical Research Council, the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research and Vasterbotten County Council. Reference: Adina L. Feldman, Simon J. Griffin, Amy L. Ahern, Grainne H. Long, Lars Weinehall, Eva Fharm, Margareta Norberg, Patrik Wennberg. 'Impact of weight maintenance and loss on diabetes risk and burden: A population based study in 33,184 participants' BMC Public Health (2017). DOI: 10.1186/s12889-017-4081-6 A compound found in green tea could have lifesaving potential for patients with multiple myeloma and amyloidosis, who face often-fatal medical complications associated with bone-marrow disorders, according to a team of engineers at Washington University in St. Louis and their German collaborators. Jan Bieschke, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the School of Engineering & Applied Science, studies how proteins fold and shape themselves, and how these processes can contribute to a variety of diseases. He says the compound epigallocatechine-3-gallate (EGCG), a polyphenol found in green tea leaves, may be of particular benefit to patients struggling with multiple myeloma and amyloidosis. These patients are susceptible to a frequently fatal condition called light chain amyloidosis, in which parts of the body's own antibodies become misshapen and can accumulate in various organs, including the heart and kidneys. "The idea here is twofold: We wanted to better understand how light chain amyloidosis works, and how the green tea compound affects this specific protein," Bieschke said. Bieschke's team first isolated individual light chains from nine patients with bone marrow disorders that caused multiple myeloma or amyloidosis, then ran lab experiments to determine how the green tea compound affected the light chain protein. Bieschke previously examined EGCG's effect in both Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, and found it prevented dangerous buildups of protein present in both diseases. His team had a similar conclusion in this study: In bone marrow patients, the EGCG transformed light chain amyloid, preventing the misshapen form from replicating and accumulating dangerously. "In the presence of green tea, the chains have a different internal structure," Bieschke said. "The ECGC pulled the light chain into a different type of aggregate that wasn't toxic and didn't form fibril structures," as happens to organs affected by amyloidosis. While Bieschke is gaining a greater understanding at the intracellular processes involved, his partners at the University of Heidelberg are working in tandem with him, running clinical trials. "My group is looking at the mechanism of the protein in a test tube; we are studying how it works on a foundational level. At the same time, clinical trials at the Amyloidosis Center in Heidelberg, with Alzheimer's in Berlin and with Parkinson's in China examine the process in people. We all want this compound to work in a patient." The research was recently published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. ### Monday, February 6, 2017 Lets face it funerals are the parties no one wants to plan. And most people only interact with funeral directors at funerals, when they are appropriately solicitous, supportive, and somber. Because so many people avoid discussing death, few realize funeral directors are some of the kindest, funniest people you will ever meet. If you were simply chatting with a funeral director over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, what would he or she want you to know? A few of my friends in the funeral profession offer you these words of wisdom. A Good Funeral Means Different Things to Different People Amy Cunningham, Funeral Director at Fitting Tribute Funeral Services in Brooklyn, NY says, You and the funeral director can actually speak together about what constitutes a good funeral. This will bond you. You will get a better connection AND a better service by having this talk. Describe the deceasedwhat colors they liked, what hobbies, what foods and more. Let the deceased be known. Spill the beans please. She adds, Ask the funeral director what his/her favorite service has been. What funerals has the firm supervised that the team feels super proud of? What made those services great? By the way, the best services arent necessarily the funerals that cost a lot of money. Be sure youre talking about the great services, not just the fancy ones. Joe Pray, Funeral Director at Pray Funeral Home in Charlotte, MI, known for its innovations in memorial personalization and pursuit of excellence, says, Most of the things I wish people knew was that we are here to tell the life story, not just dispose of the deceased. I always hope we can educate the public on the importance of telling the individuals story. When we develop a meaningful service that brings forth waves of laughter and gentle tears, we receive the most enthusiastic reviews. Accompany the Deceased Even to the Crematory With the growing utilization of cremation, you may not think about the importance of a ceremony to say goodbye. Jamie Sarche, Director of Pre-Arranged Funeral Planning at Feldman Mortuary in Denver, CO, says, Easier isnt necessarily better. When it comes to grieving, the path of least resistance just getting rid of the body might seem like the best path. However, without a communal event to mourn the person, people often feel incomplete. People dont really know what they need until they dont have it. Amy Cunningham says, You really should consider coming to the crematory for a short farewell to the closed cremation casket. Its worth it. Youll be more or less delighted, even at such a sad time, that you went the extra mile to accompany your loved one. You dont need to witness the caskets entry into the retort, but you may. Do Your Research and Plan Ahead Jodi Clock, Director of Advance Funeral Planning and Transitional Care at Clock Funeral Home based in Muskegon, MI, cautions people to shop around, particularly if you are making at-need arrangements. Not all funeral homes are equally ethical, she says. Buyer beware. Whichever funeral home you go with, do your research. Syd Waldman, Certified Funeral Service Practitioner and Owner of Waldman Funeral Care in Houston, TX says, I tell my families to be sure there is at least one financial account that is titled with both spouses names and rights of survivorship, and it has money in it. If this is a pre-need arrangement, with both spouses still alive, I try to get all the documents in my hand ahead of time, such as the DD214 (proof of veterans service), Power of Attorney, Agent for Disposition, Hebrew names, photo for obituary and service folder, parents names, places of birth and other information that might become lost at time of death, added Waldman. Jamie Sarche says, Why wait to make plans until there is a crisis? Planning ahead, while death still seems theoretical, can make a huge emotional and financial difference. Bring a Supportive Friend When You Plan a Funeral Just as when you go to an important doctors appointment, a friend can provide an additional pair of eyes and ears, and a rational perspective, when youre in the funeral homes arrangement room. Amy Cunningham says, If youre an emotional basket case, bring a friend with you. In fact, its always good to bring a friend with you to meet with a funeral director, especially when a death is imminent or has just occurred. You need someone to dine with after your first funeral home meeting to process what has occurred and to identify where youre going to need the most help in the coming days. Family or Friends? Who Will Arrange Your Funeral? If the idea of having a son, daughter or spouse arrange your funeral gives you pause, you can appoint a competent friend to handle the details. Syd Waldman says, I use the State of Texas Agent for Disposition form to give people the opportunity to appoint someone other than traditional next-of-kin if they are worried that their wishes might not be carried out. This can also be used for partners who are not married, where adult children might interfere. Specifics vary by state and country, so check into your local options. Funeral Homes Can Also Help with Pet Loss Pet loss hurts. A growing number of funeral homes now offer cremation services for pets and supportive care for the humans who love them. Jodi Clock, who is also President of Clock Timeless Pets, says, When the kids are gone, for many seniors, pets are the joy in their lives. A loss is a loss. It doesnt matter if it has two legs or four legs. Funeral Directors Want Your Feedback Amy Cunningham notes, The funeral director wants you hear what you like about the funeral home youve just entered. Be honest. Find something you like about the place and then report back on how that thingthe grandfather clock in the parlor, the green burial mention on the website, even when thats not what you want say something nice and the funeral director will work harder for you. Dont go with a firm where you cant get beyond your hesitance to trust. You are sad, a death has occurred, but you can still give compliments and be just a little charming! Let the Funeral Director Know Your Spirituality The funeral director is your friend and prospective comrade. Tell him/her your spiritual journey, suggests Amy Cunningham. When planning an event, let the funeral director know what faith you were born into, how youve evolved, how the deceased evolved, and where the familys at. Its perfectly normal and fine to enter as a family with a mixed spiritual constellation. No faith? No God talk? Totally cool, but the funeral director needs to know all that. Dont let fear of discussing death keep you from talking to a funeral director and learning what you need to know before you go! Gail Rubin, author, speaker, journalist and death educator, connects with baby boomers using humor, funny films and a light touch on serious subjects. Her books include Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips and KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die. Download a free 50-point Executors Checklist from her website, www.AGoodGoodbye.com. Share this: Afternoon Event on how to build bridges of love in an adversarial world Three Sponsors are leading "a call to Sacred Activism" by continuing a tradition of interfaith social gatherings in Culver City. The goal to bring speakers, artists, religious leaders and our community together to recognizes the diverse character of Southern California and Culver City's cultural need to address unity in diversity in our spiritual and cultural fabric whether in the past through city councilmen, the Mayor of Culver City or Los Angeles or through the Parliament of World Religions, this Sunday afternoon the legacy still moves forward. This week the salon will address the recent Executive travel ban, and so much more providing a warm opportunity for fellowship with refreshments. Standing together this coming Sunday before Valentine's Day, the program will include speakers, music and resources for worship, exchange, renewal and friendship. While Los Angeles is dedicated to winning the bid for a new world Olympics,the Iman Cultural Center is working with UDC and its interfaith partners to open our hearts to our greater natures. It will continue its joy in diversity and exploration of neighborhood cultures as one human family. With local outreach for inclusion, diversity, understanding, and cross-cultural spiritual exchange with a theme "Bridges of Love", the afternoon will represent mutual respect across differences and ongoing philosophical exploration. Changed from a dinner concert to an afternoon salon to allow for a very full program, please come on time and check at 3pm for commencing at 3:30pm. Bridges of Love Performed by Stephen Fiske & Friends, "Mayor Clarke celebrates a city with a Multi-Ethnic/Multi-Racial demographic with leaders from all faiths: Christian/New Reform Churches and Synagogues/Sikh/Hindu/Muslim and more with a school district that reflects its adult diversity with Caucasian, Black, Latino, Asian student bodies." "Rumi- In every religion there is love, yet love has no religion." Prepare to be inspired by Stephen Fiske's Music. And Rumi Poetry Readings by Dr. Zaman Stanizai, And so much more. Where: at 3:30 pm-5:30pm, Sunday, February 12th at The IMAN Cultural Center, 3376 Motor Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034. Information : 310-202-8181 . Registration and Reception: 3:00 p.m. Program: 3:30 p.m.-5:30pm __________________________________________________________ Background Links: Building a Peaceful World in Palms NC: http://empowerla.org/about-neighborhood-councils/ Communities that welcome differences: http://pluralism.org/promising-practice/synagogue-in-the-mosque-project/ http://pluralism.org/interfaith/promising-practices/#new-york We're in the together: http://www.lacommons.org/programs/found-la/ http://palmsla.org/am-i-a-palms-stakeholder/ Sponsors: http://udcworld.org/ http://iman.org/ http://oneglobalfamilyfoundation.org/ http://palmsla.org/community-resources/elected-officials/ Iman Center invites leadership and new friends: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nts_xaFKrc4 Peacebuilding: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peacebuilding http://www.eolss.net/Sample-Chapters/C04/E1-39A-06.pdf https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/conflic.pdf UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights Book: http://www.un.org/en/udhrbook/pdf/udhr_booklet_en_web.pdf http://www.un.org/en/udhrbook/#2 Spotifyfocus on Bridges of Love: https://play.spotify.com/track/6rriFiq2IaI4fquI60UqI8?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open http://www.lyrics.com/lyrics/bridges%20of%20love%20by%20stephen%20longfellow%20fiske Even Dora, the Explorer has a music collection called Vamos a Bailar (Let's Dance): http://www.lyrics.com/artist/Dora%20the%20Explorer/1051005 Health Rhythms: http://www.westmusic.com/s/healthrhythms Sound Shape Playbook: http://musicrhapsody.com/product/sound-shape-playbook/ http://www.worldcat.org/title/sound-shape-playbook/oclc/69723531 https://cpin.us/content/science-foundation STEM: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/preschoolfoundationsvol3.pdf#page=65 http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/psfvol3app.asp MAP: https://cpin.us/sites/default/files/fcab_resources/science/HO1ScienceDomainMapv2.pdf https://cpin.us/sites/default/files/CC/SCI/InspiringChildrensSpiritOfStewardshipEducatorToolkitENGLISHv2.pdf http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/intnatureoflearning2016.pdf International Aspects of Math- Sister Cities can look at the world through signs and symbols, art and exchanges: http://www.origamispirit.com/videos/modular-and-geometric-origami/ https://www.ics.uci.edu/~eppstein/junkyard/origami.html http://www.origami-resource-center.com/modular-origami.html http://mathlessons.about.com/od/crosscurricularlessons/a/Lesson-Plan-Origami-And-Geometry.htm http://www.paperfolding.com/math/ Unfolding hate speech: https://www.hate-speech.org/tag/southern-poverty-law-center/ Hate Map by state: https://www.splcenter.org/hate-map Immigrant rights: https://www.splcenter.org/issues/immigrant-justice http://in.reuters.com/article/usa-trump-immigration-greencard-idINKBN15G5HJ Books: http://www.crosswalk.com/newsletters-only/live-it/build-bridges-of-love-to-muslims-887554.html Preparedness for Emergency: http://laemergencypreparednessfoundation.org/index.htm Black History Month and Pleurality: http://www.scinterfaith.org/ http://www.scinterfaith.org/programs/community-programs/ Mayor stands with Students and Global Unity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfjGI4niiME Vision of LA as a Global City welcoming the Olympics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=150sdDsTrmk Population statistics: http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/06 http://www.city-data.com/city/Culver-City-California.html https://duckduckgo.com/?q=demographics+of+california+in+2016&t=ffab&ia=web Sanctuary Citieswhat does that mean?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHyxB6RYy0c Seattle's Mission: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFvWpSemmno Boston's take on new America: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n4bDLyaFuc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GsD6J9LonA Other Leaders: http://www.christianpost.com/news/trump-refugee-ban-at-odds-with-the-gospel-says-megachurch-pastor-30-percent-immigrant-church-174327/ Don't Laugh at Me.It takes courage to face the fear and become someone's friend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbwS9qcpi0k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVjbo8dW9c8 Equality Ad has 8 million views: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6u10YPk_34 http://wgntv.com/2017/02/06/audi-super-bowl-commercial-daughter-touts-equal-pay The Scottish agricultural sector has stressed how important profitability, innovation and collaboration are for the industry to grow. In his address to NFU Scotlands Annual General Meeting, President Allan Bowie told a packed room in Glasgow today (Monday 6 February) that the skills and expertise of young farmers and crofters and those looking to enter the industry are the DNA of the industry. Mr Bowie said their enthusiasm must be embraced as they will shape the industry for future generations. He said that Brexit creates an opportunity like never before, but 'common sense' and 'pragmatism' is needed to make it work. Speaking this morning, Mr Bowie said: Brexit provides us with the chance to shape and influence a new agricultural policy, one which is designed to work for modern-day Scottish farmers and crofters. And NFU Scotland is even stronger in its commitment to make this opportunity work for many generations to come. Our industry is made up of people from different sectors, backgrounds, genders and ages, and thats what makes it so special. Our young people and those starting up in farming and crofting are the DNA of our industry. They provide a future for Scottish agriculture. We have lobbied for, and supported generations before them and we will continue to support them in their aspirations and visions for their businesses for the future. Mr Bowie said the Union welcomes the UK Governments ambitions to be an 'open and strong' trading nation. He said: However, we need far more detail about how the agricultural sector will be represented in the negotiations now that we are to leave the Single Market and the Customs Union. There are opportunities available, but UK Government needs to be aware of the danger of tariffs and barriers to trade and the decimating impact this could have on different sectors of the agricultural industry if we are unable to secure a decent Free Trade Agreement with the EU. 19 sheep have been stolen from a farm in Newtownabbey, County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Police are appealing for information after it was reported that the sheep had been taken from Sealstown Road area of Newtownabbey last week. Local policing team inspector, Inspector Buchanan, said: Nineteen Suffolk/Cheviot sheep and one pedigree ram were taken some time between 8.45am on February 1st and 8.45am the following day (February 2nd). If you saw anything suspicious or can help police with their enquiries please call the 101 number quoting reference number 499 of 2.2.17. Alternatively information about crime can be passed via the independent Crimestoppers number on 0800 555 111. Sheep rustling is a major problem for some rural areas of the UK. Last week, 52 sheep were found in a field in Somerset after being stolen and kept in poor condition. Officers said the thieves could have transported the animals more than 300 miles. National Pig Association (NPA) has been asked to give evidence to MPs about the prospect of labour shortages in the agricultural sector. The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee, chaired by Devon MP Neil Parish is holding two evidence sessions on the topic on Wednesday (February 8). NPA chief executive Zoe Davies will appear in the first one at 2.30pm alongside representatives from the British Meat Processors Association and the Horticultural Trades Association. The sessions will cover what is currently happening in the labour market, as the weaker pound makes it harder to attract EU labour, and the likely impact of Brexit on the future availability of EU labour. Access to EU labour An NPA survey showed 58 per cent of businesses across the pig supply chain employed at least one migrant worker, while nearly half would not survive or would be forced to make changes to how they operated without migrant labour. NPA chairman Richard Lister has joined forces with the poultry sector to warn Immigration Minister Robert Goodwill that the nations ability to produce food would be undermined by a lack of access to EU labour. And following Prime Minister Theresa May's recent Brexit speech in January, the NPA issued a press release in which Dr Davies stressed: Without EU labour there will be no British pig industry as we know it." Defra Secretary Andrea Leadsom suggested at the recent Oxford Farming Conference that the Government would consider introducing seasonal migrant worker schemes for the agricultural sector. But the NPA is continuing to press for schemes that would provide continued access to permanent workers, both skilled and unskilled, who want to live and work in the UK. Red Tractor pig producers will be required to use the electronic medicine book (e-MB) to record the total collated antibiotics they administer to their herds every three months. The pig industry has shown its support for the move which will help the sector better demonstrate how producers are reducing usage. Robust data will also help RUMAs (Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance) Targets Task Force (TTF) to propose realistic reduction targets for the sector as national usage figures for UK pig holdings do not currently exist. The e-MB is a website platform developed by AHDB Pork to record collated data on antibiotic usage in the pig sector. Red Tractor-assured farms already record all medicines that are administered, but until now the e-MB has been optional. 'As little as possible' Red Tractors sector chairman for pigs, Mike Sheldon, said: Red Tractor farmers currently administer antibiotics as little as possible but as much as is required. The e-MB will provide that data to demonstrate this point to government and its agencies. During the recent Red Tractor standards consultation we asked the whole industry for their comments and have received overwhelming support from retailers, trade associations and animal welfare groups. We appreciate that this will be new to most producers but electronic data will help the pig industry to play its part in tackling antimicrobial resistance an issue which affects all livestock farmers. From November producers must have data from the previous two quarters uploaded to the e-MB on the total amount of antibiotics used, including in feed. Thereafter, it must be collated and uploaded on a quarterly basis. Producers must start preparation for compliance with the new standards immediately. They are required to upload their antibiotic use for quarter two 1 April to 30 June and quarter three 1 July to 30 September 6 by 1 November 2017 to ensure compliance with the Red Tractor scheme. 'Very important step forward' National Pig Association (NPA) chief executive Zoe Davies said: This is a very important step forward for the pig industry. Collection and collation of on-farm antibiotic usage data is a key commitment of the NPAs Antibiotic Stewardship programme. We are proud of how the pig industry is stepping up to the challenge and taking this big leap forward to demonstrate responsible use of antibiotics and reduce and refine usage where necessary. RUMA secretary general, John FitzGerald, said: This will provide valuable data for farmers managing their antibiotic use and the RUMA TTF. Indeed, as the TTF is required to complete its work in 2017 it would be very helpful if Red Tractor pig farmers used the e-MB as soon as they can. Scottish farmers converting to organic farming may be eligible for financial support from 31st of March, the Scottish government has said. Soil Association Scotland can certify organic farmers, and are currently welcoming applications with a new support package for farmers interested in converting to organic and competitive certification fees. "It is a great time to consider organic," said David Michie, head of agricultural development at Soil Association Scotland. "The organic market is growing, the Organic Trade Board are just about to launch a big media campaign that will further boost sales and the Scottish government has recognised the importance of organic agriculture with its support for the Organic Action Plan Organic Ambitions. "Our team in Scotland is at the end of the phone, and we can help with supporting documentation required for funding applications. The organic market remains in sustained growth. Last year, according to figures released by the Scottish government, 57.8 million was spent on organic food and drink in Scotland (0.6% of total grocery spend to September 2016), this was up 11.7% from the previous year (according to figures from Kantar Worldpanel). Support for organic farming includes two Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) options: Organic Farming Conversion and Organic Farming Maintenance. Soil Association Certification is the leading organic certifier in the UK, certifying over 70% of the market. US pork industry leaders have 'applauded' the Trump administration for seeking closer trade relations with the UK, backed by a plea for talks between the two countries to begin as soon as possible. We applaud the Trump administration for recognising the importance of free trade agreements to American agriculture and the entire US economy, said National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) president, John Weber, a pork producer himself from Dysart, Iowa. Were pleased that it will work for a stronger trade relationship with the UK through a mutually beneficial trade agreement. The US appears to be top of Prime Minister Theresa Mays wish list for a trade deal, after she met Mr Trump. The danger, however, is that new trade deals with the US and other big pork exporters would be used by the respective meat industries to try and lower both tariff and non-tariff barriers to exports to the UK. The latter currently prevent pork imports produced in ways banned in the EU, such as use of ractopamine, a feed additive to promote leanness in meat, antibiotics for growth promotion and sow stalls. The National Pig Association has called for the Government to insist on equivalent standards on imported pigmeat and, if necessary, to grant pork-protected status, to prevent the domestic market being swamped by cheaper, lower-standard imports. Union leaders in Wales are hoping that dairy farmers will 'club together' in the form of Dairy Producer Organisations (DPO) to negotiate better prices for their milk. A DPO is an organisation with one or more aims, formed on the initiative of a group of farmers, usually on small family farms. A DPO's aims can include negotiating contracts for the delivery of raw milk on behalf of its members. Though they are popular throughout Europe, there is only one in England and one in Scotland. They must be formed from a minimum of 10 dairy producers (all of them must be separate legal entities) in the European Union (EU) or produce 6 million litres a year (2 producers needed) or both. Aled Jones, chairman of NFU Cymru's dairy board, told the BBC: "At the moment we deal on an individual basis with the processor but I think long term we are far stronger if we speak with one voice and have that cooperation and attitude of mind. "Nearly half of Welsh milk is carted out of Wales to be processed and that puts us in a weak position. We saw that last year when there was an oversupply of milk and farmers in West Wales were in danger of not having a buyer for their milk. "Looking forward we must try and attract new investment or increased processing in Wales. And obviously, to do that you need to work in a professional manner." 'Transparency and efficiency' DPO's have the potential to optimise production costs and operating margins through shared knowledge. Members of the Milk Supply Association (MSA) agreed to complete the process of registering with the Rural Payments Agency to form the first EU Dairy Producer Organisation (DPO) in Scotland in 2015. James Graham, Chief Executive of SAOS said: "Dairy POs were introduced to improve both transparency and efficiency in the supply chain. "Dairy farmers and milk processors are entirely inter-dependent and the formation of a PO enables a properly functioning interface amongst them. I expect to see several more follow the MSAs example, and I hope their move provides strong encouragement." Scottish MEP and agriculture committee member Alyn Smith said: "The EU Milk Package states that member states must recognise producer organisations for the planning of production and co-ordination of supply. "Formed by producers, a producer organisation can optimise production costs, stabilise producer prices, and respond faster to changes in the market. For example, Fresh Growers brought Chantenay carrots back to the UK and now supplies more than 90% of the domestic Chantenay market. "Farmers have traditionally eschewed collective action but attitudes have to change in this world of the modern supply chain and the retail juggernauts. "I hope to see more DPOs popping up all over Scotland to counter the imbalance of power in the food supply chain, and I will do everything I can to support them in the European Parliament and at home." TransCanada (TRP 1.99%) is already one of North America's largest energy infrastructure companies. However, thanks to a massive backlog of capital projects, it should only grow bigger in the coming years. In fact, the Canadian pipeline behemoth has 26 billion Canadian dollars' worth of projects under development with another CA$45 billion of commercially secured projects waiting in the wings. That said, the company's home country of Canada is just one of three geographies where it has compelling opportunities to expand. Viva Mexico Several of TransCanada's peers, including Energy Transfer Partners (ETP), are building natural gas pipelines to the U.S. border with Mexico, which is becoming an important destination for U.S. gas exports. For example, Energy Transfer and two partners are building the Trans-Pecos and Comanche Trail Pipelines to move gas from Texas' Permian Basin to the border. However, TransCanada is taking things a step further by investing in building gas pipelines in Mexico. In fact, it will have invested $5 billion in Mexico by the end of next year. Once complete, these projects will grow TransCanada's annual earnings from its Mexican assets from $181 million in 2015 to $575 million. The largest project in that pipeline is the Sur De Texas project with Sempra Energy's (SRE 1.46%) Mexican subsidiary IEnova. TransCanada owns a 60% stake in the joint venture, with Sempra's IEnova holding the other 40% stake, that will build this $2.1 billion natural gas pipeline to supply gas to Mexico's state-owned power company under a 25-year contract. That project is not likely to be the last one TransCanada builds in the country given that U.S. gas exports to Mexico should increase from 3.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/D) last year to 5.8 Bcf/D over the next decade. Energizing America Last March, TransCanada spent $13 billion to acquire U.S. natural gas pipeline company Columbia Pipeline Group. That deal accomplished several goals. First, it provided TransCanada with a large-scale position in America's fastest-growing shale gas plays, enhancing the company's network of gas pipelines. Second, it boosted TransCanada's earnings from fee-based assets up to 92% of EBITDA, which should reduce future cash flow volatility. Finally, Columbia brought with it a significant expansion opportunity as it had already amassed $7.3 billion of commercially secured projects, which nearly doubled TransCanada's near-term project backlog. In addition to these U.S. natural gas pipeline projects already under development, TransCanada recently applied for a presidential permit for approval to build its Keystone XL pipeline. The controversial oil sands pipeline was rejected by the Obama administration in 2015, due to environmental concerns. However, the Trump administration is seeking to revive the multibillion project in order to enhance America's energy security and create jobs. While the new president's support does not guarantee its approval, it does make the project more likely to move forward. Plenty of growth in the homeland While TransCanada's growth spans the continent, the company has several opportunities to grow in its home country over the next decade. In the near term, the company is working on CA$10.9 billion of projects, with half of the spending earmarked for expansions of its NGTL System, which is the leading natural gas pipeline system in Western Canada. In addition to that, the company also has several projects to expand its liquids pipelines and power assets. In the longer term, TransCanada has three transformational projects in Canada that could significantly grow earnings. Topping that list is the CA$15.7 billion Energy East pipeline and related CA$2 billion Eastern Mainline Expansion. This pipeline would move oil from the oil sands region in the western part of the country to refineries and export facilities in the eastern portion of the country. However, the company initially proposed this project as opposition increased against the Keystone XL pipeline. As such, it is possible that TransCanada could hold off on this project should it get the go-ahead to build Keystone XL, especially since Energy East has turned out to be just as controversial. In addition to Energy East, TransCanada has two large-scale gas pipeline projects under consideration that would move gas from shale plays in the west to proposed export facilities along the West Coast. Both the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission and Coastal GasLink project would cost about CA$5 billion apiece to build. However, both are on hold until natural gas export projects along the West Coast win final approval. Investor takeaway What's unique about TransCanada is that its growth stretches across North America. The company is concurrently taking advantage of opportunities to increase Mexico's access to natural gas, pursuing both gas and oil pipeline opportunities in the U.S., and still investing billions in its home country. These investments are expected to literally pay big dividends down the road, with TransCanada expecting them to fuel 8% to 10% annual dividend growth through at least 2020. The German had to withdraw from Nations Cup section of the event last month in Miami, Florida, after losing control of his three-wheeled Polaris Slingshot machine and flipping violently into the barriers. Pascal Wehrlein is still undergoing medical examinations for injuries sustained in a scary crash at this year's Race of Champions, Sauber have confirmed. This feature is currently not available because you need to provide consent to functional cookies. Please update your cookie preferences With the first of this year's two pre-season tests set to begin on Febraury 27, Sauber have confirmed that Wehrlein's fitness is still being assessed - although they described media reports that he could be forced to sit out as 'pure speculation'. "Current rumours about Pascal Wehrlein in the media: The medical examinations are still ongoing," Sauber said on Twitter. "Therefore, the reports are pure speculations. We will provide information in due time." This year will be Wehrlein's first with Sauber, the German having transferred from Manor to partner Marcus Ericsson at the Swiss team in 2017. An episode of Jamie and Jimmys Friday Night Feast on Channel 4 a fortnight ago drew sharp criticism from farmers for turning consumers against housed dairy herds. The reputation of the dairy industry has long been dogged by misinformation so what are the facts? Farmers Weekly asked Jude Capper, a livestock sustainability consultant, Emily Norton, partner in family dairy farm and Neil Baker, a farm manager, to separate some of the most common myths from the facts. See also: Jamie Oliver and Jimmy Doherty comments fuel free-range milk debate UK farming has some of the highest standards of animal welfare and production in the world, and dairy is no exception. Farmers Weekly debunks 13 of the most widely shared myths about dairy farming and milk production, by asking three dairy experts to separate fact from fantasy. The panel Emily Norton (EN), partner in family dairy farm with a BSc in sustainable agriculture from Harper Adams University (HAU). Jude Capper (JC), livestock sustainability consultant, PhD in ruminant nutrition and behaviour from HAU. Neil Baker (NB), farm manager at Bakers of Haselbury Plucknett, near Crewkerne in Somerset, 1,750-cow herd, milking 49,000 litres/day 1. Myth: Cows locked up all-year are less happy and more likely to develop lameness and mastitis JC Scientifically, we are not really able to quantify cow happiness although we can measure indicators of stress, disease and contentment in dairy systems which give us good insights into individual and group cow welfare. Housed cattle are able to exhibit all natural behaviours save for grazing within an environment that protects them from inclement weather (too hot, too cold, too wet or windy). A cow is not automatically going to have better or poorer welfare because it is in a large versus small herd or a confined versus grazed system Jude Capper, livestock sustainability consultant While it is true cattle will often exhibit frolicking behaviours which could be interpreted as happy when first turned out to pasture, they will also queue to come into the shed when it is cold, wet or windy. A recent report by the European Food Safety Authority concluded the impact of disease on an individual animals welfare state does not depend on herd size or production system. A cow is not automatically going to have better or poorer welfare because it is in a large versus small herd or a confined versus grazed system. Science shows the risk of some diseases are higher with particular management practices, for example, increased time standing on concrete is associated with greater lameness incidence and cattle grazing pasture may be at greater risk of hypomagnesaemia and/or acidosis. However, these types of disease may be prevented by improved management practices and the considerable variation in incidence across farms shows they are not endemic to one particular system. EN Pressure on farms from low milk prices is probably the biggest risk to animal welfare if decisions to upgrade housing and equipment are postponed. Investment is vital to prevent welfare problems happening whatever the system. Back to the 13 myths 2. Myth: Taking calves from their mothers is harmful JC Activist groups are highly skilled at creating contentious messages which resonate with consumers and the suggestion calves are forcibly removed from the cow (with the cow often cited as bellowing for days afterwards) is a popular anti-dairy message. Maternal ability is a desirable trait in beef cows (which often calve outside or unsupervised) but has been neglected to some degree in dairy breeding programs. Therefore, contrary to popular belief, not all cows are interested in caring for the calf during the first crucial 24 hours of life. Despite the controversial nature of the practice, long-term studies have shown separation from the cow does not affect social behaviours or growth of young calves Jude Capper, livestock sustainability consultant In the majority of systems, dairy calves are removed to ensure the calf has been cleaned and dried, the umbilical cord treated, and given colostrum containing nutrients and antibodies vital for health. Despite the controversial nature of the practice, long-term studies have shown separation from the cow does not affect social behaviours or growth of young calves. Back to the 13 myths 3. Myth: The dairy industry is damaging to the environment JC Every food we eat has an impact on resource use, greenhouse gas emissions and air, water and soil quality. These impacts may be positive or negative, but are not confined to meat and dairy products. Most developed dairy industries worldwide have improved productivity and efficiency over the past century, reducing the quantity of resources used and greenhouse gas produced per kilogram of milk. Indeed, the carbon footprint of British liquid milk is 1.17kg carbon dioxide/kg [PDF] lower than the footprint of processed fruit and vegetables, grains or meat. We need more research when comparing with other foods. However, a recent Swedish study showed we need to consider the nutritional value of the food produced or how much nutritional bang we get for our carbon buck. It is nearly always a question of scale, and the ability of human ingenuity to mitigate adverse consequences Emily Norton, dairy-farming partner Compared with alternative beverages such as soy juice, oat drink or beer, milk had a far higher ratio of nutrients provided per kilogram of carbon emissions, demonstrating we cant simply rely on one metric (for example, carbon footprint) to identify environmentally friendly foods. EN Dairy farming based on self-sufficient consumption and recycling of nutrients locally, particularly as part of a broader arable rotation using crops and resources that humans cannot directly consume, is actually environmentally beneficial. It is nearly always a question of scale, and the ability of human ingenuity to mitigate adverse consequences, such as setting off methane emissions against carbon sequestration in grazing meadows, or processing slurry to recover nutrients or energy via anaerobic digestion. Back to the 13 myths 4. Myth: Farmers hate their cows and are cruel to them JC I have yet to visit any dairy farm I would describe as a factory farm. Dairy farmers care for their cows, both because they are the foundation of their farm operation and because its simply the right thing to do. Are all dairy farmers paragons of virtue who never have a cross moment and greet every set-back with a happy smile? No. Are there any dairy farmers who dont enjoy their job to the extent that it would be better for them and the cows if they ceased to farm? Unfortunately, yes. We have a duty to the industry to identify and improve or remove the small proportion of producers or workers who do not treat their animals fairly and with compassion Jude Capper, livestock sustainability consultant Yet this is no different to any other profession we cant pretend every teacher, doctor, mechanic and supermarket cashier is happy, fulfilled and treats their fellow workers or employees well. We have a duty to the industry to identify and improve or remove the small proportion of producers or workers who do not treat their animals fairly and with compassion, not least because this damages the reputation of every dairy farmer. However, we need to remember good dairy cow welfare does not mean every practice on a dairy farm would be regarded as cruelty free to the untrained eye. The average consumer has little agriculture knowledge and therefore cannot immediately understand the rationale for practices such as forcing a cow to her feet or dehorning calves, even when the short- or long-term health or welfare implications make it necessary. We face a dual challenge to educate the general public about farming practices, while maintaining farming systems where we would not be ashamed or troubled by a consumer walking on to the farm on any given day. EN I would suggest anyone who still gets up day in and day out to work with dairy cows despite the enormous challenges the industry has faced over the past 15 years must be insane or in love Given the level of commitment it takes to be a dairy farmer, Id say the latter was more likely. Back to the 13 myths 5. The myth: Cows compete with humans for food Activist groups often cite the quantity of feed or land used by cattle production as evidence we should not consume beef or dairy products, suggesting we could feed far more people if we grew human food crops to provide a vegetarian or vegan diet. This is logical if we accept the assumption that billions of people would be willing to eliminate meat and dairy products from their diet, which is debatable. However, recent research showed an entirely vegan diet reduced the number of people that could be fed from one hectare of land, because grazing and perennial cropland that would usually be used for grazing or livestock feed could not be used to generate food. The capability of cattle to graze on pasture and turn forages and by-product feeds we humans cannot or will not eat into high-quality dairy and beef should not be underestimated. Indeed, because of their reliance on pasture and forage crops, dairy and suckler beef cattle produce more human-edible protein than they ever consume definitively not competing with humans for food production. Back to the 13 myths 6. Myth: Male dairy cows are shot on farm NB Yes, a lot do get shot, but I think its a small percentage and we can reduce these numbers further by improving sexed semen. If we can construct the supply chains that need Holstein beef there are good returns available, the company which takes ours has a really good route to market that is now totally dependent on dairy-bred beef. They also say the beef quality is as good as any other breed. Back to the 13 myths 7. The myth: Cow hormones in milk are damaging to human health JC Every food that we eat contains hormones and cow milk is no exception. However, we need to examine whether the types or concentrations of hormones in milk and other dairy products are sufficient to have a biological impact on human health. In countries (such as the US) which permit the use of bovine growth hormone (recombinant bovine somatotropin or rbST) in dairy cattle, there is no measurable increase in the concentration of rbST within the milk of supplemented cows and somatotropin itself is a bovine-specific protein hormone. Hormones that are bovine-specific do not have biological effects in other species as we lack the appropriate receptors for the hormone to bind to effectively we dont have a cellular lock the hormone key will fit. Moreover, when we consume protein hormones they are broken down within the digestive system into their component amino acids (the reason why insulin has to be injected) and therefore have no biological effect. Milk contains steroid hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone, which, unlike protein hormones, arent broken down in the gastrointestinal tract. Many anti-dairy groups try to correlate global trends in childhood obesity, reduced age at puberty, and diabetes or cancer incidence to consumption of these hormones through dairy foods, despite scientific evidence to the contrary. We cant dismiss consumer concerns about hormones, but when we put them into context, we can help to alleviate them Jude Capper, livestock sustainability consultant Furthermore, milk consumption has declined per capita over time if we could correlate dairy hormone intake with health issues we would expect to see a decline rather than an increase over the past decades. It is crucial to note the concentration of steroid hormones within dairy products are low for example, ice-cream contains 611 nanograms of oestrogen. If we put it into context and compare to the contraceptive pill, which contains ~35,000 nanograms of oestrogen, the average woman would have to eat 5.7kg of ice-cream every day to equal the same amount of oestrogen as she gets from one pill. We cant dismiss consumer concerns about hormones, but when we put them into context, we can help to alleviate them. Back to the 13 myths Computer hackers have attacked a website belonging to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. The AHDB Beef and Lamb online news centre is believed to have been hacked late on Sunday or early Monday (5-6 February). See also: Livestock experts needed for AHDB The hackers posted a picture of the Kurdish flag and the anti-Islamic State message: F**k ISIS. The message said the site had been hacked by MuhmadEmad followed by the slogan Long Live to Peshmarga Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq. The AHDB said it was investigating the security breach. The rogue message has been removed. An AHDB spokesman said no sensitive data or personal information was accessible from the website. The spokesman added: We were one of thousands [of websites] attacked yesterday by this hacker. It was random selection rather than specifically targeted. The targeted websites all used the same content management system, said the AHDB spokesman. That was the selection criteria rather than website content, he said. The offending item was taken down this morning and we have temporarily now taken the site down as thorough checks are carried out, and while all access details, which are already encrypted, are changed. There is no sensitive information of any kind accessible form the site. We are doing our best to get things up and running and apologise for any inconvenience caused. The longer term strategy was for all AHDB websites to be managed in-house on the same content management system, said the spokesman. This will give us additional layers of security, he said. Haiti - FLASH : Pre-Carnival festivities for children The mayor of Port-au-Prince, Ralph Yuri Chevry, informs the general public that during the pre-carnival festivities of this Sunday, February 5, 2017, traffic will be banned from the Chretien lane to Chemin des Dalles from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm to carry out activities for children. The Municipal Administration of Port-au-Prince already thanks the population for their understanding and contribution to the success of these activities. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Education : Recruitment of teachers, denial of the Ministry Faced with the allegations made by certain leaders of trade unions and others in the education sector suggesting that the Ministry of National Education has made several appointments of teachers in the public sector in recent months, the Ministry wishes to make a formal denial of these statements without any foundation. The Ministry wishes to draw to the attention of all that the Administration has not appointed a teacher since the inauguration of Minister Jean Beauvois Dorsonne at the end of March 2016 due to the absence of expected budgetary provisions and liabilities linked to all the cases of appointment of teaching and administrative staff overdue for several years. Moreover, the Ministry specifies that the Minister Dorsonne did not benefit from any delegation of the Prime Minister to proceed in this way. The Ministry's choice not to make appointments without ensuring the necessary budgetary resources, responds to a concern for good governance in order to not aggravate the situation. The Ministry is concerned about the real motivations of those who circulate these false information deliberately. HL/ HaitiLibre Prohibitory orders were clamped in the town after communal tension following stone pelting at a Masjid on Friday. Situation was reported to be tense but under control till filing of the report. No one has been arrested so far and the police did not disclose the number of injured. As per the police, people of a particular community took out a rally and staged protest against the suicide by girl after harassment by youths of another community. During the protest, they pelted stones at masjid. This led communal tension. Many were stone pelting. Police swung into action and imposed Section 144 in entire city. A class 11 girl committed suicide due to continuous eve teasing. She hanged herself on Wednesday. The girl student was distressed by eve-teasing while her father made a complaint against the boys Salman and Farooq. They were sent to jail but few days later they were released from jail, and again they started harassing the girl. It was very difficult for her to go to the school. Victim father again made a complaint in police station on 18 November 18, 2016, then accused made the pressure for compromise and also threatened to kill them. Police have arrested seven accused under section 306, 34 and registered a case against ten people. Section 306 reads abetment of suicide. Harda SP AP Singh said, People of a particular community had staged protest against suicide of girl due to harassment by youth of other community. During protest, they pelted stone at masjid and then their protest led to communal tension. At present, situation is tense but under control. Source : Free Press Journal The irony was stark. In mid-January, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted her opposition to the date of the Union Budget, citing Saraswati Puja. But when the puja actually happened, several schools across Bengal, including a few situated just a stones throw away from her administration in Kolkata, were forced to cancel the festivities fearing reprisals from Islamist groups. The reason: they reportedly wanted Prophet Muhammads birthday to be celebrated first. This was allegedly a precondition set by the Rajarhat Imam Council. Rajarhat is a newly built township, which is less than 10 km from Kolkata. Schools that opposed the Rajarhat diktat saw posters on school walls asking to celebrate, complete with the date and time of the event. Welcome to the new Bengal, were hallowed secular institutions, including schools, are facing increasing interference from the Islamist radicals, even as the states ruling party shamelessly passes the buck or opts for outright denial. This (Islamic interference) is not only limited to Rajarhat, says Sourish Mukherjee, media in-charge of Vishwa Hindu Parishads Bengal unit. This has been happening in Tehatta where schools are not allowed to open for weeks due to refusal to celebrate Nabi Dibas (Prophets birthday), he says. The situation is graver in border districts where religious fanaticism is allowed to play havoc more easily. Can you imagine us demanding Saraswati Puja in a madrassa? Its exactly like that, says Mukherjee. Similar threats were faced by a high school in Tehatta in Nadia district. Only this time, both the sides are rigid. After the school authority firmly refused to allow Nabi Dibas celebration, the school was shut down for 26 days in a row. Though district school observers ordered the school to be reopened, a local Muslim leader, Qasim Siddiqui upped the ante with his followers and refused the re-opening. A video available with Mail Today, whose authenticity could not immediately be verified, shows Siddiqui telling a large gathering that he would not negotiate. Meanwhile, the school president wrote a letter to the local police, a copy of which is in possession of Mail Today, in which he has urged the law enforcement agencies to take corrective actions to prevent a possible communal flare up. Following this, the school was opened briefly, but was closed again to avoid clashes over Saraswati Puja celebrations. A protest march led by students and residents of the area, carrying a 3-ft tall idol of Goddess Saraswati, meanwhile, turned violent and the police had to resort to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. The school currently remains shut, and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel deployed in nearby areas. The school principal has tendered his resignation and its not just about Rajarhat or Tehatta. Schools in Jangipara area of Hooghly district also face similar problems, as the local residents claim that the schools have not been allowed to celebrate Sarawati Puja for some years now, mainly due to opposition from the fundamentalist forces. A school that refused to celebrate Nabi Dibas has allegedly received threats, which was followed by verbal spat between two groups. The school was forced to remain closed for a day to avoid communal tension. Talking to Mail Today, senior sources in West Bengal police confirmed the security threat which these schools are facing from fringe elements. But how can fundamentalist outfits hold entire school administrations to ransom? The Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Mail Today approached were either terse in their response or feigned complete ignorance of any such radicalisation efforts. No, I havent heard of any such thing. I am not aware, says Sougata Roy, TMC spokesperson. TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy also responded in a similar fashion. I dont know. Ask the state politicians for such issues. So we contacted Shishir Adhikari who is lately spending more time in the state. He put the ball back in the court of central leadership. Interestingly, these statements of ignorance are akin to how Banerjee herself described the infamous Park Street rape as shajano ghotona (cooked up story) or more recently, the Dhulagarh Riots as wrong information. It may be noted that a charge sheet was filed against the main accused in the Park Street rape case, last year, while this year, the Calcutta High Court asked Mamata Banerjee government to file an affidavit on actions taken on the Dhulagarh Riot. However, CM Mamata continues to be dismissive and claims that both the cases never took place. Sidhharth Nath Singh, BJP leader, calls it a worrisome situation in West Bengal. Locket Chatterjee, a Bengali TV actress who recently joined BJP explains what the worry factor is. The appeasement policy of TMC is to be blamed for this. The ground reality in West Bengal is very serious, says Chatterjee. We could never imagine that students could be beaten black and blue, only for asking for Saraswati Puja celebrations. Needless to say, the situation in border districts where Jamat-e-Islami Hind has taken over are worse, she says. Jamat-e-Islami Hind, an outfit that has been previously banned by the Central government, has been distributing theological books on Islam and Prophet Muhammed in government schools. When contacted, its Bengal president Mohammad Nooruddin confirmed the book distribution and added that it was a part of its campaign from December 9 to December 23. Yes we have been distributing books on Prophet Muhammad. We distributed the books in almost all schools, be it government or otherwise, says Nooruddin. The phenomenon is even more open and brazen along the Indo-Bangla border districts such as Murshidabad, Nadia, Malda and Birbhum, where a lot of Jamat-e- Islami leaders from Bangladesh side have a strong presence. What is alarming is the systematic Islamic intrusion in all the secular institutions and curriculum, says Babul Supriyo, Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises and the face of Bengal BJP. What happened at Kaliachak, Dhulagarh and Tehatta are dangerous, but whats more worrying is the governments action or inaction is based on selective acknowledgement of the incidents, adds Supriyo HinduPost Comment What is happening in West Bengal, Kerala and West UP today, and the silence of our establishment left-liberal intellectuals, academics and media over these disturbing developments, is a stark portrayal of the anti-Hindu negationism that has been mainstream since Independence. Whether it is Islamists or Marxists their number 1 target is the Hindu identity of this nation. The secular namesake Hindu politicians and Lutyens elites dont mind pandering to these anti-Hindu fanatics as long as their plush lifestyles and loot of public money continues unhindered. What is most worrying is the de-Hinduization of ordinary Hindus, achieved mainly by a distorted education system and leftist intellectual fascism, that makes them unaware of the overall agenda of these dangerous forces. The sad reality is that a Hindu living in UP/Karnataka etc still does not know the reality of what Hindus in WB are facing, and neither is any leader boldly making these facts known to all and sundry. We are still hesitant to assert the basic fact that the soul of Bharat is Hindu Hindu Dharma is the foundation of our civilization. When Western nations like USA, UK and Germany proudly assert their Judeo-Christian roots, all Muslim nations assert their allegiance to Islam, a Thailand or Myanmar proudly claim Buddhist roots, and Israel calls itself the homeland of Jews, why are Hindus not able to state that Bharat is first and foremost their homeland? People of all faiths have been welcome in Bharat since time immemorial, but that hospitality can only be extended when the indigenous Hindu traditions of the land are respected. Unless the situation is reversed soon, we are inexorably heading towards the repeat of Kashmir 1990 the exoduses from Kairana and villages in border districts of West Bengal are no aberrations, but part of a larger trend. Source : Hindupost (Original article taken from Dailymail) The withdrawal of $1 billion from the banking system of Moldova turned out to be a great shock to the world public and the story is coming to its logical end. The beneficiary party, their accounts and other assets, as well as the schemes of their crime are revealed. In the early 2016 the information about Vladimir Plahotniuc's companies withdrawing the funds from Moldova came from the ex-employees of Moldova's National Anticorruption Center. But the significant breakthrough in the investigation of 'the robbery of the century' was achieved only after the foreign experts and law enforcement officials joined the case. According to the inquiry of the international company Kroll, formed by the former veterans of the public prosecution bodies, police, FBI and NSA, with the experience in solving crimes where high officials are involved, it became possible to sensitize the government agencies of Europe and America. At the moment the process of arresting Plahotniuc's luxury mansion on the lakeside of Lake Geneva near the city of Sciez in France, is underway. Moreover, the rest of Plahotniuc's and his accomplice and Moldavian millionaire Ilan Shor's external assets will be also arrested. Plahotniuc, on his part, tries to neutralize all eyewitnesses of his 'robbery of the century' crime with the help of Moldova's low enforcement agencies that stay under his control. This way, right after the beginning of cooperation with the crime investigation team and proving the evidences against Plahotniuc and Shor, the criminal cases were initiated against the former Moldavian official Sergiu Cibotari, activists of the Red Bloc opposition party and its leader Gregory Petrenko and businessman Veaceslav Platon. The actions of the Office of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Moldova and the Supreme Court of Justice of Moldova prevent the testimony and legal investigation of the $1 billion crime. It is worth noting that Plahotniuc's and Shor's attempts to interfere in the investigation turned both the witnesses and lawyers into defendants. Among them Anna Ursaki, a lawyer, previously repeatedly took the high-profile cases of Plahotniuc's partners and also gave protection to the politicians and businessmen who had crossed Plahotniuc's path. On the 3rd of November 2016 Uraski appeared on the list and became the object of discredit. The Office of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Moldova suspects her to have implication in a murder of a woman that took place 19 years ago. As the result of illegal search of Anna Ursaki's residence, during her absence on 21 of November 2016, a computer, notebook and two tablets were seized in an attempt to find Plahotniuc's case evidences in her possession. According to Ursaki, there were no clues, but the information about the details of search 'not being disclosed in the interests of investigation' emerged in the media just a few hours later after the end of search. And now giving publicity to the conversations between politicians, businessmen and activists with Ursaki on the 'robbery of the century' case could be another lever of pressure on the witnesses. Certainly, the mentioned violations couldn't go under the radar of the international authorities. The Amnesty International and the Open Dialog Foundation initiated their own investigations on the violation of human rights. Germany's ambassador to Moldova Ulrike Knotz, Bundestag deputy Frank Schwabe, deputy of Polish Sejm Kornelia Wroblewska, as well as some other members of the Bundestag and Europarliament, in the letter to their Moldavian counterparts expressed their deep concern about placing pressure on the witnesses and activists. As the result, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the 25 of January 2017 accepted the declaration No. 623 which says that 'Politically motivated trials were initiated against Vyacheslav Platon-Kobalyev, a key witness in the case against Plahotniuc on charges of embezzlement of $1 billion from reserves of the Moldova's National Bank; or Sergiu Cibotari, an ex-employee of the Post of Moldova and a key witness in a criminal case against Plahotniuc's allies. We hereby call on the Moldovan authorities to immediately stop the reprisals, and remind that human rights and democracy situation in Moldova is closely monitored by the Council of Europe.' It means that lawlessness in Moldova passed the point of no return in the case of $1 stolen billion. In spite of efforts of the Moldavian corruptionists, the guilty verdict and imposition of sentence for Plahotniuc is just a matter of time. And ignoring the representatives of international institutions and connivance of the Moldavian authorities towards state departments that help the participants of 'the robbery of the century' to avoid responsibility, shows their high corruptness and the real results of anticorruption, judicial and law reforms critical for Moldavia to join the EU. The Instigator of the 'Theft of the Century' from the budget in Moldova Vlad Plahotniuc remains at liberty. Late in 2014, a 'theft of the century' happened in Moldova, and fraudsters stole $1 billion from the banking system of this country. The financial scandal triggered a severe political crisis in Chisinau. Dozens of thousands of people rallied in anti-corruption protests, and former Prime Minister of Moldova Vlad Filat was convicted for financial fraud. But yet, main beneficiaries of this big con trick have not been found. Late in 2014, a 'theft of the century' happened in Moldova, and fraudsters stole $1 billion from the banking system of this country. The financial scandal triggered a severe political crisis in Chisinau. Dozens of thousands of people rallied in anti-corruption protests, and former Prime Minister of Moldova Vlad Filat was convicted for financial fraud. But yet, main beneficiaries of this big con trick have not been found. In Moldova, in the EU and in the USA, the First Deputy Speaker of Moldova's Parliament Vlad Plahotniuc is with good reason considered the principal instigator of the theft of one billion dollars. They also called him the 'grey cardinal' of Moldova's policy. He expertly spins political intrigues, manipulates law bodies and quickly conceals traces of his megabuck schemes. Vlad Plahotniuc is also linked to organization of the murder attempt on banker German Gorbuntsov. An actual perpetrator of the crime Vitalie Proca is in prison in Romania now, and Plahotniuc's minions have tried to put the heat on him for giving a false report of this crime. While Moldovan law enforcers barely know where to start with Plahotniuc, American investigators have heard the testimony of key witnesses and found conclusive evidence of his involvement in the theft. For credible investigation, the USA proposes to freeze assets of Vlad Plahotniuc, also seize his property, namely, an undeclared house of the leader of the Democratic Party of Moldova (DPM) in France. PACE deputies also try to help with investigation of the 'theft of the century' and call upon Moldova to refrain from reprisals against those persons who accuse Plahotniuc of financial fraud . A number of Moldovan activists, journalists and lawyers, who had incriminated the DPM leader, were subjected to persecution, intimidation, physical threats and frivolous prosecutions. For instance, former employee of the state enterprise Posta Moldovei and activist of the oppositionist movement Platforma Demnitate si Adevar Sergiu Cebotari was placed under house arrest the day when he was going to report to Moldova's Parliament data on big con tricks in state-owned enterprises and illegal schemes in this country where Vlad Plahotniuc was a main coordinator. Besides Sergiu Cebotari, Veaceslav Platon, who is under a criminal investigation, stands ready to share information that evidences Vlad Plahotniuc's involvement in the 'theft of the century', but General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Moldova, headed by Plahotniuc's protege, Eduard Harunjen, is interested in putting the whole blame on the very Platon. Also, all the hearings are closed. Investigation of the criminal case of Ilan Shor is being conducted in the same manner. He is suspected in direct withdrawal of funds from Banca De Economy, Banca Sociala and Unibank. All this is done so as to make it as hard as possible to look for stolen funds and let acts of Shor's high-ranking curators go unpunished. Meanwhile, the facts, presented by Veaceslav Platon, Sergey Sagaidak, and Sergiu Cebotari, should become grounds to arrest Plahotniuc for creation of unlawful international association, money laundering, illegal financial business, acts of incitement to illegal reprisals and abuse of authority. Update 5pm. Barnardos has welcomed the Governments Action Plan for Education 2017, which was published this morning, but warned it does not go far enough to address social disadvantages. "We also welcome the Ministers statement that no other area of Government activity has greater capacity to change our country for the better, and the recognition that education can break down the barriers that exist for groups at risk of social exclusion, and can promote social inclusion," June Tinsley, Head of Advocacy, Barnardos, said in a statement. "However, it is unfortunate, given these declarations that the plan does not go far enough to achieve these social ambitions. "For instance, we cannot tackle social disadvantage simply through the DEIS system. We know over 56% of children living in disadvantaged and deprived areas do not attend DEIS schools. Viewing disadvantage through DEIS is far too narrow a lens to achieve real change. The Plan also fails to show any vision in terms of tackling school costs. Creating a more equal system must begin by ensuring all children have what they need to learn." Earlier: Educate Together has welcomed the Minister Brutons updated Action Plan for Education 2017, published this morning In a statement, it said: Most encouraging in the plan is the central role the Department of Education sees that parents have to play in the overall process of delivering change in Irish education. "Also welcome is the inclusion of students in the Charter to be developed. Students perspective and rights should be central to all policy development. Earlier: The government has published its first update of the action plan for education, promising to implement 400 actions this year. The plan - first published last September - aims to make Ireland's education and training system the best in Europe by 2026. Every school will be required to have dedicated time for guidance counselling, reduce costs for parents including for uniforms, and the Minister is promising to publish guidelines for the use of school buildings after hours for childcare. Richard Bruton pictured with a national school pupil at the launch of the action plan for education. Among the headline actions announced as part of todays 2017 plan are: Costs: Publish a strong circular with an emphasis on reducing costs to parents, including school uniform costs. Wellbeing: Every school will be required to have dedicated guidance counselling time available for students. Special Educational Needs: Introduce the new model for allocation of teachers in mainstream schools to support children with SEN; establish a new Inclusion Support Service. Skills: Develop 13 new apprenticeships and 2 new traineeships in 2017; review work experience at post primary; develop innovative responses to address skills shortages in ICT languages and biopharma. After school care provision: Publish guidelines for the use of school buildings out of hours, following engagement with property owners and school authorities. Infrastructure: Complete 46 large-scale building projects; provide 6,000 additional permanent post primary places in 201.7 Technology in education: Implementation of computer science Leaving Cert subject brought forward 12 months to September 2018. Disadvantage: Shortly publish government plan for future supports to tackle educational disadvantage, building on existing DEIS supports, with new schools being phased into DEIS from next September Languages: New foreign languages strategy to outline new languages options and ambitious targets. Third level: New higher education funding model (RGAM) to be in place for 2018 budget; publish policy review to design and implement a multi-annual funding model involving increased Exchequer and employer contributions from 2018. Richard Bruton and Enda Kenny pictured with school pupils at the launch of the action plan for education. The introduction of computer science as a leaving cert subject is to be brought forward by a year to September 2018. Introducing computer science to secondary schools was one of the recommendations made by the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) education review group in its report on improving the teaching of STEM subjects in primary and secondary schools. The new course, which was not originally to begin until 2019, will focus on computational thinking and coding. The authors of the government-commissioned STEM report said the quality of second level education in STEM subjects was essential to ensuring pupils fare better in third-level STEM courses and in the workplace. The Education Minister says he hopes junior cert students in ASTI schools will not lose out on 10% marks for class based assessment. The union's refusing to co-operate with reform of the exam and members rejected a proposed deal on this and a number of other disputes last week. Richard Bruton says: "The State Examination Commission has made clear that the assesment task in the Junior Cycle can be continued to be implemented for every child, there's no reason why every child should not get full access to the State Examination's opportunity." The department also wants to attract more top- level researchers to Ireland. Last week, UCCs new president, Patrick OShea, said one of his key goals was to attract more research funding and international investment to UCC, as the UK leaves the EU. A plan to support disadvantaged schools is also to be introduced, with more schools being given Deis supports, and a school excellence fund will be developed for the sector. Work experience schemes are to be reviewed in secondary schools and 13 new apprenticeships developed. Innovative responses to skills shortages in ICT, languages, and biopharma are to be introduced this year and a strategy developed so that more foreign languages can be introduced in schools, allowing other subjects to be taught through these languages and through Irish. Mohamed Abrini, the "man in the hat" who escaped from Brussels airport just before a deadly suicide attack, has been charged in France over links to the November 13 atrocities in Paris. The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed Abrini was charged on Monday with belonging to a terrorist organisation, complicity in explosives manufacturing and transportation and other allegations linked to the 2015 attacks that left 130 people dead in Paris. At least 107 people have been killed by avalanches caused by heavy snow in different parts of Afghanistan, nearly doubling an earlier death toll estimate of 54. Omer Mohammadi, spokesman for the Afghan state minister for disaster management and humanitarian affairs, said on Monday more than 65 others have been injured and more than 150 homes destroyed by the avalanches. Someone once described the Irish as social chameleons. The ability, no matter what part of the world, to make connections and blend in. Over the past few years, Ireland has made amazing strides to develop its ties through the English-speaking world. It was easier for us to follow the flow of ancestry and make connections with people whose roots came from here. We leveraged our history to create our future. But over the past year, there has been a need for a dramatic rethink of how Irish businesses see their future. Brexit and president Trump have brought a realisation that relying on old connections may not be enough to make the business work in the years to come. Both governments have big challenges ahead. President Trumps highly protectionist policies and Britains Theresa Mays desperation for any sort of trade deal with any country are going to leave them weaker. We have often found safety in the harbour of the English-speaking sphere. It was comfortable for Irish governments to develop those relationships, nothing to get lost in translation. But now we are faced with a new problem. Can we change our colours yet again and find new ways to bring in business? Over the next decade, Irish firms are going to have to do more to develop relationships with countries. That means doing more business with China, and India too. By 2020, it is expected that India will have over 200 million people with middle-class spending salaries. China already has 150 million middle-class earners and that section of the population is expected to skyrocket to over 500 million in the next decade. The focus will be on developing relationships with the most obvious large countries. However, it is the potential of the lesser-known emerging markets which may hold the key to Irish success. For these new relationships to thrive, it means getting over language barriers and pushing into countries which may have seemed unheard of just a few years ago. First up, there is Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. It has emerged from military rule to open up to the global economy. Long-standing economic sanctions on the country have been lifted and its population of 50 million is developing new tastes to match this new openness. Since 2010 the country has been on a track of developing its economy. Economists project 8% annual growth rates through 2020. Economic progress is on track and it is emerging as one of the new economies to watch in the coming years. Bangladesh has long been considered one of the poorest countries in Asia. It is, however, beginning on a steady incline and is posting 6% annual growth rates. Half of its 170 million population are under the age of 25, and a huge workforce of 80 million people. Growth means its GDP is rising rapidly and it could be become one of the largest economies in the world, in time. With growth rates of 6.5%, the same story can be seen in the Philippines. It has shot up the global league tables for the ease of doing business in recent years. Its 100 million citizens mean there is a huge domestic market, encouraging outside firms to set up business there. Despite an initial slow pace of reforms, Vietnam has emerged as a country luring investment projects from abroad. While the government still controls about 40% of the local economy, reforms are encouraging privatisation and local ownership. With a growing population of 95 million people, both the rate of private ownership and workforce continue to increase. There are already a huge number of infrastructure projects and it is emerging as something of a small regional powerhouse. The southeastern corridor of Asia is still relatively untapped, largely because its only now emerging from huge amounts of corruption and political instability. While Europe, China, and India are places investors want to launch their products and services, many other countries in Asia have much to offer. China has become the behemoth that brings most of Asia into its shadow. But this emerging superpower faces a new era under President Trump who may start an Asian trade war. What were seeing now are countries in the Asian sphere beginning to embrace many economic reforms which translates as embracing market-led economics. This is giving us a new picture of the eastern arena, one which no longer requires passage to China for success. As political and economic circumstances change in the world around us, its time to start looking at other markets. Just a handful of Asian countries have between them more people than the US. That should tell us that now, more than ever, we need to search out the markets that will be important for us in the future. Leaning heavily on western markets will no longer do. The challenges the world faces from protectionism in the US and the UK will get worse before they get better. Irish firms need to make themselves aware that embracing new markets is the way to go. The southern Asian corridor is emerging as one of the most important economic zones in the world. Tea has serious competition as the national brew. We have turned to coffee with a vengeance and I speak not of the freeze-dried powdered muck. The evidence is not just statistical but daily before our eyes, every second citizen sporting a paper cup of liquid caffeine. A new wave of native roasters are producing world-class beans and Cork itself hosts a thriving network of local independent coffee houses and cafes. On foot of last weekends splendid Cork Coffee Weekend, taking place in multiple Leeside coffee temples, it seems high time to take a tour. (Note to my cardiologist: This review was not conducted over a single day.) Tucked into a cute faux-scruffy nook on College Rd, a thesiss throw from the main UCC campus, Id have relished Doppio (www.facebook.com/doppiocork) 30-odd years ago when first sallying forth through the groves of academe. Nibbles are acceptable, if perfunctory (sausage rolls, pastries), the coffee choice between fine local roasters Golden Bean and Badger & Dodo. We stretch decent flat whites (Golden Beans Blackburn Estate, sweet, buttery caramel, soft acidity) over a pleasant hour. The Bookshelf (www.facebook.com/thebookshelfcoffeehouse), on a corner off South Mall, is a fine high-ceilinged room. Decor is basic but comfortable, an oasis in the heart of the city. They do a tasty if abbreviated weekend brunch menu but on the weekday we visit, along with well-poured milky flat whites, No 1 Son and I enjoy exquisite raspberry scones. Alchemy and Alchemy 2 (www.facebook.com/alchemy) occupy separate sites on the southern fringes of the city centre, sharing a visual theme, distressed clutter combined with wordy bookishness, including an in-house library. All beans are from Dublin-based roastery 3FE and the menu includes soup, salads, and sandwiches, while confections range cover both sinful sugar and virtuous vegan. I opt for syrupy orange cake nailed down with a fruity espresso. Both are friendly lounging spaces with regular live events and exhibitions a further draw. Cork Coffee Roasters (www.corkcoffee.com) supremo John Gowan is the godfather of the citys modern coffee scene, starting back when a barista sounded like something a mumbling drunkard clung to when climbing up stairs. Returning in 2007 to open his roastery, imbued with the spirit of the Seattle coffeehouse scene, he set about recreating it here. His coffee shops are tiny bespoke treasures, the Bridge St motherships window a perfect post for people-watching. Sweet nibbles are thoughtfully chosen and we opt for dark, full-bodied Americanos of the Rebel City Roast. Coffee Central (www.englishmarket.ie), established in 2001, is even older, a counter with a few stools and standing room only, sited on the main confluence of human traffic through the English Market. There is no finer spot to take the citys pulse. It is a local institution where you cant fail to meet an old friend or make a new one. A full-bodied espresso with a healthy spoon of sugar to counter old-school high-roasted acidic bite does the trick. Filter has the clean, spare lines of a lab but none of the sterility and is Corks epicentre for serious coffee drinkers. Before La Daughter was first sentenced to hard time in the educational system, wed regularly breakfast on almond croissants, macchiatos, and hot chocolate. Id be furnished with whatever always excellent pour-over brew was on that morning. Along with an extensive array of coffee-related kit, Filter carries a superb range of beans from top Irish roasters to titillate the obsessives. Yet it functions equally well as a coffeehouse for the general public. In more recent years, proprietors Eoin and Alex established an off-site bakery, supplying the shop (and other coffee-houses) with an inventive range of breads, sandwiches, and snacks. Today, with motor running and traffic warden lurking, I have the swiftest of espressos, a 3FE Malarkey Blend (Colombian Caturra and Nicaraguan Natural Bourbon), full, fruity with startling citrus notes. Page space prohibits further details of my defibrillated tour but, if you remain unmoved, still loyal to the leaf, pretty much every one of the above, along with all other good, local coffee outlets, also serve a fine cup of tea and not a teabag to be seen, foul abominations that they are! THE TAB Filter Opening Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm; Sat, 9am-6pm; Sun, 10am-5.30pm 2.50 (single espresso of featured coffee) Coffee: 8/10 for todays espresso, generally 9.5/10 Service: 8.5/10 Value: 9/10 Atmosphere: 8.5/10 Filter, Georges Quay www.facebook.com/FilterCoffee Tel 021 455 0050 SCOTTSDALE, AZ--(Marketwired - February 06, 2017) - TriStar Gold Inc. (TSX VENTURE: TSG) (the "Company" or "TriStar") announces that Brazil's Departamento Nacional de Producao Mineral ("DNPM") has reviewed TriStar's Final Exploration Report (the "Report") for the main concession of the Castelo de Sonhos gold project. The recommendation from DNPM officials is for approval of the Report, subject to an agreement on the reduction of the area of the concession. "This is wonderful news for the project," says Nick Appleyard, TriStar's President and CEO, "because it is a large step forward in converting the central part of the project area from an exploration concession to a mining concession." Final DNPM approval commonly requires that companies submit a proposal for new legal boundaries for the concession that will delimit the area where the reported resources lie. TriStar's proposal, which has already been submitted to DNPM and awaits their review, removes the eastern third of the original mineral concession, and retains all of the area on the Castelo de Sonhos plateau where gold mineralization has been identified (Figure 1). The DNPM approval pertains to concession 850329/2002 (see Figure 1). Gold mineralization at Castelo de Sonhos spans parts of four other mineral concessions, all of which are held by TriStar's 100%-owned Brazilian subsidiary, Mineracao Castelo dos Sonhos Ltda. For three of these concessions (850310/2011, 850311/211 and 850784/2009) Final Exploration Reports will be submitted to DNPM in Q3 of 2017. For the fourth concession, its Final Exploration Report is not due until 2022. Under the regulatory and permitting system administered by DNPM in Brazil, once a concession's Final Exploration Report has been approved, the holder has one year to submit the Plano de Aproveitamento Economico (Economic Exploitation Plan) required to convert an exploration concession to a mining concession. Once a mining concession is established, an environmental impact study and an application for an operational permit follow. Once these milestones are achieved, groups of contiguous concessions can be consolidated into a single operating mine. About TriStar: TriStar Gold is an exploration and development company focused on precious metals properties in the Americas that have potential to become significant producing mines. The Company's current flagship property is Castelo de Sonhos in Para State, Brazil. The Company's shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol TSG. Further information is available at www.tristargold.com. TORONTO, Feb. 6, 2017 /CNW/ - Treasury Metals Inc. (TSX: TML) is pleased to announce additional results from its infill drilling program at its 100% owned Goliath Gold Project located in Northwestern Ontario. Treasury's current drilling program is primarily focused on the conversion and expansion of underground "Inferred" Mineral Resources to the "Indicated" category that reside in and adjacent to the known Main Zone and C Zone gold-bearing shoots. Highlights from the program include: Hole TL16413 that intersected 6.54 g/t Au and 7.04 g/t Ag over an intersection length of 11.5 m as tabulated below in a section of the Main Zone containing visible gold confirming the presence of high grade mineralization in this area of the eastern shoot. as tabulated below in a section of the Main Zone containing visible gold confirming the presence of high grade mineralization in this area of the eastern shoot. Drilling has also intersected some significantly high silver values in association with the gold mineralization. Hole TL16410 returned 10.95 g/t Au and 12.44 g/t Ag over a longer intersection length of 7.0 m . This hole tested a sparsely drilled section of the central shoot area. . This hole tested a sparsely drilled section of the central shoot area. The Company has also commenced a 5,000 m condemnation drilling program covering the proposed placement sites for both mill and mine infrastructure and the tailings storage facility. Chris Stewart, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented: "Our infill diamond drilling program continues to deliver results for us in the underground including both attractive grades and widths. Over the last two months, we have been working diligently to assess and determine our best path forward towards gold production at the Goliath Gold Project. We will be in a position during February to provide the market with a detailed project update and development timeline putting us in a strong position to make a production decision during this phase and ultimately move into construction of the Goliath Gold Project." The high grade silver intersections include hole TL16417 that assayed the highest silver content of the current program returning 2.26 g/t Au and 104.03 g/t Ag over 3.0 m. TL16406 returned 5.50 g/t Au and 78.97 g/t Ag over a sample length of 4.9 m. This latter hole intersected significant gold and silver mineralization in an area where Mineral Resources were not previously defined. Visible gold was also observed in hole TL16408A where a section of the C Zone returned 3.66 g/t Au and 2.32 g/t Ag over a core length of 6.0 m. A hanging wall (HW) zone encountered in the same hole returned 4.42 g/t Au and 16.41 g/t Ag over a sample length of 3.14 m. Increased sample size and increasing the number of gold fire assays taken on metallic screen fire assayed samples have resulted in significant improvements to a number of the Phase 1 high grade gold intersections. For example, the intersection length of hole TL16410, which originally assayed 11.55 g/t Au over a sample length of 6.0 m (Press Release dated Nov. 11, 2016), has now returned 10.95 g/t Au and 12.44 g/t Ag over a longer intersection length of 7.0 m. The metallic assaying method also recovered additional gold in the Main Zone intersection of hole TL16403B increasing the gold intercept from 3.55 g/t Au to 5.15 g/t Au and 4.83 g/t Ag over 3.0 m. This program was designed by the Company and P&E Mining Consultants Inc. ("P&E") who prepared the 2015 NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate for the Goliath Deposit (Press Release dated August 28, 2015). Fifteen of the original 20 "high priority" targets have been drill tested at vertical depths ranging from 330 m to 640 m from surface over a strike length of 950 m. Treasury is currently working with P&E to prioritize the next phase of diamond drilling of the main Mineral Resource area and northeast extension. Successful results of the program completed to date and the next phase of drilling should continue to enhance the underground Mineral Resources in the mine plan for future Feasibility level design studies. The 5,000 m condemnation drilling program will test multiple structural targets that have the highest potential to host gold mineralization along strike to the northeast for a distance of 1,500 m from the proposed open pit. An updated Longitudinal Section of the Main Zone and C Zone incorporating the new results is available for viewing on the Company's website, at: http://www.treasurymetals.com/s/goliath_gold_project.asp?ReportID=612371 Further exploration results will be released as the drilling program continues and new assays become available. Technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Paul Dunbar, P. Geo, who is the qualified person under the definitions established by National Instrument 43-101. Drill Hole Intersections: Drill Hole Section From (m) To (m) *Intercept (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Comments TL16413 528125E 657.00 668.50 11.50 6.54** 7.04 Visible Gold TL16408A 527875E 453.86 457.00 3.14 4.42** 16.41 HW Zone 518.00 524.00 6.00 3.66** 2.32 Visible Gold 536.00 538.24 2.24 2.06** 34.07 TL16412B 527325E 438.00 444.00 6.00 4.45** 7.50 TL16416 527275E 561.00 564.00 3.00 2.37** 10.77 Including 561.00 563.00 2.00 3.12** 14.95 TL16417 528150E 638.00 641.00 3.00 2.26** 104.03 TL16414A 527350E 479.00 481.00 2.00 2.39** 10.40 TL16407 527725E 492.62 494.72 2.10 2.13** 8.06 B2 Zone TL16410 527925E 544.00 551.00 7.00 10.95* 12.44 Visible Gold TL16406 527975E 555.10 560.00 4.90 5.50** 78.97 TL16403B 527775E 541.00 545.00 4.00 3.94** 4.28 Including 541.00 544.00 3.00 5.15** 4.83 TL16420 527525E 545.00 551.00 6.00 2.72 P C Zone Including 547.00 551.00 4.00 3.76 P TL16419 527575E 528.00 532.00 4.00 2.21** 8.92 C Zone TL16405 527750E 548.00 551.00 3.00 3.59** 1.40 The company has not used a Gold Equivalent (AuEq) for the contained silver for this release but would expect the recovery of silver to increase the overall contained AuEq by a small amount in future studies. For duplicate samples, the highest gold assay is used to calculate the intersection grade; all grades un-cut, no capping Holes are generally drilled 350-360Azimuth with inclinations ranging -55 to -80 All assays are rounded to two decimal places P Assays pending *Intervals do not indicate true widths. ** Metallic Screen Fire Assay Results Full Table of Assays will be provided on the company's website The Company has implemented a quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) program to ensure sampling and analysis of all exploration work is conducted in accordance with the CIM Exploration Best Practices Guidelines. The drill core is sawn in half with one-half of the core sample dispatched to Actlabs facility located in Dryden, Ontario. The other half of the core is retained for future assay verification and/or metallurgical testing. Other QA/QC procedures include the insertion of blanks and Canadian Reference Standards for every tenth sample in the sample stream. A quarter core duplicate is assayed every 20th sample. The laboratory has its own QA/QC protocols running standards and blanks with duplicate samples in each batch stream. Additional checks are routinely run on anomalous values including gravimetric analysis and pulp metallic screen fire assays. Gold analysis is conducted by lead collection, fire assay with atomic absorption and/or gravimetric finish on a 50 gram sample. Check assays are conducted at a secondary ISO certified laboratory (in this case Accurassay located in Thunder Bay, Ontario). Metallic screen fire assaying is now completed using a 2.0 kg sample and four 50 gm fire assays of the pass (-100 mesh) pulverized material. To view further details about the Goliath Gold Project, please visit the Company's website at www.treasurymetals.com. About Treasury Metals Inc.: Treasury Metals Inc. is a gold focused exploration and development company with assets in Canada and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") under the symbol "TML". Treasury Metals Inc.'s 100% owned Goliath Gold Project in northwestern Ontario is slated to become one of Canada's next producing gold mines. With first-rate infrastructure currently in place and gold mineralization extending to surface, Treasury Metals plans on the initial development of an open pit gold mine to feed a 2,500 per day processing plant with subsequent underground operations in the latter years of the mine life. Treasury Metals is currently in the mine permit process and working towards completion of a Feasibility Study on the Goliath Gold Project. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA / TheNewswire / February 06, 2017 - Nevada Clean Magnesium, Inc. (TSXV:NVM; Frankfurt-M1V; OTC Pink Sheets: MLYFF) (the "Company" or "NCM") is pleased to announce it has entered into a binding Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") for the purposes of forming a technical joint venture with Big Blue Technologies LLC ("BBT"), of Broomfield, Colorado, USA. BBT is a closely-held limited liability company engaged in developing high temperature chemical processing solutions to aid in the manufacture of magnesium and other light-weight high performance materials. BBT is collaborating and expanding on research performed at the University of Colorado at Boulder on carbothermic reduction (the "BBT Process"), the subject of two patent applications. BBT has the right to receive a license to use of these patents, and derivative patents, on an exclusive basis. NCM, primarily through the auspices of James Sever, has acted as a mentor to BBT and its three principals in their efforts to develop the BBT Process. Both parties desire to cooperate in the development, testing and improvement of safe, environmentally sound and cost-effective methods for the production of magnesium for their mutual benefit, following which they intend to work together to produce magnesium metal from the resource property owned by NCM, as set forth in a definitive agreement to be completed on or before August 1, 2017. Both parties intend to work together to further develop the NCM Process, the BBT Process and the Alpha Condenser, also in accordance with the Definitive Agreement. Therefore both Parties have agreed to the following within the MOU: BBT and NCM's technical teams will collaborate to enhance each others' respective processes in order to try and achieve successful commercialization for earlier cash flow NCM will be BBT's industry partner NCM to provide BBT board positions and stock options NCM will have first right of refusal to exclusivity and licensing of the BBT process The BBT principals will provide their grant writing abilities to NCM for potential research grants and US loan guarantees that are available for new magnesium metal projects within the United States NCM, through a revenue share agreement, will grant access of the Tami-Mosi magnesium property to BBT in order to commercialized its process NCM will issue 15% of the Company's total common shares issued as of January 1, 2017 to BBT released at increments of 5% per year over a 3 year period. Aaron Palumbo, CEO of BBT states "Nevada Clean Magnesium has exhibited nothing but the highest order of integrity with respect to its pursuit of magnesium production. We are honored to be a part of a project that aligns with our own vision and values. Together, our intellectual capital will be used to show how the U.S. can be a leader in production of this industrial light metal." James Sever, the Company's COO states "The work that BBT has demonstrated is a unique approach to the carbothermic reduction process. Successful implementation will revolutionize the magnesium production industry through a significant reduction in cost. In addition, access to BBT personnel will strengthen NCM by providing access to an ambitious, capable young intellectual reserve. This should keep our Company ahead of the curve for many decades." Edward Lee CEO says "This is a natural fit for both companies looking to produce magnesium metal within the United States. Our combined talents and assets fit perfectly with Americas' goal to repatriate industry to the US from overseas. Over the past few decades, primary magnesium production in the US has declined from 65% of world supply to approximately 6%. This exciting partnership between NCM and BBT will help America achieve its goals." The MOU is subject to approval from the TSX Venture Exchange. About Big Blue Technologies LLC BBT is a closely-held limited liability company formed under the laws of Colorado, U.S.A. It is engaged in developing high temperature chemical processing solutions to aid in the manufacture of magnesium and other light-weight high performance materials. Together with the University of Colorado, BBT has developed, and the University of Colorado has applied for two patents related to the production of magnesium, primarily using the chemistry known as carbothermic reduction. BBT has the right to receive a license to use of these patents, and derivative patents, on an exclusive basis as it continues to develop this technology. For more information, please visit www.bigbluetec.com About Nevada Clean Magnesium, Inc. Nevada Clean Magnesium is focused on becoming a major U.S. producer and distributor of primary, high grade, low cost magnesium metal extracted from its 100% owned Tami-Mosi property located in North Central Nevada. Based on the Company's NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment Report published in September 2011 and amended in July 2014, the Tami-Mosi Project has an inferred resource of 412 million tonnes with an average grade of 12.3% Mg for a contained metal content of 111 billion pounds of magnesium using a 12% cut-off grade contained within a high purity dolomite block. For more information, please visit www.nevadacmi.com. IMF warns of protracted economic slump for Asia's No. 4 economy By Yoon Ja-young Rapid aging, the imminent prospect of a declining population, and a dramatic fall in potential growth are some of the issues the country is facing. These issues are also what Japan has already confronted. Does it mean that Korea will also enter prolonged economic woes, so called "lost decades" like Japan? In a recently published working paper titled "Korea's Challenges Ahead-Lessons from Japan's Experience," the International Monetary Fund (IMF) advised that Korea can get some useful policy lessons from Japan's experience. "Although Japan's economic woes were to some extent the consequence of a series of exogenous shocks that made Japan's experience rather distinctive, it is also clear that structural issues, domestic vulnerabilities and policy choices played a key role," it noted in the report. Lee Ji-pyeong, a senior researcher at LG Economic Research Institute, agrees. "The Japanese government didn't play its role of promoting corporate restructuring in the beginning of the long-term recession. The absence of making decisions quickly and then following through on them aggravated the problem," he said. The economist added that it thus failed to focus on new growth engines, which hampered economic vitalization through effective distribution of economic resources. Most of all, Korea's demographic trends seem to track those of Japan with a lag of about 20 years, according to the IMF. Japan's working-age population, which stood at 63 percent in 1995, declined to 56 percent in 2015. Korea also expects the figure to start declining from 66.5 percent of this year to 56 percent in less than 20 years. Its population will also start to contract between 2025 and 2035, just as it did in Japan where the population began declining in 2010. "An aging population is likely to have major implications on the labor force, savings, investment, growth, and the current account and fiscal balances. In addition, it could have an impact on labor productivity, although the empirical evidence in this regard is mixed. The population decline, in turn, will adversely affect domestic demand," the IMF warned. Reflecting these changes, potential growth has fallen steeply in both countries. Japan had its potential growth dip from an average 4 percent in the late 1980s to less than 1 percent in the 2000s, while Korea also saw its figure drop sharply from 8 percent in 1991 to 2.9 percent in 2015. "As in the case of Japan going forward, the contribution from labor to growth will continue to shrink, based on demographic projections, even assuming a mild increase in participation," the organization said. The report notes that deregulation is essential for Korea to get out of the low growth trap so as not to follow the footsteps of Japan. "The regulatory environment for upstream service sectors in Korea is very stringent compared with OECD average and best practices. This holds true across the range of network sectors such as air, electricity, gas rail, highways and professional services, suggesting ample room for reforms to boost productivity," it explains, adding that Korea could boost its annual total factor productivity growth by nearly 0.25 percentage points each year through deregulation. Corporate & household debt It also called for Korea to tackle its corporate debt problem. In Japan, corporate debt was elevated at over 140 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the 1990s. However, delays in recognizing nonperforming loans, cleaning up balance sheets, and adequately recapitalizing banks led to "continued fragility in the banking system, which, in turn, limited its ability to extend new loans and support the economic recovery." Lee at the LG Economic Research Institute also pointed to the contagion of the problem from the corporate sector to the banking sector. "While businesses delayed handling balance sheet problem and restructuring, low-growth was prolonged. Nonperforming loans piled up at banks, which eventually led to the collapse of the banks themselves." Korea's corporate debt to GDP ratio is relatively moderate at just over 100 percent, but certain sectors, such as shipbuilding, shipping, and petrochemicals, are seemingly in need of restructuring. "While Korea's corporate balance sheets were stronger than Japan's in the early 1990s, Korea needs to progress with the restructuring of nonviable firms to avoid the adverse consequences of delaying balance-sheet repairs that Japan experienced," the IMF added in the report. The report also pointed to adverse effects of labor market segmentation on productivity. In Korea the share of temporary or non-regular workers was nearly 22 percent in 2014, double the OECD average. Japan also saw the ratio of non-regular workers grow to nearly 40 percent from 20 percent of early 1990s. "This duality has taken a toll on productivity, as temporary workers have fewer incentives to excel, and employers do not invest in their development," it noted, adding that such segmentation has "created a two-tiered workforce and contributed to inequality." Regarding household debt, the IMF said that the regulator should take further measures including more stringent bank screening of loan applications and macro-prudential measures. The country's household debt is estimated to have surpassed 1,300 trillion won as of last year. Most of all, it advised lowering the debt-to-income (DTI) cap to 30 to 50 percent from the current 60 percent. "The DTI cap should also be extended to apply to other types of household debt, including so-called group loans. In addition, prudential regulations across banks and nonbanks should be harmonized further," it added. [February 06, 2017] NTT Communications Launches Strategic Partnerships with Virtustream and Dell EMC (Japan) to Expand Cloud Market in Japan NTT (News - Alert) Communications (NTT Com), the ICT solutions and international communications business within the NTT (NYSE:NTT) Group today announced the launch of a strategic partnership with Virtustream, a US-based cloud company and Dell (News - Alert) Technologies business; and Dell EMC (Japan), also a Dell Technologies business to develop and deliver multi-tenant cloud platforms for mission-critical applications, including large-scale SAP (News - Alert) systems in Japan. Through this partnership, NTT Com will launch multi-tenant cloud platforms for mission-critical systems within large enterprises in Japan this spring. The partners will also explore opportunities to launch their offering in global markets. This joint initiatives will combine NTT Com's world-class data centers, network and existing cloud platforms; Virtustream's innovative cloud platform for mission-critical applications; and storage and Converged Infrastructure platform by Dell EMC (News - Alert) (Japan). The newly developed, multi-tenant cloud platform will offer flexible pricing through MicroVM resource management (VM), Virtustream's patented technology for pay-as-you-go billing. Customers will have the capability to build hybrid environments that seamlessly integrate this new multi-tenant cloud, dedicated cloud and on-premises systems in one data center. NTT Com currently supports customers migrating their mission-critical applications from their existing environments to bare metal server as a part of its Enterprise Cloud offering. This new partnership will enable NTT Com's Enterprise Cloud to meet broader customer demands through the addition of a mlti-tenant cloud platform for large-scale SAP systems. Virtustream, the core cloud business within Dell Technologies, delivers cloud services optimized for the mission-critical applications utilized by large enterprises worldwide. Through the new partnership, Virtustream, Dell EMC (Japan) expects to accelerate their cloud businesses in Japan and other markets in Asia. Mission-critical applications for large enterprises in Japan today are typically run in on-premises or private-cloud environments to ensure stability and high processing capabilities at all times. However, with enterprises demanding faster system scalability and more flexible pricing for greater competitiveness, there is growing interest in shifting mission-critical applications to a multi-tenant cloud platform's solutions. NTT Com's worldwide data center presence and network access will now enable global enterprises to use multi-tenant cloud platforms to seamlessly satisfy these mission-critical requirements. About NTT Communications (News - Alert) Corporation NTT Communications provides consultancy, architecture, security and cloud services to optimize the information and communications technology (ICT) environments of enterprises. These offerings are backed by the company's worldwide infrastructure, including the leading global tier-1 IP network, the Arcstar Universal One VPN network reaching 196 countries/regions, and over 140 secure data centers worldwide. www.ntt.com | [email protected] Com | [email protected] Com | [email protected] Com Note: SAP, SAP logos, and other SAP products and services are the trademarks or the registered trademarks of SAP SE based in Germany and other counties. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170205005056/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] December figure shows exports to China jump despite sanctions By Kim Jae-kyoung China's imports of hard coal from North Korea jumped in December despite U.N. sanctions, according to recent data. This suggests Beijing has continued to allow Pyongyang to bypass international sanctions designed to reduce the reclusive country's coal sales, its biggest foreign exchange source. The latest data from China's Commerce Department shows that Beijing imported 2 million tons of hard coal (anthracite) worth $168 million in December alone, bringing the 2016 annual figure to 22.5 million tons worth $1.2 billion. The December figure was twice the volume and three times the value approved by the latest United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions imposed late November. On Nov. 30, the council, including China, adopted a set of sanctions over North Korea's September nuclear test, imposing an export limit of 7.5 million tons for 2017 valued at $401 million. Separately, it put a cap on December exports of 1 million tons ($53 million). The trade growth is not a good sign for the latest in a long series of UNSC sanctions applied because of the reclusive state's nuclear and missile programs, according to North Korea experts. They said China is trying to help North Korea behind the scenes to prevent a sudden collapse of the country, led by the unpredictable Kim Jong-un. "I think China is protecting the Kim regime even though it doesn't really want to," William Brown, a non-resident research fellow at the Korea Economic Research Institute, said. He is also professor at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. "It senses more danger from radical change than from the status quo or from slow change," he said. Brown said this has been proven by China's policy of providing free crude oil to North Korea since Mao Zedong's days. "Beijing probably could force change simply by shutting down the pipeline, given its importance in providing fuel and energy to the country, but it won't do that and doesn't even want to discuss it," Brown said. The Washington-based North Korea expert questioned the efficacy of the sanctions program. He said that last year, despite separate sets of sanctions imposed in April and November, North Korea probably earned more than it did in 2015. According to the commerce department, China's imports of all commodities from North Korea in 2016 increased 6 percent to $2.6 billion and exports increased 8 percent to $3.2 billion. Brown said that to be successful, the sanctions need to be adjusted with Chinese help to drive a bigger wedge between North Korea's problem-laden state economy and the growing decentralized market economy. "They need to be used as tools, with time limits and with an ability to tighten and loosen depending on how North Korea reacts," he said. By Rachel Lee The Ecuadorian Embassy is bringing premium chocolate maker Pacari to Seoul as part of its efforts to promote food and culture this year. "Not only Ecuadorian cacao, but also our dark chocolates have become distinguished around the world," a spokesperson for the embassy's commercial office said. "Among many brands, Pacari, in particular, has established its reputation with numerous international awards. The company has also contributed to increasing the quality of cocoa famers in Ecuador through cooperation." Pacari Chocolate is a family business created in 2002 by Santiago Peralta and Carla Barboto, with the aim of changing the history of chocolate in Ecuador. Pacari means "nature" in Quechua, a name chosen to evoke everything that represents the chocolate: the best products of the earth, according to the company website. "We all knew that Ecuador produced the best cocoa, but we needed to develop something beyond what already existed," Peralta said. According to the company, Pacari chocolates are made from organic ingredients "grown and cultivated in areas dedicated to respecting the environment and nature." This process which has been in development for years not only helps the environment but also the Ecuadorian economy. Pacari has managed to link more than 3,000 cocoa-farming families around the country. Pacari makes 18 products that are exported to 25 countries. Hardliners gaining ground in Washington By Rachel Lee Calls in the United States for a pre-emptive strike against North Korea are growing amid escalating tension after Pyongyang said it was apparently ready to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at any time from any location. Hardliners in the Donald Trump administration who are leading the country's security and diplomacy agenda have argued that a pre-emptive strike and regime change may be among options in dealing with North Korea, which is determined to develop nuclear weapons. At a hearing on confronting North Korean threats last week, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker called them "one of the most urgent security challenges" facing the U.S. He pointed out the current approach was "not working" and the urgency of the threats necessitated that Washington spend some time "thinking outside the box about U.S. strategy toward North Korea." Corker then said: "For example, does the pursuit of North Korean denuclearization remain a realistic policy objective in the near-term? Alternatively, should the United States consider a policy approach that proactively pursues regime change in North Korea by non-kinetic means?" The chairman believed there could be opportunities to "exploit pockets of regime instability" as the recent defection of a high-level North Korean diplomat suggests. "In addition, should the United States be prepared to pre-emptively strike a North Korean ICBM on a launch platform?" the chairman asked. U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis, who was on a two-day visit to Seoul last week, is one of the hardliners alongside Corker in the Trump administration. "Any attack on the United States, or our allies, will be defeated, and any use of nuclear weapons would be met with a response that would be effective and overwhelming," Mattis said. President Trump also advocated a surgical strike against Pyongyang's nuclear facilities in his book published when he first ran for president in 2000. "I don't advocate thermonuclear war, but if negotiations fail, I advocate a surgical strike against these outlaws before they pose a real threat," Trump said. Observers here see the hard-line approach as a reflection of a sense of urgency, and warned that a pre-emptive strike could lead to war on the Korean Peninsula. "A pre-emptive strike on North Korea should be launched only when there is a clear sign of Pyongyang firing an ICBM, but any preventive action could have disastrous consequences, leaving scars on us without making any change in the situation." Kim Dong-yup, a professor at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies (IFES), said. The North has a large number of 170mm self propelled guns and 240mm multiple rocket launching systems deployed north of the Demilitarized Zone, which could kill at least 600,000 people in the South if a war breaks out, according to a recent joint South Korea-U.S. forces simulation. As well as the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here planned for this year despite protests from China and Russia, Defense Minister Han Min-koo and Mattis agreed to continue to discuss whether the U.S. will regularly deploy strategic assets, such as nuclear-capable bombers, to South Korea as part of measures to enhance its extended deterrence. The issue has been regularly mentioned since it was brought up during the annual Security Consultative Meeting in October between Han and former U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter. By Park Si-soo Ko Min-jung / Korea Times file Popular TV anchor Ko Min-jung has joined the campaign team of Moon Jae-in, the leading presidential contender of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea. She is the first well-known TV personality to join the team, with the formal presidential race expected to begin in a few months. "Ko, one of the leading figures of KBS, has joined the team to help Moon's victory," a camp insider said. "She recently quit KBS." Ko said in a report that "(quitting KBS and joining the team) was not a tough decision to make. But I did so with hopes that I will be able to make some kind of contribution to the struggle to protect the freedom of the press." President Park Geun-hye, who was impeached in December for her alleged involvement in a corruption scandal, has been accused of attacking media outlets and journalists critical of her and the government. Park's close aides were arrested recently for creating a "blacklist" of thousands of artists supportive of Park's political rivals. Ko's exact role in the team is unknown. Officials said she will preside over big and small events for Moon. Ko, who graduated from Kyung Hee University in Seoul, joined KBS, South Korea's biggest broadcaster, in 2004. Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari and his book "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" Harari blasts Trump for stoking nationalism By Kang Seung-woo The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and the widening technical gap between South and North Koreas will make unification of the two countries more difficult, said Yuval Noah Harari, author of the international bestsellers "Sapiens" and "Homo Deus." "The rise of AI might make any future integration of North and South more difficult, for both cultural and economic reasons," the Israeli historian said in an exclusive interview with The Korea Times. "AI is likely to transform the culture and even psychology of South Koreans, and if North Koreans do not undergo a similar revolution, the gap between the populations will become bigger than ever before." He said the gap is widening every day. "Just think of the cultural gap between a South Korean teenager glued to her smartphone, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter, and a North Korean teenager who might well be dumbfounded to see people walking down the street and constantly looking at the small screens in their palms." The fast technological advance would also weaken the lure of the much-touted benefits of unification a cheap labor force in North Korea. "There were potential economic benefits (of unification), because the North had one important economic asset to contribute to a united Korea: a disciplined and cheap workforce. However, AI is likely to make cheap labor irrelevant," he said. As algorithms and robots replace truck drivers, factory workers and even doctors, cheap labor could lose its value, he said. "That might make future integration even harder. South Korea might face a crisis taking care of its own unemployed masses; it will not want to take care of millions of Northerners too." [February 06, 2017] Panasonic and United Microelectronics Corporation Agreed to Develop Mass Production Process for Next Generation ReRAM Panasonic (News - Alert) Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd. ("PSCS", Head Office: Nagaokakyo City, Kyoto Prefecture; President: Kazuhiro Koyama) has reached an agreement with United Microelectronics Corporation ("UMC", Head Office: Hsinchu City, Taiwan, CEO: Po Wen Yen) on the joint development of mass production process for next generation 40nm ReRAM[1]. ReRAM, alike flash memory [2] currently in widespread use, is a type of non-volatile memory[3]. The device features a simple structure, high-speed processing, and low power consumption. PSCS started ReRAM mass production using a 180nm process in 2013, and is currently supplying its 8-bit microcomputer MN101LR series for low power consumption applications such as in portable healthcare devices. The company was the first to test and verify the high reliability of memory arrays by 40nm process. The agreed cooperative project will enable the integration of 40nm ReRAM process technologies developed by PSCS with UMC's high-reliability CMOS process technologies. This will achieve a process platform for ReRAM that are applicable, as embedded memories in place of flash memories, to diverse system devices such as those widely used in IC cards, wearable terminals, and IoT devices. PSCS will ship product samples in 2018 that use the new 40nm process, and will be the first to start mass production in the industry. The two companies, PSCS and UMC, will offer the co-developed ReRAM process platform to other semiconductor manufacturers and suppliers from around the world. Regarding this cooperative program, PSCS President Kazuhiro Koyama says, "The company will provide a wide range of optimal products that meet customer needs by developing a scaling process platform that will accelerate the market uptake of ReRAM, whose mass production in the industry was started by PSCS." "We are excited to enter into this foundry agreement with Panasonic," said Senior Vice President S.C. Chien from UMC. "The proven reliability, fast cycle times and high yields of our 40nm process will bring a new element of competitiveness to Panasonic's ReRAM, which will result in mutual benefits for both companies as the product gains widespread market adoption. We look forward to working with Panasonic to bring their 40nm ReRAM to high volume production." About Panasonic Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development of diverse electronics technologies and solutions for customers in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, enterprise solutions and device industries. Since its founding in 1918, the company has expanded globally and now operates 474 subsidiaries and 94 associated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 7.553 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2016. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company uses its technologies to create a better life and a better world for its customers. To learn more about Panasonic: http://www.panasonic.com/global. About UMC (United Microelectronics Corporation) UMC is a leading global semiconductor foundry that provides advanced IC production for applications spanning every major sector of the electronics industry. UMC's 10 wafer fabs are strategically located throughout Asia and are able to produce over 500,000 wafers per month. The company employs more than 17,000 people worldwide, with offices in Taiwan, mainland China, Europe, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and the United States. UMC: http://www.umc.com Terminology [1] ReRAM (Resistive Random Access Memory) Non-volatile memory that generates wide resistance differences by applying pulse voltages to metal oxide thin films to store "0"s and "1"s. It has a simple structure that comprises metal oxides sandwiched by electrodes that enables simple manufacturing process, and features exceptional characteristics that include low power consumption and high-speed rewriting. [2] Flash memory Non-volatile memory that can be electrically erased and rewritten. [3] Non-volatile memory Semiconductor memory that retains data even when there is no power supply. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005452/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Were excited to announce that metalbulletin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com. A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving metals market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets. Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials. If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details. RingCentral, Inc. provides software-as-a-service solutions that enable businesses to communicate, collaborate, and connect in North America. The company offers business cloud communications and contact center solutions based on its Message Video Phone? platform. Its products include RingCentral Office that provides communication and collaboration across various modes, including high-definition voice, video, SMS, messaging and collaboration, conferencing, online meetings, and fax; RingCentral Contact Center, a collaborative contact center solution that delivers omni-channel; and RingCentral Engage Digital, a digital customer engagement platform that allows enterprises to interact with their customers. The company's products also comprise RingCentral Engage Voice, a cloud-based outbound/blended customer engagement platform for midsize and enterprise companies; RingCentral Video, a video meeting service which includes our RCV video and team messaging capabilities and offers video and audio conferencing, file sharing, contact, task, and calendar management. In addition, it offers RingCentral Professional, a cloud based virtual telephone service that provides inbound call answering and management services for professionals; and RingCentral Fax that provides online fax capabilities. The company serves a range of industries, including financial services, education, healthcare, legal services, real estate, retail, technology, insurance, construction, hospitality, and state and local government, as well as others. It sells its products through a network of direct sales representatives, as well as sales agents, resellers, and channel partners. RingCentral, Inc. has strategic partnerships with Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise; and Vodafone Business. The company was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Belmont, California. [February 06, 2017] Latest Report on Top 10 SDx and Networking Technologies by MarketsandMarkets PUNE, India, February 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Top 10 SDx and Networking Technologies (SDN & NFV, Software-Defined Wan, V-CPE, Wi-Fi-as-a-Service, Software-Defined Storage, Software-Defined Security, CDN, Software-Defined Data Center, Network Analytics and Unified Network Management)", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is expected to grow at a significant rate between 2015 and 2020/2016 and 2021. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 62 market data Tables and 84 Figures spread through 231 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Top 10 SDx and Networking Technologies" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/top-10-sdx-networking-technologies-191868404.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. The growth of this market is propelled by the advent of Internet of Things (IoT) & proliferation of massive amount of data through connected devices, increasing focus on competitive insights, need for increased business agility & scalability, and growing volume & variety of business data across industry verticals. Ask for PDF Brochure @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=191868404 Software-defined data center technology is expected to be the top SDx and networking technology and is expected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period of 2016-2021 The market for Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) is expected to have the largest market size among the top 10 SDx and networking technologies. The market for SDDC is expected to grow from USD 25.61 billion in 2016 to USD 83.21 billion in 2021, at a CAGR of 26.8% during the forecast period. The major forces driving the SDDC market are the adoption of advanced data center management software across various organizations, need for cost-effective solutions, increased data center agility & scalability, and ability to centrally manage the entire data center. The SDDC market is growing rapidly because of the transformation from traditional data center to advanced SDDC to massive increase in data center traffic. The market, by service, has been segmented into consulting, integration & deployment, and managed services. The managed services segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period owing to the rapid adoption of SDDC solutions in large enterprises, which require third-party assistance for managing and controlling the SDDC infrastructure. The growth across the region is dominated by North America, which is expected to hold the largest hare of the SDDC market in 2016 due to the technological advancements and early adoption of SDDCs in the region. The market in Asia-Pacific (APAC) is expected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2016 and 2021. The primary driving forces for this growth are increasing technological adoption and growing data center traffic providing huge opportunities across industry verticals in the APAC countries, especially India, China, and Japan. Market for software-defined networking and network function virtualization technology is expected to grow at the fastest rate between 2015 and 2020 The market for Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) is expected to grow from USD 2.0 million in 2015 to USD 45.1 million in 2020, at a CAGR of 86.0% during the forecast period. The technologies are evolving as promising networking technologies and are poised to redefine networking with an innovative approach of separating the data plane from the control plane. SDN and NFV technologies are set to redefine networking architecture and are rapidly gaining traction among all stakeholders associated with networking, mobility, IoT, and other related areas. The major factors responsible for the adoption of SDN and NFV technologies include the rising demand for mobility, requirement for innovative & new network architecture, surging cloud services, varying & complex network traffic patterns, and network management of large networks, along with the management of geographically spread network assets. SDN and NFV technologies with the adoption of Open Flow standards simplify the task of configuring complex network infrastructures and reduce Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) required for traditional network infrastructure. In terms of regions, North America is expected to lead the market; APAC, including Japan, is the fastest growing market and is expected to soon replace Europe to become the second biggest contributor in the market. The key vendors in the market for Top 10 SDx and Networking Technologies include IBM Corporation (U.S.), Cisco Systems (U.S.), Juniper Networks, Inc. (California, U.S.), Hewlett Packard Enterprise (California, U.S.), Dell Technologies, Inc. (Texas, U.S.), Fujitsu Limited (Tokyo, U.S.), Citrix System (Florida, U.S.), Brocade Communication System Inc. (California, U.S.), NEC Corporation (Tokyo, Japan), and Versa Networks (California, U.S.). Inquiry before Buying @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=191868404 Browse Related Reports Managed Network Services Market by Types (Design, Implementation, Monitoring, Support & Maintenance), by Components (LAN/WAN, IP Telephony, IP/VPN, Ethernet, Video Conferencing), by Organization Size, by Verticals & by Regions - Global Forecasts to 2019 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/managed-network-services-market-901.html Cloud Content Delivery Network (CDN) Market by Type (Standard/Non-video and Video), Core Solution (Web Performance Optimization, Media Delivery, and Cloud Security), Adjacent Services, Organization Size, Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2021 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/cloud-content-delivery-network-cdn-market-208477558.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is the largest market research firm worldwide in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers. We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Contact: Mr. Rohan MarketsandMarkets 701 Pike Street, Suite 2175, Seattle, WA 98101, United States Tel: 1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/telecom-it Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Citigroup Inc. is one of the worlds largest financial institutions. It is the 13th largest bank globally by assets and 8th by market cap with operations in consumer and institutional banking. In the US, Citigroup is the 3rd largest bank by assets and one of the Big Four deemed systemically important and too big to fail. Citigroup Inc. was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York. The bank was run by Samuel Osgood who led the company with success for many years, even throughout the War of 1812. The bank was later renamed the National City Bank of New York in 1865 and by 1895 is the largest bank in the US. In 1913 it was the first contributor to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and a few years later it began to expand into overseas territories. The bank became the First National City Bank of New York after another merger in 1955 and then later, the New York part was dropped off as part of the 150th-anniversary celebration. By 1974 the company is known as Citicorp which is still the operational branch of the business and a global banking powerhouse. A merger with Travelers insurance group in 1998 resulted in the name Citigroup but the joint venture did not last. By 2002 Travelers was publicly traded once again but Citigroup retained the new name. Today, the company is headquartered in New York, New York but boasts more than 200 million customer accounts in 160 countries worldwide. As of mid-2022, it operated 2,649 branches in the United States, Mexico, and Asia. The company reports nearly 725 branches in the US and 1499 in Mexico with the rest scattered throughout its territory. Total annual revenue topped $75 billion in 2022. Citigroup is a diversified financial services holding company that owns Citicorp among other assets. The companys mission is to serve as a trusted partner providing responsible financial solutions to its clients. Citigroup provides financial products and services to consumers, corporations, governments, and institutions. The company operates in two segments, Global Consumer Banking (GCB) and Institutional Clients Group (ICG). The GCB segment offers traditional banking services including deposit and saving accounts, credit cards, personal loans, home loans, and investment services. This segment operates through local branches and digital means. The ICG segment offers wholesale banking products and services to corporate, institutional, public sector, and high-net-worth clients. The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 13125882 Canada Inc., 211 E. Russell Road LLC, 4458664 Canada Inc., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES ASIA PTE. LTD., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES BORROWER S.C.A., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES LLC, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES MIDDLE EAST FZE, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES SERVICES LIMITED, ASTRUM IT GmbH, Accudyne Industries Acquisition S.A r.l, Accudyne Industries Canada Inc., Accudyne Industries S.A r.l., Air Dimensions, Air Dimensions Inc., Albin Pump SAS, BOC Edwards Global Low pressure Air business, CISA S.p.A., Cameron-Centrifugal Compression, Comercial Ingersoll-Rand (Chile) Limitada, Comingersoll-Comercio E Industria De Equipamentos S.A., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Dosatron International SAS, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Proprietary Limited, FlexEnergy Holdings LLC, Frigoblock Grosskopf Gmbh, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First (UK) Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings II Inc., GD Global Holdings Inc., GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., GPS Industries, Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp (Canada), Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Limited, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica SL, Gardner Denver Inc., Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver International Inc., Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Investments Inc., Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan Ltd., Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte. Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia s.r.o., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH (f/k/a ILMVAC GmbH), Gardner Denver Thomas Inc., Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Garo Dott. Ing. Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Ghh-Rand Schraubenkompressoren Gmbh, HASKEL EUROPE LTD., HASKEL HOLDINGS UK LIMITED, HASKEL INTERNATIONAL LLC, Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, Haskel France SAS, Haskel Sistemas de Fluidos Espana S.R.L., Hibon Inc., Highspeed Newco LLC, Hingerose Limited, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, INGERSOLL RAND ITS JAPAN LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND (CHANG ZHOU) TOOLS CO. LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND (CHINA) INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING CO. LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND CHINA LLC, INGERSOLL-RAND COMERCIO E SERVICOS DE MAQUINAS E EQUIPAMENTOS INDUSTRIAIS LTDA., INGERSOLL-RAND DE PUERTO RICO INC., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL COMPANY B.V., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL SP. Z O.O., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL U.S. INC., INGERSOLL-RAND PHILIPPINES INC., INGERSOLL-RAND SPAIN S.A., INGERSOLL-RAND U.S. HOLDCO INC., IR HPS Holdco. Inc., ITO Emniyet, Ingersoll Rand Cyprus Investments Ltd., Ingersoll Rand Finance LLC, Ingersoll Rand Global Investments LLC, Ingersoll Rand Global Ventures LLC, Ingersoll Rand Hong Kong Investments Limited, Ingersoll Rand Inc., Ingersoll Rand Investments (SG) Pte. Ltd., Ingersoll Rand Investments B.V., Ingersoll Rand Schweiz Investments Gmbh, Ingersoll Rand Technology R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand (Australia) Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand (China) Investment Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (Guilin) Tools Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (Hong Kong) Holding Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (India) Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Ab, Ingersoll-Rand Air Solutions Hibon Sarl, Ingersoll-Rand Beteiligungs Und Grundstucksverwaltungs Gmbh, Ingersoll-Rand Colombia S.A.S., Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited (Uk), Ingersoll-Rand Company South Africa (Pty) Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Cz S.R.O., Ingersoll-Rand De Mexico S.A. De C.V., Ingersoll-Rand Equipements De Production S.A.S., Ingersoll-Rand Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Industrial Ireland Limited, Ingersoll-Rand International (India) Private Limited, Ingersoll-Rand International Holding Llc, Ingersoll-Rand Italia S.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Italiana Manufacturing S.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Korea Holding Llc, Ingersoll-Rand Korea Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Lux Investments II S.A R.I., Ingersoll-Rand Lux Investments S.A R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Luxembourg Industrial Company S.A R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Machinery (Shanghai) Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Malaysia Co. Sdn. Bhd., Ingersoll-Rand S.A. De C.V., Ingersoll-Rand Services And Trading Limited Liability Company, Ingersoll-Rand Services Company, Ingersoll-Rand Services Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Singapore Enterprises Pte. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand South East Asia (Pte.) Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand Superay Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Technical And Services S.A.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Technologies And Services Private Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Technology R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand Tool Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Trading Gmbh, Ingersoll-Rand Vietnam Company Limited, Instrum Rand JSC, Interflex Datensysteme, Ir Canada Holdings Ulc, Ir Canada Sales & Service Ulc, Ir France Sas, Kryptonite corp, Lawrence Factor Inc., LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MILTON ROY (HONG KONG) LIMITED, MILTON ROY (UK) LIMITED, MILTON ROY EUROPA B.V., MILTON ROY EUROPE SAS, MILTON ROY INDUSTRIAL (SHANGHAI) CO. LTD., MILTON ROY LLC, MILTON ROY US PURCHASER INC., MP Pumps Inc., Maximum AG Technologies Inc., Maximus Solutions, Mb Air Systems Limited, Nash Elmo, Officina Meccaniche Industriali Srl, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Plurifilter D.O.O., Pt Ingersoll-Rand Indonesia, Robuschi, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, SEEPEX, Seepex (M) SDN, Seepex Australia Pty Ltd, Seepex Beteiligungs-Gesellschaft mit Beschrankter Haftung, Seepex France S.a.r.l., Seepex GmbH, Seepex Inc., Seepex India Private Ltd., Seepex Italia SRL, Seepex Japan Co. Ltd., Seepex Nordic A/S, Seepex OOO, Seepex Pumps (Shanghia) Co. Ltd., Seepex UK Ltd., Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Shanghai Ingersoll-Rand Compressor Limited, Shenzhen Bocom System Engineering Co., Superay, Syltone, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, Tamrotor Marine Comp AS Norway, Tecno Matic Europe s.r.o., Thomas Industries Inc., Trane Technologies, Tri-Continent Scientific Inc., Vacuum and Blower Systems division, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zaxe Technologies Inc., Zeks Compressed Air Solutions Llc, Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, Zinsser NA Inc., and crayon interface. Read More Enbridge Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company. The company operates through five segments: Liquids Pipelines, Gas Transmission and Midstream, Gas Distribution and Storage, Renewable Power Generation, and Energy Services. The Liquids Pipelines segment operates pipelines and related terminals to transport various grades of crude oil and other liquid hydrocarbons in Canada and the United States. The Gas Transmission and Midstream segment invests in natural gas pipelines, and gathering and processing facilities in Canada and the United States. The Gas Distribution and Storage segment is involved in natural gas utility operations serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Ontario, as well as natural gas distribution and energy transportation activities in Quebec. The Renewable Power Generation segment operates power generating assets, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and waste heat recovery facilities; and transmission assets in North America and Europe. The Energy Services segment provides energy marketing services to refiners, producers, and other customers; and physical commodity marketing and logistical services in Canada and the United States. The company was formerly known as IPL Energy Inc. and changed its name to Enbridge Inc. in October 1998. Enbridge Inc. was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Gildan Activewear Inc. manufactures and sells various apparel products in the United States, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. It provides various activewear products, including T-shirts, fleece tops and bottoms, and sports shirts under the Gildan, Gildan Performance, Gildan Hammer, Comfort Colors, American Apparel, Alstyle, and GoldToe brands. The company also offers hosiery products comprising athletic; dress; and casual, liner, therapeutic, and workwear socks, as well as sheer pantyhose, tights, and leggings under the Gildan, Under Armour, GoldToe, PowerSox, Signature Gold by Goldtoe, Peds, MediPeds, Therapy Plus, All Pro, Secret, Silks, Secret Silky, and American Apparel brands. In addition, it provides men's and boys' underwear products, and ladies panties under the Gildan and Gildan Platinum brands; and ladies' shapewear, intimates, and accessories under the Secret and Secret Silky brands. The company sells its products to wholesale distributors, screen printers, and embellishers, as well as to retailers and lifestyle brand companies. The company was formerly known as Textiles Gildan Inc. and changed its name to Gildan Activewear Inc. in March 1995. Gildan Activewear Inc. was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. [February 06, 2017] Aquantia and AptoVision Unveil First Software-Defined Video over Ethernet (SDVoE) Solution for Pro-AV Market utilizing Aquantia's FPGA Programmable PHY SAN JOSE, Calif. and MONTREAL, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aquantia Corp., a pioneer and market leader in high-speed Ethernet connectivity solutions for data centers, enterprise infrastructure and client connectivity has partnered with AptoVision, the pioneer in video over Ethernet technology to announce the industry's first fully integrated single-chip solution for implementing Software-Defined Video over Ethernet on 10GBASE-T infrastructure. The combination of Aquantia's AQcite FPGA-programmable Multi-Gigabit Ethernet PHY with AptoVision's BlueRiver technology represents an industry milestone by providing the most power-, size-, and cost-efficient implementation of the new SDVoE standard, to leverage the ubiquity of Ethernet. The new solution will be on display at ISE 2017 (Amsterdam, February 7-10) in the SDVoE Alliance stand 12-H55. Aquantia recently announced the AQcite product line, and specifically the AQLX107, the industry's first FPGA-programmable multi-gigabit Ethernet PHY device targeting a vast range of applications such as Audio-Visual (AV) over Ethernet, machine vision, data center, enterprise, 5G wireless, industrial, metro environments and more. AQLX107 integrates a programmable FPGA processing fabric with a 10GBASE-T PHY, to create a single-chip hardware platform. Combined with AptoVision's BlueRiver technology, the AQLX107 can be used to transmit true 4K60 video across off-the-shelf 10G Ethernet networks and standard category cable with zero frame latency. Audio and video processing, including upscaling, downscaling, and multi-image compositing are all realizable on the SDVoE hardware and software platform made possible by the AQLX107. This feature set enables applications across the complete spectrum of AV signal management. The solution offers uncompressed 4K streaming over standard Ethernet switches and unique support for HDMI 2.0a and HDR content. "By deploying the combination of Aquantia's AQcite FPGA-Programmable multi-gigabit Ethernet PHY with AptoVision's BlueRiver NT+ offering, our customers enjoy the benefit of a power and cost optimized solution while leveraging the large ecosystem of Ethernet networking equipment to scale their pro-AV architecture," said Amir Bar-Niv, VP Marketing at Aquantia. "We're excited to drive SDVoE into the market together with AptoVision and the other partners of the alliance with our unique single-chip solution." "Aquantia's presence as a founding member of the SDVoE alliance speaks volumes about the diverse ecosystem of member companies in the alliance," said Kamran Ahmed, AptoVision CEO. "With built-in compatibility for SDVoE technology, the AQcite chip delivers a compelling new type of platform upn which SDVoE applications can operate." The Most Cost-Effective 10GBASE-T Implementation of the SDVoE Specification A full stack solution, from the physical infrastructure to the SDVoE API IEEE 802.3an/bz and NBASE-T compliant featuring AQrate Adaptive Rate Operation Robust Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) performance designed for resilient operation when exposed to RFI/EMI A comprehensive API that provides a simple interface to control complex tasks like video routing, scaling, aspect ratio management, video wall processing, image compositing, audio downmixing, and much more. End-to-end transport latency under 100 microseconds (under 1/150th of a video frame) Fully uncompressed transmission for all HD and 4K30 signals Artifact-free transmission of true 4K60 (4:4:4), indistinguishable from original source Multi-channel audio transmission and independent audio routing RS-232 and infrared control 1 Gbps embedded Ethernet for compressed video, USB, or other data Broadcast-quality upscaling and downscaling with aspect ratio management and frame rate conversion Display wall processing with bezel compensation and microsecond synchronization Multi-image compositing and display Multichannel audio downmixing to stereo Debut at Integrated Systems Europe 2017 Free training sessions on deploying zero-latency AV-over-IP systems using SDVoE technology will be held Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 12:30, 14:00 or 16:30 in room F002. All AV system integrators, designers, consultants, installers and manufacturers are invited to register to attend at sdvoe.org. Availability Aquantia's AQLX107 is currently sampling. Production release is scheduled for April 2017. Please contact Aquantia at [email protected] for further information including Aquantia's AQLX107 development board. AptoVision BlueRiver NT+ Series is available now. Please contact AptoVision at [email protected] for further information. About Aquantia Aquantia is a leading developer and global supplier of high-speed semiconductor connectivity solutions. Backed by more than a decade of technology leadership and execution, Aquantia's market leading product portfolio enables the world's most innovative computing, data center, and enterprise infrastructure applications. Aquantia addresses ever-changing market needs by providing an extensive portfolio, based on architectural innovations that deliver high performance, low power consumption, high density and high-quality silicon solutions to its customers. Aquantia is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, with strong venture capital and strategic investors. For more information, visit www.aquantia.com. AQcite and AQrate are trademarks of Aquantia Corp. About AptoVision AptoVision provides advanced chipsets for AV signal distribution. The company's award-winning BlueRiver technology has forever changed the dynamics of the pro AV industry by letting installers and OEMs replace proprietary AV matrix switches with off-the-shelf Ethernet networks that deliver dramatically better price/performance, flexibility and scalability. Enabling end-to-end systems for AV and KVM signal extension, IP-based switching, video wall and multi-view applications, BlueRiver chipsets offer zero-latency, uncompressed 4K streaming over standard Ethernet and unique support for HDMI 2.0a and HDR. They also integrate high-fidelity video scaling, windowing and audio downmixing. Founded in 2011, AptoVision is a privately held company headquartered in Montreal, Canada. For more information, visit www.aptovision.com. AptoVision and BlueRiver are trademarks of AptoVision. SDVoE is a trademark of the SDVoE Alliance. Aquantia and AptoVision are founding members of the SDVoE Alliance. Cautionary Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning Aquantia, including, among other things, the extent to which Aquantia's AQtion controllers will be accepted by the market. Forward-looking statements herein are based on current beliefs, assumptions, and expectations, speak only as of the date hereof and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, without limitation, technological and business developments in the data center, enterprise infrastructure, and access markets. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aquantia-and-aptovision-unveil-first-software-defined-video-over-ethernet-sdvoe-solution-for-pro-av-market-utilizing-aquantias-fpga-programmable-phy-300402570.html SOURCE Aquantia Corp. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] 5G, SDN, and SD-WAN. These are three of the hottest topics in networking today. And Kevin Suitor, chief marketing officer at TELoIP, will be discussing all three this week at the ITEXPO exhibit and conference in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. TELoIP provides SD-WAN solutions. These solutions provide businesses with better visibility, lower connectivity costs across their enterprise networks, as well as improvements in business continuity and disaster recovery, performance, and security. The company calls its SD-WAN solution VINO, for virtual intelligent network overlay. VINO features patented per-packet capabilities for diverse carrier aggregation, hitless failover, and inbound QoS. It operates over a carrier-grade, multi-tenant nationwide network, and also includes full cloud orchestration. Companies such as California Telecom leverage VINO to manage their business customers SD-WAN services with end-to-end security, quality control and visibility for all cloud, Internet, and WAN applications. Those who want to know more about SD-WAN can see Suitor at the In the End Its SDN panel at ITEXPO. That will take place Wednesday, Feb. 8 from 3 p.m. to 3:55 p.m. During the session, he will discuss how network functions virtualization, SDN, and virtualization will be 5G enablers. Hell talk about how public cloud applications and the Internet of Things are disrupting the market. And hell explain how these use cases are impacting 5G network requirements. But Suitors discussion around 5G will actually begin even earlier on Wednesday during his participation in the 5G Trios session from 9 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. Then and there he will talk about how TELoIP Cloud can aid operators in the backhaul challenge presented by small cell fan out issues. Before joining TELoIP, Suitor worked for WAN optimization vendor Exinda Networks, at Redline Communications, and at CopperCom, CTI Datacom, DCI Digital Communications Inc., Tekelec, and Wandel & Goltermann Canada. Share this Page Edited by Alicia Young The winners of the MHM Book Awards 2017 have now been announced. The winners are as follows: MHM BOOK OF THE YEAR WINNER GOLD AWARD Sea Eagles of Empire: the Classis Britannica and the battles for Britain by Simon Elliott This masterly text surveys the little-known story of the naval forces of the Roman Empire in Britain. Always in the shadow of the legions, Sea Eagles of Empire restores the Roman navy in Britain to its rightful place at the centre of any comprehensive understanding of the long duration of Roman power. WINNER SILVER AWARD Jacobites: a new history of the 45 rebellion by Jacqueline Riding Prince Charles Edward Stuart, the Young Pretender, landed in the Western Highlands of Scotland in July 1745. His aim was to win the throne of Britain for his father James, the Old Pretender. Riding places this attempt firmly within the context of the rivalry between Britain and France, and the ongoing War of the Austrian Succession, providing a lively read that combines military detail with wider political and social context. WINNER BRONZE AWARD Air Power: a global history by Jeremy Black Charting the rise of military aviation, this ground-breaking new book covers both the world wars and the more limited conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries. Jeremy Black looks at debates around strategic bombing, aircraft carriers versus battleships, and how airpower has become the weapon of choice, spreading maximum destruction with minimum commitment. MHM ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF THE YEAR WINNER Armour of the English Knight by Tobias Capwell Capwell is such a master of his subject that he is able to communicate complex ideas and observations clearly and accessibly. He argues for a specifically English tradition in armour, observably different from the better-known European styles. Well illustrated and with sumptuous photographs, this book is a delight to read. Congratulations to all our winners and publishers! MHM Book of the Year 2017 Shortlist: The Fall of the Ottomans: the Great War in the Middle East Eugene Rogan (MHM 64) The First World War in the Middle East was radically different from that in Europe. It is not so well known, but it was certainly no sideshow. Using European, Turkish, and Arabic primary sources, Rogans study reassesses the global character of the conflict to offer a synthesis of one of World War Is forgotten fronts. The Struggle for Sea Power: a naval history of American Independence Sam Willis (MHM 65) The naval aspects of the American War of Independence are little known, yet battles on oceans, lakes, and rivers were all crucial in determining the path that the war took from the very outset. Those battles were fought by some of the largest fleets of sailing warships ever under canvas. Willis tells the story of the war from a fresh angle. The US Navy: a concise history Craig L Symonds (MHM 67) This book distils almost 250 years of history into a highly readable, fast-paced account of the US Navy. Starting with the American War of Independence, it traces the emergence of a truly global US naval force by the time of the Second World War, highlighting key technological and political moments along the way. Air Power: a global history Jeremy Black (MHM 68) Charting the rise of military aviation, this ground-breaking new book covers both the world wars and the more limited conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries. Jeremy Black looks at debates around strategic bombing, aircraft carriers versus battleships, and how airpower has become the weapon of choice, spreading maximum destruction with minimum commitment. The Last Big Gun: at war and at sea with HMS Belfast Brian Lavery (MHM 68) Written by HMS Belfasts former resident historian, this impeccably researched book uses a wealth of published and unpublished source material to deliver a history of the ship and its naval engagements. It combines technical and historical detail with the personal stories of those who lived and fought aboard HMS Belfast. Indias War: the making of modern South Asia Srinath Raghavan (MHM 70) Srinath Raghavan carefully examines how the Rajs participation in the Second World War ensured that Indian independence inevitably followed. He charts the Indian Armys transformation into a modern, well trained force, officered by Indians with an increasingly pro-independence outlook, while dealing with the economic and social changes that the war unleashed. Breakdown: the crisis of shell shock on the Somme, 1916 Taylor Downing (MHM 70) How do you deal with someone suffering a mental illness if you do not believe that such a condition exists? This was the crisis that faced the British Army during the First World War, and it became a particularly acute problem during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Downings study examines all aspects of the condition we now call shell shock, as well as contemporary attitudes towards it. Greece, the Decade of War: occupation, resistance, and civil war David Brewer (MHM 71) Brewer is an historian of Greece and not a military historian, but studying the Greek Civil War as an extension of WWII and the German occupation was a very good idea. Clearly written, with an absence of jargon, this book makes a series of complicated events straightforward. Britains War: into battle 1937-1941 Daniel Todman (MHM 72) Todman argues that the Second World War needs to be seen in the round, that the Home Front was as important as the Fighting Front, that economic factors were vital to strategic decisions, and that political opportunities were inextricably linked to military contingencies. His book ranges from the high politics of grand strategy, via the statistics of production, to the mountain of individual experiences of those caught up in the drama. Hitlers Soldiers: the German Army in the Third Reich Ben H Shepherd (MHM 74) The German Army had been the largest, best-armed, most highly trained military force in Europe, and it enjoyed a series of crushing victories in the early years of the Second World War. So how was it defeated? Shepherds ambitious, detailed, large-scale history takes us from the 100,000-man army of Weimar, through the expansion and rearmament of the Hitler years, to the eventual destruction of Germany and its army by spring 1945. Sea Eagles of Empire: the Classis Britannica and the battle for Britain Simon Elliott (MHM 75) The Classis Britannica (the British Fleet), one of ten regional fleets deployed across the Roman Empire, was active from the middle of the 1st through to the 3rd century AD. Elliott explores the history of the fleet, highlighting the important role it played both in British waters and in military campaigns across Europe. Jacobites: a new history of the 45 Rebellion Jacqueline Riding (MHM 75) Prince Charles Edward Stuart, the Young Pretender, landed in the Western Highlands of Scotland in July 1745. His aim was to win the throne of Britain for his father James, the Old Pretender. Riding places this attempt firmly within the context of the rivalry between Britain and France, and the ongoing War of the Austrian Succession, providing a lively read that combines military detail with wider political and social context. Voting has now closed The winners will be announced on Friday 7 July online use #MHMAwards17 on Twitter to follow proceedings as the winners are announced! The Police Command has directed the withdrawal of some police training recruits for presenting false documents to be enrolled in the countrys Police Training Schools across the country. The Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Cephas Arthur, confirmed this development to Citi News, although he said he was not privy to the numbers of recruits who were set to be expelled. Superintendent Cephas Arthur I will confirm the fact that indeed some police recruits are going to be expelled from the training school. This is because they were found to have presented false documents, he said. The recruits were already aware the police command was going to check their backgrounds and subject the academic qualifications to scrutiny, according to Superintendent Arthur. We even indicated that we were going to WAEC to verify, and so we commenced the process until those who qualified on the surface of it were called to training. Let me say that in the early stages, some of them were disqualified and those cases that were apparent were found out, and those who possessed such documentation and other issues were dropped, Superintendent Arthur added. Academic qualifications for police service The academic requirements police recruits are expected to meet include a combination of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), certification from the National Board for Professional and Technician Examinations (NABPTEX), certification from the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) City and Guilds and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). Recruits who were found to have entered with only WASSCE certification have been referred to the CID for further vetting. The various police training schools have also been directed to submit the full list of all expelled recruits to the Police Headquarters. By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana I know of one enormous personality on the continent of Africa, a native of South Africa by name Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. If I know nothing about him at all, I know of his long years in prison which serves as a motivational mark for every young individual growing on the surface of that land. It was in prison that he wrote his countless books and essays, contributed to the prospects of his family and the long walk to freedom for the country, South Africa as a whole. Yes, I know more of his suffering than his luxury and this is what makes him a mentor and a 21st century leader. Time and space will not permit me to express my profound gratitude to African leaders and great men and women who fought for independence of Africans as well as conservatives like Herbert Samuel Macaulay and the challenges he encountered in fighting a good course as the father of Nigerians nationalism, Dr. Edward Wilmet Blyden of Liberia and his tears shed that made Liberia what it is today and its no justification that Casley Hayford of Ghana bestowed on him the respected title of father of African Nationalism. On the international front we all know of one woman by name Helen Adams Keller, an American author, political activist and lecturer born blind and deaf. Despite her multiple disabilities, she rose above all those adversities of being blind and deaf and became one of the greatest leading humanitarian in the 20th century. She wrote countless books and essays. She campaigned and her name was on the lips of every growing girl of her time, Helen is celebrated because of her inspiration and the impact of her achievements. I know of her struggles, strength and fears and these are what make her a leader worth celebrating by Americans and the world at large. Born in Washington, in the year 1955, is one of the famous men of our time who is in the person of Bill Gates, the chairman of Microsofts. His time in the classroom tells it that he was a poor learner and could make nothing better in life. His fears are well known. The case is different as in today. William Bill Gates strived to the ladder of success despite his poor performance in school which led to his dismissal. We have leaders today who boast of never failing in class. I wonder if they are walking encyclopedias. To talk of a man of our time, I know of a lecturer, politician and a business man by name John Evans Attah Mills. This is a person who served this great country till his demise. He fought for the seat of presidency for eight (8) good years and lastly, he became the president of the republic. Many Ghanaians were proud of him as a leader and not a looter. He served this great nation till the last breath. Today, Ghanaians are celebrating a man with the same story who is in the person of the president of the republic of Ghana; Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo - Addo. The fears, struggles and defeats of these personalities are well known and its on these indications that define their leadership. He has a story and for the long fight for the seat of presidency. This defines him as a leader because at least, he has been through the pains of knowing how it is to lack the power to have something that you wish. If one gets something in a case of accident, he jokes with it and thinks all is well. The only name we hear when it comes to Ghanaian leadership is Kwame Nkrumah as if he is the only man who had ever lived on the surface of this land. Nkrumah too had fears so there is no hard feeling to fail and accept the very fact that you have a hand again to make amends and move on courageously. In Ghana today, as a youth, I look around to see great men and women who have made great significance in their lives, but I cant boast of them. Allegations are raised tagging them as corrupt and involving in drugs or even to some extent money ritual. I know of their fame, but as to being of value, I cant think far. We live in a country where the president and members of parliament has no name, there is no record of their fears, their struggles and the impact they make on the life of the ordinary people of the land. What is the prove of their leadership? We have leaders who lack social communication and humility. Our country is full of pastors who behave like angels who have not sinned before. Leaders of our land only boast of their titles, their certificates, the number of wives, the number of concubines, the number of foreign accounts, the servants they enslave, the political party they belong and the number of luxurious cars they ride. Change the language and prove the value of your relevance. Please honourables change the language. What the youth expects from you is not the wealth and all. We can only be inspired by your fears and struggles and your many days in the dark and in the gutters. Enough of letting the youth knows of the empire you have built over the years from the set of the poor. These things benefit the youth nothing but it only speeds us the quest to get rich overnight. The times of hunger and sweats are the only lessons we can learn from you because it will serve a motivational mark to help the youth on the ride to hit their springboard. As Jesus Christ said, celebrate my death. This in a way means we are to celebrate His scars as he showed to Thomas the notorious doubter his palms. Todays pastors boast more than unbelievers. I pray the language change. Akwasi Brobbey (Senior writer and editor at TIC) [email protected] 0548412192/0266175686 OPEN LETTER: Congratulations, Honourable Matthew Opoku Prempeh on your appointment as minister for education. We strongly believe that the experience and knowledge you bring to bear in the education sector will enhance performance and improve our educational system. Honourable Minister, research in recent times has shown that our standard of education has fallen particularly at the basic and second cycle level. The Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results over the last Eight (8) years have recorded poor performance. In 2015 and 2016 only 53% and 38% of candidates credit passes in five subjects respectively in the WASSCE. The percentage failure clearly depict that there is something wrong with our educational system. The question asked by many who are worried is, what is the fate of the students who could not obtain credit passes in five subjects to move to the next stage of the education ladder? Hon. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the poor performance of students at the basic and Senior High level is ascribed to the inability of stakeholders; I.e government, teachers, parents, and pupils/students to discharge their roles effectively and efficiently to achieve results. Education is a communal affair and it takes all the various stakeholders to achieve the mission and vision of the education ministry. Honourable Minister, it is evident that the NDC government has not paid sudvention known as GoG funds to the education offices since 2012 to implement educational policies. This accounts to the poor performance of students at the basic and second cycle level. To restore condidence in the education sector, subventions to the education sector should be restored as soon as possible to enable the education sector forestall its good image and operate at full capacity to improve performance. The funds when paid will be part of the retooling process to resource the education sector. Honourable minister, the erstwhile administration of the NDC, led by former President John Dramani Mahama paid very little attention to quality of education. Provision of access to education is not a bad idea, but when that is done at the expense of quality then, it will affect the performance of education just as we have witnessed over the last eight (8) years. Our educational system is not the best as it seeks to only train the brain. The Educational system we have today is producing literate who are incapable of thinking outside the box to be innovative with entrepreneurial skills or abilities to transform the country. Countries with huge economies, did it with much emphasis placed on education, therefore until we channel most of our resources to support education to resource our schools with logistics in the form of textbooks, TLMs, quality human resource, among several others educational outcomes will continue to be poor. However, the educational curriculum at the basic and second cycle levels which is the primary source of reference, should be reviewed to suit our developmental and employment needs. Hon. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, there is also the need for an overhaul in the kind of training given to teacher trainees to propel them for the teaching profession. This will break the cycle of poor performance in the education sector which is the reason country's retrogression. Quality Education in Ghana should be every citizen's number one priority. Our attitude towards education should be revised in order to achieve the desire goals of education. Learning will only take place if there is change in our way of doing things. Finally, we need to build consensus for all stakeholders of education to see education as a shared responsibility. Thank you. Signed on behalf of the group T.D. ( CONVENER) (0508121418) Solomon Baidoo (0249000055) Mawuli Agbemafle (024997007) Michael Boadi (0233393445) Victor K. Owusu Ansah (0543340258) Nana Ekow Asmah ( 0263176368) Andy Oppong ( 0244730308) 06.02.2017 LISTEN Registered Dental Surgery Assistant (RDSA) program is a program which was started in 2007 at College of Health, Kintampo with the sole aim of training competent and highly professional oral health workers who would see to the smooth running of the dental surgery, take charge of the patients from arrival to their departure. The program is similar to dental nurse in UK and was to be named 'dental nurse' in Ghana but for possible litigation that was imminent from Nursing and Midwifery Council about the use of the word "Nurse". Historically, dental assistant was introduced in 1885 by Dr. C. Edmund Kells when he constantly called for his wife to support him at the surgery, he later had to employ the services of Ms Malvina Cueria, who is now known as the first Dental Assistant in modern history, Dr. C Edmund Kelly is also historically known as the dentist who first used x-ray in dentistry. Of course Dr. Henry Fowler also employed Ms. Juliette Southard in 1911. Dental Assistants were first known as "ladies in attendance". In Ghana the hero and the father of modern Dental Assistant as we affectionately call him is Rev. Canon Dr. Joe Eyison, he spearheaded the introduction of the Registered Dental Surgery Assistants (RDSAs), his effort has yielded golden results and has seen the training of several high level professional Registered Dental Surgery Assistants to the admiration of all players in the dental fraternity. Kudos to Rev. Canon Dr. Joe Eyison for the wonderful job well executed, he is also credited with the composition of Kintampo College of Health Anthem and the patron of Oral Health Students Association of Ghana(OHSAG). There is now an award in his honor know as "Dr. Eyison's excellence award" which is the highest award given to the overall best RDSA during school's graduation ceremony. COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS TEN YEARS ON. 1. It is a known fact that RDSAs are the most highly trained students in College of health looking at how 'live' and resourceful the oral health department is, it is the only department that renders services to the general public in College of Health, Kintampo. 2. It is an established fact that RDSAs introduced the wearing of flying ties on campus and made it an integral part of their uniform, all others who now do so learnt it from RDSAs. 3. Within the ten years RDSAs in addition to other oral health students have formed the most formidable and potent association, Oral Health Students Association of Ghana (OHSAG) on campus. 4. Training of RDSAs has brought some revolution in dentistry in Ghana. They ensure smooth running of the dental surgery and ensure procedures are carried out with ease. 5. They give all the nursing care to patients after procedures are done. 6. Training of RDSAs has reduced the use of untrained persons in the dental surgery who know nothing about dentistry. They only rigidly carry out instructions given to them without any demonstration of flexibility or mastery over the subject matter. 7. RDSAs have filled the vacuum that exist between operators and the clients. 8. Undertake lawful duties assigned to them by the dentist. 9. Within ten years, RDSAs have been able to form a strong external association to champion their course, Oral Health Practitioners Association of Ghana (OHPAG) 10. Career progression has been decisively carved for RDSAs. CHALLENGES SO FAR. 1. Extension of the services of RDSAs to orphan districts (district without dentist) and if possible subdistricts. It is the right of every Ghanaian no matter their location to get oral health service be it curative or preventive. 2. Needless insecurity of some operators about the will power and competencies of RDSAs. 3. Broadening of the career pathway, though there are some career pathway. 4. Standardization of the nomenclature by all agencies of Ministry of Health. 5. Some RDSAs erroneously and pathetically allow themselves to be manhandled by some operators. Remember you are all employed by GHS or CHAG and regulated by different regulatory bodies but accountable to the employer. 6. The attempt by some few individuals to dilute the program through some nefarious activities. The introduction of RDSA program in 2007 has simply brought a positive revolution in the health sector specifically the oral health fraternity. The program would continue to be an eye opener to other programs in the college and elsewhere. The training of these cadre of oral health workers have effectively demystified oral health diseases and its treatments. RDSA apart from the clinical activities embark on massive preventive activities to create oral health awareness in compliance with 1978 Alma Alta declaration on Primary Health Care and 1996 Ottawa Charter on Health Promotion. I recommend to all stakeholders in our health sector to turn their focus and scarce resources towards the training of these cadres of oral health workers if we really want to make an access oral health service a right not a privilege. I acknowledged the efforts of Dr. Dennis Apres, Head of Oral Health Department, Kintampo; Mr. Douglas Avoka, President of Oral Health Practitioners Association of Ghana (OHPAG); Mr. Bediako Jacob, Fmr. President of Oral Health Students Association of Ghana; and all RDSAs, you have a lot to be proud of. SHAIBU ISSIFU (President of Oral Health Students Association of Ghana, Kintampo) This Account has been suspended. In the heat of ban/embargo in the public sector from August 20,2013 till date, unemployment rate in Ghana tripled. And it came to a point that,the Ghana Police Service were allowed to recruit people in 2016.I know many people who have graduated with Bachelors degree but decided to use their WASSCE/SSSCE to apply for the service because of the various hardships they are going through. Most of these people were not even selected for the first phase of the recruitment process . I have read a story as reported by StarrFM that 3,000 people who are under training at the various police training schools have been sacked because most of them do not have certificates and others do not meet the requirements to join the service. This is what happens when politicians refuse to think about the interest of all citizens regardless of their political affiliation. How can we move forward? The police service is mandated to enforce law and order but in Ghana it's very sad to see policemen in broad day light extorting money from drivers. Instead of them to use the law to prosecute the drivers when they go contrary , some police officers use the offence as as an opportunity to take quantum sums of money from these drivers. Bribery and Corruption is very high in our law enforcement agency. The incidence of police men caught in armed robbery in recent times is an eye sore.Many people have lost trust in the police service because of the unscrupulous act which are done by some of these officers. Last weekend I escorted a friend to the bank to withdraw money. I was waiting for him outside. When you stepped outside this police man started shouting, "Bossu na womma me kakra" to wit boss won't you give me something??? I was very shocked because a police officer providing security service to a bank should rather focus on the activities of people rather than waiting for tip offs. It is highly unprofessional and unethical. Some critical measures should be taken as soon as possible. Some police men have forgotten their code of ethics. Most of these happenings are as a result of politics which has taken over all the sectors in the government sector. Recruitment in no longer done on merits but on who serves their political parties. The right, passionate and qualified people who have refused to pay bribes are always at a disadvantage. In the United States, to be a police officer entails a lot. Rigorous examination in psychology, adequate background check and other strict entry requirements to the US police makes it difficult for unqualified people to join the service remarked Mr. Russell Green, a friend who is a former police officer in Atlanta,Texas. These uneducated and unqualified people were not selected on merit but on party affiliation and payment of bribe. No wonder most of them find it difficult to even write report or speak proper English. No wonder innocent people have been killed in previous years by some unprofessional officers. This is a wake up call to the current government. Now they have a lot to learn from. They should use this as a case study when appointing people in critical areas. They should put competence first. Moreover, the ministers and other sector heads should start vetting certificates of all employees who were recruited in from 2013 till present times because it's obvious that most of the appointments were not merit based. It's a big shame to Ghana. By Kenneth Gyamerah Oral hearing of the maritime border dispute between Ghana and Ivory Coast begins at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea at Hamburg in Germany today. The President of the Special Chamber constituted to deal with the dispute, Judge Boualem Bouguetaia, will preside over the hearing for the next ten days. Ghanas team which is expected to put up its defense today is being led by Attorney General and Minister of Justice Gloria Akuffo. Here is a background to the case. Ivory Coast will follow subsequently with its oral submission after which the parties will visit the boundary for field assessment. Background The case dubbed: Dispute Concerning Delimitation of the Maritime Boundary between Ghana and Cote dIvoire was filed by Ghana after 10 failed negotiations. Ghana is seeking a declaration that it has not encroached on Cote dIvoires territorial waters. Cote dIvoire in February 2015 filed for preliminary measures urging the tribunal to suspend all activities on the disputed area until the definitive determination of the case. But the Special Chamber of the ITLOS on April 25, 2015 declined to suspend production activities in the disputed area with the explanation that in the view of the Special Chamber, the suspension of ongoing activities conducted by Ghana in respect of which drilling has already taken place would entail the risk of considerable financial loss to Ghana, and its concessioners and could also pose a serious danger to the marine environment resulting, in particular, from the deterioration of equipment. 06.02.2017 LISTEN By Kofi Ata February 5, 2017 Allegations of bribery and corruption abounds in Ghanaian socio-economic and political life. Ghanaians often accuse public officers of bribery and corruption whilst politicians throw wild allegations against their opponents. With the exception of the 2015 judicial corruption scandal, which resulted in the dismissal of some judges after investigations and the ford gift from a contractor to ex-president Mahama, most bribery and corruption allegations in Ghana remain a hearsay. The parliamentary Appointments Committee that is vetting ministerial appointees has been engulfed in bribery allegation which is to be investigations by a three member internal committees. What is also interesting about the work of the committee so far is how the minority members are using the committee to solicit withdrawal and apology from ministers designate who had made unsubstantiated allegations against ex-president Mahama. This article is a brief discussion on such allegations and the minoritys tactics with reference to the Bugri-Naabu bribery allegation against ex-president and the impending appearance before the committee by Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, the information minister designate. From what happened to Yaw Osafo Marfo, Boakye Agyarko and Otiko Djaba at their vetting appearance before the committee, it is obvious that the minority will seek to solicit from Mustapha Hamid the veracity or otherwise of the bribery allegations he made against the then president Mahama and his brother in late 2016. On November 29, 2016, Mustapha Hamid, then Spokesperson for Nana Akufo-Addo called a press conference and made an emotional but serious bribery allegations against president Mahama and his brother (see, Mahama and his brother bribed Bugri Naabu with GHC3.3m and a V8 - Mustapha Hamid, Ghanaweb, November 29, 2016). Despite the seriousness of the allegations nothing has been done to establish the truth or otherwise of the said allegations. In the light of the investigations into the parliamentary bribery allegations, is it not time to investigate the Bugri Naabu bribery allegations against Mahama and his brother? For the sake of this article, I reproduced here the coverage on the press conference and the allegations as reported on Ghanaweb, According to Mustapha Hamid, president John Mahama and his brother, Ibrahim in October 2016 attempted bribing the NPP Northern Regional Chairman, Daniel Bugri Naabu with two SUVs, Ghc3.3 million, an additional Ghc500,000 and other mouth-watering goodies so that he would resign from the party and launch an acerbic tribal campaign against flag bearer, Nana Akufo-Addo by painting him as a hater of northerners. Addressing journalists at a press conference in Accra, Mr Hamid said the bribe was intended to entice Mr Naabu to fall out with the NPP and help the NDC prosecute its tribal agenda against Nana Akufp-Addo. He was supposed to resign from the NPP, damage Akufo-Addo as an anti-northern person, a rabid hater of northerners and in turn, they were going to give him: a brand new V6 Mitsubishi vehicle, a brand new V8 Land Cruiser, Ghc3.3 million. Bugri Naabu is owed by government to the tune of Ghc247,000 from road contracts that he has done which government has not been paying for several years. They promised to pay that money instantly and then on the spot, they brought him Ghc500,000 cash in Ghc 50 notes. Ibrahim Mahama dropped it right in front of him, Bugri-Naabu. Its terribly sad. This country is in series trouble, we need to rescue this country from serious trouble. The presidency has been so depraved, so muddied, so dirty that I tell you in all sincerity as a Ghanaian that I feel terribly sad as a Ghanaian. Then they gave the money to Bugri Naabu and he took the money and left, it was a Friday, 28th of October 2016, so the very next day was a Saturday and Bugri Naabu found the one Prudential Bank that he knew would be opened at that time; that Abossey Okai branch of Prudential Bank and then he went and deposited the money in his account. His account number is 0090985590013, account name is Daniel Bugri Naabu. Following the press conference, Kweku Baako claimed on Newsfile on Saturday December 2, 2016, that information available to him indicated that only Ghc400,000 of the alleged Ghc500,000 cash bribe was lodged at the bank. It was later reported that Bugri Naabu will donate the vehicle to charity. Up to the time of writing, there is no indication what has happened to the cash or the vehicle. The allegations if true could have led to Mahamas impeachment had he won the December 7, 2016 presidential election. Strangely, NPP now in power have kept quiet over the allegations instead of investigating it. Though some people close to ex-president Mahama denied the allegations and different explanations were given as to what the cash was for, he himself has been silent. What is revealing was what Kweku Baako said on Newsfile on Saturday December 9, 2016 (Mustapha Hamid was also guest on the programme). According Kweku Baako, he was consulted by the then president Mahama for his opinion on a damaging campaign advertisement being broadcasted against Nana Akufo-Addo by his party (NDC) in the closing days of the 2016 election campaign. In the view of Mahama, he felt the allegations contained in the advert were uncalled for and wanted his boys to stop the advert. Kweku Baako concluded that the advert was subsequently taken off air and television. If the privilege and confidential information shared on Newsfile by Kweku Baako is accurate, then it questions the Bugri Naabu allegations against Mahama because how can the same person (Mahama) be worried about false but damaging allegations against Nana Akufo-Addo to the extent that he sought advice on it and stopped it, yet wanted Bugri Naabu to make similar false but very damaging against Nana Akufo-Addo? Unless Mahama was being hypocritical, the advice was sought after the Bugri Naabu allegations were made public or Kweku Baako was being economical with the truth but I have no reason to doubt what he shared on Newsfile. The failure by Mustapha Hamid and Bugri Naabu to report the allegations to the police and tender in the Ghc500,000 and the vehicle as evidence for investigations after the elections, has left the minority no option but to use the Appointments Committee to enquire from Mustapha Hamid the truth in the allegations and whether they were made purely for political propaganda? In conclusion, though I disagree with the minority on questioning Otiko Djaba on her relationship with her mother as that is private family matter and should not be a reason to disqualify her from being a minister, I am of the view that Ghanaian politicians are fond of making cheap but very damaging allegations against public officers that cause damage not only to the individuals concerned but the country as a whole. Such allegations affect Ghanas international image and her position on International Corruption Index. The country should not allow politicians to make frivolous but damaging allegations against any citizen for political expediency. I should add that both NPP and NDC are the main perpetrators and victims of such damaging allegations for political capital. Mustapha Hamid should be ready to answer questions on his emotional press conference on November 29, 2016 and the allegations he made against ex-president Mahama. The question is, will the minority be allowed to use the committee as an inquisitorial trial of the information minister designate and if allowed, will Mustapha Hamid stand to his grounds as Otiko Djaba did or withdraw the allegations and apologise? We are watching with keen interest. Kofi Ata, Cambridge, UK A Catholic nun in Spain has caused outrage after she suggested that the Virgin Mary may not have been a virgin after all. The controversial Dominican nun invited the ire of the Catholic Church who responded to her statements in anger. Sister Lucia Caram was speaking on a talk show over the weekend when she let slip her belief that contradicts one of the key pillars of her faith. I think that Mary was in love with Joseph and that they were a normal couple, and the normal thing is to have sex, Caram told Risto Mejideon during Sundays Chester in Love programme. According to Roman Catholic faith, the Virgin Mary is believed to have become pregnant with Jesus, the son of God, by immaculate conception. Its hard to believe and to take in. Weve stuck with rules that we have invented without reaching the true message, she added. Sister Carmans remarks were denounced by the Bishop of Vic, who issued a statement reminding people that Marys virginity was not up for debate. The belief that Mary was a perpetual virgin forms part of the faith of Church from its beginnings and that this truth of faith was collected and proclaimed by the Second Council of Constantinople, being the primary Marian dogma observed by Catholic and Orthodox Christians, he said. Such statements do not conform to the faith of the Church. Sister Lucia is no stranger to controversy. The nun has over 180,000 followers on Twitter and is a vocal supporter of Catalan independence. She has appeared on numerous chat shows and cooking programs. She also aired her views on sex during the Risto Mejideon show. Sex is a way of expressing feelings and love and forms a part of all people, she said. The Church has treated the subject as dirty and secret but I think it is a blessing. Mejide also asked her whether she masturbates. Just as I told you that I am a virgin and that I have never had sex, I also tell you that I do not masturbate, she replied. 06.02.2017 LISTEN As gloomy as my eyes were when I woke up to the incessant ringtones from my two mobile phones, alas they were calls from fellow Nigerian friends who have been well informed of 2faces (Innocent idibia) decision to back out of the already well publicized and generally accepted planned protest scheduled to hold on 6th February, 2017, my eyes shot to stardom with vociferous alacrity! I tried to explain to the few of my callers who adhered to listen that as against the stereotyped misconception that those who protest are troublemakers, rabble-rousers, stubborn or the jobless percentage of the Nigerian populace, it is important to note that a protest or demonstration is an integral activity to modify the current state of affairs in any dispensation, by words or actions with regards to particular events, policies or situations. Although protest can take various forms, from individual statement to public outcry in an attempt to influence public opinion, government policies or for citizens to directly carry out the change they so desire. I believe it is with this resolve that 2face innocently announced that he would be leading a nationwide protest over the deplorable state of the nation via an instagram broadcast on 25th January 2017. In an era where citizens protest against government policies is becoming of sporadic effect, little did 2face know that the Nigerian factor would still have its wanton toll. Different version of stories have circulated the media, from how 2face was marauded by DSS to how his mother begged him in utter nakedness to discontinue the protest, yet this is beyond Innocent Idibia, this is OUR Nigeria her welfare is of utmost concern to us all. Fellow Nigerians, over 2.3million south Koreans protested against corruption in the government upper echelon, while 43,000 Indian protesters protested against the supreme court ruling to ban Jallikatu; the countrys bull gaming sport practiced only once in a year! Concerned citizens all over the universe protest as their constitutional obligation to make their country and immediate environment a better place to live. Unfortunately, that is not our narrative. We argue over the most insane of issues and we troop out en-mass for the most absurd cause. It is utterly regrettable that the average standard of living as a Nigerian is mathematically less than or equals to the standard of life of a well fed baboon in some western zoo. Our ability to contain the most unthinkable action not only from foreigners, but from self elected leaders is quite alarming. What then do we stand to gain as Nigerian citizens? What is to be celebrated? What is to be proud of being called a Nigerian citizen? A country where James Ibori is celebrated and 2face is castigated, where access to electricity, good road, good education, water, adequate infrastructure, food, shelter and security as the basic necessities of life is unavailable irrespective of the vast mineral wealth we possess. Where did we get it wrong, are we being hypnotized by our leaders, or are we just naturally deluded with the ability to reason normally? How possible would it even have been to think properly considering our current predicament? That is why we all need to lend our voices in protest to this baboonic system of life, we need to act accordingly and in the sole interest of nationhood, because if Mahatma ghandis salt march was for all Indians, if Martin Luther kings march on Washington was for all black Americans, I see no reason why you should not protest to say NO to the continued deplorability of our dear Nigeria. On the ride to success, some are initiators while some are spectators. History has forever been kind to the initiators; hence history would kindly absolve Innocent Idibia (2face) for waking up the sleeping giants in all of us. Therefore, we mustnt be frustrated to go back to our already frustrating lives, we must say no to Lack of Electricity, good road, good education, water, adequate infrastructure, food, shelter, security, NO to corruption, Nepotism, God-fatherism, Dictatorship and every other Negative Giant striving to pull down Nigeria. That is why you need to protest! Join the protest today as we all stand with Nigeria!!! #ISTANDWITHNIGERIA God Bless Nigeria. The National Labour Commission (NLC) has told Citi Business News, it is working to address some complaints made by former workers of Antrak Air to the commission. Some of the workers who besieged the premises of Citi FM last week stated that Antrak Air owe them over 10,000 cedis in salary arrears, as well as outstanding transport allowances. According to them, management asked all workers to go home for a period of three months to undertake some restructuring in 2015 after which they would be called back, but they have still not received any call. They added that the company has since ceased operations. Reacting to the issue, the Executive Secretary of the NLC, Charles Adongo Bawa Duah explained that the commission has received a petition from the workers and is using laid down procedures to address the issues. About 48 workers of Antrak Air petitioned the commission regarding their salaries and other entitlements they say is owed them by the company. Now what happened was that it is required by our procedure that when we receive the complaint, we make copies to the respondent in this case Antrak Air to respond to, he explained. He stated that the lawyers of Antrak Air however raised some legal objection to petition calling for it to put in a proper context. They brought a response, and in their response they raised a legal issue. This is because in the petition that the complainant filled and submitted, they referred to Alhaji Asuman Banda as the respondent. As a result the lawyers for Antrak Air are raising a legal objection to that effect that, it is the company which ought to be sued, he said. Mr. Bawa Dua assured that the commission has already taken steps to deal with the issue to commence hearing on the substantive matter. So the commission is going to deal with that legality and then the process will continue. Let me say that [with] the Labour Commission when we receive matters, we go through certain processes after we have received the response from the other side. We attempt to do what we call facilitation. That is the commission tries to bring the parties to see whether an amicable solution could be reached, he observed. He maintained that the commission's main object is to settle labour issues amicably to prevent it from dragging. He pointed out that all efforts is normally directed at ironing out differences to draw a roadmap to satisfy all the parties. If that fails, then the matter will be referred to the main body. The members of the commission themselves to hear the matter or they can also refer the matter to arbitration, he said. By: Lawrence Segbefia/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana Aggrieved police recruits who feel they have been dismissed unfairly can seek justice in court, private legal practitioner Clara Beeri Kasser-Tee has advised. Some 206 police recruits who were undergoing training at the Pwalugu Police Training School in the Upper East Region were dismissed by the Ghana Police Service. The police administration on Friday 3 February sacked the recruits for failing to meet the required academic qualification. However, there are speculations that they may have been dismissed on political grounds. Speaking on the Executive Breakfast Show on Class FM, Ms Beeri told host Moro Awudu on Monday February 6 that Ghanas laws protect public officers. She explained that without just reasons, the police service cannot dismiss the recruits. The courts are there, we have Article 191 of the constitution and that Article protects all public officers, and that includes people who work in the police service. The Article is to the effect that you cannot dismiss a public officer without just cause. So, when you are dismissing an officer, there must be good reasons and not belonging to a particular political party is not a good reason, she stated. According to her, if legal action is taken, the court will address each individual case to determine if they were dismissed on just grounds. Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia could not subdue the pain of the loss of Kwabena Boadu, his 30-year-old press aide and confidante, when he read a tribute to the memory of the deceased at the forecourt of the State House last Saturday. He was virtually choked by the grief towards the dying moments of his remarks, and was unable to complete the few remaining words as his ADC walked him away to his seat. His return to his seat earlier after viewing the remains of the man he shared most of his political assignments with, was painful but he managed to contain it, trying not to let it show on his countenance, but not so during the reading of the tribute because he was compelled to relive the past. In his tribute, he said had he known he was going to lose his confidante, he would have hugged him, engaged him for longer and sought more knowledge from an adviser and speechwriter whom many consider too brilliant and intelligent for his young age. It was infectious as almost all sympathizers were seized by intense melancholy while they observed the vice president struggling to contain his grief. Handkerchiefs were used by many to wipe away the tears just when the vice president could not complete the last few words of the tribute. He had narrated how a young University of Ghana, Legon, First Class political science graduate was introduced to him to serve as his press aide by Anthony Karbo. Dr. Bawumia said he found the young man too shy and perhaps not cut for the job for which he was introduced an impression which he said was quickly reversed when Kwabena proved his mettle outstandingly, mastering economics and doing better, he said humorously, than some economists. Kwabena Boadu's mother, to whom the deceased was the only son, particularly attracted attention. She was home from Germany for the burial of her son, supported by her own mother, who was responsible for the upbringing of Kwabena. The burial service, prior to the movement of the remains of the press aide to the then running mate to the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), to their final resting place, the Achimota Public Cemetery, was solemn. Her mother's tribute could not be read by her as she was consumed in an uncontrollable grief her wailing rending the serene moments. Even though it was read by her elder brother, a certain Prempeh, it did not take away the sorrow which such tributes trigger when they are presented by the bereaved who are so close to a deceased such as a fiancee. Tributes were read on behalf of the president by his spokesperson and Information Minister-designate; John Buadu for the NPP; the deceased's mates from the University of Ghana and pre-university school, among others. President Nana Akufo-Addo popped up having earlier attended a commemoration service for his late grandfather, Dr. J.B. Danquah, at Kyebi where he too shed tears just as the vice president did. In attendance were major players in NPP politics, the Speaker of Parliament, ministers of state, Mrs. Gina Blay, wife of the Acting Chairman of the NPP Freddie Blay and several MPs. Wreaths were laid by the vice president, the NPP and others. By A.R. Gomda Otiko Afisa Djaba does not need to do her national service because she is more than 45 years, thus, falls within the category of persons exempted by law from undertaking the one-year mandatory duty to the nation, Mr Anyimadu Antwi, a constitutional lawyer has argued. She doesnt need to go and do national service before she comes into public life if shes not been in public life before, if she was in public life before her statutory date, that would have been a different matter, the MP for Asante Akyim Central told Moro Awudu on Class91.3FMs Executive Breakfast Show on Monday, 6 February. The Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister-designate, a graduate of the University for Development Studies (UDS), told parliaments Appointments Committee on Monday, 30 January that I did not do national service because I was not in Ghana, when the question was put to her by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu. Ghanaian students who graduate from accredited tertiary institutions are required by law to do a one-year national service to the country. Candidates for national service may on application be exempted from service by the National Service Board on production of valid documentary evidence establishing that an individual has undertaken National Service at an earlier date. Additionally, graduates who are 45 years old or more could be exempted from undertaking national service. However, Ms Otiko explained to the committee that she travelled outside the country and could not have the opportunity to participate in the one-year service to the nation. The Minority are arguing that she cannot be approved as a Minister since she did not do her national service. Her approval is on ice pending voting by parliament on Tuesday, 7 February. Accra: February 2, 2017: The World Customs Organisation, (WCO) has honoured the Ghana Community Network Services Limited (GCNet) for rendering exceptional services to the international customs and trade community in creating a business friendly environment. The award endorsed by the Secretary General of the World Customs Organisation, Mr. Kunio Mikuriya was received by the General Manager of GCNet, Mr. Alwin Hoegerle on the occasion of the celebration of the 2017 International Customs Day observed in Accra. It is GCNets second customs award this year. The presentation of the award coincided with the celebration of this years International Customs Day on January 26, 2017 on the theme Data Analysis for Effective Border Management, a build-up on last years theme. Digital Customs Progressive Engagement In a response to the citation accompanying the award, Mr. Hoegerle pledged GCNets continuous support for and collaboration with all stakeholders to provide the business intelligence services which facilitate faster decision making, ensure strategic interventions and generally deepen the proactiveness of all players to creating and sustaining a business friendly environment. GCNet hopes to tap into opportunities for sustained collaboration with other actors in the Trade eco-system. We feel proud about the delivery of business intelligence services, ensuring availability and accessibility of fair and accurate data that facilitates policy decisions, key to boosting confidence in the trade processes for improved competitiveness and revenue mobilisation, Mr. Hoegerle remarked. He also reiterated GCNets commitment to deepening its partnership with GRA especially the Customs Division and other Divisions to collaborate to create a business friendly environment which will expand base for revenue generation and collection, assuring that GRA remains our top priority and we will continue to work with you as your partner to help you deliver on your mandate. The first award was the Most Dependable Partner award by the Tema Sector Command of the Ghana Revenue Authority Customs Division. January 26 is a day set aside by the World Customs Organisation every year to recognise and draw attention to the critical role of Customs organisations the world over in economic development. The Day is observed by Customs administrations in over 180 member states that belong to the global Customs body with various national events to commemorate the occasion. Meanwhile, Management and staff of GCNet on Friday January 2017, came together at the forecourt of its Head Offices to thank God for His guidance and protection last year. The thanksgiving service is the fourth edition of the annual event instituted by GCNet to show gratitude to God for his unending mercies and grace towards members of staff and management. Delivering a sermon, Managing Director of the ADB Bank, Rev. Daniel Asiedu urged management and staff to always uphold the character and attitude of thanksgiving since that is the effective means to continually draw on Gods favour and intervention. Relying on his anchor text in Philippians 4:6-8, Rev. Asiedu noted the art of thanksgiving was an effective weapon for Gods children to exercise in all endeavours to remain conquerors and victorious. In his welcome statement to staff, Executive Chairman of GCNet, Dr. Nortey Omaboe reminded staff of the values which have guided the operations of the company and urged them to always abide by them. He said teamwork, integrity, humility and service to mankind were fundamental guiding principles and encouraged staff to continually apply these principles to stay on top of their endeavours. Baffuor Ossei Hyiaman Brentuo VI, Otumfuo's Manwerehene being supported by other chiefs during the press conference The bid of Baffuor Ossei Hyiaman Brentuo VI, Otumfuo's Manwerehene, to represent the Ashanti Region on the Council of State has received a massive boost few days to the polls. This follows the decision of the Manhyia Palace, the official seat of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to openly declare its support for Manwerehene, who has been described as very competent and knowledgeable. Scores of prominent Asanteman chiefs and key officials at the Manhyia Palace, including the Asantehene's Personal Secretary, Kofi Owusu Boateng, have urged the Electoral College to vote massively for Manwerehene. They disclosed this at a press conference organized by Baffuor Hyiaman Brentuo VI at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on Saturday to officially announce his bid. Mr. Owusu Boateng stated that Manwerehene, who has incredible academic credentials, has been courageous, visionary and development-oriented since he was enstooled 20 years ago. The Asantehene's personal secretary and the chiefs at the press conference stated that the Manwerehene would ably represent the Ashanti Region on the Council of State. They were of the conviction that Manwerehene would appropriately advise President Akufo-Addo to ensure the socio-economic development of the country. The chiefs that endorsed the Manwreehene's candidature included Nana Kwaku Okyere Ababio, Chief of Okyerekrom, Nana Boadi Tawiah, Chief of Atwima Darko and the Ankobeahene, just to mention a few. According to them, other prominent chiefs of the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) proposed name of Manwerehene for the position to Otumfuo and the Asante Monarch endorsed it because of his expertise and experience. Addressing the media, the Manwrehene, who provides crucial services to the Asantehene at the Manhyia Palace, stated that when elected, he would support President Akufo-Addo to enhance Ghana's transformation. He said development in the Ashanti Region, which had retarded for some time now, would be key on his agenda, adding that he would also support the president to carry out his developmental agenda for the state. Baffuor Hyiaman Brentuo VI stated that he would advise the president to push for the enactment of laws that would ensure that gold are refined in the country before exported to boost revenue for Ghana. He added that he would work hard to ensure that 'galamsey' is tackled to stop the wanton destruction of water bodies and farms, especially in the Ashanti Region. About 19 people submitted their forms to contest in the Ashanti Regional Council of State elections slated for Thursday, but some of the contestants, including Dennis Kwakwa, have withdrawn from the race to support Manwerehene. From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi Michael Afful 06.02.2017 LISTEN A BROADCAST journalist with Accra-based Oman FM, Michael Creg Afful, survived a gunshot Friday dawn when he was shot by suspected armed robbers at his residence at Official Town, a suburb of Ashaiman in Accra. The evangelist cum journalist, who resides with his nucleus family and his mother-in-law, was reportedly attacked by masked suspected armed robbers who ransacked the house and made away with properties. He was shot in his lower left thigh and was later subjected to severe assaults, making him lose two of his incisor teeth. He was rushed to the Tema General Hospital for treatment after the attackers, reportedly numbering about four, had left. He has since been discharged. The suspects made away with properties and personal effects such as 4 mobile phones, a flat screen LED television set, GH1,300 and CFA3,000. The journalist told DAILY GUIDE that the robbers entered his residence at about 2am. He said he heard some noise and so woke up to enquire what was transpiring, only to notice that the armed robbers had already broken his main door to gain access into rooms in the apartment. According to him, one of the robbers saw him opening his door and rushed on him. The robber, he claimed, asked him to surrender his phone and wedding ring. He pushed me to the floor and asked me where the money is and I told him there is no money. He further asked where my phones were, and I told him they were in the living room. He again asked me to remove my wedding ring but I became mute, Afful narrated. He continued that he attempted to escape in order to raise an alarm when he was shot in the thigh by one of the robbers and was subjected to severe beatings. Meanwhile, the Ashaiman District Police have launched investigations into the incident. From Vincent Kubi, Ashaiman The newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP) David Asante Apeatu, has officially been presented with the sword of command as the 19th IGP in the Ghana Police Service. Dr John Kudalor, the outgoing IGP, handed over the sword as he officially retires from the Service. This was at a colourful change of command and pulling-out ceremony for Dr John Kudalor at the Police Depot in Accra. The celebration was attended by Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Marshall Michael Samson Oje; senior officers from other security services; police management board members; retired IGPs; chiefs and some of the past and the current government officials. Mr Kudalor retired from the Service two weeks ago, after serving as IGP for about 13 months. He was appointed by former President John Dramani Mahama to the position in an acting capacity in November 2015 and was confirmed the substantive IGP in February 2016. In his remarks, the outgoing head of the Police Service thanked both the past and the present governments for their support during his tenure. He recalled times when he had to stomach bitterness, ridicule, blatant lies, among other things, from some Ghanaians, while urging the new IGP to be strong in order to deliver. I call on all, including personnel, to support the acting IGP, David Asante Apeatu, to effectively discharge his duties. Lets continue to work hard to lift the image of the service and mother Ghana, he entreated. Kudalor charged personnel to continue to be one anothers keeper and work as a team always. Policing is a call and together as a team, you will succeed, he noted. He urged the government to allocate resources and logistics to the Service to make it deliver effectively. Those whom he offended, he asked for their forgiveness. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, January 25, named COP David Asante Apeatu as the acting Inspector General of Police after Mr Kudalor had gone to the Flagstaff House to bid the president farewell. Until his appointment, COP Apeatu was the Director General in-charge of Information Communication Technology (ICT). He had also served as the Director General in-charge of Research & Planning, and was once the Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). In 2007, COP Asante Apeatu was appointed Director of the Specialised Crime and Analysis (SCA) Unit at the INTERPOL headquarters in Lyon, France, and had also worked at the Sarajevo Police Academy as an instructor in Human Dignity, Police Ethics and Criminal Investigations under the auspices of the United Nations Task Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1997 to 1998. By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey ([email protected]) 06.02.2017 LISTEN The advertising industry in Ghana has evolved over the last couple of years, probably more intensely over the last two decades, an industry cluttered mostly with immigrant companies mostly from Europe and America. Ghana can boast of the presence of big brands like SCANAD, OGILVY, ORIGIN8 among many others. These companies have churned out great campaigns that have mostly changed/improved the fortunes of renowned brands such as MTN, NESTLE, KASAPREKO etc. The competition among these players, particularly the mobile telecom networks push these ad agencies to churn out more creative and captivating campaigns. Among these are the popular "Time Aso" and "Honey Cuchiecuchie" adverts for the Tigo, "Na Sika no wo he" for MTN mobile money. However, as we sat on the fence singing the praise of these agencies and their work, we as well have been singing dirges to our own rich Ghanaian culture. Largely, these agencies have not inculcated the true identity of the Ghanaian people - our fashion, sense of dignity, respect for the elderly, and more recently, our beliefs have all derailed in the name of getting the advertising message across and conforming to international standards. Craig Davis, former executive of Saatchi & Saatchi once said, "We need to stop interrupting what people are interested in & be what people are interested in. No commercial sells if it is in a context of what people are not interested in, and there is nothing more that interests people that who or what they are. Instead of pushing them to a way of life they are unfamiliar with, make them feel valuable by celebrating them for their originality and identity. A good commercial communicates in a way people understand and can relate with. This is not to say agencies should not conform to international standards and changes in the field of their operations, it is to say, rather, that change should not wipe identity, especially that of a group of people. Ad agencies must be creative, but their creativity should be in the context of the Ghanaian people, their creativity must still remain in the confines of things we can identify with by virtue of our indigenous way of life. if advertising should be persuasive, informative and educative, then there is no better way of touching a peoples hearts and minds than in their context. Quite a number of agencies have succeeded at this, however, by and large, most have not. Many of them do not tell the true story; our morals, beliefs, fashion and other elements are well distorted, we are now almost identified as a country with other attributes than that of ours. If you want to understand how a lion hunts, dont go to the zoo. Go to the jungle. Jim Stengel. This is where it all begins, if you want to appeal to the Ghanaian in a way they really can associate with, you better know them, you better have a taste, a feel, an understanding, a knowledge about their cultural fabric - if possible, wear the fabric. Advertisers can make more appeals if they went a bit deeper into the way of life of the people and balanced it with the new dynamics in the field of advertising. On Sunday 5th February, I suffered two major disappointments. First, like most patriotic Nigerians, I supported, and planed to participate in the protests organized by Nigerias music legend, Innocent TuFace Idibia on Monday 6th February, 2017. Nigerians have suffered so much and for too long. The government must at least hear our cries. And since I was one of those who participated in the Occupy Nigeria protests against President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012, I felt the moral obligation to join other Nigerians in protesting against the increase in cost of living among Nigerians. I was stunned to find out that the music icon has chickened out using the exact words of SaharaReporters. TuFace has announced the cancellation of the protests citing some vested interests not aligned with our own wanting to hijack the protests. He never mentioned anyones name neither did he leave too much to the imagination as to who the vested interests were! Second, I was eagerly awaiting the news of the arrival of President Muhammadu Buhari after his 10-day leave expired on Sunday 5th February, 2017. I was left disappointed after a friend, and well-known PDP disinformation agent, called to tell me that the president will not be resuming on Monday after all. I took his view with the wave of the hand as the usual politics. I wasnt ready for his style of politics that wish people dead simply because one has political disagreements with them. Around 3 pm on Sunday, the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, gave a big gift to my PDP friend who called sent me a link of the extension of the presidents vacation. At that point, I could no longer assume David, my friend, was playing politics. He called me for up to 15 times that evening, but I did not return his calls. That the extension gave the president the right to stay in London sine die is equally discomforting. Some say it could take as long as four months. While no sane Nigerian will wish the president dead at this time, it should not be difficult to the Presidency to come out clean on the state of the presidents heath. When he became president, Buhari has become Nigerias property. Nigerians deserve to know whatever is going on with his at every material time. The extension of the presidents vacation or medical (sick) leave only further fuels suspicions and rumours of our worst fears. Few years ago, when something like this happened the ruling cabal exploited the power vacuum to loot and nearly brought confusion to the nation. The Presidency is not about just Buhari. The fact that Buhari is presently medically unfit should not hold the nation to ransom. This should not mean Nigeria is sick. Certainly, it should not set the nation on fire. Government is a continuum; it needs not start or end with one person. On the botched protest, I wish to say this. Building a nation requires courage, not cowardice. This is one lesson Nelson Mandela taught us all. I understand that some vested interests were more interested in the protests than TuFace himself. I am aware the vested interests are hell-bent on scoring political points with the protests and not participating based on genuine love for the poor and the down trodden. I am aware some of the vested interests provided heavy amounts of stolen money to fund the protests. All these notwithstanding, Tuface should have gone ahead and who knows, the revolution may just start from there! OlalekanWaheed ADIGUN is a political analyst and independent political strategist for wide range of individuals, organisations and campaigns. He is based in Lagos, Nigeria. His write-ups can be viewed on his website http://olalekanadigun.com/ Tel: +2348136502040, +2347081901080 Email: [email protected], [email protected] Follow me on Twitter @adgorwell The Tourism and Creative Arts minister nominee, Catherine Afeku, has endorsed Citi FM's Heritage Caravan. The Minister Nominee endorsed the initiative while responding to a question on measures her Ministry will take to revive domestic tourism, during her vetting on Monday at Parliament House. Catherine Afeku said though Citi FM initiated the programme as a means of promoting domestic tourism, her Ministry will also introduce other programmes to support the initiative. To give credit to Citi FM .they do the Heritage Caravan annually and I have seen the advertising; but yes, once given the nod the Ministry intends to aggressively promote domestic tourism and it will be one of the initiatives. About Heritage Caravan Heritage Caravan is a tour that grants participants the opportunity to discover and experience Ghana, the people, places and culture in its entirety. Last year, the participants visited some very interesting sites, including Nzulezu, Buabeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary and Manhyia. From Adaklu, the #HeritageCaravan went to the Eastern Region, before heading for #Kumasi. This year's edition will be from March 5 to 12. Participants will be touring seven regions in that week. It is very special this year because the Ghana is celebrating 60 years of independence and this will be a perfect opportunity to learn more about the country. The participants at Nzulezu, the town on stilt Heritage Caravan is brought to us by Citi FM, with sponsorship from Top Oil. By: Jeffrey Owuraku Sarpong/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @ojsarpong A former Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi has indicated he would help the Akufo-Addo-led government's anti-corruption agenda if appointed a member of Council of State from the Volta Region. Togbe Kantamanto Fitih said his experience in parliament and service in Ghana and abroad has enriched his knowledge in governance hence he surpasses above all who seek to represent the Volta Region at the Council of State. Being the first individual to be a Majority Leader in Parliament in 1979 and with a background in Economics and Banking, he believes he has got enormous expertise to assist government reduce hardship in the country. In an interaction with the media at Peki over the weekend, Togbe Fitih said, "if am appointed as a member of Council of States from the Volta Region, you will witness lots of change and benefits." "I have experience of what will happen in the Council of State. I will help the government to stump out corruption, mismanagement of government funds and indiscipline in the society", he stressed. He emphasized he would champion the course in helping government recover all its assets that are in possession of corrupt individuals. "Ghana has a lot, we are a very rich country, I have gone round the whole of the word and am proud to be a Ghanaian, our current suffering is our own doing, we need to look into ourselves and correct it," he added. Togbe Katamanto Fitih who is the Dihiefia of Peki State, was emphatic when advising President Akufo-Addo to be firm on his appointees to ensure the right things are done to the benefit of the citizenry. Nevertheless, the Chiefs and youth of Peki Blengo have advocated for Togbe Fitih and appealed to the electoral college in the Volta Region to consider him as the best candidate to represent the interest of the region at the Council of State. Convener of the group, Explo Nani-Kofi proclaimed "He [Togbe Katamanto Fitih] is a strong advocate against corruption and injustice in all its ramifications...he is one of five Ghanaians among a number of Africans listed as Incorruptible Icons in Africa in 2009". "Among the 21 people competing for the position to represent the Volta Region at the Council of State, Togbe Kantamanto Fitih towers above all the others," he added. "The council of state has been set up for those with experience...when we take qualities of Togbe Fitih into consideration, he has met the conditions needed to be a member of the Council of State," Nani-Kofi concluded. Twenty-one individuals have submitted nominations to represent the Volta Region at the Council of State of which 88-years-old Togbe Kantamanto Fitih is apparently the oldest. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Fred Quame Asare | Joy News The general modern conceptual approach of criminologist to crime and disorder has been that, to those persons who fall foul of societal laws or whose anti social behaviour conflicts with the general values and expectations of their communities should inevitably be punished. Several reasons have been adduced as purposes for this approach to criminal behaviour. These encompass: REHABILITATION, RE-INTEGRATION / RESETTLEMENT, REPARATION, PUBLIC PROTECTION AND DETERRENCE. Indeed the modern conceptual theoretical approach to punishment places much more emphasis on the rehabilitative ethos of punishment rather than the hitherto punitive approach to punishment. The former, being a paradigm that provides a unique framework within which offenders can be confronted and challenged positively, with their anti social behaviour and the opportunity explored to address their criminogenic needs. Research demonstrates clearly that this has become a much more realistic and pragmatic reflection of an evidence-based, effective and efficient mechanism for responding to criminality than the retributive philosophy or the 'punishment fits the crime' ethos of punishment. To date, Ghana's approach or response to crime and disorder is determined by a criminal procedure code which has fines and custody as the only sentencing options available to our courts. It is this naive and myopic feature of our sentencing framework that has been responsible for the cancer of prison overcrowding and its other dehumanising effects in this country. You may ask-Why can't our prisons be congested if minor offences such as a theft of a goat or a bunch of plantain, which are recovered, attracts a five years custodial sentence? Such sentencing approach is what will incur the professional displeasure and disappointment of the ladyship the chief justice to describe sentencing as inconsiderate and unreasonable, although to many others the practice is despicably outrageous, insensitive and lacks the commonsense approach to justice delivery. On the flip side though, it is possible that these dangerous and inhumane situations may not arise were the courts empowered with alternatives to custodial sentencing mechanism. It is necessary to remind readers here that our criminal justice delivery system is informed and based on that of our colonial masters, the British criminal justice system. Paradoxically they have on numerous occasions reformed their penal policy and therefore their criminal justice legislations in making those provisions for alternatives to custodial sentencing with regards to minor offences. Undoubtedly, this approach reflects the demands of modern criminology, democratic values, the exigencies of the needs of their citizenry and their fundamental human rights as imprisonment has become a human rights issue. However in Ghana, we have rather ridiculously remained static and held to the rather archaic, obsolete and a seemingly out of touch criminal procedure code, which at best is no longer fit for purpose , given reparative philosophy now underlines the concept of punishment. Thus the British jurisdiction has come to value, appreciate and acknowledge the outlook and the redefinition of punishment as to provide a framework for rehabilitation, reparation, reintegration, resettlement of the offender back into communality life as a law abiding citizen ready to contribute to national development. This Paper, with its column the 'NEW AGENDA,' has singularly been at the forefront of the advocacy for this penal reform agenda for some time now without any collaborative support from even other civil society organisations, let alone the so called stakeholder institutions to date. Our advocacy is for a reform agenda which should and must provide the working framework that responds to the UN Standards Minimum Rules of Non -Custodial Sentencing for Minor Offences ( Tokyo, 1999 ), the UN Standards Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and Pre-Trial Detention, the Ouagadougou Declaration and Plan of Action on Accelerating Prisons and the Penal Reforms in Africa and the Penal Reform International's global penal reform agenda. A characteristic feature of the non-custodial sentence approach to crime and disorder is the development of probationary practice or what has come to be known in modern times as the offender management and rehabilitation practice or service delivery, one which combines punishment and rehabilitative ethos or philosophy as in line with modern criminological understanding of punishment. No doubt the repository of our source of penal policy the British criminal justice delivery system has moved from its national probation service framework to the modern and current trend of a national offender management service-(NOMS) in responding appropriately to the challenges crime and disorder poses to its body politics. Research demonstrates that the British practice is a true reflection of, evidence -based, effective and best practice response to the risk(s) offenders pose to public safety. It is an approach that has a developed alternative to custodial sentencing framework with a variety of community sentencing options beyond fines and custody which empowers offenders to take responsibilities for their offending behaviour and acknowledge the harm done to their victims and the public in general. Significantly, its national offender management service which together with partner agencies, provide numerous services in order to reduce re-offending, manage risk, address offending-related needs and ensure the needs of both victims and the public are addressed. The role of the offender manager and rehabilitation practitioner is to ensure that offenders comply with the sentence of the court, usually under the auspices of a supervision requirement. Additionally, offender management can also take place as part of community reparation, community service or community pay-back initiatives. The offender manager and rehabilitation practitioner also has as a duty to ensure that the right service is delivered to the right offender at the right time. ASSESSMENT: the first task of an offender manager and rehabilitation practitioner is to undertake an assessment of the offender. This will normally include offence analysis, offending -related needs and risk. Most offenders will be assessed using OASys ( the Offender Assessment System ) which cover all these issues. Once an assessment has been completed the offender manager and rehabilitation practitioner will be able to make a proposal to the court via a pre-sentence report (PSR). The PSR , which is a report for advising the court will outline the most suitable intervention for an individual offender based on the seriousness of the offence committed, the impact on the victims, the risk posed and the needs identified such as anger mismanagement ,substance dependency, peer pressure, trade skills, employment, housing or thinking and behaviour. SENTENCE PLANNING: Following the imposition of a sentence by the court, the offender manager is now mandated to undertake offence-focused supervision work with the offender, by planning the implementation of the sentence. An OASys mechanism is again deployed to prioritise the issues identified following the assessment and ensure that the various components of the sentence are delivered in the right order. Offenders are also expected to asses themselves, given their own insight is vital to ensure successful sentence planning. Sentence plans are always subject to regular reviews so as to ensure that all the interventions are being delivered and that any new needs or risk issues are adequately addressed. EFFECTIVE SUPERVISION: Once the court order is imposed, the offender is obligated by national standards that regulate the court order to meet at least once weekly with the offender manager and rehabilitation practitioner in the first -four months (16 weeks) for direct one-to-one supervision sessions. At these sessions, offenders will be expected to complete work related to their offending behaviour. It will also be the expectations of the court order for the offender to engage in victim focussed intervention work, with the view to developing and improving their understanding of how their offending behaviour impacts on the victim and other people and sometimes on their own friends and families. Supervision sessions also provide the opportunity for the offender to raise those other issues that may be of importance to them such as employment, relationships, money, drugs and alcohol challenges. The Offender manager and rehabilitation practitioner has a further responsibility of engaging the offender in a manner as to keep the offender motivated well enough to undertake all the tasks identified and agreed as vital for reducing their risk of re-offending and any risk of significant harm. Supervision sessions are equally used to monitor progress of the offender and adequately address issues as they may arise. PARTNERSHIP WORKING : Statutorily, the offender manager and rehabilitation practitioner is obligated to work with a range of other agencies in ensuring that the risk and offending -related issues are adequately addressed. They have the task of liaising with drugs and alcohol agencies, employment, housing, education, community project providers and other service providers as set out in the sentence plan. Offender manager and rehabilitation practitioners will be required to share relevant information with other appropriate agencies such as with the police, health and social services in other to protect others who may be vulnerable. Indeed robust partnership working is a critical index to the successful management of offenders on court orders in the community. ENFORCEMENT OF THE ORDER: The offender manager and rehabilitation practitioner has the responsibility for ensuring that the offender complies with all aspects of their sentence as set out by the sentencing court. In the event of failure to comply with any aspect of the order, their case is swiftly returned to court for breach of the order by the offender manager and rehabilitation practitioner as the supervisor of the court order. It is this mechanism that characterizes the criminal justice delivery systems of those other jurisdictions that have faith in community sentencing as a credible and a robust strategic response to crime and disorder in the 21st century. Ghana cannot afford to be left behind this strategy and action. The time to act is now. The Writer Who Is A Social Care And Offender Management And Rehabilitation Consultant Is A Penal Reform Advocate And The Operations Director Of OMRO. For Futher Details Contact Www. [email protected] / 0248 416 287 For the 3 hours and 18 minutes the Minister of Energy, Boakye Agyarko spent at his vetting before Parliaments Appointments Committee, he answered 176 questions; 150 from the minority and 26 from the majority. Major issues the Minister addressed include tariff reduction, erratic power supply popularly known as dumsor and debts of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG). The infographic below captures details of Mr Agyarkos time with the Committee. By: Mawuli Tsikata & Caleb Kudah/citifmonline.com/Ghana Microsoft Student Partner and Google digital skills trainer for the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), Nathaniel Alpha has declared his intent to run for the position of GIJ SRC General Secretary in the upcoming polls at GIJ. This was revealed in a memo released by Alpha, when the second semester of the 2016/2017 academic year began on Monday, 30 January 2017. According to Alpha, the SRC has not done enough to meet and prioritize the needs of students as instituted in the GIJ SRC Constitution. A lot has to be done and students deserve to feel the impact of the SRC the more. My vision for GIJ SRC will be to meet students at their point of need and to set into motion an era of student focused, student oriented leadership he said. Nathaniel Alpha has served as a General Assembly rep for two years, served as the clerk of GIJ General Assembly during the 2015/2016 academic. Under his watch as clerk, GIJ SRC saw a lot of institutional growth and a conscious attempt to review the SRC Constitution to better serve the needs of students. He has also served as the chairman of the GIJ Audit Committee during the 2014/2015 academic year,. As Chairman, he released an audit report of the SRC to General Assembly detailing how the Steve Kubatey led administration raised and spent money belonging to the student body. His report was the first one to be released after close to 7 years of no auditing on the accounts of the SRC. With close to 4 years involvement in student activism on and off the campus of the Ghana Institute of Journalism, some political connoisseurs have touted him as the most experienced student leader and someone trained purposely to serve as the next General Secretary of GIJ SRC. The fall of the West African state of The Gambia ex-President, self -style Sheikh, Professor, Alhaji, , Dr.Yahya Jammeh is a lesson for remaining sit-tight dictators in Africa and elsewhere around the world. In 1994, the former head of The Gambia national Army military police carried out the first successful military coup in Banjul, The Gambia capital ousting the post independence and democratic elected leader Dr. Dauda Jawara. Captain Jammeh is no stranger to crisis, he played a small role in the Economic Community of West African State monitoring group, ECOMOG as leader of The Gambia contingent in West African state of Liberia during the brutal civil war in early 90's after few Gambia national Army soldiers on peace keeping mission were ambushed and killed by then major Liberia rebel movement National patriotic front of Liberia NPLF led by Charles Taylor; they withdrawn home to Banjul weeks later he seizes power and The Gambia joined the league of nations that had military coup in the world politics. Overtime, Captain Yahya Jammeh returned tiny west African nation to democratic governance. Since then, Presidential election were manipulated to favour the incumbent; not because he has been popularly re-elected but rigged. Now it is just out in open that subsequent presidential election were overturn to his favour with what is happening. Ex-President , Alhaji Yahya Jammeh who runs a personality of cult under his leadership with his kinsmen in every spheres of The Gambia national affairs, many innocent citizens has been killed and political opponents summary executed in a frame up putsch charges against is tyrannic rule. infact, there was a huge celebration in the Banjul and around the country when December 2016 presidential election results were announced and winner declared by The Gambia electoral commission and then President Jammeh accepted defeat and subsequently congratulated the winner, President Adama Barrow of then opposition party, who won a landslide victory. Two weeks after, he object the result of free and fair polls ever held in The Gambia, which is viewed as a setback to democracy in the sub- region and Africa as a whole. Immediately, the regional group ECOWAS, continental body African Union AU and the United Nations strongly condemned the action of the long time ruler of The Gambia, his threat to peace and democratic governance. African Union AU, it said, it will seizes to recognised Jammeh January 19, 2017 of rulership as the legitimate Head of state, with that he still ignored critical facts that exit is near and the fall down close by for the violent dictatorship. Further more, to fortified is authoritarian rule extended is illegal stateship for 90 days and declared state of emergency. How times have changed, I would like to say, as a veteran of the armed forces of Nigeria which took part in ECOMOG military operation during the Liberian civil war in the 90, s; which I personally knew Yayha Jammeh as a Lieutenant, hot headed and overzealous individual. The problem is that Jammeh has failed to take a cue from the late Liberia dictator, Samuel Kanyon Doe, Laurent Gbagbo and General Robert Gue of Ivory Coast, the strong man in the maghreb region Colonel Muammar Kaddafi or Gaddafi called by his disciples in Libya, Idi Amin Dada despotic leader of Uganda knowned as The Butcher of East Africa during his reign of terror, Emperor Jean Bedel Bokassa of the defunct Central African Empire now Central African Republic CAR., Pol Pot onetime tyrannic ruler of South Eastern nation of Cambodia, Jean- Claude Duvalier , popular known as Baby Doc of Haiti, Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire now Democratic Republic of Congo DRC etc all dead, apart from former Ivorian President Gbagbo standing trial at The Hague for crimes against humanity during his misrule. While in 1990 Hissen Habre former Chadian leader is ousted he took sanctuary in Senegal, 1991 when then Marxist leninist leader of Ethiopia Colonel Mengistus Haile Mariam is ousted he took safe refuge in Zimbabwe, in 2011, President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali who has ruled Tunisia with tight grip since 1989 escaped to Saudi Arabia during the Arab springs and Blaise Campaore the long time maximum ruler of Burkina Faso now lives in Ivory Coast etc.all in self exiled respectively. lest I forget in 2011 during the Libyan uprising to oust then strong man of Tripoli, Muammar Gaddafi, The Gambia longtime ruler dictator Jammeh was the first President in the world to ask Gaddafi to step down for the interest of Libya and Libyans Given the unacceptable scale of violence in Libya. We hereby called on Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to spare the lives of Libyans by stepping down immediately. The most honorable act that Gaddafi owes to the Libyan people is the sacred duty to step down immediately and let valiant Libyan people take charge of their affairs and their countrys destiny. Lets be honest, peaceful exit from ones office on expiration of his tenure is the best option for a leader,but in Africa is a different story; episode. Jammeh failed as peoples servant for not obeying the wish of The Gambia people and the good people of Africa. Thus, he faced formidable challenges, particularly from ECOWAS and African Union AU.the consequences of the conflict were enormous which he failed to remember that there is life after State House,the list of past leaders who peacefully handed over to the winners of their countries presidential elections were enormous namely, former Nigerian democratic leader Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCON, Dr. John Mahatma of the Republic of Ghana, Soglo of Benin Republic, Dr. Mrs. Joyce Banda of South African state of Malawi etc enjoying life after Presidential palace. The Gambia gained independence in 1965 from Britain and geographical surrounded by neighbouring Senegal. Tourism and agriculture is mainstay of the tiny African nation. It is a welcome development for the successful sworn in ceremony at The Gambia embassy in Senegal and international goodwill and support by Head of States of government around the world. The intervention of the United Nations UNO back ECOWAS military campaign led by Nigeria that easily ushered in President Adama Barrow in power. President Barrow praises President Muhammad Buhari, Nigeria and ECOWAS for standing firm to ensure that the will of The Gambia people prevails. Generally, now that President Adama Barrow has succeeded, he should improve the quality of life of the electorates, the ordinary Gambia. In Africa we have not achieved political development that will sustained economic growth for the people. There are several possible reasons for Jammeh foolish behaviour to start with , African Union AU failed as continental body in Burundi under Nkiruziza, oppressive leader Joseph Kabila of Democratic Republic of Congo DRC etc for their continue stay in saddle of power in Bujumbura and Kinshasha against the wish of the electorates, people. The fall of Jammeh, The Gambia dictator is now history in the world's politics, as once oppressive leader who successfully consolidated his powers, even if the entire citizens are killed for him to stay in government. The political situation, even from those who had hitherto been his supporters, Ministers deserter him in is last days of 22 years of brutality. History is key, now His Excellency, President for life Yahya Jammeh that will rules for a billion years,if Allah wishes has stepped down and went on exile in Malabo as a guest of the Equatorial Guinea government; is a lessons for despotic leaders still in the vicious cycle, hold on political power in Africa. Every Democrats and people of goodwill knew that since January 19, 2017 ex-President Jammeh was definitely fighting a loss battle against the wish of the people of The Gambia after 22 years of violent dictatorship. For most of them the alternative to being in power is either death or exile. No wonder perhaps, they let power cling on them until it wrinkles.notably were late Ivorian post independence president. Dr.Felix Houphouet- Boigny, Siaka Stevens of Sierra Leone and Eyadema of Togo. The good people of The Gambia have been waiting for good governance for more than two decades of oppressive rule under Jammeh. Now, does he President Adama Barrow sincerely have his people at heart? Such hopes are now needed in Africa. In a nutshell, the progress made in The Gambia was a political advancement , therefore be called a victory for Democracy in Sub-saharan Africa. Jinbobaraye Karibo-Nelson, JP, SCIPM, FECRMI, San Donato Milanese (MI), February 2017 - Eni announces that the naming ceremony of the John Agyekum Kufuor floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel was held last Friday in Singapore. The FPSO shall operate in Sankofa-Gye Nyame field in the Tano Basin, in Ghanas offshore, for the Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) project. The vessel, named after Ghanas Former President Kufuor, who was present at the naming ceremony along with Ghanas First Lady Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, is expected to arrive in Ghana by April 2017. The FPSO has an oil treatment capacity of 58,000 barrels per day (bbls/d) and a gas treatment capacity of up to 210 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d). Additional facilities include a water injection module of up to 55,000 bbls/d and gas injection facilities of up to 150 mmscf/d. A total number of 18 subsea wells will be connected to the FPSO meanwhile a 63km pipeline to shore will provide domestic gas supply to Ghanas thermal power plants for more than 15 years, a significant contribution for the countrys energy needs and economic development. Eni is the OCTP blocks operator with a 44.44% stake. The other partners are Vitol with 35.56% and GNPC with 20%. Eni has been present in Ghana since 2009, where it operates through its subsidiary Eni Ghana. Besides the OCTP license, Eni operates the Cape Three Points Block 4 exploration license. The Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, has recommended that certain Presidential appointments be made with the approval of Parliament. During his vetting for the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs portfolio, he suggested that certain constitutional and statutory amendments in that regard, would make Parliament more effective. Mr. Mensa-Bonsu noted that, Parliament for instance must have a say in who becomes the Auditor-General, so that it is not only done with the President acting in consultation with the Council of State. Parliament is barred from directing the attention of the auditor general to some malfeasance. We need to look at that, the Majority leader stated. The seven-term MP lamented that Parliament had ostensibly been cut off and this could leave the country at the mercy of an overly partisan President. In the appointment of certain constitutional bodies, our Parliament has been cut off. We need to get our Parliament to be much more consultative. For instance the appointment of the Electoral Commissioner, I am not too sure that what we have is the best. If you have a President who is overly partisan, he packs the place with his own party supporters nation will be in peril. I should think that we should have an arrangement where a President may do the appointments, but he may require the support of maybe two-thirds of the Members of Parliament. That will force the President to be much more engaging and much more consultative. Promoting career parliamentarians Mr. Mensah Bonsu also suggested that, going forward, Presidents should consider appointing people with critical skills as ministers from outside Parliament. If we want to follow the strict executive presidency, the time has come for us, in order to promote career parliamentarians, to have the President to appoint his ministers from outside Parliament and liberate Parliament to be able to do their work, he explained. By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana Parliamentary Affairs Minister-designate Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has recalled his days as a spare parts dealer in the country suggesting it was more lucrative than his current job. He said he earned more as a spare parts dealer than he is currently earning as a Majority Leader and legislator of Ghana's Parliament. Answering a question on his curriculum vitae (CV) before Parliament's Appointments Committee Monday, the Suame Member of Parliament (MP) said he had dealt in spare parts while staying briefly in Zimbabwe. He said he used to procure spare parts from Nigeria anytime he was heading to Ghana. He said the business pays, adding he misses it a great deal. The Majority leader took his turn before the Committee as part of vetting of the third batch of ministerial nominees of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP). The Appointments Committee has so far vetted 25 ministerial nominees, 13 of whom have been sworn in as substantive ministers by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. They include, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen, Justice Minister, Gloria Akuffo, Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway and National Security Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah. The others were Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, Local Government Minister, Hajia Alima Mahama, Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, Education Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Health Minister, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, Agriculture Minister, and Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto. The Committee resumed sitting on Monday with the vetting of Creative Arts Minister-designate, Catherine Afeku, Parliamentary Affairs Minister-designate Osei Kyei Mensa Bonsu and Planning Minister-Designate Prof Gyan Baffuor. Mr Kyei Mensah Bonsu who is one of the veteran MPs in the seventh Parliament said he would use his position if approved to deepen the responsiveness of our Parliament. He said with the effective collaboration of the various political parties Ghana should reach the 30 percent women representation in Parliament as set by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). -Myjoyonline 06.02.2017 LISTEN Last week, Nairobi based Village Capital, hosted its first FinTech (Financial Technology) workshop in Accra. Village Capital brought together 10 young entrepreneurs from 7 African countries. One of the goals of the program is to identify the two most promising companies, which will each win a prize of $50,000, to support their growth. FinTech startups focus mostly on various types of enhanced money transfer applications using mobile telephones. For example, Kenya based Grafica has developed a mobile payment solution that enables even very poor villagers to pay for a mini-solar powered energy system. Uganda based Lipa Mobile enables parents to send money to their children in boarding school, while also monitoring what the money is spent on (books=good, beer=bad). Rwanda based Vuga Pay enables people to send and receive mobile money regardless of which mobile payment network each side of the transaction is using. Each of the ten companies is trying to capitalize on the potential of mobile phones and web-based applications to change the lives of the financially excluded. This market place has become attractive to investors because nearly two billion potential customers have access to mobile phones. So, if an entrepreneur can develop a payment solution with millions of customers, regardless if the company's fee is a tiny amount, the profit potential is still enormous (think Micro Finance on steroids.) The Village Capital, which has offices in Silicon Valley, Washington DC, Africa, Asia, and Latin America focuses on funding cutting edge technology in emerging markets. To date, over 40% of their investments have gone to women led businesses. As Regional Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, Lia Mayka explained, Almost half of the world's venture capital goes to 3 US cities. Less than 5% of that capital goes to women, and less than 1% goes to people of color. Village Capital democratizes entrepreneurship by shifting the dynamic between people with money and people with great ideas. Village Capital raised over $17 million in 2016 to invest in social enterprises around the world. One of its main investors is Steven Case, one of the original founders of America-On-Line. A unique aspect of the Village Capital philosophy is that it does NOT make the final investment decision. Rather, Village relies on the smarts of the invited entrepreneurs. So besides attending workshops that focus on how to grow their businesses, the 10 entrepreneurs in Accra spent a great deal of time interviewing and ranking each other. The entrepreneurs review each other's' business and financial plans and ask all the questions that investors usually do. Village Capital believes this structure allows the companies to learn advanced business skills, such as presentation abilities, due diligence, negotiations, and financial analysis. As Mayka of Village Capital said by putting the investment decision in the hands of entrepreneurs themselves, we are able to do better due diligence, teach entrepreneurs how to think like investors, and build community amongst like-minded entrepreneurs instead of forcing them to compete. So who won the two $50,000 prizes? So far, there has been one round of practice voting, with two to go. The entrepreneurs will meet again in Nairobi, and once again for their final workshop in Lagos in March. Stay tuned. By Richard Lee 06.02.2017 LISTEN Barely a day into his official role as the new president of Ghana and already Akufo-Addo was the face of international ignominy. How so? International-scale plagiarism ushers in Ghanas newest presidentAkufo-Addo. Akufo-Addo then goes to church and before GodOwusu Bempahs God and angelshe either excuses or dismisses his plagiarized inaugural speech out of hand, making light of the pomp international scandal as a child-thief caught red-handed with his stumpy hands in a pot of boiling soup. Akufo-Addo then takes cover under his own doted-upon son, Eugene Arhins solemn apology for the international disgrace that preventable though cheap plagiarism brought upon Ghana. Akufo-Addos Ghanas Day of Shame is now here. How these shameless politicians deserve a festival of slaps! Akufo-Addos other son, Bishop Obinim, appears from nowhere and in no time begins claiming, complaining, nagging, quite irritably, that corrupt Ghanaian courts, like his corrupt church and Akufo-Addos corrupt Golden Jubilee House, are wasting his time. He wonders why on earth a respected bishop like him, Bishop Obinim, allegedly having abused his two adopted children in the public glare, should still be in court while still in charge of the general upkeep of these adopted children, as it were under his roof. Are the courts really serious? Bishop Obinim asks! We all know Akufo-Addo used to be a favored legal urchin in these dilapidated, intellectually-starved corrupt courts, says Anas Aremeyaw Anas investigative camera. These same courts nurtured the outspoken Mahama Ayariga, the man behind one of the recent bribery scandals to rock the very foundation of parliament, a nursery of mostly doted-upon prosthetic-brained, overfed, kwashiorkor-thinking criminal urchins. Now the much-vaunted credibility and political stature of Boakye Agyarko, Joe Osei Owusu, and Muntaka Mubarak are at stake, in the doldrums, in question. That, unfortunately, is the national storyAkufo-Addos Ghana is so abjectly corrupt that, possibly, Anas Aremeyaw Anas investigative camera itself may not be from the bug of institutional corruption. It is now becoming clear why Anas Aremeyaw Anas inquisitive camera may have shelved its scandalous evidence on parliamentary corruption. Citizen Vigilante Martin Amidu has been more than clear on this. Yet parliamentary corruption is nothing new. Alban Bagbin has confirmed it too. Akufo-Addos judiciary, Akufo-Addos parliament, Akufo-Addos presidential officeare all awash in the stinking blood of institutional corruption. In fact Akufo-Addos sakawa presidency and his plagiarized, or let us rather say his sakawa, inaugural speech are symptoms of this generalized cancer of institutional corruption. This shameful national narrative on public corruption is more complex than meets the eye. We see this in the fact that Akufo-Addos characteristic institutional corruption has given birth to political prostitution in the Ghanaian body politic. Not too long ago, controversial and maverick Pastor Counselor Lutterodt confirmed this when he said the Bible does not frown or discountenance upon prostitution. Akufo-Addos presidency benefitted from what Pastor Counselor Lutterodt is calling prostitution. Prostitutes in the Eastern Region, for instance, reportedly voted massively for Akufo-Addo, a Christian, because they strongly believed in their heart of hearts that his presidency will usher in economic prosperity never seen in the Fourth Republic. This in turn will attract more male customers to the nightly trade, which they had hoped will boost their trade leading to increased margin of profitability. These prostitutes were Owusu Bempahs angels who came down from heaven to vote for Akufo-Addo, angels and saints who do not care about the plight of the girl child who is held in ritual bondage in parts of the country. No one understands this intricate game of political shrewdnessof weird political marriage between the ruling class and citizensbetter than Princess Shyngle. She wonders how married women-citizens manage political men with small penis. Wanluv the Kubolor and Wisa would later expose their genitals to the world just to prove Princess Shyngle wrong, that not all male politicians in conjugal relationships have small penis. Kennedy Agyapongs scandalous allegation, that Madam Charlotte Osei bartered her womanhood for one of these small penises, stemmed from Akufo-Addos general quiet demeanor over the formers imbalance in mental health. All these instances of Ghanas open-defecation democracy explains why Princess Shyngle also clearly understands why Daddy Lumba, a strong supporter of Akufo-Addo reportedly duped collaborator Isaiah Kwadwo Ampong, a gospel artiste to the tune of hundreds of thousands of local currency. These may all be happening because Ghana is the seventh dirtiest country in the world, a financially strapped country where open defecation is the norm rather than the rule, yet the same country ironically has suddenlyif inexplicablydiscovered a large stash of money which the clueless and dated Akufo-Addo says will be used to finance Ghanas sixtieth anniversary celebrations. Celebrating the Ghanas independence anniversary when children continue to study under trees. It appears Ghanas open-defecation democracy is only good for President Kalyppo Plagiarizer, so it seems. We are now clear about Akufo-Addos easy tendency to shed crocodile tears about the countrys bleeding economy at every given opportunity. President Kalyppo Plagiarizer is bent on turning Ghana into George Orwells 1984 and Animal Farm, into Ayi Kwei Armahs The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born, all three of which no doubt speak truth to power than Owusu Bempah and Bishop Obinim can lie about God, heaven, hell and angels. It is these angelic and saintly lies about God, heaven, hell and angels that have come to define the new face of Ghanaian politicsproperly called open-defecation democracy. Akufo-Addos Ghana, Owusu Bempahs Ghana, Bishop Obinims Ghanaa country with more fake pastors than genuine scientists. A country where citizens spend more money on the dead and burial practices than on the sick and improving the general well-being of the living. A country President Kalyppo Plagiarizer has already turned into an economic-political paradise where even devils are afraid to tread, yet a paradise where God and saints and angels swim in honey of institutional corruption. Should we be surprised that Kennedy Agyapong will brand all members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), a party of which Akufo-Addo is proud member, stupid and fools? Should we be surprised that the so-called Muntie 3 will threaten to slaughter judges of the Supreme Court? Should we be surprised that Collins Daudas brother, Naaba Abdulai reportedly claimed to be a political executioner? Why has he now gone into hiding in Burkina Faso once the National Democratic Congress (NDC) lost the general elections? Should we be surprised that partisan hooligans, vandals and vigilantes have gone on a rampage seizing public toilets when they should have been out there freeing the girl child from trokosi shrines, forcing politicians to erect brick-and-mortar classrooms for under-tree studying children? Here Wanluv the Kubolors message for Akufo-Addo and his new government: I dont wear underpants and thats why girls like me. Some girls want it [sex] fast so when they know you dont wear underpants it means you wont waste any time [taking your clothes off for sex]. We need to move away from this open-defecation democracy and kalabule politics to a democracy of non-partisan brotherhood, of economic industrialization, a country where patriotic citizens speak truth to power and provide a critical mass for positive change in society. Our politicians and Ghanaians for that matter should therefore move away from Wanluv the Kubolor. Now here is Akufo-Addos lame response to Wanluv the Kubolors: They will not be mistakes borne either out of ill-will or maliceThey will be mistakes because I am human and we all make mistakes as human beingsI am going to do my best. Hope my best is going to be good enough. I will make mistakes but I can promise you they will be genuineI am going to give it my best shot and I am asking you to help me and also put your shoulder to the wheel of Ghana so that we can give our people a better life that they are aspiring to. Yes, once again this dated politician appears to be taking advantage of the Ghanaians proverbial short memory. Institutively these deceptive statements are even a non-starterto start with. They are of course no-brainer too. Yet one also wonders why he did not make this admission of fallibility on his campaign trails. Since when did he realize his humanity? And since when did he come to the realization that we all make mistakes as human beings? If so, why will he make light of his plagiarism scandal in the House of God, that is to say dismiss the international plagiarism scandal out of hand? Why has it taken him this long to make this public admission of fallibility? This is very typical of the Ghanaian politician, of most politiciansif we can say so. In Part 3 of our series Is Akufo-Addo The Change Ghanaians Really Want? we wrote: Akufo-Addo should begin telling us which of his campaign promises are unfulfillable lies sold to the unsophisticated Ghanaian elector merely for political expediency, which ones are technocratically implemental or feasible and which are not, before he begins to make a fool of himself after he has officially assumed office. Buhari and Outtara failed to do this. Akufo-Addo and his top advisors ignored our candid advice. The truth is that he is now beginning to come to terms with the fact that being in the hot seat of the executive presidency is not the same as being on a campaign trail, or making a pass at a woman. Being on a campaign trail is more like being under a lukewarm carpet of moonlit tryst or serenade. This is how Wanluv the Kubolor has managed to sustain his cheap popularity over the years. In this sense he is more truthful or candid than the scheming and dated Akufo-Addo. Akufo-Addo confidently said on his campaign trails that he had the men to turn the economy around, but now he suddenly realizes that that may not in fact be true after all, hence the establishment of a Diasporan Desk in the very womb of the office of the presidency. An excellent idea nonetheless! When all is said and done, though, not even Owusu Bempahs omniscient angels saw this fallibility variable coming. Owusu Bempahs fallibility is all too clear here. Still, we see some striking parallels between Akufo-Addos elderly baldness of political deception and the youthful exuberance of Wanluv the Kubolors philosophical voyeurism. That is, the former does shy away from wearing a toupee even while the latter refuses to wear underpants. Namely one hides his nakedness under a scanty wrapper, while the other dissembles his in plain, broad daylight of scheming baldness. No moments of innocuity here. A crisis of unimaginable proportions. Of course, therein lie dangerous prospects for political failure and inaction. On the other hand, being in the hot seat of the executive presidency is rather more like the excruciating pain of labor and caring for a litter of ones children against a backcloth of crushing privation and under the frigid dryness and Sisyphean weight of economic depression. Yet we know for a fact that not very far into the future more instances of political stupidity, strategic incompetence, political failures, unfulfilled campaign promises, and public corruption will be subsumed under Akufo-Addos genuine mistakes. We take this hard-line position given that Ghanas open-defecation democracy is awash in these instances of self-fulfilling prophecies. The above notwithstanding, it appears the naked truth behind Niccolo Machavellis political realism has finally dawned on Akufo-Addo. This is no cheap epiphany. As a matter of fact the moment of truth has finally arrived. Let him therefore take advantage of it for his own edification, and for the edification of the all-knowing robots in his government, as he continues his on-the-job training. Otherwise we may have to dissolve Ghana and then start anewif we really want to see that positive change in our lifetime! REFERENCES Ghanaweb. Ill Do My Best But Will Make Genuine MistakesNana Addo Tells Ghanaians In Ethiopia. February 2, 2017. We shall return Through the Ghana Adolescent Reproductive Health Project , Some 30 adolescents and young adults in communities across the Brong -Ahafo Region have benefitted from a five-day adolescent reproductive health/agricultural capacity building workshop, under the auspices of UK-aid. Dubbed Girls Leading Our World/ Boys Respecting Others Camp, and running under the theme: Building the Future through Positive Adolescent Reproductive Health and Agriculture, the event (which came off from January 16th to January 22nd) sought to empower these young beneficiaries in subjects relating to responsible sexual behavior, personal hygiene, leadership, and a variety of income generating skills. A glamorous opening ceremony, held at the Ghana Permaculture Institute (GPI) in Techiman on January 25th, was graced by key stakeholders and partners including those from the Permaculture Institute (which also served as venue for the camp), the District Coordinating Director, Palladium , Ghana Educational Service,Peace Corps Ghana, as well as the National Youth Authority (NYA). Representatives of the District Coordinating Director, Palladium , Peace Corps Ghana, as well as the National Youth Authority (NYA), all commended the timeliness and importance of the programme and the positive effects it is expected to generate in the coming months. Speaking on behalf of the Peace Corps, Amanda (also a teacher in the area) threw light on the overall motive of the organization: to live and work in communities, to help connect them to resources, and empower the future leaders of Ghana through education, health, and agricultural projects. During this camp, we have been connecting the youth to resources in this region, and how to use their surroundings to create an income, be independent, take care of their families, and be contributing citizens to Ghana. It has been rewarding for Peace Corps to be able to work hand in hand with Palladium to teach creative activities and agricultural projects; as an education volunteer, I personally enjoyed seeing the youth participating in hands-on activities and growing into leadership positions. The selected adolescents and young adults, according to Peace Corps volunteers who were involved in the recruitment process, must exhibit traits of self-motivation and must have natural flair for leadership, as well as academic potential. Also speaking at the event Miss Alaya Adogboba indicated that leadership training and sessions will build the capacity of potential adolescent leaders to make healthy life choices, promote their own sexual and reproductive health, increase their knowledge on HIV and AIDS, think outside of the box, and grow as lifelong learners and leaders contributing positively to their communities. The leaders she said will also have the opportunity to have practice sessions in agricultural skills to undertake income generating activities in their communities. The beneficiaries were taken through practical sessions in bead-making, beekeeping, mushroom farming and cashew grafting, as well as batik-making, and were full of praise for the opportunity to be part of the seminar. Alex Mensah (from Duadaso), Abdulai Dallah ( from Techiman Fianso), Ernest Kelvin Oppong (from Nkoranza), Edna Arigbe (from Techiman), Belinda (from Techiman) were some of the participants. I look forward to applying the skills I have acquired here when I leave, as it affords me multiple avenues to make money, an enthusiastic Alex revealed to DAILY GUIDE. It has taken a lot to reclaim the land, and theres no use of chemicals here. We have been taken through several permacultural practices. I am grateful to all who have made this possible. The skills in batik, I have learned, I hope to share with my colleagues when I return home, Edna added. The situation today Statistics relating to Ghanas adolescent reproductive health situation are staggering: about 31% of Ghanas current population are young people (ages 10-24), a 2014 DHS report places the contribution of adolescents to fertility 9.1 %, and 3 of every 10 births are to young people between ages 15 and 24. Again, a 40 year projectionNewGen made by the National Population Council of Ghana Projects it expect the population of young adults (15-24 years) to grow in the next 30 years from 1.3M to about 2.0M and a lack of preparation spells doom, especially with Ghanas poverty situation. More attention needs to be place on this population (10-24), Miss Alaya Adogboba (Programme Officer for Palladium on the Ghana Adolescent Reproductive Health Project) emphasis. According to her if more is not done on educating and providing the needed services to this group there will be trouble ahead. According to her, pregnancies among girls and young women will continue to increase unless family planning use increases. The use of family planning could decrease unwanted pregnancies from 315,062 in to 206,198 in 2040 (NewGen) The Brong- Ahafo Region specifically, lags behind as compared to other parts of the country in this respect, hence, being the focal point of the Ghana Adolescent Reproductive Health Project (GHARH). Many of the adolescents in the area (especially young women), because of extreme poverty and lack of economic opportunities after school, resort to sexual relationship with men expecting financial assistance, no matter how paltry, though they are not fully prepared for the repercussions (STIs, unwanted pregnancies among others). Its time to break that cycle, Alaya cried, adding that programmes thus are effective tools. She also called for an end to the depressing Ghanaian culture of hypocrisy especially with matters relating to adolescent reproductive health, asking that parents should eschew shyness and eliminate the perception of sexual education as a taboo. The Ghanaian child is getting pregnant at 15, Amanda (Peace Corp volunteer at the camp) stressed about the situation, advising that the matter of adolescent reproductive health be tackled head-on, and not massaged in any way, or be limited by cultural considerations. But theres hope While theres still much to be done to improve the adolescent reproductive health situation, and possibly eradicate the menace from the region (and by extension, the country), key steps have been put in place by several partners including the Ghana Health Service, the National Population Council among others, to tackle the problem. In the Brong-Ahafo Region, 647 adolescent friendly service platforms have been supported through the project in the past three years, over 1000 Ghana Health Service Personnel, some 1681 teachers, as well as over 3000 peer educators have been trained in adolescent reproductive health. 37 M & E officers to monitor progress in the fields. The project has supported in the review of the Reproductive Health Policy for adolescents and are currently supporting the development of an implementation strategic plan of the policy. Expected outcomes from this camp, according to an official programme document, include inculcating leadership habits into participants, guiding them to make better sex and life choices, as well as building their capacities in the area of agricultural skills and other income generating activities in their home communities. Hannah Kyremeh a Physician Assistant based in Techiman, who was also the bead-making instructor at the camp, as well as Donkor Yaw Barnabas, a local teacher, translator at the event, were both optimistic that GLOW/BRO 2017 would go a long way to improve situations. Theres nothing better than having your own job. These skills will make them [young girls especially] less dependent, Hannah was convinced. The progress of beneficiaries (who are also recipients of funding to go into various startups based on the knowledge they have acquired at the camp), will be monitored over time, according to Alaya. They will be assigned mentors to guide them toward their goals, and she was optimistic that ripple effects from GLOW/BRO 2017 would be felt all across the country. The GLOW/BRO Camp 2017 is based on former U.S First Lady Michelle Obamas initiative to improve education among boys and girls in the sub-region. The camp was Funded by UK-aid ,it is also supported by Unilever Ghana who provided personal care items , the Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service, and the National Population Council. 06.02.2017 LISTEN Lobbying for who becomes the next Chief Executive (CEO) of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), following the sack of its immediate past boss, Hudu Mogtari, is assuming interesting but dangerous twist, with potential candidates maligning each other all in the hopes of grabbing the coveted position. Ironically, one of the few women who stood against the tyranny of the for chief executive, Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, at a time it became glaring that he was running the organization into the ditch, Delese Mimi Darko, is the one at the receiving end of the backstabbing going on at the Authority. Already, this paper is informed that an independent committee formed by the presidency to recommend a name for the CEO position settled on Mimi Darko, such that in the coming days, the Pharmacist would be announced as the next FDA boss. The Crusading GUIDE can confirm that barring any last minute hitches, competent and affable Mimi Darko is the new FDA boss. One of the issues raised against Mimi, as her contemporaries call her, is that she is not popular but workers at the FDA say that argument is flat and dead even before its arrival because there is no one at the Authority that is more known than Mimi Darko. More so, contrary to media blister last week that Mimi Darko was an NDC woman who would only continue with the reign of terror Opuni left behind, independent checks on the woman who recently initiated the establishment of patient safety centers in pharmacies nationwide, to ensure that patients are empowered to report the safety of medicines that they take is a dye-in-the wool NPP sympathizer, with a father that is a card-bearing member of the same party.. Her initiative it was, that led to the improvement of the anti- counterfeiting strategies and helped to develop and the awareness creation in the detection of counterfeit and substandard medicines in Ghana. She is a pharmacist with over 25 years experience in regulation. Our findings on Mimi Darko revealed that after graduating from the university in 1991, she worked first with the then Pharmacy Board, specifically in the laboratory for 7 years where she helped put in the systems to ensure that drugs locally manufactured and imported were analyzed for quality before they were put on the market. In 1997, the paper learnt, she was one of the pioneers of the newly established FDA and rose through the ranks to become the Head of Registration- a position she held till 2010. During this period she implemented innovative strategies that resulted in upgrading of products manufactured by the local pharmaceutical industry. Mimi Darko also initiated regulation of herbal medicines in Ghana and supported the development of the herbal medicine industry. It was during her time, we were told, that herbal medicines evolved to become well packaged and labelled. Under her leadership, Ghana became a member of the WHO programme for international drug monitoring in 2001, ensuring that medicines used were safe. Under her leadership, the regulation of clinical trials started and has grown to the point where Ghana is considered the leader in clinical trials in the sub-region. In acknowledgement of her global leadership and technical expertise, the WHO organized its annual meeting of Medicine experts in Ghana in 2010. Following that she was appointed onto The WHO/ CIOMS Committee on Vaccine Safety to work with leading regulators from the US, Europe, Canada, Japan and other countries to set standards for global vaccine safety. Due to her performance, the final meeting for that committee was hosted by the FDA in Accra in 2016, first time ever in sub Saharan Africa Her expertise has led to the FDA the being nominated and recognized by the nepad/ African Medicines Regulation Harmonization (AMRH) as 3 Regional Centres of Regulatory Excellence in Medicines Safety (pharmacovigilance), Clinical Trials and Drug Registration. She is a founding member of AVAREF, the African Vaccines Regulatory Forum and was last year nominated to serve on the technical coordinating committee of the newly organized AVAREF. She has served as an expert advisor on the African regulators network and worked tirelessly to ensure harmonization of regulatory systems across Africa. Movelle Company Limited is a leading import trading firm in Ghana that has contributed greatly to the countrys agricultural sector. Movelle, since its inception over thirty (30) years ago has remained a local company that provides services to agribusinesses and food processing companies in Ghana and beyond. Through its partnerships with some of the worlds top industries, such as Marubeni Europe, Movelle has acquired extensive capabilities in sourcing and trading commodities with opportunities at national, regional and global levels for a wide range of marine and agricultural wares. An interview with the Finance and Business Development Director of Movelle Company, Mr. Allan Osei-Assibey in Accra revealed that the company has demonstrated a deep understanding of the African market with strong links in Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin and Nigeria to name a few. Movelle has maintained a leading position in the agribusiness sector especially in frozen food products in Ghana and across West Africa for many years, and has provided strategic leadership and directions to hundreds of traders and brokers operating at Tema and Takoradi harbours, he explained. He assured stakeholders of Movelles commitment to serve and support the Ghanaian economy for the benefit of all. As we continue to keep abreast with the industrial developments and adapt our strategies according to the dynamics of the market, we will constantly look for opportunities to expand our scope of products and services. The company is looking at expanding its operations in logistics and storage to support the food security needs for the benefit of the company, Ghana and the sub-region. He added. Mr. Osei-Assibey also discussed the companys plan to increase its current distribution capabilities, diversify it's range of products and include an export focused range. This he said would of great benefit to the foreign exchange needs of the nation and should be supported the government. He said "It's important for government to demonstrate willingness promote exports by putting in place clear policy guidelines to stimulate the industry." The company also has capabilities in risk assessment and management, port operations, specialist transport and warehousing, gained from successfully completing numerous international trade transactions. Her Excellency Rebecca Akufo Addo, has donated assorted items to three care institutions in Central and Western regions. Items including bags of rice, clothing, shoes, hand sanitisers were presented on behalf of the First Lady by a delegation led by Mrs. Akosua Newman. The delegation first visited and made a donation to the Village of Hope Orphanage followed by Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital , all in the Central regions. The delegation also made a donation at the Father's Care Home at Takoradi in the Western region. Whiles presenting these items to the various institutions, leader of delegation Mrs. Akosua Newman told these institutions, the first family appreciates the work they do in service to the weak and the disadvantaged in society and assured them of the first family's support in the work they do. She also indicated the First Family by this donation wish to show their appreciation for their prayers and unflinching support throughout the years and most importantly as they work to govern Ghana in the right direction. Mr. Kwaku Sarkodie of Village of Hope Orphanage, Dr. Eugene Dordoye of Ankaful and Madam Rosemond Yamoah of Father's Care Home thanked the First family for the kind gesture and wish them well in their quest to build a prosperous Ghana. - The Ekiti state governor has revealed that God has told him he will one day rule Nigeria as president - He said just as he became Ekiti state governor twice against all odds, so will the prophecy manifest the same way and manner - Fayose who alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has frozen his two accounts at the Ado-Ekiti branch of Zenith Bank Plc says Nigerians are ready to make the prophesy come true Governor Fayose said God has revealed to him that he will one day become the president of Nigeria Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state said he will one day become the president of Nigeria. The governor who is also chairman of the PDP Governors Forum said this in Ado Ekiti while speaking with some journalists. According to Daily Post, Fayose said this at an Annual Media Get-Together, held at the Government House, Ado Ekiti. READ ALSO: There is nothing good about Buharis administration - Fayose Fayose who did not specify how and when he will become the president said that the revelation was showed to him by God. According to him, just as he become Ekiti state governor twice against all odds, so will the prophecy manifest the same way and manner It is according to Gods will that I will one day become the president of Nigeria Do not bother to ask me questions as to how this will materialise, I also do not know how it will happen but all I know is that I shall one day occupy the presidential villa, not as a visitor but as president, he said. PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest News on Legit.ng News App Fayose who said he will use his position as chairman of PDP governors forum to correct many ills of the society as well as fight the cause of the poor masses noted that he was in the good book of most Nigerians who would always be ready to make Gods plans for him come to pass at the appointed time. Fayose in a recent interview insisted that President Buharis administration has failed Nigerians. The governor said Nigerians voted for massive killings, hunger, nepotism and disobedience of court order when they voted in President Buhari. According to him, the APC led administration has not fulfilled their promise to Nigerians. Fayose who has continued to show his love for the people of Ekiti state flags off the construction of a road in the video below. Source: Legit.ng - Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has stated that the notorious Fulani herdsmen have continued to kill, forcefully having sex with their wives and destructing their farms - An Igbo chieftain in Ebonyi State, Chief Abia Onyike, alleged that the Fulani herdsmen have recently become a militia group charged with the continuation of the Igbo genocide in Nigeria Fulani herdsmen holding AK-47 riffle Pan Igbo socio-political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has stated that the notorious Fulani herdsmen have continued to kill, forcefully having sex with their wives and destructing their farms. The groups President-General Chief Nnia Nwodo stated this while speaking with Vanguard newspaper. READ ALSO: Sokoto implements consolidated salary structure for lecturers The peaceful coexistence between previously peace-loving Fulani herdsmen, who herded their cattle with long canes and our local farmers has been replaced by an era of AK-47 totting and rampaging herdsmen who kill, maim, forcefully sleep with our our people and destroy our farms. Not one of them is ever arrested for illegal possession of firearms. Even those arrested in Nimbo for mercilessly killing our people remain unprosecuted by the Northern dominated law enforcement agents. In the same vein, an Igbo chieftain in Ebonyi State, Chief Abia Onyike, alleged that the Fulani herdsmen have recently become a militia group charged with the continuation of the Igbo genocide in Nigeria. The attacks have led to the loss of innocent lives in Igboland resulting in a culture of pestilence, fear and sometimes defiance. Ndigbo have been compelled to experience a life of extreme character, violence and brutality, which is alien to their culture READ ALSO: WAEC endorse Aregbesolas Opon Imo, recommend it to other states Also in Abia State, Secretary to the Abia State Government, SSG, Dr. Eme Okoro, has lamented the menace of the Fulani herdsmen, who frequently attack his people who are mainly farmers and urged President Buhari to call them to order. Okoro said the herdsmen had become very audacious in their attacks, adding: There is no Bende community that the Fulani herdsmen have not invaded. Ozu Item has come under attack by Fulani herdsmen too. Source: Legit.ng - Wole Soyinka says the Nigeria police force have not lived up to standard in its bid to abort the protest march planned by hip-hop artiste, Innocent Tuface Idibia - The Nobel Laureat says the police infringed and breached the rights of the people - In his statement, Soyinka says the people have the right to assemblage, and that it is embarrassing that the police seem to be working against the democratic clock Professor Wole Soyinka, has criticised the Nigerian police for planning to stop an anti-government protest scheduled for Monday, February 6. 2face protest: Soyinka lashes out at police READ ALSO: Basketmouth, Seyi Law, Charly Boy spit fire as 2baba calls off planned protest The protest was called by hip-hop artiste, Innocent Tuface Idibia, to highlight the failure of the current government to tackle several issues facing Nigerians. Premium Times reports that after a police threat that it could not guarantee the safety of the protesters and warning to Tuface to cancel the protest, the musician acceded. He announced on Saturday night that he had cancelled the protest for security reasons. Other organisers like the Enough is Enough, however, say they will proceed with the protest. In his reaction, Soyinka said: An unnecessary but important reminder: the battle for the right of lawful assembly of citizens in any cause, conducted peacefully, has been fought and won several times over. The Nobel Laureates full statement reads thus: "AGAIN AT RISK THE RIGHTS OF LAWFUL ASSEMBLAGE. Yesterday (Saturday Feb 4), the media offered the nation a space of relief when it carried the expected news of a mutual accommodation reached by the organizers of the demonstration planned for tomorrow Monday February 6th. The theme in summary: public discontent with the state of the nation and its governance. From the beginning, the organizers had cited quite an extensive list of such areas of concern and demands for urgent attention. To my personal consternation, todays (Sunday) the same media countered that announcement with a stiff repudiation from the apex of the Police command the office of the Inspector-General. It is such a huge disappointment, and a disservice to the cause of democracy, tolerance of dissent, and principle of inclusive governance. READ ALSO: PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest News on Legit.ng News App An unnecessary but important reminder: the battle for the right of lawful assembly of citizens in any cause, conducted peacefully, has been fought and won several times over. It is time that this contest is gracefully conceded. It must be consolidated by its routineness as a choice of action at the front of any peoples democratic participation. This battle has been won legally, constitutionally, and even morally. It enjoys near global acceptance as one of the means of actualizing the protocols of a peoples Fundamental Human Rights. It comes therefore as a deep embarrassment, and a national shame that this latest attempt at denial of these protocols rears its head at a time when one of the largest gatherings of humanity is taking place in one of the former totalitarian states of Eastern Europe Romania. Its size has been assessed as the largest in former Eastern Europe since the fall of the Berlin wall. It was triggered by the state attempt to water down the criminal code against Corruption, and has brought out hundreds of thousands of people into the streets and stadia, day after day, until the much awaited announcement of the withdrawal of the obnoxious decree. This should resonate within the current Nigerian governance that has made the anti-corruption crusade its mantra. The Police attempt to reverse the hands of the democratic clock is even more appalling at a time when open demonstrations are taking place all over the world against the policies of a recently elected president of the United States, whose democratic formula this nation allegedly serves as Nigerias adopted model. Across numerous states of that federated nation, ongoing at this very moment, is the public expression of rejection of a presidents policy that has also pitted the Executive against the judiciary. We have heard of no preventive action by the police, nor arrests of demonstrators. Again and again, efforts, both under military and civilian orders have been made to stifle the rights to freedom of expression by Nigerian governments Buhari, Babangida, Obasanjo, Abacha, Jonathan.and now again, Buhari? These efforts have been, and will always be resisted. It is a moral issue, as old as settled humanity. READ ALSO: Charly boy vows to give his life for s better Nigeria It has been settled in other parts of the world. Nigeria cannot be an exception, not as long as her citizens refuse to accept the designation of second, even third-rate citizens. I have sent a message to the Inspector-General of Police, through the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, urging both to respect and safeguard the constitutional rights of the people. I hope that, even at this eleventh hour, legality and the democratic imperative will prevail. Finally, I shall be less than honest if I do not add the following, mostly directed as warning to the very polity on whose behalf the democratic war is joined, again and again: Minus a minuscule but highly voluble minority, mostly of pitiably retarded polluters of the common zones of public interventions, I do not know of any citizens of civilized community who do not subscribe to the fundamental Right of the Freedom of Expression in any form, as long as it is peaceful, and non-injurious to humanity. I would hate to conclude that the security agencies, or the government they serve, at this stage of national development and recent history, would choose to align themselves with such an unteachable minority." Source: Legit.ng - Bishop Martins Uzoukwu applauded President Buhari for the fight against Boko Haram - He called on all Nigerians to pray for the president Bishop Martins Uzoukwu who is the catholic bishop of Minna Diocese in Niger state has called on Nigerians to pray for the recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari. The president had gone on a 10-day working vacation in the UK and was supposed to return on Monday, February 6. READ ALSO: Buhari is not in the hospital - Presidency Vanguard reports that Uzoukwu spoke on Sunday, February 5 where he called on Nigerians to pay for the president in the face of problems the country was going through. I specifically pray for our President to return back home safely to administer the affairs of our great country, we should all seek divine intervention in our nations socio-economic and political activities. The bishop said the irrespective of religion or tribe, it was necessary to support the government to move forward and that prayer was one of the ways to achieve that. READ ALSO: Opinion: President Buhari - Dead or Alive? He said Nigerians must always wish their leaders well in order for them to be able to implement their plans for the country. Uzoukwu applauded President Buhari for tackling insurgency in the north east and urged citizens to provide useful information to security agencies. Source: Legit.ng - The presidency says there is no need for President Buhari to pressure himself into returning since there was an acting president in place - Presidential aide Femi Adesina confirmed once again in an interview on NTA on Sunday, February 6, that the doctors now have ample time to examine the president's health while he could also get adequate rest President Buhari now has enough time to rest after extending his vacation. The Presidency has explained why there is no date mentioned for the return of President Muhammadu Buhari. Femi Adesina, a special adviser to the president on media and publicity, told the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in an interview that this was so because there is "no vacuum in government". READ ALSO: Buhari Vacation: From Goodluck to Badluck, Mbaka was right - Omokri reacts Adesina said that since there was Yemi Osinbajo in place as acting president, Buhari could take as much time as needed for an adequate rest. He said: When he was leaving on Jan. 19 we announced that it was a vacation during which he would also do routine medical check-ups. Now, those check-ups have thrown up things that need to be further looked at and that is why he is asking for this extension of the vacation. The time is not stated and that reason is not far to seek because Mr President transmitted power to his vice, who is now the acting President. So, he does not need to be under that pressure of time again because there is no vacuum in government, there is an acting president. Therefore, the doctors can now exhaustively look at him and give him a clean bill of health before he returns home. PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest news on Legit.ng News App Adesina urged Nigerians to desist from rumours of President Buharis alleged death because it was ungodly. Instead, he said, Nigerians should always pray for the good health of the president. My message will be what I also said before, goodwill, let us have goodwill towards our president. We as human beings must have goodwill towards one another. Any man can be sick; any man can get well; any man can even die, we are mortals. Anybody can die; anybody falls sick can also get well. President Buhari's media aides Garba Shehu and Femi Adesina say there is nothing to worry about his health even though they say no date yet for his return. Therefore, all those who peddle those evil, mischievous, malicious and malevolent rumours on social media need to have a rethink. Instead of all those evil wishes they should have goodwill towards the president. Recall that President Buhari departed Abuja for the United Kingdom on Thursday, January 19, on a 10-day leave as a part of his annual vacation after formally handing over mantle of leadership of the country to his Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. Meanwhile, another presidential aide Garba Shehu, who is the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, has insisted that the president was not in a hospital as being widely circulated but at the Nigerian High Commission in UK. He said: I just spoke to the presidents personal doctor, and he told me President Buhari is not in any serious condition as to worry about. Source: Legit.ng - Rev Father Ejike Mbaka has urges Nigerians to pray for their leaders - Mbaka accuses Buharis followers of being only interested in what they can get from the current administration Mbaka says children of God should pray for their leaders. The Spiritual leader of the Adoration Ministries in Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has said those wishing the president dead dont love the country. READ ALSO: Buhari is not in the hospital - Presidency Ejike Mbaka made the statement during a sermon at the first Adoration Crusade for the year, Daily Post reports . Children of God, what do people gain by wishing somebody dead? We should pray for our leaders; that is what the Bible says, he said. The cleric also accused those working with the president of being only interested in what they can get from the current administration. Mbaka said Buhari means well for the country but that he was being frustrated by those working with him. He said Buhari had surrounded himself with officials who have different agenda. In a related development, Bishop Martins Uzoukwu who is the catholic bishop of Minna Diocese in Niger state has called on Nigerians to pray for the recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari. The president had gone on a 10-day working vacation in the UK and was supposed to return on Monday, February 6. Vanguard reports that Uzoukwu spoke on Sunday, February 5 where he called on Nigerians to pay for the president in the face of problems the country was going through. Meanwhile, the Presidency has explained why there is no date mentioned for the return of President Muhammadu Buhari. Femi Adesina, a special adviser to the president on media and publicity, told the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in an interview that this was so because there is "no vacuum in government". Adesina said that since there was Yemi Osinbajo in place as acting president, Buhari could take as much time as needed for an adequate rest. Source: Legit.ng It is saddening that most of the pastors that have been relegated with the duties of winning souls for God and inspiring people with their lifestyles are the ones living large and oppressing their members. Many Nigerian pastors have invested heavily in the church business and are reaping bountifully from gullible Nigerians who have idolized the pastors. In the past, pastors were meant to live modest lives that would touch the hardened criminal and bring him to God. Instead, most of the church owners preach prosperity and do everything to look the part. Churches have been rechristened to soothe the needs of the founders and administrators who dress stylishly and believe in the acquisition of material wealth. Most of the Nigerian pastors own businesses that yield millions for them in addition to running the church. Some of them also engage in a number of philanthropic activities for reasons best known to them. The pastors wives too do not want to be left behind. They enjoy the luxury of life and travel all over the world while using evangelism as a cover. If you are a Nigerian, then you would testify to tripping for a handful of them on posters and church bulletins. The church has become a profitable business venture that is far from being called a charitable organization. Check out some of the Nigerian pastors that live lavish lifestyles and their net worth below: 1. Bishop David Oyedepo File photo of Bishop David Oyedepo. He is the founder and General overseer of the Living Faith Worldwide; this church is known by many as Winners Chapel. Papa, as he is fondly called by members of his church, is one of the richest Nigerian pastors who is also recognized in Africa. The church which is situated at Faith Tabernacle in Otta, Ogun state, has two universities. Covenant University is located in Otta while Landmark University is in Omu Aran, the hometown of the church owner. Forbes magazine estimated his net worth to be US$150 million. READ ALSO: Here are 8 things you should do for your wife every year 2. Pastor T.B. Joshua File photo of Pastor T.B. Joshua. Pastor Temitope Balogun Joshua of the leader and founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations is a popular man in Nigeria. The clergyman is a super-rich man known for his numerous miracles and scandals. T.B Joshua has investments in various sectors of the economy. Recently, he bought a $60 million aircraft and is the owner of the popular TV channel, Emmanuel TV. 3. Pastor Chris Oyakhilome File photo of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome. Pastor Chris is one of the most stylish Nigerian pastors. He is a wealthy pastor that is worth $30 million to $50 million according to Forbes report. His church, Christ Embassy International, is widely attended by Nigerian youths. His Loveworld TV network is said to be the first Christian TV network to broadcast from Africa to the other parts of the world. 4. Pastor Chris Okotie File photo of Pastor Chris Okotie. Compiling the list of stylish Nigerian pastors who live a rich lifestyle would be incomplete without including Pastor Okotie. The owner and founder of the household of God church in Oregun was a celebrated pop star in the 80s. The man of God has made his marks in spreading the word of God and in politics when he contested for the position of the presidency. The man of God failed in his political ambition; however, he started the Fresh party and campaigned under this umbrella across the nation. His lifestyle depicts and reflects wealth with the anointed man of God not hiding his love for exotic cars. 5. Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo File photo of Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo. The senior pastor of Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) in London is aslo one of the richest pastors of our society. This pastor had a head-way with his ministry when he was asked to open a branch of Foursquare Gospel Church in London. It was reported that the man of God used the opportunity to start his own ministry and it has been a beautiful journey ever since then. Pastor Ashimolowo has reputable investments in media and publishing. READ ALSO: Nigerian student boasts about being a graduate in tattered English 6. Brother Joshua Iginla File photo of Pastor Joshua Iginla. The senior pastor of Champions Royal Assembly in kubwa, Abuja, is a popular man of God in that region. Although the Ekiti state born pastor was raised in Jos, he lives a humble life that is hemmed with the constant giving out of expensive gifts. He dropped the title pastor and prophet and asked people to address him as a brother. Iginlas church has an 80,000 capacity multimillion naira project that he started with about N250,000 is still an ongoing project. This church is attended by the low, high and mighty in the society. Source: Legit.ng - The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigerian (MACBAN) has lamented the rate of kidnapping among herdsmen - The association said herdsmen are also victims of most of the attacks and not just culprits - The group called on the media to balance its report on the herdsmen/ farmers crisis in Nigeria The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigerian (MACBAN) has lamented the rate of kidnapping among herdsmen. The association said in crisis between herdsmen and farmers; the herdsmen are not just culprits but also victims of attacks. Speaking to Daily Trust on the crisis between the groups, the national secretary of MACBAN Othman Ngelzarma called on the Nigerian media to balance its report of the farmers/herdsmen crisis across Nigeria. READ ALSO: When a president says his people are thieves, who will relate with them 8 takeaways from Fayoses new interview Ngelzarma said: Media is not balancing its report; they just jump into conclusion portraying the herders as the culprits. The herder is a victim and culprit at the same time. We are at the receiving end. He added that cattle belonging to herdsmen are frequently rustled and the owners kidnapped at various occasion. When our cattle are rustled and Fulani herder is kidnapped, our story is not heard because the media is not covering that area," Ngelzarma said. Today, kidnappers no longer kidnap Fulani herdsmen. What they do now is get his phone number and call him to go and pay ransom with a threat to kill him if he reports to police. PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest News on Legit.ng News App Because he lives in the forest he would just sell two of his cows and pay ransom for him to stay peacefully where ever he stays. Before a personality is kidnapped in the town, twenty Fulani herders would have been kidnapped unheard in the forest; we are suffering. Ngelzarma noted that the crisis between herdsmen and farmer is not religious and widely speculated. READ ALSO: Nigeria cited as the most dangerous place for Christians to live in the world US congress He said killings between farmers and herdsmen have been ongoing for years. He said the Southern Kaduna crisis started like every other crisis between the two parties which erupted after a mismanagement of the destruction episode in Godogodo community Muslim farmers and Muslim pastoralists fight as well as Katsina State where Fulani farmers and Fulani pastoralists fight," he said. Ngelzarma also said the cattle breeders association is focused on complimenting efforts of security operatives in the country towards a peace building process. Source: Legit.ng - The Presidency said only President Buhari can disclose his current state of his health to the public - The presidents media aide, Femi Adesina said when he last spoke to the President, he didnt mention the state of his health The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has said that only the president can tell Nigeria about his current state of health. Recall that President Buhari departed Abuja for the United Kingdom on Thursday, January 19, on a 10-day leave as a part of his annual vacation. Presidency says only the president can talk about his health status PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest News on Legit.ng News App When asked about the current state of the presidents health, Adesina who spoke on Sunday Politics, a programme on Channels TV on Sunday, February 5, said: I am sure it will get to a point when the President has to disclose the status of his health if it needs to be disclosed. If its something serious enough to disclose, I am sure he will disclose it. The President is the one who can release his own health status. The day he left, we still spoke. He didnt tell me this is my condition. He told me he was going to rest and he would do medicals and that was included in the statement we released. When asked when the President is likely to return, Adesina said: If there was a date he would return, it would have been in that statement. But the issue now is (that) there is no vacuum in government. No lacuna because power has been transferred to the Vice President who is acting president. So, Mr President can take all the time he desires and when his doctors give him a clean bill of health, he then can return home. READ ALSO: Why there is no date for Buharis return - Presidency Meanwhile, Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, insisted that the president was not in a hospital as being widely circulated but at the Nigerian High Commission in UK. He said: I just spoke to the presidents personal doctor, and he told me President Buhari is not in any serious condition as to worry about. He is not in hospital. He is in the residence at the Nigerian High Commission. Watch the Video of Femi Adesina's interview below: Source: Legit.ng - Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese has called on Presidnet Buhari to come out and address Nigerians about his health - The Bishop said the president can only dispel the rumour of his death and terminal illness if he comes out to say something Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Anambra state, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to come out and dispel the rumour of his death. According to Daily Post, Ezeokafor who spoke to journalists on Sunday, at the annual meeting with the Religious Council in the diocese at St. Patricks Cathedral, Awka, said it is okay if the president is sick but Nigerians need to know what is wrong with him. President Buhari should say something about his health Catholic Bishop READ ALSO: Buhari is not in the hospital - Presidency The Bishop said: We pray that he comes back in good health; those asking about his state of health have the right to know where their President is and how he is doing. It is normal to be sick because he is a human being like any other person. The interest in Buharis state of health is like the way people, all over the world, were worried when the late Pope John Paul 11 and Nelson Mandela were sick in hospital. Its high time he said something so that the suspicion and guessing will die down. Recall that President Buhari who left the country on January 19 for a 10 day vacation recently wrote to the senate to demand for an extension of his leave. The President has not address the country since his departure and the extension of leave demanded from the senate is indefinite. PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest News on Legit.ng News App Meanwhile, the special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, has said that only the president can tell Nigeria about his current state of health. When asked about the current state of the presidents health, Adesina who spoke on Sunday Politics, a programme on Channels TV on Sunday, February 5, said: I am sure it will get to a point when the President has to disclose the status of his health if it needs to be disclosed. If its something serious enough to disclose, I am sure he will disclose it." Source: Legit.ng Editors note: Since independence, Nigeria has had to deal with different national issues that have threatened to tear the country apart. In this opinion by Israel Ebije, he points out that different regions have pointed out what they want from Nigeria but that the north is yet to move forward or have a direction. The Northern part of Nigeria comprising 19 states is most populous region in the country. The region has endless arable lands for agriculture, the groundnut pyramid era is a veritable testament to the agro-based bastion of the region. The region has also produced most numbers of leaders at the center than any other in the country. With its advantage as the most populated region in Nigeria, a powerful position in determining which region, which personality gets the presidency, the region however seems lost in the mix of evolving demands of other regions. The North appears only fixated on leadership rather than a position substantial enough to provide it with safe haven incase other regions succeed in acquiring their demands anyway possible. READ ALSO: No force will stop the North and Buhari in 2019 - Sani From the perspective of leadership, the North seem fixated on the glowing legacies of late Sadaunan of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and have been so lost in that past that it is yet to wake into the realities of today world of change in leadership icons. President Muhammadu Buhari may have come close to a present day leader of valor, but the past appears more juicy to the religion. An adage states that, whoever remembers the past is not enjoying the present. The Yorubas have moved away from the glowing era of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, today they have Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Ibos (at least a chunk of them) have left the iconic symbol of Chief Odumegu Ojukwu for Nnamdi Kanu on their determination for a Republic of Biafra. The North has failed to provide a potent alternative for Sir Ahmadu Bello, a factor responsible for lack of unified direction of the region. If the South east are demanding for secession, the South West, confederacy, the south-south, resource control, what does the Northern region of Nigeria want? The North appears to be having the most patriotic position to keep Nigeria focused on the path of remaining as one nation with collective aspirations, but deep down, the polarity level of various regions, what becomes of the North if other regions have their share of agitations actualized? The north must start looking for a thinking cap, it must establish its position with safety nets to cushion itself incase the growing fragmented aspirations of other regions strangulates the life out of it, leaving the region with only one choice a position to wield its own direction, which might be too late sooner or later. Once the tide changes in favor of conflicting aspirations, will the North be able to stand on its own economically, politically; is the North the way it was politically; is the North aware it is fragmented; are the states in the middle belt ready to be part of the monolithic North? The bourgeoning fragmented desires of other regions in the country may not necessarily eclipse the nation Nigeria just yet, but the need to have a buffer plan for the North is becoming imperative, especially now that the region is on the spotlight for all forms of insecurity and insincerity. The North has suffered immensely as victim of poor experience in adverse effect of paucity in educational level among people living in a geographical space, with hydra headed monsters of poverty and terrorism. Sadly, The North is seen not as victim but perpetrators of terror. Already Nigerians from other parts of the country believe the Buhari led administration is set to Islamize Nigeria, based on manifest experience of the more than isolated killings of Christian population by herdsmen and skewed political appointments. The region is perceived to be power drunk, filled with religious fueled ego of seeking to keep the leadership position at the center as prebend of the Muslim dominated North. Some Nigerians believe the rising onslaught of herdsmen in Christian communities is based on pogrom to use force to Islamize Nigeria. Most Christian dominated states like Plateau, Benue, Taraba, parts of Kaduna, Kwara, Kogi are affirming their stance as Middle belt, hoping to separate themselves from the political North on account of religious based tension. READ ALSO: Northern Nigeria is ready for breakup - Prof Ango Abdullahi The ill wish of a section of Nigerians targeted at the person of Buhari is based on the loath against the North and what appears like ceaseless penchant of Nigerians hating incumbent leaders. Sadly, the inglorious cyber based ethno religious battles has left the wound of hate very fresh as every divide seeks to inflict salvos of injuries along divisive sentiments. In a bid to extricate the region from poor perceptions, some of the elites from the region condescend into negative statements, endorsing fears of other regions. With the squeeze seeping the life out of the North, escalating demands of other regions to distance themselves from the North, what does the north want and how will it help when the anchor is down? We must state it clear to ourselves that mere wish to remain one Nigeria is not enough to calm the frail nerves of people from other regions determined to walk away from the federation. Once again, what does the north want? Every other region appears to have a focused agenda at taking off the slice of their perceived inheritance to further a cause separate from that laid by our founding fathers, except the North. The North seems not to realize it is fragmented, bereft of recognized leadership and stereotyped by other regions. It must therefore state what it wants, before it finds itself wanting everything it cannot have. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of Legit.ng. Your own opinion articles are welcome at info@naij.com drop an email telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest contributors. Were ready to trade your news for our money: submit news and photo reports from your area using our Citizen Journalism App. Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments. We are also available on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to Legit.ng Opinion page! Source: Legit.ng - The Indigenous People of Biafra has claimed responsibility for ongoing construction projects in the South-East region of Nigeria - The group said its agitation for Biafra has forced the minister of power, works and housing to begin construction on South-East roads - The IPOB also listed two other benefits of its agitation The IPOB has said that it forced the minister of power works and housing Babatunde Fashola to sit up The Indigenous People of Biafra has claimed responsibility for ongoing construction projects in the South-East region of Nigeria. The group said it forced the minister of power, works and housing Babatunde Fashola to commence work on the abandoned road projects in the region. IPOBs spokesperson Emma Nmezu and Clifford Iroanya said: Recently, Mr. Raji Fashola has been running amok with half-hearted road rehabilitation measures in Biafraland, in a bid to counter the progress of IPOB towards the total and irreversible liberation of Biafra from the British-supervised internal colonization of Biafraland by the Hausa-Fulani Islamic jihadists. The duo said Biafra and South-East people will not be carried away by the activities of the federal government. READ ALSO: IPOB blast APC chieftain who advised Kanu to end Biafra agitation They said the group will not be deceived by an form of cosmetic infrastructural development that might be carried out by the Nigerian government in the region. But Biafrans have already been educated and know that there shall be proper not cosmetic infrastructural development in the areas of (roads, hospitals, IT, airports, seaports, schools, industries, etc.) in a sovereign nation of Biafra where the Presidency will not be determined by zoning and where nobody will be treated as a minority. We have a 75 year infrastructural development plan that will even outlast this present generation of freedom fighters. At IPOB our preoccupation is the well-being of our children yet unborn and posterity. "We shall not build roads for the benefit of winning the next election but for the collective advancement of every soul within the society, the IPOB said in its statement. READ ALSO: IPOB gives HUGE task to ALL Biafra members worldwide The group also claimed that within four years of its existence, political stalwart and party chieftains have started calling for the emergence of an Igbo president for Nigeria. IPOB said: It is on record that within four years of its existence, IPOB has taken the Biafra restoration quest to a crescendo unprecedented in the history of modern freedom-fighting in general and particularly for the exit of Biafra from the British-created contraption called Nigeria. We IPOB led by Nnamdi Kanu can assuredly confirm that our relentless efforts have resulted in the laughable-panicky call for an Igbo Presidency as a means to assuage our unquenchable quest for the exit of Biafra from Nigeria, the group added. READ ALSO: Father Mbaka is 'hungry' and 'poorly educated' - IPOB Nnezu further said that the much adopted slogan restructuring is a s a result of the irreversible resolve of the members of the group to leave Nigeria. Without the impact of the truth preached by Nnamdi Kanu and activities of IPOB nobody would have had the confidence to advocate RESTRUCTURING in the first place. Even in the presence of the blood-thirsty dictator Muhammadu Buhari, we IPOB gave our lives and mortgaged our freedoms which had the effect of clearing the way for individuals and groups to publicly protest and rally for causes they cherish, Nmezu said. Before the coming of IPOB, individuals and groups were afraid to publicly criticize Buhari or mention the word BIAFRA before strangers outside the comfort of their homes but this is no longer the case, he said. Source: Legit.ng Nigeria's president, Muhammadu Buhari was expected in the country on February 6, but he has extended his vacation in the United Kingdom citing medical reasons. 5 things the Nigerian constitution says a sick president must do In a statement released by his media aide, Femi Adesina, the President has written to the National Assembly informing of his desire to extend his leave in order to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors. What does the Nigerian constitution say about what is expected of a sick president? Nigeria's 1999 constitution talks about the health of the office of the president, his incapacity in office, and other relevant requirement on the subject matter. READ ALSO: Presidential Aide Adesina downplays Buharis health issues This is explained in Chapter VI, Section 144. Which says: Chapter VI, Section 144 (1) The President or Vice-President shall cease to hold office, if - (a) by a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of all the members of the executive council of the Federation it is declared that the President or Vice-President is incapable of discharging the functions of his office; and (b) the declaration is verified, after such medical examination as may be necessary, by a medical panel established under subsection (4) of this section in its report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. (2) Where the medical panel certifies in the report that in its opinion the President or Vice-President is suffering from such infirmity of body or mind as renders him permanently incapable of discharging the functions of his office, a notice thereof signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be published in the Official Gazette of the Government of the Federation. Nigerian constitution (3) The President or Vice-President shall cease to hold office as from the date of publication of the notice of the medical report pursuant to subsection (2) of this section. READ ALSO: Nigeria is in trouble as Buhari finally acknowledge that he is sick (4) The medical panel to which this section relates shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, and shall comprise five medical practitioners in Nigeria:- (a) one of whom shall be the personal physician of the holder of the office concerned; and (b) four other medical practitioners who have, in the opinion of the President of the Senate, attained a high degree of eminence in the field of medicine relative to the nature of the examination to be conducted in accordance with the foregoing provisions. (5) In this section, the reference to "executive council of the Federation" is a reference to the body of Ministers of the Government of the Federation, howsoever called, established by the President and charged with such responsibilities for the functions of government as the President may direct. Source: Legit.ng The former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chidi Odinkalu has called for the sack of the secretary of the government for the federation Babachir Lawal. During the nationwide rally tagged: #IStandWithNigeria and #OneVoiceNigeria, the former NHRC chairman said the present administration came into power to fight corruption and not shield it. While the protested chanted I stand with Nigeria, Odinkalu replied with sack the grass cutter, leading a similar chorus from the protesting crowd. This administration came into power to fight corruption and now, next to the president is the man now known as the grass cutter general of the federation. READ ALSO: Just in: #OneVoiceNigeria protest hits Abuja (photos, video) Babachir is popularly known as the grass cutter after he was enmeshed in a N200 million grass cutting contract for internally displaced camps in the North-East. Odinkalu speaking on the level of governance portrayed by the present administration said: We thumbed Buhari into office in 2015 because he promised to do a lot, then he got into power and he has never addressed us. When he wants to talk to us he gets into a plane travels abroad and starts gossiping about us. Are we so useless that our president cannot address us? Are we so idiotic that our president cannot tell us that things are hard? We dont get answers, we dont get empathy and we are told we cannot protest too? What kind of country is that? What kind of citizens are we?" Odinkalu asked. READ ALSO: Top celebrities storm National stadium despite 2baba backing down (photos) Who are we to be told we can only protest if police licensed us. We have the right to protest. On this Monday morning we dont know where our president is. We want to know because we care. On 18 January we were told that our president was going for a 10-day vacation. Yesterday we were told he is waiting for his medical test before he will return. Last week, fake pictures of the president meeting people in London emerged. READ ALSO: Its a lie, I wasnt arrested by DSS 2baba reveals real reason why he cancelled Last night, Femi Adesina said people can get sick; people can even die and Shehu Garba said he spoke with the presidents doctor and was told he is well. Now think about it, if the president is well, who is Shehu to speak to his doctor. If the president is not ill, why should people be circulating fake pictures. We dont want the human rights of the president abused. See photos from the protest in Abuja below: Source: Legit.ng - Former Governor Victor Attah says the North should have been allowed to complete their tenure after the death of Yardua - He also accused former President Obasanjo of being the architect of divisive politics in the country - He urged Nigerians to ask him why he wants to be divisive by canvassing for an Igbo presidency The former governor of Akwa Ibom state insisted that Olusegun Obasanjo brought divisive politics to Nigeria Obong Victor Attah, former governor of Akwa Ibom state and one of the leaders of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) argued that he does not understand why Nigerias former President Olusegun Obasanjo is canvassing for Igbo presidency in 2019 when it was obviously not the turn of the region to produce the presidency. According to the former governor who fielded questions from Vanguard, the political division in the country today was caused by the former president. He noted that after the death of late President YarAdua whom Obasanjo foisted on the country, a Northerner should have been allowed to rule the country. READ ALSO: Declassified CIA file shows Ojukwu never had respect for Gowon He said: "I have had occasions to really disagree with former President Obasanjo and I made strenuous effort to make sure that I did not insult him but there are times you really have to wonder what his intentions are when he does certain things. "Now let me go back to the story of 2002. It was an expanded caucus meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. I asked the question and they said the decision for a second term for Obasanjo was not going to be taken through voice vote that we were going to speak one by one and I am going to name names because one person stood up and said yes, he should have a second term and many others followed suit. "I stood up and I asked, what was the hurry all about? We are a family, we are a party, why dont we wait till then and when we get there (primaries) we would decide who was best to pick our ticket and I said that was what we should do. Why the rush to now predetermine who would be our flag-bearer? Why must we agree on this second term now? "Then, former Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, stood up and said, if we agree that Obasanjo should have second term, when it is the time of the North, would you allow the North to have two terms? The whole house echoed, yes! Did it happen? No," he said Going on with his narration, Attah said that Obasanjo was the architect of divisive politics in Nigeria. "That was where the division in Nigerian politics came in. Why was it that when YarAdua died, since he was Obasanjos choice for the North and the North accepted him, sick as he was, why was it that when he could not even complete one term, the North was not allowed to complete that term or even go ahead to have a second term? PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest News on Legit.ng "We took it from the North. Would you be happy if it was you? Today, the North has got the presidency since we have now decided, yes to second term before the north can even have a second term, you are suggesting Igbo. Is that not divisive? So, I do not see that thing (Obasanjos advocacy) as being sincere. "I think it is a means of just creating further confusion in this country. People should ask him why he wants to be divisive, but if he says he is not divisive, let him bring out the logic," Attah added. Meanwhile, former governor of Anambra state, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife revealed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo is not an ordinary person. In the video below, former President Obasanjo could be seen singing with other Nigerian leaders for the peace of the nation. Source: Legit.ng Editor's note: Michael Ajah, the Legit.ng partner blogger, reveals how to spot difference between legit investment and ponzi schemes. Ajah is a Computer Science student of the University of Port Harcourt. He is the CEO of NaijaTechGuy Inc. He's a researcher, web developer, programmer and ICT expert. Contact Michael via email: luigiajah@gmail.com. More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest bloggers. I predicted the crash of the MMM scheme in Nigeria a long time before the scheme crashed in December. Ponzi Schemes do not last and only manage to succeed in failed states. Participants of MMM Nigeria celebrating 1st anniversary before the scheme finally crashed The alleged owner of the MMM Nigeria site and the number one guider, Chuddy Ugorji fled to the Philippines after the crash of the scheme in Nigeria. Many MMM participants probably want to know what lies ahead for them. I will try to explain this from a web developer's view and make it as understandable as possible. READ ALSO: How student bloggers can make easy money A look at MMM Nigeria's home page shows some adverts powered by Google called Google Adsense. Adsense pays in two formats - CPC (cost per click) and CPM (cost per mile). CPC is the amount of money the site will earn for each visitor that clicks on the adverts while CPM is the amount of money the site will earn for every 1000 impressions (impressions are the number of times the site requests an advert from the ad network). A single visitor may generate up to 5-10 impressions on a site. MMM Nigeria was ranking very high in Nigeria and had millions of visitors daily. Chuddy probably earned millions of naira daily from the ads running on the Ponzi site and also from the other cash he got from the scheme. When participants were thrown into confusion, the alleged MMM Nigeria site owner was still earning money at the expense of gullible participants who anxiously opened the site daily to see if their supposed mavros were still intact. What really lies ahead of MMM? When someone opens a business and it's successful, a lot of people will decide to follow suit and try to see if they can make money like the initial person who started the business. A lot of ponzi schemes are popping up everywhere and it's really disappointing to see that these schemes still have participants despite the warnings by the government. From one angle it shows how people are suffering and are desperate to get money quickly while on another angle it simply shows how gullible Nigerians can be. Participants of these schemes are unaware of the things that are going on now as MMM has crashed. Many guys have now started opening ponzi sites so as to gain from their own Ponzi Schemes and shut it down later. A webmaster can design a ponzi scheme and terminate it anytime he wants, he can generate an error page, he can stop people from being able to log in (just like the ponzi scheme- ultimate cycler) and he can decide to drop an upgrade message on the site to leave users locked out. These sites are owned and operated by human beings and if you can't verify the authenticity of the owner of the scheme, do not participate. Scammers have seen a way to make Nigerians lose their hard earned money. When participants complain about losing money, they'll tell them that they were asked to use their spare money. Ponzi schemes have really changed the way most of its participants think, turning them to moving advertising machines. They can hardly spend a few days without thinking about the scheme. It is quite unfortunate that in the quest to get rich, people have decided to join schemes that are simply run with the slogan get rich or die trying". It's pitiable that some of these people haven't brought a single soul to church but they have over 200 souls on MMM and other ponzi schemes. DOWNLOAD: Legit.ng current affairs app for android to get the latest news From the originator of ponzi schemes, Charles Ponzi to MMM founder Sergey Mavrodi and the MMM Nigeria founder Chuddy Ugorji, ponzi schemes have always ended up leaving a lot of participants stranded. There are other ways to make money online without ponzi schemes. Make your life better by avoiding ponzi schemes. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of Legit.ng. Legit.ng welcomes writers, bloggers, photographers and all sorts of noise makers to become a part of our Bloggers network. If you are a seasoned writer or a complete newbie apply and become Nigerias next star blogger. Send us some info about your career, interests and expertise and why youd like to contribute to the Blogger Network at blogger@corp.legit.ng Also, please send us the link to your blog and three examples of your work. More details in Legit.ngs step-by-step guide for guest bloggers. Source: Legit.ng The emergence of Donald Trump as President of the United States, has heightened the fear that the world may indeed be on the verge of another great war. Recent polls suggest that since Trump took charge of enough nuclear firepower, many are afraid he might seek to blast humanity off the face of this planet. However, thats not the only threat the world facing at the moment, according to Oxford Universitys Future of Humanity Institute in fact, humanity is facing three existential threats right now. Metro UK reports that the three biggest risks humanity face are Pandemics, Extreme Climate Change and Pandemics, Extreme Climate Change and Nuclear War and there is a dire need for world leaders to act. READ ALSO: These are the MONSTERS that give Donald Trump sleepless nights (Photos) Science reveals 3 ways the world will end Speaking to experts in the field, the researchers warn of the risk of someone unleashing a deadly biological weapon. PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest News on Legit.ng News App A recent survey of the views of national technical experts on biological weapons highlighted a dire need for broader and more sustained international focus, said biosecurity expert Piers Millett. International cooperation on global risks is more important than ever, says study author Sebastian Farquhar. Disease, climate change, and nuclear winter dont respect national borders. Source: Legit.ng The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has joined many Nigerians to pray for the quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari. The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has joined many Nigerians to pray for the quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari. The group said the IPOB and its leadership worldwide said it is unfortunate that President Buhari failed to resume work on Monday, February 6, as expected. The IPOB's spokesperson Powerful Emma said: "Biafra will be a transparent honest society not like Nigeria. Our prayer is that Muhammadu Buhari should be well enough to face his crimes at the ICC because that is where he will end up with Gowon and Obasanjo." READ ALSO: How pro-Buhari and anti-Buhari protesters clashed in Abuja (photos, video) Emma said, the IPOB expects the president to quickly come back to Nigeria and continue running the affairs of the country. "This is one thing the world still don't know about us, that all those responsible for the cold blooded massacre of Biafrans and their illegal unconstitutional detention will be tried in a proper court of law in the Hague. We are relentless in our pursuit until justice is served," Emma said. READ ALSO: Sack the grass cutter, former NHRC chairman Chidi Odinkalu chants at #OneVoiceNigeria protest (photos) "However, we expected him to come back by now and start where he stopped in taking the country to another level. We are not wishing him dead because we don't create life. More so, it is high time the presidency will come out openly and tell Nigerians what actually happened to their president since he went out of the country," he said. On January 19, President Buhari wrote a letter to the Senate requesting for a 10-day vacation. READ ALSO: Just in: #OneVoiceNigeria protest hits Abuja (photos, video) The spokesperson for the president Femi Adesina also said that the president will use the opportunity to attend to some of his medical needs. While the president was expected back to the country on Sunday, February 5, in order to resume work today, February 6. The Senate again received another letter seeking for an indefinite extension of his vacation. However, since the announcement of the new letter, Nigerians have had mixed feelings about the president's health status with many scared of a repeat of the late president Umar Musa Yaradua episode. Source: Legit.ng - Minister of Information and culture, Lai Muhammed, has denied the rumour that the President intends to Islamise the nation - The minister said allegations of plans to Islamise the country is being peddled by people who aim to tarnish the image of the president - He appealed to the media to desist from providing a platform for exponents of incendiary statements that can divide the nation Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has condemned the statements by some religious leaders alleging that President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is planning to Islamise Nigeria. In a statement by the ministers special assistant on media and publicity, Segun Adeyemi, Mr. Mohammed said the allegations are being peddled to tarnish the Presidents image. The alleged Islamisation of Nigeria under the current administration is totally false Presidency READ ALSO: Professor, Doctor demand prove of life from President Buhari According to Premium Times, Muhammed who spoke at a town hall meeting in Ilorin, Kwara state said: The alleged Islamisation of Nigeria under the current administration is totally false and should be perceived in its entirety as a campaign of calumny, the statement said. There is no bigger threat to the peace and unity of our country today than religion-coated incendiary messages, which are being carelessly sent out by some religious, political and opinion leaders. In recent times, the media has been increasingly awash with incendiary statements that seem designed to pitch the adherents of the two prominent religions in the country, Christians and Muslims against one another. Such fallacies like the Islamisation of Nigeria, the killing of Christians by Muslims, the labelling of Nigeria as the most dangerous place for Christians in the world can only serve one purpose: trigger a religious war. Needless to say that no nation ever survives a religious war. Those who are making these allegations know that they are not true, but they have found in religion another tool to demonize the government of the day, divert attention from the governments anti-corruption stance and create undue tension in the polity. Make no mistake about it, there have been conflicts between adherents of the two major religions in certain parts of the country. To now extrapolate from that to say Nigeria is the most dangerous place for Christians in the world is a disservice to Nigeria and an overkill. What those who are pushing this negative narrative about Nigeria do not know is that if they succeed in giving Nigeria a bad name in the comity of nations, they too will not escape the consequences that will result therefrom." He alleged that religious leaders making the incendiary statements were being used by political groups to undermine government. PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest News on Legit.ng News App The secular nature of Nigerias Constitution makes the issue of religious dominance and impunity improbable. It is also important to note that the underlying principle of religious conflict may not be purely religious, but more often than not coloured with political connotations as vividly depicted in the case of the terrorist group, Boko Haram. And more often than not, conflicts between Muslims and Christians are fuelled by political motivations, ethnic differences, extremism, intolerance and terrorism. Let me appeal to the media to desist from providing a platform for exponents of incendiary statements, those who will latch on to religion and ethnicity to divide us, and those who have no qualms about leveraging their privileged positions to give Nigeria a bad name in the international community. Meanwhile, the presidency in the last week of December 2016 announced that the federal government will deepen its partnership with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to fund critical projects in health, water and the infrastructure sector. Source: Legit.ng Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday, February 6, was seen addressing protesters outside his residence in Ikoyi, Lagos. Anti-Government Protest: Tinubu reacts, sends critical message to Nigerians This was just as scores of armed policemen as at 8:30 am, took strategic positions at the National Stadium, Surulere and environs, following insistence by some activists to continue with todays protest despite call off by Tuface Idibia. The protesters were led by Moremi Ojudu, the daughter of the Special Adviser to President Buhari on political matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, in front of Tinubus bourdillon house at the Ikoyi area of the state. The protesters insisted that Tinubu must come out to personally address the issues on ground. This was after they had waited for almost an hour and left unattended to and also after several attemptS by his security personnel to disperse the crowd. The APC Chieftain later bowed to pressure, begging Nigerians for patience with the Buhari-led government. He said, Nigerians should be patient with APC. We are not denying the fact that Nigerians are suffering and have the right to protest, but party and economy must be returned to shape. We are two years into the administration. To make those changes effectively and positively eventually, we have to be patient; we have to have the hope. Im not worried about the exchange rate they are pursuing because your salary should be in Naira and you are not an importer or exporter, are you? Maybe that is teaching us a lesson to be dependent on our domestic products, isnt it? To develop other talents, areas. I understand your grievances, unemployment etc and you know, corruption is seriously being attacked. Dont worry, our money will come back. the damage of 16 years will go through the system. You cannot get water out of a dry land. Nigeria is going through a phase. You have the right to protest, This government is also a product of protest, he added. In a similar vein, the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Monday, February 6, said that President Muhammadu Buhari has heard the cries of Nigerians loud and clear following a nationwide protest. According to Osinbajo, Buhari who is currently on medical vacation, has promised the present administration would ensure that all Nigerians get a fair deal. Osinbajo made this known at a Consultative Forum on the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan held at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Although, he admitted that the nation is in what he called a serious economic situation, President Buhari had acknowledge it. We hear you loud and clear, Osinbajo said. Source: Legit.ng Professor Yemi Osinbajo has insisted that he is not under any pressure to resign. This is coming amid rumour that the acting president was facing pressure from some cabal in government asking him to resign due to the presidents state of health. READ ALSO: Anti-Government Protest: Tinubu reacts, sends critical message to Nigerians Vanguard reports that Osinbajo held a closed door meeting with the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Chief John Oyegun, his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Sen. Babafemi and the Special Assistant to the President on Diaspora Matters, Hon. Abike Dabire at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday; January 6. Osinbajo spoke after the meeting insisting that he ran on the same ticket with President Buhari and therefore was not being pressurised to resign. Source: Legit.ng - President Buhari's continued stay in the UK has been a source of concern for most Nigerians - Many are disappointed the president choose to go to the UK for medical treatment President Muhammadu Buhari Dr Osahon Enabulele, the vice-president of the Commonwealth Medical Association (CMA), said it was a "national shame" that Mr Buhari had gone to the UK when Nigeria had many competent ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists, as well as a National Ear Centre. According to the health minister, Osagie Ehanire, Nigerians spent more than $1bn a year on medical tourism, an amount Buhari's government promised to reduce. President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the parliament to extend his medical leave in the UK citing medical reasons. READ ALSO: Buhari is not in the hospital - Presidency As no date has been set for his return, Nigerians continue to worry about the state of the president's health amidst rumours of his death. Protests in Abuja, Lagos, Enugu and other places register the general anger of Nigerians over the state of the country. In Abuja, some of the protesters spoke with BBC Africa. One woman complained: "We are completely in the dark." And a lawyer added: "Anybody can fall sick but when a president falls sick, it should not be a confidential matter." Source: Legit.ng - Some Northern clerics have condemned comments made by the former president Goodluck Jonathan on the crisis in the regions - The clerics said the statement made by Jonathan last week in a meeting with the United State congress on the religious crisis in the Northern part of the country is reckless and unpatriotic - They also called on security agencies to invite the former president for questioning Some Northern clerics have condemned comments made by the former president Goodluck Jonathan on the crisis in the regions. The clerics said the statement made by Jonathan last week in a meeting with the United State congress on the religious crisis in the Northern part of the country is reckless and unpatriotic. Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Monday, February 6, the national chairman of the Middle Belt Patriotic Front Musa Fomson urged security agencies to invite the former president for questioning. READ ALSO: Nigeria cited as the most dangerous place for Christians to live in the world US congress Fomson said an invitation and interrogation of Jonathan will enable security agencies unravel his intentions about Nigeria. It was the mindlessness of his administration that amplified the schism to a point where persons that were once neutral learnt to hate adherents of other faiths. It was Goodluck Jonathan that made religion and ethnicity into campaign issues in order to cover the incompetence of his rule in the quest for re-election, Fomson said. The cleric added that the former president used his comment to sow seed of discord. Fomson said: Ill advised romance with the then President of the Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, who even ran errand as weapons buyer, was instrumental to reducing Christendom into the current level where whatever CAN has to say is being second guessed." He said Jonathan failed to tell his US audience that killers herdsmen would not be on rampage and occupy the position of the fourth deadliest group in the world if he and his aides had not stolen the money meant for buying weapons to defeat Boko Haram. READ ALSO: Don't give Nigeria a bad name, the president is not trying to Islamize Nigeria Presidency "Several of his aides, like Ankio-Briggs have stopped short of endorsing the war these militants are waging against the Nigerian state. His speech before the US House Committee stopped short of doing same by anchoring the attacks on oil export infrastructure on resource control, Fomson said. "If the former president thinks we have forgotten his foot soldiers and multiple persons from the Niger Delta threaten to make the country ungovernable should he lose the 2015 election, which he glaringly lost because of his serial failures and rejection by Nigerians, he said. He further blamed the former president for the hardship faced by many Nigerians in the country. If Goolduck Jonathan truly loves Nigeria, he must immediately stop all his subversive activities like the speech he made before the US House Committee in which he usurped the role of a sitting government by negotiating a US intervention. "He must speak with all his cronies to return all monies stolen from Nigeria, whether it was the one meant for arms purchase, stolen from crude oil sales or foreign loans that were channeled into their personal pockets. READ ALSO: Just in: Nigerian lawyer challenges US congressman to a live TV debate "He must ask his militants in the Niger Delta and their proxies operating as separatists in the south-east to immediately cease hostilities against the Nigerian state. His coded call for them to scale up attacks is well noted when he said "Also, the military crackdown in the Niger Delta will not end the agitation there. It will have the opposite effect of provoking the youths which will cause them to seek to acquire sophisticated weapons to defend themselves and their communities. This may in turn lead to secessionist movements and the reincarnation of the Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro led revolution and the Biafran civil war." Source: Legit.ng Planning to travel to Dubai? United Arab Emirates again takes strong action against Nigeria Barely one week after the suspension of visa issuance, the United Arab Emirate official carrier, Emirates Airlines has suspended its flights to and from Nigeria Sorry! This content is not available in your region TALLINN, Estonia Since its inception in 1985, the European Capitals of Culture program has often been criticized as bureaucratic and lacking a clear evaluation framework. But the program, run by the European Union, has nevertheless proved successful as a cultural and economic boost to the cities that are chosen. In Tallinn, which wore the crown in 2011, a cultural upswing was already underway in which its old town was renovated and new cultural venues were built in the last two decades. But there is general agreement that being named culture capital made a big difference to the citys young artists and the tourists who came to seek them out. It was like a catapult, Evelyn Sepp, the head of Kultuurikatel, or Cultural Hub, an arts space that is one of the most visible legacies of Tallinns cultural year. In 2011, the Estonian capital offered about 7,000 cultural events with a focus on alternative, original productions. The actual business of travel getting from one place to the next and finding food and lodging there is a bit of a gamble, especially with children. Still, from Le Perroquet, our hotel in Ziguinchor, Cath and I could organize whatever boats we needed to move us around the river. Bad infrastructure can make for interesting travel. The ruins of a French depot in Karabane was overgrown with vines: the perfect jungle gym. In the marketplace at Elinkin, we rented a sept-place vehicle, so called because it has seven places to sit. One of the women in the market did the math: two adults plus three children plus one driver equals one vacant spot. She asked if we would mind if she rode with us to the next village. Sure, why not? Image The walled-in Club Med resort in Cap Skirring, which reopened in 2010. Credit... James Rajotte for The New York Times Only then did she bring out the four large baskets of fish she was carrying with her. Strapped to the roof I would later see a live pig strapped to the roof of a sept-place the fish did well enough until we hit a bumpy stretch of road, when they started tumbling off, fish juices dribbling through the window. The kids found this hilarious. We trundled down the road singing Its raining fish to the tune of Its raining men. For all the natural riches that the region was once known for, its biggest assets are likely the villages themselves. The Casamance region is almost entirely animist they believe in the spiritual nature of plants and objects. Each village has a set of sacred drums, which they use to communicate with other villages. The religious shrines are collections of objects that nobody will explain, no matter how you ask, because their power is bound up with their secrecy. The children found ways of amusing themselves. Boys and girls returning from school provided instant community. Our Canadian and the Senegalese children were both in French immersion (for different historical reasons) so they chatted about what children chat about: television and who could run fastest. The girls skipped rope. The boys wrestled in the dirt. The adults moved through a landscape of differences, the children through a landscape of similarities. In the last Vienna elections, in 2010, the Freedom Party vaulted to more than 25 percent of the vote, a gain of over 10 percentage points. By this summer, opinion polls suggested, the far-right party had pulled almost level with the Social Democrats, who got 44 percent in 2010. Both now hover just above 30 percent. The causes are manifold, including unemployment that has risen to more than 10 percent and dissatisfaction with the longtime mayor, Michael Haupl. His working-class base is eroding; others fault him for failing to end cozy patronage systems that favor the powerful over the poor. What everyone is wondering now is what effect the migrants will have. Thousands of Viennese have greeted tens of thousands of refugees arriving from Hungary this month. The national government, which had long flailed on the issue, found a firm voice and strongly criticized Budapest for putting refugees on trains that led them not west to Austria, but to a camp in Hungary. This, said Chancellor Werner Faymann, a Social Democrat, brings up memories of our Continents darkest period. Like Germany, Austria loudly advocates asylum for refugees. Its projected total of applicants, many from the Middle East, is 80,000 this year, meaning that, like Germanys, its population may grow by 1 percent. But its image as a caretaker for waves of refugees over decades Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Poles, East Germans and former Yugoslavs escaping Communism or war suffered this summer. Its main refugee center at Traiskirchen was found to be squalid, with inadequate medical care and more than 1,000 people sleeping in the open. When the authorities refused to admit a group from Doctors Without Borders, leftists seethed. When a reporter visited the camp in late August, conditions had improved, although tents still provided shelter for 1,200 of the 3,000 people there. Austrians shocked by the conditions had brought so many clothes, toys and other goods that containers overflowed with rejects. ST.-LOUIS, Senegal On a hazy afternoon last week, about two dozen Senegalese commandos dressed in dark green camouflage uniforms landed their black Zodiac boats on a sandy beach and clambered ashore, their M-16 rifles at the ready. Within minutes, they were walking stealthily in small groups through low scrub brush to sneak up on their target several hundred yards away: the village lair of an Algerian terrorist financier they had been hunting for days. Moments later, shots rang out and a hooded, handcuffed man was hustled from his hide-out to the awaiting boats. In truth, the raid was simulated: The shots were blanks, the terrorist an American airman playing a bad guy. But the threat recreated in this training exercise at an abandoned beach resort here has become increasingly and unsettlingly real, Senegalese officials say. Trying to stay a step ahead of terrorist and illicit smuggling networks that are pushing deeper into West Africa, Senegal created a new riverine commando squad last year to help patrol the Senegal River that delineates a 500-mile border with Mauritania to the north. MEXICO CITY Four men have been arrested in the murder of a Honduran environmental and indigenous rights activist whose killing two months ago prompted international condemnation, the authorities said on Monday. The activist, Berta Caceres, led a decade-long fight to block construction of the Agua Zarca Dam along the Gualcarque River, which is sacred to her Lenca people. Despite numerous threats and the killings of other members of her organization, she was undeterred. She was awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize last year, but the international acclaim was not enough to protect her. On March 3, gunmen burst into the house where she was staying in La Esperanza, her hometown, in western Honduras, and fatally shot her. The suspects were arrested in raids early Monday. Two of them are linked to the Honduran company that is building the dam, Desarrollos Energeticos S.A., or DESA. MARRAKESH, Morocco Protests erupted across Morocco over the weekend after the death of a fish vendor who, according to witnesses, was crushed by a compactor after he jumped into a garbage truck to retrieve his merchandise. Grainy images of the man, identified in news accounts as Mouhcine Fikri, 31, circulated after his death on Friday night, in the northern port city of Al Hoceima. The city immediately erupted in protests, which spread on Sunday to cities like Marrakesh and Rabat, the capital. King Mohammed VI of Morocco ordered the Interior Ministry to conduct a careful and thorough investigation, and to bring charges against anyone who had broken the law, the state-run Maghreb Arabe Presse news agency reported on Sunday. According to news accounts, Mr. Fikri and several friends dived into the garbage truck after the authorities confiscated his merchandise, around $11,000 worth of swordfish, a protected species in Morocco. As the compactor started operating it was not clear why the friends jumped out, but Mr. Fikri was stuck inside. SAN FRANCISCO The knowledge transfer sessions started a few months after Jeff Tan received notice last summer that he and about 80 co-workers would be laid off by the University of California, San Francisco, at the end of February. At daily two-hour meetings with employees from HCL Technologies, an Indian tech services company that had landed the outsourcing contract from U.C.S.F., Mr. Tan trained HCL staff members in India by videoconference and employees brought to the United States on H-1B visas how to do his job. More than any other industry, tech companies depend on the 85,000 foreign workers allowed into the United States annually under the H-1B visa program. The H-1B is a temporary visa intended to bring in foreign professionals with college degrees and specialized skills to fill jobs when qualified Americans cannot be found. Technology giants like Microsoft and Google have pressed for increases in the annual quotas, saying there are not enough Americans with the skills they need. But for tech workers like Mr. Tan, the program has had very negative consequences. I thought the purpose of H-1B visas was to give America a competitive edge, not help companies ship American jobs abroad, said Mr. Tan, who had worked for the university as an information technology systems administrator for 20 years. This is now standard practice in the technology industry. There were so many instant internet spoofs making fun of Kellyanne Conways now-famous Bowling Green Massacre that its hard to pick a favorite. Gun to my head, Id say mine was the Twitter meme that showed a brass plaque dedicated to the names of the poor souls left for dead on Bowling Greens grassy killing field. It was blank. Thats because there was no massacre there. No one died. No one even stubbed a toe. But theres a good chance you know that by now: that the supposed terrorist attack in Bowling Green, Ky., that Ms. Conway, a top presidential adviser, invoked on MSNBC last week to justify President Trumps contentious travel ban never happened. (And, no, the reason you had never heard of it was not because the Dishonest Media ignored the alleged carnage at the time of its non-happening, as Ms. Conway alleged.) The very fact that you probably know all this means that the Bowling Green Massacre may go down in the record of the Trump presidency as the first break in the fake news clouds that have cast such gloom over our fair and once (relatively) true republic. The same internet that enabled false stories to run unchecked through news feeds during the election year dispatched new white blood cells that attacked Ms. Conways alternate facts with true facts (a redundant term that I guess were stuck with for now). Their most effective attack was traditional reporting, in many cases from news organizations that have doubled down on fact-checking, joined by newfangled memes that accentuate the truth. WASHINGTON In the summer of 2014, the Islamic State seized a region of northern Iraq where people of different religions and ethnic groups had coexisted since biblical times, and sought to cleanse it of everyone who was not a Sunni Muslim. ISIS killed or enslaved thousands of Yazidis and massacred Shiite Muslims. The group readily admitted that it wanted to eradicate Christianity from the Middle East. In a matter of days, more than 100,000 Iraqi Christians had fled their homes, mostly to Iraqi Kurdistan. Last year, as an official of the Obama administration, I walked through a Christian neighborhood of the Kurdish capital, Erbil, to the beautiful St. Josephs cathedral, where I met with leaders of every major Christian denomination in Iraq, including the patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East and the archbishop of the Chaldean Catholic Church. I also visited the Yazidi mountain shrine of Lalish, and the town of Alqosh, just a few miles north of Islamic State-controlled Mosul, where a synagogue still stands, unused for now, but protected by a local Christian family and the Muslim fighters of the Kurdish pesh merga. Every religious leader I met asked that the United States keep the door open to refugees from their communities. But what they wanted most of all was our help in enabling their people to stay safe on their ancestral lands in Iraq. One group, the Assyrian Church of the East, felt so strongly about this that it made the brave decision to move its headquarters from Chicago back to Erbil. I would never say that we have done enough to help persecuted religious minorities in the Middle East. How could anyone say they have done enough when so many are still suffering? But to suggest, as the Trump administration now does, that the United States has done nothing, and use this falsehood to justify favoring Christians over others among our refugee admissions, is outrageous. (On Friday, a federal judge temporarily blocked parts of the presidents executive order, including this element.) Populist authoritarianism in the context of one-party rule will not be contained easily, let alone defeated. Democrats naturally will try many strategies, many of them contradictory. They will try to use the press to embarrass officials on TV by catching them lying; other times they will refuse to invite Mr. Trumps officials to talk. They will engage in fiery debates with Trump supporters; other times they will try being more civil. They will try to negotiate with the government; other times they will be obstructionist. They will sign petitions and they will march; other times they will stay quiet to avoid drawing attention. They will denounce the government on social media; other times they will post about things other than politics to avoid dwelling on their misery. Chances are many of these tactics, however disparate, will not show results right away. The problem is not that these strategies are wrong or ill conceived. The problem is that the cancer that these strategies are trying to fight is aggressive, adaptable and difficult to beat. And yet, I still feel there is hope. Compared with other places where populist autocrats have taken power, the United States has a resistance with at least five important advantages it can exploit in its fight against Trumpism: THE OPPOSITION IS NOT CONFUSED. In other countries, like Venezuela after the ascent of Hugo Chavez, the rise of populist autocrats makes some people feel at first that things wont be so bad after all they give the leader the benefit of the doubt. This is fantastic for the autocrat. But this is not happening in the United States. Almost no one who voted for someone other than Mr. Trump appears to be under that kind of delusion. They know whats coming, and they know its not good. The play, set in 2019, is in the form of speculative fiction, or future history. In it, a writer interviews a prison executive awaiting sentencing for his role in a Trump administration effort to detain and deport large numbers of immigrants after a terrorist attack in the United States. It is not a crazy or extreme fantasy, Mr. Schenkkan said. Its very solidly grounded in current American law, and Trumps rhetoric, and his most recent executive orders. Mr. Schenkkan, also a screenwriter who wrote this years Oscar-nominated Hacksaw Ridge with Andrew Knight, penned Building the Wall the week before the 2016 election. The play had a developmental reading shortly after the election at the Lark in New York, and was then circulated by the National New Play Network, an alliance of nonprofit theaters. Four quickly agreed to stage their own productions while sharing credit for the world premiere. The Fountain Theater in Los Angeles will mount the play next month, followed by the Curious Theater in Denver; the Forum Theater in Silver Spring, Md.; and the Borderlands Theater in Tucson. We had our season in place, with another production planned, but as soon as I read this script I knew we had to move fast, said Stephen Sachs, an artistic director of the Fountain Theater. Its a raw, passionate warning cry, and I knew we had to be bold and make this statement. LANCASTER, Pa. They knew it was coming, of course. But they did not quite believe it, even after watching a broadcast of the signing from their cramped offices. Not until reading the text did they fully accept that their humanitarian work had been halted by executive order of the president of the United States. Banned, if you will. The Jan. 27 order abruptly closed the nation to refugees, upending the central mission of resettlement for the Lancaster office of the Church World Service, among other groups. So, that night, one staff member sought music to shout out his thoughts. Another, an Iraqi immigrant, endured a nightmare about federal agents coming to take him away. And the offices longtime director, Sheila Mastropietro, 62, found herself having a rare argument with her husband, who had voted for the orders executor, President Trump. Their marriage is safe; her husband supports her lifes work, and considers this presidential action a mistake. But Ms. Mastropietro knew what awaited her: budget cuts, layoffs and the anguish of dashed hopes. WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. President Trump said in an interview that aired on Sunday that a replacement health care law was not likely to be ready until either the end of this year or in 2018, a major shift from promises by both him and Republican leaders to repeal and replace the law as soon as possible. Maybe itll take till sometime into next year, but were certainly going to be in the process, Mr. Trump said during an interview with Bill OReilly of Fox News, after Mr. OReilly asked the president whether Americans could expect a new health care plan rolled out by the Trump administration this year. It statutorily takes awhile to get, Mr. Trump said. Were going to be putting it in fairly soon, I think that, yes, I would like to say by the end of the year at least the rudiments but we should have something within the year and the following year. Mr. Trump acknowledged that replacing former President Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act is complicated, though he reiterated his confidence that his administration could devise a plan that would work better than the law despite having provided few details of how such a plan would work. Federal courts, the brief said, have no more sacred role than protecting marginalized groups against irrational, discriminatory conduct. In the Ninth Circuit, the Trump administration said judges were ill-equipped to decide cases involving national security. Unlike the president, the administrations brief said, courts do not have access to classified information about the threat posed by terrorist organizations operating in particular nations, the efforts of those organizations to infiltrate the United States, or gaps in the vetting process. Noah G. Purcell, the solicitor general of Washington State, appeared to concede in court that there were areas in which Mr. Trump was entitled to act. But he asked the court to protect people whose lives had been changed by Mr. Trumps order in a flash. The focus of our claim, he said, is on people who have been here and have, overnight, lost the right to travel, lost the right to visit their families, lost the right to go perform research, lost the right to go speak at conferences around the world. And also people who had lived here for a long time and happened to be overseas at the time of this order, which came with no warning whatsoever, and suddenly lost the right to return to the United States. How much power has Congress given the president? On Friday, defending Mr. Trumps executive order in a Seattle courtroom, Michelle Bennett, a Justice Department lawyer, cited Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer, a 1952 decision in which the Supreme Court rejected President Harry S. Trumans assertion that he had the authority to seize steel mills during the Korean War. The most famous part of the decision is a concurrence from Justice Robert H. Jackson, which set out a framework for considering clashes between presidential power and congressional authority. The president has the most power when he acts with congressional authorization, Justice Jackson said, and an intermediate amount when Congress is silent. The presidents power is at its lowest ebb, Justice Jackson wrote, when Congress has forbidden a particular action. Trumans actions fell into the third category, Justice Jackson wrote. Ms. Bennett, by contrast, said Mr. Trumps order was in the first category. Many of the new groups are embracing as their bible Indivisible, a 27-page guide written by former congressional staff members that advises Tea Party-like tactics to resist the Trump agenda. Just as groups like FreedomWorks used Google maps to help expand local Tea Party groups, the website for the guide helps Trump resisters find Indivisible groups near them. Last week, groups that organized the nationwide womens marches in January announced local Next-Up Huddles to plan more local political actions, starting with crowds at town forums during the congressional recess beginning Feb. 20. And another group, the Town Hall Project 2018, is keeping a list of where members of Congress will hold meetings that week, encouraging constituents to show up the way Tea Partyers did in the summer of 2009. I want to take our country back, said Katie Farnan, a member of Indivisible Front Range Resistance, which is among the groups calling, writing and showing up weekly with bagels and protest signs at Senator Cory Gardners district offices to urge the Colorado Republican to hold town meetings. I hate to say that because its so Tea Party-ish, but it feels like weve lost it. I dont embrace the tactics so much that I want to say lets go to the extreme, Ms. Farnan added. But I do embrace the idea that if your congressman wakes up worrying that hes not going to be re-elected, its a good thing. I want him to wake up worried. The goal is to shake Republicans away from voting the party line for Mr. Trumps agenda, and to stiffen the spines of Democrats who might be inclined to go along with it. In Missouri, members of the new Indivisible group have been showing up every Tuesday at the office of Senator Claire McCaskill, a Democrat, as well as her Republican counterpart, Roy Blunt. In New York, they have mobbed the district offices of Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democrats leader, and even demonstrated outside his Brooklyn home. Theres some circularity here: The Tea Party loudly borrowed from the left, using as its guide Rules for Radicals, by Saul Alinsky, considered the father of modern community organizing. It urged followers to adopt the Alinsky playbook to block health care reform at the town halls of 2009: freeze it, attack it, personalize it, polarize it, as one widely circulated email advised. Mr. Trump reacted angrily on Sunday. In a Twitter post, he seemed to give immigration lawyers and advocates reason to fear that the country may not remain open for long to refugees, or to visa holders from the seven nations Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult! he wrote. Mr. Doyle said that between Monday and Feb. 17, about 2,000 refugees would be rebooked on flights to the United States. Those who were expected to leave first had moved out of their apartments or refugee camps, sold their belongings and turned in their food ration cards. In Kenya, dozens of Somalis who had cleared all the final security and medical checks to enter the United States were waiting on Sunday in the refugee camp, where they were told that they might be able to travel in the next few days. But they were no longer sure who or what to believe. I feel completely ruined, said Ahmed Hassan, a Somali refugee heading for Rhode Island. In the past few weeks, Mr. Hassan was bused out of the camp; sent to a transit center in Nairobi, Kenyas capital, several hundred miles away; given travel documents; told he was about to fly to America; told he was not about to fly to America; bused back to the camp; and then told he might actually fly to America after all. He boarded a bus in Nairobi to return to the camp just hours before the federal judge lifted the travel ban. Mr. Hassan had sold his home and feared that he could be targeted as an American sympathizer by the Islamist and anti-American militants known to move in and out of the camps. He had arrived back at the refugee camp on Saturday afternoon, retreated from the crowds shouting questions at him and hid inside a room. MONROVIA, Liberia Emmanuel Dongo, who spends his days begging on Monrovias streets, plunged with his crutches onto the concrete stage and into the glare of neon. He thrust his muscular shoulders forward, limp legs hanging behind him, and transformed himself into Lyrical D, rising rap artist. Handicap man trying to survive, then you sitting there just to criticize, when that you, what thing you will really do? he asked, snapping out the lyrics to a rapt crowd at Code 146, where Liberias aspiring rap stars come to make their names. Will you close your mouth and turn your back on you? I feel too bad when I sitting in this wheelchair, just want to be walking like you, man. See me passing and you mocking at me telling me I not even look like human being. Putting down his crutches, Mr. Dongo leaned back into his wheelchair and propelled himself across the stage, dancing frenetically and spitting out angry rhymes about his experiences of discrimination in a society that largely views disability through the lens of superstition. Even though disabled victims of war are a common sight on Liberias city streets, handicapped people are often seen as cursed, their amputations or paralyzed limbs viewed as the result of witchcraft by the cruel and envious, or else as punishment for some wrongdoing. Music seems an unlikely career choice for a Liberian with Mr. Dongos many difficulties. But the proliferation of makeshift studios, self-taught engineers and a distinct Liberian sound has given rise to a thriving music scene here, opening up space for emerging artists like Mr. Dongo. Aspiring artists can record songs for as little as $20 if the engineer likes them, or even free if they are a big enough name. ISTANBUL Several hundred people suspected of being Islamic State operatives were arrested in a series of coordinated raids by the Turkish police on Sunday, in what constitutes one of Turkeys largest operations against the jihadist group on the countrys soil. Nearly 450 suspects were rounded up in the early hours of Sunday, according to the Anadolu Agency, a state-run news wire. Independent television reports later said 690 suspects had been held by the end of the day. At least one attack was said to have been thwarted in the process, according to Anadolu. The operation was distinct from crackdowns on those accused of being supporters of last summers failed coup, and on members of the countrys political opposition. More than 130,000 Turks have been arrested or fired from government posts in the past seven months as part of those efforts, according to government data. Sundays raids were the latest salvo in a long-running conflict between Turkey and the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. In the early years of the Syrian revolution, Turkey was accused of turning a blind eye to the movement of thousands of Islamic State fighters over its southern border with Syria, where they joined the war against the forces of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad. But the Turkish Army is now in direct conflict with the group in northern Syria, where Turkey is leading attempts to expel the Islamic State from the strategically important city of Al Bab. MOUNT VERNON, Va. The costumed characters at George Washingtons gracious estate here are used to handling all manner of awkward queries, whether about 18th-century privies or the first presidents teeth. So when a visitor recently asked an African-American re-enactor in a full skirt and head scarf if she knew Ona Judge, the woman didnt miss a beat. Judges escape from the presidential residence in Philadelphia in 1796 had been a great embarrassment to General and Lady Washington, the woman said, before offering her own view of the matter. Ona was born free, like everybody, she said. It was this world that made her a slave. Its always 1799 at Mount Vernon, where more than a million visitors annually see the property as it was just before Washingtons death, when his will famously freed all 123 of his slaves. That liberation did not apply to Ona Judge, one of 153 slaves held by Martha Washington. Ive been preparing my whole life to be in this room, he said in a telephone interview. Depending on your perspective, his candor about his sexuality and his neurotic tics is liberating or threatening. Although he appears fearless onstage, he said, he is bedeviled by doubt and insecurity and some self-loathing. Still he soldiers on. Airing it onstage, he insisted, is healing, not only for himself but also for audience members who share his insecurities. Im full of fear, he confessed. I fear boredom more than death. The title of his show, Does This Song Make Me Look Fat?, reflects his continuing struggle to lose weight, and his honesty about it is touching. Mr. Mizrahi doesnt take lightly his debut at this revered uptown club associated with Elaine Stritch and Eartha Kitt, idols of his who broke rules in various ways. Cabaret, he said, isnt about wallowing in the past but looking to the future and expanding the boundaries of self-expression and subject matter, which, he insisted, is good for everybody. Vocally, Mr. Mizrahi belongs to a brassy show business tradition running from Ethel Merman to Harvey Fierstein and including Liza Minnelli, who in her prime, he observed, could make an entrance like nobody else. He has special admiration for the courage of his friend Sandra Bernhard, who in her wildest moments used to prowl the stage with a flashlight and interrogate unsuspecting audience members, many of whom cringedin fear. Sandra has great ideas and exquisite execution, he said. Shes a philosopher of entertainers. Behind Mr. Mizrahis loudmouthed show-off is a streak of tenderness. The sweetest moment in the show is an almost whispered version of the Kander and Ebb ballad A Quiet Thing. The hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons is teaming up with Universal Music Group to produce The Scenario, a musical set to three decades of hip-hop. The show, originally announced in 2015, is to premiere in New York during the 2017-18 season before embarking on a 30-city tour of traditional and nontraditional venues, according to the Universal Music Group. I want everyone to see it, Mr. Simmons said in a phone interview on Saturday. I want kids in the hood in Detroit to see it. I want sophisticated theatergoers in New York to see it. And theyre going love it whether theyre 50 or 14. Mr. Simmons, 59, emphasized the intended cross-generational appeal of The Scenario, which he said would include songs from Universals catalog that cover raps ascension as a dominant pop-culture force. The difference between Rakim and Kendrick Lamar is minimal, Mr. Simmons said, referring to two hip-hop artists whose rises occurred nearly three decades apart. Tracks by Drake, Mr. Lamar, Kurtis Blow and the Sugarhill Gang are among those being strongly considered for the production, Mr. Simmons said. Detroiters, a pleasantly dumb series that arrives on Tuesday on Comedy Central, may or may not help improve the image of Detroit, as its stars hope. But it will certainly further erode the image of the advertising business. Sam Richardson and Tim Robinson play Sam and Tim, bungling admen who are trying to keep the ad firm owned by Tims father going. There are two problems with that: 1. They dont have enough creativity between them to come up with a good idea. 2. Theyre easily distracted. How easily distracted? In the premiere, when they should be working on an important pitch, they become obsessed with determining whether the glass in a divider in their office is unbreakable. How do they determine this? By throwing things at it. Its a ridiculous and hilarious scene, and its about as sophisticated as the humor gets; no pretentiousness here. Mr. Richardson (Veep) and Mr. Robinson (Saturday Night Live), who created the series with Zach Kanin and Joe Kelly, both grew up in the Detroit area and have said the show was inspired by the cheesy ads they used to see for local businesses. As the premiere opens, Sam and Tim are filming a spot for a hot-tub company. It looks pretty wretched as its being shot, and becomes even more so when they let their film student assistant (Lailani Ledesma) edit it unsupervised. Finding Dory swims onto Netflix. Octavia Spencer and Gloria Steinem discuss womens issues at the Makers Conference. And Katie Couric delves into the complexities of defining gender. Whats Streaming FINDING DORY (2016) on Netflix. Thirteen years after the Pixar masterpiece Finding Nemo, Ellen DeGeneres is back as the voice of Dory, the absent-minded blue tang and sidekick to Nemo (Hayden Rolence), the fin-challenged clown fish. Now, after returning to the reef with Nemo and his father, Marlin (Albert Brooks), Dory remembers that she has parents (Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy), and the threesome is off again. The plot is at once predictable and exciting, but the movie has lessons to impart among them, inclusiveness. In a way that is both emphatic and subtle, Finding Dory is a celebration of cognitive and physical differences, A. O. Scott wrote in The New York Times. It argues, with lovely ingenuity and understatement, that what appear to be impairments might better be understood as strengths. Children will get it, he added, perhaps more intuitively and easily than the rest of us. THE MAKERS CONFERENCE 9 p.m. on Makers.com. Octavia Spencer, an Oscar nominee for her role as the mathematician Dorothy Vaughan in Hidden Figures, and Gloria Steinem will sit down for a keynote conversation. I AM LOVE (2010) on iTunes, Netflix and Amazon. Tilda Swinton, as the wife of a Milanese textile manufacturer, awakens to lifes possibilities when she begins an affair with a young chef in this film by Luca Guadagnino. Edoardo Gabbriellini is the sensitive hunk who makes food an aphrodisiac in what Manohla Dargis, writing in The Times, called a soaringly beautiful melodrama. The ghosts are a motley lot, reminiscent of the dispossessed and disenfranchised characters in Saunderss short stories. They include a soldier, a murderer, a disgraced clerk, a rape victim, a hunter whos killed more than 30 bears and hundreds of deer, an aggrieved scholar, a mother of three girls, a young man who tried to kill himself after the man he loved spurned his affections, and an older man who was struck in the head by a falling ceiling beam and died before he could consummate his marriage to his pretty young wife. Together, these voices create a kind of portrait of an American community not unlike the one in Edgar Lee Masterss 1915 classic, Spoon River Anthology, which was set in a fictionalized version of a small Illinois town. Image George Saunders Credit... David Crosby The poems in Spoon River were narrated from beyond the grave by the dozens of souls sleeping on the hill in the local cemetery. One of those characters was Anne Rutledge, rumored to have been Lincolns first love, and whose untimely death reportedly of typhoid at the age of 22 was said to be a source of his often melancholy outlook on the world. The similarities between Spoon River and Saunderss new novel extend well beyond the Lincoln association and the graveyard confessions. Like Sherwood Andersons Winesburg, Ohio (1919) itself a notable influence on Saunderss early short stories and Thornton Wilders Our Town (1938), Lincoln in the Bardo appropriates Masterss multivoiced approach, using it to create a story that unfolds into a meditation on the dreams and disappointments of ordinary people, longing for connection but often left feeling isolated and alone. Saunderss short stories CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, Pastoralia, In Persuasion Nation and Tenth of December tend to vacillate between two impulses: satire and black comedy, reminiscent of Nathanael West and Kurt Vonnegut; and a more empathetic mode, closer to Anderson and William Trevor. Though there are moments of dark humor in some of the ghost stories here, Bardo definitely falls into the more introspective part of that spectrum. In these pages, Saunderss extraordinary verbal energy is harnessed, for the most part, in the service of capturing the pathos of everyday life as experienced by the spirits of the dead, remembering missed opportunities; by Willie, as his life slips away and he enters the limbo of the bardo; and by Lincoln, as he struggles to come to terms with his sons death and the devastation of a war that is ripping the country apart. Saunderss novel is at its most potent and compelling when it is focused on Lincoln: a grave, deeply compassionate figure, burdened by both personal grief and the weight of the war, and captured here in the full depth of his humanity. In fact, it is Saunderss beautifully realized portrait of Lincoln caught at this hinge moment in time, in his own personal bardo, as it were that powers this book over its more static sections and attests to the authors own fruitful transition from the short story to the long-distance form of the novel. Uncertainty manifested itself in a complicated stance, sometimes fostering democracy and at others sticking to the letter of the Constitution. Convinced that states had a right to determine their economic and social priorities, Lincoln debated the use of military force to coerce recalcitrant states to remain in the Union. He wavered only when states rights threatened national unity. But once decided, he acted unilaterally to increase the size of the Army without elucidating lines of command. From that followed Lincolns dragging his feet on the issue of slave emancipation because he hoped that he could bring the South back into the Union with compromise rather than military victory. The dilemma inherent in using force to ensure liberty emerged most starkly in loyal border states that continued to legitimize slave owning. To ensure their commitment to the Union, Lincoln simply turned a blind eye, dashing the democratic aspirations of thousands of enslaved people. In other instances, Lincoln did not hesitate to curtail constitutional rights in the interests of an initially controversial war. He famously ignored habeas corpus, claiming the right to seize suspicious individuals in wartime, and he attempted to control flows of information: acts that placed him at odds with the principle of safeguarding informed criticism in a democratic society. Nor did Lincoln imagine extending democracy to Native Americans or to women. Pryor tells us that the greatest contradiction he faced was between the ideal of democracy and prevailing negative views of Indians. Like others of his generation, he thought all men were created equal except for Indians and women. He did not hesitate to abrogate Indian treaties, though he sometimes expressed concern for Indian life. He consistently rebuffed or denigrated womens efforts to participate in wartime activities, rarely acknowledging even their heroic work as nurses. Pryor died in 2015, and so she could have hardly intended this posthumously published book to suggest any parallels between Lincolns ambivalent politics and contemporary efforts to limit suffrage, spread fake news and eliminate federal efforts to protect the civil rights of women, African-Americans and the poorest wage earners. Yet the notion that democracy involves compromises resonates today. Lincolns dilemmas illuminate how apparently benign federal mandates like universal health care, paid maternity leave or federal land acquisition that seem on their face to extend democratic possibilities, can be viewed from within state borders as coercive. Fascinating reading on its own terms, Six Encounters With Lincoln nevertheless confronts readers with startlingly relevant questions. The analysis offered by Judge Gorsuch in another opinion could have a major impact on how the Justice Department pursues cases involving violations of rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission and other agencies. In United States v. Baldwin, decided in 2014, Judge Gorsuch questioned whether administrative agencies should have the power to adopt regulations that can be enforced in criminal prosecutions. The case involved an attorney for the Interior Department who drove off from the federal building in Denver while receiving a verbal warning from a federal police officer and ignoring warnings to stop. The conviction was based on violations of two rules adopted by the General Services Administration requiring people on federal property to comply with directions by federal officers and not impede or disrupt their duties. Judge Gorsuch pointed out that normally we dont think of regulatory agencies as entitled to announce new crimes by fiat, causing him to raise the question, Can Congress so freely delegate the core legislative business of writing criminal offenses to unelected property managers at G.S.A.? He wondered whether this approach might blur the line between the legislative and executive functions assigned to separate departments by our Constitution? Much like his challenge to Chevron deference, in the Baldwin case he raises the prospect that prosecuting a violation might go too far in transgressing the divide between the legislative and executive functions, even when Congress gives the agency the authority to adopt those provisions. Mr. Baldwins conviction was affirmed because he did not challenge the propriety of the regulations, so Judge Gorsuchs discussion is more speculation about the scope of the law than actually confronting the question of how much courts should rely on administrative agencies for creating the criminal law. This discussion echoes a complaint raised in 2014 by Justice Antonin Scalia in Whitman v. United States, in which the Supreme Court refused to review a case involving insider trading. He questioned whether courts should rely on an S.E.C. rule interpreting what is required to prove that a defendant used confidential information to uphold a conviction. Justice Scalia argued that with deference to agency interpretations of statutory provisions to which criminal prohibitions are attached, federal administrators can in effect create (and uncreate) new crimes at will, so long as they do not roam beyond ambiguities that the laws contain. He pointed out that it was up to Congress to define what constitutes a crime, and so it should not leave that function to the courts, or even worse, to the administrative bureaucracy. The Chevron deference does not apply when an agency interprets a criminal statute, but many regulations can be pursued in either a civil enforcement action or a criminal prosecution, and often in both, so the administrative interpretation can carry great weight in deciding whether a defendant is guilty. President Trumps vow to raise the annual growth rate to 4 percent has been dismissed as outlandish by economists. But what if the economy has already been growing at that rate but no one realized it? This isnt a matter of rigged statistics, political spinning or fanciful alternate realities, but one of measurement. As the economy has shifted from one that primarily produced things refrigerators and cars, guns and shoes to one that now deals largely in services and information, economists have grown more and more skeptical that the traditional measure of gross domestic product the nations total output is accurately capturing much of the economys innovation and improvements. I think the official data on real growth substantially underestimates the rate of growth, said Martin Feldstein, an economist at Harvard. WURZBURG, Germany Anas Modamanis 2015 selfie with Chancellor Angela Merkel came to symbolize her decision to allow hundreds of thousands of unscreened migrants into Germany. But Mr. Modamani, a refugee from Syria, sought on Monday to prevent Facebook from allowing users to repost the image, or any altered version of it, after it repeatedly showed up in fake news reports linking him to terrorism. The trial, one of several notable cases against Facebook in Germany, highlights several basic legal questions, such as who is responsible for content posted by anonymous sources and whether people who repost text they did not write, or an image that someone else altered, can be held responsible for defamation. Concern over nationalist and populist propaganda, as well as fake news, is growing in the country ahead of a general election scheduled for September. The German justice minister, Heiko Maas, has suggested holding Facebook accountable for hate speech posted to its site, and a government-initiated task force that includes representatives from Facebook, Google and Twitter is examining how long it takes the companies to take down posts flagged as hateful. The panel is expected to report its findings in the coming months. Who is Anas Modamani? Mr. Modamani, now 19, fled Syria for Germany in 2015 and was living in a Berlin shelter when Ms. Merkel came to visit in September of that year. Silicon Valley is stepping up, said Sam Altman, who runs the valleys most prominent start-up incubator, Y Combinator. The companies are working on three fronts: They are vociferously objecting to the Trump policies they think are bad, they are trying to engage with him to influence his behavior, and they are developing new technology to work against policies and political discourse they dont support. It is an improvised and complicated strategy. The companies are among the richest and most popular of American brands, which means they have a good deal of leverage. Yet they are also uniquely vulnerable not only to presidential postings on Twitter and executive orders, but to the sentiments of their customers and employees, some of whom have more radical ideas in mind. Many of the companies initially placed their bets on engagement after an upbeat meeting with the president-elect in December. That modest approach, which even the most risk-averse executive can endorse, showed its limits last week. After widespread customer defections, Travis Kalanick, the chief executive of Uber, was forced to step down from one of the administrations advisory councils. Mark A. Boyer, executive director of the International Studies Association, would ordinarily spend this week pulling together the final details for his groups annual convention, which usually draws about 6,500 social scientists and academics and kicks off in two weeks in Baltimore. But this is not an ordinary year. The Trump administrations executive order on Jan. 27 barring citizens of seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the United States has had diplomatic and legal reverberations. But the order hit much closer to home for the professionals who oversee and coordinate everything from small board meetings to huge conventions in the increasingly global business of corporate travel. An enormous number of the attendees at our convention are coming from outside North America, Mr. Boyer said. That obviously raises a lot of implications. Although a firm number will not be clear until the days immediately before the event, Mr. Boyer said, he estimated that 100 or more attendees might decide not to attend. Were really just trying to get a handle on that now, given that nobody is certain how this is going to be implemented, he said. But I think there are a lot of other folks who are backing out out of fear. Shortly before 11 on a Friday night in January, Justin Saurer parked his car on a gritty Brooklyn street that was best known for its McDonalds and proximity to the toxic Gowanus Canal until Other Half Brewing Company opened in 2014. Mr. Saurer craved a first crack at the special India pale ale that Other Half had created to celebrate its third anniversary. But the cans wouldnt go on sale until the brewery opened at 10 a.m. What was 11 hours, given his plum perch? When youre the first one here, you dont have to worry about parking, Mr. Saurer, 38, said the next morning. A firefighter and a father of an infant daughter at home, he drove in from Amityville, on Long Island, with a sleeping bag. I have the best sleep in the car, he said. There are no kids screaming. The frigid daybreak had revealed a high-spirited line hundreds of beer lovers deep, snaking around several blocks. Among those waiting, many of them drinking cans from coolers, were Michael Roulhac and his wife, Kim Roulhac, who had left Richmond, Va., at 1 a.m. and driven straight to Brooklyn. Were road warriors, said Mr. Roulhac, 40, who regularly makes the round trip to Other Half. What makes a homegrown starter promising? Sometimes its the color of the microbes in a petri dish, but smell, too, can be telling. The group sniffed the samples and noted any pleasing aromas: Play-Doh, Concord grapes, tomato juice, clams, Kraft American Singles. Dr. Wolfes lab ran a full genomic sequencing on the 15 top contenders, which will provide a blueprint for understanding how these strains are related to, or differ from, other cultures in the cheese world. Making funky cheese is tricky, even for scientists. There are subtle variations in flavor and aroma that you perceive in cheese, Dr. Wolfe said. We want to understand what drives that variation. With Dr. Wolfes genomic data, the team can track the microbes through the entire cheese-making process. In November, the first batch of cheese was produced using five strains from the original 15 parent cultures two yeast-based and three bacterial. New batches are being made every two weeks using different combinations, and every 10 days, each will be tasted to see whether it is on target for the deliciousness factor, Jasper Hills zero-to-10 grading system. Seven or above is pretty good. Eight is out of this world. Tens are likely to be bestowed only outside the farm: Jasper Hills Harbison cheese recently took Super Gold at the World Cheese Awards in Spain. I will be happy with a seven, Dr. Lekkas said. Goslings has done a lot to lay claim to the Dark n Stormy, a rum-and-ginger-beer highball that was born in Bermuda. In 1991, the liquor company, also a child of Bermuda, trademarked the cocktail in the United States, and has since insisted often through its lawyers that it be made with Goslings Black Seal Rum. But why stop there? Five years ago, the company took another step toward ownership of the drink. It contracted with Polar Beverages, a Massachusetts soft-drink company, to produce Goslings Stormy Ginger Beer. And so, you can now make a Dark n Stormy using nothing other than Goslings liquid. (The frequent third ingredient in the drink, lime, remains in the public domain.) They were literally operating out of a basement then, he said. I got a letter from Bill Gates Sr. It was very relaxed, sort of, Heres $40 million. Would you mind sending me a report once in a while? But without that, Dr. Clemens continued, this wouldnt have seen the light of day. With that money, Dr. Clemens reformulated Dr. Dangs vaccine, conducted a successful clinical trial in Calcutta and found an Indian company, Shantha Biotechnics, that could make it to W.H.O. standards. Rolled out in 2009 under the name Shanchol, it came in a vial about the size of a chess rook, needed no buffer and cost less than $2 a dose. Even so, there was little interest, even from the W.H.O. Image Cholera bacteria seen through a microscope in the lab at the ICDDR, B. Credit... Ismail Ferdous for The New York Times The vaccine lacked the publicity campaign that pharmaceutical companies throw behind commercial products, and cholera ward care was saving many lives when it could be organized. The new vaccine was not used in a cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe in 2009, or initially in Haitis explosive outbreak in 2010. The valley of death lengthened: Without customers, Shantha could not afford to build a bigger factory. The impasse was broken only when Dr. Paul Farmer, a founder of Partners in Health, which has worked in central Haiti since 1987, began publicly berating the W.H.O. for not moving faster. The agency approved Shanchol in 2011, and since then, the vaccine has slowly gained acceptance. In 2013, an emergency stockpile was started, and the GAVI Alliance committed $115 million to raise it to six million doses. CHARLESTON (JG-TC) -- A 19-year-old man was stabbed at approximately 2:19 a.m. Sunday in the parking lot west of the Olde Town Apartments, 1414 Sixth St., according to Charleston police. Charleston police, with assistance from Eastern Illinois University police and the Charleston Fire Department, responded to the parking lot in reference to a report of a stabbing, a police press release said. According to release, the victim suffered two stab wounds to his upper torso. He was taken to Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center and later flown to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. The release said he is expected to make a full recovery. The suspect, identified as Christopher X. Bickcom, 24, of Lansing was not at the scene and had not been located as of Monday afternoon. An arrest warrant is being sought for Bickcom, the release states. Charleston police encourage anyone with information on the stabbing or Bickcom to contact them at 217-348- 5221 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. or by call the 9-1-1 dispatch center at 217-345-0060 after 4 p.m. Messages can also be sent to the Charleston Illinois Police Department Facebook page or by calling the Coles County Crime Stoppers line at 866-345- 8488. The investigation into this incident is ongoing, the release stated. It also noted that there are 22 percent more residencies available each year than there are American graduates to take them. Graduates of foreign medical schools now fill that gap; the largest number come from India, followed by Pakistan, China, the Philippines, Iran and Israel. (Iran is on Mr. Trumps exclusion list; Pakistan, a Muslim-majority country with a history of internal and external terror attacks, is not.) Many foreign graduates have J-1 visas, which give them about three years to complete their residencies. They must pass licensing exams and they must do a residency to practice here, even if theyre superstars where they come from, said Phillip Miller, a Merritt Hawkins spokesman. Foreign-born graduates have often worked at world-class institutions and have published academic papers, so they have higher average scores than American graduates on the medical knowledge portions of the licensing examinations, according to Merritt Hawkins research though most initially score lower on the clinical skills portions, which include English and communication skills. I had to work my butt off to get here, said Dr. Abdelghani el Rafei, a first-year resident at the University of Minnesota. They only take the top graduates from schools in countries like mine. Such foreign-born graduates must return home when their visas expire, but they can get extensions if they agree to work in an area that the Department of Health and Human Services considers medically underserved, which is roughly defined as having less than one primary care doctor for every 3,000 people. Those who practice in an underserved area for several years can apply for green cards. After that, they can practice anywhere, but at least youve had three or four years of a physician in your town, and thats pretty significant, Mr. Miller said. Scores on college entry exams, grade-point averages, which high school courses you take, how well you juggled assignments and managed your time while doing sothese are but a few of the factors said to predict academic success at the college level. Do you agree? What important elements are missing from this list? How well do you do at these things right now? In Trying to Solve a Bigger Math Problem, Emily Hanford writes: Algebra is clearly a stumbling block for many incoming college students. Nearly 60 percent of community college students end up in remedial math thats more than double the number in remedial English. Four-year public colleges are not far behind. According to government studies, 40 percent of their incoming students take at least one remedial class; 33 percent are in math. One explanation is obvious: limited academic preparation. Another is that much of the community college population is older, and rusty at factoring quadratics and finding inverse functions. Less obvious is that students end up in remediation who dont need to be there. Theres evidence for this, most recently in an analysis published in September by the National Center for Education Statistics. To determine if students are ready for college-level work, colleges often rely on one thing: the score on a test, be it the ACT, SAT or Accuplacer, the most common of the placement tools. But when the N.C.E.S. took a deeper look and considered two additional factors grade-point average and level of math taken in high school it found that 40 percent of strongly prepared students at public two-year colleges and 13 percent at four-year institutions had taken remedial math. ... Theres a bigger question: What, exactly, should students be getting ready for? Traditionally, the default at two-year colleges has been to require students to take a college algebra class credits they know four-year colleges will accept from community college transfer students and remedial classes are designed to prepare them for that. Students: Read the entire article, then tell us: What have been your experiences with academic preparation for college? If you are a college student, how was your transition to college-level work? To what degree do statements from the article ring true? Which statements? Do you think that the placement of so many college students in remedial math courses is an indicator of high school not being able to fully prepare them? Why or why not? What sort of math classes have you been told you would need to take in college? If you are in college now, what math classes have you taken? If you or people you know have had academic success in college, what factors do you think contributed? If you are a high school student, how prepared do you believe you will be for college by the time you graduate? Why? If you are a college student, what advice do you have for high school students planning to go to college? The Panama Papers arrived in a similarly affirming and cinematic fashion. The 2016 leak of more than 11 million documents from Mossack Fonseca implicated the Central American firm and its clients in high-dollar tax-avoidance and money-stashing schemes. The leaks produced real results, initiating thousands of investigations in dozens of countries, and rocked governments, even leading to the resignation of Icelands prime minister. But to people remote from these consequences, including most American readers, whose government and business leaders largely escaped the controversy, the fact of the leak very likely overshadows the specifics of its contents. Everyone already knows that the international superrich play by different rules; catching them in action made for thrilling comeuppance. These leaks were hardly apolitical, but their significance was not defined primarily by partisan politics. Subsequent major leaks last year produced more ambivalent responses. The first defining one of the 2016 election targeted the Democratic National Committee. Thousands of emails possibly obtained through a Russian-sponsored hacking scheme made plain the party leaderships poorly concealed preference for Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders and led to a series of resignations that included the partys chairwoman. They confirmed widely held suspicions about how the primaries unfolded but were less shocking than humiliating evidence of Democratic bumbling as memorable for their mere occurrence as for what they contained. What happened next eclipsed the D.N.C. leak: the publication of thousands of emails sent by Hillary Clintons campaign manager, John Podesta. Their contents were disseminated into a comprehensively partisan environment, and the fact of the emails existence immediately overwhelmed their contents. In the absence of a single disqualifying revelation to focus on the emails contained an enormous amount of material of interest, but in retrospect, less of obvious importance the conversation around the emails became a battle over what they really were and the significance of how they came to be. Now imagine that John Podestas emails had been published voluntarily, as some sort of act of pre-emptive extreme transparency. Would they have been received as scandalous, revealing, unflattering and damaging? Yes, clearly. But would they have lodged themselves in the electorates consciousness as broad proof of boundless corruption and media collusion? Would they have inspired, for example, a gunman to self-investigate a theorized child-sex-trafficking operation based in a Washington pizza parlor, driven by a belief in a food-based code of communication invented in a frenzy of crazed epiphany? Almost certainly not. Driving down a tight mountain road in Jarabacoa, a town in the middle of the Dominican Republic, Oscar Pedro Duran Abreu saw the oncoming Jeep weaving in the other lane before it hit him. He remembers trying to swerve. He remembers the Jeep slamming into his side door, pushing his car into the safety blocks on the side of the road, saving him from a steep fall down the mountainside. And I dont remember anything else, he said of that day in September 2010. Mr. Duran learned later that the other driver had been drunk and that his Jeep had flipped. The four passengers in the Jeep were injured, but the driver, unharmed, pushed his way out of the vehicle and fled. Leaving me for dead, Mr. Duran said. Unconscious, Mr. Duran was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was in a coma for 29 days. Six years later, seated at a table with his children, Jose and Karina Duran, and speaking through an interpreter, Mr. Duran leaned back in a chair at his sons school and recalled emerging from the coma with his jaw wired shut. He looked around and thought, What happened? Last week at a supposed Black History Month listening session at the White House, Donald Trump made this baffling statement: I am very proud now that we have a museum on the National Mall where people can learn about Reverend King, so many other things. Frederick Douglass is an example of somebody whos done an amazing job that is being recognized more and more, I notice. It sounded a bit like he thought the inimitable Douglass, who died in 1895, was some lesser-known black leader who was still alive. When Press Secretary Sean Spicer was asked what Trump meant by his Douglass comments, Spicer responded: I think he wants to highlight the contributions that he has made. 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. Assuming that the he in that sentence refers to Douglass, these numbskulls are actually referring to him as a living person and have absolutely no clue who Douglass is and what he means to America. These women and men are at the forefront of a new generation of local and state law-enforcement officials, most elected in 2015 and 2016, who are working to change the national conversation about the proper role of the prosecutor one of the most powerful yet least understood jobs in the justice system. Just a few years ago, it was political suicide for a district attorney almost anywhere to profess anything less than total allegiance to the death penalty, or to seeking the harshest punishments available in every case. Times are changing. As capital punishments many flaws have become impossible to ignore, its use has dwindled. The number of new death sentences and executions continues to drop only 30 people were sentenced to death nationwide in 2016, and 20 were executed. Prosecutors arent just seeking fewer death sentences; theyre openly turning against the practice, even in places where it has traditionally been favored. Reformist prosecutors are also changing how they handle non-capital offenses, which make up the vast majority of prosecutions. Kim Foxx, the new states attorney in Cook County, Ill., which includes Chicago, ordered her prosecutors in December not to bring felony charges in shoplifting cases involving less than $1,000 of goods, which is the vast majority of cases. The idea is to keep more nonviolent offenders, many of whom are homeless, drug addicted or mentally ill, out of jail and steer them into treatment programs where they will be less likely to re-offend. Presidential politics are, by far, the partys strong suit and it still couldnt beat Donald Trump. In addition to the White House, Republicans hold the House, the Senate and about two out of every three governorships and state legislatures. Keep this Republican dominance in mind as you mull Ross Douthats most recent column, which ran in the Sunday paper. He describes the dominant story that liberals tell themselves and voters as one in which America is a propositional nation bound together by ideas rather than any specific cultural traditions a nation of immigrants drawn to Ellis Island, a nation of minorities claiming rights too long denied, a universal nation destined to welcome foreigners and defend liberty abroad. This story stands in opposition to the more traditional American narrative that was particularist as well as universalist and once adopted by both liberals and conservatives: Our founders built a new order atop specifically European intellectual traditions. Our immigrants joined a settler culture, Anglo-Saxon and Protestant, that demanded assimilation to its norms. I reject the idea that todays American story should be a Protestant or Anglo-Saxon story (and Douthat does too). But his column makes a crucial point: The universalist narrative that stirs passion and patriotism in so many liberals has failed to win over most parts of the country that dont touch an ocean. The heartland instead prefers an image of America more closely tied to the countrys cultural past. The Democrats wont win parts of this argument, because they cant (and shouldnt) abandon their positions in favor of civil rights, gun control and separation of church and state. But there are other issues, especially economic ones, that play to the Democrats strengths. The party would be wise to spend some time thinking about how to construct a story about the countrys future thats less skittish about honoring its past. Emmett Till was visiting the hamlet of Money in August 1955 when he encountered Ms. Bryant in a store she owned with her husband. Something during a transaction made her take offense, though what remains unclear. Days later, the killers kidnapped Emmett from his uncles home, tortured him and shot him in the head. They then tied a heavy cotton gin fan to his neck with barbed wire and dumped him into the Tallahatchie River. Under ordinary circumstances, a death like Emmetts would have passed unremarked into history. His mother prevented that by tirelessly publicizing the case and keeping the coffin open at the funeral so that mourners and newspaper readers all over the world could view the mangled remains of her child. Ms. Donhams husband Roy and his half brother J. W. Milam were charged with murder. Documents show that Ms. Bryant told her lawyer at the time that the teenager had insulted her. But by the time of the trial, Mr. Tyson writes, Ms. Bryant had become the mouthpiece of a monstrous lie, claiming that the teenager had grabbed her around the waist while uttering obscenities. The fraudulent testimony was meant to convince the court that Emmetts behavior justified his death. Mr. Bryant and Mr. Milam, both now dead, were acquitted, though they later confessed to the murder in an article in Look magazine in 1956. The killing embarrassed the United States before the world and did much to inspire the modern civil rights movement. The F.B.I. under J. Edgar Hoover, who ran it until he died in 1972, was more focused on undermining civil rights groups than on enforcing federal law. In 2004, prompted by two documentaries suggesting that people other than Mr. Bryant and Mr. Milam had been involved, the F.B.I. reopened the Till investigation. The case remains unresolved, though Emmetts body was exhumed as part of the investigation. The original coffin is on display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, where it anchors an exhibition on the freedom struggle. As an official in the Justice Department, I followed in Hamiltons footsteps, advising that President George W. Bush could take vigorous, perhaps extreme, measures to protect the nation after the Sept. 11 attacks, including invading Afghanistan, opening the Guantanamo detention center and conducting military trials and enhanced interrogation of terrorist leaders. Likewise, I supported President Barack Obama when he drew on this source of constitutional power for drone attacks and foreign electronic surveillance. But even I have grave concerns about Mr. Trumps uses of presidential power. During the campaign, Mr. Trump gave little sign that he understood the constitutional roles of the three branches, as when he promised to appoint justices to the Supreme Court who would investigate Hillary Clinton. (Judge Neil M. Gorsuch will not see this as part of his job description.) In his Inaugural Address, Mr. Trump did not acknowledge that his highest responsibility, as demanded by his oath of office, is to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. Instead, he declared his duty to represent the wishes of the people and end American carnage, seemingly without any constitutional restraint. While my robust vision of the presidency supports some of Mr. Trumps early executive acts presidents have the power to terminate international agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, for example others are more dubious. Take his order to build a wall along the border with Mexico, and his suggestion that he will tax Mexican imports or currency transfers to pay for it. The president has no constitutional authority over border control, which the Supreme Court has long found rests in the hands of Congress. Under Article I of the Constitution, only Congress can fund the construction of a wall, a fence or even a walking path along the border. And the president cannot slap a tax or tariff on Mexican imports without Congress. Nor can Mr. Trump pull the United States out of Nafta, because Congress made the deal with Mexico and Canada by statute. Presidents have no authority to cancel tariff and trade laws unilaterally. To the Editor: Re Veterans Feel Cost of U.S. Nuclear Tests (front page, Jan. 29): In 1956, I was in the Army stationed on Enewetak, an atoll in the Pacific. Unlike the military men stationed there between 1977 and 1980, we were always warned about impending dangers. But incorrectly. We were told that everyone would receive radiation goggles to protect our eyes (or wed go blind). One of my jobs was to requisition items needed for the tests, which included goggles. I was instructed to cancel the order for enlisted men (though not officers) to make room on the planes for new furniture for the colonels house. We were told to face away from the mushroom cloud to protect our eyes before Test 1 (Codename: Lacrosse) of Operation Redwing in May 1956. The pilot hit the wrong target, and the bomb exploded in front of us (sans goggles). We were informed that there would never be fallout on Enewetak. There were many such instances. Each time, we were instructed over loudspeakers to go inside immediately and close all windows tightly. But the aluminum windows were defective and wouldnt close. In my experience there are very few if any meetings of the principals committee at which the input of the military and the intelligence community is not vital. With an increasingly belligerent Russia, tensions in the South China Sea and a smoldering Middle East, it makes little sense to minimize the participation of the professionals leading and representing these two groups. The Trump White House insists that the new organizational structure does not downgrade the roles of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs or the director of national intelligence. (The White House and Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the current chairman of the Joint Chiefs, have both said that General Dunford will fully participate in the councils duties.) If this is true, the administration should clarify that by making them permanent members of the principals committee. That would send a strong signal that Mr. Trump will still take seriously the military and intelligence community. The second much needed adjustment to Mr. Trumps arrangement of the council is the removal of Mr. Bannon from the principals committee. Putting aside for a moment Mr. Bannons troubling public positions, which are worrisome enough, institutionalizing his attendance threatens to politicize national security decision making. The security council was formed in 1947 to serve a unique role in our government. It facilitates and coordinates, providing a forum through which federal agencies discuss and debate policy and, ultimately, provide counsel to the president about how best to keep the American people safe. At N.S.C. meetings, representatives from the State Department, the Pentagon, the Treasury Department, the intelligence community and other agencies speak freely and critically about the full breadth of options available to the United States. Those discussions can get heated at times. They can certainly get territorial. But they seldom get political nor should they. The United States and China have been inextricably linked since the birth of America. The first fortunes made in the United States came thanks to the tea trade with China. The profits made in Canton and reinvested in America transformed the young republic into the 19th centurys factory of the world. For its part, 19th-century China turned to the United States as the first country to educate its young in a desperate effort to counter the West. In the present day, the United States, with its open wallets, open universities and open society, has been by far the most important foreign enabler of Chinas rise. Throughout the course of this shared history, Americans have generally held that a strong China was in their interests. But now that China is strong, many Americans are not so sure. For the last decade and a half, neither side has figured out how much of the other it wants and how much of the other it hates. No matter who became United States president in 2017, a reckoning was due. Chinas rise has been too rapid. Along the way, Beijing has gamed the international system created by the United States to increase its growth at the expense of others, engaged in widespread industrial espionage as a shortcut to innovation, repressed free speech at home and bolstered governments abroad such as North Korea that threaten their neighbors and the United States. Regardless of political party, the majority of those in Washington who make China policy have united around the view that Beijing has, in the words of one adviser to President Trump, played the United States for a sucker for far too long. In principle, the founders opposed all political parties on the grounds that, as George Washington put it, they are likely to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government. But from the very beginning bitter party divisions defined American politics. Describing the clash between Jeffersonian Republicans and Hamiltonian Federalists under the new Constitution, Taylor says: Claiming exclusively to speak for the American people, each party cast rivals as insidious conspirators bent on destroying freedom and union. Referring to the parties of Honest men and Rogues into which every country is divided, Jefferson insisted that the Republicans are the nation. Federalists agreed with the polarity but reversed it. Taylor concludes, Both parties believed that the fate of their republic hung in the balance. These revolutionary divisions set the tone for the subsequent history of the United States. The roughhouse of party conflict, not judicious civil debate, has been the norm. But our struggles for power were not only conflicts of self-interest but also of rival understandings of freedom. Should full freedom reside only in a governing elite of educated and property-owning men? Was slavery consistent with the self-evident rights of all human beings? Did the distinctive biological and social roles of women forbid an equal place with men? We may think that weve decisively answered all these questions, but every answer has led to further questions about, for example, the role of wealth and privilege, the rights of minorities and the meaning of gender equity. And as America moved to a position of world leadership, these questions exploded into quarrels about what counted as liberation and what as colonization. I would suggest that today our fundamental political conflict is over the place of the capitalist economic system in a democracy. The right sees capitalism as the paradigm of freedom: entrepreneurs creating the wealth that enriches both themselves and the nation. The left acknowledges an essential economic role for capitalism at least for the time being but also sees it as a fundamental danger to freedom, a constant push away from democracy and toward an oligarchy of the wealthy. Our task is to continue with vigor the arguments about freedom that our founders began. The founders not only initiated our disputes about freedom. They also framed a Constitution designed to prevent our vigorous conflicts from leading to a tyranny that suppresses the political process. The idea was to have a variety of power sources a president, two houses of Congress, the courts, the separate states, regular elections each capable of taking the lead when necessary, but none so powerful that it could pre-empt the others. For the most part, these devices have proved effective. But recent events, here and elsewhere, revive the worry, expressed by Plato, that populist democracy can readily pave the way to dictatorship. Resisting this threat (and this temptation) is the first duty of todays patriots. The Bill of Rights, sometimes taken as a definitive statement of what freedom means, was in fact a hasty appendix to the Constitution and provided only a rough starting point subject to further amendment and continuous interpretive disputes. Instead of a vision of freedom, the founders gave us a framework for an indefinite continuation of their revolutionary struggle over what freedom should mean to Americans. My proposal is that this endless, rancorous struggle for the soul of America is precisely what we should love about this country. Patriotism is not sharing with our fellow citizens some anemic idealization of what freedom means. It is a matter of engaging them with everything short of physical violence, from compelling argument to deft political maneuvers in the rough-and-tumble of political conflict over how we should understand freedom. This conflict remains our only way of working toward the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness our revolution sought. True patriotism now requires not reaching across the aisle; it demands mounting the political barricades. People keep saying that Donald Trump is a populist. I do not think that word means what they think it means. OK, its true that our so-called president hey, if he can say that about a judge who ruled against him, surely we can say that about him is channeling the racism and bigotry of some ordinary Americans, and in so doing sticking it to squeamish elites that take the Constitution both seriously and literally. But so far his economic policies are all about empowering ethically challenged businesses to cheat and exploit the little guy. In particular, he and his allies in Congress are making it a priority to unravel financial reform and specifically the parts of financial reform that protect consumers against predators. Last week Mr. Trump released a memorandum calling on the Department of Labor to reconsider its new fiduciary rule, which requires financial advisers to act in their clients best interests as opposed to, say, steering them into investments on which the advisers get big commissions. He also issued an executive order designed to weaken the Dodd-Frank financial reform, enacted in 2010 in the aftermath of the financial crisis. To the Editor: As a lawyer, a law professor and a citizen, I fear for the independence of our judiciary. President Trump, despite the oath he swore just a few weeks ago, has demonstrated once again that he disdains the Constitution and the rule of law if they conflict with what he wants to do. I doubt that he actually read the carefully reasoned opinion that he called ridiculous. And calling Judge James Robart, who temporarily blocked Mr. Trumps executive order on immigration, a so-called judge (front page, Feb. 5) is both puerile and disrespectful. Clearly, President Trump intends to bully the courts in the same way that he bullies anyone else who dares to disagree with him. I hope and trust that all of our judges will brace themselves and be faithful to the oath they swore to uphold the Constitution. TIM IGLESIAS San Francisco The writer is a professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law. Even as the horror of President Trumps immigration ban continues to dominate the news, shadowy outlines of his domestic agenda are beginning to form and it is an equally ugly sight. As just one example, the White House made clear last week that it will halt a somewhat obscure but critically important regulation approved near the end of the Obama Administration to provide much-needed safeguards for holders of retirement accounts. That should have been a no-brainer. Who could be against insisting that stockbrokers and the like apply the same ethical standards as lawyers to how they treat their clients? Answer: Wall Street. The investment community argues that the existing suitability standard a financial product need only be acceptable as opposed to being in the best interests of the client is enough. Michael Eisen, an evolutionary biologist, is among the elite of American scientists, with a tenured position at the University of California, Berkeley, and generous funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute for his research on fruit flies. But late last month, dismayed over the Trump administrations apparent disdain for evidence on climate change and other issues, Dr. Eisen registered the Twitter handle @SenatorPhD and declared his intention to run in the 2018 election for a seat in the United States Senate from California. His campaign slogan: Liberty, Equality, Reality. Im not sure Im the best vehicle for this, said Dr. Eisen, whose professional attire consists of shorts and T-shirts bearing mottos supporting open access to scientific literature, a cause he has championed. But if we want to defend the role of science in policy making, scientists need to run for office. Since Mr. Trumps election, many other scientists have expressed concern about rumors and public statements on the new administrations views on science, climate change and the role of federal offices like the Environmental Protection Agency. Ellen Muller, an underwater photographer and environmentalist, was exploring a site in the National Marine Park of the Caribbean island of Bonaire when she noticed an unusual hermit crab. She collected one and turned it over to Rafael Lemaitre, a zoologist at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington. It turned out to be a previously unknown species, now named Pylopaguropsis mollymullerae, after Ms. Mullers granddaughter Molly. Its common name is candy-striped hermit crab, so called for its bright red and white bands. Vivid colors are typical of crabs that clean parasites from fish in exchange for protection. Dr. Lemaitre, who published a description of the animal in the journal Zookeys, suggests that it might have a symbiotic relationship with moray eels. One of them was found crawling on a moray, and it seemed to be sharing the eels den. In 1999, the photographer Ryan McGinley self-published The Kids Are Alright, a book capturing his crew of downtown friends and lovers in varying states of nudity, ecstasy and reckless abandon. He shot prolifically, using up to 20 rolls of film a night. At the time, it was really important to document my life because I was the only one out of my friends who was doing it, he says now. He sent copies of the handmade book to a few gallerists, curators and photographers he admired. Among them was Sylvia Wolf, then the head of the Department of Photography at the Whitney Museum, who helped arrange McGinleys breakout solo exhibition there in 2003. He was 26 one of the youngest artists ever to have a solo show at the museum. But now, it all feels like ancient history. For Ryan McGinley: The Kids Were Alright, a new show that opens at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver this month, McGinley returned to the period between 1998 and 2003 unearthing some 1,500 Polaroids that have never been exhibited before. In revisiting these unfiltered images of his hedonistic past (self-portraits of him having sex, or friends masturbating and doing drugs) McGinley describes a kind of emotional release. It wasnt painful, but in a way it was cathartic to have almost 20 years distance on my photos and go through my archive and see how I grew up. He continues: Im very in touch with my vulnerability and Im proud of those photos where its really raw. It really was my life at the time. Dont believe Jordan Kahn when he describes his new L.A. restaurant, Destroyer, as just a breakfast and lunch, community-centered cafe. The Hayden Tract place named for the comet that is thought to have ended the earths Cretaceous period is disrupting a golden rule, offering ambitious food that wouldnt look out of place at the French Laundry (where Kahn trained as a pastry chef) at prices that top out at $15. The approach might be humble counter service and biodegradable plastic utensils but the reviews have been grand, with Los Angeles Times critic Jonathan Gold proclaiming the food the best plant-centered cooking in Los Angeles right now. Influenced by Copenhagens beloved Atelier September and the Japanese attitude that there is no such thing as casual dining, Kahn and his staff apply the same seriousness to toast and jam as they do to a dish of sunchoke, walnut and egg yolk. Its hard for me to make a sloppy sandwich, Kahn says. Labenz & Associates LLC, certified public accountants, is excited to announce the promotion of Travis W. Pritchett, Pamela S. Sheets and Vonita L. Wood to partners of the firm. Travis Pritchett holds a Master of Professional Accountancy degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Pritchett specializes in providing tax provision, compliance and consulting services to public and privately held businesses. Pam Sheets received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Sheets's areas of specialization include individual, trust, estate and financial planning tax compliance and consulting. Vonnie Wood holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is a member of the American Society of Cost Segregation Professionals. Wood provides tax consulting and compliance services to businesses, individuals, fiduciaries and not-for-profit organizations. Pritchett, Sheets and Wood are active in various charitable and professional organizations, supporting one of the firm's core values of being builders in our community. Labenz & Associates LLC, founded in 1998, recently relocated to 85th and Pioneers Blvd. Partners Ron Jester, Janet Labenz, Kris Rutford, Rich Labenz and Kirk Hovendick, along with our staff, welcome the firm's new partners. Ayad Akhtars parents were worried about his aspirations to be a writer, so they made him a deal when he first moved to New York: If he would read The Wall Street Journal every day, they would pay his rent for a while. He still became a writer, but that turned out pretty well. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 2013 for his searing play, Disgraced, which went on to have a run on Broadway and then to become the most-produced play in the United States last season. And now an interest in financial markets nurtured by his early reading has led Mr. Akhtar to his next play: Junk, a drama about American finance. Lincoln Center Theater said Monday that it would bring the play, which was first presented at the La Jolla Playhouse in California last summer, to Broadway in the fall. Casting has not yet been announced. Mango smoothies beckon. Soft pretzels dangle from a wooden rack. There are platters of Scottish smoked salmon, sausage, bacon, eggs, waffles, pancakes, croissants and cheese beside jars of homemade jams and a honeycomb hive tray. So begins a Saturday morning in a Lufthansa first-class lounge at Frankfurt Airport, where one can while away the hours at the buffet, in a sleeping room or with a hot shower (robes and slippers at the ready). There are private work cabins, a bar, a cigar lounge and a candy station where glass vases brim with gummies, marshmallows and chocolate balls. What could be sweeter, one concludes with Wonka-like wonder, than a first-class lounge? A first-class terminal. Lufthansas First Class Terminal, also at Frankfurt Airport, is like a lounge on steroids. When you arrive, a valet parks your car. A personal assistant checks you in and accompanies you through security. Inside are amenities found in the airlines first-class lounges and more, including a bathtub with a rubber duck (coveted by toddlers and business travelers alike), a dining room with food by Michelin-starred chefs and a bar with more than 120 whiskeys. When its time for your flight, you dont walk to your gate; youre chauffeured usually in a Porsche or Mercedes. Decades later, the social and environmental costs of this arrangement have swollen. I asked the American Transportation Research Institute, which studies congestion using data from GPS trackers on freight trucks, to scrutinize Breezewood. The institute estimates that about 1.5 million trucks make the connection through Breezewood each year. The same methodology suggests that about 3.5 million passenger vehicles do, too. But 80 percent of truck drivers do not pull over to refuel, eat or rest, the GPS data shows. The institute estimated that if ramps were built permitting drivers to avoid Breezewood, the trucking industry would save as much as 142,362 hours in driver time and $9 million in operating costs every year. Add to that the time and money savings for car drivers, to say nothing of eliminating the unnecessary carbon dioxide emissions from the fuel that both types of vehicles burn to travel the extra distance. But if there were such a connection, millions of potential customers wouldnt be funneled into Breezewood. Jim Bittner, who manages the Gateway Travel Plaza that offers fast food and gas in Breezewood, and whose family has owned businesses there for three generations, said he knew that Breezewood annoyed the people who dont stop but that preserving it was important for this economically struggling region. His familys businesses alone employ about 200 people, he said, and his family has taken out millions of dollars in loans to upgrade facilities they cannot move elsewhere. He called the prospect of a bypass a sword of Damocles hanging over Breezewood. Any second, someone could come in and say, Times up, the faucet is turned off, no more business is going to be coming off that road, Mr. Bittner said in an interview. And then what do I tell the bank? How do I pay the loan off? How do I keep employing people? Where do they find jobs? The Justice Department corrected the record on how many people had their visas canceled because of the ban. White House rejects robe anecdote Mr. Spicer denounced The Timess account, published Sunday night, of the presidents turbulent adjustment to life in the White House. In particular, he zeroed in on one detail among a few paragraphs of the story that he insisted were wrong: that the president has worn a bathrobe while alone in the White House residence. That is literally the epitome of fake news, Mr. Spicer told reporters traveling with Mr. Trump. Start at the top. I dont think the president owns a bathrobe. He definitely doesnt wear one. The White House staff stocks the official residence with bathrobes. Within moments of Mr. Spicers comment, reporters on Twitter posted photos of a much younger Mr. Trump lounging in a bathrobe. Mr. Spicer added that the story was so riddled with inaccuracies and lies that they owe the president an apology. He went on, Literally, blatant factual errors, and its unacceptable to see that kind of reporting or so-called reporting. WASHINGTON Some of the current members of the Supreme Court had written books before they were nominated. Remember Civil Procedure in Sweden, by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg? Or Regulation and Its Reform, by Justice Stephen G. Breyer? Perhaps not. But a book by Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, President Trumps pick for the Supreme Court, may make a more lasting impression. It is called The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia, and it opens a window into Judge Gorsuchs thinking not only on those topics, which are interesting enough, but also on the relationship between them and abortion. The book, published in 2006, is ambitious, learned, balanced and unusually lucid, at ease in philosophy, law and empirical research. It discusses the Supreme Courts abortion jurisprudence in detail, but Judge Gorsuchs goal was not to critique those cases. He asked, rather, whether a constitutional right to abortion necessarily implies a right to assisted suicide and euthanasia. Sure, there are general statements about the value of human life, drawn from what Judge Gorsuch called secular moral theory. At most, the brief said, the court order blocking the ban should be limited to previously admitted aliens who are temporarily abroad now or who wish to travel and return to the United States in the future. That would allow the federal government to block people who have never visited the United States. On Monday, Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, said the administration stood ready to reinstate the entire ban. Once we win the case, it will go right back into action, he said. Later on Monday night, Mr. Trump called threats from radical Islamic terrorism is very real. Courts must act fast! Mr. Trump said on Twitter. Trial judges around the country have blocked aspects of Mr. Trumps executive order, which suspended travel from the seven countries and limited the nations refugee program, but none of those cases have reached an appeals court. And none of the lower-court rulings were as broad as the one under review in the case, State of Washington v. Trump. The Ninth Circuit scheduled the oral argument in the case for Tuesday at 3 p.m. Pacific time. It is to take place by telephone, and the court said it would be live-streamed on its website. Holding an oral argument by telephone in a major case is unusual. WASHINGTON Emboldened by weeks of protests across the country, congressional Democrats are digging in as Republicans try to swiftly remake a government shaped by the Obama administration. Tensions over President Trumps early efforts to deliver on a long menu of campaign promises have spilled into the halls of Congress, turning once-routine debates into a proxy battle over a combative president. With the Senate already hinting it could work through the weekend, expect another busy week at the Capitol. Let us get you up to speed. Vice President Mike Pence could well be needed to break a 50-50 tie in the Senate over the nomination of Betsy DeVos as education secretary. TUNIS Since their revolution in 2011, Tunisians have tussled among themselves to define their new identity after successive dictatorships. Belatedly, they have started reclaiming their history as well. Dictatorships have a way of manipulating historical narratives. So alongside any of the most pressing issues of the day, the past, too, is in play. The struggle to shape the past, and give it new authenticity, can be witnessed all around the Tunisian capital. Last summer, the Tunisian government restored a statue of Habib Bourguiba, the founder and first president of the republic, to its original place on the capitals main avenue. BARCELONA, Spain The trial of a former leader of Catalonia charged with civil disobedience for organizing an independence vote in 2014 began on Monday and was met with another act of defiance from the regions secessionist movement. When the former leader, Artur Mas, entered a Barcelona courtroom Monday morning, an estimated 40,000 separatists protested outside the building, according to the police. Mr. Mas is on trial for holding the vote even though it was declared illegal by the Spanish courts. The case comes as the secessionist drive in Catalonia enters another critical phase, with the separatist government pledging to hold a binding independence referendum in September, over the strenuous objections of the government in Madrid. Mr. Mas is standing trial with two other politicians who helped organize the vote in 2014, in which those who cast their ballot opted overwhelmingly for independence, although less than half of the population took part. The prosecution is seeking to bar the three defendants from holding public office for 10 years. Mr. Mas faces two separate charges, of disobedience and breach of trust. PARIS The embattled center-right candidate in Frances presidential race, Francois Fillon, called an extraordinary news conference on Monday to defend paying his wife hundreds of thousands of euros as his supposed parliamentary assistant, saying he had been the victim of a media lynching. All the facts are perfectly legal and transparent, he said. Before Monday, the air of scandal swirling around Mr. Fillon had led to speculation in the French news media that he would pull out of the race. Instead, he used the news conference at his Paris campaign headquarters to start a last-ditch effort to save his faltering candidacy. Mr. Fillon lashed out at the news media, insisted that the work his wife had done for him was real, defended his own ethics and said he was staying in the race. There has been a press campaign of unheard-of violence, he told reporters. Mr. Fillons troubles have grown with a string of revelations that he paid his wife and children nearly a million euros from public payrolls, prompting an investigation by Frances financial prosecutor. BERLIN As allies across Europe and Asia adjust to changes brought by President Trump, Germany is in a uniquely difficult position. Its economy and national security are particularly reliant on American support, which now seems in doubt, and on European unity, which is under attack and increasingly up to Germany to maintain. Yet Germany is constrained by the growing shakiness of allies like Britain and perhaps even France, by the rise of its own far-right populist movement and by lingering cultural sensitivities about any policy that feels militaristic or hegemonic. These dynamics are not new, but there is a growing tension between the role Germany feels comfortable with, and the one it feels it needs to play on the world stage. A growing number of officials in Germany are asking whether they need a Plan B for a post-American Europe. But they are finding that any such plan would require costs and sacrifices almost as great as the consequences of inaction. LONDON To celebrate Queen Elizabeth IIs sapphire jubilee on Monday, marking 65 years on the British throne, there were new coins, a new stamp, gun salutes, and a reissued portrait taken by a famed photographer. The only thing missing? The queen, who, in keeping with past practice on the anniversary itself, planned to observe the day privately, with a quiet reflective commemoration at her estate in Sandringham, in eastern England. Grander celebrations are in the works for the platinum jubilee in 2022. What is the jubilee? Royal jubilees commemorate the life and reign of monarchs. Elizabeth, 90, the worlds longest-reigning monarch, is the first British sovereign to hold a sapphire jubilee. The events were relatively muted compared to the silver (25 years), gold (50 years) and diamond (60 years) jubilees, which were celebrated with large-scale festivities across Britain. There was a ruby jubilee to mark Elizabeths 40 years as queen, but that anniversary was also low-key. The crime occurred in Russell Square in Bloomsbury, a part of London known for its literary associations. It is home to the British Museum and the central buildings of the University of London. Shortly before 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 3, the police began receiving emergency calls about a man with a knife in Russell Square. They arrived within six minutes to find the American woman, Darlene Horton. She was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:06 p.m. The police saw a man on Bedford Place, a street leading to the square, who matched witnesses descriptions of the assailant. According to the police account, when they ordered him to stop, he started screaming and running; when he refused to drop a knife he had in his hand, they used a stun gun to subdue him. The man, later identified as Mr. Bulhan, was taken to St. Thomass Hospital for a head injury he suffered as he fell. He told the hospital staff that he had been hearing voices and thought everyone was trying to get him, according to the police account. He said he was hiding, running and ducking behind walls and found a knife, possibly in a shop. Only a few months ago, the law was believed to have little chance of coming up for a vote. Even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was flying back from a meeting with Britains leaders as the law was being debated, seemed to oppose its passage for fear of further international censure. The bill had been so contentious that the nations attorney general, who described it as unconstitutional and in contravention of international law, said he would not defend it in the high court, which seemed in any case likely to nullify it. That is partly because the law applies to Palestinians and their property rights. Since Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are not Israeli citizens and cannot vote for candidates for Israels Parliament, or Knesset, critics of the legislation say it is inherently anti-democratic. Under the law, Palestinian landowners will be offered compensation for the long-term use of their property but will not be able to reclaim it. But the bill gained internal momentum through several forces: Mr. Netanyahu is determined to show his support to the powerful settler movement, and is under pressure from hard-liners on the right and from corruption investigations that even his supporters say appear serious. That pressure intensified last week after Mr. Netanyahus government carried out a court order to evacuate about 40 settler families at the Amona outpost, declared illegal a decade ago. Today Israel decreed that developing settlement in Judea and Samaria is an Israeli interest, said Bezalel Smotrich, a right-wing lawmaker, using the biblical names for the West Bank. From here we move on to expanding Israeli sovereignty and continuing to build and develop settlements across the land. There were nearly 20,000 people in that category vetted and screened by multiple government agencies according to the International Organization for Migration, a United Nations agency that arranged travel for the refugees. It was scrambling to get about 10 percent of them on planes to the United States in the next 10 days. That didnt bring much comfort to Meathaq Alaunaibi of Iraq. Her husband worked for 10 years as a translator for the United States Agency for International Development in Baghdad. Their home was shelled in 2006, an attack that she believes was done by militants because of his work with American officials. Her husbands hand was burned by a car bomb in 2014. Still, it took four years for their visa application to be approved, and last summer, the couple, their 15-year-old daughter and their 5-year-old son landed in Knoxville. But there was a new wrinkle. Because the process took so long, their twin daughters, Aisha and Fatima, had just turned 18. They were told that they would have to be screened anew. One is in medical school in Baghdad; the other is in dentistry school in Kirkuk. Ms. Alaunaibi calls them every day, even if only to tell them to wait. They just cry. Why this happened to us? We love the U.S.A. We want to live in the U.S.A., Ms. Alaunaibi, 45, said of their response. You know, they are young, they are ambitious, they are smart and responsible. So this is a shock to them. Ms. Mohamed, the Somali mother in Clarkston, was waiting anxiously to hear whether her eldest daughter would be among those who could come. Ms. Mohameds family arrived in Georgia on Jan. 18, after 10 years in a refugee camp in Kenya. She had fled Somalia after gunmen stormed her home and raped one of her daughters in front of her. Ms. Mohameds sister and brother-in-law were killed, too, so she took in her sisters two children, in addition to her own seven. The last of the family, Batulo Abdalla Ramadhan, 20, was scheduled to leave Kenya on Monday. But then came the ban last month. Her travel was canceled, she called to tell her parents. They could hear the grief in her voice. Shes always asking us, What do I do? said Ms. Mohameds husband, Abdalla Ramadhan Munye. She feels hurt that we left her behind. Only thing we can do is to listen to her and feel her pain. AMMAN, Jordan For the dozens of Syrian and Iraqi refugees who gathered at the international airport in Amman, Jordan, to board flights to the United States early Monday morning, the wait was finally over. Some had prepared as long as four years for this moment. Others had lingered for months in camps, jobless and unsure about the future. Some had arrived with children, including children with disabilities. They had experienced waves of despair and, even now, were skeptical about whether their deliverance was at hand. When a 27-year-old Syrian man who gave his name as Osama found himself waiting to board a flight to Chicago on Monday morning with his wife and four children including a young disabled daughter he was overcome with emotion, but he was also angry. He said his family had been waiting 18 months to board a flight for the United States, and then President Trumps travel ban quashed their dreams. Like many of the refugees who had gathered at the airport on Monday, he said he could barely believe that the ban had been challenged, and that he would soon be stepping on American soil. An important northern Syrian city held by the Islamic State, the groups last major outpost in the region, was practically surrounded Monday by pro-government and insurgent forces squeezing it from different directions, according to rebels and the state-run Syrian news media. The city Al Bab, in Aleppo Province, 15 miles south of the Turkish border has been hemmed in for months by insurgent fighters and Turkish troops, who have together blocked approaches from the east, north and west, according to rebels working with Turkey, as well as local activists and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group. But now the Syrian Army, aided by Hezbollah militia fighters and artillery units supplied by Russia, has cut off the approach to Al Bab from the south, the Syrian Observatory said Monday. The state-run news media corroborated its account, saying the pro-government forces had captured a hill overlooking a southeastern route out of Al Bab, the last road not already blocked by the Turkish troops and rebels. Although the Turkish-backed insurgents and Russian-backed government forces are not openly coordinating their moves and in other circumstances, might be attacking each other the joint encirclement of Al Bab appeared to reflect a strategic desire to rout the Islamic State, a group that both parties describe as an enemy. The rural veterinarian from Heartwell had just jumped into his new role as a state senator in early 2015 when the Nebraska Legislature voted to replace the death penalty with life in prison, then voted to override Gov. Pete Ricketts' veto of the bill. Sen. John Kuehn voted against the bill (LB268) and then against overriding Ricketts' veto, after taking time, he said, to educate himself and listen to constituents. "My district was very clear where they stood on the issue," he said. Kuehn's legislative District 38 covers six counties and a corner of another in south-central Nebraska. Eighteen months after his votes in the Legislature, residents in the six full counties of his district -- Clay, Franklin, Kearney, Nuckolls, Phelps and Webster -- voted 11,656 to 4,684 to keep the death penalty in Nebraska, and residents of Buffalo County, where Kuehn has some constituents, voted 13,080 to 7,167 to keep the law on the books. But even before that statewide vote, Kuehn said, he had begun thinking about how to repair what death penalty opponents said was a broken system. Last summer he began doing research, he said, to answer the question: Is it broken beyond repair or are there specific steps that can be taken to make it workable? To that end, he has introduced a bill (LB661) that would keep confidential the state's sources of lethal injection drugs. Nine other senators have signed on to the bill as co-sponsors. "I don't know that ... it has the ability to fix it," Kuehn said. "I think it's a first step." He knows there will be other roadblocks to carrying out the death penalty, he said. When the Department of Correctional Services rewrote the execution protocol after the November election, it originally allowed for the supplier of the lethal injection drugs to remain confidential. But after a hearing on the proposed protocol, in which many of those testifying demanded more transparency, it struck a paragraph that would have authorized the director to not disclose the identity of the supplier. Kuehn's bill, however, would allow the person or company to remain a secret. Lincoln Sen. Adam Morfeld, who is opposed to the death penalty, is opposed to any secrecy tied to the protocol. "When the state decides to kill one of its own citizens, the process of the state sanctioned murder should be transparent and open to the public," he said. "Citizens should not be killed in a shroud of secrecy." Kuehn knows people may think he worked in conjunction with the department in writing the bill, but he did not, he said. And the bill is not wrapped up in the politics of this session, he said, even though the bill was sent to the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee rather than the Judiciary Committee for hearing and discussion. The first draft of the bill was delivered on Oct. 31, before new senators were elected, he said, and before new committees and their leaders chosen. Keeping the source of lethal injection drugs confidential is important for more than just the state's benefit, Kuehn said. Early in his veterinary career, sodium thiopental was available as a safe and reliable way to induce unconsciousness in an animal prior to surgery, he said. Now, because of its use for executions, and protests and threats surrounding that use, it's not available from large U.S. manufacturers for mainstream medical use in humans or animals. The American Society of Anesthesiologists, in a 2011 letter to the Food and Drug Administration, said the shortage of anesthesia inducing medications, such as sodium thiopental, for legitimate medical use has put the safety of American patients in jeopardy. Use of other important mainstream drugs for lethal injection, such as midazolam, an important sedative frequently used by hospitals and dentist offices, could also lead to shortages, he said. "There's no end." Without major global manufacturers, Kuehn said, states will have to turn to smaller compounding pharmacies. And as long as the safety and purity of the drugs can be analyzed independently, he said, what is the value of knowing the identity of the manufacturer or supplier? "Does it improve the rights of the defense? Does it compromise the rights of the defense?" he said. "And what is the public's value to know?" That should be the focus of the discussion for the Legislature, Kuehn said. Kuehn has hope his bill can address the problems with the death penalty, he said, without embroiling the Legislature in a deep dive about the death penalty again. But that may be overly optimistic, he said. Or just naive. I dont really surf that much, but Ive always had this romantic notion of the culture. The movie Endless Summer stopped in Senegal, so I thought it would be cool to visit the same breaks they were surfing in the film. Even in the smaller villages like Ngor, the kids take broken boards and try to emulate the surfers. One of the most famous breaks is right off Ngor Island, and you have to take a boat either a fishing boat or one of the restaurant boats to get to the island. Ngor is a little tricky to surf. Its a really big break. Some of the more experienced surfers try it. Local people go there to swim, and theres a surf camp. Theres a beachfront called Almadies and one place called Secret Spot that many Senegalese go to not much of a secret. Some of the younger surfers have generated an income because they can provide lessons for expats and tourists. There are so many elements that were new to me: sand and water and timing. I have newfound respect for surf photographers. As told to Jaime Lowe Mainstream conservative critics of the Obama administrations foreign policy regularly accused the President and his team of inaction. Across talk radio and cable news the argument was a straightforward one: Obamas inaction in office led to the rise of ISIS and the emboldening of Americas enemies. One of the reasons the Benghazi scandal caught on was because it embodied this broad criticism. That the Senate hearings did not produce anything condemning was immaterial given the symbolic value the scandal held. One does not have to look very hard in conservative circles to see there was a desire to return to action throughout the 2016 election. Abandoning the perceived retreat undertaken by Obama was a major theme. Marco Rubio warned of disengagement. Ted Cruz said, we now know what the world starts to look like without America. Even John Kasichconsidered by pundits to be the moderate of the Republican fieldmourned that our allies feel neglected and abused. But the biggest applause lines came for Trumps calls to bomb the hell out of ISIS. It was Trump who openly called for killing the family members of terrorists. For an electorate whose broad perception of the last decade of foreign policy was one of retreat, its not hard to see how Trumps calls to get tough resonated. Democrats unfortunately cannot escape blame for letting this kind of rhetoric escalate. Where Republicans sought an active alienation of their voter base from the actually existing foreign policy of the US, Democrats encouraged a passive alienation. When the Obama administration did kill the families of terrorists or became one of the largest arms dealing administrations since World War II, there was passive acceptance or ignorance of these events in mainstream liberal circles. None of this is to say that what Obama pursued and what Trump has signaled he will pursue are the samebut that the general antipathy towards foreign policy in mainstream discourse gave the Republican narrative room to grow. For the Yemeni people however, the Obama doctrines so-called inactivity and retreat was no such thing. The material and intelligence support provided to the Saudi-led coalition at war in Yemen saw repeated bombing of Yemeni civilian targets. Attacks on schools, hospitals, weddings and funerals became the fabric of the war. It saw the continued destruction of infrastructure, cutting off vital supplies like food and medicineleading to widespread starvation quickly approaching a legally recognized famine. The Obama administration was active in enabling and carrying out the violence in Yemen. As Donald Trump takes the helm of American foreign policy, his promise to get tough in tow, the situation only looks to become worse for the beleaguered country. A policy driven at least in part by a need to show force has already started to change the US role in the Saudi-led war. The biggest story regarding Yemen in years is how Trumps raid killed a Navy SEAL, several civilians and an eight-year-old American citizen. The raid was criticized for its poor planning, the initial reluctance of the government to admit civilians had been killed and the questionable information they provided to justify the raid in the first place. The raid is quickly coming to resemble the story of incompetence and failure congressional Republicans told about Benghazi, more so than the facts and causes of the actual attack on the consulate. Of course, pointing out this hypocrisy has its limits. As those living and reporting on Yemen can attest, a professionally planned action can still have a disastrous human cost. But, the Trump administrations first raid is unlikely to generate the kind of inquiries and outrage among congressional Republicans that Benghazi did. In a post-Church committee environment, the government inquiries about foreign policy rarely ask substantive questions regarding the basic assumptions about policy in the first place. Less reported but equally dangerous is the call President Trump and King Salman had the week of the raid wherein the two agreed on the need for safe zones in both Syria and Yemen. Establishing a safe zone would require a significant US or Saudi troop presence on the ground in Yemen to maintain. The possible inclusion of US forces needed to maintain a safe zone would likely see the proliferation of counter-insurgency operations in Yemen, a tactic under fire for its questionable effectiveness in Iraq and Afghanistan. At worst, it would become another open-ended occupation as mission-creep sets in. At the basest level of realpolitik, one of the lessons of the decade-plus long occupation in Afghanistan should be that open-ended occupations dont even achieve strategic goals. If history is any guide, it is not far-fetched to see a US presence in Yemen become semi-permanent in the name of doing something to correct perceived previous inaction. The Trump administrations most dangerous action in regard to Yemen is the extent to which they have tied the conflict to Iran. Although the Obama administration concluded the Houthisthe ostensible enemy of the Saudi-led coalitionwere not direct proxies of the Iranians despite receiving some material aid from them, the Trump administration has seemingly rejected this view. Using the war to saber-rattle about Iran, Sean Spicer claimed the Houthi attack on a Saudi ship was an Iranian attack on a US ship. That this claim came a day after Michael Flynns putting Iran on notice and Trumps repeated tweets about both Iranian weakness and danger suggests the development of an incredibly dangerous trend. A war with Iran would have unimaginable human cost and no gains. The push to do something quickly pushed Yemen into a potentially bloodier future. Getting tough has meant endangering Yemeni students and breaking up families. At its absolute worst, the crisis in Yemen has been used for belligerent ends elsewhere. There are no winners: particularly the average Yemeni people who were regarded with indifference in the Obama-era of the war and are now declared evil by President Trump. We must keep "evil" out of our country! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2017 Editors Note: This article was amended to remove the following sentence from the end of the first paragraph: That the attack on the consulate was allegedly the result of covert action undertaken by the administrationand not the product of inaction as the Republican critics statedmattered even less. President Donald Trumps executive order banning, or limiting, travel from citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries is currently a mess. On Friday, Boston U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton decided not to extend the temporary injunction against the travel ban. Later that same day, Seattle U.S. District Judge James Robart ruled to temporarily block the ban on travelers after requests from the states of Washington and Minnesota. So now the case travels to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, where a three-judge panel could rule today about the Justice Departments stay request. And even after a ruling from the 9th Circuit Court, theres a good chance that the case will go to the Supreme Court, which is still stalling at eight members. While Washington and Minnesota are plaintiffs in the case, the mess of a ban has gathered particles of criticism from throughout the cultural landscape. Per Politico, Apple, Ebay, Facebook, Google and Twitter have even filed a joint brief with the appeals court asking them not to allow Trump to reinstate his ban. Below you can find a robust, though not complete, list of travel ban critics that includes tech companies, former secretaries of state, national security directors and former-President Barack Obama. Travel Ban Critics - Airbnb- Apple- Ebay- Facebook- Google- Twitter- Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (Bill Clinton)- Former CIA and National Security Agency Director Michael Hayden (George W. Bush)- Former Secretary of State John Kerry (Barack Obama)- Former CIA Director and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta (Barack Obama)- Former National Security Adviser Susan Rice (Barack Obama)- French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault- German Chancellor Angela Merkel- Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)- Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)- Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.)- Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek Catalin Pop Wins 888Live Main Event at King's Casino February 06, 2017 Will Shillibier Executive Editor E.U. Catalin Pop took down the 888Live Rozvadov Main Event and won 80,000 after beating a total field of 531 players that wound down to a final table with some of the top professional players. The Romanian came into the day fourth in chips but used a cool-headed mix of well-timed bluffs, strategic play and an infectious smile to secure himself the five-figure payday. Also making the final table were the two Scottish players; Niall Farrell and Ludovic Geilich who finished in third and fourth, respectively. Russian Alexander Dmitrienko added another seventh-place finish to the one he achieved in the 888Live Opening Event last week. Position Player Country Prize 1 Catalin Pop Romania 80,000 2 Bernd Schonwalder Germany 50,023 3 Niall Farrell United Kingdom 36,113 4 Ludovic Geilich United Kingdom 29,184 5 Lukasz Tomecki Poland 22,785 6 Juan Carlos Vecino Spain 17,730 7 Alexander Dmitrienko Russia 13,247 8 Pavel Berka Czech Republic 9,619 The final day in a word? Roller coaster. Chips were flying back and forth between many players but primarily between Ludovic Geilich, Niall Farrell, and eventual winner Pop. Pavel Berka was the first elimination of the day. He came into the day seventh in chips and ran his sixes into Geilichs sevens. With Geilich chip leader coming into the day, the Scottish pro wasnt holding back. His adage was that in order to win chips, you have to bet chips and he certainly lived up to that during the first two levels. Geilich strengthened his lead eliminating Dmitrienko in seventh (13,247) and Juan Carlos Vecino in sixth (17,730), but as the final table went on, things took a turn. In one of the hands of the day, Pop bluffed Geilich off of pocket sevens with just ace-high. The next elimination was a big one and it moved Geilichs fellow Scot Farrell to the top of the chip counts. After Lukasz Tomecki moved all in for 22 big blinds from the button with king-jack, Farrell called from the big blind with ace-seven and it held to boost his stack of 5,000,000. Geilich was next to go. Pop limped with pocket queens on the button and Geilich raised with ace-five. Pop four-bet and Geilich five-bet all in. Pop snap-called and Geilich hit the rail in fourth (29,184) when he couldn't hit an ace. With that Pop moved into the chip lead, a position he wouldnt relinquish between then and the end of the tournament. He cracked Farrells jacks with pocket fives to bust Farrel and then would battle for the title against Bernd Schonwalder. Runner-up Bernd Schonwalder Schonwalder, an online qualifier who came into the day last in chips, utilized a mix of clever tight play and well-timed aggression to ladder his way up past the establish pros and into heads-up match against Pop for the 80,000 first prize. However, it wasnt meant to be for Schonwalder, who got blown away by the enigmatic Romanian who played the final table with a smile on his face. He joked back and forth with Farrell and Geilich. He smiled with Spaniard Vecino seated to his immediate right. Pop entered the Opening Event of the 888Live Festival, but failed to cash. As is the case with most things in life, it seemed that Pop saved the best till last as it was with this victory. Sharelines The #888LiveFestival is done and dusted with Catalin Pop taking down the Main Event for 80,000. Ludovic Geilich Leads Final Eight in 888Live Main Event February 05, 2017 Will Shillibier Executive Editor E.U. Coming into Day 2, the plan was to either play down to eight players or play 12 60-minute levels. It very nearly came down to the latter. However, with just 11 minutes left in the 24th level of the tournament, Bartosz Szafraniec's pocket fours failed to hold up against Niall Farrell's ace-king and the final table was confirmed. One-hundred-and-fifty-three players returned at the beginning of the day and they were lead by Michal Mrakes, who had a stranglehold on the chip lead for a long while. He was briefly threatened by the likes of Mieszko Bartz, Gerardo Segui and Frank Stumpf, who all faded just short of the final table. Mrakes himself would ladder all the way to 13th (5,584) after he was left crippled. Bartz (15th - 4,932), Segui (14th - 4,932) and Stumpf (12th - 5,584) all made the money and were unlucky to miss out on the final table. Earlier in the day, the bubble was broken midway through Level 17 when Robert Ashelm's ace-jack failed to catch up to Miroslav Forman's ace-king. However, Ashlem didn't walk away empty-handed. He collected a Bluetooth speaker for his efforts, but you can't help but feel like he was after something a little bit more than that. As is custom, after the bubble there followed a flurry of bustouts, the biggest of whom was William Kassouf. The Brit came into the day third in chips overall, but things just didn't seem to go his way and he eventually shoved ace-three into the pocket sevens of Ludovic Geilich to finish in 23rd place (3,628). It looked to be Geilich's day from the outset. Even as early as the first couple of levels, the Scotsman's monolithic chip stacks towered above the table. He used them to great effect, value-betting and forcing players off of hands. As the pressure ramped up towards the final table, the pace slowed to a standstill. By the time Andrea Iocco was eliminated in 17th position and the redraw for the final two tables were assured, Geilich was already assured of the chiplead, something he wouldn't relinquish until the end of play. Geilich will headline the final table along with his fellow Scot Niall Farell (2,230,000) to his direct left, but there will be no shortage of characters. Lukasz Tomecki celebrated getting a flip against Farrell to stay alive in the final level of the night. Alexander Dmitrienko has made has second final table of the festival after his seventh-place finish in the opening event. Pavel Berka and Bernd Schonwalder may be short in chips, but they held their nerve to secure their place at the final table along with Juan Carlos Vecino and Catalin Pop. The final table reconvenes at 2 p.m. local time tomorrow (Monday), with coverage via live stream on a 30-minute delay. Place Player Chips 1 Ludovic Geilich 4,000,000 2 Lukasz Tomecki 3,000,000 3 Niall Farrell 2,000,000 4 Catalin Pop 1,600,000 5 Alexander Dmitrienko 1,500,000 6 Pavel Berka 1,300,000 7 Juan Carlos Vecino 1,265,000 8 Bernd Schonwalder 600,000 Sharelines It looked to be Ludovic Geilich's day from the outset. The Legislature wrangled once again Monday over efforts to attempt to rein in minority filibuster rights after Sen. Tyson Larson of O'Neill floated a new proposal for consideration. Larson's latest plan would allow a cloture motion that would end debate to prevail if it received the votes of at least 25 of the 49 senators, unless at least 20 senators voted in opposition. Current rules require at least 33 votes to end a filibuster. The practical effect of that change would be to increase the threshhold of senators required to sustain a filibuster from 17 to 20. Under the current rule, the 17 senators could be composed of senators voting no and those not casting a vote. The new Larson proposal was floated as an alternative plan, touching off a new round of arguments about efforts to curtail minority power in a nonpartisan Legislature that has been sharply divided since its first day in session when bloc voting by senators who are conservatives and Republicans virtually ran the table in choosing leadership positions. Senators who are Democrats and fit the definition of moderates or progressives or liberals have been fighting to retain their minority filibuster protections for the last three weeks. A reduction in filibuster rights would be "monumental," Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln said, suggesting it also would impact the minority rights of rural senators as the state and its legislative body become more urban. Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings, a Republican, said that "it's bogus to say the other side doesn't organize" and that the Legislature is "just suddenly partisan" this year. "It's been that way for a long time," he said. Sen. Burke Harr of Omaha, a Democrat, took exception to that characterization. "There are no sides of the aisle down here," he said. "We are nonpartisan. Let's stop talking about Republicans and Democrats. Let's start talking about the people's business. Let's find ways to work together." Morfeld said "we're ready to vote" on Larson's proposal. When no effort was made to proceed, Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha said: "They didn't have the votes. Now, who's filibustering who?" Triton High Roller Series Kicks Off in Manila Feb. 17 February 06, 2017 Frank Op de Woerd Triton Series Manila 2017 is set to be even bigger than in 2016, doubling up the Main Event buy-in to HK$1,000,000 ($129,000) with unlimited re-entries. PokerNews.com will be on the floor to cover this prestigious event with live updates and photos from the Philippines starting Feb. 17. "'A Big Game for a Good Cause;' that is the cornerstone of what Triton Poker is all about," the press release states. "Triton Poker is a premium poker brand that brings high-quality poker services to its distinguished guests, all while pushing forward its philanthropic mission to help the world we live in." Fedor Holz came out on top to win a total prize of $3,072,748. As of 2016, Triton Poker has contributed proceeds from its events to different charities, including the womens cancer support group, Project Pink and the disaster relief organization, Red Cross. The event broke out onto the scene in 2016 with the first $200,000 Triton SHR Series buy in event ever at the Solaire Resort in Manila in January 2016 when Fedor Holz came out on top to win a total prize of $3,072,748. He kicked off an unprecedented year in Manila, earning $16,484,154 in tournament cashes in 2016. The Triton Super High Roller Series plans to continue their mission which brings together high-stakes poker, some of the most noteworthy poker names in the world and charity work, into 2017. There are three events scheduled: Triton Super High Roller Series Events Coming this 2017 Triton Series Manila 2017 Date: Feb. 17-21 Location: Solaire Resort and Casino, Manila Events: - HK $1,000,000 Main Event with unlimited re-entries (Feb. 19-21) - HK $250,000 Six-Max with one re-entry (Feb. 17-18) Triton Series Macau 2017 Spring 2017 Date and Venue: TBC Triton Series Montenegro 2017 Summer 2017 Date and Venue: TBC History Solaire Resort and Casino Manila has been the go-to venue for the Triton Series in Manila, starting with the ground-breaking $200,000 Triton SHR Series in January of 2016. That event amassed a total of 52 entries, including big names like legendary cash game player, Qin Chairman Si Xin; later two-time Triton Series winner, Wai Kin Yong; businessmen Richard Yong and Paul Phua; and Triton SHR Series second runner-up, Devan Tang. The event broke the January events headcount records and pooled together a whopping 62 entries. The two follow-ups include the HK $100,000 Triton Charity Event in September, which donated part of the funds to Project Pink, a womens cancer support group based in Manila, and the HK $500,000 Triton Series 2016 held from Nov. 26. The latter event broke the January events headcount records and pooled together a whopping 62 entries, with even more Asian players in the field - businessmen Huang Shan, Wai Leong Chan, Zhang Ye and Shi Jie Cai - to go up against the pros. Malaysias Yong Wai Kin leveled the field and emerged as champion in both of these follow-ups. Proceeds from the event went to Red Cross. The Triton Series set a new standard for Asian-based super high roller events in 2016 by bringing together affluent Asian businessmen with a passion for poker and international pros who fly in from all over the world. This dynamic on the playing field makes for a unique and worthwhile experience and has turned the Triton Series into one of the most covetable poker events to join for many players around the world. Located in Downtown Ontario the Property Generated Multiple Full Price All Cash Offers By: Progressive Real Estate Partners PREP Completes Sale of Downtown Ontario Retail Center Media Contact Paula Dempsey pauladempsey4@ gmail.com Paula Dempsey End --, a leading Inland Empire retail real estate brokerage firm, announced today the sale of a 64,000 square-foot retail center inforin an all cash transaction. The property is located atand spans nearly an entire city block in downtown Ontario. With a 62% vacancy rate, the center represented a rare value-added opportunity to reposition the project to reflect today's retail landscape and create significant upside potential.Progressive Real Estate Partners retail investment sales expertsandexclusively marketed the property and represented the seller, a private investor based in New York. The buyer, the City of Ontario, was represented byof Progressive Real Estate Partners.The center is anchored by Secoya Market, an independent neighborhood grocer, and also includes Papa John's Pizza and a Wells Fargo ATM with 3 drive-thrus. Built in the 1960s, the building has numerous challenges due to the age of the structure and existing space configurations. Located one block from Ontario Town Square, which is the hub of Ontario's downtown activity, the center is in walking distance of both Ontario City Hall and the Public Library. The property also features excellent visibility with over 300 feet of street frontage along Euclid Avenue and it's located at a busy signalized intersection with visibility to over 28,000 cars per day. The location further benefits from a densely populated trade area with more than 190,000 residents within a 3-mile radius."Despite the building's age and condition, the center's high profile location and upside potential made it very desirable to a large pool of buyers and the listing generated multiple full price all cash offers," according to, Retail Specialist at Progressive Real Estate Partners., Senior Vice President at Progressive Real Estate Partners added, "The prominent downtown location was extremely attractive to the City of Ontario as it relates to their master-plan for the area." Vora added, "The acquisition gives them the opportunity to work with a developer to reposition the property to reflect their overall vision for the Downtown area that includes a mix of retail and residential uses."(PREP) is a boutique commercial brokerage firm headquartered in Rancho Cucamonga, California. Founded in 2008, the firm specializes in the leasing and sale of retail properties in Southern California's Inland Empire. The firm is also the exclusive Inland Empire representative of the(RBN). Since the firm's inception Progressive has completed over 500 lease and sales transactions in over 35 cities throughout the region. Progressive uses the latest marketing and brokerage techniques to help retailers and property owners achieve their real estate goals. The firm is led by, founder and president. For further information visit www.progressiverep.com By: Pinnalce Infotech End -- PCI Convention is all set to rock, hosting exhibitors and attracting construction professionals from America and other countries. In this leading precast tradeshow, one can get significant industry suppliers and primary equipment. CI Council/Committee meetings, plant tours, education sessions, PCI special events and Precast Show will be the main highlights. PCI will be partnering Precast Show for the second time. Pinnacle Infotech - a top BIM Service & BIM Engineering service provider with over 18 years of experience in construction industry will take part in this show for the first time.Grab this chance to visitHuntington Convention Center of Cleveland, 300 Lakeside Cleveland, Oh 44113Thursday, March 2, 2017 - Saturday, March 4, 2017 (Till 1PM) Educational sessions offering numerous tracks Discounted precast show education courses Checking out new products, ideas & technologies for precast concrete Learning the advantages of 3D BIM Modeling of Cast in Place & Pre-cast Concrete ( http://www.pinnaclecad.com/ offerings/industry/ concrete-co... Experiencing the Future of Precast Concrete Enhancing Resource Planning & Product Quality Getting exclusive Networking OpportunitiesPinnacle Infotech, USA with knowledge of construction background in USA, bringing technological rigor of enterprise level operations.years of extensive accomplishments within diverse environments. A strategic thinker and positive team player, Sarvesh is an effective team leader and motivator. Major manufacturers, Start-ups, Contracting Firms Construction Professionals, Engineers, Concrete Contractors, Educators, Press Benefits of 3D Modeling of Cast in Place, Precast Concrete Reinforcement Detailing, Constructability Analysis Lift Drawings, 4d Construction Phasing Dynamic Quantity Schedule Commercial, High-End Condominiums, Retail Chains, Healthcare Parking Garages, Schools, Universities, High-End Residential Complexes Dams, Power Stations, BridgesFor more information take a look at& check out 2017 PCI Convention schedule ( http://www.pci.org/ pci_convention/ schedule/ ). Rock The Schools podcast with Felix Flores discussing the #YesWeCode Hackathon finals competition taking place in Montgomery, Alabama to inspire youth innovation and preparation for careers of the 21st century on March 4th. By: YesWeCode YesWeCodelogo (1) Contact Media Contact: Monique Linder, OMG Media Solutions ***@omgdigitalmediasolutions.com Media Contact:Monique Linder, OMG Media Solutions End -- Rock The Schools with Citizen Stewart's executive producer, Monique Linder, filling in for host Chris Stewart, in a discussion with National Director of #YesWeCode, Felix Flores, about what exactly is a "Hackathon". "YesWeCode is a Dream Corps initiative that works with partners to help connect under-represented youth of color to careers in technology. "#YesWeCode is an extension of STEM programs in schools by providing students with a competitive environment to innovate in all areas of technology", said Felix Flores.In fact, "coding is one aspect of what students will take away from this Hackathon", said Monique Linder, who is also facilitating the hackathon with Flores. Emphasis is placed on guiding students to resources i.e. education and collaborative projects that provide training and certification to prepare them for jobs of the 21st century, many that have not yet been created. We must get under-represented youth on a trajectory of discovery and preparation now for careers of the 21century", said Monique Linder. More than 50 high schools were on the list of 75 failing schools released in January from the Alabama Department of Education. (Alabama Failing Schools ( http://www.alabamanews.net/ wp-content/uploads/ 2017/01/AAA... )) #YesWeCode wants to empower high school students with tools that help them own their education journey. We want students with initiative and determination to register to take part in the #YesWeCode Hackathon.The upcoming #YesWeCode Hackathon is part of historical events significant to Rosa Parks advocacy and activism during women's history month supported by Southern Youth Leadership Development Institute (SYLDI) and Southern Company. All finalists will be recognized at the Spirit of Rosa Parks Awards taking place the same day as the Hackathon, where the winning school will receive the 'Spirit of Rosa Parks Innovation Award" for developing the best solution to solve an education or economic problem. The theme for this hackathon is "center of gravity", defined for this assignment as the point at which each team aligns in passion, creativity, synergy and optimal performance, enabling an extraordinary discovery to take shape. Weekly Google chats are held every Friday to give students a chance to ask questions and share ideas. For more information, go to: http://www.syldi.org/ yeswecode-hackathon/ You can subscribe to Rock The Schools with Citizen Stewart on iTunes and Audioboom. Rock the Schools is supported by Education Post and Citizen.Education. Rock The Schools has a global listening audience of over 20,000 listeners from 20 U.S. cities and 19 countries. Rock The Schools covers a wide range of topics to empower parents, students and educators to advocate for change in education policy that impact positive outcomes for students with conversations that are rooted in history.###Stewart's mission with "Rock The Schools" is to "" Stewart believes "Public education for an educated public" begs the question of accountability. The host of Rock The Schools, Chris Stewart is a writer, speaker, essayist and education activist from Minnesota. Stewart began recording his Rock The Schools podcast in early March 2015 and releases a new episode weekly. Rock The Schools with Citizen Stewart is available on iTunes, Audioboom and under podcast at citizenstewart.org. Rock the Schools' Executive Producer is Monique Linder, Founder of OMG Media Solutions.Many have been searching for ways to uplift today's urban youth and help them achieve a more promising future. We believe that one solution lies in connecting tech and social justice leaders to spearhead revolutionary tech programs whose benefits extend to the most disadvantaged of society. #YesWeCode is a Dream Corps initiative that works with partners to help connect 100,000 underrepresented minorities to careers in technology. More information at: yeswecode.org or follow on Twitter: @yeswecodePODCAST: Rock The Schools Episode 84 (http://omgdigitalmediasolutions.com/rock-the-schools-episode-84-with-yeswecode-national-director-felix-flores-reminding-students-you-dont-need-permission-to-be-innovative/) Winter Film Awards' Lianna Albrizio talks with filmmakers Benoit Monney and Sami Khadraoui about their short film 'Enora' Enora Contact Winter Film Awards ***@winterfilmawards.com Winter Film Awards End --This question is posed by a concerned war medic to a cautious alien namedas she tries to navigate her way in a forest in Monte Cassino, Italy circa 1944 the morning after her spaceship crashes, leaving her to fend for herself in a foreign place. In this adventure narrative short directed by Swiss natives Sami Khadraoui and Benoit Monney via Bad Taste Pictures, the epoch is World War II, and through the dense woods, Enora (Isabelle Campiche) loses the instrument she needs to call home.The night after the crash, a frightened Enora staggers into the woods. She comes across war medic, James McMurray (Sean Biggerstaff)who is tending to a dying soldier. Though Enora must rely on the help of McMurray to get back home, he too finds himself in need of an emotional rescue. Will the newfound alliances find their resolutions and get out of the woods? Find out at the NYC Premiere of this poignant, heartwarming film about trust and redemption, to be screened at the Winter Film Awards Indie Film Festival ( https://winterfilmawards.com/ wfa2017/about/ ) in New York City on Feb. 25 beginning at 9:45 a.m. at the Cinema Village Theater 1, located at 22 E. 12th St.Congratulations on your beautiful film! Your storyline is quite unique. What inspired it?Thank you very much. The main theme in our film is the "fear of strangers", the fear of what is different from ourselves. We believe that this fear is what started the war. When Enora encounters James, they're afraid of each other. But they learn they aren't that different. They're both far away from home, scared. Finally, they help each other and prove that "strangers" are nothing to fear, but can help you when you need it.We wanted Enora to be an alien to amplify this feeling of stranger. She is not human and is therefore a stranger for every human being. Furthermore we, as artists, really like the fantastic and sci-fi universe for the magic it brings in a story.The forest is a fitting backdrop to this contemplative film. Where was it shot?The shooting took place in Fribourg area, a very rural Swiss region. We chose these woods because they looked like the Apennine Mountains in Italy where the Monte Cassino battle the historical context of our film happened. The forest gives a mysterious look to Enora's quest and shows her sensation of loss.The word "Enora" in French is loosely translated as "honor." Was that the idea for your character given the World War II epoch?The idea was to find an uncommon name which could be associated to the idea of space. The name of Enora was selected because we found interesting that this could be the character's name but also her constellation.Enora's eyes turn red every time she is trying to protect herself from danger or having a flashback. Was that the intent?The intent was to find something simple but efficient to show that she is using her powers. We chose the red color to give Enora some strength, some frightening aspect and show that she is able to protect herself.We wanted an alien who looks almost human but with slight differences. The inspirations for our character's look are directly taken from Inca's era. Fun fact: our costume designer drew the Nazca lines on Enora's poncho.For an alien, it seems like Enora is very intuitive. What was the significance for this power?Enora doesn't understand the human languages but she can feel our emotions. When she hears the voices of the dead soldiers, she understands it was their last thoughts. We wanted to transmit the idea that wherever you come from (in our case Italy and Britain) you're human and have the same thoughts when facing death. Death is universal. Enora's power allows her to feel the soldiers distress and understand what is going on on Earth. She also understands James' sadness during the hill scene without talking and gets that she should be afraid of the two Italian soldiers, not because of their weapons but because of their bad intention.My takeaway was that no matter what, everyone needs help from time to time. Was that the message you want viewers to walk away with?Yes exactly. It is for example what shows the last scene. Everyone can help each other even if sometimes we have to let go our fears to know how we can achieve that.Written by Lianna Albrizio for Winter Film Awards. Lianna Albrizio has worked as a journalist in Bergen County, New Jersey for more than five years. She manages the Arts and Leisure section of a local newspaper interviewing filmmakers, artists, photographers, authors and musicians. One of her passions is conducting in-depth interviews with artists to craft creative, quality pieces for the education and enjoyment of her readers.Winter Film Awards Is New York City. Like the city itself, we showcase the eclectic diversity and excitement of the independent arts world. Winter Film Awards is proudly one of the Top 10 Best Reviewed Festivals on FilmFreeway.Winter Film Awards is an all-volunteer, minority- and women-owned registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 2011 in New York City by a group of filmmakers and enthusiasts. The program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.Website ( https://WinterFilmAwards.com ) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/WinterFilmAwardsGala)Twitter (https://twitter.com/WinterFilmAward) By: Stifel Clark Appleby, Elyssa Kupferberg, Barry Widelitz, Joel Yudenfreund Contact Lynda Hofstetter (314) 342-2000 ***@kcompr.com Lynda Hofstetter(314) 342-2000 End -- Stifel Financial Corp. today announced the formation of The ECJ Wealth Advisory Group, based in the Palm Beach, Florida, Private Client Group office of its broker-dealer subsidiary, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated. The ECJ Wealth Advisory Group specializes in implementing wealth management programs and sophisticated investment alternatives for high net worth individuals, foundations, corporations, and not-for-profit organizations. The team consists of:Elyssa Kupferberg, Director/Investments Ms. Kupferberg previously worked with Barclays Wealth and Investment Management, Americas as a Director from 2013 until Stifel acquired the unit in December 2015. Prior to Barclays, she held executive positions at BNY Mellon and Chase Manhattan Private Bank. She began her financial services industry career in 1985. Ms. Kupferberg holds a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School and a B.A. in Communications from the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as an M.B.A. in Banking and Finance from Hofstra University.Joel Yudenfreund, Director/Investments Prior to joining Stifel in 2016, Mr. Yudenfreund worked with JP Morgan, Citi, and U.S. Bank. From 1987 to 1999, he practiced law with the nationally recognized firms of Withers Bergman and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. Mr. Yudenfreund received a J.D. from Boston University School of Law and a B.S. in Business Economics from the State University of New York at Oneonta. He also obtained the Certified Public Accountant designation.Clark Appleby, Vice President/Investments Mr. Appleby worked with Barclays Wealth and Investment Management, Americas as an Assistant Vice President from 2013 until Stifel acquired the unit in December 2015. Prior to Barclays, he worked as a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney from 2010 to 2012. He holds a B.A. in International Business and Management from Dickinson College.Barry Widelitz, Registered Client Service Associate Mr. Widelitz joined Stifel in February 2016 with more than 35 years of financial services industry experience. He has held Vice President positions with Lehman Brothers, UBS Securities, and JP Morgan. Mr. Widelitz is a graduate of The City University of New York at Brooklyn College and the Securities Industry Association Executive Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.According to Mr. Yudenfreund, the newest addition to the team, "I joined Elyssa and Clark due to the knowledge and personal service we can deliver to clients with our collective expertise. Stifel provides us with the tools to deliver best-in-class strategies for our clients."Stifel's Palm Beach office is located at 450 Royal Palm Way, and the team can be reached by calling (561) 868-8702.Stifel Company InformationStifel Financial Corp. http://www.stifel.com/ is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifel's broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated;Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC; and Century Securities Associates, Inc., and in the United Kingdom and Europe through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited. The Company's broker-dealer affiliates provide wealth management, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. Stifel Bank & Trust offers a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A. and Stifel Trust Company Delaware, N.A. offer trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the Company's web site at www.stifel.com.Photo Cut Line: From Left:Clark Appleby, Elyssa Kupferberg, Barry Widelitz, Joel Yudenfreund First Instrument able to Perform Conventional, Fast and Ultra Fast Gas Chromatography By: Ellutia Contact The Scott Partnership ***@scottpr.com The Scott Partnership End --Ellutia Chromatography Solutions, the world-renowned gas chromatography instruments and solutions company, will officially unveil its 500 Series range of instruments at Pittcon 2017 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The 500 Series Gas Chromatograph is an exciting new concept in gas chromatography, with the ability to perform conventional and fast gas chromatography with an air blown oven, and Ultra-Fast Chromatography with directly heated columns.Ultra Fast Gas Chromatography (UFGC) is both an advancement of the technology and method of typical GC, itself a core technique for chemical analysis in analytical laboratories worldwide. In ultra-fast mode, metal capillary columns are directly resistively heated, allowing a number of benefits including greatly increased ramp rates and upper temperature limits, as well as decreased cool down times and reduced energy consumption. All of this combines to reduce cycle times by up to 10 times, whilst only using a fraction of the energy a conventional GC would require. As well as the 500 Series, Ellutia will also have the compact 200 series GC and the 800 Series TEA (A highly sensitive chemiluminescence detector for nitro, nitroso and nitrogen containing compounds), on display at Pittcon, which allow customers to detect a wide array of compounds in a broad range of applications.Philip James, Managing Director at Ellutia commented, "We are thrilled to be able to present the new 500 Series at Pittcon. When operating in conventional GC mode, the 500 series uses its compact air blown oven and patented low energy heat recovery heating system to deliver industry standard performance whilst greatly reducing energy consumption for chromatographers. We are pleased to take our technology to the next stage and be able to offer our customers the opportunity to perform ultra fast GC."He added: "Pittcon is always such a worthwhile experience where we can meet with many industry experts and discuss the wide range of challenges involved in providing innovative chromatography instruments to a broad range of markets from education and brewing, to materials testing and forensics. We look forward to engaging with industry peers and having constructive discussion."Pittcon is the world's leading annual conference and exposition on laboratory science. Pittcon attracts attendees from industry, academia and government from over 90 countries worldwide. Having grown beyond its roots in analytical chemistry and spectroscopy, Pittcon has evolved into an event that now also serves a diverse constituency encompassing life sciences, pharmaceutical discovery and QA, food safety, environmental, bioterrorism and other emerging markets.Based in Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK, Ellutia (Formerly Cambridge Scientific Instruments Ltd) has been developing and manufacturing chromatography instrumentation and providing gas chromatography solutions for over 20 years. Ellutia also specialises in the customisation of these products, collaborating closely with customers to produce, install and support systems to fit their exact requirements. Ellutia has regional offices in both the USA and Germany as well as distributors around the world.To learn more about Ellutia visit www.ellutia.com , call us at +44 (0) 1353 669916 or email us at info@ellutia.com For further press information please contact: Scott Girling-Heathcote, The Scott Partnership:+ 44 1477 539539 mail to ellutia@scottpr.com or Andrew James, Marketing Director, Ellutia: +44 (0) 1353 669916 mail to Andrew.James@ellutia.comEllutia offers a range of gas chromatographs, GC accessories, software, and consumables. Ellutia's instruments are designed and manufactured in the UK at the company headquarters. The instruments are designed to be compact with great energy efficiency, whilst also delivering industry standard analytical performance. Ellutia has regional offices in both the USA and Germany as well as distributors around the world. Ellutia works closely with its customers and regularly produces fully customized systems tailored to their individual requirements rather than delivering off the shelf products. It is this working relationship with customers and the flexibility to adapt that sets Ellutia apart from other GC manufacturers. Construction workers from McCarthy Building Companies' wear red on jobsites in support the American Heart Association's national movement to end heart disease and stroke in women By: McCarthy Building Companies McCarthy workers from Southwest Airlines jobsite on National Wear Red Day Contact Katherine Donnino C. Pharr & Co. for McCarthy Texas ***@pharrpr.com Katherine DonninoC. Pharr & Co. for McCarthy Texas End -- Construction workers and subcontractors on McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. (http://www.mccarthy.com/), projects in Dallas and across America are wearing red in support of the American Heart Association (AHA) National Wear Red Day. This effort is designed to focus attention on the number one killer of women heart disease. McCarthy is one of the largest commercial construction companies in the U.S. and a long-time national supporter of the AHA.To help increase awareness, McCarthy is providing literature about heart disease in women at the firm's construction sites and office locations. Two of those jobsites in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the Southwest Airlines Wings Building and Children's Health Plano Specialty Center projects, also held a morning program today for on-site workers. After opening remarks from McCarthy's Texas Region President, Ray Sedey, the teams on each project learned more about the "Go Red for Women" efforts and received educational materials, along with heart healthy dinner recipes to take home."We're hoping that the information we share today with our partners on our jobsites will be put into practice for themselves and pass on to women they care about in their lives," said Ray Sedey. "Safety is a number one priority for McCarthy and improving the health and wellness of our employee-owners and their families is an extension of that."The Texas division is highly involved with AHA through a variety of local efforts. Sedey recently joined the Dallas Division Boardfor AHA and is also on the executive leadership team for the Heart Walk. Dallas and Houston employees support the Heart Walk each year and in 2016, Dallas-area employees raised more than $50,000 for the annual Heart Walk through a number of efforts including raffles on jobsites and a public fundraising event."McCarthy has been a great partner over the years in raising funds and furthering the American Heart Association's mission to build a healthier community, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke," said Melissa Cameron, Executive Director of American Heart Association's Dallas Division. "It is wonderful to see construction workers supporting the Go Red For Women movement. We hope they can help their wives, sisters and daughters from becoming part of the statistic that one in three women will die of heart attack or stroke."McCarthy is utilizing its "Heart Hats" community involvement program, in conjunction with the firm's award-winning Build for Life health and wellness program, to motivate staff and increase awareness about the dangers of heart disease. Each year, Heart Hats volunteers countless hours of in-kind services and monetary contributions to improve local communities.McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. ( http://www.mccarthy.com/ ) is the oldest privately held national construction company in the country with more than 150 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients. With an unrelenting focus on safety and a comprehensive quality program that span all phases of every project, McCarthy utilizes industry-leading design phase and construction techniques combined with value-add technology to maximize outcomes. Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy is ranked the 16th largest domestic general contractor (, May 2016). With approximately 1,700 salaried employees and offices in Dallas, Houston; St. Louis, Atlanta; Collinsville, Ill.; Portage, Ind.; Kansas City, Kan.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Denver; Albuquerque;and San Diego, Newport Beach, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned ( http://www.mccarthy.com/ about/employee- owners/ ). More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com or by following the company on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/mccarthybuilding), Twitter (https://twitter.com/McCarthyBuild), LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/company/119184?trk=tyah), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mccarthybuild/)and Google+ (http://www.google.com/+MccarthyBuilding) Contact Peter Harmon ***@aamcompany.com Peter Harmon End -- AAM Insurance Investment Management is pleased to announce that one of the firm's Assistant Portfolio Managers, Beth Sanford, has been named to Insurance Accounting & Systems Association's (IASA) list ofAccording to the association, the list is a ranking of 30 individuals under the age of 30 that have made contributions to the insurance industry that are deemed as outstanding. Sanford, along with the other 30 Under 30 individuals being recognized, will be profiled in the May, 2017 issue of IASA'sMagazine."Few individuals at a young age have been able to impact a business the way that Beth Sanford has impacted AAM," said Reed Nuttall, AAM's Chief Investment Officer. Sanford joined the firm in 2012 as an Operations Specialist after graduating from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with an Economics degree. In the intervening years she used her knowledge of writing computer code along with her work ethic and commitment to propel herself into a highly coveted role on AAM's portfolio management team where she continues to excel. A sample of Sanford's accomplishments include: Developing customized client reports for a new accounting system. Building system functionality to accommodate a significant new client. Helping to build an automated trade ticket tracking process.Outside of work, when not cheering for her beloved University of Wisconsin Badgers, Sanford is committed to the demanding 300 hours per test required to pass levels 1 and 2 of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exams. She will be sitting for her third and final exam in June in the hopes of obtaining the prestigious CFA certification. Each level has a pass rate in the high 30% to low 40% range."We believe that one of the most distinguishing features of AAM as a company is how our employees use their intellect and knowledge to deliver on our promise and commitment to our clients. It's what helps to differentiate us. And Beth is certainly another example of exactly that. We couldn't be prouder of her and of the recognition she's received from IASA and the industry. She deserves it," said John Schaefer, AAM's President.About AAMChicago-based Asset Allocation & Management Company, LLC (AAM) is a registered investment advisor with the SEC founded in 1982 to provide insurance companies with expertise in insurance asset management and practical knowledge of the regulatory and competitive environment. AAM is dedicated to meeting insurance company needs, with expertise across asset classes. As of December 31, 2016, AAM managed $18.3 billion in assets for US insurance company clients across all segments of the industry.ABOUT IASAThe Insurance Accounting & Systems Association, Incorporated (IASA) is a non-profit, education association that strives to enhance the knowledge of insurance professionals, and participants from similar organizations closely allied with the insurance industry by facilitating the exchange of ideas and information. IASA is one of the insurance industry's largest, and most well represented trade associations. IASA membership includes insurance companies of all types (Property & Casualty, Life, Health, Fraternal, HMO and others) as members, as well as companies serving the insurance industry, regulators and also organizations more broadly representative of the financial services industry, including banks and investment brokerage firms.More information about AAM Insurance Investment Management is available at http://www.aamcompany.com By: Lonerider Brewing Company Contact Lonerider Brewing Company ***@loneriderbeer.com Lonerider Brewing Company End -- Lonerider Brewing Company, a craft brewery that prides itself on developing Ales for Outlaws, will be releasing a new Grapefruit Saison aptly named Sundance. With a dry wit as crisp and fresh as this Saison of the same name, Sundance exhibits legendary smoothness and taste. This is our spring seasonal Saison, a classic style made with fresh grapefruit."Sundance is the brainchild of our brewing team led by our head brewer Galen." Lonerider CEO Sumit Vohra explains. "What better way to celebrate the arrival of spring than with a traditionally inspired saison - brewed in the winter and enjoyed in the warmer months. Though the unpredictable North Carolina weather will certainly have it's say!""The inspiration to use grapefruit in Sundance came from wanting to add extra tartness and citrus flavors to the fruity, peppery flavors produced from the yeast used in this beer." Galen, Lonerider's head brewer, says proudly. Lonerider's spring seasonal also happens to be Galen's favorite style to brew. "Saison, by style has very broad guidelines. Our specific interpretation of Saison is mildly more tart than an average saison, and with the addition of Jarrylo hops gives it a unique hop aroma that you would find in an American IPA."The anticipated release date will be March 6For more information about Lonerider, please visit http://www.loneriderbeer.com , become a fan on Facebook or follow @loneriderbeer on Twitter and Instagram.Lonerider opened its doors in Raleigh, North Carolina on January 23rd, 2009 with a beer and a dream. Today, Lonerider is distributed in six states and is counted amongst top 150 breweries in USA. An Inc. 5000 and CED Top 25 winner, with an eye for quality, Lonerider crafted each of its beers with the highest quality ingredients. As a result Lonerider has a portfolio of award winning beers, including medals from GABF. Two dozen Nebraskans joined Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln on Monday in urging state senators to create a task force to develop a strategic plan for Nebraska to prepare for climate change. "Opportunities exist for the people of Nebraska to respond appropriately to these risks," Pansing Brooks told the Legislative Council's executive board. And that includes economic opportunities through the development of renewable energy from Nebraska's wind and solar resources along with reduction of pollutants and development of agricultural innovation, she said. Former Sen. Ken Haar of Malcolm headed the parade of supporters who urged senators to approve LB646, which would create a pests, drought, flood and extreme weather mitigation and preparedness task force to develop a strategic plan. Climate change presents "a new area of risk, challenges and opportunities," Haar said. Agriculture, water, health care, energy generation and usage, forestry, transportation, rural and urban communities, all will be impacted by extreme weather and the ongoing challenges of climate change, senators were told. Average temperatures in Nebraska are expected to rise by four to eight degrees by the end of the 21st century. An increase in severe weather events, including both drought and flooding, is also anticipated. Soil moisture is expected to decrease by 5 to 10 percent by the end of the century, partly because of reduced snowpack in the Rockies and reduced stream flow in the Platte and Missouri rivers. "Action now is better than reaction later," Pansing Brooks said. "Our climate is changing," John Pollack, a retired National Weather Service meteorologist, told the committee. "I've seen the evidence of flooding and drought." Pollack spoke for the Nebraska chapter of the Sierra Club. The climate change task force proposal emerged from a carefully constructed legislative study co-chaired by Haar, a Democratic progressive, and Sen. Tyson Larson of O'Neill, a conservative Republican. With the words "climate change" politically loaded and explosive, the study committee's final report chose to sound an alert, rather than an alarm, about the issue. Its final recommendations called for creation of "an evidence-based, data-driven climate action plan." The title of LB646 refers to "extreme weather preparedness." Keeping its focus on in-house developments in Bavaria's top logistics locations, VIB Vermogen AG has now acquired two plots with a capacity of 54.000 square metres for logistics space in the areas of Augsburg and Nuremberg. 'In a study led by bulwiengesa on logistics and property in 2016, the [] During Low Vision Awareness Month, the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, is highlighting new technologies and tools in the works to help the 4.1 million Americans living with low vision or blindness. The innovations aim to help people with vision loss more easily accomplish daily tasks, from navigating office buildings to crossing a street. Many of the innovations take advantage of computer vision, a technology that enables computers to recognize and interpret the complex assortment of images, objects and behaviors in the surrounding environment. Low vision means that even with glasses, contact lenses, medicine, or surgery, people find everyday tasks difficult to do. It can affect many aspects of life, from walking in crowded places to reading or preparing a meal, explained Cheri Wiggs, Ph.D., program director for low vision and blindness rehabilitation at the NEI. The tools needed to stay engaged in everyday activities vary based on the degree and type of vision loss. For example, glaucoma causes loss of peripheral vision, which can make walking or driving difficult. By contrast, age-related macular degeneration affects central vision, creating difficulty with tasks such as reading, she said. Here's a look at a few NEI-funded technologies under development that aim to lessen the impact of low vision and blindness. Co-robotic cane Navigating indoors can be especially challenging for people with low vision or blindness. While existing GPS-based assistive devices can guide someone to a general location such as a building, GPS isn't much help in finding specific rooms, said Cang Ye, Ph.D., of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Ye has developed a co-robotic cane that provides feedback on a user's surrounding environment. Ye's prototype cane has a computerized 3-D camera to "see" on behalf of the user. It also has a motorized roller tip that can propel the cane toward a desired location, allowing the user to follow the cane's direction. Along the way, the user can speak into a microphone and a speech recognition system interprets verbal commands and guides the user via a wireless earpiece. The cane's credit card-sized computer stores pre-loaded floor plans. However, Ye envisions being able to download floor plans via Wi-Fi upon entering a building. The computer analyzes 3-D information in real time and alerts the user of hallways and stairs. The cane gauges a person's location in the building by measuring the camera's movement using a computer vision method. That method extracts details from a current image captured by the camera and matches them with those from the previous image, thus determining the user's location by comparing the progressively changing views, all relative to a starting point. In addition to receiving NEI support, Ye recently was awarded a grant from the NIH's Coulter College Commercializing Innovation Program to explore commercialization of the robotic cane. advertisement Robotic glove finds door handles, small objects In the process of developing the co-robotic cane, Ye realized that closed doorways pose yet another challenge for people with low vision and blindness. "Finding the door knob or handle and getting the door open slows you way down," he said. To help someone with low vision locate and grasp small objects more quickly, he designed a fingerless glove device. On the back surface is a camera and a speech recognition system, enabling the user to give the glove voice commands such as "door handle," "mug," "bowl," or "bottle of water." The glove guides the user's hand via tactile prompts to the desired object. "Guiding the person's hand left or right is easy," Ye said. "An actuator on the thumb's surface takes care of that in a very intuitive and natural way." Prompting a user to move his or her hand forward and backward, and getting a feel for how to grasp an object, is more challenging. Ye's colleague Yantao Shen, Ph.D., University of Nevada, Reno, developed a novel hybrid tactile system that comprises an array of cylindrical pins that send either a mechanical or electrical stimulus. The electric stimulus provides an electrotactile sensation, meaning that it excites the nerves on the skin of the hand to simulate a sense of touch. Picture four cylindrical pins in alignment down the length of your index finger. One by one, starting with the pin closest to your finger tip, the pins pulse in a pattern indicating that the hand should move backward. The reverse pattern indicates the need for forward motion. Meanwhile, a larger electrotactile system on the palm uses a series of cylindrical pins to create a 3-D representation of the object's shape. For example, if your hand is approaching the handle of a mug, you would sense the handle's shape in your palm so that you could adjust the position of your hand accordingly. As your hand moves toward the mug handle, any slight shifts in angle are noted by the camera and the tactile sensation on your palm reflects such changes. advertisement Smartphone crosswalk app Street crossings can be especially dangerous for people with low vision. James Coughlan, Ph.D., and his colleagues at the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute have developed a smartphone app that gives auditory prompts to help users identify the safest crossing location and stay within the crosswalk. The app harnesses three technologies and triangulates them. A global positioning system (GPS) is used to pinpoint the intersection where a user is standing. Computer vision is then used to scan the area for crosswalks and walk lights. That information is integrated with a geographic information system (GIS) database containing a crowdsourced, detailed inventory about an intersection's quirks, such as the presence of road construction or uneven pavement. The three technologies compensate for each other's weaknesses. For example, while computer vision may lack the depth perception needed to detect a median in the center of the road, such local knowledge would be included in the GIS template. And while GPS can adequately localize the user to an intersection, it cannot identify on which corner a user is standing. Computer vision determines the corner, as well as where the user is in relation to the crosswalk, the status of the walk lights and traffic lights, and the presence of vehicles. CamIO system helps explore objects in a natural way Imagine a system that enables visually impaired biology students to explore a 3-D anatomical model of a heart by touching an area and hearing "aortic arch" in response. The same system could also be used to get an auditory readout of the display on a device such as a glucose monitor. The prototype system, designed with a low-cost camera connected to a laptop computer, can make physical objects -- from 2-D maps to digital displays on microwaves -- fully accessible to users with low vision or blindness. The CamIO (short for camera input-output), also under development by Coughlan, provides real-time audio feedback as the user explores an object in a natural way, turning it around and touching it. Holding a finger stationary on 3-D or 2-D objects, signals the system to provide an audible label of the location in question or an enhanced image on a laptop screen. CamIO was conceived by Joshua Miele, Ph.D, a blind scientist at Smith-Kettlewell who develops and evaluates novel sound/touch interfaces to help people with vision loss. Coughlan plans to develop a smartphone app version of CamIO. In the meantime, software for the laptop version will be available for free download. To watch a demonstration of the CamIO system, visit http://bit.ly/2CamIO. High-powered prisms, periscopes for severe tunnel vision People with retinitis pigmentosa and glaucoma can lose most of their peripheral vision, making it challenging to walk in crowded places like airports or malls. People with severe peripheral field vision loss can have a residual central island of vision that's as little as 1 to 2 percent of their full visual field. Eli Peli, O.D., of Schepens Eye Research Institute, Boston, has developed lenses constructed of many adjacent one-millimeter wide prisms that expand the visual field while preserving central vision. Peli designed a high-powered prism, called a multiplexing prism that expands one's field of view by about 30 degrees. "That's an improvement, but it's not good enough," explained Peli. In a study, he and his colleagues mathematically modeled people walking in crowded places and found that the risk of collision is highest when other pedestrians are approaching from a 45-degree angle. To reach that degree of peripheral vision, he and his colleagues are employing a periscope-like concept. Periscopes, such as those used to see the ocean surface from a submarine, rely on a pair of parallel mirrors that shift an image, providing a view that would otherwise be out of sight. Applying a similar concept, but with non-parallel mirrors, Peli and colleagues have developed a prototype that achieves a 45-degree visual field. Their next step is to work with optical labs to manufacture a cosmetically acceptable prototype that can be mounted into a pair of glasses. "It would be ideal if we could design magnetic clip-ons spectacles that could be easily mounted and removed," he said. A long-standing mystery among marine biologists is why otherwise healthy whales, dolphins, and porpoises -- collectively known as cetaceans -- end up getting stranded along coastal areas worldwide. Could severe solar storms, which affect Earth's magnetic fields, be confusing their internal compasses and causing them to lose their way? Although some have postulated this and other theories, no one has ever initiated a thorough study to determine whether a relationship exists -- until now. NASA heliophysicist Antti Pulkkinen, who works at the agency's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, has teamed with the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, or IFAW, to determine whether a link exists. Strandings occur around the world, involving as few as three to as many as several hundred animals per event. Although a global phenomenon, such strandings tend to happen more often in New Zealand, Australia, and Cape Cod, Massachusetts, said project collaborator Katie Moore, the director of IFAW's global Animal Rescue Program. Headquartered in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, IFAW operates in 40 countries, rescuing animals and promoting conservation to secure a safe habitat for wildlife. "These locations share some key characteristics, such as the geography, gently sloping beaches, and fine-grained sediment, which we think all play some role in these events," she said. Skewed Compasses Another possibility is that these animals' internal compasses are somehow skewed by humans' use of multi-beam echo sounders and other sonar-type equipment used to map the seafloor or locate potential fishing sites, to name just a few applications. advertisement "However, these human-made influences do not explain most of the strandings," said Pulkkinen, an expert in space weather and its effect on Earth. "Theories as to the cause include magnetic anomalies and meteorological events, such as extreme tides during a new moon and coastal storms, which are thought to disorient the animals. It has been speculated that due to the possible magnetic-field sensing used by these animals to navigate, magnetic anomalies could be at least partially responsible." Indeed, magnetic anomalies caused when the sun's corona ejects gigantic bubbles of charged particles out into the solar system can cause problems for Earth-orbiting satellites and power grids when they slam into Earth's protective magnetosphere. It's possible they could affect animals, as well, Pulkkinen said. "The type of data that Antti has accumulated, together with the extensive stranding data at our disposal, will allow us to undertake the first rigorous analysis to test possible links between cetacean mass strandings and space-weather phenomena," said Desray Reeb, a marine biologist at BOEM's headquarters in Sterling, Virginia. Reeb approached Pulkkinen about launching a research effort after hearing his presentation about space weather in June 2015. Massive Data-Mining Effort With funding from BOEM and NASA's Science Innovation Fund, Pulkkinen and his collaborators are carrying out a massive data-mining operation. The team will analyze NASA's large space-weather databases, including field recordings and space observations, and stranding data gathered by BOEM and IFAW. "We estimate that records on the order of hundreds of cetacean mass strandings will be available for study, thus making our analyses statistically significant," Pulkkinen said. "We therefore expect that we will be able to reliably test the hypothesis. So far, there has been very little quantitative research, just a lot of speculation," Pulkkinen continued. "What we're going to do is throw cold, hard data at this. It's a long-standing mystery and it's important that we figure out what's going on." The team expects to complete the study by the end of September and publish its findings in a scientific, peer-reviewed journal. Should the study reveal a statistical correlation, team members said the results won't necessarily imply a causal link. However, it would provide the first thorough research into this hypothesis and offer the first step toward determining if it's correct. "Save More Animals" "The results of this study will be informative for researchers, stranding network organizers, resource agencies and regulatory agencies," Reeb said. "If we understand the relationship between the two, we may be able to use observations of solar storms as an early warning for potential strandings to occur," added Moore, who said she "was immediately keen" to get involved in the study. "This would allow stranding responders in global hotspots, and really around the world, to be better prepared to respond, thus having the opportunity to save more animals." Macrophages(1) are a type of white blood cell that can engulf and destroy cancer cells. A research group led by Professor Matozaki Takashi, Associate Professor Murata Yoji, and Yanagita Tadahiko (Kobe University Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Division of Molecular and Cellular Signaling), discovered that by using an antibody(2) for a particular protein found on macrophages, the macrophage is activated, and cancer cells are effectively eliminated. This discovery could lead to the development of new cancer treatments. The findings were published on January 12 in the online version of JCI Insight. Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. In recent years, attention has been drawn by the effectiveness of treatment that targets specific proteins that express on both cancer cells and healthy cells including immune system cells (targeted therapy). However, issues with this treatment include the emergence of cancer cells resistant to targeted drugs, and side effects which differ from those for conventional anticancer drugs. In their previous research, Professor Matozaki's research group discovered that when the protein SIRP, which is expressed on the cell membrane of macrophages, interacts with the protein CD47 which is expressed on the cell membrane of engulfment targets (such as cancer cells and senescent cells), the engulfment ability (phagocytosis) of the macrophages is inhibited. This time, using immunodeficient mice(3) subcutaneously injected with Raji cells (derived from human B-cell lymphoma), the group discovered that an anti-SIRP antibody, which specifically reacts with SIRP and inhibits the interaction of CD47 and SIRP, helps a target drug known as rituximab(4) to suppress tumor growth. Furthermore, they demonstrated that based on anti-SIRP antibodies that inhibited CD47-SIRP interaction, the phagocytic properties of macrophages were strengthened by rituximab. The researchers concluded that anti-SIRP antibodies, which inhibit CD47-SIRP interaction, could be highly effective against tumors by strengthening the phagocytosis of macrophages for cancer cells using target drugs such as rituximab. The research group also discovered that both renal cell carcinoma and melanoma express high levels of SIRP in humans and mice. In mice injected with mouse renal cell carcinoma (RENCA) cells or melanoma cells, they found that the sole administration of anti-SIRP antibodies suppressed the growth or metastasis of tumors. However, the suppression of tumor growth by anti-SIRP antibody treatment was weakened in mice whose macrophages had been eliminated. In addition, from phagocytosis experiments using macrophages and renal cell carcinoma cells or melanoma cells, they showed that anti-SIRP antibodies (1) induce phagocytosis of cancer cells by macrophages through the direct binding to SIRP on cancer cells; (2) prevent the CD47-SIRP interaction between cancer cells and macrophages, removing the restraints on phagocytosis of macrophages (activating the macrophages). Therefore, they concluded that the antitumor effects of anti-SIRP antibodies on SIRP-expressing cancer cells are based on this dual action. Recently, anti-PD-1 antibodies(5) that inhibit the functions of the PD-1 protein have demonstrated efficacy as anticancer drugs. The PD-1 protein is one of the immune checkpoint molecules(6) for cytotoxic T-cells(7). In mice subcutaneously implanted with mouse colon cancer cells (CT26 cells), the simultaneous administration of anti-SIRP antibodies and anti-PD-1 antibodies has a stronger effect on inhibiting tumor growth compared to their separate administration. The details of the action mechanism for anti-SIRP antibodies are not fully understood, but simultaneous use of immune checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-PD-1 antibodies that act against cytotoxic T-cells and anti-SIRP antibodies has a stronger antitumor effect than their separate use. These findings have clarified that the antibodies for SIRP, an immune checkpoint molecule for macrophages related to the innate immune system function, can be used as a new cancer treatment. In the future, as well as analyzing the mechanism for the antitumor effect of anti-SIRP antibodies in more detail, while carefully assessing the safety of the treatment, anti-SIRP antibodies can potentially be developed as anticancer drugs. advertisement Technical terms 1 macrophages Immune system cells that are specialized to engulf and destroy pathogens that invade the body (part of our innate immunity). These cells also engulf senescent cells and cancer cells, disposing of unnecessary cells within organisms. 2: antibody Produced from B cell lymphocytes, another type of immune system cell, this is a protein that can bond with specific molecules (such as proteins) known as antigens. 3: immunodeficient mice Mice which have lost the immune system cells such as T and B cells that are involved in the rejection of transplants from other organisms, and lack normal immune functions. For example, human cancer cells can be transplanted into immunodeficient mice which have lost T and B cells. 4: rituximab An antibody that specifically attaches to a protein known as CD20 that is expressed on the cell membrane. It is mainly used as an anticancer drug against malignant lymphomas. CD20 is known to exist in large quantities on healthy B cells, and among malignant lymphomas there are plenty of B-cell lymphomas. 5: Anti-PD-1 antibodies These antibodies attach specifically to the PD-1 protein, and the antibodies that obstruct the functions of PD-1 in particular are also known as immune checkpoint inhibitors. 6: immune checkpoint molecules Molecules that function as breaks for the immune reaction. For example, proteins known as PD-1 that are expressed on the cell membrane of cytotoxic T-cells act as immune checkpoint molecules. PD-1 can weaken the immune reaction of cytotoxic T-cells, which destroy cancer cells and infected cells. 7: cytotoxic T cells A type of lymphocyte immune system cell that can recognize and destroy cancer cells and cells which have been infected by a virus. The American black bear can rest easier thanks to conservation research conducted at UBC's Okanagan campus. A recent study indicates that while urban sprawl results in more human-bear interactions, human education can hinder negative encounters. "Unless steps are taken to reduce human-bear interactions, we will see an increase in bears that are habituated to humans, leading to property damage, human injuries and more dead bears," says Lael Parrott, professor of Biology and Earth and Environmental Sciences at UBCOkanagan. "These situations are unacceptable and sustainable solutions are needed. One approach is to implement education programs that teach humans how to keep their properties attractant-free and how to behave during a bear encounter." Parrott, along with UBC mathematics Associate Professor Rebecca Tyson and student research assistants, developed a computer model to simulate the effectiveness of human-bear awareness education about bear movement and foraging behaviour in an urban setting. The program, based on field data, made it possible to run hundreds of scenarios and investigate the outcomes and best practices.,In the model, bear awareness education included training about proper garbage disposal and deterrent use. The researchers found that the biggest contributor to bear status was urban land use. A one per cent increase in urbanization resulted in a 91 per cent increase in human-bear conflict. The model also suggests that education targeting the border areas between the residential community and bear habitats will have the biggest impact on limiting bear conflict. "Our model suggests that bear management strategies involving education programs reduce the number of 'conflict bears,'" says Parrott. "Although this is a computer simulation, it is required since some field studies are unethical or extremely difficult to take on. Modelling provides a useful and cost-effective alternative and can be used to select promising programs for further field study." Parrott's team is currently testing some of the solutions in Whistler, BC. The American black bear's habitat includes Canada, the United States, and Northern Mexico. According to Wildsafe BC, British Columbia has one of the highest populations of black bears in the world -- between 120,000 and 150,000 animals. And there are some 25,000 reported sightings each year. Bears require about 20,000 calories a day to prepare for hibernation; during this time, some bears are attracted to residential areas by fruit trees and unsecured garbage. The study, published in Ecological Modelling, was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Page Content Consumption of marijuana by edible means is becoming more common in the growing number of states that have legalized the drug's use. Long gone are the days of edible marijuana being restricted to "pot brownies." Now, edible marijuana can come in many forms: baked goods, candy, oil emulsions and tablets. As a result, edible marijuana presents a new challenge for workplaces. In the past, employers could sometimes tell if an employee had smoked marijuana based on its distinct odor. The consumption of edible marijuana is less obvious because it is odorless. In addition, those who ingest edible marijuana may find that the effects are more potent than if they had smoked it. In fact, two deaths connected with edible marijuana products convinced Colorado lawmakers to toughen marijuana regulations. In news reports about those cases, experts said the amount of marijuana in edibles can vary widely and in some cases the levels are so high people report extreme paranoia and anxiety bordering on psychotic behavior. Twenty-eight states and Washington, D.C., have legalized marijuana for medical use; eight states have legalized it for recreational use. Sales of legal marijuana reached $6.7 billion in 2016, a 30 percent increase from 2015, according to a report by Arcview Market Research. Sales are predicted to rise to $20.2 billion by 2021. Detecting Impairment Whereas smoked marijuana affects the user almost immediately, edible marijuana takes longer to start working (between a half hour to one hour), and the effects can last much longer than smoking the drug. In fact, the effects of edible marijuana can last four to 12 hours, depending on the dose. "An employee could eat much more of a product with no initial feeling of how much marijuana they have actually taken in and then feel much stronger marijuana intoxication later," said Laura Shelton, executive director of the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association in Washington, D.C. How can an employer tell if an employee is intoxicated from edible marijuana? Supervisors need to be trained on the signs and symptoms of an employee being under the influence of any drug, said Curtis Graves, staff attorney at the Mountain States Employers Council in Denver. They may want to consider periodic drug testing, although this could be tricky: For registered medical users of marijuana, who often consume it in edible form, random drug testing is questionable because, even though they may not be "high" or impaired, they could still test positive even weeks after they consumed the drug in edible form. The key issue to consider, Graves said, is how the employee is performing at work. "If someone performs poorly, whether it is because they are high or they just aren't a good employee, an employer is within its rights to terminate," Graves said. "I tell employers that, employees are required to report to work free from the influence of marijuana or other drugs. Should they appear to be impaired, they will face discipline regardless of their physician's note." Graves said he does recommend drug testing in safety-sensitive environments. Commercial truck drivers governed by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) are prohibited from testing positive for many drugs, including marijuana. "Employers can restrict the use of medical marijuana by these drivers," said Lorie Birk, vice president of member services at the Mountain States Employers Council in Scottsdale, Ariz. [SHRM members-only platform: SHRM Connect] For drivers not subject to DOT regulations or for other employees whose jobs may involve the safe handling of vehicles or equipment, employers need to pay close attention to state laws. "For any safety-sensitive position, requiring employees to refrain from illicit drug use is a must," Shelton said. "Ask yourself: Would you want your child driven to school by a school bus driver that consumed marijuanain any formshortly before leaving for his or her route?" Disciplining for Marijuana Use Being intoxicated by marijuana on the job remains prohibited in most states, allowing employers to enforce drug-free workplace policies. In addition, most state medical marijuana laws "allow employers to restrict the use and bringing of medical marijuana and paraphernalia into the workplace," Birk said. If an employee brings edible marijuana to work with a doctor's note, "how the employer decides to act is their decision, but it must be stated in their drug-free workplace policy. If employers don't have a drug-free workplace policy, they need to establish one," Shelton said. Courts have ruled that medical marijuana users can be fired even if they are using the drug by prescription in accordance with state laws. In 2015, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled in favor of the employer in the high-profile case Coats v. Dish Network. In that case, an employee sued after being fired for failing a random drug test despite having a medical marijuana license. "No state marijuana law mandates that employers accommodate employees' marijuana use, even if it is off-the-job use that is compliant with state medical or recreational laws," said Paul Armentano, deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, more commonly known as the NORML Foundation, a marijuana advocacy organization. State supreme courts in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington have all deemed that "state laws exempting marijuana users from criminal liability do not extend to civil protections in the workplace," Armentano said. Michigan and New Mexico courts have also ruled that employers are under no duty to accommodate the use of medical marijuana by employees even when medicinal use of marijuana is legal in the state. Elaina Loveland is a freelance writer based in Natick, Mass. Was this article useful? SHRM offers thousands of tools, templates and other exclusive member benefits, including compliance updates, sample policies, HR expert advice, education discounts, a growing online member community and much more. Join/Renew Now and let SHRM help you work smarter. Page Content Foreign national employees impacted by President Donald Trump's immigration ban can again be admitted to the United States after a federal district court in Washington state issued a temporary restraining order Feb. 3 prohibiting enforcement of the president's Jan. 27 executive order suspending travel from certain countries. Judge James Robart of the U.S. District Court in Seattle temporarily banned the administration from enforcing the 90-day suspension of entry into the United States of nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The temporary restraining order took effect immediately and is in effect nationwide. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Feb. 5 denied the administration's request that the judge's decision be overturned and the executive order reinstated until more arguments are filed this week. The appellate court, based in San Francisco, intends to make its ultimate ruling on the judge's stay later this week, sending the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Proceed with Caution Trump's executive order had previously left HR professionals scrambling to figure out which employees may be affected and how to deal with business disruptions. [SHRM members-only toolkit: Obtaining U.S. Employment Visas] That uncertainty is not alleviated, even with the ban halted. "Employers should make sure employees from countries affected by the executive order know that this is a volatile situation that could change again quickly," said Rebecca Peters, director of government affairs at the Council for Global Immigration, a nonprofit trade association committed to advancing high-skilled employment-based immigration and an affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management. "The status quo has temporarily been restored for travelers from the countries affected by the executive order, but those travelers should proceed with caution. If employees from those countries travel now, there is a chance they will be stuck outside the United States should the temporary restraining order be stayed, as the White House is requesting." In the meantime, government agencies are prohibited from enforcing the immigration ban. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents must treat admissions of foreign nationals with valid visas or green cards as they would have before the order was issued, said John F. Quill, senior counsel in the immigration group in the Boston office of Seyfarth Shaw. "Please note, these individuals still may face lengthy questioning and potential delays when being inspected by CBP for admission," he said. Airlines have been instructed that foreign nationals with valid visas or green cards should be allowed to board flights to the United States and the Department of State announced that it has reversed its previous revocation of visas from foreign nationals from the impacted countries. Additional Clarifications Even before Judge Robart's restraining order was issued, crucial aspects of the executive order were being modified. The president's order was initially accompanied by a lot of confusion over whether it pertained to lawful permanent residents traveling outside of the U.S., and its impact on immigration benefits processing. On Feb. 1, the White House issued a guidance stating that green card holders were no longer subject to the executive order and did not need waivers. Also, dual nationals holding passports from a third country as well as from one of the affected countries would be allowed to enter the U.S. using their other passport. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Feb. 2 that it would continue to process visa applications for individuals from the seven affected countries, but would defer final decisions until the president's order was lifted. The agency noted that the portion of the executive order dealing with visas and immigration benefits for individuals from the listed countries "does not affect applications and petitions by lawful permanent residents outside the United States, or applications and petitions for individuals outside the United States whose approval does not directly confer travel authorization." Many Congolese are not convinced the president Kabila will ever comply with the December 31, 2016 agreement brokered by the Catholic Church. That deal (the December accord) was made between the political opposition and several senior members of Kabilas government. However, Kabila himself was not personally a party to the agreement. The agreement stipulated that Kabila could remain in power until national elections are held near the end of 2017. He would then step down as president and an elected successor would replace him. Kabila cannot be a candidate in the election. The constitution forbids him from seeking a third term. The agreement also stipulated that an opposition leader would serve as prime minister. That presumably would limit Kabilas control of the government during the interim period. Critics say that the failure to get Kabilas personal commitment gives him a technical excuse for ignoring the agreement and then completely breaking it at a convenient moment. He might even declare hes a candidate for a third term. Kabila could also say a crisis requires that he stay in office. His government is already portraying news the mid-January return to Congo of some M23 militiaman as a crisis. The critics also point out Kabila has already violated the constitution. He was supposed to leave office on December 19, 2016. He didnt. Another wild card is the February 1 st death of key opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi. Kabila and his family are wealthy and that fortune could be lost or severely depleted if a reform-minded new government decides to recover billions stolen by corrupt politicians. The Kabila clan has extensive mineral interests (including gold, cobalt, diamonds and copper). Many of these family interests are in Katanga province. Corruption in the government Kabila controls has made his family and associates wealthier. Its an old and wretched story. (Austin Bay) February 5, 2017: The UN reported that in the first nine months of 2016 (January through September) armed conflict and insecurity (fear of attack) displaced 547,000 people in Congo. At the end of 2017 there were 1.9 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in Congo. Approximately 45 percent of the IDPs were in North Kivu province (eastern Congo, bordering Uganda and Rwanda). February 3, 2017: In the west (Bas-Congo province) police killed eight members of the Bundu dia Kongo (BDK) who were trying to claim the bodies of BDK members killed during protests in January. Meanwhile dynastic power survives elsewhere in Africa. Angolan president Jose Eduardo dos Santos announced he will leave office before the August 2017 election. He said that in the presidential election the he would support his defense minister, Joao Lourenco, who is also deputy leader of the governing MPLA party. Dos Santos has been president since 1979. Isabel dos Santos (the presidents daughter) heads Angolas national oil company, Sonangol. February 2, 2017: Burundi claimed it has released 2,000 prisoners. Several dozen members of the opposition MSD Party were among those released in the last few weeks. The government has been under growing local and international pressure to release political prisoners. February 1, 2017: Etienne Tshisekedi, the leader of Congos main opposition party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), died today in Brussels, Belgium. In 2011 he was a candidate for president and was defeated by Joseph Kabila. His son, Felix Tshisekedi, has been selected to serve as prime minister until new presidential elections are held and Kabila is replaced. January 31, 2017: Congolese troops report that a group of former M23 rebels captured four crewmen on the helicopters that went down January 30. The government claimed that three of the crewmen were tortured and killed. January 30, 2017: In the east (North Kivu province) five crewmen from the two helicopters that crashed on January 28 have been rescued. Three are Russian and two are Congolese army officers. January 29, 2017; In Rwanda 30 unarmed men claiming to belong to the M23 rebel group have asked for asylum. They fled Congo sometime in the last week. Some of the men reportedly claim they were fleeing a Congolese Army attack. Most M23 fighters were ethnic Tutsis. Many of them were former Congolese Army soldiers. January 28, 2017: In the east (North Kivu province) two Russian-made military helicopters crashed and was not immediately clear what caused the aircraft to crash. Several rebel groups operate in areas along the Ugandan and Rwanda borders. January 27, 2017: The UN extended its arms embargo on the Central African Republic (CAR). Some sanctions targeting individual bad actors were also extended. The Congo government said that it fears M23 is reviving its insurgency in eastern Congo and warned that a new conflict with M23 might jeopardize its ability to organize elections in 2017. January 26, 2017: The Congo government said it will extradite to Burundi 186 suspected Burundian rebels who were captured in 2015 and 2016. That move has been criticized because the current Burundian government has been known to mistreat prisoners, often to the point where some prisoners die from the aftereffects of aggressive interrogation. January 23, 2017: Members of CENCO (Congolese Catholic Bishops Conference) warn that talks discussing implementing some elements of the December 31, 2016 agreement have stalled. CENCO members warned that the church will not mediate indefinitely without results. That is a warning to president Kabila that if he ignores the agreement he will suffer political consequences. January 19, 2017: Uganda revealed that it arrested 101 former M23 militiamen. The fighters were attempting to cross the border and join a group of 40 M23 fighters who had previously entered Congo. The fighters were traveling in mini-buses and were trying to pass themselves off as civilian passengers. The men had escaped from their internment camp in Uganda. Once more the youth wing of Burundis ruling party, the Imbonerakure, are publicly (and in detail) accused of murdering, torturing and beating members of the political opposition as well as extorting money from Burundian citizens. The government security forces refuse to arrest or stop crimes committed by members of Imbonerakure. January 16, 2017: An unknown number of former M23 Congolese rebels have left their demobilization camp in Uganda and entered the Congo. Initially it was believed that 200 or more M23 fighters involved. The men crossed the border at the town of Ishasha sometime on January 15 and entered Congos North Kivu province. January 15, 2017: Burundi is not backing off its presidents January 1 claim that a hill on its border with Rwanda is Burundian territory. The hill is called Sabanegwa in Rwanda and Sabanerwa in Burundi. The hills is located on the border of Rwandas Gisgara province and Burundia Ngozi province. The River Akanyaru has changed course. The hill is now on the north (Rwandan) side of the river and that triggered the dispute, as things like this often do. Congolese political opposition leader Roger Lumbala, head of the RCD-N, has returned to Congo. The government had accused Lumbala of "high treason" because of unproven accusations that he supported the M23 rebellion. Lumbala also ran for president in 2006 and accurately accused Kabila of cheating. The December 31, 2016 agreement stipulated tha Lumbala and six other exiled opposition leaders could return to the country. January 14, 2017: Opposition groups in Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) are protesting the governments arrest of a leading newspaper editor, who was accused of undermining state security. January 13, 2017: The Rwandan National Police (RNP) have signed a training and cooperation agreement with Itays Carabinieri (Italys paramilitary gendarme forces). Rwanda said that the agreement includes counter terrorism training and operations, public order management, and aviation security. January 11, 2017: Congos allied opposition parties have nominated Felix Tshisekedi to serve as prime minister until President Kabila is replaced. He is the son of Etienne Tshisekedi, head of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS). This fulfills part of the December 31 agreement. January 10, 2017: The Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) announce that police have arrested Andre Okombi Salissa, a senior political opposition leader. In central Burundi (Mwaro province) investigators discovered a mass grave with at least 1,000 bodies. The grave apparently dates to a 1972 tribal war between Hutus and Tutsis. That spate of violence lasted three months. An estimated 200,000 people died in the violence, the majority of them ethnic Hutus. January 5, 2017: In southeastern Congo (Tanganyika province) at least 17 people died in ethnic violence between Bantus and Pygmies. The biggest fight occurred in the village of Piana Mwanga. One source said 37 other Bantus were wounded and 65 Bantu houses were burned. Pygmies, because of their short stature, have long been persecuted and tend to live by themselves deep in the jungle. There they acquired a reputation of being experts in getting around the bush and as hunters. The wide availability of cheap firearms since the 1990s has evened the combat odds and the Pygmies are now able and inclined to shoot back when attacked. Pygmys short stature (150cm/under five feet for adult males) is believed to be an ancient genetic adaptation to life in the tropical rain forests of Central Africa. There are believed to be half a million Pygmies living in Congo, less than one percent of the Congo population. January 4, 2017: The UN Security Council commended the December 31, 2016 agreement between the Kabila government and opposition political parties. The UN reiterated that its goal the first peaceful transfer of power in Congo since 1960. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Obituaries Newsletter Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Tauranga is suffering from a good problem growth because during the next decade two-thirds of New Zealand will see population stagnation or population decline. But the key to harnessing it is how we anticipate what will happen in the future and plan for it, says a leading Kiwi academic and professor coming to town next week. Distinguished Professor Paul Spoonley is in Tauranga tomorrow, Tuesday, February 7, to talk to the business community, to begin a new Beyond 2020 - Smart Talk Future thinking series. Paul, who is also vice chancellor of Massey University, will discuss how we can deliver on the potential of our businesses, communities and our region on the back of his most recent book Rebooting the regions which is full of expert essays on how to combat the pull of Auckland and get the regions humming. And he says future prospects of the new fifth-largest city are very bright for several reasons. One it is part of the golden triangle. Were anticipating 60 per cent of NZs population growth will occur in Auckland during the next two decades. So thats the growth node for NZ. But it will be accompanied by Hamilton and Tauranga as the two other growth nodes. And Paul says Tauranga benefits from being at the centre of a growing region but it is also an important retirement destination. In this decade the number of people 65-plus will double to 1.2million and they are the healthiest, wealthiest most active NZers aged 65-plus weve ever seen. And Tauranga has a significant number of those older NZers and is becoming of the retirement centres for the country. Nearly all of NZs population growth is going to occur in the top half of the North Island. But the other aspect to it is since 2012 two-thirds of our population growth has come immigration. And we do need to be aware that immigration is where we get our people from, says Paul. He believes theres two important challenges for Tauranga. One is you need to accommodate growth Auckland is an example of a city that has done a very poor job of providing infrastructure for growth. You need major infrastructural development. The second thing is many people contributing to Taurangas growth are new NZers. And we do need to make sure we are welcoming and settling in those immigrants if we are going to be successful. Paul says there are three components to Taurangas population growth. One is a newly-retired population coming to live here. Another comes from fertility the number of babies born in the area. The third component comes from immigrants. A forth is youre getting overspill from Auckland. So I think the challenge for local authorities and employers is they need to look five, 10 or 15 years out and anticipate whats coming down the pipeline. They are sort of quite reactive. Paul says one particular One of the hurdle for regions is they dont do a particularly good job of anticipating skill demand. He says NZ is behind the eight ball in thinking about the demographics of the regions and how they might work to build their economies. So employers in Tauranga will be complaining they dont have the skill bases they need and thats because we havent planned for it. Im not criticising employers but Im saying we often dont anticipate whats coming up. And the economy is shifting towards a gig economy and there are new jobs coming. All of the evidence suggest between 40 and 50 per cent of the jobs in a place like Tauranga in 2017 will not exist in Tauranga in 2027. But there will be new jobs and those will involve much more technology and probably much more global connections. Those might be tourists or working with people internationally. And a lot of the jobs around us will become redundant. So Paul says the question for a place like Tauranga is: what will the future look like? And what are we doing to plan for it? Being strategic, visionary and having good leadership are all critical. To learn more about Pauls talk in Tauranga, see: www.tauranga.org.nz/events-calendar Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA provides dialysis care and related dialysis care services in Germany, North America, and internationally. It offers dialysis treatment and related laboratory and diagnostic services through a network of outpatient dialysis clinics; materials, training, and patient support services comprising clinical monitoring, follow-up assistance, and arranging for delivery of the supplies to the patient's residence; and dialysis services under contract to hospitals in the United States for the hospitalized end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and for patients suffering from acute kidney failure. The company also develops, manufactures, and distributes dialysis products, including polysulfone dialyzers, hemodialysis machines, peritoneal dialysis cyclers, peritoneal dialysis solutions, hemodialysis concentrates, solutions and granulates, bloodlines, renal pharmaceuticals, and systems for water treatment; and non-dialysis products, such as acute cardiopulmonary and apheresis products. In addition, it develops, acquires, and in-licenses renal pharmaceuticals; offers renal medications and supplies to patients at homes or to dialysis clinics; and provides vascular, cardiovascular, endovascular specialty, vascular care ambulatory surgery center, and physician nephrology and cardiology services. The company sells its products to dialysis clinics, hospitals, and specialized treatment clinics directly, as well as through local sales forces, independent distributors, dealers, and sales agents. As of February 23, 2022, it operated 4,171 outpatient dialysis clinics in approximately 150 countries. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in Bad Homburg, Germany. Money seized from drug dealers has given local crime scene investigators a new tool fit for the digital age, and the expectations of CSI-minded jurors. The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office bought the 3-D scanner in late 2015 to help improve efficiency and enhance the thoroughness of investigating crime and motor vehicle accident scenes, said Investigator Drew Bolzer. "Sometimes you just can't get all the evidence at the scene," he said. Before they had the scanner, Bolzer said, "if we didn't measure it, we didn't get it." Now, they can capture innumerable facts and measurements with the FARO digital imager, which has factored into the citys biggest cases since its purchase. The scanner made its local court debut during the grand jury investigation into the June 26 death of Germichael Kennedy, who was shot to death by a Lincoln police officer. It hasn't been tested in a criminal trial yet, but Lancaster County's top prosecutor said he's confident its capabilities will withstand any legal challenges when and if they arise. "Its like DNA (evidence) in that its uses that 3-D use were being utilized by many, many other professions other than trial attorneys long before we were using it in court," County Attorney Joe Kelly said. An invisible laser from the scanner records 20 million to 40 million points at a scene with such sensitivity the laser notes the color of objects off of which it bounces, Bolzer said. By comparison, traffic accident investigators typically capture about 250 measurements using a surveying tool, he said. Once the scene is scanned, the data is uploaded into a computer program that recreates renderings of the scene based on the measurements, Bolzer said. Investigators have used it in a couple of dozen cases to aid Lincoln police and on every fatal crash deputies have investigated, he said. The cases include the July 7 murder of gas station clerk Robert Hanna and the probe into the Jan. 2 suspicious death of Amanda Nielsen, officials said. Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister is among the scanner's fans. "It is making the documentation of the scene more efficient and much better to be able to be presented both internally as you review it for investigative strategy but also for prosecution purposes," Bliemeister said. The value of such technology, which LPD and the sheriff's office use collaboratively, can help prosecutors and, ultimately, act as a deterrent to future crime. Kelly said it helps judges, jurors and attorneys quickly acclimate to the crime scene. During the grand jury called to investigate Kennedy's death, Kelly questioned a deputy sheriff investigator, who showed the scanner's renderings from the scene of the shooting near 14th and Adams streets. "It would have happened right here, right along the sidewalk," Capt. Josh Clark testified. "And the officers were standing pretty much in this area based on their descriptions looking directly east. "And this is the house that they're describing. And you can see the rock wall." The investigator went on to use the rendering to note where shell casings were and where Kennedy's body lay. Until the 3D scanner came along, photographs, satellite images and maps were typically the visual aids prosecutors could use to place jurors at a scene, Kelly said. "This takes all the guessing out of all of that, and everybody gets a common understanding of the area theyre looking at." Bolzer sees great value in the ability to change the perspective, which he and other investigators investigating a fatal crash can use to see what would have been visible to a driver of a certain height, he said. That aspect of the scanner's capabilities was used last fall in Georgia when a man stood trial for murder in the death of his 22-month-old son who had been left in a hot car. Prosecutors used the renderings to further their argument that Ross Harris would have seen the boy in his car seat when he got out of the car, according to media reports. The defense challenged the renderings, saying they were faulty and inaccurate. But they were allowed, and Harris was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Kelly said he expects challenges to the renderings if and when the scanner makes its criminal trial court debut here. Scaled renderings from the scanner's measurements are accurate to within 1/10,000th of an inch, or the thickness of a piece of paper, Bolzer said. Since the scanner hasn't been used in this jurisdiction, Kelly said, "Itll just be a matter of doing it correctly the first time." Cost for the hardware and training on the scanner was about $80,000, which the sheriff's office paid for with forfeited assets, Sheriff Terry Wagner said. So far, he said, the technology has proven its worth. "It's what juries expect now," he said. Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer and distributor of professional beauty supplies. The company operates through two segments, Sally Beauty Supply and Beauty Systems Group. The Sally Beauty Supply segment offers beauty products, including hair color and care products, skin and nail care products, styling tools, and other beauty products for retail customers, salons, and salon professionals. This segment also provides products under third-party brands, such as Wella, Clairol, OPI, Conair, and L'Oreal, as well as exclusive-label brand merchandise. The Beauty Systems Group segment offers professional beauty products, such as hair color and care products, skin and nail care products, styling tools, and other beauty items directly to salons and salon professionals through its professional-only stores, e-commerce platforms, and sales force, as well as through franchised stores under the Armstrong McCall store name. This segment also sells products under third-party brands, such as Paul Mitchell, Wella, Matrix, Schwarzkopf, Kenra, Goldwell, Joico, and Olaplex. As of September 30, 2021, the company operated 4,777 stores, including 134 franchised units in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Germany. It also distributes its products through full-service/exclusive distributors, open-line distributors, direct sales, and mega-salon stores. Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1964 and is headquartered in Denton, Texas. SEATTLEThrough a Super Bowl ad, public statements and court filings, Silicon Valleys biggest companies are taking a strong stand against President Donald Trumps travel ban, saying high tech needs immigrants creativity and energy to stay competitive. Although the companies are risking a backlash from customers who side with Trump, they say the pushback is necessary for an industry dependent on thousands of highly skilled foreign workers. About 58 per cent of the engineers and other high-skill employees in Silicon Valley were born outside the U.S., according to the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, an industry trade group. Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump Immigration and innovation go hand in hand, said Carl Guardino, the groups CEO. This cuts so deeply into the bone and marrow of what fuels the innovation economy that very few CEOs feel the luxury of sitting on the sidelines. So people are going to stand up and speak up. The tech industry contends there arent enough Americans with the specialized skills these companies need. The ban, tech companies say, would make hiring even tougher and pressure them to move some operations abroad. A lot of these companies will really struggle if all of a sudden we turn off the spigot, said Greg Morrisett, dean of Cornell Universitys Computing and Information Science school. Read more: Two U.S. states say restoring Trumps travel ban would unleash chaos again Trump goes on attack as borders open Law students join research-a-thon to support challenges to Trumps travel ban In a court filing Sunday against the ban, 97 companies, including such major tech players as Google, Apple, Microsoft, eBay, Netflix, Facebook and Twitter, also spoke of the entrepreneurial spirit of people who choose to leave everything that is familiar and journey to an unknown land to make a new life. Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella both came from India. Google co-founder Sergey Brin is a Russian refugee who moved to the U.S. as a boy. The father of Apples late co-founder, Steve Jobs, immigrated from Syria. The Silicon Valley Leadership Group estimates that half the companies in the region were co-founded by an immigrant or are now led by a CEO from outside the U.S. In signing an executive order Jan. 27 that would temporarily ban people from seven Muslim-majority countries, Trump said he was trying to protect Americans by preventing terrorists from slipping into the country. The administration says the president has the constitutional authority to decide who can enter. During the Super Bowl, several companies ran ads that promoted diversity and inclusion, as marketers tried to reach both sides of a consumer base roiled by the election. One of the most overtly political was from Airbnb, a company that matches travellers with places to stay. The San Francisco company showed close-ups of people with different ethnicities. A narrator says: We believe no matter who you are, where youre from, who you love or who you worship, we all belong. The world is more beautiful the more you accept. Airbnb followed up with a campaign to provide short-term housing over the next five years for 100,000 people in need, starting with refugees, disaster survivors and relief workers. The company also said it will donate $4 million over four years to the International Rescue Committee, joining many tech brethren in making financial contributions. Google set up a $4 million crisis fund in January to support organizations that are helping immigrants and refugees, while ride-hailing service Lyft pledged $1 million over the next four years to the American Civil Liberties Union, one of the groups challenging the ban. And workers from Google and Comcast workers have staged walkouts over the restriction. I wouldnt be where I am today or have any kind of life that I have today if this was not a brave country that really stood out and spoke for liberty, Brin told a crowd of Google employees who walked out in protest last week. Tech companies risk alienating the many Americans who support Trump and his policies. But the risk is lower than that of, say, a company that makes consumer products with plenty of alternatives. Its much harder to boycott a Facebook or Google, where you have friends or your email address, said digital marketing analyst Rebecca Lieb. She added that people are less likely to toss out a $2,000 laptop or pricey mobile phone than change soft drinks. In fact, tech companies might be more wary of backlash from the anti-Trump side. Last week, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick quit Trumps council of business leaders after an outcry from Uber customers and employees who were upset about the ban. In addition, most tech companies have operations around the world and risk alienating customers abroad if they stay silent. We interact with a large global ecosystem and our businesses would not be here or be able to thrive without it, said Aaron Levie, CEO of Box Inc., an online storage service. So our businesses are extremely sensitive, by default, to things that affect immigration and things that affect our relationship with the broader world. Read more about: SHARE: Jane Li knows all about the nerve-wracking wait to learn if your work will be accepted for publication. Last year, just before the April deadline, she submitted one of her illustrations to Torontos celebrated Young Voices magazine. By late June, she still had no response. The long, agonizing waiting period gave her the jitters. Jane was already an accomplished visual artist, thanks in part to a unique program that offers promising young people a chance to harness their creative talents. The Young Voices program at the Toronto Public Library of which the Young Voices magazine is a part helped Jane find an outlet to express herself. When I first got involved, I was a hopeful 12-year-old who became passionate about art from the doodles in math class, says Jane, now 17. She discovered Young Voices while poring through a stack of back issues of the magazine at her local library. The program was very important in guiding me to find my own voice. Unlike school assignments, Young Voices allows for a wide array of creative freedom and artist license. That summer, Jane would tense up whenever the telephone rang, waiting to find out if her work was among the lucky few to be chosen. She knew creators were contacted by the library early in the summer. By July, when she had still heard nothing, she steeled herself for disappointment. Finally, the call came. The news was beyond her wildest expectations. Her illustration was not only accepted, it was featured on the cover of the 2016 magazine. When I found out I was accepted I was jumping with joy. I got the call while running some errands so I actually danced around on the street right after I hung up! Young Voices is published each spring and features written and visual work from Toronto youth aged 12-19. While the magazines aim is to publish high-calibre creative work, for many teens, its also a venue to explore and express complicated personal feelings in a safe space. Amanda Murgel, for one, learned that its OK to feel awkward. The fifteen-year old student at Bishop Allen Academy felt validated when a deeply personal poem she had written about feeling alienated and alone was selected for last years magazine. Reading her work in front of a crowd at the magazines launch, she realized for the first time that other young readers were just as nervous as she was. Her awkwardness is now a point of pride, something she understands as a valuable part of her identity as a writer. The whole experience left her feeling more comfortable in her own skin. It is important because it helped me express how awful I felt inside. It gave me the chance to share those feelings with others. I learned I could achieve something with my creative voice. The magazine also offers the opportunity for young writers to develop their inner editor. Benjamin Gabbay, 21, first discovered it in 2010through the librarys Young Voices Writers Conference. He soon joined the writers group at his home branch. In 2012, he began to volunteer with the Editorial Youth Advisory Group (EYAG), the editorial collective which selects and edits work for the magazine. According to Ken Sparling, communications officer at the library, the magazine receives approximately 500-700 submissions each year. Of these, only 85 are selected. With so much great material, choosing work can be challenging. As EYAG volunteers, some of our most important jobs come in having to review and judge submissions from young artists, Gabbay says. Ive learned about the things that can make a piece of writing objectively good namely, how any work that is given a high degree of attention and intelligent editing can stand out like a diamond in the rough. Gabbay is currently studying music composition at the University of Toronto and remains active in the arts world. He has self-published a novel (Wingheart: Luminous Rock) and also works as a web and graphic designer. For Young Voices creators, this early nod of encouragement can serve as a critical first step in identifying their passion and pursing their art more seriously. Photographer Jack Burman placed a short story called The Funeral in the magazines first issue, back in 1965. Now 67, hes gone on to achieve notable success in the art world. His stunning photographs explore themes of death and dying, an interest already evident in his Young Voices piece. He says such projects are deeply generous and courageous in offering youth an opportunity to take risks with their craft, and as a means of reaching out to others. Young Voices will accept writing and visual art from young people aged 12-19 until April 4, 2017. Copies of the magazine and submission guidelines are available online at the Young Voices website: http://torontopubliclibrary.typepad.com/teens/young-voices-magazine.html SHARE: The city of Oshawa has always been better known for autos than for art. Cars did, however, take a back seat to culture when pioneering abstract expressionist painter Alexandra Luke held salons at her cottage studio at Thickson Point on the shores of Lake Ontario back in the 1950s. It was her influence that made the suburb home to the largest collection of works by Canadas famed Painters Eleven collective she was one of the 11 at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery. The city was quite fertile ground for art because of people like Alexandra Luke, says Linda Jansma, senior curator at the gallery. There was a woman called Dorothy Van Luven who was an art teacher . . . and there was Ron Lambert, who was taught by Luke. He was told by her to go down to Provincetown and study with (colour theorist) Hans Hofmann, which he did. Lambert, now 80, returned from his studies to paint and work in Oshawa. He is present among the 70 artists gathered for Durham Reach, a comprehensive show of local artists celebrating the McLaughlin Gallerys 50th anniversary; showing that art practice is alive and well far from the art scene of downtown Toronto. William Caldwell is another one of the 70. It was Caldwell who, tired of how art was presented in the city, decided a gallery was needed. He had literally fallen over a chair trying to get close to a painting at the main library, says Jansma. Caldwell called upon local artists of the time and, in 1967, the Oshawa Art Gallery opened in a second-floor space, above a shoe shop in downtown Oshawa. Later, Luke became involved and, with a substantial donation of Painters Eleven works from her own collection plus substantial funds from her husband, Clarence Ewart McLaughlin the gallery was relocated beside City Hall and renamed to honour Ewarts father, Robert, brother of Samuel McLaughlin, the founder of GM Canada. In 1987, Arthur Erickson redesigned and expanded the building and, in 2011, the British Columbian architects friend, Douglas Coupland, was commissioned to create the sculpture Group Portrait 1957. It is a commemoration of the Painters Eleven and their roots in the manufacturing heritage of Oshawa. That heritage, of factories, forests and farms, continues to influence artists who live in the region. They can differ in their choice of medium, but their shared choice of area code remains a factor, both helping and hindering their creative progression. Margaret Rodgers, author of Locating Alexandra, says she once curated a show of artists from Hamilton and Burlington during her time at the Visual Arts Centre of Clarington. I referred to us as cats looking across that great bowl of cream, she says of the experience of being so close, yet still so removed from Toronto, and this, while changing, can tend to be the case still. Poet, painter and former architect Ingrid Ruthig says, For me, being in Durham has meant freedom to discover and set my own direction. Occasionally you run into someone too short-sighted to see beyond the Rouge River, but were here all right, getting on with the important stuff, the creative work. Jay McCarten lives and works at Thickson Point, adding a historic link to the geographic one that informs the curation of Durham Reach. He says just getting on with the work could be the connecting element of the areas artists. Maybe thats the message of artists out here; thats the cohesiveness, he says. Its that everyone out here is just working, without looking for the big limelight thing . . . I just want to do the work, not do it for a show, just do it; maybe were just blue collar people here. The ethic runs deep in the regions art makers. Many of them have little factories, working studios, hidden in the rolling farmland north of the Oak Ridges Moraine. The major galleries, however, are in the town and city centres of the south. But they play a vital role, says Rodgers. The three regional galleries in Durham have a big impact in their various programming initiatives and the way that area artists are acknowledged and appreciated, she says. Illustrator Dani Crosby, who teaches in the fine arts program at Durham College, says she has found a welcoming creative community in the region. Through networking and an effort to connect through participation in local events I have had the pleasure of meeting and building relationships with creative companions from all walks of life, she says. Networking and meetups are necessary to Durham artists given their reach from Lake Simcoe to Lake Scugog to Lake Ontario. In the absence of a centralized arts district, collective shows at galleries cover the need. Durham Reach follows on the example of Lukes salons at Thickson Point and on those first shows at the Oshawa Art Gallery, connecting local artists under one roof, enabling creativity, comprehension and cohesion as well as removing obstacles that may interfere with the full enjoyment of a good painting. Durham Reach runs until April 2 at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery, 72 Queen St., Oshawa. Read more about: SHARE: Liver cancer is to blame for more than a thousand deaths every year in Ontario and most of these occur in the Greater Toronto Area. In fact, the epidemic level of liver cancer in this city often goes unrecognized, as its diluted by provincial and national statistics. So what is it about Toronto that makes it such a hot spot for this type of cancer? Most of the cases occur in patients with chronic liver disease, typically due to chronic blood-borne infections with the hepatitis B or C viruses. The transmission of hepatitis B occurs mainly from mother to child and is prevalent in several regions of the world. Immigrants from East Asian and African communities are at an especially elevated risk of carrying hepatitis B, and of developing liver cancer. Hepatitis C is found throughout the world and mainly spread through sharing and inadequate sterilization of needles and syringes. Those whove been exposed to infected blood are also at a higher risk and adults born between 1945 and 1975 are much more likely to have been exposed to hepatitis C. Both infections are silent, with no symptoms until it is too late. And its a big issue: liver cancer is among the most fatal cancers in the province now the fifth most common cause of cancer death among men in Ontario. This is new for North America, where it has traditionally been uncommon (globally its the second most common cause of death from cancer). But with the undetected spread of hepatitis C and a growing immigrant population, Ontario has seen a staggering 4.5 per cent increase every year for the past 30 years. Today, the provinces rate of new cases is similar to regions with moderately high incidence, such as Western Africa. But because of the concentration of immigrants in Toronto, our local rate is even higher. If you live in this city, there is a real chance you may be at risk. The survival rate from liver cancer has tripled over the past 30 years but it remains quite low. According to provincial statistics, only 24 per cent of patients will survive five years or longer. But when caught early, there is a high chance of cure. New advances in our knowledge and treatments make prevention and cure possible. For instance, effective treatments have recently been developed for chronic viral hepatitis resulting in diminishing incidence of liver cancer in those successfully treated. And in our work at the University Health Network, we have found that three quarters of cancers found in patients undergoing regular ultrasound checks were within a potentially curable stage. Furthermore, our research has shown that ultrasound scans have resulted in improved liver cancer survival rates in Ontario. However, only half of cancers detected elsewhere in the GTA are potentially curable, likely because they have had no or too little surveillance. With few symptoms until too late, liver cancer is all too often found when in an advanced, incurable stage leading to our poor provincial survival statistics. As a physician, its disheartening to see so many middle-aged patients appear week after week with new large, invasive tumours that should be a rarity given our advanced health care system. Whos at risk? Liver cancer occurs in patients with chronic hepatitis or liver disease so finding out if youve been infected is the first step. If you dont know your hepatitis infection status, ask your family doctor if you need to be checked. And if you carry the infection, see a liver specialist for possible treatments. Hepatitis B: The highest rates of infection are seen in immigrants from East Asian and sub-Saharan African communities. Also at higher risk are members of South Asian, Middle Eastern, and southern aspects of Central and East European communities. Hepatitis C: Adults born between 1945 and 1975 are up to five times more likely to have been exposed to hepatitis C than other adults. Liver experts and the Canadian Liver Foundation have advocated a one-time screening for hepatitis C for all members of this age group, even those born in Canada. Hepatitis C is present throughout most of the world. Therefore if you are an immigrant from anywhere outside northern Europe, you are at higher risk and should consider getting tested, especially since curative treatments have recently been developed. Particularly at high risk are immigrants from Central and East Asia, and Africa. If you have developed cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) or are a chronic hepatitis B carrier, youre at risk of liver cancer, and should be getting liver ultrasound scans every six months. Dr. Korosh Khalili is an associate professor in the University of Torontos Department of Medical Imaging, radiologist at the Joint Department of Medical Imaging, at the University Health Network, Sinai Health System, and Womens College Hospital, and a masters student in the U of T Faculty of Medicines Translational Research Program. Dr. Morris Sherman is the chairman of the Canadian Liver Foundation, a professor in the University of Toronto and a liver specialist at University Health Network. Dr. Hla-Hla Thein is a scientist in the University of Torontos Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Doctors Notes is a weekly column by members of the U of T Faculty of Medicine. Email doctorsnotes@thestar.ca . SHARE: QUEBECOne week after six of their own were gunned down in a deadly attack, worshippers from a Quebec City mosque led hundreds of residents on a march to promote unity and tolerance on Sunday. After a 6 km walk under snowy skies, mosque president Mohamed Yangui read a message he said was written by the family of the victims of the tragedy. My brothers and sisters, you are our family, the message began. Thank you to our community who came from Montreal, from Sherbrooke, from Ottawa in Ontario and elsewhere. The message went on to thank Quebec City officials and first responders as well as Quebecers and Canadians for their sympathy and support in the week since the massacre. Thank you everyone, for your sympathy and your love, Yangui read. The march began at Laval University, where one of the victims taught, and made its way to Quebecs legislature. The crowd grew as the march progressed, as people from the sidewalks linked arms with the marchers and joined in chanting slogans such as All Canadians! All Quebecers! and No to violence, no to hate. Ali Dahan, a former diplomat, said he was marching in memory of his friend Azzedine Soufiane, who was among the six men who were gunned down during evening prayers the week before. He said hed seen Soufiane, a grocer and father of three, the day before the shooting. He was so kind and he was interesting, everything that was peace and love, he said. I couldnt believe the next day he was dead. One woman, who gave her name as Fatima, struggled to find the words to explain the loss suffered by the community. It will always be painful because what happened cost us so dearly, she said. Its as if (the shooter) chose the stars of our community. The six victims, aged between 39 and 60, were killed when a gunman stormed the mosque and opened fire on men who were attending prayer. Several others were wounded. He also said it was important to build on the goodwill of the past week to create lasting change. Organizer Reda Kada said the march was a way for members of the Muslim community to reach out and respond to the messages of solidarity theyve received over the past week. We want to prove to everybody that we want to stay here and work with the people of Quebec for peace and unity, he said. One of the organizers, Smail Kalla, announced that the last of the six victims had been buried in Montreal on Sunday. He said burials for other victims took place over the weekend in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. At the end of Sundays march, a moment of silence was held in honour of those who were killed and injured. A second moment of silence was dedicated to the family of the man charged in connection with the killings. An organizer described the family members of Alexandre Bissonnette as fellow victims of the tragedy. About 30 men returned to the mosque for Sunday evening prayers -- the same service that was brutally interrupted a week earlier. The mens prayers were held upstairs since the ground floor, where the shooting took place, remains closed for renovations. In the mosque, bouquets of flowers had been placed around the dried bloodstains that still dotted the green-and-beige-striped carpet, and condolence cards sent from across Canada were tacked to the walls. The mosques president has said the decor will be changed as part of renovations. The mosque reopened to worshippers on Saturday. One man, who lingered on the ground floor after prayers, noted the crowd was about the same size as usual. We have (kept) doing things the same, he said as he left. Bissonnette, 27, faces six counts of first-degree murder and five of attempted murder using a restricted firearm. He is due to appear before a judge this month on the allegations, which havent been tested in court. Bissonnette, 27, faces six counts of first-degree murder and five of attempted murder using a restricted firearm. He is due to appear before a judge this month on the allegations, which havent been tested in court. SHARE: You no longer have to ask God for help to beat alcoholism in Greater Toronto. Two agnostic chapters of Alcoholics Anonymous are once again being welcomed into the fold of the international organizations Greater Toronto Area Intergroup, as part of a mediated settlement of a discrimination complaint before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, announced Monday. This is going to save lives, remarked Larry Knight, 59, who made the complaint after the two chapters were delisted from the GTA umbrella group in 2011. People are going to have an opportunity for recovery where they felt they did not have one before. AAs 12 Steps, 12 Traditions and Big Book are replete with references to God as the higher power to whom members turn for help in becoming and staying abstinent. Knight was involved with the founding of two agnostic AA groups in Toronto, one in 2009 and another the following year. There was no mention of God during weekly meetings. Someone unhappy with the removal of references to God complained to the Intergroup. The Intergroup is a communication vehicle for local groups. It creates a directory of local meetings, both online and in hard copy. Members of the Intergroup voted to delist the two agnostic chapters almost six years ago. Knight, a woodworker and photographer who credits AA for helping him to stay sober for 23 years, challenged the move with the help of Torontos Human Rights Legal Support Centre. This is a massive victory for sobriety and inclusion, Megan Evans Maxwell, a lawyer with the centre, said of the mediated settlement. She explained that under the settlement, agnostic members still must acknowledge the 12 steps as they are written including with references to God but can interpret the steps in any way they see as personally meaningful. In practical terms, that means agnostic meetings can be held without any verbal reference to God, she said. As well, the settlement means the agnostic groups can participate in the Intergroup and are once again listed in its directories. The Intergroup released a statement Monday saying its members are mindful of the principle encapsulated in Tradition 10 of the 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous that the Alcoholics Anonymous name ought not to be drawn into public controversy, which would include discussing this matter through the media. The group added that in its view, the matter of the complaint and the settlement is best left to the collective conscience of the AA members in the Greater Toronto Area. SHARE: MONTREALWith Kevin OLeary on stage, the Conservatives had their first chance to watch the full slate of leadership hopefuls in action Saturday night. Here is a look at the state of play as the year-long campaign to find a successor for Stephen Harper moves into high gear. Maxime Bernier has collected more money than any of his rivals and the largest number of contributions. There are fewer Conservative members in Quebec than in the other large provinces. Given that, his tally suggests he has a broader base. In the big picture, that matters. With every riding worth the same number of leadership votes regardless of the size of its membership, it is not good enough to have the most boots on the ground if those are concentrated in a single region. Bernier had a fundraising head start on most of the competition. But he collected more than half of his 2016 funds over the last three months of the year, at a time when all but OLeary had joined the race. The partys first bilingual debate took place during that period. By all indications, Bernier scored points for being able to debate in both French and English, a skill that most of his rivals do not command. Kellie Leitch lost her chief strategist last week. Nick Kouvalis quit his post of campaign manager just as her main plank a controversial plan to test newcomers to this country for so-called anti-Canadian values was under attack from all quarters of the Conservative movement. Since the imposition by Donald Trumps U.S. administration of a travel ban on citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, a string of leading Conservatives ranging from former federal ministers Jason Kenney and Peter MacKay to Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall and Nova Scotia Tory leader Jamie Baillie have cautioned the Conservatives against backing Leitch or/and embracing Trump-style immigration policies. In the last quarter of 2016, Leitch fell from first to second place on the fundraising scoreboard. Campaigns are run on momentum. The returns for the first quarter of this year will tell whether she has any left. To the surprise of some, Ontario MP Michael Chong finished in the 2016 fundraising top tier. As the lone proponent of a carbon tax he has been swimming against the tide on the debate podium. But there is a sizeable constituency within the Conservative party that does want it to be more proactive on climate change and carbon pricing, and he has cornered that market. An early campaign start also helped. Chongs problem may be that he has relatively little room to grow past the first round of voting. Despite coming to the battle later than the previous three, Saskatchewan MP Andrew Scheer raised more money than Chong and almost caught up to Leitch in the last quarter. The former speaker of the House of Commons scored points this month when former Conservative minister Chuck Strahl joined his campaign. Strahl is respected across the Reform/Tory divide. Scheer has a strong regional base in the Prairies, but the region has a relatively modest number of leadership votes. Strahl is well placed to open up doors in British Columbia. Of the nine other candidates who entered the race before the end of last year, Ontario MP Erin OToole who served in Harpers cabinet over the final months of the Conservative mandate has done best on both caucus endorsements and fundraising. If victory in May ends up belonging to whoever is the second choice of the largest number of Conservatives, he could be this campaigns dark horse. A word in closing on Kevin OLeary the late-entry candidate presumed to be the front-runner even before he has run a single lap. He is not the first to try to parlay a business background into a federal leadership ticket. But candidates such as Michael Wilson, Brian Mulroney or Paul Martin all seemed to have a deeper understanding of the federation and the party they sought to lead than OLeary has exhibited to date. If the Conservatives were really looking for a seatless political rookie with solid business credentials and a capacity to articulate policy in either official language to lead them, they would pick Rick Peterson the B.C. outsider who is scoring at or close to the bottom of the fundraising and polling charts over OLeary. But then Peterson is anything but a reality television personality! Chantal Hebert is a national affairs writer. Her column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Read more about: SHARE: The flesh-like rubber arms and hands splayed out on a table are very real -- too real, in some cases -- but its the artificial blood oozing from a wound that really pulls it all together. Thats a good thing, at least for the future nurses learning the skills theyll use regularly at the Nursing Simulator Center at Union College. The growing center, which just opened a $350,000 expansion in January, gives 100 students the chance to practice hard skills like starting an IV or fitting a central line, and soft skills like teamwork and critical thinking in a setting that resembles a real hospital. We want students to come on a shift just like they would at a hospital, said Tracy Hagele, center coordinator. Students start in the tasking room, where they learn to find a vein or insert a catheter on the artificial arms and hands fleshy enough to seem real. If a mistake is made a missed vein in the arm, for example -- the artificial limbs bleed, which makes it a little more realistic, said Rebecca Randa, a clinical instructor at Union College. Upon mastering those individual skills, students move on to assessing and treating one of the four simulator manikins Union has been using for the better part of the last decade while instructors watch from behind mirrored glass. We are behind the glass letting them make decisions, Randa said. We can change the situation depending on what they choose to do and they can learn to independently make those choices. The curriculum puts students in the simulator lab throughout their education, approximating them closer and closer to what the job will entail as they advance. The scenarios that play out in the simulator are contoured to Unions nursing curriculum and written by Hagele based on the expectations of accrediting commissions. Amy Golter, an adjunct nursing instructor at Union, said students move from single tasks into multi-level scenarios focused around collaboration, communication, prioritization and delegation. We use simulation in all of our classes, Golter said. Weve incorporated it into our clinical hours, so students get training on it immediately when they come into the nursing program and we build as we go. In addition to the manikins -- which can breathe, blink, bleed and respond to treatments -- Union also relies on volunteers, including alumni, other nursing students or Union students with a passion for acting to portray patients so the students can work on their bedside manner. With most of our unit-based scenarios, we have simulators and live patients in the bed and a family member sitting at the bedside, said Golter. They can interact with the manikin to do things like give medications, do procedures that we wouldnt want to be doing on a live person. But on the person, they can do things like communication and the actual human interaction. One of the higher level scenarios Union puts students through calls on them to prioritize patients to clear space for others being admitted to a hospital after an emergency. In between the patient rooms are control rooms where instructors can monitor students, record their work for playback, or flip the switch on a new scenario. A classroom in the middle of the center allows for students to monitor a simulation in real-time or watch a recorded simulation to debrief over what worked and what can be done better. The simulation center, coupled with regular classwork is putting Union Colleges nursing students on a fast track of success, according to test results from the National Council Licensure Examination for nurses. More than 94 percent of Union College nursing graduates passed the board exam on the first try in 2015 -- the highest in the state -- compared to about 87 percent of students at other nursing schools around the state. Last year, the number of students who passed on the first try rose to 97 percent. Results from around the state will be released at the end of the month. About 60 percent of Union Colleges nurses will get jobs in Nebraska upon graduation, said Nicole Orian, chair of the Division of Nursing. Many are hired before graduating. Ava White, a recent Union College graduate and nurse at CHI-St. Elizabeth, said she wanted to attend one of the high-tech simulation centers she saw friends sharing on social media where she could learn to treat cardiac arrest, seizures or hemorrhages in a safe learning environment. Lo and behold, here in Lincoln, Nebraska, there was a simulation center, White said. It drew me in because I was able to practice even more so than just in the hospital with clinicals. Hi, can we help you find your MP? Hot-pink decorations, homemade cookies and direct democracy greeted walk-ins to 1161 Dundas St. W. on Sunday, as two young Torontonians organized the West End Dial-In, an event aiming to connect everyday citizens with the political process. The dial-in was planned in less than a week by Marlowe Granados, 25, and Ariella Starkman, 24, who said they were moved by the U.S. travel ban to do something in their local community. Were in a time politically where we dont have the privilege to be complacent anymore, Starkman said. But I dont want this to be a day where we tell people what to call their MPs about. People can come in with their own motivations, we simply have information that can help them find their MPs and some talking points they can (read from) should they want to take immediate action. The pop-up gallery space featured tables lined with literature on how the travel ban affects Canadians, a Handbook for the Days Ahead with tips from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and, most importantly, provided a community space for everyday people to make a call or write an email. People sometimes find the political process hard to access, Granados said, adding that many people forget theyve always had the power to call their MPs about the issues that matter to them. But cold-calling politicians can be intimidating for some, she said. The language can be difficult; government websites are hard to navigate and many people just might not know where to start. If people are not yet politically active, we want them to feel like they can be and give them an easy entry point, Starkman said. Its super important to be in a community and to use your voice, power and privilege. We feel lucky to have these resources to reach out to people, so its important for us to use and share them. It was 25-year-old Basia Wyszynskis first time calling her member of Parliament on Sunday. The daughter of a Polish immigrant said she felt compelled to come and pick up the phone because of her own family history and because everything thats happening right now is crazy. I think if enough people call, (MPs) will consider talking to Justin Trudeau about immigration policy, she said. I think (calling) was a good first step for me and it will lead me to being more involved. And now that she has a number to call, she said she plans to use it. I think its just through the small actions of people every day that positive change happens, she said, and that includes me. Organizers say theyd be willing to help set up more dial-ins if theres ongoing interest and are happy to share their resources if you contact them through Starkmans event company, Thank You Kindly. SHARE: Mayor John Tory is urging the Ontario government to tackle the daycare crisis, days after demanding Premier Kathleen Wynne help shoulder Torontos huge social housing costs. In a letter to Wynne on Sunday, the mayor notes he stressed at their recent meeting it is not business as usual between our two governments a reference to his anger at the premier for flip-flopping on Torontos ability to toll the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway. I firmly believe that when it comes to issues like child care and housing, it can no longer be business as usual because the status quo leaves Toronto taxpayers footing the bills that the province should be paying, Tory wrote, noting Wynne cited affordability for residents as the reason she blocked the tolls, after telling Tory last fall she would not do so. Given your recent comments and concerns about affordability for Ontario residents, I want to draw to your attention the child care affordability crisis unfolding in Toronto and the need for Queens Park to address the issue. Tory himself is under pressure on child care, with city councillors and parents criticizing his backing of a recommendation to help fill a $91-million budget gap by scrapping grants to school boards for daycares in schools. The move would save Toronto $1.13 million this year and $2.26 million in 2018. The mayor has proposed putting the savings toward 300 new child-care subsidies, a move called cynical by Councillor Janet Davis because the spots would essentially be funded by thousands of parents potentially facing hundreds of dollars in new annual costs because of the grant cut. In his letter to Wynne, Tory urges her to take action, including the following measures: Fund at least 4,918 new subsidies for low-income parents to help reduce the citys subsidized child-care wait list of more than 18,000 children. Accompany any initiatives to expand the early learning and child care system with additional fee subsidies and other measures to help make the services affordable for families, and to ensure such funding keeps pace with inflation. Embed child care as part of early learning and give kids in care the same opportunities and supports as kids in the elementary school system; also fund school boards directly for the cost of space used for early-years programs and care before and after school. Tory notes a city study raised the alarm on child care in Toronto, where only 20 per cent of kids are in licensed care facilities a figure that would jump to half if licensed care were available and affordable. I know child care and early learning are of keen and heartfelt interest to you as premier, Tory wrote. With the promised investment to come from the Trudeau government, I believe, as with housing, that we are right now at a moment in time in which we can forge a historic partnership to benefit kids and families. Lets not miss the chance. Tory is expected to release the letter publicly on Monday at a Scarborough daycare, accompanied by Councillor Gary Crawford, the citys budget chief. Both men are expected to get an earful from parents over the school grants when Torontos proposed 2017 budget goes to Torys executive committee on Tuesday. At press time Sunday evening, Wynnes office had not replied to a request for comment on the letter. Councillor Davis, who has long championed increases in child-care funding, said she is glad Tory is pushing the premier to help desperate Toronto parents. But Toronto has to step up, too, she said in an interview. Our cost-sharing contribution has fallen significantly over the past few years while funding from parents and the province has increased. She added: If the mayor wants to show real support for parents, he can start by keeping the (school) occupancy grant in place. Davis also said almost 5,000 new subsidized spaces would be only a good start that gets Toronto back to the ratio of subsidies to spaces the city had in 2010, and the city needs to keep pushing for more. Tory's letter to Wynne View document on Scribd Read more about: SHARE: More than two dozen Ontario personal injury law firms have one amazing characteristic in common: they are all the best at helping victims of car or other accidents. In the wild west world of personal injury law advertising, many lawyers will do what it takes to get business. Even, as a Star investigation has found, apparently break rules designed to prevent false and misleading advertising. For example, the Law Society of Upper Canada cautions lawyers against stating they are qualitatively superior to other lawyers. Diamond & Diamonds website proclaims it was Voted #1 Personal Injury Law Firm in Ontario for 3 years in a row! Gary Mazin stamps his website with an award stating Winner 2014 #1 Toronto Personal Injury Lawyer. And until the Star started asking questions recently, a website with the address www.bestpersonalinjurylawyertoronto.com led straight to the Preszler injury firms website. The law society, which regulates lawyers in the province, says they shouldnt use advertising that is misleading, confusing or deceptive. In 1987, rules were brought in allowing for ads as long as they were factually verifiable, not false or misleading, and in good taste. The good taste requirement was removed from the rules in 2008 because it was subjective and difficult to enforce, the law society said. In its investigation, the Star found not only that apparent violations of the law societys rules were widespread, but also that the law society has done little to solve the problem. A law society working group has been grappling with the issue for a year, looking at advertising issues in personal injury, real estate and other areas of law. At the same time, law society investigators are probing 90 complaints involving advertising and referral fee issues, some involving personal injury lawyers. Despite 604 complaints about lawyer and paralegal advertising handled between 2011 and 2015 306 of which were initiated by the law society no lawyers have been disciplined. The law society says most complaints have been resolved through compliance, such as removing or amending the content at issue. In the past three years, the law society said it has disciplined four paralegals in relation to advertising issues. Adam Wagman, a personal injury lawyer and president of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, which represents about 1,600 personal injury lawyers and staff, said his group wants to see the rules strengthened to eliminate false and misleading advertising that takes advantage of consumers. Read more at thestar.com: Double-dipping lawyers taking big slice of injury settlements The law society working group is expected to report back with recommendations later this month. In Ontario, lawyer advertising appears to have rapidly become big business, says a June 2016 report by the working group. Some high-volume personal injury law firms are using mass advertising to get as many clients as possible, keeping some internally and sending others to outside firms in return for referral fees, the report says. The working group said in its report there is no need to revise the law societys complaints process or significantly increase enforcement. It is, however, considering an outright ban on lawyers using awards in their marketing campaigns. In just a few hours of Google searching, the Star was able to find 25 cases of personal injury firms claiming to be either the No. 1, the top or the best law firm. The Star also found 20 examples of other questionable advertising including firms claiming to have achieved record-breaking settlements without any supporting information or disclaimers, and lawyers saying they are aggressive, which the law society says may break the rules. Jeff Preszler, a lawyer at Preszler Law Firm, told the Star that his firm does not own the bestpersonalinjurylawyertoronto.com web address, but that it was a test site owned by our search engine optimization provider based on frequently searched terms on Google. The link stopped working after the Star asked Preszler about it. I dont think the name of a domain suggests that somebody is better than the other. Its just the name of a domain, Preszler said. Another personal injury lawyer, Brian Goldfinger, has recently made some impressive-sounding claims. Two awards displayed prominently at the top of his websites home page informed visitors he had been voted #1 in Client Satisfaction and #1 Personal Injury Law Firm by Elite Lawyers Ontario. The Star researched Elite Lawyers Ontario and did not find a registered business with that name. We did find a website with the URL elitelawyersontario.com. That was registered in 2015 by a Brian Goldfinger and Goldfinger Law Professional Corp. Shortly after the lawyer was asked about his Elite Lawyers awards, they disappeared from his website. These and other claims made by Goldfinger are the subject of a complaint filed with the law society by seven London-based lawyers. Goldfinger would not answer questions but his lawyer, Gerald Chan, said Goldfinger has done and continues to do good work for his clients. The law society has made no determination to proceed in respect of the matters raised in the complaint. Out of respect for the law societys process, we cannot comment further at this time, Chan, a lawyer at the firm Stockwoods, wrote in an email. The seven-page complaint by the London-based lawyers includes a picture of a Goldfinger ad that promotes him as Londons Injury Lawyer. The complaining lawyers say this is a false and misleading self-appellation given that Brian Goldfinger is not a member of the Middlesex Law Association and his office is located on Sheppard Ave. in Toronto. Radio ads for Goldfinger also claim he is Londons injury lawyer and Peterboroughs injury lawyer. Goldfingers website says he has offices in both of these cities. The Star visited the addresses listed and found these offices were actually rooms in buildings with executive rental space and no Goldfinger corporate signage. The complaint also mentions two logos for the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum displayed on Goldfingers website. The logos are accompanied by a paragraph that says Goldfinger has won millions and millions of dollars on behalf of his clients both inside, and outside of the courtroom, such that he has been accepted to both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and the Multi Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Both advocates forums are run by a Del Mar, Calif.-based business. To join the Million Dollar forum costs $1,200 (U.S.); to upgrade to the Multi-Million Dollar forum costs $1,000. Applicants can join both at the same time for $1,700. Along with the payment, lawyers must prove they have won million-dollar or multimillion-dollar verdicts or settlements. The forum was established in 1993 and has more than 4,000 members, according to the organizations website. President Don Costello, a San Diego-area medical malpractice lawyer, told the Star the credentials of all potential members are checked before admission. I make sure people are qualified and we have strict qualifications, he said. Costello also said that when lawyers are accepted, they are told they must comply with their state and country professional ethics requirements. The law society recommends that lawyers include a disclaimer if they reference settlement amounts in their marketing. At the bottom of his website, Goldfinger, in small letters, notes past results are not indicative of future results. Many other law firms advertise a wide variety of awards, but it is often unclear what the awards were for or what they meant. The law societys working group noted law firms do not tell the public that they have, in many cases, paid to receive the award. The working groups report says it is concerned about the use of awards or honours that do not appear to be credible or have merit, and/or cannot be shown to be made on some transparent or objective criteria. Given these significant concerns, the working group has not ruled out proposing that the use of awards in advertising be banned altogether. Some firms, such as Diamond & Diamond, feature many awards on their website. Close to the top of its home page, Diamond & Diamond features nine award logos, including a gold Toronto Sun Readers Choice Awards ribbon. That type of award was raised by the law societys complaint resolution department back in 2013. The law societys complaint report noted that Jeremy Diamond, one of the firms owners, told them he did not know the specifics as to how the Toronto Sun survey was conducted or results determined. The law society noted Diamonds response begs the question as to why a law firm would use such an award in its advertising when it knows nothing about the methodology or veracity of the alleged results. It also said reliance upon such a conclusion by a newspaper survey in an advertising or marketing program whose purpose is to convince injured members of the public to retain D & D raises questions about the lawyers judgment and about his understanding of the rules and their intent. The law society cautioned Diamond and provided best practices information to him in 2013. In a recent submission to the law society, Diamond & Diamond recommended that firms be allowed to voluntarily submit their ads to the society for pre-approval, a suggestion the working groups June report was silent on. The Star asked Diamond & Diamond a series of questions regarding its awards and advertising. Managing lawyer Isaac Zisckind did not address the questions directly but said in an email: Our website provides a list of all awards and accolades given to our firm. We greatly appreciate any public recognition of our firms tireless advocacy and unwavering commitment to open and accessible justice for our clients. Another lawyer, Gary Mazin, prominently displays an award in the shape of a ribbon that says Navigate Winner 2014 #1 Toronto Personal Injury Lawyer. Shortly after the Star attempted to reach Mazin in mid-January to discuss this claim, the lawyers bio on his website was edited to credit the vote to Navigate Magazine. Mazin did not respond to several interview requests. Audra Leslie, owner of Graymatter Marketing Solutions, said Mazin was given the award after he sponsored and spoke at educational sessions about workplace trends for nurses in hospitals that her company organized. Leslie said Mazin paid between $1,200 and $2,000 (Canadian) per session and sponsored about 15 sessions in 2014. Following the sessions, Leslie said, nurses were given feedback forms to fill in and they asked for Gary more than anybody else. Leslies publication, Navigate Magazine, a health and wellness magazine for nurses, then gave Mazin the award. For what the award was, he won it fair and square. Is he making it bigger than it is? He absolutely is, Leslie said. There are other examples of lawyers making claims that may contravene the law societys rules. Personal injury firm Sokoloff Lawyers notes that it offers services in 29 languages and bills itself as Torontos Top Multi-Ethnic Firm. Firm founder Wendy Sokoloff did not respond to the Stars questions about her advertising. The Sokoloff firms website also features a celebrity endorsement from famed American interviewer Larry King. Got hurt? Use her! says a quote attributed to King in a banner at the top of the site. The banner contains a link to a 20-minute video in which King interviews Sokoloff. During their chat, King asks the lawyer many questions about personal injury law, including if she advertises. Sokoloff responds that she does advertise somewhat, not as much or as frequently as other lawyers. She then provides King with her phone number, which is 416-966-HURT to make it easy. At the end of the interview, King tells Sokoloff, Wendy, I salute you in the work you do. He then turns to face the camera and says: Wendy Sokoloff from Ontario, Canada. You get hurt, use her. The Star has found no evidence to suggest that King, who lives in Beverly Hills, has ever retained Sokoloff Lawyers. Kings agent has not responded to requests for comment. Wagman, the president of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, said people should not rely solely on advertising to find a lawyer. They should also speak to others with experience in their community who can help to guide them, Wagman said. Finding a lawyer who is the right fit might be one of the most important decisions they make. Paul Harte, a medical malpractice lawyer and a past president of the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association, calls the state of legal marketing today the wild west. He says he provided the law society with examples of what he called blatant transgressions of the rules in 2014. Harte said the law society has taken a reactive approach to regulation, largely enforcing the rules only when a complaint is made. This puts the onus on the public and other lawyers to call out questionable conduct and permits unscrupulous lawyers to use misleading and unprofessional advertising, so long as no one files a formal complaint, Harte said. That is not in the public interest. Kenyon Wallace can be reached at 416-558-0645 or kwallace@thestar.ca . Michele Henry can be reached at 416-312-5605 or mhenry@thestar.ca . SHARE: Toronto resident Nick Pemberton used $1.30 worth of electricity at his Muskoka cottage in the fall and paid Hydro One $82.53 to deliver it. Its not a particularly overwhelming bill. Its just silly, says Pemberton, a computer programmer who stressed he is not looking for sympathy. But like many Ontarians putting their hydro bills under the microscope particularly rural homeowners clobbered by the punishing costs of electric heating in areas without natural gas service he is looking for some answers. I posted it on Facebook as a joke. And then I heard from people who were paying $120 or $130 on delivery further away, adds Pemberton, whose century-old family cottage is on Lake Joseph. Its crazy. As preposterous as a bill like that sounds, Premier Kathleen Wynne agrees its no laughing matter. Every month, people in our communities are struggling to cover the total cost on their bills, she says. Wynne acknowledges that distribution fees need a closer look as her government scrambles to defuse consumer anger and frustration. There are people in the province paying disproportionately high delivery charges, Wynne told reporters in Kitchener. Typically, delivery fees are 30 to 40 per cent of a bill. Based on the cost of building, maintaining and keeping transmission lines in good repair Hydro One alone has 123,000 kilometres of wires carried on 88,000 towers over a service area twice the size of Texas the fees can vary widely depending on where you live and how much electricity is used. One of the things I hear a lot about delivery charges. And so were looking at what we can possibly do to lower delivery charges, the premier said. We just have not landed on exactly what it is were going to do. Industry insiders say there is no magic bullet but possible solutions for easing bills include subsidizing the delivery fees through tax revenue, putting a share of expensive new sources of renewable power on the tax base instead of hitting hydro ratepayers, or equalizing delivery charges by raising them in cheaper-to-serve urban areas to offset costs for hard-hit customers in remote ones. Were one of the few systems that does this, Ferio Pugliese, hired from consumer-friendly WestJet last fall as Hydro Ones executive vice-president of customer and corporate affairs, said of Ontarios patchwork of different regional delivery fees. Green party Leader Mike Schreiner favours equalizing delivery charges, meaning the overwhelming number of urban Ontarians who enjoy much cheaper natural gas heating would pay a little more to help ease the burden on rural residents with electric heat. City folks are not feeling the same pain. The government offered hope to rural residents last week by approving a $100 million fund to help natural gas companies extend their pipelines to areas not now served. That would allow people with electric or oil heat to convert, saving thousands in the long run because natural gas is one-quarter the cost of electricity and one-third the cost of fuel oil. Some help on high bills arrived Jan. 1 when the province began waiving the 8-per-cent provincial portion of the HST on electric bills. Customers in remote rural areas are getting extra aid, lowering their costs by a combined total of about $45 monthly. Many of them are older dwellings, not the most contemporary by way of insulation, said Pugliese, who was raised in Kerns, population 360, near Kirkland Lake, Ont. Delivery costs are higher in northern and rural Ontario because there are fewer customers served by the lines in a situation he describes as more hydro poles than people. In Toronto, there are almost 1,200 customers per square kilometre to share the costs. Figures from the Ministry of Energy show the average monthly charge for delivery of electricity is $32 for typical household consumption of 750 kilowatt hours. That includes meter reading, general utility operations and a variable charge based on the amount of power used. The fees range from a low of $15.55 at tiny ELK Energy Inc. in Essex, near Windsor, to a high of $90.84 for seasonal customers in remote areas served by Hydro One. Costs of service for municipally owned ELK for its approximately 11,000 customers from Lake St. Clair to Lake Erie are kept low and were just very customer focused, says Mark Danelon, director of finance and regulatory affairs. We still get issues like Why is my bill so high? We still hear from disgruntled customers. It all depends on the home, the age of the home, whether people are on a fixed income. Toronto Hydro, one of the largest local utilities in the province, is above average at $37.57. London, Kitchener, Sudbury and Windsor are all in the $24 to $27 range. While the skyrocketing cost of electricity has been widely publicized by critics up 101 per cent since 2006, according to Hydro One delivery charges, up less than 50 per cent in the same period, are getting more attention from ratepayers now for good reason, opposition parties say. Complaints peaked after a hot summer with air conditioners running constantly and picked up again when the cold weather hit, particularly in the north where mild spells are rare. Air conditioning, for example, can account for 50 per cent of an electricity bill during a long hot spell. Its coalescing because people, particularly in rural Ontario, see bills for delivery that are higher than the cost of the electricity theyve consumed. Its crazy, says New Democrat MPP and energy critic Peter Tabuns. Their anger is the result of being ignored by this government for almost a decade and now all of a sudden the government says theyre going to fix everything, adds Progressive Conservative MPP John Yakabuski. They dont have any credibility. Energy Minister Glen Thibeault says prices for electricity and delivery have risen because of massive improvements to the hydro system, from closing heavily polluting coal-fired power plans to fixing transmission lines to improve reliability. Typically, delivery fees are 30 to 40 per cent of an electricity bill, he notes. We recognize that the investments required to upgrade an antiquated system prone to brownouts and blackouts has come at a cost to electricity consumers, and were trying to fix that. Energy-saving tips Aside from buying energy-efficient LED light bulbs, improving insulation and cutting down on drafts, there are small ways to cut down on electricity bills that many people dont think of, says an efficiency expert. I still know people who are setting back their electric baseboard heaters at night, says Ben Polley of Evolve Builders in Guelph, which specializes in green homes and renovations. Theyre hurting themselves. Ratepayers with electric heat should be taking advantage of cheaper hydro rates between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. and on weekends to crank up the heat, says Polley, who recommends a programmable thermostat for the job. Time-of-use rates overnight and on weekends are less than half the peak daytime prices from 7 to 11 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Cutting down on drafts, by targeting cans of spray-foam insulation in open areas behind the walls surrounding windows and doors, or using weather stripping and caulking in those areas and where walls meet foundations or roof lines, can also make a big difference. Its really simple, low-tech stuff and low skill for the average person. The payback can be good, adds Polley, who says such measures can allow homeowners to lower their thermostats by a couple of degrees because rooms feel warmer when drafts are eliminated. Insulation should never be left out of any major renovation because it doesnt add much to the construction cost but makes a huge difference in energy bills. Other potential measures without tearing a house apart can include adding solar water heaters and, for small families, on-demand water heaters with small tanks that use half the electricity compared with traditional models with large tanks. They can account for as much as one-third of a household hydro bill, so its worth replacing the old-style tanks when they wear out after 10 to 15 years, says Polley, a former Green party candidate. The cost is double a normal hot water heater but the payback is there after a few years, he said. Polley himself lives in a fully renovated and thoroughly insulated Ontario cottage home first built in the 1800s and in what seems counterintuitive disconnected his natural gas line to the furnace and installed electric baseboards. They were cheaper than a new furnace and can be augmented with his wood stove if necessary. Right now my house is set at 15 degrees, he says, wearing jeans and a polar fleece top over a T-shirt. Thats all our bodies need if there are no drafts. New Democrat MPP Peter Tabuns, who spent about $3,000 a few years ago insulating the attic and some walls in his Toronto-Danforth home along with buying LED light bulbs, says he noticed a drop in his electricity and natural gas use. It was not a lot of money. We were surprised, says Tabuns, who spent the money on top of a government subsidy program for energy retrofits and called on the Wynne administration to offer more help to homeowners. We desperately need people to get the work done without having to lay out a lot of money up front. The government has promised more programs soon under its new cap-and-trade plan to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Read more about: SHARE: SANAA, YEMENThe Yemeni journalists union, rights groups, and family members are demanding an inquiry into the mysterious death of a top investigative journalist after an autopsy showed that he was poisoned. On Dec. 20, 35-year-old Mohammed al-Absi, whose work explored the corrupt relations between powerful militias and prominent businessmen, died after having dinner with friends. His sudden death prompted his family and friends to demand an autopsy, delaying his funeral for nearly three weeks. Samples were flown to Jordan for tests, which finally revealed on Sunday that al-Absi died of poisoning. In a joint statement, advocates called upon the state prosecution to start a transparent investigation saying that al-Absi played an exceptional role against corruption. Read more about: SHARE: PARISThe embattled centre-right candidate in Frances presidential race, Francois Fillon, called an extraordinary news conference Monday to defend paying his wife hundreds of thousands of euros as his supposed parliamentary assistant, saying he had been the victim of a media lynching. All the facts are perfectly legal and transparent, he said. Before Monday, the air of scandal swirling around Fillon had led to speculation in the French news media that he would pull out of the race. Instead, he used the news conference at his Paris campaign headquarters to start a last-ditch effort to save his faltering candidacy. Fillon lashed out at the news media, insisted that the work his wife had done for him was real, defended his own ethics and said he was staying in the race. There has been a press campaign of unheard-of violence, he told reporters. Fillons troubles have grown with a string of revelations that he paid his wife and children nearly 1 million from public payrolls, prompting an investigation by Frances financial prosecutor. While it is legal for members of Parliament to hire family members, it is not clear that Fillons wife or children actually did much for the money, and the scandal has fed public disillusionment with a cosseted political establishment. As Fillon has plummeted in the polls, the presidential race has unexpectedly opened up to two maverick candidacies. The far-right National Fronts Marine Le Pen and an independent, Emmanuel Macron, the former economy minister, are now seen as likely to face each other in a runoff in May. If Le Pen wins, it could mean the disintegration of the European Union she has vowed to hold a referendum on Frances membership and would be further evidence of the tide of authoritarian populism sweeping parts of the West. A Le Pen victory is still considered unlikely, but the political tides on both sides of the Atlantic have proved unpredictable, and the race is being closely watched for its potential impact across Europe. The Socialist Party, tainted by the unpopular president, Francois Hollande, has been almost a nonfactor in the race. Fillons fall now signals the cratering of both of Frances establishment parties. It looks like a catastrophe for his center-right Republican Party, which has no fallback candidate. On Monday, Fillon joked grimly that the only Plan B was Berezina a reference to Napoleons disastrous 1812 defeat in Russia. But it was far from clear that his performance Monday, combative and pugnacious, would be enough to salvage his candidacy. He mostly blamed the news media for his troubles, and he offered no proof that his wife had carried out substantive tasks essentially merely repeating his first defence. Fillon apologized to French voters for what he called an error in employing her, but he noted that many other members of Parliament hired family members. If the system needs to be reformed, reform it, he said. There are old practices that arent acceptable. He suggested there was a conspiracy to deprive French voters of the only candidate who was proposing real change. The goal is to wipe out the choice the voters made in the primary, he told reporters at the news conference. They are doing this because I am proposing a program of total change. But you cant steal their choice from them. But Fillon did not directly rebut suggestions by his wife, Penelope Fillon, made long before the scandal broke, that she had never done any work for him. In 2007, after her husband became prime minister, Penelope Fillon, who is of Welsh origin, told a British journalist that she had never been his assistant. That interview, exhumed last week, severely hurt her husbands case. On Monday, her husband was able to say only: She was first and foremost my companion in work. She was discreet. He said that she had handled correspondence and represented him in cultural manifestations in his district in rural western France. But there was no documentation of any work. At the same time, the old interview with Penelope Fillon revealed, poignantly, a politicians wife who had spent years in her husbands shadow. She felt that her intelligence and accomplishments were underused and worried about how her children perceived her. I realized that my children have only known me as just a mother, she was quoted as saying. But I did a French degree, I qualified as a lawyer, and I thought, Look here, Im not that stupid. Penelope Fillon is seen in much of the French news media as a victim in the scandal perhaps exploited by a husband of modest means whose social circle nonetheless included moneyed aristocrats and others of wealth. Her husband said Monday that his wifes remarks had been taken out of context. Repeatedly, Francois Fillon expressed his contempt for and anger at the news media. This campaign against me is defamatory, he said. None of you has a question about the violence of these accusations against me. Politically assassinate me, as you have done for 10 days now, that poses a real problem, Fillon said. But the French are realizing this, he added, vowing to carry on with his campaign. Read more about: SHARE: WASHINGTONCanadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan is to hold a first meeting today with his newly sworn-in American counterpart James Mattis. The two former soldiers-turned-cabinet-members are to meet at the Pentagon for a scheduled 45-minute discussion on a broad range of topics including military co-operation both abroad and closer to home. Key questions could include the ongoing commitment to NATO, defence spending levels, and peacekeeping operations. Read more: Ottawa delays decision on military deployment to Africa Trudeau says Canadas peacekeeping plans will take U.S. views into consideration The Canadian government delayed a planned peacekeeping deployment to Africa following the U.S. election, saying it wants to first discuss a variety of global issues with its closest ally. That peacekeeping conversation could happen today. Trumps election has prompted uncertainty on several military fronts he has suggested NATO is becoming obsolete, while at the same time demanding that NATO allies increase defence spending. He repeated his complaints about NATO spending during a speech Monday at an air force base in Florida. He said he supports NATO, but countries must pay their share. We only ask that all of the NATO members make their full and proper financial contributions to the NATO alliance, which many of them have not been doing, he said. Trump has also been more supportive than his predecessor of Russia, which has caused anxiety in Eastern Europe. One Canadian-American military analyst said todays conversation could provide some clarity. Steve Saideman says itll be interesting to see what aspect of NATO gets discussed will they focus on what Trump has talked about, increasing spending, or on what he hasnt protecting Eastern Europe from Russian incursions? Which NATO issue comes up might actually provide you with some guidance about whats going on in this administration, said Saideman, an American-born international-relations scholar at Carleton University in Ottawa. Aside from the future of NATO, he expects them to discuss two other topics Canadas peacekeeping plans and fighter-jet procurement. As for NORAD, Saideman doesnt believe missile-defence is a major priority for Trumps team. Trump has sowed uncertainty on several of these fronts. Hes complained about the cost of the F-35, a staple of the U.S. fighter-jet program. Also, in his inauguration speech Trump heaped scorn on the U.S. habit of defending other countries. Mattis spent last weekend in Asia, reassuring traditional U.S. allies. During the campaign, the president questioned why the U.S. should spend money securing Japan and South Korea he went as far as suggesting, at one point, that they should get their own nuclear weapons. Trump later dialed that back. But he said he wants allies spending more on defence. That was also the policy of the previous Obama administration and the former president even made that request in Canadas Parliament. Barack Obama, however, delivered it with a slightly softer touch. In fact, he received a standing ovation from Canadian parliamentarians last year after saying: The world needs more Canada. NATO needs more Canada. Its unclear where that conversation goes now. Canada is 23rd among 27 NATO countries in terms of spending as a share of GDP. Canadas 2016 spending of 0.99 per cent of GDP was less than half the NATO guideline of two per cent, which only five NATO countries currently meet. Saideman said hes keen to hear what the new defence secretary says. With the caveat of: I dont believe anything that Mattis says binds this administration. ... Mattis is in the outer circle and has been bypassed on major issues. Read more about: SHARE: Anas Modamani, a Syrian refugee whose 2015 selfie with Chancellor Angela Merkel came to symbolize her decision to allow hundreds of thousands of unscreened migrants into Germany, is seeking to prevent Facebook from allowing users to repost the image after it repeatedly showed up in fake news reports. The case is one of several high-profile cases against Facebook in Germany. Concern over nationalist and populist propaganda, as well as fake news, is growing in the country ahead of a general election scheduled for September. The German justice minister, Heiko Maas, has suggested holding Facebook accountable for hate speech posted to its site, and a government-initiated task force that includes representatives from Facebook, Google and Twitter is examining how long it takes the companies to take down posts flagged as hateful. The panel is expected to report its findings in the coming months. Who is Anas Modamani? Modamani, now 19, fled Syria for Germany in 2015 and was living in a Berlin shelter when Merkel came to visit in September of that year. The selfie that he took with the chancellor and that he posted to his Facebook page was widely shared on social media, and it became an emblem of her policy. Merkels stance on refugees has shaken her support, however, and it has helped fuel the rise of the populist, far-right Alternative for Germany party. Why is he taking Facebook to court? Modamani has filed for an injunction in a court in Wurzburg, in the southern German state of Bavaria, that would require Facebook to remove any content linking him to terrorism. His lawyer, Chan-jo Jun, says that although his client deleted the photograph and requested that it be taken down in some postings, it still appears on other peoples social media pages and in fake news reports accusing him of having links to terrorism. The image has been used with posts about the attacks in Brussels last year and on a Christmas market in Berlin. Recently, someone posted Modamanis photograph on Facebook and said that he had been involved in a December attack in which a homeless man in Berlin was set on fire. Modamanis lawyer says his client will continue to be a victim of libel until Facebook uses its algorithms to prevent the image from being reproduced. What is Facebooks defense? The social media giant says that it is committed to meeting our obligations under German law in relation to content which is shared by people on our platform, and it has taken down images reported to the company by Modamanis lawyer. But Facebook says that the case involves defamation, not its community standards. That would mean the individuals who posted the images of Modamani would be held responsible, not Facebook. What is Facebook doing to fight hate speech and fake news? At first, the social network dismissed accusations that it had influenced the U.S. election by spreading misinformation. But Mark Zuckerberg, Facebooks chief executive, has since taken steps to bolster how the company handles such complaints. Last month, Facebook updated its Trending Topics feature, which offers links to popular subjects, to better promote links to reliable news outlets. It also teamed with news organizations, including The Washington Post, El Pais of Spain and the German nonprofit news organization Correctiv, to offer curated news reports to some of its 1.8 billion users. In France, Facebook and Google are working with domestic news outlets to ensure that fake news reports are not published on its platform. Critics say those efforts do not go far enough, however. What other legal battles is Facebook fighting in Europe? This is far from the only legal challenge the social network faces on the Continent. On Tuesday, an Irish court is set to decide if Facebook misused the digital data of Europeans by transferring it to the United States. That case against Facebook, which has its international headquarters in Dublin, follows a European Court of Justice ruling in 2015 that invalidated a previous data-sharing agreement between Europe and the United States. Privacy advocates say Facebook broke European data protection rules by moving users information across the Atlantic. The company denies the allegation. Legal experts say the case will eventually be sent to the European Court of Justice. Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWARCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson referenced the Mounties decision to give rifles to more front line officers as he expressed fears Monday about the increasing militarization of Canadian police forces. Appearing before the Senate national security committee, Paulson said he wants his officers to have the best equipment possible to uphold the law as well as protect the public and themselves. But he said he is afraid of the trend in policing for escalating military-style tools being used by law enforcement to conduct police operations. The result is a focus on enforcement and an increased reliance on force, Paulson said, rather than the problem-solving, community-oriented, prevention approach that is better suited to the Canadian context. The commissioner admitted the Mounties have no shortage of heavy weaponry, including armoured vehicles, drones and machine-guns. More front line officers are also being armed with carbine rifles, which was one of a number of recommendations that came out after the shooting deaths of three Mounties in Moncton, N.B., in 2014. But Paulson said the decision to distribute the carbines, which he described as very electric, must be matched with greater perception among front line officers on the issues surrounding use of force. Are we going to be going (after) shoplifters with a carbine? he asked. Our policies have been refined to sort of think that through. SHARE: LONDONThe details of President Donald Trumps state visit to the United Kingdom are still to be penciled in. But following an extraordinary intervention Monday evening, it now seems unlikely that he will be extended the honour of addressing both houses of British Parliament. Citing racism and sexism, the Speaker of the House of Commons told lawmakers Monday that he was strongly opposed to the president addressing both houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall. President Barack Obama delivered a speech in the medieval hall in 2011, the first American president to do so. I would not wish to issue an invitation to President Trump, John Bercow said. Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump END We value our relationship with the United States. If a state visit takes place, that is way beyond and above the pay grade of the speaker. However, as far as this place is concerned, I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism, and our support for equality before the law, and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the House of Commons. British Prime Minister Theresa May announced during her visit to the White House last month that Trump had accepted an invitation on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II for a full state visit later this year. But she has come under pressure to revoke the offer after the backlash triggered by Trumps travel ban. Later this month, lawmakers will debate canceling the state visit after 1.8 million people signed a petition urging the British government to rescind the offer to avoid embarrassing the queen. Bercow said that an address to Parliament by a foreign leader was not an automatic right, it is an earned honor and that there was precedent for a state visit to the U.K. not to include an address to both houses of Parliament. By convention, three people come to a decision on who to invite to speak at Westminster Hall, one of whom is the speaker of the House of Commons. In relation to Westminster Hall, there are three key-holders . . . the speaker of the House of Commons, the speaker of the House of Lords and the lord great chamberlain. Ordinarily we are able to work by consensus and the hall would be used for a purpose such as an address, or another purpose, by agreement of the three key-holders, Bercow said. He added: Before the imposition of the migrant ban, I would myself have been strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall. After the imposition of the migrant ban by President Trump, I am even more strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall. Bercows intervention was greeted with cheering and applause by some members of Parliament. SHARE: Hickman has decided to hold onto City Administrator Silas Clarke. Hickmans City Council voted unanimously last month to remove the interim designation from Clarkes title. We really appreciate Silas and value him, Mayor Doug Hanson said in an interview last week. He knows the city intimately well. Clarke previously served as city administrator from November 2011 to March 2015, when he left to take a job with Midwest Hop Producers in the Plattsmouth area. He was succeeded by Michael Meyers, who stayed a year before leaving the city on good terms with plans to pursue other opportunities, Hanson said. Clarke returned to Hickman Aug. 1 as interim administrator. With the recent action by the council, Silas agreed to a contract that extends through 2018, which corresponds with the end of Hansons elected term. His salary is $83,000 a year. Clarke said Hickman has many challenges in its future, including finishing its new $3.5 million community center/city hall slated to open by April. The town also is in need of a second water tower and an upgrade to its water treatment facility and is debating the merits of building a public pool. Were the fastest growing community in Nebraska on a percentage basis, Clarke said. We have a community full of young families, and we want to build Hickman the best it can be. The Hickman Council also recently promoted Kelly Oelke from city clerk to assistant city administrator. WASHINGTONThe fierce battle over President Donald Trumps travel and refugee ban edged up the judicial escalator Monday, headed for a possible final faceoff at the Supreme Court. Travellers, temporarily unbound, tearfully reunited with loved ones at U.S. airports. The Justice Department filed a new defence of Trumps ban on travellers from seven predominantly Muslim nations as a federal appeals court weighs whether to restore the administrations executive order. The lawyers said the travel ban was a lawful exercise of the presidents authority to protect national security and said a judges order that put the policy on hold should be overruled. Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump The filing with the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was the latest salvo in a high-stakes legal fight surrounding Trumps order, which was halted Friday by a federal judge in Washington state. A randomly selected panel of appellate judges is to hear arguments Tuesday. The appeals court earlier refused to immediately reinstate the ban, and lawyers for Washington and Minnesota two states challenging it argued anew on Monday that any resumption would unleash chaos again, separating families and stranding university students. The Justice Department responded that the president has clear authority to suspend the entry of any class of aliens to the U.S. in the name of national security. It said the travel ban, which temporarily suspends the countrys refugee program and immigration from seven countries with terrorism concerns, was intended to permit an orderly review and revision of screening procedures to ensure that adequate standards are in place to protect against terrorist attacks. Read more: Major tech companies join fight against Trumps travel ban Trump goes on attack as borders open Law students join research-a-thon to support challenges to Trumps travel ban Toronto protesters rally against Islamophobia, Trumps travel ban The challengers of the ban, the Justice Department wrote, were asking courts to take the extraordinary step of second-guessing a formal national security judgment made by the president himself pursuant to broad grants of statutory authority. Whatever the appeals court decides, either side could ask the Supreme Court to intervene. It could prove difficult, though, to find the necessary five votes at the high court to undo a lower court order; the Supreme Court has been at less than full strength since Justice Antonin Scalias death a year ago. The last immigration case that reached the justices ended in a 4-4 tie. The presidents executive order has faced legal uncertainty ever since Fridays ruling by U.S. District Judge James Robart, which challenged both Trumps authority and his ability to fulfil a campaign promise. The State Department quickly said people from the seven countries Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen with valid visas could travel to the U.S. The Homeland Security Department said it was no longer directing airlines to prevent affected visa holders from boarding U.S.-bound planes. On Monday in Colorado, a graduate student who had travelled to Libya with her 1-year-old son to visit her sick mother and attend her fathers funeral was back in Fort Collins after having been stopped in Jordan on her return trip. She was welcomed with flowers and balloons by her husband and other children. Two Yemeni brothers whose family has sued over the travel ban, and who had been turned away in the chaotic opening days of the order, arrived at Dulles International Airport in Virginia, where they were greeted by their father. America is for everybody, Aqel Aziz said after greeting his sons. Syrian immigrant Mathyo Asali said he thought his life was ruined when he landed at Philadelphia International Airport on Jan. 28 only to be denied entry to the United States. Asali, who returned to Damascus, said he figured hed be inducted into the Syrian military. He was back on U.S. soil Monday. Its really nice to know that theres a lot of people supporting us, Asali told Gov. Tom Wolf, who greeted the family at a relatives house in Allentown. The legal fight involves two divergent views of the role of the executive branch and the court system. The government has asserted that the president alone has the power to decide who can enter or stay in the United States, while Robart has said a judges job is to ensure that an action taken by the government comports with our countrys laws. His Friday ruling triggered a Twitter rant by Trump, who dismissed Robart as a so-called judge. On Sunday, Trump tweeted, Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! States challenging the ban have been joined by technology companies, who have said it makes it more difficult to recruit employees. National security officials under President Barack Obama have also come out against it. A declaration filed by John Kerry and Madeleine Albright, former secretaries of state, and others said the ban would disrupt lives and cripple U.S. counterterrorism partnerships without making the nation safer. It will aid ISILs propaganda effort and serve its recruitment message by feeding into the narrative that the United States is at war with Islam, they wrote. How and when a case might get to the Supreme Court is unclear. The travel ban itself is to expire in 90 days, meaning it could run its course before a higher court takes up the issue. Or the administration could change it in any number of ways that would keep the issue alive. The bench also could be full, with a new ninth justice on board, by the time the court is ready to hear arguments. If Judge Neil Gorsuch is confirmed this spring as Senate Republicans hope, chances of a tie vote would disappear. Read more about: SHARE: They say the worst thing you can do with President Trump is to normalize him, to which I respond, how? The president allegedly takes a medication prescribed off-label to rescue his hair that may also destroy his libido and give him a runny nose, which explains the sniffing at least. The story, courtesy of Trumps long-haired mad scientist doctor, who says Trump also takes Propecia, or finasteride, was laid like an egg on Wednesday night. Trump is like the wonderful egg machines you find in European breakfast buffets. You reach inside the stainless steel thing it looks like a glass rice cooker on its hind legs and pluck soft-boiled eggs from little cradles. Science keeps them hot and runny. Trump stories are like that, the buffet always open. By Monday morning when this column appears in print, Trump and his chickens will have laid a dozen more. At this point, print is not just dead but retroactively so. As for online, in the 10 minutes since typing that, I learned the Trump wall with Mexico will be partly invisible, and three other scandalous things, only two about Russia. Heres what I know. Trump will alter the world until he stops. So dont tone it down, as two male columnists have just advised me, unasked. Fight back but wisely, dont thrash about as Trump does. The bright side of Trump is that I like human beings much more than I did on Jan. 19. Almost all his detractors seem delightful to me now in comparison to him and his more violent voters. George W. Bush was the picture of benign idiocy at the Inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20. I watched him struggling with his clear plastic rain poncho while Laura ignored him and I felt a twang. Remember Dick Cheney with the man-sized safe in his office? Awww. The barbarians are inside the gate. In 2008 I watched Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin speak at the Republican convention and knew that something dreadful was approaching. Who are these people? Dont let them in, I thought. Now I wonder if Canadians might someday catch the fever. Why did NDP MP Nathan Cullen call the prime minister a liar, outside the House of Commons of course? Is he doing a Rep. Joe Allen calling You lie to President Obama or does he really think a time of extreme political crisis is the right moment for a confused electoral reform that fascinates Ottawa and bores Canadians? Why did PC leadership oaf Kevin OLeary post a video of himself blasting with a handgun and a machine gun on Thursday, literally during the funeral of three Muslim victims of a Quebec mass killer? The video had the bullets aimed almost at the camera, showing us the last thing some of the murdered men would have seen before they died. It was the same day the U.S. killed regulations making it harder for mentally ill people to buy guns. Kind Canadian journalists assumed this was Inadequate Mans bad timing. But this seems implausible. Prime Minister Trudeau will have to wrestle the Trump beast at some point. Let him come to us. Dont ask Trudeau to immediately tear up the Safe Third Country Agreement. Why poke the U.S. with a stick right now? Trump might close the border. Surely, let the animal exhaust himself first. In the meantime, lets search for and rescue refugees from Ghana who have fled the U.S. to walk across the frozen wasteland of the Manitoba border. If you think we should let them die the same way Mexicans die of heat and thirst on the American border bonelands, you arent a Canadian. Im from Kapuskasing, where its -32C with the wind chill. You try it. I live on the political centre-left, having moved from the left when I saw the federal NDP abandon women on the issue of gun control. But right or left seems beside the point now. Theres a difference between freedom of speech and hate speech, between hard right and violent racist malevolent right, between idealistic left and idiotic. I now just ask if people are motivated by the hatred they contain. Most are not, and thats the truth of the matter. Canadians and Americans are good people. But an ill wind blew their way. SHARE: To hear the mother tell it, her six-year-old daughter was treated like a criminal, a dog, or a monster when Peel Regional Police handcuffed her wrists and ankles after an alleged violent outburst last fall. But to hear police tell it last week after the mother went public with her story, they were only protecting the child because she was kicking, punching, biting and banging her head. Their first priority, after de-escalation techniques did not work, was her safety, said police spokesman Sgt. Josh Colley. The two versions could hardly be more different, but one thing is clear: A six-year-old child should never end up in handcuffs. Education Minister Mitzie Hunter must ensure it never happens again. There is no lack of blame going around. The mother has launched a complaint against Peel police. And the African Canadian Legal Clinic says it intends to file a human rights complaint against police and the school for anti-black racism. Those investigations should help get at the cause of this incident, but what about prevention? Its easy enough to blame teachers and school staff in a situation like this. After all, they are the first responders when a child is acting out. But, in fact, they may be doing all they can to protect children with the resources they have. Indeed, although the Peel District School Board wont discuss this individual case because of privacy reasons, it has a detailed 28-page plan in place to prevent and deal with violent outbursts in schools that is mandatory reading for all staff. It includes calling teachers trained in de-escalation techniques and positive intervention into the room when an incident takes place, and only calling 911 as a last resort. Among the steps included in its plan is drawing up individualized education plans for students who exhibit aggressive behaviour, secondary safety plans for those who continue to act out, and, in most cases, assigning a teaching assistant to work directly with them. In fact, the incident may underline the need for more funding for special education and childrens mental health. According to Sam Hammond, president of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, the issue of aggressive, destructive student behavior is No. 1 on the table when union representatives from across the province meet. Many of these students are suffering and we need to step up to help them, he said last month. According to Hammond, a lack of funding means that too many children as young as 4 or 5 are stuck on wait lists for the early interventions they need. Indeed, the girl at the centre of the dispute at the Peel board had been suspended for violence four times in the past two years. In response to Hammonds concerns, Hunter says the government is developing a new strategy to ensure the safety and well-being of all students. It should be put in place quickly enough to ensure that no other child ever has to be handcuffed again. SHARE: For years, in Canada as elsewhere, the direction of security policy has been the aggressive expansion of the surveillance state without counterbalancing protections of our civil liberties. As new technologies have made it possible for the state to dredge and analyze endless streams of personal information, the message from government has been consistent: trust us, we wont abuse our growing power. The recent Federal Court ruling that for a decade the Canadian Security Intelligence Service illegally retained and analyzed information on people suspected of no wrongdoing is the latest indication that we ought to be wary. This case is particularly troubling. The agency is permitted to collect data on innocent people in the course of its investigations. However, the court found that CSIS illegally kept and analyzed that data to draw specific, intimate insights into [citizens] lifestyle and personal choices. Moreover, beyond the illicit spying itself, CSIS failed to tell the courts of its activities, as is required by law the second time in three years the agency has been found in violation of its duty of candour to the judiciary. Trust us is becoming a tough sell. Yet thats essentially what the Liberal government is saying in response to the ruling. In an interview with the Star last week, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said the government is taking the court decision very seriously. As proof, he pointed to two government reviews currently underway, one by the Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC), a watchdog agency, and the other an internal investigation of the public safety and justice departments role in the illegal program. Asked whether he would publicly release the results of this work, Goodale said, When weve completed it, well have something further to say. In other words, trust us. Thats not good enough, especially in these fraught times. With the threat of terrorism in the news almost daily, internal and external pressures on government to make security a priority are unabating. The relentless build-up of the surveillance state has become the path of least resistance, while anything that limits its powers has come to be seen as politically risky. The fear that a future tragedy might be blamed on a government perceived as soft on terror too often leads to security overreach. No wonder, then, that Goodale refuses to rule out the possibility that, rather than clamping down on CSISs illegal spying, the law may be changed to allow it. Weve already seen these pressures at work. In opposition, the Liberals supported Bill C-51, the Tories draconian security legislation, but promised to undo its most egregious elements. More than a year into its mandate, however, the government has not changed a word of the law, even absent evidence it makes us any safer and despite expert consensus that aspects are unconstitutional. Instead, the government launched a public consultation as if Ottawa needs permission to do as it promised and the constitution demands and published a discussion paper dedicated largely to rehearsing arguments in favour of expanded security powers. Balance on security, it seems, is a casualty of the political moment. The recent revelations about illegal spying reinforce the need, greater today than ever, for robust, independent oversight of the security establishment. Something better, that is, than ad-hoc internal investigations. Yet in Canada our sprawling security apparatus is monitored by three meagre watchdogs, including SIRC, each tightly leashed to its own jurisdiction. Critics have long argued that these bodies have neither the mandate nor the resources to do their job. Last year, the Liberals tabled legislation to finally give to Canada what most of our allies already have: a parliamentary committee that provides democratic oversight of our security establishment. This is exactly what is needed to ensure that agencies like CSIS cant wield their powers with impunity. But establishing the committee wont be enough. Critics have raised concerns that, as designed, it will have access neither to the information nor the expert support necessary for success. If Goodale wants Canadians to trust our expanding security apparatus, it will not be enough simply to ask. He should establish the committee as quickly as possible and give it the clout it needs. Clarification February 7, 2017: This article was edited to clarify the substance of the Federal Courts ruling. The court found CSIS operated outside of the law in its retention and analysis of data gathered on innocent people, not in the collection of data. SHARE: Re: What good is voting if your vote only counts when you vote for the winner? Some voters only vote for the perceived winner in order to gain bragging rights. Shame! Trudeau promised to make us a democracy, as are all the other countries that use proportional representation. He won a huge majority with less than 40 per cent of the cast ballots. Closer to 25 per cent of the electorate. So now he wants to keep first past the post. The sun has gone down on any hope of Canadians being able to join the rest of the world democracies. Hugh Jenney, Stella, Ont. No election reform. Whew! Thats a relief. George Dunbar, Toronto The rise of Trump makes it more urgent than ever to reform our electoral system. In our present system, a future Trump in Canada could win with as little as 35 per cent of the vote. Proportional representation should now be quickly grasped onto as an urgently needed deterrent against that horrifying, but very real, possibility. Boyd Reimer, Toronto This is the type of move that makes voters cynical. Politicians make promises they never intended to keep, just to get votes. It is 2017. We must be more progressive than this and not allow the democratic deficit to grow. Donna M. Boyle, Peterborough The Liberal governments cave-in on the issue of electoral reform disappoints me immensely. They have badly bungled an opportunity that could have made our democracy stronger, and more resistant to the dangers of populism, which we are witnessing south of the border and in Europe. David B. Clemens, Toronto SHARE: France's benchmark borrowing costs rose to the highest in nearly 18 months Monday as pressure grew on one of it leading politicians to withdraw from the upcoming Presidential elections and far-right leader Marine Le Pen continued to gain ground in national polls. Francois Fillon, a former Prime Minister in the cabinet of President Francois Hollande and, until two weeks ago, the favourite to win this spring's French elections, will address the public later Monday amid a campaign that is collapsing under the weight of a "fake jobs" scandal that implicates both he and his wife in the misuse of public funds. Fillon has been accused of paying his British-born wife, Penelople, more than 500,000 ($537,000) over eight years for work she never carried out as his personal assistant and the revelations have effectively destroyed his centrist, reform-focused campaign and paved the way to increasing support for Le Pen's Front National. France's benchmark 10-year bond yields traded 2 basis points higher at 1.11%, the highest since early September 2015. The move took the extra yield, or spread, that investors demand to hold the debt instead of triple-A rated German bunds to 72 basis points, the widest in three years. Investors are growing increasingly concerned with the popularity of Le Pen and her "France First" movement, which has vowed to hold a referendum on EU membership and pull the region's second-largest economy out of the common currency. Two major surveys over the weekend suggested Le Pen could win as much as 25% of first round voting support when France heads to the polls on April 23, but note that this support would fall to around 37% in the subsequent second round on May 7 as voters opt for the independent candidate, former Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron. Le Pen's popularity, however, is gaining ground and investors are wary of a "Trump-like" surge in the final months of campaigning, particularly given the recent attack at the Lourve Museum in central Paris, which police say was carried out by an Egyptian national who arrived in France only last month. SoftBank (SFTBY) is expected to report surging profit growth Wednesday as the Japanese telecom-to-internet group enjoys boosts from a newly acquired chip unit as well as a turnaround in its U.S. wireless unit. Tokyo-based SoftBank is scheduled to release third quarter results after the market closes in Japan on Feb. 8, with a consensus of 18 analysts compiled by FactSet expecting net profit to soar to 132.2 billion ($1.2 billion) from 2.29 billion despite a revenue drop to 2.31 trillion from 2.39 trillion for the three months ending in December. Operating profit is expected jump to 271.7 billion from 189.6 billion. The highlight of the quarter will be the degree of contribution SoftBank will enjoy from newly acquired ARMHoldings, a U.K.-based chip designer. With the deal closing on Sept. 5, it will be the first full quarter reflecting the 24.3 billion ($30.3 billion) purchase, which CEO Masayoshi Son said was aimed at riding on the wave of the Internet of Things. ARM's expertise is adopted in 95% of smartphones worldwide, as well as in networking infrastructure, automobiles, consumer electronics, among other products. SoftBank should also enjoy contributions from U.S. wireless carrier Sprint (S) . While the Overland Park, Kan.-based subsidiary has remained more or less in the red since Softbank's acquisition in 2013, it said last week earnings at the operating level moved into the black from a year ago in the quarter through December, while net losses narrowed by nearly half. Son paid a visit to U.S. President Donald Trump in December and promised he would invest $50 billion in the U.S. towards businesses and create 50,000 new jobs. The visit, made only a few weeks after Trump's victory in the November presidential election, was largely perceived as a move to gain favor with the new administration in the U.S. where Sprint's efforts to merge with T-MobileUSA (TMUS) has been hindered due to the Obama administration's resistance. Focus will remain on SoftBank's debt, which has mounted over the years due to active investments. Net debt/Ebitda ratio stood at 4.0 times as of September, down from 6.2 times in 2006 following SoftBank's acquisition of Vodafone's Japanese unit but up from 3.8 times in March 2016. As part of its efforts to reduce debt, SoftBank in October announced a $100 billion tech fund in partnership with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, a move aimed at curbing debt within SoftBank. Son has said he wants to make SoftBank into the Berkshire Hathaway of the technology sector. SoftBank also invests in YahooJapan, ride-sharing companies such as DidiChuxing, Grab and Ola, e-commerce companies such as Alibaba (BABA) and Oyo, and artificial intelligence companies such as CloudMinds. SoftBank shares closed at 8,653 each in Tokyo Monday, up 1.4% on the session and extending their three-month gain to 39%. Teva Pharmaceutical (TEVA) is looking for a new CEO after Erez Vigodman stepped down following a mutual agreement with the board, the company said Monday. "I believe that now is the right time for me to step down," Vigodman said in a statement. "It has been a privilege to lead Teva, and I am proud of all we have accomplished. I am confident that the company's future is bright." Vigodman has been CEO since Feb. 2014. The news comes a week before Teva is scheduled to report fourth-quarter results on Feb. 13. Analysts have forecast non-GAAP earnings per share of $1.34 on revenue of $6.26 billion. Jerusalem-based Teva named Dr. Yitzhak Peterburg, who has served as chairman since January 2015, as interim president and CEO effective immediately. In accordance with the Israeli law, Peterburg relinquished his chairman role to serve as interim CEO. The board tapped Dr. Sol J. Barer, a Teva board member since January 2015, as the new chairman. Peterburg was a Teva director from 2009 until July 2010. Then from October 2010 to October 2011, he served as Teva's group vice president of global branded products, leading R&D efforts. In 2012, Peterburg rejoined the board. Earlier in his career, he served as president and CEO of Cellcom Israel Ltd., a director general of Clalit Health Services and CEO of Soroka University Medical Center. In August, Teva completed the largest purchase in its history, the acquisition Allergan's (AGN) generic drug business for $33.4 billion in cash and $5.4 billion in stock. Its other recent deals include the purchase of Allergan's Anda distribution business for $500 million. "The company is focusing on executing its strategic priorities to transform Teva, with immediate focus on realizing the cost synergies and strategic benefits of the Actavis Generics acquisition," Peterburg said in a statement. "I look forward to working with the entire Teva team to conduct a thorough review of the business to find additional opportunities to enhance value for shareholders." Teva's American depository receipts were changing hands at $34.50 in after-hours trading on Monday, up 0.4%. JIm Cramer says here's why investors should be cautious on Teva Pharmaceuticals: Joan Firley owned her electric razor for only a year and a half when the cord began to fray, but she didnt want it to go to waste. If I could have it repaired then I would do that instead of buying a new one, said Firley. We cant afford that these days. Luckily for Firley, she stumbled upon an ad for the Lincoln Repair Cafe that could do just that, and for free. The Lincoln Repair Cafe is a monthly meeting of volunteers who mend furniture, clothing, electrical appliances and other items for the community. The cafe, which is based out of a cultural center called The Commons on 14th and B streets, met on Sunday afternoon. Three volunteers helped fix items ranging from chairs to space heaters and VCRs. Jeanette Nakada, who helps mend clothes and coordinates the cafe, said she and other volunteers have been hosting the meetings since 2012, jumping from different venues. The cafe has met at The Commons since January 2015. Nakada said the cafe helps cut back on unnecessary waste, like easily-mended clothing. Its something we can do thats sustainable, Nakada said. People are becoming more aware of ecological issues and it keeps things out of the landfill. The idea for these makeshift repair sessions started in the Netherlands in 2009 with a nonprofit, the Repair Cafe Foundation. Its goal was to maintain repair expertise and spread that knowledge to the community. There are now over a 1,000 repair cafes in 24 countries. The Lincoln Repair Cafe, which has been affiliated with the foundation since 2014, is just one of 21 in the U.S. Its very informal, Nakada said. Were just trying to do something for the community, giving people a chance to come in and have some face to face time. Cathy Egbarts brought in a battered patio chair that belonged to a set on Saturday. She decided to get the chair repaired instead of spending money on more furniture. Its not cheap. Were talking maybe $200 for the complete set, said Egbarts, who drove half an hour from Firth. Ive been trying to find somebody to fix it, but everybody just wants to sell you a brand new one when theres really nothing wrong with this chair. Also hoping to save some money, Burt Berman of Lincoln came with his office chair, which needed new bolts. I never thought it would last me this long, but its not broken beyond repair, Berman said. People are free to use the cafes equipment and perform their own repairs as well. Donations are always welcome, Nakada said. For Joan Firley, who left the cafe with her repaired electric razor, the meetings are something that can appeal to everyone. I know everybody has an appliance or something that needs to be repaired, she said. I know I do and sometimes doing it yourself is not always possible. 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. Newell Brands Inc. designs, manufactures, sources, and distributes consumer and commercial products worldwide. It operates in five segments: Commercial Solutions, Home Appliances, Home Solutions, Learning and Development, and Outdoor and Recreation. The Commercial Solutions segment provides commercial cleaning and maintenance solutions; closet and garage organization products; hygiene systems and material handling solutions; and home and security, and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms products under the BRK, First Alert, Mapa, Quickie, Rubbermaid, Rubbermaid Commercial Products, and Spontex brands. The Home Appliances segment offers kitchen appliances under the Crock-Pot, Mr. Coffee, Oster, and Sunbeam brands. The Home Solutions segment provides food and home storage; fresh preserving; vacuum sealing; and gourmet cookware, bakeware, cutlery, and home fragrance products under the Ball, Calphalon, Chesapeake Bay Candle, FoodSaver, Rubbermaid, Sistema, WoodWick, and Yankee Candle brands. The Learning and Development segment offers writing instruments, including markers and highlighters, pens, and pencils; art products; activity-based adhesive and cutting products; labeling solutions; and baby gear and infant care products under the Aprica, Baby Jogger, Graco, NUK, Tigex, Dymo, Elmer's, EXPO, Graco, Mr. Sketch, NUK, Paper Mate, Parker, Prismacolor, Sharpie, Waterman, and X-Acto brands. The Outdoor and Recreation segment provides outdoor and outdoor-related products under the Campingaz, Coleman, Contigo, ExOfficio, and Marmot brands. It serves warehouse clubs, department and drug/grocery stores, mass merchants, home centers, office superstores and supply stores, contract stationers, and distributors, e-commerce, sporting goods, specialty, and travel retailers. The company was formerly known as Newell Rubbermaid Inc. and changed its name to Newell Brands Inc. in April 2016. Newell Brands Inc. was founded in 1903 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia. The following companies are subsidiares of Vodafone Group Public: 360 Connect S.A., 3@ Telecom, A-ccelerator B.V., A-ccelerator Holding B.V, AAA (Euro) Limited, AAA (MCR) Limited, AAA (UK) Limited, Acorn Communications Limited, Africonnect (Zambia) Limited, Ag Mercantile Company Private Limited, Al-Amin Investments Limited, Amsterdamse Beheer- en Consultingmaatschappij B.V., Apollo Submarine Cable System Limited, Array Holdings Limited, Asian Telecommunication Investments (Mauritius) Limited, Aspective Limited, Astec Communications Limited, Autoconnex Limited, Aztec Limited, BelCompany BV, Bluefish Apac Communications Pte. Ltd, Bluefish Communications, Bluefish Communications Limited, Business Serve Limited, C&W Worldwide Nigeria Limited, C.S.P. Solutions Limited, CCII (Mauritius) Inc., CGP India Investments Ltd., CGP Investments (Holdings) Limited, COOP Mobil s.r.o, CT Networks Limited, CWGNL S.A., CWW Operations Limited, Cable & Wireless Access Limited, Cable & Wireless Americas Systems Inc., Cable & Wireless Aspac Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless CIS Services Limited, Cable & Wireless CIS Svyaz LLC, Cable & Wireless Capital Limited , Cable & Wireless Communications Data Network Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Communications Starclass Limited, Cable & Wireless Communications Technical Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd (Beijing Branch), Cable & Wireless Europe Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless GN Limited, Cable & Wireless Global (India) Private Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Business Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Holding Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Telecommunication Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Holdco Limited, Cable & Wireless Networks India Private Limited, Cable & Wireless Trade Mark Management Limited, Cable & Wireless UK Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless UK Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Waterside Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Pension Trustee Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Voice Messaging Limited, Cable & Wireless a-Services Inc, Cable & Wireless a-Services Limited, Cable and Wireless (India) Limited, Cable and Wireless (India) Limited Indian Branch Office, Cable and Wireless Nominee Limited, Cable and Wireless Worldwide South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cavalry Holdings Ltd, Celfocus Solucoes Informaticas Para Telecomunicacoes S.A, Cellops Limited, Cellular Operations Limited, Central Communications Group Limited, Central Telecom (Northern) Limited, Centurion GSM Limited, Chelys Limited, City Cable (Holdings) Limited, Cobra do Brasil Servicos de Telematica ltda., Commnet Cellular Inc., Complete Network Technology, Connect (India) Mobile Technologies Private Limited, Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Limited, Dataroam Limited , Device Insight, Digital Island (UK) Ltd, Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, East Africa Investment (Mauritius) Limited, Emtel Europe Limited, Energis (Ireland) Limited, Energis Communications Limited, Energis Holdings Limited, Energis Local Access Limited, Energis Management Limited, Energis Squared Limited, Erudite Systems Limited, Esprit Telecom B.V., Eudokia Limited, Euro Pacific Securities Ltd., Eurocall Holdings Limited, Europolitan Holdings AB (now Europolitan Vodafone AB), FB Holdings Limited, FM Associates (UK) Limited, FinCo Partner 1 B.V., FireFly Networks Limited, Flexphone Limited, GS Telecom (Pty) Limited, Gateway Communications Africa (UK) Limited, Gateway Communications Tanzania Limited, General Mobile Corporation, Generation Telecom Limited, Ghana Telecommunications, Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited, Global Cellular Rental Limited, Globe Limited, GrandCentrix GmbH, Grupo Corporativo ONO S.A.U., H3ga Properties (No 3) Pty Limited, HBO Nederland Cooperatief U.A., HBO Netherlands Channels sro, HBO Netherlands Distribution B.V., Hellas Online, How2 Telecom Limited, Hutchison Essar Ltd, Indus Towers Limited, Intercell Communications Limited, Internet Network Services Limited, Invitation Digital Limited, Ipergy Communications NV, Isis Telecommunications Management Limited, Jaguar Communications Limited, Jaykay Finholding (India) Private Limited, Jupicol (Proprietary) Limited, KABELCOM Braunschweig Gesellschaft Fur BreitbandkabelKommunikation Mit Beschrankter Haftung, KABELCOM Wolfsburg Gesellschaft Fur BreitbandkabelKommunikation Mit Beschrankter Haftung, Kabel Deutschland, Kabel Deutschland Holding, Kabel Deutschland Holding Erste Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Holding Zweite Beteilgungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Neunte Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Siebte Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabelfernsehen Munchen Servicenter GmbH & Co. KG, LG Financing Partnership, LGE HoldCo V B.V., LGE HoldCo VI B.V., LGE HoldCo VIII B.V., LGE Holdco VII B.V., LLC Vodafone Enterprise Ukraine, Le Bunt Holdings Limited, Legend Communications Limited, Liberty Global, Liberty Global Content Netherlands B.V., London Hydraulic Power Company, M-PESA Foundation, M-PESA Holding Co. Limited, ML Integration Group Limited, ML Integration Limited, ML Integration Services Limited, MV Healthcare Services Private Limited, Mannesmann AG, MetroHoldings Limited, Mezzanine Ware Proprietary Limited (RF), Mirambo Limited, Misrfone Trading Company LLC, MobiFon S.A., Mobile Commerce Solutions Limited, Mobile Phone Centre Limited, Mobile Wallet VM1, Mobile Wallet VM2, Mobile by Sainsburys Limited, Mobiles 4 Business.com Limited, Mobileworld Communications Pty Limited, Mobileworld Operating Pty Ltd, Mobilvest, Motifpros 1 (Proprietary) Limited, Multi Risk Indemnity Company Limited, Multi Risk Limited, ND Callus Info Services Private Limited, Nadal Trading Company Private Limited, Nat Comm Air Limited, National Communications Backbone Company Limited, Navtrak Ltd, Netforce Group Limited, Netgrid Telecom SRL, Number Portability Company (Proprietary) Limited, ONO, Omega Telecom Holdings Private Limited, Oni Way Infocomunicacoes S.A, Oskar Mobil S.R.O., Oxygen Solutions Limited, P.C.P. (North West) Limited, PPL Pty Limited, PT Network Services Limited, PTI Telecom Limited, Peoples Phone Limited, Pinnacle Cellular Group Limited, Pinnacle Cellular Limited, Plex Limited, Plustech Mercantile Company Private Limited, Prime Metals Ltd., Project Telecom Holdings Limited, Quickcomm Software Solutions, Radio Opt GmbH, Rian Mobile Limited, SBC SMART CITY 1517 B.V., SMMS Investments Pvt Limited, Safaricom Limited, Safenet N.P A., Sarmady Communications, Scarlet Ibis Investments 23 (Pty) Limited, Scorpios Beverages Pvt. Ltd, Silver Stream Investments Limited, Singlepoint (4U) Limited, Singlepoint (4U) Ltd., Singlepoint Payment Services Limited, Siro Limited, Spar Aerospace (Nigeria) Limited, Sport TV Portugal S.A, Starnet, Stentor Communications Limited, Stentor Limited, Storage Technology Services (Pty) Limited, T.W. Telecom Limited, T3 Telecommunications Limited, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern Beteiligungs GmbH, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern GmbH & Co. KG, TNAS Limited, TSM NZ Limited, Talkland Airtime Services Limited, Talkland Australia Pty Limited, Talkland Communications Limited, Talkland International Limited, Talkland Midlands Limited, Talkmobile Limited, Tele2 Italia SPA, Tele2 Spain, Telecom Investments India Private Limited, Telecommunications Europe Limited, Ternhill Communications Limited, The Cobra Group, The Eastern Leasing Company Limited, The Old Telecom Sales Co. Limited, Thus Group Holdings Limited, Thus Group Limited, Thus Limited, Thus Profit Sharing Trustees Limited, TnT Expense Management LLC, Tomorrow Street GP S.a r.l., Tomorrow Street SCA, Torenspits II B.V., Townley Communications Limited, Trans Crystal Ltd., UMT Investments Limited, UPC Nederland Holding I B.V., UPC Nederland Holding II B.V., UPC Nederland Holding III B.V., Unified Communications, Uniqueair Limited, Urbana Teleunion Rostock GmbH & Co.KG, Usha Martin Telematics Limited, VAPL No. 2 Pty Limited, VBA (Mauritius) Limited, VBA Holdings Limited, VBA International (SL) Limited, VBA International Limited, VEI S.r.l., VM SA, VND S.p.A, VSSB Vodafone Shared Services Budapest Private Limited Company, Verwaltung Urbana Teleunion Rostock GmbH, Victus Networks S.A., Vizzavi Finance Limited, Vizzavi Limited, Voda Limited, Vodacall Limited, Vodacash s.p.r.l., Vodacom (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Business (Angola) Limitada, Vodacom Business (Ghana) Limited, Vodacom Business (Kenya) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa (Nigeria) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa Group (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa Group Services Limited, Vodacom Business Cameroon SA, Vodacom Business Cote Divoire S.A.R.L., Vodacom Congo (RDC) SA, Vodacom Financial Services (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Group Limited, Vodacom Insurance Administration Company (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Insurance Company (RF) Limited, Vodacom International Holdings (Pty) Limited, Vodacom International Limited, Vodacom Lesotho (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Life Assurance Company (RF) Limited, Vodacom Payment Services (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Properties No 1 (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Properties No.2 (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Tanzania Limited Zanzibar, Vodacom Tanzania Public Limited Company, Vodacom UK Limited, Vodafone (NI) Limited, Vodafone (New Zealand) Hedging Limited, Vodafone (Scotland) Limited, Vodafone 2, Vodafone 4 UK, Vodafone 5 Limited, Vodafone 5 UK, Vodafone 6 UK, Vodafone Albania Sh.A, Vodafone Alternatif Telekom Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Americas 4, Vodafone Americas Virginia Inc., Vodafone And Qatar Foundation L.L.C, Vodafone Asset Management Services S.a r.l., Vodafone Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Automotive Deutschland GmbH, Vodafone Automotive Electronic Systems S.r.L, Vodafone Automotive France S.A.S, Vodafone Automotive Iberia S.L, Vodafone Automotive Italia S.p.A, Vodafone Automotive Japan K.K, Vodafone Automotive Korea Limited, Vodafone Automotive SpA, Vodafone Automotive Technologies (Beijing) Co Ltd, Vodafone Automotive Telematics Development S.A.S, Vodafone Automotive Telematics S.A, Vodafone Automotive UK Limited, Vodafone Belgium SA/NV, Vodafone Benelux Limited, Vodafone Bilgi Ve Iletisim Hizmetleri AS, Vodafone Business Services Limited, Vodafone Business Solutions Limited, Vodafone Canada Inc, Vodafone Cellular Limited, Vodafone Central Services Limited, Vodafone China Limited (China), Vodafone China Limited (Hong Kong), Vodafone Connect 2 Limited, Vodafone Connect Limited, Vodafone Consolidated Holdings Limited, Vodafone Corporate Limited, Vodafone Corporate Secretaries Limited, Vodafone Czech Republic A.S., Vodafone DC Pension Trustee Company Limited, Vodafone Dagitim Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Data, Vodafone Distribution Holdings Limited, Vodafone Egypt Telecommunications S.A.E., Vodafone Elektronik Para Ve Odeme Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Empresa Brasil Telecomunicacoes Ltda, Vodafone Empresa Mexico S.de R.L. de C.V., Vodafone Enabler Espana S.L., Vodafone Enterprise Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Austria GmbH, Vodafone Enterprise Bahrain W.L.L., Vodafone Enterprise Bulgaria EOOD, Vodafone Enterprise Chile SA, Vodafone Enterprise Communications Technical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Corporate Secretaries Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Denmark A/S, Vodafone Enterprise Equipment Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited Czech Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited DubaiI Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Finland OY, Vodafone Enterprise France SAS, Vodafone Enterprise Germany GmbH, Vodafone Enterprise Global Businesses S.a r.l., Vodafone Enterprise Global Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Global Network HK Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Global Network Pte. Ltd., Vodafone Enterprise Hong Kong Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Italy S.r.L, Vodafone Enterprise Korea Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Luxembourg S.A., Vodafone Enterprise Netherlands BV, Vodafone Enterprise Norway AS, Vodafone Enterprise Regional Business Singapore Pte.Ltd., Vodafone Enterprise Singapore Pte.Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Spain S.L.U. Portugal Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Spain SLU, Vodafone Enterprise Sweden AB, Vodafone Enterprise Switzerland AG, Vodafone Erste Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Vodafone Espana S.A.U., Vodafone Euro Hedging Limited, Vodafone Euro Hedging Two, Vodafone Europe B.V., Vodafone Europe UK, Vodafone European Investments, Vodafone European Portal Limited, Vodafone Finance Limited, Vodafone Finance Luxembourg Limited, Vodafone Finance Sweden, Vodafone Finance UK Limited, Vodafone Financial Operations, Vodafone Financial Services B.V., Vodafone Fixed Ltd, Vodafone Foundation, Vodafone Foundation Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Gestioni S.p.A, Vodafone Ghana Mobile Financial Services Limited, Vodafone Global Content Services Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise (Hong Kong) Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise (Italy) S.R.L., Vodafone Global Enterprise (Japan) K.K., Vodafone Global Enterprise (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Vodafone Global Enterprise Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise Russia LLC, Vodafone Global Enterprise Taiwan Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise Telecommunications (Hellas) A.E., Vodafone Global Network Limited, Vodafone Global Network Limited Slovakia Branch, Vodafone Global Services Private Limited, Vodafone GmbH, Vodafone Group (Directors) Trustee Limited, Vodafone Group Pension Trustee Limited, Vodafone Group Services GmbH, Vodafone Group Services Ireland Limited, Vodafone Group Services Limited, Vodafone Group Services No.2 Limited, Vodafone Group Share Trustee Limited, Vodafone Hire Limited, Vodafone Holding A.S., Vodafone Holdings (Jersey) Limited, Vodafone Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Vodafone Holdings Europe S.L.U., Vodafone Holdings Luxembourg Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Finance Pty Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Receivables Pty Limited, Vodafone IP Licensing Limited, Vodafone India Digital Limited, Vodafone India Limited, Vodafone India Services Private Limited, Vodafone India Ventures Limited, Vodafone Institut fur Gesellschaft und Kommunikation GmbH, Vodafone Intermediate Enterprises Limited, Vodafone International 1 S.a.r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone International 1 S.a r.l., Vodafone International 2 Limited, Vodafone International Holdings B.V., Vodafone International Holdings Limited, Vodafone International M S.a r.l., Vodafone International Operations Limited, Vodafone International Services LLC, Vodafone Investment UK, Vodafone Investments (SA) Proprietary Limited, Vodafone Investments Australia Limited, Vodafone Investments Limited, Vodafone Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Vodafone Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone Ireland Distribution Limited, Vodafone Ireland Ltd., Vodafone Ireland Marketing Limited, Vodafone Ireland Property Holdings Limited, Vodafone Ireland Retail Limited, Vodafone Italia S.p.A., Vodafone Jersey Dollar Holdings Limited, Vodafone Jersey Finance, Vodafone Jersey Yen Holdings Unlimited, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland Field Services GmbH, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland GmbH, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland Kundenbetreuung GmbH, Vodafone Kenya Limited, Vodafone Leasing Limited, Vodafone Libertel B.V., Vodafone Limited, Vodafone Luxembourg 5 S.a r.l., Vodafone Luxembourg 5 S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone Luxembourg S.a r.l., Vodafone Luxembourg S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone M-PESA SH.P.K., Vodafone M-Pesa S.A, Vodafone M.C. 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Read More Takata is narrowing down a buyer from the United States to help it get through its huge recall crisis with airbags. The troubled firm, based in Japan, established an independent committee that recommended the takeover bid of Key Safety Systems based in Detroit, Takata said via a prepared statement. Get Warning: Undefined variable $CompanyName in /home/accttr/public_html/wp-content/themes/responsalambre/single.php on line 65 alerts: However, the airbag maker said that a final decision had not been made. Autoliv was another top bidder based in Sweden, but its bid was rejected because of concerns over antitrust problems. Key Safety Systems did not respond immediately to requests for a comment. U.S. based Key Safety Systems is owned by Ningbo Joyson Electronics based in China and is the worlds fourth biggest maker of airbags. Acquiring Takata would move the company into the second place in size. Takata is going through the largest ever recall of airbags in the history of the industry, affecting tens of millions of auto. The airbags of the company exploded and sent pieces of shrapnel into both drivers as well as passengers, with 11 confirmed deaths in the United States and others across the globe. The recalls began during 2008, and are likely not to end until sometime during 2023. The recall pushed Takata near bankruptcy. Last month, Takata filed a guilty plea to criminal charges and will pay a fine of $1 billion. Most of that money is destined for automakers that purchased airbags from Takata and have paid to have them repaired. A deal that includes Key Safety would give support to Takata as it along with automakers that it supplied the airbags to, take on the enormous recall of vehicles worldwide. The scandal over the airbag has also nearly ruined the reputation of the company and has sent its shares plummeting in Japan. On Monday, that crash continued with shares of Takata plummeting over 19% in the Tokyo exchange. Investors became very alarmed by some reports that companies making bids for the firm in Japan want to take the process of restructuring through the court system. The massive recall will end up costing the firm billions of dollars and it will take years for its reputation to be repaired that is why it is important that another company acquires Takata as soon as possible as a well to rebuild customer as well as consumer confidence. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine has issued warnings for western regions of Ukraine, where avalanches are possible. On February 6, the avalanche risk at level 4 is expected in the mountains in Zakarpattia region, and a considerable level (3) of avalanche danger is expected in Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, State Emergency Service reported, referring to the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Centers forecasts. iy US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had a phone conversation on Sunday evening, where they, in particular, discussed the escalation of the situation in eastern Ukraine. This has been stated in a report by the press office of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Ukrinform reports. They reviewed progress on the fight against terrorism and on NATO defence spending, and stressed the need for continued efforts to ensure fair burden-sharing among all NATO Allies. They also discussed the uptick in violence in eastern Ukraine, and prospects for a peaceful settlement, reads the report. At the same time, the Secretary General reminded about NATO's consistent policy of strong defence and dialogue with Russia. The Secretary General and President Trump looked forward to the upcoming NATO Summit in Brussels in late May to discuss these issues, according to the report. iy The humanitarian cargo from eleven agro-industrial enterprises of Ternopil region to the residents of Avdiivka arrived to the point of destination, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Heads of eleven agro-industrial enterprises decided to help residents of Avdiivka, who suffer from attacks of Russian terrorists. In particular, weve delivered products worth UAH 125,000 from the Ternopil meat factory. Also, we havent forgotten about defenders of the city servicepersons of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Mykola Pylypiv, Chairman of the Agricultural Producers Council of Ternopil region told an Ukrinform correspondent. Over the past year, agro-industrial companies of Ternopil region sent agricultural products worth UAH 15 million in support of Ukrainian soldiers participating in ATO. iy The presentation of the film Prisoners of the Kremlin", dedicated to Ukrainian journalist Roman Sushchenko who was illegally arrested in Russia, was held at the Club of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The representatives of the diplomatic corps, Ukrainian authorities, and international organizations attended the presentation, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. As Ukrainian Parliament Vice Speaker Iryna Herashchenko noted, the event is held on the eve of journalists birthday, February 8. "Roman is an excellent journalist. He covered all the events in France, in Paris over next few years. I am proud to know this courageous man, a real professional," she said. Ukrainian Information Policy Minister Yuri Stets, in turn, said that the Ukrainian side was making every effort to free journalist Sushchenko and return him to Ukraine. Director General of the Ukrainian National News Agency Ukrinform Oleksandr Kharchenko noted that the world community had no right to a weak response to Russia, which illegally detains Ukrinform journalist Roman Sushchenko, as it is actually the intimidation of all the journalists, who are not loyal to the policies and actions of the Kremlin. The guests of the event also had the opportunity to attend the exhibition of photos taken by Roman during his work as an Ukrinform correspondent in France. As reported, Ukrinform correspondent in France Roman Sushchenko was arrested in Moscow on September 30, where he arrived on a private visit. He was accused of espionage, allegedly being a member of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. The Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate denied allegations of the Russian Federal Security Service. The Russian court ruled at its closed hearing on October 1 to arrest the journalist for two months until November 30. On October 7, the Russian Federation officially charged the Ukrainian journalist with spying. Sushchenko denies any guilt. Roman Sushchenko works with the Ukrainian National News Agency Ukrinform since 2002 and is agencys own correspondent in France since 2010. ol There is no reason for easing the sanctions against Russia since the hostilities in Donbas have escalated. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said this before a meeting of the European Foreign Affairs Council on Monday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports from Brussels. "We will discuss the recent escalation of violence in Ukraine. There are clear signs of its initiator. The United Kingdom will insist that there is no reason for easing the sanctions. In any case, we need to continue to exert pressure on Russia," Johnson stressed. In turn, Foreign Minister of Lithuania Linas Linkevicius also said that sanctions against Russia should remain in place. ol Berlin has no doubt that Russia is the prime cause of the current situation in Donbas. German Federal Government Spokesman Steffen Seibert and German Foreign Ministry Spokesman Martin Schaefer said this at a press briefing in Berlin on Monday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports from Germany. "There are indications that the primary responsibility for the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which is an important integral part of the territory of the Ukrainian state, rests upon the separatists, who still receive massive support from Russia," Seibert said. In turn, Schaefer noted that "there is no doubt that the responsibility for the outbreak of the crisis in Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea, and the current situation in eastern Ukraine clearly rests upon Moscow." Schaefer has also assured that Ukraines issue is in the focus of attention of German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel. ol EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides may pay visit to Ukraine soon. Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsyntsadze discussed this with the European Commissioner in Brussels, the Governmental portal reports. "Mr. Stylianides assured of the full EUs support for Ukraine and the continued provision of the necessary assistance to the affected population. The Commissioner's visit to Ukraine in the near future may become another signal of support," the statement reads. As noted, during the meeting the parties discussed the aggravated situation in Donbas in connection with the shelling of Avdiivka and surrounding areas, as well as the threat of a humanitarian disaster in the region. ol TV channel UA | TV, a part of the International broadcasting multimedia platform of Ukraine (IBMPU), changes its European satellite. The International broadcaster will now be broadcasted from Hot Bird 13C (satellite operator company Eutelsat SA), the press service of the Information Policy Ministry reports. "Hot Bird 13 is presented by three satellites of high power that are ideally covering with the TV signal the whole of Europe - from Portugal and the Great Britain to Western Siberia in Russia, from Scandinavia to the countries of North Africa and the Middle East, Artem Bidenko, State Secretary of the Information Policy Ministry said. The ministry added that the broadcast of the UA | TV will be carried out also through the satellite Amos 2 until February 28. Thus, in February, cable operators and users of satellite television will be able to reconfigure the receivers on Hot Bird 13C. Apart from Europe, UA|TV broadcasts in Asia (Azerspace 1) and North America (Galaxy 19). Technical parameters of satellite Hot Bird 13C: frequency - 10930 MHz, polarization horizontal, symbol rate - 30000. iy Here's a tip, if you're going to speak at a Black History Month event: It helps to know a little black history. President Donald Trump overlooked that advice as he delivered a rambling Black History Month address before engaging in a "listening session" with African-American professionals at the White House. It didn't take long for the real estate developer and former star of "The Apprentice" to start talking about what seems to be his favorite topic, himself. First, he repeated a worn-out assertion that he keeps making at speaking events that "the media" deliberately reported falsely that he had removed a bust of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. from the Oval Office. In fact, the Time magazine reporter who was providing pool reports that day realized his mistake within minutes and sent out more than a dozen tweets correcting the mistake and apologizing. White House press secretary Sean Spicer tweeted back, "Apology accepted." Still, Trump, the man who questioned President Barack Obama's birth certificate for five years, talks about the episode as if the reporter misreported on purpose. Why let anything as inconvenient as a lack of evidence impede his "running war" on the media? Yet Trump showed less confidence as he dropped names of important African-Americans in history, including one particularly notable orator, activist, journalist and abolitionist. "Frederick Douglass," he said, "is an example of somebody who's done an amazing job, that is being recognized more and more, I notice." Yes, and just about everyone watching him on TV could hear Trump's use of the present tense. Did Trump think that Douglass, who died in 1895, is still alive? In fairness, Paris Dennard, a black Republican CNN commentator who attended the meeting, defended Trump, saying his remark was actually referring to a Douglass exhibit in the new National Museum of African-American History in Washington. But even if that was his intent, Trump's odd sentence structure leaves me asking, as Dorothy Parker is said to have responded to news of President Calvin Coolidge's death, How can you tell? Press secretary Spicer seemed to be caught completely off-guard by requests at a later news conference to clarify Trump's statement. But he forged ahead, sounding as confident as a man who actually knew what he was talking about, although not quite. "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 he's going to make, I think the contributions of Frederick Douglass will become more and more." And more. Yes, as Spicer tried to explain his boss's remarks, he too sounded as though he thought Douglass might still be around. Where, I wondered, has Douglass been hiding for 122 years? In some warehouse perhaps with the millions of ballots that Trump insists were illegally cast for Hillary Clinton? As if that were not enough mixed messages for one day, Vice President Mike Pence posted a tweet in which he too recognized the beginning of Black History Month -- by honoring a white man: "As #BlackHistoryMonth begins, we remember when Pres. Lincoln submitted the 13th Amendment, ending slavery, to the states #NationalFreedomDay." I'm certain that Pence meant well. I love Lincoln for many reasons, not the least of which is the freeing of my ancestors. Still, Pence could have avoided this dustup if he had taken the time to find a black American worth honoring, as the name of Black History Month suggests. For example, do you know who happened to be one of the staunchest, most eloquent and influential voices among those that urged Lincoln to free the slaves? Frederick Douglass. And, like most black voters in those days, he was a Republican. "I recognize the Republican Party," he wrote in 1888, "as the sheet anchor of the colored man's political hopes and the ark of his safety." Those were the days. So much has changed since then that the two parties have switched places on race, especially since the civil rights revolution of the 1960s, and the divide has only deepened in recent years. Against that historical backdrop, Donald Trump has promised to be a president for all the people. Great. But as an old saying goes, we need to know where we have been before we can figure out where we're going. UNICEF/UN09341/Mackenzie NEW YORK, 6 February 2017 It irreparably damages girls bodies, inflicting excruciating pain. It causes extreme emotional trauma that can last a lifetime. It increases the risk of deadly complications during pregnancy, labour and childbirth, endangering both mother and child. It robs girls of their autonomy and violates their human rights. It reflects the low status of girls and women and reinforces gender inequality, fueling intergenerational cycles of discrimination and harm. It is female genital mutilation and cutting. And despite all the progress we have made toward abolishing this violent practice, millions of girls -- many of them under the age of 15 -- will be forced to undergo it this year alone. Sadly, they will join the almost 200 million girls and women around the world who are already living with the damage FGM/C causes and whose communities are already affected by its impact. In 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals recognized the close connection between FGM/C, gender inequality, and development and reignited global action to end FGM/C by 2030. In 2016, more than 2,900 communities, representing more than 8.4 million people living in countries where UNFPA and UNICEF work jointly to end FGM/C, declared they had abandoned the practice. In 2017, we must demand faster action to build on this progress. That means calling on governments to enact and enforce laws and policies that protect the rights of girls and women and prevent FGM/C. It means creating greater access to support services for those at risk of undergoing FGM/C and those who have survived it. It also means driving greater demand for those services, providing families and communities with information about the harm FGM/C causes and the benefits to be gained by ending it. And ultimately, it means families and communities taking action themselves and refusing to permit their girls to endure the violation of FGM/C. Let us make this the generation that abolishes FGM/C once and for all and in doing so, help create a healthier, better world for all. ### Notes to Editors: Multimedia content available here: http://uni.cf/2k1946G Find out more about UNICEF's work on FGM here: http://uni.cf/endFGM UNICEF/UNI192515/Chit Ko Ko BANGKOK, 6 February 2017 As part of its annual global humanitarian appeal, UNICEF is seeking $42 million to deliver lifesaving aid for children in emergencies in two countries in the East Asia and Pacific region. The two East Asian countries that feature in the 2017 Humanitarian Action for Children report are DPR Korea and Myanmar, where children are affected by conflict, food shortages or natural disaster. Globally, almost one in four of the worlds children lives in a country affected by conflict or disaster. UNICEF estimates up to 7.5 million children will require assistance just to avoid severe acute malnutrition, including almost half a million children in each of northeast Nigeria and Yemen. The agencys 2017 appeal totals $3.3 billion, to be used to provide children with access to safe water, nutrition, education, health and protection in 48 countries. War, natural disaster and climate change are driving ever more children from their homes, exposing them to violence and disease, said Karin Hulshof, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Director. UNICEF is dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children from natural disasters, conflicts and other crises. The appeal seeks support to provide essential medicines to more than 2 million children in DPR Korea, as well as funds to support assistance for other urgent initiatives including access to decent nutrition and clean water, and to safe sanitation and better hygiene. In August 2016, heavy rains from Typhoon Lionrock in North Hamgyong Province resulted in widespread flooding and the destruction of infrastructure, livestock and crops, affecting more than 600,000 people. Children, pregnant women and lactating mothers face increased risks of water-borne and communicable disease. Last year, the number of children suffering from acute malnutrition and in need of urgent life-saving treatment quadrupled in flood-affected areas from 500 to 2,000 per month. In Myanmar, protracted crises in three states continue to threaten at least 220,000 internally displaced people. Children need urgent humanitarian assistance in Rakhine State, especially Rohingya children, in Kachin State and in Shan State. Compounding the protracted crises are issues related to religious and ethnic discrimination, exploitation, chronic poverty, vulnerability to natural disasters, statelessness, trafficking and humanitarian access. UNICEF is appealing for funds to meet the basic needs of some 127,000 of the countrys most vulnerable children. The money will be used by UNICEF and its partners to provide some 12,500 children aged 6 to 59 months affected by severe acute malnutrition with life-saving treatment; 75,000 people (30,000 of them children) with access to clean water for drinking, cooking and safe sanitation facilities as well as information about proper hygiene practices; and to provide some 127,000 children with access psychosocial support. In the first ten months of 2016, as a result of UNICEFs support for children in emergencies around the world, some: - 13.6 million people had access to safe water; - 9.4 million children were vaccinated against measles; - 6.4 million children accessed some form of education; - 2.2 million children were treated for severe acute malnutrition. ### Notes to Editors: The Humanitarian Action for Children 2017 appeal can be found here: www.unicef.org/HAC2017 For DPR Korea: https://www.unicef.org/appeals/dprk.html For Myanmar: https://www.unicef.org/appeals/myanmar.html Video and photos are available for download here: http://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AMZIF0Y3VA UNICEF/Hetman KYIV/GENEVA, 6 February 2017 Thousands of children have been forced out of school in eastern Ukraine due to last weeks surge in fighting. At least five schools and two kindergartens have been damaged by heavy shelling and 11 other schools have had to close, according to humanitarian organisations supporting the emergency education response in Ukraine. More than 2,600 children from 13 schools in government-controlled areas in eastern Ukraine have been affected by the sharp escalation in fighting, along with hundreds more from schools in non-government controlled areas. In the town of Avdiivka, seven schools and kindergartens remain shut, with almost 1,400 children out of school. Families in Avdiivka and other villages in the area are afraid of sending their children to the schools that remain open, due to the heavy fighting and fears of unexploded ordnance in the streets. UNICEF and Save the Children strongly condemn the indiscriminate shelling of schools, and call for all sides to immediately recommit to the ceasefire signed in Minsk in August 2015. The organizations urge all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law and ensure that schools and other civilian infrastructure are never attacked or in the line of fire. Michele Cecere, Save the Childrens Representative in Ukraine, said: Schools being shelled has tragically become commonplace in this conflict. There are reports of large numbers of unexploded ordnance in the streets, putting children at enormous risk when going to school, even when they can reopen. Its vital that children can get safely back to school as soon as possible so they dont miss out on any more learning. Giovanna Barberis, UNICEFs Representative in Ukraine, said: The shelling of schools, the one place where children find safety and normalcy during conflict, is unacceptable and has to stop. Children in eastern Ukraine have suffered enough and we must ensure that they have safe spaces to seek solace and support. The latest closure of schools has worsened the ongoing education crisis already affecting more than 600,000 children in eastern Ukraine. After nearly three years of conflict, more than 740 school one in five have been damaged or destroyed, resulting in girls and boys missing many months of schooling due to displacement and the effects of conflict. ### Notes to Editors: Pictures can be downloaded from link: https://we.tl/jXAgFJRZuh A large vulcanian explosion happened on Friday afternoon (around 17:30 local time), generating an ash column that rose approx 4 km and generated a pyroclastic flow on the eastern flank.This explosion was the first significant event since a similar event on 26 Jan. During the interval and since the explosion on Friday, the volcano has had only few and very week ash puffs at irregular intervals of average 8-12 hours, with no visible ejecta nor incandescence from the crater.Whether the recent phase of relatively frequent and very strong vulcanian explosions is gradually coming to an end because of decreasing supply of fresh, viscous and very gas-rich magma, or whether the magma supply still continues at steady (although it seems lower) rate and more strong explosive activity is going to occur in the near future is left to speculation. Background: Colima volcano is one of the most active in North America and one of the potentially most dangerous ones. It has had more than 30 periods of eruptions since 1585, including several significant eruptions in the late 1990s. Scientific monitoring of the volcano began 20 years ago.The Colima volcanic complex is the most prominent volcanic center of the western Mexican Volcanic Belt. It consists of two southward-younging volcanoes, Nevado de Colima (the 4320 m high point of the complex) on the north and the 3850-m-high historically active Volcan de Colima at the south.A group of cinder cones of probable late-Pleistocene age is located on the floor of the Colima graben west and east of the Colima complex. Volcan de Colima (also known as Volcan Fuego) is a youthful stratovolcano constructed within a 5-km-wide caldera, breached to the south, that has been the source of large debris avalanches. Major slope failures have occurred repeatedly from both the Nevado and Colima cones, and have produced a thick apron of debris-avalanche deposits on three sides of the complex. Frequent historical eruptions date back to the 16th century. Occasional major explosive eruptions (most recently in 1913) have destroyed the summit and left a deep, steep-sided crater that was slowly refilled and then overtopped by lava dome growth.--- Daniel John Sobieski, a retiree in Chicago, is able to tweet more than 1,000 times a day using schedulers that work through stacks of his own pre-written posts in repetitive loops. (Alyssa Schukar for The Washington Post) Daniel John Sobieski, 68, climbed the stairs in his modest brick home and settled into a worn leather chair for another busy day of tweeting. But he neednt have bothered. As one of the nations most prolific conservative voices on Twitter, he already had posted hundreds of times this morning as he ate breakfast, as he chatted with his wife, even as he slept and would post hundreds of times more before night fell. The key to this frenetic pace was technology allowing Twitter users to post automatically from queues of pre-written tweets that can be delivered at a nearly constant, round-the-clock pace that no human alone could match. In this way, Sobieski a balding retiree with eyes so weak that he uses a magnifying glass to see his two computer screens has dramatically amplified his online reach despite lacking the celebrity or the institutional affiliations that long have helped elevate some voices over the crowd. To me, Sobieski said, its kind of like a high-tech version of the old-fashioned soapbox. Todays digital soapboxes are little like the old-fashioned kind. Researchers have documented the power of automation technology to magnify some points of view while drowning out others. Much of that research has focused on bots, accounts programmed to follow instructions, such as automatically replying to tweets from other accounts. But Sobieski exemplifies the growing popularity of a variation, called cyborgs, that mix human creativity and initiative with a computers relentless speed, allowing their views to gain audience while sidestepping the traditional gatekeepers of news and commentary. Sobieskis two accounts, for example, tweet more than 1,000 times a day using schedulers that work through stacks of his own pre-written posts in repetitive loops. With retweets and other forms of sharing, these posts reach the feeds of millions of other accounts, including those of such conservative luminaries as Fox Newss Sean Hannity, GOP strategist Karl Rove and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), according to researcher Jonathan Albright. Its like a giant megaphone, said Albright, an assistant professor of media analytics at Elon University, in North Carolina, whose research singled out Sobieskis accounts as having unusual reach. When Albright studied the most prolific Twitter accounts during the final two weeks of the election, he found that all of the top 20 appeared to support the eventual winner, Donald Trump. Among accounts using major pro-Trump hashtags such as #MAGA, for Make America Great Again, two of the top three belonged to Sobieski. While there is no way to know how often Sobieskis tweets are read as they flit through busy feeds nor is it clear how they are influencing political debates researchers have found that automation allows users to exert an oversize influence on conversations on Twitter and beyond. One research team found that highly automated accounts supporting President Trump a category that includes both bots and cyborgs out-tweeted those supporting Democrat Hillary Clinton by a ratio of 5 to 1 in the final days before the vote. This Twitter advantage had spillover effects, helping pro-Trump and anti-Clinton stories to trend online, making them more likely to find their way into Facebook feeds or Googles list of popular news stories, said Samuel Woolley, research director for the Computational Propaganda project at Oxford University and co-author of the study on the effectiveness of pro-Trump bots. The goal here is not to hack computational systems but to hack free speech and to hack public opinion, Woolley said. A meritocracy For the first new tweet on this day, Sobieski wants to opine on the spiking murder rate in Chicago and the alleged failings of the citys Democratic Mayor Rahm Emanuel (or, to Sobieski, Rahmbo). He navigates to a conservative online magazine for which he occasionally writes, American Thinker, and copies a link to one of his articles about crime. To reach beyond his own 78,900 followers, Sobieski adds a few more adornments, typing #MAGA to surface the tweet to the presidents supporters online and .@realDonaldTrump in hopes of getting the attention of Trump or those who track messages to him. The last six characters are #PJNET, for the Patriot Journalist Network, a coalition of conservative tweeters who amplify their messages through coordination, automation and other online tactics. Last, Sobieski adds what he calls the coup de grace, plucking an image from his ever-growing digital library of illustrations. For this tweet he chooses a photograph of bloodied Iraqi men carrying what appear to be clubs, along with the caption, BAGHDAD IS SAFER THAN CHICAGO. In the time it takes to compose this tweet, his schedulers have sent out several others. Some planes, meanwhile, have taken off from Chicago Midway Airport a few blocks away, sending muted roars through the house he shares with his wife, a Lebanese immigrant and fellow Catholic to whom Sobieski has been married for 39 years. He will stay in front of the computer for another two, maybe three hours before quitting for the day, but his Twitter accounts never stop working. Life isnt fair, Sobieski said with a smile. Twitter in a way is like a meritocracy. You rise to the level of your ability. . . . People who succeed are just the people who work hard. Twitter, which declined multiple requests for comment, is more easily manipulated than some other social media platforms, researchers say, because it allows anonymous users and tolerates some degree of automation of its accounts. Bots can be bought or sold online, and some are so sophisticated with profile pictures, plausible names and a capacity for chatter fueled by artificial intelligence that they are difficult to detect, even for experts. The company has policies to limit automation and the use of multiple accounts, and it has published guidelines and best practices. Twitter sometimes shuts down violators when they are discovered, but it acknowledged in a 2014 securities filing that up to approximately 8.5% of all active users may have used third-party apps for automation. Independent researchers say the percentage could be twice as high, putting the numbers of automated accounts in the tens of millions. Some of the most prolific political tweeters complain that the company doesnt have clear enough rules of the road. Lewis Shupe, a conservative Las Vegas-based retiree who runs @USFreedomArmy, a 61,000-follower account, said that he had received warnings from Twitter for posting too often. He now limits his scheduler to 150 tweets per hour, a number he thinks allows him to fly under the companys radar. If Twitter would publish rules, we would follow them, Shupe said. Political activists have used automated Twitter accounts, including bots, in at least 17 nations, including Iran, Mexico, Russia and the United Kingdom. In the run-up to the June Brexit vote, highly-automated accounts favoring departure from the European Union were more prolific, by a ratio of 3 to 1, than automated accounts on the other side of the debate, according to research by Oxford Internet Institute professor Philip N. Howard and a colleague. It makes public conversation a synthetic conversation, said Howard. It makes it very difficult to know what consensus looks like. A level playing field In the United States, automation tools generally have been deployed more aggressively by conservatives, researchers say. Pro-Clinton hashtags, in some cases, got colonized by pro-Trump tweets during the election season, according to the paper by Howard and Woolley. And for the third presidential debate, Trumps supporters and in some cases, likely bots began tweeting the #TrumpWon hashtag a half-hour before the event began. Liberals are pretty far behind, Woolley said. The impact on political debate is heavy but not widely understood. In the U.S. presidential election, 19 percent of all tweets related to the campaign during one five-week stretch probably came from bots, according to University of Southern California researchers Alessandro Bessi and Emilio Ferrara. Those who use automation to magnify their voices express little sympathy for those who dont. Anybody can be a Twitter rock star if you learn how to do it, said Florida-based conservative activist Mark Prasek, whose Twitter account describes him as a Christian Technologist. The Patriot Journalist Network he founded in 2012 allows members to send off dozens of pre-written tweets on a range of a conservative issues with just a few clicks of a mouse. Its a level playing field, he said. Were using tools. Is it fair that I can get downtown faster using a car than if you are using a bike? Before Sobieski discovered Twitter, he was a prolific writer of letters to the editor, penning thousands to Chicago-area newspapers while also crafting occasional on-air replies to liberal editorial positions of local television stations. That probably would have been the peak of Sobieskis influence as a right-wing gadfly in an increasingly left-wing city had he not become a regular freelancer in 2004 for the editorial page of Investors Business Daily, a Los Angeles-based publication with a national reach. He started tweeting out Web links to his editorials in 2009, christening his account @gerfingerpoken. (During Sobieskis decades writing letters to the editor, one of his day jobs was working as a programmer for a company that, in its computer room, featured a satiric German sign that translated as, roughly, Warning: Dont touch the machine with the blinking lights! Sobieski named his account for one of the words in that sign, gefingerpoken, accidentally misspelling it with an extra r, as gerfingerpoken.) Sobieski acknowledges that he may have been too aggressive in his hunt to add followers during his early years. Twitter, he said, temporarily shut down @gerfingerpoken several times for violating terms of service designed to limit unwanted contact between users. He started @gerfingerpoken2 in 2012 as a hedge against the possibility that Twitter might block the original account permanently. But Sobieski eventually developed a finely honed ability to dodge what he called the Twitter police while steadily building his reach online. My accounts will be tweeting long after Im gone, Sobieski joked. Maybe in my last will and testament, I should say, Load up my recurring queue. Elizabeth Dwoskin contributed to this report. J.D. Vance, author of "Hillbilly Elegy," stands near the U.S. Capitol during a stop in Washington. Since the election, he has been in high demand as a speaker and television talk-show commentator. (Astrid Riecken/Astrid Riecken For The Washington Post) Here is J.D. Vance, a long way from Middletown, Ohio, arriving at the gilded Fifth Avenue temple of the University Club, a massive pile of excess born of robber-baron lucre and standing in the shadow of its glass-and-steel successor, Trump Tower. Vance has no tie. The club requires that he wear one. He is offered a scrawny, wrinkled navy number, possibly a Brooks Brothers reject, that looks as though it has collected lint through several society seasons. That Vance is the nights honored speaker, at a benefit for socioeconomically disadvantaged students, which he himself was not a decade ago, makes no difference. Rules are rules. None of this is lost on Vance, 32, a proud product of Appalachia, the Marines, Ohio State and Yale Law. The son of a mother who married five times and took to hard drugs. Whose father left the home by the time his son had started walking and gave him up for adoption when J.D. (for James David) was 6, to be raised by his mother, his maternal grandparents and a parade of stepfathers. (Shes clean now, and hes back in Vances life.) Seven months ago, Vances Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis exploded into the national political conversation. Although Donald Trump gets not a solitary mention in the book, the novice authors timing proved exquisite. The memoir describes the plight of poor, angry white Americans in Appalachia and the Rust Belt, a tinderbox of resentment that ignited national politics. His family roots on his mothers side run deep in Kentucky, specifically Breathitt County, before his grandparents settled in Middletown. Hillbilly Elegy crested the bestseller list, tumbled slightly, only to spike again after the presidential election. Late last week, it was the No. 2 bestseller on Amazon behind George Orwells dystopian classic, 1984. The book, with an initial printing of 10,000, has sold half a million copies in hardcover and 280,000 digital and audio editions, according to the publisher, HarperCollins. CNN hired Vance as a paid commentator. He has become a regular contributor to the New York Times opinion page. Hes in high demand as a lecturer, being offered what he deems a preposterous amount of money. His schedule is such a circus that he recently had to hire a personal assistant. The Trump whisperer, they call him. Also, J.D., the Rust Belt anger translator. A weird place to be, he concedes. Its an indictment of our media culture that a group that includes tens of millions of people is effectively represented by one guy, he says. I feel sort of uncomfortable being the guy. But for now, he is. [A hillbillys plea to the white working class] Book cover of J.D. Vance's New York Times best-seller, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis. In the book Vance sheds light on the world he grew up in, exploring how social policies and other factors affect some of the poorest communities in the U.S. A principal at a Silicon Valley investment firm, Vance, 32, was mostly raised in Middletown, Ohio, by his grandparents, Mamaw and Papaw, while his mom struggled with drug addiction. He nearly failed out of high school, but regrouped and made his way to the Marine Corps, college and then Yale Law School. (N/A/N/A) Vance and his family his mother and sister and whichever man his mother was with at the moment moved constantly, chaos their credo, until, as a teenager, hed had enough. In high school, he chose to live with his beloved maternal grandmother, Mamaw, a profanity-spewing hill woman a violent nondrunk, he calls her who never spent much time in high school but was armed with an unwavering belief that her grandson could do anything. Vance understands the rarity of his journey, that if the Ivy League didnt festoon his resume, he probably wouldnt be addressing the evenings benefit, surrounded by degree-laden liberals in Americas pulsing blue border. Several guests at the event, clutching copies of Hillbilly to their chests, beseech Vance, believing that hes a fellow progressive: What are we going to do? We Democrats need to figure this out. Vance is a conservative Republican. Hes a contributor to the National Review and has interned and clerked for Republicans. Its very interesting, right? he says later of the political presumption. It seems to me an indictment of the Republican Party that if you talk about issues of poverty and upward mobility, people assume youre a Democrat. This country is segregated by race, geography and income in a way that it hasnt been in a very, very long time, he says. The person in New York City is showing too little empathy for the Trump voter. The Trump voter is showing too little empathy for the person whos very worried about the refugee ban. Theyre not spending enough time with each other to have a meaningful conversation. For the record, Vance is not a Trump fan. Trump, he says, ran an angry, very adversarial campaign that in tone matched the frustrations of the people I wrote about. He certainly ran a pretty cynical campaign, and got a lot of votes from people who are feeling cynical about the future. Vance voted for independent candidate Evan McMullin. On this night, a long way from his familys origins in a Kentucky holler, Vance will feast on a $46 steak, drain a $19 martini, slumber in a $700 hotel room and shake his head at the absurdity of it all. For all his confidence he raced through college in less than two years, graduating summa cum laude hes always retained this boyish charm, says his childhood friend Nate Ellis. Hes never really lost it. Hes unapologetically J.D. Vance tells the joke naturally, i n a TED Talk, and again in his University Club address of being offered chardonnay or sauvignon blanc at an event, not knowing the difference, and requesting the former because it was easier to pronounce. Later in the evening, he will ask whether hes pronouncing canard correctly and whether bearnaise sauce is just fancy mayonnaise. (Yes, and yes.) Vance lives in San Francisco the antithesis of his home town of Middletown where he works as a principal in an investment group co-founded by Peter Thiel, one of the few Silicon Valley poo-bahs to support Trump. But he and his wife, Usha, are moving to Columbus, most likely by the end of the month. There, he plans to run a small nonprofit organization to work on battling the opioid crisis and bringing durable capital to the region, he says. I never wanted to be a public intellectual or a talking head. I actually care about solving some of these things. [Why the author of Hillbilly Elegy is moving back to Ohio] Its been a crazy year, says Usha Vance, the daughter of Indian immigrants and an associate in a San Francisco law firm. I think the process of writing for him was a process of discovery, where he was realizing things about himself. They met in law school. He declared his love for her after their first date. He also made it clear that Ohio would be in their future. Ive basically been homesick since I was 18 years old, when he joined the Marines, says Vance. Usha knew that this kid is obsessed with Ohio, and he will not consider his life happy and fulfilled unless he goes back home. Their life is about to become crazier. Theyre expecting their first child, a boy, due June 1. Life is sort of complicated. A couple of months after that, [Ushas] going to start a new job, a temporary one as these things are, says Vance somewhat awkwardly. Doing what? Uh, a clerkship with the chief justice. Not of Ohio, mind you, but with Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr. Ushas mother, a biology professor in California, plans to take time off and help with the baby. Hillbilly Elegy began as a law school writing project on the thwarted economic mobility of Rust Belt residents. Vances contracts professor and authorial godmother, Amy Chua, pushed him to make the argument part of a memoir. In 2011, she had experienced success writing about her life and pronounced parenting views in The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Vance recalls telling Chua, Nobody wants to read about me. Also, I didnt expect the book to be as politically relevant. Chua recalls: We just really clicked. I saw something special in him. When I was in the middle of the firestorm about Tiger Mother, J.D. wrote me that you sound just like my grandmother, and he started to pour out his heart. Hes such a true person, she adds. You can tell an honest voice. Vance believed early on that Trump would be the Republican nominee. He didnt think that hed be elected president, though. When he was, Vance became the moments prized talking head. The day after the election, from 6 a.m. until around 11:30 p.m., I was on television effectively constantly, this idiot with a book. When he got off the air, it was the No. 1 book on Amazon, he says. It had become the book that people were talking about to explain this very surprising election. [ Everyone is reading books trying to explain Trump voters] People often ask Vance whether his return to Ohio is part of some grander plan, perhaps running for political office? Hes already famous, at ease on television and speaking at Manhattan fundraisers without notes. He was always interested in political philosophy and social science, Ellis says. In high school, we would joke that J.D. is the person most likely in our class to be president or go into politics. To which Vance responds: Im not going to say that Im never going to run. Im certainly interested in public service over the long term. But it sort of bothers me, the presumption at the age of 32, that if someone is saying interesting things, and has interesting insights, why isnt he running for office. He thinks there are other ways to contribute. I think running a small nonprofit to work on the opioid crisis and bring interesting new businesses to the so-called Rust Belt all of these things are valuable, if not more valuable, than running for office. Fair enough. So I will say Im not running for office right now, which is true, he says, finishing his martini. But its sort of dishonest and, sort of, like, cagey. So in other words, stay tuned. A D.C. elementary school that closed Monday because of problems with pests and bed bugs said students will have class beginning Wednesday at a new location. On Friday, D.C. Public Schools announced that Savoy Elementary in Anacostia would be closed Monday and Tuesday for a thorough cleaning of the building after problems with rodents and other pests at the school last month. [D.C. elementary school to close after threats of pests and bed bugs] On Monday, officials said the school would reopen Wednesday about three miles away at Ferebee Hope Elementary School at 3999 8th St. SE. Transportation to and from the temporary location will be provided for students, officials said, with more information to follow later this week. Meals for students are available Monday and Tuesday at the Barry Farm Recreation Center at 1230 Sumner Rd. SE, officials said. Every year there are a few bills dropped into the legislative hopper that are such a good idea that approval seems like a no-brainer. This year the label can be applied to LB444 introduced by Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont. The bill would prevent counties and cities from canceling health insurance coverage for law enforcement officers who suffer serious bodily injury from an assault while on duty. The need for the change in state law was made starkly clear by what happened to Deuel County Deputy Sheriff Mike Hutchinson after he was shot four times in an ambush in December 2015. Hutchinson had gone to the mans house while the rest of the four-man department waited out of sight in nearby vehicles. The man, Neil Stretesky, was out on bail on a charge of attempted first degree murder for beating his father with a hammer. Hutchinson was able to wrestle away the shotgun Stretesky was carrying, slamming the stock of the shotgun against the mans jaw. But while the two men were struggling on the ground, Stretesky pulled out a pistol and shot Hutchinson four times When Stretesky raised his head to peer across Hutchinsons body, Sheriff Scott DeCoste shot him in the head from about 50 yards away, killing him. Hutchinson, 53, sustained severe internal injuries from the four shots at close range. He began working with physical and occupational therapists months ago but he has not fully recovered and has not been cleared to return to work. Its unconscionable that Hutchinsons health insurance was terminated in May 2016 because of the reduction in hours of employment in the midst of his struggle to recover from the gunshot wounds. To be clear, Hutchinsons medical bills from the wounds he sustained in the ambush were covered by the countys worker compensation carrier. But when Hutchinsons health insurance was terminated, he and his wife were without coverage for other injuries or illnesses. Deuel County finally gave him a one-time $1,500 stipend to buy coverage through the Affordable Care Act. For now hes covered until the money runs out. Walzs bill is not grandiose in scope. For example, cities and counties would be allowed to cancel a law enforcement officers health insurance if the officer did not return to work within 12 months. It would affect mainly small law enforcement agencies. Bigger agencies like the Lincoln Police Department already have policies to cover officers injured on duty. Law enforcement officers in small agencies deserve the same protection. State senators should do their due diligence to ensure the bill has no unintended consequences, but clearly a change in law is needed. State senators should ensure that the Hutchinsons experience is not repeated. MARYLAND Officers fire at car that smashed cruiser Bladensburg police officers fired at a car that smashed into a cruiser Saturday night, later finding a vehicle matching its description on fire in the District. The incident occurred about 11:30 p.m., after police went to investigate a report of a vehicle break-in in the 4100 block of 51st Street in Bladensburg. Officers arrived to find the unspecified vehicle being driven away, according to a news release from the department. The vehicle crashed into a police cruiser before heading toward an officer who was on foot, police said. At that point, police said, two officers fired at the vehicle as the driver drove away. The officers, who were uninjured, eventually lost track of the vehicle. Whether the driver or any occupants were injured was unknown. A short time later, a vehicle matching the description was found burning in the 3700 block of Jay Street NE. Police were working to confirm Sunday whether the vehicle was related to the incident. Prince Georges County homicide detectives are investigating a routine procedure for police-involved shootings. Involved officers were placed on administrative leave. VIRGINIA Dumfries councilman is found dead at home Dumfries Councilman William A. Murphy was found dead in his home Friday, Mayor Gerald Jerry Foreman said Sunday. A spokesman for Prince William County police said that foul play was not suspected and that Murphy appeared to have died of natural causes. Police pronounced Murphy dead at 11:45 a.m. Friday, Foreman said in a statement. One of the few Democrats on the council, Murphy advocated transportation improvements, water quality and financial responsibility. His ability to bridge critical initiatives and conduct open dialogue was key to his success in working with fellow council members and advancing citizens and business owners priorities, Foreman said. Jenna Portnoy Probe underway after human remains found Prince William County police are investigating after human remains were discovered Saturday afternoon in Woodbridge, authorities said Sunday. Police are withholding the identity of the deceased until the next of kin is notified. No foul play was suspected, police said. There is no public threat or need for concern from the surrounding community, police said in a statement posted on Twitter. Officers responded to a wooded area in the 1100 block of Marseille Lane in Woodbridge. The remains were taken to the medical examiners office for further examination and identification. A police spokesman said Sunday that an autopsy would be conducted Monday or Tuesday. Jenna Portnoy Power outage keeps some from big game At just the wrong time, electricity went out Sunday for thousands of homes and businesses in the center of Arlington. Comcast cable service also went out in parts of Alexandria and Arlington. The power problems and the cable outage appeared to be the greatest impediments for Washington-area residents trying to watch Super Bowl LI. The power outage, affecting 3,100 customers, began about 4 p.m. near Wilson Boulevard in the Ballston area of Arlington, said Jan Bennett, a spokeswoman for Dominion Virginia Power. She said that by about 9 p.m., it appeared that almost all customers power had been restored. The outage was attributed to a power pole with a broken cross arm, the apparatus that supports overhead wires. The cause of the arms failure was not immediately known. In an email, a Comcast spokeswoman said that unfortunate issues beyond our control resulted in two separate service issues impacting customers in Northern Virginia. She said one involved a fire that caused a commercial power outage that affected some Arlington customers. A second involved a fire on commercial power lines that burned Comcasts cable in Alexandria. For those who missed it, the New England Patriots came from far behind to best the Atlanta Falcons in overtime, 34-28. Jenna Portnoy and Martin Weil BLOOD DONATIONS Blood drives Saturday 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Leesburg Public Safety Center, 65 Plaza St., Leesburg, 800-733-2767; Feb. 17, 1:30-6 p.m., St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall St., Leesburg, 800-733-2767; Feb. 25, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Rd., Ashburn, 800-733-2767. Inova Blood Donor Center Mondays noon-8 p.m., Tuesdays 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Fridays 6 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays noon-4 p.m. Dulles Town Center, 45745 Nokes Blvd., Sterling. 866-256-6372 or inova.org/donateblood. FIRST AID First aid/adult, infant and child CPR/AED (Automated External Defibrillator) Feb. 18 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Medical Office Building, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. $85. Registration required. HEARING Disability Resource Center Technical assistance through the state Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and presentations to businesses, groups and schools. Third Tuesdays 2-5 p.m., Workplace, 205 Keith St., Warrenton. Call for an appointment, 800-648-6324; TDD, 540-373-5890. Free. Free hearing tests Age 18 and older. Mondays-Thursdays 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Blue Ridge Speech and Hearing Center, 19465 Deerfield Ave., Suite 201, Lansdowne. 703-858-7620. Registration required. MENTAL HEALTH Counseling for sexual violence survivors Provided by Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice. 703-771-9020. Crisis Intervention Treatment and Assessment Center Provides emergency mental-health, substance-use and developmental services to Loudoun residents. Daily from 7 a.m.-11 p.m. 102 Heritage Way NE, Suite 102, Leesburg. Emergency services are available 24 hours a day at 703-777-0320. Crisislink Suicide and crisis intervention. Community education, a volunteer crisis response team and CareRing, a telephone outreach program for the elderly and disabled. 703-527-6016, volunteer@crisislink.org or crisislink.org. Piedmont Chapter, National Alliance on Mental Illness Serves Fauquier, Orange, Madison and Rappahannock counties. Support group, education classes and events for people living with mental illness and their family members. First Wednesdays 7-9 p.m. Fauquier Hospital, 500 Hospital Dr., Sycamore Room A, Warrenton. 571-426-8213. Mental health first-aid A public education program offered by the Loudoun County Department of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Developmental Services to help residents understand mental illness and seek intervention. Go to loudoun.gov/mhfirstaid. Northern Virginia Chapter, National Alliance on Mental Illness A support group, classes and programs for people living with mental illness and their family members. naminorthernvirginia.org. PREGNANCY, PARENTING Adoptive family preservation Adoptive families discuss common experiences; registration required. Third Tuesdays 12:30-2 p.m., Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Rd. Call 703-941-9008, Ext. 23, or email jmellario@umfs.org . Birthright of Loudoun County Free pregnancy tests, baby clothing, transportation and support throughout pregnancy, 823 S. King St., Leesburg. 703-777-7272. Bond Between Us A nonprofit organization that offers support to birth parents when children have been placed for adoption. Fourth Tuesdays 7:30 p.m. Call for location. 703-771-7844. Breastfeeding support Mondays 9:30-10:30 a.m., Fauquier Hospital Family Birthing Center, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. Dad support New and expectant fathers share ideas. First Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg. 703-858-6360. For the Childrens Sake A group for separating or divorcing parents to share advice. Four-hour session weekly. Information: 703-391-8599 or fitsfoundation.org. La Leche League Mother-to-mother support and breastfeeding information. 10 a.m. second Wednesdays in Warrenton, 540-351-6103. Third Fridays 10:15-11:45 a.m., call for location, 703-444-7386. Second Fridays 10:15 a.m., Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Rd., 703-829-0349; Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon, Panera Bread, 43670 Greenway Corp. Dr., Ashburn, lllashburn@gmail.com. Third Fridays 10:15 a.m., Christ the Redeemer Church, 46833 Harry F. Byrd. Hwy., Sterling, 540-338-4637. Loudoun Fatherhood Program Fathers discuss the joys and challenges of being a parent. Meets every other Saturday for two hours for four months; sponsored by Northern Virginia Family Service. 571-748-2796. Free. Loudoun Nurturing Parenting Program Positive parenting techniques; children attend with parents. Registration required. Call 703-771-3973, Ext. 27, or email nurturingprogram@lcsj.org. Free. Mothernet/Healthy Families Loudoun Program links first-time parents with medical, social and educational resources to give children a socially and physically healthy start in life. Family support workers meet with participants in homes. English-Spanish translation provided. 703-444-4477, Ext. 217 , or inmed.org. New mother support Wednesdays 9:30-11:30 a.m. Inova Loudoun Medical Pavilion, 224 Cornwall St., Leesburg. Babies welcome. 703-858-6360. Young parent services Support for teenage parents. Loudoun County Department of Family Social Services, 52 Sycolin Rd., Leesburg. Call for times. 703-771-5375. Online childbirth education program Inova Loudoun Hospitals Web-based program uses animation, videos and interactive activities to guide users through the basics of childbirth, breastfeeding and caring for newborns. 703-858-6360 or thebirthinginn.org/classes. Parenting Alone group For parents of school-age children who have lost a spouse or partner to cancer. Second Tuesdays 5:30-6:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call 703-698-2536 or email jennifer.eckert@inova.org. Pregnancy and childbirth support Childbirth Solutions Resource Center, 8393 W. Main St., Marshall. 571-344-0438. SENIORS Chair yoga Age 55 and older. Mondays 11 a.m.-noon, Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. Wear comfortable clothes. Bare feet or socks are encouraged. 571-258-3400. $2 drop-in. Exercise equipment Age 55 and older. Weights, treadmills, bikes and a cardio-glide. Instruction provided. Weekdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. Fitness for people 55 and older Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 1-1:45 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 571-258-3400. $36, 12-visit card. Eye care LensCrafters staff members clean glasses and make minor repairs. Second Wednesdays 1-2 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 703-430-2397. Free. Inova Loudoun mobile van Blood pressure checks. Second and fourth Tuesdays 9:30 a.m.-noon, Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling, 571-258-3280; first Wednesdays 9:30 a.m.-noon, Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Laughing yoga for seniors Improve flexibility and balance. Thursdays 9:30-10 :30 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. Loudoun Adult Day Centers For seniors with physical limitations or memory loss, a safe and social environment, therapeutic activities, individualized care and respite for caregivers. Limited transportation. Sliding-scale fees. Weekdays in Leesburg, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., 703-771-5334; Purcellville, 571-258-3402; and Ashburn-Sterling, 571-258-3232. Senior Outreach Services Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging case manager. Call for an appointment or sign up at the Senior Center at Cascades. First and third Wednesdays 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 571-258-3280. Senior Outreach Services Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging Elder case manager. Sign up in the Leesburg Senior Center lobby. Second and fourth Thursdays 11 a.m.-noon and 12:30-4:30 p.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. Senior Outreach Services Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging Elder case manager. Call for an appointment or sign up at the Carver Center. First and third Mondays, 12:30-5 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 703-737-8741. Free. Tai chi for seniors Stretching and strengthening movements. Mondays 11 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. Zumba gold class Age 55 and older. Wear rubber-soled shoes and comfortable clothing; bring water and a towel. Tuesdays 11 a.m., Tuesdays and Fridays 1 p.m. Senior Center of Leesburg, 102 North St. NW, Leesburg. 703-737-8039. $24 per month. Zumba For people 55 and older learning Zumba for the first time, or those who prefer a lower-impact version. The fitness program combines Latin and international music with dance.Thursdays 11 a.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 571-258-3280. $12. SUPPORT GROUPS Al-Anon Service Center of Northern Virginia A volunteer is available 24 hours with information for spouses, family members and friends of problem drinkers. 703-534-4357 or 877-339-8350. Mondays 8 p.m. Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 125 W. Washington St., Middleburg, 540-554-2747; Tuesdays 7:30 p.m. St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall St. NW, Leesburg, 877-339-8350; Fridays 8:30 p.m. Grace Episcopal Church, 6507 Main St., The Plains, 800-344-2666; Tuesdays 12:15 p.m. Warrenton Church of Christ, Route 29 N., 540-347-7448; Tuesdays 7 p.m. and Saturdays 8:30 p.m. Warrenton Presbyterian Church, 91 Main St., 800-344-2666. Alcoholics Anonymous Various meeting times and locations in Loudoun County. 800-208-8649 or 703-876-6166. nvintergroup.org. Alzheimers caregiver support For those who care for people with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. Fourth Wednesdays 4-5:30 p.m. The Villa at Suffield Meadows, 6735 Suffield Lane, Warrenton. 540-316-3800. Alzheimers caregivers support For those caring for people with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. Second Mondays 7-8:30 p.m. Galilee United Methodist Church, 45425 Winding Rd., Sterling. 703-430-9229. galileeumc.org. Alzheimers caregivers support Emotional, educational and social support for family members and friends of people with the disease. Third Saturdays 10 a.m. Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging, 20145 Ashbrook Pl., Ashburn. Call 703-771-5407 or email lesley.katz@loudoun.gov. Alzheimers caregiver support group Fourth Thursdays 3-4 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 540-903-6831 or alz.org. Alzheimers support First Tuesdays 10-11 a.m. Spring Arbor Assisted Living, 237 Fairview St. NW, Leesburg. 540-338-6520. Alzheimers support First Wednesdays 4 p.m. Leesburg Adult Day Center, 16501 Meadowview Ct., Leesburg. 703-771-5334. Alzheimers support Fourth Thursdays 3-4 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 571-258-3400. Talk About Curing Autism A nonprofit organization educating and supporting families affected by autism. tacanow.org. Autoimmune support Last Thursdays 6:30-7:30 p.m. Jackson Building, 209 Gibson St., Leesburg. autoimmunesupport@hotmail.com. Bereaved parent support One-on-one counseling is available. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814 or scsm.tv. Bereavement support Age 18 and older. Third Mondays 1 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. Sponsored by Capital Caring. 703-957-1800. Bereavement support Tuesdays through March 28, 7:30- 9 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. Free. Breast cancer support Fourth Tuesdays 7-8 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Tower, Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-349-0588. Breast cancer support For those with new diagnoses or starting treatment. Register if attending for the first time. Fourth Mondays 5-6:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8857. Breast cancer support For those who have finished treatment, have had a recurrence or metastatic breast cancer. Register if attending for the first time. Fourth Mondays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8857. Free. Breast Cancer Support Assistance Fund Loudoun County residents who have received a diagnosis or have undergone treatment in the past 12 months are eligible to apply for financial assistance. Areas included are wigs, bras, puffs and prostheses, mammograms and medical bills, food and help with utilities, rent or mortgage, and transportation costs. The Pink Assistance Fund has been established by the Loudoun Breast Health Network. lbhn.org. Cancer support Oncology nurses, social workers and spiritual-care providers offer education and support to patients, families and caregivers. Second Mondays 5:30-6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-2273. Cancer support Life with Cancer, for patients, family members and friends. Second Thursdays 7 p.m. Ashburn Presbyterian Church, Room 202, 20962 Ashburn Rd. 703-729-2012 or ashburnpresbyterian.org. Caregiver support Emotional, educational and social support. Encourages caregivers to maintain their physical and emotional health while caring for people with dementia or other chronic illness. Fourth Thursdays 3-4 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 540-903-6831. Caregiver support and resource group Wednesdays 10:30 a.m.-noon (no meeting first Wednesdays), Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. scsm.tv. Caring for Aging Parents Support group. Confidential. Fourth Wednesdays 7:30 p.m., Family Focus Counseling Service, 20-B John Marshall St., Warrenton. 540-349-4537. Chadd parents support For parents of children with ADD/ADHD. Fourth Sundays 3 p.m. KinderCare, 44051 Ashburn Village Shopping Plaza. chadd.novaloudoun@gmail.com. Chronic illness support Tuesdays 1:30-2:30 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministries, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814 or scsm.tv. Coffee and Conversation Support for those discouraged because of illness, bereavement, caregiving or a loved one in the military. Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. Compassionate Friends For parents who have experienced the death of a child. First Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall St. NW, Leesburg. 540-882-9707. Creating and Connecting Two-hour art therapy and relaxation workshop for cancer patients. Every other month, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call for dates. 703-858-8850. Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of Western Loudoun Saturdays 3 p.m. Purcellville Library, 220 E. Main St., Carruthers Room. Call 703-431-7160 or email kathy@dbsanca.org. Drop-in grief support Second and fourth Wednesdays 1-2 p.m. St. Davids Episcopal Church, 43600 Russell Branch Pkwy., Ashburn. Sponsored by Capital Caring. 703-597-1781. Families Overcoming Drug Addiction Support group. First and third Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. myfodafamily@gmail.com or 540-316-9221. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth and parent support A group in partnership with Metro DC PFLAG. Fourth Sundays 4-6 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Church, 22135 Davis Dr., Sterling. 703-328-6518. Griefshare Nondenominational seminar and support group. Tuesdays 7:30-9 p.m., and Wednesdays, 1-2:30 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. Free. Grief support Sponsored by Hospice Support of Fauquier County. Individual counseling available. First and third Thursdays 3:30-5 p.m. Hospice Support Office, 42 N. Fifth St., Warrenton. Registration required. Email hospicesupport@verizon.net or call 540-347-5922. Grief support Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. Hospice support Free medical-equipment loan facility for Fauquier County residents. Especially needed are donations of wheelchairs, bedside commodes, rolling walkers, electric hospital beds, shower benches and chairs, adult diapers, lift chairs, Ensure and hospital bed mattresses. 540-347-5922. Look Good, Feel Better For women undergoing or emerging from cancer treatment. Every other month, 6:45 to 9 p.m. ,Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call for dates. 703-776-2820. Free. Loudoun CHADD support Led by Children and Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Third Thursdays 7 p.m. Leesburg Town Hall, lower-level conference room, 25 W. Market St. 703-669-2445. Lyme disease support Fourth Sundays 2-4 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Conference Room A and B, Leesburg. Go to natcaplyme.org or email loudounlymeadvocates@gmail.com. Lyme disease support Third Thursdays at 7 p.m. Warrenton Church of Christ, 6398 Lee Hwy. Access Road, Warrenton. 540-347-7265 or email lymeinfauquier@gmail.com. Lyme disease support Age 18 and older. First Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. Email charphealy@yahoo.com. MADD Loudoun victim support For those who have been affected by drunken driving. Third Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. 210 Wirt St., Leesburg. 540-338-6491. Man-to-Man Cancer Support Sponsored by Loudoun Cancer Care Center, for prostate cancer patients and their families. Second Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. Call 703-858-8857 or email karen.archer@inova.org. Menopause support Third Thursdays 6:30-9 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg (second floor, Patient Education Room). 703-858-8060. Mens grief support Second Mondays at 7 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 703-568-3346. Free. Multiple sclerosis support Saturdays 10:30 a.m. Fauquier Hospital Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-349-2826. Multiple sclerosis support Last Sundays, September-June, 2-4 p.m. Cascades Library, 21030 Whitfield Pl., Potomac Falls. Call ahead to confirm. 703-771-4256. Nar-anon family support For those affected by loved ones with addiction. Meaningful Mondays, 7-8 p.m., Galilee United Methodist Church, 45425 Winding Rd., Sterling. 703-203-9792; Wisdom Wednesdays 7-8 p.m., St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 37730 St. Francis Ct., Purcellville, 703-606-7125; Serenity Thursdays, 7-8 p.m. Leesburg Presbyterian Church, 207 W. Market St., Leesburg, 703-606-7125. Overeaters Anonymous For fellowship and support. For locations and times, call oa.org. Parkinson's support Open to those with Parkinson's disease, their family members and caregivers. First Tuesdays 1:30-3 p.m. Call for Ashburn location. 571-442-8851. Post-partum support Second and fourth Wednesdays 1-2:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Cornwall Campus, 224 Cornwall St., Leesburg. Call 703-909-9877 or email lamckeough@gmail.com. Registration required. Reach to Recovery Home visit program for mastectomy and lumpectomy patients. Temporary prostheses, exercise instruction and encouragement. 703-938-5550. Sexual assault and incest survivors group counseling Services provided by Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice and the Loudoun Abused Womens Shelter are free and confidential. 703-771-9020. Sexual assault survivors empowerment support Sponsored by Sexual Assault Victims Volunteer Initiative. Child care available with 48 hours notice. Mondays; call for times and locations. 540-349-7720. Spiritual support group For cancer patients, family members and friends. Third Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8850. Spouse loss support Sundays Jan. 29 through April 2, 2:30-4 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. Facilitated by Liz Shaw. 540-349-5814. Free. Stroke survivors and caregivers support Second Wednesdays 11 a.m.-noon, Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg, second floor, Patient Education Room. 703-858-6199 or jill.lieb@inova.org. Suicide counseling Third Wednesdays 7-8:30 p.m. Leesburg Town Office, Conference Room 2, lower level, 25 W. Market St., Leesburg. 703-587-1618 or survivorsofsuicidelossleesburg@gmail.com. Womens support Sponsored by Services to Abused Families. Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Confidential location. 540-825-8876. Widows and widowers support Third Mondays 11 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Womens cancer support Woman to Woman, first Wednesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Registration required. 703-858-8850. MISCELLANEOUS Ask the Expert lecture Pain in the Neck? Evidence-Based Medicine and Spine Surgery Tuesday from 6-7:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg (Conference Rooms A and B). 855-694-6682. Free. Brain trauma survivors brown-bag lunch For survivors and caregivers. First Tuesdays, noon-1:30 p.m., Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg, second-floor Patient Education Room. Call 703-737-3150 or email jberg@braininjurysvcs.org. Free. Child developmental screenings For ages 2-5. Children may not be kindergarten-age-eligible. Sponsored by the Loudoun County public schools Child Find Center. 571-252- - 2180. Cholesterol screenings Weekdays from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Fauquier Health LIFE Center, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-2640. Registration required. $35. Emergency food supplies Loudoun County residents in need can receive a free three-day supply of groceries. Supplies are distributed Mondays through Saturdays by Loudoun Hunger Relief. Call 703-777-5911 or go to loudounhunger.org. Fauquier free walk-in medical clinic Call Thursdays from 12:30 to 1 p.m. to register for the clinic, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Patients are seen by appointment Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Fauquier and Rappahannock residents only. Bring proof of address for the first visit. Patients cannot have Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance. Information: 540-347-0394 Tuesdays or Thursdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Bistro Senior Supper Club Nutritious meals and fellowship for people 55 and older. Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Bistro on the Hill, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. $5.49. HEROES (Hometown Enabling Relationships, Opportunities and Empowerment through Support) is a program for military families. Support to military members and families, from pre-deployment up to two years post-deployment. Assistance includes financial help, job placement, family care and mental-health services. caring@purbap.org or heroescare.org. Inova Loudoun Hospital Mobile Health Services Blood pressure screenings, Tuesday 10 a.m.-noon, Dulles South Multipurpose Center, 24950 Riding Center Dr., South Riding; Feb. 14, 9 a.m.-noon, Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling; Feb. 16, 11 a.m.-noon, Lovettsville Community Center, 57 E. Broad Way, Loverttsville. For information, call 703-858-8818 or go to inova.org/mobilehealth. Free. Loudoun Cares information and referral help line Call 703-669-4636 for help in finding resources for county residents dealing with eviction, utility cut-offs, needed health care and employment. Motor skill screenings Birth to 21 months. First Thursdays, Blue Ridge Speech and Hearing Center, 19465 Deerfield Ave., Suite 201, Lansdowne. Call for an appointment. 703-858-7620. Free. Northern Virginia long-term care ombudsman Call 703-324-5861 for help in resolving complaints related to long-term-care facilities. Road to Recovery For cancer patients who need rides to appointments. Call 410-781-6909 or email jen.burdette@cancer.org. Free. Safe sitter classes For girls and boys ages 11-14. First Saturdays except for holiday weekends. 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg. To receive a Safe Sitter Certificate, students must pass practical and written tests on babysitting and handling an emergency. Bring a lunch or buy lunch in the cafeteria. $70, includes handbook and snacks. Registration required. 703-858-8818 or charlene.martin@inova.org. Seven Loaves Food Pantry Individuals and families can receive a three-day supply of food, distributed Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m.-noon. Go to sevenloavesmiddleburg.org or call 540-687-3489. Tree of Life Food Pantry Serving western Loudoun County. Food is delivered Wednesdays and Saturdays. 703-554-3595. Compiled by Sandy Mauck TO SUBMIT AN ITEM Email: ldliving@washpost.com Fax: 703-777-8437 Mail: Health Calendar, The Washington Post, 104 Dry Mill Rd. SW, Suite 101, Leesburg, Va. 20175 Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar Record exhibit traces countys black history The Office of the Loudoun County Clerk of the Circuit Court will have an open house at its Historic Records Division on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. in honor of Black History Month. From Slavery to Desegregation: Exhibition of African American Documents From the Historic Court and Board of Supervisors Records will display documents related to the history of African Americans in Loudoun from the time of slavery to the desegregation of county public schools in 1969. The exhibit, at the Loudoun County Courthouse, 18 E. Market St., Leesburg, will include historic court documents and minute books of the Board of Supervisors, many of which will be on public display for the first time. For information, go to loudoun.gov/clerk/archives. Artists are sought for Loudoun studio tour Artists with studios in western Loudoun County that meet specified criteria are invited to apply to be part of the Western Loudoun Studio Artists Tour, scheduled for June 3 and 4. Loudoun artists who do not have a western Loudoun studio suitable for visitors may apply to participate as guest artists. Creators of two- and three-dimensional works will be considered, including but not limited to paintings, drawings, fiber art, wood, ceramics, photography, sculpture and jewelry. The application deadline is Feb. 13. Artists will be notified of their status by Feb. 27. Applications must be submitted through an online form at wlast.org/onlineentry.htm. For information, go to wlast.org/artists/artist-faqs.htm. Meeting in Fauquier on Governors School Fauquier County public schools have scheduled an informational meeting about Mountain Vista Governors School on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Fauquier High School, 705 Waterloo Rd., Warrenton. Parents of Fauquier middle school students are invited to the meeting to find out more about the academic-year school for gifted students in grades 10, 11 and 12. High school students are eligible to apply for the program during their freshman year. The meeting will provide an overview of opportunities offered by the school and suggestions on course selection to prepare for the program. For information, email lgorham@fcps1.org or call 540- 422-7012. Compiled by Sandy Mauck Former Maryland governor Martin OMalley (D) has changed his stance on gerrymandering, a practice he embraced when he redrew the states congressional districts more than six years ago. During a speech at Boston College last month, OMalley, who unsuccessfully sought the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, said he no longer supports partisan redistricting. He said manipulating voting boundaries for political purposes digs ideological trenches around incumbents and deepens the nations political divisions. As a governor, I held that redistricting pen in my own Democratic hand, he said. I was convinced that we should use our political power to pass a map that was more favorable for the election of Democratic candidates. Attorneys challenging Marylands voting map as unconstitutional are now trying to learn more about OMalleys intentions during the states 2010 redistricting. Last week, they subpoenaed him to testify as part of a lawsuit challenging the states congressional districts. A federal judge has ruled that a host of other current and former Maryland officials involved in the process, including Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) and House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel), must comply with similar subpoenas, despite their efforts to avoid scrutiny by claiming legislative privilege. A Maryland advocate for redistricting reform wears a T-shirt showing the states convoluted 3rd Congressional District. (Kate Patterson/For The Washington Post) [Judge: Miller, Busch must testify, turn over documents in redistricting case] Asked whether he will claim executive privilege in response to his subpoena, OMalley said he plans to follow the advice of the state attorney generals office, which is defending officials involved in the lawsuit. The agency declined to comment on the case. In his speech, OMalley said nonpartisan commissions should draw voting maps the same position espoused by Gov. Larry Hogan, the moderate Republican whose 2014 defeat of then-Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown (D) was seen as a repudiation of much of OMalleys legacy. We must, on a state-by-state basis, push for an end to gerrymandered congressional districts. OMalley said. . . . This simple reform, already being adopted in some states, must become the new norm of American democracy. He also said the United States should do away with the electoral college and promote ranked voting, where citizens can cast ballots for their first-, second- and third-choice candidates. The U.S. Constitution allows states to draw their own congressional districts. In Maryland, the governor forms an advisory committee and works with the panel to draft plans, which are then submitted to the legislature for approval. The lawsuit over Marylands redistricting plan focuses on the states 6th Congressional District and alleges that officials drew its lines to help unseat then-Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett (R), a 10-term incumbent who lost to Democrat John Delaney in 2012. In an interview last week, OMalley acknowledged that he never pushed for nonpartisan redistricting during his tenure, saying he was focused on other initiatives such as legalizing same-sex marriage, strengthening the states gun laws and eliminating the death penalty. We got a lot of difficult stuff done, but this is a goal that another governor will have to accomplish, the former governor said. Maybe in hindsight we could have made that part of the redistricting negotiations in 2010. Hogan proposed legislation last year and this year that would create a nonpartisan redistricting panel to set congressional and legislative districts for Maryland. Democrats, who hold strong majorities in the state legislature, have called for national or regional redistricting reform instead, saying they dont want to unilaterally disarm while many Republican-dominated states continue gerrymandering. Hogans measure never advanced out of committee in 2016, and there is no sign it will fare differently during this legislative session. OMalley and Hogan said they have made no attempt to team up to push to end gerrymandering. Well try to reach out to him, Hogan said this week. Im glad to have him on board. At least six states already use some form of independent commission for redistricting: Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana and Washington. Critics of Marylands congressional map say it is one of the most gerrymandered in the nation, with several districts contorted in ways that make little sense geographically. The 6th District covers much of Montgomery County, then winds north to the Pennsylvania line and turns sharply west to West Virginia. A federal judge once described the 3rd Congressional District as a broken-winged pterodactyl, lying prostrate across the center of the state. Jennifer Bevan-Dangel, executive director of Common Cause Maryland, said the state map is a clear case of what gerrymandering looks like. We only needed to move about 300,000 people to reflect the last census changes, but they moved over 1 million people, she said. Clearly there was motivation beyond us making sure the census was reflected in our districts. OMalley insisted that the map he helped draft passes constitutional muster. But he said the process he used is antiquated and no longer serves the common good. Its always, in all states, a partisan exercise, he said. It certainly wasnt a process that I relished. Obituaries of residents from the District, Maryland and Northern Virginia. Patricia Young, NSA mathematician Patricia Young, 66, mathematician with the National Security Agency from 1972 to 2013, died Dec. 10 at a care facility in Annapolis. The cause was cancer, said a son, Laurence Young. Mrs. Young, a resident of Davidsonville, Md., was born Patricia Lang in Chicago and had lived in the Washington area since 1972. She played clarinet and was a founding member of the Bay Winds Band, a community wind ensemble. P.J. Edington, IBM executive, lobbyist P.J. Edington, 66, a government and regulatory affairs executive at IBM who lobbied to make computers and communications technology more widely accessible, including to the blind, died Dec. 8 at her home in Alexandria, Va. The cause was breast cancer, said her husband, Will Edington. Mrs. Edington was born Patricia Jo Marschner in Elmhurst, Ill. Beginning in the mid-1970s, she promoted awareness of domestic violence and child abuse as a senior associate at the Center for Women Policy Studies in Washington. She led the Center for Office Technology, a computer-industry trade group, before joining IBM in 2002 and taking the helm of its global technology-accessibility strategy. In 2016 the Viscardi Center, a nonprofit network that aids people with disabilities, honored her for her work. John Frisby, banking executive John Frisby, 84, who spent decades as an executive in the mortgage-banking industry in the Washington area, died Jan. 2 at an assisted living center in Bethesda, Md. The cause was complications from a stroke, said a daughter, Maureen Frisby. Mr. Frisby, a native Washingtonian, was president of Nationwide Lending Group and FSB Investors, and held executive positions with other companies before retiring in 1994. He spent many years in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., before returning to the Washington area in 2015. From staff reports Prince William County Schools Superintendent Steven L. Walts last week proposed a $1.14 billion budget for the next school year that covers the cost of educating more than 2,400 new students and provides a 2 percent pay raise for employees. The spending plan unveiled Wednesday represents a $58 million increase over the current budget, but the proposal could change significantly before the Prince William County School Board approves a final version in the coming weeks. Board members and the president of a local teachers association, for example, said the plan does not do enough to address teacher compensation and school overcrowding. In presenting his budget, Walts said it maintains existing educational programs and services for the nearly 91,000 students the county expects to serve next year. But Walts agreed that it wasnt a perfect plan. This is not the budget of our dreams, he said. However, it will fund student success. The plan appropriates $26.4 million to educate 2,420 additional students who werent factored into the current budget. It also covers the cost of replacing Kilby Elementary School and opening a new elementary school in the Potomac Shores community. It also would fund salaries for three additional positions beyond the jobs being added to address the student-population increase. The posts are a nursing coordinator, a performing arts teacher at Colgan High School and a division-wide student activities director. The positions are not full-time jobs; together, they amount to less than the budgetary equivalent of hiring two full-time workers. In terms of employee pay generally, more than $14 million is included in the plan to fund the 2 percent raise. However, Waltss budget doesnt devote any money for a step increase on the teachers salary scale, which corresponds with how many years an employee has taught. When those steps arent funded, its as if teachers are not credited for additional years in the classroom. For instance, Riley OCasey, president of the Prince William Education Association, said she should be on Step 17 of the salary scale, but because of past years in which step increases werent funded, shes on Step 13 instead. So although OCasey said that the superintendents proposed 2 percent raise is better than nothing, she also said that not funding step increases hampers Prince Williams ability to retain quality teachers who could go to another school system where such increases are covered. We lose teachers all the time, she said. School board member Shawn L. Brann (Brentsville) agreed that step increases are a major issue. Brann, who is the acting Brentsville representative while board member Gil Trenum is on naval deployment, said he taught in county schools for seven years but left education largely because of financial reasons. To make extra money, he instructed summer school all but one of the years he was a teacher. Teacher pay, though, is only one funding matter for the Prince William schools. School board Vice Chairman Lillie G. Jessie (Occoquan) identified another leading concern. Probably for me, its going to be about the whole overcrowding issue, she said a day after Walts presented his plan. The superintendent noted that his proposed budget maintains class-size-reduction efforts underway in the county, but Jessie said she would like to see more money allocated to address overcrowding. Shes spoken out about the issue over the past few weeks, particularly as it relates to schools in eastern Prince William, and the former elementary-school principal said Thursday that she specifically worries about second-graders having to attend class in portable trailers. They just dont do well in the situation, she said. School board members will discuss Waltss proposal over the next few weeks; theyre slated to approve a spending plan March 15. A meeting on the budget is scheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. at the Kelly Leadership Center, 14715 Bristow Rd., Manassas, and a public hearing on the plan is to be held March 15 before the School board vote. Because the School board doesnt have its own taxing authority, Prince Williams Board of County Supervisors has the final say on how much local money goes to the school system. The School board will present its approved budget to the supervisors March 28, and the supervisors are scheduled to approve an overall county budget, including education funding, April 18. The Warsma family reunites after arriving at Dulles International Airport from Somalia on February 6, 2017 in Dulles, Va. Zahro's three daughters and grandchild were caught up in last week's travel ban. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post) Last week, a lawyer for the Justice Department stunned observers by announcing in court that 100,000 visas had been revoked as a result of President Trumps travel ban on seven countries. On Monday, DOJ officials said they erred and pointed to a State Department estimate that 60,000 visas were taken away by the executive order. The admission came in a filing in Alexandria federal court, where one of more than a dozen lawsuits challenging Trumps ban has been filed. Erez Reuveni, senior counsel at the Office of Immigration Litigation, sought to correct the statement he made in court last week. He did not explain where the 100,000 figure came from, only that it was based on information he had received. [Justice Dept. lawyer says 100,000 visas revoked under travel ban; State Dept. says about 60,000] All those visas have been reinstated after a federal judge in Washington state put a temporary stop to the ban. Travelers can enter the country at least through Monday evening, when the DOJ must file its defense of the policy. In Virginia, Judge Leonie M. Brinkema separately extended through next weekend a court order mandating that all legal permanent residents be allowed through Washington Dulles International Airport and given access to attorneys. She has also demanded that the government produce by Thursday a list of all Virginia students, workers, residents and other valid visa holders blocked from entering the United States under the order. Two women have asked to intervene on the Trump administrations behalf in that case. Rachel Okyay and Janice Wolk Grenadier say that those challenging the ban are denying them their rights as citizens. A hearing on their motions will be held Feb. 24. From left, Elhadj Diallo, Ian Anderson, Tyrek Arrington and Dillon Lewis were charged in connection with an attempted robbery of a CVS in Wheaton. (Montgomery County Police) (Montgomery County Police) The attempted armed robbery of a CVS Pharmacy in Wheaton last week that led to the arrests of four young men matches characteristics of at least 17 other recent heists in suburban Maryland, law enforcement officials said in interviews. The robberies since December that appear to fit a pattern could eventually top 30, according to two law enforcement officers with direct knowledge of the cases. They asked not to be identified because they did not have permission to discuss ongoing investigations. In Montgomery County District Court on Monday, the four men accused in the Wheaton case were ordered held without bond. They have been charged in connection with an attempt to take money from the pharmacy at 4:15 a.m. Thursday. The four also are believed to be involved in a rash of armed robberies at 24-hour businesses usually CVS, Rite Aid, that kind of thing over the last several weeks, Montgomery Assistant States Attorney John Lalos said in court Monday. In arrest records, Montgomery police described how detectives throughout the region had seen robberies over the course of at least a month that share aspects, including that they occurred between midnight and dawn, and involved a black revolver and a suspect wearing a black ski mask who robs the store then flees to a vehicle waiting on nearby side streets. The Federal Bureau of Investigation also is probing what Dave Fitz, a spokesman for the FBIs Baltimore office, called the string of armed robberies in the region. Our Cross Border Task Force was designed for cases like this one, to handle the most violent offenders committing crimes in multijurisdictions, Fitz said. According to police accounts filed in court in the Wheaton case, one man walked in to the pharmacy armed with a revolver and demanded cash from a register. He struck a clerk in the head with the gun to try to get the clerk to hurry to meet his demands, police alleged, but ultimately fled the store to a waiting car because he was worried another clerk had called 911. Officials identified the suspects arrested in the Wheaton CVS case as Ian Marquis Anderson, 19, of Temple Hills; Tyrek Montez Arrington, 19, of Clinton; Elhadj Malick Diallo, 22, of Rockville; and Dillon Rashad Lewis, 23, of Upper Marlboro. Police alleged Anderson went into the store alone with the gun and met the others back at a car. Lalos, the prosecutor, said in court that the four men also are suspected in a robbery in Anne Arundel that occurred less than two hours earlier, and he asserted that proceeds from that robbery were found on the four suspects. John Lavigne, who represented Anderson in court, did not speak about the specifics of the case. But he asked District Judge Patricia Mitchell to set a bond so Anderson could be released pending further court action. Lavigne said Anderson has no criminal record, works weekends for a landscaping company and is trying to support his pregnant girlfriend. Peter Fayne is an attorney for Arrington, who is accused of being the driver in the Wheaton case. Fayne noted that police allegations dont have him entering the store or being armed. Fayne said Arrington goes to Prince Georges Community College and has a supportive family. Arrington also spoke briefly before a court official stopped him as Arrington veered toward talking about the case, which defendants are advised not to do during bond hearings. Im just trying to go home, because I feel like I wasnt 100 percent . . . Arrington said, before being halted. Victoria Kawecki, a public defender who represented Diallo and Lewis, said the two have a distant connection, if any, to the Wheaton case. She said Diallo is planning to return to college to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering or culinary arts. I just was caught up with the wrong crowd at the wrong time, Diallo told the judge Monday, while a family member cried. I still want to finish school. My father passed last year. He just wanted me to get my degree. As for Lewis, Kawecki said, he also was not connected to weapons or to anything in the store. This is someone who really, I think, was in the wrong place at the wrong time. And his connection is so tenuous, she said. None of the attorneys addressed allegations that the four men are being investigated in other counties. Friends and family members of the suspects who came to court declined to speak afterward. In announcing arrests in the Wheaton case, Montgomery police also noted another eight robberies in the county over an 11-day period in January at three CVS stores, two Rite Aid stores, two 7-Elevens and a Sunoco station. In Anne Arundel County, detectives have five robberies that seem to fit a regional pattern including the use of a ski mask, black revolver and targeting a 24-hour business, said Marc Limansky, a spokesman for the Anne Arundel County Police Department. The robberies occurred between Jan. 24 and Feb. 2 including two on some days at CVS and Walgreen sites, a 7-Eleven and an Exxon Tiger Mart, he said. A Dec. 23 armed robbery of a 7-Eleven at 3:15 a.m. in the city of Annapolis also appears similar, said Cpl. Amy Miguez, a spokeswoman for Annapolis Police. Three robberies in Greenbelt also share the traits seen in other localities, said Greenbelt Police spokesman George Mathews. Charges are pending once all agencies are finished working with the FBI, Mathews said. In Mondays hearing in Montgomery County, a court official told the judge that Prince Georges County has lodged a hold on Anderson citing a count of armed robbery against him there. If there's something that Nebraska does really well, especially Lincoln, it's public schools. And here's the thing, having grown up in Massachusetts, where there are some of the best public schools in the country and some really terrible ones, where there are extremely expensive private school options as well as excellent Catholic schools, I don't think people living here know how good they have it. People hum and haw about real estate, taxes and more, but the problem is this: these things actually make for an incredible public school system. What I see with Gov. Pete Ricketts and the possibility of Betsy DeVos is the complete erosion of something that is free, offers a huge variety of services for all kinds, and that has a huge number of schools within its district ("Sen. Fischer says shell vote for Betsy DeVos," Feb. 3). Nebraskans, go somewhere else; see how good it is here. One small example: our eight-year-old is part of the Art Mentorship program offered by Lincoln Public Schools. She went through a rigorous application process, had an interview in a board room when she was 5-years-old and was accepted. Now she works with a wonderful artist twice a week for an hour and has "studio time" at school. This is free. Yes, she lives with creatives, but her vision and work ethic is a direct result of this program. That's only one of many, many things LPS offers. Democrats, republicans, libertarians, and everyone else benefits from tremendous public schools. Call your senator to vote against DeVos. Please. Anthony Hawley, Lincoln (Lee Powell/The Washington Post) With tears in their eyes and tired smiles, Tareq and Ammar Aziz embraced their father at Dulles International Airport on Monday morning. The reunion was a year and a half in the making for the brothers from Yemen, whose hopes to live in the United States seemed uncertain, even impossible, after President Trump signed an executive order banning travelers from their home country and others. As they reentered the airport they had been turned back from late last month, joining family members and lawyers who had helped ensure their journey, they expressed only gratitude. We are so happy were here, Ammar Aziz said simply, speaking through an interpreter. The brothers are the face of one of the first court cases challenging Trumps ban on travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries. A lawsuit filed on their behalf in federal court in Alexandria led to one of the first court orders restricting the ban. But it came too late for the Azizes, who were already on a plane to Ethiopia. Since then, a federal judge in Washington state has put the ban on hold, and tens of thousands of visas have been reinstated. The brothers are among the many immigrants and refugees arriving at airports nationwide while the suspension is in place. The administration is appealing, and the case could end up at the Supreme Court. [ At Dulles, balloons and hugs in arrivals hall during pause in travel ban ] Tareq and Ammar Aziz, ages 21 and 19, with few educational opportunities in war-torn Yemen, had first applied for visas to come to the United States in 2015 and, after months, had secured them. Their father had made a home in Michigan, and they saw a place for themselves there. This is America, said their father, Aquel Aziz. America is for everybody. Life was fraying Aquel Aziz came to the United States in 2001 on a student visa and soon applied for a green card. Although his studies in nutrition science were cut short by visa delays after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, he built a career managing gas stations. Aziz, who had separated from the boys mother long before, found life in the United States freer and happier. But he had left his young sons with his parents in Sanaa, the Yemeni capital. He sent money home and spoke with his family by phone every day as the boys grew up without him. It took seven years for Aziz to obtain a green card. The day after he became a legal permanent resident, he booked a flight to Yemen. Aziz recalled pulling up in a taxi outside a house he didnt recognize; two boys whom he at first did not realize were his sons ran alongside it. Everything was different, he said. After that, he visited twice a year. When he became a U.S. citizen in April 2015, Aziz quickly moved to bring his sons over. The timing was fortuitous. The boys comfortable lives were coming to an end as Yemens civil war began. Rebels took over the capital and divided the country in half. Before, because of the money their father had sent, Tareq and Ammar Aziz lived almost like American teenagers in the Arab worlds poorest country. Tareq drove his own car, went bowling and even learned to ice skate when a rink opened in 2013. He learned English by watching American police shows, listening to Rihanna and chatting on social media. Life became more precarious with the rebels in town, but Tareq said that for the most part, these heavily armed tribes from the northern mountains left locals alone. Then Saudi-led airstrikes began, using U.S.-supplied munitions. Yemeni people arent really afraid of men with guns; they are used to that, Tareq said. But the planes were something new. Every night, the bombs fell, sometimes so close that the brothers couldnt sleep. One day, an especially large explosion shook the city. When Tareq got to Sanaas main event hall, he came upon a scene of horror. I couldnt believe this is real. It was like in the movies, he said. Some of them had no limbs; some were crying. Most you couldnt tell who they were anymore. That day Oct. 8, 2016 planes dropped two bombs during a funeral for a prominent politician and killed at least 100 people, one of the deadliest assaults of the conflict. Even without the bombs, life was fraying. With the money from abroad, the Aziz family could afford food while others around them began to starve. But regular electricity was a thing of the past, and gas prices soared to $300 for a five-gallon jerrycan. Tareq Aziz, left, and his brother, Ammar Aziz, smile as they are reunited with their family at Dulles Airport. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) Tareq Aziz, left, and his brother, Ammar Aziz, hug their father, Aquel Aziz, left rear, and uncle Jamil Assa at the airport. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post) Like many in the city, they rigged up solar panels to give them some electricity, because fuel for their generator had become too expensive and scarce. Cars disappeared from the streets, and many people invested in bicycles. Tareqs education plans also fell apart. He had hoped to study at the private British University in Yemen, but with the war, that closed. So did the office of Amideast, a U.S. nonprofit educational institution, where he and his brother had been taking English lessons. The streets of the city were increasingly deserted as people feared death from above. Mosque attendance declined amid fear of suicide bombers from al-Qaeda who would detonate explosives during prayer times. Life devolved into a waiting game as the brothers tried to figure out how to get visas and join their father. He would call multiple times a day, watching the news in fear. There was no longer a U.S. Embassy in Sanaa, so they applied for and were granted an interview at the embassy in Djibouti, just across the Red Sea. Getting there was its own challenge. The airport was closed, so they took the dangerous road overland through the warring factions to the southern port of Aden, home of the internationally recognized government and one of the few functioning airports left in the country. For days they waited at the airport for space on one of the flights out, before finally getting seats. From there, they took a flight to Amman, Jordan; then Doha, Qatar, before finally landing in Djibouti. In the time it took them to get there, they had missed their interview at the embassy. After a few weeks of waiting in the sweaty port city, they were granted another interview. Djibouti is expensive, and they had little to do but pace the waterfront, watching the Yemeni fishing boats and dreaming of escape. Yemenis, this way On Jan. 25, they learned that they both had visas. They caught a plane to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and then boarded the long flight to Dulles Airport. It seemed as though they had finally made it. While the brothers were aboard the plane on Jan. 27, Trump signed the executive order. We were happy because we were going to meet our dad and he was waiting for us, and then we arrived in Washington Dulles Airport and there was a guy saying, Yemenis, this way, Tareq Aziz said. Along with other Yemenis, Somalis and Sudanese on the flight, they were waved to the side, fingerprinted and taken to an office where a uniformed police officer said they were going back to Djibouti. Brothers Tareq and Ammar Aziz await news of their visa status in the port city of Djibouti on Friday after being turned away at Dulles Airport. (Paul Schemm for The Washington Post) He said, Your visa has been canceled, and I was shocked. He told us there was a presidential order, Tareq said during a recent interview in Djibouti. He and his brother sat at a cafe under whirling ceiling fans. I said, Can I call our lawyer? and he said, You cant, its a presidential order. You cant do anything. Instead, Tareq said, the officials told him to sign a paper whose dense legal language he couldnt decipher or face being banned from the country for the next five years. He was told that once the situation was resolved between Yemen and the United States, he could reapply. Escorted by police while the other passengers stared at them, the Aziz brothers were put on the next flight back to Addis Ababa, where they then spent days in the airport, talking with their father and lawyers trying to figure out what to do. They refused to pay for their flight back to Ethiopia or to board the plane for Djibouti until Ethiopian authorities said it was that or face arrest. So in a few hours, they were back in a city they had hoped never to see again, surrounded by desperate countrymen. Their luggage was missing; they walked in the 80-degree heat in sweaters meant for a Michigan winter. I was worried all that time In Flint, Mich., Aquel Aziz had made a feast of Yemeni food for his sons. After a day-long flight, he knew they would be hungry. When they did not arrive in Detroit and he could not reach them, he began driving toward Northern Virginia. He had made it to somewhere in Ohio when he received the call: His sons had been sent back to Ethiopia, their visas canceled. I was worried all that time, not knowing, he said. I couldnt talk to them. I didnt know what was going on with them until my older son called me 34 hours later from Ethiopia. The drive home took him three times as long, because he had to stop regularly and break down. The food he gave to neighbors. I didnt eat that food; that was my kids food, Aziz said. Besides, he had lost his appetite. Three days would pass before he wanted to eat again. Within days, good news came of a likely resolution with the government. But up until the brothers landed Monday, the family remained nervous. People such as the Aziz brothers, who had their visas canceled, have still faced obstacles. The Justice Department has been settling these cases on an individual basis, and there is no public record of how many visas were canceled or why. Despite the court order from the federal judge in Washington state and an agreement with the Justice Department to bring the brothers back, lawyers at the Virginia-based Legal Aid Justice Center said they had to call Djibouti repeatedly to ensure that Tareq and Ammar were permitted on their flight. Now that they are in the United States there will be a new feast. In Flint, Aquel Aziz has found an apartment for his sons, with beds. The brothers still have no idea where their luggage is, but their father doesnt mind. He will buy them new clothes. Everything I didnt do for them while I was here, I want to do, he said. I want to give them the things a father should. I want to give them love. Schemm reported from Djibouti. A special guest was watching Jan. 27 as students from Rock Ridge High School in Ashburn gave a spirited performance of Ghost the Musical. Jim Hoare, an executive with Theatrical Rights Worldwide, traveled from New York to view the students interpretation of a version of the Broadway musical that was adapted for use by high school theater groups. He wanted to observe several innovations the students made in set design and stagecraft, to see whether other schools could also use them. Hoares company licenses performance rights and represents the musicals authors, Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard (music and lyrics) and Bruce Joel Rubin (book and lyrics). Hoares responsibilities include writing the directors notes, which provide guidance on staging the play, and revising them based on what he sees during performances. Hoare, a former high school theater teacher, said afterward that he loved the enthusiasm and diversity of the Rock Ridge cast and that he was particularly impressed with the fact that students had designed the sets, lighting, costumes and makeup. I love it when a theater teacher is not just putting kids on stage and giving them scripts, and then doing all the work themselves, he said. Rock Ridges production was the first performance of the school adaptation of the play in Virginia, Hoare said. Until this version was developed, high school groups had shied away from performing Ghost the Musical, he said, because the Broadway version had expensive special effects, such as ghosts walking through doors and objects appearing to float. The school edition has simpler effects and relies on audiences to suspend their disbelief for the ghost scenes, he said. Hoare worked closely with a high school in Ohio to test the show and write the directors notes. He said hell revise the notes based on some of the things he saw in Rock Ridges performance, including scenes in which stage directions needed to be clarified. He also noted several technical innovations the Rock Ridge students had made, such as a rotating floor and projections on a large screen used as a backdrop. In one scene, two characters appeared to be walking in the moonlight, although they did not move across the stage. Instead, they were walking in place on the rotating floor, and the moon projected on the screen behind them moved slowly across the sky. I thought they used [the rotating floor] beautifully, Hoare said. I very much liked how they integrated the lighting and all of the slides in the backgrounds. Noam Denenberg, a junior, was in the cast and was also the shows scenic designer. He worked with a California company to develop the projections, said the productions director, Tony Cimino-Johnson. The projection package will be available for use by school theater groups around the world, he said. Cimino-Johnson said students are able to take risks with the production because they are not concerned about financial or technical limitations. Theyre dreamers and innovators, he said. They can produce some of the most creative work ever, and then we provide the resources to make those designs come to life. After the show, Hoare met with the cast and crew and asked whether they had enjoyed the experience. Its always his first question, he said. For many kids, to have something youre going to school for that you love, it makes your attitude about going to school better. Hoare said. Cimino-Johnson said he and the students were honored that Hoare came to see the production, and excited that he will provide feedback to the plays authors. Its not every day that somebody like Jim comes into your theater program, he said. Gregory Williams plays with his support dog Friday. Most public housing tenants are barred from owning pets, but Williams suffers from major depression and is permitted to own an emotional support animal. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post) In a city transformed in recent years by a huge influx of young professionals, many of them pet owners, dogs are seemingly ubiquitous these days in gentrified neighborhoods of the District. Almost every new luxury residential high-rise in the nations capital caters to canines, offering rooftop dog parks and other pooch-friendly amenities. Ricardo Love, by contrast, is no affluent newcomer. Unable to work because of a back injury that causes him chronic pain, the 50-year-old D.C.-area native lives alone in a one-bedroom public-housing apartment and gets by on monthly disability payments. Yet Love has something in common with a lot of his fellow Washingtonians who pay premium rents: I like dogs, he says, adding, Id really like to have me one. Now, finally, he will get the chance. Urged for years by animal-welfare groups to scrap its long-standing rule against pets in public housing, the D.C. Housing Authority has agreed to relax the policy somewhat, starting in a few weeks. Elderly and disabled tenants, who occupy about one-third of the agencys 50-plus apartment complexes, will soon be allowed to own dogs, cats, fish and certain types of caged critters, with a size restriction for dogs and a limit to the number of pets per household. Itll be great, because Im all by myself, Love says. Constantly Im in pain, every day, back and forth to physical therapy, seeing doctors, going to pain management and stuff like that. And it would be a blessing for me to have a companion. The policy change, however, goes only so far. For a large majority of public-housing tenants meaning thousands of people living in apartment complexes that are not designated strictly for elderly and disabled residents the no-pets rule will still apply. Among those tenants, the only people exempt from the prohibition are residents who are legally certified as needing pets or service dogs to help with mobility or emotional problems. That has been the case for years. Because of the continuing ban, the two biggest advocacy groups for allowing pets in public housing say they are not satisfied with the revised policy. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Rescue Alliance called the housing authoritys decision merely a positive first step. The groups argue that all tenants should be allowed to keep pets. In reviewing the pet policies of 150 public-housing agencies in the United States, the ASPCA says, it found that only three are as strict as the D.C. regulations. [In D.C.s gentrifying neighborhoods, dogs live in the lap of luxury.] The public-housing agencies in Philadelphia, New York and Boston, for example, do not limit pet ownership just to elderly and disabled tenants, although each agency has a size restriction for dogs. The ASPCA and humane alliance also say they object to the size limit for dogs owned by elderly and disabled tenants in the District. When fully grown, the canines must weigh 40 pounds or less and be no more than 15 inches tall. Its basically unfair, says David Smith, a spokesman for the humane alliance. The vast majority of animals that are in our shelters are above the size restrictions, and so the residents who want pets are unlikely to adopt from us. Echoing the ASPCA, Smith says it is untrue that larger dogs at least those adopted from well-run shelters would be more dangerous or create bigger nuisances in apartment buildings. We put every animal through a behavior test and we give every animal a complete medical checkup, he says. We spay and neuter them. The dogs that we place in homes have been cared for and are ready to be adopted. Deborah Dubow Press, the ASPCAs director of regulatory affairs, says she suspects that the housing authority, in continuing to bar pets in most of its complexes, is doing so to avoid to the hassle and cost of dealing with animal-related complaints. The rationale for prohibiting pets, as far as we can tell, is that they just dont want to have to deal with it, Press says. I think they have no interest whatsoever in the minor additional administrative burden this would create. A housing authority spokesman, Rick White, says the agency decided to restrict pet ownership to elderly and disabled tenants after hearing from public-housing residents citywide, most of whom do not want animals in their buildings. Were responding to the input we received, he says, adding that the height and weight limits result from specific requests to manage the size of animals in the communities. In the Garfield Terrace apartments, in the LeDroit Park area of Northwest Washington, one of Loves ninth-floor neighbors, Gregory Williams, has experienced the wariness, even hostility, that some tenants have toward animals in their buildings. Last year, Williams, 62, who says he suffers from major depression, presented the housing authority with a letter from a psychiatrist, attesting that animal companionship would help him cope with his illness. There are no size limits on service or emotional-comfort animals. After being approved for ownership, Williams visited a humane alliance shelter in December and adopted a gray-and-white cane corso-pit bull mix. The dog now weighs about 70 pounds. Im having a lot of complaints about him, Williams says. You know, hes not making much noise. Its just that the people around here, theyre mostly older people, and some of them are disabled. They automatically think hes too big for an apartment. And I think theyre afraid of him, too. But hes as friendly as can be. Williams says he tells his neighbors that his dog is really helping me with being balanced. Since Ive had this dog, when I have my bad days, when Im depressed, Ill come in the house, the dog jumps on me, and I hug him. It cheers me up. He says, Taking care of this puppy has given me a whole new life. In revising the pet regulations for elderly and disabled tenants in buildings such as Garfield Terrace, officials left little to interpretation. Theres a two-pet limit per apartment, not including service or psychological-support animals. A reasonable number of fish or other animals appropriately kept in an aquarium or cage shall be considered one pet, the rules state. Aquariums cannot exceed 15 gallons, and if a tenant has two aquariums, they must be kept in separate rooms. The policy specifies: Only domesticated animals that are commonly kept as household pets, such as dogs, cats, birds, rodents, fish, or turtles, are permitted. The term common household pet shall not include reptiles, other than turtles. There are an array of rules concerning pet registration, sterilization and, of course, waste cleanup. Love, a former Metro technician who injured his back in a traffic accident, says he followed the authoritys policymaking process closely. And pretty soon, hell start shopping for a pooch. I used to have me one, he says, referring to the Rottweiler that he had to give up when he moved into public housing seven years ago. The dog, named Diamond, lives with Loves mother in Maryland. He says he occasionally visits Diamond, but the bond between them has been lost, and he has no desire to reclaim the animal. Besides, Diamond is far too tall and heavy now for public housing. Going to get me a new one, Love says, buoyantly. Going to start fresh. Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld at the Judiciary Square station. After 14 months at the helm of the transit system, he continues to struggle to get clear answers from managers and rank-and-file workers about Metros problems and practices. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post) Last August, Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefelds relentlessly chipper exterior began to crack. Within a one-month period, the Washington regions transit system had experienced a steady stream of high-profile fiascoes: A train derailed in a high-traffic corridor at the start of the morning rush. A train operator blew through a red light and nearly struck two colleagues. An embarrassing report from federal regulators suggested that Metro officials had known about faulty tracks later involved in a derailment but didnt fix them. And earlier that month, as Wiedefeld called hundreds of managers to Verizon Center for a meeting to reinforce his message of safety over service, news broke that a Metro Transit Police officer had been arrested for allegedly trying to aid the Islamic State. Publicly with his soft-spoken but no-nonsense demeanor Wiedefeld vowed to root out the cause of each problem and take swift action. But privately, over lunch with a longtime friend, he expressed his frustration. I just cant seem to get a break, he said. That theme summarizes Wiedefelds 14 months at the helm of Metro and the feelings of Metro riders who were told a year ago that their patience with chronic breakdowns and disruptions would pay off in noticeably improved service. More than a year after he started the job, exasperated riders are wondering: If Wiedefeld is doing all the right things fixing the tracks, firing incompetent workers and supervisors, restoring a safety culture why isnt Metro getting better? [Wiedefeld: Turning Metro around requires us to confront some hard truths.] Compared with a year ago, service is measurably worse. Stats show that for every month through September 2016 the most recent data available Metros on-time performance was comparatively lower than the year before, down about 6 percent overall from 2015. Significant stretches of track are pulled out of service during rush hour without warning. An unprecedented number of speed restrictions exist in the system even outside of zones undergoing work as part of the SafeTrack rebuilding program. When Wiedefeld unveiled his 2017 agenda, including a service-oriented plan to win back riders called Back2Good, many sneered. When was Metro good? they asked. And even as he embarks on that modest goal, the disruptive SafeTrack maintenance surges, beset by problems early on and then delayed by summer heat, are now scheduled to conclude in June instead of March. A bit of positive news came last month, when riders and regional leaders heaped praise on the agency for its handling of service for the Womens March on Washington. It was Metros second-busiest day ever. But that victory is overshadowed by the challenges ahead this year a looming budget crisis with a projected $290 million shortfall, a battle for more long-term funding and a rapidly deteriorating relationship with union leaders amid tense labor negotiations. [Budget raises fares, reduces service, cuts jobs] But while riders and some officials grow increasingly frustrated at the slow pace of change, lawmakers continue to shower Wiedefeld with praise for his efforts to fix the broken system he inherited. Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.) said he worries every day that Wiedefeld will get fed up with the onslaught and throw in the towel. The Metro board ought to check twice a day what wine he likes to drink, and deliver it in cases, Connolly said, because if we were to lose Paul at this critical moment, given the history of his predecessors in management, were at risk of regression. Beverley Swaim-Staley, a friend and longtime colleague who served as Maryland transportation secretary, said Wiedefeld isnt planning to step down anytime soon. What he needs most, she said, is time. Its a huge bureaucracy, I dont think people understand sometimes, she said. Its like turning a freighter around. It takes a long time. Hopefully, hell be given a chance to complete the job. Troubles with transit union One problem that Wiedefeld made little headway in fixing his first year: his frayed relationship with Metros largest union, Amalgamated Transit Unions Local 689. The tensions stem, in part, from Wiedefelds no-excuses attitude toward discipline. For example, when a train operator ran a red light in July, resulting in a near miss with two track workers, Wiedefeld sent a clear message by immediately firing the train operator instead of giving him a warning. He recently fired about one-third of the agencys track inspection department for allegedly falsifying documents, an apparently pervasive problem that did not come to light until deteriorating track conditions led to the derailment of a Silver Line train last summer. The investigation is ongoing. (Video: Lee Powell / The Washington Post; Photo: Christian K. Lee/ The Washington Post) Metro and the union are negotiating a new collective-bargaining agreement the previous one has expired and union President Jackie Jeter has said that Wiedefeld and other Metro officials have been unresponsive to issues raised by union representatives. [One-third of Metros track inspection department has been fired] Metro has not included any wage increases in its financial projections for fiscal 2019 and 2020 and that will be a major point of contention. Workers are legally barred from striking, and stalled negotiations will result in binding arbitration. Jeter said that she was more hopeful about Wiedefeld at the beginning of his tenure and that she agreed with several of his early decisions. But recently, she said, the termination of track inspectors and his plans to cut 500 jobs next year have made her question whether he is committed to collaborating with workers. Right now, I dont have a passing score for him lets put it that way, Jeter said last week. To say that I am upset with him right now is an understatement. [Metro union chief: Wiedefeld is first general manager to truly care about safety] Jeter said she believes that some of Wiedefelds decisions have been made with the intention of impressing members of the board, members of Congress and even the vocal Metro detractors on Twitter and that he is trying to craft a tough-guy image for the public. Instead, she said, he is glossing over systemic issues by publicizing firings of bad apple workers, rather than addressing the root cause of the problems that continue to plague the system. I believe that this is a response to the pressure that he is receiving, and I think he is receiving it from a lot of different places, Jeter said. Hes succumbing to some of the pressure thats being put on him, and that is disappointing. Hiring good cop, bad cop Two days before he made the unprecedented decision to shut down the subway for an entire day for emergency inspections, Wiedefeld slipped on a hard hat and safety vest and ventured into the bowels of McPherson Square. The conditions alarmed him: debris-clogged tracks, third-rail infrastructure that lacked protective components, frayed power cables that could trigger an episode like the 2015 Yellow Line smoke incident that resulted in the death of one rider and injured scores of others. Metro track walkers enter the tunnel between the Waterfront and LEnfant Plaza stations the day after a 2015 incident where a Yellow Line train filled with smoke. That incident resulted in the death of one rider and injured scores of others (Amanda Voisard/For The Washington Post) Wiedefeld looked to track workers surrounding him. He had questions: Where else in the system was the electrical system linked by these jumper cables? Did they all look like this one, a mess of components and exposed wire? No one knew. Metro board chairman Jack Evans compared it to buying a house thinking all it needs is some modest remodeling, starting work and then finding it has a bad foundation, mold and asbestos. For example, federal regulators have cited 13,954 outstanding defects logged in Metros track defect management system, but the number is essentially meaningless. The software is so riddled with outdated, redundant or inaccurate entries that it offers little benefit to managers trying to prioritize problems. Wiedefeld hired an outside consultant to redo the data starting from scratch by going out onto the tracks and creating a new, standardized assessment of what needs fixing. But its not just numbers. Wiedefeld continues to struggle to get clear answers from managers and rank-and-file workers about the systems problems and practices. Its one reason that he has regularly reached out to former colleagues and transit officials from other agencies for advice. [After a year-long search, Metro names new general manager] And, its partly why he hired two top-tier, outside transit experts for his leadership team: Joe Leader and Pat Lavin, the chief operations officer and chief safety officer both transplants from New Yorks Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The pair, who had worked together closely for years before arriving at Metro, immediately demonstrated a dynamic that some observers have described as good-cop-bad-cop: Leader, the affable and cheerful one; Lavin, stern and steely-eyed. As Metro faced a slew of crises over the summer, Wiedefeld was not alone in facing the barrage of questions and criticism. Lavin and Leader were at his side, jumping in with frank assessments, clear acknowledgments of wrongdoing and a detailed sense of what needed to happen to fix problems, observers said. After one particularly tough board meeting-cum-inquisition, member Leif A. Dormsjo said he noticed a stark difference from previous management. These guys are not running away from the problems, Dormsjo said then. They seem to be running toward them. I give [Wiedefeld] really strong marks for the hires that he has made, said Kathryn Thomson, whom former U.S. transportation secretary Anthony Foxx appointed as special adviser on Metro. They are very knowledgeable people, and they seem very committed to getting to the core of Metros issues and finding solutions. [Metro will shut down sections of lines for year-long subway repair work] Even so, the arrival of Lavin and Leader came too late to stop the flawed launch of Wiedefelds signature project SafeTrack which was billed as a year-long intensive maintenance program aimed at helping bring the system to a state of good repair. Once work started in June, Wiedefeld discovered that the systems problems were much worse than he had anticipated. If I knew then what I know now, I would have started SafeTrack on November 30, Wiedefeld told an audience at the National Press Club on his first anniversary. He was referring to his first day on the job in 2015. Wiedefeld acknowledges that his haste to act in response to the deplorable track conditions may have led him to start the project with less than optimal planning. Track workers werent clear on all the standards for the work they needed to perform; federal inspection reports showed that some track problems were ignored; other repairs needed to be redone weeks later because the work had been done incorrectly the first time. I think it could have been and should have been better planned in advance, Thomson said. Some of the challenges and problems they faced in implementing SafeTrack could have been avoided, or better planned for, if they had more time on the front end to think it through and set out a plan. The speed with which Wiedefeld launched SafeTrack also irked some local elected officials who thought they should have had more say in the planning. For example, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) and other city leaders pressed for changes to the plan to lessen its effect on the District. Wiedefeld refused, arguing that the pain must be shared equally. Members of Congress praised Wiedefelds quick, decisive action in ordering an unprecedented emergency 24-hour shutdown in March because of serious safety concerns. But many local leaders received official notice from Metro only after the news hit email inboxes around the region. Bowser was among those said to have been especially angered at being left out of the loop although, publicly, she insisted that she understood the pressing safety concerns. As the head of the regions transit agency, who had observed the alarming conditions firsthand, Wiedefeld said the decision was his to make not something to hand down to regional leaders for debate. They dont have the technical background, he said in a recent interview. They had not been part of what Id seen, what Id heard, what we had looked at. It wouldnt be fair for them, it wouldnt be fair to put them in that spot. A similar scenario played out four months later when Wiedefeld rolled out his proposal to suspend late-night weekend service indefinitely and close the system early on Sundays. When alerts about the proposal blew up their phones, Bowser and several members of Metros board were sitting together at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. [Bowser to Metro: No articulation of a need for late-night cuts] Theyd never heard Wiedefeld mention the idea before. Asked last week for her assessment of Wiedefeld, Bowser said: He has certainly instilled a sense of accountability at the authority that was missing, and thats good to see. I am interested, as we all are, in seeing the metrics related to the success of SafeTrack, and I think that will say a lot about his first year. A pretty unique opportunity Dealing with the politics of a primarily operations-focused job has always been one of Wiedefelds biggest challenges, said John D. Porcari, a former Maryland transportation secretary who hired Wiedefeld to head the Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport, where he served from 2002 to 2005 and again from 2009 to 2015. He has a fairly low tolerance for B.S., which I consider an attribute, Porcari said. And that can happen with elected officials, it can happen in the course of your job. And he generally works around it. Wiedefelds decisive actions are somewhat at odds with his communication style: Naturally soft-spoken with a penchant for mumbling, Wiedefeld often answers questions in as few words as possible and deflects entreaties for sweeping statements or his reflections on serving in one of Washingtons least-coveted jobs. When asked about how he celebrated after a banner day of service for the Womens March on Washington, Wiedefeld employed his characteristic briskness: I slept. Paul doesnt have one of those stem-winding personalities, said Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.). You dont see him standing up on a stump and getting everybody all fired up. But . . . his kind of quiet peacefulness may be more of what you need in this job. Coming into the job, he told friends, his primary concerns werent the long hours or the intense public scrutiny, but whether the board would support him enough to allow him to make the kinds of tough decisions needed to improve the system. Paul wanted to make sure that he was able to work with his board to really directly take on the issues that WMATA was facing and that he would be able to work in partnership with the board so that they were directly confronting the issues, said Neil J. Pedersen, executive director of the Transportation Research Board and a longtime friend of Wiedefelds. Wiedefelds hiring coincided with a new board eager to flex its muscle and show it would not be a rubber stamp for management as its predecessors had been accused of doing. In addition to Evans, who is a D.C. Council member, there is a Federal Railroad Administration official, a former chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board and Dormsjo, who is director of the Districts Department of Transportation. At a hearing are, from left, Christopher Hart, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board; Mathew Welbes, executive director of the Federal Transit Administration; Paul J. Wiedefeld, general manager of Metro; Jack Evans, chairman of the Metro board; and Raymond Jackson, second vice president of the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 689. Despite the hardships, Wiedefeld said he is committed to seeing the system restored to its former glory mostly. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) Emboldened by the expertise of new members, by the raised profile of the agency in the wake of disaster and by Evans himself, the board has taken an increasingly vocal role in questioning Wiedefelds decisions. Evans even moved meetings to a smaller room so board members would sit closer together, encouraging debate. Whether the changes in the boards approach have been good for the system are open for debate. Theres a difference between undermining and second-guessing, and the board is clearly second-guessing the general manager, Connolly said. Is that undermining the general manager? Up to a point, they have to second-guess because theyre concerned. But is that moving a step further than second-guessing taking action that would reverse or preclude his decisions? . . . I think the jurys out on that. Despite the hardships he has faced with the board, with politicians in the region, and with Metros parade of operational and financial problems, Wiedefeld said he is committed to seeing the system restored to its former glory mostly. At the National Press Club speech, he was asked whether, if he could go back in time, would he take the job again, knowing the challenges it would bring. It took him 12 seconds to muster an answer to the yes-no question, punctuated with nervous laughter and stuttering. Finally, he took a breath: This has been the greatest job that Ive ever had the opportunity to do, both in terms of the people that Im interacting with, in terms of the challenges that were up against, in terms of what it means, he said. To basically be able to touch, in effect, over a million people or a million passengers a day, thats a pretty unique opportunity. You dont get many of those in your lifetime. Cedar Hill in Anacostia is where Frederick Douglass lived from 1878 until his death in 1895. It is now the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site. (Evy Mages/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST) All weekend, he flipped the pages of the reservations book to show how full it was and apologized to the folks trying to get into Cedar Hill, the Washington home of Frederick Douglass. Sorry, were really booked. Black History Month, you know? It books up fast, the National Park Service volunteer kept saying over and over to the folks who flocked to one of the hottest places in town. Douglass is on fire. Selling out the place. Really getting noticed. His ratings are through the roof. Thanks, Trump. Plenty of people came to Anacostia over the weekend to learn about Douglass after it became apparent that our president seems to know so little about him like that he died 122 years ago. Frederick Douglass in an 1870 photo. (George Francis Schreiber/Library of Congress) Trump described Douglass as an example of somebody whos done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more, I notice. [Trump rants about fake news as he marks Black History Month] To be honest? Trump was spot on. The national historic site that was Douglasss home in Anacostia always books up in February Black History Month regardless of whether his name is trending online. And thats part of the problem. Because the other 11 months out of the year, things are a lot quieter at Cedar Hill. Which is preposterous, because Douglass is about more than black history and ending slavery. His life and struggle shouldnt be a seasonal affair dragged out during the shortest month of the year when a politician wants to check off a demographic or make a speech. Frederick Douglass is American history. Period. The American people have this to learn: that where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob, and degrade them, neither person nor property is safe, Douglass said. He said it more than 150 years ago about slavery, but he could have said it 120 years ago about the Italians or Irish immigrating to America, or 100 years ago about women seeking the right to vote, or 75 years ago when Japanese Americans were being placed in internment camps, or today about everything. In his 1845 autobiography, A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, he wrote: The silver trump of freedom had roused my soul to eternal wakefulness. Nikhil Mulani was woken on Saturday. I just wanted to see it and learn more about his life, said Mulani, 25, a New York consultant who was in town over the weekend and made a last-minute visit to Cedar Hill after he heard Trumps gaffe. I was surprised at how relevant all of it is today. More than relevant to Linda Falkerson, 60, who came from Reston, Va., to tour the museum and was inspired, but also frustrated. The struggle never ends, said Falkerson, who marched in protests for womens rights decades ago and found herself on the Mall again last month, still protesting for womens equality. [More than one million protesters vow to resist President Trump] Douglasss house should have totally been hopping the weekend of that march. He was one of the few men who attended the first womens rights convention in Seneca Falls, N.Y., in 1848. In respect to political rights, we hold woman to be justly entitled to all we claim for man, he wrote after that convention. All that distinguishes man as an intelligent and accountable being, is equally true of woman; and if that government is only just which governs by the free consent of the governed, there can be no reason in the world for denying to woman the exercise of the elective franchise, or a hand in making and administering the laws of the land. Our doctrine is, that Right is of no sex. But we make the mistake too often of segregating Douglass and Harriet Tubman and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to black history, rather than embracing their place in a broader American history. Want to talk about a divided country? Douglass saw the danger in that in 1869. The whole of humanity . . . is ever greater than a part, he said. Men only know themselves by knowing others, and contact is essential to this knowledge . . . all are needed to temper, modify, round, and complete the whole man and the whole nation. That would totally get noticed if he tweeted that, right? Its mind-boggling how relevant his quotes are today, said Kimberly Woods, who lives in the District and was about to do her errands Saturday when she stopped. Wait a minute. I know what Im going to do, and she headed to Cedar Hill. Please, please, everyone, come to this house. Take a tour, she said. Theres a lot here for all of us to learn today. Douglasss story born into slavery, self-educated, then a scholar and a revolutionary lauded across the globe is still the story of todays America. And it was toward the end of his life, in 1895, when he gave a time capsule of a message to Americans frustrated with the divisions and turmoil of today. I saw them, one after another, writing that message down, or quietly mouthing it at the museum all weekend long. The message was delivered to a young man who asked Douglass how to keep the nation on a path toward justice and equality for all. Agitate, Douglass told him. Agitate. Agitate. Zahro Warsame of Louisville, Ky., greets her granddaughter, Mirhaan Kaafi, 3, after the girl arrived at Dulles International Airport with her mother and two aunts. The Somalis were delayed in Ethiopia last week because of the Trump administrations U.S. entry ban. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post) The flight from Dubai to Dulles International Airport took 15 hours. The whole way, Mustafa Aidid, 22, worried that he would not be permitted to enter the United States. But there he was, walking bleary-eyed through the international arrivals gate Monday, one of several passengers turned away last week because of President Trumps far-reaching entry ban. They got a reprieve after a federal judge in Washington state blocked the executive order at least temporarily. I cant believe it. I am so happy, Anab Ali said, wiping away a tear and wrapping her nephew in a hug. Aidid, a Somali citizen who was coming to the United States to marry his childhood sweetheart, held his aunt tight, saying nothing. On the third day of the preliminary injunction against Trumps order, the scene at Dulles was one of angst and celebration. All day, as flights arrived from Dubai and Doha and Addis Ababa, clusters of immigrants carrying flowers or balloons reading Welcome Home waited anxiously and, eventually, erupted in cheers. In addition to Aidid, there was Hassamedin Agabani, 35, who was supposed to emigrate from Sudan to the United States next week but sped up his departure after aides to Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) told his mother, a Maryland resident, that he should get out while he could. There was Nabila Alhaffar, 26, a Syrian citizen who lives in Falls Church, Va., but found herself unable to return home last week from Qatar, where she had gone to visit her ailing mother. Zahro Warsame of Louisville, Ky., second from right, has a moment with daughter Najmo Shakur, left, holding her child Mirhaan Kaafi, 3. Roodo Abdinasir, center, and Asma Abdinasir, right, are Warsames twin daughters. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post) And there was Zahro Warsame, who had borrowed $2,625 to buy new plane tickets for her daughters and granddaughter after they were forced to stay in Ethiopia because of the ban. She drove overnight from Lexington, Ky., with other family members, arriving at 5 a.m. Monday, hoping that this time her daughters would make it through. My head hurts, Warsame, who works at a chicken processing plant in Kentucky, said through an interpreter. She stared at the doorway through which travelers were arriving, at times clutching her headscarf over her mouth. Aidid and his fiance, Hoda Abdi, met in the United Arab Emirates when they were toddlers. Their mothers were friends. When Abdis family immigrated to the United States, she and Aidid lost touch. As they grew older, their families agreed that the two should be married. They were easy to persuade. Slowly, slowly, we started seeing each other outside and things took off from there, Aidid said. In December, Aidid was approved for a K-1 temporary visa, which allows him to marry Abdi, a U.S. citizen. They were planning their wedding for June, giving him time to find a job, perhaps using his new degree in business administration. She is studying speech pathology. Then, last Wednesday, Aidid was turned away at Dubai International Airport. I didnt know what to do. We had waited so long, he said. He returned to the airport Sunday night. Although he boarded the plane without incident, he was convinced that someone would pull him off. At Dulles, Aidid nervously moved through the U.S. Customs line. A federal agent read his paperwork, stamped the visa and waved him through. Then it was on to Ashburn, Va., to join his fiancee. Warsames daughters moved to Ethiopia from Somalia about three years ago, after she immigrated to the United States. The 18-year-old has a child who is 3. The other daughters are 16-year-old twins. All four were approved for family visas on Jan. 11, sponsored by another Warsame daughter, who is a U.S. citizen. When they were turned away from their scheduled flight at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport last week, Warsame basically gave up hope, said Luul Sheikh-Ali, a niece. We were worried about her health. She, Warsame and other relatives waited for hours Monday, long after the flight from Addis Ababa had landed. Did something else happen? Sheikh-Ali said. The flood of passengers became a trickle. Warsame and her family were the last ones waiting near the baggage carousel. Finally, daughters and granddaughter appeared, and everyone wept. Its a miracle, because I never thought Id see my mother again, said Roodo Abdinasir, one of the twins. Asma Abdinasir, the other twin, breathed a sigh of relief. Its unbelievable, she said. I still dont believe Im here. Ed Gillespie grew up in a traditional Irish Catholic family, where faith was central to his life but not something he was comfortable wearing on his sleeve. Hes over that now. The Republican candidate for governor of Virginia stood before 15,000 Liberty University students Monday to share how his faith has helped him understand that painful disappointments from his failure to gain admission to his top choice for college to his squeaker loss to U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D) in 2014 were part of Gods plan and ultimately for the good. The truth is, I was not raised to talk about my personal relationship with our savior, Jesus Christ, Gillespie said at a convocation at the school. Happily, over time thats become more comfortable to me. Today Im glad to be able to share with you how that relationship sustains me, and how my faith helps me through difficult times in hopes that it might somehow be helpful to you. While the soul-baring was new to Gillespie, the pilgrimage to Liberty has become routine for politicians courting evangelical voters. [Liberty U transforms into evangelical mega-university] The tiny Baptist college that the Rev. Jerry Falwell founded in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in 1971 has ballooned into the worlds largest Christian university, now led by the late TV preachers son. Along the way, Liberty has become an essential campaign stop for conservative office-seekers. Its thrice-weekly convocations, mandatory gatherings for students, guarantee a polite and receptive crowd. The last presidential cycle alone drew four Republican candidates: now-President Trump, former Florida governor Jeb Bush, Ben Carson and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), with Cruz choosing the campus to formally announce his candidacy. Sen. Bernie Sanders (V-I), who was then seeking the Democratic nomination, and Libertarian Gary Johnson also addressed students. Now Virginias aspiring governors are beating a similar path to Liberty; Gillespie was the first 2017 statewide candidate to speak at a convocation, but others are coming. Denver Riggleman, one of his rivals for the GOP nomination, also was at Liberty Monday, giving an interview to the student newspaper, the Champion; making his own plans to speak at a convocation; and holding a meet-and-greet with students at a restaurant nearby. As a distillery owner, Riggleman is not the most obvious favorite for a dry campus. But Trump, who has owned casinos and been married three times, managed to win robust support from Liberty President Jerry Falwell Jr. Riggleman bills himself more as a libertarian than a religious conservative but said that his message has appeal at Liberty. He said several students he spoke with agreed with his notion that marijuana legalization is a matter that should be left up to the states. Im a live-and-let-live person, Riggleman said. What Ive noticed about Liberty students is theyre so liberty-minded in freedoms across the spectrum. Theyre very open-minded, almost in a libertarian-minded way. In response to Gillespies appearance, the other two Republicans running for governor touted their own Liberty ties. State Sen. Frank W. Wagner (R-Virginia Beach) said he had worshipped just the day before at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, where the Rev. Jonathan Falwell, another son of Libertys founder, is pastor. Corey A. Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors and former chairman of Trumps Virginia campaign, said that he attended a campus campaign event on Trumps behalf in the fall and that he, too, planned to speak at a convocation. Its a training ground for future conservative leaders, not just in Virginia, but around the country, Stewart said. State Sen. Bryce E. Reeves (R-Spotsylvania), who is running for lieutenant governor, and John Adams, a former federal prosecutor who is running for attorney general, are scheduled to appear at a convocation March 27. Gillespie had addressed Liberty students before; he and Warner were convocation speakers in 2014. But Gillespies speech then was more policy-oriented and less personal. This time, Gillespie spoke only for about five minutes, ahead of the main convocation speaker: John Borek, a former Liberty president. Gillepsie, a former Republican National Committee chairman and onetime counselor to President George W. Bush, described a string of personal defeats and the silver linings that only later became apparent. My parents never went to college, but they insisted that I do, he said. So when I was a senior in high school, Id set my sights and my heart on a very elite liberal arts college in New England. In retrospect, given my grades and SAT scores, it was beyond my reach. But Id convinced myself I could get in. I didnt, and I was devastated. Gillespie did not name the college, but campaign spokesman Matt Moran later said it was Williams College. Gillespie wound up attending Catholic University which led him to his wife of 30 years and a career in politics. It provided a populist talking point to boot. I didnt belong at an elitist, secular college in Massachusetts, he said. I belonged at a blue-collar, religious college in Washington, D.C. He touched only broadly on his goals as governor, saying he knows that I can make a difference to laid-off coal miners, heroin addicts in recovery, parents of children trapped in failing schools, young people like you struggling with student loan debt. He also noted that he would stand for the protection of innocent human life and religious liberty. Democrats saw an opening there. During his address, Gillespie proved that hes dedicated to limiting access to womens health care and imposing anti-LGBT measures upon Virginians in the name of religious liberty, state party spokeswoman Emily Bolton said. Students gave Gillespie a polite response, although several said afterward that they had not yet tuned into the governors race. [Gillespie announces hes running for Va. governor] Falwell himself appeared to be in that camp. He introduced Gillespie but said he could not stay to hear his remarks because he had to give a campus tour to an unnamed special guest. As Falwell began, he started to describe Gillespie as a candidate for governor. Then he paused and looked over his shoulder at him. I dont know if hes announced yet, Falwell said. Gillespie, who threw his hat into the ring in October 2015, gave him a nod. He has, Falwell said. Hes running for governor of Virginia. State Senate budget writers on Sunday proposed slashing $500,000 from Attorney General Mark R. Herrings budget, a move prompted by news that he used a workaround to turn seized assets into big raises for some staffers. Herrings office found savings or a way to boost budgets, and the Senate decided to avail itself of the savings from that exercise, said Jeff Ryer, the spokesman for Senate Republicans. A spokesman for Herring (D) did not respond to a request for comment. Republicans have been at odds with the attorney general, who is running for re-election, over his support for gay marriage, gun control and abortion rights. The U.S. Justice Department generally prohibits using seized assets for raises, but it also instructed Herrings office on how it could work around those rules, the Associated Press recently reported. Herrings office used funds forfeited under a state-federal settlement with Abbott Laboratories for the agencys rent, vehicle maintenance and operational costs, then used the savings to bankroll raises for some staff attorneys, the AP reported. Salaries went up by as much as $15,000. The raises drew sharp criticism in Richmond at a time when the state is facing a $1.2 billion shortfall and state employees have gone without raises a number of years. The Senate Finance Committee proposed the cut as part of a larger spending plan it rolled out Sunday. The House Appropriations Committee also unveiled its plan. It did not make a similar cut from Herrings office, but it contains language requiring Herring to provide information on who received raises and why. Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) and the Republican-controlled legislature hammered out a two-year, $105 billion budget last year. This year, they must make adjustments to cover a shortfall created by lower-than-expected tax revenue. McAuliffe offered his plan in December. On Sunday, the House and Senate money committees unveiled their own proposals, offered in the form of amendments to the governors budget bill. Over the next few days, the House, Senate and governors office will pore over one anothers plans to figure out where they line up and diverge, then go about the business of fighting for their priorities. Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee, although outnumbered on that panel, said they were generally pleased with the outcome. Sitting in the audience, Del. Marcus Simon (D-Fairfax) was disappointed with a lack of money for land acquisition and a $6 million cut to funding for long-acting, reversible contraception coverage for low-income families. Theres some themes that remind us the Republicans are still in charge, he said. Both the House and Senate plans include 3 percent raises for state employees and even heftier pay increases for state troopers, who have been leaving the agency at a high rate as salaries have lagged those of other law-enforcement agencies. [Amid trooper exodus in Virginia, GOP budget leaders want big salary boost for police] McAuliffes plan provides a one-time, 1.5 percent bonus to state employees, including teachers. The House and Senate plans do not include bonuses for teachers, but they provide more money to local school districts with no strings attached, which they could use for raises or other needs. The House plan also includes $9 million for rural schools that have suffered from enrollment declines. The 10-10-10 plan would provide additional funds to districts that have fewer than 10,000 students and have had enrollment shrink by 10 percent or more over the past 10 years. The Senate includes about $6 million for shrinking school districts. The House and Senate plans include language that would prohibit the governor from expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act without the consent of the General Assembly. McAuliffe, who made expansion a central promise of his 2013 campaign, seeks that authority in his plan. The steps we proposed will secure the future of state employees, provide local education leaders with much-needed flexibility, hold down the cost of higher education and strengthen our health-care safety net, said Del. S. Chris Jones (R-Suffolk), appropriations chairman. In a statement, McAuliffe praised the House and Senate for proposed spending in mental health and to address the opioid crisis. But he criticized the plans for not earmarking money for teacher raises. And he took a shot at $10 million in both budgets for a commemoration being planned for Jamestown and Yorktown in 2019. The project is a favorite of Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment (R-James City), who is co-chairman of the Finance Committee. Honoring our history is important, but I am confident that the board can accomplish that mission for the $5 million in the budget I proposed in December, McAuliffe said. And, I am certain that money could be better spent restoring the Houses elimination of funding for mental health screenings in jails, or both chambers elimination of worker safety inspector positions and funding to create clean energy jobs. Senators Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse received thousands of constituent calls opposing Ms. Betsy DeVos' nomination for Education Secretary. Ms. DeVos' only qualification for the position was her millions in campaign contributions to the Donald Trump campaign. Ms. DeVos is a billionaire. Ms. DeVos does not have a teaching certificate, has never attended public schools nor have her children. When questioned, Ms. DeVos didn't even know what the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was. The IDEA ensures that all students receive a quality public education. Senators Sasse and Fischer have both indicated they support DeVos' nomination for Education Secretary. Both Nebraska Senators are refusing to disclose the numbers of opposition calls, tweets, emails, faxes or Facebook posts they've received opposing DeVos. Nebraskans are entitled to know whether our representatives are truly representing us or merely serving as pawns for Donald Trump and Steve Bannon. Staffers at Fischer's office stated they had received very few constituent contacts supporting DeVos. Other members of Congress have disclosed this information. There is no law prohibiting disclosure. Senators Sasse and Fischer, please immediately disclose unaltered information regarding the constituent contacts you received and whether it was pro or against DeVos. Your constituents deserve to know whether you are hearing our voices. Senator Fischer is also refusing to share "written assurances" she received from Ms. DeVos regarding her nomination. Were they "written assurances" that DeVos would put you on her generous contribution list when you come up for re-election? Please share that information with Nebraskans. We deserve to know. Kathleen Neary, Lincoln New York DNA evidence leads to arrest in park slaying DNA evidence led investigators to make an arrest in the strangling of a woman who encountered her killer while on an evening run over the summer, police said Sunday. Chanel Lewis, 20, of Brooklyn, faces a murder charge in the Aug. 2 killing of Karina Vetrano, 30, whose body was found in a park not far from her Queens home. Lewis was expected to be arraigned Sunday, and it was unclear if he had an attorney. New York Police Department Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said the break came after police reviewed 911 calls and found one reporting a suspicious person near the attack site. Investigators interviewed Lewis on Thursday and obtained a DNA sample, which was linked to DNA found at the scene and on Vetrano. Associated Press Idaho Judge orders rapist to avoid premarital sex An Idaho judge has ordered a man not to have sex with anyone before he marries as part of his sentencing for statutory rape of a 14-year-old girl. Judge Randy Stoker sentenced Cody Duane Scott Herrera, 19, of Twin Falls to five to 15 years in prison, but he suspended the sentence for a one-year rider program. If the unmarried Herrera completes the program, hell be released on probation, which requires celibacy unless he weds. Stoker said the probation condition is needed because Herrera told presentence investigators he has had 34 sexual partners. Herrera had pleaded guilty to statutory rape of the girl. Shaakirrah R. Sanders, an associate professor at the University of Idaho College of Law, said the probation condition might be illegal or unenforceable. I think it infringes on his constitutional rights, she said. Associated Press 8-year-old fatally shoots sister, wounds brother: A 5-year-old girl was fatally shot and her 4-year-old brother wounded in an accidental shooting Saturday by their 8-year-old brother, police said. The children were home alone in an apartment in Jacksonville, Fla., said Chris Butler, chief of the sheriffs office. Butler said the elder boy fired a single shot from the gun, killing his younger sister and giving his brother a non-life-threatening wound. Emergency personnel tried to save the girl but were unsuccessful. The childrens mother had left for an unspecified amount of time to go to a store, Butler said. He did not release the names of the family involved. Associated Press Why is he so tired, Jackie Mann wondered, not for the first time, as Evan, the middle of her three children, wandered off to his bedroom to take an after-school nap. Small for his age, the 12-year-old seemed to fall asleep easily and anywhere: in the car on the way to soccer or gymnastics, on the afternoons he came straight home from school, while doing his homework and, once, while waiting to see the pediatrician. But his parents noticed that Evan seemed decidedly more energetic on the weekends in the semirural community outside Oakland, Calif., where the family lives. Then he went fishing, hunting and hiking with little difficulty. We just kind of thought he was faking it, said Mann, recalling the discussions she and her husband, an orthopedic surgeon, had about Evan beginning in 2010. He would step it up with his friends. [He went from a playful little boy to a zombie. Why wouldnt the doctors listen?] Evan Mann has grown considerably since he had surgery in 2014 and began receiving regular infusions of drugs. Now 17 years old, he stands 5-foot-6 and weighs 122 pounds. (Courtesy of Jackie Mann) But Manns concerns intensified after a trip to Lake Tahoe, where the family rents a cabin. Evan, an avid skier, would complete a run or two, complain that he was tired and go back to the cabin to sleep for several hours. For 18 months, as Evans fatigue worsened, his growth stalled and he wrestled with unexplained low-grade fevers and joint pain, a series of doctors sought to figure out what was making him sick. The answer, when it came in January 2012, was a surprise. While his mother said that in retrospect there were abundant clues, there were also red herrings that misled doctors, including those in Evans family. Evan did not have the typical symptoms, his mother said. Sometimes the pieces dont fall into place until things get really bad. [Odd teeth: A mothers Internet sleuthing led to her daughters troubling diagnosis] Genetics, or something else? Manns initial concern was not her sons fatigue. When Evan was in fifth grade, she began asking the pediatrician about his unusually small size. But the doctor, who told Mann that he didnt believe in growth charts, a cornerstone of pediatric practice, was reassuring. All of her children were small, he pointed out, a reflection of genetics. Their father, a long-distance runner and former college gymnast, is 5-foot-6 and Mann is 5-3. Despite the pediatricians reassurance, Mann felt uneasy. And she was baffled by Evans fatigue, which continued even after he dropped several after-school activities. In the spring of 2011, Evan, during a long wait to see the pediatrician, fell asleep on the exam room table. That was when Mann decided to switch doctors, fearing that her concerns werent being taken seriously. At the time Evan weighed 63 pounds and was 4-4, seven inches shorter and 25 pounds lighter than average for a boy his age. This just didnt feel right, she recalled. She also found an allergist to determine whether Evans frequent sinus infections were the result of allergies that might be impeding his growth and causing his fatigue. As a child, he had taken antibiotics frequently for ear infections, and he was often prescribed the drugs for sinusitis as he got older. But the work-up found no allergies. [Five simple steps to avoid becoming a medical mystery] A few months later, Evan visited his new pediatrician. Mann noted that her son showed no signs of starting puberty and looked more like the twin of his sister Eliana, who was two years younger. The doctor was concerned, particularly after he plotted a growth chart, which showed that Evan hadnt grown in at least two years. Shortly after that visit, Evan developed a bad case of hives and was prescribed several weeks of prednisone, a corticosteroid used to suppress inflammation. The change was dramatic: His energy level and appetite ticked up. The boy who could only eat half a grilled cheese at a sitting was downing two sandwiches. It was the healthiest hed been in years, Mann recalled. But when school started and Evan stopped taking steroids, the fatigue returned. Some days, he seemed fine. But on other days, Evan would come home from school, take a long nap, eat dinner and then go back to bed and sleep through the night. During a hike with relatives, one of whom is an internist, Mann confided her fear that Evan had recurring fevers or Lyme disease. The relative was skeptical. Im looking at your son charging up a hill. He looks pretty good to me, she remembers him saying. Whats his temperature? Mann said she didnt use a thermometer, but she thought Evan felt hot. Oh, youre using the mom-o-meter, the internist quipped. He advised her to keep a record of Evans temperature, along with a symptom diary. Mann did, and noticed a pattern. Evans fatigue seemed to descend every third day or so. On those afternoons, he had a fever of about 101 degrees and often complained of a headache and achy joints. Some days he also had mild diarrhea. Saying there was a measurable fever got everyones attention, Mann recalled. When she showed the temperature and symptom chart to the new pediatrician, he immediately referred Evan to a specialist in pediatric infectious diseases. [With his son terribly ill, a top scientist takes on chronic fatigue syndrome] Absolute certainty Evans hives, fevers and fatigue seemed to suggest an environmental cause. The family lives on a 40-acre ranch containing horses, chickens and other animals. The Manns frequently hike in national parks, including Yosemite, which was the epicenter of a 2012 outbreak of hantavirus infection, a mouse-borne illness that killed three people. Evan liked to shoot and skin squirrels. And he had been bitten by ticks repeatedly. But extensive testing ruled out many zoonotic exposures (diseases that can be transmitted from animals to people) including Lyme and hantavirus, as well as other infections. The infectious-disease specialist referred Evan to a pediatric gastroenterologist. During the initial appointment on Jan. 10, 2012, the GI specialist looked at Evans fingers and at the cold sores that seemed ever-present on the corners of his mouth, and he felt the boys abdomen. Within 10 minutes, he turned to Evans parents. Your son has Crohns disease, Mann remembers him announcing. Im sure of it. Mann and her husband were shocked and skeptical. Crohns, a serious, chronic and incurable autoimmune disorder characterized by severe abdominal cramps and diarrhea, seemed unlikely to them. Evan had only occasional, mild diarrhea. [A simple test proved that a teen with stomach pain wasnt a hypochondriac after all] How can you be so sure? Mann remembers asking. The doctor ticked off the telltale signs: Evans growth was stunted. He had chronic cold cores on the corners of his mouth, a common Crohns symptom. The ends of his fingers were clubbed. When he pressed on Evans lower right abdomen, the boy felt pain. Several tests had indicated unusually high levels of inflammation. Evan had greatly improved while taking steroids, a mainstay treatment for Crohns. There was a family history: Evans great-grandmother and another relative had been diagnosed with Crohns, and another close relative had a similar disorder, ulcerative colitis. Evan also had taken a lot of antibiotics at a young age, which can raise the risk of Crohns. And finally, the Manns are Ashkenazi Jews, whose descendants came from Central and Eastern Europe; Crohns is more common among Ashkenazi Jews than in the general population. Scientists have recently discovered several genetic mutations among Ashkenazi Jews that raise the risk of Crohns. The disease, which is believed to result from an interplay between genetics and the environment, can look different in children and adolescents, said Sabina Ali, a pediatric gastroenterologist who has treated Evan since 2013. Pediatric patients sometimes dont have the classic symptoms seen in adults with Crohns chiefly, severe cramps and frequent diarrhea which can mislead doctors. Evan had extra-intestinal symptoms, Ali noted, adding that extreme fatigue is not common and may point to a second, as yet unidentified problem. These kids can get sidetracked into other specialties because no one realizes they have a GI problem. In addition some of these kids may get frequent illnesses or fevers, the latter of which are regarded as signs of infection but actually are signals of inflammation. An endoscopy and a colonoscopy confirmed the diagnosis. Because of the severity of Evans disease, doctors recommended surgery to remove sections of his inflamed intestines. Since his 2014 surgery, Evan has received regular infusions of Remicade, a drug commonly used to manage Crohns. He takes vitamins to counteract nutritional deficiencies. Now 17, he has grown significantly and is, his mother says, the healthiest he has been in years. At 5-6, one inch shorter than his older brother, he weighs 122 pounds. He is in his senior year of high school and hopes to attend a California university to study watershed management. After Evan was diagnosed with Crohns, his sister was evaluated for the disease. Although healthy, her parents were concerned that her small size might reflect an underlying digestive problem. She doesnt have the disease at this time, Mann said of her daughter, who is now 15. At 4-9, shes just plain short. Submit your solved medical mystery to sandra.boodman@washpost.com. No unsolved cases, please. Read previous mysteries at wapo.st/medicalmysteries. Read more: In looking for zebra, doctors are stumped by toddlers painful legs, rash and bleeding gums Brits spent months trying to identify a lost Alzheimers patient. The answer broke their hearts. How to reset your body clock, and get better sleep, with hiking boots and a tent Every second counts. Cities turn to cyclists to save lives The ruins of the Pioneer Cabin Tunnel Tree, a giant, centuries-old sequoia in Calaveras Big Trees State Park in California, after it came down during a storm. (Jim Allday/Associated Press) The giants outside Dana Smiths office in Shaver Lake, Calif., are spindly like the neck of a brachiosaurus, so tall that he has to throw back his head to see all the way to the top. They are 10 majestic ponderosa pines that grew 200 feet over about 250 years, a regal presence that lured Smith to the spot where he runs a business renting vacation cottages a few miles south of Yosemite National Park. The trees are also dead, marked with bright spray paint by state contractors, destined for a date with a chain saw. They are victims of a massacre, a five-year drought the longest and worst in state history that has wiped out 102 million trees in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. But this ecological tragedy has a silver lining. California is in the middle of a $50 million effort to get rid of tens of thousands of dead trees that threaten roads, power lines and homes. Loggers from across the country are flocking to the state in search of a huge payday from tree-removal companies under contract with the state and a few private firms. Theyre coming from Iowa, Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania, Smith said. They tend to be young, people in really good shape climbing trees, using chain saws six or seven days a week. Its been rather fascinating. Its been quite an experience. Assemblyman Ken Cooley (D-Rancho Cordova) looks over a fallen tulip tree at Capitol Park on Jan. 19 in Sacramento. (Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press) For this new gold rush, workers need a place to lay their heads, and for a few months last year, they filled Smiths rental properties, studios to eight-bedroom luxury cottages that rent for $75 to $800 per night. The jobs are so good and seem so stable that some loggers are uprooting their families from states such as Oregon and Georgia and relocating to California. Ron Henson, a real estate agent who works for Smith at Shaver Lake Vacation Rentals, said he knows some who moved to Clovis, outside Fresno. As the number of dead trees grew, so did the tree-cutters. They started arriving in a trickle in 2015, when the U.S. Forest Service counted 66 million dead trees. After the mortality skyrocketed to more than 100 million trees and Gov. Jerry Brown (D) attached tens of millions of dollars to an emergency order last year, loggers started arriving in droves. At least a half-dozen public and private agencies are offering money to clear them away to be used as biofuel or as chips for emergency offramps that help slow runaway trucks. The California Department of Transportation allocated $11 million to slice away massive trees before they keel over onto two key roads, in an attempt to keep them from blocking busy traffic headed to and from Yosemite or killing a motorist. You could easily have traffic on a two-lane road backed up 20 or so miles in both directions, said Cory Burkarth, a spokesman for the agency, known as CalTrans. And State Route 41 is the main road in the area. Thats a major concern, what a fallen tree can do to the safety of motorists and passengers. In the middle of the night, you cant see those trees on the side of the road, and you might not see it fall. As of January, CalTrans had identified nearly 30,000 trees it wanted removed along State Routes 41 and 168. The agency pays up to $1,000 per tree, Burkarth said. About 8,000 have been removed at a cost of about $6.5 million. The Forest Service also is spending millions of dollars to remove trees, as are at least two utilities, Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric. They are worried about trees that threaten electrical lines that send power to thousands of businesses and homes. What befell some of Californias most magnificent trees is a haunting story. They slowly parched from thirst, year upon year. Weak and near death, their immune systems, which create sap that helps keep away harmful pests, failed. And when that happened, beetles moved in for the kill. The western pine beetle was one of several insect species that flourished as they fed, leaving eerie feeding grooves beneath the bark, branding the trees like tattoos. As the trees succumbed, their emerald leaves turned the color of rust. The scale of the devastation has shocked Forest Service workers who count them and U.S. Geological Survey scientists who perform autopsies 8 million acres of death across the California mountain forests. Workers typically count hundreds of dead trees in an area, then move to others. But often, when they returned to the same spots weeks later, trees that seemed fine had died. It took time to realize that beetles were eating the healthy but drought-stricken trees alive under their bark, Burkarth said. Its actually going to take months and months and months to complete the work, as the bugs kill more trees, said Len Nielson, a forester for Cal Fire, a state agency that battles wildfires. Fires that race through dead trees are another reason to remove them, officials say. This has never happened in California before, not at this level, Nielson said. At home, I look out my back door and see thousands upon thousands of dead trees. Smith looks up at the trees around his office and sees red, orange and rust pretty fall colors under normal circumstances, but not in this grim context. In the distance, when workers are in town, he can hear a symphony of chain saws, whistles and shouts, followed by trees cracking and crashing to the ground. He worries that one of the 10 dead trees nearby might fall before being cut. Any of the behemoths would crush the office. That is not the only worry. Smith said the young workers who have followed the money to the forest can be reckless drinking, wandering about at odd hours and making a mess of his property. Loggers might live and play hard, but they also work very hard. By many measures, logging is the most dangerous occupation in the United States, according to a brief on the industry by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA statistics place it among the 10 toughest jobs in the nation. Tools and equipment such as chain saws and logging machines make it extremely hazardous. Workers deal with massive weights and the momentum of falling, rolling and sliding trees and logs. The jobs are stable for years to come, even though Californias drought appears to be ending, as snow piles up in the Sierra Nevada range and rain pours on arid Los Angeles and Orange counties. Only Santa Barbara County, which relies on a reservoir that has a low water level, is technically still in drought. Healthy adult trees will absorb the precipitation and strengthen. Young trees are safe from pests because their bark is not ripe and nourishing. And dead trees will keep leaning, keeling over and threatening people, traffic and wires. Senator Deb Fischer has once again shown that her loyalty is not to the Nebraskan people. In her decision to support Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education, she has gone against the wishes of Nebraskans ("Sen. Fischer says shell vote for Betsy DeVos," Feb. 3). Her office was flooded with calls, her twitter feed inundated with "vote no on Devos," and her Facebook comments explicitly against confirming DeVos. Senator Fischer is traitorous to Nebraska. She is nothing more than the lap dog of the national GOP. They say, "fetch me a vote," and there she goes! Senator Fischer should take a page out of the books of Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski and Maine Senator Susan Collins. Murkowski even received money from the DeVos family and she's voting against her. What Senator Fischer's hesitation is, I do not know. Senator Fischer is not for Nebraska. She does not heed our calls. She is nothing more than a fraud who does what the GOP tells her, hearkening back to the "good ol' days," locked away until called. It's sad. Hopefully she finds her own voice as the Alaska and Maine senators have. She, as a former educator, knows exactly the kind of havoc DeVos will reap on education. Does Senator Fischer find her constituency to be so stupid and easily hoodwinked? In the words of our now new president, Senator Fischer is traitorous and weak. Resign! Nebraska has no need of her anymore as she panders to everyone but us. We expect Fischer's resignation tendered upon voting for DeVos. Sean James, Lincoln TURKEY Hundreds arrested in anti-ISIS sweep Turkeys anti-terrorism police have detained more than 440 people for alleged links to the Islamic State group, the state-run news agency reported Sunday. The Anadolu Agency said that 60 suspects, most of them foreigners, were taken into custody early Sunday in the capital, Ankara. It said a total of 445 people were detained in simultaneous pre-dawn police operations that spanned several cities, including Istanbul and Gaziantep, near the border with Syria. The largest operation was in the southeastern province of Sanliurfa, where police took into custody more than 100 suspects and said they found materials relating to Islamic State militants. Security forces also apprehended nine suspects who were allegedly preparing an attack in the northwestern city of Izmir. Turkey, which last year endured a failed coup attempt and dozens of bloody attacks linked to Islamic State or Kurdish militants, has been stepping up its anti-terrorism efforts. The Islamic State group asserted responsibility for a New Years Eve mass shooting at an Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people. It claims to have multiple cells in Turkey. Turkey is a member of the NATO alliance and the U.S-led coalition against the Islamic State. Associated Press France Le Pen launches bid, slams globalization Frances far-right party leader, Marine Le Pen, told thousands of flag-waving supporters at a rally Sunday that she alone would protect them against Islamic fundamentalism and globalization if she is elected president in May. Buoyed by Trumps victory and Britons vote to leave the European Union, Le Pens anti-immigration, anti-E.U. National Front hopes for similar populist momentum in France. With hitherto favorite Francois Fillon, a conservative, facing new calls Sunday to withdraw over a scandal related to his wifes job and rising centrist star Emmanuel Macron as yet untested, Le Pens party dismisses polls that see her losing in a second-round runoff. The divide is not between the left and right anymore but between patriots and globalists, Le Pen said at her campaign launch rally. In 144 commitments published Saturday, Le Pen says she would slash migration, expel all illegal migrants and limit certain rights available to all residents, including free education, to French citizens. A National Front government would also take France out of the euro zone, hold a referendum on E.U. membership and impose taxes on imports. Reuters Egyptian Islamic body opposes divorce reform: Egypts top Islamic authority rejected President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissis suggestion that legislation be adopted to invalidate the practice of Muslim men verbally divorcing their wives. It marked a rare instance of a public institution contradicting the president, who has presided over a crackdown on dissent in recent years while seeking to rally the countrys entrenched interests behind him. The Council of Senior Clerics in Al-Azhar, the highest authority in Sunni Islam, unanimously ruled that verbal divorce, when meeting all requirements, has been an undisputed practice since the days of the 7th-century prophet Muhammad. Romanian protesters win key concession for now: The largest antigovernment crowds since the violent 1989 revolution that toppled dictator Nicolae Ceausescu succeeded in pressuring Romanias new government to repeal a hastily adopted decree that would have eased penalties for official corruption. The government backed down Sunday after six days of street protests but plans to introduce another version of the law in Parliament. Nigerias leader requests extra medical leave: President Muhammadu Buhari asked parliament to extend his medical leave, his office said in a statement, deepening suspicions among many Nigerians that his health is worse than officials are admitting publicly. The statement did not say how much extra time Buhari was seeking. He had been due to return to work Monday after taking more than two weeks leave for medical checks in Britain. From news services President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their son, Barron, walk to Marine One at the White House en route to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. March 17, 2017 President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their son, Barron, walk to Marine One at the White House en route to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post The beginning of the presidents term has featured controversial executive orders and frequent conflicts with the media. The new president is expected to make his mark on an aggressive legislative agenda. The new president is expected to make his mark on an aggressive legislative agenda. Michael V. Hayden, a principal at the Chertoff Group and visiting professor at George Mason Universitys Schar School of Policy and Government, was director of the National Security Agency from 1999 to 2005 and the Central Intelligence Agency from 2006 to 2009. President Trumps executive order on immigration was ill-conceived, poorly implemented and ill-explained. To be fair, it would have been hard to explain since it was not the product of intelligence and security professionals demanding change, but rather policy, political and ideological personalities close to the president fulfilling a campaign promise to deal with a threat they had overhyped. Ive heard from a lot of intelligence professionals who are going to have to live with the consequences. They noted that six of the seven countries involved in the ban (Iran being somewhat an exception) are troubled, fragmented states where human sources are essential to defeating threats to the United States. Paradoxically, they pointed out how the executive order breached faith with those very sources, many of whom they had promised to always protect with the full might of our government and our people. Sources who had risked much, if not all, to keep Americans safe. I understood their angst. As CIA director, I reminded them at their case officer graduations that, when they recruited a source, they would likely be the only face of America that the source would see. And that in the act of recruitment they would assume a powerful and permanent moral responsibility for the well-being of the source and his or her loved ones. (Jayne Orenstein,Dalton Bennett,Natalie Jennings/The Washington Post) The case officers believed that they were also empowered to offer the full faith and credit of the American nation for that task. Now, they told me, that promise was eroding. Some will quibble that this, at least technically, is not really the case. That this is a temporary ban (maybe) and exceptions can be made (possibly). But as a former station chief told me, in the places where intelligence officers operate, rumor, whisper and conspiratorial chatter rule peoples lives. It doesnt take paranoia to connect the action of the executive order with the hateful, anti-Islamic language of the campaign. In the Middle East, with its honor-based cultures, its easier to recruit someone we have been shooting at than it is to recruit someone whose society has been insulted. As the station chief reminded me, the fundamental posture of an intelligence service looking for sources is that We welcome you, you have value. Our society respects you. More than your own. He feared that would no longer be the powerful American message it once was. The simple idea of America didnt hurt either. The station chief said that one of the fundamentals of his business was selling the dream. The Soviets had a hard time with that. We had it easy. A lot of intelligence targets officials, military figures, African revolutionaries, tribal leaders railed against our policies, our interventions, many things . . . but they loved America. It was the idea of the country as a special place. They didnt necessarily want to go there, but it was a place they kept in their minds where they would be welcome. The station chief and I knew Mohammed Shahwani, an Iraqi and American hero. Shawani carried the Iraqi flag at the 1960 Rome Olympics and later became a war hero as a commander of a special forces unit in the war against Iran. His popularity grew to a point where Saddam Hussein viewed him as a threat and he had to flee for his life. Shahwani settled in Leesburg, Va., from where the United States convinced him after the invasion of Iraq to return to set up and run Iraqs post-Hussein intelligence service. A Sunni, he established a nonsectarian service that was a trusted, professional partner to the CIA and U.S. forces. Not sectarian enough for Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Shahwani was eventually sacked as U.S. influence waned. Shahwani acted because he was an Iraqi patriot, but also because he was welcomed and sheltered by the United States, and believed he would be again. 1 of 25 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Travelers affected by ban begin to arrive in U.S. after Trump order is suspended View Photos After a federal judge in Seattle temporarily blocked enforcement of President Trumps travel ban, government authorities immediately told airlines to allow travel by those who had been barred, a U.S. official said. Caption After a federal judge in Seattle temporarily blocked enforcement of President Trumps travel ban, government authorities immediately told airlines to allow travel by those who had been barred, a U.S. official said. Feb. 6, 2017 Muhamad Alhaj Moustafa, an internal medicine resident at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, embraces his wife, Nabila Alhaffar, after her arrival at Dulles International Airport. She had been temporarily blocked from returning to the United States after a trip to Qatar to see family. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. Of course, today any members of Shahwanis family still in Iraq are forbidden to enter the United States. My station chief asks, How would you look him in the eye these days and promise him wed take care of him and the men who follow him? What do you tell him to tell those men? Well take care of them no matter what? That our president is shoulder to shoulder with them? Great questions, since we are at war in Iraq today and desperately need partners of Shahwanis character. These effects will not pass quickly. These are not short-term, transactional societies. Insults rarely just fade away. Honor patiently waits to be satisfied. In the meantime, we will be left with the weak and the merely avaricious, agents who will cut a deal just for the money, the worst kind of sources. To all the tough-guy ideological thinkers who created this, professional CIA case officers will do what they can to deal with the unnecessary burden you have given them. But in the future you might want to consult them before you rush proclamations out the door. Volunteers paint the Ashburn Colored School on Oct. 9, 2016, after it was vandalized with racist symbols and hate language. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) As a former reading teacher and the founder of Planet Word, a new museum to be dedicated to all aspects of words and language, I was startled to read the Feb. 2 Metro headline Teenage vandals sentenced to reading. I thought, Oh no, that is just the opposite of the message that we should be sending; too many kids already sadly see reading as punishment. But then I read the article and realized that asking five youths who had vandalized the historic Ashburn Colored School to read, discuss and reflect on important works about intolerance and racism was the perfect sentence for their crime. And I realized that the headline did its job: It compelled me to read the entire article. Still, we should avoid branding reading as a punishment, and see it instead as an opportunity to open doors and minds. I think the prosecutor in this case understood that and made a wise recommendation from which we all will benefit. Ann B. Friedman, Bethesda How refreshing that Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Alex Rueda recommended punishing the boys who vandalized a historic schoolhouse by having them read and write about anti-defamation. The punishment fit the crime. When I taught at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Prince Georges County, one of the vice principals gave after-school non-learning offenders the task of memorizing an assigned poem. The principal was having the students use their time productively. The punishment fit the crime. In 1941, when I was in sixth grade, my best friend and I wrote Go, Tigers go! in chalk on the outside of our brick school. We were furnished with a bucket of soapy water and a brush. Two excruciating hours later, we had learned never to deface property again. The punishment fit the crime. Deni Foster, Berwyn Heights WHETHER A rape victim in Maryland gets justice may depend upon where the attack occurs. A lack of statewide standards governing rape kits allows the states dozens of law enforcement agencies to make widely varying decisions about when and even whether to examine this potentially vital evidence. Worse, some localities destroy the kits after just a few years. Lets hope Maryland lawmakers take to heart the recommendations of a recent report urging the establishment of statewide standards. The backlog of untested rape kits is a national problem that thankfully is finally getting serious attention. Federal legislation passed last year established testing guidelines and victim protections for cases under federal jurisdiction. Grants from the Justice Department and the Manhattan District Attorneys Office have allowed state and local agencies to tackle the backlog of rape kits that have piled up in police departments and crime labs. The kits contain evidence such as samples of blood and semen collected during a lengthy, often grueling, medical examination; once tested, DNA results are entered into a national FBI database. A report last month by Attorney General Brian Frosh (D) makes clear how far behind Maryland is in dealing with this critical issue. A survey of the states 135 law enforcement agencies in which 102 responded revealed 3,700 untested rape kits, some going as far back as 1981. But the report noted that its not a backlog in the traditional sense of tests submitted to labs but waitlisted because of a lack of resources and staffing. Instead, a determination was made not to submit them for testing at all. And the patchwork of different policies results in some rape kits being destroyed after a year while others are kept indefinitely. Not only does this not give victims the time they sometimes need in deciding whether to pursue a case but it also robs police of evidence that could be helpful in identifying serial assailants. The report recommended that police test nearly all rape kits, notify victims of the results and store the kits for a fixed period of time. More than half of the states, the Baltimore Sun reported in its investigation of the handling of sexual assault crimes, have laws mandating a minimum time period to retain evidence. Included here is Virginia, where a change in the law last year, coupled with the success of Attorney General Mark R. Herring (D) in getting new money for testing, has the state well on its way to eliminating its backlog of untested kits. Maryland should follow Virginias example, starting with legislation this session to establish the best practices detailed in the attorney generals report and coming up with the funding to make them possible. President Trump shakes hands with 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Neil Gorsuch, his nominee for the Supreme Court, at the White House on Jan. 31. (Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells (R-Ky.) Feb. 2 op-ed, How Democratic senators should respond to Gorsuch, on the merits of the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court was quite hypocritical, considering that Mr. McConnell would not grant even a hearing for Judge Merrick Garland for the same position. Every word of qualification and praise for Mr. Gorsuch applies equally, if not more so, to Mr. Garland. Men such as Mr. McConnell are why Congress is held in such low esteem by the public. He epitomizes politics as usual, something that was supposedly changed with the election of President Trump. Apparently not. Politics goes on as usual, and the American people pay the price for it. Jared Wermiel, Silver Spring Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said, The president made an outstanding choice with his nomination Tuesday of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme court. From a progressive perspective, Mr. Gorsuch is not an outstanding choice. He is an extremist and an ideologue. He is to the right of the late Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia. He is unacceptable to the majority of progressives. Mr. Gorsuch reflects the same policies and values rejected by the people who did not vote for President Trump. When Mr. Scalia died, then-President Barack Obama, in an effort to not politicize the Supreme Court, selected a respected jurist who was a moderate and centrist and who had received accolades from Republicans. The GOP, led by Mr. McConnell, decided that Mr. Obama was elected to a three-year term, not a four-year term, and refused to give Judge Merrick Garland a hearing, rejecting Mr. Obamas right to nominate a Supreme Court judge. When will Mr. McConnell look after the institutions of this country rather than seek power concentration for the GOP? He has contributed greatly to the dysfunction of the Senate with his deliberate strategy of obstructionism, and now he is playing with the reputation and credibility of the Supreme Court. Mr. Trump should withdraw this nomination (it has been done before) and nominate a moderate jurist. Katherine Rose, Ellicott City It is a stretch for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to say he was following the Biden Rule in not allowing then-President Obamas nomination for Supreme Court justice to be brought before the Senate. We were not in the middle of a contentious election. Justice Antonin Scalia died Feb. 13, 2016, five months before the political parties selected their nominees and nine months before the election. Then-Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.) made his remark in June 1992, and it was hypothetical. Campaigns start two years before an election. Would Mr. McConnell ask the nation to wait two years before acting on a nomination? Lynne Hamilton Weir, Alexandria Rarely is the question asked: Is our Cabinet secretaries learning? And if we is being honest with ourself, we says: No, they is not. Todays lesson: the education of Betsy DeVos. DeVos, a major Republican donor, is nearing the end of her ordeal to be confirmed as education secretary, and it has been a grizzly tale. Republicans, apparently recognizing the billionaires lack of familiarity with the rudiments of education policy, tried to shield DeVos from public view. They scheduled her testimony in the evening and limited questions. But this did not save the heiress from getting schooled. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post) DeVos was confused by questions about the Individuals With Disabilities and Education Act and befuddled when asked about the raging debate about measuring student proficiency vs. growth. DeVoss solution to protect student aid from waste? Uh, leave it to the individuals with whom I work. [I never cared much about politics. Then Trump nominated Betsy DeVos to his Cabinet.] But her finest moment was her argument for why we need guns in schools: to protect from potential grizzlies. It was too much to bear. Two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, said they couldnt give DeVos a passing grade, making it likely that she would be confirmed Tuesday on a 50-50 tie broken by Vice President Pence. Hour after hour on the Senate floor Monday, Democrats howled about the nominees woeful qualifications, and few Republicans countered them. But Democrats in the long run may thank the majority Republicans for confirming DeVos. In the fight against President Trumps agenda, the new administrations incompetence is their friend. Trumps choice of DeVos signals a dangerous desire to dismantle public schools. It would be more dangerous if he chose somebody who was up to the task. In this sense, Trumps Cabinet generally may be a gift to opponents of his agenda. At Housing and Urban Development there will be Ben Carson. Before Carsons nomination, his friend Armstrong Williams said that the retired neurosurgeon feels he has no government experience, hes never run a federal agency. The last thing he would want to do was take a position that could cripple the presidency. At the Energy Department is Rick Perry, mocked by Trump himself during the presidential primaries. He should be forced to take an IQ test before being allowed to enter the GOP debate, Trump said, suggesting that Perry wears glasses so people think hes smart. Heading the National Security Council is Mike Flynn, reportedly drummed out as head of the Defense Intelligence Agency for poor management. Nikki Haley, the U.N. ambassador, has no foreign policy experience; Treasury nominee Steven Mnuchin has no government experience and displayed his financial skills during his confirmation hearing by failing to disclose $100 million in personal assets. One can already see future Cabinet meetings shaping up in the White House, as Trump goes around the table asking for updates: Carson: Pass. DeVos: Could you come back to me, please? Flynn: Sorry, what? Perry: Oops. No doubt there is some value in nominating people outside the establishment. But the value is diminished if your outsiders cant do the job. Competence questions arise daily. After years of Republican promises to repeal Obamacare, a secret recording of a meeting of congressional Republicans makes clear that the administration and its allies on Capitol Hill have no such plan. Trumps travel ban has been hung up in court largely because its legal underpinning is sloppy. Then theres Trumps executive order putting political adviser Stephen K. Bannon on the National Security Council; the New York Times reported that Trump signed that order without fully understanding it. Questions of competent management extend to the most important issues. During confirmation hearings, Haley and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson reported that they had only cursory conversations with Trump about Russia. Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly acknowledged that he hadnt discussed immigration policy with Trump. Nominees were at odds with Trump on the Iran nuclear deal, torture, entitlement programs, climate change and the border wall. [The best fortnight in a decade for conservatives? Uh-oh.] Then theres DeVos. After her rickety performance at her confirmation hearing, she returned a written questionnaire to senators last week and it was soon apparent that some of her answers were cribbed from a magazine, the Education Department website and an Obama administration nominee. On the Senate floor Monday, Democrats planned to speak into the night denouncing DeVoss abilities. Uniquely unqualified, said Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.). Astonishing ignorance, said Chris Van Hollen (Md.). Obvious lack of knowledge, said Robert P. Casey Jr. (Pa.). Embarrassingly unprepared, said Elizabeth Warren (Mass.). After three hours of unanswered charges, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) showed up and gave a lengthy endorsement of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. McConnell was followed by the No. 2 Republican, John Cornyn (Tex.), offering perfunctory support for DeVos. The president will get the Cabinet he nominated and deserves, Cornyn said. Yes, he will. Twitter: @Milbank Read more from Dana Milbanks archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. Crowds gather for an LGBT Solidarity Rally in protest of the Trump administration in front of Stonewall Inn in New York City on Feb. 4. (Yana Paskova/Getty Images) The movement that Donald Trumps presidency has inspired against him is broad, passionate, engaged and determined. Its prospects depend upon highlighting a set of principles that can unite an American majority already appalled by what Trump is doing to our country. While almost everything in our politics these days has a strongly partisan cast, the anti-Trump forces cannot be defined by party or ideology. Thats true even though, with a sadly short list of exceptions, Republicans in the House and Senate have been timid in speaking out against Trumps overturning of long-established norms and values. Over time, these profiles in meekness will regret where they stood in the early going. But they must be prodded and encouraged to break with the most egregious of the presidents policies. In the meantime, many conservatives beyond the ranks of elected officialdom have spoken up courageously in defense of tolerance, openness and democracy. The concerns that bind left, center and right must stay at the forefront of efforts to stop the administrations abuses, even as those of us who are progressive will challenge the reactionary tax, budget and regulatory policies that Trump will use to buy off Republican leaders. The obligations that ideology should not encumber include speaking out against the blatantly anti-Muslim character of Trumps travel ban: Those who defend religious liberty must also fight religious discrimination. (Thomas Johnson/The Washington Post) There ought to be solidarity in condemning an approach to Europe that is pushing away the United States longtime democratic allies and currying favor with the autocrat in Moscow. A disorganized, slapdash and careless approach to policymaking that turns chaos into an achievement rather than a problem should horrify Americans regardless of whom they normally vote for. It is dangerous and also disrespectful of the responsibilities power imposes. Party loyalty should not get in the way of insisting upon a respect for fact and evidence or of calling out lies. Consider that when Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told his departments employees that honesty will undergird our foreign policy, his words could be seen, whether intentionally or not, as a rebuke to an administration that touts alternative facts. And Trumps critics dont have to agree on a single policy to bemoan his crude and sloppy use of language and to see this as a genuine obstacle to honorable politics and a well-functioning government. He doesnt just want to repeal the Johnson Amendment, which bars religious organizations from getting involved in elections. He wants to destroy it. He lightly threatens war with Mexico to go after bad hombres and undermines our relationship with Australia by recklessly accusing one of our very closest friends of wanting to export the next Boston bombers. And just this weekend, Trump showed his disrespect for the rule of law by denouncing the so-called judge who blocked his administrations travel ban. In an interview for broadcast Sunday, Fox Newss Bill OReilly described Vladimir Putin as a killer, and Trump astonishingly but off-handedly replied: Well, you think our country is so innocent? As George Orwell taught us, how people talk offers a clue about how they think and what they value. Our language, he wrote, becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts. He added: If thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought. Pretending that there is something brilliant or populist about how Trump communicates is one of the worst forms of elitism because it demeans ordinary citizens who have always appreciated eloquence, as our greatest leaders knew. And please dont compare George W. Bush to Trump on this score. We poked fun at Bushs ability to mangle sentences, but he respected the need to find words that could move and unite the nation. Finally, we must resist a bad habit infecting political commentary that sees Trumps irresponsibility, bigotry and casual cruelty as a heroic form of disruption aimed at bringing down the establishment. No. The people in the streets rallying against Trump are not the establishment. Those political and business leaders who are, for now, playing along with and enabling Trump very much are the establishment. Americans who tell pollsters they oppose Trump including outsiders from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on the left to independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin on the right are not defending some status quo. They are standing up for humane principles that Trump is threatening: democracy over authoritarian nationalism; religious pluralism over bigotry; clarity of thought, speech and action over a self-involved indiscipline; civil rights and civil liberties over their unchecked abuse; and a basic decency toward each other over a political approach devoted to disparaging and bullying adversaries. The democratic left and the democratic right will continue to disagree on many things. But these commitments should transcend all of our divides. Read more from E.J. Dionnes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. This combination of pictures created on December 30, 2016 shows a file photo taken on December 28, 2016 of US President-elect Donald Trump (L) in Palm Beach, Fla.; and a file photo taken on December 23, 2016, of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. (Don Emmert/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE via Getty Images) During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump accused Barack Obama of treating Americas adversaries with tender love and care while our allies were snubbed and criticized by an administration that lacks moral clarity. Weve picked fights with our oldest friends, Trump declared in his April 2016 foreign policy speech, adding Weve had a president who dislikes our friends and bows to our enemies. Trump was absolutely right. From Iran to Cuba, Obama bent over backwards to court our adversaries. At the same time, he mistreated our closest allies allowing Israel to get bullied by the U.N. Security Council and canceling missile defense deals with Poland and the Czech Republic in a misguided effort to curry favor with Moscow. So why, less than two weeks into his presidency, is Trump doing precisely what he criticized Obama for doing picking fights with one of our oldest friends, Australia, while treating our adversary, Russia, with tender love and care? When Fox Newss Bill OReilly challenged Trump on his praise for Vladimir Putin this weekend, declaring Putins a killer, Trump responded There are a lot of killers, adding Weve got a lot of killers. What, do you think our countrys so innocent? (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post) Had Obama said these words, every conservative in America would have erupted with outrage. Equating U.S. actions with those of our enemies is a tried-and-true tactic of the left. Remember how appalled we were when Obama declared that America should get off its high horse in criticizing Islamic terrorists because of the terrible deeds committed in the name of Christ during the Crusades? Or when he drew a moral equivalence between Irans decades of terrorist murder and the role the CIA played in the 1950s overthrow of a democratically-elected Iranian government in his infamous Cairo speech ? Why would Trump follow Obamas model, and draw the same false moral equivalence between the United States and Russia? At the very moment Trump was speaking with OReilly, Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza lay fighting for his life in a Moscow hospital, after being poisoned under mysterious circumstances. He was similarly poisoned in 2015, and barely survived. His crime? Lobbying Congress to impose economic sanctions against Russia under the Magnistky Act, a law that itself was named for a Russian human rights lawyer who was beaten to death in Putins jails. Kara-Murza and Magnitsky are not alone. In 2015, opposition activist Boris Nemtsov was assassinated by gunmen on a bridge within sight of the Kremlin. And in 2016, a British judge found that Putin was likely behind the assassination of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian spy turned Putin critic, who was poisoned in London with radioactive polonium-210. Trump says he wants to get along with Putin. Theres nothing wrong with trying. But getting along with Putin does not require excusing this campaign of political murder, or suggesting that the U.S. acts similarly. As William F. Buckley once famously put it, To say that the CIA and the KGB engage in similar practices is the equivalent of saying that the man who pushes an old lady into the path of a hurtling bus is not to be distinguished from the man who pushes an old lady out of the path of a hurtling bus: on the grounds that, after all, in both cases someone is pushing old ladies around. Worse still, Trumps defense of Putin came just days after he scolded Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over an agreement he had reached with President Obama to take in 1,250 refugees held at Australian detention centers from Iran, Iraq, Somalia and other countries. Yes, it was poor form for Turnbull and Obama to make this deal after Trump was elected. Yes, Australia was stupid to press Trump to take in a group of refugees that they themselves refuse to let into their country many of whom hailed from the very nations for which Trump had just temporarily suspended immigration. But Australia is also one of our closest allies a nation that has fought beside us in every war we have fought in the last century from World War I to Iraq and Afghanistan. There was no reason for Trump to tell Turnbull that theirs was the worst call by far he has had with any world leader including, apparently, Vladimir Putin. The leader of Americas closest ally deserved at least the same kind of deference that Trump seems to be willing to extend to the leader of one of our greatest adversaries. Trump told the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington that we have to get tough because the world is in trouble. Hes correct. For eight years, the Obama administration projected weakness in the world, and the consequences have been devastating from the rise of the Islamic State, to Syrias brutal use of chemical weapons on its own people, to the spread of Iranian hegemony in the Middle East, North Koreas nuclear and missile tests, and Chinas cyberattacks on America and building of military bases on disputed islands in the South China Sea. We do need to get tough, and Trump is doing so. He has imposed new sanctions on Iran for its illegal ballistic missile tests a sea change from Obama, who delivered pallets of unmarked foreign currency to Tehran on secret planes. And instead of just droning terrorists, like Obama did, Trump put boots on the ground, sending a special operations team to Yemen to take out al-Qaeda leaders and capturing intelligence that Obama would have vaporized. This is all to the good. But as Trump jettisons Obamas policies of weakness, he should also banish Obamas troubling habit of treating our allies worse than our enemies and of drawing a moral equivalence between our actions and theirs. Read more from Marc Thiessens archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. PRESIDENT TRUMP continues to be respectful and supportive of L.G.B.T.Q. rights, the White House wrote in a statement last Tuesday. The president is proud to have been the first ever G.O.P. nominee to mention the L.G.B.T.Q. community in his nomination acceptance speech, pledging then to protect the community from violence and oppression. The occasion for this fine statement was an announcement that Mr. Trump would not roll back Obama-era protections for LGBT people working in the federal government or for federal contractors. In an otherwise tumultuous first two weeks, this was a relatively encouraging sign. But hardly any time passed before Trump Press Secretary Sean Spicer took a different tone in the White House briefing room, saying that the pendulum has swung away from religious people in the name of political correctness, inflaming worries that the president may yet issue an executive order on religious freedom that would condone discrimination. For those across the country at risk of being turned away, fired or denied housing because of their sexual orientation, it certainly does not feel as though the pendulum has swung nearly enough in their direction. Though the White House has neither floated nor endorsed any particular text, LGBT advocates fear that an order concerning the activities of federal agencies and contractors is on the way that may expand the scope for discrimination under the guise of religious freedom. Attention often focuses on the proverbial Christian baker who does not want to make a cake for a same-sex wedding. But an order offering broad cover to claim religious exemptions from anti-discrimination rules could extend far beyond that bakery. What happens when a worker at the Social Security Administration refuses to issue benefits legally due to same-sex couples? When a federally funded family services group refuses to offer counseling to same-sex or unwed parents? When a federal contractor fires a transgender worker simply because he or she has transitioned? Every government employee or contractor should have to serve all Americans and faithfully enforce anti-discrimination laws, a line that should remain as bright as it is now. It would also be a huge mistake for the president to sign any executive order singling out specific beliefs, such as opposition to same-sex marriage, abortion or premarital sex, for special protection. This would be a repugnant signal that such an order is meant to advance a certain set of religious doctrines and not others, and it could well violate the First Amendments establishment clause. There is reason to think that the courts would intervene to stop some of the most egregious examples of discrimination under an expansive executive order. But that is not guaranteed. White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told us that, There is nothing planned on this right now. If Mr. Trump takes his words about respecting LGBT people seriously, there never will be. As a social worker at the Callahan Cancer Center, I spend my days with patients who have recently been diagnosed with cancer and the families who help them through treatment. I facilitate support groups for cancer survivors and their caregivers. We all share a common goal: to keep the patient comfortable and pain-free, giving them the best chance of survival. We need the Legislatures help to help those in need: Nebraskans need palliative care. Palliative care is a growing field of specialized medical care that focuses on relieving pain, stress and other often debilitating symptoms of a serious illness. Palliative care specialists work with a team of doctors, nurses and other specialists to provide patients an extra layer of support. This type of care not only eases a patients treatment, but also the distress of their support network. Patients need pain management and coordinated care. Families and friends need support as they care for their loved ones. Our lawmakers can help increase access to and awareness of palliative care by supporting LB323 to create an advisory board that would focus on where the needs are and how to meet them. Palliative care needs to be readily available to help Nebraskas patients and their loved ones. Nan Hynes, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, North Platte Correction: An earlier version of this story gave the wrong number of Syrian refugees resettled in Nebraska. The story has been corrected. Fatema Aljasen and her daughters, from left, Shahaad and Ahed, and Leor Abraham sit on the couch at the Aljasen's apartment in Omaha. (Andrew Dickinson/For The Washington Post) The rice and chicken were steaming on the stove. The twins chased each other around the apartment and the 2-year-old watched Mickey Mouse on the donated television. Their mother, Fatema Aljasem, 29, sat at the kitchen table with two women from the local synagogue. Since the Syrian was granted asylum in September, the women had been helping her learn English. She pulled at her hijab and pointed at the words, mouthing ways of conjugating the verb to go. Shadi goes to school. Ahmad goes to work. The one that seemed especially challenging these days, though, was the verb to be. How to be calm in the daily chaos of motherhood. How to be comfortable in this new place where the president had just banned refugees like her. How to be an American. Here in deeply conservative Nebraska, President Trumps executive order banning refugees and people from seven majority-Muslim nations elicited complicated feelings about the states relationship with refugees. Many Nebraskans had supported attempts to keep the country safe but still wanted to show their heart for people fleeing terrorism and war. Their state has taken in more refugees per capita than any other. During the presidential campaign, Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) became a prime critic of Trump in large part because of his plan to ban Muslims from entering the United States. When Trump signed the executive order, Sasse criticized it as too broad. On Sunday, Sasse criticized Trump again, this time for tweeting about the so-called judge who halted the order late Friday. Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican who has supported a ban on Syrians from the moment Trump first pitched it, has also talked about welcoming refugees already here as a source of statewide pride. Fatima Aljasen studies English as her children, from left, Ahed, 2, and Shahaad, 3, sit nearby. (Andrew Dickinson/For The Washington Post) Aljasem, who moved with her husband, Ahmad, 30, and their five children, said she felt grateful to arrive before Trumps ban. She felt guilt for those who hadnt. I tried to call my parents and I didnt hear from them, said Aljasem, whose wide eyes began to water when she spoke. I dont know where they are. They could be dead. She did get in contact with her sister, who was living in a refugee camp in Jordan. They shared dreams of reuniting, but now her sister wanted to know: Is the United States a good place to be? Aljasem remembered pausing at the question. Then she told her sister about how the children have been making friends at school. She said she never saw anyone sneer at her headscarf or look at her in a racist way. She had Jewish friends who helped drive her family to doctors appointments and who were teaching her English. Her husband quickly found a job at a shampoo factory. The country is good, she recalled telling her. Its really good. Its still good. After she hung up, though, she confessed that she was worried about whether it would stay that way. Now I am concerned about how they will treat me if they agree with the president, if they will treat me in a racist way, she said. I worry this ban will change how I feel inside, that it will cause me to worry more for me and my kids. We did not come here to cause trouble. We just want to live. From left, Mohammed Aljasen, Leor Abraham, Shadi Aljasen, Naama Abraham and Shahaad Aljasen watch TV in the Aljasens; apartment. (Andrew Dickinson/For The Washington Post) Changed my heart During the past two years, more than half of the 1,531 refugees resettled by Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska left the nations affected by the ban. They have settled 21 families 116 men, women and children from Syria. Nebraska has long been a draw for refugees. Unemployment is low, rent is affordable, and manufacturing and service jobs are plentiful, according to Lacey Studnicka, a program development officer at Lutheran Family Services. Not that Omaha has been immune to the uptick in bias incidents seen across the country, according to reports from the Southern Poverty Law Center. Someone recently left raw bacon those who practice Islam do not consume pork products on the front door of a mosque, according to local news reports. It was the fourth time since August that the mosque had been targeted. Studnicka sees those incidents as isolated. For every negative phone call we get, we get 10 nice ones, she said. A few blocks away from Aljasem, John Dutcher, a 61-year-old house cleaner, lives in a complex of low-rise apartments in a neighborhood where American flags flapped on porches. After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Dutcher said he was one of those guys who would want to put a pigs head on a mosque. I never acted on it, but I played it in my head. I hated Muslims, he said. For years, Dutchers neighbors were meth addicts and rowdy alcoholics. Slobs. In June, a Syrian family who spoke no English moved in. Another family moved in after that, then another. Now there are six. Soon enough, Dutcher said, empty bottles in the hallway were replaced with childrens bicycles. The loud arguments of a drug-addicted couple were replaced by the sounds of childrens laughter. The Muslims here were all about family and they just loved everyone, Dutcher said. I remember the people who lived here before; they took for granted everything this country gave them. These people, they really changed my heart. Through interpreters, he learned about the families stories of loss and fleeing war. It softened his stance on Islam and led him to question some of what Trump was saying. Around refugees, he never felt safer. I used to be afraid when the meth addicts were here, he said. Now I dont even look to see whos knocking on my door. I know it will be someone with a plate of food or a kid asking me to fix his bike. Dutcher said he continues to support Trumps views on strong borders and curbing illegal immigration, but said his experience taught him that refugees were a different thing entirely. I like him, but I dont like the way hes carried out this ban, Dutcher said. I didnt think hed make a blunder so fast. Since the entry ban, Studnicka said, refugee advocacy organizations are seeing a surge in interest. Typically her organization gets five calls a week about volunteering. In the first five days after Trumps order, it received 120. Calls came from congregations such as Beth El Synagogue, whose members were helping the Aljasems get accustomed to their new country, and individuals such as John Detisch and Hillary Nather-Detisch, who were so moved by the crisis in Syria that they resolved to do what they could. The couple agreed to sponsor the sister of Diaa Sarsaf, 32, who was originally from Damascus. Sarsaf said it took about 20 months for authorities to complete background checks and grant him asylum. His sister, whose name is being withheld for her protection, was supposed to arrive last week. The Detisch family bought her furniture, plus 40 pounds of rice and 20 pounds of flour to help stock her kitchen. Then Trumps order came. Then a court ruling that the order should not be enforced. Now, no one is sure whether Sarsafs sister will reach the United States. Our girls got them Legos and coloring books, Nather-Detisch said. We were ready to help, and we were so disappointed that we couldnt. I am so sorry that you had to go through this, Sarsaf said through an interpreter as he sat at their dinner table. Nather-Detischs eyes reddened when she heard his apology. Here was Sarsaf trying to reassure them and himself that things would be okay because he heard that the Trump administration might build a safe zone in Syria. At least she will be able to go there, she will be safe, Sarsaf said. We just want safety. I dont have any choice than to trust the president. Ahmad Aljasen, holding his daughter Ahed, walks out of Turner Park after the vigil. (Andrew Dickinson/Andrew Dickinson) No more running The next night, the Aljasems climbed out of a car in a parking lot downtown. Five-year-old Fadi ran into the arms of a man he recognized from the synagogue. Are you ready to protest? Allan Murrow asked the child. Fatema Aljasem could hardly believe her good fortune. She had never before known anyone Jewish, and these Jews were so friendly that her kids would laugh and play with them and hold hands as they walked to a park. The Syrian city of Aleppo had been so dangerous that she delivered her twins in her own home, too afraid to go to the hospital. Two months later, she wrapped them tight and carried them on her shoulders as she walked through the desert at night to reach a Jordanian refugee camp. There were no bombs there, but there were no teachers for her children, either. Now her kids learn the alphabet at school, and she had an English teacher herself. For so long she had been running away. Now, she was stepping out. More than 1,000 people had gathered in Turner Park, a small plot braced by snazzy new high-rises. Someone handed Fadi a Love Trumps Hate sign as they walked to the front of the crowd. They shivered and clutched candles close to their chests. Ruth Henrichs, the chief executive of Lutheran Family Services, would later say that she didnt want the night to be a protest but a vigil. In a red state such as Nebraska, she said, yelling and calling people names would not help the issue. So she gathered members of the clergy, people of all faiths, to envision a more compassionate country. It might seem that theres darkness in our nation, a speaker on the stage said, But look around. We have hope! We have light. Murrow tapped Aljasem on the shoulder. Fatema Aljasen, center right, and her husband Ahmad, holding their daughter Ahed, listen during the vigil. (Andrew Dickinson/Andrew Dickinson) Turn around, he said, encouraging her to look at the crowd. All for you. She could barely understand most of the speeches. She smiled and cheered and pumped her fists when she heard the words she knew: Refugee. Immigrant. Community. Friend. A man with an acoustic guitar took to the stage and asked the audience to sing along. This land is my land, this land is your land . . . this land was made for you and me. The chorus began to swell. Aljasem looked at her husband and smiled, and together they tried to sing along. President Trump speaks to business leaders during a Feb. 3 strategy and policy forum in the State Dining Room of the White House. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) Donald Trump, elected on a promise to bring an unabashedly autocratic leadership style to the presidency, is rapidly learning that even the most powerful job in the world has limits. I alone can fix it, he declared in the most memorable line of his nomination acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention last summer. But as he heads into his third full week in office, Trump has seen his controversial immigration order blocked by a federal judge. Republican allies in Congress are grumbling about not being consulted. Foreign leaders are refusing to buckle to his bluster. A rebellion is brewing within the emboldened federal bureaucracy. Meanwhile, his own aides are bickering and providing the news media a steady stream of leaks about palace intrigue. The establishment that he vowed to blow up is more potent in practice than it seemed when he was making it his political foil during an election season. Vice President Mike Pence, shown here on Jan. 23. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post) In fact, it was built to be that way. Trumps difficulties come partly from the constraints faced by all presidents in a system in which there are three branches of government, each empowered to impose checks and balances on the others. That is a far different environment from Trumps previous career running a family-owned real estate and branding empire. Other Trump frustrations are the result of his unique circumstances and personal predilections. He and the top echelon of his White House team have virtually no government experience and made dramatic moves before his Cabinet was in place to give him a sounding board and reinforcement. That helps explain Trumps error and subsequent reversal of including an estimated half-million legal U.S. residents in his order that people born in seven Muslim-majority countries not be allowed to enter into the United States. [Trumps Rallying Cry: Fear Itself] Not since his election-night victory speech has Trump sounded many persuasive or conciliatory notes toward the opposition or seemed to factor in the dead weight of his unpopularity with the majority of the electorate that voted against him. Instead, he has continued to tweet insults at critics and dissenters. Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril, Trump wrote on Twitter on Sunday, referring to U.S. District Judge James L. Robart, who suspended the immigration order. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! Asked Sunday on NBCs Meet the Press whether Trump had done enough to heal the nations divisions, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) said: I think hes going to feel his way through this. And look, what Im excited about is that he wants to hit the ground running and hes very much a man of action. But to each action, there has been a reaction. In Trumps early conversations with foreign leaders, he has taken unyielding stances, even with friendly countries. For example, he demanded that Mexican leaders agree to pay for a border wall, and he initially appeared to balk at abiding by a deal with Australia negotiated by the Obama administration for the United States to resettle hundreds of refugees. In both cases, his foreign counterparts refused to back down. President Trump puts a lot of emphasis on American sovereignty and putting America first, said Tamara Cofman Wittes, a Middle East expert and former State Department official in the Obama administration. That goes both ways. Every foreign leader is also a leader of a sovereign nation many of them democratically elected, many of them elected by wider margins. They have their own base. The fact that he says he wants something does not necessarily move them along. Before Robart suspended it, Trumps immigration order, which sought to ban refugees from Syria indefinitely and halt immigration from six other majority-Muslim countries temporarily, drew an official rebuke from hundreds of State Department employees, who used a dissent channel to register their views. That prompted White House press secretary Sean Spicer to assert that the career Foreign Service officers should get with the program or quit. Still other officials are going outside channels to an unauthorized though effective way of airing their differences: leaking to the media. Draft versions of executive orders and transcripts of confidential conversations have made their way into the public domain. [President Trump isnt a fan of dissent inside or outside the government] The question now is whether Trump will adjust in the face of the institutional and political realities or maintain his imperious posture. If they keep up on this trajectory, we will have a full-blown constitutional crisis, said Elaine Kamarck, director of the liberal-leaning Brookings Institutions Center for Effective Public Management. Publicly, the Trump White House has been unapologetic about its approach. Were very confident the president is operating within his authority as president, Vice President Pence said Sunday on Meet the Press. He added that the immigration order was not done hastily, while acknowledging that some lawmakers were not informed ahead of time through the usual niceties in Washington. Pence suggested that the public supports Trumps moves even if they have rankled the Washington establishment. The American people know the threats we face are real, he said. They elected Donald Trump for many reasons, but one is to rethink immigration policies to ensure that people who represent threats dont come into this country. Of the rampant protests across the country in the fortnight since Trumps inauguration, Pence said: We respect the right of every American to be heard in protests and online. But I believe the majority of American people are grateful to have a president who takes decisive action. But what bothers even members of his own party is Trumps tendency to personalize the inevitable constraints that any president must face. Trump ridiculed Robart as a so-called judge even though he is a Republican appointee whom the Senate voted 99 to 0 to confirm in 2004. I think it is best not to single out judges for criticism, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Sunday on CNNs State of the Union. We all get disappointed from time to time at the outcome in courts on things that we care about. But I think it is best to avoid criticizing judges individually. Pence countered that the president has every right to criticize the other two branches of government. I think people find it very refreshing. Not only do they understand the presidents mind, but they understand how he feels about certain things. He expresses himself in a unique way. The vice presidents defense of Trump represents a sharp contrast to how Republican leaders treated President Barack Obama, who in his second term ramped up the use of executive actions, saying Congress was hopelessly gridlocked through partisan politics. This is a president that views his presidency more as a kingship than it does as bound by Article Two of the Constitution, Reince Priebus, then the chairman of the Republican National Committee, said in July 2014. Priebus now serves as Trumps White House chief of staff. When Obama moved in November 2014 to unilaterally alter immigration policy by allowing millions of undocumented immigrants the right to apply for work permits, GOP leaders erupted in howls of protest, derisively referring to Obama as an emperor and an imperial president attempting to skirt the legislative branch. Their hypocrisy on this is unbelievable, said Simon Rosenberg, founder of NDN, a liberal think tank in Washington. Obama, Rosenberg said, acted only after lengthy public debate and consultations with Congress and federal agencies affected by rule changes. By contrast, Rosenberg said, Trumps immigration order was hastily thrown together. The leading law enforcement agent of the government said she did not think it was legal. Its completely at odds with the way Obamas executive order was managed. More generally, Rosenberg said: Im tired of the notion that we have to give him credit for keeping his promises and doing it quickly, when hes doing it in a way that violates the law. He can do better and do it in a way that maintains a commitment to democratic norms. President Trump offered a fulsome defense of Russian President Vladimir Putin over the weekend, leaving Republican lawmakers frustrated and flummoxed yet again by the presidents warm feelings toward the rival nation. In a Fox News interview, Trump, who during the campaign repeatedly praised Putin, again said that he respected the Russian leader and hoped to get along with Moscow, and he seemed to equate the United States with its adversary when pressed by host Bill OReilly, who said: But hes a killer, though. Putins a killer. There are a lot of killers, Trump said in the interview, which aired Sunday before the Super Bowl. Weve got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our countrys so innocent? Trumps comments came even as his U.N. envoy, Nikki Haley, on Thursday condemned Russias aggressive actions in eastern Ukraine and as both the Senate and House intelligence committees launched investigations into alleged hacking by Russia of the U.S. election that the intelligence community believes was intended to benefit Trump. The issue of Russia dogged Trumps presidential campaign including after a news conference at which he suggested that Russia hack Hillary Clintons emails and his latest comments left Capitol Hill Republicans scrambling to distance themselves from the president and his unusually friendly stance toward Putin, who has praised the president as a smart man. President Trump speaks on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Jan. 28. (Andrew Harnik/AP) In an interview with CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), called Putin a former KGB agent and a thug, and he rejected any comparison between the two nations, citing Russias annexation of Crimea, its incursions into Ukraine and its interference in the U.S. presidential election. I dont think theres any equivalency between the way that the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does, McConnell said. The senator added that while he hoped not to critique the presidents every utterance, he found significant differences between the two nations. I do think America is exceptional. America is different, McConnell said. We dont operate in any way the way the Russians do. I think theres a clear distinction here that all Americans understand, and no, I would not have characterized it that way. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) was similarly wary. Speaker Ryan has consistently and frequently spoken out on Russia and Putin and made his opinions well known, including the need for continued sanctions, spokeswoman AshLee Strong said Sunday. She pointed to Ryans comments last month at a CNN town hall broadcast, during which he called Russia a global menace and said that Putin does not share our interests; he frustrates our interests. Let me put it this way: The Russians are up to no good. We all know that, Ryan said, responding to a question about Russias election meddling. Weve got to make sure going forward that we do everything we can on cyber, on all of the other things to make sure that they cant do this again. Congressional Republicans have broken with Trump over dozens of controversial statements he has made during his campaign, his transition and now his presidency. But few issues appear to have confounded lawmakers as much as his consistent defense of Putin. Trumps coziness is at odds with years of Republican foreign policy orthodoxy calling for a more aggressive stance toward Putins regime. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) weighed in on Twitter with two missives that he personally penned. When has a Democratic political activists ever been poisoned by the GOP or vice versa? We are not the same as #Putin, he wrote. In a second tweet, he said that the United States should lift sanctions on Russia only if it ends its violations in Ukraine. And Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the daughter of former vice president Richard B. Cheney, also took to Twitter to say that Trumps statement suggesting moral equivalence between Putins Russia and the United States of America is deeply troubling and wrong. Appearing on four Sunday news shows, Vice President Pence rejected the notion that Trump had equated Russia to the United States. I simply dont accept that there was any moral equivalency in the presidents comments, Pence said on CBSs Face the Nation. There was no moral equivalency. What you heard there was a determination to attempt to deal with the world as it is to start afresh with Putin and to start afresh with Russia. Pressed by John Dickerson, the shows host, on whether he believed the United States was morally superior to Russia, Pence repeatedly dodged the question, instead finally saying, American ideals are superior to countries all across the world. Pence, who would not commit to maintaining sanctions against Russia if it continues to violate a cease-fire agreement in Ukraine, nonetheless took a slightly harder line than the president on Russia. Asked on ABCs This Week whether the White House planned to put Russia on notice, as it had Iran, over violating the cease-fire, Pence said, Were watching, and very troubled by the increased hostilities over the past week in eastern Ukraine. But he also broadly defended his boss, saying, Theres a new style of leadership, not just a new leader in the White House. President Trump is bringing a very candid and direct type of leadership to the White House, Pence said. And in conversations with leaders around the world, frankly, I think they all find it very refreshing. Not everyone seemed to agree. Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, who ran against Trump during the 2016 Republican primaries, issued a sharp rebuke on Twitter. America has been a beacon of light and freedom, he wrote. There is no equivalence with the brutal regime of Vladimir Putin. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called for an investigation by the FBI into Trumps financial, personal and political connections to Russia. I want to know what the Russians have on Donald Trump, she said on NBCs Meet the Press. We want to see his tax returns so we can have truth in the relationship between Putin, whom he admires, and Donald Trump. Betsy DeVos testifies before the Senate Health, Education and Labor Committee confirmation hearing to be next Secretary of Education on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 17, 2017. (Yuri Gripas/Reuters) Virtually all Democratic senators are expected to vote against President Trumps picks to lead the departments of Education, Justice, Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury and his top budget nominee a historic rebuke of a first-term presidents Cabinet selections. The Senate is scheduled to continue confirming Trumps Cabinet nominees this week, with a vote scheduled for Tuesday to approve Betsy DeVos, nominated to run the Education Department. Senators are poised to confirm Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) to serve as the next attorney general by the end of the week. But those votes are expected to happen with little or no Democratic support. Only Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) has announced plans to support Sessions. As of Monday, no Democrat has announced support for DeVos, Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), nominated to lead Health and Human Services, or Steven T. Mnuchin, nominated as treasury secretary. They all are scheduled for up-or-down votes in the coming days. Near-unanimous opposition to a first-term presidents Cabinet picks is rare and hasnt happened in recent history. But it comes amid a growing furor among progressive groups calling on Democratic lawmakers to oppose all of Trumps nominees and policies. A CNN poll released on Sunday showed that just 59 percent of Democrats approve of their partys leaders, a sign that die-hard partisans want lawmakers to serve as a more aggressive check on Trump. On Monday, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) predicted that If not total unanimity, were going to have near Democratic unity in opposing the remaining nominees for President Trumps Cabinet. This unity makes clear just how bad this Cabinet would be for Americas middle class and those struggling to get there, and bodes well for the major battles ahead, including over the Affordable Care Act. Opposition to Labor nominee Andrew Puzder; Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.), tapped to lead the Office of Management and Budget; and Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency remains firm, but the final whip count is less certain, aides said. Votes on those nominees are not scheduled for a few more weeks. Puzder has not yet been scheduled for a confirmation hearing. Republicans on Monday blasted Democrats for continuing to delay votes on Trumps nominees, especially for forcing senators to run out the clock on procedural votes to prolong the inevitable. The continued delays are causing the slowest formation of a new presidents Cabinet since at least the 1950s, Republican said. As of Monday, just four of Trumps Cabinet secretaries have been confirmed, compared with 12 of former president Barack Obamas Cabinet secretaries at this point in 2009 and 16 of George W. Bushs picks in 2001. The American people elected a new president last November. Democrats dont have to like that decision, but they do have a responsibility to our country, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on Monday. Democrats announced in January that they would target eight Trump Cabinet nominees on the basis of their policy positions or lack of government experience. Only one of the eight, Rex Tillerson, has been confirmed so far but he was the first secretary of state nominee in U.S. history to ever have to clear various procedural hurdles before a final vote. [Here are the eight Trump Cabinet picks Democrats plan to target] Schumers declaration came as Democrats launched a last-ditch attempt to oppose DeVos by announcing that they will continue to speak out against her nomination through the overnight hours until the vote on Tuesday afternoon. DeVos, a billionaire Republican power broker and charter school advocate, is expected to be confirmed with a one-vote margin. Two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have said that they will oppose her, meaning they would join all Democrats to cause a 50-50 tie. That means Vice President Pence would be called in to break the tie in DeVoss favor becoming the first vice president to cast a Senate vote since Richard B. Cheney helped break a tie on a procedural matter in 2008. [Democrats to speak for next 24 hours in last push against Betsy DeVos] The opposition to DeVos is notable given that 25 Democrats are facing reelection next year, including 10 from states that Trump won. Those 10 have been facing pressure from Republicans to work with Trump or to be supportive of his policies and nominees. But even the most imperiled Democrats are standing firm, including Sen. Joe Donnelly of Indiana, who has said he will vote against DeVos, Sessions and Price. He continues reviewing Mnuchins record before a final vote, a spokeswoman said. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) said last month that he plans to vote against DeVos in part because she prioritizes private schools over public ones. That would put our students, Montanas rural communities and our very democracy at risk. DeVos has spent decades using her family wealth and its political clout to advocate giving parents taxpayer-funded avenues to allow choice beyond troubled public schools. Many Republican elected officials, who have received campaign donations from DeVos or her family members, embrace her views and consider her an ideal outsider to change the nations education system. But progressive groups and labor unions who also donate generously to Democratic senators have unleashed members on senators in both parties for weeks, flooding Capitol Hill phone systems with messages opposing DeVos. Trumps other nominees arent faring well among Democrats, either. Despite early hopes for broader support for Sessions and six-figure ad campaigns by conservative organizations supporting him, several moderate Democrats remain undecided. Representatives for Tester and Sens. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) wouldnt say on Monday whether the lawmakers had decided to back Sessions. Voting no would put them at odds with groups such as the National Rifle Association, which said it will include the Sessions confirmation vote in its voter scorecard next year. A McCaskill spokeswoman said that the senator plans to vote against Price but is undecided on Mnuchin. Representatives for Heitkamp, Manchin and Tester said that those lawmakers hadnt reached conclusions on Price or Mnuchin. Read more at PowerPost A Chinese investor at a securities brokerage house on Feb. 3. A handful of Chinese companies and individuals are affected by U.S. sanctions against Iran. (Wu Hong/European Pressphoto Agency) China said Monday it had lodged a formal protest with the United States over a decision to impose new sanctions targeting Iran, which affect a handful of Chinese companies and individuals. The state-run Xinhua news agency said the sanctions cast a shadow over the prospects for a peaceful settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue and called them a ticking time bomb for peace and stability in the entire Middle East. At the same time, though, Beijings concerns about the new Trump administration appear to have been somewhat calmed by comments regarding the South China Sea made by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. After other Trump administration officials hinted at the possibility of a naval blockade of Chinas artificial islands there, Mattis called for diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute and played down the need for U.S. military maneuvers in the contested sea. Mattiss comments, during a tour of Japan and South Korea last week, were a mind-soothing pill that had dispersed the clouds of war that many feared were gathering over the South China Sea, the official English-language China Daily newspaper said in an editorial Monday. Mattis has inspired optimism here that things may not be as bad as previously portrayed, the newspaper said. While warning that the U.S. stance toward South Korea and Japan could jeopardize regional security, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the remarks about the South China Sea were worthy of affirmation. [Mattis vows U.S. will live up to commitments, respond strongly to North Korea] The Iran-related sanctions were imposed Friday after Tehran conducted a ballistic missile test. They affect 25 people and entities allegedly involved in helping Iran develop its ballistic missile program or in supporting groups that the United States considers terrorist, such as Lebanons Shiite Hezbollah militant group. They include two Chinese companies and three Chinese individuals, who are now blocked from the U.S. financial system or dealings with U.S. companies. Foreign companies and individuals are also prohibited from dealing with them at risk of being blacklisted by the United States. On Monday, Lu said that Beijing had lodged a formal protest. We have consistently opposed any unilateral sanctions, Lu told a regular news conference. The sanctions will not help in enhancing trust among the different parties involved and will not help in resolving international problems. [Iran holds military drills in response to U.S. sanctions] China has close economic and diplomatic ties with Tehran but also played an important role in a landmark 2015 deal to curb the nations nuclear program. Irans foreign ministry spokesman, Bahram Qasemi, described the Trump administration as still in an unstable stage but insisted that Iran did not conduct the recent missile launch to test the new White House. Irans missile test was not a message to the new U.S. government, he was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency. There is no need to test Mr. Trump as we have heard his views on different issues in recent days. . . . We know him quite well. Iran says its missile launches do not violate U.N. resolutions since the missiles are not designed to carry nuclear warheads. The Trump administration, however, views the launches as provocative and has vowed to curb Irans missile program. Executives from the two Chinese companies included on the list denied doing anything wrong. Yue Yaodong, an executive at Cosailing Business Trading in the eastern city of Qingdao, said his firm was collapsing, with his account at the Agricultural Bank of China frozen, a shipping company refusing to accept his goods and clients abandoning him. We have not done any business with Iran for three to four years, he said. There have been some Iranian customers coming to us asking prices, but we have not conducted real business. Go search the customs record. He said his company sells items for everyday use, as well as porcelain, hydraulic parts, and motors for treadmills, but he said it was only a small, private firm. I am so lost. Both the United States and China are sanctioning me, he said. There is no way to do business now, I dont know what our little company did wrong. An export manager at Ningbo New Century Import and Export Co., based in the eastern city of Ningbo, told Reuters that the company had only carried out normal exports to Iran but did not elaborate. U.S. relations with China have hit a distinctly rocky patch since President Trump took office, with the new president seeing the government in Beijing as more of a threat than a partner. Indeed, since the inauguration, Trump has yet to speak to his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, despite talking to at least 18 other world leaders. Congcong Zhang in Beijing and Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report. Read more: Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news French conservative Francois Fillon, right, arrives for a news conference at his campaign headquarters in Paris on Feb. 6. Fillon is trying to save his presidential bid as prosecutors investigate the political jobs he gave to his wife, son and daughter. (Christophe Ena/AP) As seen through a Russian television set, the upcoming French elections are the dirtiest in history, a shameful public display of the cronyism and liberal decay that the Kremlin says are tearing Europe apart. The stakes [of the election] are high, so theyre digging up kompromat on just about everyone, said Dmitry Kiselyov, the firebrand state television anchor who headlines the countrys premier Sunday night news show. All the main candidates are tainted, he said. At first glance, his assertion makes at least some sense: Financial shenanigans abound. For starters, there is the obvious example of Francois Fillon, a conservative who had once been the front-runner and is now embroiled in an embarrassing nepotism scandal. His wife and two of his five children are accused of receiving roughly 900,000 euros ($986,000) in public funds for work they did not do. On Monday in Paris, a defiant Fillon who nearly 70 percent of voters wish would step down, according to a recent poll denied any wrongdoing and blamed the media for his troubles. And Marine Le Pen, the outspoken leader of the far-right National Front party, has been accused by the European Parliament of spending around 300,000 euros ($322,000) in E.U. funds on her staff instead of on authorized legislative expenses. Like Fillon, Le Pen has denied any responsibility. I will not submit to the persecution, a unilateral decision taken by political opponents, she told Reuters last Tuesday. All grist for Kiselyov, presumably, but neither of these two right-wing contenders were really who he had in mind. His target was Emmanuel Macron, the centrist independent candidate and predicted front-runner ahead of Le Pen, who is seen as the Kremlins favorite. As Macron has unexpectedly surged in the polls in the wake of the Fillon scandal, Russias state media have begun to eviscerate the former finance minister, employing a grab-bag of media reports, rumor and innuendo that could keep a fact-checker busy for days. Macron is married to his French teacher from school who is 24 years his senior, the report on Kiselyovs show said. But there are still rumors about his nontraditional [sexual] orientation and how he took 120,000 euro from the budget to finance his movement and election campaign. He has also been connected with Hillary Clinton. So far it has not turned into a large scandal. None of these latter claims has any substantiation. With concerns over hacking leaks, fake news and the influence of Russia on the European political process at fever pitch, online platforms are looking for new ways to vet news ahead of the highly anticipated presidential election. On Monday, Facebook, Google and other Internet companies launched a new initiative to combat fake and poorly sourced news content ahead of Frances two-round presidential election slated for April and May. Called Cross Check, the online social-media and search platforms are working with well-established French news organizations to flag fake stories. Facebook unveiled a similar initiative last week in Germany, which has parliamentary elections set for September. False Russian state news reports of the rape of a girl of Russian heritage by migrants last year set off minor demonstrations and criticism of Chancellor Angela Merkels liberal migrant policy. The new initiative is a response to the proliferation of fake and highly partisan news reports during the U.S. presidential election. Scandal and kompromat, the Russian term for politically damaging information, have already played more of a role in the French election than in the United States this past November. Le Pen has alleged that Macron is under the influence of Patrick Drahi, a Franco-Israeli telecom magnate, and also of international finance. Various Twitter accounts in support of the National Front have repeated these rumors, obvious anti-Semitic dog whistles. But other insinuations have come directly from Moscow or at least through Moscow. Reports of Macrons ties to Clinton arise from remarks by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the hawkish Russian broadsheet Izvestia last week. We have interesting information about another presidential candidate in France, Emmanuel Macron, Assange told the newspaper. Assange, who has been accused of having ties to the Russian government, which he denies, nonetheless joins Moscow in a desire to see the current European order upended. Russian state news agencies regularly amplify voices pushing that end. On Saturday, the state-funded English-language news agency Sputnik published an article headlined Ex-French Economy Minister Macron Could Be U.S. Agent Lobbying Banks Interests. The article, citing French Republican Party lawmaker Nicolas Dhuicq, repeated rumors that Macron may have traveled to the United States and had correspondence with Clinton, that he was a front for U.S. banking interests and also that he was gay. There is a very wealthy gay lobby behind him, the French lawmaker told Sputnik. Macron hasnt responded directly to the Russian accusations, but he has previously denied rumors of a double life. McAuley reported from Paris. Read more: Trump says it is very early to discuss lifting sanctions on Russia Report says Putin ordered effort to undermine U.S. election and help Trump Putin rejects Trump dossier report as plot against legitimacy of president-elect Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Pakistanis gather to mark Kashmir Solidarity Day in Islamabad on Sunday. The handwritten poster says, The message of Hafiz Saeed is Kashmir will become Pakistan. (Anjum Naveed/AP) For the past 27 years, Pakistan has observed Feb. 5 as national Kashmir Solidarity Day. Government-sponsored rallies have featured chants and speeches denouncing Indian oppression in the disputed territory. Posters on trucks and lampposts have depicted bloody street clashes, mutilated corpses and wailing women in Kashmiri dress. This year, the rallies and posters and slogans were still there, but the message was a lot more complicated. The state projected a formal and somewhat distant presence for the occasion Sunday. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other officials issued statements calling for self-determination for the Muslims of Kashmir, which is divided into Pakistani and Indian portions, and decrying abuse by Indian forces. The armys publicity office produced a video and song titled Sangbaaz, or stone-pelters young Kashmiri protesters who battled Indian troops for months last year. One refrain refers to widespread reports of troops blinding demonstrators with rubber bullets: You can snatch out our eyes, but you cannot snatch our dreams. Out in the streets, though, the day was dominated by right-wing religious groups, some part of the public political scene but others more shadowy. At rallies that drew sizable crowds in many cities, shouts of Free Kashmir mingled with shouts of Free Hafiz Saeed, referring to the Islamist cleric who was seized at his mosque in Lahore last week and placed under house arrest. A young demonstrator joined a rally in Lahore on Monday calling for Kashmiri independence. Thousands gathered across Pakistan to call for India to stop abuses in the disputed border territory. ( Pam Constable/The Washington Post) [Pakistani cleric arrested to appease Trump administration, India, supporters say] Saeed has long been a vociferous drumbeater for the Kashmir cause, a mainstay of Pakistans foreign and military policy built around a permanent theme of aggression and abuse by Hindu-led India. Pakistan has long championed Kashmiri independence while denying charges that it supports militant and terrorist groups there. But Saeed has been accused of a far more ambitious and sophisticated attack that has no relation to Kashmir. Officials in India, backed by the United Nations, say he and the group he once headed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, carried out a commando siege in Mumbai in 2008 that killed 166 people. He has been detained but released several times since then, and Pakistan says India has never provided proof of his involvement. [Mumbai attacks in 2008 still divide India and Pakistan] The sudden new crackdown on Saeed came at an awkward time for Pakistani officials, who looked like they were kowtowing to India just before Solidarity Day. Previous efforts by Sharifs government to reach out to India have been opposed by the military, and his appeals for international support on Kashmir in September were undercut by a terrorist attack that burned a group of Indian soldiers to death. Some observers say the government has hurt its own position by allowing hard-line religious groups to champion the Kashmir cause. In its lead editorial Sunday, the Dawn newspaper called that strategy a historic mistake. Mainstream politics based on a mainstream acceptance of human rights . . . is the only sensible approach. For the moment, though, the arrest of Saeed gave Islamist leaders a chance to capitalize on this official ambivalence. At a news conference Saturday, Sami-ul-Haq, an influential cleric whose seminary trained many Taliban fighters, charged that putting Hafiz Saeed behind bars is tantamount to betraying the Kashmiris struggle. Claiming that the government had acted at the behest of Washington and India, Haq said he was rather happy about President Trumps move to bar visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries, adding that it has shown us the real face of our rulers and their duality. The so-called liberals who always dubbed the U.S. a friend of Pakistan stand exposed. On Monday, rallies led by a variety of religious groups drew large crowds in the federal capital, all four provincial capitals and numerous smaller cities. Speakers condemned Indian repression and the arrest of Saeed in the same breath, challenging an official mantra of unshakable support for Kashmir that has long united Pakistanis and ensured the loyalty of religious groups. Some groups chanted Go, Nawaz, go, referring to the prime minister. In Islamabad, an official of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party, Maulana Attaur Rehman, aimed his speech directly at the government. Today, we have sent a clear message to the world that Kashmiris cant be enslaved, he said. This message has also reached the power corridors in our country. Regardless of what decision the government makes, we will never compromise on Kashmir. You have arrested Hafiz Saeed, but every person in this gathering has become Hafiz Saeed now. About 50 members of Al Badr, a semi-clandestine militant group that has sent fighters to Indian Kashmir and Afghanistan for years, joined a rally in Peshawar, the major city in northwest Pakistan. A leader of the group, Rab Nawaz, told the rally that Al Badr fully supports the Kashmiri people and vowed that no world power . . . can stop jihad in any part of the world. We will continue our jihad. In Lahore, the home of Saeeds Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JUD) movement, a rally by thousands of his supporters jammed a major boulevard, dwarfing both an official pro-Kashmir rally addressed by a federal cabinet minister and a second one by Jamaat-e-Islami, the countrys largest and oldest Islam-based political party, which regularly elects members to provincial and national legislatures. Some people in the crowd said they supported Jamaat-ud-Dawa in part because it is devoted to assisting the poor and victims of disasters. Mahmad Ahmed, 55, a high school teacher, said he had taken his son to help dig irrigation wells with JUD in parched Baluchistan province. They help people in trouble where the government doesnt, he said. But many others said the Kashmir cause was close to their hearts and a pillar of their loyalty to religious parties. At the Jamaat-e-Islami rally, Rifaat Ilyas, a well-dressed man in his 40s, said it was a very emotional day for him. I am thinking of all the brothers and sisters who were tortured and killed, he said. It has to stop. We have to fight. Shaiq Hussain in Islamabad and Haq Nawaz Khan in Peshawar contributed to this report. Read more Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Israeli police clash with settlers in the West Bank outpost of Amona on Feb. 1, 2017. The Israeli parliament passed legislation to prevent more demolitions. (Oded Balilty/AP) Israels parliament passed a contentious law late Monday that allows the state to seize land privately owned by Palestinians in the West Bank and grant the properties to Jewish settlements for their exclusive use. The measure is designed to protect homes in Jewish settlements, built on private Palestinian property in good faith or at the states instruction, from possible court-ordered evacuation and demolition. Thousands of homes in dozens of settlements and outposts may now be protected, at least temporarily. The bill is probably headed for a high court challenge. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supports the legislation and has told his constituents that no government had done more for the settlers. On Monday, the Israeli leader said he had informed the Trump White House that a vote on the legislation was imminent. Israeli legislators in the opposition condemned the bill as reckless and warned that it would turn the world against Israel while goading prosecutors at the International Criminal Court in The Hague to take action against the Jewish state. The bill passed on a vote of 60 to 52. [Israel plans settlement expansion amid policy shifts in Washington] The private Palestinian land would be seized by the government and held until there is a final resolution of the decades-long Israel-Palestinian conflict. Palestinian landowners could apply to the state for annual rents or be given another parcel. Benny Begin, a member of parliament in Netanyahus Likud party and son of former prime minister Menachem Begin, spoke before the vote and labeled the measure the robbery bill. Another Likud party member, former justice minister Dan Meridor, condemned the bill as evil and dangerous. Meridor, a lawyer, warned the Israeli parliament that the West Bank remains under a belligerent occupation 50 years after Israel won the territory from Jordan in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Palestinians who live in the territory are not Israeli citizens. They dont vote in Israeli elections. They live under a military authority. If Israels parliament legislates for the Palestinians rather than controlling them by military rule then Palestinians would have the right to become citizens and vote in Israel, Meridor argued. Dont cross a line weve never crossed before, Meridor pleaded in a newspaper column. No government in Israel has applied its sovereignty to the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority said the measure was an illegal land grab. Former Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat compared the Israelis to looters. Last week, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement that new settlement construction in the West Bank may not be helpful in achieving a Middle East peace a mild rebuke compared with those by the Obama administration. President Trump and Netanyahu are scheduled to meet in Washington next week. The settlement legalization measure was pushed forward by Naftali Bennett, the education minister and leader of the Jewish Home party, who opposes granting the Palestinians a state and instead wants to annex to Israel the 60 percent of the West Bank where the Jewish settlements are located. [Q&A with Israeli minister Naftali Bennett] Bennett, a religious nationalist, said the bill seeks to normalize life for the settlers and allow them to remain in homes that the state has encouraged them to build, while providing roads, water, power and protection by the army. After the bill passed, Bennett tweeted just one word: Revolution. There are about 400,000 Jews in the West Bank and an additional 200,000 in East Jerusalem living in settlements. Most of the world considers the settlements illegal, but Israel disputes that. Shuli Moalem-Refaeli, one of the bills sponsors, called it a historic achievement and a strategic event for the settlement movement. Its another step in normalizing the lives of thousands of citizens. The fate of thousands of homes will no longer be dependent on the whims of left-wing organizations. She was referring to the forced eviction of 40 families living in the Amona settlement. Lawyers with the Israeli human rights group Yesh Din successfully argued that the land was owned by Palestinians in the nearby village of Silwad. The Amona settlers said God had promised the land to the Jews and denied the Arab claims. The Israeli supreme court ordered the settlement demolished. It took 3,000 police officers to clear the isolated hilltop of radical youths, who threw excrement, bleach and rocks at the officers. The settlement legislation was passed to stop more demolitions. [Israeli police begin forced removal of Amona settlers in the West Bank] The Israeli anti-occupation group, Peace Now, estimated that more than 3,800 homes on 53 illegal outposts could eventually be legalized by the bill, which they claimed would turn Israeli citizens into thieves. A pro-settler advocacy organization, Regavim, said the number of protected homes is half that. Reporters in parliament said the most recent revised version of the bill would safeguard homes in 16 settlements but that the justice minister could add to this list. The law will almost certainly be challenged in the courts by pro-Palestinian groups and human rights activists in Israel who say it upends Israels own protections of private property. Before its passage, Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit said the bill violates international law and that he would not defend it before the state high court. Israels defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman, who is essentially the military governor of the West Bank, said in the days before the vote, You dont have to be a genius to understand that when the attorney general is opposed to the bill, this means that he is not willing to defend it in the High Court of Justice and that it is an unconstitutional bill, and its chances of being disqualified are 100 percent. Ruth Eglash contributed to this report. Read more: Trump picks a supporter of West Bank settlements for ambassador to Israel Jared Kushners family foundation donated to West Bank settlements Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news A federal appeals court will hear arguments Tuesday on whether to restore President Trumps controversial immigration order, marking a critical juncture for the presidents directive temporarily barring refugees and those from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. The hearing, which will be conducted by telephone, is to review an order by a lower court judge to put Trumps directive on hold. It was scheduled just as Justice Department lawyers made their final written pitch to immediately restore the presidents order and as tech companies, law professors and former high-ranking national security officials joined a mushrooming legal campaign to keep the measure suspended. Justice Department lawyers asserted that the executive order was a lawful exercise of the Presidents authority over the entry of aliens into the United States and the admission of refugees, and that U.S. District Judge James Robarts order to stop it was vastly overbroad. The future of the temporary ban now lies with three judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit: William C. Canby Jr., who was appointed by President Jimmy Carter; Judge Richard Clifton, who was appointed by President George W. Bush; and Judge Michelle Taryn Friedland, who was appointed by President Barack Obama. (Jayne Orenstein,Dalton Bennett,Natalie Jennings/The Washington Post) The judges said each side would have 30 minutes to present their arguments beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern. It is unclear how soon a ruling could follow. The hearing will be live-streamed, the clerk of court said. With the court case ongoing, those once stopped from coming to the United States have rushed to come into the country. The Department of Homeland Security said it was suspending all enforcement of Trumps directive after the federal judge in Seattle ordered it frozen, and many travelers have since been able to reunite with family here. [Court document: Declaration of National Security Officials] The broad legal issue is whether Trump exceeded his authority and violated the First Amendment and federal immigration law, and whether his executive order imposes irreparable harm on those it affects. Either Justice Department lawyers representing the Trump administration, or the states of Washington and Minnesota which had successfully sued to put the ban on hold could ask the Supreme Court to intervene if they disagree with the appeals court decision. The Supreme Court, though, remains one justice short, and many see it as ideologically split 4-4. A tie would keep in place whatever the appeals court decides. The rhetoric from both sides has been fierce. The states of Washington and Minnesota argued in a filing Monday that reinstating the ban would unleash chaos again by separating families, stranding our university students and faculty, and barring travel. Justice Department lawyers countered that noncitizens outside the United States have no substantive right or basis for judicial review in the denial of a visa at all, and that, at most, the lower court judge should have limited his ruling to previously admitted aliens who are temporarily abroad now or who wish to travel and return to the United States in the future. Federal immigration law undeniably gives the president broad authority to bar people from coming into the United States, saying that if he finds the entry of any aliens would be detrimental to the countrys interests, he can impose restrictions. Legal analysts have said those challenging the ban will face an uphill climb to overturn it. [Court document: Amicus brief by tech companies] Yet the opposition has been successful so far, and it is growing. On Monday, 10 former high-ranking diplomatic and national security officials; nearly 100 Silicon Valley tech companies; more than 280 law professors; a coalition of 16 state or district attorneys general, including those from D.C., Maryland and Virginia; and a host of civil liberties and other organizations formally lent their support to the legal bid to block Trumps order. While it is not unusual for outside parties to weigh in on legal cases of such public interest, the breadth and depth of those lining up behind Washington and Minnesota is notable. Former secretaries of state John F. Kerry and Madeleine Albright, along with former CIA director Leon Panetta, former CIA and National Security Agency director Michael Hayden and other former top national security officials, attached their names to an affidavit declaring there was no national security purpose for a complete barring of people from the seven affected countries. Since September 11, 2001, not a single terrorist attack in the United States has been perpetrated by aliens from the countries named in the Order, the group declared. Very few attacks on U.S. soil since September 11, 2001 have been traced to foreign nationals at all. [Travelers from Iran board flights to the United States following stay, attorney says] Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Netflix, Twitter, Uber and other companies asserted in a brief that Trumps order hinders the ability of American companies to attract great talent; increases costs imposed on business; makes it more difficult for American firms to compete in the international marketplace; and gives global enterprises a new, significant incentive to build operations and hire new employees outside the United States. And 16 attorneys general said, while their specific businesses and residents were different, all stand to face the concrete, immediate, and irreparable harms caused by the Executive Order. Trump and his supporters have continued to press the case that the short-term stoppage on refugees and immigrants from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen is necessary for national security reasons. He said Monday, during remarks at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, We need strong programs so that people that love us and want to love our country and will end up loving our country are allowed in, not people who want to destroy us and destroy our country. On Twitter, he went so far as to suggest that if an attack were to happen, the judiciary would be to blame. Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril, Trump wrote. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! [Trump lashes out at so-called judge who temporarily blocked entry ban] The president also dismissed as fake news polls showing opposition to the executive order and asserted that the public wants and needs border security and strong vetting. Federal courts in New York, California and elsewhere already have blocked aspects of the ban from being implemented, although one federal judge in Massachusetts declared that he did not think that challengers had demonstrated that they had a high likelihood of success. The case before the 9th Circuit, though, is much broader than the others, because it stems from a federal judges outright halting of the ban. Robert Barnes, Brian Murphy and John Wagner contributed to this report. In a big, multiethnic country built by immigrants and slaves, a septuagenarian white male leader is riding a right-wing backlash after an era of leftist rule. His much younger spouse is a former model. His five-letter last name starts with a T but its Temer, not Trump. Brazilian President Michel Temer took office five months ago after the impeachment and political humiliation of the countrys first female political leader, Dilma Rousseff, ousting her left-wing Workers Party after 14 years in power. Temer named an all-male cabinet and quickly embraced a right-leaning, regulation-slashing agenda. Temer, 76, is not a Brazilian version of Trump. He does not have a populist touch or a showmans flair. He is a career politician and government insider at a time when both things are deeply unpopular in Brazil. And yet, as with the United States, Brazil is a big country whose political center has swung abruptly to the right. The next presidential election is not until 2018, but in municipal-level contests held in October, Rousseffs once-dominant Workers Party was trounced, losing 60 percent of the city government seats it controlled. Temers centrist Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) and the more conservative Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) swept the countrys most important districts. The results were the clearest signal yet of a shift in mentality in the country, according to political analyst Lucas de Aragao of the Brasilia-based consulting firm Arko. Its an anti-status-quo sentiment, just like Brexit and Trump, Aragao said, but I dont think its about ideology as much as a lack of results. Rousseff was impeached on charges of violating budget-making rules, not for personal corruption. But she and the Workers Party have shouldered most of the blame for Brazils worst economic crisis since the 1930s and the biggest corruption scandal in the countrys history. [In Brazil, Rousseffs suspension looks like end of an era] Temer, who is married to a 33-year-old former model, is a constitutional law expert who speaks carefully and sends out dull, dutiful tweets. His patrician bearing may be hurting him at a time when Brazilians are looking for someone who doesnt talk like a professor. And with virtually Brazils entire political establishment under suspicion of shady dealings, Temers tight-lipped rectitude can seem like opacity. Once in power, Temer embraced Brazils rightward turn, but it has not embraced him. His approval ratings hover around 14 percent, roughly on par with Rousseffs before her impeachment. More than half the country sees Temer as dishonest, according to a December survey by Datafolha, Brazils main polling firm. His low approval ratings are a sign that he has not benefited from Brazils shifting political winds, even as he tries to tack with them. He gives the impression of a very traditional politician, who is rarely seen on the streets, said Mauro Paulino, director of Datafolha. Much of Brazils political and business elite, including Temer, is under the cloud of the sprawling corruption investigation known as Car Wash that has uncovered $2 billion in illegal bribes over the past three years. The former speaker of Brazils Congress has been imprisoned, along with some of the countrys most powerful business executives. According to leaked plea bargain testimony, a jailed former construction executive has accused Temer of soliciting nearly $3 million in illegal campaign funds. Temer has not been charged, and he has repeatedly insisted that he supports the investigation and has nothing to hide. After the Supreme Court justice overseeing the Car Wash probe died in a plane crash last month, Temer said he would wait to nominate a replacement until the justices colleagues and not Temer could decide who would take over the case. It may be too late for Temer to recover his credibility. With less than two years left in his term, Brazil seems to be waiting for its Trump to come along. Populist outsiders such as the new mayor of Sao Paulo, a business tycoon who starred on the Brazilian version of Celebrity Apprentice, often are mentioned among the early favorites for 2018. What many Brazilians and Brazilian lawmakers have embraced is Temers right-leaning austerity agenda. He has won approval in Congress for a 20-year spending freeze and his refusal to bail out state governments that have blown their budgets. He has eased restrictions on foreign oil companies looking to drill for lucrative offshore deposits, and he is expected to present new legislation to open up Brazilian agribusiness and the airline industry to full foreign ownership. Although Temer has stopped the economic slide, the countrys jobless rate remains in the double digits, and 2017 growth is projected to be just 1 percent. People are not consuming, because theyre afraid of losing their jobs, said Paulo Sotero, director of the Brazil Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. Temers job is to calm people down, take measures that are effective and put Brazil back on a sustainable growth pattern, Sotero said. Its probably too much for his government to accomplish by 2018, but he can start working on it, and he has. Unlike Trump, Temer is not overly concerned with his popularity, analysts say. He insists he will not be a candidate in 2018. He has his eye on his long-term legacy, and whether he will be remembered as a leader who restored stability and lifted Brazil out of the ditch. This is a country that changes opinion very quickly, said Aragao, the political analyst. Dont forget Rousseff had the highest approval rating of any president in history at the beginning of her first term. Temers presidency has signaled a shift in priorities for Brazil, from the multiculturalism and inclusive social message of his leftist predecessors to a more singular focus on economic liberalization. Some of those changes have fueled large street protests, and Fora Temer (Temer out) graffiti is a frequent sight in major cities. Temer came under fire days after his inauguration for not appointing a single woman or Afro-Brazilian to his 23-member cabinet. He eventually appointed women to head the attorney generals office and the central bank, but the damage was done. To cap it off, anger over the perceived slight to women was compounded by the fact that Temer got his job by replacing the countrys first female president, with his party driving the impeachment proceedings. The lack of sufficient female representation in his government feels like a huge step backwards, said Rosiska Darcy, a feminist author and political critic. Rousseff had appointed 14 women to cabinet-level positions. We are half of Brazils population, Darcy said. The global shift to the right poses a threat to the gains of Brazils feminist movement, she added, saying that Brazilians should draw inspiration from the U.S. womens march that followed Trumps inauguration. The Americans spoke of resistance, said Darcy. We have to fight this wave of conservatism. Editors note: This post has been updated to correct the previous characterization of Brazils new austerity measures as a freeze on social spending. The measures apply to most of Brazils federal budget. Read more: Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Lancaster County 4-H announced Diane Ossenkop of Lincoln won Januarys Heart of 4-H Award in recognition of outstanding volunteer service. A volunteer for 4-H since she was a youth member in Colorado, she has been superintendent of the 4-H/FFA Dairy Cattle Show at the Lancaster County Super Fair for many years and has helped organize several dairy cattle clinics. She's also secretary of the Nebraska State Dairy Association. A dairy cattle project is a high maintenance project that promotes a work ethic, Diane says. The county and state fairs are a highlight for many of the 4-H youth. These fairs give the youth a place to excel in their areas of interest, to gain confidence and self-esteem, and to make new friends. It is rewarding to see a first year 4-Her receive their first blue ribbon and beam with a big smile on their face, thinking that next year they are going for the trophy! "With only a handful of dairies left in Lancaster County, we are keeping the dairy industry in the eyes of the public with our 4-H youth. I will continue to support our 4-H youth, especially those in dairy and agriculture. After all, they are the future. President Trump has agreed to meet the leaders of NATO at a summit in late May, the alliance said Monday an apparent first step in his efforts to push it to focus more on counterterrorism and for members to spend more on their militaries. The announcement came amid doubts about Trumps commitment to NATO, an alliance he called obsolete days before his inauguration. Leaders of NATOs 27 other nations have been eager to speak to Trump to push for a robust and unambiguous backing at a time when those along the border with Russia are feeling increasingly vulnerable. Trump and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had a phone conversation Sunday evening where they reconfirmed the importance of the alliance in troubled times, NATO said in a statement. The date of the summit is not yet set, but a NATO official said it will most likely take place either immediately before or after a summit of leaders of the Group of Seven world powers May 26 and 27 in Italy. NATO began training Iraqi forces in their fight against the Islamic State on Sunday, a step alliance officials said would help prove their bona fides in the effort to fight terrorism. They also point out that the major focus of the alliance in the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks was a military operation in Afghanistan dedicated toward rooting out al-Qaeda. More recently, the defense alliance has returned to its Cold War roots by focusing on Russia in the aftermath of the Kremlins 2014 annexation of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula and subsequent fueling of a war in eastern Ukraine. But Trump has sought friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a break from bipartisan caution about the Kremlin that comes after U.S. intelligence assessments that the Russian government intervened in the U.S. elections to undermine Hillary Clintons candidacy. Trump on Sunday declined to condemn Putins track record of violence against his opponents, telling Fox News interviewer Bill OReilly, you think our country is so innocent? Violence has surged in eastern Ukraine in recent weeks after an extended period of relative quiet. It remains unclear what, if any, response the Trump administration will take. NATO said Monday that the conversation had included a discussion of the uptick in violence in eastern Ukraine, and prospects for a peaceful settlement. The White House said only that the two leaders discussed the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border. Read more: Trumps continued defense of Putin confounds Republicans NATO secretary general hits back at Trump, saying organization is not obsolete In the home of NATO and the E.U., dismay as Trump takes power Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news In the second piece of alarming news in a just a week for the anti-Taliban fight in Afghanistan, the United Nations reported Monday that nearly 3,500 Afghan civilians died and more than 7,900 were wounded in the conflict last year the highest tolls since U.N. officials began recording civilian casualties in 2009. The report said the figures represented a 3 percent increase over 2015 and a 24 percent rise in the number of children, who accounted for 923 of the dead and 2,589 of those wounded. It said that two-thirds of the casualties were inflicted by insurgents but that airstrikes by Afghan and NATO forces accounted for 250 deaths and 340 injuries, nearly double the rate for the previous year. The U.N. special representative for Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, called on all parties to the conflict to take immediate concrete measures to protect the ordinary Afghan men, women and children whose lives are being shattered. The devastating report came just days after a U.S. government watchdog group reported that the Afghan government continued to lose territorial control to the insurgents in 2016. The report, from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), found that the government maintains full control over 57 percent of Afghan territory, down from 72 percent at the end of 2015. As civilian deaths hit record numbers last year, SIGAR reported that conflict-related violence also took a high toll on Afghan security forces. It said that 6,785 soldiers and police had been killed and an additional 11,777 wounded through November. In addition, nine U.S. troops died in Afghanistan in 2016. The spate of alarming reports came after the second full year in which Afghan defense forces have been doing almost all the fighting against the Taliban and other insurgent groups, after the Obama administration pulled out the majority of U.S. forces at the end of 2014. There are about 8,400 U.S. troops remaining in the country, most as the result of a decision by President Barack Obama last summer to slow down his planned final drawdown amid persistent Taliban aggression. Most of them are limited to advising and supporting Afghan ground forces, but that includes conducting airstrikes that often take a deadly civilian toll. The U.N. report released Monday said fighting on the ground, especially in civilian areas, was the leading cause of civilian casualties, followed by explosive devices, suicide attacks and deliberate killings. It also noted an increased number of attacks by Islamic State-affiliated fighters, which killed 209 people and wounded 690, mostly in bombings of Shiite communities. Throughout 2016, the Taliban staged repeated assaults on scattered provincial capitals and cities, especially in Helmand, Kunduz and Nangahar provinces, which forced an estimated 600,000 people to flee their homes at least temporarily. The insurgents also staged suicide attacks in major cities, including Kabul and Kandahar. At this point, most analysts describe the war as a violent stalemate after nearly 16 years of fighting, with virtually no likelihood that peace talks can be revived in the near future. As the war grinds on and the human toll mounts, officials see little room for hope. Yet another record year of civilian suffering, Yamamoto said in a statement. Unless all parties to the conflict make serious efforts to review and address the consequences of their operations, the levels of civilian casualties, displacement and other types of human suffering are likely to remain at appallingly high levels. The coalition and the Afghan government have yet to comment on the report. The Taliban insurgents dismissed it as biased and unfair, calling the presence of foreign troops the main source of the war as well as casualties in Afghanistan. The prime culprits of civilian losses are the occupying forces in the country. Constable reported from Islamabad, Pakistan. Read more: U.S. watchdog offers bleak statistics for Afghan progress In Afghanistan, Trump will inherit a costly stalemate and few solutions 100 dead as heavy snow burdens Afghanistan Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news US President Donald Trumps January 27 executive order banning travel to the US from seven majority Muslim countries and halting all refugee approvals for 120 days has prompted a hypocritical and duplicitous response from Canadas Liberal government. The day the ban came into effect, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a tweet that was widely promoted by the liberal media in Canada and around the world as a challenge to Trumps policy, even though it did not mention the president, his order, or even the US. To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada, tweeted Trudeau. A BBC report hailed the tweet, under the headline, Canadas Justin Trudeau takes a stand. The tweet has since been shared more than 400,000 times, giving an indication of the widespread hostility to Trumps brutal, discriminatory measure. However, Trudeaus pose of opposition to the travel ban has nothing in common with the humane sentiments that have animated protests internationally over the past 10 days. Since coming to power in November 2015, the Liberal government has struck a phony refugee-friendly stance, the better to press ahead with a right-wing agenda of expanded militarism abroad and austerity at home. Canadas refugee policy only appears generous in comparison with Trumps reactionary anti-immigrant measure. In reality, the Liberal governments much ballyhooed intake of 25,000 Syrian refugees comprised only a tiny fraction of the millions forced to flee their homes as a result of regime change wars that the US, with Canadas support, has led and instigated in the greater Middle East, from Libya to Afghanistan. The majority of the Syrian refugees accepted by the Trudeau government in 2015-16 were privately sponsored by churches, charities and refugee-support groups. All were subjected to a strict screening process, which included close collaboration with the US Department of Homeland Security and the exclusion of all single men on the claim that they posed a greater threat to security. Many who did not make the cut have been left languishing in overcrowded refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon and other countries. Those accepted into Canada face an uphill battle. Reports have emerged of many of the 25,000 Syrians being forced to rely on food banks and donations from charities. In violation of international law, Canada also routinely detains undocumented child refugees indefinitely in medium-security prisons. And unbeknownst to most Canadians, Canadian warships, under the previous Harper government and now Trudeaus Liberals, have participated in NATO patrols of the Aegean Sea aimed at enforcing the European Unions brutal policy towards refugees, thousands of whom die each year attempting to cross into Europe by sea. Underscoring its indifference to the hundreds of thousands impacted by Trumps banincluding many who have lived in the US for yearsthe Liberals announced last week that Canada will not increase its pitifully low refugee-placement target for 2017. The government has also rejected any suggestion it suspend an agreement with Washington preventing migrants from seeking asylum in Canada if they have arrived from the US. Legal experts argue that Trumps order is in flagrant violation of the Canada-US safe-third country agreement, which is itself a reactionary measure aimed at limiting refugees, especially from Central America, from seeking asylum in Canada. At this snapshot in time, the US is clearly in breach of the conditions necessary for this agreement to be in place and, for that reason, were calling for an immediate suspension, commented Sharry Aiken, an associate professor of law at Queens University. Immigration Minister Ahmed Hassen has brushed aside such concerns, describing the ban as an evolving situation. The attempt to portray Trudeau and his Liberal government as crusaders for a more tolerant approach to refugees is even more dishonest given Ottawas determination to collaborate intimately with the Trump administration, so as to ensure that Canadian big business retains privileged access to US markets. Trudeau came to power pledged to deepen the decades-old Canada-US strategic partnership, and he has no intention of allowing the coming to power of the most right-wing administration in US historyan administration committed to trade war, confrontation with China, and a massive expansion of the US military, including its nuclear arsenalto get in his way. He shuffled his cabinet last month, placing individuals with strong US connections in key posts, the better to woo Trump and his cabinet of generals, billionaires, and rightwing ideologues. Former Lieutenant-General Andrew Leslie, who developed close contacts with the US Army during the brutal war of occupation in Afghanistan, was appointed parliamentary secretary to Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and tasked with playing a leading role in managing Canada-US relations. Ottawa also lost no time in indicating its readiness to cede to Trumps demand for a renegotiation of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), even signaling it is ready to strike a bilateral deal with Washington at Mexicos expense. Top Canadian officials have also indicated that discussions on closer military-security cooperation between Canada and the US are far advanced, including potentially dramatic hikes in military spending and Canadian participation in the US anti-ballistic missile shield, a technology aimed at giving the US the means to prevail in a nuclear war. This course will inevitably result in Canadas further integration into the aggressive war plans of US imperialism. Already within the first two weeks of the new US administration, Trump and his senior officials have placed Iran on notice, indicated support for the break-up of the European Union, and threatened to block Chinese access to islets its controls in the South China Sea, an act that would be tantamount to a declaration of war. Whereas the European ruling elites, above all in Germany, have reacted by calling for a more aggressive assertion of their own imperialist ambitions in opposition to Washington, Canada stands out for its willingness to do everything it can to accommodate itself to Trumps right-wing, America First program. Desperate not to let anything disrupt their Washington charm offensive, Trudeau and his ministers studiously avoided making any criticism of Trumps anti-democratic travel ban in parliamentary debate last week. Asked directly to condemn the ban, Trudeau sought to dodge the question with vague references to Canadian values of openness and diversity. I will continue to stand, Trudeau declared, for Canadian values any chance I get, in this House and everywhere. In truth, the invocation of such values amounts to a repackaging of Canadian imperialisms predatory ambitions on the global stage. The previous Harper Conservative government promoted an explicitly right-wing bellicose nationalism that celebrated the military as the fount of Canadian democracy and Canada as a warrior nation. The Liberals are trying, as they have done for decades, to give the aggressive pursuit of Canadas imperialist interests a progressive gloss. The Trudeau government has expanded Canadas involvement in the Mideast war, is deploying 450 troops to Latvia as part of a NATO build-up aimed at encircling Russia, and is preparing to send 600 soldiers to Africa, ostensibly as peacekeepers. The African initiative is currently on hold, however. This is because, as bluntly related by government officials to the press, the Trudeau government first wants to make sure that the Trump administration does not have more pressing asks of the Canadian military. Trudeaus refusal to criticize Trumps anti-democratic, xenophobia travel ban has been met with an overwhelmingly favourable response in the Canadian media. Writing in the Globe and Mail, Margaret Wente advised Trudeau against repeating even the tepid, implicit criticism contained in his tweet. She wrote, What our governmentand Canadiansneed to keep in mind is that Canada is not the opposition party, and Mr. Trumps not our president. Whatever Mr. Trudeau may feel in his heart, his priority is to protect our interests, not signal our virtues. US Defence Secretary James Mattis provoked a hostile response from China when he assured his Japanese counterpart Tomomi Inada on Saturday that the US alliance with Japan covered the disputed islets in the East China Sea known as Senkaku in Japan, and Diaoyu in China. The rocky outcrops were transformed into a dangerous flashpoint when the previous Japanese government deliberately inflamed tensions with China by nationalising them. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who took office in 2012, further stoked the standoff by insisting the Senkakus were Japanese territory and ruling out any negotiations with China over the longstanding territorial dispute. Mattis, who was visiting Japan and South Korea on his first overseas trip as defence secretary, was intent on reassuring both countries that their alliances with the US stand. During the US election campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly accused Japan and South Korea of not paying enough toward the upkeep of US bases and threatened to pull out of existing defence arrangements. Mattis reiterated Washingtons support for the alliance with Japan in general, saying it was critical to ensuring that this region remains safe and securenot just now, but for years to come. He specifically declared that the US-Japan Security Treaty applied to the Senkaku/Diaoyu islandsa commitment that President Obama gave in 2014 as tensions rose over the disputed islets. Mattiss remarks were precisely what Tokyo wanted to hear: a commitment by the Trump administration to wage war against China, a nuclear-armed power, in the event of a conflict over the Senkakus. It was the type of commitment that Trump derided throughout last years election campaign: the willingness of Washington to fight a war on behalf of other nations, in this case over tiny uninhabited islands of no immediate economic or strategic value to the United States. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang reacted to Mattiss comments by branding the US-Japan alliance as a product of the Cold War, which should not impair China's territorial sovereignty and legitimate rights. Lu urged the US side to take a responsible attitude, stop making wrong remarks on the issue involving the Diaoyu islands sovereignty, and avoid bringing instability to the regional situation. Beijing is deeply concerned over Trumps threats to launch trade war measures and take an aggressive stance toward China over territorial disputes in the South China and East China Seas, as well as North Korea. Mattis visited South Korea before Japan and confirmed arrangements to install a sophisticated anti-ballistic missile systemTerminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD)on the Korean Peninsula by the end of the year. Beijing again protested against these plans for a THAAD battery, which is nominally aimed against North Korea, but is integral to the expanding US anti-ballistic missile systems deployed in Asia. This is part of Washingtons military build-up throughout the Asia-Pacific region for war with China. Japan has already agreed to the installation of two high-power X-band radar stations that are critical to anti-missile systems. The Yomiuri Shimbun reported in December that the Japanese government was considering the purchase of a THAAD battery. The US and Japan have jointly engaged in developing other anti-missile systems. It is no coincidence that on the same day that Mattis was in Japan, the two countries carried out a successful test near Hawaii of the latest version of the jointly-made SM-3 system, designed to shoot down short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. Mattis further undercut Trumps campaign rhetoric by praising Tokyos financial support for the more than 50,000 US troops in Japan as a model of cost-sharing. At their joint press conference, Japanese Defence Minister Inada declared that there had been no discussion over whether Japan should increase its funding for US bases. At the same time, Mattis praised the Abe governments growing military expenditure and suggested it be increased even further in the face of the growing challenges we face. He continued: As our alliance grows, it will be important for both our nations to continue investing in our defense personnel and capabilities. The prime purpose of Mattiss trip to North East Asia appears to have been to consolidate military ties with two important allies as the Trump administration prepares for confrontation with China. The very fact that the defence secretary chose to make his first overseas trip to Asia indicates that Washingtons main target is Beijing. Mattis lashed out against China over its land reclamation and construction on its islets in the South China Sea, saying it has shredded the trust of nations in the region, apparently trying to have a veto authority over the diplomatic and security and economic conditions of neighboring states. In reality, the Obama administration deliberately stirred up tensions over territorial disputes in the South China Sea in an effort to drive a wedge between China and its South East Asian neighbours. In his confirmation hearing, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson went far further, warning China that the US would block access to Chinese islets in the South China Seaan act of war. Mattis sought to downplay any threat of immediate military action in the South China Sea. What we have to do is exhaust all efforts, diplomatic efforts, to try to resolve this properly, maintaining open lines of communication. At this time, we do not see any need for dramatic military moves. While Japanese Defence Minister Inada publicly welcomed Mattiss reassurances, the Japanese government undoubtedly remains concerned that Trump could renege on the guarantee over the Senkakus or ultimately walk away from the alliance with Japan completely. Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida hinted that Mattiss remarks were not enough, saying Tokyo would seek to confirm the US stance on the islands on various occasions. The erratic and bullying character of the Trump administration has sent chills down the spine of the Japanese ruling elite, like their counterparts around the world. The Financial Times reported that, in private, senior Japanese officials have said one of their biggest fears is that Mr Trump could act unilaterally against North Korea, leaving them to face retaliation. One of their biggest early priorities has been to extract promises of consultation from the Trump administration. Prime Minister Abe, who was the first foreign leader to meet with Trump after his electoral win last year, is heading to Washington for talks with the new president on Friday in a bid to secure guarantees across a range of pressing economic and military issues. The state of uncertainty surrounding Japans relations with the US is undoubtedly fueling a sharp debate in Japanese ruling circles over the need for Tokyo to more aggressively assert its own predatory interests. At the European Unions special summit in Malta last Friday, European heads of state adopted a 10-point plan aimed at blocking off the central Mediterranean route from Libya to Italy. The key components of the plan are the upgrading and training of the Libyan coastguard, which is to seize refugees in Libyan territorial waters and return them to the African coast, and the establishment of internment camps in North Africa. The hypocrisy with which the EU is carrying out its defence against refugees is breathtaking. In the run-up to the summit, several European heads of state and governments criticized US President Donald Trump for his plans to build a wall along the border with Mexico and to impose an immigration ban from seven predominantly Muslim states in the Middle East and North Africa. Leading European politicians attempted to outdo one another, praising the EU as the last bastion of liberal democracy. But the isolationist policies the EU employs against refugees are in essence no different than the inhumane measures of the US government. According to the summit resolutions, a double wall against refugees is to be built in Libya. The EU wants to train Libyan border officials, coast guard and marines, and equip and finance them to cordon off the southern border of the country as well as the maritime border with Europe. This will strand tens of thousands of refugees in the desert regions of Central Africa or, if they cross the Mediterranean by boat, will force them back to devastated countries. Because the ships of the European border protection agency Frontex and the NATO mission Sophia are not permitted to operate in Libyan territorial waters, the Libyan coast guard will take on the EUs dirty work, even though it is notorious for its extreme brutality against refugees. In addition to training, the Libyan coastguard will receive several patrol boats and technical equipment from the EU. For the care of refugees, appropriate reception facilities are to be established in Libya that will operate jointly with the UN Human Rights Commission and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). These are in reality internment camps for refugees. For months, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has been calling for camps in North Africa to stop refugees on the way to Europe and to enable mass deportations from Europe to Africa. However, only a small fraction of African refugees ever reach Europe. More than 86 percent of all refugees remain in the immediate vicinity of the regions from which they originate, where they linger hopelessly under disastrous conditions in miserable mass camps. Instead of improving refugee camps, the EU will increase its police presence in North Africa to block refugee escape routes. Libyas land borders with transit states Niger, Algeria, Sudan and Egypt will be strictly monitored and guarded with the support of European border protection agency Frontex. Finally, the collaboration of the police and secret service will be deepened. Above all, Europol and Frontex are to provide data with which smugglers and their boats already in coastal towns can be located. The trade with motorboats and inflatable boats is to be permanently destroyed. Following the closure of the Balkan route and a deal with Turkey, Libya is back in the focus of European isolationist policy. More than 90 percent of all refugees begin their journey to Europe there. In the last year, 181,000 refugees reached Italy by this sea route, while more than 4,600 drowned on the central Mediterranean route alone. Although a majority of refugees leave home to escape war, civil-warlike conflicts, persecution and tyranny, and their rate of protection in the EU is correspondingly high, the letter of invitation to this EU summit states most refugees are irregular economic migrants who may be sent back to their countries of origin. Provisions of the Geneva Refugee Convention and the European Human Rights Convention are being stretched beyond recognition in the campaign by the EU to block refugees. This includes the plan to seize refugees already in Libyan territorial waters to bypass the non-refoulment rule and the proposal to soften the concept of secure third states, in which even individual places and refugee camps can be declared secure locations, which de Maiziere did a few weeks ago. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees and human rights organizations regularly list in their reports the inhumane conditions in Libyan refugee camps. The deportation of refugees there will mean torture and death for thousands of people. Employees of the German diplomatic service in Niger have also come to this conclusion. In a report to the German government, they write that in Libyan detention facilities the worst, systematic human rights violations prevail. Executions, torture and rape are a daily reality for refugees. Authentic cell phone photos and videos prove the concentration camp-like conditions in these so-called private prisons. The report goes on to state, Eyewitnesses describe exactly five executions per week in one prisonwith announcements always made on Fridays to make room for new arrivals, which is to say, to increase the human delivery rate and, with it, the profits of the operators. In these prisons, refugees get neither sufficient nourishment nor clean drinking water, and the medical care is completely inadequate. An asylum system does not exist in Libya, either in law or in practice. None of this has deterred the EU, however, from developing the closest collaboration with the Libyan government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. On the eve of the summit, al-Sarraj met with European Council President Donald Tusk and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni to work out the details of the dirty deal against refugees. Immediately prior to the EU summit, the Italian government secured a bilateral treaty with the government in Tripoli. Gentiloni and al-Sarraj reached an agreement on joint coastguard patrols along the Libyan coast to send refugees directly back to Libya. Moreover, the Italian government will participate in the construction and financing of refugee camps in Libya. In return, trade relations with the former Italian colony will be improved, above all in the energy sector. Prime Minister Gentiloni is thus associating himself directly with a refugee deal that former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi made in 2008 with Muammar Gaddafi. Berlusconi commented at the time: We will get more gas and petrol and fewer illegal immigrants. At the same time, the EU is working on a stronger military collaboration with the Libyan government. The German government has entrusted al-Sarraj with armoured vehicles valued at 15 million, while Italy will participate in the construction and upgrading of army and police organizations. The Italian army has stationed 100 paratroopers in Libya under the pretext of protecting a hospital. NATO has also declared its willingness to fully support the Libyan government. NATO is ready to help with the construction of more effective security and defence organs, declared NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg after a meeting with al-Sarraj. Stoltenberg also offered to assist the EU in the development of the Libyan marines and coastguard. The EUs campaign against refugees from North Africa is increasingly a means of subordinating Libya and other countries in the region to military control and returning them to the status of colonies. Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker has begun a statewide tour with the former Governor Tommy Thompson to promote a so-called welfare reform measure, which is included in Walkers 2017-2019 state budget proposal. The governor titled his new program Wisconsin Works for Everyone, and has pushed the usual and customary right-wing buttons to demean and slander the working class and the poor. At a Milwaukee news conference, Walker said, We fundamentally believe that public assistance should be a trampoline not a hammock. To receive and keep access to Wisconsins FoodShare program, commonly known as food stamps, Walker proposes that parents with children either look for work five days a week, obtain job training, or show proof of employment for 80 hours a month. He proposes low-income and poor heads of household be given three months to comply or be cut off of benefits entirely or lose the allotment of food relief proportional to their noncompliance. David Lee, executive director of Feeding Wisconsin, which advocates for the states food pantries, told the Wisconsin State Journal January 24, The proposed sanction will reduce the overall amount of food available for everyone in the family, including children. Lee pointed out that over 60 percent of FoodShare recipients are families with children. FoodShare is Wisconsins distributing agency for the US Department of Agricultures (USDA) Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP). A lobbyist for the Wisconsin Manufacturing and Commerce association, Scott Manley, issued a statement in response to Walkers proposals, saying, One of the biggest problems we routinely hear from our members is that the welfare system in our state and country creates a disincentive to work. In other words, corporate interests want to create an even larger pool of desperately impoverished workers to drive down wages and conditions even further. Walker campaigned for slashing access to food relief for childless couples and individuals in 2014 and achieved passage of state legislation in April, 2015 requiring persons without children to show proof of working 80 hours a month or attending work training programs. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, since April, 2015 some 64,000 FoodShare recipients lost food stamps after three months of not getting a job. Approximately 21,000 Wisconsin persons using FoodShare have obtained a job averaging $12 an hour in a 33-hour work week. The Department of Health Services states at its website, Each month people across Wisconsin get help from FoodShare. They are people of all ages who have a job but have low incomes, or are living on small or fixed incomes, or have lost their job, or are retired, or are disabled and not able to work. A Wisconsin State Journal report from December 2015 stated that almost 15,000 people lost food stamp relief from July to September that year. Thompson, traveling with Walker in the current welfare reform campaign, founded the Wisconsin Works, or W2, in 1997 during Democratic President Bill Clintons presidency when he (Clinton) collaborated with both Republicans and Democrats to end welfare as we know it. During this period, Clinton and Thompson campaigned for and acquired funding for the most dramatic explosion of prison building and incarceration of youth and working people in US history. The federal SNAP food stamp program comprises one of the most important safety nets in the United States, upon which some 47 million persons rely to survive. Average SNAP benefits were a meager $126.83 per person in 2015. In Milwaukee County, an average of 248,151 people received FoodShare relief in 2016. Current federal law forbids states from requiring parents of in-home children to seek employment to receive food relief. About half of the states FoodShare childless recipients live in Milwaukee County, only seven percent of whom, since the law requiring proof of work to obtain food relief went into effect, have found work. Walkers new law would require congressional approval, or a decree waiver from President Trump, and Wisconsin legislative approval. The proposal would also require persons earning 200 percent of the federal poverty level to fund childcare up to $1 for every $3 dollars earned. The governor also proposes to impose proof-of-work requirements on persons receiving federal housing assistance. Sherrie Tussler, executive direct of Hunger Task Force in Milwaukee, told the AP Wire Services Theo Keith last month that, despite Walkers assurances that only the parent not finding a job would be cut off from food relief, Families eat together, and so, if you minimize the amount of money available to purchase food, all that means is youre going to increase hunger. Walker sent then-President Elect Trump a public letter in December asking the incoming presidentwhom Walker ran against in the Republican primariesto issue a waiver for the federal restriction on drug testing of SNAP recipients. At the time of passage of the April, 2015 legislation requiring childless food stamp recipients to show proof of employment, Walker demanded the right to drug test food stamp recipients and filed suit against the US Department of Agriculture in the District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Walkers proposed drug testing of the working poor for access to food and hunger relief formed a noisy part of his presidential campaign begun in 2015. Federal Judge Charles Clevert rejected the request in a ruling September 28 last year. In his December letter to Trump, Walker also stated that he was opposed to Syrian refugees being allowed to resettle in Wisconsin, and requested that the state be allowed to impose higher premiums and copays for the working poor using Medicaid healthcare, which would impact at least 143,000 childless adults making less than $11,880 a year. Almost a dozen states require drug testing to receive cash assistance from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF), which serves a far smaller population of the poor and allows states to set some eligibility rules. In April last year, Republican governors from Wisconsin, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Utah coauthored a letter to Republican congressional members demanding lawmakers write drug testing of SNAP recipients into federal law. All of them, including Gov. Walker, trumpeted states rights prerogatives in their attacks on working people. A congressional effort to include drug testing in appropriations for SNAP failed passage in 2013. Governor Rick Scott of Florida did not sign the governors appeal for drug testing of food stamp recipients, having failed in an effort to drug test a TANF beneficiary and single father college student at the University of Central Florida in 2011. Luis Lebron, a military veteran and accounting degree candidate, refused a drug test requirement that the Florida legislature had approved earlier that year. Lebron was subsequently denied nutritional assistance and with the ACLU filed suit against the state and won his case to decline drug testing as a condition for TANF assistance. In June of last year, the notorious ravings of Gov. Paul LePage grabbed headlines when he demanded that the US Department of Agriculture stop the SNAP program food relief for the state of Maine, because, he claimed, recipients were buying candy and soda drinks with food stamps. The governor was filmed ranting about the drug-using habits by people of color, and a state legislator posted a voice mail message on the Internet from the governor threatening him for calling LePage a racist. Last year, 195,259 working people, children and elderly, or one in seven of the population of Maine, used food stamps. The USDA lists Maine as the slowest state to distribute food relief. Last February, US Representative Robert Aderholt (R-Alabama) introduced legislation that would require food stamp recipients to urinate in a cup to obtain access to hunger relief. Governor Walker said at the time, The legislation authored by Congressman Robert Aderholt confirms states rights to drug test SNAP recipients, and we look forward to working with him on this crucial issue and implementing common-sense reform in Wisconsin. According to Salon, on December 20 the rate of drug use in the US stands at 9.4 percent of the population. Welfare recipient testing has yielded positives from 0.002 to 8.3 percent in the dozen states requiring persons seeking survival relief to give urine samples. In all but one state, the findings stood at below one percent. In the state of Michigan, in a yearlong testing of welfare recipients, drug testing yielded ONE positive! In the midst of this historically foul and degraded social and political climate, eleven of Americas obscenely rich 540 billionaires list their principle residences in Wisconsin. The states eleven richest possess a combined net worth of $37.8 billion. The net worth of all US billionaires for 2016, according to Forbes, is $2.4 trillion. Connie Britton helps welcome the family to Nashville. (Photo: Instagram) Connie Britton is organizing and mobilizing, yall. While Donald Trump clashes with the courts over his controversial immigration ban, the politically active Nashville star, 49, helped welcome a Kurdish refugee family to the U.S. on Sunday. The family had been stopped last week on their way to Nashville, following Trumps hastily executed executive order. Despite having valid U.S. visas, they were sent back to Iraq. But the nightmare for Fuad Sharef Suleman and his family came to an end last night and Britton was on hand with Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., to welcome the citys newest residents. Britton, who took part in the Womens March at Sundance last month and was a vocal Obama supporter, alerted her fans via social media that the family would be arriving and shared the homemade signs that she made along with her son, Eyob (Yoby), and pal Alex Thomopoulos. Tonight Ill be joining @mayormeganbarry at the airport to welcome the Sharefs, a Kurdish refugee family as they arrive in Nashville to begin their new life, Britton wrote. The father, an interpreter with a US govt organization, the mother, a kindergarten teacher, and their 3 children will be joining one of the largest Kurdish populations in the US right here in Nashville (who knew?!). They were turned away on their journey last week but will now finally arrive home. So weve been baking cookies and making welcome signs today, pre-Super Bowl! If you have any positive messages of welcome for the Sharefs, go ahead and leave them in the comments, and I will include them with our signs and notes! #yallmeansall. Story continues Later, she shared an updated image of them at the airport. THEY MADE IT! Welcome to America, Sharef family! The American dream was alive and well in Nashville tonight. And I passed along your many beautiful comments and wishes (along with the cookies of course). Thank you!! Inspired with love and gratitude for who we really are. A photo posted by connie britton (@conniebritton) on Feb 5, 2017 at 8:06pm PST THEY MADE IT! Welcome to America, Sharef family! she wrote. The American dream was alive and well in Nashville tonight. And I passed along your many beautiful comments and wishes (along with the cookies of course). Thank you!! Inspired with love and gratitude for who we really are. The Sharefs were just a handful of the many people affected by Trumps 90-day ban on citizens of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen and a 120-day ban on all refugees from entering the U.S. However, they took advantage of a Seattle judges ruling on Friday, which temporarily suspended the executive order, to get to their new home. They landed at JFK airport in New York, and transferred to a flight to Tennessee. During the weekend, Trump took to Twitter to complain about the judge who temporarily blocked the immigration order from being enforced nationwide. The judge opens up our country to potential terrorists and others that do not have our best interests at heart. Bad people are very happy! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2017 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 Related: Saturday Night Live Recap: Kristen Stewart and Melissa McCarthy Are a Dream Team The reality TV star turned president was mocked heavily on Saturday Night Live. Not only was Alec Baldwin back doing his best Trump, but host Kristen Stewart brought up Trumps bizarre obsession with her a few years back when she was dating Robert Pattinson. And, of course, the highlight was Melissa McCarthys impression of Trumps press secretary, Sean Spicer. "He is tough when he has to be, but he is also kind and fair and caring. This kindness is not always noted, but it is there for all to see. That is one reason I fell in love with him to begin with," Melania said in a speech defending her husband at the Republican National Convention in July 2016. A federal appeals court denied the Justice Departments emergency request to resume President Donald Trumps travel ban pending their appeal early Sunday morning. After a federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the immigration order temporarily banning refugees and nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States, the Department of Justice filed an appeal of the order on Saturday night, saying its the sovereign prerogative of a president to admit or exclude aliens and that the court shouldnt second-guess the presidents orders. The Dept. of Justice asked that an emergency stay be issued pending the appeal to resume Trumps ban efforts. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco instead asked for the Trump administration to file a counter-response by Monday afternoon and denied the emergency stay. On Saturday, the 70-year-old president attended the annual American Red Cross fundraising gala with wife Melania, 46, during his first weekend getaway to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida since taking the White House. Well win, Trump told reporters at the event about the appeal. For the safety of the country, well win. Trump on immigration appeal: "We'll win. For the safety of the country we'll win." pic.twitter.com/ffOPCgtPBv Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) February 5, 2017 RELATED VIDEO: Natasha Stoynoff Breaks Silence, Accuses Donald Trump of Sexual Assault 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 When a country is no longer able to say who can, and who cannot , come in & out, especially for reasons of safety &.security big trouble! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 4, 2017 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 On Saturday morning, the former reality star swore to overturn the ruling by U.S. District Judge James Robart in Seattle, Washington tweeting the opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned! Story continues Trump added that the ruling would halt enforcement, implying that the safety and security of the American people would be at risk. When a country is no longer able to say who can, and who cannot, come in & out, especially for reasons of safety &.security big trouble! he tweeted. He continued: 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.? The last statement was widely criticized online for ignoring the system of checks and balances outlined in the Constitution. MADRID Over 1864-70, Brazil and Paraguay fought maybe the most terrible war in Latin American history, the War of the Triple Alliance. In it, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Paraguayans, mostly Guaranis, in a massive land-grab. 150 years later, on the Paraguay-Brazil border, the setting for Dont Swallow My Heart, Alligator Girl! the historical memory of how the (central) West was won for Brazil still rankles. One of the latest pickups by IM Globals Mundial, selected for Sundance and now Berlin, Alligator Girl! starts off as an across-the-tracks story of first love between Brazilian teen, Joca, and a Paraguayan girl, Basano, who calls herself the Tattooed Queen of the Apa River, in reference to the river which separates the two countries. As the film also turns to take in Jocas brother, Fernando, a member of a bikers Calendar Gang which races against rival Guarani motorcyclists down moonlight roads, the film broadens to considerations of conflict, driven by retrograde models of masculinity, and a father, a big landowner, who still wants to keep Guaranis off his land by fair means or foul. Soon Guarani corpses are once more floating down the Apa River. A fairy tale connected with the heart of the people in Brazils central-West, the equivalent of the U.S.s Old West, Dont Swallow My Heart, Alligator Girl! positions Braganca as a younger member of a Brazilian generation that is challenging the official story of Brazilian history and channelling big history into fictional psychological narrative. Post-Sundance, pre-Berlin, Variety caught up with Felipe Braganca, for whom Alligator Girl! is his first solo feature, after a series of more experimental movies co-directed with Melina Melinda and a creative collaboration with Karim Ainouz, Latter includes a co-scribe credit on Ainouzs Berlin competition player Futuro Beach. Dont Swallow My Heart, Alligator Girl! talks about the legacy of the past in terms of war, but also in first love and in tragic models of masculinity. Would you agree? The film talks about memory in a lot of ways. Memory of the past, of the War of the Triple Alliance that our official history tries to forget but is always there, and Jocas memory of the recent ideal love story of his teenage years, which maybe everyone carries with them in different ways. This moment that created us as who we are. I wanted to create a dialogue between the two layers. Story continues How does the War of the Triple Alliance play out in contemporary Brazil? The war with Paraguay helped create the country we are now today. After that war, the country changed a lot. The army got stronger. We became a militarized society, which we continue to be, even in democracy. Sometimes I think about Brazilian identity as being like Joca in the film. We would love to be a heroic country, a country of the future. But we are too stuck in memories of the past to move forward. The film also talks about models of manhood. Jocas father is absent, his far older brother Fernando is desperately trying to earn the respect of the father that abandoned both of them by being an uber-man I wanted to talk about the decadence of a macho man society. Joca senses that the model of manhood he sees in his brother is in decadence. But he doesnt have the referents around him to know how to deal with that. So he ends up mirroring his brother, creating his own gang of friends who go around on push-bikes, rather than motorcycles. Did that influence the way you shot the biker gang with heavily-stylized references to classic or modern classic American movies in terms of color and composition? The idea was that the world of the gang and everything surrounding Fernando was always seen through Jocas imagination, with a feeling of fable, an atmosphere from comic books and even American movies that every boy sees in the afternoons after school. Films like The Warriors, American cinema that reaches these regions in Brazil via TV, creating a reference of what it is to be a man. Where did you shoot the film? Rio Grande del Sur? Matto Grosso del Sur, in Brazils far South-West. The real reason for the War was Brazils push south in an attempt to occupy the region, bring in settlers, carve out farmlands, on lands used by the indigenous peoples.. It sounds like the conquest of the American West Yes. When I researched the movie, one reference was American Westerns. Thats why Brazil raised Paraguays capital, Ascension: To destroy Paraguays economy, which is why it is still the poorest country in the region. Your film was shot in Brazils South-West, Marcelo Gomes competition player Joaquim and Daniela Thomas Panorama opener Vazante were both filmed in Brazils imposing eastern mountains, Davi Prettos Rifle on the farmlands of southern-most Brazil. You talked about Brazils identity. I sense your films are mapping this by exploring the huge events and factors shaping Brazils present. My sense is that about a decade ago, when we were trying to establish an auteur cinema in Brazil, we made films about things close to us. Now, as Brazil faces a large crisis which is not only political but about identity, were talking about bigger issues: Who we are, where we come from. Related stories Nordic Crime Series 'Below the Surface' Boarded by Germany's ZDFneo (EXCLUSIVE) Berlinale: Myriad Pictures to Sell 'Red Dog: True Blue' at European Film Market (EXCLUSIVE) Berlinale: Kristin Scott Thomas to Direct and Star in 'The Sea Change' RACINE A Racine woman has been charged in connection with stealing a purse on Friday while at Boston Store, 5500 Durand Ave. allegedly from an 88-year-old woman. Dailanique Jones, 20, of the 100 block of Main St., is charged with theft of movable property as a repeater, a Class H felony that could put her behind bars for up to three years. According to Racine police, Jones stole the purse of a woman and threatened to shoot her daughter after the daughter chased after her. Court records show Jones made her initial appearance in court on Monday. Jail records showed her in custody Monday and under a probationary hold because of a Department of Corrections warrant. According to the criminal complaint, the elderly woman was seated on her walker near the exit doors of Boston Store with her purse on one of the walkers handles. The woman told police that she noticed Jones hovering around her and that Jones snatched her purse off the walkers handle. Boston Store security footage corroborates the womans account, according to the complaint. Police confirmed Friday that Jones fled across the Regency Mall parking lot into Chuck E. Cheese, 5612 Durand Ave., before she was apprehended at Burger King, 5400 Durand Ave. ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports The Packers ruled out linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (knee) after he missed practice all week. That leaves rookie Quay Walker to wear the communication helmet on defense against the Lions. The only game Campbell has missed the past six seasons was Week 18 last season when he was inactive to rest for the postseason, not for [more] Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f371658%2f8da10683-f94c-4d6b-8342-83c1e40b1900 You don't have to spend long on Stephen King's Twitter feed to gain an insight into his feelings about the current U.S. President. The legendary horror-writer has been tweeting his thoughts about Trump (who he's previously referred to as a both "He Who Must Not Be Named" and "the Asshat Elect") ever since the billionaire's campaign kicked off back in summer 2015. As time's gone on, the tweets have only grown in volume. SEE ALSO: J.K. Rowling just burned Donald Trump for the 2nd time in 24 hours From evocative similes to outright anger, here's a timeline of the author's most memorable Trump shut-downs. 1. A few months into Trump's election campaign, King drew this comparison. Donald Trump: There hasn't been a novelty act this annoying since Alvin and the Chipmunks. Stephen King (@StephenKing) August 6, 2015 2. And this one. Donald Trump is like the crazy, ranting uncle you hope your friends will never meet. Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 6, 2015 3. This animal metaphor. I can no longer tweet about Trump. That anyone in America would even CONSIDER voting for this rabid coyote leaves me speechless. Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 9, 2015 4. And this even more descriptive animal metaphor. Oh, look! A rabid coyote with bad hair won the South Carolina primary! Please clap! Stephen King (@StephenKing) February 21, 2016 5. The time he compared Trump to one of his own evil characters. Populist demagogues like He Who Must Not Be Named aren't a new thing; see THE DEAD ZONE, published 37 years ago. Stephen King (@StephenKing) March 15, 2016 6. The time he had an idea. Say, here's an idea! Let's turn America's nukes over to a bad-tempered asshole with no knowledge of foreign policy. What could go wrong? Stephen King (@StephenKing) May 23, 2016 7. The time he shared this message with Republicans just before Trump's nomination. Congrats, Republicans! You're about to nominate a thin-skinned racist with the temperament of a 3-year-old. Stephen King (@StephenKing) June 5, 2016 8. The time he compared Trump to 37th U.S. President Richard Nixon. One difference between Nixon and Trump: when the Republicans nominated Nixon, they didn't actually KNOW he was a crook. Stephen King (@StephenKing) July 21, 2016 9. The time he shared an extra from "the Book of Republicans". From the Book of Republicans: "Lo, we have many assholes running for President. Let us consider, and pick the biggest. And so it was done." Stephen King (@StephenKing) August 11, 2016 10. The time he got his dog, Molly (a.k.a. "The Thing of Evil") involved. Molly, aka the Thing of Evil, demonstrates what the world will look like after 4 years of Trump foreign policy. pic.twitter.com/He5Sl4RDfq Stephen King (@StephenKing) September 14, 2016 11. This straight-to-the-point statement. The more I read about and listen to Donald Trump, the more appalled I am. Not as a Democrat; as a human being. A genuinely nasty man. Stephen King (@StephenKing) October 2, 2016 12. This evocative simile. Electing Donald Trump to fix America would be like fixing eczema with a blowtorch. Stephen King (@StephenKing) October 7, 2016 13. And this one. Trump looks like a big ole sulky baby. Do we need a big ole sulky baby as President? Stephen King (@StephenKing) October 10, 2016 14. This simple shut-down during one of the debates. Trump is up past his bedtime. Stephen King (@StephenKing) October 10, 2016 15. His pitch for a new story. My newest horror story: Once upon a time there was a man named Donald Trump, and he ran for president. Some people wanted him to win. Stephen King (@StephenKing) October 21, 2016 16. This appeal to Trump voters. Trump voters, please think again. Sure, you're mad. I get that. But you don't burn down the house because you don't like the decor. Stephen King (@StephenKing) October 27, 2016 17. This blunt summary. Trump: Sexist oinker, tax dodger, draft dodger, pal of Putin, racist, serial liar, ANNNND...Republican candidate for president! Stephen King (@StephenKing) November 1, 2016 18. The time he revealed who his dog was voting for. Molly, aka the Thing of Evil, after believing Donald Trump was the CANDIDATE of evil, switches her allegiance to someone even worse. pic.twitter.com/ZkvrfPffE5 Stephen King (@StephenKing) November 2, 2016 19. His vision of Trump's Christmas cards. The President-elect prepares his Christmas cards to foreign leaders. pic.twitter.com/eRsM1lnccb Stephen King (@StephenKing) November 22, 2016 20. The time he questioned Trump's mental state. Trump's tweets display hysteria, aggression, paranoia, insecurity. Politics aside, his mental state bears close watching. Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 2, 2016 21. Then followed it up with this. Trump's mental condition is open to debate, I suppose; that he's an incompetent asshat seems undeniable. Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 7, 2016 22. The time he shared his opinion on Trump's cabinet. Trump's proposed cabinet is the worst in American history: a motley crew of plunder-monkeys. Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 10, 2016 23. His depiction of Trump's relationship with Putin. Good elf Putin told Mr. Trump, I will help you win the election, but you will owe me. Mr. TRump said, Owe me or own me? Either okay with me! Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 16, 2016 24. This comment on the whole US voting system. Clinton won the election by 3 million votesthat's MILLIONand that idiot Trump is going to be president. What's wrong with this country? Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 22, 2016 25. The time he came up with an inventive new nickname. According to the Asshat Elect, we need more nukes. The guy's probably right. We only have enough to destroy the world 120 times over. Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 23, 2016 26. This Christmas eve message. Americans have been very bad this year, but instead of coal in our stockings, we're getting a big fat lump o' Trump. Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 24, 2016 27. The time he compared Trump and Obama. One remarkable difference between Obama and Trump: the latter seems to have absolutely no sense of humor. The clearest sign of a dull mind. Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 28, 2016 28. His comments on those explosive allegations. The current Trump allegations may not be true, but seeing him fed a dose of his own nasty medicine has a certain rough justice. Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 11, 2017 29. His pre-inauguration take. I wish anyone other than Donald Trumpleft, right, or centerwere taking the Oath of Office tomorrow. My preference would be Barack Obama. Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 19, 2017 30. And his thoughts during the ceremony. Welcome to the age of plunder, bluster, and empty rhetoric. In other words, to the Age of Dumb. If you voted for him, you're responsible. Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 20, 2017 31. Not to mention his feedback after Trump's first week. The ugliest first week of a presidency in the history of the American republic. Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 26, 2017 32. This appeal, which came in the wake of Trump's travel ban. if you call yourself a Christian, how can you support this latest Trump cruelty? Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 28, 2017 33. This memorable metaphor. Imagine a hooligan pouring sugar into the gas tank of an expensive and well-maintained car. Trump is that hooligan. America is that car. Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 29, 2017 34. This very frank description of Trump's presidency. If only Donald Trump was 5% as good at governing as he is at firing people of conscience. His presidency is a joke. Sadly, we're the butt. Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 31, 2017 35. This important explanation. Trump's view of fake news explained: "If it runs counter to what I believe or say, it's fake. The facts are irrelevant." Stephen King (@StephenKing) February 1, 2017 36. This "extreme vetting" suggestion. How about some extreme vetting of Donald Trump's tax returns? Stephen King (@StephenKing) February 1, 2017 37. This foreign policy update. Today's bummer: Trump screws up our relationship with Australia, a long-time ally. Our president is an impulsive, bad-tempered idiot. Stephen King (@StephenKing) February 2, 2017 38. And finally, this no-nonsense shutdown. Trump's tweets are both malevolent and excruciatingly dumb. He comes off sounding lie a pro wrestling bad guy from 1965. Stephen King (@StephenKing) February 4, 2017 For more Trump-themed burns (as well as book recommendations and occasional dog pics), you can follow @StephenKing on Twitter. Story continues BONUS: How Stephen King's 'The Dark Tower' survived development hell Watch The Dick Cavett Show on Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. Every night, between 12 and 15 million men in the U.S. are likely to have sleep interrupted by the need to get up and urinate, often multiple times, because of an enlarged prostate. The prostate gland is typically the size and shape of a walnut and is located in the lower part of the pelvis, below the bladder. It envelops the urethra, the tube through which urine flows from the bladder out of the body. When the prostate gland grows bigger -- which happens to virtually every man as he ages -- it can squeeze the urethra and make it difficult to pass urine. An enlarged prostate, a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, affects about half of men age 50 and above, says Dr. Robert Cornell, a urologist at St. Joseph Medical Center in Houston, Texas. BPH is increasingly common in men as they age, affecting as many as 90 percent of men ages 80 and above. An Array of Symptoms Men's prostate glands start getting bigger in their 30s, but it's rare for men under 40 to experience symptoms. Younger men who experience these types of symptoms should get a urological exam to determine if there's another cause of obstruction or a neurological problem, Cornell says. The mild to severe urinary symptoms BPH causes can negatively impact one's quality of life. An enlarged prostate can lead to increased frequency in urination, an urgent need to urinate, a weak urinary stream that may stop and start, a sense of incomplete bladder emptying, incontinence and sexual dysfunction. Because the condition often causes the need to go to the bathroom at night, it can lead to fatigue the next day -- which, in turn, is linked with everything from irritability to an increased risk of hip fractures, impaired daytime performance and reduced testosterone levels. BPH does not cause prostate cancer or affect a man's ability to have kids, but if the symptoms bother you, seek treatment. If left untreated, BPH can lead to urinary retention and cause bladder, urinary tract and kidney problems. Story continues [See: 5 Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Developing Kidney Disease.] Who's Most at Risk While not every man with an enlarged prostate will experience severe symptoms, virtually every man will get BPH if he lives long enough, says Kevin McVary, chairman of urology at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois, and co-chairman of the American Urological Association's Clinical Guidelines for BPH. "Urination problems attributed to an enlarged prostate are common in all men, regardless of race, ethnicity or country of origin," McVary says. "It is ubiquitous around the world." Though the condition is common among all kinds of men, some are at higher risk than others, according to the Mayo Clinic. Obesity markedly increases the risk of having an enlarged prostate, and exercise can lower it. Men who have a family member, such as a father or brother who've had BPH, are at a higher risk of developing an enlarged prostate. Black men have a higher chance of experiencing symptoms at a younger age than white men, and prostate enlargement is less common in Asian men. Men who have diabetes and take beta blockers -- prescription drugs used to treat heart disease and other conditions -- may also be at higher risk of BPH. Coping Strategies The millions of middle-aged and older men who grapple with BPH can't prevent it from occurring, but they can take steps to mitigate its effects, McVary says. Here are some strategies he and other doctors suggest: If your urination habits change, get checked out by a doctor. Such changes could be symptoms of BPH or something else, and you should make an appointment with your primary care physician or urologist, McVary says. An increase in urination, for example, could be caused by uncontrolled diabetes rather than an enlarged prostate. Men can also take an AUA questionnaire detailing urinary symptoms that can provide a score that indicates whether they're mild, moderate or severe. [See: Which Medical Screenings Should You Have in 2017?] Try behavioral changes. Some simple changes in your daily routine, such as limiting your fluid intake at night and not drinking anything for two hours before bedtime, can help cut down on the need to urinate during the time you should be sleeping, says Dr. Blaine Kristo, a urologist at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. "Don't drink a bottle of water before you go to bed," Kristo says. "Don't keep a bottle of water on the end table near your bed." McVary says he once treated a middle-aged patient who was concerned that he was getting up several times a night to urinate. When the man said he was drinking six beers nightly, McVary advised him to reduce his beer intake. The man did, and he no longer needed to get up every night to urinate. Experts also say to be wary of foods and beverages that are diuretics (and will therefore prompt you to urinate more), such as coffee, caffeinated tea, herbal tea, lemon juice, chocolate, pineapple, grapes and cherries. If those adjustments don't help much, consider medication. A change in habits will help some but not all men with BPH, and for those whose symptoms aren't relieved, medication is an option, says Dr. Peter Walter, a urologist in Jamestown, New York. Among the medications doctors prescribe are alpha blockers, which can relax the muscle at the base of the bladder and the prostate, and 5 alpha reductase inhibitors, which can, over a period of months, shrink the prostate, Walter says. Both medications have potential side effects; alpha blockers can cause the person taking them to pass out and increase his blood pressure, for example. And 5 alpha reductase inhibitors can cause sexual dysfunction, such as impotence. Some physicians are also prescribing tadalafil, commonly known by its brand name Cialis, which is often marketed as a drug that treats erectile dysfunction, McVary says. It works by helping to relax the prostrate. [See: What Color Should My Pee Be? A Stream of Urine Questions, Answered.] As a last resort, surgery's an option. If behavioral changes and medication don't work or cease to be effective, surgical procedures are an option, McVary says. Annually, about 200,000 men undergo procedures to shrink their prostates. By far, the two most common procedures are a transurethral resection, in which an instrument is inserted up the urethra to cut out the part of the prostate that's blocking urine flow, and a laser procedure, which vaporizes the tissue obstructing the urethra. Both procedures are typically effective but carry the risk of side effects such as erectile dysfunction. Other, newer procedures, such as the UroLift System, in which a urologist places tiny implants in the prostate to increase the opening of the urethra and allow for greater urine flow, show promise, but more research is needed to determine their long-term effectiveness, McVary says. Ruben Castaneda is a Health & Wellness reporter at U.S. News. He previously covered the crime beat in Washington, D.C. and state and federal courts in suburban Maryland, and he's the author of the book "S Street Rising: Crack, Murder and Redemption in D.C." You can follow him on Twitter, connect with him at LinkedIn or email him at rcastaneda@usnews.com. Milestone moments do not a year make. Often, its the smaller news stories that add up, gradually, to big history. With that in mind, in 2017 TIME History will revisit the entire year of 1967, week by week, as it was reported in the pages of TIME, to see how it all comes together. Catch up on last weeks installment here. Week 6: Feb. 10, 1967 In Japan, the leading Liberal Democratic Party which, confusingly, represented the conservative side of the nations politics had stayed in power despite expecting election setbacks. That event provided an opportunity for TIME to profile the nation and its Premier, Eisaku Sato. The magazine presented Japan the richest nation in Asia in contrast to its neighbor, China, which was in the middle of a chaotic period of upheaval. Although Japan kept an even keel, as its recent elections had shown, the nation was experiencing its own kind of change, as citizens and observers alike wondered whether Sato and his government would begin to push Japan out of the post-World War II bubble in which it still resided: [Japans intellectuals] recognize the diversity in the Communist world, contend that unfettered by ideology, Japan should be ready for all sorts of actions or options. In their demands for a more sophisticated foreign policy, they have given impetus to Premier Satos idea of a Japan fully involved with the rest of Asia. Their leader is Tokyo University Professor Yonosuke Nagai, 42, who maintains that the Sino-Soviet split and the unspoken cold alliance between Russia and the U.S. have given Japan the chance to recover power. Thus, while Japan is undoubtedly a bulwark of democracy in Asia, the U.S. will have to learn not to lean too hard on it or to take Japan for granted. Eventually, Japan will be strong and confident enough to go her own wayand that way may not always be precisely the U.S.s way. For now, though, most Japaneseincluding many of its government leadersare quite content to remain passive and to rely totally on trade with the West and the U.S. nuclear umbrella to prolong the 21-year postwar honeymoon of peace and prosperity. After all, Article 9 of the U.S.-imposed constitution forbids war for any purpose but self-defense. Japan today spends less on defense ($1.3 billion a year, or barely 1% of its gross national product) than any other major industrial nation. Story continues That said, the magazine also used the opportunity to present an overview of Japanese culture. While certainly indulging in some stereotypes (the average Japanese person sees no absurdity in sitting on a tatami mat in loose-flowing kimono to eat a breakfast of cornflakes and coffee), was a relatively nuanced look at the best the country had to offer, from novelists like Kenzaburo Oe to filmmakers like Akira Kurosawa and artists like Kiyoshi Saito, who had created that weeks cover image. Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter Surprise bestseller: Sen. Everett McKinley Dirksens recitation album Gallant Men: Stories of the American Adventure was a big hit prompting a dust-up between the Senator (who opposed compulsory union membership) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which insisted that he owed fees and dues. Beard police: An interesting side note to Cold War concern over the doings of communist nations comes courtesy of this odd little item in the world news section, reporting that Romania had banned beards. Abortion debate: The religion section presented an overview of the growing debate over legalizing abortion in the United States, as individual states and several other religious groups found themselves in opposition to the Catholic Churchs strict anti-abortion stance. The more permissive stance lined up with public opinion, the story noted, as a survey had found that 71% favored legal abortion when the womans health is seriously endangered, 56% when the pregnancy resulted from rape, and 55% when there is strong likelihood that the child would be born defective. And, though the conversation about abortion has changed, that feeling has remained substantially the same: as of mid-2016, Gallup found that 79% of respondents believed the procedure should be legal in some or all cases. Future tech: These days the use of a beeper or pager may seem like something straight out of Clueless, but it turns out the technology is a lot older than that, as TIME reported on their usefulness in the late 60s: With receivers as small and totable as a hip flask, one-way radio pagers are now a hot item. Some emit only a beep that tells the recipient to call his office from wherever he is. Others give out a beep-voice combination. Either way, the system is simple in concept: Party A wants to reach Party B, who is nowhere near a telephone. Party A calls a radio-paging center. There, an operator sends out an individually toned beep, or a voice instruction, to Party B, who is wearing a paging device. Party B goes to a telephone and calls in, or follows the vocal instruction. Great vintage ad: Heres your reminder that color TV was still a new and exciting but unreliable technology. Coming up next week: A cover story about Sen. Edward Brooke President Donald Trump is poised to deport up to 8 million undocumented immigrants across the nation after overhauling immigration law enforcement during his first week in office through a series of executive orders that could empower police officers to act as immigration officials. In short, anyone without proper documentation could be deported, including people who receive public assistance, such as food stamps or free lunch at school, a Los Angeles Times analysis published Saturday found. There are other consequences, as well. The deportations could hurt families, businesses with immigrant customers and agriculture and other industries that depend on undocumented laborers. The U.S.' ties to Latin American nations could be stained and the Social Security system, which benefits from immigrants paying into the system, would lose money. We are going back to enforcement chaos they are going to give lip service to going after criminals, but they really are going to round up everybody they can get their hands on, said David Leopold, a former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Assn. and an immigration lawyer for more than two decades. Trump's orders allow police officers to deport people convicted of crimes or believed to have committed "acts that constitute a chargeable criminal offense." That could lead to 6 million people being deported because they entered the U.S. without passing through an official border crossing. Meanwhile, of the nation's 11 million undocumented immigrants, 8 million work illegally, and Trumps order would remove anyone who lied on federal employment forms. Other immigrants who could be targeted include those who used a fake identity card drove without a license. Any undocumented immigrant who might use Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program would also be sent away. Its not that 6 million people are priorities for removal, it is the dangerous criminals hiding among those millions who are no longer able to hide, a White House official told the Los Angeles Times. Weve gone from a situation where ICE officers have no discretion to enhance public safety and their hands are totally tied, to allowing ICE officers to engage in preventative policing and to go after known public safety threats and stop terrible crimes from happening. Story continues In contrast, former President Barack Obama's administration only listed 1.4 million people as priorities for deportation proceedings. A federal judge's order blocked Trump's ban on travel from seven Muslim-majority nations. The Department of Homeland Security said it would comply but would take steps to challenge the ruling "at the earliest possible time." "(Trump's order) is intended to protect the homeland and the American people, and the president has no higher duty and responsibility than to do so," acting DHS press secretary Gillian Christensen said when announcing the suspension. The State Department said roughly 60,000 visas were revoked since the signing of the order in January. The ban affects people from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen and indefinitely halts refugees from Syria. Related Articles The Trump administration Sunday regrouped after a federal appeals court refused to stay a Seattle judges order blocking President Donald Trumps executive order barring people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. Vice President Mike Pence broke with the president, saying in an interview on ABCs This Week, U.S. District Judge James Robart, a George W. Bush appointee, certainly had the authority to block the executive order that barred travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States for at least 90 days. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals early Sunday upheld Robarts ruling, refusing to reinstate Trumps order immediately and asked both sides to file arguments by Monday. While the case is being adjudicated, what is happening? The State Department, which had provisionally revoked 60,000 visas since the Jan. 27 order began reinstating them, which means travelers can resume their trips to the United States at least until the ban is declared legal. The action prompted many to rush to the airport, fearing the window of opportunity would again slam shut. travel ban Photo: Brian Snyder/Reuters Where are the travelers going? Many changed their destinations, opting for Boston where another federal judge last weekend also blocked Trumps order. We had more than 40 mostly Iranian nationals land and clear customs today. Weve had Tunisians and Syrians too, all flying from Germany on Lufthansa, Kerry Doyle, an attorney with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, who was at Logan International Airport, told the Los Angeles Times. Story continues Where does the rest of the administration stand? Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly has ordered border patrol agents to comply with the court order as the State Department began reinstating visas. "Those individuals with visas that were not physically cancelled may now travel if the visa is otherwise valid," the State Department said. Officials at State also contacted airlines to advise them of the change in the administrations position. "There is no stopping any passenger if they have a visa," Hossam Hussein, Egyptair's manager for flights to New York, told NBC. What does President Trump think? The president issued a tweetstorm against the ruling and warned it would allow dangerous people to pour into the United States despite the lengthy vetting process refugees undergo. He also berated Robart as a so-called judge, something that didnt sit well with congressional leaders. Pence told Fox News Sunday the administration will use all legal means at our disposal to reinstate the ban. From the outset of his campaign and administration, the president of the United States has made it clear to put the safety of the American people first, Pence said. We are going to win this argument. Pence told NBCs Meet the Press, Congress gave the president the authority to act on this issue. We're very confident the president's operating within his authority as president, both under the constitution, and under clear statutory law. That's what's so frustrating about the decision, he said, adding there was nothing hasty about issuing the order even if the usual niceties werent extended to members of Congress. What do Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell think? The House speaker told Meet the Press the order is not a Muslim ban. Its not a religious test, but it should have been handled differently. McConnell told CNNs State of the Union its unlikely Congress will take any action of the courts strike down the ban. "I mean, the courts are going to decide whether the executive order the president issued is valid or not, and we all follow court orders," McConnell said. "We need to be careful about this," he said, adding, "There's a fine line here between proper vetting and interfering with the kind of travel or suggesting some kind of religious test, and we need to avoid doing that kind of thing." What happens next? Government lawyers defending the ban and plaintiffs will submit briefs Monday to the 9th Circuit. It will then be up to the judges to rule based on the briefs or schedule arguments before issuing an opinion. Either way, the case is likely to end up in the U.S. Supreme Court. Related Articles Civilian casualties in Afghanistan in 2016 were the highest recorded by the UN, the world body said Monday, with nearly 11,500 non-combatants -- one third of them children -- killed or wounded. Fighting between Afghan security forces and militants, especially in populated areas, remained "the leading cause of civilian casualties" more than two years after NATO's combat mission ended, said the United Nations, which began documenting civilian casualties in 2009. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said there were 11,418 civilian casualties (3,498 deaths and 7,920 injured), an increase of three percent over 2015, underscoring growing insecurity. More than 3,500 children were among the victims, a "disproportionate" increase of 24 percent in one year, the report said. This was mainly due to a 66 percent increase in casualties, most of whom were children, from unexploded ordnance. The UN's special envoy to Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto said the new figures were "deeply harrowing" and highlight "the gruesome reality of the conflict". He called on all parties -- militants as well as pro-government forces -- to cease fighting in populated areas, and stop using schools, hospitals and mosques for military purposes. "The continuation of attacks targeting civilians and indiscriminate attacks by Anti-Government Elements - in particular, IED and suicide attacks in civilian-populated areas - is illegal, reprehensible and, in most cases, may amount to a war crime," the report said. "It is imperative that the perpetrators, whoever they are, be held accountable for such acts." The report recorded the majority of civilian casualties in Kabul province followed by Helmand, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Uruzgan, Kunduz and Faryab provinces, said the mission's human rights director Danielle Bell. It documented an alarming tenfold increase in attacks by the Islamic State group, particularly targeting Shia Muslims, resulting in 899 civilian casualties (209 deaths and 690 injured). Story continues The UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, said the emergence of Islamic State in Afghanistan was an "additional, deadly component" to nearly four decades of conflict. 2016 also saw the highest number yet of civilian casualties caused by air strikes -- 590, of whom 250 were killed, the report said. That is nearly double the number of 2015, with women and children in populated areas often the victims, such as near the northern provincial capital of Kunduz in October. In the eight years since the United Nations launched the annual report, the conflict has claimed 24,841 civilian lives with 45,347 injuries, the report said. The vast majority (61 percent) of the casualties last year were attributed to "anti-government elements", mainly the Taliban, but also to the Islamic State group, while 24 percent were attributed to pro-government forces. TIRANA (Reuters) - Albanian rescue teams were still working on Monday to reach three Chinese mining engineers trapped since Saturday afternoon in a chrome mine at Bulqize after an explosion. The gas explosion on Saturday has destroyed the ventilation system as well as one side of the well at the chrome mine, run by Albanian Chrome, owned by Albania's Balfin Group. "The rescuers have managed to come 240 meters away from the spot where they are believed to be trapped," an official said. "They are building a makeshift airing system as they go along because there is a lot of gas there. It is really hard work as they go down the well," the official told Reuters. There has been no contact of any kind with the three since Saturday afternoon. The Chinese Embassy confirmed earlier that the search operation was still going on. Three other Chinese miners suffered minor injuries. The Chinese Embassy said the three Chinese mining specialists worked for the Wenzhou Corporation of Mining Tunnel Design, which had been contracted by Albanian Chrome. (Reporting by Benet Koleka; Editing by Ruth Pitchford) GREENFIELD A bus carrying 23 students from Catholic Central High School in Burlington and heading to Milwaukee for a dramatic performance was involved in a three-vehicle collision in Greenfield Monday morning. The bus was traveling northbound on south 43rd Street when one vehicle, which was traveling eastbound on West Howard Avenue, struck a sedan traveling south on south 43rd, according to Sgt. Peter Regenfelder from the Greenfield Police Department. Regenfelder believes that after striking the southbound sedan, the vehicle careened into the rear of the bus. All students were checked out as a precaution and no injuries were reported, according to Dave Wieters, principal at Catholic Central, 148 McHenry St. Although no students were injured, one of the two sedan drivers was transported to Aurora St Luke's Medical Center, 2900 W. Oklahoma Ave., Milwaukee, with minor injuries. The students were reportedly traveling to the Manderley Bed and Breakfast, 3026 W. Wells St., to perform scenes from Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest," according to a Manderley employee. Miami (AFP) - Long before European settlers arrived in the Americas in 1492, the Amazon rainforest was transformed for thousands of years by indigenous people who carved mysterious circles into the landscape, researchers said Monday. While the purpose of these hundreds of ditched enclosures, or geoglyphs, remains unclear, scientists say they may have served as ritual gathering places. Modern deforestation -- coupled with aerial photographs of the landscape -- helped reveal some 450 of these geoglyphs in Acre state in the western Brazilian Amazon. "The fact that these sites lay hidden for centuries beneath mature rainforest really challenges the idea that Amazonian forests are 'pristine ecosystems,'" said lead author Jennifer Watling, a post-doctoral researcher at the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography, University of Sao Paulo. Archeologists have found very few artifacts from the areas, and scientists suspect the structures -- which span 5,000 square miles (13,000 square kilometers) were not built as villages or for defensive reasons. Rather, they believe humans altered the bamboo forests and built small, temporary clearings "concentrating on economically valuable tree species such as palms, creating a kind of 'prehistoric supermarket' of useful forest products," said the study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed US scientific journal. The research is based on state-of-the-art techniques used to reconstruct some 6,000 years of vegetation and fire history around two geoglyph sites. Watling, who did the research while studying at the University of Exeter, said the findings show the area was not -- contrary to popular belief -- untouched by humans in the past. "Our evidence that Amazonian forests have been managed by indigenous peoples long before European contact should not be cited as justification for the destructive, unsustainable land-use practiced today," she added. "It should instead serve to highlight the ingenuity of past subsistence regimes that did not lead to forest degradation, and the importance of indigenous knowledge for finding more sustainable land-use alternatives." Shutterstock What is the most xenophobic nation in the world? Contrary to what you might think, the answer is likely Japan. Its an increasingly nationalist society with a foreign resident rate of less than two percent, far below almost every other nation in the Developed World. Japans resistance to immigration is literally killing the country, and sooner or later, that will become an economic problem for the US. For the first time since 1920, when Japan began taking a census, the countrys population dropped, by 1 million people over the last five years. Unsurprisingly, losing people, and the jobs they work and taxes they pay, is damaging Japans economy. While theres been some good economic news, its mostly due to exports: Consumer spending has dropped ten months in a row. Japans demographic picture isnt improving. Theres simply no reason for Japanese women to give birth: Cultural expectations simply make it impossible to have a career and family at the same time and many women are choosing the former over the latter. As a result, deaths are higher than births and the country has consistently lost around a quarter of million people from its population since 2010. By 2060, its expected that 40% of Japans population will be over 65. Most nations, particularly the US, solve this problem by opening their borders, but Japan can be a nightmare for immigrants. A false rumor that legal Korean immigrants were up for deportation led to an embarrassing surge of calls to Japanese immigration authorities. Despite rallies calling for it to be tabled, Japans first hate speech law finally was passed in 2016. Despite that, Japan still insists native people like the Ainu are ethnically Japanese, despite protests to the contrary. So, why should the US care? Well, just to start with, currently Japan is our largest debtholder, recently surpassing China. For another, we import $120 billion worth of goods from Japan every year, especially big-ticket items like cars and consumer electronics. Japan is one of the US most crucial trade partners; its decline will inevitably put a drag on the US economy, and force US companies to find new, perhaps less ideal countries to trade with. Secondly, its a matter of security; Japan is our closest ally in whats increasingly a hotly disputed area of the world, and is uncomfortably close to ambitious states such as North Koreaa. Unless Japans population stabilizes, the US might find itself forced to the unprecedented step of occupying an allied country, with their own consent. Can Japan solve these problems themselves? It seems unlikely. The country has been well aware of its own demographic crisis for years now, and yet seems powerless to stop the problem. The countrys interest in robots has been widely criticized as racially motivated: Japan would rather have a nation of machines than allow foreign nurses to emigrate to the country, even on a temporary basis. Short of enormous, and likely tumultuous, social change, Japan is likely to become a hollow vessel America is forced to fill. Munich (Germany) (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel formally united her conservative block behind her re-election bid Monday, despite discord over migrant policy, as she faces tough challenges from both the right and left. While a huge refugee influx has fuelled the rise of the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Merkel is also under pressure from her centre-left coalition partners the Social Democrats, who have enjoyed a sudden spike in popularity. In view of the twin threat, Merkel and Horst Seehofer, head of the Bavarian CSU party, her traditional ally, on Monday said they had buried the hatchet after openly feuding over the migrant crisis. "We will jointly head into this election battle," said Seehofer, premier of Bavaria state, who had long been Merkel's fiercest conservative critic over the influx that has brought more than a million asylum seekers to Germany since 2015. Despite their unresolved differences -- notably the CSU's demand to cap migrant arrivals at 200,000 a year from now on -- they agreed to fight together in what Merkel said would be her "toughest election campaign" yet. The latest poll results "challenge us to put up a decent fight" in September's general election, Merkel said at a joint press conference with Seehofer after a two-day meeting of the parties dubbed the "peace summit" by the media. And Seehofer praised Merkel, saying that under her more than decade-long leadership, Europe's top economy was an "island of stability". Nonetheless, the atmosphere remained cool and Merkel's expression frosty. News portal Spiegel Online said Merkel and Seehofer looked like "a deeply divided couple giving their marriage one last chance for the sake of the family". - Threat from left - Despite her strong track record, Merkel faces multiple challenges at home, and a confused picture in Europe and internationally. The AfD, which is close to France's far-right National Front and other European populists, has railed against Merkel's liberal asylum policy and has been polling at 12-15 percent in recent months. Story continues And in a new challenge, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) has seen a sharp rise in support in recent days under new leader Martin Schulz, the former president of the European parliament. In a newspaper poll on Monday, the SPD -- having long played second fiddle to Merkel's party in a loveless "grand coalition" government -- for the first time overtook her conservative bloc. In the Insa poll published by mass-circulation Bild daily, it scored 31 percent against 30 percent for Merkel's CDU-CSU bloc. Political analyst Oskar Niedermayer of Berlin's Free University cautioned that there had been "huge media hype" around Schulz, and that he was yet to outline his stance on a range of policy issues. - 'World in turmoil' - Ahead of the election, which is expected on September 24, the campaign looks set to be dominated by the migrant issue and domestic security. The AfD has linked the mass migration, mostly from Muslim countries, with security fears fanned by several jihadist attacks, especially a deadly truck rampage through a Berlin Christmas market in December. The rightwing party has also hailed the election of US President Donald Trump and last month met with European populists, including French presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen and Geert Wilders of the Dutch anti-Islam Freedom Party. For Merkel, who is often dubbed the "queen of Europe", challenges loom on the increasingly uncertain international scene. While Berlin has long been in a tense standoff with Moscow over the Ukraine and Syria conflicts, question marks suddenly hover over its relationship with Washington under the Trump administration. In recent weeks, Trump and US officials have threatened German auto companies that produce in Mexico, and accused Germany of exploiting an undervalued euro to take advantage of its trading partners. Meanwhile, at the European level, Berlin and the rest of the EU face the coming Brexit divorce talks and uncertainty in France, where a new president is to be elected by May. Seehofer said that in a "world in turmoil" the way Berlin defined its relations with London, Washington and Moscow was "of utmost importance for the people of Germany". Merkel pledged that her conservative bloc would offer a responsible leadership characterised by "stability and order and a measured, centrist approach". ROME (Reuters) - Posters accusing Pope Francis of attacking conservative Catholics appeared around Rome this weekend and were swiftly covered up by city authorities. The posters, put up during the night between Friday and Saturday by mystery activists, featured a picture of a stern-faced pope and the slogan: "Where's your mercy?" The text accused Francis of several interventions targeting conservatives, including what the posters called "the beheading of the Knights of Malta." This was a reference to an ancient Catholic order of knights which is now a worldwide charity and whose former Grand Master handed in his resignation to the pope last week after a two-month, highly public feud. The posters appeared several hours before the Vatican announced the name of the pope's personal delegate to the troubled order, a move that side-lined conservative Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, who had been its chaplain since 2014 and is a frequent critic of the pope. In a letter released by the Vatican on Saturday, Francis told Archbishop Angelo Becciu that he would be the "exclusive spokesman" for the pope at the Order until elections are held for a new Grand Master in several months.. The posters were even more mysterious because sections of the text were written in the working class dialect Romanesco, spoken only in the Rome area. City authorities pasted white paper over them with the message "illegal advertising", as they had been put up without authorization or the payment of a tax. The Vatican had no comment. But Father Antonio Spadaro, a Jesuit who is close to the pope, said in a tweet that they were a sign that Francis was doing a good job and therefore irritating many people. (Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump is threatening to punish cities and other municipalities that shelter immigrants living in the country illegally by denying them federal dollars. Can a president do that? Most taxpayer money is beyond Trump's control. But a relatively small portion of the federal budget involves grants distributed by agency and Cabinet department heads appointed by Trump, and those programs could be affected. WHAT IS TRUMP THREATENING? Through a recent executive order and, on Sunday in an interview with Fox's Bill O'Reilly, Trump threatened to "defund" so-called sanctuary cities by taking away their federal grants. Those are cities and other municipalities that, generally speaking, shelter immigrants in the country illegally by refusing to help the federal government enforce immigration laws. Among the sanctuary cities are New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, as well as smaller jurisdictions like Takoma Park, Maryland, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. "I don't want to defund anybody. I want to give them the money they need to properly operate as a city or a state," Trump told O'Reilly. "If they're going to have sanctuary cities, we may have to do that. Certainly that would be a weapon." Just how big of a weapon isn't clear. Trump's threat was enough to prompt Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, a Republican, to abandon its sanctuary status. But many other sanctuary cities are vowing to fight. WHAT MONEY WOULD TRUMP CUT OFF? As for Trump's defunding threat, the first thing to know is that the largest sources of federal funds are exempt from Trump's edict. Payments to individuals, such as Social Security or health benefits from Medicare, Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act are off the table. Other large pots of federal money set by formula such as highway funding and aid to disadvantaged schools are also exempt, as well as other programs like subsidized housing vouchers, heating subsidies for the poor and food stamps. Story continues What is left are discretionary grant programs. The order decrees that sanctuary jurisdictions "are not eligible to receive federal grants, except as deemed necessary for law enforcement purposes." That wording is very broad and could conceivably include grant programs that cities and states apply for and are distributed at the discretion of agency heads. Such funds include sewer and water grants distributed by the Environmental Protection Agency, money to help communities buy equipment for first responders such as firefighters, and special transportation grants established under President Barack Obama's 2009 economic stimulus bill. On the other hand, there's legal precedent that says the federal government has to establish a concrete tie between the funding it may cut off and what it is demanding of the states in other words, the punishment is supposed to fit the crime. If applied so narrowly, the ban on funding for sanctuary cities could be limited to a handful of smaller programs within the departments of Justice and Homeland Security. Such more narrowly targeted programs include grants for justice assistance, police hiring and funds for programs combating violence against women. Another program partially reimburses state and local governments for the costs of keeping unauthorized immigrants in jail. WOULD THERE BE LEGAL CHALLENGES? Yes. The administration hasn't given detailed guidance on how the order will be enforced, but legal challenges are certain once it is used against a city or state. For one thing, critics say the order ignores legal precedent that holds that the federal government can't force the employees of local jurisdictions to enforce federal laws. For instance, a 1997 Supreme Court decision held that the feds can't force states to "enact or administer a federal regulatory program." Reality took a beating from the Washington blame game this past week. Americans heard about a Kentucky massacre that never happened, a travel ban that was a ban despite it being called something else, and a dark plot to help Russian intelligence that was nothing of the sort. A look at some of the ways political figures strayed into fiction: ___ SEAN SPICER, White House press secretary: "Well, first of all, it's not a travel ban." On President Donald Trump's executive order halting travel to the U.S. for people from seven majority-Muslim countries. JOHN KELLY, secretary of homeland security: "This is not a travel ban; this is a temporary pause that allows us to better review the existing refugee and visa-vetting system." THE FACTS: That's not what their boss said the day before. President Donald Trump defended the order and its immediate implementation in a tweet: "If the ban were announced with a one week notice, the 'bad' would rush into our country during that week. A lot of bad 'dudes' out there!" Spicer himself also had called it a ban Monday at George Washington University's School of Media and Public Affairs, saying "the ban deals with seven countries that the Obama administration had previously identified as needing further travel restrictions." ___ TRUMP, in a White House statement Sunday: "My policy is similar to what President (Barack) Obama did in 2011 when he banned visas for refugees from Iraq for six months." THE FACTS: That's not what happened. According to State Department data, 9,388 Iraqi refugees were admitted to the United States during the 2011 budget year. The data also show that Iraqi refugees were admitted every month during the 2011 calendar year. The Obama administration did slow processing for Iraqi nationals seeking refuge in the U.S. under the government's Special Immigrant Visa program for translators and interpreters who worked with American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. That happened after two Iraqi nationals were arrested on terrorism-related charges. But that year, 618 Iraqis were allowed to enter the U.S. with that special visa. Story continues As well, government data show that during the 2011 budget year, more than 7,800 Iraqis were allowed into the United States on non-immigrant visas, including tourists. ___ TRUMP, in the same statement: "The seven countries named in the Executive Order are the same countries previously identified by the Obama administration as sources of terror." THE FACTS: That's misleading. There were no special U.S. travel restrictions on citizens of those seven countries. The Republican-led Congress in 2015 voted to require visas and additional security checks for foreign citizens who normally wouldn't need visas such as those from Britain if they had visited the seven countries: Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. This was included in a large spending bill passed overwhelmingly by Congress and signed by Obama. As the law was enacted, the Obama administration announced that journalists, aid workers and others who traveled to the listed countries for official work could apply for exemptions. ___ TRUMP, also in Sunday's statement: "To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting. This is not about religion this is about terror and keeping our country safe. There are over 40 different countries worldwide that are majority Muslim that are not affected by this order." THE FACTS: Trump is right that there are many majority-Muslim countries that have not been included in the travel ban. But he's also being misleading. The executive order signed Jan. 27 does not specifically say Muslims can't visit the U.S., but it does create a temporary total travel ban for citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries. It also indefinitely bans Syrians. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani recently told Fox News that Trump had asked him to create a plan for a Muslim ban that would meet legal tests. Giuliani said he ultimately made recommendations that focused on security and what countries posed security threats. ___ NANCY PELOSI, a California Democrat and House minority leader, on Thursday: "Less than two weeks after walking into the White House, President Trump lifts sanctions on the Russian Security Service. Vladimir Putin's thugs meddle with an American election, and President Trump gives them a thank you present. " THE FACTS: Pelosi's complaint about Trump's revision of sanctions on the Russian intelligence service FSB doesn't hold water. If the revision is a gift to anyone, it's to U.S. sellers of consumer electronics. The Dec. 29 sanctions imposed by the Obama administration were not intended to ban the U.S. sale of cellphones, tablets and other consumer electronics to Russia. But they had that effect, by barring U.S. firms from getting the permits needed from the FSB to sell in Russia. The FSB has regulatory as well as intelligence responsibilities. Trump's change does not materially benefit the FSB, except in a minuscule way. It allows U.S. firms to pay the FSB a required fee of up to $5,000 per year to export encryption-capable consumer electronics to that country. It's of more benefit to the U.S. sellers and Russian buyers of those devices. It's not unusual to fine-tune sanctions to permit certain transactions. Democrats incensed at alleged Russian hacking of their party's campaign communications have been watching for a sign that Trump would ease Obama's Russian sanctions in a consequential way. But this wasn't it. ___ KELLYANNE CONWAY, senior Trump adviser, in an MSNBC interview Thursday: "President Obama had a six-month ban on the Iraqi refugee program after two Iraqis came here to this country, were radicalized, and they were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre." She went on: "Most people don't know that because it didn't get covered." THE FACTS: There was no massacre. Conway tweeted the next day that she'd misspoken, and meant to say "Bowling Green terrorists." But she didn't address another mischaracterization that Obama had instituted a similar ban. Obama never banned Iraqi refugees or other Iraqi travelers from coming to the United States. His administration did slow down the processing for Iraqis seeking Special Immigrant Visas, which are given to translators and interpreters who worked with the U.S. in that country. The slowdown was prompted by the May 2011 arrest of two men in Kentucky charged with plotting to send weapons and money to al-Qaida operatives abroad. Waad Ramadan Alwan and Mohanad Shareef Hammadi had been mistakenly admitted to the U.S. as Iraqi refugees in 2009 and resettled in Bowling Green. Alwan and Hammadi are in prison after pleading guilty. They were never accused of plotting to launch attacks inside the U.S. EDITOR'S NOTE _ A look at the veracity of claims by political figures Getty Image Donald Trump dropped most his controversial executive order the immigration ban on refugees from Muslim-majority countries ten days ago, and the resulting chaos wont stop. A few of the most recent updates include Trump lashing out at a so-called judge for suspending the ban along with the shut down of an appeal after Trump requested an immediate reinstatement. Now, Trump not only has judges ruling against his ban, but almost 100 companies have joined the legal fight as well. Following Uber CEO Travis Kalanicks decision to resign from the economic advisory council, a total of 97 companies (so far) including Apple, Facebook, Airbnb, Netflix, PayPal, and Microsoft have signed an amicus (friend of the court) brief. Together, they tell the court that Trumps order will only harm American businesses: The Order represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system of the United States for more than fifty years. And the Order inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth as a result. The Order makes it more difficult and expensive for U.S. companies to recruit, hire, and retain some of the worlds best employees. It disrupts ongoing business operations. And it threatens companies ability to attract talent, business, and investment to the United States. Theres a Make America Great Again joke in there somewhere, but these companies argue that Trumps ban will only make things more difficult (and more expensive) for America to thrive. And in turn, one would imagine that this will detrimentally affect U.S. workers by quashing innovation, which wont please Trumps voting base in the long run. Trump hasnt addressed the amicus brief on Twitter yet, but hes probably still upset with the New York Times for their report on how Steve Bannon may have secured his National Security Council spot under less than honorable circumstances. Story continues Meanwhile, CNN Money reveals that Elon Musk has yet to sign Tesla to the brief. Musk also plans to remain on Trumps advisory council in an effort to influence the president from behind the curtain on matters of climate change and immigration. You can see the full list of companies who have signed the amicus brief here. (Via CNN Money & Gizmodo) London (AFP) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange made a renewed plea on Monday for Sweden and Britain to respect a United Nations panel ruling that said he was being arbitrarily detained. "I call on UK and Sweden to do the right thing and restore my liberty," Assange said in a statement, issued on the one-year anniversary of the ruling. The 45-year-old founder of the secret-spilling website has been at the Ecuadoran embassy in London since 2012, having taken refuge to avoid being sent to Sweden where he faces a rape allegation that he denies. He fears Sweden would extradite him to the United States over his website's leaking of diplomatic cables and other classified documents. Assange said Britain and Sweden were in breach of their international obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In February 2016, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found Assange was being "arbitrarily detained" by Britain and Sweden, a decision it reaffirmed in December following an appeal by the British government. "Julian Assange is not, and has never been, arbitrarily detained in the UK," Britain's junior foreign minister Alan Duncan said in a statement at the time. Last month, Assange said he was willing to travel to the US to face investigation after one of WikiLeaks' main sources, Chelsea Manning, was given clemency by then president Barack Obama. But he said he would only do so if his rights were "guaranteed". By Colin Packham SYDNEY (Reuters) - A prominent member of Australia's government is set to defect to form his own conservative party, media reported on Monday, further evidence of a shift towards the right that is weakening Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's already tenuous grip on power. Adding to center-right leader Turnbull's woes, an opinion poll published on Monday showed that support for his coalition had slipped to its lowest since he took power in a party-room coup 17 months ago and that his Liberal-National coalition would easily fall if an election was held now. Both developments came only days after Turnbull's leadership was questioned after he was berated by U.S. President Donald Trump over a refugee resettlement deal in a tense telephone call that hit international headlines. On Monday, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported that Senator Cory Bernardi was about to abandon the Liberal Party, the senior coalition partner, to set up a more conservative wing - the biggest party split in a generation. As well as highlighting internal party divisions, Bernardi's defection would also underline a hard turn to the right in Australian politics typified by the resurgence of Pauline Hanson's nationalist One Nation party. Bernardi could not be reached for comment but another senior coalition conservative said the creation of a new party would indicate Turnbull had moved too close to the political center. "It sends a signal to the leadership that we cannot abandon conservative causes, conservative principles and conservative policies," Nationals member George Christensen said in Canberra. Political analysts also believed it meant Turnbull, who took the leadership from the more conservative Tony Abbott in September 2015, could soon face a leadership challenge himself. "Cory Bernardi could appeal to conservatives that have so far continued to support the government. If that happens ... we could have another leadership challenge in the mid-year," said Haydon Manning, professor of politics at Flinders University in South Australia. The loss of Bernardi would likely also make it even harder for Turnbull to govern after he won only a razor-thin majority at an election last year. Monday's Newspoll, published in The Australian newspaper, showed the coalition with 46 percent support on a two-party preferred basis, where votes for minor parties are redistributed, eight points behind the Labor opposition. Support for Hanson's One Nation - which first gained international notoriety in the late 1990s with its appeal to white nationalism - hit a national high of 8 percent, the poll showed. The government has tried to limit the number of votes seeping to more populist right wing alternatives by taking an increasingly protectionist stance on foreign investment. (Reporting by Colin Packham) SALEM A woman was killed and a sheriffs deputy was later injured in consecutive events at the same location on Sunday night, the Kenosha County Sheriffs Department reports. At 6:45 p.m. Sunday, the Sheriffs Department, along with Town of Salem Fire and Rescue, responded to the 11100 block of Antioch Road (Highway 83) for a report of a serious crash, according to a release issued Monday morning by the Sheriffs Department. Upon arrival, it was determined that a northbound 2015 Hyundai Accent and a southbound 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier collided head-on at that location, the release stated. The operator of the Chevrolet, Jennifer Ginter, 30, of Bristol, was pronounced dead at the scene. The operator of the Hyundai, Ann Zavodny, 20, of Trevor, was transported by Flight for Life helicopter to Froedert Hospital in Wauwatosa with what later were determined to be non-life-threatening injuries. At 8:13 p.m., as deputies controlled traffic around the scene, a driver attempted to drive past a deputys traffic control point at Highway JF and Antioch Road, which included a fully marked patrol vehicle and road flares. As the deputy confronted the suspect, the vehicle ran over the deputys foot, the release stated. The operator of that vehicle, Randy Eppers, 65, of Ingleside, Ill., was arrested by the Wisconsin State Patrol and is facing pending charges of fourth-offense drunken driving, operating while intoxicated causing injury, and operating without a license. Eppers was being held at the Kenosha County Jail as of Monday. The injured deputy was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The cause of the fatal crash remained under investigation Monday, the release stated. The roadway remained closed until about 11:45 p.m. Sunday. By James Regan SYDNEY (Reuters) - Seven percent of Catholic priests working in Australia between 1950 and 2010 were accused of child sex crimes but few were pursued, Church data showed on Monday, as hearings began over allegations dating back decades. Last year, Australia's most senior Catholic, Cardinal George Pell, said the Church had made "enormous mistakes" and "catastrophic" choices by refusing to believe abused children, shuffling abusive priests from parish to parish and over-relying on counseling of priests to solve the problem. Monday's data, seen as the most substantial to detail the extent of child sex abuse in the Church, were compiled with the Catholic hierarchy's cooperation by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Francis Sullivan, chief executive of the Church's Truth, Justice and Healing Council, said 1,265 Catholic priests and religious brothers and nuns had been accused between 1950 and 2010. "These numbers are shocking. They are tragic and they are indefensible," Sullivan told the commission in Sydney. "As Catholics, we hang our heads in shame." Sullivan held back tears as he described the "massive failure on the part of the Catholic Church in Australia to protect children from abusers". Commission research showed 4,444 people had made allegations of abuse to 93 Catholic authorities between 1980 and 2015. The worst-offending institutions were the orders of brothers who often run schools and homes for the most vulnerable children, with girl victims aged 10.5 on average, while boys were 11.6 years old, the commission's research showed. The church surveyed 10 religious institutions and 75 church authorities to uncover the abuse data on priests, non-ordained brothers and sisters, and other church personnel employed between 1950 and 2009. Prosecutions have been launched in 27 of the 309 abuse cases the commission has referred to Australian police, with 75 more being investigated, it says. The hearing is due to run for three weeks. Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher said in a statement issued through the Vatican that he "personally felt shaken and humiliated" by the findings. "The coming weeks will be traumatic for everyone involved, especially the survivors," he said. "Confronting as it will be, I remain determined to do all we can to assist those who have been harmed by the Church and to work towards a culture of greater transparency, accountability and safety for all children," Fisher said. Two members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors set up by Pope Francis were invited to give evidence via video link but instead opted to provide written evidence on the group's work, the commission was told. Sexual abuse of minors in the Catholic Church broke into the open in 2002, when it was discovered that U.S. bishops in the Boston area had moved abusers from parish to parish instead of defrocking them. Similar scandals have since been discovered around the world and tens of millions of dollars have been paid in compensation. (Reporting by James Regan; Editing by Tom Heneghan) SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) The U.S. Coast Guard says it has rescued a 56-year-old Austrian man who was stranded on a life raft after his boat sank in the Atlantic Ocean northeast of Puerto Rico. Authorities said Monday that 56-year-old Wolfgang Sloma sent a distress signal on Sunday after his mast broke and a hole in the hull caused his 27-foot (8-meter) vessel to take on water. Officials said they found Sloma later the same day more than 120 miles (193 kilometers) northeast of Puerto Rico. They said a cargo boat from Singapore diverted from its course to help rescue Sloma. The Coast Guard said Sloma was in good condition. Avengers: Infinity War will likely be the first Avengers film to leave Earth. A new casting call seems to strongly hint that Asgard could be visited in the 2018 flick. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution printed casting calls for both Black Panther and the third Avengers movie. The latter calls for background extras from ages 18-50 of all ethnicities. In particular, they want men with long hair and beards. As any Thor fan knows, Asgard is filled with hairy men. The notice certainly makes it sound like they could be warriors, like the Asgardians. Youll need to be comfortable with fake blood and with wearing special effects makeup, the article notes. Those interested are supposed to send their submissions with VIKING in the subject line. Even casual Thor fans know that his story takes inspiration from the Vikings and Norse mythology. Asgard Photo: Marvel It isnt too surprising to hear that another planet will be show in Infinity War. In fact, it wouldnt be shocking if several planets are visited. Production designer Charles Wood told ComicBook.com that many new locations would be expolored in the 2018 action movie. I think rather like Doctor Strange, youll find this film, its not regurgitative, yeah? What Im trying to say, is, there are many, many, many new worlds to see in this film, he teased last month. Of course, not much is confirmed about Avengers: Infinity War. Even most of the cast list has confirmed by the actors themselves rather than Marvel. Specific plot details are under wraps. The only detail thats been confirmed is that our heroes will finally be fighting Thanos. Among characters returning for the movie are Captain America (Chris Evans), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Black Widow (Scarlet Johansson), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and Nebula (Karen Gillan). Filming on the movie has already begun in Atlanta. Avengers: Infinity War is expected in theaters on May 4, 2018. Story continues Thor Asgard Photo: Marvel Related Articles The ACT English section consists entirely of multiple-choice questions that are based on several reading passages. This portion tests students in two main areas: rhetorical skills, such as style and organization, and mechanics, including syntax, punctuation and grammar. The ACT English section can be daunting because it requires you to answer a wealth of questions in a short period of time and requires a different type of reading than you may be used to. To ensure your best performance on the ACT English section, veer away from these common traps. [Find out how to avoid common SAT and ACT preparation mistakes.] 1. Overlooking "NO CHANGE" as a valid answer choice: To succeed on the ACT English section, you must read with a highly critical eye, much like that of an editor. During this portion, you will be presented with short passages that contain underlined, numbered phrases. First read the passage closely. Then read the question or statement that relates to each underlined, numbered phrase. For each, select the correct substitute for the section or select "NO CHANGE" when the original text is the best option. While you may be tempted to suggest a correction for each underlined, numbered phrase, remember that a change is not always necessary. Each multiple-choice question is accompanied by four possible responses, the first of which is always "NO CHANGE." This implies that "NO CHANGE" is a plausible selection at least part of the time. A correction will be accurate in quite a few cases but not in all -- don't be afraid to choose "NO CHANGE" if it is the best answer choice. [Learn college students' best SAT, ACT test strategies.] 2. Working at an inconsistent or ill-timed pace: This section of the ACT can seem demanding when you consider you must answer 75 questions in 45 minutes. That gives you an average of 36 seconds per question. To account for unforeseen mishaps, round down and aim to answer two ACT English questions every minute. Story continues Your timing is critical. For instance, if you spend almost a full minute on one particularly tricky item, you may fail to reach another question -- one that may be far simpler. For this reason, it is essential that you monitor your timing. This doesn't mean you must glance at the clock every 30 seconds. In fact, such a habit could negatively affect your test performance. Instead, practice taking a sample ACT English section with a timer. If you use a timer on every sample exam that you sit for, you will grow accustomed to the pace that is necessary on test day. [Manage time wisely on the ACT writing test.] 3. Devoting attention to the wrong English elements: Again, to excel on the ACT English section, you must be able to read both efficiently and accurately. Many high students unfortunately hold the mistaken belief that their reading level and style are unchangeable. As a result, they tend to devote their study efforts to other areas of literacy, such as spelling and vocabulary. While these aspects are certainly important in academia and the professional world, they are less central to this section of the ACT, which assesses items like organization and grammar. Be aware that there are different ways of reading. In high school, you likely read to expand your knowledge -- in other words, to absorb as many details about a topic as possible and to make sense of new information. On the ACT English section, your job is to find errors and question the author's choices -- you should not be concerned with taking in unfamiliar data. When you prepare for the ACT, using sound study techniques is just as helpful as avoiding frequent mistakes. Now that you know common mistakes on the ACT English section, adjust your study routine accordingly. Tiffany Sorensen is a tutor and contributing writer with Varsity Tutors. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Spanish Language & Literature from Stony Brook University--SUNY and a Master of Science in translation from New York University. It's been a rough couple weeks for Fiona the hippo, who was born more than six weeks premature, but she is finally taking her first steps. Read: Baby Hippo Born 6 Weeks Early at Cincinnati Zoo, Still Weighs 29 Pounds An overnight animal care crew from the Cincinnati Zoo captured footage of Fiona, a baby Nile hippo, wobbling around an indoor area Saturday night. She also took most of her formula on her own, the zoo reported in a press statement. "Encouraging news from hippo headquarters," the zoo said. The positive update follows a more bleak Facebook post from the zoo Saturday, which shows Fiona resting on a caretaker's chest, to help the baby hippo get more oxygen to her lungs. Baby Fiona weighed only 29 pounds when she was born two weeks ago, which is 25 pounds lighter than the lowest recorded birth weight for the species, the zoo reported. The newborn hippo wasnt expected until March and wasnt strong enough to stand and nurse from her Nile hippo mom, 17-year-old Bibi. Read: Baby Beats the Odds to Survive, Despite Being Born With Feet the Size of Pennies In addition to round-the-clock care from animal staff, Fiona has received endless support from the community, including a local NICU team from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital, who sent over a gift basket for the preemie hippo last week. Watch: Baby Hippo Born Premature Receives Care Package From NICU Team at Children's Hospital Related Articles: Think of two significant trend lines in the world today. One is the increasing ambition and activism of the two great revisionist powers, Russia and China. The other is the declining confidence, capacity, and will of the democratic world, and especially of the United States, to maintain the dominant position it has held in the international system since 1945. As those two lines move closer, as the declining will and capacity of the United States and its allies to maintain the present world order meet the increasing desire and capacity of the revisionist powers to change it, we will reach the moment at which the existing order collapses and the world descends into a phase of brutal anarchy, as it has three times in the past two centuries. The cost of that descent, in lives and treasure, in lost freedoms and lost hope, will be staggering. Americans tend to take the fundamental stability of the international order for granted, even while complaining about the burden the United States carries in preserving that stability. History shows that world orders do collapse, however, and when they do it is often unexpected, rapid, and violent. The late 18th century was the high point of the Enlightenment in Europe, before the continent fell suddenly into the abyss of the Napoleonic Wars. In the first decade of the 20th century, the worlds smartest minds predicted an end to great-power conflict as revolutions in communication and transportation knit economies and people closer together. The most devastating war in history came four years later. The apparent calm of the postwar 1920s became the crisis-ridden 1930s and then another world war. Where exactly we are in this classic scenario today, how close the trend lines are to that intersection point is, as always, impossible to know. Are we three years away from a global crisis, or 15? That we are somewhere on that path, however, is unmistakable. And while it is too soon to know what effect Donald Trumps presidency will have on these trends, early signs suggest that the new administration is more likely to hasten us toward crisis than slow or reverse these trends. The further accommodation of Russia can only embolden Vladimir Putin, and the tough talk with China will likely lead Beijing to test the new administrations resolve militarily. Whether the president is ready for such a confrontation is entirely unclear. For the moment, he seems not to have thought much about the future ramifications of his rhetoric and his actions. Story continues China and Russia are classic revisionist powers. Although both have never enjoyed greater security from foreign powers than they do today Russia from its traditional enemies to the west, China from its traditional enemy in the east they are dissatisfied with the current global configuration of power. Both seek to restore the hegemonic dominance they once enjoyed in their respective regions. For China, that means dominance of East Asia, with countries like Japan, South Korea, and the nations of Southeast Asia both acquiescing to Beijings will and acting in conformity with Chinas strategic, economic, and political preferences. That includes American influence withdrawn to the eastern Pacific, behind the Hawaiian Islands. For Russia, it means hegemonic influence in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, which Moscow has traditionally regarded as either part of its empire or part of its sphere of influence. Both Beijing and Moscow seek to redress what they regard as an unfair distribution of power, influence, and honor in the U.S.-led postwar global order. As autocracies, both feel threatened by the dominant democratic powers in the international system and by the democracies on their borders. Both regard the United States as the principal obstacle to their ambitions, and therefore both seek to weaken the American-led international security order that stands in the way of their achieving what they regard as their rightful destinies. President Xi Jinping makes a speech during the opening ceremony of the G20 Leaders Summit as President Barack Obama, left, and President Vladimir Putin, right, listen on Sept. 4, 2016 in Hangzhou, China. (Photo credit: NICOLAS ASFOURI - Pool/Getty Images) It was good while it lasted Until fairly recently, Russia and China have faced considerable, almost insuperable, obstacles in achieving their objectives. The chief obstacle has been the power and coherence of the international order itself and its principal promoter and defender. The American-led system of political and military alliances, especially in the two critical regions of Europe and East Asia, has presented China and Russia with what Dean Acheson once referred to as situations of strength that have required them to pursue their ambitions cautiously and, since the end of the Cold War, to defer serious efforts to disrupt the international system. The system has checked their ambitions in both positive and negative ways. During the era of American primacy, China and Russia have participated in and for the most part been beneficiaries of the open international economic system the United States created and helps sustain; so long as that system functions, they have had more to gain by playing in it than by challenging and overturning it. The political and strategic aspects of the order, however, have worked to their detriment. The growth and vibrancy of democratic government in the two decades following the collapse of Soviet communism posed a continual threat to the ability of rulers in Beijing and Moscow to maintain control, and since the end of the Cold War they have regarded every advance of democratic institutions especially the geographical advance of liberal democracies close to their borders as an existential threat. Thats for good reason: Autocratic powers since the days of Klemens von Metternich have always feared the contagion of liberalism. The mere existence of democracies on their borders, the global free flow of information they cannot control, the dangerous connection between free market capitalism and political freedom all pose a threat to rulers who depend on keeping restive forces in their own countries in check. The continual challenge to the legitimacy of their rule posed by the U.S.-supported democratic order has therefore naturally made them hostile both to that order and to the United States. But, until recently, a preponderance of domestic and international forces has dissuaded them from confronting the order directly. Chinese rulers have had to worry about what an unsuccessful confrontation with the United States might do to their legitimacy at home. Even Putin has pushed only against open doors, as in Syria, where the United States responded passively to his probes. He has been more cautious when confronted by even marginal U.S. and European opposition, as in Ukraine. READ MORE Trumps Grand Strategic Train Wreck CLICK HERE How Trump Can Win With China CLICK HERE Trump Has Already Blown It CLICK HERE The greatest check on Chinese and Russian ambitions has been the military and economic power of the United States and its allies in Europe and Asia. China, although increasingly powerful, has had to contemplate facing the combined military and economic strength of the worlds superpower and some very formidable regional powers linked by alliance or common strategic interest including Japan, India, and South Korea, as well as smaller but still potent nations like Vietnam and Australia. Russia has had to face the United States and its NATO allies. When united, these U.S.-led alliances present a daunting challenge to a revisionist power that can call on few allies of its own for assistance. Even were the Chinese to score an early victory in a conflict, such as the military subjection of Taiwan or a naval battle in the South or East China Sea, they would have to contend over time with the combined industrial productive capacities of some of the worlds richest and most technologically advanced nations and the likely cutoff of access to foreign markets on which their own economy depends. A weaker Russia, with its depleted population and oil- and gas-dependent economy, would face an even greater challenge. For decades, the strong global position enjoyed by the United States and its allies has discouraged any serious challenge. So long as the United States was perceived as a dependable ally, Chinese and Russian leaders feared that aggressive moves would backfire and possibly bring their regimes down. This is what the political scientist William Wohlforth once described as the inherent stability of the unipolar order: As dissatisfied regional powers sought to challenge the status quo, their alarmed neighbors turned to the distant American superpower to contain their ambitions. And it worked. The United States stepped up, and Russia and China largely backed down or were preempted before acting at all. Faced with these obstacles, the best option for the two revisionist great powers has always been to hope for or, if possible, engineer a weakening of the U.S.-supported world order from within, either by separating the United States from its allies or by raising doubts about the U.S. commitment and thereby encouraging would-be allies and partners to forgo the strategic protection of the liberal world order and seek accommodation with its challengers. The present system has therefore depended not only on American power but on coherence and unity at the heart of the democratic world. The United States has had to play its part as the principal guarantor of the order, especially in the military and strategic realm, but the orders ideological and economic core the democracies of Europe and East Asia and the Pacific has also had to remain relatively healthy and confident. In recent years, both pillars have been shaken. The democratic order has weakened and fractured at its core. Difficult economic conditions, the recrudescence of nationalism and tribalism, weak and uncertain political leadership and unresponsive mainstream political parties, and a new era of communications that seems to strengthen rather than weaken tribalism have together produced a crisis of confidence not only in the democracies but in what might be called the liberal enlightenment project. That project elevated universal principles of individual rights and common humanity over ethnic, racial, religious, national, or tribal differences. It looked to a growing economic interdependence to create common interests across boundaries and to the establishment of international institutions to smooth differences and facilitate cooperation among nations. Instead, the past decade has seen the rise of tribalism and nationalism, an increasing focus on the Other in all societies, and a loss of confidence in government, in the capitalist system, and in democracy. We are witnessing the opposite of Francis Fukuyamas end of history. History is returning with a vengeance and with it all the darker aspects of the human soul, including, for many, the perennial human yearning for a strong leader to provide firm guidance in a time of confusion and incoherence. Left: Adolf Hitler and his staff salute teams during the opening ceremonies of the XI Olympic Games on Aug. 1, 1936 in Berlin. (Photo credit: Getty Images) Right: Former British Prime minister Winston Churchill, President Franklin Roosevelt and USSR Secretary General of the Soviet Communist Party Joseph Stalin pose at the Conference of the Allied powers in Yalta, Crimea, on Feb. 4, 1945. (Photo credit: AFP/Getty Images) The Dark Ages 2.0 This crisis of the enlightenment project may have been inevitable, a recurring phenomenon produced by inherent flaws in both capitalism and democracy. In the 1930s, economic crisis and rising nationalism led many to doubt whether either democracy or capitalism was preferable to alternatives such as fascism and communism. And it is no coincidence that the crisis of confidence in liberalism accompanied a simultaneous breakdown of the strategic order. Then, the question was whether the United States as the outside power would step in and save or remake an order that Britain and France were no longer able or willing to sustain. Now, the question is whether the United States is willing to continue upholding the order that it created and which depends entirely on American power or whether Americans are prepared to take the risk if they even understand the risk of letting the order collapse into chaos and conflict. That willingness has been in doubt for some time, well before the election of Trump and even before the election of Barack Obama. Increasingly in the quarter century after the end of the Cold War, Americans have been wondering why they bear such an unusual and outsized responsibility for preserving global order when their own interests are not always clearly served and when the United States seems to be making all the sacrifices while others benefit. Few remember the reasons why the United States took on this abnormal role after the calamitous two world wars of the 20th century. The millennial generation born after the end of the Cold War can hardly be expected to understand the lasting significance of the political, economic, and security structures established after World War II. Nor are they likely to learn much about it in high school and college textbooks obsessed with noting the evils and follies of American imperialism. Both the crises of the first half of the 20th century and its solution in 1945 have been forgotten. As a consequence, the American publics patience with the difficulties and costs inherent in playing that global role have worn thin. Whereas previous unsuccessful and costly wars, in Korea in 1950 and Vietnam in the 1960s and 1970s, and previous economic downturns, such as with the energy crisis and crippling stagflation of the mid- to late 1970s, did not have the effect of turning Americans against global involvement, the unsuccessful wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the financial crisis of 2008 have. Obama pursued an ambivalent approach to global involvement, but his core strategy was retrenchment. In his actions and his statements, he critiqued and repudiated previous American strategy and reinforced a national mood favoring a much less active role in the world and much narrower definition of American interests. The Obama administration responded to the George W. Bush administrations failures in Iraq and Afghanistan not by restoring American power and influence but by further reducing them. Although the administration promised to rebalance American foreign policy to Asia and the Pacific, in practice that meant reducing global commitments and accommodating revisionist powers at the expense of allies security. The administrations early attempt to reset relations with Russia struck the first blow to Americas reputation as a reliable ally. Coming just after the Russian invasion of Georgia, it appeared to reward Moscows aggression. The reset also came at the expense of U.S. allies in Central Europe, as programs of military cooperation with Poland and the Czech Republic were jettisoned to appease the Kremlin. This attempt at accommodation, moreover, came just as Russian policy toward the West not to mention Putins repressive policies toward his own people was hardening. Far from eliciting better behavior by Russia, the reset emboldened Putin to push harder. Then, in 2014, the Wests inadequate response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and seizure of Crimea, though better than the Bush administrations anemic response to the invasion of Georgia (Europe and the United States at least imposed sanctions after the invasion of Ukraine), still indicated reluctance on the part of the U.S. administration to force Russia back in its declared sphere of interest. Obama, in fact, publicly acknowledged Russias privileged position in Ukraine even as the United States and Europe sought to protect that countrys sovereignty. In Syria, the administration practically invited Russian intervention through Washingtons passivity, and certainly did nothing to discourage it, thus reinforcing the growing impression of an America in retreat across the Middle East (an impression initially created by the unnecessary and unwise withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Iraq). Subsequent Russian actions that increased the refugee flow from Syria into Europe also brought no American response, despite the evident damage of those refugee flows to European democratic institutions. The signal sent by the Obama administration was that none of this was really Americas problem. In East Asia, the Obama administration undermined its otherwise commendable efforts to assert Americas continuing interest and influence. The so-called pivot proved to be mostly rhetoric. Inadequate overall defense spending precluded the necessary increases in Americas regional military presence in a meaningful way, and the administration allowed a critical economic component, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, to die in Congress, chiefly a victim of its own partys opposition. The pivot also suffered from the general perception of American retreat and retrenchment, encouraged both by presidential rhetoric and by administration policies, especially in the Middle East. The premature, unnecessary, and strategically costly withdrawal of American troops from Iraq, followed by the accommodating agreement with Iran on its nuclear program, and then by the failure to hold the line on threats to use force against Syrias president, was noticed around the world. Despite the Obama administrations insistence that American strategy should be geared toward Asia, U.S. allies have been left wondering how reliable the U.S. commitment might be when facing the challenge posed by China. The Obama administration erred in imagining that it could retrench globally while reassuring allies in Asia that the United States remained a reliable partner. Left: An aerial photo taken on Jan. 2 shows a Chinese navy format during military drills in the South China Sea. (Photo credit: STR/AFP/Getty Images) Right: Ukrainian servicemen sitting atop armored personnel carriers travel near Slavyansk on July 11, 2014. (Photo credit: GENYA SAVILOV/AFP/Getty Images) Nature abhors a vacuum The effect on the two great revisionist powers, meanwhile, has been to encourage greater efforts at revision. In recent years, both powers have been more active in challenging the order, and one reason has been the growing perception that the United States is losing both the will and the capacity to sustain it. The psychological and political effect of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in the United States, which has been to weaken support for American global engagement across the board, has provided an opening. It is a myth, prevalent among liberal democracies, that revisionist powers can be pacified by acquiescence to their demands. American retrenchment, by this logic, ought to reduce tensions and competition. Unfortunately, the opposite is more often the case. The more secure revisionist powers feel, the more ambitious they are in seeking to change the system to their advantage because the resistance to change appears to be lessening. Just look at both China and Russia: Never in the past two centuries have they enjoyed greater security from external attack than they do today. Yet both remain dissatisfied and have become increasingly aggressive in pressing what they perceive to be their growing advantage in a system where the United States no longer puts up as much resistance as it used to. The two great powers have differed, so far, chiefly in their methods. China has until now been the more careful, cautious, and patient of the two, seeking influence primarily through its great economic clout and using its growing military power chiefly as a source of deterrence and regional intimidation. It has not resorted to the outright use of force yet, although its actions in the South China Sea are military in nature, with strategic objectives. And while Beijing has been wary of using military force until now, it would be a mistake to assume it will continue show such restraint in the future possibly the near future. Revisionist great powers with growing military capabilities invariably make use of those capabilities when they believe the possible gains outweigh the risks and costs. If the Chinese perceive Americas commitment to its allies and its position in the region to be weakening, or its capacity to make good on those commitments to be declining, then they will be more inclined to attempt to use the power they are acquiring in order to achieve their objectives. As the trend lines draw closer, this is where the first crisis is likely to take place. Russia has been far more aggressive. It has invaded two neighboring states Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014 and in both cases hived off significant portions of those two nations sovereign territory. Given the intensity with which the United States and its allies would have responded to such actions during the four decades of the Cold War, their relative lack of a response must have sent quite a signal to the Kremlin and to others around the world. Moscow then followed by sending substantial forces into Syria. It has used its dominance of European energy markets as a weapon. It has used cyberwarfare against neighboring states. It has engaged in extensive information warfare on a global scale. More recently, the Russian government has deployed a weapon that the Chinese either lack or have so far chosen not to deploy the ability to interfere directly in Western electoral processes, both to influence their outcomes and more generally to discredit the democratic system. Russia funds right-wing populist parties across Europe, including in France; uses its media outlets to support favored candidates and attack others; has disseminated fake news to influence voters, most recently in Italys referendum; and has hacked private communications in order to embarrass those it wishes to defeat. This past year, Russia for the first time employed this powerful weapon against the United States, heavily interfering in the American electoral process. Although Russia, by any measure, is the weaker of the two great powers, it has so far had more success than China in accomplishing its objective of dividing and disrupting the West. Its interference in Western democratic political systems, its information warfare, and its role in creating increased refugee flows from Syria into Europe have all contributed to the sapping of Europeans confidence in their political systems and established political parties. Its military intervention in Syria, contrasted with American passivity, has exacerbated existing doubts about American staying power in the region. Beijing, until recently, has succeeded mostly in driving American allies closer to the United States out of concern for growing Chinese power but that could change quickly, especially if the United States continues on its present trajectory. There are signs that regional powers are already recalculating: East Asian countries are contemplating regional trade agreements that need not include the United States or, in the case of the Philippines, are actively courting China, while a number of nations in Eastern and Central Europe are moving closer to Russia, both strategically and ideologically. We could soon face a situation where both great revisionist powers are acting aggressively, including by military means, posing extreme challenges to American and global security in two regions at once. Then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a rally at Macomb Community College on March 4, 2016 in Warren, Michigan. (Photo credit: SCOTT OLSON/Getty Images) The dispensable nation All this comes as Americans continue to signal their reluctance to uphold the world order they created after World War II. Donald Trump was not the only major political figure in this past election season to call for a much narrower definition of American interests and a lessening of the burdens of American global leadership. President Obama and Bernie Sanders both expressed a version of America First. The candidate who spoke often of Americas indispensable global role lost, and even Hillary Clinton felt compelled to jettison her earlier support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. At the very least, there should be doubts about the American publics willingness to continue supporting the international alliance structure, denying the revisionist powers their desired spheres of influence and regional hegemony, and upholding democratic and free market norms in the international system. Coming as it does at a time of growing great-power competition, this narrowing definition of American interests will likely hasten a return to the instability and clashes of previous eras. The weakness at the core of the democratic world and the shedding by the United States of global responsibilities have already encouraged a more aggressive revisionism by the dissatisfied powers. That, in turn, has further sapped the democratic worlds confidence and willingness to resist. History suggests that this is a downward spiral from which it will be difficult to recover, absent a rather dramatic shift of course by the United States. That shift may come too late. It was in the 1920s, not the 1930s, that the democratic powers made the most important and ultimately fatal decisions. Americans disillusionment after World War I led them to reject playing a strategic role in preserving the peace in Europe and Asia, even though America was the only nation powerful enough to play that role. The withdrawal of the United States helped undermine the will of Britain and France and encouraged Germany in Europe and Japan in Asia to take increasingly aggressive actions to achieve regional dominance. Most Americans were convinced that nothing that happened in Europe or Asia could affect their security. It took World War II to convince them that was a mistake. The return to normalcy of the 1920 election seemed safe and innocent at the time, but the essentially selfish policies pursued by the worlds strongest power in the following decade helped set the stage for the calamities of the 1930s. By the time the crises began to erupt, it was already too late to avoid paying the high price of global conflict. In such times, it has always been tempting to believe that geopolitical competition can be solved through efforts at cooperation and accommodation. The idea, recently proposed by Niall Ferguson, that the world can be ruled jointly by the United States, Russia, and China is not a new one. Such condominiums have been proposed and attempted in every era when the dominant power or powers in the international system sought to fend off challenges from the dissatisfied revisionist powers. It has rarely worked. Revisionist great powers are not easy to satisfy short of complete capitulation. Their sphere of influence is never quite large enough to satisfy their pride or their expanding need for security. In fact, their very expansion creates insecurity, by frightening neighbors and leading them to band together against the rising power. The satiated power that Otto von Bismarck spoke of is rare. The German leaders who succeeded him were not satisfied even with being the strongest power in Europe. In their efforts to grow still stronger, they produced coalitions against them, making their fear of encirclement a self-fulfilling prophecy. BEIJING, CHINA - OCTOBER 20: President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping review the honor guard as they attend a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on October 20, 2016 in Beijing, China. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is on a four-day state visit to China, his first since taking power in late June, with the aim of improving bilateral relations. (Photo by Thomas Peter-Pool/Getty Images) Give em an inch, theyll take a mile This is a common trait of rising powers their actions produce the very insecurity they claim to want to redress. They harbor grievances against the existing order (both Germany and Japan considered themselves the have-not nations), but their grievances cannot be satisfied so long as the existing order remains in place. Marginal concession is not enough, but the powers upholding the existing order will not make more than marginal concessions unless they are compelled to by superior strength. Japan, the aggrieved have-not nation of the 1930s, did not satisfy itself by taking Manchuria in 1931. Germany, the aggrieved victim of Versailles, did not satisfy itself by bringing the Germans of the Sudetenland back into the fold. They demanded much more, and they could not persuade the democratic powers to give them what they wanted without resorting to war. Granting the revisionist powers spheres of influence is not a recipe for peace and tranquility but rather an invitation to inevitable conflict. Russias historical sphere of influence does not end in Ukraine. It begins in Ukraine. It extends to the Baltic States, to the Balkans, and to the heart of Central Europe. And within Russias traditional sphere of influence, other nations do not enjoy autonomy or even sovereignty. There was no independent Poland under the Russian Empire nor under the Soviet Union. For China to gain its desired sphere of influence in East Asia will mean that, when it chooses, it can close the region off to the United States not only militarily but politically and economically, too. China will, of course, inevitably exercise great sway in its own region, as will Russia. The United States cannot and should not prevent China from being an economic powerhouse. Nor should it wish for the collapse of Russia. The United States should even welcome competition of a certain kind. Great powers compete across multiple planes economic, ideological, and political, as well as military. Competition in most spheres is necessary and even healthy. Within the liberal order, China can compete economically and successfully with the United States; Russia can thrive in the international economic order upheld by the democratic system, even if it is not itself democratic. But military and strategic competition is different. The security situation undergirds everything else. It remains true today as it has since World War II that only the United States has the capacity and the unique geographical advantages to provide global security and relative stability. There is no stable balance of power in Europe or Asia without the United States. And while we can talk about soft power and smart power, they have been and always will be of limited value when confronting raw military power. Despite all of the loose talk of American decline, it is in the military realm where U.S. advantages remain clearest. Even in other great powers backyards, the United States retains the capacity, along with its powerful allies, to deter challenges to the security order. But without a U.S. willingness to maintain the balance in far-flung regions of the world, the system will buckle under the unrestrained military competition of regional powers. Part of that willingness entails defense spending commensurate with Americas continuing global role. For the United States to accept a return to spheres of influence would not calm the international waters. It would merely return the world to the condition it was in at the end of the 19th century, with competing great powers clashing over inevitably intersecting and overlapping spheres. These unsettled, disordered conditions produced the fertile ground for the two destructive world wars of the first half of the 20th century. The collapse of the British-dominated world order on the oceans, the disruption of the uneasy balance of power on the European continent as a powerful unified Germany took shape, and the rise of Japanese power in East Asia all contributed to a highly competitive international environment in which dissatisfied great powers took the opportunity to pursue their ambitions in the absence of any power or group of powers to unite in checking them. The result was an unprecedented global calamity and death on an epic scale. It has been the great accomplishment of the U.S.-led world order in the 70 years since the end of World War II that this kind of competition has been held in check and great power conflicts have been avoided. It will be more than a shame if Americans were to destroy what they created and not because it was no longer possible to sustain but simply because they chose to stop trying. DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) Bangladesh is sticking to a plan to relocate Rohingya Muslims, who fled Myanmar in the face of persecution, from overcrowded and unhealthy camps in a southern coastal district to a low-lying island still not ready for people to live there. The relocation plan has caused worries among the Rohingya, and some human rights groups and the United Nations have expressed reservations about it because of the geographical nature of the proposed location. Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali briefed about 60 diplomats and representatives of various agencies including the United Nations and sought their help to relocate the Rohingya to Thengar Char in southeastern Bangladesh from several camps in the southern coastal district of Cox's Bazar, a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said late Sunday. "The relocation will take place only after the development activities are completed," the statement said, referring to facilities such as homes, schools and hospitals. Government officials have already said authorities were surveying the area. More than 300,000 Rohingya Muslims have been living in Bangladesh for decades while about 66,000 more have crossed the border since October amid renewed persecution and targeted attacks by soldiers and majority Buddhists in Rakhine state. Rohingya who have fled recently said soldiers and Buddhists have torched homes, raped women and killed Rohingya after unidentified people killed nine border police in Myanmar. The violence sparked international condemnation of Myanmar while Bangladesh has struggled to accommodate the groups of Rohingya who crossed the border. The statement said existing accommodations were "already overstretched, (and) arranging shelter for the new arrivals has become a new challenge for the authorities." The minister told the diplomats that the large number of refugees made it difficult for authorities to provide adequate assistance, and had caused socio-economic, environmental and security problems. Story continues He asked for international support to develop the island and to move the refugees there, and eventually their repatriation back to Myanmar, the statement said. The diplomats did not speak to the media after the meeting. Thengar Char island is in the estuary of the River Meghna and emerged from the sea only eight years ago. It becomes flooded during any storm that causes a tidal surge. Human rights groups and the U.N. have criticized the government's relocation plan. On Monday, New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a report that Myanmar's army and border guards had taken part in gang rapes and sexual assaults in at least nine villages in Maungdaw district from Oct. 9 to the middle of December. "These horrific attacks on Rohingya women and girls by security forces add a new and brutal chapter to the Burmese military's long and sickening history of sexual violence against women," said Priyanka Motaparthy, senior emergencies researcher with Human Rights Watch. The group demanded an international inquiry. SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's smog-hit capital Beijing plans to slash coal consumption by a further 30 percent in 2017 as part of its efforts to combat air pollution, the official Xinhua news agency said late on Sunday, citing the city's mayor. Beijing has promised to implement "extraordinary" measures this year in a bid to tackle choking smog from traffic congestion and the heavy use of coal. "We will try to basically realize zero coal use in six major districts and in Beijing's southern plain areas this year," major Cai Qi was quoted as saying, adding that Beijing would also eliminate small coal-fired boilers. The new cuts will bring coal use in the city to less than 7 million tonnes in 2017, Cai said. Beijing originally aimed to bring coal consumption to below 10 million tonnes this year, down from around 22 million tonnes in 2013, and has already shut major coal-fired power stations. It has made up the supply shortfall by importing power from neighboring provinces via the grid, raising fears that the capital is exporting its pollution to surrounding regions. Cai said Beijing would also take 300,000 obsolete vehicles off the roads this year to help to raise fuel standards and promote new energy cars. Heavy traffic is responsible for about a third of Beijing's total emissions of harmful breathable particles known as PM2.5, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection. China's cities need to reduce PM2.5 to an annual average of 35 micrograms in order to meet state standards. Average concentrations of PM2.5 in Beijing stood at 73 micrograms per cubic meter in 2016, down 9.9 percent on the previous year. However, readings have regularly exceeded 500 micrograms since mid-December, with fireworks to help celebrate the Chinese new year driving PM2.5 concentrations to their second highest level in five years at the end of January. (Reporting by David Stanway; Editing by Richard Pullin) HOUSTON (AP) Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett says he is not worried about upsetting team owner Robert Kraft by not attending New England's trip to the White House as Super Bowl champions. Bennett said after the Patriots' 34-28 win over the Falcons on Sunday night that he's "not going to go" to the traditional meet-and-greet with the president. It will be the first visit of a Super Bowl champion to Washington since Donald Trump was sworn into office. Trump's positions have alienated some athletes, which has raised questions about whether some might choose to skip the trip while the new president is in office. But Bennett said he isn't concerned about it and thinks the team believes "in whatever I want to do." Kraft is a supporter of Trump and attended a celebration dinner in Washington for him the night before his inauguration. NEW YORK (AP) Two Broadway titans in Bette Midler and Glenn Close return to the Great White Way this spring. Here's a look at some of the highlights: A DIVINE RETURN? Bette Midler will star in a revival of "Hello, Dolly!" offering theater-goers a chance to hear her sing "Put On Your Sunday Clothes," ''Before the Parade Passes By" and "So Long Dearie." The Divine Miss M, whose co-star will be David Hyde Pierce, steps into the role previously performed by Ethel Merman, Ginger Rogers, Barbra Streisand and, of course, Carol Channing. Previews begin March 15 at the Shubert Theatre. NORMA DESMOND COMES BACK, TOO Glenn Close will take her latest crack at the aging silent film star Norma Desmond from the musical "Sunset Boulevard." The English National Opera's stripped-down revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical starring Close will land with a 40-piece orchestra. Previews have begun at the Palace Theatre. AND ANOTHER STAR RETURNS Kevin Kline is returning to Broadway after a decade in a delightfully frantic comedy about a narcissistic actor and the chaos that inevitably erupts in his posh London household Noel Coward's "Present Laughter." Previews begin March 10 at the St. James Theatre. NEW THEATER Jake Gyllenhaal will star in a revival of the musical "Sunday in the Park with George" that will be the first show in 50 years at the Hudson Theatre, which is being renovated into Broadway's 41st venue. Previews begin Feb. 11 at the Hudson Theatre. GLASS CEILING Just three years after the last Broadway revival of "The Glass Menagerie" left, it's coming back. Sally Field will play Amanda Wingfield, the faded Southern belle at the heart of the Tennessee Williams play. Previews begin Feb. 14 at the Golden Theatre. IT'S ABOUT TIME Hard to believe, but respected playwrights Lynn Nottage and Paula Vogel are only this spring making their Broadway debuts. Nottage, who wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning "Ruined," will offer "Sweat," about blue-collar workers in a Pennsylvania town. Vogel, whose "How I Learned to Drive" also won a Pulitzer, has her play "Indecent," a behind-the-scenes look at the true story of a controversial 1923 play. Previews for "Sweat" begin March 4 at the Studio 54 theater. Previews for "Indecent" begin April 4 at the Cort Theatre. Story continues CON MAN A revival of "Six Degrees of Separation" will star Allison Janney and John Benjamin Hickey as a rich New York couple who have a run-in with a young black man pretending to be a Harvard University student and actor Sidney Poitier's son. Previews begin in April at the Barrymore Theatre. WELCOME BACK, MISS SAIGON "Miss Saigon," a tragic Vietnam War love story inspired by Giacomo Puccini's opera "Madame Butterfly," will return in a grittier and less operatic version directed by Laurence Connor. Previews begin March 1 at the Broadway Theatre. A RUSSIAN PRINCESS The musical stage adaptation of the 1997 animated musical film "Anastasia" will reunite much of the creative team behind "Ragtime" book writer Terrence McNally, composer Stephen Flaherty and lyricist Lynn Ahrens. Previews begin March 23 at the Broadhurst Theatre. FRENCH CHARM "Hamilton" star Phillipa Soo returns in "Amelie, a New Musical," leading a stage version of the quirky romantic film comedy that brought fame to actress Audrey Tatou. Previews begin March 9 at the Walter Kerr Theatre. VALUE OF SACRIFICE The fourth revival of Arthur Miller's "The Price" will star Mark Ruffalo, Tony Shalhoub, Jessica Hecht and Danny DeVito. In "The Price," an embittered New York City police officer feels that life has passed him by while he took care of his now-dead father. Previews begin Feb. 16 at the American Airlines Theatre. GOLDEN TICKET Christian Borle will star as Willy Wonka in the musical "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." The show, which has songs by "Hairspray" writers Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, opened in London in 2013. Previews begin March 28 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. ACTS OF KINDNESS "Come From Away," a musical set against the 9/11 terrorist attacks, is the true story of a Canadian town that sheltered thousands of airline passengers whose flights were diverted on Sept. 11, 2001. Previews begin Feb. 18 at the Schoenfeld Theatre. IT'S HAPPENING. IT'S HAPPENING. "Groundhog Day" is coming to Broadway. The musical based on the 1993 movie about a jaded weatherman forced to live the same day over and over will make the leap from London. Andy Karl will star in the Bill Murray role. Previews begin March 16 at the August Wilson Theatre. WE'RE NOT MAKING THIS UP The new musical "War Paint," about cosmetics titans Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden, will be putting its best face forward on Broadway with Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole. Previews begin March 7 at the Nederlander Theatre. ENGLISH FARCE A hit comedy from London that's been called "'Fawlty Towers' meets "Noises Off'" is heading to cheer up Americans. "The Play That Goes Wrong" will star the original West End cast. It centers on the fictitious drama society attempting to stage a 1920s murder mystery and everything that can go wrong, does. Previews begin March 9 at the Lyceum Theatre. SWING, SWING Laura Osnes stars in the new musical "Bandstand," the story of six World War II veterans who join together in Cleveland to compete in a radio contest with dreams of stardom. Andy Blankenbuehler, a Tony winner who choreographed "Hamilton," will direct. Previews begin March 31 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. ___ Follow Mark Kennedy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits ___ This story corrects the date and location of "Come From Away." CALEDONIA Caledonia village officials, facing challenges recruiting, hiring and retaining police officers, are weighing ways to address the problem. The Police and Fire Commission met in closed session last week with Caledonia Police Chief Daniel Warren and Sturtevant Police Chief Sean Marschke, who was invited to share insight from issues he's faced at his department. The ideas they discussed are not for public consumption just yet, but officials hope to bring them into the open in future meetings, according to commission President Dave Wyatt. Caledonia has 30 officers, with a recruit currently going through the police academy and two other positions unfilled. "It's harder to replace officers when there is a vacancy and retirements," Warren said. "Fewer people want to be cops nowadays. It is a statewide problem." Warren said the list of viable recruits is getting shorter every year. "Millennials are not running to government jobs," Warren said. Police incidents gone bad and replayed on the news hasn't helped, either, Warren noted. After the high-profile ambush killings of five officers in Dallas in July, that department actually sent recruiting officers to Milwaukee in October to help fill their roster. "People don't want to be police officers anymore. We've had people leave from here because of the events going on," Warren said. Warren said changes in technology, paired with updated legal requirements from domestic abuse laws and other law changes, make it harder to be an officer today than when he started. "It's a lot to throw at someone all at once. Not a lot of people have the appetite for the job," Warren said. Issue affects many departments This is an issue that departments from all over Racine County and the United States are learning to manage. "From a national perspective, it is fair to say that law enforcement recruitment is more challenging under the current anti-police climate," Racine Police Chief Art Howell said. "While we enjoy local support of our community policing model, and we continue to attract quality candidates, all police departments in our region must compete for the shrinking pool of qualified candidates who are interested in the profession." In Sturtevant, Marschke said his department has seen a major decrease in applications and believes it's partially due to increased attention. "This is a profession that's under fire," Marschke said. "There's constant scrutiny and the danger level has increased ... people say 'It's not worth putting my life in danger.' " As third vice president of the Wisconsin Chief of Police Association, Marschke said he's heard this issue come up with departments around the state. "They're seeing the quality of some of the candidates go down as well," Marschke said adding there is pressure to lower the standards. "That's something chiefs don't want to try... we cannot lower our standards." Despite the decrease in applicants, Marschke said open positions are being filled with qualified individuals ready to protect the community. "We're still getting the job done," Marschke said. "The service to the community is not hurt by (the decrease). We're still getting good candidates." Violent clashes between Afghan security forces and militants, particularly in populated areas, resulted in a record number of civilian casualties last year. Nearly 11,500 civilians were killed or wounded in Afghanistan in 2016 -- one third of them children -- according to the United Nations, the highest number of annual non-combatant casualties since it began collecting figures in 2009. Here is a recap of some key incidents in major cities with high civilian casualties in 2016, a bloody year for the war-ravaged nation: - Kabul, the war-torn capital - Even for Kabul's estimated population of five million, grimly accustomed to attacks which tear through the city with devastating regularity, 2016 brought carnage on a new scale. - A truck bomb and ensuing firefight killed at least 64 people on April 19, most of them civilians, and wounded some 350 others a week after the start of the Taliban's "spring offensive". - On July 23, Islamic State jihadists claimed responsibility for twin explosions that ripped through crowds of Shiite Hazaras in Kabul, killing at least 85 people and wounding more than 400 others. The bombings marked the deadliest single attack in the Afghan capital since the Taliban were ousted from power in a 2001 US-led invasion, and were a major escalation for IS. - Taliban militants launched an assault on the Kabul offices of CARE International, part of a wave of bombings in the city on September 5 that left at least 41 people dead and dozens wounded. - Lashkar Gah on the brink - The Taliban, once a rural insurgency, continued an aggressive push to capture big cities in 2016, launching attacks on three provincial capitals -- Tarin Kot, Lashkar Gah and Kunduz -- with many civilians caught in the fighting. In early August, the Taliban launched a major offensive in Helmand province, advancing on Lashkar Gah, which has 200,000 inhabitants. The Afghan army flushed out the insurgents with the support of American air strikes, and around 100 US troops were deployed in the city, the first major American presence there since foreign forces withdrew in 2014. Story continues - Storming of Tarin Kot - In September the Taliban stormed into Tarin Kot, capital of southern Uruzgan province, triggering heavy fighting around government buildings as many of its panicked 70,000 residents scrambled to flee. Within hours Afghan forces bolstered by reinforcements and air support repelled the militants, though fighting continued in the outskirts. - Return to Kunduz - After briefly seizing the northern Afghan city of Kunduz in September 2015, the Taliban returned in October 2016, launching a fresh assault that triggered fierce gun battles with government forces, who ultimately drove the insurgents back. In November, US forces conceded that an air strike had "very likely" killed at least 30 civilians in the Kunduz area, many of them children, triggering impassioned protests in the city. Civilian casualties caused by NATO forces have been one of the most contentious issues in the 15-year campaign. Monday's UNAMA report recorded the highest number yet of civilian casualties caused by air strikes -- 590, of whom 250 were killed. - Islamic State expands - While the Taliban have been making their aggressive push into cities and are still blamed by UNAMA for the bulk of civilian casualties, fears are also growing about the expanding presence of Islamic State. After the earlier attack on Hazaras in Kabul, in October militants linked to Islamic State jihadists abducted and killed around 30 civilians, including children, in central Ghor province. UNAMA's report Monday charted a 10-fold increase in civilian casualties blamed on Islamic State -- 899, including 209 deaths. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f374052%2f216d843f-0ea3-410d-b186-7706888dac8a Bob Ross the television host/painter/unexpected Netflix star once said, "We don't make mistakes; we have happy accidents." For Chris Nervegna, a 22-year-old from South River, New Jersey, his now-viral Ross-themed birthday party came together as his own kind of happy accident. SEE ALSO: The joy of betrayal: Bob Ross' famous hair was the result of a perm "Jokingly, we threw the idea of having a Bob Ross and Chill kinda party," Nervegna wrote via email. "I dont think anyone thought we were being serious. But a few hours before the party, a few friends and I bought a bunch of paint supplies at the local art store just in case. Turned out everyone was SUPER excited about it and turned out to be an absolute success by accident." HAD A BOB ROSS PAINTING PARTY FOR MY BIRTHDAY. LOVE. MY. FRIENDS. BEST. DAY. EVER. pic.twitter.com/HWCR9oDZl1 Chris Nervegna (@Brovegna) February 5, 2017 On Saturday Nervegna shared a few photos from his successful paint party before heading to bed. He woke up to more than 1,000 likes and, over the course of 24 hours, watched that metric grow to more than 77,000 likes, not to mention over 23,000 retweets. Naturally his tweet also saw pickups from the aggregation accounts that typically mark tweets as viral successes. "I have NO IDEA why people are so in love with this tweet/party," he wrote. We'll take a guess: An 8-year-old Florida boy fatally shot his 5-year-old sister with a gun belonging to their mothers boyfriend, who is a convicted sex offender, authorities said. The siblings and a 4-year-old neighbor, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries, were home alone when the gun was fired, according to the Jacksonville Sheriffs Department. Read: Gun Advocate Mom Is Accidentally Shot in the Back by 4-Year-Old: Cops Maurice Mobley, 34, was arrested Sunday after turning himself in to deputies. He was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to Sheriff Mike Williams. At his initial court appearance Monday, Mobley was ordered held in lieu of $200,000 bail. He did not enter a plea. He is on Floridas registered sexual offender list for a 2001 conviction of committing a lewd and lascivious act with a child under the age of 16, according to online records. The shooting occurred Saturday afternoon, the sheriff said, while the siblings mother was out shopping. Williams said details of what happened are still not clear. "This is a... tragic, unfortunate, accidental shooting that we have here, he told reporters. Its not very pleasant to go through this investigation at all." Read: Man Allegedly Shoots Friend While Drunkenly Playing With Gun: Reports The eldest child and the injured 4-year-old ran to a neighbors home after the gun went off, authorities said. The mother has not been charged, but the investigation is ongoing, Williams said. The 4-year-old remains hospitalized and is expected to make a full recovery, Williams said. A counselor has been brought in to treat the 8-year-old, he said. Watch: Parents Disarm 15-Year-Old Son Who Stole Guns and Brought Them to School: Cops Related Articles: By Brad Brooks SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's top prosecutor on Monday asked the Supreme Court for permission to investigate an ex-president, two senators and the former head of a unit of the state oil company for alleged efforts to thwart the country's largest corruption probe. Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot accused ex-President Jose Sarney, who now sits in the Senate, along with senators Romero Juca and Renan Calheiros of carrying out "political maneuvers" in a bid to quash the inquiry into political kickbacks at state-run oil firm Petrobras. All are allies of President Michel Temer. Janot also requested that Sergio Machado, the former head of Transpetro, the logistics arm of Petrobras, be investigated for his role in the efforts to hamper the investigation. Under Brazilian law, sitting federal congressmen, some members of the executive branch and other officials can only be investigated with approval from the Supreme Court. The top court must then approve charges and try them. Jucca and Calheiros, who was until last week the president of the Senate, are already under investigation by Janot for their alleged involvement in the Petrobras scheme. Machado, who has turned state's witness, told federal prosecutors that he taped hours of conversations with the others named on Monday in which they discuss how they could create roadblocks to the unprecedented investigation into political graft. Machado told prosecutors that the group was considering, among other maneuvers, passing a law that would make it illegal for an imprisoned person to strike a plea bargain with prosecutors. Several of the most important state's witnesses arranged such deals after being jailed on corruption charges or convicted. It is expected that over 100 sitting politicians could be investigated and possibly tried in connection with the Petrobras case and subsequent investigations into graft at state-run enterprises. Major Brazilian construction firms have admitted to paying billions of dollars in bribes in return for lucrative government contracts. (Editing by Daniel Flynn, Bernard Orr) RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazil's president on Monday ordered 200 troops to the southeastern state of Espirito Santo, where a police strike in recent days sparked a wave of violence including what is already believed to be dozens of murders. The law enforcement stoppage in a state struggling with a budget shortfall is the latest example of how depleted public finances, amid Brazil's worst recession on record, are crippling even basic health services, education and security in some states. The crime surge in Espirito Santo, a small coastal state just north of Rio de Janeiro, began over the weekend, after police on Friday stopped work because of the pay dispute. Since then, local media and citizens with cell phone videos have broadcast scenes of chaos as thieves and other criminals appear to run rampant, particularly in state capital Vitoria and its suburbs, home to about 2 million people. Local media reported that as many as 50 people have died during the period, an unusually high death toll for the state in such a short period. But a state security spokesman said the government has not been able to make an official tally. Schools in the area closed, as did public health clinics and other local offices. State officials, who argue they have no resources to raise wages, have already replaced the police commander and say they will not renew negotiations with officers until they return to work. "There is no way we can accept this attitude, leaving the population deprived of an essential service like public security," Cesar Colnago, the state's governor, told reporters after announcing the federal aid. President Michel Temer, who also authorized the use of federal troops to quell uprisings in prisons last month that led to around 140 deaths in various states, dispatched the country's defense minister to Espirito Santo on Monday. The state security spokesman said federal troops were expected to arrive by Tuesday. Several other Brazilian states are grappling with a financial crisis. In Rio de Janeiro, the state government has been struggling to pay expenses including salaries of police, teachers and doctors and basic supplies for schools and hospitals. (Reporting by Paulo Prada Editing by W Simon) LONDON (Reuters) - Lawmakers seeking to change Theresa May's Brexit strategy will not be able to block Britain from leaving the European Union, May's spokeswoman said on Monday before a debate on possible amendments to legislation in parliament. "We think there should be a straighforward bill about giving the government the power to deliver on the decision of the British people," the spokeswoman told reporters, adding that parliament will have a vote on the final deal with the EU. "We are not going to allow there to be attempts to remain inside the EU or rejoin it through the back door." The bill, which would give the prime minister permission to trigger the Brexit process, faces pressure from pro-EU lawmakers who are seeking greater transparency and oversight about her negotiating strategy, and more say on the final exit deal. (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper, writing by William James) Paris (AFP) - A British journalist whose interview with the wife of Francois Fillon added fuel to an expenses scandal engulfing his bid for the French presidency on Monday hit back at his claims of his wife being quoted out of context. Fillon, the candidate for the rightwing Republicans party, has seen his campaign plunged into turmoil by the revelation that his British-born spouse was paid more than 800,000 euros ($860,000) for a suspected fake job as his assistant. The scandal deepened last week when one of France's main investigative news programmes, Envoye Special, broadcast previously unseen footage from a 2007 interview in which Penelope Fillon said she had "never been actually his assistant or anything like that". Fillon, who apologised Monday for employing his wife but insisted her salary was "perfectly justified", said this was "taken out of context" and that his wife worked constantly in his constituency managing his mail and meetings. But Kim Willsher, the British journalist who did the text version of the interview for the Sunday Telegraph, rejected this idea on Twitter. "No Mr Fillon! The quotes on Envoye Special were not taken out of context. The report did not shock me. Please. Stop attributing incorrect statements to me," she tweeted, in French. Fillon had earlier said Willsher had contacted his wife to tell her "how shocked she was by the use that had been made of excerpts from this interview". But Willsher told AFP she had written to Penelope Fillon several days ago to say she was "sorry" for the problems the interview had caused, but she was not "shocked". Fillon was the election frontrunner until two weeks ago, but polls now show him possibly crashing out of the first round in April, likely leaving far-right candidate Marine Le Pen and rising star Emmanuel Macron, a centrist, to battle it out in May's runoff vote. Sydney (AFP) - Argentine Pumas scrum-half Tomas Cubelli will miss the early months of the ACT Brumbies' Super Rugby season with a knee injury, the club said on Monday. Cubelli, 27, in his second season with the Brumbies, ruptured his patellar tendon in a pre-season trial match with the NSW Waratahs on Saturday. The injury was confirmed by a specialist and he will undergo surgery on Tuesday before beginning a period of rehabilitation. "It was not the ideal start. To the operating room! Patellar tendon rupture. Things that happen in the sport," Cubelli said in a translated Instagram post on Monday. Medical officials said the type of injury generally required a minimum of three months before a return to normal activities. Cubelli played 15 games for the Brumbies in his first Super Rugby season last year and has made 58 appearances for the Pumas. RACINE If youre not having any luck getting through to your elected representatives office, youre not alone. Staffers say phone lines to congressmen and senators have been jammed at the start of Donald Trumps presidency as residents call in on any number of issues, from Cabinet nominees to Trumps executive orders. That includes House Speaker Paul Ryans offices, which officials say have been deluged with phone calls from across the country. Natalia Taft, 36, said she has gotten busy signals constantly when trying to call Ryans office in Washington, D.C., and his Constituent Service Center in Racine, 216 Sixth St. She called to voice concerns about issues including the proposed Affordable Care Act repeal, the ban on travel to the United States for people in seven Muslim-majority countries and potential conflicts of interest for Trump, she said. Its frustrating because I think its important, especially given that hes the speaker, hes still got to be beholden to his constituents, said Taft, a Racine resident. The phones havent been taken off the hook staffers are simply taking a high number of calls with a limited number of phone lines, officials said. (The Journal Times called Ryans Racine office on Tuesday and got through on the first try.) Ryans office assures that call-takers are listening, saying more than 9,800 individual responses were sent in January alone to constituents in the 1st Congressional District. Our office has spent 18 years making it our No. 1 goal to provide flawless constituent services to the residents of Wisconsins First Congressional District, and that remains a top priority, Ryan spokesman Ian Martorana said. A good way for residents of the district, which includes all of Racine County, to reach Ryans office is through email, Martorana said. To do that, residents should go to paulryan.house.gov and click the Contact Paul button. Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnsons office has also seen a deluge of phone calls in recent weeks. Our staff in Oshkosh, Milwaukee and Washington, D.C., is answering as many calls as possible and listens to every voicemail that callers leave to document their comments, Johnson spokesman Ben Voelkel said. The phone-call campaigns have arguably made an impact on at least some issues. After a backlash, House Republicans last month dropped a plan to gut an independent ethics committee. Two Republican senators have said they will not support education secretary nominee Betsy DeVos as a flood of phone calls and letters against the nomination come in, according to media reports. In the wake of Trumps first days in office, Taft said like-minded residents have connected on social media to coordinate and encourage calls to representatives. This sort of grassroots activism that seems to be growing out of some of this is something unlike Ive ever seen in my life, she said. OTTAWA (Reuters) - A Canadian government advisory group on Monday released a number of recommendations to boost the economy, including strengthening the country's trade links and establishing funds to help smaller companies raise capital in order to scale up. The group also advised taking a targeted sector approach to improving growth, highlighting the agriculture and food industry as one that could be better developed to its full potential. The proposals could be incorporated into the government's next budget, expected to be released in the coming months. Noting the anti-trade sentiment that has been increasing around the world, the report recommended that Canada modernize its trading relationship within North America by harmonizing standards and regulations, and develop stronger links with fast-growing economies, particularly in Asia. Although the North American Free Trade Agreement is on course to be renegotiated following the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, the report advised that both the government and private sector push for better integration of Canadian and U.S. businesses. Canada sends about three-quarters of its exports to the United States. To help small- and medium-sized companies expand, the council recommended creating a government-financed fund that would provide C$1 (76 U.S. cents) for every C$2 of qualified private capital in exchange for unsecured debt or minority equity. Companies would have to demonstrate high growth and export potential. The council recommended reallocating funds from existing programs. The government should also encourage the private sector to establish a growth fund of pre-committed capital from financial institutions that would go to high-growth businesses through minority equity or loans. With certain sectors of the economy holding "significant untapped potential", the report proposed launching a pilot program in the agriculture and food sector that would identify barriers to growth and come up with concrete policy solutions. For example, Canada could increase its agriculture and food exports by setting a multi-year target. To help workers deal with the changes in the labor market brought on by technological advances, the council recommended establishing a non-government organization to operate as a laboratory for skills development. It was the second round of recommendations released by the economic advisory council that was appointed by Finance Minister Bill Morneau, who said he welcomed the recommendations. Last year's report, the council's first, recommended the creation of an infrastructure bank, which the government subsequently said it would set up. ($1 = 1.3112 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Leah Schnurr; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Bernadette Baum) Thought you were done with presidential debates? Well, Somalias bringing them back. The war-torn East African country broadcast its first ever presidential debate Monday. The field of candidates for Wednesdays election is so crowded there are 23 in all that they had to be split in two groups. In the first debate, only 3 of the 11 candidates made an appearance. Incumbent and frontrunner President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud didnt even bother to show up for the second debate. The candidates who did come debated the well-worn themes of security and immigration. Sound familiar? Candidate Bashir Rage, a former warlord, pledged to help Somalis sent home or stranded at airports after Trumps executive order banning U.S. travel from Somalia and six other Muslim-majority countries. Meanwhile, Mohamud Ahmed Nur Tarsan, former mayor of Mogadishu mayor, vowed to bring warring clans together, fight corruption and extinguish Islamic extremism, according to Reuters. Tackling those challenges is a tall order for the worlds least developed nation. In 2016, Somalia was ranked the most corrupt country in the world by Transparency International. On the security front, Somalias U.N.-backed government has battled Islamic extremist group al-Shabaab for over a decade. Al-Shabaab still controls significant swaths of rural land in central and southern Somalia and poses a steep threat to the government in Mogadishu. (Its also spread its tendrils beyond Somalias borders, carrying out deadly terror attacks in neighboring Kenya and Djibouti). The situation is so dire that authorities have scrapped plans for a country-wide vote over fears of al-Shabaab attacks. Instead, 125 clan elders selected over 14,000 people across the country to vote for members of parliament, who will in turn elect the president. Mogadishu is on complete lock-down in anticipation of the election. While the incumbent president is favored to win, hes not a shoe-in: his Peace and Development party enjoys support from only about a third of Somalias 300 MPs. In recent weeks, hes sought to shore up his political support by pledging large-scale reforms to the army and preparing a popular vote election in 2020. Somalias last full democratic elections were in 1969. Photo credit: MOHAMED ABDIWAHAB/AFP/Getty Images Washington (AFP) - He may be a new kind of president, employing a go-it-alone business style while upending White House norms, but Donald Trump now confronts a venerable US system of checks and balances. Trump has moved with lightning speed on multiple fronts since taking office January 20, acting to roll back regulations on industry, freeze federal hiring, and dismantle his predecessor's health care reforms. But his most high-profile move -- summarily banning the entry of refugees and people from seven predominantly Muslim countries -- ran aground Friday in the US courts. A federal judge temporarily suspended his executive order, and a US court of appeals in San Francisco turned down -- at least for now -- an administration request that the judge be overruled. Travelers who had been banned were again trickling back into the country. - Limits on presidential power - The clash is schooling Trump on the limits of presidential reach in a democratic system in which power is divided among the three branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial. Democrats have accused Trump, who declared last July that "I alone can fix it," of acting like an autocrat. "We're a democracy, not a one-man show," warned liberal Senator Bernie Sanders on Sunday. "We are not another Trump enterprise." The writers of the US Constitution devised safeguards against dictatorial abuses of power, namely the courts and Congress. "So far a case can be made that the checks and balances system is working the way it was intended to," Robert Shapiro, a political science professor at Columbia University, told AFP. Trump has pushed the traditional boundaries, criticizing the "so-called judge" who suspended the ban, and declaring that the decision would allow "very bad and dangerous people" into the country. Other presidents have flexed their executive muscles, particularly when the White House has changed hands from one party to another, as it did last month. Story continues Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, also issued a barrage of executive orders in his first weeks in office. Following the September 11 attacks of 2001, George W. Bush repeatedly sought to expand his powers to confront terror threats, moves criticized by opponents as infringing on constitutional liberties. Trump, for his part, has made no secret that he intends to act forcefully to confront terror threats. But even Bush's deputy attorney general John Yoo -- the official who drafted the so-called "torture memos" that gave the CIA latitude in using enhanced interrogation techniques including waterboarding -- warned that Trump has gone too far. Trump has shown "little sign that he understood the constitutional roles of the three branches" of government, Yoo wrote in Monday's New York Times. - An 'eroded' system - Trump's actions since the ban's suspension "is fundamentally an assault on the separation of powers," said legal scholar Bruce Ackerman of Yale Law School. Ackerman, who in 2010 predicted the advent of a "21st-century demagogue" in the White House, said the system of checks and balances has been "eroded" over several decades largely due to the polarization of American politics. Several of Trump's campaign pledges -- his vow to repeal and replace Obamacare, reform the tax code and repair roads and bridges -- will require cooperation from Congress. The Senate and House of Representatives can act as a powerful brake on a president, particularly if they are controlled by the opposition party. Trump's Republicans are in charge of both chambers. But even though many lawmakers appear willing to yield to the new president, he risks resistance if he tries to ram through a radical agenda. Some Republicans have already made clear they will not leave the new president unchecked. After Trump was reported to be considering reviving secret prisons overseas and the use of interrogation techniques that have been widely denounced as torture, Senator John McCain and House Speaker Paul Ryan made clear that Congress would not allow such a resumption. Many are also firmly in favor of applying fresh sanctions on Russia, despite Trump's intention to forge closer ties with the Kremlin and President Vladimir Putin. And congressional investigations into Russia's alleged intervention in the US election continue, against Trump's wishes. Another congressional restriction on executive power: Trump's Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch faces a confirmation vote by the Senate, where Democrats are putting up a fight. For Ackerman, the soundness of the checks-and-balance system may well be tested in the event of war or a terrorist attack on US soil, which he said could "trigger an emergency reaction that will make George Bush's (9/11 measures) seem small by comparison." It is a cold January evening in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province in China, and the sun is just about to dip below the citys gray horizon as the students of Tianjiabing high school trickle sluggishly forth from their classrooms. At the school gate, their parents some chatting in hushed tones, some still rolling in silently on electric scooters are waiting. One girl, in her last year of school, stands behind the accordion gate talking to her mother, from whom she receives words of encouragement and home-cooked dinner in a plastic box; the girl, who will take the college entrance exam (gaokao) in just five months, must stay in class for another four hours. She reaches her arms over the gate and waves in an exaggerated farewell gesture to a friend in the year below who is going home for the day; the life of Chinese high schoolers is suffering, and they know it. Their parents know it too, and its why many of them from Tianjiabing and other high schools took to the streets to last May to protest an announcement handed down from Beijing that the wealthy coastal Jiangsu would be allocating 38,000 spots in its Tier 1 universities to students from ten of Chinas poorer inland provinces at the cost of those places going to Jiangsu children. On the day after the announcement was issued, over a thousand parents flooded the area around the provincial Ministry of Education, shouting and carrying signs that read Fairness in education! Oppose the gaokao admissions reduction! Videos and photos shared on social media showed local police arresting, beating, and carrying off incensed parents; and there was at least one report of self-immolation a popular, and often less than fatal, tactic of rage in China. Similar protests occurred in 13 cities across Jiangsu as well as in the populous and rich Hebei, the other province hit hardest by the quota reduction. At the Tianjiabing school gate, one mother, who declined to give her name, explained her reason for attending the protests: Jiangsus students about to sit the exams are suffering in their classrooms until 9:30 p.m. every day, but they are giving more opportunity to students from the backwards provinces. Her anger, however, was not aimed at the people of those poorer provinces but toward big-city elites. Story continues Official residents (or hukou holders) of first-tier cities like Shanghai and Beijing receive preferential treatment when it comes to education; indeed, the acceptance rate for Beijing students to first-tier universities is 24 percent, while in Jiangsu province, it is 9 percent. This is partially an artefact of the system; locals get preference to local universities everywhere, but most of Chinas best universities, such as Tsinghua, Beida, and Fudan, are in Beijing or Shanghai. But its also a result of the vested interests concentrated in Chinas metropolitan elite. And the oft-cited statistic, which has long chafed at Jiangsu parents, was brought out again when the announcement came down that their childrens opportunities to attend a prestigious university would be reduced further yet Beijing and Shanghai were not given a similar large-scale reduction. Jiangsu students score higher on the gaokao than Beijing students, the woman said. Its not fair. The Jiangsu protests speak to the interests of Chinas provincial urban middle-class, caught between disdain for poorer areas they see as unfairly compensated, and annoyance at richer ones that suck up the best resources. The urban middle-classes are the bedrock of the Communist Partys political support but also increasingly vocal in speaking out in defense of their own interests. Though 91 percent of students in Jiangsu who take the gaokao (compared with 79 percent in Jiangxi, one of the poorest provinces in China) are admitted to some form of university, in the midst of Chinas tightening white-collar job market and diminishing returns for education, middle-class parents are anxious for their children to reach the best school possible. Although complaint about this state of affairs initially stem from intensely personal interests, some argue that its broadening into a new sense of collective action. Wu Qiang, a political science professor at Tsinghua who studies protest movements, said that incidents like the gaokao admissions reduction protest, which are discussed widely on social media, have helped to develop a sense of political solidarity in the Chinese middle classes. Until recently, Wu told Foreign Policy, the Chinese middle classes have been ignored as a political group. For a long time, when it came to politics, the middle class they had no voice, no power. There was no outlet for political participation, and there was no one who would speak for them, he said. But in recent years, Wu says, this has changed, largely due to the advent of social media. When changes occur that challenge middle class families wealth or status such as the gaokao admissions reduction they can take to social media to complain and organize demonstrations. After such crises occur, Wu says, the participants become more conscious of themselves as a political class. Wus analysis was reflected in the litany of posts on mobile app WeChat subscription accounts like Parents of Nanjing Test Takers and Household Knowledge and Tips that, often in angrily red and boldfaced text, highlighted the unfairness of the quota reduction to Jiangsu students: It is said that, in all of China, there is one group of students that suffers the most: They are known as Jiangsu gaokao takers, one typical post began,[Do Beijing students need lower scores] because Beijings education system is more backward than Jiangsus? We think not! In another widely shared post entitled, In the gaokao quota reduction, why are [the ones to suffer most] always the middle class? the author explained that the most vehement protesters were middle class because the real bigwigs have for a long time now looked down on Chinese education. The author pointed out that Wang Sicong, son of billionaire tycoon Wang Jianlin, spent his entire academic career, from elementary school to university, abroad. And it was not only Chinas wealthiest opting out, the author wrote, asserting that more than 80 percent of government officials of a department-level or higher ranking send their children abroad. Though this number is hard to confirm, the perception of widespread disinvestment in Chinese education among the bigwigs is revealing of increasing collective consciousness in a middle class that feels trapped inside the Chinese education system. Lin, 42, the mother of a Nanjing middle school student who withheld her name because of the sensitive nature of the issue), also saw the policy in class terms, comparing it not to U.S. affirmative action, but to the second U.S. war in Iraq: The Bush government launched the Iraq war, but I guess most of the soldiers, theyre from the lower class or middle class families, she said. Very few who sacrificed their life for the country are from those upper class families. Though the comparison may seem extreme, it is easier to understand in the context of unbelievable pressures put on students by the gaokao, preparation for which is routinely likened a torture or prison, and produces several dozen suicides every year. Though Lins daughter, Amy, is only in the 8th grade, Lin says she has been plagued with anxiety about her daughters higher education prospects since Amy was in elementary school. Amy is a lively and witty young woman who routinely scores at the top of her class in English. At 13 years old, shes already spending four hours a day in extracurricular studies. Though Amy works hard, she is mostly indifferent to math and physics; and Lin worries that this, combined with Amys iconoclastic bent, will ultimately prevent her from succeeding inside of the rigid Chinese education system. Lin told FP she fears that, come gaokao season, Amy will not be one of the 9 percent of Jiangsu students admitted to Tier 1 universities. For this reason, Lin has already decided that she will try to send Amy to the United States for university. Over the past ten years this recourse, once taken only by the super-wealthy, has become increasingly common among the upper-middle and even middle classes. In the aftermath of the quota reductions, a wealth of study-abroad agencies seized on parents despair to promote their services on social media, assuring them that study abroad was still a feasible path. One woman, promoting the affordability of studying in Spain on the Wechat account Goal: Study abroad in Spain, asked parents, If the state is, at present, unable to furnish us with enough resources to foster our development, why should we hang ourselves on the old tree? After all, we must live, and there are always other choices, there is always another road to take. But even for the most affordable of study abroad options, some middle class parents will inevitably be left out. Damien Ma, the co-author of the influential book In Line Behind a Billion People, about changing Chinese demographics and the scarcity its engendered, told FP that among the middle classes there are people who are stuck, and they have to continue to subject themselves to higher competition. But he added he doubted that this bubble had grown big enough to change the system. At the same time, however, whether or not the tens of thousands of middle-class parents who were affected by the gaokao admissions reduction choose to eventually send their child abroad, the incident has reinforced for them the unfair pressure put on them by the Chinese education system and made them increasingly aware of exactly where they sit within it. Lin feels that, when it comes to her daughters education, the sacrifice the state has spared Beijing yet asked Jiangsu parents to take in stride is simply too large. We are not ones to seek shelter in a foreign university, but it does give her more chances, she said. China Photos/Getty Images BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Monday welcomed U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' suggestion that diplomacy should be the priority in the South China Sea, and that major U.S. military action was not being considered to contend with China's assertive behavior there. Mattis, speaking in Tokyo on Saturday, blamed China for "shredding the trust of nations in the region", but also played down any need for U.S. military maneuvers in the disputed waters of the South China Sea and instead called for open lines of communication. The comments, his most complete on the issue to date, came after analysts had said other remarks made by President Donald Trump's administration had suggested the possibility of U.S. military action, or even a naval blockade. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters at a regular briefing that Mattis' emphasis on using diplomatic means of resolving disputes in the South China Sea was "worthy of affirmation" and that the situation there was normalizing. "This accords with the common interests of China and all countries in the region, and we hope that countries outside of the region can respect the joint interests and wishes of countries in the region," Lu said. China claims most of the South China Sea, while Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei claim parts of the waters that command strategic sea lanes and have rich fishing grounds along with oil and gas deposits. In his Senate confirmation hearing, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said China should not be allowed access to islands it has built in the contested South China Sea. The White House also vowed to defend "international territories" in the waterway. Such action would risk an armed confrontation with China, an increasingly formidable nuclear-armed military power. Chinese state media said at the time that the United States would need to "wage war" to bar China's access to the artificial islands built up on reefs, where it has constructed military-length air strips and installed weapons systems. Pronouncements by China's state-run news outlets do not equate to government policy, but can reflect official thinking. The official English-language China Daily newspaper said in an editorial on Monday that Mattis' comments were a "mind-soothing pill" that had "dispersed the clouds of war that many feared were gathering over the South China Sea". "Mattis has inspired optimism here that things may not be as bad as previously portrayed," the newspaper said. (Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Robert Birsel) BEIJING (AP) After years of delays, China's first large homemade passenger jetliner will take to the air for its maiden flight in the first half of this year, state media reported Monday. State-owned aircraft maker Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China Ltd., or Comac, based in Shanghai, has nearly completed work on the 175-passenger C919, the ruling Communist Party newspaper People's Daily reported. The C919 was originally due to fly in 2015, but has been beset by delays blamed on manufacturing problems. It is now scheduled to enter service in 2019, aimed at competing with the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, along with the Russian Irkut MC-21. Airbus and Boeing say the market for new aircraft will be worth more than $5 trillion over the next 20 years. Industry experts say China faces a tough slog capturing a significant share of that market, even with government support. Comac has 517 orders for the C919. Company officials couldn't immediately be reached. The C919 is part of China's efforts to develop a homegrown aviation industry in one of the world's biggest and fastest-growing air travel markets. China currently relies heavily on foreign-made aircraft. Last June, the ARJ21-700, China's first homemade regional jet, made its debut flight carrying 70 passengers. The jet is one of a series of initiatives launched by the party to transform China from the world's low-cost factory into a creator of profitable technology in aviation, clean energy and other fields. The ARJ21, also made by Comac, is a rival to aircraft made by Bombardier Inc. of Canada and Brazil's Embraer SA. The news looked grim: On Jan. 12, the New York State Labor Department issued a statutory warning that the Clinton Global Initiative would be laying off 22 employees within the next three months. Media coverage, especially in right-wing outlets, greeted this routine bureaucratic announcement as proof that Bill Clinton had been forced to shut down his signature philanthropic project in the aftermath of Hillary Clintons electoral defeat because as one website put it nobody pays bribes to people unable to deliver favors. Like so much publicity about CGI and the Clinton Foundation during the months leading up to the presidential election, however, those stories were heavy on hostile innuendo and light on basic facts. The obituaries obscured the bigger picture, showing how the ambitious enterprise had permanently changed the direction of philanthropy, both in the United States and abroad. They also missed the fact that CGI hadnt really died. Established by the former president in September 2005, to coincide with the annual opening of the U.N. General Assembly, CGI drew heads of state, corporate leaders, nonprofit executives, and assorted celebrities who wanted to act as well as talk about major world problems, including poverty, disease, conflict, and climate change. What distinguished CGI from the beginning was Bill Clintons insistence that every participant make a commitment to action. Over 12 years, CGI commitments grew into action networks that brought together companies, nonprofits, and governments in thousands of projects. Contrary to the negative commentary, the January announcement about CGI wasnt the product of a post-election capitulation. Last September, almost two months before Election Day, Bill Clinton publicly announced the end of CGI at the organizations 12th annual conference in New York City. He had informed the CGI staff in August, as part of a broader reorganization of the Clinton Foundation that anticipated Hillary Clintons expected victory in November. So the state layoff notice in January reflected nothing beyond the Clinton Foundations decision to keep many CGI employees on payroll for up to six months while they sought other jobs. To describe that bureaucratic event as a mark of disgrace or defeat was a misunderstanding or an intentional misinterpretation which served as a coda to the torrent of angry, exaggerated, and often inaccurate attacks on CGI during Hillary Clintons ill-fated presidential candidacy. In his farewell speech to CGI members at Manhattans Sheraton hotel on Sept. 21, Bill Clinton told them that the initiative inaugurated there almost exactly 11 years earlier worked out better than I ever dreamed. After more than a decade of developing CGI from a casual notion into a formidable entity, credited with delivering quality health care, clean water, improved education, disaster relief, and other essential benefits to millions of people around the world, he might have thought that those achievements would speak for themselves. But CGIs work had been tarnished by repeated accusations of corruption and favoritism toward donors. CGI and the Clinton Foundation rarely came under such criticism during the years before Hillary Clinton became the favored candidate to succeed Barack Obama as president. From the beginning, CGIs membership, operations, and tone were strictly nonpartisan, welcoming participation by Republicans (and independents) who shared its objectives. Republican business leaders like John Chambers of Cisco Systems provided financial support and undertook the commitments to action that were central to its mission; Republican politicians like John McCain, Mitt Romney, and Carly Fiorina delivered speeches at its annual meeting, laced with extravagant praise for its work. For the most partisan Republicans, even some like Fiorina who had participated in CGI, the election-year opportunity to smear the Clintons was irresistible. One illuminating example was a widely publicized release of emails between Hillary Clinton and her aide Huma Abedin that depicted a $32 million commitment by the crown prince of Bahrain as a bribe to win an official meeting with Clinton in 2009. But the commitment a pledge to provide college scholarships to Bahraini students had been made in 2005, three years before anyone knew she would become secretary of state. And not a penny of those Bahraini funds went to the Clintons, their foundation, or CGI. Yet many media outlets fell for that kind of fraudulent revelation, clouding the reputations of the Clinton initiatives and their sponsors. Though the smears can be safely ignored, its true that CGIs real impact has never been easy to assess. During its 12 years, CGI members made more than 3,600 commitments in over 180 countries, valued at many billions of dollars, which are said to have improved the lives of over 435 million people, in a wide variety of ways, from better education for 52 million children to safe drinking water for 33 million people and better maternity and early childhood support for 114 million families. They claim to have invested billions of dollars in small businesses, housing development, health care, and energy efficiency, creating up to 4 million clean jobs around the world. All of that data relies on reporting by CGI members, with very limited auditing by CGI staff and even less independent reporting on the commitments or their results by news outlets. Its natural and inevitable to feel skepticism toward such claims and the leaders of CGI were not immune to it. That was why, in the months before its 10th conference in 2014, the Clinton Foundations leadership undertook a formidable effort to collect and analyze all of the information that had flowed into CGIs offices since its founding conference in September 2005. They outsourced the job to Palantir Technologies, a software giant based in Palo Alto that handles big data tasks for banks, major corporations, and hedge funds, as well as the Pentagon and several U.S. intelligence agencies. Although Palantirs largest shareholder is libertarian investor (and eventual Donald Trump supporter) Peter Thiel, its management had enlisted the company as a CGI member years earlier for philanthropic purposes. (Specifically, to develop computer technology to more effectively harness volunteers who show up to assist disaster victims.) The Palantir study demanded months of work, at considerable expense, which the company performed on a pro bono basis. Unveiled at the CGI conference in September 2014, the results were revealing and instructive but were reported almost nowhere beyond the philanthropic trade press. Of all the CGI commitments, nearly 42 percent had been completed; just under 40 percent were still underway; about 12 percent were deemed inactive, because their sponsors had not reported in for two years or more; almost 5 percent were marked as unsuccessful; and 1.6 percent were described as stalled. The Palantir analysis went even deeper, seeking clues to what had made some CGI commitments succeed at accomplishing their goals and others fail. What the failed commitments shared in nearly every instance was that they had run out of money. Among the most spectacular failures was Sir Richard Bransons 2006 commitment to invest $3 billion of Virgin Group profits on clean energy projects. The final numbers showed that he had put up less than 10 percent of that amount, while his airlines carbon emissions skyrocketed. The most productive were partnerships that paired a nonprofit with a corporation, as in Procter & Gambles work providing billions of gallons of clean water to communities in the developing world through charities like World Vision and ChildFund. To Clinton, these partnerships and networks, often including national or local government agencies, epitomized his own political philosophy: Everyone counts, everyone deserves a chance, everyone has a role to play, and we all do better when we work together. In most of the countries where CGI members operated, governments were unable to solve their own problems, but the problems could not be solved without government participation. If not every project worked out, as the Clintons and their staff were quick to acknowledge, the influence of CGI reached well beyond the endeavors of its members. As much as any specific mission, the aim was to change the way nonprofits operate. We started CGI to create a new kind of community built around the new realities of our modern world, Clinton said in his farewell speech, where problem-solving requires the active partnership of government, business, and civil society. This partnership model, which may seem self-evident today, was simply not how philanthropy and corporate responsibility worked over a decade ago. Indeed, CGI had long since proved itself as an innovative model, moving the nonprofit, philanthropic, and corporate spheres toward entrepreneurial cooperation. Even the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, every year where former Bill Clinton aide Doug Band had first conceived of CGI as a kind of protest against elite inertia has renovated itself as a more action-oriented event. And CGI has inspired dozens of new events and activist discussions around the annual September meeting of the U.N. General Assembly, which had once merely stimulated a frenzy of cocktail receptions. As Jane Wales, an Aspen Institute vice president who attended almost every CGI conference for 12 years, put it last fall after the final meeting, My feeling is the job is done it is a success. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, well, in philanthropy, it is the quickest way to impact. On Feb. 2, President Clinton released his foundations 2016 annual report, with a letter from him to its supporters. The attacks on our efforts have not come from people and organizations who understand or care about the work we do, he wrote. By contrast, those who do understand have a very different view of what we do and how we do it. The three main charity review groups, which take a detailed look at governance, financial health, transparency, and accountability, have given us high ratings: Charity Navigator: Four Stars; CharityWatch: A ; and GuideStar: Platinum. He went on to pledge that most of the foundations initiatives, aside from CGI, will continue notably including the Clinton Health Access Initiative, whose programs have saved the lives of millions of HIV/AIDS patients across the world. And as for CGI, perhaps its critics shouldnt gloat just yet. In his letter, Clinton noted, We have kept a small group of people at CGI to help those who have made commitments keep them, and are looking now at how best to offer our members and other concerned citizens the chance to dramatically increase the impact of some of the best ideas CGI has produced and others that may arise. More to the point, its student program, Clinton Global Initiative University, which has sponsored annual meetings that have welcomed almost 7,000 young people with their own ideas about how to save the world, will continue next October at Northeastern University in Boston. CGI may be gone, but its spirit lives. Photo credit: MICHAEL LOCCISANO/Getty Images BOSTON (AP) A liberal arts college in Massachusetts has created a refugee scholarship in response to President Donald Trump's order on immigration and refugees and is calling on other colleges to do the same. Wheaton College in Norton announced the offer after the Republican billionaire issued his Jan. 27 executive order, suspending America's refugee program and halting immigration to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries. On Saturday, the U.S. government suspended enforcement of the ban a day after a federal judge in Washington state temporarily blocked it. College President Dennis Hanno said the scholarship is meant to demonstrate that Wheaton embraces its foreign-born community, even as the White House moves in the opposite direction. "We value the different perspectives people from all around the world bring to Wheaton," he said, noting that about 18 percent of the college's 1,650 students hail from more than 70 different foreign nations. "It's about wanting to take immediate action to preserve that environment we've created here." Hanno stressed the college has no intention of violating any federal mandates. Wheaton's Refugee Scholarship is open to any refugee student fleeing conflict, but applicants from the seven countries specifically targeted by Trump's order Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen would be given special preference. "We're not trying to do anything illegal," Hanno said. "It's really about trying to send a message to students who would normally be interested in Wheaton College that we're still interested in them, and hope they're still interested in us." A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Education declined to comment Friday. Reaction on Wheaton's social media accounts from alumni and parents has been generally supportive. But some Facebook and Twitter users have questioned why the college has chosen to prioritize foreigners over U.S. citizens. Story continues Hanno argued that the scholarship, which is for a single student, is over and above the $41 million in total student aid Wheaton provides annually, of which more than 90 percent goes to American students. Hanno said the response from applicants has been strong, but that no other college has so far stepped up to offer a similar scholarship, as Hanno urged others to do when he announced the initiative. Nationwide, there are already a number of scholarships and fellowships geared to refugees and immigrants, but Wheaton's appears to be the first created in direct response to Trump's order, said Lynn Pasquerella, president of the nearly 1,400-member Association of American Colleges and Universities. Many American colleges and universities, she added, have issued statements expressing concern about the impact on their campus communities, as well as on the ability to recruit the best talent. The photo stood out near the top of the front page of the Jan. 30 Journal Times: A Cadillac Fleetwood with gold-colored rims, with the Drug Abuse Resistance Education logo on the rear passenger door, the Racine Police Department logo on the front passenger door and the words confiscated from a local drug dealer on the passenger side quarter panel. In the mid-90s and beyond, it was a useful tool for Racine Police, both to encourage kids to say no to drugs, and to tell drug dealers If we catch you, your fancy car becomes our fancy car. Were fine with, for example, drug dealers losing assets upon conviction in court. What we take issue with is asset forfeiture being imposed upon someone not yet convicted of a crime. State Sen. David Craig, R-Town of Vernon, has introduced a bill which would reform how government seizes crime-related. The bill puts restrictions on how law enforcement can seize property, known as civil asset forfeiture, and how it can use proceeds from sales of that property. Among the proposed requirements is that a criminal conviction must occur; that forfeiture be proportional to the crime committed; and that all proceeds from a forfeiture be set aside for schools. The bill also raises the burden of proof in forfeiture cases. Craig argues the reforms are an important step to ensure that no person is deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law, as guaranteed by the 5th Amendment. Under current law, a persons property can be taken from them not only without a conviction, but without even a criminal charge filed against them, Craig said. We agree with Sen. Craigs central point, that there should be no forfeiture in the absence of a conviction. We believe that if property is seized from a suspect as evidence, if that suspect is found not guilty the property should be immediately returned. State Sen. Bob Wirch, D-Somers, is a co-sponsor of the bill, and the American Civil Liberties Union has expressed support. In opposition to Craigs bill is a fellow Republican, Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling. He said he opposes it and plans to testify against it. County sheriffs and other law enforcement officials spoke out against the bill when it was introduced in the last legislative session, saying asset forfeiture is an important tool in fighting against drug crimes. Officials also have said the money seized helps offset the cost of new equipment and drug task forces. We dont agree with the bills provision that forfeiture proceeds would be set aside for schools. We have other means to raise funds for schools, and we concede the sheriffs point about forfeiture proceeds being an important part of law enforcement departmental funding. We would have forfeiture proceeds go to the law enforcement agencies whose work helped produce the conviction in question. But we dont want law enforcement agencies to be dependent upon asset forfeiture proceeds, either. If this is too large a portion of any agencys funding, we would prefer that agency take up the matter with its municipal or county government. We dont mind seeing convicted criminals lose assets acquired through criminal activity. But we share Sen. Craigs view that the threshold must be that a conviction has occurred. Bogota (AFP) - Colombia's last active rebel group, the ELN, freed a hostage soldier Monday in a new goodwill gesture on the eve of peace talks to end a 53-year conflict. The news came as a new boost to President Juan Manuel Santos's quest to bring "complete peace" to Colombia after sealing a historic peace deal last year with the country's oldest and largest rebel group, the FARC. The International Committee of the Red Cross said the soldier, Fredy Moreno Mahecha, was handed over in a rural area of Arauca department in eastern Colombia, where the ELN captured him two weeks ago. "We trust this gesture will reinforce trust between the Colombian government and the ELN before the imminent opening of the public phase of peace negotiations," the head of the Red Cross in Colombia, Christoph Harnisch, said in a statement. Colombia expert Kyle Johnson of the International Crisis Group called the release a "very important" gesture ahead of the peace talks, which are set to open Tuesday in the Ecuadoran capital Quito. "The talks would have begun with serious doubts hanging over them" had Moreno not been released, Johnson said. A trust-building prisoner exchange had already taken place last Thursday, when the ELN released their highest-profile hostage, former lawmaker Odin Sanchez, in exchange for two rebel prisoners. The ELN's previous refusal to free Sanchez had already derailed the peace talks once, just as they were due to open last October. His release left Santos, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, brimming with optimism going into the talks. "This conflict is over," he said last Thursday as he opened a summit of Nobel Peace laureates in Bogota. "The public phase of negotiations between the Colombian government and the ELN... will enable us to achieve complete peace." - 2018 election looms - Colombia's Cold War-era conflict, which has killed more than 260,000 people and left 60,000 missing, is the last major armed conflict in the Americas. Story continues The territorial and ideological war has drawn in other leftist rebel groups, right-wing paramilitaries, drug gangs and the army since the FARC and ELN were launched in 1964. Rights groups say massacres, rapes and other atrocities have been committed on all sides. The ELN, or National Liberation Army -- a leftist guerrilla group inspired by the Cuban Revolution -- has an estimated 1,500 fighters. The peace talks come after three years of secret preliminary negotiations. The government is currently implementing a historic peace deal signed last November with FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a Marxist rebel group whose fighters now have six months to disarm. But experts warn the ELN will likely be a tougher negotiating partner. And elections next year to decide Santos's successor threaten to complicate matters. The peace process faces ongoing resistance from conservative opponents who accuse Santos of granting impunity to rebels guilty of war crimes. Santos had to tweak the initial FARC accord after voters narrowly rejected it in a referendum last October, a major embarrassment for the government. The slightly revised version was ratified in Congress, where Santos enjoys a majority. BERLIN (Reuters) - It will require "a little miracle" for Britain and the European Union to complete negotiations on Britain's exit from the bloc in the two-year timeframe allotted, EU Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen said on Monday. Katainen told Reuters that European Commission officials were bracing for "extremely difficult" negotiations with Britain, but were trying to be pragmatic about the process. "From the commissions point of view, we want to put all the emotions and negative attitudes aside and try to be as pragmatic as possible," Katainen said. "Its a little miracle if they manage to do it in two years' time, which is the timeframe set by the treaties." (Reporting by Andrea Shalal) Diving into a sea of raw data to discover a pearl of useful knowledge is no easy task, but it is a necessary step toward making data-driven decisions in business. One way to gain the ability to transform raw data into actionable intelligence, experts say, is to enroll in a master's program in business analytics, a field that involves data mining for commercial purposes and is growing in popularity among graduate business students. [Ask these three questions when evaluating business analytics programs.] Melissa Bowers, director of the business analytics master's program at the University of Tennessee's Haslam College of Business, says companies are eager to hire people with the specialized skills necessary to sort through the overwhelming amount of information they receive daily. "We're generating data at a phenomenal rate," Bowers says. "The businesses are realizing that they can use this data to make more money." Bowers says her business analytics master's program has placed 100 percent of its graduates within three months of graduation since its first class graduated in 2011. According to the University of Tennessee--Knoxville website, the average base salary of 2015 graduates from its business analytics master's program was $80,800, and the average total salary of 2015 graduates, including signing bonuses and stock options, was $86,800. Sanjay Saigal, executive director of the business analytics master's program at the Graduate School of Management at University of California--Davis, says many mid-career business professionals are returning to school to get business analytics degrees so they can advance in their companies. "A lot of these students are finding that the jobs that are most attractive tend to have a business analytics component," Saigal says. [See how to use an MBA to dive into a data analytics career.] Experts say an M.S. in business analytics makes more sense for some students than an MBA, since it requires fewer semesters of both study and tuition but is still a marketable credential. Story continues "A student might choose to do that because in a shorter time, they can get a very in-demand job, and they can advance quicker," says Tunay Tunca, director of the business analytics master's program with University of Maryland's Smith School of Business. [Ask these three questions when evaluating business analytics programs.] Kieran Kepler, an advisory associate at consulting firm KPMG and a 2016 graduate from the University of Tennessee's business analytics program, says he chose to pursue a master's in business analytics instead of an MBA because data is his passion and he wanted to focus on that aspect of business. "It seemed like something that I would not only enjoy but that I would have a lot of opportunity in," he says. Kepler says that before signing up for an M.S. in business analytics, prospective students should consider whether their dream job would involve a significant amount of math. "You need to understand if it's something you want to focus on or if you want a more general understanding of business topics," he says. Kepler advises business generalists to opt for an MBA as opposed to an M.S. in business analytics, but he says the M.S. is great for people who want to do more quantitiative analysis. [Explore the reasons why business schools are divided on how to approach analytics training.] Nick Street, professor of management sciences in the University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business, say it is important to choose a b-school analytics program where professors have expertise in quantitative subjects. "If you're not being taught by somebody with a math or statistics or computer science background, you're probably being shortchanged," says Street, who oversees the analytics program at Iowa. William Bouding, dean of the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, says prospective business analytics grad students should look for programs where they will learn how to leverage data tools to yield a profit. He says Duke's master of quantitative management program includes courses on business alongside courses on analytics, so graduates can combine business knowledge with the technical skills necessary to use analytic tools effectively and rise to leadership positions within companies. Searching for a business school? Get our complete rankings of Best Business Schools. Ilana Kowarski covers graduate schools for U.S. News. You can reach her via email at ikowarski@usnews.com. The news of the week was President Donald Trump's travel ban that prevents U.S. entry to citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries. In the wake of the immigration order, many global companies spoke out against the new policy in an effort to reassure employees. [See: 10 Things They Don't Tell You About Your First Job.] Below are responses from several industry giants, including tech leaders, across the globe, as well as some advice on how to navigate these changes in the workplace: -- In an email to staff, Apple's CEO Tim Cook expressed his opposition to the ban, stating, "It is not a policy we support," and quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: "We may have all come on different ships, but we are in the same boat now." Cook noted that the immigration order is having a direct impact on Apple employees, stating, "Our HR, Legal and Security teams are in contact with them, and Apple will do everything we can to support them." -- Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos sent employees a memo that expressed the company's opposition to the ban and offered "full support" to people affected by it. Amazon's human resources department emailed employees last weekend to request that they avoid traveling internationally if the new restrictions might prevent them from re-entering the country. Amazon -- which reportedly has 49 employees born in countries affected by the travel ban -- has also joined a lawsuit against the ban. -- In an open letter to staff, Starbucks' CEO Howard Schultz announced that the coffee company not only condemns the president's order, but has plans to hire 10,000 people who are recognized by the United Nations as refugees. Schultz assured employees of Starbucks' commitment to address the order, noting that the company would "neither stand by, nor stand silent, as the uncertainty around the new Administration's actions grows with each passing day." Story continues [See: 10 Reasons to Quit Your Job Already.] -- Google ordered its employees overseas to return home immediately, while CEO Sundar Pichai wrote to employees: "It's painful to see the personal cost of this executive order on our colleagues. We've always made our view on immigration issues known publicly and will continue to do so." -- CEO Bill McDermott of SAP SE, the largest tech company in Europe, sent employees a letter of reassurance that emphasized the company's nondiscrimination policies. In the letter, McDermott wrote, "To all our nervous families wondering about your place in the world, we are always in your corner." -- A memo sent to JPMorgan staff from the company's operating committee stated that the Wall Street bank had "worked to reach out to all JPMorgan Chase employees on sponsored visas who are potentially impacted by the recent orders." The memo emphasized the company's "unwavering commitment" to its employees, including "a number of our outstanding employees -- all of whom have adhered to our country's immigration and employment processes -- who have come to the United States to serve our company, clients and communities." Business Insider reported that the company also set up a hotline for employees who could be affected by the travel ban. No matter where you work and whether your employer's leadership team made a specific announcement about their corporate response to the new immigration policy, there are steps you can take to begin to navigate these evolving changes in the workplace: Know who's affected by the ban. Global companies across diverse industries may be affected by the new immigration policy. Though the policy has generated some confusion, it has affected the ability of people -- including company employees with valid visas -- from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen to enter the U.S. This means some of your global colleagues may be impacted personally even if you aren't. [See: How to Follow Up on a Job Application Without Being Annoying.] Plan travel accordingly. If you're being sent on an international business trip, be aware of the new immigration policy, and be sure to plan global travel accordingly. While lawsuits like the one filed by Amazon mentioned above are in progress, it will take time to see what evolves, and there has already been much confusion about where green card holders, those with visas and dual citizens stand under the new policy. Human resources can provide more information about your company's travel policies and how they may be affected by the travel ban. Discuss issues or concerns with your boss or HR. If you're uncertain how the Trump administration's new policy might affect you or your work group, request additional information from your supervisor or your human resources team. While the situation is still unfolding, HR should be able to provide the best guidance internally on what the travel ban means for employees and the proper procedures to follow for those affected. (Corrects first paragraph to make it "jurist" instead of "justice" as Robart is not a justice) By Mica Rosenberg and Nathan Layne (Reuters) - U.S. Judge James Robart emerged from relative obscurity on Saturday as the first jurist to come under fire from the president since he took office after his temporary order to lift Donald Trump's immigration ban. In a reaction that went viral on Twitter, Trump called the 69-year-old Robart a "so-called judge" whose "ridiculous" opinion "essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country." To those who know Robart, who has been on the federal bench in Seattle for more than a decade after his appointment by another Republican, President George W. Bush, the ensuing drama surrounding the move was a far cry from the judge's standard. "He is relatively apolitical," said Douglas Adkins, a private equity investor and former investment banker who has known Robart since childhood. "He's not a conservative or a liberal. He's a man interested in the law and fairness." Late on Friday, Robart grabbed national headlines with his decision to temporarily lift Trump's week-old travel ban for citizens of seven mainly Muslim countries and refugees. His ruling was just a first step in considering the merits of the case challenging the ban. The Justice Department on Saturday filed a formal notice that it intends to appeal the ruling. As a candidate, Trump had criticized federal judge Gonzalo Curiel, who was overseeing a case against his Trump University - arguing Curiel could not be impartial because of his Mexican heritage and Trump's vow to crack down on Mexican immigrants. But by lashing out at Robart as president, Trump's anti-judiciary stance takes on new importance: it hits at the very heart of the checks and balances system meant to protect the country from government abuse of power. Coincidentally, in his wide-reaching ruling on Friday, Robart emphasized that the three branches of government - the executive branch, Congress and the judiciary - should function as equals. "The work of the Judiciary, and this court, is limited to ensuring that the actions taken by the other two branches comport with our country's laws, and more importantly, our constitution," Robart wrote. Reached by email, Robart declined to comment on Trump's tweets. A graduate of Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, and Georgetown University Law Center, Robart spent 30 years in private practice at the law firm now known as Lane Powell, before being appointed to the bench by Bush in 2004. Adkins said Robart and his wife have no children but have been foster parents to several immigrant children over the years, primarily from Southeast Asia. Robart could not be reached for comment. The judge served in the past as the president of the Seattle Children's Home and was a former trustee of the Children's Home Society of Washington, according to his official biography on the federal court website. Those organizations provide mental health services for at-risk youth and help troubled families. "His involvement with children may have helped contribute to his understanding of the people impacted by this ruling but would not have shaped his interpretation of the rule of law," said Paul Lawrence, who was one of the attorneys who filed an amicus brief backing Washington State in the immigration case. 'PREVENTABLE HUMAN SUFFERING' During his confirmation hearing, Robart recalled providing pro-bono legal services early in his career to "people who in many times felt that the legal system was stacked against them." He said he learned that the law "could be, if properly used, an opportunity for them to seek redress if they had been wronged," according to a transcript of the testimony. Often sporting bow-ties with his black robes, Robart is known for saying from the bench in 2016 that "black lives matter." He cited the statement popularized by protesters during a hearing about a 2012 consent decree with the federal government that required the Seattle police department to address allegations of bias and excessive force. In 2011, Robart put a temporary hold on a state rule change that would have cut government funding for disabled children and families in Washington. "When faced with a conflict between the financial and budgetary concerns ... and the preventable human suffering," Robart wrote in that opinion, "the balance of hardships tips in the favor of preventing human suffering." Adkins said he thought his friend would be able to take Trump's attacks in stride. "His view is that criticism is important," said Adkins. (Additional reporting by Tracy Rucinski in Chicago and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Bernard Orr and Dan Grebler) (Corrects to reflect that South Korea saw most spending by Chinese tourists using WeChat Pay, not that South Koreans were most active senders of WeChat "red packets") BEIJING (Reuters) - Users of WeChat sent around 46 billion electronic red packets - digital versions of traditional envelopes stuffed with cash - via the Chinese mobile social platform over the Lunar New Year period, the official Xinhua new agency reported on Saturday. China has a long tradition of giving red packets during the Lunar New Year, which fell on Jan. 28 this year. Internet giants such as Alibaba Group Holding have promoted the use of virtual red packets, also known as "hongbaos", to grow business in the country's booming mobile payment market. The number of digital red packets sent via WeChat, owned by Alibaba rival Tencent Holdings Ltd, rose 43 percent in the Jan. 27 and Feb. 1 period compared with a year earlier, according to Xinhua. People in the provinces of Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong and Hebei led the red packets mania, Xinhua said. South Korea saw the most spending using WeChat Pay by Chinese travelers outside of mainland China, a Tencent spokesman told Reuters by email. Since its launch in 2011, WeChat has become China's most popular mobile social media platform. Besides sending text, audio and video message for free, users can also use the WeChat digital wallet to pay utility bills, make donations and buy plane tickets. (Reporting by Ryan Woo; Editing by Sam Holmes) By Anne Mireille Nzouankeu COTONOU, Benin (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Browsing a market in Parakou, a city in Benin, 63-year-old Yon Sokogi was troubled by the latest gossip about a teenage bride rejected by her husband after she lost control of her bladder. Recognising this as a complication of female genital mutilation (FGM), Sokogi decided to visit 19-year-old Kpaare, a mother-of-two, in the hope of convincing her go to a hospital. But Sokogi is not a typical health worker. She is a cutter-turned-counsellor, who put down the knife five years ago - after cutting more than 1,500 girls during a 20-year period - to instead work towards stamping out FGM. "I did it with a knife, without anaesthesia, and without any medical training," Sokogi told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, explaining how her mother had trained her to help carry out FGM in their village. "The number of lives I shattered is enormous." The practice was criminalised in 2003 in the tiny West African nation of Benin, where one in 11 women and girls have been cut - a rate which has almost halved since 2000 - according to data from the U.N. children's agency (UNICEF). However, an adviser to Benin's first lady Claudine Talon said last week the practice had gone underground, and warned that up to three in 10 women and girls may have undergone FGM. Facing the risk of up to 20 years in prison, dozens of women like Sokogi are being persuaded by advocacy groups to put down the knife and retrain as counsellors in what is believed to be the first initiative of its kind in West Africa. These counsellors try to dissuade parents from cutting their daughters by explaining the harmful effects, and encourage girls suffering complications after undergoing FGM to go to hospital for treatment, rather than turning to traditional healers. "This is a great first for Benin, and an example that other nations must follow," said Nicolas Biaou, head of Mortiz, one of several grassroots groups which have helped to convert more than 30 cutters to counsellors across the country. CUTTER TO COUNSELLOR Some 200 million girls and women worldwide are estimated to have undergone FGM, which is practiced in a swathe of African countries and parts of the Middle East and Asia. The ancient ritual, which is often seen as a gateway to marriage and a way of preserving a girl's purity, can lead to a lifetime of physical, psychological and sexual problems. For Kpaare, who was cut at the age of 13, the birth of her second child was shortly followed by urinary incontinence, and traumatic flashbacks of the night she was laid on the ground naked - legs spread apart - with four women pinning her down. "I felt a sharp pain in my vagina and saw the blood flow, Kpaare said in her home in Parakou. "I wanted to scream but the women told me to shut up as a real woman must know how to bear pain, and that I would dishonour my mother if I cried." "So I stayed silent, and cried in my heart," she added. Having been shunned by her community, and told by a traditional healer that the incontinence was as result of black magic used against her by one of her husband's other wives, Kpaare was relieved when Sokogi knocked on her door last month. Sokogi's conversion from cutter to counsellor involved training sessions with nurses, who explained the risk of infections, vaginal tears, and complications during pregnancy. Eventually, Sokogi started visiting homes, no longer to cut girls, but to inform them and their parents of the dangers. She said her proudest achievement is having saved 11 girls from FGM. "The girls do not know what they are suffering, how to react or who to talk to," she said. "It is easier for them to confide in me because I am a woman, a victim and a former cutter." GUILT While its neighbours such as Guinea, Mali and Sierra Leone have some of the world's highest rates of FGM, around 90 percent or higher, the practice has steadily waned in Benin since it was made a crime in 2003, activists and state officials say. The fact that being complicit in the carrying out of FGM and failing to report it were also made punishable by between three and 20 years in prison sent out a strong message, according to Ines Hadonou-Toffoun, an official at the justice ministry. The state followed up the law with a cross-border crackdown on people moving between Benin and neighbouring Burkina Faso, Niger and Togo to carry out FGM, said Claire Houngan Ayemonna, a magistrate and formerly minister of families and social affairs. However, families are still crossing borders to get their girls cut, while some cutters in Benin who had abandoned the practice have also resumed their work, an adviser to first lady Talon told an international conference on FGM in Rome last week. Yet for Sokogi, the guilt she suffered after the death of four girls she cut means she will never again pick up the knife. "The village elders said it was due to sorcery ... but a health worker showed me that one died of a haemorrhage, and explained the dangers," she said. "My conscience overcame me." "For us, FGM was a cultural event, a rite of passage, and similar to circumcision for boys," she said. "I now know I have done a lot of harm to these girls, and I am in a lot of pain." (Reporting By Anne Mireille Nzouankeu, Editing by Kieran Guilbert and Ros Russell; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org) London (AFP) - Jermain Defoe's double helped Sunderland to a 4-0 hammering of fellow Premier League relegation battlers Crystal Palace on Saturday and left their former manager and now Palace handler Sam Allardyce plenty to think about. David Moyesa side fully deserved their triumph which moved them alongside Palace in the Premier League table -- though their goal difference is slightly worse than the London team -- albeit with both sides still in the relegation zone. The visitors -- whose goal haul equalled the amount of away goals they had scored in their previous away matches this term -- took the lead after 10 minutes. Lamine Kone rose highest at the far post to meet a Sebastian Larsson free-kick with a looping header that Wayne Hennessey dropped under pressure from Billy Jones. Now falling to the ground, Kone still managed to steer the ball home. The only worry for Moyes was the trouble that Larsson was having in containing lively Ivory Coast winger Wilfried Zaha. Having been booked after six minutes for a sliding tackle on the Palace forward in the sixth minute, the midfielder then tripped Zaha again in the 21st minute. The resulting free-kick eventually found Damien Delaney who curled over a delightful cross which fellow central defender James Tomkins could only head wide. The home side were further hampered after 27 minutes when French international Yohan Cabaye was forced to limp off to be replaced by Joe Ledley. - 'You're not fit to wear the shirt' - Sunderland were having an unexpectedly comfortable afternoon, one which improved in remarkable fashion in the five minutes prior to half-time. First, the impressive Didier NaDong, Sunderlandas record signing who is beginning to find his feet since returning from the African Cup of Nations, drove forward, shrugged off the attentions of Ledley and curled a low shot into the corner of the net. Next, in the opening seconds of injury-time, NaDong spread the ball out to Adnan Januzaj who in turn picked out the run of Defoe. Story continues The veteran striker held off Scott Dann again and sent an unerring shot beyond the diving Hennessey. Much to the disbelief of all those inside Selhurst Park, there was still time for another Sunderland goal before the break. This time, it was Januzajas turn to send a diagonal ball into the path of Defoe and Delaneyas turn to be turned. The end result was the same -a a low shot past Hennessey. Defoe had helped Allardyce pull off a miraculous escape from trouble at Sunderland last season. Here he was causing the former England manager crushing embarrassment. As the whistle sounded for half-time, the mood turned ugly. A chorus of aYouare not fit to wear the shirta cascaded down from the stands. Even worse, one Palace fan decided to take matters into his own hands by running on to the pitch and confronting Delaney. He was frogmarched from the pitch. Whatever the Palace manager said to his players will have been brief as they were sent back out on to the pitch five minutes early. In spite of the introductions of both Andros Townsend and Loic Remy, Palace could do little to break down a stubborn Sunderland defence in a second half that was largely a non-event. A Christian Benteke overhead kick at the end of a goalmouth scramble in the 65th minute flew high over the bar and summed up their ineptitude. Indeed, Sunderland might have added a fifth goal at the other end when Januzaj swept a left-foot shot just wide. On February 6, rock groups "Deftones" and "Rise Against" revealed they will be co-headlining a North-American tour this summer, with "Thrice" set to open. What could be better than a "Deftones" tour or a "Rise Against" tour? A combination of the two, with "Thrice" as special guests! This summer, the rock legends will go on a whistlestop 21-date tour in North America, opening in Chicago on June 9, 2017, and concluding on July 9 in Phoenix. Before heading to North America, "Deftones" will be making their way around major cities in Europe. While "Deftones" will be touring in support of their 2016 album "Gore", "Rise Against" have not - yet - announced any future releases. Tickets go on sale February 10, 2017. For more details, visit www.deftones.com. By Julie Zhu and Venus Wu HONG KONG (Reuters) - Scores of China social media postings about a well-connected billionaire who went missing from a Hong Kong hotel have been deleted, pointing to what appears to be heightened sensitivity in Beijing over the case of Xiao Jianhua. Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of Xiao, one of China's richest men who has close ties to some of its leaders and their relatives. He was last seen at Hong Kong's Four Seasons hotel in late January, with some media saying he was abducted and taken to the mainland. The case has echoes of the disappearance of five Hong Kong booksellers more than a year ago who had published books critical of China's leaders. The booksellers' case raised concern about interference by Beijing in Hong Kong and the erosion of its freedoms, guaranteed under a 1997 deal that returned the former British colony to Chinese rule. Authorities in Beijing have declined to comment on Xiao's case. Hong Kong's government has also not commented. The city's police say they are investigating and have approached Chinese authorities to ascertain his "situation in mainland China". Xiao's disappearance has sparked widespread media speculation that he has been drawn into Chinese President Xi Jinping's crackdown on corruption, which has ensnared a string of Chinese executives. After his disappearance, a statement from him appeared on his company's verified WeChat account saying he had not been abducted and had not been taken to mainland China. The statement added he was "currently abroad being medically treated". Hong Kong police say Xiao crossed the border to mainland China. When news of Xiao's disappearance in Hong Kong began breaking early last week, searches on Chinese search engines and social media for him generated many results, mostly links to reports related to statements he had issued via his company, Tomorrow Holdings, a financial group headquartered in Beijing. But those posts and most reports related to Xiao have disappeared, with search results only bringing up reports about him from several weeks earlier. DELETED POSTS According to Freewechat.com, which tracks censored or deleted posts on China's biggest social network, WeChat, more than 40 articles with the keyword Xiao Jianhua had been censored since Jan. 30. A similar number of reports with the word "Mingtianxi", which refers to Tomorrow Group and its subsidiaries, were also deleted. Tencent Holdings Ltd <0700.HK>, which operates WeChat, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for Sina, which runs China's Twitter-like microblogging service Sina Weibo, told Reuters it censors and deletes posts according to its code of conduct. But the spokesman declined to comment on any deleted posts related to Xiao and his business ties. More social media posts purportedly detailing Xiao's business links with high-profile companies and senior leaders were also deleted over the weekend. The Chinese government routinely censors the internet, blocking many sites it deems could challenge the rule of the Communist Party or threaten stability. China's internet regulator did not respond to a request for comment on Monday. Shares in firms directly or indirectly controlled by Tomorrow Group slumped on Friday, with Baotou Huazi Industry <600191.SS> and Xishui Strong Year Co Ltd Inner Mongolia <600291.SS> both down the maximum 10 percent. Shares of Baotou Huazi were down 2.6 percent on Monday, while Xishui Strong Year was down nearly 5 percent. Xiao was ranked 32nd on the 2016 Hurun China rich list, China's equivalent of the Forbes list, with an estimated net worth of $5.97 billion. (Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Writing by Anne Marie Roantree; Editing by Robert Birsel) Gov. Scott Walker has doused speculation that he could be President Donald Trumps second choice for U.S. labor secretary if the first choice, Andrew Puzder, falls through. U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan offered the suggestion, which he acknowledged was pure speculation, at a news conference Monday. But Walker, reiterating what he said immediately after the election, told reporters Monday in Green Bay that he is not going to be in the Cabinet. Walker has shown considerable interest in seeking a third term as governor in 2018. Walker spokesman Joe Fadness underscored that point Monday in responding to Pocan. If (Walker) is running for anything again, it will be for governor in 2018, Fadness said. Consideration of Puzders nomination appears to have slowed as the U.S. Senate waits for him to file financial disclosures and other paperwork. Senate confirmation hearings have been delayed four times for Puzder, who is CEO of the parent company of fast-food chains Hardees and Carls Jr. Pocan, D-Black Earth, acknowledged Monday that he has no direct evidence Trump is considering Walker to lead the Department of Labor. But Pocan said he and other Democrats are putting two and two together the slow pace of Puzders nomination, and Walkers visit to the White House last week to talk with Vice President Mike Pence about going national with Wisconsins Act 10 public-sector union law. The rumor is that he may be a backup for that appointment. Thats whats coming out. I dont know how true that is, Pocan said. Pocan added that Walkers Twitter spat last week with U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, suggests Walker may be trying to impress Trump on the presidents favorite social media platform. Walker said in December that hell formally announce his re-election plans after the state budget process concludes this summer. He said then that the incoming Trump administration has boosted his enthusiasm for seeking a third term as governor. The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Trump hasnt even been in office a month, but Rep. Maxine Waters already thinks its fair to consider impeachment. In a press conference, magazine interview and a social media post, the California Democrat brought up the specter of removing Trump from officesomething that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has played down. I have not called for the impeachment yet, hes doing it himself, Waters said at a press conference Monday. I think he is leading himself into that kind of position where people are beginning to ask, What are we going to do?' In an interview with Teen Vogue the same day, Waters outlined a longshot bill she has introduced in Congress calling for an investigation into the presidents ties to Russia. She said that if connections between Trumps campaign and Russia were revealed, he should be impeached. And in a subsequent video posted to Twitter, Waters explained that she has been asked repeatedly how Democrats can truly combat the agenda of the Trump administration, given their status as the minority in Congress. When Ive talked about leading him to impeachment what Im really saying is he has done enough in a short period of time for questions to be raised about whether or not hes acting in the best interest of this country, Waters said. Pelosi was more cautious when she responded to reporters questions on Trump impeachment, according to the Hill. The leader said there were no grounds for such action, but there are grounds for displeasure and unease about the past two weeks of the Trump Administration. When and if he breaks the law, that is when something like that would come up. But thats not the subject of today, Pelosi said. By the time that Bill OReillys interview with President Donald Trump aired on Sunday, the big news out of the exchange was already well known. Thats because Fox, to their credit, released an excerpt on Saturday in which Trump appeared to equate the killer actions of Russian leader Vladimir Putin with those of the U.S. government. Weve got a lot of killers, Trump told OReilly. Boy, you think our countrys so innocent? You think our countrys so innocent? Trump is not the first president to be interviewed during a Super Bowl pre-game but hes certainly testing the notion that the American pastime should be a politics-free zone. His exchange with OReilly was hardly a time for feel-good chatter and, for good measure, Trump tweeted out a comment just before it aired that was enough to stir up a new round of social media alarm. 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 Before he refreshed the latest news cycle, Trumps Putin comments triggered all sorts of controversy and condemnation, from the left and a few on the right. Bret Stephens, an editorial page editor at the Wall Street Journal, said that Trump had slandered the United States, while Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, appearing on State of the Union with Jake Tapper, tried to distance himself from the statement. OReilly wasnt exactly prosecutorial in the interview, but he did follow up with Trumps suggestion of moral relativism. I dont know of any government leaders that are killers, he said. Well, take a look at what weve done too. Weve made a lot of mistakes. I have been against the war in Iraq from the beginning, Trump responded. OReilly again tried to distinguish between Putin-esque killing of political opponents, and mistakes made in U.S. foreign policy. Story continues A lot of mistakes. But a lot of people were killed. So a lot of killers around, believe me, Trump said. Then they moved on. OReilly pressed Trump on his claims of massive voter fraud, and the president said that it would be something that Vice President Mike Pence would handle as head of an investigating panel. But Trump still couldnt offer any evidence that massive fraud took place. Trump again slammed President Barack Obama for the Iran nuclear deal, calling it the worst deal I ever seen negotiated. But he did not commit to backing out of the deal. Trump still referred to Obamacare as a disaster. But he suggested that it may not be until next year that they have a replacement plan in place. He did offer his Super Bowl prediction: The Patriots by 8. And Trump described settling into the White House as a surreal experience, but you have to get over it. Surreal? Certainly many people share that sentiment. Get over it? Well see. Related stories Every Super Bowl Movie Trailer, Ranked Super Bowl: 'The Walking Dead' Teaser Declares 'Football Season is Over' Watch Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron in 'Baywatch' Super Bowl Trailer As magazine covers go, it certainly isn't subtle. The latest issue of the German newsweekly Der Spiegel depicts U.S. President Donald Trump using a knife to behead the Statue of Liberty. While some German publications and politicians argued that Der Spiegel went too far, the magazine has certainly tapped into the zeitgeist of Germany today. Trump is highly unpopular there, recent polls show. A survey by pollster Infratest dimap found that only 15 percent of Germans believe Trump is competent, and 87 percent say he's not good for Germany. Another Infratest poll found that only 22 percent of Germans trust the United States as a partner, a steep drop of 37 percentage points since November. The Infratest polls are in line with others. Three-quarters of respondents told a Kantar Emnid poll that they believe relations with the U.S. will worsen under Trump, while a YouGov poll conducted late last year found that 60 percent of Germans say Trump's election has made the world a more dangerous place. Just 8 percent say he's made it safer. "This is not surprising," says William Paterson, a professor of German politics at Britain's Aston University. "He's attacked Angela Merkel (the German chancellor), and people tend to react when they're attacked." Germany, he adds, is the most multilateral-minded country in Europe and it strongly supports the European Union and NATO. Days before his Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump told Germany's Bild newspaper that Merkel's policy of allowing Syrian war refugees into Germany was "insane" and a "catastrophic mistake." Trump and Merkel talked by phone in late January, shortly after he issued his executive order banning travel into the U.S. from seven primarily Muslim countries. Her spokesman later said that Merkel "regrets" the ban, believes it's not justified and betrays the Geneva Conventions on refugees -- a point she made to him during their phone conversation. Story continues To be sure, another Republican president, George W. Bush, also saw his popularity in Germany drop during his eight years in office. But at least he started out on the plus side of the ledger, garnering support from 51 percent of Germans at the start of his presidency, according to Pew Research Center. Trump has been president for less than three weeks, but even before he was elected, Germans had a dim view of him. In the run-up to last November's elections, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported that 86 percent of Germans favored his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, and only 4 percent backed Trump. Merkel is up for re-election this fall, and while her center-right Christian Democratic Union party maintains a lead, a recent poll shows that the center-left Social Democratic Party led by Martin Schulz is quickly gaining ground (and one new poll from INSA shows the SPD ahead by 1 point). Since Merkel and Schulz are both critics of Trump, the president's not likely to be a factor in the race between them. But antipathy toward Trump may help dampen support for the main far-right party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD). The poll shows AfD support at 12 percent, down 3 points from a previous survey. Germany's deep regret over its Nazi past has largely inoculated it from the entreaties of right-wing populist parties, Paterson says. Hendrik Trager, a political scientist at the University of Leipzig, agrees, noting that the kind of anti-immigrant populism that Trump represents doesn't play well with most German voters. "And that," Trager adds, "could be a problem for the AfD." President Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office: Andrew Harrer/Getty President Donald Trump criticised the federal judge who halted his executive order that temporarily banned travel and immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The signing of the order more than a week ago resulted in global confusion as hundreds of travellers and visa-holding immigrants were detained in airports across the US. It sparked massive protests and several lawsuits against the Trump administration. His first major defeat as President, Mr Trump did not take news of the restraining order against his action well, and wrongly suggested that any future attack on the US would be the result of the court's action. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril," he wrote, tweeting while on vacation at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. "If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" He added that the courts were making the Department of Homeland Security's job "very difficult". 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 Mr Trump's Twitter attack follows Judge James Robart's blocking of the executive order, plunging the new administration into a crisis and challenging the President's authority which is not immune to the Judicial Branch of the government. However, the Trump administration argued to the contrary in their appeal over the weekend. Acting Solicitor General Noel Francisco argued that presidential authority is "largely immune from judicial control" regarding immigration to the US. But the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco did not agree with that assessment and denied the Justice Department's request to stay the Mr Robart's decision. Story continues The state of Washington was the first to file a lawsuit against the executive order, over which Mr Robart a George W Bush appointee presided. In his order, Mr Robart said the states "have met their burden of demonstrating that they face immediate and irreparable injury as a result of the signing and implementation of the Executive Order". Mr Robart added it is not the court's job to "create policy or judge the wisdom of any particular policy promoted by the other two branches," but rather to make sure that an action taken by the government "comports with our country's laws". The President was quick to condemn the judge's decision on Twitter. "The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!" he said. The President's executive order sought to ban all travel from Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Sudan, and Somalia for 90 days. It placed a 120-day ban on refugee admittance from six of those countries, while placing an indefinite halt to acceptance of Syrian refugees. It also resulted in the revocation of at least 60,000 visas, according to DHS. The Department of Justice, however, had said that as many as 100,000 had been revoked. Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson celebrated the judge's decision on Friday. "The Constitution prevailed today," he told reporters. "No one is above the law not even the president." President Donald Trump said he was willing to work with both Kiev and Moscow to resolve a separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine, following a telephone call with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Saturday. The call was the first direct contact between the two leaders since the inauguration of Mr Trump, whose aim to improve relations with the Kremlin has alarmed Kiev while the nearly three-year-old conflict remains unresolved. It followed fresh artillery attacks in Ukraine's Donbass region, which broke a lull in shelling at a front line hot-spot that had raised hopes the conflict's worst escalation in months was waning. "We will work with Ukraine, Russia, and all other parties involved to help them restore peace along the border," Mr Trump said in a White House statement after talking to Mr Poroshenko. Trump's open admiration for Russia's President Vladimir Putin and campaign pledge to mend ties with Moscow have raised questions over his administration's commitment to maintaining sanctions against Russia for its involvement in the fighting and annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Mr Poroshenko's office said the conversation with Mr Trump paid particular attention to "settlement of the situation in the Donbass and achieving peace via political and diplomatic means". "The two sides discussed strengthening the strategic partnership between Ukraine and the United States," it said in a statement. Earlier the Ukrainian military and Russia-backed separatists accused each other of launching a new wave of shelling. The past week has seen a flare-up in hostilities in which more than 40 people have been killed in both government- and rebel-held areas. The escalation near the town of Avdiivka has left thousands on both sides of the front line with little or no access to power or water amid freezing winter temperatures, prompting aid agencies to warn of a possible humanitarian crisis. Story continues The US and EU sanctions against Russia are linked to accusations from Kiev and Nato that the Kremlin has driven the conflict by supporting separatists with troops and weapons - a charge it denies. Russia says Ukraine instigated the latest surge to firm up Western support, while Kiev accuses the Kremlin of stirring up the violence to test the new US administration's will to involve itself in the crisis. Mr Trump said his respect for Mr Putin would not affect his foreign policy. "I respect a lot of people, but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with him. He's a leader of his country. I say it's better to get along with Russia than not," Mr Trump said in an interview with Fox News host Bill O'Reilly on Saturday. Map of territory control in Eastern Ukraine Back together: Eman Ali of Yemen, is reunited with her sister Salma (R) at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco: REUTERS Travellers from seven predominantly Muslim nations listed in President Donald Trumps blocked travel ban are in a race against time to return to the United States amid fears the executive order could be reinstated. Families were reunited in emotional scenes around the country on Sunday night as the White House prepared for a court showdown over the ban. Many had been stranded in legal limbo before a judge ordered a temporary halt to the ban, a decision backed yesterday by the US Court of Appeals. The immigration order will remain suspended at least until later on Monday when the Trump administration will argue that it should be reinforced. Among those able to beat the clock were 12-year-old Eman Ali and her father, Ahmed, who arrived together on Sunday at San Francisco International Airport, where they were greeted by her older sister and other relatives. She ran to embrace her sister, and the two hugged and cried. 12-year old Eman Ali of Yemen, centre-left, and her father Ahmed Ali (R) arrive at San Francisco International Airport (REUTERS) Eman and her father had been stuck in the east African nation of Dijbouti since Monday, when authorities refused to let her board a plane with him to the US as she is from Yemen, one of the seven nations - along with Iran, Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Iran and Sudan - listed in Mr Trump's order. It's not fair. I mean some people they are bad, but that doesn't make everybody bad, Mr Ali said of the presidents ban. Iranian graduate student Sara Yarjani, who was initially denied entry into the US under the travel ban, has also returned to America. She was sent back to Vienna, where she had been visiting relatives, last week, but was allowed back into Los Angeles airport on Sunday. She has a valid two-year student visa, and thanked Americans for their support. Ammar Aqel Mohammed Aziz and Tareq Aqel Mohammed Aziz, both from Yemen, are Green Card holders who were travelling through Washington Dulles on their way to Flint, Michigan, when the ban took effect and they were sent to Ethiopia. Lawyer Paul Hughes said an agreement was reached with the government to allow their re-entry, and they are expected to arrive back in the US on Monday. Story continues Cairo airport officials said a total of 33 migrants from Yemen, Syria and Iraq had boarded flights on their way to the US. They had not previously tried to travel to the US and been turned back, but rather they are migrants who are rushing to take advantage of the window offered by the court ruling. On Sunday, a judge in San Francisco rejected the government's request for an immediate reinstatement. Formal arguments in the case begin on Monday. Mr Trump responded to the freezing of his order by tweeting that he had instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril, Mr Trump wrote earlier. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! Vice President Mike Pence called the court order declining to reinstate the ban frustrating and described it as inconsistent and unconstitutional. It's quite clear the president has the ability to decide who has access to this country, he added. Avalanches in Afghanistan and Pakistan left dozens of people dead over the last three days. Afghanistan officials said the death toll following three days of heavy snow rose to 54 on Sunday. In Pakistan, 13 people were killed in an avalanche that buried five homes. Nizamud Shah, commander of Chitral Scouts force in Pakistan, told the Associated Press that rescuers retrieved 13 bodies and are searching for survivors. Italy Avalanche Death Toll Rises to Five, Four More Survivors Rescued Mohammad Omar Mohammadi, spokesman for the ministry of natural disasters in Afghanistan, told the AFP 54 were killed in the snow and 52 were injured. He said 168 homes were destroyed and that 340 perished. Officials said the death toll is expected to rise as rescuers have not yet reached some of the worst-hit areas in Afghanistan. This article originally appeared on TIME.com See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The developer of the world's tallest building says it will collect $332.4 million from its insurer to cover damage sustained during a dramatic New Year's Eve fire at one of its Dubai hotels. Emaar Properties said in a filing to the Dubai Financial Market that it has agreed with Orient Insurance to recover the 1.22 billion dirham claim related to the Dec. 31, 2015 blaze. Dubai police have blamed faulty wiring for sparking the fire at the 63-story tower at The Address Downtown. The hotel sits near the mammoth Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower. Outside experts say the type of cladding used on the hotel's exterior and that of many other buildings in the Emirates likely helped fuel the fire. The Hague (AFP) - Dutch anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders triggered a row over fake news Monday with a biting Twitter message showing a Photoshopped picture of another party leader surrounded by radical Islamists. Some five weeks ahead of key elections in The Netherlands, Wilders posted the fake picture of D66 leader Alexander Pechthold supposedly rallying with Muslims holding up signs reading: "Islam will conquer Europe" and "Shariah for The Netherlands". Wilders's radical anti-Islam and anti-immigrant platform has helped propel his Freedom Party (PVV) to the top of the opinion polls in recent months ahead of the March 15 vote. In his tweet he accused Pechthold, who heads the pro-European, pro-democracy, social-liberal D66 party of "demonstrating with Hamas terrorists." D66 is one of 28 parties contesting the election and is currently trailing fifth in the polls, and Wilders' taunt prompted an angry reaction from Pechthold. "Usually I laugh at Photoshopped pictures on the internet. But not this time," he wrote on his Facebook page. "Not because I can't stand up for myself... but because it gives people false impressions." Last year, Pechthold sued a PVV supporter over photos which sparked death threats against him. "In these times of fake news and alternative facts, we can't just ignore the consequences that such a fake image can have," he said. "I draw the line today." Other politicians also sided with Pechthold. Jesse Klaver, leader of GroenLinks (Green Left), called Wilders' Tweet "low and irresponsible." "Those who tweet fake news about others, tarnish their own credibility." And Deputy Prime Minister Lodewijk Asscher, leader of the Labour party, simply retweeted Wilders tweet with the message "delete your account." But Wilders hit back against Pechthold on Twitter, saying: "Stop complaining, drama queen. You have demonstrated standing among Palestinian flags, with friends of Hamas. #hypocrite" The vote in the Netherlands will kick off a year of elections in Europe with ballots also due in both France and Germany. They will be closely watched amid the rise of populist and far-right parties on the continent. On Wednesday, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will propose his state budget for 2017 through 2019. Hes already announced some details, including a tuition cut for University of Wisconsin students, more aid for rural schools and the expansion of a tax credit for some low-income populations. On a Sunday morning political talk show, UpFront with Mike Gousha, host Gousha pointed to these revelations, saying that it seemed like this could be a budget that some independents and Democrats could get behind. But that's not the case for Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, who appeared on the segment. Hintz was unimpressed, painting the budget as Walkers too little, too late measure to make up for past wrongs in order to win political points before he potentially runs for reelection in 2018. I think the governor is getting feedback which explains his low approval ratings, so now hes like, Ive got to change course, Im going to try to fix some of the problems Ive created,' Hintz said. Hintz was joined by Rep. Dale Kooyenga, R-Brookfield, to discuss the budget. Both lawmakers are on the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee. Kooyenga was optimistic and supportive of the budget, but Hintz continued to reference Walkers past. Education: Hintz cited $1 billion in education cuts and over $500 million in cuts to the UW System as evidence of Walkers true priorities. This idea that, Hey, were going to put new money in schools and new money in the UW System, has to be held up against the fact that those programs have not been priorities in the last few budgets, Hintz said. Kooyenga took issue with this, saying the only time theres been an education cut under Walker was in February of 2011, in response to an unbalanced budget. Since then, he said, every subsequent budget has increased education funding and cut taxes. Hintz countered by saying that the additional educational money went to a property tax levy credit and didnt make it into the classroom. He said classroom spending is less than it was in 2010. Kooyenga said the budgets did not solely provide a property tax cut. Every child in Wisconsin got additional funding on top of the base funding, he said. Redistricting: A recent federal court ruling stated that the Wisconsin Legislature must draw new Assembly district maps to replace the 2011 maps that have been ruled unconstitutional. Republicans responded by hiring a law firm to protect their interests instead of following the order. Democrats have complained about the potential cost, as Republican leaders have not clearly outlined how much they plan to spend. While noting that there was room for improvement in the district maps, Kooyenga largely defended them and the choice to hire a firm, as redistricting is a high-stakes issue for Democrats and Republicans alike. I could understand why youd want to have top-tier talent; I dont know if the attorney general could have done that or not, he said. Well definitely look in the budget and see if it makes sense. Hintz said taxpayers should be outraged at the expense. The only thing that can make Brad Schimels $10,000 coins look like a deal is the attorneys fees that these guys are going to pay to defend their election rigging, Hintz said. Instead of just taking the court order and drawing new maps and playing it fair, theyre going to double down on this at great expense to the taxpayer. Transportation: Hintz was also deeply critical of Walkers historical handling of the transportation budget, calling his pattern of borrowing, or punting down the road, to the point that transportation takes up 44 percent of all state borrowing irresponsible. Is he finally going to have some responsibility and address the transportation issue? Hintz asked. Is the governor going to continue to borrow, or is he actually going to be a leader and step up and have something in his budget that pays for infrastructure long-term? Kooyenga spoke against raising taxes to cover the transportation budget, and said he might look to reforms to save money instead. We dont want to compound our problems by raising taxes in a high tax state, he said. Gousha asked Hintz whether Democrats were lobbying for or against a tax increase. Hintz denied responsibility for the question Its the governing party thats got to make this decision, and its the governor thats got to start this conversation by having a budget that says, Heres what I think we should do, he said. Welfare Reform: Walker recently proposed welfare changes, including mandatory drug testing. Kooyenga said Wisconsins current problem is that employers cant find employees and the welfare changes address that. People are at their best when they have meaningful work, he said. We want to help people get out of addiction issues and other tight spots theyre in. Hintz agreed that there needs to be a review of the current welfare program, and pointed to Minnesota as an example of a state that has an effective program to help people find sustainable careers, rather than short-term jobs. Better management and additional front-end resources could be helpful, he said. But he questioned Walkers intent behind reforming the program. I think Democrats are doubtful that the governor's intent is actually to assist some of these people when you look at how many people were kicked off of food share, when you look at the fact that hes often used some of the people that are struggling the most as a punching bag almost for political points, Hintz said. Walkers biennial budget address is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 4:00 p.m. THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) Dutch far-right candidate Geert Wilders was widely criticized Monday for putting a Photoshopped picture of a political opponent on his Twitter account and then calling his rival a "drama queen" when he complained about it. Anti-Muslim politician Wilders posted a tweet with the head of D66 rival Alexander Pechtold superimposed on another face in an old picture from a demonstration to impose Sharia law in the Netherlands. The tweet asked: "Is this the next step?" Pechtold complained and said on his Facebook page "that in times for fake news and alternative pacts, it cannot be predicted what such fake pictures can cause." Several other politicians joined in the criticism, but Wilders retorted in another message: "Stop moaning, drama queen." Parliamentary elections in the Netherlands are scheduled for March 15. By Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) - An earthquake of magnitude 5.6 hit the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand late on Monday, according to the United States Geological Survey. Tremors were felt across parts of North India, including the Indian capital New Delhi, according to people on the ground. The Indian Meteorological Department said the earthquake was one of "moderate" intensity. It pegged the magnitude at 5.8 and put the epicenter in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, close to India's border with China and Nepal. "The quake was quite heavy. It lasted for 25 or 30 seconds, but there are no reports of damage so far received," said Ashok Kumar, a senior police official in the state capital Dehradun. Amit Negi, the secretary of disaster management in the state said they had alerted all districts and were coordinating with them, but that there were no reports of damage so far. The quake struck at 10:33 p.m.(1703 GMT), according to the Indian Meteorological Department. (Additional reporting by Rachit Vats in Bengaluru, Sanjeev Miglani in New Delhi and Euan Rocha in Mumbai; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Alison Williams) CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian soldiers killed 14 militants and arrested ten others in a raid in central Sinai, the military said on Monday. The operation over the past five days destroyed three car bombs and 10 other explosive devices and seized weapons, communication devices and military clothing, the army spokesman added. An Islamist insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula has gained pace since the military toppled President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's oldest Islamist movement, in 2013 following mass protests against him. Sinai Province, the militant group behind the insurgency, pledged allegiance to Islamic State in 2014 and has been accused of killing hundreds of soldiers and police since then. Militant activity in central Sinai is less frequent than in its more restive north, where Islamic State attacks on military and police checkpoints are common. (Reporting by Ahmed Tolba; Writing by Eric Knecht; Editing by Andrew Heavens) By Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union will keep sanctions on Russia until Moscow drops its support for the separatist rebellion in Ukraine, foreign ministers said on Monday, as U.S. President Donald Trump promises better ties with the Kremlin. The EU appears determined to maintain a united front on foreign policy goals that are at odds with Trump on many issues, including Iran, China and the role of NATO. "There is no case for relaxation of the sanctions," UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said, speaking at an EU foreign affairs council meeting about measures implemented with the U.S. in 2014 against Russia's energy, financial and defence sectors. The European Union, although reliant on Russian oil and gas, says it will never recognise Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and expects the Kremlin to abide by the Minsk peace deal brokered for eastern Ukraine. "I cannot say where the U.S. administration stands on this but I can say where the Europeans stand on this," said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, noting that she would discuss Ukraine, as well as the conflict in Syria, with White House officials in Washington at the end of the week. She expects to meet National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner as well as U.S. senators, she said. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence would visit Brussels on Feb. 20, Mogherini said. But EU diplomats fear any U.S. move to relax sanctions on Russia would make it difficult for the European Union to keep sanctions in place. Russia "doves" including Hungary, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria would push to re-establish business dealings. France and Germany, who helped negotiate the Minsk peace deal with Russia and Ukraine, told the EU ministers' meeting on Monday it was crucial to ensure any discussion of sanctions remained directly linked to the conflict in Ukraine, which has killed some 10,000 people since April 2014. In a pre-inauguration interview, Trump proposed relaxing U.S. sanctions in return for Russia scaling back its nuclear arsenal, a position EU diplomats rejected. However, EU ministers have welcomed comments by Trump's new ambassador to the United Nations that Washington would not lift sanctions against Russia until the country withdraws from Crimea. At the closed-door meeting in Brussels, Johnson called on his EU counterparts not to yield to what he termed "Ukraine fatigue", diplomats said. Fourteen EU countries including Britain, Sweden and Denmark called for renewed backing for Kiev in a joint statement presented at the meeting. That would include approving visa-free travel for Ukrainians in the EU and full implementation of the EU-Ukraine free-trade agreement, which still needs to win the backing of the Dutch parliament. (Editing by Andrew Roche) By Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union will keep sanctions on Russia until Moscow drops its support for the separatist rebellion in Ukraine, foreign ministers said on Monday, as U.S. President Donald Trump promises better ties with the Kremlin. The EU appears determined to maintain a united front on foreign policy goals that are at odds with Trump on many issues, including Iran, China and the role of NATO. "There is no case for relaxation of the sanctions," UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said, speaking at an EU foreign affairs council meeting about measures implemented with the U.S. in 2014 against Russia's energy, financial and defense sectors. The European Union, although reliant on Russian oil and gas, says it will never recognize Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and expects the Kremlin to abide by the Minsk peace deal brokered for eastern Ukraine. "I cannot say where the U.S. administration stands on this but I can say where the Europeans stand on this," said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, noting that she would discuss Ukraine, as well as the conflict in Syria, with White House officials in Washington at the end of the week. She expects to meet National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner as well as U.S. senators, she said. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence would visit Brussels on Feb. 20, Mogherini said. But EU diplomats fear any U.S. move to relax sanctions on Russia would make it difficult for the European Union to keep sanctions in place. Russia "doves" including Hungary, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria would push to re-establish business dealings. France and Germany, who helped negotiate the Minsk peace deal with Russia and Ukraine, told the EU ministers' meeting on Monday it was crucial to ensure any discussion of sanctions remained directly linked to the conflict in Ukraine, which has killed some 10,000 people since April 2014. In a pre-inauguration interview, Trump proposed relaxing U.S. sanctions in return for Russia scaling back its nuclear arsenal, a position EU diplomats rejected. However, EU ministers have welcomed comments by Trump's new ambassador to the United Nations that Washington would not lift sanctions against Russia until the country withdraws from Crimea. At the closed-door meeting in Brussels, Johnson called on his EU counterparts not to yield to what he termed "Ukraine fatigue", diplomats said. Fourteen EU countries including Britain, Sweden and Denmark called for renewed backing for Kiev in a joint statement presented at the meeting. That would include approving visa-free travel for Ukrainians in the EU and full implementation of the EU-Ukraine free-trade agreement, which still needs to win the backing of the Dutch parliament. (Editing by Andrew Roche) Brussels (AFP) - EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said Monday she will hold talks in Washington this week with key figures from the administration of US President Donald Trump. Mogherini said she was "sure" to meet Trump's hard-nosed White House National Security Adviser Mike Flynn along with the president's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner. Her visit comes amid dismay in Europe over Trump, who has torn up the accepted view of tight transatlantic ties by praising Britain's Brexit vote and dubbing NATO "obsolete". "The main message will be to find common ground on which we want to cooperate... in what way we can work together," Mogherini told reporters after EU foreign ministers met in Brussels. She said important issues for the 28-nation bloc were an efficient United Nations, climate change, Libya and Syria. Mogherini said she also expected to meet US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defence Secretary James Mattis in coming weeks but could not say if that would be in Washington or during G20 and NATO meetings in Europe. US Vice President Mike Pence will meanwhile visit EU institutions when he comes to Brussels on February 19, Mogherini confirmed. His visit was "a very important political sign," she said. The White House announced last week that Pence would come to Brussels. Londons Sunday Times recently had quite the scoop. Last June, a Royal Navy submarine, HMS Vengeance, conducted a test-firing of a D-5 ballistic missile from one of its submarines. The missile veered off course, away from its intended target in the waters off West Africa and toward Florida, before auto-destructing. The Tory government, then headed by David Cameron, covered up the failure to avoid the embarrassing revelation right before a crucial vote in the House of Commons to invest in a new generation of ballistic missile submarines. The British government has refused to comment on the report, although an anonymous U.S. official confirmed the failure to CNN. British Prime Minister Theresa May has repeated the fairly laughable claim that the United Kingdom doesnt comment on operational details for national security reasons. One small problem: The last time the Royal Navy conducted a demonstration and shakedown operation, or DASO, in 2012, they released a fricking video of it. You can view the entire launch sequence in its British glory, right down to the floral patterned upholstery Tudor Rose according to NAJ Taylor and the commanders tiara-like headset. Its like Coronation Street, but for the end of the world. I do love how they say miss-aisle. Now, a word about Trident and reliability. The United Kingdom leases yes, leases! its D-5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles out of a common pool shared with the U.S. Navy. There is no difference in the missiles, just the little pointy things that go on the business end. And even those bear a certain family resemblance. So, the reliability of the U.K.s nuclear deterrent is properly understood as the reliability of all the D-5 tests over the systems lifetime. And the overall test record is excellent. Missile reliability typically follows a bathtub curve a bunch of failures at the beginning, a long period of reliability in the middle, then a spike of failures at the end. Since 1989, the test record for the D-5 is 161 successes and (probably) two failures. That is an excellent record, and one failed test is not enough to conclude the system is about to become unreliable. In fact, the U.S. Navy launched two more D-5s in August, and those worked out just ducky. Of course, the United States and Britain will want to analyze the failure to see what went wrong. Trident is undergoing a guidance replacement, so that is the most likely cause of the failure. But, statistically speaking, it is very unlikely that the failed test is a harbinger of the D-5 missiles obsolescence. The missile is fine. Story continues Try telling that to the U.K. press, though! The United Kingdom is amid a big, contentious debate about whether to spend a fortune $260 billion on replacing the current submarines with a new generation, which will be called Dreadnaught. Not surprisingly, the opposition parties have seized upon the test failure to rough up both Mays government and replacement decision. Its a pretty catastrophic error when a missile goes in the wrong direction, said Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, and while it wasnt armed, goodness knows what the consequences of that could have been. Thanks, Jeremy, for your calm and thoughtful approach to national security issues. Of course, one doesnt need to whip up panic to note that there are good reasons to be skeptical of the wisdom of the Trident replacement. My friend Toby Fenwick has long argued that investments in nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines will starve Britains conventional forces. His suggestion is to invest in dual-capable nuclear forces, such as the F-35 jet, so that Britains nuclear investments also have a conventional payoff. Others just want to scrap Britains bomb entirely, noting that the U.S. nuclear guarantee is more than enough. These are reasonable views to which I am sympathetic, but the failure in June doesnt strengthen them. If the failure doesnt tell us anything about the reliability of the D-5, it does tell us something about the reliability of our political leaders. Covering up the failure was unethical. I realize no one cares about ethics in governance anymore, but I am still old-fashioned enough to believe that public servants have an obligation to be truthful. Public officials should not lie or present alternative facts. This cover-up, though, suffers the additional indignity of being stupid. There was no reason for Camerons government to cover up the failure. The government was going to win the vote even with a rough day or so of press coverage. And while a single failed test wouldnt hurt deterrence look at Russian reliability rates some time lying about it sure does. The attempt to hide the failure is an implicit admission that you think something is wrong with the program, no matter the reality. If the failure in June demonstrates anything, it is about the collapsing credibility of our political institutions. And, in part, I think it reflects an inability of advocates of nuclear deterrence to articulate a persuasive argument for continuing business as usual. Once upon a time, advocates of nuclear deterrence like Sir Michael Quinlan in the U.K. and Therese Delpech in France knew what they thought. And they werent afraid to make the case for nuclear weapons in public. A single failed missile launch wouldnt have disturbed Sir Michaels cheerful equanimity or dented Thereses steel spine. With a few notable exceptions, particularly in France, todays advocates for business are far more defensive. They seem to spend most of their time trying to keep these programs from scrutiny. If I had to hazard a guess, Id say thats because advocates for deterrence arent willing to admit how much the role of nuclear weapons has declined since the end of the Cold War. They cant make persuasive arguments about the role of nuclear weapons today, because they wont let go of the past. In the United States, weve seen an appalling irresponsibility among those charged with stewarding nuclear weapons from misplaced bombs and drug rings to gambling problems and a bender in Moscow. Time and again, I have suggested that the problem is that our political and military leadership have refused to align our nuclear policies with the limited role that nuclear weapons play in defending our country. And in doing so, they insist on maintaining policies and operational practices that we all know are silly. And as much as our leaders insist otherwise with a straight face, the people handling the bombs know otherwise and act accordingly. That is, I suspect, why the U.K. debate about the missile failure is so strange. May doesnt know the first thing about deterrence, because it actually doesnt matter that much. Her own lack of familiarity with issues is a kind of revealed preference, an admission that serious politicians spend their time on other matters. If only she had the courage to admit that. Photo credit: ROB STOTHARD/Getty Images Over the past week, Romania has seen the largest protests since the fall of communism in 1989 when former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was toppled over a hastily-imposed decree that would have weakened penalties to corruption. Despite the government agreeing to scrap the contentious decree, an estimated half a million Romanians continued to protest across the country on Sunday. Heres why: What were the protests about? The countrys ruling coalition made a decree or executive order on Jan. 31 to decriminalize abuse in office by officials, if the sums involved were less than around $48,500. Ordered without any input from parliament, the decree would have stopped all investigations for pending corruption offenses, freed officials imprisoned for corruption, and blocked further investigations related to those offenses from being brought to justice. The coalition government, led by Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu of the left-wing Social Democratic Party (PSD), argued that these changes were needed to align some laws with the constitution and reduce prison overcrowding. But critics see the decree as an attempt to allow allies of Grindeanu caught in the countrys anti-corruption efforts to escape censure. Among those who stood to benefit from the decree is president of the PSD, Liviu Dragnea. He is blocked from becoming prime minister due to corruption charges he is currently facing over defrauding the state of around $26,000, BBC reports. The order might have allowed him to stand as the countrys leader. What did the international community think? The decree received widespread condemnation. It was criticized by the E.U. commission, which warned Romania to not back-out from the fight against corruption. The fight against corruption needs to be advanced, not undone, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Vice President Frans Timmermans said in a statement on Feb. 1. We are following the latest developments in Romania with great concern. Embassies of the U.S., Canada, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands issued a joint statement echoing the commissions sentiments. Story continues Did the protests work? Yes, for now. After six nights of protests in cities across the country, the coalition withdrew the controversial executive order on Sunday as it became clear that they lacked the mandate to implement the law. But the new rescinding order risks being rejected in parliament, where the ruling PSD and its junior coalition partner have a strong majority. Did the protests end after the order was withdrawn? No. Protestors continued to demonstrate to send a message to the government to refrain from retreating against the countrys fight against corruption. Some protestors told the New York Times that they wanted to see ministerial resignations or the entire government felled. According to the Guardian, the government is still planning to free around 2,500 prisoners serving sentences of less than five years, through a different decree that is due to be reviewed by parliament. On Sunday, PSDs Dragnea accused shadowy forces for starting the protests: The organization of these protests and their scale show that this is a political gathering. Who is organizing this? Hard to say but I hope that the state institutions have this information, he said. I reproach myself for not having understood that this is a much better organized plan than a simple spontaneous movement, he told a local channel, the Guardian reports. Is corruption a serious problem in Romania? The country was known as being one of the most corrupt-riddled countries in Europe when it was admitted into the E.U. in 2007. That has changed over the years. Between 2014 and 2016, around 2,000 people were convicted for abuse of power. This included Adrian Nastase, a former prime minister, as well five ministers, 16 parliamentarians and five senators who were put on trial, the Guardian reports. Credit has been given to the Romanias National Anticorruption Directorate anti-corruption authority, the DNA, that led to court cases involving 777 indicted defendants, including judges, parliamentarians and ministers, in the first eight months of 2016, the Financial Times reports. The PSD have argued that the DNA is politically biased, indicting more of their officials than any other party. Opposition parties have countered that claim, saying the PSD has a worse corruption record. The DNA has also been accused of being overzealous with its investigations, with a recent Henry Jackson Society report suggesting that the successor to the feared communist-era secret police plays a huge yet undisclosed role in anti-corruption prosecutions. But as the FT argues, decriminalizing an important class of offenses are not the way to achieve this. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is speaking as though theres a new battle being waged between Russia and Belarus. In reality, its the same old fight. For years, Lukashenko has tried to play Russia and Europe off one another. Hes redoubled those efforts since the fighting erupted in Ukraine in 2014, criticizing Putins annexation of Crimea and hosting peace talks in Minsk. In January, Belarus announced visa-free travel for citizens from 80 countries including the United States to Belarus, effective Feb. 9. This time, he may have overplayed his hand, flirting too forcefully with the European Union. Russia now seems to be pulling the Belarusian pendulum back to Moscow. On Wednesday, it announced it would establish a security zone on its previously virtually open border with Belarus. The border issue is perhaps a stand in for a larger conflict. On Friday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko criticized this move by Moscow, and said that his countrys ties with Russia are deteriorating because Russia is afraid of Belarus turning toward the West. He also spoke of a much larger problem: Russia recently threatened to cut oil exports to Belarus by half. The two countries have been arguing about the price and delivery of oil and gas for months. Lukashenko said Russia had grabbed Belarus by the throat by using oil and gas supplies to get its way, declaring, Independence cannot be compared with oil. But even as he vowed to find other sources of energy if necessary, he he took care to say that Belarus would not leave the Russia-helmed Collective Security Treaty Organization or Eurasian Economic Union. Belaruss departure would be a blow to Russia, and Lukashenko has complained about unequal membership conditions. But still, he made clear his country, over which he has ruled as Europes last dictator since 1994, would not threaten Russia in this way. It seems the message has been received. On Monday, the FSB, Russias state security service, told the Russian media that the border zone was meant to prevent illegal migration, drug trafficking and the illegal movement of goods. It was not, it said, meant to impose travel restrictions on Russians or Belarusians, who will perhaps follow their president in moving, once again, from the West back toward Moscow. Photo credit: MAXIM GUCHEK/AFP/Getty Images (Reuters) - Express Scripts Holding Co, the largest pharmacy benefit manager in the United States, said prescription drug spending for its members slowed to less than 4 percent in 2016, at a time when scrutiny of drug price hikes has intensified. Prescription benefit managers (PBMs) negotiate drug benefits for health plans and employers, and have in recent years taken an increasingly aggressive stance in price negotiations with drugmakers. They often extract discounts and after-market rebates from drugmakers in exchange for including their medicines in their formularies with low co-payments. Per-person spending on prescription drugs increased 3.8 percent in 2016, compared with the 5.2 percent increase in 2015, according to Express Scripts' drug trend report on Monday. Brand-name list prices increased nearly 11 percent in 2016, the company said. Drug pricing has become a lightening rod for criticism with several drugmakers under federal investigations for sharp price increases. U.S. President Donald Trump in a meeting with pharmaceutical executives last week urged them to manufacture more of their drugs in the United States and cut prices. Express Scripts, which is also the target of short-seller Citron Research's Andrew Left, said on Monday it saved its members $1.3 billion in 2016. Left in December called Express Scripts the "culprit behind pharmaceutical price gouging", and added that the company benefited from the "opaqueness" of drug pricing. (Reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila) Paris (AFP) - The widely condemned practice of ceremonial genital mutilation among girls and young women follows an evolutionary logic, according to a provocative study published Monday. Understanding this logic -- which the researchers described as "cultural", not biological -- may help fulfil the UN goal of eliminated the practice worldwide by 2030, the authors said. Comparing 47 ethnic groups across five countries in west Africa, they found that in those where female genital cutting was the norm, survival rates were higher among children born to women who had been cut. The opposite held true for ethnic groups in which mutilation was the exception rather than the rule: women who had not undergone the procedure saw a higher survival rate among their offspring. The findings, reported in the scientific journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, were based on health surveys covering more than 61,000 girls and women aged 15 to 49. "Our results indicate that this difference is due to social, not biological, differences," explained lead author Janet Howard, a researcher at the University of Bristol in England. Women who conformed to the dominant practice in their culture, she told AFP, typically had better marriage opportunities and better access to social networks. Prevalence of genital manipulation across the nearly four dozen ethnic groups in Mali, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Senegal -- almost 60 percent on average -- varied from less than one percent to more than 99 percent. In three-fifths of the groups, more than half of women had been cut, the study found. Howard and colleague Mhairi Gibson undertook the study to look for clues as to why well-funded, high-profile campaigns to halt genital cutting have mostly failed. "To date, this behaviour has proven resistant to change," Howard said. "We hope that a greater understanding of why it exists may help inform eradication programmes." - Tipping point - Story continues Globally, at least 200 million girls and women alive today have suffered some form of female genital mutilation across 30 countries, according to the United Nations. While concentrated in Africa, it is also common in some communities in Asia, Arab states and Latin America. Half of those cut live in three countries: Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia, according to the UN. The practice can include cutting away some or all of the clitoris, as well as the labia minora or majora, often in unhygienic circumstances. "It irreparably damages girls' bodies, inflicting excruciating pain," UNICEF director Anthony Lake and UN Population Fund director Babatunde Osotimehin said in a joint statement Monday, International Day of Zero Tolerance for female genital mutilation. "It causes extreme emotional trauma that can last a lifetime," and increases the risk of deadly complications during pregnancy and childbirth, they noted. The United Nations has declared it a human rights violation. By looking at the practice in the context of a new discipline called cultural evolution, Howard and Gibson suggest that cutting confers advantages "that may outweigh its costs to physical and psychological health," explained Katherine Wander, a biological anthropologist at Binghamton University in New York state. "Female genital cutting seems to increase women's reproductive success," she wrote in a commentary, also in Nature Ecology & Evolution. It is probably disheartening to those working to protect girls to think of cutting as in any way "beneficial", Wander noted. "Nonetheless, understanding female genital cutting in these terms points to a new target for intervention: the cost-benefit balance." One hopeful sign, said Howard, is that in most ethnic groups where less than half the women have been cut the practice is declining. "We predict that shifting the prevalence to below 50 percent" -- what the researchers called a "tipping point" -- "in other groups will have the same effect." Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f373956%2f508cd610-f63b-4dd6-b227-d973b0eb95b9 An extraordinarily powerful storm system is spinning across the North Atlantic Ocean, just southeast of Greenland. Together with long-term climate change and other transitory weather systems, it is setting the stage for a dramatic and unusual warmup at the North Pole this week. For the third time this winter, such a storm is likely to vault unusually warm air toward the pole, potentially bringing temperatures across the sunless Arctic to near the melting point for a brief period late this week. SEE ALSO: No, U.S. climate scientists didn't trick the world into adopting the Paris deal The storm, an unnamed beast that looks like it came straight from meteorological central casting, exploded in intensity on Sunday. The air pressure at the center of the storm bottomed out at an astonishing 932 millibars, or 27.52 inches of mercury on a home barometer. In general, the lower the pressure, the stronger the storm, and a reading this low indicates that the storm means business. In fact, such a low pressure reading is more typically seen in Category 3 or 4 hurricanes, although this particular tempest is not tropical in origin, and therefore was not given a name by the National Hurricane Center. The National Weather Service's Ocean Prediction Center (OPC) has been keeping an eye out on this storm for a while. In fact, the center predicted that the storm would develop and intensify into a dangerous low pressure area that could doom ships caught in its path. According to the OPC, the weather system has clocked in with winds as high as 90 miles per hour, and churned up waves of greater than 46 feet along its southeastern flank. Arctic heat wave While this powerful storm is noteworthy on its own, its impacts across the Arctic will be especially significant. The Arctic has had a freakishly warm winter to follow its warmest year on record. Sea ice extent continues to limp along at an anemic record low for this time of year, due to weather patterns and long-term climate change. The Arctic is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the globe, mainly because of feedback loops in the climate system that kick in as snow and ice melts and darker land and sea surfaces are exposed to the sun. Story continues This winter has been anything but typical in the far north. On at least two occasions, so far, the North Pole itself has neared or reached the melting point of 0 degrees Celsius, or 32 degrees Fahrenheit, in part because of pulses of mild and moist air flooding the region from the Atlantic side of the Arctic Ocean. On Thursday, temperature departures from normal of 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit are projected for areas near the North Pole. Such anomalies would take actual air temperatures to near the melting point. This particular storm will cause the third such event since November, as the counterclockwise flow of air around the low pressure area teams up with the circulation around a high pressure area over northern Europe, funneling mild air toward the North Pole. While these relatively brief Arctic warmups are not unheard of, having so many of them in a single winter is rare. The #Arctic story. Year-to-year variability w/ overall trend in declining extent, thickness (map), & volume (bar) of sea ice. (January data) pic.twitter.com/if0ACk5rqV Zack Labe (@ZLabe) February 6, 2017 If this situation seems familiar to you, it's because a nearly identical event occurred in December 2015, causing alarm over a melting North Pole. During the last warm Arctic event, experts said that while storm systems are the major player in causing transient and dramatic warm spells, such events are most likely enabled by low sea ice cover as well. The second-lowest sea ice cover on record in the Arctic was recorded in September, and recent months have set monthly records as well. In the summer and fall, missing sea ice cover allows ocean waters to absorb heat from the sun, which is then slowly released into the air in the fall and early winter. Ice-covered areas stay cooler since sea ice reflects most incoming solar radiation. A study published in Nature Scientific Reports on Dec. 15 found that North Pole winter warming events are associated with low pressure systems, or cyclones, near the pole, as well as a polar vortex that is "perturbed," or weakened, which allows for areas of extreme cold to leak out into the midlatitudes. Top-down view of the Arctic Ocean with arrows indicating warm air transport from the North Atlantic Ocean. Image: weatherbell analytics/mashable Both of these conditions are present this week, and have been at other times this winter. The author of that Nature study, Kent Moore, a physics professor at the University of Toronto, said in December that records of such events go back at least to 1959, with an observed frequency of about once or twice each decade. While there isn't a clear indication that these events are becoming more frequent, Moore said the magnitude of the temperature extremes are growing at twice the rate of general Arctic warming. Temperature anomalies projected for the Arctic on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2016. Image: weatherbell analytics Moore says this is consistent with the loss of winter sea ice near Norway, which allows a "reservoir" of warm air to move closer to the Pole, where storms can tap into it. "Were getting to the point where extremes are becoming more extreme, Moore said. According to Moore, sudden warming events like this one can cause serious problems for Arctic wildlife by causing rain to fall on top of snow, leading to an icy crust that prevents reindeer herds from accessing their food beneath the snow. Sheila Frederick is a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines. (Photo: 10 News) Alaska Airlines flight attendant Sheila Frederick achieved true hero status when she became alarmed at the sight of a young, disheveled teenage girl flying with an older and well-dressed man on a flight from Seattle to San Francisco. When Frederick tried to speak to the two, the man seemed defensive and answered for the girl. So Frederick signaled for her to go to the restroom, where she had left her a note asking her if she was OK. The girl responded, writing back on the note, I need help. Frederick then notified the flights pilot, who notified law enforcement, which met the flight at the gate when it landed. The man was then arrested for human trafficking. Ive been a flight attendant for 10 years and its like I am going all the way back to when I was in training and I was like, I could have seen these young girls and young boys and didnt even know, Frederick told 10 News. The incident took place in 2011, and Fredericks been in touch with the girl a few times over the years. I put my phone number on the note that I left for her, and I guess she memorized it, so a few weeks later, she called me, she said. According to the FBI, human trafficking is the third-largest criminal activity worldwide and it often takes the form of sex trafficking. The National Human Trafficking Hotline reports that theyve received 145,764 notifications of potential trafficking in the United States since 2007, with 26,727 calls to the hotline in 2016 alone. Last year, 7,572 cases of human trafficking were reported, with just over one-third of those cases involving minors. Furthermore, under U.S. federal law, any minor under the age of 18 induced into commercial sex is the victim of sex trafficking. Whats more, one in six of the 18,500 runaways reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in 2016 is believed to be a victim of sex trafficking, and 86 percent of these likely sex trafficking victims were in foster care or the care of social services when they went missing. Story continues Thorn, the organization co-founded by Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher to bring together technology innovators, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and government agencies to work together to protect children and prevent the sex trafficking of minors, notes that 325,000 children are at risk for becoming victims of sexual exploitation in North America and that 63 percent of underage sex trafficking victims said they had been advertised or sold online. And the average age of entry into the sex trade in America is 14-16 years old the suspected age of the young woman that Frederick spotted on her flight. The group Airline Ambassadors provides educational training programs for those in the aviation industry to become effective intermediaries in the fight against sex trafficking, especially of minors. In addition to their in-person trainings held around the globe, they offer online courses available 24/7 for anyone in the industry who wants to up their knowledge and skill set for what to do if they find themselves in a situation like Fredericks. You can also donate to help sponsor an in-person training session for flight industry professionals at the airport in your city and community. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. By Zachary Fagenson MIAMI (Reuters) - A Florida man pleaded no contest and was sentenced on Monday to 30 years in prison for setting fire last year to the mosque where Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen once worshipped, court officials said. Joseph Schreiber, 32, caused more than $100,000 in damage to the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce, which he set ablaze on Sept. 11, 2016, the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, authorities said. The crime also coincided with the Muslim holy day of Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice. No one was hurt, but the fire forced the congregation to relocate prayer services as it seeks a new home. Schreiber told police after his arrest in September that his attack on the mosque had nothing to do with Mateen, Assistant State Attorney Steve Gosnell said in an interview on Monday. A lawyer for Schreiber could not be immediately reached after Monday's court hearing in St. Lucie County. The mosque was close to the apartment Mateen shared with his wife before he killed 49 people and wounded dozens more at a gay nightclub in Orlando last June, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Mateen pledged allegiance to the head of the Islamic State militant group during a 911 emergency call before being killed in a shootout with police after a three-hour standoff at the Pulse nightclub. Investigators do not believe he had assistance from outside organizations. Schreiber told investigators he viewed the teachings of Islam as a national security threat, Gosnell said. Police previously said Schreiber's Facebook page included anti-Muslim rhetoric. "He said he wasn't angry, he didn't do it with hatred," the prosecutor said. Schreiber faced up to life in prison given his prior criminal record and the charge against him, arson evidencing prejudice, essentially a hate crime in Florida, Gosnell said. "It's horrible when anyone attacks a house of worship for whatever purpose," the prosecutor said. (Reporting by Zachary Fagenson; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Peter Cooney) A group of former Cabinet secretaries and national security officials under former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush have filed a brief in federal court arguing that President Trumps travel ban does not make the nation safer. The officials told the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that they were not aware of any specific national security threats that would justify the ban, and that in their opinion it makes the country and its troops less safe. The court will decide as soon as Tuesday whether to uphold a lower courts decision to block Trumps travel ban of seven majority-Muslim countries. The amicus brief was signed by former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and John Kerry, former CIA directors Michael Hayden and Leon Panetta, former CIA deputy director Avril Haines, former CIA acting director Michael Morell, former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, former national security adviser Susan Rice, and former counterterrorism adviser Lisa Monaco. The brief was also signed by John E. McLaughlin, the deputy director of the CIA under George W. Bush. Four of us (Haines, Kerry, Monaco and Rice) were current on active intelligence regarding all credible terrorist threat streams directed against the U.S. as recently as one week before the issuance of the Jan. 27, 2017 Executive Order, the brief reads. We all agree that the United States faces real threats from terrorist networks and must take all prudent and effective steps to combat them, including the appropriate vetting of travelers to the United States. We all are nevertheless unaware of any specific threat that would justify the travel ban established by the Executive Order issued on January 27, 2017. President Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Feb. 3. (Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) The former officials say they believe the ban undermines national security. It does not perform its declared task of protecting the nation from foreign terrorist entry into the United States, they write. To the contrary, the Order disrupts thousands of lives, including those of refugees and visa holders all previously vetted by standing procedures that the Administration has not shown to be inadequate. Story continues They argue that the order could endanger U.S. troops abroad and aid ISILs propaganda effort and serve its recruitment message by feeding into the narrative that the United States is at war with Islam. It will hinder relationships with the very communities that law enforcement professionals need to address the threat, they say. It will have a damaging humanitarian and economic impact on the lives and jobs of American citizens and residents. And apart from all of these concerns, the Order offends our nations laws and values. A federal judge in Washington stayed Trumps order on Friday as potentially unconstitutional, prompting a wave of Twitter attacks from Trump, who insinuated the judge was making the country less safe. Trump even told the public to blame both the judge and the court system at large if something happened an apparent reference to a terror attack. 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 The Department of Homeland Security announced it would stop implementing the ban until the courts said otherwise. The Justice Department appealed the stay to the Ninth Circuit over the weekend, and that court has asked for briefs from both sides to consider as it makes its decision this week. The issue will most likely be finally decided by the Supreme Court. Four of the seven occupiers charged in the 2016 armed standoff in Oregon are set to take plea deals on Monday instead of going to trial next week. The Associated Press reports that Dylan Anderson pleaded guilty to misdemeanor trespassing on Monday morning. Other charges against Anderson were dropped and he was sentenced to one year on probation. Sean Anderson, Sandra Anderson and Darryl Thorn face change-of-plea hearings on Monday afternoon, according to the AP. Twenty-six people were indicted on federal conspiracy and weapons charges last year after taking over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in January of 2016. In October, Ammon and Ryan Bundy, along with five others, were acquitted of charges of conspiracy to prevent federal employees of doing their jobs, after leading several armed followers to protest how government-protected lands operate the reserve. Eleven others pleaded guilty last year, and charges against one man were dropped. Paris (AFP) - The arrest of a youth worker in a Paris suburb who was allegedly sodomised with a baton led to new accusations of police brutality on Monday, reviving past controversies from France's crime-ridden housing estates. One officer was charged Sunday night with rape, while three others were charged with assault over the arrest of a 22-year-old black man on Thursday in Aulnay-sous-Bois, a suburb north of the capital. The youth worker, named as Theo, suffered severe anal injuries which required surgery. He also suffered injuries to the head and face, leading a doctor to declare him unfit to work for 60 days. Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux confirmed late Sunday that all four officers had been suspended during the investigation, adding that exemplary conduct and respect "must guide the behaviour of security forces at all times". There were minor clashes and arson attacks on the vast housing estate on Saturday and Sunday evening. At least five people have been arrested, police sources said. The latest incident comes in the middle of a presidential election campaign and follows the death of a man in police custody in another Parisian suburb which led to violent protests last year. The death in July of 24-year-old Adama Traore led to nights of violence in Beaumont-sur-Oise against the police, with cars set alight. A group calling itself Black Lives Matter France, an offshoot of the movement against police brutality in the United States, seized on the case and helped organise protests afterwards. - Calls for justice - Hundreds of people were marching Monday in Aulnay-sous-Bois to demand justice for the alleged victim, described by family and friends as a youth worker who came from a respected family in the area. "He was there at the wrong time and came across some crooks," his brother-in-law Johann told BFM television, explaining the arrest. His sister Aurelie called for calm as supporters gathered outside her brother's home on Monday holding banners reading "Justice for Theo". Story continues The local prosecutor's office said the police had stopped a group of around a dozen people "after hearing calls characteristic of lookouts at drug dealing sites". During the operation they "attempted to arrest a 22-year-old man." When he resisted, they used tear gas, and "one of them used an expandable baton," the prosecutor's office said, without giving further details. The Socialist politician in charge of the Seine-Saint-Denis region where Aulnay-sous-Bois is located, Stephane Troussel, said the incident raised "numerous questions". "Although thousands of police are doing their work properly... too many arrests end in nightmares for some young people. The image of the Republic is being tarnished. We have to urgently find a solution," he said in a statement. In 2005, the death of two teenagers who were electrocuted while hiding from police in an electricity substation sparked weeks of riots. Around 10,000 cars were burned and 6,000 people were arrested. - Police protest attacks - The far-right National Front, which is riding high in the polls ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections from April, jumped to the defence of France's security forces. Its anti-immigrant leader Marine Le Pen rails frequently against "lawlessness" and promises "zero tolerance" of crime in the rundown suburbs which are home to many newcomers to France. "If the facts are confirmed, then it's serious and reprehensible," the party's secretary general, Nicolas Bay, told France 2 television on Monday. "(But) one shouldn't take advantage to heap criticism on the police who do admirable work in very difficult conditions," he added. French police say they are frequently targeted by delinquents in rough areas around Paris and other cities as they play a game of cat-and-mouse with gangs and drug dealers. They protested in October last year, spontaneously gathering in cities to denounce their ever-increasing workload, bureaucracy, outdated equipment and what is seen as lenient sentencing for violence against officers. The spark was several petrol bombs thrown at officers in a car in a known troublespot outside Paris on October 8. A 28-year-old officer suffered serious burns and was left in a coma afterwards. burs-adp/gj/kjl 9th Gorkha Rifles bicentenary marked with fanfare Gurkha soldiers of 9th Gorkha Rifles have celebrated a bicentenary event to mark the glorious 200 years of the services with pomp and gaiety at Pension Paying Office in Pokhara. LYON, France (AP) French far-right candidate Marine Le Pen blasted the two totalitarianisms of globalization and Islamic fundamentalism Sunday in a speech formally launching her presidential campaign that hit all the right chords for her National Front party followers. Looking to translate her high early poll numbers into votes, Le Pen evoked a frightening image of Frances future during her much-anticipated speech. The country, enslaved to the European Union and unrecognizable as French, risks losing its identity if the political status quo endures, she said. We are at a crossroad . This election is a choice of civilization, she said, asking whether her three children and other young citizens would have the rights and cultural signposts of the current generation. Will they even speak our French language? She issued a call for French voters on the left and right to join her, saying You have a place at our side. The speech recalled the thundering and previously unpalatable pronouncements of her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, the National Fronts hard-liner founder. Marine Le Pen banished him from the party in an effort to clean up its image. But her remarks made clear the elder Le Pens anti-immigration message, targeting Muslims, remains a selling point in party ranks. We do not want to live under the rule or threat of Islamic fundamentalism. They are looking to impose on us gender discrimination in public places, full body veils or not, prayer rooms in the workplace, prayers in the streets, huge mosques or the submission of women, she said. The estimated 5,000 people in the amphitheater and watching on big screens cheered and chanted On est chez nous (We are in our land.) Le Pen reiterated some of the 144 commitments she has pledged to fulfill, if elected. It is a nationalist agenda laying out plans for France to leave the European Union, control its borders and readopt the old French franc as the national currency. Story continues Running under the slogan, In the Name of the People, her platform also would create popular referendums on any issue that gathered at least 500,000 signatures. And it would put French people first, with national preference enshrined in the Constitution. Weve witnessed the impoverishment of France for some years now at a cultural, economic and social level, Billy Winkens, a 41-year-old supporter from Toule, in eastern France, said. Today, people are hungry for change and want to drain the swamp, but in an orderly fashion, with coherence. The National Front has taken heart in the French lefts disarray amid the unpopularity of Socialist President Francois Hollande, who decided not to run for re-election. The rights leading candidate, Francois Fillon, recently has been caught up in a corruption scandal and created an opening for maverick centrist Emmanuel Macron, who could end up facing Le Pen in the final round of the two-part election. Le Pen has been a leader in early polls, which place her at the top in the April 23 first-round vote but not winning the May 7 runoff. If elected, she envisions a government of national unity formed after June legislative elections. Le Pen took control of the National Front in 2011 and largely rid it of the overt anti-Semitism that flourished under her fathers leadership. Since then, the party has drawn supporters from the length of the political spectrum by tapping into disgust over Frances 10 percent unemployment rate and political corruption scandals. But the portrait its presidential candidate paints is as stark as her prescriptions for change. The European Union, she said, is a failure. It hasnt upheld one of its promises especially in terms of prosperity and security, Le Pen told the cheering crowd on Sunday. If elected, she plans to call a referendum on EU membership within six months. She also predicted other European members will join her. She said the EU is historical parentheses and, hopefully, one day, just a bad memory. Along with leaving the EU, Le Pen would withdraw France from NATOs integrated command, crack down on illegal immigration and reduce regular immigration to 10,000 people a year. No one living in France illegally would be issued residency documents or allowed to acquire French citizenship, she said. She said she would arrange for foreigners convicted of crimes in France to serve their prison terms in their homelands. There will be no other laws and values in France but French, she said. Britains vote to leave the European Union and U.S. President Donald Trumps election have reveal the awakening of the people against oligarchies, Le Pen, praising Trump as a man who respects campaign promises and acts quickly. ___ Alex Turnbull contributed reporting from Lyon. Brussels (AFP) - French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker warned Britain Monday that the terms of any Brexit deal must not be better than full EU membership. Cazeneuve added that Britain must discuss its divorce agreement, including an exit bill that the EU estimates at 60 billion euros, before talks on a future relationship can even begin. "We must first discuss the conditions in which the exit will take place, and to do it within the time allowed for negotiation, without wasting time," Cazeneuve said after talks in Brussels with Juncker. Cazeneuve said this should happen "with the aim of ensuring that the interests of the EU are defended and that a state leaving the EU can not benefit from a better regime than that between member states." Juncker, the former Luxembourg prime minister who heads the executive arm of the EU, gave a similar warning to Britain. "We agreed on a central point: that the deal that will one day be offered to the United Kingdom should not be a deal as advantageous" as membership, he said. New European Parliament chief Antonio Tajani meanwhile said MEPs "deserve to be involved in all decisions" about Brexit. Parliament's Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt has warned the assembly, which has the final vote on any Brexit deal, could veto an arrangement which gives too much away. British Prime Minister Theresa May has promised to trigger Article 50 of the EU's governing treaties by the end of March, after which negotiators will have two years to thrash out a deal before Brexit happens. May has said she wants Britain to keep as much access to the EU's single market as possible while limiting immigration from EU countries but Brussels says she cannot pick and choose. Britain believes the exit bill, which covers budgetary obligations and pension contributions for EU employees, should be closer to 20 billion euros, European sources said. (Reuters) - Britain qualified for the Davis Cup quarter-finals in bizarre circumstances on Sunday but reigning champions Argentina must wait another day to decide the outcome of their tie against Italy following an afternoon of rain delays in Buenos Aires. Briton Kyle Edmund was two sets to love up and leading 2-1 in the third in the deciding match when his 17-year-old Canadian opponent Denis Shapovalov tried to blast a ball into the stands in a fit of rage. However, the ball hit umpire Arnaud Gabas straight in the face and although he iced his eye, he was unable to continue and he disqualified Shapovalov. "It was a strange way to finish," Edmund told the BBC. I've never been part of something like that." "On paper I had an advantage but you don't play on paper, you play on a hard court. Anything can happen in the Davis Cup so I'm very pleased." Defending champions Argentina must wait until Monday for the fifth and final game of their match against Italy. Argentina had trailed 2-0 after the first day but won Sundays only rubber to level the scores at 2-2. Carlos Berlocq beat Paolo Lorenzi 4-6 6-4 6-1 3-6 6-3 in a match twice halted for rain delays. The decider between Guido Pella and Andreas Seppi will take place at 11 AM local time on Monday (0900 EST). We're still alive, we need the support of everyone for the fifth point tomorrow, free entry after 11," Pella said on Twitter. Spain and Belgium were the other two teams to qualify for the last eight after Sunday's matches. Belgium beat Germany for the first time in nine tries thanks to an inspired display from world No. 58 Steve Darcis, who beat Alexander Zverev, ranked 36 places above him, 2-6 6-4 6-4 7-6(8) to clinch an unassailable 3-1 lead. Spain qualified by winning both their singles rubbers in Croatia. Roberto Buatista beat Franko Skugor in four sets before Pablo Carreno Busta defeated Nikola Mektic 7-6(4) 6-1 6-4. Australia, France, the United States and Serbia all qualified on Saturday. Australia beat the Czech Republic 4-1 after splitting Sunday's reverse singles, while France defeated Japan by the same scoreline after each side won a singles rubber. The United States won both reverse singles to hammer 2014 winners Switzerland 5-0 and Serbia beat Russia 4-0, with the final match canceled. In the quarter-finals, Australia will host the United States, Serbia will play Spain, France face Britain and Belgium will go to either Argentina or Italy. All ties will be played over the weekend of April 7-9. (Reporting by Andrew Downie; Editing by Peter Rutherford) Paris (AFP) - Gene therapy delivered by a benign virus enabled deaf lab mice to hear for the first time, researchers said Monday, offering hope for people with genetic hearing impairments. The breakthrough could pave the way for gene-based treatments, they reported in two studies, published in Nature Biotechnology. "With more than 100 genes already known to cause deafness in humans, there are many patients who may eventually benefit from this technology," said Konstantina Stankovic, a professor at Harvard Medical School. Genetic hearing disorders affect some 125 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. An expert not involved in the research welcomed the findings as "very encouraging", but cautioned the technique has yet to be proven safe, and that human trials are likely years away. In the first study, Stankovic and colleagues used a harmless virus to transport -- deep into the mouse ear -- a gene that can fix a specific form of hereditary deafness. Previous attempts had failed, but this time the viral package was delivered to the right address: the so-called outer hair cells that "tune" the inner ear to sound waves. "Outer hair cells amplify sound, allowing inner hair cells to send a stronger signal to the brain," explained Gwenaelle Geleoc, a researcher at the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center at Boston Children's Hospital. The technique bestowed hearing and balance "to a level that's never been achieved before," she said in a statement. "Now you can whisper, and the mice can hear you." In the second study, a team led by Geleoc used the same viral courier to treat mice with a mutated gene responsible for Usher syndrome, a rare childhood genetic disease that causes deafness, loss of balance, and in some cases blindness. The virus carried a normal version of the same gene to damaged ear hair cells soon after the mice were born. - Narrow time window - Story continues The results far exceeded anything to date: 19 of 25 treated mice heard sounds quieter than 80 decibels. Normal human conversation is about 70 decibels. A few of the mice could hear sounds as soft as 25 to 30 decibels -- roughly equivalent to whispering. According to Margaret Kenna, a specialist in genetic hearing loss at Boston Children's Hospital not involved in the studies, "cochlear implants are great, but your own hearing is better." Electronic implants work by bypassing damaged hair cells in the ear to send sound signals directly to the brain. "Anything that could stabilise or improve native hearing at an early age would give a huge boost to a child's ability to learn and use spoken language," she said. The need for early intervention, however, could be a problem in itself, other experts pointed out. In humans, such an intervention would ideally have to happen before a child is born, said Jonathan Ashmore, a professor at University College London's Ear Institute. Alan Boyd, president of Britain's Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine hailed "a very encouraging result". "But it is only a mouse model," he cautioned, noting that it is still unknown how the human immune system might react. Any gene deafness treatment is "at least three years away, if not more," Boyd conjectured. BERLIN (Reuters) - The leaders of Germany's "grand coalition" have agreed to tighten security measures after the deadly truck attack on a Berlin Christmas market, including tougher steps to deport migrants seen as security risks, officials said on Monday. Leaders of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), its CSU Bavarian sister party and the Social Democrats (SPD), agreed at a meeting in Munich to move ahead with the proposals made last month by Justice Minister Heiko Maas and Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere. "A well-fortified government is our answer to terrorist threats," Maas, a Social Democrat, said in a statement. "We are in agreement that the existing rules must be rigorously enforced, and that we must tighten the rules where necessary." Maas said it was critical that those migrants who were ordered to leave the country were actually deported. The agreement paves the way for Germany's ruling right-center coalition to implement the package of measures and speed any needed legislation through parliament. Die Welt newspaper reported in its Tuesday editions that the measures also included strict residency controls on asylum seekers. Security and migration will be major campaign themes ahead of the national election on Sept. 24 in which Merkel is seeking a fourth term. Merkel's party has been bleeding support to the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party which has criticized Merkel's "open-door" refugee policy. A poll released Monday showed that the SPD, junior partners in the coalition, would triumph if the election were held today. The country is on edge over Islamist violence after a spate of attacks last year, and questions about why Anis Amri, the 24-year-old Tunisian asylum-seeker who ploughed the truck into revelers at the market, was still in the country despite deportation orders. German authorities had not sent Amri back to Tunisia because they were awaiting papers from the Tunisian government. He was shot dead by police in northern Italy. He had not been held in Germany because German authorities did not believe he would carry out an attack. Maas said it was important to enforce Germany's rules and laws to build long-term acceptance for migration. He said the party leaders also agreed to initiate a program aimed at preventing Islamist militancy. Coalition sources said SPD leaders rejected a proposal made by the conservatives that would have set up "transit zones" for processing migrants. (Reporting by Holger Hansen; Writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Alison Williams) BERLIN (Reuters) - The leaders of Germany's "grand coalition" have agreed to tighten security measures after the deadly truck attack on a Berlin Christmas market, including tougher steps to deport migrants seen as security risks, officials said on Monday. Leaders of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), its CSU Bavarian sister party and the Social Democrats (SPD), agreed at a meeting in Munich to move ahead with the proposals made last month by Justice Minister Heiko Maas and Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere. "A well-fortified government is our answer to terrorist threats," Maas, a Social Democrat, said in a statement. "We are in agreement that the existing rules must be rigorously enforced, and that we must tighten the rules where necessary." Maas said it was critical that those migrants who were ordered to leave the country were actually deported. The agreement paves the way for Germany's ruling right-centre coalition to implement the package of measures and speed any needed legislation through parliament. Die Welt newspaper reported in its Tuesday editions that the measures also included strict residency controls on asylum seekers. Security and migration will be major campaign themes ahead of the national election on Sept. 24 in which Merkel is seeking a fourth term. Merkel's party has been bleeding support to the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party which has criticized Merkel's "open-door" refugee policy. A poll released Monday showed that the SPD, junior partners in the coalition, would triumph if the election were held today. The country is on edge over Islamist violence after a spate of attacks last year, and questions about why Anis Amri, the 24-year-old Tunisian asylum-seeker who ploughed the truck into revellers at the market, was still in the country despite deportation orders. German authorities had not sent Amri back to Tunisia because they were awaiting papers from the Tunisian government. He was shot dead by police in northern Italy. He had not been held in Germany because German authorities did not believe he would carry out an attack. Maas said it was important to enforce Germany's rules and laws to build long-term acceptance for migration. He said the party leaders also agreed to initiate a programme aimed at preventing Islamist militancy. Coalition sources said SPD leaders rejected a proposal made by the conservatives that would have set up "transit zones" for processing migrants. (Reporting by Holger Hansen; Writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Alison Williams) MAGDEBURG, Germany (Reuters) - Four rare white lion cubs born at Germany's Magdeburg zoo last Christmas made their first appearance to the outside world on Monday as the park presented the young animals to the media. Keepers weighed the three males and one female and carried out health checks on the cats, which are rare in the wild. Three of the cubs now weigh more than 6 kg (13 lb) each, with one at just over 8 kg, the zoo said in a statement. According to the Global White Lion Protection Trust, the animals are not albinos but "a genetic rarity" of the Greater Timbavati area in South Africa's Krueger National Park. (Reporting by Reuters Television; Editing by Alison Williams) Google marked what would have been the 92nd birthday of Indonesian patriot Pramoedya Ananta Toer on Monday with a doodle depicting the long-incarcerated novelist hard at work at his typewriter. Pramoedya also known as Pram held a mirror to both Japanese and Dutch colonialism, Google writes. But his life, as well as his art, became a symbol of Indonesias unbowed spirit. A stenographer turned journalist who inherited political activism from his father, Pramoedya was jailed by the Dutch for two years in 1947 for being anticolonial. While behind bars he penned his first novel, The Fugitive. After Indonesias independence, he was jailed in 1960 after writing a book titled The Chinese in Indonesia, criticizing President Sukarnos anti-Chinese policy. Pramoedya was imprisoned again in 1965, this time by the ascendant Suharto regime for his alleged links to the Indonesian Communist Party, and later he was shipped to the penal colony of Buru Island in 1969. While a prisoner on Buru, he wrote his most famous work: the four-volume Buru Quartet. The Buru Quartet about a Javanese boy named Minke in the last years of Dutch colonialism began life as a tale Pramoedya, initially denied paper and pens, would tell to his fellow prisoners. The makeshift scraps of paper it eventually came to be written on had to be smuggled out of jail by Pramoedyas friend, a German priest. He was released in 1979 but was kept under house arrest and police surveillance until the fall of Suharto in 1998. Pramoedya, who died in 2006 at the age of 81, never stopped struggling for the betterment of his country. I am half blind and almost totally deaf, but I wont stop being angry because not many people are outraged enough at the state of Indonesia, he told the Associated Press two years earlier. With reporting by Yenni Kwok Google will have to comply with FBI search warrants seeking access to customer emails stored on servers located outside the United States, judge Thomas Rueter ruled Friday. The decision diverges from an opposite verdict given in a similar case against Microsoft Corp in July last year. "Though the retrieval of the electronic data by Google from its multiple data centers abroad has the potential for an invasion of privacy, the actual infringement of privacy occurs at the time of disclosure in the United States," Rueter wrote in his ruling. In the ruling, the judge also wrote that there was no meaningful interference in the account holders possessory interest in the data sought in the warrant, Reuters reported Sunday. Google, though, does not plan to give up the data or the fight to protect it just yet. The magistrate in this case departed from precedent, and we plan to appeal the decision. We will continue to push back on overbroad warrants, the company said in a statement given to Reuters on Sunday. The decision is in stark contrast to the decision in Microsofts case in which a federal judge had ruled that Microsoft and other companies could not be forced to turn over customer emails stored on overseas servers to the FBI. Both cases are based on warrants issued under the Stored Communications Act, 1986, considered outdated by many technology companies. The decision also comes on the heels of President Donald Trumps Executive Order on Public Safety which denies privacy protections to non-Americans. The order calls for European regulators to cancel an agreement between the European Commission and the U.S. government called the Privacy Shield, which allows U.S. companies to transfer customers data across the Atlantic. If the agreement is cancelled, the European data protection laws could act as a significant trade barrier to American companies operating in Europe. Related Articles Bimstec prep meeting begins The seventh meeting of Bimstec Joint Working Group on the establishment of Bimstec Permanent Secretariat began in Kathmandu on Sunday. An Oklahoma grandmother pleaded guilty to child abuse last week after cops say she terrorized and physically harmed her young granddaughter while dressed as a witch. Geneva Robinson, 51, entered her plea Thursday in an Oklahoma City courtroom in the case that began in fall of 2012 when she took her 7-year-old granddaughter to a hospital. Read: 4-Year-Old Dies After Mom Allegedly Kicked Her the Stomach for Not Brushing Her Teeth Hospital staff said at the time that Robinson came in complaining she couldn't control the girl anymore, according to a police report. When she was examined, police said the girl was found to be malnourished, burned and bruised. In their affidavit, police said the little girl told them Robinson would wear a green mask and tie her up in the garage, where she'd make her sleep on a pair of pants because "she was in trouble," KFOR reports. The girl said the witch even had a name: "Nelda." While dressed as Nelda, cops say Robinson committed many abusive acts, including pinching the girl with pliers, kicking her so hard in the pubic area that she fractured her pubic bone, and cut the girl with scissors, among other allegations. Read: Teacher Charged With Child Sex Abuse After Being Impregnated by Student Robinson also allegedly withheld food from the girl, kept her out of school, failed to treat her ringworm, and forced her to sleep outside with dogs. Robinson is due to be sentenced in March. Watch: Man Discovers 2-Year-Old Girl Wandering on Street in the Middle of the Night Related Articles: Trayvon Martin was fatally shot by a neighborhood watchman nearly five years ago in a gated community in the central Florida suburb of Sanford just weeks after his 17th birthday on Feb. 26, 2012. The teen boy was walking home from a convenience store where he had purchased an Arizona juice drink and a package of Skittles. Martin would have celebrated Sunday his 22nd birthday. George Zimmerman, the man who shot Martin, deemed him to be "possibly dangerous" because of his race and the fact that he had the hood of his sweatshirt pulled up over his head. Zimmerman, who was not at first arrested, was later acquitted of murder by a jury. The decision incited national outrage and also sparked the Black Lives Matter social justice movement, which launched a year after his death. Just recently, Martin's parents collaborated to write "Rest In Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin," published Tuesday by Spiegel & Grau. The book not only recounted the night Martin was killed, but it also gave readers an insight into how Martins grieving parents were shoved into the spotlight by tragedy. "The calendar says five years, but it seems like just a few months," Martins mother, Sybrina Fulton, said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I know that we're still healing." Writing the book wasn't a healing experience, but it was therapeutic to know that writing it might help others, Martins father, Tracy Martin said. "It was hard because we relived this every time we had to go back and write something about it. ... It stayed fresh," he said. Martin's parents said the police shooting deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, Tamir Rice in Cleveland and Walter Scott in North Charleston, South Carolina, have added to their grief since their son's death. But working to raise awareness about racial injustice has helped heal their wounds, as did having a black president in the White House who identified with their son. Story continues It "went a long way," Tracy Martin said. Related Articles New research suggests that having more children could increase the risk of cardiovascular disease for not only mothers but also fathers too. According to Professor Vera Regitz-Zagrosek, chairperson of the European Society of Cardiology "management of CVD During Pregnancy" guidelines task force, two recent studies suggest that the risk of cardiovascular disease in women could be affected by how many children they have, and in some cases that could also be a factor in cardiovascular risk for men. In the first of the recent studies, which looked at half a million Chinese people, the research team found a statistically significant J-shaped relationship between number of children and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, which "means that the risk decreases with one child, then increases with two or more children," explained Professor Regitz-Zagrosek. Professor Regitz-Zagrosek also pointed out that the "striking" thing about the study was that the same association was found for both women and men, with further research also finding that a greater number of children was also associated with a greater risk of diabetes in both women and men. In addition, a study published in the journal Circulation also suggests that experiencing multiple pregnancies could increase a woman's risk of developing atrial fibrillation -- a condition involving an irregular heart rhythm that increases the risk of stroke -- in later life. However Professor Regitz-Zagrosek pointed out that "In the AF study, a J-shaped relationship was not statistically significant, but this may be because it was in around 34,000 women and relatively small in comparison with the Chinese study." On what could be causing the increase in cardiovascular risk Professor Regitz-Zagrosek explained that the studies' authors believe that socioeconomic factors are at play. "Having one child is protective because parents have social support in older age," she explained, "But if they have a large number of children this benefit goes away because it increases the economic and social pressure on the parents." Professor Regitz-Zagrosek also added that, "There is evidence that pregnancy leads to alterations that change the body's reaction to additional cardiovascular stressors. And this may happen by epigenetic mechanisms. But the findings in Chinese men favor the socioeconomic explanation." She added that further research should investigate both the biological and socioeconomic mechanisms involved to understand better the link between number of children and cardiovascular risk. Wuerzburg (Germany) (AFP) - A Syrian refugee whose selfie with German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been repeatedly manipulated to link him to violent jihad, took Facebook to court on Monday for spreading defamatory fake news. Anas Modamani, 19, says the US social media giant has failed to take down doctored images and posts that have falsely linked him to, among other things, deadly Islamist attacks in Brussels and Berlin last year. He is asking a court in Germany's southern city of Wuerzburg for an injunction against Facebook Ireland Limited, the group's European subsidiary, that would force it to take down all posts linking him to terrorism or criminal offences. That includes a recent posting which wrongfully claims Modamani was among a group of Berlin juvenile delinquents who tried to set fire to a homeless man in a case that sparked public outrage last Christmas. Modamani is being represented by German lawyer Chan-jo Jun, who has already launched separate criminal complaints against Facebook for inciting hatred. Jun argues that Facebook should comply with German law and remove illegal content, claiming that the company's own community standards did not prevent defamatory and insulting statements. "We want to put an end to the incitement and slander," Jun told reporters after the first hearing on Monday. - 'Good person' - Modamani arrived in Germany in 2015, along with tens of thousands of other Syrians. When Merkel visited his Berlin refugee shelter in September that year, he took two selfie images with her in jubilant scenes also captured by a news agency photographer. Since then, those images have been manipulated and used in different contexts countless times, as right-wing fury has flared online against Merkel's liberal stance on refugees. Trolls have cut and pasted Modamani's picture into wanted posters and on fake news reports, typically alleging that the refugee made famous by the Merkel selfie had turned out to be a terrorist. Story continues Modamani, who is now taking German language courses and working in a fast food restaurant, said the hateful posts had had a big impact on his life. "I'm a good person," he told reporters. Ahead of the proceedings, a Facebook spokesman told AFP: "We are sorry to hear about Mr. Modamani's concerns with the way some people have used his image. "We are committed to meeting our obligations under German law in relation to content which is shared by people on our platform. "We have already quickly disabled access to content that has been accurately reported to us by Mr. Modamani's legal representatives, so we do not believe that legal action here is necessary or that it is the most effective way to resolve the situation." Jun however argues that some of the nefarious content remains online and that the burden should be on Facebook, not his client, to identify any misuse of the image. The court is expected to deliver its ruling on March 7. - Fake news - Facebook has faced heavy criticism in Germany for fake news and hate speech spread by its users, leading the company to promise corrective steps on both fronts. The company and other web giants pledged in December 2015 to examine and remove within 24 hours any hateful comments that were spreading online in Germany, in particular over the mass influx of 890,000 migrants that year. Jun last year launched legal action against Facebook in Munich, accusing its executives of condoning incitement of hate and violence, and of failing to remove illegal content despite being notified. Justice Minister Heiko Maas, who has been negotiating with social network chiefs, has also warned that Facebook and others could be punished if they do not comply with German law. Last October, a senior leader of Merkel's centre-right party, Volker Kauder, warned social networks that Germany could introduce fines for illegal content that is not removed within a week, with a suggested penalty of 50,000 euros ($55,000) per post. Facebook announced in mid-January that it would introduce new measures to take down "unambiguously wrong reports" being shared on the social media platform. The company said it would offer a simpler reporting process for users to flag suspected fake news, display warnings next to statements identified as false by independent fact-checking organisations, and cut off advertising revenue to fake news sites. XALAPA, Mexico (AP) Mexican authorities are investigating several bags of human remains discovered when police stopped a vehicle in the eastern Gulf coast state of Veracruz. Gov. Miguel Angel Yunes confirmed the discovery Monday, but said investigating agencies would have to release additional details. Officials in the state prosecutor's office said Federal Police officers had found the bags in a vehicle stopped in the southern part of the state. The officials agreed to give that information only if not quoted by name, because they were not authorized to discuss the matter. No other information, including about the identity of the bagged remains, was provided. Authorities have been searching since last week for three marines who disappeared in the port city of Veracruz. YANGON, Myanmar (AP) A human rights group urged Myanmar's government on Monday to back an independent international investigation into alleged abuses by security forces against members of the Muslim Rohingya ethnic minority, including the reported systematic use of sexual violence. U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement that soldiers and Border Guard Police took part in rape, gang rape, invasive body searches and sexual assaults while conducting counter-insurgency operations in the western state of Rakhine from October through mid-December. The estimated 1 million Rohingya face official and social discrimination in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, also known as Burma. Most do not have citizenship and are regarded as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, even when their families have lived in Myanmar for generations. Communal violence in 2012 forced many to flee their homes, and more than 100,000 still live in squalid refugee camps. "The sexual violence did not appear to be random or opportunistic, but part of a coordinated and systematic attack against Rohingya, in part because of their ethnicity and religion," Human Rights Watch said. "These horrific attacks on Rohingya women and girls by security forces add a new and brutal chapter to the Burmese military's long and sickening history of sexual violence against women," said Priyanka Motaparthy, the group's senior emergencies researcher. "Military and police commanders should be held responsible for these crimes if they did not do everything in their power to stop them or punish those involved." Myanmar's military has long been accused of human rights abuses against members of the country's other ethnic minorities, often while conducting counterinsurgency operations. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights made similar allegations in a detailed report released Friday. Other human rights groups have also criticized the treatment of Rohingya civilians. Story continues The U.S. State Department said Monday it was "deeply troubled" by the findings of that report, and urged the Myanmar government to take its findings seriously, but stopped short of endorsing the idea of international investigation. France's Foreign Ministry took a stronger stand. It said the reported rights violations were "unacceptable" and noted that the report would be examined by the U.N. Human Rights Council. The U.N. agency report, based on interviews with more than 200 Rohingya who fled to neighboring Bangladesh, said the violence against the Rohingya has been widespread and seemingly systematic, involving killings, enforced disappearances, torture, rape and other sexual violence, arbitrary detention and deportation, "indicating the very likely commission of crimes against humanity." It said of the 101 women interviewed, "more than half reported having suffered rape or other forms of sexual violence." Human Rights Watch said Myanmar authorities "have taken no evident steps to seriously investigate allegations of sexual violence or other abuses reported by non-governmental organizations" and has tried instead to discredit them. "The government should stop contesting these rape allegations and instead provide survivors with access to necessary support, health care, and other services," Motaparthy said. A spokesman for the Myanmar president's office could not be reached for comment. The government has consistently denied abuses and has blocked independent journalists and aid workers from visiting the military's operation zone in northern Rakhine. The government launched what it called "area clearance operations" in northern Rakhine after attacks on border police killed nine officers. It blamed a little-known Muslim insurgent group for the attacks. Friday's U.N. human rights report said the military operations launched in October "have likely resulted in several hundred deaths and have led to an estimated 66,000 people fleeing into Bangladesh and 22,000 being internally displaced." LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) Hundreds of Nigerians marched Monday to protest poverty and corruption as President Muhammadu Buhari's prolonged absence abroad for medical tests raises political and economic tensions. "Nigerians are frustrated and tired with this absentee government," activist Omoyele Sowore said as he marched in Lagos, Nigeria's largest city. Protesters carried placards saying: "Unemployed people hungry and angry." Prices of food and other goods have soared as Nigeria confronts low international prices for oil on which the government depends and a devalued naira currency because of massive foreign currency shortages. Turnout was small in Lagos, a city of 20 million, with just dozens turning out in Abuja, the capital. The protest initially was proposed on social media by hip-hop musician 2Face Tubaba Idibia but he tried to call it off after police said they could not guarantee the safety of marchers. Still, hundreds turned out, rallying around the hashtag #IStandWithNigeria. One protester shouted that Nigeria's expensive government system has turned democracy into "government by the rich, for the rich, to make laws so that poor people suffer." Buhari's campaign to fight the endemic corruption that impoverishes most Nigerians has not achieved any successful high-profile prosecutions though scores of former and current officials have been detained. Much of the hope engendered by Buhari's March 2015 election that overturned a sitting president by unifying the opposition has dissipated. Africa's biggest economy has slumped into recession and analysts say the government appears to have no plan to reinvigorate economic growth. Buhari was supposed to return Monday from a two-week vacation in London. But a statement said he was extending his absence to complete unspecified medical tests. UK-based Songhai Advisory risk analysis said the indefinite extension fuels suspicions about the 74-year-old leader's capacity to govern and increases political and economic uncertainty. Story continues Nigeria confronted months of political paralysis in 2009 when then-President Umaru Yar'Adua went to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment and returned home to die. Politicians from the mainly Muslim north tried to block a Christian vice president from the south from governing in his absence. Already, Songhai Advisory notes, northern Muslims like Buhari are rallying opposition to the possibility that the current Christian vice president would assume Buhari's powers. ___ Faul reported from Johannesburg. Budapest (Hungary) (AFP) - A Hungarian court on Monday ordered a retrial of 15 employees at an alumina plant who were cleared last year of criminal wrongdoing over the country's worst toxic spill in 2010. The court overturned the January 2016 acquittals of Zoltan Bakonyi, the former director of the MAL alumina plant in the western town of Ajka, and 14 employees. Prosecutors had appealed the original verdict, arguing that judges had committed procedural irregularities and that the disaster could have been prevented if MAL's management had intervened in time. The deadly disaster occurred on October 4, 2010, after the plant's holding reservoir burst its walls, sending 1.1 million cubic metres (38.8 million cubic feet) of poisonous red sludge into villages in western Hungary. Ten people died and 150 were injured, many with horrendous chemical burns. The mud -- a caustic byproduct of producing alumina, which is used to make aluminium -- also wiped out almost all life in nearby rivers, and even spread to the Danube. After a 40-month trial, the 15 employees were cleared of negligence, waste management violations and damage to the environment, sparking an outcry from victims of the spill. Prosecutors had demanded prison sentences for all the accused, but the court found that the disaster had been caused by a "loss of stability in the undersoil". The fault lay with the designers of the reservoir and the authorities responsible for carrying out checks, rather than the company's staff, the court said. Monday's ruling by a court in Gyor, which lies north of Ajka, is not subject to appeal. Despite vast sums spent on depolluting the region, it still bears traces of the tragedy. Hundreds of hectares of land remain sealed off and cannot be used for cultivation. SEOUL (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor Group, South Korea's second-biggest conglomerate, said on Monday that in an annual reshuffle it has promoted 348 executives, down 5 percent from last year, due to "growing business uncertainty". The revamp comes as Hyundai Motor Group focuses on slashing costs, including cutting executive pay, after flagship unit and automaker Hyundai Motor <005380.KS> posted its fourth consecutive annual profit decline in 2016. Big family-owned conglomerates like Hyundai Motor Group and Samsung Group have delayed their year-end annual promotions, after senior executives were questioned by prosecutors investigating a political scandal involving South Korean President Park Geun-hye. None of the executives of the major conglomerates have been charged with any wrongdoings so far. Hyundai Motor Group said its management reshuffle "takes into account various situations", but did not elaborate on the change in its timing. Among those promoted was Jang Woong-jun, who is involved in developing technology for self-driving cars. Jang, who studied at Stanford University, has been promoted to the post of a director, making him the youngest executive of the group at the age of 37. Hyundai Motor Group trails Samsung Group in terms of assets, and has 51 subsidiaries, including Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors <000270.KS>, Hyundai Mobis <012330.KS> and Hyundai Steel <004020.KS>. (Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Additional reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman) The fallout from U.S. President Donald Trumps executive order to ban citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries continued over the weekend. On Friday, a federal judge in Seattle, Washington temporarily blocked the enforcement of the order. The Department of Homeland Security and Department of State both announced they would comply with that judicial decision (despite the presidents tweets of frustration). On Sunday, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied an emergency request filed by the Department of Justice to put the ban back in effect. But that does not mean the ban is gone for good. The court asked both sides to file legal briefs before making its final decision. The suspension of the ban is in effect for now. Lawyers for Washington and Minnesota state have until Monday afternoon to file legal papers; those for the Department of Justice, until Monday evening. A three-judge panel will then either hold a hearing or rule. Also this weekend, protests continued and not only in the United States. Tens of thousands of Romanians took to the streets to protest a law that would decriminalize official misconduct. The law was ostensibly meant to deal with overcrowded prisons, but was widely interpreted as a way to let politicians including Liviu Dragnea, leader of the ruling party go unpunished for corruption. Facing the largest protest since the fall of communist rule, the Romanian government announced it would scrap the law on Sunday. Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu said he did not want to divide Romania. But it may be too little, too late for that: tens of thousands rallied to call for Grindeanus resignation after his announcement. Russia, meanwhile, is making headlines by crafting them. On Sunday, Russian state media outlet Sputnik ran an article suggesting French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron is a paid agent of the United States. Macron is widely seen as the only a frontrunner who can challenge the sometimes Russia-backed, always Russia-friendly Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front. Russian influence in European elections continues to be a story to watch in the week, and weeks, ahead. Photo credit: ANDREI PUNGOVSCHI/AFP/Getty Images BIMSTEC Secretary General calls on PM Dahal Secretary General of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Sumith Nakandala called on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the latters residence in Baluwatar on Monday. Barcelona (AFP) - Tens of thousands of supporters protested Monday in Barcelona as Catalonia's former leader Artur Mas went on trial for holding a non-binding independence referendum in 2014 -- a move he defended as legitimate. The trial has stoked pro-independence fervour in Spain's wealthy, northeastern Catalonia region at a time of high tensions between the local separatist government and Madrid. Shouting "independence, independence", and "we want to vote," some 40,000 people gathered on a wide palm tree-lined avenue next to the courthouse, many of them holding separatist red, yellow and blue flags in strong gusts of wind. Mas, Catalan president from 2010 to 2016, and two former members of his government are accused of serious civil disobedience and misconduct for having organised a symbolic, non-binding referendum in November 2014 despite a ban by Spain's Constitutional Court, which deemed it illegal. "I am responsible for everything," Mas told the court, speaking in Catalan even when the judge addressed him in Spanish. "My initiative and that of the government had deep, clear and purely democratic roots." - 'Judicial harassment' - Prosecutors want Mas and his former associates banned from holding public office for nine to 10 years. But their defence argues they were merely defending "the right to freedom of expression" for Catalans, many of whom want a say in the future of their 7.5 million-strong region. Catalonia, a region with its own language and customs, has long demanded greater autonomy. But in recent years, tensions with Madrid have markedly increased, as have calls for outright independence, culminating with the election in 2015 of a pro-independence government in Catalonia backed by a majority separatist parliament. A watershed moment was in 2010, when Spain's Constitutional Court watered down a special statute awarded to Catalonia in 2006 under the Socialist government, giving it more powers. Story continues Supporters of independence slammed what they said was "judicial harassment" and asked for a referendum similar to the one organised in Scotland in 2014. After the Constitutional Court banned that, Mas and his associates instead held the non-binding vote for which they are on trial until Friday. The court also stopped that vote, but defence lawyers argue that most of it had already been organised by the time the ban came and that the rest was then implemented by thousands of volunteers. This, they say, avoided involvement of the regional government which would clearly have broken the law. "There was no intention to commit any offence or disobey anyone," Mas told the court, adding his government just wanted to "promote citizen participation by all means possible." But prosecutors point to the fact that the regional government requisitioned schools to set up polling booths and provided 7,000 computers as proof that it was involved -- a matter that was not addressed by Mas and his two former associates in court. In the end, more than 80 percent of those who cast their ballot in the 2014 vote did so for independence -- although just 2.3 million people out of a total of 6.3 million eligible voters took part. - Unity of Spain - Catalonia's current government has promised to hold a referendum in September -- a binding one this time, with or without Madrid's consent. But how exactly it will go ahead is unclear, as the conservative government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy insists that this type of local, one-region-only referendum is unconstitutional, and has vowed never to allow an act that would risk the unity of Spain. Rajoy has tasked his deputy prime minister, Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, to start regular talks with Catalan authorities, but so far these have not yielded any results. "Reconciliation is impossible because they've said 'no' to dialogue for so long," said Merce Sancho Tusef, a 68-year-old protester. The Catalans themselves remain divided over the issue -- 44.9 percent want independence while 45.1 percent don't, according to a recent poll conducted by a Catalan public institute. A large majority, however, wants a referendum. Tehran (AFP) - Iran will receive the final part of a 149-tonne shipment of uranium from Russia as part of its nuclear deal with world powers, it was announced on Monday. "The first shipment arrived on January 26 by plane and the last will arrive tomorrow, Tuesday," said Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, according to Fars news agency. Under the nuclear deal signed with world powers in July 2015, Iran has the right to enrich uranium to a level of 3.5 percent and sell it abroad, as part of efforts to develop its civilian nuclear programme. Nuclear weapons require uranium enriched to around 80 percent. With the latest shipment, which was authorised by the United States and the other five signatories to the deal, Salehi said Iran has imported 359 tonnes of concentrated uranium, also known as yellow cake, since the nuclear deal came into effect in January 2016. Under the deal, Iran is allowed to run around 5,000 "IR-1" centrifuges and has been testing more advanced models that can produce greater quantities of enriched uranium -- all under the strict supervision of the UN atomic agency. Last month, Iranian officials said they had successfully tested the latest-generation IR-8 centrifuge, which has a capacity 20 times the IR-1, with uranium gas. Iranian soldiers march during an army parade in Tehran on April 17, 2015: AFP/Getty Images Iran has held military exercises and said it will test more missiles in what the countrys Revolutionary Guard said is a direct response to US threats and sanctions. Revolutionary Guard Air Force commander, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, told a state-run news agency over that the drills held over the weekend were designed to showcase the power of the Iranian revolution. Should the enemy make a mistake, our roaring missiles will rain down on them, he added. US President Donald Trump ordered his Treasury Department to publish a list of 13 Iranian individuals and 12 entities facing new sanctions last week, after it emerged that Iran had tested what it said was a non-nuclear ballistic missile. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the world's leading sponsor of terrorism and engages in, and supports, violent activities that destabilise the Middle East, US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said. That behaviour seems continuous despite the very favourable [nuclear] deal given to Iran by the Obama administration. These sanctions target those behaviours. In response, several military drills and rocket tests were conducted over the weekend by Iranian forces. In a statement, the countrys foreign ministry said Iran would not allow its domestic security to become the focus of international debate. The amateur and irrational policies of the new US administration will change nothing about the principles of Iranian politics, it read. The sanctions decision comes on top of a far-reaching executive order temporarily banning citizens of Iran and six other Muslim countries - even those with green cards or residency visas - from entering the US. It has since been successfully challenged by several courts across the US. In retaliation, Iran curtailed all travel visas for Americans for an indefinite amount of time, and the Central Bank announced the country will no longer use the US dollar for official statistics or financial reporting. The timing of last weeks missile test - which enraged Iranian foe and US ally Israel, although the UN has not yet determined if it broke 2015s nuclear accord - was also thought to be related to Mr Trumps Muslim ban. Story continues The move to renew sanctions reflects Mr Trumps desire to fulfil his campaign promise about being tough on Iran. Under President Barack Obama the US imposed sanctions on two dozen Iranian individuals, companies and government agencies related to terror rather than nuclear issues, which Mr Trump criticised for being weak. Both Democrat and Republican politicians on the Senates Foreign Relations Committee urged that the US should not let Irans missile test - one of several in the last 18 months - go unpunished. International sanctions which have crippled Irans economy for decades were lifted as part of the historic 2015 nuclear agreement, in which Tehran agreed to curbs on its nuclear weapons programme. On Friday, US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said the missile test was a violation of a United Nations resolution that prohibits Iran from participating in any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering a nuclear weapon. Iran, which maintains that the missile could carry a nuclear warhead, subsequently imposed its own set of counter-sanctions targeting the US. NEW YORK Munther Alaskry, a former interpreter for the U.S. military in Iraq, raced through Baghdad International Airport on Thursday, Feb. 2. He and his family reached the gate just 10 minutes before boarding closed and learned the good news. They were officially approved for travel to the United States and would be heading to a new life in Rochester, New York. At that moment, you start to appreciate time, Alaskry told Foreign Policy a day later, at a hotel in Manhattan. Three days for a normal person means nothing. In my situation, it meant the whole world. It was the difference between life and death. But even as Alaskry tracked his plane on the in-flight screen, watching as he and his family finally entered U.S. airspace, another former interpreter in Iraq watched the news and wondered if he and his family would be able to resettle in the United States, too. Assim Ali, who worked with the U.S. Army in some of the deadliest days of the Iraq War, began his application for a Special Immigrant Visa in 2014 after the Islamic State took over large swaths of Iraq and his wife gave birth to their daughter. Iraqi and Afghan nationals who have been threatened for working with U.S. forces in those countries can apply for an SIV, but the program has been notoriously slow and frequently under attack by hard-liners in the U.S. Congress. The Department of Homeland Security has since clarified that Iraqis with SIVs should be allowed in under the executive order, but Ali is waiting on the final step to get his visa and now fears it may never come. Good to hear that SIV applicants are out of this cage, Ali wrote to FP from Baghdad after the clarification. Though seemingly [the] U.S. wont be the same homeland that I have believed in. Alaskry and Ali are among tens of thousands of people whose lives have been turned upside down by President Donald Trumps abrupt issuance of an executive order on Jan. 27, which banned refugees and travelers from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Story continues Since the chaotic rollout, the order has been subject to a series of street protests, legal challenges, emergency stays, conflicting legal rulings, a nationwide temporary restraining order, and the presidents ire. 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 The whiplash of differing guidelines and conflicting legal advice has confused immigration authorities and airlines and prodded people with visas from the seven Muslim-majority nations to rush to squeeze through the door in case it slams shut again. Even the heavily vetted Iraqis who fought alongside U.S. troops remain in a potentially deadly limbo. The White House initially said the directive caused minimal inconvenience to just over 100 people, but more than 700 were prevented from boarding planes to the United States in just the first three days, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Last week, the Justice and State departments said anywhere from 60,000 to 100,000 visas had been revoked as a result of the order. One of those yanked off a flight was Alaskry. Just a week before, on Jan. 28, he and his wife and two children tried to fly to the United States, just as Trump released the immigration ban. But they were pulled off a connecting flight in Turkey and sent back to Baghdad. (FP in that article referred to Alaskry by a pseudonym, given his sensitive security situation at the time.) Alaskry, who said he had moved his family in Baghdad at least four times for safety reasons since he stopped working for the U.S. military, had undergone extensive vetting and waited seven years for his SIV. But in a span of hours, he was branded as unwelcome. Everyone was looking at us like we did something wrong, he said of getting pulled off his flight by police officers. It was a situation that I dont wish to happen to anybody. As the holder of a special visa, Alaskrys fortunes changed because Defense Department officials and members of the military, such as the advocacy group No One Left Behind, pushed for an exception for Iraqis who helped U.S. forces over the past 14 years. Days earlier, the Department of Homeland Security was forced to clarify the directive for both the public and, apparently, the White House. Soon after, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad called and told Alaskry that he was free to book another ticket. Still, even under the new guidelines, his trip wasnt smooth sailing. Though Alaskry had a letter from the U.S. Embassy, he encountered pushback from confused airline officials who hadnt received the latest interpretation of the U.S. rules. I have a letter and a valid visa all saying, This guy is OK to go, and they didnt let me onboard, he said. The U.S. Embassy had to call and negotiate with the Qatar Airlines main office in order to let him through, he said, leaving him dashing across the Baghdad Airport and cutting in line at multiple checkpoints to make the flight. On Friday, Feb. 3, he landed in New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport. After completing a secondary screening that lasted a few hours the border control officer was very polite, he said, and the children were given biscuits and water Alaskry finally entered America to find members from No One Left Behind and other supporters cheering his familys arrival. Soon after Alaskry made it in, many, including refugees already approved for resettlement, students with multiple-entry visas, and others whod been suddenly affected by the ban, learned that they would still have a chance to enter the United States. On Feb. 3, a federal judge in Seattle blocked key parts of the executive order. The Department of Justice is appealing the ruling, and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals could rule as soon as Tuesday. On Monday night the court set an hourlong oral argument for Tuesday afternoon. That leaves border officials and airlines struggling to anticipate what comes next. In the week since Trumps order immediately took effect (and even for several days before), refugees authorized to resettle in the United States, permanent residents with green cards, Iraqis with SIV holders such as Alaskry, and many others were turned away from flights, detained, or, in some cases, deported. As judges across a handful of states temporarily blocked aspects of the directive to prevent removals, reports continued of immigration authorities ignoring the rulings. The White House doubled down and vowed to continue implementing the directive. DHS officials told FP that the executive order was never intended to bar Iraqi translators, even as the Pentagon and top lawmakers called on the White House to carve out an exception for them. Some SIV holders continued to report confusion and problems over the weekend, though the administration has said it will comply with the temporary restraining order, and the State Department on Saturday said that it was reversing the initial revocation of visas. In the meantime, advocates are urging the previously barred travelers to use the narrow window of opportunity to travel to the United States. But Trumps rhetoric and the orders Kafkaesque implementation have led some to feel that they are no longer welcome. While Alaskry was moved by the outpouring of support he received and feels positive about his new home, Ali, the other Iraqi interpreter, said he was shocked by Trumps decision. With the presence of the Islamic State and militias in Iraq, Ali said his work with U.S. forces could cost him his life at any moment. After all these years of sufferings, threats, fears, and also waiting, unfortunately, he said, all my and my daughters dreams have gone. This story was updated at 7:45 p.m. Photo credit: STEPHANIE KEITH/Getty Images By Josh Smith KABUL (Reuters) - Civilian casualties in Afghanistan rose to new highs in 2016, driven by more Islamic State attacks, the most deaths and injuries from air strikes since 2009 and a rising toll of child victims of unexploded ordnance, the United Nations said. A total of 3,498 civilians were killed in the conflict and 7,920 were wounded in 2016, a combined increase of 3 percent over the previous year, U.N. investigators said in an annual summary issued on Monday. "Against a backdrop of protracted ground fighting, the battlefield permeated civilian sanctuaries that should be spared from harm, with suicide attacks in mosques; targeted attacks against district centers, bazaars and residential homes; and the use of schools and hospitals for military purposes," the United Nations said. About 61 percent of all civilian casualties were caused by anti-government groups like the Taliban and Islamic State, it said. The United Nations attributed at least 4,953 deaths and injuries to the Taliban, but in a shift in 2016, investigators documented a 10-fold increase in casualties caused by Islamic State militants, who often target members of the Shiite Muslim minority. At least 899 deaths and injuries were attributed to Islamic State, which has been a relatively minor faction in Afghanistan, but last year launched an increasing number of suicide attacks. Last year saw the highest number of civilian casualties from suicide attacks since the United Nations began tracking such numbers in 2009. Afghan security forces caused about 20 percent of the overall casualties, while pro-government militias and international forces caused 2 percent each. Among the deadliest tactic used by government forces was the indiscriminate use of heavy weapons like mortars in populated areas, the United Nations said. As the Afghan air force got more attack aircraft and the United States ramped up its air campaign against both Islamic State and the Taliban, casualties caused by air strikes increased 99 percent compared with 2015, hitting levels not seen since 2009. Air strikes by international warplanes resulted in at least 127 civilian deaths and 108 injuries in 2016, while the Afghan air force accounted for at least 85 deaths and 167 injuries, the United Nations said. Investigators were not able to attribute responsibility for 38 deaths and 65 injuries from air strikes. U.S. officials have only acknowledged possible civilian casualties in one incident in Kunduz province in November, when the United Nations said as many as 32 noncombatants were killed and 26 wounded in a joint U.S.-Afghan raid. Casualties among children spiked by 24 percent in 2016, with 923 dead and 2,589 wounded, largely as a result of a major increase in casualties from unexploded ordnance. (Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Robert Birsel) Jerusalem (AFP) - The Israeli army on Monday ordered a Palestinian journalist to be detained without trial for six months, less than a year after freeing him following a prolonged hunger strike. In May, Mohammed al-Qiq, 34, was released from a six-month prison term without trial following a 94-day hunger strike. He was rearrested last month for his alleged activities in the militant Islamist group Hamas aimed against Israel as well as undermining the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, the Shin Bet domestic security service said at the time. On Monday, his wife Fayha Shalash said he was on hunger strike again. The prison service confirmed this, without saying when the fast had begun. A controversial Israeli administrative detention law allows the state to hold suspects without trial for periods of six months, renewable indefinitely. The army said on Monday he was given the new six-month term without a court hearing, based on intelligence that Qiq "continues to be an operative for the Hamas terror group who incites dangerously to harm Israeli citizens". A military spokeswoman told AFP that administrative detention was "a last resort" measure employed as they had no other way of "neutralising the danger" Qiq posed. He has denied the Israeli allegations about militant activity, saying he works for the Saudi television channel Al-Majd. Qiq's case was widely covered last year, and the United Nations expressed concern about his condition during his previous time in prison. He was jailed for a month in 2003 and for 13 months in 2004 for Hamas-related activities. In 2008, Qiq was sentenced to 16 months on charges linked to his activities on the student council at the West Bank's Birzeit University. By Maayan Lubell JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel passed a law on Monday retroactively legalizing about 4,000 settler homes built on privately owned Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank, a measure that has drawn international concern. The legislation has been condemned by Palestinians as a blow to their hopes of statehood. But its passage may only be largely symbolic as it contravenes Israeli Supreme Court rulings on property rights. Israel's attorney-general has said it is unconstitutional and that he will not defend it at the Supreme Court. Though the legislation, passed by a vote of 52 to 60, was backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition, it has raised tensions in the government. Political sources have said Netanyahu privately opposes the bill over concerns it could provide grounds for prosecution by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. [nL5N1E21WX] But the far-right Jewish Home party, a member of the coalition looking to draw voters from the traditional base of Netanyahu's Likud, pushed for the legislation after the forced evacuation of 330 settlers last week from an outpost built on private Palestinian land. With Netanyahu under police investigation on suspicion of abuse of office, an allegation he denies, Likud has been slipping in opinion polls. Opposing the law would have risked alienating his supporters and ceding ground to Jewish Home. Last-minute appeals this week by Netanyahu to postpone the vote until after he meets U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Feb 15, were refused by Jewish Home, political sources said. In London, where he met Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday, Netanyahu told Israeli reporters he did not want to delay the vote and that he sought only to update Washington ahead of time - which he said he did. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Netanyahu himself did not attend the vote because he was on a plane back from London when it was held. "BLACK FLAG" Hanan Ashrawi, a senior member of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the main Palestinian political umbrella body, said in a statement that the law gave settlers a green light to "embark on a land grab". "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his extremist, racist coalition government are deliberately breaking the law and destroying the very foundations of the two-state solution and the chances for peace and stability," Ashrawi said. The U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov said in a statement that the law "will have far reaching legal consequences for Israel and greatly diminish the prospects for Arab-Israeli peace". However, Netanyahu may face little to no criticism from the White House, which has signaled a far softer approach to the settlement issue than that of the Obama administration. [nL1N1FN29D] "We are voting tonight on the connection between the Jewish people to its land. This entire land is ours," Likud minister Ofir Akunis told parliament. Opposition leader Isaac Herzog of the Zionist Union said a black flag hung over the "insane law that threatens to destroy Israeli democracy". Israeli Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit has described the law as unconstitutional and a breach of international law since it allows expropriation of private land in areas Israel seized in the 1967 Middle East war. Under the new law, settlers could remain on the land if they built there without prior knowledge of Palestinian ownership or if homes were constructed at the state's instruction. Palestinian owners would receive financial compensation. Anti-settlement group Peace Now said it would petition the High Court against the law that sanctions more than 50 settler outposts built without government approval. Most countries consider the settlements illegal and an obstacle to peace as they reduce and fragment the territory Palestinians want for a viable state in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Israel disputes this and cites biblical, historical and political connections to the land, as well as security needs. (Reporting by Maayan Lubell; Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Alison Williams) Jerusalem (AFP) - The United States was conspicuously tight-lipped Tuesday amid a world outcry over a new Israeli law allowing the appropriation of private Palestinian land for Jewish settler outposts. The United Nations, the European Union and the Arab League were just some of those coming out against the legislation passed in parliament late Monday. "This bill is in contravention of international law and will have far reaching legal consequences for Israel," UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. "The European Union condemns the recent adoption of the 'Regularisation Law'," foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said, arguing it "crosses a new and dangerous threshold by legalising under Israeli law the seizure of Palestinian property rights". The law legalises dozens of wildcat outposts and thousands of settler homes in the occupied West Bank, and prompted a Palestinian call for the international community to punish Israel. Pro-Palestinian Israeli NGOs said they would ask the Supreme Court to strike down the law, and opposition leader Isaac Herzog warned the legislation could result in Israeli officials facing the International Criminal Court. Washington refused direct comment, in stark contrast to the settlement criticism repeatedly voiced under Barack Obama. "Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu will be here on February 15. I don't want to get ahead of that now," White House spokesman Sean Spicer said. The US State Department said President Donald Trump's new administration "needs to have the chance to fully consult with all parties on the way forward". - 'Stealing Palestinian land' - France called the bill a "new attack on the two-state solution", while Britain said it "damages Israel's standing with its international partners". Turkey "strongly condemned" the law and Israel's "unacceptable" settlement policy, and the Arab League accused Israel of "stealing the land and appropriating the property of Palestinians". Story continues Britain and Israel's Arab neighbour Jordan also expressed concern. Separately to the new law, Israel has approved more than 6,000 settler homes since Trump took office on January 20 having signalled a softer stance on the issue than his predecessor. The law, which passed 60 to 52 in its final reading, will allow Israel to legally seize Palestinian private land on which Israelis built outposts without knowing it was private property or because the state allowed them to do so. Palestinian owners will be compensated financially or with other land. It would apply to around 53 outposts as well as some houses within existing settlements, potentially legalising more than 3,800 homes, according to anti-settlement NGO Peace Now, which called the law "another step towards annexation and away from a two-state solution". The law could still be challenged, with Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman saying last week it was likely to be struck down by the Supreme Court. International law considers all settlements illegal, but Israel distinguishes between those it sanctions and those it does not, which are known as outposts. - Protection for settlers - The new law would protect settlers against eviction from outposts discovered to have been built on private Palestinian lands such as in the case of Amona, where 42 families were evicted and their homes demolished in recent days by order of Israel's Supreme Court. To some Israelis, the law reflects their God-given right over the territory, regardless of the courts, the Palestinians and the international community. "All of the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people," said Science Minister Ofir Akunis of Netanyahu's Likud party, using the biblical term that includes the West Bank. "This right is eternal and indisputable." Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi called for the international community to assume its "moral, human and legal responsibilities and put an end to Israel's lawlessness". The act marked the first time Israel applied its civil law to land in the West Bank recognised as Palestinian, law professor Amichai Cohen told AFP. UN Middle East peace envoy Nickolay Mladenov also raised the possibility of potential court cases in the International Criminal Court against Israeli officials. Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has also warned the government that the law may be unconstitutional and risks exposing Israel to international prosecution for war crimes. Human Rights Watch said the legislation "reflects Israel's manifest disregard of international law". "The Trump administration cannot shield them from the scrutiny of the International Criminal Court," HRW warned. Bezalel Smotrich of the far-right Jewish Home party, one of the forces behind the legislation, thanked the American people for electing Trump as president, "without whom the law would have probably not passed". By Michael Holden and William James LONDON (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged "responsible nations" to join new sanctions against Iran on Monday during a visit to London, but Britain defended a nuclear deal sealed between major powers and Tehran. Ahead of his talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May, Netanyahu said other nations should follow new U.S. President Donald Trump's imposition of sanctions against Iran following a ballistic missile test. "Iran seeks to annihilate Israel. It seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the West, it threatens the world. And it offers provocation after provocation," Netanyahu told May ahead of their meeting. "That's why I welcome President Trump's assistance of new sanctions against Iran. I think other nations should follow suit, certainly responsible nations. I'd like to talk to you about how we can ensure that Iran's aggression does not go unanswered." May's spokeswoman said the British leader had repeated her backing for the nuclear deal with Tehran - which is strongly opposed by both Netanyahu and Trump - but said there was a need to "rigorously monitor" Iran's behavior. "The prime minister made clear that we support the deal on nuclear that was agreed," the spokeswoman told reporters, when asked whether Britain was considering joining new sanctions. "What happens now is that (the nuclear deal) needs to be properly enforced, and we also need to be alert to Iran's pattern of destabilizing activity in the region." Earlier the spokeswoman said May would also tell Netanyahu that continued Israeli settlement activity in occupied lands captured in the 1967 Middle East War on which the Palestinians hope to create independent state undermined trust in the region. "STRONG AND CLOSE ALLY OF ISRAEL" Despite their differences, London has adopted a more positive approach to Israel since May became leader after last year's vote to leave the European Union, echoing the more sympathetic tone set by Trump, with whom Britain wishes to secure a post-Brexit trade deal. May told Netanyahu that Britain was a "strong and close friend of Israel", and highlighted their co-operation in science, trade and security. They agreed to set up a working group to develop trade ties both before and after Brexit, the spokeswoman said. Last month Britain said it had reservations about a French-organized Middle East peace conference in Paris and did not back the final communique by 70 countries which reaffirmed that only a two-state solution could resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Its stance angered many EU members. In December, Britain also scolded then U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for a speech criticizing Israeli policy. Netanyahu's talks on Monday got off to an awkward start as he arrived before May was at her official Downing Street residence to greet him. Having entered her office alone, he came back outside minutes later for the customary handshake. Small groups of pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protesters gathered outside Downing Street and Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, said May's stance on settlements was not good enough. "Theresa May must make clear to the Israeli prime minister that the British government will stand unequivocally behind the rights of the Palestinian people," said Corbyn, who once described members of Palestinian group Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah as friends in comments he later said he regretted. (Editing by Gareth Jones) DEO freezes school assets for noncompliance with set rules District Education Office (DEO), Khotang has enforced an asset freeze of 350 schools operating in the district for failing to meet standard criteria. Rome (AFP) - Italian police were on the hunt Monday for the authors of anti-pope posters which have been slapped around Rome, amid suspicions the campaign may be linked to an arch-conservative wing of the Catholic Church. Dozens of the illegal fliers appeared mysteriously around the Italian capital Saturday picturing a stern-looking Pope Francis, a list of accusations against him, and the words "Where's your mercy?" -- turning the pontiff's call for a more merciful church back on him. Police were trawling through security camera footage to track down the culprits as Rome city council said it had pulled down 200 posters while those remaining had been covered up. No group took credit for the stunt, but Vatican watchers said the fact the main complaint referred to the "decapitation" of the Knights of Malta made it likely they came from conservative quarters. The posters appeared on the same day that Francis appointed his own special delegate to the ancient aristocratic order, after stepping in to stop the firing of its Grand Chancellor, in a move that left traditionalists spitting. The move publicly sidelined prominent US conservative Cardinal Raymond Burke, who has been outspoken in his disapproval of Francis' efforts to reform Church teaching on questions related to the family, marriage and divorce. "Ah Francis, you've taken over congregations, removed priests, decapitated the Order of Malta and the Franciscans of the Immaculate, ignored Cardinals but where's your mercy? it reads. - 'Germs of selfishness' - The reference to the pope ignoring cardinals is believed to relate to four cardinals, including Burke, who sent a letter to Francis at the end of last year in which they challenged the head of the Roman Catholic Church over his teachings on the family. Burke publicly warned Francis in November it may be necessary to make a highly rare "formal act of correction" if the Argentine did not answer the letter -- a bold and almost unheard of challenge to his authority. Story continues The mention of the removal of priests likely refers to allegations that the pope ordered the sacking of prelates from a Vatican department. In terms of the Franciscans, the pope intervened in the religious order early on to restrict the use of Latin mass, Cruxnow.com said. The 80-year old pontiff, who was elected in 2013, has proved a divisive figure, hailed by some for his "progressive" attitude -- refusing to judge those guilty of church sins, such as single mothers and gay people -- but criticised by others for being too "liberal". The climate in the tiny Vatican city state has become increasingly acrimonious and watchers warn of a possible show-down with the conservatives. Francis said at the end of last year that he was "not losing any sleep" over the in-fighting. On Sunday he made no reference to the posters but called on the faithful to stay away from "polluting germs of selfishness, envy, slander". The poster was written in local dialect. The Italian capital has a long tradition of anonymous political expression; protest graffiti was used in ancient Rome and, from the 16th century onwards, criticisms in the form of poems or witticisms were strung up on well-known statues in the city. (Photo: Getty Images) Mention the words Trump and Chinese and you may not imagine anything beyond strained relations and harsh diplomatic language across two nations. A recent video shared by Ivanka Trump, however, may help dissuade such negativity. Following a visit Wednesday to celebrate the Chinese New Year at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., President Donald Trumps eldest daughter posted a video of her daughter Arabella Kushner singing a song in Mandarin in honor of Lunar Year celebrations. Ivanka wrote, Arabella singing a song she learned for #ChineseNewYear. Wishing everyone an amazing year to come during these days of celebration. Views and reactions across Facebook and Instagram have been exploding all day, with the expected amount of social and political commentary. But the predominant mood appears to be adoration of the 5-year-olds voice and admiration of her apparent grasp of Mandarin. This isnt the first time Arabella has charmed millions with her Chinese-language skills. Back in November 2016, her mother shared a similar video of the presidents granddaughter reciting a classic Mandarin poem. In this previous case, the young girl happened to impress Chinese media and the public. Ivanka Trump with her father on Wednesday, Feb. 15. (Photo: Getty Images) Beyond possibly applying some cute bandages on any hemorrhaging relations between the U.S. and China, Ivankas gracious sharing of her daughters skills in Chinese may also help promote and persuade fans and followers to embrace the benefits of early childhood foreign language development. In the past, parents and educators feared that learning a second language too early could pose some drawbacks, including delays in learning language skills overall, and general confusion in the young ones. Since then, studies have proven these concerns to be unwarranted. Learning foreign languages in early years is believed now to be more than beneficial. The bilingual brain develops more densely, points out WebMD, giving it an advantage in various abilities and skills, according to new research. Story continues Researchers like Professor Barbara Lust of Cornell University who has been studying the learning of language in childhood for over 30 years have pinpointed that cognitive advantages follow from becoming bilingual. She says that these cognitive advantages can contribute to a childs future academic success. Besides the cognitive and cultural benefits of picking up a foreign language, if your little one starts to learn Spanish, Arabic, or Mandarin at an early age, just think of all the likes and hearts you can get on social media with videos like Ivankas. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Related: Is Religion an Excuse for Ivanka Trumps Let Them Eat Cake Photo? Related: Ivanka Trump Shows Off $5,000 Dress in Midst of Immigration Chaos Internet Reacts Related: Vanessa Trump Wore $12,500 Ivanka Trump Earrings on Inauguration Day Police said that the accused killer of Queens jogger Karina Vetrano said he strangled the woman because he "was angry." Chanel Lewis told cops he was in a bad mood on the day of the murder, authorities told the New York Post. "I was angry," said Lewis, according to police sources. "I had some issues at home. I just lost it. When I saw her, I just hit her and kept hitting her. I hit her and choked her," Lewis' Sunday arraignment was tense as the victim's parents and the father of the suspect spoke out a day after an arrest finally came in the high-profile case. For Vetrano's mother, speaking out came in the form of impassioned outbursts in Queens Criminal Court where Lewis was arraigned and ordered held without bail Sunday evening in the murder. Read: Man Arrested in 1982 Murder of 14-Year-Old Girl Bludgeoned to Death After Party "Savage murderer! He murdered my daughter my beautiful, innocent daughter," the bereaved mother screamed out as Lewis was led from the courtroom. Vetrano later exclaimed: "He's a demon! He's a demon!" Meanwhile, outside the courtroom, Lewis's father told reporters that his son wouldn't possibly have committed this heinous crime that has captivated America since Vetrano's father discovered her body hours after her disappearance in August. "He has never done anything nothing in his whole life," Richard Lewis said Sunday. "He wouldn't have done it." Lewis, 20, of East New York, was taken into custody for questioning Saturday after police said DNA evidence found on Vetranos body and cell phone linked Lewis to the crime scene. "Karina helped us identify this person," chief of detectives, Robert K. Boyce, said at a press conference Sunday. "She had the DNA under her nails, she had touch DNA on her back and there was more DNA on the cell phone. Thats how we were able to bring the profile up and thats how we made the link. Story continues Police also said that Lewis made "detailed, incriminating statements and admission" during questioning. According to police, investigators were able to create a suspect profile based on a 911 call that placed Lewis in the Howard beach area months before the murder. Lewis also reportedly has multiple summonses from the Howard Beach area, particularly on the bicycle path that leads to the entrance to the park from the East New York side. Vetrano, 30, was found dead in a marshy area of Spring Creek Park by police and her father after she had been raped and strangled on August 2 while out on a solo run. Her father repeatedly tried to call her cell phone while she was out and after two hours grew worried and called police. They found her body hours later. Read: Driver Arrested After Posting Instagram Video of Police Chasing Him: Cops Vetranos parents, Phillip and Cathy, said they were relieved at the identification. The demon must get his justice, Cathy reportedly told the New York Daily News. We will see to it. Im not going to say it is a good day but we can move forward now, he said. We know who did this, Phillip added. Watch: 2 Teen Boys Arreste for Planning Mass Shooting at Middle School: Cops Related Articles: British lawmaker John Bercow, Speaker of the U.K.s House of Commons has said he would oppose President Donald Trump addressing Parliament during his state visit. The Speaker of the U.K.s lower chamber said that he would not support the plan for Trump to speak in Westminster Hall due to the countrys opposition to racism and to sexism as well as support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary, The Guardian reports. Bercow was referencing the Presidents controversial immigration restrictions and attacks on U.S. judges, as well as numerous allegations of sexism. The comments are unprecedented as the British Speaker is supposed to be politically neutral. Unlike in the U.S. where the House Speaker is typically a party leader, the British role focuses more on chairing Parliamentary debates and keeping order. Theresa May, the British Prime Minister is thought to be eager to pursue a U.K.-U.S. trade deal. Bercow is however one of the three key figures who would decide on whether the President makes a speech in Westminster Hall, which he said was an earned honor. [Guardian] By Justin Lowe, The Hollywood Reporter A surprise hit when it propelled Keanu Reeves action career back into high gear, 2014s John Wick concluded with more than enough momentum for a sequel, or even several. The thriller about a former professional assassin who reluctantly emerges from retirement to exact revenge against some mercilessly misguided Russian mobsters capitalized on an energetic visual style and relentless pacing as Reeves robustly performed much of his own high-energy stuntwork. Ambitiously expanding the follow-up to a global scale implicitly signals its intention to operate at the level of iconic international actioners like the Bond, Bourne and Mission: Impossible series. The success of John Wick: Chapter 2 will go a long way toward demonstrating whether the franchise can distinguish itself from the competition in that rarefied realm, although it appears to have a good chance of topping its predecessors opening weekend haul of nearly $14.5 million. Picking up only a few days after the events of the first film, the sequel finds John Wick (Reeves) finally succeeding in retrieving his prized 1969 black Mustang from New Yorks Russian mob after a gut-wrenching car chase and more than a few retaliatory beatdowns. Wick barely finishes stashing his impressive collection of weaponry in anticipation of finally enjoying his retirement undisturbed when an unexpected visitor turns up at his door. Fellow assassin Santino DAntonio (Riccardo Scamarcio) has come to claim a debt that Wick incurred when DAntonio saved Wicks life. His intervention provided the opening for Wick to secretly withdraw from professional crime and start over again with his now-deceased wife Helen (Bridget Moynahan, seen only in brief flashbacks). Although hes obliged by a blood oath to honor his rivals repayment demand, Wick declines to return to his spurned profession, growling Im not that guy anymore. DAntonio responds Youre always that guy, John, and directs him to target his sister Gianna (Claudia Gerini), the head of their Italian crime family. After Wick categorically refuses, DAntonio finds a more emphatic means of persuasion, directing a grenade launcher at Wicks home and incinerating it. Cut off from his supply of weapons, Wick pays a visit to Winston (Ian McShane), the shadowy arbiter of the secret assassins guilds arcane customs, who informs Wick that if he doesnt fulfill his obligation to DAntonio, the organization itself will have him eliminated. Story continues Related: John Wick Comic Book to Launch in 2017 Out of options, Wick travels to Rome to prepare for taking out Gianna, whos well-protected by loyal hitman Cassian (Common) and an army of thugs. DAntonio is determined to stop her before she can assume a position among the leaders controlling the worlds top organized-crime groups, an honor that he claims for himself. So he assigns his mute but deadly bodyguard Ares (Ruby Rose) to shadow Wick, adding to the threats hell have to neutralize if hes going to come out of this unwanted assignment alive. Reeves is back in fine form, confirming how indispensable he is to the franchise with his lithe physicality, no-nonsense demeanor and impressive skillset, as he again performs many of his own driving and martial arts stunts. Returning screenwriter Derek Kolstad reaffirms the appealing ingenuity of his highly memorable lead character, whose clear motivations for underworld score-settling are both relatable and rootable. Once again, Reeves does not disappoint, fully inhabiting Wick by channeling his rage over lifes injustices into an intensely focused performance. This time around Kolstad miscues some key plot developments, however, principally by neglecting to center the action on Wicks antagonist DAntonio from the outset and initially focusing on the logistical intricacies of Wicks assassination assignment instead. By the midpoint, though, more formidable adversaries have emerged, diluting the main conflict further. Chief among these new opponents, Commons Cassian stands out for his ability to match Wick one-on-one, either with laconic understatement or in hand-to-hand, knife-wielding combat. Most welcome of all, Fishburne reunites with his Matrix co-star in a cameo as a mysterious underground New York crime kingpin known as the Bowery King. Their brief, provocative exchange leaves little doubt that the character is likely to reemerge in subsequent installments. Read More: 50 of 2017s Most Anticipated Movies In fact, a third chapter is already in the planning stages, perhaps for when Stahelski completes the Highlander reboot, which should benefit substantially from his John Wick expertise. Going solo on the second installment (with previous co-director David Leitch as an executive producer), Stahelski doubles up on the stunts and firepower. The films frenetic opening car chase through night-lit Manhattan streets, followed by a near demolition derby scene as Wick targets the Russian mobs vehicle fleet by using the Mustang as a kinetic weapon, rank respectably with almost anything that the Fast and Furious franchise can muster. An intensely staged shootout in the catacombs below Romes historic monuments is somewhat less impressive despite the obvious logistical challenges, overly relying on a video-game style third-person shooter setup. Individual face-offs between Wick and Cassian, Ares and any number of deadly henchmen are far more satisfying for their nonstop deployment of judo and jiujitsu techniques. Cinematographer Dan Laustsen bathes the frequently low-light action scenes in pools of indigo and ultraviolet to achieve a suitable underworld vibe, allowing editor Evan Schiff to step in and amp up the pacing with stylishly energetic cutting. Distributor: Summit Entertainment Production companies: Thunder Road Pictures, 87Eleven Productions Cast: Keanu Reeves, Common, Laurence Fishburne, Riccardo Scamarcio, Ruby Rose, Lance Reddick, John Leguizamo, Claudia Gerini, Ian McShane, Bridget Moynahan Director: Chad Stahelski Screenwriter: Derek Kolstad Producers: Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee Executive producers: Robert Bernacchi, David Leitch, Jeff Waxman, Kevin Frakes, Vishal Rungta Director of photography: Dan Laustsen Production designer: Kevin Kavanaugh Costume designer: Luca Mosca Editor: Evan Schiff Music: Tyler Bates, Joel J. Richard Casting directors: Suzanne Smith Crowley, Jessica Kelly Rated R, 122 minutes A 20-year-old New York City man faces murder and sexual assault charges after his DNA was recovered from the body of a slain woman who made national headlines when she was killed while jogging. Chanel Lewis' allegedly offered detailed incriminating statements and admissions to detectives and his cellphone was also linked to the crime, according to local media reports. Lewis was arrested Saturday at his Brooklyn home in the death of Karina Vetrano, 30, who was raped and strangled as she ran through Spring Creek Park in Howard Beach in the Queens borough of New York City in August. Her body was later found in marshes in Howard Beach. It appeared as if she had put up a fight while being raped and strangled. "This is a great day for the community and the detectives that worked day in and day out and of course it will hopefully bring some closure to the Vetrano family," Queens District Attorney Richard Brown told reporters. The arrest is a major breakthrough in a case that has yielded few answers so far. Previous DNA samples found on Vetrano's body couldn't be linked to suspects listed in databases of convicted criminals. Supporters raised $300,000 to reward anyone with information leading to an arrest. It's unclear what Lewis said to police during his interview. The demon must get his justice, Cathy Vetrano, the victim's mother, told the New York Daily News. "We will see to it. Phil Vetrano, who has made numerous statements to the public in recent months asking anyone for details of his daughter's death to come forward, said he was glad to know the suspect's name. Im not going to say it is a good day but we can move forward now, said Phil Vetrano, a retired firefighter and 9/11 first responder. We know who did this. Lewis was identified by a 911 caller. He voluntarily submitted a DNA sample and his DNA was later found under Karina Vetrano's fingernails, on her back and on her cellphone. Story continues Karina helped us identify this person, NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said. She had the DNA under her nails, she had touch DNA on her back and there was more DNA on the cell phone. Thats how we were able to bring the profile up and thats how we made the link. Lewis' family called the arrest shocking. Lewis wanted to become a social worker and lived with his mother. "He's a humble kid, said his father, Richard Lewis, 70, a retired elementary school teacher. "It's extremely surprising...he's not the person for that." Related Articles Paris (AFP) - Francois Fillon, the rightwing candidate for the French presidential election, has apologised for paying his wife as a parliamentary aide and hopes to draw a line under a scandal dubbed "Penelopegate". Here is the furore explained in five key questions: - Who is Francois Fillon? - He was prime minister from 2007-2012 under rightwing president Nicolas Sarkozy, the high point of a career that saw him first elected to parliament in 1981. He emerged as the surprise presidential nominee for the Republicans party in November, promising to slash public spending, cut bureaucracy and adopt family-friendly policies. He also stressed his sleaze-free past and the need for leaders to be "above reproach". After his primary victory, but before the current scandal, polls had consistently shown him to be the most likely winner of the two-round election in April and May. - What is he accused of doing? - On January 25, the Canard Enchaine weekly newspaper broke the news that Fillon had employed his Welsh-born wife Penelope as a parliamentary aide. In that report and another the week after, it said that she and two of her children enjoyed a pre-tax income of around a million euros over more than decade from funds available to MPs to run their offices. Late Monday, Francois Fillon published figures stating his wife had earned a total of more than 680,000 euros (732,000 dollars) working as an aide for him and the lawmaker who replaced him when he became a minister, beginning in 1986 and lasting a total of 15 and a half years to 2013. The Canard Enchaine also revealed Penelope was paid around 5,000 euros ($5,370) a month between May 2012 and December 2013 by the magazine Revue des Deux Mondes, owned by a friend of Fillon. - Is this illegal? - Employing a family member is not illegal in France, unlike in Germany or at the European parliament. But there are suspicions that Penelope did little or no work for her parliamentary salary, with the Canard Enchaine and other media groups unable to find witnesses to her contribution. Story continues An investigation has been launched into the possible misuse of public money. Penelope had been a low-key political wife known to prefer time at the couple's 12th-century country chateau than among the Parisian chattering classes. In an interview in 2007, which was unearthed by French reporters last week, she explained that she had "never been actually his assistant or anything like that." - What did Fillon say? - In a press conference on Monday, he addressed almost all of the claims individually while claiming he was the victim of "lynching" and "political assassination" in the media. He admitted he had paid Penelope for 15 years in total, with her after-tax monthly income averaging 3,677 euros over this time, which he said was justified. He said he had failed to appreciate how this practice might be seen as unacceptable by voters and apologised for an "error". He said his wife has worked for him in his constituency in the central Sarthe region, managing his mail and his diary as well as his local meetings. This explained why she did not have a pass for the national parliament or a work email address, Fillon said. The clip of Penelope in which she said she had not worked as his assistant had been "taken out of context". He also pledged to publish her pay slips, while saying that no one was qualified to judge the work of a parliamentary assistant except the MP. He also revealed new details about a consultancy firm called 2F Conseil he set up in 2012, which the Canard Enchaine said had paid him an after-tax salary of 757,000 euros. He had not been paid by any Russian company or the Russian state, he said, while insurance group Axa and financial companies Fimalac and Oddo were clients. - How might this affect the election? - Fillon's approval ratings have fallen sharply and new polls over the last week have suggested he could crash out in April's first round. In this scenario, the main beneficiary would be 39-year-old centrist Emmanuel Macron who would overtake Fillon to go through to the run-off against far-right leader Marine Le Pen in May. Le Pen might benefit, too, though her party is embroiled in its own expenses scandal at the European Parliament. "From tonight, I announce here that it's a new campaign that's starting," Fillon told the press conference on Monday. KIEV, Ukraine Less than two weeks after President Donald Trumps inauguration, full-blown war returned to eastern Ukraine. Beginning Jan. 29, rockets rained down on residential and military positions along the front line, killing civilians and soldiers alike. One 60-year-old woman was killed in separatist shelling as she walked from her home to a nearby market; a 24-year-old medic was killed when a shell exploded next to the ambulance she was driving. The fighting decimated local water and electricity infrastructure, spawning a renewed humanitarian crisis in the region that could affect hundreds of thousands of people as temperatures dip below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. It stands to reason that the return to fighting in eastern Ukraine bears some relationship to the political event that preceded it by nine days the inauguration of Trump as U.S. president. But the influence of Trumps election on the calculus of war and peace in Donbass cuts both ways. Its not just Russian aggression that the Trump presidency has stirred up, analysts say. Kiev, too, has become less inclined to compromise as it has grown more uncertain about Washingtons policy toward the conflict. Until this past week, large-scale fighting had for the most part died down in Donbass since the signing of the Minsk II cease-fire agreement in February 2015. Front-line areas still saw exchanges between government forces and Russian-backed separatists, but nothing that resembled a significant battle. That changed on Jan. 29, when fighting broke out in the town of Avdiivka. Nearly two dozen civilians and soldiers have died, and many more have been injured in what the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) describes as the heaviest shelling it has recorded since the war began in 2014. Now, one week on, Ukrainian forces have solidified their defenses and moved forward the sort of heavy weaponry, including battle tanks, that was supposed to be removed from the front lines as part of the Minsk II Agreement. Story continues Kiev has pointed the finger at Russia as the culprit for the recent outbreak of fighting, and there is some evidence to support its case. Three days before the fighting erupted, Olexander Motuzyanyk, a spokesman for Ukraines Ministry of Defense, warned of a Russian military buildup along the Ukrainian border in Russias Rostov region; the next day, Russia alerted the OSCEs Permanent Council about the increased risk of an escalation of the conflict in Donbass. Still, unlike in previous large-scale confrontations, theres no evidence that regular Russian troops are involved in the current fighting. But Kievs advances have also contributed to the rekindling of the war. Since last abandoning its policy of disengagement last fall, Ukraine has been making increasingly frequent incursions into the gray zone the no mans land between government and separatist forces along the front line that the two sides have fought over since the signing of the first failed peace agreement in September 2014. Separatists have more recently started making their own incursions into the no mans land. The result is that the gray zone in eastern Ukraine has become a tinderbox: In many places along the front line, only a few hundred yards divide government troops from Russian-backed separatists. Both sides have drawn criticism from the OSCE and other groups that fear this shrinking divide could lead to renewed violence. Speaking several days before the current escalation began, Alexander Hug, the deputy chief monitor of the OSCEs Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, said he was concerned about the buildup of heavy weaponry and military positions in the gray zone, warning that local cease-fire agreements could prompt both sides, including Ukraine, to create new realities on the ground in order to negotiate from a stronger position in the future. At the same time, the Ukrainian presidents office has used the escalation to remind Trump of the costs of rapprochement with Russian President Vladimir Putin: The shelling is massive. Who would dare talk about lifting the sanctions in such circumstances? Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in a video address posted online on Jan. 31. Putin, meanwhile, accused Ukraine of provoking the escalation to do just that, saying that because Kiev aligned itself behind former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, it is now forced to to mend ties with the current U.S. administration. Ukraine, Putin continued, needs money right now and you can best get money from the EU the U.S., and financial institutions if you portray yourself as a victim of aggression. The U.S. State Departments recent muted response to the outbreak of fighting, which did not mention Russias involvement, has only fueled further uncertainty for all parties involved. Similarly, the phrasing of a White House statement after a phone call between Trump and Poroshenko on Feb. 4 made some question the Trump administrations understanding of the war in Donbass. The readout referred to Ukraines long-running conflict with Russia, not mentioning Russias role in initiating and aggravating the war. Whats more, though U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley condemned Russian aggression in Ukraine and insisted on the maintenance of American sanctions related to Russias annexation of Crimea, she did not mention those tied to the Kremlins actions in Donbass. Although the Ukrainian government is indeed looking for ways to make inroads with the Trump administration, its begun to tentatively explore avenues toward peace in Donbass. Poroshenko made a trip to Berlin on Jan. 30 which was cut short due to the surge in fighting in part so that he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel could discuss how to make Minsk work, said Alyona Getmanchuk, the director of the Institute of World Policy, a think tank in Kiev. Before Trumps election, Kievs terms had been clear: Ukraine would not make political concessions in areas like local elections for the separatist regions until Russia and the separatists had removed heavy weapons from the front and given Kiev back control of the eastern border with Russia. But, Getmanchuk said, with the election of Trump and support wavering in Washington, Kiev is prepared to consider a less-than-ideal agreement if Russia clearly shows it will compromise though Ukraine has been evasive about what that would look like. Making Minsk work has always been easier said than done. Despite Trumps election and with it, the potential of reduced support from Washington the Ukrainian public and political elite remain reluctant to make any kind of deal in eastern Ukraine. Though polls show the military conflict in Donbass remains the most important issue for Ukrainians, only 9.2 percent of the population views the Minsk Agreements positively, and theres little public appetite for any talk of compromise. On Dec. 29, influential Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Pinchuk set off a firestorm in Kiev by arguing in the op-ed section of the Wall Street Journal that Ukraine needed to make painful compromises for peace with Russian-backed separatists, including not letting Crimea get in the way of a peace deal, holding elections in the occupied territories, and abandoning Ukraines aspirations to become a member of the European Union. The article provoked a backlash from Ukrainian elected officials and pundits who called Pinchuk pro-Putin and quickly turned the businessman and his associates into political pariahs. The Ukrainian government shot its own salvo at the oligarch less than a week later: The deputy head of the Presidential Administration published a letter in the Wall Street Journal suggesting that Pinchuks proposal played into Russias appetites, inviting even more aggression and greater human suffering. Pinchuk was ultimately forced to back down, writing an article in Russian for Ukrainska Pravda, a popular news site, explaining that his initial op-ed had been misinterpreted and edited for an American audience. But multiple sources close to the presidential administration say theres more to the story. The release of Pinchuks op-ed seems to have been orchestrated with the help of political consultants working for Poroshenko both to gauge Ukrainians willingness to compromise and, with Pinchuk and the Ukrainian president seeking a strong relationship with the incoming American administration, to say what they thought Trump wanted to hear. However, both seem to have misjudged popular opinion: The prevailing lesson of the Pinchuk affair seems to be that compromise remains a provocative proposition in Ukraine. Even those who advocate for a less drastic compromise have come under fire in Ukraines charged political climate. Nadiya Savchenko, a Ukrainian pilot who was held in prison for two years in Russia on politically motivated charges and championed as a Ukrainian hero during her detention, was denounced as a traitor by hard-liners in January for suggesting that the only peaceful solution to the conflict in the east would involve Ukraine putting Crimea on the back burner in order to regain the separatist-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine. And for some in Kiev, hawkishness has made for good politics. One person advocating the advance of Ukrainian forces into the gray zone is Oleksandr Turchynov, the secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council (and acting president following the Maidan Revolution). This creeping offensive, as the policy has come to be known among military analysts and in the Ukrainian media, seems to be directed at garnering political support from the section of the public that is critical of the Minsk deal and would like to see a firmer stance taken in eastern Ukraine. Turchynov also advocated a complete blockade of Donbass in December to stop the flow of illegal goods into the separatist republics, which became a justification for the Ukrainian advance near the village of Novoluhanske in December 2016, one of the most significant incursions in recent months. Turchynovs stance probably has more to do with his political ambitions than with the uncertainty brought about by Trump: Rumors are swirling that he may have his eyes on the presidency in the future. The popularity of positions expressed by people like Turchynov has pushed even those initially inclined toward peace to take more hawkish stances. Poroshenko was elected president in May 2014 on a platform of peace, and the coalition he built after coming into power, known as the party of peace, engaged in a national debate with then-Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuks more hawkish camp about how to resolve the conflict in the east. But in September 2015, Poroshenko began to change his rhetoric as a peaceful resolution became less popular, ultimately taking up the mantle of war as Yatsenyuks governing coalition fell apart in late 2015, leading to his resignation in April 2016. By the winter of 2015-16, there was no longer a group that would speak in support of a peaceful resolution, said Mikhail Minakov, president of the Foundation for Good Politics and a professor at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. The lack of opposition to Poroshenkos war rhetoric means that many subscribe to the idea that peace can be won only through war. But if the previous Minsk Agreements are any guide, it wont be Ukraine imposing a settlement on Russia and the separatists: Ukraine was forced to accept the Minsk I and II Agreements on Russias terms following massive losses at the hands of Russian units in bloody battles at Ilovaisk and Debaltseve, respectively. Unless a more conciliatory approach takes hold in Kiev, this seems likely to be the paradigm for any peace deal, whenever it is signed. All of this presents a troubling picture of what the war in eastern Ukraine may become without Washington and the Ukraine coalition it has led involved in the peace process. Former Vice President Joe Biden, who handled the Ukraine portfolio for the White House and communicated regularly with Poroshenko, played a moderating role in subduing Kievs more hawkish impulses and keeping them committed to the Minsk deal. For the moment, most eyes in Washington and elsewhere alarmed at the recent uptick in violence are trained on what they view as an emboldened Kremlin. But the fighting in eastern Ukraine is complex and as much driven by domestic as international factors. Right now, Minakov said, there is no party of peace in Ukraine. Photo Credit: SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP/Getty Images On Monday, the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to rule on whether to reinstate U.S. President Donald Trumps controversial Executive Order on immigration, which temporarily prohibits refugees and citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. (and blocks Syrian refugees indefinitely). In turn, the Department of Justice is expected to put out a filing defending the Order. The case, brought by Washington and Minnesota, is just one of the legal challenges facing the order, which cites one particular law as the source of Trumps authority on the matter: an Immigration and Nationality Act originally passed in 1952. In light of those challenges, historians say that its worth investigating the moment in time that produced that 1952 lawwhen the world was, according to Rebecca J. Scott, president of the American Society for Legal History, a fearful, phobic place. At the time, the U.S. was embroiled in the Cold War and deep in the so-called Red Scare, the anti-Communist effort led by the zealous Republican Senator from Wisconsin Joseph McCarthy, whose quest to root out communist sympathizers included targeting immigrants. Espionage was a major concern of the era, as was the threat that foreigners might bring radical ideas into the country from outside. And so the sponsors of the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act, Democrats Senator Pat McCarran of Nevada and Rep. Francis Walter of Pennsylvania, argued that the nation needed a new kind of immigration law for national security purposes. The 1952 law tweaked but maintained the quotas established by the Immigration Act of 1924. And, though it eliminated the racial condition for citizenship that had long held back Asians, it set the new quotas in such a way that favored Western Europeans. A key provision, however, gave the President the ability to overrule those quotas. Section 212(f), states: Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate. Story continues President Harry Truman was one of its chief critics. He vetoed the law, which he called, in a message to Congress, a slap at millions of Americans whose fathers were of alien birth and denounced it for substituting totalitarian vengeance for democratic justice. It would be more appropriate, he argued, to stretch out a helping hand to those living under communism, not to worry about protecting the U.S. from them. But the law had enough support in Congress to override his veto. Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter By the next decade, however, things had changed. The Cold War was far from over, but the Red Scare had peaked. At the same time, another mass movement else had risen: the civil-rights movement. (The beginning of the end of McCarthyism came in 1954, a year that culminated in McCarthys fellow Senators voting to censure him.) By the early 1960s, at the same time that African-Americans and others protested systematic racism, Asian-Americans and those of Eastern European descent protested the 1952 laws racist restrictions. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed an amendment to the 1952 law that changed the composition of immigration into the U.S. by eliminating discriminatory quota imbalancesa move that also led to the first limits placed on Latin American immigrationand stipulating that immigrants could not be denied a visa because of their race, sex, nationality or place of birth. For over four decades, the immigration policy of the United States has been twisted and has been distorted by the harsh injustice of the national origins quota system, Johnson said when he signed the law on New Yorks Liberty Island. The new law, however, did not create a wide-open door. It also did not specifically get rid of a clause that allows the president to deny anybody entry to the U.S. under special circumstances. The way the law is written, it doesnt matter what the reason is, Mae Ngai, an immigration historian at Columbia University, explains. Theres only a 13-year difference between 1952 and 1965, yet two very different Americas existed during those years. The American Society for Legal Historys Rebecca Scott calls the world that produced the 1965 legislation much more inclusive and rights-conscious than that of the early 50s. Some legal scholars argue that its not up to Trump to decide which of those periods is the best parallel for today. If Congress restricted the presidents ability to block immigration based on national origins in 1965, they contend, then Trumps executive order must be illegal, though he is certainly not the first president to make use of Section 212(f) after 1965. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan used it to bar any undocumented aliens arriving at the borders of the United States from the high seas, while in 1986, he used it to bar Cuban nationals, with some exceptions. In 1994, Bill Clinton used it to bar anyone in the Haitian military or government affiliated with the 1991 coup detat that overthrew the democratically-elected president. Ten years later, George W. Bush used it to bar corrupt members of the government of Zimbabwe from entering the U.S. And in 2012, Barack Obama used it to bar hackers aiding Iran and Syria. Trump, however, appears to be the first president to apply a blanket ban to everyone from a specific country (more than one, in this case) since President Jimmy Carter used the provision to keep out Iranians during the Iran hostage crisis. Whatever the upshot of the legal challenges to Trumps order, some scholars say theres nothing new about his recent actions. Weve always been an immigrant nation and an anti-immigrant nation, argues Jesse Hoffnung-Garskof, a professor of history and American culture at the University of Michigan. For much of the 20th century, he says, theres been tension between domestic politics that are trying to restrict in the name of populism, and it comes into conflict with a foreign policy agenda about engagement with the world. Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years. By Andrew Osborn and Maria Tsvetkova MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Monday it did not agree with U.S. President Donald Trump's assessment of Iran as "the number one terrorist state" and a Russian diplomat said any U.S. attempt to reopen an Iran nuclear deal would inflame tensions in the Middle East. Trump and Vladimir Putin, his Russian counterpart, have made clear they want to try to mend U.S.-Russia ties, which have slid to a post-Cold War low in recent years. But starkly different approaches to Iran, as set out by a raft of top Russian officials on Monday, could complicate any rapprochement. Their comments also suggest that a policy idea Trump and his aides are reported to be considering -- to try to drive a wedge between Moscow and Tehran -- may be a non-starter. Trump told Fox News in an interview aired at the weekend that Iran had "total disregard" for the United States and labeled Tehran "the number one terrorist state", complaining it was sending arms and weapons "all over the world". He spoke out after his administration put the Islamic Republic "on notice" following an Iranian ballistic missile test and imposed new economic sanctions on Friday. Two sources told Reuters last week the Trump administration was now exploring how to renegotiate key terms of the 2015 accord between Tehran and six world powers, under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program. But several top officials in Russia, which has worked closely with Iran to support President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, signaled on Monday that they fundamentally disagreed with Trump's approach to Tehran. 'OIL ON THE FLAMES' When asked about Trump's description of Iran as a "terrorist state," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Moscow saw things very differently. "Russia has friendly partner-like relations with Iran, we cooperate on a wide range of issues, value our trade ties, and hope to develop them further," said Peskov. "It's no secret for anyone that Moscow and Washington hold diametrically opposed views on many international issues," he added, saying that should not hinder a rapprochement. Russia's ambassador to Iran, Levan Djagaryan, said Moscow was concerned by escalating rhetoric between the United States and Iran, while Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's deputy foreign minister, said Washington's decision to impose new sanctions on Iran was a source of regret. Ryabkov, in a separate interview with the Moscow-based Security Index Journal published on Monday, also urged Washington not to try to reopen the Iran nuclear deal, saying to do so would risk inflaming the Middle East. "Don't try to fix what isn't broken," said Ryabkov. "It would be an undesirable and negative turn of events that would only serve to pour oil on the flames in the Middle East." Trump has spoken of the possibility of cooperating with Russia to fight Islamic State. In comments that further underlined how far apart Moscow and Washington are over Iran, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters on Monday he thought Iran should be part of an international coalition to fight the militant group. (Additional reporting by Denis Pinchuk; Editing by Catherine Evans) Kylie Minogue recently made headlines when she confirmed the end of her engagement to British actor Joshua Sasse. But despite being heartbroken, Minogue emerged victorious in her legal battle with Kylie Jenner regarding the trademark on the name Kylie. According to Metro, Minogue and Jenner were embroiled in the lawsuit when the latter and her siblings Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian and Kendall Jenner applied to trademark the name Kylie in April 2014 in the U.S. Unfortunately, the legal team of the 48-year-old Australian pop star submitted a list to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which detailed the reasons why the trademark should not be awarded to the Kardashian-Jenner clan. In the papers sent to the Patent Office, Minogues lawyers highlighted the fact that their client was popularly known as Kylie all over the world, noting shes an internationally-renowned performing artist, humanitarian and breast cancer activist. Jenner, on the other hand, was described as a secondary reality television personality. Jenner, 19, reportedly wanted the name for her clothing and beauty line. Unfortunately, the Patent Office rejected the Keeping Up with the Kardashians stars application, giving Minogue the full autonomy over the name Kylie, Daily Mail reported. But Jenners camp was still not giving up as they wedged an appeal. Meanwhile, Minogues victory came just a week after she broke up with her fiance, Sasse. As per The Telegraph, the 34-year-old British actor was accused of cheating on Minogue as he became close to Spanish actress Marta Milans, 34. Minogue and Sasse had been engaged since February 2016. However, the ex-couple had announced they wont be getting married until same-sex marriage becomes legal in Australia. In other news, Milans, the rumored third-party in the Minogue-Sasse split, was spotted having lunch with Chris Hemsworth, his wife Elsa Pataky and their three kids India, Tristan and Sasha in Malibu, California. Despite the speculations, the gorgeous Spanish belle, who got closer to Sasse when they filmed the TV series No Tommorow, in Canada in 2016, appeared unaffected, a separate Daily Mail report noted. Story continues What are your thoughts on Jenner and Minogues trademark name lawsuit? Write your comments below. Kylie Minogue, Joshua Sasse Photo: Reuters/Paul Hackett Related Articles BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) The landmark trial of eight former Bosnian Serb police officers charged with taking part in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre started in a Serbian court on Monday with judges rejecting another postponement. The judges also read out the names of 1,313 people who the suspects are accused of killing. The long-awaited trial at the War Crimes Court in Belgrade is seen as a test of Serbia's pledge to deal with its wartime past and an important step in Balkan reconciliation efforts more than two decades after the Bosnian war ended. The proceedings are the first time that a Serbian court has dealt with the killing by Bosnian Serb troops of around 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica, at the time a U.N.-protected enclave. It was Europe's worst single atrocity since World War II. A legal representative of the victims' families, Nikola Cukanovic, said he expects the court to deliver "justice according to the law." Serbia, which armed and backed the Bosnian Serbs during the 1992-95 war, has promised to punish war criminals as it advances toward EU membership. The country's nationalist government has faced criticism for stalling on that pledge. The trial was supposed to start in December, but was postponed over defense demands to know the identity of protected witnesses interviewed by prosecutors. On Monday, one of the defense lawyers demanded another adjournment, claiming the testimonies of protected witnesses believed to be Bosnian Serbs who were in the firing squads were illegal as they were given without the presence of defense attorneys. "It is clear to anyone that the value of such evidence is misplaced and cannot be accepted by the court," said defense lawyer Miroslav Petkovic. The eight suspects are charged with participating in the killing of hundreds of Muslims in a warehouse in Kravica, a village outside Srebrenica, as they tried to escape the Serb onslaught. More than 1,300 were crammed into the warehouse in the village and then killed with grenades and machine guns in a rampage that lasted all night. Story continues Among the suspects is a special police unit commander, Nedeljko Milidragovic, also known as "Nedjo the Butcher," accused of ordering and "organizing" the killings. The indictment says Milidragovic fired his pistol at those who still showed signs of life after the carnage. The group was apprehended in 2015. They were later released despite the gravity of the charges. ___ Ivana Bzganovic contributed to this report. PIERRE, S.D. (AP) The Latest on a South Dakota lawmaker using a panic button to test Capitol security (all times local): 4:10 p.m. The South Dakota Highway Patrol superintendent says authorities were properly notified seconds after a lawmaker whose committee was considering a bill to allow concealed guns in the Capitol hit a panic button to test the response time. Superintendent Col. Craig Price said Monday that after the notification, a supervisor looked at the video monitoring system and saw that an armed plainclothes state trooper was already in the room. He says a uniformed officer responded to verify there was no emergency. Republican Rep. Larry Rhoden, who hit the button, said the response time was longer than he had thought it would be. Price says that while not all responses may be visible, officers take seriously their responsibility for security at the Capitol and the state government complex. ___ 1:10 p.m. A South Dakota lawmaker whose committee was considering a bill to allow concealed guns in the Capitol says he hit a panic button during debate just to see how quickly authorities could respond. Republican Rep. Larry Rhoden, who supports the legislation, said Monday the response time was about five minutes longer than he'd thought it would be. The Highway Patrol, which provides security at the Capitol, didn't immediately comment on Rhoden's action. During the hearing, Maj. Rick Miller testified against the legislation. The House committee voted to approve the bill, which opens up carrying in the Capitol for people who have an enhanced carry permit. Similar legislation has failed in the past. TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - At least 16 people died and 34 were injured in Honduras on Sunday, in a crash between a bus and a truck on the outskirts of the capital, officials said. The crash took place about 10 kilometers outside the capital Tegucigalpa on a road heading to the south of the country, said police transport deputy inspector Carlos Espana. (Reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Editing by Bernard Orr) By Daniel Levine and Dustin Volz SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. federal appeals court will hear testimony on Tuesday over whether to restore President Donald Trump's temporary travel ban, the most controversial policy of his two-week old administration. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on Monday asked lawyers for the states of Washington and Minnesota and the Justice Department to argue whether the ban should remain shelved. The court set oral argument for 3 p.m. PST (2300 GMT) on Tuesday. A U.S. district judge in Seattle on Friday suspended Trump's order, opening a window for people from the affected countries to enter. National security veterans, major U.S. technology companies and law enforcement officials from more than a dozen states backed a legal effort against the ban, that temporarily bars entry to the United States of people from seven Muslim-majority countries and halting the U.S. refugee program. In a brief filed on Monday, the Justice Department said U.S. District Judge James Robart's order on Friday was too broad and "at most" should be limited to people who were already granted entry to the country and were temporarily abroad, or to those who want to leave and return to the United States. The new Republican president has said the travel measures are to protect the country against the threat of terrorism. Opponents say the 90-day ban is illegal, barring entry for citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen and imposing a 120-day halt to all refugees. The case may ultimately reach the U.S. Supreme Court. (Additional reporting by Lawrence Hurley and Susan Heavey in Washington, Steve Holland in Tampa and Dan Levine in Seattle; Writing by Alistair Bell and Timothy Gardner; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney) I loved the childrens story Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel when I was young. Mike Mulligan, the operator of Mary Anne, his beloved steam-powered excavating machine, attempts to dig a cellar for the town hall of Popperville in a single day, in a last hurrah of obsolete steam technology. Everything goes well until (spoiler!) Mike Mulligan forgets to provide a way for Mary Anne to leave the hole that theyve dug. The solution: turn Mary Anne into the town halls boiler and Mike Mulligan into the janitor. Problem solved. I was recently reading this story to my 3-year-old daughter, along with two other stories by Mike Mulligans author, Virginia Lee Burton: The Little House and Maybelle the Cable Car. These three books were published over the course of about 15 years several decades ago, beginning in 1939 with Mike Mulligan, during a period of hefty economic and societal upheaval in America. As I returned to these worlds (or in the case of Maybelle, experienced it for the first time), I noticed that they were engaging with the same ideas that are now constantly in the news: how people perceive and adapt to technological change, how workers deal with automation, and how machines are changing jobs. Recommended: Progressive 'Fake News' Is on the Rise At first, I wasnt so sure I liked Burtons conclusionsan apparent knee-jerk dislike of novel technologiesand what these books might be teaching my daughter about these matters. But Ive since realized that these stories actually highlight a rather fundamental bias that most people have when it comes to viewing technology. The changes depicted in these books are part of grander trends in the decades surrounding their publication, and broadly are the byproducts of the Industrial Revolution, from mechanization and urbanization to changes in energy sources. In Mike Mulligan, inexorable technological progress renders Mary Anne an outdated machine, superseded by the new gasoline shovels and the new electric shovels and the new Diesel motor shovels. (Note that Diesel is capitalized, presumably because this was still when it was the surname of engineer Rudolf Diesel.) But Mike Mulligan simply cant bear to get rid of his beloved Mary Anne, even when the rest of the steam shovels are being discarded. Hes not a technophobe; the steam shovel once was quite cutting-edge itself, and he prides himself on knowing how to use it well. Yet hes so attached that he fails to adapt. Story continues Contrast this with The Little House. Published in 1942, three years after Mike Mulligan, the book is about a charming house built many years earlier far out in the country. Over the years, the houses idyllic location is intruded upon by cars and other houses, and eventually, she is surrounded by the city that was once far-off. She is flanked by skyscrapers. Subway trains run below her, elevated trains above. She is no longer even able to see the stars and moon at night. In the end, the Little House is spotted by the granddaughter of a woman who grew up in the house. The woman relocates her back to the countryside, far from the city, where the Little House once again feels she belongs. Recommended: Is AI a Threat to Christianity? The intended message of The Little House is that progress is far from a good thing. The Little House is unhappy with the changes that progress has wrought around her, and the citys fast pace, distance from nature, and dinginess are portrayed as something bad once she has experienced them. Mike Mulligan, meanwhile, paints a more nuanced picture of progress, one specifically of obsolescence in the face of newer technology, rather than the inherent evils of any technological change at all. Mike Mulligan is a fan of technology, but he simply cant give up his steam shovel (and perhaps is unwilling to learn a new skill). Instead, after one last use of his old technology, he changes professionsto the town hall janitorand is content. Technology is anything that wasnt around when you were born. Intriguingly, one of the earliest signs of change in The Little House is a steam shovel digging a paved road for faster automobiles to go by. As my daughter and I noted, this harbinger of change sure looks a lot like Mike Mulligans Mary Anne. The steam shovels appearance underscores a subtle irony that runs throughout the book. In the end, the only way that the Little House can return to the country is by being jacked up and moved on a flatbed and pulled by a truck out of the city. Its precisely technological advances that allow for her to return to her rural roots. So what to make of all of this? There is a clear ambivalence, and even internal contradiction, in how these books treat technological change: Its a force to be both opposed and embraced, something that presses toward a complicated future and returns to a simpler past. The implication, then, is that technological progress and technology itself arent monolithic. Instead, theres a certain amount of inconsistency, one that fits well with the perspective summed up by the computer scientist Alan Kay: Technology is anything that wasnt around when you were born. Recommended: What Effective Protest Could Look Like Many people are perfectly fine embracing new technologies. But whether they do or not, Kays point is that technology still tends to be viewed only as something new, as opposed to something that has always been part of society. The Little House is intimately familiar with technology: plows, horses and carts, ice skates, even her own chimney. She is simply uncomfortable with change in these technologies and what they mean for her way of life. This discomfort shows up in another of Burton books, Maybelle the Cable Car. The cable cars in San Francisco are in danger of being supplanted by buses until a ballot item saves them. Burton even refers to the changes in the early part of the 20th century as Progress, quotations included. After the cable-car victory, Maybelle is reminded of the good old times. This constitutional unwillingness to change in Burtons books represents a bias that, despite the decades that separate Burtons time and today, is still prevalent. Its easy to forget, for instance, that objects now as mundane as pencils or windows or books are technologies. Even more modern devices, like kitchen appliances, unless they connect to the internet or do something else new, are not really thought of as profoundly advanced technologies, because theyve always been around. This tendency to discount all the change that has happened in earlier eras feels a bit like the ecological concept of shifting baseline syndrome, where theres a difficulty in recognizing previous changes, especially on a multigenerational level, such as a reduction in the population of fisheries. Conversely, theres often an unwillingness to learn new things, embodied in the very term new-fangled gadgets. Burtons books can demonstrate, even to children, this contradictory approach to technology. Which makes sense. Burton, who lived from 1909 to 1968, witnessed an era that brought forth everything from commercial air travel and spaceflight to frozen food. And intriguingly, her father was an engineer and dean at MIT. While I am hesitant to read too much into this fact (another story in the collection I read to my daughter is about little more than a snowplow digging out an entire town), perhaps her familiarity as well as hesitation around machines and modernity grew out of a familial connection to this cathedral of technology. Its natural to be blindsided by technology, to be subject to biases about progress and novelty, and to have difficulty recognizing something new as part of a continuum of change. Reading a childrens book is one way to be more aware of this, because it forces you to confront the perceptions of a different generation. I recognize the novelty of Amazons Alexa or even the iPhone, while my daughter seems to view these technologies as part of the fabric of her life. When reading Burtons stories to my daughter, I initially was annoyed by Burtons approach to technology. But slowly, Ive recognized that a somewhat double-minded view of innovation is not just something that other people fall prey to; its something that I no doubt end up having sometimes as well. This inconsistency is part of each of us. And in some ways, the ambivalence is indicative of a muddling through, a slowly working out of opinions in the open, which sure sounds like a virtue, rather than a vice. It avoids dogmatism and close-mindedness, and allows us to constantly reevaluate our stances. So lets continue to be ambivalent about technology. But lets at least be aware of it. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Jajarkot woman found murdered A woman was found murdered in a forest at Bherimalika Municipality-4 in Jajarkot district on Sunday. MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) Liberia's president has ordered a 60-day moratorium on official overseas travel to save the country's depleted foreign currency holdings. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's office said the measure applies to all ministers and the heads of other government bodies as well as their deputies and assistants, according to a weekend statement. Exceptions can only be obtained by a one-on-one meeting with the president herself and these will only be granted "if it is determined that such travel is of utmost imperative in the national interest," the statement said. The West African nation's economy has been hit hard by the Ebola epidemic and price slumps for export commodities iron ore and rubber. Liberia is facing an "alarming situation of capital flight," the statement said. Business owners organized a three-day shutdown last week to protest the situation. Their grievances included the persistent fluctuation of the value of the Liberian dollar. Returning from the latest African Union summit, Sirleaf angered protesters by accusing some business owners of creating foreign exchange shortages by "putting the money in their suitcases and taking it out of the country." The president's' critics say her own officials are responsible because they routinely send huge sums overseas. Sirleaf, the country's first elected postwar president, recruited many Liberians who had been living in the U.S. when she assumed office after the 2005 election. She last placed restrictions on official travel during the Ebola epidemic and in September 2014 her office announced that 10 people had been dismissed for failing to follow the rules. TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libya's coast guard intercepted at least 1,131 migrants near the western city of Sabratha over the course of a week, a spokesman said on Saturday. Ayoub Qassem said 431 migrants had been intercepted on four inflatable boats off Sabratha's coast on Thursday and some 700 had been picked up on Jan. 27 from three wooden vessels in the same area. "The illegal migrants are from various sub-Saharan countries and include a big number of women and children," Qassem said of those intercepted on Thursday. Those intercepted on Jan. 27 also included migrants from Syria, Tunisia, Libya and the Palestinian territories, he said, and smugglers had attempted to block the coast guards from taking those migrants from their boats. "Smugglers had tried to foil the process of arrest by opening fire on our coast guards but the coast guards fired back and that forced the smugglers to withdraw." Libya has become the main point of departure for migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean by boat to Europe since a route between Turkey and Greece was largely closed off last year. People smugglers generally operate with impunity, launching migrants in flimsy vessels that sometimes break down or sink before they are spotted by rescue boats operated by an EU naval mission and by non-government organisations. More than 4,500 died attempting the crossing last year. Libya's coastguard sends migrants back to detention centres that rights groups have criticised for their inhumane conditions and widespread abuses. On Friday, European leaders offered Libya money and other assistance to try to curb record migrant flows from the North African country. Aid groups criticised the move, saying such plans exposed migrants to further risks and abuses. [nL5N1FO1Y8] (Reporting by Ahmed Elumami; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Louise Heavens) President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Neil Gorsuch, has made his judicial philosophy clear through opinions, speeches and other writings. He is widely described as a federalist and an originalist. A look at those judicial philosophies, opposing ones and an excerpt from Gorsuch's writings on the concepts: ___ ORIGINALISM A term coined in the 1980s to describe a judicial philosophy focusing on the text of the Constitution and the Founding Fathers' intentions in resolving legal disputes. Originalists argue that new legislation, rather than new interpretations of the Constitution, is the best way to bring about social change and safeguard minority rights. Originalists say relying on text doesn't mean they can't grapple with contemporary phenomena, such as the radio or Internet. ___ LIVING CONSTITUTION Sometimes referred to as "loose constructionism" or "modernism," this judicial philosophy considers the Constitution to be a living document, able to encompass society's changing, evolving values. Judges who approach decisions this way are sometimes called "activist judges" by critics. ___ ORIGINALIST VIEW, IN HIS OWN WORDS "In the legislative arena, especially when the country is closely divided, compromises tend to be the rule of the day. But when judges rule this-or-that policy unconstitutional, there's little room for compromise. One side must win, the other must lose. ... It is a warning sign that our judiciary is losing its legitimacy when trial and circuit-court judges are viewed and treated as little more than politicians with robes." Gorsuch writing in National Review, 2005. ____ FEDERALISM Favors the power of states to run their own affairs. Gorsuch has repeatedly favored extending greater power to states, counties, towns and American Indian tribes and has railed about what he views as government overreach, sometimes by the courts. Supporters of a strong federalist system say it's important for policies such as school standards to be set by local and state governments rather than federal authorities. Story continues ___ CENTRALISM This belief favors concentrating power in a national government and promotes uniform laws and standards across state lines. In landmark rulings on topics including school desegregation and same-sex marriage, federal courts have set nationwide policy. ___ FEDERALIST VIEW, IN HIS OWN WORDS "Ours is not supposed to be the government of the 'Hunger Games' with power centralized in one district, but a government of diffused and divided power, the better to prevent its abuse." Gorsuch writing in 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals opinion, 2015. LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - Luxembourg has launched criminal proceedings over Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal, showing the German carmaker is still struggling to draw a line under the crisis some 17 months after it broke. The European Union country said on Monday that following investigations it was taking legal action against "unknown persons" over the EA 189 engine made by Volkswagen's (VW) Audi division. The engine, which was tested and certified by Luxembourg authorities, was used in most of the cars that VW has admitted in the United States included illegal "defeat device" software that could conceal the true level of toxic emissions in tests. "We have decided that, as there is a large probability that a defeat device was used, to launch a lawsuit against unknown persons," Luxembourg's infrastructure minister, Francois Bausch, told journalists. Investigations across the world are still trying to identify all the individuals involved in the scandal. Bausch's ministry described itself as "a victim of criminal action that led it to certify cars," adding it would not have done so had tests not been falsified. Spokespeople for Audi and VW declined to comment. In late trade, VW shares were down 2.2 percent at 141.69 euros. Luxembourg is one of seven EU countries under scrutiny by the European Commission, which feels member states have not done enough to crack down on emissions test cheating. VW, Europe's biggest carmaker, admitted in September 2015 to using software to rig U.S. diesel emissions tests and said the software could be in up to around 11 million vehicles worldwide. In the United States, the company has agreed to spend up to $25 billion to address claims from owners, environmental regulators, U.S. states and dealers, and offered to buy back about 500,000 polluting vehicles. In Europe, officials in some countries say it has been difficult to ascertain whether VW has done anything wrong because of a loophole in EU law which allow carmakers to dial down emissions control systems under some circumstances, such as if they might damage a vehicle's engine. Nonetheless, several countries continue to investigate the matter and other interest groups are also taking legal action. Fish distributor Deutsche See said on Sunday it was suing VW for misrepresenting a fleet of vehicles it leased as environmentally friendly, becoming the first major German customer to sue VW over the emissions scandal. (Reporting by Michele Sinner; Additional reporting by Andreas Cremer and Jan Schwartz.; Writing by Alissa de Carbonnel; Editing by Keith Weir and Mark Potter) Luxembourg (AFP) - Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel married his gay partner on Friday, becoming the first European Union leader to enter into a same-sex union in a symbol of growing social change across the continent. Bettel, 42, a centre-right politician who became premier in 2013, tied the knot with Gauthier Destenay, a Belgian architect, just months after the conservative Roman Catholic duchy legalised gay weddings. The prime minister, wearing a navy blue suit, and his partner, dressed in a dark grey suit, held hands as they arrived for the low key ceremony at the Luxembourg town hall, where around 100 well-wishers applauded them. "Thank you to all Luxembourgers," Bettel said after the ceremony, as the crowd threw rice and confetti over the happy couple. As well as being the first leader in the 28-nation EU to wed a gay partner, Bettel is only the second in the world after Iceland's prime minister Johanna Sigurdardottir, who married her writer partner in 2010. Iceland is not part of the EU. Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, who was among the guests at Bettel's wedding, said he had come for a "mate's wedding", adding that it was a "big moment" for his counterpart from the neighbouring country. "Luxembourg is giving the image of a country that is advanced on social issues. That is a message sent at a time when homophobia is on the rise in Europe," said another friend of the couple, journalist Stephane Bern. - 'I could have hidden it' - Luxembourg's parliament approved same-sex marriage in June 2014 and the first weddings took place on January 1, 2015, making it the latest in a growing number of European countries to embrace the trend. Bettel's wedding comes the week before staunchly Catholic Ireland holds a referendum on whether to allow same-sex marriage. On the eve of his marriage to Destenay, Bettel said he had not wanted to hide his sexuality. "I could have hidden it or repressed it and been unhappy my whole life. I could have had relations with someone of the other sex while having homosexual relations in secret," he told Belgium's RTBF public television. Story continues "But I told myself that if you want to be a politician, be honest in politics, you have to be honest with yourself and to accept that you are who you are." In August, Bettel had announced that he would marry Destenay with whom he has been in a civil union since 2010. "He asked me and I said 'yes,'" he told the Los Angeles Times. The ceremony will be followed by weekend-long private celebrations for around 500 guests, sources said. The couple have postponed their honeymoon because of Bettel's busy political schedule which includes Luxembourg taking over the rotating presidency of the EU on July 1. Bettel is also campaigning to win a June 7 referendum on a series of reforms, including limiting the premier's term to 10 years and cutting the voting age to 16 years. - Reformist PM - The Luxembourg PM kept his wedding deliberately low key, sources said. "He does not want to put his private life in the public spotlight and he has turned down requests from the celebrity magazines to cover the event," one source told AFP ahead of the wedding. Stephane Bern, a broadcaster who is a friend of Bettel, told the Luxemburger Wort daily ahead of the wedding: "Everyone finds this to be a very warm and sympathetic symbol." "Xavier Bettel wants to stay discreet, there is nothing ostentatious about this ceremony, but the symbolism is very strong -- it shows he is a reformist prime minister." Indeed Bettel symbolises political as well as social change in Luxembourg, a small very wealthy country nestled between Belgium, Germany and France that was one of the founding members of what became the EU. He replaced the now-European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker as prime minister in December 2013, ending the veteran leaders 19 years of conservative leadership with a promise to modernise the country. Missing from hospital, infant found after 48 hrs A newborn boy, who had been missing from the Narayani Sub-regional Hospital for 48 hours, was rescued on Sunday. Beijing (AFP) - China's first homegrown big passenger plane will make its maiden voyage in the first half of this year, state media said Monday, as the country seeks to challenge foreign giants Airbus and Boeing. The C919 narrow-body jet is expected to "realise its blue-sky flight dream" in the first six months of 2017, the People's Daily newspaper reported, with the installation of onboard systems almost completed. The plane, produced by the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), was originally scheduled to make its debut journey in 2015, but the date was repeatedly pushed back as it underwent additional testing and certification. For China, the aircraft represents at least eight years of effort in a state-mandated drive to reduce the country's reliance on European plane maker Airbus and Boeing of the United States and compete directly against them for market share. The first C919 rolled off the assembly line in November 2015 after workers spent more than a year putting together the single-aisle aircraft, which can seat 168 passengers. It is hoped the plane will take market share in the lucrative segment from the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. In November COMAC said it had received 570 orders from 23 customers. China is one of the Western manufacturers' key battlegrounds, with its travellers taking to the skies in ever-growing numbers. The country's airlines will need nearly 6,000 new planes worth $945 billion over the next two decades, Airbus said in its 2016-2035 Global Market Forecast. Boeing's expectations are even more optimistic, for 6,800 aircraft costing $1 trillion. To win favour locally both have built partnerships with Chinese firms, even as Beijing hopes to oust them with homegrown aircraft. Airbus has a completion and delivery centre in Tianjin, where workers install furnishings and apply paint to aircraft for the domestic market. It also buys parts such as exit doors, brake blades and wing sections from Chinese suppliers. Boeing last year announced plans to open a facility with COMAC to paint and install cabins for 737-model planes, the Chinese firm said. COMAC has also developed a smaller regional jet, the ARJ21, which took to the skies in its first commercial flight last June. LONDON (AP) Britain's Prison Service says that an Italian man who was convicted of murdering a policeman and dissolving his body in acid has died in prison. Stefano Brizzi was sentenced in December to a minimum of 24 years for strangling policeman Gordon Semple, whom he had met on gay dating app Grindr. Brizzi, a crystal meth addict who was obsessed with TV series "Breaking Bad," dismembered Semple's body before attempting to dissolve it in an acid bath. The Prison Service said in a statement Monday that Brizzi had died in custody at London's Belmarsh Prison a day earlier. It didn't give a cause of death and said an investigation would be held. Brizzi, who was a former IT developer at Morgan Stanley, had claimed Semple died accidentally during sadomasochistic sex. CAYCE, S.C. (AP) State police are investigating after a man was shot and wounded in a confrontation with South Carolina police officers. State Law Enforcement Division spokesman Thom Berry said in a news release that the shooting happened Sunday night involving Cayce (Kay-SEE) police officers. The city of more than 12,000 is just across the Congaree River from Columbia. Berry says Cayce officers were responding to a report of shots fired at a home when the shooting occurred. The man was taken to a Columbia hospital. There was no immediate word on his condition Monday afternoon. The names of the man and officers involved were not immediately available. SLED says it's the fourth shooting involving police in South Carolina this year. There were 41 shootings last year and a record 48 in 2015. From Harpers Bazaar UK First Lady Melania Trump has selected an interior designer to begin redecorating the White House, according to Us Weekly. The interior designer tapped for the position is New York-based Tham Kannalikham. Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, senior adviser to the first lady, explained to Women's Wear Daily why Kannalikham was selected for the coveted role. "Mrs Trump has a deep appreciation for the historical aspects of the White House," she said, "and with Tham's traditional design and expertise, they are focusing on a seamless integration of elegance and comfort into where the President, the First Lady and [their son] Barron will be spending their family time and calling their home." The state dining room on the Senate Floor of the White House. The Laotian-American designer, who started at Ralph Lauren Home, is the owner of her own self-titled design firm called Kannalikham Designs. "I am honoured by the opportunity to be working with the First Lady to make the White House feel like home," Kannalikham said in a statement released Thursday. Kannalikham has been known to work with private clients from all over the world and is a master of keeping a low profile. The designer's company site has a private login only accessible to her clients and features no photography. The homepage is simple with just contact information. Kannalikham also keeps a low social media profile with a private Instagram account and bare-bones LinkedIn page. It is uncertain how Kannalikham and the First Lady met, but Kannalikham's association with Ralph Lauren may have been another appeal to Melania, who wore a powder blue Ralph Lauren ensemble for the January 20 inauguration. Melania Trump in the powder blue dress by Ralph Lauren at the 2017 inauguration. Currently, the First Lady remains in Trump Tower in New York, but plans to relocate to the White House at the end of the school year and will continue to split her time between the White House and New York, according to US Weekly. The main focus for the White House redecoration will be creating a homely space for Trump's 10-year-old son, Barron. Other White House spaces that will be redecorated will include the Lincoln bedroom, the President's dining room, the Truman Balcony, the Yellow Oval Room and the Treaty Room on the second floor. Story continues But it may be hard to make over some of the White House's historic rooms. Rooms such as the Lincoln bedroom and the state dinning room (pictured above) are protected from redecoration by the White House Preservation committee. The First Lady would have to seek approval to in order to redecorate those historical rooms. US President Trump walking across the Cross Hall in the White House. [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="Related%20Story" customtitles="A%20body%20language%20expert%20analyses%20Donald%20and%20Melania" customimages="" content="article.39640"] You Might Also Like Saturday Night Live caught a lot of flak for inviting then-presidential candidate Donald Trump to host the show back in November 2015 especially for the Hot Line Bling parody that had the Donald flexing his vocal muscles and the rest of us grabbing for ear plugs. Since Trump was elected, the sketch comedy mainstay has fired weekly assaults at his tumultuous presidency with the help of almost weekly cameos from Alec Baldwin. In the latest episode, Melissa McCarthy blindsided us all with her perfect impression of White House press secretary Sean Spicer and his combative relationship with the press. In honor of McCarthys fearless gum chewing, lets look back at Superfans Favorite Surprise Cameos on SNL: Donald Trump wasnt the only presidential candidate to drop in at 30 Rockefeller Plaza during this race. Hillary Clinton went head-to-head with her own impersonator, Kate McKinnon, in a 2015 sketch. Weve also seen other celebrities duke it out with parodies of themselves, like when the real Jennifer Aniston met her character, Rachel, from Friends. Musical guest Mick Jagger took up a wig and cigarette to play fellow Rolling Stone Keith Richards, while Mike Myers did a killer impression of the man himself. Speaking of Mike Myers, we must bring up the sheer delight we all experienced when Barbra Streisand made Linda Richmans dreams come true on Coffee Talk. The whole thing was like buttah, I tell ya, like buttah! And Bryan Cranston revived his beloved Walter White character from Breaking Bad to throw his signature porkpie hat into the ring for head of the DEA. Saturday Night Live airs Saturdays at 11:35 p.m. on NBC. Watch clips and full episodes of SNL for free on Yahoo View. Watch: Despite Weekly Parodies on SNL, the South Park Creators Believe Trump Is Too Hard to Satirize Tell us what you think! What are your favorite SNL cameos? Are there any we forgot? Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Khail Anonymous, on Twitter. MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines held a memorial on Monday for a South Korean businessman whose kidnapping and murder by rogue anti-narcotics police prompted a shock suspension of police from President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs. Diplomats, government officials and members of the South Korean community were joined by more than 100 uniformed police at the ceremony to mark the death of Jee Ick-joo, which caused the biggest scandal of Duterte's seven-month-old presidency. Mourners in black stood before a portrait of Jee placed on a stage covered in white flowers at a Christian service for a man whose death led to a Duterte taking police off the front lines of his anti-drugs campaign, his administration's signature policy. Duterte is forging ahead with a crackdown in which 7,600 people have been killed, a third in police operations, police have said. Reported killings have shrank dramatically in the week since the suspension. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency is now in charge and will form a joint task force with the military, which will reinforce drugs operations against armed elements, the agency's director said on Monday. South Korea plays an important role in the Philippines as an investor, aid donor, provider of military hardware and source of a quarter of the country's tourists. The ceremony was held at the Camp Crame headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) where Jee was killed in October by members of an anti-drugs unit. He had been arrested for drug offences that his wife and lawyers said was an official cover for kidnap for ransom. Charlie Shin of the United Korean Community Association of the Philippines delivered a speech at the memorial and later said the authorities had gone to great lengths to show their remorse for Jee's death. "We are holding the memorial service inside the camp. They opened it, they don't hide anything, to show they are sincere to the Korean community so we appreciate it," he said. "Hopefully, the Korean community will trust the PNP more than before." (Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Writing by Martin Petty; editing by Robert Birsel) BERLIN (AP) Germany will seek common ground "wherever possible" with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday, despite differences over Trump's entry ban for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. Germany has Europe's biggest economy. The United States was its largest single trading partner in 2015, with German exports significantly outweighing imports from America, and there's concern in Berlin over the possibility of a more protectionist approach in Washington. "We will try to find common ground wherever possible," Merkel told reporters in Munich. She stressed the importance of NATO, and acknowledged the need for Germany to "do more in the area of defense." President Barack Obama also pressed European NATO allies to boost their defense spending, "but it is now gaining yet more significance," Merkel said. "We will see, issue by issue, where we can cooperate and where we have different opinions," she added of the Trump administration. "But it's in Germany's interest to strengthen the common ground there is, where possible, on our part from the cooperation of intelligence services to defense questions and, of course, the fact that the United States is the biggest trading partner for Germany." Trump has in the past called NATO "obsolete." However, the White House said after the two leaders spoke a week ago that he and Merkel agree on the "fundamental importance" of NATO to trans-Atlantic relations. Merkel has criticized the immigration restrictions imposed by Trump, but otherwise has been restrained in commenting on the new U.S. administration. Asked Monday whether German companies and banks need to be shielded from possible U.S. protectionist measures, she replied, "I have no reason to speculate." "We must see what the American administration does, and then will have to consider whether we react or don't react," she said. Merkel underlined her commitment to multilateralism and trade agreements. Mexico City (AFP) - Packed with sightseers eagerly snapping pictures on their cameras and cell phones, this looks like any other tour bus in the world -- or almost. In fact, the converted school bus with the sawed-off top is taking Mexico City visitors on the "Corruptour," a visit to the country's seedy underbelly of murderous misdeeds and multibillion-dollar graft by public officials. Stops include a scandal-plagued subway line that cost more than $1 billion, and an impromptu "anti-monument" to the 43 students abducted by corrupt police and feared massacred in the southern state of Guerrero. Organizers also wanted to include a stop at the "White House" -- the sumptuous house that First Lady Angelica Rivera bought in an alleged sweetheart deal with a government contractor -- but reluctantly concluded it was too far, given the capital city's notorious traffic. The gray tour bus, which features a blood-red Corruptour logo in horror-film style type, made its debut journey Sunday. Organizers plan two tours every Sunday afternoon, free of charge, leaving from Mexico City's iconic Chapultepec Park. It is the culmination of a yearlong effort, said organizer Patricia de Obeso. "We want people to get informed about this issue in a fun way and spark ideas to overcome corruption," she said. "But just because it's fun doesn't mean (the crimes) aren't serious and documented," added fellow organizer Miguel Pulido on the website corruptour.mx. The 27 sights include a stop on the number 12 subway line, which cost 24.5 billion pesos ($1.2 billion) and had to be shut for emergency repairs in 2014, just two years after it opened. The shiny local headquarters of Spanish construction group Obrascon Huarte Lain (OHL) -- accused of massive corruption on government contracts -- is also on the menu. "One of Mexico's main problems is corruption and bringing it to justice. Abusers aren't always punished," said human rights specialist Miguel Moguel, who was along for the inaugural tour. "It was a very rewarding experience. You realize that there's a group of citizens -- maybe like a lot of others in the country -- that's trying to change things," said 18-year-old student Adrian Emigdio. Watchdog group Transparency International ranks Mexico 123rd out of 176 countries in its latest index of corruption worldwide. LANSING, Mich. (AP) A Michigan lawmaker with a lengthy criminal record has resigned from office as part of a deal to resolve charges alleging he submitted fraudulent pay stubs to secure a $3,000 loan in 2010. Third-term Democratic state Rep. Brian Banks of Harper Woods announced his resignation in a Wayne County courtroom Monday. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of filing false financial statements while three felony counts were dropped. He could face up to a year in prison. Sentencing is Feb. 17. The 40-year-old was charged in June by state Attorney General Bill Schuette. Banks was previously convicted of writing bad checks and credit card fraud. Because the felony charges were dismissed, Banks won't be considered a habitual offender which could have subjected him to more time behind bars. ___ This story has been corrected to say Banks' hometown is Harper Woods based on new information from House officials. NAC to add Wide Body Airbus every year The Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has unveiled its ambitious plan to add at least an airbus every year. SAO PAULO (AP) Protests by friends and family of military police officers in a coastal Brazilian state have touched off a crime wave and forced the shutdown of some state services, authorities said Monday. At the request of the Espirito Santo state government, federal troops began arriving Monday night to help patrol the streets. The protests calling for higher pay began this weekend outside military police barracks across the small, coastal state and have prevented vehicles from leaving. That has left the military police virtually unable to patrol, though a few foot patrols began Monday, the Department of Public Security said. Brazil's military police play a crucial role in maintaining general security. In the state capital of Vitoria, store windows were smashed and metal shutters used to protect shops peeled away as looters took advantage of the vacuum in law enforcement. Civil police used force to stop some thieves, shooting at least one man in the leg. Defense Minister Raul Jungmann traveled to the state Monday evening and 150 soldiers were already on duty. In all, 1,000 members of the armed forces and 200 members of the national guard were being sent to reinforce police. The commander of the military police in the state has also been replaced. The protests come as Brazil grapples with a deep, protracted recession and many states struggle financially. In Rio de Janeiro state, where the government is desperately trying to plug a huge deficit, public servants have repeatedly protested over late pay, sometimes clashing violently with police. The protests in Espirito Santo have "paralyzed the military police service, not just in the capital but also in the entire state," the state's head of public security, Andre Garcia, told reporters. He said there had been a marked increase in crime since the protests began. Later, he told the defense minister that there had been 37 homicides from Sunday to Monday. "Movements of this nature, they hold society hostage," Garcia said. Story continues Because of security concerns, officials in Vitoria suspended most services Monday, though emergency services were being maintained with help from the municipal security force. The city closed schools, parks and health centers. The closure of health services meant there could be no vaccinations for yellow fever in the city, even as Brazil experiences its worst outbreak of the disease since 2000. Espirito Santo has seen 14 confirmed cases in the current outbreak, and dozens more are under investigation. A court ordered the protesters to end their blockade, but the demonstrations outside barracks continued. Because of their crucial role, members of the military police are not allowed to engage in strikes. But Garcia, the head of public security, implied that officers were behind the movement, which he called "supposedly spontaneous." Maj. Rogerio Fernandes Lima, a union representative, denied to reporters that military police had organized the protests but said the officers supported the goals, namely higher pay. He said officers in the state are among the worst paid in Brazil. HELENA, Mont. (AP) Montana legislators are taking another look at whether to abolish the death penalty after a judge blocked the state from carrying out executions because it has no access to a drug used in lethal injections. Clergy, young conservative lawmakers and an exonerated Arizona death-row inmate urged the House Judiciary Committee on Monday to pass a bill abolishing the death penalty. The maximum penalty would become life in prison without parole, under the measure by Rep. Adam Hertz, R-Missoula. "To kill a person for having killed a person seems to me to make no sense," said Bishop C. Franklin Brookhart Jr. of the Episcopal Church of Montana. "We're not in the business of vengeance at least I hope we're not in the business of vengeance." Bills to abolish the death penalty have been introduced and failed in every legislative session since 1999, which is as far back as the state Legislature's online bill-tracking archive goes. Death penalty opponents came closest in the last session two years ago, when the measure died on a 50-50 House vote. If the bill to abolish the death penalty passes this year, Montana will become the sixth state since 2010 to either overturn or place a moratorium on executions. Montana is similar to other states that have recently overturned their death penalties: It carries out relatively few executions, and it has previously tried several times to abolish the law, said Death Penalty Information Center executive director Robert Dunham. "I think Montana fits well within that pattern," Dunham said. "It does not aggressively carry out the death penalty." Recently, more Republican lawmakers such as Hertz have been behind the abolition efforts in some states. They say the death penalty goes against their values that a person has a right to live from natural birth to natural death, and that housing death-row inmates and paying their court costs is too expensive. Story continues "Some of us supported death penalty for years, but we've given a critical look at it," said Marc Hyden, an advocacy coordinator for the group Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty. "Many of us don't trust the government to deliver mail or fill potholes, so why would we trust them with a dangerous government program that metes out death to its citizens?" Montana has executed three inmates by lethal injection since 1976, most recently in 2006. There are currently two inmates on death row, both of whom challenged the state's execution methods in a lawsuit that led to a Helena judge effectively blocking executions until an adequate drug can be found. The state had used sodium pentothal as a barbiturate in its two-drug lethal injection method, but that drug is no longer manufactured in the U.S. and it can't be imported. District Judge Jeffrey Sherlock ruled in October 2015 that the state's recommended substitute for sodium pentothal doesn't meet the requirements detailed in state law and could not be used in executions, leaving the state without an alternative drug to conduct executions. Bill Comstock, a member of the Montana branch of the Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty, said the judge's ruling means Montana is now wasting money to house two death-row inmates who will likely never be executed. "We're essentially throwing away money for nothing," Comstock said. The House Judiciary Committee did not take immediate action on the bill, though several lawmakers on the panel indicated their opposition. One, Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway, R-Great Falls, said she is not convinced that a convicted murderer who is sentenced to life won't eventually walk away from prison. "We believe that person's going to leave prison in a body bag," Sheldon-Galloway said. "We have no guarantee here that that's going to happen." Good morning. These are todays top stories: President Trumps travel ban is back in court Homeland Security on Saturday halted President Donald Trumps immigration order after a federal judge in Washington state temporarily suspended it. Trump called the judges action ridiculous and said it would be overturned. Heres whats next for the executive order in court. Trump says health care replacement wont be ready soon Trump said a health care law replacement under his administration is unlikely to come in 2017. Maybe itll take till sometime into next year, but were certainly going to be in the process, he told Fox News in an interview that aired Sunday. Patriots win the Super Bowl in overtime The New England Patriots pulled off a historic comeback to beat the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. The Patriots defeated the Falcons 34-28 during overtime after trailing by 25 points. Queen Elizabeth marks milestone Queen Elizabeth II, the worlds longest-reigning monarch, celebrates her sapphire jubilee today. It means the British monarch has been on the throne for 65 years. Also: Massive protests are taking place in Romania to fight corruption. Seven percent of Catholic priests in Australia are accused of sexually abusing children, according to a lawyer. Doctors who train abroad are better at their jobs, a new study has found. Some New York City subway riders teamed up to erase swastikas and anti-Semitic slurs scrawled on a train car, using hand sanitizer and tissues. The Morning Brief is published Mondays through Fridays. Email Morning Brief writer Melissa Chan at melissa.chan@time.com. RABAT (Reuters) - Protesters marking the anniversary of the death of an anti-colonial hero have clashed with police in northern Morocco, in violence which authorities said left 27 officers injured. Hundreds took to the streets on Sunday night and in the early hours of Monday in the city of Al-Hoceima and other towns of the Rif region, long seen as a hotbed of dissent. Thousands protested in Al-Hoceima in October against corruption and official abuses after a fishmonger was crushed to death inside a garbage truck as he tried to retrieve fish confiscated by police. The region was home to Mohammed Ben Abdelkerim El-Khattabi, who fought against Spanish and French occupation in the 1920s and was seen as an opponent of the ruling elite. He died in exile in Egypt on Feb. 6, 1963. Activists said police used tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters in the latest unrest, injuring some. Police denied it and said 27 officers were wounded by stones thrown by protesters and were treated in hospital. Authorities made no arrests, they said. Reuters could not independently confirm the accounts. Activists shared videos on social media showing riot police with batons chasing protesters and throwing stones back at them in Boukidaren, near Al-Hoceima. After a group of people organized a sit-in in the town of Boukidaren without meeting the required legal conditions and blocked roads, authorities intervened to disperse the gathering in full respect of the law to reestablish flow of traffic, a police statement said. Moroccan authorities heavily police protests, nervous over popular unrest since the 2011 Arab Spring-style protests across the region. (Reporting by Aziz El Yaakoubi; editing by Patrick Markey and Andrew Roche) A recent underwater expedition to the Mariana Trench, the deepest known ocean spot in the world, filmed many forms of bizarre marine life close to the seafloor, and captured the first-ever footage of a shrimp feeding at record-breaking depths. Sponges on stalks, ghost-pale lizard fish and a hermit crab carrying an anemone hitchhiker were among the so-called "mud monsters" that paraded in front of the cameras of the remotely operated vehicle (ROV), offering a rare glimpse of deep-sea animals' habits and lifestyles that are normally extremely challenging to observe and study. High-definition video even allowed researchers to identify the tiny filter-feeding shrimp on a species level; they determined that it closely resembled Bathystylodactylus bathyalis, a species that was previously known only from a single broken specimen. This is the deepest ocean observation of this group of shrimp to date, the scientists wrote in a new study. [Deep Ocean 'Mud Monsters' Captured By ROV | Video] The shrimp and its deep-sea comrades were spotted by the Deep Discoverer (D2), an ROV deployed by the Okeanos Explorer vessel, during an expedition conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) between April 20 and July 10, 2016. The expedition explored areas in and around the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument (MTMNM) and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), according to NOAA. On June 30, 2016, D2 dove to 15,833 feet (4,826 meters) below the surface to investigate a site possibly a mud volcano called Twin Peaks, where the seafloor was thickly coated with sediment, NOAA officials said in a statement. D2 cameras spied the shrimp about 2 hours and 17 minutes into the dive. It was an unusual sighting for this depth, so the observing scientists directed the ROV to take a closer look and capture detailed images. The shrimp measured about 4.7 inches (12 centimeters) long and was facing into the current with its front legs held high, "presumably using its legs as a net to capture passing particles," the study authors wrote. In a closer shot of the shrimp's head and appendages, video revealed tiny hairs fringing its limbs. Story continues A shrimp (Bathystylodactylus bathyalis) was unexpectedly seen feeding at a depth of 15,833 feet (4,826 meters) in the Mariana Trench, deeper than this group of shrimp has ever been seen before. Mary Wicksten Prior to this sighting, scientists were uncertain about how the shrimp might have used its appendages, because the only known specimen's condition was poor. This video provides important clues about how the shrimp captures its food in the ocean depths, the scientists explained in the study. Many of the peculiar creatures D2 spied on the ocean floor during its 5-hour dive prompted astonished reactions from scientists who were observing remotely, some of which are audible on the video D2 captured. The sight of a blobby acorn worm a limbless marine worm with an acorn-shaped head in delicate shades of purple and pink prompted a researcher to exclaim, "That is the craziest-looking thing!" Another voice on the video declared, "This is a weird one; this is very cool," about an isopod a type of crustacean with a number of long, spindly legs. Meanwhile, a gracefully undulating sea cucumber, with the top of its flexible body curving over to resemble a parasol, prompted cries of, "Oh, this is fantastic!" and a comparison to the fictional British nanny Mary Poppins, who was carried aloft by her umbrella. The findings were published online Jan. 24 in the journal ZooKeys. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations On February 6, 2017, the rock band Muse announced more dates for their North American tour, featuring special guests Thirty Seconds To Mars and PVRIS. The world-famous English rock band Muse will be going on tour with Californian group Thirty Seconds To Mars and Massachusetts rockers PVRIS this summer. In total, Muse will play 20 gigs, opening at West Palm Beach, Florida on May 20, and finishing in Salt Lake City, Utah, on September 20. The band will also make a quick detour back to England on August 25 and 26 to play at the Reading and Leeds music festivals. Presale tickets are available from Wednesday, February 8 at 10am local time. http://muse.mu/ By Simon Lewis YANGON (Reuters) - Human Rights Watch on Monday called for Myanmar to punish army and police commanders if they allowed troops to rape and sexually assault women and girls of the Rohingya Muslim minority. The New York-based campaign group said it had documented rape, gang rape and other sexual violence against girls as young as 13 in interviews with some of the 69,000 Rohingya Muslims who have fled to Bangladesh since Myanmar security forces responded to attacks on border posts four months ago. "The sexual violence did not appear to be random or opportunistic, but part of a coordinated and systematic attack against Rohingya, in part because of their ethnicity and religion," a Human Rights Watch (HRW) news release said. Reuters was unable to contact a Myanmar government spokesman to respond to the allegations. An estimated 1.1 million Rohingya live in the western state of Rakhine, but have their movements and access to services restricted. Rohingyas are barred from citizenship in Myanmar, where many call them "Bengalis" to suggest they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Independent journalists and observers have been barred from visiting the army's operation zone in northern Rakhine since the Oct. 9 attacks that killed nine border police. The government has so far dismissed most claims that soldiers raped, beat, killed and arbitrarily detained civilians while burning down villages, insisting instead that a lawful operation is underway against a group of armed Rohingya insurgents. The HRW report comes just days after United Nations investigators said Myanmar's security forces had "very likely" committed crimes against humanity, posing a dilemma for de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Nobel Peace Prize winner took charge of most civilian affairs in April after a historic transition from full military rule, but soldiers retain a quarter of seats in parliament and control ministries related to security. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said on Friday that Suu Kyi had promised to investigate the U.N.'s allegations. HRW said it had gathered evidence on 28 separate sexual assaults, including interviews with nine women who said they were raped or gang raped at gunpoint by security forces during the army's so-called "clearance operations" in northern Rakhine. The women and other witnesses said the perpetrators were Myanmar army troops or border police, who they identified by their uniforms, kerchiefs, arm bands and patches, HRW said. These horrific attacks on Rohingya women and girls by security forces add a new and brutal chapter to the Burmese militarys long and sickening history of sexual violence against women, said HRW senior emergencies researcher Priyanka Motaparthy. Military and police commanders should be held responsible for these crimes if they did not do everything in their power to stop them or punish those involved. (Editing by Michael Perry) By Brendan Pierson (Reuters) - Mylan NV has agreed to pay $96.5 million to settle claims by drug purchasers that it delayed launching a generic version of Cephalon Inc's narcolepsy drug Provigil in exchange for payment from Cephalon. The settlement was disclosed in a filing by the drug purchasers in Pennsylvania federal court on Friday, and must still be approved by the court. The money will go to purchasers that bought brand-name Provigil from Cephalon directly, like wholesalers and distributors. Mylan spokeswoman Nina Devlin said in an emailed statement that the settlement was not an admission of wrongdoing. "Mylan believes the proposed settlement is in the best interests of the company and is an important step in moving forward," she said. Shares of Mylan were up 2 percent at $40 in early afternoon trade on the Nasdaq. A group of direct purchasers sued Mylan, Cephalon and two other companies - Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd and Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd - in 2006. They brought their case on behalf of a nationwide class of direct purchasers. The purchasers said Cephalon reached settlements in patent lawsuits it brought against Teva, Mylan and Ranbaxy in which it paid them to keep generic versions of Provigil off the market until 2012. The lawsuit said the settlements, reached in 2005 and 2006, violated federal antitrust law. Teva bought Cephalon in 2011. In April 2015, it settled with the direct purchasers for $512 million. In May 2015, it agreed to pay $1.2 billion to settle similar claims by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which had separately sued Cephalon over the Provigil settlements. The agency has long criticized so-called "pay-for-delay" settlements in which brand-name drugmakers pay their generic counterparts to keep drugs off the market. Ranbaxy is not a party to the settlement announced on Friday. The case is King Drug Company of Florence Inc, on behalf of itself and all others similarly situated, v. Cephalon Inc et al, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, No. 2:06-cv-01797. (Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Dan Grebler, Bernard Orr) No power can separate Madhes: Home Minister Nidhi Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi has vowed to take stern action against the forces trying to play with the integrity of Nepal. Xiao Jianhua was a Chinese billionaire based in Hong Kong who disappeared in late January. Until this past weekend, when he became the Chinese billionaire based in Hong Kong who crossed into mainland China legally to help mainland investigators. As a student, Xiao led pro-democracy protests in 1989. As an adult, he ran the investment company Tomorrow Group. In 2014, he admitted to the New York Times he had helped Chinese president Xi Jinpings family dispose of their assets when they were coming under scrutiny. Since then, he has lived out of Hong Kongs Four Seasons Hotel, which was where he was last seen before reports emerged of his disappearance. Various media outlets reported that he entered China on Jan. 27, but didnt clarify how, why, or whether he did so on his own volition. The reports fanned fears in Hong Kong, which is part of China but has a separate legal system, that China was demonstrating its increasing influence in and over Hong Kong. If Chinese authorities abducted Xiao, theyd have done so in defiance of Hong Kongs laws. This looks to be an extreme abuse of the one country, two systems pledge, Doug Paal of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace told Foreign Policy. But on Saturday and Sunday, the Beijing-friendly South China Morning Post reported that Xiao was in China assisting in investigations and in touch with his family and businesses. Their sources and Hong Kongs chief of police said Xiao had not been kidnapped, but rather had crossed the border normally and legally. He was in the mainland to work with authorities on investigations into bribery and stock market manipulation. (This, Paal noted, is always the official line.) The South China Morning Post said Monday that this was a win for China, which was demonstrating that it would not kowtow to tycoons or their potential to influence markets or tolerate any shady business deals. Which perhaps it would be, if anyone could say for certain that that is in fact what happened. Story continues But nobody knows whats really happened, Zheng Wang, a Carnegie Fellow at New America, told FP. What he does know is that this is a particularly Chinese case. The reason its so fascinating and so little understood, Wang said, is that people like Xiao are the people who connect Chinese leadership and society. They serve as white gloves to the politicians. But the question is which faction Xiaos white gloves serve or who is behind him, as Wang put it particularly ahead of Chinas 19th party congress, scheduled for the fall of this year, and the political jostling and transition that could come with it. The Chinese government likes to say that its system is socialism with Chinese characteristics, Wang explained. But it isnt, he argues. Its capitalism with Chinese characteristics. One of these characteristics is to remind businessmen that they serve the state, not the other way around. And that they dont need to explain to the press or public exactly what happened in the case of Xiao Jianhua. Photo credit: ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP/Getty Images In this artists conception, NanoRacks airlock module is the knobby-looking hardware attached to a port on the International Space Stations Tranquility module. (NanoRacks Illustration) NASA has accepted a plan from a private venture called NanoRacks to provide the International Space Station with an air lock that would serve as its first commercial portal. The plan could serve as the model for the eventual development of entire space stations backed by the private sector. The NanoRacks Airlock Module is to be developed in cooperation with Boeing and could be fitted to the stations Tranquility module by as early as 2019, NASA and Houston-based NanoRacks said today in a pair of announcements. For years, NanoRacks has been working on logistics with NASA and the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, or CASIS, which manages non-NASA payloads for the space station. Scores of miniaturized satellites have been deployed into orbit through an air lock on the stations Japanese-built Kibo module with the aid of NanoRacks deployer. The new air lock would let NanoRacks and its partners expand its commercial satellite deployment operation, and provide new opportunities for NASA as well as commercial ventures. We want to utilize the space station to expose the commercial sector to new and novel uses of space, ultimately creating a new economy in low-Earth orbit for scientific research, technology development and human and cargo transportation, Sam Scimemi, director of the ISS Division at NASA Headquarters, said in todays announcement. We hope this new airlock will allow a diverse community to experiment and develop opportunities in space for the commercial sector. Once NanoRacks has complied with the steps outlined in a Space Act Agreement reached with NASA last year, the space agency will give the official go-ahead for installation. Today, NanoRacks announced a side agreement that gives Boeing the task of fabricating and installing a critical component of the air lock, the Passive Common Berthing Mechanism. The PCBM hardware is the standard interface for connecting space station modules. Story continues We are very pleased to have Boeing joining with us to develop the Airlock Module, NanoRacks CEO Jeffrey Manber said. This is a huge step for NASA and the U.S. space program, to leverage the commercial marketplace for low-Earth orbit, on space station and beyond, and NanoRacks is proud to be taking the lead in this prestigious venture. NanoRacks said San Diego-based ATA Engineering will be in charge of structural and thermal analysis, testing services and support of the air lock. The Airlock Module is designed to be detached at a future time if desired. During last summers New Space conference in Seattle, Manber said it could serve as one of the initial building blocks for a commercial space station. That air lock can leave the station at the proper time four, five, six years from now and attach to a commercial piece of real estate, Manber said at the Seattle meeting. Other space ventures are pursuing a similar model, starting with commercial components for the space station that could be repurposed or refined for different orbital platforms. For example, Bigelow Aerospace provided an inflatable module for testing on the space station last year under the terms of a $17.8 million contract with NASA. A larger module could serve as the first piece of a commercial space station testbed that Bigelow is developing in cooperation with United Launch Alliance. Yet another private venture, Axiom Space, is working on a commercial orbital module that could be temporarily attached to the space station, and then detached to become the foundation for a private-sector outpost in orbit. NanoRacks Manber is no stranger to space commercialization: In the late 1990s, he was the CEO of MirCorp, a company that struck a deal with the Russians for commercial orbital activities during the final days of the Mir space station. For a time, MirCorp worked with NBC and Survivor producer Mark Burnett on a reality-TV space show tentatively titled Destination Mir, but when Mir flamed out in 2001, so did the TV project. More from GeekWire: The Israeli Prime Minister and Theresa May at a meeting in London: AP Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave Theresa May a frightening account during their meeting of the threat posed by Iranian aggression to Israel and everybody else. In Mr Netanyahus eyes, Iran is a much more dangerous enemy than Isis or al-Qaeda, seeking to annihilate Israel, it seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the West, it threatens the world. Even by Mr Netanyahus standards the rhetoric sounds excessive and is probably motivated by a wish to divert attention from Israeli settlement building on the West Bank. Within a few days of Donald Trumps inauguration as President, Israel announced the construction of a further 2,500 housing units on the West Bank. Though the Trump administration expressed mild discontent, Israel will probably be spared more vigorous protests by Washington. Mr Netanyahu knows that senior members of the new administration have themselves been denouncing Iran in similarly apocalyptic terms as himself. On Saturday, the US Defence Secretary James Mattis called Iran the single biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, though he added that it was not necessary for the US to deploy more military forces to counter Iran. On the previous day, the US had imposed new though limited sanctions over an Iranian ballistic missile test. Fresh Israeli settlement building on the West Bank usually provokes cries internationally that the prospect of a two-state solution to establish peace between Israel and the Palestinians is being eroded or destroyed. But in reality such a solution has long been dead and buried because of the disparity in political, diplomatic and military strength between the two sides. Israel has no reason to compromise and the Palestinian Authority leadership, decrepit and authoritarian, has virtually no leverage or alternative options because of its long-standing dependence on Israeli security backing. Israel and the Sunni Arab states of the Gulf led by Saudi Arabia are relieved to have a more sympathetic president in the White House and glad that Mr Obama has gone. The administration has adopted a much more belligerent anti-Iranian tone, but is evidently not going to tear up the deal on Irans nuclear programme agreed by President Obama. US policy in Iraq and Syria is directed primarily towards eliminating Isis and al-Qaeda-type groups using US and allied air power in support of local allies on the ground, notably the Iraqi armed forces in Iraq and the Syrian Kurds in Syria. Story continues Iranian influence in the region is increasing simply because it leads what is essentially a Shia coalition of states and movements Iraq, Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon that is winning the war in Syria in alliance with Russia. In Iraq, the US and Iran have long had a strange relationship which is a mixture of cooperation and rivalry. The assent of Washington and Tehran is in practice required before there is a new Iraqi prime minister. Both Mr Netanyahu and Ms May are somewhat isolated internationally and want to take advantage of a more fluid situation in Washington under Mr Trump, but they do not know quite what direction it will take. The most important US policy decisions in Iraq and Syria are unlikely to be unstitched because they are working well and Isis is under strong pressure. More Israeli settlement building around Jerusalem and on the West Bank undermines the idea that a two-state solution is feasible, but it has long been nothing more than a convenient fig leaf. A more sympathetic administration in Washington will increase pressure from the far-right inside Israel to move towards annexation of all or part of the West Bank, but real change is unlikely. LONDON (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday urged British Prime Minister Theresa May to follow the American administration and impose new sanctions on Iran over a recent missile test. The two leaders met at 10 Downing St. for talks British officials tried to focus on boosting trade ties between the two countries once Britain leaves the European Union. But as photographers captured the start of the meeting, Netanyahu told May: "I'd like to talk to you about how we can ensure that Iran's aggression does not go unanswered." Iran and Israel are bitter enemies. Netanyahu vehemently opposes the 2015 international agreement that imposed curbs on Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. Britain backs the deal, which May has called "vital." U.S. President Donald Trump, with whom May's government wants close ties, is also a critic of the Iran deal. His administration imposed new sanctions on more than two dozen companies and individuals after Tehran tested a ballistic missile last week. In pointed remarks at the start of his meeting with May, Netanyahu said he wished other countries would follow the U.S. lead. "Iran seeks to annihilate Israel, it seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the West, it threatens the world," he said. "And it offers provocation after provocation. "That's why I welcome President Trump's assistance of new sanctions against Iran. I think other nations should follow suit, certainly responsible nations." May's office said after the meeting that the prime minister "was clear that the nuclear deal is vital and must be properly enforced and policed, while recognizing concerns about Iran's pattern of destabilizing activity in the region." The Trump administration is also perceived as sympathetic to Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land, an issue that caused friction between Netanyahu and former President Barack Obama. Story continues The Palestinians claim the West Bank and east Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as parts of a future state. They say the settlements, home to 600,000 Israelis, are making it increasingly impossible to partition the land into two states a position that has wide international backing. Pro-Palestinian campaigners and opposition politicians urged May to condemn Israeli settlement-building. A small group of protesters calling for an end to Israel's 50-year occupation of Palestinian lands protested outside the gates of Downing St. during Netanyahu's visit. May said at the start of the meeting that "we remain committed to a two-state solution as the best way of brokering stability and peace." Downing St. said later that she had "reiterated the U.K.'s opposition to settlement activity." Nicole Kidman has landed a new major beauty role, as Neutrogena's latest Global Brand Ambassador. The Hollywood star's partnership with the cosmetics giant could act as a platform for her to continue to raise awareness of the importance of sun protection, reports People Style. Kidman told the publication that she was a longtime fan of the brand, adding that she is particularly fond of its SPF 100 sunscreen, saying: "I'm so fair, that's a godsend for me." Her first commercial for the label will air on February 25. It sees the star discussing her approach to aging with regards to skincare and promoting Neutrogena's Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream. The news sees the Oscar winner following in the footsteps of celebrity royalty including Jennifer Garner, Kerry Washington and Kristen Bell -- all of whom have previously represented Neutrogena. But Kidman herself is no stranger to high-profile fashion and beauty campaigns, having starred in a 2004 film for the iconic fragrance Chanel No. 5. She has also acted as ambassador for the Australian multivitamin brand Swisse Wellness and featured in several campaigns for the luxury shoe brand Jimmy Choo. Kidman is the latest actress to land a coveted beauty ambassador role -- 2016 saw haircare brand Pantene unveil Priyanka Chopra as its Global Brand Ambassador, while L'Oreal Paris opted for Susan Sarandon when looking for its new 'face'. Abuja (AFP) - Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari is apparently unwell. Or he might not be. Either way, it's enough for his health to have increasingly become a national talking point. The 74-year-old former army general had been due to resume work on Monday morning in the capital, Abuja, after a holiday in London. But on Sunday evening, his office announced he was to prolong his stay on doctor's orders, as he was still waiting for the results of medical tests conducted during his stay. No further details were given about his condition nor when he would finally return. The announcement triggered fresh speculation about the state of Buhari's health and has done little to convince an already sceptical public that there is no cause for concern. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who has been holding the fort since Buhari left for London two weeks ago, told reporters in Abuja on Monday that his boss was well. "The president is hale and hearty. I spoke to the president just this afternoon and we had a warm conversation," he said. "He was interested in knowing about the budget process and how far we have gone and the meeting today with the private sector and the economic recovery growth plan and I informed him about the protest march and feedback about what people are saying about the economy. He is in good shape." Buhari's office has already had to counter rumours during the trip that he was critically ill and had even died. - In the dark - The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seized on the announcement of his extended stay in London, saying Nigerians had a right to know what he was being treated for because he was using public funds. "He should tell them (the public) the true state of his health," a statesman for the PDP was quoted as saying in the Punch newspaper. "Medical tests have dates of collection of results. It can't be open-ended without dates." In Abuja, where protesters had turned out to demonstrate against Buhari's economic policy and call for solutions to end a crippling recession, there were calls for greater openness. Story continues "I wonder why the government is not transparent enough about our president's health," said one woman, who gave her name only as Mabel. "We are completely in the dark." James Badmus, a lawyer, added: "The issues are clear and straightforward: what exactly is wrong with our president and for how long is he going to be away? "Anybody can fall sick but when a president falls sick, it should not be a confidential matter." - Spectre of Yar'Adua - The health of Nigeria's head of state has long been a sensitive issue. In 2010, president Umaru Yar'Adua died from a long-standing, but undisclosed kidney condition, while in Saudi Arabia. His initial illness and treatment in hospital abroad triggered months of political uncertainty. Yar'Adua's death brought his deputy, Goodluck Jonathan, to power. To be sure, Buhari's presidency has not hidden the fact that he needed medical treatment: in June 2016, it said he was heading to London for treatment to a persistent inner ear infection. It also announced last month that his latest trip would include "routine medical check-ups". But Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC) have been unable to shake off persistent rumours that he is more seriously ill than is being made out. The PDP claimed during the 2015 election in which Buhari defeated Jonathan that he had terminal prostate cancer -- one of a series of smears designed to show he was unfit for office. One of Buhari's spokesmen, Femi Adesina, on Sunday tried to play down the significance of the extension, as Nigerians took to social media to air their theories. "I am sure it will get to a point when the president has to disclose the status of his health if it needs to be disclosed," he said. But because of doctor-patient confidentiality, only Buhari himself could reveal what was wrong, he said. - Open government - Nigerians are generally mistrustful of government and its pronouncements. They also have long memories that go back beyond Yar'Adua to military ruler Sani Abacha, who also died in office. "My concern is that I hope history is not going to repeat itself," said one civil servant, who gave his name only as Adam. "The Yar'Adua episode is still fresh in our memory. "They told us Yar'Adua was OK." Victor Giwa, of the Advocates for Peoples' Rights and Justice pressure group, said the public had a right to know if the president was unwell. "If they cannot tell us the health status of the president, it shows there are many things they have been hiding from us," he added. ABUJA (Reuters) - President Muhammadu Buhari asked parliament on Sunday to extend his medical leave, his office said in a statement, deepening suspicions among many Nigerians that his health is worse than officials are admitting publicly. The statement did not say how much extra time Buhari was seeking off. He had been due to return to work on Monday after taking more than two weeks' leave for medical checks in Britain. "President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the National Assembly today, February 5, 2017, informing of his desire to extend his leave in order to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors," Sunday's statement said. Buhari's extended leave could further erode confidence in his administration, already under pressure from investors to let Nigeria's currency float freely to try to revive an oil-driven economy now is at its weakest in 25 years. Meanwhile, in the northeast, a humanitarian crisis threatens millions, ridden by conflict with Islamic insurgents Boko Haram. The president "is not in any serious medical condition," said Buhari's spokesman Garba Shehu by phone, adding there was no expected date for Buhari's return. He declined to give details of the medical checks. Some Nigerians took to social media demanding more details on the president's health. "If Buhari isn't healthy enough to be president, he should resign and go and rest with his family," said Twitter user @Flappizy. As rumours swirled last month that Buhari was gravely ill, his office urged Nigerians to disregard what it said were false and subversive messages. Buhari also spent nearly two weeks in London last June for treatment for an ear infection, stoking concerns for his health now. Buhari's predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, was sworn in after the death in 2010 of President Umaru Yar'Adua. His illness created a power vacuum that was filled by Jonathan, his vice president, only after three months of political infighting. (Reporting by Paul Carsten; Additional reporting by Felix Onuah; Editing by Richard Lough/Ruth Pitchford) Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f372707%2f756b8aff-157c-4a70-8f4f-f0a9962dcab3 The climate-denial camp has new ammunition: A widely refuted Daily Mail article that claims top U.S. climate scientists exaggerated their data for a 2015 study to "dupe" world leaders into adopting the Paris Climate Agreement. That agreement, which went into force in November 2016, for the first time committed the world to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For his incendiary story, British journalist David Rose, who has reported inaccurately on climate science and Iraqi weaponry in the past, spoke to a "high-level whistleblower" in a top U.S. climate agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). SEE ALSO: Prominent climate-denying politician gets schooled by science, again The whistleblower-scientist, John Bates, claimed that NOAA broke its own rules for scientific integrity when it published a noteworthy scientific study debunking the so-called "hiatus" in global warming. U.S. and European scientists swiftly denounced the Daily Mail story this weekend, pointing to multiple independent analyses supporting NOAA's findings. In fact, subsequent studies have shown the world may be experiencing even more warming than the 2015 paper showed. Last year was the warmest year on record, surpassing previous milestones set in 2015 and 2014, respectively. Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist at the nonprofit organization Berkeley Earth, said Rose's story is "so wrong, it's hard to know where to start." This article is so wrong its hard to know where to start https://t.co/i015AysbUe. Satellites, buoys, and Argo all agree with new NOAA record pic.twitter.com/yz4nlkvFah Zeke Hausfather (@hausfath) February 4, 2017 Hilarious screw up by @DavidRoseUK and #FailOnSunday 1st picture is 'evidence' of misconduct, 2nd shows diff when baselines are correct. pic.twitter.com/R5VsqqlNHr Gavin Schmidt (@ClimateOfGavin) February 5, 2017 Meanwhile, right-wing websites like Breitbart News and Daily Caller shared the U.K. article to cast further doubt on the mainstream scientific consensus that global warming is happening, and that human activity is largely to blame. Story continues Despite its thin evidence, the Daily Mail story may find a friendly audience in the Trump administration, which views mainstream climate science with suspicion, if not outright denial. President Donald Trump, for example, has claimed global warming is a "hoax," and he has named well-known climate deniers to lead the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy, among other posts. At the heart of Rose's controversial story is the June 2015 study disproving the warming pause that scientists had observed from 1998 to 2012. The NOAA study, published in the prestigious journal Science, found that the slowdown in global warming never actually happened. Instead, improperly adjusted data on surface temperatures made for an artificial lull in the warming trend. When NOAA researchers corrected their temperature datasets, they found that Earth's climate had warmed by a larger amount than previously thought. NOAA figures released in June 2015 show the temperature trend from revised surface data. Image: NOAA/NCEI People who reject mainstream climate science are suspicious of this study. For skeptics, the so-called pause was proof that greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels have less of an influence on global temperatures than most studies have shown. Shortly after its release, Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, the chairman of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, launched a dogged campaign to determine whether NOAA scientists had manipulated data for political purposes. The Texas Republican took the unprecedented step of issuing a subpoena for the NOAA administrator, marking the first time his House committee mainly an oversight body had taken such a legal step. Kathryn Sullivan, then the NOAA administrator, refused to comply with the subpoena, although she did make NOAA scientists, including the lead author of the 2015 study, available to speak with committee members on multiple occasions. The investigation turned up next to nothing. For Smith, however, the Daily Mail story seemed to only confirm his long-lingering suspicions. NOAA sr officials played fast & loose w/data in order 2 meet politically predetermined conclusion on climate change https://t.co/4vTeyFuQFt Lamar Smith (@LamarSmithTX21) February 5, 2017 Separately, the conservative advocacy group Judicial Watch has filed suit against NOAA seeking internal communications related to that study. NOAA scientists aren't the only group to dispel the notion of a global warming pause. Nor is NOAA the only agency whose data shows that the pause may not have happened, and that warming has sped up in recent years. In January, an independent group of U.S. and British scientists concluded that NOAA's temperature adjustments were accurate. Berkeley Earth scientist Hausfather led the study with colleagues from NASA, the U.K.'s York University, George Mason University in Virginia, plus one other independent researcher. Their 2017 paper in Science Advances compared the old NOAA temperature record and the new NOAA record to datasets collected from buoys, satellite radiometers and Argo floats that measure temperature and salinity in the oceans. New NOAA (ERSST v4), old NOAA (ERSST v3) and UK Hadley Center (HADSST3) data differ in recent years. Image: HAUSFATHER ET AL. 2016 On Sunday, in response to Rose's article, Hausfather wrote, "The fact that the new NOAA record is effectively identical with records constructed only from higher quality instruments...strongly suggests that NOAA got it right." Victor Venema, a German scientist with the World Meteorological Organization, explained in his own blog post how Rose apparently misconstrued the climate data to support evidence of a pause. Irish climate scientist Peter Thorne, who worked on the landmark 2015 study, also penned a rebuttal to the newspaper article, noting that at least seven key aspects of the story are a "misrepresentation of the processes that actually occurred." He added that the accusations "do not square one iota with the robust integrity I see in the work and discussions that I have been involved in with them [NOAA] for over a decade." NRA starts training Nepal Army personnel for reconstruction The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has started imparting training to the Nepal Army personnel before their deployment to the earthquake-affected areas to help in the reconstruction works. BOSTON (AP) New England Patriots fans have taken to the streets of Boston to celebrate their team's 34-28 dramatic overtime Super Bowl win over the Atlanta Falcons. Hundreds of fans gathered late Sunday night and early Monday morning in Boston Common, a downtown public park. They were dancing, cheering and chanting "Brady." Police also were there to make sure the celebrations didn't get out of hand. There were no immediate reports of any problems and fans were mostly described as being well-behaved. Democratic Boston Mayor Marty Walsh took to Twitter late Sunday to congratulate the Patriots and announce the victory parade, which is scheduled for Tuesday morning. Boston police tweeted their thanks "to all the fans who acted like champions tonight" and wrote that they would see them again on Tuesday. Pence: United States and Russia have a common enemy United States Vice President Mike Pence said the harsh reality for Americans was that the country would need to try and forge new partnerships and relationships in the world, if that meant improving the chances of defeating Islamic terror. One of those options is getting along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Pence said the White House made no apology for its desire to mend relations with Russia. In the United States, there is some resistance to the idea of the country working together with Russia, under any circumstances. There is certainly resistance to Trumps commitment to forging those new partnerships with the world. However, Pence has jumped to his defence. The truth is, we have to develop new coalitions and new partnerships to confront radical Islamic terrorism, Pence told Fox News. And particularly, Russia and the United States have a common enemy in ISIS, added Pence. The presidents made a priority of pulling together the world and the resources of the United States to hunt down and destroy ISIS so it can no longer threaten us or inspire violence here in the homeland, he said. What the President is seeking to do is to begin anew, a relationship with the people of Russia and with their leadership to say, Are there ways that we can begin to work together?' By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Parents who store medicines and household cleaners out of reach to protect their kids from accidental poisoning shouldnt forget to consider any drugs they have for the family pet, a new study suggests. Children five and under account for 88 percent of calls to poison control centers for exposure to veterinary medicines, researchers report in Pediatrics. In almost all of these cases, kids consumed drugs intended for the family pet. About one in four of these poisonings happened while someone was trying to give medicine to a pet, the study also found. This could have happened if the pet spit the medicine out onto the floor then the child ate it or if the medicine was mixed in with food such as a hot dog or piece of cheese and the child ate the food containing the medicine, said study co-author Kristin Roberts of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. The good news is that you can help keep everyone in the family a little safer by storing medicine for pets up and away and out of sight, only giving medicine to pets when the children arent in the room and by making sure the pet has taken the medicine, Roberts added by email. To assess the risk veterinary medicines pose to children, Roberts and colleagues analyzed data on 1,431 calls to a regional poison control center in Ohio from 1999 through 2013. Most of the calls 88 percent related to medicines for dogs, the study found. In 93 percent of cases, children ate or drank pet medicines. Another 2.3 percent of the calls involved children getting veterinary drugs in their eyes, and 1.1 percent of cases were for skin exposure. While most instances happened at home and could be managed without a visit to the doctor, children went to a health facility for treatment in about 6 percent of cases. When children did go to a hospital or health facility, they were evaluated and treated or released in about 60 percent of cases. When parents were told children needed to see a doctor, the most common exposures were for pet pain medicines, or drugs for parasites, convulsions or other ailments. In most cases, the children had few or no bothersome symptoms or didnt require follow-up care because their exposure to the pet medicines was determined to be nontoxic or not that harmful. The study was limited by the fact that it was done at a single poison center, and recording of different types of veterinary medicines by poison control specialists was inconsistent. Not all families have pets, and the odds of poisoning from veterinary medicines may be lower than for other things around the house, said Dr. Carl Baum, a researcher at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, who wasnt involved in the study. Still, curious toddlers are going to be at risk, Baum added by email. Try as you might to teach toddlers not to explore/touch/taste/swallow objects, they will do so, Baum said. Child-resistant packaging, common with human medicines, isnt a given with animal drugs, noted Dr. Kyran Quinlan, a researcher at Rush University Children's Hospital in Chicago who wasnt involved in the study. Families have to be particularly vigilant to protect their children from unintended ingestion when pills and medicines meant for their pet are brought into the house, Quinlan, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Injury Violence and Poison Prevention, added by email. Kids will find them, and because they are naturally curious and explore everything, they will try to ingest them, Quinlan said. The safest thing would be to keep these animal pharmaceuticals locked up and out of reach when there are young children in the home. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2kegaEU Pediatrics, online February 6, 2017. By Clare Baldwin and Manuel Mogato MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines' Catholic Church assailed President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs for creating a "reign of terror" among the poor, in sermons read out at Saturday services that will be repeated to congregations across the country on Sunday. In its most strongly worded attack on the crackdown on drug pushers and users, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said killing people was not the answer to trafficking of illegal drugs, and it was disturbing that many didn't care about the bloodshed, or even approved of it. "An even greater cause of concern is the indifference of many to this kind of wrong. It is considered as normal, and, even worse, something that (according to them) needs to be done," the bishops said in a pastoral letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters. "An additional cause of concern is the reign of terror in many places of the poor. Many are killed not because of drugs. Those who kill them are not brought to account," they said. More than 7,600 people have been killed since Duterte launched his anti-drugs campaign seven months ago, more than 2,500 in what police say were shootouts during raids and sting operations. Both the government and police have strenuously denied that extrajudicial killings have taken place. The president's office had no immediate comment on the bishops' letter. Beginning with Mass services on Saturday evening, priests read out the letter signed by the bishops of Asia's biggest Catholic nation. Their address did not mention Duterte by name, but urged "elected politicians to serve the common good of the people and not their own interests" and called for steps to tackle "rogue policemen and corrupt judges". Nearly 80 percent of the Philippines' 100 million people are Catholic and, unlike in many other countries where the faith has waned, the majority still practice with enthusiasm. While that support has historically given the Church significant political and social clout, it has been hesitant to criticise the blunt-spoken president's war on drugs. In interviews with Reuters last year, more than a dozen clergymen said they were uncertain how to take a stand against the killings given the popular support for Duterte's campaign. Some said challenging him could be fraught with danger. Duterte has routinely attacked the Church. He cursed the Pope for causing traffic snarl-ups during his 2015 visit, and as recently as this week called for a "showdown" with priests whom he has accused of having wives, engaging in homosexual acts, misusing state funds and molesting children. "ROGUE POLICEMEN" In apparent reference to accusations that many drug pushers and users have been victims of extra-judicial killings, the bishops said "every person has a right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty", and the law should be followed. "We must also give priority to reforming rogue policemen and corrupt judges," they said. The pastoral letter was read out during Mass on Saturday evening to a congregation of about 50 - mostly women - at the domed Church of St. Joseph inside the sprawling grounds of Camp Crame, the national police headquarters in Manila. Father Jojo Borja, a chaplain at Camp Crame, said the situation was difficult for clergymen, particularly those employed by the government. "We have to be in the middle always," he told Reuters. "When we talk against the government we will be kicked out from the service. Sometimes we will be called for questioning, to ask about our loyalty." The bishops' letter comes less than a week after Duterte suspended all police operations in the drug crackdown due to what he said was deep-rooted corruption in the force. He has put an anti-drugs agency in charge of the campaign and says he wants the military to play a supportive role. In a series of reports last year, Reuters showed that the police had a 97-percent kill rate in their drug operations, the strongest proof yet that police were summarily shooting drug suspects. (reut.rs/2jPSgSn) The Reuters reports also found that low-level officials in poor neighbourhoods helped police assemble "watch lists" of alleged drug users and pushers that were effectively hit-lists, with many of the people named ending up dead. Duterte used exaggerated and flawed data, including the number of drug users in the Philippines, to justify his anti-narcotics crackdown, according to a Reuters investigation. In a report this week, Amnesty International said police prosecuting the war on drugs behaved like the criminal underworld they were supposed to be suppressing, taking payments for killings and the delivery of bodies to funeral homes. It said the wave of drugs-related killings appeared to be "systematic, planned and organised" by authorities, and could constitute crimes against humanity. (Reporting by Clare Baldwin and Manuel Mogato; Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Ian Geoghegan) By Manolo Serapio Jr and John Chalmers MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Regina Lopez will not reconsider her decision to shut down 23 of the country's 41 mines, saying the Southeast Asian nation is "unfit for mining." Lopez last week ordered the mines permanently shut and suspended five others, shocking mineral producers that have vowed to overturn a ruling that they say will affect 1.2 million people. The 63-year-old minister defended her decision, convinced of mining's destructive nature. "Every time you put up an open pit and every time you put up a tailing pond you're putting our country at risk," Lopez told Reuters on Monday in an interview at her office in Manila. "It's really unfair. I'll be so blatant to say the Philippines is unfit for mining. Because we're an island ecosystem with biodiversity and endemicity like no other." The Philippines is the world's top nickel ore supplier and Lopez has said that closed mines represent about half the country's output. Three-month nickel on the London Metal Exchange climbed 1.4 percent to $10,370 a tonne on Monday. The metal hit a three-week high of $10,500 on Thursday when Lopez announced the closures. A team that reviewed the audit of Philippine mines recommended the suspension of operations and payment of fines for environmental violations, instead of the closures, two people with knowledge of the matter said. Lopez said she opted to close many of the mines permanently so she can access rehabilitation funds. "If it is closure, I can then heal the land. It is closure because there is no way you can have any kind of mining in watershed areas," she said. Lopez launched the environmental audit of the mines in July, initially suspending 10 and saying 20 more were at risk of being halted. She is a long-time environmentalist who took over the department that oversees the mining sector last June when President Rodrigo Duterte came to power. Duterte, who has said that the Philippines can survive without a mining industry, has thrown his support behind Lopez's decision. She will present it formally at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. The minister's decision to close and suspend mines is "illegal and unfair,", jeopardising an industry that has paid a large amount in taxes and fees to the government, the country's mining industry body said earlier on Monday. Lopez stood by her action. "They're killing our rivers, our streams, they're mining in watersheds. That's against the mining law," she said. (Reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr. and John Chalmers; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) London (AFP) - British Prime Minister Theresa May warned pro-European members of her Conservative party on Monday not to "obstruct" Brexit by seeking to amend a bill empowering her to begin the negotiations. MPs overwhelmingly backed the first stage on Wednesday of a bill to start Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, but opposition lawmakers were to begin debating amendments on Monday that could tie ministers' hands. A Eurosceptic Conservative lawmaker claimed at the weekend that 27 of his fellow MPs were planning to support some of these "wrecking amendments" during three days of discussion at the House of Commons. But May warned MPs: "This House has spoken, and now is not the time to obstruct the democratically expressed wishes of the British people." The government was forced to introduce the bill after the Supreme Court ruled that only parliament could start Brexit, and it is under pressure to get it passed quickly. May has promised EU leaders she will trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, beginning the two-year exit process, by the end of March. To speed up the passage of the bill through the Commons and the unelected upper House of Lords, the government kept it short -- just two clauses. - 140 pages of amendments - But opposition MPs have tabled more than 140 pages of amendments covering areas such as parliamentary scrutiny of the negotiations, the government's priorities and the involvement of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Some of May's Conservative MPs have expressed particular concern about her promise to leave the EU and the single market with no new trade deal in place if she cannot agree on a satisfactory agreement within the two-year timeframe. This would mean Britain falling back on World Trade Organization rules and tariffs, with potentially damaging effects on the economy. At least one amendment to be debated on Tuesday calls for parliament to decide on whether or not the deal will be accepted, with the option of staying in the EU if it is rejected. Story continues "If there is no deal then the government will determine what happens next. I think it should it come into parliament," MP Anna Soubry told the BBC on Sunday. However, this would require the other 27 EU countries agreeing to extend the negotiating period to allow for further discussions on a new deal. Only one Conservative MP, committed Europhile Ken Clarke, voted against the bill last week. NRB hikes gold import quota to 25kg a day Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has raised the gold import quota for commercial banks to 25kg per day from existing 15kg, citing growing demand for the precious yellow metal. ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Investigators say a customer who fatally shot a man suspected of stealing diapers from a Wal-Mart store in Florida also injured a second person. Orange County Sheriff's Capt. Angelo Nieves tells local news outlets that three men left the store in Orlando with stolen items Saturday and were loading the merchandise into a vehicle when a store employee approached them. An armed customer heard the commotion and came to the employee's aid. Nieves says the customer thought 19-year-old Arthur Adams was going for a gun and fired his weapon. Initially deputies thought the customer only shot Adams but later learned a juvenile girl sitting in the vehicle was hit in the leg. She fled the scene and went to a hospital hours later. A third suspect is still being sought. President Donald Trump claimed without evidence that the media doesnt want to report on terrorist attacks while delivering remarks to members of the military at MacDill Air Force Base on Monday. Its gotten to a point where its not even being reported, he said, referring to terrorist attacks carried out in the last few years in the U.S. and Europe all of which were covered by the press. And in many cases, the very, very dishonest press doesnt want to report it. They have their reasons and you understand that. Trump says "the very, very dishonest press doesn't want to report" on terrorism: "They have their reasons, and you understand that." pic.twitter.com/BQoTadwrpy David Mack (@davidmackau) February 6, 2017 Trumps speech came a few hours after he attacked the media on Twitter, accusing the New York Times of writing total fiction about him, regarding recent reports about turmoil among his staff. He has repeatedly referred to news outlets like the Times and CNN as fake news and said on Monday that any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. The failing @nytimes writes total fiction concerning me. They have gotten it wrong for two years, and now are making up stories & sources! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017 I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it. Some FAKE NEWS media, in order to marginalize, lies! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017 Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017 The President also said the U.S. strongly supports the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Trump repeatedly questioned whether the organization was a beneficial deal for Americans during his campaign, and threatened to pull out of the military alliance, calling it obsolete. We only ask that all of the NATO members make their full and proper financial contributions to the NATO Alliance, which many of them have not been doing, he said during Mondays speech. Many of them have not been even close. And they have to do that. Correction: The original of this story misquoted Trumps accusation against the New York Times. He accused it of writing total fiction about him, not total fan fiction. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) President Donald Trump's campaign-trail condemnation of Bowe Bergdahl the army sergeant charged with desertion while serving in Afghanistan won't prevent the soldier from getting a fair trial, according to military prosecutors. Prosecutors are seeking to rebuff Bergdahl's assertion that Trump violated his constitutional rights to due process when, as a presidential contender, Trump called Bergdahl a "traitor" and made other disparaging remarks. Bergdahl will be tried in April on charges alleging that he put the lives of his fellow soldiers in jeopardy when he walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009. Even though Trump repeatedly suggested that Bergdahl should face stiff punishment, including being thrown out of a plane, prosecutors said in a court filing last week that any reasonable observer would understand that comments by the then-Republican contender amounted to campaign rhetoric and should not be taken literally. "With regards to Mr. Trump's comments that SGT Bergdahl is a 'traitor' or committed 'treason,' such comments were clearly intended to be understood by their colloquial meaning," the prosecutors wrote in the Feb. 1 filing. "It strains credulity to believe that Mr. Trump was seriously suggesting that SGT. Bergdahl should be thrown out of an airplane," prosecutors wrote. An email seeking comment from a White House spokesman wasn't immediately returned. Prosecutors also argue that the statements can't constitute unlawful command influence because they were made before Trump became president and because they were spread out among other campaign coverage. However, Eric Carpenter, a former Army lawyer who teaches law at Florida International University, said that potential military jurors could be influenced by Trump's comments even if he made them before becoming president. "The prosecution is in a tough spot. These statements are really indefensible, and they have the job of defending them," he said. "No one in the administration has disavowed those comments, so the comments still have life." Story continues Defense attorneys have asked that charges be dismissed because of the Trump comments. Their motion, filed shortly after Trump was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, cites more than 40 instances of Trump's criticism at public appearances and media interviews through August 2016. Defense attorneys argue that potential jurors may feel obligated to agree with their new leader and would have a hard time ignoring the criticism. "The government does not dispute that he made those statements, and while some of them may have been outlandish, taken as a whole they clearly indicate his view that the harshest possible penalties should be imposed," defense attorneys wrote in a legal filing Monday. Bergdahl will be tried at Fort Bragg on charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. The latter carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. Bergdahl, who is from Idaho, has said he walked off his post to cause an alarm and draw attention to what he saw as problems with his unit. He was held captive by the Taliban and its allies for five years. The Obama administration's decision in May 2014 to exchange Bergdahl for five Taliban prisoners prompted some Republicans to accuse Obama of jeopardizing the nation's safety. ___ Follow Drew at www.twitter.com/jonldrew ROME (AP) The most colorful protagonist in the Vatican's leaks scandal an ambitious, name-dropping communications consultant has emerged from a bruising trial with a baby, a business and a book describing the behind-the-scenes drama of Pope Francis' reform efforts. "In the Name of Peter" hits Italian bookstores Tuesday, seven months after author Francesca Chaouqui received a 10-month suspended sentence for conspiring to pass confidential documents onto two journalists. In an interview Monday, Chaouqui called the book her "testament of truth" and said she doesn't fear a possible new Vatican trial for publishing confidential Holy See documents in her book. "I'm ready to defend myself in Italy with all the strength that I have," she told The Associated Press in an interview at a downtown Roman hotel. "I'm not the same person who went (to the Vatican) like an obedient puppy who they put on trial." Chaouqui was the lone woman on an eight-member papal reform commission tasked with compiling information about the Vatican's vast financial holdings and recommending ways to improve efficiency and transparency. In the book, Chaouqui recounts the commission's utter dysfunction, as members went their own ways and angled for prominence with Vatican authorities behind each other's backs. She reproduces emails and previously unpublished documents, audits and proposals for financial reform. "It tells how the commission, in reality, failed in its mission," Chaouqui said. "In reality, it created an enormous chaos, enormous." Three of the commission members ended up with continued Vatican roles; Chaouqui and two others ended up on trial. The Vatican accused Chaouqui; Monsignor Lucio Vallejo Balda, and Vallejo's assistant of conspiring to leak confidential documents from the commission's work to two journalists. The journalists, Emiliano Fittipaldi and Gianluigi Nuzzi, also were put on trial, accused of breaking Vatican law by publishing confidential information. Story continues Fittipaldi and Nuzzi wrote two blockbuster books that exposed the greed of bishops and cardinals angling for huge apartments, the extraordinarily high costs of getting a saint made, and the loss to the Holy See of millions of euros in rental income because of undervalued real estate. In July, the Vatican court declared it had no jurisdiction to prosecute the journalists, but it convicted Chaouqui and Vallejo of conspiracy, while absolving the assistant. Vallejo was sentenced to 18 months in prison, though Francis ordered him freed just before Christmas. As the trial neared its end, Chaouqui gave birth to baby Pietro, who now vies for her attention along with her consulting firm, the book and another book in the works. She insists "In the Name of Pietro" isn't meant to hurt the church, but to tell the truth and "make order" out of the chaos that her life became at the center of Vatican intrigue. Asked Monday about Chaouqui's book, Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said, "We're not losing sleep over it." "As for the suspended sentence, let's not anticipate the work of the competent authorities," he added in an email. ___ Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield Paris (AFP) - Hundreds of people took to the streets of a Paris suburb on Monday to denounce police brutality, after a 22-year-old black man was allegedly sodomised with a baton during an arrest last week. The case of the man identified only as Theo, who was sent to hospital with severe anal injuries and head trauma, threatens to revive the contentious issue of policing in France's poor suburbs, which saw the death in custody of another black man last year and major riots a decade ago. One officer was charged Sunday with rape, while three others were charged with assault during the arrest in a gritty area of Aulnay-sous-Bois on Thursday evening. The man suffered severe anal injuries which required surgery and was also treated for damage to the head and face in hospital. The severity of his injuries led a doctor to declare him unfit to work for 60 days. Speaking to French television station BFM on Monday, Theo described being ordered to stand against a wall by police, who deny the allegations and say they were targeting lookouts for drug dealers. "I saw him with his baton. He rammed it into my buttocks on purpose. I fell onto my stomach, I had no strength left," Theo explained, adding that he had also been racially abused in a patrol car afterwards. Video footage of the arrest filmed by the police has been released. Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux confirmed late Sunday that all four officers had been suspended during the investigation, adding that exemplary conduct and respect "must guide the behaviour of security forces at all times". There were minor clashes and arson attacks on the vast housing estate, called "3,000", on Saturday and Sunday evening where the arrest took place. At least five people were detained, police sources said. - Calls for justice - The latest incident comes in the middle of a presidential election campaign and follows the death of 24-year-old Adama Traore in police custody in another Parisian suburb last year. Story continues That incident led to several nights of clashes in Beaumont-sur-Oise against the police, with cars and public property also set alight. Two autopsies were unable to determine the cause of Traore's death. A group calling itself Black Lives Matter France, an offshoot of the movement against police brutality in the United States, seized on the case and helped organise protests. Police say they are frequently targeted by delinquents as they play a game of cat-and-mouse with gangs and drug dealers in tough parts of French suburbs. Officers staged nationwide protests in October to denounce their ever-increasing workload, bureaucracy, outdated equipment and what is seen as lenient sentencing for those found guilty of violence against officers. - 'Kind, helpful' - Hundreds of people incensed by the alleged treatment of Theo, a youth worker, marched Monday through Aulnay-sous-Bois. Some carried banners reading "Justice for Theo", while nearby someone had scrawled "Police, rapists" on a wall. "He was there at the wrong time and came across some crooks," Theo's brother-in-law Johann told BFM television. Theo's sister Aurelie called for calm but said justice must be served. "My brother is someone who's very kind, very helpful. He works with young people, he's always bringing people together," she said. The Socialist politician in charge of the Seine-Saint-Denis region where Aulnay-sous-Bois is located, Stephane Troussel, said Sunday that the incident raised "numerous questions". "Although thousands of police are doing their work properly... too many arrests end in nightmares for some young people. The image of the Republic is being tarnished. We have to urgently find a solution," he said in a statement. In 2005, the death of two teenagers who were electrocuted while hiding from police in an electricity substation sparked weeks of riots. Around 10,000 cars were burned and 6,000 people were arrested. The far-right National Front (FN), which is riding high in the polls ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections from April, urged people not to judge all of France's security forces. The FN's anti-immigration leader Marine Le Pen rails frequently against "lawlessness" and promises "zero tolerance" of crime in the rundown suburbs which are home to many newcomers to France. "If the facts are confirmed, then it's serious and reprehensible," the party's secretary general, Nicolas Bay, told France 2 television on Monday. "(But) one shouldn't take advantage to heap criticism on the police who do admirable work in very difficult conditions," he added. burs-adp/gj/mkh Queen Elizabeth II will celebrate her 65th year on the throne, after nearly a lifetime of service to country and crown, on Monday. Elizabeth surpassed Queen Victoria as Britain's longest-serving monarch in 2015 and will become the only British monarch ever to celebrate her Sapphire Jubilee. Official celebrations of Elizabeth's Sapphire Jubilee are expected to include ceremonial cannon fusillades at a central London park and at the riverside Tower of London as well as a procession of military horses pulling World War I-era artillery pieces. But Buckingham Palace confirmed Britain's longest-serving monarch plans to spend Monday's ceremonies far from the spotlight at her Sandringham House estate in Norfolk, 110 miles north of London where her father, George VI, after a 15-year-long reign, died of lung cancer at age 56 on Feb. 6, 1952. Elizabeth never expected to be queen but her life changed forever in 1936 when her uncle, Edward VII, abdicated the throne and his brother, Albert, became king, adopting for his reign the name George VI. Thus, Princess Elizabeth found herself first in line to the throne. Her father fell ill in Feb. 1952, following which she along with Prince Philip, her husband, went on an official visit to Kenya instead of her father. George VI died on Feb. 6, 1952 and being the heir to the throne, Elizabeth was announced queen at the age of 25. "For the first time in the history of the world, a young girl climbed into a tree one day a princess and after having what she described as her most thrilling experience she climbed down from the tree the next day a queen God bless her," her bodyguard, a hunter named Jim Corbett, reportedly wrote in the visitor's log book. After returning to England she met with the Lords of the Council for the formal proclamation of her reign as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, on Feb. 8, 1952. On June 2, 1953, her coronation was televised in spite of being advised otherwise and that was huge step forward in the history of British monarchs. Story continues "Televising the coronation was groundbreaking for its time to bring the monarchy into millions of peoples' homes against all of the advice of her advisers who said this makes the monarch look too day-to-day, too real. She realized actually this is what she wanted to do, set the tone for her entire reign, making the monarchy relevant and bringing it to the people," said Roya Nikkhah, the royal correspondent for the Sunday Times. Elizabeth's ways of performing her duties with dignity, a major part of her job, has defined her throughout her reign. She had not said anything publicly inappropriate through the 65 years on the throne. Here's a look at Queen Elizabeth's 65 years in the monarchy: Queen_Elizabeth_II_1929 Photo: Time Magazine Cover, April 29, 1929. SAR_Class_GEA_4024_(4-8-2+2-8-4)_Princesses_on_footplate Photo: SAR&H photo journal - Ian Pretorius collection Elizabeth_and_Philip_1953 Photo: Library and Archives Canada elizabeth Photo: Reuters President_Reagan_and_Queen_Elizabeth_II_1982 Photo: Michael Evans Queen1959 Photo: Charles Lefevre First_family_and_Elizabeth_II_2007_(inside) Photo: White House photo by Lynden Steele Stamp_UK_1952_3p Photo: Stan Shebs elizabeth 2 Photo: Reuters elizabeth 3 Photo: REUTERS/Dominic Lipinski Related Articles One held with pistol, bullets Police on Sunday arrested a man in possession of a Chinese pistol and three rounds of bullets from Jamunaha in Banke district. London (AFP) - Queen Elizabeth II, the world's longest reigning sovereign, on Monday set a new record as the first British monarch to reach her sapphire jubilee, with 65 years on the throne. The queen, now 90, rose to the throne in 1952 at the age of 25 upon the premature death of her father, King George VI. As with previous milestones in her long reign, Queen Elizabeth is likely to spend Accession Day privately at her Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, eastern England. On Sunday, however, she was seen smiling as well-wishers gave her flowers outside church. Despite her reluctance to celebrate publicly, the occasion will be marked in Britain. At the Tower of London, in the capital's Green Park and all around the kingdom, gun salutes will be fired in tribute. Sapphire is the 65th anniversary gemstone and a photograph has been reissued of the sovereign wearing a suite of sapphire jewellery given to her by her father as a wedding gift in 1947. The 2014 portrait by David Bailey shows her wearing the glittering necklace, dating from 1850 and made of 16 large oblong sapphires surrounded by diamonds. - Coins, stamps and salutes - "She has very kind eyes with a mischievous glint. I've always liked strong women, and she is a very strong woman," the photographer said at the time. The Royal Mint is marking the anniversary with specially-designed commemorative coins, ranging from a A5 coin to a A1,000 solid gold one-kilogram coin -- which actually costs A50,000 to buy. The A5 ($6.25, 5.80-euro) coins feature the imperial state crown, rotated to show off the Stuart sapphire. They also bear words from the famous quote in her 21st birthday speech to the Commonwealth back in 1947: "My whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service." Meanwhile the Royal Mail has issued a A5 stamp in a sapphire blue colour. "It's very, very difficult to dislike her," Andrew Gimson, author of "Gimson's Kings and Queens", told AFP. Story continues "She's never answered back, she's always been above politics. "On the whole, our politicians are very unpopular" with ordinary citizens. "They'd much prefer having this dutiful woman carrying out this role." Queen Elizabeth became Britain's longest-serving monarch ever in September 2015, surpassing the reign of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, a record she said was "not one to which I have ever aspired". - Victoria's record eclipsed - She also became the longest-reigning living monarch in the world in October last year following the death of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Queen Elizabeth's three big jubilees were the silver jubilee in 1977 -- after 25 years -- marked by street parties and a world tour; the 2002 golden jubilee -- at 50 years -- featuring a pop concert at Buckingham Palace; and the diamond jubilee in 2012 -- for 60 years -- which saw a river pageant on the Thames in London. As head of the Commonwealth, she has also been the monarch of Australia, Canada and New Zealand for 65 years. With her advancing age, Queen Elizabeth is gradually handing over more duties to younger members of the royal family. Her 34-year-old grandson Prince William, who is second in line to the throne after his father Prince Charles, is stepping down as an air ambulance pilot this year to carry out more royal duties on his grandmother's behalf. LONDON (Reuters) - Queen Elizabeth, the world's longest-reigning living monarch, celebrated her Sapphire Jubilee on Monday as Britain commemorated 65 years since she ascended the British throne. The 90-year-old monarch, who became Britain's longest-reigning sovereign in 2015, did not publicly mark the occasion herself, but a 41-gun royal salute was fired in a central London park to honour the landmark. "Todays Sapphire Jubilee marks yet another remarkable milestone for our remarkable queen," Prime Minister Theresa May said in a statement. "It is a testament to her selfless devotion to the nation that she is not marking becoming the first monarch to reign for 65 years with any special celebration, but instead getting on with the job to which she has dedicated her life." Elizabeth became queen aged 25 on Feb. 6, 1952, following the death of her father George VI, the 40th monarch in a royal line that traces its origin back to Norman King William the Conqueror who claimed the throne in 1066. When she overtook her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria's record 63 years on the throne, she remarked it was not something to which she had ever aspired, and Buckingham Palace said she would spend Monday at her residence in Sandringham, eastern England, as was usual. However, the queen's office released a 2014 portrait showing her wearing a suite of sapphire jewellery she received from her father as a wedding gift in 1947. Elizabeth has cut back on international tours but still regularly performs official duties around Britain and remains hugely popular with Britons with an approval rating of about 80 percent. In December she said she would reduce the number of her patronages, passing on her role at dozens of charities, academic institutions and sporting groups to other members of the royal family. (Reporting by William James and Michael Holden; editing by Stephen Addison) What I will say is this. An address by a foreign leader to both House of Parliament is not an automatic right. It is an earned honor. Moreover, there are many precedents for state visits to take place to our country which do not include an address to both Houses of Parliament. Thats the first point. In relation to Westminster Hall, there are three key holder to Westminster Hall: the speaker of the House of Commons, the speaker of the House of Lords and the lord great chamberlain. Ordinarily we are able to work by consensus and the hall would be used for a purpose such as an address or another purpose by agreement of the three key holders. I must say to the honorable gentleman, to all who signed his early day motion and to others with strong views about this matter on either side of the argument, that before the imposition of the migrant ban I would myself have been strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall. After the imposition of the migrant ban by President Trump I am even more strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall. So far as the Royal Gallery is concerned, and again I operate on advice, I do not perhaps have as strong a say in that matter. It is in a different part of the building, although customarily an invitation to a visiting leader to deliver an address there would be issued in the names of the two speakers. I would not wish to issue an invitation to President Trump to speak in the Royal Gallery. And I conclude by saying to the honorable gentleman this. We value our relationship with the United States. If a state visit takes place, that is way beyond beyond and above the pay grade of the Speaker. However, as far as this place is concerned, I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the House of Commons. London (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that all "responsible nations" should back new sanctions against Iran, speaking during a meeting with his British counterpart Theresa May in London. He said he welcomed US President Donald Trump's "insistence on new sanctions against Iran. I think other nations should follow suit, certainly responsible nations," he said, accusing Iran of "provocation after provocation". "Iran seeks to annihilate Israel, it says so openly, it seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the West, it threatens the world," he said. "I'd like to talk to you on how we can ensure that Iran's aggression does not go unanswered," he told May. Trump's administration last week said Iran was formally "on notice" after a recent missile test and has voiced opposition to the Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu is a fierce opponent of the agreement with world powers, including Britain, in which Iran pledged to curb its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. The deal was implemented in January 2016. A spokeswoman for May said the prime minister made clear the nuclear agreement "is vital and must be properly enforced and policed, while recognising concerns about Iran's pattern of destabilising activity in the region." During the bilateral talks May "reiterated the UK's opposition to settlement activity" and said Britain remains committed to a two-state solution "as the best way to bring stability and peace to the region", her spokeswoman said. There has been a sharp acceleration in Israeli settlement expansion plans since Trump took office last month, with more than 6,000 new homes announced in less than a fortnight. Britain voted in favour of a UN Security Council resolution passed in December demanding a halt to settlement construction. The vote prompted Israel to temporarily scale back relations. But Britain refused to sign the final statement of a Middle East peace conference held in Paris last month that was strongly opposed by Israel. Bucharest (AFP) - Romanian protesters on Monday demanded their government quit, stepping up pressure after a week of demonstrations unparalleled in ferocity in the three decades since the end of communism. The seventh straight evening of protest came even after the left-wing government scrapped the measure that started it all: an emergency decree weakening anti-corruption laws. "We do not want to spend our nights here, but we can no longer trust the government," Marius, a 35-year-old among 10,000 in Bucharest told AFP. Brandishing banners, waving flags and blowing whistles and horns, half a million people had taken to the streets across the country on Sunday to drive home their mistrust of the government, many of them chanting "Resign! Resign!" But despite the protests -- the biggest since people power brought down dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and the communist system in 1989 -- the government remained defiant. Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu on Monday called for calm and insisted he "understood the protesters' message". He stressed that his Social Democrat party (PSD), which won a resounding election victory only in December, has "a responsibility to the people who voted for us" and would stay. - Get out of jail - PSD head Liviu Dragnea -- already barred from office for a voter fraud conviction and currently on trial for alleged abuse of power, a charge he denies -- said he believed the protests were being instigated by unspecified powerful forces. "Who is organising this? Hard to say but I hope that the state institutions have this information," Dragnea said in a television interview. "I reproach myself for not having understood that this is a much better organised plan than a simple spontaneous movement." The government decree, which would have made abuse of power a crime only punishable by jail if the sums involved exceeded 200,000 lei (44,000 euros, $47,500), was scrapped on Sunday. Story continues One Monopoly-inspired placard on Sunday read: "Do not collect 200,000. Go straight to jail." EU Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, speaking in Brussels, welcomed the scrapping of the decree "The protesters have won the first battle," was the headline on Romania's biggest daily paper Adevarul. - Anti-corruption drive - The government still also aims, via a separate decree to be reviewed by parliament, to free some 2,500 people serving prison sentences of less than five years. Grindeanu, 43, has argued the measures were meant to bring penal law into line with the constitution in the EU member state and reduce overcrowding in prisons. But critics see the moves as a brazenly transparent attempt to let off the many officials and lawmakers who have been ensnared in a major anti-corruption drive in recent years. That push, which won Romania kudos abroad, has seen almost 2,000 people convicted for abuse of power and a serving prime minister and a string of ministers and lawmakers go on trial. Justice Minister Florin Iordache said that a bill taking into account all the grievances about the decree would be published later Monday and be debated with opposition parties and civil society groups. Writer and former minister Andrei Plesu hailed the renaissance of a "civic culture", seeing "reasons for enthusiasm and hope" in the uncertainty. Political analyst Cristian Tudor Popescu compared the government to a "thief who tries to be pardoned if he brings back what he has stolen". The Reagan era of the 1980s is often remembered for the Presidents pursuit of ending the Cold War and his legacy as the Great Communicator. But Reagans impact on the Supreme Court was also significant and still relevant today. During his eight years in office, President Reagan elevated a Chief Justice, had three nominations confirmed, one rejected and another nominee withdrawn from consideration in the Senate. Reagan had signaled a desire to have an influence on the Court during the 1980 presidential campaign, and few will dispute that he did shape the Courts future through his appointments. The candidate said he would appoint a woman to the Supreme Court, and he also pledged to reverse the Roe v. Wade decision and any court decision that barred prayers in public schools. President Reagan made good on his first promise when he nominated Arizona judge Sandra Day OConnor to the Supreme Court. Reagan personally vouched that OConnors views on abortion would be acceptable to conservatives. OConnor was unanimously approved by the Senate in a 99-0 vote on September 21, 1981, with one absent senator personally apologizing to the justice for not being present for the vote. The rest of Reagans history with the Senate nomination process and the Supreme Court wasnt as smooth. The President then decided to elevate a conservative Justice, William Rehnquist, to the position of Chief Justice in 1986 when Warren Burger retired. Rehnquist overcame liberal opposition in the Senate, and was appointed with a 65-33 vote. Reagans next nomination came when he had to replace Rehnquist as an associate justice and he had two candidates to consider: Robert Bork and Antonin Scalia. He had put both judges on the District Of Columbia Circuit Appeals Court. After the political debate over Rehnquist elevation to Chief Justice, there was much less political attention given to the eventual nominee: Scalia. Scalia, like OConnor, received a unanimous confirmation to the Court on the same day that Rehnquists elevation was approved, despite having a more conservative record than Rehnquist. Story continues But with the retirement of Lewis Powell in 1987, Reagan faced his biggest challenge with the Senate over Supreme Court nominations. His final candidates included Bork and Senator Orrin Hatch. A constitutional provision about pay raises given by the Senate to Justices became a barrier to any Hatch nomination. So on July 1, 1987, Reagan said he would nominate Bork to replace Justice Powell. A firestorm soon erupted as Senate Democrats, led by Ted Kennedy, attacked Borks position on legal matters they opposed. The Democrats also controlled the majority of the 100th Congress, and on October 23, 1987, Borks nomination was rejected by a 58-42 vote. His nomination was one of only four rejected by a Senate vote in the 20th Century. Reagans next nomination was a more moderate conservative, Douglas Ginsburg, but a controversy over Ginsburgs marijuana use led to the judge withdrawing his name before he could be formally nominated. Reagan then turned to a federal judge from the Ninth Circuit who had been appointed by Gerald Ford: Anthony Kennedy. Reagan knew Kennedy from Reagans days as Californias governor. Reagan went to bat for the nominee when questions arose from conservatives about Kennedys views on privacy matters. Kennedy was unanimously approved by the Senate after the failed Bork and Ginsburg nomination attempts. Few would argue about the impact that the Reagan appointees had the Court in the following years. OConnor was viewed as a key swing vote on the Court until her retirement in 2006. Today, Kennedy is portrayed as the swing vote on many key issues. Scalias legacy as a conservative voice on the Court is well-known; Rehnquist is also seen as a key figure in what are viewed as conservative-leaning decisions during his tenure as Chief Justice. Related Stories on Constitution Daily 10 fascinating facts on President Ronald Reagans birthday How Ronald Reagan won his first election The myth of Reagans GOP convention speech in 1964 Sen. Bernie Sander, I-Vt., Sunday described President Donald Trump as a fraud and a hypocrite for appealing to the little guy and then packing his Cabinet with billionaires, moving to undo some banking regulations and appointing advisers inclined to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Sanders told CNNs State of the Union he doesnt mean to be disrespectful [but] this guy is a fraud. This guy ran for president of the United States saying I, Donald Trump, Im going to take on Wall Street. These guys are getting away with murder. Then suddenly he appoints all these billionaires, said Sanders, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic presidential nomination. He singled out the appointment Treasury Secretary-designate Steve Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs executive who also ran a mortgage bank that foreclosed on tens of thousands of borrowers during the financial crisis. Trump signed an executive order Friday, ordering a review of U.S. financial regulatory laws and regulations, and said he expects to cut a lot out of Dodd-Frank, the post-recession legislation designed to prevent the excesses that triggered the downturn. Because, frankly, I have so many people, friends of mine, that had nice businesses, they just cant borrow money because the banks just wont let them borrow because of the rules and regulations in Dodd-Frank, Trump said in explaining his action. "Man, this guy [Trump], he's a good showman, I'll give him that. He's a good TV guy," Sanders said, noting that during the campaign, Trump pledged not to cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid and railed against Wall Street. "I think he is going to sell out the middle class and the working class of this country," said Sanders, a strong advocate of Wall Street reform. "He told us, in fact, it's in the Republican platform, he's going to bring back Glass-Steagall, we're going to be dividing up commercial banks from investment banks to insurance companies. Then he has all of the big Wall Street guys on his side, and now he is working for Wall Street." Story continues "You have a president who, I think, in a totally fraudulent campaign said, 'I'm going to stand up for the working people.' Look at his Cabinet, we never had more billionaires in a Cabinet in the history of this country. Look at his appointees. These are people who are going to go after the needs of working families, the elderly, the children, the sick, and the poor. That is called hypocrisy." bernie sanders Photo: Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters Aside from Mnuchin, the billionaires selected by Trump for his Cabinet include Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who headed Exxon Mobil Corp.; Commerce Secretary-designate Wilbur Ross, an acquirer of steel mills, coal mines and other heavy industries, and Education Secretary-designate Betsy DeVos, whose father-in-law was a co-founder of Amway. Trumps pick for health secretary, Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., is a longtime opponent of Medicare and also has proposed charging the poor more for Medicaid, and Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., Trumps choice for budget director favors raising the retirement age for Social Security to 70 and implementing means-testing to qualify for Medicare. Sanders also urged congressional Republicans to stand up against Trumps push toward authoritarian leadership, saying the members of the military did not stand up and fight and die to lead us in that direction. We are a democracy, not a one-man show. We are not another Trump enterprise. It's called the United States of America. We're not a business run by Mr. Trump," Sanders said. Sanders took issue with Trumps description of U.S. District Judge James Robart, who issued a court order blocking Trumps executive order barring immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries, as a so-called judge. Pact signed to open Nepali goods stalls in sister cities The Industry Ministry and Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) on Sunday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish stalls showcasing Nepali products in Kathmandu's sister cities aboard in a bid to promote exports. BEIRUT (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia will appoint a new ambassador to Lebanon, encourage the return of Saudi tourists and increase flights there by Saudi airlines, the Lebanese president's office said, in a sign of improved bilateral ties. The kingdom's Gulf Affairs Minister Thamer al-Sabhan informed President Michel Aoun of the changes when they met at the presidential palace on Monday, Aoun's office said in a statement. Saudi Arabia's former ambassador left Beirut last summer, and the post has been vacant since. Aoun, an ally of the Iran-backed Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah, was elected in October in a deal that also saw Lebanon's leading Sunni Muslim politician, Saad al-Hariri, appointed prime minister. Aoun sought to mend relations with Saudi Arabia's Sunni monarchy, which has traditionally backed Hezbollah's opponents in Lebanon, when he visited Riyadh earlier this month. Aoun said his visit had helped improve ties, after tensions linked to the regional rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran led Riyadh to cancel $3 billion of military aid to Beirut last year. Lebanon's president had also hoped his trip would result in a lifting of travel advisories imposed by some Gulf states last year on nationals visiting Lebanon, which severely damaged its tourism sector. Last year, Riyadh also advised big-spending Saudis not to visit Lebanon. The tensions had also created uncertainty for an estimated 750,000 Lebanese nationals living and working in Saudi Arabia and in other Gulf Arab states, who transfer between $7 and $8 billion each year to support extensive families. (Reporting by Ellen Francis; editing by John Stonestreet) By Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists tracking a crop-destroying caterpillar known as armyworm say it is now spreading rapidly across mainland Africa and could reach tropical Asia and the Mediterranean in the next few years, threatening agricultural trade. In research released on Monday, scientists at the Britain-based Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) said the pest, which had not previously been established outside the Americas, is now expected to spread "to the limits of suitable African habitat" within a few years. The caterpillar destroys young maize plants, attacking their growing points and burrowing into the cobs. "It likely traveled to Africa as adults or egg masses on direct commercial flights and has since been spread within Africa by its own strong flight ability and carried as a contaminant on crop produce," said CABI's chief scientist Matthew Cock. Armyworm, known as "fall armyworm" in the United States due to its tendency to migrate there in autumn, or fall, is native to North and South America and can devastate maize, a staple crop crucial to food security in large parts of Africa. Suspected outbreaks have already erupted in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and South Africa and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization said last week it had spread to Namibia and Mozambique. The CABI research found evidence of two species of fall armyworm in Ghana for the first time and scientists are now working to understand how it got there, how it spreads, and how farmers can control it in an environmentally friendly way. "This is the first time it has been shown that both species or strains are established on mainland Africa," Cook said. "Following earlier reports from Nigeria, Togo and Benin, this shows they are clearly spreading very rapidly." While armyworm mainly affects maize, it has also been recorded eating more than 100 different plant species, causing major damage to crops such as rice and sugarcane as well as cabbage, beet and soybeans. Cook warned that outbreaks can cause devastating losses and mounting debts for farmers and said urgent action is now needed to help farmers figure out the best strategies to control the pest. South Africa's agriculture ministry said last week it was registering pesticides for use against armyworm. (Reporting by Kate Kelland; Editing by Ruth Pitchford) Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f373072%2f7cba3f54-8b80-4068-8f08-5e0d99c59db8 A humpback whale may be a huge creature to the human eye, but they're still tough to spot from space. Until recently, the necessary high-resolution satellite technology wasn't readily available, but researchers in Western Australia are beginning to use satellite imagery to check on the size of local populations. SEE ALSO: Forget telepresence robots on wheels, Google wants telepresence drones The aim of the project is to keep tabs on Western Australia's humpback whale numbers, explained Curt Jenner, managing director of the Centre for Whale Research. "The goal of the project is ultimately to make sure this population of humpback whales, which has always historically been the largest in the world, is still viable and has recovered to its full potential," he said. The animals were hunted almost to extinction in the early to mid 20th century. While projects like this were able to find government and corporate funding in the past, that money has increasingly dried up as whale numbers rebound, Jenner said, forcing he and his research partner on this project, Michele Thums, to find a new solution. Satellite imagery of whales migrating. Image: Curt Jenner "There are no longer any budgets to send aerial survey teams of people up in planes nor people out in boats to do that population monitoring, and so we were looking for an economical solution that was low in man power," he said. Drones are one technology now commonly used in whale research, but they're not always able to deliver the scale a satellite can. "This is like a population census, if you will, it gives you a snapshot in time of an entire population as opposed to a focus on one whale at a time," Jenner added. To obtain the imagery it was a simple as giving the U.S. satellite company DigitalGlobe a time slot, the coordinates and instructions to only take shots on fair weather days using its WorldView-3 satellite system. The team received two days worth of imagery for around A$40,000 ($30,600) funded by the WA Marine Science Institute. "Even though A$20,000 an image sounds like a lot of money, it's nothing compared to what it costs to put a team of people out and flying aerial surveys," he said. Story continues For Jenner, one big question was whether a colour or black and white satellite image worked better for whale spotting. Satellite imagery of whales migrating. Image: Curt jenner "Turns out, the black and white images were better and clearer and higher resolution for seeing the whales than the [colour] ones," he explained. "In the future, we'll probably only be using the [black and white] ones, which will make our jobs a lot easier and a lot cheaper." This type of monitoring is especially important as human use of the northwest shelf of Australia increases in the form of oil and gas exploration as well as shipping. "I do have a concern that the way that the whales are using the coast line is changing through human impact," he said. "It's necessarily going to displace whales out of their natural habitat." In 2017, Jenner plans to collect more than two days-worth of whale imagery, and in different locations along the coast line. He also hopes that future satellites with even higher resolution cameras will be able to one day spot and identify individual whales. They could even use small tags that fluoresce, for example, and make it easier to identify them from space. "As time goes on, only your imagination limits what can be done as the technology gets better," he said. "We're looking forward to the next five to 10 years very much." [h/t ABC] By Elisabeth O'Leary EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Scotland depends on young migrants to expand its workforce and its population and should seek a tailor-made deal as part of Brexit to manage its own migration, a cross-party Scottish parliamentary committee said on Monday The committee looked at the economic impact of migration on Scotland and backed the stance of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who is at odds with the London government over the shape of Britain once it leaves the European Union. Scotland, one of the United Kingdom's four nations, voted to keep EU membership while the UK as a whole voted to leave. The ruling Scottish National Party has warned that another secession vote has to be an option if its views are not respected. Scots rejected independence in a 2014 vote. Backed by elected lawmakers from across the political spectrum, the committee said that Scotland's population decline, a source of concern for decades, had been reversed in recent years by young migrants arriving from the EU and settling. "The committee believes ... that there are acute risks to Scotland of a loss of the existing EU migrants or a decline in future migration," it said, citing evidence of the importance of EU migrants to a range of economic sectors. "This leads us to conclude that there has to be a bespoke or differentiated solution for immigration policy in Scotland in the future (which) should be fully explored by the Scottish government and raised by it in its discussions with the UK and other devolved administrations." Scotland's pro-independence devolved government has been seeking a separate agreement on immigration and the economy for its five million people within Brexit, arguing that it is very different from other parts of the UK. British Prime Minister Theresa May has said, however, that her negotiating priorities for Brexit include limiting immigration and ending single market membership -- something Scotland wants to keep. May has promised to work with the devolved Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments to achieve a unified negotiating strategy for Brexit. (Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary, editing by Larry King) Only 100 U.S. senators not the general public will vote to approve President Donald Trumps cabinet nominees. But thats not stopping several conservative organizations from launching ad blitzes promoting Trumps Cabinet picks most notably Betsy DeVos, Trumps nominee for secretary of education, who critics have panned as a wealthy partisan hack with no practical experience in public education. Two conservative nonprofit groups in particular, the Club for Growth and America Next, are pushing back hard, producing broadcast television ads supporting confirmation of DeVos, a GOP megadonor and staunch advocate for charter schools and school vouchers. Both Club for Growth and America Next are nonprofit groups organized under Section 501(c)(4) of the federal tax code. That means their primary mission has to be social welfare, a category that includes issue advocacy ads that dont specifically seek to influence a political election. Such groups arent required to reveal their donors, which means the public has no way of knowing who is paying for the pro-DeVos ads. The lions share of those TV ads came from America Next, which aired nearly 300 spots nationally through Feb. 5, according to data provided to the Center for Public Integrity by Kantar Media/CMAG, which tracks television advertising. Former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal created America Next in 2013. This story is part of Source Check. Click here to read more stories in this series. Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. Why is the radical left so full of rage and hate? asks the off-camera narration for one spot, called Angry Liberals. It continues: They still cant accept that Trump won and they lost. Now extreme liberals like Elizabeth Warren are trying to stop Betsy DeVos from becoming secretary of education. Why? DeVos angers the extreme left because she exposes their hypocrisy. DeVos wants low income kids to have the same choices that liberal elitists have for their families. DeVos wants equal opportunity in education for all kids and that makes angry liberals even angrier. Story continues The Club for Growth, meanwhile, aired a handful of spots targeting Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, both Democrats. In both cases, the ad said the senator could be the deciding vote on DeVos and urged viewers to call their senator and tell them to support President Trump and vote to confirm Betsy DeVos for secretary of education. The ads serve several purposes. They certainly put added pressure on senators such as Manchin and Heitkamp at a time when DeVos opponents have swamped senators phone lines, organized protests and lobbied against her. The ads simultaneously endear their sponsors to Trump and his administration. They also serve as fundraising tools particularly the digital ads, which are a couple of clicks away from donation pages. Two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, have said they will not support DeVos, suggesting her confirmation could result in a 50-50 Senate vote. In case of a tie, Vice President Mike Pence would cast the tiebreaking vote. The advertising around Trumps Cabinet nominees is quite unique, said Mitchell West, a senior analyst for Kantar Media/CMAG, which tracks political advertising. This is likely the beginning of a very active and unpredictable year for advocacy advertising. The Club for Growth and America Next both didnt respond to a request for comment from the Center for Public Integrity. Club for Growth is also running digital ads on Twitter and on websites such as National Review. The 45Committee, another conservative nonprofit whose sister super PAC supported Trump during the 2016 election, has also released a pro-DeVos web promotion. In addition to the advertising effort, dozens of news stories on the DeVos nomination have included quotes from Ed Patru, a spokesman for a group called Friends of Betsy DeVos. The group isnt officially incorporated anywhere, according to Patru, and doesnt seem to have left a paper trail. Patru, a vice president at Washington public affairs firm DCI Group, said the group is an independent effort. Its a loose coalition of her friends, supporters, allies. Related story: Trump's nominees face ethics, divestment challenges He declined to give the names of anyone involved with the group or the size of it, though he said its larger than just him. Youve got a situation where youve got really scores of people who are interested in helping out and supporting her but in order to kind of avoid a situation where we have total chaos Im sort of the designated spokesman for the effort, he said. Patru, a former Republican political operative who knows DeVos from his days with the Michigan Republican Party, said he is working pro bono. I havent taken a dime directly or indirectly from Betsy or any of her interests, said Patru, whose previous work includes serving as communications director for the failed U.S. Senate campaign of Linda McMahon, a top Trump bankroller and the presidents pick to lead the Small Business Administration. Patru said the group is operating independently of DeVos herself. Conservative groups have also run ads to support Health and Human Services nominee Tom Price and Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions. But DeVos nomination has proven unusually polarizing. Opponents have swamped senators phone lines, organized protests and lobbied against her. This has never happened before with an education secretary nominee, said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, in an emailed statement. Weve never seen someone tapped for this job who is so ill informed, who is so overtly hostile to public education, and who would give such preferential treatment to for-profit schools, vouchers and other strategies that actively drain funding from public schools. A version of this story appeared in TIME and Salon. This story is part of Source Check. Click here to read more stories in this series. Related stories Copyright 2017 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C. Borderline call. The White House made some very deliberate word choices over the weekend when it came to the Russian-fueled conflict in Ukraine. After a Friday call with the Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, President Trump said in a statement that the U.S. will work with Ukraine, Russia, and all other parties involved to help them restore peace along the border. After a Sunday call with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg the White House doubled down on the language choice, saying in a statement that the two discussed the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border. NATO didnt mention any borders in its readout of the call. The Ukrainian border with Russia, of course, was obliterated in 2014 when Russian troops poured into eastern Ukraine, and theres no actual fighting across the internationally-recognized boundary between the countries. There are, however, front lines between the Russian-backed fighters and government troops well inside Ukrainian territory. (FPs Paul McLeary recently wrote how renewed heavy fighting in Ukraine presents the Trump administration with a major test.) Whos to say? President Trump came to the defense of Russian President Vladimir Putins reputation over the weekend by portraying the U.S. as Russias moral equivalent. When Foxs Bill OReilly questioned Trump about respecting a killer like Putin, Trump responded by saying that America has a lot of killers, asking you think our countrys so innocent? The Kremlin has demanded an apology from OReilly for his comments about Putin. Threes a crowd. The Trump administration is looking to drive a wedge between Moscow and Tehran in its quest to work with Russia to fight ISIS in Syria, but as the Wall Street Journal notes, thats easier said than done: The emerging strategy seeks to reconcile President Donald Trumps seemingly contradictory vows to improve relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and to aggressively challenge the military presence of Iranone of Moscows most critical allies. One European diplomat added, theres daylight between Russia and Iran for sure, but whats unclear is what Putin would demand in return for weakening the alliance. (See Ukraine issue at the top of this post) Story continues The Kremlin isnt so sure about the whole thing. On Monday, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow that the government doesnt agree with Trumps assessment of Iran as the number one terrorist state in his weekend Fox News interview, saying, Russia has friendly partner-like relations with Iran, we cooperate on a wide range of issues, value our trade ties, and hope to develop them further. Next up: Yemen. One place where Washington and Tehran might face off is in Yemen, which the Trump administration increasingly sees as a place to check Iranian influence in the Middle East. One person who has been in contact with the national security team at the White House tells FPs Dan De Luce and Paul McLeary that theres a desire to look at a very aggressive pushback against Iran in Yemen within the administration. Given the public rhetoric and private deliberations in the White House, the United States could become more directly involved in trying to fight the Houthis alongside Saudi and Emirati allies, said the source, who asked not to be named as he had not been authorized by the White House to comment. Read the whole thing here. President Trump will get an earful of Iran and ISIS Monday when he visits MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla., home of the U.S. Central Command and Special Operations Command for briefings about the wars in Iraq Syria, and Afghanistan. Back home. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is back at the Pentagon after traveling to South Korea and Japan last week on a trip in part meant to reassure allies that the Trump administration was a reliable partner. But he also sounded a cautious note on U.S. involvement in Iraq and Syria, and tried to cool down tensions while not backing down from his assessment of Tehrans role in the Middle East. Mattis said Saturday that the threat from Irans missile program doesnt require more American troops in the Middle East, shortly after the national security advisor Michael Flynn warned that the administration was officially putting Iran on notice for its missile tests. Mattis, a former commander of U.S. operations in the Middle East and an Iran hawk, still called Iran the worlds single biggest state sponsor of terrorism. Welcome to SitRep. Send any tips, thoughts or national security events to paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or via Twitter: @paulmcleary or @arawnsley. Sanctions Vice President Mike Pence says Russia can get out from under American sanctions. Pence opened the door to the possibility that sanctions the Obama administration put in place for Russias invasion of Ukraine could be lifted even if Russian policy and military involvement in Ukraine didnt change. Pence said the White House could change its mind if it sees changes in Russian behavior and the opportunity perhaps to work on common interests like the fight against the Islamic State. Russia has claimed it is already fighting the Islamic State and that its purpose in joining the war in Syria was to curb the growth of Islamist extremism. China Theres an artificial intelligence talent gap, the New York Times argues, and the private sector, particularly from China, is winning it. The paper reports that more and more researchers are leaving the U.S. to help Chinese companies develop artificial intelligence systems for products like self-driving cars. The pace of research in China has some worried that China may soon catch up with the U.S. and be able to leverage its research in the field in developing smarter weapons and guidance systems for missiles. The Pentagon has been trying to do something similar in the U.S., building out the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental office to take advantage of technologies available in the private sector. Numbers American combat aircraft have been busier than the Defense Department is willing to admit, according to a Military Times investigation. The paper found that 456 Army airstrikes carried out by helicopters and drones in Afghanistan were not included in an Air Force-maintained database of overall U.S. airstrikes, raising questions about transparency. An anonymous Army official disclaimed any legal responsibility for the service to catalog or share such data, disputing the characterization of airstrikes conducted by attack helicopters really being airstrikes. Syria The U.S.-backed Syrian Defense Forces (SDF) are entering the third phase of their plan to wrest the Islamic States capital of Raqqa from the terrorist groups hands. SDF forces tell Reuters theyre headed east of the city in order to cut it off from Deir ez-Zor, where some of the Islamic States key leaders have recently taken shelter. The Trump administration agreed to provide the SDF with armored vehicles last week at a time when Turkey, bogged down in its own Euphrates Shield operation against the Islamic State, has grown warier of U.S. support for Kurdish militants it considers terrorists. Iraq NATO is on the ground in Iraq training up Iraqi troops to take on the Islamic State, according to the Wall Street Journal. The alliance has been mulling a training role in Iraq for some time, but NATO personnel are now engaged in a modest training capacity, according to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, with 10 staff members there and others visiting as circumstances warrant. Alliance members have been wary of putting a NATO face on training efforts against the Islamic State in Iraq, putting more resources in national contributions to the U.S.-led Operation Inherent Resolve coalition. On a trip to NATO headquarters in Brussels last month, FPs Paul McLeary wrote about the Iraq mission and some of the other contributions the alliance is making in the counterterrorism fight. The kick is good The aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford is testing out its catapult by hurling trucks off its deck and into the ocean like so many stones across a lake. Photo Credit DAVID MAREUIL/AFP/Getty Images Rights groups press govt to extend TJ bodies mandate As the mandate for the transitional justice bodies draws closer to an end, international rights organisations have requested the government to extend their tenure indefinitely to ensure justice, accountability and reparations for conflict victims. In a precious moment caught on video, a soldier mother was reunited with her daughter and niece at a school awards assembly Friday in Texas. U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Erica Gonzalez had been deployed in Kuwait and Iraq for seven months before the surprise moment at Timberview Middle School in Fort Worth. Read: Boy Jumps Into Navy Dad's Arms After He Returns From Service: 'I Cried So Much For You' Laura Gonzalez, 10, and Aubrie Gonzalez, 10 both fifth graders were clearly shocked as Gonzalez walked out with their awards while the pair waited on stage. It was awesome. It was so sweet when little Laura put her hands over her face," Timberview principal, Karrie Jackson, told InsideEdition.com. "She was so surprised it was so cool." Gonzales said she knew Laura would love the surprise. My daughter was watching these military homecoming videos and she had mentioned to my mom and that itd be great if she was surprised that way, Gonzalez said. I wanted to make her wish come true. Gonzalez said she was elated at her daughters reaction. It was an experience that Ive never experienced," Gonzalez said. "Seeing the expression on her face, it was truly special. It was breathtaking." Laura wasn't expecting her mom back for another week and Gonzales added that the time away has not been easy. Watch: Marine Dad Celebrates Every Holiday He Will Miss With Son in Days Before His Deployment Its never a fun thing but the sacrifice is well worth it," Gonzalez said. "Nobody wants to be away from their family. It stinks and you miss home a lot and you miss valuable moments, especially as she is getting old." Since shes been back, Gonzalez is just taking the time to enjoy her family. "Theyve been the backbone through all of this." Watch: Marine Dad Surprises Kids With Umpire Disguise for Baseball Homecoming Related Articles: MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Al Shabaab militants in Somalia publicly beheaded four men accused of spying for the country's Western-backed government, the United States and neighboring Kenya, residents in the south of the Horn of Africa country said. The al Qaeda-linked group confirmed the executions, which took place on Sunday after the men were found guilty by an al Shabaab court in Jamame district of lower Jubba region, some 70 km (43 miles) north of Kismayu. "The court ruled on their cases and four of the men were executed publicly in Jamame District according to the Sharia this (Sunday) afternoon," Mohamed Abu Abdalla, al Shabaabs governor for the Jubba region, told Reuters, without elaborating on the method of execution. "The four men admitted they were spies." In areas under its control, al Shabaab has carried out executions, floggings and amputations after summary trials in cases ranging from espionage to theft. Al Shabaab has been fighting for years to drive out African Union peacekeepers, topple the central government and impose its own harsh interpretation of Sharia (Islamic law) in country. (Reporting by Feisal Omar; Editing by George Obulutsa) Trump strategist Steve Bannon pitched a movie in 2007 in which radical Muslims take over the country and turn it into the Islamic States of America, according to a treatment published by The Washington Post on Friday. The eight-page outline of Bannons documentary film pitch warned of a fundamental clash of civilizations. According to the Post, the treatment proposes a three-part movie that would trace the culture of intolerance behind sharia law, examine the Fifth Column made up of Islamic front groups and identify the American enablers paving the road to this unique hell on earth.' from The Washington Post Also Read: ACLU: No, Steve Bannon, the Media Should Not 'Keep Its Mouth Shut' The outline reads, according to the Post: The road to the establishment of an Islamic Republic in the United States starts slowly and subtly with the loss of the will to win. The road to this unique hell on earth is paved with the best intentions from our major institutions. This political/accommodation/appeasement approach is not simply a function of any one individuals actions but lies at the heart of our most important cultural and political institutions. He actually sees the west in a war with these elements and hes suggested that Islam in general is not a religion of peace, is something to be fearful of as Christians and as Americans, Matea Gold, national political reporter for The Post, told MSNBCs Joy Reid on Friday night. Gold went on to say Bannons outline also mentioned jihadists hiding in plain sight in America, posing as civil rights activists. What I think is really fascinating about it is that it did not just focus on the threat of radical Muslims, as the outline put it, but it really warned very darkly that Muslim community groups such as CARE were operating essentially as a fifth column, giving a chance for jihadists to sort of hide in our midst. And it warned that major institutions the Washington Post, the New York Times, the CIA, America Jewish Community were effectively appeasing some of these elements in society and allowing them to flourish. Story continues Also Read: Steve Bannon's Media Rage Explained: 'Press Coverage Is Killing Their Credibility,' Experts Say The outline is titled Destroying the Great Satan: The Rise of Islamic Facism [sic] in America and details the rise of a global holy war financed by the cash flow of oil to attack and destroy western civilization. It stresses: the ideology is scary, and its ideologues will frighten small children as we bring to light an unbroken chain of thinkers who epitomize the culture of hate. The Washington Post is one among many media outlets that have reported that Bannon had a strong hand in drafting Trumps executive order last Friday that imposed a temporary ban on travelers from Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Libya and Yemen. The Trump administration asserts that it is not a Muslim ban, but rather a target of countries whose citizens pose a threat of terrorist acts. Reading this outline 10 years later as this order is now being debated and its motives are being discussed is fascinating, Gold said. Theres no question that he is practically without peer in terms of influence in the White House, perhaps only the presidents son-in-law Jared Kushner has more influence and access to Trump. LONDON (Reuters) - Consuming e-cigarettes is far safer and less toxic than smoking conventional tobacco cigarettes, according to the findings of a study analyzing levels of dangerous and cancer-causing substances in the body. Researchers found that people who switched from smoking regular cigarettes to e-cigarettes or nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) such as gum or patches for at least six months had much lower levels of toxins in their saliva and urine than those who continued to smoke. "Our study adds to existing evidence showing that e-cigarettes and NRT are far safer than smoking, and suggests that there is a very low risk associated with their long-term use," said Lion Shahab, a specialist in epidemiology and public health at University College London who led the work. E-cigarettes, which heat nicotine-laced liquid into vapor, have grown into an $8 billion-a-year market, according to Euromonitor International - more than three times that of NRT products. They are, however, still dwarfed by a tobacco market estimated by Euromonitor to be worth around $700 billion. Many health experts think e-cigarettes, or vapes, which do not contain tobacco, are a lower-risk alternative to smoking and potentially a major public health tool. But some question their long-term safety and worry that they may act as a "gateway" to taking up conventional cigarettes. The U.S. surgeon general in December urged lawmakers to impose price and tax policies that would discourage their use. Monday's study, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, analyzed saliva and urine samples from long-term e-cigarette and NRT users as well as smokers, and compared levels of key chemicals found in their bodies. It found that smokers who switched completely to e-cigarettes or NRT had significantly lower levels of toxic chemicals and carcinogens compared to people who continued to smoke tobacco cigarettes. Those who used e-cigarettes or NRT but did not completely quit smoking did not show the same drop in toxin levels. This underlined that a complete switch was needed to get the long-term health benefits of quitting tobacco, the researchers said. The World Health Organization says tobacco is the world's biggest preventable killer, with a predicted cumulative death toll of a billion by the end of this century if current trends continue. Tobacco smoking currently kills around 6 million people a year. Kevin Fenton, national director of health and wellbeing at the government authority Public Health England, said the findings held a clear message for tobacco smokers. "Switching to e-cigarettes can significantly reduce harm to smokers, with greatly reduced exposure to carcinogens and toxins," he said in a statement. "The findings also make clear that the benefit is only realized if people stop smoking completely and make a total switch. "The best thing a smoker can do, for themselves and those around them, is to quit now, completely and forever." (Reporting by Kate Kelland; Editing by Kevin Liffey) CAIRO (AP) Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir accused Egyptian intelligence of supporting Sudan's opposition forces, and vowed to take a border dispute between the two neighbors to the United Nations Security Council if negotiations fail. Al-Bashir, who came to power in 1989 coup and is the only sitting head of state facing genocide charges at the International Criminal Court, also accused Iran of attempting to spread Shiite Islam in Sudan in an extensive interview with Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV network. A close ally of Saudi Arabia, al-Bashir spoke at length about what he called Iran's expansionist plans in the region saying the United States essentially "handed over" Iraq to Iranian control by ousting Saddam Hussein. "Americans set up a Shiite state in Iraq," he said, adding that Iran now controls four Arab capitals, including Damascus, Lebanon's Beirut through Hezbollah and Yemen's Sanaa through Shiite rebels that control the capital. Sudan severed diplomatic ties with Iran in January last year in solidarity with Riyadh after the Saudis engaged in a public feud with Tehran. The dispute was triggered when angry crowds attacked Saudi diplomatic missions to protest the kingdom's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Al-Bashir depends heavily on Saudi financial aid and has contributed jets and troops to the Saudi-led military coalition battling Shiite rebels in Yemen. The charges against the autocratic ruler stem from reported atrocities in the conflict in Darfur, in which 300,000 people were killed and 2 million displaced. On Egypt, al-Bashir has had fluctuating relations with the country's army chief-turned-president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. He said that the disputed Halayeb Triangle on the Red Sea coast is Sudanese land which the Egyptians occupied in 1990. "If they insist there are no negotiations, we will be forced to seek the Security Council track," he said. He also accused Egyptian intelligence of providing shelter to Sudanese government opponents. Al-Bashir told the network that he will not run in the 2020 presidential elections. The 73-year-old underwent a heart procedure last month and has reneged on previous promises not to run in earlier presidential elections. Boycotts have been called for on some brands after their politically charged Super Bowl ads aired Sunday night. Ads by Coca-Cola, Budweiser, and 84 Lumber in particular were targeted based on their implied jabs at Donald Trump's controversial immigration policy. TAKE OUR POLL: What Was Your Favorite Super Bowl Commercial? A spot for Coke showed people around the country singing America the Beautiful in different languages. The commercial originally aired at the Super Bowl in 2014 and replayed at the Rio Olympics in the summer. In the ad, people sing the song in English, before transitioning to Hindi, Arabic and Tagalog versions. There was outrage when it first aired three years ago, and it appears that history has repeated itself, as the hashtag #BoycottCoke became a trending topic Sunday night. "AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES WITH FOREIGNERS. Take your globalism elsewhere.#SuperBowl," read one tweet. Another post was #superbowl17 #Coke. #boycottcoke What happened to English being the language of America! A Budweiser ad showed the company was co-founded by an immigrant from Germany who faced hardship and discrimination when he arrived in America. The hashtag BoycottBudweiser also became a trending topic. Hardware supply company 84 Lumber showed a Mexican mother and daughter walking across the dessert with other immigrants as they try to make their way to America. Along the way, the little girl collected items and made an American flag as a symbol of hope when they arrive to the Mexico-U.S. border only to be met by a massive wall. As they walk a little further along the wall, the mother and daughter discover a giant door that welcomes them in. Read: Live for the Applause: Lady Gaga's Parents 'Proud' of Daughter's Dazzling Super Bowl Halftime Show There are calls for a boycott of the products. But others are praising the message of diversity. Story continues A powerful message from #84Lumber. America will always be a nation that opens its doors. That's who we are. https://t.co/poLqZI8Yj7 Tom Perez (@TomPerez) February 6, 2017 Hey #84lumber: Cost to taxpayers each illegal alien: $35K per year. Put that in your lumber yard. See how many illegals buy your wood. Adios Thomas Paine (@Thomas1774Paine) February 6, 2017 If @84LumberNews is closed when you get there but you see an opening in their fence, just go through and take whatever you need. #84lumber J (@FollowJonCone) February 6, 2017 Watch: Woman Who Called for Ivanka Boycott Speaks Out After Nordstrom Removes Her Products Related Articles: During his first trip to the Pentagon, President Donald Trump gave his generals a month to develop a new plan to defeat the Islamic State. One of the most pressing questions is when and how to take Raqqa, the de facto Islamic State capital in Syria. Left unresolved in the waning days of the Obama administration was the question of who should lead the assault: Syrian Kurds whove been working with U.S. special operators but require heavier weaponry (which would anger NATO ally Turkey) or a more diverse force of Syrian fighters (which would take time to assemble and thus delay the operation). Former Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken recently made a compelling case for pressing ahead with the Kurds. Yet the Trump administration would benefit from pausing to understand the Syrian landscape, both militarily and politically, as well as the second-order effects of various options. What has made Syria so complex is the struggle on two fronts: the civil war between rebel forces and the Assad regime, as well as the battle against the Islamic State. Obama-era officials spent many hours in the situation room debating whether the latter could be resolved without addressing the former and assessing the cost of expediency in defeating the Islamic State for our relationships with regional partners and local populations. The proxy fight between neighboring countries jockeying for influence in Syria further complicated the landscape. Nowhere was the clash starker than between Turkey and the Kurds. When the United States launched an air campaign against the Islamic State in summer 2014, it deployed special operators to assist local forces on the ground. They found the Syrian Kurds the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) to be effective fighters and invested significant time and resources in developing their capabilities. Through the creation of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the U.S. supported the YPG in partnership with a small number of Syrian Arab fighters to clear the Islamic State from considerable territory in northern Syria. Story continues Turkey always objected to U.S. collaboration with the YPG, given its direct links to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union, the PKKs armed struggle against the Turkish state for Kurdish rights has resulted in over 40,000 deaths in recent decades. While the Obama administration maintained a distinction between the groups (as the YPG is not designated as a terrorist organization), the connections on the ground are hard to miss. For example, images of Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned founder of the PKK and advocate for Kurdish autonomy, appear in YPG offices and pins worn by fighters. Turkey claims that fighters move freely between the groups and worries that supplies reaching the YPG may be passed to the PKK. Turkish fears of the PKK arent unfounded: In 2016 alone, the PKK conducted multiple mass-casualty attacks in Ankara and Istanbul that killed far more Turks than did Islamic State attacks. Devaluing these losses tears the fabric of an alliance that the United States will need more, rather than less, in coming years. Going forward, the U.S. should develop policies that address comprehensively the regional connectivity between Kurdish groups. Kurdish issues have become more salient in Turkeys domestic politics. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan initiated a peace process with the PKK that achieved some success, but the two-and-a-half year ceasefire broke down in July 2015 following an attack by an Islamic State suicide bomber on Kurdish activists in southern Turkey. The PKK blamed the Turkish government and assassinated several police officers. In response, the Turkish government launched a heavy-handed operation in Kurdish towns and the cycle of violence resumed. This coincided with electoral politics, as the pro-Kurdish political party the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) denied the ruling party a parliamentary majority for the first time in 13 years with an impressive showing in June 2015 elections. Dragging its feet on coalition formation, the government reran elections several months later. Amid the spike in violence, the HDPs vote percentage declined. Last November, the government imprisoned several HDP parliamentarians on spurious charges of terrorist propaganda, who then missed votes on constitutional reforms that would strengthen the presidency. In advance of this Aprils referendum on these constitutional changes, Erdogan will be particularly sensitive to any American actions (such as arming the YPG) that undermine his public support. The more useful American move would be finding ways to support the resumption of a peace process. Turkish opposition to U.S. backing of the YPG is heightened by the Syrian Kurds ulterior political motive: connecting three cantons (Jazeera, Kobane, and Afrin) in northern Syria into a single autonomous region, similar to the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq. Ankara has reasonable fears that Kurds could stage attacks into Turkey from an established presence along the border. Furthermore, objections to this demographic realignment dont come from Turkey alone. Many Syrian Arabs resent the YPGs growing presence, accusing it of forced displacement (which Amnesty International called a war crime), failing to allow Arabs to return home after the Islamic State was cleared out, and engaging in practices less democratic than its rhetoric suggests. The legacy of U.S. support for the YPG may be de facto federalization of Syria, which will need to be addressed by Syrians in any political settlement. While Erdogan tolerated SDF activities (generally only after a phone call from Obama), he established two red lines. First, he opposed any direct arming of the YPG. The U.S. military largely addressed this by providing mission-specific supplies to the YPGs Syrian Arab partners in the SDF. And second, Erdogan said no YPG forces should move west of the Euphrates. When the United States supported the SDF crossing the river last August to clear Islamic State fighters from Manbij, the Turks acquiesced with the understanding the YPG would withdraw after the city was cleared and let the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army take over. When the YPG failed to leave and began to march west toward the Syrian town of al-Bab, Turkey launched Operation Euphrates Shield. This mission had two purposes: supporting Sunni fighters in clearing the Islamic State from remaining territory along the Turkish border and blocking the YPG from creating a Kurdish region. (Given Russian control of the airspace in northwest Syria, this operation required Ankaras reconciliation with Moscow following a chill in relations after Turkish forces downed a Russian fighter jet; the price seemed to be silence in the face of Russian and regime attacks on Aleppo.) Trump has expressed a desire to reset relations with Turkey. This will not happen if the United States equips the YPG with rocket propelled grenades and machine guns for a Raqqa operation. (Press reports indicate the United States recently gave armored vehicles to the SDF. While the YPG is touting this as increased support under the Trump administration, the Pentagon said this transfer was planned before the election.) Various ways have been proposed to assuage Turkish concerns; however, past events suggest we have less sway over Kurdish actions than we may think (or we havent exerted the influence necessary thus far to change their behavior). While the Pentagon argues U.S. special forces would monitor weapons given to the YPG to prevent them from being transferred to the PKK, this seems challenging in the heat of battle. While the Pentagon promises to ensure YPG forces withdraw from Raqqa after the fight and be replaced by Arab forces, Turks saw a similar promise broken in Manbij with no consequences. While the Pentagon pledges to support Turkish military actions in Al Bab, there is a risk Turkey could attack YPG fighters there and draw Kurdish forces away from the Raqqa mission to defend their brethren. And while the Pentagon offers to help Turkey fight the PKK in Qandil (their base of operations in Iraqi Kurdistan), it cant force the PKK leadership to engage in peace talks with the Turkish government. The only thing that may help placate Erdogan would be the return of his avowed enemy, Fetullah Gulen the Muslim cleric blamed for masterminding the July 2016 coup attempt and who is a legal permanent resident in the United States. Turks welcomed National Security Advisor Michael Flynns Election Day statement that the United States should not provide him safe haven. Per extradition treaty terms, the Obama administration required (but hadnt received) sufficiently compelling evidence to persuade a federal judge of probable cause. Unless the Turks can produce a smoking gun, deporting Gulen would likely require circumvention of U.S. law. Any conversation with Turkey about Syria eventually touches on safe zones, which Erdogan has long advocated to keep the Islamic State off the border, block the YPG from connecting the Kurdish cantons, and stop refugees from entering. The Obama administration was reticent about creating a safe zone, citing humanitarian challenges, cost, and legal constraints. The prospect was further complicated when Russia began operations in northwestern Syria. Trump has called for a safe zone as recently as last week during discussions of his executive order on immigration. While this could be a win for Erdogan, the Turkish governments initial response was cautious, noting its recent military actions have created a de facto safe zone and wanting more details. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also called for more clarity. Trump will need to address numerous issues. For example, who are the ground forces that will protect refugees from attacks by the Syrian regime and the Islamic State? Would the zones be created by Turkey, the U.N., or in cooperation with other governments (namely Syria and Russia)? And who pays for it? (Trump previously proposed Gulf funding and reportedly pitched the idea of zones in recent calls with leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.) As a final point, the Trump administration should develop a theory of the case on Syrias end state. While Syrian Kurds have produced politically expedient results against the Islamic State in the short term, they will not liberate all of Syria nor provide long-term stability. At some point, we need to determine who will clear and control the rest of the country (particularly the Sunni areas). This issue is particularly acute if Trump decides to cut through the Gordian knot by striking a deal with Russia to conduct a joint counterterrorism operation in Raqqa. The question is not simply who takes Raqqa, a Sunni city, but who controls it for the long term. Should the United States let the Kurds (even indirectly via local proxies) manage a major Arab city, knowing it will fuel extremist recruiting? Do we leave the city and region in the hands of the people who live there, the Sunni opposition, with some external protection? Or do we hand the keys to Assads forces, which would cause Sunnis in Syria and beyond to conclude weve done a deal with the devils of Damascus, Tehran, and Moscow to betray the Sunni world thus handing a political victory to the extremists that could make up for their territorial defeat? Relatedly, the United States must have a serious conversation with Syrian Kurds before launching a Raqqa operation. The administration should tell the YPG what Washington is prepared to support politically in a post-war Syria and how it views demands for Syrian Kurdish autonomy. (We shouldnt, in any case, dangle the promise of political recognition in return for dictated military action.) The YPG has already expended considerable sweat and blood in furtherance of U.S. military aims and will be asked to sacrifice much more in this mission. It must understand what it will gain from attacking an Arab city outside its main area of interest and where it will stand afterwards. History is littered with examples of the Kurds being encouraged to rise up, only to be abandoned. At this stage, there are few good options left in Syria. If the Trump administration waits to find an alternative force that is more inclusive of Sunnis and acceptable to Ankara, it may wait forever while the threat of external operations from Raqqa grows. On the other hand, going all in with the SDF could create a rupture with Turkey, a NATO ally that the United States will continue to need as a partner on a host of regional challenges. A new play with Russia would produce its own long-term complications with Sunni Arabs. Whatever the administration decides will require careful interagency coordination and deft diplomatic engagement. Actions have consequences. The administration should think them through. Photo credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images By Ellen Francis and Humeyra Pamuk BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian government forces advanced on the northern Islamic State-held city of al-Bab on Monday, cutting off the last supply route that connects it to militant strongholds further east towards Iraq, a monitor said. Islamic State militants in the area are now effectively surrounded by the army from the south and by Turkish-backed rebels from the north, as Damascus and Ankara race to capture the largest Islamic State stronghold in Aleppo province. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based war monitor, said the army and allied militia made gains southeast of al-Bab overnight, and fought the militants there on Monday. Backed by air strikes, they severed a road that links the city to other Islamic State-held territory in Raqqa and Deir al-Zor provinces, it said. A military commander in the alliance fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad said Islamic State was encircled. "There is one narrow passage left out of al-Bab," the commander said. Government forces now had most of it "within close firing range". The Syrian army's advance towards al-Bab risks triggering a confrontation with the Turkish military and its allies - rebel groups fighting under the Free Syria Army banner - which have been waging their own campaign to take the city. In three weeks, Syrian army units moved to within 6 km (4 miles) of al-Bab, as Damascus seeks to stop its neighbor, Turkey, penetrating deeper into a strategic area of northern Syria. "It's clear the regime is in a hurry to reach al-Bab," said Mustafa Sejari, a senior rebel official in the FSA group Liwa al-Mutasem. The Turkish-backed rebels, who have had the city in their sights for months, would fight government forces if they got in the way, he said. Turkey launched its campaign in Syria, "Euphrates Shield", in August to secure its frontier from Islamic State and halt the advance of the powerful Kurdish YPG militia. Northeast of the city, Turkish troops and FSA rebels, backed by Turkish air strikes, clashed on Monday with Islamic State around the town of Bazaa, the Observatory said. Turkish-backed forces had briefly captured the town before suicide bombers pushed them out on Saturday. SYRIA, TURKEY RISK FACE-OFF Al-Bab is 40 km (25 miles) northeast of Aleppo, where the government defeated rebels in December, its most important gain of the nearly six-year-old war. Northern Syria is one of the most complicated battlefields of the multi-sided Syrian war, with Islamic State now being fought there by the Syrian army, Turkey and its rebel allies, and an alliance of U.S.-backed Syrian militias. If a clash does occur, it would be the first time Syrian government forces have confronted the Turkish army on the ground in northern Syria since Turkey launched its operation. Russia, Assad's most powerful ally, has carried out air strikes targeting Islamic State in the al-Bab area in support of both sides, underlining big shifts in the diplomatic landscape. As relations between Russia and Turkey have improved, the two countries brokered a shaky ceasefire in December between the Syrian government and rebel groups fighting to unseat Assad. An official from one of the Turkmen rebel brigades backed by Turkey said the presence of Russian forces could help prevent a confrontation. "There are Russian soldiers along with the regime forces who are leading the way and that is an element that could satisfy Turkey," the rebel official said. "I dont expect clashes." (Additional reporting by Suleiman al-Khalidi in Amman and Laila Bassam in Beirut) The Oreokastro refugee camp near Thessaloniki, in northern Greece, has been called many things by its residents since it was established in June: Hell on earth and Greeces Shame, among them. One resident, or manyits not entirely clearpainstakingly painted the word tomb under the registration number on each of the 250 canvas military tents, in effect casting the former tobacco warehouse as the cemetery where the dreams of its 1,500 residents went to die. But for many of those same residents, Oreokastro was one other thing: Home. Yes, the conditions were terrible, says former resident Illham Alrabi, but at least there was community and a sense of purpose. We had the taste of life. On Feb. 4 the last of Oreokastros residents were moved out of the tented camp to alternate forms of shelter elsewhere in the country, part of a nationwide program to upgrade camp facilities for the estimated 50,000 mostly Syrian refugees still trapped in Greece after the borders to Northern Europe closed in March. Members of the European Union pledged to take in and provide for those refugees, but the process has been excessively slow, and less than 9,000 have been relocated so far. In the meantime, the Greek government and the United Nations refugee agency have tried to place the most vulnerable, including families with young children, in hotels and rented apartments where conditions are better. Illham and her family of seven were moved to a hotel in January, just in time to avoid the full brunt of one of Greeces worst winters in memory. But the transition to living in a hotel was much harder than she anticipated, proving that when it comes to caring for an uprooted and traumatized people, sometimes the most obvious things, like shelter and hygiene, are not always the most important. Even though it was more tiring [at the camp], we were happier there. We enjoyed life, says Illham, 24, a striking woman from the Syrian city of Deir ez Zour who was known around Oreokastro for her industriousness and ready humor. The minute I came to the hotel, I felt like it was a prison. Its true that its clean and theres hot water, but no, its a prison. Story continues After years on the run, first in Syria and then in Turkey, Illham, pregnant with her fifth son, arrived at Oreokastro Camp in June. She quickly fell into a routine, keeping her tent (and her kids) scrupulously clean despite the lack of running water. She annexed part of a refuse-filled alley next to the warehouse for an all-purpose cooking, laundry and play area, and formed a tight-knit community with the neighboring women. Together they cooked on the open fire, sharing meals, childcare and their worries about what was happening to friends and family still back in Syria. Complaints about camp life were rife: Illham often joked that the one thing she was looking forward to most when her baby was born was the hospital stay. She had heard that there would be a bathroom in the room, instead of a five-minute slog in the dark to the bank of portable toilets on the other side of the camp compound. Her husband invested the last of their meager savings to open a small shop in the camp selling other refugees basic supplies such as cigarettes, batteries and potato chips. Having something to do kept him happy, and out of her hair. Life in the camp was hard, to be sure. The kids had no school, and there were fights, fires, and once even a drug raid, complete with barking Alsatians. But after the upheaval of flight, things were starting to feel normal again. That easy camaraderie all fell apart when Illhams family was moved to a hotel in a mountain resort town four hours away. She says she cried for the first three days. Its hard to be with friends, to meet new people, and then leave. You move from one place to the other, one stage to the next. You meet new people and think that youve finally settled down, but then you [have to] walk away. Illhams new hotel is comfortable. It has heat, en-suite bathrooms and a well-appointed dining room that serves a set meal three times a day. But with no friends, no more shop for her husband, and nothing to do, Illham finds herself sinking deeper into depression. George Mirmigkis, a Greek psychologist who is now working for local NGO Perihorisis, says that treating the refugees who have recently moved from the camps into hotels is one of the most surprisingly difficult problems he has encountered so far. Humans need habit and routine, he says. The upheaval in these refugees lives has already cost them a lot, and now they lack even the comfort of predictability. In the camps people were cooking, gathering firewood, building things with lumber. Here the hotel does everything for them. If you want a vacation from those duties, its a nice change. But if its your life, its not good. You have no control. Waiting and worrying is the only thing they can do. Waiting and worrying with four rambunctious boys under the age of seven, a baby and an unemployed husband, in a tiny hotel room miles from anything is the only thing Illham can do. And its driving her crazy. At least in the camp, the boys could roam around the compound with their friends under the watchful eyes of half a dozen mothers. In the hotel its not so easy. They cant go outside, because the hotel is near a busy road and its often too cold. But cooping them up in the hotel room in front of the television isnt working either. There is no school, and even if there was, what is the point of learning Greek when they will eventually move somewhere else? Illham sighs as she watches the two oldest boys leap from bed to bed in the room, narrowly missing landing on the sleeping baby. In the camp, they would go and play with the other kids, but here, theyre always inside. Im worried they will break something, the television or the mirror, or anything that belongs to the hotel. Last week one of them nearly got into some rat poison, earning the ire of the terrified hotel owner, who threatened to have them thrown out. She cant help but think that if they had only left for Greece a little earlier, before the E.Us borders closed, they might have made it into Germany, where she has family. Now she can only wait to hear which country has accepted her application for relocation. She left Syria to give her children a better future, but even that is not secure. None of them have ever set foot in a classroom. If they were in Germany, she says, I would have taken them to school. They would have had to sit and study. Right now all their lives are about play. Its chaos. Its not just the kids. Illham knows she needs to find purpose in her own life as well. For the moment she takes what she can get. I want to have important things to do. But right now I am not doing anything. The cleaners come to clean the rooms, but I tell them that I will sweep the floor, that I will clean the toilet, that I will change the sheets. It keeps me entertained. For Illham, work is the kind of vacation she needs from her life in limbo. This story is part of TIMEs Finding Home project, which is supported by funding from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Lynsey Addarios field work has been supported by funding from Verbatim and the UNFPA. Tokyo (AFP) - The volatile shares in Japan's troubled Takata took another hammering Monday on fears for its future after a report the airbag maker's creditors want it to go through a court-led bankruptcy. On Saturday the firm announced Chinese-owned Key Safety Systems emerged as the leading restructuring sponsor following a recommendation from the committee tasked with overseeing its turnaround, but Takata said it had not yet made a decision on the deal. Reports said the plan was also presented to automakers who are among Takata's largest creditors, but the Nikkei business daily reported their support was on condition Takata pursues a court-mediated turnaround in both Japan and the US. Tokyo-listed shares in the firm dived 18.65 percent, its maximum daily limit, to 436 yen by the close. "Investors are more worried about court-controlled restructuring than the latest reports about Key Safety Systems," said Hideyuki Suzuki, head of investment information at SBI Securities. The company's share price has swung wildly in recent weeks on a series of contradictory headlines surrounding its fate. Takata prefers a private company-sponsored turn-around over a court-mediated bankruptcy restructuring, saying any court-led process could affect its ability to supply customers with parts and "compromise" its obligations. "That would create a huge burden on the company's wide range of stakeholders," the Tokyo-based auto parts maker said in a statement late last month. Sweden's Autoliv, the world's leading airbag manufacturer, and a consortium led by Key Safety Systems, are reportedly vying for control of Takata. The recall of more than 100 million airbags has affected almost every major automaker. The problem is linked to a defect that can cause safety devices to inflate with excessive force, sending shrapnel from the inflator canister hurtling towards drivers and passengers. The defect has been linked to at least 16 deaths and scores of injuries worldwide. Last month Takata agreed to plead guilty to fraud and pay $1 billion to settle the issue with US regulators. The United States has also indicted three former Takata employees in the case, bringing the first criminal charges in the scandal. SSP caught in TIA gold smuggling case A senior police officer was caught on Sunday in connection with the case of 33 kg gold smuggling via the Tribhuvan International Airport last month. NEWPORT, Tenn. (AP) An investigation is underway after authorities shot a driver following a chase in Tennessee. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation tells media outlets that the incident began Sunday night when a woman drove over a National Park Service ranger's foot after he tried to stop her for speeding. The driver fled and was pursued by authorities into Cosby, where they say the woman hit a police cruiser before fleeing again. Deputies chased the vehicle to a field, where they say the driver then hit a deputy with her car. Law enforcement officials say shots were fired at the driver as the vehicle continued moving toward the injured deputy. The driver was taken to the hospital. Her condition is unknown. The injured Cocke County deputy was hospitalized and released. Washington (AFP) - A coalition led by some of the world's biggest tech firms is taking on President Donald Trump's travel ban, signaling the contentious relationship between the sector and the White House could be about to get worse. Scores of technology giants -- including Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter -- filed a joint legal brief arguing against the temporary ban on refugees and travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries. Tesla and SpaceX were among another 30 companies that added their names to the filing late Monday, pushing the total to more than 120. Elon Musk, chief of Tesla and SpaceX, is on a Trump advisory group and it remained to be seen what siding against the president's order in court might mean to his role on that panel. Uber founder Travis Kalanick quit Trump's business advisory board last week, saying he did not want to be seen as endorsing the president's policies. The legal challenge suggests the important tech sector -- which overwhelmingly opposed Trump in the November election -- is likely to be headed for more battles with the new administration. "The tech sector will stand up to the president when they see him threatening industry interests, and on the immigration issue all these companies depend heavily on foreign scientists and engineers," said Darrell West, director of the Brookings Institution's Center for Technology Innovation. "I think there is likely to be an adversarial relationship because many tech companies are staffed by millennials, and dominated by young and progressive people who are opposed to what Trump is doing now." While the sector enjoyed cooperation and access to the White House during the presidency of Barack Obama, West said that "the technology sector doesn't need much from government." "Almost all the tech innovation is funded by the private sector," he added. "All they really want is a light regulatory touch." Story continues - Fear of next move - The brief filed in a federal appeals court -- in support of a suspension of the travel ban -- said the order has already created disruption in the sector, which depends heavily on foreign-born talent. "This instability and uncertainty will make it far more difficult and expensive for US companies to hire some of the world's best talent -- and impede them from competing in the global marketplace," said the brief endorsed mostly by companies in the technology industry with some non-tech firms such as Levi Strauss and yogurt maker Chobani. It argued that highly skilled people "will not wish to immigrate to the country if they may be cut off without warning from their spouses, grandparents, relatives, and friends." Companies backing the brief include Airbnb, Dropbox, eBay, Intel, Kickstarter, LinkedIn, Lyft, Mozilla, Netflix, PayPal, Uber, Yelp, Pandora, and HP Inc. Executives from several top Silicon Valley companies previously spoken out against the ban, which temporarily closed US borders to all refugees and travelers from seven mainly-Muslim nations -- Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Technology analyst Roger Kay of Endpoint Technologies Associates said the sector is fearful of Trump's intentions. The travel ban has raised concerns, but "it's what that order heralds in terms of what's likely to come next," Kay said. "The belief is that Trump hasn't even started warming up yet. He hasn't even gotten close to what he would like to do to the society. He's just firing a few warning shots." Vivek Wadhwa, a tech entrepreneur who is a fellow at Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering at Silicon Valley, echoed those sentiments, saying Trump "showed that he could at his whim target any group he wanted." "The fact that green card holders could be denied admission back into the country, that was the scariest thing possible," Wadhwa added, referring to the contradictory messages issued in the wake of the decree over the status of green card holders on foreign travel. - Creating distance - Bob O'Donnell, a Silicon Valley analyst and consultant with Technalysis Research, foresees more clashes ahead including on Trump's plan to tighten rules for the H1-B visa program for skilled workers and his vow bring manufacturing back to the United States. Both of these issues are "huge potential concerns" for the tech industry, he said. O'Donnell said most tech firms are loathe to cooperate with Trump, fearing it could hurt their image among his opponents -- and hit their bottom line. "Companies are concerned about impacting their perception among their employees as well as their customers," O'Donnell said. "They're trying to figure out how to distance themselves" from the White House. But in some areas, he says, the two sides may be forced to work together, such as complex matters related to law enforcement access to encrypted devices. "You can't put an executive order on encryption, there's way too much involved," he said. London (AFP) - A teenager on Monday pleaded guilty to killing a US tourist and injuring five others in a central London knife attack, with prosecutors accepting his admission of manslaughter by diminished responsibility. At a hearing in London's Old Bailey court, Zakaria Bulhan, 19, admitted killing 64-year-old retired teacher Darlene Horton. He also admitted charges of wounding with intent with respect to Martin Hoenisch, Lillie Selletin, David Imber, Bernard Hepplewhite and Yovel Lewronski. The August 3 stabbing spree initially sparked fears it was a terror attack as it took place in Russell Square, the site of one of the suicide bombings in 2005. Police quickly arrived at the scene and arrested him. Bulhan, who lives in south London, is a Norwegian national of Somali origin who came to Britain as a young child in 2002. At the hearing, the court heard how the suspect was suffering from an "acute" episode of paranoid schizophrenia at the time, with prosecutor Mark Heywood saying he accepted Bulhan's plea. Describing the attack, Heywood said the suspect was seen "moving in an erratic fashion". "Without warning or provocation, the man stabbed six people in relatively quick succession, saying nothing to any of them, moving on after each stabbing towards his next victim," he told the court. Horton, a mother of two, was stabbed in the back, with the blade piercing her left lung and her heart. She died hours before she was due to fly home. She was married to a professor at Florida State University who had been teaching summer classes in London. The three men injured in the attack were a Briton, an American and an Australian. Two women, an Australian and Israeli, were also wounded. Located in central London, Russell Square is close to both the British Museum and the University of London and has a number of popular tourist hotels. A senior Iranian government official said Saturday Tehran was prepared to attack Tel Aviv and destroy a U.S. military base in Bahrain if the Trump White House ordered a military strike against Iran. Mojtaba Zonour, a member of Irans National Security and Foreign Policy Commission and a former Islamic Revolution Guards Corps official, said Iran could bomb use Iranian missiles to bomb Tel Aviv in under seven minutes, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported. Zonour also said Tehran would raze to the ground a U.S. military base in Bahrain if the enemy makes a mistake. And only seven minutes is needed for the Iranian missile to hit Tel Aviv, he added. Zonour was speaking during a Revolutionary Guard military exercise involving missile and radar systems held in Semnan province in northern Iran. His remarks came a day after President Donald Trumps administration imposed sanctions targeting two dozen people in Iran as retribution for a recent missile test. The sanctions also affect companies from the Persian Gulf to China. Iran tested the medium range missile a week ago in violation of a United Nations Security Council resolution banning missiles that could carry a nuclear device. Iran said the test was not a breach of the 2015 U.N. resolution. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, chief of the Guards airspace division, also warned the U.S. over the weekend to back off. If the enemy makes a mistake, our roaring missiles will come down on them, he said, according to state media reports. Hajizadeh said Washington's response to recent Iranian missile tests was a pretext to show their animosity towards us; we are making round-the-clock efforts to defend our countrys security and if the enemy dares to make any mistake our roaring missiles will land on them. House Speaker Paul Ryan said Sunday the nuclear deal former President Barack Obama brokered with Iran would likely remain in place despite Trump's promises to void it. "A lot of that toothpaste is already out of the tube. I never supported the deal in the first place. I thought it was a huge mistake, but the multilateral sanctions are done," Ryan said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "I don't think you're going to go back and reconstitute the multilateral sanctions that were put in place." Story continues Trump detailed his opposition to the Iran deal in an interview with Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly Sunday during the Super Bowl pre-game program. He called the pact "the worst deal Ive ever seen." I think its a shame that we had a deal like that, that we had to sign a deal like that. If youre going to do it, make a good deal we have nothing to show for it," Trump said. Related Articles Heres how lynch mobs form, in the age of the alt-right and alternative facts. First, you inadvertently wave a red flag at an arena full of bulls. Then you sit back and wait for the internet to do its dark magic. In my case, the red flag was a few paragraphs at the end of a recent column, speculating on what would happen if Donald Trump truly and dangerously lost his marbles. I wondered about one possibility that until recently I would have said was unthinkable in the United States of America: a military coup, or at least a refusal by military leaders to obey certain orders: The principle of civilian control of the military has been deeply internalized by the U.S. military, which prides itself on its nonpartisan professionalism. But Trump [is] thin-skinned, erratic, and unconstrained and his unexpected, self-indulgent pronouncements are reportedly sending shivers through even his closest aides. What would top U.S. military leaders do if given an order that struck them as not merely ill-advised, but dangerously unhinged? An order that wasnt along the lines of Prepare a plan to invade Iraq if Congress authorizes it based on questionable intelligence, but Prepare to invade Mexico tomorrow! or Start rounding up Muslim Americans and sending them to Guantanamo! or Im going to teach China a lesson with nukes! Its impossible to say, of course. The prospect of American military leaders responding to a presidential order with open defiance is frightening but so, too, is the prospect of military obedience to an insane order. After all, military officers swear to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, not the president. For the first time in my life, I can imagine plausible scenarios in which senior military officials might simply tell the president: No, sir. Were not doing that, to thunderous applause from the New York Times editorial board. Needless to say, when I wrote this, it didnt occur to me that anyone could construe it as a call for a military coup. Perhaps this should have occurred to me, given the current state of American political discourse, but it didnt. I received a couple of polite email messages from readers who argued that I shouldnt have even raised this as a hypothetical possibility, but most initial comments came from readers who took what I wrote in the spirit in which it was intended: What might happen if the U.S. president gave an order that was truly, frighteningly unhinged, and all normal checks and balances had failed? Could we imagine a military refusal to obey the commander in chief? Should we imagine it? Story continues Those are serious questions, and they deserve serious discussion. After all, America was founded by men who came, slowly but surely, to believe that they could no longer obey their government. From the perspective of American political mythology, they were heroes; from the British point of view, they were traitors. (Remember Patrick Henry? If this be treason, make the most of it.) With our history, its surely important to ask ourselves whether something like that could ever take place again. Political theorists continue to debate the propriety and role of disobedience and resistance to authority. Shouldnt we debate those questions, too? Read more: 3 Ways to Get Rid of President Trump Before 2020 Why you need to read the 25th Amendment now. Trump Has Already Blown It The president could have started a foreign-policy revolution. Instead, he triggered a foreign-policy revolt. Trumps Grand Strategic Train Wreck Believe it or not, the president has a grand strategy. But its a nightmarish mess. Regardless, a few days passed quietly by after the columns publication. Then, on Thursday morning, Breitbart the news site previously run by Steve Bannon, now Donald Trumps top political advisor ran a story about my column, headlined Ex-Obama Official Suggests Military Coup Against Trump. Within a few hours, the alt-right internet was on fire. The trickle of critical email messages turned into a gush, then a geyser, and the polite emails of the first few days were quickly displaced by obscenity-laced screeds, many in all capital letters. My Twitter feed filled up with trolls. Soon, extremists and conspiracy-oriented outlets from InfoWars to openly white supremacist websites had moved from claiming that I had suggested a coup to asserting that I was demanding, planning, and threatening the violent overthrow of the U.S. government. (Together with my sinister friend George Soros, of course, and a cabal of deranged left-wing academics.) By mid-afternoon, I was getting death threats. I AM GOING TO CUT YOUR HEAD OFFBITCH! screamed one email. Other correspondents threatened to hang me, shoot me, deport me, imprison me, and/or get me fired (this last one seemed a bit anti-climactic). The dean of Georgetown Law, where I teach, got nasty emails about me. The Georgetown University presidents office received a voicemail from someone threatening to shoot me. New America, the think tank where I am a fellow, got a similar influx of nasty calls and messages. Youre a fucking cunt! Piece of shit whore! read a typical missive. My correspondents were united on the matter of my crimes (treason, sedition, inciting insurrection, etc.). The only issue that appeared to confound and divide them was the vexing question of just what kind of undesirable I was. Several decided, based presumably on my first name, that I was Latina and proposed that I be forcibly sent to the other side of the soon-to-be-built Trump border wall. Others, presumably conflating me with African-American civil rights heroine Rosa Parks, asserted that I would never have gotten hired if it werent for race-based affirmative action. The anti-Semitic rants flowed in, too: A website called the Daily Stormer noted darkly that I am the daughter of the infamous communist Barbara Ehrenreich and the Jew John Ehrenreich, and I got an anonymous phone call from someone who informed me, in a chillingly pleasant tone, that he supported a military coup to kill all the Jews. My experience is not unusual. Anyone who attracts the attention of the alt-right is in for a rough ride. It doesnt matter who you are or what youve done in the past: Even lifelong conservatives can find themselves on the wrong side of the baying mob. Consider the experience of National Reviews David French. He made the mistake of calling out notorious Trump ally Ann Coulter for aping the white-nationalist language and rhetoric of the so-called alt-right. Within days, French, his wife, and his children were all subjected to vicious, racist, and obscene attacks. Sometimes I wonder who they are, these people who spend their free time sending vitriolic messages to strangers. Often, I imagine them as actual trolls, leaving their computers only to kick the occasional puppy, smack their children, or tend to their basement meth lab. Other times, I imagine something even worse: Perhaps these are all seemingly normal people who go about their days smiling politely at strangers but then go home and start spewing. Its hard to know, of course. They tend not to use their real names. Tempted as I am to blame it all on the age of Trump, this isnt a new phenomenon. Like most journalists and public commentators, Ive been through similar rounds of harassment and threats before, usually by sparked tussles with Bill OReilly, Sean Hannity, and the like. Generally, the storms of hate mail pass in a week or two. Extremists have always been out there; the internet just gave them a means to join up and amplify their voices. Still, something feels different now. Partly, I think, its just that the world feels a little more perilous in the wake of Decembers Comet Ping Pong shooting. Remember that? It started with an alt-right internet rumor so absurd that most of us just laughed: Hillary Clinton was reportedly running a child sex ring out of the backroom of a D.C. pizza parlor (presumably in all the spare time she had between the Benghazi cover-up and running for president). It was crazy, ridiculous, the kind of thing no one could possibly take seriously until a young man from Salisbury, North Carolina, did take it seriously and decided to pack up his gun and pay Comet Ping Pong a visit. No one was hurt in the shooting, thankfully. But the Comet incident made it harder to dismiss crazy internet-driven threats as unpleasant but harmless hot air. Heres the other thing thats different now: The alt-right has long occupied the internets darker corners, but with the elevation of Bannon to the Trump White House and National Security Council, its now occupying the White House itself. For nearly 15 years, Ive written and spoken out against what I have viewed as excessive secrecy and dangerously broad assertions of executive power. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, President George W. Bushs administration asserted the legal right to detain suspected terrorists anywhere in the world and hold them in secret without normal due process protections. I worried that the secrecy and lack of due process created too much possibility of abuse: If the United States could designate someone a terrorist based on classified evidence, capture him in Nigeria or Bosnia, and send him off to a secret detention facility, what would prevent a vindictive official from deciding that a CIA black site was just the place for a journalist asking too many inconvenient questions? Ive been equally critical of the expanded use of target killings under former President Barack Obamas administration. If the U.S. president says its OK to secretly order the death of a suspected terrorist based on secret evidence, and then kill the suspect in a secret airstrike with no subsequent acknowledgment, what kind of example are we setting for Vladimir Putin and other repressive regimes and what would prevent an abusive U.S. president from using the same power in the future to get rid of a political opponent? But even during the darkest days of the Bush administration, I always assumed that these were rhetorical questions. I didnt doubt that senior U.S. officials would generally act in good faith. I raised these questions not because I could truly imagine a U.S. president targeting journalists or political critics for detention or death but simply to highlight how dangerous it was to create a system in which the wisdom and integrity of senior officials are our sole protection against abuse. What happens if one day you get a leader with neither wisdom nor integrity? What happens if you get a sadist or a madman? This, after all, is why the founders of the Republic demanded a government of laws and not of men. Today, these no longer seem like purely rhetorical questions. Steve Bannon, who once described Breitbart as a platform for the alt-right, is now sitting on Trumps National Security Council, and we have a president whose vindictiveness is legendary, as is his penchant for threats and snap decisions made without consultation. We have a president who doesnt hesitate to use his bully pulpit to bully those who cross him, from college students to foreign leaders to federal judges. And we have a president who unapologetically admires murderous strongmen like the Philippiness Rodrigo Duterte and Russias Vladimir Putin. (In a Super Bowl Sunday interview with Fox Newss Bill OReilly, Trump shrugged off OReillys comment that Putin is a killer: There are a lot of killers, Trump said. Weve got a lot of killers. What, do you think our countrys so innocent?) For decades, weve had the luxury of assuming that the United States would always have a professional, nonpartisan civil service. Weve had the luxury of assuming that the fearsome coercive powers of the federal government would be exercised responsibly and constitutionally. For those of us who often find ourselves criticizing government actions, that has been a vital assumption: For the most part, weve been able to take for granted that notwithstanding occasional mistakes, the FBI and Secret Service will focus on genuine threats and wont target journalists, NGO advocates, or other critics. Looking ahead, Im not sure we will continue to have that luxury. Im not suggesting that Trumps next move will be drone strikes targeting his journalist critics. But I am suggesting that we are no longer living in a time of normal politics. Trump and Bannon have told us as much. This makes it more important than ever for the rest of us to keep asking hard questions and having uncomfortable conversations, no matter how many filthy and threatening emails and tweets we get. The alternative is worse: If journalists and commentators let themselves be intimidated into silence; if Trumps attacks on judges and civil servants lead them to back away from their commitment to the rule of law; if the FBI and Secret Service become tools of executive vengeance rather than impartial instruments of justice; if military leaders become too cowed to recall that their most fundamental duty is to the U.S. Constitution, not to Donald Trump. Well, then Trump will be right that America is no better than Putins Russia. Photo credit: PAUL MAROTTA/Getty Images for SiriusXM Subscribe to FP Premium for 20% off now! Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f373639%2f0fce2222-b08c-4d1a-b94a-8806550dd201 The Queen made history on Monday as she became the first British monarch ever to reach a Sapphire Jubilee, 65 years on the throne. There are no official celebrations planned, as her majesty will be spending the day privately in Sandringham House, Norfolk. SEE ALSO: The Queen just made history with this milestone But let's take a moment to look back on how the nation pulled out all of the stops to jubilantly celebrate throughout the Queen's reign. SILVER JUBILEE Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Silver Jubilee in 1977, marking 25 years on the throne. Official festivities took place throughout the year, including visits to Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The Queen and the Duke Of Edinburgh embark on the Queen's Silver Jubilee Tour Of Canada. Image: ANL/REX/Shutterstock The Queen did some casual tree planting to mark the occasion. Queen Elizabeth at a tree planting celebration in 1977. Image: AP/REX/Shutterstock The people of the United Kingdom marked the occasion in a truly British way: by hosting street parties up and down the country to pay tribute to their Queen. Children join the festivities at a street party in aid of Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee in 1977. Image: REX/Shutterstock Residents of streets and entire neighbourhoods came together to celebrate. Any excuse for a party, eh? A street party in 1977. Image: REX/Shutterstock GOLDEN JUBILEE The Queen's next Jubilee celebration took place in 2002, marking the 50th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II. Well-wishers lined the streets as the Queen toured the UK for her Golden Jubilee celebrations. Queen Elizabeth II greets well-wishers in Aylesbury as part of her Jubilee tour. Image: Evening Standa/REX/Shutterstock Queen Elizabeth II on Golden Jubilee tour in Newham, east London. Image: REX/Shutterstock Partygoers sported patriotic painted faces and waved Golden Jubilee-themed flags. Golden Jubilee street party in Jubilee Street Whitechapel, east London. Image: Howard/ANL/REX/Shutterstock It wouldn't be a royal celebration without an official "party boat" for the Queen to conduct her tours. Queen Elizabeth II on the "Windrush" boat on her Jubilee tour of Marlow, Buckinghamshire. Image: David Hartley/REX/Shutterstock DIAMOND JUBILEE 2012 was a very special year for the Queen she celebrated 60 years on the throne with her Diamond Jubilee. NOT UK UNTIL 12 June 2012 Mandatory Credit: Photo by REX/Shutterstock (1732767h) Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, Balcony Appearance and Fly-past, London, Britain - 05 Jun 2012 Image: REX/Shutterstock Major festivities took place across the UK, including a special concert outside Buckingham Palace. A Jubilee Pageant also took place in June 2012, which saw 670 boats take part in a parade on the River Thames in London. The Queen and other royals travelled in one of the boats as part of the majestic parade. Story continues Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the Royal Family travel by boat as part of the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant in June 2012. Image: REX/Shutterstock Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip travel by boat along the River Thames at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee River Pageant. Image: REX/Shutterstock Of course, it wouldn't be a real Jubilee without more street parties. People went all out, dressing in their finest patriotic garb to show off their love for their Queen. A street Party in Newham, London in May 2012. Image: News Pictures/REX/Shutterstock Partygoers a the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Street Party on Worfield Street, Battersea in London. Image: News Pictures/REX/Shutterstock Schoolchildren hosted their own celebrations too, which featured ponies and lots of flags. A school in central London hosts a street party in Brechin Place. Image: Daily Mai/REX/Shutterstock 50 children from local schools in Gravesham join together in the largest street party in the UK for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Image: News Pictures/REX/Shutterstock When it comes to partying, Britain knows how it's done. BONUS: A corgi tea party in honor of the Queen's 63-year-reign TOKYO (AP) In his debut abroad as the first retired general to lead the Pentagon in more than half a century, Jim Mattis found that in Japan and South Korea his experience in uniform is seen as an asset. Not everyone who knows Mattis well in the U.S. shares that view, but he clearly was an instant hit in northeast Asia. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was effusive in his endorsement as the two shook hands Friday before a phalanx of Japanese and international news reporters and cameras. "I was very encouraged," Abe said, "to see someone like you who has substantial experience, both in the military and in security, defense and diplomacy, taking this office." Mattis won easy confirmation by the U.S. SYDNEY (AP) Seven percent of priests in Australia's Catholic Church were accused of sexually abusing children over the past several decades, a lawyer said Monday as officials investigating institutional abuse across Australia revealed for the first time the extent of the crisis. The statistics were released during the opening address of a hearing of Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The royal commission which is Australia's highest form of inquiry has been investigating since 2013 how the Catholic Church and other institutions responded to the sexual abuse of children over decades. The commission has previously heard harrowing testimony from scores of people who suffered abuse at the hands of clergy. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) More than 900 children were killed in Afghanistan's conflict last year, the United Nations said Monday, calling it the most violent year for children since it started keeping records. The U.N. mission said the nearly 25 percent increase in child deaths from the previous year was largely caused by mines and munitions left over from decades of conflict. It documented a 66 percent increase in such deaths in 2016. "Conflict-related violence exacted a heavy toll on Afghanistan in 2016, with an overall deterioration in civilian protection and the highest-total civilian casualties recorded since 2009, when UNAMA began systematic documentation of civilian casualties," the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said in its annual report. Story continues YANGON, Myanmar (AP) A human rights group urged Myanmar's government on Monday to back an independent international investigation into alleged abuses by security forces against members of the Muslim Rohingya ethnic minority, including the reported systematic use of sexual violence. U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said in a statement that soldiers and Border Guard Police took part in rape, gang rape, invasive body searches and sexual assaults while conducting counter-insurgency operations in the western state of Rakhine from October through mid-December. The estimated 1 million Rohingya face official and social discrimination in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, also known as Burma. Most do not have citizenship and are regarded as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, even when their families have lived in Myanmar for generations. CANBERRA, Australia (AP) An Australian senator and outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday he will start a new political party to appeal to disenfranchised conservatives. Cory Bernardi decided to abandon Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's conservative Liberal Party as the ruling coalition trails further behind the center-left Labor Party in opinion polls seven months after elections. Bernardi told the Senate he had resigned from the party to start his new party called Australian Conservatives. "We will be united by the desire to create stronger families, to foster free enterprise, to limit the size and scope and reach of government while seeking to rebuild confidence in civil society," Bernardi said. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) Avalanches in Afghanistan triggered by heavy snowfall across the country have killed at least 119 people in recent days, officials said on Monday. Wais Ahmad Barmak, the state minister for disaster management and humanitarian affairs, said that at least 89 people have been injured and 190 homes destroyed by avalanches in multiple provinces. Those figures were expected to rise as rescue teams made their way through snow-blocked roads to afflicted areas. Many of the most recent fatalities come from Nuristan province, near the Pakistani border, where two villages were buried in snow. Barmak's spokesman Omer Mohammadi said rescue teams have so far recovered 48 bodies from those villages and that more than 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) of farmland have been destroyed. PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) A Japanese man and two Cambodians were charged Tuesday with allegedly tricking Cambodian women into working in the sex trade in Japan. They could face seven to 15 years in prison if convicted of "unlawful recruitment for exploitation," said Ly Sophana, a spokesman for Phnom Penh Municipal Court. A statement posted Monday on the Cambodian National Police website said Susumu Fukui, the 52-year-old owner of a Japanese restaurant in Phnom Penh, was arrested last week on suspicion of luring at least 10 women from provincial areas to work in Japan, ostensibly as well-paid waitresses, but then forcing them into the sex trade. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) New Zealand's Prime Minister Bill English said Tuesday he told President Donald Trump during a phone call that he disagreed with his travel and refugee ban but that the conversation remained amicable. Last week Trump had a testy exchange with Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over a deal Australia reached with the Obama administration to resettle refugees in the U.S. Trump later tweeted that the deal was "dumb." By contrast, English told Radio New Zealand that his 15-minute call with Trump on Monday was a "sensible, polite discussion" that affirmed the good relationship between the countries. KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) An Afghan diplomat was shot and killed by his security guard inside the consulate in the Pakistani port city of Karachi on Monday, officials said. Mohammad Zaki Abdu, the third secretary at the consulate, died of his wounds shortly after the shooting, according to the consulate's spokesman, Haris Khan. "We were working at our office when we heard gunshots," he said. "Everybody was running in panic." The guard, identified only as an Afghan national named Rahatullah, was taken into custody, said Pakistani police official Azad Khan. Both officials said the motive behind the killing was not yet known. MANILA, Philippines (AP) Philippine troops have resumed assaults against communist rebels, killing at least one guerrilla, after President Rodrigo Duterte scrapped peace talks with the insurgents, military officials said Monday. Duterte had lifted the government's six-month-old cease-fire Friday and the next day discarded the talks being brokered by Norway. Those moves came after the Marxist guerrillas abandoned their own truce and killed six soldiers and kidnapped two others in new flare-ups in the 48-year insurgency. The government and the rebels separately declared cease-fires last year to foster the peace talks, which progressed steadily for months before rapidly deteriorating in recent weeks. John Yoo, left, law professor at the University of California at Berkeley, and President Trump. (Photos: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images, AP) John Yoo, the constitutional scholar who wrote a controversial opinion backing President George W. Bushs authority to torture terror suspects, now believes President Trump is overstepping his authority in numerous areas of foreign policy. Yoos assessment, in an op-ed in Mondays New York Times, is not particularly novel or unique in the current political climate, with tremendous resistance to the Trump administration throughout the country. But it is noteworthy coming from Yoo, who is widely known for his expansive views on presidential power. Yoo, a professor of law at the University of California, Berkeley, served as a deputy assistant attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justices Office of Legal Counsel from 2001 to 2003. During this time, he penned the legal documents that have come to be known as the Torture Memos, which advised Bush, the Justice Department and the CIA on the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, such as waterboarding. In his essay, Yoo argued that Trump has provided little evidence that he understands the three branches of U.S. government and has said he wants to represent the will of the people, seemingly without any constitutional restraint. He cited Trumps executive orders to ban immigration from Muslim-majority countries and build a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico, as well as his vow to overturn the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). A successful president need not have a degree in constitutional law. But he should understand the Constitutions grant of executive power, Yoo wrote. He should share Hamiltons vision of an energetic president leading the executive branch in a unified direction, rather than viewing the government as the enemy. He should realize that the Constitution channels the president toward protecting the nation from foreign threats, while cooperating with Congress on matters at home. In guiding Bush, Yoo said he followed in the footsteps of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, who believed Article II of the Constitution vests the president with a tremendous amount of executive power. He said the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, military trials and enhanced interrogation (which is widely seen as a euphemism for systematic torture) were perfectly legal. Still, he said, he has serious concerns over Trumps use of executive power. Story continues According to Yoo, Trumps order to build a border wall and his plans to tax Mexican imports are unconstitutional because the Supreme Court found that border control lies with Congress not the president. He also said that Trumps vow to pull out of NAFTA is concerning because the president does not have the authority to singlehandedly end tariff and trade laws. After all, he said, Congress entered into the deal with Canada and Mexico by statute. Yoo said that Trumps executive order on immigration brings him deeper into the constitutional thickets. Even though his executive order halting immigration from seven Muslim nations makes for bad policy, I believe it falls within the law, he continued. But after the order was issued, his adviser Rudolph Giuliani disclosed that Mr. Trump had initially asked for a Muslim ban, which would most likely violate the Constitutions protection for freedom of religion or its prohibition on the state establishment of religion, or both no mean feat. Though controversial, Yoo is a prominent and influential scholar on the limits of executive power. He is the author of Crisis and Command: A History of Executive Power From George Washington to George W. Bush. Yoo did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Yahoo News. In 2009, shortly after taking office, former President Barack Obama, formally reversed all legal guidance from Yoo and his successors in the Office of Legal Counsel during the Bush era. Read more from Yahoo News: By Naomi Tajitsu TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> reported a drop in quarterly operating profit on Monday but still added 9.7 percent to its full-year earnings forecast as the world's No. 2 automaker expects a bigger reprieve from a weakening yen. The manufacturer also said it had "no immediate plans" to change its policy of producing an annual 3 million vehicles at home in Japan, many of which are shipped to the United States, even after criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump for the number of cars it exports to the country. The results come as Toyota braces for profit to tumble from last year's record 2.31 trillion yen. However, its outlook has improved as it anticipates the domestic currency to stabilize following volatility seen earlier in the financial year. "We've revised our full-year yen forecast to 107 yen to the U.S. dollar from 103 yen, which is the biggest contributing factor to our profit forecast revision," Managing Officer Tetsuya Otake told reporters. Toyota now expects net profit of 1.7 trillion yen ($15.08 billion) for the year ending March, a decline of 26 percent from a record set a year earlier. It also sees operating profit of 1.85 trillion yen, 8.8 percent more than forecast in November. For the three months ended Dec. 31, however, a stronger yen knocked 770 billion yen off earnings. That pushed operating profit to 438.5 billion yen from 722.2 billion a year earlier, below a median forecast of 483.57 billion yen drawn from 11 analysts in a Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S/ poll. US IMPORTS The rosier profit outlook comes as Toyota expects to sell slightly more cars globally than previously forecast. It now forecasts sales in North America, its biggest market, to be a touch higher than last year, fueled by demand for larger cars. Toyota has been working to supply more sport utility vehicles (SUVs) to the United States where demand for larger models has surged due to historically low gasoline prices. Such is the demand that Toyota has shifted production in the region away from its staple sedans. It has also increased imports of its RAV4 SUV crossover from Canada and Tacoma pick-up truck from Mexico. U.S. President Trump has taken issue with the proportion of cars domestic automakers import rather than produce locally, considering the size of sales in the world's second-biggest market. Toyota imported about half of the record 2.449 million vehicles it sold in the country last year, including 26 percent from Japan. But Toyota on Monday said it would stick to its long-held policy of keeping around one-third of production at home as a way to continually hone the country's manufacturing expertise. Japan's automotive exports are likely to be high on the agenda when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with Trump for summit talks in Washington later this week. (Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu; Editing by Christopher Cushing) By Alex Dobuzinskis (Reuters) - A company that operates red-light traffic cameras will pay Chicago $20 million to settle a lawsuit arising from a bribery scheme between the firm's former chief executive and a city transportation official, officials said on Monday. Redflex Traffic Systems Inc previously operated Chicago's red-light enforcement program, which used camera systems to catch motorists running red lights. As in other cities where similar systems are in place, it has been unpopular with drivers who were cited for traffic infractions. The city's settlement with the firm and its Australian parent company, Redflex Holdings Ltd, ends Chicago's civil lawsuit accusing the firm of fraudulent dealings, according to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office. "The city of Chicago will not stand by while a company takes advantage of our taxpayers and I hope that this serves as a warning to other companies that do business or hope to business with the city that we will hold those who try to take advantage of taxpayers accountable," Emanuel said in a statement. The company will send the city $10 million by Dec. 31 and pay the rest in installments before 2024, the city and the company said in separate statements. "I would like to thank the groups and individuals involved in illuminating and then responsibly addressing the company's past misdeeds," Adam Gray, chairman of the Redflex board, said in a statement. Former Redflex Traffic Systems CEO Karen Finley pleaded guilty in 2015 to one federal count of conspiracy to commit bribery. She was sentenced last year to two and a half years in prison for the Chicago bribery scheme and 14 months in prison for a similar scheme in Ohio, according to court records. Also last year, John Bills, who was formerly an assistant transportation commissioner for Chicago, was convicted of fraud, extortion, bribery and other charges. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, according to court records. Finley and a Redflex contractor bribed Bills, 55, with $570,000 in cash, an Arizona condo and other kickbacks, according to a criminal indictment. In exchange, Bills made sure Reflex maintained its contracts with the city. Chicago contracted with Redflex for 11 years, with the company making as much as $25 million a year. Stay on the message When the CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Dahal was elected prime minister six months ago, we echoed the Nepali peoples nervousness about frequent changes in government. (BOSTON) Travelers from the seven predominantly Muslim countries targeted by President Donald Trump enjoyed tearful reunions with loved ones in the U.S. on Sunday after a federal judge swept the ban aside. Airlines around the world allowed people to board flights as usual to the United States. One lawyer waiting at New Yorks Kennedy Airport said visa and green-card holders from Iraq and Iran were encountering no problems as they arrived. Its business as usual, said Camille Mackler, of the New York Immigration Coalition. Fariba Tajrostami, a 32-year-old painter from Iran, came through the gate at Kennedy with a huge smile and tears in her eyes as her brothers greeted her with joyful hugs. Im very happy. I havent seen my brothers for nine years, she said. Tajrostami had tried to fly to the U.S. from Turkey over a week ago but was turned away. I was crying and was so disappointed, she said. Everything I had in mind, what I was going to do, I was so disappointed about everything. I thought it was all over. Tajrostami said she hopes to study art in the U.S. and plans to join her husband in Dallas soon. He moved from Iran six months ago, has a green card and is working at a car dealership. Similar scenes played out across the U.S. two days after a federal judge in Seattle suspended the presidents travel ban and just hours after a federal appeals court denied the Trump administrations request to set aside the ruling. The U.S. canceled the visas of up to 60,000 foreigners in the week after the ban on travel from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen took effect, according to the State Department. Trump also suspended nearly all refugee admissions for 120 days and barred Syrian refugees indefinitely. The order triggered protests and a multitude of legal challenges around the country and blocked numerous college students, researchers and others from entering the U.S. Story continues Trump, who said the goal was to keep terrorists from slipping into the country, lashed out against U.S. District Judge James Robart for putting the ban on hold. He referred to Robart as a so-called judge and called the ruling ridiculous. On Sunday, the president tweeted: Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! At JFK on Sunday evening, Abdullah Alghazali hugged and kissed his 13-year-old son, Ali Abdullah Alghazali, who he had not seen in six years. That wait was made even longer by Trumps executive order. Ali and his mother, Musarlah Alghazali, had left Yemen a year and a half ago to Egypt because of the war at home. Musarlah came to the U.S. two and a half months ago, but Ali stayed behind in Egypt with cousins while he waited for his visa to be approved. The boy was not able to leave until last Saturday, after the executive order was in effect. When he went to the airport to come over here they stopped him last week, Saturday. I tried again the next week, Thursday, but they put him back again, Abdullah said. They said they had an order from the US government to not allow anybody with a visa or green card to come to the United States. Mahsa Azabadi, 29, an Iranian-American who lives in Denver, was forced to put her wedding plans on hold after her fiance, Sorena Behzadfar, was turned away when he tried to board a plane to travel from Iran to the U.S. on Jan. 28. Over the weekend, though, Behzadfar was cleared for travel and was expected to arrive at Bostons Logan Airport on Sunday afternoon. Its been a really tough week to figure out what will happen to us, said Azabadi, who has lived in the U.S. for 11 years and is now a U.S. citizen. The couple is hoping to keep their wedding date of May 12. Seeing the support from the lawyers and different people trying to help, it was really nice, she said. We want to be the best and do the best for the people and for this country. We would love to have the opportunity. An Iranian woman attempting to return home from Iran after initially being blocked from entry cleared through an immigration check in Boston and was expected to return home to Clemson, South Carolina, on Monday. Nazanin Zinouri was taken off a plane in Dubai days after the travel ban went into effect. Zinouri, a legal U.S. resident, had traveled to Iran last month to visit family. Eric Martinez, the founder of the startup technology firm where Zinouri works, said she planned to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday in Boston. The New England Patriots are squaring off against the Atlanta Falcons. Iranian researcher Nima Enayati, a Ph.D. candidate at a university in Milan, was prevented from boarding a flight to the U.S. on Jan. 30. He had a visa to conduct research on robotic surgery at Stanford University in California. On Sunday, he said, his check-in went smoothly, and he was on his way to New York, where he was expected to arrive in the evening. At Cairo Airport on Sunday, officials said a total of 33 U.S.-bound migrants from Yemen, Syria and Iraq boarded flights. Lebanons National News Agency said airlines operating out of Beirut also began allowing Syrian families and others affected by the ban to fly. Beirut has no direct flights to the U.S.; travelers have to go through Europe. At Kennedy, a team of volunteer lawyers that had set up operations in a diner to help arriving passengers during the height of the crisis packed up computer equipment and paperwork. A few volunteers and interpreters will stay behind just in case. One interpreter, Fifi Youssef, stood with a sign in Arabic at the arrivals area but said she hadnt been asked to help anyone all day. Im glad. That means no people are getting detained, she said. Mackler, who has helped coordinate the volunteer operation, liked what she saw at the airport. This is what it should be. You sit in an airport day in and day out, and you see all these moments of great joy and unification, she said. It was so sad to see that and know some people werent having that. Now it feels good. ___ Associated Press writer Emery Dalesio contributed to this report from Raleigh, North Carolina. Mathis contributed from New York City. Photo credit: 20th Century Fox From Popular Mechanics There's a moment halfway into Hidden Figures when head NASA engineer Paul Stafford refuses the request of Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson) to attend an editorial meeting about John Glenn's upcoming mission to become the first American to orbit the Earth. Stafford's response is dismissive-"There's no protocol for women attending." Johnson replies, "There's no protocol for a man circling Earth either, sir." The quote underlines this based-on-a-true-story movie. For NASA to get John Glenn into space and home safely, institutions that supported prejudices and biases needed to start tumbling down. All hands (and brains) had to be on deck. Adapted from Margot Lee Shetterly's book Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race, the film focuses on three real-life African-American female pioneers: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, who were part of NASA's team of human "computers." This was a group made up of mostly women who calculated by hand the complex equations that allowed space heroes like Neil Armstrong, Alan Shepard, and Glenn to travel safely to space. Through sheer tenacity, force of will, and intellect, they ensured their stamp on American history-even if their story has remained obscured from public view until now. Editor's note: Since we published this story on Dec. 21, Hidden Figures was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture. "A Large Capacity for Tedium" Photo credit: NASA Women working as so-called "human computers" dates back decades before space exploration. In the late 19th century, the Harvard College Observatory employed a group of women who collected, studied, and cataloged thousands of images of stars on glass plates. As chronicled in Dava Sobel's book The Glass Universe, these women were every bit as capable as men despite toiling under less-than-favorable conditions. Williamina Fleming, for instance, classified over 10,000 stars using a scheme she created and was the first to recognize the existence of white dwarfs. While working six-day weeks at a job demanding "a large capacity for tedium," they were still expected to uphold societal norms of being a good wife and mother. Story continues In 1935, the NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, a precursor to NASA) hired five women to be their first computer pool at the Langley campus. "The women were meticulous and accurate... and they didn't have to pay them very much," NASA's historian Bill Barry says, explaining the NACA's decision. In June 1941, with war raging in Europe, President Franklin Roosevelt looked to ensure the growth of the federal workforce. First he issued Executive Order 8802, which banned "discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries or government because of race, creed, color, or national origin" (though it does not include gender). Six months later, after the attack on Pearl Harbor brought the U.S. into the throes of war, NACA and Langley began recruiting African-American women with college degrees to work as human computers. While they did the same work as their white counterparts, African-American computers were paid less and relegated to the segregated west section of the Langley campus, where they had to use separate dining and bathroom facilities. They became known as the "West Computers." Despite having the same education, they had to retake college courses they had already passed and were often never considered for promotions or other jobs within NACA. Hidden Figures depicts this in a scene in which "computer" Mary Jackson is asked if she's want to be an engineer if she were a white man. Jackson responds, "I wouldn't have too. I would already be one." Photo credit: NASA Katherine Johnson, the movie's protagonist, was something of a child prodigy. Hailing from the small West Virginian town of White Sulphur Springs, she graduated from high school at 14 and the historically black West Virginia State University at 18. In 1938, as a graduate student, she became one of three students-and the only woman-to desegregate West Virginia's state college. In 1953, Johnson was hired by NACA and, five years later, NACA became NASA thanks to the Space Act of 1958. The movie muddies the timeline a bit, but Johnson's first big NASA assignment was computing the trajectories for Alan Shepard's historic flight in 1961. Johnson and her team's job was to trace out in extreme detail Freedom 7's exact path from liftoff to splashdown. Since it was designed to be a ballistic flight-in that, it was like a bullet from a gun with a capsule going up and coming down in a big parabola-it was relatively simple in least in the context of what was to come. Nonetheless, it was a huge success and NASA immediately set their sights on America's first orbital mission. "Get the girl to check the numbers... If she says the numbers are good, I'm ready to go." The film primarily focuses on John Glenn's 1962 trip around the globe and does add dramatic flourishes that are, well, Hollywood. However, most of the events in the movie are historically accurate. Johnson's main job in the lead-up and during the mission was to double-check and reverse engineer the newly-installed IBM 7090s trajectory calculations. As it shows, there were very tense moments during the flight that forced the mission to end earlier than expected. And John Glenn did request that Johnson specifically check and confirm trajectories and entry points that the IBM spat out (albeit, perhaps, not at the exact moment that the movie depicts). As Shetterly wrote in her book and explained in a September NPR interview, Glenn did not completely trust the computer. So, he asked the head engineers to "get the girl to check the numbers... If she says the numbers are good... I'm ready to go." While Johnson is the main character, Hidden Figures also follows the trajectories of Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson as they work on the Friendship Seven blast-off. Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) was one of NACA's early computer hires during World War II. She became a leader and advocate for the "West Computers." In 1948, she became NACA's first black supervisor and, later, an expert FORTRAN programmer. Photo credit: 20th Century Fox Despite these successes and her capability, she was constantly passed over for promotions herself. As Spencer tells Popular Mechanics, Vaughan struggled with the same things all female computers did while at NASA. "The conflict of working outside of the home to provide the best life for your children and, yet, not physically being there. But she knew she was changing the world." While Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae) is also considered a "hidden figure," she certainly stood out during her time at NASA. After graduating with dual degrees in math and physical science, she was hired to work at Langley in 1951. After several years as a computer, Jackson took an assignment in assisting senior aeronautical research engineer Kazimierz Czarnecki and he encouraged her to become an engineer herself. To do that, however, she needed to take after-work graduate courses held at segregated Hampton High School. Jackson petitioned the City of Hampton to be able to learn next to her white peers. She won, completed the courses, and was promoted to engineer in 1958, making her NASA's first African-American female engineer-and, perhaps, the only one for much of her career. "She knew she was changing the world." John Glenn While these three women's stories remain front and center, John Glenn's recent death makes this film particularly timely. Featured prominently, Glenn is depicted as a goal-oriented, joke-making, tension-cutting, folksy, equal opportunist. According to Barry, that's pretty much exactly how he was. "Everybody thinks of John Glenn as this iconic war hero... and astronaut, but what's missed a lot is his humanity," says Berry, "Glenn was in a, classic sense, a gentleman. He was always concerned about the people around him and it didn't matter what package they were in. He was a real people person." Barry also notes that there's an "easter egg" in the film that most people who aren't deep into NASA history will not catch. There's a short scene where Glenn is talking to reporters, and beside him there's a woman-Cece Bibby-painting the Friendship Seven logo onto the spacecraft. The true story is that NASA officials originally did not allow Bibby access to the launch pad, but Glenn intervened and insisted that his artist be allowed to do her job. Another Day's Work Photo credit: 20th Century Fox There's no way a two-hour movie could tell the full story of these women; Shetterly's book paints a much fuller picture. But Hidden Figures highlights NASA's (relatively) progressive attitude for the time, driven in large part by necessity. This happens literally in the film, when the head of the Space Task Group, Al Harrison (Kevin Costner) destroys the "colored ladies room" bathroom sign. As Shetterly says to Popular Mechanics, the movie also focuses on Johnson, Jackson, and Vaughn's "transcendent sense of humanity" that allowed them to endure. Johnson would go on to work on the Apollo program, too, including performing trajectory calculations that assisted the 1969 moon landing. She would retire from NASA in 1986. In 2015, President Obama gave Katherine Johnson the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Last May, a NASA computational research facility in her hometown of Hampton, Virginia was named in Johnson's honor. And yet, despite the accolades and getting the Hollywood treatment, she told the audience in May that she was just doing her job and "it was just another day's work." Sometimes changing the world is just that. You Might Also Like President Trumps first speech to active duty troops since taking office went much the same way his first speech to CIA officers went. He celebrated his political triumph, promised his full support and new resources to wipe out radical Islamic terrorism and unleashed one of his trademark tirades against the news media. Speaking at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida on Monday, Trump gave an abbreviated history of terrorist attacks, from 9/11 to the Paris nightclub attacks to the truck massacre in Nice. Its gotten to a point where its not even being reported. And in many cases the very, very dishonest press doesnt want to report it. They have their reasons, and you understand that, he said. He offered no evidence for the accusation, which flies in the face of round-the-clock news coverage of terrorist violence. But one of his senior advisers has repeatedly referred to a Bowling Green, Ky., terrorist attack that did not happen. The rhetorical onslaught recalled Trumps rant against the news media at CIA headquarters one day after his inauguration. I have a running war with the media. They are among the most dishonest human beings on earth, he said in those remarks. Trump and his top aides have rarely let a day go by without making similar remarks, which are red meat for his political base. Like his remarks at the CIA, Trumps speech in Florida left open some questions of how the new president will interact with major parts of the governments national security machine. On the campaign trail, the entrepreneur regularly made comments seen as disparaging military commanders, at one point declaring, I know more about ISIS than the generals do. Believe me. He dismissed Sen. John McCains military service, saying he preferred veterans who werent captured. He did verbal battle with Muslim Gold Star parents who supported his rival, Hillary Clinton. He also called for a return to using torture, which the military opposes. And while he complained of overextending American forces overseas, on at least one occasion he expressed support for sending tens of thousands more U.S. troops to fight the so-called Islamic State, also known as ISIS. Story continues Trump has turned to retired generals for key roles in his Cabinet, including Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly. His national security adviser, Mike Flynn, is also a retired general. But he has also pursued the idea of setting up safe areas for Syrian refugees, a step that top military officials have warned could escalate U.S. military involvement in or near the Middle Easts main war zone. President Trump at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa on Feb. 6. (Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters) One critical test in the developing relationship between the Pentagon and the White House will be when the military brass delivers a new plan for defeating ISIS, due in late February or early March, according to a Trump directive. Its not clear whether Trump would embrace a recommendation for more ground troops if one comes. During the campaign, he boasted that he had a secret plan for defeating the group. Trumps remarks came after he had lunch with a group of soldiers serving with U.S. Central Command, which notably oversees Americas military entanglements in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, as well as Yemen. In his formal speech, Trump opened with a look back at Nov. 8. We had a wonderful election, didnt we? he said, apparently touting his support among military voters. I saw those numbers, and you liked me, and I liked you. Thats the way it worked. He also promised to make a historic financial investment in the armed forces of the United States, promised to wipe out radical Islamic terrorism, and criticized NATO partners that have not met the alliances commitment to spend 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense. We have your back every hour, every day now and always. That also means getting our allies to pay their fair share. Been very unfair to us, he said. Read more from Yahoo News: Washington (AFP) - Donald Trump says he is creating a commission headed by Vice President Mike Pence to investigate what the US leader alleges was massive voter fraud in the 2016 election. No public evidence has emerged of large-scale illegal voting in the November election, and Trump and the White House have failed to substantiate the president's claim. However Trump listed the ways he believed voter fraud had occurred during an interview with Fox News's Bill O'Reilly which aired before the Super Bowl on Sunday. The fraud was apparent, Trump said, "when you look at the registration and you see dead people that have voted, when you see people that are registered in two states that voted in two states, when you see other things, when you see illegals -- people that are not citizens -- and they are on the registration rolls." "It's really a bad situation. It's really bad" Trump said. Trump's own lawyers have stated in legal filings that there was no evidence of fraud in the November 8 election. But on Sunday the president promised "to set up a commission to headed by Vice President Mike Pence and we're going to look at it very, very carefully." Trump has previously argued that were it not for illegal immigrants voting, he would have won not just the electoral college but also the popular vote, which was taken by Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. Although there has been no substantiated evidence of massive voter fraud, US officials have said they believe that Russia attempted to meddle in the presidential vote by hacking Democratic Party emails as part of a pro-Trump campaign. Senators have launched a bipartisan investigation into Russia's alleged meddling. WASHINGTON (AP) Scrappy as ever, Donald Trump on Monday dismissed polls showing low approval ratings as "fake news." But whatever his opinion, active opposition to his go-it-alone presidency appears to be widening. From corporate boardrooms to the halls of Congress, Trump is facing an unprecedented effort to disrupt even the most basic of his presidential functions. It's an evolving, largely grass-roots effort that aims to follow Trump and his potential supporters everywhere they go and there are early signs that it's having an impact. The Trump name alone is enough to spark outrage. There are plans for a mass "mooning" of Trump Tower in Chicago. Boycotts are underway of companies that sell Ivanka Trump's clothing line or advertise on NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice," where Trump has remained an executive producer. Congressional offices are being flooded with emails, social media messages and calls jamming phone lines. Hundreds of protesters are flocking to town halls and local congressional offices, some in strongly Republican districts, to voice their opposition to Trump's Cabinet picks, health care plans and refugee restrictions. The goal, say organizers of some of the efforts, is nothing short of complete resistance. It's a strategy Democrats say they learned from the success of the tea party movement, which stymied President Barack Obama's agenda through protests, door-to-door political action campaigns and online activism. "The lesson from the last eight years is, sadly, that implacable resistance works," said Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va. "Because it's all about your base, and I will simply point out that our base is bigger than theirs, and it's riled up." Trump and some Republicans shrug it off as sore losers unwilling to accept the results of the election. The president's core supporters, in states like Iowa and Wisconsin, applaud him as a man of action, delivering on his campaign promises to move quickly and shake up Washington. Story continues Although recent polls show his approval ratings in the 40s, a historic low for a new president, Trump rejects the surveys as false. "Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting," he tweeted on Monday. "I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it." Later Monday, Trump renewed his Twitter attacks on The New York Times, slamming the paper "for the poor reporting it did on my election win. Now they are worse!" Trump's base is likely to reward him for his actions, say former White House aides, who note that all presidents face opposition and public demonstrations. "It's only a problem if it lets it stop him from doing what he seeks to do," said former George W. Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer, who recalled a travel stop in Portland, Oregon, when protesters threw rocks at the president's motorcade. "When it comes to policy full speed ahead, the people screaming at you can't be convinced to be for you in any case." But recent presidents never faced the kind of multi-front opposition that Trump is now experiencing so early in their terms. Last week, he canceled a trip to the Harley-Davidson factory in Milwaukee, where local groups planned to protest his event. The White House said the protests weren't the cause. And on Saturday, more than 1,000 protesters beat drums, sang and chanted outside the gates of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, where the president was attending a Red Cross benefit. The displays of public outrage have been aimed not only at Trump but at lawmakers, world leaders and corporate executives who might be tempted to work with him to pass key parts of his agenda, like replacing the health care law or rewriting trade agreements. The White House claims to be unimpressed by the protests. In fact, a lot of the demonstrators are simply paid to show up and shout, says Trump Press Secretary Sean Spicer. But that's just a fantasy, foes say. "The level of mobilization against Trump is almost like nothing I've ever seen before," said Joe Dinkin, spokesman for the Working Families Party, which coordinates weekly anti-Trump events across the country. "Collaboration with Trump is a path that will bring well-deserved ire." Already, there are some signs that the early efforts may be having an impact on his ability to promote his agenda across the globe. On Monday, the speaker of Britain's House of Commons said he strongly opposes Trump addressing Parliament, making it unlikely he'll be given the honor during a state visit later this year. Technology executive Elon Musk spent hours on Twitter over the weekend defending his decision to serve on Trump's business council. So far, one CEO Uber's Travis Kalanick has quit the group after facing a weeklong rider boycott. The ACLU saw donations pour in after it sued the government over the refugee ban. And Republican lawmakers are bracing themselves for an onslaught of rowdy town hall meetings, after congressmen in California and Florida faced raucous crowds last weekend. "The situation was rapidly escalating into a riot," said California Rep. Tom McClintock, who had to be extracted by police from an event in downtown Roseville, the population center of his sprawling congressional district. "One thing came through loud and clear: They were not angry at President Trump for breaking any of his promises - they were angry at him for keeping them." By Lawrence Hurley (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump faces an uphill battle to overcome a federal judge's temporary hold on his travel ban on seven mainly Muslim countries, but the outcome of a ruling on the executive order's ultimate legality is less certain. Any appeals of decisions by U.S. District Court Judge James Robart in Seattle face a regional court dominated by liberal-leaning judges who might not be sympathetic to Trump's rationale for the ban, and a currently shorthanded Supreme Court split 4-4 between liberals and conservatives. The temporary restraining order Robart issued on Friday in Seattle, which applies nationwide, gives him time to consider the case in more detail, but also sends a signal that he is likely to impose a more permanent injunction. The Trump administration has appealed that order. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said late on Saturday that it would not decide whether to lift the judge's ruling, as requested by the U.S. government, until it receives briefs from both sides, with the administration's filing due on Monday. Appeals courts are generally leery of upending the status quo, which in this case - for now - is the suspension of the ban. The upheaval prompted by the new Republican administrations initial announcement of the ban on Jan. 27, with travelers detained at airports upon entering the country, would potentially be kickstarted again if Robarts stay was lifted. The appeals court might also take into account the fact that there are several other cases around the country challenging the ban. If it were to overturn the district court's decision, another judge somewhere else in the United States could impose a new order, setting off a new cascade of court filings. If the appeals court upholds the order, the administration could immediately ask the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene. But the high court is generally reluctant to get involved in cases at a preliminary stage, legal experts said. Story continues The high court is short one justice, as it has been for a year, leaving it split between liberals and conservatives. Any emergency request by the administration would need five votes to be granted, meaning at least one of the liberals would have to vote in favor. "I think the courts going to feel every reason to stay on the sidelines as long as possible," said Steve Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law. Trump last week nominated a conservative appeals court judge, Neil Gorsuch, to fill the vacancy, but he will not be sitting on the Supreme Court for at least two months. Gorsuch's vote, if he is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, could come into play if the case were to reach the court at a later stage of the litigation. Once the case proceeds past the injunction stage of the litigation and onto the merits of whether the order is legally sound, legal experts differ over how strong the government's case would be. Richard Primus, a professor of constitutional law at the University of Michigan Law School, said the administration could struggle to convince courts that the ban was justified by national security concerns. The Supreme Court has previously rejected the idea that the government does not need to offer a basis for its actions in the national security context, including the landmark 1971 Pentagon Papers case, in which the administration of President Richard Nixon tried unsuccessfully to prevent the press from publishing information about United States policy toward Vietnam. "The governments argument so far in support of the order is pretty weak," Primus said. Jonathan Adler, a professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, said the administration has legal precedent on its side, with the courts generally deferential to executive action on immigration. However, he said it is unusual for the courts to be asked to endorse "a policy that appears to have been adopted in as kind of haphazard and arbitrary way as this one appears to have been." (Reporting By Lawrence Hurley; Additional reporting by Tracy Rucinski and Nathan Layne; Editing by Amy Stevens and Jonathan Oatis) Supply of medicines finally arrives in Mahottari after months of shortage The Mahottari district which was reeling under shortage of medicinal supplies will finally heave a sigh of relief with the supply of medicines to last at least three months. President Trump and first lady Melania Trump before the Super Bowl on Sunday. (Carlos Barria/Reuters) President Trump trashed polls that show a majority of Americans oppose his executive order banning immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Any negative polls are fake news, Trump tweeted from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Monday. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting. Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017 Like many of Trumps early-morning Twitter missives, the broadside followed a cable news segment about the topic at hand. A panel on MSNBCs Morning Joe discussed a recent CNN/ORC poll that found that 53 percent of U.S. adults oppose Trumps executive order on immigration, compared with 47 percent who say they support it. Two other national surveys, also released Friday, showed most Americans disapprove of the travel ban. A CBS poll found 51 percent of Americans disapprove of Trumps executive order, compared to 45 percent who approve. A similar survey conducted by Gallup found 55 percent of Americans disapprove of the travel ban, compared to 42 percent who approve. (The same poll also showed 60 percent of Americans disapprove of Trumps plan to construct a wall along the U.S. southern border with Mexico, compared to 38 percent who support it.) The executive order, signed by Trump late last month, bars people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States for 90 days. It also prevents all refugees from entering the United States for 120 days and indefinitely suspends the entry of refugees from Syria. The order caused some people with current visas to be detained and led to widespread protests and legal challenges. Over the weekend, a federal judge ordered the suspension of Trumps travel ban, and the Department of Homeland Security said it would comply with the ruling. (On Twitter, Trump ripped the opinion of this so-called judge and vowed the ruling would be overturned.) A federal appeals court declined to immediately reverse the ruling. Story continues The CNN/ORC poll, released Friday, also showed that 53 percent of Americans disapprove of the job Trump is doing. This is a historic low among recently elected presidents since the advent of modern polling. The president compared such surveys to national polls that showed Trump trailing Hillary Clinton by roughly 2 to 4 percentage points on the eve of the November election. However, those polls were largely correct: Trump won the presidency by capturing the Electoral College, but Clinton won the popular vote by almost 2.9 million votes, 65,853,625 to 62,985,106, a margin of 2.1 percent. Nonetheless, a defiant Trump declared hes his own boss. I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it, he tweeted. Some FAKE NEWS media, in order to marginalize, lies! I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it. Some FAKE NEWS media, in order to marginalize, lies! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017 Trump has long exhibited an obsession with polls, as a candidate, then as president-elect and now as commander in chief. During the primary, for example, Trump repeatedly complained that media outlets werent using a CNN Iowa poll that showed him in the lead before the Iowa caucuses. (Texas Sen. Ted Cruz won; Trump finished second.) Last month, on the eve of his inauguration, Trump denounced as phony and rigged a pair of polls showing him to be the most unpopular newly elected president in at least 40 years. But on Wednesday, Trump tweeted the results of a poll he found to his liking. 'Immigration Ban Is One Of Trump's Most Popular Orders So Far' pic.twitter.com/wAelwuQ4BE Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2017 The national survey, conducted by Morning Consult/Politico Feb. 2 through Feb. 4, showed 55 percent of registered voters said they approve of his immigration order, compared to 38 percent who disapprove. The same poll, however, showed Trumps approval rating is sliding, down two points in the last week, while his disapproval rating is up five. This story has been updated to include Trumps tweet highlighting the Morning Consult/Politico poll. More from Yahoo News: President Trump Denounces Call Transcript Leaks President Trump denounced the leaks of transcripts of his calls to the leaders of Mexico and Australia, calling them a disgrace. According to Fox News, Trump said leaking the transcripts is very much against our country. Its a very dangerous thing for this country, he said. The Hill reported that the White House is investigating how details of the conversations with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto were leaked to the press. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that Trumps conversations were candid but respectful. The Associated Press revealed part of the leaked transcript on Thursday. The transcript allegedly shows President Trump threatening Mexicos Pena Nieto with military action. You have a bunch of bad hombres down there. 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. The phrase bad hombres has become one of Trumps catchphrases. The presidential hopeful used the phrase on the campaign trail in an October debate when he vowed to rid the United States of drug lords and bad people, referring to the estimated millions of undocumented Mexican immigrants in the country. We have some bad hombres here, said Trump, and were going to get them out. One of Trumps overreaching campaign promises was to build a wall along the border between Mexico and the United States, a project with an estimated cost of $15 billion to $15 billion, which Trump expects Mexico to pay. Click here to continue and read more... Trump: Leaked Mexico, Australia Call Transcripts A Disgrace is an article from: The Inquisitr News In an interview that aired on Sunday, Bill OReilly alleged that Vladimir Putin is a killer. Donald Trump replied, We have a lot of killers. Well, you think our country is so innocent? Journalists reacted with disbelief. During the Obama administration, conservatives sometimes suggested that, in his heart, President Obama didnt consider the United States to be morally exceptional. Now Trump is saying so baldly. Im trying to imagine your response if President Obama defended the murderous reign of Vladimir Putin by saying You think our country is so innocent? CNNs Jake Tapper asked Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell. But a flawed premise underlies the question. For Obama, declaring that America has a lot of killers would have constituted a criticism. Thats because Obama, like most American politicians, justifies Americas global role in moral terms. Like George W. Bush, John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Marco Rubio and just about everyone else who has either served as president or campaigned seriously for the job in recent times, Obama describes the United States as the champion of universal principles like liberty, democracy and peace. Thus, had Obama declared that America was no better at upholding those ideals than Putins Russia, his comments would have represented a severe condemnation of his own nation. Recommended: What Effective Protest Could Look Like But when Trump says America is not innocent because it contains a lot of killers, hes not being critical. Theres no evidence that he thinks innocence, or non-violence, are principles to which the United States should aspire. Thats because Trump, almost uniquely among modern presidents and presidential candidates, doesnt justify Americas actions overseas in moral terms. Take his views on torture. Trumps support for it is not unique. The Bush administration practiced torture. The Obama administration may have too. But even Dick Cheney never admitted it out loud. To the contrary, he denied that Americas enhanced interrogation techniques constituted torture so he could continue to portray the United States a moral force in the world. What distinguishes Trump is less policies than his refusal to cloak them in moral garb. Trump boasts about supporting torture. Hes not interested in upholding the notion that America is morally superior to its foes. To the contrary, he wants to show that America can be just as tough and ruthless as everyone else. Story continues Its the same with Trumps statements about stealing Iraqs oil. After toppling Saddam Hussein, the Bush administration pushed Iraqs new government to change the countrys oil law in ways that benefitted American and other international companies. But Bush adamantly denied that economic considerations influenced his decision to invade. Trump, by contrast, has attacked the US for not being predatory enough. To the victor belong the spoils, he said last month in remarks at the CIA. Keep the oil. Recommended: Conservative Critics Are Bracing for Trump's Revenge Most presidents deny Americas imperial history. Even Obama, who angered conservatives for supposedly apologizing for Americas past misdeeds, insisted in his Cairo speech that, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire. Trump, by contrast, is so proud of Americas history of imperialist brutality that he conjures up episodes that never even occurred, like General Pershing supposedly dipping bullets in pigs blood before massacring Muslim rebels in the Philippines. In Walter Russell Meads terminology, Trump is the most nakedly Jacksonian president in recent American history. Ronald Reagan appealed to Jacksonians who wanted Rambo-esque revenge for Americas defeat in Vietnam. George W. Bush appealed to their hunger for payback after 9/11. But both men cloaked those visceral impulses in Wilsonian and Hamiltonian rhetoric about spreading freedom and prosperity across the world. Trump doesnt bother. His unwillingness to claim any larger moral mission for American power is threatening to mainstream Democrats and Republicans, both of whom see reconciling universal morality and national interest as the core work of US foreign policy. But Trumps baldly amoral language empowers Breitbart-style nationalists, who deny that Muslims harbor the same moral instinct as Christians and Jews, and see themselves as combatants in a great tribal struggle between the West and Islam. Its also liberating to left-wing anti-imperialists who see American hegemony as the great enemy of universal ideals like freedom, democracy, equality and peace. For them, its useful that Trump has ripped off Americas moral mask. Trumps comments to OReilly illustrate, yet again, the ways in which he is destabilizing Americas political establishment and empowering insurrectionists across the ideological map. Steve Bannon and Vladimir Putin must both be pleased. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Palm Beach (United States) (AFP) - Donald Trump will meet fellow NATO leaders in May, the White House said Sunday after the president's call with the alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Trump expressed "strong support for NATO" but called on European members to pitch in more, the White House said in a statement, adding that Trump "agreed to join in a meeting of NATO leaders in Europe in late May." "The parties agreed to continue close coordination and cooperation to address the full range of security challenges facing NATO," the White House statement said. The United States provides significant funding to NATO, and Trump has previously urged other member nations to step up their contributions. "The leaders discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments," Sunday's statement added. European leaders are concerned about Trump's virulent criticism of NATO -- he has dubbed the transatlantic military alliance "obsolete" -- at a time when it stands as the main defense against Russia's President Vladimir Putin. According to the White House statement the parties also discussed "the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border." Kiev and the West have accused Russia of supporting eastern Ukrainian rebels and deploying troops across the border, claims that Moscow refutes. Trump's friendly stance toward Putin has been under scrutiny since he won the US election in November. Trump took office with US-Russian ties at new lows amid accusations by American intelligence agencies that the Kremlin hacked Democratic Party emails as part of a pro-Trump campaign to influence the election. National security policy in the Trump presidency is off to a wild start. The president continues to be irascible toward allies, imperturbable toward Russia, and acting with reckless disregard for consequences. Former National Security Council director Jonathan Stevenson poses the question of whether these early days of the Trump administration reveal ineptitude or a radical reorientation of American policies, and settles for concluding both are true. Tom Nichols issued a salutatory corrective to this breathless criticism: hyping the threat of Trump decisions during the transition as unprecedented is in many instances inaccurate, serves to consolidate his supporters, and will desensitize voters to genuine dangers. To take the example of the memorandum on the National Security Council, which has been widely reported as demoting the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and lead intelligence representative (which has changed in the interim with creation of the Director of National Intelligence). Yet the language is identical to that in President George W. Bushs 2001 executive order on the same subject. Suggesting a grievous civil-military peril of the president isolated from the input of military and intelligence professionals has served to obscure the more important issue of formally including a political counselor namely, Stephen Bannon in national security decisionmaking. But there, too, Stevenson and others wrongly treat Bannons inclusion in the Principals Committee as without precursor, when President Barack Obama had earlier blurred the line between political and national security issues by allowing his political advisor into the meetings. Arguing technicalities like whether David Axelrod had a formal vote is hardly a man-the-ramparts distinction. A reasonable case could be made that politicos have a valuable role to play in ensuring domestic support for national security decisions, or that deconflicting, sequencing, and prioritizing the presidents efforts is legitimately a political counselors job. Neither Obama nor Trump have tried to make that case, and politicizing national security decisions leaves them more vulnerable to being criticized by the opposition party or overturned by successive administrations. But it is completely defensible for the president to organize the national security process largely to his liking. Story continues Moreover, it is pointless (and probably a violation of the separation of powers) for Congress to attempt to legislate practices that dont suit the presidents needs. Will Wechsler from the Center for American Progress and I conducted a study of NSC best practices, in which we interviewed leading policymakers from both parties, and the main finding was that formal interagency processes are meaningless unless they match the managerial practices of the president. When they do not, as in the Obama administrations initial aspiration to run a Scowcroft-type interagency process, informal practices develop to better provide the president information, preserve private deliberation with trusted advisors, and conduct diplomacy. As Madeleine Albright told us about the Obama NSC, it is working the way the president wants it to, meaning that Obama himself organized the process to marginalize the views of the military, diplomatic, and intelligence professionals and pursue his national security policies in the company of Tom Donilon, David Axelrod, Denis McDonough, and Ben Rhodes. Finding ways to match this presidents management will be no small feat. But there is good reason to believe that as Cabinet departments are staffed up and execution of policies begins, power will shift away from the White House. The start of most presidential administrations is chaotic because jobs are not yet filled and everybodys newly working together. This transition is more chaotic than most because a) the Trump team was unprepared, b) many experienced conservative policymakers declined to support the candidate, and c) this presidents management style is less structured than most. But he appointed mostly qualified people to the Cabinet, many of whom are known to disagree with some of his more virulent prescriptions. Vice President Mike Pence is headed to Europe with reassuring words, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was only just confirmed (but gave a solid opening performance in reassuring his department), and Secretary of Defense James Mattis has been a model diplomat. Showing he understands the importance of symbols for countries reliant on American partnership, Mattiss first phone call was to the Canadian defense minister, the second to his Mexican counterpart, and third to the NATO secretary general. He took his first overseas trip on his second week in office, to bolster Asian allies that had been badly shaken by candidate Trumps campaign rhetoric. And he threatened our adversaries (saying North Korea would face withering retaliation for any attack on South Korea) and reassured our friends (publicly committing that the United States would aid Japan in any conflict over disputed territory). The president may yet rebuke his Cabinet for pursuing polices at odds with his proclivities, but it looks more as though Trumps wilder tendencies and reckless loyalists in the White House are being reined in as processes of national security decision making are found by the most recent band of amateurs in whom the American voters have reposed their trust. Photo credit: PETE MAROVICH Pool/Getty Images Elliott Abrams is reportedly under consideration to be deputy secretary of statesetting up a strange third act for the longtime Republican foreign-policy figure, and a strange No. 2 for the Trump State Department. Politicos Michael Crowley reports that Abrams is meeting with President Trump on Tuesday, and that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson supports him for the job. Josh Rogin previously reported that Abrams was in the running for the job. Abrams declined to comment for this article. If selected and confirmed by the Senate, Abrams would occupy a peculiar role: the most prominent neoconservative, and most experienced foreign-policy professional, in an administration that has promised to repudiate nearly everything that neoconservatism stood for, and which has disdained foreign-policy professionals as bumbling fools. Joining the administration would also require both Abrams and Trump to get over some longstanding differences. Trump is notoriously fond of revenge, and Crowley writes that presidential adviser Steve Bannon is vetting Abrams to see if the White House can get past his past criticisms of the now-president. Abrams advised both the campaigns of both Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. In March, he told Politico he wasnt sure whether he could vote for either Trump or Hillary Clinton, and in May he wrote a piece for The Weekly Standard likening the election to 1972s Democratic nomination of George McGovern: The party has nominated someone who cannot win and should not be president of the United States. We anticipate a landslide defeat, and then a struggle to take the party back from his team and his supporters and win the following presidential election. Meanwhile, we need to figure out how to conduct ourselves. Recommended: What Effective Protest Could Look Like Many neoconservatives opposed Trump: As a candidate, he blasted the Iraq war and lied that he had opposed it from the start; called for pulling back from American involvement overseas; and showed little interest in national defense, though he paid lip service to building up the military. But Abrams is not just any neoconservative. Hes a member of one of the movements first families. His late wife, Rachel Decter, was the daughter and stepdaughter, respectively, of the neoconservative progenitors Midge Decter and Norman Podhoretz. While Norman eventually backed Trump, reluctantly, his son (and Abramss brother-in-law) John Podhoretz has remained a vocal Trump critic. Story continues Taking a job as the No. 2 diplomat for a president whom he wouldnt support as the GOP nominee would be a remarkable third act for Abramss career. His first big job came in the Reagan administration, where he was assistant secretary of state, including terms overseeing humanitarian affairs and the inter-American policy. That brought him into the Iran-Contra affair, in which the federal government secretly sold weapons to Iranin violation of an arms embargoand then funneled the proceeds to fund the Contras, the right-wing militias opposing Nicaraguas left-wing Sandinista government, also contrary to federal law. The independent counsel investigating the scheme considered charging Abrams with several felonies, but Abrams agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor cases of withholding evidence. He was later pardoned by President George H.W. Bush in the last days of his administration. Recommended: How to Build an Autocracy When Bushs son became president eight years later, he appointed Abrams deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser, supervising U.S. policy in the Middle East. Abrams was a supporter of the Iraq war and took a lead on Israeli-Palestinian issues. Hes now a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and writes for a variety of outlets, including items posted on The Atlantic. Its a sign of how much Trump has shifted the center of the foreign-policy discourse that one of Abramss signal virtues for the job appears to be that he might be widely acceptable to a range of constituencies. Thats remarkable, given his Iran-Contra record and his time in the Bush administration, the Middle East record of which is, to understate things, contestednot least by Trump. But bringing Abrams on would help reassure the more hawkish and neoconservative wing of the Republican Party, which has slumped uneasily toward Trump since his election but hasnt fully embraced him. And it might win over liberals, too, who see in Abrams someone they dont agree with, but an adult with experience in foreign policya commodity that is conspicuously absent in the Trump administration. Tillerson, for example, spent his entire career until this month at ExxonMobil. The suggestion that Tillerson is pushing Abrams is intriguing, given Abramss past criticism of Trump and reports of tension between Tillerson and the White House over Trumps immigration executive order. Recommended: Can Megyn Kelly Escape Her Past? Matt Waxman, a former Bush administration State Department official who worked with Abrams and is now a professor at Columbia Law School, signed a letter from GOP national-security experts assailing Trump during the campaign. In an email, he wrote that Abrams could be a strong asset to the administration. Secretary Tillerson needs a strong #2 who knows the State Department and the interagency process, as well as the Washington and global diplomacy arenas, Waxman said. Elliott is masterful at working the levers in all of them. Abrams does have some areas of agreement with Trump. He seems to align with the president, at least in broad strokes, in his approach to Israel; Abrams wrote in support of David Friedman, Trumps pick for ambassador to Israel. He also has pointed to the persecution of Christians around the world, and has written that Western nations should grant refugee status to endangered Christian communitiesa position thats in line with Trumps own views on the matter. In other areas, they differ. Abrams wrotetoo optimistically, in retrospectin 2011 that Syrian President Bashar al-Assads vicious regime was likely to fall, while Trump has shown little interest in Assads departure, leaning toward the Russian approach of keeping the Syrian president in power nearly six years after the civil war erupted. Abrams has also been critical of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who early on appears to be Trumps closest friend in the Arab world. Of course, not everyone would be on board with an Abrams pick. Eric Alterman rips Abrams in The Nation, indicting Abrams not only for Iran-Contra but his role in a grab-bag of other Latin American adventures, as well as his work in the Middle East under Bush. In the right-of-center, intervention-skeptical The National Interest, Daniel DePetris zeroes in on some of the same issues, writing, Is the neoconservative, unilateral interventionism that Abrams has advocated for throughout his careerand that led directly to the second Iraq Warthe kind of foreign-policy doctrine that President Trump wants in his State Department? The reported former leading candidate for the deputy secretarys job was also a neoconservativeJohn Bolton, who served as ambassador to the UN under George W. Bush. But Bolton has always been something of a man apart, a figure too wild-eyed and warlike even by the hawkish standards of the neoconservative movement. According to some theories, it was Boltons trademark mustache that torpedoed his chances at the secretary of states job, but he also hit a roadblock in the person of Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who made clear that neither Bolton nor Rudy Giuliani would earn his confirmation vote because of their advocacy for the Iraq War. Would Abrams clear the bar for Paul? Abrams has criticized Paul in the past, and the Kentucky senator has not commented publicly on the recent reports. A request for comment from Pauls office was not immediately returned. As always, its impossible to tell whether Trump might move forward on Abrams. He has been known to change his mind mercurially, and the matter of the old slights may still create a barrier. If those can be patched over, however, the men could strike an unexpected deal that would give Trump some credibility with neocons by bringing one of their to the administration, and give Abrams a chance to steer the untutored Trump team toward his own views. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. TIA gold smuggling case: Court remands SSP Khatri to 4-day custody The Kathmandu District Court on Monday remanded Nepal Police SSP Shyam Khatri to judicial custody for four days in connection with his alleged involvement in gold smuggling via Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). Turkey has suffered a series of terror attacks over the past two years (AFP Photo/) Istanbul (AFP) - Turkish security forces have detained over 750 people suspected of links to the Islamic State extremist group in Turkey's biggest ever crackdown against the organisation, state media said Monday. Some 450 suspects were picked up in the initial phase of the nationwide operation on Sunday but the number held has now risen to 763, the Anadolu news agency said. It said raids took place in 29 of Turkey's 81 provinces and documents, weapons and ammunition were also seized. The operation came just over a month after 39 people, mainly foreigners, were killed on New Year's night when a gunman went on the rampage inside a plush Istanbul nightclub. The IS jihadist group claimed the massacre, its first clear claim for a major attack in Turkey although it had been blamed for several bombings in 2016. Turkish police have over the last few years launched numerous raids against IS suspects but a nationwide operation on this scale against the group is unprecedented. Anadolu quoted Turkey's police directorate as saying that IS was looking to stage a "sensational action" inside the country for propaganda purposes, with media organisations seen as a possible target. No further details were given. Turkey was long accused by its Western allies of not doing enough to stop the flow of jihadists across its borders and emergence of IS cells in its own cities. Ankara denies the charges, saying it listed IS as a terror group since 2013. However, observers say Turkey has markedly stepped up its actions against the group in the last few months. Police captured alive the suspected Reina nightclub attacker, Abdulgadir Masharipov, an Uzbek national, on January 16 after more than two weeks on the run and observers believe he may provide crucial intelligence. According to media reports, Masharipov had also considered attacking Istanbul's main Taksim Square as well as the offices of the opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper. Turkey has suffered numerous attacks at the hands of Islamic State in recent months. But over the weekend, it swung back. On Monday, the Interior Ministry announced police in 29 Turkish provinces rounded up 820 terrorist suspects over the past week 763 alone on Sunday. Its believed to be the countrys largest coordinated anti-terror operation against the Islamic State yet. The nationwide raids were meant to head off another deadly terror attack, particularly as Turkey makes military gains in neighboring Syria, the Islamic States main nesting ground. Police said the Islamic State was looking for ways to plan a new sensational attack with its networks inside Turkey. Its a well-founded fear. The Islamic State claimed credit for numerous terror attacks in Turkey in recent months, including a shooting at an Istanbul nightclub New Years Eve that killed 39. Since the terrorist group first emerged as a threat on Turkeys doorstep, Turkey has detained over 5,000 Islamic State suspects and deported over 3,290 foreign suspects, the pro-government Turkish outlet Daily Sabah reported. Massive anti-terror raids are good PR, but its unclear how effective they really are. On Feb. 1, for example, over 1,000 police carried out shock-and-awe raids across Germany and came up with only one arrest and 15 suspects caught and later released. The latest raids in Turkey netted digital materials and documents, but also only four rifles, two handguns, and 372 rounds of ammunition, according to state-run Andalou news agency. Turkey didnt give details about any alleged ties the 820 suspects have to the Islamic State. But ever since the botched military coup in July, 2016, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has developed a penchant for cracking down on political opponents, free press, and businesses under the guise of anti-terror operations. Turkey has been in a state of emergency since the failed coup where the president can rule by decree. Critics say its only an excuse for Erdogan to consolidate power. Photo credit: OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images Turkish-backed forces captured the town of Bzaa in Aleppo governorate on February 4, as they advanced against Islamic State militants near al-Bab, the Free Syrian Army (FSA) said. Also moving towards the hotly-disputed al-Bab were Syrian regime forces who, aided by Russian airstrikes, advanced against IS from southwest of the city. The Syrian forces claimed they were positioned 6 km from al-Bab, according the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. This video was shared by an FSA faction, Jabha Shamia, and was described as showing fighting against Islamic State during the capture of Bzaa. Credit: Sham Front via Storyful By Valerie Volcovici WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Army secretary could make a decision on the final permit needed to complete the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline as soon as Friday, the government's lawyer told a Washington, D.C., court on Monday. The Army Corp of Engineers told the court it has submitted its recommendation to Robert Speer, the acting secretary of the Army, on whether it needs to complete a full environmental review before it can grant the final permit allowing work to start on a contested tunnel under a lake. The review was requested in December by former President Barack Obama. Opponents argue that letting the pipeline cross under Lake Oahe, a reservoir that is the water source for the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, would damage sacred lands and could leak oil into the tribe's water supply. Proponents believe the pipeline is necessary to transport U.S. oil safely and that it would create jobs. Jan Hasselman, an attorney with Earthjustice, who represents the Standing Rock Sioux, said the tribe will challenge the U.S. government in court if the Army grants the easement. The tribe, along with other Native American groups, environmentalists and other activists, have opposed the $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline led by Energy Transfer Partners LP. He said it is unclear whether construction could begin while the decision is challenged or whether the court will grant an injunction blocking the work. Our position is the tribe's treaty rights and the law require the full (Environmental Impact Study) process that the government initiated in December. Issuing the easement without that process will be a serious violation of the law, Hasselman told Reuters. A spokesman for the Army was not immediately available to comment. Energy Transfer Partners declined to comment on the legal proceedings. At the hearing at the D.C. Circuit Court on Monday, lawyers for ETP said the pipeline would become fully operational around 90 days after construction begins. If the easement is granted, oil can start crossing under the lake, a reservoir that is part of the Missouri River, as soon as 60 days after construction starts. (Additional reporting by Liz Hampton in Houston; Editing by Dan Grebler) BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. embassy in Baghdad said on Monday it has limited the movement of its personnel after receiving "credible threats of possible attacks on hotels frequented by Westerners". "As a reminder, U.S. citizens should maintain a heightened sense of security awareness and take appropriate measures to enhance their personal security at all times when living and working in Iraq," an emergency security message for U.S. citizens on the embassy's website said. It did not give details on the nature of threat. U.S. authorities advise citizens to avoid traveling to Iraq citing the risk of being kidnapped by armed political groups or criminal gangs and bombings by the group Islamic State. Three defense contractors kidnapped in January 2016 in Baghdad and released a month later were the first Americans kidnapped in Iraq since U.S. troops pulled out in 2011. Iraq is one of seven majority-Muslim countries that are subject to U.S. President Donald Trump's temporary travel ban, which Baghdad has said is unfair. (Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Catherine Evans) By Valerie Volcovici WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former and current employees of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency expressed opposition to President Donald Trump's pick to run the agency on Monday - in an open letter and a small street protest - reflecting divisions over the new administration's plans to slash regulation. Over 400 former EPA staff members sent a letter to the U.S. Senate asking it to reject the nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as the agency's new leader, saying "he has shown no interest in enforcing environmental laws." In Chicago, around 30 employees of the EPA's regional office there joined a protest organized by the Sierra Club environmental group and the American Federation of Government Employees to protest Pruitt's nomination. Doug Eriksen, a spokesman for Trump's transition team at the EPA, downplayed the Chicago protest, saying "employees have a right to take action on their private time." Trump has vowed to cut regulation to revive the oil, gas and coal industries, and has said he can do so without compromising air and water quality. He nominated Pruitt, who has sued the EPA more than a dozen times as Oklahoma's top prosecutor to block its regulations, to run the agency, sparking alarm among Democrats and environmentalists. Last Thursday, the Senate environment committee approved Pruitt despite a boycott of his nomination by the panel's Democratic members. He is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate, in Republican control after last November's election, but a date for the vote has not been set. The former EPA employees who sent the letter to the Senate wrote that they believed Pruitt has a history of siding with industry and has been reluctant to accept "the strong scientific consensus on climate change." Employees at the Chicago rally raised concerns that Pruitt may cut employees and resources needed for the agency to enforce environmental regulations. "The EPA needs to be able to enforce the rules when companies are breaking the law," said Sherry Estes, an EPA lawyer who participated in the protest. (Additional reporting by Robert Chiarito in Chicago; Editing by Dan Grebler) By Lisa Lambert and Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Republicans on Friday repealed a securities disclosure rule aimed at curbing corruption at energy and mining companies and voted to ax emissions limits on drilling operations, part of a push to remove Obama-era regulations on extractive industries. In a 52-47 vote, the Republican-controlled Senate approved a resolution to eradicate a rule requiring companies such as Exxon Mobil and Chevron Corp to publicly state taxes and other fees paid to foreign governments like Russia. The House of Representatives already passed the measure. President Donald Trump is expected to sign it within days. On Thursday, the Senate repealed a rule that would have limited coal companies from dumping waste into streams. After a number of legal battles, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in June 2016 completed the regulation, which supporters said could help expose questionable financial ties U.S. companies may have with foreign governments. Senate Democrats raised concerns that Exxon's chief executive during those legal fights was Rex Tillerson, who was recently confirmed as U.S. secretary of state and has worked extensively in Russia. "It should be lost on no one that in less than 48 hours, the Republican-controlled Senate has confirmed the former head of ExxonMobil to serve as our secretary of state, and repealed a key anti-corruption rule that Exxon Mobil and the American Petroleum Institute have erroneously fought for years," Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland said, referring to the oil industry's trade group. Exxon and other major energy corporations fought for years to block the rule, required by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law. Cardin, the senior Democrat on the foreign relations committee, wrote the Dodd-Frank section on the payments to foreign governments with Richard Lugar, a former Republican senator. Critics of the rule said it duplicated existing regulations, was too costly and burdensome for companies to implement and that it put U.S. companies at a competitive disadvantage with state-owned companies in other countries that do not have to divulge such information. The change could give American companies an edge over Canadian and European companies that face some of the toughest transparency rules in the world. RARELY USED LAW PREVENTS OPPOSITION Republicans have taken advantage of a seldom-used law known as the Congressional Review Act to overturn recently enacted rules with simple majorities in both chambers, denying senators the opportunity to filibuster and stall a vote. Democrats said Republicans were using the review act to help companies not the public. "When it comes to giving public resources to private interests and gutting our nation's health, environmental and financial standards, the Republicans cant seem to act fast enough," said Representative Raul Grijalva. "Whoever theyre doing this for, it isn't the American public." The Congressional Review Act also bars agencies from revisiting overturned rules, which could pose a legal conundrum for the SEC, which is required by law to enact a payments regulation. The Senate will next consider repealing a rule limiting venting and leaking of the powerful greenhouse gas methane by oil and gas drillers on federal and tribal lands, mostly in the U.S. West. The repeal was passed by the Republican-controlled House on Friday. The Interior Department finalized the methane rule in November. The oil industry has argued that it would add to costs for new and existing wells. Environmentalists have said the rule would protect human health and return more than $800 million in royalties to taxpayers over 10 years. (Additional reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Paul Simao, Toni Reinhold) By Mica Rosenberg (Reuters) - Nearly 100 companies, including some of high-tech's biggest names, joined a legal brief opposing President Donald Trump's temporary travel ban, arguing that it would give companies incentives to move jobs outside the United States. The companies - including Apple Inc , Google Inc and Microsoft Corp - banded together late on Sunday to file a "friend-of-the-court" brief with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco arguing that the ban "inflicts significant harm on American business." Trump's Jan. 27 executive order temporarily barred entry into the United States of people from seven Muslim-majority nations as well as suspending the U.S. refugee program, sparking protests and chaos at U.S. and overseas airports. On Friday, a federal judge in Seattle temporarily blocked the order. The Trump administration had a deadline on Monday to justify its action at the appeals court. Pending the next ruling in the case, the travel ban remained suspended, and people with valid visas who had been blocked from travel were being allowed to board planes. Refugee resettlement also resumed. The companies, backing a lawsuit brought against the ban by Washington state, argued that Trump's order created uncertainty for companies depending on talent from overseas and global business travel to innovate and create jobs in the United States. "Highly skilled immigrants will be more interested in working abroad, in places where they and their colleagues can travel freely and with assurance that their immigration status will not suddenly be revoked," the brief said. "Multinational companies will have strong incentives ... to base operations outside the United States or to move or hire employees and make investments abroad." "Ultimately, American workers and the economy will suffer as a result," the companies argued. Story continues A major theme of the new Republican president's 2016 presidential campaign was bringing back jobs he said had been moved to other countries. Facebook Inc , Twitter Inc , Intel Corp , eBay Inc , Netflix Inc and Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] joined the brief, as well as non-tech companies such as Levi Strauss & Co [LEVST.UL] and Chobani Llc. Uber's chief executive, Travis Kalanick, quit Trump's business advisory group on Thursday amid mounting pressure from activists and employees who oppose administration immigration policies. No other companies on the council, assembled during the transition leading up to Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration, signed on to the "friend-of-the-court" brief. The tech companies, which employ many foreign-born nationals, have been among the most vocal groups speaking out against the travel order, which Trump has defended as necessary to ensure tougher vetting of people coming into the country and better protect the nation from the threat of terror attacks. In its response to the lawsuit, the government argued in legal filings that the president was exercising his constitutional authority to control U.S. borders and that the law allows him to suspend the entry of any class of foreigners who "would be detrimental to the interests of the United States." The Department of Justice declined to comment beyond the filed court papers. The government had until 3 p.m. PST (2300 GMT) on Monday to submit additional legal briefs to the appeals court in support of the executive order. Following that, the court was expected to act quickly. A decision either way may ultimately result in the case reaching the U.S. Supreme Court. The brief filed by the companies hailed the contributions inclusive immigration policies have made to the American economy. It claimed that immigrants or their children have founded more than 200 of the companies on the Fortune 500 list. In addition to some of the companies filing the brief, the attorneys pointed to companies such as Kraft Inc [KRAFTB.UL], Ford Motor Co , General Electric Co , AT&T Inc , McDonalds Corp , Boeing Co , and Walt Disney Co . "Collectively, these companies generate annual revenue of $4.2 trillion, and employ millions of Americans," the brief said. Susan Cohen an attorney at Mintz Levin in Boston who represents big companies in immigration matters, including global information company and Reuters parent Thomson Reuters, said lawyers were advising clients to get to the United States as quickly as possible because the current situation allowing travel could change. She said that businesses were going out of their way to provide the most up-to-date information to their employees as the fast-moving court battle developed. "Many businesses are extremely upset and confused," Cohen said. "They don't know if meetings will be able to go forward or they will be able to bring people in for work. They can't plan." (Additional reporting by Chris Michaud) TMLP asks Deuba to honour commitment Madhes-based parties have asked Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba not to deviate from his commitment to endorse the amendment bill before going to elections. PITTSBURGH (AP) A Carnegie Mellon University student who developed and sold malicious software through an online cybercriminal marketplace that allowed others to remotely control Google Android smartphones has been sentenced to three years' probation. U.S. District Judge Arthur Schwab also ordered Morgan Culbertson, 22, to perform 300 hours of community service. The native of Churchill, a Pittsburgh suburb, had faced up to 16 months in prison under federal sentencing guidelines. But, he was spared incarceration after his defense attorney and prosecutors acknowledged his lack of a criminal record and efforts to use his prodigious computer skills constructively since he was charged in July 2015. Culbertson has since helped develop language translation software for a major search engine firm, and mobile malware security software for another company, Schwab said, citing a presentence report. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jimmy Kitchen described Culbertson as a "youthful" whiz kid "looking for a challenge" but didn't downplay the very real harm caused by the Dendroid app Culbertson created. "This is something that was highly invasive, highly dangerous and leaked out through the Darkode forum," Kitchen told the judge. Culbertson is one of 12 people charged by U.S. authorities in a worldwide takedown of the Darkode.com cybercriminal marketplace. A total of 70 people worldwide have been targeted for allegedly using the cybercriminal marketplace where hackers bought and sold malicious software, and otherwise advertised schemes to infect computers and cellphones with software that could cripple or illegally control the devices. "I'm very sorry for what I did and I will be haunted by this for the rest of my life," Culbertson told the judge, addressing the court after his parents and old brother read statements vouching for his remorse. Culbertson is currently on leave from Carnegie Mellon, where he has completed his sophomore year studying electrical computer engineering, but hopes to continue his studies eventually. Story continues Prosecutors haven't said how many phones were actually infected by Culbertson's Dendroid app, but have said he had plans with another Darkode compatriot to sell enough copies of it to infect 450,000 phones. The Dendroid app was bound by a computer program to other Google apps so that when customers downloaded the apps onto their phones, they were unwittingly downloading Dendroid, too. A hacker who bought Dendroid from Culbertson for $300 to $400 online could control up to 1,500 phones, enabling the hacker to remotely cause the phone to shoot pictures or video, and therefore spy on the phone's owner. The malware also enabled hackers to track the phone owner's internet searches, text messages and other uses. KItchen said Culbertson worked online with a man identified only as "Mike from the Netherlands" to create Dendroid, then conspired with another man to develop the software that "bound" Dendroid to the Google apps. Culbertson's online user name was "Android," Kitchen said. Robert Culbertson, the defendant's father, cried as he told the judge that his son is a "very skilled programmer." "He wants to bring some good out of this," Culbertson's father said. PANAMA CITY (AP) Panamanian authorities say a 23-year-old U.S. tourist has been found dead on a Caribbean island. Panama's Civil Defense said the body of Catherine Johannet of New York was found Sunday on a trail in a wooded area not far from a beach on Bastimentos Island. The U.S. Embassy in Panama City confirmed her death. No cause of death was provided. Johannet had been staying in a hostel on Colon Island, part of the same archipelago popular for its clear water and coral reefs. The U.S. Embassy says that Panamanian authorities and the FBI had searched for Johannet throughout the weekend and will continue investigating the case. WASHINGTON (AP) Donald Trump's unpredictable foreign policy could hamper longstanding U.S. intelligence-sharing partnerships as countries react to a president who seeks closer ties to Russia and is unafraid to offend American allies by cracking down on immigration or getting angry with friendly leaders. Veteran spies say intelligence relationships are built to weather storms between political leaders. Even in the worst of times, allies share intelligence to thwart threats. But the lack of understanding about Trump's foreign policy direction and his potential new friendship with Moscow are creating jitters across the Western world. "We are facing an unprecedented level of uncertainty today," said John Blaxland, a former Australian intelligence official and professor at Australian National University. He said there is mutual benefit to these "broad, deep" intelligence sharing relationships, but added: "It is hard to calculate just how much damage the new president's approach may have." "It will be felt," Blaxland predicted, "and it won't be good." Russia is a main concern. If Trump moves forward with efforts to improve U.S.-Russian relations, European allies in particular will probably question how safe their intelligence is in American hands. Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and threatening movements near the borders of NATO members in Eastern Europe have contributed to the perception of Moscow as a threat to national sovereignty. If American intelligence agencies are instructed to enhance cooperation with Russia, U.S. allies see "significant counterintelligence threats that come with that," said Steven Hall, a retired CIA chief of Russia operations. He said they "will be much more careful in the future." As candidate and president, Trump has sparked widespread international unease by questioning the value of U.S. military alliances, if not necessarily intelligence partnerships. He called NATO "obsolete" and challenged countries such as South Korea and Japan to assume greater self-defense responsibility. In the last weeks, however, Trump advisers have gone out of their way to stress the durability of such arrangements and America's commitment to its friends. Story continues Detente between Washington and Moscow is no sure thing, despite Trump's intentions. Under President Barack Obama, relations between the former Cold War foes strained dramatically over Syria, Ukraine and alleged Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential election after initially improving under a "reset" policy. In recent days, Trump's administration has reverted to criticizing the Kremlin after a flare-up of violence involving Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Regardless of Trump's new direction, Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, a former CIA officer and new member on the House Intelligence Committee, said American intelligence professionals recognize the need to protect information they receive. "The point at which our allies will get concerned is if they believe that our intelligence professionals do not view Russia as an adversary," he said. Trump's sometimes impulsive style and lack of experience handling classified information also have foreign officials concerned. Mark Galeotti at the Institute of International Relations in Prague, said European intelligence officials worry that Trump or his advisers will "blurt something out at the wrong moment or to the wrong person." Allies might curtail what they share as a result, said Galeotti, who talks with intelligence officials in Europe and Russia. "It's not so much about how much," he said. "It's precisely how heavily edited it is, how carefully it's scrutinized to absolutely make sure that there is nothing that you are worried about leaking." Former French internal intelligence chief Louis Caprioli said European countries might hold information related to Ukraine or other issues closer, given the uncertainty of Trump's relationship with Putin. But he said intelligence sharing will continue in critical areas, such as counterterrorism. "Intelligence services go beyond the political world," Caprioli said. Still, allies fret about politics seeping into U.S. intelligence findings. Trump has disparaged U.S. intelligence agencies for past failures and publicly challenged their assessment that Russia meddled in the presidential election. A day after he was inaugurated, Trump delivered an unusual speech at the CIA headquarters criticizing the media's coverage of his inaugural crowds. Wesley Wark, a University of Ottawa professor and national security expert, said U.S. allies may ask more questions about the source of American intelligence products. For example, he said, they might think a certain piece of intelligence is from Trump's strategic adviser Steve Bannon, a conservative media executive who now sits on the National Security Council. "There will be a growing concern about politicized as opposed to truthful, objective judgments and reports," Wark said. Last weekend's testy conversation between Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull concerned a refugee deal Trump inherited from Obama. It didn't relate to the "Five Eyes" intelligence-sharing program the U.S. has with Australia, Canada, Britain and New Zealand. Nevertheless, California Rep. Adam Schiff, the House Intelligence Committee's top Democrat, said the spat can't be dismissed as simply "Trump being Trump." Schiff said Australia shares America's interest in fighting terrorism and countering Chinese actions, and stood alongside the U.S. in every war of the last century. "This is not a relationship to be taken for granted or abused," he said. The committee chairman, GOP Rep. Devin Nunes of California, isn't worried: "I have no doubt that intelligence sharing with our allies will continue to be robust and productive." ___ Associated Press writer Lori Hinnant in Paris contributed to this report. By Jessica Toonkel (Reuters) - Newly named Viacom Inc Chief Executive Officer Bob Bakish will outline his plans to revive the company's struggling business on Thursday during an earnings call, he told shareholders on Monday. Bakish is focused on fixing the MTV channel and Paramount Pictures film studio, he said during Viacom's annual meeting in New York. MTV has been struggling with poor ratings as younger viewers increasingly watch content online, while Paramount has suffered from a poor couple of years of film releases. Bakish, who was formerly head of Viacom's international business, became permanent CEO in December after a year of distractions at the company. Controlling shareholders Sumner and Shari Redstone were battling for control of Viacom, resulting in the departure of Philippe Dauman as CEO. Bakish was named CEO after the company announced the end of merger explorations with CBS Corp. Bakish cited five areas targeted for improvement: brands, content, culture, distribution and international opportunities. "While Viacom has creative, dynamic content, there is no denying we must do better," Bakish said at the annual meeting in Viacom's headquarters. Bakish made his remarks after shareholders re-elected the five directors who the Redstone family added to the board last year. As part of the changes, 93-year old Sumner Redstone stepped down from the board. Redstone is in poor health and has not attended an annual meeting since 2014, but his daughter, Shari, vice chair of the board, was there on Monday. Viacom is announcing quarterly results on Thursday morning. Analysts on average expect earnings per share of 84 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S, down from $1.18 a year earlier. (Reporting by Jessica Toonkel; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn) Super Bowl commercials often have a patriotic bent remember Bob Dylan proclaiming, for Chrysler in 2014, that theres nothing more American than America? but rarely in the past have they had a sociopolitical ax to grind. However, this is a new era, and during Sunday nights game, many of the ads that aired tackled themes of diversity and tolerance in the face of President Donald Trumps move to restrict immigration into the U.S. For instance: 1. Budweiser ran a commercial eulogizing its founder, Adolphus Busch, himself an immigrant who came from Germany to the U.S. where he was told, according to the ad, that hes not wanted here. But he crossed the American frontier and settled in St. Louis; the rest is history. Some Trump supporters are now calling for a boycott of Budweiser in the wake of the advertisement. 2. 84 Lumber, a relatively unknown construction supplies company, gave us what might be the most talked-about commercial of the night: a long saga of a Hispanic mother and daughter making their way north to the U.S. border, only to be confronted with a looming, monolithic wall. The original cut of the ad was reportedly banned by Fox, who deemed it too political, but the full version is now available: 3. Google has recently rolled out Google Home, a voice-activated domestic assistant, and to advertise it, the company brought a multicultural cast to present the happiness of the American home in diversity a challenge, perhaps, to those Americans who believe otherwise. 4. Its A 10, a hair-product company, warned Americans that were in for four years of awful hair. Enough said. 5. Whats more American than America, Bob Dylan? Coca-Cola, and their minute-long Super Bowl spot was sweet and to the point: a montage of young Americans singing America the Beautiful in a host of different languages. Together Is Beautiful, the tagline reads. Transitional justice should also address root causes of the conflict The two-year mandate of the two transitional justice bodies formed to investigate insurgency-era cases will expire at the end of the week. (WASHINGTON) The White House says it expects the courts to restore President Donald Trumps ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries, an executive order founded on a claim of national security. The next opportunity for the presidents team to argue in favor of the ban will come in the form of a response to a lawsuit by Washington state and Minnesota contending that Trumps order harms residents and effectively mandates discrimination. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal has ordered the Justice Department to file its briefs by 6 p.m. EST Monday. The San Francisco-based appeals court has already turned down a Justice Department request to set aside immediately a Seattle judges ruling that put a temporary hold on the ban nationwide. That ruling last Friday prompted an ongoing Twitter rant by Trump, who dismissed U.S. District Court Judge James Robart as a so-called judge and his decision ridiculous. Trump renewed his Twitter attacks against Robart on Sunday. Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! He followed with another tweet saying he had instructed the Homeland Security Department to check people coming into the country but that the courts are making the job very difficult! Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday that we dont appoint judges to our district courts to conduct foreign policy or to make decisions about the national security. Trump himself had offered an optimistic forecast the previous night, telling reporters during a weekend at his private club in Florida: Well win. For the safety of the country, well win. The government had told the appeals court that the president alone has the power to decide who can enter or stay in the United States, an assertion that appeared to invoke the wider battle to come over illegal immigration. Story continues Congress vests complete discretion in the president to impose conditions on entry of foreigners to the United States, and that power is largely immune from judicial control, according to the court filing. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, predicted the appeals court would not have the last word. I have no doubt that it will go to the Supreme Court, and probably some judgments will be made whether this president has exceed his authority or not, she said. In his ruling, Robart said it was not the courts job to create policy or judge the wisdom of any particular policy promoted by the other two branches, but to make sure that an action taken by the government comports with our countrys laws. Whatever the outcome and however the case drags on, a president who was used to getting his way in private business is finding, weeks into his new job that obstacles exist to quickly fulfilling one of his chief campaign pledges. The president is not a dictator, said Feinstein, D-Calif. He is the chief executive of our country. And there is a tension between the branches of government. Meanwhile, dozens of high-tech companies, including giants like Apple, Google, and Uber, filed briefs in court late Sunday siding with Washington state and saying the executive order hurts their businesses by making it harder to recruit employees. The companies also said the travel ban would prompt businesses to build operations outside the United States. The Twitter attacks on Robart appointed by President George W. Bush prompted scolding from fellow Republicans as well as Democrats. We dont have so-called judges, said Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb. We dont have so-called senators. We dont have so-called presidents. We have people from three different branches of government who take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. However, Pence defended the president, saying he can criticize anybody he wants. The vice president added that he believes the American people find it very refreshing that they not only understand this presidents mind, but they understand how he feels about things. Trumps order applied to Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen Muslim-majority countries that the administration said raise terrorism concerns. The order had caused unending confusion for many foreigners trying to reach the United States, prompting protests across the United States and leading to multiple court challenges. The State Department said last week that as many as 60,000 foreigners from those seven countries had had their visas canceled. After Robarts decision, the department reversed course and said they could travel to the U.S. if they had a valid visa. The department also advised refugee aid agencies that refugees set to travel before Trump signed his order would now be allowed in. The Homeland Security Department no longer was directing airlines to prevent visa-holders affected by Trumps order from boarding U.S.-bound planes. The agency said it had suspended any and all actions related to putting in place Trumps order. Pence appeared on ABCs This Week, CBS Face the Nation, NBCs Meet the Press and Fox News Sunday. McConnell was on CNN, Feinstein spoke on Fox and Sasse was interviewed by ABC. Trump speaks to troops at an air force base in Florida Vows support for Nato; increased resources for military Trump lists terrorist attacks and emphasises security policy Washington and Minnesota file court papers warning of "chaos" if travel ban reinstated Commons Speaker, John Bercow, opposes Trump address to parliament The White House released a list of 78 terror attacks around the world on Monday, saying most of them did not get sufficient attention from the media. The release came after President Donald Trump appeared to accuse the media of covering up terrorist attacks by not reporting them. "Youve seen what happened in Paris and Nice. All over Europe it's happening," the president told military commanders at Central Command. "Its gotten to a point where it's not even being reported. And in many cases the very, very dishonest press doesnt want to report it. They have their reasons, and you understand that. Mr Trump offered no evidence for the claim. Here's the list the White House sent of attacks they feel "did not receive adequate attention from Western media sources." pic.twitter.com/lj8eOZQfnY Kevin Liptak (@Kevinliptakcnn) February 7, 2017 Sean Spicer, Mr Trump's spokesman, later said the president was accusing the media of "under reporting" rather than not reporting terrorist attacks. Before issuing the list, he said: "Theres several instances. Theres a lot of instances that have occurred where I dont think they've gotten the coverage it deserved. "Protest gets blown out of the water and yet an attack or a foiled attack doesn't necessarily get the same coverage." The list includes incidents like a truck massacre in Nice that killed dozens and received widespread attention, as well as less high-profile incidents in which nobody was killed. Story continues One of the listed incidents was the fatal stabbing of British tourist Mia Ayliffe-Chung in Australia in August 2016, which Queensland Police specifically determined to be a murder case rather than a terrorist attack. France | Recent terror attacks 2012 - 2016 "Networks are not devoting to each of them the same level of coverage they once did," a White House official said. "This cannot be allowed to become the 'new normal.'" It was Mr Trump's latest salvo against the news media, a favorite target for derision that he says broadly underestimated his chances during the presidential campaign. He has kept up the attacks since his January 20 inauguration. Al Tompkins at The Poynter Institute, a Florida-based journalism school, dismissed Mr Trump's criticism. "To suggest that journalists have some reason not to report ISIS attacks is just outlandish," Mr Tompkins said, using an acronym for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Mr Trump made the accusations while addressing a gathering of troops in Florida during his first visit to the Central Command headquarters. The president said he wanted to allow into the United States people who "want to love our country," as he defended his controversial travel ban. Mr Trump reaffirmed his support for Nato before military leaders and troops, and laced his speech with references to homeland security. But he did not directly mention the travel ban case. 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 The president told the troops and commanders that "we need strong programmes" so that "people that love us and want to love our country and will end up loving our country are allowed in" and those who "want to destroy us and destroy our country" are kept out. He continued: "Freedom, security and justice will prevail. "We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism and we will not allow it to take root in our country. We're not going to allow it." 4:53AM 'Trump' replaced with 'Steve Bannon' in web browser extension A new Google Chrome extension replaces the word "Trump" with "Steve Bannon" as part of an effort to highlight the influence that the White House chief strategist has on the president, writes Chris Graham. American Bridge, a Democrat-aligned super PAC, produced the internet browser extension to show the "power" Donald Trump has ceded to his controversial right hand man. It also comes with a warning: Anyone who thought the news about the Donald Trump administration was terrifying should exercise extreme caution when reading about the reckless and bigoted policies ordered by President Bannon, American Bridge Vice President Shripal Shah told Business Insider. Mr Trump has become increasingly frustrated over reports suggesting Mr Bannon is the power behind the throne, with the New York Times bearing the brunt of many of his attacks. Read the full article here. 2:59AM Trump warns again of terrorism With a US federal appeals court set to hear arguments on Tuesday over whether to restore Mr Trump's temporary travel ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries, the president has taken to Twitter to once again warn of the threat of terrorism. The threat from radical Islamic terrorism is very real, just look at what is happening in Europe and the Middle-East. Courts must act fast! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 7, 2017 2:33AM O'Reilly dismisses Kremlin's call for apology Bill O'Reilly has dismissed the Kremlin's call for an apology after the Fox News host described Vladimir Putin as "a killer" in his interview with Mr Trump. O'Reilly made the comment as he tried to press the US president to explain more fully why he respected his Russian counterpart. O'Reilly did not say who he thought Putin had killed. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We consider such words from the Fox TV company to be unacceptable and insulting, and honestly speaking, we would prefer to get an apology from such a respected TV company". O'Reilly responded: "I'm working on that apology but it may take a little time. You might want to check in with me around ... 2023." 2:27AM White House releases list of terror attacks The White House has released a list of 78 attacks it describes as "executed or inspired by" the Islamic State group. The White House says most did not get sufficient attention. The list includes incidents like a truck massacre in Nice that killed dozens and received widespread attention, as well as less high-profile incidents in which nobody was killed. Here's the list the White House sent of attacks they feel "did not receive adequate attention from Western media sources." pic.twitter.com/lj8eOZQfnY Kevin Liptak (@Kevinliptakcnn) February 7, 2017 Mr Trump claimed during a speech earlier on Monday that the media was deliberately ignoring attacks. He said that, "in many cases, the very, very dishonest press doesn't want to report it," adding: "They have their reasons." 1:32AM San Diego and Tijuana mayors extol virtues of cross-border ties The mayors of the largest metropolitan area on the US-Mexico border called on Monday for stronger bi-national ties, striking a sharp contrast with US president Donald Trump's calls to build a wall and renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). San Diego's Kevin Faulconer and Tijuana's Juan Manuel Gastelum didn't mention Mr Trump or his American counterpart Enrique Pena Nieto by name at a joint news conference, but their concern about growing tension between the two countries and its potential economic impact was evident in their remarks. "We can't control what happens outside our cities, but I know this: We will continue our story of collaboration, our story of friendship, and we will continue working together - together - for the prosperity of our people," Mr Faulconer said. Mr Gastelum said, "We have made a lot of progress over the years, but we know there is more work to do. We want to keep the momentum going, and to do that we must keep the relationship strong in light of some of the things that have been said outside of our cities." Mr Faulconer, a Republican who won a second term in a landslide election last year in a solidly Democratic city, has taken issue with Mr Trump in the past. He said during the presidential primary that Mr Trump hadn't earned his vote. When Mr Trump signed an executive order last month to erect a wall on the 2,000-mile divide, Mr Faulconer said, "We already have a safe and secure border in San Diego built by the federal government." Mr Faulconer pledged last year to serve his full term as mayor of the nation's eighth-largest city through 2020, but he continued to privately discuss a possible run for California governor in 2018. His message of stronger ties with Mexico would play well to a statewide audience. 1:09AM New Zealand leader has 'sensible, polite' talk with Trump New Zealand's prime minister says he told president Donald Trump during a phone call that he disagreed with his travel and refugee ban but that the conversation remained amicable. Spoke with @POTUS@realDonaldTrump about the economy, trade, defence and immigration. I also thanked him for US support for Kaikoura. pic.twitter.com/ZZFpnnsYFF Bill English (@pmbillenglish) 5 February 2017 Last week Mr Trump had a testy exchange with Malcolm Turnbull, the Australian prime minister, over a deal the country reached with the Obama administration to resettle refugees in the US By contrast, Bill English on Tuesday told Radio New Zealand that his 15-minute call with Mr Trump on Monday was a "sensible, polite discussion" that affirmed the good relationship between the countries. Mr English said he told Mr Trump he disagreed with the contested refugee ban but didn't berate him over it. "I'm not there to scold him, although a lot of people might like us to do that," Mr English said. 1:00AM Academy Awards organisers call for artistic freedom, no US barriers The head of the organization behind the Academy on Monday called for diversity and freedom of expression, saying the United States should not put barriers in the way of artists from around the world. Cheryl Boone Isaacs, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, told the 165 Oscar-nominated actors and film makers there was a "struggle globally today over artistic freedom that feels more urgent than at any time since the 1950s," an apparent reference to the anti-communist blacklists of some in the movie industry at the time. Speaking at a luncheon in Beverly Hills for the 2017 nominees, Ms Isaacs noted that there were "some empty chairs in this room, which has made Academy artists activists." Iranian director Asghar Farhadi and actress Taraneh Alidoosti, who stars in his foreign-language nominated film "The Salesman," said last week they would boycott the February 26 ceremony to protest president Donald Trump's travel restrictions on Iranians and six other Muslim-majority countries. Art has no borders. Art has no language. Art doesnt belong to a single faith. -Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs #OscarsLunch The Academy (@TheAcademy) 6 February 2017 Other Oscar nominees who expect to find difficulty traveling to Los Angeles for the ceremony include those behind documentary "The White Helmets" about civilian Syrian rescue workers. Ms Isaacs did not directly mention the travel restrictions, but she said, "America should always be not a barrier but a beacon. ... We stand up to those who would try and limit our freedom of expression." "When we speak out against those who try and put up barriers, we reinforce this important truth - that all artists around the world are connected by a powerful bond, one that speaks to our creativity and common humanity," she said, to loud applause. 12:00AM Arguments set for Tuesday over Trump travel ban A federal appellate court has scheduled telephone oral arguments for Tuesday afternoon in a lawsuit over President Trump's travel and refugee ban. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear from lawyers from the federal government and states suing Trump. Washington state and Minnesota sued Trump last week, saying the ban harmed residents and effectively mandated discrimination. The Justice Department says the issue is a matter of national security and Trump's executive order affecting seven predominantly Muslim countries was well within his authority. The appellate court this weekend denied the Trump administration's request to immediately set aside a Seattle judge's ruling that put a hold on the ban nationwide. 11:51PM Justice department files brief supporting travel ban The Justice Department has filed a brief with a federal appeals court in support of president Donald Trump's travel and refugee ban. The document was filed on Monday with the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals. The filing says the Trump administration executive order that bans travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations is a "lawful exercise" of presidential authority. A federal judge in Washington state put the order on hold on Friday. Federal government lawyers say the ruling by the judge, James Robart, was overly broad and should be overruled. The court has scheduled oral arguments over the travel ban for Tuesday February seventh at 6pm EST (11pm GMT). It was not immediately clear when the 9th Circuit might rule, but the legal fight may ultimately reach the US Supreme Court. In brief | Judge James Robart 11:38PM Trump summit with Japan's Abe to include round of golf Us president Donald Trump will play a round of golf with Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe in Florida this week and said he will make sure the Japanese leader is his partner in the game, rather than a competitor. Mr Trump, who is due to welcome Mr Abe at the White House on Friday, told Westwood One Sports Radio on Sunday that golf was a better way to get to know someone than having lunch. A transcript of the interview was made available by the White House. Asked whether he would have a bet on the round, expected to be played at Trump's Mar-a-Lago private resort in Palm Beach on Saturday, the president replied: "I don't know. I think - I know he loves the game, and we're going to have a lot of fun. It won't matter. I'll just make sure he's my partner." Mr Trump raised worries in Japan during his presidential campaign when he appeared to question the long-standing US alliance with Tokyo and said it was not sharing enough of the cost of the American security umbrella, a charge he has leveled at other US allies. James Mattis, the US defence secretary, wrapped up a visit to Japan on Saturday reaffirming Washington's commitment to its defense treaty with the Asian country. Security, trade and currency policy are expected to dominate the meeting with Mr Abe. Mr Trump has criticised the lack of access to Japan's auto market for US manufacturers and has accused Tokyo of using monetary policy to devalue its currency. He has also lumped Japan with China and Mexico as big contributors to America's trade deficit. Mr Abe was the first foreign leader to meet Mr Trump after his November election win. 11:22PM Scores of EPA workers object to Donald Trump's pick to lead agency Hundreds of current and former employees of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are speaking out against President Donald Trump's pick to head the department. About 300 people, including scores of EPA employees, rallied on Monday across the street from the agency's regional headquarters in downtown Chicago to oppose Oklahoma attorney general Scott Pruitt's nomination. Hundreds of #EPA workers and their supporters rally in Chicago to speak out against Trumps pick to lead agency. https://t.co/iOK44rinWrpic.twitter.com/E8hrZjSjXT AP Central U.S. (@APCentralRegion) 6 February 2017 Nearly 450 former EPA officials also signed a letter sent to the US Senate saying that Mr Pruitt is the wrong man for the job. At the rally in Chicago, EPA employees and their supporters waved signs that read "Stop Pruitt" and "Save EPA." EPA staff attorney Sherry Estes predicted Pruitt would seek to shackle the agency's enforcement efforts. She said employee morale within the agency has plummeted since Mr Trump's election. He has pledged to roll back environmental protections. 10:48PM Elon Musk joins a legal brief opposing the immigration ban Elon Musk's Tesla Inc and SpaceX on Monday joined a legal brief filed by businesses opposed to President Donald Trump's order restricting immigration from seven Muslim-majority companies, according to a court filing. Mr Musk agreed to become part of Mr Trump's business advisory council in December, and has advocated discussing issues directly with the president. Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick quit the council last week amid mounting pressure over Mr Trump's immigration policies. 10:48PM Sean Spicer: 'We'll provide a list later' of 'under reported' terrorist attacks Sean Spicer, Mr Trump's spokesman, later said the president was accusing the media of "under reporting" rather than not reporting terrorist attacks, Nick Allen reports. He said: "We'll provide a list later. Theres several instances. Theres a lot of instances that have occurred where I dont think they've gotten the coverage it deserved." "Protest gets blown out of the water and yet an attack or a foiled attack doesn't necessarily get the same coverage." He said the White House was "absolutely not" thinking about withdrawing the immigration executive order. Mr Spicer said: "Once we win the case it will go right back into action." 10:07PM Jordanian airline cites US immigration ban to drum up customers Jordan's national airline is drumming up business for US-bound flights in a light-hearted advertisement. It follows the US judge's temporary suspension of President Donald Trump's travel ban targeting those from seven Muslim-majority countries. The Royal Jordanian ad reads: "Fly to the U.S. now that you're allowed to" and had the word "ban" edited graphically to read "bon" in "bon voyage." Basel Kilani, an sspokesman for the airline has told the Associated Press Monday that the company is offering discounts of up to 20 percent for flights to Chicago, New York and Detroit. Jordan is not one of the black-listed countries, but serves as a regional travel hub. The spokesman says the ban was bad for business. 9:54PM Donald Trump's war on the media continues... Nick Allen reports that in his speech at MacDill Airforce base Mr Trump also appeared to accuse the media of covering up terrorist attacks by not reporting them: The president told military commanders at Central Command: "Youve seen what happened in Paris and Nice. All over Europe it's happening. "Its gotten to a point where it's not even being reported. And in many cases the very, very dishonest press doesnt want to report it. They have their reasons, and you understand that. Mr Trump offered no evidence for the claim. Sean Spicer, Mr Trump's spokesman, later said the president was accusing the media of "under reporting" rather than not reporting terrorist attacks. He said: "We'll provide a list later. Theres several instances. Theres a lot of instances that have occurred where I dont think they've gotten the coverage it deserved. "Protest gets blown out of the water and yet an attack or a foiled attack doesn't necessarily get the same coverage." He said the White House was "absolutely not" thinking about withdrawing the immigration executive order. Mr Spicer said: "Once we win the case it will go right back into action." 9:10PM The White House channels Ronald Reagan Throughout the US election the Trump campaign liked to compare their candidate to Ronald Reagan. Like Mr Trump, he was in television - an actor - before he got into politics, and, also like Mr Trump, his arrival in Washington was met with panic and disdain by many movers and shakers of this town. And his speeches also had a populist bent. Many would say the comparisons end there. But his legacy, especially among Republicans is one of an effective president - hence the White House's desire to draw comparisons. Mr Reagan, who died in 2004, is being commemorated today on would have been his birthday. Happy birthday to Pres. Reagan. His leadership inspired a generation to believe in America. Honored to have been sworn in as VP on his bible pic.twitter.com/jl63DAIJmS Vice President Pence (@VP) February 6, 2017 8:56PM Russia breaks with Donald Trump over Iran The Kremlin has said it does not agree with Mr Trump's assessment, aired at the weekend, that Iran is "the number one terrorist state", warning that any attempt to reopen the nuclear deal with Tehran would inflame tensions in the Middle East. "Russia has friendly partner-like relations with Iran, we cooperate on a wide range of issues, value our trade ties, and hope to develop them further," said Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman told journalists in Moscow. Mr Trump's comments, which came in an interview with Fox news, came as his administration put the Islamic Republic "on notice" following an Iranian ballistic missile test and imposed new economic sanctions on Friday. The US is trying to drive a wedge between Iran and Russia, who have been cooperating to support the Assad regime in Syria. This represents one of the first major public disagreements between Donald Trump's administration and Vladimir Putin, who have both expressed their wish to improve relations between the US and Russia. 8:09PM Kanye West withdraws support for Trump In news that will make the president's blood run cold, Kanye West has now deleted all his previous tweets praising Mr Trump. It's true. A real slap to the face. Kanye West deletes tweets on meeting with Trump https://t.co/MNcMiEuwW3pic.twitter.com/nVh9NQKh7N The Hill (@thehill) February 6, 2017 7:06PM Trump wraps up his first speech to troops 6:58PM Trump: We are up against an enemy that celebrates death Trump is now detailing the threats against America. He lists 9/11, the Boston marathon bombing, attacks in Europe. And he says the attacks on the US are not being reported - a somewhat strange claim... It's got to the point where the media doesn't want to report it. The very dishonest media. They have their reasons, but they don't want to report it. 6:56PM Trump: We will take care of you Mr Trump promises more money for troops, saying the navy is worse funded than at any time since the Second World War. We will show the entire world we stand with those who stand with freedom. We have your back always. We also ask our allies to pay their fair share. We fully support Nato, but we only ask that members of Nato pay their fair share - which they have not been doing. Central Command is at the very heart of the battle against radical Islamic terrorism. 6:50PM Donald Trump takes the stage in Florida The first thing he says - after a fortnight of anger at inauguration crowd size, "illegal voting" and Hillary Clinton's winning from him the popular vote - is about "those numbers": We had a wonderful election, didn't we? And I saw those numbers. You like me - and I like you. 6:23PM Trump having lunch with troops Donald Trump is being shown talking to the troops in Tampa, Florida. He laughs about Tom Brady, a supporter of his, who last night won the Super Bowl. He then asks the troops why they joined. Mr Trump will deliver a speech later. 6:10PM Trump at MacDil air force base in Florida Donald Trump is currently in Florida, at the MacDil air force base. He is due to speak shortly. Watch out for discussion of: Trump's first military action: the raid on an al-Qaeda compound in Yemen, which killed a Navy Seal and civilians. The travel ban, which is currently blocked but could be reinstated later today once Trump's team file court documents in San Francisco. Trump's comments this weekend that "we are not so innocent", when asked about Vladimir Putin's record. 5:38PM John Bercow: Trump should not address parliament John Bercow has outlined his opposition to Donald Trump addressing both Houses of Parliament during his forthcoming state visit. Opposition to the prospect of the US president giving a formal address in Westminster Hall has grown in recent weeks and the Commons Speaker said such an opportunity is not an "automatic right". Mr Bercow said he was "strongly opposed" to the idea of an address before Mr Trump imposed his controversial travel ban, and he had since become "even more strongly" against it. 5:10PM Trump lashes out at New York Times again He is due to address the troops shortly, but Donald Trump evidently has other issues on his mind. The failing @nytimes writes total fiction concerning me. They have gotten it wrong for two years, and now are making up stories & sources! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017 So what has got him so enraged this time? The New York Times has, this morning, a front-page story entitled: "Trump and staff rethink tactics after stumbles". It's a remarkably in-depth look inside the White House; the reporters say it is based on "interviews with dozens of government officials, congressional aides, former staff members and other observers of the new administration, many of whom requested anonymity." They write: Aides confer in the dark because they cannot figure out how to operate the light switches in the cabinet room. Visitors conclude their meetings and then wander around, testing doorknobs until finding one that leads to an exit. In a darkened, mostly empty West Wing, Mr. Trumps provocative chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, finishes another 16-hour day planning new lines of attack. Usually around 6:30 p.m., or sometimes later, Mr. Trump retires upstairs to the residence to recharge, vent and intermittently use Twitter. With his wife, Melania, and young son, Barron, staying in New York, he is almost always by himself, sometimes in the protective presence of his imposing longtime aide and former security chief, Keith Schiller. When Mr. Trump is not watching television in his bathrobe or on his phone reaching out to old campaign hands and advisers, he will sometimes set off to explore the unfamiliar surroundings of his new home. For all the intrigue, there is one line that has caught the eye of Washington watchers this morning. for the moment, Mr. Bannon remains the presidents dominant adviser, despite Mr. Trumps anger that he was not fully briefed on details of the executive order he signed giving his chief strategist a seat on the National Security Council Steve Bannon profile 4:37PM Donald Trump arrives at Central Command The president has arrived at Fort MacDill air force base in Florida for what will be his first big address to the troops. He'll receive a briefing from Central Command and US Special Operations Command, and have lunch with enlisted personnel. Mr Trump is expected to speak about 1.15 pm local time, (6.15pm UK time). 3:59PM President Trump attacks CNN approval rating poll as 'fake news' President Trump has been on Twitter again. He decided to respond to a CNN poll which showed 53 per cent of Americans disapproved of the job he was doing, the highest number recorded for a newly elected president. Mr Trump said the poll was "fake news". Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017 I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it. Some FAKE NEWS media, in order to marginalize, lies! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017 3:17PM View from heart of "Trumpland" My colleague, David Lawler, has travelled to Kansas to ask people there what they make of the ban. He writes: In Wallace County, on the High Plains of Western Kansas, a friendly conversation is likely to end in a warning: "be careful". The plains seems to stretch endlessly, and are dotted with small towns corresponding to stops on a freight rail line. Some 1,500 people are spread across nearly 1000 square miles, and just 45 of them voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016, making Wallace the reddest county in one of America's reddest states. In Sharon Springs, the county's largest town with 761 residents, locals talk about immigrants and liberals in much the same way: "No, not here, but I hear there are some a couple towns over." 2:13PM What do both sides say? Democrats and some Republicans are deeply troubled by Mr Trump's actions, especially his attack on the judge who instituted the lifting of the president's travel ban. In his ruling, Judge Robart said it was not the court's job to "create policy or judge the wisdom of any particular policy promoted by the other two branches," but to make sure that an action taken by the government "comports with our country's laws." Senator Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, predicted the appeals court would not have the last word, and said it would likely be referred to the Supreme Court. "The president is not a dictator. "He is the chief executive of our country. And there is a tension between the branches of government." The Twitter attacks on Judge Robart - appointed by President George W. Bush - prompted scolding from fellow Republicans as well as Democrats. 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 Ben Sasse, a Republican senator for Nebraska, said: "We don't have so-called judges. "We don't have so-called senators. We don't have so-called presidents. We have people from three different branches of government who take an oath to uphold and defend the constitution." However, Mike Pence, the vice president, defended the president, saying he "can criticise anybody he wants." The vice president added that he believes the American people "find it very refreshing that they not only understand this president's mind, but they understand how he feels about things." 2:06PM What happens next? Washington and Minnesota have filed their views to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in San Francisco. The Justice Department has until 6pm ET (11pm UK) to file their response. The San Francisco court can then decide whether to overrule Washington and Minnesota, and reinstate the ban - or to back the two states against the government, and keep the block on the ban. We expect that decision to come fairly quickly. Either way, the losing side will almost certainly appeal the decision to the Supreme Court - which will slow this fast-moving fight down considerably. 2:01PM What is the travel ban? 1:49PM Stage set for latest round of travel ban wrangling In the early hours, Washington and Minnesota filed court papers urging that the block on Mr Trump's travel ban be upheld. "Defendants now ask this Court to unleash chaos again by staying the district court order. The Court should decline." The Justice Department has until 6pm Eastern Time (11pm UK) to respond. Two weeks into his brief presidency, most of the headlines about Donald Trumps foreign policy efforts have been negative. Theyve addressed angry phone calls with allies and other world leaders, and a further poisoning of Washingtons relationship with Mexico over Trumps border wall. Until now, most of the damage appears to have emanated from Trump himself. That changed on Monday, when a senior British lawmaker revealed that the so-called special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom apparently doesnt extend to welcoming President Trump to speak before the Houses of Parliament. Related: Defying the Legacy of the Free World, Trump Instills Fear Itself John Bercow, who has served as Speaker of the House of Commons since 2009, said on Monday that he would block any effort to give trump the opportunity to address the Commons and the House of Lords during a widely-expected state visit later this year, a promise he has the authority to follow-through on. The talk of a Trump visit to the UK intensified last week after British Prime Minister Theresa May came to the White House and extended an invitation to the new president to meet Queen Elizabeth. The offer incensed many in the British public. A petition demanding that the invitation be rescinded was submitted to Parliament, and with 1.8 million signatures to date, easily satisfied a trigger requiring lawmakers to debate the proposition. We value our relationship with the United States, Bercow said in the Commons on Monday, according to the BBC. He also pointed out that it is not really within his power to thwart the Queen if she wishes to extend an invitation, saying, If a state visit takes place, that is way beyond and above the pay grade of the Speaker. However, Bercow said that Trumps accumulated attacks on migrants and refugees, his history of sexist behavior and his disdain for the role of the judiciary in a democratic society show that the U.S. president has not earned the right to address Parliament. He said those feelings only intensified after Trump announced an executive order banning refugees from entering the country. Story continues Related: Is Trumps Travel Ban Already Hurting US Tourism? Before the imposition of the migrant ban, I would myself have been strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall, Bercow said. After the imposition of the migrant ban I am even more strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall. He added, As far as this place is concerned, I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the House of Commons. While Trump and Prime Minister May made a public display of graciousness and restated their two countries promises of mutual support, Bercows statement pulls back the curtain on what may have become a much more complicated relationship between the two countries. As part of the five eyes intelligence-sharing network, the U.S. and UK, together with Australia, New Zealand and Canada, work closely together to monitor terrorism and other threats. It will not have been lost on British leaders that the Australian Prime Minister was on the receiving end of one of Trumps outbursts last week over an agreement by the U.S. to take in refugees. Related: The Global Decline of Trust in the Age of Trump There have also been reports that British intelligence officials are requesting guarantees from their U.S. counterparts that their most sensitive information on sources and methods wont be compromised, either purposefully or inadvertently, by a president that they do not regard as disciplined. Trumps actions while in office, including a widely noted affection for Russian president Vladimir Putin, havent helped. If Bercows comments about Trump are just the beginning of a broader rejection of Trump as a leader among U.S. allies, the impact on U.S. standing around the world, and on national security, could be vast. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: When parents separate or divorce, they often wonder what's best for their young children: should they spend more time with their mother in order to maintain a strong relationship? Or, should time be split equally? A new study may offer the answer. Researchers found that children of divorce benefited from spending time, including sleeping over, at both parent's homes. And the adult children who went on to have the best relationships with their parents were the ones who spent equal time at both their mother's home and their father's home when they were very young, according to the study, published today (Feb. 2) in the journal Psychology, Public Policy and Law. [25 Scientific Tips for Raising Happy (and Healthy) Kids] Previous research suggested that when a child spends too much time with his or her father early in life, it can damage the mother-child bond, which had been viewed as the more important relationship, the researchers wrote in the study. However, the researchers found that "not only did overnight parenting time with fathers during infancy and toddlerhood cause no harm to the mother-child relationship, it actually appeared to benefit children's relationships with both their mothers and their fathers," lead study author William Fabricius, an associate professor of psychology at Arizona State University, said in a statement. The researchers included more than 100 college students in the study whose parents had separated or divorced before the student was 3 years old. These students were asked to assess their current relationships with each of their parents. In addition, the researchers surveyed each student's parents, asking them to report the amount of time the student spent as a young child with either the mother or the father. The parents also reported the amount of time the child spent with the father from ages 5 to 10 and from ages 10 to 15, according to the study. Finally, the parents noted whether they were separated or divorced for one, two or three of their child's first three years, the researchers wrote. Story continues The scientists found that the more overnight parenting time that the students had as infants and toddlers, up to and including equal time spent with the mother and father, the better their current relationships with their parents were. The time spent with both parents at age 2 was particularly important, the researchers wrote. If a 2-year- old missed out on spending the night at both parents' houses, the parents couldn't compensate later with more overnight time, according to the study. The researchers noted that these particular overnight visits had a positive effect on the parent-child relationship regardless of any conflicts or disagreements between the mother and father about the overnights. In other words, the findings were the same whether the parents agreed on equal time or not. The researchers offered several reasons for why equal time with both parents is beneficial. For the fathers, "having to care for their infants and toddlers for the whole cycle of evening, bedtime, nighttime and morning helps dads learn to parent their children from the beginning," Fabricius said. "It helps dads and babies learn about each other, and provides a foundation for their future relationship," he said. For the mothers, letting the child spend the night with his or her father could offer a break from the stress of being a single mother, the researchers wrote. Originally published on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fstory%2fthumbnail%2f35940%2f415479d2-8126-4477-8663-744fc05a2a93 An unexpected meteor is sure to surprise anyone lucky enough to catch a glimpse. Catching it on camera is a whole separate shock. Marcella Canfora was driving in Caledonia, Wisconsin from work with a friend when a fireball made a sudden appearance in the night sky. In what may be the most perfectly timed Snapchat of all time, Canfora pushed the record button just as the meteor came into frame. "What the fuck?" Canfora says as the meteor zooms across the sky, followed by the sudden realization that she caught it all on video. "What the fuck I caught that. What the fuck?" she says. A perfect reaction to a perfectly WTF scenario. Very relatable child loses it when the internet goes down Andrew Garfield reveals why he kissed Ryan Reynolds at the Golden Globes Watch Lady Gaga's triumphant Super Bowl halftime show in full NASA wins over Super Bowl geeks with longest Hail Mary pass ever By Rod Nickel and Anna Mehler Paperny WINNIPEG, Manitoba/BUFFALO, New York (Reuters) - Refugees in the United States fearing a worsening climate of xenophobia in the wake of a divisive U.S. presidential campaign are flocking to Canada in growing numbers. Manitoba's Welcome Place refugee agency helped 91 claimants between Nov. 1 and Jan. 25 - more than the agency normally sees in a year. Most braved the freezing prairie winter to walk into Canada. "We haven't had something before like this," said Maggie Yeboah, president of the Ghanaian Union of Manitoba, which has helped refugees get medical attention and housing. "We don't know what to do." A temporary restraining order by a U.S. judge of President Donald Trump's executive order that blocked nationwide the implementation of key parts of the travel ban has provided a reprieve for refugees trying to come to the United States. But Canadian advocacy organizations are bracing for a greater influx of asylum-seekers, driven in part by the contrast between the ruling Liberal government's acceptance of Syrian refugees in Canada with Trump's anti-foreigner rhetoric. "They will make a dash for Canada, whether they are going to go through cold weather to die or not," said Abdikheir Ahmed, a Somali immigrant in Manitoba's capital Winnipeg who helps refugees make claims. Since late summer, 27 men from Ghana walked to Manitoba from the United States, Yeboah said. Two lost all their fingers to frostbite in December and nearly froze to death. More than 7,000 refugee applicants entered Canada in 2016 through land ports of entry from the United States, up 63 percent from the previous year, according to Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Over 2,000 more entered "irregularly" during a similar time period, without official authorization, such as across unmonitored fields. Four hundred and thirty asylum seekers crossed Manitoba's border irregularly in the first nine months of 2016-17, up from 340 the entire previous year, CBSA said. Story continues "The U.S. presidential campaign, putting undocumented immigrants and refugees in the spotlight, terrified them," said Ghezae Hagos, counselor at Welcome Place. "The election and inauguration of Mr. Trump appears to be the final reason for those who came mostly last month." In Quebec, 1,280 refugee claimants irregularly entered between April 2016 and January 2017, triple the previous year's total. In British Columbia and Yukon, 652 people entered Canada irregularly in 2016, more than double the previous year. More of these people would enter at border crossings, advocates say, if Canada didn't have a policy of turning many of them away when they do. The 2004 Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement requires people to apply for asylum in the first of the two countries they arrive in. Advocates argue the agreement inadvertently encourages people to dangerously sneak into Canada and make a claim rather than be rebuffed at the border. If the government doesn't abandon this agreement, they say, it could find itself in court. The number of refugee applicants crossing the land border under exceptions to the Safe Third Country Agreement has risen by 16 percent in the first nine months of 2016 compared to the same time period the year before. In Buffalo, New York, hundreds of people are streaming through Vive, a shelter that helps refugee applicants to Canada. Vives client numbers, including long-time U.S. residents and refugees, spiked last summer and have stayed consistently high since two or three times what theyd normally see a year or two ago. Vive's Canadian service manager Mariah Walker expects to see even more. "Clients are definitely spooked by (Trump's) executive orders," said Walker. Related: CANADIAN WELCOME Prime Minister Trudeau took office in 2015 on a commitment to admit tens of thousands of Syrian refugees. "While the majority of the world is turning their backs and building walls, the fact that Trudeau took this bold humanitarian goal put [Canada] on the map," said Chris Friesen, director of settlement services at Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia. But this year, Canada plans to take only 7,500 government-assisted refugees - less than half last year's number. People eager to sponsor refugees find themselves waiting years to do so. Anisa Hussein, 20, and Lyaan Mohammed, 19, hired a smuggler to take them from Somalia to Minneapolis in August, where they planned to settle in a large Somali community. But Trump's anti-refugee rhetoric frightened them into traveling to Manitoba days later. "(Trump) said he would turn away the refugees and we would go back to Somalia," said Mohammed, peeking timidly from behind the hood of a thick parka she received in Canada for winter. "We were so scared. We just wanted to be [in] a safe place." They rode a bus and taxi to North Dakota, then walked for hours into Emerson, Manitoba and filed refugee claims. They might have been able to cross at a port of entry if Canada's policies were different, says Canadian Council for Refugees executive director Janet Dench. Her organization, as well as Amnesty International and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, are demanding Canada abandon the Safe Third Country Agreement: Trump's United States is no safe haven, they argue. The government is standing by the agreement, Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen told the House of Commons last week. If the government doesn't act, Dench said, her group will sue. "We are talking about peoples charter rights. So, yes, we would expect to see something in the courts." For a graphic on Csnadian refugee claims, click http://tmsnrt.rs/2keMDuH (Additional writing by Andrea Hopkins; additional reporting by Nicole Mordant in Vancouver, editing by Edward Tobin) SAN FRANCISCO (AP) A 12-year-old girl who was stranded in an African country after President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily banning people from seven predominantly Muslim nations from entering the U.S. has reunited with her family in San Francisco. Eman Ali and her father, Ahmed, arrived together Sunday at the airport, where they were greeted by her older sister and other relatives as well as many reporters. She ran to embrace her older sister, Salma, and the two hugged and cried. Eman and her father had been stuck in the east African nation of Dijbouti since Monday, when authorities refused to let Eman board a plane with him to the United States because she is from Yemen. The Middle Eastern nation is one of the seven predominantly Muslim nations listed in Trump's order. That order was halted by a federal judge in Seattle on Friday. Eman's father, mother and older sister are U.S. citizens, but Eman, who was born in Yemen, had not yet received citizenship when Trump issued his order. Her lawyer says she became a citizen upon entry. Her father a 38-year-old grocery store manager from Los Banos, California, said he spent five years trying to get Eman a visa. Ahmed Ali said he's now happy to be home with all his family and adds "it's the best feeling." Ahmed Ali criticized Trump's order. "It's not fair. I mean some people they are bad, but that doesn't make everybody bad," he said. Through her father, Eman Ali said she's excited to see her mother and her younger sister. DENPASAR, Indonesia (Reuters) - Prosecutors in Indonesia are examining online video comments by a U.S. woman jailed for 10 years over the 2014 murder of her mother on the resort island of Bali to decide if they justify a stiffer sentence, authorities said on Monday. Heather Mack, originally from Chicago, was tried and convicted alongside then-boyfriend Tommy Schaefer in the murder of her mother, Sheila von Wiese-Mack, whose body was found stuffed in a suitcase in a taxi outside a luxury hotel. In the video uploaded to Youtube on Feb. 2, Mack speaks to the camera, saying she initially asked Schaefer to find someone to kill her mother, but he refused. "I don't regret killing my mother ... but I regret bringing Tommy into it. Tommy is an innocent man," she says. It was unclear when or where the video was recorded. A lawyer for Mack said she had been pressured into making the confession video. "We suspect Tommy's motivation is to attack Heather after they broke up," the lawyer, Ben Seran, told Reuters. Schaefer's lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment. Prosecutors were studying the video, said Ashari Kurniawan, a public relations official in the Bali prosecutor's office. "If Mack is indeed the mastermind of the murder, the video can be used as evidence in the case, and the sentence should be heavier than it is now," he said. Mack and her mother, who had a troubled relationship, had traveled together to Bali in August 2014, and were staying at a luxury hotel, the St. Regis Bali resort. Schaefer joined them, surprising von Wiese-Mack, who did not know he was coming to Indonesia. Schaefer, who said in court he had killed von Wiese-Mack in self-defence, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for premeditated murder. Mack was convicted of being an being an accessory to murder. She is serving her term in a Bali prison where she gave birth to a daughter just before being sentenced. In the three-part video, Mack says although Schaefer is innocent, he had helped hide her mother's body in the suitcase. "I don't want to live in a lie anymore. I made it up in my heart ... that I wanted to kill my mother," she says, adding that she believed her mother had killed her father several years earlier. (Reporting by Reuters stringer in DENPASAR Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) With a little bit of work, you can turn a casual appearance at a music festival into a full-blown vacation. Whether you want to listen to jazz greats in the heart of Montreal, dance the night away in South Africa, or discover your new favorite band in the outskirts of Washington State, there's a music festival for fans of every genre and every type of traveler. Hit the festival for a long weekend or tack on a day or two to your trip to wander the streets of Barcelona, Marrakech, or Palm Springs and make it a proper getaway. Ahead: 14 music festivals well worth the miles it takes to get there. From Popular Mechanics "This is the Raiders of the Lost Ark moment right here." Nick Pyenson opens a door wide to reveal a vast hangar. It's filled with gigantic whale skulls, extinct dolphin bones, and eight-foot-long narwhal tusks. Dodging shelves of vertebrae, drawers of ancient fossils, and rows of skeletons, Pyenson finally makes it to his work station, tucked away inside a Noah's Ark of long-gone marine mammals specimens. In January 2016, Popular Mechanics paid a visit to the Smithsonian's Museum Support Center in Suitland, Maryland. It's a facility that the public rarely gets to see, and Pyenson is the keeper of these artifacts. The crowning jewel of the complex is the Marine Mammal Collection, the largest and most comprehensive of its kind in the world. Pyenson, the paleontologist and curator of these fossil marine mammals, keeps track of a hundred million artifacts and specimens saved for future museum exhibits. However, many of them will stay right here, eternally stored in the nation's climate-controlled attic. Although these creatures departed Earth years ago, their bones are still very much alive, helping to unlock secrets of our oceans' past. "If you want to know how the world might be," Pyenson says, "you need to know how the world was." Photo credit: Matt Blitz A Great Democratizing Force But to rebuild the past, Pyenson and his team rely on technology of the future-3D modeling and digitization, a technology frequently used in big budget films, video games, and on the faces of American presidents. Pyenson tells Popular Mechanics that this technique is one of the biggest "revolutions" in the natural sciences in this century. This realization began six years ago in Caldera, Chile, when Pyenson went to work documenting a prehistoric marine animal graveyard uncovered by construction workers widening the northbound lane of the Pan-American Highway. Later, Pyenson and his colleagues discovered that this this surprise paleontological treasure was the densest collection of fossilized marine skeletons in the world. Story continues Because of Chile's federally mandated deadline to finish the highway project, the team had little time and not enough resources to remove the fragile and enormous specimens-some longer than an entire school bus. It was in that moment that Pyenson made a decision that would forever alter the way he would study fossils. Photo credit: Smithsonian Institute He rounded up the "laser cowboys,"-a group of Smithsonian 3D digitizers who scanned and captured data instead of digging for rock and bone. Using laser scanners and high-resolution cameras, they produced 3D models of half a dozen skeletons uncovered at the sites. Capturing this information helped scientists determine that a harmful algae bloom, which still impacts marine animals today like the Florida manatee, was likely responsible for these mass death events taking place between some 10,000 and 16,000 years ago. For Pyenson, though, there's something just as important as the scientific conclusions they reached. Specifically, that all of their work-the 3D modeling, photos, research papers, maps, and 360 visualizations-were uploaded online and accessible for all amateur scientists around the world. If you had a 3D printer, you too could print your very own 11-million-year-old whale fossil. "[Our] ability to do this increases the visibility and accessibility of the [work] we do," says Pyenson. "It's a great democratizing force." Photo credit: Olivier Douliery Every Good Revolution Needs Its Tools Five years later, back in his bone-filled lab, Pyenson has become an even bigger believer in the digitization of science. What started as a "technical solution to a scientific problem" has become his modus operandi. Today, every specimen, sample, and piece of data that comes across his desk is digitized in some manner, whether through 3D printing, 2D photographs, or metadata including descriptions of who collected the objects, where they were collected, and any field notes."These objects only have scientific significance when we know that context," says Pyenson. "Objects stripped of context are extremely unhelpful." Pyenson has long since upgraded from the technologically archaic Canon 5D camera he once use. One of the most important pieces of gear is the Artec Eva scanner (pictured at the top) for capturing and generating 3D models-the very machine used to capture President Obama in 2014. With a white light 3D scanner, the Eva captures three-dimensional geometry by projecting a structured, checkered light grid onto the object and "reading" the grid's resulting deformation with a high-speed camera. How the light distorts is how the shape is determined, producing the equivalent X, Y, Z coordinates in the corresponding software. The scanner works much like a souped-up Xbox Kinect with better optics and a much higher speed camera. This CCD camera can capture an image nearly instantaneously, in 0.0002 seconds to be exact. That's much faster than a human-much less a fossil that's been dead for thousands of years-could ever move. Hospital-grade CT scanners, giant humming machine usually used to diagnose brain illness and injury, also peer inside the bones' internal structure. This helps answer questions like how these ancient marine mammals could hear, smell, or see. These scanners sometimes eliminate the laborious and risky process of separating rock from bone. Instead, CT scans penetrate the rock and other materials to capture a 3D image that can then be printed again and again. Photo credit: NTS Chesapeake However, one of the CT scanners that Pyenson uses isn't quite like the one you'd find at your local medical clinic. He has access to one of the largest micro CT machines on the east coast, provided as in-kind donation of services and scanning time by the military contractor NTS Chesapeake. This large-scale X-ray scanner can fill a 10-foot-by-20-foot room and is incredibly useful when studying ancient blue whale skulls-which, as you'd imagine, are quite large. But out of all the tech that's used to study Smithsonian's Marine Mammal Collection, the most important modern innovation is the one that 77 percent of Americans have in their pockets. Smartphones have revolutionized how information can be captured-the iPhone 7's 12-megapixel camera nearly matches the top-of-the-line cameras from five years ago-and the ability to share instantaneously. Photo credit: Matt Blitz No Whale Left Behind Much like his predecessors-researchers like Spencer Fullerton Baird and Dr. Frederick W. True-Pyenson says his main responsibility is being a steward for this collection and ensuring that all the specimens are still here and being used another 150 years. It's the driving reason why he constantly searches for ways to preserve this knowledge and stem the loss of information-"one of the great enemies of museum science," says Pyenson. With 3D modeling, open-access information, and CT scanning, these tools make sure knowledge is as well-preserved as the fossils themselves. But despite years of work, Pyenson estimates that less than one percent of the collection has been digitized, mostly because of the specimens themselves. Vertebrate fossils come in an extreme variety of sizes that don't neatly match a "one-size-fits-all digitization process." Many objects are so large, around the size of a truck, that the process can become incredibly time-consuming. They just don't have the means to do it all while also doing daily research. "If you want to know how the world might be, you need to know how the world was." But Pyenson is in constant communications with other institutions about creating better workflows, processes, tools while other colleagues consider applying for NSF funding. Once the world's greatest collection of marine mammal bones become more readily available to the public there will be a giant leap forward in scientific discovery, Pyenson says. [contentlinks align="left" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="Saddle%20Up,%20Laser%20Cowboy" customtitles="Laser%20Cowboys%20and%20the%20Fossils%20of%20the%20Future" customimages="" content="article.10482"] Because many oceanic questions still need solving, like why the tusk of the rare and beloved unicorns of the sea always spirals to the left or why whale sharks migrate. It's quite possible that with a 3D scan, a diligent Ph.d. student in California or an amatuer marine biologist in Maldives could help discover those answers with the help of the Smithsonian's Marine Mammal Collection. "What people may do with the collection could totally be innovative and inspiring," says Pyenson. "There are stories lodged deep in these bones." You Might Also Like A Facebook logo is displayed on the side of a tour bus in New York's financial district July 28, 2015. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo (Reuters) (This version of the story removes reference to mininum salary in 14th paragraph.) By Stephen Nellis and Mica Rosenberg SAN FRANCISCO/ WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Among Silicon Valleys top tech employers, Facebook Inc could be the most vulnerable to U.S. President Donald Trumps expected crackdown on guest-worker visas, according to a Reuters analysis of U.S. Labor Department filings. More than 15 percent of Facebook's U.S. employees in 2016 used a temporary work visa, giving the social media leader a legal classification as a H-1B dependent company. That is a higher proportion than Alphabet Inc's Google, Apple Inc , Amazon.com Inc or Microsoft Corp . That could cause problems for Facebook if Trump or Congress decide to make the H-1B program more restrictive, as the president and some Republican lawmakers have threatened to do. Both Trump and Attorney General nominee Senator Jeff Sessions have opposed the program in its current form. They have also indicated that they are open to reforming it to ensure the beneficiaries of the program are the best and the brightest, according to a draft executive order seen by Reuters. Reuters could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the draft. The Trump administration has not proposed any new rules that would target companies with the H-1B "dependent" classification. But the fact that Facebook alone among major tech companies falls into that category suggests it is the most exposed in the industry to any changes in H-1B visa policy. Facebook declined to comment on the matter. Trump administration officials could not immediately be reached for comment. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said on Monday that Trump would target H-1B visas as part of a larger immigration reform effort through executive orders and Congressional action, but gave no details. H-1B visas are intended for foreign nationals in "specialty" occupations that generally require higher education, which according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) includes, but is not limited to, scientists, engineers or computer programmers. The government awards 85,000 every year, chiefly through a lottery system. Story continues Companies say they use them to recruit top talent. But a majority of the visas are awarded to outsourcing firms, sparking criticism by skeptics that those firms use the visas to fill lower-level information technology jobs. Critics also say the lottery system benefits outsourcing firms that flood the system with mass applications. H-1B dependent status is mostly held by these outsourcing firms such as India's Tata Consultancy Services or Infosys. The status was introduced in the late 1990s in an effort to ensure that companies did not use the visas to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labor. The status requires companies to prove they cannot find U.S. workers for the jobs. Facebook listed itself as a dependent company in its applications for H-1B visas with the Labor Department last year. Before he took office as president, Trump discussed changes to the H-1B visa program with top technology executives, including Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg. Those changes included possibly ending the lottery and replacing it with a system that would award the visas to the highest-paying jobs first, a move designed to reduce their issuance to outsourcing firms. Such a move could soften the blow from any H-1B changes for Facebook and other major technology companies. The average salary offered for Facebook H-1B jobs was $145,550, according to its application filings last year. Tata, a traditional outsourcing firm, offered $67,950 on average. The draft executive order did not mention specifics about the lottery. It did require the U.S. secretary of labor to provide the president with a report on the actual or potential injury to U.S. workers caused, directly or indirectly, by work performed by nonimmigrant workers in the H-1B visa program. We are hoping that the final draft will have more details, said Russell Harrison, director of government relations at IEEE-USA, a group that represents U.S. engineers and favors that H-1B reform. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco and Mica Rosenberg in New York; additional reporting by Andy Sullivan in Washington; editing by Bill Rigby and Frances Kerry) TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan is investigating an unprecedented case of threats made to five brokerages by an alleged cyber-group seeking payment to avert an attack that could crash their websites, an investigator and the securities regulator said on Monday. Rick Wang, an official with Taiwan's Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), said each brokerage had received an email setting a deadline for the transfer of funds to avoid a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. Such attacks, among the most common kind on the internet, overload a website until it is forced to inhibit access or go offline. They have become common tools for cyber criminals trying to cripple businesses and organizations with significant online activities. "We have never seen this on such a scale - five companies hit at one time with the same threat," said Wang, adding that the regulator usually sees single instances of cyber-crime. FireEye, a cybersecurity consultancy, said the attacks were part of a wave of threatened denial of service attacks by a previously unidentified group that first appeared in Europe last month. The Taiwan attacks do not pose a threat to the island's broader trading and financial system, Wang said, but he added that the regulator had asked all securities firms to step up defensive measures. One threat recipient, Masterlink Securities Corp, said its website had come under attack, but it had recovered and operations were normal. "The emails were sent under the name of the 'Armada Collective'," said Chiu Shao-chou, an official of the internet cybercrime division of Taiwan's Criminal Investigation Bureau, the government's top investigation body. The Armada Collective, a hacking extortion group, has been linked to financial blackmail heists elsewhere. But Chiu said the group has been put under watch and Taiwan investigators were still looking into the original source of the emails. The email demanded payment in web-based digital currency bitcoin equivalent to about T$300,000 ($9,731.41), Taiwan media said. None of the securities companies made any payments, Chiu said. Another brokerage firm, Capital Securities Corp, was hit on Monday by a DDoS attack lasting 20 minutes before its system recovered, the regulator said, but it did not link the latest case to the threatening emails. ($1=30.8280 Taiwan dollars) (Reporting by J.R. Wu; Additional reporting by Jeremy Wagstaff in Singapore; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) The fake news epidemic on social media and the internet as a whole reached a climax late last year during the presidential election, and hot spots like Facebook have been battling the beast ever since. You might expect the US to be at the top of the list for US-based companies trying to fight the spread of false narratives, but a new partnership between Facebook and Google aimed at striking down fake news is instead aimed at France, where the upcoming presidential election is at risk of falling into the same quagmire that befell the United States. Don't Miss: Heres the full list of 97 companies that just filed against Trumps immigration ban Google announced the new initiative, which is called CrossCheck, at the News Impact Summit in Paris today. The company says its working in tandem with a total of 17 newsrooms to provide a platform for rapid fact checking, and it expects more partners to be on board soon. Perhaps the biggest of CrossChecks responsibilities will be working with Facebook-owned CrowdTangle, which acts as something of a ranking tool to track and curate the most popular posts across the social network. Posts from news agencies and users alike that see lots of shares and interaction are highlighted in CrowdTangle and oftentimes get amplified with additional coverage or shares elsewhere, meaning that preventing a fake news story from gaining that kind of traction is crucial to Facebooks goal of providing accurate information to its users. With combined expertise from across media and technology, CrossCheck aims to ensure hoaxes, rumours and false claims are swiftly debunked, and misleading or confusing stories are accurately reported, Google said in a blog post. With the French presidential election approaching, journalists from across France and beyond will work together to find and verify content circulating publicly online, whether it is photographs, videos, memes, comment threads and news sites. Story continues Trending right now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com Something odd happened around the country while the Super Bowl commercial for the Google Home speaker ran on TVs everywhere. The ad, which showed loving families using the smart home speaker for listening to music and turning on and off the lights, also managed to set off Google Homes in the real world, surprising their owners. Google Home owners quickly ran to Twitter to explain that since the advertisement features someone saying "Okay, Google," their Home units were activated at the same time. These users had no recourse but to let this happen, as Google's speaker offers no option to set a different wake phrase. MORE: Google Home vs. Amazon Echo - Smart Speaker Face-off Some owners of Amazon's Echo, Dot and Tap speakers may be familiar with this moment, as a TV news report in San Diego once triggered the Alexa-based speakers to order dollhouses. A Fox News report explains this happened when CW6 news anchor Jim Patton described a 6-year-old in Dallas who accidentally ordered a dollhouse and cookies via the speaker, saying "I love the little girl, saying 'Alexa ordered me a dollhouse.'" Do not play this Google Home ad near a Google Home. Alexa users can learn from that incident, though, as Amazon's devices allow you to change the wake word. Apple and Microsoft don't allow different wake words for Siri and Cortana, but since those assistants can be enabled in other ways, you can disable wake words altogether. Google Home is still a fantastic smart speaker that offers great sound and deep integration with other Google products let's just hope it gets smart enough to ignore the TV. See also : The Best Super Bowl 2017 Tech Commercials Syrian refugee Anas Modamani (left) and his lawyer Chan-jo Jun, had demanded that Facebook actively search out and take down all slanderous posts using the famous selfie he took with Chancellor Angela Merkel (AFP Photo/Karl-Josef Hildenbrand) Wuerzburg (Germany) (AFP) - A Syrian refugee whose selfie with German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been repeatedly manipulated to link him to violent jihad, took Facebook to court on Monday for spreading defamatory fake news. Anas Modamani, 19, says the US social media giant has failed to take down doctored images and posts that have falsely linked him to, among other things, deadly Islamist attacks in Brussels and Berlin last year. He is asking a court in Germany's southern city of Wuerzburg for an injunction against Facebook Ireland Limited, the group's European subsidiary, that would force it to take down all posts linking him to terrorism or criminal offences. That includes a recent posting which wrongfully claims Modamani was among a group of Berlin juvenile delinquents who tried to set fire to a homeless man in a case that sparked public outrage last Christmas. Modamani is being represented by German lawyer Chan-jo Jun, who has already launched separate criminal complaints against Facebook for inciting hatred. Jun argues that Facebook should comply with German law and remove illegal content, claiming that the company's own community standards did not prevent defamatory and insulting statements. "We want to put an end to the incitement and slander," Jun told reporters after the first hearing on Monday. - 'Good person' - Modamani arrived in Germany in 2015, along with tens of thousands of other Syrians. When Merkel visited his Berlin refugee shelter in September that year, he took two selfie images with her in jubilant scenes also captured by a news agency photographer. Since then, those images have been manipulated and used in different contexts countless times, as right-wing fury has flared online against Merkel's liberal stance on refugees. Trolls have cut and pasted Modamani's picture into wanted posters and on fake news reports, typically alleging that the refugee made famous by the Merkel selfie had turned out to be a terrorist. Story continues Modamani, who is now taking German language courses and working in a fast food restaurant, said the hateful posts had had a big impact on his life. "I'm a good person," he told reporters. Ahead of the proceedings, a Facebook spokesman told AFP: "We are sorry to hear about Mr. Modamani's concerns with the way some people have used his image. "We are committed to meeting our obligations under German law in relation to content which is shared by people on our platform. "We have already quickly disabled access to content that has been accurately reported to us by Mr. Modamani's legal representatives, so we do not believe that legal action here is necessary or that it is the most effective way to resolve the situation." Jun however argues that some of the nefarious content remains online and that the burden should be on Facebook, not his client, to identify any misuse of the image. The court is expected to deliver its ruling on March 7. - Fake news - Facebook has faced heavy criticism in Germany for fake news and hate speech spread by its users, leading the company to promise corrective steps on both fronts. The company and other web giants pledged in December 2015 to examine and remove within 24 hours any hateful comments that were spreading online in Germany, in particular over the mass influx of 890,000 migrants that year. Jun last year launched legal action against Facebook in Munich, accusing its executives of condoning incitement of hate and violence, and of failing to remove illegal content despite being notified. Justice Minister Heiko Maas, who has been negotiating with social network chiefs, has also warned that Facebook and others could be punished if they do not comply with German law. Last October, a senior leader of Merkel's centre-right party, Volker Kauder, warned social networks that Germany could introduce fines for illegal content that is not removed within a week, with a suggested penalty of 50,000 euros ($55,000) per post. Facebook announced in mid-January that it would introduce new measures to take down "unambiguously wrong reports" being shared on the social media platform. The company said it would offer a simpler reporting process for users to flag suspected fake news, display warnings next to statements identified as false by independent fact-checking organisations, and cut off advertising revenue to fake news sites. A few weeks ago, Samsungs chief Jay Y. Lee spent a night in jail while waiting for a judge to decide whether he should be imprisoned for the duration of the investigation thats currently targeting South Koreas president. Lee walked free, but the special prosecutors assigned to the case are still looking into Samsungs dealings with the impeached president. Samsung, meanwhile, has started taking various measures meant to prevent similar issues in the future. Don't Miss: During Trump meeting, Elon Musk made sure immigration was the first topic of discussion According to Reuters, Samsung is looking to disband its corporate strategy office after the special prosecution probe ends. Some 200 elite staff hand-picked from affiliates work for the office, which in turn works for the Lee family. Through this vehicle, Lees family makes decisions that affect Samsungs entire business. The special prosecutors investigating President Park Geun-hyes corruption case have deemed Samsungs chief and head of the corporate strategy office Choi Gee-sung as suspects. Samsung is alleged to have bribed Parks confidant Choi Soon-sill to ensure a smooth merger between two of its affiliates. The merger further consolidated Lees power over Samsung. Other executives from the strategy office were also questioned by investigators, as the office is suspected to have lobbied for the merger. Thats why Samsung is shaking up this internal organization thats in control of every major decision within the group. Seen as the nerve center or control tower of Samsung, the corporate strategy office was created in 2010, but its not a legal entity. Instead, its employees are working for various Samsung affiliates. Before current corporate strategy office replaced a strategic planning office that was taken apart in 2008 following a different investigation that was targeting Lees father. Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Kun-hee was accused of having set up slush funds by using fake accounts, with top execs of the planning office as accomplices. Story continues That means Samsung will simply recreate its brains after the corruption investigation goes away. In similar news, Yonhap News reports that Samsung announced its withdrawal from the top business lobby in Korea, the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI). FKI, which Samsungs 15 affiliates pay some 13.3 billion won ($11.7 million) in annual membership fees, is believed to have played a middleman role in the Park bribery scandal. Trending right now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com Samsung has unwittingly dropped another hint that a big smartphone design update could be in the works. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) last week published a Samsung patent describing an "electronic device including flexible display." While a flexible display isn't all that groundbreaking, considering Samsung and others already offer such an option, this one takes a different tack than other curved-screen handsets. Samsung's flexible device patent could result in a foldable phone. Credit: USPTO Samsung's flexible device patent could result in a foldable phone. Credit: USPTO Discovered by Sammobile, the handset described in the patent will bend in the center, thanks to a hinge. The feature means you'll be able to hold it open and see the entire screen or fold it at the hinge and close the handset. The patent essentially describes a flip phone, but a new-age version that is all display on the inside and delivers touch functionality. Of course, this isn't the first time we've heard of Samsung's apparent plans to offer a foldable smartphone. In 2015, for instance, a rumor surfaced on Chinese site Weibo that said Samsung was considering offering two variations of a folding smartphone. At that time, it was speculated that the handsets would be available sometime in early 2016. MORE: Galaxy S8 Could Cost Nearly $1,000 Last year, another report said Samsung was working on a foldable device after the company was awarded a patent that included 3D renderings of what the handset might look like. In that report, the device looked like a standard smartphone when unfolded, but doubled over itself when folded, creating a flip-phone-like experience. Samsung's foldable phone concept. Credit: Samsung Samsung's foldable phone concept. Credit: Samsung The report followed several others that said Samsung has a pair of phones in development with bendable screens. While the company was reportedly planning to announce them at Mobile World Congress later this month, now it's believed to have pushed back the announcement until after the Galaxy S8 reaches store shelves in April. Story continues It's possible that at least one of those devices could fold all the way out to 8 inches and act as a tablet in addition to a smartphone. Whatever the case, the latest Samsung patent suggests the company is indeed thinking seriously about a new smartphone design that doesn't stick to the traditional, rigid smartphone to which we've grown accustomed. See also : Most Anticipated Phones of 2017 Uber may have earned its stripes by bringing ridesharing into the mainstream, but the Travis Kalanick led company clearly has ambitions that stretch far beyond routine carpooling. Whether its UberEATS or the companys aggressive research and development into self driving car technology, theres no denying that Uber wants to completely revolutionize all aspects of the transportation industry. Don't Miss: 10 paid iPhone apps on sale for free today Still, it appears that Ubers transportation goals may be even loftier than most would have otherwise assumed. According to report from Bloomberg, Uber recently hired a former NASA engineer named Mark Moore who has a research background into what can accurately be categorized as flying car technology. Now Moore is leaving the confines of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, where he has spent the last 30 years, to join one of Googles rivals: Uber Technologies Inc. Moore is taking on a new role as director of engineering for aviation at the ride-hailing company, working on a flying car initiative known as Uber Elevate. I cant think of another company in a stronger position to be the leader for this new ecosystem and make the urban electric VTOL market real, he says. Ubers interest in air-based travel is of course nothing new. Back in October, the company published a nearly 100-page whitepaper detailing the ins and outs of its Uber Elevate program. Hyping up a future where Uber Elevate is a reality and a basic way of life, the company boasts that such a transportation option could easily transform a laborious 2-hour commute into a leisurely 15 minute flight. On-demand aviation, has the potential to radically improve urban mobility, giving people back time lost in their daily commutes, Uber explains. Uber is close to the commute pain that citizens in cities around the world feel. We view helping to solve this problem as core to our mission and our commitment to our rider base. Just as skyscrapers allowed cities to use limited land more efficiently, urban air transportation will use three-dimensional airspace to alleviate transportation congestion on the ground. Story continues In a nutshell, Ubers vision of the future includes a sizable network of small and electric-powered aircraft capable of transporting users in and between relatively nearby cities. Uber Elevate may not be a technology or service that will see the light of day anytime soon, but its certainly exciting to see companies like Uber working hard to transform science fiction into reality. Trending right now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com The Kremlin wants an apology from Fox News. Vladimir Putins press secretary has demanded a formal apology from the cable news network after Bill OReilly called the Russian president a killer during an interview with U.S. President Donald Trump that aired before Sundays Super Bowl. We consider such words from the Fox TV company to be unacceptable and insulting, and honestly speaking, we would prefer to get an apology from such a respected TV company, Dmitry Peskovtold told reporters on a conference call on Monday, according to Reuters. During the pre-taped interview, Trump said Putin like all presidents deserves respect. Will I get along with them? I have no idea, Trump said. Hes a killer, though, OReilly interjected. Putins a killer. Weve got a lot of killers, Trump responded. You think our countrys so innocent? The statement has since drawn criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike. I dont know of any government leaders that are killers, the OReilly Factor host said. Trump added: Well, take a look at what weve done, too. Weve made a lot of mistakes. Ive been against the war in Iraq from the beginning. When OReilly insisted that mistakes are different, Trmp said there are a lot of killers around. Fox News didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump has come under fire for his views on Putin following a U.S. intelligence report that accused Putin and the Russian government of pre-election hacking. The report concluded that Putin and the Russian government aspired to help President-elect Trumps election chances when possible by discrediting Secretary [Hillary] Clinton and publicly contrasting her unfavorably to him. All three agencies agree with this judgment. CIA and FBI have a high confidence in this judgment; NSA has moderate confidence. Related stories Donald Trump's Pre-Super Bowl Interview Overnight Ratings Lower Than Barack Obama's Figures Trump Immigration Ban 'Inflicts Significant Harm' on U.S. Business, Tech Firms Say in Court Filing Donald Trump and Bill O'Reilly Talk Russia and Putin Before Super Bowl 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. By Samuel Ssebuliba African Union member states have been asked to fund the union instead of depending on donor support if the newly appointed AU commissions chairman is to perform to their expectation. Last week African heads of state voted Chads foreign minister Moussa Faki Mahama as the new head of the African Union Commission after beating Kenyas Amina Muhammad. Speaking to KFM, Ambassador Harold Acemah, an international relations consultant says inadequate funding has always left the commission in the hands of well-wishers hence limiting its activities. He said that if member states do not take up full funding of the union, it will remain dormant. Currently many of the AU activities including peace keeping missions, running of the commission activities and others are funded by both European Union and the United Nations. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Rain showers along with windy conditions. High 68F. Winds SSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Gusty winds diminishing after midnight. Low 42F. SW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. WASHINGTON In some of the states where economic frustration propelled Donald Trump to the White House, the jobs he promised were already coming back before he started making deals. For the first time in decades, areas of the Carolinas that had been crippled by the loss of the textile industry are getting some of those jobs back from China. Former mining towns in Pennsylvania have been revitalized by jobs at Bimbo Bakeries USA, Wise and Mission foods, which are Mexican-owned companies. In fact, 6.1 million Americans are directly employed by majority foreign-owned firms, and more than 12 million American jobs are linked to foreign investment. These jobs pay one-third more than the economy wide average, 40 percent are in manufacturing, and there has been significant growth in Rust Belt states. In other words, exactly the kind of jobs the president-elect promised to bring back. While Trumps tough talk on jobs leaving the country may have scored him an election victory, many worry that if protectionist tariffs and pressure on trade partners become reality, it could backfire on U.S. workers who rely on the growing number of jobs supported by foreign investment. Trump has also said he plans to renegotiate trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he described as the worst trade deal ever signed, and impose steep tariffs on imported goods. Its certainly not Trumps intention to limit foreign investment in the U.S. President-elect Trump definitely gets the foreign investment benefits, said Nancy McLernon, president and CEO of the Organization for International Investment, which represents the US subsidiaries of global companies. She pointed out his overtures to Japans SoftBank and Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba. Members of Trumps incoming administration, including Vice President-elect Mike Pence as governor of Indiana, and Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina, have in the past aggressively courted foreign companies to invest in their states. But some economists say Trumps administration cant have it both ways, touting protectionist policies and painting globalization as a threat to American workers while reaping its rewards. A survey conducted for global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney last year found that the number of foreign companies planning to increase their investment in the U.S. could be reduced by 13 percent with a populist candidate such as Trump or Bernie Sanders in the White House. Isolating ourselves in a 21st century economy which is more globally connected than ever does not make the U.S. more competitive, McLernon said. Global companies succeed best in competitive markets. Taken at face value, Trumps economic proposals will result in a more isolated U.S. economy. Cross-border trade and immigration will be significantly diminished, and with less trade and immigration, foreign direct investment will also be reduced, economist Mark Zandi wrote in a Moodys report last year. That impact would be felt in a state such as North Carolina, where U.S. subsidiaries of foreign companies employ nearly 7 percent of its private sector workforce nearly 230,500 workers. Trade and investment are two sides of the same coin, said Christopher Chung, chief executive of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, saying that the impact of the latter is more visible. They are investing in bricks and mortar and payroll, so its very easy to see the benefits, with more North Carolinians going to work. It remains to be seen how Trumps threats go over with foreign companies once his administration is in place. I dont think many people know what to make of Trumps trade policies (as a) reality, said John McDermott, who chairs the Economics Department at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. If you restrict trade and imports youre going to limit exports its all connected. Last week, Trump threatened to slap a 35 percent tariff on every car that German carmaker BMW imported into the U.S. unless it cancels its plans to build a plant in Mexico. BMWs largest plant in the world is in Spartanburg, S.C., which employs 8,800 workers. It exports more than 70 percent of its U.S. production. In addition to hundreds of suppliers, BMW and Michelin account for more than 75,000 jobs in the states civilian workforce of just over 2 million. People just dont realize how many export jobs there are. South Carolina has remade itself amazingly from a state that relied on import good to export goods tires, autos, aerospace, its a huge exports industry, McDermott said. What Trump is doing trying to influence the auto companies is just crazy its all about deals and not markets. I dont think he can possibly micromanage to the degree hes used to in his own firm. When it comes to jobs that rely on foreign companies, tough protectionist policies could endanger more jobs than Trump can save. BLOOMER, Wis. (AP) Bill Hable was still in his 40s when he settled on a grand plan for his retirement. He grabbed a chainsaw, cut down some trees and started building a boat. Hable figured the project would take 10 years to complete. He underestimated by more than two decades. Now 78, Hable stands in the scaffolding, surveying his massive (and still unfinished) 41-foot schooner, and says: The main question that drives me crazy, Whens that boat going to be done? And my pat answer is this: Dont ask. Hable has every reason to be testy. After 32 years of building, he estimates his twin-masted schooner is now 97 percent complete. He hopes to sail it on Lake Superior by the time hes 80, but concedes it might take a little longer. And he doesnt much care what anyone thinks. If I really wanted to get this thing in the water I could have it by the end of this year, but that isnt the goal, Hable says forcefully, I want to build it the way I want to do it. Hable approached his project like a career engineer he is. Before starting construction, he built a shed in his backyard to house the boat. The structure was supposed to be temporary. I hope to get the boat done before the building collapses, he now laughs. Hable has touched every component of the massive wooden boat. Early on, he built a furnace to melt tons of lead he then poured into the keel. He designed his own sweat box to bend the wooden ribs onto which white oak planking was installed. He has a friend in Maine who reminded him probably 20 years ago that hes not building a cathedral, hes building a boat to sail in, says Hables wife, Judy. But Bill Hable has never concerned himself as much with the sailing as he has with the building. The medical profession would go broke if they had to take care of me, says Hable. He considers his three-decade project both mental and physical therapy. Years ago, Hable tried a gym but concluded it wasnt for him. The problem people have that exercise, he says, is they walk and all they get is their shoes wore outthey have nothing to show for this. Hable, instead, tells people, you should go out in the field, pick some stones, take em home and build a stone house, then you would have exercise and you would have something to show for it. To Judy Hable, her husband of 56 years may have a point. I really kind of think maybe if he finishes it hes going to wonder, Now what am I going to do? Spouses dont come much more supportive. Wouldnt it be boring to be married to somebody who didnt have a passion for something? Judy Hable rhetorically asks. Roughly a schooners length away, at the aptly named Next Place Bar & Grill, Hables boat is a regular source of conversation. We call it The Ark, laughs the bartender. Felisha Polmanter wasnt even born when Hable started work on the schooner. Everyones been anticipating it being finished. Curious bar patrons frequently wander next door to see the boat. If Hable is working he often treats them to personal tours. Theres going to be a crowd when that shed comes down, Polmanter predicts. Everybodys going to want to see it wheeled out. Most recently, Hable has been working on the schooners cherry wood interior, which includes a dining table, sleeping quarters and a shower. Hable admits to sitting sometimes at the helm of his schooner, imagining hes sailing wind in the sails, riding the swells of Lake Superior. Yet should life have other plans for the 78-year-old, Hable insists he could die happy. Im happy right now, he says adamantly. The point is the doing, the doing is the point. For 32 years, the neighbors thought Bill Hable was building a boat. Hes actually been busily crafting his perfect life. My way, he says. Thats enough. A judge has delayed ruling on whether Jackson County landowners can stop a proposed frac sand operation on the grounds it would be a nuisance. Terracor Resources received conditional-use permits for a combined mine, processing and loading facility on about 945 acres between Black River Falls and Alma Center that could produce about 3 million tons of sand a year. The Canadian company has since been purchased out of bankruptcy by OmniTRAX, a Colorado shipping logistics firm. Three families sued to block the project, which has yet to break ground or to receive state and federal permits to fill wetlands under the proposed rail terminal. Its going to be noise, its going to be light, silica dust, said Tom Lister, the attorney representing the plaintiffs. At issue is whether Wisconsin law allows plaintiffs to claim an anticipatory nuisance that is, to argue a proposed activity would infringe on their rights to peacefully enjoy their land based on other similar activities. It just seems fundamentally completely unfair for you to be addressing this issue based on facts that have no certainty, said attorney Ron White, who is representing OmniTRAX in the case. The same families have also sought to overturn the local permits. Supervisors in the town of Adams agreed they violated open meeting laws and based their decision to grant a zoning change on misleading information, and a supervisor in Alma has been also charged with misconduct in office over allegations he voted to grant a license to a mining company that had agreed to lease his land. The countys district attorney has sought to void all the boards votes on mining since 2012. Lister has argued conflicts of interest and procedural violations also invalidate actions by the county. White said it makes no sense to argue the case in court when the mine owners have yet to secure state and federal permits, or even decide whether to go forward with the project. If its not actually going to come to fruition why is the court spending time on it? White said. Theyll get their day in court why should they be able to do it now when weve gone through all that permitting. What company would possibly be able to conduct business if they can be shut down before they even begin? White said the case should be dismissed, and plaintiffs allowed to re-file once construction has begun. Lister said at that point it would be too late for his clients, who have spent tens of thousands of dollars thus far on their case, to stop the mine. In the meantime theyre going to create this mine, he said. It doesnt take six years. It can be done from spring to fall. La Crosse County Circuit Judge Scott Horne postponed ruling on whether to allow the case to proceed until July. Horne is scheduled to hear arguments later this week on a similar claim against AllEnergy Sands, which has proposed a 750-acre mine and processing operation in the town of Hixton. It just seems fundamentally completely unfair for you to be addressing this issue based on facts that have no certainty. Attorney Ron White Methamphetamine use in Wisconsin is rising at an alarming rate and there are no indications it will plateau, a new report found. Between 2011 and 2015, while law enforcement, treatment providers and others focused on fighting the heroin epidemic, meth use statewide grew up to 300 percent, according to data and input from 95 agencies, including 15 in La Crosse and surrounding counties. The FBI Milwaukee Field Division, Wisconsin Statewide Intelligence Center and Southeast Wisconsin Threat Analysis Center recently released the first statewide study examining the scope of meth use in Wisconsin. Among the findings: Use will grow during the next decade as Mexican drug cartels capitalize on demand by continuing to produce high volumes of cheap, potent meth. Violent and property crime will increase as desperate addicts steal to support a habit that could cost them hundreds of dollars a day. Use is increasing in La Crosse and its surrounding counties, judging by the rising number of people jailed for possessing and delivering meth, said Tom Johnson, head of a regional drug task force that includes 17 law enforcement agencies. Heroin ebbs and flows, he said. But meth continues to climb and never breaks. Mexico to La Crosse Laws enacted to restrict the sale of pseudoephedrine used to manufactured meth reduced the amount of homemade meth, although producers target pharmacies still using paper purchase logs, the report found. Today, Mexican drug cartels manufacture about 90 percent of the meth consumed in the U.S., according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Super labs can produce 10 pounds of meth in a single batch; home labs produce about three grams of subpar meth from one pack of cold medicine. This has reduced the need for meth labs in Wisconsin, as it is easier to purchase high-purity, high-potency meth than it is to make it, the report found. It comes into Wisconsin via the Twin Cities, primarily carried by gang members, although Rochester, Minn., is emerging as a new distribution point, Johnson said. Meth traffickers use Wisconsins highway system to transport meth to secondary supply cities, such as Eau Claire, La Crosse, Wausau, Green Bay, Sheboygan and the Fox Valley area, according to the report. Cases Statewide, meth possession charges rose 286 percent from 2010 to 2014, while meth delivery charges increased 167 percent, according to the report. In La Crosse, the number of adults arrested for possessing, delivering or intending to deliver meth leaped from 12 in 2010 to 185 last year, according to data from the La Crosse Police Department. Heroin arrests increased from four to 53 during the same period. La Crosse County prosecutors in 2014 and 2016 filed about twice as many meth cases as heroin cases. In 2015, prosecutors charged 268 meth cases compared with 83 heroin cases, according to statistics from the district attorneys office. Heroin and meth each caused or contributed to the deaths of two people last year in La Crosse County, while another four people died after using a combination of the drugs, according to the medical examiners office. Jackson and Trempealeau counties were among the top 10 counties that witnessed the largest increase of meth cases, according to data collected from law enforcement. Meth arrests accounted for about 40 percent of all drug arrests in the first half of 2016 in Trempealeau County, Sheriff Richard Anderson said. We have a huge problem, he said. The amount of meth in the county was so alarming that we didnt have enough personnel to handle it. The county last year created new positions in the sheriffs and human services department to work with drug addicts and affected families, Anderson said. The sheriff, district attorney and drug investigators reach out to community groups to address how the public can help police fight meth use. Federal law enforcement must sever supply lines, said Anderson, who advocates punishment for dealers and treatment for users. In rural areas, we need resources for those who want help, he said. We have to focus on prevention and treatment Combating methamphetamine use is a complex issue with no single solution, but experts raise the same suggestions they do for fighting every drug problem: enforcement, prevention and treatment. The report was not intended to present solutions, said FBI intelligence analyst John Kumm, who wrote the report. Now its up to elected officials and each community to see what theyre going to do with the information. La Crosse County formed a task force in 2013 to address the heroin epidemic after a surge in opiate deaths but later broadened its mission to include combating meth, said Dr. Chris Eberlein, co-chair of the Heroin and Illicit Drug Task Force and an emergency room physician at Gundersen Health System. As a task force, we have to focus on prevention and treatment goals, he said. Those include expanding prevention education and creating new inpatient treatment centers to serve a growing number of users, although funding is an obstacle, Eberlein said. He also advocates for more research into the science of addiction. We could research our way of it, Eberlein said. Our understanding of addiction is small compared to other medicine areas. Medication can help counteract withdrawal symptoms and curb cravings for heroin addicts, while meth users undergo more traditional treatment methods, said Amber Sherman, supervisor of the addictions department at Mayo Clinic Health System. The facility is treating a rising number of meth addicts, some seeking treatment voluntarily and others by court order. Or theyre using both drugs, Sherman said. Theyre using meth to come off heroin or heroin to come off meth. Many meth addicts need long-term inpatient treatment that isnt covered by insurance or Medicaid, said Cheryl Hancock, executive director of Coulee Council on Addictions, which provides relapse prevention, support groups and social interaction for addicts in a clean environment. We as a community need to have a conversation followed by action identifying what we can do to support those struggling with meth addiction, she said. We know what the gaps are, but yet little progress has been made to fill them. If we are the compassionate community we aspire to be we have to be serious about treating individuals and families struggling with the disease of substance use disorder, just as we do with those with other chronic progressive diseases. The La Crosse County Health Department has scheduled flu shot and childhood immunization clinics in Bangor and Onalaska this week, in light of the recent circulation of influenza and pertussis. The clinics are scheduled for: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Bangor High School. 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Onalaska Public Library. Forty states, including Wisconsin, have reported widespread flu incidents in recent weeks, including a smaller stream of cases in La Crosse County. It is not too late to vaccinate against the illnesses, despite their foothold, health officials said. Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It usually comes on suddenly, with symptoms including fever or alternating fever/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches and fatigue. It can be more severe in infants and young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with certain chronic medical conditions. Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, Pertussis (whooping cough) is a very contagious respiratory illness spread from through coughs and sneezing. Early symptoms include a runny nose, low grade fever, mild cough and breathing pauses in infants. Later stage symptoms include fits of many, rapid coughs followed by a high pitch whoop, vomiting and exhaustion. The clinics will offer all childhood vaccines, including including Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), influenza, HPV, meningococcal, Hepatitis A and B and MMR. Influenza vaccine for people age 19 and older also will be available. Vaccines for ages through the age of 18 will be provided at no charge for families. There will be a $15.00 administration fee, although no child will be turned away because of inability to pay. There will not be an administration fee if only receiving an influenza vaccine and no other vaccinations. Influenza vaccine for adults age 19 and older will be offered on a fee for service basis with limited billable insurances. Anyone with questions can call the Health Departments public health nurses at 608-785-9723 or visit the Facebook page at @LCHDNurses and check the upcoming events link. On Jan. 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, President Donald Trump issued an executive order temporarily halting immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries, suspending the refugee program and permanently imposing a religious test for refugees going forward. Jen Smyers of Church World Service spoke for many people of faith working on behalf of refugees when she called Jan. 27 a shameful day in the history of the United States. Numerous national security experts and diplomats including more than 1,000 State Department officials have also spoken out, warning that the order is wrongheaded and dangerous. The optics of an American policy that appears to target Muslims seriously tarnishes the reputation of the U.S. in Muslim-majority countries and throughout the world. The initial chaos and confusion surrounding the rollout is a harbinger of the damage to come from alienating Muslims worldwide, empowering radicals, and abandoning refugees to suffer in camps. Far from making us safer, the executive order is widely viewed as a direct threat to our national security and an assault on American values. Of all the controversial provisions of the order, none is more problematic and damaging than the religious test that gives priority to refugees fleeing religious persecution if, and only if, they are a religious minority in their country of origin. The intent is clear: Open the door to Christians from Muslim-majority countries while doing everything possible to keep Muslims out. Although the order does not explicitly mention Muslims and administration officials insist it is not a Muslim ban we know the motive behind the order from Trumps own campaign promise to mandate the complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States. Facing fierce backlash last summer, Trump retooled the Muslim ban to make it more palatable, but he did not retreat from his intention to keep Muslims out. Asked by NBC News in July if he was backing away from his Muslim ban, Trump answered: I dont actually think its a rollback. In fact, you could say its an expansion... People were so upset when I used the word Muslim. Oh, you cant use the word Muslim. Remember this. And Im OK with that, because Im talking territory instead of Muslim. Now, six months later, Trumps Muslim ban under another guise is the official policy of the United States government. From a human rights perspective, the most disturbing parts of the executive order bar refugees for four months, cut the number allowed in by 60,000, impose a religious test, and freeze indefinitely the refugee resettlement of Syrians. Taken together, these policies add up to an inhumane, immoral and woefully inadequate response to the greatest humanitarian crisis since World War II. Contradictions and ironies abound. Trump recently told Christian Broadcast News that he wanted to help Syrian Christians, whom he claimed (without citing evidence) were deliberately kept out while Syrian Muslim refugees were let in under the last administration. But his executive order bars all refugees from Syria indefinitely meaning that Christians facing genocide in Syria will have no haven in America. Last year the U.S. accepted a small number of Syrians (10,000 as of August 2016) out of the nearly 5 million Syrian refugees. After Trumps order, the number will be zero. Once the four-month ban on refugees from other countries is lifted, the number of projected refugees will be cut almost in half and those seeking entry will face a religious test. Beyond humanitarian concerns, I am convinced that Trumps order is also unconstitutional. The Establishment clause of the First Amendment prohibits government from targeting Muslims for exclusion and favoring Christians for admission; in short, prioritizing some religious groups over others. Lawsuits have already been filed challenging Trump on First Amendment and other constitutional grounds. If strengthening national security is the goal, keeping out refugees Muslim or otherwise is not the solution. Refugees are currently vetted for more than two years before being allowed entry, and no person accepted into the U.S. as a refugee has been implicated in a fatal terrorist attack since systematic procedures were established for accepting refugees in 1980, according to an analysis of terrorism immigration risks by the Cato Institute. Orwellian doublespeak cannot obscure the hostility toward Muslims and Islam that animates President Trumps executive order on immigration. A Muslim ban is a Muslim ban by any other name. On the day we remember the Nazi genocide of the Jews, the United States closed the door to those fleeing genocide today. A shameful day indeed. In a recent interview, I was asked to reflect on what it looks like for rural voices to be heard, which has been a big talking point during this last election cycle. I referenced an op-ed from a friend of mine, former Congressman Dick Swett of New Hampshire. He stated, dont insist that everybody worship at the altar of global warming, just talk to them about common sense approaches to conservation. We dont need to sing out of the same songbook to be singing in harmony. Dicks advice could apply to a lot of issues where emotions often get in the way of solutions. Naturally, I dont think were going to agree 100 percent on many things, but I do think we agree a lot more than were letting ourselves think. One of these issues is that of equity; rural folks strive for equity with urban dwellers, just like within both urban and rural communities we seek equity between genders, races, generations, and more. As Minnesotans, we have typically done a good job of agreeing that our state does better when everyone succeeds. This includes all kids getting a good education, businesses of all sizes being able to succeed, and all residents no matter their skin color or religious background having access to economic opportunity. Statistics, however, continue to show that we have work to do. For example, we know that 14 percent of Minnesota kids ages 0-4 live in poverty (39 percent for black children and youth, 26 percent for Hispanic children and youth, and 25 percent for Native Americans) and that 8 of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundations 20 counties are in the highest range of income inequality in the state. When SMIF surveyed minority business owners in our 20-county region, we found that the main barrier to success was access to capital. Yet, studies continue to show women and people of color, especially new immigrants, are driving entrepreneurship. Economic inequalities and educational achievement gaps are not solely issues affecting the urban core. Earlier this month, Minnesota Public Radio host Tom Weber interviewed Dane Smith, president of Growth and Justice (which is a think-tank that advocates for equity through policy) as well as Granite Falls Mayor Dave Smiglewski. They pointed out that there are areas of great inequality in parts of Greater Minnesota. They mentioned issues ranging from access to high-speed internet and good infrastructure to racial disparities. Today, Greater Minnesota is more racially diverse than most people realize. I share the view put forward by Dane Smith that community leaders are addressing this and embracing this issue, because I see evidence of it every day. The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis is another institution undertaking a study on equity, and lack thereof, as a cause for economic concern. In that same vein, here at SMIF, we have launched The Prosperity Initiative to give minority-owned businesses one-on-one technical assistance. We received an Emerging Entrepreneur Loan Program allocation from DEED to supplement our business lending to groups that have trouble accessing traditional bank financing. SMIFs Early Childhood team and partners are driving the conversation around affordable, quality child care in rural communities. All of our resources help rural populations trying to make a difference in their community. As Neel Kashkari, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, noted when announcing their new Opportunity and Inclusive Growth Institute: A lack of economic opportunity does not know racial or ethnic or even geographic boundaries. There are people in all communities who are struggling to get a fair chance at a good education and a good job. Investing in people of color, new Americans, women, veterans, people with disabilities, low-income people, young leaders and other historically under-resourced groups across all Minnesota communities is a win-win proposition. It can lead to increased economic opportunities for all Minnesotans. By creating welcoming communities that people want to move to and start businesses, raise families and volunteer their time, we create a state that is vibrant and strong. My colleague Diana Anderson, president of SMIFs sister foundation, Southwest Initiative Foundation, has the following African proverb on her office wall: If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. As we go forward, who can we bring along? A group of Wisconsin legislators is circulating a bill that aims to take public notices out of newspapers and put them instead on government websites a bad idea that would harm transparency, democracy and public trust. For more than two centuries, governments in this country have paid newspapers to publish public notices about the actions of government. Without a third-party, independent source providing the information, there is no accountability, no check-and-balance to make sure that government is posting all the public notices it is required by law to post. Besides, relatively few people actually use government websites compared to newspaper websites and relying exclusively on individual government websites does nothing for people who dont use computers. Most Wisconsin residents continue to rely on the printed newspaper for information about their local elected governments, as they have for decades. For those who choose not to use computers, it remains the best source. For those who use computers, theres already an invaluable resource at your fingertips. Since 2005, newspapers in Wisconsin have been digitally archiving every public notice published in every newspaper in our state every day. Today, there is a database with more than a decade worth of information posted on a website thats free to use, 24/7: www.WisconsinPublicNotices.org. Wisconsin newspapers collect that information daily, archive and maintain it free of charge. That database is very user-friendly searchable by city, county, newspaper, Zip code and key word. This service is provided to citizens, courts and local government free of charge because newspapers in Wisconsin have made a substantial investment to provide and maintain the service for the sake of transparency and public trust. Businesses throughout the state use www.WisconsinPublicNotices.org to learn about projects they may wish to bid on. Just ask a contractor how efficient it would be to every day log onto the website of every local government in Wisconsin. Eliminating the usefulness of that website wouldnt be good for business in our state. So, is this a big money-maker for newspapers and are newspapers gouging government by charging an exorbitant rate for publishing notices? That rate barely covers the cost of processing and printing the information. Besides, the rate is regulated by the state the Department of Administration, to be specific. Most states dont regulate the rate that newspapers can charge for the service. To give you an idea how regulated the process is in Wisconsin, just look at the portion of the statute that regulates the type used to print notices: All legal notices shall be in Arial type face. A standard line shall be 6-point leading without spacing between the lines, and 11 picas in length. In fact, it was the newspaper industry in Wisconsin that agreed on a standard type face to help the DOA cut down on its administrative workload. The Wisconsin Legislature approved of that streamlining without opposition in 2012. The process of publishing public notices is more regulated in Wisconsin than in most states. With that said, only one state Utah briefly eliminated the requirement of publication, and it was a failure. Its also important to note that government isnt the sole bearer of the cost of publishing legal notices. In many cases, the cost is passed along by the government agency to those who are seeking government action. As Beth Bennett, executive director of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, has testified: A notice for a new license is passed along to the new licensee. Foreclosure notices are assumed by the banks and the attorneys handling the foreclosure. Court notices are passed along by the courts to the subject of the legal matter; and in many instances, public notices are required to be placed by John Q. Citizen who pays directly for the publication of the notice. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has such notices. Taking public notices out of newspapers is just another attempt by government officials to curb government transparency in Wisconsin. MADISON, Wis. (AP) Wisconsin officials are seeking the restoration of federal grants they havent been able to tap into for the past two years to fund juvenile justice programs. Federal justice officials froze more than $2.1 million in unspent federal grants dating back to 2011 during their most recent audit, which concluded Wisconsin didnt have an adequate system for monitoring facilities where juveniles are held. Wisconsin Deputy Attorney General Paul Connell sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice in December requesting that frozen grant funds from 2011 to 2015 be restored. The state is still waiting for an answer. Federal officials informed state officials in 2014 that they would conduct an audit looking into whether the Wisconsin Department of Justice was complying with requirements to receive federal funds under a Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act program. A 2015 audit concluded Wisconsins oversight of facilities such as jails, juvenile detention centers, mental health centers and police departments was lacking. Federal compliance rules included defining which facilities should be inspected and monitored. Specifically with respect to detention facilities at police departments (lock ups), Wisconsin did not believe those type facilities were required to be included in the monitoring universe, and as such did not inspect them as required, the audit said. Jim Moeser, deputy director with the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families and chair of the Governors Juvenile Justice Commission, said the state has been addressing federal compliance issues since officials were notified of the audit. Was there some responsibility on the part of the state that we probably didnt monitor things as adequately as we should? Yes, Moeser said. But, is it as bad as suggesting that were way out of compliance or not doing good work? I wouldnt say that. A 2015 audit concluded Wisconsins oversight of facilities such as jails, juvenile detention centers, mental health centers and police departments was lacking. RACINE, Wis. When Kelli McDonald lost two of her three cats in late 2015, she knew that her next pet was going to be a therapy cat. She got the idea after her own grandmother passed away in hospice, requesting to see her cat a wish that couldnt be fulfilled. It broke my heart, so I knew that I had to do something, McDonald said. After visiting her parents in Wausau, 32-year-old nurse McDonald began her search in North Central Wisconsin. She looked at cats in various shelters and pet stores in Wausau, Stevens Point, Merrill and Antigo, but after a visit to the Langlade County Humane Society, McDonald had narrowed her choice down to three cats. Ultimately, Gracie, a black and tan female tortoiseshell with six toes, was chosen on Dec. 28, 2015. Born in August 2015, Gracie seemed to have the perfect temperament to be a therapy cat. Gracie is a registered therapy cat through Pet Partners, a nationwide organization specializing in registering therapy animal teams of nine species, including dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, llamas and alpacas, birds, pigs and rats. The road to becoming a therapy cat takes a lot of preparation. According to The Pet Partners website, prospective animals must be at least 1 year old at the time of evaluation, have lived with their owner for at least six months, be house trained, up-to-date on shots, have no history of aggression towards people or other animals, demonstrate basic obedience skills, welcome interactions with strangers and be comfortable with wearing Pet Partners approved equipment, like a harness. McDonald was also required to take an online course to be a pet handler, but ultimately, she is glad she went through the process. It (the registration through Pet Partners) makes us more credible and allows us to do more things in the community, she said. During Gracies initial screening, she was given a perfect score something that is unusual. She said she never usually gives perfect scores, McDonald said. But she said she deserved it. Gracie, whose favorite snack is pumpkin seeds, enjoys traveling so much that she purrs when McDonald pulls out her carrier or puts her harness on her. And Gracies presence in the community continues to grow. The feline makes frequent appearances at a special education class where McDonald works as a school nurse at Johnson Elementary School, 2420 Kentucky St., volunteers at the Racine Public Library, 75 Seventh St., as part of the Ruff Readers & Cat Chats program in which children read to and cuddle with her and even enjoys frequent visits to the pet store where she gets along with all humans and other animal visitors alike. One time, we happened to come into a pet store during a puppy training class. Gracie just laid there and let the dogs sniff her, McDonald said. Another one of Gracies favorite activities includes traveling with mom McDonald to Ridgewood Care Center, 3205 Wood Road, to visit residents. Carol Fox, an 81-year-old Ridgewood resident, was glad to see Gracie after the holidays. I missed her. Its been a while, Fox said. Shes just the sweetest. I used to have cats at home, but they didnt sit on my lap like Gracie does. 81-year-old Helen Rogers also enjoys Gracies visits. Shes such a nice kitty. Shes just so good! Rogers said. Ridgewood Director of Recreation and Volunteers Krista Kennedy said that Gracies visits have filled a void in the nursing home for residents. Our residents absolutely love it. Shes our one and only cat. At home, Gracie is an extremely playful and loving cat, who is pretty independent. She sat on my lap this morning while I blow dried my hair and put makeup on She isnt afraid of anything! McDonald said. But when we go out on therapy visits, she knows what her job is. She may be tempted to want to just play or sniff around the room, but she knows that is not what she is there for. I dont have to force her to sit on peoples laps at the nursing home or to read with the kids. She just knows what her job is to comfort and cheer up the people there. She is so smart and special. ___ Information from: The Journal Times, http://www.journaltimes.com Hillsboros K-9 Teagan has passed away from cancer. The Hillsboro Police Department and the Vernon County Sheriffs Department made the announcement Feb. 3. Teagan passed away Saturday morning, Jan. 21, with his partner/handler Sgt. Patrick Clark by his side. Teagan was born in Germany in 2006 and later adopted by Clark and his family. K-9 Teagan held numerous certifications and served faithfully with Clark for nine years until his official retirement with the Hillsboro Police Department, Nov. 21, 2016. According to the Hillsboro Police Department, during Teagans career he had taken numerous drugs off the streets of Hillsboro and protected his partner, fellow officers and the community on a daily basis. Clark and Teagan were very active in the Hillsboro schools. Hillsboro Police Chief Tom Richardson said Teagan will truly be missed by Clark, his family, the department, and community. Our sympathy goes out to Sgt. Clark, his family, the Hillsboro Police Department, and community, Richardson said. K-9 Teagan, we will all miss your distinct bark over the police radio. Richardson said the public and area law enforcement agencies are invited to a memorial service that will be held for K-9 Teagan, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 5 p.m. at the Hillsboro Firemans Community Center, 203 Mill St., Hillsboro. During his visit to Asia, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the U.S. is committed to freedom of navigation in the disputed waters in the South China Sea. But, he ruled out a military response. Mattis said to reporters in Tokyo, At this time, we do not see any need for dramatic military moves at all. Tension between U.S. and China Last December, China conducted takeoff and landing drills from its aircraft carrier Liaoning in the South China Sea, according to the state news agency Xinhua. The move followed a phone call between then President-elect Donald Trump and the president of Taiwan. China has long considered Taiwan as a province of China. During his confirmation hearing, Rex Tillerson, the new U.S. Secretary of State, called Chinas island building an illegal activity. He said, Were going to have to send China a clear signal that, first, the island-building stops; and, second, your access to those islands also is not going to be allowed. The comment drew sharp reaction from China. Lu Kang is a spokesman for Chinas Foreign Ministry. In his daily briefing on Jan. 12, he said that China has full right to conduct any kind of normal activities on its own territory within its sovereignty. The Global Times is a state-run news organization. It published a strongly worded editorial saying, Unless Washington plans to wage a large-scale war in the South China Sea, any other approaches to prevent Chinese access to the islands will be foolish. Chinas military capabilities Military experts say Chinas current military capabilities do not measure up to Beijings tough rhetoric on its continuing activities in the South China Sea. Jeffrey Engstrom is a senior policy analyst at the RAND Corporation. Certainly things are more tense than they were just a few weeks ago. But I still dont think were quite at the point of crisis, and certainly not at immediate confrontation. Engstrom said Chinas navy is not nearly as well equipped as the United States. The Liaoning is the only aircraft carrier in the Chinese naval fleet. It was first built for the Soviet navy and launched in Ukraine in 1988, but was never fully completed. It was upgraded and modernized for the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, which launched it in 2012. The Liaoning is smaller than U.S. aircraft carriers and cannot support as many aircraft. It also has a ski jump type of system for launching aircraft instead of a catapult system. This limits the size of aircraft that can be launched, as well as how many weapons can be loaded onto the aircraft. According to the U.S.-based research group the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the Liaoning can carry up to 24 fighter jets and about 12 helicopters. The U.S. Navys current Nimitz-class warships can handle more than 60 aircraft. One of these is the USS Ronald Reagan, stationed in Japan. Since the Liaoning has only been fully operational for a few years, it also remains behind the U.S. Navy in experience and training. Denny Roy is a senior fellow at the Hawaii-based East-West Center. He says China is getting a lot of experience using the Liaoning while building its own new carrier fleet. We understand that the Liaoning is primarily meant for training. Learning to operate an aircraft carrier takes many years, its extremely complicated. So its reasonable that the Chinese would start with a practice carrier, with the training wheels. Roy added that China is thought to be currently working on additional, more advanced aircraft carriers. We think there are more Chinese carriers under construction that will be larger, more capable - and these are intended to actually be prepared to fight. However, he added that even Chinas carriers currently under construction will not have the same capacity as the new U.S. super carriers. The United States is currently building a new class of aircraft carriers known as the Gerald R. Ford class. These $13 billion super carriers are even bigger than the Nimitz class. They can carry more than 4,500 people and at least 75 aircraft. The first of these, the USS Gerald Ford, is expected to be put into service in 2017. Jeffrey Engstrom says despite the Liaonings limited capabilities, it serves as an important symbol of progress for Chinas navy. The symbolism is that China is a great power. Great powers have aircraft carriers, and China too has an aircraft carrier. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn reported this story for VOA Learning English, with additional material coming from VOA News, the Associated Press and Reuters. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story navigation - n. process by which ships are successfully guided through water drill n. training activity conducted by soldiers approach n. way of doing something rhetoric - n. language intended to influence people that might not be honest or reasonable fleet n. a group of ships in a countrys navy ski jump n. a jump used by skiers to lift them into the air catapult n. device for launching a plane from the deck of an aircraft carrier training wheels n. small wheels attached to the back of a bicycle when someone is learning to ride it Heart transplant surgery is a common medical treatment in the United States. Some doctors are skilled at removing the heart from someone who has just died, and then preparing it for another person who needs a new heart. Nationwide, about 4,000 new patients a year are listed for a heart transplant. But only about 2,500 are able to have the operation. Jason Smith is a surgeon with the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. He notes that because of the difference in numbers, not all patients on the transplant list will live. Because of that disparity, we still have about 17 percent of patients who get listed for transplant, for heart transplant, who die on the waiting list. There is a shortage of organ donors. Some people do not want to donate their organs or those of a loved one. But also, some donated organs do not make it to the surgery room in the right condition for transplant. Once the organ is removed from the donor, there is only a short time to get the organ to the person who needs it. The average length is four to six hours. After that, the organ begins to fail. This can be a problem if the donor died far away from the recipient. Traditionally, the donated hearts are transported in an ice box. Keeping the organ on ice has been the best way to preserve it. Medical workers sometimes carry the box on a helicopter or airplane. Now, a new travel box contains equipment that keeps the heart beating during transport. The only time it stops beating is for a few minutes -- just before it is placed into the chest of the person receiving it. For more than a year, the Organ Care System has been tested in the United States. The system, also known as heart in a box, has an American manufacturer, a company called TransMedics. It is already available in Europe and Australia. Dr. Jason Smith is pleased about the addition of transport pumps on the boxes. So having a transport pump to preserve the heart function allows us to better match the hearts to the recipients so that more of the hearts that are being donated can actually be used and implanted into recipients. Ted Daniels is also pleased with the heart in a box. He was the first patient to get a heart through the Organ Care System in the U.S. trials. Daniels, a truck driver from Washington State, received his new heart in September 2015. A month later he spoke to the news media. Daniels said he was excited to be part of the new patient technology. He said, "It makes me happy to know that I'll probably get to see my daughters (ages 16 and 7) graduate and get married." The equipment has been tested on flights up to 11 hours long. The machine pumps donated blood through the organ, so it can work as it does inside a body. Those traveling with the heart watch it closely to make sure it is in the best possible condition for transplantation. The development of this new heart travel machine is good news to Kevin OConnor. He is the head of Lifecenter Northwest, a group that organizes organ and tissue donation in some Northwestern states. I absolutely think its a great opportunity to improve the preservation technology for hearts and other organs, and will only stand to benefit patients in need of replacement organs in the future. TransMedics is also testing the technology to help preserve donated lungs and liver organs. Similar to the way that hearts are kept beating in the box, the lungs breathe, and livers produce bile, according to the companys website. It adds that if an organ is beginning to fail, the machine may be able to bring it back to a fully functioning condition. That would give doctors more organs for transplantation. Doctors say the new technology alone will not end the need for more donated hearts. They are urging Americans to register to become an organ donor. Im Anne Ball. Zlatica Hoke reported this story for VOA. Anne Ball adapted for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page. See how well you understand the story and develop your listening skills by taking this listening quiz. Play each short video and then choose the best answer. Quiz - New Technology Helps Move Hearts Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story disparity adj. different from each other preserve v. to keep something its original state and good condition recipient n. a person who receives something graduate v. to earn a degree from a high school or college bile n. a yellow or green liquid made by the liver that helps the body digest fats according to adv. as stated, reported or recorded by functioning adj. working to operating The smuggling of minerals continues to supply millions of dollars to armed groups in Afghanistan, said an anti-corruption group this week. The Afghanistan Anti-Corruption Network said in a report that militant groups received at least $46 million by illegally exporting minerals and precious stones to Pakistan. The report said up to 750,000 tons of marble and talc were smuggled from various parts of Nangarhar province. Some areas of this province have active Taliban and Islamic State fighters. Marble is a kind of stone that is often polished and used in buildings and statues. Talc is used in the manufacturing of products, including plastics, paints and cosmetics. Zaman Khan Amarkhail is the President of the Anti-Corruption Network. He told Radio Liberty's Afghanistan service that every day, 500 trucks carrying stones pass through government-controlled roads and arrive in Pakistan. Each truck, he added, carries about 45 tons of stone. From there, he says, the stones are sent to European countries. The Afghan mines ministry says the government has banned mineral exports to Pakistan. It says it has also encouraged local businesses to invest in the sector and legally export processed material to foreign countries. Smugglers thrive Pakistan is not the only destination for smuggled minerals. The anti-corruption network says precious stones are being illegally mined from at least 2,000 mines in Afghanistan's northeast. These stones travel across Afghanistan's border with China. Zabiullah Wardak, a member of the anti-corruption group, said that "Last year, $300 million worth of precious stones were smuggled from the province [Badakhshan] to China." The Afghan government says fighting between Afghan forces and militant groups has led to an increase in illegal mining. Experts say the mineral smuggling occurs through a strong network of militants, criminal groups, and some civil servants and military officials. Haroon Rashid Sherzad is a civil society activist and former deputy minister of anti-narcotics. He told VOA that mineral smuggling is "a huge business for the involved parties who are thriving under weak government surveillance." Conflict and development Afghanistan has a long history of smuggling. In the early 1970s, as much as 20 to 25 percent of Afghanistan's foreign trade came from smuggling. This information comes from a paper written by Jagdish Bhagwati and Bent Hansen in 1971. A report from West Point's counterterrorism center says small-scale mining and drug-smuggling played an important role in financing conflicts throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Despite Afghanistan's wealth in minerals, the country has had a difficult time developing significant industries in some parts of the country. A 2010 report in the New York Times says Afghanistan may have over $1 trillion dollars' worth of mineral reserves. "The ongoing insurgency and instability in the province [Nangarhar] has not allowed businesses to establish factories," an official at the ministry of mines told VOA. The official did not want to be identified. Experts say that continued smuggling and border corruption are not only fueling conflict, but costing Afghanistan millions of dollars. Customs revenue collections have increased in the past year, says the country's finance ministry. However, the country still loses large amounts of tax revenues due to smuggling. "Surveillance is weak at the borders. An individual with a license to export 100 tons of stones would be able to export 1,000 tons instead," Sherzad, the civil society activist, said. "Corrupt officials turn a blind eye to illegal exports and, in return, they too benefit from it." I'm John Russell. John Russell wrote this story for Learning English based on reporting by VOA's Noor Zahid. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story smuggle v. to move (someone or something) from one country into another illegally and secretly precious adj. rare and worth a lot of money cosmetic n. a substance (such as a cream, lotion, or powder) that you put on your face or body to improve your appearance thrive v. to flourish or succeed On Nov. 1, Linn Benton Food Shares warehouse in Tangent received two truckloads of food and household supplies arranged by the local branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Editorial: Lebanon should fly with its own wings when it comes to community health Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei 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of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Lakeland Electric is celebrating the opening of its fourth solar farm. Lakeland Electric opened their fourth solar energy farm New facility could help them serve another thousand homes Local experts say there are still flaws with solar energy being reliable As a public power utility company, Lakeland Electric serves around 120,000 customers in Polk County. It partnered with NRG Energy on it's newest solar farm location, and buys the electricity from them. Were looking to expand our portfolio of fuel," said Cindy Clemmons, Lakeland Electrics marketing director. "Solar energy is definitely something in the sunshine state that we want to invest in." The 65-acre solar farm has approximately 11,000 panels off of Old Medulla Road in southwest Lakeland. On a sunny day, its expected to generate enough energy to power more than a thousand homes. Its not just the energy companies investing in solar. Solar panel companies, like SEM Power, say more and more people are buying solar panels for their home. Former New Yorkers Paul and Gail Laoria are some of their recent clients. Its really a no-brainer, said Paul. We were paying, let's say, an average of $185 a month to Duke. And now it's close to that same price -- paying off the solar panels for 12 years each month. At the end of 12 years, we own the panels. SEM Power installed Laoria's. The company's vice president, Chris Rollitt, said solar panels provide several advantages to homeowners, including increased property value. The cost of the systems have come down to a reasonable level," said Rollitt. "We do have that 30 percent tax credit." For the Laorias, its cost effective. On a sunny day, well generate close to 70 kilowatt, said Paul. We only use 35 kilowatt, so thats eight months out of the year were generating more electricity than were using on a nice day. Lakeland Electric said thats the issue. Every day isnt always sunny and thats the reason it cant solely depend on solar energy. Its intermittent," said Clemmons. "You cant depend on the sun to be shining constantly." The way the science works right now," she added, "when the sun is shining, were pulling a lot of power from the sun. But when its not, we cant do anything about that. We also dont have a way to store it. Right now, natural gas is the main energy source for Lakeland Electric, along with coal. According to Clemmons, 2 percent of the companys energy source is solar energy. NAIROBI, Kenya - MicroSave, in partnership with The MasterCard Foundation, has launched a new program to develop tailored training courses in digital financial services (DFS) in the Francophone markets of Africa. The program is expected to benefit over 250 DFS providers and will focus on the WAEMU region, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Madagascar. Additionally, a DFS knowledge portal in French will be launched as the go-to place for information on digital financial services. Shifting from cash-based transactions to formal financial services provides economic benefits and stability not only for poor individuals but also their families and the economy. Expanding financial inclusion through DFS cannot occur, however, if ecosystem players lack an understanding of client needs and how to address them through a compelling offer delivered via accessible, trusted channels. The program announced last week will enable francophone markets to access training adapted to the local context. As well, it will provide regional benchmarking data and access to francophone expertise to local financial services enterprises and relevant government bodies. MicroSaves director, Graham Wright, stated, We are excited to leverage our experiences and expand our knowledge in francophone markets. Thats where we see the opportunity to increase financial inclusion working with regulators, financial institutions, mobile network operators and third party agent network operators. Sumaiya Sajjad, program manager at The MasterCard Foundation, said We believe that successful agent networks hold a strong potential to reach large numbers of unbanked individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our partnership with MicroSave to launch Reseau Helix will help a range of financial institutions to build the technical and strategic capacities of their core leadership and staff, enabling them to better meet client needs through agent networks. Digital financial services are growing in the targeted countries but are hampered by high levels of inactivity and limited products and services. Providing training and assistance will lead to sustainable and tailored service offerings that address the real demand for digital financial services and unlock the potential of DFS. After hearing about Reseau Helix, Maxime Fado, head of mobile money for Moov in Benin, said that this news will bring us knowledge on best practices in this sector. The French courses offered in West Africa will allow a real focus on the specifics of the service in the local markets. Reseau Helix will build upon the lessons from The Helix Institute of Digital Finance and work closely with local providers to offer insights from research and operational experiences. This should lead to a better understanding of appropriate models, products and services to launch or expand DFS solutions. : , , , , - 28 . The U.S. is putting regional stability in East Asia at risk, a Chinese spokesman said, following remarks by President Donald Trumps defense secretary that a U.S. commitment to defend Japanese territory applies to an island group that China claims. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang on Saturday called on the U.S. to avoid discussion of the issue and reasserted Chinas claim of sovereignty over the tiny uninhabited islands, known in Japanese as the Senkaku and Chinese as Diaoyu. The 1960 U.S.-Japan treaty is a product of the Cold War, which should not impair Chinas territorial sovereignty and legitimate rights, Lu was quoted as saying in a statement posted on the ministrys website. We urge the U.S. side to take a responsible attitude, stop making wrong remarks on the issue involving the Diaoyu islands sovereignty, and avoid making the issue more complicated and bringing instability to the regional situation, Lu said. On his first trip to Asia as secretary of defense, Mattis explicitly stated in Tokyo that the Trump administration will stick to the previous U.S. stance that the U.S.-Japan security treaty applies to defending Japans continued administration of the Senkaku islands. The islands that lie between Taiwan and Okinawa were under U.S. administration from the end of World War II until their return to Japan in 1972. China cites historical records for its claim, and Japans move to nationalize several of the islands in 2012 set off anti-Japanese riots in China and prompted the government to dispatch ships and planes to the area around them as a challenge to Japanese control. China also registered its displeasure with Mattis remarks Friday in South Korea that Trumps administration is committed to carrying through on a deal the Obama administration reached with the Seoul government last year to deploy a high-endU.S. missile defense system to South Korea this year. The Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, is meant to improve protection of South Korea and Japan as well as U.S. troops stationed in both countries against a North Korean missile attack. Beijing objects to the system because its powerful radar would allow it to peer deep into northeastern China, possibly allowing it to observe Chinese military movements. At a Friday news conference, Lu said Chinas resolute opposition to the deployment [] remains unchanged and will not change. The deployment will jeopardize security and the strategic interests of regional countries, including China, and undermine the strategic balance in the region, Lu said. Chinese officials and scholars say they anticipate further turbulence in relations with the U.S. under Trump. The president sparked anger among Chinese following his election when he broke with decades of diplomatic protocol by talking on the phone with the president of Taiwan, the self-governing island democracy that Beijing considers its own territory. Trump has also raised concerns with criticism of Chinas military buildup in the South China Sea, accusations of currency manipulation and unfair trade policies and allegations that Beijing was doing too little to pressure its communist neighbor North Korea. In a lighter moment, however, Chinese media and internet users praised an appearance by Trumps daughter Ivanka and granddaughter Arabella Kushners visit to the Chinese Embassy in Washington last week to attend Lunar New Year festivities. A video clip of Arabella singing a song of holiday greetings also set alight Chinas internet. Christopher Bodeen, AP The Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) is looking forward to officially open the Pac On Ferry Terminal in the second quarter of this year. An estimated MOP100 million will have been spent on basic operations, including security, insurance, and maintenance of the terminal. The terminals commercial space is currently calling for public tenders who intend to operate a business in the facility. According to DSAMA, tax-free shops and restaurants will be available at the terminal, which, after starting operations, will essentially provide all services that can be found at the temporary Taipa ferry terminal, including a tourism inquiries desk. Currently, there are three ferry companies running operations at the temporary ferry terminal. The seven lines managed by the trio will all be transferred to the new terminal. In order to assure convenience to all passengers, the new ferry terminal will provide electric vehicles at its facilities. Frequent visitor sentenced to 3 months A woman who allegedly used fake documents to travel between the mainland and Macau has been caught and sentenced to three-months imprisonment. According to a report by Shanghai Daily, the woman surnamed Xiao, a resident of Guangdong province, paid a Shanghai-based travel agency to apply for entry-exit permits to the MSAR claiming business reasons behind the trips. The woman was then granted unlimited access to Macau for a three-month period. She used this access to travel in and out of the territory for a total of 202 times. The case was exposed last September when Fengxian district police investigated the agency. Lei Chi Vun dockyards to be demolished The Director of the Marine and Water Bureau, Wong Soi Man, announced earlier that, starting from March, the government will demolish several dockyards in Lei Chi Vun. Two dockyards will be demolished in March, while the remaining nine will be demolished gradually over the course of time. The future usage of Lei Chi Vun will be considered by the citys other governmental departments. Lawmaker Ng Kuok Cheong called the citys Chief Executive Chui Sai On to take responsibility for Lei Chi Vun dockyards planning. Ng urged Chui to be the public face of the planning along with the Secretary for Transport and Public Works and the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture. A group of 40 Sands China Care Ambassadors volunteered their time on Saturday at Macau Holy House of Mercys Welfare Shop, to help distribute some 350 food hampers to disadvantaged families. The event marks the fifth consecutive year of Sands Chinas support, which also included a donation of MOP 300,000 to help needy families facing financial hardships. The food hampers contain staple items like rice, noodles, biscuits, canned food, cooking oil, toothpaste and shower gel. Several thousand households from disadvantaged neighborhoods have received food and essentials through the Welfare Shops monthly distribution since it was launched in 2013 to help provide relief against the rising cost of living. According to Sands China, the gaming operator has contributed a total of MOP 1.4 million since 2013, enough to provide nearly 1,500 food hampers. The Sands China Care Ambassador program aims to provide its employees with an opportunity to serve the local community by organizing community activities and initiatives. Longines launches limited edition watch Longines introduced the Flagship Heritage 60th Anniversary 1957-2017 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of its first Flagship collection. This timepiece was inspired by a Flagship model kept in the Swiss watchmakers headquarters, favored by Longines Ambassador of Elegance, Kate Winslet. The brand sold its first Flagship collection in 1957. As such, the Swiss watchmaking brand is celebrating 60 years of this iconic collection which is a symbol of quality, high precision and distinction, by launching the Flagship Heritage 60th Anniversary 1957-2017. Available in steel, yellow gold, or rose gold, the numbered timekeepers house an L609 mechanical caliber in their 38.5 mm case, according to a statement issued by Longines. Exclusive timepieces, the gold versions are limited to 60 watches while there are only 1,957 steel versions. The brushed silver dial is adorned with eight indexes and four Arabic numerals in yellow gold or rose gold colors. As with the original timepieces, the back of these commemorative watches bears a stamped caravel the flagship. War criminal and former Gestapo commandant Klaus Barbie has arrived in France to stand trial for crimes committed 37 years ago. The 69-year-old, known as the Butcher of Lyon, is believed to be behind for the deaths of more than 4,000 Jews, many of them children, between 1942 and 1944 when he was Gestapo chief in Lyon. He fled France at the end of World War II and has been in exile in Bolivia for the past 26 years, from where he was extradited yesterday. Barbie, who changed his name to Klaus Altmann when he arrived in South America, is also accused of sending more than 7,500 people to their deaths during his time in Lyon. On arrival in Lyon in 1942 Klaus Barbie was given two tasks to dismantle the Resistance and rid the city of Jews. His crimes include: The killing of 22 hostages, including women and children, in reprisal for an attack on two German policemen. The deportation of 55 Jews, including 52 children, from Izieu, east of Lyon. The liquidation of the Lyon Committee of the General Union of Jews of France and the subsequent deportation of 86 people on 9 February 1943. France has made several attempts to extradite Barbie from Bolivia during the past 10 years since he was discovered living in La Paz by French Nazi hunter, Beate Klarsfeld. Mme Klarsfelds husband, Serge Klarsfeld, is president of the Association of Sons and Daughters of Deported French Jews. The French have already condemned Klaus Barbie to death in absentia, on two occasions for war crimes once in 1952 and once in 1954 but those convictions have now lapsed. The death penalty in France was abolished in 1981 so the maximum sentence he now faces is life imprisonment. It has recently emerged that the Americans shielded Barbie at the end of the war in return for information about the Soviets. He was able to flee to South America with temporary travel documents provided by the CIA. One of the most prominent people Barbie is suspected of murdering is Jean Moulin, leader of the French Resistance Movement during the war. Courtesy BBC News In context Klaus Barbie was born on 25 October 1913 in Germany. In 1935 he joined a special branch of the SS and after serving the German army in the Netherlands he was made chief of Gestapo Department IV in Lyon from 1942 to 1944. After his return to France in 1983 he was kept in St Josephs prison in Lyon until his trial in May 1987. He was sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of 341 separate crimes against humanity. He died in prison in Lyon on 25 September 1991. The retail sector in Hong Kong recorded the poorest annual sales in nearly two decades last year, according to a report by the Nikkei Asian Review. The HKSAR government partly attributed this to the declining number of Chinese tourists visiting the territory. Retail sales in Hong Kong recorded HKD436.6 billion last year, a decrease for the whole year of 8.1 percent from 2015, marking the sharpest decline since the Asian financial crisis in 1998 when sales plummeted 17 percent year- on-year. Nevertheless, analysts say that there are signs of gradual recovery in the number of Chinese tourists and in the performance of retail sales in the latter half of last year. Last year, retail sales fell in every month, however the year-on-year declines waned in the latter months, moving from a 5.5 percent year-on-year decrease in November to 2.9 percent in December. According to the Nikkei Asian Review, the Hong Kong government attributed the narrowing decline to growing local consumption and an increasing volume of mainland visitors. The near-term outlook for retail sales business will still depend on whether the recent improvement in inbound tourism could gain more traction and the extent to which local consumer sentiment will be affected by various external uncertainties, a Hong Kong government spokesperson told the agency. The number of mainland visitors to Hong Kong in December showed a reversal after months of decline. Led by the Christmas holidays, the number of visitors increased by 9 percent year-on- year, outperforming the growth observed in Macau of a 7.8 percent year-on- year increase that month. Moreover, Macaus Business Climate Survey in November last year, which seeks to measure the near-term outlook of retailers and restaurants in the territory, showed that less than one-quarter of retailers expected year-on-year growth in the following month, December 2016. In line with expectations that the slowdown in retail sales may be approaching an end, the proportion of retailers that recorded a decline in sales in November decreased by five percentage points to 41 percent. DB Luxury retailers say sales suffered Luxury and upmarket retailers, some of which operate in Macau and Hong Kong, note that their sales suffered last year. Jewelry group Chow Sang Sang issued a profit warning last month that its full-year earnings for 2016 could drop as much as 40 percent. Meanwhile, fashion retailer Bauhaus closed four shops across the two SARs, while the same stores sales declined 10 percent year-on-year in the final quarter of 2016. Rival firm, I.T, recorded a slightly better 4.6 percent decline in store sales in Hong Kong during the three-month period between September and November 2016. Many luxury retailers in Macau and Hong Kong depend on visitation from mainland China as their main source of revenue. Those that much covet are with gain so fond, For what they have not, that which they possess They scatter and unloose it from their bond, And so, by hoping more, they have but less; Or, gaining more, the profit of excess Is but to surfeit, and such griefs sustain, That they prove bankrupt in this poor-rich gain. William Shakespeare It was almost unthinkable a few years ago to talk about Hong Kong independence. The fact that such an issue has become relevant shows that both sides of the argument the Hong Kong pro-democrats turned into localists, and Beijing committed major mistakes since the Occupy Central movement. The arguments used in favor of Hong Kongs independence (which is totally different to a higher degree of autonomy) are poor and misguided. There are several reasons for this. The most obvious is that 92 percent of Hong Kongs population is Chinese according to the 2011 census. Besides, Beatrice Oi-yeung Lam a Hong King University sociology lecturer, rightly pointed out that the categories of Hongkongese, Hong Kong Chinese and Chinese are created by identity surveys, meaning that they are artificial. A Hongkonger may feel that he has more knowledge about principles such as freedom of speech and rule of law than a mainland China citizen who was brought up with the one party rule. However, those political and legal factors are not sufficient to build a completely disparate identity. To make an analogy with my country, Portugal, if identities were built solely from political issues then many of my relatives wouldnt have considered themselves Portuguese during the long dictatorship which ended in April 1974, two months before I was born. However, regardless of their non-allegiance to the regime, they were and felt like fully-fledged Portuguese. The independence push in Hong Kong is not as sincere as it is sometimes perceived to be, with the exception of young, deluded activists. I believe that most of the localists in Hong Kong are just buying time. They hope that the SARs will extend their autonomy by electing a Chief Executive under democratic rules. They also yearn for mainland China to develop over time into a more open and transparent society. But most Hong Kong citizens are opposed to any secessionist plan. Most of the Occupy Central protesters were against a Communist Party-vetted electoral reform package, not against the Chinese nation. Chief Executive contender Regina Ip very realistically postulated on the futility of a revolt against Beijing. In a column published by a Hong Kong newspaper she recently wrote: Yet the powers that China holds over Hong Kong, through the constitutional authority it wields in the Basic Law, through the historical fact that Hong Kong has always been part of China and dependent on China for its livelihood, and through the silent endorsement of large numbers of locals who inwardly understand that there is no better arrangement for Hong Kong than one country, two systems, mean that such separatist attempts are bound to fail. Democratization attempts will fail if they are rearguard efforts to break away from China. The NPC Standing Committee has spoken and restored calm. No doubt the struggle will go on, but revolt is futile and would only hurt Hong Kong. Even the loathed (in Beijing) last colonial governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, said that the pro-independence antics were hindering the efforts to bring more democracy to the HKSAR political system. He said that such an attitude was making a mockery of a serious political argument [support for democracy]. As the Legco lawmakers oath-taking fiasco clearly shows, to move the debate from democratization to independence is a grave mistake with many consequences for Hong Kong and Macau. Obviously people in both SARs have reasons to be concerned with inefficient puppet administrations. They are right in expecting and demanding a fairer system. But what we can see now is that each side is becoming more extreme and basing its agenda on demonizing the other. A wedding day is often called the happiest day of ones life. The same cannot be said for the parents of the groom in rural China, where saving face and social pressure often leave them in debt for years. Wang Yueguo, from east Chinas Shandong Province, managed to scrape together enough money to fund his sons marriage last month. The wedding completely drained the familys savings account and left them with a debt that will take a decade to pay off. All-in-all, my sons marriage has cost me more than 200,000 yuan [about USD29,000], including around 100,000 yuan I borrowed from relatives and friends, said Wang, whose family earns about 30,000 yuan a year from farming. Wang is among many parents in parts of Chinas rural areas that feel pressured to splurge on their sons weddings in order to secure a daughter-in-law and avoid losing face. In China, it is expected that the family of the bridegroom will buy a house, pay for the wedding ceremony and provide a dowry, which is usually paid in cash. In the countryside, where people earn less but tend to maintain traditions more, families oftern spend most of their hard-earned savings. In addition to paying for the wedding banquet, jewelry, and home appliances worth over 70,000 yuan, Wang is expected to provide a dowry of more than 40,000 yuan, and a car worth over 150,000 yuan, Fortunately, the girls family did not ask for a city apartment, otherwise, another 300,000 wont be enough, he said. According to an official survey conducted last year in Linyi City, Shandong, weddings in the citys rural areas cost at least 200,000 yuan, equivalent to four to five years net income of a local family of four. Some families struggling to cope with the debt incurred by a wedding have even been dragged into poverty, the survey showed. Wedding banquets are not actually free to guests, as attendees are expected to give Fenzi, cash in a red envelope, to the newly- weds. It is not unusual for poorer guests to borrow money so that they can give Fenzi and not loose face. I earn about 15,000 yuan a year, but I easily give out 10,000 yuan a year in Fenzi at weddings and funerals, but mostly weddings, said Tao Yuanfeng, 76, who lives in a village administered by Yucheng City in Shandong. As rural families now have more disposable income, extravagance and over spending have become a serious problem. The root of the problem, however, is in the concept of saving face, nobody wants to be labeled a miser because his wedding was plain. Sociologist Zhou Xiaozheng said gender imbalance means that the family of the bride is more picky, and this is why marital costs in some rural areas have skyrocketed. By the end of 2015, there were 33.66 million more men than women in China, making heating up competition for a bride. Some rural parents see their daughters marriage as a lucrative deal. It just reflects that some villagers are really poor, Zhou said. The high costs associated with marriage threatens to harm social stability and the wider poverty alleviation campaign, according to Wang Zhongwu with Shandong University. Private lending disputes in rural China are often rooted in luxurious weddings. Moreover, cash- strapped parents find themselves penniless and unable to cover medical or elderly-care fees, Wang said. The 2016 Linyin survey suggested that although the majority of respondents disagree with the practice, they will still go into debt to cover a wedding just to save face. And 80 percent of the respondents said this was a custom that should change. MDT/Xinhua A Singapore teen seeking asylum after blog posts mocking his government landed him jail will remain in U.S. custody until a Chicago immigration court hearing next month. Amos Yees attorneys said Friday that immigration authorities denied a request for his release. Hes been detained since Dec. 16 when he was taken into custody at OHare International Airport. His hearing is March 7. Attorney Sandra Grossman submitted his asylum application this week, saying it was unclear whether hed be released from an Illinois jail during the proceedings. She says hell be imprisoned longer in the U.S. than he was in Singapore. In Singapore, the 18-year-old was jailed twice on charges of hurting the religious feelings of Christians and Muslims. Grossman says he was persecuted based on laws restricting freedom of expression. AP Its no surprise that satirical portraits of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un are the centerpiece of the India Art Fair, the annual feast of visual arts where politics took center stage this year, including groundbreaking projects on migration and rapidly changing urban landscapes in South Asia. Titled Peace Owners, the work of Nepali artist Sunil Sigdel uses Buddhist motifs on the faces of the three global leaders. Artists are responding to the global political climate, said Dina Bangdel, curator of Nepal Art Council in New Delhi. We are also looking at agriculture and perhaps the disintegration of the rural community with urbanization. Artists are speaking in a Nepali voice but in the broader context of South Asia. Bangdel said the work of her artists reflects both the fragility and resilience of a country still recovering from the devastating 2015 earthquake. The art fair brought hundreds of Indian and international artists, exhibitors and collectors from more than 20 countries. Like the previous editions of the fair that began in 2008, South Asia remains the region in focus. A community-based public art project No Mans Land, supported by Britto Arts Trust from Bangladesh and Shelter Promotion Council from India, explores the shared history, geography and culture of the two neighbors in the context of recurring border tensions and illegal migration. The cross-border collaborative project allowed Sayantan Maitra Boka , an art curator from India, to work with Bangladeshi artist Mahbubur Rahman. The two met in March 2014 in the physical space of No Mans Land as they shared their work and memories. Their installation comprises a montage of photographs and video from border villages on both sides. The idea was to explore what a fence could do to you, how claustrophobic a fence could be. And to walk into Bangladesh or rather the No Mans Land without a visa and passport. So it was a unique experience and its an ongoing work which we are continuing, he said. Political and social themes including access, migration and integration are also explored in cutting-edge installations in various art disciplines. Experimental art on display using various media works includes The Swing by Bangladeshi Tayeba Begum Lipi, made with stainless steel razor blades as a metaphor for rapid industrialization. Sculptural installation Shimmering Mirage by Pakistani-American contemporary artist Anila Quayyum Agha has a single light bulb reflecting in a black square cube, laser-cut with delicate geometrical patterns used in a sacred Islamic space. Woven Chronicle by Indian artist Reena Saini Kallat represents her vision of wires as both conduits and barriers. Using electric wires, Kallat has created a woven map tracing the routes of contract workers, asylum seekers, refugees and other migrants across the planet. A statement from the artist says that the cartographic work highlights the inherent contradiction in celebrating an increasingly connected world while stringent immigration laws, closed borders and prejudice face individuals seeking to transgress geographic boundaries. One of the most popular displays is a rare collection of archival photographs of Indias independence leader Mohandas K. Gandhi rhat has been sourced from his grandnephew Kanu Gandhi. The painstakingly restored photos offer an intimate glimpse into Gandhis life and interactions with politicians and ordinary people during the freedom movement. It comes from an unschooled photographer, looking at his own granduncle, capturing private moments of a very, very public figure and thats what makes this work stand out, says Prashant Panjiar of the Photoink photography gallery. For auto art enthusiasts, there is a BMW with colorful faces painted by Italian artist Sandro Chia. He said in a statement that the painted automobile reflects the gaze of the people looking at it. The cultural discourse at the fair is also looking at the role of digital technology in an evolving art world. Many post- internet artists are giving a virtual life to their physical art as digital technology makes art more accessible and brings global attention to artistic talent than was previously possible. Digitization allows presenting collections of regional artists that cannot be physically displayed in remote places due to logistical and financial reasons. Even works of modern Indian masters like F N Souza and S H Raza are listed for online sales. The digital medium has opened up the global market and made it local, said Bangdel. The digital world opens the borders so in other words, we are really sort of traversing both geography as also time and space. Videos and sound art, animations and interactive art forms that only exist online can also provide an alternative experience to those with no access to galleries, said Sayantan Maitra Boka, a curator from India. I just feel that maybe we dont have the proper technology right now to transmit the experience of art to the digital life, said Spanish gallery director Sabrina Amrani. But we are building the bridges and we are crossing them we just need maybe a new car for it. Vineeta Deepak, AP Romanias government made a key concession to the protesters who swarmed into central Bucharest this week to oppose a new decree that they say undermines the countrys fight against corruption. The one-month-old cabinet was expected to meet to scrap the disputed changes to criminal legislation that weaken the nations clampdown on graft, which sparked the largest protests in the country since the collapse of Communism. Still, a large-scale protest was expected in the capital this evening as some demonstrators have called for the government to resign, citing a lack of trust in the administration. Some 330,000 people protested around Romania on Saturday for a fifth consecutive evening, with more than 150,000 people gathering in front of Victoria Palace in Bucharest. Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu called an emergency government meeting to undo the changes approved on Jan. 31. Ive listened to my colleagues in the party and in the opposition and I heard the voice of the street and I dont want to split the country in two, Grindeanu said. I will start a debate shortly with all the parties on ways to change the criminal codes so that they meet the most recent rulings of the Constitutional Court. The Social Democrats face the largest backlash since the 1989 uprising that ousted dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Romanias third government in two years incurred the wrath of the public and President Klaus Iohannis by unexpectedly easing punishments for officials who abuse their positions and by seeking to free others from prison. The protesters back the anti-graft drive thats ensnared top officials in the European Union and NATO member nation, including an ex-Social Democrat premier. I want to show my kids that they have to stand up for their rights and their freedom and never accept someone stealing their country, said Liana Pavelescu, a 33-year-old accountant, who protested Saturday while holding a newborn in her arms and towing her 5-year-old alongside. Im here for their future and I will keep coming until something changes. The turmoil sent the leu 1 percent lower against the euro on Wednesday, the steepest decline in more than two years and one that erased all of its 2017 gains. It recovered about half of the losses in the following two days. While S&P Global Ratings said risks to Romanias investment-grade status are currently balanced, it warned that the turmoil could dent investor confidence and harm growth. I am deeply concerned by the decree of the Romanian government, said U.S. Senator John McCain, a Republican from Arizona who is head of the Senates Armed Services Committee. With ever-increasing threats to democracy in Europe today from Russia and its proxies, Romania cannot afford to retreat in the fight against corruption. The government had planned to decriminalize abuse-of-office offenses for sums of less than 200,000 lei (USD48,000) and it sent a draft law to parliament to pardon prisoners serving sentences shorter than five years, excluding rapists and repeat offenders. Grindeanu said new talks with parties may no longer refer to this threshold that sparked controversy. While it said it sought to ease prison overcrowding, its actions would have freed hundreds ex-officials and potentially halted investigations of others. They include an investigation into Liviu Dragnea, the party leader whos seeking a retrial after receiving a suspended sentence for electoral fraud. He denies wrongdoing and late last week blamed the protests on a misinformation campaign and encouragement from the president. The controversy in Romania comes amid concern that other national governments are undermining the rule of law. The EU has reprimanded Poland and Hungary for state encroachment on the judiciary and the media. The government in Warsaw backed away from plans to tighten abortion rules after mass protests. Anti-graft prosecutors in Romania are working on more than 2,000 abuse-of-office cases. In the past two years, theyve sent more than 1,000 people to trial, seeking to recover damages in excess of 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion). The country of 19 million people ranks fourth-worst for graft in the EU, according to Berlin-based Transparency International. Its an important step toward normality, Madalina Dobrovolschi, the presidents spokeswoman, said according to News.ro news service late on Saturday. The government made a big mistake and is fully responsible for solving the crisis it created. The peoples requests are legitimate and correct. Andra Timu and Roxana Zega, Bloomberg Thailands military government says it made progress in fighting human trafficking in 2016, aiming for a favorable review from the U.S. State Department in its annual report on modern-day slavery. The Foreign Ministry said last week that 268 people were convicted of human trafficking during the year, the highest number since the government began instituting tougher policies in 2014. No matter which government would like to inspect us, if they look at our efforts for the past three years, they should have a good feeling, Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said at a news conference. Thailand has come under heavy scrutiny in recent years. In 2014, the U.S. demoted Thailand to Tier 3 status, the lowest category indicating a failure to combat trafficking. A March 2015 report by The Associated Press and other investigations have showed continued slavery and labor abuses in Thailands fishing industry. Officials said they have made efforts to enact new legislation, prosecute trafficking cases more stringently and provide more support for victims. Even though there are still a few remaining challenges and some work to do, we have made significant progress, said Songsak Saicheua, a Foreign Ministry official overseeing relations with the Americas. The ministry said 824 victims of human trafficking were identified in 2016, down from 982 in 2015. It said 333 cases of suspected trafficking were investigated, up from 317 in 2015. A total of 600 people were arrested and charged in the 333 cases, it said. Of those cases, 244 involved sex trafficking and 43 were related to exploitation in the fishing industry, it said. The remainder involved other labor trafficking abuses. The ministry said 268 people were convicted of human trafficking in 2016, up from 205 in 2015. It said penalties increased, with 36.5 percent sentenced to jail terms of more than 5 years, compared to 29.2 percent the previous year. Ten policemen were caught in two trafficking rings, it said. Last June, the State Department upgraded Thailand to Tier 2 Watch List, signifying governments that do not fully meet minimum standards on human trafficking but are making major efforts to do so. The move provoked widespread criticism from rights groups, which said the country had not done enough to deter and prosecute trafficking. But the groups now say the government is making stronger efforts to improve, though its unclear how effective they will be. Thailand is clearly trying to do a lot to deal with the human trafficking issue, and has outshone its neighbors in the efforts being made. No one doubts their energy, said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch. The issue is efficacy. Will the things theyre doing here protect vulnerable migrants from human trafficking? Thailand will submit a summary of its progress to the State Department for its annual Trafficking in Persons Report, which assesses the efforts of 188 countries. The report is expected to be released in June. Kawee Kaewjinda, Dake Kang, AP TWIN FALLS Twin Falls residents can expect to see the return of a popular discount chain this spring. The city of Twin Falls released its January building permits this week, and Kings Variety Store has been approved to remodel the former Hastings building. Kings had previously been in the Lynwood Shopping Center before it closed more than a year ago. Itll be a bigger store than was previously in Twin Falls, Director of Operations Todd Taylor said. Were hoping for an early spring opening. But the $4,378 remodeling was hardly the largest item the city approved. Chobani received a building permit for a $2 million addition to its wastewater pre-treatment facility. Three major priorities for us this year include our drinks, our Flips and our core business, Chobani spokesman Michael Gonda said. Everything that were doing is to support our current growth and our future growth. Chobanis Flip and drink products have been driving significant growth in the company, he said. The pre-treatment plant is the first step to treat wastewater discharged from the manufacturing facility before it is sent to the citys municipal treatment plant. The project will increase Chobanis pre-treatment capacity so it can continue to comply with regulations. Construction is slated to begin this spring. While the city approved no permits for new commercial buildings in January, it processed seven permits for commercial additions and remodels. Other significant projects included a $350,000 improvement for the Chipotle Mexican Grill at 687 Blue Lakes Blvd. N., and the citys $2.3 million remodel for its police operations center. The city issued a total of 182 permits in January, and has approved 922 since October. Thats a slight increase from this time last year. Well catch up on new commercial eventually, Building Official Jarrod Bordi said. Single family are way up. Twin Falls approved 15 new single-family building permits in January, compared to seven a year ago. Many of those permits were for the new Broadmoor subdivision at Grandview Drive North and North College Road West. For the fiscal year-to-date, the city has issued single-family 71 permits, a 42 percent increase. A lot of this stuff is pre-sold, Bordi said. Theres more people moving here. TWIN FALLS A Twin Falls school bus was delayed Monday due to a minor conflict between students. The cascade bus which left from Vera C. OLeary Middle School stopped while en route to dropping off students at home. It resulted in a 20-minute delay. Initially, school officials thought a student on the bus was having a medical issue. But it was just a couple of students having a conflict and one of them got upset, said Brady Dickinson, director of operations for the Twin Falls School District. It ended up not being a serious issue, he said. Parents of all Twin Falls School District received an emergency alert shortly before 3:30 p.m. The notice was intended just for parents of students on the bus, Dickinson said, but was accidentally sent out to everyone. This appeared in Sundays Washington Post: An early test of President Donald Trump administrations capacity for malice, or for constructive compassion, is its stance on dreamersundocumented young immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and who were granted a temporary reprieve from the threat of deportation by President Barack Obama. On that score, in his earliest days in office, Trump is tilting, maybe, toward compassion. Having spent most of the presidential campaign vowing to revoke what he called an unconstitutional amnesty (which it isnt, since dreamers have been granted what amounts to a stay, not legal status), Trump switched gears after the election, saying he would work something out that would make people happy and proud. Now his spokesman, Sean Spicer, says the new presidents priority for deportation is people who have done harm to our country, not dreamers, whom Trump would approach in a very humane way. In other words, the focus will be on undocumented criminals, the same sub-group of illegal immigrants targeted by Obamas deportation policy. Deporting 750,000 dreamers who registered with the government and received Social Security numbers and two-year work permits would not just be cruel; it would be economically self-defeating and politically foolish. After all, this is a population that grew up and attended school in this country; they are as promising, hopeful and culturally American as their neighbors. It is encouraging that the administration is edging toward acknowledging this. Ending talk of deportation is a good start. But that alone will not bring a sense of security to dreamers and an estimated 1 million others eligible for the same statusthose who arrived in the United States by 2007 and before their 16th birthday and are now no older than 35. Trumps promise to work something out would have to include renewing their two-year work permits and registering others who meet the criteria. Removing those protections, or allowing them to lapse, would force some 1.7 million people back into limbo, with no confidence they could continue to work, study or travel. The best path forward remains an overhaul of the immigration system that would provide long-term protections not only for dreamers but also for most of the 11 million undocumented immigrants, the majority of whom have been in this country for more than 15 years. Without offering details, Reince Priebus, Trumps White House chief of staff, allowed that he would also welcome what he called a long-term solution worked out with Congress. That sounds like something very different from threats of mass deportation, with which Trump whipped up his campaign rallies. It holds out a glimmer of hope that the new presidents election-year hyperbole on immigration, at least as it pertained to dreamers, may yield to something more resembling pragmatism. Eastern Petroleum Corp., an independent petroleum company, said Monday it filed a case against rival Pryce Gases Inc. for alleged unauthorized liquefied petroleum gas refilling. Eastern Petroleum said in statement its anti-illegal LPG refilling campaign gained ground with the resolution issued by the Provincial Prosecutors Office of Imus, Cavite against Pryce for the alleged unauthorized refilling of EC Gas cylinders. The Provincial Prosecutors Office of Imus said in a resolution it found probable cause to indict Pryce Gases president and chief operation officer Efren Palma for two counts of violation of Batas Pambansa 33, as amended by Presidential Decree 1865, and two counts of violation of Republic Act 8293 of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines of 1997. Eastern Petroleum said the resolution was penned by prosecutor Anita Gaduang-Rosales and was based on results of two test buys conducted by members of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group which confirmed that the refilling plant of Pryce in Maguyam, Silang, Cavite was engaged in illegal refilling of LPG. Eastern Petroleum said results of the two test buys where EC Gas cylinders were being refilled by Pryce were sufficient to establish the illegal activities being undertaken in Pryces plant in Silang and were punishable under said laws. ADVERTISEMENT The Office of the Provincial Prosecutors resolution confirms our allegations of illegal LPG refilling and gives a legal cover to pursue our case [against Pryce Gases], Eastern Petroleum said. The company said illegal refilling activities imperiled not only the lives of consumers but could also cause damage to properties. The Energy Department earlier assured the Independent Philippine Petroleum Companies Association, where Eastern Petroleum is a member, that it would go against illegal LPG refilling activities in the country. The department also committed to revisit existing regulations to prevent the unauthorized refilling of other LPG companies cylinders and work on improving industry standards. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Police detained one person Monday in connection with a fire at a foot massage parlor in China that killed at least 18 people and injured another 18, media said. The fire broke out at around 5:26 pm (0926 GMT) Sunday in eastern Zhejiang province, the official Xinhua news agency reported. It was extinguished in less than two hours. Eight lost their lives in the fire, while another 10 died in hospital, according to Xinhua. Video posted on Chinese social media website Weibo showed thick black smoke billowing from the massage parlor and people jumping out of the second-floor window of the six-storey building. Shards of broken glass were strewn across the floor of the massage parlour. "Windows in the third and fourth floor, where residents lived, were also shattered," the Beijing News said, quoting a witness. ADVERTISEMENT The cause of the fire is unclear, Xinhua said. Fire safety procedures are routinely ignored in China, with exit doors often locked and escape passages blocked in buildings across the country. Seven people died in a fire in an elderly care facility last month. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. The Department of Labor and Employment said on Monday that it is exerting all efforts to save the life of overseas Filipino worker Elpidio Lano who was sentenced to death for killing a fellow Filipino worker in Kuwait, even as the department appealed to the victims family to forgive Lano and accept the blood money being offered. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said he has appealed to the family of Nilo Macaranas to forgive Lano who is on death row in Kuwait. Bello met with the wife of Macaranas, an engineer whom Lano allegedly stabbed to death two years ago. Under the Kuwait judicial system, Lano can escape the death sentence if he pays the required amount to the victims family. I have already talked with Mrs. Macaranas. I told her that maybe, she can find it in her heart to forgive Lano, Bello said. ADVERTISEMENT He added: Its now up to her and their family to decide kung mapapatawad nila si Lano and accept the offer of blood money. However, the DoLE did not say how much the family is asking as blood money. Im still hoping for the best for Lano. Hopefully, we can get at least a commutation of his death sentence, or better yet, his freedom, Bello also said. In 2014, Lano was arrested after he was accused of killing Macaranas. He was sentenced to death by hanging by the Kuwait Court of First Instance. The court, however, has yet to set the execution. Lanos case resurfaced following the hanging last month of Jakatia Pawa, a household service worker sentenced for the killing in 2007 of her employers 22-year-old daughter. Pawa allegedly stabbed the victim several times with a kitchen knife while the latter was sleeping. Pawa professed innocence until the time of her death. The schedule of Pawas execution, however, was so abrupt that the government and her family were notified a day before she was hanged on January 25. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. A sinner saved by the grace of God given to those with faith in the crucified and risen Jesus Christ. Period. The Moroccan government called Monday on the European Commission and the European Council to assume their responsibility to ensure the implementation of the farm deal sealed between Rabat and Brussels within the frame of a broader strategic partnership. A press release issued by the Moroccan Ministry of agriculture and fisheries also called on the European Union to stop and counter hostile attempts seeking to block the implementation of the agricultural accord. Morocco and the EU are bound by an agricultural agreement whose application applies to all territory of the Kingdom of Morocco, the statement said. Recalling that the agreement was halted due to judicial proceedings, the Ministry said that the latest decision of the European court of Justice has logically confirmed the agricultural protocol between Morocco and the EU. Any impediment to the implementation of this agreement threatens thousands of jobs on both sides and constitutes a real risk for the resumption of migratory flows, adds the document, underlining Moroccos sustained efforts to contain soaring illegal immigration and ward off Europe from this threat. Actions aimed at hampering the entry of Moroccan products in the European markets must be sanctioned and addressed with the utmost firmness by our European partner, stresses the ministry. Such nuisances endanger cooperation built over many years, leaving Morocco no other choices than seeking partnerships with a number of countries such as Russia, China, India, Japan, the Gulf countries and our African neighbors, warns the Moroccan statement. The 2012 trade deal lowered tariffs on dozens of Moroccan agricultural exports to the EU in exchange for scrapping of tariffs on some European exports to the North African country. The agreement was part of EU efforts to encourage democratic reforms in the region following the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011. The EU has extensive ties with Morocco on trade, political and security matters, but Morocco had decided to suspend relations with European institutions after the European court of Justice partly upheld a challenge to the bilateral 2012 farm trade deal over the Sahara in December 2015. The move prompted the European Commission, with the backing of several EU members, which are fully aware of the importance of the EUs ties with the North African country, to lodge an appeal with the court. In December 2016, the European court cancelled its former verdict on the farm deal with Morocco declaring invalid the challenge to the Morocco-EU trade deals submitted by the Algeria-backed Polisario. The EUs top court, had thus overruled its previous verdict and rejected the Polisarios right to appeal, stating that the deals between Morocco and the EU do not concern the Polisario front. Irans Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliamentary and Expatriates Affairs Hassan Qashqavi has stated that President Donald Trumps anti-immigration policies towards the seven Muslim-majority nations are unjustified decisions. He stressed that Tehran will take retaliatory actions if Washington prevents Iranians from entering the US while calling for the need to hold talks and show leniency based on national interests rather than using force and arms. His comments came a day after U.S. Vice President Mike Pence warned that Iran would do well not to test the resolve of this new president. He urged Tehran to think twice about their continued hostile and belligerent actions. He reiterated President Trumps stance that everythings on the table and Iran is also on notice after its missile test last week. Qashqavi who called for foreign policies to be based on rationalism, prudence and pragmatism noted however that sometimes we need to exercise authority and confront. Meanwhile, Vice president Pence wants Iran to work with the world community rather than continue on what he described as this kind of belligerent and hostile behavior, defiant behavior to the world community. In a defiant message to the U.S., Mojtaba Zonour, a member of Irans National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, has boasted that Tehran has the military capability to hit US bases in the Middle East. According to the former Islamic Revolution Guards Corps official, Iran has the potential to raze to the ground a U.S. military base in Bahrain and also needs only seven minutes to hit Tel Aviv with missiles. Zonour warned the enemy against making a mistake. The latest remarks intensify the war of words between the two countries especially with the arrival of the Trump administration at the end of last month. Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar of the Libyan National Army expressed hope that his LNA will get the support of the USA in helping to lift the unjust UN arms embargo imposed on the country. In an interview with French media JDD, Haftar said lifting the embargo would help to better equip the LNA as they continue to pursue groups that want to prejudice the future of the Libyan people. He cited Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and the old Libyan Islamic Fighting Group under the command of Abdulhakim Belhaj as some of the groups undermining peace in the country. Field Marshall Haftar said he is hopeful of Washingtons support in the struggle against terrorism, if one is to believe what Mr. Trump has said. Russia has been a strong supporter of the LNA and Haftar explained that their relations naturally comprise contracts and some agreements which bind us but their activation is being blocked by the arms embargo. Frances implication in the war was also acknowledged as they continue to provide information from military reconnaissance and expert advice. Haftar said Paris has not abandoned us following the death of three French security personnel in a Benghazi helicopter crash last July but they rather rapidly came up with other alternatives. He described their efforts as a wonderful work. He claimed that his forces control all of the east and the south and a large part of the west of Libya estimating it to be around 95% of the total territory. Haftar said his forces are fighting against terrorist groups stressing that we do not wish to deviate from our main end. The commander of the LNA gave assurances that his forces will continue to protect the countrys oil facilities against any attack by militias who have their own specific agendas. President Omar Bashir of Sudan has accused Egypt of continuing to provide support to armed opposition groups fighting his government despite repeated calls for Cairo to stop. The Sudanese president who called President Sisi a friend lambasted at the Egyptian intelligence services that he accused of harboring and backing the opposition fighters. Sudanese troops are fighting rebels in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan region. President Bashir did not name the groups being supported by Cairos intelligence services. The Sudanese president also distanced his country from being a safe haven for the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood saying, we didnt host any Brotherhood leaders in Sudan because our policy is against harboring any hostile activities against any country. Cairo has not responded to the accusations made by the Sudanese president but bilateral relations are expected to become tense after Bashir claimed that the disputed territory of Halayeb is part of Sudan. The area is controlled by Egypt with heavy military presence but Bashir vowed that the Halayeb triangle would remain a Sudanese territory. He said he is determined to take the matter to the UN Security Council if talks failed. In April 2016, Cairo refused a demand by the Sudanese government to hold direct talks on Halayeb and Shalateen or to accept the referral of the dispute to the International Court of Arbitration. Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank. @amysherman1 Broward County officials plan to negotiate with security consultants to write an after-action analysis related to the mass shooting at the Fort Lauderdale airport that left five people dead. The county's purchasing division will hold a negotiation meeting with Ross & Baruzzini, a security firm, related to the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, at 8 a.m. Wednesday. A sunshine meeting notice included no additional details. No other firms appear to be under consideration. In December, the county commission gave staff the go-ahead to negotiate a contract with the same security firm for protects at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. The county commission is expected to act on the Port contract in February. A. Celina Saucedo said that the county plans to negotiate with the firm to consult on the airport plan. County officials expect to wait to make any decisions about potential security changes until the plan is complete which could take months. A key question is whether the county should beef up security in certain areas of the airport including the baggage claim where the shooting occurred. The Miami Herald requested documents from the Broward Sheriff's Office showing how many were assigned to the baggage claim when the shooting occurred, but BSO denied the request citing a state law that allows agencies to keep certain security information private. Broward Sheriff Scott Israel told the Herald in January that he plans to ask the county for more funding for security and that it will cost the agency about $100,000 extra a month in overtime for more security. However, BSO has not made any formal request to the county. BSO plans to give its budget request to the aviation department which then requests funds from the county as part of the normal budgeting process. The county makes final decisions about the annual budget in September. @ByKristenMClark Miami businesswoman Elizabeth De Zulueta speaks English and Spanish. She knows some Italian and Russian, too. Shes also a robotics engineer who knows how to code using technical training in computer science and electrical and mechanical engineering. Having studied languages and coding, De Zulueta knows the value of both skills, and she can attest from her personal experience while there are striking similarities in the mechanics of how each is learned computer coding and foreign language are not the same. There are some essential parts of learning a foreign language that youre not going to get from coding, which derives from mathematics, said De Zulueta, who founded her own start-up robotics company, called Zulubots, in Miami-Dades Kendall area. Yet some Florida lawmakers are again proposing an innovative, but contentious, plan that would put coding and foreign language on equal footing in a public high school students education. More here. Photo credit: Lourdes Masis As rhetorical attacks mount against the judiciary in Florida and in Washington, the chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court on Monday named three people who value judicial independence to serve on the powerful panel to revise the Florida Constitution. Florida Chief Justice Jorge Labarga appointed Miami lawyer Roberto Martinez, Jacksonville defense attorney Henry Coxe III and former Democratic leader of the Florida Senate Arthenia Joyner to serve as his appointees to the Constitution Revision Commission, the 37-member panel assembled every 20 years to review the constitution and put proposals directly before voters in 2018. They each were chosen because they value an independent judiciary, Labarga told reporters at a press conference on Monday at the Florida Supreme Court. He called them "extremely qualified people who care about our state" and said he looked for candidates with "wide-ranging knowledge about our system and appreciation for separation of powers and the independence of the judicial branch of government." While the chief justice has only three appointees, Republican Gov. Rick Scott will appoint 15 members of the panel, including its chair. House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land OLakes, and Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, each have nine appointees. Members of the commissioner are volunteers who will serve until the November 2018 election. The appointments must be made before the legislative session begins March 7. Labargas three appointees are each prominent lawyers in their fields with experience working in the political process. @michaelauslen @ByKristenMClark In the days after five people were shot and killed in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, some elected officials adopted a familiar routine. As news spread that the suspected gunman told FBI agents in Alaska that he was hearing voices, Florida officials called for improvements to mental health care and tougher measures to keep guns away from people with severe psychological disorders. The Jan. 6 mass shooting was just the latest to be followed by hand-wringing from politicians, particularly gun-rights supporters, who blamed shortcomings in the mental health system for the tragedy. Despite years connecting mental illness and mass shootings, lawmakers in both parties have been reluctant to pass major legislation taking firearms out of the hands of people diagnosed with severe disorders. Republican Gov. Rick Scott showed how quickly politicians can retreat after a call to action. One thing we have to think about is if someone is adjudicated mentally ill, it just doesnt make any sense that they should have access to a gun, he told reporters a week after the Fort Lauderdale shooting. Scott and his spokespeople refused several requests by the Herald/Times to elaborate on what type of fix this would require. When pressed, he finally begged off further involvement. I support the Second Amendment, but I want to make sure that families in our state are safe, Scott said when asked for details late last month in Tampa. Whatever the Legislature wants to do Im not part of the legislative branch Ill review. Scott, who often lobbies the Legislature on priorities like tax cuts, could weigh in on guns if he wants, but hes right that its ultimately up to lawmakers to act. And theres much they can do. More here. Photo credit: Steve Cannon / AP @PatriciaMazzei President Donald Trump is sending a four-member delegation to the inauguration Tuesday of Haitian President-elect Jovenel Moise, the White House announced Monday. Leading the group is Thomas A. Shannon Jr., the under secretary for political affairs at the State Department, the White House told the Miami Herald. Also traveling are Peter F. Mulrean, the U.S. ambassador to Haiti; Omarosa Manigault, an assistant to the president and director of communications for the White House office of public liaison; and Kenneth Merten, the acting principal deputy assistant secretary of state of Western Hemisphere affairs and Haiti special coordinator (and a former U.S. ambassador to Haiti). For picture posts from 2010 and earlier, see the Earlier Picture Posts Page A Community Newsblog written by Community Members Middletown's a big place, with a lot going on. We need your help to keep your neighbors informed. Come write or just give us a tip on your news, sports, arts, politics or events at - middletowneye@gmail.com Help us to make the Middletown Eye the third eye people open every morning! STEVENSVILLE This has not been an easy winter for George Thomas. The long bout of frigid cold has made his job of keeping water flowing to homes in Stevensville a challenge that hes ready to see come to an end. And hes not alone. The folks manning the phones at the Ravalli Electric Co-op and Northwestern Energy have been getting an earful from customers wondering why their bills have been much higher than years past. Ive been told this is the third-coldest winter in Montanas history," said Melissa Greenwood of Ravalli Electric. We have been getting a lot of calls from people who have been wondering whats going on with their bills. In Stevensville, Thomas has been battling a main line that runs along the edge of the towns Main Street that keeps freezing. The frost has reached four to five feet down in some places, said the towns water and wastewater supervisor. Thats created some problems for us. A number of homes, especially in the older section of town, have had their water lines freeze solid. It got so bad at one point that the town asked people to let their faucets trickle to keep the water from freezing. At one point, Thomas said he had 10 homes with frozen water lines. As of Friday, all but three are thawed out. The biggest challenge has been keeping that main line running. While most of the water lines in town are afforded some insulation from the snow covering the ground, Main Street is plowed and the traffic tends to drive the frost deeper into the ground, Thomas said. The town had to resort to renting a ground-thawing machine at $2,000 a week to thaw out a few sections of the pipe this winter. Freezing water pipes isnt anything new for Stevensville. Thomas has heard rumors that years ago people hooked welding units to the pipes to thaw them out. We find wires on some them that tells us that method has been used before, he said. These days, the community sometimes uses a pipe-thawing machine that can run an electrical current through metal pipes while creating a vibration that helps break up the frozen water. We do what we can to keep the water running, he said. People dont realize how much water they use in a day until they dont have access to it. The national average is 100 gallons a day, he said. The weather is supposed to change this week. Im not looking forward to the rain, but the warmer temperatures will be nice. Those warmer temperatures in the forecast will also be a relief to peoples pocketbooks. NorthWestern Energy said temperatures have been 16 percent colder in December and 26 percent colder in January than normal in the area it services. As a result, the company set a record for deliveries of natural gas to its customers in December. Its electric system also hit a new peak load in mid-December. That increased demand has shown up on customers bills these past two months. Closer to home, Greenwood said Ravalli Electrics customers had to deal with a stretch of 18 days with single-digit or below-zero temperatures. Just the fact that this winter has been so much colder than what weve seen the past few years has caught people off guard, Greenwood said. People have known that its really cold, but they dont realize how cold its been until they get their bill. This has definitely been one of the highest years for power demand that weve ever seen. Ravalli Electric has tried to offer some tips to help keep those power bills at a minimum. Everyone is trying to stay warm, Greenwood said. Unfortunately, if they are running space heaters all day long, that can add up costs quickly. The same goes for block heaters on vehicles. We encourage people to use overnight timer versus running those continually. We are trying to be as helpful as we can to keep those costs lower, she said. We have definitely been hearing a lot of concerns about that this winter. My Student in need provides a private and nurturing way for teachers and staff members of Missoula County Public Schools to ask for help for a student in need and a way for the community to give back. A second-grade boy, age 8, needs winter boots. Due to us not knowing his size, we are asking for a donation of $40 to My Student In Need and we will purchase a gift card so the teacher can take the student shopping. Rattlesnake 2222. A kindergarten girl, age 6, needs winter boots, size 11. New or used is greatly appreciated. If you would like to help with this need, you cam either donate gently used boots or make a donation of $40 to My Student In Need and we will purchase a gift card so the teacher can take the student shopping. Rattlesnake 2221. A seventh-grade boy, age 11, needs a violin so he may participate in band. If you have a gently used violin and would like to donate it, contact My Student in Need and let us know how you would like to help. Washington 2217. If you would like to help, visit www.mystudentinneed.org/Missoula-MT/. The number next to the school represents the current needs at that school. The needs can change every day. Click the school, find a need request and click the Fulfill This Need button. Complete the donor form and press the Submit button. A member of our team will contact you, or you can call 406-750-2542. Operational costs for My Student in Need are underwritten by a sponsorship from Montana Farmers Union and our Partners in Dignity. HELENA After struggling to get bills with a price tag out of committee, some Montana legislators are making amendments to move policies forward without funding. One strategy to get a bill out of committee and onto the floor is changing the required funding to $1 instead of the original estimate of what the bill would actually cost to implement. House Bill 185 would have appropriated $4 million over the next biennium to establish a grant program to eliminate tuition for certain post-secondary programs, but was tabled after the committee expressed cost concerns. After the amount was changed to $1, it passed out of the education committee and the House. The general idea is to find funding near the end of the session, or hope the budget will be in better shape in 2019. But with legislators meeting term limits or losing their re-election, critics of the $1 bills say legislators next session will be burdened with funding someone elses policy. That tactic could be less effective under a new policy from the governors budget office, which would require fiscal notes to include the actual cost of a proposed policy. Chair of House Appropriations, Rep. Nancy Ballance, R-Hamilton, said she thinks having the actual cost attached to the bill will ensure legislators are truly evaluating policy and not putting forward a mediocre bill because it doesnt have an immediate cost. House Bill 185, carried by Rep. Shane Morigeau, D-Missoula, was tabled in the education committee, with an original appropriation of $4 million over the next biennium. It was taken off the table and passed 12-5 with an amendment appropriating $1 for the biennium. Morigeau said he thinks listing the actual cost of the bills isnt necessary for every bill with a reduced fiscal note. If his bill doesnt have any money, the program is simply put on hold. It wont cost the state money unless they decide to fund it, he said. The updated fiscal note reflects the actual cost as $4 million in the biennium, or any lesser amount the Legislature decides to appropriate. I think theres a danger in killing good policy even if you cant fund it right now, he said. Lets at least find a vehicle for the future where we can help students in need. If there are funds at the end of the session, the bill could see an appropriation. Even if it were a small amount, such as $1,000, Morigeau said a few students could receive assistance. He said the Board of Regents would be able to set the criteria to determine the students with the highest need receive at least some portion of the available funds. If not, the law could be funded next session without having to rehash a policy debate. The amendment also adjusted the mandatory GPA from a 2.5 to 2.7 and instituted a community service requirement of at least eight hours a semester. Morigeau said he spoke with almost every committee member to address their concerns with his bill. Beyond a financial standpoint, he said some members were in favor of the bill if there were more checks and balances, like the higher GPA requirement, to make sure the student was doing well. When the fiscal note was reduced to $1, some committee members who previously voted no changed to a yes vote. When the version of HB 185 that would have appropriated $4 million was up for executive action, a second bill that delayed funding until 2019 was also tabled by the committee. During that discussion, Rep. Sue Vinton, R-Billings, said she was hesitant to pass legislation without funding. This same type of legislation or bill request could be brought forward in 2019 rather than committing to that at this time, she said. Vinten originally voted yes for HB 185 and voted yes a second time even though it had a $1 fiscal note. She said she doesnt think a reduced fiscal note will help the bill become law. As far as the policy of reducing a fiscal note to $1, its not helpful, she said. When asked why she voted yes for the bill if she didnt think it would pass without funding, she said she has a passion for technical and vocational education. I appreciate the intent of policy for providing further avenues of education, she said. As our nation goes through the transition process from President Obama to President Trump, and the vetting process for numerous political appointments escalate including our own Congressman Ryan Zinke, who, when confirmed, will be the first Montanan ever in a presidential Cabinet position perhaps none will receive more scrutiny than nominations to the United States Supreme Court. Why is this? Justices serve during good behavior (Article 3, Section 1, U.S. Constitution). In practice, this means for life or until they are so old they can barely function. The average age for justices when they are appointed is 53 and, since 1970, the average service for a justice has been 26 years. Thus, the one or more justices President Trump appoints could serve through four to seven presidents. In addition to the Supreme Court opening, there are currently 84 vacancies for federal district court judges and 14 vacancies for federal circuit court judges. In total, there are 890 full-time federal judgeships, thus over 10 percent are unfilled today. Overall, President Obama appointed 329 federal judges; President George W. Bush appointed 326; President Reagan appointed 384; and President Clinton appointed 379. President Reagan also appointed three Supreme Court justices, while Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton each appointed two to the Supreme Court. The legacy of any president is significantly tied to their federal judge appointments, particularly the Supreme Court. Journalists, insiders and think-tanks have been looking very hard at the people Trump listed as potential Supreme Court nominees. The U.S. Senate has the important task of scrutinizing and vetting the eventual nominee. This vetting is necessary because once appointed, getting someone off the federal court is nearly impossible. What to look for and what is disqualifying is subjective and will vary with each senator. Supreme Court nominees have been rejected for various reasons and, of course, nominees have been approved despite some issues in their past, including questionable business dealings, sexual harassment allegations and even perceived racist views. Allow me to illustrate with an example from my own background. When I started this column I promised to be authentic and, while uncomfortable to recall, it illustrates the point. In 1984, I wrote onto the Montana Law Review, while in law school, something I was proud of. While then writing a case note (a summary of a case), I did not use quotation marks properly around the authors writing. The transgression was a small part of the article, but technically I plagiarized. I was not trying to conceal anything, as evidenced by the fact I cited the case and page number. But I made a mistake. I decided the right thing to do was resign from law review, which I did. In the end, I learned some valuable life lessons. One, be more attentive when writing. Two, when you make a mistake, admit it, take your lumps and move on. And three, give a little grace sometimes everyone makes mistakes. Since that time 33 years ago, I have gone on to a rewarding career as a lawyer, legislator and judge, including handling over 25,000 cases and writing thousands of orders and opinions. Obviously, the president is not going to nominate me for the Supreme Court, but if he did, the president, the Senate and the American people would have the right to know about things like this before I served on the court. I do not think this long ago mistake would be disqualifying, but it would have to be considered by the Senate, along with what I have done since then. So, thats why vetting and the scrutiny court nominees face is so important, and takes place in such a public, and politicized, environment. When the press and senators dig deep into every facet of a Supreme Court nominees past, it is part of a process that helps us know who we are getting before we give them essentially a life term on the highest court in the land. For more than 20 years the timber industry, joined by federal and state government agencies and elected officials from both parties, has instigated and nurtured the use of collaboration to supposedly solve public lands resource extraction issues. They have been aided and abetted in this effort by any number of so-called conservation groups generously funded by foundations such as the PEW Trust to be collaborators. But now, how can these same groups claim a shred of legitimacy by collaborating with Donald Trumps "make America raped again" agenda? Those with good memories will recall when Republican Gov. Marc Racicot initiated his Consensus Council in the mid-90s. Appointing hand-picked individuals from a very limited number of groups and business interests, the supposed goal was to find agreement on the thorny natural resource issues of the day. The results were predictably mixed, but the foundation for collaboration had been laid in Montana and from there it expanded primarily toward resource extraction on federal lands, where it grew into a bizarre monster of backroom deal-cutting, largely closed to full public participation and draped in the political cover offered by Democrat elected officials. One of the first of the very bad ideas to rise to the top was Democrat Sen. Jon Testers Forest Jobs and Recreation Act. Unbelievably, the measure was rolled out at a lumber mill in Townsend and here was Tester, along with the collaborator conservation groups and their timber partners, all lauding the bill and the collaborative process that had spawned it. But lo and behold, despite the fact that national forests are owned by all Americans, this small handful of people came to the agreement that Testers bill should contain an unprecedented congressional mandate to log a large number of forested acres every year whether forest professionals thought they should be logged or not. Sending shock waves through Washington at the horrific precedent such a law would set, despite Testers best efforts to tag the measure on as a rider on unrelated bills, the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act thankfully never made it into law. But the Republican dream of always getting most of what their corporate backers wanted via collaboration had morphed far beyond their expectations and was now not just embraced but championed by Democrats and their collaborator pals. Simply put, partisan politics then assumed a huge role as the last thing the conservation groups wanted to do was bad-mouth their Democrat politicians pals. Gov. Brian Schweitzer, President Obama, and Gov. Steve Bullock all joined in Testers choir of supportive collaborators. Incredibly, they didnt foresee that in lamenting federal management of public lands they were playing right into the hands of the federal land divestiture movement. Rising like a zombie from the latent Sagebrush Rebellion movement of the '80s, we now have the latest incarnation of the effort to turn even more federal lands and resources over to profit-driven entities with little or no concern for future generations. And with the election of Donald Trump, the outcome of collaboration and clueless politicians has blossomed into a nightmare scenario where rapacious corporations are unleashed once again to mercilessly pillage Americas dwindling public lands resources. Montanans are no strangers to the consequences of such thoughtless and short-sighted policies. We are home to the largest Superfund site in the nation thanks to the unregulated destruction of the environment by the copper mining and smelting industry. Our forest streams are filled with sediment from tens of thousands of miles of poorly constructed logging roads that treated living forest ecosystems as nothing more than log yards to be savagely clearcut, leaving species such as bull trout, grizzly bears and lynx so devastated they required Endangered Species Act protections or face extinction. Make no mistake, our nation is facing an all-out attack on public lands and our environment, not just through federal lands divestiture, but through federal agencies cloistered, silenced and shivering in fear of the open threat from Trumps press secretary, Sean Spicer, that federal employees either get with the program or they can go. And no, the collaborators timber partners wont be coming to the rescue. The options left to those who reaped great financial rewards through collaborating with resource extraction interests are now few indeed. They either stand up and fight to preserve whats left of Americas public lands legacy for future generations or live with the outcome of their past collaboration and the destructive policies and actions it has spawned. The choice seems clear. So what now, collaborators? About two decades before he became the second president of the United States, John Adams wrote these words about education: Laws for the liberal education of youth, especially for the lower classes of people, are so extremely wise and useful that to a humane and generous mind, no expense for this purpose would be thought extravagant (1776). Based on recent events in Great Falls, it appears that times have changed. At the Montana Association of Elementary and Middle School Principals meeting, Elsie Arntzen, our newly elected superintendent of Montana public schools, was asked by Great Falls Superintendent Tammy Lacey if she had plans to fund preschool for Montana children experiencing poverty. Courtesy of the Great Falls Tribune, heres part of Arntzens response: So I do believe in our tight, fiscal minds, we have to say that wish list is big. That wish list is there and its on that list. But at this opportunity time, is that it? But again, Im going to reiterate, if the Legislature does so happen, because it would take that opportunity to occur, if that happens, then I would do that within my power and with your energy in this room, to put that forward for our neediest and our youngest. I will not impede that. You may need to read that aloud. Aside from her near verbal incoherence, the first problem with Arntzens response is that she repeatedly spoke of a wish list, as if there was some magical process through which Montana educators wishes become fulfilled. But wishes are different than goals. Wishes are what people do when they have no control. Wishes are unreal and fantastical. Wishes are not the method for change upon which serious educational leaders rely. Educational leaders speak of goals. They make a to-do list and then get-'er-done. They dont put the educational needs of the poorest children in the realm of wishes and fantasies. Arntzens next problem is her lack of passion, compassion and commitment. In the whole version of her meandering word salad, she twice said, I will not impede that. Thats far short of the passion it takes to become committed to important educational goals. She also lacks any sense of compassion for children of poverty. She cant even make herself say, I will support your efforts bring educational opportunities to the youngest and neediest Montana students. What might John Adams have said? Maybe something like, ... to a humane and generous mind, no expense for this purpose would be thought extravagant. But maybe times really have changed. Maybe theres scientific evidence indicating that preschool programs for poor children have no helpful effects? As it turns out, contemporary scientific research is on the side of John Adams. Early educational interventions for poor children significantly improve school progress, cognitive skills, social-emotional development, and reduce later criminal behavior. These are unarguably very good things. If our state superintendent and our Montana Legislature have humane and generous minds, lavishly funding preschool for poor children could not be thought extravagant. Just for fun, I channeled John Adams, pretending he had just won the election to become our state superintendent? I imagined how he would have responded to Tammy Laceys question. Heres what John Adams saidstraight from my creative imagination: Youve asked a very important question. As a Christian and founding father of this nation, I have three top priorities and Im taking them to the Montana Legislature, the governor, and Montana citizens. These priorities include: 1. continuing and expanding efforts to graduate as many Montana high school students as possible because graduation matters; 2. providing state-supported preschools throughout Montana, because our future will be too expensive if we dont; and 3. increasing pay for all school teachers and school professionals. These are my priorities because economic success, environmental quality and healthier Montana citizens is always a function of excellence in education and educators. If Arntzen is unable to set educational goals, Montanans will need to step up and help her get back to what was common knowledge in the 18th century. An open letter to Sarah Assali: As an American citizen, I am saddened and embarrassed by the events of Jan. 28. I am sorry for the distress that ignorance and prejudice have caused your relatives. I learned that two of your uncles, their wives and their teenage children were detained at Philadelphia Airport. Your uncles and their families are from Syria. As Orthodox Christians, they face persecution in Syria and applied to immigrate to the United States in 2003. A sister, a brother (your father) and a son already live here. After years of vetting and waiting, your relatives were excited to board a plane to Philadelphia and to finally see you after years of separation. Alas, you did not get to see them. They were detained and put back on a plane without being allowed a phone call, legal advice or a translator. I cannot imagine how disappointed you must be. Your family had purchased, re-modeled and furnished a house in Pennsylvania for your relatives. Your family was ready to support them as they started a new life. I know that you are a young medical student in the middle of your studies. I admire your strength and courage. Instead of anger, you have shown gratitude and hope. You thanked the reporters who helped you tell your story. You thanked the mayor of Philadelphia, who expressed solidarity with your family. You said you love America. Thank you for seeing beyond this tragic situation to the ideals that built America. Kathy Heffernan, Missoula My name is Wil Oliver. I am the sales manager for Remote Power Systems of Stevensville. We have been serving Montana home and business owners with solar, wind and other energy products for over 14 years. We are excited about legislation that will be introduced in 2017 that will enable private financing to help Montanans save money on utilities, create local jobs, grow businesses and invest in Main Street Montana. We encounter many customers who would like to install a solar system, as well as newer windows or a more efficient HVAC system. However, most people struggle to afford the up-front cost, even though the projects would save them money over the long term. As a result, many cost-saving projects go undone. It doesn't have to be this way. Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) uses private capital from banks and investors to fund the up-front cost of energy efficiency upgrades, water conservation measures, and renewable energy installations to existing buildings. Like a special improvement district for sidewalks or sewers, the financing is repaid as an assessment on the propertys regular tax bill over a term of up to 20 years. This tried-and-true program is enabled in 33 states. In fact we have used PACE for clients we have outside of Montana. It is an easy and simple way to finance projects that improve our homes and communities. PACE will benefit Montana families and businesses, and thats why a broad coalition, including First Interstate Bank, the Governors Office, contractors, engineers and companies like Remote Power Systems have come together to support it. Learn more and get involved at www.mtpace.com. Wil Oliver, Stevensville An 8-month-old coonhound found himself trapped in a perilous situation after jamming his head into the center of a mag wheel at his Butte owners home last week. It took three hours of effort by owner Joel Patton, veterinarian Darrell Turley, and firefighters, but the Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department finally extracted the puppy, Blaze, from the loose wheel last Monday. "We put the story on our Facebook page because it was kind of a goodwill story, with all the negativity in the world," said Battalion Chief Bill Fisher. I think the puppy was chasing a bunny or a mouse or something, said Fisher, part of the team that ultimately safely unhinged the canine. Those real long, pendulum ears just hang and get into everything, said Lisa Turley, spokeswoman for her husband, veterinarian Darrell Turley, who was unable to speak Saturday due to a cold. The puppys ultra-long ears, common to coonhounds, proved to be his undoing as he managed to squeeze them completely through the wheel. When owner Joel Patton arrived home to find Blaze stuck, he applied coconut oil to try to squeeze Blaze out of the trap but to no avail. Patton transported his pooch to St. Francis Veterinary Hospital, then the fire department was summoned to extract Blaze. The vet didnt know what to do, so they called us, wrote Fire Marshal Brian Doherty and fire house coordinator Shelly Jones on Facebook after the Monday ordeal. The team of Doherty, firefighter Zach Osborne, Patton, Fisher, and vet tech Kendall Torpey worked on Blaze for a few minutes to loosen the wheel's grip. Once it was stabilized, they were able to use Dawn dishwashing liquid all around his head and neck to make it extra slippery, said Lisa Turley. Oil has a little bit of traction to it. Doherty and Jones elaborated, tongue in cheek, on Facebook: With a lot of coconut oil, patience, a lot of ear tucking, and some powerful skin-pulling, Blazes head was quickly and successfully extricated from the wheel without the use of tools, but with Firefighter Zach Osborne's brute strength. Blaze remained uninjured throughout the ordeal. Although some minor neck swelling was noted by the firefighters. Blaze remained calm, cool, and collected throughout the ordeal; he did not make a sound. It was touch and go for a while, though. With the tire being so tight around his neck, he was starting to lose oxygen and starting to turn blue, said Turley. Finally free, the pup was watched closely. The vet placed an oxygen mask on Blaze for about 20 minutes to help him recover from the trauma. Then the doctor could look in his mouth, and Blaze was able to swallow, Turley said. Blaze started to eat about half an hour later. The puppy is doing great. He had some minor abrasions around his neck and head and ears, said Lisa Turley. The vet released him Monday evening. Owner Joel Patton could not be reached for comment. At any rate, its rare for a dog to get crammed into such an unusual spot. We havent seen it before, Turley said, but we have seen other things, such as (beef) bones stuck around a whole muzzle, she said. Weve seen a lot of odd things in our profession, but nothing as severe as this. On Friday, when posing for station photos, Blazed voiced his displeasure at the wheel upon seeing it again, Fisher said, chuckling. The black-and-tan coonhound probably wont be chasing cars any time soon. Hopefully this was a valuable lesson for young Blaze and we wont have to respond to any more menacing incidents involving this playful puppy, said Doherty on Facebook. Blazes story has gone national, too, perhaps due to its happy ending. SHERIDAN, Wyo. Organic artifacts preserved by ice patches in Yellowstone National Park are being lost to research because warmer temperatures are melting the ice, an archaeologist said. Before his current position leading the cultural and natural resources program at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana, Staffan Peterson was park archaeologist at Yellowstone for four years. Peterson told members of the Sheridan-Johnson County Chapter of the Wyoming Archaeological Society this past week that archaeologists can't collect the organic pollen, pine needles, sticks, dung, bones and other artifacts preserved in the ice patches. "They're cryogenically preserved, and so once that stuff melts, that protection's gone, and these things will decay very quickly," he said. "I mean they're ancient and they've been in the ice entombed in this ice for millennia and they don't stand a chance out in the open air." Archaeologist Sarah Mostek of Hope Archaeology in Bozeman, Montana, told The Sheridan Press that this was the first time that she's heard of ice patch archaeology. Peterson said he and other scientists and park officials initially got the sense that something was changing in the higher Yellowstone elevations about 10 years ago and have since done reconnaissance to determine where the ice patches are and to track their size. He said in the four times they've revisited the ice patches, the changes have been drastic. "We've seen a marked decrease," Peterson said. Peterson said artifacts preserved in ice patches in Yellowstone are critical in understanding the bigger picture of the human past. "It's really an unparalleled storehouse of information that is vanishing," Peterson said. He said that while this isn't just a problem in the world's first national park, there's only about a dozen ice patches left in Yellowstone. While some are very large, he said the smaller areas won't last much longer. Peterson said the next time they'll get to return to these areas in Yellowstone is 2019 with funding from the National Park Service. He said Grand Teton National Park also puts a lot of effort into recovering artifacts from ice patches and researchers will head to those areas sooner than they will in Yellowstone. VICTOR Its been more than 70 years since the day Lillian Long first laid eyes on her Marine. She can still close her eyes and remember it like it was yesterday. It was 1946 and World War II had finally come to an end. There was a sense of relief and joy that had swept over the land. And so Lillian (she was a Douglas back then) had taken time from her job at Beatons Beauty Parlor in Nelson, British Columbia, to travel across the border to visit her aunt in Idaho. On that night they decided they wanted to kick up their heels a bit at an old-time country dance just down the road. There was no way for her to know how her life was about to change. Harold Long had just finished the most grueling challenge of his life as a U.S. Marine serving in the South Pacific. He saw action at Iwo Jima and other islands along the way. But none of that mattered that night when he first saw Lillian glide across the dance floor. Surrounded by photographs of their family in the Victor home that they lovingly built, Harold and Lillian steal a glance at each other as she tells the story of that first chance meeting. He was kind of showing off, Lillian said, with a smile. He was bashful back then. Harolds laugh fills the room with a joy that speaks of decades of love and companionship. In short order, Harry made it a point of introducing Lillian to his parents and some of his nine siblings. And he didnt let Lillian go when it came time for her to head back to work. They ran up some bills in long-distance phone calls before he decided he couldnt wait to see her again. And so he made the trip to Nelson. I thought it was all happening too quick, she said. I wanted it to slow down. But there was nothing slow about this budding romance. Shortly after he arrived in Nelson, word came that Lillians mother had broken her arm. The Douglases approved of the young man who accompanied her to the family home to help around the house. Not long afterward, Harold and Lillian decided to stop at Superior to see the justice of the peace. Friday, Feb. 10, they will celebrate the 70th anniversary of that day. Their daughter, Kathy Ahern of Spokane and her husband will be there to celebrate with them. The celebration will continue for weeks and months as other children and family members stop later on this spring and summer to wish them well. Sometimes I have a hard time believing they have been together that long, Ahern said. Its just not something you see very often. You cant even find a card in a store for a 70th anniversary. Ahern said her parents are survivors, whose faith in God has seen them through thick and thin. Theyre both Depression kids, she said. Dad came from a family of 11 kids. I know it was tough for them. Ahern said her father was part of a company of 100 Marines who fought in the South Pacific. Only seven made it back home. He never really talked about it much until the last few years, she said. Because he had explosive experience from working the mines, it was his job to destroy pill boxes. He had to crawl up to them and throw dynamite in them. Ahern said her fathers faith in God began in a foxhole. He told me he encountered God in a foxhole before he was ever a believer, she said. He had been told to man a machine gun used by seven men who had been killed earlier. He was really afraid. That night, the foxhole filled with light and God told him not be afraid. Ahern said her parents faith has continued to this day. Im a Christian because of them, she said. Ive seen them walk that out in their lives. They have taught me the value of commitment. There was never a question of whether they were going to stay together or not. That was just part of their values that commitment to each other. My dad just adores my mom, Ahern said. Hes always telling me that mom is the most wonderful person in the world. Honestly, knowing my dad, she is kind of a saint. She is his caretaker. All of us really appreciate whats shes done. Huey Long of Deer Lodge is the couples oldest son. Theyve taught me that you have to be willing to work at it to create a successful marriage, Long said. You have to be willing to compromise. And there has to be some love there, too, to make it all work, said Longs wife, Nyla. For 70 years, theyve managed to work through it all. Thats a long time. I think its just always been their belief that marriage is forever. Even after all these years, he still calls her his little boss or that little Canadian woman, Huey Long said, with a laugh. They are an amazing love story. Looking over at her husband, Lillian doesnt hesitate for a second when asked whats the secret to a long and happy marriage. Forgiveness, she said, with a knowing smile. Its not all a bed of roses. Ive heard people say they have never had a fight. Well, I just dont think thats true. You just need to be able to forgive and move on. DRIVER ADMITS TO SMOKING RESIN Police pulled over a car on the 400 block of Second Street at 10:40 a.m. Saturday after it sped through a stop sign. Police said they smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle. The driver, Cody Keller, 20, told police he did not have a medical marijuana card and had just smoked resin. Police said Keller failed field sobriety tests and was taken to St. James Healthcare to have his blood drawn for a drug test. Keller was booked into county jail for marijuana DUI and possession of drug paraphernalia, and his passenger, Adam Reighard, 19, was arrested on a warrant for failing to appear in Butte city court, as well as a Montana Highway Patrol warrant. Both men posted bail later that day. TWO ARRESTED FOR TRESPASSING Police arrested two people at noon Saturday after finding them rummaging through a car parked near Galena and Washington. Police said a caller told them a man was standing lookout outside the vehicle while a woman inside the vehicle rummaged through the glove box. When the man saw police, he yelled at the woman in the car, who sat in the seat, closed the door and put on sunglasses. According to police, the man and woman told them the car belonged to a friend, but police tracked down the owner, who said that was not the case. Karste McDaniel, 22, was arrested for criminal trespass to a vehicle, and Joshua Bennett, 37, was arrested for criminal trespass to a vehicle and a criminal contempt warrant. Anaconda Croatians to celebrate Mesopust St. Peter & Paul Society, Lodge 84 of the Croatian Fraternal Union will celebrate Mesopust at 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, at the Croatian Hall, 816 E. Third St., Anaconda. The menu consists of sarma, kolbase, potatoes, salad, dessert and more. Reservations should be made by Thursday, Feb. 23, by calling Patsy at 406-563-2728, Stan at 406-563-6859, or Marion at 406-563-7386. Book club plans to meet Feb. 13 DILLON Dillon Public Librarys free Nonfiction Reading Group will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, in the librarys basement programming room to discuss John C. Ewers 1958 classic, The Blackfeet: Raiders on the Northwestern Plains. Copies of the book are available for checkout at the Library. Details: 406-683-4544. Watershed meeting set for Feb. 15 DIVIDE The Big Hole Watershed Committee will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, at the Divide Grange Hall. Highway 43, Divide. Michelle Anderson, biology professor at the University of Montana Western, will discuss the importance of Flood Irrigated Habitat to birds in the Big Hole watershed. Such habitat provides numerous conservation values, from soil hydration to aquifer recharge to stream temperature regulation and more. The area also provides food and habitat for migrating and breeding birds. Details: 406-267-3421. Butte-Silver Bow government could get rid of unused or unwanted vehicles, equipment and virtually anything else and make more money by joining an online, public auction service, a county manager says. Matt Moore, Metro Operations manager for Public Works, will float the idea of using the Public Surplus auction service to commissioners Wednesday night. It would be new to Butte, but the state and many Montana cities and counties already are on board. We have equipment that has value but it sits there for so long the value decreases, Moore said Monday. We need to have more auctions but organizing public auctions are difficult and time-consuming and we dont have the staff to do it. State law requires a public bidding process to sell unwanted items, Moore said, but there arent enough live auctions, attendance can be lacking and many who do show up are simply milling about to see whats available. The best way to go is to get people all over the country and all over the world bidding on it, Moore said. The county could utilize the Public Surplus site for no startup costs and no required contract, meaning it can be used at will. Only government units can offer things for sale, Moore said, but anyone can bid and buy. The state of Montana had several items for bid Monday, including an antique metal office cabinet and a large snowplow blade. A school district in Virginia had a wrestling mat for bid; one in Indiana was looking to unload old biology tables. The service makes money by charging a 7-percent commission on items from buyers not sellers and buyers are responsible for picking up their products or arranging shipping so the county isnt on the hook for that, Moore said. And the service has a higher rate of return than traditional auctions, meaning items usually sell for more, he said. Moore said he and others with Public Works were recently moving items stored at the Kelley Mine Yard to make way for Headframe Spirits, which is leasing the warehouse for new distillery operations, and wondered about getting rid of them. For example, the department would love to unload an old vacuum tanker truck used to suck raw sewage and sludge and transport it to the wastewater plant. The truck has been out of service for some time, but someone somewhere might have a use for it. Moore said he heard about the Public Surplus site, looked into it, and now he plans to share the information with the council when it meets at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday on the third floor of the courthouse. If commissioners like what they hear and give Public Works the OK, it could start putting some of its unused items up for bid on the site. If that goes well, maybe other county departments could tap in, Moore said. As our nation goes through the transition process from President Obama to President Trump, and the vetting process for numerous political appointments escalate including our own Congressman Ryan Zinke, who, when confirmed, will be the first Montanan ever in a presidential Cabinet position perhaps none will receive more scrutiny than nominations to the United States Supreme Court. Why is this? Justices serve during good behavior (Article 3, Section 1, U.S. Constitution). In practice, this means for life or until they are so old they can barely function. The average age for justices when they are appointed is 53 and, since 1970, the average service for a justice has been 26 years. Thus, the one or more justices President Trump appoints could serve through four to seven presidents. In addition to the Supreme Court opening, there are currently 84 vacancies for federal district court judges and 14 vacancies for federal circuit court judges. In total, there are 890 full-time federal judgeships, thus over 10 percent are unfilled today. Overall, President Obama appointed 329 federal judges; President George W. Bush appointed 326; President Reagan appointed 384; and President Clinton appointed 379. President Reagan also appointed three Supreme Court justices, while Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton each appointed two to the Supreme Court. The legacy of any president is significantly tied to their federal judge appointments, particularly the Supreme Court. Journalists, insiders and think-tanks have been looking very hard at the people Trump listed as potential Supreme Court nominees. The U.S. Senate has the important task of scrutinizing and vetting the eventual nominee. This vetting is necessary because once appointed, getting someone off the federal court is nearly impossible. What to look for and what is disqualifying is subjective and will vary with each senator. Supreme Court nominees have been rejected for various reasons and, of course, nominees have been approved despite some issues in their past, including questionable business dealings, sexual harassment allegations and even perceived racist views. Allow me to illustrate with an example from my own background. When I started this column I promised to be authentic and, while uncomfortable to recall, it illustrates the point. In 1984, I wrote onto the Montana Law Review, while in law school, something I was proud of. While then writing a case note (a summary of a case), I did not use quotation marks properly around the authors writing. The transgression was a small part of the article, but technically I plagiarized. I was not trying to conceal anything, as evidenced by the fact I cited the case and page number. But I made a mistake. I decided the right thing to do was resign from law review, which I did. In the end, I learned some valuable life lessons. One, be more attentive when writing. Two, when you make a mistake, admit it, take your lumps and move on. And three, give a little grace sometimes everyone makes mistakes. Since that time 33 years ago, I have gone on to a rewarding career as a lawyer, legislator and judge, including handling over 25,000 cases and writing thousands of orders and opinions. Obviously, the president is not going to nominate me for the Supreme Court, but if he did, the president, the Senate and the American people would have the right to know about things like this before I served on the court. I do not think this long ago mistake would be disqualifying, but it would have to be considered by the Senate, along with what I have done since then. So, thats why vetting and the scrutiny court nominees face is so important, and takes place in such a public, and politicized, environment. When the press and senators dig deep into every facet of a Supreme Court nominees past, it is part of a process that helps us know who we are getting before we give them essentially a life term on the highest court in the land. -- Russell Fagg, of Billings, has been a district court judge for 21 years, trying thousands of cases and handling over 25,000 cases. Fagg is former president of the Montana Judges Association and served two terms in the Montana legislature. Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen seems to have borrowed a ham-handed technique from Washington, D.C. As public educators and leaders from around the state were gathered in Great Falls, grilling her with questions which she struggled to answer, Arntzen tried to shift blame away from her, placing it on the state's media. Keep in mind, she had roiled conference attendees at the Montana Association of Elementary and Middle School Principals when, after being asked a question about publicly funding preschool, Arntzen replied that she would not impede it. Educators scoffed at the superintendent repeatedly using the word "impede" when it came to public education programming. Why, they wondered, would an education leader even contemplate impeding? Why not helping or empowering? During the question-and-answer period, Arntzen was also criticized for her plans to abandon the statewide Graduation Matters program which had been championed by her predecessor, Democrat Denise Juneau. Instead of giving a straightforward defense of her position, Arntzen instead blamed the media saying, "All I can tell you is you say one word in the press and it turns into a firestorm," according to The Great Falls Tribune. No, Elsie. It wasn't just a word. Instead, Arntzen removed the program from the website and said it was being phased out. Quite a bit more than just a word. In Great Falls during a span of five years, the Graduation Matters program helped cut the number of high school drop-outs in half, from 210 to 101. Last year with continued focused effort, the program helped bring the number to less than 100. Impressive results. And, while the drop in dropouts is certainly due to the hard work of teachers and administrators, the benefit of community collaboration and focus cannot be underestimated. Similar Graduation Matters groups existed throughout the state, including in Billings, which aimed at tackling the complex, multi-faceted problem of high school dropouts. (Disclosure: Editor Darrell Ehrlick served on Billings group.) Here's why it's shocking if not appalling that a Republican would seek to end the program: Graduation Matters brought private leaders, public educators together with state and private resources to tackle graduation. How many times have we heard leaders, especially those who claim conservative values, talk about how solutions must be found pairing the public education community together with leaders in the private and business sectors? That's exactly the model for Graduation Matters across the state. It took business leaders, like Bill Underriner who led the initiative and paired them with other community leaders like John Felton of RiverStone Health, Dennis Sulser formerly of Billings Public Schools and now with St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation and superintendent Terry Bouck. What Arntzen has done in her very short administration is dissolve those bonds that gave rise to these powerful collaborations. But isn't that the exact model she should be considering? Yes, if her goal is to strengthen public education. But, we can't help but wonder if this is an intentional dismantling of those programs which would strengthen public education, only to make it easier for privatization efforts and charter initiatives? Preschool funding has shown great promise in other states conservatives states which have chosen to see such public funding as an investment in the workforce of the future which local businesses will need in order to compete. Arntzen's blame-the-media play was lame and hardly original. It tried to distract from the fact that Graduation Matters is indeed being phased out or relegated. Arntzen is simply upset that her actions have been made public. However, the media also has an obligation not to let her off by passively accepting the blame. In this day of blaming the media, we cannot let the assertion pass. When Graduation Matters was removed from the state's website, we reported it. When we followed up the next day, her spokesman insisted that phasing out doesn't mean it is being phased out. When criticized about her approach to education in Great Falls, the Tribune ran her words verbatim. What, Elsie? What hasn't been represented? If there has been a firestorm during her brief tenure, we'd suggest Elsie's the one holding the match. -- The Billings Gazette 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 [] They would ask me what actors I saw in the roles. I would tell them, and theyd say Oh thats interesting. And that would be the end of it. --Elmore Leonard, in 2000, on the extent of his input for Hollywood's adaptation of his novels Matthew Stanford Robison was born in 1988 in Salt Lake City, Utah, with severe disabilities. He was blind, mostly paralyzed, spoke only a few words and passed away in 1999 yet his joy touched all who knew him during his short life. His online memorial read: Confined to the chair most of his young life, he is now free of earthly burdens. His headstone at the Salt Lake City Cemetery expresses this touching sentiment perfectly.Thanks Bruce! Tanzanian star Naseeb Abdul Juma aka Diamond Platnumz has marked his new recording label with the release of a mega project with R&B superstar Ne-Yo. The bongo star became the first East African to sign to Universal Music last week Friday. Were very excited about signing Diamond. Hes a star he is talented and full of energy and creatively hes on par with any international artist Ive worked with. Hes focused and determined to succeed. Hes passionate about his country his people his language and his culture and I love that, said Sipho Dlamini, managing director South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. Diamond and Ne-Yo collaborated in a song called Marry You after the two artists meet at the 2015 MTV Africa Music Awards in Durban. The song was recorded in Kenya in 2015 and has been highly anticipated since. Watch: At 3 p.m., officers were called to a reported disturbance at a home in the 100 block of Sage Way, Sgt. Nick Dalessi said. A male resident told police he and his girlfriend had been arguing when she punched him in the face twice, leaving a red mark, according to Dalessi. Nothing absolutely nothing in the state budget is more infuriatingly complex than financing public schools for 6 million kids. A 1988 ballot measure, Proposition 98, was supposed to end, or at least minimize, wrangling over schools. But if anything, its politics became even more impenetrable. The late John Mockler, an education finance guru who wrote Proposition 98 for the California Teachers Association and other groups, once quipped that he made it complicated so that he would be hired to explain it and thus could afford to send his children to Stanford University. He was only half-joking. With Mocklers death two years ago, only a very few folks even profess to understand how its formulas or tests, tied to current state revenue and past spending levels, generate a minimum guarantee of funding each year and they rarely agree. Fundamentally, therefore, governors and legislators decide how much money they can afford, or are willing to spend, for schools each year and then massage Proposition 98s provisions (which have undergone two major revisions) to fit those decisions. In recent years, with an expanding economy producing a bumper crop of revenue, schools have benefited handsomely. Per-pupil spending is up 50 percent over the last half-decade. However, revenue growth has slowed, and in his 2017-18 budget, Gov. Jerry Brown takes an ultra-cautious approach thats putting the squeeze on schools. His budget claims an $800-plus million overpayment to schools over the previous two fiscal years as revenue fell short and proposes to recapture the money by reducing the 2017-18 figure, leaving schools with a barely $1 billion increase, tiny in relative terms. Ordinarily, that wouldnt cause a major stir, but school officials are bridling at the overpayment characterization, pointing out that Proposition 98 was supposed to be a financing floor, not a ceiling. Theyre also feeling the heavy impact of a new plan to shore up financing for teacher pensions, which could cost districts $700 million more next year. While overall school financing might still increase by a minuscule amount, therefore, many individual districts could see new revenue fall short of new mandatory expenses and be forced to make cuts. Another factor comes into play uncertainty over whether Browns revenue numbers are too conservative. The Legislatures budget analyst, Mac Taylor, disagrees with Browns figures, saying theyre probably too low. The dueling estimates will hang out there for a few more months, until the state counts income taxes which are 70 percent of its revenue after the April 15 filing deadline. We may know then whether recent softness in revenue is a short-term blip, born of uncertainty about the Donald Trump presidencys impact, or the beginning of the recession that Brown fears. Brown will revise both income and outgo numbers in the budget in May, setting the stage for the last few weeks of the annual budget process and perhaps for a renewal of the perennial battle over school finance that has been in remission of late. For a phenomenon often dubbed "the world's oldest hatred," anti-Semitism is not well understood. From top Iranian officials who blame the Talmud for the international drug trade to British political activists who claim that the Mossad is stealing their shoes, anti-Jewish bigotry can be bewildering and bizarre. But given the prejudice's longevity, virulence and recent resurgence in Europe and America - witness the waves of bomb threats against dozens of Jewish centers nationwide in the past month and the controversy over the Trump administration's repeated refusal to include Jews in its Holocaust memorial statement - it's well worth debunking common misconceptions that impede our ability to fight it. Myth No. 1: Anti-Semitism largely subsided after the Holocaust. In my time reporting on anti-Semitism, I've often encountered a certain well-meaning skepticism: Didn't the Holocaust, with its shocking horrors, finally compel society to stamp out anti-Jewish bigotry? Sophisticated people don't write this idea down, but it's one I hear constantly in my reporting. This is profoundly, depressingly wrong. According to the FBI, Jews in the United States are annually subject to the most hate crimes of any religious group, despite constituting only 2 percent of the American population. The picture is considerably darker in Europe, where Jews were the target of 51 percent of racist attacks in France in 2014, even as they made up less than 1 percent of that country's population. In recent years, synagogues and Jewish schools and museums have been subject to terrorist attacks in France, Denmark and Belgium. A 2013 E.U. survey found that nearly 40 percent of European Jews fear to publicly identify as Jewish, including 60 percent of Swedish Jews. Non-Western examples abound as well. Populations of Jews in Arab lands, which once numbered nearly 1 million, have been reduced to only a few thousand, having been persecuted to the point of expulsion or flight in the past century. These facts underscore a crucial point: It's wrong to subsume anti-Semitism under Nazism, its worst manifestation, when the centuries-old prejudice usually takes less extreme or exterminationist forms. The end of American slavery did not mean the end of American racism; likewise, the end of Nazism as a dominant political force did not silence anti-Semitism. Myth No. 2: Anti-Semitism comes predominantly from the right. This past election season, the ascendant alt-right, a band of reactionary white nationalists with a penchant for harassing Jewish journalists, filled Twitter with neo-Nazi memes, Photoshopped reporters into gas chambers and concentration camps, and chanted anti-Semitic slogans at political rallies. (My critical reporting on Trump made me the second-most-harassed Jewish journalist on Twitter, according to an Anti-Defamation League study.) One could be forgiven for assuming that such bigotry flows from one primary political source. But anti-Semitic outbursts were taking place on the left at the same time. At liberal Oberlin College, a writing instructor named Joy Karegashared Facebook memes about Jewish control of the global economy and media, alongside posts asserting Israeli responsibility for the Islamic State and 9/11. Yet when school officials and others criticized her conduct, the student council dismissed it as a "witch-hunt." In New York, despite a local outcry, the hip leftist hub Brooklyn Commons hosted Christopher Bollyn, a conspiracy theorist who argued that "Zionist Jews" were behind 9/11. During the Democratic primaries, Jewish candidate Bernie Sanders was confronted by a questioner who declared that "the Zionist Jews . . . run the Federal Reserve, they run Wall Street, they run every campaign." Surveying this scene, TBS comedian Samantha Bee aired footage of an anti-Semite ranting at a Trump rally, then cracked, "To find anti-Semitism that rabid, you'd have to go to, well, any left-leaning American college campus." This bipartisan bigotry shouldn't surprise. Anti-Semitism could never have attained its impressive influence without forging coalitions across ideological and religious lines. Hatred of Jews has long thrived on its ability to ensnare utterly opposite worldviews. Thus, the 2013 EU survey found that Italian and Swedish Jews perceived more anti-Semitic statements coming from the left, Hungarian Jews heard them overwhelmingly from Christians and the right, and French Jews reported abuse largely from Muslim extremists. It's tempting to cast anti-Semitism as the sin of other people, but that's usually a way to avoid confronting the problem within one's own community. Myth No. 3: Criticism of Israel is generally anti-Semitic. The state of Israel often confounds the anti-Semitism conversation. Some assume that an attack on Israel and its policies must necessarily be an attack on Jews; evangelical leader Franklin Graham, for instance,dubbed criticism of Israeli settlers an assault on God's "chosen people." Others justify their attacks on Jews around the world by pointing to Israel, claiming to be anti-Zionist, not anti-Semitic. Much of this confusion stems from the conflation of all Jews with the state of Israel, its government and its policies. Criticism of Israel, however, is not necessarily anti-Semitic. In fact, it is a popular pastime in Israel and among Jews across the globe. Objections to settlements, for instance, or even calls to boycott them are debatable political positions, not bigoted slurs. Dovish proponents of such views are no more promulgating anti-Jewish prejudice than those security hawks and religious nationalists who have opposed Israel's land concessions for peace. Israel is a democracy - and can be held to account for its actions, just like any other country. Myth No. 4: Criticism of Israel cannot be anti-Semitic. At the same time, criticism of the Jewish state can mask malice toward Jews. Some cases are obvious, such as when the organizers of a 2010 flotilla that aimed to breach Israel's maritime blockade of Gaza subsequently denied the Holocaust and claimed that Israel was behind the Charlie Hebdo massacre. Similarly, those who accuse Israel of committing "Palestinian genocide," when the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics records a four-fold population increase since Israel's founding, are engaging in libel, not legitimate argument. In other, less-blatant cases, Israel is subjected to criticism leveled at no non-Jewish country. Consider the United Nations, whose Human Rights Council has condemned Israel more often than all other countries combined, including Syria, North Korea, Iran and Russia. As President Barack Obama's U.N. ambassador, Samantha Power, put it, "As long as Israel has been a member of this institution, Israel has been treated differently from other nations at the United Nations." In October, one U.N. body even passed a resolution denying the Jewish connection to Jerusalem's Temple Mount, Judaism's holiest site. What these unfortunate approaches all share is that they treat the Jewish state in much the same way anti-Semites have historically treated Jews: singling them out for censure and implicating them in outlandish conspiracies. Myth No. 5: Anti-Semitism mostly threatens Jews. Most bigotries debilitate their targets while empowering their disseminators, much like slavery and redlining enriched America's white majority at the expense of its African American minority. Many successful societies have been built atop prejudices. Anti-Semitism, however, is a unique case - and uniquely corrosive to those societies that embrace it. That's because it often takes the form of a conspiracy theory about how the world works. By blaming real problems on imagined Jewish culprits, anti-Semitism prevents societies from rationally solving them. In one of the most famous examples, Nazi scientists shunned Einstein's advances as "Judische Physik," as opposed to "Deutsche Physik," enfeebling their understanding. As Bard College's Walter Russell Mead has put it: "People who think 'the Jews' dominate business through hidden structures can't build or long maintain a successful modern economy. People who think 'the Jews' dominate politics lose their ability to interpret political events, to diagnose social evils and to organize effectively for positive change. People who think 'the Jews' run the media and control the news lose the ability to grasp what is happening around them." For this reason, Mead has warned, "Rabid anti-Semitism coupled with an addiction to implausible conspiracy theories is a very strong predictor of national doom." This is one case where the hatred ultimately destroys the hater. Yair Rosenberg is a senior writer at Tablet Magazine. he wrote this for The Washington Post. Everybody needs to wake up and pay attention. Stop being distracted and conned by a master manipulator before the real boss, Steve Bannon, a white nationalist who is running the show, starts world World War III with 1.5 billion Muslims and a mushroom cloud billows up 60 miles away in San Francisco and burns and flattens all of us in Napa. Got your attention? Trump is the distraction. And while dangerous, he's nothing compared to Bannon, who amidst all the chaos, is systematically dismantling our institutions and normal protocols to gain more power and control so he can begin his war on Muslims with the help of other white nationalists groups in Europe and Putins' Russia. It started with the demonization of all media, the "opposition party," according to Bannon. So you begin to question and doubt what is being reported and constantly presented with "alternative facts" (read lies) by the administration. Freedom of the press is in jeopardy along with the right to assembly. Six journalists were arrested at the women's march in D.C. on felony charges. Many more to come. Then came the ousting of all top-level State Department civil servants, completely gutting the department and quashing any possible resistance to what came next, the banning of Muslims from seven countries which had nothing to do with any attacks or civilian deaths in our country. Yet other countries where Trump has business interests and which had directed attacks successfully on this country, including 9/11 (Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt), no Muslim ban. This incredibly reckless and dangerous executive order along with his statement about taking Iraqs oil, puts our troops at much greater risk. It emboldens ISIS and they now can prove that Americans hate Muslims and their recruitment will be easier and much more effective, including within our own shores. We obviously hate Muslims, so expect a big increase in terrorist attacks, which plays right into Bannons plan. He wants attacks on American soil so he can justify the ban and attack Muslims and possibly put American Muslims in internment camps (read 'concentration camps'). The final blow. Trump elevated Bannon (a political adviser with no national security experience) to full membership at the National Security Council and demoted the Director of National Intelligence and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. So now we have Bannon and Flynn, Trumps national security adviser, advising our president on national security. Both of these reckless fools are believers in the end of days, a religious war with Muslims which will be the end of the world and all the Christians will rise to heaven and the rest of us non-Christians are doomed. Both have ties to Russia and both align with white nationalist groups in Europe. Together, they hope to wage war on all immigrants, refugees, and 1.5 billion Muslims. This is a war that cannot be won, and it will indeed be the end of days for you, me, and everyone we know and love. Take to the streets and protest, start organizing, call your representatives (202-225-3121), send money to ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center (they track hate groups like the KKK), fight for your very lives, literally. If we, the people, want a representative democracy and to be alive to enjoy it, we're going to have to work for it and earn it. We've been lazy and apathetic far too long and we got what we deserved. Bruce DeBell Napa NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had a phone conversation with US President Donald J. Trump on Sunday evening, where they reconfirmed the importance of the Alliance in troubled times. They reviewed progress on the fight against terrorism and on NATO defence spending, and stressed the need for continued efforts to ensure fair burden-sharing among all NATO Allies. They also discussed the uptick in violence in eastern Ukraine, and prospects for a peaceful settlement. The Secretary General recalled NATO's consistent policy of strong defence and dialogue with Russia. The Secretary General and President Trump looked forward to the upcoming NATO Summit in Brussels in late May to discuss these issues. This was Mr Stoltenberg's second phone conversation with President Trump since his election. NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Rose Gottemoeller, will meet with the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Mr. Paolo Alli, at NATO Headquarters on Tuesday, 7 February 2017. There will be no media opportunity. Still imagery of the meeting will be available after the event on the NATO website. Follow the Deputy Secretary General on Twitter (@Gottemoeller). Also follow us at (@NATOPress). NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Rose Gottemoeller, will meet with the National Security Advisor for Afghanistan, Mr. Hanif Atmar, at NATO Headquarters on Tuesday, 7 February 2017. Mr. Atmar will attend the North Atlantic Council with Resolute Support Mission operational partners. There will be no media opportunity. Still imagery of the meeting will be available after the event on the NATO website. Follow the Deputy Secretary General on Twitter (@Gottemoeller). Also follow us at (@NATOPress). Posted by Mark Williams | February 6, 2017 Say what you will about increasing political tensions between the U.S. and China Ford may have found a way to help the situation in the form of the brand-new 2017 F-150 Raptor. "Raptor's unique looks and capability have generated amazing buzz at every auto show we've brought it to around China," David Schoch, vice president and president of Ford Asia Pacific, said in a statement. "[The] F-150 Raptor is another example of our commitment to offer a wide range of vehicles for customers in China everything from SUVs to high-performance cars and trucks." Ford started shipping the high-performance F-150 Raptors to China as part of its first official F-Series export program with that nation. Ford already exports high-performance cars such as the GT, Focus RS, Focus ST and Fiesta ST to China. The exported 2017 Raptors will all be SuperCrew models and include all the features that make the unique pickup special: a 450-horsepower, twin-turbo 3.5-liter engine; 35-inch BFGoodrich tires; Fox Racing shocks; and a new multiselect Terrain Management System. It's likely to create quite a stir in China's highly populated cities and on remote backcountry dirt roads. Ford would not provide the selling price of these exported Raptors, but it's likely similar to what Raptors have been sold for in other countries, meaning they run about double what they sell for in the U.S. Additionally, although Ford does not break out Raptor sales from other F-Series numbers, some have suggested as many as 15 percent of all Raptors rolling off Michigan's Dearborn Truck Plant assembly line are likely to be exported. Manufacturer images 15:53 Dr Balaji, coordinator for former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa at Apollo Hospital and the UK doctor who treated Jayalalithaa, Dr. Richard Beale, address the media. The press conference is being facilitated by the government, says Dr Beale, who is a world renowned intensive care specialist. He said the government asked him to come now. The press conference has been called to dispel rumours on Jayalalithaa's death. "We want to dispel rumours on Jayalalithaa's condition, treatment. Infection resulted in damage of organs. The diagnosis is of respiratory failure. Consequences of sepsis, bacteria in blood very severe. Photographic proof of what happened in hospital "Not normal practice to photograph patients who are critically ill. It is an intrusion of privacy and takes away from the dignity of the patient. Someone who is not well is not in a position to make decisions. "There are no CCTV images in a hospital room. We do not do that. It's extraordinary to even think that CCTV footage could be asked for. Health "She was talking, interacting with officials, but the sepsis was slowly taking over and she had to be put on ventilator. She was on sleeping medicines and not able to communicate. We did a procedure called tracheotomy. Usually patients come off the sleeping medicines after tracheotomy is removed. This is regular procedure. Bacterial infection in blood was underlying problem. Infection spread to organs, led to shortness of breath. Diabetes made treatment difficult. No amputation, no transplantation took place. Marks on face happen on critically ill patients. On the cardiac arrest Her potassium levels were not high on that day. It was checked in the morning. She had a sudden cardiac arrest. All the facilities were available at her bedside. She was later shifted to the intensive care unit. A medical personnel was available in the room. The on-call cardiologist present in the hospital was there in a few minutes. The core team was informed immediately. Resuscitation was started immediately. It was a witnessed cardiac arrest. She had a sudden cardiac arrest. "Jaya was conscious when she gave a thumb impression to sign poll papers. Jayalalithaa's recovery When she was recovering, she spoke to people, she watched TV and was also able to walk a few steps, but not a lot, she was very weak.ed to London. Dr Beale's interaction with Jayalalithaa. She talked about TV, rehabilitation, food, told her about my children, we were having those sort of interactions. She couldn't speak clearly, but I understood what she said. She was a remarkable lady, and I could sense had a strength of purpose and dedication. On visitors: Even when sedation is on it doesn't prevent the patient from interaction. Jayalalithaa gave the go-ahead on the visitors she wanted to meet. Sasikala was interacting with her, but she was not the only one. Embalming "At 12:20 midnight the embalming procedure began. Anatomy department of Madras Medical college carried it out, the same department that did the embalming of MG Ramachandran. The embalming was carried out in 15 minutes. Jayalalithaa hospitalisation timeline: She got admitted on September 22. She was in ICU with non-invasive ventilator. She was slowly taken off of the ventilator when her condition improved. She was later moved to the room. She was only on respiratory support. She had a sudden cardiac arrest in the room days later. Jayalalithaa's transfer to London for treatment. The issue of transfer of patient to London was discussed. Yes, there is always a degree of risk, but with the resources at hand, almost anyone can be transported. We consulted her and she was the one who decided that she did not want to be transferred to London. 14:37 The alleged assault on filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and his crew on the sets of "Padmavati" figured in Rajya Sabha today with SP MP Jaya Bachchan saying the incident has threatened creativity. Raising the issue in the House during the Zero Hour, she said intolerance is growing in the country and a "select few" assume that they represent the masses, "under certain political patronage", and take law and order in their hands. They have no respect for constitutional values or the law of the land. Bachchan said the film fraternity, which strives to bring fictional stories to people through creativity for the sole purpose of entertainment with some moral and social message, has been the "soft target for these anti-social elements". "Sometime they are threatened, sometime films are not allowed be screened, sets are vandalised and sometimes it takes a violent turn as it happened in Jaipur recently. "...Sets of Padmavati, where Rajput Karni Sena not only physically assaulted the Director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, but also damaged the expensive film equipments," she said. Bhansali, she said, is a renowned director has made great films and added that he had also staged the "same subject of Padmavati" as an opera in a Paris theatre in 2008. Bachchan further said neither the state government, nor the Centre has condemned the incident or taken action against the culprits. "What message are we sending to the film fraternity which is one of the most important and vibrant ambassador of the country. Creativity should not be subjected to such treatment," she said and demanded strong action against those involved in the incident. Bachchan said the film faternity has long been fighting the menace with little or no support from the government. Annuitants Association offering scholarships by Christi Mathis CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois University Carbondale chapter of the Annuitants Association supports higher education in a number of ways, including offering four $1,000 scholarships to SIU undergraduate students. Applications are now being accepted for the 2017 scholarships. The deadline to apply is March 1. Any current student who has completed at least two semesters at SIU with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.4 and who will be a junior or senior during the fall 2017 semester is eligible. The scholarship is awarded primarily on the basis of academic achievement with attention paid to leadership as well. Applicants should submit two letters of support from a faculty member or dean with their online application. The organization has awarded scholarships to SIU students for decades, and for many years has made four annual undergraduate scholarship presentations. Recipients are also honored at a fall Academic Scholarship Brunch hosted by the SIU Foundation. SIUs Annuitants Association chapter is one of the very few that sponsors scholarships. The 2016 SIU Carbondale Annuitants Association Scholarship winners were Aidan Dolik, a senior cinema and photography major; Ashley Hemmen, a senior architectural studies major; Arishna Marshall, a senior exercise science/pre-medicine major; and Amanda Neuhouser, a senior cinema and photography major. Imogene Beckemeyer, emeritus faculty from SIUs math department, is the longtime chair of the selection committee and scholarship winners will be announced at the SIU Carbondale Annuitants Association spring meeting on April 27. Additional information about the scholarship is available at https://siu.academicworks.com/opportunities/8942. Or, to learn more, contact Valerie Brooks Wallin at 618/453-4313 or by emailing vlbrooks@siu.edu. Find the scholarship application by visiting https://siu.academicworks.com and entering annuitants in the search box. Police officer Azad Khan told reporters that the consulate's Third Secretary, Mohammad Zaki, was killed in the firing and the motives behind the incident were being investigated. He said the guard was now in police custody. The Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan, Omar Zakhilwal, said the firing took place at around 12.30 p.m. and was "carried out by an Afghan guard inside the compound, resulting in fatality of one of our diplomats. "It seems to be a personal dispute related criminal act," he added. Paramilitary troops and police arrived at the scene after the gunshots were heard. Law enforcement agents surrounded the consulate and arrested the shooter. --IANS mr/ ( 142 Words) 2017-02-06-16:06:06 (IANS) State miner "Coal India Ltd (CIL) is scouting for acquiring coking coal assets abroad, as India is faced with constraints of techno-commercially viable domestic coking coal reserves," the minister told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply. "The recent spurt in global coal prices, particularly for coking coal, is expected to create an encouraging scenario for such an acquisition process," he said. Coking coal, as distinct from the thermal variety, is used for iron and steel production. In this connection, the Coal India board has approved execution of a memorandum of understanding between CIL and the South African government-run African Exploration Mining and Finance Corp. for identification, acquisition, exploration, development and operation of coal assets in South Africa. CIL Chairman S. Bhattacharya has earlier said that the company is targeting acquisition of coking coal assets in Australia and Indonesia. Goyal also told the Rajya Sabha that Coal India has surrendered two mining licenses in Mozambique, and currently does not own any foreign coal assets. --IANS bc/sm/bg ( 210 Words) 2017-02-06-18:54:06 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Monday attached the Sahara Group's Aamby Valley property in Lonavala in Maharashtra for the recovery of about Rs 14,000 crore that the group's two companies have to repay to the investors. A bench of Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice A.K. Sikri also directed Sahara to submit a list of its properties that are unencumbered and free from any litigations or mortgage by February 20. It directed for next hearing on February 27. The Rs 14,000 crore is the balance of the principal amount that Sahara's two companies -- Sahara India Real Estate Corporation Ltd.(SIRECL) and Sahara Housing Investment Corporation Ltd. (SHICL) -- have to pay. Sahara has already paid about Rs 11,000 crore of the principal amount to market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India for returning to over three crore investors. "We are not appointing any receiver. We are attaching your Aamby Valley," the bench said as senior counsel Kapil Sibal, appearing for Sahara chief Subrata Roy, told the court that the attachment of Aamby Valley will adversely impact the company efforts to mobilise money to pay to the SEBI. While attaching the Aamby Valley property, the bench said for now they were not sending Subrata Roy back to jail. "... you deposit the amount you have to pay. We are not sending you to custody for now," the court said. The bench made it clear that Sahara will first have to comply with the court's order and deposit money with the market regulator before its request for a hearing could be granted. As Sibal urged the court to grant him hearing for two hours to show errors apparent in two court judgments, the bench told him that "unless the money comes, we can't grant you two hours' hearing. This is a condition that you pay". Sibal told the court that the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal had said that 85 per cent of the investors are genuine. He said Sahara was being asked to deposit the money with the SEBI to return to investors whereas there was no demand either from the banks or individual investors to that affect. "There is no question of getting back. You have to pay. Please give us the list that is good enough for Rs 14,799 crore. Why we should sit every now and then for Rs 200 or Rs 300 crore? You give us a list, we will sell it and give you a hearing." Amicus curiae Shekhar Naphade told the bench: "It has gone too long. Every two to three months they are paying Rs 600 crore. There are income tax demands, issues with the Reserve Bank of India." Sahara, meanwhile, deposited Rs 600 crore as per the November 28, 2016, court order for continued parole of Subrata Roy and others. SIRECL and SHICL were asked on August 31, 2012, to return to the investors Rs 17,600 crore with 15 per cent interest that the two companies raised through Optionally Fully Convertible Debentures (OFCD) in 2008 and 2009. Subrata Roy, his son-in-law Ashok Roy Choudhary and group's Director Ravi Shankar Dubey, who are now on parole, were sent in judicial custody to Tihar Jail on March 4, 2014, for the failure of the two companies to comply with the court's August 31, 2012, order. Roy was granted parole on May 6, 2016, to perform the last rites of his mother who passed away on May 5. Besides Roy, Choudhary too was released on parole. Dubey was released on parole later. --IANS pk/tsb/vt ( 596 Words) 2017-02-06-18:56:06 (IANS) Cornering the government over demonetisation as the debate on Motion of Thanks to President's address resumed in both Houses on Monday, the Opposition said the Presidential address ignored several inconvenient facts. The Lok Sabha saw sparks flying as Congress' floor leader Mallikarjun Kharge targeted the BJP, saying several people from his party laid down their lives for the nation, while none from the BJP did. This drew sharp reaction from the treasury benches who sought an apology from him. Kharge. Opposition leaders, across party lines, and even National Democratic Alliance (NDA) member Shiv Sena were critical of demonetisation. Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy compared President Pranab Mukherjee's address to Parliament to Om Puri movie "Ardh Satya", saying it ignored half the issues confronting the country. Kharge said the Prime Minister should apologise to the nation for the deaths that occurred due to demonetisation. He said around 125 people have died in queues post demonetisation. During the course of Kharge's nearly-two-hour-long speech, members from the treasury benches sparred with the Congress members several times, as Kharge launched an attack on the government. The long speech also forced Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to ask him to conclude repeatedly, with one of the ruling party members even quoting a rule to urge Mahajan to force him to stop. The Congress leader also slammed the government over its repeated allegation that the Congress governments did not do anything for 70 years, and said: "We protected the Constitution. If Modi came from a poor family and became the Prime Minister, the credit goes to the Congress, which kept democracy alive". "I think you brought Green Revolution. And White Revolution in your Gujarat also came in your time... (Verghese) Kurien was also born in these times -- everything happened in the last two and half years," Kharge said sarcastically, as Union Minister Mahesh Sharma, who started the debate, had blamed the Congress for being unable to eradicate poverty in 70 years. Backing demonetisation, Sharma said: "The move was against counterfeit currency, terrorism, Naxals (Maoists), but the opposition appeared to be standing with them. The whole nation welcomed it, but opposition did not." In the Rajya Sabha, opposition parties criticised the government for allegedly ignoring the poor and weaker sections of the society, saying its promise of inclusive development was hollow. Resuming the debate on the Presidential address, Congress leader Rajiv Shukla said the address had "nothing new in it". Communist Party of India- Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury said 'scam' could be an acronym for Scheduled Castes And Minorities and that the BJP government working against 'scams' means it is working against these sections. He also expressed concern over "widening inequalities", saying in 2014, one per cent of people in the country held 49 per cent of the total wealth, but in 2016, these one per cent now held 58.4 per cent. Slamming the note ban, Yechury said that if anything, demonetisation infused fresh blood in the banks that were on the verge of collapse due to bad debts. "The government is doing nothing to recover these bad debts. If a farmers defaults on loan you confiscate his cattle and other belongings. But why no action against the rich?" he said. Sharad Yadav of Janata Dal-United also slammed the government over demonetisation, saying lakhs of farmers had suffered because of it and demanded it must inform the nation how much unaccounted money was recovered. He said social disparity was a cause of concern and it must be addressed "before it's too late". "Unless and until poor, farmers, SCs, STs and other backward classes are given their dues, the country cannot progress", he said. --IANS mak/vd ( 619 Words) 2017-02-06-21:18:06 (IANS) Participating in the debate in the Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks on the President's address, Congress (Mani) MP Jose K. Mani said, "The government without holding discussion with the members of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha decided to merge the Railway Budget with the Union Budget." "I want that the government should bring back a separate Railway Budget again," Mani, who has been elected from Kottayam in Kerala, said. The Railway Budget was merged with the Union Budget and was presented by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 1. In September last year, the Union Cabinet had decided to merge the Railway Budget with the Union Budget, putting an end to the practice of separate Railway Budget that started in 1924. Participating in the debate, Bhagwant Mann, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP from Sangrur in Punjab criticised the government over the its decision of scrapping Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. --IANS aks/rn ( 196 Words) 2017-02-06-21:22:06 (IANS) The ceremony was held on 14 January 2017 and was co-hosted by Kapil Sharma, Karan Johar and Shah Rukh Khan. The award show will be aired on 18th February 2017. Filmfare magazine honoured the winners by featuring them on the cover page of their winning issue. They also tweeted about the same, saying," Best of the best! Here's presenting the winners of the #JioFilmfareAwards on our latest cover. RT if you think it's a blockbuster. " The cover image had Sonam Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Diljit Dosanjh and Alia Bhatt. Also seen on the pages inside were Shaban Azmi, Manoj Bajpayee, Rishi Kapoor, Ritika Singh, Nitish Tiwari and Shatrughan Sinha. Alia Bhatt won the best actress award. She is seen posing pretty as she sat on a chair posing in her dust pink gown. She wore minimal makeup and her hair in a low ponytail. Sonam, who looked smoky in her sheer nude shade gown took home the best actress critics awards for her performance for Neerja. She complemented her gown with a soft updo and berry lips. Shahid Kapoor looked royal in a black wrap around style bandh gala and pyjama and won the best actor critics for his performance in Udta Punjab. Udta Punjab co-actor Diljit Dosanjh looked handsome as always in a navy-velvet jacket, with a white shirt and a thin oxblood tie. Well this is surely one stunning issue! (ANI) Beware! Consuming non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Ibuprofen, to treat your back pain may provide little benefit, but can cause stomach ulcers and bleeding, reveals a new study. The results found that patients taking anti-inflammatory drugs were 2.5 times more likely to suffer from gastro-intestinal problems such as stomach ulcers and bleeding. The findings, published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, revealed that only one in six patients treated with the pills, also known as NSAIDs, achieve any significant reduction in pain. The study is the latest work from The George Institute questioning the effectiveness of existing medicines for treating back pain. Lead author Manuela Ferreira from the University of Sydney said the study highlights an urgent need to develop new therapies to treat back pain which affects 80 percent of Australians during their lifetime. "Back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is commonly managed by prescribing medicines such as anti-inflammatories. But our results show anti-inflammatory drugs actually only provide very limited short-term pain relief. They do reduce the level of pain, but only very slightly and arguably not of any clinical significance," Ferreira added. The team examined 35 trials involving more than 6000 people. "Millions of Australians are taking drugs that not only do not work very well, but are also causing harm. We need treatments that will actually provide substantial relief of these people's symptoms," said co-researcher Gustavo Machado. "Better still, we need a stronger focus on preventing back pain in the first place. We know that education and exercise programs can substantially reduce the risk of developing low back pain," Machado explained. (ANI) BioAsia, Asia's largest biotechnology and life-sciences forum, began here Monday with the announcement of projects worth Rs 3,308 crore. The Telangana government signed a MoU with Cerestra to explore Life Sciences Infrastructure Fund to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore to create modular plug-and-play infrastructure for pharma/ biotech/ medical devices industry. Projects entailing an investment of Rs 1,680 crore were launched at Genome Valley on the first day of the three-day event. These include MN Park's iHub Phase II with two million square feet of lab space for R&D companies and start-ups with an investment of about Rs 1,000 crore. The Telangana government also handed over land allotment letters for about six companies which propose to make an investment of Rs 702 crore. Building plans of country's largest animal resource facility were also unveiled. The facility is being set up with the central government's grant of Rs 330 crore while the state government is allotting 102 acres of land. Biological E's also conducted groundbreaking of its vaccine plant in Genome Valley with an investment of Rs 300 crore. SME Hub @IKP was also launched in Genome Valley. The 50,000 square feet incubation facility for Life Sciences SMEs is coming up with an investment of Rs 50 crore. The 14th edition of BioAsia with the theme 'Power of the Past, Force of the Future', was inaugurated by Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan in the presence of high profile industry leaders from government, corporate and regulatory bodies. He also presented Genome Valley Excellence Award to Nobel Laureate Prof. Kurt Wuthrichand and Dr. Paul Stoffels, Worldwide Chairman Pharmaceuticals and Chief Scientific Officer of Johnson & Johnson for their contribution in the field of life sciences and healthcare. The governor noted that over 200 MoUs worth Rs 14,000 crore investments have so far been announced at BioAsia since the inception of the event. Telangana's Industry Minister K.T. Rama Rao said Hyderabad had always been known as the top pharma destination worldwide. "The city is and will remain the pharma production and innovation hub for the world and the proposed Pharma City will strengthen its position significantly. With new industrial clusters like Pharma City and Medical Devices park, Hyderabad is ready to assume leadership role of the life sciences industry in Asia and the world," he said. Bio Asia CEO Shakthi Nagappan said they were excited to witness the overwhelming response to the 14th Edition of BioAsia in terms of participation, investments and strategic partnerships. --IANS ms/vd ( 423 Words) 2017-02-06-23:26:07 (IANS) Ridiculing Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan's recent remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comparing him to the Hindu demon 'Ravana', the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday dubbed Khan's name-calling as a desperate act of frustration and deep insecurity. "The statement of Azam khan is emerging from his frustration. The Samajwadi Party has accepted its defeat way before the elections. It is only when you are defeated and know that nothing is going to yield result that you resort to such language to vent your frustration and insecurity," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told ANI. He further asserted that on one hand, the BJP is striving towards development of Uttar Pradesh while on the other, Samajwadi Party has stooped down to the level of desperate name-calling. "We are dedicated towards the Vidyut Kanoon and Sadak of VIKAS as Prime Minister Modi mentioned in his recent address, while they (the Samajwadi Party) are resorting to such language which is absolutely uncalled for," he added. Azam Khan a day before drew an allegory between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the mythical demon king Ravana. He said, "The king who rules over 130 crore Indians goes to Lucknow to burn the effigy of Ravana, but he forgets that the biggest Ravana is not in Lucknow but in Delhi." Earlier, while addressing a rally in Aligarh, Prime Minister Modi coined a new acronym VIKAS, which stands for Vidyut (electricity), Kanoon (law and order) and Sadak (roads). The remark came a day after his 'SCAM' acronym which was set out as a combined attack on both the Samajwadi Party and Congress alliance and Bahujan Samajwadi Party supremo Mayawati. PM Modi said that the BJP will bring Vikas which stands for Vidyut (electricity), Kanoon (law and order) and Sadak (roads) if elected.(ANI) Alleging the Centre of negligence towards Gujarat as far as the Railway Budget is concerned, the workers staged a protest and also offered a lollipop to the minister. The party workers had reportedly posed as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters and approached Prabhu. A case has been registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 143, 145, 147, 149, 151, 353 and 120B. The BJP leader was in the city to lay foundation stone for several rail projects in the state. After the incident, Prabhu went on to attend the lined-up programmes. He addressed a gathering at the Digi-dhan Mela in the city and spread awareness about digital payments. He also addressed the members of the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI). Prabhu later, in a series of tweets, said he 'laid foundation stone and dedicated to nation a host of rail infrastructure and passenger amenities across Gujarat at Surat'. He also laid the foundation stone for '35 Road Under Bridges across Gujarat'. (ANI) The National Green Tribunal (NGT) will hear the PIL on cleaning of river Ganga, which was transferred from the Supreme Court, on a day-to-day basis from today. The Apex Court in January transferred Ganga cleaning and sewage treatment case to the NGT. The court had earlier sought a fresh status report from the Centre on its plans to revive the Ganges. The report was sought on a 32-year-old pending public interest litigation (PIL) filed by famous environmentalist M. C. Mehta. In 2014, the Apex Court had said National Green Tribunal (NGT) was its 'last hope' and referred the task of monitoring industrial units that are along the Ganges River to it. The NGT on December 7 last year sternly criticised the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam on attitude and approach to the Ganga Action Plan, saying that the institution is one of the best examples of uselessness, as it has done nothing since its inception in 1975. "The Centre is spending around Rs. 20000 crore to clean the Ganga, but a useless institution like yours (UP Jal Nigam) and other agencies are effectively blocking progress and preventing the plan's implementation," the tribunal said. This is not the first time that the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam has been pulled up by the NGT. In August last year, the NGT had sent notices to the Uttar Pradesh and to the UP Jal Nigam asking both to explain as to why the western parts of Uttar Pradesh were not being provided with sufficient potable, clean and drinking water. (ANI) Earlier, the Delhi High Court had granted parole to Chautala to attend his grandson's engagement function. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader had sought permission to attend his grandson and MP Dushyant Chautala's 'roka' ceremony and the 'ring' ceremony to be held on January 2 and January 3. Chautala, his son Ajay Singh Chautala and three others, are serving jail term in the case. On January 22, 2013, a trial court here had sentenced 55 accused in the case. Among those convicted were 82-year-old Chautala's then political adviser Sher Singh Badshami, the then Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Vidya Dhar, IAS, and then Primary Education Director Sanjiv Kumar, besides 50 others. A total of 55 persons were convicted under the JBT scame for illegally recruiting 3,206 teacher in Haryana in 2000. The father-son duo, including two IAS officers, were among 55 persons convicted on January 16, 2013 by the trial court. (ANI) In September last year, the top court said it would examine whether there was an "element of suspicion" that "harassment" prompted Amity Law School student Sushant Rohilla to commit suicide. Although the apex court did not issue a notice to Amity Law School, which is affiliated to Guru Govind Singh Indraprastha University, it asked senior advocate Siddharth Luthra appearing for the institute to file a response to the PIL (Public Interest Litigation). The apex court appointed senior advocate Fali Nariman as the amicus curiae into the matter. Sushant, 21, committed suicide by hanging himself at his Sarojini Nagar residence on August 10. The third-year law student took the drastic step after he was allegedly barred by the Amity administration from appearing in the exams due to poor attendance. Amity Law School is affiliated to Govind Singh Indraprastha University, and as per its norms 75 percent attendance is a must to appear in the examination. Rohilla family claims that Sushant's fractured leg was the reason behind his low attendance. Though, the suicide note does not give the reason of suicide. The interim report submitted before the Amity panel, observed that the college and faculty were following the rules and regulations. Earlier, Rohilla's friend Raghav Sharma, also a law student at Amity, had written to former Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur, asking for Amity to be tried for aiding Rohilla's suicide. Raghav's letter was placed before the Supreme Court's PIL committee, which directed the registry to treat it as a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution since it raised issues of violation of fundamental rights of students. (ANI) Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Samudra Pavak has arrived on a goodwill visit to Dubai and has anchored itself at Port Rashid. The Indian Ambassador to UAE Navdeep Suri visited the ship yesterday and was briefed on board by DIG Satish Kumar, captain of the ship. Samudra Pavak, the third of the Pollution Control Vessel series of the Indian Coast Guard, was indigenously designed and commissioned in January 2016. Samudra Pavak or "Purifier of the Seas" has 15 officers and 99 other personnel under the Command of Deputy Inspector General Satish Kumar. ICGS Samudra Pavak has been extensively deployed along the northwest maritime frontier to safeguard the maritime interests of India. The ship has been tasked with EEZ surveillance, search and rescue, pollution response and such other duties as enshrined in the Coast Guard charter. Later, the Indian ship will sail to Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. (ANI) The Supreme Court will hear the SEBI-Sahara refund case today. The Apex Court had decided to hear the Sahara refund case on February 6 after Subrata Roy's lawyer Kapil Sibal urged that this matter be advanced. Roy's interim parole will expire today. In a major relief to Roy, the apex court earlier on November 28 last year extended his interim bail and ordered him to pay Rs.600 crore to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) by February 6. During the hearing, Roy's counsel Kapil Sibal proposed to the three judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Tirath Singh Thakur, to pay Rs. 11,000 crore within a period of two-and-a- half years. In October last year, the apex court had extended his parole till November 28 taking note of the deposit of Rs. 200 crores made by him with SEBI as a condition precedent for his release. Roy was in Tihar jail since March 4, 2014, till his mother's death in May 6, 2016, for not complying with the apex court's orders in connection with a long dispute with the market regulator. The SEBI alleged that Roy allegedly failed to comply with 2012 apex court order directing him to return investors more than Rs 20,000 crore with 15 percent interest that his two companies Sahara India Real Estate Corp Ltd and the Sahara Housing Finance Corp Ltd had raised through optionally fully convertible debentures (OFCD) in 2007 and 2008. On May 6 last year, the apex court had granted four weeks' custody parole to Roy to perform his mother's (Chabbi Roy) last rites. Sahara, once one of India's most high-profile firms, had in the past made several failed attempts to raise the bail money using its prized overseas hotels that include the Plaza in New York and Grosvenor House in London. Sahara says it has paid more than 80 percent of the dues to share-holders, but the market regulator, SEBI, disputes that and said the Sahara's have not paid more than Rs 10,000 crores. (ANI) At about 08:45 a.m. there was small arms fire from Pakistan's side and at 09:35 a.m. small arms and 51 mm mortar fire started. As an answer to Pakistan's ceasefire violation, the Indian troops retaliated suitably. No loss or damage has taken place so far. (ANI) Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami ordered the suspension of Islam on the basis of a report of the Assembly Ethics Committee, of which the suspended MLA is himself a member. Islam had streamed 'live' his speech from the House on Facebook on February 3, without any permission from the speaker. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary had later given a written complaint to the speaker, who in turn forwarded the matter to the ethics committee, headed by the deputy speaker. The report was submitted to the speaker this morning. Drawing reference to a similar case involving AAP MP Bhagwan Mann in the parliament, Mr Goswami suspended Islam for three days till February 8. The speaker asked Islam, who was present in the House at the moment of reading of the ruling, to leave the House immediately, to which the MLA complied.UNI SG AD1147 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0108-1138383.Xml Colonel Nizamuddin,who had served the 'Azad Hind Fauj' or Indian National Army and was driver-guard of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, died here today in Dhakwa, his native village, after a prolonged illness. He was above 107. He is survived by his wife Ajbul Nisha and three sons and two daughters. He youngest son Sheikh Akram was at his side when the end came. His two other sons, Akhtar Ali and Anwar Ali, are employed in Saudi Arabia and Mumbai, respectively. His two daughters are married. His body would be buried this afternoon after the namaz at his village, family members said. Nizamuddin had, on several occasions, rejected the theory that the Netaji had died in an air crash in 1945. On the contrary, he claimed, "How one can say that Netaji was killed in the air crash when I was with him even after that incident," He had even claimed that Netaji was alive at the time of country's Independence. Nizamuddin ran away from Azamgarh in 1942 and joined the British Army in Singapore. For some reason, he left and later joined Azad Hind Fauj. He was a driver and also the bodyguard of Netaji. His expertise in handling heavy guns and driving brought him closer to Bose. He changed his name to Nizamuddin from his original Saifuddin as he was working as secret service agent in INA. In 1944, Nizamuddin suffered a bullet injury on his back while guarding Netaji in the jungles of Burma. It was Netaji who gave him the name Colonel Nizamuddin. Nizamuddin and his family returned to Azamgarh in 1969. During an election rally in Varanasi in 2014, Narendra Modi, who was then the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, had met Nizamuddin and taken his blessings.UNI XC-MB SB 1206 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-1138378.Xml The apex court earlier also expressed its discontent and issued a notice to the Centre and state government after a petition was filed in this regard. The state government, however, filed an affidavit in the apex court last year, opposing the petition. The petition was filed for creation of a minority commission in the state to safeguard the interests of religious and linguistic minorities. (ANI) All the national highways leading to Manipur continued to be blocked for 99 days today. The United Naga Council (UNC) has been imposing economic blockade since November 1 after a day of total shut down to oppose upgradation of two sub-divisions in Manipur. A three party meeting was held in New Delhi on February 3 and the UNC had informed that they will take the final decision in a meeting on February 7. The Additional Chief Secretary (Home) of Manipur government, Dr Suresh Babu, who took part in the discussions, did not reveal the details of the talk but expressed hope that the economic blockade would be lifted. Representatives of UNC and the Union Home Ministry took part in the meeting. The UNC has also refrained from divulging much about the discussion after comeback to the state. All eyes are set on the meeting of the UNC scheduled tomorrow as the hardship faced by people of Manipur has reached the limit. Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh had informed that the state government urged the Union Home Ministry and Naga Peace Interlocutor R N Ravi to pressurise the NSCN(IM) to lift the blockade. The UNC is the frontal organisation of NSCN(IM), according to the state government. The chief minister, BJP leaders and representatives of various communities of Manipur had appealed the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to help in solving the crisis as people were suffering. Due to the blockade hospital services remained suspended for non availability of oxygen and medicines. Cement per bag is sold in the market at Rs 600, LPG is sold in the black market at Rs 2000, petrol at Rs 150 per litre. Most of the oil depots remain closed. The Manipur government is expected to release UNC President Gaidon Kamei and Information Secretary Stephen even though the state police has charged that the NSCN-IM was involved in attacking a convoy of vehicles coming towards Imphal on January 12 in which a Naga person and three others were killed. The operation of NSCN-IM was done under the command of self-styled Captain Gaichamdin and Khangdi of Lukhambi (Khumji). The protestors at the highway resorted to heavy firing on the vehicles which suggested involvement of armed cadres.UNI NS AD1338 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0108-1138531.Xml The Centre is examining the feasibility of sealing the riverine and char areas along Bangladesh border in Assam by using 'high tech physical and non-physical barrier' technology. Out of total 280.06 km of Indo-Bangladesh border in Assam, fencing work for 208.65 km has been completed, state Water Resources Minister Keshav Mahanta informed the state Legislative Assembly here today. He was responding to a written question, on behalf of Assam Accord Implementation minister and Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal. Mr Mahanta further said out of 71.41 km unfenced area, 6.5 km is land area and rest is riverine / char / bridge and culverts. Out of the land area, 3.5 km is under Karimganj Town area and discussion is on between BSF and BGB for settlement of dispute and land acquisition process for the remaining 3 km area, also under Karimganj district. Bridges and culverts account for 3.696 km, which is still an open area. "For the riverine and char area, feasibility study and examination is going on to seal these areas using 'high tech physical and non-physical barrier' technology by the Government of India," the minister said in the reply. Flood lighting works have already been completed and work is in progress for electricity service connection to the installed lights, he added.UNI SG KK -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-1138767.Xml Speaking to newsmen, Opposition leader in the LegislativeAssembly Jagadish Shettar said that the address contained false statements and the statistics read out were far from truth. Mr Shettar challenged saying that it was stated that 8200 puredrinking water projects were taken up but even 2000 are notfunctioning. It was stated that in Hyderabad-Karnataka regionwhich was accorded special status under 371 (J) more than 50,000vacancies were created and the government claimed that 12,000vacancies filled and this is also a false statement. The stategovernment has failed to curb children deaths due to malnutrition. He said that though Mahadayi issue was raised there was nomention about withdrawal of cases filed by police against innocentfarmers during agitation. The government should have mentioned about declaring Kappadaguddain Gadag District as Reserved forest to protect the flora and faunabut there is no mention about it in the governor's address, he added. Opposition leader in the Legislative Council K S Eshwarappa saidthat the speech is nothing but a booklet of the lies for the threeyears of Congress rule in the State. "I don't know what is left todiscuss during the session there is nothing new," he added.UNI RS MSP ADB1445 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0284-1138641.Xml With India deciding to buy just 36 Rafaelfighter jets instead of 126 for its Air Force, Swedish defenceequipment maker Saab will be offering the latest Grippen-E, which isthe most advanced military aircraft available in the world now, atop company official today said. Briefing news persons on the company's participation in the comingAero India event beginning here on February 14 Saab India Chairmanand Managing Director Jan Widerstorm said Indian Airforce, unlikeany other country's airforce (in the developing world) would needlarge numbers of military aircraft and Grippen-E fits the billperfectly as it costs less but was way ahead in technology comparedto competitors. ''Grippen-E is smart. IAF needs such plane and not those whichhave higher speed or more thrust. It is looking for single enginefighter aircraft. We fit the bill perfectly,'' he claimed. Meanwhile, he said Saab's presence at Aero India was based on itscommitment to contribute to India's ambition to build a self reliantindigenous defence industry of global standards that is sustainablefor decades. ''We already have manufacturing presence in Belagavi inKarnataka, besides in Hyderabad. We look forward to meeting andengaging with India's government and defence personnel, as well asshowcasing the people of the country our technological edge whichbuilds smart products from submarines to fighter jets, radars andavionics,'' he said. He said currently the company was pursuing many individualopportunities to meet the requirements of the Indian defence forcesand it was confident of its prospects. Grippen had lost out in the competition to Rafael in India'sprocurement of fighter jets, but the defence ministry pruned theearlier decision of purchasing 126 planes to mere 36 that it willbuy off the shelf. The first French aircraft is expected to bedelivered in 2019. ''Aero India will offer a great venue for carrying forward ourdiscussions and further showcasing our technology to variousstakeholders,'' Mr Widerstorm said. He said two Grippen aircraft, flown by Swedish Air Force, will beparticipating in Aero India and one of them, a single seater, willshowcase air display on all five days. In addition a full scalemodel of Gripen E would be on display. Besides, Saab would also be showcasing land, air and navalvarieties of defences systems in ample measure in the aero show.This include RBS 70 NG VISHORAD and BAMSE SRSAM anti aircraftmissiles, the latest gen ground combat system Carl Gustaf M4 andNaval systems like RBS 15 Mk3, among others. Saab will be represented by top management together with globalPresident and CEO Hakan Buskhe, senior representatives from Saab'sbusiness areas and marketing representatives will be attending theAero India show.UNI RS MSP ADB1715 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0284-1138978.Xml The shootout took place around 2.30 a.m. near Eros hotel in Nehru Place when a police team tried to stop the criminals. Deputy Commissioner of Police Romil Baaniya told IANS that the police retaliated after the criminals, Akbar and his brother-in-law Asif, started firing to evade arrest. The police intercepted them while they were going on a bike to Govindpuri area via Nehru Place to meet one of their associates. "After the shootout near Nehru Place Metro Station, Akbar, was arrested, while Asif managed to escape," he said. The officer said Akbar, 22, was a notorious robber and snatcher of the Satte gang. "He is wanted in many cases of robbery, theft, snatching, extortion and attempt to murder," he said. Baaniya said that two policemen who were hit in the gunfight escaped without injuries as they were wearing bullet-proof jackets. Police fired 5 rounds, while the accused opened 8 rounds of fire on the police team. "Akbar told police he is a resident of Nand Nagri area and had started his criminal career in 2013 with Asif after he married the latter's younger sister. Akbar was arrested in eight cases and wanted in 14 cases," he said. Asif had been arrested in 16 cases and was wanted in 22 cases. Baaniya said that Akbar, Asif and another of their associates, Mukram, carried a reward of Rs 25,000 each on their head for opening fire at a police party to evade arrest in Pul Prahaladpur in south Delhi in December 2016. The police are on the lookout for Asif and Mukram, the officer said. --IANS sp-rak/rn ( 301 Words) 2017-02-06-17:48:10 (IANS) The undercurrent of animosity between two oldest allies in the national politics, Shiv Sena and BJP came to the fore today in the Lok Sabha during the debate on Motion of Thanks to President's Address and at times Sena member Anandrao Adsul's strong observations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the bigger partner brought cheers in the Opposition camp.The members of Biju Janata Dal, Trinamool Congress and even Left and Congress were often seen repeatedly thumping the desks or complimenting Mr Adsul, who even went onto describe the Modi-led dispensation as "dictatorial".Even 'aggrieved' BJP member Shatrughan Sinha, who often embarrasses party leadership with his remarks, was seen rejoicing the occasion and also urged Mr Adsul "to continue making his speech".When Mr Prahlad Joshi, who was on the Chair, asked Mr Adsul to confine his speech to the subject, at one point of time, senior Trinamool member Swagat Roy said, "He (Adsul) is speaking well sir, please let him continue".BJD members B Mahtab and Tatagatha Sathpathy also thumped their desks when Sena leader took potshots at the Prime Minister for addressing "over 20" election rallies in poll-bound states and said, "No Prime Minister has done something like this in the past"."My point is Prime Minister is Prime Minister of the country...Even other leaders especially from the states (in BJP) can actually campaign for the party," Mr Adsul remarked - which rendered many Opposition members to applause the Sena lawmaker from Amravati.BJD member Tathagatha Satpathy also added his spice into the entire debate when he said, "Atal Behari Vajyapee never did so".More UNI DEVN AE 1806 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0445-1139127.Xml In a daylight robbery, unidentified men today barged into the house of a dentist, attacked him with knives and looted Rs 70,000 and a gold chain from him in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam district, police said. Dentist Samar Jain reached his house for lunch this afternoon. Some men arrived on the pretext of enquiring about a patient but suddenly attacked him with knives. The culprits who told him that they had information about Rs 20-lakh being at his house took him upstairs on the knife-point, forced him to open the Almirah and looted Rs 70,000 and a gold chain. Later, they tied his hands, feet and mouth before fleeing. After the marauders left, Dr Jain telephoned his friend Devendra Shah who rushed to his house and informed police. Dr Jain was admitted to the District Hospital. UNI XC-PS SW SNU 1828 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0044-1139148.Xml Two Uttar Pradesh residents were today arrested along with huge quantity of explosives in Madhya Pradesh's Tikamgarh district, police said. On a tip-off, Jhansi-residents Chhaki Kushwaha and Ashok Kushwaha were arrested and 200 gelatin sticks and as many detonators were seized from them. The duo was booked under the Explosives Act.UNI XC-PS SW SNU 1833 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0044-1139212.Xml Additional District Sessions Judge LD Bile today refused to give any order to provide 'Sanatan's' incense sticks and"Gomutra" to accused Sameer Gaikwad in Kalmba district jail. Sameer, a close suspect in Com Govind Pansare murder case and is now in magisterial custody in Kalmba district jail. However Judge Bile permitted to give a "Japmal" (rosary) to accused while adjourned the hearing on frame charges prosecution against accused Sameer to next date on February 28 following Bombay high court continued its stay order on frame charges prosecution process in the district session court here. The high court put the hearing on stay order, tomorrow (February 7). Defence lawyer Sameer Patwardhan had requested the court through an application that to prove "Gomutra", Sanatan's products incense sticks and a rosary to accused Sameer in Kalmba jail for his mental peace. But today in hearing, Kalmba district jail superintendent Sharad Shelke, who appeared before the court, took objection on these materials, which were not included in jail manual list.Mr Shelke told the court that in jail manual list, Sanatan's incense sticks and "Gomutra", filled in glass bottle, not included and took objection on these materials on the ground of seized chemical, drugs in raid on Sanatan Ashtram in Panvel last year and told the court that we should analysed these materials in laboratory firstly then we will consider whether we can provide it to accused or not.He also expressed possibility that if we provide "Gomutra' from glass bottle to accused in jail, the bottle's glass would use for attack on any other prisoner in jail. However Mr Shelke and public prosecutor Shivajirao Rane said that both of them has not any objection to prove a 'Rosary' to accused in jail.After completed the statement of Mr Shelke and Mr Rane, Judge Bile ordered not to provide "Gomutra" in glass bottle or Sanatan's incense sticks to accused in jail and permitted to provide 'Rosary'.Judge Bile also ordered to jail authority to chemical analysis of incense sticks and "Gomutra" in laboratory and if there was noting objectionable then jail authority should provide such materials in jail. More UNI SSS NV NP SHK 1753 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-1139019.Xml The petitioner has stated that Akshay's character has distorted the profession of a lawyer in the flick. Earlier in the day, the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court ordered the deletion of four scenes in Jolly LLB 2 - a scene where a scared judge is hiding behind the chair, another where a shoe is hurled, a scene with objectionable signalling and dialogues in an argument scene have to be modified. The producers are likely to approach the Supreme Court again soon, as the film is due for release this week. Earlier, the Supreme Court had stated that it will let the Bombay High Court decide first and hear the matter only if the need arises. Ajaykumar Waghmare, the petitioner of the case had filed a petition in the Bombay High Court alleging that certain scenes in the movie depict the Judiciary and the legal professional in bad light, following which the High Court formed the committee to watch the movie and submit a report on the same. Waghmare has also asked the court to drop the word 'LLB' from the title of the movie. In 2013 also, the original Jolly LLB, starring Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani, faced the same problems from lawyers in Meerut. The Akshay Kumar and Huma Qureshi starrer movie which is a sequel of 2013, Jolly LLB movie is scheduled to be released on February 10. The movie, which will feature Akshay in the role of a lawyer, also stars Saurabh Shukla and Annu Kapoor. (ANI) The students, who blocked the road here, claimed that the legislator's son was driving the Tata Safari SUV Saturday night when the accident ocurred. Suchismita Biswal, who was pursuing her Master of Computer Application (MCA) under the Centre for Post-Graduate Studies (CPGS) in the university, died after she was hit by the SUV on Siripur-Fire Station road on Saturday night. "The vehicle belongs to the owner of Siddarth Construction, who happens to be Barabati-Cuttack MLA Debashish Samantaray's brother. The legislator's son was driving the vehicle on that fateful night," alleged Himandri Mahapatra, one of the agitating students. The police said they have seized the vehicle and are investigating the matter. CCTV footage is also being examined. "Action would be taken against the accused as per the law," said Police Commissioner Y.B. Khurania. The police on Monday conducted searches at Siddarth Construction office and examined the documents of the vehicle. A notice was also served to the firm to furnish details of the concerned vehicle by Tuesday, said the police. --IANS cd/gsh/vt ( 215 Words) 2017-02-06-20:14:10 (IANS) Terming the 28th meeting of parties to the Montreal Protocol held in October last year in Kigali, Rwanda historic, the government today said the agreement allowed India to take necessary steps for protection of environment and the domestic economy in a longer time frame. In a suo-moto statement by Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave in the Rajya Sabha which was tabled by Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, Mr Dave said the countries adopted an amendment to the historic protocol aimed at phasing down Hydrofluorocarbon (HFCs) that contribute to global warming. "The agreement provides adequate space for the growth of our economy, while providing adequate time for industry to shift to sustainable alternative in the interest of environment," the Minister said. He said the agreed arrangements will minimise the sort to consumers in transitioning away from HFC and provide for domestic innovation to develop in the sector of new generation refrigerants and related technologies. He said the success of negotiation at Kigali is a result of the spirit of collective action, accommodation and flexibility by all the parties to ensure the best possible outcome which addresses the needs of all countries and leads to maximum climate benefits. UNI RBE AE 1954 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0427-1139407.Xml Raising serious allegations over the death of Rasila Raju, the Infosys software engineer who was murdered at her office in Pune on January 29, her family on Monday demanded a CBI probe into the case. The close relatives of Rasila Raju said here that there is every possibility that there could be more than one person involved in the murder. The police have arrested Bhaben Saikia, an Assamese who worked as a security guard, for murdering the techie. "The authorities are trying to close the case by just framing Saikia. She has never ever said that Saikia was troubling her. She had raised complaints against a company manager also. The crime cannot be done just by one person. For the truth to come out, we demand a CBI probe," said her close family members. "She last spoke to her cousin and that call was abruptly disconnected by her saying that some people are coming," said her father. They also said that the post-mortem examination report indicates that a tussle took place before the murder as there are bite marks on her left shoulder. Her father, a retired Army officer, O. Raju, said she was unhappy being at Pune and was seeking a transfer to Bengaluru. The relatives said that they will be returning to Pune soon after all the rituals associated with her death are completed and would file further complaints. --IANS sg/lok/vt ( 244 Words) 2017-02-06-21:16:11 (IANS) Asking that why Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not waive off farmers loans if he can do the same for his 50 top 'industrialists friends', Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today advocated a 'separate manifesto' for Youths. "To ensure livelihood in every family, I advised chief minister Akhilesh Yadav that why not we can come up with a separate manifesto for youngsters as it will change the face of this biggest state of the country", asserted Congress vice-president while adding that he already had two issues in his mind one to ensure job for youths and second to remove fear and hatred from their minds. Addressing a huge rally in support of his Party and alliance partner in Mathura, Rahul Gandhi once again attacked Narendra Modi on farmers loan issue. " I want to know that if Narendra Modi could waive off loans of Rs 1.10 lakh crore of his industrialists friends then why he could not do same with the farmers ", pointed Rahul while adding that despite of Uttar Pradesh one of the most rich state in natural resources, still the farmers here were forced to commit suicide. "The best mango crop is here in Lucknow, peppermint in Barabanki, tomatoes in Amethi and many crops in which the state is enrich but still the farmers were suffering lose and ending life ", Rahul said while claiming that the farmers were forced to sell potato for peanuts and later the businessman made huge profits from it by processing it into 'chips'. Calling Central government as 'suit-boot ki sarkar' Rahul said that Modi is using the Indian banks to fund his industrialist's friends. "Mukesh Ambani was given a loan of Rs 1 lakh crore for Jio Mobile by Indian Banks but lakhs of youths in this State and country are facing unemployment just as these banks never sanctioned a loan to them for a start-up business for their livelihood', pointed Rahul while accusing the Centre for not providing any employment so far and even snatching jobs from millions of people through demonetisation. UNI MB JW ADG 2116 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1139513.Xml Mesmerised by the beauty and secular ethos of the 'City of Temples', actor Imran Khan today said that the Bollywood did 'injustice' to Jammu by neglecting it in the films. ''Jammu is a beautiful destination and I have come across many unexplored and unseen locations during my visit,'' Mr Khan told a section of media persons here this evening during an interaction. Mr Khan is here in the town to promote his first production (Imran Khan Production), 'Sargoshiyan', (whispering)--a feature film based on travel story of a group of friends from Mumbai visiting to Jammu and Kashmir to explore hidden destinations. ''I have seen unbelievable locations and scenic places in Kashmir but in Jammu too, I found, places which are untouched by the industry,'' said Khan. Terming Jammu as 'under-utilised', the actor said that for people to outside world, Jammu only means visiting World Famous Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine only but there are lot many destinations, which must to projected and shown to the people living across the globe. ''I have a personal belief that Bollywood in 60's and 70's is responsible for neglecting this picturesque destination,'' he asserted. ''Jammu apart from beautiful place, is also very economical and I have fallen in love with the place and would love to work on a project having authentic and impressive script,'' said an actor. Meanwhile on 'Sargoshiyan',Mr Khan said that he has shot 90 per cent of the movie in Jammu and Kashmir at scenic places like Bhandpathar, Tangmarg, Peer-ki-Gali, Shopian, Awantipora and the film will be released across the country in April this year. Thanking the Jammu and Kashmir Government and the Department of Tourism for all support, the actor also lauded the people of Kashmir for cooperation. On a question regarding controversy raked up with Kashmir based Zaira Khan, who acted in Aamir Khan starrer 'Dangal', the actor said, ''we also have a child artist Zoya from Kashmir playing in the movie but I have kept my fingers crossed and wish that thing will remain fine and not invite any unwanted controversy.'' Meanwhile Khan also expressed concern over effect of demonetisation on the film industry hoping that everything will soon be on track. He however, also said that in an era of commercialisation, producing feature film is a risk, adding, ''the content is good, theme is wonderful and I hope audience will love the film once it hit the silver screen.''UNI VBH JW ADG 2251 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1139590.Xml The World Bank plans to offer Iraq financial support in parallel with projects to foster reconciliation after Islamic State's defeat, its regional director said on Monday, to ensure that reconstruction after years of conflict is sustainable.U.S.-backed Iraqi and Kurdish forces have dislodged Islamic State from most cities that the hardline Sunni group captured in 2014 in Iraq, and they are now fighting the militants in their last major stronghold, Mosul, in the north.While mainstream Shi'ite, Sunni and Kurdish forces are taking part or supporting the battle to dislodge Islamic State from Mosul, their politicians are yet to heal rifts that followed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003."The Mosul battle is keeping all these forces together," World Bank director for the Middle East Ferid Belhaj told Reuters by telephone. "When the fight is over, we don't know what kind of pressures ... will be in place; that's why it is very important for the Iraqis to start this exercise right now.""We will try as much as we can to make sure that the incentives ... for reconciliation would be more appealing than the incentives for each of these factions ... to go it alone."The World Bank approved in December a new loan of $1.485 billion to help Iraq lessen the impact of low oil prices on its economy and shoulder the cost of the war on Islamic State, bringing its total support to the nation to nearly $3.4 billion.The OPEC nation's government income comes almost exclusively from exports of crude oil. It fell sharply when world oil prices tumbled three years ago.In addition to planned financial support "we will bring people who have had experience in rebuilding social ties from a number of countries around the word," Belhaj said, mentioning the experiences of South Africa, Morocco and Rwanda."This is going to be a parallel track. We will make sure that money will flow ... towards reconstruction and rebuilding, but at the same to make reconstruction and rebuilding sustainable, we will need to make sure the social contract is being drawn in a way that would allow for the infrastructure to remain solid."The World Bank has also offered advice to the government about maintaining the Mosul dam, said Belhaj, although it was not involved in financing or arranging the contract with Italian company Trevi which was selected last year to carry out badly needed repair.A U.S. government briefing paper released a year ago said 500,000 to 1.47 million Iraqis living in the highest-risk areas along the Tigris River "probably would not survive" the impact of a flood that would be caused by the collapse of the dam located north of Mosul. Iraqi authorities have played down the threat, estimating only a one in 1,000 chance of failure.REUTERS JW BL2206 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1139598.Xml The Congress party today ridiculed All India Trinamool Congress MPs staging protest in Parliament premises on the need to secure interests of Indian IT firmsvis-a-vis proposed H-1B visa order from the new US administration."It seems there is a deal happening. The entire episode taking up of H-1B visa is seemed to be workingdue to some plans. Mamata Banerjee had threatened to launch nationwide protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and remove him from power. But now it seems the Trinamool has diluted their protest against Modi on demonetisation," West Bengal Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury told UNI here. The relations between Trinamool and BJP had worsened in December-January after two sitting MPs of Ms Banerjee's outfit Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Tapas Pal were arrested by the CBI on Rose Valley chit fund scam.Earlier in the day, Trinamool Congress MPs today staged protest outside Parliament demanding early intervention of the government to secure interests of Indian IT firms vis-a-vis proposed H-1B visa order from the new US administration.The party MPs led by senior MPs Swagat Roy and Derek O' Brien and comprising members likeMoon Moon Sen, Kalyan Banerjee and Prasun Banerjee staged the protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue displaying placards.Trinamool leaders said at least 70-75 per cent of Fortune 500 companies have operational support from Indian IT companies and went onto add that the H-1B visa order will "adversely affect" the Indian IT companies.The move of the Trump administration to ban immigrants from seven Muslim countries has been put on hold by American court. UNI DEVN ADG 2246 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0445-1139603.Xml The city "has always been on a constant search for improvement and to consolidate the rights of the (Mexican) Revolution and reform," said Mexico City government chief Miguel Angel Mancera upon signing the decree ordering publication of the city's constitution. Surrounded by constituents, capital lawmakers and federal legislators, among others, Mancera signed the document at the Old City Hall and noted that the city was founded almost 700 years ago, Efe news reported. During those seven centuries, he said, the city "has transformed itself, has evolved, in terms of building ideas, revolutions, improving its infrastructure," with a "very broad" political life. The document, which will enter into force on September 17, 2018, is comprised of 70 articles and 39 temporary articles. According to the capital's government, the city's Constitution is the newest in Latin America, along with being the most progressive and innovative. In addition, it establishes Mexico City as a federative entity and sets forth its structure, government and organization. Mexican President Enrique Pea Nieto wa scheduled to head an official ceremony around midday to commemorate the signing of the Mexican Constitution in the city of Queretaro. --IANS vgu/ ( 230 Words) 2017-02-06-04:48:06 (IANS) US President Donald Trump said that the country's court system will be to blame if "something bad" happens after his temporary immigration ban was suspended, media reports said. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" Trump posted on his official Twitter account on Sunday. "I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country very carefully. The courts are making the job very difficult!" Efe news cited a subsequent tweet by him. The Trump administration on Saturday launched an appeal of the decision by federal Judge James Robart to issue a temporary restraining order blocking the immigration ban that for more than a week had impeded entry into the country for citizens of Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Yemen. On Saturday night, however, a federal appeals court denied the administration's request to have the restraining order lifted, thus preventing the immigration ban from being reinstated. Judge Robart "made the wrong decision," said Vice President Mike Pence in a Sunday interview with Fox News, asserting that "under statutory law and under the Constitution, that authority belongs to the President". Trump railed at Robart on Twitter on Saturday, calling him a "so-called judge" and accusing him of taking "law-enforcement away from our country," adding that his ruling "is ridiculous and will be overturned!" Meanwhile, many immigrants are trying to take advantage of the suspension of Trump's travel ban to get into the US, after the State Department reactivated the validity of the 60,000 visas that had been revoked as per the ban and immigration authorities stopped enforcing it. --IANS vgu/ ( 292 Words) 2017-02-06-06:00:06 (IANS) US President Donald Trump has agreed to attend the upcoming NATO summit slated to be held in May, after having repeatedly criticised the alliance and having called it "obsolete", the media reported. Trump spoke with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday evening regarding the US' "strong support for NATO", the White House press office announced in a statement. According to the statement, the two leaders discussed "how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defence spending commitments" and the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border, NBC News reported. During his campaign, Trump set off alarms in Europe after suggesting that he might set conditions for defending members of the alliance under attack. Last July, Trump told The New York Times that the US was shouldering too much of the cost for the security alliance. Trump has also repeatedly called NATO obsolete, most recently in an interview with Germany's Bild daily in January. Also in January, Stoltenberg said he had a phone call with Trump after he won the November 8 presidential election and was sure he would remain strongly committed to the institution. "I am absolutely certain that the new president and the new administration will be strongly committed to a strong NATO," Stoltenberg told CNBC last month at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. British Prime Minister Theresa May, who sought reassurances about Trump's commitment to NATO during her visit to the White House also said Trump told her the United States is "100 per cent behind NATO". --IANS ksk ( 275 Words) 2017-02-06-08:08:06 (IANS) US lawmakers have rejected President Donald Trump's most recent notion that the American government was morally equivalent to Russia, media reports said. Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse said: "There is no moral equivalency between the US -- the greatest freedom loving nation in the history of the world -- and the murderous thugs that are in (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's defense of his cronyism," NBC News reported Meanwhile defending Trump, US Vice President Mike Pence said, "American ideals are superior to countries all across the world. But, again, what the president is determined to do, as someone who has spent a lifetime looking for deals, is to see if we can have a new relationship with Russia and other countries that advances the interests of America first and the peace and security of the world." Meanwhile, Democratic leaders continued to call for an investigation on Russia's involvement in the hacks of the Democratic Party during the presidential election. On Sunday, in a Fox News, Trump defended his decision to criticise longtime allies instead of the Russian authoritarian regime. "I say it's better to get along with Russia than not," the President said. The interviewer pushed back saying that Putin is a killer, to which Trump said: "There are a lot of killers. We got a lot of killers. What, do you think our country's so innocent?" --IANS vgu/ksk ( 233 Words) 2017-02-06-08:16:07 (IANS) "From the outset of his campaign and administration, the president of the United States has made it clear to put the safety of the American people first. We are going to win this argument," Pence told Fox News on Sunday. Trump signed an executive order on January 27 that suspended immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries including Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen for 90 days, suspended the U.S. refugee program for 120 days and indefinitely halted Syrian refugees from entering the nation. The order followed his argument that radical Islamic terrorism poses a major threat to Americans' safety. On Friday, a federal judge in Seattle imposed a temporary restraining order on the ban, in response to a case filed last week by Washington state and Minnesota challenging Trump's constitutional authority to unilaterally impose such a ban. On Saturday night, a federal appeals court also denied a Trump administration request to lift the restraining order and allow the immigration ban to continue. "Under statutory law and under the Constitution, that authority belongs to the President," Pence also said Sunday. Pence also supported the new sanctions Trump imposed on Iran after the country last week launched a medium-range ballistic missile. "They have flouted the U.N. security resolution. What we are seeing here is a hostile action, belligerent action, taken by the Iranians. And we just are not going to put up with it anymore," he said. (ANI) President Donald Trump agreed to meet alliance leaders in Europe in May in a phone call with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that also touched on the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine, the White House said.Trump was elected on a pledge to push NATO members to increase their funding to the western alliance to ease the financial burden on the United States.This proposal has drawn opposition from both his fellow Republicans as well as Democrats and the idea has worried European allies who fear Russian President Vladimir Putin might take advantage.A White House statement said yesterday that Trump and Stoltenberg "discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments.""President Trump agreed to join in a meeting of NATO leaders in Europe in May," the statement said.Trump and Stoltenberg also "discussed the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border."Over the past week a flare-up in hostilities has erupted between the Ukrainian military and Russia-backed separatists, with each accusing the other of a new wave of shelling. More than 40 people have been killed in both government- and rebel-held areas.Trump has drawn fire at home for wanting to warm up ties with Putin.In an interview broadcast yesterday during Fox Channel's Super Bowl pre-game show, Trump waved off concern from interviewer Bill O'Reilly that "Putin's a killer.""We've got a lot of killers...You think our country's so innocent? You think our country's so innocent?" Trump said, citing the 2003 war in Iraq.U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who had lost to Trump in the Republican presidential primary battle last year, tweeted that it would be a mistake to lift US sanctions on Russia, a step Trump has been considering."Only reason we should ever lift sanctions on #Putin is if he meets conditions of sanctions & ends violations of #ukraine sovereignty," he said.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, told CNN's "State of the Union" he was not going to critique everything Trump says but on Russia, "I obviously don't see this issue the same way he does."REUTERS SDR 0647 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-1138232.Xml Al Shabaab militants in Somalia publicly beheaded four men accused of spying for the country's Western-backed government, the United States and neighbouring Kenya, residents in the south of the Horn of Africa country said.The al Qaeda-linked group confirmed the executions, which took place on Sunday after the men were found guilty by an al Shabaab court in Jamame district of lower Jubba region, some 70 km (43 miles) north of Kismayu."The court ruled on their cases and four of the men were executed publicly in Jamame District according to the Sharia this (Sunday) afternoon," Mohamed Abu Abdalla, al Shabaab's governor for the Jubba region, told Reuters, without elaborating on the method of execution."The four men admitted they were spies."In areas under its control, al Shabaab has carried out executions, floggings and amputations after summary trials in cases ranging from espionage to theft.Al Shabaab has been fighting for years to drive out African Union peacekeepers, topple the central government and impose its own harsh interpretation of ShariaREUTERS CJ AS1212 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-1138382.Xml The U.S. Missile Defence Agency announced that the 'USS John Paul Jones' detected, tracked and took out the target ballistic missile using its onboard Aegis Missile Defense System and a Standard Missile-3 Block IIA interceptor, reports the CNN. The test took place on Friday night off the Hawaiian island of Kauai. "Today's test demonstrates a critical milestone in the cooperative development of the SM-3 Block IIA missile. The missile, developed jointly by a Japanese and US government and industry team, is vitally important to both our nations and will ultimately improve our ability to defend against increasing ballistic missile threats," the director of the Missile Defense Agency, Vice Adm. Jim Syring said in a statement. The test came while U.S. Defence Secretary James Mattis was on his first overseas trip to South Korea and Japan. Ballistic missile defence was at the top of the agenda after North Korea's prolific testing of short- and intermediate-range missiles last year. Washington is also worried that North Korea may be developing a long-range missile that could carry a nuclear warhead to reach as far as the U.S. shores. The Aegis system is designed to intercept ballistic missile around the middle of their flight, when the missile is at its highest point above the Earth. The system is based on the powerful AN/SPY-1 radar, which can track 100 missiles simultaneously. The U.S. Navy has 22 guided-missile cruisers and 62 guided-missile destroyers equipped with the Aegis system. Japan has six Aegis destroyers with plans for more. (ANI) President Donald Trump's temporary immigration ban faced on Monday the first of several crucial legal hurdles that could determine whether he can push through the most controversial and far reaching policy of his first two weeks in office.On Monday, the government has a deadline to justify the executive order temporarily barring immigrants from seven mostly Muslim countries and the entry of refugees after a federal judge in Seattle blocked it with a temporary restraining order on Friday.The uncertainty caused by a judge's stay of the ban has opened a window for travelers from the seven affected countries to enter the United States.Trump has reacted with attacks on the federal judge and then the wider court system which he blames for stymieing his efforts to restrict immigration, a central promise of the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.Democrats, meanwhile, sought to use Trump's attacks on the judiciary to raise questions about the independence of his Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch.The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco over the weekend denied the Trump administration's request for an immediate stay of the federal judge's temporary restraining order that blocked nationwide the implementation of key parts of the travel ban.But the court said it would reconsider the government's request after receiving more information.The government has until 5 p.m. PST on Monday (0100 GMT on Tuesday) to submit additional legal briefs to the appeals court justifying Trump's executive order. Following that the court is expected to act quickly, and a decision either way may ultimately result in the case reaching the U.S. Supreme Court.Top technology giants, including Apple, Google and Microsoft banded together with nearly 100 companies on Sunday to file a legal brief opposing Trump's immigration ban, arguing that it "inflicts significant harm on American business."Noting that "immigrants or their children founded more than 200 of the companies on the Fortune 500 list," the brief said Trump's order "represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system of the United States for more than fifty years."The controversial executive order also "inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth as a result," the brief added.Trump, who during his campaign called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, has repeatedly vowed to reinstate the Jan. 27 travel ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen and a 120-day bar on all refugees in the name of protecting the United States from Islamist militants.His critics have said the measures are discriminatory, unhelpful and legally dubious.On Sunday, Trump broadened his Twitter attacks on U.S. District Judge James Robart in Seattle, who issued the temporary stay on Friday, to include the "court system." Trump a day earlier derided Robart, who was appointed by former Republican President George W. Bush, as a "so-called judge.""Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril," Trump tweeted on Sunday. "If something happens blame him and court system."Trump did not elaborate on what threats the country potentially faced.It is unusual for a sitting president to attack a member of the judiciary. Vice President Mike Pence defended Trump, even as other Republicans urged the businessman-turned-politician to avoid firing such fusillades against the co-equal judicial branch of government, which the U.S. Constitution designates as a check on the power of the presidency and Congress.Democrats, still smarting from Republicans' refusal last year to allow the Senate to consider former Democratic President Barack Obama's nomination of appeals court Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, have seized on Trump's attacks to question his nomination last week of Gorsuch."With each action testing the Constitution, and each personal attack on a judge, President Trump raises the bar even higher for Judge Gorsuch's nomination to serve on the Supreme Court," Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Senate, said in a statement. "His ability to be an independent check will be front and center throughout the confirmation process."Republicans hope to swiftly confirm Gorsuch, a 49-year-old conservative appeals court judge tapped by Trump to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia nearly a year ago.Reuters CJ AS1328 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-1138492.Xml The Queen, who ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 following the death of her father, King George VI, would spend the occasion at her residence in Sandringham, East England, Buckingham Palace said. Despite the Queen's public absence, the anniversary would be marked with royal gun salutes at the Tower of London and Hyde Park in London, while military parades would take place in other parts of the country, Efe news reported. In September 2015, the Queen surpassed the 63-year reign of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, who reigned from 1837 until her death in 1901. As of October 13, 2016, Queen Elizabeth II became the world's longest reigning living monarch, following the death of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned over Thailand for 70 years and 126 days. On Feb 6, 1952, a 25-year-old Princess Elizabeth ascendedo the throne, though she was not crowned until June 2, 1953. Born April 21, 1926, the Queen celebrated her 90th birthday last year. --IANS ksk/bg ( 196 Words) 2017-02-06-15:46:07 (IANS) An Afghan diplomat was shot dead today in the Afghan consulate in Pakistan's southern city of Karachi, a police official said.The consulate's third secretary was killed by a private guard, who has been arrested, said police official Saqib Ismail."The motive behind the killing is not clear yet," Ismail said, adding that the gunman was also an Afghan national. REUTERS SW SNU 1453 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0101-1138653.Xml Iran has imposed no restrictions on US oil firms willing to participate in energy projects in the country but American sanctions make such cooperation impossible, Iran's deputy oil minister said today."Iran has not imposed any restrictions on the U.S. companies, but they cannot participate in our (oil and gas) tenders due to the US laws," Amir Hossein Zamaninia, deputy oil minister for trade and international affairs, was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA."Based on the US Congress sanctions, the American oil companies cannot work in Iran," he added.Iran said on Saturday that it will hold the country's first tender in mid-February since the lifting of international sanctions to develop oil and natural gas fields.OPEC's No 3 oil producer hopes to draw foreign companies to invest in Iran and boost output after years of under-investment. However, foreign firms have so far made little inroads into the country despite the lifting of sanctions.President Donald Trump's new US administration on Friday imposed fresh sanctions on Iran, which it said were just initial steps. It said Washington would no longer turn a "blind eye" to Iran's hostile actions.Dismissing the new sanctions, Zamaninia said "such actions have had no effect, and international companies are still keen to do business with Iran."Anglo-Dutch oil firm Royal Dutch Shell signed a provisional deal in December to develop Iranian oil and gas fields South Azadegan, Yadavaran and Kish. REUTERS SW AS1502 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0101-1138655.Xml Philippine soldiers arrested on Monday a communist rebel leader, days after President Rodrigo Duterte scrapped a ceasefire with the insurgents and as clashes between them and the army erupted in several places.Duterte announced on Friday the government was scrapping the ceasefire with the New People's Army (NPA) and he ordered soldiers to prepare to fight, saying the rebels were making "huge", unacceptable demands despite government concessions.The rebel leader arrested on Monday, Ariel Arbitrario, was among dozens of guerrillas freed last year when the government and the rebels resumed peace talks.He was intercepted at an army checkpoint in Davao City, in the southern Philippines, a military spokesman said."He was taken in based on President Duterte's pronouncement to re-arrest all those who were freed temporarily to take part in the peace talks," the spokesman, Captain Rhyan Batchar, told reporters."He and a companion will be brought back to prison."The conflict between the government and the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, began in 1969 and more than 40,000 people have been killed.Duterte, who won an election last year on a vow to wipe out the illegal drug trade, had raised hopes of bringing an end to a communist insurgency that has stunted development for years, especially in central parts of the Philippines.Last month, the government asked the US State Department to remove the rebel movement's founder and leader, Jose Ma. Sison, from its terrorist blacklist to move negotiations forward.But both sides later traded accusations of truce violations and negotiating in bad faith."Let's go to war," Duterte said in a speech on Monday, calling rebels "spoiled brats" demanding too much from the government. He now calls the NPAs as a terrorist group.Another military spokesman said there was a spike in skirmishes between the army and the rebels in central and southern parts of the country over the past 48 hours. Three other rebels were captured and one was killed in one clash, said military spokesman Colonel Edgard Arevalo.Separately yesterday, soldiers killed a guerrilla in a 30-minute firefight on the central island of Mindoro while skirmishes also occurred in Iloilo and Masbate, also in the central Philippines, Arevalo said.At the peak of the Maoist rebellion, there were 25,000 NPA fighters but its strength has fallen to about 3,000 members. The army said the rebels are concentrated in the country's eastern seaboard where there are many plantations and mines, main sources of rebel funding.REUTERS SW AS1503 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0101-1138656.Xml China on Monday welcomed U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' suggestion that diplomacy should be the priority in the South China Sea, and that major U.S. military action was not being considered to contend with China's assertive behaviour there.Mattis, speaking in Tokyo on Saturday, blamed China for "shredding the trust of nations in the region", but also played down any need for U.S. military manoeuvres in the disputed waters of the South China Sea and instead called for open lines of communication.The comments, his most complete on the issue to date, came after analysts had said other remarks made by President Donald Trump's administration had suggested the possibility of U.S. military action, or even a naval blockade.Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters at a regular briefing that Mattis' emphasis on using diplomatic means of resolving disputes in the South China Sea was "worthy of affirmation" and that the situation there was normalising."This accords with the common interests of China and all countries in the region, and we hope that countries outside of the region can respect the joint interests and wishes of countries in the region," Lu said.China claims most of the South China Sea, while Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei claim parts of the waters that command strategic sea lanes and have rich fishing grounds along with oil and gas deposits.In his Senate confirmation hearing, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said China should not be allowed access to islands it has built in the contested South China Sea. The White House also vowed to defend "international territories" in the waterway.Such action would risk an armed confrontation with China, an increasingly formidable nuclear-armed military power.Chinese state media said at the time that the United States would need to "wage war" to bar China's access to the artificial islands built up on reefs, where it has constructed military-length air strips and installed weapons systems.Pronouncements by China's state-run news outlets do not equate to government policy, but can reflect official thinking.The official English-language China Daily newspaper said in an editorial on Monday that Mattis' comments were a "mind-soothing pill" that had "dispersed the clouds of war that many feared were gathering over the South China Sea"."Mattis has inspired optimism here that things may not be as bad as previously portrayed," the newspaper said. REUTERS SW AN1542 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0101-1138740.Xml The Kremlin said today it did not agree with US President Donald Trump's assessment of Iran as "the number one terrorist state" and wanted to deepen what it described as already good ties with Tehran.The Kremlin was responding to comments Trump made to Fox News in an interview aired at the weekend in which he complained that Iran had "total disregard" for the United States.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call with reporters that Moscow saw things differently."Russia has friendly partner-like relations with Iran, we cooperate on a wide range of issues, value our trade ties, and hope to develop them further," said Peskov.Trump and Putin say they want to try to rebuild US Russia ties, that were badly damaged by Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea and by Western sanctions imposed on Russia in response.Peskov said there was no reason for policy differences over Iran to hinder such a rapprochement."It's no secret for anyone that Moscow and Washington hold diametrically opposed views on many international issues," said Peskov. "That should not be an obstacle when it comes to forging normal communication and pragmatic mutually-beneficial relations between Russia and the United States."Separately, Russia criticised the Trump administration's move on Friday to impose sanctions on Iran after a recent ballistic missile test, saying the test did not violate existing agreements."We are sorry that things are working out in this way," Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's deputy foreign minister, was quoted as saying of the new sanctions by the RIA news agency on Monday. REUTERS SW BL1659 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0101-1138899.Xml China said on Monday it has lodged a formal protest with the US over a decision to impose new sanctions targeting Iran, which has affected a handful of Chinese companies and individuals, according to media reports. The sanctions were imposed on Friday after Iran conducted a ballistic missile test. The curbs affect 25 people and entities allegedly involved in helping Iran develop its ballistic missile programme, or in supporting groups that the US considers terrorist, such as Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah militant group. They include two Chinese companies and three Chinese individuals, who are now blocked from the US financial system or dealings with American companies. Foreign companies and individuals are also prohibited from dealing with them at risk of also being blacklisted by the United States. On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that Beijing has lodged a formal protest, the Washington Post reported. "We have consistently opposed any unilateral sanctions," Lu told a regular news conference. "The sanctions will not help in enhancing trust among the different parties involved and will not help in resolving international problems," Lu said. China has close economic and diplomatic ties with Tehran, but also played an important role in a landmark 2015 deal to curb the nation's nuclear programme. Executives from the two Chinese companies included on the list denied doing anything wrong. Yue Yaodong, an executive at Cosailing Business Trading Co in the eastern city of Qingdao, said his firm was "collapsing" with his account at the Agricultural Bank of China frozen, a shipping company refusing to accept his goods, and clients abandoning him. "We have not done any business with Iran for three to four years," he said. "There have been some Iranian customers coming to us asking prices, but we have not conducted real business. Go search the customs record." He said his company sells items for everyday use, as well as porcelain, hydraulic parts, and motors for treadmills, but said it was only a small, private firm. "I am so lost, both the United States and China are sanctioning me," he said. "There is no way to do business now, I don't know what our little company did wrong." US relations with China have hit a distinctly rocky patch since Trump took office, with the new President seeing the government in Beijing as more of a threat than a partner. China also protested in recent days about comments made by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on a tour of Japan and South Korea. --IANS gsh/vt ( 430 Words) 2017-02-06-20:06:07 (IANS) Police got 15 days to quiz Jahangir Alam alias Rajib Gandhi after he was produced before the court of Bogra's senior judicial magistrate in two separate cases, Xinhua news agency reported. One case in Bogra district, some 197 km northwest of Dhaka, implicates Alam with a blast on April 3, 2016 which killed two people. The other case implicates him with the recovery of lethal weapons and explosives in June last year. Bangladeshi police arrested Alam in January from the country's central Tangail district, some 97 km away from capital Dhaka. A police officer said Alam was wanted in 20 to 22 cases filed in connection with terrorist attacks in recent years. Alam maintained close connections with many already arrested and killed cafe attacker designers, the officer added. Bangladesh police have reportedly so far hunted down and killed at least 40 militants linked to the cafe attack, including mastermind Tamim Chowdhury who was killed in a police raid on August 27. --IANS sku/ ( 202 Words) 2017-02-07-01:34:06 (IANS) LONDON, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Police officers in Britain were subjected to almost 2.5 million assaults over a 12 month period, the Police Federation said in a report released Sunday. The federation, regarded as the trade union for police officers, said the new figures reveal the horrific extent and frequency of assaults on police officers. Estimations based on data from a welfare survey data suggest that there were potentially more than two million (2,113,602) unarmed physical assaults on officers over a 12-month period, and a further 302,842 assaults using a deadly weapon during the same period. It means there were a total of 2,416,445 attacks, 40,009 injuries due to violence, equating to a policeman or policewoman being assaulted at the rate of one every four minutes. Until now the estimate had been that around 23,000 police officers were assaulted every year, but the new figures presented a stark reality of the job and what police officers have to deal with. A spokesman for the federation said: "It has been difficult to determine the actual number of police officers assaulted every year. Much of this has been down to what data has been used, taking into consideration inconsistencies and a variety of recording processes." "Incidents are also often under-reported, further contributing to an incomplete national picture on what is a growing concern," the spokesman said. Steve White, the federation's chairman for England and Wales said: "We always knew that 23,000, whilst bad enough, was not the true picture but 2.4 million is beyond anyone's expectations and totally unacceptable." Last year the federation raised the issue with Britain's interior department, the Home Office, about the official figures not giving a true picture of the number of police assaults per year. Chen Peijie (Female in white), Chinese Consul General in Kota Kinabalu, sees off Chinese tourists in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, on Feb. 6, 2017. First four Chinese tourists who were rescued after their boat sank off Malaysia's Sabah state left for China on Monday, said China's consulate general. (Xinhua) KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Frist four Chinese tourists who were rescued after their boat sank off Malaysia's Sabah state left for China on Monday, said China's consulate general. The first four Chinese tourists and their family were sent off early Monday by Consul General Chen Peijie in Kota Kinabalu, the state capital as well as Pang Yuk Ming, assistant minister of tourism, culture and environment of Sabah. The consulate general said the remaining rescued tourists were in stable condition and would return home soon. The boat carrying 28 Chinese tourists capsized on Jan. 28 enroute from Kota Kinabalu to Mengalum island, some 50 km to the west. Three of the tourists have been confirmed dead while another five and a crewmember remain missing. The search and rescue operations covered an area of 2,000 square nautical miles on Sunday. A body was found near the last location of the sunken boat on Friday, but the authorities has yet to confirm whether it was one of the missing. SYDNEY, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The first shipment of live Australian beef cattle to China has left Australian shores after nearly ten years in the making. A shipment of 1,200, mainly Angus cattle, left Portland in Victoria's far west bound for Shandong Province in eastern China. The cattle were shipped by real estate developer-turned agricultural investor Shanghai CRED which teamed up with Gina Rinehart, Australia's richest woman, in 2016 to buy the Kidman cattle empire. The shipment suggests that live cattle exports to China will be a major focus of Kidman under its new owners. Mark Allison, CEO of rural conglomerate Elders which Shanghai CRED has invested in heavily, said the live exports to China would be great for the industry in Australia. "The opening of feeder and slaughter markets will drive competition and demand for Australian cattle, creating new opportunities for exporters and producers alike," Allison told News Limited on Monday. Mark Bennett, head of agribusiness for the Australia New Zealand (ANZ) bank, said that during a visit to China late in 2016 he saw the demand for Australian beef was continuing to build. Bennett said the live exports could see the Australian beef industry grow from a 7-billion-U.S. dollar business annually to a 12-billion-U.S. dollar industry. He said that the inland city of Chongqing alone was seeking up to 500,000 heads of cattle a year. Shanghai CRED will reportedly lose money on the first shipment but the company was willing to take the loss in order to kick-start the trade as beef prices in Australia are forecast to fall over the coming months. Photo taken on Feb. 6, 2017 shows the accident site after a fire broke out in the Zuxintang Foot Massage Parlor in Tiantai County, east China's Zhejiang Province. At least 18 people have been killed and another two injured after the foot massage parlor caught fire on Sunday afternoon. (Xinhua/Wang Junlu) TIANTAI, Zhejiang, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Sunday's fire at a foot massage parlor in east China's Zhejiang Province killed 18 people and injured 18 others, police confirmed early Monday. Flames engulfed "Zuxintang foot massage and bathing parlor" in Tiantai county in the city of Taizhou at 5:26 p.m., the county's public security department said. It said eight people were found dead at the scene and 10 others died later in hospital. As of 5 a.m. Monday, 18 people had been landed in hospital with injuries, it said. The flames were extinguished at around 7 p.m. The parlor was on the first and second floors of a six-story building in a downtown community. A tablet inscribed with "Zuxintang" -- which literally translates into "parlor with fragrance of foot" -- remains on the wreckage of its charred wall, but its doors, windows and furniture have been brought down to debris. A car parked outside the parlor was also wrecked in the fire. Following the accident, the neighborhood has been cordoned off by police and colorful stripes hang around the building warning of danger. The cause of the accident is still under investigation. Tiantai, a small county in the hilly eastern areas of the rich Zhejiang Province, has 382,800 permanent residents. SYDNEY, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Minerals Council of Australia, whose members include mining heavyweights Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and others, have called on the Australian government to defy protectionism and champion free trade. In a statement released Monday, the miners said the government needs to issue broad based reforms, including tax cuts, cracking down on activists and industrial relation reforms. "The resurgence of protectionist sentiment means that the national benefits of low taxation, fiscal rectitude, and competitive markets are more contested than in previous decades," the statement said. "A liberal foreign investment regime, with consistent application of rules and thresholds, is vital to investor confidence and the future growth of the minerals industry." The council urged the government to close the deal on the pending free trade pacts with India and Indonesia, in order to open up the vast potential of those markets for the mining industry. The statement also stressed that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership should be expedited, as China has promised to boost free trade opportunities. The miners also took aim at the common misconception their industry was in a downswing, and that Australia is moving towards different sectors in the economy. "This implies that the sector's importance to the national economy has declined," the statement said. "This is wrong. There has been a transition from an investment phase to a production phase." Brendan Pearson, chief executive of the Minerals Council of Australia, doubled down on that sentiment in the report, saying the mining sector remains crucial to the Australian economy. "Over the last decade the mining sector contributed 14 percent of Australia's economic growth. Over coming decades the mining sector will remain a central driver of growth, and the benefits of that growth will be enjoyed by all Australians," Pearson said. Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison will release Australia's budget in May 2017. SYDNEY, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said Monday it will go after higher penalties against big business on the back of recent successes. The ACCC will use precedent created in recent High Court cases, such as the 11-million-Australian dollar fine levied on travel agent Flight Centre, to target a wider range of businesses who engage in price fixing via e-commerce. ACCC Chairman Rod Sims, told the Australian Financial Review, that there were a number of businesses in his sights, and he planed to launch a review of the entire e-commerce sector in Australia. "We may have been too cautious (on penalties) in the past," Sims said. "Certainly in the future we won't settle unless the penalties are in accord with what we think they should be." In a 2014 case against grocery mega-giant Coles, the presiding judge, Michelle Gordon, said a 10-million-Australian dollar fine levied for bullying suppliers was "arguably inadequate for a corporation the size of Coles." In Australia, consumer penalties are far lower than those for competition, with the fines for breaching consumer rules drawing a maximum penalty of 1.1 million (Australian dollars), while competition breaches are 10 million (Australian dollars). Sims is adamant this needs to change. In terms of the upcoming review of the e-commerce sector, Sims said the result would have "profound implications." SYDNEY, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Almost half of all Australian school students are either bored or struggling in the classroom, a report has found. The report, released by the Grattan Institute on Monday, called for a major overhaul of Australia's education system to deal with the "hidden issue" of widespread student disengagement in the classroom. The report found that approximately 40 percent of Australian schools students are regularly unproductive, bored and struggling to keep up with their peers. Pete Goss, director of the Grattan Institute's school education program, said these "passively disengaged" students can be one to two years behind their peers in their work. "When a student switches off, there is the risk of a downward spiral," Goss told the Guardian Australia. "If the teacher responds badly, more students can become distracted and the momentum of the class can be lost." Goss said aggressive or violent behavior in the classroom was not the main distraction, rather that it was ongoing minor disruptions that was causing mass disengagement. By studying more than a decade of academic research the Institute established that the major distractions were students talking out of turn, avoiding work, being late for class and moving around the classroom. "Australian classrooms are not out of control," Goss said. "But student disengagement is a hidden issue in schools." The report said teacher training was not doing enough to help teachers build the skills required to deal with distractions with only half of new teachers saying their training was helpful. Teachers overwhelmingly responded to distracting behavior by yelling, a response which only made matters worse. The report recommended that classrooms be made more engaging for distracted students, including fostering stronger relationships between teachers and students based on mutual respect. TEGUCIGALPA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- At least 16 people were killed and dozens were injured on Sunday in two separate collisions that involved at least five vehicles on Sunday, local media reported. In one accident, a full passenger bus collided with a semitruck along the highway connecting the capital Tegucigalpa with the southern part of the country, killing at least 15 people and injuring 38, according to the daily La Prensa. The news outlet initially reported 17 deaths and 35 injured due to the accident. Images of the crash site showed the truck was turned over on its side and pinned down the bus onto the highway after the two collided head on. Another daily Diez reported "the scene is Dantesque," and the interior part of the bus was "full of corpses." Video footage showed rescuers placing the injured into ambulances, which later headed to the University School Hospital (HEU). Relatives of the victims gathered outside the hospital waiting for news, with some of the injured survivors said to be in critical condition. The public transit bus was reportedly carrying some 60 passengers, including the son of the mayor of San Miguelito, a town close to the crash site. Both the bus driver and his assistant are among the dead. Having yet to determine the cause of the accident, authorities arrested the truck driver, who was reportedly accused of overspeed driving. The driver has been protected "from being lynched by angry relatives" gathering at the crash site, Diez added. A third daily, El Heraldo, interviewed a survivor who said the fault was with the truck's driver. "The bus was not speeding. I saw the truck and decided to exit the back door," Maximo Ponce said, adding "I threw myself from the bus." In a separate crash, three vehicles collided on a southern highway near the town of Ojojona, killing one person, La Prensa reported. A picture of the crash showed a white car ram into the back of a beige pickup truck, and another vehicle lie in the other lane. According to the Violence Watch at the National Autonomous University of Honduras, in the first half of 2016, traffic accidents were "the second cause of death" in the country. The average death toll from such accidents stood at 117 per month, or four a day. ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese fair opened in the Russian-Chinese business park here on Saturday as part of the city's celebration of Spring Festival. Besides various workshops and lectures about the Chinese culture, the two-day's fair will also host an important business event. On Feb. 11, representatives of more than 40 companies from China will visit St. Petersburg to discuss with their Russian counterparts on developing cooperation in the Russian-Chinese business park in the future. According to local officials, China has been the city's largest trade partners for years. The third quarter of 2016 saw bilateral trade volume reach 3.8 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 14.5 percent of the city's total. QUITO, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese car brand is gaining market shares in Ecuador, the daily El Comercio reported on Sunday. "2016 was a year of changes for companies in the automotive market. Without doubt, one of the surprises of the market was ... the Great Wall," the daily said. Great Wall, China's largest SUV manufacturer, went up from the eighth place in 2015 to the fifth last year in the list of the top 10 best-selling brands in Ecuador. Great Wall's bestseller was the M4, which sold 1,500 units in 2016, or three times more than in 2015. Hernan Vasconez, general manager of Ambacar, Great Wall's local distributor, was quoted as saying that "the brand consolidated and achieved the growth" that the company has planned since 2010. South Korea's Kia also moved up in the ranking, with its market share going from 10 percent in 2015 to 14 percent in 2016. SYDNEY, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese educational-technology firm, ReTech, looks to the Australian Securities Exchange index with an initial public offering set for March. Seeking 22.5 million Australian dollars (17.2 million U.S.) to make the listing a reality, the figure would represent 20 percent of the group's 112 million Australian dollar (86 million U.S.) value. The Shanghai-based company operates by digitizes training material for organizations across China and is contracted by state-owned groups like Ping An Insurance and Bank of China. ReTech has also modernized training programs for multinationals like McDonalds, Mercedes Benz and Sephora. "We can gamify it, build quizzes around it or even make it teachable through a virtual reality headset," ReTech co-chair Calvin Cheng told The Australian Financial Review. "It's very expensive sending trainers to address large workforces all over China. We can build a cartoon character to deliver the syllabus online and replace them all." ReTech plans to license course material for Australian colleges and already has a deal in place with Queensland TAFE to begin remodeling food handling and mining safety courses for Chinese workers, once its listing goes ahead. "One of the reasons we're listing in Australia is its great reputation for education and training. We intend to do more collaborations with content producers here," Cheng said. The major consideration for targeting the Australian market concerns regulation within China. ReTech has 30 percent or more of its shareholders based outside China, making it ineligible for the Chinese exchange. "We're a tad small for Hong Kong, so the best option outside that in terms of liquidity and P/E ratios turned out to be the ASX," Cheng said. Chinese companies do face higher costs to join the list however and their prospectus discloses are expected to cost around 3.6 million Australian dollars (2.76 million U.S). LONDON, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- A former head of the British Royal Navy and one of the best known British army chiefs had been unwittingly dragged into an anti-China campaign by a London think tank being paid by the Japanese government, it was reported Sunday. Admiral Lord West, former first sea lord and chief of all British Royal Navy staff, and Colonel Bob Stewart, former British army officer, were both used in the war of words organized by the think tank, the Henry Jackson Society (HJS), the London-based Sunday Times newspaper reported. The newspaper reported a week earlier that the Japanese embassy in London was paying HJS a reported 10,000 pounds a month to run an anti-China propaganda campaign. Neither the Japanese embassy nor HJS have denied the arrangement. The report claimed that West, who served as a security minister in the former Labor government, was recruited by the think tank to publicly oppose China. West was asked by HJS to put his name to an article published on a political website last July which attacked China's maritime claims over the South China Sea. The report said West was not being informed that HJS was being paid by the Japanese government. This weekend West, who is said to serve on HJS's advisory council, attacked the think-tank for touting his name, saying he would not have put his name to the article if he had known Japan was funding the HJS. "I was certainly not aware that HJS was funded by the Japanese," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper. The report also revealed that Stewart, who served as a UN commander in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), was also unaware of HJS's paymasters when he put his name to an article critical of China that had used HJS's research. Stewart currently serves as a Conservative member of parliament (MP). The Sunday Times said the media campaign reflects growing tensions between Japan and China. Its report added that last week HJS had been forced to apologize publicly to another British politician, former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind for not informing him of its deal with the Japanese embassy. It said Rifkind had been encouraged by HJS to voice opposition to the Chinese foreign policy. HJS had sought Rifkind's name for an article in the respected broadsheet London newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, expressing concerns about China's involvement in the Hinkley Point nuclear plant project. The project, with China's involvement, has been approved and welcomed by Prime Minister Theresa May. The Sunday Times said HJS had refused to say whether it would issue the two former military men, named in Sunday's report, public apologies. Since the disclosure of the allegations, the Japanese government, media as well as the embassy in London have chosen to remain silent. Related: Commentary: Japan's alleged anti-China diplomatic scandal is despicable by Xinhua writers Liu Chen, Gui Tao BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Ten thousand pounds per month. That's the money the Japanese Embassy in London has been paying to a British think tank for its work to hype up China threat and propagate against China-UK relations, said a Sunday Times report. Full story Interview: British think tank involved in Japan-funded anti-China propaganda "keen to attack," says sinologist by Gui Tao, Larry Neild LONDON, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- A British think tank involved in Japan-funded propaganda against China was "notoriously partisan" and "extremely keen to attack," a leading British expert on Chinese affairs said late Tuesday. Full story Japan Embassy falls silent on alleged "paid propaganda" against China SYDNEY, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- A record 1.4 tons of cocaine with an estimated street value of 312 million Australian dollars (239 million U.S. dollars) has been seized from a yacht off the New South Wales south coast, the Australian Federal Police have announced Monday. "This syndicate was intending to bring significant misery to the Australian community," Australian Federal Police acting deputy commissioner Neil Gaughan said. "Any organized crime syndicate that believes they're going to get away with it, sooner or later they're going to get caught." The drug syndicate allegedly sailed a yacht called Elakha from New Zealand to a "mother ship" waiting in international waters before being detained 370 km off the coast of Australia. Elakha was well known to New Zealand customs who had been tracking the yacht for four years. The joint intelligence operation found a New Zealand man, 63, and a Swiss-Fijian dual national, 54, on board with the drug haul on Thursday night. The following morning, a 66-year-old, two 62 year-olds and a 32-year-old were arrested, accused of planning to bring the narcotic on shore. All of the men face a maximum of life in prison if convicted. "Clearly this is an enormous blow to supply of illicit drugs in Australia, particularly cocaine," Australian Federal Justice Minister Micheal Keenan said. The "mother ship" remains at large and is being investigated by authorities. Image taken on Jan. 25, 2017, shows people watching a section of the border wall between Mexico and the United States, in Tijuana city, Mexico. U.S. President Donald Trump wants a 20-percent border tax on all imports from Mexico, said White House spokesman Sean Spicer on Thursday. (Xinhua/Str) LIMA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump has a "confrontational" style of governing and his unilateral decisions are "bad measures," said Marco Carrasco, a Peruvian economist. Sticking to his campaign promises, Trump has proven his willingness to go it alone, even that means going against the general consensus. Just in the short time he has been in office, Trump has pushed the United States close to the brink of a constitutional crisis by flouting laws, and alarmed other countries with threats of trade wars and military incursions. "They are bad measures, in my opinion, and seemingly in the opinion of most people, even in Washington," Carrasco said in a recent interview with Xinhua. "Let's hope certain things are toned down." "One of the countries attacked by Trump has been Mexico, and beyond the wall...there are economic issues," said Carrasco, who has a master's degree in behavioral economics obtained at Paris-Sorbonne University. Mexico, which shares a border with the United States and is its third largest trade partner, has borne the brunt of Trump's hostility toward globalization and free trade, and faces the prospect of being forced to pay for a border wall it does not want. Any punitive trade measures are likely to first target the billions of dollars in remittances Mexicans working in the United States send back each year, as well as Mexico's oil industry that exports a large portion of its output to the United States, Carrasco said. Mexico, Peru, among other Central American countries, have large numbers of migrants living in the United States, the economist said, adding that taxing remittances "is becoming a problem for all Latin American countries." Trump also put renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement -- a 23-year-old trilateral accord between the United States, Mexico and Canada -- at the top of his agenda, saying he wants to secure better conditions for U.S. industry and workers. That objective could spell trouble for Mexican producers, as "it puts various obstacles to Mexico's access of the U.S. market," said Carrasco. Trump is expected to make other unilateral decisions on international accords signed by the United States. "The United States is going to want to unilaterally change these things (accords) to protect its workers, because the U.S. labor force has been affected by the entry of foreign labor that earns lower wages," said Carrasco. Trump's policies "are going to force Mexico to rethink to what degree it benefits from strengthening ties with the United States...it is going to begin to seek new markets," said the economist. In fact, Mexico has announced it will work to diversify its export markets and bolster its relationship with the rest of Latin America, Asia and Europe. "Given the outlook, the Asian market emerges as an alternative," said Carrasco. CANBERRA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Controversial Australian Senator Cory Bernardi is set to resign from the Liberal Party - and therefore the government - in order to chair a breakaway far-right political party, local media reported on Monday. Bernardi, who has long been critical of the center-right policies pursued by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, will resign within 48 hours and ahead of Parliament's return on Tuesday, according to a Fairfax Media report. The conservative and often outspoken senator has indicated his desire to breakaway from the coalition government, with rumors beginning in July last year when he founded the Australian Conservatives website, which he said was created to "unite the Liberal Party." Government representatives are still hoping that is the case, however; some MPs have labelled the report as "speculation," while Education Minister Simon Birmingham told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) he expects Bernardi to "stand by" his commitment made to the government. "Every comment I've ever seen Cory make, including over recent months, has been about the importance of Liberals, Nationals, conservatives - all those in the right of center - working together and working as a strong coalition," Birmingham said on Monday. "I'm confident that Cory will stand by his words." Bernardi has refused to comment on the report, but it has also been revealed he set up a second website called Australian Majority, which features a political logo resembling that used by U.S. Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz. The move could be disastrous for the government, which holds just a one seat majority in the House of Representatives. An extra crossbench senator could take even more power away from the government, meaning fewer bills are likely to pass without the far-right senator's approval. The government's issues were further compounded on Monday when the latest Newspoll revealed support for the Malcolm Turnbull-led coalition had fallen to its lowest point since predecessor Tony Abbott was ousted from office, while the poll also showed minor parties including Pauline Hanson's far-right movement, One Nation, gained significant traction with voters. Support for Turnbull's government slipped to 46 percent while Labor's soared to 54 percent in the two-party preferred stakes - or after preferences - while it was also revealed that a record 29 percent of voters would not give either major party their first preference - if a vote was held today. It means support for minor parties and independents rose to that 29 percent mark; the Greens remained steady at 10 percent, while support for One Nation was at an equal record-high of 8 percent. Hanson said she was "thrilled" that her party was resonating with the Australian people, adding there was no limit to how much success One Nation could have if they continue to "listen to" Australian citizens. "I'm so surprised and actually thrilled with the support we're getting Australia-wide," Hanson told the Seven Network on Monday. "Politics, you can be up high one day and down low the next. "As long as I keep listening to the Australian people and voicing their concerns, we'll see where we go." Australia's Parliament returns for its first sitting session for the year on Tuesday. HO CHI MINH CITY, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's southern Can Tho city will offer public bicycle services on a trial basis to help minimize traffic congestion and protect environment. First public bicycle services will be provided at sites which attract many visitors, including parks and islets, the municipal Transport Department said on Monday. To use the services, people put money into machines, take GPS-enabled bicycles and later give them back at any parking lots. The department will create road corridors for cyclists. HANOI, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MoH) has planned to release mosquitoes with Wolbachia bacteria, a natural bacterium which is safe for human, into wild since March 2017 as part of the project to eliminate dengue in Vietnam. The aim of the program is to spread Wolbachia into wild mosquito population to reduce the ability of transmitting diseases of these mosquitoes, local Sai Gon Giai Phong (Sai Gon Liberation) online newspaper quoted MoH as saying on Monday. A smaller number of male and female mosquitoes with Wolbachia would be released over weeks and these mosquitoes will then mate with the wild mosquito population. As the bacteria can be passed on from generation to generation and over time, the percentage of mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia grows until it remains high without any further releases. Mosquitoes with Wolbachia are less able to transmit viruses to people, so the risk of outbreaks of dengue and Zika in those areas will be reduced, said the MoH. Before that, the MoH has approved the research to assess the population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with Wolbachia in a small area in Vietnam's central Khanh Hoa province's Nha Trang City to prevent dengue and Zika. SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The examination of a South Korean government body found battery defects in the fiery Galaxy Note 7 smartphones of Samsung Electronics that had been discontinued for overheating and explosion, a government report showed on Monday. It was highly likely that the manufacturing error in batteries used for Note 7s was the root cause of catching fire, Korea Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS)'s findings showed. The KATS is a government body in charge of technology standards under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE). No problem with the Note 7 gadget's hardware and software was found in the investigation, the state-run agency said, confirming Samsung's earlier announcement on Jan. 23 of its own independent third-party examination. Note 7s were launched in August last year, and Samsung was shortly thrown into embarrassment as multiple devices, set on fire without any external cause, were reported. In September, Samsung issued a global recall of about 2.5 million gadgets, but continued reports of replacement phones catching fire forced the company to discontinue the product in October. To prevent any battery-linked incident, the ministry plans to force batteries of new smartphones to be re-tested every two years by the KATS, while raising safety standards for mobile phone batteries. KABUL, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- A total of 3,498 Afghan civilians were killed and over 7,900 others wounded in conflict-related violence across Afghanistan in 2016, the UN mission in the country said on Monday. by Muhammad Tahir ISLAMABAD, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan is seeking cooperation from Afghanistan to secure their nearly 2,600 kilometer-long common border to consolidate achievements made in major military operations in tribal regions. Pakistan had long been insisting that loose border control benefits militants by allowing them to move freely across the border and carry out terrorist activities in both countries, which is a source of tension and mistrust between the two neighboring countries. The military and other forces, after conducting major operations against the Pakistani and foreign militants in tribal regions bordering Afghanistan in recent years, have now shifted their focus to border security to stop the cross-border movement of the militants. There is no doubt that any border control mechanisms instituted will yield useful results when both countries implement the measures on their respective sides and boost the monitoring of the porous perimeter. Military spokesperson, Major General Asif Ghafoor, said on February 1 that the leadership of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP has been "living in Afghanistan for a long time," which security officials describe as a serious challenge for anti-terrorism efforts. Afghanistan has never officially admitted the presence of the Pakistani Taliban on their soil and also says their armed opponents live in Pakistan. As Pakistan and Afghanistan are still facing serious security problems, they need a joint understanding on a strong border management system on both sides to check illegal border crossings. Pakistan had deployed a total of 34,000 Frontier Corps personnel along the border after the U.S. launched its military action against the Taliban in 2001. Pakistani officials say more units of the paramilitary Frontier Corps are being trained for new check posts to be established along the Afghan border. Pakistan Army Chief General, Qamar Javed Bajwa, who assumed office on November 30, has spoken twice with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani by phone and suggested a "robust border management mechanism." General Bajwa, in his meetings with some foreign military leaders, including the U.S. Central Command chief General Joseph Votel, also reiterated his call for an effective and coordinated border management with Afghanistan. Pakistani officials say that the Pakistani Taliban militants who had claimed responsibility for major terrorist attacks in the country, particularly in the northwest Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and southwestern Balochistan provinces, entered Pakistan from Afghanistan. The killing of several key Pakistani Taliban leaders in Afghanistan in U.S. drone strikes have strengthened Pakistan's stance on the presence of the Pakistani militants on the Afghan side of the border. United States and Afghan officials have also confirmed the killing in Afghanistan of Pakistani Taliban leaders, including Omar Mansoor, also known as Narai, the mastermind of the 2014 terrorist attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar that killed 150 people, mostly students. Pakistani national Hafiz Saeed Khan, Daesh chief for the Khorasan region, was killed in a U.S. drone attack in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar last year. Daesh spokesman, Shahidullah Shahid, also a Pakistani national, was killed in a U.S. drone strike along with dozens of the group's activists in Afghanistan in 2015. The U.S. said in May that a drone strike killed the Afghan Taliban chief, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, in Pakistan's Balochistan province. Besides border management, the Pakistani military and other law enforcing agencies are carrying out combing and intelligence-based operations in the suspected hideouts of the militants and their facilitators, mostly in urban areas. This strategy has been adopted to ward off the possible threats by the remnants of the Taliban, who are believed to have taken shelter in cities. BEIJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The top procuratorate will open an investigation into Wu Tianjun, a former senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official, following allegations that he accepted bribes. Wu is a former member of the standing committee of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee and head of the provincial committee's commission for political and legal affairs. The Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) has put Wu under "compulsory measures," the SPP announced Monday. Compulsory measures can include arrest, detention, summons, bail pending trial or residential surveillance. ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- "We seek to build a perfect engineering as the goal," Yuan Li, chairman of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), which is one of the two Chinese companies that built the Ethio-Djibouti railway project, told Xinhua in a recent interview. Running a distance of 752.7 km, the Ethio-Djibouti railway project links the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa and Djibouti's Red Sea port city. As Africa's first modern electrified railway, the project, an awe-inspiring work of the century, has been constructed by China Railway Engineering Co. and CCECC, which invested their innovative technology to achieve exceptional quality of the project. Harar, a city with dominant Islamic architecture, is located on a hilltop in the eastern extension of the Ethiopian Highlands at an elevation of 1,885 meters. In the year 2013, a group of Chinese were brave enough to expose themselves in the scorching sun light in Harar city and since then they have frequently visited there. They would go to the streets and sometimes stop to look around; they would sometimes be immersed in thinking or hold heated discussions. These were Chinese railway technicians, who were looking for inspiration for a train station in the city of Dire Dawa, which has now been built along the Ethio-Djibouti railway line. The station is shaped like a "gate," with shorter wings. The front of the waiting hall are tall arched doors in solemn and elegant Islamic architectural style. The Chinese technicians had an inspiration of transforming the Dire Dawa station into a hub of fine art with artistic innovation. They aimed to incorporate Ethiopia's ancient architectural features into the station, and at the same time also reflect the vitality of the modern Ethiopia. Every time they visit the place, the Chinese technicians would carefully improve and contemplate the station's design again and again. Having been revised for at least five times, the design of the Dire Dawa station has, finally, been highly acclaimed and welcomed by Ethiopian railway officials. During the inauguration of the Ethio-Djibouti railway in Addis Ababa on Oct. 5, 2016, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, hailed the works of the Chinese railway company, and commended the Chinese government and people for the cooperation and support for the successful construction of the project. "The Ethio-Djibouti railway fully demonstrates the technical capacity of Chinese companies," said the prime minister. Not only serious about their artistically fine works, the Chinese workers have also carried out the project with great care to local community's concerns and high attention to environmental standards. On Aug. 10, 2014, after receiving a telephone call from some local villagers who worried that their livestock could not cross the railway in flock, the project administrator immediately sent a task group to look into the situation. Later, the railway construction personnel patiently explained to the villagers that they would design a 3 meter by 3.5 meter culverts, so that camels and other large animals can pass through. This solution received a positive response from the villagers. There are two culverts per kilometer built by CCECC, with nearly 750 of them in total. Some of the culverts are large enough and become dedicated wildlife channels. Livestock and camels and other wild animals can cross freely. Environmental protection is also an important issue linked to the project, and the Chinese companies have gone all out to build a green transport channel. "As the ecological environment is fragile in Africa, pollution cannot be ignored, especially the mud," said a Chinese expert from the project department. The large quantity of mud driven out by concrete can easily pollute water. If farmers reuse contaminated water for irrigation, crops will be damaged. The Chinese team decided to discharge all the mud to a designated location, which is an excavated mud pool. When the construction is completed, the mud pool would be filled and restored to the original appearance. In the construction of the project, not only mud was given due attention, even the soil cannot be arbitrarily carried out. When building roadbed, Chinese companies strictly used soil within a limited area, preventing pollution of the environment. They also paid a lot of attention to reclamation and greening restoration work. During a ceremony held in Djibouti, the Ethiopian prime minister said the project would significantly boost development of the two countries and enhance their contribution to global market. "This magnificent project will play an indispensable role in achieving our full-scale economic growth ... This railway line will improve the socio-economic landscape of the two countries," he said. RIYADH, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- More than 10,000 Saudi women have received mobile phone repairing training to improve the employment chances of females, Al Riyadh local newspaper reported on Monday. The free training was provided by the Technical and Vocational Training Cooperation to 10,769 female students studying at 19 collages in different part of the country. The spokesperson of the cooperation, Fahad Al Otaibi, said that the training is part of a plan to localize jobs in the communication sector. The cooperation also offers training on sales, consumer services and advanced repairing of smart phones. He said that the trained women are able to work at mobile phone shops after gaining the basic skills for such job, and they can also obtain licenses to start their own businesses. Saudi Arabia has been taking many steps to open new opportunities for recruiting women, including the distance work scheme that allows women to work from home. Meanwhile, local news reported late last year that two ministries are negotiating the formation of women-only information technology firm to open up new sectors for female jobseekers. SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's state-run think tank on Monday expressed worry about slumping private consumption caused by political unrest following the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. The Korea Development Institute (KDI) said in its monthly report that economic recovery remains lackluster due to the weakening of consumer confidence and the slump in manufacturers' employment that offset an improved facility investment. Retail sales, which reflect consumer spending, rose 1.6 percent in December from a year earlier, after growing 3.2 percent in the previous month. Confidence among South Korean consumers worsened further in January compared with the previous month as uncertainty lingered over the political sphere following the presidential impeachment. President Park was impeached on Dec. 9 in the parliament over her alleged involvement in the corruption scandal. The constitutional court is widely forecast to decide whether to end her presidency or reinstate her by the middle of March. Production in all industries grew 3.3 percent in December, but it was lower than a 4.9 percent increase in the prior month. Manufacturers posted a capacity rate of 73.0 percent in December, down from 73.8 percent a month ago. Facility investment in December jumped 10.0 percent compared with a year earlier on robust demand for general machinery that offset reduction in the transport equipment demand. XINING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- A national park planned in the Sanjiangyuan area to protect the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow, and Lancang (Mekong) rivers will start this year with building roads and installing surveillance cameras to assist the protection work. The administration bureau of Sanjiangyuan National Park said Monday that the park would have a budget of 1 billion yuan (145 million U.S. dollars) this year for infrastructure construction. The bureau started trial operation of the management of the national park, a vast wetland and grassland area located in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, in April 2016. It is scheduled by 2020 to officially become China's first national park as administered by the central government. Under the national park management, the park will hire more than 10,000 wardens to patrol over 120,000 square kilometers, an area bigger than the U.S. state of New York. Zhai Jinquan, a planning official with the bureau, said that this year the park would build roads, access control facilities, visitor centers, preservation stations and sewage treatment facilities. "The park is massive and sparsely populated. Most areas in the park do not have roads. Herdsmen can only ride horses to traverse the land," he said. Zhai said in order to enhance ecological protection and law enforcement work, the park would build roads and install a network for remote monitoring. Sanjiangyuan literally means "the source of three river," which is the water tower for all major rivers in China. The ecology has degraded due to human activities such as overgrazing. The Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve was established in northwest China's Qinghai in 2000. The decision to turn the area into a national park managed by the central government was made at a meeting of the Central Leading Group for Reform at the end of 2015. Under the national park management, herders and farmers will be turned into the central forces of environmental protection at Sanjiangyuan. The work is expected to provide jobs, boost farmers' incomes and give them an incentive to protect the environment. The park is rich in wildlife, including endangered species such as the Tibetan antelope and the snow leopard. HANOI, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Search and rescue forces of Vietnam's northern Quang Ninh province on Monday found the body of an Australian tourist who got lost in the country's tourist attraction Ha Long bay early on the same day. At around 8:45 a.m. local time on Monday (0145 GMT), Stephen John Scott, born in 1963, an Australian national, who headed a group of international tourists to Ha Long bay, fell off into the sea and got lost at Sung Sot (Surprise) cave area in Ha Long, reported Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA. After learning about the information, relevant authorities together with two local fishing boats carried out search and rescue operation. After over four hours of searching, the fishing boats managed to find the body of the victim and get the body out of the water. VNA quoted a source at the site as saying that there is a possibility that Scott jumped into the sea himself. Local authorities are finishing necessary procedures to return the body of the ill-fated to his family, reported VNA. TEHRAN, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday that the U.S. government has adopted "hostile and threatening" policies towards Iran. "This (U.S. policy) is not much surprising and not that important to us," Bahram Qasemi said in his weekly press briefing. "I still think that we should be patient and not comment hastily over the new U.S. administration's policies," he said, adding that "we should wait to see how they are dealing with the global issues." The U.S. on Friday announced sanctions on multiple entities and individuals involved in Iran's ballistic missile program and providing support to a military force in Iran. The move came days after Iran launched a ballistic missile test, which drew a stern warning from Washington. The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement that the action reflects the U.S. commitment to enforcing sanctions on Iran with respect to its ballistic missile program and "destabilizing" activities in the region, and is fully consistent with the U.S. commitments under the nuclear deal with Iran. Iran has vowed to counteract the fresh U.S. sanctions. MUMBAI, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The following are foreign exchange rates of the Indian rupee with major international currencies as was released by the Reserve Bank of India on Monday. Currency Rate USD 67.1958/1 Euro 72.4035/1 Japanese Yen 59.7300/100 Pound Sterling 83.9208/1 WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday spoke with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg by phone about the United States' "strong" support for North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), according to the White House. The leaders discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments, the White House said in a statement, adding that they agreed to continue close coordination and cooperation to address the full range of security challenges facing NATO. Trump also agreed to join in a meeting of NATO leaders in Europe in late May. In a recent interview, Trump said NATO was "obsolete because it was not taking care of terror," and he complained that various members of the bloc were not paying their dues, which was "very unfair to the United States." However, Trump added that NATO was very important to him. Trump also emphasized several times the importance of all NATO allies sharing the monetary burden of defense spending. U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis (L) attends a press conference with his Japanese counterpart Tomomi Inada in Tokyo, Japan, Feb. 4, 2017. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) BEIJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis' reiteration of America's defense commitments to its allies in Asia during his maiden visit to the region over the weekend has added uncertainty to regional stability. By reaffirming U.S. engagement, the new Pentagon chief's visit to South Korea and Japan seems to have raised more uncertainties in the Asia-Pacific instead of bringing stability as he claimed. STABILIZER OR STIMULATOR? During his three-day visit ending Saturday, Mattis offered most key security reassurances that Tokyo and Seoul, the two key U.S. allies in Asia, have long been eager to hear after remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump in his campaign trail. In a series of meetings with senior Japanese officials, Mattis reiterated his country's mutual defense commitment to Japan, saying that their alliance remained a "cornerstone" of regional stability. Mattis's praise of Japan as "a model" of burden-sharing downplayed the accusation of "free-rider" on security that Trump made in his presidential campaign. The hawkish former four-star general also claimed that the Diaoyu Islands, an inherent part of the Chinese territory, fell under Article 5 of the U.S.-Japan security treaty, a statement sparking criticism from China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said later that the so-called U.S.-Japan treaty was a product of the Cold War, and should not impair China's territorial sovereignty and legitimate rights. Talking to his South Korean counterpart earlier last week, Mattis reaffirmed the Trump administration's commitment to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), a high-end U.S. missile defense system nominally aiming at countering missile attack from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Despite Trump's vowing days ago to take fresh look at the country's foreign policy, Mattis's remarks have been interpreted as an extension of the Obama administration's pivot-to-Asia strategy. The main purpose of Mattis's visit is to reassure its allies about the U.S. continuous engagement in the region, said Diao Daming, a researcher on American studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "More U.S. military presence in the region could be expected," added Diao. JAPAN'S AMBITION After meeting with Mattis, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he was convinced that the United States and Japan could demonstrate to the world their "unwavering alliance." Abe's remarks revealed Japan's willingness to boost bilateral ties and shoulder more military responsibilities, a move that can expand the country's defense capacity and make it a "normal" country again, said Diao. The U.S. stance helps Japan go further to realize its ambition of becoming a political and military power on the global stage, said Zhu Jianrong, a professor in political studies at Toyo Gakuen University. "It is really alarming," Zhu observed. Meanwhile, Tokyo may still not feel at ease in spite of assurances offered by Mattis, as the new U.S. leader has been proved quite "unpredictable." "There will always be concerns" that promises may be reversed by Trump, Kazuhiro Maeshima, a Sophia University professor, told Japanese media. Related: China urges U.S. to stop making wrong remarks on Diaoyu Islands BEIJING, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday urged the United States to stop making wrong remarks on the issue of the Diaoyu Islands sovereignty after U.S. defense secretary James Mattis reportedly said the U.S.-Japan mutual defense treaty applies to the islands. Full story Japan PM, U.S. defense secretary discuss bilateral security alliance, reaffirm mutual defense treaty TOKYO, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's defense secretary Jim Mattis reiterated his country's mutual defense commitment to Japan in a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on Friday. Full story U.S. defense chief pledges to strengthen alliance with Japan after Trump accuses Japan of currency manipulation TOKYO, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis wrapped up a two-day visit to Japan on Saturday, during which he reiterated his country's defense commitment to Japan and pledged to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance with his Japanese counterparts. Full story Mattis confirmed by Senate as new U.S. defense secretary SINGAPORE, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's presidential election will be held in September, said Minister in Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing at the Parliament on Monday. During the second reading of Presidential Elections (Amendment) Bill, the minister outlined a series of amendments made to improve election procedures. Chan announced the next presidential election, which has been reserved for Malay candidates, will be held in September rather than in August, so that campaigning period will not coincide with the country's National Day celebrations. The minister stressed that the current laws allow for changes to the timing of the polls, and the government will issue the writ for the election later in August, before the term of President Tony Tan Keng Yam expires on Aug. 31. "This resets the clock, so that, in future, presidential elections campaigning will take place outside of the National Day period, assuming presidents serve their full six-year terms," Chan expounded in his speech. Besides the change of date, Chan revealed the government will no longer designate specific sites for presidential candidates to hold rallies. Those who wish to do so will have to secure preferred sites and apply to police for permit. "As presidential elections are contested on a national level and not on a local constituency level, the government will encourage the use of platforms and channels that reach out to voters at a national level, such as television," said Chan. For the upcoming election, a 16-member Community Committee will be set up to assess which racial group candidates belong to for all presidential elections, said the minister. The committee will consist of a chairman and three five-member sub-committees for the Chinese, Malay, and Indian and other minority groups. Other changes include two extra days for overseas Singaporeans to get registered as overseas voters, more time for prospective candidates to submit their papers. The president of Singapore is directly elected by popular vote. Potential candidates for office have to fulfill stringent qualifications set out in the constitution. In November 2016, the Parliament passed the bill to amend the constitution to raise bar for presidential candidates and ensure multiracial representation in the Presidency. Under the new constitution, an election will be reserved for a particular racial group if no one from that group has been president for five continuous terms. This means the upcoming presidential election will be reserved for candidates from the Malay community. JERUSALEM, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Israel on Monday struck with artillery the northern Gaza Strip, demolishing a Hamas post which was used earlier for firing a rocket towards Israel's territory, a military spokesperson said. The rocket landed in an open field, causing no injuries or damages, Israeli authorities said. In response, an Israel Defense Forces tank targeted a Hamas post in the northern Gaza Strip, the spokesperson said in a statement. Palestinian media reported that two bombings hit the Beit Lahia area, causing no injuries. It was the first time that rockets were fired from the besieged Palestinian enclave since October, according to a recent report by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Information Center, an Israel-based research center with close ties to Israel's intelligence arms. The Center's 2016 report shows that over the past year, rocket attacks by Gaza militants were at their lowest point in 11 years. Israel's last full-blown military campaign in Gaza ended in July 2014 after 51 days of war. Since then, sporadic fire incidents occur on both sides of the border but have never evolved into a full-blown war. KABUL, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations has called upon warring sides in Afghanistan to halt the killing and maiming of civilians as a total of 3,498 civilians were killed in violence across the country in 2016. "The report documents 11,418 conflict-related civilian casualties, including 3,498 killed and 7,920 injured. Of these, 3,512 were children - 923 dead and 2,589 injured, up 24 percent on the previous highest recorded figure," the UN mission in Afghanistan said in a report released here Monday The figures, recorded by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), are the highest since the world body began systematically documenting civilian casualty figures in 2009. Expressing concern over the increase in civilian casualties, Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN secretary-general's special representative for Afghanistan, called upon warring sides to protect civilians in the conflict. "All parties to the conflict must take immediate concrete measures to protect the ordinary Afghan men, women and children whose lives are being shattered," he said. TOKYO, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese central government on Monday began maritime reclamation work as part of a controversial move to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Air Station Futenma from a densely populated area of Ginowan to the Henoko coastal area in Nago City, both in Okinawa Prefecture. The land reclamation work, which provisionally involves dropping concrete blocks into the sea off the coast of Henoko in Japan's southernmost prefecture, from vessels equipped with large cranes, began on Monday morning amid staunch protests from local citizens. The preparatory work, which drew protests from more than 100 locals outside nearby U.S. Camp Schwab, also comes on the heels of a meeting between U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last week at which they agreed to continue as planned with the base relocation. Mattis and Abe reiterated both countries' stance that relocating the Futenma base to Henoko remains "the only solution". As more than 220 blocks, weighing 14 tons each, were being prepared Monday to form barriers in 4 areas in the sea where the Okinawa Defense Bureau will build seawalls around the site to be filled with sand and earth to prevent sediment spreading, Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga returned from the U.S. to protest the move on Sunday. Onaga, a staunch opponent to the base's relocation who has fought doggedly to see the plan scrapped and the new base build outside Okinawa or Japan altogether and has sued and been counter-sued by the central government, will now likely rustle up further moves to block the project. His trip to the U.S. was to convey local Okinawans opposition to the relocation plan to new U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump had previously intimated that the U.S. had been paying to much for its forces to be based in Japan and that the latter should share more of the financial burden. Onaga, sources close to the matter said Monday, may now look to block the reclamation work by refusing to issue a permit necessary for coral reefs to be moved in the area in which land is being reclaimed from. The Okinawa governor has floated numerous other ways he can block the central government's plans and protect the lives of Okinawans, including not approving any changes in the construction design of the new base, which involves a V-shaped runway being build on the reclaimed land. The fact that the waters to reclaim for construction are home to the endangered dugong, a large marine mammal and cousin of the manatee, has also been mentioned as additional armament for Okinawan officials to use against the central government to block or impede the base-building plans. The government's top spokesperson, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, however, said the government will do its best to protect local environment and livelihoods of the people living near the reconstruction site. "Based on relevant law, the government will pay as much consideration as possible to the natural environment and the livelihoods of local people as we move forward with work to relocate the base to Henoko," Suga was quoted as saying on Monday. Onaga has remained adamant throughout his campaign since he became governor in 2014, that the controversial Futenma base, described as one of the most dangerous in the world due to its proximity to residential buildings and infrastructure, should be relocated outside Okinawa altogether as the prefecture and its people are already burdened with hosting the majority of the U.S. bases in Japan. The accompanying instances of noise, pollution and crimes related to U.S. base-linked personnel are also a heavy burden to the islanders, Onaga has maintained. The central government, however, despite the protracted standoff with Onaga, local officials and citizens, has maintained its stance that the relocation plan remains the only way forward in line with a pact made with the U.S. under its broader security alliance. The pact was made in 1996 with the promise of the return of the land of the Futenma base to Okinawa after anti-U.S. sentiment reached a fever pitch on the tiny sub-tropical island. This was following the brutal rape of an elementary school girl by three U.S. servicemen in 1995, which saw hundreds of thousands take to the streets to protest the crime and the unfair burdens they have to endure hosting the U.S. bases, compared to the mainland. Anger, hatred and fear was further fueled on the tiny island again more recently following a base-linked worker and former U.S. Marine raping and murdering a young Okinawan lady in May last year. The islanders feel they have, to date, been "used" by the central government before, during and after Word War II, with protests further intensified following the crash-landing of an MV-22 Osprey aircraft off Nago in Okinawa in December, 2016. The plane already has a long history of accidents and a seriously checkered safety record, with many lives lost since its operational phase. The crash in Okinawa, the first since the aircraft has been stationed here, has stoked fears both on and off the island of more accidents in the future. In light of all of this and with particular reference to the reclamation work, Onaga said the prefecture would "not allow the work to start until its consultations with central government were complete," local media said Monday. The governor also said he regretted the fact that Mattis had agreed with Abe that Henoko is the only solution for the Futenma dilemma. ANKARA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Turkish security forces has detained 763 Islamic State (IS) suspects during raids at 29 provinces across Turkey since Feb. 5, as part of an operation against the jihadist group, the General Directorate of Security of Turkey stated on Monday. The statement added that police seized numerous documents, digital material, two guns, four rifles and ammunition. It also said that IS is currently seeking targets for a large attack in Turkey, and therefore has accelerated propaganda for recruitment while outlining Turkey as its primary target in its recent publications. Most of the suspects are being probed for their links to providing finances, foreign fighters and supplies to IS combat zones, Turkish Daily Sabah added. The Turkish Armed Forces launched the Euphrates Shield Operation last August against both IS and the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), the military wing of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD). Turkey regards the YPG and the PYD as terrorist organizations due to their links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). by Osama Radi, Emad Drimly GAZA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Due to a hard living situation and amid a high rate of unemployment, Nagham Skeik, a 31-year-old housewife in Gaza, markets her pastries and sweets, including cakes and deserts made at home, on her Facebook page to earn some money to support her family. Skeik, who earned a certificate in social services and education from one of Gaza universities, told Xinhua that in the beginning she thought that it will be useless, waste of time, money and efforts to market her homemade food on social media, adding "then I tried, and the startup was encouraging." Rate of unemployment in the Gaza Strip, under the rule of Islamic Hamas movement since 2007, climbed to around 55 percent and the rate of poverty over there is almost the same, according to official figures. The hike of rates is result of the tight Israeli blockade, which has been imposed on the territory for around ten years. Besides the endless tight Israeli blockade, which weakened and exhausted the Palestinian economy, an internal split between Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party, which rules the West Bank, even makes the situation worse. Skeik launched her private business several months ago, promoting products online. "Now I have my customers who contact me on my page. They send a message and order the kind of product they like, such as pastries, cakes, sweets or deserts," she said. "I take the order on the internet, I make amount they order, then I contact the customers on Facebook and ask them to come and take what they ordered," said Skeik, adding "when the customers come to pick up the food, they pay for it. The order usually takes one day to be ready." Skeik and many other housewives in the Gaza Strip make various kinds of food at home and try to sell them to their friends and neighbors who can afford to buy it. However, Skeik is smart to think about marketing her products through Facebook. "My project on Facebook is called Honey Yum," said Skeik with smile, adding "I add beautiful photos on my page of various kinds of products I made to attract customers." She said most of her customers are from Gaza city, and they need the pastries, cakes, cupcakes, sweets and deserts for certain ceremonies, like birthday parties, engagements and weddings. "I usually ornament the cakes and the pastries with little artistic pieces of colorful papers, like little stars, a moon or a sun. The taste of my food is certainly different from the taste of the same products in the markets in Gaza, because my products are giving the taste of a homemade food." Although the Gaza Strip crossings, either with Israel or with Egypt, are closed most of the time in a year, which limits the free movement of people and goods, people in the coastal enclave began to realize that they may deal with these difficulties by launching online businesses. Skeik's online service has helped attract customers and push business development, which in turn encourages her to introduce more kinds of products. Comments and likes of her page from visitors explain an appreciation of her food. The young housewife has joined local public exhibition of homemade food products recently. She said that several non-governmental organizations and restaurants had signed contracts with her. SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The South Korean authority on Monday banned the movement of all livestock for 30 hours across the country as suspected cases of foot-and-mouth disease infection were reported. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced the travel ban on all pigs and cows nationwide from 6 p.m. local time (0900 GMT) on Monday to midnight on Tuesday. Subject to the standstill order will be all of farming households, livestock vehicles and animal feed factories to be cleaned and disinfected during the period. The move came as a series of infection cases were reported. On Sunday, a dairy farm at Boeun county, about 180 km southeast of Seoul, reported foot-and-mouth disease contraction. Another cow farm in Jungeup in North Jeolla province, around 100 km away from the county, also reported a suspected case on Monday. NEW YORK, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- While U.S. President Donald Trump has used Twitter to achieve a big success, Twitter can also be used to fight back, just as what former President Barack Obama's administration staff have done in the days since Trump assumed the presidency. Obama's aides, advisers, speechwriters, spokespeople and a group of fact-checkers are flaming the social media debate around the controversial president and his executive orders. The order Trump signed a week after his inauguration to temporarily ban citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the country, has been the most controversial among his dozens of executive orders so far, and has prompted widespread protests across the country. The U.S. Justice Department has filed a notice of appeal seeking the reinstatement of the travel ban after the order was suspended late Friday by federal judge James Robart in Seattle. Twitter users have also joined the fights over the legitimacy of the ban. Colin Kahl, who served as a national security official under Obama, tweeted that "Trump doing his best to trash America's reputation. Americans doing their best to protect it." The Georgetown University professor also slashed Trump's tweet which questioned the judge's ruling, saying: "I'm starting to think he might not understand how our immigration system works." Obama's former senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer mocked Trump's pick for the Supreme Court by tweeting: "What are the odds that Trump is demanding more vetting for Syrian children than for the person he is about to nominate to the Supreme Court?" "Banning refugees and religions strikes a blow to the core of American exceptionalism. It is a betrayal of who we are and how we lead," Obama's foreign policy adviser and speechwriter Ben Rhodes wrote on his twitter account. Trump is still fighting on Twitter, with one of his latest tweets criticizing Judge Robart's ruling would put the United States "in peril," adding: "If something happens blame him and court system." In response to this tweet, Obama's speechwriting director Jon Favreau tweeted: "The President tells Americans to blame our own judges for any future terrorist attack, and then lies about our vetting process. Again." "This is really the first time in history where you have a huge cadre of former staff who can all broadcast their thoughts whenever they have them and fact check the current administration in real time," Yahoo News quoted former Justice Department spokesman Matt Miller as saying. SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- South Korean prosecutors independently investigating the scandal involving impeached President Park Geun-hye said Monday the team is reviewing whether to extend the probe into the corruption scandal. Lee Kyu-chul, spokesman of the special prosecutors, told a press briefing that the team is positively considering a request to extend its probe into the scandal because there is still shortage in the investigation. The team of prosecutors, set up on Dec. 21, is scheduled to terminate its probe by the end of this month. It can extend the probe by up to 30 days if Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is serving as a caretaker president following the impeachment of President Park, approves it. Prime Minister Hwang, one of the closest aides to President Park, reportedly said he will review when the request is made by the independent counsel team. Local media speculates that the prime minister is unlikely to allow the extended investigation as he emerged as a powerful presidential hopeful in the conservative camp following the withdrawal of former UN chief Ban Ki-moon from the presidential bid. Hwang's approval scores recently topped 10 percent, reflecting support among elderly conservative voters for the ruling Saenuri Party. The elderly supporters have demanded the rejection of the impeachment motion. The constitutional court is widely forecast to decide whether to end Park's presidency or reinstate her before the middle of March. If the court upholds the impeachment bill, Park could be subject to detention and execution by prosecutors. By law, a sitting president is exempt from being executed by prosecutors. The main opposition Minjoo Party allegedly plans to push for the revision of the law to allow special prosecutors to investigate the presidential scandal for up to 120 more days without the approval from the acting president. A group of special prosecutors and investigators on Friday tried to raid the presidential compound to find evidence, but they were stopped by security guards for reasons of possible leakage of military and official secrets. State prosecutors had sought in vain to storm the presidential Blue House before the independent counsel team took over the investigation in mid-December. TOKYO, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Monday its operating profit dropped 32.5 percent from a year earlier to 1.56 trillion yen (13.84 billion U.S. dollars) in the April-December period due to a comparatively firm yen impacting its profit margins. The maker of the popular Prius and Vitz models, however, lifted its operating profit outlook for the fiscal year from a previous estimate of 1.7 trillion yen to 1.85 trillion yen, although the figure was down from the previous year by 35.2 percent. The Aichi Prefecture-based automaker also said its group net forecast would be higher than its earlier projection of 1.55 trillion yen at 1.7 trillion yen, although this forecast was a drop of 26.5 percent on year, Toyota said. Toyota has been aggressively trying to cut its costs and widen margins by procuring more parts from local sources and selling on a regional basis in a bid to combat the yen's appreciation which has been digging into the auto giant's profits since the U.S. dollar tumbled to 100 yen last year. Its ongoing restructuring measures since then have been based around the idea that the Japanese currency will average around 107 yen to the U.S. dollar and 118 yen to the euro through March, in comparison to previous projections of 103 yen and 114 yen. Along with other Japanese automakers, Toyota has found itself in the crosshairs of new U.S. President Donald Trump, who is mandating an "America First" economic agenda, and has accused Japan of deliberately devaluing its currency. In addition, Toyota vehicles produced in Mexico and bound for North American markets have vexed Trump, who wants to see more cars produced in the United States. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is scheduled to meet with Trump later this week and automotive trade is like to be high on both leaders' agendas. Ahead of the summit meeting in Washington, the Japanese leader met with Toyota President Akio Toyoda on Friday, during which "current affairs" were discussed, according to Toyota. Rangers load an elephant tusk rescued from poachers onto a waiting pick-up truck at Queen Elizabeth National Park in the western Ugandan district of Kasese, January 31, 2017. Uganda has hailed China's announcement to ban trade of ivory arguing that the move would be a great push to saving the giant mammals in Africa. The Chinese government last year announced that it would ban the trade of ivory by the end of this year (Xinhua/Ronald Ssekandi) KASESE, Uganda, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- On a hot afternoon, the gentle mammals take a stretch to Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda to quench their thirst. Gently in a group, one after the other they moved to the amusement of tourists. Edward Asalu, the Uganda Wildlife Authority Conservation Area Manager told Xinhua on Friday that elephants are one of the flagship animals in the park that attract tourists. An elephant walks at Queen Elizabeth National Park in the western Ugandan district of Kasese, January 31, 2017. Uganda has hailed China's announcement to ban trade of ivory arguing that the move would be a great push to saving the giant mammals in Africa. The Chinese government last year announced that it would ban the trade of ivory by the end of this year (Xinhua/Ronald Ssekandi) Their beauty is however cut short by armed poachers who hunt them down for ivory. Uganda is a transit and also country of origin of ivory that is sold to the Asian market. China's announcement late last year to ban ivory trade by the end of this year brings a smile to many conservationists here. According to the Chinese government, the commercial processing and sale of ivory will stop by March 31, and all registered traders will be phased out, bringing a full halt to the market by the end of the year. Elephants walk at Queen Elizabeth National Park in the western Ugandan district of Kasese, January 31, 2017. Uganda has hailed China's announcement to ban trade of ivory arguing that the move would be a great push to saving the giant mammals in Africa. The Chinese government last year announced that it would ban the trade of ivory by the end of this year (Xinhua/Ronald Ssekandi) Asalu referred to China's announcement as a game changer in efforts to protect elephants in Africa. He argued that when the market is cut, the traders will have no option but to drop the trade. Angie Grenade, another conservationist argued that China should also be directly involved in conservation efforts in Africa. She said this would give a big boost to the protection of elephants. "They can identify a conservation project in Africa and sponsor it, this would be great," she said noting that back in China, the young generation should be urged to conserve the environment. A lion roams at Queen Elizabeth National Park in the western Ugandan district of Kasese, January 31, 2017. Uganda has hailed China's announcement to ban trade of ivory arguing that the move would be a great push to saving the giant mammals in Africa. The Chinese government last year announced that it would ban the trade of ivory by the end of this year (Xinhua/Ronald Ssekandi) Poaching of elephants in this part of the country has gone down according to Asalu. He attributes the fall to the vigilance of the country's security forces. Last year alone, Queen Elizabeth National Park, the country's second largest park lost on three elephants to poaching. Asalu said game rangers, the military and the police are always on the lookout for poachers. ISLAMABAD, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- An Afghan diplomat was shot dead inside Afghan consulate in Pakistan's Karachi on Monday by a security guard, local police said. Police officer Azad Khan told reporters the consulate's third secretary Mohammad Zaki was killed in the firing and the motives behind the incident are being investigated. He said that the guard is now in the custody of the police. Meanwhile, Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal said the firing took place at around 12:30 p.m. local time and was "carried out by an Afghan guard inside the compound, resulting in fatality of one of our diplomats." "It seems to be a personal dispute related criminal act." the ambassador added. Paramilitary troops and police arrived at the scene after the gunshots were heard. Law enforcement agents surrounded the consulate and later arrested the shooter. The security officials later cleared the consulate after a search. PHNOM PENH, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Three vessels of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force is scheduled to visit Cambodia from Feb. 13 to 16 during their training cruise, the Japanese Embassy in Cambodia said in a press release on Monday. The vessels, namely Makinami, Asayuki, and Shimayuki, are led by Captain Masahiko Kawakubo, commander of the Escort Division 13 of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. The vessels will dock at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port in southwestern Preah Sihanouk province and the cadets will visit the Ream Naval Base in the province. During the visit, Captain Masahiko plans to visit Phnom Penh to pay a courtesy call on Admiral Tea Vinh, commander of the Royal Cambodian Navy on Feb. 14, the press release said. TAIPEI, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan reported the first bird flu case of the H5N6 virus Monday, which authorities said was very similar to the avian virus plaguing the Republic of Korea (ROK). The highly pathogenic H5N6 virus was confirmed in a dead gosling picked up at a farm road in eastern Hualien county, and part of its DNA sequence was 99 percent the same as the virus tested in ROK and Japan, the island's animal and plant inspection authority said. The H5N6 virus has been confirmed in 340 farms in ROK since October and 10 farms in Japan, leading to the culling of at least 34 million fowl, according to the authority. The virus has also caused human deaths on the Chinese mainland. An inspection campaign was initiated by the authority to track the source of the gosling and strengthen the monitoring of poultry within three kilometers of where the bird was found. The authority ordered that poultry from Hualien must undergo strict examination before slaughter and sale. Taiwan is a common destination for migrating birds to spend the winter. It has reported about 12 avian flu cases this year, but all were caused by the H5N2 or H5N8 virus. The island has warned of the high risks of occurrence of new strain and urged farms across the island to reinforce safety checks and speedily report the unusual death of animals. NAIROBI, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Kenya requires an innovative and community-sensitive strategy to accelerate the abandonment of the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a United Nations official said on Monday. Werner Schultink, the UN Children and Education Fund (UNICEF) Kenya Representative, said despite the law, most communities are still subjecting young girls secretly into the practice. "We have to improve on collection of data and dissemination, enhance behavior change and collaborate with religious leaders to enable us to end the vice by 2030 as planned," Schultink said in a statement issued in Nairobi. He said that the country has made some strides in recent years, and it requires intensive approaches to help reduce the number further. "We must shift approaches and listen to the voices of girls and young women as they are the ones that are directly affected," Schultink noted. According to the Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) 2014, the country's national FGM prevalence rate dropped from 27 percent in 2009 to 21 percent. The Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs Sicily Kariuki attributed the success to enforcement of laws against FGM that has been greatly enhanced by the establishment of gender desks in police stations and the training of chosen policemen on gender issues. Kariuki however reiterated that FGM is the one of the severest forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV), hence the need to fight it to the end. "Communities that continue to practise the vice secretly through medicalization or under cover of cultural and religious celebrations have to be enlightened to stop the practice," she noted. Last year alone, 55 cutters in the country came out in the open to renounce the practice and burnt their paraphernalias. Young men have also come in the open to declare their willingness to marry uncut women. JAKARTA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The first High Working Level Strategic Dialogue (HWLSD) meeting between Indonesia and South Korean was held Monday here. The meeting was jointly co-chaired by Indonesia Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister A.M. Fachir and South Korea First Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Lim Sung-nam. The meeting discussed ways to expand cooperation in consular, labor and social culture cooperation. Following suit President Joko Widodo's visit to South Korea in May last year, the meeting served as a forum to create implementation framework from the state visit to further strengthen relations between the two countries. Indonesia and South Korea have upgraded their bilateral ties into strategic partnership. South Korea is Indonesia's 6th largest trade partner and 9th largest foreign investor nation. The second HWLSD meeting was scheduled to be held in South Korea in 2019. Photo taken on Feb. 6, 2017 shows a scene of the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) meeting in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. (Xinhua/Soe Than Lynn) YANGON, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday called for making clear and firm decision for peace. She made the call in her opening address of the 9th meeting of the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) in Nay Pyi Taw. Suu Kyi, who is chairperson of the UPDJC, emphasized the importance of the organization in Myanmar's peace process. She highlighted that the UPDJC is not working for a group, the National League for Democracy (NLD) or the government but for the emergence of the union. Monday's 9th UPDJC meeting made a review on the decision made at the 8th meeting and the status of its implementation. At the meeting, Chairman of the Joint Monitoring Committee Lt. Gen. Ya Pyae urged for placing emphasis on avoidance of armed conflicts in order to hold the second Panglong peace conference successfully for national reconciliation and peace. Late last month, Aung San Suu Kyi held talks with the Peace Process Steering Team (PPST) of armed groups in Nay Pyi Taw with the two sides pledging to strive for achieving a concrete result in the upcoming Panglong peace conference. Their discussions covered the current conflicts in northern Shan state, the impact on the peace process, domestic and international aid for the development of the ceasefired areas in the state and efforts to bring in non-ceasefired groups to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). The UPDJC is made up of 48 members - 16 each from the government, ethnic armed groups and political parties - to lead political dialogue. LONDON, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- A 19-year old man told a British court on Monday that he had killed a U.S. tourist and injured five others during a knife attack last year in London. The man, whose name was given as Zakaria Bulhan from south-west London, carried out the attack in London's Russell Square on Aug. 3 last year. Local media said the Bulhan had pleaded guilty at the London-based Central Criminal Court of England and Wales to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and wounding. Diminished responsibility refers to an unbalanced mental state which is considered to make a person less answerable for murder, being recognized as grounds to reduce the charge to that of manslaughter. Bulhan had been charged with murder and attempted murder but the court accepted his plea. NANJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Spring Festival is supposed to be a joyous occasion, but it has left Fang Zhida, 83, anxious. Days before the new year, he locks himself in his studio to focus on an ancient folk art. Taohuawu woodcut new year prints, or "nianhua", are a type of traditional painting that people put on their doors to ward off devils, and express good wishes for Chinese New Year. But in recent years business has been poor, leaving Fang worried that his beloved craft may eventually die out. As the name suggests, the craft was born on Taohuawu street in Suzhou city, eastern China's Jiangsu Province. A craftsman usually draws a sketch on a piece of paper before carving it on to a set of boards, and then paints it in different shades of color. The craftsman presses the boards on to a piece of paper, and the print is complete. The art has a history of more than 350 years. In 2006, it was added to China's intangible cultural heritage list. Fang started to learn at the age of 14, and describes the art as the love of his life. "For better or for worse, I have been doing it for all my life," he says. INHERIT AND INNOVATE Fang has been doing all he can to pass down this intangible cultural heritage. He has been teaching the art by hand at the Taohuawu Woodcut New Year Print Society since 2004. Four students are chosen every two years, with 28 students graduating so far. "It is important that we introduce the art to the young and pass it down," he says. From painting to woodcutting and printing, it can take as little as a week or as long as a year to finish a single piece. "Printing it one piece after another all day long can be a tiring thing," he says. "So, you must be really interested in it, be hard-working, and you need to handle loneliness very well." Fang said that an entire piece would have to be reprinted if any one color goes wrong. While Fang is passing down all he knows to his students, they are innovating the art to attract a bigger audience. Fu Xiangpeng, 31, has designed a series of products such as fans, plates and red packets, with new year prints on them. Fang realizes that innovation is not easy. "We hope the products will be popular, but we must not lose the essence of the art," he says. In 2006, a museum was opened to preserve the art. Wang Zude, 77, is another master and serves as a senior advisor at the museum. He encourages his students to innovate and create prints they like,teaches new year printing on weekends and tells primary school students stories behind the art. "Kids love stories, and the stories behind the art help shape a sense of our own cultural identity," Wang says. In 2012, he designed a series of new year prints for the 12 zodiac signs, to appeal to the young. Suzhou No.1 Middle School has offered selective courses teaching local traditional art, such as new year prints and Kunqu opera, since 2010. Students from the United States have come to learn the art every summer since 2014. WISHES AND WORRIES However, Fang's biggest wish is to teach as many students as he can. "A new year print craftsman now earns around 50,000 yuan (7,000 U.S. dollars) a year, not enough to make a decent living," he says. Of the 28 students he has taught in the past decade, only ten have chosen to stay. And in Suzhou, only about a dozen craftsmen are still in the trade. Exhibitions are held at home and abroad, and the audience usually enjoys the show but few want to actually learn the art itself. "To inherit Chinese cultural heritage is not just about displaying it, but it is more important that we attract more people to learn and devote to it," Fang says. According to the local heritage protection office, half of the inheritors of intangible cultural heritage alive are over 65 years old. "Our own awareness of our culture should be raised to better protect and pass dwon the intangible cultual heritage," says Wang Yan, deputy director of the office. A local regulation came into effect in Suzhou this week to preserve endangered intangible cultural heritage. A national project is also underway, collecting historical materials and building archives for 100 folk arts, including Taohuawu new year printing and Thangka (Tibetan scroll painting), as well as setting up related online courses. "We must pass down the art that our ancestors give us," Fang says. JERUSALEM, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Israel's parliament, the Knesset, is expected to vote on Monday night on a controversial bill to legalize all Jewish outposts in the West Bank, officials said. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked told reporters outside a conference in Tel Aviv that the Knesset will hold tonight the final round of votes on the so-called "Regulation Bill." Under the law, about 3,850 housing units in dozens of outposts built illegally on private Palestinian lands would be retroactively legalized. The State of Israel would seize the lands, offering compensations or alternative land to the landowners, even if they do not agree to waive their property. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was under heavy pressure from his ultra-nationalist coalition partners to bring the bill to vote following last week's court order demolition of the illegal outpost of Amona. The evacuation triggered anger among the settlers. These outposts were erected by ultra-right settlers without permits from the Israeli authorities but the governments often have turned a blind eye to their construction. There are additional 120 settlements that Israel considered as legal. Both outposts and settlements are illegal under international law as they were built on lands occupied by Israel in the 1967 Mideast War, where the Palestinians wish to build their future state. Adalah, an Israel-based Arab legal rights organization, threatened to petition the Supreme Court against the law, should it pass. Peace Now, an Israeli settlement watchdog group, warned that the law would "stain" the Israeli law book and be "another step toward annexation and away from a two-state solution." The government's general attorney, Avichai Mandelblit, said he would not be able to defend the law in the Supreme Court and warned it might expose Israeli officials to prosecutions in the International Criminal Court. Miri Regev, Israel's culture minister and a lawmaker with Netanyahu's Likud faction, said that if the law would be canceled by the Supreme Court, the coalition will act to annex the entire West Bank. "It is time to tell the Supreme Court: you are not the decision makers but us," she told Army Radio. JUBA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan has signed the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI), CEO of Stop Ivory John Stephenson said on Monday. The world's youngest nation is the 15th African elephant range State to join the initiative. "By signing the EPI, South Sudan has shown tremendous commitment and goodwill towards protecting and restoring its elephant herds, for their future generations and for the world to see," said Stephenson in a statement. "The EPI secretariat looks forward to working closely with the government of South Sudan to develop and implement the EPI strategy as soon as possible," he added. Launched by Tanzania, Gabon, Botswana, and Ethiopia at the London Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade in February 2014, the EPI is an African-led, results-oriented partnership initiative to stop the illegal ivory trade and secure a future for elephants across the continent. Khamis Adieng Ding of South Sudan's National Wildlife Service said joining the initiative is a milestone in the country's young history. "We are proud to accept the invitation made by the leaders of the five EPI founding member states to join the EPI," Ding said. Estimates show the recent upsurge in violence has halved elephant population in just two years -- from 5,000 in 2014 to less than 2,500 elephants today. "Now the government of South Sudan has come together with partners in regional governments and the NGO world, including EPI co-Secretariat Stop Ivory and Conservation International. We will work together to urgently implement the aims of the EPI and reverse this loss," he added. Before the onset of one of the longest protracted conflicts in Africa, the area was host to an estimated 80,000 elephants. BEIJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- China has entered the Year of the Rooster, the same year in the Chinese zodiac when the Communist Party of China (CPC) was founded in 1921. The CPC has evolved from a small group with more than 50 members to the world's largest ruling party, with 88 million members -- and with General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping as the core. The arrival of the lunar new year marks a fresh beginning for the Chinese leadership to lead 1.3 billion people towards the dream of creating an all-round moderately prosperous society by 2020. Just before Chinese New Year, Xi visited Hebei Province in north China, calling for poverty alleviation and economic reform, both fundamental to building a well-off society. Xi visited People's Liberation Army troops based in Hebei, and called for a strong military, more reform and the fighting against corruption. He also inspected preparation for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. "The Chinese people have not only great dreams, but also a great spirit to work hard and endure hardship to realize such dreams," Xi said in his Spring Festival greetings to all Chinese people in Beijing on Jan. 26. As the Spring Festival is the most important holiday in the Chinese calendar, Xi's trip, speeches and policy initiatives all indicate areas of priority for the year ahead. MULTIPLE MISSIONS Xi is tasked with multiple missions: leading the Party and people to fulfill the great dream of revitalizing the Chinese nation; cracking the hard nuts of reform across all sectors; promoting the rule of law; and managing a clean, unified and advanced ruling party. He is also expected to play a leading role in pushing forward globalization, as the West appears to be in retreat in this regard. Reform is high on Xi's agenda. Hundreds of measures have been designed and released during the past four years to address issues such as urbanization, innovation and the market's role in resource allocation. As "the main framework for reform is basically established," implementation will be the focus for the coming years. Supply-side structural reform, which is called by Xi as a "battle" concerning the overall situation and long-term development, will be continued in 2017. Xi believes it is an "inevitable choice" for developing the Chinese economy. This includes cutting excess capacity in major sectors such as steel and coal, implementing agricultural reforms, boosting the real economy and nurturing new growth drivers. China will deepen supply-side structural reform in agriculture, according to the first policy statement released by the central authorities this year. The restructuring of China's economy and the upgrading of industry would generate huge new demand. Xi has strengthened Party leadership in various sectors and the fight against corruption has gained "crushing momentum," netting both "tigers" and "flies." No let-up is expected in the future. As part of major political reforms, China will establish a national supervisory commission and create a law on national supervision. While pushing forward reforms with determination, Xi puts the people at the center of his thinking. Although 10 million more people were lifted out of poverty in 2016, Xi said that what he cared about most was impoverished people. He has promised that not a single family living in poverty would be left behind on the country's path to combating poverty. As Chairman of the Central Military Commission, Xi has set great store on modernizing China's military, including developing a "blue water" navy to better defend the country's growing interests. He has also launched reforms on structure and formation to make the armed forces smaller, but with better combat capability. Internationally, Xi has shown the Chinese confidence and his global vision, especially when he attended the World Economic Forum annual meeting at Davos in January, one of the most-watched signposts for the global economic outlook. While some major economies in the West are turning inward and questioning the open trade that they had long championed, Xi has inspired the world by defending free trade and warning against protectionism. Xi has also tried to gather greater consensus for building a community of shared future for mankind, and called on the world to unite on everything from tackling climate change to counterterrorism. Commenting on Xi's speech at Davos, David Rothkopf, editor of the Foreign Policy Group, wrote: "The really important [speeches] capture something special about the zeitgeist, and Xi's did that." THE CHALLENGES AHEAD It is a test of the Chinese leadership's wisdom to create a healthy, growing economy. China's GDP growth was 6.7 percent in 2016 -- a three-decade low for the country, but outpacing most other major economies. Reforms in key areas of state-owned enterprises as well as financial and social security are also needed in good time. Wide-ranging measures are needed to regulate property market. The country is battling against pollution that affects the lives of millions. Xi has urged governments at all levels to remember that "clear waters and green mountains are invaluable assets." Xi will also face a number of foreign policy choices, including a response to Donald Trump's presidency in the United States. Despite the challenges ahead, Xi has voiced optimism about China's future. "As long as our 1.3 billion-plus people pull together for a common cause, as long as the Party stands together with the people and we roll up our sleeves to work harder, we will surely succeed in a Long March of our generation," Xi said in his 2017 New Year address. "Today, in the Xi Jinping era, China is on track to the central stage of the world," said Zhang Weiwei, director of the Institute of China Studies at Fudan University. AMMAN, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Monday called on the donor countries to fulfill their pledges and financial support they committed to help reduce the pressure imposed on the country due to hosting a large number of Syrian refugees. At a meeting with UK Secretary of State for International Development Priti Patel in Amman, Jordanian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Imad Fakhoury said Jordan only received 54 per cent of support that was pledged by the donor countries in 2016. The minister stressed on the need that donor countries provide Jordan with financial pledges and aid they committed to Jordan during an international donors conference early 2016. "It is vital to increase the financial support to Jordan to help it cope with the consequences of hosting a large number of Syrian refugees," said Fakhoury. He called for continued support to Jordan to support the state budget, highlighting the impact on Jordan due to regional conflicts. He said the crisis in Syria impacted all sectors in Jordan including health, energy, education, infrastructure and others. According to official figures, Jordan is home to 1.4 million Syrian refugees. The British official stressed on the key role Jordan plays in accommodating the Syrian refugees and providing services to them. She also stressed on the UK's continued support to Jordan to help it implement its development plans and projects. DHAKA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh's cabinet Monday approved a proposal to float a sovereign wealth fund with its foreign currency reserves to pave the way for future mega infrastructure investment. After the cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, Spokesman Mohammad Shafiul Alam told reporters that the cabinet gave its initial approval for the Bangladesh Sovereign Wealth Fund with an authorized capital of 10 billion U.S. dollars. He said the fund will be formed in next five years by contributing 2 billion U.S. dollars each year. According to the cabinet secretary, the fund will help the government finance mega infrastructure projects, for which the government usually loans from local and foreign sources. Bangladeshi Finance Minister AMA Muhith had earlier announced the formation of the fund with a part of hefty foreign currency reserve lying idle. Bangladesh's foreign exchange reserves crossed the 32 billion U.S. dollars mark in December on a steady inflow of remittances. A foreigner purchases vegetable for the upcoming Spring Festival at a market in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 26, 2017. The traditional Chinese Spring Festival falls on Jan. 28 this year. (Xinhua/Zhao Bing) Hi, here's what you need to know about China: BEIJING -- China's Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) has promised severe punishments for economic crimes that affect interests of lots of people, including illegally absorbing public deposits and fundraising fraud. xhne.ws/xg5XT ---- BEIJING -- Most of the top 10 valuable Chinese brands in 2017 are owned by state-owned banks and Internet powerhouses, according to a report by Britain-based consulting firm Brand Finance. xhne.ws/O4PSI ---- BEIJING -- In 2016, 1,576 foreigners became permanent Chinese residents, an increase of 163 percent on the previous year, according the Ministry of Public Security. xhne.ws/rQQzp ---- KUALA LUMPUR -- Frist four Chinese tourists who were rescued after their boat sank off Malaysia's Sabah state left for China on Monday, said China's consulate general. xhne.ws/0YQlU ---- MILAN -- Italy hopes to become a technological partner of China as it would achieve a win-win result for both countries, said Giuliano Noci, marketing professor at Politecnico University in an interview with Xinhua ahead of Italian President Sergio Mattarella's planned visit to China later this month. xhne.ws/HSP7T ---- KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- A female body found in waters off Malaysia's Sabah state was one of the missing persons on a tourist boat which capsized more than a week ago, Malaysian police said Monday. Sabah police chief Ramli Din said DNA test had confirmed that the identity of the body to be one of the missing persons. The body was found on Saturday not far from last known position of the sunken boat. China's Consulate General in Kota Kinabalu, the state capital, said they had been notified by the Malaysian authorities. Five people remained missing following the latest confirmation, including four Chinese tourists and a crewman. The boat carrying 28 Chinese tourists capsized on Jan. 28 en route from Kota Kinabalu to Mengalum island, a tourist attraction some 50 km to the west. Previously, three of the tourists have been confirmed dead. Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, which coordinates the search effort, said Monday that search operations would continue despite the chance to find the missing was slim. The operations on Monday covered a 2,000 square nautical mile area, involving 13 assets which included 11 ships and boats, as well as two aircrafts, according to Adam Aziz, the agency's chief in Kota Kinabalu. GAZA/JERUSALEM, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Israeli aircrafts struck on Monday using air-to-ground missiles three military posts belonging to Hamas movement in northern Gaza, and one civilian was lightly injured, according to medical and security sources in Gaza. Israel's military said the strikes retaliated a rocket that was fired from Gaza in the morning. "Israel Defense Forces will not tolerate rocket fire towards civilians and will continue to ensure security and stability in the region," a spokesman for the military said a statement said. The Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip came several hours after one makeshift rocket was fired from the Hamas-ruled enclave into southern Israel, no injuries or damages were reported, according to Israel Public Radio. No one claimed responsibility for firing the rocket, which landed at an empty area on the shores of the southern Israeli town of Ashkelon. On Monday afternoon, eyewitnesses and Hamas security officials said they heard three huge explosions in northern Gaza Strip, which were a result of the Israeli warplane strikes on three Hamas military posts. It is the first time that Israel officially announces that a rocket fired from Gaza into Israel since last October. In 2014, Egypt brokered a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas ending 50 days of a large-scale Israeli air and ground military offensive, waged on the Gaza Strip for 50 days, leaving around 2,200 Palestinians and 70 Israelis dead. DAMASCUS, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Syrian army backed by the Lebanese Hezbollah group have besieged the Islamic State (IS) group's bastion city of al-Bab in northern province of Aleppo, near the Turkish borders, a monitor group reported on Monday. After 20 days of a wide-scale military operation in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, the Syrian army succeeded to lay a siege on the city of al-Bab, the largest IS stronghold in the countryside of Aleppo, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The military operation has succeeded in isolating al-Bab from other IS-held areas in the northern city of al-Raqqa, which is the de facto capital of the terror-designated group, and the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, where the IS enjoys a significant control. The Observatory, which says it relies on a network of activists on ground, said the progress of the Syrian army came after the failure of the Turkish-backed rebels fighting under the umbrella of Euphrates Shield to control areas east of al-Bab, as Turkey was also eyeing the takeover of the city, to defeat the IS and cut the road in front of the growing Kurdish influence in northern Syria near the Turkish frontier. This comes as the general command of the Syrian army announced recently that the Syrian forces made important progress against the IS in the countryside of Aleppo, capturing over 250 sq. km of towns, and controlling the road connecting al-Bab with Aleppo. For the army, securing the southern rim of al-Bab will protect the southeastern edge of Aleppo city, against either the advance of IS, or the Turkish-backed rebels. The Syrian army wrested full control over the entire city of Aleppo in December last year, poising for further military operations in the sprawling countryside of the province, with the help of Russian air force and ground fighters of Hezbollah and other Shiite groups. TEHRAN, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman denied on Monday that the Islamic republic has armed Yemeni militants. "We do not interfere in Yemen's conflicts and we have given no weapons to Yemeni combatants," said Bahram Qasemi during his weekly press briefing. "Accusations against Iran in this regard is just a lie and irrelevant, and we seriously reject all of them," said Qasemi. The situation in Yemen deteriorated economically and politically as of March 2015, when a war broke out between the Iran-backed Shiite Houthi group, allies of former President Ali Abdullash Saleh, and government forces backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition. Houthis and Saleh's forces control most of Yemen's northern regions while government forces backed by the Saudi-led military coalition share control of the rest of the country, including seven southern provinces. The civil war, ground battles and airstrikes have killed over 10,000 individuals, half of whom were civilians, injured over 35,000 others and displaced over two million people. BEIJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- China has lodged representations to the United States over the latest sanctions against Iran which involve Chinese companies and individuals. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the remarks at a routine press briefing Monday. The United States on Friday announced sanctions on multiple entities and individuals involved in Iran's ballistic missile program and in providing support to a military force in Iran, including two Chinese companies and three individuals, according to reports. "China always opposes any unilateral sanctions, especially when they harm the interests of a third party," Lu said, adding such sanctions are "not helpful" to promoting mutual trust and solving global issues. Danielle Bell, director of human rights of UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, holds up a copy of a report of civilian casualties during a press conference in Kabul, Afghanistan, Feb. 6, 2017. (Xinhua/Rahmine) KABUL, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations has called upon warring sides in Afghanistan to halt the killing and maiming of civilians as a total of 3,498 civilians were killed in violence across the country in 2016. "The report documents 11,418 conflict-related civilian casualties, including 3,498 killed and 7,920 injured. Of these, 3,512 were children - 923 dead and 2,589 injured, up 24 percent on the previous highest recorded figure," the UN mission in Afghanistan said in a report released here Monday The figures, recorded by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), are the highest since the world body began systematically documenting civilian casualty figures in 2009. Expressing concern over the increase in civilian casualties, Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN secretary-general's special representative for Afghanistan, called upon warring sides to protect civilians in the conflict. "All parties to the conflict must take immediate concrete measures to protect the ordinary Afghan men, women and children whose lives are being shattered," he said. LONDON, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- British prime minister Theresa May was hosting a meeting at 10 Downing Street Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The two have never previously had a face-to-face meeting. The pair will be discussing increasing trading relations between the two countries after Britain leaves the European Union. May is also expected to express the British government's concerns over settlement building in the West Bank. An official spokesperson at 10 Downing Street said the talks will cover a range of security and international issues, including the Middle East peace process. Ahead of the meeting, Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition Labour Party, called on May to tell Netanyahu that building settlements on occupied Palestinian land undermines trust. An official communique is expected to be released after the private talks at Number 10 have finished. An elderly Maasai man blesses girls by sprinkling milk on them during the graduation of Alternative Rite Passage (ARP) at Wamba village in Samburu, Kenya, Dec. 7, 2016. The ARP ceremony is aimed at ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a cultural practice among the Maasai community of Kenya. The sprinkling of milk is a sign of recognition for their transition into womanhood. (Xinhua/Charles Onyango) NAIROBI, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Kenya requires an innovative and community-sensitive strategy to accelerate the abandonment of the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a United Nations official said on Monday. Werner Schultink, the UN Children and Education Fund (UNICEF) Kenya Representative, said despite the law, most communities are still subjecting young girls secretly into the practice. "We have to improve on collection of data and dissemination, enhance behavior change and collaborate with religious leaders to enable us to end the vice by 2030 as planned," Schultink said in a statement issued in Nairobi. He said that the country has made some strides in recent years, and it requires intensive approaches to help reduce the number further. "We must shift approaches and listen to the voices of girls and young women as they are the ones that are directly affected," Schultink noted. According to the Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) 2014, the country's national FGM prevalence rate dropped from 27 percent in 2009 to 21 percent. The Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs Sicily Kariuki attributed the success to enforcement of laws against FGM that has been greatly enhanced by the establishment of gender desks in police stations and the training of chosen policemen on gender issues. Samburu girls light candles to signify their determination to continue with education during the graduation of Alternative Rite Passage (ARP) at Wamba village in Samburu, Kenya, Dec. 6, 2016. The ARP ceremony is aimed at ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a cultural practice among the Maasai community of Kenya. Amref Health Africa has supported girls in Kajiado and Samburu counties to hold ARP ceremonies that assist them from the harmful effects of FGM and early marriages. (Xinhua/Charles Onyango) Kariuki however reiterated that FGM is the one of the severest forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV), hence the need to fight it to the end. "Communities that continue to practise the vice secretly through medicalization or under cover of cultural and religious celebrations have to be enlightened to stop the practice," she noted. PARIS, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- After Brexit and the new U.S. administration's tough anti-immigration political rhetoric, eyes are on France where voters are expected to chose their next president in a context of public discontentment and high terror alert. Could Donald Trump's victory give an impetus to France's far-right National Front party, which has already shaken traditional parties? "The impossible has suddenly become possible," far-right leader Marine Le Pen told thousands of supporters in Lyon, France's third largest town, kicking off her campaign on Sunday. "Other countries have shown us the way. The British have chosen Brexit and the United States has chosen their national interest. "The awakening of those nations against the oligarchies can become a reality and marks the end of an era," Le Pen told her followers. Francois Fillon's presidential bid is in turmoil due to a scandal over his wife's job, and centrist Emmanuel Macron's policy is still untested. Amid this, Le Pen portrays herself as "the candidate of the people", saying: "the divide is not between the left and right any more, but between patriots and globalists." However, BVA pollster analyst Erwan Lestrohan said: "Le Pen may enjoy a boost in ratings but cannot expect a victory." "The surprise as that happened in the U.S. election is not expected in the France because the two electoral systems are different. "In the United States, the presidential election has only one vote, which Donald Trump won. In France, the presidential election has two rounds. This allows the voters of non-finalist candidates to choose one of the two qualified to block the other," he told Xinhua. Continued terror threats and rising risks of immigration crisis give a boost to Le Pen, who embraces protectionism. But the 49-year-old lawyer does not have a strong majority and enough solidity to win the presidential run-off, Lestrohan added. In 2002, Jean-Marie Le Pen, father of the far-right candidate and founder of National Front party, cruised to the second round after beating Socialist rival Lionel Jospin, prime minister of then president Jacques Chirac, a fact that triggered massive protests against the far right. In the second decisive round, Le Pen failed to win with a poor score of 17.79 percent against his rival Chirac who seized a large victory of more than 80 percent. Thomas Guenole, political scientist and professor at Sciences Po university, predicted the same scenario for this year's presidential race. "The only one scenario in which Le Pen could likely win presidential election is if she faces an unpopular candidate from the right or the left in the second round, which is very unlikely." In 144 "commitments" unveiled on Saturday, Le Pen pledged to slash migration, send homes all illegal migrants and impose taxes on the job contracts of foreigners. If she wins the election, she vowed to renegotiate the European Union treaty, restore internal borders and local currency. In 2012, Le Pen came third in the presidential race but had made it through the first round with an unexpectedly high vote. About 17.9 percent of 44.6 million French population cast their ballots for her. Related: Trump aims to enhance U.S. security cooperation with France WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday expressed his desire to strengthen U.S.-French cooperation on a range of issues, especially on counterterrorism and security. Full story France's Left primary run-off sees higher turnout: organizers YEREVAN, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is going to monitor in Armenia a contact line between the Nagorno-Karabakh region and Azerbaijan, local Armenpress News Agency reported on Monday. The report also noted that the decision to enforce the monitoring was made based on an agreement reached between the de facto authorities of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the Azerbaijani armed forces. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a bitter dispute over the mountainous region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh first broke out in 1988, when the region claimed independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia. Peace talks have been held since 1994 when a ceasefire was reached, but there have been occasional minor clashes in the past along the borders and across the volatile frontline of the Karabakh area. Photo taken on Oct. 16, 2016 shows South Sudan's government soldiers at the battle field in Alelo near South Sudan's northern town of Malakal. Fresh clashes between government and opposition forces near the northern town of Malakal have killed at least 56 over the weekend, a military spokesman said late Sunday. (Xinhua/Gale Julius) JUBA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- South Sudanese army (SPLA) said on Monday it carried out last week's air raid operations against rebels without alleged involvement of Egyptian forces. Army spokesman Brigadier Lul Ruai Koang told Xinhua in an interview in Juba that the bombardment on rebel positions in Upper Nile, Jonglei and Unity states was solely carried out by the SPLA airforce. "That was correct the aerial bombardment was carried out by the SPLA air force. The rebels were surprised because they were not aware the SPLA was developing its air force," he said. However, rebel (SPLA-IO) spokesman Colonel William Gatjiath Deng insisted that the Egyptian air force was involved in the operations against them in Upper Nile state. "It bombed Kaka West of Palouge at 1:00 pm, dropped 9 explosive shells on January 3. Wau Shulluk North West of Malakal dropped 6 explosive shells on January 1 and Owach dropped 6 explosive shells West of Malakal at around 8:00 pm. And this was an Egyptian Antenov. South Sudan has no Antenov since her independence," he told Xinhua. "The Juba regime must be reminded that since the establishment of the South Sudan Air Force (SSAF) on June 24, 2008, South Sudan has only acquired one Beech 1900 transport aircraft, 2 Aero L-39 Albatross, 9 Mil Mi-17 Hip utility helicopters, 1 Mil Mi-172 Hip VIP passenger helicopter and 2 attack helicopter gunships," Gatjiath added. Meanwhile, media reports quoted Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid denying the alleged air strikes, saying "Egypt does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries." The South Sudan conflict since its outbreak in December 2013 has tended to drag in several foreign forces with different strategic interests in the world's youngest nation. The Ugandan army intervened at the height of the conflict in 2013, fighting against SPLA-IO rebels led by now exiled former first vice president Riek Machar before the UN and regional body Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) piled pressure on Ugandan troops to pull out. And also South Sudan's northern neighbor Sudan has for long been accusing Juba of harboring insurgents like the Justice, Equality Movement (JEM) and SPLM -- northern sector fighting to topple the Sudanese regime. South Sudan has been shattered by civil war that broke out in 2013 after President Kiir accused his former deputy Machar of plotting a coup. Machar denied the accusation but then mobilized a rebel force. A peace deal signed in August 2015 led to the formation of a transitional unity government in April, but was again devastated by fresh violence in July 2016. Tens of thousands of South Sudanese have been killed, with over 2 million displaced and another 4.6 million left severely food insecure since the civil war. QINGDAO, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists started their 38th ocean scientific expedition on Monday, with the country's first deep-sea manned submersible Jiaolong. The mother ship, "Xiangyanghong 09", left east China's Qingdao carrying the sub and more than 150 personnel for a 124-day trip, the longest for Jiaolong. The researchers will carry out surveys in the northwest Indian Ocean, the South China Sea, Yap Trench and the Mariana Trench in the west Pacific Ocean. With Jiaolong, more discoveries are expected in the northwest Indian Ocean, said chief scientist Han Xiqiu. The trip lasts until June 9. Named after a mythical dragon, Jiaolong reached its deepest depth of 7,062 meters in the Mariana Trench in June 2012. On Monday, "Hailong 2", or Sea Dragon 2, and "Qianlong 1", both unmanned submersibles, were officially deployed at the National Deep Sea Center in Qingdao. "Hailong 2", which needs a wire to link to the support ship, can work at a maximum depth of 3,500 meters. In 2009, the home-made underwater robot discovered a deep-sea hydrothermal "chimney" vent near the equator in the eastern Pacific. Wireless "Qianlong 1" can operate at a depth of 6,000 meters. The three types of subs are all domestically-made and each has its own specialties, according to researchers. A new mother ship for Jiaolong is estimated to be put into use in March 2019. It will be capable of carrying the three sub types together, said Yu Hongjun, director of the center. KIEV, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine's Opposition Bloc on Monday asked parliament to initiate a meeting of the four-nation Normandy quartet over the escalating tensions in the war-torn town of Avdeevka in eastern Ukraine. "We intend to request the meeting in the Normandy format because the spike of violence on the frontline and the tragedy in Avdeevka should not be repeated," Yuriy Boyko, the head of the Opposition Bloc, told reporters in Kiev. He voiced the hope that the leaders of the Normandy Four of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany will find ways for ensuring a sustainable ceasefire and normalizing the situation in eastern Ukraine. The tensions in Donetsk and Lugansk regions worsened last week as fierce fighting erupted between government troops and pro-independence insurgents in the Kiev-controlled Avdeevka town, bringing dozens of combatant and civilian casualties. The tensions between the two sides in Avdeevka have slightly eased after a week of violence, Pavlo Zhebrivsky, the head of Donetsk regional military-civilian administration, told local media on Monday, saying "the combat escalation of the situation at Avdeevka has started to downtrend." The partial cessation of the hostilities has allowed a start of the repair works on the damaged infrastructure, Zhebrivsky said, adding that several schools have resumed the education process. Last week, the town of Avdeevka was the epicenter of the renewed fighting in eastern Ukraine, which marked the worst upsurge of violence in the region since last year. Each side blamed the other for igniting the violence in the conflict that has killed some 10,000 people since April 2014. The Normandy format is a diplomatic group of leaders from the four countries set up to resolve the crisis in eastern Ukraine in accordance with agreements reached in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, in February 2015. The previous meeting in the Normandy format was held on Oct. 19, 2016, in Berlin, Germany. ASTANA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Representatives of Iran, Russia, Jordan, Turkey and the United Nations participating in peace talks on Syria in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan, Monday discussed control measures for the cessation of hostilities at the meeting. "The participants in the meeting discussed the implementation of the cessation of hostilities in Syria, special measures for the creation of a mechanism for effective monitoring and control to ensure full compliance with the cease-fighting mode, preventing any provocations," Major-General Stanislav Gadzhimagomedov, who is the head of the Russian delegation and deputy chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff, said after the meeting. He also said that participants discussed measures of mutual trust to ensure unhindered humanitarian access. The first meeting of the Russia-led Joint Task Force for Syria took place in Astana on Monday and continued peace talks on Syria, which were held on Jan. 23 and Jan. 24 with the participation of representatives of the Syrian government and opposition, as well as those of Russia, Turkey, Iran and the United Nations. VIENTIANE, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Some 500 Lao nationals will be selected to work in South Korea in 2017 if they can pass a test called the Employment Point System, including EPS-TOPIK, skills test and competency test. The skills test will be administrated by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD Korea) in collaboration with the Lao Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare in Vientiane on April 3-28, according to Khamsene Xayavong, Director of the Ministry's Lao Employment Service Center (ESC) on Monday. Following the agreement, HRD Korea will set the standards for the tests and confirm them with the ESC if necessary. The number of applicants can be decided through prior consultation between both sides. "We will partner with HRD Korea to give the tests and will select skilled people to go to the Republic of Korea to work in small and medium enterprises and in agriculture. The exact numbers will be further discussed," he said on Lao state-run Vientiane Times. The results of the tests will be announced on May 12, after which qualified skilled applicants will be sent to work in factories in the Republic of Korea. The official said the selected candidates would be able to work in the Republic of Korea legally for almost five years and will return to Laos after the end of their contracts. Sending skilled workers to South Korea is part of the Service Commitment Agreement signed in 2016 by officials from the two countries. Another objective of the agreement is to establish a viable framework for cooperation between the two parties and to enhance transparency and efficiency in the process of sending and receiving Lao workers by setting out the relevant provisions under the Employment Permit System. In 2015, Laos sent as many as 50,712 laborers to work oversears, including 27,176 women, according to official statistics. Most of these workers obtained jobs in Thailand, said the ministry. Enditem PHNOM PENH, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian police have arrested a Japanese man and two Cambodians on the suspicion of persuading 10 Cambodian women into sex trade in Japan, according to the National Police website on Monday. Fukui Susumu, 52, manager of a Japanese restaurant in Phnom Penh, and his 28-year-old Cambodian wife as well as a 34-year-old male employee were arrested last week at the restaurant on the western outskirts of Phnom Penh, the website said. Police said Susumu and his wife lured 10 Cambodian women in August last year to work in a restaurant in Japan, lying to them that they could make between 3,000 U.S. dollars and 5,000 U.S. dollars per month. However, when the women arrived in Japan in November, another Japanese man Kabasawa Nakare, 50, took them to work as waitresses in a restaurant in Gunma prefecture and forced them to have sex with Japanese clients, the police said. Police added that the arrest came after seven of the women secretly contacted the Cambodian Embassy in Tokyo in December and filed a complaint to Japanese authorities for an intervention. The victims were repatriated to Cambodia last month. Ly Sophana, a spokesman for the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, said that a court prosecutor questioned the three suspects on Monday and a formal charge against them was expected on Tuesday. MOSCOW, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Moscow regrets the imposition of new sanctions by the United States on Iran after the latter's missile test, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Monday. Iran's recent missile test did not violate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or the UN Security Council resolution urging the Islamic Republic to drop nuclear-capable missile activities, Ryabkov was quoted as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency. He added that the existing mechanism ensuring the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program is implemented without "specific problems." The United States on Friday announced sanctions on multiple entities and individuals involved in Iran's missile development after Tehran carried out its latest medium-range ballistic missile test on late last month. Iran is one of Russia's major supporters on Middle East issues. The two countries, together with Turkey, are jointly mediating a political settlement of the Syrian civil war. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a news briefing on Monday that Iran has no ties with the Islamic State, Nusra Front or other militant groups, adding that Tehran should be part of the joint efforts to fight terrorism. Also on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia has "partner-like" relations with Iran and looks forward to trade and economic cooperation. BEIJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- China will optimize the rules and process for issuing certificates of permanent residence to foreigners with favorable treatments. The reform serves the nation's talent development strategy and responds to social concern, according to a meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform, chaired by President Xi Jinping, on Monday. The president, who heads the leading group, was joined at the meeting by Li Keqiang, Liu Yunshan, Zhang Gaoli and other senior officials. The meeting approved documents related to foreign affairs, proposing that Communist Party of China leadership in local governments' foreign affairs work should be strengthened and the management and supervisory mechanism of organs stationed overseas should be reformed, according to a statement issued after the meeting. Xi said leading officials should play key roles in pushing forward the reform related to foreign affairs, urging them to prioritize reform mission. In 2016, 1,576 foreigners became permanent Chinese residents, an increase of 163 percent over the previous year, official figures showed. The statement suggests that professional development of foreign affairs workers and foreign aid should be reformed. Current recruitment and selection should be enhanced to foster a team of workers involved in foreign services who are politically steadfast, professional in work, have a fine work style and strict in following discipline. The strategic layout of foreign aid should be optimized and the management of the funds and projects should be improved, the statement said. A plan on the development of a large number of industrial workers was also adopted to consolidate the sustainable and healthy development of the economy and society, according to the statement. The industrial workers are expected to be motivated by ideals, and shall be innovative and responsible in their work. It said the outstanding problems affecting industrial workers should be addressed and efforts should be made to improve the workers' quality and protect their rights and interests. In addition, the statement urged standardized development of non-governmental think tanks, asking them to put social responsibility first and study major projects of the Party and the state. Efforts will be made to expand channels for their participation in policy-making and perfect the policy for talent management, it said, adding an information publicity system should be established. A consultation committee of the national science and technology decision-making should give advice on innovation and focus on the forefront of world science and technology, raising suggestions on how to boost social and economic development, improve people's lives and build up national defense. China will further open up public information resources and boost the large-scale application of such resources in an innovative way, so as to unleash economic and social benefits. Moreover, environmental supervision and law enforcement agencies will be set up in accordance with watercourses to improve environmental protection. Participants in the meeting also agreed to improve the personnel system, payment, performance assessment and dismissal systems within the country's major state media. The statement said the reform should boost the state media workers' sense of belonging and loyalty so as to support the long-term and healthy development of journalism. The meeting also discussed measures on raising the awareness of law among society and pilot programs on reforming the management of mass organizations in Shanghai, Chongqing and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions. The statement stressed that leading officials should take the lead in advancing reform, deliver and implement the reform decisions by the Communist Party of China Central Committee with no delay and make sure the Central Committee's reform missions are properly carried out. Newly recruited Houthi fighters chant slogans during a gathering in the capital Sanaa to mobilize more fighters to battlefronts to fight pro-government forces in several Yemeni cities, on February 2, 2017. (AFP/Xinhua) TEHRAN, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman denied on Monday that the Islamic republic has armed Yemeni militants. "We do not interfere in Yemen's conflicts and we have given no weapons to Yemeni combatants," said Bahram Qasemi during his weekly press briefing. "Accusations against Iran in this regard is just a lie and irrelevant, and we seriously reject all of them," said Qasemi. The situation in Yemen deteriorated economically and politically as of March 2015, when a war broke out between the Iran-backed Shiite Houthi group, allies of former President Ali Abdullash Saleh, and government forces backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition. Houthis and Saleh's forces control most of Yemen's northern regions while government forces backed by the Saudi-led military coalition share control of the rest of the country, including seven southern provinces. The civil war, ground battles and airstrikes have killed over 10,000 individuals, half of whom were civilians, injured over 35,000 others and displaced over two million people. Seagulls fly over the Karakoy district near the Suleymaniye Mosque at sunset on January 21, 2017 in Istanbul. (AFP/Xinhua) ANKARA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Turkish security forces has detained 763 Islamic State (IS) suspects during raids at 29 provinces across Turkey since Feb. 5, as part of an operation against the jihadist group, the General Directorate of Security of Turkey stated on Monday. The statement added that police seized numerous documents, digital material, two guns, four rifles and ammunition. It also said that IS is currently seeking targets for a large attack in Turkey, and therefore has accelerated propaganda for recruitment while outlining Turkey as its primary target in its recent publications. Most of the suspects are being probed for their links to providing finances, foreign fighters and supplies to IS combat zones, Turkish Daily Sabah added. The Turkish Armed Forces launched the Euphrates Shield Operation last August against both IS and the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), the military wing of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD). Turkey regards the YPG and the PYD as terrorist organizations due to their links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). LISBON, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Portugal's Minister of Defense Azeredo Lopes said Monday it would be a "disaster" if Nato takes on a smaller role, while defending the strengthening of European capacities. "Portugal clearly defends the organization and considers it would be a disaster if its role is diminished," Lopes told Lusa news agency ahead of a meeting in Porto, northern Portugal, with European counterparts from Spain, France and Italy. "For many decades the organization has managed to guarantee the defense of European countries and those which are members of the organization, like the U.S. and Canada," he added. Monday's meeting comes ahead of a defense ministers' conference to be attended by ministers of defense from 28 NATO countries in Brussels on Feb. 15-16, including new U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis. Lopes told Lusa there were "certain expectations" regarding the new U.S. administration's position and the future of NATO, given that the U.S. represents 75 percent of the Atlantic Alliance's capacities. WINDHOEK, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Namibia will host employers' organizations from east, central and southern Africa at the regional Employers' Conference 2017 from Feb. 14 to 15, in the port town of Walvis Bay, Namibia Tim Parkhouse, Secretary General, Namibian Employers' Federation on Monday in a statement said, some 40 senior officials representing employers' organizations from as far as Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Madagascar, will discuss the importance of employment for economic growth, youth empowerment, skills development, poverty alleviation, capacity building and sustainable development. According to Parkhouse, senior specialists from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization of Employers (IOE) from Geneva, Switzerland and TV program Business Africa, will also be present at the event. The theme for 2017 is "Training for Development and Job Creation, especially for the Youth." Parkhouse said that the discussions will focus on addressing social and economic issues, helping the private sector grow at regional level, boosting employment creation, assisting the informal economy, poverty alleviation and sustainable development. The conference will also focus on strengthening employers' organizations by providing new and better service delivery to members and businesses across the continent. Enditem ASTANA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- A technical meeting on Syrian ceasefire monitoring opended here on Monday with representatives of Iran, Russia, Jordan, Turkey and the United Nations participating. The participants agreed that mechanism for effective monitoring the full compliance with the ceasefire was already functioning, Head of Russian delegation and Deputy Head of Main Operations Directorate of General Staff, Major-General Stanislav Gadzhimagomedov said after the meeting in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan. "There is Russian and Turkish center of compliance control. We share data about violations every day, analyse them, take measures to eliminate the majority of mutual attacks and relieve the tension," he said. "The delegations have confirmed their readiness to continue interaction in order to achieve the full implementation of the cessation of hostilities in Syria," he said. However, as noted by all the participants, the ceasefre efforts were often interfered by international terrorist groups, the general added. According to him, the mechanism of ensuring full compliance with the ceasefire mode was already in force and the participants of the the peace talks discussed measures of mutual trust building to ensure unhindered humanitarian access to the war-torn areas. The Joint Task Force on Syria was established in accordance with the outcome of the international agreements on peace talks on Syria, organised in Astana on Jan. 23-24. Monday's meeting became the first meeting of the Joint Task Force and the participants agreed to hold the next meeting on Feb. 15-16. HAVANA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Over 2000 people, including Cubans and foreigners, pay tribute to the late Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro in his burial place every day, an official daily newspaper Granma reported on Monday. The newspaper quoted Yudy Garcia, administrator of the Santa Ifigenia cemetery in the eastern Santiago de Cuba city, as saying that it has been visited by more than 150,000 people after the monolith holding the ashes of the former President was open to the public. Garcia said people from both home and abroad come to offer their respect to the deceased leader, which is a "sample of the extraordinary validity of the ideas and example of the Commander-in-Chief." Fidel Castro died on November 25, 2016 at the age of 90. He headed Cuba for nearly half a century before stepping down in 2006 due to health reasons. BUDAPEST, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- A court in Hungary's Gyor ordered a new trial of 15 employees of the MAL alumina plant who were found innocent last year in the trial for the 2010 red mud spill, a serious industrial disaster in the country's history. The verdict of the first level trial has been annulled because of procedural deficiencies, Laszlo Szeplaki, president of the Gyor higher court told reporters, according to Hungarian News Agency MTI. "The renewed procedure will be faster, as the court will be able to use former investigation materials, and would not have to listen to witnesses again," Szeplaki added. In January 2016, Zoltan Bakonyi, former director of the company, along with 14 employees, were acquitted by the first level court of Veszprem. But the prosecutors argued that the original verdict was stained by procedural irregularities, and the red mud spill could have been avoided if the management of the firm had intervened without delay. Following a long trial of more than three years, 15 employees were cleared of negligence and causing damage to the environment. The verdict had fueled lots of criticism both from the victims, and even from the Hungarian government. The lower municipal court of Veszprem had found that the main reason of the event was a loss of stability in the deeper layers of the soil, and the management of the firm could not have prevented the accident from happening. The court found that original designs were mainly at fault, along with the negligence of the authorities that carried out controls and supervision for years. The red mud spill happened in Ajka, western Hungary on Oct. 4, 2010, when the wall of a reservoir holding the red mud burst, and released some 1.1 million cubic meters of poisonous sludge into the rural area. The accident took the lives of ten people, while 150 others were injured, mostly due to chemical burns. Throughout several smaller rivers, the sludge finally reached the Danube as well. Enditem Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (R) meets with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin after the third summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Tehran, Iran, on Nov. 23, 2015. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz) MOSCOW, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Moscow regrets the imposition of new sanctions by the United States on Iran after the latter's missile test, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Monday. Iran's recent missile test did not violate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or the UN Security Council resolution urging the Islamic Republic to drop nuclear-capable missile activities, Ryabkov was quoted as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency. He added that the existing mechanism ensuring the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program is implemented without "specific problems." The United States on Friday announced sanctions on multiple entities and individuals involved in Iran's missile development after Tehran carried out its latest medium-range ballistic missile test on late last month. Iran is one of Russia's major supporters on Middle East issues. The two countries, together with Turkey, are jointly mediating a political settlement of the Syrian civil war. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a news briefing on Monday that Iran has no ties with the Islamic State, Nusra Front or other militant groups, adding that Tehran should be part of the joint efforts to fight terrorism. Also on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia has "partner-like" relations with Iran and looks forward to trade and economic cooperation. DAMASCUS, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic State (IS) group blew up gas pipelines of the Hayan gas field in the central province of Homs on Monday, causing huge fire, state TV said. The IS militants blew the pipelines to the north, east and western flanks of the gas field, said the report, telling no further details. Hayan gas field is the largest production facility of gas feeding electricity station in central and southern Syria. Its production is estimated at three million cubic meters of gas daily. The facility's establishment cost the government over 280 million Euros. IS stormed the facility when it overran, for the second time, the ancient city of Palmyra in the eastern countryside of Homs in last December. In January, IS' Amaq news agency posted photos in what it said was bombing of Hayan field, as sources in the Oil Ministry in Syria said then that the photos seemed real, but the bombing had not yet been confirmed. VILNIUS, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite proposed on Monday that the country's parliament ratify the defense cooperation agreement with the United States under the special urgency procedure, the president's office said. Three weeks ago, Lithuanian and U.S. representatives signed the agreement defining conditions for the construction of military objects and movement of U.S. aircraft, ships, and other military vehicles in Lithuania. "According to the president, this document, which defines the legal status of U.S. troops and jurisdiction of equipment in Lithuania, is very important," the president's office announced in a statement. Grybauskaite said the agreement would help allied troops "implement deterrence measures and strengthen the defense of NATO eastern flank." Latvia and Estonia, Lithuania's neighboring countries, have also signed parallel cooperation agreements with the United States, according to the president's office. The agreement on the status of U.S. forces in Lithuania comes more than two years since the first U.S. forces arrived to Lithuania. Since early 2014, rotational U.S. forces have been attending joint military trainings in Lithuania. A girl looks at a mirror in a war-shattered neighborhood of east Aleppo City, north Syria, on Dec. 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani) ASTANA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- A technical meeting on Syrian ceasefire monitoring opended here on Monday with representatives of Iran, Russia, Jordan, Turkey and the United Nations participating. The participants agreed that mechanism for effective monitoring the full compliance with the ceasefire was already functioning, Head of Russian delegation and Deputy Head of Main Operations Directorate of General Staff, Major-General Stanislav Gadzhimagomedov said after the meeting in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan. "There is Russian and Turkish center of compliance control. We share data about violations every day, analyse them, take measures to eliminate the majority of mutual attacks and relieve the tension," he said. "The delegations have confirmed their readiness to continue interaction in order to achieve the full implementation of the cessation of hostilities in Syria," he said. However, as noted by all the participants, the ceasefre efforts were often interfered by international terrorist groups, the general added. According to him, the mechanism of ensuring full compliance with the ceasefire mode was already in force and the participants of the the peace talks discussed measures of mutual trust building to ensure unhindered humanitarian access to the war-torn areas. The Joint Task Force on Syria was established in accordance with the outcome of the international agreements on peace talks on Syria, organised in Astana on Jan. 23-24. Monday's meeting became the first meeting of the Joint Task Force and the participants agreed to hold the next meeting on Feb. 15-16. ROME, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- About 1,500 people have been rescued in the Mediterranean over the weekend, the Italian coast guard said on Monday. Over 900 migrants and refugees were found on Sunday, while sailing aboard three inflatable crafts and three migrant boats in the central Mediterranean, the coast guard said in a statement. They were rescued by a Spanish ship operating within the European Union (EU) naval mission EUNAVFOR MED, with the help of some private commercial vessels. A previous group of some 600 people had been saved on Saturday, during nine separate operations mainly carried out by Italy's navy and coast guard ships. Before these weekend's missions, more than 1,300 people had been saved in 13 separate operations on Friday, according to Italy's coast guard coordinating all rescue efforts in the central Mediterranean. Overall, the number of migrants and asylum seekers pulled to safety since Wednesday last week reached at least 4,500. The sea route from the coasts of Libya to southern Italy is currently the major path for those trying to enter Europe to escape poverty, violence or wars. This route saw the passage of over 180,000 people in 2016, whose arrivals were all registered in Italy. The alternative paths running through Greece, or the Balkans, were shut last year, leaving the dangerous sea crossing as only major option. On Feb. 2, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni and Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj signed an agreement aimed at tackling the flows starting from the Libyan coasts, and the illegal people smuggling. The three-year deal will see the creation of temporary camps for illegal migrants on Libya's soil. Officials from the Libyan Interior Ministry would be in charge of the camps, with the European Union (EU) providing the necessary funds, and Italy ensuring medical assistance. Illegal migrants in such camps would be asked to agree to voluntary return to their own countries, or would face deportation, according to the deal draft provided by Italy's government. So far, Italy has registered 8,268 arrivals since Jan. 1, compared to 9,101 arrivals in the same period of last year, the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR stated. Francois Fillon addresses a press conference in Paris, France on Feb. 6, 2017. French conservative candidate Francois Fillon on Monday expressed "fierce determination" to stick to his presidential bid amid tumbling popularity after allegations over his wife's fake job engulfed his campaign. (Xinhua/Theo Duval) PARIS, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- French conservative candidate Francois Fillon on Monday expressed "fierce determination" to stick to his presidential bid amid tumbling popularity after allegations over his wife's fake job engulfed his campaign. In a counter-attack against claims of hefty salaries paid to his wife's fictitious job, Fillon told reporters "I am the only candidate which can bring about a national recovery." "A new campaign starts this evening," he stressed. "Perhaps the violence of the attacks against me have strengthened my determination," saying he would not change his mind about his candidature. At a news conference in Paris, the 62-year-old ex-prime minister reiterated that his wife had been his parliamentary assistant for 15 years and her job had been "perfectly justified." Meanwhile, he apologized for the ethical "error" he made in hiring his wife and their two children, a practice which he said was no longer acceptable according to public opinion. "I perhaps took more time than necessary to understand the changes in French society," he said. To defend his honest conduct, Fillon is to publish all of his wife's contracts later on Monday on his campaign website. The Republican Party candidate, who pledges tough cut in public spending, had been the clear front-runner to occupy the Elysee Palace for next five years until last week. Since the scandal emerged that his wife was receiving hefty salaries for an alleged job she did not do, he lost his top spot and is now in the third place in the presidential race. An Opinionway survey released earlier in the day, showed that Fillon would not make it into the May presidential run-off. With only 20 percent of voter intentions, the former prime minister trailed in the third place behind far-right leader Marine Le Pen and independent centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron, set to collect 26 percent and 23 percent respectively. HARARE, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The takeover of gem-mining firms in Marange by the Zimbabwe government last year was unlawful, a Zimbabwean diamond industry official said Monday. In 2016, the Zimbabwean government ordered all seven diamond firms in Marange to cease operations and merge into a single company, in which the government owns 50-percent shareholding. Four companies agreed to join the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) while three others including two Chinese firms had refused and taken the government to court. The cases are still before the courts. Presenting oral evidence before a parliamentary committee, former chief executive of ZCDC Mark Mabhudhu said the new company was not legally constituted. "For any institution that has government shareholding, an Act of Parliament has to be the force driving it but this was not done in the case of ZCDC," he said. He said while it was a wise decision to consolidate the firms, the process could have been managed better to ensure a smooth process. Mines Minister Walter Chidhakwa has acknowledged that disruptions caused by the consolidation process have slowed down diamond production in the Marange fields in eastern Zimbabwe. Last year, 924,388 carats of diamonds were produced, down from 3 million the previous year. Mabhudhu said despite grades plummeting to 0.15 carats per tonne in 2015 from 4 in 2010, gem mining in the country remained viable if better technology and equipment were employed. He said with the right technology, Zimbabwe could make more money from its gems. Enditem An employee walks past a gas installation during a training exercise for handling emergencies at a gas-pumping station on the gas pipeline in the small town Boyarka on April 22, 2015 in the Kiev region. (Xinhua/AFP) BAKU, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Azerbaijan has a strategic importance to Ukraine in terms of a replacement of Russian oil with that from Azerbaijan, Ukrainian ambassador to Azerbaijan Aleksandr Mishchenko told local TREND news agency here on Monday. The diplomat said that in the future Ukraine may also opt for Azerbaijani gas, adding that Azerbaijan's state energy company SOCAR has been successfully operating in Ukraine. "Diversification of energy resources and a chance to avoid dependence on Russia is a matter of national security for Ukraine," the diplomat explained. According to Mishchenko, Azerbaijan-Ukraine joint working group on energy cooperation will hold a meeting in this month. The ambassador said the Ukrainian side has already submitted proposals to Azerbaijani side. He said both countries are mulling over the huge projects related to the resumption of Azerbaijani oil supplies to Ukraine and possible involvement of Azerbaijan in modernization of the Ukrainian infrastructure. Azerbaijani oil supplies will greatly reduce Ukraine's dependence of oil refining complex on Russian oil. Ukrtransnafta OJSC and Ukrtatnafta PJSC signed a protocol of intent on the supply of Azerbaijani oil to the Kremenchug refinery in Ukraine last year. LONDON, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Queen Elizabeth II reached another milestone on Monday when she became the only British monarch in history to celebrate a sapphire anniversary, marking 65 years on the throne. The Queen spent the day at Sandringham in Norfolk, in line with her tradition of spending Accession Day, the anniversary of the day she became monarch, in private. Since 2015, the Queen has been Britain's longest serving monarch, having then overtaken Queen Victoria's long reign. Prime Minister Theresa May paid tribute to the Queen in a statement issued by 10 Downing Street: "It is a testament to her selfless devotion to the nation that she is not marking becoming the first monarch to reign for 65 years with any special celebration, but instead getting on with the job to which she has dedicated her life." "She has truly been an inspiration to all of us and I am proud, on behalf of the nation, to offer our humble thanks and congratulations on celebrating her Sapphire Jubilee." This year, Queen Elizabeth II will be 91 and is scaling down her activities by having her grandchildren Prince William and Prince Harry undertake more royal duties. But she has shown no signs of retiring as Britain's ruling monarch. File photo taken on Nov. 11, 2016 shows a volunteer puts a scarf on a refugee at a train station in Rome, capital of Italy. (Xinhua/Jin Yu) ROME, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- About 1,500 people have been rescued in the Mediterranean over the weekend, the Italian coast guard said on Monday. Over 900 migrants and refugees were found on Sunday, while sailing aboard three inflatable crafts and three migrant boats in the central Mediterranean, the coast guard said in a statement. They were rescued by a Spanish ship operating within the European Union (EU) naval mission EUNAVFOR MED, with the help of some private commercial vessels. A previous group of some 600 people had been saved on Saturday, during nine separate operations mainly carried out by Italy's navy and coast guard ships. Before these weekend's missions, more than 1,300 people had been saved in 13 separate operations on Friday, according to Italy's coast guard coordinating all rescue efforts in the central Mediterranean. Overall, the number of migrants and asylum seekers pulled to safety since Wednesday last week reached at least 4,500. The sea route from the coasts of Libya to southern Italy is currently the major path for those trying to enter Europe to escape poverty, violence or wars. This route saw the passage of over 180,000 people in 2016, whose arrivals were all registered in Italy. The alternative paths running through Greece, or the Balkans, were shut last year, leaving the dangerous sea crossing as only major option. On Feb. 2, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni and Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj signed an agreement aimed at tackling the flows starting from the Libyan coasts, and the illegal people smuggling. The three-year deal will see the creation of temporary camps for illegal migrants on Libya's soil. Officials from the Libyan Interior Ministry would be in charge of the camps, with the European Union (EU) providing the necessary funds, and Italy ensuring medical assistance. Illegal migrants in such camps would be asked to agree to voluntary return to their own countries, or would face deportation, according to the deal draft provided by Italy's government. So far, Italy has registered 8,268 arrivals since Jan. 1, compared to 9,101 arrivals in the same period of last year, the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR stated. BRUSSELS, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi on Monday rejected Washington's accusation of currency manipulating. "We are not currency manipulators," said Draghi at the European Parliament's economic and monetary affairs committee. The remarks came after Peter Navarro, head of the U.S. National Trade Council, reportedly said the euro was like an "implicit Deutsche Mark" whose low valuation gave Germany an advantage over its main partners. Navarro, as well, said Germany used a "grossly undervalued" euro to exploit the United States and its European Union (EU) partners. The ECB president said the EU's monetary policies reflected the diverse state of the economic cycle of the eurozone and the United States. "The single market would not survive with continuous competitive devaluations," the president told parliamentarians. Draghi also slammed U.S. President Donald Trump's policy of loosening bank regulations which were introduced after the 2008 financial crisis, saying Washington's idea was "very worrisome." He said financial regulations and legislative actions taken in the aftermath of the financial crisis helped curb the development of significant financial stability risk. "The last thing we need at this point is a relaxation of regulation," Draghi said. Trump last week signed an executive order to overhaul the country's financial regulatory system, including scaling back the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act that was introduced after the financial crisis and imposed strict capital standards on banks. GAZA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of various Palestinian factions and political powers, including Islamic Hamas movement and the Islamic Jihad (Holy War), condemned on Monday the intensive Israeli army airstrikes on the Gaza Strip in response to earlier rockets firing into Israel. Hamas Spokesman in Gaza Fawzi Barhoum said in an emailed press statement that the current Israeli army military escalation on the Gaza Strip "is dangerous and it should immediately stop," adding "it's an Israeli attempt to attract the world's attention away from their crimes against the prisoners and Jerusalem." He said Hamas movement warns Israel of keeping up such stupidity, adding "blowing up the situation with the Palestinian armed resistance and targeting military and civilians interests would explode in the face of the occupation." Earlier on Monday, Abdulatif al-Qanou, another spokesman for Hamas in Gaza told Xinhua that his movement holds Israel fully responsible for the current military escalation on the Gaza Strip and it will be held responsible for the consequences. "The occupation (Israel) is trying to export its internal corruption crisis to the Gaza Strip, therefore, the role of the Palestinian resistance (militant group) is to defend our people from this aggression," he said. The Hamas-run ministry of interior said that the Israeli army carried out 17 airstrikes and two ground shelling on the Gaza Strip, including three airstrikes in the early afternoon and 17 airstrikes on Monday evening. The Israeli airstrikes were a retaliation to earlier rockets firing. Earlier on Monday morning, unknown militants fired two makeshift rockets from northeast Gaza into southern Israel. One landed at an empty area causing no harms and the other exploded into the air. Immediately, Israeli tanks stationed on the borders with Gaza fired back and destroyed a Hamas military lookout post. Later in the afternoon, Israeli war jets carried out three airstrikes on three facilities that belong to Hamas armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades. Medical sources said that one Palestinian fisherman who was preparing to go fishing in northern Gaza, was lightly injured in one of the three airstrikes. On Monday evening, Israeli war planes carried out 17 successive and intensive airstrikes on several training posts and facilities that belong to Hamas and other Gaza militant groups in the Gaza Strip that has been ruled by Hamas since 2007. Dawood Shihab, a spokesman for the Islamic Jihad, said that "Israel will be fully responsible for the consequences of its military aggression on the Gaza Strip today." However, the group's spokesman announced that his group "is not interested in escalation and we won't allow Israel to export its internal crisis to us by carrying out aggression and terrorism against our people," adding that the Palestinian resistance is committed to the ceasefire in spite of the Israeli aggression." Both Shihab and Hamas spokesmen called on the international community to immediately intervene to halt the Israeli aggression on Gaza and on the Palestinian people. They stressed that the Israeli aggression on the Palestinians "won't break their determination to keep struggling until ending the occupation." Meanwhile, Fatah Party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the Israeli air attacks on the Gaza Strip, adding "it is a programmed Israeli attempt to mix up the papers and hide the daily crimes that Israel commits every day in the West Bank and Jerusalem." It is the first time that Israel officially announces that a rocket fired from Gaza into Israel since October last year. In October, Israeli war jets carried out around 30 airstrikes on posts and facilities that belong to Hamas and other military groups. In 2014, Egypt brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ending 50 days of a large-scale Israeli air and ground military offensive, waged on the Gaza Strip for 50 days, leaving around 2,200 Palestinians and 70 Israelis dead. Thousands of demonstrators protest against Donald Trump travel ban on Muslim's travelling to the United States in central London on Feb. 4, 2017. (Xinhua/Ray Tang) LONDON, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow said Monday he was strongly opposed to U.S. President Donald Trump addressing the Houses of Parliament during his proposed state visit to Britain. Dozens of members of parliament (MPs) have already signed a motion opposing Trump from following in the footsteps of other U.S. presidents by addressing politicians in the centuries old Westminster Hall. But Bercow's comment is the strongest message so far against the honor being granted to Trump. Political commentators in Westminster predicted that Bercow's very public declaration would enrage 10 Downing Street. It was British Prime Minister Theresa May who invited Trump to a state visit last month when she became the first national leader to meet the new president after his inauguration. Bercow's unexpected message took politicians by surprise when he outlined his opposition, which earned applause from some MPs. Under the rules in force at the Palace of Westminster, Speaker Bercow is one of three officials required to agree to any visitor addressing MPs and peers from the House of Lords. Without his agreement, it will not be possible for Trump to address parliament. Bercow told MPs that before the imposition of Trump's controversial migrant ban, he would have been strongly opposed to an address by the U.S. president in Westminster Hall. "After the imposition of the migrant ban, I am even more strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall, " Bercow said. He added that he would also not wish to issue an invitation to President Trump to speak in the Royal Gallery at the Palace of Westminster. Bercow added: "We value our relationship with the United States. If a state visit takes place, that is way beyond and above the pay grade of the Speaker." "However, as far as this place is concerned, I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the House of Commons." As Speaker, Bercow is essentially the chairman of the House of Commons, one of the highest jobs in public life in Britain. He is also one of the 650 MPs elected to parliament. No date has yet been fixed for Trump's state visit. A petition opposed to him meeting Queen Elizabeth II during a state visit has been signed by almost 2 million people. WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Giant Panda Bao Bao will be making the journey back to China on Feb.21, the Smithsonian National Zoo said Monday in a statement. Bao Bao was born on Aug.23, 2013 at the Washington Zoo, and is nearing her fourth birthday. According to arrangements between China and the United States, giant pandas born here must move back to China at around four. Tai Shan, another giant panda born in the Washington zoo in 2005, was shipped by in 2010. One keeper and one veterinarian will fly with Bao Bao to China's Chengdu, where the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda is located. Bao Bao will travel with a supply of her favorite treats, including bamboo, apples, pears, cooked sweet potatoes and water, the statement said. The Washington zoo now has three other giant pandas, an adult female Mei Xiang, 18, an adult male Tian Tian, 19, and a male cub Bei Bei, 1. NICOSIA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Cypriot authorities are bracing more Syrian refugees from Turkey after 93 of them arrived on a boat on Saturday, a government minister said on Monday. Interior Minister Socrates Hasikos told state radio that the authorities have reliable information about preparations for another boat with refugees to sail for the Cypriot coasts in a week. "We know that about 700 Syrian refugees have gathered in Mersin and are looking for boats to bring them to Cyprus. Our information is that another boat will put to sea possibly this week," Hasikos said. He added that Cypriot authorities know that behind the boat loads with Syrian refugees is a trafficker whose identity is known to international agencies involved with refugees. Syrians who gather in the southern Turkish city port of Mersin are a special case in which they are not planning to use Cyprus as a stepping stone to other European countries. Hasikos said they are mostly people who have either relatives or friends living in Cyprus for many years and expect to help them settle on the eastern Mediterranean island. Five boats with Syrian refugees arrived on the northwestern coast of Cyprus last year and one so far this year. The boat was spotted about eight nautical miles off the coast and was helped in a fishing boat by a Cypriot patrol boat overnight on Saturday. Refugees said the traffickers went back to Turkey on a second boat which made the trip up to the territorial waters of Cyprus. The traffickers plan to reach the areas in the northwest which are controlled by the Cypriot government, to avoid confronting with the Turkish military. Turkish troops control about 350 kilometers of Cyprus's northern coast, which is part of the territory occupied by Turkey in a 1974 military operation in response to a coup engineered by the military rulers of Greece at the time. RABAT, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Moroccan police arrested Monday three people with suspected links to the Islamic State (IS) group, the interior ministry said in a statement. According to the ministry, the suspects were arrested in the northern city of Martil and El Jadida following investigations with the members of a recently-busted terror cell that was operating in several Moroccan cities. On Jan. 27, Morocco's interior ministry announced that security forces foiled an (IS) terror attack during a large-scale anti-terrorism operation. The operation led to the bust of the seven-member cell in five cities, and the seizure of arms, suspicious products used in manufacturing explosives, and other material used in detonating explosive belts hided in a safe house in the coastal city of El Jadida, some 190 km south of the capital Rabat. The ministry said initial investigations confirmed the arrested suspects' involvement in the plans of the busted-cell to set up an IS-linked base under the name of "Islamic State Branch in Morocco" and carry out terror projects. The cell members intended to meet with an explosive expert from IS branch in Libya to learn about mining and distant detonation techniques, it added. According to official figures, Morocco busted 19 terrorist cells and arrested 273 suspects in 2016, most of them linked to the group, which control large swaths in Syria and Iraq. Enditem LONDON, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Politicians on both sides of the English Channel are eager to resolve the plight of millions of people living in a state of limbo thrown up by Britain's decision to leave the European Union (EU), British Prime Minister Theresa May made clear Monday. May told Members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons that her counterparts in EU countries had not resolved their status ahead of formal talks. As a curtain raiser to a round of discussions in the House of Commons this week over the triggering of Britain's exit from Brussels, May spoke of the millions of British people living in EU countries and the millions of Europeans living in Britain. It was an issue discussed by May last week when she met leaders of the other 27 EU member states in Malta. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told the House of Commons Monday, "There is no need to wait for negotiations to begin, the government could do it now. This is not a question about Brexit, it is a question about human rights, democracy, and decency towards people who have lived and worked in this country." Corbyn added: "Many families have had children born here, and I think we must guarantee their rights. Many of those people have been left in limbo, and are very deeply concerned and stressed." On the millions living on the European side of the English Channel, May said: "I think it is right that we ensure that the rights of UK citizens living in other European states are maintained. It is clear from the conversations that I have had with a number of European leaders that they think that it should be dealt with in the round as a matter of reciprocity." She referred to discussions she had had with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, saying it was very clear that "we want to give reassurance to people as early as possible in the negotiations." Conservative MP John Redwood asked May if she was shocked that the EU was unable to offer a simple reassurance to all British citizens living in EU countries that they would not face eviction. May said she had every confidence the issue would be addressed early on in the negotiations. "I would have liked to be able to address it outside the negotiations but, sadly, some member states did not wish to do that. However, I think that the goodwill is there to give that reassurance to EU citizens here and to UK citizens in Europe." MPs are this week discussing details of the Article 50 Brexit bill -- the formal process by which Britain will leave the bloc -- before it goes to the House of Lords. Although amendments are likely to be made and changes recommended to the legislation, May's government is confident it will win enough support to gain the consent of Queen Elizabeth II to trigger the exit process next month. BRUSSELS, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Top diplomats of the 28-nation European Union (EU) on Monday wrapped up a one-day gathering in Brussels, seeking to tackle thorny regional issues ranging from Ukraine crisis to Middle East Process, in the context of a widening crack between the bloc and the new U.S. administration. "We will have intense exchanges in the coming weeks with our U.S. counterparts," said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini at a press conference after the Foreign Affaris Council. "Today's discussions, on Ukraine and the Middle East Peace Process in particular, were very useful to take stock of where the EU stands, that it is united, and has very clear positions," she stressed. As to the recent resurgence of violence in eastern Ukraine, the council said in a statement that EU foreign ministers expressed their concern, "in particular with regard to the humanitarian situation." "They discussed how to increase EU support for the implementation of the Minsk agreements," the council said, hinting that the bloc will not budge on its sanctions against Russia, regardless of U.S. President Donald Trump's pro-Russia stance. The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday issued a notice easing sanctions on a Russian intelligence agency that former U.S. president Barack Obama sanctioned over Moscow's alleged hacking activities in last year's U.S. presidential election. Trump has indicated that he could lift the sanctions against Russia if Moscow proved helpful in battling terrorists and reaching other goals important to the United States. The sanctions against Russia are not the only issues the EU at odds with the Trump administration. Highups of the EU, including Mogherini, have recently blasted a travel ban signed by Trump that bars citizens from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen from traveling to the United States for 90 days, stops accepting refugees for 120 days and indefinitely halts refugees from Syria. Mogherini last week pledged that the EU would not turn its back on anyone who has the right to international protection, because "this is where we stand, this is where we will continue to stand." But the bloc is on the other hand seeking ways to better control the migrant inflows, especially those reaching it through the central Mediterranean route, which links Libya to Italy. The central route has attracted more attention from the EU since last year when a EU-Turkey deal led to nosedive of the number of asylum seekers via the eastern Mediterranean route. Foreign ministers at Monday's council reaffirmed the importance of helping Libya to regain stability "through an inclusive political settlement under the framework of the Libyan political agreement." "A stable and peaceful Libya is important not only for its neighbours - the EU included, but for the Libyans themselves, as well as for migrants currently in Libya," the council said, echoing an action plan adopted at the Malta summit on Friday to stem the migration flow into Europe along the central Mediterranean route. According to the plan, the EU will train and equip the Libyan national coast guard, disrupt smuggling business and support the development of local communities. Over 181,000 migrants and refugees, most of whom use Libya as a springboard, arrived in the EU in 2016 through the central Mediterranean route. As the deadliest route for migrants last year, the central Mediterranean route claimed the lives of 4,576 people, according to the International Organization for Migration. UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations called for faster action against female genital mutilation on Monday, noting that nearly 200 million girls and women have undergone some form of female genital mutilation and cutting in the world. "Female genital mutilation denies women and girls their dignity, endangers their health, and causes needless pain and suffering, with consequences that endure for a lifetime and can even be fatal," said the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a message to mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. Guterres stressed that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development promises an end to this practice by 2030 and called for positive momentum and commitment to intensifying global action against "this heinous human rights violation." According to the UN, almost 200 million girls and women have undergone some form of female genital mutilation and cutting. Somalia, Guinea and Djibouti are among countries with the highest prevalence among girls and women aged 15 to 49. In 2016, more than 2,900 communities, representing more than 8.4 million people living in countries where the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) work jointly to end the practice declared they had abandoned the cutting, according to the two UN bodies. In a joint statement, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin and Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Anthony Lake said that in 2017, we must demand faster action against that practice and call on governments to enact and enforce laws and policies that protect the rights of girls and women. BRUSSELS, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Security and Defense Subcommittee in the European Parliament (EP) on Monday has called on the EP plenary next week to vote a resolution over the escalating tensions in the war-torn town of Avdeevka in eastern Ukraine. The worsening security situation in eastern Ukraine was debated by members of European Parliament (MEPs) with Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, Ukraine's Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration here on Monday. The tensions in Donetsk and Lugansk regions worsened last week as fierce fighting erupted between government troops and pro-independence insurgents in the Kiev-controlled Avdeevka town, bringing dozens of combatant and civilian casualties. Klympush-Tsintsadze pointed out that tanks and heavy weapons, such as Grad multiple rocket launchers, which are prohibited by the Minsk agreements, were used in the violent fighting. The warring sides blamed each other for the escalation of fighting. To show their steady support to the Ukrainian government, the lawmakers of the European Union (EU) blamed Russia for deteriorating situation in eastern Ukraine, and called Moscow to"stop testing the West's reactions and to go on implementing the Minsk agreements." A majority of Security and Defense Committee backed a call to debate the situation in eastern Ukraine at European Parliament's next plenary session in Strasbourg and to vote a resolution. Last week, Russia called on Ukraine to "immediately stop armed provocations" in the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry urges the Ukrainian government to observe the ceasefire, reached in Sept. 2014, in the southeast of Ukraine, where conflicts between Ukrainian government forces and pro-independence insurgents have recently escalated. A migrant stands on a tree that he uses to sleep while he waits to cross the border, in the downtown of Tijuana, Mexico, on Feb. 6, 2017. U.S. President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Jan. 25 to have the Department of Homeland Security begin planning, designing and building a "physical barrier" along the U.S.-Mexico border, identify undocumented immigrants, and remove those who have criminal records. (Xinhua/David de la Paz) by Huang Heng, ChenChen Shen EL CENTRO, the United States, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- "Trump's border wall? ... Well, I think it's just kidding," Brenda Gonzalez joked around with his customers. Originally from Mexico, Gonzalez is now a front desk manager at a Holiday Inn Express hotel in El Centro, California, 350 kilometers southeast to Los Angeles. "Tell Trump to offer me a job when he starts to build the wall," A Caucasian co-worker said to Gonzalez, while getting ready to start his shift at the front desk. Just a few months ago, this young man moved from Eastern Los Angeles to the largest city in the Imperial Valley, only 6.8 kilometers north of Calexico, a smaller town divided by fence with Mexicali, a Mexican city. This three-story Holiday Inn Express is a standing-out building in El Centro, owned by an immigrant from Eastern India. Ten years ago before this hotel first opened to business, local residents in El Centro thought motels were good enough for this city since only truck drivers would sleep over at town. But now, with the development of border trading, El Centro is growing and getting international, with chain restaurants and supermarkets. In Calexico, many of the shop owners are Korean. U.S. President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Jan. 25 to have the Department of Homeland Security begin planning, designing and building a "physical barrier" along the U.S.-Mexico border, identify undocumented immigrants, and remove those who have criminal records. The cost of the wall to block off the nearly 3200 km-long border has been estimated to be anything from 8 to 25 billion U.S. dollars. However, for local residents living in the border cities, the wall is a ridiculous idea. "They won't build that wall, even if they did, nothing will change. There used to have those thin fences along the border, now they've replaced them with stronger metal fences. But people still come across the border to buy things or work. I do not think a wall will stop them." Vincent, a salesman at El Centro Walmart who only gave his first name, told Xinhua. The "ugly iron fences" he talked about are about 6 meters high and located in Calexico. Vincent, immigrated from Mexico years ago, believed that income difference was one of the major reasons for illegal immigrants to enter U.S. from Mexico. "They only make 4 dollars a day over there, but here, they make a few times more than that. One day here equals to one week there. Even if they get caught and sent back, they can come back later with Border Crossing Card," Vincent said. Border Crossing Card (BCC) allows Mexican citizens to visit the border areas of the United States when entering by land or sea directly from Mexico for less than 72 hours. "The only thing that will stop the flow of migrants is improved conditions in migrants' countries of origin: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and other areas," Ev Meade, director of the University of San Diego's Trans-Border Institute told local KPBS radio last December. However, the reality was much more complicated than researchers' words. Vincent and all of the other local residents told Xinhua that, most of the Mexicans working in El Centro, including legal and illegal immigrants, did not really want to live in the U.S., they just want to make money in the U.S. and spend them in Mexico. Most of them go back to Mexico every week or even everyday. It is the U.S. employers that do not want them to leave. Not many locals can do or want to do the work that Mexicans are doing. Vincent said he had a part-time job repairing air-conditioners, only a few people in the agriculture-based Imperial Valley know how to do it. Statistics showed that "illegal immigrants" contributed a lot to American economy. A cross section of California leaders in business, education, law enforcement and religion testified at Supreme Court of the United States last year that a quarter of illegal immigrants in the U.S. lived in California, which accounted for 7 percent of the California population, meanwhile, over 34 percent of agriculture laborers, 22 percent of manufacturing laborers and 21 percent of construction workers were illegal immigrants. "The undocumented workforce alone made over 130 billion GDP for California last year, which was more than the entire respective GDPs of 19 other states." they said in a court brief. "If you build a 20-foot wall, they (illegal immigrants) will build a 21-foot ladder and they will try to get in," said Shawn Moran, vice-president of the National Border Patrol Council last November during an interview. Nevertheless, he also stated that fence or wall was, at least, a warning that would eliminate incentives for migrations to enter the country illegally. David FitzGerald, co-director of University of California San Diego's Center for Comparative Immigration Studies, pointed out that a tall wall would also make crossing border more dangerous, which may increase the death number. U.S. started to build the existing barrier since the 1990s. It is now over 700 miles (1,180 Kilometers) and about one-third of the total length of the land border. Since then, about 7,000 to 10,000 people died trying to enter the United States illegally. Immigration experts and human right groups also raised the question that if there was a wall where illegal immigrants could not pass, would they try to enter the US from the sea? If the answer is yes, then tragedies happening in Mediterranean now could happen here. "Why waste the money?" Leo Poldo, the manager at a local Italian restaurant called Marino, believed that Trump's wall plan was a "hoax" or a "political game." Trump is committed to renegotiating North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and if partners refuse conditions that give American workers a good deal then the president would give notice of the United States' intent to withdraw from NAFTA. For residents and people doing business in Imperial Valley, this threat, which could lead to a tax wall, bothered them more than the border wall. The border wall is more like a symbolic gesture. However, local businessmen said that the "tax wall" could bring down the local economy, and as a result more people would try to climb over that border wall. According to the Imperial County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, Mexico is California's highest ranking trading partner. Over 30 percent of the trading products come through the two land ports in Calexico. The total value of the trading products in 2013 was worth at 13.1 billion dollar. Border cities, such as El Centro and Calexico, thrived on international trading in last decade. Indian, Korean, and Chinese businessmen came to invest because of international trading. Moreover, Laborers living on the other side of the border had no strong willing to immigrate to the United States as they found a comfortable post in global economic chain. The Imperial Valley-Mexicali Binational Alliance held a seminar on this issue at CETYS University in Mexicali last Thursday. They reached conclusions that they had to talk to the U.S. And Mexican governments, to prepare for the worst time and to believe there would always be a way. BOGOTA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla movement on Monday freed a Colombian soldier who was taken hostage a week ago in the northern department of Arauca. The 39-year-old soldier, Fredy Ernesto Moreno, was handed over to delegates from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Saravena, Arauca, and he was in good health, the ICRC said in a statement. The ICRC reiterated its readiness to help humanitarian operations in the South American country. The release came a day before the peace talks between the Colombian government and the ELN scheduled to begin in Quito, Ecuador on Tuesday. The family of Moreno had asked President Juan Manuel Santos not to begin the peace process until their relative was released. Last week, the ELN freed former lawmaker, Odin Sanchez, who had been taken hostage 10 months ago. His release was set by President Santos as a precondition for the peace talks in Quito. In exchange for Sanchez's liberation, the government released two ELN members, Nixon Cobos and Leivis Valero, who were seriously ill in prison. They were taken to medical centers later. Image taken on Feb. 3, 2017, shows a view of a section of the already existed border wall and fences between the United States and Mexico in California border city Calexico. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to build "a large physical barrier" between the U.S. and Mexico on Jan. 25, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Chaoqun) by Huang Heng, ChenChen Shen EL CENTRO, the United States, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- "Trump's border wall? ... Well, I think it's just kidding," Brenda Gonzalez joked around with his customers. Originally from Mexico, Gonzalez is now a front desk manager at a Holiday Inn Express hotel in El Centro, California, 350 kilometers southeast to Los Angeles. "Tell Trump to offer me a job when he starts to build the wall," A Caucasian co-worker said to Gonzalez, while getting ready to start his shift at the front desk. Just a few months ago, this young man moved from Eastern Los Angeles to the largest city in the Imperial Valley, only 6.8 kilometers north of Calexico, a smaller town divided by fence with Mexicali, a Mexican city. This three-story Holiday Inn Express is a standing-out building in El Centro, owned by an immigrant from Eastern India. Ten years ago before this hotel first opened to business, local residents in El Centro thought motels were good enough for this city since only truck drivers would sleep over at town. But now, with the development of border trading, El Centro is growing and getting international, with chain restaurants and supermarkets. In Calexico, many of the shop owners are Korean. U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order to advance construction of the Keystone XL pipeline at the White House in Washington January 24, 2017. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque) U.S. President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Jan. 25 to have the Department of Homeland Security begin planning, designing and building a "physical barrier" along the U.S.-Mexico border, identify undocumented immigrants, and remove those who have criminal records. The cost of the wall to block off the nearly 3200 km-long border has been estimated to be anything from 8 to 25 billion U.S. dollars. However, for local residents living in the border cities, the wall is a ridiculous idea. "They won't build that wall, even if they did, nothing will change. There used to have those thin fences along the border, now they've replaced them with stronger metal fences. But people still come across the border to buy things or work. I do not think a wall will stop them." Vincent, a salesman at El Centro Walmart who only gave his first name, told Xinhua. The "ugly iron fences" he talked about are about 6 meters high and located in Calexico. Image taken on Feb. 3, 2017, shows a view of a section of the already existed border wall and fences between the United States and Mexico in California border city Calexico. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to build "a large physical barrier" between the U.S. and Mexico on Jan. 25, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Chaoqun) Vincent, immigrated from Mexico years ago, believed that income difference was one of the major reasons for illegal immigrants to enter U.S. from Mexico. "They only make 4 dollars a day over there, but here, they make a few times more than that. One day here equals to one week there. Even if they get caught and sent back, they can come back later with Border Crossing Card," Vincent said. Border Crossing Card (BCC) allows Mexican citizens to visit the border areas of the United States when entering by land or sea directly from Mexico for less than 72 hours. "The only thing that will stop the flow of migrants is improved conditions in migrants' countries of origin: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and other areas," Ev Meade, director of the University of San Diego's Trans-Border Institute told local KPBS radio last December. However, the reality was much more complicated than researchers' words. Vincent and all of the other local residents told Xinhua that, most of the Mexicans working in El Centro, including legal and illegal immigrants, did not really want to live in the U.S., they just want to make money in the U.S. and spend them in Mexico. Most of them go back to Mexico every week or even everyday. It is the U.S. employers that do not want them to leave. Not many locals can do or want to do the work that Mexicans are doing. Vincent said he had a part-time job repairing air-conditioners, only a few people in the agriculture-based Imperial Valley know how to do it. Image taken on Feb. 3, 2017, shows a view of a section of the already existed border wall and fences between the United States and Mexico in California border city Calexico. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on to build "a large physical barrier" between the U.S. and Mexico on Jan. 25, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Chaoqun) Statistics showed that "illegal immigrants" contributed a lot to American economy. A cross section of California leaders in business, education, law enforcement and religion testified at Supreme Court of the United States last year that a quarter of illegal immigrants in the U.S. lived in California, which accounted for 7 percent of the California population, meanwhile, over 34 percent of agriculture laborers, 22 percent of manufacturing laborers and 21 percent of construction workers were illegal immigrants. "The undocumented workforce alone made over 130 billion GDP for California last year, which was more than the entire respective GDPs of 19 other states." they said in a court brief. "If you build a 20-foot wall, they (illegal immigrants) will build a 21-foot ladder and they will try to get in," said Shawn Moran, vice-president of the National Border Patrol Council last November during an interview. Nevertheless, he also stated that fence or wall was, at least, a warning that would eliminate incentives for migrations to enter the country illegally. David FitzGerald, co-director of University of California San Diego's Center for Comparative Immigration Studies, pointed out that a tall wall would also make crossing border more dangerous, which may increase the death number. U.S. started to build the existing barrier since the 1990s. It is now over 700 miles (1,180 Kilometers) and about one-third of the total length of the land border. Since then, about 7,000 to 10,000 people died trying to enter the United States illegally. Image taken on Feb. 3, 2017, shows a view of a section of the already existed border wall and fences between the United States and Mexico in California border city Calexico. U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to build "a large physical barrier" between the U.S. and Mexico on Jan. 25, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Chaoqun) Immigration experts and human right groups also raised the question that if there was a wall where illegal immigrants could not pass, would they try to enter the US from the sea? If the answer is yes, then tragedies happening in Mediterranean now could happen here. "Why waste the money?" Leo Poldo, the manager at a local Italian restaurant called Marino, believed that Trump's wall plan was a "hoax" or a "political game." Trump is committed to renegotiating North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and if partners refuse conditions that give American workers a good deal then the president would give notice of the United States' intent to withdraw from NAFTA. For residents and people doing business in Imperial Valley, this threat, which could lead to a tax wall, bothered them more than the border wall. The border wall is more like a symbolic gesture. However, local businessmen said that the "tax wall" could bring down the local economy, and as a result more people would try to climb over that border wall. According to the Imperial County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, Mexico is California's highest ranking trading partner. Over 30 percent of the trading products come through the two land ports in Calexico. The total value of the trading products in 2013 was worth at 13.1 billion dollar. Border cities, such as El Centro and Calexico, thrived on international trading in last decade. Indian, Korean, and Chinese businessmen came to invest because of international trading. Moreover, Laborers living on the other side of the border had no strong willing to immigrate to the United States as they found a comfortable post in global economic chain. The Imperial Valley-Mexicali Binational Alliance held a seminar on this issue at CETYS University in Mexicali last Thursday. They reached conclusions that they had to talk to the U.S. And Mexican governments, to prepare for the worst time and to believe there would always be a way. Steven was killed like an animal Boodoo, of John Street, Montrose, Chaguanas, was reported missing on January 30, and his body was found hanging from a tree by hikers in the Blanchisseuse forests on Saturday. Hazra Boodoo, 79, said there was no other reason anyone would want to kill her grandson. Why is it that some people are so anxious to take other peoples things? Steven was such a nice boy. I mind that child from a baby. People tell me that they never heard me, not for one day, shout at that child, Boodoo said. Hikers on Saturday came upon a white body bag hanging from a tree over a precipice and immediately called the police. When the body bag was opened, it was discovered that Boodoos feet were bound and a rope was tied around his neck. Boodoo recently returned to Trinidad after living for several months in the Bahamas with his father, Andy, and other relatives. He was once a clerk at Republic Bank, his grandmother, a retired teacher, said. She recalled that her grandson, at a tender age, survived a tragic vehicular accident in which his mother, Carmela Mokool, 25, was killed. When he left home Sunday morning, he said he was going out. I asked what he had in his bag and he said he had his birth certificate. I asked why he did not go with his new car and he said he would get trouble for parking, the elder Boodoo added. Boodoos aunt, Sharon Fouche, who lives in the United States, said her nephew lived with her briefly in Miami but loved Trinidad so much he decided to return home. Steven lived in Trinidad because he loved his island. On Monday, I think, he took a taxi to Port of Spain to see an attorney in regards to his Chaguanas property. Steven was happy about the prospect of training to work on a cruise ship. He was excited to be back in Trinidad, Fouche said. She said Steven was killed like an animal. In a post to her Facebook page, she wrote that Steven was never engaged in drinking or smoking or wild partying or anything that could have put him with the wrong crowd. I know that bad things happen because of the world we live in. But I know that we serve a compassionate God who advocates for the powerless and defenseless and who fights for justice and who arms us with strength to do the same. An autopsy is expected to be performed today at the Forensic Science Centre to determine the cause of death. Investigations are continuing. Brothers stabbed in bar brawl According to reports, Keron and Kerwin Coutou were at the bar when, at about 1.25 am, they were in an altercation with a man who pulled out a knife and began stabbing the brothers. The victims retaliated and inflicted wounds on their attacker. The police were contacted and officers of the Arima Police Station went to the bar where they arrested a 22 yearold man of Jacob Hill, Wallerfield. The injured brothers were taken to the Arima District Health Facility and then transferred to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope where they remained warded up to late yesterday in serious condition. Investigations are continuing. Shot driver remains warded Police sources said yesterday, based on information given to them by doctors at the San Fernando General Hospital where Mohammed warded, he is out of the woods. Mohammeds close friend, businessman Naim Caliph, 35, was shot in his Range Rover after he and Mohammed left the opening of a nightclub at South Park Mall. Mohammed drove to the Mon Repos Police Station where Caliph, of Naparima/ Mayaro Road, Palmyra Village, was pronounced dead. He was in the front passenger seat. Reports are that gunmen in a white AD wagon opened fire on Caliphs white Range Rover (PCX 6786) along the Tarouba Link Road near the Solomon Hochoy Highway. Police said Mohammed was also shot and was in a weakened state but manage to alert police officers at the station by honking the horn of the vehicle. There were 11 bullet holes in the vehicle including a shattered window on the front passenger side. Revisiting an iconic Trinidadian writer TRINIDAD-BORN Alfred H Mendes (1897-1991) may not be widely popular but his importance to West Indian literature is undeniable. That is work is now being revisited is only fitting. Mendes is an able story-teller; the consummate griot. West Indian? Yes, but hardly in the folklore kind of way. Capsuled in a time when shadism, colour and class defined the islands, we are served with tales that are disturbing and even revolting. Using multiple characters to unearth his pain and inner conflicts Short Stories, Letters and Articles becomes a psychoanalytic narrative that reveals secrets of the heart. Indeed, the upper echelon of society is victim of its own racial prejudice. With jaundiced eyes, race is the measurement of a mans standing, his morality and his station. For societys cr?me de la cr?me, whiteness is privilege, a blessing that opens doors but those very doors never bring genuine happiness. In their arrogance their soul is restless and theirs is never an easy journeying. But not every fair folk is privileged. There is poverty, wanton poverty. This we encounter in The Larsons at Home, a circa 1930s political tale that unearths the economic devastation unleashed by The Great Depression. Dyou know that we have nothing, no money for dinner tonight? Mrs Larson throws at her husband. And she continues the tirade, Youve got children with appetites to feed, Id have you know, Mr Larson. There is a wanting, a deprivation in the heart of every protagonist; and some are prey to their own devices. From the horrors of madness they cannot escape as one doyenne discovers in The Cat, a karma-laden occult drama, not unlike Without Snow that bleeds mystery, psychosis and murder. Surely, these tales are but a reflection of Mendes troubled upbringing marked by his continual search for identity and happiness. And seething beneath a racial cesspool is his aversion to religion. In Young Da Costa and The Larsons at Home, religion is scorned. In the latter, Mrs Larson repudiates her husbands faith. You and your Christian Science, huh! Has it ever brought you anything? And in Young Da Costa, Catholicism is assailed. Of his girlfriends religious belief, Joe complains, I was making her realize how absurd is her God, her immortality, her Bible. I was making her see how cruel, how dangerous her confessional box is.She listened to me attentively when I spoke to her and tried to show her the futility of all organized forms of religion. The Larsons at Home, though, is multilayered and is arguably the most engaging of the lot. Tinged with anti-Semitic diatribe and lively exchanges on communism, Hitler and Roosevelts New Deal, it is a politically rich narrative. But race never lets up seemingly shadowing every character. Young Da Costa risks being shunned by his family for courting a coloured girl. There was a hell of a row at home, because Irenes father happened to be a slightly coloured man, the young suitor laments. Its a damn shame that a girl should suffer for her fathers drop of negro blood; just as if it is syphilitic blood. The racial refrain gets more ghastly in Tropic Town. Through the eyes of a British couple settling on the island for the first time, we confront the pathology of racism. The island, we know, Betty, doesnt look half bad, her husband states. She rejoins, But dyou think there are many snakes and scorpions and things? And later, she adds, A lot of n*****, though. When her husband calls for restraint, she responds, but dont they come from Africa originally where the savages are? In When Mother was left Alone, we hark back to a time, a dark time when one risked a grievous penalty by daring to socialise outside ones race. Young Elizabeth is duly warned during a vacation in a Mayaro beach house. I soon discovered that Sambo, the old caretaker, had a lot of children, she recalls, but because they were black I was not to play with them. But there is spattering of levity, albeit dark and wry. In Caribbean Scare, the threat of a German invasion of the Caribbean in 1915 overwhelms a panic-stricken barber. His plan to avoid the bombardment and save his family is farcical. He plans to escape to Cascade hills with his family. His customer responds derisively, German shells wont want to bother about that peaceful spot. His sarcasm continues, Well dont go spitting it out to everybody who comes into the shop this morning, or else you might have Cascade road blocked with traffic. The denouement of this short, intriguing tale leaves us with mouths agape. Deliberate, nuanced and equally bold, Mendes injects a provocative spirit to his every word. He can be dry, void of colour, a mirror of a pained being. Still, he is mesmeric and compelling. Short stories, Articles and Letters is a revealing drama that appeals to the dark chamber within us. Of Mendes work, editor Michele Levys aptly writes, What makes [him] especially significant was that his fiction was always strongly autobiographical. He wrote about people he knew or met and situations which he encountered frequently in his life...He was both recorder and interpreter of his own times... Feedback: glenvilleashby@gmail. com or follow him on Twitter@glenvilleashby Glenville Ashby is the author of The Believers: Faith and Spiritism in the Caribbean Diaspora. Read a Carnival book Here are some of my favourite books. Sailor Dance: The Story by John Donaldson The Sailor Dance is an integral part of Carnival celebrations. Check out the story of the dance and its history in this fascinating book by Eleanor Joye Donaldson. Its full of anecdotes from people involved in the sailor dance. Panchos Dilemma and Other Stories from the Cocoa Fields by Angelo Bissessarsingh This collection of linked stories form a novella about the sleepy southern village of Erin and the magical history that defines it. The late authors writing style, as witnessed in his history books, is colourful and exciting tailor-made for fiction. The Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists Club Trail Guide Written in collaboration with The National Herbarium of Trinidad and Tobago, The Field Naturalists Club Trail Guide includes descriptions of trails to hike in Trinidad and Tobago and maps that outline the trails. If you like hiking, this is the book for you. Virtual Glimpses into the Past: Snapshots of the History of Trinidad and Tobago by Angelo Bissessarsingh. From Corbeaux Town to San Fernando Hill, Angelo, who did so much to popularise the history of Trinidad and Tobago from his newspaper columns and his books, presents stunning pictures and action-packed stories of our nations history. The Merikins: Forgotten Freedom Fighters in the War of 1812 by Tina Maria Dunkley This is one of my favourite books in my library at the moment because it is a simple and exciting history of the Merikins that children and adults can enjoy. Its perfect for school projects and home libraries. The Merikins were runaway US slaves who had joined the British in the War of 1812. When the British lost the war, they settled those slaves in Nova Scotia and Trinidad. The Merikins has exciting pictures and maps that bring the short essays in this book to life. The Merikins should win a prize for layout. Its colourful, inviting, interesting, concise and reader-friendly for all readers-- children, teens and adults. Green Days by the River by Michael Anthony Take a plunge into nostalgia and read Anthonys novel about the teenager Shell as he navigates his way through his difficult teens after moving to Mayaro. Green Days by the River celebrated its 50th year in publication on January 26, and a movie is coming out later this year so you dont want to miss reading this moving, coming-of-age novel with memorable characters who have stood the test of time. My Whole Life is Calypso: Essays on Sparrow by Gordon Rohlehr Dr Rohlehr, the foremost expert on calypso in Trinidad captures the essence of calypso stalwart The Mighty Sparrow, not only as a person and a calypsonian, but also as an important voice in Trinidad and Tobagos independence movement Imam: Dont Go the US, TT a much nicer place Hosein was one of the three religious leaders asked to offer an opening prayer at the start of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union 80 anniversary celebration yesterday. Before starting his prayer, however, Hosein commented on international relations. That country (US) was built on slave labour, of not only Muslims, but on our African brothers and sisters. They were okay with people coming to their country when it was to take advantage of them, because that is how the world works. Now they want to ban people from coming to their country. Well I do not want to go to the US, Trinidad is too nice for me. I implore Muslims not to go to that place. Hosein criticised the US for its 120 day ban on refugees entering the country. If we go back 20 years ago, there were no muslim refugees. But wars over the years have made the countries difficult to live in. Historically, there have always been refugees and people have accepted that, but now the US is saying otherwise. The ban is unfair, but it is irrelevant to me. The US is not as glorious a place as people make it out to be. Hosein went on to pray for the OWTU on its anniversary and praised it as the benchmark for all other unions in the country. Expore EPA trade partnership, Gopee-Scoon urges businessmen Her entreaty was made at the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce breakfast seminar on maximising export potential to the European Union through the EPA. Gopee-Scoon noted that for Trinidad and Tobago one of the main objectives of the Agreement is to encourage exports of non-energy goods to the EU market. The Agreement allows domestic manufacturers to import raw materials and intermediate products at reduced duties, from the European Union. Thus, manufacturers have the assurance that they can obtain their raw materials without delay and at competitive costs without the imposition of high customs duties. In addition, it is the only Agreement that Trinidad and Tobago has signed, which contains enhanced provisions related to the services sector. This augurs well for domestic service providers, who now have access to the European Union a vast market with limitless possibilities that also serves as an alternative to the traditional markets of the USA, Canada and Great Britain, she said. She also emphasised the importance of the EU as Trinidad and Tobagos trading partner. For the period January to September 2015, the EU was our second- ranked export market, accounting for 12 percent of Trinidad and Tobagos exports, behind the USA at 34 percent of total exports but ahead of CARICOM which stood at 11 percent of total exports. However, it is notable that only three countries, namely Spain, France and the UK, accounted for 63 percent of our total trade with the EU. It is therefore necessary for local exporters to consider new markets outside of the traditional Western European economies and underscore the opportunities for Trinidad and Tobagos goods and services to penetrate new markets in Eastern and Southern Europe, she said. Head of the European Union Delegation to TT Aad Biesebroek and Gabriel Faria, chief executive officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce both endorsed the ministers call for greater utilisation and implementation of the EPA. Evanger's Dog Food(NEW YORK) -- An Illinois pet food company is voluntarily recalling five lots in its Hunk of Beef line because of a "potential contaminant pentobarbital" detected in one lot, according to a press release from the Federal Food and Drug Administration. "Although nearly all product involved in this recall have already been consumed by pets without incident, we have decided to initiate the recall as a proactive measure against the remote possibility of any illness," Evanger's Dog and Cat Food Co. said in a news release Friday. Evanger's said the contaminant had been detected in one lot of its Hunk of Beef products. The company said the recall included five lots made during the same week of June 6 to 13, 2016 from a supplier's beef. "We feel that we have been let down by our supplier. ... We have terminated our relationship with them and will no longer purchase their beef for use in our Hunk of Beef product," the Wheeling, Illinois, company said. "As Hunk of Beef is a very unique product, requiring very specific cuts of meat, this supplier's meat was used in no other products." In its announcement of the recall Friday, the FDA said "pentobarbital can affect animals that ingest it and possibly cause side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, excitement, loss of balance, or nausea, or in extreme cases, possibly death." The FDA said in its press release that the lot numbers included 1816E03HB, 1816E04HB, 1816E06HB, 1816E07HB and 1816E13HB and have an expiration date of June 2020. The FDA said the second half of the bar code reads 20109. Evanger's posted the FDA's press release on its site. According to the company, the recalled product was distributed to retail locations and sold online in Washington, California, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The FDA said that so far, five dogs had gotten sick after eating Hulk of Beef products with the lot number 1816E06HB13. One of the five dogs died. The company asked that consumers contact the company with questions at 1-847-537-0102 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday and return cans with the recalled lot numbers to the place of purchase for a full refund. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Beware of phishing scam com, gmail.com and yahoo.com. The ministry explained that through the use of fake Facebook profiles associated with the false email address, fraudsters are purporting that grants and loans are being offered by the ministry, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and similar bodies. To date, the ministry said it is aware of the aliases Kathy Thompson and Melina Hayes used by the fraudsters in this scam. In some instances, persons have been contacted by phone and then asked to provide personal information, the ministry said. The ministry called upon citizens to be vigilant and should any further clarification be required about the services it offers, to contact its corporate communications unit at 612-9700, extensions 2805/6/8/9 or visit its website at www.finance.gov.tt. Transport Commissioner summoned to meeting The meeting is expected to discuss strategies for improving the way the public is served. Originally, the meeting was scheduled to take place tomorrow, but it was deferred to the weekend to ensure that there will not be a disruption of services at the authority with the absence of senior staff on a working day. The meeting will take place two days before the official opening of the new Licensing Authority operations in Caroni. The office building was constructed by the former Peoples Partnership administration but according to Sinanan, the building had to be outfitted before the Licensing Authority could be given the go-ahead to take possession of it. As a result of the opening of the new operations in Caroni, the Licensing Office in Chaguanas will be closed on Friday to facilitate the transfer of the administrative staff to the Caroni building. According to Sinanan having visited the Port of Spain Licensing Office two Fridays ago, he ws privy to several inefficiencies which led to the public not being properly served and he took a decision to have all the major administrative staff attend Saturdays meeting. He said with the opening of the new Caroni office, staff will be given what he described as a golden opportunity to do things differently. Additionally, he noted customer service representatives will be present at the Caroni offices to take complaints from persons who believe they are not being properly served or who believe that their waiting time is too long. The minister also disclosed that a hotline will be set up at his minister to receive complaints from the public, which he assured will be dealt with in a timely manner, and every attempt will be made to provide staff at the Caroni department with state-of-the-art equipment. Additional road works will be carried out in the Caroni district to mitigate any traffic issues with the opening of the new offices. Operations at the Port of Spain Licensing officers are expected to be scaled down with the opening of the Caroni bureau in the near future, including the licensing of heavy equipment which will now take place in Caroni, the minister noted. AG: Uber lessons for PH cars? However the AG said the PH question is not impossible to solve, citing lessons from recent talks with Uber which globally operates by a shared ride policy. He said, In the Shared Ride Policy you have the possibility to have underwriting, and what Uber told TT is that they actually have an insurance product to underwrite their position in TT. He said local laws still require a car be registered for hire. But it is food for thought, to promote a system where you can actually have a registration of persons, certificates of character, you know who the persons engaged are, you can have GPS tracking by the use of technology. Importantly, once there is an underwritten insurance aspect then you can deal with special registration. So its not quite an impossible task. Its something that requires a stretch of consideration, and there is certainly possibility. Saying police must enforce traffic laws, he said legislation will soon free up policemen from long hours in court prosecuting 23,000 traffic cases yearly, to be available for the beat. Dr Tim: Govt hurting special needs schools Already two such schools have closed and the others are facing a similar fate. The Private Special Schools Association has made extensive and diligent representation on behalf of the 14 institutions, but this has not yielded any positive results. Alleging a cold-hearted abandonment of private special-needs schools, Gopeesingh said this is taking place after the Peoples Partnership Administration had invested heavily in the education of these students. The subvention was increased from $1,400 to $2,400 a school term for each student and the complement of professionals psychologists, guidance counsellors and social welfare officers was extended from 250 to 700. Gopeesingh said special- needs learning was integrated into mainstream education as part of the Peoples Partnership (PP) Governments thrust toward an inclusive education system and lifelong learning. The Peoples Partnership Administration had carefully nurtured these important institutions through the building of relevant capacity. Adequate funding, provision of suitable qualified professionals and integration with the rest of the education sector were hallmarks of the PP Governments stated commitment. He recalled former United States secretary of state Hillary Clinton commending TT for includ- ing special-needs education within the mainstream sector, at a 2014 conference of the Inter-American Development Bank and the ALAS Foundation in Washington, DC. Indeed, the policies were part of an overall plan for reform of the education system and achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. These are all being systemically undermined and unravelled by the bungling and incompetent Mr Garcia, alleged Gopeesingh. But even by Mr. Garcias own abject standards, the desertion of the special-needs students is atrocious and appalling. Speaking in response to Urgent Questions in Parliament on Friday, Minister Garcia also denied media reports that there was any lack of funding for those schools. He also denied reports that 14 special needs schools were in danger of being closed. These 14 special needs private schools are not in danger of imminent closure. There have been no cuts in Governments funding for these schools. The ministers statements followed reports that the schools were in danger of closing due to a lack of funding, after a Memorandum of Understanding expired in 2015 and was not renewed. It was also reported that no funds were provided for salaries or the paying of bills at these facilities, leaving the schools little choice but to close. Speaking at a media briefing on the Form One Initiative and the School Based Management Programme on Thursday last, Minister Garcia said there were some challenges: There are some challenges that are faced by those 14 special schools, and I can assure you that everything is being put in place, so that those schools will receive the necessary funding. Theres the question of a Memorandum of Understanding that has to be signed between the operators of those schools and the Ministry of Education. Our department is working expeditiously to ensure that that Memorandum of Onderstanding is ready for signature by both parties. But the bottom line is that the challenges that we face will be overcome in the not too distant future. And I appeal to all those persons who have been providing a yeoman service to those special children, that they will receive the required funding shortly. A petition was launched for funding to be provided to keep the schools open. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Regime opacity and the secrecy shrouding the successor to ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika have been hampering Algeria from carrying out economic reforms to wean their economy from dependence on hydrocarbons, especially as the languishing oil prices at 50 dollars a barrel are set to last for years longer. International think tanks and independent media are awash with analyses about an impending implosion in Algeria if the authoritarian status quo continues along with widespread corruption and lack of economic diversification vision. US magazine News Week recently dedicated an article entitled Tensions Rise as Algerias Leaders Feud and the Economy Stagnates deeming that the failing health of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika whose capacity to give a speech is doubted has fueled a power struggle between the domestic intelligence service DRS, the army and his office, the presidency. The article, written by Max Wrey of Alaco, a London-based business intelligence consultancy, considers that this secret power struggle rose to the floor on multiple incidents such as the investigation into the state oil firm Sonatrach, which cast unwanted attention on individuals close to the presidency. Wrey recalls that the DRS has also sought to wield influence by allegedly exaggerating, and in some cases abetting, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, in a cynical effort to win backing from foreign powers engaged in the war on terror. He noted the existence of indicators of a connivance between the DRS and terrorist groups, noting that during the Ain Amenas hostage crisis, the Algerian intelligence services opted for an intervention that ended in carnage. The DRS, driven by fear of having its complicity with the terrorists uncovered, wanted to quash any lines of negotiation. Whatever their motivation, a DRS commander at Amenas, General Athmane Tartag, overruled the armys call for restraint and sent his men in to shatter the tense standoff by force. This put the DRS on a collision course with the army. The presidency, set to clip DRS wings, proceeded to a controversial replacement of the head of the intelligence service Mohamed Mediene with a henchman of the President General Athmane Tartag. Amid this power struggle between the pillars of the Algerian military regime: the presidency, the army and the intelligence services, little enthusiasm has been shown to lift Algeria from its dependence on oil. Vested interests of the competing factions of the regime coupled with endemic corruption make economic reforms devoid of credibility. The government has imposed taxes on a population that is used to state largess and subsidies threatening Algerias social peace. Trimming public spending and raising revenue through VAT and taxes on electricity, fuel and tobacco have so far provoked unrest, with rioters in the eastern city of Bejaia clashing with police and torching state buses at the start of January, says the author of the article. These reforms, argues Wrey, ignore the widespread corruption that affected almost all large-scale projects in Algeria. Algerias flagship development project, the East-West Highway, fell victim to the national malaise. Originally allocated a budget of $6bn, rampant graft saw the project eventually completed for a price of almost $15 billion, making it mile for mile the most expensive road in the world. The superficial nature of the reforms that aim at polishing the facade is similar to the regimes democratic facade where a group with vested interests in maintaining the authoritarian status quo and rent economy maintain a firm grip on the government machinery by ruling without actually governing. Meanwhile, the combustible material continues to pile: imploding demography, unemployed youth, languishing oil prices, regional turmoil and latent militant groups. Libyan field Marshal Khalifa Haftar told French media Journal du Dimanche (JDD) Sunday he hoped President Donald Trumps would join President Vladimir Putin in supporting his army in the fight against terrorists in Libya. If Russia and the United States come together in order to stamp out terrorism that can help us. We are going to shake their hands. We will align with them, Haftar said. The Libyan army veteran has sided with Moscow in his fight against terrorism in and around Benghazi; the second city of the North African country. One time Gaddafis ally, Haftar participated in the NATO-backed ouster of the Libyan ruler in 2011. He is opposed to the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), which he qualifies as a western puppet, and aligns with the eastern rival Government. The military field marshal has won Moscows backing in the Libyan political crisis raging since 2011. He travelled two times to Moscow to seek military support and the lifting of the UN arm embargo imposed on the country since 2011. Around 70 injured forces aligned with his army have been flown to Russia for medical treatment. Russia has accepted to receive additional 500 as part of agreement signed between the two sides. In his interview with JDD, the 73-year old man also thanked France for its support in the fight against terrorism. Paris is said to have secretly worked with Haftar in combatting terrorists in the eastern part of the country. French authorities have offered intelligence agents, small troops and aircrafts for reconnaissance operations. Talking about the three French soldiers who died last year in July in a helicopter crash, Haftar indicated that he was profoundly sad. But the French government has not abandoned us, he said. They rapidly came up with other alternatives. It stands to reason that we will not forget this wonderful work. Prime Minister Youssef Chahed Saturday inspected six new US-made helicopters delivered to Tunisia to further the armys capacity to fight terrorism and secure border with neighboring Libya. The warships, OH-58D Kiowa type, are a first batch of 24 aircrafts deal signed with the US military cooperation agency (DSCA) in May last year. The deal is estimated at $100 million. The equipment exhibits excellent capacities making them appropriate for day and night operations. They can be used for reconnaissance operations, surveillance, aerial support, protection and determination of stationary or moving targets, a Tunisian government official told French AFP. The aircraft can also destroy with precision their target, the source said. The North African country has been affected by unrest in neighboring Libya. Islamic State group militants have used Libya as a launch pad of attacks in the region. Tunisia was rocked in 2015 by three terrorist attacks all reportedly perpetrated by IS militants trained in Libya. The militants, after sustaining defeat from UN-backed Libyan forces, have been crossing into Tunisia. Washington and several other western capitals have been supporting Tunisia in its fight against terrorism, mainly in securing its 500 km-border with Libya. The North African country received in January additional two American speed vessels to help in the fight against illegal migration and terrorism. Two other vessels will be delivered in one year time aside from the four already delivered. In 2015, Washington designated Tunisia as a Major Non-NATO Ally, paving the way for the country to receive military support from NATO. US magazine Newsweek highlighted that Moroccos readmission to the African Union offers an opportunity to further boost trade with African countries. The magazine notes that on the economic front Moroccos return to the AU will enable it to benefit from intra-African trade regions to the same extent as other countries. Membership in the continental bloc will help Morocco compensate for the state of paralysis characterizing economic cooperation in the Maghreb region, added the magazine. Moroccos endeavor to foster economic ties with Africa has been evidenced by the signing of 1,000 agreements and treaties with various African countries since 2000, noted the US publication, adding that King Mohammed VI made 46 visits to 25 countries on the continent in the same period. The presence of Moroccan financial institutions and firms in several African countries has also been conducive to boosting trade says Newsweek. Moroccan banks have expanded throughout Africa, with a presence in more than 20 countries, and the countrys state-run airline Royal Air Maroc is one of Africas biggest airlines, with Casablanca used as a transit point for many sub-Saharan Africans traveling across the continent. The magazine also sheds light on the changing dynamic within the African Union in favor of Moroccos territorial integrity, saying that when Morocco left the predecessor of the African Union, the Organisation of African Unity, most member countries supported the Algerian-backed RASD entity, but now it is no longer the case. Quoting Liesl Louw-Vaudran, an analyst at the Institute of Security Studies in South Africa, the magazine says that support for the polisario separatists has waned within the continental organization. Louw Vaudran framed it: I dont think theres anyone who thinks that total independence for Western Sahara is still on the cards. In a strong worded statement, Moroccos Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry alerted the European Union to the repercussions that may result from failing to honor the agricultural agreement after attempts to deny entrance of some Moroccan products. Morocco and the European Union have inked an agricultural agreement whose implementation covers all the territories of the Kingdom of Morocco, said the statement, while recalling that the agreement was halted due to judicial proceedings that resulted in maintaining the Agreement. The Agreement should be applied in line with the spirit that governed its negotiation and signing, said the Ministry, adding that the EU should ensure propitious conditions for the implementation of the Agreement. Morocco urged the European Commission and the European Council to counter attempts aiming at hindering the full implementation of the agreement. Failure by the EU to honor commitment under the Agricultural Agreement would trigger serious repercussions at the social and economic level, warned the Ministry. It stressed in this vein that any attempt to impede the Agreement would affect thousands of jobs in both Morocco and Europe in vital sectors with a possibility of triggering a migration flow which Morocco has been leading steady efforts to manage and contain. Acts aiming at blocking access of some Moroccan products to the European market should be sanctioned and treated firmly by our European partners, the Ministry made it clear, highlighting that such attempts undermine the cooperation momentum that has been building up for years. In the face of such obstacles, Morocco finds itself in the obligation of multiplying partners in different regions notably Russia, China, India, Japan, the GCC countries as well as Africa. In this respect, the statement highlights Moroccos commitment to promote agriculture in Africa as a vector of boosting stability and food security through sharing experience and offering technical assistance as well as access to fertilizers. The EUs falling short of honoring its commitment under the Agriculture Agreement would push Morocco to take a decisive choice, that of preserving a frail agreement or to disengage once and for all in order to redraft a new trade map, warned the statement. Last December, the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) which has declared agricultural trade deals with the Kingdom as valid and annulled the verdict it issued in December 2015. This ruling had suspended the agreement on grounds that it included the southern provinces, the Sahara, within its scope. The court declared invalid the challenge to the Morocco-EU trade deals submitted by the Polisario, the Algeria funded and based separatist militia, to the trade deals. The EUs top court, thus overruled its previous verdict and rejected the Polisarios right to appeal. The EU and Morocco have struck agreements allowing duty-free quotas for agricultural products such as tomatoes and granting access for European vessels to fish in Moroccan waters in return for financial assistance. The two sides also began negotiations in 2013 to sign a deeper and broader free trade agreement. Republican lawmakers have shown a willingness to overlook a lot of Donald Trumps incendiary remarks, but would they stand up to the president if he defended Russian president Vladimir Putin by saying the U.S. has plenty of killers too? Sort of! A handful of Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, broke with the president on Sunday, saying they do not think theres any equivalency between the U.S. and a foreign leader suspected of killing scores of journalists and political opponents. In President Trumps preSuper Bowl interview, he said he respects Putin and hopes Russia can help in the fight against ISIS. But hes a killer, though. Putins a killer, said Bill OReilly. There are a lot of killers, Trump said. Weve got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our countrys so innocent? I dont know of any government leaders that are killers, OReilly responded. Well, take a look at what weve done too. Weve made a lot of mistakes, said Trump, claiming, once again, despite the lack of evidence, that he was always against the war in Iraq. A lot of mistakes, okay, but a lot of people were killed. So a lot of killers around, believe me. Watch Bill OReillys interview with President @realDonaldTrump Sunday at 4p ET during the #SuperBowl pregame show on FOX. pic.twitter.com/OcRVRK8JgR Fox News (@FoxNews) February 4, 2017 Since President Trumps remarks about Putin were released as a preview on Saturday, Republican leaders had to address them on the Sunday shows. On CNNs State of the Union, McConnell rejected Trumps characterization, calling Putin a thug though when Jake Tapper asked how he would have reacted if President Obama had made the same remarks, the majority leader said he does not intend to critique the presidents every utterance. I dont think theres any equivalency between the way that the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does, McConnell said. I do think America is exceptional. America is different, he added. We dont operate in any way the way the Russians do. I think theres a clear distinction here that all Americans understand, and no, I would not have characterized it that way. In an interview with ABC News, Senator Ben Sasse said the U.S. is nothing like the Putin regime: The U.S. affirms freedom of speech; Putin is no friend of freedom of speech. Putin is an enemy of freedom of religion; the U.S. celebrates freedom of religion. Putin is an enemy of the free press; the U.S. celebrates free press. There is no moral equivalency between the United States of America the greatest freedom-loving nation in the history of the world and the murderous thugs that are in Putins defense on his cronyism, he added. Several Republicans criticized Trumps remarks on Twitter, including Senator Marco Rubio and Representative Liz Cheney. When has a Democratic political activists been poisoned by the GOP, or vice versa? We are not the same as #Putin. MR Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 5, 2017 Only reason we should ever lift sanctions on #Putin is if he meets conditions of sanctions & ends violations of #ukraine sovereignty. MR Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 5, 2017 .@POTUS statement suggesting moral equivalence between Putin's Russia and the United States of America is deeply troubling and wrong. Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) February 5, 2017 America has been a beacon of light and freedom. There is no equivalence with the brutal regime of Vladimir Putin. John Kasich (@JohnKasich) February 5, 2017 House Speaker Paul Ryan declined to criticize Trump directly, but his spokeswoman AshLee Strong pointed to the speakers condemnation of Putin at a CNN town hall last month. Speaker Ryan has consistently and frequently spoken out on Russia and Putin and made his opinions well known, including the need for continued sanctions, she told the Washington Post. Unsurprisingly, the Trump administration stood by the comments, and even had Vice-President Mike Pence defend them, arguing that somehow Trump was not suggesting the U.S. is like Putins Russia when he said our countrys so innocent? I simply dont accept that there was any moral equivalency in the presidents comments, Pence said on Face the Nation. Look, President Trump throughout his life, his campaign, and in this administration has never hesitated to be critical of government policies by the United States in the past. But there was no moral equivalency. Rukmini Callimachi. Photo: Peter Hapak/Trunk Archive Around 7:30 p.m., three hours before she is scheduled to depart on an overnight flight to Jordan, Rukmini Callimachi sends me a text message. Im so sorry but Im running really late, it reads. Callimachi, one of journalisms foremost experts on the grisly activities of ISIS and other extremist groups, is still at home, waiting for a last-minute load of laundry to dry. By the time she picks me up, on a corner outside her office at the New York Times Building, it is just two hours until takeoff. She is unperturbed, greeting me with a warm smile as I join her in the back seat of the Kia sedan. A backpack, stuffed to a rocklike density, is wedged between us. Shes rushing off on a monthlong reporting trip to the Middle East her first since President Trump injected the region with even more chaos and mistrust. The previous Friday, Trump had issued his executive order banning travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations, including the ISIS strongholds of Syria and Iraq. In the shocked aftermath, Callimachi, whose Twitter account is usually devoted to discussing national security and ISIS and sometimes debating the groups many online sympathizers posted that she found herself in tears at the news. She says she thinks the order is flawed from so many angles, one of which is intensely personal for her. She was once a refugee. As our Lyft driver, a bearded young man named Nejat, navigates through Times Square, Callimachi tells the story. In March 1979, when she was 5, Rukmini, her mother, and her grandmother boarded a train out of Romania. The communist regime of Nicolae Ceausescu tightly restricted travel, but her mother had managed to obtain passports by citing the need to visit an ill relative in Paris. What she believes is that the authorities made the calculated decision that Oh, two women and a child, that seems legit, they really are going to just go and come back, she says. My dad basically sacrificed himself. He stayed back. After a stressful passage through Hungary, where they were nearly detained by authorities, they ended up in Switzerland, where they were awarded asylum. The Romanian government punished her father, a skilled pediatric surgeon, by transferring him to a remote village. The five years of my life in Switzerland was a pretty dark time for us, Callimachi says. We suddenly had a label on us. We were refugees, and we were immigrants, and the worst of all was that we were from Romania. In conservative Lausanne, she would hear the Swiss yell at her mother, cursing about ces putains de roumains those fucking Romanians. But her disquieting immigrant experiences have since informed her reporting on jihadists, many of whom grew up in Europe, relegated to the fringes as she was by ethnic prejudice. Theres something about their life where theyre at some level not fitting in, she says. And that seems very human to me. To Callimachis mind, the United States she moved to California after her grandmother married an American always seemed different from Europe: a place, she wrote on Twitter, where *anyone* from anywhere can arrive and can belong/thrive. She became a citizen and later a foreign correspondent, earning a finalist nomination for the Pulitzer Prize while reporting for the Associated Press in West Africa. She was living there when Barack Obama won the presidency in 2008, thrilling the continent. The next day, when I walked to work, and we were walking past the vegetable sellers and the taxi vendors, everybody was doing that Lamericaine! and thumbs-up, she says. She recalls being summoned to a press conference by the newly reelected president of Senegal, who delivered an hours-long harangue against the press for suggesting he might lose. I remember sitting there as a young American reporter, seeing this spectacle and thinking, This would never happen at home. The events of the past year, though, have shaken such assumptions of superiority. The night after Trump signed the travel ban, Callimachi went to the home of a friend who was hosting a dinner for a Syrian refugee couple. The husband, trained as a chef back home, had prepared a Middle Eastern banquet. The Arabic speakers at the party tried to explain to the perplexed refugees what was happening at airports all around the country, where people like them were being detained and outraged protesters were rallying. But no one could quite believe the news. Ive gotten emails and messages from dismayed friends who are trying to get some clarity on what this means, and of course I dont have clarity myself. I dont understand where this is going to lead, Callimachi says. To those who long for an apocalyptic war between Islam and the secular West, Trumps confrontational moves look like the fulfillment of a prophecy. Though she often travels into the field, Callimachi is best known for her investigations into the ways ISIS recruits fighters and spreads propaganda via online social networks. It used to be that would-be terrorists traveled to remote camps to be trained to carry out acts of violence, but today, a jihadist never has to leave his computer. That is why Callimachi, like many terrorism experts, thinks the travel ban is likely only to aid the extremist cause. Although ISIS has yet to release an official statement, the militants she monitors were celebrating on Twitter and in their Telegram channels. Some were happy that Trump appeared to be tearing down American democracy from within. The other line of commentary, Callimachi says, is that this just shows the great evil of America for what it really is. This is what they knew America always was, and now the mask has been taken off. To those who long for an apocalyptic war between Islam and the secular West, Trumps confrontational moves look like the fulfillment of a prophecy. The Kia swings up a concrete ramp and stops in front of the terminal, and I help Callimachi wheel a pair of large suitcases to the counter for Royal Jordanian Airlines. Women in head scarves are clustered around the elastic entrance to the check-in line. Families are hugging, saying good-bye. When you look at President Trumps tweet where he says that we didnt tell anybody because otherwise the bad guys would come in, she says. Who are these bad guys? The vast majority of people who have been arrested in America for ties to ISIS have been citizens or permanent residents; since 2001, there have been few cases of terrorist attacks mounted by foreign visitors. Omar Mateen: born here. San Bernardino, half of the couple was born here, the other was from Pakistan a place thats not on the list, she says. The point is to keep us safe, but the people who are doing this are overwhelmingly not from these countries. And at the same time we are aggravating our relationship with the very partners that we need. Callimachi is a reporter, but she knows that once she lands in the Middle East, she will be the one facing questions. You know, when youre an American living overseas, your countrys foreign policy is basically tattooed to your forehead, she says. In December, shortly after Trumps election, Callimachi visited the city of Mosul, where the Iraqi army is engaged in a bloody street-by-street battle to drive out ISIS. Iraqi troops are dying in large numbers, she says. And now the United States, their supposed ally, has labeled these allies personae non gratae. Ive been with Iraqi troops and with the Peshmerga and have seen how they are fighting for Mosul and the price that theyre paying, she says. Its got to be pretty insulting to have a place on this list. Now Callimachi is returning to witness the consequences. Her flight is boarding, and she gets in the security line, American passport in hand. *This article appears in the February 6, 2017, issue of New York Magazine. Sticks and stones. Photo: Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images Some Republican lawmakers have objected to President Donald Trumps defense of Russian president Vladimir Putin by claiming the U.S. also has got a lot of killers in an interview with Fox News Bill OReilly. But GOP leaders werent the only ones miffed by the exchange. We consider such words from the Fox TV company to be unacceptable and insulting, a Kremlin spokesman told reporters in response to the Fox News host, who said Putins a killer in response to Trumps statement that he wanted closer relations with Russia and to work with Putin on defeating ISIS. OReilly was referring to allegations that the Russian leader has directed hits on journalists and political opponents. The Kremlin added that, Honestly speaking, we would prefer to get an apology from such a respected TV company. The Boston Globe may have sent their early edition to the printer around the same time Patriots fans gave up and went to bed, with New England down 28 to 3. Which apparently meant some early-edition subscribers in Florida received an alternative-facts version of the front page Monday. Family friends in Naples, FL had this delivered to their house this morning. The perils of early edition newspapers. pic.twitter.com/iSbchhrqSx Field Yates (@FieldYates) February 6, 2017 The Washington Post early edition was at least a bit more circumspect. Sad! Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images The chaos of Donald Trumps opening weeks should not come as a total shock. The first president with no experience in government, surrounded by a chief of staff, a chief strategist, and a son-in-law who also lack any government experience and who seem to be competing ruthlessly with each other for power, is not a formula for quick success. The administrations incompetence manifested itself most visibly in the rapid execution of a cruel, overbearing immigration restriction that provoked protests nationwide and even grumbling from some Republicans in Congress. At another level, though, the travel ban might be seen, from the ideological perspective of the people who crafted it, not necessarily as a failure at all. Despite its ostensibly narrow scope, the operation was extraordinarily ambitious, designed to send a message to the world about who Americans are, who can become American, and, most especially, who cannot. The mayhem, inconvenience, and heartbreak it caused were in fact its very intent. There are three different aspects of the Trump presidency at play. One is simply characterological: The presidents distinct troubled-adolescent behavior pattern, which, via regular bouts of insult-spewing, braggadocio, ignorance, extravagant promises, wild lies, and absolute intolerance of criticism, frequently throws the policymaking process into disarray. The second component, and the largest, is standard Republican policy, developed in Congress and conservative think tanks for decades, which Trump has begun to implement fairly smoothly. The administration has already nominated Neil Gorsuch, an orthodox movement conservative, to the Supreme Court; it has frozen regulations and green-lit pipelines and snapped back government support for foreign organizations that provide abortions. The final and most mysterious element the one that created the travel ban is Trumpism. This is the ethno-nationalistic aspect of the presidents governing ideology, which springs both from Trumps own impulses and from ideas nurtured by a handful of his closest aides, including Steve Bannon, Stephen Miller, and several staffers brought over from the alt-right publication Breitbart. Trumpism combines an instinctive belief in zero-sum relations between countries with a narrow and retrograde definition of American identity. And a key aspect of Trumpism is surprise. This is partly due to circumstance: There are no off-the-shelf Trumpist agendas that the White House can immediately translate into policy. But in developing their plans, Bannon and Miller have cultivated a maximum amount of secrecy, reportedly conscripting GOP legislative aides who hid their work from their own bosses and shielding most of Trumps own Cabinet from their plans. The executive order halting admission of refugees and cracking down on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries was a narrower codification of the total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States that Trump had promised during the campaign. The implementation was a fiasco. Tens of thousands of travelers en route to the U.S. found themselves blocked, detained, or even deported by Customs agents. Families were separated, children and elderly people terrified. Parents of a 4-month-old with a serious heart condition had to cancel their babys planned heart surgery in Oregon. On and on the tragedies mounted. Beyond the humanitarian costs, the toll on business and intellectual life was immediate. A Danish archaeologist was allegedly denied admission to the U.S. because he excavates ancient sites in Iraq. A computer-science-department staffer told one reporter his university had lost 11 Ph.D. candidates to the ban. The confusion spread worldwide and made a statement of its own. A pillar of Trumpism is the refusal to distinguish between peaceful and violent Muslims. Trump has said Islam hates us, and when asked if he distinguishes between radical Islam and the religion as a whole, he brushed off the distinction: Its very hard to separate, because you dont know who is who. Bannon has repeatedly emphasized his belief that Islam as a whole poses an existential threat to Christianity. (Islam is not a religion of peace, Bannon has said. Islam is a religion of submission.) Trump has falsely implicated the entire Muslim-American community in the terrorist attacks of domestic radicals in San Bernardino and Orlando. Trump advisers have depicted the threat of radical Islam as multidimensional and multigenerational that is, pervasive and intrinsic to all Muslims. From 1975 to 2015, immigrants from the seven excluded countries killed a total of zero Americans in terror attacks on U.S. soil. And yet Trumpists see terrorism as a pervasive, invisible threat that spreads within Muslim communities. Punishing innocent Muslims for the threat posed by terrorists is not a side effect of their policy but an expression of its tenets. The collateral damage to academia and tech firms from the ban may, too, have been part of the point. There is a plausible argument that low-skilled immigrants depress wages for workers in blue-collar fields and that their numbers should thus be reduced. But leaked memos suggest the administration is designing crackdowns on highly skilled immigrants, despite mounds of evidence showing that such immigrants increase incomes for Americans of modest means. Bannon has denounced what he calls progressive plutocrats in Silicon Valley and complained that engineering schools are all full of people from South Asia and East Asia. Describing his vision for Trumponomics after the elections, he enthused, Its the greatest opportunity to rebuild everything. Shipyards, ironworks, get them all jacked up. There is no economic analysis identifying shipyards and ironworks as promising sectors for public investment. His mind simply runs automatically toward nostalgia for the manly work of an older generation. Trumpism is a culture war sold through chimerical economic and security gains. Michael Anton, a national-security staffer in the administration and a key Trumpist intellectual, wrote an anonymous essay during the campaign predicting that Trumps election would stanch what Anton called the ceaseless importation of Third World foreigners with no tradition of, taste for, or experience in liberty. America has long been defined unlike France or Germany or Japan or Russia as a country lacking a singular race. The ambition of Trumpism seems to be to create a blood-and-soil American nationalism, an identity from which Asian, Muslim, and Latin American immigrants are excluded permanently. It is widely known that very few Republican elites share this Trumpist vision. Whats grown clear since the election is how little this matters. Traditional Republicans would prefer to build a coalition for their small-government policies that would attract immigrant communities, but they will take any coalition that presents itself. Paul Ryans professions of love for tolerance and openness before the election reflected the calculations of a politician who expected his nominee to lose and was planning to repair the anticipated damage to his partys brand. The ideas that deeply troubled Ryan when articulated by a losing presidential candidate sound far more acceptable when articulated by a sitting president who promises to sign his fiscal bills. People close to Ryan and the White House say the Speaker shares an easy rapport with Steve Bannon, reports Politico. Trumpisms greatest vulnerability lies not in the buried qualms of his Republican partners. It is in the American public. January was a month of citizen protest unlike anything this country has witnessed in decades. After the travel ban was announced, mass outpourings at airports many spontaneous beamed around the world a message perhaps just as potent as the one the president delivered. Previous American presidents have espoused Americas openness and belief in harmony, but it took Trump to inspire Christians, Jews, Muslims, and others to join together in demonstrations of patriotic, ecumenical solidarity. At the moment, they are the strongest defense of the American idea against an ideology determined to thwart it. *This article appears in the February 6, 2017, issue of New York Magazine. Who will judge the judges? Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images Federal judges get things wrong. If everyone in American politics can agree on anything, its that. Sure, Bernie Sanders resents judges for finding that corporations are people, while Louie Gohmert resents them for inviting God to rain hell on our modern-day Gomorrah but both agree that judicial wisdom is not infallible. Nonetheless, when Barack Obama revealed that he held this all-but-universal opinion, by criticizing the Citizens United decision in his 2010 State of the Union, conservatives were scandalized. And not entirely without reason: The quickest path to a constitutional crisis is a rift between the Executive branch and the Judicial, so we generally expect our president and Supreme Court justices to play nice. Obama acknowledged this norm in his carefully worded rebuke. With all due deference to separation of powers, last week the Supreme Court reversed a century of law that, I believe, will open the floodgates for special interests, including foreign corporations, to spend without limit in our elections, the president said. And I urge Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps correct some of these problems. Obama prefaced his remarks with a nod to the legitimacy of the courts power, and then called on legislators to pass reforms that might mitigate the substantive harms of the Citizens United ruling. In his first run-in with the law, our new president has taken a different approach. 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. In his response to the ruling, the president did not preface his displeasure with a hat-tip to the separation of powers. 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 It was more than a little disconcerting to see the president frame judicial independence as a threat to law and order, while questioning the legitimacy of a dissenting judges claim to legal authority. But, at least, Trumps outrage was focused on a single judge and judicial opinion. Further, the president suggested that he would seek vindication through proper legal channels. But hours later, Trump upped the ante framing 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 courts 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 Six years ago, the president expressing dismay over the consequences of a Supreme Court decision while stipulating his respect for the rulings legitimacy was treated as cause for concern. Imagine if Obama had instructed the American people to blame the next financial crisis on the court system since it had allowed bad campaign donations to come pouring in. There is no doubt that such a statement would have made for front-page news and talk of impeachment. But we have already become so desensitized to our new presidents 140-character authoritarianism, the fact that Trump characterized the court system as a national-security threat did not qualify as headline news Monday morning. We should not gloss over this. 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 argues that the federal judge was in no position to rule on the propriety of the executive order, because he lacks access to classified intelligence. .@SebGorka: "[Judge James Robart] doesn't have the daily presidential intelligence brief. He has no idea what the threats to America are." pic.twitter.com/bARH3ii2Fy Fox News (@FoxNews) February 5, 2017 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. If Trump is the sole legitimate source of information about what Americans want, why bother with elections? Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images It says a lot about the political systems (and the news medias) adjustment to the Trump Era that this tweet from the president of the United States seems like routine news: Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017 Polls arent inherently flawed, it seems: just those that are negative about Trumps policies. That is because he is uniquely qualified to understand what the American people want. Why? Well, presumably because he won the presidency despite fake polls suggesting he would lose. It appears Trump is going to keep repeating this chain of convoluted logic until people who look favorably upon him accept it implicitly: He won a big, landslide victory that was disguised by media lies and many millions of fraudulent votes against him; thus he has a mandate to do exactly what he is doing; and what hes doing is popular, notwithstanding the lies about it from the same lying pollsters and media. Once you accept the landslide premise, it all follows naturally, since Trumps popular-vote defeat and incredibly narrow path to an electoral vote majority are wished away, and with them the reasonably good record of national polls, which were more accurate in 2016 than in 2012. Thus, the foundational untruth about the actual results of the 2016 election paves the way to the authoritarian (in the most literal sense of the term) premise that only Trump or Trump-approved sources of information can ever, ever be trusted. And actually, that may understate the claim, since the president constantly asserts that media are deliberately, consciously lying about him. And so: Once you accept his overarching lie, everything that contradicts it must be a malicious untruth. The logic is inexorable. It is not especially novel for a politician to try to convince her or his supporters to ignore uncongenial information. But typically the maneuver is executed by the recitation of more congenial information, or by changing the subject, not just by arguing that in all things Daddy knows best. This tack constitutes the death of all rational political discourse across partisan boundaries: Youre either with the boss or against him, and if you are against him, you cannot take a breath without lying. Yes, Trump seems to exhibit a vague sense of accountability for mistakes in that he does not always stay on the same course if he is manifestly screwing up. But again: Any type of yardstick for success or failure that depends strictly on an elected officials self-assessment is worth almost nothing. And that is true even if the elected official in question does not suffer from the personality defect of narcissism. Right now it is not entirely paranoid to wonder what would convince him to relinquish his office in 2021 if he is not reelected. He is as likely to have evidence that many millions of illegal votes were cast against him as he had in 2016, and as likely to argue that national media in league, it is now clear, with activist judges have usurped the power of the American people to choose a president. If Donald Trump is the only legitimate source of information about public opinion, why even bother with elections? Its becoming a real question. After all, when Trump kept hinting he might not accept defeat last November, he did not have the vast powers of the presidency at his disposal. Four years from now, he will. Well soon find out what the Supreme Court thinks about the travel-ban block. Photo: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images The legal battle over President Trumps travel ban has greatly intensified over the past several days, starting with a ruling by the federal judge, James Robart in Washington State, granting a temporary restraining order on several elements of the controversial executive order that Trump signed on January 27. As a result of that order, federal agencies have suspended their enforcement of the travel ban, and anyone with a valid U.S. visa is once again able to enter the U.S. at least for now. Vice-President Mike Pence vowed on Sunday that the White House will use all legal means at our disposal to reinstate the entry ban on refugees and the citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries. President Trump has repeatedly attacked the rulings against the ban, but has also maintained that his administration will emerge victorious. Earlier Sunday, however, Justice Department lawyers failed to obtain an emergency stay against Robarts order in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, pending the appeal theyll finish filing by Monday. Regardless of how the appeals court decides to rule, it seems likely that the case will make it all the way to the Supreme Court, possibly within the week. Below is a look at the recent history and likely future of the legal battle. Whats the story with the order that the Trump administration is appealing? On Friday, U.S. District Judge James L. Robart granted a temporary nationwide restraining order against the travel ban, siding with the attorneys general of Washington State and Minnesota, who had sued to overturn parts of Trumps executive order instituting the ban. Robart did not offer an opinion on the constitutionality of the ban, but nonetheless decided 1) that he thought the plaintiffs were likely to win based on their constitutional claims, 2) that blocking the ban was in the public interest, and 3) that allowing the ban to remain in place while the case was underway would cause Washington and Minnesota irreparable harm. More specifically, Robart ruled that Trumps executive order adversely affects the States residents in areas of employment, education, business, family relations and freedom to travel, and causes significant and ongoing harm to the two states tax bases and public universities. Robarts nationwide ruling is broader than any of the rulings that other judges have made against the travel ban. Thats unusual since district-court judges rarely issue nationwide orders, though such rulings are still within their legal power. In this case, Robart said he was concerned that partial implementation would undermine the constitutional imperative of a uniform Rule of Naturalization, and Congresss instruction that the immigration laws of the United States should be enforced vigorously and uniformly. Some of the language in Robarts ruling echoed a Texas-based district judges 2015 nationwide injunction against the implementation of President Obamas executive order granting protections to the children of undocumented immigrants. Temporary restraining orders usually remain in place for 14 days unless the judge makes the order permanent by issuing a preliminary injunction at the trial court level, or the restraining order is overturned by a higher court like at a court of appeals, which is where the Trump administration is currently seeking a stay. Traditionally, the government has to wait for a preliminary injunction before filing an appeal, but in this case, the Justice Department is arguing that, because of the nature of the original hearing and Robarts judgment, the order more resembles a preliminary injunction and should thus be appeal-able. That potential technicality could be a problem for the government, however. What case is the Trump administration making in their appeal? In the appeal that Justice Department lawyers filed on Saturday night, they argued that Robarts order should be overturned because it is improper for a lower court to substitute its judgment for the presidents and thwart an executive order, particularly since the order pertains to a potential national-security threat and courts do not have access to the classified information about terrorist threats that the president does. (For what its worth, Judge Robart seems to have challenged the Justice Department on this point and was clearly not satisfied with the answer.) As the President acted well within both statutory and constitutional authorization, the relief irreparably harms our system of government by contravening the Constitutions separation of powers, the Justice Department claimed. The government also argued that Washington and Minnesota arent actually affected by the order and thus dont have the standing to challenge it, insisting that the states arguments to the contrary are insufficient because they only identified speculative harms they would suffer on account of the ban. Put another way, as law professor and legal analyst Steve Vladek explains to CNN, the government believes that the executive order is directed at non-citizens with no meaningful constitutional rights, and any impact on those with substantial ties to the United States is incidental, and given the special relief the government lawyers are seeking, its not clear [the states have] done enough to show that they are harmed by the district courts order to anywhere near the same degree as immigrants from these seven countries are harmed by the executive order. Judicial second-guessing of the Presidents determination that a temporary suspension of entry of certain classes of aliens was necessary at this time to protect national security would constitute an impermissible intrusion on the political branches plenary constitutional authority over foreign affairs, national security, and immigration, the Justice Department said. In addition, Politico explains that there was another recurring element in the brief: The federal filing also makes no fewer than eight references to a Boston-based federal judges order Friday that took a dim view of the legal case against Trumps immigration move and refused to extend a more limited restraining order other federal judges there imposed about a week ago. The Boston order is set to expire on Monday, according to the plaintiffs in that case. Several other judges have also put holds on aspects of Trumps order, but none of those rulings was as sweeping as the one issued in Seattle. Why didnt the Trump administration win an emergency stay? The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals opted against an emergency stay because it said it wanted to see both sides legal briefs before making a decision (and thats what it then asked for). Put another way, the court didnt actually reject the request, it just wasnt willing to go ahead and immediately stay Robarts ruling before getting a look at both sides briefs. So how long is the appeal process going to take? Not very long, it seems. The Ninth appears to be fast-tracking the schedule, and already asked Washington and Minnesota to file by midnight Pacific time on Sunday, and the government to file their now-second brief by 3 p.m. Monday. Whats next for the appeal? Both sides will have filed their next round of legal briefs by Monday, and its likely the appeals court will issue their ruling as soon as possible after that. If the Ninth District Court of Appeals rules against the government, what are the chances that President Trump or the administration accuses it of liberal bias? Pretty good. The court is currently made up of one Carter appointee (William Canby Jr.), one Obama appointee (Michelle Friedland), and one George W. Bush appointee (Richard Clifton), and as Hot Airs Jazz Shaw points out: Out of the entire national bench, the Ninth has the reputation of being far and away the most liberal. (Some Republicans have been looking at ideas to break up the court this year.) If Trumps opponents had any hope of shutting him down in the appeals process, this court was absolutely their best bet. In addition, Trump is already attacking a federal judge who was appointed by George W. Bush, as well as the entire U.S. court system, so its unlikely anything will stop him from attacking a court ruling he doesnt like, or the judges who made it. Will the case go all the way to the Supreme Court? Most likely. Legal experts seem to agree that whichever side loses the appeal will almost certainly ask the Supreme Court to review the judgment, and depending on how fast the appeals court rules, the SCOTUS Justices might be weighing in on that within days. Just keep in mind, the Court is currently short handed and ideologically split thanks to the GOPs nomination blockade on Obama, so if the court either opts against reviewing the case, or becomes deadlocked, that means the lower-court ruling would stand. Will Trumps attacks on judges and the judiciary system matter in the minds of other judges? Will the general confusion and unrest surrounding the implementation of the ban have an effect? Maybe. Trump finished the weekend by tweeting that Judge Robart and the U.S. court system should now be blamed in the event of a future terrorist attack inside the U.S., and Trump seemed to question Robarts legitimacy as a judge in another tweet on Saturday. Plus, its not like this weekend was the first time Trump has attacked a judge who has ruled against him. As far as what effect these comments could have, John Banzhaf, a professor at George Washington University Law School who opposes Robarts ruling, told Politico that they absolutely could come back to bite Trump in the legal ass: Although judges are supposed to be impartial and dispassionate, theyre also regretfully human, and the judiciary doesnt take kindly to it when one of their own is being inappropriately attacked. [] In a very close call, this might just swing it a little bit. Former Justice Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, who worked for the Obama administration, put it more bluntly: With every tweet, he is just making it harder and harder for DOJ attorneys to win in court. So keep it up, I guess. https://t.co/qQID6YEfC2 Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) February 4, 2017 The chaotic and confusing way the Trump administration rolled out the travel ban could also have an impact on the governments legal credibility, as Lawfares Peter Spiro explained last week: The atmospherics are consequential. First is the spectacularly sloppy way in which the ban was adopted. There isnt even the pretense of the order having been properly vetted within the executive branch. That will offend judicial sensibilitiesalready evidenced by the district court orders [last] weekendwhich start with procedural regularity. Although that wont show up in any opinions, judges will approach the order with skepticism rather than obeisance. Spiro also believes that the widespread criticism of the Trump administrations stated rationale for the ban could help shift the courts away from their historically cautious approach to anything implicating national security values: That is at the heart of jurisdictional barriers to considering foreign relations controversies, which is in turn at the heart of plenary power. Judges fret that they have an incomplete understanding of foreign relations. Whats more, if they get it wrong, they see a dramatic downside risk. Judges are unlikely to have that feeling here. Any educated observer can see the folly of Trumps move. They wont worry about getting it wrong, or about a downside risk, at least not as a matter of national security. What about Judge Robart and the case in the district court in Washington State? Robart ordered the states and the Justice Department to propose a schedule for filing additional legal briefs regarding whether to make the temporary order more binding, but he may delay that until after the appeals court weighs in. It seems that if a higher court doesnt allow the governments request say on technical grounds, Robart would need to make the temporary restraining order a preliminary injunction before the government could try for another stay. What about the other court cases against Trumps executive order? There are a lot of them, at least 19 by the last count of the Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse, and its not yet clear how they will turn out. For a primer on the three basic arguments that most of these cases are using, read NBC News roundup here. Photo: H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images When people move across state lines, they usually think about what their new place will be like, their new neighbors, their new town in short, all the other changes that come with a change of address. But what most people dont consider is the way that the move will change them, too. Studies show that character traits, like anxiety and extroversion, vary from one state to another. Theres not only a New York state of mind; theres also a Montana mentality and an Idaho id. But what does that mean for someone whos spent much of their life bopping from place to place (like, say, this writer, whos spent chunks of her life in both New York and Tennessee)? Can we transport an intact personality from place to place, like a piece of furniture? Or does each new move add a fresh coat of paint? To set the stakes, it helps to understand which personality traits are more prevalent in different parts of the country. So far, several studies have zeroed in on different aspects of how people approach interpersonal relationships; a paper in the Journal of Research in Personalitys February issue, for example, outlines state-based differences in attitudes about romantic relationships. New Yorkers should brace themselves for the results: From a survey of more than 127,000 adults, the study authors found that citizens of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic are, on average, more anxious in their romantic relationships than West Coast dwellers. Utah, meanwhile, has one of the least anxious and most relationship-inclined populaces in the country, despite a trend in other mountain states to be less interested than average in forming romantic relationships. We have these stereotypes about places, and it turns out that a lot of those are confirmed, says lead author William Chopik, a psychologist at Michigan State University. To a certain extent, other studies of character variations among states support this idea. Research has shown that Northeasterners and Southeasterners tend to be more neurotic than Westerners, for example, while people in the Southeast, Midwest, and Utah tend to be more agreeable than other Americans. (New York ranks as one of the most neurotic and least agreeable states.) Openness to new experiences, on the other hand, hopscotches across the country New York, Colorado, Nevada, and all of the states along the West Coast rank highly in this quality. But this doesnt necessarily mean New Yorkers should pack their bags for California or Utah to become better adjusted: The degree of influence that place has on an individual can depend on whats driving that places personality to begin with. Jason Rentfrow, a psychologist at the University of Cambridge, has reviewed three different potential factors that may, together or separately, drive state and regional variation: migration patterns, ecology, and social influence. The migration-pattern explanation goes like this: Once a place gains a certain reputation for example, as an enclave for artists or people of a particular religious tradition others with similar inclinations move there themselves, thereby helping to cement that places character. And that character can stay somewhat consistent from generation to generation: To the extent personality traits are genetic, selective migration to a certain region means that its gene pool may reflect some personality traits more strongly that others. Where you move, in other words, may be a better reflection of who you already are than of who you will become. An alternative explanation suggests that ecological influence plays an important role in shaping people. Depending on environment, any kind of personality trait, at least in terms of how it plays out, is probably going to have certain costs and certain benefits, says Mark Schaller, of the University of British Columbia. For example, in a series of studies, Schaller found extraversion to be less common in countries that have traditionally had a higher prevalence of infectious diseases. If Im extroverted, Im going to be coming into contact with more strangers, and that makes me more likely to come into contact with disease, he says. In these same countries, which are often close to the equator, societies are also more likely to stress conformity. If ecology does play a strong role in personality, it follows that something as simple as weather could change someone. A pleasant spring can lead to improved moods and better memory, according to one study, while aggressive behavior increases with temperature. But the most powerful influence on someone who moves may be good ol peer pressure. Cultural institutions and values span generations and inculcate newcomers through social contagion, and people tend to absorb practices and values of those around them. Schaller says social susceptibility may be one of the strongest forces in encouraging new residents to dial up some personality traits while toning down others. For example, a network of happy people can make a person happier; on the other hand, adults who move to new areas where they are in the ideological minority often feel isolated and become less able to take the perspective of others. Educated guesses abound about how moving might change personality, but Chopik and Schaller, as well as most of the studies on the subject, highlight the need for more research. In the meantime, geographic transplants may have to do some research of their own. When does a Tennessean know New York has changed her? Maybe when she starts throwing elbows on a crowded subway car. Photo: Getty Images New Yorks Sex Diaries series asks anonymous city dwellers to record a week in their sex lives with comic, tragic, often sexy, and always revealing results. This week, a 37-year-old married small-business owner wanting to feel more wanted: 37, married, straight, Fort Greene. DAY ONE 9 a.m. Im getting dressed and my husband, John, rushes into the room to kiss me good-bye. Weve been together for six years, married for two. The first couple of years together we had sex almost every day; now, its slowed down to maybe once or twice a week. He tries to get away with a quick kiss, but since Im in my bra and panties, I rub up on him a bit. He promises to give me a spanking later. Spanking? Thats new, but Im down. Alas, I have a feeling it wont happen tonight. The second half of the week we have our kids (mine from my first marriage), and we tend not get too sexy when theyre home. 1 p.m. Listening to podcasts about sperm donors. A few months ago we got a definitive diagnosis that John is sterile, though our doctors cant explain why. Its heartbreaking. Since we first started dating, hes expressed a desire to have his own biological children. Ive had reservations my oldest just turned 16, and I always imagined that since I spent my entire 20s as a mom, Id focus more on my career on my 40s. At the same time, I want John to experience the joy of raising a child from birth. Were both not sure how we feel about sperm donation, so Im trying to listen to other peoples experiences, hoping it sparks something inside of me. 10:30 p.m. Theres no spanking, but John tells me that he donated money to Planned Parenthood in honor of Donald Trump. Now THAT is a turn-on. Still, we curl up and fall asleep together instead of having sex. Were both self-employed and lately business has been good but exhausting. I think about how much energy a new baby would take and wonder if I have it in me. DAY TWO 11 a.m. Im thinking about how much affirmation I got from my ex-husband. He made me feel like a goddess and wanted me every night. Unfortunately, he liked spreading his game around thats the thing about men with a lot of game. John has no game, and sometimes his goofiness drives me nuts. We met after working together on a video shoot, and what attracted me to him most (besides his amazing ass) was that he was the polar opposite of my ex. Now, at times, I wish he would be just a more cocky. 6 p.m. A year ago, around the time we realized we had fertility problems, a stray cat abandoned five kittens under our house. John climbed under the house to rescue them, and we bottle-fed them until three were old enough to be adopted. The other two have turned us into weird cat people. Now, as I clean their litter boxes, I couldnt feel LESS sexy. I need to reconnect with my femininity. 11 p.m. Since its a Saturday night, my son sleeps in our room on a camping mattress. Hes almost 12, but he loves staying in our room on the weekends. We think of my kids as ours after six years together, and I love that we all finally feel like a family. My divorce was the darkest time in my life, and John helped me find the light. Hes an amazing stepdad and role model for my kids. Though it puts a damper on our sex life, I let our son stay in our room whenever he wants. DAY THREE 1 p.m. I ask John if hes had any more thoughts about using a sperm donor. The anxiety of us not being sure what to do really gets to me, but John never gets worked up about anything, even whether we should have a baby. This time is no different he wont say much, then leaves the room. For my part, I feel completely split. When I held my sisters newborn daughter in my arms five months ago, I cried tears of joy but also of mourning. Now, hearing her lament the life of a new mother, I find myself happy to have it all behind me. Could I really start over again? One night last winter my teenage daughter woke up with a high fever and needed me to take care of her I was horrified at how unsympathetic I was at 3 a.m. What would nursing through the night be like in my late 30s versus my early 20s? I hate admitting it, but knowing we would have to use a donor did complicate things for me. Before we found out about Johns sterility, there was no question that John and I would have our own child. 5 p.m. Sunday night is usually date night for us the kids go to their dads until Wednesday. Getting ready for dinner, I decide to actually dress like a girl for once and wear lingerie under a dress. I used to own a lingerie shop and have quite the collection. John doesnt really care for lingerie, though. Its not that he doesnt like it hed just prefer me in a T-shirt with no bra. When I wear fancy underthings, its truly just for me. 8:30 p.m. How about we play babysitter? I say. He makes a face. After a little more back and forth, we decide were overdoing it. I leave the room, leave everything on but my underwear, and pretend to be asleep. A few minutes later were having dirty sex. Afterward, were lying next to each other, satisfied, and I wonder why we dont do this more often. Sex with John is always good. We have that thing where two bodies just fit together well. In the past I worried that we would get bored, but Id rather have routine sex with John for the rest of my life than discover a series of new lovers. DAY FOUR 2 p.m. I find myself replaying the night before in my mind. In my first marriage, we werent quite as content, sexually and our for sexual exploration led to a failed experiment with an open marriage. I would never risk real love for a thrill again. I want what John and I have just more. Suddenly I feel a little shy. Does John think about me as much as I think about him? I send him a text telling him how good last night felt, and he sends back a winky face. 10:30 p.m. I have to work tomorrow so decide to turn in, thinking John will follow. After a few minutes Im still alone in the bed I FaceTime him instead of getting up. Hes at his desk and has such a genuine smile on his face when we connect that I cant help but smile back. We kiss the screen and I hang up. I fall asleep with the cat at my feet, hugging a pillow. DAY FIVE 7:15 a.m. John comes in from the gym. Im wearing jeans and a bra with lots of sexy straps because it just so happens to also be very supportive. He doesnt notice, and instead we launch into an in-depth conversation about how our two cats slept. 11 a.m. Without fail, 11 a.m. is when I want sex. Its as uncanny as it is inconvenient, but for as long as I can remember, I get spontaneously aroused around 11 a.m.! 6 p.m. Get home and kiss John. His whiskers prick my nose and I yell out, annoyed. I just want food and a big glass of wine. 8 p.m. Go watch The Bachelor with my sisters (I cant help it). Im so exhausted I decide that Im 100 percent out on sex tonight. 10:45 p.m. I get home and Johns already in bed. Hes been going to the gym at six every morning, so hes exhausted every night. I should feel appreciative Ive had a lot of friends complain to me that their husbands have grown beer bellies or let themselves go. I do this a lot: get down about an aspect of my marriage or even my husband himself and then quickly realize how good things are. Maybe not exciting, or spontaneous, or passionate but truly GOOD. 11 p.m. I climb into bed and John asks me how the show was. I tell him to go to sleep and kiss him good night. He takes one of my icy-cold feet into his warm hand. DAY SIX 6 a.m. I wake up from a long dream about a client confessing his attraction to me and us fooling around. There was a LOT of attention to my breasts. Ive never found this guy attractive, and I feel a little weird about it, until I realized that the dream must have something to do with me wanting to feel desired. As Ive gotten older, I have started to feel more and more invisible to the opposite sex. I remember going out ten years ago and feeling that I got too much attention. Now I feel that Im barely noticed, sometimes even by my own husband. Yet at the same time, I feel completely secure in the fact that hes only interested in me and me alone. 7 a.m. Like he read my mind, John tells me, You look good, and everyone thinks so. Im sure of it. Its not poetry, but I know what he means to say. I kiss him good-bye before heading out and notice how damn good that boy is looking. Suddenly Im pro-gym. 11 a.m. Even though I feel a bit awkward around my client, the dream sparked something in me, and Im having a little fun flirting today. And like clockwork, horny at 11. Honestly, is there a less convenient time to want sex? Thats what vacation is for day sex! John and I need a vacation. 10:30 p.m. John and I climb into bed and he initiates sex for the first time in a while. At first Im not feeling turned on, even when he goes down on me. We start having sex in the spoon position, and after a few moments, he gets really quiet and stops moving. Are you okay? I ask. Yeah I just finished. We start laughing at his silent, still orgasm. Not that hes ever that loud, but this is odd like he just spaced out for a second. We laugh and kiss, and now Im turned on, so I bust out my vibrator and he gently fingers me until I come. I try the silent thing, letting the orgasm roll over me instead of reaching for it. We kiss good night, and John falls asleep with one of our cats on his chest. I feel perfectly content in every way. DAY SEVEN 7 a.m. Getting ready for work, Im aware that Im trying to look good. I guess if Im being honest, I really do miss getting more attention from men. At the same time, I understand that we trade some things for others as we get older, and most of the time for the better, even if its painful. 7:30 a.m. John is home from the gym eating hard-boiled eggs for breakfast. Fact is, hes looking really buff, and for a second I wonder if he might be going through his own period of self-doubt. Wouldnt it make sense that his masculinity is a little bruised after finding out hes sterile? I make sure I tell him how sexy I think he is and even kiss him, egg breath and all. 1 p.m. During crew lunch for the video shoot Im working on, my two clients (who are 12 years younger than me) are talking about the new woman one of them started dating. I get a flash of longing the rush of a new relationship is like nothing else. Ill probably always long for what I dont have just a little, and I forgive myself for it. 9 p.m. The kids, John, and I are all curled up on couches in our living room watching The Great British Baking Show. Big Ginge, our orange cat, sleeps on Johns chest and Beyonce, his sister, is curled up on a radiator. Our son is lying on my lap and our daughter isnt even on her phone. Whether or not John and I decide to use a donor and create a child together, I know that what we have now is pretty fantastic. Want to submit a sex diary? Email sexdiaries@nymag.com and tell us a little about yourself. The OECD Observer online archive takes you on a journey through half a century of public policy and world progress. Since November 1962, the OECDs experts and leading guests offer insights on the questions facing our member countries with concise and authoritative analysis, and provide our audiences with an excellent opportunity to understand policy debates and consider solutions. Each edition of the OECD Observer reports on a core theme of the OECDs on-going work, from economics and society through governance, finance, and the environment, and articles are bolstered by tables and graphs. can't believe hurricane katrina was almost 12 years ago Reply Thread Link My friend committed suicide the day before Katrina hit and I always associate the two because of it. I cannot believe he's been gone almost 12 years. Reply Parent Thread Link this premise seems tacky to me tbh Reply Thread Link yeah, it's Ryan Murphy always doing the most. I wouldn't be surprised if the next season of Feud is like Israel vs Palestine Reply Parent Thread Link ughhh SERIOUSLY. i can't w him Reply Parent Thread Link it is tacky. and so is the OJ one, but i broke down & watched the first few episodes this weekend. not going to continue. at least they're calling what happened with katrina a crime, i guess? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'm hoping Sterling K. Brown joins the cast too. I need to see him and Sarah together again. Reply Thread Link depend on filming schedule of This is us Reply Parent Thread Link Love your icon! Dreading tonight's episode... And yeah, makes sense. I want him to do it all though ha. Reply Parent Thread Link i dont watch this is us so i hope he comes on this show. but also not because ryan murphy 2nd seasons suck and i dont want him to be caught up in shit projects...i just want him to blow up. ilh!! Reply Parent Thread Link omg, i would die. especially if he and Sarah could portray a duo or a couple. the marcia/chris ship will never die! Reply Parent Thread Link good cast Reply Thread Link I'm finally gonna suck it up and watch the OJ one now that it's on Netflix. I refused initially because Ryan Murphy is even faintly involved, but now that it's won an award or two...well. Reply Thread Link it's really (really) good. Sarah Paulson is incredible. Reply Parent Thread Link It was one of the best shows I've ever seen. I've already watched it 2x since it premiered. Reply Parent Thread Link Didn't know it was on Netflix. I guess I'll give it a watch. I feel like I'm going to compare it to the Made in America doc too much, which was so amazing that I don't think it can be topped. Reply Parent Thread Link That's how I felt, I avoided it because of his involvement + when I saw it pop up on Netflix, I gave in and figured since it had so much award hype, I should at least watch the first episode. It's really good. I wish it weren't, but it is. It feels tense even in incidents where you know what eventually happens, because some of the acting is so on point. Edited at 2017-02-06 07:11 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link i just watched it this weekend with my mom and my sister, and it's really good we didn't leave the couch until we finished it lol Reply Parent Thread Link I put off watching it until it was on Netflix. It's...really good and I'm surprised at how much I'm loving it 5 episodes in. Reply Parent Thread Link i'm watching it rn and i;m so shocked. it's really fucking outstanding. the best show last year. sterling, courtney, paula etc are just sooo amazing omg Reply Parent Thread Link I never really stop to think about how different my life would be now if Katrina never happened Reply Thread Link I still do. I live in NOLA, and my part of the city came back really well overall, but I'll see double lots sometimes, where I know there used to be a house and I think about why. It's not an all the time thing, like it was at first. For a while, every conversation was about Katrina, then maybe once a day, and it died off from there. I know a lot of people are over hearing and talking about it, even here, but it's one of the defining moments of my life, as a citizen definitely, and as a person. Reply Parent Thread Link It is a defining moment for me too but in a weird way I rarely think about it now and I think it's because I never really moved back home after, a brief interlude for college but I lived in BR which isn't the same. I remember thinking about it all the time too but now it's like no one talks about it. I think it's still too painful for some people. It really took a toll on my Mom (she lost her job and fell into depression). I mainly think about how much happier/healthier she'd be if things were different. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link If it's not too personal, what happened to you during Katrina? Were you in the city? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i hope they eviscerate bush Reply Parent Thread Link i think people are being weird about the topic. i think, if done like OJ, this will be really interesting and it's great this topic is going to get national attention Reply Thread Link also here is my plug to watch 'treme' if you want to see more about post katrina N.O. Reply Thread Link Get your awards sis! Reply Thread Link omg I thought this was American Horror Story and was horrified. Like American Crime Story is tacky af but AHS is beyond so I was confused with the lack of outrage... I think it's time for me to go to bed, jfc Reply Thread Link Much of this week's resource news was driven by politics. The biggest development being the Philippines' mine ban, with protectionist moves in U.S. oil and gas also having critical implications for investors, end users, and project developers. And there's a common thread to both these stories. Nationalism. Much has been written the last year on the rise of nationalistic parties and leaders around the global. With big implications for defence, trade and security. But nationalism is also impacting energy and mining. A year ago, no one predicted the Philippines would install a staunch environmentalist as head of mining -- the way President Rodrigo Duterte did almost immediately after his election. A big motivation for Duterte is showing outside interests who's boss inside Philippines borders. The president has little love for foreign mining companies, which are some of the biggest international investors in the Philippines. That's turned into a major x-factor for global metals markets. No one foresaw half of Philippines nickel supply suddenly disappearing this year -- and yet, that's where we're at. Unexpected events like this are a big challenge for resource players. Predicting the future is an important part of the business, with most operations requiring some educated guesses about future prices and trade flows. If you're deciding on a new nickel mine, you want to know how much supply is out there, and what that means for prices the next few years. But nationalism makes that difficult. Because nationalist leaders don't act logically -- at least not in terms of global business. They don't do what distant accountants and economists expect they should. Related: Will Trumps Border Tax Plan Include A Loophole For Mid-East Allies? U.S. President Trump's proposed import tax is another good example. American oil producers have just begun to export crude oil -- and now suddenly, the 20 percent tax could make outgoing shipments uneconomic. That would undo a lot of planning and investment in export facilities from recent years. Even as there's a sound business case to be made for sending crude oil abroad (America doesn't actually produce much of the heavy sour oil that Gulf Coast refineries favor -- but it does make light sweet crude of the kind European and Asian buyers love). In Trump's case, some of the surprises could be positive for the industry. Companies like Northern Dynasty Minerals have seen their share price jump 300 percent since Trump's election, on speculation he will strong-arm approval of the stalled Pebble copper-gold mega-deposit in Alaska. (Click to enlarge) Northern Dynasty Minerals has been rising with the ascent of President Trump on hopes he'll revive the company's stalled Pebble project in Alaska But even pleasant surprises are still... surprising. And still offer a challenge to project developers trying to decide where to deploy capital and institutional effort. Should we get into projects in America hoping that Trump turns the country pro-mining? What if he backtracks? And will he push mining everywhere, or only in certain states? Related: Oil Price Tug Of War That uncertainty is a drawback for the sector. Just look at the longest-running example of a nationalist government: Russia. Foreign investors have all but abandoned the high-potential Russian mining and energy sectors -- simply because they don't know what the Putin government might do next. That's changed a little recently. With countries like India and Japan doing high-level deals in Russian oil and gas -- supported by strong government-to-government involvement in the projects, which may help reduce the risk of arbitrary setbacks. Perhaps we're headed into an age where the same is true elsewhere. Relationships with individual leaders will be more important than overall policy direction within nations. This is a key trend for the world's big resource nations -- with mining and energy destinations like Brazil now going through economic and social turmoil that could birth a nationalist streak. Watch for the rise of more x-factor political candidates, and for further surprises coming from the ones already in office. Here's to the national interest. By Dave Forest More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Sparks of hostility are flying between Beijing and Washington, kindled by Chinas expansionist policies in the South China Sea a major shipping route and a reservoir of oil and gas and the U.S.s unwillingness to adhere to Chinas warnings for its vessels to stay away from its territorial waters there. President Trump has voiced criticism of China more than once, both on the campaign trail and after entering office. His attitude was echoed by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during his confirmation hearing, when he said he would take a tough stance on Chinas expansion in the South China Sea, preventing its army from accessing artificially created islands used as military bases. Tillersons stance is in tune with other representatives of the Trump administration, but for some observers, this stance reflects a conflict of interest with his former employer, Exxon. One such observer, Steve Horn, notes in an analysis of the South China Sea situation, how Exxon has been building a presence in the region despite pressure from China. Last month, Exxon announced a US$10-billion deal with PetroVietnam for the development of a natural gas field in Vietnams sector of the South China Sea. The company also has interests in Indonesia, via a production-sharing agreement with local state-owned major Pertamina, and in Malaysia, where it is partnering with local Petronas on several offshore projects. For those who doubt Tillersons bona fides, this must look like a pretty extensive presence sufficient to use as an argument of a possible conflict of interest. The argument could be solidified from a certain perspective by adding to it the fact that Gazprom and Rosneft are also building a presence in the region, notably in Vietnam. Related: Saudis To Raise $10 Billion Ahead Of Aramco IPO For critics, the interests of Exxon and the Russian energy firms overlap in a suspicious way though its worth asking the hypothetical question whether this overlapping would have been identified as such had Tillerson had no history with the Kremlin. From another perspective, however, these interests could be seen as competing Russia has much better relations with China at the moment. Whats more interesting with Tillerson being accused of having no political experience at all, i.e., having no idea what hes doing is that the Secretary of States position on the South China Sea is actually more hawkish than the position of Secretary of Defense James Mattis. Mattis said last week that At this time, we do not see any need for dramatic military moves at all. Indeed, analysts familiar with the history of the South China dispute seem to be of the opinion that no open conflict is likely there, not just because of the nuclear deterrent, but because of the overall costs of such a conflict for both sides as well as the uncertain outcomes. Related: Oil Prices Fall On Glut Fears Despite Tighter Market This could be positive for the oil industry if both China and the U.S. adopt the view that a conflict in the South China Sea will lead to more problems than solutions. On the other hand, the oil and gas reserves in the contested areas of the sea are, according to the EIA few almost no oil and some gas. The total reserves of the sea have been estimated at about 11 billion barrels of crude and 190 trillion cubic meter of natural gas, but most of this is near the countries shorelines and actively exploited. In this context, doubts about where Secretary Tillersons loyalties lie seem to be a bit exaggerated. The importance of what is happening between Beijing and Washington right now, however, is real: it could be seen as a test for the new U.S. administration on the geopolitical scene how it handles the South China Sea issue will tell the world how it is likely to handle other similar issues as well. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Greek private limited company Gastrade, owned by the Greek conglomerate Coupelouzos Group, has been licensed to develop a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), which would allow for the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from various sources, including the United States, to northeastern Greece (Energypress.gr, December 22, 2016). Located off the coast of Alexandroupolis, the FSRU system is linked to a 29 kilometer subsea and onshore pipeline (25 km offshore and 4 km onshore), with a daily capacity of 16.8 million cubic meters of gas per day. Gastrade plans to import LNG through this project into the country, whereas the Monaco-registered LNG ship-owner GasLog will be responsible for shipping the gas. According to current plans, the imported LNG will be regasified at Alexandroupolis and transported onward via the so-called Vertical Corridor, which will extend all the way to the Bulgarian market. From there, those volumes could supply other countries in Central and Eastern Europe or even Turkey, assuming that proves to be economically viable. But if that happens, those LNG imports might end up competing in the Bulgarian and Turkish markets with future gas volumes from Azerbaijans offshore Shah Deniz Stage 2 production project. The FSRU in Alexandroupolis is included on the European Unions list of Projects of Common Interest (PCI), which means that this project is eligible to be financed (340 million euros, equivalent to $367 million) by the European Investment Bank (EIB) between 2016 and 2018 (Eib.org, accessed January 11, 2017). It bears pointing out that Gastrades parent company, Coupelozos Group, had earlier also founded Prometheus Gas, a joint company parity (50-50) owned by Coupelozos and GazpromExport (100 percent subsidiary of Gazprom). The main scope of Prometheus Gas S.A. is the import and marketing of Russian natural gas on the Greek market. The entity is Coupelozos Groups sole gas import arm (Copelouzos.gr, accessed January 30). Related: Has Big Oil Bought Into The Oil Price Recovery? Gastrade is one of six companiesincluding Greek DEPA, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), as well as Edison and Noble, both based in the United States (Ekathimerini.com, April 1, 2016)that have already booked capacity in the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) pipeline to transport the imported LNG from the Alexandroupolis FSRU north to the Bulgarian market. The Texas firm Cheniere Energys possible investment in this project and acquisition of a stake to participate in the LNG value chain had long been under discussion. The matter first publicly came up in September 2015, when thenSecretary of State John Kerry visited Greece. However, nothing came of this idea given current market conditions. Instead, another company, GasLog agreed to buy a 20 percent stake in Gastrade to develop the FSRU terminal (Naturalgasworld.com, December 23, 2016). The IGB pipelines Final Investment Decision (FID) is largely dependent on the full (first phase, 3 billion cubic metersbcmper year) capacity booking by the potential shippers, and thus on the materialization of the FSRU. The LNG storage and regasification unit would bring additional volumes of gas to be transported through the IGB, possibly working at full capacity (second phase, 5 bcm per year), and making it commercially viable. SOCAR booked a negligible capacity in the IGB to bring natural gas from its own gas portfoliobut not gas from the Shah Deniz 2 project, which will be transported to the region via the planned Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), as this gas belongs to the Shah Deniz consortium. Bulgargaz is responsible to offtake a contracted 0.94 bcm per year at the delivery pointthat is, at the Bulgarian borderthrough the IGB pipeline. The condition is that if the IGB pipeline is not built by 2018, Bulgargaz will lose its contracted gas from Shah Deniz 2. Due to the lack of firm capacity booking in the IGB so far (during the current Open Season, only 1.57 bcm has been booked firmly), the deadline for firm capacity booking has been extended a number of times. Consequently, the important decisions on funding and construction by shareholders are being delayed. One way around these economic limitations would be for the European Commission to proclaim the IGB pipeline regulated infrastructure, which would remove this projects dependence on economics and booked capacity (Naturalgasworld.com, December 23, 2016). Related: The Newest Wind Energy Innovation: Flappy Leaves On Fake Trees The fact that Gazprom has an indirect link to Gastrade (through its owner Coupelouzos Groups joint venture with GazpromExport) implies that Gastrades Alexandroupolis project could have a difficult time attracting truly diversified supply sources of LNGwhich is supposed to be the utmost aim of this FSRU terminal. Indeed, as alluded to above, Gastrades sister company Prometheus GasCoupelouzos Groups only gas import armis half owned by Russian energy giant Gazprom. As such, Gazprom may end up being able to put pressure on Gastrade, in terms of volumes and price, through direct influence on Coupelozos Group thanks to the close business partnership the two companies have in sharing ownership of Prometheus Gas. If Gazprom is ultimately given wide access to the Alexandroupolis FSRU, it could create artificial competition in the regional markets for Shah Deniz gas from Azerbaijan. Russian could try to flood Greece with relatively cheaper LNG shipped to Gastrades FSRU terminal. Moreover, this cheap Russian gas could then be sold to Bulgaria and other countries in Southeastern Europe. Gazprom has the advantage of being a low-cost producer, and it can reduce its prices below that of the available competitors. Shah Deniz gas, which is planned for delivery to the region via the Southern Gas Corridor (of which TAP is a key link), is still considered competitive vis-a-vis the existing gas prices in the market. But if the local market becomes flooded with low-price Russian LNG, it would seriously impact the profitability of this strategic energy corridor project that had been spearheaded by Baku. Gazproms attempts to purchase shares in the FSRU project in the future also should not be ruled out. In fact, such a situation would be in compliance with the Third Party Access directive of the EUs Third Energy Package. Gazproms direct involvement in this way would further secure and increase Russias market share in Greecethe strategically important gateway to Southeastern Europe. By Gulmira Rzayeva via Jamestown.org More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Qatar govt have nothing to do with letters of Qatari prince: Qatar ambassador KARACHI: Qatars ambassador to Pakistan Saqr bin Mubarak Al-Mansouri on Saturday waded into the controversy involving Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family when he categorically said that his government had nothing to do with the letters of a Qatari prince to the Supreme Court hearing the Panama Papers case. Lawyers for the Sharif family had submitted to a five-judge larger bench of the court two letters of Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al-Thani, a former prime minister of Qatar first on Nov 15, 2016 and the second on Jan 26. He stated in the letters that the late Mian Sharif had invested 12 million dirham cash in the Al-Thani familys business in the 1980s, which eventually led Hussain Nawaz to acquire the four Park Lane flats in London. While opposition parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party, had questioned the authenticity of the letters and said that the letters could not be considered the evidence of a money trail, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan had declared them false, saying the letters had been sent to rescue the prime minister in the Panamagate case. Imran claims Doha embarrassed by fake letter in Panama Papers case; minister argues PML-N never said Qatari govt sent letters Against this backdrop, the Qatari envoy appeared in an Aaj News programme on Saturday and said that his government was neither involved in the Panama Papers case nor had anything to do with the letters. The ambassadors comments prompted the PTI chief to say that the government of Qatar was embarrassed by the controversy. This pushed the government into a further defensive mode as it said it had never claimed that the letters had any links with the Qatar government. In his opening remarks, the host of the programme said that Ambassador Al-Mansouri had selected his television network to present the perspective of his government over the Panama Papers case. However, over 30-minute-long interview contained only about a five-minute part in which the diplomat spoke about the letters and his government position, insisting that the Panama Papers case was Pakistans internal matter. Asked about his governments policy regarding the case, he said: Actually this case is an internal matter [of Pakistan]. Qatars policy is to not intervene in the internal affairs of any country. The host asked him whether he was saying that his government had nothing to do with the case or with the letters, the ambassador said: Yes, yes, as I mentioned to you it is very clear....my government is not involved in this issue. He went on to say that he had no knowledge about the issue as he only read about it in newspapers. Asked whether the two letters were sent through the Islamabad embassy or directly to the Pakistan Muslim League-N leaders, he said: My answer is clear. My government is not involved in this issue. This is something private or something personal. When the host pushed him to get a clear reply, the Qatari envoy said: It [the letters] is not come through formal channels. Imran Khan, who has been accusing the prime minister of money laundering to establish overseas companies in the name of his children, tweeted: Clearly Qatari govt embarrassed by this fake letter written by acknowledged business partner of Sharifs, who is also named in Panama Papers. This letter from Sharifs business partner got him, amongst other largesse, a Rs 200 bn Port Qasim deal. Corruption breeding corruption, he said in another tweet. On the other hand, Minister of State for Information Maryam Aurangzeb told the media that the statement of the Qatari ambassador actually vindicated the PML-Ns stance as it never said that the Qatar government was involved in sending the two letters to the apex court. She said that the prime minister had not been named in the Panama Papers and those who had been named were already clarifying their position. The two letters said that the investment of 12m dirham was made by way of provision of cash in the real estate sector by Mian Sharif in 1980s and at the end of 2005, it was agreed that an amount of approximately $8m was due to Mian Sharif in accordance with the latters wishes. This amount was settled in 2006 by delivering bearer shares of Nescoll and Nielson Enterprises Limited, which had been kept in Qatar until then, to Hussain Nawazs representative. 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... By David Boundy David Boundy of Cambridge Technology Law LLC, a patent law firm in Cambridge, Massachusetts, practices at the intersection of patent and administrative law, and consults with other firms on PTAB trials and appeals. In 200709, David led the teams that successfully urged the Office of Management and Budget to quash the USPTOs continuations, claims, information disclosure statements, and appeal regulations under the Paperwork Reduction Act. This paper is a short version of an article in the current issue of ABA Landslide, vol. 9, no. 3, electronic edition. Its a follow up to my earlier paper on the Cuozzo case, which ran in Patently-O in February 2015. Cuozzo Speed Technologies v. Lee[1] illustrates an important lesson for the patent bar: federal courts are far more familiar with administrative law than with patent law. Almost every federal court hears several times as many administrative law cases as patent cases. Even the Federal Circuit sees at least as many administrative law issues (involving various federal employees and contracts) as patent law issues. We patent lawyers need better administrative law issue spotting skills, and when a case presents them, we must argue on administrative law grounds with administrative law expertise. Basic principles of good advocacy urge us to argue our cases on the courts choice of turf. Cuozzo is a prime illustration. In Cuozzo, the Supreme Court narrowly decided that the PTOs decision to institute an inter partes review (IPR) against Cuozzos patent was unreviewable. Notably, the Courts reasoning clarifies that many decisions to institute are judicially reviewable, so long as the issues are cloaked in administrative law terms rather than patent law terms. Cuozzos loss stems from Cuozzos briefing that failed to mention a dead-on administrative law statute, and that was all but silent on the Supreme Courts administrative law precedent. Cuozzo creates many future opportunities for informed administrative law advocacy. The AIA, Its Preclusion Statutes, and Cuozzos Path to the Supreme Court The 2011 America Invents Act (AIA) created new patent reviews within the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO): inter partes review (IPR), post-grant review (PGR), and covered business method review (CBM). Congress included preclusion statutes that limit judicial review of USPTO decisions to institute such reviews. The preclusion statutes for IPR and PGR decisions to institute, 35 U.S.C. 314(d) and 324(e) respectively, are essentially similar: The determination by the Director whether to institute [a review] under this section shall be final and nonappealable. Compared to other preclusion statutes (discussed in the full Landslide paper), this is decidedly on the weak end of the spectrum of preclusion statutes. In February 2015, the Federal Circuit gave its first deep consideration to these statutes in In re Cuozzo Speed Technologies LLC.[2] The IPR petition against Cuozzos patent had applied reference A to claim 10, and references A, B, and C to claim 17 (which depended from claim 10). However, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) instituted on references A, B, and C against claim 10. The PTAB cited no statute or regulation, only its own naked claim of discretion to mix and match among the grounds in the petition. The IPR ended in cancellation of claim 10, on references A, B, and C. Cuozzo appealed the final decision to the Federal Circuit, and challenged the decision to institute. The Federal Circuit held that 314(d) precluded all review of all issues embedded in a decision to institute: On its face, the provision is not directed to precluding review only before a final decision. It is written to exclude all review of the decision whether to institute review.[3] In June 2016, the Supreme Court issued its further decision. Where all decisions leave open issues, Cuozzo introduces several internal contradictions. Lets look at the background administrative law case law, and how Cuozzo fitsor misfits. APA 706: Government-Wide Grounds of Judicial Review The Administrative Procedure Act (APA), in 5 U.S.C. 706(2), confines judicial review of agency action to a specific list of errorsa court may set aside agency actions that are: (A) arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law; (C) in excess of statutory jurisdiction, authority, or limitations, or short of statutory right; (D) without observance of procedure required by law; Section 706(2) is famously deferential to agencies, but it doesnt insulate agencies totally. Courts set aside agency decisions that fail standards of reasoned decisionmaking by failing to explain an important point, giving an irrelevant explanation, omitting consideration of important factors or basing a decision on impermissible factors, deciding without evidence, deciding on legal error, acting beyond jurisdictional authority, and the like. APA 704: Preliminary Decisions Are Reviewable with Final Agency Action Procedural lapses usually find review under 5 U.S.C. 704: A preliminary, procedural, or intermediate agency action or ruling not directly reviewable is subject to review on the review of the final agency action. Thus, if an agencys final decision is infected by error earlier in the process, the final decision can be attacked on the basis of that underlying error. Supreme Courts Presumption of Judicial Review Since the days of Chief Justice John Marshall, the Supreme Court has relied on a strong presumption that judicial review is available for executive branch action.[4] Agency decisions are presumed to be reviewable, and preclusion statutes are construed narrowly. Even within the scope of preclusion, an agency decision that reflects brazen disregard of procedure, or abuse, or that has sufficiently grave consequences, often can be reviewed. Likewise, the Court has always held agencies to scrupulous observance of their own procedures. The presumption of review has always been extraordinarily high for procedure, and the holes in preclusion statutes for procedure and abuse have always been quite large. Cuozzo is an extraordinary outlier. Among the principles established in Supreme Court precedent: Courts accept judicial review of underlying issues in agency decisions, even if the final decisions are unreviewable, especially where procedural fairness is at stake.[5] Preclusion statutes are read narrowlythey preclude only what they say they preclude, and no more. Even where a statute precludes review of an end result decision, underlying issues are not precluded unless the preclusion statute speaks expressly to those underlying issues. [R]eview is available to determine whether there has been a substantial departure from important procedural rights, a misconstruction of the governing legislation, or some like error going to the heart of the administrative determination.[6] Courts read statutes closely to split issues finely, and will review issues (especially underlying issues) that differ by a hairs breadth from precluded issues. When a statute precludes benefit amounts for individual claimants, challenges to the validity of the Secretarys instructions and regulations[] are cognizable in courts of law.[7] When an agency statute, regulation, or guidance promises the public that an agency or agency employee must or will, the agency must follow those procedures scrupulously. Review of agency decisions under 706(2)(D), without observance of procedure required by law, is strict and without deference.[8] Review under 704/ 706 is a persistent substrate. To preclude review, especially of underlying issues, Congress must speak expressly. Cuozzos Brief, the Majority Opinion, and the End Result: Cuozzos Specific Institution Is Nonreviewable The Cuozzo majority opinion follows the basic contour of 50 years of precedent: preclusion statutes are to be read narrowly. However, on the facts, Cuozzo lostthe Court characterized Cuozzos complaint to be a mine-run claim, an ordinary dispute about the application of certain relevant patent statutes, and little more than a challenge to the Patent Offices conclusion, under 314(a), that the information presented in the petition warranted review.[9] That is, the Supreme Court understood the case to be a good faith difference of opinion in application of validly promulgated law, not a case of an agency tribunal exercising naked discretion against a party, making up new rules on the fly with no grounding in any text, and asserting those new rules in a context with no opportunity for rejoinder. Because the Court was not informed of the procedural basis for the case, the Cuozzo opinion stands in striking contrast with the Courts precedent that requires agencies scrupulous observance of procedure, and strict no deference judicial review for procedural issues. The Supreme Court majority opinion embeds a number of internal contradictions that leave a great deal of unclear ground. The majoritys holding, if applied to the factsat least the procedural facts as we patent lawyers understand themleads to the opposite result. Most of these contradictions in the majority opinion, and perhaps the final result itself, are invited error. Cuozzos brief treats the case as a patent law case, arguing page after page of Title 35 U.S.C. and Federal Circuit patent law cases.[10] Cuozzos opening brief cites Supreme Court preclusion of review cases only as a cursory afterthoughta single string cite, with no discussion of analogies to precedential cases. The brief compounds the error by citing a 1946 case that had been overruled by the Supreme Court in 2013. The table of authorities in Cuozzos opening brief has only a single cite to Title 5 U.S.C., and only one more in the reply brief. But reviewability is an administrative law issue, and thats where the Court decided it. Even though Cuozzos briefs are all but irrelevant to the administrative law bases on which the Court decided the case, the reasoning comes so close to going Cuozzos way. Cuozzo demonstrates the importance of identifying the turf where a court is likely to decide an issue, and arguing it there. And that may well be administrative law, rather than patent law. Cuozzos Long Paragraph The heart of the majority opinion is a long paragraph toward the end of section II, beginning Nonetheless. The majority explains that most issues arising under patent law are precluded, but that issues arising under other bodies of law are not. Review remains available for constitutional questions, and most importantly, for issues slotted into one of the pigeonholes of APA 706. The latter half of the long paragraph reads as follows: [W]e do not categorically preclude review of a final decision where a petition fails to give sufficient notice such that there is a due process problem with the entire proceeding, nor does our interpretation enable the agency to act outside its statutory limits by, for example, canceling a patent claim for indefiniteness under 112 in inter partes review. Such shenanigans may be properly reviewable in the context of 319 and under the Administrative Procedure Act, which enables reviewing courts to set aside agency action that is contrary to constitutional right, in excess of statutory jurisdiction, or arbitrary [and] capricious.[11] The latter half of the long paragraph, especially the last sentence, opens a wide barn door. The Cuozzo majoritys long paragraph indicates that the full reach of 706 applies to underlying issues in decisions to institute. Cuozzo tells us that issues that are losers when presented in patent law vocabulary become winners when wrapped in administrative law vocabulary. Cuozzo Could Have Argued an Administrative Law Jurisdictional Issue Cuozzos brief doesnt squarely present the issue of the PTABs transgression of its own jurisdictional boundaries. Section 312(a) reads, A petition . . . may be considered only if . . . the petition identifies, in writing and with particularity, each claim challenged, the grounds on which the challenge to each claim is based . . . . Section 314(a) reads, The Director may not authorize [institution of an IPR] unless the Director determines that the information presented in the petition . . . shows that there is a reasonable likelihood that the petitioner would prevail . . . . These are plainly jurisdictional statutes, confining jurisdiction to the grounds in the petition. The APA, in 706(2)(C), provides that a court shall set aside agency action in excess of statutory jurisdiction. Yet, Cuozzos brief argues only breaches of the AIA, not the administrative law jurisdictional issues thatthe majority tells uswould be reviewable under administrative law principles. The Supreme Court has been quite strict in enforcing agencies jurisdictional boundaries, no matter (in the Cuozzo majoritys words) how compelling one important congressional objective might be.[12] Cuozzos brief fleetingly nibbles at the edges of the issue, and even cites one of the important cases in this line (for a different proposition), but never squarely frames the challenge as in excess of [the agencys] jurisdictionneither brief mentions 706 at all. And thus Cuozzo lost the issue. The latter half of Cuozzos long paragraph places jurisdictional issues within the scope of judicial review, so long as they are framed in an 706(2)(C) administrative law context, not a patent law context. Subject matter jurisdiction is central to a courts duty to prevent agencies from act[ing] outside . . . statutory limits, or in the language of 706, in excess of statutory jurisdiction. Had the issue been presented squarely as a challenge to PTAB action beyond its jurisdiction, with the patent law issues argued as underlying support for APA 706(2)(C) in excess of jurisdiction grounds, Cuozzo likely would have obtained a favorable result, and the Court majority would not have been left grasping at inconsistent straws to reach its decision. Several more omissions from Cuozzos brief, and internal contradictions in the majority opinion, are discussed in the full Landslide paper. The full paper shows that Cuozzo lost a very winnable case because the opening brief argued patent law principles to the near exclusion of administrative law principles. The patent bar is left with a resultant set of internal contradictions in the Cuozzo decison, with all the problems and opportunities they create. And the Federal Circuit is left with a difficult task of reconciling Cuozzos reasoning against its end result. Conclusion The full paper gives a number of other examples of questions that come out differently depending on whether theyre argued as patent law issues or administrative law issues. There are many differences between the powers of an Article III court and of an agency tribunal, differences between appellate review of an Article III court vs. judicial review of an agency, differences in the arguments that an appellant and appellee can raise, and differences in limits on raising new issues on appeal. Unfortunately, Cuozzos brief did not exploit those differences or cite the applicable administrative law. The key take-away is that almost every PTAB proceeding and appeal presents a target rich environment of administrative law issues. Teams that include administrative law expertise will successfully exploit many opportunities that are invisible to teams without that expertise. Because of internal tensions in the Cuozzo decision, many issues remain to be decided by the Federal Circuit, and will be decided differently depending on how well parties match their argument turf to courts choice of decision turf. Endnotes [1]. Cuozzo Speed Techs. v. Lee (Cuozzo III), 136 S. Ct. 2131 (2016). [2]. In re Cuozzo Speed Techs. LLC (Cuozzo I), 778 F.3d 1271 (Fed. Cir. 2015), reissued without change to the reviewability discussion, Cuozzo II, 793 F.3d 1268 (Fed. Cir. 2015). [3]. Cuozzo I, 778 F.3d at 1276. [4]. 5 U.S.C. 702 (A person suffering legal wrong because of agency action, or adversely affected or aggrieved by agency action within the meaning of a relevant statute, is entitled to judicial review thereof.); Citizens to Preserve Overton Park, Inc. v. Volpe, 401 U.S. 402 (1971). [5]. Service v. Dulles, 354 U.S. 363 (1957); Vitarelli v. Seaton, 359 U.S. 535 (1959). [6]. Lindahl v. Office of Personnel Management,470 U.S. 768, 791 (1985) (internal quotation marks omitted). [7]. Bowen v. Michigan Academy of Family Physicians, 476 U.S. 667, 680 (1986). [8]. Reuters Ltd. v. FCC, 781 F.2d 946, 95051 (D.C. Cir. 1986); see also Berkovitz v. United States, 486 U.S. 531, 544 (1988) (The agency has no discretion to deviate from [its procedural regulations].). [9]. Cuozzo III, 136 S. Ct. 2131, 2136, 2139, 2142 (2016). [10]. See Brief for the Petitioner, Cuozzo III (No. 15-446), 2016 WL 737452 at xiv, 52-53, 54 (Feb. 22, 20142016); Reply Brief for the Petitioner at iii, Cuozzo III, 2016 WL 1554733 (Apr. 15, 2016). [11]. Cuozzo III at 214142 (majority opinion). [12]. FDA v. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., 529 U.S. 120, 125 (2000) Madam Doris Tetteh, a resident of the Ashaiman has appealed to the Ministry of Roads and Highways for the provision of streetlights on the Accra-Tema Motorway to save lives. She said the lack of streetlights on the motorway posed a danger to pedestrians who crossed in the night. Madam Tetteh, who made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Ashaiman near Tema, said with the speed of vehicles on the motorway it was imperative for the authorities to provide the lights as matter of priority for proper visibility. She said, the streetlights polls erected at the Central Business District of Ashaiman had become white elephants as they provided no lights, which gave the opportunity for criminals to attack unsuspecting persons in the night. Madam Tetteh said people had also turn the light polls as bill boards for advertisement for churches and other organisations and therefore pleaded with the authorities to take action to remedy the nuisance. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Jan-Henrik Forster of Bloomberg reports the clock is ticking for private equity to spend through tough times: Time is ticking away for private equity firms to get ready for their next wave of deals. Rising interest rates, inflation and recession risks have eroded consumer confidence and left buyout firms facing a new reality of higher financing costs and potentially lower returns. None of which changes the fact theres more than $1 trillion sitting in their funds that needs to be spent. People say theres no financing available but then our clients are telling us we have a big fund that we have to deploy, said Umberto Giacometti, co-head of financial sponsors in Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Nomura Holdings Inc. If you need to deploy, say, $10 billion in four years, and dont do anything for sixth months, you are under pressure. The shift is profound for an asset class that for more than a decade was flooded with cash from investors hunting yield in a low-i 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. In my last post I breathlessly announced that I held the solution to the American healthcare dilemma in my hot little hands. While the hapless Republicans and Democrats are stumbling around blaming each other and wishing the healthcare issue would just blow away, your humble blogger has solved the problem without breathing hard. In order to understand just how brilliant this solution is, if I do say so myself, we will have to engage in one of those thought experiments for which this blog is so justly infamous. Lets imagine that it is 2008 and the Republicans have just taken over Washington, D.C. They promptly set aside all the rules of comity and, in 2010, enacted an omnibus healthcare bill. This bill wouldnt have a namby-pamby, Democratic title like the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. No, no, no, it would have a solid, sensible Republican title, something like The Great American Free Market Healthcare Act of 2010. The Republicans would knowindeed, everyone in America would knowthat the bill would have many things wrong with it, but that was no problem. The Republicans planned to control D.C. for many years to come, and they would fix the problems as they arose. Alas, a mere eight months after the GAFMH Act was signed into law, the Dems retook control of the House and the GAFMH was left twisting slowly in the wind. The Republicans owned the bill and it wasnt working. Soon enough, the Dems would sweep to power in Washington. Do we detect a pattern here? We do. Therefore, heres what needs to happen. On one fine day the Republicans should repeal the Affordable Care Act. That would discharge their promise to the people who voted for them. The very next day they should enact a new healthcare bill that is essentially identical to the ACA. Consider what would transpire. At first there would be the usual nonsense. Look at that! the Dems would gloat. The Republicans are so stupid they couldnt think of anything to do but reenact our own bill! Thats because were not through with it yet, you cretins! would be the Republican rejoinder. But when the dust settled two remarkable things would happen, one obvious and one maybe not so obvious. The first is that a great many Democratsnot, of course, the loony leftwould secretly be grateful to the Republicans for keeping intact Barack Obamas signature accomplishment. They would thereafter work with the Republicans to fix the problems with the ACAI mean the ACA 2.0even though some of those fixes would be Republican-tinted. Moderates in Congress would know, because everyone in America knows, that the characteristic problem with Democratic healthcare is inclusiveness-without-regard-to-cost, while the characteristic problem with Republican healthcare is cost-control-without-regard-to-inclusiveness. Working together, moderate Republicans and moderate Democrats would gradually create a first-rate healthcare bill. The second outcome is more subtle but, in its way, equally important. It is epitomized by the paradoxical fact that the ACA is least popular in many parts of the countryAppalachia, the mid-south, the non-coastal westwhere it is most needed. The resolution to that paradox involves the dirty little secret that a great many Americans dont view the ACA as a healthcare bill at allthey view it as a welfare bill, another government handout enacted by bleeding-heart Democrats. But nobody has ever accused the Republicans of being bleeding hearts, so if the Republicans enact a bill identical to the ACA, but with a different, solid, Republican title, why then it must be okay! As Francis Fukuyama recently noted, the reason the ACA is so unpopular in so many poor white communities is because they know that Obamacare was designed to benefit people other than themselves. In 2010, when the ACA was passed, not a single Democratno one in Congress, no one anywhere in the Democratic policy establishmenteven knew there were poor white people in America. Or cared. Despite that, more whites than blacks or Hispanics have been helped by the ACA, and Republican backing for similar legislation would almost certainly improve its low public approval ratings. What is needed, obviously, isnt legislation thats targeted to minorities or legislation thats targeted to whites, but legislation thats targeted to people who need it. So all those bums in Washington have to do is read this blog post and get busy. Americans will goggle in astonishment. Cooperation in Congress? A terrific healthcare act that offers broad coverage and doesnt break the bank? Where the hell are we, Singapore? Next up: Loose Change, Part IV A Connecticut school has dropped George Orwell's classic novel Animal Farm from its eighth grade English curriculum. Stonington High School in Pawcatuck, Connecticut got rid of the book at the same time that Orwell's other popular novel, 1984, saw its sales skyrocket 9,500 percent. The school's eighth grade English language arts teacher Ed Golberg, told media outlets in the area that he was not given a good reason for the school's decision. Many of Goldberg's former students added that he "has a passion" for the book and that he's been using it in his classes for 20 years. The Stonington School Board, according to multiple media reports, held a meeting Thursday to explain why the school chose to remove Animal Farm from the curriculum, but no media reports following up on that meeting were available. Both Animal Farm and 1984 are dystopian novels from Orwell and both tackle life under the rule of totalitarianism. Parents and teachers at Stonington have argued that the books are just as relevant as ever with the rise of hyper-partisan politics and nationalistic ideologies across the world. Animal Farm was probably the most impactful and memorable book from my high school days at South Glens Falls, so it's quite saddening to see a school deprive its students of one of the greatest literary works of all time. Thankfully schools in our area are respecting the importance of Orwell and other legends of the literary world. Isa Foltin/Getty ImagesJoan Baez has some words of wisdom for those taking to the streets to protest current political conditions. The 76-year-old folk music legend and recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee was one of the symbols of protest and activism in the 1960s, stemming from her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement and anti-war demonstrations. Speaking to Rolling Stone, Baez says she detects a lot of new energy in the current protest movement. Regarding her participation in the San Francisco branch of the recent Womens March, Baez notes, "I was struck by how many really young people (attended), adding, It's courtesy of Trump and his antics that people realize what we're up against, and it's pushed them into a new place. Of course, music was an important component of sixties activism. Baez admits, There's not enough right now. There needs to be more. It's terribly important, because that's what keeps the spirit. Carping and shouting, as much as it gets stuff off your chest in front of 100,000, you really need something uplifting. That's hard to do in a speech if you're angry. Baez says Josh Ritter has penned what she thinks could become a protest anthem, explaining, As soon as we piece it together, I'm going to try it out on the crowd -- it's called I Carry the Flame. All I have to do is get Josh to rewrite the verses so it'll be simpler. When it comes to advice Baez has for todays activists, she keeps it simple: I'd just say keep your eyes on the prize, before adding, In a total lack of empathy on the other side, we need to make up for that, double-time, (with) our own empathy. That's the only way we're going to make it throughAnd courage. Courage is contagious. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. QUEENSBURY The Warren County jury hearing the murder case stemming from last summers killing of a Glens Falls man heard testimony Monday from a woman who claimed she was recruited by the two accused killers to help with their robbery plot, but turned down the opportunity the suspects boasted would be a big score. Crystal Quayle, who lived in the Ilion motel where suspects Robert M. Henry and Kevin S. Chapman lived, told the jury that Henry approached her July 5 trying to get her to go to Glens Falls with him to help with a theft. He said it was a big score, cash, jewelry and laptops, she said.He said, You entertain him while I rob the guy. July 5 was the day before Henry and Chapman drove from central New York to Glens Falls to steal from Kevin Jenks, 58, whom Henry knew. The theft led, according to prosecutors, to one or both of the men choking Jenks to death in his Glens Falls home. Chapman has pleaded guilty, and Monday was the fourth day of testimony in Henrys trial. Quayle was the prosecutions first witness in a day that continued a parade of interesting characters who lived in the low-rent motel in Herkimer County where the two suspects also lived. The motel was later condemned. Quayle, an exotic dancer, said Henry suggested she have sex with the man, but she laughed and turned down the offer. Chapman later approached her and tried to convince her as well, and she rebuffed him, too, but did give him $5 for gas money to drive to Glens Falls. The men returned with cars full of loot, including TVs, jewelry that was traded for cocaine and a Cadillac sedan that Chapman told her he had taken from a man who owed him money. Police allege the items were stolen from Jenks home. He said, I have a secret I am going to go to my grave with, Quayle recalled. The jury also heard from Robin Varma, who managed the motel and who told of conversations with both men in which they indicated they planned to go to Glens Falls. Henry said they were going down to rob a place and that the man they were targeting owned a bar or something like that, Varma testified. Jenks had formerly operated Club 22 on South Street in Glens Falls. Varma, who was in a jail jumpsuit as he awaits possible deportation to Pakistan for overstaying an education visa, said that Henrys room was filled the next day with items he didnt have the day before, including television sets, watches, liquor and wine. Henry boasted they got $17,000 or $70,000 worth of loot, with Varma saying he couldnt recall which number Henry used. Defense lawyer Tucker Stanclift repeatedly questioned the witnesses about Chapmans actions, seemingly trying to show his active role in planning the thefts and getting rid of the loot. He has tried to point the finger at Chapman as the killer. He questioned whether Henry described what he meant by robbing someone, whether it was a generic term for theft or he meant actual stealing by force. The days proceedings started with Henry sobbing uncontrollably before the jury made its way into court, after prosecutors said they had concluded that Chapman had lied about details concerning who possessed a gun during the attack on Jenks. Varma testified he saw Chapman with a gun shortly before he and Henry drove off in Henrys minivan the afternoon of July 6. Chapman told authorities he had not seen the gun before Henry displayed it at Jenks home, but other witnesses had talked of Chapman having it. The gun turned out to be a pellet pistol. Henry, 46, of Ilion, faces a nine-count indictment that includes counts of second-degree murder, robbery, burglary and grand larceny. A four-time felon, he faces up to 25-to-life in prison if convicted of murder or any violent felony. Chapman has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and is expected to testify this week. Testimony is to continue Tuesday morning. A senior Iranian government official on Saturday warned Tehran would swiftly retaliate against Israel if the US launched a military strike against Iran. Mojtaba Zonour, a member of Irans National Security and Foreign Policy Commission and a former Islamic Revolution Guards Corps official, boasted an Iranian missile could hit Tel Aviv in under seven minutes, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported. Zonour said Tehran would strike the Israeli coastal city and raze to the ground a US military base in Bahrain if the enemy makes a mistake. And only seven minutes is needed for the Iranian missile to hit Tel Aviv, he added. Zonours comments came during a Revolutionary Guard military exercise aimed at testing its missile and radar systems. The exercise was taking place in a 35,000-square-kilometer (13,515-square-mile) area in Semnan province in northern Iran. The Saturday exercise came a day after US President Donald Trumps administration imposed sanctions on Iran in response to a recent missile test. The sanctions target more than two dozen people and companies from the Persian Gulf to China. Just as Iran announced the testing of a ballistic missile and the Trump administration reviewed plans for new sanctions, the rogue Islamic regime claimed that in nuclear negotiations, President Obama allowed Iran to have missiles that could strike Israel, reports Joseph Farahs G2 Bulletin. In statements, Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps hinted that restrictions on the range of Iranian missiles so that they reach Israel but not Europe were part of the Iran deal, reported the Middle East Media Research Institute. MEMRI said that according to Iranian officials, the Obama administration gave unwritten consent in the nuclear talks and in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action negotiations for Iran to develop ballistic missiles with a range of only 2,000 kilometers, or 1,200 miles, which means they could strike Israel but not Europe. The deal has been controversial because of the secrecy under which Obama took the action, the unknown side deals and the billions of dollars in cash delivered to Iran in the same time frame. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu headed to London Sunday afternoon for his first meeting with his British counterpart, Theresa May, in what he described as a bid to create a united Israel-US-UK front against Iran. I intend to emphasize the need for a common front against Irans defiant aggression, which has raised its head in recent days, Netanyahu said about his trip at Sundays weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. This must be done on an ongoing basis, but especially in light of Irans defiance against the international order. In London, Netanyahu will also meet with UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. I will discuss with them how to deepen bilateral diplomatic, security, economic and technological ties, including cooperation in the field of cyber, the prime minister said. Netanyahu said that Israel is gearing up for a significant diplomatic period, a likely reference to a slew of upcoming trips abroad. Next week, he is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House, and two days after his return from Washington on February 17, will embark on a week-long trip to Singapore and Australia. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said the United States, United Kingdom, and Israel must form a united front to combat Irans extraordinary aggression. Iran is trying to test the boundaries of new administrations in Washington and London with extraordinary aggression, with unusual hutzpah and antagonism, Netanyahu told reporters as he boarded a plane to London ahead of meetings Monday with British Prime Minister Theresa May. Theres a new administration in Washington, a new government in Britain. I intend to speak with both of them on strengthening ties, both between each one and Israel, and trilaterally, Netanyahu affirmed. Thats what I will do next week in Washington, and thats what Im doing tomorrow in London. I think the most important thing at the moment is that countries like the United States, with its leadership, and Britain and Israel, stand united against Irans aggression and set clear boundaries, he said. US President Donald Trump, echoing Netanyahu, has harshly criticized the nuclear deal Iran struck with six world powers, and last week threatened the regime over its illicit missile tests. The regime was playing with fire, the US president said, vowing to react to Iranian saber-rattling more aggressively than his predecessor, Barack Obama. Netanyahu was slated to meet May and British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson in London. He is scheduled for his first summit with Trump in Washington on February 15. The UK, which is currently in the process of leaving the European Union, is seeking to forge new international alliances, most notably with the US. But London has in recent weeks also courted Jerusalem and took a pro-Israel line by refusing to sign the closing document at the Paris conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in January. Twitter launches subscription service for USD 8 a month that includes blue checkmark now given to verified accounts, reports AP. There will also be 89 horses to pull six First World War-era 13-pounder field guns in a nearby park. Meanwhile, the public will be able to hear the Band of the Royal Artillery, which will be close to the firing positionof the guns. Furthermore, at 1 p.m. GMT (8 a.m. ET) the Honourable Artillery Company at the Tower of London will fire a 62-gun salute. However, she will not be having a public celebration herself. The Queen, 90, has cut back on international tours but still regularly performs official duties around Britain. In December she said she would reduce the number of her patronages, passing on her role at dozens of charities, academic institutions and sporting groups to other members of the royal family. Her office said she will spend the day privately at her residence in Sandringham, eastern England, as is usual. The Queen has previously been very humble about the length of her reign. In 2015, when she became the the royal record was "not one to which I have ever aspired." "Inevitably, a long life can pass by many milestones. My own is no exception." After his election, he said he might try to renegotiate the 2015 deal, which places restrictions on its nuclear program for a period of time in exchange for sanctions relief. But Ryan made that sound less likely, because the multilateral sanctions on Iran have largely been dismantled. "Meet the Press" moderator Chuck Todd asked Ryan whether he'd like to "see the beginnings of trying to get out of the nuclear deal," and Ryan replied that "a lot of that toothpaste is already out of the tube." "I never supported the deal in the first place," Ryan said, according to an advance transcript. "I thought it was a huge mistake. But the multilateral sanctions are done." Ryan said he doesn't think the government is "going to go back and reconstitute the multilateral sanctions that were in place." "I think we should expend our effort where it can pay off the most," Ryan said. "And that's why I think what they're doing now does make a lot of sense. So I think the key is to rigorously enforce this deal." Ryan also suggested increasing sanctions, a step the Trump administration took on Friday. The US Treasury issued a new wave of sanctions against Iran, targeting 13 people and 12 entities days after the White House put Iran "on notice" over its recent ballistic missile test and alleged involvement in an attack on a Saudi ship near Yemen. The Treasury said the sanctions are "fully consistent with the United States' commitments" under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or the Iran nuclear deal. "I think what this administration is doing, which I agree with, is saying, 'We have a new administration, and we're going to hold you, Iran, to account.'" Ryan told NBC. "This last administration did not do that. This new administration needs to do that. And I think that's what you're getting here." Gen. James Mattis, Trump's secretary of defense, is also at odds with Trump over the nuclear deal. He said during his confirmation hearing that he supports leaving the deal in place. The Wall Street Journal reported in January that US counterintelligence agents investigated Flynn's ties to Russia. Recently, a group of top Democratic lawmakers urged the Department of Defense to do the same. Throughout his campaign and presidency, Trump has repeatedly questioned the NATO alliance and the US's adversarial relationship with Russia. Despite that, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has backed Montenegro's NATO bid for over a year. During this time, the small Balkan nation faced increasing pressure from Russia including a failed coup in October that may be tied to Moscow. A special prosecutor in Montenegro said in November that Russian nationalists tried to sway the country's October election with a plot to kill Milo Djukanovic, the Western-leaning prime minister. "The organizers of this criminal group were nationalists from Russia whose initial premise and conclusion was that the government in Montenegro led by Milo Djukanovic cannot be changed in election and that it should be toppled by force," Milivoje Katnic, special prosecutor for organized crime in Montenegro, said at the time. Flynn's backing of Montenegro's entrance into NATO would seemingly fly in the face of Trump's proposal to try to befriend Russia, as Russia sees NATO expansion as aggression against its interests. Jorge Benitez, a senior fellow and NATO expert at the Atlantic Council, told Politico, "No NATO candidate country has ever faced such a dire attack or threat in the process of finishing its membership into the alliance." However, Flynn is not alone among Trump appointees in striking a more hawkish tone toward Moscow. The US's ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, also signaled such an approach, saying on Thursday, "The dire situation in eastern Ukraine is one that demands clear and strong condemnation of Russian actions." Russia officially denies a military presence in eastern Ukraine, where fighting has recently reignited. In the clip below, distributed by the US Defense Department, a coalition airstrike levels a building held by ISIS near Mosul on January 18. The strike on the building near Mosul was one of six strikes in the country that day. Elsewhere around the city, coalition aircraft engaged ISIS tactical units and destroyed two other buildings 49 watercraft, three barges, command centers, weapons caches, vehicles, and a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device facility. In Mosul itself, Iraqi forces have secured the eastern half of the city, which is bisected by the Tigris River. Both sides are now gearing up for the offensive against ISIS in western Mosul, where a dense warren of narrow streets and ancient buildings promises a hard-fought campaign, likely to be especially deadly for the hundreds of thousands of civilians thought to still be in the city. Accurate accounting of civilian casualities during the campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria is hard to come by, as propaganda and hard-to-access locations make precise reporting difficult. Estimates by international monitoring group Airwars put the number of civilians dead in Mosul from airstrikes at several hundred. A recent Military Times investigation also found that the US military has underreported the number of deadly airstrikes for years, suggesting that the civilian toll from such bombings in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan may be much higher. That being said, not all companies will let you telecommute. You've got to find a role and an organization that will meet your needs, when it comes to flexible work. To help you narrow down your search, FlexJobs released a list of 100 companies that allow you to work from just about anywhere. Out of a total of over 47,000 companies, these organizations listed the highest numbers of telecommuting job openings on FlexJobs in 2016. Here are the top 13 companies on the list: 1. Appen Appen is a language technology and consulting firm based in New South Wales, Australia. Available remote positions include: Social media evaluator, project manager (Detroit), social media evaluator (German, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, Greek, French, Italian) 2. LiveOps Founded in 2002, LiveOps is a cloud call center company. Available remote positions include: Learning design specialist, inbound sales associate, insurance claims call center associate 3. Amazon Amazon, a Seattle-based online retailer, was first founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos. Available remote positions include: Senior human resources manager, technical trainer, English language assessment linguist 4. TeleTech Business process outsourcing company TeleTech was first established in 1982. Available remote positions include: Call center launch operations senior project manager, Avaya contact center principal engineer, healthcare call center talent acquisition manager 5. VIPKID VIPKID is a Chinese online education firm, with a focus on offering the equivalent of a US elementary education to Chinese students. Available remote positions include: Online ESL teacher 6. LanguageLine Solutions Founded in 1982, LanguageLine Solutions is a Monterey, California-based interpretation and translation company. Available remote positions include: Spanish interpreter, Lithuanian telephone interpreter, advanced level Hawaiian telephone interpreter 7. Working Solutions Customer service provider Working Solutions has been based in Plano, Texas since its founding in 1996. Available remote positions include: Event ticketing and sales associate, corporate travel agent, sporting goods retail associate 8. Kelly Services First established in 1946, Kelly Services is an employment and recruitment agency. Available remote positions include: Technical writer in medical operations, senior clinical research associate, business analyst 9. Sutherland Global Services Sutherland Global Services is a technology management and process transformation services provider based in Rochester, New York. Available remote positions include: Cable industry technical support 10. UnitedHealth Group Healthcare provider UnitedHealth Group was founded in 1977 and is a Fortune 500 Company. Available remote positions include: Pharmacy analytics consulting director, sales and business development area vice president, product director 11. Hilton Worldwide First founded in 1919, Hilton Worldwide is a global hospitality management company that operates numerous hotel franchises. Available remote positions include: Retail senior manager, reservation sales college intern, director of sales 12. Cactus Communications Communication solutions provider Cactus Communications was founded in 2002. Available remote positions include: Japanese to English translator, freelance writer, Chinese to English translator 13. Convergys Customer and information management services provider Convergys is based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The anti-Trump boycott movement, launched by Shannon Coulter, has been branded with the hashtag #GrabYourWallet on social media. Alternatively, Trump's supporters have threatened to stop giving their business to companies that bow to the pressure and drop Trump products. Here's a list of the companies that have cut ties with the Trump family. Uber Uber CEO Travis Kalanick stepped down from Trump's economic advisory board on Thursday. Uber had faced calls for an international boycott after it was accused of trying to profit off protests among taxi drivers against Trump's executive order barring people from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the US. In a memo to employees, Kalanick said he called the president to let him know he would step down. "Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that," Kalanick said. Nordstrom Nordstrom said on Thursday that it stopped carrying Ivanka Trump's brand because of declining sales. "Each year we cut about 10% [of brands carried] and refresh our assortment with about the same amount," a Nordstrom representative told Business Insider. "In this case, based on the brand's performance, we've decided not to buy it for this season." Nordstrom became one of the main targets of the anti-Trump boycotts after a shopper's open letter to the retailer went viral in October. The letter called Ivanka Trump's brand "toxic" and demanded Nordstrom stop selling it. Macy's Macy's stopped selling Donald Trump's line of menswear which includes suits, ties, and accessories in 2015 after he referred to Mexican immigrants as "rapists." After Trump won the presidency, Macy's CEO Terry Lundgren said the company would stand behind its decision. "We made our decision about a year and a half ago and stand by our decision," Lundgren told TheStreet's Brian Sozzi in November. Trump said in June 2015 that people coming into the US from Mexico were "bringing drugs." "They're bringing crime," he continued. "They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people." Macy's released a statement at the time to explain its decision: "We welcome all customers, and respect for the dignity of all people is a cornerstone of our culture. We are disappointed and distressed by recent remarks about immigrants from Mexico. ... In light of statements made by Donald Trump, we have decided to discontinue our business relationship." However, Macy's still sells Ivanka Trump's line of women's clothing and accessories. Shoes.com Neiman Marcus Neiman Marcus appears to have cut ties with Ivanka Trump's fashion brand. Fifteen products from Ivanka Trump's jewelry line were available on the retailer's website as recently as Wednesday. But as of Friday morning, all the products had disappeared. Neiman Marcus did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment on why Trump's products were no longer available. Wayfair Wayfair, which sells furniture and home decor, At the time, the company did not offer an explanation for why it dropped the brand. Wayfair did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment. Bellacor The home furnishings company Bellacor also dropped the Trump Home line in November. The company was targeted by the #GrabYourWallet campaign last fall. In mid-November, a customer claimed she received an email from Bellacor stating that it had removed Trump products from its inventory. Trump products are no longer available on the company's website. Speaking during her vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament she explained that pool flights will help reduce the cost of tickets to Ghana. READ ALSO: Oral hearing for border disagreement begins Many have blamed this development on the 17.5 percent VAT on air travels by the former NDC government. But Catherine Afeku stressed that pool flights should reduce costs and bring some relief to tourists to Ghana. For the air fares, it is an issue of demand and supply. We now have thirty-four airlines which will increase to thirty-five by the end of the month with the coming on board of Air France. The only way to work with them is to conduct charter or group tours; currently we only have individual tickets and that tends to be expensive. But if we are able to convince them to book groups coming to Ghana, then the cost will go down, she explained. On the high cost of hotel services in Ghana, she also hinted of a marine drive project that will help to cut down the high cost of hotel services. The project covers a land size of 200 acres close to the castle. Upon completion, the marine drive is expected to accommodate about thirty five-star hotels along the beach. The mother-of-three rocked different chic ankara pieces as well as English dresses, with a facebeat that continues to belly her age. The actress has come a long way in the industry as well as on a personal level, and can pass for a veteran act. In June 2016, Fathia, who got divorced in 2015, was conferred with a chieftaincy title where she was named the "Atesin'Se Adinni". The title is said to be in connection with her giving Islam a good image in the industry. ALSO READ: Fathia Balogun marks birthday with new photoshoot The popular Yoruba actress along with Dayo Amusarecently went to Mecca, Saudi Arabia to observe the Muslim Hajj pilgrimage. PM Express reports that the two combatants, Taiye Ajani and Afeez Ajao engaged in the fight over a prostitute in a brothel in the Akesan area of Lagos State after both of them laid claim to the commercial sex worker. The fight which started with the two men degenerated to a bloody fight as other patrons at the brothel joined in. In the end, the police estimated property destroyed to be worth around N1.5 million after they were arrested and charged to a court from where they were ordered to be remanded in prison custody. Eyewitnesses say the fight broke out between Ajani and Ajao after they had a disagreement over the prostitute with both of them laying a claim to her. As they engaged in the fight, a serious fracas ensued and their friends who were also at the brothel joined in support and it turned into a free-for-all with many customers who were in the hotel were attacked and sustained various degrees of injuries during the fight which lasted for several hours. Properties of the brothel including a Toyota Sienna van parked outside were damaged before the police came and contain the menace. The main suspects who had escaped at that time were identified by the management and they were trailed and arrested in their various hideout and detained before they were charged at a Magistrates Court sitting in Ejigbo for the alleged offence under the Criminal code. When the charges were read to Ajani and Ajao, they pleaded not guilty and the presiding Magistrate, Mr. Akeem Fashola granted them bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum. "I am only putting on record that the NDC government under President John Mahama did not approve of 13.9 million dollars to be used to put up the Vice Presidents accommodation, hence the allegation is not true," he said. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has revealed that he was shocked to hear that the government of former President Mahama approved 13.9 million dollars for an official residence for Vice President. He said the residence was not sole-sourced. He noted that, in his view he did not believe it when he was told the price for the house, which, was "most likely sole-sourced" by the erstwhile administration. But Fred Agbenyo asked Dr Bawumia to investigate from the Ministry of Finance, Governor of Bank of Ghana, and all other financial institutions to clarify his allegations. He said the government of former President John Mahama did not approve 13.9 million dollars to be used to put up the Vice Presidents accommodation. According to a two-paged document, shown to Accra-based Joy FM, the contract sum of the bungalow is 3.56m. It is not clear whether the figure quoted is in cedis or dollars. The cost of the bungalow came to bear when Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia revealed that he was shocked to hear that the immediate past government spent $13.9million to put up his official residence. Bawumia said the residence was not sole-sourced. He added that, in his view he did not believe it when he was told the price for the house, which, was "most likely sole-sourced" by the erstwhile administration. But the NDC denied claims made by the Dr Bawumia. The Director of Communications for the NPP, Nana Akomea, has produced documents to show that indeed the erstwhile John Mahama administration spent 13 million dollars to build a house for the vice president. The document showed that $8 million has been paid to the contractor leaving an outstanding debt of $5 million. The production of the documents follows denials from officials of the former administration that the building cost was $5.1 million and not $13 million. The document contained the architectural designs and cost of the facility. According to documents by General Secretary of the NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the cost of the project stands at 3,563,884. Read more: Presenting the facts of the case before the court, the prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patience Mario said the complainant, Daniel Nkrumah, trader resides at Nungua Ravico while the convict Awal Iddrisu, unemployed lives at Agbogbloshie. She said the offence was committed on January 22, 2017 at about 22:30 hours by Awal and his accomplices who are now at large usually come to Nungua near Abrefi spot. Read also: Scottish rapist who fled to Ghana finally jailed DSP Patience Mario told the court that on January 25, the complainant spotted the convict at the same spot and alerted his friends who assisted in arresting him to the police station. The convict in his cautioned statement stated that he stole from the complainant and sold it to someone at Agbogbloshie. The court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh said examination of the facts of the case indicated that the accused person had been engaging in the crime for a very long time. He convicted Awal on his own plea, saying the court having taken into consideration the fact that he attacked the victim with a knife and a machete and sentenced him to 15-years in hard labour. Superintendent Cephas said the only 206 recruits who were undergoing training at the Pwalugu Police Training School have been dismissed and not the 3000 being speculated. READ ALSO: IGP dismisses new police recruits Speaking to AccraFM, he said The number is 206, not 3000. If the number were 3000, it would mean we dismissed all the police officers we recruited in the service. That is not the case. The figures are nowhere close to 3000." READ ALSO: Fake policeman nabbed He further added: The administration has decided to enforce the law against them, especially those who forged documents to deceive a public officer. They will face the law. On Friday February 3, Mrs Beatrice Vib-Sanziri, Commissioner of Police, Director-General/Human Resource Department, wrote a letter to the Officer Commanding PPSTS, Pwalugu, saying: He said after he and his immediate family were relocated from Accra the police have withdrawn all forms of protection and support for his family. He said this is contrary to what the police promised him before he helped them arrest the suspected killer. Speaking to Starrfmonline.com the informant (whose name cannot be revealed for security reasons) said since the former Greater Accra regional Police commander COP Dr George Akuffo Dampare was transferred to the Central region the witness-protection and financial support promised him have been denied. The informant said COP Dampare housed him, his wife and their two-week old baby for two months before handing them over to the BNI. He narrated that Daniel Asiedu came to me and my elder brother in our room at dawn and gave us three phones to charge for him. Two of the phones were iPhones which were locked, but the third phone was not locked. We saw blood dripping on his little finger while he handed the phones over to my brother to charge. He even requested us to heat water for him. On that same morning, I had heard about the murder of the MP but it didnt readily connect, until my brother started going through the unlocked phone when we saw pictures of the MP and some dignitaries of the NPP. It then occurred to us that Daniel might be the killer so immediately we sent a message to Ursula Owusu-Ekuful through the MPs phone because she was in his contact list. Ursula responded and eventually we got the Police informed and they started looking for him, he added. He continued: Because [name withheld] is a difficult area to search for suspects, we became informants for the Police on the search. At a point, Daniel noticed we were giving information to the Police after we appeared reluctant to return the phones to him. He got furious and threatened to stab me if he confirms that we are talking to anyone about the phones. It took his wife to beg him for me. Eventually, the police laid ambush and arrested him while he was going to have a meal with my elder brother after our disagreement. When the BNI took over the case and failed to provide for the informant and his family, the Police commander informed the former Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur to intervene. He said the former Vice President gave them GHC10,000 and also rented an apartment for them by the Spintex Road for a short while. The team arrived in Hamburg earlier last week for preparations towards a final legal showdown with the Ivorian legal and technical team, which is also in Hamburg. The first and the second rounds of oral arguments will come off from today, February 6, to February 10, 2016 and February 13 to 16, 2017, respectively. Ghanas team includes officials from the Attorney-Generals Department, the Ministry of Energy, the Maritime Boundaries Secretariat, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Petroleum Commission and lawyers from Ghana and abroad. The President of the Special Chamber constituted to deal with the dispute, Judge Boualem Bouguetaia, will preside over the hearing. Other members of the panel hearing the case are judges Rudiger Wolfrum, Germany, and Jin-Hyun Paik, the Republic of Korea. READ ALSO: Ad hoc judges Thomas Mensah, Ghana, and Ronny Abraham, France, were selected by Ghana and Cote dIvoire, respectively, according to the rules of the ITLOS. Background Ivory Coast is claiming ownership of the disputed TEN oil field, forcing Ghana to file a suit at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) to ward off Ivory Coast from disputed oilfields. It filed its suit based on Article 287 Annex VII of the 1982 UNCLOS. Cote dIvoire in February 2015 filed for preliminary measures and urged the tribunal to suspend all activities on the disputed area until the definitive determination of the case, dubbed: Dispute Concerning Delimitation of the Maritime Boundary between Ghana and Cote dIvoire in the Atlantic Ocean. READ ALSO: Ivory Coast Files For Suspension Of Ghana From Oil Exploration "I was living in Nairobi, Kenya at that time and because my parents were there, I was not given the opportunity to be in Ghana to undertake the national service, so, no I did not do national service, I actually worked in Kenya; for the three months that I came out of university I was in that culture seen as serving the nation but I was not in Ghana at that time," she said. Catherine Afeku has been criticized by a group called Truth and Accountable Governance (TAG) alleging that the nominee is a fraudster and as such, should have her nomination revoked in order to save the integrity the presidents nominees. Read more: Group accuses Tourism minister designate of fraud "Mrs Afeku and her husband, Mr Seth Afeku, were found guilty for defrauding an American couple on 19-10-2013 by an Accra High Court presided over by Her [Ladyship] Barbara Ackah-Yensu. The trial judge directed the MP for Evalue-Gwira constituency and her husband to pay an amount of $217,464 plus 50 per cent interest to the plaintiff, Patricia and Bill Gick." According to the group, such a character should not be allowed to hold public office. "We also believe that Private Investors both Local and International will not have confidence and trust in the sector if an alleged fraudster is allowed to hold that office. H.E Akufo-Addo being a Lawyer and an anti-corruption campaigner, should have known better. We are calling on him to immediately revoke the appointment of Mrs Catherine Afeku as Minister of Tourism designate if he wants Ghanaians to believe in his willingness to fight corrupt officials," the group said. Read also:Catherine Afeku downplays fraud allegation During her vetting on Monday, February 6th, she noted that: There have always been complaints about our packaging and presentation of our Ghanaian dishes, Mrs Afeku told parliaments Appointments Committee. This was said in response to a question by a committee member on how to address the situation whereby continental dishes are served even on domestic flights and in hotels. She, however, commended British Airways for serving Ghanaian jollof on flights, adding that with about 34 airlines operating in Ghana, the potential to make Ghanaians dishes popular across the world is huge. The hearing will be presided over by the President of the Special Chamber constituted to deal with the dispute, Judge Boualem Bouguetaia. The hearing will be last for the next ten days. Ghana first submitted her memorial and the initial hearing was done. The country was then given the mandate to go ahead with drills but with some restrictions. Ivory Coast has also submitted its counter-memorial a couple of months ago after Ghana submitted its initial memorial. Ghanas team which is expected to put up its defence today is being led by Attorney General and Minister of Justice Gloria Akuffo. Cote DIvoire had earlier called for the suspension of activities on Ghanas oil fields by disputing the maritime boundary until the final determination of their disagreement over the boundary. It filed its suit based on Article 287 Annex VII of the 1982 UNCLOS. Cote dIvoire in February 2015 filed for preliminary measures and urged the tribunal to suspend all activities in the disputed area until the definitive determination of the case, dubbed: Dispute Concerning Delimitation of the Maritime Boundary between Ghana and Cote dIvoire in the Atlantic Ocean. According to her, she has never been charged for fraudulent acts and has no criminal background. READ ALSO: Nana Addo investigates Catherine Afeku over fraudulent charges Speaking to Parliament's Appointments Committee on Monday, 6 February, 2017, Catherine Afeku who has previously been in media reports for defrauding a foreigner denied the accusations.She, however, explained that a business relationship between her and some American partners went "sour" at a point and the matter ended up in court but no criminal findings were made against her.Ahead of her vetting, a civil society group wanted President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to reconsider his ministerial nomination for the Tourism and Creative Arts ministry. READ ALSO: Group accuses Tourism minister designate of fraud According to Truth and Accountable Governance (TAG), Madam Catherine Afeku as Minister designates of Tourism and Creative Arts is not the right person for the ministry. "No, I have never been charged with fraud, neither have I ever had a criminal background. But in 2007, I had the opportunity to do business with some American partners. It (was) a simple business relationship that went sour, it ended up in court as a civil suit, a judgment was made in their favor and the claims were very clear: a refund of money, a car, and interest on the said amount," the ministerial nominee said. She added that, "Myself (sic), my husband and the company we established, we did not agree with the judgment. As law abiding citizens, we complied and obeyed and had paid $117,000 out of the fine of $219,000 until 2013 when we came back to file a fresh evidence in the form of video recording of the son of our business partner who was actually our witness in the earlier judgment professing, confessing that the entire suit was based on a conspiracy between my business partners and a native of Axim, an elderly man." She noted steps must be taken to rectify the situation which has constantly harmed Ghana's outlook on the international market. She told the vetting committee on Monday, February 6 that: You cannot aggressively bring people for tourism when you have open defecation at the beaches. She said countries like Kenya, where tourism brings in so much foreign exchange, have a practical advantage over Ghana because of issues like sanitation. Mrs. Afeku was of the view that if sanitation was not addressed, tourism would continue to suffer. The Minister-designate indicated that the set-up of the Sanitation Ministry was laudable. She assured the house that if she is approved as minister, she will collaborate with that ministry to ensure Ghanas beaches are devoid of filth. Meanwhile, UNICEFs Country Director of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, David Duncan, has said that considering the current rate, it will take Ghana 500 years to bring an end to free ranging or open defecation. Last week he attacked Japan, saying: "You look at what China's doing, you look at what Japan has done over the years. They play the money market, they play the devaluation market, and we sit there like a bunch of dummies." Trump's trade adviser, Peter Navarro, even took aim at Germany, saying the country was using a " rel="noFollow"grossly undervalued" euro to its advantage against other nations in the European Union and against the US. But according to Deutsche Bank strategist Robin Winkler, none of those countries are the closest fit toward the Treasury's definition of a "currency manipulator." Winkler believes that honor goes to Switzerland, which is the closest to meeting the three criteria needed before the Treasury can name someone a "currency manipulator." First, here are the requirements: Switzerland is on the edge of fulfilling all three requirements, according to Winkler. The country is running an account surplus of 10%, and its intervention in the FX market accounts for 9.1% of GDP. The only category in which Switzerland falls short is that it is running a $13 billion trade surplus versus the US, and the threshold sits at $20 billion. Winkler, however, thinks that Switzerland will cross that mark in as early as 2018. While US trade with Switzerland is relatively small, any tariffs imposed by the US would have a profound impact on the Swiss economy. That's because Switzerland sends about 10.6% of its exports to the US, according to the CIA World Factbook, which Winkler says accounts for almost half of its net trade surplus. Additionally, Winkler believes the 20% tariff that has been threatened by Trump would "put the same drag on the export sector as a hypothetical 8% appreciation of the TWI," or trade-weighted index. So what should the Swiss National Bank do to avoid the wrath of Trump? The Dreamliner is like the United Nations of planes: Its wings and batteries come from Japan. Its wing tips come from South Korea. India is the source of its floor beams. The front fuselage is made in the USA and Japan. The center fuselage and horizontal stabilizers are from Italy. Landing gear and doors? France. Cargo access doors are built in Sweden. The wing/body fairings, which cover gaps on the body, are from Canada. The movable trailing edge of the wings are from Canada, except when theyre from the US or Australia. Thrust reversers come from Mexico. Its engines come from either General Electric in the US or Rolls-Royce in the UK. After all that, the components travel around the world before arriving at one of Boeing's factories in Washington or South Carolina, where theyre assembled into finished planes. Then, theyre delivered to more than 60 airlines worldwide. The Trump administrations foreign policy and stances on trade and defense could have significant effects on how multinational companies do business. While a company such as Boeing supports a massive manufacturing presence in the US, it has cultivated a broad network of international partners that have invested decades and billions of dollars into relationships with Boeing. These partners have deep ties to their local governments and business communities, but the new administrations hardline stance on globalization threatens those bonds. And for Boeing, it could give its main rival, Airbus, a serious leg up. As the Trump White House dials up the tough talk on trade, there are few companies as potentially affected by policies and changes as Boeing. This is especially true for the nondefense half of its business, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, which makes the Dreamliner. First, take the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), that pact between the US, Canada, and Mexico that for more than two decades has created a free market in the region. While controversial leading up to its inception, the furor over NAFTA died down in recent years until being reignited by Trump, who has vowed to renegotiate or even scrap the agreement. Now with NAFTA's future in doubt, and Trump's plan to build a multibillion-dollar wall on the Mexican border paid for with a 20% tax on Mexican imports Boeing could suffer. First, there are those thrust reversers built in Mexico; they would instantly become a lot more expensive. There are customers at stake. Mexico's flag carrier, AeroMexico, flies an all-Boeing fleet, while its two local rivals, Interjet and Volaris, are loyal customers of Airbus, the European giant. If Mexico retaliates against US tariffs by instituting its own border tax for goods coming into the country, Boeing planes could become a lot more expensive and lead AeroMexico to choose Airbus over Boeing. "A 20% tax on the planes is huge and basically makes any Boeing product uneconomical for Mexican customers." Vinay Bhaskara, a senior business analyst at Airways, told Business Insider. "Boeing either becomes unprofitable in that market or they simply cant sell outside of the US." For every Boeing plane, Airbus has an equivalent competitor. If youre thinking about buying a Boeing 737, youre also looking at the Airbus A320, for instance. Theyre generally priced similarly too. "If Trump's policies damage Boeing, Airbus would be the big beneficiary," Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis at aviation-consulting firm Teal Group, told Business Insider. Boeing believes China could buy as much as $1 trillion worth of commercial airplanes over the next 20 years. Theres a lot of demand there for widebody jets like the 787 Dreamliner. But Trumps policies and rhetoric toward China could put that at risk. Trump has accused China of playing games with its currency, to the detriment of US business. Hes openly challenged the One China Policy that's maintained the fragile peace between China and Taiwan. Hes criticized China for its artificial islands in the South China Sea. None of this pleases the people who hold the trillion-dollar markets purse strings the Chinese government and its massive state-owned airlines. "China is easily the biggest area of concern for Boeing," Aboulafia said. "China is very big, and they account for 20% to 25% of Boeings output right now." Two other countries planning to buy a lot of Boeing airplanes are Iran and Iraq. The Iraqi government has 18 Boeing 737-800s on order as well as 10 787-8 Dreamliners. In total, its worth about $3.7 billion. Boeing is also trying to complete a deal with Iranian leaders for an 80-plane order. That could be worth $16 billion, though likely less at negotiated prices. But now Trump is president. His executive order, which temporarily bans immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries, includes Iran and Iraq, which responded with similar measures. The Trump administration put Iran "on notice" after the country tested a ballistic missile, and relations between the nations, tenuous but improving since the nuclear deal, appear to be worsening. As with with China, these deals are at risk if the Persian Gulf governments feel aggrieved by the new administrations policies. Trump rode into office on a populist platform promising to reinvigorate American manufacturing. As a candidate and as president, hes used his own bully pulpit, and Twitter account, to shame companies like Carrier that plan to move jobs to other countries. But for Boeing, with that international supply chain, switching many of its internationally sourced components for aircraft such as the 787 to a new US supplier is "basically impossible," said Aboulafia. That's because, unlike traditional supplier networks, many of Boeing's suppliers are full partners that have invested their own money in the development of the 787s parts with the idea that they would make money off their investment throughout the life of the program. "I think he thinks this is kind of like importing cement for casinos, where you can just switch your source for the cement," Aboulafia said. "Trump may have the idea that they can shift sources, but the airplane industry doesnt work that way." "Contracts tend to run the life of the program rather than we feel like buying from X one year and Y the next year," he added. Take the Dreamliners Japanese-built wings as an example. If Boeing were willing and able to disentangle itself from that complex international supplier relationship, Aboulafia said it would require reimbursing the Japanese and other companies that invested in the development and production of wings. Instead of being paid over the lifetime of the 787 program about 30 years Boeing would have to fully pay back the supplier to the tune of billions of dollars. Then Boeing would have to find an American company willing to invest in creating alternatives as there are no US companies producing equivalent parts. A few weeks after Election Day, Trump sent a tweet that had a single target: Boeing. "Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!" Trump wrote. Boeing, blindsided by the tweet, was forced to quickly issue a statement noting that its only "under contract" for $170 million to determine the capabilities of the new plane. But the fact that companies can unexpectedly come into the presidents crosshairs, often with no warning, is the new reality for those doing business in the US. And these tweets and statements can influence a companys perception among the public and apply pressure to change how they run their businesses. Thats not to say that the new administration is all bad news for Boeing and other multinationals. "Most of the good Trump can do for Boeing comes from what's generically good for corporate America," Bhaskara said. The Trump administration plans cuts to corporate tax rates, and theres talk of making it easier to repatriate the money that companies like Boeing earn abroad. And the president could come to Boeings aid in its battle with Airbus, which has long enjoyed subsidies from European governments. Boeing contends thats an unfair advantage, and the matter is being litigated at the World Trade Organization. "If there are specific things Trump can achieve in terms of reducing European subsidies to Airbus, then I would think that helps Boeing compete a little bit," Simon Lester, a Cato Institute trade-policy analyst, told Business Insider. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril," Trump wrote. "If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! "I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY," he continued. "The courts are making the job very difficult!" The tweets were the latest in Trump's series of public barbs directed at the Seattle judge, who argued that the government did not effectively make its legal case for singling out the seven named countries. Robart was appointed by President George W. Bush. Trump referred to him as a "so-called judge" on Saturday, predicting that the ruling would eventually be overturned by a higher court. Though last week the administration attempted to minimize the number of travelers affected by the ban, Trump's tweets on Sunday claimed that the judge's order allowed unscreened travelers to pour into the US. The Washington Post has estimated that about 90,000 people with visas to travel to the US would be affected by Trump's temporary travel ban, though The New York Times reported on Saturday that there did not appear to be a large uptick in travelers from the nations affected by the ban. The executive order signed by Trump also temporarily bars all refugees from entering the US and indefinitely bars Syrian refugees from entering the country. Pruitt the attorney general of Oklahoma known for 14 lawsuits designed to fight regulations and cleanup efforts by the agency he hopes to lead made the apparent false statement when referring to an ongoing environmental lawsuit involving several poultry companies in Arkansas. Pruitt's predecessor, Drew Edmondson, brought the case against Tyson Foods, Cargill Turkey, and 12 other poultry companies. Edmondson accused them of dumping 300,000 tons of poultry waste (read: bird poop) a year into the Illinois River upstream of Oklahoma. The case, brought before a federal judge, was fought entirely before Pruitt took office in 2011. The judge, however, has yet to issue a ruling years later. During Pruitt's campaign to become state attorney general, he received $40,000 in donations from those companies and law firms representing them, according to The New York Times. Once in office, he took an apparently less aggressive approach to pursuing the case than his predecessor. In response to questions from Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey during his confirmation hearing, Pruitt said: "I have taken no action to undermine that case. I have done nothing but file briefs in support of the court making a decision." Rivero and his team at Fusion found no evidence that Pruitt or his office had filed any briefs in support of making a decision with the case, apparently contradicting his claim under oath to the Senate. In an independent review of publicly available documents from the case, Business Insider confirmed Rivero's finding that no such briefs were filed since Pruitt took office. As Fusion reported, the sole pertinent substantive filing by the state since Pruitt took office was a notice that a Supreme Court case thought to be relevant had been decided but would not make a difference in the Oklahoma case. (You can read that document below.) In an email to Business Insider, Pruitt confirmation team spokesman John Konkus disputed Fusion and Business Insider's interpretation of these facts. Konkus said that Pruitt's response to Booker was referencing the notice about the Supreme Court decision. That notice (embedded below) does not appear to include an encouragement to the judge to reach a decision. However, Pruitt's team suggests that the act of filing a notice in support of the state's argument is an implicit encouragement to reach a decision. Here's Konkus's full statement: "Mr. Pruitt was referencing a notice filed in which the Attorney General's office sent a Supreme Court decision to the judge which supports Oklahoma's arguments made in the case. "On 7-6-2011 the Attorney General's office filed notice of relevant authority sending the court the Supreme Court decision in AEP v Connecticut which the Attorney General's office says supports their arguments made in the poultry case regarding whether the CWA displaced its federal common law nuisance case." Business Insider asked Konkus in a follow-up email where in the notice Pruitt's office encouraged the judge to reach a decision. 2face Idibia cancelled his intention to lead a protest against bad governance today February 6, 2017, but Nigerian comedian Seyi Law is currently championing the cause at the National stadium, Surulere. According to the veteran comedian, he would be starting a social media revolution soon. "If they don't listen to the voice of reason, they'll listen to violence," he said. Adding, "The fact that 2face backed out shows that there are forces trying to silence Nigerians. Those are the forces we must fight." This comes after Seyi Law took to Twitter saying with or without 2face, he was going to protest against bad governance. And he did! Meanwhile, Chude Jideonwo of Ynaija, Olu Martins from Enough is Enough and actor Daniel Etim Effiong are also leading protesters at the National Stadium. Recall that late last year Seyi Law, revealed he would be running for presidency come 2019. "I am ALETILE OLUWASEYITAN LAWRENCE aka SEYILAW and I am running for the highest office in the land in 2019," he wrote on Instagram November 15, 2016. "Come 2019, I'm coming out. As soon as they lower the age for presidency to 35, I'm running," he said. Taking a wild detour off the prim and well tailored suits he's known for, Atafo dares to explore the urban trend raising the ante with hand painting and mind blowing graphic motifs on pieces edgy youthful pieces. On the collection titled ME he offered; "A collection thats describes my journey from when I was 19 years to this present day. In my early years hand downs from my brothers and shopping second-hands because one couldnt afford new cool clothes made up my wardrobe. Added to this was my need to standout by re-inventing these pieces through reconstructing or sometimes deconstructing them. The hand printing helps tell a literal story. The base for all this was my love for denim, velvet, corduroy (ridged velvet) suede, leopard print and camouflage. Houndstooth I consider to be the most technical check pattern,. It could be fun and serious at the same time and the obvious knitwear just because its Autumn/Winter. ALSO READ:Peep Maxivive modern trad looks on the runway at SAWM 2016 In the last few years my love for tuxedos led to a path where I respect the dress-code and also give it twist, this is subtly visible by the velvet taping on the trousers matching the jacket fabric (velvet) rather than the conventional trouser tapping matching the lapel of the tuxedo jacket. Not to forget the smoking jacket with our trademark shawl peck lapel (like all the tuxedos in the collection) with houndstooth trousers rather than the traditional tartan checks. For once a collection that wasnt about predicting consumer trend but one thats truly Mai Atafo and what I loved, love and will be loving. I know there is one piece for everybody in this collection" Mai Atafo dished. The totally unpredictable collection was impressive! Photo Credits: I am confused, I feel betrayed and heartbroken. However, much more than any of those I am very angry. This is directed to the many reasonable people whose intent is to know the truth of the matter, Arigbabu wrote. My social campaigns were born from a conviction that someone should do something about the crisis in the North East which was and still is a very painful experience for many especially the IDPs who have lost their homes, families and whose future seem bleak. I was supported by gracious people who were generous with their time, hearts, retweets and many who put in effort to make the campaigns successful. She added that she never received cash donations from anyone for the IDPs in Borno State and that she feels bad that donors are being disturbed by what she calls a smear campaign. I am utterly disappointed that our donors are being disturbed by stories made up purely to hurt my person. I am disgusted that the time and efforts people put into the exercise is being ridiculed by never-do-gooders whose life achievements can only be measured by the time they spend on slandering people on social media. I am concerned that few close relatives who gave me cash to fund logistics and travel around might have second guessed my intent on the campaign. I am particularly gutted because I specifically rejected cash donations, no one donor can step out and say they donated cash. Arigbabu gave a breakdown of how the donations went and asserted that shes done nothing wrong. I do not see how I have done wrong by spending my time, money and management skills to help the cause of the internally displaced persons in Borno. All I did for the campaigns was purely altruistic and not for the aim of making profit, my religion teaches me the goodness in helping the needy and the less privilege. I know the comeuppance for taking advantage of peoples circumstances and using it to enrich myself. You can read her full statement below: Open letter to Libellous Twitter I am confused, I feel betrayed and heartbroken. However, much more than any of those I am very angry. Contrary to the title of this piece, this letter is directed to the many reasonable people whose intent is to know the truth of the matter. My social campaigns were born from a conviction that someone should do something about the crisis in the North East which was and still is a very painful experience for many especially the IDPs who have lost their homes, families and whose future seem bleak. I was supported by gracious people who were generous with their time, hearts, retweets and many who put in effort to make the campaigns successful. I am utterly disappointed that our donors are being disturbed by stories made up purely to hurt my person, I am disgusted that the time and efforts people put into the exercise is being ridiculed by never-do-gooders whose life achievement can only be measured by the time they spend on slandering people on social media. I am concerned that few close relatives who gave me cash to fund logistics and travel around might have second guessed my intent on the campaign. I am particularly gutted because I specifically rejected cash donations, no one donor can step out and say they donated cash to the campaign in the North East that I supervised. I will now address each of the campaigns one after the other not because I am giving the wrong people a power over me but because I understand a lie let to live may be seen as the truth someday. I havent been involved in any campaign since the successful completion of distribution of every goods since 2014/2015/2016 (over 6 campaign), but heres a recap of all the campaigns and their results. BALL FOR BORNO (1 & 2) A charity game aimed at raising relief items for the internally displaced in Borno state. All items received from Ball for Borno 1(Ikoyi, Lagos) were distributed by Purple Heart foundation () and Ball for Borno 2s items we distributed by BAOBABs activists for Womens rights. (spoke at the event in Unilag. FEED A PERSON THIS RAMADHAN (1 & 2) This campaign was aimed at providing food items for people within BIU camp during the month of Ramadhan. Food items were received; 3 bags of rice and 2 cartons of spaghetti. Other items purchased were from funds given to me by close friends and family (not sourced from the public). The items were packed into smaller bags and were sent to Borno via Gudaco motors both times. The 1st part of the campaign was distributed by BAOBAB. During this campaign, few people came around to support and help repackage the items for distribution. We used about a week to repackage the items for people at the camps! (Big thanks to these awesome ladies; and this gentleman: ) and they also assisted in sharing the items every weekend during Ramadhan! The 2nd part of the campaign was distributed by me personally. 343 ORPHANS This was a carwash campaign. Some awesome ladies and I washed cars for a fee. With the funds gotten from 343orphans (appx. 70,000 naira) a play centre was created; 2 mobile land lines were bought and a satellite for cartoon network for the kids were built in the camp. CAPS FOR CASH This was an initiative created by my close friend () and I. We financed this personally. We bought sewing machines and built a sewing centre within the BIU camp in 2015. The purpose of this was to empower the skilful internally displaced persons and get them busy doing something. They knitted caps and we helped get buyers for them, the cash was giving to the individual that made respective caps. We had a challenge when the generator I bought for the mini clinic in the camp was stolen alongside 4 sewing machines, I didnt request for reimbursement from anyone and I personally replaced them. IT FOR IDP (IT4IDP) This was aimed at building an IT centre for the IDP (mostly kids) we collected 7 broken laptops from donors on twitter; fixed, installed anti-virus and repackaged. I bought a canopy and blankets for the women too (from my salary). @safinu_ado contributed his skills to teaching the kids. I do not see how I have done wrong by spending my time, money and management skills to help the cause of the internally displaced persons in Borno. All I did for the campaigns was purely altruistic and not for the aim of making profit, my religion teaches me the goodness in helping the needy and the less privilege, I know the comeuppance for taking advantage of peoples circumstances and using it to enrich myself. It is with regret that I am writing the numerous times I had to use my personal money, it is not for grandstanding purposes as my religion forbids this, however, I am doing this to lay it bare as it is. To the issue of food items donated by someone for the IDP and sold by me is laughable and I will explain; prior to Eid, as always, I wanted to do things within the camp and was cash strapped because work hadnt paid salaries, so I reached out to our food stuff supplier on any possible ways she could be of help. She suggested that for every bag of rice she sold (from her stock, not donated), shell give her profit to the cause. I reached out to people in order to get customers who could buy in bulk from her, @ayourb connected me to a LG Chairman in Apapa who was happy to buy some bags of rice from her, I also sold rams (not donated) to the same Chairman to raise funds. Ill like to also state here that the said LG is yet to pay for all which was supplied to them. Anyway, the funds I got from there was added to provide meals for kids and their mothers during the festive period in order to make them happy. I am at loss how a group of sad people came about the story of me selling food items donated to the IDPs and how I used the proceeds to travel abroad for my studies. Ill implore you to ask any of them to be brave enough to come publicly with their irrefutable facts rather than hiding behind their keyboards and sending subtle messages. I wonder why none of them is yet to face me head on and say Nimah, you are a thief, you sold donated items to travel abroad and here is my fact. I guarantee you, none of them have the balls to do so, let them prove they arent cowards and categorically state what I said above! I also dare them to provide the names of the following; the individual who donated the truckloads of items I sold and used the to travel abroad and list of people who donated huge money I stole to pay my fees. Let me repeat, I DARE YOU! If you cant provide these, everything in Surah Al Masadd is my gift to you; the creator of the rumour and everyone of you who is spreading it. I have noticed that this personal attacks only come each time I criticise the government, is this a cheap attempt at shutting me up because its not working. My fees and living expenses amounts to about 16,000 per year, do you know how many tons of rice and items I would have had to sell to come up with that amount? This will be the last time I will be addressing the issue, and I did only because of people that really want to know the truth. This will not stop me from engaging in charity acts in the nearest future. I am writing this to warn other women in my shoes or who would be tempted with thinking the grass is greener out there that all that glitter is not gold. Before I found myself in this predicament, I was married to and we had two children but along the line, my husband lost his job and things became quite difficult for us. The company he worked before the retrenchment gave us just three weeks to park out of our official quarters and we had to get a room and parlor apartment in a crowded house to manage while Samson tried to get another job. All his efforts proved abortive and things went from bad to worse when our children had to stop school when they were sent home because of fees. My small business was all we depended on and when things became too difficult for us to bear, my friend Adaugo, promised to introduce me to a rich chief who could help. When we went to see the man, he told me he would only help me if I allowed him to sleep with me. Initially, I refused and told him I was a married and he told me to leave his guest house as he was not ready to throw his money away on someone he would not gain anything from. After about some months and with our landlord giving us just one week to park out of his house when we could not renew our rent, I went back to Adaugo who took me to the chief again and he insisted on sleeping with me and I had no option but to agree. That was the beginning of my journey to this quagmire. The after sleeping with me, chief gave me money with which I used to pay our rent and lied to my husband that I got a loan from our women cooperative. I was able to restock my shop and even expanded it and got two other shops. I was now able to travel to Dubai and China to buy goods for me shops. I kept seeing the chief and he spoilt me silly with money and other material things and with time, I even gave Samson money to set up a business and when he asked where I got the money from, I told him I was involved in a contributory scheme. But somewhere along the line, chief told me he was no longer comfortable with me sneaking around to see him and said he wanted to make me his third wife and I must leave my husband. Like a sheep being led to the slaughter slab, I agreed to leave my husband and marry chief. I guess he must have hypnotized because I just packed out of my home and moved into one of chiefs houses and despite several remonstrations from my family and that of my husband and church members, I was not ready to listen to anyone. But the scale has been lifted off my eyes after living with chief as a common-law wife for two years when he came one day and told me to vacate his house as his new wife was coming in. I thought he was joking but he sent his boys who forcefully threw my things out of the house and told me never to come close to chief again. Not only that, he has also closed my shops and the accounts he opened for me and I am now the greatest loser anyone can think of. My husband and children would not have anything to do with me while my family has disowned me for bringing shame to them. Marilyn. This is following recent allegations by Olunloyo suggesting that the actress is having an affair with Yahya Jammeh, the ex president of Gambia who ruled the country for 22 years. According to Punch News, Okorie has insisted that her lawyers will be fighting her battles in the event of more attacks from the media personality. Next time she opens her mouth wide again and the sewage spews out, my lawyers will go fast and hard after her. The law, the court, is the only way to put a mad dog on a leash. The actress commented that her personal findings about Olunloyo has revealed her to be a troublemaker who preys on societal figures. She explained that her 2016 trip to Gambia was in fact for business purposes, not a personal visit to Jammeh as has been alleged. I have heard a bit about her. I decided to do a full background check and behold, I saw a whole lot of garbage. I discovered she makes a sport of badmouthing prominent people, The Gambian trip was not a solo trip. It was an industry outing that involved about ten showbiz personalities, including Emmanuel Ehumadu, Walter Anger, Klint de Drunk, I Go Save, Sharon Francis, Prince Eke, Sandra Onyeka, Moyo Lawal and Mr. Patrick." Kemi Olunloyo has established herself as a personality known for her fact finding mission as well as being a critic. Punch reports that according to the babys mother, Alimat Adebowale, a biscuits seller in the market, the suspect was well known to most of the traders in the market and had lived in the community for over four years until a few months ago when she traveled. T-girl was said to have returned to the neighbourhood last week and went to the market where the traders welcomed her. It was learned that she had approached Adebowale who was breastfeeding the baby and took the child from the mother under the guise of playing with him. She reportedly strapped the kid to her back afterward and sat on a chair behind his mother, who was busy attending to customers but after some time, the mother did not see her again when she was done with her customers. A trader, Kemi Agboola, who explained the disappearance of the suspect said: Nobody knew when she (T-Girl) disappeared from the market with the baby. The mother had looked back to check on Kudus when she discovered that she had left the market with her child. We called her number, but she didnt pick our calls. That was when it occurred to us that she had stolen the baby. I dont really blame Iya Kudus. She thought the child was in a safe hand because almost everybody here knows T-Girl. She would come to buy things here and play with us. She is from Ibadan (Oyo State) and had lived here for more than four years before she traveled some months ago. She came back last week. The suspect was later arrested in Ibadan after some passengers with whom she boarded a bus en route the ancient city raised the alarm. A resident narrated how T-Girl was arrested: It was said the bus had a minor accident on the way to Ibadan and the driver had to wait for some moments. As they were waiting, Kudus started crying and the passengers urged her to breastfeed him. She refused. As the babys cries increased, they compelled her to breastfeed him and she reluctantly agreed. But the baby did not suck her breasts, which made the passengers to be suspicious. After threatening to beat her up, she said she was taking the baby to her mother in Ibadan. The passengers took her to the Yemetu Police Station in Ibadan, and she eventually confessed to having stolen the baby in Badagry. The police in Ibadan contacted the Badagry Division and the mother and her husband traveled there to recover their child. He is two months old. The relieved mother who also spoke on the incident said she initially refused to give her baby to the suspect when she went to her stall in the market. People were playing with my baby that day when she said I should also allow her to take him, but I refused. She asked if she had offended me and pleaded that I should let her carry him. I suddenly discovered that I didnt see her again and people joined me to search for her to no avail. My child was two months old that day. The woman used to come here to buy drinks and play with us. I am now with my baby. The police in Ibadan said the suspect gave her real name as Yetunde Awosanya, and identified herself as Alimats friend. She said she traveled with the baby with the consent of his mother. But after interrogation, it turned out that she was lying. The case will be transferred to Lagos, a police source said. I stumbled on Kingtblakhoc in 2015. A babe shared his risque photos on her timeline on Twitter. I didn't believe what I saw and went to check out his Instagram account. Kingtblakhoc is the real deal- Nigeria's first open pornstar. Most of the porn that's sold and consumed in Nigeria are mostly foreign. The small percentage of Naija porn clips online are leaked amateur sex clips that found its way into the wrong hands. Nigerian porn on a commercial level barely exists, although small and underground porn companies have started springing up. Even with this development, it is the standard practice for porn actors to mask their faces. The Nigerian society is still squeamish about sex and conservative. Kingtblakhoc is a rebel, though. He shows his face in his porn videos, Instagram and Twitter videos as well. He started off with racy Instagram videos of him with nude and semi-nude women in his hotel room. After gaining a following online he created his website hoclifestyle. On his website, he sells porn videos starring him as the only guy. Some of the videos have corny story lines such as the one with him and a female banker. Kingtblakhoc is more than a porn actor. He is a porn businessman and a porn star. He is the only Nigerian selling porn videos of himself to the mainstream. He is also active on his social media accounts where he posts videos of his amusing monologues to his fans and those interested in his business. PM Express gathered that the Akwa Ibom State-born suspect was arrested by the operatives of the Lagos State Task Force after he attacked and wounded Olumide who was on official duty in the Ajah area of the state. Archibong allegedly attacked and obstructed a Team (B) LASTMA officials, Zone 14, on the Lekki-Ajah axis from impounding a commercial Volkswagen bus with registration number FKJ 688 XV whose driver resisted an arrest for picking and dropping passengers at an unauthorized place in the area. Archibong who resides at Jakande Estate, Lekki, Phase 1, was charged with assault, obstruction, and conduct likely to cause the breach of peace under the criminal code before the presiding Magistrate, Adepeju Odusanya, who granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum after he pleaded not guilty. With all that has happened since last Monday when I wrote the infamous 2face Idibia article, I can't help but wonder where we have gotten it wrong. Presently, a convicted thief is planning his re-entry to Nigerian politics after he was welcomed with so much pomp and pageantry. If James Ibori had ridden on a donkey I would have mistaken him for Jesus Christ when he entered Jerusalem. The brazen celebration over a thief is shocking and disheartening. Our President has extended his vacation in the United Kingdom and the rumours concerning his health have gone from curiosity and speculation to almost apprehension. There is a strong possibility that Nigeria is about to witness a deja vu- the replaying of events that occurred before, and after the death of President Yaradua. After many conversations online and offline, 2face Idibia pulled out of his protest which itself has given birth to another controversy. Nigeria seems to be on the brink. This political system has been threatening to collapse for decades but now it is glaring that this ramshackle house we have called our nation can no longer withstand the years of corruption and mismanagement. Things have fallen apart and the centre can no longer hold. Rome burns, Nero is sick in the hospital and the citizens last night watched Big Brother Naija to ease the pain. When all the housemates have left the house and the reality show is over we must face the recession, high cost of living, and poor power supply. The danfo has become quite the eyesore in a city of some 20 million persons; with their drivers flouting all traffic rules known to man. Most of the accidents on the streets of Lagos can be traced to the danfo driver who sometimes has no side mirrors, no seat belts and is often punch drunk. According to TheCable, Ambode made the pledge to bring the reign of terror of the danfo to an end while speaking at the 14th annual lecture of the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL). The Governor said he intends to create a well-structured and world class mass transportation system that would facilitate ease of movement within the city", once the danfo is no more. Ambode was quoted as saying: When I wake up in the morning and see all these yellow buses and see Okada and all kinds of tricycles and then we claim we are a mega city, that is not true and we must first acknowledge that that is a faulty connectivity that we are running. Having accepted that, we have to look for the solution and that is why we want to banish yellow buses this year. We must address the issue of connectivity that makes people to move around with ease and that is where we are going. For instance, people going from to have started leaving their cars at home because the buses are very convenient and so why cant we do that for other places? Yes, we dont have the money to do that but we can go to the capital market and then improve on the technology of collection of fares and that will encourage investors and then the city will change. Speaking over the weekend, some of the pensioners drawn from various parts of the State, revealed that the government of Osun under Aregbesola has paid them all their pension arrears till December 2016, according to the agreement signed with the government. Some pensioners who received at least N120,000 each in pension arrears as at December 2016, had in January 2017 in conjunction with a retired judge and members of the opposition party in the state, organised an Internally Displaced Pensioners camp for two hours at the newly renovated Freedom Park in Osogbo, the state capital. Days later, another set of pensioners numbering about 3,000 held a rally in support of Governor Aregbesola for paying the sum of N9bn in pensions from 2015-2016. Gov. Aregbesola who was a special guest of honour at the event, said his administration gives priority attention to retired workers and multiply money for payment of pensions by five times. He said pensions were paid as at when due until November 2014 when the recession set in. He noted that his government borrowed as much as N25B from banks to pay workers salaries and pension and stopped it when it could no longer cope with the huge wage bill and pension. The Governor who justified his love for workers and retirees, explained that the State of Osun is the only State in the federation that implemented 142 percent pension increment approved by the Abacha military regime adding that between 2015 and 2016, his administration had paid N9.6B to retired workers alone. Speaking at a rally in Abuja on Monday, February 6, 2017, the group said President Buhari is "formatting" corruption from Nigeria. "There is no need for Nigerians to frustrate President Muhammadu Buhari,"Olayemi Success the group's spokesman said. "When a system is corrupt, you have to format I before you boot it - nothing will work at that point and that is where Nigeria is at this point. "Corruption has eaten deep, there is need to format it and that is what President Buhari is doing. "We are aware of the increment of market prices. We are aware of that - Rice has increased from N8,000 to N20,000. People who are supposed to understand are not, that is the fight back of corruption. "There is need to educate ourselves, there is need to get the truth said," Success added. Adesina, who stated this in an interview with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) on Sunday night, said the time was not stated so as enable the president to get clean bill of health from his doctors. He said the president has already transmitted power to the Vice-President who had been performing his constitutional duties as acting president. According to Adesina, with the extension of his vacation, President Buhari now has adequate time to rest before he returns home. When he was leaving on Jan. 19 we announced that it was a vacation during which he would also do routine medical check-ups. Now, those check-ups have thrown up things that need to be further looked at and that is why he is asking for this extension of the vacation. The time is not stated and that reason is not far to seek because Mr President transmitted power to his vice, who is now the acting President. So, he does not need to be under that pressure of time again because there is no vacuum in government, there is an acting president. Therefore, the doctors can now exhaustively look at him and give him a clean bill of health before he returns home, he said. On those spreading dangerous rumours on the presidents health conditions, the presidential aide urged them to desist from such ungodly acts. He charged them to always pray for the good health of the president and have goodwill toward their fellow human beings. My message will be what I also said before, goodwill, let us have goodwill towards our president. We as human beings must have goodwill towards one another. Any man can be sick; any man can get well; any man can even die, we are mortals. Anybody can die; anybody falls sick can also get well. Therefore, all those who peddle those evil, mischievous, malicious and malevolent rumours on social media need to have a rethink. Instead of all those evil wishes they should have goodwill towards the president, he added. Adesina in an earlier statement disclosed that President Buhari had written the National Assembly, informing it of his desire to extend his leave in order to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors. The President had planned to return to Abuja this evening, but was advised to complete the test cycle before returning. The notice has since been dispatched to the Senate President, and Speaker, House of Representatives. Mr. President expresses his sincere gratitude to Nigerians for their concern, prayers and kind wishes, a statement earlier issued by Adesina on Sunday said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Muhammadu Buhari left Abuja for the United Kingdom on Jan. 19 on a short leave, which is part of his annual vacation. According to Vanguard, the Governor also called on the acting President, Yemi Osinbajo to forward the CJNs name to the Senate. Fayose said those calling for Onnoghens confirmation are doing so to protect the sanctity of the CJNs office. He said "As a lawyer, Acting President Osinbajo should do the needful by sending Justice Onnoghens name to the Senate as recommended by the NJC. We are not fighting for Justice Onnoghen as an individual. Rather, we are fighting for Nigeria and the sanctity of the office of the CJN which for the first time in the history of judiciary in Nigeria is being used to play political and ethic games. ALSO READ: Justice Onnoghen should therefore carry on with his job as the Acting CJN and leave Nigerians to put pressure on President Buhari, who has refused to perform his mandatory constitutional responsibility of sending name of anyone nominated by the NJC for appointment as CJN to the Senate for confirmation. Rep. Raphael Igbokwe (Imo-PDP), Chairman, House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Review of the Pump Price of Petrol, gave the assurance at a public hearing in Abuja on Monday. I want to assure Nigerians that this committee will break the jinx concerning those who believe that they are above the law and they have all the contacts in the world that will make them not to report to Nigerians on the activities of their companies, which have been at the centre of managing crude, the collective resources of this country in the last 20 years. He said. While delivering a report on his companys activities, Mr Alex Cole, the Managing Director of Sahara Tarde, said the company was committed to upholding the good reputation of Nigeria. According to Cole, the indigenous company, which is an importer of petrol, has been in existence for 20 years and has offices in Ghana, Cameroon, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Geneva, Singapore, and Dubai. He said promoting the image of Nigeria at the international stage, remained a priority for the company. Despite the cancellation of the protest by popular musician, 2Face, they converged at the Unity Fountain on Monday, February 6, 2017, to express their grievances against the Buhari administration. "Let there be light", "my business is dying", "where is the Ogoni clean up taking place?", "Buhari, why is aka the grasscutter still in your cabinet?", "Buhari, please do a live video from London", their placards read. One after the other, they took turns to express their views, anger and disappointments in the Buhari-led government. While the One voice Nigeria protesters gathered on one side of the fountain, the pro-Buhari supporters were on ground to defend the actions of federal government. At about 10:55 am, the One Voice Nigeria protesters began their march to the Presidential Villa chanting anti-government slogans and singing songs by late music icon, Fela Kuti. The pro-Buhari protesters watched with amazement even as they await instructions from their organisers. Led by Aisha Yesufu, they anti-Buhari protesters arrived the gate to the Aso Rock Presidential Villa but were prevented from entering by a team of anti-riot Police officers. Chidi Odinkalu, former chairman, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) who read the group's statement said President Buhari has disappointed Nigeria. Odinkalu who began with a song said the situation in Nigeria has gone from bad to worse under President Buhari. "President Buhari said he was going to fight corruption, today, Babachir Lawal - the grasscutter - stole N200 million meant for IDPs and Buhari is defending him," he said. "Our president has never ever spoken to Nigerians. When he wants to talk, he goes abroad. Are we so useless that our president cannot address us? Are we so idiotic that our president cannot tell us that things are hard and these are my plans? "Are we so useless that our president cannot invite us and tell us, look, we need your help to get this? We dont get compassion, we dont get empathy, we dont get thoughtfulness, and there is no plan, and then we are told we cannot protest too? What kind of country is that? What kind of citizens are we? President Muhammadu Buharis government is one that intimidates people. It is a government that just intimidated 2face. I told the security agencies that were here, we saw this under Jonathan, now we are seeing worse. "If Nigerians protested against Jonathan because things were bad, then more Nigerians should protest now that things are worse," he added. Deji Adeyanju decried President Buhari's inability to visit the IDP camp which was accidentally bombed by the Nigeria Airforce. "Over 240 Nigerians (IDPs) were killed by the Airforce and the federal government called it 'just', this alone should make all Nigerians angry," said Adeyanju. "If an American is killed in any party of the world, the American government will not take it likely. Under Goodluck Jonathan, many people were stealing, now under this government, a few people are stealing. One person took money for IDP and government has cleared the person. Its a shame," he added. On her part, Yesufu bemoaned the illegal appointment of relatives of politicians and "friends of the president" into top positions in ministries, departments and agencies of government. "We are asking the government to fix energy, fight corruption, that is our demand. "We want to reiterate that our leaders have failed us. President Buhari and his team have failed to deliver on their campaign promises," she added. The pro-Buhari group arrived the Villa gate at about 11:40am dancing to Runtown's hit song, . Addressing the crowd, Success Olayemi said President Buhari was "fixing what the had destroyed in the past 16 years." Olayemi urged Nigerians to support and pray for President Buhari and his team adding that the federal government is delivering all its campaign promises. The Assistant General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employee (NUEE), North West, Moses Amedu disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Kaduna. Amedu said the development followed the meeting of the union members with the Management of the power distribution company. NUEE had on Thursday written to the Chairman of Board of Directors, Yusuf Hamisu, demanding the sack of the companys Managing Director following the retrenchment of 530 of its members. The union had alleged that the sacked staff, who were employed by the company in August 2015, were refused confirmation up to the time of their retrenchment. The union also said that the template used for the retrenchment was faulty and we urged the management to reverse the decision. We are optimistic that a substantial number of the affected workers would be reinstated after the one month review, he said. According to the union leader, the company also agreed to release outstanding pension contributions from June 2016 to January 2017 to enable retirees get their pensions. When contacted , the Manager, Corporate Communication of the company, Malam Abdulazeez Abdullahi told NAN that the issues discussed during the meeting was not for the media to carry. Mr Ifeatu Obiokoye, APGA National Publicity Secretary, said in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday that Nwoga was expelled from the party in December 2016. According to him, Nwoga who hails from Enugu State had been making publications on Facebook, WhatsApp and other social media as APGA national youth leader. Let it be known that the APGA National Executive Committee (NEC) in its meeting held at Awka on December 21, 2016, expelled the said Chuks Nwoga and four others. Chuks Nwoga is therefore committing a serious crime of impersonation by his continued and unabated false representation to the public as the party`s national youth leader. The Ekiti Assembly had earlier summoned the former Governor to appear before it to answer questions relating to a N40bn fraud allegation levelled against him. According to Punch, the lawmakers also threatened to arrest Fayemi if he failed to appear before the House. Speaking on the issue, the APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun said the Ekiti House of Assembly is persecuting Fayemi. According to him, The matter is before the court and so the Assembly lacks the power to invite Fayemi for a clear case of persecution. It is unfortunate that a set of people, who ought to show the way in the protection of the law for the benefit of the citizenry is the same trying to create an impediment to the administration of justice by first delivering an indictment verdict on an innocent man and later ask him to appear before them for investigation. ALSO READ: Fayemi condemns Ekiti Assembly over N40B fraud allegation We are not surprised, however, that Ekiti members of the Assembly are acting in this manner against the background of the fact that some of the Assemblys members are barely educated and cannot read the provisions of the law to know the protocols of their office and have a better understanding on what they were elected to do. Tinubu was speaking when a clutch of protesters led by Moremi Ojudu, paid him a visit on Monday. Moremi is daughter of Babafemi Ojudu, Special Adviser on political affairs to President Muhammadu Buhari. The protesters were part of the #I StandWithNigeria protests staged across Nigeria. In a statement sent to Pulse before the protest march, Ms. Ojudu had said "These are not ordinary times in the history of our dear country and that is why we have taken the initiative to lead a procession to the house of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a man who needs no introduction, the pathfinder and architect of the current government. "Dear friends and compatriots, we are rallying because we are burdened and saddened by the turn of events in our country. "Again, we the Nigerian Youth have been called to rescue our ship of state and we must not fail. We shall be presenting a letter to the APC national leader and we shall hear his thoughts on the turn of events". In his response, Tinubu said the APC will eventually get it right, given the mess the PDP left the country for 16 years. "We are just two years into the administration. To make those changes..effective and positive eventually, you have to be patient. The damage of 16 years has eaten into the system. "I am not worried about the exchange rate because your salary should be in Naira and you are not an importer. Maybe that is even teaching us a lesson to be dependent on our domestic product", Tinubu said. The Chairman of the association, Comrade Chidiebere Egboh told newsmen in Owerri on Monday that the fraudsters were also collecting money to place candidates in special centres', to cheat during the examination for entry into tertiary institutions in the country. He described the development as 'dangerous', and alerted prospective candidates that the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board(JAMB) was yet to announce the fees and date for the commencement of registration. The fraudsters play fast one and extort N15, 000 and above from thousands of unsuspecting prospective JAMB candidates. The consequences are that the fraudsters will elope with candidates money and they will not have genuine centres to write the examination. The issue of special centres had been clamped down. We must emphasis that there will be nothing like special centre any longer. CPAN has vowed to provide grounds for equal opportunity to all genuine candidates to gain admission into tertiary institutions of their choice, he said. Also speaking, Chief Larry Osuagwu, Director of one of the accredited centres, disclosed that the association has set up a committee to monitor the examination and sensitise staff on the format. He advised prospective candidates to identify genuine accredited centres by going through JAMB website to avoid falling victims to fraudsters. Last Monday, the AU approved Morocco's re-entry into the bloc which it quit in 1984 in protest of the admission of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) declared by the Polisario Front at the height of a war for the territory. "Not only does Morocco not recognise -- and will never recognise -- this so-called entity," Bourita told website Le Desk in an interview. "It will (also) redouble its efforts so the small minority of countries, particularly African, which recognise it, change their positions." AU membership would not change Morocco's stance that the Western Sahara is an integral part of its territory, he said. Monday's summit in Addis Ababa followed an intense diplomatic battle with the Polisario's backers, led by Algeria and South Africa, which opposed Morocco rejoining the AU. Those countries "have spent months doing everything they can to prevent our return, until the last minute," a senior Moroccan diplomat who did not wish to be identified told AFP. "The Addis summit was a setback for them," he said, adding that they are now working hard "to present this failure as a success". The Polisario and its allies say Morocco's return to the African bloc implies a recognition of the SADR's borders. "This is nonsense from the point of view of international law and state practice," Bourita told Le Desk. Joining "an international forum in the presence of an unrecognised entity cannot imply the state's recognition of that entity", he said. Arab countries and Iran are UN members along with Israel, which they do not recognise, he added. "Does Algeria recognise Israel simply by sitting beside it at the UN?" "The return of Morocco is a direct challenge to the presence of the Polisario within the AU," the diplomatic source said. The conclusion of the two-day Summit of heads of States and Government also witnessed the taking of oath of office of other newly elected officers including commissioners for different section of the Commission. He expressed his commitment to serve the continent and its people, despite the various challenges facing the commission and pledged to carry out his responsibilities as chair. It is not easy to serve Africa with diversities. But these challenges do not frightened me. Off course, I am not alone in implementing the ambitious projects of Africa, he said. Mahamat said the potential of youths and scholars and the private sectors actors would be essential to help push the Agenda of 2063 to the level of progress that could benefit Africans. The outgoing chairperson of the Commission, Dr Dlamini Zuma, the first woman to lead the bloc, had earlier urged Mahamat to live up to expectations and be committed enough to accomplish ongoing tasks. She harped on the need to achieve the Commission AU Agenda of silencing the gun in Africa by 2020. According to her, silencing the gun in Africa by 2020 or even before is core vision set by the union to see peaceful and prosperous Africa. We also made the voice of the continent stronger in global platforms. We should not allow ourselves to be divided by anyone. And for my part, I am quite sure whatever capacities we have we will remain solid for African cause," she said. In his first such accusation against Cairo, Bashir said in an interview broadcast by Al-Arabiya that Sudanese opposition figures were "backed by Egyptian intelligence services". "We raise this issue every time when we meet Egyptian officials," said Bashir. Sudanese troops are fighting rebels in three conflict regions -- Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan. "Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is a good man and he is my friend, but it's the Egyptian intelligence that I am accusing," he said. "I'm not accusing President Sisi. I'm accusing the regime." "Our policy is not to disturb the peace and security of any country and not to intervene in any internal issues of any country," he said. Bashir reiterated that Sudan will protest to the United Nations if Egypt does not end its occupation of a border region claimed by his country. "The Halayeb triangle is Sudanese and we will not make any concessions," he said. Sudan will lodge a protest with the UN Security Council if Egypt refuses to settle the dispute, said Bashir, calling for "negotiations" with Cairo. Egypt occupied the sparsely populated 25,000-square-kilometre (10,000-square-mile) Halayeb triangle in 1995, during a low point in relations between the two countries. Sudan has regularly protested about Egypt's administration of Halayeb, which lies near the Red Sea in a mineral-rich border region. Khartoum says that Halayeb has been part of its sovereign territory since shortly after independence in 1956. Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and genocide related to the conflict in Darfur, also spoke in the interview of Sudan's ties with Washington. The United States has blacklisted Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1993 and imposed a trade embargo on Khartoum in 1997 over its alleged support for Islamist groups. "There is a five-point roadmap between us and the United States. The first point, terrorism, has been completed 100 percent and the Americans have acknowledged that," said Bashir. He said he now expected the US Congress to remove Sudan from the blacklist. SAFIN HAMED/AFP/Getty Images(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) -- Iraqi citizen Fuad Sharef Suleman and his family landed in Nashville, Tennessee, Sunday night to start a new life, more than a week after they were barred from entering the United States because of their country of origin. It had taken Suleman more than two years to receive U.S. immigrant visas for him, his wife and three children. He and his wife quit their jobs and sold their house in Iraq, and their children left their school, all with the expectation of coming to America. Suleman worked in Iraq as a nongovernmental organization subcontractor for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which administers civilian foreign aid. Suleman said one of the reasons he applied for immigration visas was because he feared for his familys safety, given his work with the U.S. government. "For the terrorists [in Iraq], if you work for the Americans, you become a target. They consider you an infidel," or unfaithful, the Muslim man told ABC News in an interview on Jan. 28. Suleman said his family had paid about $5,000 for airline tickets to the United States, and that they were traveling on a special immigrant visa for Iraqis because of the work he did with the United States in his home country. They chose to move to Nashville where they already have friends and which hosts one of the largest Kurdish populations in the United States. The Tennessee capital is known as Little Kurdistan by many of its Kurdish residents. But the Sulemans were prohibited from boarding their connecting flight in Egypt from Cairo International Airport to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York Jan. 28, a day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending refugee admittance and immigration from seven predominantly Muslim nations with ties to terror, including Iraq. The Suleman family was one of many stuck in transit because of Trumps controversial ban. But on Friday, a federal judge in Seattle issued a nationwide temporary restraining order blocking the presidents executive action. So airlines around the world were given the green light to resume refugee admittance and immigrant entry into America from the seven countries covered in the order: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Hours after the judges ruling, Suleman and his family boarded a plane from Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, in their second attempt to reach the United States. Iraqi Kurdish troops, known as Peshmerga, are a crucial U.S. ally in the fight against ISIS in the city of Mosul, the Islamic militant groups last stronghold in the country. In their first steps on U.S. soil, the Sulemans arrived at New Yorks Kennedy Airport Sunday afternoon before boarding another flight to Nashville, their final destination. A crowd of residents, activists and government officials anxiously awaited the familys arrival at Nashville International Airport with welcoming signs. Hopefully, theyll be allowed to stay once theyre here, Nashville resident Joyce Stainbrook told ABC Nashville affiliate WKRN-TV as she waited. I think [Trump] is going to have quite a fight on his hands because he has no idea the sleeping tiger that he awoke in this country. U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and actress Connie Britton of the show Nashville were also among the hundreds in attendance. Our great city of Nashville is known for southern hospitality, and its very important that we extend that hospitality to families like Fuad Sulemans family so that they know that theyre welcome here, Cooper said, addressing the crowd. Nashville is a city of the American dream and we got to keep it that way. As the Sulemans disembarked and entered the terminal, the crowd erupted in loud cheers and applause. Then people began to chant, Welcome home. Suleman and his family shook hands, gave hugs and blew kisses as they made their way through the crowd. They received flowers, cards and gifts. Suleman said they were overcome by the dozens of people who came to welcome them to their new home. Today is a very important day in my and my familys life, as it marks the first day of my new life in Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America, Suleman said, addressing the crowd. But your presence here and the amount of support that you showed and your open arms make this a very, very exceptional day for me. Thank you. Thank you very much. Speaking to WKRN-TV Sunday night, Suleman was overwhelmed with emotion and struggled to find the words in reaction to the welcome. I dont know how to describe it, he said. The welcoming, it was genuine. You see genuine smiles, genuine happiness in their faces. Suleman plans to continue his college education here and wants his children to get a U.S. education as well, he told the TV station, adding that he was looking forward to some down time in his new home. It was a long journey from Erbil to Nashville, he said. This day is a turning point in my life. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Shelter life is tough enough, but some dogs stand no chance of getting out alive. Some of the most down-on-their luck pups find themselves on death row at shelters, because they are regarded undesirable or have run out of time. This is where rescuers come in. And the Quad-Cities has a new line of defense for desperate dogs. The newly formed Ruff Life Dog Rescue of Illowa now is at the ready to foster and find homes for dogs that otherwise would be put down. The group behind Ruff Life is one that splintered off an existing dog rescue last fall. Several board members for K9 Kindness Rescue left the organization in September amid frustration and concern over absent bookkeeping and unanswered questions over the way donations were being spent. While K9 Kindness continues to operate, people who foster needy dogs say there are more than enough of them to go around. "We get a lot of death-row dogs from Missouri, because they have a real problem down there with dogs that aren't spayed or neutered," said Katie Trujillo, president of the new group. "Shelters usually have people who network to find rescues. If a dog has any kind of issues, they will not be offered to the public, generally, and they have to find a rescue or a shelter that has space." Ruff Life vice president Diane Guy Viaene added, "Instances of heart worm tend to be high in certain areas, too. It can run up to $1,000 for heart-worm treatment, and that's why we do fundraisers: Adoption fees do not begin to cover vet bills." While talking about the new rescue, Viaene got a text message and turned to Trujillo, asking, "Can we take a pregnant pug?" Trujillo replied, "Let's investigate that one." "If it's nice, I can take it," Viaene offered. Both women have dogs in their homes that do not belong to them, waiting for their "furever" homes. The women have lost track of how many dogs they have fostered, and both have adopted rescue dogs. As a dog lover, I wondered how they do it how they give up a dog that has lived with them. Don't they get awfully attached? "I'd rather be sad to give up my foster than to be sad that dog died scared and alone in a shelter," Viaene said. "I learn something from every single dog I foster," Trujillo said. "Every breed is so different. Some can be maddening, but I can't tell you how much we've laughed." Debra Fraker, president and founder of K9 Kindness, said her rescue is getting back on its feet. She has not yet rounded out her board, but she does have someone to take care of the books. For both Quad-City rescues, demand is high for two things: People willing to foster dogs in need and donations to pay for the veterinary care that often prevents dogs from being adoptable. In Iowa, there are no foster or rescue licenses, so rescues get a dealer's license through the Department of Agriculture. In the absence of fostering licenses, the rescuers are responsible for vetting volunteers. They carry out an application process, make home visits and require references for those willing to foster. "Everybody in the family has to be on board with adopting and with fostering," Viaene said. "It's so rewarding. I've done rescue work since I was a kid. If it's not for you, you don't have to do it again. For some of us, though, you just get hooked." Two teenagers who disappeared down a manhole into a storm sewer system are safe, according to Monmouth (Illinois) Police Chief Bill Feithen. On Sunday, police sought assistance in finding two missing young men after a witness said she saw two white males enter the storm sewer about 4 p.m. in the area of South 9th Street and East 6th Avenue. Police, firefighters and city street crews searched for the pair. Searchers could tell, because of water that had been splashed in the area and disturbed silt, where the two had been. Additionally, a skateboard was left behind inside the storm sewer. On Monday morning, one of the two allegedly missing teens approached a school administrator to talk about what happened. "It caused a lot of us a fair amount of angst," Feithen said. The bright spot, he said, is the boys, who are 16 and 17, spoke to someone in authority for some guidance. "They did go talk to somebody and admit to their mistake," Feithen said. "I think they've learned a life's lesson." MUSCATINE, Iowa Members of the Iowa Legislature discussed the states recent education budget cuts in a legislative forum Saturday morning at Muscatine Community College. The event attracted so many people that there were not enough seats for everyone and a line at least 10 people-deep formed near the podium. In their introductory remarks, most of the representatives and senators addressed the $117.8 million deficit in the 2017 state budget. To balance the budget, the government cut $18 million in funding to universities and $3 million in funding to community colleges, among other cuts to correctional facilities, the courts and more. Sen. Robert E. Dvorsky, a Democrat who represents Cedar County and northeast Johnson County, said the state should have used its rainy day fund to reduce the deficit. Rep. Gary Carlson, a Republican from Muscatine, said that using the states reserve fund wasnt an option because the state would have had to replenish the reserve next year. The state budget has continued to grow and the revenue has continued to grow, it just hasnt grown at the pace that we anticipated it would grow, Carlson said. Later in the session, a Muscatine Community College student asked if there was a way to prevent the $3 million cut to community colleges, and the elected officials explained the measure already passed and cuts will proceed. I think we need to put the junior colleges back to the top of the list. Help fund them and continue their good work that they do, said Rep. David Kerr, a Republican who represents Louisa County and the rural areas of Des Moines and Muscatine counties. Members of the audience also brought up K-12 education. Carlson explained that K-12 was not part of the recent round of cuts, and that school districts struggle because of declining enrollment. Sen. Thomas A. Greene, a Republican who represents Des Moines, Louisa and Muscatine counties, said education is a priority in Iowa, and that it accounts for more than half of the states budget. Fifty-five percent of our $7.3 billion budget goes to education, you know, pre-K, K-12, community colleges and the three state universities. Fifty-five percent, its a huge number, but we have to make sure that were spending that money appropriately and that it goes in the right direction, he said, adding that declining enrollment is the biggest problem facing schools today. The solution to the declining enrollment in schools, he said, is to create more jobs that will bring more people with families to the state. I think those are the factors (of) how we get our communities to grow and how we get our schools to grow, Greene said. Mardi Gras will come to the Quad-Cities a few days ahead of schedule as a fundraiser to benefit Habitat for Humanity. Naomi Chapter 1, Order of Eastern Star, Davenport, is presenting Mardi Gras on Feb. 24 at the Golden Leaf Center, 2902 E. Kimberly Road, Davenport. Doors open at 6 p.m. for social hour. Music will be provided by DJ GMJ from 7 p.m. to midnight. Authentic New Orleans cuisine will be served. A donation of $35 is requested. All profits from the event will benefit Habitat Humanity. Mardi Gras revelers will be able to commemorate the event with a photograph from Visionary Arts Photography by Mixin Mel. There also will be raffles throughout the night. The Naomi Chapter has been in Davenport for 125 years. The chapter performs many community-oriented functions throughout the year and also has a scholarship program for students. Since 2013 the organization has given $30,000 in scholarships to qualified students. For tickets call Teresa Harris at 563-343-4799 or Colleen Bostic 563-370-7779. Deadline for tickets is Feb. 18. Thomas Geyer Iowa is among the top five states in which human trafficking occurs. That was part of a sobering message Sunday afternoon during a prayer service to end human trafficking at St. Albans Episcopal Church, Davenport. The 35 people who attended the service sang, prayed and discussed the issue of human trafficking, particularly in Iowa. The service was supported by the Catholic Diocese of Davenport, the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and the Presbyterian Church. Cathy Curtis, of Attacking Trafficking, talked about the faith-based organization in Davenport dedicated to ending human trafficking and offering hope and healing to survivors. Volunteers in the group educate the community about the evils of human trafficking, she said. The timing of the event had a double significance to human trafficking: The Super Bowl is a big day for human traffickers to bring victims into the area and to obtain new victims, she said. And Feb. 8 is the Feast Day of St. Josephine Bakhita, a Sudanese slave who became a nun and is the saint of slaves and trafficked persons. Human trafficking statistics are horrifying, Curtis said. There are an estimated 21 million victims of trafficking worldwide, she said and that includes the United States. Its slavery. And its against human dignity, she said, adding migrants and refugees are particularly vulnerable. The Rev. Sharon Larrison of Newcomb Presbyterian led a litany in support of trafficking victims: God of truth and freedom, we come into your presence and ask you to hear us as we pray, she said, offering prayers for child laborers, child soldiers, children exploited in pornography, for children abused or denigrated on the streets or in their homes and all people enslaved, trafficked and abandoned. Presenter Kellie Markey discussed Dorothys House, an organization that offers a safe place for young women in crisis, especially those recovering from sex trafficking in central Iowa. She said Iowa "is one of the top five (states) in the nation" when it comes to trafficking partly because of Interstates 80 and 235, primary thoroughfares for all major trafficking. The people who sell children for sex are very sophisticated, Markey said. She said that some victims become involved through a traditional pimp environment, some as part of the business of drug dealers or gangs, and others through their families or people close to their families. Markey founded Dorothys House, which is designed to provide a holistic approach to helping victims of severe sexual abuse/assault and sex trafficking achieve a healthy, happy and productive life in the communities that have supported their recovery. For more information about Attacking Trafficking, visit http://attackingtrafficking.com/index.html. Its been a long couple of weeks. I didnt mention it last time, but Robb has been gone for the last two2 weeks on a very big trip. His position as a board member on the Iowa Soybean Association afforded him the opportunity to go to Argentina and Brazil on a sort of informational/relationship-building tour. So, for the last two weeks, he and a group of other board members have been traveling around, seeing farms, ranches and soybean processing locations in northern Argentina and southern Brazil. Its been an exhausting trip for him. The travel itself was quite a lot for an Iowa farm boy who doesnt like to fly. He had never been out of North America before, so it was quite an experience to spend 11 hours on a plane. By the sounds of it, the tour has been very busy with very little down time, and several hours time difference from home. I think hes going to be glad to get home today, and will probably need several days to recover. Yes, I am hoping that by the time you read this, he will be home or nearly home. The trip itself has been enlightening. Seeing our modern farming methods and their success in South America is both a success story and a bit of a nightmare. See, as Robb was describing to me on Skype the other day, South America has some advantages over the United States that could lead to massive changes in the agricultural economy. Its been many decades since North American farmers went to South America to share our farming methods, and they certainly learned well. They have the advantage of a year-long growing season, cheap labor and different restrictions on agricultural practices. However, we have advantages also for example, our transportation system and probably also the stability of our economy. Robb told me about one farmer they met who described to them how he can grow soybeans yielding 60 bushels to the acre, followed by corn yielding 220 bushels to the acre on the same piece of ground in the same year. That is absolutely impossible here. We could grow one or the other, but not both. Those yields are as good as anything we can grow here in the Midwest cornbelt. If South America truly continues to ramp up its production, we may soon be basing our commodity prices on the Sao Paulo Board of Trade, or Buenos Aires Board of Trade and not the Chicago Board of Trade. You see, agricultural production is so globally based now that changes all over the world affect our crop prices and demand for our crops. No longer can we determine our corn or soybean prices based on local demand in Iowa or Illinois. Not even in the United States as a whole. Now, we are affected by Argentina, Brazil, the Ukraine, Russia, China and many more countries around the world. Changes in trade pacts and agreements all over the world, global weather patterns and global demand all have major effects on the ability of Iowa farmers to compete on the global market. So, with all these interesting sights and bits of knowledge in his head, Robb is returning to Iowa to share this knowledge and to figure out how to continue to produce corn and soybeans in a way that will be competitive. Im sure he will be happy to share his impressions with you if you happen to run into him. He promises me that he took some pictures (not normally his thing). Im just going to be happy to have him home again to talk to him in person instead of on Skype. You can already hear the screaming from the political left over President Donald Trump's nomination of a conservative to the Supreme Court. But don't allow yourself to be mesmerized by the flecks of spittle flying from angry mouths. Don't worry about jesters like that Hollywood actor at the Screen Actors Guild gala who wanted to punch those who disagree with him in the face -- "with soul, with heart and with joy." If you focus on theatrics, you'll miss this: Because, for all the noise, the hard American political left can't really hate President Trump. They love him. Or at least, the smart ones on the hard left do. This president has given them an opportunity to reach for one thing they didn't have during the last eight years of Barack Obama: Power. And every day they use wave after wave of anti-Trump hysteria -- much of it carried in the media -- to stoke anger, like that over Trump's immigration policy. The liberal argument is that a temporary ban on immigration from just seven Muslim-dominated nations with a history of terrorism is not only wrong, but racist. We're told that those who don't oppose it are racists themselves, and if they consider themselves Christian, then they're hateful Christians. But much of America doesn't agree. And people don't appreciate being slammed over the skull with some blackjack Jesus wielded by the left. They opted for border control and increased vetting of immigrants, and they made that clear in the last election. Many longtime Democratic voters were among them. What this angry public theater allows is opportunity for the left to steamroll Democratic centrists out of the way, so they can grab control of the Democratic Party apparatus. Because that's what this wild, seething game is all about now: control of the Democratic Party, or what's left of it. Perhaps that's why Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer was crying the other day, not over Trump's executive order on immigration but for his own prospects. Schumer is like the boy dancing on a log in the river, trying not to fall in. He must keep moving farther to the left to accommodate that leftward roll, while trying to help 10 Senate Democrats running for re-election in states Trump won. So the hard left deconstructs the Democrats, eases old Bernie Sanders out to some apple orchard where he can sit in a chair with a warm blanket on his legs, and exiles the old Clinton establishment centrists to some desert island. Meanwhile, Trump plays his own game. He was sent to Washington by angry and disaffected voters of middle-America to impose economic nationalism and dismantle the corrupt old establishment. That establishment on the Republican side is the old big-government GOP war party led by Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham. Trump promised to dismantle it, and that's what he's doing. And that's basically why McCain, Graham and the war party boys hate him so. They've joined the establishment media as allies against Trump. Trump has installed his top aide, Steve Bannon, in the National Security Council. Critics see Bannon as Trump's Rasputin; supporters see him as the disrupter who'll attack the establishment. He will disrupt as long as Trump allows it. Bannon has also famously accused journalists of being "the opposition party." Outraged, they bit down hard, as Bannon expected. The tone of much of the news coverage on Trump, a mixture of hostility and loathing, crawls up from almost every news story and much of the commentary about him. Trump doesn't much care. He's a Viking among the Wedgwood china, and he's swinging his war hammer. He has his thumbs and his Twitter account -- and a phone and a pen for executive orders -- but he really doesn't need the phone. Someone on the other end might tell him "no." The problem for the republic in this Trump vs. "the media" fight is this: With the American establishment collapsing under its own weight like some mad King George, attacked now by both the hard left and the nationalist right, there is one thing that is absolutely necessary: The credibility of the media. But that credibility is lacking, isn't it? For decades, the establishment media has mostly listed to the left. That's not in dispute. And in the last election, WikiLeaks' releases from the Hillary Clinton campaign showed evidence of deep collusion between the Beltway establishment media and establishment Democrats. The fiasco of Democratic broker and CNN contributor Donna Brazile feeding network debate questions to the Clintons has not really been resolved. She's been let go from the network, but viewers can't help the feeling that the bosses there figured it's time to move along and forget the past. There were other cases as well of journalists running copy past Clinton campaign officials; and throughout all those WikiLeaks, there was the general sense of coziness between the media and Clinton against Trump. When it became known, there were no heads put on spikes as an example for the people to see. The wound wasn't cleansed. Instead, it was ignored and continued to fester. And now, when legitimate media attention on the president is required and necessary, stories may be dismissed as mere partisan attacks. That's wrong but also dangerous and corrosive, especially now, in this time of breaking. It is a time of great, accelerating change, socially, culturally and politically. And it's just begun. The St. Patrick Society, Quad-Cities, seeks a scholarship winner as well as the 2017 Irish Mother of the Year. Scholarship To be eligible to apply for the scholarship, students must be related to a member of the St. Patrick Society. Current college students may apply if they are eligible (visit http://www.stpatsqc.com/). The society will award a $1,000 scholarship to the winner. Scholarship applications are available at Quad-City area high schools and the society website. For more information, contact Matt Wissing, wissingm@yahoo.com or call 563-265-9353. Applications must be received by Feb. 21 at St. Patrick Society Scholarship, P.O. Box 4487, Davenport, IA 52808. Irish Mother of the Year Nominations for the Irish Mother of the Year must be original letters of about 150 words. A nominee should be involved in family, church and community, have a good sense of humor and demonstrate pride in her Irish ancestry. The nominee must be able to attend the St. Patrick Society Gathering of the Clan Luncheon March 17 at the RiverCenter and The Grand Parade XXXII on Saturday, March 18. Nominations must be received by Feb. 21. Mail nominations to the St. Patrick Society, to the attention of the Irish Mother Nomination, P.O. Box 4487, Davenport, IA 52808. PIERRE | The Legislature is honoring 12 men who retired from the South Dakota Highway Patrol in the past few years. The Senate gave its automatic approval to the 12 commemorations Wednesday. The House of Representatives gets them next. They cover retirements from 2015, 2016 and January 2017. The dozen are: Mike Thomas, a trooper last stationed at Deadwood who served more than 23 years; David Berkley, a lieutenant last stationed at Rapid City who served 23 years; Greg Dirk, a trooper last stationed at Sturgis who served 19 years; Derek Mann, a trooper last stationed at Rapid City who served more than 24 years; Matthew Petersen, a trooper last stationed at Parkston who served nearly 11 years; Mike Adam, a trooper last stationed at Rapid City who served 22 years; Tim Cerny, a sergeant last stationed at Huron who served nearly 26 years; Jeff Twite, a sergeant last stationed at Rapid City who served more than 24 years; Jeff Riley, a trooper last stationed at Lemmon who served 15 years; John Koenig, a sergeant last stationed at Chamberlain who served 30 years; Alan Welsh, a captain last stationed at Sioux Falls who served more than 27 years; and Kevin Karley, a captain last stationed at Rapid City who served more than 29 years. Sen. Stace Nelson, R-Fulton, and Rep. Dan Kaiser, R-Aberdeen, sponsored the commemorations. PIERRE | A measure aimed at creating protections and accommodations for pregnant and breastfeeding women got a partial hearing Friday in the House Commerce and Energy Committee. No action was taken on House Bill 1120. Rep. Dan Ahlers, D-Sioux Falls, said it promotes the physical health and economic security of pregnant and breastfeeding women. With the bill, businesses with 50 or more employees would have to make reasonable accommodations, including: Frequent or longer breaks; Time off to recover from childbirth; Adjustment of seating; Temporary transfer to a less strenuous or less hazardous position; Job restructuring; Private non-bathroom space for breastfeeding; and Modified work schedules. Ahlers, a small business owner, said hes been able to make accommodations through the years for pregnant women and people with disabilities at almost no cost. He said the proposal is not meant to be a burden to businesses. In 42 percent of South Dakota families with children, he said, women are the primary income providers. Fifteen states including North Dakota, plus the District of Columbia, have similar laws in place, he said. Rep. Spencer Gosch, R-Glenham, asked if the measure would hinder the recourse of employers if the accommodations were abused. Ahlers said employees could still be fired with cause. Rep. Tim Rounds, R-Pierre, asked why the bill would apply only to businesses with 50 or more workers. Ahlers said that tends to be a standard number used for insurance purposes, but that he is agreeable to its being removed. Ahlers was the only person to testify before the committee Friday. He requested that action be delayed so that the committee could hear more testimony this week. Rounds, the committee chairman, agreed, scheduling the rest of the hearing for today. He added there appears to be plenty of opposition to the bill. Everyone wants their children to be in a safe environment when they go to school. The goal of House Bill 1310 is to ensure that students have an added layer of protection while in school. The bill would allow a member of a school's staff with a Class 1 concealed carry firearms license to carry a weapon on school grounds with the permission of the school's board. The staffer would be required to take a 40-hour law enforcement training course to learn basic tactics and topics, such as firearms proficiency and how to respond to an event. Those approved to carry a weapon also would have to agree to coordinate with law enforcement if an incident occurs. A 10-hour annual refresher course also would be required. The bill is intended to fill a gap for schools that can't afford a school resource officer, mostly smaller or rural schools. Good intentions, however, don't always result in good legislation. The Tribune doesn't believe that HB1310 provides a safe alternative for schools. The flaws in the bill were pointed out during committee hearing testimony. Questions were raised over whether a 40-hour training course was enough to prepare a school staffer to respond to someone with a gun. Law enforcement is concerned about the liability involved with providing training. There's also no way to know, argue the bill's opponents, how a school staffer will respond when confronted by a potential gunman. Will the staffer act in the right way or will he or she freeze? "What happens if some of the good guys get shot?" asked Jon Martinson, executive director of the North Dakota School Boards Association, before the committee hearing. While money is tight this legislative session, it would make more sense to find a way to provide funds to schools that want to hire a school resource officer. It would be more of a deterrent to have a trained officer on duty than to rely on a teacher or administrator. It's commendable they are willing to put themselves at risk to protect their students, but it's not the safest answer to the problem. It's fortunate that North Dakota hasn't had a major shooting incident at a school. Sadly, it's also true that it can happen anywhere. Again, the best solution is a trained officer. There are other gun-related bills before the Legislature. House Bill 1169 would make it legal for people who are 21 years old or older to carry a concealed firearm without a permit in the state. House Bill 1273 would change laws surrounding guns in churches. In both cases the sponsors have good intentions. Any bills dealing with firearms in society need a close look. Overall, North Dakotans are very responsible when handling guns. Accidents can and do occur and when dealing with firearm legislation safety should be our primary concern. Bashneft ex-CEO seeks to partially close embezzlement case against him MOSCOW, February 6 (RAPSI) The legal defense of former Bashneft CEO Ural Rakhimov seeks to partially close an embezzlement case against him because of the expiry of the period of limitation, RIA Novosti reports on Monday. According to Rakhimovs lawyer Sergey Makarenko, the period of limitation relating to an episode, which expired in December of 2016. He added that Rakhimov did not admit his guilt but agreed to the termination of his case because of a non-exonerating circumstance. Bashneft was controlled by the government of Russias Bashkortostan region until 2003, when a major stake was sold to companies affiliated with Ural Rakhimov, son of the former head of Bashkortostan Murtaza Rakhimov. The company was privatized in 2009, when Russian oil-to-telecoms conglomerate Sistema gained control of it. A court in Moscow ruled that Bashneft was privatized in violation of law. The Prosecutor General's Office brought a suit to return a 71.6 percent stake in Bashneft to the government. The Moscow Commercial Court ruled on October 30, 2014, in favor of the Prosecutor General's Office. Rakhimov, who has been living in Austria for the past six years, has reportedly received a residence permit there and hopes to get Austrian citizenship soon. The Basmanny District Court of Moscow has issued a warrant for Rakhimovs arrest in absentia. On March 9 of 2016, the Vienna Regional Criminal Court refused to extradite former Bashneft CEO Ural Rakhimov to Russia. While Missoulians spent their Sunday enjoying high temperatures into the 40s and a rapidly melting snowpack, Kalispell, Whitefish and most of Northwest Montana were in the midst of "extraordinary" levels of snowfall. Its hard to fathom, National Weather Service meteorologist Dan Zumpfe said of the estimated 30-inch snowfall in one weekend. Add that to about a foot of snow already on the ground and stay resigned to the fact that Kalispells formidable snow berms arent going anywhere fast. Considering how much trouble that plow crews have had in towns like Kalispell, this certainly wont help, Zumpfe said. The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for most of Northwest Montana Sunday, predicting snowfalls of up to 2.5 feet in Flathead and Lincoln counties, with predicted rates of 2 inches per hour. Sanders, Lake and parts of Missoula County, including Seeley Lake, could see a foot to a foot-and-a-half of snowfall. The prediction drops considerably in Missoula and down the Bitterroot Valley, with an estimated 2 to 3 inches additional snow over Sunday night into Monday. Glacier County, including West Glacier and Polebridge, is set to see the most new snow at possibly four to five feet depending on elevation. Zumpfe said blizzard conditions are expected from Columbia Falls to Marias Pass until around midday Monday, with blowing snow making for near zero visibility. He warned against anyone trying to make the drive. Visibility will lower to less than one-quarter mile, the blizzard warning said. Snow drifts over roads will make driving treacherous and snow plow operations difficult. The US Forest Services Kalispell Avalanche Center sent out a backcountry avalanche warning Sunday as well, as they saw wind strong enough to dislodge the snow pack in the Whitefish, Swan and Flathead Ranges and portions of Glacier National Park. The Missoula and Bitterroot Valleys werent without their own wild weather last weekend, though theyre set to mellow out rather than worsen Monday. Freezing rain that came down Saturday night slicked roads across Western Montana, rendering certain stretches of highway treacherously unsafe, including a stretch of Interstate 90 between Alberton and Frenchtown and Highway 93 south into the Bitterroot. Zumpfe said the freezing rain threat is largely over as temperatures warm up this week. Most snow that we get is going to melt on contact or accumulate only on already existing snow, he said. (The snowpack) is possibly going to go down pretty rapidly in the next few days. The Weather Service tweeted that Sunday's high of 46 degrees was the warmest day in Missoula since Nov. 25. Those higher temperatures do bring some new dangers. The Weather Services Twitter account warned Missoulians to watch for flooding. The state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation sent a warning for flood and ice jam conditions in mid-January, in advance of the yearly Missoula Valley snowpack-depletion-turned-soggy-mess. They recommended clearing snow away from houses, stocking drinking water and having a flood evacuation plan during February and March, the highest risk months of the year. The heavy, wet snowfall from Saturday caused a roof collapse at the historic Silver Theater on South Higgins Avenue, as well as damage to a propane tank in Seeley Lake. About 60 homes were evacuated after snow slid from a roof onto the tank's valve, releasing a noxious cloud. Residents were allowed to return that evening. Theater director Carolyn Maier, was in the theater with a few others preparing for the upcoming Big Sky Documentary Film Festival when she noticed water leaking in and ordered everyone evacuate. Maier said theyd already cleared snow off the roof earlier in the week to ease pressure on the building. Finally, for those keeping track, Saturdays snowfall dumped around 5 inches in Missoula. That makes the total since Dec. 1 an impressive 47.8 inches. Privacy Policy RealChoice is a BlogSpot blog. You get whatever privacy you get when you post on a blog. As Blogmistress of RealChoice, I do not collect information on my users or those who post comments. I will delete spam and offensive comments, and thoroughly cooperate with law enforcement, as I did in the case of Ted "Operation Counterstrike" Schulman, if people make terroristic threats on my blog. So fight nice, kids. Silvio Canto, Jr. Maybe we're crazy in Texas, but I hear that a lot of people actually hope California secedes. My guess is that they don't say nice things about Texas on the West Coast, either. All of this talk about secession reminds me of that great song, "Make it Easy on Yourself." Dionne Warwick's hit version went like this: If you really love her And there's nothing I can do Don't try to spare my feelings Just tell me that we're through And make it easy on yourself Make it easy on yourself Cause breaking up is so very hard to do... Yes, sometimes the best thing to do is to go ahead and get it over with. Please don't get me wrong. I want California to stay, but it may be time to give them a view of the future, as Carl Cannon posted: Here's the fun part, but only if you're a conservative with a fiendish sense of humor. First, huge population increases. These new pilgrims would range from native Californians (I presume we'd have dual citizenship) flocking back to their homeland to waves of anti-Trumpers desiring to live with like-minded sophisticates. Yes, California would take these ideological refugees. It's already full of "Sanctuary Cities" and, under Calexit, would be a virtual sanctuary state, a magnet for tens of millions of immigrants from foreign countries, including, presumably all those from President Trump's infamous seven Muslim-majority "countries of concern" who could afford the air fare. The Golden State would soon turn Golden Brown, too, and that isn't a reference to California President-in-waiting Jerry Brown. I'm talking water rights, specifically the Colorado River. Already, a Denver utility is planning a huge expansion of Gross Reservoir in Boulder County. Wyoming has similar plans afoot, too, in a Colorado River tributary and officials in Nevada and Arizona covet more Colorado River water, too. Under Calexit, the interstate compact that apportions Colorado River water would be the subject of treaty negotiations between two sovereign nations, one of which has the water, and the other which wants it. Keeping the lush Imperial Valley from turning into another Death Valley could cost trillions. All those new people you'd be looking at a population of 100 million would need drinking water, which would necessitate water desalination plants, fueled most likely by the nuclear power plants the state is now busily decommissioning. So let's call their bluff. Let's encourage them to secede and suggest a few changes: 1) The capital of the new nation should be called Obama City rather than Sacramento. How can any liberal state have a capital named after a Christian term? The city should be full of Obama statues, with his speeches broadcast every night. 2) Los Angeles will no longer be occupied territory, as many actually claim, and renamed Nuevo Mexico. 3) The name Donald should be illegal on all birth certificates. 4) They could put a ban on Republicans from the other 49, now a different nation. On second thought, we won't be so lucky. They won't secede, in large part because there are enough people in the Golden State who understand that the whole Calexit thing is pure insanity. So let's hope that the Golden State rejoins the other 49 so we can be a whole nation again. P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. Trump Attacks Middle Eastern and North African Immigrants... People Fight Back... TAKE IT HIGHER! February 6, 2017 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us This past week and a half has seen an extremely important and very inspiring outpouring of struggle against the Trump-Pence regimes attempt to ban Muslim immigrants from seven countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Thousands poured out to airports as soon as news of this ban spread, and at least tens of thousands more have demonstrated all week long, from New York City to Starksville, Mississippi, from Utah to LA. Hundreds of lawyers volunteered their services. As we go to press, Trumps order has been legally stayed for the time being; but what will happen is far from certain. An Outrageous Ban What IS Fascism? Fascism is the exercise of blatant dictatorship by the bourgeois (capitalist-imperialist) class, ruling through reliance on open terror and violence, trampling on what are supposed to be civil and legal rights, wielding the power of the state, and mobilizing organized groups of fanatical thugs, to commit atrocities against masses of people, particularly groups of people identified as enemies, undesirables, or dangers to society. At the same timeand this can be seen through studying the examples of Nazi Germany and Italy under Mussoliniwhile it will likely move quickly to enforce certain repressive measures in consolidating its rule, a fascist regime is also likely to implement its program overall through a series of stages and even attempt at different points to reassure the people, or certain groups among the people, that they will escape the horrorsif they quietly go along and do not protest or resist while others are being terrorized and targeted for repression, deportation, conversion, prison, or execution. On Friday, January 27, Trump signed an executive order that imposed a selective ban on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East and North Africa: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Passengers in mid-flight or who arrived in the U.S. after the order was signed were detained, while authorities moved to send them back to their countries of origin. Permanent residents of the U.S. (green card holders) were among those barred from entry, as were refugee families who had been screened for years and finally admitted to the U.S. They had valid visas. Even a five-year-old separated from his mother, a stage 4 breast cancer patient, was barred from entering the U.S. Beyond those detained at U.S. airports, news media identified 90,000 people directly hit by the banstranded while visiting their home countries or sent back from airports around the world. The ban specifically targeted Muslims. Trumps close adviser, Rudy Giuliani, told FOX News: Ill tell you the whole history of it: When he first announced it, he said Muslim ban. And then, Giuliani said, Trump called me up, he said, Put a commission together, show me the right way to do it legally. The ban established preferential treatment for refugees seeking asylum who are identified with minority religions in their country of origin. As these are all majority-Muslim countries, that meant Christians. In case there was any doubt about the latter provisions intent, Trump told Christian Broadcast News that it was intended to give priority to Christians seeking asylum over Muslims. Trump's executive order also bars all refugees from around the world from entering the U.S. for 120 days, and bans those from Syria indefinitely. Many of those refugees are from the Middle East and Muslim-majority countries which have been subjected to horrendous U.S. military aggression that has gone on for decades and in fact is still going on as we write, with U.S. troops and allies routinely murdering whole families, and literally millions being forced to flee for their lives. Further, these countries have been bitterly exploited and their economies and societies devastated by U.S. imperialist capital. This in turn has given rise to a relatively numerically small but significant section of people who have taken up fundamentalist Islamic jihadisma thoroughly reactionary ideology and a brutal movementand now tens of millions find themselves caught between these two reactionary forces, making life even more unlivable. Political Crisis Immigrants are deeply woven into the economy and fabric of U.S. society. One in every three people in New York City is an immigrant. Immigrants play a critical role in the U.S. economy, ranging from super-exploited workers in construction, agriculture, and service work to highly educated professionals in medicine (over 25 percent of all doctors in the U.S. are from other countries) and engineers in high-tech. Part of what was expressed in the movement against the ban is that in many placestechnology, academia, medicine and medical research, for examplecompanies and institutions that rely on people working for them from around the world see Trumps policies as a real threat to their ability to compete and survive. They are trying to band together against Trump on these policies. There has also been outrage from below, among people who work in these professions and communities. Younger people, who have grown up with co-workers and friends from around the world, are furious at seeing them demonized and attacked this way. They are not willing to stand for that. Sections of the ruling classmainly but not just the Democratshave profound fears about the social, political, and economic repercussions of Trumps slash-and-burn assault on all immigrants and want to tone this down. And they insist that allowing (relatively tiny) numbers of refugees into the U.S. serves to project the U.S. as a global defender of human rights. The Trump regime aims to radically transform the status quo in the world, and in the U.S., and to remake society as fascist. It demonizes and threatens all people of Muslim faith. It vows to drive women back into the position of being subservient appendages of men. It threatens to crush Black and Brown youth. It has declared it will tear apart millions and millions of immigrant families, from Mexico, Latin America, and the world over. It is already moving to forcibly silence all opposition, even from within the ruling class, and brutally crush any resistance from the masses. And it is ready to go toand perhaps overthe brink of nuclear war and environmental destruction as part of that. Building a base for that requires playing on the fears and deep-seated racism and American chauvinism of sections of people. This immigration ban is one part of that. As people rose up against this, and as lawyers fought in the courts, the courts in turn stayed the hand of the Trump-Pence regime. And as we post this article, the ban remains halted, temporarily. Find out more about the revolution Find out about BA, the leader of the revolution NeededAn UNCOMPROMISING Movement Against the Whole Program From the early days of the movement there has been a contradiction between the anger of the people in the streets and the attempts of the Democratic politicians to jump to the head of this and lead this back into the confines of the system. This is in two senses. First, the Democrats political program is to direct people to strengthen the checks and balances of the system. They want to keep these demonstrations very moderatethat is why there is such a disconnect between the temper of the crowd and what is projected by these politiciansand they want to direct peoples efforts toward supporting local mayors, pressuring the judiciary, etc. Second, the Democrats promote the notion of the true America as being a haven for immigrants. In fact, as the accompanying article makes clear, America (that is, U.S. capitalism-imperialism) has always exploited and used immigrants, often plunging them into truly horrendous conditions, to build up their system. They hope for, at most, some kind of compromise in which the essential program of the Trump regime will go through, but with some loopholes and softening of some elements of it. (See A Nation of Immigrants? Give Us A Break! America: Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Huddled Masses, Yearning to Be Free... So We Can Exploit the Shit Out of Them) Meanwhile, the Trump-Pence fascists do not intend to back off of anything. They are attempting to intimidate the judiciary and hammer wavering Republicans into line, and they are threatening mayors of the major cities, even as the so-called sanctuary cities actually do NOT provide anything like sanctuary. Through talk radio, Breitbart News, FOX News, and other media, they are whipping up their loyal and bigoted minions to support all this. And thats not to mention Trumps direct agitation on Twitter. Should they get away with this, the next step could very well be registration of all Muslims and other extraordinary forms of surveillance. Anyone who doubts the real possibility of concentration camps should remember Trumps remarks during his campaign, when he was asked about policies implemented in World War 2 that registered and then interned first- and second-generation Japanese-Americans in concentration camps for nearly four years. When asked specifically by ABC News George Stephanopoulos, about proclamations that led to the camps, Trump said: I dont want to bring it back, George, at all. I dont like doing it at all. Its a temporary measure until our representativesmany of whom are grossly incompetentour representatives can figure out whats going on. What is needed are two things: first, in the immediate struggle, people should continue to intensify what has been and is an extremely important struggle and fight to win. The many different kinds of demonstrations and actions should continue, growing in size, and ranging from the teach-ins and vigils, to defending individuals from illegitimate attempts by law enforcement to round them up and exile them, to forceful mass expressions of anger. Should the courts reverse themselves and find in favor of Trump-Pence, people need to pour into the streets in 10 times the numbers at least, and refuse to leave, shutting down business as usual and challenging the operation of the whole system, and resistance needs to spread into every office and factory and school in this country. But what we face right now is larger than a series of terrible attacks on different fronts. After all, in just the past two weeks the Trump-Pence regime has launched attacks against a whole spectrum of people and issuesagainst Mexico and Mexican immigrants, against environmental regulations and struggles to maintain the environment, against Native American peoples, against the public school system, against women and LGBT people (through nominating a reactionary to the Supreme Court)... the list goes on and on. THIS IS A PACKAGEan attempt, through relentless moves one after the other, to radically re-order society into fascism. If we fight these one at a time, there may be some victories here or there, but the overall trajectory is into horror. Think about itthis regime is not only bolting into place an openly white supremacist America in which those who are not white will have virtually NO rights and many will be confined in prisons or camps, one way or another... this regime is also threatening other countries. After all, the perverted leader of the regime is known to have asked the CIA at briefings if we have nuclear weapons, why cant we use them? The greatest danger before us right now is to underestimate the danger that this regime poses across the board, not only in the U.S. but to the entire world and, indeed, to the fate of humanity and the environment. This leads to the second and even greater needa movement that says NO! to the whole thing, that demands the immediate OUSTER of this vicious and extraordinarily dangerous fascist regime. The stance embodied in the slogan In the name of humanity, we REFUSE to accept a fascist America must spread. The simple demand embodied in the posters and stickers that say NO! must be seen everywhere. Word and understanding must be spread of what this regime really embodies and intends. Determination to oust it as soon as possible, in the next months before it has fully dug itself in and eliminated opposition, must grow exponentially. Discussion within this movement over how to do this and, going even deeper, where this regime came from and what must be done to really get past the kind of society in which this is always a threat and in which, even in the best of times people are exploited and ground down and oppressed, and the few rights they do have occur in the context in which a) those rights are weak and subject to and conditioned by the real dictatorship of those who rule society, and b) we can find ourselves in a situation in which even those rights can be snatched away. For full coverage and the current issue of REVOLUTION click here Kathmandu, Nepal: Nepali Congress General Secretary Sasanka Koirala has said that he is in favour of constitution amendment only after elections. Three tiers of elections should be held prior to the amendment of the constitution, General Secretary koirala said at a press conference in Bhaktapur on Monday. The Huffington Post, 22 January 2017 Dear Organizers of the Womenas March. Dear Human Rights Watch! I am a female Arab academic who considers Islam to be her religion. I have extensively researched the conditions of women in the Arab Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in addition to the United Kingdom and South Africa; and have been been involved in various campaigns for gender justice, freedom of expression, religion and political association. In other words, I have an established record in the defense of universal human rights. I supported the idea of the Womenas March since its start. I thought and still think it was important to send a clear message to the new American president. Mr. Trumpas acrimonious campaign made it clear that he needed a reminder that universal human rights are not subject to negotiation. We are not entering into a post-human rights era. They are here to stay and the Womenas March was supposed to be a reminder that there are enough people in the United States and the world willing to fight peacefully for these rights. And it was indeed a success. Congratulations! That said, I was alarmed by some posters used for your campaign, namely the posters showing a woman wearing the American flag as a headscarf (veil). It was meant as a symbol for the minority of Islamic faith and their rights to equal citizenship. While the idea behind it is to be praised and applauded. Your choice of the symbol was misguided, to say the least. The headscarf (veil) is a controversial symbol. If you are working in the defense of womenas rights, you should know that by now. Some consider it a religious symbol; others see it as a tool of patriarchal control and oppression; and yet others consider it a symbol of the march of political Islam. When it comes to wearing the headscarf (veil), some women wear it because they truly believe it to be part of their faith. Others, one the other hand, are forced to wear it, and these are many. Those, who insist on not wearing it face physical and physiological sanctions from their family and community. I dealt with such cases in my consulting work with educational authorities here in Switzerland. In certain parts of the UK, some womenas rights activists have to wear the headscarf in order for them to get access to the women trapped in their closed communities. In Egypt, where a wave of young women taking off their veil is on the march, some young women face defamation and threats. And in some Islamic countries, women are forced to wear the headscarf whether they wanted it or not. For example, in Iran, women are not privileged with the freedom of choice. Like it or not they have to wear the headscarf. The veil was the symbol by which the Islamic Revolution showed its face to the world a by decreeing that all women should cover themselves! Those who disobey this decree are faced with fines and arrest. Given the complexity of the headscarf (veil) and what it represents, your choice of it as a symbol for the Islamic religion and the minority of Islamic faith was ill advised. Why choose a symbol a considered a tool of oppression for many women in different parts of the world a as a symbol of a rich and diverse religion like Islam? It is not only misguided, it is an insult to all of these women, who have to wear it and bear the psychological scars of that imposition. I continue to support the demands of your march but I urge you to chose your posters carefully. It is the message you are sending that is my concern. If you are marching for equality, then I suggest that you stop patronizing those women of Islamic faith and heritage. Not all women of Islamic faith wear the headscarf, nor are all convinced that this is THE symbol of Islam. Choose a symbol that reflects that diversity. [by ] Elham Manea (Humanist, writer and academic) The New York Times, February 3, 2017 DHAKA, Bangladesh a Every year on the first day of school, students across Bangladesh wait eagerly for their new textbooks. Many have few extravagances in their lives, and for them that day is as thrilling as Christmas morning in other countries. Distributing over 360 million textbooks for free, on time, to more than 42 million children is no small feat, and it was a signature achievement for the ruling Awami League this year. But public appreciation was quickly overtaken by outrage over the quiet revisions that appeared in books for classes ranging from primary grades to high school. The Bengali letter aoa used to stand for aol,a a yam; now it stands for aorna,a a scarf worn by women for modesty. Texts by non-Muslim writers a including some revered as part of Bengali heritage, like the classical poet Gyandas or the contemporary novelist Sunil Gangopadhyay a have been removed. Also gone are a small excerpt from the Ramayana, a Hindu classic that Islamists reject as foreign to the Muslim canon, and songs of the Sufi icon Lalon Shah, whose syncretic faith is anathema to Muslim conservatives. This is exactly what Islamists have long wished for, particularly Hefazat-e-Islam, a network of madrasa leaders who hope to introduce Shariah in Bangladesh. But why these changes now, and from a nominally secular government that seems to have tried, if unevenly, to clamp down on Islamists in other ways? The ruling Awami League has been criticized for being apathetic and blaming the victim during a spate of attacks in 2015 and 2016 against liberal bloggers, academics and religious minorities, some claimed by groups affiliated with Al Qaeda or the Islamic State. It started cracking down hard after a massacre at a cafe in Dhaka last July. But even as the government tries to curb Islamist terrorism, in other respects it appears to waver between appeasing and containing nonviolent religious conservatives. The Awami League seems to have agreed to the textbook revisions in exchange for bringing the state-sanctioned curriculum into private madrasas and subjecting the schools to some government scrutiny. This is a delicate maneuver, which cannot be executed by fiat, because Hefazat has a committed power base among its members and people who sympathize with its aspirations for Shariah. Proponents of the revisions say the changes are a small price to pay for modernizing the madrasasa curriculum. Yet government officials have demurred when asked about any bargain being struck a presumably they fear drawing criticism from the cultured classes or seeming weak to the wider populace. In any case, that the authorities are even entertaining the demands of Hefazat says a lot about where Bangladesh is today: on a path to creeping Islamism. When Bangladesh became independent from Pakistan in 1971, secularism was one of the new countryas founding principles. It soon came under siege a first in the 1970s, under Ziaur Rahman, the founder of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (B.N.P.), who rehabilitated the Jamaat-e-Islami, a party disgraced for collaborating with the Pakistani army; then in the 1980s, when the dictator Hussain Mohammed Ershad declared Islam as the state religion. After democracy was restored in 1991, the two leading parties traded places running the country. Over time, the B.N.P. invoked religious sentiment to broaden its appeal with an increasingly conservative population, forcing the Awami League to play defense. Things took a dire turn as B.N.P., upon its return to power in 2001, drew much closer to Islamist forces like Jamaat, allowing the rise of terrorist groups, which killed top Awami League leaders and scores of civilians. In turn, when the Awami League was in government again, it hit the opposition with a cascade of legal cases. In 2009, it set up a special tribunal to prosecute crimes committed during the Liberation War of 1971. Since members of Jamaat had collaborated with the Pakistani Army back then, the court was destined to target the groupas leaders. The B.N.P.-Jamaat alliance took to the streets, sometimes staging violent protests against the trials, especially ahead of the 2014 general election. It also supported the nonviolent mass marches and sit-ins that Hefazat staged in May 2013 as Hefazat called for turning Bangladesh into an Islamic state. The Awami League authorities forcibly dispersed those crowds, killing at least 50 civilians, according to Human Rights Watch. But the violence has been vastly exaggerated, and such accounts have become a touchstone in some Islamistsa imagination: Nonviolent Hefazat a nothing like Jamaat a has been cast as a martyr of state repression, and has emerged as a powerful mouthpiece for Islamic demands. The battle for a secular Bangladesh is both political and cultural. Bangladeshis continually evaluate what they will or will not accept in the name of Islam. In universities, as many women seem to wear jeans as hijabs. Young people openly celebrate Valentineas Day. But there has been a significant shift over the past few decades. During my school years in the 1980s, religion was a matter of personal choice. No one batted an eyelid if you chose not to fast during Ramadan. Today, eat in public during the holiday and you may be chided by strangers. Thanks to shows on cable TV, social media and group meetings, Islamists have succeeded to an alarming degree in painting secularism as a threat to Islam. And now schools. Itas true that non-Muslim writers still appear in the revised textbooks, while some Muslim authors have been dropped. But the exclusion of the great novelist Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, the Charles Dickens of Bengali literature, is a galling concession to the sectarian view that Hindu writers like him do not belong on a Muslim curriculum. A dark political calculation may be lurking behind these changes. The Awami League, now in its second term after highly controversial elections in 2014, is widely perceived to be authoritarian. It would make sense for the party to pry Hefazat away from B.N.P.-Jamaat in order to reduce the impact of any future protests by its archrivals. A standard political gambit, one might call this, only it comes at a lasting cost to culture. One of the casualties of the recent purge is the great poet Michael Madhusudan Dutt, who wrote achingly about his belated embrace of his native language, Bengali. In a poem I remember reading in school, he says of the Kapotakkha, a river in southern Bangladesh, aMany rivers I have seen in many countries/But none to quench the thirst of my longings.a Most Bangladeshis see Bengali as the cradle of their national identity, and Islamists have long sought to replace language with religion in that role. To evict Dutt from our textbooks today is to strike at the heart of the cultural convictions that gave birth to our nation. K. Anis Ahmed is a writer based in Bangladesh and publisher of the Dhaka Tribune. Bornholm / Discovery of nearly 40 elite burials from 6th-8th century Nrre Sandegard Vest - one of the richest cemeteries in Denmark, the resting place of the representatives of the local elite, probably part of the royal entourage, was greater than previously thought. Since 2014, archaeologists have discovered there nearly 40 6th-8th century burials. Nrre Sandegard Vest cemetery is located in the north-eastern part of the island of Bornholm. It is one of the most famous and rich necropolises from the period from the sixth to the eighth century in Denmark. Archaeologists believed that the cemetery is much smaller - during excavations in the 1980s they even thought that it had been fully studied. Accidental discovery of a woman\'s burial in 2013 was an incentive to undertake new excavations. According to University of Gdansk spokeswoman, Dr. Beata Czechowska-Derkacz, excavations at the site are conducted by archaeologists from that university - graduate students of the Institute of Archaeology, University of Gdansk - Karolina Czonstke and Bartosz Swiatkowski, together with colleagues from the Bornholms Museum. In the course of work carried out in 2016 they were able to determine that the cemetery was larger than previously thought. Since 2014, the researchers have found and studied close to 40 skeletal burials of men, women and children. The deceased were accompanied by numerous grave goods. In the case of the women they were mainly ornaments: necklaces with glass beads, brooches, pendants, as well as toiletries. In the graves of men there were weapons: swords, combat knives, spears, shields, as well as belt ornaments. In some graves there were also remains of horses - the entire animal or the head. The dead were buried with their horses, as these animals were a symbol of high social status. "The local elite chose this area for their place of eternal rest probably not only because of its location (near the sea), but also the existence of the government centre in the near vicinity. It is very interesting as according to the report of traveller Wulfstan, who travelled from Hedeba to Truso at the end of the ninth century, we know that the island was ruled by a king. The cemetery we study could be evidence of the existence of a local family of rulers, and a resting place of members of their entourage" - explained Karolina Czonstke. Researchers from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the University of Gdansk explore areas of the Danish island of Bornholm since 2012. In previous seasons they found one of the best preserved Viking houses, dating back to the 9th-12th century, Viking and Slavic ceramics and silver coins (mostly Arab Dirhams, including 2 Persian coins dating back to the year 612). All last year\'s findings have been transferred to the National Museum in Copenhagen, where they will undergo comprehensive conservation, and later - probably - will be displayed. Some of them, because of their great importance, will remain permanently in the National Museum, and the rest will be returned to the Museum of Bornholm - informed the archaeologists. Doctoral from the University of Gdansk students plan further activities on Bornholm. Their main objective is to search for material remains of the presence of the Slavs, who probably inhabited this island together with the Scandinavians centuries ago. "This year\'s research conducted in the cemetery Nrre Sandegard Vest, may contribute to the knowledge of the socio-cultural situation on the island in the beginning of the Viking period, one of the starting points for the changes that took place in the Baltic Sea region in the early Middle Ages" - concluded Bartosz Swiatkowski. PAP - Science and Scholarship in Poland szz/ agt/ mrt/ tr. RL Our interest in Gore Verbinski's A Cure For Wellness was piqued with an impressive first trailer last Fall when we were gobsmacked at its visual ambition. It felt like it came from the camps of Ken Russell and Jean-Pierre Juenet. Well, here is the Big Game spot, which starts out like one of those adverts you see on the television that encourages you to consult your physician after. It of course goes into the side effects, which are many, too many if you ask us. Have a look for yourself below and see if you want to cure yourself. We have thrown another trailer in there for good measure. Gore Verbinski's A Cure For Wellness opens in cinemas on February 17th. 2016 was a disproportionately good year for documentary. Films like I Am Not Your Negro, 13th and O.J.: Made In America lead the conversation on race in America. Docs like Weiner and Tower arrived in an eerily timely fashion to collide with real-world political conversation in thoughtful, productive ways. Some, like Negro and Tower, pushed the form itself while they were at it - but none accomplished as much in this arena as Kirsten Johnson's Cameraperson. A film comprised entirely of outtakes - short snippets of unused footage from other, longer documentaries - Cameraperson could be maddening if it didn't quickly, and decisively, become sublime. Of course, the calibre of the outtakes matters. (One can imagine other filmmakers watching this and tearing up their camera reports with a frustrated cry of "her rushes are better than my whole movie!") As a cinematographer on documentaries like The Oath, Darfur Now and Citizenfour, she's been in places, and had access to people, whose cutting room clippings would compete with the best fiction that the movies have to offer. In Cameraperson, she lays some of that material bare - but only enough to create a rich, deeply moving tapestry of lived human experience. (Here's a handy resource of all the films whose footage are excerpted in Cameraperson - I'll be adding them all to my watchlist.) It is a challenging film in a number of ways. The lack of structure, and the extreme brevity of Johnson's vignettes (some are less than 30 seconds, and only a few are more than a couple of minutes), can make the first portion of the film seem like a multi-use mini-DV tape you've found in your closet, containing scraps from four different days' shooting, the provenance of which you don't remember. Structure and connections begin to patiently reveal themselves, however, and the film quickly becomes spellbinding. This is where another challenge begins: some of this material will haunt you for months. (Or maybe forever.) A young mother, only her knotted hands visible, talking with the director about her feelings of guilt about seeking an abortion, because she is concerned that a second, unintended pregnancy will destroy her ability to care properly for the child she already has, and can barely support. A woman reckoning with the suicide of her mother and completely losing her shit on camera, in the middle of which a great reef of snow collapses off the roof outside, blocking the nearby window. A troublesome birth in a midwife clinic in Nigeria, where every breath drawn by a sickly newborn is a terrifying kind of victory, and all the more so for the uncertain pause that follows. Johnson also records some time with her mother, who was years into an Alzheimer's diagnosis, along with some material following her mother's death, as she tries to make sense of the vapours of memory - some as strong as an onscreen thunderstorm, others as elusive as an impression of a smile - that she has captured on film. Here, the inherent moral quagmire of documentary, and perhaps of art itself, rears its head: what do we have the right to show, or not show, in our lives and the lives of those around us? What sacrifices are required to arrive at meaning? Cameraperson is an astounding work. It's soulfully human, as bound up in the triviality of daily life (burying a dead bird) as the banality of our seemingly inherent evil. A great deal of the film is spent with Johnson on two trips to Foca for the film I Came To Testify, a town in Bosnia which bore a great brunt of that region's holocaust. We absorb those evils, and also measure the ways in which some of the women, Johnson included, negate or defer those evils. Perhaps unsurprisingly for a film about documentary itself, the Criterion release of Cameraperson (spine #853) is feature-rich. "Editing Cameraperson: 25 Years In The Making" is a 36-minute exploration of how Johnson and her collaborators brought the pieces of the film together, trusting that the audience would supply the linkages that would draw meaning out of a work which is, by its very nature, non-linear. Before even arriving at that point, however, the featurette sees Johnson explaining in detail how she arrived at the decision to make Cameraperson in the first place. We also see some excerpts from earlier versions of the film, much more traditional in form (including voiceover by Johnson), and how the team determined that they should move away from that and into the "memoir" format Cameraperson now takes. "In The Service of the Film" is a roundtable between Johnson, documentary filmmaker Gini Reticker, and sound recordists Wellington Bowler and Judy Karp. Running almost 40 minutes long, the piece is warm and chatty (and like many Criterion features, will make you want to make a film) and goes into more specific details of the shooting days that make up the excerpts from Cameraperson. We also get talks from two film festivals, one of which is hosted by Michael Moore, in which Johnson goes into her creative process in even more detail. The featurettes tie together much better than a traditional commentary track ever could, because they let us hear from Johnson about the making of the film through a variety of lenses (no pun intended) and at varying scopes of detail. Here and elsewhere, Johnson speaks at length about how she intended the film, in part, to lay bare the contradictions and betrayals at the heart of documentary filmmaking, and image capture itself. These betrayals are not lost on me - the sequences, particularly, with her mother can be hard to watch from a personal privacy standpoint - but I am inspired by the courage to lay them bare regardless, because the result is nothing less than a human record. I hope when the aliens from the end of A.I.: Artificial Intelligence show up to survey the desolate remains of this frozen world in order to figure out what the hell we did to ourselves, that there are a few movies like this lying around, to tell them that we were slightly more than the sum of our stupidity - if only just. Chris von Hoffmann's post apocalyptic flick Drifter will roll into cinemas on February 24th then on VOD and iTunes on February 28th thanks to XLrator Media. ScreenAnarchy has been given an exclusive clip to share with you wich you can watch below. A pair of outlaw brothers are held captive in a desolate town run by a small family of psychotic cannibalistic lunatics and their sadistic Mayor. This clip occurs near the end of the movie where we find ourselves in a wasteland town called Demyl. Brother Miles faces off against one of Demyl's local lunatics, Latos, who promises that the main course is yet to come. Yep. Served just the way they like in Demyl. Fresh and bloody. Look for my review of Drifter on Thursday, February 23rd. Having outlived its presumed expiry date another chapter in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Dead Men Tell No Tales, is due out in cinemas this Summer. With the promise of returning favorites Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) along with Captain Jack Sparrow this Big Game spot features a tremendous amount of visual effects wizardry and a lot of whiz bang boom before we see our favorite pirate only at the very end. Tease! Take a look! Here is the Big Game spot for The Fate of the Furious. This is one of those tent pole franchises that the ScreenAnarchy family has had a little trouble letting go of, ever since it was pulled out of the muck and the mire by Justin Lin. It went from laughing stock of the masses to arguably one of the biggest franchises on the planet and this eighth (Eighth!!!) film shows that it bears no signs of slowing down. initial observation? There are a tremendous number of cars spending more time in the air than on the ground in this Big Game spot. But what comes up must come down. Gravity is a law and not a suggestion. "The Death Penalty as Torture From the Dark Ages to Abolition" | Main | Setting my DVR for "Solitary: Inside Red Onion State Prison" February 6, 2017 Questions raised about Judge Gorsuch's law school work for Harvard Defenders and PLAP The night Prez Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to be on the Supreme Court, I noted in this post that I found it notable that Prez Trump stated that "[w]hile in law school, he demonstrated a commitment to helping the less fortunate [by having] worked in both Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Projects and Harvard Defenders Program." But this Wall Street Journal article, headlined "Few Recall Gorsuchs Volunteer Work at Harvard: Questions arise over Trump Supreme Court picks level of participation in programs to help less fortunate while in law school," raises questions about the scope and significance of Judge Gorsuch's work in these organizations: When President Donald Trump introduced his Supreme Court pick on live television last week, he said Neil Gorsuch had demonstrated a commitment to helping the less fortunate by working in the Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project and the Harvard Defenders. His affiliation with these volunteer programs which offer law school students real-life legal experience representing prison inmates and the poor helped give Mr. Gorsuchs deeply conservative resume a personal touch, and the groups were highlighted in news reports about his nomination. But roughly three dozen students who participated in the two programs while Mr. Gorsuch was at Harvard Law School from 1988 to 1991 said they have no recollection of his involvement. If he was active in PLAP I am sure I would remember him, said Elizabeth Buckley Lewis, who attended Harvard at the same time as Mr. Gorsuch. Now a New York City tax lawyer who advises nonprofits, she said PLAP was her most meaningful experience at Harvard. The White House gave The Wall Street Journal the name of one Harvard Law School graduate who said he could corroborate that Judge Gorsuch was in the Defenders, but declined to give any details of the judges participation. The White House also provided copies of a 2008 email exchange between the Defenders alumni director and Judge Gorsuch. Two people who broadly oversaw the students during this period said they had no memory of Judge Gorsuchs involvement, a third one declined to say, and a fourth died in 1998. Other Harvard classmates and friends of Mr. Gorsuch say they have no recollection of him discussing either program. Memories can fade over 25 years, and the programs demanded no specific time commitment. Mr. Gorsuch didnt respond to emailed questions. The White House referred The Wall Street Journal to Chris Edel, a New York County prosecutor who said he attended a few weeks of training for the Defenders program with Judge Gorsuch in either 1990 or 1991. They also lived together and were members of the Lincolns Inn Society, a social club. What I am prepared to do is corroborate that Neil Gorsuch was in the Harvard Defenders, said Mr. Edel. I have a specific recollection of talking to him about one case, but I dont want to go into the detailsId like to leave it there. Mr. Edel recalled one other classmate in the program. David E. Nahmias, now a Georgia Supreme Court justice. Mr. Nahmias said he didnt remember whether Mr. Gorsuch was involved in the Defenders. In PLAP, students represent inmates at disciplinary and parole hearings. Defenders provide representation to indigent defendants. In both cases, students are guided by more experienced students and by supervising attorneys. PLAP and Defenders are volunteer programs and students dont earn credit, so participation isnt reflected on Harvards transcripts.... Not every official bio of Mr. Gorsuch names his involvement with the groups. But they are included in a biography posted online by President George W. Bushs White House after the judges 2006 confirmation to a federal appeals court, as well as a White House press release at the time. On a Senate questionnaire in connection with the 2006 judicial appointment, Mr. Gorsuch answered a question about serving the disadvantaged in part by saying he had done pro bono work beginning in law school, citing the two programs. He said he helped Massachusetts inmates with respect to, among other things, hearings on disciplinary actions taken against them and represented defendants in criminal proceedings in Massachusetts state courts. Mr. Gorsuch didnt go further, despite the questionnaires request that nominees describe specific instances and the amount of time devoted to each. Mr. Gorsuch was among the recipients of a Nov. 2, 2008, email sent to 124 alumni of the Defender program by Alicia Reed, then the alumni director of the Defenders, who was seeking volunteers to mentor Harvard students. Mr. Gorsuch, by then serving as an appeals court judge in Denver, responded the following day: I dont know if I can be of much help this far away from Cambridge, but if I can please do let me know. I found Defenders to be a very rewarding experience. Upon seeing the headline of the Wall Street Journal article, I was tempted to accuse Prez Trump of peddling "fake news" when he stressed Judge Gorsuch's involvement with these programs. But it seems that Prez Trump was only repeating a claim that Prez Bush made that it seems was reasonable based on reports by Judge Gorsuch himself. And my guess based on this WSJ reporting is that the Judge was involved in a few cases with both of these groups, but never made work with the groups a centerpiece of his Harvard Law experience the way that some other students did. My experiences a few years later with a could volunteer activities at Harvard Law was similar e.g., for one journal and the newspaper, I was only involving in a few editing assignments and I am sure that those who were most involved in those particular activities would not recall my limited involvement. Prior related post: February 6, 2017 at 08:43 AM | Permalink Comments Sounds like a disqualifier. Posted by: Don't Ask | Feb 6, 2017 10:44:46 AM Both Sotomayor and Alito were prosecutors. Sounds like it wasn't a major focus on his time (IDK), so doesn't tell me much. Some suggestion that it is a sort of puffery, like Sessions support of civil rights. A few probably will make more out of it than deserves, like that joke 'fascist' thing. Fairly normal though. Wouldn't make too much of it. Posted by: Joe | Feb 6, 2017 11:02:17 AM Don't Ask, what should have been a disqualifier---linking ethnicity to the quality of judging a la the "wise [sic] Latina" But didn't hear much of a peep from you guys on that front. Posted by: federalist | Feb 6, 2017 4:13:42 PM How would that have been prejudicial to Sotomayer's qualification? It simply states a fact, as she put it in a speech in the speech with that remark: 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. Pretty innocuous. She isn't saying that it's going to consciously direct her decisions. She is just aware that background is important. Background experience is, not simply prejudice, it is also part of one's real-life education. Yet Sessions at her confirmation disagreed that a persons background can or should influence anything to do with their judgements: You have evidenced, a philosophy of the law that suggests that a judges background and experiences can and should even should and naturally will impact their decision...." Where's the problem? This is just common sense. What's more there is considerable scholarship to prove this correlation in the judiciary. The real problem, in large part, is in taking background to mean only passive bias and not learning experience. Posted by: A. Constan | Feb 8, 2017 12:28:43 AM But, perhaps, a bigger problem with the objection to "wise Latina" is the exaggerated importance it is given. Why does it rise to the rank of a "disqualifier." There's no doubt that a clever argument is possible against just about anything. And it's true that introduction of prejudice of any kind is something to be avoided. But the latter is not really the argument here. And even if it were, it would require more than the slight alleged evidence adduced. It's a "disqualifier." There's a abstruse casuistic quality about that. It's strained. Probably because it's tendentious--another case of a conclusion in search of evidence. The doggedness of Intense partisanship won't let it go as the insignificant point it really is. Posted by: A. Constan | Feb 8, 2017 1:45:48 AM Post a comment "Why we should free violent criminals" | Main | Idaho judge includes celibacy for teen sex offender on intensive probation February 6, 2017 The hardest of cases for death penalty abolitionists: convicted murderer who keeps murdering while in prison This local news report of an apparent murder by an Ohio inmate already convicted in two other murders serves as a reminder that there are limits on how much you can incapacitate some persons who seem intent on being violent. The article is headlined "Two-time murderer suspected of killing another inmate, " and here are the ugly details: A two-time murderer is suspected of killing another inmate, a Franklin County man, aboard a prison transport bus while it traveled south on Rt. 23 from Columbus on Wednesday evening. The body of David L. Johnson, 61, was found in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction bus on Thursday evening when it stopped to deliver him to the Ross Correctional Institution, said Ross County Prosecutor Matthew Schmidt. Johnson, who was serving an eight-year sentence for sexual battery, apparently was strangled; Casey Pigge, 28, is "absolutely the suspect" in the death, Schmidt said. Other inmates also were locked into a caged section of the bus with Johnson and Pigge, but apparently did not alert the guards and driver at the front of the bus of the assault, Schmidt said. The guards apparently cannot see back into all sections of the bus, he said. The inmates were wearing handcuffs, and perhaps belly chains, but could move around, the prosecutor said. Inmates, including from the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility near Lucasville and the Ross Correctional Institution near Chillicothe, were taken aboard the bus to Columbus for medical treatment on Thursday and were on the return leg of the trip south when the apparent slaying occurred. Pigge is serving a 30-year to life sentence at the Lucasville prison for the 2008 murder of Rhonda Sommers, 52, the mother of his then-girlfriend. Pigge was convicted of stabbing the woman and then setting her apartment on fire. Last week, Pigge pleaded guilty to using a cement block last year to repeatedly strike to kill his cellmate, Luther Wade, 26, of Springfield, at the Lebanon Correctional Institution in Warren County. Wade, serving a 10-year sentence for aggravated burglary, was repeatedly struck in the head. Pigge faces another life sentence in the slaying. Schmidt... questioned Pigge having access to other inmates aboard the bus given his history of violence. Investigators are working to determine if Johnson died in Franklin County, Pickaway County or Ross Country as the bus traveled south, Schmidt said. "He crushed his cellmate's head with a cinder block. You would think the sensible thing to do would be to make sure he doesn't have free access to other inmates at any time. Apparently that is not an issue for the folks at DRC," Schmidt said. Given that Pigge is seemingly due to get an LWOP sentence for previously having "crushed his cellmate's head with a cinder block," he would be essentially getting a "free" murder if he were not at least potentially subject to something worse than LWOP for his latest murder. Moreover, given than Pigge has now slaughtered two fellow inmates during his first decade of incarceration, the only real public safety options for him would seem to be long-term solitary confinement or the death penalty. I am not asserting that folks like Pigge make the death penalty a must, but I am saying that it seems quite difficult to figure out what a just and effective punishment is for a murderer who seems keen and able to keep killing even while incarcerated. February 6, 2017 at 03:20 PM | Permalink Comments For your information, you did cite a case here where there was an appropriate consequence. A murderer tried to rape a female guard. She resisted. He murdered her in the prison. The Supervisor of the Guards got really steamed, and fumed, "Now he's done it. He is definitely losing his cafeteria privileges." Here is a proposed unintended consequence of abolition of the death penalty, one besides the immediate and massive loss of appellate lawyer jobs. (The Supreme Court will never allow that so it is unlikely.) The murder rate in prison has been highly suppressed the past decade. It will go up again, as murders increase. Murder will be used as an informal death penalty by guards and prisoners. More prisoners will receive the death penalty once it is abolished. The totally lawyer protected and immunized murderers will be hired by the guards to dispose of annoying prisoners, all informally, stealthily, and with no open quid pro quo. The prison is a sophisticated social group, and quiet messages will be sent, and favors returned. I figure price competition will drive the price down to a carton of cigarettes. Posted by: David Behar | Feb 6, 2017 3:33:04 PM The Constitution does not prevent an automatic death penalty in cases like this. Posted by: federalist | Feb 6, 2017 4:14:47 PM There's always corporal punishment. Posted by: Andrew Fleischman | Feb 6, 2017 4:52:50 PM Since the position of this blog is the death penalty is acceptable in some cases and absolutism by "abolitionists" is misguided, I'm inclined to be expansive here. We can do this with any number of things, such as torture. If we can find a "ticking time bomb" scenario, is torture okay? In practice, there are some people who it is very hard to stop committing harms in private life. Do we give private parties a pass when they are "eliminated"? Before people say "not the same," it's quite true in reality that things like this occur. The government look away in various cases just for this reason, including certain types of violence in prison and elsewhere. And, ultimately, yes, states and nations have a blanket rule even if in the process there might be narrow cases that seem clear-cut or much easier to justify. They have found it is "just" not to require the death penalty for various reasons. This includes the fact that the death penalty per se is wrong, in application it will not only be applied in such cases and it is wrong to bring others in etc. People against abortion are cited cases of rape. People for abortion some other extreme case. The line drawn will find challengers on either side most likely. In practice, yes, in some cases there will be hard cases. Punishment will have some of these cases, especially when the people as a whole only wants to limit the death penalty to a narrow range of cases. So, what punishment is warranted when people hurt by don't kill? Often the choice is isolation, which has problems itself. As to the case here, there are a range of privileges in prison, so it is unclear if one is getting a "free" pass here. But even there, you are going to have due process before the execution. If one kills as this occurs, unless the person is immediately executed, is it a "free" pass? Posted by: Joe | Feb 6, 2017 5:11:21 PM Andrew. According to the lawyer, that is cruel and unconstitutional. Smashing someone with a cinder block is the result of being a victim of the system. Why? Because smashing someone with a cinder block generates lawyer procedure and employment. The most morally disgusting human beings in this whole situation are the rent seeking lawyers on the appellate bench. Posted by: David Behar | Feb 6, 2017 5:11:55 PM As the article notes, if you cared about public safety: "He crushed his cellmate's head with a cinder block. You would think the sensible thing to do would be to make sure he doesn't have free access to other inmates at any time." As to choices, prison itself is a horrible thing, including those who are there for things much less horrible than murder. So, the question is a big one really and there is no easy answers in general. I think we have a lot more cases immediately to discuss there but going by the people themselves, exceptions existing, apparently even solitary is favored over execution. Posted by: Joe | Feb 6, 2017 5:33:05 PM Similarly, as Bill Otis is pointed out, the classic hard case is that of Clarence Ray Allen in California-the life prisoner who had people killed on the "outside". Posted by: Ward | Feb 8, 2017 11:07:30 AM SUMNER v. SHUMAN is a relevant case, including FN11. Posted by: Joe | Feb 9, 2017 1:02:57 PM Post a comment Setting my DVR for "Solitary: Inside Red Onion State Prison" | Main | The hardest of cases for death penalty abolitionists: convicted murderer who keeps murdering while in prison February 6, 2017 "Why we should free violent criminals" The title of this post is the headline of this Boston Globe commentary authored by By David Scharfenberg. Here are excerpts: The drug war, [some experts] say, is not the major force behind Americas huge prison growth over the last several decades. In fact, less than 20 percent of the countrys 1.5 million prisoners are serving time for such offenses. Free them all tomorrow, and the United States would still have the largest prison population in the world larger than Russia, Mexico, and Iran combined. Violent crime is a much more important driver, with almost half of prisoners doing time for offenses like murder and robbery. To make a real dent in mass incarceration, experts say, the country will have to do the difficult work of freeing more of these criminals sooner. We put all of our attention almost all of our attention on things that arent nearly as important as the things we ignore, says Fordham Law School professor John Pfaff, author of the forthcoming book Locked In: The True Causes of Mass Incarceration and How to Achieve Real Reform. Pfaff says the criminal justice reform movement had to start with talk of greater leniency for nonviolent offenders. It couldnt leap right to a discussion of, say, cutting murderers sentences down to a European-style 10 years. But now, he says, its time for something more. Not all violent crime is as serious as the phrase would imply. In some states, burglarizing a house when no one is home is considered a violent offense. And what about the 18-year-old robber who was carrying a gun but didnt actually use it? As for long sentences, its true that they play a role in driving prison growth. Three strikes laws, mandatory minimums, and other tough-on-crime measures have increased time served for all kinds of offenders pot dealers and violent criminals alike. A Pew analysis of state prison data showed that prisoners released in 2009 served 36 percent longer than those who were released in 1990. But at three years, the average prison term is shorter than the conventional wisdom would suggest. Pfaff argues that the real concern is not sentence length, but serving any time in prison at all. Whether you serve 12 or 16 months, he says, the impact is the same. Upon release, convicted felons have a hard time getting decent jobs or good housing. And with the odds heavily stacked against them, theyre more likely to reoffend. The criminal justice reform movement, Pfaff argues, needs a reorientation and a willingness to show mercy for prisoners beyond the proverbial nonviolent drug offender. That means diverting more people whatever their offenses away from the system, thereby sparing them from a criminal record. And theres only one way to do that, he says: Change the behavior of the most powerful actor in the criminal justice system, the prosecutor.... Over the last couple of decades, Pfaffs research shows, theyve become ever-more aggressive about seeking jail time. In the mid-90s, prosecutors filed felony charges against about one in three arrestees. By 2008, it was more like two in three. Why are prosecutors getting more aggressive? Maybe because theyre more politically ambitious, Pfaff theorizes. They may think a tough-on-crime record can be parlayed into a run for higher office. Or maybe the police are developing stronger cases, using more surveillance-camera footage, for example. Whatever the cause, the impact has been enormous. The push to file more felony charges, Pfaff writes in his forthcoming book, is the single most important factor in the growth in prison admissions since crime started dropping in the early-90s. One solution: legislate a reduction in prosecutorial power. Pfaff suggests creating detailed charging guidelines that would force prosecutors to steer more offenders away from the prison system. Getting that sort of thing on the books will be difficult though; prosecutors have substantial clout in state legislatures and dont want to see their power diminished . Which is why advocates may have better luck urging district and state attorneys offices to change from within and produce more flexible prosecutors. February 6, 2017 at 09:52 AM | Permalink Comments The headline is a tad misleading. We "free" them all the time since each act of violence only gets you so much prison time. The details is where the devil is. This is another installment of "obvious things that sometimes need to be remembered." Posted by: Joe | Feb 6, 2017 11:04:08 AM Off-topic, but somewhat related: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Freed-from-life-in-prison-by-President-Obama-a-10906279.php Posted by: federalist | Feb 6, 2017 11:21:51 AM Releasing violent criminals . . . . now there's an idea. Posted by: federalist | Feb 6, 2017 11:23:46 AM Where do Scharfenberg and Pfaff live? The released prisoners must be placed in the houses surrounding theirs. Posted by: David Behar | Feb 6, 2017 11:49:03 AM While obviously every state is different, I took a look at my state's numbers. Looking at the individual counties, you could see a big difference between counties. In the most rural counties, felonies only represented about one-fourth of the total "criminal" charges. (I am excluding traffic offenses.) In the most urban counties, the count was closer to 50-50 and, in some, more felonies were filed than misdemeanors. However, those numbers only look at the state courts -- thereby ignoring a key component of the criminal justice system -- city court. In a highly urbanized county, most of the population and most of the geography are within city limits, and any minor offenses can be sent to city court. In a highly rural area, a good chunk of the population and most of the geography are outside city limits, and all minor offenses have to be filed in state court. My experience in both urban and rural courts is that most prosecutors would rather let the city prosecutors handle misdemeanors in city court (with limited exceptions such as repeat DWI offenders). I would caution those who want "guidelines" for charging decisions. Most prosecutors use discretion in charging and pleading that results in a plea to something significantly lower than the "true offense." If you give a legislature power to establish guidelines for charging decisions, you will probably get guidelines that tell the prosecutors to actually charge the offense that was committed. Posted by: tmm | Feb 6, 2017 1:19:52 PM I live in a state with guidelines, it has no impact on the prosecutor's decision whether to charge the offense that was committed or not. The reasons they prosecute felonies as felonies is they don't want political blowback. Anyway, the article is correct that we have to acknowledge these issues if we want to reduce prison overcrowding. Some people commenting don't see that as a goal so they aren't going to agree, but they're also not the target audience. Posted by: Erik M | Feb 6, 2017 2:02:18 PM Erik. "not the target audience?" We are not the owners of the criminal law? We do not pay your salary? We are not the victims of crime? Whatchu mean? You plan to loose the criminals behind our back, and without our agreement? And if you ever get to pull that stunt off, will the lawyer profession profit or hurt from that stunt? The lawyer did that in the smallest way, and the murder rate jumped in 20 cities, despite ever falling blood lead levels. Is that mentioned in the article? That is a naturalistic experiment, and the results are in. Posted by: David Behar | Feb 6, 2017 3:21:54 PM The target audience are people who want to reduce prison overcrowding but only feel comfortable in ending time for low-level, non-violent drug offenders. This article is about telling them how that's not good enough. It's not about convincing people that think mass incarceration is fine that it isn't. Posted by: Erik M | Feb 6, 2017 4:36:29 PM Erik. Incarceration rate dropped 3% last year, and murders shot up 15% in 20 large cities. Perhaps a coincidence. Lead levels continued dropping. Here is a map from the left wing NY Times. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/09/08/us/us-murder-rates.html?_r=0 Posted by: David Behar | Feb 6, 2017 5:15:45 PM Post a comment Because Friday's temporary restraining order blocking President Trump's executive order on immigration (that's more commonly being called a "Muslim ban") came from a federal judge in Seattle, the Trump Administration is stuck battling this out at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. After the appeals court denied the administration's attempt to get an emergency stay, there is now a midnight filing deadline tonight (Sunday) for the states of Washington and Minnesota, which are now the plaintiffs and appellees in this case, and the Trump Administration and the Justice Department have until 3 p.m. Pacific Time on Monday to file their reply, as Gothamist reported earlier. Appellate judges William C. Canby, a Carter appointee, and Michelle T. Friedland, an Obama appointee, have been assigned to the case. The President has already lashed out at U.S. District Court Judge James Robart, who issued Friday's ruling, calling him a "so-called judge" on Twitter, and then later saying that because of Robart's lifting of the ban "many very bad and dangerous people may be pouring into our country." Multiple senators on both sides of the aisle criticized Trump for issuing a personal attack against Robart, as the AP reports, with Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska saying, "We don't have so-called judges. We don't have so-called senators. We don't have so-called presidents. We have people from three different branches of government who take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution." California Senator Dianne Feinstein was similarly harsh "The president is not a dictator. He is the chief executive of our country. And there is a tension between the branches of government." Vice President Mike Pence defended Trump saying, "The president can criticize anybody he wants. [I think the American people] find it very refreshing that they not only understand this president's mind, but they understand how he feels about things." And, Pence said, "We'll accomplish the stay and will win the case on the merits." As CBS 5 reports, "Acting Solicitor General Noel Francisco forcefully argued Saturday night that the president alone has the power to decide who can enter or stay in the United States an assertion that appeared to invoke the wider battle to come over illegal immigration." Francisco argued in her brief that "judicial second-guessing of the President's national security determination in itself imposes substantial harm on the federal government and the nation at large," something that former DOJ attorney Robert Loeb was quick to call out. "I would never have put my name on a filing that said that," he wrote on Twitter. Robart's ruling nonetheless cleared the way, if temporarily, for people to travel from the seven banned nations into the US, and the State Department made that clear on Saturday. As the AP reports, German airline Lufthansa posted a statement to their website saying that those holding passports from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen "are again allowed to travel to the USA." But "short notice changes to the immigration regulations may occur at any time." The case is expected to head to the Supreme Court, and Feinstein suggested that there, "probably some judgments will be made whether this president has exceeded his authority or not." Previously: Appeals Court Rejects Trump Administration Request To Reinstate Travel Ban Nearly one hundred companies, including some of the largest tech firms in the world, filed an amicus brief in opposition of President Trump's executive order that bans foreigners from seven Muslim majority nations. The brief says, "Immigrants make many of the Nation's greatest discoveries, and create some of the country's most innovative and iconic companies," and "The tremendous impact of immigrants on America and on American business is not happenstance. People who choose to leave everything that is familiar and journey to an unknown land to make a new life necessarily are endowed with drive, creativity, determination and just plain guts." The companies involved include Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Airbnb, Intel, Snap, Uber, Twitter, Netflix, Zynga and, the NY Times reports, "[a] few names from outside the technology field, like Levi Strauss, the jeans maker, and Chobani, a yogurt company." The Times adds: The tech industrys top executives have faced a balancing act. Challenging Mr. Trumps policies could invite political blowback, particularly from a president who is unafraid to call out companies publicly. At the same time, they have an outspoken employee base that views Mr. Trumps economic nationalism as anathema to the globalization that has given rise to many of the companies. Many tech workers are immigrants or from second-generation families, and Silicon Valley itself has a history of immigrants founding and leading some of its most impressive companies. A number of tech executives initially tried to work with the administration, but a surge in opposition to Mr. Trumps immigration order led tech workers to call for their executives to push back. Last week Ubers founder and chief executive, Travis Kalanick, stepped down from Mr. Trumps economic advisory council after pressure from employees, customers and drivers. Before the decision, Mr. Kalanick had been one of the most vocal proponents of engaging with the president. Tesla was not part of the brief, and its CEO Elon Musk remains on the economic advisory council. He claimed he successfully urged White House officials to discuss repercussions from the ban on Friday. The Trump administration, whose attempt to overturn the stay on the ban was rejected for now, will be battling over the executive order at the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco on Monday. In a separate article, the Times discusses how the ruling in this case, which will likely ultimately be made by the Supreme Court, "could leave a mark on the law for generations" in terms of the executive branch's power. Previously: Trump Administration To Do Battle With Ninth Circuit Court In SF This Week Over Immigration Ban Fueling speculation that it might begin funding efforts to allay the Bay Area's housing crisis, representatives from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative met with local housing experts, real estate groups, and academics last summer in talks that were "serious, but exploratory and non-specific" according to sources at The Information. That talk has now turned to action in the form of two new grants from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a charitable corporation funded by the valuable Facebook stock owned by company CEO Mark Zuckerberg and wife Priscilla Chan. The organization will grant $500,000 to the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley, whose mission is to research and develop Bay Area housing solutions, and $3.1 million to Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto, whose programs and lawyers fight evictions and displacement. David Plouffe, president of policy and advocacy for the initiative, announced the grants today, although the Mercury News had advanced word of them. Plouffe, notably, was the former 2008 campaign manager for Barack Obama. "While we recognize that there is no single approach to solving the Bay Areas housing crisis, its clear that we need to both increase the availability of affordable housing, and help families stay in their homes and neighborhoods," Plouffe writes according to a post on Facebook announcing the grants. "These grants will support those working to help families in immediate crisis while supporting research into new ideas to find a long-term solution - a two-step strategy that will guide much of our policy and advocacy work moving forward." Chan and Zuckerberg announced their philanthropic endeavor in December 2015 after the birth of their child, a pledge to give away 99 percent of their combined Facebook stock to charitable causes, the equivalent of $45 billion dollars at the time. Upon further inspection of SEC filings, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative turned out not to be a charity in the traditional sense, but instead, a corporation with a charitable focus. "The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative will pursue its mission by funding non-profit organizations, making private investments and participating in policy debates, in each case with the goal of generating positive impact in areas of great need, a release clarified at the time. Any profits from investments in companies will be used to fund additional work to advance the mission. As for the recent contribution of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, LLC, "This grant will have an immediate, measurable impact by enabling us to hire additional legal staff to represent families at risk of displacement, including by defending against forced eviction," reads a statement from the team at Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto. "Moreover, we will double-down on our anti-displacement policy efforts such as advocating for tenant protections like rent stabilization and just cause for eviction." According to a statement from The Terner Center for Housing Innovation at Berkeley, "this gift will allow us to expand our work developing and testing the bold policy ideas and private sector innovations needed to solve housing challenges here in the Bay Area and across the country." For an example of the Terner Center's work, the Mercury News spoke with faculty director Carol Galante, who also has a relationship to Obama in that she ran the Federal Housing Administration under him as President. The Center, she says, is right now editing a paper on off-site construction and what it would take to ramp that up," one effort to reduce construction times. In general, the Center is "trying to move the dial on the housing dialogue at the policy level, Galante says. In the meantime, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, LLC, might approach its founders and namesakes regarding their Palo Alto estate, surrounded by four homes that the family had purchased and planned to demolish as of last spring. Related: Mark Zuckerberg And Priscilla Chan Sell Off $95 Million In Facebook Stock For Charity, Or Similar We've got more details today in the case of Deputy April Myres, a 20-year veteran of the SF Sheriff's Department who was arrested, at work, by federal agents last week over an allegedly faked burglary at her Visitacion Valley home last year. Myres, 52, is accused of providing, through the alleged ruse of a robbery, a firearm to a convicted felon with whom prosecutors says she had a romantic relationship. Following the story, ABC 7 reports that Myres is once again "on the outside," released Friday afternoon on a secured bond. KTVU has it that the bond was set at $1 million, and per the prosecution at her initial court appearance, Myres faces charges including mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, and disposing of a firearm by giving it to a convicted felon. Myres's attorney claims to ABC 7 that "She did not give that gun to him," referring to Antoine Fowler, 32, who was arrested on February 2 in Oakland and has been charged with possession of a weapon as a felon. Fowler was also arraigned in US District Court on Friday according to the Examiner. Fowler served in County Jail from 2010 to 2016 for a conviction related to the manufacture, transport, and sale of assault weapons. According to Fowler's cellmate turned informant, Myres and Fowler began a courtship in June 2015, communicating through the bars, and meeting alone in the gym area. The cellmate says Fowler referred to Myres by the nickname "Scarlet Red" and allegedly divulged to the cellmate that she had offered to obtain a firearm for Fowler and planned to vacation with him in Hawaii. After Fowler was released, he and Myres's son allegedly worked together to stage a robbery at her home so that Myres could file a false insurance claim. According to the criminal complaint, Myres's insurance claim, as retained by Farmers Insurance, lists her allegedly stolen items as follow: Glock 17 9mm pistol (serial number BMP254, a bullet proof safety vest, a leather duty belt, a flat badge (custom), an OC spray canister, a Motorola hand radio, a Louis Vuitton Artsy MM shoulder bag, a Louis Vuitton wallet, a Louis Vuitton belt, a Louis Vuitton bracelet, a Louis Vuitton umbrella, a Yves Saint Laurent large-grained chain bag (red), a Yves Saint-Laurent lipstick print wallet, a Bony Levy Diamond Initial "A," Gucci rain boots, a Christian Louboutin Jennifer Perforate Napa Boots, a blue fox fur vest, a Versace leather logo clutch bag, a Manolo Blahnik snakeskin shows, a 12k diamond earrings, two California license plates and stickers, $3,500 cash, a Sentry safe electronic portable safe, a HP 17-inch Windows 10 Microsoft office laptop, seven sets of Victoria's Secret lingerie, an Olympus SZ-14 14MP 24x long zoom camera, a Jostens College ring 2 trillion cut diamonds with center garnet stone, a leather gun holster, and OC spray holder, a magazine holder, a flashlight holder, a flashlight streamlight, a baton holder, 4 belt keepers, a handcuff case, a handcuffs, a radio holder, a handcuff key, a mink jacket, a Louis Vuitton messenger bag, a Chanel large classic metallic calfskin bag, a Louis Vuitton baguette handbag, and a Louis Vuitton wallet. The total value of personal items was $66,409, per Myres, who provided copies of receipts from online orders. Myres also claimed $637 in building damage. However, prosecutors say surveillance footage from across the street shows Myres was at home during the time of the robbery, and several of the items from the above list were actually at the house when it was searched on February 2 by FBI agents, they claim. Also per the complaint, Fowler, in a meeting with Myres's son at a San Francisco club, allegedly expressed resentment that Myres told the police of a break-in when he had a key and full access to the residence. At the time, Fowler supposedly said he was living at his mother's house. Another stand-out detail: In a previous argument with Myres's son at her house, a gun was allegedly discharged into a wall. When Fowler was arrested, investigators say they found Myres's gun in his car. ABC 7 reports that Fowler initially denied having the gun, then told investigators that Myres had given it to him with $2,500 to dispose of it since it was fired by someone else at her home, perhaps a reference to that incident allegedly involving Myres's son. Myres's attorney denies the notion to ABC 7 that she and Fowler had a romantic relationship and alleges that Fowler stole the weapon "absolutely without her knowledge." As a condition of Myres's release, she may not have contact with Fowler or her son. Fowler is set to appear in court tomorrow, February 7, and Myres on February 15. The case is being investigated by outside agencies. 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The scene was nothing much that would have caught the eye, but as they neared the bird, the chunk of wood revealed itself to be a dead fish. Again, nothing too special. But the fish appeared to be of a pretty good size a sturgeon, one of the men assumed and as they neared it, the two pals had a closer look. The fish did not seem to have been dead very long. As they pulled up, the bird flew away and the glint of the early-morning sun revealed a row of sharp teeth in the fishs mouth. The men pulled the creature into the boat, neither quite sure that they had just found. It appeared to be a small shark. Conferring with an expert from the Milwaukee Public Museum, the fish was indeed confirmed to be a shark of an undetermined species. It was about 29 inches long and weighed almost 10 pounds hardly a man-eater, but certainly a concern. Sharks had been known to enter and survive in fresh water. While Milwaukeeans viewed the beaches with an unprecedented suspicion, local officials puzzled as to how the shark had made its way so far from home and prayed that it had not brought friends (or family). But the worry over an invasion of freshwater sharks in the city were short-lived. Just as soon as the panic had begun, a downtown attorney invited members of the local media to his office for an impromptu press conference. His client, the lawyer insisted, could explain everything. The client was 39-year-old William Bathke, a northside tavern owner. The shark, he sheepishly told reporters, was his. He had caught it in 1966 at Cape Coral, FL (he presented home movies of the trip as evidence) and had been keeping it in his freezer until a few weeks ago, when him and some barroom pals hatched a plan. Inspired by the recent press attention given to a new Gertie the Duck, nesting on the State Street bridge, Bathke and his buddies had the idea to give Milwaukee a resident animal that would really draw some attention. Here we had a shark, he said. [We figured] it would make a pretty good joke. The idea was idle chatter at first, but as the drinks kept coming, the fellows took action. The idea grew and grew, Bathke said, It was so funny. On April 25, the men hurled the thawed-out shark into the water off Bradford Beach. The Floridian fish make it a few miles south before the fishermen plucked it from the water about a week later. Stay on top of the news of the day Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays. SIGN UP When the story broke, Bathke decided his gag wasnt so funny after all, and came forward to relieve the minor panic the shark had inspired. Despite the stir it caused, state officials determined that the mens fish toss had not broken any laws. Although Bathke said he had certainly learned his lesson and would never perform such an act of marine trickery again. This website is intended for U.S. visitors only. DAKOTA DUNES -- Tyson Foods Inc. reported record first-quarter profits Monday, fueled by big gains in its beef and pork units. The Springdale, Arkansas-based company posted a first-quarter profit of $593 million, or $1.59 per share, a 38-percent improvement on year-ago results. "The year is off to the best start in company history with record earnings, record operating income and record cash flows," Tom Hayes, Tyson president and chief executive, said in a statement. Return on sales for each operating segment was in or above the normalized range." Tyson's Fresh Meats division is based in Dakota Dunes. The company, which also operates a beef plant in Dakota City and pork and turkey plants in Storm Lake, is metro Sioux City's largest employer with more than 4,000 workers. Beef and pork contributed operating income of $299 million and $247 million, respectively, in the first quarter, up from $71 million and $158 million, respectively, in the year-ago period. For the major beef gains, Tyson cited improved availability of cattle supply and stronger domestic and export demand. The pork segment climb was attributed to stronger hog export demand and better operational and mix performance. Due to our outstanding performance in beef and pork and strong market conditions in the first quarter, we are raising our annual earnings guidance to $4.90-5.05 per share," Hayes said. Were on a path toward what we expect to be our fifth straight year of record results." Tyson said the company gain led retail food manufacturers in both sales volume and sales dollars for the 13-week period corresponding with the fiscal first quarter ending Dec. 31. Not only did Tyson lead in sales volume, according to the market research firm IRI, it was the only company to show volume growth among the top 10 branded food companies, according to the news release. Tyson's results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.27 per share. Tyson's shares were down Monday after the company disclosed it has received a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of an antitrust investigation. The company said it was cooperating with the SEC and had limited information on the probe, which likely stemmed from previous allegations that the company conspired with competitors to fix chicken prices. NEW YORK The Oxygen television network is looking behind bars for inspiration. The NBC Universal-owned network said that starting this summer, it will focus its programming on crime stories that appeal to women, joining an already crowded television genre. Its other programming, such as "Bad Girls Club" and "Battle of the Ex-Besties," will be phased out. Oxygen's saga speaks to the survival pressures faced by many cable networks. NBC Universal recently decided to shutter its Esquire network and make it digital-only. When Oxygen's launch was announced in 1998 with prominent backers that included Oprah Winfrey, the goal was to make it a general interest network for women to compete with Lifetime, only hipper. The change won't be completely abrupt. Oxygen has seen success during the past year with a prime-time block of crime-oriented programming on three nights, recently increasing it to four. That helped Oxygen to a 42 percent increase in viewers during the last three months of 2016 compared to the same period a year earlier, the Nielsen company said. Crime stories are easily found onscreen now, from the dramas on CBS' prime-time lineup to Investigation Discovery, probably the most successful cable network launch in some time. Frances Berwick, president of lifestyle networks for NBC Universal Cable, said Oxygen will take cues from the successful podcast "Serial" and Netflix's "Making a Murderer" in finding stories that viewers can follow to guess the outcome of true crime stories. "We felt like we could do that in a different way than there is currently out there, one that appeals to a younger demographic," Berwick said. In March, Oxygen will premiere a new series, "Three Days to Live," focusing on the stories of women who have been abducted. Veteran producer Dick Wolf is behind the upcoming series, "Cold Justice," which features former prosecutor Kelly Siegler and a team of detectives as they try to solve real-life crime cases across the country. Wolf's series will start this fall, along with "The Jury Speaks," which examines noted criminal cases as seen through the eyes of the jury that decided them. Oxygen is also launching its own podcast, "Martinis and Murder," that delves into the details surrounding murder cases. "This is definitely a moment where people are interested in solving crimes themselves," Berwick said. She said Oxygen believes it is a genre with enough different stories and ways to tell them that interest won't be soon exhausted. STORM LAKE, Iowa | Storm Lake police have charged a woman they say is connected to multiple thefts from a chain restaurant. Madison Selzer, 29, of Storm Lake, was charged with ongoing criminal conduct, second-degree attempted burglary, and three counts of third-degree burglary, all felonies, as well as possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, interference with official acts and two counts of fifth-degree theft, all misdemeanors. A release issued by the Storm Lake Police Department said officers were notified of several instances of thefts from the Taco Johns location in Storm Lake. Substantial amounts of cash had been stolen on Jan. 26, 29 and 30. The release said police thought someone may be using a key to gain entry after hours. Police conducted a surveillance operation on Feb. 4 and at 1:20 a.m., observed Selzer attempting to enter the business with a key. She fled on foot, but officers were able to catch her shortly after. The release said police seized a door key that belongs to Taco Johns, a marijuana pipe and a small amount of marijuana. SIOUX CITY | In an attempt to generate more interest in the city's underused downtown parking garages, the Sioux City Council on Monday will discuss offering a free first hour of ramp parking on a trial basis. The idea, which will come forward during Monday's meeting as a non-action discussion item, would both give users of the city's four downtown parking garages a free first 60 minutes and reduce the rates of subsequent hours for a six-month period. "Weve got lots of people that park in front of their own business, or employees park in front of their own business, and wed like to do something to encourage them to park in the ramps," said Monette Harbeck, Sioux City's parking and meter operations supervisor. Harbeck said the idea came after the City Council recommended that the city's Parking and Skywalk System Board of Trustees -- an advisory committee composed of downtown property owners, residents and city staff -- examine ways to increase usage at the downtown ramps. Sioux City currently has 3,271 downtown parking spaces, 2,067 of which reside in the city's four downtown garages. According to a study published by the Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council (SIMPCO) late last year, Sioux City has relatively low usage of its parking spaces and ramps downtown. According to the study, 79 percent of the parking spaces in Sioux City's Heritage Parking Garage, 312 Jackson St., are in use at any given time. The rest of the ramps saw usage rates between 30 and 45 percent. An ideal percentage is 90, according to the study. No blocks of Sioux City's street parking or parking ramps reached that number. Harbeck said the proposal hopes to help attract more "transient" parking, or people who park at the ramps for only an hour or a few hours. According to city documents, keeping parking ramp rates the same would generate $115,309 in revenue over a year. Making the first hour free and reducing each subsequent hourly rate could result in more than $19,000 in lost revenue during a year's time. A second option of providing the first hour free to customers but keeping the subsequent hourly rates steady would only result in a loss of $4,774 in revenue. Harbeck said the first option was more desirable because it seemed more attractive to people parking. Harbeck said the hope is that additional parking will at least partially recoup those expenses. If the council decides to move forward with any of the proposals, it would need to bring the item to another meeting for a vote. Following the six-month trial, the Parking and Skywalk Board would take the data from the six-month trial to decide whether the program was received well enough. ORANGE CITY, Iowa | A Maurice, Iowa, day care provider was sentenced Monday to five months in jail for injuring a child that was in her care. After a four-day trial, a Sioux County jury in November found Dianna Winder, 33, guilty of child endangerment causing bodily injury and assault causing bodily injury. District Judge Patrick Tott suspended a five-year prison sentence and ordered Winder to serve the jail term, in which she will be allowed work release. She also was placed on probation for four years during which time she will be prohibited from providing day care. On Nov. 11, 2015, the 15-month-old child's mother noticed marks on his face when she picked him up from Winder's home. The mother took her son to the emergency room, where doctors contacted police and social workers, leading to Winder's arrest in December 2015. SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa | The public is invited to attend the IA Health Link public comment meeting at the Spirit Lake Public Library, 702 16th St., from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 15. The Iowa Department of Human Services will take feedback on IA Health Link, the managed care program for most Medicaid programs. The meeting will be attended by DHS staff, Medical Assistance Advisory Council (MAAC) members and representatives from the three Managed Care Organizations (MCOs). The MCOs will be available after the meeting to answer questions and provide any necessary assistance to members and providers. IA Health Link public comment meetings are part of the oversight legislation passed in 2015. Meetings are held in various locations throughout Iowa as a way to gather input on the managed care programs. * Duran Medina, 28. Medina is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 170 pounds. He is wanted by the Iowa Department of Corrections for escaping from the Residential Treatment Facility in Sioux City. Medina was in the treatment center after being convicted of assault while participating in a felony and habitual offender. NORTH SIOUX CITY | Any long-term relationship can be expected to have a few peaks in addition to a few valleys. There will also be times when we pull together and other times we feel pulled apart. Abstract artist Brain Damon has visualized the intricacies of a 50-year relationship in "Intrepid Coalescing," a traveling exhibit that features his prints and paintings alongside poetry composed by his wife, writer Paula Bosco Damon. "We called the show 'intrepid' because that's another word for fearless and unflinching,'" Paula said. "While 'coalescing' means combining elements and coming together." "That really does encapsulate my relationship with Paula," Brian said. "We may not always be in perfect harmony but we come together in the end." Love at first sight This has been the case practically from the minute Paula, then 16, met Brian, then 18, during Spanish class at their Jamestown, New York, high school. "One of my girlfriends wanted me to pass a note to this cute boy in Spanish," Paula remembered with a laugh. "I threw the note away because I was interested in Brian myself." Despite some concerns, Brian was also attracted to Paula. "Now, Paula is very Catholic, very Italian and emotional while I'm Swedish, Lutheran and very low-key," he admitted. "I thought there'd be this clash of culture that never occurred." Moving to Iowa for college, Brian married Paula during his junior year. "I became a psychotherapist," Brian said. "Paula and I laid down roots and raised our three children in North Sioux City." Paula worked in public relations while writing a weekly newspaper column, while Brian pursued a career in counseling. Artistic aspirations It wasn't until Brian retired after more than 30 years at Mercy Medical Center that he decided to return to school. "Even though I loved being a psychiatric social worker, art was my passion," he said. "When I retired, I enrolled as an art student at Briar Cliff University." Luckily, Brian had Paula's support. "Some people learn to become artists while others are just born with the ability," Paula said. "Brian was born to be an artist." Others apparently agreed. Since graduating suma cum laude from Briar Cliff University in 2015, Brian's paintings have been exhibited in 20 different shows in Iowa. Nebraska and South Dakota. A collaboration 50 years in the making It wan't long before Brian invited his wife to exhibit her writing in one of his shows. "I was a journalist who only began writing poetry a few years ago," Paula said. "The thought of combining my poetry with Brian's art was terrifying." Brian nodded his head in agreement. "Abstract art is, of course, meant to be abstract," Brian said. "On the other hand, Paula really had to put herself out there through her words. "She did an amazing job," Brian added. Over the past three months, "Intrepid Coalescing" has been exhibited at both the Le Mars Arts Center as well as the North Sioux City Community Library. Paula said the experience has been an eye-opener for her. "Brian and I bring such diverse perspectives in our journey together," she said. "It's amazing to see our personalities reflected in our art." Even after 50 years together, a relationship is still hard to sustain, according to Brian. "No matter what, there's still some give and some take," he said. However, Paula said that's what makes their relationship work. "We all have different strengths and different weaknesses," she said. "When one partner is down, the other one can pick up the slack." Indeed, that's part of the journey for any couple. According to Brian, a person needs to have drive, passion and a desire to make art. "However, it's more fun when I'm able to explore art with my wife," he said. Smart Rating: 96.28 Original language: Italian Genre: Western Starring: Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef In the Southwest during the Civil War, a mysterious stranger, Joe (Clint Eastwood), and a Mexican outlaw, Tuco (Eli Wallach), form an uneasy partnership Joe turns in the bandit for the reward money, then rescues him just as he is being hanged. When Joe's shot at the noose goes awry during one escapade, a furious Tuco tries to have him murdered. The men re-team abruptly, however, to beat out a sadistic criminal and the Union army and find $20,000 that a soldier has buried in the desert. So, first it was 'fake news', now it's 'alternative facts'. I have to say, this 'alternative facts' business that the Trump camp has come up with to explain the use of lies and completely made up stuff to support their policies, is bloody brilliant. I mean, you can say whatever you like about anyone or anything now and when challenged as o the veracity of your statements, you can just say, well, they are alternative facts. In the spirit of this new age in which we are living, I thought that today I'd present some alternative facts for the post truth era.Trump's chief strategist, Steve Bannon, is actually a down and out, wearing piss-stained trousers and living in a cardboard box in the alleyway behind a New York delicatessen. Spending his days in an alcoholic haze, he took to sheltering in public libraries for warmth, where his booze-fuelled, demented racist rantings on various online message boards - accessed via the public access internet terminals in the libraries - inspired the foundation of 'Breitbart News'. Since his elevation to a top position in the Trump administration, (Trump has hailed Bannon's rantings as 'pure genius'), he has moved his cardboard box to Washington DC. he still insists on wearing his piss-stained trousers and his main contribution to meetings is farting loudly in between drinking meths and lighter fluid.Remember, these are merely alternative facts about Steve Bannon which might, or might not, exist in the real world.Former UKIP leader and Trump confidant Nigel Farage dresses as Hitler during trysts with his 'lodger', a French woman who foubded a notorious right wing think tank accused of misusing EU funds, in order to fulfil her fantasies of being 'occupied' by a fascist dictator, andfantasies of putting Europe in its place by 'subjugating' France. Remember, none of this might have happened - these are just some alternative facts about Farage that I thought I'd share.Finally, an alternative fact about President Trump: he is allowed to secretly visit jails, where officials allow him to fatally strangle inmates with his bare hands. The victims are always hobos with no families or friends, who have been jailed for vagrancy. Their bodies are disposed of in the prisons' heating furnaces. You know, I enjoyed that alternative fact about Trump so much thar I'm going tp give you another one: he once had a former contestant onwho insulted him drowned in a vat of Russian prostitutes' urine. The body was later dumped in a cheap hotel room in Ohio, where it was assumed that the victim had died in a bizarre sexual mishap. Never happened? No, just an alternative fact.More alternative facts soon. Maybe. Labels: Musings From the Mind of Doc Sleaze, Political Pillocks, Satire Apollo Global Management, Inc. is a private equity firm specializing in investments in credit, private equity and real estate markets. The firm's private equity investments include traditional buyouts, recapitalization, distressed buyouts and debt investments in real estate, corporate partner buyouts, distressed asset, corporate carve-outs, middle market, growth capital, turnaround, bridge, corporate restructuring, special situation, acquisition, and industry consolidation transactions. The firm provides its services to endowment and sovereign wealth funds, as well as other institutional and individual investors. It manages client focused portfolios. The firm launches and manages hedge funds for its clients. It also manages real estate funds and private equity funds for its clients. The firm invests in the fixed income and alternative investment markets across the globe. Its fixed income investments include income-oriented senior loans, bonds, collateralized loan obligations, structured credit, opportunistic credit, non-performing loans, distressed debt, mezzanine debt, and value oriented fixed income securities. The firm seeks to invest in chemicals, commodities, consumer and retail, oil and gas, metals, mining, agriculture, commodities, distribution and transportation, financial and business services, manufacturing and industrial, media distribution, cable, entertainment and leisure, telecom, technology, natural resources, energy, packaging and materials, and satellite and wireless industries. It seeks to invest in companies based in across Africa, North America with a focus on United States, and Europe. The firm also makes investments outside North America, primarily in Western Europe and Asia. It employs a combination of contrarian, value, and distressed strategies to make its investments. The firm seeks to make investments in the range of $10 million and $1500 million. The firm seeks to invest in companies with Enterprise value between $750 million to $2500 million. The firm conducts an in-house research to create its investment portfolio. It seeks to acquire minority and majority positions in its portfolio companies. Apollo Global Management, Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in New York, New York with additional offices in North America, Asia , India and Europe. Assured Guaranty Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides credit protection products to public finance, infrastructure, and structured finance markets in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Insurance and Asset Management. It offers financial guaranty insurance that protects holders of debt instruments and other monetary obligations from defaults in scheduled payments. The company insures and reinsures various debt obligations, including bonds issued by the United States state governmental authorities; and notes issued to finance infrastructure projects. It also insures and reinsures various the U.S. public finance obligations, such as general obligation, tax-backed, municipal utility, transportation, healthcare, higher education, infrastructure, housing revenue, investor-owned utility, renewable energy, and other public finance bonds. Further, it is involved in insuring and reinsuring of non-U.S. public finance obligations comprising regulated utilities, infrastructure finance, sovereign and sub-sovereign, renewable energy bonds, pooled infrastructure, and other public finance obligations; and the U.S. and non-U.S. Structured finance obligations, including residential mortgage-backed securities, life insurance transactions, consumer receivables securities, pooled corporate obligations, financial products, and other structured finance securities. Additionally, the company offers specialty insurance and reinsurance that include life and aircraft residual value insurance transactions; and asset management services comprising investment advisory services, including management of collateralized loan obligations, and opportunity and liquid strategy funds. It markets its financial guaranty insurance directly to issuers and underwriters of public finance and structured finance securities, as well as to investors in such obligations. Assured Guaranty Ltd. was incorporated in 2003 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Fury on Fire by Sophie Jordan Series: Devils Rock, #3 Romance Contemporary January 31, 2017 Berkley Reviewed by Tori Fury on Fire is the third book in Sophie Jordans Devils rock series that revolves around a trio of incarcerated felons and the woman who free them from their demons. North Callaghan and his brother Knox (All Chained Up) were sentenced to Devils Rock for manslaughter after they killed the man who sexually assaulted their cousin. Good men who had their whole lives ahead of them and lost it all with one bad impulsive decision. Each book works as a stand alone through they are loosely linked. After years in prison for a crime he committed but certainly regretted, North Callaghan is finally free and he more than makes up for lost time by sampling every delectable treat that was forbidden to him on Devils Rock. Women, food, freedomhe gorges himself on it all as he strives to keep the demons that haunt him in check. He keeps his head down, working and living day to day, while avoiding family and friends. Sexy, broody, and emotionally dormant, North feels tremendous guilt for things he saw and did to survive in prison and he feels he doesnt deserve any happiness because of that. When he gets a good look at his new neighbor, hes more than willing to give her a one-time ride shell never forget but it doesnt take long to see that this woman isnt like the others. She has committment written all over her and he cant afford to let down his guard for anyone. Faith Walters is a social worker who strikes out on her own after spending years taking care of her brothers and father. Her first act of independence is purchasing half a duplex. Her attempts to befriend her next door neighbor are viciously rebuffed, leaving Faith feeling a bit disgruntled. Born into a family of warriors (her father and brother are in law enforcement and her other brother is special forces) she has been somewhat sheltered all her life and is unsure on how to react to such rude behavior. The stereotypical good girl, she is intelligent, well bred, has a pleasant personality, predisposed to champion the underdog, and sexually inexperienced. Faith and North butt heads from the very beginning. She bakes scones to introduce herself-he tosses them back on her front stoop uneaten. He parks in her driveway and she leaves him passive aggressive notes. She complains about his loud bed partners and he begins to playfully tease her with nude walks in his backyard. They go back and forth until a meeting face to face changes everything. I wish I could say I enjoyed this story but I cannot. The story starts out strong and engaging but loses steam before the halfway mark. I was disappointed to see the elements of suspense and external conflict that energized the first two books isnt evident in here. Neither is the individuality or sense of anticipation. The story and main characters are predictable and show little development or substance beyond their initial characterization. Keeping her focus predominantly on the protagonists, Jordan merges their backstories with the present one, intent on building a bridge between these two different personalities. It works in the beginning but then quickly becomes trite and repetitive. Even the few minor conflicts tossed in for depth arent enough to save the story. The romance develops very slowly, starting out as a chemistry enhanced physical attraction only to become a tedious tug of war as North and Faith admit to their feelings only to make up excuses and run. The ending was rushed and both characters acted out in a ridiculous manner that didnt match up with their personalities. Faith behaves like a spoiled child and decides that if North wont/cant return her love then she not only has to sell her house and move but also go out on a blind date. North decides the best way to grovel is to steal the for sale signs and then power wash Faiths windows during the date. It was all veryodd. Though I enjoyed the first two books, I felt the story and protagonists in this installment were weak and poorly executed. Grade: D Previous Sophie Jordan Reviews Recent Reviews Biblio Junkies All About Romance Harlequin Junkie Goodreads I Author Website I Series List Kindle I Nook Like this: Like Loading... Labour February 6, 2017 Jamie Partridge We Won! The US Postal Service and Staples deal is over! proclaimed the headline on the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) website. A three-year battle against the outsourcing of living-wage, union postal jobs to the low-wage, nonunion Staples ended January 5 when USPS management informed the APWU that the approved shipper program in Staples Office Supply stores will be shut down by the end of February 2017. The union-initiated boycott of Staples was called off. I never doubted that if we stayed the course, stuck together and kept the activist pressure on, we would win this fight, said APWU President Mark Dimondstein in a statement. The hard-fought battle engaged thousands of union activists and supporters since Staples opened pilot postal counters inside 82 stores in California, Georgia, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania in early 2014. A newly elected union leadership, under Dimondsteins direction, took a bottom-up, direct-action approach to the fight, paying postal workers on union time to organize community pickets, petitioning and leafleting at the pilot stores. Postal retirees, activists from the three other postal unions and solidarity from the entire labor movement kept the heat on for three years. Community Support The boycott received a huge boost from the two teachers unions the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association whose members stopped buying school supplies at this largest of the national office-supply chain stores. More than 100,000 postcards were delivered to successive Staples CEOs, and members of the Staples board of directors were confronted at their places of work. Local coalitions, such as Communities and Postal Workers United and Community-Labor United for Postal Jobs and Services, staged disruptive store invasions. Occupy Wall Street activists in Berkeley, California, camped out for weeks in front of a local Staples. The APWU also used several legal initiatives to keep Staples from expanding the program, as it had vowed to do, to all 1,600 Staples stores. An unfair labor practices complaint was sustained by the National Labor Relations Board, charging the USPS with failure to bargain over the contracting-out of union jobs. During the campaign, secret USPS documents came to light, revealing managements intention to reduce hours, shut down union-staffed postal facilities and shift the entire USPS retail operation into the private sector. The APWU also intervened in an attempt by Staples to merge with Office Depot, successfully convincing the Federal Trade Commission to nix the deal and forcing Staples to pay a $250-million penalty. Staples stock plummeted, and dozens of stores closed. The APWU also convinced the USPS Inspector General to investigate charges that Staples was costing the postal service large sums in revenue, trashing its brand and reducing the security of the mail. The APWU didnt object to expanding postal services as long as new postal units were staffed by actual postal employees. In fact, the APWU and other postal unions have been in an ongoing battle to stop the USPS from closing down post offices and reducing hours in the ones that remain. At one time, we had, in almost any city of any size, air mail units that were open 24 hours a day, said Dimondstein. Those have been pretty much shut down. Good Jobs vs Privatization Agenda As the largest unionized employer in the nation, with a 21 per cent Black and 40 per cent female workforce, the postal service is known for providing stable union jobs with a good salary and benefits, having a hiring preference for veterans, and respecting strong protections against discrimination. Delivering to 150 million addresses every day, the USPS handles half the worlds mail, at the most affordable, universal rates. In contrast to the decline in first-class mail volume due to the Internet, there has been an explosion of parcel volume, also thanks to Internet online shopping. With more than 500,000 workers, 200,000 vehicles, 35,000 post offices and an almost $70-billion annual revenue stream, the USPS is a big target for the neoliberal, union-busting, privatization agenda. Since it was partially privatized under the Postal Reorganization Act of 1971 when the USPS went off-budget and was mandated to be self-supporting and run like a business postal workers and community advocates for a public postal service have been engaged in off-and-on skirmishes with corporate profiteers seeking to pick off its profitable portions of the operation. Much of parcel and overnight delivery has been cherry-picked by UPS, FedEx and Amazon, while the USPS continues to provide regular service to unprofitable rural and inner-city customers. Pitney-Bowes, Amazon and other private mail-sorting houses have siphoned off 80 per cent of mail-processing volume as the USPS has consolidated half its sorting plants, eliminating over 100,000 jobs in recent years. US postal workers and customers need only look across the Atlantic to see the devastating effects of privatization of postal services in the European Union, where 15 years of commercialization and deregulation have produced overwhelmingly negative results, according to UNI Europa Post and Logistics Trade Union. The post office network has been drastically reduced and replaced with private partners such as grocery stores or gas stations, offering a reduced range of services, said a 2014 UNI report. As a result, prices have risen, unions have been busted, and wages and hours have declined. Mail delivery has been reduced in some countries to two or three days a week. Ongoing Struggles to Save and Improve Public Services US postal workers, when they have mobilized in the tens of thousands, have successfully beaten back attempts to contract-out letter carrying routes and eliminate Saturday delivery. Recent moves to close half the nations post offices, in mostly rural areas, were met with fierce community resistance, including a yearlong encampment on the steps of the Berkeley, California, post office. Nevertheless, half of the countrys post offices have had their hours reduced, some to as few as two hours a day. Some USPS mail-sorting plants have been saved, especially after sit-ins and occupations by angry postal customers. Nevertheless, mail distribution standards have been degraded with, for example, the end of in-town, overnight first class delivery. A recent move by Canada Post to eliminate at-the-door delivery forcing customers to use neighborhood cluster boxes was stopped with a grassroots, highly organized, disruptive and successful union-community campaign. The same change, to end door delivery, is currently being attempted by the US Postal Service and will need to be opposed. The Staples campaign victory is an important high point in the struggle to save and improve the public postal service. Worker-community confidence and combativeness has been boosted and this will be sorely needed in confronting the public-private partnership agenda of Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress. The PVV leader has been placed first in the polls with 31 per cent of the vote, a month before the Dutch elections. If Mr Wilders does pull off a shock win, it could pave the way for the far right leader, Mr Wilders would be likely to take the country out of the bloc, Marine Le Pen the Front National leader would be likely to follow suit, leaving Germany faced with the prospect of funding the cash hole.The PVV leader has been placed first in the polls with 31 per cent of the vote, a month before the Dutch elections.If Mr Wilders does pull off a shock win, it could pave the way for the far right leader, Marine Le Pen to come to victory in France in May. SHUTTERSTOCK*GETTY Wilders could bring the European Union tumbling down GETTY Marine Le Pen has risen in the French election popularity polls I think that the EU could survive just about with Britain leaving, but a Dutch departure would be a killer blow as they were part of the original six Director General at Institute of Economic Affairs, Mark Littlewood Annually, France pays the EU 16.4 billion, The Netherlands 5 billion and the UK 16 billion Economists also believe that if France and the Netherlands were to leave the bloc, then the other countries would be left questioning themselves why they are still members and bring the whole EU tumbling down. This would leave Angela Merkels country as the only substantial economy left standing in the crumbling bloc, leaving the Chancellor to fund the giant 35billion-a-year cash hole of three countries with stable economies leaving the European Union Annually, France pays the EU 16.4 billion, The Netherlands 5 billion and the UK 16 billionEconomists also believe that if France and the Netherlands were to leave the bloc, then the other countries would be left questioning themselves why they are still members and bring the whole EU tumbling down. EUROSCEPTICISM: Who are the most eurosceptic countries? Mon, January 16, 2017 EUROSCEPTICISM, meaning criticism of the European Union (EU). Rising disenchantment with the dealings of EU is not just confined to the UK... Play slideshow 1 of 8 Related articles Director General at Institute of Economic Affairs, Mark Littlewood, said: The pinch on Germany would get greater. I think that the EU could survive just about with Britain leaving, but a Dutch departure would be a killer blow as they were part of the original six. It would lose its credibility and begin to unravel and would send greater shock waves politically. He added: Theoretically the Germans could afford it. It would depend on the patience of the German electorate, there is political evidence that the patience is wearing thin." Chancellor Merkel's popularity has plummeted as the support for the anti EU party, Alternative for Germany, is riding high in the polls. GETTY Le Pen could follow suit if Wilders win and be triumphant in May France and the Netherlands were two of the six founding members of the EU, along with Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and Italy. The economist said that if a country like the Netherlands left, it would have more chance of creating a domino effect on other countries than Brexit would have, as it has been part of the project since the beginning. He said: You could say that the UK was not committed to the project. But, with Netherlands and France, it will start to put into question whether the EU will have to completely alter in its present state. In January, at a meeting of far-right leaders in Koblenz, Germany, Mr Wilders said: Yesterday a new America, today Koblenz and tomorrow a new Europe. GETTY Far-right leaders are putting the future of the EU on the line Mr Wilders promises include imposing border controls, stopping Islamic Sharia law and sending home migrants who reject Dutch values or commit crimes. Neil MacKinnon, from Economists for Brexit, said: Germany would struggle, the question is whether the taxpayer would take on an open ended cheque. Germany does not want to bail the rest of the EU out. There are economic problems in the EU, debt in Italy, whether they are willing to pay is a massive issue. The EUs shelf life is diminishing by the day. When you have just a few countries footing the bill, there would be voter resistance, there would be a push back against it. Mr Mackinnon thinks that this black hole in EU funding is a big issue in Brussels, especially for Germany in their election year. He said that once the Netherlands and France leave, the big question for the remaining countries will be, why should we stay in the EU now? He added: If Germany had to pay an open-ended cheque to the EU, there could be a voter revolt, it could be a case of cant pay, wont pay. Mr Mackinnon believes that the EU was an economic project doomed to failure and voters are pushing back in support of countries leaving. Fog Voisins, Alfred Sisley, 1874 Detail One of the major virtues of Impressionism is its ability to calm the hubbub in your mind. These days there is a great deal of that around us and it might be useful to escape into some Impressionist paintings. It is therapeutic. As part of my daily visit to Google Arts & Culture, I was looking at the Impressionist master Alfred Sisleys works. By some happy coincidence, on another tab I chanced upon a piece in The New York Times by Jason Farago about a Sisley exhibition at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut. In the pantheon of Impressionists Sisley hardly, if ever, finds the kind of swooning attention that Claude Monet or Pierre-Auguste Renoir or others find but his skills as one of them has not been in doubt. Sample these random works here and you get a measure of Sisleys extraordinary command over the medium. Quite like the works of the Indian painter Abnindranath Tagore, Sisleys has an inherent calm. Of course, Tagore was a very different kind of quiet painter. In all of Sisleys works here the people are never fully defined. They are atmospheric like everything else. In Fog Voisins the peasant woman becomes merged with the remarkably rendered fog atmospherics and yet she is distinct. Perhaps it is me but Sisleys works are such that you want to be there in each one of them not to find out what is going on but simply merge into whatever is going on. At first glance, one may not realize it but there is a wide variety of colors and shades in his works that come together with remarkable ease. The other day a friend asked me how I would describe my style. I nearly choked laughing because there was something absurdly humorous in thinking that a) I can paint and, being actually able to paint, b) I have a style. With considerable effort, I replied that if I ever could I would like to be a modern Impressionist painter, especially someone who paints Indias rich offerings in that style. People do not quite realize how extremely demanding Impressionism is, particularly because its main task is to capture fleeting moments of nature. Sisley, like other masters of this great style, had fully mastered it. The Terrace of Saint-Germaine, Alfred Sisley, 1875 Detail Orchard in Spring, Alfred Sisley, 1881 Detail June Morning in Saint- Mammes, Alfred Sisley, 1884 Detail National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, observed every year on February 7, is the perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on the racial disparities in HIV infection that persist in the U.S. In 2017, as in years past, HIV disproportionately affects African Americans. According to most recent statistics from the Florida Department of Health, African Americans account for 15 percent of the states population, but account for 44 percent of adult HIV infection cases and 47 percent of adult AIDS cases reported in 2014. A report by the Centers for Disease Control shows that in 2014, one in five African Americans had progressed to AIDS by the time their infection was diagnosed. The same analysis also shows that once diagnosed, less than half of African Americans with HIV have achieved viral suppression through care and treatment -- that is, the virus is under control and at a level that dramatically reduces the risk of transmission. The goal of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD) is to promote HIV education, testing, treatment and community involvement in black communities. NBHAAD was founded in 1999 as a national response to the growing HIV and AIDS epidemic in African American communities. This years theme is I am my Brother/Sisters Keeper: Fight HIV/AIDS. As a Black Gay Man, I know that this is an issue that we arent speaking on in our churches, homes, and with our friends, said Lorenzo Lowe, HIV Prevention Director of Compass. We remain silent and refuse to ask questions regarding safer sex. In many cases we cant even speak about being part of the LGBT community while attending church. One South Florida church plans to break the silence. In recognition of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), will partner with Mount Olive Development Corporation in Fort Lauderdale to present the Keep The Promise (KTP) Concert & March to create greater awareness of the impact of HIV/AIDS in Broward and Miami-Dade counties and encourage the community to answer the call to action in addressing the rising HIV/AIDS epidemic. Its one of many NBHAAD events planned for South Florida. The Keep the Promise Concert & March will kick off Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. with a short march from New Hope Baptist Church, located at 1321 NW Sixth St., to The New Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 400 NW Ninth Ave. The march will be followed by a moderated community conversation on how stigma and judgment encourage the spread of HIV/AIDS and the role of the faith community in fighting the epidemic. Award-winning gospel artists Yolanda Adams and Erica Campbell of gospel duo Mary Mary will perform live following the discussion. The Keep the Promise Concert & March is free and open to the public, but registration is required at USAkeepthepromise.org. Its time to take responsibility- to do better and to be better, Lowe said. We need to share information within our communities and support one another in this fight. I hope as a community we can get to a point where we begin to mobilize and say I am my Brothers/Sisters Keeper. Everyone should know his/her HIV status. The CDC recommends HIV testing as part of routine health care. Ask to be tested. Rapid tests can provide results in as little as 20 minutes. Free or low cost testing is available. Visit GetTested.cdc.gov to find an HIV testing location near you. (WB) With music blaring from two large speakers perched in the back of a pickup truck, several hundred people gathered on the sidewalk in front of the Trump International Hotel in downtown Washington Friday night as part of an LGBT dance protest against policies of President Donald Trump. After dancing and listening to speakers at the site of the hotel, participants followed members of the D.C. LGBT group WERK for Peace, which organized the event, in a procession along Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., to the White House. Leading the procession was the pickup truck as it continued to play dance music. D.C. police quickly closed surrounding streets long enough to make way for the colorful procession, which included some wearing T-shirts and leotards despite temperatures hovering in the low 30s. Organizers said they didnt apply for a permit to secure street closings in advance of the protest. We are here today to celebrate in solidarity our intersectionality and our resistance, said lead organizer Firas Nasr in opening remarks as the crowd assembled outside the Trump Hotel. We are here to send a clear, clear message to Donald Trump and his administration that we will not tolerate discrimination, hate, or bigotry in our country. Nasr, who is one of the founders of WERK for Peace, told the gathering at the hotel that organizers selected dance music from all seven Middle Eastern countries that the president included in his controversial executive order that temporarily bans people from those countries from entering the U.S. We will be celebrating with lively music from all seven banned countries and from Latin America because those cultures are part of our fabric, the beautiful fabric that makes America great, Nasr said. We need to be very cognizant to the fact that many of the people from those seven countries could not join us tonight. So we dance in solidarity with them. Jessica Raven, executive director of Collective Action for Safe Spaces, a D.C. group that advocates for ending sexual harassment against women and LGBT people and one of the organizers of the dance protest, led a chant at the site of the hotel in support of solidarity with other communities that face discrimination and marginalization. At her request, the crowd shouted weve got your back after she called out the groups blacks, Muslims, immigrants, homeless people, sex workers, trans people, queers, and all of the above. When the procession reached the corner of 15th Street, N.W. and the section of Pennsylvania Avenue where the White House is located, and beyond which private vehicular traffic has been banned since the 2001 terrorist attacks, the pickup truck stopped. Participants in the protest then carried the speakers further along Pennsylvania Avenue toward the White House as music continued to play. The procession came to an end a short distance from the White House where a 10-foot high chain link fence blocked further access to the White House. Signs attached to the fence said it was put in place to temporarily close that section of Pennsylvania Avenue to pedestrians to enable construction workers to disassemble the large reviewing stand where the president and his family watched the inaugural parade on Jan. 20. Yes, we were stopped by a fence but that doesnt stop us from loving one another, Nasr told the Blade as he stood next to the fence. Were here, were queer, and were ready to dance. And thats what were doing on this street in front of the White House. Dimitry Meister, one of the WERK for Peace members who helped organize the protest, said he viewed the dance protest as more of a celebration toward intersectionality and acceptance of everybody than a protest specifically against Trump. He noted that many straight people who are supporters of the LGBT community participated in the event. One of them, D.C. resident Chris Martin, propelled himself along the entire distance from the Trump Hotel to the White House in a wheel chair. Im a minority, too, he said when asked why he came to the protest. Im a disabled person. First they come for the Muslims and then they come for gay people and eventually theyll come for me too, he said, adding, People here are great. Its a very nice protest. Karen Serio and her partner Ann West, who are suburban Maryland residents and members of the LGBT supportive Metropolitan Community Church of Washington, said they wanted to join the protest, among other things, to show that people of faith are opposed to many of the Trump administrations actions taken during the first two weeks Trump has been in office. Were horrified that all of the rights are being stripped away in front of our eyes, Serio said. So were doing what we can. Were concerned about LGBT rights and the executive order he may sign soon. The White House released statements over the past week saying the president would not rescind an executive order issued by President Barack Obama in 2014 banning LGBT employment discrimination by federal contractors. Earlier this week, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Trump had no immediate plans to sign and issue a draft religious freedom executive order that advocates say would curtail LGBT rights. The Feb. 3 dance protest at the Trump Hotel and White House came about three weeks after WERK for Peace organized what it called a queer dance party outside the Northwest Washington home of then Vice President-elect Mike Pence. WERK for Peace is a queer-based grassroots movement that uses dance to promote peace, a statement on the groups website says. We take to the streets around the world to claim space and assert: We are here. And we will dance, the statement says. But lets get real. We dont just dance. We WERK. - Lou Chibbaro Jr., Washington Blade courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association (EDGE) A Republican politician from Ohio is drawing criticism for an offensive sign he put up outside his mechanic shop that asks transgender people to "pull down your pants," Ohio newspaper The Chronicle reports. Jay Linn, city council president in Olmsted Falls, Ohio, is apparently known for using the sign outside his Northridge Auto Repair and Service shop to address a number of issues in the 40 years he's been in business. Related: Church Sign Saying 'Satan Made Gays' Covered in Black Paint But his latest signage is sparking controversy as some deem the message transphobic. "If you don't know who you identify as pull down your pants and look," the sign reads. Despite the outrage from the local LGBTQ community, Linn, who voted for Donald Trump for president, isn't worried. Speaking with The Chronicle, Linn cited his gay brother as a defense for the sign. He says his brother has been with the same partner for nearly 40 years and that he recently visited and they got along fine. "I don't share his views in sexuality, and he doesn't share mine," Linn told the newspaper. "But we're brothers." It should be noted that sexual identity has nothing to do with gender identity. The newspaper notes the sign stands just four miles away from where Cemia Dove, a trans woman, was murdered in 2013. Dove was stabbed 40 times by Andre Bridges, who dumped her body in a pond near his apartment, The Chronicle writes. Bridges was sentenced to life in prison in 2013. Linn said the murder wasn't justified but said he won't apologize for his Christian beliefs. He said people are born the way God created them. "My beliefs are you don't need to identify with anything except what God put you here as," Linn told the newspaper. "The message is that I identify as what God made me and put me here as and nothing else." The mechanic added no one came into his shop to complain about the sign. Nevertheless, the sign did spark a protest Friday. Retired teachers Kari Foreman and Richard Gast stood in front of the sign, holding their own signs with messages like, "Light and Love Will Prevail." "I can accept political signs, but I cannot accept blatant discrimination and ignorance," Gast told The Chronicle. "This one just pushed me over the edge. The present political climate is what's allowing people like him to do these things and think it's OK." Foreman said the sign is hateful. "I had students in the LGBT community and I have dear friends as well," Foreman added. "To say nothing is to tolerate hate, in my opinion." Akron, Ohio resident Rissa Trent took to Facebook to criticize the sign as well. "Their phone number is on the sign, but if anyone else would like to file a complaint with the city of North Ridgeville, that would be ok with me," she wrote. Despite the criticisms, Linn said he's not planning to take the sign down anytime soon. "I have to tell you this is the best sign I've ever had," Linn told The Chronicle. "There's been 30 or 40 people who have stopped in today, taken business cards and told me what great signs I do. They've stopped in, shook our hands and said keep up the great work. A couple made appointments for cars." (AP) South Carolina's first openly gay legislator hails from the unlikeliest of places: an ultra-conservative part of the state that is home to the Christian fundamentalist school Bob Jones University. Republican Rep. Jason Elliott, a 46-year-old divorce attorney, said his sexual orientation was not an issue in his campaign and is irrelevant to his job at the Statehouse, as his focus will be on improving education, increasing jobs and repairing the state's crumbling roads and bridges. He expects his votes to align with his GOP colleagues. Related: Texas Sees First Transgender Mayor "Every South Carolinian has equal rights, not special rights, and I believe each part of the constitution is equally important," he said. "In South Carolina, that means respecting other people's viewpoints and protecting religious freedom." Elliott ousted four-term GOP incumbent Rep. Wendy Nanney, a Bob Jones graduate and daughter of the university's longtime academic dean. Deeply Republican South Carolina is now the 43rd state to have an openly gay legislator. Elliott does not view his election as particularly significant. "There are people who have a 100 percent opposite viewpoint from me on the orientation issue, and I respect that, and I understand that, and I'm not threatened by that," the former prosecutor said. "I think what it says, though, is that we are accepting the fact that people are different from us and that we are a state that is moving toward being open to folks who aren't exactly like us." Jeffery Croucher, 59, said when he moved to Greenville from Florida 16 years ago, he was shocked by the anti-gay signs in people's yards. Now he sees rainbow flags, a symbol of gay pride. "This area was narrow-minded. They just wouldn't entertain any other perspective," said Croucher, adding that while change occurred slowly, it was most dramatic over the last five years. Elliott's sexual orientation "shouldn't have any bearing" on his abilities, Croucher said recently while at a restaurant across from Bob Jones University, which banned interracial dating until 2000 and expects students and employees to agree that sex is limited to married, heterosexual couples. Voters attribute Greenville's changing views at least partly to people moving into the area over the last two decades to work for BMW, Michelin or their suppliers. According to the Greenville Area Development Corp., the county is now home to 150 international firms from 25 countries. Martha McLeod, 88, said she's often the only Greenville native at community functions. McLeod said she voted for Elliott because she decided it was time for a change. Her husband, George, said he did not, specifically because Elliott is gay. Elliott, a Greenville native and Clemson University graduate, said he did not fully understand or "accept the reality" of his sexual orientation until about 15 years ago. Elliott, former state director for then-U.S. Rep. Jim DeMint, is a divorced father of a high school senior. Elliott's victory over an incumbent was by itself significant, especially since Nanney scored a big win for social conservatives three weeks before the primary. After several years of debate, her bill to ban abortion at 20 weeks became law. The challenger's winning message against the former chair of the Greenville County Republican Party was largely old-fashioned constituent service. He hammered her for missing more than 30 percent of votes in the House over the last two years - absences she said were mostly due to illness. He also knocked on more than 2,500 doors, pledging to be accessible to voters. Elliott said he also benefited from voters' overall mood for change. He won with 58 percent of the vote. Nanney said Elliott's sexual orientation was never an issue because he didn't tell voters he was gay. No Democrat bothered to run, but Republican Brett Brocato launched a write-in campaign last fall, criticizing Elliott as "uniquely unqualified to defend the family." He presented himself as an alternative for general election voters who may not have realized Elliott was gay. Elliott scoffs at the notion people didn't know. "If it was a secret, if it was one of the worst-kept secrets I've ever known," he said. But he acknowledges he did not make it part of his campaign. "You're not going to go to somebody's door and say, 'I'm a candidate for this and this is my sexual orientation.' That would be an odd way to start a conversation," he said. "When someone says, 'What's your agenda?' My agenda is the South Carolina agenda." Lanneau Grant, 74, said she knew Elliott was gay when she voted for him last June. "Who cares? I just liked his views. I don't care what his sexual orientation is," she said while picking up her grandchildren at a Baptist church in the district. "Greenville is changing. We're getting more tolerant." The other states that have yet to elect an openly gay legislator are Alaska, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska and Tennessee, according to the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund & Institute. (WB) Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday began an exchange on ABCs This Week with an effort to affirm support for LGBT people, but subsequently dodged on whether he thinks a religious freedom executive order is needed that could undermine LGBT rights. Pence said the Trump administration would reject discrimination under questioning from George Stephanopoulos about a White House statement affirming the president would leave intact an Obama-era executive order barring federal contractors from engaging in anti-LGBT workplace bias. Related: Dancing for LGBT Rights; Hundreds Gather Outside Mike Pences House I think throughout the campaign, President Trump made it clear that discrimination would have no place in our administration, Pence said. I mean, he was the very first Republican nominee to mention the LGBTQ community at our Republican National Convention and was applauded for it. And I was there applauding with him. I think the generosity of his spirit, recognizing that in the patriots heart, theres no room for prejudice is part of who this president is. Turning to the social conservatives whom Trump addressed last week at the National Prayer Breakfast, Pence recalled Trumps pledge to repeal the Johnson Amendment, a 1954 law that prohibits non-profit organizations, including churches, from making political endorsements. The law, Pence said, has put a chilling effect on free speech in religious institutions around the country. The words in favor of LGBT rights are striking for Pence, who a has long anti-LGBT history that includes signing into law as Indiana governor a religious freedom bill that would have enabled anti-LGBT discrimination. But Pence declares support for LGBT rights as a draft executive order apparently from Trump administration is circulating among federal advocacy groups that would enable anti-LGBT discrimination in the name of religious freedom. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer denied last week Trump would sign a religious freedom executive order at least for the time being as media outlets reported Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner had a role in quashing it. Asked by Stephanopoulos whether a religious freedom order is necessary, Pence deflected and said the president made it clear that he wants to take action on the Johnson Amendment. Related: Pence Has Documented Anti-Gay Past Back in the 1950s, the Congress passed a law that essentially threatened the tax-exempt status of churches and synagogues and religious institutions if they were seen to be involved in political expression, Pence said. And I have to tell you, I dont think wed have ever made it to these hallowed halls back in 1790 if the pulpits of this country had been silenced from speaking about what they thought was right and wrong. Pence alluded to possible executive action on the Johnson Amendment, saying Trump directed the administration to begin to look at ways, both legislatively and through executive action to undo the law. When Stephanopoulos asked whether no religious freedom order would be forthcoming aside from possible action on the Johnson Amendment, Pence dodged and said thatll be the purview of the president to determine whether any of thats necessary. But I will tell you for our part, Pence said. The focus of this administration will continue to be to have a safer America, to have a more prosperous America, and to continue to advance the presidents agenda, both on Capitol Hill and through executive action and carry that message all across the country. Eliel Cruz, a New York-based bisexual activist and faith organizer, said Pence is engaging in double speak by saying the Trump administration will support LGBT rights, but wont rule out a religious freedom executive order. They claim they want to protect the LGBT community but then they say they want to promote the religious freedoms of evangelicals, Cruz said. The issue, of course, is that these so called religious freedoms impede on the rights of LGBT Americans. The two cannot exist at the same time as one infringes on the other. The Trump administration will always choose the beliefs of anti LGBT evangelicals over the dignity and rights of LGBT people. - Chris Johnson, Washington Blade courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association Looking down from a space ship, an alien could be forgiven for thinking that the daily business of Plentea is that of a specialty coffee bar. Yes, there is a boxy metal machine that spews hot streams through either of two portafilters and, next to them, a wand that gets milky pitchers afroth. Yes, tools stand by for the sieving, shaking, whisking, and pouring of slower-moving liquids, served hot and cold. Toward the front of the formidable black bar, glass domes politely shelter croissant loaves, cranberry almond-flour muffins, and banana bread. Some customers get cups to go, while some choose to stay, sipping and sitting on street-facing stools or at communal tables upstairs. They hear pleasant music, take in the walls futurist geometric designs, and use the Wi-Fi. But, earth to everyone: Plentea is a tea bar. And as it turns out, that workhorse appliance making all the noise is not for espresso. It is a Teapresso, developed by Taiwanese espresso machine manufacturer Klub more than a decade ago and still likelier to appear in Asia than the Parkdale neighborhood of Canadas most populous city. Plenteas owners say their CSB2T modelwhich, besides two group heads and a steamer, has a high-volume brewing unit for up to eight-liter extractionsmakes for optimal steeping. Standardization and quality control matter a lot to Mohammed Binyahya and Tariq Al Barwani, the 30-somethings who opened Plentea in 2016. Both were born and raised in the United Arab Emirates and met as engineering students at the University of Calgary. The school in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies was a fitting place to learn about the oil and gas industry, explains Binyahya; Al Barwani admits being especially drawn to the mountains. That kind of market-opportunity acumen coupled with environmental attunedness seems to be just what has led the duo to success so far. Back in Dubai there is this trend in tea, where people are drinking these small, cool cups everywherein the malls, everywhere you go, says Binyahya, reflecting on contemporary Emirati cultures influence on their enterprise. [The tea is] called chai karak, and its a very trendy and cool drink that everyone has. So we thought: why not take that to another level where people can have different varieties? Make new patterns is Plenteas slogan. It comes into sharp relief upon hearing that the 23 wall-mounted dispensers of leaves and spices sourced from Asia and Africa can be combined to make an infinite amount of teas. Although the set menu now offers 20 beverages made from a tea or a tisane (an herbal infusion), the tea bar concept means we dont pre-blend teas, we dont pre-mix teas, we dont use tea bags, Al Barwani stresses. Customization is encouraged, too. Fighting the sniffles? Request more citrus in the black tea-based hot toddy. Caffeine-craving but sugar-skeptical? Order the Black Velvet chai sans chocolate syrup. Plentea estimates that 90 percent of its sales are of tea, though an espresso, a latte, and a mocha are also on the menu, winkingly prefaced by the suggestion to caffeinate the old school way. Toronto roaster Mountain View Coffee supplies the beans, a Brazilian-Peruvian espresso blend; shots are pulled on a one-group La Spaziale S2 EK. Prior work in cafes, ranging from their university food hall to Starbucks, clearly helped prepare Binyahya and Al Barwani for the current operations. People, especially in coffee culture, like to get things fast, efficiently, Binyahya says. So we made sure that this also transfers to tea cultureand this is why were a little bit different. We call ourselves a tea bar. Its not going to be a teahouse. Toronto no doubt has other remarkable tea spotsfor example, the multiple retail outposts of takeaway-by-the-tin-tending chain DavidsTea and the floridly porcelainic Annvita Tea Room, a true study in Commonwealth fetishization. But, as Binyahya emphasizes, Plentea offers a modern way of drinking teaso its per cup, with a focus on making that [preparation] procedure very efficient, in the same way as coffee. Tea traditionalists may balk. But to patrons of new-wave cafes, the approach is not at all alien. Karina Hof is a Sprudge staff writer based in Amsterdam. Read more Karina Hof on Sprudge. London, February 04, 2017 (SPS) Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW) welcomed the European Union's decision to respect "the separate and distinct status" of the territory of Western Sahara, when considering its energy imports from Morocco. The non-governmental organization (NGO) underlined in a statement the "shift in the EU Commission's position vis-a-vis Western Sahara, where before, the Commission would consistently state that Western Sahara is de facto administered by Morocco." In his response to EU deputies on how does the EU Commission plan to ensure that its renewable energy trading with Morocco complies with the EU obligation to uphold international law and United Nations principles, the European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Canete said that the EU would henceforth "take into account the separate and distinct status of the territory of Western Sahara under international law." Canete's written reply includes a reference to the 21 December 2016 ruling by the EU Court of Justice, concluding that the EU-Morocco Association and Liberalization Agreements cannot be applied to Western Sahara, as it is not part of Morocco, said the NGO. WSRW underlined that this "first on-record recognition" of the "separate and distinct status" of the territory of Western Sahara, comes from Miguel Arias Canete, who in his previous position as Spain's Minister for Fisheries campaigned tirelessly for the EU-Morocco Fisheries Partnership Agreement, which is applied in the waters of Western Sahara. However, the NGO expressed concerns over the implementation of the decision for future Morocco's energy projects in the Sahrawi occupied territories. In this regard, WSRW said "it is not clear from the Commissioner's statement how energy developed in occupied Western Sahara could be avoided in practice, if Morocco would connect the territory's energy plants to its own national grid." "By 2020, more than a quarter of Morocco's entire green energy production will be located in Western Sahara," said the NGO, adding that this would "further complicate an already arduous peace process." SPS 125/090/700 Post-time favourites Champagne Phil and Regal Luck wired their rivals in Sunday night's co-featured $7,500 Preferred 3 events at Flamboro Downs. Driven by Scott Coulter, Champagne Phil delivered as the heavy 1-5 favourite in his return to the Preferred 3 class for male pacers. Leaving from post four, Champagne Phil took the lead after the first turn and carved out panels of :27.3, :57.4 and 1:26 en route to a two-length victory in 1:54.1. Woggy Rocks (Scott Young) followed in second while Bali (Bob MccLure) advanced first-over to show. The class-dropping Shanghai Phil gelding last won this class from the trailing tier post at the start of the year. He paid $2.60 to win and is now two-for-five on the year for trainer Dean Nixon and ICR Racing. A couple of races later, Regal Luck turned back fellow 9-5 co-favourite Bestulldotanite to win the fillies and mares division in rein to Paul MacKenzie. Regal Luck established the lead from post two ahead of Choose My Jet (J Harris) with outside leaver Pretty Hot (Alfie Carroll) securing a spot in third through a :27.3 opening quarter. Bestulldotanite (Robert Shepherd) launched her attack from fourth coming off the turn towards the half while Regal Luck continued to lead past that :58 middle marker and on to three-quarters in 1:26.1, eventually rebuffing her challenger's first-over bid to score in 1:55.3. Choose My Jet rallied from the pocket to hold onto second-place while Pretty Hot followed in third. Regal Luck earned her first win of the year following three top-three placings in the Preferred 3 and paid $5.60 to win. The homebred Stonebridge Regal mare is owned and trained by John Smith Jr. To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs. It has been announced that a 26-year-old has been promoted to the position of racing manager at a well known harness raceway. According to an article by Scoop Independent News, Regan Cotter was recently appointed as racing manager at the Auckland Trotting Club in New Zealand. Previously, Cotter had been working as the assistant racing manager at Alexandria Park since the summer of 2015. The 26-year-old has a Bachelors Degree in Communications and had previously worked in the United Kingdom. Regans got a bright future, Alexandra Park Chief Executive Dominique Dowding was quoted as saying. Hes already highly regarded across harness racing and over the past 18 months has proven to be a very competent and thorough operator. This a big step, but its really a natural progression. The article also explains that Dowding has put a specific support network in place at Alexandria Park to ensure that Cotter can make the transition into his new role as smoothly as possible. Cotter was quoted as saying that he grew up around the racing industry and that, having this opportunity now is like a dream come true. Cotter has said that it is important for the trotting clubs in the area to collaborate, seeing as though the local horse population is shrinking and that public and sponsorship support is competitive. As racing manager, youre really the go-to person for the owners, drivers, trainers and youre constantly liaising with all the different industry authorities and organizations, said Cotter. I will be bringing a youthful perspective to what is an old industry which continues to face a lot of challenges, so Ill naturally be very future-focused and will always work in the best interests of not only the club but the wider harness racing sector. We just have to! (With files from Scoop Independent News) Elmer M. Wilson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Jan. 28 at his home in Houston, Delaware, surrounded by his family. He was 95. Mr. Wilson was born in Houston, Delaware to the late George A. and Eva Wilson. Mr. Wilson served his country proudly in the United States Army during WWII. He was a crane operator in the Army and saw action in England, France, and Iceland. Mr. Wilson worked at DuPont in Seaford as a power service operator and retired in 1981. He also was a chicken and crop farmer for many years. Mr. Wilson had been active for over 60 years in the harness racing industry. He owned several good horses in his lifetime, and when he was younger, was one of the best local drivers around. In his spare time, he enjoyed bowling on a league when he worked at DuPonts, and he enjoyed fishing and owned several boats over the years. Every morning, he ate daily with the "Harrington Breakfast Club," a group of men who enjoyed eating and talking. Almost every night, he could be found at the Harrington Simulcast watching the races. Mr. Wilson will be remembered as a quiet and reserved person who was very giving, almost to a fault. He was generous by nature, and dearly loved his family. He will be greatly missed. Mr. Wilson was a member of the United States Trotting Association, Cloverleaf Standardbred Owners Association, Houston United Methodist Church, in his younger days he was member of the Houston Fire Co., and the Milford VFW. The family would like to send their appreciation and thanks to Seasons Hospice for their care of Mr. Wilson. He is preceded in death by his siblings, Bertha Bennett, Ralph Wilson, Ben Wilson, Lester Wilson, and Lillian Stafford. He is survived by his loving wife, Ruth Wilson of Houston; daughter, Holly (Joseph III) Ventura of Milford; and grandson, Joseph Ventura IV. Services were held at the Thomas E. Melvin & Son Funeral Home, 15522 South DuPont Hwy., Harrington, DE, on Saturday, Feb. 4, with interment at Hollywood Cemetery, Harrington. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Elmer Wilson. The essential component of totalitarian propaganda is artifice (het toepassen van kunstgrepen. svh) . The ruling elites, like celebritie... Immigrants and integration These thematic pages present the key data on the population with immigrant background and on international migration in the past few years. Also, the results of Survey on work and well-being among persons of foreign origin (UTH) are presented. The statistics presented on the website concern persons permanently resident in Finland. Data on asylum seekers and residence permits Data on asylum seekers and residence permits can be found on Data on asylum seekers and residence permits can be found on the web pages of the Finnish Immigration Service BY OLIVIA ROSE THE DEATH toll has now risen to 15, after an illegal Haitian sloop capsized in rough seas at North West Point, Providenciales last Tuesday. Police and Immigration rescue teams continued their search this week for bodies of persons who may have drowned following the incident. According to police spokesman Kevin Clarke, officials have discovered a total of 15 bodies consisting of 8 females and 7 males. Information received was that 69 souls were on board the sloop, "Adonai, when it left Cape Rouge in Haiti. One survivor from that ship was captured by police. As a result officials so far can only account for 16 persons in total with 53 still outstanding. The police are urging anyone with information on the whereabouts of illegal immigrants who may have arrived on this boat, to come forward with any information, or contact the Chalk Sound police station. The morbid scene of dead bodies submerged in the sand, some scantily clad, others naked, with muscles stiffened in rigor mortis, has caused widespread concern among locals. While there is evidence of a major trafficking scam at play, officials are yet to determine the mastermind/s behind this recent tragedy. It was brought to the public`s attention sometime back that many Haitians are deceived of their life earnings by unscrupulous boat captains who tell them they are taking them to Miami, Florida. A high level national security meeting was convened early Wednesday morning to address the issue of illegal immigration in the TCI. Governor John Freeman; Premier Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for Boarder Control Sean Astwood and Police Commissioner James Smith all spoke at the meeting. The Governor pointed out that there were significant consequences to this tragedy, including the role of traffickers, in putting individuals at risk.. The Premier used the opportunity to appeal to the Haitian community to consider seriously the risk of losing lives. "This experience must remind this community of the dangerous journey between our countries. It also brings again to national dialogue the matter of human trafficking. "The truth is someone profits from this dangerous voyage with reports of persons paying large sums of monies for an opportunity for the life that is sold to them. "This cannot be tolerated and we as a new Government will take bold steps to address what has become a serious concern for us as a people. "We reiterate the statement made by this country when we passed the anti-human trafficking laws: we will not and cannot tolerate this practice and will do what we must to ensure those engaged in this criminal activity are dealt with to the fullest extent of the law. The Premier added that residents of the TCI must also use this opportunity to speak to those living in the Turks and Caicos Islands who encourage persons to take this illegal and dangerous journey. "This experience again must encourage you to reconsider your role. We have in recent years detained those who have entered illegally who have come to shore with local numbers for relatives and friends. "I wish to remind you that encouragement or harboring of these illegal landings and illegal immigrants is against the laws of the land, she said. By Daisy Handfield FLOYD Seymour, the new interim CEO for the National Health Insurance Board (NHIB) said during his tenure he will be looking at improving the governing structure of the institution, and he will introduce policies that will make it run more efficiently. This was said during an interview with this publication on Tuesday (January 17, 2017). He said: "I think it is important for us to always continue to look at opportunities to reduce healthcare cost and to manage our patient care as best as we can. I think our staff here does a great job, but I just want us to continue to look at opportunities for improvement while I am here. Hopefully, we are able to do a better job at managing the resources that we have to ensure that we continue to provide the best possible healthcare for insured persons; for the citizens and residents of this country. Mr Seymour, who is a former leader of the PDM, has taken over the position from acting CEO Tamara Robinson, who occupied the post since a number of staff issues came to light last year. "I was asked to come to the National Insurance office by the Government because the then interim CEO had other conflicting obligations that did not permit her to continue on in this role as interim CEO. Throughout my life I have always been someone willing to offer my service and this here is a continuation of what I have done throughout my life. I have always wanted to see our country grow and I have always wanted to see our country be better, and wherever my skills are needed or wherever my skills are requested, I would always make myself available, Seymour said. He added that the NHIB is a company that is made up of diverse people and diverse talents. The new interim CEO believes that the people in the organization have displayed a clear desire to see the organization prosper and continue into posterity. Staff sickout The former director, Zaneta Burton, was relieved of her duties amid calls for her termination and sit-outs by staff members. Reportedly, there was a breakdown between staff and management, but this was only some of the critical matters facing the health scheme. Last year, staff of NHIP had a two-day sick out, as they took matters into their own hands to express their disapproval with the management. This publication learned that when the staff stood their grounds, CEO Burton was put on leave until January 3, pending investigations by a select committee. While she was gone, Deputy Secretary Tamara Robinson was assigned to the body to oversee the day to day operations. Seymours background Interim CEO Floyd Seymour was born and raised in Grand Turk on January 7, 1969. He is the son of late Electrical Commissioner, Eric T. Seymour and teacher Gladys Seymour. He received his primary education at the Ona Glinton Primary School and high school education at the HJ Robinson High School in Grand Turk before pursing tertiary education in the United States of America. He attended The Turks and Caicos High School in Grand Turk, Bethune Cookman College in Daytona Beach, where he obtained his first degree, and Florida International University in Miami where he obtained his Masters Degree in Accounting and an advanced certificate in Internal Audit. BY OLIVIA ROSE AMID growing concerns about the TCI Hospitals Contract and the controversial National Health Insurance Board (NHIB), the health care sector will face increased scrutiny over the coming months. The new administration is in the process of conducting a comprehensive review of the healths sector and several statutory bodies. Last week the Cabinet received an information paper from the Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services detailing updates on the management and financial situation and audit of the National Health Insurance Board. The Cabinet also discussed the TCI`s statutory bodies and was informed by the Premier that a review of all statutory bodies would be taken forward soon. To this extent several meetings and visitations are being conducted throughout the country at hospitals and clinics by the Premier and the Minister of Health. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDM) before being elected to government made several calls over the years for an indepth investigation into the healthcare system of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The party has maintained over the years that millions of taxpayers dollars are being spent on a healthcare system that is both inadequate and unregulated and that there are huge gaps in the system which remain unaddressed. They also complained of insufficient primary care medication and equipment, a shoddy ambulance service, no publication of hospital audits and a lack of transparency. In 2009 the NHIP was established to gather funds for both the 24 year mortgage and healthcare provision. Enrolment is mandatory for all those who are employed or reside in the TCI including Belongers and expatriates. At the launch of the plan all legal residents in work had to contribute 2.5 per cent of their wage to the plan while their employers contributed a further 2.5 per cent. In 2012 the percentage increased to 3 per cent. In exchange participants are eligible to receive primary care, outpatient services, outpatient specialty care, day surgery and hospital care, diagnostic services, maternity care, ambulance services and outpatient drugs for chronic conditions. However, in December 2016, news broke that funds have been misappropriated at the NHIB. Then PDM (the main Opposition party) accused the PNP Government of covering up the state of finances of the National Health Insurance Board (NHIB), which was said to be in dire need of a financial bailout. Cabinet statements indicated that the NHIB was hemorrhaging financially. At that time, Leader of the PDM, Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, said she was not at all surprised by the revelation on the state of finances of the National Insurance Board. She called out the former Government for being negligent in relation to the financial affairs of the National Health Insurance scheme. THE 2014 case involving Cyril Nathaniel Smith, who was found guilty of impersonating former premier Michael Misick to obtain money from people, has still not been resolved. Smith appeared in a Providenciales magistrate court on Wednesday (February 1) for sentencing, but the matter was put off until February 28. Smith was found guilty by Magistrate Jolyon Hatmin of one count of obtaining property by deception and two counts of attempts to obtain property by deception. Court documents revealed that Smith duped David Green a non-local resident of the Turks and Caicos Islands into thinking he was the former premier and that he was in financial distress. He claimed that because the Special Prosecution and Investigation Team (SIPT) had frozen all of his bank accounts he was in need of money. He was subsequently able to obtain approximately $1,000 from Green. Smith was formally charged with the offences in August 2014 after Green reported the matter to the police on July 30 after the crook made additional attempts to solicit cash from him. He reportedly told officers that on July 28, he received a phone call from an individual who said that he was Michael Misick and asked him to lend him a $1,000 because his account was held up in a court case. Smith then made arrangements with Green, telling him that someone else was going to meet him at Butterfield Square to pick up the money. The victim met up with the other man and handed over the sum of cash that was agreed. However, just two days later on July 30, Green received another phone call from Smith asking him for more cash, with the same drop off arrangements at Butterfield Square. The man said that he became suspicious and immediately made a report to the police. Smith remains on $10,000 bail until his sentencing. (DELANA ISLES) BY Olivia Rose THE People`s Democratic Movement (PDM) administration is committed to supporting the growth of a vibrant and successful international financial services sector in the Turks and Caicos Islands. These sentiments were expressed by Premier Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson during a recent meeting with the Financial Industry Association (FIA). The (FIA) met with Premier Cartwright-Robinson, in Providenciales to discuss how to grow the international financial services sector in the TCI. According to a Government release the premier made it clear to the FIA that she is committed to the industry, and hopes to see it become a much larger part of the economy (current share of GDP 13%) given the many new employment opportunities that an expanded financial services industry will create for Turks & Caicos Islanders. Amongst the immediate actions agreed at the meeting, the formation of an advisory group across the public and private sectors is expected to meet regularly to plan and implement a growth strategy designed to attract new entrants to the industry from overseas to add to TCIs skill base, and to strengthen and protect the existing industry. Premier Cartwright-Robinson said: "We see this sector as a valuable addition to our strong tourism and real estate development based economy, and we will work with the private sector and other relevant stakeholders to provide the necessary legislative foundations, immigration policy and political support to enable this sector to thrive and compete on a regional and global level. "Were keen for the international financial services community worldwide to know that the Turks and Caicos are open for new business in this sector, and we look forward to delivering real growth, new job opportunities and valuable government revenue, we mean business. President of the FIA Peter Savory said he was happy to meet with the new premier. "I am heartened and delighted to meet with the premier who clearly appreciates the potential that an expanded financial services industry has to help diversify our economy and to deliver real economic growth and new well paid jobs for Turks & Caicos Islanders providing them, as it will, with tremendous scope for professional development and opportunities for new career paths as well as bringing deserved international recognition to the Turks and Caicos. "I look forward to the FIA working with the premier to deliver on this ambitious but achievable agenda. BY OLIVIA ROSE POLICE have re-arrested three men on suspicion charges as part of a continued probe into the disappearance and murder of Kevino "Bah Smith. According to Police Spokesman, Kevin Clarke today (Wednesday 1st January 2017), two men on Grand Turk and one on Providenciales, ages 24, 25 and 31 have been re-arrested on suspicion of Murder and Perverting the Course of Justice. The police maintain that closure for the family is the goal as they renew efforts to solve the horrendous killing of Kevino Bah Smith of Grand Turk. Patty Smiths ( mother of deceased Kevino "Bah Smith) deafening outcry on social media has prompted the local police force to dig deeper into the gruesome murder. It has been two years since 25-year-old Smith went missing after a reported heated confrontation. Young Smiths family, especially his mother Patsy Smith, have been highly critical of the handling of the investigation, regularly writing on social media, that her boy has been forgotten. Smiths dismembered remains were found in Breezy Brae, Grand Turk, in late April 2015 following an aggressive police search effort. And it was in July that police finally confirmed that the remains discovered were indeed that of young Smith. There has since been a personal appeal to the Governor, the Premier and a protest by family members in the case. A reliable source in the olice department has informed this news publication that the police are still gathering intel in Grand Turk on the case. Subsequent to the discovery of his body, several suspects have been arrested on suspicion and some are currently on bail for numerous offences which includes murder, conspiracy to commit murder and perverting the course of justice. The police, in a statement on their facebook page, declared said: "We are determined to establish what happened to Kevino and how he came to lose his life, which we hope will bring some closure and small comfort to his family. "The police are aware that there are persons within the Grand Turk communities who may have vital information which can assist the investigation. We, therefore, appeal to you to come forward with any information that you may have, the release said. The police noted that the renewed enquiries by police are the first of many that will be conducted on the island of Grand Turk to find the persons responsible for this crime. Anyone with information surrounding Kevino Smiths murder, location or any information relevant to this investigation is asked to call the Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police Force at 911 or 941-4448 extension 81843 or 81837 or use the untraceable, anonymous Crime Stoppers Miami number at 1-800(TIPS) or 1-800-8477. No names or numbers are requested, and only the information provided is passed on to the Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police Force. By Daisy Handfield TWO ADDITIONAL boats, containing a total of 178 illegal Haitian migrants were intercepted between last Sunday and the early hours of Monday (January 29 & 30), as they attempted to make landfall in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). According to a press statement issued by the police press officer, Mr Kevin Clarke, around 11:30 pm on Sunday (January 29, 2017) a blue and brown, 36-foot wooden boat, three miles from South Dock, was intercepted by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands marine police. The boat which was powered by two engines, carried 125 people on board- 98 men, 27 women and two juveniles. The second boat, a green, red and grey 56-foot wooden boat was intercepted at around 4:15 am that Monday morning. According to police reports, during the time of interception, the boat was just two miles away from Five Cays, Providenciales and contained a total of 53 people- 46 men and seven women. The 178 Haitian migrants, from both sloops were taken to the Detention Centre and handed over to immigration officials for further processing and repatriation. Police said that a thorough search was conducted on the sloop for drugs and weapons, but nothing was found. The Deputy Premier and Minister with responsibility for Border Control and Employment, Hon. Sean R Astwood, issued a statement following the interceptions. The Minister made reference to the 15 Haitian migrants who lost their lives last week, after their boat was capsized, attempting to enter the TCI illegally. He said: "It is regrettable that even after the tragic event of 15 people losing their lives in the waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands as recent as last week Tuesday, people traffickers and people who use their services, continue to ignore the inherent dangers of the journey. Moreover, they continue to show blatant disregard for our laws. Through a press conference convened last week, my Government communicated that we will be taking steps to address this issue and implore all persons involved in this illegal and life threatening activity to consider carefully the consequences associated with it. The Immigration Minister told this publication in an interview on Tuesday that the TCI Government will be implementing a different strategy to deal with the issue of illegal immigration. "We will be putting a different strategy together to deal with the situation on the ground. That is going to entail a lot of work from my Ministry, in terms of being able to identify people, to understand the full situation of the different categories of illegal immigrants, but also what we should do in the future, moving forward. I can promise you and the public that from now there will be a stronger stance in our enforcement effortsyou will see and feel the results of that pretty shortly. There are also some grey areas of our Immigration system that has been lingering for a long time that we must simultaneously address. There will be more serious enforcement activities going on, Hon. Astwood said. The bodies of 15 Haitian migrants were discovered in the Turks and Caicos Islands Tuesday January 25, where a search for survivors continues. The US space agency NASAs Chandra X-Ray Observatory has observed very strange and distinctive X-ray signal coming from our galaxy Milky Way. Whats striking is that researchers believe that the new observation can help them in proving the existence of most mysterious entity present in our universe dark matter. A team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Yale Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics in the US has observed the energy spectrum of X-rays coming out from the mysterious source. While examining the spectrum, researchers found that already known processes were behind the production of more X-ray photons with a particular energy level. Scientists believe that the decay of dark matter might have generated those photons with particular energy level. Researchers explained that using Chandra X-ray Observatory, they have observed extra photons with an energy of about 3,500 electron volts in the spectra. It is to be noticed that scientists have recorded such energy levels in the past, but scientists were not sure if the bump or line that photons created in the otherwise smooth spectrum were just an instrumental artifact. Kevork Abazajian, from the University of California, Irvine, explained that the about 80 percent mass of our universe is made up of dark matter itself. As per its name, the matter is dark and cannot be seen; therefore no one has actually seen the dark matter, but scientists have felt its presence through the gravitational tug it exerts on stars within galaxies. Dark matter is an unidentified type of matter distinct from dark energy, baryonic matter (ordinary matter), and neutrinos. The name refers to the fact that it does not emit or interact with electromagnetic radiation, such as light, and is thus invisible to the entire electromagnetic spectrum. The visible universe is very small when compared to actual universe as majority is formed by the dark matter which has become one of the biggest mystery for scientists. For years, physicists have been trying to detect particles of dark matter directly by intercepting them using instruments on Earth. The latest research, carried out by Nico Cappelluti at Yale, targets relatively light particles of dark matter, BBC News reported. Esra Bulbul of the Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research at the MIT was the first scientist to spot an anomalous line at 3.5 keV, when looking at the X-ray spectra of large numbers of galaxy clusters in 2014. With official announcement is still to wait, the buzz here is that Samsung is soon going to announce the releasing date of its much-awaited model Galaxy S8. If sources are to be believed, March 29 will be the releasing date of this most controversial smartphone. This is much awaited as Samsung has left no stone unturned to make it a super smartphone. The phone will be equipped with a technology called Beast mode that will enhance the speed and performance of the mobile phone. The launching date of Samsung got delayed due to the need of some design changes. Industry insiders have leaked that with this new model Samsung is thinking of removing the home button. A Home button is present in all sets of Samsung, but like Google Pixel this will be replaced by a full-screen display. These new models will be having wrapped around displays, and it will mark a new change to the design feature of Samsung Galaxy variants as all current devices are on the verge of getting edge technology. The facts flooded the websites after a Chinese blog revealed a leaked image, which was believed to be the Galaxy S8 set. Only the front side picture was revealed that showed a golden colour phone with a curved end-to-end display. No home button was present. If the picture is believed to be true, then the fingerprint scanner is either present on the back side or has been embedded under the glass. Experts are citing the probability of phone being in full-screen mode which can be accessed manually. This can be due to the end-to-end design. Some even leaking the news that Samsung is going to unveil the phone at the Mobile World Congress- The largest exhibition organised by GSMA in Spain each year. After the strong fiasco that company faced with its Galaxy Note 7 variants, Samsung is running a double quality check on S8, which might have been one of the another strong reason for its late arrival. To ensure the customers about its quality, Samsung is marketing this device heavily quoting the most vigorously tested smartphone in Samsung history. As per the rumoured specs, the Samsung Galaxy S8 will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC coupled with 6 GB of RAM and it will come in 64 GB and 128 GB storage variants. The device will have stunning nearly bezzeless design with a very high screen to body ratio. Leaks suggest that the device in two screen variants 5.8 inches and 6.2-inch QHD Super AMOLED display. It will boast 12-megapixel primary shooter and 8-megapixel selfie shooter backed by 3,500 mAh of battery to provide juice for the entire day. Also, the device will have Iris scanner and fingerprint print sensor hidden under the screen. It is also rumoured the Samsung might launch its own virtual assistant named Bixby in the upcoming flagships. tech2 News Staff India has been deploying satellites at a steady pace, with 39 operational satellites currently in orbit, not counting academic satellites launched by students. To meet an increase in demand, Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) plans to enter into partnerships with Indian industries to manufacture the systems and sub systems. In an upcoming PSLV-C37 mission, Isro will attempt to launch a world record of 104 satellites on a single spaceflight. Most of the satellites on board are going to be small CubeSats, but the main payload is an Indigenous Earth imaging satellite in the CartoSat-2 series, weighing 730 kg. In a meeting with school students, Isro Chief explained how these satellites are useful to the country. The Chairman of Isro AS Kiran Kumar said "we are making use of technology to address the problems faced on earth." Inaugurating a two-day mega science fair at a school in Puducherry, Kiran Kumar said, "We are making use of technology to address the problems faced in augmenting educational capability, enhancing tele-medicine facility for the people in remote areas and islands." He noted that the government is making use of large quantum of information generated by satellites and providing capability for improved governance. Kumar also pointed out that applied data was being used to find water resources and drill bore wells, while satellite data was helpful for several other activities. Calling on the younger generation to keep nurturing their curiosity, he said, "the youth should not refrain from questioning and they should take their curiosity to the next level even if no answer was available to their questions." You should learn from others` mistakes and build up your capability, he advised the young boys who had gathered at the venue. Stating that communication through satellites had been benefiting farmers, fishermen and others, he said, presently there were 38 satellites developed and launched by "our own launch vehicle and they are furnishing information relating to various areas including making available advance information about cyclones and sometimes super cyclone. Satellite has no boundaries, either national or international and collects information on surface of earth, vegetation, clouds and even pollution," he said highlighting the quantum of work that had gone into the Mars Mission and Chandrayaan-I. Kumar interacted with the students and visited various stalls. With inputs from PTI This story is a part of a series on the world record launch of 104 satellites on a single mission by Isro. The stories in the series are: tech2 News Staff Lenovo has announced a new Android tablet which looks similar to the recently launched Yoga Book. The Yoga A12 is a new 2-in-1 Android hybrid which gets the same flat, slate-like digital keyboard with a $300 (around Rs 21,000) price tag. The specs are as good though, as you get 12.2-inch HD display that can fold all the way back so users can position it as a laptop, tablet or in a tent mode. It doesn't get the same high-quality watchband hinge though, but a simple two piece hinge design. Other features include a mobile Intel Atom x5 processor, 2GB of RAM along with 32GB of internal storage space. The company claims a battery life of 13 hours on a full charge. Of course the attractive feature here is Lenovo's 'Halo Keyboard' which was seen on the Yoga Book. We did get our hands on the Yoga Book and found the flat typing experience to be slightly difficult at first but eventually got used to it. The flat glass like surface can also be used to as a digital space to take notes or sketch The Yoga A12 will run on Android and will be gray or rose gold colour options. Sheldon Pinto Micromax today announced that it is setting up an independent fund which will raise up to 100 million. The idea is simple and it is to help consumer internet companies around the globe connect and reach the Indian consumer. Indeed, Micromax has been here before. But at a time when the company has not done too well with plenty of competition coming from global and Chinese brands, the question indeed was why and why now? "Given the larger opportunity set we saw in the market, we wanted to expand the investment program -- an independent fund is the best structure for addressing this opportunity. " commented Rahul Sharma Co-founder of Micromax. According to Micromax, the anchor commitment comes from the company while it is the fund's team that will be approaching traditional limited partners such as family offices, pension funds both in India and internationally to raise this corpus. The strategy too remains pretty much in line with the past. This would involve finding the best consumer internet technologies from around the world and using the existing platform to help those new technologies reach the Indian consumer. Micromax back in 2015 had announced that it would pick stake in not less than 20 startups. Since then, it has invested in 10 companies so far. The notable ones include, ixigo, Gaana, miMedia, Zapr and HealthifyMe which eventually got integrated in its smartphone ecosystem. This time around things are a bit different where Orbis Capital is an independent entity and Micromax is a strategic partner. Looking back into the past, Sharma commented that, "The best indicator of portfolio company success is the ability of the companies to raise follow on rounds and attract high quality investors especially in a tough venture environment that we have observed in 2016. All our portfolio companies have successfully raised capital in 2016, some of them have been already announced while others are in the process of closing the rounds." hinting at the success of previous investments. tech2 News Staff Promotion of virtual transactions, and a shift towards a less cash economy is a key part in the Government's efforts for cleaning up the system and weed out corruption and black money. The JAM trinity, which is made up of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna, the Aadhaar card and the spread for mobile connectivity were important precursors to the demonetisation. A question was raised in the Rajya Sabha over the status of virtual currencies in the country, including cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. Bitcoin is not controlled by any central authority, and as such is seen as a hedge in times of financial instability. Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha pointed out that the RBI had cautioned citizens against the use of virtual currencies, including Bitcoin, and that as such Bitcoin has not been authorised in India. The creation of, trading in virtual currencies enjoy no legal protection mechanisms. The users are potentially exposed to financial, legal and operational risks. However, this does not mean that Bitcoin and other virtual currencies are illegal in India. Indian citizens are free to use Bitcoin, but do so at their own risk. The RBI has been tracking developments in decentralised digital currencies and virtual currencies in the country, and has pointed out that they enjoy no regulation or authorisation. The RBI has pointed out a long list of shortcomings in virtual currencies, including Bitcoin, litecoin, bbqcoin and dogecoin. The virtual currencies are stored in digital wallets, that can be compromised in various ways including hacks, malware, and loss of password. Once lost, the virtual currencies are permanently lost as there are no legal mechanisms to address the loss. Virtual currencies can also be stored on physical media, such as USB drives and hard drives. These drives can be physically stolen, or damaged, or lost, which would lead to permanent loss of the virtual currency stored in the physical storage medium. There is no way to report problems, settle disputes or charge backs. The transactions for virtual currencies takes place using a peer-to-peer system, with no regulation from an authorised central agency. Without these support systems in place, users are particularly vulnerable to spam, phishing and social engineering approaches to manipulate users into giving up their cash. The transactions take place in various jurisdictions where the legal status of virtual currencies are unclear, which exposes the users to legal risks as well. Bitcoin and other virtual currencies have been used for various nefarious activities in many jurisdictions around the world. In an anonymous network of users, such illegal activity could expose each user to the potential of being trapped in legal cases involving financing of terrorism or money laundering. The RBI is currently examining the way Bitcoin is being used in the country, and is in the process of identifying the issues that the use of Bitcoin has, when it comes to the legal frameworks and regulations within the country, including foreign exchange laws and norms for payment systems. For users who are not convinced by the warnings of the RBI, Unocoin is one of the simplest ways to invest in bitcoin. There is a facility for monthly investment plans, real time pricing, and the ability to convert to and from bitcoin at any point of time. Over 500 merchants across India accept payments in Bitcoin. tech2 News Staff Scientists have confirmed the existence of a continent that is now "lost" below the surface of the Earth. The newly discovered continent has been named as Mauritia, after the Indian Islands of Mauritius, which is a fragment of the lost continent. There were two crucial pieces of evidence that pointed to the discovery: Pieces of ancient zircon crystals that were billions of years old and found in the sands of Madagascar, as well as an unusually thick crust around Madagascar, which is more than 30 kilometers thick. Because of the unusually thick crust, there is an increased attraction due to gravity seen in Madagascar, which is a gravitational anomaly. The ocean has relatively younger rocks, with the continuous formation of new rocks. Continents have older rocks, some over four billion years old. Typically the rocks on Mauritius are around 9 million years old, but there were some zircon crystals found that were over 3 billion years old. The discovery proves that there is a much older landmass compressed beneath Mauritius, according to a report in Phys.org. The ancient continent of Mauritia was sandwiched between India and Madagascar. Around 145 million years ago, in the early Cretaceous period, Mauritia was fragmented by various volcanic and tectonic events. When India split away from Madagascar, the buffer zone in between, Mauritia was pulled into ribbons. The fractured and fragmented continent was then covered with layers of lava from volcanic eruptions. The research has been published in Nature Communications. hidden Indian e-commerce firm Snapdeal expects to turn profitable in the next two years, its CEO said, as the company cuts costs and boosts efficiency in a market currently dominated by homegrown Flipkart and U.S. internet giant Amazon. Kunal Bahl, who co-founded Snapdeal in 2010, also told Reuters in an interview that the online marketplace provider backed by Japan's SoftBank Group did not immediately need to raise capital unless it makes an acquisition. A burgeoning Indian middle class' rapid uptake of wireless high-speed internet has prompted buyers to shop online, boosting sales at e-tailers and making the country's internet services market one of the world's fastest growing. The value of goods sold online in India is expected to jump tenfold to $188 billion by 2025, according to a Bank of America Merrill Lynch note last September. High competition and steep discounting, has however meant most big online retailers are losing money. Snapdeal was valued at $6.5 billion after a fund-raising last year. But valuations of Indian e-commerce firms are generally believed to have softened since then. Fidelity Investments has marked down the value of its holding in Flipkart by around 36 percent. Snapdeal reported a loss of 29.6 billion rupees ($441 million) in the financial year to March 31, 2016, according to regulatory filings, but Bahl said they were steadily improving. "I see a relatively clear line of sight to (profit) and we've been making great progress in that direction also," Bahl said on Monday. "We needed capital to build the infrastructure which we have, now we have to take control of our destiny." Snapdeal's EBIDTA, or earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, for the nine months of the current financial year has improved by about 40 percent from a year earlier, while commissions have grown 3.5 times, he said. Marketplace providers like Snapdeal earn commissions from sellers on their platform as a percentage of value of goods sold. Snapdeal, with 12 percent share of the so-called gross merchandise value, lags Flipkart's 43 percent and Amazon's 28 percent, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch's estimates for 2016. Bahl said while Snapdeal, which also counts Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding and Taiwan's Foxconn as investors, did not look at gross merchandise value as a metric for growth, its focus was on getting good-quality products and on-time delivery at the lowest possible cost. Snapdeal's captive logistics arm Vulcan Express will turn profitable next month, Bahl said, thanks to significant investment over the past two years. Vulcan has helped Snapdeal make inroads into the far-flung corners of India and building the unit "thoughtfully" without excess capacity has helped, he said. Snapdeal, which also uses third-party logistics services to deliver products to customers, has plans to allow Vulcan to seek external business in the coming months, Bahl said. "I just don't think today that it's viable to build a 500-city network in India with only one customer as a logistics company." Reuters tech2 News Staff It recently came to light that certain shopkeepers in UP are selling womens phone numbers to anyone who asks. These women are being subjected to harassing calls over the phone, some are even receiving lewd messages on services like WhatsApp. The women had little recourse but to contact the local police helpline to register complaints. In UP, this number is 1090. The situation is so bad that the UP police have set up a dedicated task force for handling these cases, reads a report in The Hindustan Times. This case brings to light the need for reliable, well-maintained helplines in India. Too many numbers On paper, India does have something like this. There are a number of helpline services to choose from in India, but the number that needs to be called isnt always clear. For example, the police helpline is 100 but the traffic police helpline is 103. Even the helpline numbers for ambulance services are a bit ambiguous; 102 gets you an ambulance but 104 might also do the same, but it depends on the state that you live in. This state of confusion wont last. However last year, Trai announced that it was recommending 112 as Indias national helpline number. This number will act as a hub for all emergency services in the country and Trai recommends that existing helpline numbers simply be rerouted to 112. Trai's recommendations should come into effect in March this year. 112: A global standard On a side note, 112 is actually the GSM standard for an emergency number. Its also the emergency helpline number in most of the EU and other countries around the globe. In fact, any mobile device, if it's connected to a GSM network, will be able to dial 112 even if theres no active mobile connection. In countries like the US and Australia (which use 911 and 000 as emergency helpline numbers), calls to 112 are forwarded to 911 or 000 as required. There have been complaints that Indias helpline numbers are too diverse and scattered and that none of the services talk to each other. Some have complained that they get shoved from department to department till their issue is resolved. Others point out that theres no way to collect location data from the caller at the moment. Western telcos have also struggled to implement location tracking into their devices. In fact, the latest E112 standard for 112 emergency services in the EU require location data to be collected. The complex nature of its implementation means that its still not widely accepted. Americas 911 faces the same challenges. Trai recommendations As a part of the announcement, Trai recommended that a database of all callers and related location information needs to be stored in four centralized data servers in 4 parts of India (the metros). Telcos have been urged to share this information with BSNL, which has been tasked with handling this confidential information. Trai also recommends that BSNL take over management services and that infrastructure for the same be provided to them. Another recommendation suggested by Trai indicates that emergency vehicles should have onboard sensors that track GPS position, maps that track nearby resources, etc. This is meant to ensure a fast response so vehicles can have all the relevant information at their fingertips. There are also a number of websites that can give you the information that you're seeking. 1098: An emergency helpline done right The poster child for these services has to be the Childline India Foundations (CIF) 1098 child abuse hotline (dusnauhaath, as CIF puts it). Set up with the support of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) as a Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) project, CIF later received government support and became a government-run NGO. The services are very advanced even by global standards. Operators are present 24/7 every day of the year and a dedicated customer relationship management (CRM) system ensures that all operators deal with any calls appropriately. The process ensures that all relevant information is collected quickly and accurately in a form and then handed off to the concerned team to deal with. CIF claims that they can usually have someone on-scene within an hour of receiving a call. The hotlines structured and well-integrated approach, backed by motivated staff has helped it achieve its goals. CIF claims to have aided millions of children since its inception. tech2 News Staff Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has taken strict action against fraudulent Aadhaar websites and applications. Demonstrating zero tolerance against third parties fleecing unsuspecting customers, UIDAI has shut down 12 websites and 12 mobile applications available on the Play Store. UIDAI has directed the closure of 26 more illegal and unauthorised websites and applications. The websites were charging exorbitant amounts for providing Aadhaar related services such as PVC Aadhaar card, downloading Aadhaar card online, status of Aadhaar generation, and using these services to illegally obtain sensitive information about citizens. Dr. Ajay Bhushan Pandey, CEO, UIDAI, said "UIDAI has not authorized the owners of these mobile applications or websites to extend any Aadhaar related services on its behalf." Aadhaar lined information can only be shared according to the procedures laid out in the Aadhaar Act, 2016. Unauthorised use of the data is punishable Section 28, Chapter VII which penalises "Whoever, not being authorized by the Authority, intentionally accesses or secures, downloads, copies or extracts any data from the Central Identities Data Repository or stored in any removable storage medium" UIDAI has asked citizens to remain vigilant in the interest of protecting their privacy. The only official website for the Aadhaar card is www.uidai.gov.in. No other website is authorised to provide Aadhaar services, or use the Aadhaar name, and if they do, they are illegal. UIDAI is contemplating stern action against websites and applications that use the Aadhaar logo in their software products, as that is a violation of both the Aadhaar Act and the Copyright Act. If any user loses their Aadhaar card, they can print out the card free of cost from the UIDAI website, the printout is as valid as the original Aadhaar letter. Gov. Whitmer challenged by Republican Tudor Dixon LAPEER COUNTY You may have seen a TV commercial or two (hundred?), but theres a hotly contested race on Nov. 8 for who sits in the governors office in... Nessel, DePerno in contest for state Attorney General LAPEER COUNTY Democrat Dana Nessel is running for re-election to serve another four-term term as Michigan Attorney General challenged by Republican Matthew DePerno and Libertarian Party candidate Joseph... Nov. 8 voters to decide race for Secretary of State LAPEER COUNTY Lapeer County and Michigan voters on Nov. 8 will elect a Secretary of State a four-way race between incumbent Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, challenged by: Republican... Michigan election officials outline certification procedures ahead of midterms LANSING Michigan officials are trying to get ahead of misinformation by explaining the process of certifying elections ahead of next months midterms. County canvassing boards certify results and send... China ships sail near disputed isles after Mattis visit: Japan The islets known as the Senkaku islands in Japan and Diaoyu islands in China are a source of dispute between the two countries. AFP, Tokyo : Japan said Chinese coast guard vessels sailed Monday into its territorial waters around disputed islands in the East China Sea, days after the new US defence chief vowed to defend Tokyo's control of them. Three ships entered the waters surrounding the uninhabited chain, the Japan Coast Guard said in a statement. The isles are controlled by Japan as the Senkakus but claimed by China as the Diaoyus. The incursion came at around 2:00 pm (0500 GMT) and the ships were cruising in a south-southwesterly direction, according to the statement. The ships left about two hours later, the coast guard said in a separate statement. The incident came two days after James Mattis, US President Donald Trump's new defence secretary, said in Tokyo that the island chain was subject to a longstanding Washington-Tokyo defence treaty. The islets are at the centre of a festering row between Tokyo and Beijing, which is also involved in a widening dispute with several Southeast Asian countries over islands in the South China Sea. China was quick to accuse the United States of stirring up trouble in Asia with the comments by Mattis. Its foreign ministry spokesman said Washington should "stop making wrong remarks... and avoid making the issue more complicated and bringing instability" to the region. China and Japan have repeatedly clashed diplomatically over ownership of the islands, and both sides regularly send ships to nearby waters to assert their claims. Mattis also had strong words over the South China Sea, saying Beijing "has shredded the trust" of regional countries with the military fortification of islands it controls. He balanced that message, however, with a call for disputes to be settled through arbitration and diplomacy and ruling out any immediate military response. China, Taiwan and a handful of Southeast Asian states have claims in the area. Besides Japan, Mattis also visited South Korea last week as he sought to assure the key allies of continued US commitment to their security. Trump rattled them last year while he was a candidate, with calls for them to pay more for defence support. But Japanese and South Korean officials said Mattis never raised the issue of cost-sharing during the talks. Biman posts Tk48 crore reduction in profit Business Desk : The Biman Bangladesh Airlines (BBA) has posted a Tk48 crore reduction in profit for the 2015-16 fiscal year despite seeing a rise in the number of passengers, data showed. The national flag carrier registered a net profit of Tk276 crore after paying all taxes in fiscal year 2015-16. This amount is Tk48 crore less than that of the previous fiscal, according to official data available with BBA. In FY2014-15, the carrier posted a profit of Tk324 crore. According to the data, the number of passengers carried by Biman increased by 800,000 in the last three years. Biman served around 2.318 million passengers in FY2015-16, 2.02 million in FY2014-15 and 1.571 million in FY2013-14. Biman incurred losses five years in a row starting FY2009-10. Biman however claimed that they have turned the tables by seeing a profitable trend in the last two years due to modernisation and automation efforts. It has transported 40,009 metric tonnes of cargo in FY15-16, which is however 7% less than the previous fiscal year. The cargo tonnage was affected after the United Kingdom placed a cargo ban on Bangladesh on March 8 last year, says the release. Currently, Biman is operating its flights on 15 international and seven domestic routes. Mosquito nets distributed among poor Chittagong Bureau : BRAC and Nari Unnoyon Sangsta jointly distributed mosquito nets among the poor families at Chittagong University on Sunday. The Vice-chancellor of Chittagong University Prof Dr Ifthekhar Uddin Chowdhury inaugurated the program of mosquito nets distribution as chief guest at the VC's conference hall. The function was chaired by Registrar Prof Dr Kamrul Huda. Proctor of CU Mohammad Ali Ashgor, Prof Dr Imama Ali addressed the function as special guests. Among others Dr Fazle Rabbi, Dr Mohammad Abu Tayeb, Dilip Kumar Shaha of BRAC, Deputy Registrar of CU Forhad Hossain Khan also addressed the function. Intern doctors of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital staged a demonstration on the Central Shaheed Minar premises in the city on Monday in protest against attack on them. ICT sector needs better policy-support NEWS reports said that Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services urged the government to allow a 20 percent cash incentive on exports of ICT goods. The sector is already contributing largely to the development of economy, education and employment along with benefits in areas of investment, banking, security, sociability, marketing, tourism and a number of other areas. Bangladesh may earn more foreign currencies if government gives incentive on exports of ICT products. As the industry is capable of earning $1 billion from exports currently, it would be wise for the government to agree to the plea of the association by allowing export incentives. In recent years, the most dominating foreign currency earning sector - the apparel industry is facing setbacks to carry on business abroad because it often fails to meet the requirements of foreign buyers. Besides, labour resentment, political turmoil and an overall negative atmosphere are leading to the slowdown of RMG sector. So, government should think of promoting and patronising other export areas like the ICT sector. It will be sensible for the government to persue a export-friendly policy to accelerate the ICT sector by allowing a 20 percent cash incentive on its exports as demanded by its trade body. ICT experts said that if the industry gets only 20 percent cash incentive for five years, it will perform even better than the garment sector and create thousands of new jobs. ICT is a 100 percent value addition sector; but the garment sector is not. Taking this matter into account, government should open up multiple areas of exports and not be dependent solely on garment sector. Bangladesh's ICT sector is a glimmering example of what can be achieved if government's goodwill and a skilled workforce work together. It may add more value to the economy of the country if the ICT products could be exported providing proper government policy-support. Rapid development in the ICT sector also reflects a rapid growth of skilled manpower which ultimately accelerates the economic growth and it would expand the growth more through export promotion. The government should actively consider the demand of the Association of Software and Information Services to provide better incentives. In our view, the government should be really proactive in building up a good infrastructure and policy support to the ICT sector because the industry is a knowledge-power based one and its development will qualititably add dividend to the national economy at the end. Nepal arrests 37 BD nat'ls for illegal entry IANS, Kathmandu : Thirty-seven Bangladeshi nationals have been arrested on Sunday from Thamel, Kathmandu's tourist hub, for illegally entering Nepal, police said. Somendra Singh Rathaur, Deputy Superintendent of Police at the Sorukhutte police station, told local media that the police have launched a probe against those detained Bangladeshi nationals, Xinhua reported. Most of the arrested Bangladeshi nationals - who had entered Nepal via India-Nepal Kakarbhitta-Panitanki border point a few months ago - were involved in small-scale business like weaving and crafting clothes in Thamel area, the police said. Police will hand over the arrested Bangladeshi nationals to the Department of Immigration on Monday for further investigation. The arrested Bangladeshi nationals have failed to produce their travel documents during the interrogation, local media reported citing police sources. They will be deported to Bangladesh soon after the investigation, according to police sources. The police have suspected that as many as 4,000 Bangladeshi nationals were illegally working across the capital city of Kathmandu for the past one year. An insurgent in the White House WASHINGTON is in the grip of a revolution. The bleak cadence of last month's inauguration was still in the air when Donald Trump lobbed the first Molotov cocktail of policies and executive orders against the capital's brilliant-white porticos. He has not stopped. Quitting the Trans-Pacific Partnership, demanding a renegotiation of NAFTA and a wall with Mexico, overhauling immigration, warming to Brexit-bound Britain and Russia, cooling to the European Union, defending torture, attacking the press: onward he and his people charged, leaving the wreckage of received opinion smouldering in their wake. To his critics, Mr Trump is reckless and chaotic. Nowhere more so than in last week's temporary ban on entry for citizens from seven Middle Eastern countries-drafted in secret, enacted in haste and unlikely to fulfil its declared aim of sparing America from terrorism. Even his Republican allies lamented that a fine, popular policy was marred by its execution. In politics chaos normally leads to failure. With Mr Trump, chaos seems to be part of the plan. Promises that sounded like hyperbole in the campaign now amount to a deadly serious revolt aimed at shaking up Washington and the world. To understand Mr Trump's insurgency, start with the uses of outrage. In a divided America, where the other side is not just mistaken but malign, conflict is a political asset. The more Mr Trump used his stump speeches to offend polite opinion, the more his supporters were convinced that he really would evict the treacherous, greedy elite from their Washington salons. His grenade-chuckers-in-chief, Stephen Bannon and Stephen Miller, have now carried that logic into government. Every time demonstrators and the media rail against Mr Trump, it is proof that he must be doing something right. If the outpourings of the West Wing are chaotic, it only goes to show that Mr Trump is a man of action just as he promised. The secrecy and confusion of the immigration ban are a sign not of failure, but of how his people shun the self-serving experts who habitually subvert the popular will. The politics of conflict are harnessed to a world view that rejects decades of American foreign policy. Tactically, Mr Trump has little time for the multilateral bodies that govern everything from security to trade to the environment. He believes that lesser countries reap most of the rewards while America foots the bill. It can exploit its bargaining power to get a better deal by picking off countries one by one. Mr Bannon and others reject American diplomacy strategically, too. They believe multilateralism embodies an obsolete liberal internationalism. Today's ideological struggle is not over universal human rights, but the defence of "Judeo-Christian" culture from the onslaught of other civilisations, in particular, Islam. Seen through this prism, the UN and the EU are obstacles and Vladimir Putin, for the moment, a potential ally. Nobody can say how firmly Mr Trump believes all this. Perhaps, amid the trappings of power, he will tire of guerrilla warfare. Perhaps a stockmarket correction will so unsettle the nation's CEO that he will cast Mr Bannon out. Perhaps a crisis will force him into the arms of his chief of staff and his secretaries of defence and state, none of whom is quite the insurgent type. But don't count on it happening soon. And don't underestimate the harm that could be done first. Americans who reject Mr Trump will, naturally, fear most for what he could do to their own country. They are right to worry, but they gain some protection from their institutions and the law. In the world at large, however, checks on Mr Trump are few. The consequences could be grave. Without active American support and participation, the machinery of global co-operation could well fail. The World Trade Organisation would not be worthy of the name. The UN would fall into disuse. Countless treaties and conventions would be undermined. Although each one stands alone, together they form a system that binds America to its allies and projects its power across the world. Because habits of co-operation that were decades in the making cannot easily be put back together again, the harm would be lasting. In the spiral of distrust and recrimination, countries that are dissatisfied with the world will be tempted to change it-if necessary by force. What to do? The first task is to limit the damage. There is little point in cutting Mr Trump off. Moderate Republicans and America's allies need to tell him why Mr Bannon and his co-ideologues are wrong. Even in the narrowest sense of American self-interest, their appetite for bilateralism is misguided, not least because the economic harm from the complexity and contradictions of a web of bilateral relations would outweigh any gains to be won from tougher negotiations. Mr Trump also needs to be persuaded that alliances are America's greatest source of power. Its unique network plays as large a role as its economy and its military might in making it the global superpower. Alliances help raise it above its regional rivals-China in East Asia, Russia in eastern Europe, Iran in the Middle East. If Mr Trump truly wants to put America First, his priority should be strengthening ties, not treating allies with contempt. And if this advice is ignored? America's allies must strive to preserve multilateral institutions for the day after Mr Trump, by bolstering their finances and limiting the strife within them. And they must plan for a world without American leadership. If anyone is tempted to look to China to take on the mantle, it is not ready, even if that were desirable. Europe will no longer have the luxury of underfunding NATO and undercutting the EU's foreign service-the closest it has to a State Department. Brazil, the regional power, must be prepared to help lead Latin America. In the Middle East fractious Arab states will together have to find a formula for living at peace with Iran. A web of bilateralism and a jerry-rigged regionalism are palpably worse for America than the world Mr Trump inherited. It is not too late for him to conclude how much worse, to ditch his bomb-throwers and switch course. The world should hope for that outcome. But it must prepare for trouble. Tk 6 lakh looted from Savar bus passengers Staff Reporter : Robbers shot at three passengers of a minibus and looted Tk six lakh from them in front of Jahangirnagar University on Dhaka-Aricha Highway in Savar in a broad daylight on Monday. According to victims and police, a gang of seven armed robbers riding three motorbikes intercepted the bus coming from Savar at about 12:30pm and took the passengers hostage at gunpoint. They then shot at the three passengers and looted cash and managed a good escape by firing several rounds of gunshots. Witnesses said when the bus from Savar reached in front of the Jahangirnagar University at around 12.30 pm a gang of seven robbers intercepted the bus and took its control after shooting at the three passengers. The bullet-injured passengers were identified as Sanwar Hossain, 40, his two business partners Abul Hossain, 39, and Tutul Mia, 30. They are the residents of Savar upazila of Dhaka district. The locals rushed the injured passengers to the Savar Health Complex from where they were shifted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital DMCH as their condition deteriorated. When contacted Ashulia Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohsinul Kadir said the robbers had information that Sanwar was going to post office at Jahangirnagar University campus to open a fixed deposit account Tk six lakh. Mayor Miru sent to jail UNB, Sirajganj : A court here on Monday sent Shahjadpur municipality mayor Halimul Haque Miru to jail in a case filed over the killing of a journalist. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Morshed Alam passed the order when Manirul Islam, inspector of Shahjadpur Police Station and also the investigation officer of the case, produced him before the court seeking a seven-day remand. Earlier on Sunday, detectives arrested Miru, the prime accused in the case, from Shyamoli area in the capital in connection with the killing of the journalist. Abdul Hakim Shimul, Shahjadpur upazila correspondent of vernacular daily the Dainik Samakal, sustained bullet injuries during a clash between two associate bodies of Awami League in Shahjadpur on Thursday. Later, he died on the way to Dhaka on Friday afternoon. Shimul's wife filed a case against 18 identified and 20-25 unidentified people with Shahjadpur Police Station. Nurul Huda new CEC Rafiqul Islam, Mahbub Talukder, Brig Gen. Sahadat Chy, Kabita Khanam made commissioners Staff Reporter : The President, Md Abdul Hamid, on Monday night appointed former secretary Nurul Huda as the new Chief Election Commissioner for the 12th Election Commission as recommended by the Search Committee, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told journalists at a press briefing at the Secretariat. Besides, the President also appointed four other Election Commissioners. They are: former secretary Rafiqul Islam, former additional secretary Mahbub Talukder, former judge Kabita Khanam and Brigadier General (retd) Shahdat Hossain Chowdhury. "Based on recommendations made by the search committee the new EC has been constituted. And the CEC and four other election commissioners have been picked from the names given by the political parties," Shafiul Alam said, adding the EC Secretariat will issue a gazette notification in the regard. Earlier in the evening, the six-member Search Committee led by Appellate Division judge Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain submitted its recommended names to the President at Bangabhaban for appointing Chief Election Commissioner and four other election commissioners. "The search committee on Monday evening submitted a report with two names for the Chief Election Commissioner and eight names for four election commissioners to the Election Commission Secretariat," President's Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told media last night. The search committee recommended names also include: former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder for CEC, and Professor of Public Administration Department Dr. Jarina Rahman Khan, local government expert Dr. Tofail Ahmed, former Planning Commission member Md. Abdul Mannan and pro-vice-chancellor of BUP and chairman JANIPOP Professor Dr Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah. Public Administration Department Dr. Jarina Rahman Khan, local government expert Dr. Tofail Ahmed, former Planning Commission member Md. Abdul Mannan and pro-vice-chancellor of BUP and chairman JANIPOP Professor Dr Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah. During the submission of the report, the search committee hoped that the final decision would come as per the recommendation of the committee to ensure transparent and accountable tasks of the new Election Commission, said the press secretary. The President thanked the search committee members for their role in picking the 10 names within the stipulated time. Earlier in the afternoon, the committee at its last meeting held at Supreme Court's Judges Lounge finalised a list of 10 names picked from the recommendations made by political parties. The other members-High Court Division Judge Obaidul Hassan, Bangladesh Public Service Commission Chairman Dr Muhammed Sadique, Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of Bangladesh Masud Ahmed, Dhaka University Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam and Chittagong University Pro-Vice Chancellor Shireen Akhter-were also present at the Bangabhaban. "The cabinet division will issue a gazette notification disclosing the names of Chief Election Commissioner and other commissioners of the new EC by February 8," Abdul Wadud, Additional Secretary of the cabinet division, told journalists after the meeting on Monday. He said then the president will appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and four Election Commissioners among the 10 names. Earlier on January 25, the President Abdul Hamid formed the six-member search committee after holding a series of talks with 31 registered political parties on formation of the next Election Commission. The committee had been asked to submit their recommended names within 10 working days by February 8. Meanwhile, according to Bangabhaban sources, the Search Committee placed a summary of the recommendations made by the 16 eminent personalities of the society. The next commission will be in office for a five-year term. The tenure of the current EC members expires on February 8. The search committee in its first meeting asked names from the 31 political parties, which attended the dialogue with the President, to find out the suitable persons for reconstituting the EC. Responding to the call of the search committee, 27 political parties out of 31 proposed a total of 125 names. Among them, 20 persons' names have been short listed by the committee. The search body prepared the short list following the suggestions of the noted citizens. Later, the committee in two phases exchanged views with 16 eminent personalities of civil society to seek their opinion and suggestion in a bid to constitute the EC with honest, able, neutral and non-partisan persons. The tenure of the incumbent Election Commission, headed by Kazi Rakib Uddin Ahmad, will expire on February 8. The tenure of a commissioner, AKM Shahnewaz, however, will end on February 15. Barbarism by Myanmar army After slaughtering my husband, 3 security men raped me, victim tells HRW Rohingya families seeking to enter Bangladesh at Check post in Cox\'s Bazar recently. File: photo Staff Reporter: Myanmar forces committed rape and other sexual violence against ethnic Rohingya women and girls as young as 13 during security operations in northern Rakhine State in late 2016, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Monday. The Myanmar government should urgently endorse an independent, international investigation into the alleged abuses in the state, including into possible systematic rape against Rohingya women and girls, it said. Myanmar army and Border Guard Police personnel took part in rape, gang rape, invasive body searches, and sexual assaults in at least nine villages in Maungdaw district between October 9 and mid-December. Survivors and witnesses, who identified army and border police units by their uniforms, kerchiefs, armbands, and patches, described security forces carrying out attacks in groups, some holding women down or threatening them at gunpoint while others raped them. Many survivors reported being insulted and threatened on an ethnic or religious basis during the assaults. "These horrific attacks on Rohingya women and girls by security forces add a new and brutal chapter to the Myanmar military's long and sickening history of sexual violence against women," said Priyanka Motaparthy, senior emergencies researcher. "Military and police commanders should be held responsible for these crimes if they did not do everything in their power to stop them or punish those involved." Between December 2016 and January 2017, Human Rights Watch researchers in Bangladesh interviewed 18 women, of whom 11 had survived sexual assault, as well as 10 men. Several women described how soldiers surrounded their villages or homes, then gathered the villagers in an outdoor area, separating men from women, and detained them for up to several hours. Soldiers often shot villagers, and raped and gang raped women and girls. "Ayesha," a Rohingya woman in her 20s, told Human Rights Watch: "They gathered all the women and started beating us with bamboo sticks and kicking us with their boots. After beating us, the military took [me and] 15 women about my age and separated us. [The soldiers] raped me one by one, tearing my clothes." During raids on homes, security forces frequently beat or killed family members and raped the women. "Noor," in her 40s, said that 20 soldiers stormed her home and grabbed her and her husband: "They took me in the yard of the home. Another two put a rifle to my head, tore off my clothes, and raped me. They slaughtered [my husband] in front of me with a machete. Then three more men raped me. After some time, I had severe bleeding. I had severe pain in my lower abdomen and pain in my whole body." Human Rights Watch interviewed nine Rohingya women who said that Burmese security force members had raped or gang raped them during attacks on their villages in Rakhine State. Several women described how security forces forcibly entered their homes, looted their belongings, and subjected women to invasive body searches before raping one or more women or girls in the family. Fatima, a Rohingya woman in her 20s, described an assault by soldiers against her and her young children in Kyet Yoe Pyin village in mid-November. She said: Four soldiers attacked and suddenly entered the house. One grabbed the children, two of them grabbed each of my arms. They were armed with rifles, pistols, small and long knives, and some were wearing ammunition belts. My eldest [5-year-old] daughter screamed and said, "Please leave us." So they killed her with a machete. They slaughtered her in front of me. When they killed her, I became very upset. [The soldiers] said many things to me that I could not understand and put a gun to my head. They kicked me in my hip and back, and beat me on the head with a wooden stick. [Then] one of the soldiers tore off my clothes. Two soldiers raped me, one by one. They were about 30 to 35 years old. They touched too many places in a very painful way - they touched my chest, they touched my vaginal area. They did it quickly, they only opened their zippers - they didn't take their pants off. When another soldier tried to rape me, I resisted. Then they burned my leg with plastic, they put it out on my leg. Noor, in her 40s, said that about 20 soldiers stormed her home in the border town of Shein Kar Li in early December, and grabbed her and her husband. Two of them held my arms tightly. I couldn't move. They took me in the yard of the home. Another two put a rifle to my head, tore off my clothes, and raped me. While they held me, my husband was also held. They slaughtered him in front of me with a machete. Then three more men raped me. I began bleeding severely. After some time, I didn't know what was happening, I fell unconscious. I regained consciousness the next morning. I took my gold jewelry, went to the nearby ghat [stairs leading to the river], and gave it to the boatman [so that I could cross to Bangladesh]. I walked there very slowly, as I was in pain. I had severe pain in my lower abdomen and pain in my whole body. Witnesses also described security forces gathering women together in public areas - in paddy fields or school courtyards - and detaining them before selecting some women to rape. Ayesha, a woman in her 20s from Pyaung Pyit village, said: They gathered all the women and started beating us with bamboo sticks and kicking us with their boots. In total they beat about 100 to 150 women, young boys, and girls. After beating us, the military took me and 15 women about my age and separated us [from the group]. They took us to a nearby school, kept us in the burning sun, standing in the field in front. They made us turn to face the sun. Then three soldiers took me to a nearby pond. When they prepared to rape me, they opened their pants. All I could notice was their underwear. When one finished raping me, I resisted with my leg, and one of them punched me in the eye. One of them kicked my knee and I got hurt. They also bit my face and scratched me with their nails. I started bleeding. When I started severely bleeding from my genital area and leg, they left me. I became senseless. When I came to, I found my clothes torn around me. I found my skirt and wrapped my body in that. Ayesha said that her abdomen and vaginal area had become red and swollen, and that she remained in pain for at least a week after the attack. One woman in her 30s from Kyet Yoe Pyin village said that four soldiers raped her, then one raped her again by inserting the barrel of his rifle into her girls Five people told Human Rights Watch they saw security forces raping or sexually assaulting girls as young as 13, or saw girls taken away, heard their screams, and learned soon afterward that they had been raped. Some of these victims were their family members. Sayeda, a woman in her 40s from Kyet Yoe Pyin village, said that in mid-November soldiers gang raped her 16-year-old daughter in front of her, then burned her house: After evening prayer time, the military came and surrounded our house, then entered. Three soldiers grabbed me and my [seven] daughters, and took us to the paddy field. They beat us with their rifles. On the spot in front of me, four military raped [my eldest daughter]. Then one soldier took her to another place. When the soldiers attacked her, I grabbed my other daughters and ran. We ran into the bushes. Other people later told me she died. I didn't see her body. Amina, a woman in her 20s from Hpar Wut Chaung village, said that soldiers raped and killed her 13-year-old sister during a raid on their home in early December, as well as killing five other siblings. She said: When they entered [our house], our brothers were sleeping on the veranda, and we [five sisters] were in the bed. They shot and killed my [brothers] and held the girls so they couldn't move. They instantly shot my younger sister in the head. While [another sister was] running away, they shot [her too]. They took my other [13-year-old] sister to another room and raped her there. We heard [her screaming]. She screamed, "Someone save me! He's trying to take my clothes off!" What I saw from outside is that 10 more people entered that room with my sister. Amina and her father managed to escape and fled to a neighbouring village. There, her next-door neighbour who also fled told her that she had found Amina's sister dead, without any clothes on. Several women told Human Rights Watch that security forces subjected them to invasive body searches during village raids, either in their homes or while villagers were gathered in open fields. Soldiers put their hands underneath women's clothes and painfully pressed their breasts and genital areas - searches that constitute sexual assault. They beat or slapped some women, and threatened them with machetes and guns. They also snatched gold jewelry women wore, and took money they kept in their blouses. Some women said they were searched twice. Taslima, a woman in her mid-20s from Dar Gyi Zar village, said that in early November, after she fled to the nearby village of Yae Twin Kyun, soldiers came to the house where she was staying and dragged her and other women from the village out into the yard: When [the military] entered the house, one soldier searched my body for gold and jewelry, and asked for money. When I didn't give it to them, soldiers grabbed me and searched my body. They searched under my clothes they pressed my chest very badly. They found where I hid my money in my chest. They also touched my hips and sensitive area [genital area]. She said they then dragged her outside: "There were about 10 to 12 women standing in the yard, around the same age as me. They touched us all, very bad touches. They used [their rifles] and machetes to threaten us." Sara, from Sin Thae Pyin village, said that in late November about 15 soldiers entered her home where she was with her mother-in-law and her 15-year-old niece. She said that they first searched the cupboards but, finding no valuables, they then searched the women's bodies: When they searched our bodies, a soldier was searching my chest, he put his hands inside my clothes. So I started to cry. When I started to cry, they hit us. They slapped me and my mother-in-law, and my sister-in-law's elder daughter. They took my clothes off and attempted to rape me, but I screamed very loudly, so they left. Several women said that soldiers subjected them to intrusive body searches or other non-consensual touching. Several men and women described witnessing these searches. `Mastermind` Rajib put on remand UNB, Bogra : Two courts here on Monday placed Jahangir Alam alias Rajib Gandhi, a suspected mastermind of Gulshan terror attack who was arrested from Tangail district, on a 15-day remand in two separate cases. Bogra Senior Judicial Magistrate Court-2 Judge Kamruzzaman placed Rajib Gandhi, also a member of banned Islamist outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), on a seven-day remand in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act with Shibganj Police Station. Besides, Judge Abdullah Al Mamun of the Senior Judicial Magistrate Court-4 put Rajib Gandhi on an eight-day remand in a case filed with Sherpur Police Station. The police officers concerned of Sherpur and Shibganj Police Stations sought a 10-day remand each for the accused. On February 13, 2016, police arrested two suspected JMB men from Mokamtala in Shibganj upazila while holding a clandestine meeting. During interrogation, one of the arrestees disclosed the name of Rajib Gandhi. Later police shown Rajib arrested in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Meanwhile, two JMB men were killed in a bomb blast while making bombs Garidah area in Sherpur upazila on April 3, 2016. A case was filed under the Explosive Substances Act later. During investigation, police found involvement of Rajib in the incident. The Undead Archives I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world. Google Earth Louisiana is seeking to use a new financing method to upgrade Interstate 10 in the Baton Rouge area. The state Department of Transportation and Development is soliciting information from private investors willing to put up money for the roadwork. In exchange, they would get long-term payments from the state, either through tolls or some other revenue source. The arrangement is known as a public-private partnership. DOTD says it's the first time Louisiana has considered it for road or bridge work. Lawmakers changed state law last year to allow for the possibility. Gov. John Bel Edwards' administration is looking for new ways to pay for transportation projects, facing a $13 billion backlog. DOTD issued a request Monday for information from interested investors. The deadline to submit proposals is March 31. A class action lawsuit was filed Monday in state court in Baton Rouge, accusing the state of mismanaging the public defender program designed to provide adequate legal defense for poor and indigent defendants. The suit names Gov. John Bel Edwards, current members of the Louisiana Public Defender Board and the states chief public defender as defendants in the suit filed jointly by the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC); Davis, Polk & Wardwell LLP and Jones Walker LLP. According to a press release issued Monday: Eighty-five percent of people accused of a crime in Louisiana are indigent. The states failure to treat them equally under the law has sweeping ramifications. Louisiana has the nations highest incarceration rate and the second-highest wrongful conviction rate. A disproportionate number of those incarcerated are people of color, particularly black Louisianans, who comprise nearly 70 percent of the state prison population. The U.S. and Louisiana constitutions guarantee the right to meaningful and effective assistance of counsel to anyone charged with a crime punishable by imprisonment. Lawyers are required to communicate with their client about strategy, to conduct an investigation, pursue discovery, research legal issues, file appropriate pretrial motions and advocate for the client in court. The attorney also must possess the skill, training and time to adequately complete these requirements. In Louisiana, system-wide defects prevent public defenders from satisfying these basic obligations to their clients. The number of public defenders and other professionals needed for a functioning public defense system in Louisiana falls far below national standards. Most criminal defendants in the state receive attorneys in name only. Poor people often sit in jail for months before a public defender is appointed or takes up the case, according to the complaint. While their cases stagnate, jobs are lost, children are left without parents and evidence becomes stale. Without timely appointment of counsel, the poor are denied any meaningful investigation of the prosecutions case, advocacy during arraignments and bond hearings that could result in a reduction or dismissal of charges or release on bond, access to witnesses and evidence, and assistance with plea negotiations. Even when attorneys are finally provided, public defenders in Louisiana who regularly carry two to five times the number of cases recommended under the already inflated Louisiana Public Defender Boards standards are often so overwhelmed that they can do little more than recommend a plea agreement. Louisiana is the only state in the country that relies primarily on court fees and fines to fund public defender legal services. Perversely, this includes a fee assessed against convicted indigent defendants. Public defender offices receive more funding for losing cases than for winning them. Despite critical comment from the courts and authoritative studies, the system has not provided adequate representation for decades. The suit alleges that the plaintiffs all indigent adults in Louisiana facing non-capital criminal charges punishable by imprisonment have been denied due process,equal protection of the law and the right to counsel under the U.S. and Louisiana constitutions, and it seeks an injunction prohibiting the state from maintaining an inadequate public defender system while asking that a monitor be appointed to supervise reforms to the system. G. Paul Marx (speaking next to microphone), head of the local public defenders office, leads a criminal-law training session last year for civil attorneys who volunteered to take criminal cases. Photo by Robin May In just the last year, we have seen Louisianas refusal to address the catastrophic failings of its indigent defense system result in the near-closing of defender offices, the laying off of staff and the indefinite detention of poor people awaiting the assignment of an attorney, says Lisa Graybill, deputy legal director at the Southern Poverty Center, in the release. All Louisianans, regardless of income, have the right to the assistance of an attorney if they face the loss of liberty. State officials and politicians have looked the other way as the system has fallen further into crisis. Theyve had the chance to fix it and they have failed, time and again. The operation of a two-tiered system of justice degrades our state, violates our state and federal constitutions and simply cannot continue. We have asked the court to intervene because the poor in this state can wait no longer for justice. Lafayette Parish and the three-parish 15th Judicial District of which its a part have not been immune to problems with a cash-strapped public defender system. As we reported last week, about 150 local attorneys, most of them civil attorneys with little experience representing criminal defendants, have been volunteering their time to help judges in the judicial district clear their dockets of mostly petty misdemeanors and other crimes that dont threaten jail time. The attorneys answered a call put out last year by 15th JDC Judge Patrick Michot, whose criminal docket was clogged with defendants who had no legal representation after the local public defenders office, citing state budget cuts, said it was forced to stop representing misdemeanor defendants. Read that story, With more cuts looming, local lawyers step up to keep criminal defense limping along, by clicking here. Rent A Hybrid Car Visit our website to compare different models to help you decide which car suits your needs. 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It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms. They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable. Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner. The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner. It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past. In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping. Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order. In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing. Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome. Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own. But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance. More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around. Sextoy situation in India Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years. In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India. Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore Delhi Chennai Hyderabad These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India. In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well. If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too. If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it. What are Sextoys for beginner? Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms. Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy. I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion. I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy. If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma. Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it. Advantages of using sextoy for Indians There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways. Can have stimulating sex Can develop new sexual zones If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern. However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways. You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation. Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever. There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure. This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it. When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems. It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms). For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles [Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou... Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India. Sextoy for beginner men in India So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners. For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men! The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men Masturbator Cock rings Love Doll Sex Lubricants Toys for the prostate Lets check each one in detail. Masturbator The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products. It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands. Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands. They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.) Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much. Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! ! Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa SEXToys India PR (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018 Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood. If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ... [For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien... Cock Ring A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis. It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow. It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber. In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection. Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction. It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it. Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time. Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function. Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy. You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect. [Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat... Love Doll Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex. There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women. Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price. The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true. You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste. There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice. You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls. If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to... Sex lubricants Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules. It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution. Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse. There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent. Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent. If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here. What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many... Toys for the Prostate Another sextoy for men is prostate toys. The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line. Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men. Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men. What is the prostate? The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm. You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus. By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms. Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.) The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation. Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure. sextoy for beinner women in India The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy. The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy. Vibrator. Dildo Electric Masserger Lets check out what each one is in detail. If you want to check out womens toys, click here. [BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm... Vibrators A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator. Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy. It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy. Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women. For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators. Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex. Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself. This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual. Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men. When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons. Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most... Dildo A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis. It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass. A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it. They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well. It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device. A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo. Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands. For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis. This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one. To learn more about dildo, please click here. What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th... Electric Masserger A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores. It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low. Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels. Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation. It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure. For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm. It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out. If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager? To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here. What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th... How to choose a sextoy for Indian Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one. Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points: Does the size fit you (the partner)? Does the size fit you (your partner)? Is the environment able to produce sound without problems? Price range First of all, the choice of size is quite important. Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women. For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage. Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems. Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise. If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level. Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it. Finally, there is the price range. The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest. Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy. Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy? I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance. For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics. If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out. How to buy sextoys in India The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping. For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below. Sextoy is one of them. Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping. SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India. They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry. Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card. To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy. ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal. Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on. Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture. Cautions for Indians using sextoy When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind Keep sex toys clean Watch out for electrical leakage Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone. Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there. It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case. In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness. Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful. If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it. You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly. Summary What did you think? In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India. The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future. As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values. However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health. If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try? Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women. I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it. The City of Carbondale Police Department is seeking the publics help in identifying a suspect involved in identity theft and forgery. The suspect, a white female believed to have been wearing a wig, cashed two fictitious checks at SIU Credit Union at 395 N. Giant City Road on Jan. 23 at about 5:05 p.m., police said in a Monday news release. At 5:13 p.m., the suspect cashed two more fictitious checks at another SIU Credit Union location at 1217 W. Main St. The suspect was driving a white Buick sport utility vehicle that had stolen Illinois registration plates, police said. The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call the Carbondale Police Department at 618-457-3200. The Southern The Veterans Memorial outside the Perry County Courthouse in Pinckneyville was damaged Friday after a driver crashed near the south side of the courthouse. Perry County Sheriff Steve Bareis said in a news release Monday that at about 11:34 p.m. Friday, a juvenile driver who has not been identified crashed the Ford Fusion he or she was driving into the Veterans Memorial outside the courthouse. Bareis said the crash caused significant damage to three monuments, a bench, two flag poles and planters that are part of the memorial. According to the news release, reports indicated the crash happened after the driver passed out at the wheel due to a possible medical condition. The driver was treated at Pinckneyville Hospital and was released. Bareis who is also a member of the Army National Guard said in the release he is working with the Pinckneyville American Legion and VFW to restore the damage done to the memorial. Bareis said he has not received an estimate of damages yet, nor what the insurance will pay toward restoration. The Southern CARTERVILLE A retired John A. Logan College professor continues to enjoy the wildlife. Nelda Hinckley, biology professor emeritus at John A. Logan College, is known throughout Southern Illinois and some parts of the world for her dedication to nature. Last week, in fact, Hinckley was awarded the Southern Illinois Audubon Societys Todd Fink Conservationist of the Year award. It was presented to her in Carbondale. Hinckley was honored for her life-long environmental teaching, public activism, and conservation volunteerism to preserve our planet earth. Hinckley is known at John A. Logan College for her commitment to biology both in and outside the classroom. Once honored with the colleges Faculty of the Year award, Hinckley has led a number of trips throughout the world to give students a first-hand look at natures wonders, an effort she continues to enjoy. Hinckley will lead her 28th trip to Trinidad and Tobago in May. The eight-day tour of the two-island nation will give participants an unparalleled learning experience with some of the greatest birding and nature opportunities on each, Hinckley says. Hinckley has also led tours to Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, and Belize. But what interests Hinckley the most is conservation efforts here in Southern Illinois. She continues to actively speak out about local efforts to protect the environment and helps raise funds for the Cache River habitat restoration. Despite all her efforts, Hinckley said she was surprised when she was presented the Todd Fink award. It was a surprise because I dont see myself doing anymore than anyone else would do to protect the beautiful land and wildlife we have to enjoy here in Southern Illinois, Hinckley said. Todd Fink was a highly regarded biologist and ornithologist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, who died in 1995 at the age of 36. ALHAMBRA John Ernst is not a lot older than the organization he leads. But he is old enough to realize its value. The 31-year-old Madison County farmer is beginning his second year as president of the Illinois Wheat Association, which was formed in 1995, when Ernst was 9 years old. Now, as in the beginning, the group struggles with a crop having a bit of an identity crisis. To those growing it, wheat may not be a marginal crop, but it is largely a regional crop and acreage has fallen dramatically over the past few decades. It is an important element of a profitable cropping system across the southern third of the state. Interest in wheat ebbs and flows, often tied to prices of other cash crops, fall harvest weather and other considerations. Though corn prices have come back down, when corn was really high it was hard to compete, Ernst said. A lot of high-management growers are finding that wheat is not a free crop anymore; its something that has to be managed like corn. For those who dont, the revenue is just not there. It certainly paid off for Ernst last year. The 1,000 acres he farms along with his father, Steve, included 200 acres of double-crop wheat. We had yields of about 100 bushels per acre across the farm, he said. That was all after corn stalks. We came back and raised 65-bushel beans on top of that. It was really a good year for wheat and beans. The symbiotic connection between wheat and soybeans in the state has gotten the attention of another commodity group. The Illinois Soybean Association is partnering with its wheat counterpart in presenting IWAs annual winter meeting in Mt. Vernon on Feb. 8. Last year, the Illinois Soybean Association sponsored their own double-crop forum. They had very good attendance, Ernst said. They approached us about joining forces and having one program. We thought it was a great opportunity to bring in new people who are not involved with the wheat association. Ernst considers the interaction between wheat producers one of the most important benefits of being a member of the wheat group. Tips picked up during conferences and other events throughout the year have helped him as a farmer. The thing that surprises me most is how good of an opportunity we have to learn, he said. Being a young farmer myself, there are a lot of people who have been raising wheat longer than Ive been around. Theyre all friendly and helpful and are great resources with the wheat association. Im still learning. There are people who have a lot more success with wheat than I do. Im picking up pointers, and my wheat yields are increasing. Besides the winter and summer forums, the association sponsors an annual wheat tour in May. Ernst accompanied farmers, educators and industry people on the tour last spring. The tour wrapped up at Southern Illinois Universitys Belleville Research Center, which also hosts a number of variety plots. That was a great opportunity to get out in the fields and meet with people you wouldnt otherwise know, he said. At Belleville, you could look at all the wheat varieties while theyre still green, so you can see their strengths and weaknesses. There is lot of information you can learn there. Membership in the association has remained steady through the years, from about 200 to 230. Unlike some commodity groups, it isnt just farmers. Seats on the board are also reserved for individuals in industry, education and government. Membership spiked in recent years, when IWA launched an annual yield contest, open only to members. That increased the numbers, at least temporarily. Several of those were three-year members, Ernst said. In the past couple of years, weve shied away from that initial yield contest membership. Were pretty steady in our numbers, though. The yield contest has been popular. The top three or so are on that podium every year. The names are very familiar. Thats a testament that successful producers know what theyre doing raising wheat. Theres a lot we can learn from them. One issue that the membership has wrestled with since the associations inception is the question of pursuing a state checkoff. Some members believe it is necessary to generate funding for research, especially with universities facing dwindling budgets. Others balk at the cost of creating a referendum. Ernst isnt enthusiastic about the idea, but he also isnt closing the door on it. Theres always the chance it will come up again, he said. But with $4 wheat, there really isnt a whole lot of incentive for us to push it. The cost it would take to campaign to promote it really isnt in the books due to our finances, and the likelihood it wouldnt pass. If we see $7 wheat again there could be the opportunity to pursue it. SANTEE South Carolina cotton growers can expect to see a better year in 2017, according to a Clemson University economist. Nathan Smith, a Clemson Extension professor and economist at the Sandhill REC in Columbia, told growers at the South Carolina Cotton Growers Annual Meeting on Jan. 24 that cotton acreage in the state is expected to increase in 2017. Nathan Smith, an Extension professor and economist at Clemsons Sandhill Research and Education Center in Columbia who spoke at the South Carolina Cotton Growers annual meeting on Jan. 24, said cotton acreage in South Carolina is expected to increase in 2017. Right now, the outlook for cotton going in to 2017 is an improvement over 2016 in terms of price, Smith said. The overall expectation is for cotton acreage to increase across the Cotton Belt, especially the mid-South and Texas. Hopefully, well see more cotton acres in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Figures from the USDA for the 2016 South Carolina cotton crop show 190,000 acres were planted, with 184,000 acres harvested. The cotton yield in South Carolina in 2016 was 678 pounds per acre and 260,000 bales were produced. The Cotton Belt is the southern agricultural region of the United States in which cotton is produced. The Cotton Belt extends from Virginia down into Florida and across the United States into California. In addition to an increase in acreage, Smith said prices also are expected to increase. With cotton trading in the low 70-cent range right now, thats encouraging growers to look a little stronger at planting cotton this year instead of corn and soybeans, said Smith, adding he doesnt expect any peanut acreage to be planted in cotton. South Carolina growers who plan to plant cotton this year have several varieties from which to choose. Mike Jones, the states cotton specialist housed at the Clemson Pee Dee Research and Education Center in Florence, said new cotton varieties that have proven to produce high yields are: Deltapine (Monsanto) varieties DP 1646B2XF, DP 1747NRB2XF, DP 1538B2XF and DP 1639B2XF. Phytogen (Dow AgroSciences) varieties PHY 499WRF, PHY 495W3RF and PHY 333WRF. The Stoneville (Bayer CropScience) variety showing high yields is ST 5020GLT and Bayer CropScience variety with high yields is ST 4946GLB2. Americot Seed Company had two high-yielding varieties with NexGen 5007B2XF and NexGen 3522B2XF. In his report from the 2016 cotton crop, Jones said 76 percent of the total cotton acreage in South Carolina was planted in new Xtendflex cotton varieties. The most popular variety was DP 1538B2XF on 26 percent of acreage, followed by DP 1553B2XF on 20 percent of acreage, DP 1646B2XF on 11 percent of acreage, DP 1522B2XF on 5 percent of the acreage and NexGen 5007B2XF on 4 percent of acreage. South Carolina growers are making sound cotton variety decisions, planting an estimated 79 percent of the states total acreage with the top 10 highest-yielding varieties from our Official Variety Testing program in 2016, Jones said. Anyone who grows cotton knows thrips are certain to make an appearance in the crop. Jeremy Greene, an entomologist at the Clemson Edisto Research and Education Center, said these are the most predictable pests in cotton. Cotton planting season is not far away. About 80 percent of the states cotton crop is planted during the first week in May. Cotton growers can be assured thrips will be present every year in South Carolina cotton crops, Greene said. Tobacco thrips are the primary species of thrips that will attack cotton. Growers can reduce risk from thrips injury by planting later in May. Bollworms and stink bugs were insect pests Greene addressed during the meeting. According to Greene, bollworms are controlled primarily with Bt technology in the majority of cotton planted in South Carolina, although the technology does not provide 100 percent control of the species. Growers still need to scout for and manage bollworms, as needed, Greene cautioned, particularly as issues with resistance to Bt proteins and pyrethroid insecticides increase in the future. To aid cotton producers in their fight against insect pests, the Clemson Extension has two mobile apps. Found at http://www.clemson.edu/extension/mobile-apps/, the first app is the Calibrate My Sprayer App for iOS and Android devices. This free mobile app aids in the proper calibration of spraying equipment. The second app, found on the same page, is the Mix My Sprayer app, also for iOS and Android devices. The My Sprayer app is a free app that aids users with quick, accurate calculations of product mixes to be applied with spraying equipment. Custom lists of favorite products by category can be created. In addition to these topics, attendees at the meeting also heard about weed-control technologies, laboratory services available from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, as well as updates on other research projects including projects involving precision agriculture technology and nematode management. COLUMBIA -- The South Carolina Department of Commerce has released the South Carolina Innovation Plan. A comprehensive look at the state of innovation in South Carolina, the plan is intended to provide direction on how best to encourage the growth of innovation and tech-related entrepreneurial activity within the state. The plan illustrates that there are two major areas where the state can help advance South Carolina's innovation economy: external and internal promotion and workforce development. Aggressively marketing the state's technological and innovation successes will help build South Carolina's reputation both within the state and externally. Additionally, preparing a workforce to fill the needs of fast-growing tech-related startups once they start to truly ramp-up is critical, according to the S.C. Commerce. "Cultivating and supporting a strong innovation sector is critical for the future of our economy," Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt said. "In order to do this, we needed to speak with the many remarkable members of our innovation community. Their feedback has allowed us to develop a roadmap and shed light on what our role needs to be moving forward." To prepare the plan, S.C. Commerce's Division of Research met with thought leaders and stakeholders around the state, including startup and established companies; investors; larger industries with innovation departments; groups and organizations that assist with startup companies; universities; life sciences companies; and, individuals who have successfully built, scaled and sold companies. The plan focuses specifically on innovative companies and concepts within the advanced manufacturing, life sciences and biotechnology and computer hardware and software sectors. To address these issues and others identified by the plan, S.C. Commerce will be hiring a new innovation director. The controversy over so-called fake news does not seem to be going away. However, the press frustration about it is increasingly misplaced. After the presidential election, the media fixated for months on a handful of fictitious headlines from suspect websites that were shared around Facebook which allegedly affected the election. But they missed the bigger story about their own problematic reporting. Take, as an example, the current fervor over President Donald Trumps executive order temporarily halting immigration from seven Middle Eastern countries and reducing the number of total refugees to the United States. In one of its first articles about the executive order, CNNs headline screamed: 134,000,000 People Banned from U.S. Other press reports have suggested Trumps order is illegal, unconstitutional or un-American. Thats a curious set of claims for an order that functionally resets the countrys refugee policy to what it was 18 months ago, under President Barack Obama. Was Obamas refugee policy un-American and anti-Muslim? Whats really going on here? Bad reporting and myths. The first myth is that Trump has banned Muslim immigration. Tell that to Muslims in Indonesia, Pakistan and India, the three countries with the highest Muslim population, none of whom are affected by Trumps order. Moreover, Trump has not actually banned immigration from any country. Rather, hes put a 120-day halt on refugees entering the United States, a 90-day ban on immigration from seven specific countries, and an indefinite halt in refugees from Syria. If Trump wanted to ban Muslim immigration, there are an additional 46 Muslim-majority countries in the world that his order should apply to. The second myth is that Trumps order is unprecedented, or even illegal. That would be news to Congress, which in 2015 passed a new immigration law limiting immigration from four of the countries on Trumps list, and to Obama, who halted all refugee immigration for six months from Iraq in 2011 for the same reason Trump is acting now: to install better security measures against terrorists posing as refugees to enter the country. For that matter, why did Trump pick seven specific countries to halt immigration from? Because he copied Obama, who in 2016 added Libya, Yemen, and Somalia to a list already including Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Sudan, as places where refugees should receive additional scrutiny. Why? Because they are heavily affected by Islamic jihadist terrorist groups who have been known to pose as refugees to attempt to enter the United States and Europe. The third myth is that Trumps immigration order and goal of reducing refugee immigration is unprecedented. Tell that to President Obama, who made it almost impossible for Syrian refugees, Muslim or Christian, to immigrate to the United States until last year. That is to say, the Syrian civil war raged and Obamas administration took in just 201 refugees from 2011-2014. The United States only began accepting significantly more refugees in 2015 and then dramatically expanded the number of Syrian refugees in 2016. Trumps policy simply resets refugee levels to their 2015 standards. The fourth myth is that it is illegal to use religion as a category in determining who should be granted refugee status. To the contrary, religious persecution is, under long-standing American and international law, one of the principle reasons to grant refugee status. That makes the outrage over Trumps order more puzzling, given that under Obama, less than 1 percent of the Syrian refugees America took in were Christian, despite the fact that Christians made up 10 percent of the population of Syria and were specifically singled out for genocide. In a period of roughly five years of Obamas presidency, between a half-million and million Syrian Christians fled religious persecution, and the United States accepted almost none of them. In 2016, when the United States accepted more Syrian refugees than in the five previous years combined, just 152 (0.8 percent) of the 17,671 refugees were Christian. None of this means that Trumps executive order was well planned or implemented. It appears to have been created haphazardly without sufficient input from or guidance to the agencies that are actually tasked with carrying it out. And while there is legitimate reason to scrutinize refugee applications more carefully, there is no justification for treating green-card holders the same way. Green-card holders are permanent U.S. residents who have already gone through extensive security screenings that can easily last a year or more. Moreover, while America has a legitimate interest in securing its borders, common courtesy suggests we should not grant refugees legal status to enter and then reject them at the border after a trans-Atlantic flight. This policy could have been announced with a 24-hour notice. But the bigger story here is not Trumps policy, which, after all, differs from his immediate predecessor only mildly. The real story is how badly our professional story tellers in the media have botched the truth. South Carolina gubernatorial candidates campaign on improving education. Legislators do the same. Both are responsible for the 40 percent of the state budget devoted to education. Voters look to the chief executive and lawmakers to make key decisions about education on all levels, and the leaders are blamed when the news is not good. But there is a big variable: The state's education department is run by an elected superintendent. While the department depends on the Legislature and governor for its funding, the superintendent is answerable to the voters. That means a good politician can work with or against the governor and lawmakers, with the ability to convince voters of doing a good job being the deciding factor in keeping the important position. Removing power directly from the voters is a position we would not often endorse, but shifting the superintendent position from elected to appointed makes sense. Legislation making that change is advancing through the General Assembly this year -- and is being endorsed by new Gov. Henry McMaster. The legislation would move the education leader to the executive branch, making the superintendent a member of the governor's cabinet. It's a change that voters, we believe, will endorse if given a chance. They would get the opportunity to do that on the 2018 general election ballot, when a superintendent of education also would be elected to a four-yer term for the final time. If voters approved the constitutional amendment on the same ballot, the position would become an appointed one beginning in 2023. The present elected superintendent has endorsed the change. Molly Spearman, a former legislator and ex-classroom music teacher and assistant principal, joined with Nikki Haley, then governor, in urging lawmakers to support legislation setting up the statewide referendum. Though the present political dynamic in South Carolina has it that the governor, the Legislature and the education department are all led by Republicans, it is only a matter of time in the present structure before the state would again have more division based on control of one or more by different political parties. As Haley and Spearman said via letter to lawmakers: "Instead of moving the state forward with a common vision for education priorities, this divided leadership structure can result in incompatible positions, a lack of coordination and fragmented accountability for failures in our Pre K-12 education system." And with the position being elected, there are no qualification requirements for the important post other than winning a political primary and then the general election. The debate is not new but the time for the change has come. The state's people as a whole and its future generations of students will be better served by changing a system over which control and responsibility are presently fragmented. A blog for students in my introductory classes in government, and any interested passersby. You'll find news items and random stories that illustrate any of the topics we cover in class. Special attention will be paid to the constitutional issues associated with contemporary issues and disputes. Feel free to send me stories you find important. Please note that due to spam, I'm limiting the ability of people to comment on these pages. My apologies. 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By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The Third Estate Sunday Review focuses on politics and culture. We're an online magazine. We don't play nice and we don't kiss butt. In the words of Tuesday Weld: "I do not ever want to be a huge star. Do you think I want a success? I refused "Bonnie and Clyde" because I was nursing at the time but also because deep down I knew that it was going to be a huge success. The same was true of "Bob and Carol and Fred and Sue" or whatever it was called. It reeked of success." NEW YORK/LONDON/SINGAPORE Thomson Reuters has signed definitive agreements to acquire Clarient Global LLC and Avox Limited. Clarient is a leading global Know Your Customer (KYC) and client reference data platform owned and used by the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation ("DTCC), Barclays, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, BNY Mellon, and State Street, among others. Avox is a leading supplier of legal entity data, hierarchies and identifiers on financial entities globally, owned by the DTCC. The Clarient and Avox acquisitions represent another step forward by Thomson Reuters, who brought the first KYC managed service to market three years ago (Org ID) and today serves 23 leading financial institutions worldwide with over 200,000 KYC records published to date, consistently on-boarding or refreshing over 2,000 clients per month and helping customers accelerate client on-boarding, comply with regulation, reduce costs and improve client experience. These businesses will be integrated into Thomson Reuters portfolio of risk management, compliance and reference data offerings. We are excited to sign these acquisitions, bringing with them significant continued commitment of a wide range of customers including the founder banks of Clarient, said Steve Pulley, Managing Director, Risk Managed Services, Thomson Reuters. The selection of Thomson Reuters by the founder banks and DTCC as the firm to lead the next wave of development in this exciting space reflects the progress we have made in our legal entity and KYC managed service franchise over the past three years including the successful launch of the industry-first regional KYC service last year in Africa. Matt Stauffer, CEO, Clarient said: Clarient and Avox have made a significant impact addressing the industrys client reference data and lifecycle management requirements, reducing both cost and risk for our clients. We are proud of their successes and are confident that by integrating these businesses into Thomson Reuters already strong portfolio of risk management, compliance and reference data offerings, they will form a holistic solution that supports and accelerates the industrys desire to mutualize client data solutions. Julie Harris, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs said: As founder banks, we have invested significant time and expertise in developing the Clarient platform to meet the stringent requirements of our industry and the customers we serve. We are excited to partner with Thomson Reuters and work with them to deliver on the vision of centralized KYC as a driver of increased efficiency, robust compliance and improved experience for our customers. James Hardy, Chief Data Officer at State Street said: KYC is a key foundational component to creating a client reference data industry solution that will have positive impact for customer onboarding and management. Clarient and Thomson Reuters are well positioned to further this strategy. Colin Hall, Group Chief Data Officer at Credit Suisse said: "Combining the services and vision of Clarient and Thomson Reuters will provide an enhanced and more effective client experience, supporting critical processes throughout the onboarding process in times of continuous global regulatory change. We will continue to partner with Thomson Reuters to drive further efficiencies for the industry and are excited for the benefits this will provide." Clarient Global LLC is a DTCC company founded with Barclays, BNY Mellon, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan and State Street. Clarient Entity Hub acts as a central hub for investment managers, hedge funds, and corporations to upload, securely store, maintain and permission use of legal entity level information, documentation and ownership information. It integrates technology and operational expertise to provide increased controls, standardization, data quality and transparency during client on-boarding and ongoing client lifecycle activities. Clarient was established in response to the industrys call to reduce operational complexity and to address regulatory requirements including Know Your Customer (KYC), Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR), and Dodd-Frank requirements. For more information, visit www.clarientglobal.com. Avox Limited, a subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), is a UK-based leading supplier of legal entity data on financial entities globally, that matches, enriches and maintains legal entity reference data for its clients, delivering corporate hierarchies, registered address information, industry sector codes and company identifiers. This approach ensures that clients can rely on the most accurate and timely data available to facilitate decision making and regulatory reporting. For more information, visit http://www.dtcc.com/data-services/entity-data-management/avox-data-services The acquisitions of Clarient and Avox are expected to close by the end of Q1 subject to customary closing conditions. Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters is the worlds leading source of news and information for professional markets. Our customers rely on us to deliver the intelligence, technology and expertise they need to find trusted answers. The business has operated in more than 100 countries for more than 100 years. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges. For more information, visit www.thomsonreuters.com. CONTACTS Lemuel Brewster Global Senior PR Director, Financial & Risk Office: +1 646 223 5147 Mobile: +1 917 805 1089 Email: lemuel.brewster@thomsonreuters.com Brian Mairs Global Head of External Communications Financial & Risk Office: +44 20 7542 7866 Mobile: +4407799 477998 Email: brian.mairs@thomsonreuters.com Mark D. Harrop PR Manager, Financial & Risk Office: +1 646 223 7803 Mobile: +1 347 803 5575 Email: mark.harrop@thomsonreuters.com By Trend By Amina Nazarli Italy, a strong and reliable partner of Azerbaijan in Europe, aims to engage in new sectors of trade with the country. Director General of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan Luigi DAprea, in an interview with Trend, said that opportunities for the development of trade between Italy and Azerbaijan are very extensive, and this is manifested not only in the oil and gas sector, where, by the way, Italy holds a very strong position. Considering other sectors, Italy is represented very well in the metallurgical sector of Azerbaijan, he added. The latest contract signed between Italys Danieli and Baku Steel Company, which embodies further growth and development of Italys activity in this sector, is a proof of this, he noted. Regarding the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Italy, DAprea said that despite the slight decrease in the bilateral trade, Italy remains one of the main trade partners of Azerbaijan. Last year the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Italy amounted to $1.89 billion, decreasing by 33.5 percent compared to 2015. Italy, ranking first in the list of the main trade partners of Azerbaijan for eight years, dropped to the third place by late 2016. In the reporting period, Azerbaijan exported goods to Italy at $1.56 billion, accounting for 17.06 percent of the total export of Azerbaijan. Imports from Italy amounted to $332.19 million, decreasing by 43.5 percent compared to 2015. Italy and Azerbaijan have excellent bilateral and economic relations, DAprea noted, adding that over the past eight years, Italy has remained Azerbaijans major trading partner, the fourth exporting country and the first customer in the energy sector. The growth of Italian export to Azerbaijan reached its peak during 2011-2015, increasing by nearly twice and only now exports from all countries, including Italy, slightly decreased, he said. DAprea went on to add that the Italian products are valued a lot in Azerbaijan, and this concerns not only the luxury segment. The quality and credibility are the two factors that make up the advantage of the "Made in Italy" brand, he said. DAprea stressed that Italy is synonymous with quality not only regarding usual Italian export sectors (fashion, furniture, food products), but also in such sectors as mechanics, engineering and technology. In addition to the annual participation in such exhibitions as Baku Build, Caspian Oil & Gas, and others, Italy tries to promote other sectors of its economy as well, including the food sector, DAprea said. Baku and Rome are strategic partners in the energy sector. Italy, whose scanty natural resources traditionally make the country dependent on import has been a key partner for Baku. Since 1999, Italy has begun to receive a large part of Azerbaijani oil exported through the Baku - Supsa pipeline and then through the Baku - Jeyhan. This made Italy the number one partner for Azerbaijan and this position is maintained until today. Currently, about 45 Italian companies are operating in Azerbaijan in insurance, banking, trade, and other areas. By Azernews By Nigar Abbasova BPs Regional President for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey Gordon Birrell announced that fully-termed agreement on further development of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea maybe signed in the short run. Birrell, talking to reporters in Baku on February 6, said that the company expects it to be signed by mid this year. The letter of intent was signed in December 2016. The negotiations are underway and we think the PSA will be signed by mid-2017, he said. Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR and BP-operated Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC) signed an agreement on future development of the ACG field on December 23. The agreement will cover the development of the field until 2050 and will add significant resource development potential. The document agreed the key commercial terms for the future development of the ACG field and enabled the parties to conclude negotiations and finalize fully-termed agreements in the next few months. Birrell further mentioned that BP is very pleased with the letter of intent signed with SOCAR for the future development of the block. The BP official didnt give any further comment on the details of the new agreement, adding that it is premature to disclose the BPs vision, plans and schemes of the further development of the ACG, as the negotiations are still ongoing. The existing ACG PSA was signed in September 1994 for 30 years. Oil production from the field began in November 1997. To date the field has produced 416.5 million tons of oil and 128.2 bcm of associated gas. Some 231.8 million tons of the total volume of the oil produced at the block accounted for profitable oil. The volume of average monthly production stands at 2.5 million tons of oil. ACG is a super-giant field located about 100 km east of Baku. It is the biggest producing oil field in the Caspian Sea and covers an area of more than 432 square kilometers. The field lies in water depths of between 120 and 170 metres. The depth of the reservoir is 2,000-3,500 metres. BP Azerbaijan operates the development of the ACG block. The contract for development of the ACG block was signed in 1994 for a period of 30 years. Shareholders of the project are BP (35.78 percent), Chevron (11.27 percent), Inpex (10.96 percent), AzACG (11.65 percent), Statoil (8.55 percent), Exxon (8 percent), TPAO (6.75 percent), Itochu (4.3 percent) and ONGC (2.72 percent). By Azernews By Kamila Aliyeva Astana hosts a technical meeting of experts from Russia, Turkey, Iran and the United Nations, which will discuss in detail the implementation of the Syrian ceasefire agreement. Representatives of Jordan are taking part for the first time, RIA Novosti reported with the reference to an informed source. The source said the agenda included reviewing the implementation of the cessation of hostilities, discussing a proposal from the Syrian armed opposition about the ceasefire, and determining options about how to implement it. "This is about creating a mechanism to control the implementation of the ceasefire," the source said. Russian Defense Ministry said earlier that such meetings will be taking place in Astana on a regular basis. The first Astana talks on Syrian settlement brokered by Russia, Turkey, and Iran took place in the Kazakh capital on January 23- 24. They marked the first time since the beginning of Syrian civil war in 2011 when the government of Syria and the armed opposition sat together at the negotiations table. In a joint statement of Russia, Iran and Turkey issued following the Astana talks, the countries agreed to create a trilateral group on monitoring the Syrian ceasefire. Many experts assessed the agreement between Russia, Turkey, and Iran on the establishment of a tripartite mechanism as a step to a political solution which might end the six-year war. Armed conflict continues in Syria since March 2011. Government troops are confronted by militants of different armed groups. Russia has begun airstrikes on terrorist facilities in Syria since 30 September 2015. The Russian military involvement follows an official request from President Bashar Assad to President Vladimir Putin. The U.N. has repeatedly tried and failed to end the Syrian conflict, which has killed 300,000 and displaced 11 million since its beginning 6 years ago. UAE-based telecom provider Du has increased the security of its payment gateway with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DDS) compliance. This certification enables Du customers to process their payment transactions and cardholder data more securely than ever before. PCI-DSS Compliance enables Du to tighten its already stringent security processes and procedures to offer customers peace of mind when processing online and remote payment transactions. This innovative operational software will benefit organisations across the UAE, accepting or processing payment transactions, said Fahad Al Hassawi, chief commercial officer, Du. Our customers happiness and safety is our biggest concern and we continue to further develop our services and solutions to ensure transactional accessibility and security. Maintaining payment security is a serious business and it is vital that every entity is responsible for their security of cardholder data and follows the PCI Data Security Standards, said Dr Kamran, Principal Consultant at UK-based GRC360, the PCI DSS Qualified Security Assessment Company who awarded the PCI DSS certificate to Du. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) applies to companies of any size that accept credit card payments. If companies within the UAE are looking to accept card payments, and store along with transmitting the cardholder data, they need to host their data securely with a PCI compliant hosting provider like Du. PCI DSS is a proprietary information security standard for organisations handling branded credit cards from the major card schemes including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and JCB. The security standards set the operational and technical requirements for organizations in accepting or processing payment transactions, and for software developers and manufacturers of applications and devices used in those transactions. TradeArabia News Service The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has signed a strategic partnership with the upcoming 12th annual World Takaful Conference (WTC) in Dubai, UAE. Convened by leading financial intelligence platform, Middle East Global Advisors, WTC will be held on April 11 and 13 at the Dusit Thani Hotel. To be held under the theme of Stability, Authenticity & Technological Transformation, WTC 2017 will feature thought-provoking discussions, actionable insights and connectivity. Ehsan Abbas, chairman of Middle East Global Advisors, said: We are delighted to host the World Takaful Conference in strategic partnership with the DIFC Authority. At its inception 12 years ago, the DIFC was a founding partner and our long-standing partnership has been instrumental in enabling the Forum to develop its global proposition. Although Takaful markets have not grown in tandem with the sukuk and Islamic banking markets, the global Takaful sector is set to reach $20 billion by 2017, from $12 billion in 2011 (ICD Thomson Reuters 2014). The industry is highly concentrated in the GCC and Southeast Asia with Saudi Arabia and Malaysia predominating the global market. Up until 2012, the industry grew at a CAGR of 10 to 12 per cent in various key Islamic finance jurisdictions, and has exhibited a slowdown ever since. The challenging economic outlook along with a lack of awareness and underdeveloped regulatory frameworks constitute the main cause of this lacklustre performance. Salmaan Jaffery, chief business development officer at DIFC Authority, said: Islamic finance is a huge opportunity with $2 trillion in assets globally and a potential market serving 1.6 billion Muslims. The DIFC is a global hub into the MEASA region, which houses the majority of this population, and Islamic Finance therefore remains a major focus area as we support the leadership of Dubais vision in establishing the emirate as the capital of Islamic economy. The Takaful industry faces significant competitive pressure in an already challenging macroeconomic environment. However, FinTech represents an incredible opportunity for the sector to gain competitive advantage by using advancements in areas such as artificial intelligence, big data, mobile technology, wearables, and telematics to develop new products, price competitively, manage risk, gain scale, improve distribution and drive profitability. Partnering with the World Takaful Conference allows the DIFC to encourage dialogue in these areas, thereby supporting the worldwide Islamic economy and helping it achieve long-term, sustainable growth, he added. In 2016, WTC convened high profile guests and dignitaries from Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre, Dubai International Financial Centre, Islamic Insurance Association of London, Insurance Authority UAE, PwC, Moodys, EY, Swiss Re, Munich Re, Noor Takaful, Emirates RE and many more organisations. TradeArabia News Service AlWaleed Real Estate has announced its support for the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) by providing one endowment scholarship for medicine in the University. The endowment initiative was launched by the Mohammed bin Rashid Global Centre for Endowment Consultancy (MBRGCEC) in coordination with Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU). The concept of medical education endowment was established to strengthen the utilization of endowment through innovative applications into projects that are not necessarily confined to traditional frameworks. Based on this initiative, AlWaleed Real Estate will receive the Dubai Endowment Sign from the MBRGCEC, one of the key initiatives under the Mohammed bin Rashid Global Initiatives, in recognition of its contribution to the community as a model for private sector enterprises. This sign gives procurement privileges for the private sector with Government of Dubai entities. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Global Centre for Endowment Consultancy, one of the Mohammed bin Rashid Global Initiatives, will oversee the largest global initiative to revive Endowments including legislation and rules for endowments, products and services and the Endowment district. The new Centre will work on the implementation of the Dubai Awqaf and Endowments Strategy and achieving the Global Vision in this area by stimulating and empowering awqaf and endowments to meet the pressing social needs of people. TradeArabia News Service Global developer Emaar Properties has announced its sponsorship of the Microsoft UAE Imagine Cup 2017 student competition, which will hold its regional heats in April this year. The partnership with Microsoft Gulf reflects Emaars focus on nurturing the next generation of talent, adopting innovating technologies and supporting the innovation environment of the UAE to bring far-reaching benefits to the nation. The year-long Imagine Cup debuted in 2003 and remains the worlds largest student competition, said a statement from Emaar. This year, the contest is no longer bound by categories, inviting viable technology solutions of every type, from every field. The only requirements for participating teams are that their submitted solutions can run on the Azure cloud and demonstrate the potential for digital transformation, it stated. Imagine Cup 2017 starts with local and online contests held in more than 100 countries, with expert judging panels selecting the most promising ideas. Successful teams will then embark on an all-expenses-paid trip to the World Finals, where the winner takes away a $100,000 cash prize. Veresh Sita, the chief digital officer for Emaar Properties, said: "Nurturing the next generation is a strategic priority at Emaar, which ensures that we are the cutting edge of technology and in creating long-term value for our company and to the community." "Through our support to Microsoft on UAE Imagine Cup 2017, we are encouraging new and talent innovators, who will bring us the next advancements in technology," he noted. Microsoft will conduct an Imagine Cup roadshow in February and March, making stops at leading UAE universities. The presentations are expected to create awareness among students and encourage participation in the competition; with ideas that will fuel UAEs vision for smart cities. Interested students will be able to attend intensive training sessions to prepare them for how to submit their ideas, said the statement from Emaar. The sessions will cover contest rules and criteria, and walk competitors through the processes of conceptualisation, design, development and testing, which help lead to the most viable solutions. The cash prize awards for this years competition will be; $15,000 for first, $10,000 for second, and $7,000 for third place winners. The premise of the Imagine Cup is that many technology platforms now taken for granted began as student projects, remarked Samer Abu Ltaif, the regional general manager, Microsoft Gulf. Microsoft YouthSpark initiative, of which Imagine Cup is a part, was founded to seek out the brightest innovators on the planet, nurture them, and help them achieve more. It is a value we share with Emaar, and that is why it is so exciting to partner with them on UAE Imagine Cup 2017, he added. The Imagine Cup in UAE is expected to reach over 5,000 students via online campaigns and offline roadshows in universities across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah. The Pan-Arab Finals 2017 will be held in April, with worldwide finals in July.-TradeArabia News Service A key event at the upcoming Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) in Abu Dhabi will bring businesses together by facilitating matchmaking and showcasing trade opportunities throughout the manufacturing sector. Supported by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) and the Gulf Organisation for Industrial Consulting (GOIC), the Global Value Chain Market (GVCM) is a business matchmaking platform dedicated to increasing regional and international partnerships and opportunities, said a statement. The platform will provide networking and sourcing opportunities both online and onsite via pre-scheduled meetings with the vision of forging investment opportunities, commercial partnerships, and encouraging technological transfer and know-how. Additionally, GVCM will enable countries to identify and meet with global manufacturers to promote industrial development, and familiarise global manufacturers with targeted industrial activities in various countries, as well as becoming a source of valuable information for global investments, providing insights on legislation and regulations, sovereign risk, political stability, and physical and logistical infrastructure. Held from March 27 to 30, 2017 at the Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit will bring together global decision-makers to plot a path for transformational manufacturing. Leaders from the manufacturing industry, business, government and civil society will focus on the transformational role of technology and promoting inclusive and sustainable industrial development at the summit. As strategic partner, ZonesCorp, the largest operator of purpose built industrial zones in the UAE, has significant expertise in bringing companies together for major investment projects. Its economic zones currently house over 600 manufacturing facilities that are home to some of the worlds leading industrial players in a variety of sectors. Saeed Eisa Mohammed Al Khyeli, director general of ZonesCorp, said: The summits mission is well aligned with our own and we are pleased to be the strategic partner for the GVCM. ZonesCorp operates a unique ecosystem of companies that are organised into vertically-integrated clusters that bring upstream and downstream companies together. As such, we have a unique understanding of the value chain and efficiency benefits that can be gained from an integrated and collaborative approach. Using this highly successful model we continue to diversify and encourage new areas of manufacturing growth on our acreage, such as biotech, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food and beverage and SMEs. The worlds leading event organiser, Reed Exhibitions, has joined the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit team as a partner to launch the GVCM platform, assisting the business community to connect and expand. Ludovica Alcorta, director of the development policy, statistics and research branch of Unido, said: Platforms that encourage and support open investment and opportunities, such as the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit and the Global Value Chain Market, are invaluable to the development of the manufacturing sector. They enable companies to successfully navigate the increasingly complex global market thereby enabling technology transfer and cross-collaboration, and routing new investments to different parts of the world. UNIDO has developed two distinct entities to aid businesses along this path the Subcontracting and Partnership Exchange, and the Investment and Technology Promotion Offices Network. The Global Value Chain Market will also connect regional manufacturers with their counterparts from different countries, investors and international businesses. It will create exclusive networking experiences that will empower participants to establish new commercial partnerships, promote technological transfer and explore investment opportunities within the region, while enabling entities to work together towards setting new standards for sustainability and global development. Abdul Aziz Al Aqeel, secretary general to GOIC, said: There is a pressing need for a platform such as the Global Value Chain Market. The Middle East is ripe with opportunity for the manufacturing and industrialisation sector, and connecting key players in this crucial economic period that seeks diversification is imperative. In the GCC market, young businesses are pioneering new technologies alongside established powerhouses. Communication between old and new industries and across geographies will become key to growth over the next decade. - TradeArabia News Service Small and Medium enterprises (SMEs) comprise 94 per cent of all active companies in the UAE, contributing 40 per cent to the country's GDP, according to a study. The SMEs collectively employ 72 per cent of the countrys working population, said the research by Bloovo.com, an online recruitment portal. In absolute numbers, there are currently over 350,000 SMEs in the UAE that together employ at least 3.4 million people, it said. However, the countrys SMEs still dont have the same beneficial impact as their counterparts in developed markets such as the EU. While the UAE benefits from a 40 per cent GDP contribution from its SMEs, the EU region derives at least 55% of GDP from small and medium enterprises, said the study. Bloovo.com has come out in strong support of RATE SME, the voluntary rating framework launched by Dubai SME to bolster its contribution to Dubais GDP from its current 40 per cent to 45 per cent by 2021. It called the move a forward-looking step that will equip the sector to support national growth. The RATE SME initiative asks small and medium firms to submit themselves for a competitive audit that will highlight areas of improvement, identify potential weaknesses, and give them a rating that can help drive new business. Bloovo.com has been advocating for strengthening and supporting the countrys SMEs after conducting a comprehensive Mena-wide study that irrevocably pointed to the importance of SMEs in bolstering national economies, employing a new wave of young people, and creating a competitive knowledge economy. It said SMEs in the country also face unique circumstances that initiatives like the RATE SME initiative can help prepare for. For one, they are informally tasked with generating employment for young nationals. An average 40 per cent of the Mena region population is under 25 years old. With the public sector becoming saturated, SMEs are the only viable way of generating jobs at a rate that can match population growth. Regional SMEs have to struggle with challenges that can include a lack of credit, complex business environments, and slower than expected regulatory reforms, it said. Bloovo.com recognises the tremendous role that SMEs play in galvanising the UAEs economy and generating employment opportunities for a future generation. Yet, these SMEs have to battle a difficult environment that potentially hampers their true potential. Initiatives like RATE SME are a welcome step towards empowering these businesses to propel the UAE economy towards sustainable long-term growth based on innovation, says Bloovo.com president and co-founder Iyad Abu Hweij. - TradeArabia News Service At least 119 people have died along the Afghan-Pakistani border after three days of heavy snowfall caused a series of deadly avalanches on Sunday. The death toll is expected to rise as rescuers reach isolated regions where it's feared more people are trapped beneath the snow, according to CNN. Most of the casualties occurred in Afghanistan, where at least 119 have been killed and 67 are reported injured, said Omar Mohammadi, a spokesman for the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority. Mohamaddi said that most of the victims were women and children, and that deaths were reported in the provinces of eastern Nuristan, northern Parwan, Sar-e-Pul, Badakhshan and eastern Wardak. At least 50 were killed in the Barg-e-Matal district of Nuristan province -- to the north of Kabul -- where unrelenting snow has buried villages and closed roads to rescue workers. Across the border in Pakistan, an avalanche rocked the district of Chitral late Saturday night, when most were asleep, said the report. In the deadliest incident, 53 people died in one village after an avalanche in Nuristan, a north-eastern Afghan province on the Pakistan border, the BBC reported. Thirteen people were also killed in an avalanche in northern Pakistan, nine of them in the town of Chitral. Dozens of houses have been destroyed and people were reported to have frozen to death, trapped in cars, it stated. At least one soldier was killed in Chitral after snow hit a guard post in a separate avalanche, and six soldiers were injured after the incident. Chitral is in Pakistan's disaster-prone Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where flash floods killed at least 47 people and left 37 others injured in April. Sheena Ayub Khan, spokesperson for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province's disaster management authority, told CNN that evacuation efforts are underway. IBM and Smart Dubai Office have launched an initiative for the establishment of a Cognitive Center of Competence in Dubai, UAE to develop cognitive citizen services across the Emirate. The collaboration also aims to equip the next generation of professionals with sought-after skills around analytics, cloud, mobility, cognitive and blockchain technology. This will support a strong human capital innovation ecosystem as part of the Smart Dubai initiative and the governments 2020 Dubai Blockchain Strategy. Our collaboration with IBM underlines our commitment to foster the IT skills needed leveraging cloud, blockchain technology, analytics, mobility technologies and offer cognitive capabilities for our services which will add value to the day to day lives of Dubai citizens and residents, making every day experiences more safe, seamless, efficient and impactful for all, said Dr Aisha Bin Bishr, director general, Smart Dubai Office. Through several initiatives with IBM, the Smart Dubai Office will work with Dubai Government entities to help enable existing digital government services become cognitive. In October 2016, Smart Dubai Government Establishment and Department of Economic Development launched Saad, a cognitive government service powered by IBM Watson. Saad can understand natural language, ingest and comprehend massive amounts of data, learn and reason from its interactions, and provide solutions that will aid users in deciding on correct courses of action. The collaboration will focus on building the needed skills to enable government entities to develop cognitive applications and benefit from application programming interface (API), analytics and blockchain technologies. The Smart Dubai Office and IBM will also provide university student developers with a full year Bluemix subscription, enabling them to gain hands on experience with cloud services. IBM Bluemix is a cloud based platform that enables organizations and developers to quickly and easily create, deploy, and manage applications on the cloud. Our focus with Smart Dubai Office will help accelerate the development of the IT skills and services in the Emirate and enable government entities in Dubai to begin their cognitive journey, said Amr Refaat, general manager, IBM Middle East and Pakistan. Students will also have access to a platform for innovation, resources and technology expertise to help ensure that todays graduates have the knowledge and workforce skills to help fuel economic growth. IBM Watson represents a new era in computing in which systems can interact and understand natural language, generate hypotheses based on evidence, and learn as it goes. As part of this collaboration, Cognit, a joint venture between Mubadala Development Company and IBM, will be engaged to support the development and implementation of Watson based applications and Arabized, Watson capabilities. Todays announcement demonstrates the strength and value in bringing IBM Watson services to Dubai based citizens and further solidifies Cognit as a true partner for government to bring this transformative technology to the UAE. Everyone involved is excited to see how newly developed IT skills, created by allowing first-hand access to IBM Watson, can support prosperity and incubate the talent of tomorrows future pioneers, said Amal Al Jabri, general manager, Cognit. Fostering skills in Dubai is a key focus of this collaboration. Students and faculty members from leading universities in Dubai can also enroll in the IBM Skills Academy where IBM will provide a series of training sessions on cognitive, big data, cloud, security, social and analytics. The IBM Skills Academy Program is IBM's premier training and certification initiative for academia in the Middle East and Africa region. In January, IBM and the University of Dubai have already started delivering training to universities in the UAE, under the theme of Big Data Developer. The training is designed to equip university faculty members and students with the skills and knowledge every Big Data expert needs. TradeArabia News Service Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) has reported record production and sales last year despite difficult global economic conditions and a decline in oil prices, the Bahrain-based company said. While ammonia and urea production reached 1,617,422 metric tons, exports during the year totalled 1,220,364 tons. On its own, urea production reached a 704,003 tons. Company managing director Ibrahim Al Musaiteer presided over a celebration to mark the occasion, along with GPIC president Dr Abdulrahman Jawahery, members of the executive management and representatives of the labour union, among others. Al Musaiteer applauded the approach of the board of directors, led by Dr Ahmed Al Sharyan and said the boards policies had focussed on the companys development, with an emphasis on operations and the welfare of its employees. He thanked Dr Jawahery and the executive management on their keenness to implement strategies set up by the board. He noted the hard work of all employees, characterised by their professionalism. Dr Jawahery appreciated Al Musaiteers presence and expressed great satisfaction at the companys achievements. He said these reflected the boards directions and follow-up. He said these results had been achieved in spite of the challenge of difficult global economic conditions and a decline in oil prices. Dr Jawahery put on record the efforts of the board, led by Dr Al Sharyan, for their balanced and flexible policies and recalled the dedication and efficiency of employees to preserve the companys gains while using their experience to help it achieve good results. Dr Jawahery praised the support of GPICs partners, the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) and the Petrochemical Industries Company of Kuwait, both of whom market GPICs products. Dr Jawahery said the company would continue to adopt the best strategies for performance enhancement at all levels and work to ensure the staff's commitment, knowledge, abilities and skills to prepare them to meet their job requirements as well as develop technical and mental skills to meet the companys future needs in the light of the development taking place in the petrochemical industry. GPIC has witnessed rapid production increase in recent years, which resulted in achieving record figures not only in production, employment and export, but also in the field of maintenance and safety, making it an example of a clean industry and successful regional industry, said the company. As a result, the company has also recently achieved a record 24,901,727 work hours without a lost time accident, equivalent to 5,365 workdays. This boosted productivity levels at the company and resulted in better performance, it added. - TradeArabia News Service Irans National Petrochemical Company's (NPC) is holding talks with leading European firms to develop the countrys petrochemical sector, a top official said. "The latest sanctions have had no impact on ongoing talks between NPC and international petrochemical giants to attract investment, Hossein Alimorad, head of financial affairs at NPC was quoted as saying in an Iran Daily report, which cited Mehr News Agency. He referred to the recent visit by a French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault to Tehran at the head of an economic delegation which included representatives from oil giant Total SA, and said talks were held with Total on plans to build a petrochemical complex to produce 300,000 tons of polyethylene in Parsian Special Economic Zone in south Iran. Total's CEO Patrick Pouyanne said on Thursday the French energy major has resumed operations in Iran's South Pars Gas Field megaproject. "The French supermajor is ready to finance Iranian oil projects and transfer technology to Tehran. We pledged that Total will introduce cutting-edge drilling and extraction technologies to slash production costs at Irans oil and gas fields," Pouyanne was quoted as saying in the report. "If there is a change in the deal, worth $4.8 billion, to develop Phase 11 of the South Pars that was signed in November, we will be obliged to obey, but as of today, we are moving ahead." Meanwhile, NPC managing director Marzieh Shahdaei said the company is in talks with Germany's BASF SE. "Negotiations are expected to lead to the signing an agreement soon," she said. "Energy giants including Wintershall Holding GmbH, Germany's largest crude oil and natural gas producer, and BASF, have offered to invest a total of $12 billion in Iranian oil and petrochemical sectors," Shahdaei said. Reports said that BASF has proposed to invest $6 billion in a petrochemical plant in the southern regions. Shahdaei added that German banks have offered to finance two NPC projects and then start talks with the private sector. London Business Schools leading thinkers give us their views on the challenges and opportunities that businesses will encounter in 2017.From ongoing uncertainty over Brexit and the global economy to transformations in organisational culture and new disruptive opportunities, heres what youre likely to see next year. Disruptive opportunities 2017 will be the year of disruption. Every industry will be affected by some kind of discontinuity or disruption whether its the invasion of new business models or the arrival of radical new technologies. To face the challenge head-on, people need to ask: How can we respond to these disruptions and introduce radical change in our organisations?, said Costas Markides, professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship and Executive Education faculty director. Some will succeed and some will fail. The companies with a higher probability of success are the ones that see disruption as an opportunity to exploit and create a bias for action in their organisations by instilling a positive sense of urgency. They will develop their response strategy by forgetting their existing business and thinking like an entrepreneur approaching the task with an offensive, not defensive, mindset. As they look for innovative ways to exploit the disruption they will get every employee to contribute to the fight by providing a supportive and nurturing environment. It is a tall order and this is what will make 2017 an exciting year to watch! he added. Confident organisations Richard Jolly, adjunct professor of Organisational Behaviour said: Im very focused on what defines the great organisations emerging today. Over the next year well continue to see that the organisations that flourish are those that are confident not over-confident, nor under-confident. There are several key characteristics your organisation will require to enable you to retain this middle ground. Firstly, youll need a clear sense of purpose. Youll enable everyone in your company to play to their strengths and youll create a culture of collaboration where people know they can support but also challenge each other. In this confident organisation you don't simply rely on your knowledge and expertise for success, but rather on your ability to work effectively with others. You create high levels of trust by listening and being open to ideas from all around the organisation and you develop high levels of individual and organisational resilience (our capacity to cope with the demands of our environment). If you can do all of that youll be well on the way to enjoying a great year, he added. Unicorns go public In 2017, were likely to see at least a few highly valued unicorns go public, as their early-venture capital backers will want to see liquidity on their investments, said John Mullins, associate professor of Management Practice in Marketing and Entrepreneurship and author of The Customer-Funded Business. Whether these companies perhaps Airbnb, Uber or Dropbox, perhaps others will fare well as public companies remains to be seen. And whether any such initial public offerings will create knock-on effects in making early stage capital more available to promising tech start-ups is equally unclear. Apart from those in Silicon Valley or in a very few other financing hotspots around the world, in 2017, most entrepreneurs are going to have to continue to finance and grow their start-ups the old-fashioned way just as Michael Dell and Microsofts Bill Gates and Paul Allen did using their customers funds. Global economic uncertainty 2017 is likely to be a bumpy year for the global economy, with major economies facing political uncertainty too. The American economy will be led by a new president who faces a backlash against globalisation that could stymie trade deals. Even though its unlikely that globalisation will be rolled back, the lack of progress on opening markets and rising protectionist sentiment may contribute to prolonging the stagnant trade growth of the past year, said Linda Yueh, adjunct professor of Economics. China, the worlds second biggest economy, continues to be plagued by concerns over its slowing growth and rising levels of debt and could also see its president consolidating more power, which adds another level of uncertainty. The Chinese government is likely to continue to use fiscal stimulus to boost growth in 2017, despite concerns over how investment adds to debt. Finally, France, Germany and others all have elections or a referendum in 2017 that could see changes in government at a crucial time for the Eurozone, and the UK plans to formally trigger Brexit talks by March 2017. For all these nations, political headwinds may well be as important as economic reform plans in 2017. Brexit negotiations Madan Pillutla, professor of Organisational Behaviour, said: The Brexit talks could become a drawn-out process if either party is unwilling to compromise. If after one and a half years they havent agreed anything, there will be a sense of urgency, with people panicking and doing deals that quickly unravel. The concern for me is that the negotiations become farcical. The best outcome for both parties is to have a clear idea of what they want before holding talks, to ensure a clean break. The UKs best hope is that the EU has a strong set of negotiators with a clearly articulated position so the UK can strike a deal with them quickly. On both sides people will need to consciously not let any personal insults that were hurled before the Brexit vote to get in the way now. But thats easier said than done: many sensible, bright people from the EU who live in the UK feel a sense of rejection, which is hard to get past. This wasnt a positive vote to affirm the UKs independence in the world it was a rejection of what the EU stands for. The question is: can the EU representatives get past that and move forward? he concluded. TradeArabia News Service CHEYENNE A bill that would have protected gay people from discrimination at work failed in the Wyoming Senate late last Thursday afternoon. Senate File 153 would have created protected classes for everyone gay, straight and bisexual and said no one could be hired, fired, promoted or demoted based on their sexual orientation. Sara Burlingame, the education and outreach coordinator for the LGBT organization Wyoming Equality, said the debate contained references to religion, including some by bill supporter Sen. Stephan Pappas. Pappas said his Greek Orthodox faith doesnt condone homosexuality. But in the business world Pappas is an architect he knows Wyoming can be perceived as not being inclusive, which could hurt the Equality State, said Burlingame, who watched the debate. Opponents to the bill told fellow senators they wanted to watch what the courts would say on gays, Burlingame said. While Wyomings LGBT community hasnt made any gains this legislative session, it hasnt lost ground, either. Were deeply disappointed, Burlingame said. Although we knew this bill would be an uphill battle this year (when there are budget challenges before the Legislature). At the end of the day, were celebrating we defeated House Bill 135, which was the most draconian bill. HB135 would have allowed people to not provide services, follow company policies or abide by laws that they found objectionable to their religious beliefs or moral convictions. Casper Charla begins Would you like to practice conversational Spanish or help others learn? Come and join the Casper Charla! Te gustaria platicar en espanol? Ven y charla con nosotros! Todos son bienvenidos! Come and join us on the second Wednesday of each month this spring. We meet at a different restaurant each month and partake in food, drink and conversation. All levels of Spanish are welcome, from beginning to native-speakers. Nos reunimos los miercoles en varios restaurantes en Casper. Ven por una copa, un antojito o simplemente una charlita. Wednesday, Feb. 8, 5-7 p.m.: El Toro; Wednesday, March 8, 5-7 p.m.: Guadalajara; Wednesday, April 12, 5-7 p.m.: La Costa; Wednesday, May 10, 5-7 p.m.: La Cocina. Archaeologists hear coroner speak The monthly meeting of the Casper Chapter of the Wyoming Archaeological Society will be held at 7 p.m., on Wednesday, Feb. 8, on the ground floor of the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission Building, 2211 King Blvd. Please use the entrance on the east side of the building. Following a brief business meeting, Connie Jacobson, RN, the current Natrona County coroner, will talk about the coroners role in Death on the Prairie. Visitors and potential new members are welcome. Please contact Mavis Greer, chapter president, at mavis@greerservices.com if you have any questions. Beekeepers meet Natrona County Beekeepers Association will meet at 7 p.m., on Thursday, Feb. 9, in the basement of the College Heights Baptist Church, 600 West 21st Street. This group is for those thinking about becoming a beekeeper or those who already have hives. A group order to purchase bees is in the works. Coin club meets The Casper Coin Club will meet at 7 p.m., on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, in the Crawford Room of the downtown library. There will be a talk on three-cent coins. Call Al Leske at 237-1156 for more information. Elks Sweetheart Ball Sweetheart Ball Dinner and Dance in the Casper Elks Lodge Ballroom on Saturday, Feb. 11. Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. in the ballroom. Menu options are prime rib, $25; crab legs, $35, or $55 for both. Price includes a $5 drink ticket. We will have a theatre production with a pirate theme. This play is not age appropriate for children. Members, significant other and guest accompanied by a member. For more information, call 234-4839 or 237-2432. Woman as president forum topic Why its Harder for a Woman to Become a President than a Prime Minister is the subject Dr. Stephanie Anderson will address at the next Democratic Womens Forum on Saturday, Feb. 11. Her talk will follow the noon buffet luncheon at the Ramkota Hotel dining room. An associate professor of political science at the University of Wyoming, Dr. Anderson has wide experience in international relations, having studied in various foreign countries, as well as focusing her research on the European Union (EU) as an international actor. Democratic Forums are open to all persons interested regardless of gender. Luncheons are $15 per person, including tax and gratuity. Reservations are requested by calling Jerre at 234-8625 by Thursday (Feb. 9) prior to the meeting. Father Daughter at Elks Lodge The annual Father Daughter Dinner and Dance at the Casper Elks Lodge is Feb. 25. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. Music by Good Times Only. If you dont have a daughter, borrow one and come down for dinner, dancing and door prizes and get your picture taken. Ticket prices are fathers, $10; daughters ages 14 and up, $9; ages 8 to 13, $8, and ages 7 and under are free. For more information, call 234-4839. NARFE has social Casper Chapter #358 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) will have a no-host Social Meeting at noon on Feb. 28, in the meeting room at the Casper Senior Center at 1831 East 4th Street. Mardi Gras Bingo Mardi Gras Bingo, sponsored by Reveille Rotary of Casper, is 6 to 8 p.m., on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at the Casper Senior Center, 1831 E. 4th Street. Enjoy Bingo fun for the whole family. Tickets are $20 for two Bingo cards. There will be eight $25 games, nine $50 games, one $250 game and one $500 game. Concessions will be available (including homemade slices of pie). Proceeds benefit Wyoming Dementia Care. Tickets can be purchased from any Reveille Rotary member or at First Interstate Bank Downtown. Scholarship notice The Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration Central Wyoming Section offers up to four $2,500 scholarships, the Coates, Wolff, Russell, and Swank Memorial scholarships. Applicant must have graduated from a Wyoming high school, must be enrolled full-time for the 2016-2017 academic year, upperclassmen current college sophomore, junior, senior or graduate student, enrolled in mining/mineral extraction-related discipline, and have a 3.0 GPA minimum. Application forms are available by email request to smecasper@gmail.com Civil Air Patrol meets each month Civil Air Patrol meets from 7 to 9 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at Casper National Guard Armory, 5905 CY Ave. For more information, call 259-0855. Stammtisch at Applebees The Casper German Stammtisch is meeting weekly on Thursdays at Applebees from 6:30 to 8 p.m. New this year on the second Thursday of each month we will focus on speaking German! All ability levels are welcome, as long as they are eager to hear German. Fundraisers API holds raffles The API, in conjunction with the 25th Annual Chili Cook-off, is holding a raffle for a chance to win $15,000 in total cash prizes, including a $10,000 cash grand prize. Tickets are $20 each with a maximum of 2,700 being sold. The drawing will be held Feb. 18 at the API Chili Cook Off with proceeds benefiting many Casper charities. You dont have to be present to win. Tickets are available from any API board member. For more info, call Bob at 473-2230. The API, in conjunction with the 25th Annual Chili Cook-off, is holding a raffle to win either a Henry 44 Mag rifle or a Stainless SW1911 .45 pistol (first ticket drawn wins their choice of the two, second ticket drawn wins the other). Tickets are $5 each. The drawing will be held February 18th at the API Chili Cook-off with proceeds benefiting many Casper charities. You dont have to be present to win. Tickets are available from any API board member. For more information, call Bob at 473-2230. Community impact at Pizza Ranch Pizza Ranch, 5011 E. Second St., hosts Community Impact nights from 5 to 9 p.m. normally on Mondays and Wednesdays. Members of nonprofit groups bus tables for tips, and 20 percent of meal tickets from diners who mention the group are donated as well. Dine-in, delivery or pickup orders qualify. Feb. 8, Casper Voltage Softball Team; Feb. 9, CY Middle School; Feb. 13, Bullwinkle's 4-H Group; Feb. 15, ASSW; Feb. 16, Midwest Physics Club; Feb. 20, 4-H Goat Herders; Feb. 22, Casper College Nursing Students; Feb. 23, NCHS Speech and Debate; Feb. 27, KWHS Orchestra. Relay for Life daffodil sales The American Cancer Society is having its annual Daffodil Sales to benefit the local Relay for Life. Flowers may be ordered until Feb. 17, and they will be delivered around March 8. The cost is $10 for one bouquet of 10 buds; $40 for five bouquets of 10 buds; and $70 for 10 bouquets of 10 buds. All proceeds benefit Relay for Life. To order please contact any local Relay for Life team or Jennifer with the American Cancer Society at 235-0044. API Chili Cook-off Feb. 18 Saturday, Feb. 18, is the 25th annual API Chili Cook Off at the Casper Events Center. This year the cook-off is dedicated to Brian Scott with the theme of 25 Years in Oil & Gas -- Lets Make it BOOM! Last year over $100,000 was raised and distributed to over 20 Casper charities. If you would like to be a sponsor or for more information please contact Nick Bailey at 259-7088, Pat Sullivan at 277-5272, or visit www.casperapi.com/api-chili-cook-off. Sale at Hospice boutique Visit the new Memory Lane Boutique, 319 S. Wilson St., inside the administration building of Central Wyoming Hospice & Transitions. Hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Current inventory includes jewelry, household goods, furniture, books, pictures, games, and candles. Donations are gladly accepted; all proceeds benefit Central Wyoming Hospice. If you would like more information, please call 577-4832. Wild sheep license raffle The Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation 2017 Game & Fish Commissioners License Raffle is underway. Tickets are $100 each and only 300 will be sold. Enter to win one of 10 items to be given away at the annual Wyoming Wild Sheep Banquet on June 3, 2017 in Casper. Winners need not be present to win. First prize is a Wyoming Game and Fish Commissioners 2017 License; second prize, seven-day Caribbean Cruise or $2,000; third prize, Kimber Classic .338 Win. Mag. rifle; fourth prize, Nikon 13-30 x 50mm rifle scope; fifth prize, Ruger Precision 6.5 Creedmore rifle; sixth prize, Ruger Redhawk .44 Mag. revolver; seventh prize, Sony Cybershot DSC-HX300 camera; eighth prize, Nikon Monarch 7, 10x42 binoculars; ninth prize, Bushnell 14 megapixel trophy cam HD; 10th place, Ruger American .45 ACP pistol. Tickets are available online at http://wyomingwildsheep.org. MISSOULA, Mont. A University of Montana research institute says that more than 12 million tourists visited the Big Sky State last year, spending nearly $3.5 billion and supporting nearly 53,000 jobs. Montana's mountains, rivers, lakes, wildlife and national parks are a bigger and bigger draw, according to the university's Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research. Norma Nickerson, the institute's director, says the owners of Montana tourism-dependent business expect even more business this year. Nearly 70 percent of the 4.2 million people who visited Yellowstone National Park last year came through Montana. Glacier National Park had nearly 3 million visitors in 2016, up a third from 2012. In his 85 years, Dick Hatfield has done some unusual experiments to capture his students attention. On Tuesday he added to that list. You can do it! shouted 8-year-old Sariah Morrison in encouragement. Hes going to make history! Over the top of his red plaid shirt and jeans Hatfield pulled on an 8-pound pair of rubberized fishing chest waders and, after taking out his hearing aids and removing his glasses, jumped into the deep end of the swimming pool at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana. His demonstration was meant to prove a point to 12 students of the Billings Educational Academy. Im trying to dispute a myth, he said prior to his splash down. Floating in waders The myth Hatfield referred to is that an angler who falls into the water while fishing will drown if he or she is wearing waders. To emphasize his point he jumped into the pool one more time. It should be noted there was a lifeguard on duty, and no one is suggesting that this experiment be repeated either in a pool, lake or river by anyone else. On the back of a recycled piece of paper Hatfield had a neatly penned breakdown of an old survey conducted of 100 anglers and outdoors folks that showed a majority 82 percent figured a person fully clothed and wearing chest waders would be in deep trouble if they accidentally fell into water 8 to 10 feet deep. Try to keep your head above water, Hatfield said as he floated in the pool. Despite a soaked head and clothes, Hatfield was able to stroke over to the side of the pool and lift the additional 15 pounds of water now sloshing around in the bottom of his waders to climb out of the pool to the cheers of the students. He has the neatest things he teaches the kids, said Margo Haak, the academys director. He makes them think. Ive known him for years, said Mariah Willis, an 18-year-old student at the academy. He knows a lot of cool tricks. Cool dude Hatfield, a longtime resident of Laurel, Montana, is typically shy of the medias spotlight, but hes always been a font of advice on everything from whats the best color for someone stranded in the wilderness to wave so a passing plane can see them blue, not orange to how to survive a cold night out. In the past hes given tips on attracting buck deer to your hunting stand using doe urine, as well as meditation methods and positions to help relieve pain. For 16 years, since the academy opened in 2001, hes been sharing some of his knowledge with the students on a monthly basis. Hes just a real cool dude, Willis said. And Im very happy to know him. Haak said the youngsters in her charge, ranging in age from 5 to 18, are learning one very important lesson, above all the others, from Hatfields monthly visits. He never stops learning, she said. Hes the role model you want your kids to emulate. Dont panic Treading water and using slow swimming motions should enable someone to swim to safety, knowledge that Hatfield hopes will ease someones fear and panic should they find themselves drifting downriver. He advises that anglers wearing chest waders use a belt to cinch the material tight and lesson the amount of water that enters. Or, he noted with a smile, having a pot belly can serve the same purpose. Hatfield admitted that jumping into a pool of still water cant compare to an anglers unexpected dip in a cold, rushing river where theres current and obstacles like overhanging logs, branches and boulders. But he said the basic premise is the same. He also noted that the current can be beneficial in helping to propel a floating angler to shore. Youve got to go with the flow, face downstream and watch out for obstacles, he said. Its a statement that seems to say as much about life and Hatfields life in particular as it does about a floating angler. If we can save a life someday, then so be it, he said. The mourners gathered at the Kelly Walsh High School soccer field, gripping bright yellow balloons to protect them from the relentless afternoon wind. Inscribed on the balloons were messages written in black ink. Fly away. My best friend. I love you so much. The messages were for Aurora Rohrer, a 16-year-old student and member of the schools dance team. Two days earlier, she had headed to Riverton to watch her boyfriend wrestle for Natrona County High School. On the trip, the driver lost control in slick conditions, spun into oncoming traffic and was hit by a pickup. Aurora died later at a hospital in Casper. On the first day of school since the crash, more than 200 people walked onto the turf to remember their classmate, their friend. I wrote #ForAurora, explained Dayton Stone, a Kelly Walsh student who said he was friends with Aurora. She was one of the best people I ever met. ... She was so kind. And pretty, he said, smiling. Beyond pretty. Student Teryn Christian stood on the turf field and cried as she described missing the funeral of a friend over the summer. So even though she didnt really know Aurora, she was here, for Aurora, and for her friend. Standing beside her was Kiaya Johnson. She knew Aurora: Once, after a grandparent died, she was walking to the high schools counseling office. She broke down and Aurora was there to comfort and hold her. She crumpled to the floor with me as I broke down, Kiaya said, her voice cracking. She added that Aurora had stood up for her in the past, when shed been bullied. After Kiaya heard about her friends death, she didnt want it to be real. I wanted it to be my worst nightmare, she said. It wasnt. Aurora was the passenger in a 2006 Chevy Trailblazer that was traveling west on U.S. Highway 20/26 on Saturday. Driving was another Kelly Walsh student, who has not been identified pending the investigation, the Wyoming Highway Patrol announced Monday. Kelly Walsh High School Principal Brad Diller, who was at the balloon release and yelled over the wind about unity, said the driver is recovering at home. In slick road conditions, the driver attempted to pass another vehicle before the crest of a hill in a no-passing zone, according to the highway patrol. The driver lost control, spun into the eastbound lanes and was hit by a 2005 GMC Sierra pickup that was also towing a horse trailer. The pickup was driven by 41-year-old Riverton resident Clint Acres and was cresting the hill when the Trailblazer spun into the eastbound lanes. Two passengers were riding with him. All five people were wearing their seat belts. Acres, his passengers and Auroras driver were taken to Wyoming Medical Center, where they were treated and released. Aurora was flown to the same hospital, where she died. The Highway Patrol is investigating traveling at a speed too fast for the highway conditions and passing in a no-passing zone as factors in the crash. Rohrers death is the seventh highway death in Wyoming so far this year. In a brief interview Monday morning, Diller said he was meeting with students and that counselors were available. Some students were meeting with counselors in groups and others were meeting individually. A lot of people here trying to help kids, he said. A statement on the Kelly Walsh dance teams Facebook page, posted Sunday morning, asked for prayers for the family. As we wake this morning it is without our beautiful teammate. We can not express the sorrow and emptiness we feel, the statement said. Please pray for her familys comfort. We love you Aurora! There were also counselors available at Natrona County High School. A students parent committed suicide last week, so the counseling staff was already mobilized, said principal Shannon Harris. She stressed that although KW and NC are different schools, theyre still unified in tragedy. The two schools play each other in basketball Thursday, and students from both schools plan to wear all white. Harris said they also plan to wear leis. Auroras uncle, Louis Rohrer, explained that Aurora loved Hawaii. Stone said it was her dream to live there. Jacob Dietz, a Natrona County basketball player, was at the balloon release with other boys wearing NC jackets over collared shirts and ties. They were supposed to play a game tonight, he explained, but it was canceled because of Auroras death. He said he and his classmates wanted to show support with Kelly Walsh. As a city, were kind of united right now in this heartbreak, he said. After Diller shouted instructions, the balloons were let go, caught by the wind and pulled into the blue-gray sky. President Donald Trump has long expressed a desire for improved relations with Moscow, but his latest comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin and the U.S. are leading some fellow Republicans, including Rep. Liz Cheney, to take a step back from the president on this issue at least. Told by Fox News Bill OReilly during an interview that the Russian leader is a killer, Trump said the U.S. has killers, too. What do you think? Our countrys so innocent? Trump said during the taped interview broadcast during Sundays Super Bowl pregame show. Trump has praised Putin and signaled that U.S.-Russia relations could be in for a makeover under his leadership, even after U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. During Putins years in power, a number of prominent Russian opposition figures and journalists have been killed. Some prominent Republicans were quick to criticize the presidents comparison of the U.S. and Russia, including Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming. @POTUS statement suggesting moral equivalence between Putins Russia and the United States of America is deeply troubling and wrong, Cheney said in a Twitter post. It was not the first time Cheney has been outspoken against Trumps feelings toward Putin and Russia. In a January interview with the Star-Tribune, she said Trump was wrong on his views of Putin and unfavorable impressions of NATO. She then said I hope that well see a change. I think we have to be really clear-eyed about who our adversaries are, and Vladimir Putin is not our friend; hes clearly an adversary, she told reporters during the wide-ranging interview. Trump said in a recent Fox interview that he respects a lot of people, including Putin, but that doesnt mean Im going to get along with him. Hes a leader of his country. I say its better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world thats a good thing, Trump said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group. Will I get along with him? I have no idea. OReilly then said about Putin: But hes a killer, though. Putins a killer. Trump responded: There are a lot of killers. Weve got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our countrys so innocent? When OReilly says he doesnt know any U.S. government leaders who are killers, Trump said take a look at what weve done, too. Weve made a lot of mistakes, and then he referenced the Iraq war. The Kremlin voiced anger over OReillys characterization. Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, refused to comment on Trumps reply but lashed out at Fox, calling OReillys remarks unacceptable and offensive. We would like to receive an apology to the president from this respected organization, Peskov told reporters on Monday, referring to Fox News. In addition to Cheney, other Republicans and Democrats took exception to Trumps words. Putins a former KGB agent. Hes a thug. He was not elected in a way that most people would consider a credible election, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told CNNs State of the Union. The Russians annexed Crimea, invaded Ukraine and messed around in our elections. And no, I dont think theres any equivalency between the way the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does. Added Sen. Ben Sasse, of Nebraska, one of Trumps Republican critics: There is no moral equivalency between the United States of America, the greatest freedom living nation in the history of the world, and the murderous thugs that are in Putins defense of his cronyism. OReilly also asked Trump to back up his claim that some 3 million to 5 million illegal votes were cast in the election. Trump didnt answer directly, but shifted to assert that immigrants in the U.S. illegally and dead people are on the voter rolls. Its really a bad situation. Its really bad, Trump said. There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the Nov. 8 election. Trump won the Electoral College vote but lost the popular vote by nearly 2.9 million votes to Clinton. Trump recently announced on Twitter that he would call for a major investigation into voter fraud. He said during the Fox News interview that he will set up a commission to be headed by Vice President Mike Pence and were going to look at it very, very carefully. Asked earlier about Trumps promised investigation, McConnell said he saw no federal role because states historically have handled voter fraud investigations. I dont think we ought to spend any federal money investigating that, he said on CNN. On other issues, Trump said in the interview that: Californias consideration of legislation to become a statewide sanctuary for people living in the country illegally is ridiculous. He suggested withholding federal funding as a possible punishment. Plans to enact a complete replacement for the Affordable Care Act could slip into next year. I would like to say by the end of the year, at least the rudiments, but we should have something within the year and the following year. Living in the White House is a surreal experience in a certain way, but you have to get over it, because theres so much work to be done. CHEYENNE A bill creating a committee to discuss revenue options in Wyoming passed the state Senates Committee of the Whole on Thursday. Meanwhile, a bill creating a new study called Tax Reform 2020 failed in the Senate Revenue Committee. The bill that is advancing, Senate File 131, creates the Select Committee on State Revenues and is made up of legislative leadership. That committee would review existing revenues and address revenue options over the course of the next year in order to sponsor legislation for the 2018 budget session. Both Senate President Eli Bebout, R-Riverton, and House Speaker Steve Harshman, R-Casper, have signed on to the bill. Its a problem we need to take very seriously, Bebout said. If SF 131 passes the full Senate, it will go to the House of Representatives. However, Senate File 159 will not continue. That bill, sponsored by Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie (who also signed on to SF 131), would have created a similar committee to create a long-term revenue study for the state. The report produced by that committee would have conceptually been called Tax Reform 2020, and would be an updated version of the Tax Reform 2000 effort. Rothfuss said the reports goal would be to envision Wyoming with a diversified economy in 2040 and see what tax structure would be needed at that time to support the state. However, some senators felt the bill was too similar to SF 131, and the bill was voted down in committee on a 3-2 vote. Sens. Cale Case, R-Lander, and Ray Peterson, R-Cowley, voted in favor of the bill. Sens. Affie Ellis, R-Cheyenne; Dave Kinskey, R-Sheridan; and Jeff Wasserburger, R-Gillette, voted against it. Unless youve been buried under snow, which is a distinct possibility these days, its hard to miss the ongoing debate about education funding in Wyoming. The legislative session is in full swing, and the topic thats center stage is the current economic downturn and the resulting shortfall in funding. At the heart of this debate are your fundamental rights as a citizen of Wyoming, or in this case, the fundamental rights of your children. A fundamental right is one that has been recognized as having a high degree of protection from government encroachment, one deemed to be so important, the constitutional framers, either federal or state, declared them in writing. In the U.S. Constitution, its called the Bill of Rights. In the Wyoming Constitution, our fundamental rights are outlined in Article I within the Declaration of Rights. Just above your right to bear arms is Section 23: Education. The framers of the Wyoming Constitution believed that education deserved the same protections as your right to due process, a trial by jury, and of course, your right to bear arms. And a good many of us agree. Others have expressed a different point of view, but the Wyoming Supreme Court has been clear, ruling four times between 1995 and 2008: Education is a fundamental right for the children of Wyoming and must be a funding priority. To ensure no further misunderstanding occurred, the Wyoming Supreme Court outlined how K-12 education must be treated in our state in three key acts: The Legislature was directed to define a basket of goods every Wyoming child should receive. The Legislature was directed to undertake cost of education studies to determine the actual cost of providing this basket for all students. The Legislature was directed to fund the basket. But as Hamlet said: Ay, theres the rub. Over the last few years, Wyoming has seen a reduction in the energy-related revenues that fund education. This is what appears to be driving our current Legislatures desire to reduce education funding. That seems reasonable, right? But reason isnt always what it seems. Consider Senate Joint Resolution 9 (SJ9). Its stated purpose is to amend the Wyoming Constitution to specify that the legislature determines the adequacy of public school funding and prohibiting courts from requiring funding beyond that prescribed by law. This amendment is designed to strip the children of Wyoming of the fundamental right to an adequate and equitable education. If passed, K-12 education funding will become a discretionary decision by the Wyoming legislature. It also states that defining a quality education falls solely to legislators. Children, or those who serve them, could no longer use the court system to challenge their decisions. However strong our desire to balance the budget, it does not justify the removal of a fundamental right. Would we limit free speech to balance the budget? Freedom of religion? We most certainly wouldnt. Stripping children of their fundamental right to an equitable education as a means to address a financial crisis is contrary to everything for which the Equality State stands. SJ009 is irresponsible, unethical political maneuvering that will eliminate checks and balances and change education in Wyoming forever. Yet we must address our shortfall. House Bill 0236, the Omnibus bill on education, calls for creating a Joint Select Committee on Education Funding, including an advisory committee composed of a cross-section of Wyoming people, to work together and identify solutions. Now this is a reasonable idea. Will education continue to be a fundamental right of the children of Wyoming? For now, thats in the hands of our legislators, and when needed, the Wyoming Supreme Court, as it should be. Should the legislature pass SJ9, it will soon be in the hands of voters. Unfortunately, the group that has the most to lose doesnt get a say. They entrust us to speak and act for them. It took the Wyoming Supreme Court and three important acts to ensure every child in Wyoming had access to their fundamental right to an adequate and equitable education. Should we fail to protect that right, it would be Wyoming tragedy, in one awful act. Things are moving very quickly in the legislature now. Bills will be voted on as early as this week. If you and your family value public education in Wyoming, please contact your representative today, before its too late, and ask them to vote no on SJ9. Much-dreaded sharia law, or something resembling it, may well be coming to the United States. Just not in the form many Americans expected. That is, the religiously motivated laws creeping into public policymaking arent based on the Koran, and they arent coming from mythical hard-line Islamists in, say, Dearborn, Michigan. Theyre coming from the White House, which wants to make it easier for hard-line Christians to impose their beliefs and practices on the rest of us. A few days after declaring his intention to impose a religious test upon refugees so that Christians would be given priority, President Trump gave a bizarre speech at the National Prayer Breakfast. In between a plug for The Apprentice and boasts about his disastrous calls with heads of allied states, he made some less-noticed policy news. He vowed to help blur the line between church and state by repealing the Johnson Amendment. For those unfamiliar, this tax code provision bars tax-exempt entities such as churches and charitable organizations from participating in campaigns for or against political candidates. It dates to 1954, when it was signed by Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower. It was not terribly controversial at the time. The provision basically says that if you want to be exempted from paying taxes meaning you are effectively subsidized by other taxpayers, who pay for your access to emergency services, roads and other government functions you cant be involved in partisan politics. You cant, among other things, take tax-deductible donations from your worshippers and turn around and spend them on political campaigns. Thats just the trade-off you agree to make. Certain religious organizations, in particular those from the evangelical Christian community, have opposed this law in recent years. And during the campaign, Trump indicated hed do his darnedest to get them what they really want: not the ability to endorse candidates from the pulpit a practice that the IRS has already been ignoring but the ability to funnel taxpayer-subsidized funds into the political process. The president cant totally destroy the law unilaterally, despite Trumps pledge to do so; hell need action from Congress, but that may not be hard to secure these days. Republicans control both houses of Congress, and the most recent Republican platform included a commitment to repeal the Johnson Amendment. Also this week, the Nations Sarah Posner published a leaked draft of an executive order that would require federal agencies to look the other way when private organizations discriminate based on religious beliefs. Coincidentally, these seem to primarily be religious beliefs held by conservative Christians. The effect of the order might be to create wholesale exemptions to anti-discrimination law for people, nonprofits and closely held for-profit corporations that claim religious objections to same-sex marriage, premarital sex, abortion and transgender identity. It would also curb womens access to contraception through the Affordable Care Act. (A White House official did not dispute the drafts authenticity.) This is, of course, all in the name of preserving religious freedom. Except that it allows some people to practice religious freedom by denying jobs, services and potentially public accommodation to those with differing beliefs. The order, if signed, would seem to exceed the executive branchs authority, Posner notes; moreover, given that the orders language appears to privilege some religious beliefs over others, it may violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment. Trump has also chosen personnel who seem keen on muddying the distinction between church and state. For example, his embattled education secretary nominee, Betsy DeVos, has advocated that government dollars be channeled to religious schools through relatively expansive voucher programs. (During the campaign, Trump also said that public funds should follow students to the private school of their choice, explicitly including religious schools.) During her confirmation hearings, DeVoss cryptic comments about supporting science education that encourages critical thinking have also been interpreted as well-established code for supporting the teaching of intelligent design, a sort of dressed-up creationism. I wish I could say that only a tiny fringe believes Christian practices deserve pride of place in public life and policymaking. But thats not the case. In a poll released this week by the Pew Research Center, Americans were asked what made someone truly American. A third of respondents overall, and 43 percent of Republicans, said you need to be Christian. That would exclude me, as well as about 30 percent of the population. The far right has done a lot of fear-mongering about the undue influence that religious fanatics may soon exert on the body politic. Seems they better understood what they were talking about than most of us realized. JERUSALEM Israels prime minister is moving ahead with a contentious law that would legalize dozens of settlement outposts in the West Bank, despite claims by experts that the bill itself is illegal and a warning from the White House that settlement construction may not be helpful. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under intense pressure from members of his coalition to bring the bill to a vote in parliament following last weeks court-ordered demolition of an illegally built settlement outpost. But he risks drawing angry international condemnations, possibly even from the ostensibly friendly Trump administration, if he pushes forward. Netanyahus nationalist coalition is dominated by West Bank settlers and their supporters. The Jewish Home, a powerful coalition ally, has been leading the calls to vote on the outpost law this week, perhaps as soon as Monday. Jewish Home says that with a friendly president in office, it is time for Netanyahu to lay out a clear policy for the West Bank, including the possible annexation of parts of the occupied territory. Netanyahu has sent mixed signals about the legislation, publicly voicing support while also reportedly expressing private misgivings. On Sunday, he indicated that he might once again delay the vote in a possible sign he is rethinking his support. Jewish Home lawmaker Shuli Moalem-Refaeli, one of the bills sponsors, said that the West Bank is dotted with outposts that she claimed had been built over the years in good faith and should now be legalized. What has been established cannot be destroyed, she told Israel Radio. Israels powerful settler lobby was jolted last week by the court-ordered demolition of Amona, an outpost found to have been built on private Palestinian land. Over 40 families were forced from their homes, putting pressure on the government to respond. Proponents of the new legislation are bent on passing it to prevent similar scenes from taking place. The bill would retroactively legalize several thousand homes built illegally on private Palestinian land. The original landowners would be compensated either with money or alternative land, even if they do not agree to give up their property. Critics have said the bill will not pass legal muster. Netanyahus own attorney general has said he will not defend the bill before the countrys Supreme Court, and Netanyahu has reportedly expressed concerns that the legislation could strengthen a case against Israel in the International Criminal Court. SCORE and the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association hosted a How To Make A Million Dollars Networking workshop on Jan. 27, during which a panel ofexperts, including executives from BNI, Good to Glam and Tucson Business Club, shared their best advice on generating referrals. The panel was facilitated by Paul Bellows of Be Good at Doing Good. Here is an overview: Your time is your most important resource. If you are looking to generate referral business, be strategic and seek out ways to be more profitable and productive with the time you invest. Too many people spend time networking to collect lots of business cards, but not a lot of business. The most powerful referral partners are called strategic partners. They are well connected to a large number of your potential clients. You need to understand who your strategic partners are. They can send you significant amounts of business on a consistent basis. Too many people look for clients at networking events when they should be searching for strategic partnerships instead. A group of people will accomplish more than an individual can. Join the right group for your business, and leverage the power a group represents. Too many businesses visit several groups and never join any of them. Being a member of the right group will deliver much more value than being a visitor of many. Read the recent Biz Tips article on selecting the right group for your business. Once you have identified your strategic partners and joined the right group, it is time to build those relationships. Do research before you meet so you know something about them. Bring value to the first meeting, maybe it is a referral, an introduction or a speaking engagement. Do not sell yourself, that will come later. Do everything you can to make a great first impression. A new service is helping Tucson seniors stay independent, healthy and socially active without having to get behind the wheel of a car. Envoy America, a Scottsdale-based ridesharing company that offers door-to-door service for senior citizens, launched in Tucson in January. Because were more than just a transportation service, were there to assist and in some ways be a companion for that senior, said Cindy Hartin, the senior vice president of operations in Tucson. After 15 months operating in Phoenix, Envoy America averaged around 300 to 400 hours a week in rides serviced by 30 drivers, Hartin said. Tucson was the natural next step, given the number of snowbirds and retirees in the community, according to Hartin. While Envoy America primarily caters to senior citizens, the company has a contract with the American Cancer Society in Tucsons Road to Recovery Program that provides transportation for cancer patients of any age receiving treatment. They will also drive any individual who needs the service, regardless of age. The goal in Tucson is to provide up to 500 hours of rides a week serviced by 35 to 40 drivers in 2017, Hartin said. She plans to meet with medical providers, businesses, retirement communities, hospitals, and physicians, to educate them about the program, and recruit interested drivers. Frank Gould, a retired urologist from Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the first driver hired in Tucson. He found out about Envoy America from a friend who drives for the company in Phoenix, and knew that he wanted to get involved. There is a need for people that are disadvantaged to be able to get out in the world, Gould said. The fact is that youre going to be a companion for this person, help them to the doctors office, you go shopping with them, you get them into their home and make sure that youre safe and sound. Its really a nice niche and one thats really needed and underutilized because it hasnt been available. Training to become a driver involves attending seminars in safe driving, how to work with people who have difficulty communicating, have memory loss, and have physical disabilities. Drivers must also be CPR certified. Once they complete training and start working, drivers are paid $16 per hour. Additionally, all drivers for Envoy America must be 50 years or older. Its important that its someone that they can relate to, Hartin said. For aging individuals, its important to be patient and take that time to explain what the process is, so we just find that middle-aged demographic has the time and understanding of those folks. Another feature of Envoy America that sets it apart from other ridesharing services is how it sets its prices. The service charges $35 for the first hour, but that can include a round trip or multiple stops. After the first hour, customers are charged $1 per minute, but if theres an extended wait, they only get charged half the price. Payment information is taken in advance, so clients do not have to worry about it during their ride. Drivers with Envoy America will wait for customers and make as many stops as they want. On Goulds first drive, he shopped and had breakfast with his 90-year-old customer at Whole Foods and then took him to do some banking. Customers can also specifically request drivers if they feel comfortable with them. For Steve Dickstein, Gould might be a perfect match Gould and Dickstein both went to school for urology in Michigan, and after just one ride together, Gould talked about Dickstein as if they were old friends. Dickstein said that the ridesharing service was convenient and that he will probably use it again. A gourmet cake and pie shop opened its door in Tucson this past weekend and was greeted by a long line of fans of the Mexican delicacies. Suspiros Cakes first U.S. shop is at 5327 S. 12th Ave. A second Tucson shop is planned for Ajo Way and 12th Avenue and a third Arizona store will open in Nogales in the Loma Linda mall. The first opening was a hit, said Juan Pablo Briseno, the companys director of U.S. operations. Weve been embraced. The shop is open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. The Hermosillo, Sonora-based chain has 263 shops in 22 states throughout Mexico. The company hopes to expand in the U.S. A grand opening with dignitaries from both sides of the border will be held Feb. 17 at 4:30 p.m. We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some Feb. 6 papers in history. With a subscription to newspapers.com you can search the Arizona Daily Star and many other newspapers using keywords or dates, and download articles or pages. More than 450 career and technical education students from all over Pima County will gather at the University of Arizona Student Union Ballroom, 1303 E. University Blvd. on Feb. 8 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to learn about 21st century careers. By the time Angel Cortez-Piries family discovered he had no immune system a condition often called bubble boy disease he was too sick for the treatment hed need to get well. As a result, Angel spent eight months hospitalized at Phoenix Childrens Hospital at an expensive and likely avoidable cost of $2 million, billed to Arizonas Medicaid program. Angel is one of the two to four Arizona babies born with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) every year. Most babies survive the rare disorder if screened for it and treated as newborns, the Maryland-based Immune Deficiency Foundation says. But Angel was not screened for the disease when he was born on May 6, 2015. Ninety percent of newborns in the U.S. are screened for SCID, but not babies born in Arizona, unless they are born on the Navajo Reservation, which has had screening since 2006. Babies like Angel, who have SCID that is not detected right away, face large medical bills and higher mortality rates than those screened as newborns. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services put SCID on its list of recommended core newborn screenings in 2010. In 2014, efforts to add an SCID test to newborn screening in Arizona failed. Now, theres another push. Gov. Doug Ducey in his 2017 State of the State speech said the 86,000 or so babies born in Arizona annually should be automatically screened for SCID, which affects up to 100 U.S. newborns per year. A recently introduced state bill SB 1368 would provide a funding mechanism to make that happen. On Wednesday, Angels mother and other advocates will be at the Legislature to urge passage of the bill. Higher-risk population While the risk of SCID in the general population is one in 55,000 live births, the risk is higher for Native American and Hispanic people, said Dr. Cara Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. In Native American populations, the risk is as high as one in 2,000 live births, and among Hispanics the risk is one in 25,000, a 2014 state Newborn Screening Advisory Committee analysis found. The department supports this newborn screening fully, Christ said. The key is ensuring there are enough funds. Arizona, Louisiana and Indiana are the only states that do not mandate newborn SCID screening. Through its newborn screening panel, Arizona looks for 30 disorders. SCID would be the 31st . Former Arizona Department of Health Services Director Will Humble said he became convinced that SCID should be added to Arizonas screening in 2014 because of the high-risk population in Arizona, the importance of the diagnosis timing, and because the cost benefits are clear. The cost-benefit ratio was almost five, meaning that for every dollar of costs to provide SCID screening, there will be about $5 worth of benefits, such as lower treatment costs, said Humble, now a division director at the University of Arizonas Health Sciences Center. But the compelling thing for me was the dramatically better outcomes that are possible with early treatment. $6 per baby The current proposal was introduced by Sen. Sylvia Allen, R-Snowflake, and was assigned to the Senates Health and Human Services Committee. It is scheduled for a hearing Wednesday afternoon. The cost of SCID screening is $6 per baby, which is an estimated $513,000 per year in money the state expects to recoup from hospitals and insurers. Allens bill would raise the fee for the states automatic first newborn screening panel from $30 to $36. The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, the states Medicaid program, would be billed an estimated $368,000 in screening costs, since most Arizona births are covered by AHCCCS. The state would pay $120,000 of that and the U.S. government would pay the remainder, agency deputy director Beth Kohler said. AHCCCS officials support the screening. The cost is a bargain when compared with the hospital bills of babies whose condition is diagnosed late, said Dr. Cindy Salm Bauer, an allergy and immunology specialist at Phoenix Childrens Hospital. They have horrendous hospital stays, Bauer said. In contrast, newborns who test positive for SCID can be given interventions that improve their chances. Those include isolation, antibiotics, antifungals, immunoglobulin replacement, and most importantly, hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation from sources like bone marrow, peripheral and cord blood. If they are screened and they dont get infections, they can be treated and have a healthy, normal life, Immune Deficiency Foundation founder and president Marcia Boyle said. It is a pediatric emergencyThere are children who never even get to a diagnosis. They pass away before anyone even understands what happened to them." The cost of early treatments can be as low as $50,000 in the first few months of life, compared with hospital bills that can run into the millions for later interventions, the foundation says. Bubble boy Rachael Pirie had heard of the bubble boy growing up. It was a shock, she said, to learn her son had the same condition. David Vetter, a Houston boy born in 1971, became known as the bubble boy because he lived in a protected bubble enclosure at Texas Childrens Hospital. When David was born, a born-marrow transplant from an exact match was the only fix for SCID. But no one in his family was an exact match. Davids life inspired a 1976 movie starring John Travolta, The Boy in the Plastic Bubble. Science eventually advanced to where SCID could be treated without a perfect bone-marrow blood match. David had a transplant with a donation from his sister, but died four months later at the age of 12. Hes credited with raising awareness of SCID, providing the impetus for newborn screening and furthering medical advances that have improved survival rates. For Angel, the diagnosis did not mean living in a bubble, though the conditions were close. The 6-pound infant was in isolation in Phoenix Childrens, and to see him, his parents had to scrub in and wear surgical masks and gowns. Pirie was told she could no longer breastfeed her son. More than once, the family thought he would die. Angel has since had two bone-marrow transplants, the most recent on Feb. 22. Though hes home now, he continues to struggle and has been hospitalized twice since March. Misdiagnosis Erica Billys daughter, Ava George, spent the months after her 2013 birth constantly at the ER or the doctor and was misdiagnosed with leukemia. She was not diagnosed with SCID until she was 5 months old and extremely ill. We almost lost Ava. The first five months of her life were a nightmare, Billy said. Luckily, Avas grandmother works in Tuba City (on the Navajo Reservation) and the doctor there told us to get a second opinion, because it looked like SCID. Ava, who lives in Chandler, spent eight months hospitalized in San Francisco and had a bone-marrow transplant in 2014. But she is still having problems, so shell have another transplant in March. Billy is not sure the exact cost of the medical care, which is covered by AHCCCS, but says it has reached $2 million. Like Pirie, Billy will be at the Legislature Wednesday to urge newborn screening. PHOENIX State lawmakers are being asked to enact Arizonas first rules on when police can use technology to track cellphones. The legislation crafted by the Attorney Generals Office would make it clear in law that state and local police are required to get a search warrant before using devices such as a StingRay, which can home in on individual cell phones, said spokeswoman Mia Garcia. The proposed legislation would put Arizona at the forefront of protecting individual privacy while simultaneously helping police keep our community safe, Garcia said. Will Gaona, an attorney with the Arizona chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, called SB 1342 a step in the right direction to increase police transparency and protect Arizonans privacy. But Gaona said it does not go gar enough given the capabilities of the technology. The ACLU knows something about that technology. It fought a multi-year lawsuit against the city of Tucson to try to uncover not only how the StingRay device works, but its capability to track not just the targeted suspect but anyone else nearby. That legal battle ended with the state Court of Appeals concluding that Tucson and other cities with the cell-tracking technology need not tell the public how it works. The judges said such information could help criminals evade the law. A lot is known, nonetheless, about the devices and how they take advantage of cellphone technology to pinpoint a specific device. Put simply, what enables a cellphone to work is that it sends out an electronic signal searching for the nearest tower. The phone then essentially logs in to that tower. Devices like the StingRay, manufactured by the Harris Corp., trick cell phones into thinking they are towers, so the phone logs into them. That allows police, armed with information about the specific phone, to track it. And since the devices are portable, police can take them door to door to find the person they want. But because these devices mimic cellphone towers, they also can trick other phones in the area to also log in phones that may belong to people who have nothing to do with the incident police are investigating. In rejecting the ACLU bid for operating information, the Court of Appeals left unknown exactly what happens to all that other information. Gaona said that needs to be addressed in the proposed legislation. A provision should be added that would require the prompt deletion of bystander data, he said. Garcia countered, Typically in those search warrants the judge will say (that) any other (cell) numbers must be deleted within this (tracking) time frame, she said. But she said theres no reason to put such specifics into state law. Thats something that we want the judge to have a little bit of discretion over, Garcia said. Gaona said its good that police will be required to get a warrant from a judge. Information developed in the lawsuit the ACLU filed against Tucson resulted in a statement from Lt. Kevin Hall that his department used the device at least five times but had not sought or obtained a warrant in any of those cases. The requirement for a warrant, by itself, may be insufficient protection, Gaona said. He said judges may not be as familiar with tracking technology as they might be with a wiretap on a specific phone or a pen register that logs phone calls on a particular line. Law enforcement should also be required to disclose the cell site simulators capabilities to the judge who is being asked to sign the warrant, Gaona said. He also wants the public to be told exactly what kinds of electronic monitoring police are doing . Garcia said the devices are an important tool for police and can be used to find people involved in such crimes as drug trafficking, terrorism and child abduction. As written, the legislation requires police to provide probable cause to a judge naming the person or phone to be tracked. But the proposal lists multiple reasons a warrant can be issued. For example, tracking would be permitted if the phone was used, is being used or is about to be used as a means of committing a public offense. Warrants also could be issued to track individuals if police can show the phone is in the possession of someone who has committed or is about to commit a crime. Warrants also would be permitted if the phone itself constitutes evidence that an offense has been or will be committed. Warrants are good for up to 60 days, though multiple extensions are possible. The legislation does require that police or prosecutors notify the person who owns the phone being tracked within 10 days after the tracking ends. Police could ask judges to delay notification, if necessary, for a variety of reasons. Sometime in the not-so-distant future, a somewhat novel election will take place in Pima County: A single ballot will be cast, and it will authorize the eventual issuance of up to $45 million in public debt. That debt, which will be controlled by the Board of Supervisors, will pay for infrastructure in a large residential development over the next 15 years. The vote will take place in the recently formed Rocking K Community Facilities District, which overlays the roughly 2,000-acre residential and commercial development Rocking K South near East Old Spanish Trail and South Camino Loma Alta. As certified by the county, there arent any registered voters living in the district, and home closings arent expected to begin until 2019, according to the district application submitted by the developer, an affiliate of Diamond Ventures Inc. In the absence of residents, state law allows for landowners to vote in such elections. Its going to be a landslide, County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry quipped. So, what exactly is a Community Facilities District and why is a transportation columnist writing about it? A CFD is a special taxing district first authorized by the Legislature in 1988; counties got the ability to form them in the mid-2000s. Funded by property taxes assessed on district landowners, CFDs are intended to provide the means to build basic infrastructure like sewer mains, parks and to answer the second question arterial and collector roads. CFDs have also generated concerns and criticism . With Rocking K, which is the first county-formed CFD, around $15 million of the nearly $40 million of district-funded improvements planned over the next 15 years will go toward roadway infrastructure. Some developers say the traditional sources of private financing for master-planned community infrastructure have dried up in the wake of the Great Recession, leaving few options to move projects forward. With the recession, virtually any kind of institutional, big bank financing has dried up, said Dean Wingert, head of the Crown West Land Group, whose development Gladden Farms in Marana is one of just a handful in the county with a CFD. Wingert clarified that developers still have to pay for infrastructure upfront, and are only reimbursed by the CFD after it has been inspected and accepted, as is the case with Rocking K. Priscilla Storm, Diamond Ventures vice president, said, Arizonas use of CFDs make us more competitive at attracting investment and growing our economy. In its 2015 comprehensive plan Pima Prospers, the county includes CFDs in a list of funding options which should be fully utilized when expecting new development to pay for the cost of growth. Funding options for roadway improvements, maintenance and repair are very limited, Huckelberry noted in his recommendation that the board approve Rocking K, which it did 5-0 on Jan. 17. Storm agreed, saying the state faces an infrastructure financing shortfall. Huckelberry later told the Road Runner the countys rising but qualified regard for CFDs stems from the frank realization that transportation finance and funding for any infrastructure in the state is poorly funded today, and the likelihood that it will be funded in the future is not very good. Beyond funding road construction, CFDs also include a separate tax to fund maintenance in perpetuity, relieving the county of the financial burden of caring for roads once theyre completed. Its one of those last resorts, he said of the countys less-than-enthusiastic embrace of CFDs, adding later he would prefer that they not exist. That lukewarm attitude is due to the fact that CFDs mean higher property taxes for district residents (Rocking K homeowners will likely pay between $2.30 and $2.80 more for every $100 of assessed value) and few if any eventual residents participate in the creation or initial debt authorization, which Huckelberry chalked up to the rules the Legislature set. Storm said theres nothing unusual about that latter feature of CFDs, which is unavoidable when the undeveloped land has just one owner, as is the case with Rocking K South. Kevin McCarthy, president of the Arizona Tax Research Association, which opposed the creation of CFDs, shared some additional concerns . Because CFD residents also pay property tax to all other overlying taxing districts, and the roadways the district pays for are public and sometimes extend beyond the development itself, there is the possibility of what McCarthy called double taxation. He also said the assumption that upfront home costs in CFDs would be lower, due to the fact the developer doesnt have to incorporate infrastructure costs into the price, is not necessarily true. With county-created CFDs specifically there are additional risks, according to McCarthy, including the encouragement of leapfrog development . Huckelberry took issue with McCarthys double taxation claim, saying that CFD residents get an enhanced service. He also said leapfrog development existed long before counties could form CFDs. The county has put in place a number of policies to guard against potential pitfalls. For one, the supervisors will serve as the governing board to help maintain control of tax levies and issuing debt. It will be up to the board to determine the amount, timing and form of financing. Developers are also legally required to advise would-be buyers of the CFDs financial implications. DOWN THE ROAD Starting early Monday, Drachman Street will be closed from Stone Avenue east to Seventh Avenue to allow for reconstruction. The stretch is expected to reopen by Feb. 27, though weather could affect the schedule. Contact: mwoodhouse@tucson.com or 573-4235. On Twitter: @murphywoodhouse A small South Tucson-based human-rights group and the city of Tucson have found themselves in a political firestorm after a news article in the conservative Daily Caller connected them with last weeks riots in Berkeley, California. The nonprofit, the Alliance for Global Justice, was listed as a fiscal sponsor for Refuse Fascism, an anti-fascist group that took credit for canceling a speech by right-wing commentator Milo Yiannopoulos in Berkeley on Feb. 1. The protest turned violent, with some demonstrators clashing with police; 15 buildings were vandalized. The city and the nonprofit apparently did not financially support Refuse Fascism: The Alliance for Global Justice was a pass-through for other nonprofits, and the city processes some types of grants for tribes. A $10,000 donation from the city of Tucson is listed in 2015 tax filings for the Alliance for Global Justice. The citys and the nonprofits financial documents show that they were adhering to state law and tax codes that regulate tribal funds and make it difficult for some nonprofits to accept grant financing. The funds listed from the city were from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, which is required by the state to use a governmental agency when distributing tribal gaming revenue. Additionally, city officials said the $10,000 grant went to a different nonprofit Alianza Indigena Sin Fronteras, also known as the Indigenous Alliance Without Borders, which works to address human-rights violations that threaten tribal members from passing back and forth across the border with Mexico. Not one dollar of city taxpayer money went to the Alliance for Global Justice, said city spokeswoman Lane Mandle. In September 2015, the city, acting as a pass-through agency, issued $10,000 of state-shared gaming allocations to Alianza Indigena Sin Fronteras. In accordance with state law, gaming allocations must pass from the tribes through a governmental agency. Tucson and other cities throughout the state act as a pass-through for these grants every year. The city neither controls the funding, nor selects who receives the grant money, she added. As a 501(c)3 organization, the Alliance for Global Justice accepted the $10,000 grant from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe on behalf of the Alliance Without Borders, said Chuck Kaufman, the national co-coordinator of the Alliance for Global Justice. A spokesperson for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe could not be reached for comment on Saturday. The practice of lending a nonprofits legal and tax-exempt status to other groups known as fiscal sponsorship is common. Kaufman said his organization offers those services to about 90 nonprofits, including Refuse Fascism. A nonprofit might also handle donations for another to avoid overhead. Small nonprofits might choose to pay a fee rather than go to the expense of an accountant. Other donors listed on the same tax document including billionaire financier George Soros are the same type of arrangement, Kaufman explained. He said Soros foundation gave money to United Students Against Sweatshops and the funding went through his nonprofits bank account. His latest annual tax filing, which covers activity up to March 2016, shows his group received $2.3 million in donations. Most of that money roughly $1.9 million by Kaufmans estimate went to other groups. Kaufman said he has no control on how the money he accepts for other groups is used . Kaufman says his organization had no involvement in the Berkeley protest. Kaufman said he bears financial responsibility for the money his group accepts, but he doesnt have any reason to believe the funds given to Refuse Fascism were improperly used. We didnt send any money to Berkeley, he said. The group has been taking out full-page ads in the Washington Post and The New York Times, and the amount he processed for the group was only a tiny bit of its overall budget. On Friday night, Kaufman said he sees no reason to cut ties with Refuse Fascism. They didnt have anything to do with the violence, he said. The Tucson Theatre Announcements List is a monitored e-mail list. Notices from Tucson area theatre companies, filmmakers and others are forwarded to the list members. These notices include auditions, casting calls, openings and other announcements of interest to actors, directors, techies and theatre lovers in our community. This Blog contains an archive of recent posts to the list. For more information go to http://tucsonstage.com "The U.S. Army has been plagued with costly acquisition failures in recent decades, chief amongst them the Future Combat System (FCS) program. This $200 billion program initiated in 2000, the largest U.S. military acquisition program ever attempted, failed to produce results on a multitude of levels and was abandoned by 2009. The Armored Ground Vehicle (AGV) and Armored Gun System (AGS) programs also wasted tens of billions of dollars before being cancelled without achieving their intended goals. These programs were chiefly defeated by an overly bureaucratic Army acquisition system, and the fact that the Army had asked for far too much from the defense industry, demanding many new and unproven technological advancements. The FCS was the most expensive, most ambitious, and most transformative modernization program ever undertaken by the U.S. Army. It is often hypothesized that the U.S. experience in the first Gulf War of 1991 and in the NATO Kosovo intervention of 1999, led to the desire for a more rapidly deployable U.S. Army expeditionary force. FCS envisioned a highly mobile new Army, light enough to be air-deployable, yet lethal enough to survive on the modern battlefield. This survivability would be provided through the leveraging of new technologies, as well as superior command and control capabilities that would tie together all the various armed forces in a seamless information sharing and communications network. The Army set very high deployment goals as part of FCS, which would prove to be unattainable." South Front --------------------- The US Army is still in the midst of a long term transition to an expeditionary force capable of brigade sized interventions on short notice with a high degree of lethality and sustainability in its systems. The attainment of that goal is still long way off. It should be noted that the joint SOF forces involved in the GWOT are really a separate army fighting a different kind of war from that envisioned for US Army general purpose forces. I suppose that someone will now argue for the irrelevance of such forces in the world of Bill Lind's 4th generational warfare, I agree with the US Army leadership that the US needs to possess highly capable ground forces that amount to more than a huge SWAT Team. The Russians seem to think that with regard to their own forces as well. The history of the present wars in Syria and Iraq support my belief in the continuing need for general purpose forces. pl https://southfront.org/u-s-army-and-its-armored-vehicles-military-analysis/ Help India! By Amit Kumar, Twocircles.net The Federation of Social Justice, an organisation that seeks to give a platform to all the marginalised voices in the country, organised a Seminar called Social and Political Empowerment of maginalised communities at the India International Centre, Delhi on Sunday, February 5 to discuss the ways of improving the situation of Dalits and Muslims in the country. Support TwoCircles During the seminar, various eminent personalities like chief guest Justice MSA Siddiqui, Professor (Dr.) Vivek Kumar from JNU, Professor (Dr.) Nafees Ahmed from AMU and Syed M Qutbur Rahman, an entrepreneur from Dubai and a member of the AMU Court, and others stressed on the need to end the continuous social exploitation of socially backward communities. Professor Kumar in his address said that the slogan of Dalit Muslim Bhai Bhai goes back to 1962, but that subsequently the movement was hijacked by various political parties. The speakers addressed a packed auditorium, saying that the communities must also work on strengthening themselves politically, and not fall for false promises made by various parties. Former chairman of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions, Justice MSA Siddiqui remarked that communities and nations cannot progress without sincere and visionary leadership which guarantees freedom, justice, and equality to people. While speaking as the chief guest, he cautioned that the election of UP was going to decide the very fate of the Idea of India, which our freedom fighters had dearly pursued for. He stressed that the promise of good education and desired employment to marginalised sections will remain hollow without affirmative action on the part of a responsible government. In a conversation with Twocircles.net, Rahman, who is the national convener of FSJ, said that the condition of Dalits and Muslims has deteriorated over the past seven decades and that FSJ was a small attempt to rectify these issues. Justice has eluded the marginalised communities the most in this country, and FSJ will seek to work on this issue. While refusing to side with any political party, Rahman nevertheless said that the Samajwadi Party in UP had been a source of disappointment to the Muslims in the state and that as of now, security and safety were the biggest concerns for the Dalits and Muslims of the state. We need to ensure that instead of merely using Dalits and Muslims as votes, there should be actions to address their concerns, he added. The chancellor of Alfalah University Jawwad Ahmed Siddiqui emphasised in his presidential remarks that education, economic advancement and social well-being of any community is not possible without having equal access to opportunities and development. He said that since it is the politics that decide a lot in the country, it is important for people for a party that can assure a reasonable level of social justice. A collection of senior female labour mps have vowed against attending President Donald Trump's speech if he is invited to address both the Houses of Parliament during his state visit later in the year. Harriet Harman, the former deputy leader of the Labour Party, led calls for female MPs to 'empty chair' any speech made by Donald Trump, citing a 'well-documented history of misogyny'. 'Trump's views are wholly unacceptable' 'I would not be comfortable clapping a man that is a self-confessed groper and proud. President Trump's views on many issues are wholly unacceptable. He appears to think that he can bully other countries into submission and get away with it. I urge all female MPs to boycott Trump's state visit,' Harriet Harman said. Yvette Cooper, former cabinet minister, echoed Harriet Harman's sentiments: 'The notion that we are going to sit in parliament, as women, and listen to this man, who is harming democracy, who is a well-known misogynist is laughable. For decades, women have fought for equality. We shouldn't, under any circumstances, be honouring someone like him. Parliament has to show some backbone and not just roll over like Theresa May did when she invited him'. Former minister, Caroline Flint, agreed: 'Given President Trumps history of comments on women, his recent statements on torture and refugees, I do not choose to hear him in the Mother of Parliaments. A parliamentary motion against a state visit Stephen Doughty, a Labour MP, tabled a motion to the Commons which called for parliament to ban Trump from delivering a talk to parliament. Currently, the motion has attracted 165 signatures from MPs from Labour, SNP, the Greens and the SDLP. In a recent public survey, when asked if president donald trump's state visit should be allowed to go ahead,36 per cent said that it should, 25 per cent said that it should be delayed until Trump's executive order banning entry into the USA from seven Muslim countries expires and 25 percent said that Trump should not be invited at all. Theresa May has faced increasing pressure from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to take a stance on Donald Trump. Moreover, almost two million people have signed a petition in an attempt to prevent the state visit from going ahead. Although the Labour party is divided over Brexit, they are united against Donald Trump. Bernie Sanders, who lost the Democratic Presidential nomination to Hillary Clinton (by illegitimate means, some evidence suggests), is now an independent senator in the state of Vermont, and hes been speaking out against Republican President Donald Trump. After Trumps comments about the court system, Sanders said that Congress and the courts should be constantly keeping tabs on one another and each of them on the President, too. Sanders has no faith in Trump During an interview on CNN, Sanders said, We are a democracy, not a one-man show. He said that America isnt just another Trump enterprise, suggesting that Trump is running the country the way he would run one of his companies, since he has no real political experience. Sanders says he is filled with fear that Trump is leading America in a very authoritarian direction, and worries that the President has contempt for the entire judiciary, following his comments about James Robart, the federal judge who has blocked his Muslim travel ban, and the entire court system as a whole, blaming them for future terrorist attacks. Sanders calls the election of Donald Trump a dangerous and unprecedented moment in American history, as he believes it will go down in the history books. If Muslim terrorists now attack a country whose president is trying to take away their constitutional rights, said president will not be taking any responsibility. President Donald Trump has said that James Robart, the federal judge who blocked his unconstitutional travel ban of seven Muslim-majority nations, is to blame for any potential attack that takes place following the bans suspension. Trump has posted angry tweets as usual Trump tweeted that he cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril, sticking to his guns on the workability of his divisive immigration policies. The President was spending the weekend at his private resort in Palm Beach (Floridas answer to Palm Springs) when it all went down. The travel ban has been suspended, the White House have appealed, and the court of appeals have rejected them, so the ban is off for now and everythings back to normal, and that made Trump furious. Trump very succinctly expressed his rage using very simple words and phrases. He said, If something happens [i.e. a terrorist attack] blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! That last part, Bad! is like hes telling his cat off for piddling on the rug, rather than telling his country off for not discriminating against people because of their Religion. For years now, the US has been one of the most difficult countries for travel in terms of vetting for visas, making it almost impossible for refugees to get in (and now its literally impossible), and thats before Trump came in with his extreme vetting plan that democracy is fortunately in the process of overthrowing. The ban and subsequent blocking of it have confused a lot of airlines, who have still not managed to get things back to normal despite the immediate order to stop the ban. Trumps ongoing attack on the court system These tweets are the latest in Trumps ongoing war against the court system (moving on from the lying media now) as now that hes in office, hes growing very annoyed that he doesnt quite have absolute power and its very easy for the legal system to overthrow him. Mike Pence, Trumps Vice President, has voiced his opinion that Trump has every right to lash out at the court system, saying that he is not questioning the legitimacy of the judge (which is debatable). Trump added to his long line of tweets that he has demanded that Homeland Security check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY, saying that the courts and federal judges are making that very difficult for him to do. A lot of the Trump administration have been joining Pence in jumping to the Presidents defence, while Bernie Sanders, the Democratic candidate who Hillary Clinton illegitimately beat to the nomination, has spoken out that he believes Trump is leading the US in a very authoritarian direction. Trump believes that allowing Muslims into the United States will automatically cause terrorist attacks, but if theyre being allowed in and allowed to call the country home despite being a little different from its straight white (slightly orange) President, theyll be quite happy. Banning them is what would p*ss them off and lead to terrorist attacks, according to actress Angelina Jolie, comedian Jim Jefferies, and many more. But Trump doesnt see it that way. As more and more information surrounding the events leading to president Trumps Executive Order on immigration banning everyone from Syria, banning everyone from 6 more countries for 3 months, and stopping all refugees from any country for 120 days from applying for visas (possibly a violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention), we are learning who was responsible. Did Bannon control first 2 weeks of WH actions? Reports coming from the White House say that steve bannon is playing a very big part in actually drafting most of the Presidents Executive Orders, including toughening up the Immigration ban order. Most Presidential orders were right in line with Donald Trumps campaign promises so it isnt surprising or in any way unusual or inappropriate that his chief strategist is helping create the orders President Trump signs. Also, despite Trump saying he wrote his own Inaugural Address, insiders are telling reporters it was mostly written by White House insiders Steve Bannon and Steve Miller. But how much longer will this honeymoon period with the alt-right continue when President Trump has to choose between Steve Bannons ideas and Trump's billionaire friends? President Trump has, after a fortnight, gone directly against one of Mr Bannons core beliefs, that wall street is to blame for many of todays woes. Who is Bannon? Stephen Bannon is the former head of Breitbart News, an extreme right wing online news source that has been described as supporting the KKK and neo-Nazis, who has been one of President Trumps major advisors. He got his Internet news training from a short period that he spent with the Drudge Report. The New Yorker famously called Breitbart News less of a content provider than a malcontent provider. Thats common knowledge these days but before he started focusing on alt-right politics Stephen Bannon graduated from Harvard with an MBA and spent years at Goldman Sachs (a giant Wall Street investment bank - Travelodge UK is a subsidiary) in the 80's, before the company welt wild with formerly illegal activities (banking regulations dating from the Great Depression were dropped by Republicans.) Bannon sounds a lot like Senator Sanders on some topics: The 2008 [banking] crisis is really driven I believe by the greed, much of it driven by the greed of the investment banks. I think the [Wall Street] bailouts in 2008 were wrong. Not one criminal charge has ever been brought to any bank executive associated with 2008 crisis. The Republican Party is really a collection of crony capitalists that feel that they have a different set of rules and are the reason that the United States financial situation is so dire. All evidence from his speeches and writings show that Mr Bannon really believes all those things and therefore is right in line with many of Senator Sanders ideas, which led an attempt to take back the Democratic Party for the poor, students, and the working class. But as Sen. Sanders said on CNN Sunday morning, while President Trump got elected on those policies he has already gone directly against many of them. Many of Trumps cabinet nominees are billionaires and two were long-time Wall St. insiders, its important to emphasize that while Steve Bannon is also a former Wall St. insider he is adamant in calling for more regulation and even prosecution of the people and companies that, for no other reason than sheer greed, destroyed the retirement investments of tens of millions of Americans and plunged the world into a financial crisis. Some of those people were in Bannon's old firm, Goldman Sachs, that was fined $5 billion for its misdeeds leading to 2008, but the crimes were not committed when he was with Goldman Sachs so, while he would know about WS; rules and if crimes were committed. President Trump is now moving to reverse the Dodd-Frank banking regulations enacted by the Democrats. Queen Elizabeth II has made history by becoming the first British monarch to reach their sapphire jubilee, as reported in the Telegraph newspaper. This is because she has reigned for 65 years. But as we ponder this great achievement, a central question needs to be asked. Primarily, how has Elizabeth II fared as Queen? The proceedings Before we proceed, let us discuss how this landmark accomplishment will be celebrated. Whilst there will be no official engagements planned, the Queen is expected to commemorate the landmark privately. However, in addition to the royal gun salutes which will be staged on Ascension Day, the Band of the Royal Artillery will play a selection of celebratory music close to the firing position. The changing role Let us now consider the question. How has the Queen fared in her role? The fact that she has ruled for so long is a key indicator of how well she has done. However, after taking over the throne in 1952 the Queen has been faced with a number of challenges. One has been the changing nature of the role itself. As reported in the Politics website, over the last thousand years, political power in Britain has passed from the monarch to Parliament. In Medieval England, the role of a King/Queen included "land ownership, warfare leadership and lawmaker", according to the Reference website. In addition, when there was war it was the King especially who "led his men into battle". They were also seen as "supreme rules of their lands". However, by the beginning of the 20th Century, power had passed almost entirely to Parliament. Although still Head of State, as stated in the Guardian, the Queen's role is "mostly symbolic". Further on from that, her residual powers, the 'royal prerogative' are mostly exercised through the government of the day. These include the "power to enact legislation", to sign treaties and to declare war. The criticism Another challenge that the Queen has had to face is the increasing criticism levelled at the monarchy. As reported on CNN, the case for the abolishment of the monarchy is summed up in one sentence: it's about democratic reform and a rejection of inherited power and privilege". Another key complaint levelled at the Royal family and the Queen in particular is the "public cost". The Metro newspaper reported that in 2014/15 the Queen cost 35.7 million pounds sterling. Some argue that that money is better off going to the NHS for example. Global instability Another challenge that the Queen has had to face is the instability on the global stage. There has been the aftermath of World War II, the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Falklands War and the Gulf War, not to mention the rise of terrorism around the world. So how has Queen Elizabeth II fared? Overall I think very well. She has adapted to the position, she has not caused controversy in her role, she is respected, well liked and has carried the torch for Britain very well over the years. Yemen Houthi rebels have fired a ballistic missile into Saudi Arabia, hitting a military camp near Riyadh, according to several media reports. The incident was reported as having happened on Sunday night. According to the New Arab, the attack was described by a Houthi spokesperson as a "successful test-launch of a precision scud missile." SABA News Agency quoted the Houthi government as saying, "Saudi Arabia is now in the range of our missiles and, God willing, what is coming will be greater." Saudi Arabia struck by surface to surface missile - story run by 21 Century Wire Meanwhile, 21st Century Wire ran a breaking news story that claimed "Sunday evening a surface-to-surface missile was fired by the Yemeni Army and has hit the Saudi capital. It is not confirmed if it struck within the city limits, or nearby." All the media reports indicate that Saudi Arabia has denied the missile attack took place and that the sound of the explosion as the missile landed was in fact, a meteorite or an earthquake. Media sources do mention that across social media, local witnesses have stressed that it was, in fact, a missile and that it hit a military camp about 40 kilometers away from Riyadh. Twitter reacts to reports of missile in Saudi Arabia Twitter is talking about Saudi Arabia but mostly the users are squabbling over whether Trump should have included the country in his so-called "Muslim Ban," and the reaction to the missile attack has been low key, even though some anti-Trump doomsayer's have posted that the attack is the "start of it all." There is the inference that the next world war is about to happen, but in reality, the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen is not new. Conflict with Yemen in the middle east Regional News outlets reported in October last year that a missile had been fired from Yemen against a target near the city of Jeddah. 21st Century Newswire cited sources as saying that the "Yemeni army and popular forces launched a 12.5-meter-long Borkan-1 ballistic missile from Saada province landing at a Saudi Airbase in Jeddah." Business Standard reported that last month that yet another missile, a Borkan-1 "reportedly killed 80 coalition soldiers on a Saudi-UAE military base on Zuqar Island in the Red Sea." Saudi Arabia has been in a conflict situation with Yemen since 2015 and they lead a coalition of nearly 10 Middle Eastern countries. The Houthi of Yemen is an Iranian-backed military militia. Alaraby explains that the Houthi's slogan in 2003 was "God is great, death to the US, death to Israel, curse the Jews, and victory for Islam." In 20142015 Houthis, assisted by the former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, took over the government of Sana'a. They announced the government of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi had fallen. Since then the Houthis have consolidated their control of much of the north of Yemen and are resisting the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen that looks to restore the internationally-recognized Yemeni government to power. The official blog of the Campaign for the American Reader, an independent initiative to encourage more readers to read more books. When Donald Trump pulled off the biggest political surprise in recent history, all eyes shifted to who he would surround himself with in the White House. While Trump has announced his cabinet and administration selections, not all of them appear to be on the same page. Trump trouble In the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump has announced who he will nominate to serve in his cabinet, with some of the selections coming under fire from the mainstream media. While some right-wing news outlets and supporters of the president-elect are pleased with the choices, the individuals chosen come with their own brand of controversy. Two of those names are retired Gen. James Mattis, picked for Secretary of Defense, and retired Gen. Michael Flynn, who was selected as a national security advisor. As reported by The Washington Post on January 7, and later The Hill, the Trump team is now starting to clash. Mattis clashing with Trump transition team over Pentagon staffing https://t.co/v2xcuHHPJ0 Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 6, 2017 According to The Washington Post, Michael Flynn and "Mad Dog" James Mattis are at odds, specifically over who will be picked to fill open slots at the Pentagon. Just days prior to Inauguration Day, Mattis' confirmation hearing will begin in the Senate. Leading up to that day, Mattis has continued to reject candidate after candidate that has been proposed to fill the open spots at the Pentagon, much to the chagrin of Flynn. In further friction between the two, Michael Flynn reportedly tried to block James Mattis' nomination over jealously that he would be the higher ranking general in the administration. Other areas of difference include where the two men stand on issues with NATO, and Islamic terrorism. Where Flynn has pushed back and been critical of NATO allies for not "paying their bills," Mattis is a supporter of United States' relations with NATO. Rivalry brews on Trump team between Mattis and Flynnhttps://t.co/lSrn4jIdij pic.twitter.com/xN721SwBZ2 The Hill (@thehill) January 7, 2017 On the issue of Islamic terrorism, there is also a divide. According to retired Army Lt. Gen. Dave Barno, Michael Flynn believes that Islamic terrorism is an "existential threat to the future of the United States," where James Mattis thinks otherwise. Next up This isn't the first time that there have been reports of dissension in the ranks at the Donald Trump transition team. Just days after the election, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was removed from his spot as the head of the transition team and replaced with Vice President-elect Mike Pence after a private clash with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Despite the animosity, the former host of "The Apprentice" will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on January 20. After Donald Trump shocked the world by defeating Hillary Clinton to become the president-elect, millions wondered how the election ended the way it did. Within weeks, the CIA, FBI, and the White House all concluded that Russia hacked the election in favor of Trump, something the president-elect continues to doubt. Trump on Twitter During the election, speculation grew on a daily basis about what possible relationship was taking place between Donald Trump and Russia. While Trump has been quick to lash out at various world leaders, he made sure constantly praise Russian President Vladimir Putin during the campaign trail. In the CIA report that concluded Russia hacked the Democratic National Committee (DNC), they also found that the goal was to get Trump into the White House. On Friday, Trump was briefed during an intelligence meeting that gave further evidence that Russia hacked the DNC. In response, Trump lashed out on Twitter on January 6. Gross negligence by the Democratic National Committee allowed hacking to take place.The Republican National Committee had strong defense! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2017 "Gross negligence by the Democratic National Committee allowed hacking to take place," Donald Trump wrote on Twitter late Friday night, before adding, "The Republican National Committee had strong defense!" Trump's comments came just hours after downplaying the impact the hack had on his big election win. President-elect Trump downplayed Russia's role in the election after a briefing with top US intelligence officials https://t.co/cb9q1T879z pic.twitter.com/UaPog0n2wT CNN (@CNN) January 7, 2017 In a statement released by his transition team, Donald Trump acknowledged that Russian, as well as other countries, have been "consistently trying to break through the cyber infrastructure." Despite this, the billionaire real estate mogul also noted that the hack of the DNC had "absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election." Next up The intelligence meeting took place at Trump Tower, and was described as "cordial" by transition team members. Attending the meeting were top members of the intelligence community, including James Comey, the Director of the FBI, James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, and John Brennan, the Director of the CIA. Even with Donald Trump getting all the information delivered to him, it doesn't appear he's willing to change his tune anytime soon. Trump will be sworn into the White House on January 20, and only then will the American people know how the new administration will handle the aforementioned election hacking. Ever since Donald Trump defeated Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton to become the new president-elect, there's been a constant cloud of controversy hanging over his victory. In recent weeks, various sources have confirmed that Russia hacked the election in favor of Trump, but the president-elect is still pushing back. Trump on Twitter Even before his election win, Donald Trump had been forced to deal with criticism from the media who found links between his campaign and Russia. During the year and a half that he was running for president, Trump always made sure to avoid any criticism of the Kremlin, often praising controversial Russian President Vladimir Putin on more than one occasion. In the weeks since Election Day, the CIA and FBI have both confirmed Russia's involvement with the hacking of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), information that has since been backed up by the White House. Trump continues to dismiss all the evidence, which continued on his Twitter account on January 7. Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only "stupid" people, or fools, would think that it is bad! We..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2017 "Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only "stupid" people, or fools, would think that it is bad!" Donald Trump wrote on Twitter Saturday morning. In a pair of follow-up tweets, the billionaire real estate mogul continued his rant. have enough problems around the world without yet another one. When I am President, Russia will respect us far more than they do now and.... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2017 "We have enough problems around the world without yet another one," Trump wrote, before adding, "When I am President, Russia will respect us far more than they do now and both countries will, perhaps, work together to solve some of the many great and pressing problems and issues of the WORLD!" both countries will, perhaps, work together to solve some of the many great and pressing problems and issues of the WORLD! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2017 Moving forward On Friday, Donald Trump met with several members of the intelligence community, including FBI Director James Comey and CIA Director James Brennan. The former host of "The Apprentice" was given the latest up to date information that showed Russia not only hacked the DNC, but did so with the goal of hurting Hillary Clinton's chances in the election. Despite this, Trump released a statement that denied the hack had an impact on his victory. With Trump officially heading to the White House in just over two weeks, it appears that the United States' relationship with Russia will take a drastic turn. During the 2016 presidential election, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was able to energize millions of Americans by, among many other things, pushing to hold Wall Street accountable for their actions. As President Donald Trump continues to take steps that would help the most wealthy in the country, Sanders is speaking out. Sanders on Trump Over the last week, Donald Trump has taken steps to roll back financial regulations put in place following the Great Recession back in 2008 and 2009. The legislation that is being targeted is known as the DoddFrank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, named after senators Barney Frank and Chris Dodd. Despite vowing to be tough on Wall Street during his campaign, Trump appears to be having a change of heart. This issue, and more, was a hot topic of discussion during the February 5 edition of "State of the Union" on CNN. Joining CNN host Jake Tapper was Sen. Bernie Sanders, who didn't hold back his thoughts on the new commander in chief. "You have long called for stronger banking regulations," Tapper said to Sanders, before asking, "do you see any upside at all in relaxing any of the Dodd-Frank regulations?" "It is hard not to laugh to see President Trump alongside these Wall Street guys," Sanders said. "I dont mean to be disrespectful," Sanders stated, before noting, "This guy is a fraud." "This guy ran for president of the United States saying 'I, Donald Trump, I'm going to take on Wall Street. These guys are getting away with murder," Bernie Sanders continued, while pointing out, "Then suddenly he appoints all these billionaires." Not stopping there, the senator from Vermont went on to attack Trump for his recent cabinet selections, and offered a dire prediction for the future. "I think he's (Trump) going to sell out the middle class and the working class of this country," Sanders concluded. Next up With only two weeks in the White House, Donald Trump has already made moves that have rubbed many people the wrong way. As the former host of "The Apprentice" continues to move forward with his agenda, it's expected that the heavy backlash will only get worse. On Friday night, a federal judge ordered a nation-wide block on the recent "Muslim ban" signed into law by Donald Trump. After Trump's appeal was shot down, he lashed on Twitter in yet another rant. Trump on Twitter Heading into the weekend, United States District Judge James Robart ordered that officials should stop enforcing the "Muslim ban" executive order. In response, Donald Trump criticized Robart, referring to him as a "so-called judge" in his first Twitter response the following morning. Trump went on to warn of potential "death and destruction" if a ban and extreme vetting is not implimented, stating, "big trouble." On Sunday afternoon, the commander in chief returned to social media and continued his attack on the federal judge, as seen on February 5. 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 "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in," Donald Trump wrote on Twitter, before adding, "Bad!" In a follow-up tweet, Trump announced that he has informed Homeland Security to increase their vetting and checks at various travel spots, before blaming the judge and the court system for making his job harder than it should be. I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2017 "I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY," Donald Trump tweeted, while also noting, "The courts are making the job very difficult!" Trump's Twitter messages continue a theme for the billionaire real estate mogul in his war of words with any and all critics, including political opponents, members of the media, and justices. History of grudges This isn't the first time that Donald Trump has engaged in a feud with a federal judge. Leading up to the Trump University trial last year, the former host of "The Apprentice" accused Judge Gonzalo Curiel of being biased against him due to his Hispanic heritage, and Trump's hard-line approach to illegal immigration. Next up As of press time, the "Muslim ban" has been put on hold, despite the backlash from the White House. While it's unknown what the status will be moving forward, it's likely that the divide between both sides will continue. Following a federal judge's ruling blocking the immigration ban ordered by the Trump administration, Homeland Security quickly complied by sending an email to its employees to resume standard rules for inspections at borders and airports. The nationwide temporary restraining order, to halt Trump's immigration travel measures targeting Syria, Iran, and 5 other countries, was issued by US District Judge James Robart on February 3, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. The United States Courts' case summary states that "certain sections of the executive order are contrary to the Constitution and laws of the United States," challenging President Trump's Executive Order on immigration. Judge Robart's ruling says, "...the State has met its burden in demonstrating immediate and irreparable injury. This TRO [temporary restraining order] is granted on a nationwide basis ..." The ruling will be applicable nationwide pending a full review of the complaint by Bob Ferguson, Washington State's attorney general. Trump reacts on Twitter President Trump took to Twitter to express his outrage, tweeting that the judge's order was ridiculous. The White House said in a statement that "...the Department of Justice intends to file an emergency stay of this outrageous order and defend the executive order of the president, which we believe is lawful and appropriate." There has been no emergency stay filed as of Saturday morning. Soon after, the White House released a new statement removing the word "outrageous" and claiming that the executive order has the constitutional authority to protect the American people. On CNN's Anderson Cooper Friday night show, Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said that he would take his case to the Supreme Court if necessary. White House vows to overturn travel ban court block as visas reinstated as it happened https://t.co/FfSujT3jWp Write2Film (@write2film) February 4, 2017 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 What does this mean for travellers? British Airlines, Air France, and other major airlines began boarding passengers bound for the United States after the ruling was announced. Some airlines stated that they would wait until they receive further notice from the US. An Air France spokesperson told AFP, "Since this morning we have applied with immediate effect the judicial decision taken overnight. All passengers presenting themselves will embark once their papers are in order to travel to the United States." Full video of court hearing: Gabina VOA is designed to be an infotainment youth radio show broadcasting to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the Amharic language. The show brings varied perspectives on issues concerning young people in the Horn of Africa region. Gabina in the Amharic language is a front row taxi ridesymbolic of the shows content as a fun ride that takes audiences from point A to point B. Gabina VOAs main goal is Enlightening young people, introducing them to cutting-edge technological innovations, exposing them to new processes and ideas so they can be productive, informed and self-governing citizens. The Wall Street Journal has run a story describing the back scene maneuvering happening to formulate space policy at the Trump Administration. As advocates of commercial space and champions of the old, NASA-centric way of doing things argue the future direction of the space program, President Donald Trump has yet to name a NASA Administrator, though Rep Jim Bridenstine, R-Oklahoma remains the front-runner for the job. Meanwhile, a prominent member of the NASA beachhead team, Charles Miller, now embedded at the space agency headquarters, has envisioned the idea of an internal race between NASA and one or more of the commercial space companies to put a crew of astronauts into lunar orbit by 2020. In an email to former Speaker Newt Gingrich, a top advisor to President Trump, Miller, a former NASA official and the head of a think tank called NextGenSpace, makes the following suggestion that the space agency, hold an internal competition between Old Space and New Space with the goal of finding the least expensive way to return to the moon. The idea is that there would be private American astronauts, on private spaceships, circling the moon by 2020. NextGenSpace had conducted a NASA funded study advocating a cheap, commercial return to the moon.. Currently, NASA is developing the Orion spacecraft and the heavy lift Space Launch System as part of its Journey to Mars program. The first crewed flight of the Orion around the moon is currently envisioned for the 2021-23 timeframe. But many commercial space advocates, including Miller, suggest that cheaper ways of exploring deep space could be acquired commercially. SpaceX is developing a heavy-lift launcher called Falcon Heavy which, albeit less capable than the SLS is, would be cheaper to build and fly. Blue Origin is planning the New Glenn launcher, thought to be comparable to the Falcon Heavy, and then the New Armstrong, believed to be as capable as the SLS would be in its final form. The Wall Street Journal article does not expand on what form the competition would take on. Would the contractors building the Orion/SLS be called upon to develop a plan to orbit the moon by 2020 along with one or more commercial companies such as SpacxeX and Blue Origin? Or would the competition be more like NASAs commercial crew program, now developing the first commercially operated spacecraft, or even the Google Lunar X Prize, the race to land the first private lander on the moon? Whatever form the competition takes, the idea represents some original, outside the box thinking. The public/private moon race also, it is hoped, avoids a conflict with Congress and aerospace contractor support of the Orion/SLS system. In the wake of President Obamas cancellation of the Constellation program, Congress was obliged to be very particular about the design of a heavy lift vehicle to deny NASA any wiggle room as to building the rocket and, coincidentally benefit5 aerospace companies that employ people in congressional districts. The result was a more expensive rocket than had NASA been given free rein to build it. Congress would be very reluctant to cancel the second launch vehicle project in seven or eight years, especially with metal being bent for a 2018 test flight. The Miller proposal simply puts the Space Launch System to the test against commercial systems in a new race to the moon. Even, as many including Miller expect, the Orion/SLS loses, it would still be available for Mars while commercial systems are used to explore and settle the moon. In the meantime, the contractors building the Orion/SLS would have every incentive to cut costs. Everybody wins, and America has something wonderful to look forward to for the end of the first Trump term. Russia has put the United States on notice that it disagrees with the Trump administrations assessment of Iran as the "number one terrorist state" in the Middle East. In his Super Bowl interview with FOX host Bill O'Reilly, President Trump said: they [Iran] have total disregard for our country, theyre the number one terrorist state, theyre sending money all over the place and weapons" to the enemies of the United States. Russia has responded by touting its relationship with Iran, as the Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov backed up the Kremlins statement, noting that Iran has taken part in the ongoing war against ISIS. Will Iran be a rift in US-Russia relations? Former President Barack Obama and his attempts to ease tension with Iran no longer have any relation to US policy, as the Trump administration's position on Iran is the polar opposite of what President Obama's once was. While Obama sought to increase relations with Iran, while, therefore, simultaneously distancing the US from Saudi Arabia and keeping Israel in check for its actions in the West Bank, President Trump will aim to inflate US ties to Israel and Saudi Arabia while once again dealing with Iran as an enemy. Such a sudden change in US policy in the Middle East appears, on the surface, as destined to negatively affect US and Russian relations. Trump, Putin, and Iran With nearly 3 weeks under his belt as POTUS, Donald Trump and his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin is still a hot-button issue. US relations with Iran, a top ally of Mr. Putin, will surely have an impact upon Moscow-Washington relations. As President Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted, "All of you know that Russia enjoys warm relations with Iran, we do cooperate on a range of issues, and we do appreciate our economic ties which, we hope, will go further." US relations with Tehran are not as friendly, as the United States has a history of intervention in Iran and is also allied with the two enemies of the Shia state -- the Jewish state of Israel and the Sunni kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Trump administration's policy toward Iran, and the Middle East at large, will surely have an effect upon the relationship between Russia and the United States over the next 4 years. During the presidential campaign #Donald Trump tapped into the sentiments of parts of the American public that had more to do with gut feelings than cold political planning and agendas. The unorthodox campaign made issues like the Mexican wall, repealing Obamacare and Immigration rallying cries despite the doubts expressed by other Republicans such as House Leaders Paul Ryan regarding their feasibility and constitutionality. The current battles in the Courts and the probable difficulties in making good on these promises show the differences between the campaign trail and daily life in the Oval Office. Ad hoc drafting The reality of executive action has been shown in the legal challenges and subsequent suspension of the executive order banning Moslem immmigration from seven countries to the United States over the last week. While it was easy for candidate and businessman Trump to get caught up to in the enthusiasm of the campaign rallies and to make announcements to please his supporters, President Trump has now found the drawing up of the executive orders is a complicated procedure that must take into account all aspects of current law and the requirements contained in the Constitution. The success of the first challenges to the courts by Washington and others states leading to the suspension of the order and the rejection of the justice department appeals clearly shows that the orders did not satisfy these legal requirements. In addition, the defeats of the ban in the courts and the comments from the justices on the challenges seem to vindicate reports in the main stream media that a number of the executive orders had been drawn up without consultation with the Ministries and Justice Department experts who would have foreseen these difficulties. Businessman and not yet President While we await the final outcome of the challenges and the appeals which in all probability will end in the Supreme Court, the first two weeks of the Trump Administration have put into the spotlight another aspect of this new style presidency. What the country has seen over the last two weeks is that the man in the Oval Office still thinks and acts as a businessman and not yet as the Leader of the country. The tactics that allow the successful businessman to make money are not those that make the successful politician. In particular Donald Trump makes the common mistake that an election victory gives the President the right and powers to enact every aspect of his agenda. The suspension of the Migrant ban in the courts is the first proof that this is not so. The subsequent outbursts via Twitter and in public statements also show that this lesson is hard for him to accept. Power can be a powerful drug and this is the very reason that the checks and balances of the American system of government were put into place. The Founding Fathers of the Republic saw themselves fighting a tyranny in their revolt against British rule and they wanted to ensure that they would never again be subject to tyranny. Trumps lack of previous government experience was questioned during the campaign and he himself turned these doubts into a matter of pride during the winning campaign stating that he would provide a new form of government for the country. Yet, as the traditional saying says, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The challenges to his orders have upset the former businessman who expected that his employees automatically obeyed his orders, yet this was never the true role of political advisers and of the Courts. Any President requires advisers with the courage to question his orders to avoid such matters becoming controversies as we have seen. The role of the courts is to ensure that any action by the White House conform to Law and the Constitution. After two weeks in office the public would be justified in asking one question; when will the businessman disappear so that the true President will be able to emerge? TV and movie fans won't want to miss a minute of the 2017 Golden Globe Awards on Sunday night. From the glitz and glamor of the red carpet arrivals to the acceptance speeches of Hollywood's biggest stars, watch Sunday night's three-hour broadcast wherever you are via the free live stream, mobile apps, or the old-fashioned way - on your local NBC TV channel. And if you're a social media fan, Twitter is the place to be get the details below. The red carpet pre-show is an event in itself, so you can play fashion critic from anywhere you have a WiFi connection (or a television) as the presenters, nominees, and other celebrity A-listers arrive at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, January 8, 2017. Here's everything you need to know about tonight's Golden Globes including the start time for both the red carpet event and the awards show and details on how to stream the event live whether you are at home or on-the-go. 74th annual Golden Globe Awards start time The awards show, hosted by Jimmy Fallon, begins at 8 p.m. ET, but you'll want to watch special coverage of the red carpet arrivals. NBC will start their pre-show at 6 p.m. ET and E! will air a "Red Carpet Live" special at 7 p.m. ET. Golden Globes live stream There are a variety of options for watching tonight's awards show on TV (NBC) or on your computer, tablet, smartphone, and on Twitter. The popular social media site will live stream the entire awards show live starting at 6 p.m. ET, so if you don't have an account it's a great time to get one. Scroll down for some other live stream options, including apps for mobile devices from E! Online and NBC TV. Its almost here! The HFPA Presents Globes Red Carpet streams LIVE on Twitter at 3pm PST! https://t.co/XSFLtnDaUi #GoldenGlobes Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) January 8, 2017 E! Online will be live streaming a red carpet event starting at 7 p.m. ET - head over to the E! website to watch the Red Carpet Live event. will be live streaming a red carpet event starting at 7 p.m. ET - head over to the E! website to watch the Red Carpet Live event. E! Live 360 mobile app: Join host Will Marfuggi on the Golden Globes red carpet by downloading the E! News app in the iOS App Store for your iPhone or iPad or the Google Play Store for Android devices. Join host Will Marfuggi on the Golden Globes red carpet by downloading the E! News app in the iOS App Store for your iPhone or iPad or the Google Play Store for Android devices. NBC TV and NBC mobile app: Watch the entire awards show, including the red carpet pre-show on your local NBC channel or via the live video feed using the network's mobile app. Please note, to gain access to the live stream, you must verify your cable TV account (Verizon FiOS, Comcast, Cox, and more) by logging in with your username and password. Follow the Golden Globe Awards official Twitter account @GoldenGlobes for photos and videos of tonight's awards show. Miss Golden Globe Fun fact: Actor Sylvester Stallone's three daughters Sophia, Scarlet, and Sistine Stallone will all serve as this year's Miss Golden Globe, an honor that goes to the child of a Hollywood star every year, or in this case, more than one child. "Days Of Our Lives" fans are wondering if Stefano DiMera will be found. It was rumored that he was really alive and many Salem residents are in Prague looking for him. Even though Joseph Mascolo passed away in December 2016, he did film one final scene. When will viewers see Stefano for the last time on "DOOL"? Hope Brady killed Stefano DiMera Last year, Kristian Alfonso's character on "Days Of Our Lives" shot Stefano. He died and Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering) helped dispose of the body. DiMera's murder is the reason why Hope was sent to prison. Even though she is on the run now, Hope is patiently waiting for the Salem villain to be found. If he is discovered alive, then Hope could be a free woman again. The search for Stefano on 'Days Of Our Lives' Right now, Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall), Paul Narita (Christopher Sean), Steve "Patch" Johnson (Stephen Nichols), and Rafe Hernandez are in Prague. They are following leads that could lead to finding Stefano DiMera alive. They are getting close, and even though Stefano seems to be one step ahead, the story is coming to an end. Marlena Evans has a plan On "Days Of Our Lives," Marlena has a plan. She knows that Stefano could never resist a masquerade ball. There is one coming up and DiMera is going to be there. However, they need to get themselves invited. This will lead Paul to ask Sonny Kiriakis (Freddie Smith) to get them in. It is something he doesn't want to get Sonny involved in, but Paul doesn't have a choice. He is also worried about Marlena's safety. Joseph Mascolo's last air date on 'DOOL' February 9, 2017 will be the last air date of joseph mascolo on "Days Of Our Lives." According to Soap Opera Digest, Stefano DiMera will get caught and arrested. However, he ends up disappearing from his jail cell. Even though the mystery of the Salem villain will continue forever, they will at least have proof he is alive. This will allow Hope Brady to become a free woman. What do you think of the Stefano DiMera mystery? Are you looking forward to seeing Joseph Mascolo on "Days Of Our Lives" one last time? Is Pamela Anderson getting ready to settle down again? Talk has been building that Pamela is dating WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and that she has been spending a lot of time with him in Australia. Are Pam Anderson's kids going to get a new stepdad soon? pam anderson has been married, and divorced four times. The "Baywatch" star has quite a reputation for for falling hard for bad boy rock n' rollers. Anderson was previously married to Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee with whom she shares two sons (Brandon and Dylan). She was also known as Mrs. Kid Rock for a time -- and let's not forget she married and divorced, not once, but twice, Rick Solomon -- the bad boy pro poker player. Pamela Anderson sex tapes still a big hit with porn lovers The former Playboy Playmate of the month favorite is not only a seasoned bride, but a homemade sex tape star twice over, too. Her tape with Poison rocker Bret Michaels led to Michaels taking legal action, and putting a block on the tape -- all but four minutes -- which is still available to interested viewers on the internet. But it was a stolen homemade sex tape made by Anderson and Tommy Lee that made celebrity sex tape news, making a nice sum of tidy cash for the former husband and wife. So after all the excitement in the rock world what does Pam see in computer programmer/journalist Julian Assange? It very well could be his bad boy businessman reputation, connections, and money. It appears Pam loves the drama and excitement brought on by these types of men. That said, Pam Anderson may just be looking for love and someone to grow old with once and for all. Assange not only has a questionable rep, but it is also said that he has ties to the Kremlin, according to the WikiLeaks Scandal. If that's not enough, he is also a wanted man. Julian is wanted in Sweden for questioning for a 2010 rape accusation. Julian claims innocence, but could be extradited back to Sweden on a European warrant. Pam does not seem to mind, and is rumored to have made the long trek to see Julian four times in the past ninety days. During these visits, Pamela has been photographed and described to be dressing sexier with each visit and sparking questions about the seriousness of the relationship. Do you believe Pamela Anderson and Julian Assange will wed, and if so, will the fifth time be the charm for Pam? It is "worthy of recognition" that the US defense secretary stressed a diplomatic push in the South China Sea disputes, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday after the Pentagon chief played down any need for major US military moves in the South China Sea. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' comment of no need for US military operations in the South China Sea deserved to be recognized, and China also insists handling maritime disputes directly through diplomatic channels between the relevant parties, spokesman Lu Kang said at a routine news conference on Monday. Countries not involved should respect the common interests and wishes of the nations in the South China Sea region as the relevant parties have agreed to handle disputes through dialogues, he said. During his visit to Tokyo on Saturday, Mattis said that the South China Sea disputes should be resolved through diplomatic channels first. "There is no need right now at this time for military maneuvers or something like that, that would solve something thats best solved by the diplomats," he told reporters, adding that the US Navy would continue to exercises "freedom of navigation rights" in the South China Sea. On Sunday, Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada ruled out the possibility of the Self-Defense Forces participating in US military operations in the South China Sea. "I told Secretary Mattis that Japan supports the US militarys freedom of navigation operation in the sea," Inada said on a TV program Sunday. "But the SDF will not be sent to the area." The US defense secretary's remarks of resolving the South China Sea disputes through diplomacy should be encouraged because "flexing military muscles will do no good" to the resolution of disputes, said Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies. US President Donald Trump speaks while signing executive orders at the White House in Washington January 24, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] Since being sworn into power, US President Donald Trump has been quickly and firmly implementing his campaign promises. He has not only ordered an immediate withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, but also issued a travel ban against the citizens of seven Muslim countries, and signed an executive order for a wall to be built along the US-Mexico border. During a phone call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, he even ridiculed a refugee agreement reached between the US and Australia under the Barack Obama administration, and reportedly ended the call abruptly. While Trump has promised a "new deal" in the first 100 days of presidency, he has already caused much damage in his first 10 days, threatening the core checks-and-balances of US democracy. To retaliate against his travel ban, Americans nationwide are protesting against Trump's radical move. The Senate minority leader Charles Schumer has called such a travel ban very "un-American" and San Francisco and Washington State have launched lawsuits against the president. More than 900US diplomats have officially lodged their dissent, saying that "such a ban will bring more harm to the US than otherwise." The United Nations has also expressed its concern over such a ban. Breaking American tradition not to comment on the present president, former president Obama has just spoken out to defend America's "core value". Trump has not only hurt US relations with the Muslim world, he has also upset the US' friends and allies. His disrespect of Australia has invited dissatisfaction from Canberra. His claim that Germany has been "tapping the weak euro" so as to exploit its trade partners, and his comment on Japan's currency manipulation, have upset these major allies. And more than a million people in the United Kingdom have voiced their opposition to the UK government inviting Trump to visit, and Mexican President Enrique PenaNieto has decided to cancel his visit to the US. Even in his own country, Trump has shown no interest in mending the rifts he is creating. Millions of women have already staged demonstrations throughout America. Trump's tolerance of the extreme alt-right, the new white supremacy movement, has ignited students' open opposition at UC Berkeley. The Democrats are opposed to Trump's pick for Supreme Court Judge to NeilM. Gorsuch and are pushing for his nomination to be refused. Actually in eight days, Trump has managed to make his public approval rating lower than his disapproval rating, setting a record. He may still think all he has done is to put "America first", but to attain greatness by denying people and the US partners' legitimate rights will hardly generate sustainable acceptance of American leadership. In the face of the counter pressure, Trump's team is reluctantly making adjustments. Thus far the White House has allowed some 900 of green-card holders from the aforementioned seven Muslim countries to return to the US. It has watered down its enforcement of the travel ban, and argued that such a ban is not targeted at all Muslims. No one would reject Trump's professed purpose of preventing terrorists from entering the US, but most disagree with his simplistic, disruptive and discriminative immigration policy. Until now, Trump has refrained from pushing the envelope on China. But in light of his actions over the past two weeks, it is better for Beijing to take Trump's campaign threats seriously. However, just as his impulsive self-isolationist approach is distancing the US from its allies, any unfair handling of China-US relations will only alienate the US even more from the world. Remembering that the travel ban has been so unreasonable for the US permanent residents of those Muslim countries from returning, the Trump administration should be mindful that any unilateral, non-cooperative approach to China would only make it "ride a tiger but find it difficult to get off". Trump has, time and again, professed he wants to conduct fair deals. China welcomes fair business, but it is also against unfair deals. The author is professor and associate dean of Institute of International Studies, Fudan University. Experts see China filling a void if the US decides to pull back from Paris pact Climate experts said China could be well-positioned to lead global efforts to tackle climate change should the US pull out of the effort. With the new US administration appointing climate-science doubters to key positions in the government and Donald Trump having run his presidential campaign denying the possibility of climate change, European Union leaders and other climate officials have been voicing their concerns. EU officials grappling with Brexit and the union's current weaknesses fear that a leadership vacuum would delay progress in the fight against global warming, and are turning to China to take on the role, according to Reuters. "Europe will now be looking to China to make sure that it is not alone" in dealing with climate change, according to an EU official involved in climate talks. Miguel Arias Canete, a top climate diplomat for the EU, will be traveling to Beijing at the end of March to possibly discuss cooperation in developing a cap and trade system for limiting gas emissions. Joanna Lewis, professor of science, technology and international affairs at Georgetown University, said that China went from being a reluctant leader in climate negotiations to taking on a much bigger role in the whole process. "In recent years we have seen China's role in climate diplomacy change dramatically - from a country that hid from any real commitments to a country that has adopted some of the most aggressive clean energy targets in the world," she said. "China is already leading the world on clean energy technology investments and deployment, and is now well-positioned to encourage other countries to follow its lead," she said. China, being the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has been sending "a strong signal" that it still supports the Paris Agreement, based on remarks President Xi Jinping made at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos in mid January and a week later in Geneva, said Andrew Light, a senior fellow with the World Resources Institute. Xi said that the Paris climate deal must not be allowed to fail or the world will continue to inflict considerable damage on the environment. Light said there will be "greater expectation that the Chinese will not only lead by example with pursuing and achieving their own reduction target, but that they would actively work to try to embrace more of the green growth strategies for other countries as well." And China can "use their considerable resources and influences to help other countries to grow without reliance on fossil fuels," said Light, who also directs the US-China Track II Dialogue on energy and sustainable development. Haibing Ma, China program manager at the Worldwatch Institute, said that if the US were to withdraw, the EU and China can "stick together and can continue the momentum created by the Paris Agreement - or at least balance the vacancy created by the US' retreat - to make even more progress." He said that if leadership meant contributing financially, China should have no problem taking on the role. If it meant committing to even more ambitious goals than what China has already pledged to, that might be more difficult. China had pledged in 2015 to cut its greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP by 60 to 65 percent from 2005 levels. amyhe@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 02/06/2017 page2) Rescue workers and members of the red cross are carrying a body after a crash between a bus and a truck on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, February 5, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] TEGUCIGALPA - At least 16 people were killed and dozens were injured on Sunday in two separate collisions that involved at least five vehicles on Sunday, local media reported. In one accident, a full passenger bus collided with a semitruck along the highway connecting the capital Tegucigalpa with the southern part of the country, killing at least 15 people and injuring 38, according to the daily La Prensa. The news outlet initially reported 17 deaths and 35 injured due to the accident. Images of the crash site showed the truck was turned over on its side and pinned down the bus onto the highway after the two collided head on. Another daily Diez reported "the scene is Dantesque," and the interior part of the bus was "full of corpses." Video footage showed rescuers placing the injured into ambulances, which later headed to the University School Hospital (HEU). Relatives of the victims gathered outside the hospital waiting for news, with some of the injured survivors said to be in critical condition. The public transit bus was reportedly carrying some 60 passengers, including the son of the mayor of San Miguelito, a town close to the crash site. Both the bus driver and his assistant are among the dead. Having yet to determine the cause of the accident, authorities arrested the truck driver, who was reportedly accused of overspeed driving. The driver has been protected "from being lynched by angry relatives" gathering at the crash site, Diez added. A third daily, El Heraldo, interviewed a survivor who said the fault was with the truck's driver. "The bus was not speeding. I saw the truck and decided to exit the back door," Maximo Ponce said, adding "I threw myself from the bus." In a separate crash, three vehicles collided on a southern highway near the town of Ojojona, killing one person, La Prensa reported. A picture of the crash showed a white car ram into the back of a beige pickup truck, and another vehicle lie in the other lane. According to the Violence Watch at the National Autonomous University of Honduras, in the first half of 2016, traffic accidents were "the second cause of death" in the country. The average death toll from such accidents stood at 117 per month, or four a day. As'ad's Bio As'ad AbuKhalil, born March 16, 1960. From Tyre, Lebanon, grew up in Beirut. Received his BA and MA from American University of Beirut in pol sc. Came to US in 1983 and received his PhD in comparative government from Georgetown University. Taught at Tufts University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Colorado College, and Randolph-Macon Woman's College. Served as a Scholar-in-Residence at Middle East Institute in Washington DC. He served as free-lance Middle East consultant for NBC News and ABC News, an experience that only served to increase his disdain for maintream US media. He is now professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus. His favorite food is fried eggplants. Answers Africa is one of a kind platform created for Africans both locally and in the diaspora and those seeking for more in-depth information about Africa. We have always focused on creating the highest quality informational contents right from the beginning. We share the most relevant information on the latest and trending news, events, people, and places in Africa. 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Moreover, the UN representatives are also attending the session. The meeting aims to discuss the process on maintaining ceasefire regime between the conflicting parties in Syria, to develop measures to control the ceasefire, as well as prevent its violations, to strengthen mutual trust between Syrias government and opposition, as well as to solve humanitarian assistance issues. Particular attention will be paid to the issue of separating moderate opposition forces from Jabhat al-Nusra groups. China's newly-formed Rocket Force has held an exercise with advanced DF-16 medium-range ballistic missile with a range of over 1,000 kms that could threaten a number countries, including India, Japan and the United States. Significantly the People's Liberation Army, which is secretive about its weapons systems, has released a video of the recent exercise of its troops employing the advanced DF-16 medium-range ballistic missile. China's Rocket Force is a special contingent to handle range of missiles in its military's arsenal. Several launch vehicles carrying the ballistic missiles were seen in the footage released to show the training of Rocket Force missile brigade soldiers around the Spring Festival holiday. The participating units handled a number of scenarios, including chemical/biological contamination, countering satellite reconnaissance and electronic jamming, state-run China Daily reported on Monday. The crews practiced in multiple manoeuvres, such as rapid loading, redeployment and launch sequence, though the video showed no missile actually being launched. Two types of DF-16 appeared in the exercise. The video represents the third time the DF-16 has been shown to the public. The missile made its debut at a military parade in Beijing in September 2015. In July, a television news programme showed General Fan Changlong, a vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspecting a DF-16 unit of the Southern Theatre Command. Though the PLA has never disclosed its ballistic missiles' specifications, experts said the DF-16 poses a challenge to foreign military installations along the first island chain, which is what the Chinese military calls the series of islands that stretch from Japan in the north to Taiwan and the Philippines to the south, the Daily report said. Since the election of Donald Trump as US President, China has been striking aggressive postures against Taiwan after he spoke to Taiwanese President Tsai-Ing-wen. While criticising his moves, China has sent its first aircraft carrier to Taiwan straits, as well as the first island chain in the Pacific and stepped up naval drills in the disputed South China Sea. Washington Free Beacon, a news website in the United States that specialises in military affairs, reported on January 31 that China conducted the first flight of the DF-5C intercontinental ballistic missile in January. China has also deployed its long range missile close to the Russian border which the Russian media said is aimed at US. Reports in the official media said China is stepping up preparedness for a possible military conflict with the US as Trump signalled to follow more hardline policy to counter Chinas claims on the disputed South China Sea, official media reports said in Beijing. A commentary in the official website of People's Liberation Army's said on January 20 the day Trump assumed presidency that the chances of war have become "more real" amid a more complex security situation in Asia Pacific. Xu Guangyu, a retired major general and now a strategy researcher, said that DF-16 has a strike range of more than 1,000 kms, filling the gap that previously existed with the absence of a medium-range ballistic missile in the PLA's arsenal. He said the missile also is able to reach Okinawa, a Japanese island about 400 km from China's Diaoyu Islands. Shi Hong, executive editor of Shipborne Weapons, said the DF-16 has a strike accuracy as good as that of a cruise missile, Shi said. It is also able to manoeuvre in its final stage to penetrate enemy defensive firepower, he said. Other PLA Rocket Force brigades also mobilised their DF-11, DF-15 and DF-21C ballistic missiles during training around Spring Festival, according to PLA media outlets. Welcome to America, #Americaisbeautiful. These were just some of the chants heard at American airports as families reunited with their loved ones after a federal court swept aside the ban imposed by President Donald Trump, which restricted the access of people from seven nations -- namely Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Somalia. Heres a glance at the sights across America, which may make you misty-eyed. Ali Alghazali, 13, a Yemeni who was previously prevented from boarding a plane to the US following Trump's executive order on travel ban, hugs his uncle Saleh Alghazali, upon Ali's arrival at Terminal 4 at JFK airport in Queens, New York City, New York. Photograph: Joe Penney/Reuters The ban had brought misery to families who had been separated. However, with the order being swept aside, finally families were reunited and one can't stop but smile. Photograph: Brendan McDermid/Reuters Behnam Partopour, a Worcester Polytechnic Institute student from Iran, is greeted by his sister Bahar at Logan Airport after he cleared US customs and immigration on an F1 student visa in Boston, Massachusetts. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters Banah Alhanfy is greeted by her uncle at Logan Airport after she cleared customs and immigration on special immigrant visa in Boston, Massachusetts. Alhanfy's father was an interpreter for the United States in Iraq and she arrived following Trump's executive order travel ban. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters American airports were charged with emotions. While some cried as they were reunited, others distributed flowers to passers-by at the airports. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters Samira Asgari is greeted by a friend after she cleared customs and immigration in Boston, Massachusetts. Asgari is an Iranian scientist who had obtained a visa to conduct research at Brigham and Women's Hospital and was twice prevented from entering the United States under Trump's ban. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters Niki Rahmati, a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from Iran, is greeted by immigration attorney Susan Church at Logan Airport. Rahmati was originally turned away from a flight to the US. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters Marjan Vayeghan walks with her uncle, Iranian citizen Ali Vayeghan, and her father Hossein Vayeghan at Los Angeles International Airport. Iranian citizen Ali Vayeghan was detained and sent back to Iran after arriving in the United States earlier, all thanks of Trump's travel ban. Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images In the wake of Trump's ban, the US cancelled visas of up to 60,000 foreigners in the week from the seven nations. Photograph: Laura Buckman/Reuters -- ERA OF TRUMP BEGINS According to the AIADMK, 947 people died of grief after J Jayalalithaa's death on December 5. Her party announced a compensation of Rs 3 lakh per death and published the list of the deceased in the party newspaper. But when Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar visited 17 of these families, randomly selected from a list provided by the AIADMK, he discovered that not everyone had received the ex-gratia. But that is not all. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com For the poor in Tamil Nadu, she was their saviour. They may not have understood, or cared for, J Jayalalithaa's politics, but there is no denying that some of the decisions she took made their lives easier. These included, among other things, low-priced Amma canteens, Amma salt, Amma seeds, Amma pharmacies, Amma cement, Amma drinking water... When the state was grappling with female foeticide in the early 1990s, she introduced the 'cradle baby' scheme (where parents could drop off their unwanted baby instead of killing the child). She launched a low-cost health check-up scheme and a low cost health care plan. She provided free laptops to students. Last year, she announced the state would soon have Amma gyms and parks in rural areas. Eleven low-cost wedding halls, equipped with all the necessary facilities, would be built across Tamil Nadu. She had planned low-cost short stay homes near government hospitals that could be used by a family member looking after a patient. She announced the building of over 90,000 lavatories and bank loans for women self-help groups. She had planned to improve the lighting on rural roads. No wonder then, Jayalalithaa had been accepted by much of the state as Amma (mother). When she passed away on December 5, 2016, after 75 days of hospitalisation, the state did not erupt in flames as expected. But underneath the seeming calm was a tremendous overflow of grief. Not everyone was able to accept the death of their beloved Amma. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi consoles a distraught Chief Minister O Panneerselvam as V K Sasikala looks on. Her party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham, released an initial list of 108 people who, they said, had died of shock after her death. As the days passed, names on that list increased -- to 300, to 600... Now, according to the AIADMK list, the grief at her loss has resulted in 947 deaths. The AIADMK announced that Rs 300,000 would be given as compensation to the families of those who had died in grief after Amma's untimely death. To qualify for this compensation, a party spokesperson said, the deceased had to have been a member of the party; or a family member had to be a party member; or they had to have been known supporters of the party. Death due to health, age-related or other natural causes do not seem to have been considered as reasons while compiling this list. Party spokesperson Dheeran told Rediff.com on January 2 that Rs 3 lakhs had been given to each of the families of the 947 people who had passed away in Amma's wake; the list, he said, had been published in the latest edition of the party newspaper, Namadhu MGR. The AIADMK provided Rediff.com with about 600 names and addresses of families who, it said, had received this compensation. However, none of the families that this correspondent visited -- Rediff.com randomly picked out 17 families -- had received the promised Rs 3 lakhs. When Rediff.com pointed this out, Dheeran said, "It is the responsibility of the district secretary, local MLA and other party functionaries to collect the cheque and give it to the affected families." "If you bring it to the notice of the party headquarters," Dheeran added, "they will make sure the compensation reaches them immediately. All payments are made by cheque so there is no chance of anyone being missed out or the money going to the wrong person." One of the affected homes we visited was in Chinnapanicheri, Kundrathur, in Kancheepuram district. A family elder, E Chellammal, left, had passed away the day after Amma died. The two bikes parked outside the house bore the two-leaf AIADMK symbol and Jayalalithaa's image. "We all belong to the AIADMK," says her grandson Muthu. "We were leaving to attend Amma's funeral and Granny asked us where we were going. We were at the Marina (beach) watching the burial when we got a call from home saying Granny had died of a heart attack." Though Chellammal was over 70 years old, her family says she was healthy. She had two sons, but was staying with her daughter Kumari. Kumari says they have not received any money from the party, though the party cadre had come home and taken down their details. In Konnam village, Kancheepuram, a bedridden 82 year old was shocked to hear of Jayalalithaa's demise. While watching the funeral on television, Kanniammal, left, started crying, recalls her granddaughter Kavitha. Though there was no evidence that they were AIADMK supporters -- unlike most of the other homes we visited, there were no posters or photographs of M G Ramachandran or J Jayalalithaa or the party symbol anywhere -- their name was on the list. Kanniammal, who lived in a small hut, received a monthly old age pension from the government, a sum of Rs 1,000 that goes a long way in a village. Her death shocked the family, says Kavitha, because Kanniammal was in relatively good health. She is survived by her sons Sekar, Selvam, Manikkam and daughters Mughili and Anjali. They are yet to receive the promised Rs 3 lakhs. "Now who will give me my monthly pension?" wails Kavitha. Another name on the list is that of N Ramesh, who reportedly lived in Moluchur village, Sriperumbudur taluka, Kancheepuram district, and passed away on December 6. According to the address given to us, he lived on Ambedkar road. We searched the entire street but could not find an N Ramesh or his family staying there. There was another Ramesh -- a T S Ramesh Babu -- who resided on this road; he looked more than a little stunned at our query. At Povarasan Street, Arani, Sriperumbudur, Kanchipuram district, P Raghavan, left, of indeterminate age, passed away on December 6 as he was watching Amma's funeral on television. When we reached his home, his aged-looking widow Vembuli was weaving a mat from dried coconut leaves. She did not know her age either. "The doctor said he died of a heart attack," she told Rediff.com. Her husband, she says, was too old to work. Like she did before her husband's death, Vembuli survives by taking up MGNREGA work whenever it is available. "When I don't have work, my children give me food," she says. Her children too work as daily labourers. "When will I get the money?" she asks, looking sadly at her husband's photograph which, for some strange reason, has a now defunct Rs 1,000 note pasted under it. N Lakshmanan, left, was only 58 years old when he collapsed from a heart attack. Like P Raghavan, and most of the people we met, his family said he was at home watching Jayalalithaa's funeral on December 6. "He was a primary member of the AIADMK and has been in the party since J Jayalalithaa took over," says his grieving wife. It was only recently that the couple celebrated the joy of becoming grandparents when their only daughter became a mother for the first time. Lakshmanan, who worked as a clerk in a private transport company, was being treated for high blood pressure, and was overweight, his wife adds. Though she says he had been upset after Amma passed away, his wife is shocked by his demise. "I did not expect this," she says. The party members have submitted his details, but the family is yet to receive any compensation, she says. Locating the family of Jaffar Hussain -- another name we randomly chose from the list provided by the AIADMK -- proved impossible. His address was listed as hutments, Pudupettai Link Road, Chennai. There are more than 1,000 hutments along the Coovum river. Finding the family of B Devendiran in Masoodi colony, Maduvai, Guindy, Chennai, proved equally impossible. Masoodi colony has 14 streets and each street has more than 2,000 houses. Our random sampling now took us from north Tamil Nadu to Tirunelveli district in south Tamil Nadu. Here too, the people we contacted seemed to have passed away from a heart attack after watching the late Puratchi Thalaivi's funeral on television. And yes, none of them had received any compensation from the AIADMK. IMAGE: Jayalalithaa's supporters in tears outside the Apollo hospital in Chennai. Photograph: R Senthil Kumar/PTI Photo Grief-stricken V Issakithai of Pillayar Koil street, Indira Nagar, Palayancottai, Tirunelveli, watched Jayalalithaa's funeral on television on December 6. At 10.30 pm, the 51 year old complained of chest pain. She was rushed to Bell Hospital, where she was given an injection. Her family was advised to immediately move her to the Medical College Hospital, where she passed away a few hours later. Issakithai, a priest, performed the pooja at the local Mariamman temple every morning and evening. Her family says she did not have any major health issues and did not suffer from diabetes or high blood pressure. Issakithai, who was an AIADMK member, is survived by a son and two daughters. Like Issakithai, S Govindarajan, who lived on Pillayar Koil Street, Ariyakulam, Palayancottai, Tirunelveli, had no history of diabetes, blood pressure or epilepsy, says his family. The 53 year old was watching Jayalalithaa's funeral on television when he had an epileptic attack. He was rushed to the local hospital, where was he was declared dead on arrival. He too was a temple priest. But, unlike Issakithai, he was a party supporter, not a party member. A bachelor, he lived with his elder brother. His sister-in-law explains, "We liked Jayalalithaa because, like us, she was an Iyengar." IMAGE: Jayalalithaa's supporters mourn in Ahmedabad. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters S Murugan, a carpenter who lived on Pandarakudi street, Rettiarpatti, Palayancottai, Tirunelveli, also passed away a day after Jayalalithaa's death was announced. He was watching the television the next morning when he complained of breathlessness, says his family. The doctor took an ECG and diagnosed a heart attack. Murugan was admitted to the Government Medical College hospital at 9 am and passed away two-and-a-half hours later. An AIADMK party member, he too had no history of diabetes or pressure. His son and daughter are yet to receive any compensation, though they say party members had made some inquiries. S Sankaran, who was also known as Sakkarai Chettiar, lived on Bajanai Koil street, Nettur, Alangulam, Tirunelveli. "He had dinner the previous night (December 5, the day Jayalalithaa passed away) and slept well," says his daughter. The next morning, while he was watching television at 7 am, he collapsed and passed away immediately. The 85 year old was in good health, says his family; they believe he died of shock at the news of Jayalalithaa's demise. Sankaran, who used to run a restaurant before he retired, has six children, all of whom are AIADMK party members. However, they are yet to receive any compensation, they say. IMAGE: A woman walks past a Jayalalithaa poster. Photograph: Babu/Reuters We decided to check out a few more addresses. Krishna Pillai is said to have lived at Kurinchi Street, Courtallam, where the waterfalls of Tirunelveli are located. However, there is no Kurinchi Street in Courtallam. Neither is there a Nalla Mada Natanur in Shivanattanur, where R Thirumalaikolundhu is supposed to have lived according to the AIADMK list. Mariappan lived on North Street, Mannarkoil, Ambasamudram, Tirunelveli. A labourer, he too died of a heart attack as he watched Jayalalithaa's funeral. At the hospital, the otherwise healthy 43 year old was declared dead on arrival, says his family. An AIADMK party member, he leaves behind a son and a daughter. S Balamurugan, (above, a family member shows his photograph), who lived on North Kaladi street, Valasai, Kadyanallur, Tirunelveli, was a mirror case. The 32 year old collapsed while watching Jayalalithaa's funeral and was declared dead on arrival at the hospital, says his family. A driver, Balamurugan leaves behind three sons. M Mariselvam, who worked at the TTV brick kiln, North Pudur, Sankarankoil, Tirunelveli, too died of a heart attack. After Jayalalithaa's demise, the workers from the kiln decided to pay her homage. The next day, they took out a silent march and garlanded Jayalalithaa's photograph at the town's main street. Then, they returned to the kiln. "He came back with us, sat down here," points a worker, "and passed away." The local doctor declared the 42 year old, who has three daughters -- one of whom is married -- dead, they say. Thirty-year-old K Murugan -- who lived on Arunthiyar street, Peranur Vallam, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli -- was shocked to hear about his beloved Amma's demise. He complained of chest pain and was taken to Tenkasi Hospital, where the doctors recommended moving him to the Medical College Hospital in Tirunelveli, says his wife Maheshwari. The next day, at 8.30 pm, he passed away, leaving behind a son and daughter. Maheshwari says she is still waiting for the promised Rs 3 lakhs. IMAGE: Jayalalithaa's supporters pay tribute at her burial site in Chennai. Photograph: R Senthil Kumar/PTI Photo Solomon George, a longtime member of the AIADMK, told Rediff.com, "All party members, their family or their relatives who died at that time have been presumed to have died of shock after hearing about Amma's death." No other cause of death, clearly, has been considered by the party. What is equally strange is that almost every death seems to have occurred due to a heart attack while watching the late Tamil Nadu chief minister's funeral on television. Equally strange is the fact that none of the randomly picked families Rediff.com visited had received the promised money from the AIADMK, though party spokesperson Dheeran insists 947 families have been paid compensation. AIADMK Treasurer O Panneerselvam clearly has bigger responsibilities in his latest role as the chief minister of the state. Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. In my years as an English major at Santa Clara University, I was privileged to have several outstanding professors. Dr. Elizabeth Moran (Advanced Composition) and Dr. Diane Dreher (Renaissance Literature and Shakespeares Tragedies) stand out as two of the best. They encouraged me to exceed expectations and to accept challenges, even those which seemed insurmountable at first. One such challenge, in my Renaissance Lit class, was to write a perfect Shakespearean sonnet. At that time in my life, though Im not exactly sure why, I had no appreciation for poetry of any kind. I was certain that writing a perfect sonnet, with all its restrictive requirements, would be impossible. I procrastinated until the night before the due date, something I did quite regularly in my younger days, at which time I sat down with a legal pad and pen and began to think iambic pentameter, rhyme scheme, quatrains and couplet, problem and solution. I happened to be dating a young lady at the time who lived in one of the Santa Clara dorms, so I decided that the problem for the sonnet would be deciding between going to my Renaissance Lit class or visiting my friend in the dorm. Forty-five minutes later, much to my surprise, I completed the task. The time has come to saunter off to class, to learn of sonnets, lyric voice, and style. But I could stay and visit with my lass, since midterms wont be here for quite awhile. But what of Pico, Sidney, More, and Donne? My mind should thirst to know their wit and ways. Yet, in my mind, theres really only one whose beauty sets my loving heart ablaze. Should knowledge, more than lust, my passions heed? Or is this time I really can afford to visit with the one I love and need, the one who, for a year now, Ive adored. Although its not the way that things should be, more happiness my loved one gives to me. A year later, I was taking a Creative Writing class from a visiting professor from Missoula, Montana. He was young, arrogant, and a bit abrasive. He made an offhanded comment in class one evening which caught my attention: You cannot write effectively about a place youve never been. One of the greatest pleasures in life is doing something someone tells me I am incapable of doing. I enjoy challenges, and this was a challenge. I was living and working at that time in the dormitory at Bellarmine Prep, just a mile from Santa Clara University. One of my coworkers, Brian Heggerty, was from Missoula. We had no laptops nor Google Maps back in 1978, so I stopped by the local AAA office and picked up a map of Missoula. I sat down with Brian and interrogated him about his home town restaurants, schools, theaters, major streets, geographic features, a local hospital, the university campus, and so much more. Then I wrote a short story for my Creative Writing class using Missoula as the setting. In class the following Monday evening, as required, I provided copies of the story to my classmates and professor, and read the story aloud. Following the reading, time was permitted for those present to critique the piece. After a few student comments, the professor asked excitedly, Are you from Missoula? No, I replied. Ive never been there. Tell me I cant, then watch me work twice as hard to prove you wrong. Heather Mitts Olympic Gold Medalist The New York State Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation Monday that would allow ridesharing companies, such as Uber and Lyft, to operate in upstate cities. The bill sponsored by state Sen. Jim Seward, who chairs the Senate Insurance Committee, passed by a 53-5 vote. Seward's bill would create a regulatory framework for ridesharing companies to operate in upstate New York. It would require drivers for Uber and other services to submit to criminal and driving history background checks. Drivers would be offered workers' compensation insurance through the existing Black Car Fund, which provides benefits to drivers in New York City. The measure also calls for the adoption of zero tolerance alcohol and drug policies and non-discrimination standards. A transportation network company accessibility task force would be established to address concerns raised about whether individuals with disabilities are able to utilize Uber and other ridesharing companies. A major difference between the Senate Republicans' bill and Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposal is the tax rate for using Uber and other ridesharing companies. Cuomo's budget included a tax of 5.5 percent on rides. The Republicans want a 2 percent tax and would exempt rides from the state's 4 percent sales tax. Under the GOP's plan, the revenue from the 2 percent ridesharing tax would be used to make infrastructure investments. "Business executives, college students and everyone in between utilize ridesharing apps when visiting cities around the nation and upstate New York riders should not be left at the curb," Seward, R-Milford, said in a statement. "This bill delivers economic, environmental and public safety benefits and is long overdue." Senators from both parties spoke out in support of the bill on the Senate floor Monday. State Sen. Tim Kennedy, a western New York Democrat, said Buffalo is the largest city in the U.S. where ridesharing isn't available. "The fact that ridesharing services doesn't exist to this point is unacceptable and it has to change," he said. State Sen. Rich Funke, a Rochester-area Republican, noted that his region is home to 11 colleges and ridesharing services are important to young people. "Ridesharing will mean more jobs, safer roads and better transit options for my community and those like it across upstate," Funke added in a statement. Critics of the bill dismissed it as a "waste of time." The Upstate Transportation Association, which has spoken out against proposals to allow ridesharing outside of New York City, blasted the Senate's proposal and referred to it as a one-house bill. John Tomassi, president of the UTA, said the Senate's bill doesn't include a fingerprint background check requirement. The senators who supported the measure, he said, "have gone soft on public safety, tarnished their legislative records and capitulated to Uber's high-priced lobbyists." Uber in upstate? Cuomo outlines plan to expand ridesharing in New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo had a message for western New Yorkers during his latest State of the State The bill was more of a symbolic vote, since the Assembly will have its own proposal and Cuomo has already released his own. It's likely that the ridesharing legislation will be part of state budget negotiations. While groups like the UTA have expressed concerns about the proposals currently being considered, most legislators want to move forward with ridesharing in upstate. State Sen. Pam Helming, whose district includes a portion of Auburn and several towns in Cayuga County, said ridesharing could benefit the Finger Lakes region and rural areas in upstate. "This was certainly an important issue for people living in my district, and I am pleased that we are able to respond to their needs with the passage of this legislation," she said. Margin trading allows investors to buy more stock than they would be able to normally. Photo zing.vn HA NOI The State Securities Commission (SSC) has issued new regulations on which Unlisted Public Company Market (UPCoM) shares on the Premium list will be allowed for margin trading from April this year. This decision will replace existing regulations on securities margin transactions. Margin trading allows investors to buy more stock than they would be able to normally. Under the new rules, shares on the UPCoM (under the UPCoM Premium list) will be eligible for margin trading purchases. The old regulations defined securities on the UPCoM as unapproved for margin trading. It means about 80 shares registered for trading under the UPCoM Premium list which meet the conditions for margin trading will be eligible for margin purchases. However, this regulation needs approval from the Ha Noi Stock Exchange which operates and manages the UPCoM. The new decision defines securities eligible for margin trading as those which comprise shares and investment fund certificates listed for trading for at least six months up to the time of announcement of the list of approved securities. According to the draft decision in September last year, securities with total listing time of three months are qualified for margin trading transactions. This period was said to be suitable as the number of new listings on the two exchanges is rising rapidly. Under the new rules, shares of companies which violate information disclosure and tax regulations and have financial reports not fully accepted by auditors are not eligible for margin trading. The SSC also added time limits for companies to publish their financial statements to be eligible for securities margin trading. Margin ratio is the ratio of equity over total assets in a margin trading account at market value. The initial margin ratio - a portion of the purchase price that investors have to deposit - is regulated by securities companies but must be at least 50 per cent of the purchase price. The maintenance margin ration which is the minimum account balance that investors must maintain must be 30 per cent at the minimum. Other regulations on limits on financing margin trading applied for broker companies were kept unchanged. The new decision will take effect on April 1, 2017. VNS HCM CITY Domestic gold demand is expected to surge sharply on Monday as Vietnamese prefer buying the metal to mark God of Wealth Day the tenth day of the Lunar New Year (February 6). Legend has it that the God of Wealth returns to heaven on the tenth day of the first lunar month each year. Vietnamese people consider this God of Wealth Day, so they have a tradition of buying some gold for good luck and prosperity throughout the year. To meet the predicted rise in gold demand, many gold companies across the country have prepared various kinds of gold products in different sizes and shapes, including those with Phuc (Happiness), Loc (Prosperity) and Tai (Wealth) letters and figurines of the 12 zodiac animals. As it is currently the Year of the Rooster in the lunar calendar, the rooster is also widely featured on a variety of gold products. Tran Thi Cuc, deputy general director of Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company (PNJ), said customers usually prefer gold bar of moderate weight or rings weighing 0.5 2 tenth of tael. A tael is the most common weight measure of gold in Viet Nam, which equals 37.5 grammes. PNJ will supply nearly 150,000 gold products on this special occasion, an increase of 50,000 products from last year, she said. In addition, PNJ has also launched to the market 2,000 figurines of roosters and hens lay golden eggs, which are all made from 24k gold and weigh two taels each, and 5,000 products of gold-plated roosters with prices ranging from VN15-17 million (US$663-752) each. Other major players, including DOJI, Sacombank Jewelry Company (SBJ), Sai Gon Jewelry Company Limited (SJC), Bao Tin Minh Chau and Phu Quy, said they had carefully prepared to meet rising demand this year. DOJI said with a preparation of up to 200,000 products since the middle of last year, the company will meet demand for buying gold on God of Wealth Day from consumers across the country. SBJ, besides selling traditional gold products such as Than tai (God of Wealth) gold bullion, will introduce many new gold products on this occasion, including gold-plated roosters, gold coins inscribed with Maitreya, or Phuc, Loc, Tho (Longevity) letters. SJC also launched a new lucky gold series for this year, including God of Wealth figurines, golden roosters, and coins of 12 zodiac animals. According to gold traders, demand for gold is expected to be higher than previous years on God of Wealth Day. PNJ, DOJI and other gold companies said their gold shops will add staff and open earlier and close later than usual on God of Wealth Day to create the most convenience for customers. To avoid a shortage of products that plauged previous years, they made plans for production and distribution many months ago and also launched their new products to the market since the middle of last month. Many people bought gold since gold shops resumed operation after Tet break as they bet that prices would rise if they bought on the right day. Thanh An, a bakery owner in HCM Citys Binh Thanh District, who just bought a gold sheet stamped with the Loc (Prosperity) letter at a gold shop in Binh Thanh District, said I had to wait for hours to be able to buy gold last year, so I decided to buy earlier this year. Purchasing the precious metal at the beginning of the year, especially on God of Wealth Day, brings good luck for people doing business, she said. But many others think that the purchase must be done on the right day. Tran Thi My Phuong, in Thu uc District, said The God of Wealth will only bring good fortune to you if you buy gold on the tenth day of the lunar calendar. Even though I have to hustle in the crowd, I am willing to do so in exchange for luck the entire year, she said. SJC on Saturday morning quoted gold at VN37.2 million and VN37.6 million a tael for buying and selling, respectively, in HCM City, a slight fall from the previous day. VNS Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc issued a directive on Thursday to speed up the restructuring of State-owned enterprises (SOE) during the 2016-20 period. Photo doanhnghiepvn.vn HA NOI Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc issued a directive on Thursday to speed up the restructuring of State-owned enterprises (SOE) during the 2016-20 period. The overhaul of SOEs in the previous five-year period helped reduce the number of SOEs, promote divestments from non-core businesses and increase the operational efficiency of SOEs. However, the restructuring progress remained stagnant; the State still held controlling stakes in many sectors, and the efficiency of SOEs was low, compared to its resources, according to the decree. In addition, there was a lack of regulations on accountability in evaluating the value of SOEs, along with a failure in separating State ownership and management performances at SOEs. In the next five-year period, the Prime Minister asked relevant ministries and organisations to gear up efforts for hastening the restructuring of SOEs, with a focus on quality, rather than quantity. Accordingly, the Ministry of Finance was assigned to issue, in the first quarter of 2017, decrees which aimed at clarifying accountability of consultancy organisations in evaluating State assets at SOEs for privatisation and divestment, as well as raising mechanisms to attract strategic investors. Of note, the Ministry of Planning and Investment must propose a special committee which would function as the owner of State assets at SOEs, for the Governments consideration this month. Other relevant amendments must be introduced by the second quarter of this year, to ensure compliance with the laws on Enterprise, Investment and Management and Use of State Capital Invested in Production and Business at Enterprises. The decree said that appropriate mechanisms must be raised to attract competent strategic investors and reduce State stakes to a level that could enable change in corporate management. In addition, business strategies must be developed for each SOE, while their brand values must be accounted as an asset privatisation occurs. The Prime Minister also asked to increase supervision to prevent losses to State assets during the restructuring progress, affirming the determination to handle loss-making SOEs and inefficient projects. Accountability in the restructuring of SOEs must be clarified, while violations must be strictly handled, the decree said. Between 2011 and 2015 almost 600 SOEs were equitised, or 96 per cent of the targeted number. The number of SOEs has since fallen from some 6,000 to over 700 during the past 15 years. In December, the Prime Minister issued Decision 58/2016/Q-TTg which fixes the rate of State ownership in individual firms that are to be equitized, rather than the sector-wise rate the Government used to fix earlier. Accordingly, the Government will hold 100 per cent stakes at 103 SOEs, while 137 others will be equitised from 2016-20. VNS Shares may continue rising this week as investor confidence increases at the beginning of the lunar year, analysts say. Photo motthegioi.vn HA NOI Shares may continue rising this week as investor confidence increases at the beginning of the lunar year, analysts say. Banking stocks are expected to take the lead with investors expecting improvements in the sector, they add. The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange on Friday fell 0.4 per cent to end last week at 700.35 points, after rallying 3 per cent in the previous five sessions to reach a nine-year high of 703.18 points on Thursday. At the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX Index rallied for a fourth day, increasing 0.5 per cent to end at 85.03 points. The northern market index has moved up 2.4 per cent in the last four sessions. Investor sentiment is often high at the beginning of the lunar year, and this will be an important factor that could lift the market, as seen in the five consecutive days ending Friday. Positive investor sentiment at the beginning of the lunar year will help increase investment in the stock market, especially when the resistance range of 690-700 points has been surpassed for the first time since September 2016, said Phan Dung Khanh, head of the investment consultancy at Maybank Kim Eng Securities Co Ltd. Before the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, the VN Index had crossed the 690 point level, and the nine-year high was reached after the market returned from a one-week break. This caused both regret and excitement among investors because they had pulled out of the stock market during the pre-Tet holiday period, missing the opportunity to participate in the markets improvement, Khanh said. The stock market will also be lifted by investor expectations of Government policies to support the economy and businesses, along with the release of companies earnings reports, and by large-cap groups that are preparing to be traded on the stock market, he added. The VN Index corrected itself on Friday after a five-day rally. According to Vu Minh uc, head of individual customer analysis at Viet Capital Securities Company, the correction on Friday was a must-decline session so that the VN Index can continue increasing in the near future. More specifically, the benchmark index might decline during some of the first trading days this week to test the support range of 695-700 points, then increase to the middle-term resistance level of 740-750 points within months, he said. Banks will lead the market in the coming week, and this year, as investors are counting on the restructuring plan for the entire banking system, as well as on the possibility of a policy that allows banks to lift the bar for foreign investment this year, as Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told Bloomberg TV in January, uc said. Bank stocks, such as Vietcombank (VCB), BIDV (BID) and Vietinbank (CTG), weigh heavily on the market, as do other blue chip firms including dairy producer Vinamilk (VNM) and brewer Sabeco (SAB). While the price-to-earnings ratios of the large-cap bank stocks are lower than that of the latter, it also means the potential for bank stocks to grow is quite high, uc said. Investors may also take earnings reports of listed companies into account this week, according to Nguyen Ngoc Lan, head of the broker division at Agribank Securities Company. Companies that saw yearly increases in their earnings for 2016 include dairy producer Vinamilk, steelmaker Hoa Phat Group (HPG), real estate group FLC (FLC) and Faros Construction Corp (ROS). VNS HA NOI The domestic vegetable and fruit industry in January witnessed a year-on-year increase of 14 per cent in export value to US$230 million, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO). So far this year, Vietnamese vegetable and fruit products have been shipped to more than 60 countries. Lychee, rambutan, dragon fruit, mango and longan, in particular, have been exported to markets with string regulations such as the United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea. To enter these markets, local vegetables and fruits must meet strict quarantine conditions, food safety standards and have documents of origin. According to the Viet Nam Vegetable and Fruit Association, Viet Nam last year witnessed a 30 per cent year-on-year increase in export value of vegetables and fruits to $2.5 billion. The export value exceeded the export value of some major farming products, including rice, pepper and rubber. Experts said the vegetable and fruit industry would export many kinds of fruit in the future, resulting in a 3-4 times surge in export volume against the current volume. At present, the relevant offices have completed necessary procedures to export local fruits to new markets. VNS HA NOI The US Department of Commerce said the revocation of anti-dumping (AD) order on certain frozen warmwater shrimp from Viet Nam would likely lead to a continuation or recurrence of dumping. This was the conclusion of the departments five-year sunset review published in a notice by the International Trade Administration on January 30 on the website federalregister.gov. We determine that revocation of the AD Order on certain frozen warmwater shrimp from Viet Nam would likely lead to a continuation or recurrence of dumping at weighted average margins up to 25.76 per cent, the notice said. This would mean that certain Vietnamese shrimp exporters would continue to have anti-dumping duties imposed on them. According to undercurrentnews.com, last September, the department published final duty findings for its 10th period of review, which covered shrimp shipments from India and Viet Nam between February 1, 2014 and January 31, 2015. The departments preliminary duty rates in its 11th period of review were issued in early November for shipments made between February 1, 2015 and January 31, 2016, with the same levels that were finalised in the 10th review. The rate was 4.78 per cent for exporters participating in the review, except Minh Phu Corporation which reached a settlement agreement with the department. A rate of 25.75 per cent was applied on other exporters. The final rates of the 11th review were expected to be published this month. According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trades Export-Import Department, shrimp account for some 50 per cent of Viet Nams seafood export revenue to the United States. Viet Nam Seafood Exporters and Producers has forecast that shrimp export would reach US$3.4 billion in 2017, up 9 per cent from last year. VNS Hong Van Returning to Hai Phong to have a bowl of canh banh a Dearly missing Cat Dai Waiting for Cat Cut When poet Nguyen Thuy Kha, a Hai Phong native, penned these verses, he was speaking for all the people of the port city who never fail to get nostalgic for this particular dish when they are away from home. The canh banh a that the poet wrote about is a noodle soup, but the noodles are very different from what is found elsewhere in the country, and the dishs flavours are particular to the port city, too. Hai Phong food is in the middle range: not too sour, spicy, salty or sweet. Hai Phong cooks are not very meticulous in their presentation, like in the royal Hue cuisine, for example; they pay more attention to the freshness of the ingredients, especially seafood and river-food, said ao Thi Thanh Mai, a culture and tourism lecturer at a private university in the port town. Delicacies of Hai Phong are often associated with seafood and river-food like fish, crab and shrimp. And banh a cua has been the dish that has been attached with the memory of Hai Phong natives for long. The dish features banh a (locally-made flat rice noodle), crab meat, pork bones-based broth and vegetables. It is the citys pride, just as pho is to Hanoians. If pho represents the delicateness of Ha Noi cooks and food connoiseurs, banh a cua can be said to be an expression and demonstration of traits of people from Hai Phong sharp, bold and frank. Banh a cua can be found in any street of the port city and can be had at any time of the day, from dawn to midnight, said Nguyen Hoai Phuong, a resident of the citys Ngo Quyen Street. I still remember the early mornings when I walked to school with my friends or the wintery evenings when I sat in a street-food stall, breathing in the aroma of fried minced dried onions and watching smoke swirl from the broth of banh a cua . As far as I am concerned, a Hai Phong woman is one who knows how to cook a bowl of banh a cua. It is easy and always satisfies. A full bowl can have moc (pork ball) or cha la lot (fried minced pork wrapped in la lot leaves), or cha ca (fried minced fish). But to keep it simple, they just need to put the brown noodle in broth with crab meat, said Phuong. In the old days, Tam Thuat alley off Cat Dai Street was one of the places that had a large number of banh a cua sellers. Everyday from 3 to 4am, when the night lights were still on, residents could hear the familiar sound of crab meat being pounded with a mortar and pestle, said Tran Thi Binh, a Hai Phong native. Some home cooks still use a mortar and pestle instead of using a blender to pound the crabs when making the noodle soup, and they swear by the superior taste it imparts. Then there are those who will use only the water spinach grown in the o Son area, which is best known for its crunchy taste. Banh a cua now is available in different regions of Viet Nam, but natives and many others claim that it is only in Hai Phong that one gets the must authentic taste of this specialty. They say that the locally made rice noodles make a difference, and the difference makes this dish specific to Hai Phong. Hai Phong has three villages Lang Con, Ho and Du Hang Kenh that have a 700-year history of making this noodle. Hai Phongs banh a strip, white or dark brown, is wider than the normal noodle, carries a strong fragrance of rice and has a chewy taste. To make banh a cua, Hai Phong people will use fresh banh a, dipping in hot water and then putting it in the broth. Cooks in other regions use dry banh a instead and soak it in cool water for several minutes before putting it in the broth. Royal approval No discussion of any crab dish in the country is complete without mentioning the crab broth. The broth is not particular to any locality, and it has its roots in rural areas, but it has gone from humble beginnings to receive royal approval. When I was small, life was very difficult. Those that had corn and sweet potato for their daily meal were considered wealthy. Most families experienced hunger, and meat was an unaffordable luxury. My friends and I would go often to the rice fields and catch crabs to supplement our meager meals, said Nguyen Van Thanh of Nam inh Province. Being away from my rural hometown for a long time, crab broth is the thing that I always miss the most. For me, it is linked to my childhood, my mother, the best cook, and the countryside, Thanh said. It is said that King Le Hien Tong (1461-1504) once visited his master teacher, Nguyen Bao, in Chau Khe village, Hai Duong Province. The teacher invited his royal student to have a meal with him. It was simple fare with crab broth made in a rural kitchen, something that could not be found in the palace. The king told his teacher the crab broth was more tasty than any other dish. Later, the king missed the broth, and locals began offering crabs to the royal palace. Since then, there is a folk saying that goes: Canh cua nau cai them gung Xua nay vua chua a tung khen ngon or Crab broth cooked with canola and ginger Has for long been praised by the king. These days, even after considerable improvements in living standards, crab broth remains a favourite for many. It is cooked with many different vegetables including rau ngot (star gooseberry), rau cai (canola), bau (gourd) or hoa thien ly (cowslip creeper flowers). VNS Banh a cua can be found at: Hai Phong: 26 Ky ong Street 124 Nguyen uc Canh Street 60 Luong Khanh Thien Street 57 Cau at Street 135 Lam Son Street Ha Noi 111 Trieu Viet Vuong Street 8 Hang ong Street 59A Phung Hung Street 87 Ly Thuong Kiet Street To celebrate New Zealands National Day (Waitangi Day), the countrys Ambassador to Viet Nam Wendy Matthews has written a letter praising the growing links of travel, trade and culture between the two nations. New Zealand celebrates our National Day, Waitangi Day on 6th of February. This day recognises the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi between representatives of the Crown and Chiefs of the indigenous Maori people on 6 February 1840. New Zealand families will be celebrating Waitangi Day by enjoying the best of New Zealand summer beaches, bbqs and ice-cream! As the New Zealand Embassy in Ha Noi looks at the year gone by since our last National Day, there have been some excellent developments in the New Zealand- Viet Nam relationship to celebrate: -Air New Zealand launched seasonal direct air links between Auckland and HCM City in June -Impressive growth in student visa (up 21 per cent) and visitor visa (up 88 per cent) applications to New Zealand -Successful exchanges of high level visits with Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minhs trip to New Zealand in December and the visit of New Zealands Minister for Economic Development Stephen Joyce to Viet Nam in June. -Two way goods trade grew by 9.2 per cent -Services trade increased strongly (7 per cent growth for NZs service exports and 19.6 per cent growth for Viet Nams service exports) Good people to people links are the backbone of any thriving relationship. There is a famous Maori proverb: He aha te mea nui o teao? What is the most important thing in the world? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. It is the people, it is the people, it is the people The launch of the Air New Zealand direct flight between Viet Nam and New Zealand has provided the platform for further growth of people to people links. New Zealanders are increasingly flocking to explore the wonders that Viet Nam has to offer, and similarly Vietnamese are travelling to New Zealand to experience the open hearts, open minds, and open spaces of our beautiful country. We have also been pleased by the expanding numbers of Vietnamese students travelling to New Zealand for high quality education and the increasing institutional linkages between top universities in both countries. In addition New Zealand has a number of exchanges, training programmes and scholarships which are designed to assist the next generation of Vietnamese leaders to develop and grow. The people of Viet Nam increasingly demand high quality food that tastes great, is nutritious, and is safely produced. New Zealand provides just that, through its trade with Viet Nam. But we also share our agricultural expertise, including via the new Binh inh Safe Vegetables Project, helping to develop new varieties of dragon fruit, and through a Food Safety Study Tour to New Zealand for Vietnamese officials in November 2016. As Asia-Pacific partners, New Zealand and Viet Nam have been actively cooperating in regional political, economic and security fora. New Zealand has been a long-standing strong advocate for APEC and we look forward to working with Viet Nam to make its APEC host year a success. New Zealand is hosting APEC in 2021, so we are also hoping to learn from Viet Nams hosting experience. Also on the economic front New Zealand and Viet Nam are jointly involved in the RCEP trade negotiations and both are TPP partners. While TPP is facing headwinds, New Zealand has completed its domestic implementation and will work closely with Viet Nam to continue to progress TPP. In 2016 New Zealand and Viet Nam had the unfortunate shared experience of natural disasters. In New Zealand it was earthquakes that shook the upper South Island and capital city and in Viet Nam it was flooding that rampaged through central Viet Nam. Disaster risk management is an ongoing active area of our bilateral cooperation. In that vein New Zealand provided humanitarian assistance to the province of Binh inh to help thousands of households in their flood recovery. New Zealand is a young country, but throughout its history its peoples have looked outward looking to explore and build linkages. We are proud of the developments in the New Zealand-Viet Nam relationship which are deepening our economic and political partnership, but we have even higher ambitions for the year ahead.VNS HA NOI Around 10,000 Buddhists set a Vietnamese record by laughing together at the opening ceremony of An Lac Spring Festival 2017 at Khai Nguyen Pagoda in Ha Noi on Sunday. On stage, Vietnam Laughter Yoga chairman Le Anh Son shared funny folk tales to encourage people to laugh and guided them on how to breathe and burst into cheerful laughter. Laughter yoga helps people destress, said Venerable Thich ao Thinh, chairman of Khai Nguyen Pagoda, which is located in Son ong Commune in Son Tay Town. When people laugh, they feel happier. It suits the spirit of Buddhism to help bring happiness and more meaning to peoples lives. We decided to join with Vietnam Laughter Yoga to organise the event on the first day of the spring festival. Laughter yoga is part of the three-day festival organised jointly by Happy Entrepreneur Community, the Ha Noi Martial Arts Association and Viet Nam Laughter Yoga. The An Lac Spring Festival, which began on February 5, features traditional martial arts, Buddhist music and dragon dances. Around 1,000 vegetarian hot-pots will also be cooked at the pagoda and offered to visitors at the event, who will be briefed on the benefits of eating vegetarian food, such as leading a healthy lifestyle and protecting nature and ones environment. The festival will have around 60 small businesses selling vegetarian and handmade products. Laughter yoga has become a popular phenomenon, and Viet Nam Laughter Yoga has centres in 38 provinces and cities across the country. This is the first time that a laughter yoga session has been held on such a large scale. Both laughter yoga and vegetarian hot-pots will receive certificates from the Viet Nam Book of Record on Tuesday, at the festivals closing ceremony. Khai Nguyen Pagoda, located at a scenic spot in Son ong Commune, has been offering classes to students to let them experience how it feels to live the life of nuns several days a month for the past two years. VNS LONDON Queen Elizabeth II, the worlds longest reigning sovereign, on Monday set a new record as the first British monarch to reach her sapphire jubilee, with 65 years on the throne. The queen, now 90, rose to the throne in 1952 at the age of 25 upon the premature death of her father, King George VI. As with previous milestones in her long reign, Queen Elizabeth is likely to spend Accession Day privately at her Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, eastern England. On Sunday, however, she was seen smiling as well-wishers gave her flowers outside church. Despite her reluctance to celebrate publicly, the occasion will be marked in Britain. At the Tower of London, in the capitals Green Park and all around the kingdom, gun salutes will be fired in tribute. Sapphire is the 65th anniversary gemstone and a photograph has been reissued of the sovereign wearing a suite of sapphire jewellery given to her by her father as a wedding gift in 1947. The 2014 portrait by David Bailey shows her wearing the glittering necklace, dating from 1850 and made of 16 large oblong sapphires surrounded by diamonds. "She has very kind eyes with a mischievous glint. Ive always liked strong women, and she is a very strong woman," the photographer said at the time. Coins, stamps and salutes The Royal Mint is marking the anniversary with specially-designed commemorative coins, ranging from a 5 coin to a 1,000 solid gold one-kilogram coin which actually costs 50,000 to buy. The five pounds (US$6.25) coins feature the imperial state crown, rotated to show off the Stuart sapphire. They also bear words from the famous quote in her 21st birthday speech to the Commonwealth back in 1947 "My whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service." Meanwhile the Royal Mail has issued a 5 stamp in a sapphire blue colour. "Its very, very difficult to dislike her," Andrew Gimson, author of Gimsons Kings and Queens, said. "Shes never answered back, shes always been above politics. "On the whole, our politicians are very unpopular" with ordinary citizens. "Theyd much prefer having this dutiful woman carrying out this role." Victorias record eclipsed Queen Elizabeth became Britains longest-serving monarch ever in September 2015, surpassing the reign of her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, a record she said was "not one to which I have ever aspired". She also became the longest-reigning living monarch in the world in October last year following the death of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Queen Elizabeths three big jubilees were the silver jubilee in 1977 after 25 years marked by street parties and a world tour; the 2002 golden jubilee at 50 years featuring a pop concert at Buckingham Palace; and the diamond jubilee in 2012 for 60 years which saw a river pageant on the Thames in London. As head of the Commonwealth, she has also been the monarch of Australia, Canada and New Zealand for 65 years. With her advancing age, Queen Elizabeth is gradually handing over more duties to younger members of the royal family. Her 34-year-old grandson Prince William, who is second in line to the throne after his father Prince Charles, is stepping down as an air ambulance pilot this year to carry out more royal duties on his grandmothers behalf. AFP Huynh Thanh at Director of Viet Nam National University-HCM City, Huynh Thanh at, talks to chinhphu.vn about the role of universities in encouraging students to start their own business and promoting startups During a visit to Viet Nam National University-HCM City (VNUHCMC), Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that one way to measure the success of a university is by the number of students starting their own business and succeeding, not by the number of students getting jobs after graduating. Does VNUHCMC have plans to collect information about graduate startups? The Government issued a resolution asking training institutions to include startup-relating content in training programme. The Prime Ministers saying concretised the policy. Once the number of successful startups of students is considered a criterion to assess a university, training institutions will design and carry out activities to promote startups. VNUHCMC plans to collect information about its former students who are operating enterprises. The universitys Centre for Education Assessment will propose to the Ministry of Education and Training a pilot programme making successful startups a criterion to assess the quality of training institutions. Since 2013, VNUHCMC has implemented activities to improve awareness, capacity and create favourable climate for students to experience startups. For example, the university launched yearly contests for startup ideas, invited successful businessmen or foreign speakers to talk with students. Members of VNUHCMC, like the University of Economics and Law and HCM City International University also developed startup clubs. The University of Technology under VNUHCMC has started a 10-year programme in co-operation with France to train high quality engineers. In 2015, the HCM City Peoples Committee assigned the universitys Information Technology Park to train 500 IT entrepreneurs. Last year, VNUHCMC co-operated with Hoa Sen Group to found a Startup Fund worth VN10 billion (US$44,000). We are calling for support from other enterprises to develop the fund. Is there any mechanism to nurture a startup spirit among students? Most activities to promote a startup spirit among students are through extracurricular activities, and students join on a voluntary basis. We are thinking of a pilot programme that makes startups part of the Information Technology curriculum. We are also considering making startups a compulsory subject. In other countries, this is usually an optional, extracurricular activity as just 5 per cent of their students want to start their own business after graduating. What challenges do universities usually face when promoting startups among students? To launch successful startups, students need motivation, capacity and resource. In order to mobilise all three factors, students need to invest a lot of time, but their course load is already quite heavy. Some students, particularly in their final year, could find time for startup projects. The development of business incubators in universities offers opportunities for students to live 24/7 with their projects. Normally, startups are defined as businesses that generate profits and create jobs. As an educator, what do you think about the concept? During a visit to our university last November, PM Phuc emphasised that startups are not just about running businesses but also about other activity as long as it benefits the community and solves problems of human and sustainable development. The value of startups is not merely financial, it also has social value. In my opinion, the term startup can be understood as creating new values for a certain group of clients. For example, developing a new course for students could be considered a startup activity. Another example is to develop a new business model for a scientific research centre so that it could operate without Government subsidy. I think that startup, which means creating new value for a certain group of clients, could pose risks. One task of education is to help those who want to develop startups and have the ability to do so in all sectors of society, not merely in economic activities. Startups are a visible contribution that young people, particularly students could make to the nation in its new stage of development. Keep learning, have a positive attitude, create new values. That could help make Viet Nam stronger. VNS When Liu Zhaojun, a farmer-turned-businessman, was told about a brick maker in Uzbekistan looking for investors almost four years ago, he knew "absolutely nothing" about the country. "I didn't know where it was or how far it was from China," Liu said. "I could not even pronounce its name properly." In 2013, Liu was selling building materials in Pingxiang county, about 10 kilometers from his hometown in Hebei province. He did not know that the Belt and Road Initiative - the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road - would involve farmers like him, but he decided to try his luck anyway. Toward the end of 2013, he made his first visit to Uzbekistan along with some business partners and saw immense potential. He invested in Keramik, a 28-million-yuan ($4 million) brickmaking plant covering 20 hectares in the suburbs of Tashkent the following year. The plant, which began production in May, turns out 100,000 bricks every day. Producing bricks locally has cut costs for Uzbek building companies and created more than 30 jobs. For three years, China has been Uzbekistan's second-largest trade partner and No 1 investor. According to the Ministry of Commerce, China's nonfinancial direct foreign investment in Uzbekistan totaled $510 million by the end of April last year. "In recent years, freight train routes have linked different parts of China with Central Asia," Liu said. These trains have cut transportation time and improved efficiency. Until last summer, he had to arrange land transport to Zhengzhou, Henan province, where the freight was loaded onto trains that traveled through Northwest China to Tashkent. "The trip took about 20 days. But before freight trains, shipping time was at least 40 days." In July last year, a new freight route linked Tashkent with Xingtai, Hebei, and cut shipping time to eight days. "It's hard to imagine a poor man like me, who had trouble making ends meet 10 years ago, is now doing business overseas," Liu said. Like the gun lobby says, if you take away everyones guns, then only bad people will have them. Likewise, if you take away the ability of all Mexicans, or Syrians for that matter, to enter the country then only the worst will make it. Beyond the unimaginative cowardice, walls do nothing but waste resources, and eventually become outward expressions of the ones we build in ourselves. By the 1830s, anti-immigration groups formed around the United States oddly referring to themselves as native Americans, meaning native-born white, Protestant Americans. They warned good patriotic Americans that the tides of sub-human Irish immigrants were a threat to national security. They held allegiance to the Pope, not the flag, and they disdained patriotism and morality. After the Irish, it was the Italians who were vilified. The concept of illegal immigration really began with the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882. This was a rather self-explanatory law explicitly drafted to describe Chinese immigration as an evil to society. In the economic downturn after the Civil War the coolies were blamed for depressed wages and many other social ills. The turn of the 20th century marked a period of hyper-racism in America, with increasingly restrictive immigration laws explicitly seeking to preserve white American homogeneity passed. The national security premise becomes more difficult to defend in Mexico. Many places in the United States actually used to be Mexico. For centuries familial relations, and labor ties have spanned the banks of the Rio Grande. In most areas, locals who live and work near the border dont believe that a wall will do much to guard against so-called illegal immigration. The most effective way to spend money, they say, is in monitoring and patrol. Support for the wall seems loudest in places nowhere near it, where fear of non-whites is high. Thus the cycle of politicizing race continues. If we turn this long history lesson to face Auburn, we might understand our small but vital role in the national politics of immigration. The Queen of the Finger Lakes has always played a role in helping the feared, the hated and the excluded. Weve all heard the stories of Underground Railroad safe-houses, but that inclusive spirit extended well beyond the end of slavery. In 1924, the Auburn City School District counted 14 Syrian children among the new nationalities entering the system. The bitter fighting between Syrian nationals and the imperialist French occupation had been driving refugees to America for years. Somehow, someway they made it all the way to this city and found a home. If history has shown us anything about walls, its that they dont work. Hadrians Wall in Scotland was meant to keep out those nasty Scots, but didnt. It was later enhanced by the Antonine Wall, which also failed. Even the Great Wall of China failed to keep out the Mongols. Do I even need to mention the Berlin Wall? The parallels between it and Trumps wall would be humorous if they werent so sad. Richard Kenneth Wilson of the UK is one of 40 foreigners receiving an electronic visa under a two-year pilot programme launched on February 1 for citizens of 40 countries. Photo tuoitre.vn HA NOI Officials of HCM Citys Culture, Sport and Tourism Department on Saturday welcomed the first foreigner entering Viet Nam on an e-visa, Richard Kenneth Wilson of the UK, at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport. Wilson was one of 40 foreigners receiving an electronic visa under a two-year pilot programme launched on February 1 for citizens of 40 countries. The countries include Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, China (not applicable to Chinese e-passport holders), Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Mongolia, Myanmar, Norway, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Timor Leste, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay and Venezuela. Applications for the 30-day visas are submitted through https://xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn or https://immigration.gov.vn, and visas or rejections are supplied within three working days. Bui Ta Hoang Vu, director of the tourism department, said e-visas are expected to attract more foreign tourists to the city. Tran Van Long, director of Viet Media Travel, said the new system "catches up with the global trend in developing tourism. Long suggested the Government add more countries to the list of eligible nationalities once the pilot programmed ends. Nguyen uc Tri, head of the Tourism Institute under Viet Nam National University - HCM City, said the e-visas also enable constant updates of foreign tourists visiting the country, helping service providers identify trends and tastes. In response to questions about the speed of the two new websites, Nguyen Quy Phuong, head of the Travel Department under the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism, told Thoi bao kinh te Sai Gon (The Sai Gon Times) that they occasionally were slower than expected in their first days of operation but the immigration agency was working hard to fix the problem. Viet Nam welcomed over one million foreign tourists in January, 23.6 per cent higher than the same period last year. VNS President Tran ai Quang (L) hands over gift to the Minister of Ministry of Education and Training Tran Xuan Nha on the ocassion of his visit to the ministry on Saturday. VNA/VNS Photo Nhan Sang HA NOI President Tran ai Quang on Saturday urged the countrys education authorities to focus on developing a high quality work force and to train global citizens, especially in information and nano technology, automation, telecommunications and the use of new materials and energy. Speaking during a New Year visit to the Ministry of Education and Training, the President said the education system must reform its approach to optimise creativity and start-up skills. Cooperation between training facilities and enterprises must be strengthened, and new training models must be applied in combination with the restructuring of training programmes to produce a contingent of global engineers, he suggested. The State leader stressed the need to improve the capacity of teachers and management officials to serve the comprehensive reform of education and training, as well as the necessity to pay more attention to education and training in remote and poor areas, ensuring welfare beneficiaries and ethnic minority people access education. He also asked the sector to assist labourers in switching jobs that have become redundant, and ensure sustainable eradication of illiteracy, while expanding international partnership and encouraging Overseas Vietnamese experts to work at education and research facilities in Viet Nam. Closer links should also be forged between training facilities and science-technology organisations and research institutes. The President acknowledged the efforts and achievements of the education system on 2016, especially in fixing shortcomings of the high school graduation and university entrance exams. Students sent to international and regional Olympiads reaped high results, he noted, adding that Viet Nam successfully hosted the 27th Biology Olympiad with the participation of 250 students from 68 countries and territories. According to the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment for 2015, Viet Nam also ranked eighth among 72 countries in terms of science studies. In 2016, Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha issued a decree specifying nine major tasks and five measures for the 2016-17 academic year, focusing on improving the quality of teachers and education management officials at all levels, strengthening the autonomy of tertiary education facilities, and developing high quality human resources. VNS Pacific Crystal Textile Company, located in Lai Vu industrial park in Kim Thanh District, was fined for discharging toxic waste which exceeded technical levels, including pH and color levels, total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). Photo tuoitre.vn HAI DUONG Chairman of Peoples Committee of northern Hai Duong Province Nguyen Duong Thai has imposed an administrative fine of VN672 million (US$29,372) on a Chinese textile company for violating regulations on treating waste water. Pacific Crystal Textile Company, located in Lai Vu industrial park in Kim Thanh District, was fined for discharging toxic waste which exceeded technical levels, including pH and color levels, total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). The local Peoples Committee asked the company to respond to the consequences of the release, collect waste water and treat it following technical standards before it is released into the environment. Pacific Crystal began operations at its $425-million plant in Hai Duong Province in December 2015. It specialises in manufacturing fabrics and raw materials for textiles. VNS HCM CITY Binh Thuan Districts Ham Can Commune has got a new kindergarten under the One Milk Box-One Brick programme by Dutch dairy firm FrieslandCampina Viet Nams Dutch Lady brand. The 407sq.m pre-school has four classrooms and a kitchen, and is the 20th built under the programme, which seeks to prevent children from dropping out of school, especially in rural and remote areas. Arnoud van den Berg, managing director of FrieslandCampina Viet Nam, said the new kindergarten provides better facilities for learning and playing for kids in the commune. The programme has become a useful and humanitarian social activity that contributes to education development, he added. Nguyen Thi Lieu, principal of the kindergarten, said the new school would help reduce the dropout rate. More and more schools would be built under the programme, she said. The company has also donated a playground at the kindergarten. Since 2002 when it began, the programme has built 20 schools and provided more than 25,000 scholarships to poor students throughout the country. It was awarded by the Prime Minister in 2013. VNS HA NOI Commuters in Ha Noi have to pay to use the bus rapid transit (BRT) service from Monday, after enjoying free rides for more than a month. An estimated 380,000 people travelled free of charge on the BRT in January, the first month the new public transport service was operated in the capital. The bus runs on a 14-km route from Kim Ma Street to Yen Nghia Bus Station, completing the journey in 30 to 45 minutes. The BRT buses offer passengers complimentary Wi-Fi service. From Monday, each trip will cost VN7,000 (US$0.3), which is the same rate as the non-BRT buses, which are partially subsidised by the Government. Nguyen Hoanng Hai, director of Ha Noi Public Transport Management and Operation Centre, said that while during the first half of January, many people were using BRT buses simply to experience it, by the second half of the month, commuters using the BRT were those who really needed to travel along the route. On the first day that people have to buy BRT tickets, the number of passengers remains the same, he said. Several types of commuters get concessional rates, including students, workers in industrial zones and senior citizens, who have to pay VN55,000 ($2.43) a month for fixed route and VN100,000 ($4.25) a month for multi-route. Others have to pay VN100,000 and VN200,000 per month, respectively. Hai said the monthly fares are inexpensive and that if the BRT can ensure good quality of service, frequency and timing, it will attract more commuters. Nguyen Thuy, director of Ha Noi BRT Factory, said the number of passengers on Monday did not change compared to the previous days, which suggests that the service has been well-received. Commuter Tran Thu Trang said she prefers travelling by BRT to her office on Lang Ha Street as it takes less time than by motorbike. The BRT fare is the same as other buses, but it is far more convenient and much faster, she said. From this month, the traffic police have also started imposing fines on motorists caught driving in the dedicated BRT lane. Following Government Decree 46/2016/N-CP, issued in 2016, automobiles driving in the BRT lane will be fined VN800,000-1.2 million ($35-53) and motorbikes VN300,000-400,000 ($13-17). The city plans to operate eight BRT routes by 2030. VNS HA NOI The Ministry of Health plans to look into health check-ups and treatments offered at public hospitals this year so as to ensure equal fees are charged at all facilities. The ministry will also inspect tenders and purchases of medicines, medical equipment and materials at National Hospital of Odonto and Stomotology in HCM City, National Institute of Ophthalmology in Ha Noi and Viet Nam-Sweden Uong Bi Hospital in northern Quang Ninh Province. Next week, the health and finance ministries will meet to discuss a draft circular on the framework of health check-up and treatment costs at public hospitals. The circular is scheduled to be issued in the first quarter of this year to avoid differences in check-up fees at different hospitals. As per the draft circular, the proposed cost of a health check-up service will not exceed VN200,000 (US$9) each time, and specific conditions will be set for required health check-ups. Currently, the fee for health check-ups at central hospitals nationwide range from VN150,000 ($7) to VN690,000 ($31) per time. The draft circular also sets the highest fee per day for a room with one bed at VN2.4 million ($107). The lowest price for a room with four beds is VN600,000 ($27) per day. The circular aims to ensure that facilities and equipment at hospitals are in sync with the fees patients pay and avoid situations where patients have to share beds even as unused beds are being offered for a fee. The ministrys inspection plan also includes public injection centres in Ha Noi. VNS HA LONG A 53-year-old Australian tourist was found dead in the waters of Ha Long Bay in northern Quang Ninh Province on Monday. It is unclear whether he accidentally fell or jumped in. Stephen John Scotts body was found by the rescue force and fishermen a few hours after he was reported missing from the deck of cruise ship Bien Ngoc 20 in the morning. The incident took place while the cruiser was anchored near Sung Sot Cave, a famous tourist destination in the bay, and waiting for a group of foreign tourists who had gone to visit the cave. Scott, head of the tourist group, and another member had chosen to stay behind in the cruiser. Around 8.45am, the cruiser staff heard a strange noise but they could not find Scott and reported the incident to concerned authorities. Scotts body has been brought to the shore. Authorities are now completing necessary formalities to return his body to his family. They are also investigating the cause of the incident. Cruise Bien Ngoc 20 (code QN-6758) belongs to Ha Long Bien Ngoc company. Its capacity is 44 seats and 22 beds. It had left the port at noon on Sunday with 16 tourists, one tourist guide and eight crew members on board. VNS HCM CITY Doctors of HCM City-based Paediatrics Hospital No.1 successfully saved the life of a two-day-old infant by removing a giant hematoma from his body. Dr Pham Thi Thanh Tam, head of the hospitals Infant Recovery Department, said the 2.5kg boy was rushed to hospital on February 1 with black blood birthmarks on his whole body and a big hematoma in the right thigh along with symptoms of brain haemorrhage. After checking and testing the hump, we found that the hematoma had swelled rapidly and was sucking blood from the infants body, possibly with a high risk of fatality, Dr Tam said. The immediate treatment was to look for suitable blood type for blood transfusion. The difficulty was the blood had to be fresh to be transfused to the infants body. Blood stored for a long time could not be used. Wrong blood type could result in blood disorder and pose a higher risk of death. There was a lack of voluntary blood donors during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday so we had to call for help from blood banks and the citys hospitals to look for a matching blood source, Tam said. Following a four-hour surgery conducted by doctors of various departments on February 3, a 10-12cm hematoma was removed. The infant is still using a respiratory machine; however, there is no bleeding anymore. The brain haemorrhage, according to doctors, does not appear to be too serious as the boys brain is reacting to movements. However, Dr Tam said the hematoma could possibly grow again because this was an innate defect of unknown origin. Every year, HCM City-based Paediatrics Hospital No.1 receives some 15 to 20 children suffering from the hematoma disease. The two-day infant is the hospitals youngest hematoma patient, hospitalised in extremely critical condition. VNS HA NOI Investigative police of Ha Nois Chuong My District have begun criminal proceedings after an old war invalid was beaten after a traffic collision. Earlier, a video went viral on social media showing the soldier being beaten by a group of young men at about 4pm on January 25. The men were charged with intentionally causing injuries to a war invalid, according to the police. Hoang Tien Vin, 62, a war veteran with his right leg amputated, reported that he did not notice his three-wheel vehicle hitting a car in Chuc Son Town in Chuong My District. He did not notice the collision and drove on when a group of young men then chased him by motorbike and assaulted him. Despite the intervention of witnesses, the men kept beating and kicking the solider and took him away by motorbike. Vin suffered from a shoulder injury and was taken to Military Hospital 103 for treatment. Lieutenant Colonel Tran Tri Dung, head of Chuong My Districts police said that they have summoned the suspects for further investigation. VNS PALM BEACH, United States President Donald Trump blasted the federal courts for a second day in a row on Sunday after his efforts to implement a travel ban were suspended and warned that the judiciary could be placing Americans in "peril." "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" the president tweeted, after uncharacteristically taking a nearly day-long break from Twitter. "I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult!" The saga began on January 27 when Trump issued a blanket ban on all refugees, as well as on travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. That sparked a worldwide furor, prompting protest marches and demonstrations in cities and at airports across the United States. On Friday, a federal judge in Seattle, James Robart, blocked the ban nationwide pending a wider legal review. On Saturday Trump angrily fired off multiple tweets on the matter, stating that the "so-called judge" was "ridiculous" -- and drawing criticism from Democrats and others who said the president was dangerously close to interfering with the judicial branch of government. A leading Democratic senator, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, said Trump seemed "intent on precipitating a constitutional crisis." Then early Sunday, a US appeals court rejected an urgent government request to reinstate Trumps controversial ban. AFP KABUL More than 100 people have been killed in a series of avalanches triggered by days of heavy snowfall around Afghanistan, including 50 in one village, officials said on Sunday, warning the death toll could rise still further. The avalanches struck after three days of heavy snow, which has destroyed scores of homes and blocked roads mainly in central and northeastern provinces, making it difficult for rescue workers to reach the stricken villages. The bulk of the deaths however occurred in remote Nuristan province, where at least 50 people were killed in a single village, Mohammad Omar Mohammadi, spokesman for the Ministry of Natural Disaster, said. "Avalanches have buried two entire villages in Bargmatal district, 50 bodies were recovered from one village while rescuers are trying to reach the other village," said the spokesman. Elsewhere 54 people were killed in northern and central Afghan provinces, where officials said massive avalanches destroyed 168 houses and killed hundreds of cattle. Bad weather and deep snow had hampered efforts of rescue workers to reach the isolated villages, raising fears the toll could rise sharply, according to officials. In Badakhshan province also in the northeast of the country, at least 18 people, including three women and two children, were killed when avalanches struck their houses overnight, said provincial spokesman Naweed Frotan. "Several dozens are still trapped, we are trying to rescue them," he said, adding that many roads were still blocked. Five people were killed by avalanches in the Balkhab district of Sari Pul province in northern Afghanistan and at least 70 people trapped under the snow were being rescued, said provincial spokesman Zabiullah Amani. "The roads to Balkhab are still blocked and we are trying to open them," he said. Freezing weather killed at least two people and over 100 animals in the western province of Badghis. In Parwan province just north of Kabul, the spokesman for governor Wahid Sediqqi said 16 people died. The government declared on Sunday, a normal working day in Afghanistan, to be a public holiday to deter non-essential travel and ensure schools were closed. AFP JERUSALEM Israeli ministers on Sunday endorsed a draft bill to legalise export of cannabis for approved medical use, Justice Minister Ayelet Shakeds office said, without elaborating. Adoption by the ministerial committee on legislation, which meets outside the full cabinet, means that the draft will now move forward as a government bill. No date was set for a first reading. Shakeds office said that a scheduled debate on decriminalising marijuana use in favour of fines and treatment was put back until next Sunday. Although the recreational use of cannabis is currently illegal in the Jewish state, for the past 10 years its therapeutic use has not only been permitted but encouraged. In 2015, doctors prescribed the herb to about 25,000 patients suffering from cancer, epilepsy, post-traumatic stress and degenerative diseases. The purpose is not to cure them but to alleviate their symptoms. In January, the agriculture ministry said it planned to invest eight million shekels (US$2 million, 1.98 million euros) into medical cannabis research projects. In January last year, US tobacco giant Philip Morris ploughed $20 million into Israeli company Syke, which produces precision inhalers for medical cannabis. Last month, Israeli public security minister Gilad Erdan announced his support for decriminalising recreational use. He said that he had adopted the conclusions of a commission created to study the issue and which recommended the move. Shaked has reportedly indicated she will support it. AFP NTT Communications (NTT Com), the ICT solutions and international communications business within the NTT Group today announced the launch of a strategic partnership with Virtustream, a US-based cloud company and Dell Technologies business; and Dell EMC (Japan), also a Dell Technologies business to develop and deliver multi-tenant cloud platforms for mission-critical applications, including large-scale SAP systems in Japan. Through this partnership, NTT Com will launch multi-tenant cloud platforms for mission-critical systems within large enterprises in Japan this spring. The partners will also explore opportunities to launch their offering in global markets. This joint initiatives will combine NTT Com's world-class data centers, network and existing cloud platforms; Virtustream's innovative cloud platform for mission-critical applications; and storage and Converged Infrastructure platform by Dell EMC (Japan). The newly developed, multi-tenant cloud platform will offer flexible pricing through MicroVM resource management (VM), Virtustream's patented technology for pay-as-you-go billing. Customers will have the capability to build hybrid environments that seamlessly integrate this new multi-tenant cloud, dedicated cloud and on-premises systems in one data center. NTT Com currently supports customers migrating their mission-critical applications from their existing environments to bare metal server as a part of its Enterprise Cloud offering. This new partnership will enable NTT Com's Enterprise Cloud to meet broader customer demands through the addition of a multi-tenant cloud platform for large-scale SAP systems. Virtustream, the core cloud business within Dell Technologies, delivers cloud services optimized for the mission-critical applications utilized by large enterprises worldwide. Through the new partnership, Virtustream, Dell EMC (Japan) expects to accelerate their cloud businesses in Japan and other markets in Asia. Mission-critical applications for large enterprises in Japan today are typically run in on-premises or private-cloud environments to ensure stability and high processing capabilities at all times. However, with enterprises demanding faster system scalability and more flexible pricing for greater competitiveness, there is growing interest in shifting mission-critical applications to a multi-tenant cloud platform's solutions. NTT Com's worldwide data center presence and network access will now enable global enterprises to use multi-tenant cloud platforms to seamlessly satisfy these mission-critical requirements. Film series will focus on love CEDAR FALLS During February, the Hearst Center for the Arts film series will feature unconventional love stories, opening with Harold and Maude on Tuesday. The 1971 film is rated PG, and will be shown at 7 p.m. in Mae Latta Hall. Admission is free and no tickets are required. The Hearsts film series is sponsored by Far Reach. Kiwanis meeting set for Tuesday WATERLOO The Waterloo Noon Kiwanis Club will meet at noon Tuesday at the Waterloo Elks Club. Lunch starts at 12:10 p.m. Speaker will be Joe Vich on disaster response by the Red Cross. Guests are welcome. For more information, call President Bruce Jacobs, 287-5733. VFW announces upcoming event WATERLOO The VFW Post 1623, 1406 Commercial, has several events planned. On Tuesday, there will be a dinner with fried chicken and mashed potatoes for $5. Bingo is set for 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, with Caseys Music to Go karaoke from 8 p.m. to close Friday. Church will host Bible study class WATERLOO Walnut Ridge Baptist Church, 1307 W. Ridgeway, will host a mens video/Bible study course, starting Tuesday. The seven-week study course will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesdays for Act Like Men 40 days to Biblical Manhood, by James MacDonald. Cost of a study book is $10. Sign-up on line at ww.wrbc.net or call 233-3545 for more information. Hy-Vee to host Kids in Kitchen WATERLOO There will be a Kids in the Kitchen Love Your Heart Party from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the University Hy-Vee. Kids of all ages are welcome with their caregivers. Sign up and pay at customer service. Waverly vets to serve breakfast WAVERLY A community breakfast will be served by the Waverly Area Veterans Post from 7:30 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the Waverly Area Veterans Post, 1300 Fourth St. N.W. The menu includes eggs, cheesy potatoes, biscuits and gravy, sausages, baked goods, coffee, juice and more.The public is welcome. WATERLOO -- One man has been detained following a chase that ended when he crashed into two parked cars Monday. The fleeing driver had children in his pickup, but no serious injuries were reported. The pursuit started shortly after 3 p.m. when officers attempted to stop the driver for outstanding warrants, police said. The pursuit ended at Crossroads Square apartments on Ridgeway Avenue when the pickup plowed into two cars in the parking lot. The driver then ran off, leaving the children alone, and was caught a short time later. Paramedics with Waterloo Fire Rescue took the children to a hospital as a precaution. According to court records, Foxhoven attempted to take a loudspeaker from a woman before he was pulled back by others. He then charged across the street at a man holding a sign, court records state. That was followed by a scuffle with counter protesters that ended with Foxhoven on the ground. WATERLOO A man who fled his burning house last week has been arrested for allegedly setting the fire. Waterloo police arrested Michael David Morehouse, 46, of 1144 Glenny Ave., for second-degree arson on Sunday after he was released from Covenant Medical Center. He was later released from jail. Authorities allege Morehouse made statements that he set the fire in a failed suicide attempt, according to court records. Firefighters were called to his home on Thursday morning after he fled through a window and sought help at a neighbors house. Fire crews discovered damage around the stairs to the basement and severe heat damage to the rest of the home, and they found a gasoline can. Officers could smell a gasoline-type substance in the house, and Morehouses clothing also had a gasoline odor, court records state. Morehouse was taken to the hospital for possible smoke inhalation. The city fire marshal investigated the blaze, and samples in the home were removed for chemical testing. WATERLOO A Waterloo man pleaded guilty to reduced charges he killed his father in March 2015. Rashod Develt Aldridge, 28, had been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of 50-year-old Roosevelt Velt Aldridge at the Randolph Street home where they lived. On Monday, the son entered an Alford plea not admitting guilt but acknowledging he would likely be convicted if the matter went to trial to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter in the case. The charge denotes taking a life as the result of a sudden, violent and irresistible passion arising from serious provocation. Is this your free choice to plead? Judge Andrea Dryer asked Aldridge during a brief hearing Monday. Yes, he answered. Defense attorney Ted Fisher said he and Aldridge explored the possibility of arguing self-defense but ultimately decided to agree to the plea deal. Aldridge also entered Alford pleas to two counts of going armed with intent stemming from two knives he is accused of carrying at the time of the incident. Sentencing will be at a later date, and Assistant County Attorney Israel Kodiaga said under the plea agreement Aldridge will face 15 to 20 years in prison. This includes 10 years for manslaughter added to five years for one of the going armed charges for a total of 15 years. Whether another five years for the second going armed charge will be added will be debated during the sentencing hearing, he said. The second-degree murder charge would have carried up to 50 years in prison upon conviction. Aldridge, who had been free, was taken into custody immediately. Police were called to Aldridges home March 20 and found the father in a bathroom with a single knife wound to his thigh. He was taken to Covenant Medical Center where he later died. Investigators also found defensive wounds on the victim. The son admitted stabbing his father, according to court records. EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been corrected. Due to a reporting error, the final vote on Senate File 166, which set state school aid to K-12 schools, was incorrect. The 55-40 vote was not along party lines. Republican Reps. Clel Baudler and Andy McKean voted no. DES MOINES Iowans warned lawmakers Monday a proposed $40 million increase in state school aid to K-12 schools will result in larger classes, fewer course offerings and layoffs. Its a travesty, Mark Bussel of Marion said at a public hearing before the House began floor debate on House File 136, which was identical to school funding legislation approved 55-40. Republican Reps. Clel Baudler and Andy McKean voted no. House Republicans, who have a 59-41 majority, were set to vote on the bill late Monday and send it to Gov. Terry Branstad. Party leaders support it. In news conferences and a public hearing ahead of floor debate, parents, teachers, union officials and lawmakers said a 1.11 percent increase is not enough to meet schools increased costs next year. It represents a lot of pink slips to hardworking teachers, Sioux City School Board member Perla Alarcon-Flory said at a Capitol news conference organized by Iowans for Public Education. This is not sufficient to fund my districts schools and I know many other districts are in the same position. Flory referred to a survey conducted by Democratic legislators of school superintendents who said they needed at least a 4 percent increase to break even this year. Flory blamed older lawmakers (who) dont even have grandchildren in the school system. Those who have school-aged children either home-school them or send them to private schools, she said. The 1.11 percent increase would amount to an additional $73 per student, increasing the state cost per pupil from $6,591 to $6,664, according to the Legislative Services Agency. The bill also will boost categorical funding to help reduce class sizes, boost teacher salaries and pay for early intervention programs by 1.11 percent and provide a $5.3 million boost in property tax replacement money. As a result, about 179 school districts 54 percent will be under the states budget guarantee a safeguard for schools dealing with declining enrollments that provides for 1 percent funding growth using local property taxes. The LSA estimated the total increase in property taxes, including the budget guarantee as well as the increase from the uniform levy and adjustments due to enrollment changes for all districts, will be about $55.4 million to $1.75 billion. Also in the bill, lawmakers eliminated the forward-funding law requiring the Legislature and governor to set state supplemental aid to schools more than one year in advance. Lawmakers have violated that on a regular basis in recent years. Branstad said he understands why lawmakers want to see the Revenue Estimating Conference projections in March before setting the school funding beyond the next school year. Democrats, who argued a 4 percent increase was the bare minimum needed, tried to amend the bill to raise funding to the 2 percent Branstad recommended for each of the next two years $78.8 million next year and $63.5 million in fiscal 2019. Brad Hudson of the Iowa State Education Association, which represents 34,000 educators, said the increase in school aid should be in line with K-12s share of the general fund budget. According to the Legislative Services Agency, K-12 state school aid has increased from about $1.6 billion in 1998 to slightly more than $3.1 billion in fiscal 2016. As a percent of the general fund budget, it has increased from 35.7 percent to 42.3. Hudson said the 1.11 percent hike is about 25 percent of the new money projected for the coming fiscal year. Iowa City parent and teachers spouse Karen Nichols told lawmakers continual underfunding of K-12 schools is placing stress on teachers. Like many speakers, she warned low salaries will make it hard to attract and retain good teachers. As teachers deal with large class sizes, the cost of buying their own classroom supplies and the time needed to prepare students for testing, they are unable to offer the same rigor as in the past. That impacts not only students, but Iowa as a whole, speakers said. An educated workforce is necessary to meet current needs as well as attract employers. Please Donate In order to maintain this blog I have to pay for its upkeep including a hosting company, support services, virus and other malicious hackers. 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: Name of Account: Brighton and Hove Unemployed Workers Centre Account No: 04094107 Sort Code: 09-01-50 Reference: Web donations CEDAR FALLS A rally for opponents of last weeks presidential orders on immigration drew hundreds to downtown Cedar Falls on Sunday afternoon. As organizers with Americans for Democratic Action-Iowa spoke out against President Donald Trumps directives to begin construction of a wall on the United States southern border and halt travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen demonstrators hoisted signs declaring No Ban, No Wall. Standing in the bed of a pickup truck parked next to Rep. Rod Blums Cedar Falls' closed office, the Rev. Eva Cameron of the Cedar Valley Interfaith Council talked of how her ancestors came to America in the 1630s to escape religious persecution and how the country is now all immigrants with the exception of Native Americans. She said many religions share the idea of inclusion. Occasionally, the speeches were drowned out by a contingent of counter protesters from Cedar Valley Patriots for Christ on the other side of Main Street who shouted We support our president, and so should you and Build that wall. You are being deceived about the nature of Islam. Islam is not a religion of peace. You are being lied to about what Islam stands for, said one man brandishing a bull horn. He went on to talk about the Muslim Brotherhood and plans for a caliphate. As a precaution, police closed the intersection of Main and Fifth streets to vehicle traffic as both crowds spilled into the roadway. Amid the shouting and cheering, Vail Shoars of Waverly crossed from the No Wall side to a gathering of men holding American flags behind huge Trump-Pence 2016 campaign sign. She offered them daisies from a bouquet. They told her they grew their own flowers and didnt need hers, but they accepted the gift. She said the flowers were an offering of peace. Just offering peace to the next person, somebody who is very angry and upset with other people for having different views, to show them that no matter our differences, we can still come together and still have love and still be peaceful, Shoars said. Tensions briefly flared when a man crossed the street and went after a female Trump supporter. He was held back by No Wall supporters but then pulled away from them and went after a person on the Trump side holding an Im an infidel sign, said Al Clark of Cedar Falls, a Trump supporter who witnessed the encounter, which ended up on the ground in a tangle of people. Cedar Falls police pulled the alleged attacker away, and someone yelled * you fascists! as officers walked him to a squad car. Police Chief Jeff Olson said the man was arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct, and it was the only arrest of the event. Americans for Democratic Action organizer Chris Schwartz said he wants to keep momentum from Sundays rally going. I feel like weve had over 2,000 people join us here today to stand up and say that the borders of the Cedar Valley are open. We are going to keep organizing the folks who came here today to keep pressure on Rep. Blum, especially, but also Senator (Joni) Ernst, who has expressed concerns about this, as well as Senator (Charles) Grassley. One the other side of the street, Judd Saul, leader of Cedar Valley Patriots for Christ, said his group plans to be proactive for the next four years to show people what America should be like. The big thing is that our message was heard. I have no idea who half these people are who came out on our side, but thank God they showed up. And this shows that there are people in the community who care enough to present their view and not let these guys run amok. Saul said. CEDAR FALLS A member of the University of Northern Iowa Panther Marching Band is giving back to veterans the best way she knows how with her music. UNI student JD Waybill of Central City in Linn County, a trumpeter, has been performing Taps at the bulk of military funerals with the Cedar Falls AMVETs Post 49 since she started school at UNI in the fall of 2015. She had done the same thing since eighth grade in Central City and contacted the Cedar Falls AMVETS post since coming to Cedar Falls. The Central City AMVETS Post has a partnership with the school to provide trumpeters or buglers. She wanted to continue doing that in college. I enjoy doing this. Its something Im good at and I can do, she said. So she contacted Cedar Falls AMVETS Post 39 commander Marv Mattfield, who also is in charge of funeral honor guards. She plays when her class schedule permits, in consultation with her instructors. Supplementing her efforts is Allen Koeppel, a longtime member of the Cedar Falls Municipal Band and Viking Pump employee, who performs at funerals as his work schedule allows. Hes been playing at funerals more than 40 years, since his days in the band at Columbus High School in Waterloo. He is a son of a veteran and member of Sons of AMVETS. My schedule was a lot more forgiving last year, Waybill said. In total Ive probably done over 100 military funerals in Cedar Falls and Central City, Waybill said. I know my senior year (at Central City) I probably did 30 some. Mattfield noted Waybills and Koeppels services are in high demand, given the high rate at which aging World War II and Korean War era veterans are passing away. Koeppel noted the incidence of Vietnam veterans passing away is picking up and Mattfield noted they get a few from Operation Desert Storm the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Literally, I got some number and found Marv and called, Waybill said. Because of college credit she accumulated while in high school through Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, shell graduate in three years and anticipates finishing in the spring of 2018. Waybill said she gets satisfaction out of it despite lacking a military background. For me, its always been, I will never serve. I dont have it in me to serve, unless called up to do so. So I might as well give back in a way I can to those who have protected me and my family for so many years. If I can give this little bit of solace to the families and fallen veterans, I might as well do so. It doesnt cost me anything. Waybill said she has found, at times, her emotions have gotten the better of her, so she tries to concentrate on the music, rather than the occasion, in order to do a good job. The first time I played its a very simple song, but its very nerve wracking I was shaking. I was so nervous I was going to get it wrong, she said. I get that way every once in a while just cause I havent played in a while. I played one funeral for someone I knew, and that was rough. The emotional impact I try and keep myself separated from, because I know if I get too close it will hit me, she said. What I do is, I take like a tree, and I stare at the tree the whole time. Or I shut my eyes. I try to get as comfortable as I can with myself. And I control my breathing a lot. When the shots of the rifle salute preceding Taps are fired, I just think of them being gunshots, and not funeral shots. I try not to watch the family, she said, lest their emotions get the better of her. One time I know it did, was when I first started playing. It was young guy who had come home and committed suicide I found that out later and the widow was the age of my friends. That person could be my brother or my friend. That time I realized I can no longer look at these people, because if I see them crying or becoming emotionally overraught, it will definitely impact my playing. Mattfield said the rifle salute and playing of Taps are the most emotionally impactful part of a graveside service. Waybill agreed. I try to separate myself as much as I can, she said. Which sounds really bad but its the only thing I can do it without screwing up Taps. Which I really hate doing. Like Waybill, Koeppel said, I dont look at anybody when playing Taps, adding, I did it for my uncles. We had a lot of military in our family. So I played at their funerals, played at my friends dads funerals. Koeppel said he does it to honor his fathers service. Thats the number one reason, he said. Im down for several more funerals, Koeppel said, including friends and family acquaintances who want him to play at their funerals. Waybill says she gets a different kind of satisfaction from performing at funerals than at band performances which, recently included a holiday trip to Rome. If people ask me what Im proud of, Im proud that Im able to volunteer my time and do this. I do those types of band (performances) for my friends and family. But she plays at funerals for personal satisfaction. I cant give back any other way I see thats going to make as big a difference than this. Its a way to give back, Koeppel said. Thats my reason. The first few weeks of the 2017 legislative session at the Iowa Capitol have been atypically slow, but that likely is about to change. State lawmakers leaders, in particular have been bogged down with searching for roughly $118 million to cut out of the current fiscal years spending, a move made necessary by lower-than-expected tax revenue. With leaders pouring much of their time and energy into that bill they wanted to tackle the spending cuts as quickly as possible because there are only five months remaining in the fiscal year activity on other bills has been slower than usual. But last week, Gov. Terry Branstad signed the budget cut bill into law, clearing that cumbersome item off the top of the legislative agenda. Let the legislation flow. Knowing the budget cut bill was on the fast track to completion last week, two more big bills started working their way to floor debate. The Senate on Thursday debated bills that would set school funding for the next school year and stop state funding of womens health care providers that perform abortions. Statehouse Republicans have proposed increasing K-12 school funding by 1.1 percent; thats less than the 2 percent proposed by Branstad and the 4 percent sought by school officials and legislative Democrats. The bill also contains a mechanism that would eliminate the requirement the state set school funding levels more than a year in advance of the school budget year. The next big bill on the horizon may be collective bargaining legislation. Whispers around the Capitol suggest that bill may be unveiled this week. Republicans have made no secret of their desire to change the way the states public employees state troopers, corrections facility staff, teachers, etc. collectively bargain for wages and benefits. What Republicans have been far less forthcoming with are details, so not much is known about what will be in their collective bargaining bill. Branstad has said in recent months he is intrigued by the idea of a master contract for all public employees health insurance. In the past, House Republicans passed legislation that would give dispute mediators the option of choosing a midpoint for negotiations rather than being required to choose between two offers. Whether those measures or others will be in Republicans collective bargaining bill remains unknown. But we should find out soon. Partisan shenanigans Democrats and Republicans engaged in some political gamesmanship last week before and during a hearing on legislation that would stop all state funding to womens health care providers that perform abortions. Democratic Iowa Sen. Janet Peterson reserved the committee room for the two hours prior to Tuesdays hearing on a bill to defund Planned Parenthoood. That allowed Peterson to fill the room with supporters of Planned Parenthood and opponents of the legislation and left most of the dozens of supporters of the bill stuck outside the packed hearing room. Not to be outmaneuvered, Senate Republicans called for a caucus shortly into the hearing. A caucus is a closed-door meeting of legislators to discuss the bills at hand, and the Republicans said they would conduct their caucus in the hearing room. That meant everybody else had to leave the room. So the room was cleared out, and when the hearing resumed, both supporters and opponents of the bill re-entered. Touche. Arkansas Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson has said, It does not take a Ph.D. in economics to know that we cant say yes to every spending need, and we should also not say yes to every tax-cut idea. The Iowa Legislature may have become too enamored with the latter. Prior to the current session, The Associated Press stated, Iowas coming shortfall of $118 million was the result of $400 million in tax relief granted in 2013 for commercial buildings and other properties, predicting tight budgets ahead for years. Subsequently, legislators reduced allotments to three regents schools by $18 million; community colleges, $3 million; the cultural trust fund, $6.1 million; Department of Corrections, $5.5 million; the judiciary, $3 million; and Department of Public Safety, $1 million. But the 2013 tax cut was just one piece of the tax relief puzzle. A 2014 Department of Revenue report identified $12.1 billion in state tax credits in 2010 alone, according to the Des Moines Register 373 tax credits, exemptions, deductions and exclusions in the state tax code. By comparison, the state budget is a little more than $7 billion. The agency is required to release its tax expenditure report every five years with 2015 expected in the coming weeks. The Register reported: Tax credits have grown by 160 percent since 2005. Iowa companies did $129.6 billion in sales in 2016 with 30 percent subjected to the sales tax, compared to 44 percent in 2000. Iowa had $6 billion in exempted sales and use taxes in 2010 to support agriculture and manufacturing. Other agricultural and manufacturing support products livestock ear tags and domesticated fowl accounted for $536 million in lost taxes. In addition, individual Iowans recouped $574.78 million by deducting federal taxes from state taxable income, while the expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income adults cost $72 million in 2016. An administrative tax credit ensuring part-time residents only pay taxes on income earned in Iowa reduced tax revenue by $1.8 billion. Many of the tax breaks have stimulated the state economy, giving Iowa the 14th best business climate, according to Forbes magazine. For 2016, the Joint Economic Committee found ranked Iowa among the top five states in adding jobs in construction, up 8.3 percent, seemingly most evident in the Des Moines metropolitan area, and professional and business services. Thirty-two other states are confronting budget deficits while not heeding Hutchinsons advice: Illinois faces a budget deficit of nearly $8 billion. According to Illinois Policy, it owes $83 billion to public pension funds, $54 billion in retiree health benefits and $15.5 billion in pension bonds. (Local governments owe another $50.8 billion in retirement bills, which, in essence, means each household has the total equivalent of a $41,000 retirement debt obligation.) Illinois also has the second-lowest flat tax rate of 3.75 percent. So, its the perfect storm run amok Democratic support for public employees and Republican insistence on low taxes. Louisiana saw a 2007-08 surplus of $1 billion become a shortfall of $1.6 billion following tax cuts pushed by former Republican presidential hopeful Gov. Bobby Jindahl. Its drained reserves and sold assets. Instead of growth, unemployment is up and its economy trails the national average. Kansas has a projected $1.1 billion shortfall through June 2019 after slashing individual income taxes and eliminating taxes for limited liability companies (mostly small businesses) in 2013. It anticipated 191,000 LLCs, but has 330,000. It now collects $650 million less than before the tax cuts, cash reserves of $700 million were depleted, $1 billion from the road fund was diverted, and school years were shortened. Instead of stimulating the economy as predicted by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, Kansas has the nations sixth-worst growth rate. Minnesota the anti-Kansas has a budget surplus. Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton pushed through a tax increase on the top 2 percent to alleviate the $6.2 billion, two-year deficit he inherited from Republican Tim Pawlenty from 2013. The top rate went up by 25 percent to 9.85 percent on annual incomes over $250,000 for a couple. But that, too, has had a cost. Peter Nelson of the Center of the American Experiment, used IRS figures to cite $944 million lost by tax filers leaving the state. Minnesota, he wrote in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, is losing taxpayers earning over $200,000 at an alarming rate. The states rate of loss from these people ranks 47th for 2013-14. That outmigration doesnt bode well. Undoing Iowas morass of tax credits wont be easy. Every one of them has a constituency that says, Oh the sky is falling if we get rid of this, Rep. Guy Vander Linden, R-Oskaloosa, told the Register. But legislators need to reduce or eliminate the less productive ones while avoiding new reductions in revenue, whether through more tax relief or spending initiatives. Heather Moore, owner of We Luv Brownies, has created what is described as a unique recipe by adding beer to her products. A visit to her local brewery in Bradford inspired Moore to create the Brewnies. The Brewnies range, which includes Heathers Stout and Belgian Blue, has proved to be a hit at local farmers markets and pubs, said Moore. After spending time refining her culinary creations, Moore recognised she needed to grow her business and turned to Launchpad, a Sheffield business scheme designed to help entrepreneurs transform ideas into a commercial reality. One of the greatest challenges I faced was finding customers, but through the support Ive received from Launchpad Ive managed to develop a network of over 20 local cafes and retail outlets, which regularly place orders for my brownies, she said. The Launchpad scheme played a huge role in helping me to develop my business and they are now helping me to scale the company further. Moore plans to expand her business by selling online, as well as relocating the business from her own kitchen to commercial premises. We Luv Brownies produces more than 300 brownies each week that can be found in coffee shops throughout Yorkshire. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. PORTLAND, Ore. It was announced on Feb. 1 that Druid Anne Lenzi (1974-2017) had died suddenly due to a heart defect. Born in 1974, Lenzi had become a pillar in ADFs Druid community. She was a founding member of Abhainn Glas Grove, ADF, and she also served terms as Members Advocate and the ADF Northwest Regional Druid . Along with her spiritual work, she was trained as a doula, loved children, and worked in various position as an advocate for people in need, even going so far as to speak in court sessions and hearings Longtime friend Amanda Giles had this to say in part: Anne placed great value on each human soul. She was a safe haven for the downtrodden. She was a mother figure to many and friend to more. She was an excellent listener and a willing sharer. She was loyal and forgiving. She was fierce and maintained forward momentum. She nurtured growth: in herself, in her family, in her community. Thank you, incomparable Anne, for everything. You are still shining for us and ever will be. In Amanda Giles full memorial write-up, she shares the depth of Lenzis interests, and her spirit. That memorial piece is published in full on a crowdfunding campaign page, which has been set up to raise money to help cover Lenzis final medical expenses. In two days, the campaign has raised over $3,000, which is a testament to the number of people that Lenzi touched over her life. Lenzi leaves behind a loving husband and two young children. As noted on the funding page, she never let her heart defect slow her down, despite living under a mysterious deadline. In the end, Anne fought valiantly, but there was nothing to be done, not by the surgeons earlier in her life, and not by her husband Ron, [who] he fought right along-side her. What is remembered, lives. * * * TWH In an update to the Patheos Pagan story, the bloggers involved in the contract negotiations did receive a response and an updated contract. The new agreement addressed several of the Pagan bloggers concerns. The updated contract states that posts may not disparage Patheos and Beliefnet, rather than Patheos or any of its related companies. In addition, the section on editing has been adjusted to remove the words without limitation. Patheos still reserves the right to edit posts, as the contract reads, for the purpose of correction or clarity without altering the intent of the piece, as well as the right to take down any of your posts that it deems offensive. Most of the contract remained unchanged. Reaction to the new contract, which went into affect Feb. 1, has remained mixed. Some writers refused to sign either contract and will be taking their work elsewhere, whether that be independent sites or to larger blogging venues like PaganSquare. Other writers will remain with Patheos until, and if ever, the time comes when the Patheos business model no longer fits with their goals and work. John Halstead, who posted the initial response to the new contract, was not impressed with the changes, and will not be returning to Patheos despite being given the opportunity. On the other side of the spectrum, John Beckett, who explained his reasons for staying on his Patheos blog, remarked that a new contract made no difference in his decision to sign. In the meantime, a fundraising campaign is underway to potentially support a new Pagan-owned blogging site. * * * TWH In Dec 2016, Lady Sara Cunningham (1935-2016), elder priestess and pioneer in the early days of the Pagan movement, passed way at her home in Oregon. Originally from Tuscon, Arizona, Sara Cunningham Carter spent much of her early adult life in the Los Angeles area teaching and practicing her Craft. In 1970, she founded the the Church of the Eternal Source in Pasadena, and was a longtime teacher to many who then went on to form their own groups. Author and teacher Raven Grimassi, for example, lists Lady Sara as one of his early instructors. Additionally, according to her biography, Cunningham wasnt only running a church and teaching. She also owned a Stonehenge Shop in Pasadena, CA and had a mail-order course. Later in life, Cunningham joined Iona Miller and Libby Patterson in the hosting of the website Perfume Alchemy. As written there: Hermetic Qabalistic Perfumer, Lady Sara [had] decades of experience in formulating exotic, traditional and personalized scents. Through the site, she was sharing her decades of experience on the subject matter. Cunningham moved to Colorado and then to Oregon where she remained until her death. Oberon Zell, a close friend and contemporary, has now placed her name on the memorial list of elders that he has been keeping up-to-date for years. What is remembered, lives. In Other News The Troth has released a new and updated organizational inclusion affirmation for all members. The inclusion affirmation reads, I agree to keep frith with all Troth members regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability, gender, or family structure. The Troth board moved to have this newly-worded affirmation placed in many visible and public spaces, including the Troth websites current member login screens and the Join and Renew pages. Steer Robert L. Schreiwer states that, This presents prospective members and current members with an opportunity to affirm their understanding of The Troths inclusive policies and positions and to abide by the law of the hall.' As we reported Thursday , Canadian Pagans continue to show solidarity with the nations Muslim community. In Winnipeg, a contingent of Pagans, Witches, and Heathens got together to join 1,500 other citizens in the March for Human Rights. Despite temperatures reaching a chilling minus 11 Celsius, folks were reportedly in good spirits, and people from all walks of life joined the action. TWH journalist Dodie Graham McKay, reporting from the event, said: An event like this is important for our city, which was declared the most racist city in Canada by Macleans magazine in 2015. The event was organized by the mayor, Brian Bowman, who is working on having our city declared a sanctuary city for undocumented workers. The American Academy of Religion (AAR) has placed out its submission call for its 2017 annual meeting. The Pagan studies theme is most specifically Witch Hunts: Rhetorical, Historical and Contemporary. As noted on the site, the term witch hunt is used as a rhetorical strategy in contemporary political discourses, and yet there have been and are actual hunts for witches past and present. The Contemporary Pagan Studies Unit invites papers on a variety of topics, using various methodologies, exploring rhetorical, historical, and contemporary witch hunts.' More information on submitting to AAR is available on the website. This years meeting will be held in Boston, Mass., Nov. 18-21. Assembly of the Sacred Wheel has launched a funding campaign for the New Alexandrian Library. The group has produced a new album called Dreams Sung True, and it features 25 Pagan chants and songs for rituals and devotional ceremonies. As noted on the CDBaby website, The album runs the gamut from rousing to contemplative to passionate with the power to raise and move energy. Description The construction of an outdoor public lift between the historic district of Pfaffenthal and the upper city of Luxembourg was a multi-challenges project: to promote soft mobility (pedestrians and bicycles), to open up a valley floor district with a free and fast mean of transportation, and to create a work of art, emblematic for the district and harmoniously integrated in this landscape protected by UNESCO. This public facility attracts a wide range of users from mid-2016. From cyclists going to work, to tourists or regular residents, everyone has discovered the city from one of the most spectacular perspectives! This project was carried out by the City of Luxembourg and designed by STEINMETZDEMEYER in collaboration with INCA Associate Engineers and Jean Schmit Engineering. The lift is located in the heart of the historic district of Pfaffenthal and it directly arrives in the park Pescatore, where the user will find a direct connection to the cycle and pedestrian paths of the City. Moreover, these connections highly contribute to the development of Luxembourg touristic and cultural trails. The architects aimed at maximizing the comfort and the experience of the various users. In order to facilitate the movement of the cyclists, the cabin is equipped with two large opposite doors. Thus, they do not have to maneuver back and forth between the top and bottom accesses. Suspended above the valley, the cabin is entirely out-sheath and is glazed from floor to ceiling on half of its surface. It thus offers to the users a journey through the landscapes of a quarry, the supporting walls, the wood on the side, to finish after 30 seconds on a magnificent panorama of the Alzette valley and the Kirchberg plateau. At the upward exit of the lift, a footbridge is hung on the side of the tower. This footbridge is launched above the valley by an overhang of more than 9 meters, in order to offer fantastic panoramic landscapes on the architectural and contemporary heritage of the City of Luxembourg: the medieval district of Pfaffenthal, the sixties artwork Pont-Rouge (The Red Bridge), the Kirchberg district in a continuous urban development and the Bock, witness of the Citys origins in 963. The most reckless ones can contemplate this wonderful view through a sheet of glass at more than 60 meters above the district! Practical, sustainable, aesthetic and offering an unforgettable experience, STDM architects always targeted these qualities while designing this public lift, which today constitutes a landmark in the valley and confers a new identity to the historical district of Pfaffenthal. Designed 2006 Completed 2016 Technical data The elevator, despite of its traditional operating design, has special equipment to resist the weather and ensure a maximal safety. To move a cab of 8,500 kg and a payload of 5,000 kg, a powerful machine of about 75kW is needed. This is a machine normally found in high-rise towers, and its main advantage is to function as a generator. Indeed, during the journey, the machine supplies electrical energy (about 50kW) which can be reinjected into the network. The elevator is under the permanent control of a meteorological station, which can steer the cabin on one level and immobilize it. This is particularly useful in case of high winds or other unfavourable climatic events. In terms of dimensions, payload and speed, this lift is unique in the region. Cab dimensions : 2.30 x 3.70 meters Cabin weight: 8.500 kg Payload: 5000 kg / 66 persons Speed: 2.50 m / seconds The access to the cabin is done through extra-wide doors of 1.60 meters wide and the journey, on a height of 60 meters, lasts about thirty seconds. The cabin can carry five or six cyclists and a dozen pedestrians at a time, while facilitating access for people with reduced mobility. Around 150 cyclists and 300 pedestrians would be able to travel per hour. Description of the lift main elements: - The Vertical The dimensions of the reinforced concrete tower are 2.60 mx 2.60, for a height of 74.77 m. The slim trunk of the tower and its thin steel branches contain the guides of the elevator. The cabin is thus fully visible from the outside and highlights the vertical movement of the users. No other equipment, counterweight, electrical cable or telephone is visible. They are all relayed in the sheath, in the center of the trunk, in order to not ruin the perception of the vertical movements. - The Horizontal The footbridge connecting the tower and the elevator to the park Pescatore is made of a roll steel section box. The lattice structure is characterized by its efficient use of the material, giving high resistance for a low weight. In order the passenger to enjoy the landscape without being spoiled by safety tools, the side faces are provided with a simple handrail and are covered from the floor to the ceiling with a stainless steel grid layout. This coating gives an effect of transparency, while accompanying the user along its journey above the landscape, without any other safety device. - The brace This oblique part arises in the upper part in order to ensure the support of the footbridge external side. The brace is extended beyond the tower towards the hillside to transmit the pressures of the towers lateral deformation. This brace allows to maintain all the finesse of the trunk, while responding to the strictest limitations of elevator guides deformation. It also highlights the devices implemented in this hilly landscape: like two support legs of the red bridge, the hillside is also integrated in order to reduce the section of the main bearing element. - The arrival pavilion in the park Access to the bridge on the side of Pescatore Park is marked by a simple reinforced concrete construction of the same colour as the tower but with a formwork of small wooden battens. The construction is adapted to the relief of the ground and thanks to its morphology protects and makes difficult access to the roof of the footbridge. A wooden gate, embedded in the concrete, allows the closure of this access. In order to rigidify the work, it was decided to embed the footbridge in the Pescatore Pavilion and to fix it on the tower. Unlike other more conventional projects, no dilatation is possible under the influence of varying outside temperatures. During summer, when the footbridge heats up, it will not be able to lie down. This creates very significant efforts which are transmitted to the pavilion and to the tower, and which needed to be analysed in detail. Many situations have been simulated: negative temperatures in winter, high temperatures in summer, direct ray of sunshine only on few parts of the framework - The cabin: The elevator cabin is "wireless". In a traditional elevator a simple flexible electric cable connects the lift cabin to the switch cabinet. This type of traditional cable can cause serious problems if the wind unintentionally moves it into the outer sheath. Here, the energy transfer is doing by high-frequency magnetic induction along a pair of rails. This principle has been adopted especially for this elevator along the guide rails. Therefore, the cabin lighting, door motors etc. can be fuelled without being disturbed by the wind. A multimedia screen in the cabin makes possible to display the dynamic values of the elevator in real time, like the height of the cabin, the direction of travel, the date and time as well as alarm messages, for example: overload, Special service, "out of order" etc. An Internet connection gives access to the citys website, for example to display bus schedules, events and other services for the users. Other special elements were put in place during the montage of the cabin: - Devices for scraping ice formations on guide rails - A cabin glazing electrically heated to limit the formation of fog and leave a free view - Doors thresholds electrically heated, a drain in the cabin to evacuate water introduced by people and bicycles - Cabin floor made of stainless steel V4A and therefore resistant to salt in winter - Galvanized traction cables "outdoor" - An overload control An absolute safety must be ensured for this high-speed lift carrying a considerable weight : parachutes, additional brake acting on the traction cables, power generator to supply the lift in case of a breakdown and a nacelle in the cage head if an evacuation of people is needed. When not used, the nacelle is hidden under the engine room. The breakdowns are therefore limited to the minimum. A standby generator will automatically restart the supplying power in the event of a normal power outage. Project team STEINMETZDEMEYER Architects Dedicated team : Nico STEINMETZ Xavier LICHTFUS Teodora MARIN WA Award Pfaffenthal Lift by Nico Steinmetz in Luxembourg won the WA Award Cycle 25. Please find below the WA Award poster for this project. I have never before had a true nemesis bird. Sure, occasionally a bird has given me problems, like Black-backed Woodpeckers back in 2007 when I was doing an alleged Big Year in New York State, but not seeing a bird for a single year does not make it a nemesis. But Black Woodpecker? Well, here is what I wrote about the worst woodpecker a couple of years ago: This is a bird that has eluded me on two trips to Germany both of which included exploring forests where they were supposed to be present and a trip to a region of Hungary where they are supposed to be commonWhenever I get to Europe again this will be my most-wanted bird. And if I dip again? Well, that doesnt even bear thinking about. I better not miss this bird again. Yet, here I am, back from Austria, minus one Black Woodpecker sighting. Its not that I didnt try. Its not that I didnt have help. Its not that I wasnt in the right spot. There is only one possible reason that Black Woodpecker has once again eluded my eyes. Black Woodpecker is officially a capital-N-Nemesis-capital-B-Bird. What happened? We were in proper habitat several times. The first few times there was neither sighting nor any indication that a Black Woodpecker was around. But on Saturday morning, 4 February, we were visiting an Austrian castle high on a forested hill outside of Bregenz. We were officially there for Wallcreeper and that search was easily successful despite our group having several birders who had never seen this stunning creature. But, before I continue, I should note who the we in this group was. We were the American and Chinese contingent of birders who had just completed a trip with Swarovski and, who for lack of better travel options, had stayed on a bit longer than the rest of group. We had Jeff Gordon, the President of the American Birding Association; Bill Thompson III, Editor of Bird Watchers Digest; Sharon Stiteler, the Birdchick; Jessie Barry and Chris Wood from the eminent Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Clay Taylor of Swarovki Optik North America; Samson So, Hong Kong birder extraordinaire and founder of the Eco Insitute; Terry Townshend of Birding Beijing, another great birder; and our guide for the day, the estimable Austrian birder Leander Khil. It was getting near the end of our time at the castle and I had spent most of my time with the Wallcreeper. I was sad a Black Woodpecker hadnt been sighted but I wasnt surprised. After all, neither Bill nor Jeff had ever seen one before despite having each birded in Europe more than I had. (Which, perhaps was part of the reason we were missing them. Get three people together to try to see a good bird that none of them had seen despite multiple attempts and the endeavor might be doomed to failure.) Then Chris yelled to us that he had just seen one flying deeper into the forest. I ran to catch up but the bird had disappeared. As a group we searched, played tape, and did everything we could think of to conjure the woodpecker back into the open with no luck. Bill briefly heard it call from deep in the woods but it never showed. Instead, once again, I was left with evidence that the Black Woodpecker left behind like the one at the top of this post and the one below. I dont know when I will get to Europe again but look forward to the day that I get back, deep into a forest, and see the mythical creature that is a Black Woodpecker. I can picture its gorgeous red-topped head on a black body and the strong bill. I will meet its pale, staring eye with my own two eyes and there will be a connection between the two of us. And then, in that perfect, peaceful moment, I will raise my hand, making sure the bird can see it clearly, and I will extend my middle finger high. Because I hate Black Woodpeckers if they do, in fact, exist. I hate them with the passion of twenty burning suns. It is not right what they have done to me and I will have my revenge. Mwa-hahahahahahaha! Tesco is selling 800g loaves of Kingsmill at two-for-1.20 the lowest price for a major bread brand in at least five years. Britains biggest supermarket kicked off the promotion last month, in the same week it announced plans to boost its UK presence in a 3.7bn merger with wholesaler Booker. Five 800g SKUs are offered on the two-for-1.20 deal according to data from retail analyst BrandView.com: Kingsmill 50/50 medium and thick; Kingsmill soft white medium; and Kingsmill wholemeal medium and thick. The recommended selling price for these loaves is 1.25. The previous low point for 800g or 750g branded bread has been 75p for a single loaf, with both Hovis and Kingsmill sold at this price at certain times in the past year. Tescos new deal follows more than two years of drastic price cuts in the wrapped bread category, with bread being used as a key weapon in the supermarkets battle for market share. The average price of a large branded loaf at one of the big four supermarkets (Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys and Morrisons) has fallen 11p in the past two years, from 1.21 in January 2015 to 1.10 this week. Average prices have recovered slightly in the past six months, from a low of 1.05 last September. Price cuts have contributed to more than 120,000 being wiped off the value of the wrapped bread category, a decline of 8.4% year on year compared with a 7.2% drop in the volume of bread sold (IRI 52w/e 8 October 2016). Bakers will be hoping the Tesco deal does not promote a further round of price cuts as margins are already under pressure from commodity price increases. In addition to a weakened sterling pushing up the price of imported commodities, the price of UK wheat has increased as a result of tighter supplies and strong exports. Kingsmill owner Associated British Foods declined to comment on the Tesco promotional activity, which is due to end on 12 February. Average price of large (750g+) loaf of Warburtons, Hovis and Kingsmill bread at big four supermarkets. Source: BrandView.com AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, February 06, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The global military and government is projected to grow to USD 13.9 billion by 2020, at a CAGR of 8,4% from 2016 to 2020, where medium-lift type helicopters are dominant in terms of systems delivered and in terms of value. After 2020, the value of helicopters in these sectors should fall to USD 9.4 billion by 2022, or a CAGR of - 6,5%, as a number of major procurement programs come to an end. The helicopter's prominence has been steady since the aircraft first entered mass production in the 1940s. The Vietnam War was the starting point where the helicopter in military use came into its own with the iconic Bell UH-1 Iroquois - better known as the Huey - becoming the main workhorse of the US Army and an integral part of the US's operations in the conflict. More recently, the helicopter has played a prominent military role in conflicts like Afghanistan and Iraq. The helicopter continues to be popular in the military being used in a wide range of roles, including transport, reconnaissance, attack, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, as well as search and rescue (SAR). Government roles include law enforcement, VIP, utility, SAR, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and firefighting. Market Forecast's new report, the Global Military and Government Helicopter Market Forecast to 2022, provides a detailed analysis of the military and government helicopter market from 2016-2022, focusing on major rotary-wing programs, requirements and orders in more than 50 countries, with particular focus on 23 countries, worth in excess of US$82.1 billion over the entire period. Through 126 pages, the Global Military and Government Helicopter Market Forecast to 2022 provides: - Global market share assessments for all types in numbers delivered and value for 2016 to 2022. - Market share assessments per region and per country for 2016 to 2022. - Roles and types of helicopters. - Main helicopter trends. - Market contracts share of the leading vendors. - Market Trends (drivers, constraints, opportunities, threats, challenges, investment opportunities, and recommendations). - Company profiles for the leading companies, including financial information, strategic alliances, and recent contract wins. The report is completed with detailed financial data of the value of recent and future identified orders, market share by types of helicopters, as well as a SWOT analysis to ensure that the strengths and weaknesses of the market are fully identified - to provide an understanding of the military and helicopter market in the years to come. Find more information on this report on Market-Forecast.com About Market Forecast Market Forecast provides syndicated intelligence studies for the Aerospace and Defense market for private and public sector organizations. Our studies display opportunities for our customers to expand in existing markets or to develop new markets and supports them in developing market strategies. All stakeholders, available products, market requirements and new technologies considered. Market Forecast is a brand of the private owned company ASD Media BV and is located in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Europe. The company exists for over ten years and has a long experience with market research, computer models, and online products. In our philosophy the quality of the analyst is key for our product. Besides the unquestionable required market and analytical skills of our analysts we invest in the development of new data collection and analysis technology to offer market research that is cost-effective, of high quality, up to date and instantly available. New technology in combination with solid analysts expertise forms market intelligence that creates your competitive advantage. # # # Feb 6, 2017 | By Tess The Ottawa Hospital is now the home of Canadas first medical 3D printing program. The new multi-department program, which will seek to improve surgical planning and make 3D printed prosthetic limbs more accessible, was launched in collaboration with the University of Ottawa, located in Canadas capital city. Dr. Sheikh (left) and Dr. Rybicki (right) 3D printing technologies, which are becoming more widespread in the medical field, have the potential to vastly improve certain medical applications, such as making patient-specific surgical guides, realistic training models, and even prosthetics and implants. Within Canada, the new Medical 3D Printing Program at the Ottawa Hospital will allow for doctors to improve patient care and provide them with a wider range of treatments. Dr. Frank Rybicki, Chief of Medical Imaging at the Ottawa Hospital and Chair of Radiology at the University of Ottawa, said of the new program: 3D modelling will allow surgeons to create detailed anatomical plans in advance of the patient arriving in the operating room. This is about personalized medicine that reduces the need for invasive surgeries, lengthy anesthetics and ultimately improves outcomes at a reduced cost. Working with the University of Ottawa to establish the 3D printing program, the Ottawa Hospital is aiming to be at the forefront of new medical technologies and advancements, specifically within the field of medical imaging. By becoming the first hospital in Canada to offer additive manufacturing technologies in such a capacity, the Ottawa Hospital is undoubtedly one step closer to becoming one of North Americas top hospitals. Stratasys Objet 500 Connex 3 3D printer This is an important and exciting step as we move forward with our vision of providing 21st-century care for the people of eastern Ontario, commented Dr. Jack Kitts, President and CEO of the Ottawa Hospital. Our Medical 3D Printing Program opens the door to many exciting and innovative research opportunities, but most importantly it will improve the care we provide for our patients. As part of the new medical 3D printing program, the Ottawa Hospital is now equipped with a $400,000 Stratasys Connex 3 3D printer, which uses photopolymers and UV light to build up objects layer by layer. According to Dr. Adnan Sheikh, medical director of the 3D printing program, the hospital is also planning to add more 3D printers to the facility. This, he says, is what the future of medicine looks like. One patient has already benefitted from the hospital's new 3D printing program. 33-year-old Dave Chasse, who lost four of his fingers after a motorcycle accident in 2015, was recently fitted with a custom-made 3D printed prosthetic hand, courtesy of the medical 3D printing lab. Made from flexible materials, the wrist-activated prosthetic allows Chasse to control his prosthetic fingers and to pick up things more easily. Perhaps the best thing about prosthetics made using 3D printers is their cost. Chasse for instance, who paid $3,200 for his old prosthetic hand, only had to pay $200 for his new 3D printed hand, meaning that the technology has the potential to make prosthetic limbs much more accessible than they ever were. Dave Chasse and his 3D printed prosthetic hand; image from Montreal Gazette video While Chasse was the first person to be treated using the Ottawa Hospitals new 3D printing program, there is no doubt that many patients will soon reap the benefits of having the hospitals new facility, whether for 3D printed prosthetics, surgical-prep guides, or even just 3D printed models that can help clarify and explain treatments that patients will undergo. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Valerie Bradford wrote at 2/7/2017 3:55:58 PM:This is so exciting, and has the potential to improve the lives of so many patients, in such a timely, cost-effective way. Feb 6, 2017 | By Benedict German manufacturing and electronics company Siemens has engine tested its new 3D printed gas turbine blades. The 3D printed components were tested at 13,000 revolutions per minute and temperatures beyond 1,250 degrees Celsius. In what could be an important milestone in industrial additive manufacturing, tech giant Siemens has just announced the successful testing of a new turbine blade design. The blades incorporate an innovative new internal cooling geometry designed using advanced CAD software and fabricated using 3D printing technology. The 3D printed blades were made by Materials Solutions, a British additive manufacturing company based in Worcester that was acquired by Siemens in August 2016. When Siemens acquired its 85% stake in Materials Solutions, Willi Meixner, CEO of Siemens Power and Gas Division, praised the UK companys ability to turn models into high quality components in record time. Just half a year later, and Siemens has already leveraged the capabilities of the AM specialist to create high-quality turbine blades. Testing of the blades was carried out 120 miles northeast of Materials Solutions HQ, at Siemens industrial gas turbine factory in Lincoln, UK. The successful tests required contributions from a diverse international project team that included Siemens engineers in Finspang, Lincoln, and Berlin, as well as additive manufacturing experts from Materials Solutions. Over a period of 18 months, the team was able to carry out the entire development process, from component design and AM material development to developing new simulation techniques and enforcing quality controls. The 3D printed turbine blades were made from of a polycrystalline nickel superalloy powder, a material which enables the blades to endure high pressure, extreme temperatures, and the rotational forces of the turbine's high-speed operation. This is a breakthrough success for the use of additive manufacturing in the power generation field, which is one of the most challenging applications for this technology," said Meixner. Additive manufacturing is one of our main pillars in our digitalization strategy. Once completed, the 3D printed blades were installed in a Siemens SGT-400 industrial gas turbine with a capacity of 13 megawatts (MW). Each 3D printed turbine blade was subjected to speeds of more than 1,600 km/h (994 mph), and was required to carry a weight of 11 tons (equivalent to a fully loaded London bus). The blades were surrounded by gas at 1,250 C and cooled by air at over 400 C. Thanks to the improved cooling features made possible by additive manufacturing, the 3D printed blades were up to the challenge in every respect. While additive manufacturing enabled Siemens and Materials Solutions to create the intricate internal cooling system for the turbine blades, it also enabled them to produce each blade in a very short space of time. This exciting technology is changing the way we manufacture by reducing the lead time for prototype development up to 90 percent," said Meixner. Because of this efficiency and the success of the testing, Siemens plans to continue utilizing Materials Solutions 3D printing facilities and expertise to improve its turbine systems. With our combined know-how in 3D printing, we will continue to drive the technological development and application in this field, Meixner added. One year ago, Siemens invested 21.4 million euros in Swedens first metal additive manufacturing facility. The company has also worked with HP and Stratasys on 3D printing projects. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: fluidity wrote at 2/14/2017 12:10:57 AM:The key in my mind in 3D printing is that it's the surfaces that take the biggest tension and compression loadings. In a layered laser printing on powder process there are mechanical-thermal stresses that would require an annealing process to relieve unless the material being printed has an extremely low thermal expansion coefficient. I'm wondering how high a temperature annealing would need to be done at given the operational test cycle temperatures though!ThatGuy wrote at 2/6/2017 2:44:41 PM:I thought parts like these had to be cast specially so that they had monocrystal forms to increase properties? I'm all for 3D printing, I'm against my airplane engine spinning apart. The Sioux Falls DC10 crash comes to mind. Feb 6, 2017 | By Tess 3D printed electronics company Nano Dimension Ltd. announced today that its subsidiary, Nano Dimension Technologies Ltd., will be developing advanced ceramic materials that can be 3D printed using inkjet technology. The new project is being supported by the MEIMAD committee from the Israel Innovation Authority, which has approved a budget of NIS 1.4 million (roughly $372,000). According to Nano Dimension Ltd., the Israel Innovation Authority will finance 50% of the aforementioned budget to support the project, money that will be paid back by Nano Dimension through royalties on future sales. Nano Dimension, which has become well known for its 3D printed PCBs (printed circuit boards) as well as its nanotechnology-based conductive and dielectric inks, will be adapting its versatile technology to be able to 3D print advanced ceramic materials. As the company explains, its 3D printing technology, which already allows for precise multi-material additive manufacturing, has the potential to create the next generation of ceramic elements for the aerospace and aviation sectors. Advanced ceramic materials, which possess a number of advantageous properties, are sought-after materials within the aerospace and aviation manufacturing sectors. These properties and material characteristics include good thermal resistance, as well as diverse mechanical properties such as elasticity, plasticity, tensile strength, compressive strength, shear strength, and more. In other words, ceramics, which are characterized as being neither organic or metallic materials, are excellent for a variety of structural and building applications. Up until now, however, manufacturing components from advanced ceramics has remained an expensive and highly time-consuming process. Additionally, existing technologies have been unable to effectively manufacture complex structures made from ceramics, a very limiting factor. With Nano Dimensions 3D printing technology, these limitations could be surmounted, and 3D printing advanced parts out of ceramics could become significantly more viable. The company cites an example where 3D printed ceramics could make a big difference. In PCB manufacturing, for instance, ceramic materials could be used to manufacture the dielectric (that is to say, insulating) parts of the PCB. This usage is potentially revolutionary, since the insulation and mechanical strength properties of the ceramic material are infinitely better than the properties of the materials currently used in the PCB industry, said Nano Dimension. MEIMAD, which is contributing funds to Nano Dimensions new 3D printing endeavour, is a joint venture between the Israel Innovation Authority, the Ministry of Finance, and the Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure (part of the Ministry of Defense). MEIMADs goal is to promote R&D for dual use technologies (that have both financial and national security potential) across the military, defense, and commercial sectors. Posted in 3D Printing Technology Maybe you also like: Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan is being quoted as suggesting that the rise of ISIL and the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011 may be somehow connected to climate change. The Opposition in Parliament is making fun of the Ministers remarks, made during a speech Friday at the Canada 2020 Conference. Sajjan gave climate change as an example of an issue creating grievances in many different parts of the world. CTV quotes defence critic James Bezan as saying the defence minister is blaming climate change for ISIS. Does the defence minister actually believe that climate change creates jihadi terrorists? he asked. Mr. Sajjan responded that due to the complexity of conflict, you have to look (at) many different aspects of what causes it. When it comes to ISIL, Taliban, Boko Haram and the atrocities that they commit, we have to be smart about it, Sajjan added. Creator of Artec 3D scanners is calling it quits and selling his stake in the company Feb.1, 2017 - Andrei Klimov, a principal investor in 3D scanning company Artec and creator of products such as the Artec Spider, has announced that he will be selling his 29.5 percent stake in the company. The scientist and entrepreneur will now focus on other investments and projects. More by Akim Reinhardt I have a friend of Indian descent who was born in Africa, but raised almost entirely in London. Or, I should say, I had such a friend. About a year ago, maybe more, we got into an online argument about the Pope, and that was that. Much to my surprise, he de-friended me from social media. And since we haven't lived in the same town for well over a decade, it was over. That we're both atheists just makes the whole episode even stranger. No matter. The point is that I recently heard from a mutual acquaintance who said my ex-friend is now attempting to move back to Great Britain. "Have you spoken to Nigel lately?" the mutual acquaintance asked me "Not in about a year," I replied, not wanting to give anything away. This mutual acquaintance didn't speak with Nigel much after the latter had moved, but remembered him fondly and had occasionally asked about him. "Not in about a year," he echoed. "Well, he's looking at a job in London. He wants to move out of the country because he cannot abide the Trump administration." "Ah, I see. That's all well and good I suppose until England gets its own strong man." The mutual acquaintance, an elderly gentleman from sub-Saharan Africa, smiled and chortled. Then his chuckle bubbled up into a laugh, as loud a sound as I've ever heard emanate from this very calm and quiet man. He knew. My quip wasn't just a commentary on Brexit and lord knows whatever comes next after the towering doltishness of Theresa May. He knew that it can happen anywhere. No society is immune from falling under the spell, either through ballots or bullets, of a shitty nationalistic strongman; the kind Donald Trump aspires to be, although he is probably too inept to ever attain such lofty heights of villainy. We each turned and wandered off to our respective destinations, the mutual acquaintance still laughing. I don't begrudge my former friend for wanting to move back to Great Britain now that Donald Trump and his cavalcade of cronies have infested the White House. For at least the next two years, the United States, and sadly much of the rest of the world given the United States' size, power, and influence, will endure a stunning string of short and long term setbacks that, while difficult to predict the specifics of, will almost certainly range from the ridiculous to the serious and even the frightful. Why sit in the center of the storm when you have a way out? Especially as a person of color with a British passport, why endure the absurdities and horrors or America's Trumpist turn? No, I don't blame him one bit for wanting to get out. But me? I'm gong to stay here and fight. And this is not a decision I have reached recently. It's a conclusion I drew 25 years ago. * I am not a person of color. According the American racial palette, I am white. But I am a half-breed of sorts. My mother is Jewish, the daughter of Eastern European refugees who arrived not long before World War II. My father is a redneck from rural North Carolina whose family, at least according to the amateur genealogy assembled by my great aunt, has been in America for close to 300 years. Racial whitness is a mutable concept, and a hundred years ago, even less in some quarters, my mother's family would not have been considered white, despite my grandfather's red hair and blue eyes. Jews simply weren't in the club. That all changed with America's transformative WWII experience. Afterwards Jews, Italians, and other eastern and southern Europeans were "in." So I'm white and have been my whole life. I have all the perks and privileges of American whiteness. And maleness. And middle classness. Basically, I hit it big in the global lottery. I wonder if that explains why I like to gamble. I mean, how can I possibly lose? I'm just playing with house money. Anyway, despite my whiteness, I am not ethnically homogenous. My identity is somewhat riven by disparate parentage. If you are not descended from a family that claims residence back before the French-Indian War (1754-63), then allow me to explain the sense of belonging and entitlement that can stem from it. It's a lot like that one scene in The Good Shepherd, a mediocre movie about the early years of the CIA starring Matt Damon and directed by Robert Deniro. Damon plays a well to do WASP, Yale-educated, CIA official meeting with a mob boss played by Joe Pesci. After the two strike a corrupt bargain, Pesci poses a question Damon. Let me ask you something, he says. "We Italians, we got our families and we got the church. The Irish, they have the homeland. The Jews, their traditions. Even the Niggers, they got their music. What about you people Mr. Carlson, what do you have?" "The United States of America," Damon calmly responds. "The rest of you are just visiting." That's what it can feel like to have deep and enduring American whiteness. Even if you're not a racist prick, even if you're a decent, warm, welcoming person who doesn't think everyone else is just visiting and that they're Americans too, you can still come away with a sense that you're just a bit more American than them. That your roots are deeper and stronger. That you help form the ownership class of this nation, if not materially (you might be poor after all), then spiritually. What does it mean to be American? You're what it means to be American. Like a lot of things, that sensation can be quite seductive despite its ugliness. I was never seduced by that feeling, thankfully. But I'm not going to toot my horn and claim it's because I'm so smart and insightful or morally superior. Quite to the contrary, under different circumstances I might have fallen into that identity trap. And I know exactly why I didn't. It's because I'm half-Jewish. Being Jewish, like being anything else, can mean a lot of things. For centuries, one thing it has meant is that you don't feel like you fully belong. There are too many expulsions across Europe and north Africa to keep track of. There are the pogroms and the blood libel, the inquisitions and the scapegoating. And there is of course, above all else, the Holocaust that my grandfather's family escaped by not much, and in my grandmother's family's case, mostly not at all. Lots of Jews living in the aftermath of expulsions and the Holocaust were (are) plagued by a uncertainty. No matter how good it got here in America, there was always caveat. They've thrown us out before, they might throw us out again. Most Jews don't think about this consciously all that much. Rather, it's a fear that exists deep down inside for many of us. You don't belong. You'll never fully fit in. It can all go very wrong at any moment. This insecurity does not afflict all Jews of course. Many integrate quite easily and feel quite at home in America. This sense of belonging increases as the generations pass. But for many Jews, the tension of an uncertain future never really goes away. And if you want to understand why so many American Jews support Israel no matter how badly it behaves towards the Palestinians, then you need to understand that. Outsiders are occasionally perplexed. How could some Jews, who are otherwise secular and progressive, display what seems to be such an irrational support of Israel even as its right wing government continues building a program of colonial rule over the indigenous Palestinian people? The answer does not lie solely in some tribal kinship towards other Jews, in bigotry towards Muslims, or even in the old notion of Israel as charming, upstart underdog, a premise that now seems quite ludicrous. Rather, for some Jews, loyalty to Israel is connected to what it represents: a life raft. A way out. A safe exit strategy for when things go wrong again. These fears are fading generationally, which is on reason why American Jews are split over Israeli policies towards Palestinians in a way that seemed inconceivable when I was a child. Polling from three years ago shows that only 40% of Jews still believe Israel was given to them by God (while 64% of Protestant Christians do, which in a way is much more frightening). Among orthodox Jews, that figure is 84% (and 82% among Evangelical Protestants), but among secular Jews it's a mere 16%. Many American Jews also display a healthy skepticism over Israeli government policies towards the Palestinians. Only a fifth of secular Jews believe Israel is making a good faith effort to find a two state solution. Even among all Jews, that figure is just 38%. Meanwhile, a firm majority of Jews believe the ongoing Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories do not help Israeli security, with 44% recognizing that it actually hurts it. Yet the emotional attachment to Israel remains. Thirty percent of American Jews said they felt very emotionally attached to Israel. Another 39% categorized themselves as somewhat attached. Despite the growth of secularism among American Jews, and even increased criticism of Israel's behavior, only 9% of them said they felt no emotional attachment whatsoever to the Jewish state. And nearly half of all American Jews have found the time and money to visit Israel. Living in the shadow of the Holocaust, overcoming such insecurities is a generations-long process for American Jews that will continue to unfold during the 21st century. * I earnestly struggled with these issues for the first time during the early 1990s. After finishing my bachelor's degree in East Asian History and eventually returning to the Bronx, my early 20s were given to an autodidactic pursuit of books. I read a lot of American Indian history, which eventually led me to pursue graduate studies in that field. It also forced me to begin thinking seriously about issues of indigeneity. During this period, I also read a fair amount of modern literature by great African American writers, such as Richard Wright's Black Boy and The Autobiography of Malcolm X. I found myself deeply contemplating my own identity for the first time. Swimming in ideas, I asked myself one day, what would I do if the weather turned stormy and the tide brought fierce waves crashing upon me. If it got really bad here in the United States, would I stay or would I go? My mother was Jewish, I had had a bris and a bar mitzvah. Israel would take me. My mother, the daughter of Jewish refugees, taken care to keep the appropriate documents for me and my sister so we could cash in on the Law of Return and escape to Israel if we ever needed or wanted to. On the other hand, I could probably pass for non-Jewish. Having a last name like Reinhardt was a big help. So were my blue eyes and my ability to channel my father's speech patterns and persona. Back in Michigan where I went to college, I'd had the experience of listening to people who didn't realize I was Jewish tell me Jew jokes. I could play it off if I needed to. But in the end, neither of those options appealed to me. I realized that I, like the 9% mentioned above, don't have any real attachment to Israel. As an atheist, the overt religiosity of the place unnerves me, and I obviously put no stock in the fantasy that some omnipotent God has decreed it to be my special place. As someone who thinks ethnic nationalism is a blight on humanity (the fact that modern Israel exists largely as a reaction to the horrors ethnic nationalism only adds deep irony to the situation), the idea of a Jewish state did not appeal to me; I still hope it finds the wherewithal to become a genuine and earnest multi-ethnic democracy in the truest sense. And as someone who has never been to Israel, the physical land had no hold on me. Yes, my mother spent two years on a kibbutz during the early 1960s, and some of her father's family moved to Palestine in the early 20th century and remain. But that's them, not me. At the same time, I find the idea of consciously passing to be fairly repugnant. In no way do I judge people of color who choose to pass for white when possible, or Latinx who pass for Anglo. That's their choice and I absolutely respect it. Passing is an intensely personal decision. However, it simply has zero appeal for me. As God said to Moses, I am who I am. What then was left for me in the event of the United States turning sour and completely giving itself over to brutal racism and anti-Semitism? A young and vigorous man, I decided that I would stay and fight should that day ever come. That despite my divergent family backgrounds, the common thread was indeed America, a place born in the blood of dispossessed Indigenous peoples, African slaves, and poor whites, and also a place of relative opportunity and freedom, which allowed my mother's parents to come here when there were precious few places to escape to. When it all goes down, this is where I will make my stand. This is where I will give my all to beat down the final convulsions of our bloody, hateful legacies, and to nurture the still growing promise of what America can be, and sometimes has even been. Thus, I do not begrudge my former friend who seeks to high tail it back to Great Britain amid the fatuous roars of Donald Trump. Not in the least. We all must make the decision that seems right for us. He will leave if he can. And I will stay here and fight, as I swore to do a quarter-century ago. * This is not 1939. The dangers facing us are nowhere near as great. And I absolutely do not think Donald Trump is the next Adolph Hitler or Benito Mussolini. I don't even think he's a fascist; he's too artless and unlearned to adopt a coherent and complex dogma. But I do think he's a racist, sexist piece of shit. I do think he's an impetuous, ignorant, greedy, bully given to fits of rage. I do think he's a narcissist, a chronic liar, and a con man who cares about absolutely no one but himself. I do think he is authoritarian by nature, has no real understanding of or respect for our democratic republic, and has surrounded himself with petty villains and incompetent cronies. I do think in his shameful and infuriating charge to the White House he has stirred up angry and hateful passions among some of his supporters. And I do think he's very, very dangerous. This is my home. This is my nation. And it is every bit as much yours. It is ours. Let us make union and defend it. Let us join together and fight. Let us beat him back at every turn until we have vanquished this abominable cancer from our body politic and the corpus of our society. We, Americans all. Akim Reinhardt's website is ThePublicProfessor.com by Michael Liss I was in a 7-Eleven last Sunday morning for a restorative post-jog donut, when a big, late-middle-aged man with a MAGA hat and a matching red face came in. He grabbed a few tall-boys and a bag of ice, and made his way to the check-out line. To my reasonably educated eye (and nose) those particular tall-boys weren't going to be the first of the day. In all the kaleidoscope of images from the first two weeks of Trump's reign, there is something about this man that I cannot get out of my head. To say he seemed out of place in my 83%-for-Hillary Congressional District would be an understatementbut there he was. Wowa perfect specimen of a stereotypical Trump voter as if drawn in an editorial cartoon! Obviously, I wasn't actually going to interact with him, but this rara avis had somehow wandered into my cloistered neck of the woods and even allowed himself to helped by the Pakistani staff in the store. I know this sounds idiotic, like the crowing of a rock-hound who found a really exciting piece of quartz. But I'm a politics junkie, and I had just finished reading Barron's Magazine's annual Roundtable. Several of the ultra-wealthy panelists were absolutely giddy about the possibilities of a Trump Presidency. All they could see was the banquet of tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks and unlimited drilling, without those nasty environmental rules. In my naivete, I expected some concern about international trade agreements, immigration, engagement with Europe, relations with China and Russia, and just "Presidentialness," but these shrewd businesspeople seemed quite blase. Trump was going to be good for the balance sheet, and everything else was irrelevant. Pitchforks and pince-nez's. Key parts of the minority coalition that make possible Trump's unprecedented grasp at power. All demonstrative of a critical point: Getting on the Trump Train isn't purely ideological. For many it's not even comfortable. But it is purposeful, with an expectation that Trump will reward and punish in a way that satisfies. To keep this unique piece of machinery together, Trump has to feed the beast. To date, he has done this exceedingly well. First, the carrothe's acted on deliverables: Walls, regulations, immigrants, terrorists, gays, religion, Planned Parenthood, national right-to-work, the Supreme Courteach designed to please one or more groups of supporters. Second, the stickcomplete ruthlessness, even to the point of recklessness, both in policy initiatives and enforcement. Buck him, be you humble or mighty, and you will be flayed, drawn and quartered, with your remains left for the public to see. The magnitude of Trump's complete dominance is hard to grasp. His reach is seemingly everywhere. Congressional Republicans have learned that some of their own staffers have been secretly communicating with the White House on policy issues, even as they themselves have been frozen out. Presidential mouthpiece Sean Spicer has made it clear that career diplomats "either get with the program or they can go." Apolitical is out and even "committed Republican" isn't really valued. Trump and Bannon appear to be tearing down the "Deep State" and building one of their own with people selected for loyalty to them. Just how Imperial will Trump's Imperial Presidency be? What's to stop this runaway authoritarian train? Clearly, it is not going to be the Democrats, who are running about like chickens without heads. First of all, they just don't have the bodies (with or without heads). While numerically they are stronger in Congress than the Republicans were, following the 2008 election, they lack organizational skills, a deep leadership bench, and a killer instinct. At the state level, they are completely hopeless. Second, they are in the middle of their own internecine conflicts, still sorting out blame for November's result, and divided over the best tactics to oppose the regime. What little leverage they have is in the Senate, but with several of their own Senators endangered in 2018, they have to be ultra-careful. The best they can do is let Schumer (surprisingly clever, despite the New-Yawk-ness) try to interest McConnell in a dealsome principled (but not terminally obstructive) Democratic opposition now for some reciprocity later on. But that's the best he can do. A full scale assault, no matter how emotionally satisfying, would be suicidal. McConnell will just do away with the rules, as he did last week in considering several Cabinet nominations, and everything will become straight party line. It is also not going to be the Federal courts, at least not in any comprehensive way. Trump is a shotgun, and the courts are old-fashioned bolt-action rifles. We tend to think of the Federal Court system as a thing of grandeur, with a broad sweep, but the reality is different. Even if you can find a sympathetic judge, and the ruling survives on appeal, we should remember that the courts are more likely to define the outer boundaries of what Trump can do, rather than what he should do. Bad judgment and even malevolence does not mean overstepping Constitutional boundaries. Couple that with the very real possibility that Trump craves a confrontation (there are reports that the CBP at Dulles Airport refused to honor a court order during "immigration weekend"), and we could end up with a Constitutional crisis. One thing we do know is that Trump has zero respect for the rule of law and even less for any "so-called" judge who disagrees. That leaves us with the Republicans, and before you attempt to stifle that snicker, perhaps I should try to refine this more. Right now, Trump has them where he wants them. They crave the goodies. For years, they have waited for this moment to transform the country into a conservative paradise akin to Franco's Spaina government serving Business, the Military, and Religion, and doing it with a heavy hand. Trump can deliver. So, whatever their doubts, whatever a David Brooks or Michael Gerson might be saying about Faustian bargains, there's also a Mitch McConnell and a Paul Ryan telling them that unity is essential, and, if it's a choice between eternal salvation and the Keystone Pipeline, go for the gas. And yet, there is a catch. They don't want to be the second Mrs. Trump (technically, the fourth one), so they are pretending he's sui generis, that there is a distance between the type of man he is, and the less sybaritic, more thoughtful and sober "Pence-people" they are. But they know this won't holdthe Trump brand will define them, possibly for decades, if they don't extricate themselves and reclaim the manhood they have put into a blind trust. The problem for them is to determine when. When do they stand up and intervene? Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), speaking about ACA Repeal and Replace, said something quite revealing, "We'd better be sure that we're prepared to live with the market we've createdThat's going to be called Trumpcare. Republicans will own that lock, stock and barrel, and we'll be judged in the election less than two years away." There it is: if you want to get a politician's attention, talk to him about the jobless ratehis own. Apply McClintock's formulation more broadly: When will Republicans own it, and what happens to Trump's (and their) base when the hard work of governing really begins? When will the Caligula Act, the rantings, the baseless accusations, the threats, and the outright lies grow thin? In the short term, the MAGA-Tall-Boy crowd have Trump's back. They love the eruptions. And the plutocrats will happily clip their Trump coupons. But you can only do bread and circuses so long. At some point the populists are going to look for cold, hard cash, and they are likely to find that it's not in their pocketsit's with the suits. And the suits. Trump and the GOP will continue to shovel money and favorable legislation at them, but the disruption in trading relationships, the loss of talented immigrants for the high-tech industries, and the possibility of international incidents will finally demonstrate a harsher reality. There will come a time when Trump-love won't be in season. Is that the moment Republicans pull back from over-reach? Isn't that already too late, for them, and the rest of the country? Every excess, every violation of a norm, whether it's by Trump, or by Congress pushing aside the rules in its quest for the ultimate high, moves us closer to a form of national government with which no one is familiar. Even the Koch brothers, who stand to profit enormously, understand and have been expressing concern about the risks of concentration of power. The more Trump and the GOP weaponize the authority of the State to pursue an agenda, the greater the possibility of abuseand payback, if the Democrats ever regain control. We don't want a Rodrigo Duterte, or a Hugo Chavez. But it's easy to look the other way. Easy to tell yourself it's just noise and he isn't serious. Easy to let yourself be convinced through some strained analogy that the other guy did it, so there's precedent. Easy to say to yourself it's better to waitlet's just pass a few more bits of legislation. Easy to loosen your grip, for just a moment, and let it slip through your fingers. A close friend forwarded to me, and provided the translation for, a quote from the centrist Suddeutsche Zeitung: "Autokraten lugen nicht, weil sie an die Luge glauben, sondern um Unterwerfung zu erzwingen. China ist fur diese missbrauchte Sprache ein wunderbares Beispiel. Wenn es schlecht lauft, konnte Amerika bald auch eines werden." "Dictators don't lie because they believe the lies. Instead they require submission. China is an outstanding example of this abuse. If it should go badly America can soon be one of these." Submission shouldn't be in the American DNA. by Humera Afridi At the age of ten, my biggest fear was a dread of heights. Childhood weekends were sun-drenched (chlorine-filled) idylls during which I worked myself up to fling my body off the high board at the Sind Club into the gleaming swimming pool below. I lived in Karachi, and, yes, in a bubble. We were surrounded by inequity, yet my innocence or, rather, naivete remained intact. I was certainly aware of the sudden, politically motivated strikes and pained by the striking povertylame beggars who hopped over to car windows at traffic stops; gangs of wily, threadbare children left to roam the danger-filled streets. Nevertheless, within the highly-selective, members-only club, the harsh world outside with its mayhem of cars, motorcycles, trucks and water lorries threatening to run over the cripples weaving their way through the honking maze, seized to exist for me. The water shimmered, spangled with sunlight; I can still recall the sensation of my toes curling on the edge of the cement precipice, and a frisson of nervous excitement overcoming me in those excruciating moments before leaping towards the joyous shouts that rose to greet me as I plummeted. The beleaguered world of the city at large disappeared. That life seems unthinkable, unconscionable, today, especially after having lived away for many years, first as an expatriate and then an (accidental) immigrant. But that was how things were: the disparity was deep-rooted and historical. Even as a child I learned to build invisible walls. Fast-forward to the next generation and a change of setting: my son who is nine and a half, born and raised in America, possesses an awareness around issues of social justice and race, and nuanced identity politicsLQBTQIA is the more current, more inclusive term I learned from him two weeks agothat simultaneously awes and alarms me. Even as I am grateful for his attunement and ability to perceive and articulate feelings arising from instances of injustice that he witnesses, hears about, or personally experiences, a part of me wonders: isnt he too young to know all this? Isnt it too soon to have to create the space in his mind to sort through a myriad possibilities of how to be? And what about facing the factsfar too many of a cruel and unjust world? But the age of innocence has vanished. And children arent exempt. Last week, over an ice-cream after school, he casually slipped in, Mom, today I pulled my teacher aside because I was feeling really depressed. Words to make a mothers heart sink. Depressed is a big word, sweetheart! What exactly were you feeling? Really, really sad, mama. About the Muslim ban. As a child, I worried about high diving. My son, just shy of ten, on the other hand, is anguished that I will not be allowed back home to New York next week when I return from my trip to France. He worries that he will never get to visit his ancestral village in Northwestern Pakistan, something hes been hankering for in recent months. If we go to Pakistan, will they let us back in? How will I learn Urdu? How will I ever learn Pashto if I cant go to Pakistan? At his school, they hold community meetings during which they raise concerns and break down the damaging effect of words like hate which have been tossed around liberally since the election campaign. Teachers and students have been sharing their feelings of vulnerability in the face of the new America unfolding before us, seeing how as a community they can support each other to feel safe and secure. To enable these conversations, the students are empowered with facts and the vocabulary to engage in sincere, heartfelt exchanges. When I think back to my childhood, my most prominent memories are the feel of the hot sun on my face, the confusing thrum of water swallowing me as I rocket into the depths, the cool, green ice-cream soda bottle, slippery with condensation, after my swim. Politics formed, at best, a background murmur in the domain of the grownups, which I didn't tune into, and which wasn't shared in a meaningful or serious way with the children. I was an apolitical child; illiterate in the ways of how society actually workeda cringe-worthy realizationespecially in contrast to my son, who speaks about the effects of the policies being revealed each day by the new government, who feels the discriminatory gaze of the new president on him and experiences it viscerally, sees that gaze eviscerating the hopes of bereft Syrian refugee children and their families, and feels it so deeply that he has actually lain on the ground and heaved sobs, or then exploded with anger and promised to personally tackle the leadership. My gentle, guitar-loving nine-year old: it's heart-wrenching to witness his sadness and worry. How does a mother protect her child from all the noise and ugliness while at the same time provide him with the tools to feel empowered? These are urgent times and innocence, it seems, has become collateral damage, a war-time casualty. Three weekends in row, he has attended marches, protests and demonstrations demanding justice and equality, and freedom of the press, and protested the Muslim ban. I celebrate his participation. Will this be the stuff of his childhood memories? It is ironic that the demonization of select groups of people by the new American President is precisely what is awakening and alerting my son and his young generation to the American values of dignity, justice, equality, diversity, unity and individual freedom, inspiring them to stand and uphold these ideals. What joy to witness him chanting: This is what democracy looks like! For those who have been directly labeled and targeted by the leadership, how much more onerous their challenge is right now. To be perceived as an embodied threat. How does a young child take that in? What does it do to a developing psyche? And how dare we, in this late age, let the lessons of so many devastating wars and genocides go unheeded? There is a photo that haunts me to this day. It is of a young boy looking through the metal bars of a barrier dividing Afghanistan from Pakistan at Torkham. I took the photo in January 2002 when I tried to enter Afghanistan across that border. (In the end I didnt go. I was notified that if I did, I would be breaking Pakistani law and would most likely be imprisoned upon my return). In the wake of the recent travel ban in the Unites States that has devastated so many families, Im reminded of the time when America lunged at Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks and the heartbreaking scenes of chaos at the Pak-Afghan borders, the dismal refugee camps. Today, as a mother, I wonder if that boy was an orphan. Perhaps, thats why he was standing there alone. What became of him, what choices were left for him in his war-devastated country? Did sadness and disappointment in time turn to anger and a desire for vengeance? As families are torn apart and terrorized by the draconian laws of the new government and the bullying of border patrol officers, we must remember that the economic, emotional and social aftershocks will shape the new generation of warriors perceived through one lens as knights and knightesses and through another as potential terrorists. Much healthier then, surely, to let children play ball in the park and splash in swimming pools? Why is it so difficult to cast off divisiveness in favor of a path that seeks, instead, peace, harmony, unity, and dignity for all? http://nypost.com/2017/02/04/suspect-arrested-in-connection-with-murder-of-jogger/ Cops caught a suspect Saturday in the murder of Karina Vetrano, the beautiful jogger whose brutal strangulation last summer in the high weeds of Spring Creek Park in Queens had transfixed the city. Officials did not immediately release the name of the suspect, but sources told The Post he is in his 20s and lives in a housing project in East New York, Brooklyn, a neighborhood just west of her home in Howard Beach. The suspect had been on police radar for a while, sources told The Post. Some time ago, an off-duty cop saw him acting suspiciously somewhere in Howard Beach, and called the local precinct. The suspect was questioned at that time but police found no valid reason to hold him and he was released without charges. Earlier this past week, investigators approached him again. They asked him for a DNA sample, which he gave voluntarily thereby potentially sealing his own fate, sources said. He had no prior record, so until he agreed to a cheek swab, his DNA profile had been unknown to law enforcement, sources told The Post. Investigators had found the DNA of Vetranos suspected attacker on her phone, neck and fingernails, sources told The Post. He was taken into custody and questioned Saturday night in a precinct outside Howard Beach, sources also said. Vetrano, 30, had been jogging in the park when she was raped, bludgeoned and strangled last Aug. 2. This past Thursday marked six months since Karinas murder. Her father, Philip, a retired firefighter, had been tireless in asking police and the media to keep his daughters investigation alive during months of little progress. Karina lived with her parents, and the father and daughter had been frequent jogging partners. But Philip had not joined her in the early evening of Aug. 2 when she donned black shorts and a jogging top and left home for what would be her final time. Instead, he later joined the search party that scoured the park after she failed to return home and he was the one who found her body. Police believe Karina was ambushed and dragged into the marshes. She fought back bravely as her killer overpowered her, punching her in the mouth hard enough to dislodge a tooth. She had stems of weeds in her hands, NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce had told reporters. She fought not to go into those weeds, he said. Additional reporting by Tina Moore Warner thumps Harding Co.-Bison; Patriots, Wolverines to meet for title Hunter Cramer ran for 2 touchdowns, passed for 1 and returned a kick for 82 yards as the Monarchs won 63-20 in the Class 9A football semifinals. Rare Earth Salts has announced a new role within the company that officials hope will expand the business. Alastair Neill, an industry expert with an extensive sales background in the rare earth industry, joined the company as director of business development. Rare Earth Salts is expecting near-term production of high purity rare earth oxides, and Neills responsibilities will include building the companys sales program and expanding business, both in domestic and international markets, according to Joseph Brewer, Chief Executive Officer of Rare Earth Salts. "Alastair is a proven sales leader who will play a key role in executing our growth strategy, Brewer said in a press release. With our Company on the cusp of production, we are investing in our sales and feedstock supply programs to effectively service international market demand. This year we expect to demonstrate consistent production of high purity rare earth oxides at the lowest cost levels in the industry and we will lean on Alastairs considerable experience to build strong industry partnerships. Rare Earth Salts use new techniques to harvest rare earth elements from would-be mining waste from around the world. The Company has developed a patent-pending industrial technology to efficiently and economically separate and refine all 16 Rare Earth Elements to high purity. The company says this process is environmentally friendly and projects significantly reduced cost versus standard processing. Neill has served on Rare Earth Salts Board of Advisors since 2014 and has more than 20 years of experience managing all facets of rare earth operations and sales. He has demonstrated a strong track record of driving revenue growth worldwide in the sector, according to the press release. Neill was recognized with the Supplier of Excellence Award from Engelhard Corporation At AMR, he oversaw sales for the Rare Earth Division in Japan, South Korea, North America and Europe achieving 80 percent market penetration in South Korea and overall global market share of 12 percent. With Dacha Strategic Metals, he developed and successfully implemented a program to purchase rare earths inside China to develop a strategic inventory outside the country. Most recently Neill has been president of Trinity Management, an engineering consulting company for 10 years and has advised on a number of rare earth projects globally. Partnership strives to level the playing field for small, rural schools in terms of access to award-winning education technology solutions. February 6, 2017 Education Technology Partners, a leading provider of education technology solutions to K-12 schools, announced today a strategic partnership with the Missouri Association of Rural Education (MARE). The agreement is focused on providing Missouri rural schools with better access to the very best, research-based educational technology solutions in the industry. Under the agreement, which took effect on November 1, 2016, Education Technology Partners will work closely with MARE to identify rural schools that could best utilize technology solutions to help student achievement. The overall goal is to ensure that ETPs best-in-class technology is easily accessible to all MARE members, thereby providing unique opportunities for student improvement and savings as well as a more level playing field for Missouri rural schools. Were extremely excited about our relationship with MARE, said Randy Jennings, Education Technology Partners Founder and CEO. About 88% of school districts in Missouri are rural and not always on the radar for technology publishers leading to a lack of exposure for many exciting advances in education technology solutions. Our partnership with MARE will go a long way to level the playing field in terms of access and affordability of the premium education technology solutions for which we are known. Every sale through this partnership will support MARE financially, allowing them to continue providing quality services and support to their members. This is a big win for every member of MARE, said Ray Patrick, EdD., MARE Executive Director. Rural schools have access to the same technology solutions as larger districts and MARE benefits in the process. It truly is a winning partnership for all parties involved. We encourage our members to take advantage of this exciting partnership and the proven, technology solutions it can bring to Missouri rural school classrooms. About Education Technology Partners Founded by a former educator in 2003, Education Technology Partners researches, identifies and brings effective education technology solutions to K-12 schools. Education Technology Partners combines best in class technology solutions and professional development services to help schools meet the needs of diverse learners in reaching their full potential, and assist school personnel and district administrators in meeting federal, state and local requirements. For more information, visit:www.edtechpartners.com About Missouri Association of Rural Education The Missouri Association of Rural Education is an organization composed of school administrators, board members, teachers, parents, institutions of higher education and business professionals all who are interested in serving rural community school districts in Missouri. The purpose of this association is to focus on the need and concerns unique to rural education, to provide a forum for the discussion and resolution of those needs and concerns, and to present a unified voice to promote rural education in Missouri. For more information, visit: www.moare.com Media Contact Company Name: Education Technology Partners Contact Person: Jeff Braun, Director of Marketing Email: jbraun@edtechpartners.com Phone: 314-496-5787 Country: United States Website: www.edtechpartners.com Report provides the historic development, current market situation, and future outlook of the paper label market in the world and in the top 10 global countries to 2021 The report package Global Paper Label Market to 2021 Market Size, Development, Top 10 Countries, and Forecasts offers the most up-to-date industry data on the actual market situation, and future outlook for paper labels in the world and in the top 10 global countries. Along with a global paper label market report the package includes country reports from the following countries: Australia, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States The research includes historic data from 2010 to 2016 and forecasts until 2021 which makes the reports an invaluable resource for industry executives, marketing, sales and product managers, consultants, analysts, and other people looking for key industry data in readily accessible documents with clearly presented tables and graphs. Read Complete Report With TOC: http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-paper-label-market-to-2021 The reports help answer the following questions: What is the current size of the paper label market in the world and in the top 10 global countries? How is the paper label market divided into different product segments? How are the overall market and different product segments growing? How is the market predicted to develop in the future? What is the market potential compared to other countries? The latest industry data included in the reports: Overall paper label market size, 2010-2021 Paper label market size by product segment, 2010-2021 Growth rates of the overall paper label market and different product segments, 2010-2021 Shares of different product segments of the overall paper label market, 2008, 2014 and 2019 Market Potential Rates of the overall paper label market and different product segments Request A Sample Copy Of This Report at: http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-paper-label-market-to-2021/request-sample The market data is given for the following product segments: Printed paper labels Other paper labels Among the key reasons to purchase include the following: Gain an outlook of the historic development, current market situation, and future outlook of the paper label market in the world and in the top 10 global countries to 2021 Track industry developments and identify market opportunities Plan and develop marketing, market-entry, market expansion, and other business strategies by identifying the key market opportunities and prospects Save time and money with the readily accessible key market data included in the reports. The data is clearly presented and can be easily incorporated into presentations and internal reports. Explore Other Reports By Radiant Insights,Inc at: Kitchen Furniture Market- http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/home-retail-series-kitchen-furniture-2016 Global Mosquito Repellent Market- http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-mosquito-repellent-market-2017-2021 Global Toilet Tank Market- http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-toilet-tank-market-2017-2021 About Radiant Insights, Inc. Radiant Insights is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. We assist and facilitate organizations and individuals procure market research reports, helping them in the decision making process. We have a comprehensive collection of reports, covering over 40 key industries and a host of micro markets. In addition to over extensive database of reports, our experienced research coordinators also offer a host of ancillary services such as, research partnerships/ tie-ups and customized research solutions. Media Contact Company Name: Radiant Insights, Inc. Contact Person: Michelle Thoras, Corporate Sales Specialist USA Email: sales@radiantinsights.com Phone: (415) 349-0054, Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Address:28 2nd Street, Suite 3036 City: San Francisco State: California Country: United States Website: http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-paper-label-market-to-2021 Strandline Resources is an Australian Stock Exchange listed company (ASX:STA) (OTCMKTS:STQNF) is a Tanzanian-focused mineral sands developer positioned within the worlds major zircon and titanium producing corridor in South East Africa. Strandline has a dominant mineral sands position with a series of 100% owned projects spread along 350km of the Tanzanian coastline. Strandlines strategy is to develop and operate quality, low cost, expandable mining assets with market differentiation. Leveraging off the exploration success of 2016, the Companys focus is to continue its aggressive exploration and development strategy to progress economically attractive projects based on high unit value titanium and zircon products. 9th AF commander sets priorities Maj. Gen. Scott J. Zobrist assumed command of Ninth Air Force in May 2016. Since then, Zobrist visited the wings under Ninth AF, gained impressions and set his commanders priorities. We have absolutely top-notch Airmen who are doing the job day in and day out with some significant resource and time constraints, which is indicative of how busy they are, and how busy our nations military is, the commander said. But, our Airmen are absolutely top notch, completing the job professionally and making the mission happen. Although Zobrist said he has three priorities for Ninth AF, he considers his top two priorities to be on the same level in terms of importance. Our mission as a Numbered Air Force is to ensure the readiness of the wings for the current fight, he explained. So, thats my job -- to ensure our Airmen and the wings are ready for their current mission. However, equally important is taking care of our Airmen and their families. Im very passionate about taking care of our people, and that priority is not mutually exclusive of mission readiness, the major general said. In fact, taking care of our Airmen and their families really is an integral part of ensuring mission readiness. Zobrist said his third priority is to pave the way for Ninth AFs future as a deployable joint task force headquarters. This priority lines up with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfeins strengthening joint leaders and teams focus area. Goldfein outlined the need for the Air Force to have the capability to field a deployable JTF headquarters in his October 2016 focus area paper and tapped Ninth AF to begin the process of giving the Air Force that capability. Were making a lot of progress as a team, and Im excited about what that will do not just for the Air Force but also for our joint partners and the combatant commanders, Zobrist said. Of course, theres a lot of work to be done to transform Ninth AF into the core of a joint task force headquarters. When operational, Ninth AF could be tasked to lead a JTF headquarters in a designated location, commanding operations as directed by the combatant commander. Ninth AF would provide the leadership and core functions of a JTF headquarters and personnel from other services would fill in the rest of the JTF staff. The idea is to reorganize, or remission, Ninth AF so it can continue to perform its organize, train and equip mission and be capable of deploying as the lead core organization for a JTF, said Col. Rhude Cherry III, the Ninth AF lead planner for the deployable JTF headquarters initiative. The question then is, how does the Air Force fill that lead role? By filling key billets with Airmen, providing the headquarters staffing function and then bringing in the joint force around it, you now become a JTF, Cherry said. With Ninth AF providing the operational piece of organize, train and equip for Air Combat Command, Zobrist said he likes to stay closely connected to the Ninth AF wings. The way I view that relationship is, its our job to support them -- I work for them, not the other way around, he added. Were continually looking for ways we can help the wings without slowing down their daily mission. Numbered Air Forces are the operational connectivity between Air Combat Command and its wings. Zobrist visited the eight wings in Ninth AF to meet with Airmen and see their mission firsthand as part of his duties as the commander. Weve got fantastic commanders at all levels -- squadron, group and wing -- and I have been very impressed with the leadership theyve shown, and how theyre focused on not just the mission but especially taking care of Airmen and families, Zobrist said. Commanders realize they have to enable the Airmen and their families in order for Airmen to complete their mission. Our Airmen and the wings are all extremely busy. There are a lot of challenges -- time is one of them, he continued. Theyve got a lot of different training requirements in addition to real-world missions. ... Despite all those challenges, they continue to get the mission done; that to me has been the most impressive part -- theyre finding smarter ways to do things to make the mission happen. While the wings complete their day-to-day mission exceptionally well, Zobrist said he saw room for improvement in the ability for the wings to rapidly deploy. For the last 25 years, the Air Force has been engaged continuously in multiple wars in the Southwest Asia region, and weve been routinely deploying on timelines known well in advance, he added. However, we have not honed the skills needed for no-notice deployments. Our wings can make it happen, but our processes, procedures and practicing those rapid deployments definitely need some improvement. Another area Zobrist said could use some enhancement is one that doesnt cost money -- unit sponsorship and key spouse programs. A units sponsorship program is the gateway to all the support our Airmen and families will need at their new base, and it costs zero dollars, he explained. Theres absolutely a requirement to get information to inbound Airmen and get them prepared for the new assignment. A good sponsor program, with personal involvement by the commander, can make that happen. Additionally, the key spouse program works hand in hand with the sponsorship program, as it welcomes the spouses and then ensures they have the support they need after becoming part of the squadron. A good key spouse program is vital to the family and mission because we all know we cant do our job without the families being taken care of, the Highland, Illinois, native added. In the end, both of these programs are the commanders programs -- its up to the commanders, not their teams, to set the conditions for the success of these programs. I make it clear to my commanders at all levels I expect them to be very involved in their Sponsorship and Key Spouse programs, and I hold them personally responsible for the programs success or failure. As the Air Forces mission continues to evolve, Zobrist said its important for senior leaders to understand policy and guidance should be written for todays Air Force -- one that has vastly changed from even 10 years ago. Our Air Force is organized very differently today. We have new mission sets, and it requires a change of mindset with how we issue policy and guidance, Zobrist said. The standard wing of the past, with three flying squadrons and one wing commander running the whole base, is now a rarity; non-traditional is the new standard -- multiple wings on one base, joint basing, air base wings, air-ground ops wings, remotely piloted aircraft and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance wings, total force, Air Force units on other service bases and vice versa -- very different from when I was a captain. And, todays leaders need to consider this new Air Force when we make policy and guidance. Zobrist said nothing makes this new reality clearer than seeing the Ninth AF units in person. Thats why we visit the units -- to find out, first and foremost, what the Airmen are thinking, and to understand their mission so we can advocate on their behalf, Zobrist concluded. Nine Air Force Reserve F-35A pilots and 16 maintainers from the 419th Fighter Wing are taking on the worlds greatest aggressor fleet during Red Flag 17-1 held at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The reservists joined about 200 personnel and 13 F-35A Lightning IIs from the active duty 388th FW to debut the Air Forces newest fighter jet at the premier air-to-air combat training exercise from Jan. 23 to Feb. 10. The Hill AFB pilots and maintainers are working with other Air Force F-16s and F-22s and allies from Great Britain and Australia to participate as the friendly, or blue air, flying combat scenarios against the enemy red air from the 64th Aggressor Squadron here. Red Flag offers intensive training and is a tremendous learning experience, said Lt. Col. Dave DeAngelis, commander of the 419th Operations Group, Detachment 1. The aggressor pilots are among the best of the best and spend their days learning the tactics of enemy air forces, so it definitely puts us to the test. DeAngelis is an F-16 software engineer who is on continuous orders for the next three years in support of the F-35A program at Hill. We focus on adversary tactics all the time, so we are subject matter experts on how those [enemy] aircraft operate and perform. Then we replicate that here, said Maj. Mark Klein, an Air Force Reserve pilot who flies with the 64th AS. Aggressor pilots say its a good day when theyre losing because it means the blue forces are winning the war. The F-35 is providing offensive and defensive counter air, suppression of enemy air defense, and close air support against the enemy forces and is performing exceptionally well. Our stealthiness is proving very useful, said Maj. Jayson Rickard, a Reserve F-35A pilot. Were striking targets, killing advanced surface-to-air missiles, and getting some air-to-air kills. Rickard flies for Delta Air Lines and is also on three years of continuous orders to support the F-35A mission at Hill. On the Nellis flightline, Hills F-35 maintainers are challenged to keep up with the high operations tempo and are generating eight-ship sorties twice daily. So far, F-35As here have flown 138 sorties with only a handful of maintenance issues. This jet is proving to be one of the most reliable combat aircraft Ive ever seen, said Master Sgt. Kyle Kutcher, a maintenance section chief with the 419th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. Kutcher has maintained four different fighter aircraft and has attended seven Red Flags. This jet makes it really easy for my maintainers because its designed to streamline maintenance procedures. The F-35 needs less test equipment, offers simplified operational checks, and has better part accessibility than its fourth-generation counterparts, Kutcher added. The ease of maintenance has been a real testament to the design of the aircraft, said Staff Sgt. Justin Willobee, avionics specialist with the 419th AMXS. Willobee is a former F-16 maintainer and said hes really enjoyed being part of the F-35A program. Pretty much everything we do is a first and its been great to see what this aircraft can do. Hill AFB will eventually be home to three operational F-35A fighter squadrons with a total of 78 aircraft by the end of 2019. The first operational F-35As arrived at Hill in October 2015 and reached initial operational capability in August 2016. The active duty 388th FW and Air Force Reserve 419th FW will fly and maintain the jet in a Total Force partnership, which capitalizes on the strength of both components. Individual Reserve offers unique opportunities to serve When Tech. Sgt. Mark Parker first enlisted in the Air Force as a security forces Airman in 2001, he already knew his long-term goal was to become a civilian law enforcement officer. After serving four years on active duty, which included a deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he was ready to pursue his civilian goals but didnt want to entirely let go of the military. The individual mobilization augmentee program gave me the opportunity to have both, said Parker, who is assigned to the 673rd Security Forces Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. The IMA program provides Air Force Reservists some unique opportunities. It is actually part of a larger category called the Individual Reserve, which consists of IMAs and members of the Participating Individual Ready Reserve. The program dates back to the beginning of the Air Force Reserve. In 1947, Lt. Gen. George E. Stratemeyer, the first commander of Continental Air Command, a predecessor of todays Air Force Reserve Command, called for establishing a category of Reservists to support the active duty during times of crisis. Stratemeyer established the mobilization assignee program, and the Individual Reserve was born. Today, the IR program is managed by the Headquarters Individual Reservist Readiness and Integration Organization, or HQ RIO, located at Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado. It consists of approximately 7,200 Reservists, representing nearly every Air Force specialty code and rank, who augment more than 50 major commands, combatant commands and government agencies. To oversee this diverse population of individuals, HQ RIO comprises seven geographically separated detachments and eight operating locations. These locations manage assigned IRs on a daily basis to meet Air Force and combatant commander requirements. Unlike traditional Reservists, who serve their minimum requirement of one weekend a month and two weeks a year with their assigned Reserve unit, IMAs are assigned to active- duty units and have flexible schedules. IMAs coordinate with their unit of assignment to create a training schedule that meets the needs of both them and the organization. In some cases, IMAs complete all of their annual participation requirements in consecutive days. Or, they can do so in smaller increments dispersed throughout the year, typically during the week versus weekends. IRs support both the peacetime and wartime missions of their active-duty organization. Their primary role is to provide backfill support for their unit when needed, but they can also volunteer their services to support exercises, contingencies, deployments, and other needs throughout the Air Force and Department of Defense. IMAs are assigned to funded positions and participate with their active-duty unit for 24 to 36 days each year, depending on their career field. They receive standard pay, benefits and points toward retirement. On the other hand, members of the PIRR are assigned to unfunded billets and participate for retirement points only. These Reservists often serve as Air Force Academy liaison officers or with the Civil Air Patrol. One aspect of the IR program that Parker cited as being important to him is the flexibility afforded when balancing his military schedule with his civilian job. Unlike traditional Reservists, IRs work closely with their active-duty supervisors to create a customized duty schedule. Parker said the set monthly unit training assembly schedule TRs must adhere to wouldnt work with his civilian career as a law enforcement officer. If it werent for the program, I dont think I would be able to stay in the military, he said. Chief Master Sgt. Timothy Lehane, another security forces IMA, echoed Parkers sentiments. I became an IMA because my state police duty schedule did not line up with the weekend drill schedule, and it was difficult getting time off, said Lehane, a 15-year veteran of the Connecticut state police. I continue to stay because of the flexibility, and I can still contribute to the Air Force mission. Of course, there are other reasons Airmen make the transition to the IR program. Col. Elizabeth Chamberlain, IMA to the intelligence director at 7th Air Force, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, has spent time on active duty and as a full-time air reserve technician. She said the IR program has helped expand the possibilities for her career. I became an individual mobilization augmentee to seek broader intelligence and leadership opportunities, Chamberlain said. The opportunity to move between the unit and IMA programs has really helped me cultivate insight into many aspects of (Air Force) Reserve Command. In addition to expanding her personal horizons, Chamberlain enjoys supporting the active-duty mission. She said its a great opportunity to influence Air Force policy and programming. While she is currently assigned to Air Force Special Operations Command, Chamberlain previously worked for U.S. Pacific Command as the IMA to the intelligence director. In that role, she helped the Air Force prepare for future conflicts by improving advanced target development, the process of pre-determining strategic targets in the event of conflict. During her time with PACOM, Chamberlain was also involved in planning two of the Department of Defenses largest readiness exercises: Key Resolve and Ulchi Focus Guardian. She said the exacting and thorough nature of those exercises is what make the U.S. military such an effective fighting force. During her 20-plus years of service, the colonel has had the opportunity to work on more than 10 exercises at the tactical, operational and strategic levels. It is challenging and very rewarding to throw yourself into these experiences and learn as much as you can while working to improve our doctrine and tactics, techniques, and procedures, Chamberlain said. There are a wide variety of opportunities for IRs in todays Air Force. In addition to augmenting positions around the globe, real-world missions and deployments are frequently available. Majs. Robert C. Rogers and Kyle Johnson both had opportunities to support the fight against the Ebola virus in West Africa. In 2015, Johnson, who was serving on active-duty orders as a communications squadron detachment commander, deployed to the Barclay Training Center in Monrovia, Republic of Liberia. He led his team of more than 30 civilian and military command-and-control specialists to establish a deployed communications system to serve as the nerve center for Operation United Assistance. He and his team set up some of the most sophisticated tactical communications equipment available, forward-deployed equipment, and provided network support and help desk functions. Rogers played an entirely different role at the tail end of Operation United Assistance. He was serving as branch chief of the airfield pavement evaluation team at the Air Force Civil Engineering Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, when his small, elite unit of engineers was called to evaluate the tarmac at the Roberts International Airport in Liberia during the drawdown of Department of Defense operations there. Our mission was to document the end condition of the runway following operations, Rogers said. We found out that the Air Force did not cause additional damage to the air field. Our structural testing showed that the underlying layers are stronger than previously reported and dont need a full overhaul. Rogers was able to present his findings directly to the U.S. ambassador to Liberia. He felt it was the most fulfilling mission of his career. Along with the opportunity to continue serving, IRs also receive the same benefits available to traditional Reservists, including TRICARE Reserve Select, tuition assistance and the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Of course, the Air Force also gains a valuable asset in the IR, whose members bring a diverse wealth of corporate civilian knowledge to the table. Parker, the security forces IMA at JB Elmendorf-Richardson, is a civilian police officer in Prescott, Arizona. He specializes in impaired driver enforcement and is a certified traffic crash reconstructionist. He lends these skills to the security forces Airmen at Elmendorf. During his annual training, he conducts different educational events for his Airmen, instructing them on how to utilize speed-measuring devices and identify impaired drivers. He also teaches a course that certifies Elmendorf's patrolmen to administer field sobriety tests to possibly impaired drivers. "I really enjoy teaching and interacting with the new Airmen," Parker said. "Its very rewarding knowing that I am able to provide the Air Force with no-cost training, and the patrolmen are always so motivated to go out and apply what they have just learned. It reminds me of myself when I was on active duty." Second Lt. Brandon J. Kyle was an enlisted intelligence analyst and traditional Reservist for five years before he heard about a commissioning opportunity in the IR. He was supporting the 24th Air Force Joint Intelligence Operations Center on active-duty orders when he responded to an all-call for the Deserving Airman Commissioning Program. He was selected and accepted into a position as an IMA with the PACOM JIOC. With Officer Training School completed and an IMA position lined up with an active-duty unit, Kyle said he is excited about his new career path. Since the intelligence career field is critically undermanned, he anticipates many chances to serve on active duty and wear the uniform every day. "I'm looking forward to something different. This is another stage in life, another stone unturned, and I'm excited to augment the active duty," Kyle said. The IR program has positions available to members coming off active duty, TRs and troops from sister services. Airmen can use the Reserve Vacancy tool in AFPC (Air Force Personnel Center) Secure (available through the Air Force Portal) to find IR positions. Others who are interested in the IR program can contact an Air Force Reserve recruiter for information on current openings. Visit www.afreserve.com to find a recruiter. Additional information about the IR program is available at www.arpc.af.mil/hqrio.aspx. The budget presented by Finance minister has given a relief to affordable housing as it is a priority for this government and it was expected to get infrastructure status. Housing sector has been accorded infrastructure status by providing 100 per cent exemption on profits. It is encouraging to see that fiscal discipline has been given priority in the budget. One feels that the amnesty scheme on black money is not good enough, and would not encourage people to come forward to declare their ill-gotten wealth. The tax projections are realistic but the divestment target looks ambitious as the government has typically struggled to achieve this. The budget proposal to launch a new health protection scheme is welcome as it will ensure penetration of health insurance and promote financial inclusion. The proposal for additional Rs 30,000 health cover for cover for senior citizens is a good sign as it will help reduce the burden of healthcare expenditure for the aged. Services tax was left unchanged and long-term capital gains tax fears were left misplaced. The introduction of a Smart Aadhaar card facility with health details of senior citizens and the reduction of income tax in some categories are also bound to be hailed. Finance Minister Arun Jaitelys Budget has broadly focused on 10 themes the farming sector, the rural population, the youth, the poor and underprivileged health care, infrastructure, the financial sector for stronger institutions, speedy accountability, public services, prudent fiscal management and tax administration for the honest. Agriculture in India is the core sector for food security, nutritional security, and sustainable development and for poverty alleviation. Dealing with climate change and its potential impact also requires a budget to safeguard farmers. Given the drought and delinquent rainfall affecting farmers, the governments step to create 5 lakh more farm ponds that will work as a drought-proofing measure in gram panchayats is welcome, but everything depends on how well the schemes are executed on the ground. The announcement of increasing farm credit to 10 lakh crore may not help much the small and marginalised farmers, who are outside the banking network as around 60% of the farmers are outside the banking system. The boost to the rural economy by allocating 10 lakh crores to farm credit with 60 days interest waiver, highest ever allocation for MGNREGA, regulating political funding, reduction in personal income tax for the salaried and middle class giving needed fillip to job opportunities etc. will silence all those who have been tirelessly describing Modi government as suit boot ki sarkar . Focus on rural, social sector spending and roads and highways are along expected lines and positive as the pilot project for job creation in rural areas has been allocated funds worth Rs 48 ,000 crore to enhance asset creation and job opportunities in rural hinterlands. Special focus to put on the digitization will certainly prove to be an effective tool in shaping the future of state economy. Farmers income directly depends on the yields from their farm lands. Yields depend on natural phenomenon such as ideal climatic conditions, including quality of fertile lands. Only good crop yields can improve GDP and have no impact whatsoever on the budget proposals. Doubling farmers income is an inspiring idea. Given the fact that 56% of population is engaged in agriculture and mounting farmer suicide due to indebtedness, agriculture distress has led government to take certain significant steps to double the farmers income by 2020. To measure income levels, innovative big data techniques should be leveraged. (The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.) Below is a snapshot of the statement issued by CDC Whistleblower William Thompson. Download and read the statement HERE. If you share on social media, please use hashtag #CDCWhistleblower. Thank you. "Dan was truly a prodigy, an artist and a door-kicking newsman," former Commercial-News reporter/columnist Kevin Cullen said. "I always thought of him as a class act and a model for the rest of our ink-stained little subculture." Mr. Olmsted, who died Jan. 23 at his home in Falls Church, Va., won an Illinois Associated Press award for public-service reporting while in Danville and went on to receive national recognition for his work elsewhere. He had written for it while a student at Danville High School, where he had been news editor of the Maroon & White student newspaper. The best and brightest among them at the Gannett-owned Commercial-News in Danville was Dan Olmsted, who had graduated from Yale University in 1975 and had come back to his hometown to work at the newspaper. Here is an excerpt of a fine tribute to Dan Olmsted by Melissa Merli . Read the full article in the The News Gazette. In the late 1970s, the post-Watergate era, daily newspapers ruled the media landscape. Their staffs were robust, with talented reporters hungry to make a mark. In 2002, while working for UPI in Washington, D.C., Mr. Olmsted was inducted into the Danville High School Wall of Fame. Bill Black, a former Republican state legislator who had taught Mr. Olmsted in junior high, spoke at the ceremony. "He was one of the standouts; he's somebody you remember all your life," Black said this week. "He was so smart but not the smart kid that would put everybody off. "I've never seen anyone with that kind of ability when he was 13 or 14 years old. He was just a super-super kid." Black recalled an assignment he gave his students about what they wanted to do as a career. Mr. Olmsted turned in a well-researched paper about a landfill in southern Vermilion County. "He talked to people. He documented everything," Black said. "He did research on how it happened and what would happen. It was obvious the kid was going to be a brilliant journalist or research technician." Yet Mr. Olmsted, who would later achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, was polite and courteous. "He would disarm you to find out things," Black said. "He was never pushy, in your face. He would just do his work and would talk with anybody who could shed light on what he was writing about or was interested in." Making a mark. In 1978, Mr. Olmsted left his hometown to take a reporting position at Gannett's then-flagship newspaper, The Democrat & Chronicle, in Rochester, N.Y. Later, he helped Gannett start up USA Today and USA Weekend, where as senior editor he led an investigation of the murder of a Vietnamese immigrant in Florida. The story won a first-place award from the Asian-American Journalists Association. After leaving Gannett, Mr. Olmsted began working in 1999 as the UPI bureau chief in Washington, D.C., where he supervised, among others, legendary White House correspondent Helen Thomas... Read the full article in the The News Gazette. The beauty of science is that you are taken where the evidence leads you. The MacNeil interview was carried out early in 2011 and at that time I thought that there was some chance that postnatal factors might lead to some cases of autism - particularly in children that had a genetic or other medical predisposing condition. But, our own research has argued against this view. Later in 2011, we published a paper about brain changes in children with and without regression (Nordahl et al 2011). We found that it was the children with evidence of regression that generally had enlarged brains. We also found that head enlargement started at 4-6 months of life - long before the behavioral regression. I wanted to know what happened to Amaral to make him now more worried about someone looking into the vaccine safety than about which kids are there are susceptible to a vaccine reaction. And in their case, having the vaccines, or particular vaccines, particularly in certain kinds of situations if the child was ill, if the child had a precondition. Like a mitochondrial defect. Vaccinations for those children actually may be the environmental factor that tipped them over the edge of autism. And I think it is incredibly important, still, to try and figure out what, if any, vulnerabilities, in a small subset of children, might make them at risk for having certain vaccinations. In my story, Autism Scientist Worried About a Vaccine Safety Panel , I reminded readers that six years ago, Amaral was covered on PBS admitting this about vaccines and autism, Its not to say, however, that there is a small subset of children who may be particularly vulnerable to vaccines. Recently I wrote about David Amaral, Director of Autism Research at UC Davis MIND Institute . Amaral had been quoted in a Spectrum.News.org article where he said he was worried about President Trumps plans to look into vaccine safety and autism research. The piece was a call for the status quo to continue, after all, we already have the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (of which Amaral is a member) which advises HHS on autism. NOTE: I'd like to thank Dr. Amaral for responding to Anne Dachel last week. We're going to move the ball forward (Superbowl analogy) by conversation. He did not have to make that effort and I am asking readers to respond to him with courtesy and manners. Even if you're really pissed. Thanks. KIM By Anne Dachel Posted by: David Amaral, Ph.D. I think that the phrase postnatal factors was intended as a reference to vaccines, since he didnt actually use the word in his explanation. I was at a lost to understand how a study of regression, enlarged brains and head enlargement could nullify the claim of vaccine-induced autism. I asked a number of experts in medical and scientific fields and advocates in the autism community for their opinions on what Dr. Amaral wrote. Here are their responses. Response from Laura Hayes: As I said in my recent WAPF presentation: "MIND has been a huge disappointment and has chosen to ignore and deny the unmistakable role that vaccines have played in the vaccine-induced Autism epidemic that has been plaguing our country for more than 25 years." Furthermore, MIND has now wasted nearly 2 decades of time, money, and precious resources...thus failing miserably, and inexcusably, in its mission to find the cause of and cure for Autism, in addition to other neurodevelopmental disorders. The actions and inactions of those who comprise MIND have helped to continue and proliferate the many childhood epidemics now plaguing our children, at a rate so devastating I don't even think the powers that be are tracking it accurately anymore, as the last stat I am aware of is now years old...i.e. that 54% of U.S. children have some form or a developmental disability and/or chronic illness. No doubt, that figure is much higher now, and continuing to grow. What has MIND done to address and stop that? Under MIND's watch, both the Autism Epidemic and the Vaccine Holocaust have continued and worsened. It appears they have no desire to stop either. Laura Hayes Co-Founding Family of MIND Does not currently support MIND, and would support its immediate closure. Response from Dr. Paul Thomas: David Amaral has just disqualified himself as one who is honest, one who is looking for the actual causes of the autism and health crisis we find our children in. He has to know the literature on thimerosal, on aluminum and he has to know that there are no long term studies comparing unvaccinated to fully vaccinated or selectively vaccinated. When I hear this nonsense I know I am dealing with someone who is compromised - usually by conflicts of interest, or they are just too afraid of losing their status or income or both by being open and honest on this topic. Sadly most of my Pediatrician peers fall into this same category (conflicted or fearful) - but in their case many of them I suspect really are ignorant. I don't think David Amaral can claim ignorance. Paul Thomas, MD Founding Director of PIC (Physicians for Informed Consent) Co-Chair for OFMF (Oregonians for Medical Freedom) www.drpaul.md www.drpaulapproved.com https://www.youtube.com/user/paulthomasmd Author of The Vaccine-Friendly Plan Response from Barbara Loe Fisher: Amaral conveniently ignores the body of scientific evidence that demonstrates there is an association between biodiversity, epigenetics and individual susceptibility to harm from environmental exposures, including pharmaceutical products like vaccines. He ceases to be an intellectually honest scientist when he becomes so enamored of his own autism hypothesis that he excludes all other hypotheses because they do not conform with his own. Amaral begins with the a priori assumption that vaccines do not cause any negative changes in immune and brain development and function or genetic integrity when a fetus is exposed to maternal vaccination and an infant is injected in the first six months of life with multiple vaccines starting on the day of birth. It is ignorant to categorically dismiss a causal association between vaccination and autism when there are no large, methodologically sound scientific studies that evaluate all morbidity and mortality outcomes and measure biological and genetic changes among children in the U.S. who are highly vaccinated and those who remain unvaccinated in the first two years of life. Barbara Loe Fisher Co-founder National Vaccine Information Center Response from Mary Holland, Esq. Dr. David Amarals insights based on the 2011 Nordahl study are interesting. But to use those insights to seemingly dismiss all postnatal factors contributing to autism is preposterous. I commend to Dr. Amarals attention the new and comprehensive book by Dr. Lyons-Weiler, The Genetic and Environmental Causes of Autism, looking at all contributors to autism based on over 3,000 studies. The overwhelming yet still incomplete body of scientific evidence points to the reality of postnatal autism triggers, including vaccines. Dr. Amaral and the MIND Institute can either myopically look at studies that support the no link vaccine-autism hypothesis, as corporate-oriented scientists have long done, or they can look at the complete body of science about autism, which clearly points to postnatal factors as well as prenatal ones. Mary Holland Research Scholar, NYU School of Law, Chair Advisory Committee, Health Choice Board Member, Institute for Pure and Applied Knowledge, Co-founder and Board member, Elizabeth Birt Center for Autism Law and Advocacy Response from Dr. James Lyons-Weiler: Early head enlargement in and of itself if not autism. I don't see anywhere in the Amaral publication where any part of the the study look at rates of autism in children with early tendencies toward large heads who have been vaccinated vs. children with early tendencies toward large heads who have not been vaccinated. So, the study found that boys with ASD especially tended to show brain changes early on. But nowhere in the study is there any evidence of consideration of their vaccination status, and nowhere is there any evidence of consideration of the fates of children who had the same tendencies who were not vaccinated. For Dr. Amaral to justifiably change his position, or to make any knowledge claim on the potential role of vaccines (or any other source of toxins), it would seem a higher level of evidence would be needed. The study simply does not address the question. It would be worth looking into vaccination histories during pregnancy, and a look into whether anti-brain antibodies in the autistics and their moms due to vaccination during pregnancy may explain anything. Also the new Fogarty/Lyons-Weiler hypothesis of pelvic CT scans in parents prior to pregnancy causing the increase in CNVs seen in 20% of ASD patients could contribute both to macrocephaly and ASD, involving toxic overload, including susceptibility to toxins from vaccines (and many other sources). Autism is a multifactorial complex disorder, and simple observations like tendencies toward early head enlargement do not rule out increased susceptibility. In fact, if you think about it, it may in fact be a predictor of increased sensitivity. Compare ASD rates in kids tending toward early macrocephaly w/ and w/out vaccines, and you may have more information. James Lyons-Weiler, PhD Dr. Lyons-Weiler is the CEO and President of the Institute for Pure and Applied Knowledge (IPAK), a pure public charity research institute that exists to reduce human pain and suffering through knowledge. He is former faculty member in the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, the Departments of Pathology and Biomedical Informatics, and the former Senior Research Scientist and Scientific Director of the University of Pittsburghs Genomic and Protoemic Core Laboratories Bioinformatics Analysis Core. He has made key contributions (study design, data analysis) to over 100 basic, translational and clinical studies in dozens of areas of biomedicine. The Environmental and Genetic Causes of Autism is Dr. Lyons-Weilers third book, and second book released in one year. Response from Dr. F. Edward Yazbak: The full text of the 2011 publication by Nordahl et al mentioned by David Amaral PhD yesterday is available for review. RE the following paragraph: The major finding of this study is that a subset of boys with regressive autism have normal head circumference at birth, which diverges from normality around 46 mo of age, well before any loss of skills were documented. Thus, rapid head growth beginning around 46 mo of age may be a risk factor for future loss of skills. Furthermore, whereas behavioral regression in autism usually occurs between 12 and 24 mo of age, we found that the brain changes that are associated with this form of autism begin as early as 4 mo of age. This calls into question the association of pediatric vaccinations, in particular the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, administered close to the time of regression as a causal factor in the disorder. Clearly, additional studies need to be conducted to elucidate the precise neural underpinnings of this rapid head growth that precedes the behavioral onset of regressive autism. Calling into question is of course not incontestable evidence A Pub-Med search this morning revealed 175 publications on Autism, Microcephaly vs. 176 publications on Autism, Macrocephaly Of note: The publication #18 among the macrocephaly studies seems to be by the same authors who wrote the 2011 study mentioned by Dr. Amaral. It was published very recently (November 2016) and is titled: Persistence of megalencephaly in a subgroup of young boys with autism spectrumdisorder. In that study, the investigators evaluated head circumference and total cerebral volume in 129 male children with autism and 49 age-matched, typically developing controls They determined that: At 3 years of age, 19 boys with autism had enlarged brains while 110 had brain sizes in the normal range and only seemed to conclude that their data suggested that there is a subgroup of boys with autism who have brains disproportionate to body size and that this continues until at least 5 years of age. One hundred and ten sets of parents should not be very difficult to locate. May be someone from the MIND Institute can ask them what they thought caused their childs regression. Edward Yazbak MD Response from Dr. Edward Fogarty: Dr. Amaral, I hope you can take a moment to review my associated graphical heuristic. This was presented years ago at the UC Davis MIND institute by Kenneth Stoller, MD. This was some time after I created it for an annual North Dakota American Academy of Pediatrics chapter meeting. I was invited by my close friend Todd Twogood, MD to give an overview of the landscape facing the nation, physicians and our American families in this extremely complex situation. By my professions ALARA ethics of toxin dosing, one must ask why pediatric radiologists are concerned about developmental timelines and the impact of waveform toxins while the CDC and pediatricians are not when it comes to chemical toxins they control. ALARA stands for As Low As Reasonably Achievable. It is clear in the messaging and massaging of the situation which includes the muzzling of whistleblowers who know what is going on, that ALARA principles are ethics to which the whole paradigm may now drastically improve with the advent of titer-checked protocols reducing unneeded boosters in the individual patient. Backed by titer decay calculations in individual children, we have the most ethical vaccinomics approach available for implementation, but this has only been delayed by the distraction of misguided research. The CDC and the AAP have sacrificed the ALARA ethical principle long ago on the altar of the greater good for populations rather than the best Hippocratic ethical good for an individual. This is a most egregious situation in the current age with regards to the continued mindless use of Hepatitis B on day #1 of life. We now have a well vaccinated population of mothers in this country who have prenatal labs showing hepatitis B surface antigen antibodies from prior vaccination. This maternal-derived hepatitis B surface antigen antibody coverage gives us little current need of HepB day #1 of life. It is a fraudulent waste of money and an unneeded molecular mimicry risk as well as aluminum exposure at a defining moment in life. Maternal immuno-interference in the vaccinations of this series also actually risk multiple ineffective vaccination doses by which aluminum still does harm yet the immune system of the child derives no good leaving the child at future risk of hepatitis B infection as no one is ethically duty bound to check efficacy because of the misguided politics preventing the change in approach we need for truly individualized hippocratic care. There are other nation states that do not have our intense schedule and a lower incidence/prevalence of autism. As plausibility goes, French courts have recognized adults injured by hepatitis B vaccination for its induction of multiple sclerosis on the molecular mimicry of myelin basic protein to hepatitis B surface antigen. As plausibility and ethics are concerned here, would you advocate for your familys next generation of neonates to have this risk applied with no reward as described here? I am guessing the answer is no, and you had no idea that this is quite plausible. I will be directing imaging research to prove the hazards of this intervention, sadly so few in academia have the real integrity to withstand the political assault that this safety research will produce. Recalling the first ethical principle of radiology-ALARA-which is cited in the federal Nuclear Regulatory Code, one can derive an understanding of how problematic aluminum, mercury, organics such as squalene and even a complex of 3 LAVs might be for the progressively overburdened naive immune systems of children. The most dangerous day of life from a genetic standpoint for the dosing of radiation is day #1. The most dangerous day of life to inject a child with aluminum is day #1-by simple ALARA ethical principles. As alluded to above, the VAST majority of children now being born in our society no longer need a prophylactic Hep B vaccine on day one of life when the maternal antibody load to the hep B surface antigen from moms vaccines is the highest of all on day #1 of life. It is a possible trigger for head size increasing in the subsequent months of life. Cranial vault expansion may have its roots in many autism cases with that very important day #1 neurodevelopmental epigenetic timing event. Reading between the lines, your work is impressive but its interpretation is concerning in a way that leads one to believe someone such as yourself in the establishment of science isnt trying to solve a problem here but rather distract from the solution. This is likely not by conspiracy but by fear of the politics of medicine and loss of research funding. The medical profession and scientific communities have seen repeated economic and professional destruction unleashed upon those who might find the inputs of autism running through the mis-timed delivery of chemicals or viral neurodevelopmental disruptors by the needle of a vaccine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=aluminum+hippocampal+loss From the above simple search, one can imagine a hit to the hippocampus from aluminum in vaccines on day #1 of life in some of those kids who had hours of preceding head compression and a small bleed from a vaginal delivery (mild transient traumatic encephalopathy). On day #1 of life, this might give a combination of toxic aluminum and degradation products of iron at some of the wrong spots in the stem cell lineage nests that starts the sequence of deranged brain development. The hippocampus is too important to place at risk of molecular injuries like this on day #1. Your work is hinting at my last paragraph, your research is a actually a sign the development of autism is well underway as a repetitive subacute on chronic metabolic encephalopathy syndrome precipitated in part by vaccine delivered toxins in a genetic population with poor cellular astrocyte and hepatic detoxification kinetics encoded in the genes. The later cognitive expression of autism is probably happening in many by repeated micro-architecture derailments occurring during the development years of the pediatric vaccination schedule timing devised by the CDC for political population based agendas. These delayed cognitive findings against cranial vault expansion that you have found are likely because it takes time for the interrupted orderly development of brain microstructure to create the distorted/disorganized connectomes of autism. Radial glial cells being the being the confused choreographers in these brains. Great learning from the pathology crowd here: http://molecularautism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/2040-2392-5-3 which suggests ideas expressed here may be quite valid. As you know, the brains detoxification system is the collective of the astrocytes and microglia. As toxic insults occur with an epigenetic index favoring accumulation in the poorly detoxifying, the molecular autism piece above would suggest this toxic encephalopathy syndrome is associated with the increase of the astrocyte/neuron ratio. This creates the head size increase in advance of the developmental delay. As the astrocyte population up-regulation and interdigitated tissue expansion peaks in response to the toxin load, it is ultimately diverting reparative and restorative function to neurons and likely impairing radial glia from chaperoning neurons into the appropriate mini-columnar architecture. The Glutathione system is intimately involved here. Sadly, it seems politics are the root source of misdirected research from the MIND institute and other academic institutions that continue in the mismanagement of research dollars for information that is not helping solve this neurological detoxification crisis. This would have been figured out years ago if not for the frauds at the CDC that Dr. William Thompson has outed and this political climate. You might have already produced these answers in your work at MIND if not for the spineless lack of integrity of so many in public health and science who are afraid to focus on the real problems here. Please take these ideas and study them, they are part of the answer. The worlds leading molecular psychiatrists are pointing out an extremely important pathway of understanding for you, http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12035-014-8705-x and the diligence of others will continue to move policy towards a much better construct through ethical vaccinomics. Please help that cause in your new editorial position, for to hinder it will put you on the wrong side of history. Edward F. Fogarty, MD Response from Dr. Stephanie Seneff: It's easily the case that macrocephaly is a risk factor for increased susceptibility to encephalopathy, which is the second listed "reportable event" in the VAERS database following an MMR vaccine. (see https://wonder.cdc.gov/wonder/help/vaers/reportable.htm). A paper by C. Dionisi-Vici et al. ("New familial mitochondrial encephalopathy with macrocephaly, cardiomyopathy, and complex I deficiency," Ann Neurol. 1997 Oct;42(4):661-5.) describes a syndrome consisting of a fatal progressive macrocephaly beginning at one month of age, associated with a deficiency in Complex I of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and with encephalopathy. Complex I deficiency is also a common factor in autism. To deny that the vaccine might precipitate an acute response leading to autism that might not otherwise happen is not scientifically sound. Furthermore, only 15% of the autism cases in the study published by Dr. David Amaral actually were diagnosed with macrocephaly. You can't say that autism can be completely explained by something that only affects 15% of the autistic population. Stephanie Seneff, PhD Senior Research Scientist MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory Response from Dr. David Brownstein: Dr. Amaral, Surely you are aware of the epidemic increase in autism rates over the last 60 years. From the mid 1960s to the mid 1980s, the autism rate was stable at one in 2,500 children. However, in 1995, one in five hundred children had autism. In 2014, one in sixty-eight was diagnosed as autistic. Surely you know that a rapid rise in the diagnosis of autism rules out a genetic cause for this illness? Your article concluded that rapid head growth may be a risk factor for autism. But, the central question is what is causing the rapid head growth? Could it be an insult to the brain that causes an overload of oxidative activity in the brain? We simply do not know the answer. One of the main reasons we do not have the answer to what is causing the autism epidemic is because the CDC has not done the proper studies looking at vaccine safety and comparing vaccinated with unvaccinated children. Your comments perpetuate the myth that we do not need to study vaccines as a cause of autism. Where in your research do you answer the question about what is causing an increase in head circumference? And, perhaps the enlarged head circumference association you found in autistic children is the result of early vaccines such as the hepatitis B vaccine given at birth. Dr. Amaral, you must be aware that association does not equal causation? How can you rule out vaccines as a cause of early brain enlargement? You did not study this, you only erroneously concluded this. Your own research did NOT argue against the view that vaccination may cause autism. In fact, your research lends one to ask further questions about what is causing the enlarged head circumference. Vaccines causing inflammation of the brain should be investigated as the cause of early brain enlargement. David Brownstein, M.D. www.drbrownstein.com Response from John Gilmore: It is unfortunate that the director of an organization like the MIND Institute hides behind claims of following the evidence when we all know that researchers are doing everything they can not to look at the role of vaccines in causing brain damage, autism and other neurologic injuries. John Gilmore Executive Director, Autism Action network. Response from Dr. Ken Stoller: Dr. Amaral, The MIND Institute works under the auspices of University of California Davis. You are not allowed to say anything to jeopardize funding sourcesBIG PHARMA. So it is your job to promote their disinformation. KP Stoller, MD Author of Incurable Me https://www.amazon.com/Incurable-Me-Research-Clinical-Practice-ebook/dp/B01HDVC84Y I would ask readers to look at what the MIND Institute has done about autism. In 2016, the Sacramento Bee announced that there were more than 97,000 public school students in that state http://www.sacbee.com/site-services/databases/article90300877.html with autism, and the biggest increase was in kindergarteners. The article had no explanation, except that experts were sure IT WASNT BECAUSE OF VACCINES. So what is being done about autism? In 2012, AP reporter Mike Stobbe wrote the story, After $1 billion, experts see progress on autism's causes. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/story/2012-04-09/researchers-autism-causes/54129282/1 PROGRESS? ATLANTA More than $1 billion has been spent over the past decade searching for the causes of autism. In some ways, the research looks like a long-running fishing expedition, with a focus on everything from genetics to the age of the father, the weight of the mother, and how close a child lives to a freeway. UC Davis Photo Dr. David Amaral looking at a brain tissue slide. That perception may soon change. Some in the field say it's the beginning of a wave of scientific reports that should strengthen some theories, jettison others and perhaps even herald new drugs. The effort has been infused with new urgency by a recent federal report that found autism disorders are far more common than was previously understood, affecting 1 in 88 U.S. children. Better diagnosis is largely responsible for the new estimate, but health officials said there may actually be more cases of autism, too. Stobbe went on to explain that most of the research money was going into genetic factors in autism. So far theyve found dozens of risk genes and drug companies are said to be working on developing new treatments. He also noted that there are environmental influences, mostly related to the mother. Stobbe was also adamant that Wakefields theory about vaccines and autism wasnt being considered because it has been thoroughly discredited and that there were dozens of later studies that have found no link between vaccines and autism. Instead of vaccines, MIND Institute researchers were looking at the mothers obesity and how close the family lives to a freeway. Other scientists were studying illnesses, medications, nutritional deficiencies or other problems during pregnancy. At the end of his article Stobbe quoted Dr. Coleen Boyle at the CDC who said, Were at the infancy of just understanding how these factors relate to autism. That was five years ago, and it seems we continue to be in the nursery stage of autism science since experts at the MIND Institute are still scratching their collective heads over all the kids with autism everywhere. Despite this, according to MINDs top doctor , David Amaral, after studying brain size in autistic children, hes convinced there is no link between injecting known neurotoxins into babies and their development of autism. Most of all, David Amaral doesnt want a separate commission looking into vaccine safety and scientific integrity at the CDC. A senior British government official on Thursday said he welcomed the continued strengthening of UK China trade relations as Britain prepares to leave the European Union. The Secretary of State for International Trade, Liam Fox said the UK was pleased to see how China had positively greeted its "new place in the world" since the EU referendum in June 2016, and that record levels of investment into the UK from China matched this sentiment. Fox was speaking in London at a Chinese New Year Dinner hosted by the Confederation of British Industry, a British association representing 190,000 businesses. In his speech he emphasized the importance of the UK and China's "golden era" against the backdrop of a Britain eager to champion free trade. His words came on the same day the UK government published an official policy document setting out its Brexit plans. Chinese President Xi Jinping and former UK Prime Minister David Cameron originally coined the term "golden era" when Xi visited the UK in 2015. The UK's Brexit policy document, or White Paper, included a desire by the UK to "forge ambitious free trade agreements with other countries across the world". One such potential free trade agreement could be with China, which British chancellor Philip Hammond proposed in July 2016 while attending the G20 finance ministers' meeting in Chengdu. "China is the world's second largest economy, and one of the fastest-growing markets on earth; now, more than ever, China's future is all of our futures," said Fox. The value of UK exports to China has grown by 108 percent between 2010 and 2016. China is the UK's third-largest export market, and the second-largest destination for UK investment, according to UK government figures. Fox said he expected this growth to continue, adding his department is working to connect more British suppliers to China's major e-commerce platforms and establishing reliable distribution channels for instant online sales between the UK and China. Carolyn Fairbairn, the CBI director-general, said her team was proud that both China and the UK were both championing the benefits of free trade, at a time when challenges to globalization were evident. "We welcome President Xi's remarks about committing ourselves to growing an open global economy, and we welcome Prime Minister Theresa May's ambition to deepen trade with old friends and new partners alike," said Fairbairn. Fairbairn was referring to Xi's keynote speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, where he fiercely defended globalization. Fairbairn said surging Chinese investment into the UK was increasingly evident. "Step outside the door and you'll see Chinese investment everywhere you look." In Warwickshire, a Chinese company, Geely, is preparing to produce the next generation of the famous black cabs. In Manchester, Beijing Construction Engineering Group has invested in an 800 million pound ($1,003) joint venture with British partners to build Airport City Manchester, a major infrastructure project set to create 16,000 jobs. Fairbairn added that China's burgeoning middle class would be a big target of opportunity for Britain's service industry exports in the future. Patrik Schneider, the coordinator for Aiken High School Gets to Work, and Jennifer Kolmar, an assistant principal at Aiken High, are looking for businesses, industries and professionals to host a student March 17 on job scouting day. The month of February opened with one of my favorite traditions the first Nebraska Breakfast of 2017. Nearly every Wednesday morning when both the House and Senate are in session, Nebraskans visiting the nations capital are invited to join their full congressional delegation for an informal discussion. Started by Senator Hugh Butler in 1943, the Nebraska Breakfast is the longest-running event of its kind on Capitol Hill. It allows delegation members to visit with the many Nebraskans in town advocating for important causes or taking in our countrys history. If you are planning a trip to Washington, D.C. this year, I encourage you to visit my website at AdrianSmith.house.gov/NebraskaBreakfast to see the 2017 schedule. The busy start to the new Congress has provided many opportunities to welcome Nebraskans to Washington. On January 19, I hosted an open house in my office for constituents arriving to pick up tickets to the inauguration of President Donald Trump. While distributing more than 200 tickets, it was great fun to meet Nebraskans from Mitchell to Dakota City and share in their excitement about the historical events taking place. One week later, I visited with Nebraskans who traveled to D.C. to participate in the March for Life. The blustery January day did not deter them from peacefully marching on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves. I was honored to meet with them and discuss some of my recent efforts to defend the sanctity of life, such as voting to prevent taxpayer dollars from being used to fund abortions and cosponsoring the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act to prohibit abortions past twenty weeks of pregnancy. In recent days, I have also enjoyed meeting with many Nebraska agriculture groups, from the Farm Bureau to wheat growers to sorghum producers, during their trips to D.C. It is important to come together and discuss the challenges facing producers, as well as the best ways to ensure they can continue to help feed the world. Punxsutawney Phil may have seen his shadow on February 2, but we know spring is on its way and my office will soon be welcoming student groups to the nations capital. I always enjoy the opportunity to visit with young Nebraskans, talk about our countrys history, and hear their insights on the issues we are working on in Congress. If you are a Third District teacher or student coming to D.C. with a school or youth group, please let my office know so we can schedule a time to meet during your trip. Hearing directly from Nebraskans is invaluable to serving as your representative in Congress. In addition to these in-person meetings, my offices have already received nearly 4,000 calls and pieces of mail this year. I encourage you to continue reaching out to me by phone, email, mail, or in person with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. You can also visit my website at AdrianSmith.house.gov to schedule a meeting or let me know about an event in your community. We have an eventful year ahead, and I want to hear your ideas firsthand. Thank you for keeping in touch with me. Aiken, SC (29801) Today Generally cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 77F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 67F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Qatar Airways Cargo is adding further frequencies to its Pharma Express services that link the two European pharmaceutical hubs of Basel and Brussels with its home hub of Doha. An additional weekly frequency, operating on Fridays, was introduced on the route out of Basel on 3 February, while two further weekly Airbus A330 freighter services linking Brussels to Doha on Wednesdays and Saturdays will inaugurate from 15 February. From 18 February, Qatar Airways Cargo will operate a total of nine Pharma Express flights each week. Qatar Airways chief officer cargo, Ulrich Ogierman, observed: Air cargo standards for handling time-and temperature-sensitive commodities such as pharmaceuticals are becoming more stringent, especially with the stricter guidelines on temperature control requirements. At Qatar Airways Cargo, we understand the intricacies involved in safeguarding the integrity of temperature-sensitive commodities during shipment. Therefore, we are committed to offering our customers seamless cool chain air logistics as well as uncompromised service standards compliant with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) requirements. The Doha-based freight carriers Pharma Express flights were first launched in 2015. Now connecting the pharmaceutical hubs of Brussels, Basel, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad with the Qatari capital, they fly a total of more than 30,000 tonnes of pharmaceuticals each year. All these routes are served by Qatar Airways A330 freighter aircraft, offering between 65 and 68 tonnes of capacity each way. Qatar Airways Cargos QR Pharma service is its specialist product dedicated to pharmaceuticals and healthcare products. It offers both active and passive technologies to maintain the consistent temperature of a shipment throughout the supply chain. At Doha, Qatar Airways Cargos Quick Ramp Transfer (QRT) is said to ensure rapid movement on the apron, and it is the only cargo carrier in the Middle East to offer refrigerated or reefer truck services for ramp transfers at its home hub. The QR Pharma network currently covers 71 destinations on the airlines network around the world. Auckland inaugural In other news, today (6 February) saw Qatar Airways inaugurate a new record-breaking Auckland service. The worlds longest commercial flight the aircraft takes 17 hours and 30 minutes to cover a distance of 14,535 kilometres is operated by a Boeing 777. Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar Al commented: The launch of our new service to Auckland is an important milestone for Qatar Airways as we expand both in the region and globally across our network. Jeremy Clarke-Watson, New Zealands ambassador to Qatar, said that he looks forward to working with Qatar Airways and New Zealand exporters to maximise the potential of the direct services freight capacity, which opens up a whole new market for our exporters, particularly in fresh food and beverage. The daily Doha Auckland Doha service offers a total of 116 tonnes of bellyhold cargo capacity a week to support New Zealands growing imports of raw, industrial and consumer materials. In a statement, Qatar Airways Cargo particularly pointed to the potential for QR Fresh, the carriers temperature-controlled offering, to deliver perishable products such as dairy produce, meat and fruits from Auckland into the Middle East and then on to major European cities. Auckland represents this years first new addition to the Qatar Airways network. Other new destinations planned for 2017 and 2018 are: Yanbu and Tabuk, Saudi Arabia; Dublin, Ireland; Nice, France; Skopje, Macedonia; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina; Libreville, Gabon; Douala, Cameroon; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; Canberra, Australia; Medan, Indonesia; and Las Vegas, in the US. Share this story February 6, 2017 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes no secret of his yearning for the Ottoman Empire that was abolished by Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern republic, with the stroke of a pen. Critics say this nostalgia and Erdogans seeming unquenchable thirst for power indicate he wants to become a latter-day sultan with all the positions glory and accoutrements. His campaign to endow himself with constitutionally enshrined executive authority many call it one-man rule is being cheered on by a real Ottoman princess. But Nilhan Osmanoglus blessing has had unintended effects, signaling that it wont all be smooth sailing for Erdogan. A referendum on the package containing the constitutional amendment that is meant to clear Erdogans path to an executive presidency is due to be held in early April. But some recent opinion polls put the no votes, albeit narrowly, ahead of the yes. This may explain why Erdogan has yet to approve the package, which has been sitting on his desk for several days after being rammed through the parliament. There is speculation that he may tweak it in the hopes of winning more support. At any rate, he already enjoys that of the princess. Osmanoglu, who claims to be a direct descendent of Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II, declared that she would naturally vote yes in a planned referendum on Erdogans long coveted superpresidency. In an impassioned speech during a conference devoted to her forebears, Osmanoglu railed against what she called the injustices inflicted by Turkeys current parliamentary system. It was, she asserted, to blame for the execution of former Prime Minister Adnan Menderes and the ill-treatment of female students who wear the Islamic-style headscarf that was once banned on university campuses. Weve had enough of the parliamentary system, the sultana huffed. Her comments unleashed a furor. Ozgur Ozel, a member of parliament for the main opposition Republican Peoples Party, led the charge, reminding the princess that the empire had lost more territory under Abdulhamid II than under any of his predecessors. If it werent for Ataturk you would undoubtedly still be alive, but in which room of which palace, in what cage and as which wife of some pasha your grandfather or father deemed you fit for? Just think about it, Ozel stormed. Others observed that the 29-year-old has used her imperial credentials to turn a profit with her line of Ottoman-style jewelry, home decor and shawls, all eagerly lapped up by a rising conservative elite enriched under 15 years of Justice and Development Party rule. Their increasingly ostentatious lifestyle, mirrored by the 1,100-room Ottoman-style presidential complex that Erdogan built for himself in Ankara, has drawn sharp criticism amid allegations of massive government corruption that erupted in 2013 and were hastily quashed. Osmanoglus endorsement helped to revive the debate allowing the opposition to cast the referendum as a fight between secular constitutionalists and reactionary monarchists. Much like Erdogan, Abdulhamid II, who reigned from 1876 until 1908, when he was deposed by the Young Turk revolutionaries, is a divisive figure, both great and harmful. As Ottoman historian Caroline Finkel notes in her compelling Osmans Dream, there are two competing views of Abdulhamids reign. His Kemalist denigrators see the last years of the empire as an obscurantist and somewhat shameful past from which their country was delivered by the leadership and vision of Ataturk. To his far-right and Islamist fans, however, Abdulhamid is a hero re-emphasizing the Islamic character of the Ottoman state and championing Muslims against other peoples of the empire. But as Finkel points out, neither version is completely accurate. The sultan, like Erdogan, used Islam to unite his crumbling empire. Unlike Erdogan, he appreciated European music and enjoyed nothing more than having the detective adventures of Sherlock Holmes read to him before going to bed. Osmanoglu may have inherited some of his paranoia. In a Feb. 5 statement, she declared that she was perfectly aware of the ugly plan and the systematic attack to discredit me. The commotion may have cost Erdogan more votes, but it will have surely attracted more attention to the princess products. February 5, 2017 US President Donald Trumps Muslim ban executive order targeting seven Muslim-majority African/Middle Eastern countries received a chorus of criticism from around the world and within the Beltway. A number of Washingtons traditional allies, in addition to Iran, the United Nations and the Arab League, condemned the new American presidents decision, as did scores of US lawmakers on both sides of the partisan divide. Save Qatar, which expressed a subtle disapproval of Trumps executive order, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members, however, have been absent from this wave of condemnation. The 45th presidents phone conversation Jan. 29 with Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud did not cover the Muslim ban. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) foreign minister and a Dubai police official went as far as to defend the move as within the US right as a sovereign nation, while dismissing the interpretation that the executive order is Islamophobic. Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman have, thus far, been silent. The lack of condemnation from the GCC is indicative of the Arab Gulf states "wait-and-see" approach to the new US administration and their vested interests in staying on Trumps good side at a time when their economic and security challenges require close cooperation with Washington. The GCC royals have numerous agendas that they see as best protected by pursuing better ties with Trump than they enjoyed with Barack Obama. Public criticism over the American presidents executive order could set back such interests that include securing greater US support in countering Irans regional conduct, safeguarding their sheikhdoms from the Islamic State (IS) and attracting foreign investment for their economic diversification programs. A major disappointment that the Saudi leaders and other Arab state officials encountered with the Obama administration was its perceived weakness on Iran. From the GCCs perspective, the last administration failed to take adequate action to counter Tehrans conduct across the region, most notably in Syria and Yemen, which most in the council see as a grave security threat to the Arabian Peninsula monarchies. There have been clear signs that the Trump administration is determined to take a harder stance against Irans posture in the Middle East. On Feb. 1, as the United States and three of its Western allies were conducting three-day war games in the Gulf to ensure the free flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz, national security adviser Michael Flynn warned that Washington is officially putting Iran on notice while engaging in a deliberative process to consider a whole range of options vis-a-vis Tehran. Flynns words were a response to Irans testing of a ballistic missile and an attack waged by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels against a Saudi naval vessel. Two days later, Flynns words translated into action once the Treasury Department imposed sanctions on 25 individuals and companies affiliated with Tehrans ballistic missile program, and others supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force. Unquestionably, such actions provide Riyadh with a rather optimistic outlook on the new administrations approach to addressing the Islamic Republic and the alleged threat it poses to the GCC. The Obama administrations refusal to create a "no-fly zone" in Syria for fear of drawing the United States into a bloody Middle Eastern war frustrated the Saudis and Qataris, who unsuccessfully sought to pressure Obama into stepping up the US militarys involvement in Syria against the regime. Despite Trumps calls for severing Washingtons support for Saudi/Qatari-backed Sunni rebels in Syria, the US presidents advocating for "safe zones" in Syria and Yemen received a full endorsement from the Saudi king during his phone call with the American president. A source of unease in the kingdom and other Arab Gulf states is that Trump will not lead a "typical Republican administration." Rooted in a history of deeper cooperation with former Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, the GCC has long been more comfortable with Republican White Houses that catered to oil interests and conducted more militaristic foreign policies against common adversaries of the United States and the GCC. Trumps rhetoric, however, about making the GCC pay more for its defense while calling for a US-Russia partnership in the Middle East unsettled Arab Gulf leaders who feared that the real estate mogul would view the oil-rich monarchies as merely "cash cows" rather than vital allies and fail to take their concerns about regional tensions seriously. Although it is too early to determine how the GCC will eventually fit into Trumps grander Middle East foreign policy, these early moves signal that the 45th president is likely determined to work closely with the Arab Gulf states on the Iran file. Although many were baffled as to why the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques (the official title of every Saudi king since 1986) did not raise the executive order during his recent phone call with Trump, strategic interests rather than religion and socially constructed identities form the basis of state-to-state relationships. Many in the GCC found Trumps Islamophobia repulsive and disturbing, as underscored by many Saudi elites highly negative reaction to the property billionaires December 2015 call for a Muslim ban, yet officials in Riyadh are careful about which battles they wish to pick with the 45th president. The election of Trump, regardless of the many objections that some in the GCC may have previously articulated about his candidacy, will not change the fact that Saudi Arabia and other Arab Gulf states remain dependent on the United States for their security. Rather than condemning his executive order, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are instead focused on advancing mutual interests with the new White House while avoiding any public spat between the GCC and Washington. A number of outstanding issues, chiefly the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which Trump endorsed and permits US citizens to sue the Saudi government for its alleged role in the attacks on Sept. 9, 2001, are sensitive matters that the United States and the GCC must eventually address. The Arab Gulf states will be in a better position to do so if they warm their ties with the new administration. As the Saudis seek to move forward with Vision 2030, an ambitious transformation plan aimed at ending the kingdoms economic dependence on oil, investment from the United States and other wealthy countries is crucial. By supporting the Muslim ban, either through an outright endorsement or calculated silence, the Saudis and other Arab Gulf states are investing in a better relationship with Washington as the JASTA question remains a major problem for US-GCC relations that Trump will eventually need to address. Not lost in the equation is the defense industrys vested interests in a continuation of Washingtons alliances with the six GCC members. Although many in the media quickly pointed to the absence in the Muslim ban of countries where Trump has business interests, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE the countries of origin for all but two of the 9/11 hijackers and thousands of IS members another factor is that the United States is not a major arms seller to most of the seven countries listed: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. With James Mattis heading the Pentagon and Rex Tillerson serving as Americas top diplomat, these two figures have close ties to the GCC and view the Arab Gulf states as pivotal American allies in the Middle East, particularly as the White House flexes its muscles in the Gulf to send Iran a bold message. Nonetheless, the Saudis are not entirely at ease with Trump and his Muslim ban. White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus statement that perhaps other countries need to be added to the list is unsettling for the Arab Gulf states, which many of Trumps critics have argued deserved to be placed on any such list before countries whose citizens have never waged a single deadly act of jihadi terrorism on US soil. If the administration adds any members of the GCC, it is doubtful that most Arab Gulf officials will remain silent. February 2, 2017 Most of western Libya, home to 6.5 million people and site of the capital Tripoli, experienced an electrical blackout on Jan. 14 that extended from the Tunisian border in the west to the city of Ajdabiya, some 560 miles to the east. It lasted for up to 30 hours in some cities and towns, leaving multitudes in the dark and compounding the misery of the coldest winter in recent years. A few days earlier, southern Libya had suffered a complete blackout as well. In the past, Libya generated surplus electricity, which it exported to Tunisia and Egypt. Today, it has a power generation deficit of about 75% of its domestic needs, according to some officials. It also has no central government to protect the provision of power it does generate from various aggrieved parties. The Jan. 14 blackout appears to have been triggered by the most trivial of reasons: a quarrel between tribal militias from Zawiya and one from nearby Warshefana, in the west toward the border with Tunisia. Disagreements between the two tribes in the past have led to the closure of the only highway connecting Zawiya and Tripoli farther east. As long as tribes and gangs can take the law into their own hands, it is nearly impossible for Libya to be safe and stable again. The quarrel that triggered the massive blackout took root in mid-December. On Dec. 17, a group of young men from Zawiya were taken hostage by Warshefana militias because a cargo of shisha smoking tobacco belonging to a Warshefana trader was confiscated. To pressure the government and local authorities into helping free the men, another local militia from Zawiya shut down the pipeline supplying gas to almost every power station in western and southern Libya. Members of the Zawiya militia later appeared in a video explaining what had happened. This episode is not unusual in lawless Libya, where local authority does not exist and what central government there is cannot enforce law and order. In November, an incident involving the antics of a pet monkey and a girl's headscarf sparked one of the worst rounds of violence in Sabha, in southern Libya, leaving some 20 people dead and scores injured. It took the mediation of numerous officials and local tribal leaders to secure the release of the hostages, ensure the return of the tobacco shipment and restore electricity generation to its previous capacity, thus reinstating the regular blackout hours prior to the incident between five and nine hours a day. The national power company estimates that the average power deficit over the last five years has been 500-1,000 megawatts, which is the difference between the actual generation of about 5,000 MW and actual demand at peak times of about 6,500 MW. According to the General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL), the national electricity grid is collapsing under the high demand for power and the refusal of some cities to abide by the quotas established by GECOL, the state-owned monopoly power producer, for sharing the available power in alternating intervals. Blackouts in Libya have not been uncommon since the toppling of Moammar Gadhafi's regime in October 2011 during the Arab Spring. Every Libyan city, big and small, is by now accustomed to blackouts during certain hours almost every day of the week. The situation in recent months, however, has become unbearable, with the blackouts becoming longer and less predictable, making it difficult for hospitals and individuals with special needs to cope and carry out their daily routines. Some people have bought generators for personal use during blackouts, but the majority of people cannot afford them and access to cash through the banking system is severely restricted due to the banks' chronic liquidity problems. Officials have alternatively blamed power cuts on technical problems, militias diverting scarce power to their neighborhoods, damage to the national network and the theft of cables to mine their raw copper, which is then sold on the black market. Meanwhile, GECOL has a huge financial deficit, as power is heavily subsidized and people tend not to pay their bills because there is no authority to force them to do so. In a country with armed militias roaming freely and with no central government, it is to be expected that the majority will become the hostages of the few, which is the situation in Libya today. Power cuts coupled with economic difficulties are exacerbating the fragility of the UN-backed Government of National Accord, which has little authority over the country, including Tripoli, where it is seated. It has been little more than a year since the Libyan Political Agreement was signed in Morocco on December 15, 2015, and nearly a year since the government it established installed itself in Tripoli. Little, however, has changed for the better in terms of daily life. In fact, the security situation and economic situation, including rising prices and lack of access to cash, are getting worse. February 6, 2017 A new Russian Consulate opened in the Red Sea resort town of Hurghada with the aim of reinvigorating Egyptian tourism. Tourism declined when Russian flights were suspended after a Russian plane crashed over the Sinai Peninsula in October 2015. Experts say that the opening of the new consulate may facilitate the return of Russian tourism to Egypt after more than a year hiatus, which has put much pressure on the countrys tourism industry. The opening of the consulate is a positive step toward the recovery of a tourist industry that has been hit hard by the deadly crash of a Russian plane in Sinai in October 2015 and the suspension of all Russian flights to Egyptian airports, Hossam Akawy, a tourism expert and a member of the Tourism Investors Association in the Red Sea, told Al-Monitor. Akawy said that Hurghada has long been a popular tourist destination for Russians. Establishing a consulate there will help serve the large number of Russian civilians who reside in Hurghada, and it will also draw in many Russian tourists. In November 2015, the Russian government announced its decision to open the new consulate, which is the third in Egypt, joining two others located in Cairo and Alexandria. The consulate was partially functional, but now it is fully operational. The opening of the consulate [in Hurghada] sends an image about its importance with it hosting foreign consulates. In Egypt, there are foreign consulates in Cairo and Alexandria, and a foreign consulate in Hurghada will add prestige and weight to the Red Sea resort, Akawy said. The consulate will provide consular services for more than 20,000 Russian civilians who live permanently in Hurghada. A statement released by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Jan. 19 said that the consulate has already been offering consultations to Russians on citizenship matters, notary certification, legislation and other issues. I am very optimistic about the return of Russian tourism within a month, as all tourist facilities are ready to serve our tourists, Russian Ambassador in Cairo Sergey Kirpichenko said at the opening ceremony of the consulate. The statement came after Russian security delegations carried out a five-day inspection tour at Hurghada airport. For us, this is a very important event, as about 20,000 Russian civilians live in Hurghada and we hope to offer to them consular, legal support and protection of their interests, Russias Consul General Dzhamshed Boltayev said. Tourism expert Adel Salah Nagi said that the Egyptian tourism industry will not get back on its feet with the opening of a new consulate. It is not about the opening of any consulate. It is more about introducing reforms to the countrys tourism industry by offering incentive tourism programs, intensifying promotional campaigns of the countrys tourist attractions, upgrading tourist sites and beefing up security measures, Nagi told Al-Monitor. Nagi said that the Egyptian government should also take into more consideration other markets like the Far East, Africa and the Arab world. The country should have more tourists from those areas. Egypts tourism sector should not be dominated by one market, he added. Egyptian officials have paid several visits to Russia in an attempt to highlight the safety of Egyptian airports and discuss the return of flights. The suspension has had a devastating effect on Egypts struggling tourism sector. According to data released by the Ministry of Tourism, Egypt incurred monthly losses of 3.2 billion Egyptian pounds ($173 million) directly and indirectly after the downing of the Russian plane. Following the deadly incident, several foreign countries, including Russia, the United Kingdom and Germany, have imposed travel bans on flights to the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh. Tourism has long been a main source of the national income. Before the January 25 Revolution in 2011, tourism employed more than one in 10 of the workforce and generated approximately $12.5 billion in revenue. Before the revolution, the country received nearly 15 million tourists a year. By 2013, tourism numbers had fallen by one-third to under 10 million a year and has undoubtedly slumped further since then. However, Minister of Tourism Yehiya Rashed said that the year 2017 will see a massive recovery in the Egyptian tourism sector as foreign airlines from the major markets, including Russia, the United Kingdom and Germany, are expected to resume flights to Egypts tourist attractions soon. Tourism revenues from those three markets, the minister added, represent more than 40% of the total tourism flow to Egypt in the past seasons. According to Tourism Ministry data, Egypt attracted about 5.3 million tourists by the end of 2016 despite ongoing challenges. February 6, 2017 In the run-up to the critical referendum expected in April on a presidential system, Turkish voters appear divided along the usual electoral lines. Public opinion surveys by Metropoll suggest that 80% of Justice and Development Party (AKP) voters are poised to back the constitutional amendments to install a presidential regime, while 90% of supporters from the main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) and the Kurdish-dominated Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) are readying to vote no. There is, however, a new dynamic afoot creating a climate of uncertainty different from those during previous run-ups to elections. Voters seem well aware of the momentous decision they face, and the atmosphere is somehow reminiscent of the June 2015 elections in which popular discontent came to the fore, breaking partisan voting patterns and stripping the AKP of its parliamentary majority for the first time since 2002. Todays new dynamic flows essentially from Turkeys conservative quarters, on which the ruling AKP and its partner in the constitutional changes, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), rely. The possible shift to a presidential regime has triggered heated debates and even cracks in AKP and MHP ranks. While the two parties combined won 62% of the vote in the last general elections, in November 2015, only 43% of the electorate currently plans to vote yes in the looming referendum. Among AKP voters, 10% oppose a presidential system, while another 10% are undecided, according to pollsters from Konsensus. Given that this 20% segment of AKP voters constitutes 10% of the total electorate, popular support for the ruling party seems to have declined by 10 percentage points since November 2015, falling to about 40% the proportion of the vote it got when it lost its parliamentary majority. The mutiny in the MHP wing of the conservative camp appears to be even more serious, with some 65% of the partys voters saying they will vote no, according to pollsters from Gezici. The hesitation on the right is also reflected in the relatively high percentage of undecided voters. According to the Metropoll's Turkeys Pulse: January 2017 survey, 10% of both AKP and MHP voters are undecided, compared to about 5% among CHP and HDP supporters. The cracks and doubts among conservatives indicate that the executive presidency that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan so craves is not in the bag. A proven election-winning machine, Erdogan is in this case struggling to convince some of his supporters. What is fueling the hesitance among conservatives? Why are nationalists poised to overwhelmingly vote no despite Erdogans security-centered policies and powerful Turkey narrative being so in line with their aspirations? Three factors appear to be at play here. The first is Erdogan himself. Political perceptions in Turkey today have become directly associated with Erdogans persona and ambitions. This is especially true in conservative quarters, where policies, visions, aspirations and fears all revolve around Erdogan, a standard indicator of the personalization of power and the authoritarian tilt that comes with it. This state of affairs is producing two opposing effects. The first is the perception of the leader as guiding beacon, which reinforces the legitimacy of populism. Not surprisingly, 53% of AKP voters say they support the presidential system because they want to see Erdogan as an executive president, according to the Metropoll survey. On the other hand, this same prospect is the main driver behind the no vote among the MHP base, which many observers would expect to be in full ideological sync with the idea of powerful leadership. As many as 40% of MHP supporters say they will vote down the constitutional changes because they do not want Erdogan to become an executive president. The second factor is an ethnic one, pertaining to the Kurds. The electorate in the mainly Kurdish southeast has traditionally consisted of two main groups conservative and pious Kurds, and the secular, nationalist Kurds although floating voters are not uncommon. In the November 2015 elections, roughly half of the regions vote went to the HDP and the other half to the AKP. Today, a large segment of the Kurdish electorate appears likely to sit out the referendum, according to pollsters. Weve found that one-third of Kurds are inclined to stay away from the ballot boxes, Metropoll head Ozer Sencar told Al-Monitor. Two prominent opinion leaders from the region academic Vahap Coskun and Mehmet Kaya, the former head of the Diyarbakir Chamber of Commerce said they view the situation similarly. This reluctant group consists mostly of conservative Kurds who previously had backed the AKP. Three major reasons are discernible for their current reluctance: the AKPs alliance with the MHP, the voice of hard-core Turkish nationalism on the Kurdish question; the absence of measures to address Kurdish aspirations in the constitutional package; and the AKPs policy of suppression in the southeast since the settlement process collapsed in 2015. In short, the Kurdish conflict has opened another crack in conservative ranks that could sway the referendum outcome if translated into political action. The third factor is largely ideological. Ripples of political dissent and discontent have recently spread within the AKP base. In other words, a pocket of dissidents has emerged in the conservative camp. Their objections are not to Erdogans leadership, but to his leadership style in particular, his personalization of power at the government and party levels and his increasingly authoritarian posture. The main issues of discontent include the sidelining of relatively liberal heavyweights such as former President Abdullah Gul and former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who refuse to fully kowtow to Erdogan and others who advocate alternative policies, in addition to Erdogans shift to a statist-nationalist attitude, his advocacy of an introverted political and economic order and his increasing disregard for the rule of law. Among AKP voters who say they will vote no in the referendum, 44% say they will do so because the presidential regime will pave the way for authoritarian rule, according to Metropoll. Another 21% believe the presidential regime will be detrimental to the countrys unity. The wave of dissent has not taken any formal political shape or translated into collective action. Yet, things appear to be different at the individual level. The first signs to that effect came in the June 2015 elections, when the AKPs vote dropped to 40%. So, the question now is will disgruntled AKP voters express their discontent and doubts about the referendum, and if so, to what extent? It is hard to say. The in-house crack may seriously bear on the vote or it might not be manifested at all. It is important to note that for the conservatives, voting no is a tool for admonishing Erdogan and the AKP, not a statement in favor of ousting them from power. The counterweight argument here is the narrative of stability. Keeping the government stable and fending off the risk of division is a theme that resonates strongly with conservative groups. In sum, Turkeys conservatives and in part the Kurds stand at the center of all three factors that will sway the referendum. The outcome of the vote will provide clues about the future of Turkish conservatism as well. February 6, 2017 As the United States is plagued by a politically motivated "fake news" epidemic, it seems there's been an outbreak in Turkey as well. Turkey tentatively expects an April vote on a constitutional amendment referendum, and a presidential election is possible at the end of 2017. These two important events will determine Turkey's political climate. Hence, the media that support President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are desperate to produce reports highlighting Turkey's unstoppable rise. Many of Turkeys medium- and large-scale companies, aware that the construction sector is not as profitable as before, want to shift to the defense industry, which they see as a rising star because of generous government incentives. When one adds the shortage of expert writers in defense and military technology to the determined search by Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) for new success stories, it is not surprising to frequently see exaggerated and even fake news reports. Since December, there has been a perceptible rise in this mind-boggling type of "reporting," which mainly features themes such as: Turkey's 100% locally made weapons and defense are amazing the world. Turkeys dependence on external sources in the defense industry is now down to 30% and continues to diminish. The entire world envies Turkeys booming defense industry, which is now a fully independent, global entity and is constantly coming out with new projects and innovations. According to a report headlined Our native weapons that shook the earth," the world is astounded by Turkeys defense industry projects. Among those "world-shaking" projects are Turkeys first nationally made frigate; Javelin, which is supposedly the "world's first guided helicopter missile"; and the Bora missile, which has the range to reach Rome and was interpreted as a not-so-subtle message to Europe. Another most improbable report was in the pro-government daily Akit on Jan. 16. The report actually described the Korkut low-altitude air-defense system, with two 35 mm cannons and a range of 2.4 miles, as a "military electronics industry product that can even stop nuclear bombs. The author of this report's knowledge about what a ballistic nuclear missile is and how a country can defend itself against nuclear armaments was obviously confined to the sci-fi movies he had watched. Defense analyst Turan Oguz told Al-Monitor the primary cause of these absurd defense stories in the Turkish media is the lack of qualified security/defense correspondents and editors. Oguz also believes the public relations efforts of Turkey's defense industry contribute to the abundance of misleading and even fake news reports. Each media group in Turkey recklessly, without hesitation, consciously embellishes preposterous, subjective reports that will be appreciated by the ideological group it is affiliated with, he explained. For example, simple research and development work by a defense company becomes a full-page report in a pro-government newspaper under the headline "Turkish engineers develop important space technologies." When they see the popularity of such reports, a few secularist and more serious newspapers also feel the need to follow. One of those dailies even came out with a totally hatched article, Ataturk's special aerial intelligence unit, and seriously claimed that back in 1922, Turkeys founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, had set up a special unit of select officers to work on a top-secret "Anka 10 T001 K" drone surveillance project. The company manufacturing Anka drones today was thus able to link its brand to Ataturk and score a spectacular public relations gain. Overblown and false reporting of the defense industry is not limited to pro-government media; it is even frequently seen in the anti-government media. Arda Mevlutoglu, a rare defense industry and military technology expert in Turkey, offers "embellishment detection" on his Twitter site to expose exaggerated and false reporting on the defense industry. Similar to Oguz, he also blames intellectual inadequacy for the preponderance of inaccurate and inflated information in defense and security reporting. Military subjects have always been followed with interest in Turkey by a large segment of the population. The reasons for this interest are many, including attention paid to weapons, soldiers and the army in our culture, and the bitter experience of traumas experienced when Turkey was placed under embargoes," he said. "Pro- and anti-government media and researchers recall those traumas when writing bombastic articles in line with their own political inclinations. When one newspaper says, We are building our national airline, the other says, The airplane is local but all its parts are imported. Both could have degrees of truth." Intentional or otherwise, the Turkish media's exaggerated defense industry news reveals one bitter truth: Turkey, which had allowed its entire defense and security mechanisms, along with its policies, to be managed by NATO during the Cold War era, still hasnt been able to free itself from those shackles in the 21st century. Mevlutoglu said it is totally left to the military bureaucracy to govern the full gamut of defense and security issues. This reliance on the military prevented development of qualified academic cadres and media, hence the ease of spreading fake news. The latest example was the shooting down of our RF-4E reconnaissance plane over the eastern Mediterranean in 2012. Not the relevant officials of the state nor the media and its so-called experts could come up with a reliable explanation of what happened," he said. Also getting its share of this exaggerated and at times false reporting is Turkeys Operation Euphrates Shield, which seems to have stalled at al-Bab, Syria. For example, in the first days of the operation some newspapers reported that the army was moving specially armored Leopard 2A4 tanks to the battle zone. But the Leopard 2A4 tanks, which Turkey had bought second-hand from Germany, were never modernized and sustained heavy damage in the Syrian operation. It is true that Turkeys defense industry made important strides from 2010-2015. But a look at relevant documentation points to a slowdown since then. Now, what we sadly see are efforts to cover up with stupefying sensationalism this slowdown caused by inadequate intellectual capacity, insufficient funds for research and development, lack of innovation, excessive politicization and misconceived projects. February 3, 2017 At the intersection between Nablus and Jenin in the West Bank, specifically between the fields of corn and cypress and almond trees, different civilizations intermingle in a town that took on importance in 876 B.C. In Sebastia, Canaanites settled, and statues like Rhodes Andreas line the tunnels. The Roman, Greek, Farsi, Assyrian and Ottoman empires left their mark on the cathedral in the city center through columns, palaces, towers and antiquities. The cathedral was built during the Byzantine days in the 12th century B.C., and French engineers rebuilt it to breathe life into it. It still stands to this day. Sebastia, which is located on a hilltop that is 440 meters high (one-quarter of a mile), north of Nablus city, is known as the Palestinian capital of Romans, as it is famous for Greek and Roman antiquities dating back to the days of the Roman era. Although Sebastia is a melting pot for civilizations and enjoys historical value dating back 3,000 years, it is besieged by settlements and threatened with disappearance due to Israeli violations such as attempts to move the antiquities to Israeli museums. Traveling through narrow alleyways in the old town of Nablus, Al-Monitor visited Sebastia. Upon reaching it, features of historical civilizations appeared. The Roman Theater was the first place we visited, followed by the Hellenistic Tower, which dates back to the Greek era. The influence of ancient civilizations was obvious with every additional step we took in town from King Omris palace to King Herods statue. The story of civilizations in Sebastia began in 876 B.C. when King Omri built the city and reinforced it with fences. He considered it his capital and called it Sumaria. Many other civilizations followed. Dergham al-Fares, director of the Archaeological Sites Department at the Palestinian Authority, told Al-Monitor, Many civilizations followed King Omris era. The first was the Canaanite, then the Iron Age, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman and Byzantine. Then came the Islamic era in addition to the short Crusader rule. Among the most important archaeological sites in Sebastia, according to Fares, was King Omris palace, which dates back to 3,000 years, and the Hellenistic Tower, south of the Roman Theater, which is one of the most significant ruins of the Roman era, along with two towers and palaces and the street of columns stretching along 800 meters (half a mile) with 600 archaeological columns on each side. Sebastia, the gateway of historical civilizations, is facing a future of invaders different from those in previous eras. These invaders are committing serious violations to eliminate the citys history and impose the Jewish story on it. One of the most dangerous violations is the Israeli decision to ban the entry of foreign tourists to the land of Palestinian antiquities. To tighten the noose on Sebastia, Israel established the Shavei Shomron settlement after confiscating and controlling most of the citys lands. Sebastia mayor Nael al-Shaer told Al-Monitor, Israels violations against Sebastia affected all archaeological sites and entailed the theft of antiquities from the Ottoman Mosque and their transfer to Israeli museums, as well as the attempt to move some pieces from the Royal Roman Cemetery in the town center. But after failing to lift the large stone graves, they left everything, and the town kept the wooden cranes to stand witness to the Israeli destruction. Shaer revealed the danger of the new Judaization project in Sebastia, which aims at confiscating all of its lands through the increased attacks of settlers with security coverage from the Israeli army. Shaer added that settlers have also been destroying properties, and they smashed three places recently, including a restaurant, parks, an antiquity shop and excavation operations in archeological sites in the country like al-Tall, which has a surface area of 115 dunams (28 acres). According to Shaer, Israel wants to isolate the archaeological site in Sebastia, whose surface area exceeds half of the total area of the town, and the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority wants to impose entrance fees. The suffering of Sebastia citizens is not limited to settlers abuses and the theft of their lands. The sewage water from Shavei Shomron settlement is leaking into the land, ruining trees and crops and producing health hazards that are jeopardizing peoples lives. Maysra al-Hatoum, owner of an agricultural land close to the settlement, had to stop planting crops because of the hazard of sewage water and pigs and stray dogs grazing on them. Official Palestinian institutions tried to include Sebastia and its archaeological monuments on UNESCOs World Heritage List to protect them from the risk of Judaization and seizure and to encourage tourists to visit the sites. Ihab Hajj Daoud, the director general of Archaeological Sites Restoration and Management at the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, told Al-Monitor that his ministry is preparing projects to protect the antiquities of Sebastia, including an integrated scheme to preserve the archaeological and historical site in the town, as well as the cultural landscape. In a related context, he added, The Palestinian diplomatic attempts to add Sebastia on the World Heritage List are hindered by some impediments, such as Israels lack of recognition of this list, as well as its control over the archaeological sites in Sebastia, located in Area C under the Oslo Accord. He continued, The Palestinian government has no security authority over Area C, where the archaeological sites are located. The government lacks the needed capacities to develop these sites to promote tourism. Al-Hajj Daoud said, We have prepared a list of 20 archaeological sites in the Palestinian territories, including the town of Sebastia. We want these sites to be submitted to UNESCO and registered on the World Heritage List. He explained that the objective behind adding Sebastia on the World Heritage List is to protect the site from the Judaization practices and settlers aggressions and to fend off Israels attempts to blur the identity of the site and its archaeological monuments that the Palestinians have been preserving over the last thousand years. Daoud does not expect Sebastia to be included on UNESCOs list anytime soon, as Israel will use its veto right to vote against it and resort to the Oslo Accord that put the Palestinian stolen lands under Israels control. capitol mug 2 dec 1.jpg (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com) The Democratic Caucus in the Alabama Senate will support legislation for a lottery and casinos as well as one to close "corporate tax loopholes" during the legislation session. The caucus has released its agenda for the 2017 session, which starts Tuesday. Senate Democrats would need Republican support to pass any of their proposals because Democrats hold only eight seats in the 35-seat Senate. Sen. Linda Coleman, D-Birmingham, will sponsor a bill to require multi-state companies to use "combined reporting" in filing their state income tax returns. The change would allow the state to collect taxes on income earned in Alabama that is not reported here because of a "loophole," advocates for the change say. "Small businesses pay their fair share, but it is large businesses that operate within multiple states that don't pay their fair share," Coleman said in a press release "They make money in the state of Alabama, but loopholes allow them to hide and shift that money around." The Democrats' agenda lists support for a lottery and casinos to support the General Fund and Education Trust Fund. Senate Democrats withdrew their support for Gov. Robert Bentley's lottery proposal last year after the House narrowed the definition to a traditional lottery, excluding the possibility of electronic games at the state's greyhound tracks. The Democrats say including casinos in a lottery proposal is important because of job creation. Voters would have to approve a constitutional amendment to allow a lottery or casinos. Other bills on the agenda: A bill by Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, proposes a constitutional amendment for a 5-mill increase in the state property tax. A similar bill Figures proposed last year would have generated $280 million a year beginning in 2019. A "ban the box" bill by Sen. Quinton Ross, D-Montgomery, would allow job applicants to wait until a job is conditionally offered before disclosing their criminal background. A bill by Sen. Hank Sanders, D-Selma, would repeal Alabama's photo voter ID law. A bill by Coleman would allow those with driver's licenses to be automatically registered to vote. A bill by Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, would allow early voting in the days leading up to election day. Another bill by Smitherman would define and prohibit racial profiling. The Senate Republican Caucus also released its agenda today. state house mug by julie.JPG (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com) The Alabama Senate Republican Caucus will support changes in state income tax deductions that would cut taxes for 180,000 Alabamians, the caucus announced in a press release. The caucus, which holds 26 seats in the 35-member Senate, released its agenda for the 2017 session, which starts Tuesday. The caucus will also support a bill to eliminate the requirement for a permit to carry a concealed handgun. "I look forward to working with my colleagues as we roll up our sleeves and put in the necessary work to implement these bold reforms, which strengthen Alabama's future and will create more opportunity for the hard-working taxpayers of this state," Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh said in the press release. The income tax cuts would result from raising the income thresholds for claiming standard deductions on state income taxes. The proposal is a new one and the sponsor will be announced later this week. Sen. Gerald Allen, R-Tuscaloosa, is sponsoring a proposal to eliminate the requirement for a permit to carry a concealed pistol. It is likely to face opposition from sheriffs and police, who have previously opposed his bills to eliminate the requirement for a permit to carry a loaded pistol unlocked in a vehicle. Allen's bill this year would go further by eliminating the requirement for concealed carry permits altogether. Ten states allow concealed carry without a permit, according to the GOP Caucus press release. If Allen's bill became law, people would still be able to buy pistol permits so that they could carry concealed handguns in neighboring states that have reciprocity agreements with Alabama. Other items on the Senate GOP caucus agenda: Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman is to be released from federal prison this week after serving about six years for a bribery conviction, a former aide told Al.com today. Siegelman, 70, has been told that he will be released Wednesday, Chip Hill, a friend and former aide to Siegelman stated in an email. "He will be on very restricted supervised probation for an initial period of time," Hill stated. "This is expected to be about six months." "Following that, he (Siegelman) will be on unsupervised probation for an extended, but not yet specified, period of time," Hill stated. "Immediately after returning home, he will report to an assigned probation officer who will provide him with much more detailed information about what restrictions he will have, including specifics regarding media access." "Naturally, his family and many friends are very excited about his release and very much look forward to seeing him," Hill stated. Siegelman's official end of sentence is Aug. 8. Efforts to reach a Federal Bureau of Prisons spokesperson were unsuccessful prior to publication of this story. Siegelman was convicted by a federal jury in 2006 on charges he sold a seat on a state health regulatory board to HealthSouth founder Richard Scrushy in exchange for $500,000 in donations to Siegelman's signature political issue, his 1999 campaign to establish a state lottery. He was convicted on a separate obstruction of justice charge that he tried to hide money he received from a lobbyist. Former U.S. District Court Judge Mark Fuller originally sentenced Siegelman to 88 months in federal prison, but in 2012 reduced it to 78 months. Siegelman served nine months of his original sentence before being released in March 2008 on an appeal bond. A federal appeals court tossed out two of the charges against him, which prompted the sentence reduction. Siegelman returned to prison in September 2012 to finish his sentence. Siegelman and his supporters have contended the case was politically motivated. But he has so far lost his appeals. Siegelman has been serving his prison sentence at the federal prison at Oakdale La. He was recently denied clemency by out-going President Barack Obama. While serving his sentence Siegelman got in trouble in prison and was placed in solitary confinement after calling a talk show and talking about his claims of innocence, his son said at the time. When he is released, Siegelman, who was also a former Alabama Attorney General from 1987-1991, won't be able to practice law. He was disbarred by the Alabama State Bar. Siegelman was disbarred effective June 7, 2012 by order of the Alabama Supreme Court based upon the decision of the Disciplinary Commission of the Alabama State Bar accepting Siegelman's surrender of his license and consent to disbarment, according to the Alabama State Bar's Alabama Lawyer publication. The disbarment was based upon his federal felony convictions. After a disbarment an attorney can file to be re-instated after five years, which would be June 8. Scrushy was sentenced to 82 months in prison. His sentence ended in July 2012. But like is apparently happening with Siegelman and most other inmates when they are within about six months of ending of their sentence, Scrushy was placed into a community corrections program, which can include home detention. In Scrushy's case he was moved from federal prison in Beaumont, Texas to a halfway house in Houston Texas in April 2012 and within weeks placed on home detention. A homicide investigation is underway after a man died over the weekend, possibly days after he was stabbed. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office identified the victim as Curtis Lee Johnson. He was 48. Johnson was found Friday, unresponsive at a friend's home in the 8000 block of First Avenue South. Authorities said the friend found him and called 911. When police and rescue workers arrived on the scene, they found Johnson on the floor. He was taken to St. Vincent's East where he remained until he was pronounced dead Saturday at 12:22 a.m. Birmingham police spokesman Sgt. Bryan Shelton said Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service paramedics saw a stab wound at that time, but said the wound appeared to be a day or two old. Further investigation, Shelton said, showed Johnson was attacked on Feb. 2 and stabbed. He did not, however, seek medical attention at that time. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. Johnson is Birmingham's 10th homicide this year, and one of six over the past six days. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 14 homicides in 2017 including the 10 in Birmingham. The other homicides have taken place in Bessemer, Fairfield, Tarrant and unincorporated Jefferson County. Updated at 6:13 p.m. after Birmingham police corrected earlier information they released saying the attack happened in Gate City. It did not. Brindlee Mountain urine photo (Facebook) Criminal charges could result from an incident at Brindlee Mountain High School where students have been suspended on an accusation they poured urine into a substitute teacher's drink. Three students remain on suspension pending further investigation into the incident, Marshall County Superintendent Cindy Wigley told AL.com. The investigation was made public Jan. 27. The investigation has been turned over to the Marshall County Sheriff's Office for consideration of possible criminal charges, Wigley said. A photo taken with Snapchat showed a student pouring a liquid, claimed to be urine, into a thermos. Wigley has said school officials confirmed urine was poured into the substitute's thermos, though the teacher didn't drink it. The substitute turned over the drink to administrators after another student alerted her to what happened. The superintendent said the students will be punished appropriately once the investigation is complete. Another student, who said on Facebook that she was in the classroom at the time, claimed the incident happened after the substitute teacher told one student he could not go to the restroom. The student urinated in a bottle, according to the Facebook post. Then, another student took the teacher's drink, and another teen poured the urine into the thermos, the post states. Huntsville School board The Huntsville City Board of Education is shown in this file photo from October 2016. From left are Michelle Watkins, Beth Wilder, Interim Superintendent Tom Drake, Board President Elisa Ferrell, Board Vice President Walker McGinnis and Pam Hill. (Anna Claire Vollers | avollers@AL.com) The fissure in a divided Huntsville school board seems to be growing deeper. Board president Elisa Ferrell has requested the state investigate the conduct of board member Pam Hill in the wake of an incident that happened the day the board voted on the new Huntsville superintendent. Said Ferrell in a statement late this afternoon: "Sunday night I informed the Alabama State Department of Education and District 5 Board Member Pam Hill that her conduct has violated her sworn affirmations and the Code of Conduct under the School Board Governance of 2012. I have asked the Alabama State Department of Education to conduct an investigation under the guidelines of the School Board Governance Act." Hill posted on Facebook this morning that she was the target of a formal investigation initiated by Ferrell. Hill, who took office representing west Huntsville last fall, announced on Facebook: "Late last night I received an email from School Board President Elisa Ferrell, that I am not fit to serve. The email contain lies to cover the city politics that have been 'allowed' for years." Board president Elisa Ferrell told AL.com that she did not say Hill was unfit to serve. The alleged misconduct stems from an incident that occurred last Monday, Jan. 30, a few hours before the board voted on the new Huntsville superintendent. The Friday before, the school board received an anonymously-sent packet of documents purporting to show Perera had plagiarized a school improvement plan and a letter. Ferrell said she emailed all the board members about the package after it was received, and the board contacted the Alabama Association of School Boards - which had conducted the superintendent search - to ask whether there was any merit to the allegations. AL.com later reported that Perera denied the plagiarism allegations and said she had proof they were untrue. The day of the vote, two local members of the Huntsville chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference posted on Facebook that they had been told that Katrise Perera, one of the two top candidates, had been disqualified. A local television station later reported Perera was disqualified because of allegations of plagiarism. In an email to State Superintendent Michael Sentance, Ferrell accuses Hill of leaking the information: "Most recently she has leaked information and made an incorrect statement to local news media about one of our superintendent candidates, saying that we had disqualified the candidate. She based this statement on unverified information we received from an anonymous source after being told that it should only be discussed in executive session. Please let me know how I should proceed and who I should begin sending the documentation on this and other issues we have had with her since her swearing in." In an email back to Ferrell, Hill denied she had leaked any information, and alleged that board member Walker McGinnis is the one who leaked the information to the SCLC, which subsequently passed it to the media. Hill told AL.com she is consulting with an attorney and expects to make a statement soon. Hill, who was an outspoken critic of former Superintendent Casey Wardynski, has often been at odds with three other board members who supported Wardynski. A split board recently voted 3-2 to hire new Superintendent Matthew Akin, a vote that saw Hill in the minority and Ferrell in the majority. Hill and board member Michelle Watkins had voted in favor of Perera; Ferrell and the others voted against her. Local school boards are governed by the State Department of Education's administrative code (Chapter 290-1-5), which includes the School Board Governance Improvement Act of 2012, outlines members' code of conduct and how they can be sanctioned. The code says a school board member that engages in neglect of duty or willful misconduct can be subject to formal censure or reprimand by a majority vote of the local school board or the state board of education. The state superintendent can also investigate "serious and substantial" allegations about a board member's "neglect of duty, misconduct, or breach of duty" after the superintendent receives a written complaint by a majority vote of the local school board, or if the superintendent finds sufficient cause to conduct the investigation. Ferrell has not said whether the Huntsville school board will take such a vote. The state administrative code does not provide a mechanism to remove a sitting school board member from office. In fact, according to a representative of the Alabama Association of School Boards, only once in recent memory has an Alabama school board member been forcibly removed from office: David Thomas was impeached in 2006 in Mobile. That move predated the 2012 School Board Governance Improvement Act, which clarified board member qualifications and requirements. There have, however, been instances where school board members resigned over pending allegations or criminal charges. In 2012, Birmingham school board president Edward Maddox resigned after warrants were filed against him for using his public office for personal financial gain. Board members can be impeached under Section 175 of the Alabama Constitution, but that process is separate from the Alabama Department of Education administrative code. Hill's full statement on Facebook: "U N B E L I V A B L E, but true! You must read! Late last night I received an email from School Board President Elisa Ferrell, that I am not fit to serve. The email contain lies to cover the city politics that have been "allowed"' for years. Sorry. I WILL ALWAYS THE TRUTH. It says several things that can easily be proved false. She sent it to the State Department, she also mentioned SACS, and whoever else she thought would meet her agenda. This is a formal process, unless she confesses the truth. If you would like to share this feel free! I, too, will be sharing it in different venues. My word , I must REALLY be scaring them. Thank you for your support. Because now if people win a city election, they try to throw you out, if you don't play the political game. SHARE And COMMENT." *Updated at 3:53 p.m. on Feb. 6, 2017 to include Board President Elisa Ferrell's official statement. *Updated at 5:15 p.m. on Feb. 6, 2017 to include information from emails between Ferrell, Hill and State Superintendent Michael Sentance. Email Ferrell to ALSDE 02-05-2017 11:19 p.m. by Anna Claire Vollers on Scribd Email Ferrell to Hill 02-05-2017 8:37 p.m. by Anna Claire Vollers on Scribd Email Hill to Ferrell 02-05-2017 9:48 p.m. by Anna Claire Vollers on Scribd Authorities in Mississippi say four people have been shot and killed in a shooting after an argument at a nightclub in Yazoo City. Yazoo City Police Chief Andre Lloyd tells WLBT-TV that the four men were shot early Monday morning after an argument at the Club 66 nightclub. Yazoo County Coroner Ricky Shivers tells WJTV-TV that two of the men were pronounced dead at the scene. The other two wounded men were taken to a hospital, where they died. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation on Monday issued a public bulletin that also was sent to law enforcement officials in Louisiana and Alabama, asking them to be on the lookout for a Yazoo City man who is wanted for questioning in the case. Names of the victims were not immediately released. Some of the country's largest tech companies - including Apple, Facebook and Google - have filed a legal brief against President Trump's executive order banning immigrants from seven predominately Muslim countries. The suit was filed this morning in the California-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. The amicus brief comes after a federal appeals court rejected a Department of Justice request to restore the president's travel ban after a lower court halted the moratorium. Other companies involved in the brief include Microsoft, Netflix, Twitter, Uber, Lyft, Pinterest, Yelp, Square and Reddit. Non-tech companies signing on include yogurt-maker Chobani, Levi Strauss and snack company KIND. Noticeably absent were Amazon, Oracle and Tesla. The president's order, the suit claims, "makes it more difficult and expensive for U.S. companies to recruit, hire and retain some of the world's best employees. "It disrupts ongoing business operations. And it threatens companies' ability to attract talent, business and investment to the United States," the suit states. Trump's ban would halt immigration for at least 90 days for people from Syria, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Yemen and Sunday. 1. AdRoll, Inc. 2. Aeris Communications, Inc. 3. Airbnb, Inc. 4. AltSchool, PBC 5. Ancestry.com, LLC 6. Appboy, Inc. 7. Apple Inc. 8. AppNexus Inc. 9. Asana, Inc. 10. Atlassian Corp Plc 11. Autodesk, Inc. 12. Automattic Inc. 13. Box, Inc. 14. Brightcove Inc. 15. Brit + Co 16. CareZone Inc. 17. Castlight Health 18. Checkr, Inc. 19. Chobani, LLC 20. Citrix Systems, Inc. 21. Cloudera, Inc. 22. Cloudflare, Inc. 23. Copia Institute 24. DocuSign, Inc. 25. DoorDash, Inc. 26. Dropbox, Inc. 27. Dynatrace LLC 28. eBay Inc. 29. Engine Advocacy 30. Etsy Inc. 31. Facebook, Inc. 32. Fastly, Inc. 33. Flipboard, Inc. 34. Foursquare Labs, Inc. 35. Fuze, Inc. 36. General Assembly 37. GitHub 38. Glassdoor, Inc. 39. Google Inc. 40. GoPro, Inc. 41. Harmonic Inc. 42. Hipmunk, Inc. 43. Indiegogo, Inc. 44. Intel Corporation 45. JAND, Inc. d/b/a Warby Parker 46. Kargo Global, Inc. 47. Kickstarter, PBC 48. KIND, LLC 49. Knotel 50. Levi Strauss & Co. 51. LinkedIn Corporation 52. Lithium Technologies, Inc. 53. Lyft, Inc. 54. Mapbox, Inc. 55. Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart 56. Marin Software Incorporated 57. Medallia, Inc. 58. A Medium Corporation 59. Meetup, Inc. 60. Microsoft Corporation 61. Motivate International Inc. 62. Mozilla Corporation 63. Netflix, Inc. 64. NETGEAR, Inc. 65. NewsCred, Inc. 66. Patreon, Inc. 67. PayPal Holdings, Inc. 68. Pinterest, Inc. 69. Quora, Inc. 70. Reddit, Inc. 71. Rocket Fuel Inc. 72. SaaStr Inc. 73. Salesforce.com, Inc. 74. Scopely, Inc. 75. Shutterstock, Inc. 76. Snap Inc. 77. Spokeo, Inc. 78. Spotify USA Inc. 79. Square, Inc. 80. Squarespace, Inc. 81. Strava, Inc. 82. Stripe, Inc. 83. SurveyMonkey Inc. 84. TaskRabbit, Inc 85. Tech:NYC 86. Thumbtack, Inc. 87. Turn Inc. 88. Twilio Inc. 89. Twitter Inc. 90. Turn Inc. 91. Uber Technologies, Inc. 92. Via 93. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 94. Workday 95. Y Combinator Management, LLC 96. Yelp Inc. 97. Zynga Inc. Let's face it - there's no such thing as bad Girl Scout cookie. Still, some of the sweet treats are more beloved than others and the top picks vary from state to state. An online poll from Influenster found that Thin Mints are the most popular Girl Scout cookie nationally. Not in Alabama, though, where Tagalongs (also known as Peanut Butter Patties) reign supreme. Tagalongs are also the top pick in Mississippi, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Montana. You can check out the complete map (shout out to Wyoming and Vermont for their unique cookie choices) here. Welcome to Monday's Wake Up Call. Let's see what's going on: Gun sales slow after Trump election Gun sales have dipped in the months following President Trump's election, according to FBI data. Background checks on gun purchases declined in January for the second consecutive month. A total of 2.043 million background checks were processed through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System in January, compared to 2.55 million in January 2016. The January decline comes after 19 straight months of record year-over-year increases under the Obama administration. Anyone seen a drone? The military has lost a $1.5 million drone. Officials from Fort Huachuca, Arizona said it lost the unmanned aircraft last week after it failed to connect with a ground station. The military has conducted searches for the drone but have been unsuccessful in finding the aircraft. It's believed it may have disintegrated on impact somewhere in the area. Known as Shadow, the drone was being used as part of a training mission. Town rallies after being forced to remove Christian flag A small Mississippi town is fighting back after it was forced to remove a Christian flag flying over a Veterans Memorial Park. More than 100 people in Rienzi, Mississippi rallied in support of the flag, which was removed after the Freedom from Religion Foundation threatened the town of just over 300 with a $500,000 lawsuit. Residents in the town have placed another Christian flag up over the park and town officials said they are consulting an attorney. French Apple shoppers get a surprise Apple shoppers in France got a surprise recently when company's CEO Tim Cook paid a surprise visit. Cook, an Alabama native, dropped in on Apple Stores in Marseille, France and Paris. While there, Cook mingled with employees and shoppers and images of the visits were shared on social media. Cook later posted his own photos on his personal Twitter account. Cook hasn't confirmed if his visit to France was for business or pleasure. Until tomorrow. Contact: Ford Porter Ford Porter govpress@nc.gov Gov. Roy Cooper today appointed Glenn M. McNeill as the next Commander of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.Serving with Colonel McNeill as Deputy Commander will be Lt. Colonel Vic Ward, who recently served as Acting Commander beginning January 9.Governor Cooper said.said Public Safety Secretary Erik Hooks.Colonel McNeill is a native of Reidsville and a graduate of Mount Olive College with a degree in Business Management and Organizational Development. He graduated from the FBI National Academy 2015 and was honored as a distinguished graduate.McNeill has served with the State Highway Patrol since 1994, starting as a trooper in Durham and later served with the Special Operations Section and as a Troop Commander. He most recently served as Director of Training for the Patrol since 2014.A native of Whiteville, Lt. Colonel Ward graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a degree in criminal justice. He is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Justice Administration from Methodist University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy. Ward has served with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol since 1990.The North Carolina State Highway Patrol includes more than 1,600 troopers who cover 78,000 miles of North Carolina roadways. Their primary mission is to reduce collisions and make the highways of North Carolina as safe as possible.In addition to enforcing the state's traffic laws, state troopers also provide critical assistance during natural disasters such as hurricanes and snow storms, serve on public safety task forces, guide traffic during major events, re-route traffic around hazardous chemical spills, and stand ready to respond to threats against the state. The Pentagon has exempted some civilian jobs from the Trump administration freeze on federal hiring. Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work issued guidance last week to clarify what positions won't be subject to the hiring moratorium. "This is an opportunity for the Department (of Defense) to assess its more critical missions and requirements, ensuring that the civilian component of our forces is assigned and capable of executing our highest priority work," Work said. Exempted positions are: Cybersecurity positions Civilians supporting scheduled military operations, deployments, exercises, training and contingency planning Employees in medical treatment and public health fields, law enforcement and firefighters, teachers and childcare workers Workers providing operational support to the president, Defense secretary or chairman of the joint chiefs Those involved in treaty enforcement; preventing and providing support to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and suicide; and mortuary affairs Nuclear reactor and weapon safety and security employees Positions reserved for foreign national employees or funded by foreign military sales Civilian mariners in the Military Sealift Command Positions in shipyards and depots tasked with inventory and maintenance of equipment Other jobs will be subject to the hiring freeze unless their positions can be proven necessary in order to maintain national security. "During the hiring freeze, no vacant civilian position may be filled and no new position be created," Work said. "The freeze impacts all Department of Defense positions, regardless of funding source." Uniformed military personnel are not subject to the order. President Trump announced the hiring freeze on Jan. 23, just days after his inauguration. The move was blasted federal employee unions. "This hiring freeze will endanger the nation's defense by diverting the military from their warfighting and training functions to do the work that civilian employees were hired to do," said American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr. "Hiring freezes are not good for our employees, for our agencies, or for our country," Cox said. "Every day this hiring freeze continues is another day in which an out-of-work veteran remains unemployed, a critical vacancy goes unfilled, backlogs grow longer, and the American people suffer." Alabama has more than 50,000 federal employees, 25,300 of whom are with the Department of Defense, mostly working at Redstone Arsenal in North Alabama. An initiative is closing the gap between African American students and their peers by recognising collectivist culture. Susan McLaughlin-Jones grew up in Massachusetts town where, in order to go to the bathroom, students had to use a very special word. If you didnt use the word sanitary, you werent allowed to go, McLaughlin-Jones explains. Years later, when I was student teaching in a school 500 miles away, I had students ask to go to the restroom and I said no. I thought they were being rude. They thought I was being crazy. McLaughlin-Jones remembered this many years later, in 2009, when she started looking at data from an elementary school initiative that sought to close the achievement gap in growth between African American students and their peers. She had then been in the classroom for more than 20 years, most of them at Lafayette High School in Lexington, Kentucky, where she teaches science. Everyone kept saying that teachers werent teaching these kids right, she says. But she examined the data and found that students who missed more than five days in a semester werent really making any progress, and that this finding correlated with all demographics. I realised we werent dealing with a race problem, she says, so much as a culture problem. She then initiated a pilot in her own classroom called Culturally Engaging Instruction. Culturally Engaging Instruction provides educators with a framework to systematically reduce the cultural dissonance experienced by students who encounter a discrepancy between their cultural background and that of the school. The United States is the top-ranked country for individualist behaviour, she says, but students often bring values and behaviours from collectivist paradigms. We assume that all kids want to go to school and get the As, but some families value that kid being home to provide childcare so Mum can go put food on the table. These students receive mixed messages, says McLaughlin-Jones, and when the school expectations and the home cultural expectations dont match, students find it hard to do well. Schools themselves make assumptions about values. When parents dont show up to the parent-teacher conferences, its not that they dont care its that they have other things on their plates. WATCH: Pick Your Teacher Democratic Schooling in the UK (25:00) We think these rules are fair but they are not working McLaughlin-Jones describes other scenarios that create cultural dissonance between individualist school settings and students from collectivist cultures. Negotiation is the rule in individualist cultures, she says. For instance, a parent whose son got a 91.4 wouldnt necessarily think to ask what he would need to do to take his grade to an A. In collectivist cultures, parents might be embarrassed to call, so those parents kids dont get the extra boost. African American kids, for example, might be completely unaware that its OK to walk up to a teacher and ask for an extension because in their paradigm that just would not happen. Traditionally, she says, these students remain underserved. We think these rules are fair but they end up not working well for students whose cultures dont match. Because all of Kentuckys high school juniors are required to take the ACT, McLaughlin-Jones was able to use her Culturally Engaging Instruction technique as a pilot test, to compare her juniors to juniors in the rest of the school. Using this framework, she taught her lessons in groups, making sure any wrong answers couldnt be attributed to any one student members of each group had to participate in conversations about the questions and be able to work collaboratively. It was organic collaboration, she says, as opposed to the stilted kind of collaboration we often force on students. INTERACTIVE: How much do you know about education? Quick learning After just two sessions of intervention one lasting 45 minutes and another 90 minutes her African American students completely closed the achievement gap. In other classes, the African American students were an average of two points behind on the test. Culturally Engaging Instruction helped to bridge this gap by approaching education from a radically different paradigm, by defining student values, beliefs, and behaviours across a cultural continuum of indicators. Its a new way of looking at how we structure schools, says McLaughlin-Jones. WATCH: After School Where Art Meets Technology (25:00) McLaughlin-Jones is, by all accounts, a teacher who leaves an indelible mark on her students. Zoe Lucas, one of her students at Lafayette, says: People who dont like learning realise, in her class, that theyre not going to get away from loving it. Anne Weinberger, the parent of one of McLaughlin-Jones students, has similar praise: She understands, so well, the mental processes behind learning, and she addresses the thinking process so that her students can learn faster, better. Lucas describes McLaughlin-Jones love of learning as infectious. In class, while shes going through the lessons, shell tell us how she sailed across the Atlantic using only a sextant. As McLaughlin-Jones guides her students through the similarly murky waters of matching themselves to the culture of their school, they are fortunate to have her charting the way. The last rebel-held districts near Damascus are under increasing pressure by the Syrian government to give up for good. Beirut, Lebanon Food comes in and then sometimes it does not. Occasionally, the bomb blasts and machine-gun rattles of the few remaining active front lines close-by sound over the rooftops. Life in the besieged suburbs of south Damascus is often dictated by what is happening outside, both near and far. At war since 2012, and under total or partial siege since 2013, three of the last rebel-held districts inside Damascus are now coming under increasing pressure from the Syrian government to give up for good. Renewed truce talks began in Yalda, Babila and Beit Sahem in October, and have seen several meetings between government representatives and a seven-member opposition committee, formed last month, that includes local council officials from each of the three districts, rebel faction representatives from Jaish al-Islam and the Sham al-Rasoul Brigades, as well as two Palestinian community figures. Palestinian committee member Ammar Eissa said he anticipates either an evacuation, or a full, comprehensive settlement to return [civilians] under government control, but adds that there are still sticking points. READ MORE: Syrias war East Ghouta refuses any evacuation deal There are an estimated 42,500 civilians still living inside Yalda, Babila and Beit Sahem, historically poorer, working-class areas that link the Syrian capitals urban and rural south. As with neighbouring areas currently controlled by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, known as ISIS) group and former al-Qaeda affiliate, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, the rebel-held south has been besieged by pro-government forces, including Palestinian militias and Lebanese Hezbollah, for up to three years. Government negotiators, according to Syrian activists, want weapons handovers, security cooperation and for civilians to regularise their status. There have been reported threats of escalation if government demands are not met, but civilians appear reluctant to accept without safeguards to prevent the kind of evacuation deals seen in several Damascus suburbs since August last year. Others fear the return of government control because it may also herald the return of conscription. While talks continue, the highest price is being paid by civilians in the three districts. Prices on all goods on the markets here are rising, and peoples incomes arent enough, said 48-year-old shopkeeper Mohamed Abu Khalil from Yalda, complaining that his 30,000 lira ($60) monthly salary is barely enough to support his family. Restrictions on the only road running in and out of the capitals rebel-held south are making life more difficult, too. The Babila-Meqdad checkpoint, a government-run humanitarian crossing for food and medical goods, opened after the three districts accepted partial truce terms in early 2014, explained Abu Hassan, a local councilman in Babila. Its the only crossing in south Damascus and is subject to taxation by regime forces who impose a tax on the proportion of all goods, Abu Hassan added. According to monitoring group Siege Watch, goods are restricted and government-imposed tariffs can inflate prices by 20 percent. Checkpoint closures have occasionally accompanied truce talks when the regime prevents people from bringing food in, says Abu Khalil, describing it as a form of political pressure, a taste of the siege. Two months ago, there was a five-day closure, he claims, And during that time we couldnt find sugar, rice, bread or most fruits and vegetables in the markets. We fear the return of the siege. EXPLAINER: Syrias Civil War Explained Others, though, suggest local siege traders with good relations on either side of the barrier are the driving force behind an amoral war economy that has emerged in other besieged areas of Syria. South Damascus remains a complex mishmash, hosting almost every major actor currently fighting in Syria sometimes at either end of the same street. The Syrian army, affiliated Palestinian-Syrian militias and Lebanese Hezbollah surround the remaining areas outside of the governments control, while Hezbollah and Iran-backed militias have been stationed at nearby Sayeda Zeinab, home to one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, since 2012. Former al-Qaeda affiliate, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham controls areas around al-Rijeh Square in northern Yarmouk, while the ISILs last foothold in Damascus spans Yarmouk and Hajar al-Aswad just to the south. Two months ago, there was a five-day closure ... and during that time we couldn't find sugar, rice, bread or most fruits and vegetables in the markets. We fear the return of the siege. by Mohamed Abu Khalil, a shopkeeper from Yalda Between Hajar al-Aswad and Yalda runs Aroubeh Street, where ISIL and rebel-controlled neighbourhoods are separated at opposite ends by just a few hundred metres. Although many of these fronts have been quiet for months, there are barriers, checkpoints and loaded rifles everywhere. Because of the complex dynamics around them, the three districts have taken in new influxes of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), particularly since 2015 when the ISIL took over the majority of Yarmouk camp and pushed an estimated 8,600 Palestinian and Syrian former camp residents into Yalda. Palestinians in south Damascus now depend on aid, explained Osama Moussa, operations manager at the Beirut office of the Jafra Foundation, a Palestinian-Syrian relief organisation that serves the souths displaced communities. This area has been considered hard to reach since [April] 2015 when ISIL took control of Yarmouk. About 50 percent of people who were besieged in Yarmouk camp moved to the three villages, Moussa added. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has had no access to Yarmouk since then and the UN agency last delivered aid to displaced Palestinians in south Damascus in May, last year. Unfortunately, for people whove been without work or suitable income for more than four years, stopping UNRWA aid has made it so difficult [for them] just to find basic needs, Moussa said. INTERACTIVE: What is left of Syria? Despite the complexities on the ground, the Syrian government will likely maintain the upper hand in south Damascus, just as it is in every other direction around the capital since the first in a series of truce-evacuation deals in August. It appears the dormant rebellion in south Damascus is living on bided time. We all want truce rather than war, but we want the truce to be on good terms, said shopkeeper Abu Khalil, who fears for an agreement that runs the risk of his sons being sent off to fight on government front lines, or that might see families like his evacuated to northern Syria. We want to stay on our land and not be forced to leave, he said. Between the rise of safe spaces, trigger warnings, speaker disinvitations, and the often illiberal conduct of campus demonstrators over the past few years, it's clear that the core constitutional value of free speech is now under siege at our colleges and universities. The fraying of commitment to freedom of speech on the part of college educated millennials, as well as many faculty and administrators, has reached the point where it threatens not only liberal education, but the very survival of the liberty of thought and expression in America at large.To address this problem, Arizona's Goldwater Institute and I have collaborated to devise comprehensive state-level legislation designed to restore freedom of speech to the American academy. The resulting model state-level legislation, made public this week along with a white paper explaining its provisions , constitutes what is very possibly the most comprehensive effort ever undertaken to restore and protect freedom of thought and expression on America's college campuses.The model Campus Free Speech Act would instruct the governing body of a state university system-generally called the board of trustees or board of governors-to craft a university-wide policy statement that unmistakably affirms the centrality of free expression. The statement would make it clear that it is not the proper role of a university to shield individuals from ideas or opinions they find unwelcome, disagreeable, or even deeply offensive. By legislative provision, this new statement would supersede and nullify any restrictive speech codes adopted by any constituent school of the state university system.Second, the system's campuses would be declared open to any speaker whom students, student groups, or members of the faculty have invited. This would prevent administrators from disinviting speakers, however controversial, whom members of the campus community wish to hear from.Third, the bill would expressly bar students, faculty members, employees, or any other members of the university system from interfering with the freedom of others to express their views. This means no more shouting down of visiting speakers, and no more obstruction of legitimate meetings and events.In order to protect the free-speech rights of visiting speakers, and of everyone else on campus, the bill would authorize a range of disciplinary sanctions for those who interfere with the speech of others, with particularly strong penalties for anyone who commits a second offense. Equally important, the model bill includes very strong protections for the due process rights of students accused of interfering with the expressive rights of others.In authorizing disciplinary sanctions for those who interfere with the free speech rights of others, the model bill draws inspiration from the classic affirmation and defense of campus free speech, Yale University's Woodward Report of 1974. The Woodward Report not only eloquently upheld the centrality of free expression to the university's mission, it also laid out a strategy for fairly but firmly punishing those who had forcibly silenced the speech of others. The discipline policy devised by the Woodward Report remains in Yale's regulations to this day, and new the model Campus Free Speech Act takes a leaf from that book.Unfortunately, we tend to take it for granted nowadays that students, and even faculty members, can disrupt university functions, interrupt, and shout down speakers they don't like, and yet suffer no penalty whatever. That is wrong. Legitimate protest must of course be permitted and protected. Yet interrupting, physically assaulting, or shouting down speakers is tyranny, pure and simple, and cannot be tolerated by any community that cherishes and protects free expression.Freedom is not a license to attack your foes. License of that sort is the opposite of freedom. If you want to understand freedom, consider what Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes of the Supreme Court famously said in 1929:If true freedom of speech is "freedom for the thought that we hate," then freedom is actually a form of self-mastery. Far from being license, true freedom is an act of self-control, a refusal to physically extinguish even the speech we abhor. Freedom is a refusal to attack our opponents with everything we've got. Campus demonstrators have mistakenly elevated what they think of as sensitivity and civility over the principle of free expression. Yet the truth is, freedom of speech itself is the ultimate act of civility.This means that the minor passing offenses that are the price for our tolerance of free speech are well worth putting up with, because in the long run a society that practices freedom is a society that promotes civility. In the long run, free speech is our most certain path to mutual respect and civil peace, while the rejection of free speech almost guarantees descent into civil strife. It all happened before our eyes in the fall of 2015 on our college campuses, when attempts to shut down speakers and take over meetings gave us a tiny taste of the kind of civil conflict that is commonplace in countries that lack true freedom.And there's more to this proposed legislation than a powerful affirmation of the right to free speech, a provision discouraging speaker disinvitations, and the creation of a fair but firm discipline policy for those who interfere with the speech of others. The model bill would also instruct university boards of trustees to issue a statement that defines and defends the principle of institutional neutrality on public policy controversies of the day.It's often forgotten that institutional neutrality is a critical component of campus free speech. If a university, as an institution, were to take a public stand on controversial issues such as military intervention in the Middle East or the role of government in health care, this would put tremendous pressure on any faculty or students who disagreed with the university's posture.We see this problem play out today in crusades to have colleges and universities divest themselves of any stock in oil companies, or in the state of Israel. It's often argued that colleges ought to avoid such divestment schemes because of their fiduciary responsibility to protect and enlarge their endowments. Yet the most important reason to avoid politicized divestment schemes too often remains unspoken. Any college that joins in the fossil-fuel divestment crusade, or that acquiesces to the campaign to boycott, divest, and sanction the State of Israel is taking an institutional stand that inevitably places unfair pressure on faculty and students who do not share these political views.The classic statement in defense of the need for institutional neutrality at universities is the University of Chicago's Kalven Report of 1967. The Kalven Report rightly argues that the neutrality of the University is in fact the surest guarantee of free inquiry and viewpoint diversity in its members. The fullest freedom for faculty and students, as individuals, to participate in political action and social protest actually requires the institutional political neutrality of the university itself. And the Kalven Report is a crucial inspiration for this provision of the model bill.Note, however, that this provision of the bill is written in such a way as to affirm the general principle of institutional neutrality, while still leaving the university considerable flexibility in deciding exactly how that principle ought to be applied in practice.The model bill would also instruct state university system trustees to include in freshman orientation programs a section describing all of these various policies and regulations. The idea is to explain to the students from the very beginning of their time at the university how vital the principles of free speech are. It's also critically important that students understand from the start the discipline policy for interfering with the free speech rights of others. The goal, of course, is not to punish students for interfering with the expressive rights of others, but to deter them from undertaking such actions in the first place.Additionally, the model bill would mandate the creation of a Committee on Free Expression within the university board of trustees, and would charge it with issuing an annual report to the public, to the governor, and to the state legislature on the status of free expression, on the status of administrative discipline for the disruption of speech, and on the status of institutional neutrality in the state university system. In effect, this provision institutionalizes what Yale did in the 1970s when it created the Committee on Free Expression that issued the famous Woodward Report.Such a public report would also create a counterforce to pressure on university administrators from anti-free-speech demonstrators. Now university administrators will have to worry about more than angering demonstrators who suppress the speech of others. Under the model bill, every year, university administrators will have to answer to the people of their state for their defense of free speech, for their willingness to discipline those who would interfere with the speech of others, and for their willingness to uphold the critical principle of institutional neutrality.Keep in mind that this is merely a public report, the real power of which lies strictly in the light that it sheds, and in its ability to persuade. Yet simply exposing the betrayal of free expression at Yale and making recommendations for improvement was enough to bring positive change to that university in the 1970s. A public report by a Committee on Free Expression worked then for Yale, and would work now and in the years ahead for our various state university systems.Bear in mind that all of these provisions are designed to work in concert. By strongly affirming the core principles of free expression, creating a discipline policy for those who interfere with the freedom of others, informing students of the principles of free speech and of the penalty for disregarding it, and then holding administrators publicly accountable for failure to enforce the provisions of the bill, the model bill is designed to create a virtuous cycle that will prevent speaker shout-downs and disinvitations from ever happening in the first place.Another provision of the model Campus Free Speech Act prevents public universities from creating restricted "free speech zones." In fact, individuals who are prevented from speaking on campus, are relegated to unreasonable "free speech zones," or are discriminated against based on the content of their speech will have recourse to the courts. Universities may be compelled by the courts to compensate successful plaintiffs for reasonable court costs and attorney fees. And this, of course, creates yet another incentive for university administrators to protect free speech.In short, the model Campus Free Speech Act is an ambitious attempt to restore freedom of speech to our public colleges and universities, an attempt that can and should serve as a model for private universities as well.Virtually everything in this proposed bill is based on the very best models we have for defending free speech at our universities, from Yale's Woodward Report to the University of Chicago's Kalven Report and Stone Report . Liberals and conservatives alike should be able to support the Campus Free Speech Act, just as Yale's Woodward Report in its day was praised and supported across the political spectrum.The model Campus Free Speech Act embodies the common understanding of liberty that unites all of us as Americans, even as it allows us to work out our differences through the democratic process. Polarisation over police reform has played out in the news and on social media after videos showing officer brutality. Chicago, United States The fear of violence in one of the countrys most dangerous cities is real for civilians and police officers alike. I tell him to quit every time I talk to him. Im terrified for him, terrified hell get hurt terrified hell hurt someone and go to jail, Nico Composto, 24, says of his father, a Chicago Police Department veteran. Nico, like many relatives of Chicago police, grew up in Jefferson Park , a predominantly white, middle-class neighbourhood on the northwest side. A 20-minute drive south down Central Avenue from Jefferson Park will bring one to Austin , a poor black neighbourhood with one of the highest crime rates in the country. It was there that Dee Jay a young black man with a mix of pain and anger in his eyes recounted the day when he alleged Chicago police officers beat him during an interrogation in an abandoned warehouse. It is impossible to independently verify his claim. But the group of about 15 young black men Dee Jay was standing among believe his story for one simple reason: history. Dee Jays account is strikingly similar to the well-documented systematic torture of black men by some Chicago officers between 1972 and 1991. The fears held by Chicagoans such as Nico and Dee Jay were vaulted into the national spotlight after the release of the Laquan McDonald video in 2014 . Polarisation over police reform played out in the news and on social media after the video led to a wave of pressure on City Hall to implement reforms. READ MORE: Grand jury to hear evidence in Laquan McDonald shooting In the spotlight This pressure came not only from a myriad of community organisers in Chicago, but also from the US Department of Justice, which conducted a 13-month civil rights investigation of Chicago Police Department practices. Recently released results of the investigation , which accuse the department of systematically violating constitutional rights of Chicagoans, has placed police misconduct back into the national spotlight and reignited the debate on police reform in Chicago. Based on interviews, there is significant division between those at the forefront of the reform debate: police officers and black community organisers. However, there are some areas of agreement between the two sides, and even some internal disagreement. Officers interviewed who all requested anonymity because they were not officially permitted to speak expressed fear that their lives would be put at greater risk because of reforms hastily implemented for the sake of political expediency. One police veteran recounted a video showing a Chicago officer stomping on the head of a man involved in an altercation with another policeman last June. The police veteran admitted the video looks bad but said he believes the use of force was justified because the arresting officer was in danger. The problem here is the [police] superintendent took phone calls from an activist saying you need to suspend these guys immediately They screwed the guy. They flat out screwed him, he said, referring to the decision to suspend the officer who kicked the mans head. The veteran officer said the suspension, among other incidents, signalled a permanent shift towards knee-jerk discipline motivated by political expediency, rather than actual evidence of wrongdoing. Like many throughout the Chicago police, the veteran officer said this type of discipline has already caused officers to be less proactive in fighting crime and hesitant to use force even when appropriate. Nowadays, its too hard to even get the cops out of the car, he said. WATCH: Albuquerque police: A history of violence (24:35) Redress through training But not all Chicago policemen agree. One young patrolman, who has worked in one of the US citys most violent neighbourhoods for years, responded by saying: You obviously dont know who we are and what were doing every night. Although there is some disagreement, most officers interviewed said there is a need for reforms, especially aimed at police misconduct. Officers clearly view training as the best way to redress misconduct. Most indicated oversight reform is a necessary, though less important, step. All were frustrated that the Chicago Police Department provides no mandatory training for officers a deficiency the Justice Department report documents in great detail. The report asserts even the training new recruits receive at the police academy is deficient. Only one in six recruits we spoke with came close to properly articulating the legal standard for use of force, it noted. One interviewee actually left the Chicago Police Department after less than two years because the lack of training made him feel unsafe. If the DOJ [Department of Justice] comes in here yeah were going to take a beating, and rightfully so, the veteran officer bluntly stated in an interview a few months before the release of the report. But if they start sending people to training, the professionalism will start turning around. Because you cant constantly do this stupid s*** over and over again and have supervisors that have been doing this stupid s*** over and over again now supervising people that are now doing it and not being able to change, he said. Like I said before, were stuck in 1990 or 1980. Thats what our level of training is at. And they can say Oh hey ya know it costs too much. No, it costs a hell of a lot more in lawsuits, he said. READ MORE: Chicago police recommend dismissals for shooting Negotiations with the community Despite agreement on the need for reform, all officers interviewed blamed community organisers for the imposition of knee-jerk disciplinary action, citing their promotion of mass protests and public statements demanding accountability above all else. Civil rights workers, meanwhile, are divided on whether they should work directly with Chicagos City Hall. JaMal Green, 20, told Al Jazeera that he and other young organisers dont want to have a meeting with the mayor because then thatll compromise our credibility. Green said he believes headline-grabbing tactics are the most effective means of forcing politicians to implement reforms. Green pointed out as evidence the Chicago Police Departments plan to give all officers Tasers, which was announced shortly after he organised a highly publicised protest in front of Mayor Rahm Emanuels house demanding the issuance of stun-guns. Older organisers interviewed criticised such tactics many singling out the demonstration at the mayors house. Pastor Autry Phillips, executive director of Target Area, said the most effective way to implement police oversight was not to blast the mayor out on TV, but organising voters as leverage for direct negotiations with City Hall. READ MORE: Federal probe finds pattern of abuse by Chicago Police Tio Hardiman, head of the Violence Interrupters group, said he believes disagreement over working with City Hall is preventing organisers from uniting with one voice, which is the main impediment to implementing police reforms. Hardiman said this division is the product of a long history of black organisers being used by politicians in Chicago to suppress evidence of police misconduct. A lot of the pastors sat on the police board down here, they heard them stories [of police misconduct]. They didnt say nothing. All they did was sit on the board and say: Yes sir, yes sir.' Despite division, pressure from community organisers is clearly having an effect on police reform. However, according to the Department of Justice report, the only steps taken so far by the city to reform police training was the hiring of one consultant, and a verbal pledge to implement training reform in line with departments recommendations. No written intention of training reform within the Chicago Police Department has been made, however. CPD [Chicago Police Department] has not yet worked out whether these reforms are possible given CPDs current infrastructure, resources, and personnel, and if the reforms are possible, precisely how they will be accomplished, and by when, the Department of Justice report noted. City Hall is unlikely to reform training without significant external pressure, it added. Occupied West Bank The Israeli Knesset has advanced controversial legislation that, if approved, would lead to a host of illegal settlements built on privately owned Palestinian land being legalised retroactively. The so-called Regulation Bill, scheduled for a vote on Monday, would apply to around 4,000 settlement homes in the West Bank for which settlers could prove ignorance that they had built on privately owned land and had received encouragement from the Israeli state to do so. The bill has been criticised by human rights groups and legal experts who have warned that it would violate property rights. The governments attorney general has said that the bill was unconstitutional and would contradict Israels legal obligations under international law, while Israeli MK Tzipi Livni warned that it would lead Israeli soldiers to the ICC. This law will make theft an official Israeli policy by retroactively legalising illegal construction on private lands, said Anat Ben Nun, director of external relations at Peace Now. The Knesset would be legislating a law that applies only outside of its jurisdiction and only for settlers, not Palestinians. This is very problematic and even unconstitutional. The law will also give a green light for settlers to build wherever they want, because they will know that the construction could be legalised in the future, she added. The legislation was initially advanced in late 2016, as a response to the plan to evacuate the illegal Amona settlement. It was delayed several times amid harsh criticism internationally and pressure from the Obama administration. It is another big step towards annexation and away from the two-state solution, said Ben Nun. In the hours before the evacuation of Amona settlement that began on February 1, Israel revealed that 3,000 new settlement homes would be built in the occupied West Bank. The announcement brought the total number of new settlement units approved since the inauguration of US President Donald Trump to more than 6,000 across the occupied Palestinian territories. In between the construction declarations, Israeli politicians from the centre right to the far right have expressed the hope that their pro-settlement agenda would be favoured by the Trump administration. Last week, Israeli officials gave final approval for 153 settler homes in occupied East Jerusalem that had been frozen under pressure from the previous US administration of Barack Obama. Trump has pledged strong support for Israel, and Benjamin Netanyahus government has moved quickly to take advantage. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has pledged to lift all restrictions on building in East Jerusalem, while Education Minister Naftali Bennett proposed legislation to annex the Maaleh Adumim settlement and the so-called E1 area. READ MORE: Palestinians decry Israels settlement bill If Netanyahu were to remove the limitations on approving building plans in East Jerusalem, the previously halted settlement plans in Givat Hamatos and E1 could be resurrected, both of which would threaten Palestinian territorial contiguity between Jerusalem and the West Bank in a future Palestinian state. Israel is trying to take advantage of the friendly rhetoric of the new American administration and protest it at the same time. by Ghassan Khatib, a political scientist at Birzeit University The E1 corridor is located in Area C, which refers to the 60 percent of the West Bank under full Israeli administration and off-limits to the Palestinian Authority. In the internal Israeli arena, there are those on the right wing who really want to rush forward. Givat Hamatos could happen tomorrow if the government wishes that, said Aviv Tatarsky, a researcher at the Israeli NGO Ir Amim. That would have a very big effect on disconnecting East Jerusalem from Bethlehem and the south of the West Bank. Similarly, building approval in E1, which is home to a number of Bedouin communities, would almost cut the northern West Bank from the south. Bennetts effort to annex the settlement and E1 has been put on hold until after Netanyahu meets with Trump in Washington on February 15. The White House responded to the raft of settlement approvals in a statement, noting that settlements were not an impediment to peace, but that building new settlements may not be helpful. While the statement appeared to signal a softening of the long-term US position that settlements are a major obstacle to peace negotiations, it was also interpreted as a rebuke to Israel over the January wave of settlement activity. Ghassan Khatib, a political scientist at Birzeit University, said the statement suggested a change in rhetoric on Israel-Palestine from President Trump. It is not exactly similar to the usual line of previous administrations. But it is, relatively speaking, a departure from what everybody has been expecting from this current administration, he said. Israel is trying to take advantage of the friendly rhetoric of the new American administration and protest it at the same time. But apparently, as usual, Israel went beyond any acceptable standard; that they seem to have embarrassed even this new administration. During the years of the Obama administration, Israel also promoted building plans on a large scale, although the pace of new approvals slowed after the failure of the Kerry peace talks in 2014. The reduction in new announcements at that time coincided with increased construction in areas where plans had previously been approved. According to the Israeli human rights group Peace Now, Israel had begun building 1,195 housing units in settlements in the first half of 2016, which they said marked a 40 percent increase on the previous six month period. We had more or less the same during different presidents, except Obama. Obama gave in to the pressure of Israel in his first term, Khatib told Al Jazeera, adding that internal Israeli political mood during this period was extremely conducive to settlement expansion. I think Obama was trying to put some mild pressure on Israel that might have reduced the volume of expansion compared to what could have been the case without that pressure. But, I think that Obama did not do enough. I think he gave up very quickly, reduced the level of pressure to the verbal level and gave up on efforts for the peace process, he said. If the Regulation Bill is passed by the Knesset, rights groups warn that it would mark the end of the two-state solution. It is another big step towards annexation and away from the two-state solution, said Ben Nun. Bucharest, Romania Romania has seen an unprecedented turnout of protesters demanding that the rule of law be respected by their own government. For five days in a row, Romanians broke post-communist records in attending rallies and holding politicians to account. Among them are Simona, 34, and Claudiu Racovita, 33, parents of two, who have taken to the streets in protest each day since the demonstrations began. I want my children to live in this country, to have a future here, Simona says. Its for them that we go to protest every day. On Saturday, February 4, Bucharest also registered a first: a childrens demonstration. About 15,000 parents and children marched on Victory Square, the seat of the government, to voice discontent over the controversial decree decriminalising official misconduct. This unique protest was the young adult generation teaching their children that they need to stand up for their rights and for the democratic values of society. I teach my children it is not right to steal or to lie. What kind of example does these kind of decree show them? Simona adds. READ MORE: Romanian government under pressure as 500,000 protest This newfound civic spirit of Romanians, united against what they perceive to be an abuse by the corrupt political elite, has turned their daily routine upside down and it is the grandparents who have come to their rescue. They would watch over the children while the parents were out securing a fairer future for their young ones. One father in Victoria Square held a banner saying: Dont worry son, youll sleep well tonight. Daddy and some friends scared the monsters away. At the outset of the demonstrations, protesters were accused by a biased media of being paid money to bring their children to Victoria Square. This false reporting made people even angrier. Chants were adapted to fit childrens songs and still convey the protesters message to politicians. We are all normal people, who studied, who work from early in the morning till late in the evening, who have families and children. But we are fed up! Simona says. We are tired, but we will not give in. We will protest for as long as necessary. Constant talk of genocide blurs more prevalent forms of violence that are prolonging the bloodshed in the country. On New Years day, I boarded an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Entebbe, Uganda. Formally dressed members of the South Sudanese diaspora crowded the propeller plane alongside businessmen from Uganda, Kenya and South India. We were headed to Juba, the capital of South Sudan, on one of three different flights that leaves for the country every weekday. Arriving at the ramshackle airport, we shuffled into four different lines housed in a makeshift structure before entering a scrimmage to secure our bags. South Sudan has again been in the spotlight with warnings of a looming genocide voiced by everyone from the former US Secretary of State John Kerry to most recently, the former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Yet, leaving Entebbe that Sunday, the banality of our departure scene made me believe that such ominous warnings were mere hyperbole. I was right and wrong. South Sudan is not heading towards a genocide. But the spectre of violence is omnipresent, even as it resists categorisation within easily comprehensible notions of genocide. Talk of genocide, in fact, serves to obfuscate more prevalent forms of violence that are slowly squelching the countrys freedom dreams. Debate about whether violence in South Sudan is genocidal or not echoes debates in Darfur in the early 2000s. Those frenzied debates produced only inaction, as the international community wilted in the face of the complex configuration of internal and external political forces that defined the fighting. Stories of daily violence and insecurity During my week in Juba, I spoke with numerous members of the local Equatorian community. They recounted stories of daily violence and insecurity at the hands of government soldiers. One middle-class woman told me of a domestic worker being raped at gunpoint by army soldiers in the daytime. A young man spoke of being beaten and robbed by soldiers twice in the past month. Another claimed to have lost his father, mother and brother at the hands of government supporters. Such violence has become normalised in many parts of South Sudan. In July, fighting broke out between forces loyal to Vice President Riek Machar and the government, controlled by the former rebels of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA), setting off the latest crisis. For three days, armed groups fought for control of the city. Hundreds of civilians were raped and killed as government supporters went door to door searching for members of the Nuer community who share their ethnic origins with the former vice president. So why not refer to this situation as genocide? If you speak with government officials and local community members, it is surprisingly not the government that employs genocidal talk. Rather, it is members of the Equatorian community who speak of expulsion and extermination of government forces. Talk of genocide simultaneously insulates us from the more protracted, and often bewilderingly complex low-level violence that has already destroyed much of the country. by Though forced to hide in their homes for three days as the fighting continued in the streets of Juba, the local Equatorian population was not the target of either side, at least initially. Since then, however, as many Nuer have fled, it is the Equatorians who have come to view the Dinka-dominated SPLA as a conquering army to be expunged. Talk of a revenge is omnipresent. I spoke with a member of a local defence militia, one of many groups being organised independently by young Equatorian men. He detailed for me the plans being put in place weapons stockpiled, oaths sworn, women and children moved across the border to refugee camps or private homes in northern Uganda. Later, I travelled by road across that border and was told about camps swollen with women and children while the young men return to Juba to protect their lands. These young men believe that Machar, currently under house arrest in South Africa, will return to fight in March and they are preparing to join the fray. Even educated professionals speak openly about their bias against the Dinka people, refusing to rent their homes to members of the community, citing colonial-era racial anthropology to justify their beliefs. Talk of genocide Genocide prepares us for violence that is spectacular. It goads us into believing that when confronted with extreme evil, we will have no choice, but to react. But talk of genocide simultaneously insulates us from the more protracted, and often bewilderingly complex, low-level violence that has already destroyed much of the country. This violence seems to be acceptable, as it does not seem to surpass our threshold for outrage. Talk of genocide also has a deeper impact. It forces us to divide a conflict into innocent victims and vicious perpetrators. But what is the value of such neat binaries when almost every community can speak the language of victimhood? I refer not to the layers of oppression that almost all South Sudanese know intimately from years of fighting the government in Khartoum, but the recurrent and diffused violence between South Sudanese communities that has come to define independence. This is a logic that the SPLA government is eager to embrace, pointing out that even as the international community rushes to condemn its behaviour, it has faced violent challenges to its rule that any legitimate government must quell. As one defender of the government, Taban Abel Aguek, succinctly put it, Fighting negative forces does not amount to genocide. Simultaneously, Equatorians, by and large, are loathe to embrace the language of victimhood, speaking instead about their willingness and ability to rid their land of the Dinka oppressors forever. OPINION: Save South Sudan from destroying itself But words are never enough. What is needed in South Sudan is not continued debate about what to call the violence, but an accurate assessment of the relative strength and motivations of the belligerents. Even as the SPLA continues to dominate the military, it faces a number of organised challenges, not only from Machar, but also from other militias that have entered the security void. This diffusion of military strength is unlikely to produce a clear victor in the battles that lie ahead. Nor is the conflict likely to turn genocidal, as all sides have the capacity to fight back. Yet, even as genocide may be avoided, civilians in South Sudan will continue to bear the costs of the prolonged bloodshed. Zachariah Mampilly is the author of Rebel Rulers and Africa Uprising. He is an Associate Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies at Vassar College. Follow him on Twitter @ras_karya The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Lena Afridi is an independent writer who specialises in income inequality and racial and economic justice. Thousands of people have protested against Donald Trumps executive order that bans refugees, immigrants, and legal permanent residents of seven Muslim majority countries from entering the United States. Across the country, there were similar scenes: USs largest cities not only welcomed refugees and immigrants, but expressed their pride in being sanctuaries for those looking to create a new life. Elected officials have vowed to keep their municipalities sanctuary cities, but even the ideology of a safe place for immigrants has come under attack. The Trump administration has threatened to cut federal funding to cities that do not comply with new, stringent immigration policies. While emergency actions against immediate threats to immigrant rights must continue, we should prepare ourselves for the ongoing impact of a Trump presidency on our cities beyond these most shocking edicts that have been roundly denounced as unconstitutional. Impact of Trump on immigrant America Housing, jobs and policing affect all Americans, but immigrants have particular need in all of these areas. Immigrant justice groups in cities across the nation have been fighting for decades for access to housing, jobs, healthcare and against the expansion of the US growing deportation and incarceration complex. In the fight for a just and inclusive immigration policy, the tremendous impact of Trumps economic plans on immigrant US cannot be forgotten or minimised. Though immigrants are rapidly moving out of city centres, immigration remains concentrated in urban areas, as 85 percent of foreign born Americans still live in the nations 100 largest metropolitan areas. Trumps economic policies are going to have a massive impact on immigrant US, regardless of the fate of his most shocking executive actions. In an era where rampant inequality consumes American cities,Trumps plans to fix inner cities threaten to completely gut urban areas. Unless action is taken, Trumps city will be uninhabitable to all but the wealthiest. In Trumps city, public housing, a resource which has provided shelter to the most vulnerable, will be a thing of the past. The appointment of Ben Carson as Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development continues to alarm housing advocates and policy experts. Carson has vowed to deeply cut federal funding to programmes that make housing affordable. In a time where low and moderate-income families can barely afford housing costs, federal funding is vital. OPINION: All international laws Trumps Muslim ban is breaking Low-income tenants spend more than 50 percent of their income on housing, while middle-class households spend up to 30 percent of their income on housing costs. The housing department itself considers households spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing as rent-burdened. This means a substantial portion of American tenants are already rent-burdened. As Carson plans to slash funds for public housing, this number will continue to rise. For example, New York Citys Housing Authority is home to 700,000 New Yorkers a population about the size of Boston. In a city where the median rent is $3,185 a month, the loss of public housing will no doubt be devastating. Like we mobilise to fight the injustices of an egregiously callous and unlawful immigration policy, we must continue to mobilise to ensure that American cities can be places where everyone can live in dignity and without fear. by In Trumps city, the number of poor people will increase dramatically. Perhaps most alarmingly, Carson has expressed his view that poverty is a choice. Though Trump ran on a platform of promised job growth, it has been projected that if he follows through with his pledged policies, the US will enter a recession by 2018 (PDF). Economists estimate that real income will remain stagnant at $45,000 a year by the end of Trumps term. In the last recession, immigrants and people of colour bore the brunt of the economic crisis. Families with at least one immigrant family member saw a 38.3 percent decline in total wealth. By the official end of the recession in 2009, Latinos lost 66 percent of their net worth, Asian American households experienced a 31 percent loss of total wealth, and black Americans saw a 53 percent decline in net worth. Simultaneously, the tariff on imports, notably from Mexico,will increase US consumer prices by 3 percent. According to the US census, 17 percent of immigrants live in poverty and foreign-born workers, tend to earn 19 percent less than the average wages of their American born counterparts on average. The impact of a higher cost of living nationwide, coupled with stagnant wages and a depreciation of wealth, will create difficulty for all Americans, but especially newly arrived Americans living in the countrys already expensive urban areas, to make ends meet. Legalisation of racial profiling In Trumps city, immigrants will constantly fear deportation or imprisonment, regardless of documentation status. Trump recently signed an order that allows state and local law enforcement to enforce immigration law. The order gives local police power previously held only by federal authorities and essentially legalises racial profiling of anyone suspected of being undocumented. In Trumps city, it will be impossible for any immigrant to survive except for the very wealthy. Immigrants are the heart of American cities. If we are truly committed to the values of our cities, it is vital to fight for the future, to fight for the hearts of our homes and the future of our neighbours. Just as we mobilise to fight the injustices of an egregiously callous and unlawful immigration policy, we must continue to mobilise to ensure that US cities can be places where everyone can live in dignity and without fear. How will we develop a political strategy that keeps the most immediate threats in view while also building on the ongoing struggles within immigrant communities? That is the task of the moment. Lena P Afridi is an independent writer who specialises in income inequality and racial and economic justice. She holds a Masters in Regional Planning from Cornell University. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. A total of 3,498 civilians killed and 7,920 wounded in 2016, in part due to increase in ISIL attacks and air raids. Civilian casualties in Afghanistan in 2016 were the highest recorded by the United Nations, the world body said, with nearly 11,500 non-combatants one-third of them children killed or wounded. Fighting between Afghan security forces and armed groups, especially in populated areas, remained the leading cause of civilian casualties more than two years after NATOs combat mission ended, said the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which began documenting civilian casualties in 2009. A total of 3,498 civilians were killed and 7,920 were wounded in 2016, a combined increase of three percent over the previous year, according to the annual report for 2016. Against a backdrop of protracted ground fighting, the battlefield permeated civilian sanctuaries that should be spared from harm, with suicide attacks in mosques; targeted attacks against district centres, bazaars and residential homes; and the use of schools and hospitals for military purposes, the UN said. Danielle Bell, the director of UNAMAs human rights unit, called on the parties to the conflict to take stronger measures to mitigate harm on the battlefield. They should start making promises and ensure the commitments they made are translated into reality on the battlefield. This is the only thing that has to happen to prevent civilian causalities, she told Al Jazeera. About 61 percent of all civilian casualties were caused by armed groups like the Taliban and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS). The UN attributed at least 4,953 deaths and injuries to the Taliban, but in a shift for 2016, investigators documented a 10-fold increase in casualties caused by ISIL, which often targets members of the Shia Muslim minority. At least 899 deaths and injuries were attributed to ISIL, which has previously been a relatively minor faction in Afghanistan, but last year launched an increasing number of suicide attacks. Last year saw the highest number of civilian casualties from suicide attacks since the UN began tracking the numbers. I ndiscriminate use of heavy weapons Afghan security forces caused about 20 percent of the overall casualties, while pro-government fighters and international forces caused two percent each. Among the deadliest tactic used by government forces was the indiscriminate use of heavy weapons, such as mortars in populated areas, the UN said. As the Afghan air force acquired more attack aircraft and the US ramped up its campaign against both ISIL and the Taliban, casualties in air raids increased 99 percent compared with 2015. OPINION: No consensus in Afghanistan on how to deal with Taliban Air raids by international warplanes resulted in at least 127 civilian deaths and 108 injuries in 2016, while the Afghan air force accounted for at least 85 deaths and 167 injuries. UN investigators were not able to attribute responsibility for 38 deaths and 65 injuries from air strikes. US officials have only acknowledged possible civilian casualties in one incident in Kunduz province in November, when the UN said as many as 32 non-combatants were killed and 26 wounded in a joint US-Afghan raid. Casualties among children spiked by 24 percent in 2016, with 923 dead and 2,589 wounded, largely as a result of a major increase in casualties from unexploded ordnance. Third secretary killed by a private security guard in Pakistan in what officials say appears to be a personal dispute. An Afghan diplomat was shot dead on Monday by a security guard inside an Afghan consulate in Pakistan, in what was described as a personal dispute, according to police. The security guard, also an Afghan national, opened fire on Mohammad Zaki Uro, a third political secretary based at the consulate in the southern city of Karachi, Hamid Hamdard, an Afghan diplomat at the embassy in Islamabad, told Al Jazeera. The guard, Rehmat Ullah, opened fire on a junior diplomat Mohammad Zaki Uro, killing him on the spot and wounding another consulate official, senior police official Azad Khan told the AFP news agency. Security forces and a heavy police contingent surrounded the consulate immediately after the attack amid fears of a possible assault. There was nothing of the sort and it seems the guard had some sort of personal grudge with the diplomat, Khan said. A local police official told the Reuters news agency that the guard used his automatic weapon, firing multiple bullets. Omar Zakhilwal, the Afghan ambassador to Pakistan, confirmed the shooting on his official Facebook account. Firing inside Afg Consulate General in Karachi at around 12:30 pm today has been carried out by an Afghan guard inside the compound resulting in fatality of one of our diplomats, Zakhilwal wrote. The consulate is located in Karachis upscale Clifton neighbourhood. The missions of Indonesia, Britain and France are nearby. Improved electrical wiring is being installed and new roads built in the aftermath of a blaze that damaged 500 homes. Major renovations are under way in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka after a fire razed 500 homes last month, with home builders trying to ensure that a similar disaster does not strike again. The central committee of the shanty town is trying to overhaul the entire Korail slum, overseeing the construction of new homes with improved electrical wiring and ventilation. The fire, which claimed one life, spread quickly because homes are crammed close to each other. An estimated 500,000 people live on less than a quarter of a square kilometre of land. Work is now being done to widen the alleyways to give better access to firefighters. But residents are hesitant to give up space. WATCH: Made in Bangladesh Behind the Factory Fire Even if I am willing to give up some space, others wont be, Yasmin Akter told Al Jazeera. I told my neighbour, lets both give up some space, so we can have a wider road between our homes. He refused. Dhaka is no stranger to deadly slum fires. More than 120 people were killed in June 2010 when a fire at a wedding party destroyed six buildings in the densely populated old part of the capital. Ex-Catalonia head on trial for organising a symbolic independence referendum in 2014 despite a ban by Spanish courts. Thousands of protesters have gathered outside a Barcelona court as the former head of the eastern Spanish region of Catalonia, Artur Mas, went on trial for staging an informal independence referendum. Shouting Independence, independence, Down with Spains justice system and We want to vote, some 40,000 people on Monday turned up at the court, many of whom held separatist red and yellow flags. Catalonia is home to a strong separatist movement and pro-independence campaigners held a vote in 2014 on whether to break away from Spain while Mas was regional governor. The poll was carried out without legal backing because the central Spanish government blocked it in the courts, saying it was against the constitution. The symbolic ballot was manned by volunteers to get around the restrictions. More than 80.8 percent of those who cast their ballot in the 2014 vote did so for independence although only 2.3 million people out of a total of 6.3 million eligible voters took part. Mas, who stepped down as leader last year, stands accused of disobedience against the state and wrong-doing as a public official. He could face a 10-year ban from public office if found guilty. But Mas defence lawyers argue that by agreeing to an unofficial vote in 2014, the Catalan administration was merely defending the right to freedom of expression of Catalans, many of whom want a say in the future of their 7.5 million-strong region. Independence isnt on trial here, democracy is on trial, Mas told journalists in the court. Its the first time that a democratic government is tried for having allowed people to vote. Its an unprecedented moment. Today, many of us feel as if were being tried, current regional head Carles Puigdemont added outside the court. Proof of Spains rule of law But Alfonso Dastis, Spains foreign minister, retorted that the trial was merely a proof of the rule of law in Spain. What is on trial is an act that failed to acknowledge a Constitutional Court sentence, nothing more, he said from Brussels, where he is attending a meeting OPINION: Catalonias declaration of independence The trial comes at a time of high tension between Prime Minister Mariano Rajoys minority government in the capital, Madrid, and Catalonias local separatist administration. Catalonias current government has promised to hold an independence referendum in September a binding one this time, with or without Madrids consent. But how exactly it will go ahead is unclear, as Rajoys conservative government insists that this type of local, one-region-only referendum is unconstitutional, and has vowed never to allow an act that would risk the unity of Spain. Last week, reports emerged in several national dailies that Madrid was considering drastic measures to stop a vote, such as closing schools where polling booths could be set up or taking control of the police, which is normally managed by regional authorities. The government neither confirmed nor denied the reports. Rajoy has given his deputy prime minister, Soraya Saenz de Santamaria, the task of starting regular talks with Catalan authorities, but so far these have not yielded any results. The Catalans themselves remain divided over the issue 44.9 percent want independence while 45.1 percent are against it, according to a recent poll conducted by a Catalan public institute. A large majority, however, wants a referendum. US president accuses court system of endangering the country after his controversial travel ban is put on hold. President Donald Trump has ramped up his criticism of the US court system, accusing it of putting the country in peril. His comments came hours after a federal appeals court rejected the Trump administrations request to reinstate a controversial ban on citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US. After an unusually long silence, Trump took to Twitter to say he could not believe a judge would put our country in such peril, arguing that the court system was making it very difficult to secure the country. 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 Trump also said he had told US border officials to check arrivals very carefully. I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2017 The ban, which also affected refugees, was blocked by federal judge James Robart on Friday. The White House and two US states legally challenging the ban Washington and Minnesota have until Monday to present further evidence backing up their respective arguments. Then, the court could schedule a hearing or rule on whether the ban should remain suspended. In its appeal to Fridays freeze of the ban, the justice department said the suspension was causing irreparable harm to the American public. It said Robarts ruling had run afoul of constitutional separation of powers, and second-guesses the presidents national security judgement. OPINION: The US Muslim ban and the story of my Iraqi father But the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the governments request for the travel ban to be immediately reinstated, without offering a reason. The restrictions on all refugees and travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen went into effect on January 27, causing chaos at airports across the US and leaving travellers trying to reach the country in limbo. Refugees from Syria were blocked indefinitely. The political backlash for Trump has been equally severe, with the order prompting numerous mass protests Top technology giants, including Apple, Google and Microsoft banded together with nearly 100 companies on Sunday to file a legal brief opposing Trumps immigration ban, arguing that it inflicts significant harm on American business. Noting that immigrants or their children founded more than 200 of the companies on the Fortune 500 list, the brief said Trumps order represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system of the United States for more than 50 years. The controversial executive order also inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth as a result, the brief added. Trump, who during his campaign called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the US, has repeatedly vowed to reinstate the ban. Im ecstatic Over the weekend though, legal uncertainty over the ban allowed travellers from the targeted countries to travel to the US. Fuad Shareef and his family were turned back while waiting to board in Baghdad as the travel ban initially came into force last weekend. But when the ban was put on hold, they tried for a second time. The embassy contacted me and they said you are able to travel, Fuad told Al Jazeera, after travelling with his family from Baghdad to Istanbul before passing safetly through immigration in New York. Kamal Fadlalla, a 33-year-old Sudanese doctor, rejoiced upon his arrival to New York after spending a week stuck in his home country. It feels great, Fadlalla told AFP on Sunday at John F Kennedy International Airport. It was a tough week actually. Iranian graduate student Sara Yarjani, who was initially deported under Trumps order, arrived in Los Angeles. I am so grateful to all the lawyers and others that helped me, she said tearfully. In Syria, a 25-year-old law graduate who asked not to be named said he was driving to Beirut on Sunday to catch a flight to Amman and then a connecting flight to New York. I jumped up and havent been able to sleep since. Im ecstatic, the man told AFP. The state department has said visa holders from the seven countries are allowed to travel to the US as long as their documents have not been physically cancelled. Protesters vow to keep pressuring Romanian government, but ruling coalition head says prime minister has full support. Romanias government has rejected calls to resign after mass nationwide protests forced it to scrap a controversial decree that would have decriminalised some corruption offences. Following the largest protests since the fall of communism in 1989, the Social Democrat-led government on Sunday rescinded the decree, which would have shielded dozens of politicians from prosecution. But even after the governments embarrassing U-turn, an estimated 500,000 protesters all over the country took to the streets later on Sunday chanting We dont believe you, we wont give up. The rallies were the biggest in the country since the fall of communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989, and some said they will continue protesting until the government resigns. No reason to resign But Liviu Dragnea, the leader of the ruling centre-left coalition and the chief target of the protesters anger, said on Monday that the government would not resign, sounding a defiant note during a meeting of senior party officials on Monday. IN PICTURES: Romania protests A familys fight Dragnea, head of the Social Democrat Party (PSD), was convicted of electoral fraud in a 2012 referendum and was barred from taking a role in the cabinet. After the PSD and their liberal junior partners ALDE won the December elections, Dragnea hand-picked Sorin Grindeanu to head his cabinet. Had it survived, the decree would have cleared Dragnea of his suspended two-year sentence for vote rigging and this could have meant that he would finally be legally allowed to occupy the coveted prime ministers seat. Dragnea, who is facing corruption charges and will appear in court on February 14, appeared in parliament this morning and said that he is fully supporting Grindeanu, Al Jazeeras David Chater, reporting from the capital, Bucharest, said. He said that they had a very comfortable majority in the elections in December and they saw no reason to resign. On Sunday, Grindeanu, the prime minister, told broadcaster Antena3 that he had no plans to step down. I will not resign, he said. Only the parliament could force him to go, but he had a definite majority there, Grindeanu added. In a separate development, Justice Minister Florin Iordache told reporters on Monday that he would publish the details of a new, alternative bill to update the criminal code, which would be put to the public for debate for a month. We will develop and publish a draft bill which will be submitted to parliament after public consultation, he said. But his own ministry later appeared to contradict him, issuing a statement that it was not planning to draft a bill. He was supposed to bring forward a new white paper on the criminal code, but later he appeared to say that he wasnt going to present anything, said Al Jazeeras Chater. Apparently they learned their lesson. OPINION: Romania Keep the corrupt in jail, where they belong The Romanian government is also facing a no-confidence vote filed by the opposition Liberals and Save Romania Union. Dragnea said that his party will fully support Grindeanu in the upcoming no-confidence motion. Romania joined the European Union in 2007, but has still not met the blocs requirements regarding judicial efficiency and fighting corruption. ISIL is now surrounded by Syrian army from the south and by Turkish-backed rebels from the north, monitoring group says. Syrian government forces have advanced on the ISIL-held city of al-Bab, cutting off the last supply route that connects it to the armed groups strongholds further east towards Iraq, according to a monitoring group. ISIL fighters in the area are now effectively surrounded by the Syrian army from the south and by Turkish-backed rebels from the north, as Damascus and Ankara race to capture the largest stronghold of the armed group in Aleppo province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday. The British-based war monitor, which tracks developments in Syrias conflict, added that the army and allied militia had made gains southeast of al-Bab overnight and fought ISIL there on Monday. Backed by air strikes, they severed a road that links the city to other ISIL-held territory in Raqqa and Deir Az Zor provinces, it said. A military commander in the alliance fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad said ISIL, which stands for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and is also known as ISIS, was now encircled. There is one narrow passage left out of al-Bab, the commander told the Reuters news agency. Government forces now had most of it within close firing range, he said. Key city The Syrian armys advance towards al-Bab risks triggering a confrontation with the Turkish military and its allies rebel groups fighting under the Free Syria Army (FSA) banner which have been waging their own campaign to take the city. In three weeks, Syrian army units moved to within 6km of al-Bab, as Damascus seeks to stop Turkey from penetrating deeper into a strategic area of northern Syria. READ MORE: Russian and Turkish jets bomb ISIL in Syrias Al Bab Its clear the regime is in a hurry to reach al-Bab, Mustafa Sejari, a senior rebel official in the FSA group Liwa al-Mutasem, told Reuters. The Turkish-backed rebels, who have also had the city in their sights for months, would fight government forces if they got in the way, he said. Turkey launched its campaign in Syria, Euphrates Shield, in August to secure its frontier from ISIL and halt the advance of the powerful Kurdish YPG militia. Backed by Turkeys air force, Turkish troops and FSA rebels on Monday clashed with ISIL fighters around the town of Bazaa, northeast of al-Bab, the Observatory said. Turkish-backed forces had briefly captured the town before suicide bombers pushed them out on Saturday. Al-Bab is 40km northeast of Aleppo, where the government defeated rebels in December its most important gain in the nearly six-year-old war. Northern Syria is one of the most complicated battlefields of the multi-sided Syrian war, with ISIL now being fought there by the Syrian army, Turkey and its rebel allies, and an alliance of US-backed Syrian militias. If a clash does occur, it would be the first time Syrian government forces have confronted the Turkish army on the ground in northern Syria since Turkey launched its operation. OPINION: Operation Euphrates Shield Progress and scope Russia, Assads most powerful ally, has carried out air strikes targeting ISIL in the al-Bab area in support of both sides, underlining big shifts in the diplomatic landscape. As relations between Russia and Turkey have improved, the two countries brokered a shaky ceasefire in December between the Syrian government and rebel groups fighting to unseat Assad. An official from one of the Turkmen rebel brigades backed by Turkey said the presence of Russian forces could help prevent a confrontation. There are Russian soldiers along with the regime forces who are leading the way and that is an element that could satisfy Turkey, the rebel official told Reuters. I dont expect clashes. Palestinian leaders condemn bill that legalises nearly 4,000 settler homes, calling it theft of Palestinian land. Israel has passed a controversial bill that retroactively legalises thousands of settler homes built on privately owned Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank, drawing widespread anger by Palestinian leaders and rights groups. The Israeli Knesset voted 60 to 52 to approve the contentious bill late on Monday de spite warnings by the governments top lawyer who had previously called it unconstitutional. Minutes after the vote, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) slammed the new law as a means to legalise theft of Palestinian land. The law demonstrated the Israeli governments will to destroy any chances for a political solution, the PLO said in a statement, stressing that the Israeli settlement enterprise negates peace and the possibility of the two-state solution. The so-called Regulation Bill applies to about 4,000 settlement homes in the West Bank for which settlers could prove ignorance that they had built on privately owned land and had received encouragement from the Israeli state to do so. The bill is seen as another step towards at least partial annexation of the West Bank, and could lead to a host of illegal settlements built on privately owned Palestinian land being legalised retroactively. Three Israeli NGOs Peace Now, Yesh Din and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel said they intend to petition the Supreme Court to cancel the law. This law will make theft an official Israeli policy by retroactively legalising illegal construction on private lands, said Anat Ben Nun, a spokesman for the anti-settlement organisation Peace Now. READ MORE: Israels settlement bill big step towards annexation International law considers all settlements to be illegal, but Israel distinguishes between those it sanctions and those it does not, dubbed outposts. The bill was a key demand for parts of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus right-wing cabinet, including the hardline Jewish Home party, which argues that settlers would be able to live without fear of being driven from their homes many of which they have lived in for years. The governments attorney general, however, has said that the bill was unconstitutional and would contradict Israels legal obligations under international law. Israeli MK Tzipi Livni warned that it would lead Israeli soldiers to the International Criminal Court. The bill would apply to 53 other outposts and homes within existing settlements recognised by Israel built on Palestinian land, according to Peace Now. More than 3,800 homes would be legalised, the NGO said. READ MORE: Palestinians decry Israels settlement bill The parliamentary session before the final readings began on Monday afternoon but was adjourned a short while later after all opposition members withdrew their reservations. Dov Khenin of the Arab Joint List said the opposition would not cooperate with the bills legislative process, accusing its proponents of acting counter to regulations. Though passed, the bill could still be challenged. Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said last week: The chance that it will be struck down by the Supreme Court is 100 percent. Al Jazeeras Imran Khan, reporting from West Jerusalem, said the Palestinian land owners could take their case to the Supreme Court as early as Tuesday. The Palestinian Authority says it has to see what happens next, and [will decide] whether they have to go to the ICC or the UN, he added. Amona demolitions Last week, a few hundred residents of the Amona outpost in the West Bank were evicted after the Supreme Court ruled that their homes were built on private Palestinian land. In parliament on Monday, Shuli Mualem, of Jewish Home, dedicated the law to the people evicted from Amona. The lengthy Amona saga including the evictions broadcast live on Israeli television directly inspired the bill. Nickolay Mladenov, the United Nations envoy for the Middle East peace process, said on Monday that he was concerned by the recent bill as it would enable the continued use of privately owned Palestinian land for Israeli settlements. If adopted into law, it will have far-reaching legal consequences for Israel and greatly diminish the prospects for Arab-Israeli peace, he added. Bezalel Smotrich, of the Jewish Home party, who was one of the forces behind the legislation, thanked the American people for electing Donald Trump as president, without whom the law would have probably not passed. The White Houses immediate response was to refer to its statement last week that said the construction of new settlements may not be helpful in achieving Israeli-Palestinian peace. The state department later said: The Trump administration will withhold comment on the legislation until the relevant court ruling. Since Trumps inauguration, Israel has announced more than 6,000 new homes in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, seen as key parts of any future Palestinian state. While Trumps administration last week expressed reservations over Israels settlement expansion, it also broke with previous administrations by saying settlements were not an obstacle to peace. President Trump hasnt been as strong on condemnation of settlements as previous US administrations, Al Jazeeras Khan said. With this bill, Netanyahu is playing to his domestic audience supporters have been pushing him to go even further. He can simply turn around and say, I tried my hardest. Under the bill, Palestinian owners would be financially compensated by Israel, but could not sell their land. Tank fire and air strikes leave at least three wounded as Israeli military attacks Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army has attacked a number of Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, wounding at least three people, according to Palestinian health officials. Israels military said the strikes were in response to a rocket that was launched from the Palestinian territory into Israel earlier on Monday, causing no injuries. Two Hamas posts were targeted by Israeli tank fire, a Palestinian security source told the AFP news agency, while air strikes hit targets in northern Gaza. Later on Monday, at least five air strikes hit Gaza City, while one struck Khan Yunis in the south. READ MORE: Hamas on the two-state solution and a new charter Ashraf al-Qedra, a spokesman for the Gaza health ministry, told reporters that at least three civilians were lightly to moderately injured in the air strikes. Hamas spokesman Abdulatif al-Qanou said in an emailed press statement that his movement holds Israel responsible for the current military escalation on the Gaza Strip and it will be responsible for the consequences. The occupation is trying to export its internal corruption crisis to the Gaza Strip. Therefore, the role of the Palestinian resistance is to defend our people from this aggression, he said. READ MORE: Fatah and Hamas to form unity government There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the Palestinian rocket strike. It was the first time since October that Israel had officially reported that a rocket fired from Gaza had reached Israel. In response to the projectile fired towards southern Israeli communities earlier today, the air force targeted three Hamas posts in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said in a statement, cautioning it will not tolerate rocket fire towards civilians. Hundreds demand justice for 22-year-old youth worker who was sodomised and beaten by officer with a baton. A 22-year-old black youth worker was arrested in France and allegedly raped with a baton, leading to accusations of police brutality and street protests calling for justice. Hundreds marched on Monday in the northern Paris suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois to demand justice for the alleged victim, named as Theo. A day earlier, one officer was charged with rape, while three others were charged with assault over the arrest on Thursday in the northern suburb. Theo suffered severe anal injuries which required surgery. He also suffered injuries to the head and face, leading a doctor to declare him unfit to work for 60 days. https://twitter.com/haziqpatel/status/828576489406861316 Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux confirmed late on Sunday that all four officers had been suspended during the investigation, adding that exemplary conduct and respect must guide the behaviour of security forces at all times. As anger boiled over the incident, there were minor clashes and arson attacks on the vast housing estate on Saturday and Sunday evening. At least five people were arrested, police sources said. The activist group Black Lives Matter France, an offshoot of the movement against police brutality in the United States, seized on the case and helped organise protests afterwards. Arrests end in nightmares for some Explaining Theos arrest, his brother-in-law Johann told BFM television: He was there at the wrong time and came across some crooks. His sister Aurelie called for calm as supporters gathered outside her brothers home on Monday holding banners reading Justice Pour Theo, or Justice For Theo. The local prosecutors office said that the police had stopped a group of around a dozen people after hearing calls characteristic of lookouts at drug-dealing sites. During the operation, they attempted to arrest a 22-year-old man. When he resisted, they used tear gas, and one of them used an expandable baton, the prosecutors office said, without giving further details. READ MORE: In France, Black Lives Matter has become a rallying cry The Socialist politician in charge of the Seine-Saint-Denis region where Aulnay-sous-Bois is located, Stephane Troussel, said the incident raised numerous questions. Although thousands of police are doing their work properly too many arrests end in nightmares for some young people. The image of the Republic is being tarnished. We have to urgently find a solution, he said in a statement. The alleged police attack follows the death last year of a man in police custody in another Parisian suburb, which led to violent protests. The death in July of 24-year-old Adama Traore led to nights of violence in Beaumont-sur-Oise against the police, with cars set alight. In 2005, the deaths of two teenagers who were electrocuted while hiding from police in an electricity substation sparked weeks of riots. Around 10,000 cars were burned and 6,000 people were arrested. The far-right National Front, which is riding high in the polls before presidential and parliamentary elections from April, jumped to the defence of Frances security forces. Its anti-immigrant leader Marine Le Pen rails frequently against lawlessness and promises zero tolerance of crime in the rundown suburbs which are home to many newcomers to France. If the facts are confirmed, then its serious and reprehensible, the partys secretary general, Nicolas Bay, told France 2 television on Monday. [But] one shouldnt take advantage to heap criticism on the police who do admirable work in very difficult conditions. French police say they are frequently targeted in rough areas around Paris and other cities as they play a game of cat-and-mouse with gangs and drug dealers. Officers protested in October last year, gathering in cities to denounce their increasing workload, bureaucracy, outdated equipment and what is seen as lenient sentencing for violence against officers. Nigerian president extends his medical leave in the UK as rumours swirl over his health. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has asked parliament to extend his medical leave, deepening suspicions that his health is far worse than officials are publicly admitting. The 74-year-old, who had been dogged by speculation about whether he was physically fit for office even before he took power in May 2015, had been due to return to Abuja on Sunday after taking more than two weeks leave for medical checks in the UK. President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the National Assembly today, February 5, 2017, informing of his desire to extend his leave in order to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors, his office said in a statement. It did not say how much extra time Buhari was seeking off. Buharis spokesman, Garba Shehu, told the Reuters news agency that the president was not in any serious medical condition. He declined to give details of the medical checks. Buhari, a former army general who headed a military regime in the 1980s, was last in London in June 2016 for treatment for what was said at the time to be a persistent inner ear infection. His extended leave could further erode confidence in his administration, already under pressure from investors to let Nigerias currency float freely to try to revive an oil-driven economy now is at its weakest in 25 years. As rumours swirled over Buharis health, some Nigerians took to social media demanding more details. Buhari has finally acknowlwdged that he is sick and has extended his stay abroad indefinately. It is now clear that Nigeria is in trouble. Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) February 5, 2017 What is scary now is the lack of transparency regarding the absence of @NGRPresident @MBuhari. Dear @FemAdesina what are you guys hiding? Kayode Ogundamisi (@ogundamisi) February 5, 2017 Nigerians deserve a better deal in leadership. We should begin to look for leaders in their 40's and early 50's and not men nearing grave! Jackson Ude (@jacksonpbn) February 6, 2017 Nigeria, which ranks 136 out of 168 countries in Transparency Internationals Corruption Perception Index for 2016, has struggled for years to fight corruption among its political elite. But since Buhari was elected to power in 2014 on a campaign that vowed to root out corruption, anti-fraud agencies have arrested several senior politicians accused of embezzlement. Russia, Iran and Turkey meet in the Kazakh capital to further discuss efforts to strengthen Syrias fragile truce. Representatives from Russia, Turkey and Iran have kicked off a technical meeting in Kazakhstans capital Astana to discuss details of the implementation of the Syrian ceasefire agreement. The meeting comes two weeks after the three countries reached an agreement in Astana to create a trilateral mechanism aimed at monitoring breaches of a fragile truce established in late December and paving the way towards UN-led peace talks in February. Representatives of Jordan are also expected to take part in Mondays meeting. The agenda for the meeting, according to a spokesperson for Kazakhstans foreign ministry, includes a review of the ceasefire implementation, and a discussion of a proposal submitted from the Syrian armed opposition about the truce. This is about creating a mechanism to control the implementation of the ceasefire, the ministry spokesman said. The parties also plan to discuss cooperation on humanitarian issues and increasing levels of trust between the Syrian government and the opposition. The Kazakh foreign ministry gave no information about the line-up of the delegations, who were meeting behind closed doors. Talks last month in Astana brought together representatives of the Syrian government and armed opposition groups for the first time since the beginning of the Syrian war in 2011. The two-day Astana talks, organised by Russia and Turkey, came as Moscow takes the diplomatic lead in the war after its 2015 military intervention helped turn the tides of the conflict in favour of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Before the meetings began, observers expected to see the first face-to-face negotiations between the government and representatives of the armed opposition since the war began, but rebels refused to participate in direct talks over ceasefire violations. OPINION: The FSAs demands ahead of Geneva The Russian delegation spent the two days shuttling between meetings with the Syrian government, the Iranian delegation one of the Syrian governments strongest allies, the opposition, and Turkey a key backer of rebel groups operating in the country. The talks marked the beginning of the latest diplomatic initiative to put an end to nearly six years of war which have left much of the country in ruins, killed nearly half a million people, and displaced half of the population. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Sunday the Astana talks were a breakthrough step in efforts to resolve the crisis but were not intended to be a substitute for UN-led talks. We are not planning to replace Geneva with the Astana format, he said in an interview published on the ministrys website. Deep divisions The talks spotlighted sharp differences between Moscow and Tehran over the possible future participation of the United States and also excluded Gulf states, both major backers of armed opposition groups in Syria. Iran, whose relations with Washington have nosedived since Donald Trump assumed the presidency, opposes any US involvement. Lavrov reiterated on Sunday that the US and Moscow were in a position to solve bilateral issues, improve ties and coordinate efforts to fight international terrorism, but said it had to be on the basis of mutual respect. The secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, also praised the Astana talks in a meeting with Russias special envoy on Syria, Alexander Lavrentiev, in Tehran on Sunday, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). But he said peace was not achievable with certain groups still active on the ground specifically the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, known as al-Nusra Front before officially cutting ties with al-Qaeda. As long as Daesh [ISIL] and al-Nusra and groups linked to them are present in Syria and they are being protected and supported by some countries in the region a political solution and peace for Syria and the region will not be achievable. The Syrian opposition have objected to Irans role in the Astana talks, blaming Shia militias backed by Tehran for violations of the fragile ceasefire agreement by launching military assaults in rebel-held suburbs of the capital. UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura said the UN would attend a follow-up technical meeting in Astana on February 6 to further discuss the implementation and monitoring of the ceasefire. More than 1,250 Catholic priests accused of child sex abuse in Australia with few allegations pursued in cover-up drive. About seven percent of Catholic priests in Australia were accused of sexually abusing children between 1950 and 2010, but few allegations were investigated, an inquiry in Sydney has heard. The scathing figures, released as hearings began on Monday over the allegations dating back decades, were compiled with the cooperation of the church as part of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The commission, Australias highest level of inquiry, reported 4,444 alleged incidents of sexual abuse by Catholic priests between 1980 and 2015. The inquiry also heard that 1,265 priests and religious brothers and nuns had been accused during a 60-year period ending 2010. These numbers are shocking. They are tragic and they are indefensible, Franklin Sullivan, head of the churchs Truth, Justice and Healing Council, told the commission in Sydney. As Catholics, we hang our heads in shame, he added, holding back tears as he described the massive failure on the part of the Catholic Church in Australia to protect children from abusers. As Catholics, we hang our heads in shame by Francis Sullivan, Truth, Justice and Healing Council Al Jazeeras Andrew Thomas, reporting from Sydney, said this is the first time overall figures have been put on the extent of reports of sexual abuse and they are alarming. The average age of an abused boy was 11 and a half; for girls, it was just 10 and a half. Senior counsel, Gail Furness, told the commission that 90 percent of the alleged perpetrators were male, while the average time between when the alleged abuse occurred and when a claim was made was 33 years Furness said the accounts of the experiences of the survivors in numerous hearings were depressingly similar. Children were ignored or, worse, punished. Allegations were not investigated. Priests and religious [figures] were moved. The parishes or communities to which they were moved knew nothing of their past. Documents were not kept or they were destroyed, she said. Secrecy prevailed, as did cover-ups. Many children suffered and continue, as adults, to suffer from their experiences in some Catholic institutions. Dreadful crimes against children Joan Katherine Isaacs, an abuse survivor, called the data gut-wrenching. There are just so many children who have been so damaged over tens of years because of the Catholic church, and because of the extent of their cover-ups, Isaacs told reporters outside the hearing. I just wanted to come to be witness to the exposure of these dreadful crimes against children. Six of Australias seven archbishops, and leaders of other Catholic orders, are being questioned by the commission for the final hearing. The worst-offending institutions were the orders of brothers who often run schools and homes for the most vulnerable children. READ MORE: Australian cardinal Church mucked up on sex abuse The church surveyed 10 religious institutions and 75 church authorities to uncover the abuse data on priests, non-ordained brothers and sisters, and other church personnel employed between 1950 and 2009. Prosecutions have been launched in 27 of the 309 abuse cases the commission has referred to Australian police, with 75 more being investigated, it says. Last year, Australias most senior Catholic, Cardinal George Pell said the church had made enormous mistakes and catastrophic choices by refusing to believe abused children, shuffling abusive priests from parish to parish and over-relying on counselling of priests to solve the problem. Two members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors set up by Pope Francis were invited to give evidence via video link, but instead opted to provide written evidence on the groups work, the commission was told. Church sexual abuse broke into the open in 2002, when it was discovered that US bishops in the Boston area moved abusers from parish to parish instead of defrocking them. Similar scandals have since been discovered around the world and tens of millions of dollars have been paid in compensation. Adelaide records a months worth of rain in one day as heavy downpours sweep through Melbourne. Parts of Australia are enduring record breaking summer heat this week with Brisbane and Sydney, both of which set records for the hottest January on the books. And while February may yet follow suit for these two cities, record books elsewhere have been awash with high rainfall totals. This weekend brought notable rainfall across the states of South Australia and Victoria following a series of violent storms that brought a months worth of rain to parts of the region. Nullarbor in South Australia recorded 50mm of rain on Saturday, well over three times its February average of 14mm. The next day the state capital, Adelaide, received 29mm of rain nearly twice its February norm of just 15mm. In fact, Adelaide is currently enduring its wettest summer on record, with 164mm of rain so far this season. The all-time record, set in 1925, stands at 173mm. Across the border, Victorias state capital was also drenched. Some of Melbournes eastern suburbs recorded around 50mm of rain. The city itself notched up 32mm of rain in just 24 hours. The storms in Victoria were violent enough to urge authorities to issue warnings for all of Melbournes beaches after faecal matter was washed up into Port Phillip Bay. The Environment Protection Authority expect the situation to last several days despite the fact that the weather is now improving as the wet and windy weather is gradually replaced by drier quieter conditions. Temperatures in Melbourne should be back up around 34C by Wednesday. Women in Swaziland risk arrest by wearing revealing clothes that violate moral standards, police spokesperson says. Women in Swaziland risk arrest if they wear miniskirts or tops which expose part of their stomach as they will be violating moral standards, a police spokesperson has said. I have read from the social networks that men and even other women have a tendency of undressing people with their eyes Wendy Hleta, police spokesperson The act of a rapist is made easy, because it would be easy to remove the half-cloth worn by the women, Wendy Hleta was quoted as saying. Offenders face a six-month jail term under the ban, which invokes a colonial criminal act dating back to 1889. The ban also applies to low-rise jeans. They will be arrested, she said. Hleta said women wearing revealing clothing were responsible for assaults or rapes committed against them. I have read from the social networks that men and even other women have a tendency of undressing people with their eyes. That becomes easier when the clothes are hugging or are more revealing, Hleta said. Traditional costumes However, the ban does not apply to traditional costumes worn by young women during ceremonies like the annual Reed Dance, where the ruling King Mswati III chooses a wife. The monarch already has 13 wives. During the ceremony, beaded traditional skirts worn by young bare-breasted virgins cover only the front, leave the back exposed. Underwear is not allowed. The law was enforced after a march by women and young girls last month calling for protection against a spate of rapes in the impoverished kingdom, almost entirely surrounded by South Africa. According to a media report, the march was blocked by police. The far-right leader says globalisation and Islamic fundamentalism are undermining French culture. The leader of the National Front in France, Marine Le Pen, has announced her bid to become president. The far-right politician is promising to free France from tyranny, blaming globalisation, the European Union and Islamic fundamentalism. Le Pen is hoping to ride the same wave of nationalism that led to Britains exit from the European Union and elected Donald Trump president of the United States. The Penelopegate corruption scandal involving Francois Fillon and his wife has thrown the election in April wide open. Can the rise of populism in the West win Le Pen the French presidency? If so, what will it mean for the future of Europe? Presenter: Sohail Rahman Guests: Renaud Girard: Chief foreign correspondent, Le Figaro newspaper Yasser Louati: Spokesman for the Collective Against Islamophobia in France Remi Piet: research associate on political economy and foreign policy, University of Miami Before the U.S. Senate votes on Betsy DeVos for secretary of education, UF College of Education students and alumni are letting Sen. Marco Rubio, R-F.L., know their distaste for the nominee. More than 140 people signed the Open Letter to Marco Rubio, which outlines why the group believes DeVos is unqualified to lead the education sector. Stephanie Schroeder, a UF education doctoral student, helped write the letter after DeVos nomination passed through a Senate committee vote Tuesday. The final Senate vote on the nomination is today. Two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have said they will vote against party lines, which would tie the results, leaving the final decision to Vice President and Senate President Mike Pence. If one more Republican senator switches his or her vote, and every Democrat votes along party lines, DeVos wont be confirmed. Devos is an education philanthropist, Republican fundraiser and advocate for charter schools, according to The New York Times. She and her children have never attended public schools, according to U.S. News and World Report. Schroeder, 30, faxed the letter to Rubios offices in Florida and Washington, D.C., on Friday. She doesnt expect Rubio to change his vote, but she wants to inform people about DeVos policies, she said. Its fantastic that so many people care about this issue, but I wish that our representatives would listen to us, Schroeder said. Schroeder said she disagrees with DeVos support of school choice, which are publicly sponsored programs that give money to families for private-school tuition, according to NPR. The letter cited a study about state charter schools performing worse than public schools and said the school choice movement promotes segregation of low- and high-income students, she said. Shes willing to send taxpayer dollars to support private religious schools, Schroeder said. I think its kind of frightening for someone to be in charge of our nations schools who basically wants to shut down public schools. In an emailed statement, the UF College of Educations dean and associate deans didnt take a direct stance on DeVos nomination. We support our students and student organizations in staying informed and actively participating in education-related public policy, the statement read. Some senators have received thousands of phone calls, mostly in opposition to the nomination, according to CNN. Rubios offices have refused to say how many calls or emails have come in about it, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Desiree Harned knows Rubio has at least five of her calls in his inbox. The 33-year-old UF education doctoral student signed Schroeders letter Friday. She said DeVos policies would affect her job and her 7-year-old autistic daughters education. Having her in that position would do a detriment to the strides that have been made in special education, Harned said. She said DeVos doesnt have a strong knowledge of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the law that ensures services to children with disabilities. The school choice movement would also take away public-school funding that helps students with disabilities, she said. If we arent supportive of education, then what does that really say about us as a country? she said. @paigexfry pfry@alligator.org UF professors urged about 100 Gainesville residents Friday to consider ways to combat climate change. Local environmental groups Paddle Florida, Citizens Climate Lobby and Alachua Conservation Trust, Inc. hosted the Gainesville premiere of Facing the Surge, a 2016 documentary showing the effects of rising sea levels at the Prairie Creek Lodge in Norfolk, Virginia. After the film, a panel including two UF professors answered questions about climate change. Romain Gloaguen, a researcher with UFs Agronomy Department, attended the screening to learn how the documentary suggested combating rising sea levels. If the message is to scare people about sea level rise, it was a perfect video, Gloaguen said. If the message was to say we have solutions, that wasnt the perfect video. People can make environmental changes if theyre taught to consume responsibly and reduce their carbon footprint, he said. When the researchers answered questions, Brett Scheffers, a UF wildlife ecology and conservation professor, said in order to reduce water use, people can limit their beef consumption to once a week. Information is powerful, and so the more you educate yourselves and the more dialogue you have with other people, the better off we will all be, Scheffers said. Andrea Dutton, a UF geology professor who also spoke, said its difficult to persuade people to care about climate change because the effects are often abstract, but its easy to see the damage already caused by sea levels rising. One of the most important things that we all can do is to just have conversations with people, Dutton said. Bob Tancig, a volunteer with Citizens Climate Lobby, said the group spreads awareness in communities across the nation and talks to elected officials about passing a bill addressing climate change. Tancig said UF students can help fight climate change by contacting their representative in congress. We as citizens have to assert our citizenship muscles, he said. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Erin McConnell refreshed her online petition every 10 minutes, hoping others shared her hope of turning Gainesville into a city of solace for immigrants. Ever since creating the petition Saturday night, in the hopes of making Gainesville a sanctuary city, the 46-year-old Gainesville resident has watched the number of signatures grow to more than 370. The petition reads, In light of the recent Donald Trump Executive Order on Muslim immigration, we are calling on Mayor of Gainesville Lauren Poe to declare Gainesville an immigrant Sanctuary City, one that protects undocumented immigrants from prosecution or deportation. We are all immigrants in this country, she said. We should set an example for other cities. On Jan. 25, Trump signed an executive order threatening to cut federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions, those that did not report undocumented immigrants to the federal government, according to NPR. On social media, Poe has spoken out against the threat before but did not explicitly voice a hope to make Gainesville a sanctuary of any kind. At about 4 p.m. today, as part of a different campaign, Poe will receive one of 150 signs that the nonprofit Welcoming Gainesville has been giving away for a $10 donation, said Richard MacMaster, the chairman of the organizations board. The signs, written in English, Arabic and Spanish, say: No matter where youre from, were glad youre our neighbor. I think it fits the spirit of Gainesville very strongly, MacMaster, 82, said. It seems to be something that people want to say. Joy Pitts, a 34-year-old Gainesville resident, signed the petition Saturday and shared it on her Facebook profile, because she said she believes its important to defend undocumented immigrants. She said making Gainesville a sanctuary city would reduce crime rates. Because undocumented immigrants fear deportation, they are less likely to report a crime, Pitts said. Our city is safer when everyone works together, she said. If our police doesnt worry about (federal immigration policy), they can just worry about doing their job. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now mkornfield@alligator.org @merylkornfield Today, President Donald Trumps nominee for secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, advances to her final confirmation vote in the U.S. Senate. Public outcry against DeVos has exploded in a big way (or, to borrow an expression from our president, big league or bigly or whatever). A spokesman for Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the Senate received about 1.5 million calls every day last week; a staff member of Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., said his office received 80,000 letters pertaining solely to DeVos nomination. With a likely 50-50 split for and against her confirmation, Vice President Mike Pence might just make an unprecedented journey to the Senate floor to break the tie for a cabinet nominee. I, too, have joined in the outcry, sending messages to multiple senators urging them to oppose her confirmation. However, at the time of writing, I dont know if the Senate has voted her in. With that in mind, rather than detail the many reasons DeVos should not hold any position in the department of education, I hereby dedicate this column to our public schools and, namely, what we can do to support them. For one, hands-on assistance can help students in both their work and play. A little one-on-one homework tutoring, for example, can motivate students to finish up their assignments, and an outdoor activity afterward allows them to let loose some energy and feel the positivity of a job well done. Public schools typically host after-school programs for these exact purposes, but they often need additional volunteers to keep them running. If you have a little extra time to contribute this semester, consider contacting a local public school and inquiring about volunteer opportunities like after-school programs. You can also do what I did for a semester and go through a program like MentorUF, which offers training and sets you up with a school program you can participate in during the week. Over the summer, you can reach out to programs like Kids Count in Alachua County and see how and where they need help. This volunteering helps twofold. Not only will the schools and students benefit from the help, but hanging out with the kids will remind you to keep up the positive energy and just have fun sometimes. If this semester is a particularly busy one, never fear: You can offer your time when you have the opportunity later, and in the meantime, you can donate other resources to your local public schools. To give monetary donations, for example, you can donate to the Education Foundation of Alachua County, which invests in local students through scholarships and educational programs. Its website provides a list of programs you can support, including Alachua County Public Schools Project Makeover and the science fair. Sometimes we dont always have money and time to spare, and thats OK: We can still help our public schools through several free, relatively quick methods. Do you think we should provide better funding to particular departments like arts or music? Write or call your elected representatives. Do you think students should have access to more books at all age levels? Collect your old chapter books from home and ask your friends to contribute, and then take them to a local library. There are plenty more ideas, and if you have any I havent mentioned, I encourage you to write them down, organize them into an opinion column like this one and submit them to this publication and others. No matter what happens today, we can keep working on behalf of education, on behalf of kids across the country, on behalf of our future. Mia Gettenberg is a UF philosophy and criminology and law junior. Her column appears on Mondays. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now I keep reading in the European fakestream media that the new upsurge in conservative democratic parties in Europe all comes down to fascists and paleo-Nazis. They are not any more than Republicans are fascists and Nazis. Euro-conservatives sound just like you, me, and Donald Trump. They talk about freedom and democracy. They talk about tolerance for democratic parties but not for totalitarian killers. They talk about taking control of their borders again. Their college campuses have been subverted and turned upside-down, just as ours have. Their police forces often turn against normal people on behalf of murderous barbarians, just as ours are being pushed to do. But normal people in Europe have finally gathered the courage to call the enemy by name. Europe's media constantly smear democratic conservatives as "extreme right" or "fascist." That is a vicious lie, as you can hear for yourself by listening to video speeches on the web by European conservatives. If you don't happen to understand their languages, you can listen to Nigel Farage, who sounds just like Trump. But notice that the Fakestream in Europe can never allow conservatives to speak, not without smearing them in the same sentence. Trump is a madman according to the media elites in Europe. But then their own democratic populists are also ready to go for a new Hitler, if you listen to the establishment media. I've just listened to one of the heroic figures of the resistance, Geert Wilders, who has twice been arrested and convicted of "hate speech" by the neo-fascist establishment in the Netherlands. Over there, the "mainstream media" have lost all credibility, just like the Washington Post and the New York Times. Over there, normal people are sick and tired and scared of the pile of lies they have to listen to every day. They no longer believe a word of it. Before Trump was elected, European conservatives were forbidden to speak out, accused of Nazism or racism. Today, they are finding their true voices. Democratic conservatism has gone international not as a centralized ideology, but as a commonsense revolt by ordinary people for their ordinary freedoms. Patriotism is coming back over there as well, and no, that doesn't mean a return to the Kaiser's militarism in Germany, or Napoleonic grandeur in France. It means a return to normalcy. When Euro-conservatives give speeches, Donald Trump gets tremendous applause. Trump's victory in the U.S. has given courage to tens of millions of Europeans, who have been afraid to speak out. Some have been jailed, and all have been smeared in the public media. But they are not going to take it anymore. You'll never, ever read this in the New York Times. Or in the WaPo. Or in the highly concentrated "news" cartel that controls what most Americans hear. Marxo-jihadist globalism is always the same, here and there. And just like here, ordinary people are outraged and ready to take to the streets. They are not fascists, and they are certainly not Nazis. They are not totalitarians of any kind at all. They are true democrats with a small d. Ordinary, healthy patriotism is in. Sensible talk is in. Crazy fascism can be heard coming only from the totalitarian left, just as in our country. The treacherous establishments in Europe are closely allied to the corrupting forces of jihad and the Soros left. Young, empty-headed kids are being indoctrinated there, just as they are here. Trained ruckus-makers in black masks are taking the side of jihad over there, just as here. Everyday Europeans are very scared, because their governments no longer protect them from thugs and rapists. Women are afraid to show their blond hair (or any other color hair, for that matter). The same fascist smear tactics we see in Berkeley today are being used in Europe. And no wonder: The sources of political poison are the same left-jihadist Axis of Evil we see in this country. These are people who have been told by Alinsky types like Obama and Hillary that the American middle class is "the enemy." And today, when they run the Organs of Propaganda, they are persuading airheads on colleges around the country that their parents and grandparents, normal Americans, are indeed their enemy. Obama is an expert Alinsky ruckus-maker. The term "community organizer" used to be called "Communist agitator," when Communists were not afraid to be labeled accurately, and agitation-propaganda is exactly what they do. The anti-Trump riots are organized by neo-Stalinists, who have never given up their quest for total power. They are not subtle about it. The U.S. media are now completely corrupt, united in their goal of destroying Donald Trump. The Euro-media are exactly the same. But normal people don't speak in a single voice. They speak in many voices. Democracy is unpredictable, and power cults around the world are starting to finally see it. If Islamist terrorism is the major issue threatening the world, the Islamic Republic of Iran comes a close second. Its geopolitical prominence, economic and military resources, and extreme ideology make it rife for international mischief. Economically, Iran is rich with 10% of the world's oil reserves and the second largest reserves of natural gas. It is OPEC's second largest oil producer. Its strategic location means it borders on a number of countries, which are in easy reach. It has the largest arsenal of ballistic missiles and the largest armed forces in the Middle East. Ideologically, as the Islamic Republic and with more than 10% of the World's Muslims, it dominates the Shia crescent running from Syria and Lebanon to the Gulf countries. By its support of Islamic terrorism; its testing of missiles; its continuing enrichment of uranium; its involvement in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen; its extreme ideology; and its constant threat to eliminate the State of Israel, it has become a major destabilizing factor in the world. Its diplomatic posture, which has gone through a number of changes, has been enticing. If Barack Obama's campaign slogan was "hope and change," that of the supposed moderate and "realist" president of Iran since 2013, Hassan Rouhani, has been "hope and prudence." The nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) of July 14, 2015, was supposed to ensure that Iran's nuclear program will be exclusively peaceful, and that for the stated length of time, Iran would not seek to develop or acquire nuclear weapons. Candidate Donald Trump may have been excessive in calling it the "worst deal ever negotiated," but clearly, President Obama was too "kind" to Iran. It remains to be seen whether the JCPA will prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability. Opinions differ about the extent of uranium enrichment facilities needed to turn natural uranium into the isotopes that can be used as nuclear material for weapons or power facilities. Skepticism about Iran's intentions is in order for many reasons. One is inherent in the document itself. Section 52 of the 1st Annex states that "Iran will abide by its voluntary commitments as expressed in its own long term enrichment plan." Even Reagan's famous remark, "trust but verify," is insufficient to find the reality in Iran because of the meaninglessness of "voluntary commitments." From the beginning, Iran benefited economically. Sanctions on Iranian organizations involved in the ballistic missile program were relaxed. The Obama administration agreed to pay $1.7 billion regarding a Iranian claim of the 1970s, concerning the purchase of American arms made by the Shah before the 1979 revolution a payment that was almost certainly a ransom deal for three American prisoners. The JCPA does not include specific provisions preventing Iran from conducting ballistic missile tests, a number of which have taken place since July 2015. Those tests violate the spirit, if not the exact letter of U.N. Security Resolution 2231 of July 20, 2015. Paragraph 3 of Annex B of the resolution states that Iran agrees "not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology." A starting problem is that it is difficult to draw an exact line between conventional missiles and nuclear missiles, and a conventional ballistic missile can readily be altered to fit a nuclear warhead. In its defense, Iran argues that the tests are appropriate because the missiles are not designed to carry a nuclear warhead. Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif said the missile issue is not part of the nuclear deal, and the ballistic missiles used in tests were designed only to carry a normal warhead for legitimate defense. The problem is that the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in March 2016, said it has missiles that can travel more than 2,000 miles, and thus pose a danger to the United States. In October 2015, Iran fired long-range surface-to-surface missiles. In March 2016, the IRGC fired two ballistic missiles, designed, according to its spokesman, to show Iran's deterrent power, and Iran's ability to confront any threat to the Islamic Republic. The head of the IRGC aerospace division said the test was to show Israel that Iran could wipe it out. Among the missiles were two Qadr H precision-guided missiles, one of which carried the phrase "Israel must be wiped off the face of the earth" in Hebrew. Whether to take this seriously is arguable, but certainly it has propaganda value. On January 29, 2017, Iran tested a cruise missile, Sumar, that can carry a nuclear weapon in addition to test-firing a ballistic missile and is capable of carrying a warhead and has the ability to reach Israel. It flew 600 miles from a site near Semnan, east of Tehran. The Sumar is said to have a potential range of 2,000 to 3,000 km, flies at low altitudes, and can evade radar and defense missiles. Cruise missiles are not mentioned in any U.N. resolutions that ban work on ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons. For President Trump and the king of Saudi Arabia, the launch in January 2017 is regarded as an event destabilizing regional activities. Trump has "put Iran on notice." Though there is no specific action related to the term, Trump on February 3, 2017 imposed sanctions on 13 individuals and 12 companies, freezing any property and funds they have under U.S. jurisdiction. The urgent question is whether the Trump administration will go farther. Will it end the nuclear deal? Will it impose greater sanctions? Will it deal with foreign companies doing business with elements of Iran's economy dealing with missile programs? In connection to the JCPA, the U.S. State Department Parameters on April 2, 2015 explained the prospective deal would state that U.S. sanctions on Iran for terrorism, human rights abuses, and ballistic missiles will remain in place under the deal. Iran is a country that abounds in violations of human rights, a large number of executions and use of death penalty, arbitrary detention and prosecution of journalists, human rights defenders, and women rights activists, and acceptance of child marriage. Islamic dress code is imposed in public places. Restrictions are numerous on opinions and freedom of expression. Websites that carry political news are monitored, and religious and ethnic minorities Baha'i, Kurds, Jews, Sunni Muslims are attacked. Is there a better candidate in the world for further U.S. sanctions? With slight shades of difference, wrote George Washington in 1796, Americans have the same religion, manners, habits and political principles. That is no longer true. The inauguration of Donald Trump sparked national protests obscene, vulgar, and crude -- by the Left. Over sixty congressional Democrats boycotted his inauguration. Plans to impeach him were in the works before he had even done anything. And when Trump fulfilled a campaign promise by cracking down on immigration from Muslim countries for the purpose of preventing jihadist terror attacks the Left took to the streets once again. And that was just Trumps first week in office. What do Americans of the Left and the Right have in common? Nothing -- except hate for each other. Washington was the chairman of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, where Americans met to hammer out a new social contract to replace the ill-fated Articles of Confederation. The Constitution was not only a work of pure genius, it was also a document of practical compromise. Severe differences existed between Federalists and Anti-Federalists, North and South, slaveowners and non-slaveowners. Yet the Americans of the Founding generation were able to agree upon a basic set of principles agreeable to all: limited government, separation of powers, enumerated powers of the Congress and the executive, limits on the powers of states, and a method for amending the document. In 1791, a Bill of Rights was added. The Constitution made the U.S. a creedal nation: agree with its principles, and anyone could become an American. But the Constitution of 1787 no longer articulates a set of shared principles. For practical purposes, today there are two separate and unrelated constitutions a constitution of the Left, and a constitution of the Right. The Leftist constitution includes the rights to abortion, anal intercourse, and gay marriage. The Right, reading the supreme law of the land as it was actually written, sees no such rights anywhere in the U.S. Constitution. For the Right, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed means exactly what it says. The Left believes that government has complete authority to ban any and all guns and ammunition from anyone not a member of the military or the National Guard. The Right believes that the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment was written to extend civil rights to freed blacks after the Civil War. The Left believes that the Fourteenth Amendment allows discrimination against white men and preferential treatment for women, blacks, and Hispanics, and that it requires that 50-year old male-to-female transgenders share public bathrooms with third-grade girls. The constitution of the Right says that the candidate with a majority of the electoral vote becomes president. The constitution of the Left says that unless a candidate wins the popular vote, he is illegitimate and is not my president. The constitution of the Right grants Congress the authority to regulate Commerce with foreign nations, establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization and repel Invasions; therefore, the government has the power to secure the border and halt illegal entry. The constitution of the Left, articulated by Emma Lazarus, insists that the U.S. must accept the wretched refuse and the homeless of the world. These two constitutions reflect two distinct and unassimilable cultures. The culture of the Left is urban, agnostic, socialist, gay and queer. It fancies itself intellectually and morally superior to the culture of the Right, which is rural, traditionalist, Christian and heterosexual. The Right regards Americas Founders as men of achievement, morality, and virtue. They see our European heritage as praiseworthy, for it gave us the Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution, electricity, medicine, clean water, automobiles, powered flight, and landed men on the moon. The Left sees the Founders as wicked, greedy men who cheated innocent Indians and enslaved innocent blacks. Whites of European descent raped and destroyed the pristine environment with global warming, imposed monogamy and heterosexuality upon women, and subordinated the peaceful cultures (like Islam) of black and brown people. Leftists regard conservative, rural America as the land of snake-handling, gun-toting Klansmen, lying in wait to lynch innocent blacks for infractions as innocuous as jaywalking. Conservatives cannot fathom how any sane person could attend the Folsom Street Fair, the orgy tent at Burning Man, or promote late-term abortion. Some liberal Jews believe that the U.S. has actually elected a neo-Hitler; they fear hiring conservative, Southern plumbers to fix their pipes. Pro-life Christians were elated to have Vice-President Pence address their annual march on Washington, D.C. There is not, and cannot be, any dialogue between these two groups. The Founders at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 established the federal system, under which a narrow set of national powers would be agreed to by everybody, and state governments would have wide discretion to create policies suited to their local cultures. It was a live and let live philosophy. Unfortunately, federalism failed first over slavery, and later over abortion, busing, affirmative action, gay rights, and so on. The Left insisted on nationalizing as many policies as possible. It destroyed the government of limited and enumerated powers, and replaced it with a Leviathan, powerful enough to force its perceived moral superiority down the throats of its opponents. Now that Trump is in office and the Left no longer controls Leviathan, they are in a panic and in the streets. This cannot end well. Every campaign promise fulfilled by President Trump will be enthusiastically received by the Right, but will only serve to further enrage the left-wing freaks, dressed as giant labia, shrieking obscenities, smashing windows, and burning cars in the streets. Violence and lawlessness will increasingly be seen as a badge of honor. These tens of millions of leftists will not go away. The next time their side wins, empowered by their rage, they will redouble their efforts to persecute the Right, and put conservatives out of business for good, so that no one like Trump can ever win again. It seems that we will be left with three options in the near future: the Right under Trump utterly destroys the Left; the Left regains power and proceeds to exact revenge and utterly destroy the Right; or separate into three nations, West Coast, East Coast, and Heartland. The first option is unlikely. It would require actions unpalatable to the Right, and probably could not be achieved without violating the principles of the Constitution of 1787. The second option is very likely. The Left has no constitutional scruples restraining it, and regards itself as so morally superior that its ends justify its means. And it has embraced the use of street violence to achieve its objectives ever since the 1960s. Perhaps the best option is the third. Why waste time and effort trying to persuade people who cannot and will not be persuaded? If Californians want to ban guns, parade around in bondage leather, and allow illiterates and criminals to cross the border to receive government benefits, let them. Ohioans and Michiganders ought not be forced to go along with it. But the present situation is untenable. The nation is like a car careening down the road, with two people fighting over the wheel. One pulls the car left, the other swerves back to the right. Sooner or later, a crash is inevitable. President Trumps assertion that millions of illegal votes were cast in the November election has elicited howls of protest from offended national reporters and pundits who demanded proof. Instead of recoiling, the President doubled down with an executive order to find out just how much voter fraud exists. It is hard to fathom how anyone, especially those inquiring minds of the Washington press corps, legitimately would be so uninterested in finding the truth. Despite insisting that the President provide evidence of voter fraud, he is being assailed even more vehemently by the Democrat pols, late-night talk show hosts and reporters when he offers to do just that. A 2014 report based on an investigation conducted by a consortium of 28 universities found that 6.4 percent of the 20 million adult non-citizens in the U.S. had voted in our elections. The study also concluded that, Non-citizen votes likely gave Senate Democrats the pivotal 60th vote needed to overcome filibusters in order to pass health care reform and other Obama administration priorities in the 111th Congress. That would translate into 1,280,000 illegal votes being recorded, of which an estimated 81 percent, or more than a million, would have gone to Hillary Clinton. But instead of being shocked and dismayed that this level of criminality may be underway, most in the press gloated that Mr. Trump had overstated the voter abuse. Questionnaires used by the consortium however, revealed a significant number of non-citizens who admitted to voting in our Presidential elections leading the researchers to conclude this group alone could have cast between a low of 38,000 to a high of 2.8 million illegal votes. We dont know the extent of the abuse because there has been no attempt to find out, and the liberal press will go to great lengths to keep it that way. To bolster its case that election fraud is statistically insignificant, the press points to the very few criminal convictions that have been secured by state or federal authorities. But do any of us believe that only those who are ticketed had sped down our highways on a holiday weekend? And state troopers actually make some effort to curtail traffic violations. The Justice Department, however, has been blithely indifferent to preventing possible election fraud. Obvious but unreported is the fact the Democratic Party pushes an open borders agenda specifically to increase its voter base and rails against vote suppression whenever anyone points out that these same illegal immigrants might be participating in and distorting our elections. Fraud long has been an ugly element of American politics, and it has been almost exclusively the dominion of Democrats. From the reckless corruption of the Boss Tweed and the Tammany Hall thugs in New York during the mid-1800s through the heavy-handed precinct politics favored by Mayor Richard J. Daley and his successors in Chicago during much of the 20th century, to the wide-spread graft of today, the Democratic Party has virtually sole claim to the mechanisms of election corruption. The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), of which former President Barack Obama has had a close working association and heavy funding for his campaign coffers, has a 40-year rap sheet of widespread voter registration fraud. Untold thousands who went to their just rewards years ago are resurrected on each election day to cast one more ballot for their favorite Democrat pol, while an estimated 2.8 million are registered to vote in more than one state and often do. In a recent interview, former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Agent Claude Arnold described the ease with which illegal immigrants can obtain falsified government documents in California. In every neighborhood where there is a significant illegal alien population, there are at least several document vendors that provide this service, Arnold explained. Typically people buy what we refer to as a three-pack either a counterfeit resident alien or work authorization card, a counterfeit California drivers license and a counterfeit Social Security card. Securing an illicit voter registration card at this point is no problem because the veracity of the documents is seldom confirmed by election officials in the state. I have worked in six locations across the United States, Arnold said. Ive probably arrested more than 1,000 illegal aliens in my career, and I routinely encounter people in possession of voter registration cards and many admit to having voted. It is no coincidence the 18 states plus the District of Columbia that demand no form of identification are those that normally support Democratic Party candidates. California, Illinois, New York, and New Mexico have disproportionately large numbers of immigrants and little effort is made to ensure which are legally entitled to vote. State officials in these jurisdictions actively avoid finding out what is going on. Officials in these states advance the predictably patronizing notion that members of minority groups are somehow less capable than Caucasians of securing any of the many legitimate forms of identification, and therefore are disproportionately turned away from the polls. Despite the fact that study after study prove this to be untrue and minority voter turnout essentially is unaffected by ID requirements, the left plods on with these foolish assertions. Mississippi, a state with strict photo ID requirements, now has the nations best ratio of black-voter turnout to white-voter turnout, and is one of several Southern states in which voter-registration is higher among blacks than whites. So which state has the greatest racial disparity? It happens to be none other than Massachusetts, which requires not one shred of identification to cast a ballot. Many nations (Germany, Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, France, Belgium, South Africa, etc.) require identification to vote. Americans want the same. A 2012 Pew Research Center poll found 77% of all respondents favored photo IDs. Fox News and Washington Post polls produced similar results. About 65% of African-American and Hispanics citizens also support voter IDs. Democrat bosses cling desperately to the threadbare canard that any request for photo identification is demeaning and racist. And yet to board a commercial airliner, acquire a business license, purchase a six-pack of beer, open a bank account or cash a check, secure a library card, apply for welfare or other social services, purchase a gun, rent a car and so much more require photo IDs. Our people have a right to expect that only U.S. citizens of voting age are allow to vote and just once in each election cycle. Each state should be required to put in place measures to protect the integrity of our elections. More than half a century after the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed to strip away Jim Crow laws that corrupted the election process in many states. It is time for the federal government to take similarly decisive steps to require states to certify federal voting standards are uniformly and strictly applied. In the aftermath of the March for Life and in anticipation of dull feminist caterwauling over a conservative pick to fill Justice Scalia's Supreme Court seat, it is useful to consider precisely what Roe v. Wade did and what it did not do. Leslie Marshall recently said on Fox News that if Roe v. Wade is overturned, then women will have only three states in which to get an abortion. Actually, at the time of Roe v. Wade, abortion was "legal" in almost every state in cases of rape and incest, as well as when the life of the mother was in danger. What Marshall meant is that abortion without any serious reason was legal in only three states. "Roe" in Roe v. Wade, who has regretted her involvement in this case to the present day and became a strong pro-life supporter, had lied about being raped in order to seek an abortion. The repeal of Roe v. Wade would simply return to state governments the power to regulate abortion by making it always legal or simply legal under certain conditions. The Supreme Court in a decision repealing Roe v. Wade could simply hold that all state abortion statutes existing at the time of that opinion are now invalid but that any state government that wishes to pass new laws regarding abortion can do so. How many states would pass such laws? There are a number of socially conservative states that would do so, but probably half of the states would not enacting such a law would require both houses of the state legislature and the governor which would leave America pretty much split in half, with the citizens of those states that oppose abortion on demand having state laws in tune with their values and the citizens of states that like easy abortion having the law in their states in tune with their values. In fact, it would be better than that. Citizens of states have a vested interest in practical, moral state laws, which is why these citizens and their state legislatures do better than Supreme Court justices in determining what is homicide and what is not, what is rape and what is not. Any state legislatures could legalize homicide and rape tomorrow, but no state has ever done so. Leftists who pine for the Supreme Court dictating everything related to abortion might want to consider what could happen if Trump and Pence are in the White House for the next twelve years, and the conservative justices of the bench outnumber the leftists by seven to two. That is hardly inconceivable. The Supreme Court, under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, might determine that an unborn child is a "person" within the meaning of that clause. If so, then it could indeed, it should also rule that that person cannot be deprived of life without representation of court-appointed counsel and a hearing to determine if it is in the best interest of that person to be killed. The unborn "person" would also have a liberty right protected under the Fourteenth Amendment. There would be no maternal "right" to a child, because that child would be a "person" before birth as much as after birth, and this "person" would not be the property or the livestock of the mother, and this "person" would not simply a "part" of the woman during pregnancy. Ironically, these unborn "persons" would be granted the same status in law women were granted when their husbands were no longer automatically the "head of the household," which feminists long have ballyhooed as a triumph of human rights. States could create a statutory presumption of fitness for law-abiding two-parent families but could also provide that a pregnant unwed mother on welfare and drugs has no right to custody of the "person" who moved from her body to society at birth, and that this "person" would either be placed in a foster home and the unwed mother ordered to pay child support or be placed immediately up for adoption if the mother wished to avoid paying child support. Feminists who rejoice at the right to murder that person a pregnant woman carries inside her may wish to think about just what might happen if conservatives find that the only way to protect the unborn is to have the Supreme Court give these helpless unborn babies the same rights leftists demand for illegal aliens and convicted criminals. Maybe we're crazy in Texas, but I hear that a lot of people actually hope California secedes. My guess is that they don't say nice things about Texas on the West Coast, either. All of this talk about secession reminds me of that great song, "Make it Easy on Yourself." Dionne Warwick's hit version went like this: If you really love her And there's nothing I can do Don't try to spare my feelings Just tell me that we're through And make it easy on yourself Make it easy on yourself Cause breaking up is so very hard to do... Yes, sometimes the best thing to do is to go ahead and get it over with. Please don't get me wrong. I want California to stay, but it may be time to give them a view of the future, as Carl Cannon posted: Here's the fun part, but only if you're a conservative with a fiendish sense of humor. First, huge population increases. These new pilgrims would range from native Californians (I presume we'd have dual citizenship) flocking back to their homeland to waves of anti-Trumpers desiring to live with like-minded sophisticates. Yes, California would take these ideological refugees. It's already full of "Sanctuary Cities" and, under Calexit, would be a virtual sanctuary state, a magnet for tens of millions of immigrants from foreign countries, including, presumably all those from President Trump's infamous seven Muslim-majority "countries of concern" who could afford the air fare. The Golden State would soon turn Golden Brown, too, and that isn't a reference to California President-in-waiting Jerry Brown. I'm talking water rights, specifically the Colorado River. Already, a Denver utility is planning a huge expansion of Gross Reservoir in Boulder County. Wyoming has similar plans afoot, too, in a Colorado River tributary and officials in Nevada and Arizona covet more Colorado River water, too. Under Calexit, the interstate compact that apportions Colorado River water would be the subject of treaty negotiations between two sovereign nations, one of which has the water, and the other which wants it. Keeping the lush Imperial Valley from turning into another Death Valley could cost trillions. All those new people you'd be looking at a population of 100 million would need drinking water, which would necessitate water desalination plants, fueled most likely by the nuclear power plants the state is now busily decommissioning. So let's call their bluff. Let's encourage them to secede and suggest a few changes: 1) The capital of the new nation should be called Obama City rather than Sacramento. How can any liberal state have a capital named after a Christian term? The city should be full of Obama statues, with his speeches broadcast every night. 2) Los Angeles will no longer be occupied territory, as many actually claim, and renamed Nuevo Mexico. 3) The name Donald should be illegal on all birth certificates. 4) They could put a ban on Republicans from the other 49, now a different nation. On second thought, we won't be so lucky. They won't secede, in large part because there are enough people in the Golden State who understand that the whole Calexit thing is pure insanity. So let's hope that the Golden State rejoins the other 49 so we can be a whole nation again. P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. John Bates, former principal scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) lab at the National Climatic Data Center, is accusing the agency of cooking the books to disprove the theory that there has been a "pause" in global warming and alleging that the motive for manipulating the data was to buttress the Obama administration's EPA carbon rules and build support for the Paris Climate Treaty. To absolutely no one's surprise. Washington Times: In an article on the Climate Etc. blog, John Bates, who retired last year as principal scientist of the National Climatic Data Center, accused the lead author of the 2015 NOAA "pausebuster" report of trying to "discredit" the hiatus through "flagrant manipulation of scientific integrity guidelines and scientific publication standards." In addition, Mr. Bates told the Daily [U.K.] Mail that the report's author, former NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information director Thomas Karl, did so by "insisting on decisions and scientific choices that maximized warming and minimized documentation." "Gradually, in the months after [the report] came out, the evidence kept mounting that Tom Karl constantly had his 'thumb on the scale' in the documentation, scientific choices, and release of datasets in an effort to discredit the notion of a global warming hiatus and rush to time the publication of the paper to influence national and international deliberations on climate policy," Mr. Bates said Saturday on Climate Etc. The June 2015 report, "Possible artifacts of data biases in the recent global surface warming hiatus," which updated the ocean temperature record, was published six months before the U.N.'s Paris summit. The accusations sparked a fierce back-and-forth Sunday between so-called climate warmists and skeptics over the validity and implications of Mr. Bates' claim, which he defended on the Climate Etc. blog run by former Georgia Tech climatologist Judith Curry. Zeke Hausfather, Berkeley Earth climate scientist, said in a Sunday "factcheck" on the CarbonBrief blog that the Karl paper's conclusions "have been validated by independent data from satellites, buoys and Argo floats and many other independent groups." "While NOAA's data management procedures may well need improvement, their results have been independently validated and agree with separate global temperature records created by other groups," Mr. Hausfather said, citing Berkeley Earth and the U.K.'s Met Office Hadley Centre. He said the record "strongly suggests that NOAA got it right and that we have been underestimating ocean warming in recent years." Independent analysis in 2015 when the report came out showed this same NOAA conclusion to be a question of giving more weight to sources that showed a rise in temperature as well as fiddling with past data to show a larger rise than was evident in the temperature record. This is exactly what Bates is alleging. Mr. Bates said he decided to come forward after reading a Washington Post article Dec. 13 that said federal scientists are "frantically copying U.S. climate data, fearing it might vanish under Trump." "As a climate scientist formerly responsible for NOAA's climate archive, the most critical issue in archival of climate data is actually scientists who are unwilling to formally archive and document their data," he said on Climate Etc. In his experience, the "most serious example of a climate scientist not archiving or documenting a critical climate dataset was the study of Tom Karl et al. 2015 (hereafter referred to as the Karl study or K15), purporting to show no 'hiatus' in global warming in the 2000s." It's very difficult to see how this data manipulation could have been the result of stupidity or carelessness. And it only proves what has become the norm for government scientists on a wide variety of issues: scientific agencies run by taxpayer dollars are not in the business of performing "real" science to get at the truth of an issue. They are in business to validate the political agenda of their masters in the White House. And if they have to manipulate data or, as in the Bush White House, ignore contradictory data, they will do so. At a time when non-partisan, honest, and ethical science conducted by government is needed, we are getting little more than political tracts that strengthen the argument on a science issue of anyone who happens to be in the White House. For all the billions we spend on science, the taxpayer is ill served. Following a week of high tensions between the Trump administration and Iran, it was quite interesting to see how Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, the man with the last word on all national security and foreign affairs, remained completely silent. After Tehran's latest missile test ended in a humiliating failure, with the re-entry vessel exploding, Washington launched a series of actions in a short period. This was unprecedented for the mullahs after eight years of the Obama administration's failed appeasement policy. And yet there remains a silver bullet-type measure that sends the ultimate message to Tehran. The Trump White House responded to Iran's ballistic missile test by first placing the regime "on notice." U.S. national security adviser Michael Flynn took the opportunity of his first public remarks to make the warning that sent shockwaves and a clear message. President Donald Trump also warned the mullahs how he differs significantly from his predecessor. Iran is playing with fire they don't appreciate how "kind" President Obama was to them. Not me! Not allowing the week to end, the Trump administration slapped on a new round of economic sanctions, blacklisting 25 Iranian individuals and entities responsible for enhancing Iran's missile program. There are also signs of more such punitive measures. "President Donald Trump's press secretary suggested Friday afternoon that more sanctions, and even military action, could be on the way," reports indicate. U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis, known for his "Iran, Iran, Iran" remarks, also sent a crystal-clear message to the mullahs by labeling their regime the world's "biggest state sponsor of terrorism." It has become a custom for senior Iranian officials, including Khamenei, to use Friday sermons as a platform to make remarks about foreign policy issues. And yet there has been no serious reaction from the mullahs' apparatus. This proves that Tehran has been caught off guard and miscalculated the Trump administration's possible response to its ballistic missile test. What is also interesting is that those advocating a policy of rapprochement with Iran, especially during the Obama years, refuse to recognize their dismal failures after eight years. Iran may resort to "terrorist attacks against Americans, attacks by Shiite militias against the thousands of American troops in Iraq, or pressure on the Iraqi government to deny the United States access to the bases where it trains Iraqi security forces," wrote Philip Gordon in the New York Times. Gordon was Obama's White House coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf region from 2013 to 2015. The Obama Doctrine left the entire Middle East in mayhem, to say the least. After the loss of so many lives, Iraq was gift-wrapped for Iran, and the mullahs' Shiite militias now roam freely, causing havoc using U.S.-provided weaponry. To this end, no individual affiliated in any way with the Obama Doctrine is fit to voice anything about how the Trump administration should plan its Middle East policy. One figure close to former Iranian president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani described Obama's tenure as the "golden era." With a new administration in Washington, this period, Tehran understands, is now over. Furthermore, the first episode of the Trump-Iran saga, starting with the January 29 missile test and reaching the point of sanctions imposed by the White House on February 3, has many forecasting a stormy journey ahead for Tehran. The Trump administration is evaluating further measures against Iran. The past two presidencies proved that neither war nor appeasement is the answer to tackling the mullahs. There is a third route very much available before America and the West: truly supporting the Iranian people as they trek forward in their quest to realize freedom and democracy through regime change. The main enemy of the Iranian people, and all nations of the Middle East, is none other than the mullahs' Revolutionary Guards (IRGC). Known for its major role in domestic oppression, foreign military intervention with an emphasis on Tehran's involvement in Syria, Iran's nuclear program, and ballistic missile drive, the IRGC should be designated as a foreign terrorist organization. With the grip the IRGC has gained over Iran's political and economic apparatus, an FTO blacklisting targets the mullahs' core entities and will ultimately bring them to their knees. As suggested by Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi, president of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), all deals and trade with IRGC-affiliated companies should be banned. The world remembers how Obama chose to exchange secret letters with Khamenei instead of supporting the Iranian people's 2009 nationwide uprisings. The Trump administration blacklisting the IRGC would encourage the Iranian people, knowing that the new U.S. administration stands beside them in their struggle for freedom. The actions triggered by President Trump's temporary ban on people from seven countries in the Middle East is evidence that America is unprepared for the ideological conflict with the Third Jihad. Those who oppose Trump's order see it as a violation of the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion. They do not recognize that the threat Trump hopes to counter is not the religion of Islam; it is from the ideology of Islam. The Islamists have openly stated that they plan to use America's ideas of freedom of religion, social justice, diversity, and compassion to weaken the Great Satan from within so that the "way of the Prophet" will finally dominate the world. They know they do not have the military strength to win in a war, but they believe they can achieve their goal through ideological conflict. Americans must make a distinction between ideology and religion. The ideology of Islam was used by Mohammad for eight years as he conquered Medina. His actions are now being followed by Islamists. But there is a distinction between Islamists and modern Muslims, such as Zuhdi Jasser, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and Abdel El-Sisi. All Islamists are Muslims, but not all Muslims are Islamists. The first are an existential threat to America, and the second are essential allies. One wants to erode and destroy Western culture, and the other wants to become part of Western culture. One wants to impose the authoritarian sociopolitical outer jihad of Mohammad, and the other wants the benefits of religion as understood by our founders. An ideology is a body of doctrine and myth used to achieve submission. A religion is a set of beliefs that allow individuals to shape their inner compass so they can make judgment between right and wrong, virtue and sin. America cannot survive if this distinction is not understood. Although Mohammad did not practice it, he did recognize the religion of Islam; he referred to it as the inner jihad and saw it as a struggle by an individual to overcome the baser instincts and become acceptable to Allah. Modern Muslims follow this religion of Islam, while they oppose the ideology of Islam. America is in an ideological conflict with a worldwide movement of Islamists, which they refer to as the Third Jihad. The Third Jihad is an existential threat to Western culture. It uses the means of warfare, not the military action of war or the accepted ways of peace. Islamists are those who believe in an ideology of supremacy practiced by Mohammad, which he referred to as the outer jihad. This movement includes Islamist militants who use violence and terror, but also Islamist "moderates," who claim that Islam is a religion of peace yet are actually a fifth column wolves in sheep's clothing. This would include the Muslim Brotherhood, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Islamic Society of North America, the Muslim American Society, Muslim Student Association chapters, and the Holy Land Foundation. Americans must open their eyes and do what is necessary to achieve success in warfare against the Islamists of the Third Jihad. Modern Muslims must know they can trust America. Americans need to recognize that the ideology of Islam violates the U.S. Constitution, while the religion of Islam is protected by the Constitution. To defeat the Third Jihad, Americans need to be more skillful in the use of sanctions, covert operations, deceptions, strategic communication, human intelligence, organizing and motivating, 48-hour tribunals, insurrection, assassination, satisfying aspirations, and network-building. For more on this subject, see VICTORY at Amazon.com. Sam C. Holliday, Armiger Cromwell Center, LLC. Does the 9th Circuit want anyone to assert border integrity? Doesn't look like it. Late in the day last Saturday, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denied president Trump's DOJ emergency request to stay the temporary restraining order issued by Seattle federal district court judge James L Robart. Judge Robart blocked Trump's executive order temporarily halting travel from seven countries, whose ties to terrorism pose a significant security risk to the United States. The 9th Circuit completely forgot about its own opinion from 2011 in Arizona v. United States, wherein it affirmed a lower court ruling that struck several Arizona statutes intended to thwart illegal immigration. Arizona was sued by Obama's DOJ for usurping the federal supremacy in immigration and lost. The basis for the 9th Circuit opinion was primarily the Supremacy Clause: The federal preemption doctrine stems from the Supremacy Clause, U.S. Const. art. VI, cl. 2, and the "fundamental principle of the Constitution that Congress has the power to preempt state law." Apparently the 9th Circuit, wanting to sleep in this Sunday morning, was also too lazy to examine the earlier Trump DOJ pleading that opposed the original complaint from the states of Washington and Minnesota to invalidate Trump's executive order: Congress has "plenary power" over the admission and exclusion of aliens, Kleindienst v. Mandel, 408 U.S. 753, 766 (1972), and here expressly has delegated to the President the broad power to suspend entry "of any class of aliens into the United States." 8 U.S.C. 1182(f). The President's exercise of his Section 1182(f) authority is committed to his discretion by law, and thus judicial review is precluded. Moreover, that delegation, combined with the President's own Article II powers in this realm, placed the President at the apex of his authority when issuing the Executive Order. As the Supreme Court repeatedly has held, Article II confers upon the President expansive authority over foreign affairs, national security, and immigration. See Knauff v. Shaughnessy, 338 U.S. 537, 542 (1950) ("The exclusion of aliens is a fundamental act of sovereignty ... inherent in the executive power to control the foreign affairs of the nation.");United States v. Curtiss-Wright Exp. Corp., 299 U.S.304, 320 (1936) (discussing "the very delicate, plenary and exclusive power of the President as the sole organ of the federal government in the field of international relations a power which does not require as a basis for its exercise an act of Congress[.]") The U.S. Supreme Court in June 2012 concurred with the 9th Circuit in Arizona by reinforcing the supremacy of the federal government both Congress and the president over the states in immigration and national security. From several parts of the syllabus from the SCOTUS opinion: Held: 1. The Federal Government's broad, undoubted power over immigration and alien status rests, in part, on its constitutional power to "establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization," Art. I, 8, cl. 4, and on its inherent sovereign power to control and conduct foreign relations, see Toll v. Moreno, 458 U. S. 1, 10. Federal governance is extensive and complex. Among other things, federal law specifies categories of aliens who are ineligible to be admitted to the United States[.] ... 2. The Supremacy Clause gives Congress the power to preempt state law. A statute may contain an express preemption provision, see, e.g., Chamber of Commerce of United States of America v. Whiting, 563 U. S. ___, ___, but state law must also give way to federal law in at least two other circumstances. First, States are precluded from regulating conduct in a field that Congress has determined must be regulated by its exclusive governance. See Gade v. National Solid Wastes Management Assn., 505 U. S. 88, 115. Intent can be inferred from a framework of regulation "so pervasive ... that Congress left no room for the States to supplement it" or where a "federal interest is so dominant that the federal system will be assumed to preclude enforcement of state laws on the same subject." Rice v. Santa Fe Elevator Corp., 331 U. S. 218, 230. Second, state laws are preempted when they conflict with federal law, including when they stand "as an obstacle to the accomplishment and execution of the full purposes and objectives of Congress." Hines v. Davidowitz, 312 U. S. 52, 67. Pp. 78. 3. 3. Sections 3, 5(C), and 6 of S. B. 1070 are preempted by federal law. Pp. 819. (a) Section 3 intrudes on the field of alien registration, a field in which Congress has left no room for States to regulate. In Hines, a state alien-registration program was struck down on the ground that Congress intended its "complete" federal registration plan to be a "single integrated and all-embracing system." 312 U. S., at 74. That scheme did not allow the States to "curtail or complement" federal law or "enforce additional or auxiliary regulations." Id., at 66-67. The federal registration framework remains comprehensive. Because Congress has occupied the field, even complementary state regulation is impermissible. So on the one hand we have the 9th Circuit, bolstered by POTUS, establishing federal supremacy over immigration matters. On the other hand, Judge Robart would deny the federal government's authority over immigration matters, permitting piecemeal nullification by the states. Indeed, if the 9th Circuit upholds Judge Robart's TRO, allowing the states to annul federally established immigration prerogatives while frustrating the president's sole authority in conducting foreign policy and executing national security, then no one neither the feds nor the states will have any authority to establish sovereign borders, nor protect such borders in any manner. President Trump was justified in labeling Robart a "so-called" judge. Perhaps Robart can be given a temporary pass for just being a fool. After all, Robart could have devoted five minutes in reading Boston federal judge Nathaniel Gorton's opinion on the same topic, issued a day earlier, denying petitioner's request to overturn Trump's E.O.: The power to admit or exclude aliens is a sovereign prerogative and aliens seeking admission to the United States request a "privilege." Landon v. Plasencia, 459 U.S. 21, 32 (1982). It is "beyond peradventure" that "unadmitted and nonresident aliens" have no right to be admitted to the United States. Adams v. Baker, 909 F.2d 643, 647 (1st Cir. 1990). There is no constitutionally protected interest in either obtaining or continuing to possess a visa. Here, the President has exercised his broad authority under 8 U.S.C. 1182(f) to suspend entry of certain aliens purportedly in order to ensure that resources are available to review screening procedures and that adequate standards are in place to protect against terrorist attacks. Exec. Order 13,769 3(c). We'll see soon enough if Judge Robart's dunce cap is a "one size fits all" variety, easily issued to the 9th Circuit appellate jurists. Of course, dunce caps, some custom-made, are often the headgear of choice among the learned judiciary, even for the U.S. Supreme Court. In today's sob story article warning that up to 8 million illegals could be deported for breaking the law, the L.A. Times throws some fishy statistics around. The White House insisted that it is intent on rooting out those who endanger Americans. Trump aides pointed to 124 people who were released from immigration custody from 2010 to 2015 who went on to be charged with murder. The L.A. Times would have us believe that President Trump's hullabaloo over dangerous criminal aliens is about 124 people? There is something odious about these statistics. It is odious that our own government covers up the number of criminal aliens. It is odious that the liberal press supports the cover-up. Most odious of all is the liberal acceptance of collateral damage to the lives and safety of American citizens (black, white, yellow, and brown) in the service of their open border agenda. President Obama personally canceled 75% of our bombing runs on ISIS because he insisted on avoiding civilian casualties in the Muslim population. But to our progressive fellow citizens, American life has little worth, here in our own home. The cost to Americans who are the victims of murder, rape, and violent assault at the hands of illegals is incalculable and totally unacceptable. Not to worry, CNN tells us. Of the one million detainer requests sent to police by ICE, "only" 8.6% were convicted of serious offenses. Don't CNN journalists do math? That's 86,000 illegal aliens convicted of serious crimes during Obama's last term. It is hard to get the facts, because the government has purposely not kept statistics on the number of illegals in our federal prison system. Fox News reported in 2015 that a source from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said "that comprehensive statistics on illegal immigrant crime are not available from the federal government, and suggested contacting county, state and federal jail and prison systems individually to compose a tally, a process that would encompass thousands of local departments." ... some states do readily track illegal immigration and crime, but they withhold the specific numbers from the public out of fear of backlash from the federal government or for political purposes. A Google search mostly lists liberal articles claiming that illegals commit few crimes of any sort. But Paul Bedard at the Washington Examiner uncovered this: The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in 2015 decided not to deport but release 19,723 criminal illegal immigrants, including 208 convicted of murder, over 900 convicted of sex crimes and 12,307 of drunk driving, according to new government numbers. Overall, those released into virtually every state and territory of America had a total of 64,197 convictions among them, for an average of 3.25 convictions each, according to an analysis by the Center for Immigration Studies. ICE also said that the group were convicted of 8,234 violent crimes. ... "chances are high that the aliens will re-offend. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 71 percent of violent offenders, 77 percent of drug offenders, and 82 percent of property offenders will be arrested for a new crime within five years of release from jail or prison." So in one year alone, 1,108 illegals who committed murder and sex crimes were released into our population, for an average of 3,600 crimes, and more than 700 could be expected to kill and rape again and again. There are more government statistics that differ from the L.A. Times figure of 124. DHS states that it has identified 221,000 non-citizens in the nation's jails. The Federal Bureau of Prisons reports that 26.4 percent of inmates in federal prisons are non-U.S. citizens. In 2009, 57 percent of the 76 fugitive murderers most wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were foreign-born. From 1998 to 2007, 816,000 criminal aliens were removed from the United States because of a criminal charge or conviction. This is equal to about one-fifth of the nation's total jail and prison population. These figures do not include those removed for the lesser offense of living or working in the country illegally. From the GAO's 2011 report to Congress, we learn that aliens were 40% of the DOJ's terrorism investigations, the rest being home-grown. Most convictions of aliens in New York were for murder, not minor crimes. GAO estimates that costs to incarcerate criminal aliens in federal prisons and SCAAP reimbursements to states and localities ranged from about $1.5 billion to $1.6 billion annually from fiscal years 2005 through 2009. This is a huge financial cost to U.S. citizens. Tom Tancredo at Breitbart writes: In my home state of Colorado, state prison system was holding 2,039 criminal aliens at a cost of $37,958 per inmate. That is a total cost of $77,396,362. The federal reimbursement grant was $2,077, 720. That is a grant of 2.7 cents for every dollar of actual cost. Those 2,039 criminal alien inmates were 14% of all state prison inmates: One in every seven felons in the state prison system is a criminal alien. What are the comparable numbers for your state? You can discover the SCAAP grant amounts for each state prison system and the local county jails applying for federal reimbursement at this website. Here is one last, heartening statistic: according to a poll by U.C. Berkeley, 74% of California residents want an end to sanctuary cities. Hat tip: PJMedia Digital-age privacy advocates should be thrilled with President Trump's nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court precisely because he is a superb originalist. Gorsuch won't disappoint law-and-order types, either. Unlike ideologues who focus on judicial outcomes, Gorsuch's application of originalism will satisfy the needs of law, order, and liberty. Originalism, which is treating the Constitution as the Founders wrote and meant it, is an advantage for liberty and privacy in the digital age, as remarkable as that may sound. The Founders, of course, knew nothing of computers and emails. They did, however, establish the Fourth Amendment protecting the right of security in our "papers and effects" in addition to our "persons and houses." Warrants may be issued only after presentation of probable cause under oath and affirmation. It was clearly understood at the time of the Founding that warrants could be issued only by neutral judicial officers, not police or other government agents. Sir Matthew Hale, the great seventeenth-century English jurist who influenced the Founders' thoughts on law, order, and liberty in his 1736 posthumous publication, Historia Placitorum Coronae, called warrants "judicial acts." The 1780 Massachusetts precursor to the Fourth Amendment written by John Adams was the first to use the term "unreasonable" to describe search and seizure. A search pursuant to a warrant without probable cause presented in advance under oath and affirmation directing a searching agent to carry out his duty was "unreasonable" under Adams's version. This protocol relying on a separation of powers in advance of a search reflected the experience and practice of the time. Even the general warrants known as the Writs of Assistance, which helped foment the Revolutionary War, were issued by judges. Nowhere does the Fourth Amendment mention privacy. The Bill of Rights protect various liberties in isolation, but the Founders understood how our liberties are interwoven just as, for example, the Second Amendment protecting an isolated right in itself aids in protecting the security of our lives and property. Privacy, like other natural rights understood by the Founders, is shielded by the Fourth Amendment's protection of private property and our persons. Protection of privacy, therefore, is a derivative of the Fourth Amendment's protection of private property. In fact, the Fourth Amendment was written in large part because of violations of freedom of speech and publication, religious rights, and people's livelihoods. The Fourth Amendment is an essential bulwark in the protection of the constitutional fabric of liberty. The separation of powers is also essential to protecting liberty, as James Madison told us. This is why warrants were always supposed to be issued by detached judicial officials, and never by police or other government officials or agencies responsible for conducting the searches. An August 2016 opinion in United States v. Ackerman demonstrates Judge Gorsuch's grasp of how the Fourth Amendment is best understood by viewing it from an originalist perspective. Ackerman's AOL account screened and indicated that he was sending child pornography. Pursuant to federal law, AOL reported this to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Without a judge-issued warrant, NCMEC opened Ackerman's emails. Gorsuch's use of originalism is marvelous in helping us understand the purposes and bases underlying modern laws protecting society from private miscreants while protecting our right of security against government abuse and trespass. In reviewing whether NCMEC was a government actor for Fourth Amendment search purposes, Judge Gorsuch first goes back to the 1819 landmark decision Trustees of Dartmouth College v. Woodward, which addressed "public" corporations such as municipalities versus private corporations. Gorsuch then puts subsequent court decisions in proper context based on the genius of the Founders expressed by jurists John Marshall and Joseph Story. Judge Gorsuch then reviews police powers, which he notes are one of the basic functions of government. He describes how the law governing police conduct developed from the times preceding professional police departments. Citizens of the community were the de facto law and order, with the aid of a few constables and such. Police powers, Gorsuch notes, originally were not much broader than what were "enjoyed by any private citizen including the right to carry a weapon, to use deadly force in self-defense, and to conduct citizen's arrests." Common law and natural law rights understood by the Founders played a big role in shaping the Bill of Rights. For example, on how government should be restrained, Anti-Federalist Brutus wrote, "It is therefore as proper that bounds should be set to [government officials'] authority, as that government should have at first been instituted to restrain private injuries." Indeed, the Fourth Amendment was originally understood in terms of private trespass. We know this because the remedies for unlawful or unreasonable searches or seizures were based in lawsuits under common law remedies against private individuals such as trespass and replevin (reclaiming property through judicial process). As understood by the influential English jurist Sir William Blackstone, trespass was slightly broader than that concept is treated today. It was an injury to various rights, not just land. Trespass had and has exceptions for emergency circumstances, such as entering a burning building to save a child, plain view of a crime, and other limited circumstances that were and are "reasonable." The Fourth Amendment acknowledges another exception to government trespass, which is when warrants are issued after probable cause is presented under oath and affirmation. This "exception" to government trespass is "reasonable" to protect society from miscreants. Its protocols of probable cause for warrants issued under the separation of powers protect against government abuse of this power. Judge Gorsuch ruled that NCMEC was a government agent, and its opening of Ackerman's email was a search under the Fourth Amendment. He wrote, "We are dealing ... with a warrantless opening and examination of (presumptively) private correspondence that could have contained much besides potential contraband for all anyone knew. And that seems pretty clearly to qualify as exactly the type of trespass to [property] that the framers sought to prevent when they adopted the Fourth Amendment." He notes that it is clear that the "common law's ancient trespass to chattels doctrine" applies to electronic communications. The entire opinion written by Judge Gorsuch carefully respects precedent. Yet it also notes how a several-decade departure by the courts from the property bases of the Fourth Amendment in favor of an unstated "expectation of privacy" was not sufficient to protect the scope of the right to security that is the lodestar of the Fourth Amendment. Judge Gorsuch cites a 2012 opinion written by the late Antonin Scalia in United States v. Jones resurrecting the lost property and trespass concepts of this right in the security that the Fourth Amendment protects. In returning the case to the trial court, Gorsuch provides the direction that satisfies the Fourth Amendment's dual purposes of protecting the community against private miscreants and the individual right of security in digital property: "[W]e are confident that NCMEC's law enforcement partners will struggle not at all to obtain warrants to open emails when the facts in hand suggest, as they surely did here, that a crime against a child has taken place." As an on-and-off Saturday Night Live viewer since 1975, I have begun to find it difficult to watch the show. The show has always been dominated by liberal actors and comedians. Comedy is supposed to be humorous, but lately the show relentlessly attacks the Trump administration personnel as evil. Alec Baldwin's portrayal of Donald Trump has become so mean-spirited that it can appeal only to the progressives in the audience. During the campaign, SNL pitted Baldwin's Trump against Kate McKinnon's portrayal of a maniacal Hillary Clinton. The counter-posed characters' defects appeared more evenly matched and, therefore, acceptable. Satire requires some truth for the comedic effect. Saturday's SNL's cold open skit portrays Steve Bannon as the "grim reaper." Further, Trump is shown as Bannon's puppet, content to play with toys at a smaller desk. Anyone who knows Trump could not see this aspect of his personality. He is a dominant personality, as the last two weeks have shown. A person who has created a multi-billion-dollar empire may provide many opportunities for mockery, but he is not stupid or docile. In that skit, Trump is shown threatening war with Australia after speaking to and hanging up on Bennett's impersonation of Turnbull. Then he goes on to threaten Mexico after talking to Nieto. The president next calls and threatens Angela Merkel and Germany. These are excessive but cute. The issue of immigration could be funny, but this will whip up a dangerous frenzy if pushed too far. In contrast, Melissa McCarthy's portrayal of Sean Spicer was humorous and stole the show. Previously, Baldwin played Trump as too occupied with trivia to get presidential security briefings. McKinnon's portrayal of Kellyanne Conway has fallen short as she plays a befuddled and meek woman, hardly matching the real person in any way. In the past, Tina Fey played Sarah Palin so well that the quotes of each were confused; Fey could see Russia from her home, but not Palin. President Ford, a real athlete, was shown as clumsy. GHW Bush wouldn't be prudent. These were funny attempts at caricature. By contrast, as the tweets between the Baldwin and Trump indicate, their feud is personal. I doubt that I will continue to watch the show if this continues. I suspect that the viewership has declined. A softening would go a long way to calming the anger in the streets. Hollywood and broadcasting celebrities are threatening our democracy as Trump supporters now ignore them while his detractors think he is evil. Polarization cannot breach the divide, but humor can. The federal courts are making a power grab early in President Trump's term. Trump's executive order, a temporary entry ban from seven dangerous countries, was modest in scope and had ample precedent: Barack Obama had temporarily stopped immigration from Iraq, and Jimmy Carter from Iran. Historically, the president has been given a wide latitude when it comes to matters of national security, and the decision of whom to let into our country is clearly a national security matter. And yet Judge James Robart made a radical move to reopen our borders to all these people from chaotic, ISIS-infested places like Iraq, Yemen, and Syria, potentially putting American lives in danger. President Trump is appealing, but it will take a while for the appeal to wind its way through the Ninth Circuit and probably the Supreme Court. Judge Robart's reason is totally nonsensical: that the people of Washington state and Minnesota will suffer if people from Sudan and Yemen aren't allowed to enter the country. The exact opposite is true. That's why President Trump should label this decision an illegitimate, unconstitutional power grab and disregard it. He can continue to appeal it but make it clear that he is not going to comply with the restraining order, even temporarily. Because, win or lose, the matter will not stop here. Trump's executive order is mild. He's going to have to issue a lot of much more substantive orders in the months to come. If Trump gives in to the politicized judiciary on this, they will smell blood in the water and challenge his later decisions. Let's say Trump actually wants to have a permanent ban on refugees from Syria or Iraq, for security reasons. A court could overturn it on the same grounds. Suppose Trump wants to stop all refugees coming to America for a year. A court could actually force Trump to let 100,000 or more refugees in if Trump lets it. A court could stop Trump from doing enhanced vetting, claiming that it discriminates against Muslims from ISIS-infested countries. A court could also stop Trump's border wall, claiming that it would have a negative effect on a snail or a worm. That's why Trump can't give in on his relatively limited executive order. If he does, he will give the courts a green light to keep America an open borders country. Liberals will immediately claim that Trump is precipitating a constitutional crisis. But it is the courts that are precipitating such a crisis by overreaching and claiming power of the executive branch for their own. When Obama was president and he chose not to enforce immigration law, federal courts were fine with it (Arizona vs. US). But when Trump is president and he chooses more stringent regulations, suddenly the courts feel they should have veto power. Courts don't have power to actually compel the executive to do anything. They can issue contempt citations, but Trump can ignore those as well if they are based on an illegal ruling. The only check, constitutionally speaking, on the president is impeachment by the Congress, and that will never happen. Trump will take a lot of criticism for standing up to the courts, but this is what people elected him to do. If he stands up and makes it clear that the courts are engaged in an illegal power grab, and that he is acting to protect the country as he promised when elected, public opinion will turn against the courts, and they will be forced to back down. Defying the courts is a confrontational strategy, but they have engaged in an unconstitutional power grab and need to be called out on it. At a time when Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the presidency, and still cannot put their own immigration controls in place, I think it is time to be confrontational. Otherwise, elections won't matter, and the media, the courts, and the bureaucracy will run the country into the ground regardless of who is elected to office. Ed Straker is the senior writer at NewsMachete.com. Once again, we have the Super Bowl, and once again, the big mega-companies are spending big bucks...to push hard-left agendas. Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola reran a hideous ad from 2014 showing people singing "America the Beautiful," but they thematically raped the song by singing it in foreign languages. That's not what America is about. America is about a singular culture, and the signature part of that singular culture is speaking in English. People can and do speak other languages in their homes, but if they don't speak English in public, they are not assimilating, and are not part of America, and are certainly not beautiful. Coca-Cola approvingly running an ad where people sing the song in other languages is giving the imprimatur to ethnic balkanization and lack of assimilation. That's the problem we have right now in America with many immigrants (legal and otherwise), and Coca-Cola is not just acknowledging it it's celebrating it! By the way, one of the people in the ad was a hijabi, of course, but the hijabi wasn't singing, perhaps because under sharia law, singing is generally forbidden. Airbnb. Airbnb ran an ad saying, "Whoever you worship, we all belong. The world is beautiful the more you accept." The ad, which seemed to feature the requisite number of Islamists, was a subtle criticism of Trump's limited and temporary entry ban. The problem with the ad is that Islamists who come here don't belong, because they don't accept us. When they grow to large enough numbers, they create enclaves and persecute people who are different. And a certain subset of those go out and try to kill others. We can't welcome people with open arms who would chop those arms off. The ad is totally blind to the current state of Islamic ideology in the Middle East. In a memo to employees after the executive order, Airbnb's chief executive, Brian Chesky, was more explicit about his opposition [to Trump's executive order]. "This is a policy I profoundly disagree with, and it is a direct obstacle to our mission at Airbnb," Mr. Chesky wrote on Jan. 29. That weekend, the company began to provide free and subsidized temporary housing for people who had been affected by the immigration restrictions. 84 Lumber. A company called 84 Lumber ran an edited version of an ad that, incredibly, told the story of an illegal immigrant sneaking into America, treating her as a virtuous visitor. The illegal immigrant is celebrated. No mention is made of American citizens or the impact of the illegal alien on American citizens. Audi. Audi ran an ad that pushed the man-hating propaganda claim that women still do not make as much as men for equivalent work. It is narrated by a father asking questions about what to tell his young daughter one day as she competes in a cart race, such as: "Do I tell her that despite her education, her drive, her skills, her intelligence, she will automatically be valued as less than every man she ever meets?" As she won the race, he remarks that maybe he will be able to "tell her something different." The commercial ends with text including a line saying that Audi of America is "committed to equal pay for equal work." Really? Will Audi open up its books and show us exactly how much every man and woman gets paid at the company, and what work they do? Because I'll bet there are some men who get paid more than women for similar work at Audi. Of course, to be sure, we'll have to review all the records at Audi and investigate the company thoroughly, considering that that's exactly what Audi seems to be advocating that the government do to other companies. Exit question: These aren't political action committees. These are companies, which live to sell products and services. Do these companies really believe that most viewers are sympathetic to ethnic balkanization, illegal aliens, and man-bashing? Do they not realize that at least half the population disagrees with them on these topics? Either corporate executives are so insulated that they do not realize that half of America disagrees with them, or else they are so ideological that they simply do not care and want to push their hard-left agenda. Which do you think is more likely? Ed Straker is the senior writer at NewsMachete.com. The Android 7.0 Nougat update for the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge will not be available globally during the first quarter of the year, latest information suggests. On Friday, one user took to XDA Developers forums to voice their displeasure about their latest interaction with Samsung Support in Singapore. User liquidguru contacted the South Korean phone maker to inquire about the availability of the Android Nougat update for their international variant of the Galaxy S7 Edge that was purchased in Singapore in 2016. A Samsung customer support representative called Theban told the user that the update will be available in their territory at some point between April and June of 2017. While the agent was referring to the Android Nougat update for the Galaxy S7 Edge, this timeline also likely applies to the Galaxy S7. This revelation seemingly confirms that the latest major iteration of Android wont roll out worldwide for the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge by the end of the first quarter of this year. The user mentioned above criticized this decision and also said that Samsung is generally slow to roll out security updates for their flagship device in Singapore, adding that the November Security Patch for the Galaxy S7 Edge was only recently released in the Asian country. Its worth noting that Samsungs agent didnt claim that the Android Nougat update will certainly be released for the international variant of the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge in Singapore during the second quarter of the year. Instead, the customer support representative said that Q2 2017 is the most accurate estimate theyre currently able to provide, meaning that theres still a chance that the update will roll out globally by the end of March. The interaction that yielded this information can be seen below. Some users may find this turn of events surprising seeing how Samsung already concluded the Android Nougat Galaxy Beta program in December and started rolling out the update in January. It remains to be seen how long will the Seoul-based phone maker take to finally update the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge with Nougat in all parts of the world, but as things stand right now, that probably wont happen before the Galaxy S8 hits the market. Google was ordered to provide the United States government with emails stored on its foreign servers. Thomas Rueter, a Philadelphia-based U.S. Magistrate Judge compelled the Mountain View-based tech giant to do so on Friday after concluding that there are no grounds to label such an order as seizure, which is what Google argued was the case. Rueter said that his decision may be labeled as an invasion of privacy if taken out of context, but added that in this case, any privacy infringements happen as soon as theyre disclosed in the U.S. and the fact that emails in question arent stored on American servers isnt enough to qualify the controversial order as a seizure of evidence. Google issued a statement the following day and revealed that it plans to appeal this decision. The Alphabet-owned company claims that the judge ignored a precedent that was already set last July. Last summer, the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Microsoft will not be compelled to provide the government with emails stored on a server that was located in Dublin, Ireland. Those emails were requested as a part of an investigation into a narcotics case while the ones requested from Google on Friday pertained to a domestic fraud case, but the Mountain View-based Internet giant believes there are no inherent differences between the two that would warrant an entirely different ruling. Finally, Google clearly stated its intentions to continue fighting against all overbroad warrants such as this one in the future. The case against Microsoft was an extremely polarizing one, as certain U.S. authorities claimed that preventing them from accessing emails from U.S. citizens stored on foreign servers also prevents them from doing their jobs, while Microsoft and numerous advocacy groups and tech giants were claiming such a decision qualifies as an unlawful seizure of evidence. After Microsoft won the legal argument, the entire Silicon Valley labeled the case as a huge win, presuming it will set a precedent for all similar government requests in the future. This is why the latest turn of events came as a surprise, especially since the warrant issued to Google was based on the Stored Communications Act, the very same one that the prosecutors tried to use to compel Microsoft to provide them with emails stored on foreign servers last July. An update on this case is expected to follow shortly. The Android 7.0 Nougat update for HTC 10 units in Europe is now available for flashing. This comes after the Product and Service Director for HTC EMEA, Graham Wheeler posted a tweet with a How-To guide to flash Android 7.0 Nougat on the HTC 10. However, this only applies to countries in mainland Europe, though Wheeler urges users in the Netherlands to wait for the OTA update. According to Wheeler, the engineering team at HTC has found an issue with the Dutch version of Android 7.0 Nougat, though the specific issue wasnt disclosed. It should also be noted that you will need to be currently using an unlocked HTC 10 unit if you would like to flash Android 7.0 Nougat onto your device. Before flashing, it is always best to backup all data on your device as the flashing process will wipe all data off of your device. If you havent flashed a device before, it is best to wait for the OTA update, which is expected to be rolled out in the coming days. Wheeler also stated that the Taiwanese company is making the update available via the flashing method as it was suggested by a user. The Android 7.0 Nougat update for the HTC 10 in Europe initially started rolling out a couple of weeks back. However, after a few days, Wheeler announced on Twitter that it will be temporarily paused due to technical issues, though he didnt dive into the details. The rollout was also temporarily halted in early January due to persistent bugs, though it resumed not too long after that. If you are currently using the HTC 10 but havent received the jump to Android 7.0 Nougat yet, you may refer to the image below and simply follow the directions given. Do read the instructions thoroughly before proceeding with the flashing process. The HTC 10 is the current flagship smartphone of the Taiwanese firm and it will be likely be replaced by the HTC 11 later this year, though the release date for the upcoming device hasnt been revealed yet. However, HTC recently launched the HTC U Ultra, a smartphone with flagship specs, though HTC has stated that the device is not a flagship device from the company. Four photos depicting the packaging of the upcoming LG Watch Style smartwatch have surfaced online. GSMArena claims the photos were taken by a Best Buy employee which would explain the fact that the leaked packaging is clearly labeled as being intended for the U.S. market. The box also reveals the model of the LG Watch Style which boasts the model number LG-W270. The front of the packaging describes the LG Watch Style as a device that LG designed with our friends at Google. The label on the box also reveals that the companys upcoming wearable was manufactured in South Korea in January, while the front of the packaging shows a black smartwatch that looks similar to the device depicted in a set of leaks that surfaced online a few weeks ago. The LG Watch Style is apparently equipped with a single button located on the right side of the wearable and ships with a regular strap. The back of the packaging reveals that the LG Watch Style is compatible with Android smartphones running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and newer, i.e. devices supported by the Android Wear app. The label also suggests that the source of this leak is likely a store or a warehouse in California seeing how it specifically mentions certain chemicals regulated by the State of California. Four leaked images depicting the LG Watch Style packaging can be seen below. The LG Watch Style is expected to sport a 1.2-inch P-OLED display boasting a resolution of 360 by 360 pixels. LGs latest wearable will be powered by 512MB of RAM and a 240mAh battery. The smartwatch will likely be cheaper than the upcoming LG Watch Sport as it will not ship with a heart rate monitor and also wont support LTE. The device also isnt expected to feature a GPS or an NFC adapter, but it will be IP67 certified, meaning consumers can expect a wearable thats resistant to both dust and water. The LG Watch Style will also be running the highly anticipated Android Wear 2.0 out of the box. The South Korean consumer electronics manufacturer is expected to debut the LG Watch Style and the LG Watch Sport on Thursday, February 9. Lenovo has announced the latest addition to its tablet portfolio, the Lenovo Yoga A12. This is a tablet which is designed to be affordable while also being one which can accommodate those looking for a more productive device. The Lenovo Yoga A12 will be priced at $299 in the US for the baseline model and will be available to buy in either Gunmetal Grey or Rose Gold, starting from February 8, 2017. In many ways, the Lenovo Yoga A12 has been developed with the Android user in mind. Lenovo notes that the Yoga A12 is a product which looks to couple the mobility one would expect from a smartphone or a tablet, with the productivity one might expect from the likes of computer or laptop. In particular, the Yoga A12 has been designed to be ultra-portable and comes with a very slim 5.4mm profile, while weighing in at less than 1kg. As a result, this is the sort of tablet which can be very easily transported and used while out and about. The display is a 12.2-inch display which comes with a HD resolution, as well as Dolby Atmos-supported dual speakers. Although, what is likely to be of the biggest benefit and one of its clear differentials is that the Yoga A12 comes equipped with a Halo keyboard, following in the footsteps of the Lenovo Yoga Book. The Halo keyboard comes with a number of added features like built-in prediction and makes use of artificial learning software which will offer a more personalized level of use. Namely, the tablet will be able to learn form your habits and become more accurate, the more it is used. Advertisement It does seem as though the general design of the tablet, coupled with the Halo keyboard, while also making use of the Google Productivity Suite, are the big selling points here and what will set the Yoga A12 apart from other tablets. This is a tablet which is designed as much for those who want a device to view media or web surf, as much as those who are looking for a more functional and productivity-focused product. Especially considering that the Yoga A12s design also includes a 360-degree hinge which does mean that the tablet can be used in a variety of positions, including a laptop position, tented position and a tablet position. In terms of the rest of the baseline specs, the Lenovo Yoga A12 comes packing 2GB RAM, 32GB internal storage and is powered by an Intel Atom x5 processor. While this tablet does come running on Android, Lenovo has yet to confirm which version of Android is pre-installed. Lastly, battery life is said to be in the region of 13 hours which should mean the battery life is more than adequate for daily use. Canadian smartphone vendor BlackBerry and New Delhi-based Optiemus Infracom have released a joint statement announcing a partnership to bring BlackBerry-branded Android smartphones to India, years after the Canadian smartphone vendor exited the country amidst falling sales and mounting losses from its smartphone business. The two companies had initially announced a partnership last November that enabled the Indian firm to market and distribute some of the latest BlackBerry smartphones in the country including, the DTE60 and the DTEK50. As part of the latest deal, Optiemus will locally manufacture and market BlackBerry-branded devices, but the Canadian firm will continue to develop security and software solutions for the devices and also provide regular Android security updates. The India-manufactured devices will be sold across South Asia, in countries such as Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. Optiemus will also provide after-sales support for the devices throughout the region. BlackBerry, of course, no longer designs its own smartphones, having failed to turn around its fortunes with the BlackBerry Priv. The company late last year signed a licensing deal with China-based TCL Communication to design, manufacture and distribute BlackBerry-branded mobile devices in all countries except India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. Following the announcement of that deal last December, BlackBerry had revealed to the Indian media that it was looking to partner with a different manufacturer in the country. As for Indonesia, which remains one of the largest markets for BlackBerry globally, the company last month announced a tie-up with local firm, BB Merah Putih, to bring BlackBerry-branded phones to the country. While those devices are expected to be launched shortly, theres no definitive word right now on when the Optiemus-manufactured BlackBerry devices will be available for purchase in India. In prepared statements released earlier today, the senior managerial staff from both BlackBerry and Optiemus expressed their satisfaction with the deal that is expected to bring back BlackBerry smartphones to the country after a prolonged absence. According to Mr. Alex Thurber, BlackBerrys Senior Vice President and General Manager of Mobility Solutions, India is a very important market for BlackBerry, so we are delighted our latest licensing partnership will extend the BlackBerry software experience to more customers. The Chairman of Optiemus Infracom, Mr. Ashok Gupta, emphasized the companys experience and expertise in the mobile ecosystem and expressed hope that the partnership with BlackBerry will be a long and successful one. Huaweis upcoming flagships are expected to launch during the Mobile World Congress (MWC), and a ton more details about each of these smartphones just surfaced. Huaweis seemingly real promo image popped up online, and it shares not only the design of both of these devices, but also their variants, partial specs and even pricing. First and foremost, the two devices pictured here go hand-in-hand with some recently leaked images, which means that the Huawei P10 will sport a flat display, while the Huawei P10 Plus will ship with a curved panel. The ring LED flash will be a part of the Huawei P10 Plus model, while the Huawei P10 will have a more regular flash on the back, well, at least as far as the design is concerned. Both devices will sport a home key below the display, as you can see in the provided image. Now, as far as variants are concerned, the Huawei P10 will come in both 4GB and 6GB RAM models. The 4GB RAM Huawei P10 will be available in 32GB and 64GB storage flavors, and these two models will cost 3,488 Yuan ($508) and 4,088 Yuan ($596), respectively. Now, the most powerful Huawei P10 model will ship with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, and will cost 4,688 Yuan ($683). The Huawei P10 Plus, on the other hand, will also come in both 4GB and 6GB RAM flavors. The 4GB RAM Huawei P10 Plus comes with 64GB of RAM, if this leak is to be believed, and the 6GB RAM model will ship with 128GB of storage. These two models will cost 4,988 Yuan ($727) and 5,688 Yuan ($829) as per the provided info. Leicas branding is also placed on this image, which suggests that both devices will ship with Leicas lenses, though that was to be expected, as the two companies have signed a cooperation agreement a while back, and several Huawei-branded devices already launched with Leicas lenses, not to mention that weve seen Leicas branding in previously leaked images. As per previous info, the Huawei P10 is expected to sport a 5.2-inch flat display, while the Huawei P10 Plus will probably sport a 5.5-inch curved panel. It is possible that the Huawei P10 will come with a fullHD (1920 x 1080) panel, while its bigger brother will sport a QHD (2560 x 1440) panel. Android Nougat will come pre-installed on both of these devices, and Huaweis Emotion UI (EMUI) will be pre-installed on Googles operating system. These two phones are expected to land on February 26th as part of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. Advertisement Buy the Huawei P9 The rivalry between Samsung and Apple is expected to intensify over the course of this year, recent reports suggest. The mobile divisions of both companies have traditionally been focused on the high-end market and even though Samsung also manufactures a number of midrange and low-end devices on an annual basis, the South Korean company is still focused on the flagship segment of the market seeing how its related profit margins are significantly higher. Most industry watchers believe Samsung is still Apples only real competitor in this segment despite the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco which cost the company billions of dollars in late 2016. Apple took advantage of the ordeal surrounding Samsungs discontinued phablet seeing how it increased its yearly share of premium phone sales to more than 70 percent in December of 2016 while Samsungs sell-through share dropped to approximately 17 percent during the same period, according to data obtained by Counterpoint Technology Market Research. The research firm is convinced that these latest trends can be explained by the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. While Samsung increased the production volume of the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge following the discontinuation of its phablet, that move still didnt manage to fully compensate for the fact that the Galaxy Note 7 was pulled from the market. In addition to that, Counterpoint Technology Market Research Director Peter Richardson said that the Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Moto Z, and Huawei Mate 8 all played a part in the fact that the gap between Apple and Samsungs share of the flagship market has widened over the course of 2016. Samsung is now under a lot of pressure to bounce back with the upcoming Galaxy S8, but Richardson isnt fully convinced the company will be able to do so as he described the upcoming period as a testing time for Samsung. Due to that state of affairs, the rivalry between Samsung and Apple is expected to be more intense than ever this year. Apple will be looking to ship the best possible device to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the iPhone, while Samsung is planning to do the same to make amends for the Galaxy Note 7 and win back a portion of its flagship market share with both the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy Note 8. WASHINGTON/BEIRUT - A US appeal court late on Saturday denied a request from the Department of Justice to immediately restore an immigration order from President Donald Trump barring citizens from seven mainly Muslim countries and temporarily banning refugees. The court ruling dealt a further setback to Trump, who has denounced the judge in the state of Washington who blocked his executive order on Friday. In tweets and comments to reporters, the president has insisted he will get the ban reinstated. Trump says the 90-day travel ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, and a 120-day bar on all refugees, are necessary to protect the United States from Islamist militants. Critics say the measures are unjustified and discriminatory. The judge's order and the appeal ruling have created what may be a short-lived opportunity for travellers from the seven affected countries to get into the United States while the legal uncertainty continues. "This is the first time I try to travel to America. We were booked to travel next week but decided to bring it forward after we heard," said a Yemeni woman, recently married to a US citizen, who boarded a plane from Cairo to Turkey on Sunday to connect with a US-bound flight. She declined to be named for fear it could complicate her entry to the United States. In a brief order, the US appeals court said the government's request for an immediate administrative stay on the Washington judge's decision had been denied. It was awaiting further submissions from Washington and Minnesota states on Sunday, and from the government on Monday. Reacting to the court's statement, Iraqi government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi said: "It is a move in the right direction to solve the problems that it caused." "WHAT IS OUR COUNTRY COMING TO?" Trump's Jan 27 travel restrictions have drawn protests in the United States, provoked criticism from US allies and created chaos for thousands of people who have, in some cases, spent years seeking asylum. In his ruling in Washington state on Friday, Judge James Robart questioned the use of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States as a justification for the ban, saying no attacks had been carried out on US soil by individuals from the seven affected countries since then. For Trump's order to be constitutional, Robart said, it had to be "based in fact, as opposed to fiction". The 9/11 attacks were carried out by hijackers from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Lebanon, whose nationals were not affected by the order. In a series of tweets on Saturday, Trump attacked "the opinion of this so-called judge" as ridiculous. "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 US?" he asked. Trump told reporters at his private Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida: "We'll win. For the safety of the country we'll win." But the Washington court ruling was the first move in what could be months of legal challenges to his push to clamp down on immigration. The Justice Department appeal criticized Robart's legal reasoning, saying it violated the separation of powers and stepped on the president's authority as commander-in-chief. The appeal said the state of Washington lacked standing to challenge the order and denied that the order "favors Christians at the expense of Muslims." INFLUX EXPECTED The US State Department and Department of Homeland Security said they were complying with Robart's order and many visitors are expected to start arriving on Sunday, while the government said it expects to begin admitting refugees again on Monday. Iraqi Fuad Sharef, his wife and three children spent two years obtaining US visas. They had packed up to move to America last week, but were turned back to Iraq after a failed attempt to board a US-bound flight from Cairo. On Sunday, the family checked in for a Turkish Airlines flight to New York from Istanbul. "Yeah, we are very excited. We are very happy," Sharef told Reuters TV. "Finally, we have been cleared. We are allowed to enter the United States." Rana Shamasha, 32, an Iraqi refugee in Lebanon, was due to travel to the United States with her two sisters and mother on Feb. 1 to join relatives in Detroit until their trip was cancelled as a result of the travel ban. She is now waiting to hear from U.N. officials overseeing their case. "If they tell me there is a plane tomorrow morning, I will go. If they tell me there is one in an hour, I will go," she told Reuters by telephone in Beirut, saying their bags were still packed. "I no longer have a house here, work, or anything," she said. An official at Beirut airport said three Syrian families had left for the United States via Europe on Sunday morning. Airline sources in Cairo said that 33 people from the seven affected countries had been allowed to board US-bound flights since Saturday. Samsung Group confirmed plans to close down its corporate strategy office over a corruption scandal as soon as the South Korean authorities finish their investigation into the matter. Preparations for this move have already started, the Seoul-based company revealed in a statement on Monday. Vice Chairman of Samsung Group Jay Y. Lee already vowed to shut down the office during his parliamentary hearing in December. The head of the office Choi Gee-sung is currently facing charges over bribery accusations connected to the corruption scandal and Lee himself was officially accused of playing a key role in the incident last month. Samsung Groups corporate strategy office is said to be the key body used by the Lee family to control the South Korean conglomerate. The office was allegedly closely connected to a controversial merger between Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries in 2015. While Samsung Group wanted to merge its two affiliates, it was unable to do so without acquiring a permission from National Pension Service (NPS), the largest Korean pension fund and a major shareholder of Cheil industries. Lee is accused of bribing a close associate of President Park Choi Soon-sil to acquire that blessing. Samsung Groups Vice Chairman allegedly paid approximately $37 million in bribes to Choi who holds no official position with the Korean government but used her connection to President Park to illegally broker the controversial merger, the High Prosecutors Office believes. Choi is currently in custody, while the prosecutors are expected to soon request a second arrest warrant for Lee after the initial one was thrown out in January. Samsung Group has yet to provide a specific timeframe for closing down its corporate strategy office, but the move will likely be made during the second quarter of the year. Seouls investigation into the company is scheduled to finish on February 28, but the special prosecutors office said on Monday that it will ask for a 30-day extension to conclude its probe. It remains to be seen what kind of evidence against Samsung the authorities will manage to find in the meantime, but as things stand right now, the tech giant is unlikely to get through this scandal unscathed. T-Mobile put on a pretty great performance for the Super Bowl, but their usual taunting of their fallen enemies after a big event on Twitter took a turn for the weird with Verizon. When Verizon fired back on Twitter, their reply was not exactly what one would expect, and T-Mobile CEO John Legere essentially decided to bail before things got too weird. Verizon, on the other hand, kept pushing. The first Tweet from Verizon about the matter confirmed that Big Red is into BSDM, with the acronyms usual far-from-SFW meaning being traded in for Bigger coverage map, Devastating Speed, and Massive capacity. When Legere tried to de-escalate the encounter, Verizon stayed the course, saying that nobody would hear a safe word uttered on T-Mobiles network. Legere ended up creating a Jealousy Meter to serve as a talk to the hand gesture on Twitter, which Verizon promptly broke. For those who didnt watch the Big Game, T-Mobile showed off multiple ads, but the one that set Verizon off was one featuring Kristen Schaal, wherein she had a fairly NSFW chat with their customer service. The conversation was not outright dirty, but the comparisons were unavoidable, especially with the commercials tagline being #NSFWireless. T-Mobile later posted a follow-up video on Twitter, where the Verizon employee from the commercial called Kristen back. On top of the direct riffing, T-Mobile managed to get the best overall network speed throughout the day during the Super Bowl, thus the aforementioned Jealousy Meter from Legere. It is worth noting that Verizon did not lose the speed contest among the four carriers outright, with that honor instead going to AT&T. While this conversation between the two carriers is definitely one of the strangest, T-Mobile bickering with competitors on Twitter is certainly nothing new. T-Mobile executives, led by CEO John Legere, have long used Twitter as the premiere social platform to post company news, taunt foes, and engage with fans and customers. Indeed, T-Mobile spread the love out on Twitter in the wake of the Big Game, but Verizon was the only carrier so far that has decided to follow T-Mobiles commercials directly and take things in a rather NSFW direction. Google and several other tech giants based in the United States took President Trumps travel ban to court. On Sunday, the likes of Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Intel, and Twitter filed a legal brief against Trumps recent executive order which suspended immigration from seven Middle Eastern countries. The document was filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit and argued that the Presidents temporary ban negatively affects the American economy. In addition to the parties mentioned above, the brief was co-signed by almost 100 companies including Uber, Netflix, eBay, and Apple. While the document was mostly authored by the American tech giants, it was also signed by the likes of Chobani and Levi Strauss. The controversial immigration ban is expected to be justified by the U.S. administration later today after a Seattle-based federal judged temporarily blocked the decision on Friday. The Trump Administration filed for an immediate stay shortly after the decision was made but that request was rejected by the San Francisco 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Sunday. As the current U.S. administration is preparing to defend its request, the Silicon Valley is apparently adamant to put additional pressure on the system to ensure that the ban doesnt come back into effect again. The legal brief filed on Monday states that over 200 firms on the Fortune 500 list were founded by people who immigrated to the United States or their children, adding that President Trumps executive order hurts both innovation and economy in general. The Silicon Valley also argues that Trumps travel ban isnt in line with the traditional immigration policy of the U.S. that it claims was both fair and predictable for more than half a century. The existence of this brief was initially revealed last Thursday. While the U.S. tech sector likely wouldnt experience negative long-term consequences if President Trump was allowed to suspend immigration from seven Middle Eastern countries for three months, the industry is presumably using this decision to form a broader opposition to the immigration policies of the new U.S. administration. President Trump already revealed that his controversial ban was imposed to allow the current administration enough time to draft a stricter visa vetting process. As the new system would likely hurt the Silicon Valley in the long term, tech giants in the country are adamant to start opposing President Trumps immigration policies sooner rather than later. In a recent interview with the Indian media, Xiaomis country head, Mr. Manu Jain, said that the Chinese tech company wants to be the leading smartphone vendor in the country replacing South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics. Spurred on by blockbuster sales of devices like the Redmi Note 3, Xiaomi ended last year as the second-largest smartphone vendor in India, just a couple of years after entering the market with a number of attractively-priced devices that offered Indian consumers high-performance hardware at pocket-friendly prices. According to Mr. Jain, the tech giant plans to claim the top spot in India within the next three to five years, which is indeed an ambitious plan for a company that is facing a steep challenge at home from newer and more agile rivals such as OPPO on the one hand and established companies like Huawei on the other. The China-based smartphone-maker has not been having a very good time in its homeland over the past few quarters, having been leapfrogged by a number of brands in terms of both revenues and market share. However, even as Xiaomis growth has plateaued in China, its fortunes have been on the rise in India, which is currently the third-largest smartphone market in the world after China and the U.S. The company recently announced that it had earned revenues in excess of $1 billion in India during 2016, with the Redmi Note 3 alone selling over 3.6 million units in the country, making it the most-shipped online-exclusive smartphone in the countrys history. It will be interesting to see if the company will be able to maintain its momentum with the recently-launched Redmi Note 4, but early indications are definitely heartening for the company. 120 million smartphones were sold in the country last year, and that figure is expected to double by 2020. According to Mr. Jain, Xiaomi is looking to double its Redmi Note 3 sales with its successor this year. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen, but smartphone sales in India has been on an upward swing for years now, even though the demonetization drive last November managed to put a slight dent in the countrys economy during Q4 2016. While the effects of that controversial policy is expected to be felt by the consumer electronics sector over the next few months, economists and market analysts seem to be of the opinion that things will get back to normal by the end of this year, which is definitely welcome news for companies like Xiaomi going forward. Xiaomi has just confirmed that the Redmi Note 4X will launch on February 14th, on Valentines Day. The company shared a teaser for the launch of the Redmi Note 4X on Weibo, Chinas social media network. The company flat out confirms that the Redmi Note 4X will launch on February 14 by saying February 14 to bring a special Valentines Day gift: red rice Note4X. Xiaomi also shared an image along with the aforementioned caption, and it is placed below this article, just in case youd like to check it out. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X was certified by TENAA (Chinas equivalent to the FCC) at the end of last year. Thanks to that certification, we not only know what specs to expect here, but also what will this smartphone look like. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X looks identical to the Redmi Note 4 which was introduced last year, and truth be told, we really dont see a single difference between the two devices. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 is fueled by the Helio X20 64-bit deca-core SoC, and it seems like the Redmi Note 4X will be as well. The two devices share a number of other specs as well, the Redmi Note 4X will be available in 3GB and 4GB RAM variants which will ship with 32GB and 64GB of storage, respectively. A 13-megapixel shooter will be placed on the back of the Redmi Note 4X, and a 5-megapixel snapper will be available on its front side. A 4,100mAh battery will also be a part of this package, and it will not be removable. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 features all of the specs weve mentioned in the previous paragraph, so were wondering how accurate was TENAAs listing which surfaced at the end of December. In any case, the Redmi Note 4X will be made out of metal, while it will ship with a fingerprint scanner on its back, and also three capacitive keys below its display. Xiaomi had already introduced the Snapdragon-powered variant of the Redmi Note 4 in India, which is supposed to be an international variant of the Redmi Note 4, so what is Redmi Note 4Xs purpose? Well, well find out on February 14th, stay tuned. Advertisement Buy the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 The room bustles with the sounds of coffee grinding, customers chatting and baristas calling out orders. Two sisters bite into cake pops between giggles. It is not readily apparent that one is fighting the battle of her life. Averie Anderson and her younger sister, Jazmine, look like any siblings spending time together at a local Starbucks. Despite their obvious age difference, the two have a close relationship filled with laughter, sass and creativity. At a glance, no one would know Jazmine has cancer. We noticed right away she had brown spots on her skin, said Melissa Anderson, the girls' mother. We took her into the doctor, and we were told that it was nothing. We just knew that there was something to it, so we fought to get her a new pediatrician and then she was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis. The Andersons originally took Jazmine in as a foster child when she was 6 months old, with the idea of reuniting her with her birth parents. The goal later shifted to adoption, which became official when Jazmine was 2. She was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis before her first birthday, and with bilateral optic pathway glioma brain tumors a few months before the adoption was finalized. Members of her biological family had the same thing, so we kind of had an idea and knew what was up, said Averie, but hearing the news was still devastating. Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder in which tumors called neurofibromas develop in the brain, spinal cord and nerves. They may be either cancerous or benign. Symptoms include patches on the skin, hearing loss, vision loss and bumps under the skin. I guess, as far as the neurofibromatosis, it wasnt a big shock or anything. It was just something that we would deal with. When she was diagnosed with the brain tumors, that was a little bit more to handle, Melissa Anderson said. I think it was devastating for all of us, but you just deal with it day by day." After the diagnosis, Jazmine was referred to the University of Minnesota Hospital in Minneapolis, where she waited two months to get an appointment. From there, they were told that they would have to take a wait-and-see approach with the tumors. Meanwhile, Jazmine had regular follow-up care with a neuro-oncologist as well as a pediatric ophthalmologist closely monitoring her vision. When vision changes were noted after two months, the plan was immediately changed to chemotherapy. The time in between thats always the worst, Melissa Anderson said. The waiting is the hardest part just not knowing whats going on inside of her head. The first round of chemotherapy lasted 15 months -- a roller-coaster ride that included admissions to the hospital and limited outside activity due to her compromised immune system. She takes it like a champ, Averie said. During times of lab tests and chemotherapy, family friends were updated through a group chat, in which Melissa Anderson and other family members shared Jazmines results throughout the process. Its exciting to know. All of us are worried about Jazmine, too, said Baily Brooks, a friend of Averie's. We have a group chat, and Averie will always tell us the results, if its bad or if its good." When things are looking grim, the Andersons look to one another for strength, support and courage, having learned to take the process one day at a time. That initial getting results back and going there is always tough for (Averie), but she always looks on the bright side because she knows that Jazmines a fighter and that shes gone through so much already, Brooks said. Averie knows that she can get through it, so she stays positive. After a year free of chemotherapy, a June test showed growth of the tumors, resulting in Jazmines second round of chemo. The nurses and doctors are great; she loves going to see them, Melissa Anderson said. She actually enjoys going because she gets to see all her favorite people. Its not really a stressful thing for her anymore. This round has proved more difficult as Jazmine is older and better able to comprehend whats happening around her. Its a little bit harder for her, and she puts a little bit more of a fuss up when she has to get blood work and stuff, but overall she does amazing, Melissa Anderson said. She does great with it; shes feeling really good. This chemo hasnt affected her very much at all so far, so were grateful for that. Melissa Anderson said she has noticed and appreciated the aid that Averie offers with Jazmine and the rest of the family. I dont think we could do what we do without Averies help, she said. Shes like my backup. Watching Jazmine grow up has not always been easy with the bouts of chemo and trips to Minneapolis every six weeks, but the 5-year-olds spunky personality and charismatic smile has paved a way into the hearts of many. She loves everybody and everything, and shes not afraid to tell you, Melissa Anderson said. Shes always like, Oh, I love you, Mommy, I love you. She wraps everybody around her finger. Shes so lovable and just fun to be around. Theres never a dull moment with her. Averie and Jazmine are practically inseparable, often going on sister dates or sharing fashion advice. Some of their favorite places to visit are local parks, the mall, the pumpkin patch and Starbucks, where Jazmine adores the cake pops. She calls me her best friend, Averie said. WASHINGTON Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., has pledged to support former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue for secretary of agriculture. Heitkamp spoke with Perdue for 45 minutes Monday about the U.S. Department of Agriculture, trade, the 2018 Farm Bill and other industry-related topics. She said she came out of the conversation convinced that Perdue will be a strong voice for agricultural interests in the Donald Trump administration. He was one of the most knowledgeable nominees for the position hes been nominated for out of Trump's Cabinet nominees, said Heitkamp, who serves on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Committee. With Gov. Perdue, the USDA will be in good hands. Perdue was Trumps final Cabinet pick, selected two days before the inauguration. He was chosen after a number of names including Heitkamps were floated for the job. Perdues qualifications to head the Agriculture Department and its $150 billion budget include growing up on a farm, working as a veterinarian, running a grain and fertilizer business, and serving two terms as governor of Georgia. Perdue has not yet appeared before the ag committee for his hearing. Perdue is well-versed in the challenges and needs of agriculture, including the history and role of the USDA and the role trade plays in the industry, said Heitkamp, adding the meeting was more strategy session about how we are going to move agriculture ahead than an interview with a potential Cabinet member. Though she said they werent able to talk in much detail about anything, they covered a lot of ground in their discussion. High on the list was the upcoming Farm Bill. Heitkamp predicts that legislation will not be a major overhaul of agriculture policy but instead will contain a number of tweaks to deal with problems. She said Perdue understands the need to keep nutrition and agriculture programs in the Farm Bill, as well as the necessity of subsidized crop insurance. The bulk of the conversation dealt with trade, Heitkamp said. Trump already pulled the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-country trade agreement promoted by many sectors in agriculture, and has indicated he would like to renegotiate or leave the North American Free Trade Agreement. I have concern about the administrations practices, Heitkamp said. While Heitkamp disagrees with the decision to leave the TPP, she said she wasnt going to try to goad Perdue into saying he disagrees with the administration he aims to join. He understands the difficulties of negotiating bilaterally, but he also understands hes entering an administration where the pledge was to withdraw from TPP, she said. She said Perdue understands the trade concerns and knows that agriculture gets the short end of the stick in favor of other industries when it comes to trade deals. She said he has guaranteed that he will make trade an absolute priority at the USDA. He was very well-versed on some of the trade problems weve had in the past, Heitkamp said. He also has a long history with trade promotion with his state. Beyond the trade agreements, Heitkamp said they discussed her Cuba export financing bill, which she reintroduced last week. They also talked about the need for an advocate within the Trump administration for the renewable fuel standard, and they discussed issues in label enforcement on imports labeled "organic" that dont meet USDA standards for the designation. Other topics included conservation compliance, sugar beet programs and research funding. Heitkamp also stressed the importance of better explaining modern production agricultural practices, including genetically modified products, to consumers. Its critical to feeding the world, she said. If we stop doing what were doing, our production levels will decline, and thats not good. Though Perdue comes from south of the Mason-Dixon line, Heitkamp said he told her he knows plenty about issues facing northern farmers. He assured me he knew a lot about corn and beans, she said. (ANSA) - Turin, February 6 - The French multinational retailer Carrefour has begun redundancy procedures for 500 workers of 57 of its hypermarkets in Italy. The announcement came from trade unions, which intend to ask for a meeting with the company as soon as possible to discuss its business plan. A timeline of 45 days will be allowed to meet a union agreement for the redundancies, with 30 more days at the ministerial level. Assemblies with workers are expected to be held in the coming days. Carrefour hypermarkets in Trofarello and Borgomanero in the Piedmont region and one in Pontecagnano in the Campania region are expected to close. RABAT- Morocco has warned that if the EU does not ensure the ''necessary conditions to better guarantee agreements'', and especially a free trade accord hanging in the balance, it will not be able to continue reining in migrant flows towards Europe. The Moroccan agriculture and fisheries ministry has urged Brussels in a statement to ignore attempts to derail the agreement, saying that ''every obstacle represents a direct threat to thousands of jobs in a particularly sensitive sector, as well as a risk of migration flows beginning again that Morocco has put forth considerable effort to contain''. Signed in 2012, the reciprocal free trade agreements were suspended in 2015 by an EU court after an appeal by the Polisario, which protested the inclusion of the disputed Western Sahara in the agreement. The appeal was rejected in recent months but the agreement has not yet been restored. ''The lack of sincere commitment by the EU will force Morocco to make a final decision,'' Morocco warned. ''Either we persevere with the agreement so tenaciously sought and patiently built, or we decide to close it with no possibility to go backwards and concentrate on building new relations and trade circuits.'' 493 migrants due to arrive in Augusta in Sicily Two alleged people smugglers detained (ANSAmed) - SIRACUSA, FEBRUARY 6 - A ship carrying 493 migrants rescued in the Sicilian Channel was due to dock at the commercial port of Augusta in Sicily late Monday morning. Meanwhile investigators in Siracusa have identified two alleged people smugglers in relation to the arrival Sunday of 785 migrants on board the ship Aquarius. The pair have been detained on charges of favouring illegal immigration. The migrants claim to have departed from the Libyan port of Sabrata on the night of February 2. They each allegedly paid 2,500 dinars (approximately 1,700 euros) for the journey. (ANSAmed). VIBO VALENTIA - Some 612 migrants and refugees from Africa arrived in the port of Vibo Valentia in the southern Calabria region on Sunday evening after being rescued by the Italian coast guard authorities off the coast of Libya. The new arrivals included 61 women and 97 minors, of whom 91 were unaccompanied. Approximately 150 of the migrants are thought to be Moroccan nationals. Some 22 migrants are reportedly being kept under observation by medical staff in a field hospital set up at the port. Other 493 migrants due to arrive in Augusta in Sicily A ship carrying 493 migrants rescued in the Sicilian Channel was due to dock at the commercial port of Augusta in Sicily late Monday morning. Meanwhile investigators in Siracusa have identified two alleged people smugglers in relation to the arrival Sunday of 785 migrants on board the ship Aquarius. The pair have been detained on charges of favouring illegal immigration. The migrants claim to have departed from the Libyan port of Sabrata on the night of February 2. They each allegedly paid 2,500 dinars (approximately 1,700 euros) for the journey. ROME - At least 763 people have been detained across Turkey on suspicion of links to ISIS, interior ministry sources said Monday. Anti-terrorism operations were carried out in 29 provinces, including Istanbul and Ankara, and in numerous cities along the border with Syria. On Sunday, 445 suspects were said to have been arrested. Weapons and documents were also confiscated during the blitz. Intelligence sources say ISIS is planning new attacks in Turkey following those of recent months, including the New Year's Eve massacre in Istanbul. Missile fired by Yemeni rebels 'hits Riyadh' Iranian TV Yemeni army says weapon struck military base near capital (ANSAmed) - TEHRAN, FEBRUARY 6 - A surface to surface missile fired by Yemeni rebels has hit a Saudi military base near Riyadh, Iranian broadcaster PressTv reported Monday. "The announcement of the first ever attack on the Saudi city was made in a statement from the Yemeni army," the source said. The missile hit a military base west of the Saudi capital, showing that Riyadh is "well within range of missiles from Yemen", the statement reportedly said. (ANSAmed). Yemeni rebel missile launch 'a test', Riyadh not hit Houthi-controlled defence ministry speaks of 'military targets' (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, FEBRUARY 6 - The surface to surface missile fired by pro-Iranian Yemeni Houthi Shia rebels on Sunday evening was aimed at a Saudi military base approximately 40 km west of Riyadh and was a test, the Houthi-controlled Yemeni defence ministry said on Monday. English-language Iranian broadcaster PressTV earlier reported an attack on the capital itself. A statement cited by the pro-Iranian pan-Arab TV Al Mayadin referred to the "launch of a ballistic missile against military targets in the region of Riyadh", particularly a base in the area of Mazahimiya. "The defence ministry stresses that it was an exceptional test launch," added Al Mayadin. It was not said whether the missile hit its target. Earlier Ssba agency, which is also controlled by the Shia rebels who are occupying the capital, reported that the test had been "successful". (ANSAmed). ANSAmed - Today's events in the Mediterranean (ANSAmed) - ROME, FEBRUARY 6 - The following are some of the main events scheduled for today in the Euro-Mediterranean area: BRUSSELS - EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting. TUNIS - anniversary of the assassination of Chokri Belaid, one of the main leaders of the Tunisian opposition. ASTANA - Representatives of Turkey, Russia and Iran take part in the first meeting of the task force on Syria to evaluate the state of implementation of the trilateral mechanism for monitoring the truce in the warring nation. ROME - Egyptian tourism board will be presenting the country's participation as country guest of 'TourismA - Salone internazionale dell'Archeologia'. (ANSAmed). ROME - Moderate opposition groups are fighting against the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda in northern Syria and this could be extended to other areas of the country, Al-Jazeera quoted Russian, Turkish and Iranian officials as saying at a second meeting in the Kazakh capital. The technical meeting in Astana is to discuss details of the implementation of the Syrian ceasefire agreement that has been in place since December 30. The Qatar-based broadcaster quoted the head of the Russian delegation as saying that the moderate opposition of the Free Syrian Army is conducting a battle against Jabhat Fateh al-Sham - formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra - in northern Syria and that this should be extended to central and southern Syria. The Jordanian envoy to Astana was quoted as saying that the fighters of pro-Jordanian rebel groups in southern Syria would fight against them. The Russian, Turkish and Iranian delegations said that they were ''willing to cooperate in the interests of the full execution of the truce'' in Syria, according to Russian general Stanislav Gadzhimagomedov, vice director of the main operations center of the Russian Chiefs of Staff. The next meeting on Syria between the representatives of these three countries is expected to be held February 15-16, before the Geneva one on February 20, General Gadzhimagomedov said. He added that the next meeting would look more in detail at the situation in Eastern Ghouta and the Wadi-Barada district. The dates have not yet been received official confirmation from Turkey and Iran. On February 15, Moscow will hold a conference of representatives of Syrian, Turkish, Iraqi and Iranian Kurds, reported Interfax. The news agency quoted Abdesalyam Ali, Moscow's representative of the Syrian Democratic Union Party. The meeting will focus on the situation in the Middle East. The day's meeting in Astana is also a preparatory step for the creation of a new Syrian constitution, which Russia has presented a draft of, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said. ''We,'' he added, ''can already see that our initiative has sparked thought within both the government and in opposition circles, including on constitutional reform.'' BRUSSELS - Judicial cooperation to resolve the case of tortured and slain Italian researcher Giulio Regeni is "essential" to relations with Egypt, Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said on Monday. Italy is "evaluating the development of judicial cooperation" with the authorities in Cairo, "which for us is essential for the continuation of a certain kind of relationship with Egypt," Alfano said. Regeni, 28, went missing in the Egyptian capital on January 25, 2016, on the heavily policed fifth anniversary of the uprising that ousted former strongman and president Hosni Mubarak. His severely tortured, mutilated body was found on February 3 in a ditch on the city's outskirts. Egypt has denied speculation its security forces, who are frequently accused of brutally repressing opposition, were involved in the death of the Cambridge doctoral student. Egyptian and Italian prosecutors have been working on the case but Rome has yet to send a new ambassador to Cairo in protest at the lack of progress. NOME This 62-person hamlet in Barnes County is facing a question other sleepy North Dakota towns have already grappled with: What should be done when white supremacist Craig Cobb is trying to move in? Cobb, aka Paul Craig Cobb, has already tried to turn the towns of Leith and Antler into enclaves of white supremacists. Now, its believed he started last week to move into the former Zion Lutheran Church in Nome, about 70 miles southwest of Fargo. At a meeting of the Nome City Council on Sunday, Feb. 5, Mayor Bruce Storhoff said hes heard Cobb intends to buy the old church, which is currently zoned as a residence and not a gathering place. However, the sale is not yet complete, and the county recorders office has not registered it, Storhoff said. As a governing body, we really dont have a leg to stand on just to not let him in if that sale goes through, the mayor said, adding that Cobb would have to do something illegal before officials could intervene. The regularly-scheduled City Council meeting, which coincided with the Super Bowl, was attended by about six members of the public. One of them was Nome resident Sarah Rangeloff, who had a question for Barnes County Sheriff Randy McClaflin. Say everything goes through, and he starts trouble, she said of Cobb. Are we going to have the extra patrol out here and are you guys ready to deal with that? The sheriff assured Rangeloff, the mother of a 12-year-old girl, that his department is ready, but noted that more patrols may require the help of other law enforcement agencies. It would kill me if my daughter felt unsafe in her own home because of that idiot, Rangeloff said, again referring to Cobb. McClaflin said one of his deputies saw Cobb moving belongings from the trunk of his vehicle into the church Friday evening. The sheriff said he consulted with the local states attorney who said that its not a matter law enforcement can get involved in at this point. He does have a right to own property. He does have a right to declare, you know, his beliefs the same as we do, said City Auditor Alice Capman. Its not something that we need to agree with him on. Shortly before Sundays meeting, no one answered when The Forum knocked on the church doors. The dilapidated church, with peeling white paint, appeared unoccupied. Cobb, who did not attend the meeting, does not have a listed phone number. Asked who sold the property to Cobb, city officials referred the question to the county recorders office, which was closed over the weekend. Cobb is a member of the Creativity Movement, a nontheistic religion that believes in the superiority of white people. Starting in 2011, he began buying up property in Leith, N.D., southwest of Bismarck, with the intent of turning the town into a white supremacist enclave. In 2013, Leith residents learned of Cobbs plan, and town officials started discussing new building ordinances and even dissolving the town government. Later that year, Cobb was jailed on suspicion of terrorizing after conducting an armed patrol of his property in Leith. Cobb pleaded guilty in 2014 to a felony terrorizing charge and five misdemeanor menacing charges. A judge gave him credit for time served and put him on supervised probation until 2018. In 2015, he tried to buy land for an enclave in Antler, N.D., north of Minot and just south of the Canadian border. Cobb has lately resided in Sherwood, N.D., northwest of Minot. He has said the Sherwood house was just a place where he and his girlfriend wanted to live, not start an enclave. He said the same about a home he tried to buy last month in Landa, N.D., northeast of Minot. In that case, he threatened to file a discrimination suit after a bank officer wouldn't let him purchase the home. A contract for 30 H225M Caracal multirole utility helicopters, plus an associated support and services package, was signed on August 9 this year. It happened during a visit to Kuwait by the French Defence Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, who observed that the deal would: further strengthen the strategic partnership which has bound together our two countries for several decades, while we are currently engaged side-by-side in the fight against Daesh in Iraq and Syria. The helicopters come with a new search radar and forward-looking infrared (FLIR), comprehensive self-protection systems, provision for various armament options, more powerful Turbomeca Makila 1A4 turboshaft engines, and greater endurance. Initially developed to meet a French Air Force requirement for a specialist helicopter for combat search and rescue (CSAR) operations, the helicopter was initially known as the EC725 Cougar II. Some 14 helicopters were ordered for the Armee de lAir in two batches, and export orders soon came from Brazil (whose 50 aircraft are being built at the Helibras factory in Itajuba, Minas Gerais province), Mexico (12 aircraft), Malaysia (12 aircraft), Indonesia (six aircraft) and Thailand (four aircraft). The Kazakhstan Government has also signed a letter of intent with Eurocopter for the purchase of 20 EC725/H225M medium transport helicopters. In April 2015, Poland announced that the H225M Caracal had been selected to meet a requirement for 50 helicopters, 16 transport versions, 13 for CSAR, eight for antisubmarine warfare (ASW), eight for special operations and five for medevac all to be assembled in Poland. The type passed state trials in Poland in May 2015, but no contract has been signed, the acquisition process apparently delayed following a change of government, and stalled further after the fatal crash of a civil H225 in Norway on April 29 2016, which led to the grounding of all civil H225s and AS332 L2s due to fears about gearbox safety. The emergency airworthiness directive that resulted in the grounding of civil H225s did not cover military variants of the helicopter and a number of operators continued to fly their H225Ms. Airbus Helicopters mandated a short-term withdrawal from service of a specific type of second-stage planet gear to be managed through a retrofit programme. Despite this, the Norwegian accident led to a delay in Singapores competition to replace its ageing Super Pumas a competition in which the Caracal was said to be the front runner. The Kuwaiti order came at a vital time for the Caracal, representing an invaluable vote of confidence in the troubled helicopter and its manufacturer. Kuwait had originally issued a request for proposal (RFP) for a new medium helicopter in 2013, attracting tenders from AgustaWestland (now Leonardo) with the AW149, Airbus with the H225M, and Sikorsky with the S-70i Selection (of the H225M Caracal) followed in June 2015, when Kuwait announced that it would acquire 24 of the type, signing a letter of acceptance (LoA) in October 2015, with a further six aircraft under option. Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus Helicopters noted that: Our relationship with Kuwait dates back more than 40 years with Super Pumas, Pumas and Gazelles having been delivered to the armed forces of the State of Kuwait over the past decades. This H225M Caracal contract opens a new chapter in our cooperation. Of the 30 helicopters on contract, 24 will go to the Kuwaiti Air Force, which currently operates a fleet of 11 older SA330 Puma and AS332 Super Puma variants. The remaining six will equip a new aviation unit of the Kuwait National Guard. According to La Tribune, the H225Ms will be delivered with machine guns (perhaps with the new HForce weapons package) and will later be armed with anti-ship missiles. Delivery timescales and contract values were not revealed, though French media reports valued the deal at 1.07 billion ($1.19bn), with deliveries due to start before the end of 2018. This strong performance was well ahead of the ten-year average annual growth rate of 5.5%. Capacity rose 6.2% (unadjusted) compared to 2015, pushing the load factor up 0.1 percentage points to a record full-year average high of 80.5%. A particularly strong performance was reported for December with an 8.8% rise in demand outstripping 6.6% capacity growth. Middle East carriers had the strongest regional annual traffic growth for the fifth year in a row. RPKs expanded 11.8%, consolidating the regions position as the third-largest market for international passengers. Capacity growth (13.7%) continued to outstrip demand, with the result that the load factor fell 1.3 percentage points to 74.7%. Air travel was a good news story in 2016. Connectivity increased with the establishment of more than 700 new routes. And a $44 fall in average return fares helped to make air travel even more accessible. As a result, a record 3.7 billion passengers flew safely to their destination. Demand for air travel is still expanding. The challenge for governments is to work with the industry to meet that demand with infrastructure that can accommodate the growth, regulation that facilitates growth and taxes that dont choke growth. If we can achieve that, there is plenty of potential for a safe, secure and sustainable aviation industry to create more jobs and increase prosperity, said Alexandre de Juniac, IATAs director general and CEO. International passenger traffic rose 6.7% in 2016 compared to 2015. Capacity rose 6.9% and load factor fell 0.2 percentage points to 79.6%. All regions recorded year-over-year increases in demand. Asia Pacific carriers recorded a demand increase of 8.3% compared to 2015, which was the second-fastest increase among the regions. This pace is considerably ahead of the five-year growth average of 6.9%. Capacity rose 7.7%, pushing up the load factor 0.4 percentage points to 78.6%. European carriers international traffic climbed 4.8% in 2016. Capacity rose 5.0% and despite a decline of 0.1 percentage points to 82.8%, the load factor remains the highest among the regions. European carriers particularly benefitted from an improvement in the second half of the yearpassenger volumes have been increasing at an average of 15% year-over-year since June, easily compensating for a slight decline over the first six months of 2016. North American airlines saw demand rise 2.6% in 2016. Most of the growth occurred in the second quarter, and traffic has been strongest on Pacific routes. The North Atlantic, by contrast, has been fairly flat. Capacity rose 3.3%, reducing the load factor by 0.5 percentage points to 81.3%. Latin American airlines traffic rose 7.4% in 2016. Capacity rose 4.8% and load factor strengthened by 1.9 percentage points to 81.3%. International traffic from Latin America remains very healthy despite some economic and political uncertainty in the regions largest market, Brazil. African airlines had their best growth performance since 2012, up 7.4%. Growth is being underpinned by strong demand on routes to/from Asia and the Middle East. Capacity exactly matched demand, with the result that the load factor remained flat at 67.7%. Domestic Passenger Markets Domestic air travel rose 5.7% in 2016. Capacity rose 5.1% and load factor was 82.2%, up 0.5 percentage points over 2015. All major markets except Brazil showed growth, but India and China, with RPK expansion of 23.3% and 11.7% respectively, were the stand-out performers. These markets have been underpinned by additional routes and increasing flight frequencies, with the latter looking set to continue in 2017. Our freedom to connect through air travel drives prosperity and enriches societies. That freedom can only be given its fullest expression when governments facilitate the movement of people and goods. Security and competitiveness, of course, must always be top of mind for governments. And the four billion people who will travel by air this year are an opportunity to build an even better world through the positive impacts of globalisationmutual understanding, innovation and business opportunities among them. Aviation is the business of freedom. And we must defend its social and economic benefits from barriers to travel and protectionist agendas, said de Juniac. The first Qatar Airways flight touched down on the North Island of New Zealand, just after sunrise. Celebrations to commemorate the launch of the worlds longest commercial flight, which takes 17 hours and 30 minutes and covers a distance of 14,535 kilometres, began at the airport with a traditional water salute as the Qatar Airways Boeing 777 taxied down the runway. Qatar Airways Group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker travelled on board the inaugural flight from Doha to Auckland and was welcomed by The Hon Todd McClay, New Zealands Minister of Trade and State Owned Enterprises; and Auckland Airport Chief Executive, Adrian Littlewood. Al Baker said: The launch of our new service to Auckland is an important milestone for Qatar Airways as we expand both in the region and globally across our network providing more options and better connections to exciting business and leisure destinations in Europe and the Middle East. Arriving in Auckland on Waitangi Day, and achieving the title of worlds longest flight for the return record-breaking service, which covers a distance of 14,535 kilometres and lasts 17 hours and 30 minutes, makes this an even more momentous occasion for Qatar Airways and provides another accomplishment to celebrate in this our 20th year flying the flag internationally for Qatar. Littlewood, added: We welcome Qatar Airways to Auckland Airport and New Zealand. We expect this route to be very popular with visitors to New Zealand and with New Zealanders travelling, particularly between this country and Europe. Qatar Airways offers high quality inflight service and a wide network of destinations. This guide offers a collection of our most popular articles for IT leaders during the second quarter of 2016, examining the effects of the UKs Brexit vote for CIOs and debating Gartners controversial bimodal IT strategy advice. Wikinomics author Don Tapscott writes for Computer Weekly about the emerging blockchain technology and what it means for CIOs. And we talk to Harriet Green, the UK executive in charge of IBMs global internet of things business. With technology playing a critical role in every business and government body, the role of the IT leaders has never been under more scrutiny read through the selection of articles here to find out how your peers are tackling the opportunities and delivering the benefits of digital technology. Vendor: ComputerWeekly.com Posted: Feb 8, 2021 Published: Jul 26, 2016 Format: PDF Type: eGuide YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. The US Seattle Federal Court verdict is threatening the security of the United States, because it hinders the comprehensive screening of people arriving to the country, US President Donald J. Trump tweeted on February 5. Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!, Trump said. According to him, he ordered the NSA to screen arriving people very thoroughly. On February 3, a federal US judge put a temporary ban on Trumps executive order on heightened immigration regime. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Ministry of Justice on February 3 discussed the draft Human Rights Protection national strategy action plan for 2017-2019 with the representatives of state bodies and NGOs, press service of the Ministry told Armenpress. Deputy Justice Minister Vigen Kocharyan thanked the UN Office in Armenia and the UNDP for assisting to hold the discussion and added that the Ministry attaches importance to the indirect and active participation of the state bodies and NGOs in the program development works. The Deputy Minister recalled that the Ministry has received proposals from respective bodies over the program which must be discussed in order to be included in the program. Vigen Kocharyan said the draft is still at the development stage and the Justice Ministry expects new proposals over the program. Within the framework of the draft program, a number of issues related to the fight against discrimination, protection of womens rights, rights of children, people with disabilities, maintenance of health, right to life, education, protection of rights of conscripts, the right to a fair trial, the right to free and fair elections, the right to freedom of expression, media and rallies, as well as the protection of economic rights were discussed. Venture capital mindset helps CIOs deal with tech deluge As CIOs and CISOs push for innovation, mindset changes might be in order. They can take a cue from VCs and think about ideation ... Content moderation under Musk won't trigger legal reform While Musk is facing legal and business challenges since taking over Twitter, it's not likely that his content moderation ... YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Startups dont usually meet the requirements of the public procurement system, however tools have been introduced in order to involve them too, finance minister Vardan Aramyan told reporters. In his words, the tool is the participation of the startups in procurements worth up to 1 million drams, which enables new and inexperienced companies to take part in the process. Experience shows, that medium and large companies are usually taking part in public procurements, because they are able to supply with good prices and good quality. Procurements are acquisition of products and services with taxpayer money and it must be done with the lowest cost and maximum result. From this perspective, the company which is able to meet this requirement takes part, the minister said. Vardan Aramyan also advised to follow the indicator of competitiveness in the state procurement tender, instead of following the number of startups. According to him, the indicator has grown. In his words, if two years ago the indicator was 2.5, now it is 3.5. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. The bilateral risks in the public procurement system depend on for how much time they are signed, Finance Minister Vardan Aramyan told reporters, Armenpress reported. As an example of bilateral risks, he brought petrol purchases, taking into account their market price fluctuations, as well as changes in foreign currencies. The Minister said framework agreements are signed with petrol market participants which will later be applied through competitions of electronic auctions or pricing quotation surveys. If a state body has a demand for petrol for three months, it sends a request to the participating companies, after which they present the price and the pricing takes place through a competition. If they sign a one-year contract, the entrepreneur can benefit or suffer from changes in external factors. Thats way it is reasonable to sign framework agreements, the Minister said. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. The interest declaration institution has been introduced in the new law on public procurement, which will come into force from April 25, under which the company taking part in the public procurement tender and the state official of the public system must present a declaration on their affiliation or non affiliation, only after which the bidder will be enabled to take part in the procurement. Finance minister Vardan Aramyan told reporters companies which will take part in state procurement system are obliged to reveal their interests. According to the minister, the mechanisms and foundations are already created. With the new system of public procurement we attempt to reach maximum transparency and provide the necessary tools for the public and all responsible agencies to the aware of the procedures and results. The new law on public procurement has such regulations which were absent in the past. One of the most important regulations are the powerful mechanisms for prevention of corruption risks, one of which is the declaration of interests, the minister said. If the interest declaration institution doesnt exist, then it will be very difficult to reveal the affiliation of a given official with the participant of the tender. It is a platform where such phenomena will become transparent. According to the minister, the beauty of this tool will be the preventive part, instead of the punishing part, because the official will sign a declaration which will later become the property of the public. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho says he was "protecting" Armenian Henrikh Mkhitaryan by not playing him at the start of Manchester United's Premier League campaign. During the match with Leicester City Armenian international scored for the fifth time this season, and was unsurprisingly a topic of conversation in Mourinho's post-match press conference. During the press conference, Mourinho explains exactly why Mkhitaryan was slowly introduced to his team. Mourinho said: Sometimes the best way to protect the players is not to play them. Your perspective is that if a player is not playing, the manager is disturbing him. But it's not true. Sometimes you don't play players and you protect them. Miki was being protected. He was adapting. You see the magic things on the pitch and I see other things that I want to see. Miki is playing really well, he said as quoted by Manchester Evening news. Manchester Untied won 3:0 against Leicester City on Sunday. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and Germany have established diplomatic relations in January , 1992. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations, Armenpress talked to Armenias Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Germany Ashot Smbatyan on bilateral political, economic relations, Germanys stance on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the resolution on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and other issues. -Mr. Smbatyan, this year Armenia and Germany celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. How do you assess the current level of bilateral relations and the cooperation in multilateral international platforms? -2017 is really a remarkable year for the history of relations of Armenia and Germany. The foundations of the Armenian-German diplomatic relations were laid 25 years ago. After two and a half decade I must state that the relations have undergone a normal development path, and today we can speak about normal progress of multisectoral cooperation and political dialogue. Armenias desire to expand cooperation with Germany in bilateral and multilateral formats is related with Germanys active political and economic role in the international arena, its strong position in the EU, as well as its interest towards the South Caucasus region. Germany is the second, after the US, most active donors assisting Armenias socio-economic reforms. Within the frames of cooperation development policy, Germanys government provides Armenia technical and financial assistance through GIZ and KfW since 1992. Germany is Armenias leading trading partners and takes the 1st position among the EU states. Currently several dozens of enterprises with the participation of German capital are registered in Armenia. Active cooperation exists in cultural, scientific-educational, military-political, trade-economic spheres, there is a wide legal framework, high-level political dialogue. Close ties were established between Armenias Parliament and the German Bundestag. German-Armenian Forum exists in the Bundestag. There is an active cooperation in military field as well as, in military medicine, exchange of experience of military education, as well as on the sidelines of NATOs Partnership for Peace program. From the perspective of boosting political dialogue, importance is attached to high-level visits, especially President Serzh Sargsyans recent official visit to Germany in April, as well as the regular dialogue formed between the Foreign Ministers. Armenia and Germany have signed more than 60 inter-state, inter-governmental and inter-agency agreements in various domains. This year the Government of Germany officially launches the process of establishing Goethe Institute in Yerevan, in particular, this year Goethe Center will be opened which will prepare the establishment of the Institute in Armenia. Thus, the active cultural and scientific-education cooperation will become more complete. -Recently Armenia has started to pay much more attention on economic diplomacy. In what stage are the Armenian-German economic relations, in particular, in which sectors do you see development prospects? What is your most recent data on bilateral trade turnover volume? -One of our current priorities is boosting the economic cooperation between the two countries, and I think favorable legal framework exists for that. Especially the recent legislative changes in Armenia create serious opportunities for foreign investments in Armenia. We are making efforts to inform the German economic circles about these opportunities. The trade turnover between Armenia and Germany in 2016 comprised 325.6 million USD. The export for the same period was 138.9 million USD, the import was 186.6 million USD, and according to the country making trade the number was 154 million USD. With these figures Germany is the third trade partner of Armenia after Russia and China, but it is the first among the EU countries. Armenia mainly imports vehicles, car devices, chemical products, electronics from Germany. Natural raw materials, iron, copper, molybdenum, as well as light industry products are being exported from Armenia to Germany. Cronimet German company plays a key role in the development of economic ties between the two countries which received 70% (132 million USD) of stocks of the Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine in 2004. This is the largest German investment program carried out in Armenia, as a result of which Germany is one of the major foreign investors in Armenia. The German economic union was officially launched in Armenia in 2016 which operates in all countries of the world. Business forums and round-table discussions are being regularly held aimed at boosting the bilateral trade-economic ties, as well as the German investments in Armenia. In February, 2017 as well a big economic forum will be held in Berlin which will focus on priority sectors and programs between the two countries such as the IT, transportation and communication, energy sector, key infrastructure programs. The economic mutual visits have also been intensified. -Germany is Europes one of the countries hosting large number of migrants. Since 2011 Armenia as well faced the issue of hosting the Syrian refugees. Are there any joint programs in this field? If no, are there any plans to carry out such programs? -The flow of refugees from the Middle East, especially from Syria, as well as the challenges in connection with this are one of the major priorities of the German state, as well as party agenda. Germanys international cooperation agency is carrying out a small program on refugees with Armenia. At this moment there are no other specific programs yet. We continue following the developments, and I think works need to be done in this field. Within our diplomatic powers, we are trying to assist the Syrian-Armenian refugees asking for shelter in Germany if necessary. -On June 2, 2016, the Bundestag adopted the resolution on recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Do you see any prospect for criminalization of the denial of Genocide in Germany? -Last year was really historical in this regard. Germany once again proved its commitment to universal values and fundamental human rights, and we are thankful for this. Berlin already did a courageous step: with absolute majority of votes, Bundestag almost unanimously condemned the genocide of Armenians and other Christian minorities living in the Ottoman Empire a century ago. 3 out of 4 factions in the Bundestag took part in the preparation of this historical resolution, all factions voted in favor of it. In reality, this was a result of long-term and purposeful work. I dont want to make predictions on the possible development of the resolution. I will only say that we continue taking steps in order the topic of the Armenian Genocide remains vivid within the German political and public circles, in order the new generation of Germany face and recognize this crime as a lesson, as a meditation and remembrance. Here one must not forget that the Armenian Genocide in the early 20th century is a part of the common European memory. -How do you assess Germanys stance on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as an OSCE Minsk Group member state, as well as its role as an OSCE chairing country in 2016? -We highly appreciate official Berlins stance on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. We welcome Germanys balanced statements on this issue both during the OSCE chairmanship, as well as before that. Official Berlin has repeatedly announced his approach on assisting the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and settling the conflict through peaceful means. During the April four-day war former German Foreign Minister Steinmeier issued a statement saying that the use of force is unacceptable and the issue cannot be solved through such measures. Thus, Germany as well brought its contribution to suspending the large-scale military operations provoked by Azerbaijan in April. -Mr. Smbatyan, do you have a formula by which you are guided in your this responsible position? -I have never thought about being guided by specific formulas since every situation requires an attitude specific to it, sometimes without repetition. But there are principles, to which, I always remain loyal, both in professional, as well as in personal matters. Here, I will identify the principle of trying, the art of trying, which is to try in situations which even seem are impossible. This is the art of small steps, which is a serious cornerstone in achieving success especially in diplomacy. Interview by Armen Ghazaryan YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRRESS. An Afghan diplomat was gunned down in Pakistans Karachi, Reuters reports. According to law enforcement agencies, the diplomat third secretary of the General Consulate of Afghanistan in Pakistan, was killed by a security guard. The shooter is arrested. The identities of the victim and the perpetrator are not yet released. Police say the shooter is an Afghan national. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. The call on a bomb in the mental institution of Yerevans Avan district was false, the Police HQ told ARMENPRESS. At 12:25 a call was received stating there is a bomb in the psychiatric hospital of Avan, however police search teams revealed the call to be false, the Police HQ said. Rescue teams were also dispatched to the scene. Law enforcement agencies are currently working to identify the caller. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. The Investigative Committees regional department of Syunik province is investigating the circumstances of a sexual assault and rape of a 16 year old girl, the Investigative Committee told ARMENPRESS. A 16 year old girl from Sisian city reported to police that on December 7, 2016, a 23 year old local of the same city raped her in an office space. A medical expertise was assigned and the alleged crime scene was investigated. Police are investigating the incident to determine the circumstances. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. President of North Korea Park Geun-hye is expected to undergo face-to-face questioning over a string of corruption allegations later this week possibly at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, Armenpress reports, citing YONHAP, her aide said Monday. The aide said that though Park's legal representatives and the independent counsel team are still fine-tuning details about the planned questioning, it could likely take place on Thursday or Friday. If conducted, it would mark the first time for a sitting president to be questioned in a probe. "(We expect) the questioning to occur near the end of this week," he told Yonhap News Agency over the phone, declining to be named. "(The two sides) are converging on the idea of carrying out the interrogation inside the presidential office (for security reasons)." Tensions flared anew between the two sides last Friday after the presidential office refused to allow special prosecutors to search its compound citing security concerns. Some anticipate the investigators could try again to raid Cheong Wa Dae before questioning the president. Park was impeached on Dec. 9 over a corruption scandal involving her and her friend Choi Soon-sil. Park is alleged to have colluded with Choi in extorting money and favors from local conglomerates, and to have allowed Choi to meddle in important state affairs. The president has denied the charges. In a recent interview with a conservative news outlet, she raised suspicions that someone premeditated the scandal to bring her down with "preposterous, colossal" lies. On Friday, Park submitted a written statement to the Constitutional Court to rebut the charges again. Park claimed in the statement that she has not known anything about what Choi has done, adding that she thinks Choi is just a "housewife." The president also said her friend merely offered a couple of comments on her speech. "The President has not ordered her staff to send reports on state policies and personnel appointments to Choi," Park said in the statement. The top court is to determine whether to remove her from office or reinstate her by early July. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Suren Karayan, minister of economic development and investments of Armenia, held a meeting on February 6 with Ambassador of France to Armenia H.E. Jean-Francois Charpentier, the ministry told ARMENPRESS. The minister said it is necessary to consolidate efforts for the growth of trade turnover between the two countries. According to the minister, Armenia can serve as a unique economic bridge for France towards the Eurasian Economic Union and Iran. Minister Karayan said numerous investment programs have been designed, which will be presented to the Ambassador, which can be interesting for French businessmen. The minister said a free economic zone is being created in the bordering zone with Iran, where again the participation of French businessmen will be welcomed. I will task for an individual officer to deal with all issues and matters regarding French investors in the Development Foundation of Armenia, with a one stop principle, which will allow coordinating their issues, and in case of not coordinating, the issues will be reported directly to me, the minister said. Ambassador Jean-Francois Charpentier thanked the minister for the meeting; stressing the strengthening of Armenian-French economic cooperation of the recent years is a priority for them. One of the successful examples of economic cooperation is the agreement of the French Veolia and the Armenian Government, as well as the effective activities of the French Development Agency in Armenia. We are closely following all approaches which have been adopted by the Armenian Government, whether the creation of a free economic zone, or any other innovative approach, which, for example, are directed for the fight against monopoly, improvement of the business environment, increase in investments and programs. Anything relating to the economic activity which can attract foreign investors is under our attention. There are areas which are already of the interest of the French side. And we, in our turn, keep the stakeholder structures notified, the Ambassador said. China hopes the Japanese government will act in a responsible manner and take concrete measures to tackle excessive radiation at the Fukushima nuclear plant, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Monday. After analyzing images taken by a manually operated camera that probed the deepest point yet within the reactor, Tokyo Electric Power Co said on Thursday that radiation levels inside the plant's No 2 reactor were estimated at 530 sieverts per hour at one spot, hitting a record high. The 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, triggered by a massive undersea earthquake and tsunami, sent three reactors into meltdown at the Fukushima plant in the worst such accident since Chernobyl in 1986. We have "asked many times for the Japanese government to handle it in a timely and proper" fashion, Lu told a daily press conference. Lu said that any government, that wants to be responsible, will consider the accident's impact on the marine environment, food safety and human health. "We hope the Japanese government can take concrete measures to counteract the effects caused by the accident. This is not only responsible to its own people, but also to people in neighboring countries," he said. Lu also said that the Foreign Ministry has released related alerts, and he believes "Chinese citizens will properly arrange their trips and take proper precautions". YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. The EU continues to fully support the mediation efforts and proposals of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs, ARMENPRESS reports President of the European Council Donald Tusk announced in the meeting with Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev. We discussed the peace process of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Status qua is shaky. The conflict has no military solution and needs urgent political settlement in line with international right, the President of the European Council stressed. Donald Tusk also emphasized the importance of protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of speech. The EU beliefs open society is the best guarantor of sustainable stability and prosperity, Tusk said. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenian-Iranian relations are not against any third country and have experienced much less snags in comparison with other neighbors, Armenpress reports, citing Iranian Tansim agency, Irans Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi told at a at a weekly press conference. He reminded that Iran was the first country to mediate between Yerevan and Baku in a conflict over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Bahram Qassemi then made a reference to Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyans recent visit to Iran, saying bilateral talks between Tehran and Yerevan revolve around economic, political and cultural issues, as well as regional matters, including the crisis in Syria. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson stressed that Caucasus is a very important region with which Iran is linked by historical, cultural and political ties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Midstream provider Lucid Energy Group has announced the company has purchased a second cryogenic processing plant for its South Carlsbad Gathering and Processing System in the Delaware Basin. Known as Roadrunner I, the plant will be installed in Eddy County. The announcement follows the companys Aug. 30, 2016, acquisition of Agave Energy Company and the implementation of an aggressive plan to expand the South Carlsbad System in Lea and Eddy counties in New Mexico. The plant has the capacity to process 200 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of rich gas and will serve producers developing the prolific Wolfcamp, Bone Springs and Avalon formations of the northern Delaware Basin. The location of the Roadrunner Natural Gas Processing Complex is strategic to the companys existing infrastructure and customer base in the northern Delaware Basin. The site will provide expansion capabilities accommodating future development in support of Lucids producer customers. The targeted in-service date for Roadrunner I is the first quarter of 2018. Lucid is on schedule with the ongoing expansion of its Red Hills II Plant in Lea County and anticipates commissioning that plant in June 2017. Following the installation of the Roadrunner I plant, Lucids South Carlsbad System processing capacity will be 510 MMcf/d, a growth of more than 750 percent since the acquisition of the Agave assets. The Roadrunner plant will complete the next step in Lucids growth plan for the South Carlsbad System, said Lucid Executive Vice President and CCO Scott Brown. Connecting this state-of-the-art cryogenic processing plant complex to the existing pipeline infrastructure serving the Red Hills Plant Complex creates capacity and reliability that our customers need in both Eddy and Lea counties. After the German occupation of Austria, Hautzig knew he needed to get out. Responding to an advertisement in a Jewish newspaper, he arrived at a Vienna hotel at 8 a.m. to audition for Emil Hauser, director of the Jerusalem Conservatory and a founder of the Budapest String Quartet. Mr. Hauser was not just offering fellowships; he was also offering exit visas. An Introduction to Doing Business in Singapore 2017, the latest publication from Dezan Shira & Associates, is out now and available for complimentary download through the Asia Briefing Publication Store. As the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) continues upon its path towards closer economic integration in 2017, Singapores role as the de facto financial and commercial capital of Southeast Asia will be unassailable. Having already established its competitive niche as a destination for establishing regional headquarters, branch offices and holding companies in Asia, Singapores legal and tax regimes continue to be among the most business-friendly in the world. Offering foreign investors access to a highly skilled workforce, English-speaking business environment, immense logistics and transportation capacities, and over 70 double taxation avoidance agreements (DTAs), Singapore has firmly established its role as the gateway to ASEAN, China, India, and the whole of emerging Asia for foreign investors. An Introduction to Doing Business in Singapore 2017 covers the following: The Singaporean Edge Investing in Singapore and ASEAN Options for Investment Holding Companies Company Establishment Singapores Tax Regime Taxation in Singapore Singapores Double Taxation Avoidance (DTA) Network Human Resources and Payroll Key Considerations when Hiring Staff Payroll and Social Insurance Compliance The content of this guide was compiled by Dezan Shira & Associates staff in Singapore, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to foreign investors in emerging Asia. About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email asean@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight. Managing ASEAN Expansion from Singapore In this issue of ASEAN Briefing Magazine, we look at the benefits of using Singapore a hub for the management of regional operations throughout ASEAN. We firstly focus on the position of Singapore relative to its competitors, such as the Netherlands and Hong Kong. We then provide step-by-step instructions on corporate establishment, and provide expert insight on maximizing returns through the reduction respective tax burdens. Human Resources in ASEAN In this issue of ASEAN Briefing, we discuss the prevailing structure of ASEANs labor markets and outline key considerations regarding wages and compliance at all levels of the value chain. We highlight comparative sentiment on labor markets within the region, showcase differences in cost and compliance between markets, and provide insight on the state of statutory social insurance obligations throughout the bloc. India is closely monitoring the developments and is constantly in touch with the councillor office in the US. New Delhi: Amid concerns being raised by India Inc on the US visa regime, the Commerce and Industry Ministry today said it will soon hold a meeting with industry including Nasscom to discuss the issue. Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that India is closely monitoring the developments and is constantly in touch with the councillor office in the US. "There are several nuances to that...So I would not rush to give a view on it, yes there is going to be an impact...We will be holding a meeting with Nasscom, industries which have significant presence in the US, talking to them about how they are working out in this environment, what are there strategies," she told reporters here. She said the meeting would be convened soon after the parliament go for recess. In the meeting, "we are going to have a clear exchange and discussions with them and after that, I will be able to have a clearer picture of where the industry is...," she added. Industry body Nasscom has said that it will take a delegation of senior executives to Washington DC later this month to reach out to the new US administration as well as senators on concerns around clampdown on visas and flow of skilled manpower between the two nations. The delegation will highlight and share information with the new US administration on direct jobs being created by Indian IT companies in the US, and contribution of Indian IT firms in making the US economy competitive. The proposed overhaul of popular H-1B visa regime by American President Donald Trump has raised concerns among the Indian IT firms, as any changes in the visa regime may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the USD 110 billion Indian outsourcing industry. Indian IT sector, which contributes 9.3 per cent of the country's GDP, is one of the largest private sector employer at 3.7 million people. The US contributes nearly 62 per cent of the exports, while EU is the second largest market for the Indian IT services exporters contributing approximately 28 per cent. Analysts say the issue also threatens to sour Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis burgeoning relationship. Indian student Sunny Nair has always dreamt of working for a technology giant in the United States but fears that President Donald Trump will crush his life ambition. The 19-year-old worries that Trumps crackdown on immigration will include restrictions on so-called H-1B visas, which Indias IT sector uses to send thousands of highly-skilled workers to America every year. Analysts say the issue also threatens to sour Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis burgeoning relationship. The leaders have extended mutual invitations to visit their respective countries but are heading for a clash on visas. I had always dreamt about going to the US and working for a major company like Infosys but now all that will change, Nair told AFP despondently before trudging into class. The aspiring techie had planned to head to the United States for further study next year after completing his bachelors degree in engineering at the Don Bosco Institute of Technology in Mumbai. He hoped that would help land him the opportunity of a lifetime at one of Indias top information technology exporting firms, such as Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) or Wipro. But Trump has pledged to prioritise jobs for Americans. Shares in Indias three largest tech firms took a hit this week after White House spokesman Sean Spicer suggested that presidential and congressional action could be taken on H-1B visas as part of a larger immigration reform effort. Three bills have been introduced to Congress which reportedly seek to restructure the H-1B visa programme, including one that would raise the salary threshold, making it more expensive for Indian firms to send employees to America. Scores of high-profile Indians, including Google chief executive Sundar Pichai, have followed a well-trodden path from Indian IT institutes to a masters degree in America before landing a plum job in Silicon Valley. Nair is now anxiously plotting a different road map for his future. (Restrictions)... Would be a major negative decision by Trump and would mean fewer international opportunities so my goals have shifted drastically now. I am looking at other venues for my future studies like Canada and Europe instead of US, he said. Indias IT outsourcing industry is worth around $108 billion, according to industry body NASSCOM, the National Association of Software and Services Companies, with almost four million people employed in the sector. Nasscom president R. Chandrashekhar said restrictions would create uncertainty and leave US businesses short of the skilled workers they need. Its a myth that these workers replace American workers, he told AFP. Given that there arent enough people with the qualifications to fill these jobs, two things can happen these jobs can remain unfilled or companies can ship these jobs overseas. Neither is a good thing for the US. Indias IT sector has become a boom industry in recent years with companies, specially in developed nations, subcontracting work to firms such as TCS, taking advantage of the countrys skilled English-speaking workforce. It makes more than $60 billion alone from the American market, providing IT and engineering services to major US businesses. The United States offers 85,000 H-1B visas every year, most of which are snapped up by Indian outsourcers whose employees fill a skill gap in US engineering. Applications are vastly oversubscribed and are allocated via a lottery system. Industry experts say any clampdown would force Indian tech titans to radically rethink their business models. Indian IT firms may start focusing on Asia-Pacific and expand their businesses here instead of in the US, D.D. Mishra, an analyst at technology research company Gartner told AFP. Infosys has said it is looking into reducing its dependency on visas to stay competitive, while worried software executives are due to travel to the US later this month to press their case with lawmakers. Tech Mahindra CEO C.P. Gurnani told AFP there would certainly be an impact, adding: It is unfortunate that we are talking about protectionism and creating artificial trade barriers in the age of globalisation. (Any) restriction is always a concern and we hope that the Trump administration will take into consideration all factors, before making any decision, he added. A spokesman for Indias external affairs ministry said earlier this week that New Delhi had conveyed Indias interests and concerns to senior levels in the US administration and Congress. Centre may take steps to ban the practice after elections in UP, says Union law minister. Lucknow: In a move that could have far reaching consequences for the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said here on Sunday that the Centre is committed to ending the evil social practice of triple talaq. Mr Prasad asked the SP, BSP and Congress to clarify their position on the issue. Talking to reporters, Mr Prasad said, I want Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi and Mayawati to clarify their stand on the issue of triple talaq. The BJP stand is very clear and the issue is not related to religion, but involves respect and dignity of women. He said that the government respects faith, but it could not allow social evils to continue. The minister had said in Ghaziabad on Saturday that the Centre may take appropriate steps to ban triple talaq after the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections as the tradition denies respect to women. Every pernicious practice cannot be part of a religion and the Centre would raise the issue in the Supreme Court on three points justice, equality and dignity of women, he explained. The ministers statement is likely to evoke a strong reaction from Muslim clerics. Talking on condition of anonymity on Sunday, a senior cleric said that they would discuss the issue on Monday and come out with a strongly-worded statement on the subject which concerns Islamic law. Instead of talking individually, it would be better if the ministers statement is dealt with directly. However, this statement has only strengthened our resolve to keep the BJP out of power in UP and save our personal religious freedom, the cleric said. Mr Prasad further attacked the SP-Congress alliance in Uttar Pradesh, saying, This is an alliance of desperation between two dynastic parties... An alliance of desperation between crime, criminals and corruption. Ridiculing the tieup, he claimed the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna will end up with one party merging with the other after the polls. Which party will merge with which party will be seen after the polls. This is nothing but a theatre of the absurd, the BJP leader said. He also touched upon the salient features of the BJPs manifesto and the Union Budget, and explained how it would help the poor. On Saturday in Ghaziabad, Mr Prasad had alleged that the SP and Congress have entered an alliance as both parties indulge in corruption, crime and loot. Both parties are opportunist and have tied-up with each other just to stop the landslide victory of BJP, he had said. Not a single big industry was established in Uttar Pradesh during the tenure of the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP government, the BJP leader alleged, adding that the funds sanctioned by the Centre for the development of the state have not been used due to the feud within the Yadav family. A meeting will be held with Indian mega trade association NASSCOM and with the industries which have significant presence in the US. New Delhi: Expressing concern over the recent United States' bill to change H-1B visas likely to affect the Indian IT industry and techies working there, the Centre on Monday assured that they are in constant touch with the US authorities, adding that a discussion will be held with NASSCOM post the Parliament session. Addressing the media here, Union minister of state for commerce and industry, Nirmala Sitharaman asserted that the legislation introduced in the US House of Representatives will definitely have a financial implication, inclusive of the minimum wages for highly qualified workers. "We will probably have to wait for a Congressional approval. So there are several things which are embedded in that discourse about HIB visa. Since it's so layered, it is not right for me to react at one go about all this. We are closely monitoring the development closely with the MEA. We are constantly in touch with the US embassy," she said. Admitting that there will be an impact on the Indian IT sector following the move by the Donald Trump administration, the Union Minister stated that as soon as the Parliament Session will be over this week, a meeting will be held with Indian mega trade association NASSCOM and with the industries which have significant presence in the US. "We will talk to them about how they are working about in this environment and what are their strategies. I will also be talking with the External Affairs and understanding in how we can take a call on these issues," Sitharaman said. Earlier, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said India's concerns about the US' H-1B visa policy under the new Donald Trump administration have been conveyed to the US at "senior levels". Swarup's comments came in the wake of the legislation mandating that the minimum salary of H-1B visa holders be increased to $130,000 from $60,000, was introduced in the US House of Representatives by Congressman Zoe Lofgren. If it's passed, the legislation will make it very difficult for American companies to use H-1B visas to hire foreign workers, including IT professionals from India. Jayalalithaas close aide, Sasikala, who will soon take oath as the Tamil Nadu CM, is also a co-accused in the case. Sasikala Natarajan pays tribute to late J. Jayalalithaa after she was appointed AIADMK general secretary at Poes Garden in Chennai. (Photo: PTI/File) Chennai: Two months after her death, the Supreme Court on Monday it will pronounce verdict within a week on pleas challenging acquittal of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and her close aide Sasikala in disproportionate assets case. Sasikala was on Sunday unanimously elected as the AIADMK Legislature Party leader replacing incumbent O. Panneerselvam. Sasikala is likely to take oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on February 9. With the first accused in the case, former Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa, passing away, the Karnataka government has mentioned before the Supreme Court regarding the deletion of her name from the list of accused. Jayalalithaa was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act in 1996 for allegedly amassing unaccounted wealth. The charges against Sasikala, her son V.N. Sudhakaran and daughter-in-law Elavarasi, pertain to the acquisition of benami properties with the help of Jayalalithaa. A special court in Bengaluru had convicted Jayalalithaa and her three associates in 2014 in the case and sentenced her to four years imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 100 crore. However, the Karnataka High Court on May 11, 2015, acquitted Jayalalithaa and her three associates. If the Supreme Court upholds the judgement of the special court convicting all the accused, it could be considered as big political setback for Sasikala and the AIADMK, said sources. Sahara on Monday admitted before the top court that it had to pay an amount of Rs 14,000 crore as principal money to SEBI. New Delhi: In yet another blow to Subrata Roy, the Supreme Court on Monday ordered attaching the company's Aamby Valley properties in Lonavala, Maharashtra which are worth 39,000 crores. Now the properties would be kept under the supervision of court and nobody would cease or do anything with these properties till the next date of the hearing on the case on February 27. The apex court asked Sahara to furnish a list of properties which were free from Litigation and mortgage so that it could be put into public auction. Sahara on Monday admitted before the top court that it had to pay an amount of Rs 14,000 crore as principal money to SEBI. The business conglomerate today also told the Apex court that it had already paid Rs 11,000 crores. Subrato Roy's parole was earlier extended till November 28 taking note of the deposit of Rs 200 crores made by him with SEBI in October, as a condition precedent for his release. The apex court had then granted four weeks' custody parole to Roy to perform his mother's last rites. Roy was in Tihar jail since March 4, 2014, till his mother's death in May 6, 2016, for not complying with the apex court's orders in connection with a long dispute with the market regulator. SEBI had alleged that Roy failed to comply with the 2012 SC order directing him to return investors more than Rs 20,000 crore with 15 percent interest that his two companies Sahara India Real Estate Corp Ltd and the Sahara Housing Finance Corp Ltd had raised through optionally fully convertible debentures (OFCD) in 2007 and 2008. Sahara, once among India's high-profile firms, has in the past made several failed attempts to raise the bail money using its prized overseas hotels that include the Plaza in New York and Grosvenor House in London. India and Afghanistan share a close bilateral relationship, and had inked a strategic partnership agreement in 2011. New Delhi: Making a case for more Indian military helicopters, tanks and heavy guns to fight terrorist elements and insurgency in Afghanistan, Afghan ambassador to New Delhi Shaida Mohammad Abdali said that his country was just a staging ground for ISIS, and that the outfits growing presence spells danger with huge security implications for the entire South Asian region, including India. On Monday, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) released a report documenting an increase in attacks by ISIS, particularly targeting Shias, that claimed 209 civilians dead and 690 injured. The report recorded 11,418 conflict-related civilian victims, including 3,498 killed and 7,920 injured in 2016 the highest since the UN began systematically documenting civilian casualty figures in 2009. Afghanistan is just the staging ground for Daesh (ISIS) for the entire region to become unstable. Daesh in Afghanistan is not just for Afghanistan, but it is a phenomena that will destablise the entire South Asian region, Mr Abdali said, adding, While ISIS in Iraq-Syria, its variant in Afghanistan and the Taliban are dissimilar, in many other areas we believe that the source of their support is the same. India is actively helping Afghanistan with military hardware and we are grateful for that. But, we do need more of helicopters, heavy guns, tanks etc., and also repairing facilities for our Russian-origin equipment, the ambassador told this newspaper on the sidelines of an event organised by the Institute of Defence and Strategic Analysis. We do not want Indian combatants in Afghanistan, we already have our own. But, what we need are enablers, he said. India and Afghanistan share a close bilateral relationship, and had inked a strategic partnership agreement in 2011. Under the agreement, in 2015, India gave three Hindustan Aeronautics Limited-manufactured Cheetal helicopters to Afghanistan and four Mi-35 attack copters in 2016, marking the first time lethal equipment had been supplied to Indias neighbour. Reacting to a recent suggestion that the Taliban should be used to fight ISIS, the ambassador said that was like looking for a cheaper solution. Asked if ISIS was trying to strengthen itself in Afghanistan with an eye on getting to Central Asian oil, Mr Abdali said, On Daeshs motives in Afghanistan and beyond in Central Asia, as in the West Asia, where they have tried to take over oil and gas reserves, a quest for oil cannot be ruled out. Central Asia has one of the richest sources of known oil reserves. Fireworks likely in session 2nd half in March. New Delhi: In a bid to avoid a major embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha, the Narendra Modi government has begun parleys with the Opposition parties to not press for a vote on the motion of thanks to the Presidents address. The government had been put on the mat in both 2015 and 2016 when it was forced to amend the Presidents address. Treasury bench strategists and the governments floor managers have already reached out to key leaders in the Congress, Trinamul Congress and Left parties. The desperation to get a majority in the Upper House was also evident when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking in Aligarh, said the Opposition had joined hands in Uttar Pradesh not merely to defeat the BJP in the elections but also to stall the BJPs efforts to secure a majority in the Rajya Sabha. The Opposition parties have jointly moved well over a thousand amendments in both Houses on the Presidents address. While in the Lok Sabha 415 amendments have been moved, in the Rajya Sabha 651 amendments were moved, out of which 19 are on demonetisation alone. The government is concerned as it remains in a minority in the Rajya Sabha. The BJP-led NDA has 74 seats in the Rajya Sabha, while the Congress and other anti-BJP parties have a total 125 seats. The maximum number of amendments to the Presidents address have been moved by Congress and Trinamul Congress MPs. With the Assembly elections on, the government could escape facing embarrassment as the Trinamul Congress, with 11 Rajya Sabha MPs, might press for amendments but not push for voting. Government sources said there were indications that some other Opposition parties, including the RJD that has three MPs in the Rajya Sabha, may also not push for voting. The other advantage for the government may be that MPs of both Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party are busy campaigning in Uttar Pradesh. While the BSP has six Rajya Sabha MPs, the SP has 19. The Congress has also not come out clearly on pushing for a vote as most of its MPs are also busy campaigning. Congress sources said party president Sonia Gandhi has asked her MPs not to disrupt Parliament unnecessarily and use the debate on the motion of thanks to the Presidents address to register their strong protest against the demonetisation drive as well as other policies. The government is, however, not taking any chances and is in touch with other parties to avert a vote in the Upper House. The Opposition parties are waiting for the second half of the Budget Session when they will be able to take on the government with full force as Assembly polls will be over by then. The first half of the Budget Session will end on February 9, while Parliament will reconvene on March 9 for the second half. With all its MPs back in Parliament, the Congress will be in a better position to take on the government in the Rajya Sabha, a party leader pointed out. BJP trying to fool people on note ban, surgical strikes New Delhi: Akin to a Chinese torture which lasted almost two hours, the Opposition on Monday reopened the bitter memories of the after effects of demonetisation, took to the cleaners the Centres claims on the surgical strikes, allocating funds for MGNREGA, SCs and STs subplans and the agriculture sector, as well as its cashless economy initiatives. Participating in a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Presidents Address in Lok Sabha, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, with the help of figures and copious notes, gave a point-by-point rebuttal to Centres claims, saying that it has failed on all fronts and yet it is trying to fool the people. What made Mr Kharges systematic attack (which lasted one hour and 45 minutes) on the Centre all the more potent was that he repeatedly targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was present in the Lower House throughout his speech. The Congress leader used the opportunity to speak at length on demonetisation, making up for the lack of discussion on the issue during the Winter Session. Mr Modi is expected to respond to the discussion on February 7 in Lok Sabha. The Congress MP said that the PM should apologise to the nation for the demonetisation decision which caused a lot of troubles to all sections of the people. The government, on the other hand, asserted that the schemes and programmes initiated by it had been a success. Union minister Mahesh Sharma, who initiated the debate in the morning, said the entire nation had stood with Mr Modi on the bold decision aimed at curbing black money, ending corruption and choking funds to terrorism. The PM was present in the House since 12 pm when the discussion on the Motion of Thanks began after a 50 minute adjournment in the morning. Peppered with lots of repartee and witty digs at the PM as well as the BJP, Mr Kharge quipped that the government was misleading the countrymen by claiming that the nation is progressing fast. You can fool some of the people for some time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time, he said, quoting Abraham Lincoln, and added, There is failure on all fronts. So what are you talking about? Talking about demonetisation, Mr Kharge said, All the economists have said the decision to ban notes was bad. What steps did the government take before rolling out the plan? About 15 MLAs, including parliamentary secretaries in Mr Zeliangs government, shifted to Hotel Japfu in Kohima. Guwahati: While the Naga Tribes Action Committee-led agitation on Monday paralysed the functioning of the government completely in Nagaland, the attempt by governor P.B. Acharya to broker peace between beleaguered chief minister T.R. Zeliang and the Naga tribal leaders failed to elicit any result. Mr Acharya met leaders of the Nagaland Baptist Church Council and some NTAC leaders on Monday in a bid to resolve the crisis, but sources in the tribal council at Kohima told this newspaper most tribal leaders ruled out any chance of a compromise with the chief minister. Indicating central BJP leaders were lobbying hard to rescue Mr Zeliang from the crisis, NTAC leaders said they would announce a fresh action plan to intensify the agitation after meeting all the Naga Hoho leaders in Kohima on Tuesday. About 15 MLAs, including parliamentary secretaries in Mr Zeliangs government, shifted to Hotel Japfu in Kohima on Monday. Sources said some NPF MLAs were asked to stay at the CMs bungalow as well. Former CM Neiphu Rio, who was camping in Kohima, also left for New Delhi on Tuesday amidst speculation that he had been called by the central BJP leaders. Mr Rio is among front-runners to replace Mr Zeliang in the backdrop of the ongoing protests. Pointing out that the chief minister had also called the Naga Hoho and other tribal councils for a meeting on Tuesday, sources said most of the Naga Hoho would boycott the meeting with the CM on Tuesday. NTAC convenor K.T. Vilie reiterated their stand on Monday and asserted: The chief minister is responsible for all the trouble. He is responsible for the death of two youths in police firing outside his residence in Dimapur on January 31. He is also responsible for the mob fury that led to the burning down of so many government offices in Kohima on February 3, so he must step down. The NTAC has asked the Angami Youth Organisation (AYO) and the youth groups of other tribes to mobilise support to cripple the government machinery. With the police deciding to avoid any confrontation with protesters, the state secretariat in Kohima remained locked even on Monday. The AYO has locked the state secretariat since Saturday. Neither the chief minister nor his council of ministers could come out of their homes as the protesters laid siege and kept a close watch on their movements. Hectic lobbying has started within the Nagaland Peoples Front for propping up an alternative to Mr Zeliang. NPF chief Shurhozelie is said to be backing former minister Azo Neinu, while home minister Y. Patton is believed to be floating the name of PHED minister Tekheho Yepthomi to take charge. Apollo medical team says they gave best effort to save TN ex-CM. British doctor Richard Beale, who treated late Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa, along with a team of doctors meet reporters in Chennai. (Photo: PTI) Chennai: The treatment given to former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa at Apollo Hospitals was of world class, perfectly straightforward, a British doctor who led the medical team said Monday. Consultant Dr Richard Beale, who attended to the late chief minister during her 75-day stay at Apollo Hospitals, said she died of cardiac arrest, ruling out any conspiracy in the matter. The nuts and bolts of this medical case are perfectly straightforward. There is no question of poisoning at all, Dr Beale told reporters at a news conference arranged by the Tamil Nadu government. The state government wants to end rumours and allegations, and even some court petitions, about the late leaders hospitalisation and death on December 5, 2016. There was no conspiracy; nothing strange happened during her treatment at Apollo. We put our best effort to save her life, Dr. Beale said. Jayalalithaa was rushed to Apollo on September 22 last year. It was a witnessed cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was started immediately for 20 minutes, the British doctor said. Later she was put on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (EGMO). But her heart didnt respond even after 24 hours, and then we decided that it was futile to continue therapy, he said. EGMO is a technique of providing both cardiac and respiratory support to patients whose heart and lungs are unable to provide adequate amount of gas exchange to sustain life. The matter was shared with all doctors, ministers, government of India, and others concerned, Dr. Beale said, flanked by Dr P. Balaji of Madras Medical College and Dr K. Babu of Apollo Hospitals. One of the doctors said the news conference (at a hotel) was facilitated by the government and there was no political pressure on them to hold the meeting. Jayalalithaa had been on and off the ventilator and also interacted with the medical staff, they said. She was admitted for dehydration and fever, but her condition worsened. Infection spread to organs and led to shortness of breath. On her response to the treatment, Dr Beale said that for a period of time, she was treated with non-invasive ventilation, and her initial condition improved. But sepsis progressed and it became necessary for her to go on a ventilator. Sepsis can affect quickly and a person can fall sick within hours. Bacterial infection was the underlying problem, he added. Jayalalithaa did not want to be shifted to London, though the doctors reviewed the option of transferring her to there. There were risks while transporting critical case patients, particularly over such long distances. Besides, the facilities at Apollo are first-grade and there are experts here. In later stages, she herself did not want to be transferred, Dr Beale said. The petition is to be mentioned on Tuesday morning for urgent hearing. New Delhi: A public interest writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court to restrain AIADMK chief V.K. Sasikala from swearing in as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu till the pronouncement of the verdict in the Rs 66-crore disproportionate assets case. On Monday, a bench headed by Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose informed Karnataka senior counsel Dushyant Dave that the verdict would be pronounced next week. The court will rule whether Ms Sasikala, a close aide of former Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa, is guilty of corruption charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, in the 21-year-old disproportionate assets case. Anticipating the judgment, Satta Panchayat Iyakkam, a non-governmental organisation has filed this PIL through its general secretary Senthil Kumar. The petition is to be mentioned on Tuesday morning for urgent hearing. The petitioner said the petition is being filed in the interest of the people of Tamil Nadu and to maintain peace in the state in the event of the apex court convicting Sasikala. It said, If Ms Sasikala is elected as CM by her loyalists and if she is convicted and forced to resign her post, there is a possibility that riots will erupt all over Tamil Nadu. The state is already facing a desperate situation due to the cyclone, demonetisation and death of Jayalalithaa and hence it is imperative that no fresh crisis is created. It brought to the courts notice rumors circulating that the Central government had interfered in this case for a favourable order with an intent to defame the judiciary and create confusion in the minds of the common public. In this situation, the credibility of judiciary is at stake, it said. Mr Dave told the bench, It is my unpleasant duty to remind the bench that the verdict reserved on June 7, 2016 would be pronounced. Besides Jayalal-ithaa, Ms Sasikala, V.N. Sudhakaran, Jayalaithaas once foster son and Ilavarasi, sister-in-law of Ms Sasikala, are the accused the case. In 2015, the Karnataka high court acquitted all of them and quashed the trial courts order awarding four-year imprisonment to the four accused. With the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to fill the seat vacated by the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia, the United States Supreme Court and the federal judiciary have once again taken center stage in the national political discussion. That makes this a fine time to share three Acton Lecture Series events from the past year that provide insight into the role of the courts in American society throughout the history of the country. First of all, were pleased to share for the first time Judge Joseph Scovilles lecture entitled The Growth of Leviathan: How the Federal Government Has Shed Its Constitutional Restraints, which he delivered on January 5 of this year. In his address, Scoville a retired United States Magistrate Judge for the western district of Michigan reviews the main events in American Constitutional history responsible for the eclipse of the Constitutional checks and balances designed to limit federal power. Next up, we have Ilya Shapiro, Cato Institute Senior Fellow in Constitutional Studies, who spoke at the Acton Institute on December 1, 2016. His lecture focuses on the importance of judges both having the right constitutional theories as well as the willingness to enforce them. Shapiro argues that too much judicial restraint like that of Chief Justice John Roberts in the Obamacare cases has led not only to the unchecked growth of government, but also toxic judicial confirmation battles in the Senate and even our nations current populist moment. Finally, we have Ryan T. Anderson, who spoke at the Acton Institute on February 11, 2016 just two days before the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Anderson, the William E. Simon Senior Research Fellow in American Principles & Public Policy at The Heritage Foundation, discussed the vitally important issue of religious liberty, laying out the challenges and opportunities faced by religious Americans in the wake of the Supreme Courts 2015 Obergefell decision which judicially redefined marriage in the United States. Priyanka Gandhi played a key role in sewing up the alliance in Uttar Pradesh with the Samajwadi Party. The demand for Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to take charge of the party is also gathering momentum. New Delhi: The Congress is all set to go in for an organisational overhaul after the results of the Assembly elections in five states are out. The party has decided to finally get rid of its dead wood and add dynamism to its organisational structure. Two general secretaries of the AICC, Mohan Prakash and C.P. Joshi, are expected to be replaced, and office bearer Madhusudan Mistry, presently incharge of the Central Election Committee, could also be dropped. The imminent change has been in the pipeline for a long time. The Congress feels it has to get into battle mode for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as soon as possible. After March, there is a hiatus in Assembly elections till December, when Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat goe to polls. Currently, Mohan Prakash is in charge of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, while C.P. Joshi looks after West Bengal, Assam and the North-Eastern states. Mr Prakash is embroiled in a constant disagreement with former Union minister and senior Congress leader Gurudas Kamat, who publicly complained about him. While under the watch of Mr Joshi, the entire Congress in Arunachal Pradesh defected. The Congress is keen on having new faces as in charge of states. Also in the pipeline is a coordination committee, which will be a mixture of both young and old. Young leaders like Lok Sabha MPs Jyotiraditya Scindhia, Deependra Hooda, K.C. Venugopal and former Union minister Bhanwar Jitendra Singh are expected to be part of this committee. This committee would articulate the partys position on various issues and also take important political calls. Priyanka Gandhi played a key role in sewing up the alliance in Uttar Pradesh with the Samajwadi Party. She is actively involved in backroom politics and is a regular at the Congress war room at Gurudwara Rakabganj Road in Delhi. There are also chances that she may be inducted into the organisation, but a final call on this would be taken by the Congress high command. The demand for Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to take charge of the party is also gathering momentum. Especially at a time when the Election Commission has rejected the Congress partys request to extend the party elections. The Election Commission has written to the Congress to complete intra-party elections by June 30. In the last working committee meeting of the Congress, senior members, led by former Union minister A.K. Antony, urged Mr Gandhi to take over the reigns of the party. Congress president Sonia Gandhi is slowly moving into the position of party patron, while Rahul Gandhi is at the forefront. She did not take part in any election rallies in Punjab and Goa. She is also unlikely to campaign in Uttarkhand, though she may travel to Uttar Pradesh. Keeping the 2019 general elections in mind, the Congress wants to get in shape and have a well-oiled party organisation to take on the BJP. In the coming months, there can also be changes in state units as and when need arises. The elections to the 403-member UP Assembly are seen by many to be a semi-final ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. New Delhi: In politics there are no permanent enemies nor friends. Despite the much flaunted SP-Congress alliance, the latter appears to be open to the idea of lending support to Mayawati if her Bahujan Samajwadi Party emerges as the single largest party in Uttar Pradesh, as are the other secular forces like the Rashtriya Lok Dal and Janata Dal (United). While a Bihar-style Mahaghathmandhan failed to take off in the crucial poll-bound state, all secular parties will close ranks to stall communal forces, meaning BJP, from coming to power, sources in all party camps say. That the Congress, desperate to revive itself in UP, is not averse to joining hands with Mayawati if necessary was evident when party vice-president Rahul Gandhi was all praise for the dalit czarina at his first joint press conference with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav immediately after the SP-Congress alliance was formalised. The BSP and the BJP are not the same, Mr Gandhi had said. The RLD, fighting separately in western UP with JD(U) and other smaller outfits, will also rally around Mayawati if she comes anywhere close to the majority mark. Sources in both the Congress and RLD said Mayawatis move to make the Quami Ekta Dal merge with her outfit could help her attract a large chunk of Muslim votes. Muslims comprise nearly 20 per cent of the population of the state and are seen to be a crucial votebank. The RLD, that has decided to go it alone in its western UP stronghold after being rebuffed by the SP for an alliance, has already announced that supporting a BJP-led government was out of the question. At a recent rally, RLD chief Ajit Singh predicted a hung Assembly in the state after the election, and had said his party will not ally with the BJP. While he did not reveal all his cards, sources in the party told this newspaper that in the scenario of the BSP emerging as the single largest party without a majority, the RLD will support Mayawati to prop up a BSP government in order to prevent the BJP from coming to power. The so-called secular bloc is apparently keeping its BSP options open with an eye on the 2019 general election. These parties are also jittery due to the constant raging internal feud in the Samajwadi Party and dont want to put all their eggs into one basket. The elections to the 403-member UP Assembly are seen by many to be a semi-final ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The Congress had released a list of 60 candidates for Manipur Assembly elections on February 3. Imphal: Rights activist Irom Sharmila will contest against Manipur chief minister and Congress candidate Okram Ibobi Singh from Thoubal constituency in the Assembly elections to be held in March. Ms Sharmila will contest from Thoubal seat, the convenor of her party Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA), Erendro Leichonbam, said. Known for her fight against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Ms Sharmila is a political greenhorn, while the Congress has been in power in Manipur for three successive terms under Mr Ibobi Singh. The Congress had released a list of 60 candidates for Manipur Assembly elections on February 3, with the chief minister contesting the Thoubal seat. In August 2016, the 44-year-old Ms Sharmila broke her 16-year hungerstrike, the worlds longest such campaign, and declared that she wanted to become the chief minister to press for the repeal of AFSPA. While launching her party PRJA in October last year, Ms Sharmila had said she would contest from two seats Thoubal and Khurai. Rao in no hurry, may wait for SCs DA verdict. Chennai: AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikalas swearing-in as chief minister of Tamil Nadu is likely to be delayed by a few days with governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao seeking legal opinion on her assuming charge since the verdict in the disproportionate assets case against her is set to be pronounced by the Supreme Court next week. Highly-placed sources told this newspaper that Mr Rao was in no hurry to administer the oath to Ms Sasikala as he has not extended an invitation to the AIADMK leader to be sworn in as chief minister. The sources said the governor wants to wait till the verdict of the Supreme Court, expected next week, on whether Ms Sasikala, a close aide of late chief minister J. Jayalalithaa, was guilty of corruption charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, in the 21-year-old `66-crore disproportionate assets case. They also noted that while accepting the resignation of O. Panneerselvam, the governor had asked him and his ministers to continue till alternative arrangements were made. The government led by Mr Panneerselvam will continue for some more days before the governor forms his opinion on the AIADMK Legislature Party resolution electing Ms Sasikala as its new leader, the sources said. They said the governor was very particular about waiting as the Supreme Court had struck down the appointment of the late J. Jayalalithaa as CM in 2001 by then governor Fatima Beevi. The court had found fault with the manner in which the governor had rushed with the swearing-in of Jayalalithaa. The SC had then ruled: The governor cannot, in the exercise of his/her discretion or otherwise, do anything that is contrary to the Constitution and the laws. Therefore, the governor, having due regard to the Constitution and the laws, must decline to exercise the discretion in appointing as chief minister a non-member who was not qualified to become a member of the legislature. Mr Rao, who is Maharashtra governor and holds additional charge of Tamil Nadu, consulted with legal experts on how to go about the issue during his stay in New Delhi and left for Mumbai late on Monday evening. The governor, who was to attend the annual convocation of Bharathiar University in Coimbatore on Tuesday, has cancelled his programme. The Karnataka high court had acquitted Ms Sasikala along with the late Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case, but the verdict has been challenged in the Supreme Court and the judgment has been reserved. There was intense speculation till late Monday that the swearing-in would be held on Tuesday morning, but it died down after Mr Rao left for Mumbai from New Delhi. He flew to Delhi from Coimbatore late on Sunday evening to attend the wedding reception of HRD minister Prakash Javadekars son. Senior state ministers and AIADMK leaders visited the Centenary Auditorium of Madras University on Monday and are understood to have reviewed arrangements for the ceremony at the sprawling venue, where Ms Sasikalas late friend J. Jayalalithaa took the oath as chief minister just about nine months ago. Tamil Nadu chief secretary Girija Vaidyanathan met Ms Sasikala for the second time in as many days. She is understood to have discussed the preparations for the swearing-in ceremony. There is only one woman, only one dynamic dancer who could do this and is the graceful and elegant Kalashri Lata Surendra. As a dancer and a performer, I get calls from different people and organisations to put up a show or a dance act that suits their theme or motto. There are times in an artists life when there are some shows we await to perform for and then there are some we have to perform with no choice left. My performance, talk and a workshop at the prestigious 49th World Congress of Dance was one to remember forever. Recently the world of dance got linked together and Mumbai dance lovers witnessed a cultural extravaganza not only with their eyes wide open but even with dropped jaws. There is only one woman, only one dynamic dancer who could do this and is the graceful and elegant Kalashri Lata Surendra. It was an event that had the global icon of Bollywood, our very own Aishwarya Rai Bachchan light the inaugural lamp and Amruta Fadnavis, wife of Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis make a closing speech. Two dynamic personalities coming to celebrate the bonding of dance on an international scale, would make any event memorable. This was no exception. It was the first time that the International Dance Council (CID) was organising its world famous Congress in India. The Congress endorses the harmony, peace and goodwill linking worlds through the didactic potency of dance and is open to all forms of dance: classical, ballet, modern, folk, ballroom, oriental, tango, therapeutical, recreational, revival etc. Like all Congresses, it engenders a sense of reaching out to belong to a larger dance fraternity, The CID family that absolutely shares everyones trials and tribulations. The event was even more special because of the presence of the president of International Dance Council, professor Dr Alkis Raftis and Dr Constantin Kontogiannis the vice-president, Paris section CID, who handed over the International Certification participation to students and dancers. The five-day dance Congress also invited performers who would truly highlight the significance of dancing into meaningful moments. I performed the opening act of the Congress with my gorgeous dance partner supermodel Alesia Raut depicting the everlasting love between a man and his woman using the Cuban dance of Love Rumba. Apart from us there was performance by Ashley Lobos Navdhara India Dance Theatre. So I can clearly say that the World Congress on Dance Research is the best opportunity for professionals and amateurs to interact and highlight the cycle of growing as we learn and learning as we grow. The finale dance got Aishwarya Rai Bachchan so emotional that she had tears in her eyes when she saw her guru, Lata Surendra, dance with her students. Aishwarya got up from her comfortable chief guest chair, rushed to her Bharatnatyum guru like a little girl, touched her feet like a true shisya and hugged her tightly, saying I love you Lata akka. When I spoke to Lataji after a hectic five days of dance, she said, The launch of the first section of the International Dance Council can only happen when a persona whose beauty gathers the world, whose name gathers the dance and whose commitment to the cause of the underprivileged highlights the tenets of the umbrella of the council of international dance the official dance partner of UNESCO. We were honoured to have Aishwarya Rai Bachchan inaugurate our festival and glad we have her support to promote the art of dance. She further added, I am also overwhelmed that Mrs Amruta Fadnavis came for the closing ceremony and spoke about development of dance and art along with encouraging the importance and need of seminars and workshops of various dance styles which we had though out the five days of the World Congress of Dance, which actually marked a cultural trade fair of dance with dance maestros from all over the world. The Congress was informative and enlightening. I came out of the 49th World Congress of Dance feeling more educated towards my love for dance and now I leave to you to decide how you feel just reading about it. Sandip Soparrkar is a well-known ballroom dancer and a Bollywood choreographer who has been honoured with National Achievement and National Excellence Award by the Govt of India. He can be contacted on sandipsoparrkar06@gmail.com There has been a higher rise in binge drinking among women as compared to men. Drinking too much may prove to be a reason for several health issues since casual or social drinking can at times turn into alcohol dependency. But a new trend is being observed among young people who are taking up sexual drinking, which means that they find it difficult to have sex without being in an inebriated state. A new study in the American Journal of Public Health said that there is a considerable number of sexually active women who are only up for action when they have had enough to drink. Another research has confirmed that single people are more into this practice as compared to those in a relationship. An expert says that alcohol and sex are often associated with each other and interaction between young people and their sexual partners revolves a lot around alcohol too. Women find a drink on a date as a tonic for sex which makes sex easier with someone they only know from an app, and it also acts as a way to tackle anxiety and confidence issues. Women said that they enjoy sex more since they will be less concerned about their body image or saying something that might be embarrassing. But theres a downside to it since it can make an orgasm for women almost impossible and also take a toll on the ability to nurture real emotional bonds. The man was found to be wanted in more than 15 cases of robbery and snatching. New Delhi: A man wanted in connection with several cases of robberies and snatchings was arrested in the wee hours on Monday near Nehru Place in southeast Delhi following a shootout, police said. The accused, Akbar alias Danish and his accomplice Asif, allegedly opened fire at a police party around 2.30 am, a senior police officer said. He was also found to be wanted in more than 15 cases of robbery and snatching registered in different police stations of Delhi, apart from an attempt to murder case. On the basis of a tip-off received by special staff of southeast district, a team was formed to nab the accused. "Information was received that two men, who are allegedly involved in many cases and had also fired on police teams in the past, carrying a cash reward of Rs 25,000 each, would pass from near Eros Hotel, Nehru Place from Moolchand side and would go to Govindpuri to meet some of their associates between 2-2:30 am," said Romil Baaniya, DCP (Southeast). The information was further verified and a raiding team was constituted under the overall supervision of ACP (Operations) KP Singh. "At about 1:20 am, one police picket was deployed at the traffic signal of Eros Hotel on Lala Lajpat Rai Marg that started checking the vehicles and other staff also took strategic position accordingly. "At about 2:50 am, two persons riding a silver colour motorcycle were identified as Asif alias Kala and Akbar alias Danish," said Baaniya. The accused were also wanted in a shootout case of Pul Prahaladpur. Around 13 rounds of firing were exchanged between Akbar and the police near Nehru Place metro station. New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Monday arrested a wanted criminal in an encounter near Nehru Place metro station. Akbar, who was carrying a reward of Rs. 25,000 on his head, was nabbed after a gunfight with the police, while his accomplice Rashid managed to escape. Around 13 rounds of firing were exchanged between Akbar and the police. No policemen got injured during the gunfight as they were wearing bullet proof jackets. Akbar is wanted in many cases of robbery, theft, snatching and attempt to murder. Rajendra, who has served the civic body for 33 years, will be contesting as a Cong candidate from ward number 216 in Mumbai Central. Mumbai: A former Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official has decided to take the plunge into the cauldron of politics. Rajendra Narwankar, who has served the civic body for 33 years, will be contesting as a Congress candidate from ward number 216 in Mumbai Central. Considered close to the Deora family, Mr Narwankar will contest from a ward that has been represented by senior Congress corporator Noshir Mehta. The delimitation process has now split the area into two wards, which are both reserved for the OBC category. Hence, Mr Mehta has decided not to contest this time. The Mumbai Central area is considered as a Congress bastion which the Mehta family has represented for past 50 years. From 1967 to 1987, it was represented by Rusi Mehta, Noshirs father. Noshir Mehta represented the area from 1987 to 2002, after which it was declared a womens seat. People continued to repose faith in the Mehta family by electing Noshir Mehtas sister Anahita, who was twice elected as a corporator. As the ward became open in 2012, the voters again elected Noshir Mehta. Mr Narwankar retired as an executive engineer from the D ward a few months ago. Despite contesting from a Congress stronghold, Mr Narwankar refused to take his win for granted. You have to work hard in politics to succeed. I decided to join Congress as it is the only party that has an all-inclusive image. Working in the BMC since years, I know their style of functioning and it will help me serve people, he said. They can read books inside reading room of hostel, but still cant leave hostel after 11pm. Mumbai: After receiving flak from female students residing in Mumbai Universitys (MU) Kalina campus over being prohibited from using the proposed 24-hour library post 11pm, MU has informed the protesting students that women students will now be allowed to borrow required books from the library and read them inside the reading room of the hostel. Earlier, students were not allowed to borrow books. However, women students are still not permitted to leave their hostel after 11pm. Many students expressed unhappiness with the solution proposed by MU and said they would continue their protest. Education minister Vinod Tawde said he inquired with MU officials about the issue. Mr Tawde said, There are certain restrictions in the hostel manual that are to be followed for safety reasons. For the time being I have directed the MU to allow female students to borrow books for reading in the night allowing them to read in the hostel. The issue will be solved amicably and the students should now stop protesting. A letter written by MU to the protesting students late Saturday night said that for the time being, a book lending system will be made available for the female students wherein they can borrow the book and read them in the reading room of the hostel. The MU would also form a committee with members from the parents and teachers association to look into the matter of allowing female students to step out of the hostel post 11pm, the letter said. The Asian Age had reported on Sunday as to how an alleged decision by MU vice-chancellor Sanjay Deshmukh has not got down well with female students residing in the campus to disallow them from entering the proposed 24-hour library post 11 pm. Students from the campus along with members of the student union had protested against the decision and started a hunger strike. However, MUs solution to the problem has not got down well with female students. How can this be a solution that we can borrow books but not go out of the hostel whereas this rule of not stepping out of the hostel is not imposed on the male students? We see male students surpassing the deadline of the hostel every other day, said a female student not wishing to be named. She further added, The solution is very discriminatory in the name of security. Why will a committee decide whether female students can step out of their hostel post 11pm or not? The committee should also decide this for male students if (it does so) for females. We are not accepting this solution and are going to continue with our protest. This year for Color Our Collections, weve produced a coloring book with illustrations from books that represent the evolution of the art of printing. This week on our blog, well explore the books featured in the coloring book and the printing techniques used for the illustrations. You can download our 2017 Color Our Collections coloring book here. Learn more about Color Our Collections here. The Art of Woodcuts In the woodcut printing technique, the image (and sometimes text) is carved into the surface of a wood block. A knife and/or chisel is used to remove the wood surrounding the image, so that only the image lines remain raised or flush with the wood block surface. The block is then inked and pressed against paper to transfer the image. The resulting image is a reverse of that on the wood block. The earliest known complete and dated printed book, the Diamond Sutra dated 868 AD, was produced using wood block printing. The work, a Chinese translation of a Buddhist text, can be viewed online thanks to the British Library. This video from the Victoria and Albert Museum demonstrates the woodcut printing process: The Woodcuts of Pierre Belon Earliest known published illustration of a great white shark. Illustrated by woodcut. Belon, Pierre. De aquatilibus. 1553. http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/4770204. Digitized by Harvard University, Ernst Mayr Library, Museum of Comparative Zoology. Pierre Belon was a French naturalist who started practice as an apothecary, studied medicine, and later undertook many travels that fueled his interest in natural history. In 1553, he published De aquatilibus, describing over 100 fish, sharks, and rays, as well as many marine mammals. The work is illustrated with woodcuts, and some copies are also hand colored. Belon details the outward characteristics of the species he depicts and classifies his divisions of aquatic animals by size, skeletal structure, mode of propagation, number of limbs, form of the body, and habitat. As such, De aquatilibus is considered by many to be the beginning of modern ichthyology. The work also includes detailed descriptions of dolphins and their embryos and reproductive anatomy, and thus it is also considered the start of modern embryology. Belon portrayed many dolphins, their embryos, and reproductive anatomy within De aquatilibus, marking the beginning of modern embryology. Illustrated by woodcut. Belon, Pierre. De aquatilibus. 1553. http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/4770162. Digitized by Harvard University, Ernst Mayr Library, Museum of Comparative Zoology. Belon stressed the importance of observation in scientific study and communication, chastising those who simply relied on and proliferated historic accounts stemming from the titans of antiquity. However, despite this charge, Belon does include some fantastical creatures within his book, including the sea monk and web-footed horse of Neptune. Mythical sea-monk, possibly based on a stranded squid. Illustrated by woodcut. Belon, Pierre. De aquatilibus. 1553. http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/4770183. Digitized by Harvard University, Ernst Mayr Library, Museum of Comparative Zoology. Sadly, Belons life was cut tragically short. He was murdered by unknown assailants in the Bois de Boulogne in 1564 at the age of 47. De aquatilibus was digitized in BHL by Harvard University, Ernst Mayr Library, Museum of Comparative Zoology. References Steins, John. Woodblock Printing. http://www.johnsteins.com/woodblock-printing.html. Stiassny, Melanie. Natural Histories: Opulent Oceans. New York: Sterling Publishing, 2014. Print. 'The party whose chief was caught while accepting bribe should not demand transparency in governance from Sena,' he said. Mumbai: Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday raked up the 2001 "bribery" episode involving then BJP president late Bangaru Laxman to attack the estranged ally which has made "transparency" as its main plank for the BMC polls. Addressing a poll rally in suburban Bhandup, Uddhav said, "The party whose chief was caught while accepting bribe should not demand transparency in governance from the Sena. "(Bangaru) Laxman's acceptance of bribery is not just one case of non-transparent governance. There is a proposal to deploy power-generation machinery at the Madhya-Vaitarna dam." Laxman was caught on camera taking bribe of Rs 1 lakh to push a fictitious defence deal. He was convicted by a CBI court in April 2012 and sentenced to four years' imprisonment. He died in Hyderabad in March 2014. "Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had assured of clearing the proposal, but till today, there has been no development on the same. Similarly, the Centre has not yet given its green signal for the coastal road. Still, the same BJP taunts Shiv Sena for non-transparency in BMC," said Uddhav. The 227-seat BMC will go to polls on February 21. The Sena chief also mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his style of delivering speeches and asked people that if they happen to hear words like "Mitron", and "Bhayion aur Beheno", then they should not believe in it. "He (Modi) made tall claims during the 2014 Lok Sabha election, but he could deliver nothing," claimed Uddhav. Taking on BJP over demonetisation of higher vale currency notes, the Sena chief said, "The decision has left many people jobless and created a law and order situation in Aurangabad. This is sheer pick-pocketing". "We saw no rich person in the (bank) queue; whereas the poor were forced to stand in queue and they had to deposit their own money into banks," he added. "The transparency has to be there from top to bottom. Where is the transparency in state Cabinet meetings?" questioned Thackeray, whose party shares power with BJP in Maharashtra. "There should be transparency in the way state Cabinet meeting is held. The Minister of States should be allowed to sit along with the Leader of Opposition and journalists in the Cabinet meetings. Then there will no scams like 'chikki, and fake degree controversies," he added. The high court observed that seeking parole for the wedding could fall within the ambit of sufficient cause. The prisoners advocate also cited an order of Rajasthan high court that granted parole to a prisoner for a month for marriage. Mumbai: The Goa bench of the Bombay high court has directed the inspector general of police (prisons) of the Goa police to consider a prisoners application for one-month parole for his marriage. The high court observed that seeking parole for the wedding could fall within the ambit of sufficient cause. As per the conditions laid out for the eligibility of parole under the jail manual in Goa, a prisoner can seek parole for various reasons including the wedding of his/her brother or sister, the sickness of his/her parents, child, wife and other relatives and for other sufficient reasons. The prisoners application for parole was rejected by the IGP (prisons) of Goa police in December last year on the grounds that his release could lead to a breach of peace. R. Menezes, the advocate of petitioner, claimed that his clients request of seeking parole for his marriage falls within the ambit of sufficient cause as stated in the Goa Prison Rules. Showing records of civil registration, Mr Menezes argued that petitioner had filed the application before additional IG (prisons), seeking parole but the police rejected his petition on December 1, 2016. After the prisoners application was rejected, he approached the court. Mr Menezes further argued that petitioner, who is serving life imprisonment, has already completed 11 years in the jail and had been granted parole several times in the past. The prisoners advocate also cited an order of Rajasthan high court that granted parole to a prisoner for a month for marriage. M. Amonkar, the assistant public prosecutor, informed the court that the grant of parole on the ground of personal marriage was not included in Goa Prison Rules (2006). However, he added that the prisoners marriage could come under the expression for any other sufficient causes, which is mentioned in the rules. After hearing both sides, the high court bench said, We have no hesitation to accept the contention of petitioner in the matter of granting parole and direct the additional IG (prisons) to consider his request. The move is aimed to prevent crucial Metro projects in MMR from getting delayed. Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has announced that contractors who complete their civil works for the proposed Metro corridors in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) before deadline henceforth would be entitled to be getting a per day compensation (bonus) of Rs 5 lakh. The move is aimed to prevent crucial Metro projects in MMR from getting delayed. The compensation matrix is such that a maximum of eight per cent of the project cost can be awarded as bonus for early completion to contractors depending on the number of days. The clause of awarding bonus has been added in the bid documents that were recently floated for two Metro projects and the same would be the practise while bids would be floated in future, said a senior MMRDA official. The new clause will be introduced and implemented in all the proposed Metro corridors in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), expect the Dahisar-DN Nagar Metro-2A and Dahisar (east)-Andheri (east) Metro-7 corridors as works for these two corridors were issued in May 2016. The new clause would also have a negative impact. While the MMRDA will be giving incentives for completion of work well before time, a penalty would be levied on those flouting the deadline. In case of Metro-2A and Metro-7, 10 per cent of the total project cost would be the maximum penalty for delays. It is known as liquidity damages. However, the contractor will not be penalised in case the delay happens due to the implementing agency, added the MMRDA official. Meanwhile, the trend of giving incentives to the contractors for finishing work before deadlines is not new. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) had practised the same in the past by for construction of Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The MMRDA has proposed to construct a network of 172-km-long Metro corridors in the MMR. Contractors for Metro-2A and Metro-7 have already been appointed. However, bids for construction DN Nagar-Mankhurd Metro-2B and Wadala-Ghatkopar-Thane-Kasarvadavali Metro-4 were floated in January 2017. The deadline for these two projects is 2022. Members of the royal family announced the celebratory feat on social media Dubai: Shaikha Mozah Al Maktoum, one of the female members of Dubai's ruling family, is claimed to have become the first woman commercial pilot, according to media reports. A few members of the Al Maktoum family took to Instagram to congratulate the young achiever, expressing their pride and joy on her accomplishment. Yesterday, Shaikha Latifa posted on her Instagram account a photograph of her cousin Shaikha Mozah, which said in Arabic: "Mozah Marwan. My sister's daughter. The first female pilot in the family, who is on her first assisted flight as a commercial pilot for Emirates. As long as you can dream it, you can achieve it," the Gulf News reported. Other members of the ruling family sent their congratulations on social media to the young royal pilot, with Shaikha Maitha Bint Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum saying: "So proud of you cousin." Although the veracity of the airline - that she flies for - can not be confirmed, but the uniform looks similar to the one worn by Emirates pilots It is noteworthy that UAE's aviation sector boasts of many women, from pilots to engineers. In 2016, Etihad Airways announced that more than half the UAE nationals employed by the airline are women, including nearly 50 pilots. In recent years, an Emirati woman fighter pilot - Major Mariam Al Mansouri - made headlines around the world when she led an aerial raid against ISIS in Syria. The Nagaland developments arent entirely dissimilar to the Jallikattu controversy. The unseemly social unrest in Nagaland over 33 per cent reservation for women in urban local bodies again raises the question of to what extent customary laws can be pushed at the cost of their anachronism leading to dangerous social friction, undermining modern norms of justice and laws. The Nagaland developments arent entirely dissimilar to the Jallikattu controversy. While the latter is a case of whether causing immense distress to animals in the name of culture and custom should be given legal sanction, in Nagaland the question is whether keeping women out of decision-making community bodies, just because it was the norm in an earlier era, can at all be justifiable. This concern isnt new, and its been a stumbling block towards codifying customary laws of indigenous peoples. For one, there are as many customary laws as there are indigenous tribal communities, and many neighbouring communities often advocate mutually antagonistic values, thus causing conflicts amongst them. For another, the question of compliance with the principle of peremptory norms, also sometimes referred to a jus cogen, has always been a big issue. Peremptory norms refer to certain practices that are absolutely and unjustifiably wrong. This includes slavery, piracy, colonisation, racism, etc. The list cant have boundaries: many previously overlooked situations/experiences of injustice peculiar to individual communities can and do come up; child marriage, sati, female genital mutilation, traditional practices resulting in gender inequality, to cite some examples. The Naga customary laws objection to what in modern society is a key initiative for womens empowerment would arguably make this list. The Nagaland controversy, that has already cost two lives and destruction of much public infrastructure, is a call to review adherence to customary laws and their supposed infallibility. This isnt just in Nagaland, but covers most of the Northeast. in neighbouring Manipur, the 95-day-old ongoing blockade along two major highways that link the state to the rest of the country by the United Naga Council rests on a similar clash of vision between customary and modern laws. The blockade began November 1 in anticipation of the Manipur government creating two new districts from what the UNC considers as part of the traditional Naga homeland. After nearly a month and a half of the blockade, the Manipur government decided to disregard the UNCs objection and created seven districts by bifurcating seven existing districts, four of which the UNC considers to be part of their ancestral Naga homeland. The question here is: do administrative districts divide people? This is specially relevant given that Assembly and parliamentary constituencies have been left unaltered by new districts. The more important question is, can there be a reconciliation of the two visions? The answer is currently being explored in talks in New Delhi between UNC leaders, Manipur government representatives and the Centre, and on its outcome rests the future of the atrocious blockade. Last weeks violence in Nagaland has its genesis in the Constitutions 74th Amendment in 1993, which provides for 33 per cent reservations for women in urban local bodies nationwide. This wasnt immediately adopted in Nagaland. In 2006, however, the Nagaland Assembly passed the Nagaland Municipal (First Amendment) Act, providing for 33 per cent reservations for women. The law, however, faced objections as it was felt it violated Article 371A, a clause in the Constitution introduced in 1963 when Nagaland state was formed, stating no Act of Parliament in respect of... religious or social practices of Nagas, customary law and procedure, ownership and transfer of land and its resources... shall apply to the state of Nagaland unless the nagaland Legislative Assembly by a resolution so decides. After this objection, polls to municipal bodies werent held. In 2009, a powerful womens organisation, Naga Mothers Association, took up the issue. At its initiative, a newly-formed Joint Action Committee for Women Reservation (JACWR) filed a writ petition before the Kohima bench of the Guwahati high court in 2011, challenging the state governments refusal to hold municipal elections. The ruling went in its favour, and the court directed the Nagaland government to hold municipal elections before January 2012 with 33 per cent seats reserved for women. The legal entangle, however, didnt end as the state government secured a stay on the grounds that the order violated Article 371A. In September 2012, under pressure from Naga tribal bodies, in particular the Naga Hoho, a Nagaland Assembly resolution overturned its earlier decision on reservations. The JACWR, however, moved a special leave petition in the Supreme Court and finally got a ruling on April 20, 2016, wherein the Supreme Court upheld the high courts October 2011 order. The state government, now under chief minister T.R. Zeliang, decided to support the cause of womens reservation and passed the Nagaland Municipal (Third Amendment) Bill 2016, which revoked its September 2012 resolution. The state government also decided to conduct polls in 12 of 32 municipal bodies in the state on January 31, after another directive from the high court. The street violence followed thereafter. It is rather surprising and ironic that Nagaland, and indeed most tribal communities of the Northeast, which are known for their liberal approach to gender equality and status, should have such structural gender oppression embedded within its customary norms. This being so, many in the state also feel that the present trouble is the fallout of sinister political instigation by those pitted against Mr Zeliang. Considering the latters bitter rival, former chief minister and now member of Parliament Neiphiu Rio, has come out strongly against Mr Zeliang and those advocating reservations for women, there may indeed be more to the present Nagaland trouble. The truth is that white right-wing extremists and their Muslim counterparts are parts of the same whole, a yin and yang of hate. On Sunday, Jan 29, 27-year-old Alexandre Bissonnette walked into the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre during evening prayers and opened fire, killing six people and wounding 19 others. He was quickly tracked down and taken into custody, and later charged with six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder. Notably, he was not charged with terrorism even though Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the massacre a terrorist attack. Legal experts weighed in, saying that terror charges would not affect the sentence he received and arguing that the addition of such charges would place a greater burden on the prosecution which would then have to prove that this was indeed an act of terrorism. Bissonnette is a lone wolf who acted on his own and without the support of a larger terrorist network. That, it is claimed, makes him distinct from, say, someone who claims allegiance to Daesh and perpetrates a similar atrocity. That man is a terrorist because he acts for a global cause, with clear political objectives, and has usually gone through a definable process of radicalisation. But thats exactly the process Bissonnette went through; his actions were very much part of a wider movement, one that includes Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik and, arguably, Charleston shooter Dylan Storm Roof. Bissonnette wasnt born a radical, as his acquaintances and online profiles testify, but began showing an interest in right-wing extremism after Frances far-right National Front Leader Marine Le Pen visited Quebec City in 2016. From then on, Bissonnettes views grew more extreme. It is a world that is a mirror image of the one Daeshs adherents dwell in; it has saints and martyrs and holy texts expounded by charismatic preachers who dont wear turbans or sport long beards, but who are hate-mongers in every sense of the term. Three of these, Pamela Geller, Daniel Pipes and Richard Spencer, were even referenced by Anders Breivik in his manifesto much as jihadi preachers like Anwar al-Awlaki are referenced by Islamist terrorists. Like Bissonnette, Breivik belonged to no definable group, but drank from the same toxic brew. It is a world where Western civilisation itself is threatened by invading Muslim hordes, where your Muslim neighbour is secretly plotting to impose Sharia and where the Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated the highest levels of the US government. It is a world of absolutes, of us versus them, of pitch black and radiant white. It is a world of lies (or alternative facts), where truth is simply a matter of perspective.And now, this fringe has gone mainstream. Talking points that were once the domain of obscure internet forums are now echoed by members of the White House administration. And then of course theres Steve Bannon, founder of right-wing news outlet Breitbart and prominent Islamophobe who now is the White Houses chief strategist and considered by many as the architect of the immigration ban. Is it then any wonder that Bissonnettes political hero, Trump, who tweets on just about every issue under the sun chose to ignore the Quebec massacre and instead focused on an attack in Paris, where a machete-wielding Egyptian was shot after attacking a soldier? The truth is that white right-wing extremists and their Muslim counterparts are parts of the same whole, a yin and yang of hate. Every terror attack by Muslim extremists emboldens and swells the ranks of Breiviks and Bissonnettes comrades, and as the Western world lurches to the right, enacting measures like the immigration ban, no one is happier than Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Ayman al-Zawahiri. Stuck in the middle, in what Daesh calls the gray zone of coexistence, are the rest of us watching in horror and wondering if this dark tide will ever recede. By arrangement with Dawn In 1947, Balochistan consisted of four princely states of Las Bela, Kharan, Makran and Kalat. Three days before Pakistans independence, Balochistan became an independent sovereign state on August 11, 1947, recognised by Jinnah himself. Before that too, Balochistan had an identifiable, independent history, geography and culture; positioned at the confluence of the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman, and connected to Indias heartland since ages. Understandably, as it happened in the past, geographical region in flanks (owing to distance, ignorance, unfamiliarity and negligence) tend to be susceptible to liberation movements, thereby giving rise to secessionist forces, resulting in creation of new political units. Instances galore exist in history. The entire north-western, southern, south-eastern and eastern flanks of mighty USSR broke into 15 independent states in the 1990s. Yugoslavia, one big Balkan heartland European state, became seven independent states thereby turning the core territory under Belgrade as the landlocked state of Serbia. In Asia, the two north-western and south-western flank provinces of China, Xinjiang and Xizang (Tibet), continue to be flashpoints for Beijing since 1949. And in South Asia, first Bangladesh and now Balochistan, have collectively emerged as classical geo-politics and geo-economics case studies of remote flanks. To the discomfiture of many, however, Balochistan, like Afghanistan, not only existed as identifiable geography, but was also an independence-aspiring, intervention-resenting and subjugation-resisting demography of a territory spanning from Makran coast of Northern Arabian Sea to mountainous terrain of Quetta. In a curious post-1947 scenario, however, Balochistan in west and East Pakistan (which became Bangladesh in 1971) showed signs of dissension and discontentment, leading to ceaseless friction with the rulers of Pakistan. Nevertheless East Pakistan became independent language-based homeland for Bengalis as Bangladesh (which was opposite to Jinnahs religion-based Pakistan as the homeland for Muslims of India in 1940s) through bloody tribulations and terror, inflicted by military rulers in eastern flank. Understandably, therefore, post-1971, the weight and might of Pakistani military rulers fell on the Balochistan flank, to nip any secessionist movement in the bud. Success of Bengali agitation against Pakistani rulers had destroyed Jinnahs applecart, thereby setting a bad precedent for the remnant of Pakistan. Under no circumstances could another Bangladesh-like movement be allowed to grow in a truncated Pakistan. Unsurprisingly, however, things had not augured well post-British departure from South Asia. The departing edict of London was: no princely state of South Asia could proclaim independence. All 565 princes of South Asia faced unavoidable compulsion of no-choice. Their sole choice was compulsion. Join India or Pakistan. In 1947, Balochistan consisted of four princely states of Las Bela, Kharan, Makran and Kalat. Mir Ahmad Yar Khan Baloch, the ruler of Kalat, nevertheless, wanted independence, claiming that since it was neither part of India nor an Indian state, it was independent sovereign state vide treaties with British government. Khan claimed he was the true leader of entire British Baloch nation and had assumed title of Khan-e-Azam. He strongly urged British to hand him over Quetta, Nushki and Nasirabad, areas, which he claimed once belonged to Kalat but were usurped by London under the treaty of 1876. Khan also claimed suzerainty over Las Bela, Kharan and Makran along with Marri-Bugti areas. On April 11, 1947, Khan unilaterally declared Kalat a sovereign state, and also extended support to Jinnahs demand for Pakistan. Furthermore, he sought Jinnahs reciprocal support for independence of his sovereign state. Soon, August 11, 1947 proved to be the liberation day for Kalat. In a joint press communique issued by the leaders, Pakistan recognised Kalat as an independent sovereign state. However, a catch, introduced at Jinnahs behest, appeared to have gone either un-noticed or un-comprehended by Khans team. Thus, despite Jinnahs recognition of Kalat as an independent sovereign state, Khan agreed to go for legal opinion to know if the agreements of leases between the British and Kalat would be inherited by Pakistan or not. By agreeing to a legal opinion, Khan, in one stroke, made his position potentially untenable, thereby putting a question mark on his independent sovereign status though as Pakistan, on August 11, 1947 was not born, being a part of India till August 14, 1947. As there was no legal provision for the princely state of Kalat to either remain or become independent, Jinnah brazenly violated the ground rules. Moreover, when a bilateral Pakistan-Kalat agreement came as a form of treaty (even before Pakistan was born), thereby superseding all previous agreements, Jinnah could have kept his commitment for Kalats position as sovereign independent state. But that was not to be because once legal opinion was sought, its verdict was a foregone conclusion. It was against sovereignty of the princely state. By deliberately violating the laid-down principles, Jinnah showed the way to breach commitments and bilateral agreements, thereby laying down the future direction for Pakistan. No doubt, Khan of Kalat subsequently, per force, acceded to Pakistan on March 31, 1948, but irreparable damage had been done to the process of integration of Indian states. In reality, Baloch nationalist aspirations continued undiminished as Khans brother, Prince Karim, waged guerrilla war against Pakistan from Kalat. However, the inevitable failure of guerrilla war owed more to internal feuds of Baloch rather than the use of force by Pakistan under Colonel Gulzar. As Kalat, after remaining an independent sovereign state for seven and half months, surrendered to Pakistan, for the other three minor Baloch states, Las Bela, Kharan and Makran, understandably it was only a matter of time. No doubt they too had the intention, but did not have the ability to do what Kalat had done from April 11, 1947 to March 31, 1948. Kalat, in retrospect, gives credence to the futility of Pakistani stand on Jammu and Kashmirs accession to India. J&K acceded to India on October 26, 1947 through the due process of law, but Pakistan has not been following due process thereof because law and Pakistan appear contradictory since its birth! The police and Rangers personnel cordoned off the area as soon as the fire shots were heard. Karachi: A security guard on Monday opened fire in the lobby of Afghanistan's consulate in this Pakistani city, killing an official. The incident happened in the high-security Clifton area of the city. According to police, the deceased has been identified as Zaki Addu an official of the consulate. The DIG South said the guard, Rahataullah, who opened fire was also an Afghan national and had used a sub-machine gun. However, he was arrested. According to security forces, the incident is suspected to be a result of personal enmity. Roads around the consulate have been closed for traffic. The police and Rangers personnel cordoned off the area when the fire shots were heard. In January, Israel moved toward decriminalizing small-scale personal use of marijuana and authorities are supportive of research. Jerusalem: An Israeli government committee gave an initial nod on Sunday for the export of medical marijuana in what could be a windfall for companies in Israel, widely regarded as a leader in research in the field. A government statement announcing the vote said it could take months for the legislation to make its way through parliament. In the United States, 28 states have legalized marijuana for medical use and since 2012, Colorado, Alaska, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, DC have also approved marijuana for recreational use. The market there, by some estimates, will reach $50 billion over the next decade. Israel is widely regarded as one of the world leaders in medical marijuana research, even though the local market is small. Only 23,000 people have Health Ministry permits to purchase medical cannabis from nine licensed suppliers, creating a market of $15 million to $20 million at most. Saul Kaye, CEO of iCAN, a private cannabis research hub in Israel, said there are about 50 Israeli medical marijuana companies active in many aspects of the industry, from agriculture to delivery devices, such as inhalers. Kaye estimated that international investments in Israeli companies reached about $100 million in 2016. In January, Israel moved toward decriminalizing small-scale personal use of marijuana and authorities are supportive of research. Israeli Health Minister Yakov Litzman supports medical cannabis usage and has introduced steps to ease its prescription and sale. Israeli growers work together with scientific institutions in clinical trials and development of strains that treat a variety of illnesses and disorders. Today's meeting was attended by Russian, Iranian and Turkish delegates, together with representatives of the United Nations. Jordanian diplomats present for the first time. The talks focused on the "control principle" of the truce in force since the end of December. The Syrian Democratic Forces prepare new phase in Raqqa offensive, jihadi stronghold in Syria. Astana (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Russian, Iranian and Turkish government experts, together with representatives of the United Nations, gathered this morning in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, to discuss a monitoring mechanism for the ceasefire in Syria. Kazakh Minister of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the summit today fits into the groove of the meetings in late January, the "first direct peace talks" between government and opposition. During the talks between government representatives and opposition leaders in Astana showed the importance of the principle of monitoring the truce, due to persistent violence on the ground which threatens to plunge the country back in total war every day. The negotiations taking place - with the participation for the first time of delegates from Jordan - should prepare the ground for peace negotiations under the UN auspices, to be held February 20 in Geneva (Switzerland). If from a theoretical point of view the ceasefire reached in late December with the mediation of Moscow and Ankara is still in force, the fighting on the ground - and in particular in some areas - continues unabated, causing casualties and damage. The clashes are mainly concentrated in the region of Damascus and the west of Aleppo, where the militia fighters who fled the northern metropolis of the country following the Russian-Syrian military victory found refuge. For the first time, representatives of the government and opposition sat at the same table in Astana, to discuss possible solutions to ensure a lasting truce in the Arab country. At the end of two days of talks, Moscow, Ankara and Tehran agreed to guarantee the continuation of the truce in Syria and block any violations. In a joint statement issued by representatives of the three countries - but not the parties concerned - the commitment of each power to "restrain" their faction and prevent further violence is stated. Jihadist groups such as the Nusra Front and the Islamic State (IS) are excluded from the ceasefire. Meanwhile in Raqqa, an IS stronghold in Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have announced the beginning of a "new phase" for the conquest of the city, for years in the hands of the so-called Caliphate. The goal, say the leaders of the alliance, is to surround the area and regain control after having annihilated the jihadist militias. The operation of the Arab-Kurdish forces should garner the growing support of the international coalition (US-led), which would provide air cover necessary for the progression of the forces on the ground. The coalition support is also ensured through the presence on the ground of "special forces unit." by Fady Noun The President of Caritas Internationalis spoke at a meeting organised by Caritas Lebanon on "preparing the heart". The prelate stressed that the Catholic charity is very different from other NGOs. It represents "Gods presence among men" and must serve everyone. Populism and globalisation call for a moral transformation. Beirut (AsiaNews) There was a certain elan but also lassitude among Caritas Lebanon staff who listened the other day to Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, archbishop of Manila, president of Caritas Internationalis, who spoke about preparing the heart" of those who work in the social field with Caritas Lebanon, the charity responsible for the Catholic Churchs pastoral outreach. Caritas has 165 national chapters, autonomous but all organically linked to Caritas Internationalis, which is present in all areas of humanitarian distress, due to war, poverty or natural disasters. Overall, Caritas Internationalis reaches some 198 countries and territories. In the multipurpose hall located at the 2nd basement of Caritas Lebanon headquarters in Beiruts Sin el-Fil district, Cardinal Tagle, sitting at a table with Fr Paul Karam, president of Caritas Lebanon, was almost invisible behind the basket of white flowers placed in front of him. Yet his smile and good humour went through every obstacle. With the volubility of a man accustomed to public speaking he is also a professor of theology the prelate spoke at length and well about "preparing the heart" so that Caritas Lebanon can avoid sinking into mere management and be just another NGO. Instead, it must remain "Gods presence among men" as it is and as it must always be. The cardinal cited one situation of distress: Nepal, 5 April 2005. A devastating earthquake struck the country. In a small town more than 200 km from Kathmandu, the quake killed 3,000 people in a few minutes. There were no Christians in this village, but three days after the disaster, Caritas was there. "Poverty was such that to thank us, these people had nothing to offer us except poems, dances and garlands of flowers," the bishop explained. They found water and biscuits and offered them. I ended up giving my biscuits, secretly, to a child in his mother's arms, who stared at them without shame. Universal love, that is Caritas." Card Tagles address and smile did not erase some wrinkles. He himself alluded to it. "Why are you in Caritas when you can earn twice as much else?" he said to the staff whose work is closely tied to Christian mission to the world. This address was graciously accepted, but with some reticence. During the informal exchange following his speech, the president of Caritas Internationalis repeatedly heard the following: host communities deeply feel the injustice of relief distribution that excludes them. Sometimes, they need as much as those whom they help. Indirectly, they also want to be heard? For Cardinal Tagle, the crisis is macroeconomic. The huge influx of refugees, the flow of migrants to rich countries, is "the signal of an awakening. We have been talking about globalisation since the 1980s, hoping for a global family. But lately, especially in the West, a protectionist attitude is developing. Countries are beginning to protect themselves. Of course, this is legitimate. But doing so in a world as fluid as ours, when conflicts, poverty and injustice drive entire populations from their native soil is something disturbing." "What is the reason that a globalisation that seemed so promising is producing something that is so opposed to it?" the prelate asked. In my opinion, the fundamental moral question is: What kind of globalisation occurred in the last few years? During the economic forum in Davos, Oxfam (an NGO dedicated to eliminating the injustice that causes poverty) made public a study showing that the eight richest people in the world have as much wealth as poorest 3.6 billion. Let me tell you that if this is globalisation then it is an obscene thing! What we also see is perhaps the sign of an even deeper moral crisis. According to John Paul II, the globalisation of love and the satisfaction of essential needs is something good, but the globalisation we are witnessing benefits a very small number of people. And those who consider themselves forgotten or, worse, oppressed, revolt today. Unfortunately, politicians know how to capitalise on these feelings of frustration. Populism is not very far. For his part, Pope Francis has spoken of 'the globalisation of indifference'. Speaking about restrictions to immigration by the new US administration, Cardinal Tagle has reservations. "Discriminating countries and populations as if the migrants coming from them are potential threats is due to generalisation. Like any generalisation, they can be unjust (...). By contrast, I have heard that priority will be given to Christians. I do not think this decision will make the Christians in question happy. This is not the time to add new discrimination to those that already exist in the world. Declarations of this nature can revive animosities and provoke hostile reactions against Christians from Muslims. I repeat, in all conflicts, there are innocent people, both Christians and Muslims, who will be affected. This explains my reservations." As an antidote to prejudice against migrants and displaced people, Cardinal Tagle advised reaching out to "real people, real stories". "If you open your eyes, your ears, your hearts, you can say: she could have been my mother or my sister; he one could have been my father. I always tell decision-makers I meet: Please, keep in mind that the decision you make affects the lives of real people. If human dignity and the common good do not inspire you, your action will complicate the problem even more, rather than solve it. You ought not to create conflicts, push populations to flee, and then shut your doors against them!" Yet this is exactly what happens. by Padre Pietro () During the Year of the Monkey that just ended, China-Vatican relations were the top news in China and around the world. Many prophesied immediate agreements, but no positive sign materialise, except for the warmer tone in some statements. Media failed to report the death of six bishops loyal to the pope, many of whom endured years of prison and camps because of their faith. A priest offers his thoughts on his blog. Beijing (AsiaNews) A Chinese priest, who is an active blogger, compiled for AsiaNews the ten most important news stories of 2016 (or the Year of the monkey, which ended on 28 January, with the start of the Year of the Rooster). One of the interesting aspects he emphasises is the fact that the first news of the year (highly covered in China and around the world) was the illegal self-ordination by an underground priest, Fr Dong Guanhua, whilst the death of six loyalist bishops some not recognised by the government who spent many years in camps got very little media coverage*. Another curious fact is the great focus on China-Vatican talks and on possibly imminent agreements. Yet so far no result has been forthcoming. On the contrary, the outgoing leaders of the government-controlled Bishops' Council and Patriotic Association have been re-confirmed, with no new signal to the Holy See. We chose the ten most important news about the Church in China in 2016. What is surprising is that Fr Dong Guanhua, a hitherto unknown priest, suddenly fell from the sky and illegally consecrated himself bishop. This became the first of the ten most important news of the year. Regrettably, the death of six loyalist elderly bishops did not attract any attention. People also became more interested in the Ninth Congress of Chinese Catholic Representatives held at the end of the year. The main item on its agenda was picking new leaders for the Yi Hui Yi Tuan (Council of Bishops and the Patriotic Association). However, there were no changes because the same people were re-elected. The positive sign the Holy See hoped to see did not materialise. 1. Chinese dioceses solemnly opened the Door of Mercy welcoming the Jubilee Year of Mercy Pope Francis proclaimed a Jubilee Year of Mercy from 8 December 2015 to 20 November 2016. Several dioceses in mainland China celebrated the opening of the Door of Mercy in a solemn fashion, showing their loyalty to the pope of Rome. At the same time, they taught in depth about the mercy of the Father so that the faithful could learn to open their hearts, understanding the spirit of mercy of God the Father to bear witness before the world and to all people in need of mercy. 2. Underground" Church leaders took a position in favour of an agreement with the Holy See Since his inauguration, Pope Francis has often expressed his goodwill towards China, which resulted in a joint working group involved in secret talks. This has comforted a lot the Church in China. Mgrs Wei Jingyi and Han Zhihai and others, who are underground bishops, cannot wait to give an interview to express directly their desire to see an agreement between China and the Holy See as soon as possible. Some underground priests in Wenzhou, Fuzhou, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, etc. have expressed the same view. They too are not fully aware of the content of a possible agreement. Card Zen, who is in Hong Kong, expressed pessimism with respect to such an agreement between China and the Vatican. 3. Cross demolitions resume in Wenzhou, Christian clergymen detained Since 2014, a campaign of demolition of Christian churches has been underway in various parts of Zhejiang Province, especially Wenzhou. The latter are deemed illegal. This has led to the demolition of crosses on churches. Some Catholic churches have endured the same fate. In 2016, this wave of demolitions slowed down, but several Christian clergymen were detained. Many Christians are still troubled and pessimistic about the future. 4. Pope Francis showed goodwill towards Chinese authorities on several occasions Being pope is not only a religious thing, but is also apparently a political thing. To improve the relationship with the Chinese government, Pope Francis has continued to express his goodwill towards the Chinese authorities. He is a really good and deserving political player. Xi Jinping was elected president at about the same time that Francis was elected pope. One is the religious leader of the religion with the most members in the world. The other is the leader of the most populous country in the world. If the two leaders could establish normal relations of mutual trust, they could promote world peace by giving an invaluable contribution to international society. Obviously, the most important thing remains the communion between the Church in China and the universal Church, which can be realised in its fullness. 5. Relations between China and the Vatican are warming up as news swirled around about a possibly imminent signing of an agreement Although an agreement between China and the Vatican has not been reached yet, the relationship between the two parties are getting warmer. Responding to questions from journalists, the spokesman of the Chinese government has been using a calmer tone, and repeatedly voiced "support for the principle of dialogue". This shows that "channels of contact and dialogue between the two sides are open and efficient." Secretary of State Card Parolin on several occasion has said that he is optimistic about the prospects of China-Vatican relations. However, Reuters, Vaticaninsider, and many other news agencies have overblown this, giving the impression that the agreement had already been reached, whereas Chinese Catholics do not know anything and cannot know the truth. For their part, Taiwanese authorities are panicking, afraid of losing their last diplomatic tie in Europe. 6. The pope publicly received a mainland Chinese bishop During the General Audience of 5 October 2016 at the Vatican, Pope Francis received Mgr Xu Honggen, official bishop of the Diocese of Suzhou. This must be a first. Chinese bishops have met Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI several times, but in secret, not in public. Pope Francis received the Chinese bishop in public, and Mgr Xu had the courage to greet Pope Francis publicly bringing a gift, having pictures taken in public, sparking all sorts of thoughts. This should be considered a very positive sign. As a bishop, Mgr Xi is recognised by both the Chinese government and the Holy See. Pope Francis received him publicly, sparking the interest of many media agencies. This is a good sign and deserves appreciation. 7. Dong Guanhua, an underground priest, consecrated himself without papal mandate On 22 May 2016, the feast of the Holy Trinity, Dong Guanhua, a priest in the diocese of Zhengding (Hebei), announced his episcopal consecration at Mass. Amid sounds of gongs and drums, he made public his status as bishop wearing the mitre and pastoral staff on 11 September. Soon after, the bishop of the diocese of Zhengding, Mgr Julius Jia Zhiguo released a statement announcing the excommunication latae sententiae of Dong and the consecrating bishop. Vaticaninsider reported the news first, and many other agencies gave it wide coverage. Dong admitted that he was not appointed by the pope. He said however that he continues to apply the extraordinary rules of self-Episcopal consecration that the Holy See granted to the Church in mainland China, because of its difficult condition. However, Pope Benedict XVI had revoked these prerogatives in his Letter to Chinese Catholics in 2007. Despite his high profile statement, saying that he was now a bishop, the question is: who consecrated him? This remains a mystery. Meanwhile, some people appear to be crawling to him to be consecrated "bishop" by him and boycott the China-Vatican agreement. 8. Tang Yuange was consecrated bishop of the diocese of Chengdu with the participation of an excommunicated bishop On 30 November 2016, Mgr Tang Yuange was consecrated bishop of the diocese of Chengdu in Sichuan Province. During the ordination, Lei Shiyin, an illegitimate bishop under latae sententiae excommunication, took part in the ceremony. In view of the situation, many loyalist bishops and priests were deeply displeased. Despite the protest and dissatisfaction of local Catholics, the latter could not prevent the participation of the illegitimate bishop. What further disappointed and saddened them was Lei Shiyins reappearance during the consecration of Bishop Lei Jiapei as bishop of the Diocese of Xichang on 2 December. People loyal to the Catholic faith could only complain and express their distaste for "eating rice mixed with sand". 9. The Holy See issued a statement on the Assembly of Chinese Catholic Representatives and the consecrations in Chengdu and Xichang On 20 December, the Vatican spokesman issued a statement regarding the presence of excommunicated bishop at the episcopal consecration in Chengdu and Xichang, and the Ninth Assembly of Chinese Catholic Representatives. According to the press release, "The presence of a Bishop at these two episcopal ordinations, whose canonical position is still being examined by the Apostolic See following his illegitimate ordination, has caused unease for all concerned and has disturbed Chinese Catholics. The Holy See understands and shares their sorrow. Obviously, the Holy See expressed its sorrow and powerlessness over the participation of an illegitimate bishop in an Episcopal ordination. However, with respect to the Assembly of Chinese Catholic Representatives, the Holy See seems to harbour some hope. The statement ended saying, "Regarding the Ninth Assembly, the Holy See will make a judgment based on proven facts. In the meantime, the Holy See is certain that all Catholics in China anxiously await positive signals, which will help them to place their trust in the dialogue between the civil authorities and the Holy See and to hope for a future of unity and harmony. 10. The Ninth Assembly of Chinese Catholic representatives took place at the end of the year, during which a new leadership was chosen The Ninth Assembly of Chinese Catholic Representatives was held in Beijing on 27-29 December 2016. New leaders were elected, but they are the same people as before. Ma Yinglin continues to be president of the Chinese Bishops' Conference. Fang Xingyao continues to be president of the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association. Shen Bin took over the third most important office as a permanent member of the Yi Hui Yi Tuan. There are some new deputies. Whatever the case, Ma Yinglin and Fang Xingyao are the right men after many years of preparation by the Chinese government. So their guidance makes others feel more relaxed, at ease. Going through the "top ten" news about the Church in China in 2016, we realise that relationship between China and the Vatican is still the point of interest of believers and the international media alike. Even the appearance of Dong Guanhua is tied to China-Vatican relations. The change in the Vatican's strategy towards China sparked wavering ideas and uncertainties among the faithful. It seems they are not able to see clearly the goal and direction of the Holy See. In the end, in what direction will the relationship between China and the Vatican go? This still calls upon us to reflect and wait. 2 February 2017 * AsiaNews has covered the death of some bishops. Mindong Bishop Mgr Vincent Huang Shoucheng dies, 30 July 2016; Funeral of Msgr. Huang Shoucheng tomorrow. Agreement with the local government on the ceremony and cremation, 1 August 2016; Bishop Zhu Weifang of Wenzhou, the city of demolished crosses, has died, 7 September 2016; Taizhou bishop dies, he had been recognised by the pope and Beijing, 26 September 2016. Maoist rebels break ceasefire. Filipino president says he is ready for a long war. PIME missionary Fr Peter Geremia hopes this is only a setback on the path to a peace agreement. Manila (AsiaNews) Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte scrapped negotiations with the New People's Army (NPA) aimed at ending decades of bloody conflict, raising fear among people in Mindanao that hostilities might resume. Some, like missionary Fr Peter Geremia, hope this is just a setback that will be overcome soon." The president announced his decision on Saturday (4 February), three days after the NPA released a statement saying that it would unilaterally end the ceasefire at 11.59pm, Friday 10 February, agreed in Oslo during peace talks. Rebels accuse Duterte of failing to release all political prisoners by October. They also blame government forces of using the ceasefire to enter territory rebels claim as their own. Dutertes decision comes after eight Filipino soldiers and a rebel died in a clash last month. The president, who released some rebel leaders to resume peace talks after he took office in June last year, reacted angrily to the statement by the Maoist rebels and said he was prepared for a long fight. "I told the soldiers to prepare for a long war. I said (peace) will not come during our generation," he said late Saturday. He later threatened to jail rebel negotiators should they return from peace talks overseas. "I am not interested in talking to them (the rebel leaders). I will refuse to talk about it anymore," he told reporters. "We have been fighting for 50 years. If you want to extend it for another 50 years, so be it, we will be happy to accommodate you." This new escalation between the government and the armed group worries many Filipinos, afraid that the bloody conflict will continue. Fr Peter Geremia, a missionary of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) in Mindanao, reacted to the presidents statement and the possibility of renewed fighting. "This news has come as a surprise and scares many young people, the clergyman said. Unfortunately, peace negotiations have not solved the problems between the warring sides. We hope that this is only a setback on the path to a peace agreement. In some areas, incidents have already taken place and civilians are a bit 'worried, he noted. "The president has made many statements which he later retracted. It would not surprise me if this was one of those. We hope this is just a setback that will soon be overcome." The XXV World Day of the Sick and Pastoral health care workers presented at the Vatican. Not everything that is technically possible is ethically acceptable. This includes euthanasia and aggressive therapy, cloning, and the attempts of gestation of human embryos in animal or artificial wombs, abortion. Instead "deep palliative sedation" in the stages close to the time of death and the respect of the will of the person. Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The Catholic Church reaffirms that in health care respect for the dignity of the person is an absolute value and that not everything that is technically possible is ethically acceptable. This includes euthanasia and aggressive therapy, cloning, and the attempts of gestation of human embryos in animal or artificial wombs, abortion. Instead "deep palliative sedation" in the stages close to the time of death and the respect of the will of the person, which must always be defended, even by promoting access to all medications and technologies for the population of developing countries. These are some of the suggestions offered by the New Charter of health care workers, presented today at the Vatican, along with the XXV World Day of the Sick, which will take place in Lourdes on 11 February. The latter, recalled Card. Peter Turkson, Prefect of the Congregation for the Integral human development, "instituted by St. John Paul II in 1992 and organized for the first time precisely in Lourdes on 11 February of the following year", has arrived this year to celebrate its 'silver Jubilee'. "Although the last decade has been celebrated solemnly every three years like other World Days, this 25th edition, by the will of the Holy Father will be celebrated in the extraordinary form. The chosen theme is: Amazement at what God does, "he has done great things for me the Almighty ..." (Lk 1:49). " With regards the first charter, published in 1995, it has been translated into 19 languages and for almost twenty years has been the basic text for healthcare professionals. The New Charter has therefore required several years of work involving a qualified group of experts." From the doctrinal point of view, continued Msgr. Jean-Marie Mate Musivi Mupendawatu, secretary of the same dicastery, "the New Charter for Health Care Workers reaffirms the sanctity of life and its inviolability as a gift from God. Health workers are ministers of life because they are servants and called to love it and take it in the existential journey of generating life living it - to death, the thematic triad of the New Charter. " Gioacchino Antonio a Spagnolo, professor of bioethics and director of the Institute of Bioethics and Medical Humanities at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome, explained that the charter takes into account the scientific achievements and subsequent magisterial pronouncements from 1994 on, keeping its original structure "as a tool for serious ethical preparation and continuing education for health Care Workers". The patient appeals to the "science and conscience" of the doctor Addressed to those working in the biomedical field - health personnel, but also biologists, pharmacists, lawmakers on health care, etc. - It states that "all these operators carry out their daily practice in an interpersonal relationship, spurred on by the confidence of a person marked by suffering and illness, which resorts to science and to the conscience of a healthcare provider that they meet to assist and cure them. The Charter seeks to support the health care worker fidelity to ethics in the choices and behaviors in which they embody service to life, and this fidelity is outlined in following the stages of human existence: to create, live, die, as moments of ethical and pastoral reflection". The Charter seeks to support the ethical loyalty of the healthcare worker, in the choices and behaviour in which this service to life takes its form, and this loyalty is outlined following the stages of human existence generating, living, dying as moments of ethical and pastoral reflection. Thus, continues Spagnolo in the section, Generating, the criteria are specified further for the treatment of infertility and with reference to natural methods not only for the regulation of fertility but also as methods for obtaining a pregnancy. There is also an article on the freezing of ovarian tissue (Article 38) as an ethically sustainable option in the case of oncological therapies that may affect a womans fertility. The new attempts at human reproduction in the laboratory are also taken into consideration (Article 39): between human and animal gametes, the gestation of human embryos in animal or artificial wombs, the asexual reproduction of human beings by means of twin fission, cloning, or parthenogenesis other similar techniques. All these processes are contrary to the human dignity of the embryo and procreation, and are therefore considered morally unacceptable. Among prenatal diagnoses, acceptable for certain conditions, attention is instead drawn to pre-implantation diagnosis (Article 36), considered unacceptable inasmuch as it is an expression of a eugenic mentality that legitimises selective abortion to prevent the birth of children suffering from various diseases. In the Living section, the existing position regarding abortion is confirmed, with the insertion of new articles regarding embryonic reduction, interception, contragestation, anencephalic foetuses, ectopic pregnancies, and the protection of the right to life (Articles 51-59). Attention is also turned to the issue of prevention and vaccines, the subject of recent public debate (Articles 69-70). Timely from a scientific point of view is the reference to gene therapy and regenerative medicine (80-82). At the social level, the document focuses on the issue of access to medicines and technologies by the people (Article 91), access that even today, above all in developing countries and especially those characterised by political instability or limited resources, is not guaranteed to broad sectors of the population, and especially in the case of so-called rare and neglected diseases, accompanied by the concept of orphan drugs (Article 92). Healthcare providers and their professional associations are asked to take the lead in raising awareness of institutions, charities and the health industry, so that the right to health protection is extended to the entire population, leading to healthcare justice, safeguarding the sustainability of both research and healthcare systems. Also new are the references to the involvement in testing of minors or adults unable to decide, on vulnerable subjects, and on women of childbearing age in emergency situations. Finally, this section highlights the role of clinical ethics consultation (Article 140), which may help to identify ethical conflicts and doubts, which individual healthcare workers, patients and relatives may experience in clinical practice, thus facilitating resolution with diagnostic and therapeutic choices shared at the patients bedside, in the framework of values proper to medicine and ethics. The section on Dying examines the attitude towards the patient in the terminal phase of illness, which verifies the professionalism and ethical responsibilities of healthcare workers (Article 145). In this area, a very current aspect considered by the Charter the subject of many discussions in the Italian Parliament in these days is the reference to the expression in advance by a patient of his wishes (Article 150) regarding the treatments he would or would not like to undergo should he no longer be able to express his consent. The Charter affirms that the reasonable will and legitimate interests of the patient should always be respected, but the doctor is not a mere executor, and conserves the right and the duty to deny a request should his conscience not permit it. An equally significant theme is that of nutrition and hydration, even artificially administered (Article 152), considered to be among the basic care due to the dying, other than when they prove too burdensome to the latter or are not of any benefit. Their unjustified suspension may have the sense of an act of euthanasia, but they remain obligatory inasmuch as and to the point that they can be shown to achieve their aim, which is the hydration and the nourishment of the patient. The ethical validity of palliative deep sedation in the phases close to the moment of death are confirmed, performed according to correct ethical protocols and submitted to constant monitoring. God created the world "to share its fullness to have someone to whom and with whom to share its fullness." "Each of us should ask ourselves how we live these two wonders, the wonder of creation and even more wonder of re-creation." Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The Christian is "slave" of love, not of duty, knows how to receive the gift of creation and even more that of the "re-creation" and not take refuge in the "rigidity of closed Commandments," that "do not give you joy, because they do not make you free, said Pope Francis at Mass this morning in Santa Marta, inspired by Psalm 103, a "song of praise" to God for his wonders. The Father, said Pope Francis, works to make this wonder of creation and with His Son to accomplish this wonder of re-creation. Pope Francis also recalled an episode in which a child asked him what God was doing before He created the world: He was loving, was the response. Why then did God create the world? Simply to share His fullness, Francis said. To have someone to whom [to give] and with whom to share His fullness. In the re-creation, God sends His Son to set things right to make the ugly one handsome, of the mistake a true [cast], of the villain a good guy: When Jesus says: The Father is always at work: I, too, am always at work, the teachers of the law were scandalized and wanted to kill him for this. Why? Because they could not receive the things of God as a gift! Only as Justice: These are the Commandments: but they are few, lets make more. And instead of opening their heart to the gift, they hid, have sought refuge in the rigidity of the Commandments, which they had multiplied up to 500 or more ... They did not know how to receive the gift and the gift is only received with freedom and these rigid characters were afraid of the freedom that God gives us: they were afraid of love. The Pope went on to note that it was after that, that the Gospels tell us, They wanted to kill Jesus. To this, he added, Because he said that the Father made this wonder as a gift: receive the gift of the Father!: And that is why today we have praised the Father: You are great, O Lord! I love you so much, for you have given this gift. You saved me, you created me. And this is the prayer of praise, the prayer of joy, the prayer that gives us the joy of the Christian life. And not the closed, sad prayer of the person who never knew how to receive a gift because he is afraid of freedom that always carries with it a gift. Such a one knows only how to do duty, but closed duty. Slaves of duty, but not love: when you become a slave of love, you are free! It is a beautiful bondage that, but such men did not understand that. Here, then, are the two wonders of the Lord, he went on to say: the wonder of creation and the wonder of redemption, the re-creation. The he asked, How do I receive this gift that God has given me creation? And if I receive it as a gift, do I love creation, do I care for the created order? The reason, he stressed, is that it is a gift: How do I receive the redemption, the forgiveness that God has given me, the making of me a son with His Son? Lovingly, tenderly, with freedom? Or do I hide in the rigidity of the closed Commandments, that are more and more safe with emphasis on the scare-quotes but that do not give joy, because they does not make you free. Each of us ought to ask himself wonder how he is experiencing these two wonders: the wonder of creation and even greater wonder of re-creation. May the Lord make us understand this great thing and make us understand what He was doing before creating the world: He was loving. Let us understand His love for us, and may we say as we said today: Lord, you are great! Thank you, thank you! Let us go forward like this. by Melani Manel Perera This year Sri Lanka marked the 69th anniversary of its independence from British rule. The president urged action to create a prosperous nation. He called on everyone to fulfill their responsibilities, and slammed corrupt politicians and officials. Colombo (AsiaNews) - Thousands of people attended the 69th edition of Sri Lankas Independence Day. In his address to the nation, President Maithripala Sirisena stressed the need to work for reconciliation. He warned against "elements that work against reconciliation, adding that "who do this also work against the country". However, he did not specify to whom he was referring. The celebrations for independence from British colonial rule, which ended in 1948, were held on 4 February. The streets of Colombo were filled with the colours of the uniforms of 8,000 members of the armed forces who marched in a parade. In the past, Sirisena said, "the great heroes of the fatherland dedicated and even sacrificed their lives for freedom. But the freedom of which we speak today is freedom of the media, of thought, of expression and of the possibility of peaceful assembly." The president called on his fellow citizens to "fulfill their responsibilities and obligations to build an economically prosperous nation, improve skills, and maintain the support of the international community." Sirisena pointed out that "in the 21st century, Sri Lanka needs to develop knowledge, based on education, economic innovation and the development of digital skills and techniques." To this end, he added, "young people can play a central role." According to the head of state, "every sector of society must work with determination and commitment to achieve full economic freedom and the objective of sustainable development, winning the fight against poverty." For this reason, he lashed out at corrupt politicians and officials. "To you I say: be free from fraud, corruption, waste and theft. Politicians have to work in an honest way, and meet in a timely fashion the needs that economic prosperity entails." San Diego (AsiaNews) - In China, 85% of the population has some kind of belief in the supernatural. Official statistics speak only of 100 million believers. The urge to believe in a "beyond" comes from tradition, but also economic and social insecurity. Even Xi Jinpings fight against corruption prompts people to rely on some supernatural power. That is why the Party has put a ban on strict rules for officials to practice any religion, even in retirement. But to no avail. These interesting conclusions are the result of the work of Prof. Richard Madsen, a sociologist of religions at the University of San Diego (California), engaged in a collaboration with Fudan University in Shanghai and with the "China in the 21st Century" Center in San Diego. Last July, prof. Madsen participated in a conference held in the United States in San Diego on the religious situation in China and the prospects of freedom and commitment of religions in the country. Later he had a conversation with the vice-director of the Center, Prof. Samuel Tsoi, which the university published as podcasts (http://china.ucsd.edu/media-center/podcast.html). AsiaNews is publishing the conversation between Prof. Madsen and Samuel Tsoi in installments. This is the fourth part. Editing by AsiaNews. Prof. Madsen, thank you for painting this broad picture of the various aspects and scenarios of Christianity. The Pentecostals, who emphasize preaching, evangelism, many of these Christians are taking on different roles, with different entities in order to continue to profess their faith. Now I have another question... especially in the urban context many of these Christians are becoming much more sophisticated, and work on the intellectual traditions of Christianity, thinking about how Christian theology is integrated with their Chinese cultural heritage and the problems they see in society, especially in this time of rapid change in the Chinese world. At the same time members of the CCP are officially atheists ... Are there other examples of how Christians in urban communities are in some way unofficially infiltrating the Communist Party or some study on how leaders succeed or not to ensure their members do not succumb to Christianity or any other religion? Well, from what I know, there are no studies. Anyway, earlier this year [2016] the Chinese Communist Party issued new regulations for the members of the Party emphasizing that they are not allowed to practice religion so there was a sort of repression. The Party leadership has issued very explicit regulations and this is a phenomenon that has been going on for some time. One thing I have noticed is that often when some party members are retiring, people start to age, to think about the last things, death, and then you see people who come to various forms of faith and begin to practice some religion. I had a friend who was among the elite of the Communist Party, and his father was a famous general of the party, a revolutionary even with his wife. When his father died ten years ago, the mother went to the temple every day to pray for him. This is a human thing, a thing that the party ideology does not provide: when someone dies, you cry and seek consolation. I'm sure this kind of thing happens all over the country, and therefore the Party members may also be atheists, but they feel, in their heart of hearts, an interest in what is "beyond" ... In fact, the interesting phenomenon - and there was no need for this to be Christian - it is that people believe in many mysterious and supernatural aspects. A renowned personality was brought to trial for corruption, Zhou Yongkang. Well one of the accusations against him was his contacts with a famous soothsayer, Xin Jiang, and this in order to understand show how the "spiritual" is a bad thing for the leadership. In China even the highest elite cares about the faith, and tries to understand and master fate and fortune. The government emphasizes its stability because instead there is a potential instability and the people are very worried. Even Party officials and others are worried about being somehow accused of corruption, removed from office. Everything seems arbitrary: This is why people throw themselves on faith, trying to know and ensure their future / destiny. Also in business it is as follows: You win today, lose tomorrow and so you must find the way to reduce anxiety and insecurity, by looking for some meaning in life. A survey by the Pew Research Centre showed that today, in China, at least two-thirds of people are atheists, the highest percentage (by country) of atheists in the world. But another survey of the Yan Fan Gan foundation says that there are religions and people engaged in religious rituals, praying for the sick or dead, who go to fortune tellers, or believe in ghosts, ... in short, all those who have a religious sensitivity, represent 85% of the Chinese population. Of course at this rate there are also the official religions, the official Church, but these are a small part. The 85% is more or less the same percentage of those in America who say they believe in God. Religion is pervasive even if it does not take on institutional forms. by Sumon Corraya The remains arrived 1 February. On the 8th, they will continue their pilgrimage to India and the United States. At least 70,000 people came to the shrine of St Anthony in Panjora; other 40,000 came to the Tejgoan Church, Dhaka. Card D'Rozario is behind the visit. Dhaka (AsiaNews) Thousands of Catholics from across Bangladesh are coming to honour and touch the relics of Saint Anthony of Padua, brought on a pilgrimage to the Asian country for the first time. The remains of one of the most beloved saints among Catholics, Muslims and Hindus, arrived on 1 February and will remain until the 8th before going to India and the United States. "We are astounded by the respect people have for Saint Anthony, said Mgr Francis Gomes, auxiliary bishop of Dhaka. Thousands are coming to see the relics. They wait in line for an hour and when they come before him, they burst into tears of devotion and pray for the saint." The case in bust form that holds the remains of the Portuguese-born saint was exposed at the Tejgoan Church in Dhaka, dedicated in his honour. So far, at least 40,000 people have come to pay their respects. Last Friday, the relics arrived at the St Anthony shrine in Panjora, the main shrine in the country, where at least 70,000 people were waiting. Many non-Catholics were among the many devotees, including, Purubi Ray, a Hindu, who admits that he recited "a secret prayer". Two Catholic women, Sudip Mondol and Momota Roy, came to kiss the relics and thank the saint. The first addressed a special invocation, that Saint Anthony may heal her disabled child. The second one gave thanks "because my husband and I have been blessed by the arrival of Neela", now 15 years old, born after 10 years of intense prayers. Card Patrick D'Rozario, the country's first cardinal, pushed for the pilgrimage. He invited friars from Padua for the saints feast day, which falls on 3 February in Bangladesh. The celebrations at the Panjora shrine, Nagori parish, are among the most heartfelt ceremonies, and draw home migrants working abroad. "This year, more people have come, given the presence of the relics," said Nagori parish priest Fr Joyanto S Gomes. A novena was recited in the days before the celebration. Hundreds came to confession, he explained. In all, we distributed about 140,000 hosts during liturgical services." This coming week on February 9th, the Science of Cocktails signature fundraiser will transform Science World at TELUS World of Science into Vancouvers largest laboratory. The citys most talented bartenders and chefs will showcase the chemistry, biology and physics behind preparing modern cocktails and mouth-watering molecular gastronomy. Attendees get to sip and taste their way through an evening that includes complimentary cocktails from over twenty bar stations and twelve food stations. The best part of this event is that it is a fundraiser - proceeds support Science Worlds class field trips for underserved schools in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Now that is a evening mixer with a twist that is hard to turn down. While this years Science of Cocktails is sold out, pre-sale tickets for the Science of Cocktails 2018 are now selling at a special discounted rate. And if you are more interested in imbibing knowledge than alcohol, you can still attend as the evening features a variety of hands-on science demonstrations and classic Science World fun. To learn more about the Artistry of Mixology and the science behind it please go to www.scienceworld.ca/cocktails. About Bursary Who can apply? BC ministry-funded classes in grades K-12. Classes must clearly demonstrate need for financial assistance. Classes must describe how learning will be extended beyond the field trip, and how it is connected to school or district goals and/or community resources. This bursary subsidize 50-100% of general admission, a reserved program and school bus fees for 1-2 classes per request. The balance of the fees must be provided by the school. The school bus portion of the bursary will be confirmed following a conversation about transportation requirements. Science World class field trip bursaries do not fund overnight trips or the cost of parking. The field trip bursary will not be applied to additional program, OMNIMAX film, and exhibition charges. Learning Path: Get 3 books in one! Learn how to create computer vision applications from scratch to finish. Buy on Amazon Buy on PacktPub (save 49%!) Google, Facebook, Apple And Other Tech Companies Are Fighting To Overturn Trump's Muslim Ban Trending News: Almost 100 Tech Companies Are Suing The Feds Over The Muslim Ban Long Story Short A group of 97 companies, nearly all of them from the tech sector, filed a joint motion looking to declaring that the Trump executive order on immigration violates the Constitution. Among the companies involved are Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, Intel, Netflix, Uber, Lyft and Twitter. Long Story Trump may have unwittingly upset a group that should (theoretically) be one of his biggest supporters: the tech industry. Nearly 100 of them, in fact, as it was mostly tech companies filing a motion to overturn 1) Trump's immigration ban, which targets Muslim-majority countries and 2) the indefinite ban on Syrian refugees. The document filed Sunday night states that the ban represents a sudden shift in the rules governing entry into the United States, and is inflicting substantial harm on U.S. companies. The motion was submitted to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the same court that denied the Trump administrations emergency request to reinstate the ban that morning, and requests permission to file an amicus brief in a lawsuit filed by the attorneys general of Washington state and Minnesota. The Ninth Circuit is said to be among the most liberal in the country, making it likely that the case will eventually head to the Supreme Court. A handful of non-tech companies signed onto the motion as well, including snack-makers Kind, yogurt company Chobani and iconic denim apparel brand Levi Strauss. All three companies were founded by immigrants. Immigrants make many of the Nation's greatest discoveries, and create some of the country's most innovative and iconic companies, says the motion. At the same time, America has long recognized the importance of protecting ourselves against those who would do us harm. But it has done so while maintaining the fundamental commitment to welcoming immigrants through increased background checks and other controls on people seeking to enter our country. Online retailing giant Amazon and online travel agency Expedia signed motions relating to the lawsuit last week, also arguing that the ban will hurt their business and employees. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick resigned from President Trumps business advisory council last week citing the immigration ban. In a memo sent to staff, he wrote, The executive order is hurting many people in communities all across America. Families are being separated, people are stranded overseas and there's a growing fear the U.S. is no longer a place that welcomes immigrants. (Though this came several days after he and his company were savaged online for defying a New York City taxi strike against the ban two weekends ago.) However, one high-profile tech company did not sign the motion: Tesla. Its CEO Elon Musk remains on the presidents council and engaged in some serious Twitter drama over his decision. Musk defended his decision by saying he will work to push for more moderate positions from inside the administration. Update Musk and Tesla are now on board, having joined in on the filing. Peer pressure! Own The Conversation Ask The Big Question Are right-wing trolls going to be able to boycott Twitter? Drop This Fact Former Secretaries of State John Kerry and Madeleine Albright, as well as former CIA director and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, also spoke out against the ban on Monday, saying it undermined national security and will endanger US troops in the field. Montague expands its stone fruit offering One of Australias major fruit producers and marketers, Montague, is selling ranges of stone fruit under new brands. The first new brand, Montague Tree, sells peaches, nectarines, apricots and plums. The other new brand, Croc Eggs, is selling plums. Montague says more than a decade of research went into developing the new lines. As part of their development, the fruit producer worked with international growers to test different global varieties. Fruit sold under the Montague Tree and Croc Egg ranges are marketed as being naturally sweeter and are picked from the outer edges of orchards where the sun helps create a naturally higher sugar content, the company said. The new Montague ranges Availability and stockists of Montagues new stone fruit brands are as follows: Croc Egg Plums There are 26 farms across Australia growing Croc Egg plums which will be sold between December and March at Woolworths supermarkets only. There are 26 farms across Australia growing Croc Egg plums which will be sold between December and March at Woolworths supermarkets only. The Montague Tree Plums Stocked by Coles, Costco and independent supermarkets. They are available between December and March and grown in Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia. Stocked by Coles, Costco and independent supermarkets. They are available between December and March and grown in Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia. Black Diamond Plums Available from November to March each year and can be stocked by all supermarkets. For the best taste, the fruit needs to turn dark black and soften slightly. Available from November to March each year and can be stocked by all supermarkets. For the best taste, the fruit needs to turn dark black and soften slightly. Peaches Available from October to February and stocked at Woolworths, Costco and independent supermarkets. Available from October to February and stocked at Woolworths, Costco and independent supermarkets. Nectarines Available October to March from Woolworths, Coles, Costco and independent supermarkets. Available October to March from Woolworths, Coles, Costco and independent supermarkets. Apricots Available November to December from Woolworths, Coles, Costco and independent supermarkets. Available November to December from Woolworths, Coles, Costco and independent supermarkets. Honey Cot Apricots Available November to December and can be stocked by all supermarkets and independent retailers. The Montague family, which owns Montague Fresh, has been growing fruit for the Australian market since 1948. The business has been exporting stone fruit and apples to various markets throughout the world since its establishment. Today, Montague exports apples to Europe and the UK and stone fruit to countries including the Germany, the UAE, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Related articles More people are expected to visit Australia in the next few years for a holiday while those visiting family and friends are also expected to increase, but fewer from UK due to Brexit.The number of holidaymakers is expected to increase the most from Asian countries, led by China while traditional tourism source markets of the UK and New Zealand are also likely to increase.According to Janice Wykes, assistant general manager of Tourism Research Australia, more flight choice, a lower Australian dollar, lower fuel prices and an improved economic outlook in other countries are set to help boost the numbers arriving.The overseas tourism market increased strongly last year, up 9.3% in 2015/2016 and is forecast to increase by an average of 5.6% over the 10 years to 2024/2025.Asian markets are expected to continue driving growth in the next few years led by China with growth of 18.5% forecast for 2016/2017 and 13.3% in 2017/2018, followed by India up 9.4% and 9.7% respectively.'Despite a slowing of the transitioning Chinese economy, the strong visitor growth coming out of China is expected to see China become our largest inbound source market earlier than previously forecast, overtaking New Zealand in 2017/2018,' said Wykes.Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea are also expected to experience solid growth, as are traditional markets such as New Zealand and the United States. New Zealand is expected to provide growth of 3.5% for 2016/2017 and 3.2% in 2017/2018.But the number of people travelling to Australia from the UK is expected to fall due to the decision to leave the European Union and the resulting economic uncertainty which could last throughout the coming Brexit negotiations.According to the forecast numbers, travelers from the UK are only expected to rise by 2.2% in 2016/2017 but stronger growth of 6.8% is forecast for 2017/2018. However, much of this could be driven by attendance at major sporting events.'The rising middle class in the Asia Pacific, increasing connectivity and an aging demographic will see people travelling, for longer and spending more. This makes for a positive outlook for Australia's tourism industry, which augers well for the thousands of tourism businesses across Australia, leading to increasing employment levels,' Wykes added.In terms of visitor numbers, China is expected to contribute 43% of total growth in the next decade and 60% in terms of expenditure.Overall, Australia's top five inbound markets of New Zealand, China, the UK, the US and Singapore, are expected to provide 67% of the additional 5.2 million arrivals over the 10 years to 2024/2025.Holiday travel is forecast to increase by 8.4% in 2016/2017 and 6.7% in 2017/2018, while those visiting family and friends is also expected to experience solid growth, up 5.8% and 5.9% respectively. More modest growth is forecast for business travel with growth of 3.3% and 3% after an expected decrease of 4.8% in 2015/2016. I regularly assist users of this forum. Not sure if any of them would notice your post and be able to give you a reference. There are plenty of references on my website, although I haven't updated it for quite while. Hello. I got my evisitor visa (subclass 651) last December but I will be moving to another country so I will have to submit a form 1022 for the changes. However, I'll be traveling to Australia right after I return to my home country and worried that by submitting the form 1022, I will have to wait for the changes to be confirmed. Is it still possible to travel to Australia right after submitting the form? The electric scooter has a 65km range on a single charge and top speed of 25kph; does not require a riding license or registration. Hero Electric today launched its latest model, the Flash e-scooter powered by a lead-acid battery. The Flash e-scooter is equipped with a 250W motor, which is powered by a 48V, 20Ah VRLA battery, and can travel for 65km on a single charge. It has a top speed of 25kph. Available as a limited edition model with just 2,000 units for sale, the Flash has an introductory price of Rs 19,990 (ex-showroom, Delhi). The price is inclusive of the government subsidy of Rs 14,000 for electric vehicles as it is a collaboration between the Department of Science, the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV) and Hero Electric. The lightweight 87kg Flash e-scooter does not require a riding license or registration, a factor that is expected to make it popular amongst youth. Some of its features include magnesium alloy wheels, a telescopic suspension and a full-body guard. It is also equipped with short-circuit protection and has under-the-seat storage. It will be on offer in red-black and silver-black colour combinations. Sohinder Gill, CEO, Hero Electric, told our sister publication, Autocar Professional, on the sidelines of the launch that, depending on consumer preference, there is also provision to offer a lithium-ion battery-powered Flash e-scooter at the lower-end within a few months. The price difference between the two battery-powered scooters is pegged at around Rs 15,000-20,000. The e-scooter targets youth, housewives, small traders and senior citizens. Despatches of the Flash will commence from next week to Delhi dealerships and it will be introduced across India within a month, covering all 350 outlets of Hero Electric. The company plans to add an additional 100 dealers in CY2017 to take the figure up to 450 by the year end. Two new e-scooters in the pipeline Hero Electric is gearing up to launch two new products. The first model a lithium-ion battery-powered high-end smart scooter with high connectivity and a Bosch powertrain will be launched after Diwali this year. The second model a low-speed, high-end e-scooter with a lithium-ion battery will be launched before end-March 2018. Both will have a range of about 60-70km, though the smart scooter will have a top speed of 55kph. The lithium-ion battery is expected to be sourced from Korea, China or Taiwan. Gill says that, while the lithium ion battery has a three-year lifespan, the lead-acid battery comes with a one-year warranty. To make lithium-ion batteries more cost effective, SMEV is looking at local manufacturing; it has 10 proposals in hand which two are to be shortlisted within a month and will require some handholding from the EV manufacturer. Talking about online bookings for e-scooters, Gill pointed out that over the past two months when demonetisation had hit dealer sales, the company sold a large volume of its Maxi, Wave and e-spring scooters through PayTM and has started online bookings for the Flash as well. Reacting to the Union Budget 2017-18, Gill appreciated the Rs 175 crore allocation for the three months, till start of April, on account of subsidies for EVs by the government. First announced in October 2016, the partnership was formalised today and both carmakers agreed to collaborate in areas such as green vehicles, safety & IT technologies. Toyota Motor Corporation and Suzuki Motor Corporation are going ahead with plans to start exploring ideas directed toward business partnership, as first announced on October 12, 2016. Earlier today, the two Japanese carmakers confirmed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly begin concrete examinations for partnership in areas including environmental, safety and information technologies, as well as mutual supply of products and components. To that end, the two companies are to immediately establish an implementation framework aimed at bringing to realisation the points agreed on today. Since they first announced the partnership, they have shared with each other their challenges and have been discussing areas of collaboration in a manner that ensures fair and free competition. Suzukis infamous partnership with Volkswagen ended in a bitter legal battle resulting in the two companies parting ways far earlier than the deal set out, and Suzuki buying a 20% stake back from Volkswagen. Toyota president Akio Toyoda said: "I am truly thankful for having been given this opportunity to work together with a company such as Suzuki, which overflows with the spirit of challenge. Toyota looks forward to learning much." Toyoda has suggested that more partnerships of this sort could be on the horizon. We would like to always keep our doors open for new partnership opportunities, which will contribute to the making of ever-better cars as well as to the development of the automotive industry," he said last year. Suzuki chairman Osamu Suzuki said: "Under the leadership of president Akio Toyoda, Toyota was enthusiastic throughout our discussions regarding partnership, even though such was sought by Suzuki, which was concerned about the development of advanced technologies. We now stand at the starting point for building a concrete cooperative relationship." "The Rock" is an official spokesperson for Ford. In a behind the scenes video filmed within the American automaker's headquarters, the "Fate of the Furious" actor may have accidentally given viewers an early look at the new Ford Mustang Bullitt. Originally reported by a user on the Mustang6G forum, Motor Authority reports that at the 3:10 mark, a Mustang concept with signature Bullitt elements can be seen on the wall. It includes Dark Highland Green paint, faux gas caps with crosshairs, a sleeper look, and darkened torque thrust wheels. History of the Mustang Bullitt. "Bullitt" is a 1968 movie starring Steve McQueen which became a success due to its high-speed car chase scene featuring the Mustang GT and a Dodge Charger R/T. In the movie, San Francisco Police Department Lieutenant Frank Bullitt (Steve McQueen) drives a 1968 Ford Mustang GT 390. In 2001, the American automobile manufacturer partnered up with Warner Bros. to release a special version of its GT with the "Bullitt" nameplate in honor of the car driven by McQueen in the movie. The car was designed to have good handling and was substantially lowered by 3/4 of an inch, came equipped with Tokico shocks, and had short length sub-frame connectors. Additionally, a new intake design, special underdrive pulleys, and high-flow mufflers were also part of this package. This helped increase the car's power to a conservative 265 horsepower, though it was reported to actually be closer to the 270-275 range. The 2001 Ford Mustang Bullitt also featured a large scoop hood, lower body moldings, and a seat upholstery patterned after the original 1968 model. The iconic Mustang was only offered in three colors: Dark Highland Green (which was the same shade used in the movie starring McQueen), True Blue, and Black. The production was limited to a total of 5,582 units. Another Bullitt was released in 2008 that featured 18-inch Torq-Thrust style wheels, removal of the decklid spoiler, and most of the original badges except for the faux gas cap. Inside the car are Bullitt door sills, steering wheel cap, gauges, and GT500-inspired front seats, steering wheel, and black stitching. The package was an additional $3,310 upgrade from the standard GT Premium. If speculations are correct, The Drive reports that the new Ford Mustang Bullitt may be released in 2018. This will be in perfect timing with the 50th anniversary of the original movie's release. What do you think? Thoughts and comments below. A new enhanced vision system developed for Dassault business jets is among a small field of four nominees for the 2016 Robert J. Collier Trophy. The award is presented annually for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year. Dassaults FalconEye Combined Vision System, designed and built by Elbit Systems, is joined by the Blue Origin New Shepard reusable suborbital space tourism system, Boeings 737 MAX airliner and the U.S. Air Force 212th Rescue Squadron and 249th Airlift Squadron. The FalconEye combines database-driven synthetic vision, thermal and low-light camera images into a single head-up display image. It was certified in the Falcon S/LXS in October and will soon be approved for the Falcon 8X. Boeing is now in certification flight testing for the MAX. It has an aircraft in Darwin, Australia, for the hot-weather testing of the aircraft, which is the latest iteration of Boeings most popular airliner. The 212th and 249th are based in Alaska and the 212th routinely perform risky complex pararescue operations and the 249th operates eight C-17s in rapid deployment of troops and rescue personnel. The winner will be announced March 14. While the Air Force and some in Congress muse about a fleet of low-cost light attack aircraft (and seem to prefer mostly foreign-derived designs) there are two American-designed counterterrorism and close air support aircraft in service overseas. Just before he left office, President Barack Obama approved the sale of 12 weaponized Air Tractor AT-802U single-engine turboprops to Kenya for a total price of $413 million. There are also a couple AT-504 trainers included. L-3 is integrating all the missiles and guns, all of which are up-to-date munitions used on mainstream fighters and attack aircraft in the U.S. inventory. Airforcetechnology.com says the Air Tractors, which are hardened versions of the cropduster, will fill gaps that the Kenyan Defense Forces aging fleet of F-5s have in engaging al Shabaab terrorists. The United Arab Emirates has been using Air Tractors for years and recently added another American design to its light attack fleet. The middle eastern country recently bought 24 Archangel light attack aircraft based on Air Tractors main cropduster competitor Thrush. Although the UAE originally bought the Air Tractor platform, it wanted enhancements that the Air Tractors design couldnt accommodate. Thrush and IOMAX worked together on the Archangel, which began deliveries in 2015. South American countries also use them against drug smugglers. As we reported last week, Sen. John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said hed like 300 light attack aircraft for the Air Force but there was no mention of the Air Tractor or Thrush in those musings. The AT-6 (built by Textron under license from Pilatus) and Embraers Super Tucano, built by Sierra Nevada Corp., are often cited as is Textrons clean-sheet Scorpion jet. TangoSix shot the video below describing the armaments available on the Archangel. The Ukraine conflict is seeing the most intense use of drones yet. Here's hoping the U.S. is watching and learning. 6 February 2017 16:14 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Azerbaijans State Committee on Property Issues will hold another auction for the privatization of state objects and enterprises on March 7, the Committee said on February 6. The auction will feature 78 state objects, including 17 small enterprises, 21 joint stock companies, and 36 non-residential areas. Four property complexes of the liquidated scientific and creative production association Azerkhalcha will also be offered for privatization. The objects to be put up for the auction are located in Bakus districts (Nizami, Nasimi, Sabail, Khazar) and in Shaki and Goygol regions of the country. Their activities cover the areas of construction, industry and transport. The total cost of the state objects offered for privatization amounts to $6.93 million. The third stage of privatization in Azerbaijan started in the framework of the presidential decree dated May 19, 2016. Under the decree, the acceleration of the state property privatization process has been defined as an important direction of the economic policy. So far, the Committee held 15 auctions and more than 700 state enterprises and objects have been put for sale. Over 300 new state-owned enterprises and facilities declared open for privatization in Azerbaijan in 2016. The portal for privatization privatization.az, launched in July 2016, reflects all necessary information about the facilities, their addresses, location, and even initial cost and aims at facilitation of the process. The website is available in two languages - Azerbaijani and English. Why Azerbaijan is special section available on the website explains the reasons and advantages of investing in the country. The privatization process is designed to attract both foreign and local investors, as well as improve the business environment of Azerbaijan. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 6 February 2017 17:31 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova Cuba is eager to see a flow of Azerbaijani investments in the Caribbean country and ready to provide all necessary and advantageous conditions to reach the goal. Cubas Ambassador to Baku Alfredo Nieves Portuondo said that his country is interested in Azerbaijani investments, as well as in an integrated cooperation with the country. The envoy announced about this while addressing a meeting with a delegation led by President of Caspian Energy International Media Group Natalya Aliyeva. In 2014, the Cuban government implemented significant reforms directed at promoting foreign investment and adopted a relevant law, opening up more opportunities for foreign entrepreneurs. Here, investment is allowed in all economic sectors, including utilities, administrative concessions, real estate (purchase, sale and leasing of houses and offices), hotel management and professional services. Also, the country announced creation of a free economic zone. Portuondo further said that the two countries could cooperate in the sphere of agriculture, as Azerbaijan has always been famous for its agricultural development. If we could create a joint Azerbaijani-Cuban company in the field of agricultural production, it would notably promote the development of the bilateral relations, he noted. Cuba, which has succeeded in manufacture of the newest medicines and biotechnologies, is also ready to offer its medical services and supply products to Azerbaijan. We can also talk about cooperation in the field of medicine, healthcare services and pharmaceutical industry. It is also possible to conduct exchange in the field of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, Cuba already has such experience with other countries, he noted. Today, Cuba renders medical services to the countries of Latin America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Russia and other CIS. The ambassador further highlighted a great potential for the energy cooperation, mentioning rich experience of Azerbaijan in this area. Cuba possesses undiscovered oil fields in the Cuban part of a shelf in the Gulf of Mexico, and Azerbaijani companies could participate in their exploration and further development. The ambassador said that the country produces about 4 million tons of heavy oil per year, mainly in the north of Havana, while there is a triangle which belongs to Cuba in the Gulf of Mexico. Currently, we are conducting extensive exploration surveys jointly with the companies from Norway, Russia, Vietnam, France and Brazil, which use the technology for producing oil from deep horizons. The surveys show the presence of oil, he said. The ambassador further noted that tourism sphere can surely become one of the important directions of cooperation, adding that tourism industry of Cuba is one of the developed in the world. Some 4 million tourists visited Cuba in 2016. The sector is expected to boom further in Cuba over coming years, as the government seeks to bring the number of visitors to over 10 million in 2030. We have been invited to take part in the tourism exhibition in Baku. If we can confirm our presence and participation in this exhibition, it will be the first ever in the Cuban history participation in a tourism exhibition in Azerbaijan, he said. Portuondo also invited Azerbaijani companies to exhibitions dedicated to foreign trade and tourism in Havana. The envoy also noted that the Azerbaijan-Cuba political relations are at the very high level, and diplomatic efforts will focus on boosting the trade and economic cooperation. The diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Cuba were established on March 27, 1992. Eight documents covering various fields have been signed since then. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 6 February 2017 10:54 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijans Defense Ministry reported that the OSCE is expected to monitor the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops on February 7. The monitoring will be held under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative along the line of contact in the direction of Azerbaijans Fuzuli district, said the ministry. On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring will be held by Andrzej Kasprzyk, the personal representative of the OSCE chairperson-in-office and his field assistants Gennady Petrica and Peter Svedberg. On the Azerbaijani territories occupied and controlled by Armenian armed forces, the monitoring will be carried out by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Hristo Hristov, Jiri Aberle and Simon Tiller. Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal, but they have not been enforced to this day. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 6 February 2017 13:51 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Baku hosted a farewell ceremony for Azerbaijani soldier Chingiz Gurbanov, who was killed while preventing Armenian provocation in late December 2016. Senior representatives of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, relatives of the martyr and members of the public took part in the ceremony held at the Ministry's Training and Education Center on February 6. Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov, addressing the ceremony, offered condolences to the family of soldier. The soldier's father Salman Gurbanov expressed gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev, Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov and relevant bodies for the return of his sons body from Armenian side. Chingiz Gurbanov was buried in the Alley of Martyrs in Gusar. On December 29, 2016, a reconnaissance group of the Armenian Armed Forces attempted to violate the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border. The Armenian group found itself in the ambush of the Azerbaijani army while violating the borders and suffered heavy losses. During the fighting, Azerbaijani serviceman Chingiz Gurbanov went missing. Later, it was clarified that he was killed by the Armenian Armed Forces and his body remained on the territory controlled by the Armenian Armed Forces. After the incident, the Azerbaijani side officially appealed to the Azerbaijani representation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), OSCE Minsk Group, as well as the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk in order to return the body. Despite this, the Armenian side for over a month refused to return the body. Eventually, Gurbanovs body was transferred to Azerbaijan on February 5 as a result of the regular measures undertaken by international organizations, and relevant state agencies in accordance with the instructions of the President. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 6 February 2017 17:16 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev met with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini in Brussels on February 6, Azertac reported. Later, President Aliyev and King Philippe of the Belgians have held a one-on-one meeting in Brussels. On the same day, the Azerbaijani leader met with European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic in Brussels. President Aliyev then met with President of the European Council Donald Tusk in Brussels. President Aliyev arrived in the Kingdom of Belgium on February 5 at the invitation of Donald Tusk. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 6 February 2017 12:51 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, the two friendly and Turkic-speaking countries, may jointly develop their tourism potential. The issue was mulled at a meeting between Azerbaijani Ambassador to Kazakhstan Rashad Mammadov and Director of Kazakhstan Tourism Industry Department Marat Igaliyev. The sides proposed developing joint tourism packages for foreign tourists. Mammadov said tourism authorities and agencies in both Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan could cooperate in preparing tourism packages to increase the flow of foreign tourists. The ambassador highlighted Azerbaijan`s accomplishments in tourism industry, including the establishment of state-of-the-art infrastructure and promotional campaigns. Mammadov also pointed to growth in the number of Kazakh tourists visiting Azerbaijan. The tourist flow from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan saw a 14.8 percent increase in 2016, the ambassador said, adding that Azerbaijani is ready for cooperation to boost the flow of Azerbaijani tourists to Kazakhstan. Igaliyev welcomed the ambassador`s proposal to develop joint tourism packages for foreign tourists. He praised ongoing development processes in Azerbaijan, describing Baku as one of the most attractive cities in the world. Igaliyev voiced Kazakhstans interest in studying Azerbaijan`s experience in developing tourism industry. He also hailed the introduction of ASAN visa system in Azerbaijan, saying Kazakhstan will consider the opportunities of applying this system. The sides also discussed issues of attracting tourists to EXPO-2017 exhibition in Astana. Azerbaijan is interested in attracting tourists visiting Astana also to Azerbaijan. In turn, they are also willing to redirect tourists from their country to Kazakhstan, Igaliyev wrote in his Facebook account. The two countries also have sister cities. Azerbaijans Sumgayit and Kazakhstans Aktau are twin towns since 2009. Almaty-Baku flights started as a seasonal charter flights provider in 2009. Astana-Baku flight was launched due to the increase in demand among business in 2012. Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are two Caspian states which are united by not only the Sea, but a number of things ranging from the cultural and linguistic proximity to a number of strategic initiatives and projects. Brotherly relations between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, huge resource of two countries, sea borders, diasporas, geostrategic position of the states on the historical Silk Way are main driving forces of the further development of two countries economic relations. Today, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are more interested in intensification of cooperation in other areas, particularly logistics and infrastructure. Necessary measures are taken to better utilize the opportunity driven from the passage of shortest East-West transport corridor through the territories of the countries. Currently energy and other goods produced in Kazakhstan are carried to Europe by different means of transport through Azerbaijan. Additionally, the commissioning of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway will serve further development of cooperation on this field and increase importance of the two countries as transit corridor. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 6 February 2017 13:25 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva The visa regime has been simplified for Azerbaijani citizens wishing to travel to Vietnam, a popular destination for foreign holidaymakers in search of adventure and mysterious cultural charm. The e- visa system, covering 40 countries, including Azerbaijan, entered into force in Vietnam from February 6. The cost of the electronic tourist visa is $ 25 and it is valid for 30 days, Report.az reports with the reference to Vietnamese media. Those who wish to obtain the e-visa must complete the data on the website of the Immigration Service of Vietnam. In 2013, Vietnam simplified the visa regime for Azerbaijani citizens by giving them an opportunity to obtain a visa upon arrival at countys airports, due to the difficulties that Azerbaijani tourists faced because Vietnam doesnt have an embassy in Baku. Vietnam, the sixth largest oil producer in the Asia-Pacific region, recognized Azerbaijan's independence on December 27, 1991, and the two countries established diplomatic relations on September 23, 1992. Azerbaijan opened its embassy in Vietnam in 2013. Currently, the bilateral relations are coordinated by the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia, which is also accredited in Azerbaijan. The Vietnamese government is considering opening an embassy in Baku to give additional impetus to the development of the bilateral cooperation. The volume of bilateral between two countries trade increased in 2016, reaching $104.44 million including exports of Vietnamese goods to Azerbaijan - $5.14 million and import - $99.30 million. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 6 February 2017 17:13 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Baku will host meeting of the Azerbaijani-Ukrainian intergovernmental commission on military and technical cooperation in 2017. Ukrainian Ambassador Alexander Mishchenko announced about this while talking to reporters on February 6, Trend reported. A big delegation from Ukraine will join the meeting, which will discuss the state and prospects of cooperation in military -technical sphere, Mishchenko said. The envoy added that a deep cooperation in this sphere is illustrative in the bilateral relations of two countries. The military- technical cooperation has always been one of the main components of our cooperation, the ambassador said, adding that his country helped Azerbaijan in the military sphere in early 1990s, and now Kiev appeals to Baku for aid in the supply of some types of military equipment. Azerbaijan domestically produces various types of small arms and melee weapons, artillery, armored vehicles, various aerial bombs, unmanned aerial vehicles, various types of ammunition for small arms, including small-caliber automatic pistols, optical devices and others. Twenty-eight military factories of Azerbaijans Defense Industry Ministry have manufactured 1,160 kinds of defense products so far. Azerbaijan`s defense products are exported to more than 10 countries. Azerbaijan and Ukraine enjoy sustainable prospects of bilateral relations in political, economic, energy, transport and humanitarian fields. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Ukraine was $234.7 million in the first nine months of 2016. A total of $201.8 million of them were the imports from Ukraine to Azerbaijan, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. In 2016, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko visited Azerbaijan, and a number of agreements were signed during the visit. Additionally, the presidents discussed implementation of joint projects in energy, transport and agricultural spheres. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 6 February 2017 18:02 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov The NATO mission is grateful to Azerbaijan for its participation in Resolute Support Mission for training and assisting the government forces of Afghanistan. The organization expressed the gratitude via the official Twitter page of the Resolute Support Mission. "Azerbaijan has been in Afghanistan nearly 15 years and close to 100 soldiers contribute to our mission," reads the message posted on February 6. Resolute Support is a NATO-led training, advisory, assistance, and counter-terror mission consisting of over 13,000 troops in Afghanistan, which began on January 1, 2015. It is a follow-on mission to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which was completed on December 28, 2014. The peacekeeping contingent of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces has been serving in Afghanistan since November 20, 2002. Currently, 90 servicemen, 2 medical officers and 2 sappers of Azerbaijani Armed Forces are participating in a mission in Afghanistan. Azerbaijan, as a reliable partner of NATO and friend of brotherly Afghanistan, is committed to continue its significant contribution to the Resolute Support Mission by providing troops, multi-modal transit, training and financial assistance. The country has several times made substantial donations to the Afghan National Army (ANA) Trust Fund. Moreover, Azerbaijan supports Afghanistan on its path of reforms towards integrating into regional and global economy. Furthermore, Azerbaijan allowed the NATO planes carrying non-combat loads for a mission in Afghanistan to fly through Azerbaijan's airspace and to use the country's airports. About 40 percent of all cargo destined for the NATO mission in Afghanistan pass through Baku. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 6 February 2017 14:47 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova BPs Regional President for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey Gordon Birrell announced that fully-termed agreement on further development of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea maybe signed in the short run. Birrell, talking to reporters in Baku on February 6, said that the company expects it to be signed by mid this year. The letter of intent was signed in December 2016. The negotiations are underway and we think the PSA will be signed by mid-2017, he said. Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR and BP-operated Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC) signed an agreement on future development of the ACG field on December 23. The agreement will cover the development of the field until 2050 and will add significant resource development potential. The document agreed the key commercial terms for the future development of the ACG field and enabled the parties to conclude negotiations and finalize fully-termed agreements in the next few months. Birrell further mentioned that BP is very pleased with the letter of intent signed with SOCAR for the future development of the block. The BP official didnt give any further comment on the details of the new agreement, adding that it is premature to disclose the BPs vision, plans and schemes of the further development of the ACG, as the negotiations are still ongoing. The existing ACG PSA was signed in September 1994 for 30 years. Oil production from the field began in November 1997. To date the field has produced 416.5 million tons of oil and 128.2 bcm of associated gas. Some 231.8 million tons of the total volume of the oil produced at the block accounted for profitable oil. The volume of average monthly production stands at 2.5 million tons of oil. ACG is a super-giant field located about 100 km east of Baku. It is the biggest producing oil field in the Caspian Sea and covers an area of more than 432 square kilometers. The field lies in water depths of between 120 and 170 metres. The depth of the reservoir is 2,000-3,500 metres. BP Azerbaijan operates the development of the ACG block. The contract for development of the ACG block was signed in 1994 for a period of 30 years. Shareholders of the project are BP (35.78 percent), Chevron (11.27 percent), Inpex (10.96 percent), AzACG (11.65 percent), Statoil (8.55 percent), Exxon (8 percent), TPAO (6.75 percent), Itochu (4.3 percent) and ONGC (2.72 percent). -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 6 February 2017 15:40 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova Work on the development of the second stage of Azerbaijans Shah Deniz gas and condensate field, one of the largest fields in the world, nears its completion. BP Regional President for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey Gordon Birrell said that the work has already been completed by almost 87 percent. BP-operated Shah Deniz project, as well as construction of new platforms and a network of underwater gas pipelines, expansion of the Sangachal terminal and the South Caucasus Pipeline are well underway. Work has completed by almost 87 percent, he said. Birrell, talking to reporters in Baku on February 6, said that the first volume of gas produced within the project will be exported to Turkey next year and Europe by 2020. Being one of the main components of the large-scale Southern Gas Corridor project, Shah Deniz 2 is expected to add a further 16 bcm per year of gas production to the approximately 9 bcm per year produced by Shah Deniz Stage 1. Reserves of the field are estimated at 1.2 trillion cubic meters of gas and 240 million tons of condensate. The gas is projected to be exported to Georgia, Turkey and European markets through expansion of the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline. The total cost of the Shah Deniz 2 project, being developed by a consortium of companies, is expected to hit $25 billion. The project will allow to increase the European energy security by bringing Caspian gas resources to markets in Europe for the very first time through the Southern Gas Corridor. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 6 February 2017 10:22 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Thirty-three Daesh terrorists were neutralized in the last 24 hours as part of the Turkish-backed Operation Euphrates Shield in northern Syria, the military announced Sunday, Anadolu reported. Turkish authorities use the word "neutralized" to refer to terrorists who are killed, wounded, or captured. The Turkish Armed Forces also hit 259 Daesh targets in northern Syria, the General Staff said, in a statement marking the operations 166th day. Turkish jets destroyed 39 targets, including 32 buildings, three headquarters, an arsenal, two bomb-laden vehicles, and a tunnel entrance used by the terrorists in the Al-Bab and Bzagah regions. The statement also said 57 mines and 3,680 improvised explosives have been defused since the start of the operation last Aug. 24. The Turkish General Staff also said that Abu Khalid Urduni, Daeshs so-called "governor" of the northern Syrian district of al-Bab, was killed Friday by a Turkish airstrike. The military added that the death was confirmed by internal Daesh correspondence, as the terror organizations main headquarters in Raqqa sent a letter to Urdunis replacement. Operation Euphrates Shield began in August 2016 to tighten border security, eliminate terror threats along the Turkish border, and support opposition forces in Syria. In the operation, the Free Syrian Army (FSA) is backed by Turkish forces. FSA fighters have been concentrating on taking the Daesh-held town of Al-Bab, 40 kilometers (25 miles) northeast of Aleppo. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz TOKYO - The Japanese central government on Monday began maritime reclamation work as part of a controversial move to relocate the US Marine Corps' Air Station Futenma from a densely populated area of Ginowan to the Henoko coastal area in Nago City, both in Okinawa Prefecture. The land reclamation work, which provisionally involves dropping concrete blocks into the sea off the coast of Henoko in Japan's southernmost prefecture, from vessels equipped with large cranes, began on Monday morning amid staunch protests from local citizens. The preparatory work, which drew protests from more than 100 locals outside nearby US Camp Schwab, also comes on the heels of a meeting between US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last week at which they agreed to continue as planned with the base relocation. Mattis and Abe reiterated both countries' stance that relocating the Futenma base to Henoko remains "the only solution". As more than 220 blocks, weighing 14 tons each, were being prepared Monday to form barriers in 4 areas in the sea where the Okinawa Defense Bureau will build seawalls around the site to be filled with sand and earth to prevent sediment spreading, Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga returned from the U.S. to protest the move on Sunday. Onaga, a staunch opponent to the base's relocation who has fought doggedly to see the plan scrapped and the new base build outside Okinawa or Japan altogether and has sued and been counter-sued by the central government, will now likely rustle up further moves to block the project. His trip to the US was to convey local Okinawans opposition to the relocation plan to new US President Donald Trump. Trump had previously intimated that the US had been paying to much for its forces to be based in Japan and that the latter should share more of the financial burden. Seven states bar the sale of puppies from mills with a history of gross violations of the Animal Welfare Act. The USDA's action leaves regulated dog sellers in those states with no practical way to comply with laws, and state and local law enforcement with almost no ability to enforce them. Photo by Meredith Lee/The HSUS 55.0K shares Theres an outpouring of anger and mistrust about the U.S. Department of Agricultures abrupt decision late last week to delete from its website inspection reports on some 9,000 licensed facilities that use animals, including commercial dog breeding operators, Tennessee walking horse show participants, roadside zoos, animal research labs, and other operations regulated under the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and Horse Protection Act (HPA). Today, The HSUS took the first step to initiate legal action to challenge this outrageous action that undermines longstanding consensus about public access to information concerning these laws, and frustrates state, local, and industry efforts to help enforce them. The HSUS sued the USDA in 2005 over public access to AWA reports concerning animal use in university and other laboratories. That case was settled in 2009 in exchange for the USDAs agreement to post certain data on its website concerning research on animals. The agencys precipitous decision to purge virtually all AWA and HPA enforcement documentation just two weeks after President Trump assumed office violates the plain terms of the settlement and a federal court order. It also runs contrary to Congressional provisions in 1996 and 2016 designed to increase transparency and electronic access to information. Under the order, once we file a notice of a violation, the parties must consult for 30 days to try to resolve the dispute. If that is not successful, the agency can be ordered to comply or be held in contempt. The prior lawsuit only covers some of the vast corpus of important enforcement data the USDA has scrubbed from its website. We hope this mandatory consultation period will give the USDA a chance to reconsider this ill-advised and precipitous maneuver across the board. There is more than just a principle of transparency and good government at stake here. These documents are essential to a wide range of matters of direct interest to The HSUS, dozens of other animal welfare groups, state and federal lawmakers and regulators, regulated businesses, and many other stakeholders who rely upon the records of a public agency. Like every federal agency, the USDA operates thanks to the generosity of taxpayers, and it must be accountable to them. The USDA is changing the equation for the worse for animals and the public with this action. Let me break that down in very practical terms. Puppy mills: In a piece published last month in Rolling Stone titled The Dog Factory: Inside the Sickening World of Puppy Mills, writer Paul Solotaroff described horrific violations at puppy mills, many of which are licensed and inspected by the USDA, but still violate the Animal Welfare Act repeatedly. One Iowa breeder threw a bag containing dead puppies at his USDA inspector. Another Iowa breeder threatened to stab his inspector with a syringe, after the inspector cited him for shooting and killing one of his dogs. These violations only came to light due to the USDAs online database of puppy mill inspection reports. Last year, the USDA revoked the licenses of nine horrific puppy mills, most of which The HSUS had identified repeatedly in our annual Horrible Hundred reports. They include Jinson Kennels in Missouri (owned by Wilma Jinson), which was repeatedly found with dead dogs or puppies on its property; Rabbit Ridge Kennel in Missouri (owned by Donald Schrage), which failed to get proper care for more than 90 dogs and puppies over a period of many years; and the facility of Dwayne Hurliman in Oklahoma, one of the largest puppy mills in the country, which once had more than 1,000 dogs. Without the availability of public inspection records, The HSUS would have had great difficulty obtaining the information we needed to press the agency on these cases. Thanks to The HSUSs efforts, and the work of thousands of grassroots advocates, seven states bar the sale of puppies from mills with a history of gross violations of the Act. The USDAs decision to wipe its website clean of inspection reports leaves regulated dog sellers in those states with no practical way to comply with those laws, and state and local law enforcement with almost no ability to enforce them. Without ready access to information, it will be nearly impossible for consumers, law enforcement agencies, policymakers, and pet stores to know which breeders had violations. Animal research: Tens of millions of animals are used in research, testing, and education every year in the United States. The public will no longer have ready access to information about hundreds of animal research institutions, including universities, pharmaceutical companies, and federal laboratories using animals regulated under the AWA. This includes information on the number and type of animals (such as dogs, cats, primates, and other species) used as well as how many are subjected to unrelieved pain and distress and the corresponding justification - information that each facility is required to report annually. Instead, The USDA says the information must be obtained via submission of written FOIA requests which usually take many months or even years to process, and often at a substantial cost to the requester. Horse soring: This is a second punch in the gut by the Trump administration to horse protection advocates fighting the criminal behavior of the pain-based Big Lick segment of the walking horse industry. The new administration earlier froze a near-finalized USDA rule to crack down on the abusers (theres a major movement in Congress to turn that around). The denial of real-time access to information about offenses committed under the HPA will frustrate efforts to show the extraordinary violation rates for horse show participants a data set that has made it clear that this segment of the industry is openly, routinely defying federal law. Whats more, the wiping away of these records from the Internet will hurt the effort by legitimate horse owners to shun the abusers. Many walking horse enthusiasts and newcomers who do not sore their horses or approve of soring use this information as a resource to see who they should select or not select as a trainer, as a breeder, or as a co-owner of a horse, or while purchasing a horse. During The HSUSs investigation into soring at Thorsport stables in Murfreesboro, Tenn., we discovered that Vida Blue one of the horses trained and sored at Thorsport was owned by Gayle Holcomb, who had a minimum of 10 HPA violations from 2010 to 2015. We found Holcombs soring history on the publicly-available USDA database that the new administration has now made disappear. Exotic animals and roadside zoos: The HSUS has tracked violations from inspections of roadside zoos, and has put that information in a form that gives state and federal lawmakers and regulators a broad picture of how this industry is complying with the AWA. Officials in a Tennessee county, for example, halted plans for a new drive-thru safari park after discovering the exhibitor had many AWA violations at another location. Our petition to the USDA to prohibit public contact with bears, big cats, and primates relied on historical abuses documented by federal inspectors of exhibitors engaged in these harmful practices. This morning, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which has a rigorous accreditation program and which shares our concerns about roadside zoos, called on the USDA to restore the inspection reports on its website. When the Department of Agriculture decided to take all animal welfare inspection reports offline, there is no doubt some APHIS licensees were very happy: Those who have no desire for the public to know about their animal welfare record, said the Honorable Dan Ashe, President and CEO of the AZA. Brian Klippenstein, the director of Protect the Harvest an explicitly anti-animal welfare group formed specifically to fight The HSUS is leading the transition team at the USDA. Shielding animal abuse records from public view is a long-held ambition of that organization which defends puppy mills, roadside zoos, horse sorers, animal fighters, and others with something to hide when it comes to animal cruelty and suffering. Forrest Lucas, the founder and financier of Protect the Harvest, donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight Prop B in Missouri an anti-puppy-mill ballot measure and worked to finance a repeal effort when Missouri voters approved it. Last year, Klippenstein was up in Massachusetts, campaigning against Question 3 in Massachuetts to no avail, with voters approving the measure by an overwhelming 78 percent. Lucas donated a quarter million dollars to fight Question 3. This withholding of information that the American public has a right to see appears to be an inside job at the USDA with the head of the Trump transition team probably directing the show. Youd think that USDA would want the work of its field personnel to be examined and used by the public. But this action suggests a deliberate effort to bury its work and impede efforts to ensure the well-being of animals in numerous sectors. The HSUS will continue to pursue this matter until public access is fully restored. Please sign our petition urging the USDA to stop hiding animal welfare records and covering for abusers. 6 February 2017 11:30 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova Being rich in oil, gas and other fossil energy resources the Islamic Republic of Iran has opted to turn its attention to the sphere renewable energy. The country plans to establish a number of renewable energy power plants across the country to generate some 5,000 megawatts of renewable energy. Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian said that in the near future foreigners will invest some $3 billion in Iran for building solar power plants, ISNA news reported. To speed up renewable energy output and fulfill the targets, the Iranian government has facilitated investment rules and offered incentives to encourage flow of both local and foreign investors on the sector of renewable energy. Hamid Chitchian, addressing an inauguration ceremony for two 7-megawatt solar plants in Hamadan Province (western Iran), said that German and Irish companies jointly invested in the plants, mentioning that power will be mostly derived from wind and solar energy. Besides, he noted that a 10-megawatt power plant will go on stream in Isfahan Province in a few weeks. The current power generation capacity of the country stands at 74,000 MW with nearly 200 MW being produced via renewable sources, mainly solar and wind, according to official figures. In tote some 12,000 megawatts comes from hydro-electric power plants and renewable energy, some 1,000 megawatts falls to a share of nuclear energy and the rest comes from thermal power plants. Wind is projected to be a major priority for the country in its bid to increase its renewable energy output. The country currently operates 15 wind plants, while the capacity from wind alone is estimated at 10,000 MW. Besides, the country is among the signatories of the U.N. Paris Climate Agreement, which stipulated countries to put forward their best efforts by means of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change. Renewables have surpassed coal in 2015 to become the largest source of installed power capacity in the world. Over the next several years, renewables are expected to remain the fastest-growing source of electricity generation in the world, with their share growing up to 28 percent in 2021 from 23 percent in 2015, according to IEA. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 6 February 2017 12:15 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva Astana hosts a technical meeting of experts from Russia, Turkey, Iran and the United Nations, which will discuss in detail the implementation of the Syrian ceasefire agreement. Representatives of Jordan are taking part for the first time, RIA Novosti reported with the reference to an informed source. The source said the agenda included reviewing the implementation of the cessation of hostilities, discussing a proposal from the Syrian armed opposition about the ceasefire, and determining options about how to implement it. "This is about creating a mechanism to control the implementation of the ceasefire," the source said. Russian Defense Ministry said earlier that such meetings will be taking place in Astana on a regular basis. The first Astana talks on Syrian settlement brokered by Russia, Turkey, and Iran took place in the Kazakh capital on January 23- 24. They marked the first time since the beginning of Syrian civil war in 2011 when the government of Syria and the armed opposition sat together at the negotiations table. In a joint statement of Russia, Iran and Turkey issued following the Astana talks, the countries agreed to create a trilateral group on monitoring the Syrian ceasefire. Many experts assessed the agreement between Russia, Turkey, and Iran on the establishment of a tripartite mechanism as a step to a political solution which might end the six-year war. Armed conflict continues in Syria since March 2011. Government troops are confronted by militants of different armed groups. Russia has begun airstrikes on terrorist facilities in Syria since 30 September 2015. The Russian military involvement follows an official request from President Bashar Assad to President Vladimir Putin. The U.N. has repeatedly tried and failed to end the Syrian conflict, which has killed 300,000 and displaced 11 million since its beginning 6 years ago. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 6 February 2017 17:04 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva Iran will impose sanctions on U.S. individuals and entities which support and help the Daesh terrorist group (the Islamic State, ISIS aka ISIL), Irans foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said. He made the remarks at a press conference in Tehran on February 6 while commenting about the recent sanctions imposed by U.S. against the Islamic Republic over its missile program, Trend reported. Iran is preparing a list of U.S. entities to sanction and will announce them soon, Qasemi said. He further added that the Islamic Republics missile program is about Iran and its people, and doesn't concern others. Qasemi stated that Iran does not care about U.S. threats, noting that Irans recent missile tests are not meant to test the new U.S. administration. We do our job based on the scheduled plan, he said, adding that there is no need to test the U.S. President Donald Trump as Iran has a clear understanding of the counter side. Iran test-fired a medium-range ballistic missile, capable of carrying a 500-kilogram payload with a range of 300 kilometers on January 29, according to U.S. officials. Iran has confirmed the test without revealing any details. In a statement on February 3, the U.S. Treasury Department published a list of 13 individuals and 12 entities facing new restrictions. The entities include companies based in Tehran, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and China. The U.S. has imposed new sanctions on Iran as President Trump shows to have been infuriated by Tehrans missile program after warning the Islamic Republic that it is playing with fire. The United States insisted that the Iranian test violated UNSC Resolution 2231 which compels Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles. Iran's Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan noted that Tehran will not allow foreigners to interfere in the countrys defense matters and insisted that the test did not violate the nuclear deal or UN Resolution 2231. Despite the fact that the U.S. is committed to lifting sanctions over nuclear program against Iran, the country retains other sanctions against Tehran. Some of these penalties are over Iran's human rights policies and its support for terrorism. These sanctions bar American citizens and companies from most forms of investment or trade with Iran. Iranian authorities claim that it violates the essence of the agreement on the nuclear program, while Washington disagrees with that. The negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue began in 2004, as Western nations were accusing Tehran of developing a "secret military nuclear program. Since 2006, negotiations with Iran were led by the "six" of international mediators (the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany). A number of resolutions were adopted requiring Iran to stop enriching uranium with nuclear proliferation purposes. These resolutions were progressively accompanied by restrictive measures to persuade Iran to comply. In 2006-2010 the United Nations, the United States, and the European Union implemented several packages of sanctions against Iran. Lengthy negotiations resulted in the adoption of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the fulfillment of which could completely remove previously lifted economic and financial sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council, the United States, and the European Union. The long-anticipated deal was achieved in Vienna on July 14, 2015, that committed Iran not to produce weapons-grade plutonium for 15 years, to keep no more than 300 kg of enriched uranium to 3.67 percent, and to convert nuclear facilities and use them exclusively for peaceful purposes. In December, Washington prolonged the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) by the United States that passed in 1996 and was set to expire on December 31, 2016. The Bill on the extension of sanctions came into force without President Barack Obama's signature. Although Obama refused to sign it, he expressed no veto claims. Thus, the Bill became law as it had been passed by both chambers of the U.S. Congress by an overwhelming majority. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Sunnyvale, California and Leiden, the Netherlands, February 06, 2017 / B3C newswire / -- In a move to serve customers with ready-to-use solutions for organ-on-a-chip model development and analysis, MIMETAS and Molecular Devices will combine marketing efforts on the OrganoPlate organ-on-a-chip platform and ImageXpress Micro Confocal high-content imaging systems. This agreement was announced today at the SLAS2017 conference in Washington. OrganoPlates are designed for ease-of-handling at any throughput, and provide unsurpassed physiological relevance, said Jos Joore, Managing Director of MIMETAS, As such, they are perfectly suited for the high-content imaging systems from Molecular Devices. We have been using their equipment in our internal R&D with great success. With ready-to-use protocols and methods for OrganoPlates, the ImageXpress Micro portfolio is positioned to fully unleash the potential of OrganoPlates. At Molecular Devices, Sarah Vargas-Hurlston, Director of Marketing comments, We are excited to enter into this marketing collaboration with MIMETAS. Their organ-on-a-chip platform has unique capabilities and a proven fit with our ImageXpress Micro systems. At Molecular Devices, we value MIMETASs approach to offer turnkey solutions to customers which aligns with our continual focus to provide better support for customer applications. Together, we offer a solution with unprecedented capabilities in a rapidly developing organ-on-a-chip market. About MIMETAS BV MIMETAS (Leiden, The Netherlands) is a biotechnology company developing human organ-on-a-chip tissue models for testing drugs, chemicals and food components in OrganoPlates. The company develops and validates customized disease, toxicology and transport models and ultimately will make its technology available for personalized therapy selection. Mimetas unique microfluidic technology and model development know-how enables testing of compounds in high-throughput, showing better predictivity as compared to laboratory animals and conventional cell culture models. The OrganoPlate culture platform supports 3D cell culture under continuous perfusion, with membrane-free co-culture and epithelial and endothelial tubules. About Molecular Devices, LLC Molecular Devices is one of the world's leading providers of high-performance bioanalytical measurement systems, software and consumables and is dedicated to helping customers unravel the complexity of biological systems. Included within a broad product portfolio are platforms for high-throughput screening, genomic and cellular analysis, colony selection and microplate detection. These innovative instruments, combined with scientific expertise, assays, and analytics tools for protein and cell biology, enable scientists to explore lifes most important questions. The company is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California with offices around the globe. Contacts MIMETAS BV Jos Joore, Managing Director This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. +31 85 888 3161 Molecular Devices, LLC Sarah Vargas-Hurlston, Director of Marketing, Drug Discovery This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. +1 408-203-8692 People heading into Boston on Tuesday for the New England Patriots victory parade should refrain from publicly drinking alcohol or smoking marijuana, Mayor Marty Walsh warned at a briefing ahead of the celebration. The mayor said there is "zero tolerance" for public drinking or smoking amid the festivities planned for Tuesday. "This is going to turn into somewhat of a family day, a lot of young people are going to be out there, we want to set positive examples," Walsh told reporters during an afternoon briefing on the parade. Massachusetts voters legalized marijuana for recreational use through a November 2016 ballot question, but it remains illegal to smoke the substance in public. Patriots Super Bowl 2017 Parade: Route, details, map The parade is scheduled to go up Boylston Street to Copley Square and then to Tremont Street. The parade takes a left on Tremont and keeps going to Boston City Hall Plaza. The weather is likely to be snow, mixing with sleet, and then turning to rain. Walsh urged attendees to wear waterproof clothes and to take public transportation. With snow expected, why is Boston having the Patriots victory parade on Tuesday? He also asked parade-goers to behave themselves: Don't climb on statues, electrical boxes, poles and streetlights. "If you do, the police will take appropriate action," he said. Boston Police Commissioner William Evans urged parade-goers to avoid bringing backpacks with them if they're heading into the city. Undercover cops will be in the crowds, he added. "We're ready, we're geared up," he said. NFV, SDN, SON, VFN, SDN; these things are confusingly complicated but point to one common and very simple future. A future leveraging the power of the cloud. A future where the user receives the benefit of new features and applications at a much faster rate, much cheaper, and with some level of customization so that every user experience can be unique. Moreover, with cloud oriented networks security can be increased so online and mobile transactions can be better monitored to ensure the identity of the user or purchaser. Why is Raven Guru, a marketing company, discussing these various technologies? Well, first, I'm moderating a couple of panels and IT Expo in the MSP EXP (Managed Service Provider) co-located conference. So, You Want to Build a Successful Hos ted Cloud Communications Business is on hosted communications which I believe is an interesting subject and fairly well accepted as a business practice. Basically, it is about offering business services that are do not require on premise equipment. The panel is discussing how businesses can establish themselves as hosted Communications providers. A good topic but not as forward-looking as the alphabet soup mentioned above. The second topic is How Network Function Virtualization is Reshaping Managed Services in the 21st Century. This blog does not attempt to explain what Network Function Virtualization is but rather addresses what we should be saying about it. For the providers moving to the cloud, the aforementioned alphabet soup results in reduced costs, scalability, reliability, future-proofing of technology and accelerating the time to market or the ability to deploy new services and features faster. The questions for the service provider and the user are What will they get out of it? What features are going to be new for the user? What applications are going to be developed by different companies? Who will excel at creating a different telecom or mobile experience? The service provider is exploring these new features because ultimately, they must generate new revenue to justify the tremendous expenditure required to migrate or transform existing network infrastructures with software-defined/cloud infrastructures. Users don't care about the strategic side of the decision. Their view is more of Great! We're glad that you have gotten with the program and are in the cloud. They are much more interested in the new services, features and cost. So, as I travel this week and have discussions with people about the Internet and Telecom related topics, I hope to both learn and comment upon the role of marketing for the next generation telecom and mobile networks. Look forward to seeing you at IT Expo in Fort Lauderdale. Raven Guru Marketing can help you with any of your technology marketing concerns. We stay on top of the latest trends, new applications and innovations. At the conclusion of our recent interview with Peter Lubbers, Peter said, Im really looking forward to meeting all the students. I think its safe to say, on behalf of Udacity students who will be attending Intersect 2017, theyre excited to meet him too! You see, Peter Lubbers is the Senior Program Manager for Developer Training at Google. Which means he is in charge of all aspects of Developer Training. At Google! And, he is one of our panel speakers at Intersect 2017! Order your Intersect 2017 tickets today, while Early Bird pricing is still available! Peter has been a great friend of Udacitys for a long time, for which we are extremely grateful. One of the things we really appreciate about this connection is Peters seemingly innate understanding of all the unique paths learners take to come to Udacity, and the unique futures that await them after Udacity. As we learned in our interview though (which took place in our self-driving car, by the waya first for Peter!), this quality may not be entirely innate after all; as it turns out, Peter has a rather unique story as well! Peter moved to the US from the Netherlands in the early 90s, and started out building deer fences! No, thats not Silicon Valley-speak for some obscure programming practice. Its exactly what it sounds like. Fences to keep out deer. His move into tech began with a Dutch translation job for training software. He took the job, but had to teach himself everything. Watching the interview for this first time, I couldnt help but smile when Peter said: I really wish there had been a Udacity-like program at the time! Perhaps because of his own experience, Peter has become an incredible evangelist for Google, for Udacity, and for the international developer community. When discussing the 10,000 scholarships Udacity and Google recently teamed up to offer European developers, Peters enthusiasm is palpable, and he is clearly genuinely moved recalling the essay questions he read as part of reviewing the 70,000 scholarship applications that we received. And yes, you read that right. 70,000 applications! While cruising about in our self-driving car, Peter also discussed his reasons for participating in Intersect 2017, why he thinks attending events of this kind are so important for students and job-seekers, and what he means when he says part of the last mile is connecting in person with people. Please enjoy the interview below, and make sure to order your Intersect 2017 tickets today, while Early Bird pricing is still available! Road to Intersect Peter Lubbers from Udacity on Vimeo. Southeast Texans searching for a new dog or cat can now visit the City of Beaumont's shelter on weekends thanks to Beaumont Animal Service's new hours. The shelter will now be open Saturdays and closed Mondays, according to a Monday announcement. The new schedule goes into effect Feb. 19. Legal notices 1) The material on this blog has been created by W. Blake Gray, is protected under US copyright law and cannot be used without his permission. 2) To the FTC: In the course of my work, I accept free samples, meals and other considerations. I do not trade positive reviews or coverage for money or any financial considerations, unlike certain famous print publications which have for-profit wine clubs but, because they are not classified as "bloggers," are not required by the FTC to post a notice like this. After more than double the anticipated number of oncologists enrolled into CMS' bundled payments model, Watertown, Mass.-based Archway Health announced that 18 providers nationwide selected it to manage their participation in the Oncology Care Model. Here's what you should know. 1. Prior to CMS' launch of the program, Archway had eight oncologists select it in anticipation of the model's launch. 2. Co-Founder and CEO of Archway Health Dave Terry said the amount of participation from cancer facilities is a "positive sign" as healthcare moves towards value-based care. 3. In total, more than 200 providers and 18 health plans enrolled into the program. 4. Dennis Zoet, senior director of business development and operations for Kalamazoo-based Western Michigan's cancer and hemotology centers, said, "Our institution has always sought new ways to improve patient care, while reducing costs. The OCM model allows us to do just that within our population of patients battling cancer. Given the breadth and depth of their experience within bundled payments, Archway Health is an ideal partner to help us navigate and succeed within this new landscape. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and the American Association of Retired Persons are urging senior citizens to write their elected officials about the importance of protecting Medicare from block grants, the Times Union reports. Here's what you should know. Republican leaders expressed interest in adopting block grant style funding which would provide states with money they could allocate as they see fit. Sen. Schumer believes President Donald Trump's cabinet could influence his stance on Medicare spending, despite several campaign promises to leave it alone. HHS' Office of Inspector General found Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, N.C., submitted erroneous bills to Medicare for treatment of severe malnutrition. For the audit period of Jan. 1, 2013, through June 30, 2015, the OIG said Vidant Medical Center submitted 89 claims to Medicare that used the codes for nutritional marasmus or other severe protein-calorie malnutrition when a different malnutrition code or no malnutrition code should have been used. This resulted in overpayments of $401,971. Extrapolating from the sample results, the OIG estimated Vidant Medical Center received at least $1.4 million in overpayments from Medicare during the audit period. Based on its findings, the OIG recommended Vidant Medical Center refund the Medicare contractor $1.4 million, exercise reasonable diligence to identify and return any additional overpayments outside of the audit period and strengthen controls to ensure full compliance with Medicare requirements. In written comments, the hospital agreed that 11 of the 89 claims identified by the OIG contained billing errors. However, the hospital did not agree with the OIG's determination regarding the remaining 78 claims. The hospital maintained that its coding and compliance programs provide adequate controls to ensure compliance with Medicare billing requirements. After reviewing the hospital's comments, the OIG maintained its findings and recommendations. More articles on healthcare finance: Louisiana Heart Hospital to close after filing for bankruptcy Trump administration withdraws 340B mega-guidance: 6 things to know Indianapolis hospital closes as resources shift to outpatient care A stolen computer may have comprised the data of approximately 6,800 patients, according to The Wichita Eagle. On Dec. 8, a burglar broke into Wichita, Kan.-based Family Medicine East and stole a printer and a desktop computer, the latter of which contained typed office notes about patients who visited the clinic between 2002 and 2003. The information included patients' names, dates of birth, the names or initials of physicians who saw the patient and some patients' diagnoses. Some files on the computer included patient referrals. Family Medicine East said the notes don't include patients' Social Security numbers or addresses. The clinic sent letters to affected patients Feb. 3, according to KWCH. Family Medicine East will offer free credit monitoring services to affected patients. It has not recovered the computer. "The files remained on the computer that was stolen as a result of an employee's oversight, and were not detected during a number of risk analyses undertaken prior to the theft, as part of efforts to secure all individually identifiable health information," a release from Family Medicine East said. A 42-year-old woman dressed in scrubs attended patient rounds and observed operations at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston even though she wasn't a physician, according to the Boston Globe. Cheryl Wang first gained access to restricted areas at Brigham and Women's Hospital in September by requesting to shadow a surgeon while her application with the National Resident Matching Program was pending. A surgeon agreed to let Ms. Wang shadow him not knowing she had been dismissed from a surgical residency program at Mount Sinai St. Luke's Hospital in New York City in May and reported to the New York Office of Professional Misconduct. It was also later discovered that Ms. Wang forged the three letters of recommendation attached to her application with the National Resident Matching Program, according to the report. Ms. Wang returned to the hospital the week of Dec. 5 dressed in scrubs bearing the Brigham and Women's logo. She gained access to five operating rooms over two days. Staff said she observed operations by standing on a stool, which is a common practice among observers. Although Brigham and Women's staff are required to scan their identification badges to enter surgery suites, Ms. Wang slipped into the operating rooms by walking in behind other employees who were holding the door for one another during shift changes. A Brigham spokeswoman told the Boston Globe Ms. Wang did not "touch, treat, or provide care to a single patient." Hospital security escorted Ms. Wang off of the property Dec. 7 after she attended patient rounds in thoracic surgery and physicians realized she was not authorized to be there. Security emailed an alert to OR staff with a picture of Ms. Wang as well, according to the Boston Globe. On Dec. 8, Ms. Wang attempted to attend a medical staff discussion at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. After being caught and interviewed by investigators from Mass General and Brigham and Women's, Ms. Wang went to Boston Children's Hospital, which is connected to Brigham and Women's, where she was turned away by security. Since the incident, Brigham and Women's has changed its policy for observers in its surgical suites. A physician sponsoring an observer is now required to verify with the student's educational institution that the student is in good standing. More articles on integration and physician issues: Study: Primary care continuity could help reduce hospital admissions UT Health San Antonio gets $25M gift, medical school to be renamed For foreign med students awaiting match day, Trump's immigration order causing 'havoc' The University of Miami (Fla.) Health System will collaborate with Miami-based VitalMD Group Holdings, a 500-member physician network, to advance women's oncology services in the area, according to the South Florida Business Journal. The financial terms of the partnership, if any, were not disclosed. "Working with the University of Miami Health System, we dramatically expand our network of physicians," said VitalMD CEO Glenn Salkind, MD. "We are better able to meet our community's needs by offering this seamless connection to academic medical care for specialty services." An Iranian baby banned from the U.S. under President Donald Trump's executive order, can now enter the country to receive a life-saving heart surgery at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, Ore., reports The Washington Post. Several weeks ago, physicians found structural abnormalities and two holes in the heart of 4-month-old Fatemah Reshad. Iranian hospitals were not equipped to provide the life-saving care the baby needed, so Fatemah's parents made plans to bring her to the U.S. "[T]hey planned to bring her from their home in Iran to Portland, Ore., to one of the best hospitals for pediatric heart surgery," said Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) who shared Fatemah's story during a congressional meeting Friday. "That's where Fatemeh's uncle and grandparents all live. They are U.S. citizens." While Fatemah's family had an appointment in Dubai to acquire a tourist Visa to the U.S., the appointment was cancelled after Trump implemented the travel ban, reports the Post. The family was told they could reapply for the visa in 90 days. Several lawmakers on Friday filed for a waiver from the State Department and Homeland Security to grant entry into the U.S. for Fatemah and her family, according to the Oregonian. The federal government cleared Fatemah and her family for travel to the U.S. late Friday night, according to the report. Irving Shen, MD, the surgeon who will operate on Fatemah, said physicians at the Doernbecher Children's Hospital perform about six to 10 of the open heart operations Fatemah will undergo annually. More articles on news and analysis: Physician imposter gains access to 5 Brigham and Women's ORs Open enrollment signups total 9.2M, down 4% from last year Here's the story and physician behind the first annual National Women Physicians Day The Medical Center in Bowling Green, Ky., is the first hospital in Southcentral Kentucky to offer partial knee replacements and total hip replacements with Stryker's Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery System, according to Bowling Green Daily News. The hospital is very pleased with the results. Here are five things to know: 1. Surgeons control the Mako's robotic arm, which holds all of the surgical tools needed for the surgery. The system enables accurate alignment and placement of implants during surgery, saving the surgeons and patients time and improving the overall quality of various procedures. 2. Rasesh Desai, MD, of Medical Center Orthopaedics explains, "The Mako system enables surgeons to personalize partial knee and total hip arthroplasties to achieve optimal results at a level of accuracy and reproducibility previously unattainable with conventional instrumentation." 3. The Mako utilizes a patient-specific visualization system in surgery pre-plans as well as during the operation itself. The pre-surgery plans significantly reduce the amount of time the patient spends on the operating table. 4. By sparing healthy bones and surrounding tissue, the Mako knee is designed for a more natural feel than traditional knee replacement implants. 5. The Medical Center is one of three Kentucky hospitals using the system. More articles on practice management: North American Specialty Hospital offers orthopedics medical tourism: 5 things to know San Francisco Shoulder, Elbow & Hand Clinic merges with California Pacific Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine: 5 key points Condition based bundled payments The wave of the future? Boston-based Harvard Medical School researchers studied the effect of online ratings on both physicians and patients, according to News-Medical LifeSciences. The researchers sent surveys to physicians and patients at four hospitals in a Massachusetts ACO. The online survey received answers from 828 physicians and the mailed survey received answers from 494 patients. Journal of General Internal Medicine published the study. Here are five insights: 1. Of the physician respondents, 53 percent noted they had read reviews about themselves online. 2. Thirty-nine percent of the patients reported they search for comments on their physicians online. The study found younger people, women and people with college educations were more likely to search for reviews. 3. Patients reported they were more likely to search for comments on independent sites, like Healthgrades.com, whereas physicians said they trusted information on health system websites. 4. Seventy-eight percent of physicians said the potential of receiving poor online reviews adds stress to their jobs. 5. Of physician respondents, 46 percent said online reviews could hurt the physician-patient relationship. Death rates are lower for older Americans treated by doctors trained in other countries than by those who went to a U.S. medical school, a new study reports. That finding held true even though foreign-trained doctors are more likely to care for patients with more chronic health problems. The results of this study should dispel Americans concerns about the quality of care provided by doctors trained in other countries, the researchers said. The study included information from more than 1.2 million Medicare patients aged 65 and older. All had been admitted to the hospital between 2011 and 2014. The 30-day death rate was 11.2 percent for patients treated by foreign-trained doctors and 11.6 percent for those treated by U.S.-trained doctors, the investigators found. There was no difference in patient hospital readmission rates. But the cost of care was slightly higher for patients cared for by foreign-trained doctors, $1,145 versus $1,098, according to the report. The study was led by Dr. Yusuke Tsugawa from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. Although the study wasnt designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship, the findings should reassure policymakers and the public that our current approach to licensing international medical graduates in the U.S. is sufficiently rigorous to ensure high-quality care, Tsugawas team concluded. Doctors who graduated from international medical schools make up about 25 percent of doctors in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, the study authors said. The findings were published Feb. 3 in the BMJ. To continue following the latest news and information for Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, simply enter your full postcode below The Royal Avenue building is home to The Money Shop and a cafe A listed building in Belfast city centre has gone on the market for offers over 800,000. The four-storey building at 103-107 Royal Avenue was designed by Thomas Jackson & Son and built between 1883 and 1884. It's currently home to several businesses, including the Belfast Coffee Company and The Money Shop. The upper floors have been used as office space. The building was given a B1 listed status in 1979. It's being sold by commercial property firm Lambert Smith Hampton. Martin Mallon, director of agency and capital markets at Lambert Smith Hampton, said: "103-107 Royal Avenue is a prime four storey retail and office building which is located in the heart of the city close to Ulster University and Castlecourt Shopping Centre. "This distinctive Grade B1 Listed building extends to 10,488 sq ft with substantial frontage onto both Royal Avenue and North Street. "It offers significant opportunities for asset management, refurbishment and redevelopment and it may be suitable for a range of alternative uses, subject to planning." Mr Mallon said the company expected a high level of interest in the property. "We anticipate a high level of interest, particularly as investors and developers realise the opportunities which exist in Belfast city centre," he said. "The immediate area surrounding this property is undergoing a massive transformation with the new university campus, the Royal Exchange project, the Central Library project and the planned redevelopment of the former Belfast Telegraph Building. "We are seeking offers in excess of 800,000 for the property. Forster Green & Co operated a shop at part of the building until 1915. Montague Burton Ltd acquired the building from Forster Green & Co in December 1939, and Burtons operated a shop from 103-105, which remained open until 1990. It sits close to where one of Belfast's largest development projects is soon to get under way. Work on the 360m Royal Exchange project in Belfast city centre could soon begin after fresh plans were submitted late last year. Before and during Aundrea McElveen Bannatynes emotional haircut with her dad which she posted online Before and during Aundrea McElveen Bannatynes emotional haircut with her dad which she posted online Before and during Aundrea McElveen Bannatynes emotional haircut with her dad which she posted online An east Belfast mum battling pancreatic cancer has made an emotional video of the moment she lost her blonde hair. Aundrea McElveen-Bannatyne (42) bravely recorded the painful moment as part of her campaign to raise 200,000 for life-prolonging treatment in Germany. She was given the devastating news in July that an inoperable tumour was wrapped around her pancreas and secondary lesions were in her liver. Hope was renewed when Aundrea found out she could be treated at the Hallwang Clinic in Frankfurt, but a single injection costs 9,000 and treatment is likely to exceed 200,000. Aundrea - mum to sons Jack (14) and James (10) - must also pay 2,800 a month to Belfast's City Hospital for "top-up chemo". She said: "When I wake up in the morning or brush my hair, clumps of it are coming out in my hands because of the chemo. "I asked my dad if he would cut it but he didn't want to, he wanted a hairdresser to do it, but I said no I wanted him to do it. "I love hair, make-up and glamour and anyone who knows me knows how I love to look my best, so it was very hard. "In the grand scheme of things I am sad to have to lose my hair, but I have to stay focused on battling cancer." This is the second time the family have faced cancer. Aundrea's son James was diagnosed with neuroblastoma aged just two years old. "I keep people posted on Facebook of updates of how I am doing, but they don't see the days when I feel so ill I want to give up," Aundrea added. "I try to stay positive but it is hard to keep going, but I wanted to have my hair cut live to show people I am not always upbeat. "I am a positive person but they don't see the days where I am in pain and the days where I sleep for 18 hours and can't eat. But their support has been fantastic from donations to texts and messages willing me to keep going. And I am driven by the love for my kids. My son has been through this and I'm determined I will fight it like he did." So far the tearful video has been viewed thousands of times with many commenting how distraught they felt seeing Aundrea and her family's suffering. The treatment is not available on the NHS and can only be accessed abroad. Specialists at the German clinic, which also treated actress Farrah Fawcett, say that pancreatic cancer has a life expectancy of up to one year, but they remain positive Aundrea is progressing well. Since the diagnosis, thousands of people from around the world, including actor James Nesbitt, have pledged their support by forming #aundreasarmy. Together they helped raise funds for Aundrea's initial treatment at the clinic and set up a gofundme page which is currently just short of 70,000. Donations can be made at https://www.gofundme.com The leader of the Alliance party has defended a decision to produce an election poster in Irish, calling for people to vote. Naomi Long met with criticism after she changed her Facebook profile picture to a post written in Irish, which urges people to vote for Alliance in the snap Assembly election on March 2. However, Mrs Long - one of two Alliance candidates in East Belfast - said the party is planning to create election posters in a range of languages. She added she was disappointed that people would be upset by the attempt to celebrate diversity in the community. Mrs Long (below) changed her Facebook profile picture to the message - Ar 2u Marta Votail Alliance #ArthruGoDeo - on Saturday afternoon. It translates as: On March 2, Vote Alliance #ChangeForGood. While many people supported the decision to use the Irish language, others were not so happy. One person asked Mrs Long whether she was joking, to which she replied: "Why is it funny? "It is simply the translation of the profile pic I had in English but translated into Irish." Another person posted on Facebook, branding the move "political suicide". One disgruntled voter added: "Just lost my vote. Can't be bothered playing childish games, look where that has got us so far. You knew what reaction you would get to this. Childish games. Move on." However, Mrs Long last night remained defiant in the face of any criticism, and said: "The post received an overwhelmingly positive response, both from Irish speakers and many others who value the language. "It is disappointing but unsurprising a number of people have taken issue with the small act of a Facebook profile picture being in Irish, particularly one which contained exactly the same text - 'On March 2nd, I'm voting Alliance. Change for Good' - previously displayed in English, and which drew no comment. "On the positive side, it has generated constructive debate about the shared history and heritage of the language, and provided opportunity to challenge preconceptions about those who speak Irish. Some of our founders and several current members are Gaeilgeoiri and we want to positively reflect that. "This profile is one of a series which will be rolled out as part of the campaign, in several different languages, to celebrate the diversity of our community and how we want to celebrate that as a strength, not fear it as a weakness. "Those criticising this particular image would be better focusing on the substance of that message rather than the language in which it's communicated." Mrs Long was on the campaign trail yesterday, first on the BBC's Sunday Politics show. She then spent the afternoon in west Belfast with Alliance candidate for the area, Sorcha Eastwood. The use of the Irish language has long been an inflammatory and divisive issue for Northern Ireland's politicians. In 2014, the DUP's Gregory Campbell was barred from addressing the Assembly for a day for parodying the language and after failing to apologise. He began a speech with: "Curry my yoghurt can coca coalyer". He defended the move by saying: "My tolerance gets stretched beyond any credibility when I hear Irish ad nauseam on hundreds of occasions for no purpose other than a political one." Most recently, Sinn Fein said a decision by the DUP's Paul Givan to reverse a decision to stop funding an Irish language project was "too little, too late", while Mr Givan said his original decision was not "anti-Irish". If Betsy DeVos ever had any hopes of getting Democratic senators to confirm her as education secretary, they probably evaporated right after her January confirmation hearing ended. But some of the Democrats most eager to oppose DeVos seem to be among those who are being floated in the media and elsewhere as possible 2020 contenders for the presidencyincluding one of DeVos recent allies. Below, weve rounded up some reactions from Democrats (several of them in the Senate) to DeVos nomination, in alphabetical order. We drew the names on this list from a column in the Hill newspaper . Have we left any prominent White House hopefuls out? Let us know in the comments section. One note on this list: Every Democratic senator here has voted in favor of at least one of President Donald Trumps nominees . Sen. Cory Booker, of New Jersey: Bookers position with respect to DeVos is the trickiest of anyone on the list. He previously served on the board of the Alliance for School Choice DeVos signature issue is expanding vouchers and other forms of choice. And he received enthusiastic support from the American Federation for Children, the pro-voucher organization DeVos led until recently. At a speech to the AFC just last year, Booker told the group, We have a lot to brag about in Newark, in this cauldron of educational creativity weve created, that has been liberating the choice of our parents. As the Brookings Institution said, Newark is now the no. 4 city in the country for offering parents real school choice . (Booker is the former mayor of Newark.) The full speech is below: However, Booker announced the day after her confirmation hearing that he would not vote for DeVos , and stressed that he had serious issues with her nomination before that hearing. That sent a signal to many that he was eager to distance himself from and oppose the Trump administration in any way possible, in possible preparation for a 2020 run. (Booker did vote in favor of James Mattis for defense secretary and in favor of Nikki Halley for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.) Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York: We reached out to Cuomos press office multiple times to get his views on DeVos, and will update this post if we hear back. However, last month CNN noted that in a 2015 speech DeVos praised Cuomo (and Booker, as well as other public officials) for expanding school choice in their states. There arent state-level private school choice programs in New York state. However, Cuomo has been an enthusiastic backer of charter schools in the state. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York: Gillibrand cast her opposition to DeVos not just in terms of support for public schoolsshe also seemed to reference DeVos comments about the need for guns in schools to protect people from grizzly bears in her statement against the nominee: Public education. Safe schools. Thats what our Education Secretary should commit to. Betsy DeVos is the wrong choice. Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) February 2, 2017 Sen. Kamala Harris of California: The former California attorney general doesnt have a particularly extensive background in education policy. But the same day the Senate education committee sent DeVos nomination to the full Senate, Harris made her views on the nominee very plain: Betsy DeVos is a threat to our childrens future, which is why I will vote no on her nomination. Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 31, 2017 Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado: A spokeswoman for Hickenlooper told us that he hasnt weighed in on DeVos and was not reachable for comment. In an interview with the Colorado Politics website last week, he did indicate surprise about some of the backgrounds of Trumps cabinet nominees , although he didnt mention DeVos specifically. Thats why the media has taken such notice of President Trumps appointments, because it is unusual to appoint people to be the head of agencies where they have little or no experience, Hickenlooper said. It doesnt necessarily mean its a bad thing. Sometimes people can surprise you ... but there is a sense ... that its so startling in a way that it does seem like theres an ulterior motive. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.: Sanders made it pretty clear what he thought of DeVos nomination: During her confirmation hearing last month , Sanders pointedly asked her if she thought she would be the nominee without the millions of dollars her family has donated to Republican politicians. DeVos responded that she thought it would be possible, given her education advocacy for 30 years. And he also pressed her on whether she would support providing free tuition to students at public colleges and universities. You can watch Sanders exchange with DeVos here: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.: Warren also took an aggressive approach to DeVos, questioning her mostly about higher education and student loans during the confirmation hearing. During the Senate education committee vote two weeks later, Warren said it was hard to imagine a less qualified or more dangerous candidate than DeVos to lead the Education Department. A video has also made the rounds showing that Warren, unlike other senators, did not shake hands with DeVos after the confirmation hearing . BONUS: Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.: Kaine has ruled out a presidential run in 2020. Well see if that holds. However, its worth remembering that it was Kaine who initiated the exchange with DeVos about special education that arguably ignited the most controversy and backlash within the education community. That exchange took place during DeVos Jan. 17 confirmation hearing, when he asked her about the responsibility of the U.S. Department of Education with respect to students with disabilities. You can watch Kaine question DeVos here: Among the officials weve listed who have gotten support from teachers union at some point in their political campaigns are Harris, Sanders, Warren, and Kaine. Top: screencap of Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., at a national event held by the American Federation for Children, the group formerly led by Betsy DeVos that supports vouchers and other forms of school choice. Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . Drugs mule Michaella McCollum has described her fight for release and settling back into life at home as "a long ride". McCollum was caught trying to smuggle 24lb (11kg) of cocaine worth 1.5 million out of Peru with accomplice Melissa Reid in 2013. The pair, nicknamed the Peru Two, were jailed for six years and eight months after admitting the crime, but were freed in 2016 after striking a deal with Peruvian authorities. McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, returned to Northern Ireland in August. Writing on Facebook, she told her followers: "Now that I have the chance I just want to thank everyone who has supported myself and family through these past few years. "Please know I truly appreciate each one who cared and had my back. "Thank you for all the sweet messages I have not got reading them all just yet or got a chance to reply to them but I will definitely make a good attempt to get back to you all. "It has been a long ride to get where I am today but it just shows that when we fight hard enough for something we can achieve." McCollum and Reid, from Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire, travelled to Peru on August 15 2013, and were caught trying to leave the country with the Class A drug at Lima Airport two days later. They faced the prospect of a maximum 15-year prison term but struck a behind-closed-doors plea bargain to secure the shorter sentence. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Michaella McCollum Connolly in one of the Ibiza clubs where she worked as a dancer Michaella McCollum Connolly in one of her club hostess outfits Michaella McCollum Connolly with Brad Houston from England Michaella McCollum Connolly Michaella McCollum Connolly Michaella McCollum cradling her newborn twins Michaella McCollum Connolly pictured during an interview with RTE in 2016 after being released on parole from a Peruvian prison Michaella McCollum Connolly, handcuffed, arrives for a court hearing, in Lima, Peru (AP Photo/Karel Navarro) AP Michaella McCollum Connolly, handcuffed, arrives for a court hearing in Lima, Peru, clutching the book 'Secrets About Life Every Woman Should Know: Ten principles for spiritual and emotional fulfillment' (AP Photo/Karel Navarro) AP Michaella McCollum Connolly arrives to court for her sentencing in Callao, Peru (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) AP Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum, both handcuffed, arrive for a court hearing in Lima, Peru (AP Photo/Karel Navarro) AP Michaella McCollum Connolly, handcuffed, arrives for a court hearing, in Lima, Peru (AP Photo/Karel Navarro) AP Michaella McCollum, left, and Melissa Reid listen to a translator during a hearing at court in Callao, Peru (AP) AP Police escort Melissa Reid, front, and Michaella McCollum to a hearing in Lima, Peru (AP) Police escort Michaella McCollum Connolly and Melissa Reid from the National Police anti-drug headquarters in Peru (AP) Michaella McCollum Connolly (left) and friend Melissa Reid in the airport after they were arrested Michaella McCollum Connolly with rugby star Tommy Bowe while doing promotional work at an official Ulster Rugby event Santa Monica female prison in Peru AP SECRET STASH: The drugs found in food packs in the girls luggage CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Michaella and Melissa caught on CCTV loading bags into a car in Peru Michaella McCollum, centre, and Melissa Reid leave the court after being sentenced in Peru. Lawyer Peter Madden, who represents Michaella McCollum, has claimed his client has suffered from a lack of food. Belfast solicitor Peter Madden said Michaella McCollum and co-accused Melissa Reid have been well treated by the authorities PA Michaella McCollum, right, and Melissa Reid, left, were jailed in Peru last year after they admitted trying to smuggle cocaine worth 1.5 million pounds from Peru to Spain (AP) Michaella McCollum's mother Norah McCollum and sister Samantha McCollum vist the Peru prison Michaella McCollum Connolly with reality TV star Mark Wright at a promotional night hosted by Belfast's M Club / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michaella McCollum Connolly in one of the Ibiza clubs where she worked as a dancer Alongside a selfie showing a blonde hairstyle, McCollum told friends of her hopes for the future despite her criminal reputation. She said: "When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us." After their arrest the pair said they had been forced to carry the drugs under duress. However, Reid told the Scottish Sun on her return how she travelled to South America to have a story to boast about to friends on the Ibiza party scene. She was offered offered 5,000 euro (4,100) to fly to Argentina, spend a few days sightseeing and return to Europe with a package in her luggage. "My life will never be the same," she told the newspaper. People Before Profit's candidates Eamonn McCann (left) and Gerry Carroll in Belfast to launch the party's election campaign Snap Stormont elections came too soon for People Before Profit (PBP), Eamonn McCann has said. The anti-establishment party will attempt to retain the socialist campaigner's seat in Foyle and hopes to add a second in West Belfast where it topped the poll last time. PBP is fielding seven candidates in six constituencies for the March 2 poll, centred in constituencies around Belfast and Derry. It was unable to field candidates in more constituencies as it had been planning to during council elections in 2019. The party was one of the first to call for a Stormont election over the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) boiler scandal although it threatened its own seats, it said. Mr McCann said: "The election probably came too soon for us. "We were in the process of expanding outside our original bases, we had a five year plan to expand and put our roots down deeper, so that is disappointing." The number of Stormont Assembly members elected is falling from six to five in each of the 18 constituencies. Mr McCann took the sixth and final seat in Foyle. Gerry Carroll topped the poll in West Belfast. Richard Boyd Barrett, TD for Dun Laoghaire, said the north/south party had distinguished itself by doing what was right in demanding an election in Northern Ireland. He added: "It showed that they were prepared to call for an election even though it threatened their own seats." A candidate launch was held in Belfast on Monday. The party accused Sinn Fein of moving into the centre ground and leaving their working class base exposed. Mr McCann said they were not specifically targeting Sinn Fein and appealed for DUP voters to join their "genuinely radical" alternative to the last coalition. He claimed corruption was endemic at Stormont - although a public inquiry into the RHI scheme has yet to begin public hearings. Mr Carroll said: "We think we can grow an anti-establishment voice in this election and a voice that has more say inside Stormont." Mr Boyd Barrett claimed the political establishment was willing to sell the interests of ordinary people to corporate vultures. "Right across the world the political establishment is in trouble and we can see two clear choices emerging. "We can go down the nasty direction of Mr Trump and political division and conflict among communities or we can go down the route of solidarity and equality." Adrian Ismay died last March after a bomb exploded underneath his van in east Belfast (Department of Justice/PA) A 40-year-old man arrested by detectives investigating the dissident republican murder of a prison officer in Northern Ireland is to be reported to prosecutors. Adrian Ismay, a married father-of-three, died last March, 11 days after suffering serious leg injuries when a bomb exploded underneath his van in east Belfast. A dissident republican group calling itself the New IRA, which opposes the Northern Ireland peace process, claimed to have carried out the attack on the long-serving officer. The suspect was arrested on Monday morning. He was later released pending a police file being sent to the Public Prosecution Service. The PPS will assess whether a prosecution should be taken against him. Mr Ismay was released from hospital after the blast on March 4 and had reportedly been making good progress, but he died unexpectedly less than two weeks later when a blood clot triggered a heart attack. The results of a post-mortem examination led detectives to open a murder investigation. One man has already been charged with murder. Mr Ismay worked at Hydebank Wood Young Offenders Centre in south Belfast, where he trained new recruits to the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS). Michaella McCollum Connolly pictured during an interview with RTE in 2016 after being released on parole from a Peruvian prison Michaella McCollum has broken her recent silence after returning home to Ireland from prison in Peru last year. The 24-year-old model, from Dungannon in Co Tyrone, was jailed in south America in 2013 after she was caught with a pal concealing cocaine worth more than 1.5m in their luggage. Now back at home, she posted a message on Facebook thanking "everyone who has supported myself and family through these past few years". "It has been a long ride to get where i am today," she wrote, adding: "but it just shows that when we fight hard enough for something we can achive [sic] it. Something to have in mind When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us. "Have a great weekend everyone. Lots of love." McCollum and Scottish woman Melissa Reid were arrested in August 2013 at Lima Airport with 11KG of cocaine hidden in food packets. She said: I made a decision in a moment of madness.Im not a bad person.. I want to demonstrate that Im a good person. I potentially could have hurt a lot of people. I potentially could have filled Europe full of a lot of drugs, she said. She had been staying in Peru awaiting a judicial hearing to decide when she could return home. She arrived back in Ireland in August of last year. Melissa Reid arrived back to Scotland in June. The pair were dubbed the 'Peru Two'. Prayers are said during an open day for the public at Belfast Islamic Centre A Muslim doctor would have no problem treating a woman who said she would rather die than be helped by an Islamic medic, a religious leader in Belfast has said. Yesterday, Muslims threw open the doors at Belfast Islamic Centre in the south of the city. One of the hot topics of conversation at yesterday's open day, where dozens of Muslims and non-Muslims met together in a relaxed atmosphere, surrounded the controversy over a caller to the Stephen Nolan show on BBC Radio Ulster last week. Asked if she would receive treatment from a Muslim doctor, the anonymous 'Janice from Belfast' said: "I wouldn't like to be treated... I would rather go home and die." Despite this, many at the event felt that while Islamophobia still remains a threat to the Muslim community in Northern Ireland, it is not to the same extent it was years ago. More: Read More Both Muslims and non-Muslims hoped the woman in question was in good health, but also invited her to visit the mosque so she could see for herself what Islam was all about. Dr Raied Al-Wazzan, who works as a scientist in west Belfast, said the situation is improving for Muslims in Northern Ireland. "There are still a few people who like to voice their opinion about Muslims in a derogatory way, but this is not a reflection of the majority of people in Northern Ireland. "We wanted to invite the public to our mosque so they can freely talk with us and learn more about our religion. "Regarding the woman who spoke on the radio, I sincerely hope she does not need medical attention. But if she did, a Muslim doctor would treat her to the best of his or her ability. I was really hoping she would visit the mosque and meet some Muslims to ask questions to help address her fears," he commented. Rashida Pierce was born in east Belfast and converted to Islam 30 years ago as "it made more sense" to her own beliefs. "I come to the mosque three times a week," said Rashida. "I live in south Belfast now as it's much easier to be a Muslim here, and not as intimidating. I receive a few comments from time to time about being a Muslim but it's not so often." Carolyn Mason lives just a couple of streets away from the mosque and showed up to support her friends and neighbours. She said: "I welcome people from any country here to south Belfast as long as they are peaceful. I wanted to come to the mosque to show solidarity for the people here. "There is no room for racism in our community." Also present at the event was Alliance leader Naomi Long. "The more people understand about Islam the less fear they should have. I wanted to show solidarity for the Muslim people. "As for the lady who wouldn't see a Muslim doctor, I myself have faced serious illness and watched my mother battle cancer before she passed away. "The last thing on my mind was where the doctor was from." A man smashed an ambulance windscreen with an oxygen cylinder in one of two sickening attacks on paramedics over the weekend A paraglider has been rescued after suffering a serious injury on a Co Armagh mountain. The casualty was part of a group paragliding on Slieve Gullion when the accident occurred yesterday at lunchtime. The Mourne Mountain Rescue Team had been training in the Annalong Valley when the call came in and was able to respond immediately. Police and an Ambulance Service paramedic were already on scene and treating the casualty for a serious leg injury. A total of 22 members from the mountain rescue team responded. When they arrived at the site, the casualty was ready for evacuation. Due to the nature of the injury, the team requested the assistance of the Irish Coast Guard helicopter from Dublin. The patient was airlifted to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast at around 3pm and the rescue team was stood down by 6.15pm. The rescue was co-ordinated by Belfast Coastguard. Convicted drug smuggler Michaella McCollum has thanked her supporters and everyone who "had my back" when she was in jail in South America. In August, the Dungannon woman arrived back in Ireland after being released from prison in Peru for trying to smuggle cocaine out of the country. The glamorous 24-year-old had spent less than three years behind bars with Scot, Melissa Reid (22). The pair, known as the Peru Two, were arrested in August 2013 at Lima airport after they were found with 1.5m worth of cocaine hidden in packets of food. McCollum was ordered to spend the next six years of her sentence on parole in the city. But after reports that she made a secret deal with Peruvian authorities, she was given permission to fly home. She is believed to have spent her first night home last August partying and celebrating her release with family and friends in Co Tyrone. Writing on Facebook at the weekend, McCollum stated: "Now that I have the chance I just want to thank everyone who has supported myself and family through these past few years. "Please know I truly appreciate each one who cared and had my back. "Thank you for all the sweet messages. "I have not got reading them all just yet, or got a chance to reply to them, but I will definitely make a good attempt to get back to you all. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Michaella McCollum Connolly in one of the Ibiza clubs where she worked as a dancer Michaella McCollum Connolly in one of her club hostess outfits Michaella McCollum Connolly with Brad Houston from England Michaella McCollum Connolly Michaella McCollum Connolly Michaella McCollum cradling her newborn twins Michaella McCollum Connolly pictured during an interview with RTE in 2016 after being released on parole from a Peruvian prison Michaella McCollum Connolly, handcuffed, arrives for a court hearing, in Lima, Peru (AP Photo/Karel Navarro) AP Michaella McCollum Connolly, handcuffed, arrives for a court hearing in Lima, Peru, clutching the book 'Secrets About Life Every Woman Should Know: Ten principles for spiritual and emotional fulfillment' (AP Photo/Karel Navarro) AP Michaella McCollum Connolly arrives to court for her sentencing in Callao, Peru (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) AP Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum, both handcuffed, arrive for a court hearing in Lima, Peru (AP Photo/Karel Navarro) AP Michaella McCollum Connolly, handcuffed, arrives for a court hearing, in Lima, Peru (AP Photo/Karel Navarro) AP Michaella McCollum, left, and Melissa Reid listen to a translator during a hearing at court in Callao, Peru (AP) AP Police escort Melissa Reid, front, and Michaella McCollum to a hearing in Lima, Peru (AP) Police escort Michaella McCollum Connolly and Melissa Reid from the National Police anti-drug headquarters in Peru (AP) Michaella McCollum Connolly (left) and friend Melissa Reid in the airport after they were arrested Michaella McCollum Connolly with rugby star Tommy Bowe while doing promotional work at an official Ulster Rugby event Santa Monica female prison in Peru AP SECRET STASH: The drugs found in food packs in the girls luggage CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Michaella and Melissa caught on CCTV loading bags into a car in Peru Michaella McCollum, centre, and Melissa Reid leave the court after being sentenced in Peru. Lawyer Peter Madden, who represents Michaella McCollum, has claimed his client has suffered from a lack of food. Belfast solicitor Peter Madden said Michaella McCollum and co-accused Melissa Reid have been well treated by the authorities PA Michaella McCollum, right, and Melissa Reid, left, were jailed in Peru last year after they admitted trying to smuggle cocaine worth 1.5 million pounds from Peru to Spain (AP) Michaella McCollum's mother Norah McCollum and sister Samantha McCollum vist the Peru prison Michaella McCollum Connolly with reality TV star Mark Wright at a promotional night hosted by Belfast's M Club / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michaella McCollum Connolly in one of the Ibiza clubs where she worked as a dancer "It has been a long ride to get where I am today but it just shows that when we fight hard enough for something we can achieve it. "Something to have in mind when one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us. "Have a great weekend everyone. Lots of love." McCollum posted a photograph of herself alongside the message. The image shows the pouting former model's trademark dark hair once worn in a bun has been ditched for long blonde hair and heavy make-up. The PSNI has denied teaching police officers from Bahrain to gather intelligence on protesters, following claims that the authorities in the Gulf kingdom have targeted activists for execution The PSNI has denied teaching police officers from Bahrain to gather intelligence on protesters, following claims that the authorities in the Gulf kingdom have targeted activists for execution. The human rights organisation Reprieve issued a highly critical statement yesterday, saying the PSNI hosted six Bahraini officers in August 2015, sharing its expertise on gathering intelligence ahead of parades. Reprieve alleged the Bahraini delegation followed the PSNI's Crimson Commander at a Royal Black Preceptory parade and the Henry Joy McCracken march in Belfast. It added that this was followed by training sessions in the use of water cannons, dog handling and public order tactics. The trip was funded by the Foreign Office with support from the InvestNI body NI-CO (Northern Ireland Co-operation Overseas). A week before the delegation arrived, Reprieve said the Bahraini officers received emails describing the situation in Northern Ireland as "volatile," and that nine PSNI officers had been injured in rioting. Reprieve claimed the training was prepared by PSNI officers during a week-long "scoping visit" to Bahrain over April-May 2015, where they assessed Bahrain's public order systems. Maya Foa, a director of Reprieve, said the UK Government initially "covered up" the project. "Bahrain is notorious for arresting, torturing and sentencing to death people involved in protests - such as Mohammed Ramadan, a father of three who is held on death row and faces execution at any moment," she commented. "By training Bahrain's police how to gather intelligence on protesters, there is a serious risk that Britain is helping them arrest and execute people who are guilty of nothing more than calling for reform. "It is scandalous that the Government has sought to sweep this under the carpet," she added. The PSNI's Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd insisted yesterday the Bahraini police were on a study visit to observe "best practice in human rights-based public order policing". He said the delegation observed public order events, followed by presentations on PSNI public order policing. He added: "At no time did the PSNI undertake any form of training with the officers." A Foreign Office spokesman said the trip was "supporting Bahraini-led reform through a package of technical assistance". He continued, commenting that "we believe it is not good enough to criticise countries from the sideline". "The study visit in August 2015 allowed members of the Bahraini police to observe how the PSNI manages public order issues in a human rights compliant manner," the spokesman added. Emmy Winner Convicted of Attempted Murder of Roommate Over Oscar Dreams The daytime Emmy Award winning producer, Andre Bauth, also known as Andre Salaman Bautista, from Colombia, was found guilty last week of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon. Bautista won an Emmy in April 2015 for his work producing the online soap opera, "The Bay." The incident occurred after he got really upset while watching the Oscars with his roommates and tenants back in September 2015. The producer and actor took offense and got upset after his Oscar watching buddies laughed at him after he said that he would win 5 Oscars one day. However, the laughter turned his rage deadly, and Bautista got a knife and stabbed one of his tenants in the chest for laughing at his Oscar aspirations. Fortunately, the tenant was able to receive immediate medical attention and as a result survived the attacked which punctured his lung. Bad Bautista After stabbing his tenant, Bautista fled the scene and eventually the country. A little over a week after the stabbing, he turned himself in to a US embassy in Mexico City, Mexico. After over a year, he was just found guilty and convicted last week. Now his daytime Emmy Award will just have to sit on a shelf collecting dust as Bautista could be facing up to 13 years behind bars for the attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon conviction. He is scheduled to be sentenced in late March 2017. What makes this case even more shocking was that Baustista had written and starred in an independent movie where the plot involved a landlord murdering a tenant. While the facts of the case were surely different than the indie movie, facts like that rarely work out in favor of criminal defendants. Just take the "Sell Drugz" rapper who got busted for selling drugs of all things, for example. Related Resources: Scenes from the protest at Belfast City Hall organised in support of refugee rights and religious liberty, and against US President Trumps Executive Order temporarily banning people from seven mainly muslim countries An image of Adams' visit in 1995 to America, showing him shaking the hand of Donald Trump Sinn Fein has been accused of "riding two horses" when it comes to Donald Trump. Gerry Adams has said he will go to the White House if invited, just days after the party's Northern Ireland leader Michelle O'Neill said she would not invite the new US President to the province. It emerged last week that former deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness had - alongside ex First Minister Arlene Foster - signed a warm letter of congratulations to Mr Trump in December when he was elected President. The letter included an invitation to visit Northern Ireland. But Ms O'Neill said she would not issue an invitation to Mr Trump if she was in that role. "Since taking office, President Trump has pursued policies on immigration and the banning of refugees that runs counter to international standards and decency. I believe these are wrong and should not be imposed at Irish airports," she commented. "The actions of President Trump since taking office mean that an invitation to visit would not now be appropriate. If I was in the Executive Office at this time, I wouldn't issue an invitation." Just three days later Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams announced he would travel to the US for St Patrick's Day, and will attend the White House if he is invited. Last year Mr Adams was refused entry to the St Patrick's Day event there. He said the purpose of his 48-hour trip to the States is to "brief Irish American leaders and politicians on the negotiations in the North, Brexit and the needs of the undocumented Irish". Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close General views of the protest organised in support of the rights of refugees and religious liberty, and against US President Donald Trumps Executive Order at Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland. The protest was called by Stop the War Coalition Belfast and backed by Trade Union Movement. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye General views of the protest organised in support of the rights of refugees and religious liberty, and against US President Donald Trumps Executive Order at Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland. The protest was called by Stop the War Coalition Belfast and backed by Trade Union Movement. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye General views of the protest organised in support of the rights of refugees and religious liberty, and against US President Donald Trumps Executive Order at Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland. The protest was called by Stop the War Coalition Belfast and backed by Trade Union Movement. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye General views of the protest organised in support of the rights of refugees and religious liberty, and against US President Donald Trumps Executive Order at Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland. The protest was called by Stop the War Coalition Belfast and backed by Trade Union Movement. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye General views of the protest organised in support of the rights of refugees and religious liberty, and against US President Donald Trumps Executive Order at Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland. The protest was called by Stop the War Coalition Belfast and backed by Trade Union Movement. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye General views of the protest organised in support of the rights of refugees and religious liberty, and against US President Donald Trumps Executive Order at Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland. The protest was called by Stop the War Coalition Belfast and backed by Trade Union Movement. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye General views of the protest organised in support of the rights of refugees and religious liberty, and against US President Donald Trumps Executive Order at Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland. The protest was called by Stop the War Coalition Belfast and backed by Trade Union Movement. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye General views of the protest organised in support of the rights of refugees and religious liberty, and against US President Donald Trumps Executive Order at Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland. The protest was called by Stop the War Coalition Belfast and backed by Trade Union Movement. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye General views of the protest organised in support of the rights of refugees and religious liberty, and against US President Donald Trumps Executive Order at Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland. The protest was called by Stop the War Coalition Belfast and backed by Trade Union Movement. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye General views of the protest organised in support of the rights of refugees and religious liberty, and against US President Donald Trumps Executive Order at Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland. The protest was called by Stop the War Coalition Belfast and backed by Trade Union Movement. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye General views of the protest organised in support of the rights of refugees and religious liberty, and against US President Donald Trumps Executive Order at Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland. The protest was called by Stop the War Coalition Belfast and backed by Trade Union Movement. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye General views of the protest organised in support of the rights of refugees and religious liberty, and against US President Donald Trumps Executive Order at Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland. The protest was called by Stop the War Coalition Belfast and backed by Trade Union Movement. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp General views of the protest organised in support of the rights of refugees and religious liberty, and against US President Donald Trumps Executive Order at Belfast City Hall, Northern Ireland. The protest was called by Stop the War Coalition Belfast and backed by Trade Union Movement. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. "At this critical time in the Irish peace process it does not make sense for Irish leaders to exclude ourselves from an opportunity to engage on critical issues like the crisis in the political institutions, Brexit, the future of the Good Friday Agreement, Irish unity and the rights of the undocumented Irish in the USA," he commented. "I understand that all of this is happening at a time of deep concern in Ireland and globally at the actions of Donald Trump since his election as President of the United States. Sinn Fein has been to the fore in opposing these measures. "We have raised our concerns in the Dail, written to President Trump directly to outline our opposition, and Michelle O'Neill has made clear that, if returned to the Executive, we would not issue an invite to him to visit Ireland," he added. The SDLP has questioned Sinn Fein's position. "This year, despite Donald Trump's aggressive actions towards minorities, Adams is clamouring for a party invite again. Not only does this contradict the latest position by Sinn Fein's Northern leadership, it will offend many people who think Irish leaders should limit engagement with the Trump administration," South Belfast election candidate Claire Hanna said. Claiming that Sinn Fein "routinely rides two horses simultaneously", she added: "Last year, the SDLP made it clear that we would not be attending social functions with Donald Trump on the back of his outrageous attacks on Muslims, women, the disabled, Mexicans and others." Sinn Fein is "a centrally-controlled undemocratic party" and its strategy is still determined by the IRA army council, the leader of Fianna Fail has said. Micheal Martin again ruled out the prospect of doing a coalition deal in the Republic with Sinn Fein. He also said the way Michelle O'Neill was appointed party leader in Northern Ireland was clear evidence of Sinn Fein's undemocratic nature. "One would expect that the parliamentary leader would be elected by the parliamentarians or by the party membership," Mr Martin told RTE's This Week programme. "In this case she was appointed by Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness and others we don't know about." Mr Martin commented that just last year Northern Ireland's security services and the PSNI had concluded that the IRA army council still existed and dictated Sinn Fein policies. Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams dismissed Mr Martin's criticisms. "Micheal Martin, true to form, has again spent time criticising Sinn Fein in an opportunistic and nonsensical way," the former West Belfast MP said. "He is propping up a government which presides over a housing emergency and a crisis in our health service, resiles from its responsibilities to people in the north and is ill prepared for Brexit," he continued. Mr Adams said Mr Martin was trying to create a diversion. "He attacks Sinn Fein because Sinn Fein presents the most significant threat to the conservative politics of the Fianna Fail leadership." In late 2015, an independent assessment of paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland revealed that the IRA's Army Council still existed, but had a "wholly political focus". The report into paramilitarism in the province was commissioned following the murder of Kevin McGuigan (53) outside his east Belfast home in August 2015. The PSNI's belief that current IRA members were involved in the murder led to a political crisis. The panel said "the structures of PIRA remain in existence in a much reduced form" but those that remain include "a senior leadership, the "Provisional Army Council" and some "departments". Afterwards, Sinn Fein insisted the Provisional IRA had gone away and no longer existed. But the three-member panel appointed by the Government also found the leaderships of the groups were "committed to peaceful means to achieve their political objectives". Activists who allege a British undercover police officer operated in Ireland have branded a Garda inquiry into his activity a whitewash. Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan was tasked late last year with a second internal probe into the activities of a spy from London's Metropolitan Police after an original inquiry in 2011 found no evidence of criminality. Campaigners wrote to Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald demanding she seek Ireland's inclusion in a public inquiry in England and Wales over undercover policing. Activist Kim Bryan, who claims she was targeted by Met spy Mark Kennedy in England and in Ireland, criticised the minister's response. "I am bitterly disappointed by the closed process Frances Fitzgerald has established, with an internal garda report into undercover policing," she said. "It makes a mockery of the justice process if this review examining undercover policing in Ireland does not take into account the evidence of those that were spied on, and as such I would seriously question its legitimacy." The Shell to Sea campaign, which opposes the Shell Corrib gas project in Mayo, and Shannonwatch, which opposes the use of Irish airports by US military also claim to have come in contact with Mr Kennedy. Ed Horgan, Shannonwatch spokesman and a United Nations elections' inspector, said: "We would be very supportive of a proper investigation into this guy's actions. Who paid? Why? Were the gardai using such an agent provocateur?" Mr Kennedy is believed to have been in Ireland between 2004 and 2006. Anti-globalisation campaigner Jason Kirkpatrick, who says he was a victim of abuses by the Met's undercover unit, is taking a High Court challenge in Belfast this week to force the public inquiry in England and Wales to be extended to Northern Ireland. The inquiry was announced by then home secretary Theresa May in March 2015 under the leadership of Sir Christopher Pitchford, following revelations about the activities of Mr Kennedy, who admitted having ''intimate relationships with a number of people while undercover''. Mr Kirkpatrick and Ms Bryan are among 200 core participants in the Pitchford inquiry. Forty-two cases have been found where dead children's names were used to provide cover identities for officers by the inquiry and t here have been calls to extend the Pitchford inquiry to cover actions of officers in Germany and Scotland. In a reply to a series of parliamentary questions on the issue of British undercover police in Ireland, Ms Fitzgerald has repeatedly said that see would "fully consider" any findings that relate to Ireland. The Department of Justice defended its request for a second internal inquiry on the issue. "The Garda authorities are in ongoing contact with their counterparts in the London Metropolitan Police Service in the context of co-operation across a full range of policing issues," a spokesman said. "It should be noted that there is no question of a police officer from outside the jurisdiction exercising police powers here in Ireland. Any such person is subject fully to our laws and any evidence of breach of our criminal law would be fully pursued." US citizen Sarah Hampton said she has received an apology from the Met after having a year-long relationship with Mr Kennedy while in Ireland in 2005. She said she knew him as Mark Stone and that she suffered deep depression after discovering the truth. "No-one should ever be under any circumstance coerced, invaded, violated and deceived by an undercover police officer through sexual relationships," she said. "Despite the apology I have many unanswered questions. I have not received the files the police have on me. I want to know to what extent my private life has been invaded by the UK police force and what justification is there for it." Arlene Foster said more people in Northern Ireland speak Polish than Irish. The DUP will never agree to an Irish language act, party leader Arlene Foster has insisted. Mrs Foster said if there was to be an Irish language act, there should be a Polish language act because more people in Northern Ireland speak Polish than Irish. Referring to Sinn Fein demands, she told a party event in Lurgan, Northern Ireland: "If you feed a crocodile, it will keep coming back for more." In response to Mrs Foster's comments, Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams joked: "See you later, alligator". Mr Adams was attending Sinn Fein's candidate unveiling event in Belfast alongside the party's new Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill. Mrs O'Neill declined to be drawn on Mrs Foster's comments. "We are not interested in negativity," she said. "We are fighting this campaign. We have launched our candidates here this morning on the basis of three key principles - respect, equality for all, and integrity in the political institutions. "That's our job of work, that's what we are concerned with." Speaking earlier during the launch of the DUP campaign for the 2017 Assembly election, Mrs Foster said Gerry Adams, not Michelle O'Neill, is "front and centre" of the Sinn Fein campaign. She said: "So concerned were Sinn Fein about their faltering cause that Gerry Adams replaced Sinn Fein's leader with one of his own. Be very clear Michelle O'Neill was selected by Gerry Adams and she will be instructed by Gerry Adams. "Lets be very clear, at this election Gerry Adams is no longer in the shadows. He is front and centre of Sinn Fein's campaign. "Come election day, Sinn Fein could have enough seats to become the biggest party. Just imagine what Gerry Adams' radical agenda would mean for our way of life," said Mrs Foster. She said she understands the anger people feel over the botched renewable heating scheme. "No one feels worse about what happened than I do. I know for some doubts remain about the scheme and my role in it. I know for my part I have done nothing wrong. I know any investigation will clear my name. "We all know this election is not about the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The RHI merely gives Sinn Fein the cover to bring down Stormont and force an election when they thought the DUP had been weakened. "Make no mistake , Gerry Adams is back and centre stage. (Michelle O'Neill) was handpicked by Gerry Adams. She will be there to seek to implement Adams' radical plan ... We are in for the fight our political lives." Ian Bailey (59) will face a murder trial in France later this year over the 1996 death of mother-of-one Sophie Toscan du Plantier (39). Mr Bailey has now been indicted for the murder of the film executive by the French authorities and formal court papers were served on Mr Bailey at his west Cork home by Gardai acting on behalf of the Parisauthorities. Mr Bailey and his legal team have repeatedly predicted that the Frenchwill attempt to stage a show trial in Paris. He will be tried in absentia, which is permitted under French law, after the Irish authorities refused to extradite him to France almost five years ago. The Supreme Court rejected a French extradition bid lodged under a European Arrest Warrant (EAW). The French confirmation that a murder trial will proceed is understoodto be the first formal communication Mr Bailey has had with the Paris prosecutors. Last month, members of Sophies family attended a special memorial Mass in west Cork to mark the 20th anniversary of her brutal killing. Sophies son and brother vowed that their fight for justice will never stop. Now, the French authorities will consider allowing elderly or infirm Irish witnesses to offer evidence in the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder trial via video-link. Prosecutors want the Paris Criminal Court trial, now expected in late 2017, to involve as many witnesses as possible from the original Garda investigation into Sophies murder on December 23 1996. Expand Close File photo shows Ian Bailey leaving the High Court in Dublin PA Wire/Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp File photo shows Ian Bailey leaving the High Court in Dublin Almost 40 witnesses will be invited to offer evidence at the Paris trial including Sophies Toormore neighbours, retired Garda officers and both Goleen and Schull locals. It will also include a battery of forensic and technical evidence. The trial was signalled after French authorities sanctioned a prosecution following an eight year investigation by Magistrates Patrick Gachon and Nathalie Turquey. The French investigation was launched following pressure from Sophies family after the Irish authorities admitted no prosecution was ever likely to take place here over the murder of the mother of one. Sophie was found battered to death on the laneway leading to her isolated holiday home at Toormore outside Schull on December 23 1996. She had been scheduled to fly back to France later that day to spend Christmas with her family. No-one has ever been charged with the killing in Ireland. Under French law, the trial can take place in Paris even if British freelance journalist, Ian Bailey (59), is not present. Mr Bailey, who has vehemently protested his innocence in relation to the matter, successfully fought extradition to France in 2012. He was twice arrested by Gardai in 1997 and 1998 for questioning in relation to the matter but was released without charge on both occasions. Mr Bailey has claimed that sinister attempts were made to stitch me up for the crime. His legal team said they will fight any fresh extradition bid from Paris and dismissed the prosecution in absentia as both an outrage and a show trial. Mr Bailey has now pleaded with the Irish authorities to mount a prosecution here over the killing of the French mother-of-one so he can finally clear his name. Judicial officials have privately ruled out any such move. Mr Bailey has written to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to ask for an Irish prosecution despite the fact the DPP ruled out such a move in 2001 due to lack of evidence. "It has been a nightmare - no one should be expected to try to live like this," he said. Irish Independent sources indicated that such a prosecution is highly unlikely given the various Circuit, High and Supreme Court actions surrounding the issue since 2003. Under French law, Mr Bailey can be prosecuted even if he is not present at the Paris proceedings. If he refuses to acknowledge or co-operate with the trial process, it is unlikely that a defence will be mounted for him. The trial will be a non-jury hearing and will be heard before a panel of three magistrates. The trial will be held in Paris and the magistrates will all be drawn from a panel of those who are very experienced in criminal hearings. French law also allows for witness statements to be introduced during the trial even if they are not present. Statements from witnesses who are now deceased can also be introduced in evidence. However, the Paris authorities are keen for all invited witnesses to attend and will cover all travel and subsistence costs for Irish-based witnesses to travel to France. In cases where witnesses are willing to testify but are unable to travel, evidence via video-link will now be considered by the Paris prosecutor. The eight year investigation by the two French magistrates included re-interviewing all the original Garda murder file witnesses, tracing new witnesses, exhuming Sophies body and conducting a battery of forensic tests. All the witnesses re-interviewed were recorded by French detectives with video evidence options also available to the Paris prosecutor. Sophies son, Pierre Louis Baudey-Vignaud (35), her family and the ASSOPH support association welcomed the impending French trial and paid tribute to Magistrates Nathalie Turquey and Patrick Gachon for their work since 2008. It is very good news it is news that we have waited a very long time for, Mr Baudey-Vignaud said. It is news that we have waited 20 years for. Sometimes I feel like the last 20 years of my life were spent living in denial and the next 20 will be spent coming out of it. Like waking up from a bizarre ... Three youths will go on trial today after a US Army veteran was filmed being racially abused on a tram Three youths will go on trial today after a US Army veteran was filmed being racially abused on a tram. Aaron Cauchi, 19, Robert Molloy, 20, and another youth aged 16 - who cannot be named because of his age, will stand trial at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court this morning. All three were arrested and charged after an incident was filmed as Juan Jasso, a former US serviceman now living in the UK, tackled the accused about their alleged use of foul language on the packed morning commuter tram in Manchester on June 28 last year. Cauchi, of Spa Crescent, Little Hulton, Salford, has been charged with two public order offences against Mr Jasso and another man, Alistair Lambert, and assault on a third person, Andrew Guest, all on the same day. Molloy, of no fixed address, has been charged with the racially aggravated assault of Mr Jasso, common assault to Mr Guest and using threatening words or behaviour to Mr Lambert. The unnamed youth has been charged with using threatening words or behaviour towards Mr Jasso and Mr Lambert and common assault to Mr Guest. All three are on bail. Hundreds of Nigerians are protesting against poverty and corruption as President Muhammadu Buhari's prolonged absence for medical tests abroad raises tensions in the country. Prices of food and other goods have soared as Nigeria confronts low international prices for oil on which the government depends, as well as a devalued naira because of massive shortages of foreign currency. Despite Mr Buhari's campaign promise to fight endemic corruption, his government has not achieved any successful high-profile prosecutions. A spokesman said the president is extending his two-week holiday in London to complete unspecified medical tests. Songhai Advisory risk analysis said the indefinite extension fuels suspicions about the 74-year-old leader's capacity to govern and increases political and economic uncertainty. Turnout was small in Lagos, a city of 20 million, with just dozens turning out in Abuja, the capital. The protest initially was proposed on social media by hip-hop musician 2Face Tubaba Idibia but he tried to call it off after police said they could not guarantee the safety of marchers. Still, hundreds turned out, rallying around the hashtag #IStandWithNigeria. One protester shouted that Nigeria's expensive government system has turned democracy into "government by the rich, for the rich, to make laws so that poor people suffer". Much of the hope engendered by Buhari's March 2015 election which overturned a sitting president by unifying the opposition has dissipated. Africa's biggest economy has slumped into recession and analysts say the government has to reinvigorate economic growth. Nigeria confronted months of political paralysis in 2009 when then-president Umaru Yar'Adua went to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment and returned home to die. Politicians from the mainly Muslim north tried to block a Christian vice president from the south from governing in his absence. Already, Songhai Advisory notes, northern Muslims like Mr Buhari are rallying opposition to the possibility that the current Christian vice president would assume his powers. AP French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen blasted globalisation and Islamic fundamentalism in her closing speech at a two-day National Front party conference. She called them "two totalitarianisms" threatening France. To applause and cries of "On est chez nous" (We are in our land), Le Pen served up the grand themes of the party that have made her a leader in early polls of the spring presidential election. "We are at a crossroad. This election is a choice of civilisation," she said, asking whether her three children and other young citizens would have the rights and culture of the current generation. "Will they even speak our French language?" Le Pen on Saturday unveiled her 144 "commitments," a nationalist agenda that envisions a France unshackled from the European Union and Nato, and that ensures work, healthcare and other services for its own citizens amid drastically reduced immigration. She said she is defending both France's material and immaterial patrimony, "which has no price" and is "irreplaceable". Running on a campaign slogan of In The Name Of The People, Le Pen called for French "patriots" on the left and right to join with her. In politics, "the division is no longer right-left (but) patriot-globalist," she said. "You have your place at our side." The National Front has taken heart in the disarray of the left with the unpopularity of Socialist President Francois Hollande, who decided not to seek a new mandate. The right's leading candidate, Francois Fillon, has been caught up in a corruption scandal, opening the way for maverick centrist Emmanuel Macron, who could face off Le Pen. Le Pen has been a leader in early polls, which put her at the top in the April 23 first-round vote but not winning the May 7 run-off. If elected, she envisions a "government of national unity" formed after June legislative elections. Le Pen told the crowd at the congress centre in the south-eastern city of Lyon that globalisation is "erasing" France and Islamic fundamentalism is "planting itself in some neighbourhoods and vulnerable minds". Le Pen listed Muslim veils, mosques or prayer in the streets of France as unacceptable cultural dangers that "no French person attached to his dignity can accept". "When you arrive in a country, you don't start violating laws, demanding rights," she said, in reference to what she calls "massive immigration". "There will be no other laws and values in France but French." Among her 144 commitments is to limit immigration to 10,000 and restrain family reunification policies that have allowed many immigrants, mainly from former French colonies in north Africa, to bring in relatives. She said she would arrange for foreigners convicted of crimes to serve their prison terms in their homelands. Britain's vote to leave the European Union and the election of US President Donald Trump have boosted Le Pen followers, with many applauding in private Trump's election. She said this revealed the "awakening of the people against oligarchies". She praised Trump as a man who respects campaign promises and "acts quickly". AP Philippine National Police officers walk past the makeshift memorial where a South Korean businessman was killed allegedly by active police officers (Bullit Marquez/AP) Philippine troops have resumed assaults against communist rebels after President Rodrigo Duterte scrapped peace talks with the insurgents. Mr Duterte lifted the government's six-month-old ceasefire on Friday and the next day discarded the talks being brokered by Norway. This came after the Marxist guerrillas abandoned their own truce and killed six soldiers and kidnapped two others in new flare-ups in the 48-year insurgency. The government and the rebels separately declared ceasefires last year to foster the peace talks, which progressed steadily for months before rapidly deteriorating in recent weeks. On Monday, rebel adviser Luis Jalandoni accused the military of violating the government's ceasefire by deploying troops in 500 villages, occupying village halls and schools, and continuing surveillance operations which, he said, inevitably led to clashes. The guerrillas want to continue with talks set for February 22-25 in Europe to negotiate a possible joint cease-fire agreement, Mr Jalandoni said, adding the government has not issued the formal notice required to terminate the talks. "We're saying the peace talks are still possible in the absence of a ceasefire," he said. Troops have resumed combat operations after Mr Duterte lifted the ceasefire, military spokesman Col Edgard Arevalo said. The operations were in response to complaints from villagers of rebel extortion and efforts to rescue the kidnapped soldiers. Army troops clashed with about 20 New People's Army guerrillas on Sunday in Occidental Mindoro province south of Manila, killing one rebel. On Saturday, troops and policemen arrested a rebel couple in Misamis Occidental province in the south for a multiple attempted murder case, the military said. At least four other combat operations occurred elsewhere. In Compostela Valley province in the south, guerrillas were suspected of setting a banana plantation packing warehouse ablaze in Pantukan town, military officials said, and a rebel consultant, Ariel Arbitrario, was taken into custody for questioning in southern Davao city, Mr Duterte's hometown. The president called the insurgents terrorists for their brutal attacks on troops and threatened to re-arrest several rebel leaders who were temporarily freed to join the peace talks. Mr Jalandoni, however, said the 17 freed rebels are protected by a 1995 agreement under which the government agreed to grant them immunity from arrest while serving as peace talks consultants. All have returned to the Philippines after joining a recent round of talks in Rome and should not be arrested, he said. The setback in the talks is the latest reality check for Mr Duterte, whose signature crackdown on illegal drugs has been tainted by an extortion scandal involving police and alleged extra-judicial killings. He has said he would use the military to enforce anti-drug laws instead of police, adding to the pressure on forces already fighting communist rebels and a Muslim insurgency in the south. Emergency personnel respond to an accident involving a cargo truck and a bus on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa, Honduras (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio) An out-of-control tanker truck crashed into a bus on a road in Honduras, killing at least 15 people and injuring 20. Fire department spokesman Oscar Triminio said the death toll might rise because some passengers were still trapped in the wreckage. He said the injured have been taken to University Teaching Hospital in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. Police said the truck driver fled after Sunday's crash on a highway that links the capital with southern Honduras. Government official Lisandro Rosales said the authorities are trying to determine why the truck went out of control. AP On the 9th February, almost 200 local start-ups and entrepreneurs are set to descend on Belfast for the AIB Start-up Academy Summit which is returning to the city for the second year. Hosted by First Trust Bank, the free event provides budding and more established entrepreneurs with networking opportunities and the chance meet a host of industry experts. Leaders from Google, Grant Thornton and start-up specialists Xcell Partners will all be at the Summit - which is being held in Life Church on Bruce Street - to offer practical business advice. A special panel discussion will also take place with business personalities including Bill Wolsey, the entrepreneur behind the successful Merchant and Bullitt Hotel in Belfast, Diane Roberts from Xcell Partners and Colman Equity, Eleanor McEvoy, founder of Budget Energy and Caroline Wilson from Belfast Food Tours. Compered by well-known broadcast journalist Mark Simpson, the panel will discuss issues important to the start-up community whilst also sharing tips and advice from their own start-up journeys. With a bigger venue and more local leading experts in attendance, Des Moore, Head of First Trust Bank, attributes the ongoing success of the Summit to the confidence and strength of Northern Irelands start-up community. He explains; We see no lack of entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland some would suggest it is in our DNA. In recent years there has been real momentum building from a range of programmes like ours and through the work of Invest NI on the Propel programme and StartPlanetNI, as well as the team in Catalyst Inc, which is providing entrepreneurs with a thriving supportive and cohesive start-up ecosystem. Des believes that the upcoming Summit in Belfast has something for everyone: we want everyone who attends this evening to take away something which helps them grow their business, whether thats a nugget of information from our panel of experts, advice or a free business tool from our partners, as well as a host of new business contacts. As well as gaining expert and advice from startup initiatives and programmes and growing your network of contacts Des highlights the importance of the right financial support as a tool to get businesses off to the best start possible. He explains, As well as the work on the AIB Start-up Academy, we recently launched a specialist Business Start-up package to help customers through this often daunting and expensive startup period. Our package tackles these issues by offering no daily transaction fees for 2 years, additional flexibility and streamlined services which we believe are essential in order to provide entrepreneurs with a real head start. Importantly we have an expert team who know the particular challenges of a start-up and who are committed to working with customers along their entrepreneurial journey, whether that is on writing their business plans or forecasting cash flows. One such First Trust Bank customer who has availed of the banks Business Start-up package is Strabane based designer, Lynsey McGarrigle. Designing a Successful Fashion Start-Up A successful model before her move into design, Lynsey explains she loved fashion from a young age: Its a way of expressing yourself. Fashion design is a very fulfilling job because youre making things that people get to go on and experience their life in. Focusing on Success A veritable force of nature, Lynseys single-minded determination has paid off. The founder of popular Northern Irish fashion brand, Haus of MoHawk, has gone on to dress a host of glamorous clients and is currently working on a top-secret project for the upcoming Grammy Awards. Based in a bespoke studio in her native Strabane, she has gone on to show at London Fashion Week for two seasons, won over high-end clients in Beijing with her high-octane designs and is currently planning a trip to the Philippines in the new year for a show in Manila. Lynsey explains: As well as the highs of achieving your goals, you need determination and drive. You need to have a light-hearted approach as well sometimes. You cant please everybody, she smiles, but if youre happy in yourself in what youre providing and you stand by your creative abilities and what you offer, you stay true to yourself. A Network of Support A graduate of the North West Regional College in Derry, Lynsey formally established the fashion business in April 2016. An exciting move, the designer credits a strong network of support as key to succeeding in the Start-Up world. She explains: Locally, I have a great deal of support from businesses. I worked from the age of 16 in retail and I learned a lot from the people I worked for. In establishing a business, I knew a lot about the importance of making sure your customer is being catered for. A skilled designer, Lynsey personally sketches out each design separately, before sitting down to work on the pattern-cut, stitching and embellishment. A task that requires considerable flair and attention-to-detail, she says having people to cheer you on as you face challenges is crucial. My family and boyfriend are such a great support; they are my number one fans. There are days when youre doubting yourself. But theyre my driving force and they give me inspiration when I have lost my own. Not only does she count on her family and boyfriend for support, Lynsey reveals that the name for her brand was in fact inspired by this close-knit network as well. She says: The name Haus of MoHawk stemmed from a pet-name MoHawk that my father gave to me as a child. The Last of the Mohicans was a favourite film of ours, so thats why I got that nickname! Then Haus is urban slang which means something exciting is going to happen. I thought it was a nice combination of both. Working with First Trust Bank Lynsey says that guidance from her local First Trust Bank has also helped greatly. The support I received from First Trust Bank was fantastic. They were a great help. I know how to do the creative side, but they really grounded me in the business side. Within the fashion industry, there are a lot of outgoing expenses like fabric, machinery and maintaining machinery, she adds. You may need financial support to get started and the Business Start-Up package with First Trust Bank gave me the support I needed. You can go in and speak to someone - youre not stuck dealing with an internet server. Red Carpet Ambitions for 2017 With a busy 2017 lined up, Lynsey has a host of highlights to come. But one project is a particularly exciting prospect as she has been commissioned to create a gown for a client for the Grammys. Lynsey happily admits: Im very excited for the Grammys opportunity and that stemmed from showing at London Fashion Week for the last two seasons. Its great to be a part of something like this. You sit and think that this world exists without you and when you are part of it, its incredible. Soon set to celebrate the official anniversary of her first year in business, the Strabane native is keen to share her expertise. For anyone on the verge of setting up their own Start-Up, Lynsey advises: Go for it! Be aware there will be highs and lows and hard days. But wait for that one moment when everything clicks into place and magic happens. Drive and determination are key. When you have that, it will work. To find out more about how First Trust Bank can support your Start-Up business contact your local advisor today. To register for the free AIB Start-up Academy Summit in Belfast visit www.eventbrite.ie/e/aib-start-up-academy-summit-belfast-tickets First Trust Bank is a trade mark of AIB Group (UK) p.l.c. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c.), incorporated in Northern Ireland. Registered Office 92 Ann Street, Belfast BT1 3HH. Registered Number NI018800. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. A Philadelphia judge has ruled that Google must comply with FBI search warrants for Gmail messages stored outside the US, if the requests are issued as part of a domestic fraud investigation. Though the retrieval of the electronic data by Google from its multiple data centres abroad has the potential for an invasion of privacy, the actual infringement of privacy occurs at the time of disclosure in the United States, said US magistrate judge Thomas Rueter. The ruling could have major implications for non-US citizens privacy. Google plans to appeal the ruling, which was made barely half a year after a similar case involving Microsoft had the opposite outcome. Last July, a US court concluded that Microsoft should not be forced to hand emails stored on a server in Dublin over to US law enforcement, which wanted them as part of a narcotics case investigation. The Google verdict will concern privacy advocates and the wider technology industry, which has been particularly wary of the government's approach to online data since the Edward Snowden revelations. The magistrate in this case departed from precedent, and we plan to appeal the decision, said a Google spokesperson. We will continue to push back on overbroad warrants. Google added that it sometimes breaks up emails to improve its networks performance, and often doesnt know where messages are being stored. The goals of the protest were to spread the message of establishing lasting peace in the country and to solve political conflict through methodical negotiations. Fighting breaks out often in ethnic areas. When the fighting breaks out, local people become refugees. Peace is needed for the unity of ethnic groups and for them to live in harmony. We stage this protest as we want to achieve genuine peace, said Min Aung Mon, a leader of the protesting group. Roughly 1500 protesters, of different ethnic groups including Mon, Karen, and Pa-O, marched in the Mawlamyine capital formerly known as Moulmein, while shouting out slogans and holding banners. Using guns is not the right way to create lasting peace. Conversely, this should be solved through political channels and in order to solve it, we are here urging a stop to the war, said Daw Zun Pan, a leader of the protesting group. The slogans that the protesters used included Stop the civil war, Lessen the military expenses, Tatmadaw must announce nationwide ceasefire and No peace can be achieved as long as there is ongoing civil war. The reason why we hold this protest is because of the current civil war. In addition, the country is on the list of the poorest countries in terms of development. Regarding the peace programs, there have been a lot of them implemented previously. However, those peace programs have never been as successful as the public and ethnic groups expect. This is because we, the ethnic groups and civil society organizations, were not completely included in the talks, said Khun Kyaw Swar Min, a protester, and a Pa-O ethnic. Currently, the civil war is ongoing in the areas of Kachin and Shan states, and due to the fighting; the number of refugees is increasing. In addition to Mon States capital, locals in Myeik Town, Tarnintaryi Region, Yangon City and Bago Region, and Pyi Town also gathered and protested in a public movement for peace. Muzaffar Ahmad Rather is seen in an undated photograph taken before he went missing in 2002. Relatives of an alleged militant from Indian Kashmir said Monday they would appeal a death sentence and verdict handed to him last month by a court in West Bengal state. Muzaffar Ahmad Rather a 27-year-old from Kulgam district in south Kashmir was convicted on Jan. 21 along with Pakistani nationals Mohammad Abdullah and Mohammed Yunus on charges related to waging war against India as alleged members of militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The three were arrested in 2007 while trying to enter India from Bangladesh. The accused had received weapons training in Pakistan and planned to carry out terror attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir, police said. But Rathers family refuted police claims, saying authorities had falsely implicated him. The verdict has shocked us. We are in the process of arranging funds so we can appeal the verdict in the High Court. We are hoping the High Court will not only overturn the verdict but also order his release, Rathers brother Mohammad Shafi, a daily wage laborer, told BenarNews. Even the police concede that they found no arms or ammunition on him. So how can they claim he was planning terror strikes? he said. Rather went missing in 2002, his father Abdul Majid, also a laborer, said, adding they found out about his 2007 arrest through the media. Last month, Rathers family saw him for the first time since he disappeared 14 years ago, when they visited him in prison. His relatives said they didnt know what led to his disappearence when he was around 15 years old. For nearly 10 years he has been locked up in prison and now they want to hang him. This isnt right. I dont believe that my son is a terrorist, Majid told BenarNews. Appropriate punishment? Rathers defense counsel said their appeal against the verdict, which evoked protests across Kashmir, would likely come up for hearing later this month. I argued desperately before the judge that the prosecution had failed to prove their charges against Rather and he should be released. But I was shocked that the court still handed him capital punishment, Sabroata Basu, Rathers lawyer, told BenarNews by phone from Kolkata. The prosecution admitted in court that they did not find any incriminating material from the client and that charges of waging war were levelled on the basis of suspicion. I am quite confident the High Court will overturn the verdict and release him unconditionally, Basu said. The three accused were booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging, or attempting to wage war) and 122 (collecting arms with intention of waging war against the government of India), according to Nishad Pervej, West Bengal polices deputy inspector general. They are members of Lashkar-e-Taiba and were planning attacks on army camps in Jammu and Kashmir, Pervej told a news conference. The Himalayan region of Kashmir, claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan, has been in the midst of a separatist insurgency that has claimed over 70,000 lives since the late 1980s. Militants killed Over the weekend, two suspected militants were killed in a firefight that broke out when government forces intercepted a vehicle the suspects were riding in, police said. We intercepted their vehicle near Sopore on the main highway. They lobbed grenades at the forces and were killed in retaliatory fire, Superintendent of Police Imtiyaz Hussain told Agence France-Presse. Two police officers, including member of a special anti-militancy group, were injured in Saturdays incident, Hussain said. Following a shutdown call by separatists in response to the verdict in Rathers case, several thousand anti-India protesters took to the streets to accuse the Indian government of falsely implicating Kashmiri youths in criminal cases. The verdict is against the internationally accepted norms of justice, senior separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq told BenarNews. It is unfortunate that the Indian judiciary has once against demonstrated miscarriage of justice. We reiterate our demand of the unconditional release of Muzaffar Ahmad Rather and all political prisoners languishing in Indian prisons, Farooq said. This blog is looking for wisdom, to have and to share. It is also looking for other rare character traits like good humor, courage, and honor. It is not an easy road, because all of us fall short. But God is love, forgiveness and grace. Those who believe in Him and repent of their sins have the promise of His Holy Spirit to guide us and show us the Way. Myanmar border guards fatally shot a Bangladeshi fisherman and wounded another Monday in firing at their boat in a river that separates the two countries, an eyewitness and police in Bangladesh told BenarNews. The shooting marked the second reported brush between Bangladeshi fishermen and Myanmar authorities since late December in waters that lie close to the Myanmar-Bangladesh border. The Naaf River that runs along the border has been tense lately. Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees have poured into southeastern Bangladesh by boat in recent months as they fled killings, rapes, the torching of homes and other abuses allegedly committed against their communities as part of a military crackdown in Myanmars Rakhine state. We were inside Bangladesh waters. At around 8:30 a.m. they came into our waters by a speed boat and started firing at us, one of the surviving fishermen, Nur Hakim, told BenarNews by phone on Monday night, referring to Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP). Two other fisherman in the boat were injured by the gunfire, including Nurul Amin who later died at a hospital in Coxs Bazar, a district on the Bangladeshi side of the river, Hakim said. I lay in the boat to save my life, the fisherman said, adding that he sailed with his two wounded comrades to shore after four BGP officers departed in their boat. We want justice; should we be killed in this way for fishing in our waters? he said. Myanmar or Bangladesh waters? A local police official confirmed that Nurul Amin, a 26-year-old fisherman from Teknaf, a sub-district of Coxs Bazar, was shot and killed in the incident, and that another fisherman, Mortuza Hossain, 24, was being treated at a local hospital. Afrozul Haque Tutul, an additional superintendent of police in the district, said his department had contacted the Myanmar border guard, through the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), to inquire about the shooting. They were catching fish in the Naaf River. We are not sure whether they entered Myanmar waters, Tutul told BenarNews. The BGB commander in Teknaf told reporters the border guard had complained to its Myanmar counterpart about Mondays shooting, according to local news reports. Lt. Col. Imran Ullah Sarker said BGP officials had told him the three Bangladeshi fishermen had strayed into the Myanmar side of the river. Killing innocent people in this way is against the border agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar, reports quoted Sarker as saying. He added that bilateral procedures had been implemented to handle such situations involving innocent intruders. The body of slain fisherman Nurul Amin lies in the Teknaf Sub-district Health Complex, Coxs Bazar, Feb. 6, 2017. [Courtesy of Abdul Hakim] We have the right to fish in our waters Tensions along the frontier have risen since Myanmars military launched a crackdown after nine Burmese border guards were killed by suspected Rohingya militants in an attack in Rakhines Maungdaw township in early October 2016. In May 2016, the Bangladesh border guard fired mortar shells across the border after a BGB outpost allegedly came under fire. Bangladeshi officials said they complained to Myanmar over that incident, and Dhaka also protested about an incident involving Bangladeshi fishermen and Burmese authorities in late December. Bangladeshs foreign ministry lodged a diplomatic protest over the later incident, during which a Burmese trawler allegedly fired upon a Bangladeshi fishing boat in waters near St. Martins a Bangladeshi island that lies off the coast near the Myanmar border. The crew from the trawler then allegedly took the fishing boat and its crew to a Burmese navy ship that was patrolling nearby. No one was injured in the incident, but the crew of the navy ship held the fishermen for four hours and seized their belongings, according to the foreign ministry. It is no longer safe for Bangladeshis to fish in the Naaf River because police on the Myanmar side of the border often fire their weapons, said one local fisherman. We have the right to fish in our waters. But fishing in the [Naaf] river has become very risky due to the frequent firing by the Nasaka without any provocation, Teknaf fisherman Abdul Kuddus, 55, told BenarNews, using an old name for Myanmars border police. The government must take measures to stop it; we want a peaceful atmosphere, Kuddus said. A group of Thais in Laos who are wanted back home on suspicion of violating a royal defamation law are facing arrest in Thailand over alleged death threats against its prime minister and deputy prime minister, an official said Monday. Gen. Thawip Netniyom, chief of Thailands National Security Council (NSC), last week announced that he had been assigned to travel to Laos to seek the arrest of up to six suspects over alleged violations of the strict law, which is known as Lese-Majeste. On Monday he said he was to contact Laotian officials to request the arrests and extradition of the suspects over death threats that followed last weeks announcement, according to reports. Thawip is waiting for confirmation from Laos about his travel plans, Reuters news service reported. The threats came from Thais who are disloyal to the monarchy and ran away to live in Laos. It is the same group that held radio programs defaming the monarchy, Thawip told reporters in Bangkok, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). Government officials in Laos have not commented on the request. The Lese-Majeste law, which carries a potential sentence of 15 years, prohibits the repetition or reproduction of content deemed as defaming members of Thailands royalty. Since a military government headed by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha seized power in May 2014, at least 73 people have been charged with violating the law, often for comments posted on Facebook and other social media sites. In January, a welder pleaded guilty to violating Lese-Majeste and Thailands Computer Crimes Act, drawing an 11-year, four-month prison sentence. Burin Intin was the first Thai to be sentenced under Lese-Majeste since King Maha Vajiralongkorn ascended to the throne on Dec. 1, following the death in October of his father, King Bhumbol Adulyadej, who ruled Thailand for 70 years. Prayuth and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon showed little concern about the alleged threats. Prayuth said recently that he cared more about the country than his life and, on Monday, Prawit said he was not concerned about the treats and did not need additional bodyguards, according to Reuters. There is nothing to worry about. [W]e know where they are, Prawit told reporters in Bangkok. ein Google-Unternehmen Google-Dienste anzubieten und zu betreiben Ausfalle zu prufen und Manahmen gegen Spam, Betrug und Missbrauch zu ergreifen Daten zu Zielgruppeninteraktionen und Websitestatistiken zu erheben. Mit den gewonnenen Informationen mochten wir verstehen, wie unsere Dienste verwendet werden, und die Qualitat dieser Dienste verbessern. neue Dienste zu entwickeln und zu verbessern Werbung auszuliefern und ihre Wirkung zu messen personalisierte Inhalte anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen personalisierte Werbung anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen Wenn Sie Alle ablehnen auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies nicht fur diese zusatzlichen Zwecke. Nicht personalisierte Inhalte und Werbung werden u. a. von Inhalten, die Sie sich gerade ansehen, und Ihrem Standort beeinflusst (welche Werbung Sie sehen, basiert auf Ihrem ungefahren Standort). Personalisierte Inhalte und Werbung konnen auch Videoempfehlungen, eine individuelle YouTube-Startseite und individuelle Werbung enthalten, die auf fruheren Aktivitaten wie auf YouTube angesehenen Videos und Suchanfragen auf YouTube beruhen. Sofern relevant, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auerdem, um Inhalte und Werbung altersgerecht zu gestalten. Wir verwenden Cookies und Daten, umWenn Sie Alle akzeptieren auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auch, umWahlen Sie Weitere Optionen aus, um sich zusatzliche Informationen anzusehen, einschlielich Details zum Verwalten Ihrer Datenschutzeinstellungen. Sie konnen auch jederzeit g.co/privacytools besuchen. A wild hog, known to local Forest Grove, Oregon law enforcement as "Piggy Smalls" has been apprehended. Via Oregon Live: On Friday, the Forest Grove Police Department announced on Facebook they had finally apprehended a troublesome potbelly pig. According to the post, the pig, known as "Piggy Smalls" (alias "Notorious") had "allegedly been harassing residents in the Hawthorne neighborhood of Forest Grove over the last several months." He was ultimately captured at a little before 1 p.m. "by a joint task force of the FGPD Code Enforcement Officer and a representative of Home Sweet Home Properties." According to a lawsuit, Corey King, a police captain in Washington County, Georgia, conspired with his friends magistrate Ralph O. Todd and Sheriff's Investigator Trey Burgamy to arrest King's ex-wife, Anne King, and her friend, Susan Hines, for a Facebook exchange in which they commiserated over Captain King's refusal to pick up medicine for his sick children. Both women were jailed (Ms King was handcuffed!) and then released by a real judge (as opposed to a dipshit, small-town magistrate) who blasted all three for the two women's arrest ("I don't even know why we're here") and the state's attorney dropped the charge. Captain King has threatened to re-arrest his ex-wife, saying, "don't make the mistake of going to Facebook with your little shit you found to fuss about" and suggesting she could face "willful contempt" if she does so. Ann King is suing Captain King, Investigator Burgamy, and Washington County, but can't sue Magistrate Todd because he has judicial immunity. Anne King's story is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a rare one. Particularly with the rise of social media, law enforcement officers across the country have been abusing the legal system to retaliate against insults: from the police supporting Jim Ardis' petty and petulant revenge in Peoria, the Renton PD investigated satirical videos, and the Parma PD prosecuted a man through trial for a satirical account. Anne King has First Amendment rights, in theory. Their nature and extent are well defined by the courts. It's straightforward to respect them. But what does it mean to say she has those rights? In Washington County, Georgia population approximately 21,000 with a hostile ex-husband a Captain of the Sheriff's Department, and with Ralph Todd as a magistrate, does she really have them in any meaningful way? What is a right, when the state defies it? Rights And Reality: Georgia Cop Jails Ex-Wife For Facebook Gripe [Ken White/Popehat] By Marie Dunn-Harris '95 Ask any BGSU music student, past or present, who Dr. Bruce Moss is and chances are you will hear nothing but praise and admiration. Moss, a professor and the director of band activities for 23 years in Bowling Green State Universitys College of Musical Arts, was named Ohio Music Education Association's (OMEA) 2017 Most Outstanding Educator of the Year. The award recognizes and honors an OMEA member each year for his or her outstanding service, dedication and overall contribution to music education. The finalists need at least six nomination letters to be considered for the honor, and Dr. Moss had 65. "I was surprised and humbled beyond words when seeing the long list of names of former students and peers from all over the country who wrote letters on my behalf," Moss said. The list of people who nominated Moss is impressive. Some are former colleagues, but many are students who have gone on to pursue successful music careers. One of them is U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Ryan Nowlin, assistant director of "The President's Own" U.S. Marine Band. Nowlin studied with Moss for his undergraduate and graduate degrees. In his letter, Nowlin said, "Dr. Moss's selfless commitment to students, stalwart advocacy for music education, personal and professional integrity, genuine care and concern for student growth, development and success, and his high level of musicianship make him a role model, mentor and tireless devotee to all fortunate enough to study under his baton." Another world-class musician and nominator is John Hagstrom, a trumpet student of Moss when he taught public school. He now performs in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. As I look back at the most important influences on my early development it is clear to me that Bruce Moss was crucially important for my tenacity and honest improvement despite many obstacles, Hagstrom said. His focus on quality and finding solutions models a strategic mind-set that I have emulated along with many of his other successful students. That Bruce Moss is an outstanding music educator is well documented by the outstanding results he has achieved with several generations of students, and this is because he himself personifies the courage and commitment of a mature and educated person. I am only one of so many students who have been blessed by his influence. That Bruce Moss is an outstanding music educator is well documented by the outstanding results he has achieved with several generations of students, and this is because he himself personifies the courage and commitment of a mature and educated person. I am only one of so many students who have been blessed by his influence. To Moss, seeing students realize their personal and professional goals has been a rewarding experience unto itself. To be in the audience when a former student is on stage performing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, or on the podium conducting the U.S. Marine Band brings remarkable joy, Moss said. I wouldnt trade that joy for any amount of money; you cant put a price tag on it. Moss grew up in Tennessee, and music has been a part of his life since elementary school when he learned how to play the trumpet. He went on to receive his bachelor's degree at the University of Illinois and taught at the high school level for 11 years before deciding to get his doctorate at Ohio State University. From there, he taught at St. Cloud State in Minnesota and at Eastern Illinois before coming to BGSU in 1994. Dr. Carol Hayward, the former director of the BGSU Falcon Marching Band, worked closely with Moss for 12 years. The Falcon Marching Band is the biggest student organization on campus and consists of both music and non-music majors. One of the many of Moss characteristics described by Hayward is his willingness to give the same attention and support to the non-music majors. "I think in some ways it's more important for people who don't go into music as a career, so they can pass it on to their own children," Moss said. Besides his regular duties as BGSU's director of bands, Moss keeps busy with numerous activities outside of the classroom. He frequently serves as guest conductor at universities nationwide, he's an elected and current member of the Board of Directors of the American Bandmasters Association, and has served as president of College Band Directors National Association, North Central Division. At 37 years, Moss has the longest running tenure as music director of the acclaimed Wheaton Band in Illinois, which performs during the summer months. The professional group was featured in a PBS documentary on the life of John Philip Sousa, and has become a model for community ensembles nationwide. " I have received much joy in observing their growth and popularity with audiences over the years," Moss said. Moss also recently took over conducting the Toledo Symphony Concert Band's Music Under the Stars series each July at the Toledo Zoo, a post held by the late Sam Szor for more than 50 years. When he's not directing the Wheaton or Toledo Symphony concert bands, every other summer Moss serves as music director for the Ohio Ambassadors of Music. The program takes honors music students on tour through several European countries over a two-and-a-half-week period. One of his former BGSU students recently served on the staff for that tour. "The most powerful characteristic of Bruce Moss that personifies him as an educator is his devotion to bringing joy to those around him," Adam Landry said. Landry, who is now the director of choirs for Mentor (Ohio) High School, described in his nomination letter how Moss surprised him with a stop at Abbey Road Studios while in England after mentioning that he was a Beatles fan. "We all tried to replicate the famous Beatles pose crossing the road," Landry said. "This is just one story of many where Dr. Moss went out of his way to find something unique about me to highlight that he really cared." BGSU alumnus David Babich, who serves in the U.S. Navy Band in Washington recalls Moss as being fun, firm and demanding in rehearsals. Babich especially liked the guest conductors and composers Moss brought in to give the future music educators something to take away from rehearsals. "Looking back, I'm so thankful he was thinking of his band students and wanted to expose us to living band legends to give us inspiration and knowledge," Babich said. Moss' current colleagues recognize and appreciate his teaching style. "As a significant member of the teacher training team at BGSU, Moss has prepared future teachers who in turn touched the lives of many young students in Ohio and around the nation," said Dr. Richard Kennell, former dean of the College of Musical Arts. "Dr. Moss shows by example the importance of caring about students as individuals, being dedicated to fostering their musical growth, achieving and maintaining high standards for themselves and students, being exceptionally well prepared for rehearsals and classes, and encouraging students to reach further than they believe they can," said Dr. Vincent Kantorski, who is retired as a master teacher at BGSU. Moss is not one to self-promote. When asked what he thinks about all of those who look up to him for his work in music education, he's quick to give credit to others especially those who inspired him. "I had teachers along the way who were very influential," Moss said. "I wouldn't be doing this today if I did not have those teachers that I can go back and thank." He is also inspired by the students he teaches and knows that what he's doing every day will somehow pay off in their future. "The drive to continue teaching for me is not about self-promotion and awards," Moss said. "I am more grateful by the potential impact on students over their lives. Moss accepted the 2017 Most Outstanding Music Educator Award on Feb. 3 during OMEA's annual conference in Cleveland. Coincidentally, the OMEA's 2017 Most Outstanding Young Music Educator Award was awarded to John Carmack, who is a BGSU alumnus. Carmack currently serves as the choir director at Vermilion High School. It's the third year the award has been given, and, each time, the recipient has been a graduate of BGSU. For Immediate Release, February 6, 2017 Contact: Brett Hartl, Center for Biological Diversity, (202) 817-8121, bhartl@biologicaldiversity.org Allison Fisher, Public Citizen, (202) 454-5176, afisher@citizen.org Ben Schreiber, Friends of the Earth, (202) 222-0752, BSchreiber@foe.org 170 Conservation Groups Urge Senate to Reject Zinke for Interior Secretary Congressman Would Do Irreparable Damage to Endangered Species, Public Lands, Climate WASHINGTON One hundred seventy conservation groups today urged the U.S. Senate to reject Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) as the next interior secretary. Senators will vote in the coming weeks on whether to place Zinke in charge of the nation's more than 1,500 endangered species, as well as more than 500 million acres of public lands and minerals leasing for oil, gas and coal across the country and in our oceans. Today's letter notes that Zinke earned just a 3 percent rating from the League of Conservation Voters during his two years in Congress. At his Jan. 17 nomination hearing, he offered no indication that he would manage the Department of the Interior differently from what his congressional voting record indicates: that he consistently put special interests ahead of the nation's wildlife, natural heritage and climate. Zinke's voting record qualifies him to be an exterminator, not the chief protector of America's endangered animals and beautiful public lands, said Kieran Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity, one group that signed the letter. Anyone who cares about public lands, protecting wildlife and halting the climate crisis should understand that Zinke and Trump's corrupt brand of politics will take us in exactly the wrong direction. As interior secretary Zinke would oversee the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, one of two federal agencies responsible for administering the Endangered Species Act. In Congress Zinke cast 21 votes against endangered species protections. He even opposed a crackdown on black-market ivory from poached African elephants. At his confirmation hearing, Zinke endorsed increased fossil fuel extraction on public lands despite the fact that existing oil, gas and coal leases on public lands already account for a significant portion of the U.S.'s carbon pollution. Additional reserves on public lands contain an estimated 450 billion tons of potential greenhouse gas pollution, which if fully tapped would dangerously tip the scales toward an unlivable planet for future generations. Forty percent of America's coal and 21 percent of our oil are produced on federal land under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of the Interior. To address climate change, protect our environment, and prevent another BP-type oil catastrophe, we need an interior secretary who understands the science of climate change and will stand up to Big Coal and Big Oil. Zinke's confirmation hearing made clear that he is the wrong man for this important job, and the Senate should not confirm him, said Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen. The American public does not support Trump's extreme agenda. Trump received almost 3 million fewer votes than Hillary Clinton in November, and millions of Americans have taken to the streets to protest his government. Donald Trump has turned our foreign policy over to Big Oil and now he wants to hand them our public lands as well, said Friends of the Earth President Erich Pica. A movement formed to keep fossil fuels in the ground and that movement will resist Trump and his polluting agenda. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.2 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. When Donald Trump killed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a "trade deal" that had been negotiated by representatives of multinational corporations and government bureaucrats in utmost secrecy in order to give corporations the power to decide which labor, environmental and safety laws they'd obey, I started to hear from "progressives" who had suddenly discovered the deal, and decided that if Trump was against it, they should be for it. There was a comedian on the Fake the Nation podcast who described it as a way to fight Chinese influence in the Pacific (this is a talking point from the banker-friendly wing of the Democratic Party), and tweets like this ("Congratulations, the TPP is dead. You helped defeat the secret plan to make the world a better place. #RIPTPP") from people whose feeds are filled with anti-Trump messaging and causes. TPP wasn't a "secret plan to make the world a better place." It wasn't even a trade deal. Virtually every good manufactured in virtually every one of the 12 TPP members could be imported into virtually any of the other members with no tariffs at all something CNN conveniently failed to mention. What was TPP then? A sweetheart deal for giant corporations: it would have banned states from keeping their citizens' data out of the NSA's reach (a gift to the James Clapper set), allowed Hollywood to put people in jail for watching movies the wrong way (a gift to the SOPA set), allowed telcoms giants to sue to dismantle net neutrality protections (a gift to the Comcast set), jacked up the price of pharmaceuticals for the poorest people in the world (a gift to the Shkreli set), banned governments from requiring open source code for public procurements (a gift to the Microsoft set), limited fair use (a gift to the Righthaven set), required all states to establish criminal sanctions for breaking DRM (a gift to the printer ink business-model set), and expanded copyright terms across the board (a gift to the Disney set). TPP set out investor-state dispute settlement terms that would let corporations sue governments to dismantle their financial, public safety, labor, and environmental laws. For example, banks would get to write their own financial regulations, and tuna companies could ban "dolphin safe" labels from their competitors' cans. This is not a "secret plan to make the world a better place." It's also not a way to beat back Chinese hegemony in the Pacific Rim. It was a way to let corporations take over democratically elected governments and write their own laws. The fact that Donald Trump hates the TPP (for his own stupid reasons, e.g., "A bunch of people I don't like, such as establishment Republicans and Democrats, want TPP, so I can look good to my base by killing it") does not make TPP good for America, bad for China, or anything but unmitigated awful. TPP's advocates were neoliberals, people who believe that markets solve all our problems and that corporations should operate without regulation or democratic accountability. Trump doesn't like neoliberalism, he likes nationalist capitalism, the Russian model where only domestic oligarchs are allowed to loot powerful nations, and then they grow their fortunes by looting less-powerful nations. This is the opposite of neoliberalism, which lets any oligarch loot any country, even powerful ones (this is why Putin hates the EU it allows the investor class of all member-states financialize and gut the industries of all the other states, without regard to the donor-state's power. That's how the UK came to sell off so much of its essential state apparatus, at fire-sale prices, to multinational firms that originated in EU member-states). Sometimes, Trump's hatred of neoliberalism and his love of nationalist capitalism will create a Venn intersection that contains some genuinely good policies, like killing TPP (also: attacking the outsourcing of industrial jobs to countries with weaker environmental, labor and safety laws). The fact that Trump hates outsourcing and TPP doesn't make them good, it makes Trump a stopped clock who is right twice a day. Establishment Democrats condemned Bernie Sanders and his supporters for sharing some of Trump's agenda, but they were missing the important part: pay attention to why, instead of what, and you can easily discern Trump policies from Sanders policies. For example, Trump attacked big finance ("These guys are getting away with murder") and then immediately appointed a bunch of ex-Goldman Sachs bankers to run the nation's financial regulation (this, by the way, is exactly what Obama did, and also what Clinton was poised to do). Sanders' response to Trump was to point out that Trump was a fraud, that he was continuing the corruption he'd promised to dismantle, appointing a cabinet of billionaires after promising the abolition of "a government that works for Wall Street and for special interests but not for the people." The problem with Wall Street isn't who likes Wall Street, it's what Wall Street does. Not every thing Trump does will be wrong, and we can laud the policies that do good things without letting Trump off the hook or praising trumpism. Trump killed TPP because he wanted to undermine Obama's legacy. He should have killed TPP because it's a sweetheart deal for giant corporations at public expense. It may be harder to make Trump look stupid by expressing this nuance, but if you become a TPP cheerleader because Trump hates it, you are part of the problem. Big league. Trump hates CNN because they don't give him a pass when he lies. You can cheer CNN on for its callouts without letting it off the hook for being a corporate cheerleader. The way to defeat trumpism is to develop an alternative program, a coherent one that puts people ahead of profits, that acknowledges that the system is rigged, that demands better and never settles. Yes, the Affordable Care Act is how me and my family get our healthcare, and it's better than nothing, but it is much worse than the single payer system that all the civilized countries of the world use a system that is consistently cheaper and better than ACA or the chaos that preceded it. We can condemn Trump for dismantling ACA because he's not replacing it with single-payer, rather than insisting that a system that's raising premiums by 25%, removing lifesaving medicines and procedures from its coverage, and fattening the corrupt insurance industry is anything more than a better-than-nothing bandaid that should be replaced with something better as quickly as possible. In the U.S. We Should Be Mobilizing the Following Areas: 1. Organize the outsourced: We should identify and organize all those at risk from off-shoring. We need to make sure Trump and Congress hear from these actual and potential victims. Trump needs to be reminded each and every day that there are millions of jobs he must protect. At the same time we should be rounding up support for the Sanders bill to stop off-shoring. 2. Resist:Trump has made it clear to corporate America that in exchange for job creation in the U.S. he will cut their taxes and regulations. We should demand that all tax "reforms" include a new financial speculation tax (Robin Hood Tax) on Wall Street to slow down their insatiable greed. Also, we need to fight tooth and nail against any weakening of workplace health, safety and environmental regulations. We have to destroy the Faustian bargain where jobs are protected but the workers and the communities are poisoned. 3. Connect: More than 3 million people protested against Trump. But it is doubtful that dislocated workers and those facing outsourcing were involved in these marches. That's because the progressive movement has gotten too comfortable with issue silos that often exclude these kinds of working-class issues. That has to change in a hurry. We need to reach out to all workers in danger of off-shoringblue and white collar alike. 4. Expand: Many key issuesfrom having the largest prison population in the world to having one the lowest life-spansare connected through runaway inequality. Outsourcing is deeply connected to the driving force behind runaway inequalitya rapacious Wall Street and its constant pressure for higher returns. We need to broaden the outsourcing issue to include stock buybacks and the other techniques used by Wall Street to strip-mine our jobs and our communities. It's time for a broad-based common agenda that includes a Robin Hood Tax on Wall Street, free higher education, Medicare for All, an end to outsourcing, fair trade and a guaranteed job at a living wage for all those willing and able. 5. Educate: In order to build a sustained progressive movement we will need to develop a systematic educational campaign to counter neoliberal ideology. We need reading groups, study groups, formal classes, conferences, articles and more to undermine this pernicious ideology. Some of us are fortunate to be part of new train-the-trainer programs all over the country. We need to expand them so that we can field thousands of educators to carry this message. Don't Side With Neoliberalism in Opposing Trump [Les Leopold/Naked Capitalism] (Image: Ian Berry/CNN) 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 NAIROBI, Kenya - The inaugural German-African Business Summit took place in Berlin in September 2015 and gave some 400 participants from the worlds of business and politics from Germany and Africa the opportunity to discuss Africa's prospects and potential and to make new contacts. The summit will be held in Africa for the first time from 8-10 February 2017. Image by 123RF The German-African Business Summit is being co-organised by the Sub-Saharan Africa Initiative of German Business (SAFRI) - which is jointly funded by the German-African Business Association, the Federation of German Industries, the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services and the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry; and the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Kenya. It is supported by the Federal Government: Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Federal Ministry of Finance. Highlights include: Meet senior managers of German and African companies and decision-makers from politics and the administration from Germany and Sub-Sahara Africa. Large number of opportunities for B2B meetings at which you can discuss business prospects in Africa and Germany with your African or German counterparts and lay the groundwork for your next business transactions. Hear lectures and panel discussions on economic growth and opportunities in Africa, regional integration, financing, start-ups and success stories. The event will be opened by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. NAIROBI, Kenya - Destinations worldwide welcomed more than 1.2 billion people in 2016; while 6 billion people toured within their borders, in an unprecedented growth of the domestic travel sector. This is according to the latest tourist barometer report released by United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Image by 123RF The robust growth in international arrivals maintained a steady upward trajectory, to mark a 3.9% growth, which translates to some 46 million more overnight visitors as compared to the previous year - 2015. Therefore, according to the stats, 2016 was the seventh consecutive year of sustained growth post the 2009 global economic financial crisis that majorly affected the travel sector. Tourism has shown extraordinary strength and resilience in recent years, despite many challenges, particularly those related to safety and security, said outgoing secretary-general, Taleb Rifai, in a statement. Yet, international travel continues to grow strongly and contribute to job creation and the wellbeing of communities around the world. Good year for Africa Africa showed great recovery after two weak years, plagued by the Ebola pandemic and terrorism theats. The continent welcomed 58 million tourists in 2016, a remarkable 8% growth from 2015. This figure is expected to reach 134 million by 2030. Compared to the rest of the regions, the continent edged a step closer to Asia and the pacific, which led the numbers in 2016 arrivals despite maintaining a matching growth trajectory at (+8%). The Americas and the Middle East maintained the set momentum but showed mixed results across different locations, thereby scoring a (+2%) and (-4%) respectively. Africa as a whole has seen a rising interest in business tourism from different corners of the globe, owing to the fast economic growth across nations and an improved business environment. For instance, UNWTO estimates that the number of Spanish companies based in Sub-Saharan Africa has multiplied by seven in the last five years. Year of sustainable tourism As declared by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2015, 2017 will mark 12 months of celebrating and promoting the contribution of tourism to the building of a better world, which is the major goal of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. This is expected to reinforce the 2030 Agenda towards realising the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 was officially presented in Madrid during the opening of the recently held Spanish Tourism Fair, FITUR . The annual fair also hosted the INVESTOUR which brings together tourism businesses from Africa, Europe and the rest of the world in a unique platform aimed at discussing business opportunities in the African continent. This year, discussions majorly centred on, Technology and design of new touristic products and Capacity development for youth and women in tourism. Its yet another chance to explore how we can fully tap into the sector, while maintaining high responsibility for natural resources, culture and heritage as well as bolstering human relations and freedom of movement in every destination across the world, commented Paul Midy, CEO for Jumia Travel who was part of the participating panelists. This years event, which marked the 8th edition, brought together 20 Ministers of Tourism from different African countries. The Johannesburg and Cape Town campuses of the AAA School of Advertising are accepting applications for bursaries from first year students wishing to study a BA in Creative Brand Communication or a Diploma in Copywriting. Applications must be in by 15 February 2017. luckybusiness via 123RF In order to accommodate as many students as possible, bursaries are being offered to first year students with academic potential and financial need - specific criteria do apply. The bursary provides substantial financial assistance towards the first year tuition fees. The R1m worth of bursaries is seen by the institution as a means of giving back to the broader marketing and communications sector and to assist with the transformation process in the industry currently being undertaken by the Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA). At the AAA, we look to harness creative talent and deliver to the industry students who are prepared for the world of work, with skills and educational capabilities that are in line with agencys requirements, says Krishna Govender, executive dean and head at the AAA. There are many career options available within the broader advertising profession, and it is not restricted to only those with artistic abilities and talent. While the advertising industry is ideal for artistic individuals to enter a professional career, it also provides for those that have creative flair in terms of writing, strategic thinking, people and management skills and more. This is for the creative thinkers, those that see beyond the norm - often seen as the square peg trying to fit in the round hole and often feel that they have no professional career to aspire to. We offer these bursaries in an effort to afford creative youth an opportunity to achieve a qualification and a career in the marketing and communications sector. We want to remind parents and their children that there is a future for those learners for whom maths and science are a daily challenge! The bursaries are also designed to contribute to transformation within the industry through supporting as many first year students as is possible, concludes Govender. For Johannesburg enquiries, call Trudie Diffenthal on +27 (0) 11 781 2772 or email az.ca.loohcsaaa@eidurt. For Cape Town enquiries, call Rubeshan Nayager on +27 (0) 21 422.1800 or email az.ca.loohcsaaa@nahsebur. To apply online, go to http://bit.ly/2ffj2hx. Agencies are having to do more with fewer resources, and there's more staff burn-out and pressure to transform. Though salaries in the advertising industry have improved over the past year, pay levels for top talent have remained largely flat. A new survey by industry recruitment agency Ad Talent shows the average 2016 Johannesburg salary for a client service director has gone up from R57,000 to R59,000 and that for a strategic planning director from R78,000 to R80,000. The average monthly take-home for an executive creative director remains at around R100,000 while that of a copywriter is anything between R35,000 and R65,000, depending on experience. This is much the same as 2015. The average for a Johannesburg MD has risen to R140,000 from R120,000. Ad Talents Brenda Bensted-Smith says: Clients want more bang for their buck and salaries have moved little in the past year. Pressure on agencies resources is immense and many are doing more with less. Of more concern to the industry, she says, is that agency staff are burning out more quickly and requesting moves to their clients, where salary and perks are more stable. There seems to be more job-hopping to increase salaries. The survey shows digital salaries are more in line with traditional agencies for the first time, but that digital creative directors can earn less than their traditional counterparts. It also appears that many agencies are employing more juniors to keep costs down. Ogilvy and Mather group CEO Abey Mokgwatsane says: An agencys hiring and retrenching cycle is in direct proportion to the revenue it generates. These cycles are more erratic given clients increased appetite to change agencies more frequently than in the past. And agencies cant compete with client salary budgets where most talent is migrating. Though we might offer a more vibrant, innovative and creative work environment, staff that seek financial incentives above anything else will be lured by the client environment. Gary Leih, CEO and founder of Cape-based agency OFyt, says: The challenging part for agencies here is that some clients are migrating to Joburg, so the gains are up-country. With an economy placed to grow by only 1% this year you can bet on stagnant growth in ad-land employment. Leih says ad agencies are not spending enough time upskilling, training and mentoring their staff, especially at entry level. Very often, entry-level employees are left, under huge pressure, deadline and otherwise, without being trained or managed sufficiently. Odette van der HaarPicture: Robert Tshabalala Odette van der Haar, CEO of the Association for Communication & Advertising, says business in the industry is being moved around between the agencies and to a large extent, so is the talent. Furthermore, promulgation of the MAC Sector Codes of the BBBEE Act has put pressure on agencies to transform. This includes incorporating transformed talent in agencies. Van der Haar says tertiary institutions that feed the profession with talent are finding it hard to meet the demand for transformed talent because of the degradation of the education system. Van der Haar believes agency remuneration is not on par with professional services in other industries. It is unfortunate that agency fees are always driven down because marketing and advertising are deemed an expense and not an investment. Shes calling for greater investment in skills development in agencies. Clients are constantly upskilling themselves and if agencies dont do the same, what is procured from agency partners will be done in-house. From starting in their home garage five years ago to now running a successful company, Sue and Robyn Britz the mother daughter team behind the popular Zana brand are a true South African success story. Creating custom textile products, from purses to pillows, in their signature bold and graphic prints, Zana products have become increasingly recognisable and desirable, both locally and internationally. We chat to Melissa Lawrence, marketing, PR and social media manager, at Zana for #DesignMonth. Zana has become a well-loved and respected brand in a fairly short space of time. Aside from creating great products, what do you accredit this to? Social media marketing. We have shared our story from the very beginning. This hypothetical window into the everyday runnings of a startup business paired with our company culture has set us apart and put us on peoples radars. What inspires your designs? We brainstorm ideas as a team - cross collaboration is so important when designing user friendly products. We prepare for these meetings by bringing new bold, fun patterns to the table. These are inspired by personal international holidays, rough sketches and doodles, as well as the urban environment around us. We have had an exciting day of meetings... plotting and planning new adventures for 2017! What do you think of these pattern mock ups? A photo posted by zana (@zanaproducts) on Jan 31, 2017 at 7:21am PST What has been your professional highlight to date? There have been so many highlights along the way, but most of all we are proud to see that the small business we started in our home garage is turning 5 this April. When you support a small business, you support a dream couldnt be more true! Can you tell us about your screen printing workshops? Our screen printing workshops are so much fun! Whether you want to start your own creative business or just want a creative day out, our workshop is for you! Hosted in our Woodstock studio you will learn how to screen print using our professionally prepared screens and also print from your own design which you will sketch and carve using a stencil technique. We share what you need to know about fabric, printing techniques and also what you will need to get started on your own. No prior experience needed, but if you do have prior experience no problem. This could be a lovely refresher to silk screen printing! What was it like promoting Zana at Etsy Open Call in New York? It was a once in a lifetime experience. We opened our Etsy store five years ago. We admire their online marketplace and to be able to see how a large tech company is run and touring their HQ in Dumbo NY was incredible. Etsy Open Call was a platform for us to meet and connect with fellow creators from all over the world, with us being the only creators from South Africa. We were also able to network with some large US retailers. These connections are so valuable to the growth of our business in an international market. What is your social media strategy when it comes to marketing your brand and products? We believe in sharing our story - where we began, our processes, embracing the imperfections of a handmade product and our company culture. Social media has been a wonderful tool for this and remains our leading form of marketing to date. We have become relatable by sharing our story . it sets us apart from large retailers who do not manage the manufacturing process themselves. This also ups the perceived value of our products. What are your thoughts on our local creative scene? The freelance culture emerging in Cape Town is so closely linked to the local creative scene. Artisans are ditching their day jobs in pursuit of flexibility and a locally produced lifestyle. It is so refreshing to see and inspires up to keep doing what we love. Being an all women company what would your top girl boss tip be? Delegate. You are not superwoman. You cant do it all and thats okay! Magic happens when we support each other. What advice would you give for other creative startups? Persevere. There is no instant success. Doing the groundwork is hard work! What other local designers do you admire? We have a soft spot for locally made jewellery - Dear Rae and Famke being two of our absolute fave. Your favourite emoji? I had to ask the #Zanagirls to vote on this one, our top three are: cry laughing face, clapping hands and the confetti cannon. Whats next for Zana? This April we will be celebrating our fifth birthday. This is a huge milestone for us! Our dreams and aspirations for this year are not much different to what we have always hoped for for Zana - create fun and bright things to decorate life with! Stay tuned for our new product range coming soon Zana have set dates for workshops in Cape Town on 18 February and 1 April. To make a booking or for more info go to zanaproducts.co.za/workshops zanaproducts.co.za The third eCommerce MoneyAfrica Confex opens on 22-23 February 2017 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. One of Africa's largest e-commerce and fintech events, it brings together an array of key decision makers in online retail, payments, customer insight and logistics businesses operating across Africa. With e-commerce forecasted to grow to over $75 billion in revenue by 2025 (McKinsey), a fundamental driver is mobile connectivity enabling customer access. The two-day event will uncover the latest consumer trends, buying patterns and the newest technologies and payment solutions supporting Africas burgeoning market. Terry Southam, MD of Kinetic, the producers of the eCommerce MoneyAfrica Confex says, This years event parallels the swift adoption of fintech products, improved customer knowledge and fulfilment; key areas driving the growth of e-commerce on the continent. A key area of growth for African e-commerce is centred on two main themes: global readiness and expansion. These two related, yet very dissimilar factors are mandatory to perfect ones business and succeed in 2017, says Chris Folayan, CEO, MallForAfrica, Nigeria. The event will feature over 75 industry speakers and bring together the regions leading merchants, major retailers, brands, developers, designers, start-ups, fintech and e-commerce experts. The event will welcome business owners, directors and CEOs as well as managers involved in marketing, merchandising, customer service, operations and supply chain management. The event will feature keynote presentations, panel discussions, technical demonstrations, networking opportunities, cocktail functions and an exhibition showcase, all hosted by industry leaders. Speaker line-up Manuel Koser, MD, Silvertree Capital, will lead a panel discussion looking at investment opportunities for fintech products, discuss the investment landscape and give advice on how to position ones business to attract funding. Marek Zmyslowski, CEO HotelOga and Chris Folayan, CEO MallForAfrica, will provide insight into the continents fastest growing e-commerce markets in West Africa. Their expertise will cover local buying habits and overcoming cross-border eCommerce barriers. Vincent Hoogduijn, CEO, eCommerce, Media24, with the opening plenary panel, will examine the current state of eCommerce in Africa with a focus on the impact of flash sales, customer retention and leveraging technology and data. This year, the agenda will focus on several key themes - capitalising on Africas e-commerce potential, developing a cashless society, consumer experience in the age of digital disruption, money without borders, consumer engagement and building loyalty, cross-border e-commerce, fulfilment and logistics, mobile payments and wallets, start-up success stories, securing funding for business, and the future of omnichannel retail. For more information visit the dedicated website, email marcia@kineticevents.net or call +27 (0) 21 180 4700. Almost two months since the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) emerged as the unlikely purchaser of Anheuser-Busch InBev's (AB InBev's) 26% stake in Distell, there is still no indication of when the deal will be finalised or what price the PIC paid to secure the stake. The PIC would not confirm or deny speculation that it paid the equivalent of about R180 a share, a hefty premium on the price of about R150. It represents a demanding price-to-earnings ratio of more than 23. The PIC did not respond to requests for comment and Dennis Matsane, a spokesman for Distell, said he was unable to comment on the matter, which is still subject to approval by the Competition Commission. "This is a matter between the shareholder and the Competition Commission and will follow normal governance and due process," he said. The pricing of the deal does not have to be disclosed until it is given the go-ahead by the competition authorities. The closest the share price has come to the speculated purchase level was R172 last September. The premium suggests the PIC has ambitious plans for the group, which has always been profitable, but has generally tended to fall short of market expectations. The investment community assumed Remgro would be the purchaser after it announced a R9.9bn rights offer last September. It was the first time in more than 40 years that Remgro had raised capital in the market. While some Remgro shareholders were happy the board had not been dragged into a bidding war with the PIC, Opportune Investments CEO Chris Logan said he was disappointed Remgro had not acquired the stake. "Remgro should have gritted its teeth and paid more than they wanted to so they could have been in a position to drive the changes needed in an increasingly competitive global market," said Logan, who believes the drinks group has strong growth potential. The stake has been in SABMiller's hands since Distell was established through a marketsharing agreement decades ago. The Competition Commission required in its conditional ruling on the merger between SABMiller and AB InBev that the merged entity sell the Distell stake within three years of the deal being finalised. One analyst, who did not want to be named, said he looked forward to the PIC disclosing its plans for the group and hoped it would be beyond the sort of transformation on which the PIC has tended to focus. "It's hard not to think of it in terms of the PIC's investment in Daybreak, which isn't very encouraging," said the analyst referring to the R1.5bn acquisition of chicken producer Daybreak from Afgri on behalf of black investors in May 2015. Details of that investment, which was one of the PIC's 250 unlisted investments, were made public in 2016 due to determined efforts by the DA's David Maynier. The detailed list of investments revealed generally low levels of return. Industry sources say Daybreak is under considerable pressure due to the drought-induced increase in input costs and of imports. At last week's ANC national executive committee lekgotla, secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said the government should buy poultry farms that were being closed. Industry insiders say there is scope for transformation at Distell where top management is dominated by white men. Source: Business Day The 10th Growing Economies Project Finance Forum met in Cape Town last week, bringing developers and financiers together to discuss how best to move African energy programmes forward in the face of current global political and economic headwinds. Commodity prices may be firmer, but there are still practical issues, which are responsible for the sombre mood. But theres still optimism about greener, more sustainable energy mix, said Christopher Marks, head of emerging markets, corporate banking, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. Source: Tanesco Power Africa Andrew Hercowitz, coordinator, Power Africa said despite the contradictions of Trump administration, he doesnt foresee many affecting Power Africa. Launched three years ago by the US government, Power Africa has access to a lot of tools, including the World Bank. We are able to direct partners to all these tools. Initially we thought, the projects would be largely government subsidised, but were also facilitating private investment. Were going to have allies in this administration, our job is to show results. He said that since its inception, Power Africa had provided 57,000MW of power and 8,6m connections on the continent. But we cant celebrate yet, the investment is still small and the installations are mostly solar lanterns, he said. Tanzanias approach Tanzania has taken a different route with power supply and the state-owned Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) is involved in generation, transmission and distribution. Felchesmi Mramba, former managing director of Tanesco explained that when restructuring the utility, the assets were separated into the respective streams. Were looking at other restructuring, such as unbundling. The only thing is how slow this process is moving. Tanzania only has two independent power producers, and both have been there for more than a decade. The energy sector needs a lot of investment especially when looking at the 7% growth predicted for the economy. However, when we look at pace at which projects are growing, especially those run by the government, progress is slow, he said. By 2020, Tanzania will need 4,800MW. "Demand for power is going to grow very fast and current government programmes wont be able to match demand. We need a combination of approaches, such as private sector investments as well as public private partnerships," he said. John Yoo authored the "Torture Memos" which provided the government with legal advice on getting away with torturing prisoners. Whenever the media needs someone to exemplify "conscious amorality in support of state power," he's our man. Writing in the New York Times, though, he thinks Trump is "running amok." after the order was issued, his adviser Rudolph Giuliani disclosed that Mr. Trump had initially asked for "a Muslim ban," which would most likely violate the Constitution's protection for freedom of religion or its prohibition on the state establishment of religion, or both no mean feat. Had Mr. Trump taken advantage of the resources of the executive branch as a whole, not just a few White House advisers, he would not have rushed out an ill-conceived policy made vulnerable to judicial challenge. Remember: you still have to take a shot when the Times calls it "enhanced interrogation," and drink the whole bottle when Yoo says it. The standoff between the Department of Energy and power utility Eskom looks set to continue for a while, with both sides digging in on their positions on price. Head of the department's independent power producer (IPP) unit Karen Breytenbach said on Thursday, 2 February, that she was optimistic the impasse would soon be overcome. But Eskom is insisting that unless producers are willing to reduce the prices agreed on with the department, the utility will not be able to connect them to the grid. Eskom has refused to sign more power purchase agreements since July 2016 on the grounds that the programme costs too much, especially in the current context of an electricity supply surplus. Breytenbach addressed the Growing Economies Energy Forum saying, "we are very close to that point where we will see change. I am fairly upbeat about the situation". There was enough political support for the deadlock to be overcome, she said. Breytenbach did not believe the government should proceed with its gas programme until the impasse between Eskom and the IPPs had been resolved. She said the department was of the view that the power utility was acting against the law in refusing to sign on the renewable energy projects in the fourth bid window. "Our law is very clear. If the minister has made a determination and [the National Energy Regulator of SA] has concurred and there was a procurement process that was run according to constitutional requirements, then Eskom must sign." In January, the South African Renewable Energy Council said IPPs that were waiting for Eskom to sign power purchase agreements were entitled to approach the courts to force it to do so. It believed Eskom was bound by the minister's determination and that Eskom had no right to set new conditions. But Eskom spokesman Khulu Phasiwe said Eskom would sign the outstanding 38 power purchase agreements if the prices were reduced. Only a few of the producers had been willing to reduce the prices they had agreed with the Department of Energy. Of the 102 that remained unsigned in 2016, 64 had been signed, though none of them had been signed on the basis of lower prices. "We are saying to all the partners in the industry that if you are willing to sell to us at about 62c per kWh, then we will sign on without questions as that is the price we can afford. We are willing and ready to sign at 62c per kWh," he said. "If we cannot afford their prices, then I am afraid we cannot continue." Prices of renewable energy in the expedited bid round four reached as low as 62c per kWh. Breytenbach noted that the IPP programme had delivered millions of rand in socioeconomic development. Producers had committed a percentage of their revenue for investment in the communities where their projects were located. Millions of rand had also been invested in small business development; equity shares for blacks and communities had reached 40% and above in bid window four. Breytenbach believed the final versions of the Integrated Resource Plan and Integrated Energy Plan could be ready by as early as June. The public consultation process will run to the end of March. Source: Business Day On 20 January GroundUp reported that rubbish was accumulating in NU8 and the informal settlements of Powerline and Endlovini in Motherwell, Port Elizabeth. The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has since cleaned the area. Before and after: a field in Motherwell covered in rubbish a few weeks ago (left), and the same field (from a different position) on 2 February (right). Photos: Joseph Chirume Municipality spokesperson Mthubanzi Mniki said: We will be launching a programme towards the end of February to focus on illegal dumping. This programme will include awareness, cleaning of illegal dumping sites and giving fines to those who are caught dumping illegally. Long-time resident of Powerline, Akhona (surname withheld), lived alongside one of the dumps that had gone uncleared. She said she was excited that there was no more rubbish around the shacks in her area. We feel safe now because there is no more the sight and smell of rubbish. People should desist from dumping here. There are designated places to dump their rubbish but they prefer this place. We will soon gather and form a committee that would guard this place and prevent people from doing so. Motherwell NU8 resident Damara Kano said he would now revert to using his usual road when going to the shops. The small road was previously blocked by overflowing rubbish posing a health threat to him and other residents. The municipality should enforce dumping laws because people are just throwing their rubbish everywhere which is not good for our health. Rubbish has been ruling the roost in this area for the past two months and its a relief that it has been cleared. We all know that saying that it never rains, it pours. The phrase's origin is unknown but dates back to 1726 (John Arbuthnot) and means when troubles come they come together. Sometimes good things can also bring bad or unintended consequences. The movement out of El Nino into La Nina means that South Africa is benefitting from an increased rainfall pattern, a good thing right? Not if it brings increased hail and localised flooding. Or fall armyworm - it is a known fact that conditions after a period of intense drought promote outbreaks of invasive pests. Powie via pixabay We also forget that weather affects a lot more than just agriculture. Weather patterns and events affect many industries and people's daily jobs or tasks including construction, sport, mining, aviation, tourism, energy demand or usage, infrastructure maintenance, and municipal services. It also increases traffic congestion and the resultant loss of productivity. The drought has an impact that everyone feels through the price of bread and maize meal - it keeps going up. Not to mention fruit and veg. As we saw from the 1-in-75-year drought last year, the weather is one of the largest risks facing producers as it's what determines what will either be a good, bad or indifferent season. Added pressure comes from rand volatility, the cost of imports and government capacity to regulate the sector to the benefit all role players whilst ensuring food security. Armyworm outbreak Back to the armyworm. Originally from South America, it has popped up this season with outbreaks initially in Northern Limpopo and North West, having marched and flown south from Nigeria, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Our very own insect migrants along with locusts, and Quelea birds. According to Johnnie van den Berg, an entomologist at South Africa's North-West University, some farmers have lost 90% of their crop with maize reduced to fields of stalks. Industry sources have said while an armyworm outbreak would be unlikely to push the crop into deficit it could reduce the size of the expected surplus. The ability to monitor this used to be provided by the Agricultural Research Council Plant Protection unit but the funding was cut in 2007. It seems that nobody is really capturing the data or tracking the phenomenon. It would be in the interest of all parties linked to the agricultural value chain to recreate this capacity to enable a timely and efficient response to known outbreaks as well as forecast swarm movement through wind patterns, moisture, and temperature. The same applies to the Red Quelea bird and locust formation, swarms of which destroy hundreds of millions of rands worth of crop every year in South Africa, despite great expense in pest eradication, all with significant environmental damage or trade-offs. To understand more about the El Nino phenomenon, what follows is an extract from an expert on ENSO that provides an excellent review of where we're at. You can find more information about South African weather and its impact on agriculture at ZONESCAN, one of the data platforms developed by eEvolution. The January 2017 ENSO Update indicates that the La Nina is on her way out, and neutral conditions are expected to take over by next month. While shes still hanging around let's take a tour around the world in 80 lines (or so). Starting right in the middle of things The engine of ENSO (El Nino/Souther Oscillation, the whole El Nino and La Nina cycle) is the temperature of the ocean surface in the equatorial central and eastern Pacific. Since late summer 2016, the Nino 3.4 region has been cooler than the long-term average. December was -0.72C below average, a slight uptick relative to the month before. Monthly sea surface temperature in the Nino 3.4 region of the tropical Pacific compared to the long-term average for all years starting off from moderate-to-strong El Nino since 1950, showing how 2016 (blue line) compares to other events. Climate.gov graph based on ERSSTv4 temperature data. We assess ENSO on seasonal timescales, meaning the average over several months. The average for the October December period was -0.8C, so we now have four successive three month periods with an average cooler than the La Nina threshold of -0.5C. Five successive seasons are required to officially qualify as a La Nina event. Forecasters are confident that the November January period will qualify as continuing the La Nina, but predict that the next period, December February, will be warmer, and likely end up in neutral territory (between -0.5C and +0.5C). Nearly all of our computer models forecast this upward trend in the sea surface temperatures, giving confidence to the prediction that our weak La Nina is nearing its end. The store of cooler-than-average water below the surface has dissipated, too. In December, there were still consistent signs of a weak atmospheric response to the cooler equatorial ocean, with reduced cloudiness and rain over the tropical central Pacific, and more over Indonesia. La Nina conditions mean the wind circulation in the tropical Pacific (east-to-west in the lower atmosphere, and west-to-east in the upper atmosphere) is stronger than average, an effect we also saw during December. Further abroad Taking a look at the global ocean map, you can see the small patch of cooler waters that is powering our La Nina is still embedded in a very warm (compared to average) Pacific Ocean. To the north, you can see a horseshoe pattern that resembles the positive phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). Because ENSO can impact sea surface temperatures across the North Pacific Ocean, a positive (warm phase) PDO during La Nina is less common than a negative (cold phase) PDO during La Nina (though, during August-October 2016, the PDO was slightly negative. Average sea surface temperature during October December 2016, shown as departure from the long-term (1981-2010) average. Climate.gov figure from CPC data. Has this La Nina affected global weather and climate over the past few months? Its very tough to point to any one weather or climate event and say that was due to La Nina! There are a lot of different, complex things going on in the atmosphere at any one time, interacting and affecting each other. Its like trying to identify exactly which sneeze is due to the head cold you have, or to a random bit of dust floating through the air. However, we can look at overall patterns and get a lot of information. If youre sneezing a lot more than average, that pattern is probably due to the head cold. Likewise, we have expected outcomes during El Nino and La Nina and we can look at the global maps to see how much the observed patterns resembled the expected. While the peak season of global ENSO impacts in the US is the Northern Hemisphere winter, the late fall has some expected precipitation and temperature impacts, too. (Youll need to mentally swap the colors on the maps at those links, as they show the expected relationships for El Nino. The La Nina relationships are mainly the opposite.) October December 2016 surface temperature patterns, shown as the difference from the long-term mean. Climate.gov figure from CPC data. This past October Decembers precipitation over North America looked quite a lot like the expected La Nina effect: drier over Alaskas southern coast and panhandle, wet in the Pacific Northwest, and drier than average across much of the Southeast. One fairly reliable La Nina impact is dry conditions through Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar, and this region was, in fact, dry during October December. I chatted with staff at the Climate Prediction Centers Africa Desk, and they told me this rainfall deficit has resulted in degraded ground conditions across many areas of these countries. October December 2016 surface temperature patterns, shown as the difference from the long-term mean. Climate.gov figure from CPC data. Most maps of global temperatures are warmer than average these days, as temperatures trend upwards with global warming. Of course, its not warmer everywhere all the time, because of all that complexity I mentioned earlier. The October December 2016 temperature map has a lot of warmer-than-average colors, with some colder areas over northern Asia. ENSO relationships with temperature are not as strong as they are with precipitation, especially during the fall. Northern Asia can be warmer than average during La Nina- opposite of what was observed this past fall - but this is a weak relationship, easily overwhelmed by other climate variabilities. Another La Nina tendency is a continental pattern over North America of cooler northwest/warmer south. This showed up a bit, with the northwest being not actually cool, but somewhat less warmer-than-average. One last thing You may have noticed that some of the long-range computer model forecasts appear to be wandering back up into El Nino territory for the second half of this year. Were not placing a lot of confidence in these forecasts and are favoring ENSO-neutral (~50% chance during August-October 2017), but the remaining odds are not evenly split: we are tilting the odds toward El Nino (~35% chance) over La Nina (15% chance). Forecasts of ENSO made in the winter and early spring has historically not been very skillful (the spring predictability barrier). Also, there are no strong signs right now giving us a good picture of what the summer and fall will look like. A three-year series of El Nino/La Nina/El Nino has only happened once since 1950, in 1963/1964/1965. This doesnt make it impossible that El Nino could develop, but it means that we arent counting on it. One thing you can count on is that well be watching all the ENSO indicators, and keeping you posted on all things ENSO! According to two new studies produces by scientists in collaboration with FAO, wheat rust, which can cause crop losses of up to 100 percent in untreated susceptible wheat, is spreading further in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Highlighted in the journal Nature following their publication by Aarhus University and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the reports show the emergence of new races of both yellow and stem rust in various regions of the world in 2016. Photo by Yue Jin via Wikimedia Commons - Close up of stem rust At the same time, well-known existing rust races have spread to new countries, the studies confirm, underlining the need for early detection and action to limit major damage to wheat production, particularly in the Mediterranean basin. Wheat is a source of food and livelihoods for over one billion people in developing countries. Northern and Eastern Africa, the Near East, and West, Central and South Asia which are all vulnerable to rust diseases alone account for some 37 percent of global wheat production. "These new, aggressive rust races have emerged at the same time that we're working with international partners to help countries combat the existing ones, so we have to be swift and thorough in the way we approach this," said FAO Plant Pathologist Fazil Dusunceli. "It's more important than ever that specialists from international institutions and wheat producing countries work together to stop these diseases in their tracks that involves continuous surveillance, sharing data and building emergency response plans to protect their farmers and those in neighboring countries." Wheat rusts spread rapidly over long distances by the wind. If not detected and treated on time, they can turn a healthy looking crop, only weeks away from harvest, into a tangle of yellow leaves, black stems, and shriveled grains. Fungicides can help to limit damage but early detection and rapid action are crucial. So are integrated management strategies in the long run. Mediterranean most affected by new rusts On the Italian island of Sicily, a new race of the stem rust pathogen called TTTTF hit several thousands of hectares of durum wheat in 2016, causing the largest stem rust outbreak that Europe has seen in decades. Experience with similar races suggests that bread wheat varieties may also be susceptible to the new race. TTTTF is the most recently identified race of stem rust. Without proper control, researchers caution, it could soon spread over long distances along the Mediterranean basin and the Adriatic coast. Various countries across Africa, Central Asia and Europe, meanwhile, have been battling new strains of yellow rust never before been seen in their fields. Italy, Morocco and four Scandinavian countries have seen the emergence of an entirely new, yet-to-be-named race of yellow rust. Notably, the new race was most prevalent in Morocco and Sicily, where yellow rust until recently was considered insignificant. Preliminary analysis suggests the new race is related to a family of strains that are aggressive and better adapted to higher temperatures than most others. Wheat farmers in Ethiopia and Uzbekistan, at the same time, have been fighting outbreaks of yellow rust AF2012, another race which reared its head in both countries in 2016 and struck a major blow to Ethiopian wheat production in particular. AF2012 was previously only found in Afghanistan, before appearing in the Horn of Africa country last year, where it affected tens of thousands of hectares of wheat. "Preliminary assessments are worrisome, but it is still unclear what the full impact of these new races will be on different wheat varieties in the affected regions," said Dusunceli. "That's what research institutions across these regions will need to further investigate in the coming months." To offer support, FAO, in collaboration with its partners, is stepping up its efforts in training rust experts from affected countries to boost their ability to detect and manage these emerging wheat rust races. As new races emerge, old ones continue to spread The already established Warrior(-) race of yellow rust which came onto scientists' radars in Northern Europe and Turkey a few years ago continued its aerial march in 2016 and is now widely present in Europe and West Asia. The Digalu (TIFTTF) race of stem rust continues to devastate wheats in Ethiopia, while the most well-known race of stem rust - the highly potent Ug99 - is now present in 13 countries. Having spread in a northward trend from East Africa to the Middle East, Ug99 has the potential to affect many wheat varieties grown worldwide as it keeps producing new variants. Most recently, it has been detected in Egypt, one of the Middle East's most important wheat producers. International collaboration crucial The findings of the Aarhus study build on training sessions conducted in 2016 in collaboration between the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Aarhus university, CIMMYT, and FAO. The training, which will be repeated this year, allows rust experts to strengthen their surveillance and management skills, coupled with surveys and collection of rust samples for tests and analysis by Aarhus University. The recently established Regional Cereal Rust Research in Izmir, Turkey, will host the training. These efforts have been part of FAO's four-year global wheat rust programme, which facilitates regional collaborations and offers support to individual countries eager to boost their surveillance capacity. It also helps countries act swiftly to control outbreaks before they turn into epidemics and cause major damage to food security. But further research, particularly into breeding resistant varieties, and national response plans need to be backed by adequate resources. FAO, CIMMYT, ICARDA and Aarhus University are working together as members of the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI). A diagnostic report from the Agricultural Research Council, Plant Protection Research Institute (ARC PPRI) confirmed that fall armyworm was positively identified from samples collected in Limpopo. The samples, jointly collected from the ARC Grain Institute and North West University, were caterpillars that had to pupate and emerge as months before positive identification could take place. Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility via Wikimedia Commons - Fall armyworm Fall armyworm (FAW) is a quarantine pest for South Africa which has a wide host range and can affect crops such as maize, sorghum, soybeans, groundnuts, and potatoes. This pest is a good flyer and cannot be contained in a specific area. Damage reported in South Africa so far is mainly on yellow maize varieties and especially on sweetcorn as well as maize planted for seed production. Reports of caterpillar damage have been received mainly from the Limpopo and North West provinces. Emergency response plan in motion The South African Emergency Plant Pest Response Plan is already in motion which deals with new pest detections in South Africa. The actions implemented depend on the pest, the extent of the spread and extent of the damage. Now that there is a positive identification, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (DAFF) will continue with the assessment of spread and damage, awareness actions to provide farmers with accurate technical information and control options. Pheromone traps will be imported into South Africa to determine the exact extent of the spread and the specific strain of FAW present in South Africa. Diagnostic support has been increased to deal with the bulk of sample identification. DAFF is working closely with Provincial Departments of Agriculture and farmers to assess damage on farm level, to determine other hosts affected and to implement roadshows where farming communities are made aware of the pest. Emergency registration of agricultural chemicals As the FAW is a new pest to South Africa, no pesticide was previously registered to be used against it. A process of emergency registration of agricultural chemicals is initiated for urgent registration. Chemical suppliers are, therefore, encouraged to apply for emergency registration of agricultural chemicals to be used on maize and other host plants against Spodoptera frugiperda (FAW). An interim control programme aimed to assist farmers with a guide for pesticide use as an emergency measure is communicated to various role players and it will be available on the DAFF website. Currently, there are products (pesticides) already approved to control Lepidoptera pests in maize and other crops that may be damaged by this pest. The department made calls to all manufacture of pesticides and biological products to submit applications for emergency registration. The objectives are: To amend product labels to include the new pest (armyworm) To have new products registered which were not registered on crops affected, these are new products aimed to manage resistance As from next week, the department will be approving various products where the manufactures have already submitted such applications. It must be noted that the products that have been identified to control the pest are already available in the market, and as such farmers should be able to access them. In the interest of human safety and pest resistance management, the department encourages the use of registered products in terms of the Fertiliser, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies, and Stock Remedies Act, 1947 (Act No. 36 of 1947). The end users should work hand in hand with DAFF, pesticide manufacturers, distributors, co-ops and consultants for technical advice. DAFF has also initiated a plant pest action group which consists of members from several producers associations and industries which may be affected by this pest. The group will meet regularly and progressively determine the way forward to manage this pest. The presence of the pest will be notified on the International Plant Protection Conventions portal in terms of South Africas international pest reporting obligations. SADC member countries will also be notified and regional control measures will be discussed. Crop producers are encouraged to report suspected detection of this pest to the Department. Please report to Jan Hendrik Venter at: 012 319 6384, 072 348 8431 or az.vog.ffad@vkirdnehnaj. Please contact a chemical representative to advise with control options. White-collar crime costs the South African economy a huge amount every year. One expert puts the figure at R930 million a year, and poor conviction rates are estimated to be driving a 50% rise in this kind of crime. White-collar crime is hard to detect and it can be difficult to bring perpetrators to book and recover stolen money or repair the damage caused, says David Loxton, Partner at law firm Dentons SA in Johannesburg, specialising in corporate investigations and compliance. It makes very good business sense to put measures in place to prevent employees from putting your business at risk. Based on his years of experience, Loxton suggests the following tips to stop white-collar crime before it even begins: Screen employees properly and timeously David Loxton, Partner at Dentons SA law firm I am surprised at how often I have been asked to vet a senior employees credentials long after he or she has been appointed, he says. Companies need to be sure that employees have the qualifications they have, and that they have a record of honesty. Maintain a strict segregation of duties It is critical that those approving expenditure or any sort of contract are not those who action them. In tough economic times, when retrenchments occur, it can be hard to maintain proper segregation of duties but, says Loxton, it is a vital safeguard against common types of fraud, such as payments to bogus suppliers or the granting of tenders to family members. Ensure you have a good, anonymous tip-off line Whistle-blowing by employees or customers is one of the primary sources of information about underhanded practices by an organisations employees. Prioritise an internal audit function and make sure it is effective Experience shows that internal auditors, with their inside knowledge of how the company works, are second only to whistle-blowers as identifiers of fraudulent practices. Use powerful software to perform exception monitoring in real time This software is relatively inexpensive and increasingly intelligent. It can flag anomalous activity as it happens, providing an invaluable early-warning system. Provide employees with proper training Even senior executives find it hard to define exactly what constitute fraud or unethical business practices, Loxton says. Understanding what is unacceptable is the essential first step in preventing it from happening and alerting potential whistle-blowers. Develop and manage an ethical culture throughout the company One hears about tone at the top but it is critical that the same note is struck across middle management as well. Employees see and discuss everything, and if any managers do not act ethically, their subordinates will dismiss ethics as window dressing. This may involve some difficult decisions; for example, holding a high performer to the companys ethical standards even though it might mean losing him or her. The Western Cape Education Department has announced the 24 March 2017 as a deadline for applications for enrolment in the provincial schools for 2018. MEC for Education Debbie Schafer said that the department has to set an early deadline for applications because of increasing demand for places in schools in the province. The deadline applies in particular to children who are entering Grade 1 or Grade 8 in 2018 and children who are changing schools. Parents have to apply before the end of the first term of 2017 for 2018 to enable schools to process applications during the second term. The department has to implement measures during the third term to accommodate all children needing places in 2018. Schools started capturing enrolments for 2018 on 30 January 2017, on the system, Schafer explained. He added that school admissions will open on 6 February 2017 for all public schools and will close on 24 March 2017. Schools must inform parents of the outcome in writing of their applications by 3 June 2017. Parents have to confirm acceptance by the end of the second term, 30 June 2017. We urge parents to confirm acceptance by this deadline to avoid double parking, where learners are enrolled at more than one school or appear on several waiting lists. This will make it easier for schools and the department to place learners who relocate unexpectedly at the end of the year, and late arrivals. We cannot guarantee immediate placement for those who apply late, nor places at schools of choice for anybody. It is thus vital that parents apply at several schools and not just one, as there is no guarantee that their child will be accepted at the one they choose, Schafer said. He said the schools were informed of the planned deadlines for 2018 in a circular in September last year. The department on Sunday launched the campaign to remind parents to enrol their children in school for the 2018 school year by 24 March this year. Schafer said the campaign highlights skills needed for certain careers and reminds parents that the future of their children depends on their education. Skills development is a particular focus of the Western Cape Government at the moment, with the introduction of the provinces Apprenticeship Game Changer programme. The campaign began today with a series of radio advertisements featuring children pretending to hold different jobs. Newspaper advertisements will follow the same theme. The department will also advertise online and via various social media. All South Africans travelling to New Zealand and all New Zealanders travelling to South Africa must now apply for the appropriate visas, bringing to an end a ten-year visa-free travel agreement between South Africa and New Zealand. Stefanie de Saude This change, first announced late last year, is reported to have caused confusion among would-be travellers between the two countries. New Zealand media reports quoted would-be holidaymakers as saying they were unsure what documents were needed and were unable to reach the South African High Commission in Wellington for information. The reintroduction of bilateral visa requirements was announced on 19 September 2016, when the New Zealand High Commission informed the South African government of its decision to introduce visa requirements for all South African nationals wanting to travel to New Zealand with effect from 21 November 2016. Reasons for the change, we are informed, were due to: 1. The number of South African visitors who exploit the visa waiver arrangement to visit family and friends in New Zealand, as opposed to travelling to New Zealand for tourism or business purposes; 2. The number of South African visitors who overstayed the three months visas (and/or did not return to South Africa); 3. The number of South African travellers who tried to enter New Zealand with counterfeit or fraudulently obtained South African passports; It should be noted that generally speaking, South Africas visa policy has been based on a principle of reciprocity. However, when Britain announced the withdrawal of visa travels for South Africa (for reasons similar to those cited by New Zealand), South Africa did not reciprocate. This may have been due to tourism considerations since a large number of tourists to South Africa are from the UK. In the case of New Zealand, however, South Africa decided to reciprocate by withdrawing the visa exemption which New Zealand passport holders enjoy, advising that as of 16 January 2017, all New Zealand travellers wishing to travel to South Africa should first acquire a visa from the at South African High Commissions office in Wellington, New Zealand. Any New Zealand passport holder without a valid visa will, therefore, not be allowed entry into South Africa with effect from 16 January 2017. Fortunately for travellers, applying for a visitor visa for a period of up to 90 days is a fairly straightforward process. In law, the processing of this application can take up to 60 days but in reality foreign missions process these applications within a period of 5 30 days on average. As a legal firm specialising in immigration law, De Saude Attorneys can also assist in submitting these short (or long) term visa applications. Accenture Interactive is a prominent new player and innovator in the digital space, and its vote of confidence illustrates the growing influence of the summit in driving digital conversation and the power of digital to achieve notable strategic results. In addition to the Diamond partnership with Accenture Interactive, IAB SA will also enjoy the support of some of SAs corporate heavyweights, including DStv, Gumtree and Old Mutual, which have signed as Platinum partners. Unilever, Tripadvisor and Vodacom will partner as Gold partners. IAB CEO Josephine Buys says, We are proud to partner with Accenture Interactive, and are thrilled at the possibilities this partnership, as well as those with our Gold and Platinum partners, opens for us. The local digital industry is driven, agile and highly responsive to the complexities of the South African market. Each partner is a testament to how far the IAB has come and a vehicle to move us forward as we continue to promote and support digital innovation in our country. Accenture Interactive has disrupted the digital landscape with its diverse offering of service and experience design, marketing, content and commerce capabilities. Combined with the depth of IABs knowledge and breadth of its influence in digital, a partnership between the two will have a major impact on driving digital conversations. Accenture Interactives commitment to the diamond partnership has enabled summit ticket prices to remain the same and for the event to be scaled to reach up to 650 people. People want simple, helpful and personalised experiences available to them in their moment of need, says Gareth Murphy, Accenture Interactive lead. Brands and organisations across the world are prioritising improved customer, employee and citizen experiences powered by digital ecosystems. However, consumers expectations are a moving target, and many companies, despite significant efforts, find it increasingly challenging to stay abreast or even catch up. At Accenture Interactive, we are excited to be part of the IAB Digital Summit and look forward to engaging with the industrys digital leaders on how brands and organisations can lead with digital to create and deliver services that come to life and experiences that delight. The IAB Digital Summit and Bookmark Awards will be held on 16 March at The Galleria in Sandton from 9am until 3pm. Early bird tickets are available until 10 February at R1,690, after which standard, non-member tickets will cost R1,950. It's R1,090 for both the awards and after party, which on its own is R450. Tickets are available on experienceit.co.za. The Dance Umbrella festival programme is out and features over 50 new works, with a strong focus on young artists. Now in its 29th year running, the festival will take place at the Wits Theatre Complex, Braamfontein from 23 February to 5 March. The programme at a glimpse The full programme includes 13 commissioned works, 13 new works and six Johannesburg premieres. Read about some of the works below: Nhlanhla Mahlangus The Workers CHANT at the Workers Museum, Newtown Johannesburg on 23 and 24 February at 19.00. The Workers CHANT celebrates those unsung heroes who built the city of Johannesburg with their bare hands; the black migrant workers who lived in compounds - the Workers Museum was a compound - and also the atrocities experienced by men, women and children during those times. Moeketsi Koena and Gaby Saranouffis Corps at the Wits Downstairs Theatre on 24 and 25 February at 19.00. Corps explores the transporting links that connect the real and the unreal through photography and dance and it creates a link between todays world and the past through the ancestral history of South Africa, Madagascar and France. Trophee - Photo by Beatrix Gyenes Jazzart Dance Theatres new work Space by the artistic director Sifiso Kweyama, at The Wits Theatre on 24 and 25 February at 20.00. This work highlights the choreographers connection to a space he once occupied. He longs for this unrestricted space which allowed him to be free to be himself. Mamela Nyamzas De-Apart-Hate - a potent weapon to make the oppressor understand that he/she is human and not superior over other human beings; the work is a discourse that starts with the struggles of South Africa as a nation without dwelling on race and ideology, at the Wits Amphitheatre on 24 and 25 February at 21.00. De-Apart-Hate was created in residency at the University of Maryland at The Clarice Performing Arts Centre, Washington USA. The Fringe Programme on Sunday 26 February at 10.00 at the Wits Theatre will feature nearly 30 new works from young choreographers. The programme includes Julia Burnham (Vuyani Dance Company), Thembinkosi Puwane (Eastern Cape), Qiniso Zungu and Teresa Mojela and promises to be a discovery of new and exciting contemporary dance and performance. The South African born choreographer Rudi van der Merwes installation work Trophee, on 25 and 26 February at 15.00 on the field at the National School of the Arts, is an outdoor performance with a strong affinity to visual and land art and with a reference to the submission of women (trophy wife), of nature (hunting trophy) and the other by means of war throughout history. On Tuesday, 28 February and Wednesday, 1 March at the Wits Theatre at 19.00, a Triple bill will feature Moving into Dance Mophatongs Oscar Buthelezi and Sonny Boy Motaus new works: Stuck Souls (Buthelezi) reflects on the world today as it becomes lost in waste and asks How do we stop this? and I am NoT (Motau) speaks to self-discovery and venturing into new and unknown spaces within ourselves: both body and mind, and Vuyani Dance Theatres Lulu Mlangeni with the solo Page 27. Also on 28 February at the Wits Downstairs Theatre at 20.00, Songezo Mcilizeli will premiere Perspective. Perspective generates imagery framed within socio-political themes; it commits to exploring diverse culture and evolution and it investigates everyday life scenarios, constantly re-creating the imagery via the body. Other works to look out for include Lucky Keles Dawn; Fana Tshabalala and Constanza Macras/Dorky Parks In The Heart of the Country; Gaby Saranouffi, Desire Davids and Edna Jaimes LADY, LADY; Kieron Jina and Marc Philipp Gabriels Down to Earth; Alan Parkers Detritus for One; Kirvan Fortuins When they Leave; and Tamara Ossos Tutu. Closing the festival on Sunday, 5 March is the Young Artists Programme where six young choreographers will present new works. Go to www.danceforumsouthafrica.co.za for more information on the Dance Umbrella programme. In addition to the jam-packed programme the festival will also host, between February 27 and March 4, a series of Master Classes at the Hillbrow Theatre Dance Studio which will be facilitated by selected choreographers and therell also be the popular Face to Face conversations with choreographers, says the artistic director, Georgina Thomson. Dance Umbrella 2017 is funded by the Mzansi Golden Economy Fund, Department of Arts and Culture; the Gauteng Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture and the National Arts Council. Other partners include the French Institut South Africa; Goethe Institut Johannesburg; Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia; Splitbeam; Outreach Foundation; Wits Theatre and Creative Feel Magazine. Booking options Tickets from R20 to R120 are available from Computicket 083 915 8000 or www.computicket.com or call 011 492 2033 to reserve tickets. For block booking discounts and programme updates, please call 011 492 2033 or email az.oc.murofecnad@ofni To book a place for the Master Classes please call Lethabo at 011 492 2033. For updates on the Master Classes go to www.danceforumsouthafrica.co.za. Twitter: @danceumbrellaSA | Facebook: Dance Umbrella Festival Johannesburg | Instagram: Dance_Umbrella_SA In 2009, then-PM Vladimir Putin engineered a Russian ban on slot machines in a bid to starve Georgian mafiyeh of funds, the resulting glut of used slots gave Russia's own criminal gangs cheap testbeds to use in a project to reverse-engineer the machines and discover their weaknesses now, Russian gangs roam the world's casinos, racking up careful, enormous scores. The gangs have discovered predictable patterns in the machines' pseudorandom number-generators. They use streaming cellphone video (shot through a mesh cutaway breast-pocket) to allow analysts in St Petersburg to characterize the machines' patterns, then those analysts send quarter-second-delayed buzzes through the phones back to the field-operatives, telling them when to stop the slots' spin to maximize payouts. The crooks take no more than $1,000 from any machine, and it took a long time for casino operators to figure out why their machines were paying out more than statistics predicted they should (early versions of the scam required operators to hold their phones up to machines while playing them, go off for a while, then return a much more obvious hack that allowed for detection). The FBI have arrested some of the alleged operators, at least one of whom is said to be turning state's evidence, and thus providing the means to unravel the scam. However, slot machine operators have no countermeasures apart from surveillance and arrests to keep their machines from being gamed this way. The economic realities of the gaming industry seem to guarantee that the St. Petersburg organization will continue to flourish. The machines have no easy technical fix. As Hoke notes, Aristocrat, Novomatic, and any other manufacturers whose PRNGs have been cracked "would have to pull all the machines out of service and put something else in, and they're not going to do that." (In Aristocrat's statement to WIRED, the company stressed that it has been unable "to identify defects in the targeted games" and that its machines "are built to and approved against rigid regulatory technical standards.") At the same time, most casinos can't afford to invest in the newest slot machines, whose PRNGs use encryption to protect mathematical secrets; as long as older, compromised machines are still popular with customers, the smart financial move for casinos is to keep using them and accept the occasional loss to scammers. Russians Engineer a Brilliant Slot Machine CheatAnd Casinos Have No Fix [Brendan I Koerner/Wired] (Image: SlotsBoom Casino Slot Videos ) Building on its solid growth over the past three years, the South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP) has opened its third campus in the country, in Pretoria. In its first year of operation, the new SACAP Pretoria Campus, which is located in the Brookfield Office Park close to the Brooklyn Mall, is offering the Higher Certificate in Counselling & Communication Skills, Bachelor of Applied Social Science and Bachelor of Social Science Honours (Psychology) qualifications. In line with Cape Town and Johannesburg, classes will be kept small to ensure the close interaction between students and educators that underpins SACAPs educational approach. The campus is accessible from the Gautrain and includes a library, as well as pause and study areas. The future success of South Africa will depend on our countrys ability to develop a knowledgeable and skilled workforce at a tertiary education level and private institutions need to respond to this challenge with responsibility and seriousness, says Lance Katz, SACAPs CEO. Credible private players are investing heavily in delivering high quality qualifications that are equivalent to the best that the public institutions have to offer. SACAP is one of these. SACAP, a specialist in the training of mental health practitioners to meet the countrys ever-increasing demand for the provision of quality mental health care services, has achieved steady and significant growth. The college also has campuses in Johannesburg and Cape Town, as well as an online offering. From a base of 400 students in 2013, SACAP now has over 1,000 students. The choice of Pretoria as a third campus has been a strategic one, according to SACAP. Our vision is to train knowledgeable and skilled mental health practitioners to meet real needs, Katz points out. We are sensitive to the national mental health landscape so that we expand our offering accordingly. Our experience in expanding to Johannesburg highlighted the substantial demand for SACAPs offering in Gauteng. It has therefore, been a logical progression to now establish the new Pretoria campus in proximity to our well-established Johannesburg one. To find out more visit: www.sacap.edu.za/pretoria-campus/ Serial entrepreneur Tiisetso Maloma touches on the dark side of entrepreneurship: depression. He shares his learning that while anxiety defeats creativity, the inverse is also true as creativity defeats anxiety. Maloma in gabble heights clothing. While it has its advantages, entrepreneurship can be highly stressful. In fact, its one of the toughest careers in the world, says Tiisetso Maloma. Its unpredictable and fraught with plans falling through, which is all the worse when youre not employed by an anonymous corporate but fending for yourself in the business wilds. Thats why Maloma says entrepreneurs are more prone to mental pains and lifetime prevalence of depression than the general population. But its not all bad news. In his fourth and latest book, The Anxious Entrepreneur, Maloma shares his personal experiences with anxiety and how entrepreneurs can actively defuse career anxieties and rather harness that anxiety and stress to enhance their creativity, while also touching on the all-important need for marketing and branding as an entrepreneur. Simmering anxiety down to creative success On his personal wild entrepreneurship journey, Maloma has founded businesses like Bula Buka and Startup Picnic and others across the clothing, publishing and IT industries, with lots of failure along the way. It all started after university 10 years ago when he sold graphic design services at a company registered as At Large Communications. He didnt do the design himself, instead he would hire an actual graphic designer for a client. Over time he taught himself graphic and web design, and while he admits he wasnt the best, he could make, good enough logos and Wordpress websites, with several entities still carrying the logos he designed for them. Later on he hustled to distribute a new local brand at the time called I am Kool Kid, with a relative, Mohlomi Matlala. Founded by Antonio Skele, they sold from the boot and also got it into few shops as they were marketing the heck out of the in-your-face t-shirts. By merely walking around wearing the t-shirts, we would get sales. We therefore made sure we were seen at most college events, Maloma explains, adding that they made it popular in Pretoria, especially around Hatfield; and also in Newtown and Auckland Park in Johannesburg. In 2010, he founded clothing label Gabble Heights with friend Lesiba Lekgau, which was themed along the lines of high-end brands like Diesel. He also formed street brand Rural Joss Clothing with Promise Sepudumo and Ntshirile Bapela, at a time when he held accounting freelance jobs and other odd jobs to finance many of these entrepreneurial projects and others. Then, the time came for him to leave all his other jobs to concentrate on the clothing lines, which didnt pick up financially. I was devastated. I was broke. I had to move home. I was depressed. I closed them down, and that is when the idea to write my first book Forget the Business Plan Use this Short Model came. Writing from the (anxious) heart of entrepreneurial experience From there, he also wrote Township Biz Shorttrack and Tales of an African Entrepreneur. Focusing on his latest book, Maloma tapped into his personal experience with the anxiety brought about by not achieving goals, which often leaves you unable to be creative in solving problems and steering progress. Thats a problem because: Creativity isnt only for the arty. Creativity means you are being productive, which means you know what to do at that point and you are doing it. Creativity equals productivity. The Anxious Entrepreneur: Anxiety defeats creativity, creativity defeats anxiety. As a result, all the stories and chapters in his latest book connect to unzoning from anxiety, then into creativity and productivity with tips like how to set up your day so that it is robust against anxieties that are brought about by a days ever-changing mood. As Maloma believes creativity is sanity, he says, You need to fuel and inspire it. Take a walk. Read a book. Rest. Exercise. Be curious and inquisitive. Hang out with healthy and inspiring people. Thats because creativity is how you solve problems, create things and form ways for propelling progress. We do this by withdrawing from our experience bank, so its good to keep depositing into your personal experience bank by doing the above-mentioned things to ensure youre enriched with many probable ideas to solve problems and create things. If you feel stuck, Maloma says this is normal you need to rest and or partake in hobbies as thats when your mind settles and the information youve collected over time starts connecting and different ways of steering progress emerge. Take that business idea out for coffee before you blow your savings on dinner If youre thinking of taking the plunge giving up your current full-time work to test the wings of an entrepreneurial idea, Maloma says to test in small portions, likening the concept to an analogy of finding a life partner in the cheapest way: Say you're looking for a partner and you're interested in three people. To get to know them better and choose the one you like most, you'd plan to take all of them out; of course on separate dates. Lets say a dinner date costs R500. A date with all three would thus cost a total of R1,500 and you'd go on a second date with the one you like most at another R500. This way sums up to R2,000. Malomas alternative is to first take the three candidates out for coffee, say at a cost of R150 each. This adds up to just R450, instead of the R1,500 of the original scenario a saving of R1,050. Then you'd only take your favourite of the three on a dinner date at a cost of R500. The sum is now R950 instead of R2000, so you'd save R1050 in total. This is how it goes in business, says Maloma: You take it out for coffee before a date, meaning you test a business venture with minimum capital outlay so that if it goes sour, you havent lost a huge amount on the dream. All four books use similar scenarios to depict Malomas own pain points as an entrepreneur. They are like my own manifesto of how I will be doing things going forward in hindsight, he says. Thats sound business sense for any entrepreneur. Click here for your copy of The Anxious Entrepreneur and follow him on Twitter to learn from Malomas experiences. Lufthansa has partnered with Cape Town graffiti artists Lyle Dolman and Mathew Schafer from Arts Alternative to create a series of temporary art installations to celebrate the airline's love for the Mother City. In anticipation of Lufthansa's February global media campaign to promote the city, immersive graffiti installations have been painted on three buildings in some of Cape Town busiest commercial areas - Claremont, St Georges, and Woodstock - all carrying the hashtag #LHCityoftheMonth. Claremont In December 2016 Lufthansa celebrated the inaugural non-stop route between Cape Town and Frankfurt, significantly expanding the groups operations in South Africa and Southern Africa. "By partnering with Arts Alternative we are tapping into the local lifestyle and culture of the city, said Jolanta Slomkowski, brand manager South Africa for Lufthansa. Travellers identify with brands that fit their lifestyle in culturally relevant ways, and Lyle and Mathews graffiti installations are a wonderful expression of the soul of the city. Slomkowski goes on further to explain that the installations have pulled inspiration from the citys beautiful landscape and culture, incorporating our chosen artists unique interpretations for the local community and international travellers to enjoy. St.Georges Cape Town is popular among international tourists for its distinguished attractions for tourists, while the citys urban art has gained international acclaim for its ability to make powerful and socially insightful statements. Through the campaign, Lyle and Mathew have brought art to life with unique works of art on a grand scale showcasing Lufthansas dedication to the Mother City in a unique and engaging way. Lyle says, this is the single biggest opportunity for Arts Alternative so far to showcase what we can do. However, the opportunity is twofold; we get to show the painting, designing and advertising capabilities of Art Alternative on a world stage, and we are able to promote Lufthansas new direct flight between Frankfurt and Cape Town in a way that relates to the bold design and advertising stance that Cape Town and South Africa is known for. Woodstock On whether Capetonians will welcome this type of street art installation, Mathew says, absolutely. Cape Town has always been known to be at the forefront of South Africas design and creativity industry. Therefore, it's most fitting to have a campaign of this type run in Cape Town. In my opinion, Lufthansa has become a benchmark of what brands can accomplish in a bold fashion that resonates well with a local targeted audience. Lufthansa's city of the month In addition, the Lufthansa central marketing team in Frankfurt has chosen Cape Town as its city of the month in February, dedicating all its media channels to highlighting the Mother Citys beauty and attractions. For the month of February, Cape Town will be featured on the Lufthansa websites travel guides, the city will be featured within the Lufthansa in-flight magazine, and will be promoted through its social media channels that have over 2,3 million Facebook, over 530,000 Instagram, and over 300,000 Twitter followers. Cape Town will feature alongside some of other major international cities to be promoted in 2017. Previously profiled cities in 2016 included Amsterdam, Lisbon, Tokyo, Budapest, as well as Munich, which was featured as January 2017s city of the month. Wesgro CEO Tim Harris said: As the official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape we are excited by the increase in visitors and business the newly-launched Lufthansa direct flight between Frankfurt and Cape Town has helped us generate. Bookings to Cape Town from some major German regions grew by an estimated 30% last year and Lufthansas new direct route is going a long way to help us meet this demand, and grow economic relations with Germany. This all-year route is also supported by a Munich flight in our summer season, and Wesgro looks forward to welcoming the new influx of German visitors and business." Andre Schulz, general manager Southern Africa for Lufthansa concludes, Lufthansa is exceptionally proud of its Cape Town routes, and we are excited to be profiling the Mother City and its exceptional beauty to more international travellers. We are confident that our already popular Frankfurt to Cape Town route will grow in popularity, and we are happy to be the airline of choice for those eager to explore the many attractions and curious corners of this exceptional city. February is a going to be a busy month for Vicinity Media. The growing mobile advertising network recently opened its third regional office in Cape Town (after Johannesburg and Dubai). The office will be run by CEO and co-founder Daryl van Arkel and co-founder Charles Talbot. Nabeel Harron - Business Development/Cape Town Joining Daryl and Charles in Cape Town is digital sales heavyweight Nabeel Harron. Nabeel brings a wealth of digital experience, most recently at Mediamark, and will head up Vicinitys new business efforts in the Cape. As well as servicing the Cape Town media industry the Cape Town office will house Vicinitys tech team. February also sees new staff at Vicinitys JHB headquarters as Nicolas Putter becomes the fourth member of the Vicinity Ad Ops team. On the publisher side eNCA and Business Day have joined the Vicinity network as well as a number of new IOL titles such as the Cape Argus, Business Report and Isolezwe. On Safer Internet Day, 7 February 2017, a multi-organisation partnership will spread the word of cyber risks under the theme, Be the change: Unite for a better Internet'. The Film and Publication Board (FPB), the Hawks, Facebook, Unisa, Google SA and Media Monitoring Africa will engage citizens in Mafikeng in the North West province. The collaboration will see organisations raise awareness on cyber safety issues, particularly amongst youth and join forces to combat piracy of counterfeit DVDs. Each year the FPB partners with key organisations as part of its awareness-raising efforts to promote a safer internet for all users, especially young people. This year we are excited and pleased to have the Hawks, Facebook and Unisa on board for the first time. These are critical partners and with Facebook being a popular social media platform with youth, we can continue to educate young people, parents and community members effectively about responsible online behaviour. Coupled with this, we will also be hosting a Walkathon around the Mafikeng community to mobilise community members and implore them to join the FPB and partners in ensuring a safer internet for all, says Jane Raftopoulos, manager communications and public education at the FPB. The FPB chairs the SID Committee in South Africa, where we will be one of over 100 countries worldwide marking the day with various activities. An added element this year will be the combating of piracy with the Hawks. Through collaborations with the FPB, we aim to combat piracy across the country, says major-general Linda Mbana of the Hawks. In 2016, we invited the FPBs Compliance Monitoring Unit to a joint operation in Mafikeng to enforce compliance. This resulted in seven cases being opened with seven people arrested for contravening the Films and Publications Act and 1,326 DVDs confiscated, with a street value of R132,000. We are looking forward to working with the FPB in other provinces to conduct anti piracy exercise and to educate communities about the need for them to be responsible and not purchase illegal content that is distributed physically or online. FPBs research shows that digital streams of media distribution and consumption are gaining popularity in South Africa. Internet access is itself a driver of these trends, which is also available through mobile devices including smartphones. Findings of research conducted by the FPB in Mafikeng showed that 51% of the population has access to the internet. In other research conducted in four provinces, including Mafikeng, findings showed that the rate of availability of smartphones amongst learners is 90%. Therefore, vigilance is critical by parents, teachers and guardians and they must monitor internet usage by youth in their care. For more information, go to www.saferinternetday.org. Subscribe to daily business and company news across 19 industries SUBSCRIBE Rich countries have low birthrates (in part because they have more rights for women, and women who can control their bodies and fates choose to have fewer children on average than women who live in poor countries with fewer rights for women); Japan, one of the most xenophobic of all the rich countries, has the killer combination of a near-total ban on immigration from poor countries (where all the young people are) and a high standard of living. That's some of the subtext of all those "caring robots" we see being demoed by Japanese R&D labs: "We would rather have robots change our parents' diapers than nurses from the Philippines." The decline in the Japanese population a million people over five years is the first population decline since Japan began its census in 1920. Japanese officials, who have trudged down an increasingly nationalistic path in recent years, have touted the country's homogeneity. Accordingly, immigration has been limited, and the foreign population, as Joshua Keating points out, is only 2 percent. That isn't expected to change dramatically soon, either. According to the government, 40 percent of the country will be 65 years or older by the year 2060. Land of the Falling Son [Adam Chandler/The Atlantic] (via Super Punch) (Image: life passes by, Tinou Bao, CC-BY) Waterstones was at death's door when it was purchased by Russian billioniare Alexander Mamut, who hired James Daunt an investment banker who'd founded the successful, six-store Daunt Books to run the chain. Daunt shut down the least profitable stores which everyone expected but then did something remarkable: he ended the practice of ordering books and setting up promotions through national buyers, and devolved the authority for this to the store managers. The managers were empowered to promote the books of their choosing, allowed to put any books in the store windows (the chain had previously sold national window-access to publishers for 27m/year). Additionally, they would be told to promote a small list of books chosen by the chain execs but these selections would be merit-based, rather than being sold to the highest bidder. Returns of unsold books from the stores plummeted from "far higher" than 15% to 2-3% today. The stores stopped selling Kindles, and has gone from a 4.5m loss in 2014-5 to a 9.8m pretax profit in the year to 30 April 2016. I recently spent a day in London doing a pre-publication mini-tour for my upcoming novel Walkaway and stopped in at a good selection of both Waterstones and Daunt Books shops, and I can affirm that both have attained a very high standard of bookseller quality. As a recovering bookseller myself, and a frequently touring author besides, I've seen a lot of bookstores from every angle, and I was hugely impressed with the transformation of Waterstones since the last time I'd spent much time in them. Among his booksellers, there is a palpable sense of civic mission. Jane Skudder, of Yorkshire's Bradford branch, which is atmospherically housed in the former Victorian Wool Exchange, says: "You have to look at the history of the last 10-12 years: we've had riots and by the late 2010s there was a big hole in the ground where the new shopping centre was going to be. I think Bradford has got its pride back. It spent a long time trying to be Leeds, and now it's remembered how to be Bradford." In bookselling terms, being Bradford involves lots of poetry and maths books, washed down with Yorkshire tea and locally produced Yorkshire scallywags ("posh scones to you and me"). Jordan Ellenberg's How Not to be Wrong: The Hidden Maths of Everyday Life has been a big seller, while the launch of a debut thriller from local pharmacist turned "Bradford noir" pioneer AA Dhand drew more than 100 people. Plans are now in hand to capitalise on the route of the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race in April by selling tickets for charity to watch the peloton streak past from the arched windows at the back of the store. Eighty miles north, in the small market town of Yarm, the manager of one of Waterstones' newest and smallest shops is catering for a very different sort of clientele. "We're a rural community and we're quite dog-friendly," says its 27-year-old manager, Michael Howlett, who heads a team of three. A picture book called Oi Dog! is a current in-store favourite as is Horses, Heifers and Hairy Pigs, the second volume of memoirs from Yorkshire vet Julian Norton. Balancing the books: how Waterstones came back from the dead [Claire Armitstead/The Guardian] (Image: The Bookseller) Police raided the house of Corri Mullah, aged 26, at 2:00 am on February 2 and found the illegal stash of 194,250 tablets stashed in the spare wheel of a Mitsubishi Pajero car. However, the house owner, Corri Mullah, escaped. A 30-year -old man Mar Mauk Calsin from Maungni village was detained. He claimed Corri Mullah was preparing to transport the drugs to Kyain Chaung, paying 100,000 kyat for transport. Police are continuing to investigate the case. Myanmar is a major producer of illegal methamphetamine tablets, many of which are exported to neighbouring countries, most notably Thailand. One of the first facts you learn as a student of New York City history is that Wall Street, that canyon of tall buildings and center of the American financial world, is named for an actual wall that once stretched along this very spot during the days of the Dutch when New York was known as New Amsterdam. A simplistic but colorful view of Man Mados or New Amsterdam in 1664 (click in to inspect the detail) There was most definitely a walled fortification nearby on New Amsterdams northern boundary, and it certainly did stretch along about the same area as Wall Street does today. But the present name seems to be a formation of mixed meanings that only a tangle of languages and hundreds of years of history can create. The Dutch themselves referred to an actual street alongside the waterfront that ran up to and alongside the wallA as the Cingel according to an old history, meaning exterior, or encircling, street. ButA De Waal Straat, as it was also known, was also the center of a small Walloon community in New Amsterdam, and some believe the name comes from them. The Walloons were French-speaking Belgians who were among the first European settlers, arriving in the New World as part of a contingent hired by the Dutch West India Company. A map of New Amsterdam, indicating the layout from about 1644, well before a wall was constructed. The real reasons for New Amsterdam building its famous wall are also up for grabs. Its commonly held that anA originalA wooden palisade was erected in 1644 in defense of Indian attacks, and certainly the residents of New Amsterdam did their part to rile the anger of the native landowners. Below: A fanciful illustration from HarpersA Magazine, 1908, imagining New Amsterdam and the construction of the original wall. But the Dutch had been living at the tip of Manhattan for over 25 years by the time the sturdier wall was built in 1653. In truth, it was commissioned to keep out a different sort of enemy. Youll be pleased to know that one-legged director-general Peter Stuyvesant was the man who ordered the construction of the wall in his words, to surround the greater part of the city with a high stockade and small breastwork to replace theA inadequate wooden barrier that had previously marked the citys northern borderA . A model of New Amsterdam made in 1933, clearly showing how sudden the city borders stopped thanks to the wall. This was an incredibly important year for New Amsterdam in two respects. In February 1653, New Amsterdam was chartered as a official Dutch city. Although Stuyvesant was quite against the outpost receiving such official recognition, he eventually took advantage of it, appointing the first town council himself rather than putting it up to such trivial inconveniences as elections. But in 1653 the tides of the motherland spilled onto their shores, as the war between England and the Netherlands threatened the remote and undefended new city. The Dutch intended to launch ships from New Amsterdam harbor in battle against the English. As a result, the English colonies up north were sure to retaliate, either by sea or, feared Stuyvesant, over land, possibly teaming with hostile Indian forces, down through undefended Manhattan island. Essentially, the wall that helped give us Wall Street was built because Stuyvesant feared attacks not just from Indian tribes, but from the European colonies of Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Haven! Looking at this more well known map of New Amsterdam the Costello Plan of 1660 one can see the two gates very clearly. Stuyvesant called upon the 43 richest residents of New Amsterdam to provide funding to fix up the ailing Fort Amsterdam and to construct a stockade across the island to prevent attacks from the north, while it took New Amsterdams most oppressed inhabitants slave labor from the Dutch West India Company to actually build the wall. The barrier was constructed out of earth, rock, and 15 feet timber planks sold to the Dutch, ironically enough, by theA notoriousA Englishman Thomas Baxter. In a turnabout that one would expect from hiring your enemy, Baxter later led a group ofA Rhode Island maraudersA and pirated Dutch fishing ships. Early in the 1660s, the Dutch upgraded its wall to include brass cannons and two sturdy gates one at todays intersection of Wall and Broadway (for land), the other at Wall and Pearl Street (according to an early account, a water gate and access to a river road). Below: A detail from a map of New Amsterdams eastern side, clearly showing the water gate, and a illustration from 1908 of that eastern gate: The British took over New Amsterdam in 1664 and renamed it New York, but the wall still remained, becoming more a relic than a serious defense. By the turn of the century, the fear of land attacks had almost completely subsided and the city was beginning to feel crowded. So in 1699 the wall was torn down with some of the material salvaged to help construct a new City Hall at the corner of Nassau Street and the newly cristened Wall Street. In 1711 a slave market was built on Wall Street along the eastern shore, remaining there until 1762. When the British were forced out in 1783 by the Americans, the City Hall building was finally renamed Federal Hall the first official center of American government. A plaque honoring the old wall sits today at the corner of Wall and Broadway, where the gate to the city once opened: NEW DELHI (PTI): As many as 73 defence deals amounting to Rs 72,303 crore were signed with local vendors in the past two years in line with the NDA government's flagship "Make in India" programme, Lok Sabha has been informed. MoS Defence Subhash Bhamre in a written reply in the House on Friday said the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) focuses on achieving the "Make in India" vision by according priority to buy Indian designed, developed and manufactured equipment over foreign. "In the past two financial years, 2014-15 and 2015-16, 73 contracts amounting to Rs 72,303.34 crore were signed with Indian vendors. "In the same period, 85 cases amounting to Rs 1,60,362 crore were accorded 'Acceptance of Necessity' by Defence Acquisition Council under buy and make Indian category," he said. He said the Dhirendra Singh Committee, set up to evolve a policy framework for facilitating "Make in India" within the purview of the DPP and streamline the procurement process, has recommended a "strategic partnership model" for creating capacity in the private sector on a long-term basis. Replying to another question, the minister said 72 contracts/agreements amounting to Rs 1,29,918.19 crore were signed for procurement of defence equipment from foreign countries, including for 36 Rafale fighter jets from France, over the last three financial years and the current year. In addition, 111 contracts involving a total value of Rs 94,020.67 crore were signed with Indian vendors for procurement of defence equipment in the same period. Answering another query, he said since opening of defence manufacturing for local private sector in May 2001, so far 342 industrial licences have been issued to 205 Indian companies. "However, after the launch of Make in India programme in September 2014, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) have issued 116 industrial licences for manufacture of various licenseable defence items. "So far 53 licenced companies, covering 92 licences, have reported commencement of production," Bhamre said, adding that as per the current policy, industrial licence is valid for 15 years and expandable up to 18 years. "During the period, companies are required to commence their commercial production. However, commencement of commercial production by the companies depends upon the business opportunities available to them," he added. Replying to another question, Bhamre said the government has given in-principle approval for strategic disinvestment to the extent of 26 per cent of the government shareholding in BEML Limited. NEW DELHI (PTI): A key committee set up by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to suggest ways to restructure the acquisition wing will submit its report this week which will pitch in for a separate set up for defence procurement. The panel was set up in May last year by Parrikar following recommendations of the Dhirendra Singh Committee, which had given inputs for the new Defence Procurement Policy. It was headed by Vivek Rae, who had served as the director general (acquisition) in the Defence Ministry. However, he quit as the chief in November last year following disagreement on key issues with other members of the panel which included former Financial Advisor to the Defence Ministry Amit Cowshish, Air Marshal (retd) N V Tyagi, Lt Gen (retd) A V Subramanian, IIM professor Pritam Singh and Defence Ministry officials J R K Rao and Sanjay Garg. Parrikar had in February last year said government is "actively considering" a separate set up for defence acquisition. Ministry sources said the panel's report is final and will be submitted this week. The Dhirendra Singh Committee has proposed "Dedicated Procurement Organisation Outside The Government Of India Ministry Structure" in a report submitted in 2015. It had said the procurement executive, as now established, is a result of the recommendations of the group of ministers post Kargil war and is one of the institutions created as part of the reorganisation of the higher defence management structures. "It has now functioned for more than a decade. Like any organisation it has its strength and weaknesses. It is our recommendation that the time is ripe for it to undergo a second set of reforms. "Its main drawback is that it essentially performs line functions whilst being embedded in a larger structure, which is designed to perform staff functions," the report had said. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 06/02/2017 (2098 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Not everyones cheering last weeks announcement that the federal government plans to negotiate a countrywide settlement with those affected by the 60s Scoop. While he remains open to the possibility that it might end up leading to positive things, Stewart Garnett remains skeptical. Garnett joined fellow 60s Scoop product Priscilla Meeches in filing a motion with Winnipegs Court of Queens Bench last year seeking $250 million in damages related to Canadas historic practice of taking indigenous youths and putting them into primarily white households. The class-action lawsuit will continue, Garnett confirmed over the weekend, with Meeches and himself continuing to serve as its lead plaintiffs. Garnett said that he expects to get news on the status of their effort in the near future. Meanwhile, the federal governments pledge to negotiate a countrywide settlement seems suspicious, Garnett said. Its a move, he said. It gets everyone happy with a false sense of something, and then the rule in the business book is to come at the case with a low-ball offer. While everyones all giddy and chatting on Facebook about the announcement, Garnett said that hes not taking the bait. On March 19, 1974, Garnett a member of Long Plain First Nation was taken as a newborn into the child welfare system and placed with a non-aboriginal foster home in Brandon. Only spending the first year of his life in the Wheat City, Garnett doesnt remember anything, but was able to find a newspaper story from the day that celebrated his subsequent adoption to another non-aboriginal family. The real names of those involved was not used, which ties into the ongoing challenge that many 60s Scoop kids faced in trying to track down their families. His adoptive family relocated to the United States, eventually to California, where he remained until June 3, 2015, when he relocated to Winnipeg, where he now works as a bartender. Within a couple weeks of his return to Manitoba, then-premier Greg Selinger issued a formal apology for the 60s Scoop. Garnett reflected on this apology as a well-timed affirmation of what hed been working on with lawyers in the background for years, and which he continues working on. While the class-action lawsuit would carry a financial toll, he said that its not really about the money. He said that seeing people on social media demand various amounts of money from the government as restitution for the 60s Scoop makes him shake his head. Throwing money at the problem wont make it go away, he said. The 60s Scoop has taken its toll, he said something that he looks at through a unique, but not disconnected, lens. A product of the 60s Scoop, Garnett said that his upbringing in California was one of privilege and great love from his adoptive parents, which isnt something all 60s Scoop kids can say. Even so, going through life without a culture was difficult, and he said that he found himself bouncing off of other peoples cultures his whole life. It wasnt until he was 30 that he found out he was aboriginal. On returning to Manitoba, he was still seen as an outsider due to his upbringing, disconnected from his indigenous culture. His story is unique, but its underling drivers are shared among many of those affected by the 60s Scoop. Its black and white, he said. We lost our culture, we lost our language and Canada didnt follow up and help us out. Money alone wont fix this, he said, adding that while he doesnt have a clear-cut solution, he does have a vision. My goal is plain and simple, to just make things better to give our First Nations people a better quality of life; to help them out, he said, adding that results-driven programming might be the best means of directing these efforts. Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett hasnt provided any details on her pledge to negotiate a countrywide settlement. For his part, Garnett has been left waiting on the legal processes that he helped put in motion. Then, he said, itll be time for me to roll up my sleeves and get down and dirty in going after this case. tclarke@brandonsun.com Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 06/02/2017 (2098 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Whenever they read a sad or tragic story in The Brandon Sun, volunteers Judi Janzen and Val Robertson see an opportunity to help those who have been negatively impacted. The duo co-ordinate the Westman chapter of Project Linus Manitoba, a registered charity that provides handmade blankets to children in times of distress or need. Named after the Peanuts cartoon character Linus, who carries a security blanket around with him at all times, the intent is for these blankets to help comfort children and youths when facing hardship. Tyler Clarke/The Brandon Sun Brandons Project Linus co-ordinators Val Robertson and Judi Janzen, from left, are seen with some of the non-profit organizations blankets, which they give out to those in need. Both co-ordinators are stepping down and are seeking replacements. More than 50 local area blanketeers feed about 350 blankets per year into Westman through their quilting, sewing, knitting and crocheting efforts, with various agencies linking up with the organization. While the organization has grown during its seven years in Westman and is currently in its greatest position yet to help the area community, theyre faced with a couple of challenges that put their future in question. They need space to store their blankets preferably free of charge and two new co-ordinators, with both Janzen and Robertson planning to step down as the organizations co-ordinators. After seven years and some health challenges on Robertsons part, both have decided that nows the time for them to take a backseat and for two new people, with fresh ideas and motivations, to take a leadership role. The organizations needs two co-ordinators, they clarified, noting that its always good to have a backup person in the event one of them is unavailable. Nows a great time for the changing of the guard, Janzen said, noting that its a thriving operation. With everything operating as it should, with one exception, its easier for two new co-ordinators to step in. This one exception relates to storage, with Janzen currently storing as many as 50 plastic tubs of blankets in her home. Home storage was fine in the beginning, when they were only providing about 50 blankets per year, but now that their operation has grown to 350 blankets per year and growing, it has become too much. They need to keep a healthy stock of blankets on tap, since demand ebbs and flows throughout the year. Volunteers provide blankets to everyone from newborns to 18-year-olds, so there are a few different sizes they need to keep in supply. Those with a storage space in mind or interest in taking over as co-ordinator can phone Janzen at 204-725-1577, or email her at judiprojectlinus@gmail.com. Its a rewarding volunteer effort, Janzen said, adding that it helps provide well-intended people with a means of helping those in distress. For me, it embodies the soul of community, she said. I feel like its the perfect gift back to the community. The blankets send a positive message to those who receive them that the community cares, she said. Its so nice to have that opportunity to let them know that the communitys there for them. tclarke@brandonsun.com Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 06/02/2017 (2098 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The landslide south of Wawanesa into the Souris River looks worse than it actually is, Municipality of Oakland-Wawanesa Mayor Dave Kreklewich said on Sunday. A section of riverbank gave out on Tuesday night, nearly blocking the Souris River and severing an MTS cable. MTS services were returned to affected residents the following day, and a narrow channel of the Souris River has continued flowing past the blockage. Jeff Elder/Submitted The riverbank is seen slumping into the Souris River just south of Wawanesa. This narrow channel is wide enough to alleviate any concerns related to the areas water intake, Kreklewich said, clarifying theres still water flowing so theres no problem in that area. While a landslide of this magnitude was unexpected, landslides in general are commonplace in the area. The tall banks of the Souris River have been breaking off for as long as anyone can remember, Kreklewich said. The only difference this time around is that where it usually stops before hitting the river, this time it continued across much of the waterway. High water tables have weakened the shores in recent years and landslides have become more frequent as a result. Dramatic photographs show a nearly plugged river, but Kreklewich clarified that because theres ice involved it looks worse than it actually is. In the hours following the landslide, the municipality got into contact with Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation, whose officials have suggested that it should take care of itself when increased spring flows erode the landslide downstream. Kreklewich said that theyd continue monitoring the situation and would dig the mudslide out if doing so proves necessary. For now, he clarified that theres no immediate concern. tclarke@brandonsun.com Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 06/02/2017 (2098 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. An adoptive mother of a Syrian son, Andrea Oswald found herself lost in the days following the fatal shooting of six people at a Quebec City mosque on Jan. 29. She knew that she had to do something to help out the local Muslim community during this time of grieving, but struggled to pin down what approach to take. She resolved to drop off a bouquet of flowers at the Brandon Islamic Centre, where she was greeted at the door and invited inside with open arms. Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun Muhammad Abidullah, a committee member with the Brandon Islamic Centre, explains some of the verses in the Quran for visitors to the centres open house on Saturday. The centre also held a prayer for the lives lost recently in the Quebec mosque shooting. Oswald relayed this story during a prayer and open house at the centre on Saturday a followup to the interfaith vigil that was held at St. Matthews Cathedral on Feb. 1. I want our hearts to come together, she said, affirming that the days event, where people from all races, cultural and spiritual backgrounds came together, is what Canada is about. Centre president Faiz Ahmad said that the communitys support in the days following the Quebec City shooting had been tremendous. We didnt even know there was so much support available in the city for us, he said after Saturdays prayer. We are really moved by this love and affection that we see. Throughout Saturdays event, members of the public stood up to share their insights with the local Muslim community, with the overall theme one of acceptance. Correcting one Brandon University student who apologized for their inability to contribute to society due to their time being tied up in study, Mayor Rick Chrest took a moment to clarify the role they are already playing in the Wheat City. Chrest told the student that they were already enriching our culture with yours, adding that this applies to everyone who has aided in Brandons metamorphosis over the past decade or so, during which the city has become more multicultural. It has become a much greater place, Chrest said a much more diverse and giving and accepting and loving place. Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun Brandonites pack the Brandon Islamic Centre on Saturday during an open house and prayer for the lives lost recently in the Quebec mosque shooting. While Saturdays prayer and open house will be the Brandon Islamic Centres final event directly related to the Quebec City mosque shooting, Ahmad said that the public is always invited to visit their centre, both during their regular open houses as well as any other time theres someone present to take them in. Visitors may ask whatever questions they wish to ask, he said, adding that more inroads need to be made in order to help make our country and community even better than it is today. tclarke@brandonsun.com Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 06/02/2017 (2098 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In Canada, teenagers have continued to gather a plethora of responsibilities. Many of us juggle school work, extracurricular activities and part-time jobs. In addition, some have struggled with poverty from a young age, have grown up juggled by foster care or may have legally decided to move out of their parents house. However, despite these factors, our relationship with our countrys government continues to be estranged. While we regularly interact with all of these government agencies, we are still fully restricted from making any decisions regarding them. In addition, due to our lack of influence in the government, issues concerning youth are often largely swept under the rug in favour of issues that will get votes from older persons. Facing this intentional ignorance of big politicians, many teenagers are starting to wonder if it would be better if the voting age was moved to 16. If this occurred, politicians would have to consider our thoughts and views when putting together a platform, as opposed to merely concerning themselves with our elders. The prospect of a lower voting age is particularly terrifying to many right-wing supporters. Younger individuals tend to care a lot more about issues such as the environment and affordable housing, and as such the added demographic would likely swing the vote toward the left. In addition, many older people are strongly opposed to this idea. They feel that they had to wait until they were 18 to vote, so why should we just get to bypass this waiting period? Although 18 is the year that people are officially legal adults under the law, it is important to consider that voting was not always synonymous with becoming an adult. Prior to 1970, the voting age was 21 while people still became legal adults at 18. Since legally becoming an adult and voting are two rights of passage that do not have to happen at the same time, it seems that in essence, 18 has only become the age that we traditionally associate with the privilege of voting. Due to this tradition, many adults have no desire to change the voting age. Therefore, its up to teenagers themselves to ensure that this change is made. Adults also argue that many 16-year-olds are not informed enough to vote. However, this is drastically incorrect. In fact, teenagers are just as informed about politics as adults are. While some teenagers truly do put no emphasis into learning about platforms, many others know the issues that matter to them and are excitedly researching candidates before an election. Its the same way with adults. Furthermore, children are oftentimes taught about politics as early as elementary school. By Grade 9, we are expected to have a full understanding of Canadas electoral system, yet there is no practical use of this knowledge. In addition, all Manitoba students must take a mandatory Grade 11 Canadian History class, where many teachers take the opportunity to reinforce our political knowledge. At Ecole secondaire Neelin High School last year, students were also given the opportunity to participate in two Student Votes. In these mock votes, every student was given the opportunity to research the political issues before casting a vote of their choice. Through these means, many teenagers know a lot about politics, and its likely that some students have become more knowledgeable on the topic than some adults. Rather than waiting until were 18 and letting this knowledge go to waste, it makes sense to allow us the opportunity to vote at a younger age. Our elders should help guide us through the process of an election, rather than just prohibiting us from participating in elections like they currently do. Its a simple fact that young people tend to care about vastly different issues than adults do. We have a unique view on the world that is brought on by the fact that we tend to be uncertain about a future that is always fast approaching. The average teenager is aware that they will inevitably reach adulthood, and is anxious over the decisions we know we will have to make after high school. Just some of these decisions may include finding a place to live, finding a permanent job or career or enrolling in post-secondary education. Having to make these decisions is daunting enough, but it becomes even worse when the government isnt on your side. Currently, the voter base of young adults who are experiencing issues such as severe student debt and lack of easily accessible jobs is too small for politicians to take notice or even care. From a re-election point of view, candidates seem more willing to pander to seniors and professionals than young people, as we are just a small amount of the votes. However, if the voting age is lowered to 16, candidates may finally have to pay at least a little bit of attention to the issues concerning teenagers and something may finally be done about student debt. Overall, young people have to stop standing on the sidelines of a process that is supposed to be a democracy. We need to have our voices heard in order to have the issues that matter to us addressed by politicians. By excluding a whole demographic from our electoral process, our government is moving away from the concept of democracy, not toward it. Saying that we are not informed enough is no longer an excuse. We are informed, and we are ready for the responsibility. Alexandra Forsythe is a Grade 11 student at Ecole secondaire Neelin High School. Looking at the world through the eyes of the Web Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 06/02/2017 (2098 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The challenge for many people these days is to find a way to respond to the division and violence in the world, that both expresses our true feelings and is appropriate to the situation. There are both encouraging and discouraging signs that people are responding Donald Trump banning refugees coming from Islamic countries (that dont do business with the U.S.) and a Quebec man killing people while they peacefully prayed. Encouraging are the number of people who stood with Muslims when their travel rights were curtailed and then their place of worship was attacked. Our prime minister is being hailed for his welcoming remarks and show of solidarity with Muslims and other migrants seeking a new life in Canada. As the Washington Post said, Trump Sews Chaos, Canada Picks Up the Pieces. As most Canadians live in a relatively privileged position, they cannot always know personally the experience of facing discrimination, whether the harm is done emotionally and/or physically. As a member of the Jewish faith, I have encountered anti-Semitism (and sometimes just insensitivity) occasionally throughout my life, but not at the level that elder generations suffered through the Holocaust and generations, before and afterwards, of otherness at the hands of majority populations. The posters that people have been holding up at supportive rallies across the country say We Are All Immigrants, that is walk a mile in their shoes and you will know what they are going through and remember that you or your family members were once immigrants and needed help and a place in the world. In the past year, Ive learned what I would call four origin stories that seem to fit this theme. Four friends have told me that you dont always know who you are, so you might be oppressing or ignoring your brother or sister. A Christian community, the Mennonites, relocated to Manitoba to escape persecution in Russia many years ago. That origin has been a big part of the consciousness of a friend of mine, who is a prominent member of that community, all his life. Recently, in examining his own family lineage, he realized that his grandmother likely was Jewish. As someone always wanting to learn, he embraced this as a way to see how diverse, interesting and strong his background is. A professor in Winnipeg I worked with who clearly has a Spanish name and is a member of the Catholic church, recently told me that in doing research, she came to realize that a part of her family had converted from Judaism to Catholicism to escape the oppression of the Spanish Inquisition hundreds of years ago. Meanwhile, another friend of mine, whose father and mother immigrated to Manitoba from England when they were young, found out that his original English family had adopted a certain very Anglo last name in their home country because, of all reasons, many generations ago, they had purchased a business with that name and saw this as a way to legitimize the purchase and promote their store. When he asked elderly relatives about this, they quoted the real family name which they think was German, maybe Jewish, both of which might not be so popular in Britain. Finally, laughing, an Ontario relative of mine told the story of her best friend whose father was as vocally anti-aboriginal as a person can get a redneck, as they say. That is, until Ancestry and DNA proved that he indeed was part aboriginal himself! I find the Ancestry website a great way to discover ones origins and the implications of that. Many people today are a dogs breakfast of backgrounds: British Isles, Western and Eastern Europe. With the great migrations that have happened, not just since last year, but over the last 50 years, and the changing attitudes as people get to know one another, those origins will become more mixed and more global. There are more and more families that have mixed religious and racial backgrounds and, in Canada, many that dont recognize any particular faith. Reading Manitoba history, whether of Brandon, Winnipeg or smaller towns around the province, also shows us that what is happening now has also happened in the past. Neighbourhoods that housed poor immigrants from Eastern Europe a hundred years ago often now house immigrants arriving today. Negative comments about ethnic groups coming to our country a hundred years ago are now repeated, and sometimes by the descendants of the groups that immigrated and were misunderstood or mistreated then. The trends in todays world, the population movements and coming together of different cultures cannot be stopped but can be made easier if embraced by all. This is not just our common humanity, but as my stories illustrate, our common origins, many of which are still hidden from us. Zack Gross is a former executive director of Brandons Marquis Project. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 06/02/2017 (2098 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. As Canada and the United States prepare to meet for the first time since U.S. President Donald Trump was sworn into office, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may want to keep Chinas stance on trade in his back of mind. Because, while President Trump cast off the mantle of world trade leadership, Chinese President Xi Jinping was already stooping to pick it up and Canada, a nation that lives by trading, must pay close attention to who is leading the trade parade and where they are taking us. Mr. Trump, in his inaugural address, repeated complaints about his countrys free trade treaties and announced a policy of America First. He said: Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families. We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs. Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength. Upon taking office, he has moved quickly to close down borders and withdraw from trade. Mr. Trump backed away from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade treaty linking the U.S. with Canada, Japan and nine other Pacific Rim countries. He still aims to build walls, both physical and metaphorical, to keep Mexican goods and people out of the United States. He instituted a travel ban to keep Muslims out. At the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, President Xis Jan. 17 speech stood in stark contrast. His first appearance at the annual gathering of economic thinkers who have shaped the globalization agenda for the last 40 years. China had previously sent low-level delegations to the Davos meetings and showed little interest in free trade. But this was a dramatic shift in Chinese thinking. President Xi likened protectionism to locking oneself in a dark room in the hopes of protecting oneself from danger, but in so doing, cutting off all light and air. He added: No one will emerge as a winner in a trade war. China has done extremely well with globalization, raising a great part of its population out of poverty in the years since the death of Mao Zedong and becoming a huge trading nation. It still protects its giant, state-owned industrial monopolies, but President Xi may recognize, better than President Trump, the advantages of commercial competition and removal of protective trade barriers. Despite Mr. Trumps protectionist instincts, the drive toward freer world trade can continue if China actually puts its money where President Xis mouth is. The Pacific Rim nations that signed the late lamented Trans-Pacific Partnership treaty may be available for some kind of organized removal of trade barriers. It may be worth finding out what China thinks of the TPP and what steps it might take to open its internal market to products and investors from the other TPP nations. The Trump administrations protectionist policy claims Canadas attention now because the U.S. is our main export market. But we should not mistake Mr. Trumps instincts for a law of nature or the wave of the future. Freer trade is still the route to economic expansion. Chinas new interest in the subject should encourage Canada to keep pulling down walls. Winnipeg Free Press Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 06/02/2017 (2098 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Easier to blame the other party Reading comments and the constant blaming of NDP toward debt. People and Mr. Pallister included, dont realize or just dont want to acknowledge the NDP government had to deal with two major floods. These floods cost a great deal and if Mr. Pallister would have witnessed the damage personally, he would have realized the cost. Mr. Pallister did not see the damage as he fled the country to Costa Rica. It seems he had no concerns as an opposition leader for the public safety of Manitoba. Eyes wide shut I voted for Pallister and then everything comes out of the closet that I thought I knew about him. First of all, he gives himself a raise, then he freezes other peoples wages, and then the Costa Rica thing and then he brings up this racism and tries to start something up in southern Manitoba and across Manitoba to take the limelight off of his time he spent in Costa Rica. Wow! He should really, really quit. Complaining about complainers Why dont you people quit complaining about dogs and cats? I certainly dont see them causing the trouble humans do. Yes, it isnt nice having a neighbours animal messing in your yard, never mind the dog mess on the walking paths. Sorry, I think its the humans who are at fault here by allowing their pets to do this so that tells me a lot about the owner. You actually think the bylaw people are going to do anything? Take a good look at the mess this city has become and yes, I know I am now complaining. Award well deserved As a parent of children who have been privileged to attend George Fitton School and have Mrs. McDonald as their principal, I can tell you that she is in fact an outstanding principal and she is very deserving of the award bestowed upon her this week by The Learning Partnership. Thank you for being you, Mrs. McDonald! Aboriginal people are not the only ones to blame, Mr. Pallister! As an older and proud aboriginal woman and an active member in the Westman community who is also a contributing taxpayer, I can tell you that its not just aboriginal people hunting at night. You wont believe how many times my family and friends have been asked by non-aboriginal people to take them out hunting at night and for money! Fortunately, we have respect for our hunting rights and put great value on the need to hunt for food. Perhaps the term Perimeteritis should be expanded to include all hunters, not just aboriginals, when Mr. Pallister attends his meeting to deal with night hunting. The DUP will never agree to an Irish language act, party leader Arlene Foster has insisted. Mrs Foster said if there was to be an Irish language act, there should be a Polish language act because more people in the North speak Polish than Irish. Sinn Fein have made the introduction of an Irish language act a key demand going into next month's assembly election. Referring to the demands, she told a party event in Lurgan: "If you feed a crocodile, it will keep coming back for more." In response to Mrs Foster's comments, Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams joked: "See you later, alligator". Mr Adams was attending Sinn Fein's candidate unveiling event in Belfast alongside the party's new Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill. Mrs O'Neill declined to be drawn on Mrs Foster's comments. "We are not interested in negativity," she said. "We are fighting this campaign. We have launched our candidates here this morning on the basis of three key principles - respect, equality for all, and integrity in the political institutions. "That's our job of work, that's what we are concerned with." Speaking earlier during the launch of the DUP campaign for the 2017 Assembly election, Mrs Foster said Gerry Adams, not Michelle O'Neill, is "front and centre" of the Sinn Fein campaign. Michelle O'Neill has replaced Martin McGuinness as Sinn Fein's leader in Stormont. She said: "So concerned were Sinn Fein about their faltering cause that Gerry Adams replaced Sinn Fein's leader with one of his own. Be very clear Michelle O'Neill was selected by Gerry Adams and she will be instructed by Gerry Adams. "Lets be very clear, at this election Gerry Adams is no longer in the shadows. He is front and centre of Sinn Fein's campaign. "Come election day, Sinn Fein could have enough seats to become the biggest party. Just imagine what Gerry Adams' radical agenda would mean for our way of life," said Mrs Foster. She said she understands the anger people feel over the botched renewable heating scheme. "No one feels worse about what happened than I do. I know for some doubts remain about the scheme and my role in it. I know for my part I have done nothing wrong. I know any investigation will clear my name. "We all know this election is not about the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The RHI merely gives Sinn Fein the cover to bring down Stormont and force an election when they thought the DUP had been weakened. "Make no mistake , Gerry Adams is back and centre stage. (Michelle O'Neill) was handpicked by Gerry Adams. She will be there to seek to implement Adams' radical plan ... We are in for the fight our political lives." A 16-year-old boy will be sentenced next week in connection with the death of a young man at a Halloween bonfire in Dublin in 2015. He was due to stand trial for the murder of Lorcan OReilly but the DPP accepted his plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter. The boy was just shy of his 15th birthday when he stabbed 21-year-old Lorcan OReilly during a row at a bonfire party on Halloween night 2015. Lorcan was rushed to hospital but died the following day. The court heard the boy had been 'mouthing off' and left the complex when Lorcan took a hurley off him, but that he returned with a knife. Lorcans father Patrick said nothing has been the same since that night. In his victim impact statement, he said you shouldnt have to bury your child before you ... he had his whole life ahead of him Instead of celebrating his birthday in a couple of months, he said the family would be replacing a present for a headstone. Mr. Justice Patrick McCarthy heard the boys family life has been unpredictable and chaotic and he was asked to as lenient as possible. The boy will be sentenced next week. Drugs mule Michaella McCollum has described her fight for release and settling back into life at home as "a long ride". McCollum was caught trying to smuggle 24lb (11kg) of cocaine worth 1.7m out of Peru with accomplice Melissa Reid in 2013. The pair, nicknamed the Peru Two, were jailed for six years and eight months after admitting the crime, but were freed in 2016 after striking a deal with Peruvian authorities. McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, returned to Northern Ireland in August. Writing on Facebook, she told her followers: "Now that I have the chance I just want to thank everyone who has supported myself and family through these past few years. "Please know I truly appreciate each one who cared and had my back. "Thank you for all the sweet messages I have not got reading them all just yet or got a chance to reply to them but I will definitely make a good attempt to get back to you all. "It has been a long ride to get where I am today but it just shows that when we fight hard enough for something we can achieve." McCollum and Reid, from Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire in the UK, travelled to Peru on August 15 2013, and were caught trying to leave the country with the Class A drug at Lima Airport two days later. They faced the prospect of a maximum 15-year prison term but struck a behind-closed-doors plea bargain to secure the shorter sentence. Alongside a selfie showing a blonde hairstyle, McCollum told friends of her hopes for the future despite her criminal reputation. She said: "When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us." After their arrest the pair said they had been forced to carry the drugs under duress. However, Reid told the Scottish Sun on her return how she travelled to South America to have a story to boast about to friends on the Ibiza party scene. She was offered offered 5,000 to fly to Argentina, spend a few days sightseeing and return to Europe with a package in her luggage. "My life will never be the same," she told the newspaper. PA A retired doctor and campaigner for a change in site for the National Children's Hospital's accused the government of 'staggering' arrogance. Finn Breathnach worked as a children's cancer specialist and is now a member of the 'Connolly for Kids' campaign. It emerged in recent days that the price tag for the project, which is slated for the grounds of St James's in Dublin, could reach over a billion euro. Finn Breathnach today pointed to a new hospital being built in Finland, similar in size to the new facility here. "Stated construction cost is 300m. "We have 20 County Councils around the country saying it's the wrong site, we've the Jack and Jill organisation saying it's the wrong site, we've Jane McKenna who set up the LauraLynn Hospice said it's the wrong site. "The arrogance of the government is quite staggering and the silence of the opposition is startling," said Breathnach. A cabinet minister says it's not time to start thinking about new sites for the National Children's Hospital, despite reports the final cost could reach over a billion euro. Richard Bruton this morning defended those behind the project, saying they're approaching it from the point of view of best value for taxpayers' money. The cabinet will decide in the coming weeks whether to finally go ahead with the project on the grounds of St James's Hospital in Dublin. Minister Bruton says it's been a long road to get this far. "Now lets examine the cost and how they've been made up, if there's economies to be achieved we will achieve them. "Lets not pretend that we should go back to the drawing board and start thinking about new sites when this has taken well over ten years to get to the point where we are in a position to go to tender and actually build this unit, not talk about it." The Taoiseach has defended the price tag and says it will be 'closely monitored'. "The group will appoint a really dedicated, experienced team to monitor what would be a fixed contract of almost 1,000m. They will sit on that contract to see that it doesn't get out of line." A man who as a 12-year-old consistently raped his sister has been jailed for a year because the law at the time states that a child under 14 years old cannot be guilty of rape. Michael Hughes (now 57) of Cluain Beag, Nobber, Co Meath had pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court last December to four counts of rape and four counts of indecent assault on dates between December 1971 and October 1973 at the family home they shared in Dublin. His sister, Anne Marie Powney, who waived her right to anonymity, was aged between four and six at the time. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy said at a hearing last January that the legislation that existed at the time of the offence meant that Hughes could not be convicted of rape as he was under the age of 14. He allowed for the rape pleas to be set aside and sentenced him today on the four remaining indecent assault charges. Mr Justice McCarthy said it was one of the most harrowing victim impact reports he had ever read. Sadly up to now she has not managed to recover from what happened her as a child and she still suffers, the judge said before he added that the woman lives in constant fear everyday that Hughes would get her. The judge said that the court could also only impose a maximum sentence of two years for the offences of indecent assault. He took into account Hughes' admissions of guilt and the fact that he was a child at the time before he jailed him for a year. I don't think he was not so young as to appreciate the seriousness of what he was doing, Mr Justice McCarthy added. The now 49-year-old woman read from her victim impact report at the sentence hearing last December, that she didn't feel like she had her own identity because the abuse is so ingrained in me. I've been in prison in my own body and mind. I can never get those years back, the woman continued after commenting that her brother walks around free. She said that as a child she was full of fear, afraid to go out and afraid to stay in. She felt school was the only safe place she could go to. She described wearing loads of clothes and hiding under beds, but he always got to me. It became a waiting game. There was no escaping. She said she would never be able to forget the horrors of the abuse and she lived in constant fear every day that Hughes would get her. I've never know what a normal life is and never will, the woman said before she added that the chances of that ended the first day he raped me. Tara Burns SC, prosecuting, told the court that the man had pleaded guilty to sample counts and said the abuse occurred at least two or three times per week. Garda Ciaran Campbell said that Hughes was a father of seven children and had no other convictions. He agreed with Hugh Hartnett SC, defending, that the abuse came to the attention of the health authorities in 1994 when the Hughes made full admissions. At that stage the abuse had also been disclosed to their father. The abuse was reported to the gardai but Gda Campbell agreed Hughes was never interviewed because gardai believed that the family didn't want to pursue it any further. Mr Hartnett handed in two medical reports which stated that his client suffered from depression and had attempted suicide twice. Counsel said that the abuse occurred 45 years ago and his client had never denied his involvement. He asked the judge to take into account the fact that Hughes was a juvenile at the time and had indicated his remorse and regret. The Environment Minister is warning that Brexit could threaten Ireland's energy supplies. Denis Naughten claims 88% of all the energy we use in this country is imported, mostly from the UK. And he says it'll be a challenge to continue trading after Britain leaves the EU. Minister Naughten is opening the All-Island Brexit Civic Dialogue on Energy in Boyle County Roscommon today. But he is resisting the temptation to call for a dedicated Brexit Minister. "I think this is a whole of Government issue and I think the entire Cabinet needs to be focused on this. "I don't think responsibility for this big an issue should be left with one individual. There is a responsibility on each and every one of us, as members of Cabinet, as members of the Council of Ministers of the European Union, you know to persue this issue at every available opportunity," said Minister Naughten. Two Irish men have been arrested by police in the Netherlands, including a member of the Kinahan crime gang. It follows an incident which happened at Rembrandt Square in central Amsterdam yesterday evening at around 8.45pm local time. A woman had to be removed from the Central Criminal Court today after she told family members of a convicted killer: "I will kill all of you." Terence "Terry" Connors had taken the stand at his sentencing hearing to apologise to members of his victim's family. As he spoke a woman in the public gallery shouted that he should be ashamed of himself and then turned to members of his family and shouted: "I am going to kill all of you." A garda removed her and Justice Paul Butler warned that he would adjourn the hearing if there were any more outbursts. Connors (aged 42), of Drumcairn Avenue, Tallaght, Dublin 24 was convicted last December of manslaughter for killing Peter Conroy (aged 25), at Palmerstown Lodge B&B, Kennelsfort Road Lower, Palmerstown, Dublin 20 on June 9, 2015. When the jury returned the verdict of not guilty of murder, guilty of manslaughter, there were angry scenes with several people held back from the killer by prison guards and gardai. When the court had settled down, Mr Connors described his victim as "a good man" and, addressing the Conroy family, he said: "I am very sorry and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Not one day goes by that I don't pray for him." 'He has broken us' Moments earlier the victim's mother Marion Conroy spoke about the devastating impact of her son's violent death. "We were so proud and very happy to see the man he had become. He was a kind, loving and funny person. A great son, brother and father," she said. She described him as a gentleman who "was always happy to help out anyone with anything." He was the head of the family and "without him we are lost," she said. "All we do is cry and talk about him. We feel alone, miserable and hurt. We can never see our son's smiling face or hear his laughter or his jokes." Asking for justice for her son, she said: "Terry Connors took everything from us the day he took Peter. Our hearts died with him and we will never be the same people again. Terry Connors not only robbed us of our precious son but he robbed us all of our lives. He has broken us." 38 previous convictions Detective Inspector Colm O'Malley told the court that Connors had 38 previous convictions, mostly for road traffic offences. His most recent conviction was In 2014 when he was sentenced to five months at Killarney District Court for entering a building with intent to commit an offence. None of his convictions prior to the manslaughter verdict were for violent offences. Outlining the events that led to the killing, Detective Inspector O'Malley agreed with Garnet Orange SC, acting for Connors, that the convicted man had been at a wedding party in Sallynoggin where he drank alcohol and took a little cocaine. He came home to the B&B in Palmerstown, went to sleep and some time later awoke to hear shouting and his sons calling "daddy, daddy". Detective O'Malley agreed that the reason for the fracas is unknown but two men who did not live at the B&B had sneaked in and were involved in a brawl. He said Connors appeared to believe that someone had a knife and that his children were in danger. Connors grabbed a knife before going to where the fight was happening and as the violence intensified in the hallway of the B&B he stabbed Mr Connors. In his submissions to the judge, Mr Orange pointed out that Connors had admitted his role in the killing and pleaded guilty to manslaughter from the outset. His plea was not accepted. He said Connors showed genuine remorse both during interviews with gardai and in court and had no ill-will towards the deceased. He asked the judge to consider a previous, similar case which had resulted in an eight-year sentence for a man convicted of manslaughter with a knife. Justice Butler adjourned sentencing until February 20. Mr Connors is in custody. US President Donald Trump vowed to allow into the United States people who "want to love our country," defending his immigration and refugee restrictions, as he made his first visit to the headquarters of US Central Command. Mr Trump reaffirmed his support for Nato before military leaders and troops, and laced his speech with references to homeland security amid a court battle over his travel ban on refugees from seven majority-Muslim countries. He did not directly mention the case, which is now before a federal appeals court after a lower court temporarily suspended the ban. "We need strong programmes" so that "people that love us and want to love our country and will end up loving our country are allowed in" and those who "want to destroy us and destroy our country" are kept out, Mr Trump said at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. "Freedom, security and justice will prevail," Mr Trump added. "We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism and we will not allow it to take root in our country. Were not going to allow it." Mr Trump touched upon various other alliances in his remarks, noting, "we strongly support Nato". He spoke on Sunday with Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. A White House statement said the two discussed "how to encourage all Nato allies to meet their defence spending commitments," as well as the crisis in Ukraine and security challenges facing Nato countries. Mr Trump once dismissed the trans-Atlantic military alliance as "obsolete," saying he would decide whether to protect Nato countries against Russian aggression based on whether those countries "have fulfilled their obligations to us". Earlier, Mr Trump sat down for lunch with a room full of personnel in fatigues from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, as well as senior members of his White House staff. Mr Trump made small talk with some of the soldiers, discussing everything from football to military careers. "Gonna make it a career?" Mr Trump asked one person. "Cmon, you have to stay," he urged another. Mr Trump also hailed Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady, saying he "cemented his place" in football history after his fifth Super Bowl win on Sunday. Mr Trump, who is also Commander in Chief of the US military, stopped at the base on the way back to Washington after his first weekend away from the White House. Mr Trump spent the weekend at his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, with first lady Melania Trump. - AP French conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon has said he will not withdraw from the race amid a row over his Welsh-born wife Penelope's well-paid job as his assistant. Mr Fillon (pictured) told a news conference that he did not act illegally and he will publish his assets on the internet later. However, he apologised to the French people for employing his wife, saying that giving work to your family is a practice that is now rejected. He said: "It was a mistake." Mr Fillon's popularity has dropped in the past two weeks following revelations by the Canard Enchaine newspaper alleging that his wife was paid 830,000 euro (717,000) over 15 years. The conservative candidate said he is "honest", and described the controversy as being like "a clap of thunder". He said: "I would like to say to the French (primary voters) that their choice cannot be taken away from them. "They will not be silenced." Mr Fillon acknowledged that his proposed programme of government, which includes slashing 500,000 public sector jobs, "upsets people". But he said that "it is the only one that can give confidence back to the French". The number of suspects detained in Turkey in a major police operation against the Islamic State terror group over the weekend has increased to nearly 750, authorities said on Monday. Anti-terrorism police launched the security operation against people with alleged links to IS early on Sunday, carrying out simultaneous raids in 29 provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara and the border provinces of Gaziantep and Sanliurfa. The state-run Anadolu Agency said 440 people, including foreign nationals, were detained. The Interior Ministry released a statement on Monday saying that a total of 748 people have been detained in the police sweep. It did not provide details or give a breakdown of the foreigners captured in the operation. Anadolu said police seized IS documents, digital material and six firearms during the raids. Anadolu, citing police sources, said IS was "searching" for ways to carry out a "sensational attack" in Turkey, and was actively engaged in propaganda in order to recruit fighters. It said the raids targeted suspects who were believed to be in contact with IS operatives in "conflict" zones. Turkey has suffered dozens of deadly attacks linked to IS or Kurdish militants, and has been stepping up its anti-terrorism efforts. Almost 450 people with suspected links to Islamic State have been arrested in Turkey #7News https://t.co/9Fwb2Qnwr8 7NEWS Brisbane (@7NewsBrisbane) February 6, 2017 IS, which claimed responsibility for a mass shooting at an Istanbul nightclub on New Year's Eve in which that 39 people were killed, claims to have multiple cells in Turkey. The accused perpetrator of the nightclub attack, an Uzbek national who reportedly trained in Afghanistan, was detained in Istanbul about two weeks after the assault. Officials have said they believed questioning him would lead to valuable information about the IS operations and cells inside Turkey, but it was not immediately known if the major raid was in any way linked to his arrest. AP The Kremlin has reacted angrily after a Fox News host called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "killer" during an interview with US President Donald Trump. In the weekend interview, Bill OReilly called the Russian leader a "killer", and Mr Trump replied that the US has killers too. Mr Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on Mr Trumps reply, but lashed out at Fox News, calling Mr OReillys remarks "unacceptable and offensive". "We would like to receive an apology from the president from this respected organisation," Mr Peskov told reporters, referring to Fox News. A British judge concluded last year that two Russians, acting at the behest of Moscows security services, poisoned ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko at a London hotel in 2006. Mr Litvinenko died after drinking tea spiked with a fatal dose of radioactive polonium-210. The Kremlin angrily dismissed the inquiry as a "quasi-investigation". Mr Putins critics in Russia and abroad also held him politically responsible for the 2006 killing of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya and the 2015 slaying of leading Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov. The critics said the atmosphere of intolerance to dissent under his watch contributed to the two killings. In 2014, a court in Moscow convicted the gunman and three other Chechens involved in Ms Politkovskayas killing along with a former Moscow policeman who was their accomplice. Investigators have failed to track down the mastermind. Five suspects, all of them Chechens, went on trial in the autumn for their alleged roles in Mr Nemtsovs murder. The suspected triggerman served as an officer in the security forces of the Moscow-backed Chechen regional leader, Ramzan Kadyrov. Mr Trump has praised Mr Putin and signalled that US-Russia relations could be in for a makeover under his leadership. - AP People left stranded by Donald Trump's travel ban have been arriving in the US after the president's executive order was halted by a judge. They included Eman Ali 12, and her father, Ahmed, who arrived together on Sunday at San Francisco International Airport, where they were greeted by her older sister and other relatives as well as many reporters. She ran to embrace her sister, and the two hugged and cried. Eman and her father had been stuck in the east African nation of Dijbouti since Monday, when authorities refused to let her board a plane with him to the US as she is from Yemen. The Middle Eastern nation is one of the seven predominantly Muslim nations listed in Mr Trump's order. Mr Ali criticised Mr Trump's order: "It's not fair. I mean some people they are bad, but that doesn't make everybody bad." Iranian graduate student Sara Yarjani, who was denied entry into the US under the travel ban, has returned to America. The Los Angeles Times reported that she was among those caught in a legal limbo after Mr Trump signed the order on January 27, about seven hours before she landed in Los Angeles on a flight from Oslo. Armed customs agents ultimately escorted her to a plane bound for Vienna, where she had been visiting family. Ms Yarjani arrived on Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport, where her sister greeted her with open arms. She has a valid two-year student visa, and thanked Americans for their support. A lawyer for two Yemeni brothers who had been denied entry into the US said the pair will be reunited with their family at Washington Dulles International Airport. Ammar Aqel Mohammed Aziz and Tareq Aqel Mohammed Aziz are green card holders who were travelling through Dulles on their way to Flint, Michigan, when the ban took effect. A lawsuit alleges they were coerced into signing away their status and sent to Ethiopia. Lawyer Paul Hughes said an agreement was reached with the government to allow their re-entry, and they are expected to arrive on Monday. He said without the agreement, the judge's order temporarily halting Mr Trump's ban may not have allowed the brothers entry because their visas were marked by a prominent "cancelled" stamp. A technology firm's founder said an Iranian employee who was also blocked has re-entered the country. Eric Martinez said Nazanin Zinouri cleared through an immigration check in Boston and expected to return home to South Carolina on Monday. Mr Martinez is the founder of start-up technology firm Modjoul, which has employed Ms Zinouri since August. She arrived from the Iranian capital Tehran, where the legal US resident travelled late last month to visit family. Ms Zinouri said last week she was taken off a plane in Dubai days after Mr Trump signed the executive order. A team of volunteer lawyers who had been camped out at a diner at New York's JFK Airport have dismantled most of their operation since they said immigrants were arriving at the airport with no problems. Camille Mackler said the New York Immigration Coalition will continue to monitor the situation and will set back up if necessary. Cairo airport officials said a total of 33 migrants from Yemen, Syria and Iraq had boarded flights on their way to the US. They had not previously tried to travel to the US and been turned back, but rather they are migrants who are rushing to take advantage of the window offered by the court ruling. Lebanon's National News Agency reported that airlines operating out of Beirut international airport have begun allowing residents of the seven countries to board flights heading to the US. Iranian media said the country has lifted a ban on US wrestlers, allowing them to take part in the Freestyle World Cup later this month in the Iranian city of Kermanshah. The semi-official Fars news agency quoted foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi as saying the ban was lifted after the "discriminative restrictions" on Iranian nationals travelling to the US were suspended by the judge. The Trump administration is now appealing to reinstate the travel ban. On Sunday, a judge in San Francisco rejected the government's request for an immediate reinstatement. Formal arguments in the case begin on Monday. Vice President Mike Pence called the court order declining to reinstate the ban "frustrating" and described it as inconsistent and unconstitutional. "It's quite clear the president has the ability to decide who has access to this country," he said. AP ABG Corporate Plans Anthony Kaybing 300117 The Autonomous Bougainville Government is currently embarking on measures to improve the efficiency, transparency and accountability of the Bougainville Public Service. Chief Secretary to the ABG Joseph Nobetau said that 2017 would be a period of consolidation and growth where the BPS will position itself to respond to the ever increasing demands of the Government in a way the is efficient and transparent. Planning is the cornerstone of good governance, by undertaking planning we are able to identify priorities, determine actions and importantly create a benchmark through which we can measure progress, Nobetau said. This is particularly the case of a small and relatively young public service such as ours, he added. Mr Nobetau noted the need in 2017 to clearly document both corporate and strategic goals and indicated that the process will operate through two complementary and concurrent processes Corporate and Strategic Planning. He further emphasised that the corporate planning process must be undertaken at an agency level where each ABG department determines their key priorities for the year ahead. This calls for ABG department to undertake a comprehensive analysis of key strengths and weaknesses along with opportunities and potential threats and allows for all departmental heads to determine how best to move forward with their corporate initiatives that will deliver on the expectations of the ABG. Mr Nobetau has already informed all departmental heads to identify the top four priorities of their departments. This is the first part of the planning process, once this has occurred I will ask that the departmental heads convene planning workshops to map out a plan for the year ahead, he said. The Office of the Chief Secretary to the ABG will in turn coordinate the reporting of the progress that will be given to the Government and key stakeholders. Mr Nobetau also revealed that his office will be leading the strategic planning process that will complement the corporate planning work of the government departments. Mr Nobetau further stated that this will extend beyond 2017 and will ensure that there is a long term vision for the ABG public service in the years ahead that allows it to develop and grow the capacity needed to deliver on the expectations of the ABG. This is an opportunity to determine our own fate as Bougainville and I ask that all public servants participate and contribute, it must be a collective approach if we are to succeed, Nobetau said. Ends//// Another Christian Brother who taught at St Patrick's College, Goulburn has been charged with historical sex offences. At 10am on Monday, the 65-year-old was charged with two counts of sexual assault/indecent assault on a person younger than 16 under his authority, after presenting himself at Goulburn Police Station. Police in Goulburn have charged a Christian Brother with historical sex offences. Credit:Simon Alekna Police will allege in 1986, the man indecently assaulted two students, aged 12 and 14 at the time. Officers granted him conditional bail to appear at Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday, March 8. Traffic was stalled in Hawker and Lyneham after separate crashes in slippery conditions on Tuesday morning, which also saw a car roll over on Fairbairn Avenue. A four-car crash badly affected city-bound traffic on William Hovell Drive in Hawker, with cars backed up all the way to Belconnen at one point. A two-car collision slowed southbound traffic on the Barton Highway between Northbourne Avenue and Randwick Road. A Calwell woman is suing The Canberra Hospital and two doctors, alleging she was left in a wheelchair and with permanent brain damage as a result of their negligence. Stacey Louise Cave, 40, a former teacher, had suffered migraines since she was a teenager. The alleged breaches of duty of care stem from treatment of these headaches. A Canberra woman has settled a lawsuit against the Canberra Hospital, a general practitioner and a neurologist for $12 million. Credit:Rohan Thomson The alleged breaches are mostly denied, and on Monday hearings began before a dozen lawyers and barristers and a packed public gallery in the ACT Supreme Court. Ms Cave had since the late 1990s been taking the migraine drug Deseril, prescribed by Woden general practitioner Brenda Jean Tait and a consulting neurologist. Shares in fast-food chain Domino's Pizza Enterprises have slid on revelations the Fair Work Ombudsman is investigating stores for alleged underpayment of staff. A spokesman for the ombudsman said: "In recent months FWO has conducted a number of site visits at Domino's outlets across the country. These visits are continuing and as such it would be inappropriate to make further comment at this stage." It's unclear how many complaints have been made about Domino's stores. Domino's said it had "no tolerance for any franchisee failing to meet their obligations to their employees and is leading our industry in this effort". Overwhelming public levels of support for local manufacturing in Australia should be news to no one. But nor should it be framed as a new reaction; part of the nationalistic Trump phenomenon, the rise of One Nation, or the rise of far-right parties around the world. It is a long-running, deeply-held conviction of ordinary working Australians in cities, suburbs and in the regions as our research going back decades has shown us. What is new is that major political parties have abandoned their commitment to local jobs and local procurement, in favour of free market trade deals, sending contracts offshore, and a preference for guest labour without labour market testing. In a climate where employers can bring in 457 visa workers for skilled jobs like electricians and mechanics, there's no wonder there's an appetite in the public for politicians who are focused on job and training opportunities for locals. Cory Bernardi is, as many many many many many many many many people have predicted (ahem, cough), reportedly about to leave the Liberal Party. They must be heartbroken at the news! However, it shows the fundamental problem facing conservative parties in Australia right now. First up, it's important to realise that Bernardi leaving the Liberals effectively changes nothing. He's in the upper house and while this increases the size of the senate crossbench the government know they'll be able to rely on his votes as they did with the now-dismissed Family First senator Bob Day. Cory might want to make a point to his former party, but he's not hardly likely to vote with Labor and the Greens in order to do so. Still, the Liberals must be seething. After all, they handed him a six-year term as senator for South Australia in last year's election, putting him at No.2 on the state ballot. As a former state Liberals president with a solid local power base he'd have been in his typical spot at number one were it not for Education Minister Simon Birmingham requiring the spot. Outspoken Coalition MP George Christensen says he has no plans to join a new breakaway party spearheaded by Cory Bernardi, but has warned Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull the government's position will become "untenable" unless it embraces conservative causes. Liberal senator Eric Abetz, a fellow conservative, also scotched suggestions he could join the new conservative party spearheaded by Senator Bernardi. Mr Christensen, a Nationals MP from north Queensland, said Senator Bernardi's defection sent a message to the Coalition that its base is "disgruntled" and that it needs to more strongly embrace "conservative principles". Speaking to reporters at Parliament House on Monday, Mr Christensen said: "I'm loyal to Barnaby Joyce, I'm loyal to the National Party and the LNP. Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has hit back at Rupert Murdoch's News Corp over claims his government introduced immigration bans similar to Donald Trump, accusing the company of a "bullying culture". In a blog post on his official website, Mr Rudd slammed the "Daily Torygraph" and "Courier Fail" over a February 1 article that linked the former Labor government's 2010 temporary suspension on visa applications from Sri Lankan and Afghan asylum-seekers to the new President's hardline executive order blocking refugee arrivals and visa applications from seven majority Muslim countries. Calls for early intervention: Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has backed a justice target. Credit:AP The story attacked Mr Rudd and said Labor was guilty of "double standards" for criticising a ban citizens of Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen last week. Mr Rudd said he had not been given an opportunity to comment for the story, because News Corp publications knew they could get away with poor practices and editors had bragged to him of the company's clout. *M*ake what you will of this. In the modern era of partisan polarization, which can be dated back to the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980, only the presid... Giving babies extra iron in the form of fortified formula and cereal prevents anaemia but could too much help pave the way to Parkinson's disease decades down the track? It's a question being asked by a group of Australian scientists who suspect that too much iron early in life may harm older brains. Optimal levels of iron fortification in infant formula has experts divided. We need iron for healthy brain function at any age and it's critical for healthy brain development in the first three years of life but some research suggests that for ageing brains too much iron can raise the risk of both dementia and Parkinson's disease, says Dr Dominic Hare, from the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health at the University of Melbourne. "I'm not saying iron fortification of food isn't okay it's been a public health success story that's prevented iron deficiency anaemia in children and promoted healthy brain development," he stresses. "But the body and especially the brain aren't very good at getting rid of excess iron. If the brain is given a head start with too much iron and its 'warehouse' of iron is spilling over as it gets older, there may be a risk that the excess iron will damage brain cells." Randwick Council will become just the fourth local government in Sydney able to levy developers for affordable housing contributions across the council area. In one of his final acts in the portfolio, former planning minister Rob Stokes agreed to the council's request to be included in what is known as SEPP 70 the planning instrument that allows councils to charge developers for affordable housing contributions. The council plans to use its conclusion to create about 200 affordable units along the light rail line between Kensington and Kingsford. "This is the first time any action has been taken to address the affordable housing crisis in Sydney's eastern suburbs," said Labor's Member for Heffron, Ron Hoenig, who has pushed for Randwick's inclusion in the state affordable housing policy. Former state Labor mining minister Ian Macdonald favoured the interests of a "mate" above the interests of the state when he granted a coal licence worth millions to a company chaired by former union boss John Maitland, a court has heard. On Monday the two men sat at opposite ends of a spacious wooden dock as their criminal trial started in the Supreme Court in Darlinghurst. Ian Macdonald outside Darlinghurst Supreme Court on the first day of his criminal trial. Credit:Ben Rushton Mr Macdonald is charged with two counts of misconduct in public office for inviting private company Doyles Creek Mining to apply for, and later granting it, a lucrative coal exploration licence without a competitive tender. Doyles Creek Mining was chaired by Mr Maitland, a former national secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union. He is facing two counts of being an accessory before the fact. A man has been charged with murdering another man at a psychiatric facility in Morisset, north of Sydney, police say. Staff called triple zero after discovering the body of a 41-year-old male patient, who appeared to have suffered a stab wound, about 6.40pm on Monday. Police and paramedics arrived at the facility on Jacaranda Avenue a short time later, but the man had already died. Detectives arrested a 25-year-old man, who was also a patient at the facility, nearby and took him to Belmont Police Station, where he was charged with one count of murder. The man was refused police bail and is due to appear in Toronto Local Court on Tuesday. How would we view that global bank if its Australian arm and just its Australian arm was the subject of complaints from 4444 people during the same period alleging they had been sexually abused as children by Australian bank representatives? How would we view a global bank if we knew that 40 per cent of people working in one of its units say the loans section in one of its national banks were the subject of child sexual abuse reports between January, 1980 and February, 2015? That's two out of every five employees. The best way to understand the staggering nature of child sex crimes within the Catholic Church in Australia over many decades is to forget they're crimes and alleged crimes involving a church, and transfer the figures to a secular organisation. How would we view that global bank if we knew the children left at the mercy of the unit where two in five employees were alleged offenders were particularly vulnerable, and had either intellectual disabilities or behavioural problems? What about if we knew some of those children were only six when they were abused by those adult employees, in situations where the children had nowhere to hide, and noone to turn to for help? How would we view that global bank if we knew the rate of child sex crimes within many of its units was far, far higher than the rate of child sexual abuse within the general population, higher than the rates in other comparable banks, and certainly much higher than the bank ever admitted to when its victims started speaking out. Now consider this how would we view any of the above if it was a global bikie gang or terrorist group committing crimes at that level against often very young, very vulnerable children? Now think about how we should view the sexual abuse of children within the Catholic Church for many decades, after those figures and many more were revealed in just the first few hours of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse's 50th hearing. The St John of God order has received child sex allegations against 40.4 per cent of its members. The order ran the Kendall Grange residential home at Morisset from 1948 for boys with intellectual disabilities, and later boys with behavioural problems. The youngest boys were six. An international yachtsman was allegedly duped into the biggest cocaine bust in Australian history when his captain suddenly changed the co-ordinates of their boat, his wife says. Veteran sailors Hamish Thompson, 63, from New Zealand, and dual Swiss-Fiji national Valentino Fries, 54, were arrested on board the New Zealand yacht Elakha just after midnight on Friday. Four other alleged syndicate members were arrested on Friday, mostly men in their 60s including a former Sydney school teacher, an eastern suburbs tradesman and a maritime worker. Following a two-year investigation, Australian authorities intercepted the Elakha 370 kilometres off the NSW South Coast and found 1.4 tonnes of cocaine bound for the east coast of Australia. Queensland Rail needs to boost its staff numbers to end a reliance on overtime and open recruitment for drivers and guards to people from outside the organisation, a report into Brisbane's train failures has revealed. But despite work being done behind the scenes, Queensland Rail only expects to recover full timetabled services by late 2018, "which is not likely to meet public expectations", the report reads. Commissioner Phillip Strachan handed down his report into Queensland Rail's issues on Monday, following multiple cancellations after the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line in October, pointing out it was not a single event or issue that caused the fiasco, rather several that compounded over time. Mr Strachan has also recommended a Rail Review Office be established to monitor, independently audit and report on QR's recovery plan and how it implements the agreed recommendations. Stirling Hinchliffe's seat in the Queensland cabinet has only just begun to cool but speculation is likely to heat up on who will be offered what could be considered a poisoned chalice as the next transport minister. Mr Hinchliffe's resignation from his job as transport and Commonwealth Games minister came only moments after the release of Commissioner Phillip Strachan's report into the failings within Queensland Rail. Several factors had culminated in a lack of train drivers that led to hundreds of services being cancelled in Brisbane in 2016. Despite the blame not being pointed in Mr Hinchliffe's direction, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the saga had taken a personal toll on the minister and his family, leading to him stepping down. With a state election to be held later this year, Mr Hinchliffe's decision also allows the government to move forward, with all 36 recommendations of the report accepted and Mr Strachan appointed as the QR board's chair. As Liberal Party MPs push for a free vote on same-sex marriage small businesses are also backing marriage equality, according to research released on Tuesday. The Sensis Business Index Survey conducted in September 2016 found 63 per cent support marriage equality, an increase from 55 per cent in 2015. Peter Wallace is backing marriage equality. Peter Wallace, owner of graphic design business Kudos Studios, says the government should introduce a bill into parliament allowing marriage equality with a conscience vote. "I think it's an issue that should have been sorted out years ago we have far better things to worry about at this current time," he says. "It's such a simple thing to sort out." Australia's Chief Scientist Alan Finkel has compared US President Donald Trump's move to censor environmental data with former Soviet dictator Josef Stalin's control of science in the USSR. Speaking at a Chief Scientists' roundtable discussion at the Australian National University on Monday, Dr Finkel made his comments saying he was "going off topic" as "science is literally under attack". Dr Finkel said: "The Trump administration has mandated that scientific data published by the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] must undergo review by political appointees before they can be published." In the first week of his presidency Mr Trump's administration informed the EPA it could not send out press releases and no blog messages could be published. The EPA was also told "no new content can be placed on any website". A brief of evidence made against Cardinal George Pell regarding sexual assault allegations has been returned to prosecutors for review. Victoria Police confirmed on Monday that a brief of evidence against Cardinal Pell had been returned to the Office of Public Prosecutions. Cardinal George Pell. The development in the case against the Cardinal comes after Sano Taskforce detectives flew to Rome to interview him in October. On Monday, police spokeswoman Leonie Johnson said: "Investigators have delivered the brief to the Department of Public Prosecutions for consideration." A member of the Australian Federal Police is in hospital after a shooting in Melbourne on Monday evening. The shooting occurred inside the AFP headquarters on La Trobe Street in the CBD about 5.45pm. Police outside the AFP building on La Trobe Street on Monday evening. Credit:Pat Scala It is not clear if the injured person, reportedly a woman, is a sworn AFP officer. Victoria Police initially reported a person received a gunshot wound while in the building. A safe drug-injecting room for Melbourne will be considered by the Andrews government after a spate of overdose deaths. Political support for the controversial idea is gathering pace amid concern that the government's tough-on-crime approach has taken the focus off harm minimisation. Credit:Jason South An inquiry by Coroner Jacqui Hawkins into the death of a 33-year-old woman in north Richmond is expected to recommend a safe drug-consumption room. The government will also consider new laws introduced to state parliament by Sex Party MP Fiona Patten to establish a drug room so users could be supervised by medical professionals and given access to social work and mental health services. An artist's impression of the new youth justice centre "These people are like cowboys, there's been no consultation, nothing," said Mr Gigas who's lived there, with his wife, for more than 40 years. "It's awful for them to tread all over everybody and there's going to be a lot of trouble over this. The land in Werribee South where a new youth prison will be built. Credit:Eddie Jim "This is a very peaceful suburb, we never have muggings or car jackings and now they are bringing this jail here. "Why can't they just replace the building they have?" Some of the damage caused by inmates at the Parkville detention centre in recent riots. The centre will include 224 beds for sentenced and remanded inmates and would be designed with many of the recommendations put forward by former police chief commissioner Neil Comrie, who was charged with reviewing the Parkville centre following a series of riots last year. Mr Comrie's report found that the Parkville centre, badly damaged in those riots, was no longer fit for purpose and was now "uninhabitable" and that a new fit-for-purpose centre should be built. An artist impression of the inside of the new youth prison to be built in Werribee South Mr Pallas said the Werribee site was chosen as it was "the best location" for the new prison, but conceded some locals might be angered by the decision. "I understand my community will have some concerns, and we will work through those with them," Mr Pallas said. "We will listen to the community, we are going to work with them in order that they get the benefit this facility can provide to the community." Liberal MP Tim Smith said Mr Pallas did not actually live in his own electorate, which made the decision to put the prison there easier. "I'm sure if Tim Pallas actually lived in his electorate he would be more concerned about this rushed decision and the impacts on his constituents," Mr Smith said. "This is typical Labor arrogance, live 30 minutes away, call yourself a local and pretend to actually care when it's in your political interests." Mr Andrews, who has been under increasing political pressure over his government's handling of young offenders, will also move the youth justice portfolio from the Department of Health and Human Services into the Department of Justice. Corrections staff will run the new centre on a permanent basis. Youth Affairs Minister Jenny Mikakos will remain in charge of the portfolio. Mr Andrews said the changes were made to create a better balance. "A balance that says the first order consideration has got to be the safety of the Victorian community, we make no apology for that," Mr Andrews said. "These reforms are what's needed to help keep the community safe and ensure the security of our youth justice facilities." A six-metre reinforced concrete fence will ring the prison, which will have a 12-bed mental health unit and an intensive supervision unit of at least eight beds. Mr Comrie's report into the Parkville centre found that recent injections of cash have not been able to fix the "inherent fundamental design and construction weaknesses in the accommodation units that were initially built for residential purposes and not for high security containment". "These fundamental flaws have become more exposed and evident in recent years and are now being exploited by a cohort of young violent offenders who are intent on breaking through insecure barriers and causing purposeless, wanton criminal damage to the precinct facilities." Mr Comrie's other findings and concerns included: The physical size of some young offenders Concerns about the over-representation of indigenous Australians, South Sudanese, Maori and Pacific Islander inmates. The exponential increase in the number of young offenders on remand His report also touched on the need to isolate any young offenders in the system who were charged with terror offences, to "ensure they do not radicalise other impressionable clients". The Premier said there were currently no inmates in youth justice on terror charges. In 2010 government was warned in an ombudsman report in 2010 that the Parkville site was no longer fit for purpose and a new facility should be planned. The Premier said there would be efforts to ensure that inmates at the Werribee centre were rehabilitated it will have a school, skills training and other rehabilitation programs. "If a facility is not secure, then no rehabilitation, no effective programs can be run in that facility," Mr Andrews said. The prison will be built on 31 hectares of government-owned land on Hoppers Lane, which is big enough for future expansion if needed and has a "buffer" from homes. High-risk prisoners will be able to be segregated from other inmates under the planned design. Building work is set to start early in 2018 and be finished by 2021, with up to 3000 jobs to be created during work. During constriction at Werribee, Parkville, the Malmsbury youth justice centre and the Grevillea unit at Barwon prison will continue to be used, with new fortification works at Parkville to be finished mid-year. The 9.5-hectare Parkville site, one sales agent said, had "extraordinary potential" and was in a highly desirable location. Zoned for public use, the site would be worth anywhere between $30 million and $50 million, said Savills Australia manager of metropolitan sales, Clinton Baxter. If it was rezoned for other uses including residential, it would be worth more than $100 million, Mr Baxter said. A teenager has admitted to killing an American woman and injuring five others, including two Australians, in a stabbing rampage near the British Museum in London last year. Norwegian citizen Zakaria Bulhan, 19, whose parents are from Somalia, pleaded guilty on Monday to manslaughter by diminished responsibility over the slaying of Darlene Horton on August 3. Zakaria Bulhan faces Westminster Magistrates Court last year. Credit:PA The 64-year-old retired teacher was walking at Russell Square in central London with her husband at around 10.30pm when she was stabbed with a kitchen knife. She died at the scene. Horton and her husband had been due to fly home to Florida the next day. Latest News Mortgage stress hits Australian households Learn seven ways to ease the interest rate burden, says broker New investor strengthens Invoice Finance Group Partnership will provide funding, new products for SMEs For loans below $5 million, protection must be given against surprise defaults from financial covenants or adverse change clauses A minimum 30-business day notice period must be provided for all changes to general restriction clauses and covenants For loans below $5 million, a 90-business day notice period for roll over must be given before loans mature (with a longer period of time offered for rural properties and complex businesses) For loans below $5 million, a one-page summary of any clauses or covenants that may trigger a default or any other detrimental outcome must be supplied A report into small business lending practices has been released, offering 15 recommendations for the banks and the government after what has been called a sobering review process.Originally commissioned on 31 August 2016, the Inquiry into Small Business Loans examined 23 extreme cases of poor customer experiences for business owners dealing with the banks and conducted a deep dive into six of these. The inquiry also included a two-day public grilling of the big four banks It has been a sobering process to review the experiences of business owners impacted by the poor practices of some members of the banking industry, said Kate Carnell AO, Australian small business and family enterprise ombudsman, who was asked to run the inquiry.The 15 recommendations in what is known as the Carnell report will address gaps in the existing regulatory environment and with the practices of industry participants.For holders of business loans, the most relevant recommendations are listed below:The implementation of these recommendations is required by 1 July this year. Additionally, banks must also provide borrowers with a new small business standard form contract that is short and written in plain English by December 2017.The government expects the banking industry to give the highest priority to careful consideration of the 11 recommendations that focus on changes to the way banks deal with their small business customers, said Kelly ODwyer, Minister for Revenue and Financial Services.The government will expect the banking industry to provide a considered response to the report, and a proposed plan of action to address the issues of concerns raised in the report, by no later than the next House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics public hearings commencing on 3 March 2017.The Australian Bankers Association (ABA) praised the inquiry, welcoming the report into small business lending practices.The issues raised by Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell in this report are important. Alongside this, the Code of Banking Practice is currently being independently reviewed in the Khoury Review, ABA chief economist Tony Pearson said.The Khoury Review is an independent review of the Code of Banking Practice announced in April last year.We expect the report of the Khoury Review to be published shortly, and we aim to respond to the recommendations, as well as those from the Carnell Review, by the end of this month, Pearson said. Latest News Mortgage stress hits Australian households Learn seven ways to ease the interest rate burden, says broker New investor strengthens Invoice Finance Group Partnership will provide funding, new products for SMEs The release of a new report on small business lending by the major banks has prompted the government to push for expanded external dispute resolution (EDR) options for customers.Released today, the Inquiry into Small Business Loans (also known as the Carnell report) recommended that banks enhance small business access to EDR through a one-stop shop with a dedicated small business unit. This unit will have the expertise to consider disputes involving loans of up to $5 million.Under the recommendations, the EDR scheme would also be expanded to involve disputes with third parties such as valuers by investigating accountants and receivers.Following these developments, the government has extended the deadline of the independent Ramsey review into external dispute resolution in the finance industry.I have written to the Ramsay Review panel to ask that they take particular account of these recommendations as they develop their final report, which will be delivered to government by the end of March 2017, Kelly ODwyer, Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, said.This means that in addition to the main review paper delivered in March, the panel will also supply a supplementary paper on the Carnell reports recommendations at the end of June.I have today strengthened the Ramsay Review terms of reference to allow the expert panel to make recommendations, rather than observations, on the merits and potential design of a last resort compensation scheme, and to consider the merits and issues involved in providing access to redress for past disputes, ODwyer said.The Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia ( MFAA ) has itself delivered a submission to the government outlining its concerns with the Ramsey Reviews principle recommendation to amalgamate the Credit and Investments Ombudsman (CIO) and the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) into a single scheme.[The MFAAs] submission outlines the industrys concerns of suggested improved service levels under a proposed monopoly model which the MFAA believes would disadvantage its members as small business owners and have little impact on the major credit providers, the association said in a statement.The need for two alternative EDR providers better supports the different types of customers and businesses serviced by each scheme while offering members the choice of provider.The proposal is anti-competitive while lacking efficiency, equity, transparency, accountability and comparability of outcomes, the MFAA said. Latest News Mortgage stress hits Australian households Learn seven ways to ease the interest rate burden, says broker New investor strengthens Invoice Finance Group Partnership will provide funding, new products for SMEs Researchers have found that in the past five years the number of first home buyers over 40 years old has significantly increased while the younger age brackets all experienced a decline.The data, which was compiled by South Australian lender HomeStart Finance, looked at the lenders finance data and examined the age of those who took out a loan from 2007 to 2015 (an average of 900 FHBs per year).The lender found that the number of FHBs between 40 and 49 years old spiked by over 50% between 2011 and 2015 while those over 50 increased by more than 100%.In the same time period, the number of FHBs between 18 and 29 dropped by over 50% while those aged between 30 and 39 decreased by 20%.Looking at total percentages, the number of first home buyers over 40 increased from 18% in 2011 to more than 40% in 2015. This trend, if it continues, will see FHBs over 40 making up the majority within the decade.Theres been an ageing trend among first home buyers for many years driven by both lifestyle and housing market factors, HomeStart CEO John Oliver said.The most surprising result from the data was how quickly the age profile of a typical FHB has been rising. This shows that younger property buyers needed to be offered more support to break into the housing market.While HomeStart is a South Australian lender, Oliver told Australian Broker that this trend will be exacerbated in states where property prices and rent are higher particularly in markets such as Sydney and Melbourne.The longer it takes for home buyers to save for the upfront costs, which is based on the price of the property as well as living costs, the later they will break into the market.Oliver pointed out that the median house price in Sydney in 2016 was $780,000, compared to Melbourne at $576,000 and Adelaide at $420,000.This ageing trend amongst first home buyers could pose some risks for brokers and the property market in general, he said.An increase in the age of Australian first home buyers impacts on a healthy home buyer cycle. A healthy home buyer cycle has a good balance of first home buyers and upgraders, who transition from their first home to their next home within a few years.As the age of typical first home buyers increases into the 40s and 50s, this results in fewer upgraders, he added, since older FHBs will be less likely to transition to a second or third property.In turn it means the client pool for brokers decreases, as there are less first home buyers coming through the door, as well as fewer upgraders in the market.Brokers can help first home buyers enter the market earlier by offering up alternative lending options that work through barriers to home ownership such as the upfront costs required, he said. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams The greatest novelist of his generation and the most important columnist at the New York Daily News walked into a radio show but it was a humble Brooklyn Paper editor who spun the most ethereal web of words. Jonathan Safran Foer joined Brooklyn Paper Radio co-host Gersh Kuntzman of the aforementioned tabloid to talk about his stunning new book, Here I Am, but the show came to a halt when Kuntzmans co-host Vince DiMiceli recalled the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. At the prodding of Foer, whose earlier novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close centers around the terror attack of that day, DiMiceli recounted heading to the roof of his Luquer St. building after hearing a 1010 WINS report of the first plane hitting the towers and then watching the second jetliner make its fateful trip across New York Harbor. I yelled, Its a big f- jet! DiMiceli recounted. And then I saw it hit the building. I saw the explosion. Then I heard the explosion. And then I felt the explosion. Of course, DiMiceli ruined the moment by digressing that whenever a crisis strikes, he immediately takes a shower because, as he put it, You never know if the water is going to go out! That was DiMicelis reaction even when fire alarms started ringing in a building he was once in with his wife. Im surprised evolution hasnt weeded you out yet, Vince, Foer deadpanned. Mostly, of course, the conversation focused on Foers book, whose central story line focuses on the slowly decaying marriage of Jacob and Julia Bloch. Kuntzman couldnt help but recognizing the similarities between the fictional couple and himself and his now ex-wife. Did you tape record the last days of my marriage? Kuntzman asked. Your couple breaks up just like I did: No arguments. No bitterness. Just drift. Foer explained that he did not eavesdrop on Kuntzmans failed marriage, but merely observed something that is more or less universal in couples. Over time, (people) become better and better at interacting in a certain way: domestically, running the business of the family, if you will, and worse at a different kind of communication, making themselves vulnerable emotionally, sexually, etc., Foer said. They start to measure and withhold. Its one little tiny thing at a time, a game of chess that goes on until the board expands over time until it takes up all of a life. DiMiceli frequently tried to get the discussion away from Kuntzmans alleged-though-never-proven failures as a husband and parent and back onto Foer and the great writers craft. I have a room full of reporters who all think they want to write novels, DiMiceli asked, frustrated. So they want to know, how do you do it? I would love to hear the answer, Foer said, adding that theres no secret: Sitting down and working is the hardest thing about writing. Professional writers are the ones who find ways to keep returning to the desk and the blank page, which is singularly frustrating. There are so many incentives to stop. Its boring. Its isolating. But returning every day is the most important thing. And in the shows final moments, Kuntzman and DiMiceli allowed Foer to plug whatever pet cause was on his mind and he promptly went after the hosts shared affection for meat and revulsion for Donald J. Trump. A lot of people are feeling frustrated by the election results and dont know what to do, specifically about what Trump might do to the environment, Foer said. But the things we eat matter far more to the environment than anything this president could do to damage it. If youre white hot with anger, eating differently is one way to affect enormous change very easily. Kuntzman knew where this was going: Youre really saying Im starting with the man in the mirror. And youre asking him to change his ways. What Im saying is if we care about the things were marching about, we can make these simple changes, Foer said. But do we care? Kuntzman asked. Thats the question, Foer said. Also joining the show by phone was Coney Island U.S.A. founder Dick Zigun, who is calling for the so-called Peoples Playground to secede from the United States and become its own sovereign nation. What would its chief exports be, Dick? Funnel cakes and disappointment? No, Zigun said, Hot dogs and excitement! DiMiceli pointed out that the plan could only succeed if someone digs a moat to return Coney to its original island status. Or you could build a wall and have Bensonhurst pay for it, Kuntzman quipped. Its all part of a jam-packed and highly literary episode of Brooklyn Paper Radio. Brooklyn Paper radio is recorded and podcast live every Tuesday at 10 am (or thereabouts) for your convenience from our studio in Americas Downtown and can be found, as always, right here on Brook lynPa per.com , on iTunes, on Mixlr, and of course, on Stitcher. HS Football: North Penn upsets Pennsbury in instant playoff classic With the game on the line, North Penn coach Dick Beck opted to go for the win with a two-point conversion attempt against Pennsbury. Yardley Friends Meeting at 65 N. Main Street in Yardley will host the documentary Organic Roots on Friday, November 18 at 7 p.m. Join director Al Johnson for a showing of this film followed by a discussion of the last 50 years of this movement. Organic foods are part of our life today and a tool in our concern for... The Super Bowl is over and its time to start a new day. 24: Legacy brings back the ticking clock and the real-time adventures of a man trying to stop a deadly terrorist plot from taking place on American soil. While CTU is still around, Jack Bauer isnt, so the premiere introduces a brand new cast of characters and a new terrorist plot that involves sleeper cells. Eric Carter vs. the Terrorists 24: Legacy begins with a familiar sight as terrorists torture and kill a family while searching their house. Heres the quick and relevant backstory: Six months ago a team of Army Rangers, under command of CTU, raided the compound of terrorist mastermind Ibrahim Bin Khalid, killing him. Afterwards the six men and their families were given new identities, but now theyve been discovered by Bin Khalids people, who are hunting them down in search of a stolen strong box. Only two of the Rangers are alive: team leader Eric Carter and his best friend Ben Grimes, whose time in the military had serious psychological effects. Ben calls Carter to warn him about Bin Khalids people, but its too late because the terrorists break into Carters house and take him hostage. Theyre about to pour bleach into his eyes, but get distracted and Carter, plus his wife, are able to kill the terrorists and escape. He calls Rebecca Ingram, the former head of CTU who oversaw the original mission, to update her. He also needs her help to track down Ben, because Carter knows he has the strong box. The New CTU Rebecca is retired and focused on helping the presidential campaign of her husband, Senator John Donovan. However, Carters call ropes her back into action at CTU where the only person she trusts is her analyst, Andy. Since the locations of the Army Rangers could only have come from a limited number of sources, Rebecca cant trust her replacement, new CTU director Keith Mullins. Rebecca seems to ask herself What Would Jack Bauer Do? because she tazes Mullins and ties him up so she can find out if he leaked the names. She and Andy also help to lead Carter to Ben. Carters Sibling Drama Before Carter dives back into the world of fighting terrorists, he needs to make sure his wife Nicole is safe. He cant take her to the cops, so he visits his brother, a drug dealing kingpin named Isaac. Carter and his brother have a very rocky past, especially since Isaac used to date Nicole, but Isaac eventually decides to take her in and protect her with his gang. But theres one person clearly unhappy with this arrangement and thats Isaacs current girlfriend, Aisha. Whats in the Strong Box? Carter eventually tracks down Ben, who indeed has the strong box. Inside is a flash drive containing names and activation codes for Bin Khalids sleeper cells in America, so the terrorists want it in order to launch multiple domestic attacks. Bin Khalids men find them, but a big action sequence involving a giant rolling cylinder leaves Carter victorious. The bad news is that Ben, and the flash drive, are gone. The war really messed him up, so Ben decides that he wants to get paid by the U.S. government in exchange for the flash drive. And if they arent willing to meet his price, hell sell it to the terrorists. As Jack Bauer would say: DAMNIT! Welcome to Terrorist High School In an unconnected story that will surely pay dividends later, Amira is a high school student whose ex-boyfriend Drew fears shes been radicalized based on terrorist-related texts on her phone. Amira and her brother are Chechan immigrants, reminiscent of the Boston bombers. Amira refuses to talk to Drew, so he tells his teacher, Mr. Harris, about his concerns. Unfortunately for Drew, in a truly 24-style twist, Mr. Harris is having an affair with Amira and helping her terrorist plot by using his chemistry skills to create a weapon. Its probably safe to assume that they are a part of one of those Bin Khalid sleeper cells, just waiting to be activated. 24: Legacy airs Mondays at 8/7c on FOX. (Image courtesy of FOX) latest news October 31, 2022 Buddy TV In November, there are hundreds of new and returning TV showsit can be overwhelming to try and choose what to watch. That's why we've selected some of the best options... Innovative printmaker to hold demonstration and workshop Nationally acclaimed artist Stella Ebner at UB for Creative Arts Initiative residency BUFFALO, N.Y. Acclaimed printmaker Stella Ebner, whose work has been exhibited and collected in museums across the country, will make presentations on Feb. 18 and March 3 as part of her residency in the University at Buffalos Creative Arts Initiative (CAI). Ebner will open her spring 2017 residency with a workshop on Feb. 18 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Western New York Book Arts Center, 468 Washington St. in Buffalo. Titled Pressure Printing for ALL!, Ebner will demonstrate a new print technique that uses low-relief collage and stencils on the press. She will explore pattern, color and texture using this deceptively simple and improvisational method for creating striking prints. Registration is required by calling 716-348-1430. Participants pay a $10 fee to cover the cost of materials for this workshop. Ebner will hold a Japanese Woodblock printing demonstration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 3 in rooms B37 and B38 in the Center for the Arts on the universitys North Campus. Guests can have lunch with the artist from 1-2 p.m. followed by a talk and exhibition of Ebners prints from 2-3 p.m. All of these events are free and open to the public, but registration is requested at 716-645-6073 or cai-ub@buffalo.edu. Ebners work draws from contemporary American vernacular to create images that transform everyday happenstance into iconic images. In addition to her scheduled events, Ebner will use her CAI residency to create a series of screen prints inspired by the Western New York imagery and the themes and aesthetic of prolific printmaker, Currier and Ives. Like Currier and Ives, Ebner seeks to discover and create that which defines American imagery, spaces, events and moments that may be overlooked, but in the end become places of self-recognition. Her goal is to create a series of prints around the complexity of Americas social fabric and provide a glimpse into contemporary lifestyles. Ebner is dedicated to the art and history of printmaking and demonstrating that the unique voice of the art form holds deep value and promise in contemporary art and society. With a focus on craft, she pushes todays rigid and process-driven methods of printmaking into the realm of art to create work that transcends the possibilities of the medium. Ebner received a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Minnesota in 1998 and a master of fine arts from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2006. Exhibitions of her work include the Bronx Museum of the Arts, the International Print Center New York, The Print Center - Philadelphia, Kala Art Institute and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She has held residencies at the Lower East Side Printshop, Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts Studio Program and the Kala Art Institute. The CAI is a university-wide initiative dedicated to the creation and production of new work upholding the highest artistic standards of excellence and fostering a complementary atmosphere of creative investigation and engagement among students, faculty, visiting artists and the community. Through its Artist-in-Residence program and its innovative, interdisciplinary offerings for students, CAI is raising the profile of UB and Buffalo in world of artistic expression and revitalizing the initiatives proud tradition as a leader in contemporary art. Poor and less educated suffer the most from chronic pain Pain is a widespread, legitimate problem that must be remembered amidst opioid concerns, researcher says There are a lot of pressures right now to reduce opioid prescription. In part, this study should be a reminder that many people are legitimately suffering from pain." BUFFALO, N.Y. Poorer and less-educated older Americans are more like to suffer from chronic pain than those with greater wealth and more education, but the disparity between the two groups is much greater than previously thought, climbing as high as 370 percent in some categories, according to new research by a University at Buffalo medical sociologist. The results, based on 12 years of data from more than 19,000 subjects aged 51 and over, excluding those diagnosed or treated for cancer, provide several kinds of bad news about chronic pain in the United States, according to Hanna Grol-Prokopczyk, an assistant professor of sociology at UB and the papers author, published in this months issue of the journal Pain. Chronic pain levels are also rising by period and not just by age, meaning people who were in their 60s in 2010 reported more pain than people who were in their 60s in 1998. There are a lot of pressures right now to reduce opioid prescription, says Grol-Prokopczyk. In part, this study should be a reminder that many people are legitimately suffering from pain. Health care providers shouldnt assume that someone who shows up in their office complaining of pain is just trying to get an opioid prescription. We have to remember that pain is a legitimate and widespread problem, she says. The study also serves as an argument for investing more into research for other treatments. We dont have particularly good treatments for chronic pain. If opioids are to some extent being taken off the table, it becomes even more important to find other ways of addressing this big public health problem. Tens of millions of American adults experience chronic pain. A 2011 Institute of Medicine report (now the National Academy of Science Health and Medicine Division) noted that chronic pain affects more people and costs the economy more money than heart disease, cancer and diabetes combined. Yet most research on the condition has asked only whether people had chronic pain or did not. Grol-Prokopczyks groundbreaking study is among the first to look beyond either the presence or absence of chronic pain to examine instead matters of degree, asking whether the pain was mild, moderate or severe. Her research, based on the Health and Retirement Study, which asked participants if they were often troubled with pain, also follows the same subjects over 12 years, as opposed to most studies that illuminate a particular point in time. I found that people with lower levels of education and wealth dont just have more pain, they also have more severe pain, she says. I also looked at pain-related disability, meaning that pain is interfering with the ability to do normal work or household activities. And again, people with less wealth and education are more likely to experience this disability. People with the least education are 80 percent more likely to experience chronic pain than people with the most. Looking exclusively at severe pain, subjects who didnt finish high school are 370 percent more likely to experience severe chronic pain than those with graduate degrees. If youre looking at all pain mild, moderate and severe combined you do see a difference across socioeconomic groups. And other studies have shown that. But if you look at the most severe pain, which happens to be the pain most associated with disability and death, then the socioeconomically disadvantaged are much, much more likely to experience it. More research needs to be done to understand why pain is so unequally distributed in the population, but Grol-Prokopczyk says its critical to keep the high burden of pain in mind in this period of concern over the opioid epidemic. If we as a society decide that opioid analgesics are often too high risk as a treatment for chronic pain, then we need to invest in other effective treatments for chronic pain, and/or figure out how to prevent it in the first place, she says. Conex Banninger is preparing for the start of an important growth year with the appointment of a new sales director and the restructuring of its senior sales personnel. Dan Wild joins the company as business unit director for the UK and Ireland, overseeing the sales strategy for merchant, contractor and specification sectors, while existing director Bill Barlow will focus on the OEM and ACR sectors. The move will allow the business to focus more specifically on the demands of each sector, while maintaining and developing strong customer relationships. Mr Wild brings highly relevant experience and knowledge to his new role, with more than fifteen years of business development experience working within the HVAC and building service industries. He said: My appointment comes at an important and exciting time for the company, with sales team re-focus enabling us to focus on the needs of each customer group in more detail. I am also excited to grow the team over the next six months, with additional sales team appointments within our business plan. This will enable us to deliver the best possible results for the company and our customers alike. Mr Barlow, who joined Conex Banninger two years ago, will oversee a number of key projects over the next twelve months within the OEM and ACR sectors. This will include the introduction of a new OEM facility to accommodate the growing demand for bespoke production within the UK. Mr Barlow said: I am looking forward to the new challenge of helping Conex Banninger develop its work across the OEM and refrigeration sectors. We have identified the importance and potential of the ACR market and our focus on product development points to significant growth within the sector. I am confident that the changes to the team will ensure an improved service for our customers and strong business results across all UK divisions. SR Timber has moved into new, larger premises in North Nottinghamshire as part of ambitious growth plans. The company had previously shared offices with a sister company in Derby, but the move to its own premises in Huthwaite (just off Junction 28 of the M1) heralds the next phase of the companys growth. Trading director Shaun Revill said the team at SR Timber are all excited about the move to a new head office because the company has more room, more facilities and more scope as it plans the next steps, which are focused on increasing market share in its existing product sectors, as well as carving new niches for itself with new products. He said: The new HQ is another piece in the jigsaw for our business, which, because of our partnership with Timberex, means we effectively have our own sawmill, which is said to be the largest production mill solely for the production of factory-graded roofing battens in Europe. This gives SR Timber complete continuity through our entire supply chain, and that is a good thing for all the roofers in the UK that rely on the constant supply of our products. Daylight saving time ends soon, but will it soon be the new normal? The $108 billion Indian is bracing for tough times ahead as potential visa restrictions add to their troubles such as a shift towards automation and pressure on margins in traditional services. Ratings agency Moody's sees Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) planned Rs 78,000 crore investment in Andhra Pradesh as credit negative in the backdrop of falling gas prices, long gestation period of such investments and expected increase in leverage. Opposition leaders on Monday demanded in Parliament that the government make a statement to address the concerns of information technology (IT) professionals working in the US. The proposed plan by British telecom major Vodafone and Aditya Birla groups Idea Cellular to merge their operations has Tata Teleservices in the lurch. Tata Teleservices was in talks with Vodafone for a merger that would have resulted in synergy gains of Rs 10,000 crore for both players. A new pecking order has emerged for foreign tourist arrivals in India. The US, the traditional top source for arrivals, has lost the spot it held for years to Bangladesh. Indias neighbour has for the first time become the biggest source market for foreign tourists coming to the country. By now you have surely read the news about a Noida-based company called Ablaze Info Solutions, which is said to have defrauded about 700,000 people of Rs 3,700 crore. In this scheme, participants first had to pay a substantial subscription fee to join it, after which they were compensated for clicking on links. There were also incentives for bringing in other members, which made it akin to a multi-level marketing (MLM) scheme. Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app. Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006. Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more. Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them. 26 years of website archives. British Doctor Richard Beale along with a doctor team, who was involved in treating the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa when she was admitted in Apollo Hospital, explaining about the various procedures involved while treating her during a press conference in Chennai (Photo: PTI) Union Home Minister today said Pakistan should hold a referendum on its soil to ascertain what its people really want before asking for a popular vote in Jammu and Kashmir. "Pakistani authorities who speak in favour of a referendum in Kashmir better conduct it first on their own soil to know what their people really want," Singh, who addressed two rallies in Haridwar (rural) to mobilise support for BJP for the February 15 assembly polls in Uttarakhand, said. Terming both demonitisation and surgical strike as steps taken in the country's interests, he said they will have long-term and good effects. At another rally in the area from where chief minister Harish Rawat is contesting, Singh said if voted to power BJP will make crop loans to farmers interest free. The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the attachment of properties in Aamby Valley (near Pune), estimated to be worth Rs 39,000 crore, to secure sums due to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). A Bench of Justice Dipak Misra, Ranjan Gogoi and A K Sikri ordered the group to give a list of properties without any encumbrance that could be auctioned to recover the principal sum due to Sebi Rs 14,000 crore. Sebi says total dues, with interest, exceed Rs 47,000 crore. Of this, the group has remitted Rs 11,477 crore, Sebi counsel Pratap Venugopal informed the court. The Bench also extended the interim parole of group chief Subrata Roy till February 27, the date of the next hearing, after Rs 600 crore was remitted in a combination of bank drafts and online transfers into the Sebi-Sahara account on Monday. Last month, the court had refused to extend the time given for this deposit and allowed a transfer of 35 million (about Rs 295 crore), raised out of the groups foreign assets. The whole amount went into Mondays deposit. In a major push for cashless transactions, point-of-sale (PoS) machines for credit/debit cards as well as Aadhaar-based transactions will be installed at all fair price shops and fertiliser depots over the next few months. With the government having decided to abolish the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), foreign investment proposals might now be directly considered by the ministries concerned and regulatory bodies. A united Opposition in the Lok Sabha used to launch an attack on the government on Monday, as the House started debating the motion of thanks to the Presidents address to Parliament on January 31. Clean energy seems to be the buzzword for Dharmendra Pradhans ministry of petroleum. Its flagship social sector programme, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), has not only surpassed the current financial years target of 15 million connections but is likely to touch 20 million by the end of next month (the close of 2016-17). Digital payments were 10.2 per cent lower by volume and 7 per cent lower by value in January 2017 against December 2016, according to representative data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Admiral Sunil Lanba CNS reviews Indian Navys Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (Tropex 2017) Admiral Sunil Lanba PVSM AVSM ADC Chief of the Naval Staff embarked ships of the Indian Fleet (both Western & Eastern) over the last two days to review the ongoing Annual Theatre level Readiness and Operational Exercise (TROPEX) 2017 which is presently underway since 24 Jan 17. The CNS was accompanied by General Bipin Rawat UYSM AVSM YSM SM VSM Chief of the Army Staff and Vice Admiral Girish Luthra PVSM AVSM VSM ADC Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command. The CNS witnessed a host of exercises viz. Gunnery shoots, Surface to Air missile engagements, Brahmos firing and operations of the combined Fleet in a complex multi threat environment including sub surface and air threats. The high-point of the exercise was Large Force Engagement (LFE) by the Fleet units against threat simulated by air element from Indian Air Force comprising AWACS, SU 30s, Jaguars and IL 78 (AAR). These threats emanated from different directions and were neutralised by using Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile capabilities of MiG 29Ks, the integral air arm of the Indian Navy, operating from INS Vikramaditya in coordination with other Fleet units. All these exercises validated the combat effectiveness of IN platforms. The CNS during his address to the Fleet congratulated the men for keeping the fleet combat ready at all times and executing all assigned tasks in a most professional manner. CNS also mentioned that training during peacetime has to be at par with how we would Fight during war and emphasised on taking bold decisions with due cognisance to risks involved and ensuring safety of men and material. TROPEX 2017 is a month long exercise/ war drill, encompassing all dimensions of maritime warfare and is witnessing participation of over 60 ships, 05 submarines and more than 70 naval aircraft. It also includes participation of a large number of assets from the Indian Air Force, such as Su-30 and Jaguar fighters, AWACS, C 130J Hercules and in-flight refuelling aircraft, Infantry amphibious elements from Indian Army and ships/ aircraft from the Indian Coast Guard. The area of operations for TROPEX 2017 exercise spans across the vast expanse of the Arabian Sea and North Central Indian Ocean and serves as an opportunity to validate the Indian Navys Concepts of Operation. As a part of the exercise, niche capabilities of the Marine Commandoes (MARCOs) and Army Special Forces, including Airborne Assault and Combat Free Fall were undertaken from IAF C-130 aircraft. Naval forces, while enforcing sea and airspace control all around the affected islands, undertook beaching and heli-borne operations for landing of follow-on forces. The exercise culminated with restoration of sovereign control over the affected islands, by the Armed Forces. During debrief of the exercise, CNS and COAS discussed various options to further enhance the effectiveness of the joint exercise. TROPEX 17 assumes special significance in the backdrop of the current security scenario, being aimed at testing combat readiness of the combined fleets of the Indian Navy, and the assets of the Indian Air Force, Indian Army and the Indian Coast Guard. It will also strengthen inter-operability and joint operations in a complex environment. DKS/RS/SDR BIMSTEC Meet The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organization comprising seven Member States namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand. The regional group acts as a bridge between South and South East Asia and represents a reinforcement of relations among these countries. The objective of building such an alliance was to harness shared and accelerated growth through mutual cooperation in different areas of common interests by utilizing regional resources and geographical advantages. Unlike many other regional groupings, BIMSTEC is a sector-driven cooperative organization. Starting with six sectorsincluding trade, technology, energy, transport, tourism and fisheriesfor sectoral cooperation in the late 1997, it expanded to embrace nine more sectorsincluding agriculture, public health, poverty alleviation, counter-terrorism, environment, culture, people to people contact and climate changein 2008. BIMSTEC was created with objectives to create an enabling environment for rapid economic development through identification and implementation of specific cooperation projects in the sectors of trade, investment and industry, technology, human recourse development, tourism, agriculture, energy, and infrastructure and transportation ; through joint endeavours and active collaboration, provide mutual assistance in the form of training and research facilities, on matters of common interest in the economic, social, technical and scientific fields. Leaders of BIMSTEC Countries were the special invitees at the Goa BRICS Summit, held in October, 2016, under its customary Outreach Initiative. Prior to the BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit, the BIMSTEC Leaders met in a Retreat format. The BIMSTEC Leaders' Retreat was held in an informal setting, without aides or a fixed agenda. They deliberated on Terrorism, Climate Change and Environment, Disaster Management, Connectivity, Agriculture and Food Security, Fisheries, Blue Economy, Energy, Trade, Technology, Tourism, Culture, etc. Subsequent to the BIMSTEC Leaders' Retreat, an Outcome Document capturing the deliberations of the meeting was released. Export of Cash Crops Government provides financial and technical assistance to the growers and other stakeholders to boost export of cash crops namely tea, coffee, rubber, spices, tobacco and cashew which includes, inter alia, participation in trade fairs, exhibitions, buyer-seller meets, brand promotion, public relation campaigns and incentives for export of value added products. The Government has introduced unified export promotion scheme for merchandise exports including that of cash crops viz. Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS). The scheme provides incentive in the form of duty credit scrip to the exporter to compensate for his loss on payment of duties. The incentive is paid as percentage of the realized FOB value (in free foreign exchange) for notified goods going to notified markets. Maharashtra to become Open Defecation Free by March 2018 The Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, Shri Swadhin Kshatriya has conveyed to the Centre that the State will be declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) by March 2018. He said this in a meeting with the Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Parameswaran Iyer, in Mumbai, and mentioned that Maharashtra is on track to achieve this goal. The Secretary was further informed that the Government of Maharashtra has a strong third party verification system for ODF declarations in the State, with three levels of verification. The Chief Secretary said that Maharashtra is not only aiming for ODF achievement, but also aiming to include handwashing, menstrual hygiene, community toilets etc. as part of Swachh Bharat implementation in the State. Multiple cleanliness campaigns such as Clean Offices, Clean GPs, Clean Schools are also underway in the State. The Secretary, in turn, assured the State of full support from the Ministry in their efforts. Under the Zila Swachh Bharat Prerak initiative, a Prerak will be provided at district-level in the State to support SBM(G) activities by the Ministry, in association with the Tata Trusts. The Secretary made a presentation to Chief Managing Directors of all Western Region PSUs in presence of Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises, to encourage them to contribute to the Swachh Bharat Mission. The presentation was well-received, with many PSUs mentioning initiatives currently undertaken by them, including school sanitation, toilets along highways etc. The Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises, stressed at the meeting that the PSUs must train their workers and management trainees as sanitation champions and agents of change. <><><><><> SNC Text of speech of Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan during curtain raiser of WLPGA 2017 Asia LPG Summit organized by World LPG Association in New Delhi . Officials of World LPG Association, Distinguished foreign guests, senior officials from Indian oil sector, Members of Media, Ladies and Gentlemen. . . Namaste and welcome to India. . . I welcome you all to the curtain raiser to the WLPGA 2017 Asia LPG summit in New Delhi that will take place tomorrow and day after. We have the privilege and honor to host this event in India this year. . . Friends, this is a very busy time in Delhi. We just had our Union Budget presentation last week. This is an annual event where the Honble finance minister presents the statement of account of revenue and expenditure, as well as announces important policy decisions of the Government before the Parliament of India. . . We are also having elections to five legislative assemblies to elect provincial governments in five Indian States. These things will keep all of us, including the friends from media very busy for the next two months. . . Friends, in a democracy, we have to give accounts to people of what we promised and what we delivered. As you are aware, we are exactly in the middle of our term. In May 2014, people of India gave a historic mandate to Honble Prime Minister Narendra Modi for good governance and reforms. We are at the mid-way mark and it is really a time for us to see what we have achieved and what further needs to be done. . . When we assumed charge, we realized that access to energy in an area where India needs to catch up both in terms of access to electricity and access to clean cooking fuel. Honble Finance Minister announced in his budget speech that India is going to achieve 100% village electrification by 2018. . . Other area where we needed to improve was access to clean cooking fuel. When we assumed office, we had a system of misdirected subsidies, rich and upper middle class were entitled to LPG subsidies. There were many duplicate connections and the subsidized LPG was diverted to commercial and industrial segments. As a result poorest of the poor never had access to LPG. In 2014, almost half of Indian households didnt have LPG connections. We took it as a challenge and decide to change the LPG landscape in India . . First we launched PAHAL that means Direct benefit transfer of LPG subsidy directly inot the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. This made the process transparent and plugged the subsidy leakages which was otherwise being misused through ghost accounts. . . The success of PAHAL is evident from the fact it made it to the Guinness Book of World Records as the worlds largest cash benefit transfer scheme. The scheme is benefitting over 176 million consumers and over Rs. 40,000 crore or USD 6.5 billion of subsidy has been transferred directly to the beneficiaries bank accounts in the last two years. It has also resulted in estimated saving of over Rs. 21,000 crore or USD 3.2 billion in two years to the government. . . An intensive exercise was also carried out for identifying duplicate/ fake/ ghost / inactive domestic LPG connections and as on 1 April 2015, 33.4 million connections were identified. Using PAHAL, we blocked these connections and saved INR 210 billion subsidy in 2014-15 and 2015-16. Commercial LPG sales increased by 40% in period April 2015 March 2016 in contrast to pre-PAHAL when these sales were not growing at all, showing how the subsidized residential supply was earlier diverted to commercial. . . We also launched Give it up" and Give back" this is a voluntary scheme where affluent consumers who could afford to buy LPG at the market price, were encouraged to give up their entitlement to subsidy, so that the same could be used to provide more connections to poorest of poor. With an appeal of Honble Prime Minister, Our Citizens have set high standards of voluntarism and participative democracy by giving up their LPG subsidy. Over 12 million consumers have given up their LPG subsidy which has helped in ensuring access to LPG connections to the under-privileged people. . . Friends you will be surprised that amazingly, these are not only rich and upper middle class households but teachers, retired persons, government employees who have given up their LPG subsidy. I am very proud of these individuals who have voluntarily given up their subsidy and in many occasions we have publicly honored them to recognize their noble deed. . . These households are now paying market linked prices of LPG. This has helped us provide subsidy to the needy. Nearly 6.3 million new LPG connections have been released to poor (BPL) families in 2015-16 linked to the Give it back campaign and utilizing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds of our oil marketing companies (OMCs). Friends, globally many multilateral agencies like the World Bank have highly praised Give it up" campaign, sighting it as finest example of voluntary citizen participation in governance process. . . But our most ambitious scheme to ensure access of clean cooking fuel LPG to the poorest of the poors is the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. . . Under Ujjwala programme which was launched in May 2016, We have set target to provide 50 million LPG connections over a period of three years for the poor households, with the budgetary support of Rs 8000 crore or USD 1.5 billion. Its a matter of great happiness that the target of 15 million connections fixed for the current financial year 2016-17 has been achieved within a span of less than 8 months. Friends, most heartening this is that 37% of the beneficiaries belong marginalised communities. The PMUY scheme is bringing huge health benefits to poor households especially women by giving them access to smoke free clean cooking fuel. As on today, we have provided 16 million LPG connections under Ujjawala Scheme. . . States with poor LPG access have benefited the most by this scheme. Top five states that have benefited as on December 2016, are Uttar Pradesh with 4.6 million connections, West Bengal with 1.9 million, Bihar with 1.9 million, Madhya Pradesh with 1.7 million and Rajasthan with 1.4 million. I am confident that we will exceed this target. We have already increased the national LPG coverage to 70% and we may even reach 85% in 2 years. . . With the concerted efforts of the government, the LPG coverage in India has now increased to 72%. Our Government is striving to achieve universal LPG coverage in India. LPG expansion and penetration is ensuring right to access clean cooking fuel to every citizen of our country. I personally believe that providing access to clean cooking fuel to every household is not only our duty but its also a social obligation for all of us. . . Couple of months back we had a LPG conference in Bhubaneshwar. It was an eye opener for us all participants in terms of the socioeconomic benefit of providing LPG in rural areas. . . Like this conference, we had a range of speakers. UN Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Executive Director UN Women Mrs Lakshmi Puri mentioned how providing clean fuels like LPG impacts economic output. The time being spent by women on collection of firewood and cooking food using this firewood is instead used in productive economic activities and that has a huge positive impact on GDP. . . Governor of Jharkhand, Honble Droupadi Murmu mentioned her practical experience as a tribal villager without access to clean cooking fuel. She mentioned, in villages when the women folks go to forest for collection of firewood, how they are exposed to health and safety issues, even sexual harassment. . . Doctor from AIIMS doctor mentioned how using chullah leads to inhaling of smoke which is equivalent to smoking 40 cigarettes a day. These create several health hazards: simple like headaches or nausea and severe like chronic bronchitis, nail diseases etc. This chullah smoke also leads to severe respiratory illnesses in children. . . Hence, aim of our government is not only to improve access, but turn it into a social movement. The scheme improves health, safety and environment, which is the endeavor of our government and vision of our Honble Prime Minister. In fact, I often mention that when I assumed office at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, it was a ministry dealing with large corporates. We have turned this into a welfare ministry, touching lives of millions of poor and underprivileged. . . Increasing access at such a fast pace comes with its own set of challenges. Challenges of reach, low consumer density, availability of distributors, rolling stock of cylinders etc. There are issues of infrastructure import facility, capacity of bottling plants and transport to inaccessible rural areas. However, our Oil Marketing Companies have done a commendable job these companies geared up to plan and build this infrastructure and distribution network. . . Friends, you would have heard about the bold reform move of de-monetizing higher currency notes in November 2016. This was a step taken to eliminate the parallel economy, bring more individuals and companies into the tax net and overall reduce use of cash in the economy. Despite initial difficulties faced by general population, this move has received massive public support. . . Honble Prime Minister has the vision to make our country a less cash using system. The enabler is the JAM trinity. J stands for Jan-dhan these are banks accounts that were provided to the poor, who till recently were excluded from the financial system. More than 260 million bank accounts were opened under this scheme within six months of PM Modi coming to power. . . A stands for AADHAR which is a biometric identity card that has reached more than 99% of the more than 5 year old population. And M is the mobile phone which are more than a billion in India. . . Going forward, using these three most of the digital transactions will take place and use of cash will be minimized. Our Oil Marketing Companies have started several mechanisms to make all transactions cash less. Customers can now book and make full payment for LPG cylinders online and even receive INR 5 discount per cylinder. So in the entire value chain of LPG, we would make use of digital technology. . . I am happy that during the next two days deliberations in the conference we will share and hear from the distinguished guests about their experience in expanding LPG access and their success stories. There is a lot to learn from each other, particularly among developing countries. . . India and its neighbouring countries Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka have the advantage of proximity to share infrastructure which will help us achieve economies of scale. I keep interacting with my colleague ministers in these countries in this regards. . . I hope that this conference will provide a platform where we will exchange ideas to achieve collective victory over the ill-effects of smoke in our kitchens and bring better health for mothers and children. . . If we can get our act together and provide 100% access to clean energy, we would impact 6 of the 8 millennium development goals: (1) eradicate extreme hunger and poverty by increasing economic potential of women & reducing economic loss due to bad health (2) empower our women (3) reduce child mortality (4) improve maternal health (5) ensure environmental sustainability and (6) combat tuberculosis. . . I welcome you again to New Delhi. Please enjoy you stay here and I hope you have good deliberations & discussions over the next two days! . . Thank you. . Jai Hind!!!. . Some of Silicon Valleys biggest names have joined the court fight against US President Donald Trumps immigration restrictions, as heavyweights such as Apple, Google and Facebook warned that the limits could hurt the countrys economy. US President will meet leaders of NATO countries in Europe in May, the White House said, weeks after he dismayed the inter-governmental military alliance by calling it "obsolete". Trump agreed to meet leaders of NATO countries after he had a telephonic conversation with the organisation's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. "President Trump agreed to join in a meeting of NATO leaders in Europe in late May," the White House said in a readout of the phone call, during which the two leaders discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments. "Additionally, the parties discussed the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border. The parties agreed to continue close co-ordination and co-operation to address the full range of security challenges facing NATO," the White House said. In a separate readout of the call, NATO said the two leaders reviewed progress on the fight against terrorism and on NATO defence spending. They stressed the need for continued efforts to ensure fair burden-sharing among all NATO Allies. "They also discussed the uptick in violence in eastern Ukraine, and prospects for a peaceful settlement," NATO statement said. "The Secretary General recalled NATO's consistent policy of strong defence and dialogue with Russia," it said. Stoltenberg said Trump looks forward to the upcoming NATO Summit in Brussels in late May to discuss these issues. This was Stoltenberg's second phone conversation with President Trump since his election. Trump had called Nato "obsolete" because it "wasn't taking care of terror". NATO, he said, was "very important" to him but only five of its 28 member-states were paying their fair share and that, he said, was "very unfair to the United States". Trump's statement has caused "worry" in the alliance, Germany's foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier had said. The Trump administration could soon be facing another legal spoiler with Google, Facebook, Uber, Twitter, Netflix and other prominent tech companies planning to file a legal brief opposing the President's travel ban, reported the Washington Post while citing people familiar with the issue. It is unfashionable, or just embarrassing, to suggest the taken-for-granted late-modern economic order neoliberal may be in a terminal decline. At least thats the case in what former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott likes to call the Anglosphere. An Israeli government committee gave an initial nod on Sunday for the export of medical marijuana in what could be a windfall for companies in Israel, widely regarded as a leader in research in the field. Royal Dutch is seeking to sell its stake in the Danish Underground Consortium (DUC), an offshore oil and gas joint venture, in what would mark the company's effective exit from Denmark, three banking sources said. The stake is valued at up to $1 billion, according to two sources. Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML) is running the sale process, the sources said. owns a 36.8% stake in DUC alongside operator AP Moller-Maersk, which has 31.2%, Chevron which holds 12%, and Danish state-run Nordsfonden which has a 20% stake. declined to comment. BAML was not available for immediate comment. The consortium, which started production in 1972, currently operates 16 fields, In 2014 it produced 51 million barrels of oil, roughly 140,000 barrels per day, and 4 billion cubic metres of gas, according to Maersk's website. Shell said last week it was close to selling assets totalling $5 billion to cut debt following its $54 billion acquisition of BG Group a year ago. The Anglo-Dutch company has sold around $12.5 billion in assets since mid-2015 as it tries to reach its target of $30 billion in disposals by 2018. It has said it plans to exit five to 10 countries in the process. Last September, Shell agreed an $80 million sale of its remaining Danish downstream business, including its Fredericia refinery, to Denmark's Dansk Olieselskab. In March 2015, Shell agreed to sell its retail and commercial fuel marketing operations in Denmark to Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard. The knowledge transfer sessions started a few months after Jeff Tan received notice last summer that he and about 80 co-workers would be laid off by the University of California, San Francisco, at the end of February. News / International by Staff Reporter The 42-year-old Zimbabwean man who allegedly stabbed his cheating wife to death apparently followed and recorded her having an affair with another Zimbabwean man in Birmingham UK.A video has surfaced online showing the now deceased wife entering a hotel, watch video below: President Trump is barreling into a confrontation with the courts barely two weeks after taking office, foreshadowing years of legal battles as an administration determined to disrupt the existing order presses the boundaries of executive power. University vice chancellors in Australia warn that US President Donald Trumps executive order which temporarily bans those from seven countries from entering the US will threaten the globally connected academic community. Third secretary at the Afghan consulate, Zaki Adu, was shot dead by a private security guard at the consulate in Karachi's Old Clifton area on Monday. According to the Deputy Inspector General South, Azad Khan, the guard, Hayatullah, opened fire on Adu in the lobby of the consulate after a personal disagreement. Hayatullah, an Afghan national, has been taken into custody following the incident and the situation is said to be under control, reports the Dawn. The DIG said the incident did not appear to be an act of terrorism. "We are collecting evidence and will obtain CCTV footage in order to investigate the incident," he said, adding that the consulate had been cleared. Roads around the consulate have been closed for traffic. The police and Rangers personnel cordoned off the area when the fire shots were heard. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 50 persons were killed after avalanche hit the eastern province of Afghanistan. The incident took place earlier on Sunday after Hafsi village in Bargmatal district was hit by avalanche, reports Khaama Press. Provincial governor's spokesman Hafiz Qayum said the rescue team has managed to recover dead bodies of at least 50 people so far. The death toll is expected to rise. He said efforts are underway to recover the bodies of the remaining residents who are still trapped under the snow. Meanwhile at least 10 people, including women and children, were killed when two avalanches struck Chitral, Pakistan on Sunday. The avalanches smashed into the village of Sher Shal area near Gharam Chashma, killing four women and four children among others. The region has been hit by heavy snowfall that is four feet (1.2 metres) deep in some places. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Showing confidence over her party's victory in Mathura, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Hema Malini on Monday said that the people of Uttar Pradesh are very happy with the party's performance. "In Mathura, we will definitely win. There are a lot of chances for our victory in Mathura. I am very sure that the people are very happy from what is happening from our side," the actress-turned-politician told ANI. When asked whether her party will raise the issue of Ram Mandir, she said, "Why only the issue of Ram Mandir? There are so many developmental works that have been done by the Prime Minister." "Our Prime Minister has done so much for the farmers. Instead of critising everything, one should appreciate the good thing the PM has done. He has done so much development in the country. He has brought a big name to the country," she added. With the political scenario heating up in the Uttar Pradesh ahead of Assembly elections, Union minister Giriraj Singh today posed rhetoric that if the Ram temple will not be constructed in India or in Ayodhya then will it be constructed in Pakistan. "We do not know the exact time when the Ram Temple will be built in India. But if not in Ayodhya, if not in India, will it be built in Pakistan?" Singh told media. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinay Katiyar also echoed the similar view saying that they will raise the issue of Ram Temple vigorously and would take decision under the purview of law. The BJP has raised the issue of Ram Temple construction time and again. Earlier BJP president Amit Shah vowed to work towards the construction of Ram Temple "under the provisions of the Constitution." Uttar Pradesh will go to polls for the first phase on February 11. It will be a seven-phase Assembly elections for the state in which the last phase will be held on March 8. The counting of votes and the results will be declared on March 11. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court on Monday set up a Judicial Tribunal to look into banning Zakir Naik's NGO 'Islamic Research Foundation' (IRF) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. A notice has also been issued to IRF to respond to a plea by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to hold in camera proceedings The Investigation Agency has also filed three affidavits in sealed cover before the Court giving reasons for the ban on the IRF. Today was the first hearing of the tribunal and the next hearing will be on February 20th. The Tribunal headed by Delhi High Court judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal is set to give an order on the schedule of hearings and whether proceedings to be held in closed courtroom on the next date. The IRF, earlier moved a petition seeking directions against the ban imposed on it by the central government. On November 15, the central government had banned the IRF for five years after declaring it as an "unlawful association" under the anti-terror laws, and the Investigation Agency (NIA) followed up with raids on its premises in Mumbai on November 19. According to the Home Ministry, Naik has allegedly made many provocative speeches and had engaged in terror propaganda. The Maharashtra Police have also registered criminal cases against Naik for his alleged involvement in radicalisation of youths and luring them into terror activities, officials said. He came under the scanner of the security agencies after Bangladeshi newspaper 'Daily Star' reported that one of the perpetrators of the July 1,2016 terror attack in Dhaka, Rohan Imtiaz, ran propaganda on Facebook in 2015 quoting Naik. Last month, The Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued summons to Zakir Naik and the IRF under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The foundation had first come under the scanner after the terrorist responsible for Dhaka attack earlier this year, in an online post had said, that he was inspired by Naik's speeches. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has asked for a detailed report on earthquake which jolted North India and ordered the Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to be on high alert to take care of the situation in case of any casualty. An earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter Scale, struck Uttarakhand late on Monday night. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the tremors took place at 10.33 p.m. with a depth of 33 kilometres. According to reports, the tremors were felt for almost 30 seconds in Uttarakhand, Dehradun and the capital region. "The MHA is closely monitoring the situation in earthquake-hit Uttarakhand and other north Indian states where the tremors have been felt. The NDRF teams have been rushed from Ghaziabad to Uttarakhand to conduct rescue and relief operations, if the situation arises," Home Minister's office said in a series of tweets. The quake caused tremors that were felt across northern India. Two teams of the Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been rushed to Rudraprayag to conduct relief and rescue operations should the need arise. A clear picture of the effect of the quake on the region is yet to emerge. The quake brought people out of their homes across Uttarakhand, as well as other cities across northern India. However, Inspector General of Police, Garhwal region, Sanjay Gunjyal told ANI that there is no information of any loss of life/property. Residents were seen running out of buildings onto the streets for safety. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board (AIMWPLB) on Monday dubbed the Central Government's stand to ban triple talaq as a 'vote bank politics', saying the issue is brought to notice to woo the Muslim women voters ahead of the assembly elections. AIMWPLB president Shaista Amber however appealed to all the political leaders not to bring the triple talaq matter in their election manifesto. "It is true that Muslim women are really worried about triple talaq. But regarding talaq, I would like to appeal all the political leaders not to bring this matter in their election manifesto. We will not give vote to any political parties who raise this issue to gain vote from Muslim voters. They should not make it as a 'vote bank politics'," Amber told ANI. Vowing to ban triple talaq after the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Union Minister for Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad yesterday said that triple talaq is a major issue in the state, adding that it is a practice that is still harassing women even after 70 years of freedom. He said the tradition of triple talaq denies respect for women and the central government is committed to end the "evil social practice". The Central Government has also told the top court that it is against gender injustice and for equality between men and women under the Constitution. However, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has defended the practice, saying it is better to divorce a woman than kill her. "The rights bestowed by religion can't be questioned in a court of law," it said. In December last year, the Allahabad High Court termed the Islamic practice of divorcing a woman by uttering the word "talaq" thrice as "unconstitutional". The court further observed that the triple talaq practice sanctioned under Muslim Personal Law that governs marriage, property and divorce violates the rights of Muslim women. "Triple talaq is unconstitutional, it violates the rights of Muslim women," ruled the High Court, adding that no personal law board is above the Constitution. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The two-day warm-up match between India A and Bangladesh ended in a draw at the Gymkhana Ground in Hyderabad. Resuming at an overnight score of 91-1, opener Priyank Panchal (103) and Shreyas Iyer (retired at 100) struck scorching centuries besides sharing a massive 159-run stand for the opening wicket. Lower-order batsman Vijay Shankar also smashed a brilliant unbeaten knock of 103 runs before India A amassed 461 for 8 in their first innings with only 15 overs left in the day. While Iyer achieved his ton off only 92 balls with 11 fours and four sixes, Shankar scored his knock from 81 balls, hitting 14 fours and three sixes. For Bangladesh, Subashis Roy and Taijul Islam bagged three wickets each. In the 15 overs remaining before the end of the play, Bangladesh reached 73/2. Tamim Iqbal remained unbeaten at 42 while Soumya Sarkar contributed 25 before being dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav. Earlier on Day one, Bangladesh won the toss and elected to ball first. Soumya Sarkar (52) and skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (58) each struck a half-century to help the visitors post a first-innings total of 224 runs. India will now take on Bangladesh in one-off Test match beginning on February 9 at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here in Hyderabad. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) News / Local by Mary Charamba Harare Residents Trust has expressed concern at council top official pronouncement that the local authority was now focusing on raising money in order to pay off outstanding salaries.The residents trust said such priorities are misplaced.Below is the statement in full :Mrs Josephine Ncube, the Chamber Secretary and Acting Town Clerk of the Harare City Council, your statements that your priorities are revenue collection in order to close the huge gap on salary arrears to municipal employees which have now gone to six months, are not in sync with the reality on the ground.The focus of the City of Harare should never be on revenue collection but on primarily delivering the essential services, and instilling the confidence of the ratepayers so that they are motivated to pay their rates.The report that your council secured a loan in order to buy private vehicles for use in revenue collection is evidence that the Council is not learning from its numerous errors of judgement when it comes to running the City of Harare.Your focus, Mrs Ncube, should be to strengthen the linkage between the City of Harare and its multifaceted stakeholders so that there is appreciation of each other's roles, duties and obligations.Focusing on raising money in order to pay off outstanding salaries will yield nothing as us in the HRT will also be intensifying our campaigns to expose the corruption that seems to be eating away what remains of the Council.Our Demands:1. Every official implicated in the Government's audit report should be forced to repay all the money paid without approval of the Council.2. The City of Harare should cut down on all expenditures especially on salaries and allowances. May the Council comply with the Government's directive on salaries of senior managers, and please close the gap between employees in Grades 4 and five. Workers in Grade 5 earn half what the workers in Grade 4 earn.3. Your billing system is not up to date, especially where the interest charged on overdue accounts is concerned.4. Scrap all interest on overdue accounts.5. Cut down on the whole salary structure by 30 percent to reflect the prevailing socio- economic environment. Your current earnings, while not of major concern in a functioning economy, are out of touch with reality today.6. The Council has to open up its system and be more accommodating to the residents so that there is general consensus around key service delivery priorities. Currently as Council's senior management you are on your own while residents are on their own. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and their UAE counter parts will take part in a joint exercise and sharing of operational expertise from today. Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Samudra Pavak has arrived on a goodwill visit to Dubai and has anchored itself at Port Rashid. The Indian Ambassador to UAE Navdeep Suri visited the ship yesterday and was briefed on board by DIG Satish Kumar, captain of the ship. Samudra Pavak, the third of the Pollution Control Vessel series of the Indian Coast Guard, was indigenously designed and commissioned in January 2016. Samudra Pavak or "Purifier of the Seas" has 15 officers and 99 other personnel under the Command of Deputy Inspector General Satish Kumar. ICGS Samudra Pavak has been extensively deployed along the northwest maritime frontier to safeguard the maritime interests of India. The ship has been tasked with EEZ surveillance, search and rescue, pollution response and such other duties as enshrined in the Coast Guard charter. Later, the Indian ship will sail to Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian troops are retaliating strongly to the ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba sector. At about 08:45 a.m. there was small arms fire from Pakistan's side and at 09:35 a.m. small arms and 51 mm mortar fire started. As an answer to Pakistan's ceasefire violation, the Indian troops retaliated suitably. No loss or damage has taken place so far. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Green Tribunal (NGT) will hear the PIL on cleaning of river Ganga, which was transferred from the Supreme Court, on a day-to-day basis from today. The Apex Court in January transferred Ganga cleaning and sewage treatment case to the NGT. The court had earlier sought a fresh status report from the Centre on its plans to revive the Ganges. The report was sought on a 32-year-old pending public interest litigation (PIL) filed by famous environmentalist M. C. Mehta. In 2014, the Apex Court had said Green Tribunal (NGT) was its 'last hope' and referred the task of monitoring industrial units that are along the Ganges River to it. The NGT on December 7 last year sternly criticised the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam on attitude and approach to the Ganga Action Plan, saying that the institution is one of the best examples of uselessness, as it has done nothing since its inception in 1975. "The Centre is spending around Rs. 20000 crore to clean the Ganga, but a useless institution like yours (UP Jal Nigam) and other agencies are effectively blocking progress and preventing the plan's implementation," the tribunal said. This is not the first time that the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam has been pulled up by the NGT. In August last year, the NGT had sent notices to the Uttar Pradesh and to the UP Jal Nigam asking both to explain as to why the western parts of Uttar Pradesh were not being provided with sufficient potable, clean and drinking water. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Labelling the current political situation in Tamil Nadu as a 'Black Phase' for the state, PMK leader and Lok Sabha member Dr Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday said Sasikala Natrajan has no administrative experience to hold the post of a Chief Minister. The MP from Dharmapuri constituency, who suffered a mild heart attack two days ago, said, "The people are very upset of the happenings in Tamil Nadu, suddenly Panneerselvam submitted his resignation and Mrs. Sasikala Natrajan was made the CM" Since the Supreme Court is likely to deliver its judgement in disproportionate assets case involving late former chief minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa and Sasikala by next week, Ramadoss went on to say that if Sasikala is found to have an involvement in the case, Tamil Nadu will have another Chief Minister. Further taking a jibe at the situation, he expressed concern over the fact that Tamil Nadu has already seen five chief ministers in last two years and said, "For the students appearing for quarterly examinations, the answer for the question, 'who is the chief minister of Tamil Nadu' was J. Jayalalithaa, by half yearly exam is became O. Panneerselvam and now it is Sasikala Natrajan". "None of the public is accepting her, only 200 people in AIADMK are in Sasikala's support", he said He added that it's against the policies of Jayalalithaa that she has been appointed as the chief Minister. He said that it is time that DMK and AIADMK are shown the door and others get an opportunity to serve the state. A day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam tendered his resignation, Sasikala Natarajan is now all set to take over the top post. Governor Vidyasagar Rao, accepting Panneerselvam's resignation, asked him and his Council of Ministers to continue functioning until alternative arrangements were made. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) V.K. Sasikala is likely to take over as Tamil Nadu's next Chief Minister on February 9. On Sunday, she was unanimously elected as the leader of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (AIADMK) legislature party. The AIADMK said that it was unwise for the party and government to have different power centres in the state and therefore, vociferously demanded Sasikala's elevation and O. Panneerselvam's removal. Panneerselvam, the current incumbent of the post who proposed Sasikala's name at the party's internal meeting yesterday afternoon, announced his resignation soon after. In her four-minute speech, Sasikala expressed her gratitude to the elected representatives and party workers for "shattering the dreams of rivals who wanted to see the party split." She praised Panneerselvam who, she said, stood loyal whenever the party faced tough times and when there were difficulties in Jayalalithaa continuing as the chief minister. Sasikala is likely to take her oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Thursday. She will now meet Governor Vidyasagar Rao to stake her claim to form the government. Meanwhile, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader T.K.S. Elangovan said, "No party can go against wishes of the people. The MLAs might have chosen Sasikala, whether the people will accept her as the Chief Minister has to be seen. The future of Tamil Nadu has spoiled since 2011 when the AIADMK came to power." Resonating similar sentiments, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge told ANI, "Sasikala Natarajan isn't the primary member of her party. If such people will run the government then it isn't a good message for democracy." Sasikala is not a member of the legislature, something the country's Constitution requires her to remedy within six months. While Sasikala has neither been an elected member of the Tamil Nadu Assembly nor held any official post in the government, she was considered to be the closest aide of Jayalalithaa. She had a considerable say in appointments and in the selection of candidates. What her hold is at the grassroots level of the party and in politics remains to be seen. Jayalalithaa was introduced to Sasikala - a former video store owner - in the 1980s and over the years, she became a permanent presence in the actor-turned-politician's her life and home. The former chief minister described Sasikala as the "sister I never had." Following Jayalalithaa's death on December 5, it was the 61-year-old Sasikala who performed her last rites. On December 31, she formally took over as general secretary of the AIADMK, fuelling speculation that she would, eventually, take charge as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. Speculation of Sasikala taking over as Chief Minister by the end of January were strong but the massive protests across the state over demanding the removal of the ban on the bull-taming festival of Jallikattu delayed it. Former union home minister P. Chidambaram said it is the right of AIADMK MLAs to elect their leader, adding that it is the right of the people to ask if the leader deserves to be the Chief Minister. "Looking back with pride, TN CM chair was occupied by Kamaraj and Anna. AIADMK and PEOPLE OF TAMILNADU are now moving in opposite directions," he added. Karti P. Chidambaram, son of former Union Cabinet minister P Chidambaram, commented on Twitter that it was a shame for Tamil Nadu and the legislative Assembly (elected for a five-year term in early 2016, with an AIADMK majority) should be dissolved. However, the journey ahead for Sasikala, who is slated to become Chief Minister, is going to be challenging, both on the administrative and political fronts. On the political front, Sasikala's top priority would be to get elected to the assembly. The constitutional requirement is that this has to be done within six months of becoming the Chief Minister. At present, only one seat is lying vacant, which is R.K. Nagar in Chennai. Besides, elections to local bodies will be a major test for her to demonstrate and establish her political credentials. The polls are likely to be held this summer. On the administrative front, the existing spell of severe drought, demonetisation and impending uncertainties in the event of the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) are all expected to have an adverse effect on the overall economy of the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In yet another blow to Subrata Roy, the Supreme Court on Monday ordered attaching the company's Aamby Valley properties in Lonavala, Maharastra which are worth 39,000 crores. Now the properties would be kept under the supervision of court and nobody would cease or do anything with these properties till the next date of the hearing on the case on February 27. The apex court asked Sahara to furnish a list of properties which were free from Litigation and mortgage so that it could be put into public auction. Sahara today admitted before the top court that it had to pay an amount of Rs 14,000 crore as principal money to SEBI. The business conglomerate today also told the Apex court that it had already paid Rs 11,000 crores. Subrato Roy's parole was earlier extended till November 28 taking note of the deposit of Rs 200 crores made by him with SEBI in October, as a condition precedent for his release. The apex court had then granted four weeks' custody parole to Roy to perform his mother's last rites. Roy was in Tihar jail since March 4, 2014, till his mother's death in May 6, 2016, for not complying with the apex court's orders in connection with a long dispute with the market regulator. SEBI had alleged that Roy failed to comply with the 2012 SC order directing him to return investors more than Rs 20,000 crore with 15 percent interest that his two companies Sahara India Real Estate Corp Ltd and the Sahara Housing Finance Corp Ltd had raised through optionally fully convertible debentures (OFCD) in 2007 and 2008. Sahara, once among India's high-profile firms, has in the past made several failed attempts to raise the bail money using its prized overseas hotels that include the Plaza in New York and Grosvenor House in London. Sahara says it has paid more than 80 percent of the dues to share-holders, but SEBI has disputed that and said the company has not paid more than Rs 10,000 crores. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court will on Tuesday hear the water issue, involving Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The apex court had earlier asked the Karnataka government to provide 2000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu till it hears the matter. Earlier, the top court had last month dismissed the plea seeking compensation from both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments for the loss of property during the water related dispute between both the states. Siva Kumar, a Tamil Nadu based activist had earlier filed the petition in the Supreme Court on the same. On January 9, the Tamil Nadu government sought a compensation of Rs 2,480 crores from Karnataka for not releasing water to the state despite getting the Supreme Court directive to do so. A bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Dipak Misra and comprising Justice Amitava Roy and Justice AM Khanwilkar extended the interim order in the water issue, directing Karnataka to release 2,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu. The lawyer from the side of Tamil Nadu, Shekhar Naphade, urged the three-judge bench to bring the matter to a logical end for which there should be a continuous hearing. On December 9, the apex court upheld its constitutional power and right to hear appeals filed by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, against the 2007 Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal final award. The Supreme Court will hear the SEBI-Sahara refund case today. The Apex Court had decided to hear the Sahara refund case on February 6 after Subrata Roy's lawyer Kapil Sibal urged that this matter be advanced. Roy's interim parole will expire today. In a major relief to Roy, the apex court earlier on November 28 last year extended his interim bail and ordered him to pay Rs.600 crore to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) by February 6. During the hearing, Roy's counsel Kapil Sibal proposed to the three judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Tirath Singh Thakur, to pay Rs. 11,000 crore within a period of two-and-a- half years. In October last year, the apex court had extended his parole till November 28 taking note of the deposit of Rs. 200 crores made by him with SEBI as a condition precedent for his release. Roy was in Tihar jail since March 4, 2014, till his mother's death in May 6, 2016, for not complying with the apex court's orders in connection with a long dispute with the market regulator. The SEBI alleged that Roy allegedly failed to comply with 2012 apex court order directing him to return investors more than Rs 20,000 crore with 15 percent interest that his two companies Sahara India Real Estate Corp Ltd and the Sahara Housing Finance Corp Ltd had raised through optionally fully convertible debentures (OFCD) in 2007 and 2008. On May 6 last year, the apex court had granted four weeks' custody parole to Roy to perform his mother's (Chabbi Roy) last rites. Sahara, once one of India's most high-profile firms, had in the past made several failed attempts to raise the bail money using its prized overseas hotels that include the Plaza in New York and Grosvenor House in London. Sahara says it has paid more than 80 percent of the dues to share-holders, but the market regulator, SEBI, disputes that and said the Sahara's have not paid more than Rs 10,000 crores. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Condemning the comparison of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with 'Ravana' by senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday said that the former's party doesn't want the assembly elections to be contested on real issues and hence, are making such extraneous statements. "They are keen to somehow try to make extraneous issues the centerpiece and are targeting Prime Minister Modi and the BJP. Issues like hooliganism have not been solved yet. We want the upliftment to be the agenda of Uttar Pradesh and they are running away from it, but the public can see all of this," BJP leader Nalin Kohli told ANI. On Sunday, Azam Khan drew an allegory between Prime Minister Modi and the mythical demon king Ravana. "The king who rules over 130 crore Indians goes to Lucknow to burn the effigy of Ravana, but he forgets that the biggest Ravana is not in Lucknow but in Delhi," said Khan while addressing a rally in Rampur. Earlier, while addressing a rally in Aligarh, Prime Minister Modi coined a new acronym VIKAS, which stands for Vidyut (electricity), Kanoon (law and order) and Sadak (roads). The remark came a day after his 'SCAM' acronym which was set out as a combined attack on both the Samajwadi Party and Congress alliance and Bahujan Samajwadi Party supremo Mayawati. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a phone call with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday discussed ways to "encourage" other members of the alliance to pay their fair share, the White House said. The White House statement said, "The leaders discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments," while adding that Trump agreed to attend a meeting of NATO leaders in Europe in late May. The statement said that Trump spoke to Stoltenberg "about the United States' strong support for NATO." European leaders are concerned about Trump's virulent criticism of NATO - he has dubbed the transatlantic military alliance "obsolete". During the campaign last year, he raised questions about the U.S. commitment to the alliance and noted that most of the 28 nations don't pay the requested percent of gross domestic product for membership. The White House said that the two leaders also discussed "the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border." Russian-backed separatists have been fighting in eastern Ukraine since 2014. "The parties agreed to continue close coordination and cooperation to address the full range of security challenges facing NATO," the White House said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) News / National by Staff reporter Outspoken opposition MP Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga has presented a totem branded T-shirt as a gift to Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa for making sanitary wear affordable.It is, perhaps, the most visible symbol of the thawing relations between the two, and a bizarre gift presented to the Treasury chief.The MDC Matabeleland South legislator also handed a bouquet of flowers to an aide in the minister's office who influenced the minister to make sanitary towels affordable.The legislator said she had to pull out all stops to get the minister's attention on how pricey pads and tampons were, and she finally got the attention that saw the minister suspending duty on sanitary wear raw materials."I just want to thank the minister, after all these years begging him to do something about sanitary wear; we see that he actually did something about it," Misihairabwi-Mushonga said on Wednesday during a budget debate in Parliament."I think it is important for us as Members of Parliament to begin to think about the strategies of trying to get the minister to do certain things."For a long time, the minister refused to discuss sanitary wear because he felt menstrual issues were not right issues to discuss in public."He introduced me to a woman whom I want to celebrate today, Ms Mhini. She works in minister Chinamasa's office."It took her two days to do what we have been asking the minister to do for many years."Basically, she called the producers of sanitary wear to a meeting, to which I attended, discussed with them why sanitary wear was expensive and before I knew it, we agreed that we were not going to have the materials used to produce sanitary wear carry import duty."Thankfully, today, I had to use sanitary pads, so I went and bought them."Chinamasa in his 2017 spending plan allowed import of sanitary wear raw materials duty-free, to keep a lid on domestic prices and overcome any shortage.The move came amid complaints by Zimbabwean women that manufacturers were charging "criminal" prices for sanitary towels."In order to enhance competitiveness of locally produced sanitary wear products, thereby promoting growth of the industry, it is proposed to avail duty-free importation of raw materials, which include pulp, glue and virgin tissue, under manufacturers' rebate, with effect from 1 January 2017," Chinamasa said in his budget speech.Misihairabwi-Mushonga said she was expecting to see a reduction in the price of sanitary wear, as it was now cheaper for them to manufacture them."What we then expect the honourable minister to do is that, if sanitary wear prices go down, it means in the next budget, the minister will be able to provide a budget for free sanitary wear for the young girls in school today," she said.She said government must aim to increase the availability and affordability of sanitary pads for young girls."So, I have a present for Mhini, which I am going to ask the minister to take to her (flowers), just to thank her and say, that is what we expect on all women."I want to thank the minister for accepting to do this."In a typical and traditional way of thanking our males and men, we normally use the totem."I have this T-shirt for him, it is called Mazvita and printed Shumba, thank you so much," Misihairabwi-Mushonga said as she handed over the gifts.Kuwadzana East MDC MP Nelson Chamisa said the National Assembly speaker should write an official letter to Chinamasa's wife to notify her of the presents."This is a very important development."We were just hoping that to ensure that there is no problem we know that there is domestic violence these days, if you may write to mai Chinamasa to alert her that a T-shirt has been bought and the minister is going to be putting it on," Chamisa chuckled.The speaker Jacob Mudenda, however, said the presents should not have been handed over in the House."In future, we will not allow presentations across the table. It can be done outside the House," he said.Parliamentarians are limited in the gifts they can accept, as they have to be sent directly to the Speaker. Four persons, including a woman and child, were killed on Monday morning when a car collided with a bus due to thick fog in Punjab's Tarn Taran district, police said. Three people were injured in the accident. There were seven passengers in the car. The accident took place near Harkie Patan, 185 km from here, on the highway connecting Amritsar with Moga town. Police officials said that the impact of the collision was such that it took nearly two hours for police and local authorities to recover those from inside the vehicle. Met officials here said that thick fog had engulfed several parts of Punjab and Haryana on Monday after a gap of few days. Visibility in Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala in Punjab and Karnal and Ambala districts in Haryana was reduced to less than 50 metres. Road and rail traffic were hampered in both states. Arrival and departure of at least 10 flights to and from the Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport at Amritsar was delayed. The morning temperature at most places was between 11 and 14 degrees Celsius on Monday after a relatively warm Sunday. On Sunday, the minimum temperature at most places in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh was six to 10 degrees above normal. Chandigarh and its surrounding areas received some rain on Sunday. However, there was bright sunshine here on Monday. --IANS js/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) About 500,000 Romanians took to streets around the country calling for the resignation of the social-democratic government, despite the fact that the administration had revoked its unpopular decree decriminalising certain types of corrupt acts. The demonstrators on Sunday chanted slogans -- for the sixth consecutive day -- such as "We want you to listen to us, not to lie to us" and "You've done it, you've gotten us united" on the plaza in front of the government headquarters, making a raucous clamor shouting and using noisemakers, Efe news reported. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu told Antena3 television that "I will not resign. We won the elections with millions of votes," adding that in December the Social Democratic Party (PSD) garnered a winning 45 per cent of the ballots in the legislative elections. The crowd swelled to 300,000 in the capital of Bucharest, a much higher figure than in past days due to the arrival of many people from other cities such as Cluj-Napoca and Iasi. Another 200,000 people demonstrated in other large Romanian cities in the largest wave of protests since the fall of communism in 1989. The PSD government on Sunday repealed a controversial decree decriminalising certain forms of corruption that had sparked a wave of mass protests across the nation. After the repeal of the decree, people began to gather in front of the government headquarters in the capital calling on the government to resign, and the crowd quickly ballooned to hundreds of thousands. On Tuesday, the government imposed as a matter of urgency a decree that decriminalised some corruption cases if they cost the government less than 44,000 euros ($47,500). The controversial move, however, was greeted with outrage by the public, who took to the streets of the capital Bucharest in numbers unseen in Romania in decades. --IANS vgu/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Congress leader on Monday flayed the Social Welfare Department of the Delhi government over the working of care homes for mentally challenged people in the national capital. "All the good work of the previous Congress government has been undone by the AAP government. Five 'halfway homes' -- including one in Dwarka and two in Rohini -- were built by 2013 during my three years as minister to house the mentally challenged people. Family members would leave the mentally challenged people at these homes in the morning and take them away by day-end," former Social Welfare Minister Kiran Walia told IANS. She said the building of Asha Kiran Home in Rohini was expanded and a number of its inmates shifted to a building in Narela for decongestion. The Asha Kiran Home is now in the news for the death of 11 inmates in the last two months. "... but after 2013, these people (the current government) completely forgot about these buildings which are in disuse now. Even the Supreme Court had praised our efforts then," Walia said. Walia's comments came in the wake of a visit by Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal to the Asha Kiran Home on Saturday, where she found inmates living in inhuman conditions. Maliwal submitted a stinging report to the Department of Social Welfare and sought an explanation by February 8. The report mentioned the death of 11 inmates in two months at Asha Kiran Home. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday expressed shock over the matter and ordered the Chief Secretary to file a report on the lapses that led to the deaths. --IANS vn/tsb/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Advanced Hawk, the upgraded version of the Hawk trainer jets in service with the Indian Air Force, will make its debut in this year's Aero India, a statement said on Monday. A joint collaboration of BAE Systems and the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the Advanced Hawk's new features are expected to reduce training demands on more expensive frontline aircraft, creating additional capacity for operational tasks, and make training more cost-effective and structured. "This fulfils the commitment made jointly by BAE Systems and HAL at the 2015 Aero India through signature of an MoU to explore future possibilities for the Hawk aircraft for India and export markets," said a statement from the BAE Systems. BAE's Managing Director, Defence Information, Training & Services Stephen Timms said: "The Advanced Hawk is a testimonial of our commitment to sharing technology, capability and knowledge to build advanced systems in India, for India, and from India. "Together with HAL, we are looking forward to show this industry-funded demonstrator to the Indian and other Air Forces and seeking their feedback on the combination of features that will better prepare student combat pilots for the demands of frontline aircraft." "Clad in Indo-UK colours, the Advanced Hawk will be on display at HAL's stand, together with a simulator showcasing the aircraft's new capabilities. BAE Systems will also exhibit at the show with a number of displays spanning the breadth of its capabilities, technologies and platforms," the statement said. The Hawk, a single-engine, jet-powered advanced trainer aircraft used for final stage of the fighter pilot training, had recently completed 100,000 flying hours with the IAF. The high commonality with the operational version of Hawk will enable the Advanced Hawk production with maximum reuse of facilities, equipment and skills, said the statement. BAE Systems Country Director, India, Alistair Castle said: "Make in India is the cornerstone of our strategy and Aero India is an excellent platform for us to engage all our customers and wider industry to explore new ideas for partnerships, whilst strengthening existing ones, such as our association with HAL and Mahindra." The eleventh edition of Aero India, one of Asia's premier air shows, will be held in Bengaluru Feburary 14-18. --IANS rs/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An official of the Afghan consulate in this Pakistani city was shot and killed by a guard on Monday, Dawn reported. The Third Secretary at the consulate, Zaki Adu, was killed at the consulate in the Old Clifton area. Private security guard Hayatullah opened fire on Adu following a disagreement between the two, Deputy Inspector General Azad Khan said. Hayatullah was arrested and the situation was under control, the DIG said, adding that the incident did not appear to be an act of terrorism. The Pakistan Police and Rangers have cordoned off the highly sensitive area which is home to a number of foreign missions. --IANS in/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Allahabad High Court on Monday directed Uttar Pradesh's Director General of Police and Principal Secretary, Home to ensure free and fair polls in the state assembly elections in Kairana area of Shamli in western Uttar Pradesh. A bench of Justice V.K. Shukla and Justice Sangeeta Chandra, while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Meerut-based social activist Lokesh Khurana, also directed the state government to file its response on the Hindu exodus from the region. The court had earlier also asked the state government to respond but the government sought time to file a counter affidavit. The court has now fixed hearing after six weeks and has directed the state government to ensure the safety and security of voters in that region. The Bharatiya Janata Party has been alleging that due to law and order and local threats, a large number of Hindu families have migrated from the region in politically volatile western UP. BJP president Amit Shah also made it clear recently that his party was serious about the issue and plans to take it up as and when voted to power in the state. UP goes to elect its new state assembly in a staggered seven phase poll between February 11 to March 8. --IANS md/vd -- aoa aoaa-aA (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Australia's chief scientist Alan Finkel on Monday compared US President Donald Trump's move to censor environmental data with former Soviet dictator Josef Stalin's control of science. Speaking at a Chief Scientists' roundtable discussion at the Australian National University, Finkel made his comment saying he was "going off topic" as "science is literally under attack", The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Finkel said: "The Trump administration has mandated that scientific data published by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) must undergo review by political appointees before they can be published." In the first week of his presidency, Trump's administration informed the EPA it could not send out press releases and no blog messages could be published. The EPA was also told "no new content can be placed on any website". The Chief Scientist told an audience at the ANU's Crawford School of Public Policy that this political control was comparable to Stalin's promotion of Soviet agrobiologist Trofim Lysenko's ideas on genetics and evolution from the 1920s. Finkel said: "It is reminiscent of the censorship exerted by political officers in the old Soviet Union. Every military commander there had a political officer second-guessing his decisions. "Soviet agricultural science was held back for decades because of the ideology of Trofim Lysenko. Stalin loved Lysenko's conflation of science and Soviet philosophy and used his limitless power to ensure that Lysenko's unscientific ideas prevailed." Finkel was appointed chief scientist by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in December. --IANS ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Australian Senator Cory Bernardi is set to resign from the government and form a breakaway far-right political party, a media report said on Monday. Bernardi, who has long been critical of the centre-right policies pursued by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, was expected to resign by Tuesday ahead of Parliament's session, Xinhua news agency reported. The conservative and often outspoken senator indicated his desire to breakaway from the coalition in July 2016 when he founded the Australian Conservatives website that was created to "unite the Liberal Party". "Every comment I've ever seen Cory make,... has been about the importance of Liberals, Nationals, conservatives - all those in the right of centre - working together...," Education Minister Simon Birmingham told ABC. "I'm confident that Cory will stand by his words." Although, Bernardi refused to comment on the report, but it was revealed that he set up a second website called Australian Majority, with a political logo resembling US Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz's logo. The move could be disastrous for the government, which holds just a one seat majority in the House of Representatives. An extra crossbench senator could take even more power away from the government. Crisis for the Turnbull-led coalition government further compounded on Monday when a latest poll revealed support for it had fallen to its lowest point since predecessor Tony Abbott left office. --IANS in/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Bangladeshi fisherman was allegedly killed by Myanmar's border guards on Monday morning, an official said. The official told Xinhua news agency that a group of Myanmar's Border Guard Police (BGP) intruded into Bangladeshi waters on a speedboat and opened fire, killing fisherman Nurul Amin, 32, on the spot. Another fisherman was injured when the BGP opened fire. An emergency medical officer told the media that Amin sustained shots to the chest and he died from excessive bleeding before he could be taken to hospital. --IANS ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Bhopal resident arrested on the charge of murdering his live-in partner here and his parents in Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur had got a fake death certificate for his mother from Itarsi town of Madhya Pradesh. According to official sources, accused Udyan Das got the certificate issued that his mother Indrani died of natural causes on February 5, 2013, from Itarsi Municipal Committee in Hoshangabad district. Hoshangabad Superintendent of Police Pratap Singh told IANS on Monday that the police have not received any complaint regarding the fake death certificate, and action will be taken after receiving the complaint. The accused who murdered his live-in partner Shweta Sharma (28) and entombed her body in his house, revealed during interrogation that he murdered both his parents in 2010 and interred the two bodies in their house in Raipur in Chhattisgarh in a way similar to what he did in the case of Shweta, Bhopal Superintendent of Police Sidhartha Bahuguna told IANS. He said a police team from Bhopal has since been dispatched to Raipur to check the veracity of Das' statement about his parents' murder. Das had come in contact with Shweta, who hailed from Bokaro in West Bengal, through a social networking site and was living with her at his Saket Nagar residence since June 2016. Both had a fight in December 2016, following which he allegedly murdered her. He built a concrete platform in his first floor house over Shweta's body to conceal his crime. The murder came to light after he was questioned by the police after the tower location of Shweta's mobile phone was located to Saket Nagar area. Shweta's family had registered a missing complaint with Bankura police in West Bengal. The Gobindpura police said the concrete platform was broken on Thursday night and the body buried underneath was recovered. --IANS Hindi/lok/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) News / National by Stephen Jakes Parents at Girls college in Bulawayo have since raised a red flag at the school and are up in arms against the school head Miss Les Ross and her deputy a John Rugoyi for tribalism and racism.This follows the removal of one of the best science teachers in the region John Ncube from Girls College in an unscrupulous way.Ncube is one of the few best science teachers who have produced some best students in the region while at Plumtree high. Ncube faced problems when he joined Girls College in Bulawayo from Plumtree.According to parents who spoke to Mthwakazi Republic Party, Rugoyi is a tribalist and seeks to soil John Ncube's image for his selfish reasons.The case involving Ncube is even known by the Minister of Education Dr Lazarus Dokora, his deputy and the Permanent Secretary but they chose to give it a deaf ear.MRP is therefore disgusted that Dokora was swift to come to Lupane in defence of one Miss Emilia Bonyongwe but can't do the same when John Ncube is being persecuted and tainted by his fellow workmates.Mthwakazi Republic Party said the outgoing Provincial Education Director for Bulawayo province Dan Moyo is aware of the matter but has not acted in all honesty in the matter."As a Party we are reliably informed that he connived with Madam Ross, Rugoyi and the Minister of Education himself Lazarus Dokora. We also gather that a certain white teacher at Peter house in Mashonaland East had treated the shona teachers the same way on racial discrimination and minister Dokora drove all the way to fire him, but now that is it happening in Mthwakazi the same Dokora is not taking any action," said the party."The concerned parents who came to us said they support Ncube's resolve to clear his name and we also are against the deployment of Shona teachers in Matabeleland. What worries us most is that the charges leveled against John Ncube are laughable. One of the charges being that Ncube refused to drink tea on the same table with school head Less Ross," said MRP.The party said the decision to remove John Ncube from the school was done without the consent of the parents, other teachers and the SDC which is very suspicious."We are reliable informed that Ncube have approached Lawyers as well in clearing his name after he was given a cold shoulder by the Ministry of Education, though some lawyers have been bribed before. Following the collapse of the Zimbabwean economy by the Dokora's government, Girls high which used to be one of the best schools in Bulawayo has now gone down in terms of teaching standards due to poor infrastructure," said the party."The school no longer screen pupils according to their pass rates in grade seven like they used to do in the past. Instead they now enroll pupils who come from well up families, those who can afford to pay the school fees, then their screening starts from there. This has caused the school to have such classes as A to D according to pass rates and the D class is said to be the special class reserved for those who would have failed. Rugoyi conniving with Ms Rose gave Ncube the special class, and below is the pass rate for the GIRLS COLLEGE." The Bombay High Court's Aurangabad Bench on Monday ordered deletion of four scenes from the upcoming film 'Jolly LLB 2', which it held are defamatory to the judiciary and could amount to contempt of court, an official said here. A Division Bench of Justice S.S. Shinde and Justice K.K. Sonawane also ordered the Central Board of Film Certification to certify the film afresh after implementing the cuts in the Akshay Kumar starrer. The order follows a report by a court-appointed three-member committee of experts, comprising Senior Advocates R.N. Dhorde and V.J. Dixit and medico Dr Prakash Kanade, petitioner-lawyer Ajaykumar Waghmare said from Nanded. The committee viewed the film last Friday in Aurangabad and submitted its two-page report stating that a particular scene is "defamatory to the lawyers' profession and would be contempt of court". They added that the visual or words also involved "defamation of the body of lawyers and undermines the dignity of lawyers and courts". After taking the report on record, the judges ordered that the scenes objected to by the committee should be deleted and that the CBFC should re-certify the film, Waghmare said. "This is a historic and significant order concerning any film in the country. It is also a lesson to the CBFC which certified the film during the pendency of the PIL, indicating some malpractices," Waghmare told IANS. The scenes ordered to be deleted include the ones in which a judge is shown crouching behind the dias, hurling of a shoe at a judge and an objectionable dialogue. The lawyers representing the filmmakers agreed to the necessary cuts/modifications. The film's producers, Fox Star Studios, had challenged before the Supreme Court the January 27 ruling of the Bombay High Court to appoint the three-member. The Supreme Court on Friday refused to put on hold the screening of 'Jolly LLB 2' before the three-member panel and allowed the committee to preview the film and ascertain whether the said scenes denigrated the judiciary in any manner. Slated for release on February 10, 'Jolly LLB 2' is a courtroom drama starring Akshay Kumar, Huma Qureshi, Annu Kapoor and Saurabh Shukla, and is written and directed by Subhash Kapoor. --IANS qn/tsb/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A court here on Monday allowed the CBI's plea for more time to file its final report in a coal block allocation case against former Congress MP and industrialist Naveen Jindal and others. Special Judge Bharat Parashar granted two more weeks to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after Investigating Officer of the case informed the court that the report has been forwarded to senior authorities and was awaiting approval. The court has now fixed the matter for next hearing on February 29. The court had pulled up the CBI for not filing the final report in the case in a proper manner and format. The final investigation report has to be filed on the basis of the statement given by prosecution witness, Chartered Accountant and New Delhi Exim Pvt Ltd Director Suresh Singhal, who has turned approver in the case. The court was hearing the case related to the allocation of Jharkhand's Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block to Jindal Steel and Gagan Sponge. Besides the industrialist, former Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayana Rao, former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, former Coal Secretary H.C. Gupta are also accused in the case. The CBI in April 2015 filed a chargesheet against Jindal, Koda, Rao and Gupta. The others accused in the case include Jindal Realty Director Rajeev Jain, Gagan Sponge Directors Girish Kumar Juneja and R.K. Saraf and Sowbhagya Media's Managing Director K. Ramakrishna. Of the five private companies named in the chargesheet, four are based in Delhi and one in Hyderabad. The accused have denied the charges. --IANS akk/lok/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Central Board of Secondary (CBSE) will provide counselling to de-stress students during exams, the Board announced on Monday. The counselling will be provided over the phone to students of all CBSE affiliated government and private schools. The service will be available to CBSE affiliated schools located abroad as well. The helpline will start functioning on February 9 and will continue till April 29. Counselling is open to parents of the students too. A total of 90 Principals, trained counsellors from CBSE affiliated government and private schools, a few psychologists and special educators will participate in tele-counselling and address exam related psychological problems of the students. Of these, 68 will be available in India, and 22 abroad in Nepal, Japan, Saudi Arabia (Al-Khobar, Jeddah), Oman, the UAE (Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al-Khaimah), Kuwait, Singapore and Qatar. This will be the 20th consecutive year when the CBSE will be giving tele-counselling to students during exams. The students can dial a toll-free number 1800 11 8004 from any part of the country to connect to the counsellors between 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Four special educators will help the differently-abled students. Online counselling will also be available at counselling.cecbse@gmail.com. --IANS vn/lok/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese netizens have expressed outrage over a large Christian theme park allegedly sponsored by the local Changsha government, in central China's Hunan province, claiming that the government should not encourage religious practices in a secular country that separates religion and . The park in Changsha Xingsha Ecological Park, which covers an area of 150,000 square metres, is the largest Christian theme park in central and south China, Global Times said citing a local TV station report. A Christian Church and Bible institute were built in the park, Chen Zhi, president of the Christian Council of Hunan Province, was quoted as saying by the TV station. The church will begin operations in June 2017, said the report. Dai Rihong, the representative of the ecological park's construction team, was quoted by Changsha Evening News as saying that the park was designed as a romantic wedding park for citizens to shoot wedding photos. The Changsha government website said the Xingsha Ecological Park was a government-sponsored project, and was subcontracted to the Huashun Construction Project Management Co. Neither the Church nor Huashun could be reached for comment. A resident who lives nearby said that the park opened during the 2017 Spring Festival and welcomed some tourists, mostly families. Meanwhile, netizens expressed their outrage over the Christian-themed park, especially after learning that the local government subsidized the project. A user on Sina Weibo -- China's Twitter -- said the government should be alert to the penetration of religious ideas that contradict China's mainstream ideology, which might pose a threat to political security. Another Weibo user named "Sanxiaren" said Hunan is the birthplace of Chairman Mao Zedong and a sacred place like this would never tolerate the overflowing of religion. A report released during the 9th National Chinese Christian Congress in 2013 showed that more than 2.4 million Protestants in the Chinese mainland were baptized from 2007-12, with experts saying that more people are turning to religion for help and spiritual consolation. The report also said that 5,195 churches were built or renovated from 2007-12. However, cities such as Wenzhou and Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang province have demolished Christian churches during the province's campaign to renovate the region. --IANS gsh/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Mahesh Sharma on Monday attacked the Congress, saying it had not done enough to take people out of poverty during the UPA rule. Initiating the debate in Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks on the President's address, he said, "The Congress ruled for most of the time in the last 70 years, but it lacked the will to remove poverty in the country." "The governments before 2014 made promises of removing poverty but failed, and due to its directionless leadership the people of the country gave huge mandate to NDA," the Culture Minister said. He also accused the senior political leaders of dividing the society in the name of caste, religion and creed. He asked, "Why the promises made by Congress couldn't be completed in its long tenure?" He also said the opposition should not do on the issue of national security. "Remember the people of the country didn't ask for any proof on India's action in Bangladesh, but you people demanded evidence on the army's action now," he said in an apparent attack on Congress. --IANS aks/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to DCW chief Swati Maliwal in a case of alleged irregularities in appointments to the women's rights panel. Special Judge Hemani Malhotra granted the bail to the Delhi Commission for Women chief after asking her to furnish a personal and surety bond of Rs 20,000. While granting bail, the court observed that the case was based on documentary evidence. Maliwal appeared before the court in pursuance of summons issued in January. The court has listed the matter for April 6 for further hearing. Taking cognizance of the chargesheet filed by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), Malhotra on January 18 issued the summons to Maliwal. Maliwal was charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The ACB action followed a complaint filed by Maliwal's predecessor Barkha Singh Shukla of the Congress. Shukla alleged that Aam Aadmi Party workers were appointed in the DCW to fetch them financial gains. The ACB investigated 85 appointments. Maliwal denied the charges and said the action was taken to put pressure on her not to investigate cases against leaders of a political party. --IANS akk/in/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi government on Monday approved a pilot project to build 6,178 flats for people in the slums. These will be built at a cost of Rs 866 crore at Lajpat Nagar, Bhalaswa, Dev Nagar, Mongolpuri and Ambedkar Nagar by upgrading the existing slums on Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) land. This was decided at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. A proposal to construct 582 houses for economically weaker sections at Sangam Park for Rs 83 crore was also approved. The department also cleared the construction four new homeless shelters in the city to accommodate 72 families and 1,200 homeless people. "These shelters will be constructed under the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) at Dwarka, Geeta Colony, Rohini and Nangloi," an official statement said. It was also decided to provide 5,000 bunker beds, 10,000 mattresses with bed sheet, blanket, pillow and pillow cover, LED TVs, water coolers and geysers to improve the quality of life in homeless shelters. A Supreme Court appointed committee under Justice Kailash Gambhir had asked DUSIB to ensured adequate facilities for the homeless in Delhi and to improve their living condition. --IANS vv/gsh/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The post of director of as many as 14 of the 20 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) is lying vacant, the government on Monday informed the Lok Sabha. In a written reply, Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Mahendra Nath Pandey, also informed about the government's proposal to upgrade/set up 20 world class teaching and research institutions, to be named as 'Institutions of Eminence'. Pandey said that the post of director was lying vacant in the IIMs in Bangalore, Amritsar, Kozhikode, Sirmaur, Rohtak, Bodh Gaya, Ranchi, Sambalpur, Raipur, Nagpur, Udaipur, Visakhapatnam, Tiruchirappalli and the newly set up Jammu. The minister said that the directors of the mentor IIMs are looking after the seven new IIMs of Amritsar, Sirmaur, Bodh Gaya, Sambalpur, Nagpur, Visakhapatnam and Jammu, till the appointment of regular director. "For other IIMs, the tenure of the outgoing director has been extended or the senior most professor of the institute has been given additional charge of the post of director," said Pandey. He said that except for Kozhikode and Jammu, the search-cum-selection committee has recommended a panel of names for the post of director, which are under consideration by the government. "For Kozhikode and Jammu advertisement for the posts has been issued," he said. Informing about the 'Institutions of Eminence', Pandey said that 10 of them will be in the public sector. "As per the draft Guidelines, all public educational institutions including IIMs are eligible to apply for Institutions of Eminence. The selection process for Institutions of Eminence shall start only after the Guidelines and Regulations are notified," he added. The 20 'world-class' universities were proposed in last year's Union Budget. Actress Sshivada Nair has stunned critics and audiences alike in a negative role in her latest Tamil release "Adhe Kangal". She says she doesn't want to get typecast in any way, and would like to experiment. Buoyed by the response she has received so far for her role, Sshivada told IANS: "It's been overwhelming. I never expected this kind of a response. It feels really special when you realize that audiences are clapping and whistling for you in theatres." In the film, she plays a con woman with an angry streak. She tricks blind men and cheats them off their money. Initially, she had her own reservations about the role. "Even though I was confident when I read the script and heard the narration, I did have my own doubts when it came to shooting. After we shot a scene on the first day, I wasn't satisfied. I remember going back to my caravan and telling my mother if I could do this," she said. However, her director Rohin Venkatesan was very positive from the beginning. "He asked me to get more involved with the character and that motivation really helped," she added. Aware of the fact that she will be flooded with similar roles going forward, Sshivada said: "If I'm convinced with a role, I will do it no matter what. But I can't accept a role because I did something similar in my last film. I don't want to restrict myself with certain type of roles." Currently running in cinemas, "Adhe Kangal" also stars Kalaiarasan and Janani Iyer. --IANS hp/rb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a rare recovery, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has found three boxes of ammunition deep from a well in the historic Red Fort here. The boxes contained five mortar shells believed to have been made about 200 years ago. The discovery was made by the ASI staff on Sunday morning during its cleanliness drive in the 17th century fort that is on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The explosives were removed by the National Security Guard from the site on Monday. The information about the explosives in three boxes was given by the ASI to Central Industrial Security Force personnel deployed at the Red Fort. The CISF subsequently informed the Delhi Police. "We found that the boxes contained five mortar shells and informed the Delhi Police. It appears that the mortar shells were about 200 years old," CISF Public Relations Officer Manjeet Singh told IANS. "A security guard posted at the fort called up the Control Room and informed it about a strange looking object which contained ammunition. It was a box. Two other similar boxes were also found," Daljeet Singh, ASI Superintending Archaeolgoist, told IANS. He said boxes were covered by several layers of earth, indicating that they had been there for many years. Singh said the discovery of explosive material created some panic among the staff as there was a fear of explosion. After being informed by the CISF, the Delhi Police cordoned off the area. Subsequently, Special Weapons and Tactics Team, dog squad and forensic experts were sent to the spot. The Delhi Police officials said they combed the area to see if there were any more ammunition. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jatin Narwal said that the Army and the National Security Guard personnel were informed about the explosives and they inspected the area on Monday. "The operations to remove/defuse the explosives from the site have been undertaken by the NSG teams today," he said. Officials said forensic and scientific analysis will also be performed to ascertain when the mortar shells had been made. --IANS sp/ps/lok/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) News / National by Staff reporter INFORMATION, Communication and Technology, Postal and Courier Services Minister Supa Mandiwanzira is expected to make a determination that will settle disputes surrounding voice call and data charges.Recently, there was a data price fiasco when the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) announced floor prices for voice and data for bundled services including promotional packages. This saw the cost of mobile data going up by about 2 500 percent, drawing outrage from mobile phone users.Econet Wireless was the only mobile phone operator which complied with the Potraz directive, with details later emerging that the directive had been instigated by the mobile phone operators.Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) Engineer Samuel Kundishora told Business Chronicle on the sidelines of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Regional Economic and Financial Forum in Victoria Falls last week that the issue has to be resolved to finality."The debacle has to be resolved. It's a balancing act as the whole idea is to protect both the operator and user," said Eng Kundishora.He said Minister Mandiwanzira was seized with the issue and would soon call a press conference where he will announce Government's position.The matter almost turned political as Econet accused the Minister of siding with other operators."There will be a statement soon, remember the minister is back. There has been negotiations between operators themselves as they were discussing on how to remain viable and we are waiting for the minister to make a determination at a press conference to be called soon," said Eng Kundishora.The Government suspended tariff hikes bringing temporary relief to users who felt affected, but there still remains concern over confusion surrounding the introduction of new policies that are imposed without full consultations.A few weeks ago Econet Wireless reversed its data tariffs hike after it emerged that it was the only mobile operator in the country to have complied with the Potraz floor prices that set data bundles at a minimum of $0.02 per megabyte.The regulator had told mobile operators to set the floor price for traditional voice services at $0.12 per minute, while the floor price for data was set at $0.02 per megabyte.Econet Wireless advertised that according to the new tariffs, the cheapest data bundles (5MB on a standard connection, plus another 5MB available on WiFi), would have cost $0.50, while $1 would buy 10MB plus the bonus 10MB on WiFi. The highest amount of data bundles one would get (2.5GB plus, 2.5GB bonus on WiFi) would have cost $50. The cheapest data bundles had been set at $0.50 and would come with 10MB of data plus a 10MB bonus.Subscribers used to pay $2.50 for a month's access of data bundles, which would have only purchased 80MB plus an extra 80MB on WiFi, according to Econet's new tariff regime. Rome, Feb 7 (IANS/AKI) Religious belief involves knowing how to view the world through "eyes of faith", Pope Francis said Monday on Twitter. "Being a believer means learning how to see with eyes of faith," Francis tweeted. His nine-language @pontifex account has over 30 million followers. --IANS/AKI vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Monday said that the best way to boost demands would have been to cut the indirect taxes. "I would have cut indirect taxes. Thats the best way to boost aggregate demands. Nine out of ten economists will tell you to do that," the Congress leader said in an interview to India Today news channel. Asked to rationalise his suggestion in terms of Goods and Service Tax(GST) which will change the tax regime of the country, Chidambaram said: "GST is not around the corner. Not coming any where before October 1." In August last year, Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill, a proposed system of indirect taxation, was passed which will merge most of the existing taxes into single system of taxation. "He was dismissive of it. He has not cut any indirect taxes that I think is a terrible mistake," Chidambaram said while referring to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's decision to not cut indirect taxes in the Union budget. Explaining further, he said, "The budget was presented on February 1. Indirect tax cut would come to force immediately. He had eight full months to cut indirect taxes and see the effect of that on the economy." Talking on the benefits of the reduction in the indirect taxes in the union budget, he added: "It would have boosted sales. It would have allowed or encouraged people to make new investments." "There is so much slack in existing capacity, why would any one invest in creating new capacity?" he said. --IANS rs/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Afro-American writer Paul Beatty, whose novel "The Sellout" -- a scatter-gun satire on what racism has done to black Americans -- saw him win the Man Booker, feels more at ease in India as no one asks him how it feels to be a person of colour. "One of the things that's so nice here is we are not starting from square one," Beatty told IANS in a one-on-one on the sidelines of the just-concluded Tata Steel Kolkata Literary Meet here. "I don't know what that is," the 54-year-old Los Angeles-born author continued. "It could be me being brown, could be a bunch of stuff. But there is a nice comfort and I don't find myself having to explain stuff unnecessarily. And (when) I do have to explain, it comes from a very genuine place (from the heart). "I feel more comfortable here because no one says to me, 'Paul what does it feel to be black'," Beatty said, pausing often to gather his thoughts. Beatty's book, his fourth novel, is a hard-hitting comic take about a young man's isolated upbringing and the race trial that sends him to the Supreme Court. It challenges the sacred tenets of the United States Constitution, urban life, the civil rights movement, the father-son relationship and so on. Asked about his views on humour, Beatty said the emotion is sometimes used as a tool to shield oneself from one's own ugly reality and, in that way, everything that is funny and light is vulnerable. "Sometimes you can use humour to shield yourself. So it's everything else but yourself. So for me, things that are funny or good are very vulnerable." "This makes the creator vulnerable and the reader vulnerable at the same time. Then, there is that shared experience. But you're both (reader and writer) vulnerable at the same time and not hiding necessarily, may be not completely honest I don't know what that is, but you're sharing something. I think humour does that," Beatty said, chewing on his last line for some time. Stand-up comedian Richard Pryor, known for his uncompromising examination of racism and topical contemporary issues, inspired Beatty a lot. "I think a guy who is really important to me is a comedian named Richard Pryor. The way he spoke, his rhythm and then what he was talking about... a lot of comedians do, 'you're that and you're this', he (Pryor) did not do that. He would do, we are this. We are that". Beatty said he does not at times understand the concept of "we" in the US -- and that resonates in his Booker-winning book where he uses similar tones. "I am careful about pronouns. 'We' is not a word I use very often... It's just because I am using it in a self-deprecating way. We are like stupid Americans, you know. Because, if I was in the States talking about this stuff, I don't go 'we'. "I would say America is that, da da dada da....de facto I am a part of it, like in grammar, but in conversation I take myself out. Cos then it means something else to me if I say 'we' which here means something else to me," he said. To buttress his statement, Beatty referred to the issue of violence perpetrated by the police. "They (Americans) would say, 'why are we so concerned with the police violence' and I would say 'who are we'," he said steeped in thought. Veering to politics from literature, Beatty, while not going completely on the front foot in support of former US president Barack Obama, said at least he was rational -- and not a war monger. "Whatever Obama did, he was rational and not this unpredictable war monger (US President Donald Trump). At least there was some comfort in that." On the executive orders Trump signed barring the entry of immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations and restricting entry of Syrian refugees into the US, Beatty said it's unusual for him to see India scared. "The problem is people get used to it very fast and then it becomes a danger. It's also unusual for me to see a modernised country like India scared. They are scared of what America is (now)." (Debayan Mukherjee can be contacted at debayan.m@ians.in) --IANS dm/ssp/vm/tb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India has not been fulfilling its responsibilities under the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz said on Monday airing Islamabad's concerns over construction of new dams by New Delhi. In his written reply in the National Assembly, Aziz said Pakistan has expressed concerns over construction of new dams by India. Last week, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took up the issue with World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva in Islamabad, and contended that India's new dam building on Indus river's tributaies was sheer violation of the Indus Waters Treaty. "India's construction of Ratle and Kishenganga dams on western rivers is a violation of the treaty," he contended. Sharif said that since the World Bank was a signatory to the treaty, it should play its due role to help resolve the issue, expressing his hope that the World Bank will set a court of arbitration in this regard. Pakistan and India share the waters of Indus River Basin which has been a major source of contention between the two states since Independence. In order to resolve the disputes, both countries signed IWT in 1960 with the help of World Bank, which has survived over five decades of hostilities between the two states. However, due to the recent upsurge in the Kashmir Valley, water has once again become a divisive issue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "blood and water cannot flow together" and the threat of unilateral abrogation of the treaty has resulted into a new wave of hydro around Pakistan and brought the Indus Water Treaty under stress. --IANS ahm/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With Donald Trump in the White House, India should not stop but continue its lobbying efforts in the US Congress to further its interests, an Indian academic familiar with the practice said here on Monday. Delivering a lecture on "US-India relations under Trump-Modi administration: What lies ahead", Ashok Sharma, Fellow at the Australia-India Institute in the University of Melbourne and the author of the book "Indian Lobbying and its Influence on US Decision Making", said that all US governments have tried to curb the practice of lobbying but failed and Trump too was trying to bring some reforms in the practice. "The US-India relationship is at a stage where it cannot be derailed," Sharma said. "But we have to continue our lobbying efforts in the US Congress if we have to make it the defining partnership of the 21st century." Sharma said that India's lobbying efforts got a strong boost with the formation of the India Caucus in the US House of Representatives in 1993. He said that it was lobbying that helped boost the India-US bilateral relationship and was the reason behind the historic India-US civil nuclear deal that was signed in 2005. The academic said India-US ties were based on geopolitics and with China marking its presence in various parts of the world, including the Asia-Pacific, and rise of Islamic terrorism, New Delhi has become an indispensable partner of Washington. As for what would President Trump mean for India, he said that "we need to wait and watch 100 days of the Trump administration". Sharma said that Trump was a businessman and he would want to cut deals with other countries. "He (Trump) is questioning all multilateral deals, including the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and the TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership," he stated. However, Sharma added that the India-US partnership was very much institutionalised now and no US president could bring it down just like that. --IANS ab/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa had suffered a "cardiac arrest" on December 4 last year and was immediately put on resuscitation, doctors said on Monday. They said the best possible treatment was provided to her in Apollo hospital. "Everything that could have been done was done," Richard Beale, a UK-based doctor who attended on Jayalalithaa, told media persons here. According to the doctors, medical personnel were present in the room when Jayalalithaa suffered a sudden heart attack on December 4 last year. "She had a cardiac arrest. CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) was started immediately. The on-call cardiologist in the hospital came down within a few minutes. The CPR (process) went for 20 minutes but there was no heart rhythm," said a doctor, who was in the panel of doctors that addressed a specially convened press conference. He said that for 24 hours Jayalalithaa was put on another machine to see if her heart restarts, but there was no "own heart beat". The doctor said it was decided to discontinue the process after about 24 hours and the decision was taken with consultation with all doctors, including the AIIMS team, who had arrived. Answering a query, Beale said he had met Jayalalithaa's aide V.K. Sasikala during the treatment and she was closely engaged in care "in a supportive manner". Sasikala was on Sunday elected leader of the AIADMK legislature party. Jayalalithaa was declared dead at Apollo Hospital here on December 6. She was admitted to the hospital on September 22 with fever and dehydration. In an official statement after the demise of Jayalalithaa, doctors said she had suffered a cardiac arrest. --IANS rup/ps/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The deplorable conditions at the Asha Kiran Home for the mentally challenged where 11 inmates have died over the past two months saw the opposition BJP and Congress attack the AAP government on Monday even as Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ordered the Chief Secretary to file a report on the lapses. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that Kejriwal cannot escape "moral and legal responsibility for mismanagement" of Asha Kiran Home by shifting responsibility to bureaucrats, while the Congress party said the Aam Aadmi Party government had "undone" its work for the mentally challenged. In an official note to Delhi Chief Secretary M.M. Kutty, Kejriwal ordered him to file a report by February 13 and to "personally ensure" that the situation is rectified within a week. Kejriwal's directions came a day after Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal paid a surprise visit to the Asha Kiran Home and found deplorable conditions that had led to the death of 11 inmates. Maliwal noted over-crowding with up to four patients on a single bed, women inmates made to remove clothes in the open while queueing up for bath and walking naked in the corridors, and CCTV cameras being monitored by male staff. She also observed stinking rooms, filthy toilets and excreta and urine in the corridors. Expressing shock, Kejriwal wrote that he was "extremely disturbed" by the reports. "Chief Secretary should personally ensure that all these deficiencies are removed within a week to the satisfaction of DCW," he ordered. He also ordered Kutty to submit a report by Monday evening on how many times the Secretary of Social Welfare and Women and Child Development departments, Dilraj Kaur, visited the Asha Kiran Home and two other homes for mentally challenged in the past. The Chief Minister also asked why the official did not bring the reports of deaths to the notice of the government. "What steps did she take when each death was brought to her notice? What steps did she take to prevent these serious lapses," Kejriwal asked. Responding in the matter, Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta accused Kejriwal of "cunningly shifting" the responsibility from politicians to bureaucracy. Referring to the order of the Chief Minister to Chief Secretary, Gupta said: "It speaks of callous behavior of the Chief Minister that he asked the Chief Secretary to report about visits of the Secretary to the home and why deaths were not brought to the notice of the government." "It appears that the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister by themselves owe no responsibility to run the home," Gupta added. Congress too attacked the AAP government. Former Social Welfare Minister Kiran Walia told IANS that the Congress, during the Sheila Dikshit regime, had built five 'halfway homes' -- including one in Dwarka and two in Rohini -- in 2013 to house the mentally challenged people. "Family members would leave the mentally challenged people at these homes in the morning and take them away by day-end," she said. She added that the building of Asha Kiran Home in Rohini was expanded and a number of its inmates shifted to a building in Narela for decongestion. "But these people (the current government) completely forgot about these buildings which are in disuse now," she said. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Delhi BJP Chief Manoj Tiwari visited the Asha Kiran Home on Monday, a day after reports of its pathetic conditions surfaced. --IANS vv-am/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Qatar Airways commercial flight, deemed the world's longest, landed in New Zealand here on Monday after leaving Doha just over 16 hours ago, the media reported. The flight eclipses what is now the longest duration flight, Emirates' Dubai to Auckland service, by up to an hour. The Doha-Auckland service is 342 km longer than that of its Gulf rival, the New Zealand Herald reported. Flight QR 920 took off from Doha's Hamad Airport at 3.04 p.m., on Sunday, according to the airline. The plane crossed 10 time zones on its flight. The airline is using a long-range Boeing 777 which has 217 economy and 42 business class seats. Its flight track took it over Dubai, then over the southern tip of India, Sri Lanka to the south of Indonesia and then through Australia before heading to Auckland. The return flight - which leaves Auckland Airport at 2.40 p.m., on Tuesday can take up to an hour longer due to prevailing headwinds. The plane operating is eight years old and the round trip flight between Doha and Auckland will cover 29,066 km. There are four pilots aboard and 15 cabin crew who will serve 1,100 cups of tea and coffee, 2,000 cold drinks and 1,036 meals. Air India's Delhi-San Francisco flight is the world's longest by distance but, according to the "Great Circle" route, Doha and Auckland are further apart on the surface of the Earth. Tailwinds mean Air India's flight time is less than 17 hours. Auckland Airport has estimated the daily Qatar services will pump close to $200 million into the economy, the New Zealand Herald said. The airline's outspoken chief executive Akbar Al Baker will be in Auckland for the launch of the service and host a gala dinner for the travel industry on Tuesday night. --IANS ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A local court on Monday bailed out former Congress legislator Stanlywiss Rymbai in a case of land acquisition for afforestation. Rymbai, who was arrested by Crime Investigation Department on January 25, was accused of receiving Rs 8 crore from the government for a land measuring 1.78 square km at Mawpalai village in the Ri-Bhoi district. The land was owned by the government and was vested in the Soil and Water Conservation Department. "The District and Sessions Judge has granted bail to Rymbai," his counsel V.G.K. Kynta told journalists. Soon after his release on bail, Rymbai was shifted from the jail cell of the Shillong Civil Hospital. Terming the arrest "illegal", Kynta said the police did not inform the him or his family about his arrest. "He was interrogated despite being in judicial custody," he added. In a 2015 report, the Comptroller and Auditor General said that the Forest and Environment Department paid Rs 8 crore to Rymbai, who claimed to be the self-styled rightful representative of the Mawpalai Village Dorbar and acted as landowner without any valid and legal authorisation by the village council to the effect. The state government filed a case in November 2012 in connection with the fraudulent payment. The Meghalaya High Court, which disposed of a writ petition in February 2014, directed the government to file a recovery suit before an appropriate court. Accordingly, a suit for recovery of Rs 8 crore was filed in June 2014 in the court of Assistant District and Sessions Judge at Nongpoh. --IANS rrk/tsb/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Memesys Culture Labs, founded by "Ship Of Thesus" fame filmmaker Anand Gandhi, has launched ElseVR channel, which uses virtual reality (VR) to let the audience have an entry 'into' the story. With three VR documentaries launching in the first issue, ElseVR channel is the latest venture by Memesys Culture Labs. "The ability and the desire to transmit know how, intention, and insight to others around us have co-evolved with humanity itself," Gandhi said in a statement. "Mixed reality is a huge milestone in that human project of record keeping, perspective sharing, empathising, and merging with the 'other', a project that began with the first cave painting, or even earlier." Khushboo Ranka, co-director of the acclaimed political drama, "An Insignificant Man", is the Editor-in-Chief and Shubhangi Swarup, a journalist, is the Executive Editor of ElseVR channel. Published online, each story is an in-depth collaboration between filmmakers, writers and designers to amplify the power of narrative. The first issue features stories by acclaimed filmmakers and writers - Anand Patwardhan, Khushboo Ranka, Faiza Khan, Aruna Chandrasekhar, Swarup, Naomi Shah and Nishtha Jain. "VR expands the canvas to placing another world around you. But as practitioners and first movers, we are literally inventing the language with every shot, every cut, every choice we make in constructing these films," said Ranka. Talking about the stories, Swarup said: "The stories in our inaugural issue make it possible for the viewer to stand at the edge of a coal mine and experience the umbilical attachment an Adivasi feels towards her land." "Another story allows us to join a group of female activists as they try, persistently, to exercise their legal right to enter a temple. Yet another one lets us witness the spontaneous uprising that occurred in Gujarat, to protest against the violence of 'gau rakshaks'. The complexity of each story is reflected in our use of various mediums, but the courage of each subject comes through effortlessly." --IANS nn/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) News / National by Staff reporter Former MDC Member of Parliament for Goromonzi South, Greenbate Zvanyanya Dongo yesterday appeared in court for allegedly occupying and unlawfully selling residential stands at Dagbreek Farm in Ruwa. Dongo (55) is jointly charged with Eva Mutevera (42) on fraud charges.Harare magistrate Ms Rumbidzai Mugwagwa set March 6 trial date for the pair. The pair is on $200 bail each.The prosecutor, Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa, told the court that in 2010, Rodwell Munyati (63) was allocated Dagbreek Farm, also known as Mara Farm, under the Land Reform Programme.The court heard that the farm measured 367, 94 hectares.It is alleged that in October 2016, Dongo connived with others and occupied the farm before sub-dividing it into residential stands.Dongo and Mutevera misrepresented to 31 members of the Mara Housing Consortium that they were offered Dagbreek Farm by the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing for development into residential stands.The court heard that Dongo rented an office at Maha Shopping Centre, in Ruwa and invited the 31 members of fill in relevant forms.They paid $10 each as joining fee and were issued with receipts.It is alleged that Dongo also invited other home seekers.The court heard Dongo and his accomplice went on to allocate land measuring between 200 and 600 square meters to the 31.Dongo and fellow executive members of Mara Housing Consortium were arrested on November 4, last year.Mara Housing Consortium receipt book, filled data forms, site plan and posters were recovered from Dongo. Mexico City's first constitution was officially published on Sunday, a move that authorities called historic and which is a significant step towards transforming the national capital into this country's 32nd state. The city "has always been on a constant search for improvement and to consolidate the rights of the (Mexican) Revolution and reform," said Mexico City government chief Miguel Angel Mancera upon signing the decree ordering publication of the city's constitution. Surrounded by constituents, capital lawmakers and federal legislators, among others, Mancera signed the document at the Old City Hall and noted that the city was founded almost 700 years ago, Efe news reported. During those seven centuries, he said, the city "has transformed itself, has evolved, in terms of building ideas, revolutions, improving its infrastructure," with a "very broad" political life. The document, which will enter into force on September 17, 2018, is comprised of 70 articles and 39 temporary articles. According to the capital's government, the city's Constitution is the newest in Latin America, along with being the most progressive and innovative. In addition, it establishes Mexico City as a federative entity and sets forth its structure, government and organization. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto wa scheduled to head an official ceremony around midday to commemorate the signing of the Mexican Constitution in the city of Queretaro. --IANS vgu/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police officers in Britain were subjected to almost 2.5 million assaults over a 12-month period, the Police Federation has said in a report. The federation, regarded as the trade union for police officers, said on Sunday that the new figures revealed the horrific extent and frequency of assaults on police officers, Xinhua news agency reported on Monday. Estimates based on data from a welfare survey suggest that there were potentially more than two million (2,113,602) unarmed physical assaults on officers over this period, and a further 302,842 assaults using a deadly weapon during the same period. It means there were a total of 2,416,445 attacks, 40,009 injuries due to violence, equating to a policeman or policewoman being assaulted at the rate of one every four minutes. Until now the estimates were around 23,000 police officers assaulted every year, but the new figures presented a stark reality of the job and what police officers have to deal with. "It has been difficult to determine the actual number of police officers assaulted every year. Much of this has been down to what data has been used, taking into consideration inconsistencies and a variety of recording processes," a spokesman for the federation said. "Incidents are also often under-reported, further contributing to an incomplete national picture on what is a growing concern," the spokesman said. Steve White, the federation's Chairman for England and Wales, said: "We always knew that 23,000, whilst bad enough, was not the true picture but 2.4 million is beyond anyone's expectations and totally unacceptable." In 2016, the federation raised the issue with Britain's Interior Department, the Home Office, about the official figures not giving a true picture of the number per year. --IANS in/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Opposition and the treasury benches were at loggerheads in the Rajya Sabha on Monday as a Congress member demanded dismissal of the Chhattisgarh government over the alleged rape and molestation of tribal women by security forces. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Congress leader B.K. Hariprasad said tribal women were being gang-raped and molested but no action was taken against them by the state government. Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said Zero Hour cannot be allowed to be used to make such statements and defaming forces who are doing a difficult job. Naidu said Chhattisgarh was "one of the best performing states and a forward looking one." Hariprasad said the state government filed cases against those trying to focus on the plight of the victims but failed to take action against the guilty. He demanded the sacking of the BJP-run government in the state. Reacting to it, Naidu stood up and said: "Zero Hour cannot used be for condemning the forces." Deputy Speaker P.J. Kurien kept requesting the opposition and the minister to maintain peace as the uproar prevailed for a couple of minutes. Naidu said the Opposition have sympathies for the Maoists. Kurien then said that allegations and counter-allegations will be expunged from the records of the house. --IANS sk/gsh/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The release of much-anticipated Bollywood film "Raees" starring Shah Rukh Khan and Pakistani actress Mahira Khan, was on Monday banned in Pakistan due to its "objectionable" content. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) said the Rahul Dholakia directorial, which marks Mahira Khan's Bollywood debut, will not release in the country. The film was scheduled to hit Pakistani cinemas on Sunday. Sources in the know said the reason behind the ban was that "the content undermines Islam, and a specific religious sect, (It also) portrays Muslims as criminals, wanted persons and terrorists". Most members objected to the film's release, an official of the Punjab censor board said, adding that they will follow the decision of the central censor board. The self-imposed ban on Bollywood films ended on February 1 as Karachi's Atrium Cinemas screened Hrithik Roshan starrer "Kaabil". The information ministry and CBFC also cleared Karan Johar's "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" for screening in the country. Last week, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif gave the thumbs up to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to lift the "ban" by issuing No Objection Certificate to Indian films, subject to clearance by the Censor Board. According to an official handout issued by the Information Ministry, the government was "pleased to continue the existing open policy to display all international movies (including Indian films) in Pakistani cinemas". The statement, however, pointed out that the cinema houses would be allowed to screen movies only after approval from relevant censor boards. Following the tensions over an attack on an Indian army base in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, and surgical strikes across the Line of Control in September last year, Pakistani cinema owners had decided not to screen Indian movies until the atmosphere became better. They took the decision after the Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association banned all Pakistani artists from working in film projects in India. --IANS ahm/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan is seeking Afghanistan's cooperation to secure their nearly 2,600 km-long common border to consolidate achievements made in major military operations in tribal regions, the media reported on Monday. Pakistan said it had long been insisting that loose border control benefits militants by allowing them to move freely across the border and carry out terrorist activities in both countries, which is a source of tension and mistrust between the two neighbouring countries, Xinhua news agency reported. The military and other forces, after conducting major operations against the Pakistani and foreign militants in tribal regions bordering Afghanistan in recent years, have now shifted their focus to border security to stop the cross-border movement of the militants. Pakistani military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said on February 1 that the leadership of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has been "living in Afghanistan for a long time", which security officials describe as a serious challenge for anti-terrorism efforts. Pakistan had deployed a total of 34,000 Frontier Corps personnel along the border after the US launched its military action against the Taliban in 2001. Pakistani officials said more units of the paramilitary Frontier Corps are being trained for new check posts to be established along the Afghan border. Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who assumed office on November 30, has spoken twice with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and suggested a "robust border management mechanism". Pakistani officials say that the Pakistani Taliban militants who had claimed responsibility for major terrorist attacks in the country, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, entered Pakistan from Afghanistan. Besides border management, the Pakistani military and other law enforcing agencies are carrying out combing and intelligence-based operations in the suspected hideouts of the militants and their facilitators, mostly in urban areas. This strategy has been adopted to ward off the possible threats by the remnants of the Taliban, who are believed to have taken shelter in cities. --IANS ksk/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Rangers on Monday used mortars and small arms to target Indian positions on the international border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmi's Samba sector. The Rangers fired a few rounds using small arms at the BSF border outposts in Jammu and Kashmir at 8.45 a.m., a Border Security Force officer said. "Again at 9.35 a.m., they used small arms and 51 mm mortar fire to target our pickets at three places," the official added. The BSF replied befittingly. No loss of life or damage was reported from the Indian side. --IANS sq/in/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan wants India to bring its entire civilian nuclear programme under the safeguards laid out by the International Atomic Energy Commission (IAEA), Director General (Disarmament) at the Foreign Office Kamran Akhtar said. "It is incumbent on us to stand up for our own interest. We want an assurance that India's whole three-stage nuclear power programme would be under safeguards," Akhtar was quoted by Dawn News as saying. Pakistan will not agree to Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) until it gets the assurance from India, he added. He said negotiating a treaty that only bans future production of fissile material without taking into account the existing stockpiles would freeze "the existing asymmetries". The Director General Disarmament said that India has been given "discriminatory waivers", which add to Pakistan's security concerns. He said that eight of the Indian reactors, its fast breeder programme and approximately five tonnes of reactor-grade plutonium were included in the safeguards of dictated by the IAEA. The FMCT would put Pakistan at a permanent disadvantage and undermine its security interests, Akhtar added. There is a fear that the reactors not mandated by the safeguards might be used clandestinely for plutonium production and the existing stockpiles might be diverted to a military programme at a subsequent stage, the DG said. --IANS ahm/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Ravi Teja's upcoming Telugu action comedy "Raja The Great" was officially launched here on Monday. It's after nearly a year-and-a-half that Ravi Teja has signed a new project. Actor Nandamuri Kalyan Ram, who attended the event as a special guest, canned the first shot at the opening ceremony. A source from the film's unit told IANS: "It's going to a highly entertaining film. Ravi will be seen in a different avatar." To be helmed by Anil Ravipudi, the film also stars Mehreen Pirzada as the leading heroine. Shirish is bankrolling the project, which features an ensemble cast. The makers are yet to officially announce the rest of the cast. --IANS hp/rb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation or Rosatom hopes the Indian government will finalise the second site to house six more of its reactors with a capacity to generate 1,170 MW each, said a top official of the group company. "We expect the site to be selected in the nearest time and that the process of signing contracts for the new units will begin," Evgeny Pakermanov, President, Rusatom Overseas, told IANS in an email. According to him, Rosatom may offer referential technical solutions and necessary terms and conditions of financing to the Indian customer. The Indian customer is Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd which has two Russian reactors under operation at Kudankulam, around 650 km from here, and two more under construction. India and Russia are expected to sign necessary agreements for the setting up of two more - 5th and 6th - units at Kudankulam. "Rosatom is ready for various formats of project implementation. Within the framework of this sphere, we have signed an action programme of providing gradual localisation of production facilities for our NPP (nuclear power plant) projects in India," Pakermanov added. According to him, building upon the successful cooperation achieved on the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, Russia plans to build at least six new atomic power projects at a new site in accordance with the intergovernmental agreements. All the reactors at Kudankulam - the two existing and the four to be built - are of 1,000 MW capacity. After the first six units, Russia will be supplying higher capacity units. "The site selection committee of the government is exploring the possibility of identifying a suitable coastal site in Andhra Pradesh for locating nuclear power plants with Russian cooperation," Minister of State for Atomic Energy Jitendra Singh has told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply. Speaking to IANS recently Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Chairman Sekhar Basu, who is also the Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), said the second site for the Russian reactors has to be a coastal one. The Andhra Pradesh government has given its nod to conduct studies to identify potential sites, including Kavali in Nellore District. According to the Russian nuclear power company Rosatom, it is building two such VVER reactors (1,170 MW) at Belarus. The VVER reactors are Russian Vodo-Vodyanoi Energetichesky Reaktors, translated in English as Water-Water Energetic Reactors. Meanwhile, excavation works for Kudankulam units 3 and 4 are in progress. The first concrete for the new units will be poured in March 2017. In December 2014, Moscow and New Delhi signed a document on strategic vision of serial construction of nuclear power units in India by using Russian technology. The document outlines plans for the construction of more than 12 nuclear power units in India, at the Kudankulam site as well, Rosatom added. --IANS vj/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Representatives of various Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) on Monday urged Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to get himself treated for his diabetes at the mohalla clinics instead of going to Bengaluru. "To build greater trust of Delhi residents we appeal to the Delhi Chief Minister to get himself treated at the one of the mohalla clinics in the capital instead of going to Bengaluru for his diabetes treatment," said Convener, Delhi Residents Forum, V.K. Arora. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain recently attended an international conference in Bangkok to present the AAP government's mohalla clinics healthcare model. "Delhi CM's treatment at mohalla clinic will also lead to Chief Ministers of other states to follow suit and establish such infrastructure which is presently providing free treatment in various parts of the city," said Ritesh Dewan, President of CA block association, Shalimar Bagh. Kejriwal is expected to visit Bengaluru on Tuesday for treatment of his high blood sugar. Kejriwal is expected to return to the national capital after 10-12 days. Kejriwal, who was relentlessly campaigning in Punjab over the last one month, has been on three doses of insulin a day. --IANS am/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) News / National by Staff reporter A 37-YEAR-OLD Epworth man, charged with culpable homicide, will serve 560 hours of community service for causing the death of a man accused of stealing $90 from the former's wife.Emmanuel Machote, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, was sentenced by regional magistrate, Lucy Mungwari after a full trial.Machote, who was initially charged with murder, which was later altered to culpable homicide, will not serve any jail time, after magistrate Mungwari suspended eight months on condition of good behaviour.The remaining 16 months were also suspended on condition he performs 560 hours of community service at Domboramwari Police Station in Epworth.The incident happened on December 12 2014 at around 8am, Rachel Munyaka sent her daughter to call Machote to assist her in arresting the deceased, Clemence Venge and take him to the police station on allegations of stealing her $90.Upon arrival at Venge's residence, Machote entered the house and found him seated on a wooden stool, he started assaulting him using open hands on the head several times resulting in him falling on the floor.Machote then lifted up Venge from the floor and took him outside the house with the help of Garikai Manunure. Before they reached the police station Venge fell and died on the spot.Venge's body was taken to Harare Central Hospital for a post mortem and the doctor concluded that the death was caused by a subdural haematoma and severe head trauma and this led to Machote's arrest. South Korean President Park Geun-hye is expected to undergo face-to-face questioning over a string of corruption allegations later this week possibly at the presidential office, her aide said on Monday. The aide said that though Park's legal representatives and the independent counsel team are still fine-tuning details about the planned questioning, it could likely take place on Thursday or Friday. If conducted, it would mark the first time for a sitting president to be questioned in a probe. "(We expect) the questioning to occur near the end of this week," the aide told Yonhap News Agency. "(The two sides) are converging on the idea of carrying out the interrogation inside the presidential office (for security reasons)." Park was impeached on December 9 over a corruption scandal involving her and her friend Choi Soon-sil. Park is alleged to have colluded with Choi in extorting money and favours from local conglomerates, and to have allowed Choi to meddle in important state affairs. The President has denied the charges. On February 3, Park submitted a written statement to the Constitutional Court to rebut the charges again. The top court is to determine by July whether to remove her from office or reinstate her. --IANS ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Samsung Electronics on Monday broke away from South Korea's largest business lobby composed of a large family-owned business conglomerate (chaebol) after the presidential scandal fuelled calls for the break-up, a media report said. A Samsung official told Xinhua news agency that the country's largest family-run conglomerate, officially offered to leave the Federation of Korean Industries -- a business community that speaks for over 600 big corporations. Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong appeared at a December 6, 2016 parliamentary hearing, the first to grill all involved in the 'Rasputin' scandal that led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. During the hearing, Lee vowed to leave the FKI and stop paying membership fees. Lee was suspected of bribing Park's longtime confidante Choi Soon-sil, who is at the centre of the scandal, in return for getting support from the country's national pension fund for the 2015 merger of two Samsung units to create a de-facto holding company. It was very crucial to Lee to inherit the group's overall management control from his ailing father Chairman Lee Kun-hee, who has been hospitalised for over two and a half years after a heart attack. An independent counsel team, which is investigating the scandal, sought to detain Lee in January, but it was rejected by a Seoul court. The team allegedly plans to seek an arrest warrant once again for Lee in February later. The chaebol lobby is also accused of providing money to conservative civic groups to mobilise elderly protesters in pro-government rallies at the request of the presidential Blue House. LG Group, South Korea's No 4 conglomerate, left the FKI on December 27, 2016 becoming the first to do so among the top four chaebols. SK Group and CJ Group would follow suit given that their heads indicated departure from it during the National Assembly hearing. SK is the third-largest business group. The departures would put the survival of the FKI at risk as top four chaebols, including Samsung, Hyundai, SK and LG, account for more than two-thirds of total membership dues. --IANS in/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The date for swearing-in AIADMK General Secretary V.K. Sasikala as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister is yet to be finalised, a party spokesperson said on Monday. "There is no information (yet) on the swearing-in date," C.R. Saraswathi told IANS amid speculation that it could be on February 9. A Raj Bhavan official said Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao is presently in Delhi and there is no word on his arrival in the state capital. Rao accepted Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam's resignation on Monday. In a letter to Panneerselvam, copies of which were given to the media, Rao said: "I hereby accept your resignation and the resignation of your Council of Ministers tendered vide your letter dated February 5." "I request you and the present Council of Ministers to function until alternate arrangements are made," Rao said. Panneerselvam tendered his resignation on Sunday to enable Sasikala, who was elected the legislature party leader of AIADMK, to become the third woman Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. --IANS vj/tsb/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The date for swearing-in of AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister is yet to be finalised, a party spokesperson said on Monday. A Raj Bhavan official here also told IANS that Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, who holds the post of Tamil Nadu Governor as additional charge, has left for Mumbai and there is no plan for him to travel to Chennai on Tuesday. "There is no information (yet) on the swearing-in date," AIADMK spokesperson C.R. Saraswathi told IANS amid speculation that it could be on February 9. Meanwhile the Madras University Centenary Hall is being readied for the swearing in of Sasikala. Rao accepted Chief Minister O Panneerselvam's resignation on Monday. In a letter to Panneerselvam, copies of which were given to the media, Rao said: "I hereby accept your resignation and the resignation of your Council of Ministers tendered vide your letter dated February 5." "I request you and the present Council of Ministers to function until alternate arrangements are made," he added. Panneerselvam tendered his resignation on Sunday to enable Sasikala, who was elected the legislature party leader of AIADMK, to become the third woman Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. The number of children killed and maimed in the Afghan war increased dramatically last year, the UN said in a report released on Monday. In the report, the UN documented 11,418 casualties, a 3 per cent increase since 2015, including 3,498 deaths, the Guardian reported. Child casualties rose 24 per cent -- to 923 killed and 2,589 injured -- mainly as a result of ground engagements closer to residential areas, and explosive remnants of war. While the total number of killed marked a slight drop, the number of injured has grown 6 per cent since 2016. "It is about time the various parties to the conflict ceased the relentless commission of war crimes and thought about the harm they are doing to their mothers, fathers, children and future generations by continuing to fuel this senseless, never-ending conflict," said Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Aside from documenting the toll, the UN numbers reflect a changing war dynamic. Since 2014, international forces have largely withdrawn from the battlefield and fighting has moved into villages and closer to cities, the report said. The leading cause of casualties is ground engagements. The UN attributed 61 per cent of casualties to anti-government groups, chiefly the Taliban, and 22 per cent to pro-government Afghan forces. The Taliban controls or contests 97 of Afghanistan's 407 districts, according to the Long War Journal. The report also said battle for territory left another hazard in its wake: unexploded ammunition. Eighty-six per cent of casualties sustained by unexploded ordnance were children, with 183 killed and 426 injured, often when collecting scrap metal, tending to livestock or playing. --IANS ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena MP Anandrao Adsul took on the government on the issues of Ram temple and demonetisation. Adsul said the BJP members had the Ram temple issue in their heart but did not dare to say it out loud. Adsul also slammed the government on demonetisation, wondering if it was a democracy or dictatorship. He recalled how former Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackrey backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Gujarat riots. The speech, which was critical of the government, was applauded by opposition members who were seen thumping their desks and cheering Adsul. Even BJP member Shatrughan Sinha was seen urging Adsul to continue making his speech. At one point in the speech, Pralhad Joshi, who was in the Chair at the time, asked Adsul to confine his speech to the subject. Opposition members, however, urged the Chair to allow him to speak. "We have been saying we will build Ram temple, did anyone even give a date," Adsul said while participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President for his Address. "It is there in your hearts, but you do not say it. But we will say it because we have come together with you with that ideology," he said. Adsul said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) used to consider Shiv Sena as its elder brother. "If the younger brother has four children and elder brother has two, it does not make the younger brother elder," he said. Recalling the time post-Gujarat riots of 2002, he said: "Opposition was seeking Modi's resignation, Balasaheb said if you remove Modi, I will not stay (in the alliance). Had he been removed at that time, he might not have been the Prime Minister today." "Why did we not win Delhi, Bihar? Same happened in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu." Talking about demonetisation, Adsul said: "There should be planning behind every big measure. There should have been planning ahead of demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. RBI should have been taken in confidence. Even the Finance Minister was not taken into confidence." "What is the result? In cities, the situation is 80 per cent in control. 90 per cent people supported demonetisation, so did we, but there is a limit. Instead of 50 days, it is now 90 days, how much more time is needed," he said. As BJP members denied any hardships due to the note ban, Adsul said: "You will have to say that, go and see the situation in the villages." "What should we call it, democracy or dictatorship?" he questioned. Commenting on the surgical strike, he added: "Surgical strike was a good step. I thank the government and soldiers, but before and after that, terror incidents have continued. Why are we not fighting face-to-face?" Adsul also took potshots at Modi for addressing "over 20" election rallies in poll-bound states. "No Prime Minister has done something like this in the past. My point is Prime Minister is Prime Minister of the country... Even other leaders, especially from the states (in BJP), can actually campaign for the party." --IANS ao/gsh/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Commerce Ministry will soon hold a meeting with industry on dealing with the possible fallout of the changes in American H-1B visas regime for skilled workers, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday. "There will be an impact on the Indian industry. As soon as Parliament session is over on February 9, I will hold a meeting with IT industry body Nasscom and industries having significant presence in the US to discuss how they are working out in this environment, what their strategy is to deal with the matter," Sitharaman told reporters here. "We are going to have a clear exchange and discussions with them, and after that I will be able to have a clearer picture of where the industry is," she said. "There are several nuances to that...the issue is layered. We will decide how to tackle it together with the Ministry of External Affairs. We are also constantly in touch with our Embassy and Consulate Office in the US," she added. The External Affairs Ministry has said India's interest and concerns on the matter have been conveyed both to the new US administration and the US Congress at senior levels. IT industry body Nasscom has said that it will take an outreach delegation to Washington DC later this month to meet US administration officials, as well as senators, on concerns around H-1B visas and flow of skilled manpower between the two nations. The delegation will highlight to the new US administration on jobs being created by Indian IT companies in the US, and contribution of Indian IT firms in making the US economy competitive, Nasscom said. --IANS bc/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Monday accused the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party of misusing the administration and its officers for manipulating the Uttar Pradesh polls. "Samajwadi Party has lost the trust of the people by taking away the cycle from the man (Mulayam Singh Yadav), who brought the party where it is today, and then handing over that cycle's handle to the Congress," Naidu said. Naidu said this after meeting Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi here, along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and other delegates. The minister said that some District Magistrates in the state were serving at the same place for over four years in different positions. "We apprised the EC that during elections, such officers should be temporarily removed," he said. The state with 403 seats is headed to the polls in seven phases: February 11, 15, 19, 23, 27 and March 4 and 8. --IANS vv/in/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The term "Sufi music" has become much abused these days, probably because the "Sufi" tag sells, says Rahul Ram of rock band "Indian Ocean", widely known as the pioneers of the fusion rock genre in India. "Just any music is being given the tag of Sufi music... I was surprised to see that one of the top music companies used my non-Sufi songs in a Sufi album and the real Sufi ones were left out. Maybe, the tag sells better," Ram, the anchor musician of the band, told IANS on the sidelines of "SulaFest 2017" here. This Delhi-based group, now into the 28th year of its musical journey, has been known for both filmy and non-filmy music. They fondly remember their first mega hit album "Kandisa" in 2000, which until then was the highest-selling album by any Indian band. "We take pride in the fact that we didn't rush to Mumbai to make a name. If you have something good to offer, it will work, no matter which part of the country you are located in," said Susmit Sen, another member of the group. The other members are Tuheen Chakravorty, Himanshu Joshi and Amit Kilam. After the huge success of "Kandisa", they started getting offers from Bollywood and they composed music for movies like "Black Friday", "Katiyabaaz", "Peepli Live", "Masaan", "Mumbai Cutting" and "Silence" (Marathi), among several others. "Making music for movies has its constraints of situation and length of the song. So, we have mostly been doing our albums and live shows. In a live show, when you see the crowd before you swaying and dancing and jumping to your music, you feel much more satisfied," Ram said. But what about the money? Ram says there are misconceptions about what Bollywood pays. "It's a wrong notion that Bollywood music is more paying financially. In fact, no musician earns 'enough money" there -- it is the live shows that fetch you more. But yes, Bollywood recognition does help one get shows outside," Kilam added. Asked to classify the style of their music, Ram said: "We won't give a definition for our music. It's simply musical and one that soothes your soul." However, they are widely known for jazz fusion and fusion of traditional Indian ragas with rock music, guitars and drums, sometimes also using Indian folk songs. About the free online release of their album "16/330 Khajoor Road" (named after the Karol Bagh, Delhi, address where they have been rehearsing since 1997), Joshi says that the days of album sale are gone as everything is available online now. "So, we decided to offer our songs for free. If people like it and these become popular, we could get more offers from here and there and that would translate into monetary gains in future. And that would also save us from many hassles (possibly, of negotiating contracts with record companies and fighting over copyright issues)," said Chakravorty. Their advice to beginners is to make music for oneself first. This will help them to master the art, and only after this should one move to Bollywood where one faces the challenge of dancing to others' tunes, they say. (Nirmal Anshu Ranjan is in Nashik at the invitation of SulaFest and can be contacted at nirmal.r@ians.in) --IANS nir/vd/tb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan is hopeful there will be a better environment to pursue peace talks with India after the ongoing state assembly elections in five states there are over, a Minister has said. Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, in an interview with the Voice of America, said that by March the state elections would be over in India and there would be a better environment to pursue peace talks. "In our elections India is not an issue, nobody speaks about India, nobody does any India-bashing, but somehow we feel that the electoral dynamics in India are still quite sensitive to Pakistan-bashing. So whenever you have an electoral process in India, the government takes a certain hawkish position towards Pakistan," Iqbal said. In reply to a question, Iqbal said: "I think we should be mature enough to think beyond that; India and Pakistan have to live together, we cannot change our geography, and we must think in terms of peace." Terming India's reaction to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project "knee-jerk", the Minister said New Delhi needed to look at CPEC as an opportunity to enhance regional cooperation. "If you are doing trade through CPEC you can reach out to any destination in China from this area. So we are very hopeful and we continue to work to normalise our relations with India," Iqbal said. --IANS ahm/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) News / National by Staff reporter Amid the growing consensus within and outside the country's borders that it is time President Robert Mugabe retired, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has reiterated his call for the increasingly frail nonagenarian to call it a day to preserve the little that remains of his legacy.Speaking in an interview with the Daily News at the weekend, Tsvangirai urged Mugabe not to participate in next year's make-or-break elections, repeating his promise of late last year that the safety and well-being of the nonagenarian and his family would be guaranteed if the opposition wins the polls.The former prime minister in the stability-inducing Government of National Unity said even if some Zimbabweans who had suffered immensely at Mugabe's hands wished to exert revenge on the 93-year-old, he was now "too old to face retribution" for the things that his government had done in his nearly four decades in power."I was talking to some African leaders recently saying look, it is not only an embarrassment to Zimbabweans, but the continent as a whole that a man who is this old can be so determined to hang on to power, for the sake of power and his family."We are saying you are safe. Your family is also safe. There is absolutely no one among us who is interested in vengeance and retribution because that seems to be his fear. We have no intention to pursue a retributive agenda," the MDC leader who has suffered much over the years at the hands of Mugabe's government said.Tsvangirai added that if elected to office, he and his party would be preoccupied with building the country in the interest of all Zimbabweans."People are in a desperate situation and there is need to rescue them from this terrible situation. And if he (Mugabe) were to step down, it would be good for his legacy that he was not forced out of power."I think the opportunity is for him not to stand in the next election to give room for a smooth transition. It will be very unfortunate for the country if he contests next year ... he has to make a choice between becoming a hero and a villain because that is what will define his legacy," he said.Tsvangirai's advice to Mugabe comes as there are also growing calls within the nonagenarian's deeply divided ruling Zanu-PF for him to pave the way for a successor, to take over the reins within both the party and the government.Analysts have also said Mugabe's apparent reluctance to retire is stoking Zanu-PF's ugly infighting, which has escalated over the past few weeks with two factions going at each other hammer and tongs.Tsvangirai's call has also come at a time that there are growing calls by outsiders for Mugabe to end his long and tumultuous rule.And as Mugabe is holding on tightly to the seat of power, elsewhere, long-standing Angolan president, Eduardo Dos Santos - a peer and ally of the nonagenarian - has just announced that he won't be seeking re-election, in a move which brings down the curtain on his 38-year rule.The firebrand leader of South African opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, recently savaged Mugabe for continuing in office despite his old age and poor health."Grandpa, it's enough now. You must let go and allow other people to continue with Zanu-PF. There are a lot of capable young comrades in Zanu-PF. Very radical, very clear of where the continent must go."Zimbabwe's situation is bad, President Mugabe can't even control a spade. They were trying to plant a tree and he can't control that thing. That's how old he is. He's no longer capable of discharging his responsibilities," the abrasive Malema said.Last year, the president of Botswana Ian Khama also bluntly told Mugabe that it was time for him to leave office without delay, and allow new leadership to take over as Zimbabwe's political and economic implosion which began in 2000 was dragging down the whole of southern Africa.Asked by news agency Reuters if Mugabe should accept the reality of his advancing years and retire, Khama responded: "Without doubt. He should have done it years ago.""They have got plenty of people there who have got good leadership qualities who could take over. It is obvious that at his age and the state Zimbabwe is in, he's not really able to provide the leadership that could get it out of its predicament," he added.The ruling party is deeply divided mainly over its unresolved succession riddle, which has split the former liberation movement right through the middle - with the Team Lacoste faction rallying behind Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa's mooted presidential aspirations, and the Generation 40 (G40) group rabidly opposed to the Midlands godfather succeeding Mugabe.Last month, highly-opinionated Zanu-PF member and businessman Energy Mutodi, threw the cat among the pigeons when he challenged the former liberation movement to hold an extra-ordinary congress to choose Mugabe's successor.He claimed then that Mugabe had become so unpopular in Zanu-PF that "99 percent" of the party's members now wanted him to resign before the eagerly-anticipated 2018 national elections, as there was allegedly no way that the nonagenarian could win elections against the popular Tsvangirai."Mugabe must retire. What we must be discussing now is how we share power in Zanu-PF post-Mugabe."It's up to Mugabe himself to be really thankful to his loyalists who have helped him to remain in power for this long and not the opportunists who praise him during the day and denigrate him during the night," Mutodi said.Mutodi's sentiments are also shared by war veteran's leader and former Cabinet minister Christopher Mutsvangwa and his comrades, who have warned ominously that there will be bloodshed if Mnangagwa is not chosen as Mugabe's successor.Last week Mutodi was at it again, saying that Mugabe's failure to manage his succession was likely to backfire as his future could not be guaranteed under a new political dispensation involving Tsvangirai and former Vice President Joice Mujuru."The opposition leader is a victim of political violence under Mugabe's rule and will not forgive Mugabe and his corrupt ministers easily."A grand coalition that is shaping up between his (Mugabe's) former deputy Joice Mujuru and former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai may end his rule, making him vulnerable to prosecution for crimes against humanity allegedly committed during his long iron fist rule," the eccentric Mutodi wrote on his Facebook page.Mugabe, the only leader Zimbabweans have known since the country's independence from Britain in 1980, has consistently refused to name a successor, arguing that his party should rather follow what he sees as a more democratic process - managing his succession via a congress. A TDP legislator's family members bashed up a journalist in full public view after the latter reportedly brought to light his alleged corrupt activities. M. Nagarjuna Reddy was injured when Amanchi Krishna Mohan's brother Amanchi Swamulu and his supporters beat him up near a police station in Chirala town of Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh. The incident occurred on Sunday but came to light on Monday after the visuals of the attack went viral over social . The journalist, who works for a Telugu newspaper, was knocked down from his two-wheeler when he was on his way to a shop with his son. Swamulu and others chased him on the streets and attacked him with sticks. People watched helplessly and nobody came to the victim's help. The journalist, who suffered bleeding injuries, was later taken to a hospital. The police registered a case against Swamulu and others but no arrests have been made. But on a complaint by the MLA's brother, the police booked the journalist under SC ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The complainant alleged that Nagarjuna Reddy abused him citing his caste. The journalist said Krishna Mohan was angry after he recently wrote a story in a newspaper about his alleged corruption. The journalist wrote that Krishna Mohan and his brother had borrowed loans from banks in the name of eligible candidates belonging to economically backward sections. When the loans were not repaid, the banks reportedly approached the people under whose names the loans were taken. Krishna Mohan, belonging to ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), represents Chirala constituency. Nagarjuna Reddy said four attempts on his life were made during the last 10 years as he had been fearlessly raising his voice against the corruption and repression let loose by the MLA and his family. --IANS ms/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tension prevailed in Punjab's Majitha constituency on Monday following clashes between supporters of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress, a police officer said. Police reinforcements were rushed to Mian Pandher village in Amritsar district, 275 km from Chandigarh, following the clashes. "Two groups were involved in the clash. Those injured were taken to hospital. We have stationed police forces in the village and nearby areas," Inspector Paramjit Singh of Punjab Police said. The clashes took place on Sunday after the peaceful polling for the February 4 assembly elections ended. Bricks, stones and rods were used by people from both groups, the police official added. The Majitha assembly seat saw a bitter contest between high-profile Punjab Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia and Congress candidate Lalli Majithia. Bikram Majithia is the younger brother of Union Minister for Food Processing and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal. Majithia was declared a sensitive constituency by the Election Commission. Almost a third of voters polled said power cuts were the biggest problem in Uttar Pradesh, according to a new survey conducted by by FourthLion Technologies, a data analytics and public opinion polling firm, for IndiaSpend. Elections in Uttar Pradesh, with 138 million voters, greater than the population of Mexico, start February 11. FourthLion conducted 2,513 telephone interviews in Hindi of registered voters in the state, and said their sample is representative of its urban and rural voters as well as socioeconomic, age, gender and caste make-up. The survey was conducted between January 24 and January 31. About 28 per cent of the voters interviewed said power cuts were the biggest issue in the state, 20 per cent said jobs, the economy and development were the biggest issues, while 10 per cent said a shortage of clean water was the biggest issue. Few voters said the roads, food, the currency ban, crime, corruption, agriculture, sanitation, health and education were the biggest issues. The percentage of households that used electricity as the main source of energy grew from 31.9 per cent in 2001 to 36.8 per cent in 2011, according to census data, with a stark difference between urban and rural areas. While 81.4 per cent of urban households used electricity as the main source of energy in 2011, as few as 23.7 per cent did so in rural areas, data show. By the end of 2016, in rural Uttar Pradesh, 177,000 rural households were unelectrified, down from 185,900 households in March 2014, government data show. But even households that have electricity face power cuts, the FourthLion-IndiaSpend survey shows. As many as 38 per cent of those surveyed said they faced power cuts every day, while 16 per cent said they faced power cuts every week but not every day. Women, who are likely to stay at home more, and rural voters, are more likely to face power cuts than men and urban voters, respectively. "Power cuts are a more tangible issue," and so voters might identify it as being a big problem compared to health or education, the quality of which is a more abstract issue, said Neelanjan Sircar, a senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, a New Delhi-based policy think tank. Of the voters surveyed, 20 per cent said that availability of jobs was the most important issue in Uttar Pradesh. The number of unemployed in the state per 1,000 of the working-age population decreased from 82 to 52 between 2009 and 2015, but it was higher than the Indian average in 2015-16 (37), Labour Ministry data show. Youth unemployment was much higher with 148 of those between the ages of 18 and 29 per 1,000 people unemployed in 2015-16. Even those with a graduate degree face unemployment, pointing both at the lack of jobs and the poor quality of education in the state. For instance, in India, while 97 per cent wanted jobs either in software or core engineering, only three per cent were good enough to be engineers in software jobs, and only seven per cent could handle core engineering tasks, a 2014 report found. As many as 237 per 1,000 working age people (between the ages of 18 and 29 years) with graduate qualifications were unemployed in Uttar Pradesh, according to Labour Ministry data from 2015-16. As many as 46 per cent of urban voters surveyed thought the air they breathe was polluted compared to 26 per cent of voters in rural areas. Kanpur, Firozabad, Allahabad and Lucknow are included in the world's 25 most toxic towns, according to data between 2008 and 2015 from the World Health Organisation. A high percentage of voters said they would use public transport and solar energy, the survey found. Low income voters were more likely to use solar energy and public transport than more affluent voters, survey data show, even though fewer low income voters (26 per cent) said the air they breathe was polluted compared to richer voters (36 per cent). As many as 90 per cent of voters who owned no vehicle said they would use electricity generated from the sun if it reduced pollution in their community, compared to 73 per cent of those voters who owned a car. Similarly, 96 per cent of those who did not own any vehicle said they would use public transport if better facilities were available, compared to 87 per cent of those who owned a car. (In arrangement with IndiaSpend.org, a data-driven, non-profit, public interest journalism platform, with whom Shreya Shah is a writer/editor. Sanjukta Nair contributed to this story. The views expressed are those of IndiaSpend. Feedback at respond@indiaspend.org) --IANS/IndiaSpend shreya/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) If Iran were attacked, it would retaliate against the US Navy base in Bahrain as well as Israel, a senior Iranian MP warned. It comes amid an escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran over new anti-Iranian sanctions imposed by the Trump administration. "The US Navy's Fifth Fleet has occupied a part of Bahrain, and the enemy's farthest military base is in the Indian Ocean, but these points are all within the range of Iran's missile systems and they will be razed to the ground if the enemy makes a mistake," Mojtaba Zonour, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of Iranian Parliament, was quoted as saying by the semi-state news agency FARS. Zonour, a former senior figure in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, added that Iranian missiles would also attack Israel in case of an open war. "Only seven minutes is needed for the Iranian missile to hit Tel Aviv," he said. The belligerent rhetoric comes after a heated exchange of hostile gestures by Washington and Tehran last week. On Friday, the Trump administration slapped sanctions on 25 individuals and entities allegedly involved in Iranian ballistic missile development. The Iranian government responded with defiance, with Foreign Minister Javad Zarif stating that his country was "unmoved by threats" from Washington. The Iranian military conducted as planned a military exercise in the Semnan province on Saturday, testing its new radar and missile capabilities. On Sunday, Trump upped the ante, calling Iran the "number one terrorist state" in an interview with Fox News. The designation followed a similar comment by his Pentagon chief James Mattis. The US President also reiterated his criticism of a nuclear deal with Iran, but would not go as far as pledging to scrap it. --IANS ahm/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Almost 13 years after his elimination, the senior police officer who spearheaded the Tamil Nadu Special Task Force (STF) that planned and executed bandit Veerappan's killing during Operation Cocoon, has said that the dreaded outlaw had a strange "sixth sense". "On one occasion, a lizard fell on his left shoulder from a tree and this man believed it was a sign of bad luck. So he turned around and left immediately, avoiding a reception team waiting with an LMG (light machine gun). "He had also rolled cowrie shells while the fate of his victim hung in balance. He even killed a person as a police informer as the number on cowrie shells was odd," K. Vijay Kumar told IANS in an interview. Kumar's upcoming book, "Veerappan: Chasing the Brigand", is a lucid and incisive account of the rise and fall of India's most dreaded forest brigand. It will be released on Wednesday by Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The decorated retired IPS officer further said that Veerapan's lucky escapes and 11th hour U-turns are a galore. Citing one example, he said a barber who gave Veerapan a close shave had an equally close save with the STF. "He threw away his kit and the two young officers could not identify him. Only if they had smelt his hands, which was smelling of soap, the bandit's CV would have been shorter," said Kumar. Kumar, a 1975 batch IPS officer from the Tamil Nadu cadre, headed the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad in 2008 and served as the Director General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) from 2010 to 2012. He is currently Senior Security Adviser in the Home Ministry. Revealing more about Operation Cocoon, Kumar said the STF was tipped off by an influential businessman who had links with the radicals in Sri Lanka. This businessman was helping Veerapan with information and other logistical support. "He was worried about his image. His crime was not exactly sedition, but came within a whisker. Such fringe elements fluently inhabit the underground. The axiom is 'a third class guy with first class intel is higher up in protocol than a first class guy with a third class intel'. So our doing business with him was fine," Kumar contended. Veerapan's eyesight was failing and the businessman was supposed to arrange for a cataract operation. The STF then tutored the businessman about the plan, which led to the final encounter with Veerapan. The details of this encounter are set to be unveiled in "Veerappan: Chasing the Brigand". The book traces his dramatic rise from a small-time poacher and sandalwood smuggler to a brutal fugitive who held three states to ransom for two decades. But how does Kumar look at Veerapan? "Not contemptuously.There was no animus. I had a job to do: to fix him. I tried to be as detached as is practically possible but this does not mean I ever erased from my mind the toxicity of his presence and heavy attrition he caused. "I never diminished him -- except for the morale of my force, just so he was not seen as '10-feet tall'. There's nothing STF can't do, such good men it had, but deep down I worried about his next darshan and Houdini trick," he shared. The ruthless killings and high-profile kidnappings masterminded by Veerappan, including the 108-day ordeal involving Kannada cinema superstar Rajkumar, are described in fascinating detail in Kumar's book. "As a standard practice, his caricature adorned our shooting targets. I can't say if it improved our marksmanship or was just cathartic. Secretly, I kept a picture of him in my table drawer -- probably mimicking General (later Field Marshal Bernard Law) Montgomery who kept on his table a picture of his adversary (German Field Marshal Ervin) Rommel, the Desert Fox -- till he defeated him," added Kumar. One question remains: What took Kumar 13 long years to pen this book? "Why not? I got stuck with things. If I had wanted to stir up a sensation, the very next year would have been the best. But I guess time and distance also lend objectivity, clarity and hopefully, enchantment," he said. Despite the time lag, there are a lot of insights into the encounter that only a handful can share. The book, in all probability, would not lack in adrenaline-triggering moments. (Saket Suman can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in) --IANS ss/vm/tb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Monday said that the Narendra Modi government does not practice vote bank and is working for all round development of the country. Participating in the debate over the presidential address in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs denied opposition charges that weaker sections of the society were being ignored by the Modi government, and said that it was not true. "It's our national duty (to work for betterment of the people) and we don't do it for votes," the minister said. "Our government inherited corruption and lots of other problems from the previous regime but we are working for all sections of the society," he said, defending the central government. Naqvi also praised the citizens of the country for not allowing any terrorist group to spread its roots in India. He said terrorism is a challenge for the entire humanity and Indians have always stood against it. Naqvi was, however, interrupted by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, as the minister spoke about how crores of poor households have been ensured cooking gas connections after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged countrymen to do away with subsidy on gas cylinders. The Congress leader said that the minister must authenticate the figures on how many gas connections have been provided to the marginalised. On this, Deputy Speaker P.J. Kurien said that the minister was not quoting the figures and hence there was no need to authenticate the same. --IANS sk/lok/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Students of Class 4-8 in a government school in Bengaluru recently went on a field trip to New York. They watched a video made by The New York Times called The Displaced, a film about refugee children from Ukraine, Sudan and Syria. They watched food packets being dropped from planes and the children scrambling for them. For a while the children were immersed in the travails and lives of the refugee children and could identify with them. With reference to A modest beginning (February 6), under the Representation of the People Act, 1983, and Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act, 2000, political parties in the UK are required to disclose the names and addresses of donors contributing over 7,500 per year. They are further required to make this information available on the website of the election commission. Similarly, in the US, the Federal Election Campaign Act, 1971, prohibits direct corporate contributions and limits individual contributions to a single candidate or Political Action Committee. Any committee receiving total contributions of over $10,000 per annum is required to report all contributions of over $200 per year. Fertiliser Minister Ananth Kumar started his media briefing in Parliament house half an hour late on Monday, eating into the slot scheduled for the All India Congress Committee (AICC). But Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi tried to appear calm. This is a small issue...they can be pardoned. They have done bigger things than this, he said wryly, as he waited outside. Kumar, who was due to start at 3.30 pm, continued his address till 4.30 pm. At one point, an AICC media department official walked in and whispered into the ears of junior Minister Mansukh Lal Mandaviya to, perhaps, urge Kumar to wind up, but he was ignored. It was another few minutes before Kumar finally wrapped up. Almost a third of voters polled said power cuts were the biggest problem in Uttar Pradesh (UP), according to a new survey conducted by by FourthLion Technologies, a data analytics and public opinion polling firm, for IndiaSpend. Elections in UP, with 138 million voters, greater than the population of the American country of Mexico, start February 11, 2017. FourthLion conducted 2,513 telephone interviews in Hindi of registered voters in UP, and said their sample is representative of UPs urban and rural voters as well as socioeconomic, age, gender and caste make-up. The survey was conducted between January 24 and January 31, 2017. The next part of this series, based on the survey, addresses political preferences of voters. About 28% of the voters interviewed said power cuts were the biggest issue in the state, 20% said jobs, the economy and development were the biggest issues, while 10% said a shortage of clean water was the biggest issue. Few voters said the roads, food, the currency ban, crime, corruption, agriculture, sanitation, health and education were the biggest issues. Opinion / Columnist That Zimbabwe once again finds itself on the edge politically and economically - and that the centre can no longer hold both within the ruling Zanu-PF and in government - is not a subject for speculation or conjecture anymore.Indeed, it does not matter which way long-suffering Zimbabweans look, the damning evidence of the country's ever deepening rot abounds everywhere - all of it thanks to President Robert Mugabe and his useless minions.Just consider the following snippet of evidence to appreciate the country's hopeless lot: the economy is dying as manifested by the severe liquidity and cash shortages; the government is stone-broke and cannot pay its workers; poverty levels are now shamefully higher than they were in minority-ruled Rhodesia; national infrastructure and social services, including the road network and hospitals have collapsed; companies are closing shop in their thousands; and job losses have reached catastrophic levels.And the damnatory evidence goes on and on - amid truly frightening indications that the situation will get worse this year and beyond, as our clueless Zanu-PF overlords continue to demonstrate their gross incompetence and lack of capacity to fix the country's myriad crises.Our heartless rulers' response to the problems bedevilling Zimbabwe - many of them man-made, manufactured, packaged and delivered via Shake-Shake House (Zanu-PF Headquarters to the uninitiated) - is their mindless infighting over who will succeed Mugabe, as well as their crass and patently corrupt policies.All of which only serve to make our already desperate situation worse.Lord, why are we so cursed, and what did we do as a nation to deserve these hyenas?But it gets worse. The escalating level and brutal tone of Zanu-PF's ugly tribal, factional and succession wars is not only threatening a complete implosion of the troubled former liberation movement - of which not many will moan its demise, except for a few beneficiaries of the current corrupt system - it has also meant that there is now paralysis in government, which is causing further pain and suffering among innocent citizens.The real worry though, as the inevitable end for this regime approaches, one way or the other, is that it could spawn more chaos and unravel violently - given the well-documented tendency by the ruling party to resort to violence each time its power is threatened - making life even more difficult for fed up Zimbabweans.Remember here how Zanu-PF's unthinking supporters reacted in 2008 after Mugabe lost hands down to opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai in that year's disputed presidential elections.Without wanting to sound alarmist, and notwithstanding the best, but futile efforts of the likes of Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya, our beloved country is now perilously close to being officially certified as a failed State!We pray that things will not tumble that low.Then we have people like the litigious and gaffe-prone Vice President, Phelekezela Mphoko, in the country's leadership mix, who never disappoint when it comes to disgorging a constant and consistent stream of horse manure. The VP is truly gifted in this regard, if this can be looked at as a talent!In his latest display of his unmatchable intellect (no pun intended), Mphoko - who was in the news three years ago after he was quoted saying that Gukurahundi was a Western conspiracy - told journalists in Bulawayo at the weekend, without batting an eye or offering any shred of evidence for that matter, that Tsvangirai was allegedly at the "forefront" when the late revered Father Zimbabwe, Joshua Nkomo, was being hounded by Zanu-PF: the party in which he is number two."Let us not forget that when Cde Nkomo's car was shot he (Tsvangirai) was at the forefront, when an officer in charge was killed in Tsholotsho, he was there too. The same person wants to address the Gukuraundi issue now," Mphoko bellowed, to quote him verbatim as captured on film and in print by the trusted State media on such matters.Really Cde Mphoko?Without belabouring the point, we hope that the esteemed VP with the super distinguished liberation struggle credentials and immense national standing, as self-claimed by him, will now go on, at last, to tell us in detail what really happened during the era of Gukurahundi, when an estimated 20 000 innocent civilians were massacred by the government mainly in Matabeleland and the Midlands - particularly taking into account the fact that he was previously associated with national intelligence and is now in charge of national healing.And while at it, we hope that he will also have the courage to ask his appointing authority what role he may or may not have played during these killings. Among the five states going to polls, Uttar Pradesh is seen as the most exciting battleground this year. With 403 Assembly seats, the state is a big political arena that wields its muscle in central power equations, too. In the run-up to the seven-phase UP Assembly elections that begin February 11, there is enough to keep pollsters and election pundits busy. From the likelihood of a hung Assembly after the Congress party deciding to hitch a ride on the Samajwadi Partys (SPs) bicycle to the Bharatiya Janata Party emerging as the single-largest party and Mayawatis underdog Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) waiting to spring a surprise theres every ingredient to make the state election a perfect potboiler. Launching a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party, BJP President today said that the Uttar Pradesh government has failed on all fronts and alleged there are "gundaraj and jungleraj" in the state and now corruption-ridden Congress has joined hands with the ruling party. Voters will give a befitting reply to two "yuvrajs" (princes) who looted the state and the Centre, he said, referring to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi. Now both the "yuvrajs" are planning to loot the state, he said during a rally here for Noida candidate Pankaj Singh. Shah alleged that the "present state government is all failure and there are gundaraj and jungleraj in the state. Now, corruption-ridden Congress has joined hands with ruling Samajwadi Party". Under SP rule, everyday 1,500 dacoity, kidnapping, loot and other crimes take place in the state. People live under fear and terror, he alleged. In two-and-half-year of Prime Minister Narendra Modi rule, not a single corruption complaint has been made against any minister, he said. Elections for the Uttar Pradesh state assembly, Indias largest state with more voters138 millionthan the population of the American country of Mexico, start on February 11, 2017, but 40% of its voters said they still dont know which political party they will vote for, according to a new survey conducted by by FourthLion Technologies, a data analytics and public opinion polling firm, for IndiaSpend. The firm conducted 2,513 telephone interviews in Hindi of registered voters in Uttar Pradesh, and said their sample is representative of UPs urban and rural voters as well as socioeconomic, age, gender and caste make-up. The survey was conducted between January 24 and January 31, 2017. The first article on the survey analysed issues that voters said were important to them. The Himalayan state of Uttarakhand has been one of the highest contributors of army officers of late, but one out of every fourth vote cast by the men in uniform through the postal ballot gets rejected in the state. Election Commission of India (ECI) data suggests that in the 2012 assembly in the state, almost 26 per cent of the postal ballots were rejected. In the 2014 parliamentary elections, one out of every five postal ballots was rejected. Reserve Bank today said 10 Non Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs), including Supreme Securities and Island Leasing, have surrendered their registration certificate. The central bank also said it has cancelled the certificate of registration of nine NBFCs. "(Ten) NBFCs have surrendered the Certificate of Registration granted to them by the Reserve Bank of India...(and) has therefore cancelled their Certificate of Registration," it said in a statement. The other NBFCs, which surrendered their registration certificate, are Pinnacle Trades and Investments, Kalyani Mfg and Leasing, Sahyog Credits, M CT M Global Investments, Sree Sankari Benefit Funds, Wham Investments, M K W Finance and Shasun Leasing and Finance. In a separate statement, RBI said it has also cancelled the registration of The Instalment Supply, Sunshine Finlink, Link Benefit Fund, Mani and Money, Hanumangarh Finvest, Vijaya Finance, Westend Management Technologies, HNM Leasing and Finance and Paras Hire Purchase Company. Now, all these 19 NBFCs cannot transact the business of a Non-Banking Financial Institution, the RBI added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a grisly incident, a 27-year-old Nepalese woman was killed after a man whose marriage proposal she had rejected threw acid on her. The victim from Nawalparasi, was undergoing treatment for burn injuries at a Bhairawaha-based hospital in western Nepal. She succumbed to injuries today, police said. The woman was attacked by her alleged lover, Sunil Koirala, 28, after she declined his marriage proposal, prompting him to pour acid on her last night, they said. The victim along with her aunt had come to Rupandehi to meet Koirala. He lost his temper after the woman declined his marriage proposal, police said. Police took Koirala and the victim's aunt into custody. A probe has been initiated into the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Afghan diplomat was today shot dead by a security guard following an altercation between the two inside the Afghan Consulate in this Pakistani port city. Private security guard Hayatullah Khan opened fire on the third secretary, Zaki Abdu, in the lobby of the Consulate in the high-security Clifton area after a personal disagreement between the two, according to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Azad Khan. "There is no terrorism element in this sad incident," DIG Khan told PTI. "This is not a premeditated act neither a terrorist act. The guard opened fire on the spur of the moment after he lost his temper following an argument with the deceased over timings," the police official said. "We have checked the CCTV cameras and recorded eyewitness statements," he said. The diplomat killed was the brother of Mohammad Abdul, an MP from northern Balkh province, Afghanistan's Tolo reported. Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was quoted by Khaama Press as saying that a delegation comprising of officials from the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad and Pakistani officials has been formed to probe the incident. A statement by MoFA said the delegation has been sent to Karachi city to jointly probe the killing of diplomat. The Afghan Consulate is located in the heavily secured and posh area of Clifton and the provincial government has deputed security outside the building. There are a number of other foreign consulates in the area and also the Bhutto family's residence is situated in the locality. Khan said Hayatullah has been taken into custody and investigations have begun. The guard was an Afghan national employed by the Consulate. Police cleared the Consulate building for resumption of work after a thorough search. Security of the area has been increased after the incident, a Sindh government official said. Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal was quoted by The Express Tribune as saying that it was not an act of terrorism. "It seems to be a personal dispute related criminal act," Zakhilwal said. The Afghan envoy said the firing inside the Afghan Consulate in Karachi at around 12:30 PM was carried out by an Afghan guard inside the compound resulting in the fatality of one of the diplomats. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Afghan security guard today shot dead a diplomat with a sub-machine gun following an altercation between the two inside the Afghan Consulate in this Pakistani port city. Private security guard Hayatullah Khan opened fire on the third secretary, Zaki Adu, in the lobby of the Consulate in the high-security Clifton area after a personal disagreement between the two, according to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Azad Khan. "There is no terrorism element in this sad incident," DIG Khan told PTI. "This is not a premeditated act neither a terrorist act. The guard opened fire on the spur of the moment after he lost his temper following an argument with the deceased over timings," the police official said. "We have checked the CCTV cameras and recorded eyewitness statements," he said. The Afghan Consulate is located in the heavily secured and posh area of Clifton and the provincial government has deputed security outside the building. There are a number of other foreign consulates in the area and also the Bhutto family's residence is situated in the locality. Khan said Hayatullah has been taken into custody and investigations have begun. The guard was an Afghan national employed by the Consulate. Police cleared the Consulate building for resumption of work after a thorough search. Security of the area has been increased after the incident, a Sindh government official said. Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal was quoted by The Express Tribune as saying that it was not an act of terrorism. "It seems to be a personal dispute related criminal act," Zakhilwal said. The Afghan envoy said the firing inside the Afghan Consulate in Karachi at around 12:30 PM was carried out by an Afghan guard inside the compound resulting in the fatality of one of the diplomats. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police today arrested CPI(M) State Secretary P Madhu and other party leaders during a protest against alleged encroachment of land belonging to SCs near Gudivada town in Krishna district. The CPM leaders, led by Madhu, joined a group of Dalits who have been on a relay fast in Elaparru village near Gudivada protesting against alleged encroachment of nearly 165 acres of land by members of other communities. The encroached land has been converted into fish ponds. The land in question was earlier allotted to SC members of the village. Dalits, however, alleged the land has been encroached by members of other social groups. "We had to arrest the Left party leaders in order to avoid any untoward incident," said Gudivada DSP Y Ankineedu Prasad. The police also imposed prohibitory orders in the village, banning assembly of people, to bring the situation under control and ensure peace. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aiming to empower women, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly is set to host the country's first National Women's Parliament in Amravati where it will connect over 10,000 higher secondary girls with eminent women personalities. The three-day event will see girl students connecting with 401 women legislators, 91 women Members of Parliament and 300 social and corporate women leaders of India and overseas. "We have decided to host the first apolitical National Women's Parliament in Amravati. The objective is to facilitate and enhance the network between eminent women personalities from diverse walks of life and more than 10,000 girl students who will participate from across the nation," Butta Renuka, MP from Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, said at a press conference here today. NWP will host sessions on 'Socio-political challenges in women empowerment' and 'Women's status and decision making power'. It will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi over live video conference, in the presence of AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Speaker of Bangladesh Parliament, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury. "It is to make young girls realise their potential, and to enable them to take leadership roles in all sectors of life and also to sensitise the society about issues like malnutrition among women and children, sexual harassment, and sanitation among others," Renuka said. Mamtaz Sanghamita and Rama Devi Sheohar, MPs from West Bengal and Bihar respectively, said that women continue to lag behind despite working round the clock, and that without political or legislative empowerment, complete empowerment would not happen. "We are lagging behind. In panchayats in West Bengal Mamta Banerjee had introduced 50 per cent reservation for women, which was followed by many other states. But the irony is that never has the 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament has been debated in the two and a half years since I became an MP," Sanghamita said. K Geetha, MP from Araku in Andhra Pradesh said that the NWP was a first of its kind event and expressed her solidarity to the cause of women empowerment. "Women play key role in nation building. This is a one of its kind event. Today we are here to express our solidarity towards the great cause of women empowerment," Geetha said. Former actress and MP from West Bengal Moonmoon Sen said that addressing issues of women empowerment was important because every child, irrespective of the gender, gets their early training from their mothers. "I always believe that the knowledge that every Indian man or woman has today comes from their mothers and their homes. "I am very happy that we will be addressing issues and working towards the development of women. The questions that we discuss here are questions that concern every state in India," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange made a renewed plea today for Sweden and Britain to respect a United Nations panel ruling that said he was being arbitrarily detained. "I call on UK and Sweden to do the right thing and restore my liberty," Assange said in a statement, issued on the one-year anniversary of the ruling. The 45-year-old founder of the secret-spilling website has been at the Ecuadoran embassy in London since 2012, having taken refuge to avoid being sent to Sweden where he faces a rape allegation that he denies. He fears Sweden would extradite him to the United States over his website's leaking of diplomatic cables and other classified documents. Assange said Britain and Sweden were in breach of their international obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In February 2016, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found Assange was being "arbitrarily detained" by Britain and Sweden, a decision it reaffirmed in December following an appeal by the British government. "Julian Assange is not, and has never been, arbitrarily detained in the UK," Britain's junior foreign minister Alan Duncan said in a statement at the time. Last month, Assange said he was willing to travel to the US to face investigation after one of WikiLeaks' main sources, Chelsea Manning, was given clemency by then president Barack Obama. But he said he would only do so if his rights were "guaranteed". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Citing confidentiality issues, the Centre today asked a tribunal, set up under UAPA, to hold in- camera proceedings to scrutinise whether the government was justified in immediately banning controversial Indian Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). The submission was made before the Delhi High Court's Justice Sangita Dhingra Seghal who is presiding over the tribunal set up under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The tribunal observed that usually in such matters "proceedings are generally held in-camera and there should be no objection to it" and said it will pass an order on the next date of hearing on February 20. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sanjay Jain, appearing for the Centre, said that on the next date, the tribunal can also lay down the procedure to be followed during the hearings and where and when these will be held. He also placed before the tribunal three affidavits on behalf of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) containing documents in a sealed cover regarding the material relied upon and the investigation carried out by the agency based on which the government decided to impose immediate ban on IRF. Meanwhile, the state of Maharashtra, which is supporting the Centre's decision, said it will also file an affidavit in 10 days time. The tribunal, thereafter, asked the Centre to furnish all the documents to the lawyers representing IRF, saying, "They are also entitled to the records." IRF had earlier moved the tribunal against the November 17, 2016 notification of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) imposing immediate ban on it. However, since the tribunal declined to hear the matter before February 6, the foundation had moved the Delhi High Court challenging the immediate ban. Defending its decision before the high court, the Centre had said that the organisation was banned as there was an apprehension that youths could be "radicalised" to join terror groups. IRF had opposed the contentions, saying no reasons were given for the ban. The Centre had countered the argument by saying that the urgent step was taken under the apprehension that Indian youths could be "motivated" by the alleged statements and speeches made by IRF and its members, including its President Naik, to join terror groups like ISIS, which is a cause of global concern. It had also said that Mumbai Police had lodged an FIR against six others of IRF on a complaint by the father of a Kerala-based youth who joined ISIS. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition in Rajya Sabha today took the government to task for ignoring the woes of the common man hit hard by demonetisation and attacked the BJP members for only painting a "rosy picture" to the Prime Minister as they were "scared". Congress leader Rajeev Shukla, participating in a debate on the Motion of Thanks for President's address, said it was a "disappointment" as there was nothing new in it. He said every speaker from the ruling BJP was "only painting a rosy" picture to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the demonetisation move as "everyone is scared". While speaker after speaker from the government side have spoken about how people were happy with the note ban, "the same leaders when they met privately over a cup of tea in Parliament's Central Hall spoke about the problems being faced by the people". "I can understand when people are scared of losing their jobs. But it is the responsibility of the MPs to tell the Prime Minister the truth," he said. Maintaining that small traders, farmers and unorganised sector workers have been hit very hard, he pointed out that despite there being no religious festival, trains to Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal were crowded as people were going back after losing their jobs in cities and rural areas of North India. Noting that the manufacturing sector has also been hit hard, he said alluded to 'inspector raj' and said "on top of it, the government has ensured that one "inspector is put behind each manufacturer. If they (manufacturers) are running away, how will you provide jobs." Observing that the President's address had referred to the cross-border surgical strike, he said three such operations were carried out during the Congress-led rule which were spoken about only by a former Army chief and the Foreign Office. Given the level of publicity, "I thought it was like they had reached Islamabad," Shukla said. "Even when Indira Gandhi fought the 1971 war, there was no such publicity," he said, adding that the Modi government was interested only in publicity and does it so much that it becomes over-publicity. Shukla's contentions received support from other Opposition members, including Sanjay Seth (SP) and Sharad Yadav (JD-U). Shukla also said the government has systematically downgraded the relevance of various institutions like the Planning Commission and "now nobody knows what happens where". The Congress member also criticised the government's foreign policy saying relations have deteriorated with all neighbouring countries and the "hugs" between Modi and the Pakistan Prime Minister also did not help. He spoke of the need for accountability in judiciary, an issue which was also supported by JD(U)'s Sharad Yadav, who went a step further and asked why there was no reservation in the Supreme Court. Shukla also referred to Indo-US relations saying the new American President has come out with rules which will affect Indian companies and asked the Modi government to take it up with Washington. He was supported by SP leader Sanjay Seth who also spoke on the same issue and highlighted how the farmers and common man have been affected by demonetisation. Yadav spoke of the affects of demonetisation on the poor people and said land of tribals was being taken away and the government remained unresponsive. "The government has many schemes but not everything reaches the people," he said and cited figures on representation of SCs, STs and OBCs in institutions and universities. He said social disparity was the root cause of economic disparity. Yadav also spoke on the Kashmir issue and said the government should talk to various sections to ensure that the state does not face problems again. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury attacked the government on a variety of issue, including demonetisation and religious intolerance and said the President's address had failed to mention a single word on over 100 lives lost during the demonestisation move. "Normally the Honourable President is very fond of using three Ds to describe parliament democracy -- debate, discussion and decision, and not disruption. That is his fond philosophy," Yechury said. However, "unfortunately, the irony is that he read out a speech which also has three Ds. These three D's are not what he is fond of, but are Deception, Disruption and Diversion which are leading up to a diabolic agenda which is being unfolded," the CPI(M) General Secretary said. Invoking Guru Ramanuja and Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, Yechury attacked the government for building an atmosphere of fear and religious intolerance in the country. "If you do not believe in my god, you are not part of India. That is what has been happening in the country," he said. Citing Gobind Singh, he said the Guru had introduced the 'kirpan' (knife) to protect the poor and the weak from all kinds of religious and casteist oppression. "Now what do we have in our country where the kirpan was meant to defend the poor and oppressed from religious persecution," Yechury asked, adding that in the past year, there have been greater atrocities against minorities with official patronage. He called the demonetisation drive of the government as the "biggest disruption" which has affected the normal existence of the vast majority of people and their livelihood. "None of the four points which the PM listed for undertaking the initiative have been achieved and, on the contrary, many things have been endorsed and legalised," he said. "There is more money than that was demonetised that has come to your banks. Now what does that mean? All your black money has now been converted into white, all the counterfiet currency has been legalised," Yechury said. Attacking the note ban move, he said the Prime Minister's assertion that it will impact terror funding has not yielded any result. "After the surgical strike.. The number of our jawans who have laid down their lives in terrorist attacks has doubled in these three months as compared to three months earlier," he said. In the President's address, there was no mention of over 100 people dying in queues while trying to take out their own money from banks during demonetisation. "All these deaths of innocent people have been put aside as a sacrifice for a big thing that was being achieved," Yechury said. Explaining the impact on the overall economy of the country, he said around 45 per cent of the country's GDP is controlled by informal economy, which also employs around 80 per cent of the people and is almost 100 per cent cash-based. "All that has been disrupted. Crores of Indians have been put to unneccessary disruption as a result of this," he said, adding that the move has led to economic disruption. Giving examples, he said two-wheeler sales in the country have dropped by as much as 35 per cent while there has been a drop in orders for Banarasi sarees by half in the Prime Minister's constituency of Varanasi. Opposing payments through digital medium, Yechury asked "what are you (government) doing? Giving a profit bonanza to these companies, bulk of which are foreign companies? "Globally, there are three major companies who handle credit and debit cards, that is Visa, Mastercard and American Express, and if these are going to benefit from this, what is the meaning" of demonetisation. In addition, India has been reduced to a subordinate strategic ally of the US and that is when Donald Trump has become the US President, the CPI(M) leader said. "Five lakh youths are working in the US on H-1B visas. There is complete sense of insecurity and not a single word from the government that we will protect you," he said. "What signal are you giving to the world that you are a junior partner of US in terms of containment and their policy of hegemony.. Is that in our country"s interst," he asked. Commenting on public sector lenders, he said that banks have become vulnerable due to rising bad loans and added that those who "looted the banks have gone scot-free" and "what do you do? You get after poor farmer, confiscate his property, his cattle. For the big fish, there is no way of confiscating their properties." Attacking Modi for terming SP, Congress, Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati as SCAM, he said: "SCAM is battle against the Scheduled Castes and the minorities. This is what the PM and his government are doing in the country." Congress leader Ahmed Patel charged the Government with indulging in vendetta politics and acting with a "revengeful mindset towards the Opposition". He said the demonetisation decision was taken "without thinking of the consequences". Patel also alleged that the Government had "misused" probe agencies in the last three years. "The way appointments are being made, the heads of agencies are getting extension and being told that they will get promotion. The agency heads visit the houses of extra- constitutional authority and procure orders. What can be more shameful than this? You will know when you take out call records," Patel said. Referring to the issue of simultaneous holding of state assemblies and Lok Sabha elections, he said "any decision should be taken after evolving consensus on the matter". However, he concluded by saying that he formally supports the address given by the President. Vishambar Prasad Nishad of the Samajwadi Party said the President's address "was full of false promises and farmers are feeling cheated". He asserted that post demonetisation, the state of agriculture has worsened and that farmers were unable to sell the produce and not even able to get the input cost. V Vijayaasai Reddy (YSR CP) said "there was not even an iota of reference to special category status to Andhra Pradesh" in the President's address. He pointed out that the assurance to grant special category status to the divided Andhra Pradesh was given by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "What will be the recourse when decision of Union Cabinet is not implemented? I am raising a question of law," he said and asked "what is the sanctity of a Union Cabinet decision?" Reddy demanded that the government should introduce an amendment to set a timeline for Speaker to dispose off the cases related to anti-defection. He also asked the government to bring and implement women reservation Bill. Joy Abraham (KC-M) criticised the government for naming all the central programmes in Hindi. "For every scheme of central government if it is in Hindi, there should be an English equivalent to it". He also sought a separate Railway Budget like the earlier practice. Satyanarain Jatiya (BJP) complimented the government's programmes for all-round development of the people, while Rajni Patil (Cong) asked the government to inform the House how much black money has come back into the system and how much has terrorism declined post-demonetisation. She also demanded bringing of the Women's Reservation Bill. D Srinivas (TRS) spoke about a "raw deal" to Telangana in the Budget and sought help from the Centre for the development of the new state. The discussion remained inconclusive and will continue tomorrow. Cambodia's prime minister says raising Taiwan's flag is banned because Cambodia follows the "One China" policy promoted by Beijing. Hun Sen, in a speech to the Cambodian-Chinese Association posted on his Facebook page, said he welcomes investment from Taiwanese businesspeople, but that respecting Chinese sovereignty means acknowledging Taiwan is a province of China. He said in his remarks, delivered on Saturday, that Taiwan's flag shouldn't be raised on its national day. Hun Sen, who has led his country for three decades, said this has always been his policy. He has in the past rebuffed Taiwanese efforts to open an official representative office in Cambodia, and reaffirmed that position in his speech. He also told his audience that Cambodia holds the same policy toward Tibet, recognising China's sovereignty against claims for independence of what China calls the Tibet Autonomous Region. China is impoverished Cambodia's key ally and economic partner. It has provided millions of dollars in aid and investment over the past decade, granted it tariff-free status on hundreds of trade items, and written off debt. In return, Cambodia supports China in international forums, including in Beijing's ongoing territorial disputes with other Southeast Asian countries in the South China Sea. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China today lodged a protest with the US over new sanctions against Iran which affected some Chinese companies and individuals, saying such measures are "not helpful" to promoting mutual trust and solving global issues. "China always opposes any unilateral sanctions, especially when they harm the interests of a third party," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang told media here. Lu said that Beijing has lodged a protest with Washington as such sanctions are "not helpful" to promoting mutual trust and solving global issues. The US on Friday imposed new sanctions after Iran conducted a ballistic missile test. The sanctions affect 25 people and entities allegedly involved in Iran's ballistic missile programme or in supporting groups that the US considers terrorist. The list includes two Chinese companies and three Chinese people. The sanctions were imposed by President Donald Trump's administration two days after it had put Iran 'on notice' following the ballistic missile test. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After years of delays, China's first large homemade passenger jetliner will take to the air for its maiden flight in the first half of this year, state media reported today. State-owned aircraft maker Commercial Aircraft Corp. Of China Ltd, or Comac, based in Shanghai, has nearly completed work on the 175-passenger C919, the ruling Communist Party newspaper People's Daily reported. The C919 was originally due to fly in 2015, but has been beset by delays blamed on manufacturing problems. It is now scheduled to enter service in 2019, aimed at competing with the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, along with the Russian Irkut MC-21. Airbus and Boeing say the market for new aircraft will be worth more than USD 5 trillion over the next 20 years. Industry experts say China faces a tough slog capturing a significant share of that market, even with government support. Comac has 517 orders for the C919. Company officials couldn't immediately be reached. The C919 is part of China's efforts to develop a homegrown aviation industry in one of the world's biggest and fastest-growing air travel markets. China currently relies heavily on foreign-made aircraft. Last June, the ARJ21-700, China's first homemade regional jet, made its debut flight carrying 70 passengers. The jet is one of a series of initiatives launched by the party to transform China from the world's low-cost factory into a creator of profitable technology in aviation, clean energy and other fields. The ARJ21, also made by Comac, is a rival to aircraft made by Bombardier Inc. Of Canada and Brazil's Embraer SA. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China's population, the largest in the world, is expected to reach about 1.42 billion by 2020, according to the country's National Health and Family Planning Commission. As of the end of 2015, China had a population of about 1.37 billion. China's population is expected to reach about 1.42 billion by 2020, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said while calling for more support for women returning to work after giving birth. It also encouraged employers to support a balance between work and family relations among employees. The annual natural population growth rate will be around six per thousand while China's gender ratio at birth is expected to be reduced to 112 boys for every 100 girls by 2020, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. According to the National Population Development Outline released by the Chinese central cabinet the gender ratio, which was 113.5 men to every 100 women in 2015, one of the highest in the world, is forecast to drop below 112 by 2020 and 107 by 2030. China last year scrapped the decades-old 'one-child policy' as the country is saddled with more old age people. The natural population growth rate stayed at five per thousand, while the male-to-female ratio among newborns fell from 117.94 to 113.51, the report said. An official plan released by the China's central government said China will create over 50 million new urban jobs by 2020. The government will improve employment structure and quality and keep the urban headline unemployment rate under 5 per cent by 2020, according to the employment facilitation plan for the 2016-2020 period released by the state council. The plan pointed out that employment was key to affecting standards of living and supporting economic growth, and that China would make proactive employment policies. China will support sectors that create lots of jobs and promote entrepreneurship, such as businesses related to the sharing economy. The government will help college graduates, farmers and workers, affected by the country's overcapacity cutting drive, to secure jobs, according to the plan. Latest figures from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security show that the country managed to create jobs for more than 13 million urban residents in 2016, and the registered unemployment rate in Chinese cities stood at 4.02 per cent at the end of 2016, the report said. Japan said Chinese coast guard vessels sailed today into its territorial waters around disputed islands in the East China Sea, days after the new US defence chief vowed to defend Tokyo's control of them. Three ships entered the waters surrounding the uninhabited chain, the Japan Coast Guard said in a statement. The isles are controlled by Japan as the Senkakus but claimed by China as the Diaoyus. The incursion came at around 2:00 pm (0500 GMT) and the ships were cruising in a south-southwesterly direction, according to the statement. Their arrival came two days after James Mattis, US President Donald Trump's new defence secretary, said in Tokyo that the island chain was subject to a longstanding Washington-Tokyo defence treaty. The islets are at the centre of a festering row between Tokyo and Beijing, which is also involved in a widening dispute with several Southeast Asian countries over islands in the South China Sea. China was quick to accuse the United States of stirring up trouble in Asia with the comments by Mattis. Its foreign ministry spokesman said Washington should "stop making wrong remarks... And avoid making the issue more complicated and bringing instability" to the region. China and Japan have repeatedly clashed diplomatically over ownership of the islands, and both sides regularly send ships to nearby waters to assert their claims. Mattis also had strong words over the South China Sea, saying Beijing "has shredded the trust" of regional countries with the military fortification of islands it controls. He balanced that message, however, with a call for disputes to be settled through arbitration and diplomacy and ruling out any immediate military response. China, Taiwan and a handful of Southeast Asian states have claims in the area. Besides Japan, Mattis also visited South Korea last week as he sought to assure the key allies of continued US commitment to their security. Trump rattled them last year while he was a candidate, with calls for them to pay more for defence support. But Japanese and South Korean officials said Mattis never raised the issue of cost-sharing during the talks. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State-run CIL is exploring coking coal assets overseas as the country is faced with constraints of techno-commercially viable domestic metallurgical coal reserves, Parliament was informed today. "CIL (Coal India Ltd) is scouting for acquiring coking coal assets abroad, as India is faced with constraints for techno-commercially viable domestic coking coal reserves," Cola and Power Minister Piyush Goyal said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha. "The recent spurt in global coal prices, particularly for coking coal, is expected to create an encouraging scenario for such acquisition process," the minister said. Since CIL, at present does not have any asset abroad, the comparative analysis between coal mines in India and coal mines abroad can not be ascertained, he added. The state-owned miner had surrendered two prospecting licences held by its subsidiary Coal India Africana Ltd in Mozambique. CIL is looking to appoint a merchant banker to assist it in acquiring assets overseas so as to enhance the nation's energy security. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Alleging a scam, Congress today demanded an independent comprehensive probe into denotification of 400 acres of land worth Rs 3,000 crore in Gurgaon allegedly to favour a few individuals. Party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi accused the BJP government in Haryana of being allegedly involved in the scam and demanded a probe into how the Collector, who passed the order, was promoted and given a more important post that controls land across the state - Director, Town and Country Planning. "400 Acres of land, which is virtually in Delhi - Gawal Pahari is just on the Border of Delhi and Haryana - worth approximately Rs 3,000 crore is transferred, released and re-mutated from the Gurgaon Municipal Corporation's name to the names of several individuals on a dispute which was going for 30 years. "This is no less than a very big scam of extremely valuable land in the immediate neighbourhood of Delhi. There should be both a criminal and civil investigation in this matter," he said. Singhvi said the Collector has noted in his order of January 2, that he was acting as per the directions of the Chief Secretary and then he was promoted. After the issue was raised, the state government started an investigation against the Collector which was a "mere lip service" as under normal circumstances a Chief Secretary would not take a decision like this. Singhvi said, "This should be investigated in the shortest possible time because... The facts are first of all startling and serious but also comic at one level." "After this, the Collector is promoted as the Director, Town & Country Planning - a post far great in jurisdiction and powers regarding land. "At the same time promoting the Collector, obviously it raises for 4-5 very clear issues which we ask through you, requires urgent, comprehensive investigation - firstly an independent non-biased body to investigate the criminal and civil aspects of what is clearly a scam and report within 4 to 6 weeks maximum," he asked. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "BJP storm" remark against him, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today said Samajwadis know how to ride "cycle" through a storm. Akhilesh also accused Modi of distorting crime data of the state. "The Prime Minister is saying there is a BJP storm and the chief minister fears that he might be blown off. But we Samajwadis know how to ride a cycle against wind," he said. His barb came at a series of election meetings in Sitapur and adjoining Lakhimpur Kheri a day after Modi said in Aligarh yesterday that, "...When the wind is so strong, even a young leader cannot face it and seeks help of anything ...Even a pole...But this time BJP 'aandhi' (storm) is so strong that the chief minister fears that he might be blown off..." He said, "If he (Modi) feels storm in UP, he might have felt some strong winds in Punjab also." Akhilesh charged Modi with misrepresenting facts and figures about UP. Reacting to Modi's remark on poor law and order situation in the state, Akhilesh said, "God knows from where the PM obtained figures (about UP)...The Prime Minister should have honestly put up correct figures before the people." Continuing his diatribe, the chief minister said, "If there be the worst states in country in terms of law and order - on number 1, number 2 and number 3, these are the BJP-ruled states." Akhilesh listed the achievements of his government and said that more development will take place if SP returned to power. Attacking BJP, he said, "This party made people stand in queues outside banks...Many poor people lost their lives but BJP did not come to their rescue. It was the SP government that announced a financial aid of Rs 2 lakh for the families of such people. "No one got Rs 15 lakh after all the money was deposited into bank accounts (during the demonetisation drive). Now, they are not telling us how much black money... How much ill-gotten money is there." On the SP-Congress poll alliance, the chief minister said, "It has accelerated the pace of SP's cycle...We did not act like a miser friend. We gave a good number of seats to Congress. (Reopens DEL33) Defending his party's alliance with Congress, he said, "The 'hand' of Congress would speed up the pace of 'cycle'." He also explained to people why SP gave more seats to Congress, saying, "We believe in firm friendship with a large heart." Out of the 403 Assembly seats, SP will contest 298 leaving the rest for its ally. Responding to "achchey din" rhetoric by BJP, Akhilesh cited hardships caused by demonetisation and said, "Those promising better days to people made them stand in lines outside banks." He said, "BJP brought all public money into banks in the name of black and white money, benefitting only banks and not to the poor, the farmers." The SP chief asked BJP to divulge figures, saying, "All public money is with banks and now the government must explain to people how much money was black or came from Pakistan." "They had said they would deposit Rs 15 lakh in each account but not even Rs 15,000 have been deposited," he rued. While appealing people to vote for SP and Congress, he reiterated his commitment to provide Samajwadi pension to all Tharu tribals of Kheri close to Terai region of Nepal in the foothills of the Himalayas. He promised to link Sitapur-Lakhimpur four-lane highway to Pilibhit through Dudhwa. UP minister Balwant Singh Ramuwalia predicted a rout for BJP in Punjab, Goa and UP and said demonetisation would hit the saffron party badly. Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board today approved a proposal to construct 6,178 flats for economically weaker section (EWS) in Lajpat Nagar, Bhalaswa, Dev Nagar, Mangolpuri and Ambedkar Nagar. The EWS flats, a pilot project of the Delhi government for in-situ up-gradation of slums on DUSIB land in Phase-II, will be constructed at cost of Rs 866 crore. The decision was taken at DUSIB's 18th Board meeting at the Secretariat, chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. As per the JJ (Jhuggi-Jhopadi) Cluster policy, government provides 'jahan jhuggi wahan makan' (in-situ). A senior government official said that following the Lt Governor's direction, DUSIB also approved another proposal according to which land owning agencies would be charged at government rates instead of circle rates for cost of land. "It was also decided that in case the JJ Basti is on the land belonging to central government-run agencies like railways, DDA, L&DO, NDMC, the respective agency may either carryout the relocation and rehabilitation themselves as per the policy of Delhi government or may entrust the job to DUSIB," the official also said. The Board also approved four new shelters for urban homeless under National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) at Dwarka, Geeta Colony, Rohini and Nangloi which will accommodate 72 families and 1,200 homeless people. DUSIB is also providing 5,000 bunker beds, 10,000 mattresses along with bedsheet, blanket, pillow & pillow cover, LED bulbs, TV, water cooler, geysers etc at a cost of Rs 5 crore to improve the quality of life in shelters for homeless, official added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the Central government announcing provisions for more autonomy for educational institutions across the country, Delhi University has formed a committee for its colleges which are seeking autonomy or university status. Prestigious colleges like SRCC, St Stephens', Ramjas, Hansraj and the ones run by Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee had approached the university and HRD officials seeking greater autonomy and decision-making powers. "Following announcement of provisions for granting more autonomy to colleges in the annual budget, we have formed a committee to study such proposals being sent by colleges and streamline the process," a senior DU official told PTI. Unless the colleges get university status with degree awarding powers, just granting them more autonomy will not necessarily mean that they will not be part of the university. At present, we are inviting proposals from colleges in this regard which the committee will study and only "quality institutions" will be considered for granting of autonomous tag, the official added. Besides imparting quality education, maintaining the student-faculty ratio and required infrastructure, the colleges are also required to gain A grade in NAAC accreditation for three consecutive times, in order to be eligible for the autonomous status. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) must go to the state if at all it is an enemy property, the Supreme Court said on Monday. A Bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and N V Ramana said it is a sensitive matter and it is for Parliament to debate on it, not the court. must go to the state provided that it is that of enemy, the Bench said after senior advocate Anand Grover, appearing for Congress member in Rajya Sabha Husain Dalwai, said it is a serious issue and needs to be debated. While disposing of a petition filed by Dalwai who questioned the promulgation of (Amendment and Validation) Fifth Ordinance, 2016, the Bench said that the petitioner should raise the issue in Parliament. Grover said that if a person migrated to Pakistan or Bangladesh, then his or her legal heirs and successors would face problems due to the ordinance. If the issue is so serious and sensitive and the nation's security is at risk, then you should debate in Parliament. You are a Member of Parliament, you should debate there. We are agreeing with you that this needs to be debated but it is for Parliament to debate on the subject, it said. Grover said that the ordinance cannot be promulgated time and again and it has now been promulgated for the fifth time. "This promulgation of the ordinance can't go on. There is the apex court's judgement on this," he told the bench. The EU today insisted all parties must fully implement the Minsk ceasefire accords to restore peace in Ukraine, after US President Donald Trump stoked fresh concerns he could take a softer line on Russia. Trump repeated over the weekend he wanted to work with President Vladimir Putin to fight the Islamic State group, and drew fire from across the US political spectrum by playing down alleged political assassinations in Russia. The White House also raised eyebrows by referring to "Ukraine's long-running conflict with Russia" -- a framing of the situation that former national security advisor Susan Rice publicly criticised as a "distortion of... Recent history". Russia annexed the Ukrainian region of Crimea in March 2014 and has supported separatists in the east of the country. Asked about the US administration's remarks, EU foreign affairs head Federica Mogherini said she could not speculate about their meaning but she was clear what the European Union's position was. The 28-nation bloc would "continue not to recognise" the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia, Mogherini said as she arrived for an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels. The EU also recognises "the need to fully implement the Minsk agreements, including or starting from a ceasefire and restoring calm to east Ukraine," she said. "I cannot say where the US administration stands... I can only say where the EU stands on this," Mogherini added. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson stressed there could be no easing of sanctions on Russia until peace was restored in Ukraine. "The UK will be insisting that there is no case for relaxation of the sanctions, there is every case for keeping up pressure on Russia," Johnson said as he went into the meeting. He said everyone was concerned by the recent upsurge in fighting between government troops and pro-Moscow rebels in the east. Russia annexed Crimea after pro-EU protestors ousted pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych, sparking a conflict which has cost nearly 10,000 lives and plunged EU ties with Moscow into a deep freeze. Trump meanwhile has repeatedly said he wants to improve relations with Putin, appearing to downplay events in Ukraine to the dismay of historic US allies in Europe. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The has warned employees of disciplinary action if they criticise the government or its policies. The directive assumes significance as associations representing employees of Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) are protesting against certain decisions taken by the GST Council led by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Goods and Services Tax. "Instructions have been issued in the past wherein it has been impressed upon all concerned to refrain from commenting adversely on the government and its policies," the Ministry said in a recent order. It said failing to comply with its instructions "may lead to appropriate action (including disciplinary action)". The instructions cite service rules that bar any government servant from making any adverse criticism of any policy or action of the government. "No government servant shall, in any radio broadcast, telecast through any electronic media or in any document published in his own name or anonymously, pseudonymously or in the name of any other person or in any communication to the press or in any public utterance, make any statement of fact or opinion which has the effect of an adverse criticism of any current or recent policy or action of the central government or state government," reads the service rules. Certain members of Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), All India Association of Central Excise Gazetted Executive Officers, All India Central Excise Inspectors' Association and All India Central Excise and Service Tax Ministerial Officers Association had recently participated in a symbolic protest to oppose some decisions taken by the GST Council. When contacted President of IRS (Customs and Central Excise) officers association, Anup Srivastava, said their members are not adversely commenting on the State's policies by any way. "We are not commenting adversely on State policies. We fully agree with this (recent directive) letter. Government should be supported for all the rightful causes in the interest of the nation. The officers of CBEC have been working tirelessly for last 10 years on GST. Therefore, the concern of the services need to be addressed for smooth and successful implementation of the GST," he said. Srivastava said that "it has already been pointed out earlier by us that out of 150 countries, GST has failed in more than 100 countries". "We do not want any glitches in the successful rollout of GST. Therefore, it is our duty as Constitutionally-bound officers of Government of India to bring to the notice of the decision makers the probable glitches. It is upto decision makers to take a final call," he said. The employees associations are opposing the Council's decisions of giving states the powers to levy tax on economic activity within 12 nautical miles of territorial waters and to administer 90 per cent of the tax payers under Rs 1.5 crore annual turnover besides certain provisions of Integrated GST. The district police have arrested five men for alleged rape of a school student. Inspector Anil Patil of Manickpur police station under Vasai division said police were looking for one more accused. The arrested men, all in their 20s, were remanded in police custody till February 8 by a local court. One of the accused befriended the 17 years old girl and later raped her and filmed the act, police said. He blackmailed her using the video and forced her to have sex with his friends, police said. Further probe is on. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A court here today granted bail to former Congress legislator Stanlywiss Rymbai in connection with a multi-crore land scam case in Meghalaya's Ri Bhoi district. Rymbai, who was lodged in the jail cell of a city hospital here since January 25, was granted bail by the court of District and Sessions Judge after his application was heard on February 3. The order was pronounced today. The former Umroi legislator was arrested on January 25 by the CID on the basis of an FIR filed on November 12, 2012 in connection with acquisition of land by the forest department from Umsawkhwan village. "The court was pleased to peruse the case dairy produced by the investigation officer (IO) and allow the bail application on certain conditions for Rymbai to comply," Rymbai's counsel and senior advocate V G K Kynta said. After he was arrested, he was produced before the court and remanded in 14 days judicial custody. On seeing his health condition, the court had directed that he be admitted in the hospital. Kynta also said since Rymbai is suffering from thyroid, high blood pressure and hypertension, he will continue to be admitted in the Shillong Civil Hospital till his health condition improves. He was also of the view that the case originated on an FIR dated November 12, 2012 and the arrest was affected after more than four years which raise question on the authenticity of the police investigation. "We have full faith and trust in the judiciary and the release of Rymbai is a pointer," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A team of French officials went to London today on a mission to make Paris the European Union's financial hub once Britain leaves the EU. Officials including Paris Deputy Mayor Jean-Louis Missika and Valerie Pecresse, head of the wider Ile-de-France region, met with representatives of firms based in the City, London's financial district. Many banks and other firms are considering moving jobs from London once the UK leaves the 28-nation bloc and its single market in goods and services. Frankfurt is also trying to woo companies away from Britain, but Pecresse says Paris has the advantage in culture and lifestyle. She asked reporters: "When was the last time you took your partner off for a weekend in Frankfurt?" Missika said Brexit was a "once-in-a-century opportunity" for Paris. Some companies say France's robust labour protections and tough regulations are a deterrent, but Missika said "we have started to change our regulations". "We are here to show what Paris has to offer, we are also here to listen," he said. Britain's Conservative government plans to trigger two years of EU exit talks by March 31, and says it wants to retain the closest possible trade ties with the bloc once it leaves. Pro-EU lawmakers in Britain fear the government has made that impossible by insisting on a "hard Brexit" in which the UK leaves the EU single market and customs union in order to halt the free movement of people from other member states to Britain. Opposition legislators are attempting to amend a bill currently before Parliament that authorises the start of EU exit talks, seeking to ensure they get a say on the final divorce deal. But lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to back the bill in its first House of Commons test last week, and it is unlikely many will change their minds when it comes up for vote again on Wednesday. Prime Minister Theresa May said today that lawmakers should respect voters' choice to leave the EU. "Our European partners now want to get on with the negotiations. So do I, and so does this House," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There has been an improvement in the Human Development Indices of SCs and STs over the years but the gap between them and other social groups remains, the government said today. "The main reason for the gap is poverty and its vicious circle, illiteracy, dependence largely on wage labour etc, which the Government has been addressing through various socio-economic development programmes," Minister of State for Planning Rao Inderjit Singh said in Rajya Sabha during the Question Hour. He provided data as per which the unemployment rate of persons aged 15 years and above for SCs was 5 and STs 4.4. Planning Commission figures, given by him, showed that the incidence of poverty in rural areas in 2011-12 for SCs was 31.50, for Sts it was 47.37, while the total stood at 25.40. For urban areas, incidence of poverty among SCs was 21.70 and STs 24.10. He also cited census data showing the literacy rate among SCs to be 66.07, for it was STs 58.96, while the total stood at 74. The figures also showed that school dropout rate among SCs for 2013-14 for class I-X was 50.1, for STs it was 62.4 while the total was 47.4 per cent. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Genesis Colors, which owns luxury brands like Satya Paul and Bwitch, has received capital markets regulator Sebi's go-ahead to raise an estimated Rs 650 crore through an initial public offering. The company had filed its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with Sebi in September. The regulator on February 3 issued its final observations on the draft offer documents, which is necessary for any company to launch a public offer. The IPO comprises fresh issue of shares worth Rs 380 crore and offer for sale up to 1,916,741 equity scrips by existing shareholders, as per the draft prospectus filed with Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). According to sources, the public issue is expected to garner about Rs 650 crore. Founded in 1998, Genesis Colors is the holding company of fashion brands Satya Paul and Bwitch. Besides, it holds the marketing and distribution rights in India for several international luxury labels under its arm Genesis Luxury Fashion, according to the company's website. Genesis Luxury Fashion distributes premium international brands like Jimmy Choo, Armani, Paul Smith and Bottega Veneta. The Genesis Group also has joint ventures with British fashion brand Burberry, Italian menswear Canali and Villeroy & Boch of Germany for tableware. The funds raised through the issue would be utilised for purchase of shares of the company's subsidiary Genesis Luxury Fashion from Splendor Distributions and promoter Sanjay Kapoor and for other general corporate purpose. The IPO is being managed by ICICI Securities, Edelweiss Financial Services and Ambit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Government has asked all export promotion councils to go cashless in respect of their payments to deal with the liquidity crunch post note ban, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today. In November last year, the Commerce and MSME Ministry had met the export promotion councils (EPCs) to assess the impact of demonetisation on the country's exports. "The government has received feedback from industry and trade associations. In order to mitigate their problem of liquidity crunch, the government has taken several measures, including one where all EPCs have been advised to go cashless in respect of their payments," Sitharaman said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. Furthermore, she said the coverage of the loans under the credit guarantee scheme for MSMEs implemented by the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust has been increased to Rs 2 crore from Rs 1 crore. The scheme has also been extended to loans for MSMEs by non-banking financial companies. Sitharaman said the department of financial services has issued an advisory to banks to raise working capital and cash credit limit for MSMEs. In reply to another question, she said Saudi Arabia has imposed a temporary ban on import of eggs and chicken from India due to the outbreak of avian influenza virus. "The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia through their communication dated November 26, 2016, has informed that their Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has decided to impose a temporary ban on import of live birds, hatching eggs and chickens from India due to the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza," she said. She also said the government is not considering creation of bird flu-free zone for export of poultry products. "It is difficult to maintain bird flu-free zones as the zones may be contaminated by the wild bird as India is coming under the number of migratory bird's flyway. However, the department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries is recognising disease-free compartments of poultry establishment from where export of poultry and poultry products can take place," Sitharaman added. To another query on whether the government is aware that large scale contract defaults and forced renegotiation of prices for pulses import is hurting India's trade image, she said: "No such matter regarding large scale contract defaults and forced negotiation of prices for import of pulses by private players has come to the notice of the government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) City unit Congress president Sanjay Nirupam, under fire from party leaders over his "style of functioning", today said he had a "limited role" in picking candidates for BMC polls and that his "intervention" was only five per cent in entire list of 227 nominees. Nirupam said names of candidates given unanimously by the district units in the city have been cleared for the February 21 polls. "I intervened only in 5 per cent names where I felt the district units failed to properly allocate the candidates and where sitting corporators did not figure in the list," the Congress leader told PTI. However, he steered clear of commenting on internal bickering in the city unit over allocation of tickets. Responding to BJP city president Ashish Shelar's allegations of "match-fixing" between Congress and Shiv Sena for 42 municipal wards, Nirupam termed them a "diversionary tactic" by the BJP. "BJP is deliberately making such wild allegations to divert the electoral discourse. At this point, the discourse should be on the performance of the Sena-BJP combine in the civic body for the last 20 years and how they have failed to provide basic amenities," he said. Nirupam said he had the "files of District Congress committees (DCCs) mentioning which leader recommended which names. I am prepared to sit across table with Shelar in front of cameras to discuss it. Shelar should make charges with a concrete proof and if not he should apologise and withdraw his statement." He said snapping of ties between Sena and BJP was part of a "secret plan" so that the issue of their performance in the BMC gets diverted while they campaign against each other. The Congress leader referred to the statements by BJP president Amit Shah that Mumbai civic polls will be a "friendly match between the two saffron allies" and party minister Chandrakant Patil that BJP and Sena will come together again after polls. "The ground reality is that Sena and BJP are together in governments in Maharashtra and Delhi and they claim to be rivals in the civic polls. This (Sena contesting polls without alliance with BJP) is bogus and hypocritical. If the civic polls is not a friendly fight then why these two parties are in government together?" Nirupam asked. Ahead of elections, Nirupam fell out with veteran Congress leader Gurudas Kamat who had accused him of "negative attitude" over selection of candidates and withdrew himself from campaigning. Another senior leader Narayan Rane too distanced himself from campaigning for party in Mumbai, saying Nirupam is a capable leader. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's emissary Bhupinder Singh Hooda has been trying to placate the warring sections in the Mumbai unit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Monday witnessed heated exchanges between the Opposition and Treasury benches after a Congress member demanded dismissal of the Chhattisgarh government over alleged atrocities against tribals and locals, including rape and molestation, committed by security forces. I&B Minister M Venkaiah Naidu countered the charges saying Zero Hour cannot be allowed to be used to make sweeping statements and defaming forces who are doing a difficult job by staking their lives. He said Chhattisgarh is one of the best performing states and a forward looking one. Raising the issue of alleged atrocities by security forces in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, BK Hariprasad (Congress) said tribal women are gangraped and molested but no action is taken against the policemen involved. Cases have been filed against lawyers, NGOs and journalists who were trying to focus on the plight of the victims but the state government is yet to file a case against the police officers and men who were at the centre of the allegations, he alleged. He demanded that the state government be dismissed. This drew a sharp reaction from the Naidu, who said, "Zero Hour cannot used be for condemning the forces." Police, he said, is undergoing untold miseries and doing a "difficult job" by "staking their lives". Amid counter charges by Hariprasad and some Congress members, he went on to allege that opposition members have sympathies for the naxalities and Maoists and condemnation of the forces will not be allowed. As Left members joined the protest, Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien said blanket allegations will be expunged. Tapan Sen (CPI-M) said no one was questioning the important role the forces play but atrocities on common persons and rights abuse are concerns which can be raised. Nobody including a minister can raise a question over the right to raise such issues during Zero Hour, he asserted. Kurien said for the misdemeanors of some individuals, the entire force cannot be blamed. But as the Congress and Left members continued to raise the issue, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the killings of her party workers in Kerala should also be discussed. KK Ragesh (CPI-M) blamed the RSS for the killings in the Kerala, with the remarks immediately expunged by Kurien. Naidu also joined the chorus to say Kerala killings should be discussed in Parliament. Kurien said the name of any organisation mentioned will be expunged and went on to state that killings were going on from both sides in Kerala. Historians and urban planners today slammed the renaming of Dalhousie Road to Dara Shikoh Road in the national capital as a "populist move" while alleging that history was being "distorted and appropriated" for political gains in the garb of rechristening. "One should not meddle with the past, a city's life span is layers of past and present and, the past, whether good or bad, cannot be erased or wished away. These names are not just names, but also documentation of our past. "It is sad that one after another, streets are being renamed. History is always the first victim of politics and now, with a spree of rechristening, history has been distorted and appropriated," noted historian Irfan Habib alleged. New Delhi Municipal Council, the civic body which governs the posh Lutyens's Delhi area, in a special meeting today decided to rename Dalhousie Road after the eldest son of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. This is the third time that the NDMC has renamed a street in less than two years. In 2015, Aurangzeb Road was changed to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road and Race Course Road, where the Prime Minister's residence is located, was rechristened Lok Kalyan Marg last year. Lamenting the decision, renowned architect and urban planner A G K Menon said, "Aurangzeb Road's renaming only had opened the Pandora's box. And Race Course road, which was a harmless name, was changed. And now Dalhousie. We fear that this pattern will now continue. "Renaming is a populist move and carries a political imperative. Political parties, of all hues, have done it for decades. People's representatives and municipal bodies should focus on addressing civic issues instead, that is the way forward, not renaming streets and meddling with history," Menon told PTI. Dalhousie Road, which is less than 2 km away from the Rashtrapati Bhavan, was named after James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie, who served as the Governor-General of India from 1848-1856. His reign also saw consolidation of railways in the country. "Street names in Lutyens' Delhi reflect the span of history, from Ashoka Road to Humayun Road to Chelmsford Road, carrying with it the layers of history from ancient to Mughal to British era. Renaming only reflects prejudice towards history and a very immature sense of politics," Habib said. New Delhi was designed by British architect Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens along with Sir Herbert Baker from 1911-1931. According to noted historian Narayani Gupta, names of streets were suggested by noted historian Percival Spear, who was teaching history at St Stephen's College then. Anil Kumar, Associate Professor of History at Visva Bharati University, says, "It has opened a can of worms. Fringe elements in places outside Delhi would now try to do the same. But, what is sad is that a figure like Dara Shikoh has unnecessarily been dragged into a controversy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On one side, a few dozen diehard supporters of Donald Trump. On the other, a dozen or so equally passionate counter-demonstrators. They faced off outside Trump Tower -- proof positive of how entrenched the divide has become. The pro-Trump protest yesterday, on a bitingly cold Manhattan day, was one of the first in the president's largely Democratic hometown since he took office on January 20. Demonstrators urged their fellow Americans to give the new president a chance, and they backed his controversial travel ban on people from seven predominantly Muslim countries. A big white banner they unfurled read, "Welcome the Trump Era!" The crowd stood outside designer boutiques Dolce & Gabbana and Armani on Fifth Avenue near the president's New York home and business headquarters in Trump Tower. But such is the antipathy that the Republican president can arouse in New York -- he won only 18 percent of the city's votes -- that soon a dozen or so counter-demonstrators descended on the scene. Police kept the two groups apart. The pro-Trump group wore his red "Make America Great Again" campaign hats, carried US flags and chanted "USA! USA!" Some wore Star of David buttons and carried signs in Hebrew and in English, one of which said: "President Trump Mazel Tov You're Doing It Your Way." Demonstrators on both sides competed to make their message heard. "No ban, no wall, refugees are welcome here," his opponents shouted in a sing-song chant. But Cindy Grosz, a Trump supporter and rally co-organizer, said Americans should give the new president a chance. "He's been in office less than three weeks. He's entitled to have a fair shot and to run the government the way he wants to," she said. Yesterday's rally paled next to the huge anti-Trump marches and rallies that have sprung up almost spontaneously across the country. But the president's New York supporters were uncowed. Adela Pisarevsky, a Manhattan retiree who emigrated from Argentina decades ago, said the rally had a point to make in a city that overwhelmingly preferred Trump's Democratic Party rival Hillary Clinton. "It's important to show that we want to get rid of the illegals and we want to get rid especially of the Middle Eastern illegals, the terrorists," Pisarevsky told AFP. "For the first time we have a president doing exactly what he wanted to do and instead of waiting to see if it works, they're harassing him. They want him to fail. I'm very much afraid," she said. Greg Drapkin, 28, from Brooklyn, told AFP that he had been "really excited" to find out about the rare pro-Trump rally in the city, even knowing it might well be outnumbered by Trump critics. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of protesters shouting "down with Spain's justice system" turned up today in Barcelona at the trial of Catalonia's former leader Artur Mas, accused of civil disobedience for holding an independence referendum in 2014. The trial has stoked pro-independence sentiment in the wealthy, northeastern region of Catalonia at a time of high tensions between the local separatist government and Madrid. Shouting "independence, independence", "down with Spain's justice system" and "we want to vote," several thousand Mas supporters gathered on a large palm tree-lined avenue next to the courthouse where the trial of the ex-Catalan president and two former associates began. They are accused of serious civil disobedience and misconduct for having organised a symbolic, non-binding referendum in November 2014 despite a ban by Spain's Constitutional Court, which deemed it illegal. Prosecutors want them banned from holding public office for nine to 10 years, but their defence argues they were merely defending "the right to freedom of expression" of Catalans, many of whom want a say in the future of their 7.5-million strong region. "We are determined to go forward. We did what had to be done in 2014 and we would do it again if the circumstances allow it again," Mas told a press conference in Barcelona yesterday. Catalonia, a region with its own language and customs, has long demanded greater autonomy. But in recent years, tensions with Madrid have markedly increased, as have calls for outright independence, culminating with the election in 2015 of a pro-independence government in Catalonia backed by a majority separatist parliament. A watershed moment was in 2010, when Spain's Constitutional Court watered down a special statute awarded to Catalonia in 2006 under the Socialist government, giving it more powers. Supporters of independence slammed what they said was "judicial harassment" and asked for a referendum similar to the one organised in Scotland in 2014. After the Constitutional Court banned that, Mas and his associates held the non-binding vote for which they are on trial. Catalonia's current government has promised to hold a referendum in September -- a binding one this time, with or without Madrid's consent. But how exactly it will go ahead is unclear, as the conservative government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy insists that this type of local, one-region-only referendum is unconstitutional, and has vowed never to allow it. Last week, reports emerged in several national dailies that Madrid was considering drastic measures to stop a vote, such as closing schools where polling booths could be set up or taking control of the police, which is normally managed by regional authorities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India attracted USD 32.49 billion foreign direct investment (FDI) in April-November of 2016-17, Parliament was informed today. The key sectors that received a major chunk of FDI included metallurgy, computer software and hardware, telecom, information and broadcasting and automobile, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. "The government reviews FDI policy on an ongoing basis and significant changes are made in the FDI policy regime, from time to time, to ensure India remains increasingly attractive and investor-friendly investment destination," she said. "Further, no proposal is under consideration of the government to review extant policy to bring public sectors under its ambit in the country." Replying to a separate question on exports of rice to China, she said 14 mills have been approved by China for export of basmati rice. "As regards export of non-basmati rice, the protocol signed between Plant Quarantine agencies of the two countries is to be reviewed by the Chinese side," she said. According to Sitharaman, market access for export of non-basmati rice to China can be confirmed only after the review of the protocol and signing of the same between China and India. India accounts for 0.11 per cent share of China's imports and is the 31st largest importing partner. Replying to another question, she said that with regard to grapes exports, India has requested the US to expedite the evaluation of pest risk analysis submitted by it. "The pest risk analysis is under finalisation with South Africa, Vietnam and Japan," Sitharaman added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and Austria today agreed to amend their existing bilateral taxation treaty to prevent tax evasion as well as enable mutual assistance. The protocol will broaden the scope of the existing framework of exchange of tax related information which will help curb tax evasion and tax avoidance between the two countries and will also enable mutual assistance in collection of taxes, an official statement said. It was signed by Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman on behalf of India and Embassy of Austria Charge d' Affaires Georg Zehetner on behalf of Austria. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Country's solar power generation capacity stood at over 9 GW as on December 31, 2016 with Tamil Nadu having the largest output capability followed by Rajasthan and Gujarat, Parliament was informed today. Total power generation capacity was 9,012 MW as on December 31, 2016. Tamil Nadu led the chart followed by Rajasthan and Gujarat, Power Minister Piyush Goyal informed the Rajya Sabha. "As on December 31, 2016, Gujarat (1.16 GW), Rajasthan (1.32 GW), and Tamil Nadu (1.6 GW) have crossed 1 GW solar installations..., while Andhra Pradesh (0.98 GW), Telangana (0.97 GW) and Madhya Pradesh (0.84 GW) are close to these states," he said in written statement. The minister said solar power development varies from state to state depending on solar irradiance, availability of conducive state policy for the sector, availability of land, cost of financing and business environment such as willingness of DISCOMS to purchase the solar power, power evacuation infrastructure, etc. On falling solar tariff, the minster stated in another statement to the Rajya Sabha that the tariff determined by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) in case of solar photovoltaic projects is Rs 5.68 per kWh and Rs 5.09 per kWh without and with accelerated depreciation benefit, respectively. He further said that in Rajasthan, the tariff after bidding came to Rs 4.34 per kWh. The government is promoting solar energy through fiscal and promotional incentives such as capital and/or interest subsidy, tax holiday on the earnings for 10 years, generation- based incentive, accelerated depreciation, viability gap funding (VGF), financing solar rooftop systems as part of home loan, concessional excise and custom duties, preferential tariff for power generation from renewables, and foreign investment up to 100 per cent under the automatic route, etc. This apart, the government has been supporting solar manufacturing by way of various mechanisms such as Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme (M-SIPS) of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), the minister said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A clash broke out between Indian and foreign students of a city-based private university, leaving nine of them injured, police said today. Eleven students -- eight foreign nationals and three Indians -- were arrested today in connection with the clash which took place on Sunday night, Sub-Inspector Anirudh Singh Kamaliya said. They were booked under relevant sections of the IPC, including 307 (attempt to murder), he said. Six of the injured were Indians and remaining three were foreign students. The incident took place when Indian students were passing by the international hostel of the university located on the city's outskirts. The Indian students involved in the clash were staying in a separate hostel. At first, there was verbal altercation between the two groups over some issue which later took a violent turn with the students attacking each other with stones and sticks, police said. Waghodia town police rushed to the spot at around 2 AM and brought the situation under control. Both groups later lodged complaints against each other at Waghodia police station. In their cross-complaints, they blamed each other for the violence on the campus. According to the complaints, sticks and stones were used to attack each other. The arrested foreign students hail from Afghanistan, Uganda, Cameroon, Cameroon and Congo, and their respective embassies in New Delhi have been informed about the development, Vadodara district Superintendent of Police Saurabh Tolambia said. "We have sent fax messages to the embassies of these countries in New Delhi informing them about the arrests," he told PTI. Sub-Inspector Kamaliya said, "Complete peace prevailed on the university campus today and normal educational activities continued. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Well known Indian-origin British sculptor Anish Kapoor was today named the winner of a prestigious USD 1 million Genesis prize by Israel for his commitment to Jewish values. Kapoor, 62, spoke out against "abhorrent government policies" towards refugees as he was named the recipient of this year's Genesis prize, dubbed Jewish Nobel. The prize committee, headed by Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky, acknowledged Kapoor as "one of the most influential and innovative artists of his generation". Kapoor joins Itzhak Perlman, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and actor-director Michael Douglas as recipients. Kapoor said he would use the award money to help alleviate the refugee crisis and try to expand the Jewish community's engagement in a global effort to aid Syrian refugees. "Jewish identity and history have witnessed recurring conditions of indifference, persecution and Holocaust. Repeatedly, we have had to repossess ourselves and re-identify our communities," Kapoor said. "As inheritors and carriers of Jewish values, it is unseemly, therefore, for us to ignore the plight of people who are persecuted, who have lost everything and had to flee as refugees in mortal danger," he said. "Outsider consciousness resides at the heart of Jewish identity and this is what motivates me, while accepting the honour of the Genesis Prize, to re-gift the proceeds to refugee causes." "I am an artist, not a politician, and I feel I must speak out against indifference for the suffering of others. There are over 60 million refugees in the world today - whatever the geography of displacement, the refugees crisis is right here on our doorstep," he said. Stan Polovets, chairman and co-founder of the Genesis Prize Foundation, said the profound impact of Kapoor's work continues a long history of Jewish contribution to the arts, while his social activism reaffirms the commitment of the Jewish people to humanitarian causes. "We particularly admire how, in an age frequently characterised by cynicism and indifference, Anish continually advocates for the world's disadvantaged - challenging all of us to do more to help wherever and whenever we can," Polovets said. "Anish's commitment to alleviate the plight of Syrian refugees will resonate with the Jewish community, especially young Jews, everywhere. (Reopens FGN 10) Kapoor was born in Mumbai to a Jewish mother who had immigrated to India from Iraq as a child and a Punjabi Indian father who served in the Indian Navy as a hydrographer. After moving to London to study art, he frequently returned to Israel and spent a significant amount of time in Jerusalem, where he created the reflective stainless steel hourglass at the Israel Museum, called 'Turning the World Upside Down'. Kapoor won the Turner Prize in 1991 and received a knighthood in 2013. His works include 'Cloud Gate' at Chicago's Millennium Park and the 'Orbit' at London's Olympic Stadium. Kapoor also created the Holocaust Memorial for the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in London and the 70 candles for Holocaust Memorial Day in Britain in 2015, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Beyond his contributions to the arts, Kapoor has a long history of social activism and a commitment to social justice. For many years, he has been a public advocate for the cause of refugees and an outspoken advocate for displaced people everywhere. An Indian-origin woman has been found dead at a home in the Midlands of England after a "domestic incident". The body of the woman, identified as 35-year-old Amandeep Kaur, was discovered at the property in the town of Thurmaston in Leicestershire on Friday. "Police have named the woman whose body was found in a house in Dovedale Road, Thurmaston, on Friday (February 3) as Amandeep Kaur. She was 35-years-old. Her body was found following a report of a domestic incident at a property in the street," a Leicestershire Police statement said. A 38-year-old man, Baldeep Singh, has been charged with her murder. He appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court today. During the short hearing, no details were given about the case. Singh spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth, which he did through a Punjabi translator. The magistrates sent the case to Leicester Crown Court, with a pre-trial hearing due to take place next month. Police is appealing for anyone who knew Kaur to contact them, as they try to piece together her final movements. "Detectives would like to hear from anyone who may have known Amandeep and who may have worked with her as part of their enquiries to trace her movements in the days leading to her death," the statement added. Police have indicated that they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the suspected murder. Neighbours told local media that a family had moved into the rented accommodation only a couple of months ago. One of the residents in the area, who did not want to be named, told Leicester Mercury that she believed a couple live at the house, along with an older man and two young children. "I feel sick to hear what has happened. The poor kids.I am a bit shocked really," the neighbour told the newspaper. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Budget carrier IndiGo today said it will launch services to Sahrjah from Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, besides introducing a flight to Muscat from Kozhikode, starting March-April. After the launch of these services, IndiGo would offer 857 daily flights, connecting 43 destinations with a fleet of 126 Airbus aircraft, a release said today. The new schedule sees introduction of daily non-stop flights on Sharjah-Kozhikode, Muscat-Kozhikode effective March 20 and Sharjah-Thiruvananthapuram, effective 8 April, the release said. The introduction of the new flights would further consolidate airline's position in the Middle-East market, IndiGo claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Israeli parliament has finalised a controversial law legalising dozens of Jewish outposts built on private Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank. The law, approved by 60 members of parliament to 52 against, passed its third and final reading yesterday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had updated the US administration on the issue. Netanyahu did not participate in the vote since he was returning from a trip to London. The law met with fierce opposition within the parliament, with warnings that it would harm Israel, and the United Nations saying it would diminish chances for peace. Speaking after the law was finalised, Bezalel Smotrich of the far-right Jewish Home, who was one of the forces behind the legislation, thanked the American people for electing Donald Trump as president, "without whom the law would have probably not passed". Ahead of the vote, opposition chief and Labour leader Isaac Herzog lashed out against the "despicable law" that he said would undermine the country's Jewish majority. "The vote tonight isn't for or against the settlers, rather Israel's interests," Herzog said. The law would "annex millions of Palestinians into Israel", he warned, and expose Israeli soldiers and politicians to lawsuits at criminal courts. Science and Technology Minister Ofir Akunis of Netanyahu's Likud party said the argument was over the right to the Land of . "All of the Land of belongs to the Jewish people," he told Herzog, using the biblical term that included the West Bank. "This right is eternal and indisputable." The law is seen by critics as promoting at least partial annexation of the West Bank, a key demand for parts of Netanyahu's right-wing cabinet, including the hardline Jewish Home party. The bill could still be challenged, with Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman saying last week: "The chance that it will be struck down by the Supreme Court is 100 per cent." Its defenders argue the bill will allow settlers to live without fear of being driven from their homes -- many of which they have lived in for years. Last week, the few hundred residents of the Amona outpost in the West Bank were evicted after the Supreme Court ruled their homes were built on private Palestinian land. Japan, Czech Republic, Tunisia and Mongolia would be partner countries for the Global Investor Summit, Jharkhand which is expected to attract 2,500 delegates from across the globe, state Chief Minister Raghubar Das said today. The two-day summit is scheduled to begin on February 16. Delegations from America, Russia, Australia, Singapore, China, Afghanistan and United Arab Emirates would be present at the programme, Das said adding 12 to 15 central ministers and 40 industrialists would grace the occasion. Claiming that the image of Jharkhand is changing in the country and abroad, the chief minister said development of the state depended on both agriculture of industrial development. The policies prepared by the government would remove poverty and unemployment, Das was quoted in an official release. This would not only stop migration but also economic resources could be made available for the people for all round development. Jharkhand has 40 per cent of the country's mineral resources, besides efficient human resources. What was necessary was to give fillip to 'Make in Jharkhand', the chief minister said. He said due to 'team Jharkhand' the state had reached thus far and appreciated officials and employees for this and added that it was the responsibility of everyone to improve the state for the better. The summit is being held in partnership with CII to promote industrial activity in the state and establish Jharkhand as one of the prime investment destinations of eastern India has taken numerous steps towards improvement of overall investment climate. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jat quota agitation in Haryana continued for the ninth day, with protesters sitting on 'dharnas' at various places today, even as the community's leaders have threatened to intensify the stir if their demands are not met by the government. Amid elaborate security arrangements, the Jats held sit-ins at several areas in the state, which remained peaceful, officials said. In Chandigarh, Jat leader Hawa Singh Sangwan gave an ultimatum to the state government to fulfill their demands by February 26. The faction led by Sangwan had been holding parleys with the Haryana government and till now they had not participated in the protests being organised by Yahspal Malik headed All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti. He said they are demanding general amnesty for the accused in last year's February Jat stir and regular jobs for the kin of those persons killed in the agitation. Sarv Jat Khap Panchayat spokesman Sube Singh Somain said the current agitation being spearheaded by Malik had been politicised with Congress and INLD joining the stir. Addressing a gathering in Charkhi Dadri, Malik claimed that Jat activists from Punjab are also ready to extend support to the protests in Haryana. "The Jat activists from Punjab will also join and support dharnas being staged at various places in Haryana," Malik said in Dhanana village. He also warned that the ongoing stir will intensify if government does not accept their demands. At some places, the Khap panchayats or caste councils are also backing the dharnas. The call for the fresh stir has been given by some Jat outfits, especially those owing allegiance to that headed by Malik. Haryana's main Opposition party INLD has openly come out in support of the agitating Jats and asked the government to meet their demands. Malik said Jats were willing to wait for reservation since the matter was sub-judice, but they wanted all other demands to be accepted immediately. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had earlier said the government accepted the demand of the Jats to give job to the next of kin of those who had lost their lives in the agitation last year. He had said the process for the same had been initiated. In the fresh round of the Jat stir, paramilitary forces have been deployed in sensitive areas in Haryana while state police personnel, in large numbers, are maintaining strict vigil. Security has been further strengthened in many sensitive districts and at the Rohtak residences of Haryana Finance Minister Abhimanyu and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the officials said. Arsonists had set Abhimanyu's Rohtak house on fire during last year stir, in which 30 people had died and property was damaged. However, this time the state has been put on maximum alert, the officials said. Notably, Rohtak and some of its neighbouring districts, including Sonipat and Jhajjar, had been worst-hit by the violence which broke out during last year. Malik said February 19 would be observed as 'Balidan Divas' in memory of all those who lost their lives in last year. Over the past three days, the number of protesters at various dharna sites, especially in sensitive districts, has been going up. In Rohtak, the Jats have gathered at Jassia village. The government is also closely monitoring the situation, the officials said. Apart from the reservation for Jats, demands include release of arrested youths from jails, withdrawal of cases during last year's agitation and government jobs to the kin of youths killed and those injured during the earlier stir. Their demands also include action against BJP MP from Kurukshetra Raj Kumar Saini over his alleged anti-Jat rants. Seeking to clear the air on the health of late Chief Minister when she was rushed to the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai on September 22 last year, the British doctor who treated her asserted that she was conscious while being brought in an ambulance from her home. The late Chief Minister was on and off a ventilator and often also interacted after being admitted for fever and dehydration, Richard Beale told a news conference in Chennai. Beale was flanked by P Balaji of Madras Medical College and K Babu of Apollo Hospitals, who had signed in election forms on which her thumb impression was taken. This was for nominating AIADMK candidates for elections to two seats and bypoll to one segment last year. Beale clarified that it was possible for sepsis, the body's response to infection, to spread fast and damage other organs though Jayalalithaa showed signs of recovery during her 75-day stay at the Apollo Hospitals. On the day she was admitted "she became short of breath at home and very short of breath when the ambulance brought her to the hospital...There was an infection resulting in damage to organs and contributing to shortness of breath". He said at that time "it was not clear" what the source of infection was "but subsequent tests showed there was indeed infection in her blood". "So bacteria were going from the blood and that was where the infection was identified and resulted in her general poor condition," he said. It was known that Jayalalithaa was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, he said. The Delhi High Court today granted three weeks parole to former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, serving a 10-year jail term in teachers' recruitment scam case, for or maintaining "social ties". Justice Vipin Sanghi ordered Chautala's release for three weeks without restraining his movement out of Delhi, and said that the relief is granted to "re-establish his ties with the society and the family members". The court's order came on Chautala's petition seeking six months' parole to allow him "return to the mainstream". The INLD leader, through his counsel Amit Sahni, has said that the Delhi government's December 14 decision denying him relief was passed in "an extremely unfair manner upon flimsy grounds". 82-year-old Chautala also said that he is "polio-affected since his birth and has permanent disability of 60 per cent". He said he was on bail during the trial and was released on parole, but he has never misused the same. Chautala, his son Ajay Chautala and three others are serving 10-years jail term in the case. The Supreme Court in August 2015 had dismissed Chautalas' appeals against the high court's verdict upholding their conviction and sentence of 10 years awarded by a trial court in the junior basic trained (JBT) teachers recruitment scam case. The high court had on March 5, 2015 upheld the 10-year jail terms awarded to the two Chautalas and three others, saying, "The overwhelming evidence showed spine-chilling state of affairs in the country." The father-son duo and 53 others, including two IAS officers, were among 55 persons convicted on January 16, 2013 by the trial court for illegally recruiting 3,206 JBT teachers in Haryana in 2000. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress general secretary Gurudas Kamat, who had openly revolted against the party's Mumbai unit chief Sanjay Nirupam, today said he had reconsidered the decision and was willing to campaign for the civic elections in the city. "Over a thousand party workers including candidates from Mumbai North West, North East and South Central (constituencies) appealed to me to campaign for them. In view of the appeal, I have decided to withdraw the earlier decision not to campaign. I will campaign for all candidates in Mumbai North West and elsewhere, wherever I am called," he told PTI. Kamat, former MP from Mumbai North West, however alleged that selection of candidates took place in a shoddy manner. "I have taken the decision to campaign in the interest of the party and since Mumbai has to be ridden of the Shiv Sena-BJP combine which is ruling the civic body for more than two decades," he said. The state of affairs at the Mumbai civic body was bad and it was infested with corruption, he said. A fortnight ago, Kamat had announced he was withdrawing from the candidate selection process as well as the campaign, blaming Nirupam's style of functioning. Kamat also targeted Congress general secretary in charge of Maharashtra Mohan Prakash. Some other senior leaders from Mumbai too decided to stay away from the campaign launch yesterday, miffed with Nirupam's style of functioning. Former minister Mohammed Arif Naseem Khan, former city Congress chiefs Janardan Chandurkar, Kripashankar Singh and senior leader Narayan Rane said they will campaign for other municipal corporations and zilla parishads in Maharashtra but not in Mumbai. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A group of prominent Democrats including former secretaries of state John Kerry and Madeleine Albright called today for a federal appeals court to continue blocking President Donald Trump's travel ban, saying it harms national security. In a brief submitted to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the former top officials argued that the executive order signed by Trump on January 27 was "ill-conceived, poorly implemented and ill-explained." Trump's ban barred all refugees and travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States. On Friday, following a lawsuit filed by the state of Washington challenging the ban, a federal judge in Seattle temporarily suspended Trump's order pending a wider legal review. The Trump administration appealed over the weekend to the Ninth Circuit court, where a flurry of legal filings were flooding in early today. They included a brief from the prominent Democrats, who included Kerry, Albright and several top aides to ex-president Barack Obama. Among them were national security advisor Susan Rice, CIA chief and defense secretary Leon Panetta, and homeland security chief Janet Napolitano. "We view the Order as one that ultimately undermines the national security of the United States, rather than making us safer," they argued. "Reinstating the Executive Order would wreak havoc on innocent lives and deeply held American values." Specifically, the brief said Trump's travel ban could endanger US troops in the field and disrupt counterterrorism cooperation. It also feeds Islamic State group propaganda that the United States is at war with Islam, it said. Trump has defiantly defended his position and launched fiery tweets attacking the judge who suspended the travel ban. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" he said in a post yesterday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were adjourned for nearly 50 minutes today after an uproar by Congress and Left members over the handling of the death of IUML leader and MP E Ahamed. Amid noisy scenes, an apparently upset Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House till noon. As soon as the House took up the Question Hour, Congress and Left members, mainly from Kerala raked up the issue of Ahamed's death at RML hospital here following a cardiac arrest. The Opposition members have been demanding a probe into the manner in which the death of Ahamed was "handled" by the government, alleging that he had died soon after being rushed to the hospital but it was announced much later. When the Speaker disallowed the issue from being raised during Question Hour, the protestors said it was against democratic norms. The members then rushed to the Well holding placards which read 'Parliamentarians for dignified life and death' and 'We are Ahamed Sahib'. As the slogan shouting continued for a while, an upset Mahajan rose to say that such talk should not take place. She then adjourned the proceedings till noon. Treasury and Opposition benches were largely empty today with most members apparently concentrating on electioneering in Uttar Pradesh. Trinamool Congress members were present in the House, but unlike on Friday, did not protest the arrest of their MPs in a chit fund scam by the CBI. The members of the AIADMK, which is witnessing transition of absolute power to V K Sasikala, were also conspicuous by their absence. Earlier as soon as the House met, Mahajan made obituary references on the killing of 8 Odisha Armed Police personnel in a landmine blast allegedly by Left-wing extremists and the death of 17 miners in a cave-in at a Jharkhand open cast mine. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) AAP leader and chief of Delhi Commission for Women Swati Maliwal was today granted bail by a Special Court in a case of alleged irregularities in the recruitment process of the women's panel. Maliwal appeared before the court in pursuance to summons issued to her by the court on January 18. Special Judge Hemani Malhotra said the evidence in the matter was documentary and Maliwal was not required for custodial interrogation and granted her bail on furnishing of a personal bond of Rs 20,000 and a surety of like amount. During the hearing, the court asked the investigating officer and prosecutor Atul Shrivastava whether the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) was further probing the matter as per its direction. To this, the IO replied in the affirmative and said it would take some time to conclude the investigation. Maliwal also told the court that she has received the copy of charge sheet and other documents. The court had earlier taken cognisance of the charge sheet filed in the case and summoned Maliwal as accused. The court, however, had said the probe has not identified Maliwal's associates with whose connivance "illegal practices were adopted" and directed the police to probe their role and file supplementary charge sheet against them. The charge sheet was filed by ACB on December 21, 2016 against Maliwal in connection with alleged irregularities in appointment of AAP workers in DCW. The ACB had taken up the probe on a complaint by former DCW chief Barkha Shukla Singh, who had alleged that several AAP supporters were given plum posts in the women's panel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 55-year-old British man today admitted in a UK court to ripping off a Muslim woman's niqab or full face veil in a shopping centre and yelling "you are in our country now". Peter Scotter, of Roker, Sunderland, appeared at Newcastle crown court to admit racially aggravated assault by beating and a separate charge of racially aggravated harassment. Both offences were based on Scotter's hostility towards a particular religious group, namely Islam, the court heard. Tony Hawks, defending, said Scotter had been diagnosed with a serious cancerous tumour under his tongue last week and was due to have an operation next Monday. "I have seen some documentation showing that the diagnosis is pretty bad," the barrister was quoted as saying by the Press Association. The judge, Stephen Earl, was quoted as saying that he would sentence Scotter later, once he had heard more details about the diagnosis. "This is a custodial-band sentence, given his record and the nature of his actions," the judge said. A previous hearing at Sunderland magistrates court heard how Scotter left his victim terrified when he attacked her in July. Laura Lax, prosecuting, told the hearing the woman was waiting with her nine-year-old son for her husband outside a store in Bridges shopping centre in Sunderland when a man "purposefully" walked towards her and grabbed her niqab or the full face veil. The force he used almost threw her to the ground and the niqab came away from her face, exposing her and causing pain to her neck. A witness heard Scotter shout, "Here, take that (expletive) off, you are in our country now." Scotter's previous convictions include actual bodily harm and racially aggravated criminal damage. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kite strings coated with glass, popular as 'manja', are highly dangerous and may easily cut one's throat, the National Green Tribunal today observed while refusing to grant permission for making such thread. "We can't permit it," a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar said after going through various samples of manja produced before it in pursuance to its earlier order. Among the samples, the bench found one nylon thread, coated with glass, and observed it was very hard. "It can easily cut the throat. It is highly dangerous," it said. However, the counsel appearing for the manja company told the bench that "it is less than the 6 ply which is not harmful rather it is biodegradable and shockproof". However, the petitioner submitted the pictures allegedly depicting the consequences of those manja strings. At this, the bench said, "We can't permit it." "We are ready to bring down the quality to whatever the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recommends. Banning it completely will be a huge loss. We have around 2000 workers who depend on us. We produce manja and nothing else," the counsel said. The counsel for the CPCB told the panel that it has sent the samples of manjha to a central institute in Ahmedabad for testing the composition and the report was still awaited. The panel has now posted the matter for further hearing on February 16. The bench had on February 1 asked all state governments and animal rights body PETA to bring samples of manja to show if it poses danger to humans, animals and birds. The bench had sought the demonstration of the glass-coated cotton thread after a dispute arose between the states and PETA regarding the issue of harm caused by the sharp string. While the states' counsel had argued that no harm is caused by manja and it can be easily broken into two just by using hands, the animal rights body's lawyer contended that the thread is as "lethal as knife" and "cotton thread with glass coating has been designed to cut". The bench had on December 14, 2016, imposed an interim nationwide ban on use of glass-coated 'manja' for flying kites as it poses a danger to humans, animals and birds. It had said the ban order would apply on nylon, Chinese and cotton manja coated with glass and asked Manja Association of India to submit report to Central Pollution Control Board on harmful effects of kite strings. The direction had come after senior advocate Sanjay Hegde and advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing for PETA, had earlier sought a ban, saying that Makar Sankranti festival was approaching and manja would be used for flying kites. The bench had earlier noted that 'manja', string coated with glass and metal powder and used for flying kites, posed a threat to the environment. It had earlier issued notices to all the state governments and sought their response on the plea of PETA on the matter. In its petition, PETA contended that 'manja' posed a grave threat to humans and animals as every year a number of deaths are caused by it. "To increase the chances of being able to cut as many kites as possible, kite strings are made deliberately sharp with churned glass, metals and other materials in order to make them razor sharp to cut through other persons' kite strings," it had said, adding that 'manja' posed a huge threat when it comes into contact with live overhead electric wires, leading to grid failure. PETA had averred that minor children were engaged by the cottage industry for the manufacture of 'manja' which caused respiratory problems as they inhaled harmful substances which were extremely detrimental to their health. Far-right leader vowed on Monday she would be a president who puts France first as she formally launched a campaign echoing many of the themes that propelled Donald Trump to the White House. Less than three months before voting begins, the National Front (FN) leader attacked "mass immigration", globalisation and "Islamic fundamentalism" and said she wanted a country "which owes nothing to anyone". In a speech in the central city of Lyon, Le Pen praised Britain for choosing to leave the European Union and urged the French to emulate Trump voters "who put their own national interests first". "We will be all about the local, not the global," she said to cheers from a crowd of around 3,000 people. "The impossible is becoming possible," she said, "just as it's possible for presidents like Donald Trump to not only be elected in the face of a system ranged against them, but also that they keep their promises". Polls have shown for months that 48-year-old Le Pen will win enough votes in the first round on April 23 to reach the runoff, but they currently show she will be defeated in the second round on May 7. With former investment banker Emmanuel Macron appearing increasingly likely to be her ultimate opponent, Le Pen told supporters that "faced with the cash-rich rightwing and the cash-rich leftwing, only I am the candidate of the people". It was also a reference to the previous frontrunner in the presidential race, conservative candidate Francois Fillon, who is embroiled in revelations his wife drew hundreds of thousands of euros in salary as his parliamentary assistant but never actually worked. An incident at the Louvre museum in Paris on Friday, where a man wielding two machetes and shouting "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) was shot after attacking a group of soldiers, has shifted the focus onto Le Pen's preferred subjects of security, Islam and immigration. "We will not expect the French people to get used to living with terrorism," she said, promising a massive increase in spending on law and order. Speaking in the city where she once compared the sight of Muslims praying in the street to the Nazi occupation, Le Pen said: "We do not want to live under the tyranny of fundamentalism." She promised a "zero tolerance" approach to crime with the recruitment of 15,000 extra police, focusing attention on the troubled suburbs of French cities. Foreigners who commit crimes will be drummed out of France, she said. Turning to the EU, she said she wanted to "release France from the tyranny" of Brussels. If the bloc refused to accept large-scale reforms, she vowed to call a referendum on membership within six months of taking office. German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits Warsaw today for talks with Poland's top leaders, taking efforts to save the European Union to a country that is keen to keep as much national power as possible and fears being marginalised in a "two-speed Europe." Her trip is "one of the most important visits in Polish-German relations since 2004," when Poland joined the EU, said Sebastian Plociennik, an expert at the Polish Institute of Affairs. The 28-nation bloc is struggling for a way forward after Britain's vote to leave. "This year, 2017, will be very important for European integration and the decisions made this year will set the path for the EU's future," Plociennik said. Poland's populist ruling party, Law and Justice, is often described as euroskeptic, but unlike right-wing populists in France and elsewhere, it does not advocate leaving the EU. EU membership remains hugely popular in Poland, whose citizens have benefited enormously from development funds and the freedom to work elsewhere in the bloc. However, Law and Justice fears that Poland's national identity has been eroded by liberal Western values and it also has made it a mission to preserve as much power for Europe's national parliaments as possible. Many criticise what they see as the EU's distant and inefficient bureaucracy. Poland is also not eager to join the 19-nation anytime soon. But Polish officials are also concerned that the EU could react to Britain's decision to leave by developing a more deeply integrated core made of up Germany, France and the Benelux nations, which could then dictate financial rules to other EU countries. Those fears of becoming marginalised have flared as Merkel speaks of a "multi-speed" Europe. "We have a Europe of different speeds every time that is said, it awakens the impression that this is something new, but my opinion is that it is nothing new," Merkel said yesterday. But Poland has also marginalised itself under its current government by taking an obstructionist position on climate change, refusing to accept Muslim refugees and refusing to give up its heavy reliance on coal. It is also in a standoff with Brussels for eroding the independence of Poland's constitutional court. Merkel is to meet with Prime Minister Beata Szydlo, President Andrzej Duda and Law and Justice chairman Jaroslaw Kaczynski, as well as opposition leaders and representatives of the ethnic German minority in Poland. The deputy foreign minister of Poland, Konrad Szymanski, said the re-election of Donald Tusk, the former Polish prime minister, as head of the European Council, might come up in the talks. Tusk had Merkel's backing for his first term and hopes to serve another term when his ends in May. The percentage of minorities in Central Government jobs almost doubled from 5.3 per cent in 2014 to 9.9 per cent at present, Government said today. "In Central Government jobs the proportion of minorities was 5.3 per cent in 2014. Today the percentage of minorities in Central Government jobs is 9.9 per cent. This is not because of us. "We do not agree that they (minorities) did not have the capability. They should have got this right earlier, there must have been differential treatment. We created an environment to end the differential treatment. The percentage has increased due to the minorities' progress and self belief," Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said in the Rajya Sabha. Referring to the talk of intolerance and awards being returned, he said "despite all such things, the Minorities Commission in its report has observed that communal incidents have declined more than 200 per cent during this period and there was no big communal incident witnessed in the country". The Minister further said at a time when the Islamic State and terrorist forces were "engulfing the world, we take pride in saying that due to my country's culture of tolerance, terror organisations like ISIS could not gain ground in India and wherever they attempted, Muslims were at the forefront in opposing and destroying them". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) today threatened not to allow state's Labour, Employment and Industrial Training (LE and IT) Minister Lalrinmawia Ralte and Chairman of Mizoram Youth Commission (MYC) T. Sangkunga, MLA to attend office from tomorrow. The opposition party held Ralte and Sangkunga responsible for the plight of 32 Mizo students sent by the state government to a Kolkata-based institute to study Bachelor of Hotel Management which was a 'fake' institution. They alleged that the Minister and the MYC chairman were responsible for playing with the students' future and misusing over Rs 128 lakh of the fund provided by the Mizoram Building and Other Cosntruction Workers Welfare Board (MBOCWWB) and demanded their scalp. Meanwhile, the youth workers of the Mizoram People's Conference (MPC), Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) and BJP would put up posters in Aizawl city demanding the resignation of the Minister and the MYC chairman. The state government had suspended two officials - former Director of the LE and IT Rotluanga and former Superintendent of the MYC recently, but the opposition parties continued demanding resignation of the two Congress legislators. Earlier, Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla announced on Friday at the meeting of the ruling Congress workers that Ralte and Sangkunga would never resign as long as he was the chief minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Members in Rajya Sabha today expressed concern over India's premier university BHU imposing restrictions on eating of non-vegetarian food and using internet in hostels, saying it reflected the "high- handed" attitude against students in central universities. Raising the issue through a Zero Hour mention, Ali Anwar Ansari (JD-U) said nine students were suspended by BHU who had a year ago demanded round-the-clock access to cyber library and had sat on protest dharna. FIRs were lodged against the students who had protested against the Vice Chanellor denying permission to cyber library when two group of students clashed on the university campus, he alleged. While boys can eat non-vegetarian food in the hostels, girls were barred from doing so, he said listing out the restrictions placed on girls including returning to the hostel by 8 pm and banning the use of mobile phones after 9 pm. Internet access is allowed for boys for 24 hours a day but girls are barred from the same, he alleged, saying the University's orders were "Trump-like." He said similar high-handedness was being witnessed in JNU also where 15 students were suspended for protests. Students at JNU are protesting against UGC notification of PHD admissions based on performance in interviews only, without giving weightage to written exams. While Tapan Sen (CPI-M) said central universities are new grounds of "experiments", Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said government should be seriously take note of the arbitrary rule changes. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the government does not interfere in day-to-day functioning of universities and the issue should not be politicised. He said if there were any specific incident, it can be brought to the notice of the government and the concerned minister will be intimated. Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the member has raised a specific issue and the HRD Minister should see if there is any discrimination. Anand Sharma (Cong) said this was not a small matter and the concerns should be conveyed to the HRD Minister. Also, the autonomy of the central universities should be protected, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Commission for Women today said it supports the demand for a law to end the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in India. On the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), the women's panel chairperson received two petitions initiated on Change.Org-- by 'Speak Out on FGM' and a collective of 33 global organisation which includes 'Sahiyo'. The petitions say that UN recognises India as a country where FGM is still practised and appeals to the international body to cover Asian countries in campaigns and research on FGM. These petitions follow a campaign-- #EndFGM -- started by survivor group 'Speak Out on FGM' on Change.Org in 2015 urging the government to frame a law to ban this practice. The cause has garnered 85,000 signatures. "Most of these petitions are from women thorough out the country who have undergone this barbaric practice in what is an extremely patriarchal custom that is still followed today. "NCW has long held the view that genital mutilation is an infringement of an individual human right. We will advocate the need for a law to end this practice," NCW Chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam said. The 'ritual' is carried out by the Dawoodi Bohra community where young girls are subjected to genital cutting. Petitioners feel that if the UN recognises India as a country where FGM is practised they will be able to exert pressure on the government to ban it. Eliminating FGM by 2030 is a global target of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. "The United Nations has declared FGM as a human rights violation and provides support to anti-FGM campaigners around the world. Because of this support many African countries have banned FGM. With the UN recognition (that FGM exists in India), we the Bohra women will be able to make official appeals to the Indian government," said Masooma Ranalvi of 'Speak Out on FGM'. According to a study carried out by Sahiyo in 2015 nearly 80 per cent of women from the Dawoodi Bohra community in India had faced genital mutilation. It demands that the UN look at FGM as more than just a "faraway African problem" and include countries like India, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Maldives, Brunei, Russia (Dagestan), Bangladesh, and Iran where it is being carried out. This, says Sahiyo, will help in getting the much needed investment in data collection and research in these countries on the issue. "According to the United Nations, at least 200 million women in 30 countries have been subjected to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C)," says Sahiyo in a press statement. However, these statistics are largely restricted to sub-Saharan Africa and ignore the global scope of the issue, it said. "To truly end FGM by 2030, we need all affected communities, including those in Asia, to be supported," it said. In December 2012, the UN General Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution on the elimination of FGM. Across the world, FGM is being outlawed in many countries. It is banned in over 20 countries in Africa itself. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There is a need to bring in electoral reforms like holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls and taking measures to curb influence of money power, for which a consensus is required, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said today. "India has frequent election festivals. I call them festival because election becomes a festival, but we have too many festivals," he said. The entire system then gets devoted to the electoral process because of which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a call for holding simultaneous elections for the Centre and the states, the Information and Broadcasting Minister said. President Pranab Mukherjee has also endorsed it and Election Commission is also favourable to it, Naidu said. "We need to reform the system... The country has to move in a direction and evolve a consensus," he said, adding the decision had to be taken in the interest of the country rising above party lines. Another issue is to curb the influence of money power in the elections, Naidu said, adding Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has in the budget made a proposal that all political parties should accept contributions above Rs 2,000 by cheque. The Union Minister was speaking at an event where he released - India Year Book 2017 published by the Publications Division which also launched an online digital Library today. Lauding the initiatives, Naidu claimed that, "The previous regimes had only encouraged a particular kind of literature and not enough material is available to the people especially the younger generation about a lot of our heroes." "It is sad that a lot of information about our great leaders, our forefathers who led the independence movement, who fought for the country against the Britishers like Veerapandiya Kattabomman, Tantya Tope and others, we don't have enough information for the new generation," he said. He lauded the Publication Division for bringing information about lives of these heroes to the people, saying authentic information is very important. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With his two Cabinet ministers sparring over inviting Sanjay Leela Bhansali to shoot "Padmavati" in Bihar after violent protests against the film in Rajasthan, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said he was not aware of any such development. "I do not know at all about the movie and am also not aware of what the two ministers said about it," Kumar told reporters. "I have poor general knowledge about films," he said. Alleging "lawlessness" in BJP-ruled Rajasthan in the wake of Karni Sena activists manhandling Bhansali on the sets of "Padmavati" in Jaipur on January 27, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav had recently invited the director to shoot the movie in Bihar. His father and RJD President Lalu Prasad had echoed similar views. Bihar Industries minister Jai Kumar Singh, who belongs to JD(U) and is a Rajput by caste, had, however, opposed the invitation by the Yadavs. Singh had said at Muzaffarpur last week that he would oppose shooting of the film in Bihar "tooth and nail." "I will simply not allow the shoot to happen, not as a minister but as a Kshatriya," he had said. The fringe groups have found fault with the film for supposedly alluding to a romance between Rajput princess Padmini and the 14th-century sultan of Delhi, Alauddin Khilji. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government has not taken a final decision yet on the concessions being sought by US iPhone maker for setting up a manufacturing unit in India, a top official said on Monday. Secretary in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ramesh Abhishek said that has submitted certain demands for the government's consideration. "We had a meeting of all the concerned ministries and departments (on those demands) and we have asked them to look at those issues and take a view. No ministry has yet taken a final decision on any of those. But we are in touch with them," Abhishek told reporters in New Delhi. He said the government supports all manufacturing, including value manufacturing, in the country by . "So we would definitely like to promote this. So we are coordinating response from all the concerned ministries but no final view has been taken yet on any of those," he said. The secretary also clarified that the government does not take any policy decision for a particular company. "Decision is taken for everyone. So no company specific decision can be taken," he said, adding that DIPP has forwarded the requests of to the Department of Revenue also. On January 25, Apple Inc indicated to the government that it is ready with a blueprint to begin manufacturing iPhones in India, but wants fiscal concessions, including Customs duty waiver on import of components. Apple executives made a detailed presentation on its road map for setting up a manufacturing unit in India to an inter-ministerial group headed by Abhishek. With sales tapering in the US and China, Apple is eyeing India the fastest growing smartphone market in the world and looking to set up a local manufacturing unit to cut costs. It makes devices through contract manufacturers. Besides exemption from the Customs duty on imports of components and equipment for 15 years, Apple wants relaxation in the mandated 30 per cent local sourcing of components. In a communication to the government, the Cupertino-based technology major has asked for several tax and other incentives, including long-term duty exemptions, to enter the manufacturing sector in India. Currently, the government provides support by way of benefits under the Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme (MSIPS) to boost electronic manufacturing. The company sells its products through Apple-owned retail stores in countries like China, Germany, the US, the UK and France, among others. It has no wholly-owned store in India and sells its products through distributors such as Redington and Ingram Micro. Pakistan today said it has briefed envoys of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries on the alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. The Foreign Office said Additional Secretary (UN & EC) Tasnim Aslam briefed the ambassadors here in the backdrop of 'Kashmir Solidarity Day' observed in Pakistan yesterday. It said in a statement that the ambassadors were briefed on the significance of Kashmir Solidarity Day, which is "observed to convey Pakistan's unflinching diplomatic, moral and political support to the people of Jammu & Kashmir." "The longstanding dispute was the direct outcome of violation of the principles of partition of subcontinent," the statement quoted Aslam as saying. She urged the OIC to play a more active role for the resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions. The OIC is an inter-governmental organisation which has membership of 57 Muslim-majority states spread over four continents. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan and China today held high level counter-terrorism talks, days after Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed was put under "house arrest" in Lahore. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi met Chinese State Commissioner for Counter Terrorism and Security Cheng Guoping who is here on a three-day visit and reviewed all aspects of bilateral relationship, with a special focus on security and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Fatmi said Pakistan viewed its relationship with China as the "cornerstone" of its foreign policy and the country will continue to support Beijing on all its issues of core interest, including combating "evils" of terrorism and separatism. "The SAPM affirmed that friendship with China was the cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy," Foreign Office quoted Fatemi as saying. He said Pakistan supported China on all its core issues, while firmly opposing any attempt to undermine China's sovereignty. "Pakistan will continue to support China's efforts to combat the three evils of terrorism, extremism and separatism," he said in a statement. Appreciating China's forthright position on Pakistan's counter-terrorism strategy and its successes, Fatemi thanked China for its support to national security and territorial integrity. The talks take place days after Saeed was put under "house arrest" in Lahore by Pakistan government after Punjab Province's Interior Ministry issued an order in pursuance to a directive from the Federal Interior Ministry on January 27. During the talks, both sides noted that the all-weather friendship between the two countries has withstood the test of time, notwithstanding changes in the international, regional and domestic environments. Noting the importance of CPEC for the economic development of Pakistan, the two sides stressed that timely completion of the USD 46 billion project would not only give a boost to Pakistan's economy, but would also significantly contribute towards regional connectivity, peace and development. Fatemi stated that Pakistan was fully committed to the timely and effective implementation of all the projects under CPEC. Cheng said China attached great importance to its relations with Pakistan, and supports its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. He thanked Pakistan for its consistent support to China on issues of core interest and lauded Islamabad for its fight against terrorism, extremism and separatism. The two sides expressed satisfaction at the continuing progress in bilateral relations in all fields and expressed their resolve to work towards further solidifying political relations, deepening economic bonds and security cooperation and closer people-to-people contacts to achieve the common goal of China-Pakistan "Community of Shared Destiny". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan wants India to bring its entire civilian nuclear programme under the safeguards laid out by the International Atomic Energy Commission, the Director-General Disarmament at the Foreign Office said today. "It is incumbent on us to stand up for our own interest. We want an assurance that India's whole three stage nuclear power programme would be under safeguards," DG Disarmament at Foreign Office Kamran Akhtar was quoted as saying by Dawn. Akhtar was speaking at a round-table discussion in Islamabad on Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT), organised to prepare for the upcoming Conference on Disarmament (CD). Experienced FMCT experts also participated in the meeting. Pakistan will not agree to FMCT until it gets the assurance from India, he said. He said negotiating a treaty that only bans future production of fissile material without taking into account the existing stockpiles would freeze "the existing asymmetries". The DG Disarmament was of the opinion that India has been given "discriminatory waivers", which add to Pakistan's security concerns, the report said. He said eight of the Indian reactors, its fast breeder programme and approximately five tonnes of reactor-grade plutonium were included in the safeguards of dictated by the IAEA. The FMCT would put Pakistan at a permanent disadvantage and undermine its security interests, Akhtar added. There is a fear that the reactors not mandated by the safeguards might be used clandestinely for plutonium production and the existing stockpiles might be diverted to a military programme at a subsequent stage, the DG said. He further said, "Pakistan should not be asked to agree to something that is not in its strategic interest." "We have to factor into consideration possible actions by India that could undermine credibility of our nuclear deterrence," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today condoled the loss of lives in Afghanistan avalanches and offered India's assistance. "Heartfelt condolences on the loss of lives in Afghanistan due to avalanches. India stands ready to assist in any way possible," he tweeted. Avalanches, triggered by heavy snowfall across Afghanistan, have killed at least 119 people in recent days. Yesterday, Afghanistan's government declared a public holiday due to the heavy snowfall across the country. The United Nations has offered its assistance. "I commend the efforts of the Afghan government that has quickly mobilised to respond to the disaster," said UN humanitarian coordinator for Afghanistan Mark Bowden in a statement. "The UN system stands ready to fully support the Afghan government in responding. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Queen Elizabeth II, the world's longest reigning sovereign, today became the first British monarch to reach her Sapphire Jubilee, with 65 years on the throne. The 90-year-old monarch is marking the landmark as a day of private contemplation at her Sandringham estate in Norfolk as it also coincides with the day her father, George V, died. To mark the occasion, Buckingham Palace have re-released a photograph of the Queen, wearing distinctive sapphire jewellery. The picture was taken by celebrated photographer David Bailey in 2014 for the GREAT campaign, a publicity campaign to promote Britain around the world. In the photograph, The Queen is wearing a suite of sapphire jewellery given to her by King George VI as a wedding present in 1947. At the time of the commission, Bailey said he had "always been a huge fan of the Queen". "She has very kind eyes with a mischievous glint. I've always liked strong women, and she is a very strong woman." It was on the February 6, 1952 that her father died while at Sandringham. Princess Elizabeth, who was 25, was in Kenya on a royal tour with her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at the time. Royal gun salutes in London will mark Ascension Day today with a 41-gun salute by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery at Green Park near Buckingham Palace. A 62-gun salute by the Honourable Artillery Company will be fired at the Tower of London soon after. The UK's Royal Mint is to mark the 65th anniversary with a range of specially designed Sapphire Jubilee commemorative coins, as the Royal Mail issues a Sapphire Blue 5 pound stamp. Large-scale jubilee celebrations are expected to be reserved for the Platinum Jubilee in 2022, when the monarch will mark 70 years. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) have traced a suspect in Thiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu with alleged links with ISIS fund raiser Jamil Ahmed who was arrested by the squad in November last year. Mohammad Iqbal (35) had been booked by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) for possessing 20 gold biscuits worth Rs 1 crore. "Two days back we had got to know about his links with Jamil Ahmed. Iqbal will be brought to Jaipur for interrogation and arrested if found involved," SP (ATS) Vikas Kumar told PTI. "Iqbal's name had surfaced during Ahmed's interrogation. Iqbal was under our surveillance for the last few days," said Kumar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) If She Cheats, Must You Let Her Go? If She Cheats, Should You Absolutely Let Her Go? The Dating Nerd is a shadowy figure whose whereabouts and identifying details remain unknown. What we do know is that he is really, really good at dating. Hes been on more dates than you can shake a lengthy bar tab at, and hes here to help the average guy step his dating game up a notch or several. The Question Hi Dating Nerd, I had a tough conversation recently. My girlfriend admitted she cheated on me one time with an old friend of hers a few months ago. I broke things off immediately, but we kept on talking about it and the whole time she's been asking me to take her back and give things another shot. She's adamant she'll never do it again, but I don't know what to believe. What do I do? - Cheat Confused The Answer Hi CC, No. Do not take her back. I know this is hard to hear. Because she must be amazing or must seem amazing, anyway if you're considering this question at all. If she was a reasonably attractive, moderately interesting person, this wouldn't be an issue whatsoever. You'd just tell her to eff off, feel a very mild pain, make some regrettable sexual decisions, and continue living your life. But this girl is different, for whatever reason. You just don't want to let her go, even though you feel terrifically humiliated, and your mind is filled with images of how, exactly, you would murder the dude in question (I'd go with suffocation by Silly String). Probably, there's a peculiar way she smiles at you that makes you forget that being alive was ever difficult. She probably knows how you like your coffee and she brings it to you every morning. You have so many little in-jokes and routines that you don't know how you would communicate with anyone else. And she assures you that she's still that person that this was just a one-time thing, a mistake. She swears, sincerely, that she didn't really want to cheat on you. The deception is temporary. It's not who she is, deep down. Maybe she used the classic phrase so often deployed in discussions of cheating, which is, "it just happened." Unfortunately, that's not a real thing. That's not how cheating works. In fact, it's exactly backwards. The truth about cheating is that we all want to do it, on some level, almost all the time, and we don't cheat by deciding not to, every single day. Think about it. How many times, per day, do you mentally sort people into the categories of 'would touch naked' and 'would not touch naked'? It's probably a high number, unless you're an asexual living on an iceberg. (Respect to my arctic asexual readership.) Even if you know it's stupid, you can't help but wonder whether your neighbor is secretly your dream girl, even though you've never spoken something about the way she styles her hair makes it seem like she'd really, like, understand you, right? Our minds have a really annoying way of constantly wondering whether there might be a better deal out there. And there are much more serious manifestations of this tendency that I'm sure you know all about, as well. Like, chances are, there are between one and three women in your life who you just Don't Hang Out With. That pretty person you get along with just a little too well. Your attractive co-worker who always complains about how there aren't any interesting single men, right after lavishly complimenting your new haircut. Or your ex from far back enough that you can't remember why you ever broke up, whose new profile picture makes you breathe heavily. Every day, you look in the mirror and you say, "Today I'm not going to hook up with any of those people." Congratulations! You're a good guy. Someone should give you a prize. You're really behaving tremendously well. Remember when that co-worker invited you out for beers, and you hesitated she just seems like a total freak in the best way but you said no? That was great! And when that ex started sending you funny Facebook messages late at night, but you shut it down? Bravo. You avoided danger. You saw what was coming, and you said no. Even though there are days when your girlfriend is irritating the hell out of you, you keep it together. You realize that the short-term gratification of random female attention is less rewarding than sharing your world with somebody. Like it or not, your girlfriend faces the same dilemma. She has the same temptations. That Junior VP in her office with a closet full of sharp bespoke suits and a beguiling sarcasm? She's thought about that, for sure. She sees hot guys coming and going, and briefly questions her commitment to monogamy. But, unlike you, she said "yes" to that very tempting train of thought. Whatever the circumstance was in which she met this guy, she knew she was tempting fate, and she did it anyway. Again, I know it's hard to hear, but it's simply realistic to say that there were a million tiny moments of decision between the moment when she kissed you goodbye and she kissed that guy hello. At every step, she knew she was getting closer and closer to cheating on you. And, at each step, she was like, "Yeah, OK, that seems like a reasonable decision." She was like, "I'm going to wear this sexy outfit when I meet up with this random male friend, just because I like wearing sexy outfits, because that's totally normal." She was like, "I thought we were just getting coffee, but, really, what's the harm in a drink or two." Maybe she never thought, "Oh boy, time to cheat on my perfect boyfriend." She just found this dude's attention flattering, and she found the whole thing exciting. So she ignored the voice of reason in her head which was almost certainly there telling her that this was a bad idea. You may want to believe that this was her one moment of infidelity. And that's vaguely possible. But thrill-seeking, unconscientious people tend to remain that way. She'll see other guys, and feel the intoxication of flattery, and she'll probably be at least strongly tempted to screw you over again. She's just a human, unfortunately, and humans tend to change their behavior only when it's absolutely, totally necessary. RELATED: Has She Slowly Been Losing Interest? Here's What Might Be Up And, by the way, if you don't let her go, you won't tell her that it's absolutely necessary to change her behavior. You're telling her that if she cries, and says she regrets it, and reminds you of what you shared back when the relationship wasn't a 30-car pileup, you'll forgive her. That probably won't make her change. She might change someday, but unfortunately you can't control the circumstances that will bring that about. This is going to be a hard talk. She'll probably tell you that she still loves you, over and over again, that she loves you more than ever. That may be true. But do you really need that kind of love? Think you could use some dating help, too? Email the Dating Nerd at [email protected]. Just days before Uttar Pradesh goes to poll for the first phase, BJP today moved Election Commission against Chief Secretary, Director General and Additional Director General Police demanding they be replaced in order to ensure "free and fair elections" in the state. Along with the three top officers, the party also demanded that District Magistrates of Rampur, Firozabad and Meerut should also be replaced, accusing them all of "partisan behaviour". A three-member delegation of the party -- Union Ministers Venkaiah Naidu, Nirmala Sitharaman and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi-- met EC officials and submitted their memorandum. The recent spurt in crime wherein anti-social elements have unleashed a reign of terror "on behalf of the ruling party" is evidence enough that the state authorities are hand-in-glove with the ruling party, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu told reporters after meeting the commission officials. "The party has filed a complaint against Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary, DG and ADG (law & order) of the state police to the Election Commission, as they are indulged in partisan behaviour, they should be replaced for conducting free and fair elections in the state," Naidu said. In view of "deteriorating" law and order, a feeling of fear has gripped the state and permeated the BJP's rank and file, Naidu said, adding these three officials and DMs of Rampur, Firozabad and Meerut, should be replaced with "non-partisan" officers. He further said it is an "open secret" that state DG police had also "taken side" with one faction of SP during party's internal fight. The selection of current DG Police was controversial as he was appointed by superseding eight competent officers, the BJP claimed in its complaint to the commission. The party also demanded deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in sensitive districts. There are various DMs in the state who have been in their current posting for longer than four years, which is a clear violation of EC's norms so they all should also be replaced, the party said. Complaining that there is "pattern of delay or denial" in giving permissions and approvals to the party's candidates and district units, BJP said this is still going on despite an advice in this regard was issued by the state Chief Electoral Officer. Since there is no ban on displaying party symbols on the motor vehicles for campaigning, BJP asked EC to issue an advisory in this regard to various state government officials, who are not allowing this. The state goes to poll in seven phases starting February 11. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Country's largest steel maker SAIL today announced the appointment of Nilanjan Sanyal and Samar Singh as independent directors on its board. "The board of directors of the company has approved the appointment of Nilanjan Sanyal and Dr Samar Singh as Independent Directors, on the board of directors of the company on February 4, 2017," Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) said in a BSE filing. ******** Lux Ind signs in Varun Dhawan as brand ambassador * Innerwear maker Lux Industries has signed Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan as its new brand ambassador for Lux Cozi. The company in a statement said by signing Dhawan, Lux Cozi is taking a phenomenal leap in repositioning itself with the young audience. "I am delighted to be the brand ambassador for Lux Cozi. Their innerwear products stand for comfort and quality and I really liked the vibe of the ad campaign when I met the creative team," Dhawan said. The company manufactures more than 100 products across 12 major brands. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today asked the Karnataka government to wait for one week for the verdict on batch of pleas challenging the acquittal of the late Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa in a disproportionate assets case, also involving AIADMK leader V K Sasikala. A bench headed by Justice P C Ghose asked senior advocate Dushyant Dave to wait for one week after he made a mention before it regarding the delay in pronouncement of the verdict. Dave said that they have been waiting for the judgement for quite some time and requested the bench to pronounce it soon. The apex court had last year, before the demise of Jayalalithaa, reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions challenging the order of her acquittal of the Karnataka High Court. Sasikala, a shadow of Jayalalithaa for nearly three decades, is set to become the chief Minister of Tamil Nadu as the AIADMK Legislature Party yesterday elected her as its leader, over a month after she became the party's powerful General Secretary. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena today voiced "pain" and complaints in Lok Sabha against the ally BJP's "dictatorial" attitude as it picked holes in various decisions of the Modi government, including demonetisation. Sena leader Anand Rao Adsul, while appreciating Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking "transformative" steps, said his party "is with BJP because of shared ideology but sometimes there are signs of divergence between policy and intention." Reflecting unhappiness in his party, Adsul suggested that BJP was not giving due regard to Shiv Sena. He said BJP had been saying it is younger brother to Sena in Maharashtra but after getting more seats in the last Assembly elections, it has been behaving as elder brother. "If younger brother has four children and elder brother has only two, does the younger brother become elder?" Sending out a message to Modi, he reminded him that it was late Sena chief Bal Thackeray who had resisted a move by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his removal as Chief Minister after the Gujarat riots of 2002. "Had you been removed as Chief Minister, one wonders whether you could have become the Prime Minister," Adsul said. Referring to demonetisation, he said initially Shiv Sena has been supportive of the decision but later it found that the Centre did not have a proper plan of action to replace Rs 15 lakh crore worth currency. Adsul, echoing the opposition contention, said even RBI Governor Urjit Patel and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had not been taken into confidence while deciding on demonetisation. He said the government should have called an all-party meeting a day after the announcement of demonetisation to take everyone's views and seek support for the move. He countered the government's view that normalcy has been restored in cash circulation, saying crunch still exists in villages. "You had said after 50 days things will be normal. It has already been 90 days and there is still not enough currency in rural areas. Farmers have to sell their produce at half a price... District Cooperative banks do not have money to lend... What name can we give it? Is it democracy or dictatorship," Adsul said. "I say this out of pain, I don't appreciate just for the sake for appreciating," the Sena leader said. He disputed RBI's contention that black money is being channelised through cooperative banks and said it is housewives' money which are being deposited in banks. Adsul also criticised the Modi government on Article 370 that grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, saying no initiative has been taken to scrap it. He said the government has also not given any timeline for construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya. "There is no initiative with regard to Article 370... Everyone says we will construct Ram Mandir, but no one says when. Noone gives a date saying at this date the construction would be completed," he said. On cross-LoC surgical strikes, he said, "It was a good step. But why were no further strikes carried out even when terrorists keep coming (from Pakistan). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The executive director of Tata Limited, David Landsman, has been appointed chair of the Confederation of Indian Industry India Business Forum in the UK (IBF-UK), as Britain prepares to leave the European Union. The forum provides an avenue for senior representatives of the UK and Europe-wide operations of Indian companies to come together and discuss relevant issues for strengthening business cooperation between India and Britain. "There is no doubt that there will continue to be important opportunities for Indian business, both in the UK and the rest of Europe. It is early days for Brexit and much remains to be clarified. We at CII-IBF UK will be holding a workshop to help Indian companies based in the UK to understand the issues in depth," Landsman said. "This is an excellent moment to strengthen the India-UK partnership as we mark the 70th anniversary of India's independence, as well as celebrating our business and cultural ties in this India-UK Year of Culture. As the UK prepares to leave the European Union, we will be fully engaged in working to enhance the bilateral economic relationship," he added. Landsman takes over from Prashant Jhawar, chairman of Usha Martin, as the CII-IBF UK chief. "Indian companies play a major role in enhancing India-UK business relationships and I will continue to support our shared interests," Jhawar said. CII-IBF UK is a group of corporate members, primarily Indian companies with existing or planned operations in the UK. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The third session of Codex Committee for Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) under Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), Rome, inaugurated here today witnessed the participation from over 100 delegates from 37 countries and three international observer organisations. The session was inaugurated by Rita Teaotia, Commerce Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Government of India and the keynote address was delivered by Ashish Bahuguna, Chairman, FSSAI. "Delegates from countries of the European Union, North America, South America, Africa and Asia have come together for the 5-day session to be held from February 6 to 10. "The session, hosted by the Spices Board on behalf of India, will witness deliberations on draft standards for cumin and thyme adopted at the second CCSCH in September 2015 in Goa and approved by the 39th session of Codex Alimentarius Commission in July 2016 in Rome," a Spices Board release said. These draft standards would be discussed again in this session along with the proposed draft standards for BWG Pepper and Oregano. In addition, the delegates would deliberate on grouping and glossary terms of spices and culinary herbs, it said. Rita Teaotia, Commerce Secretary, lauded the creation of CCSCH and said that "it has provided a modern and scientific platform for transparency and enabling fair trade in the spices sector in the world." "CCSCH is taking efforts to improve and harmonise standards by taking specific steps and building capacities ensuring food safety and fair trade", said Bahuguna, Chairman FSSAI. He hoped that the third CCSCH would pool scientific knowledge to ensure entire efforts of the Codex Alimentarius Commission proceed in the right direction. "The aims and initiatives taken by CCSCH have struck the right chord in bringing harmony and transparency towards fixing global quality standards for spices and culinary herbs", said Dr A Jayathilak, Chairman Spices Board. CCSCH, established in 2013 with support of over 105 member countries with India as its host country and Spices Board as the host organization, aims to elaborate worldwide standards for spices and culinary herbs and consult, as necessary, with other international organisations in the standards development process to avoid duplication. CCSCH has successfully conducted two sessions previously, the first one at Kochi in 2014 and the second session at Goa in 2015. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Donald Trump Donald Trump Donald Trump "I have to say this," Sanders said, adding that, "I don't mean to be disrespectful. This guy is a fraud." Sanders cited Trump Cabinet and senior advisers' ties to Wall Street. "This guy ran for president of the United States saying, 'I, Donald Trump, I'm going to take on Wall Street -- these guys are getting away with murder.' Then suddenly, he appoints all these billionaires," the 75-year-old Senator from Vermont told CNN yesterday. 70-year-old Trump, a real estate billionaire, selected Steve Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs trader and hedge fund manager, as his treasury secretary nominee; Wilbur Ross, a billionaire former banker, to lead the Commerce Department; and Gary Cohn, a top Goldman Sachs executive, to lead his National Economic Council. On Friday, Trump took steps to begin dismantling the Dodd-Frank financial regulations that were put into place in the aftermath of the economic crash of 2008. Sanders said Trump's Cabinet appointments and advisers directly contradict his pledge to re-institute the Glass- Steagall Act, a regulation that separated commercial and investment banks, which was repealed under President Bill Clinton. Trump signed an executive order last Friday that sets the stage for rewriting US financial regulation in an effort to encourage more lending to American businesses. "He is a good showman, I will give you that -- he is a good TV guy," Sanders said of Trump. "But I think he is going to sell out the middle class, the working class, of this country." "It is hard not to laugh to see President Trump alongside these Wall Street guys," Sanders, who had unsuccessfully contested against Hillary Clinton in the 2016 US Presidential race, said. Sanders also urged Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, to stand up to Trump's recent barrage of executive orders. "I would hope that people like Senator McConnell and other Republicans have the courage to stand up to Trump's movement toward authoritarianism," Sanders said. "We're a democracy, not a one-man show. We are not another Trump enterprise. It's called the United States of America. We're not a business run by Trump," Sanders added. Three people were killed and six injured today after the jeep they were traveling in collided with a pick-up van near Garhswairam town in Alwar district, police said. The accident took place after the jeep going to Rajgarh Railway Station from Mandavar rammed into the pick-up van. Two persons died on the spot while another died on way to the hospital, SHO at Raini Police Station Kailash Chand Yadav told PTI. Tikaram Meena (40) of Dausa, Mukesh Chand Meena (35) of Dausa and Ram Avatar were killed in the accident, he said. Of the six injured, condition of two has been stated as critical by the hospital here, the SHO said. The bodies have been handed over to family members after postmortem, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Alleging political vendetta behind the disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, Rajya Sabha member TMC member Vivek Gupta today asked the Centre to order a probe by CBI or any other appropriate agency in the matter. Najeeb had gone missing on October 15 following an on-campus scuffle allegedly with ABVP members the night before. Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the House, Gupta asked the government whether any special measures have been initiated to trace the missing student. Alleging that the JNU officials were insensitive in the matter, he wondered whether Najeeb will end up just as a statistics about missing persons. Gupta said the ABVP students allegedly involved in the incident have not yet been questioned. He also claimed that the Vice Chancellor of the University had even refused to meet the mother of the missing student. "This a clear case of political vendetta. We are witnessing that political vendetta is spreading like a cancer in the country," he said and asked the Centre to order a CBI probe or any other appropriate enquiry to trace Najeeb. He further said political vendetta is a "serious" matter and demanded a statement from the government on the issue. Joy Abraham (KC-M) raised the issue of Father Tom Uzhunnalil, a priest from Kerala abducted by a terror group in war-torn Yemen last year, and sought the help of the entire House for his early release. "It seems his life is in danger...It seems his health is deteriorating," he said and sought speedy intervention by the government in the matter. Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had earlier spoken on the issue and the matter is being "definitely" being taken up. "Since he is an Indian citizen, we all have to be concerned about this," she added. Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to convey the members' concerns to the External Affairs Minister. In his Zero Hour mention, Nadimul Haque (TMC) highlighted the poor financial condition of several ex-sportspersons who have made the country proud. He said many of them have to take up petty jobs to earn their livelihood. Prem Chand Gupta (RJD) sought a discussion on the issue. Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairman said the business in the House was "productive and fruitful" compared to the days of disruption, in an apparent reference to the nearly washed out Winter Session. "Let's do like this. It will be good for us," he said. Rajya Sabha has not witnessed any adjournment in the ongoing Budget Session so far. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Travelers from the seven predominantly Muslim countries targeted by President Donald Trump enjoyed tearful reunions with loved ones in the US after a federal judge swept the ban aside. Airlines around the world allowed people to board flights as usual to the United States.One lawyer waiting at New York's Kennedy Airport said visa and green-card holders from Iraq and Iran were encountering no problems as they arrived. "It's business as usual," said Camille Mackler, of the New York Immigration Coalition. Fariba Tajrostami, a 32-year-old painter from Iran, came through the gate at Kennedy with a huge smile and tears in her eyes as her brothers greeted her with joyful hugs. "I'm very happy. I haven't seen my brothers for nine years," she said. Tajrostami had tried to fly to the US from Turkey over a week ago but was turned away. "I was crying and was so disappointed," she said. "Everything I had in mind, what I was going to do, I was so disappointed about everything. I thought it was all over." Tajrostami said she hopes to study art in the US and plans to join her husband in Dallas soon. He moved from Iran six months ago, has a green card and is working at a car dealership. Similar scenes played out across the US two days after a federal judge in Seattle suspended the president's travel ban and just hours after a federal appeals court denied the Trump administration's request to set aside the ruling. The US canceled the visas of up to 60,000 foreigners in the week after the ban on travel from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen took effect, according to the State Department. Trump also suspended nearly all refugee admissions for 120 days and barred Syrian refugees indefinitely. The order triggered protests and a multitude of legal challenges around the country and blocked numerous college students, researchers and others from entering the US. Trump, who said the goal was to keep terrorists from slipping into the country, lashed out against US District Judge James Robart for putting the ban on hold. He referred to Robart as a "so-called judge" and called the ruling "ridiculous." On Sunday, the president tweeted: "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" At JFK on Sunday evening, Abdullah Alghazali hugged and kissed his 13-year-old son, Ali Abdullah Alghazali, who he had not seen in six years. That wait was made even longer by Trump's executive order. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A large number of people worldwide have lost their lives because of America's mistakes, President Donald Trump has said as he defended his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin by equating his actions with those of the US government. "Well, take a look at what we've done too. We've made a lot of mistakes. I've been against the war in Iraq from the beginning," Trump said during an interview with Fox . "A lot of mistakes, OK, but a lot of people were killed. So a lot of killers around, believe me," said the US President when told that the Russian President Vladimir Putin is a "killer". "There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. What, you think our country's so innocent? You think our country's so innocent?" Trump asked. Trump said he would like to co-operate with the Russians in the fight against ISIS. He also said that he respects Putin, but this does not mean that the two would get along. "Well, I respect a lot of people but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with them. He's a leader of his country. I say it's better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world...," Trump said. "Will I get along with him? I have no idea," he said in response to a question. The comment has drew criticism from his political opponents, who see it as him comparing the US with Russia. "Equating our country with an authoritarian, murderous regime is outrageous and reprehensible, even for Mr Trump. All elected officials in the United States have a responsibility to speak up against the President's dangerous rhetoric," said Senator Ben Cardin, Ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Cardin said Trump made clear he does not believe in America's exceptionalism when he equated the United States to Vladimir Putin and his murderous regime. "Such a ridiculous statement sends a signal that this White House does not in fact prioritise the United States but increasingly champions a Russia First Policy. It is offensive to the American people, veterans, and brave servicemen and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our principles, liberties, and way of life," Cardin said. Political opponents and independent journalists in Russia have been attacked, jailed, and killed under Putin's regime, he said. Democratic Leader in the House Nancy Pelosi also accused Trump for being soft on Russia. "I want to know what the Russians have on Donald Trump," Pelosi told NBC in an interview. "I think we have to have that investigation by the FBI into his financial, personal and political connections to Russia, and we want to see his tax returns so we can have a truth in the relationship between Putin whom he admires..., she said. Trump's respect for Putin was a familiar trope during presidential election which the major US intelligence agencies believe Russian intelligence sought to influence on Trump's behalf. Such beliefs prompted a fierce split between Trump and the intelligence community that has not yet healed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump made his first visit to the headquarters today for US Central Command and US Special Operations Command. A room full of troops in fatigues from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines awaited the president, who was scheduled to join them for lunch, along with senior members of his White House staff. Trump, who is also commander in chief of the US military, stopped at the base on the way back to Washington after his first weekend away from the White House. Trump spent the weekend at his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, with first lady Melania Trump, who had not appeared in public since shortly after her husband took office. At MacDill, the president is to be briefed by CENTCOM and SOCOM leaders, join troops for lunch and deliver a speech. Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Michael Flynn, Trump's national security adviser, were expected to attend the meetings. Trump also planned to meet with Florida Governor Rick Scott before the flight to Washington. CENTCOM oversaw a recent raid by US special operations forces on an al-Qaida compound in Yemen, the first military operation authorised by Trump. A Navy SEAL, Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens, 36, of Peoria, Illinois, was killed, making him the first known US combat casualty under Trump. Three other US service members were wounded in the operation. More than half a dozen suspected militants and more than a dozen civilians were also killed, including the 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical cleric and US citizen who was targeted and killed in 2011 by a US drone strike. Trump travelled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware last week to be present when Owens' remains were returned to his family. During his weekly address last Friday, Trump paid tribute to Owens as a "brave and selfless patriot". "We will never forget him. We will never ever forget those who serve. Believe me," Trump said. Trump also talked in the address about his responsibility to keep the American people safe and mentioned the executive order he signed late last month suspending the US refugee programme as well as travel to the US by citizens of seven mostly Muslim countries. The executive order has been met with challenges in federal court and protests around the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President on Monday delivered a strong message to radical Islamic jihadists that America and its allies will defeat the "forces of death" who "worship destruction", and in defence of his immigration ban said he will not allow them to get a foothold in the country. "We're up against an enemy that celebrates death and totally worships destruction. You've seen that," Trump said during his first visit to Central Command which is responsible for an area that includes the Middle East and Central Asia. "ISIS is on a campaign of genocide, committing atrocities across the world," he said, referring to Islamic State by its acronym ISIS, that has gained a foothold in Iraq and Syria. The Central Command plays an important role in the US-led mission against the Islamic State terrorist group. Trump, now in his third week as the US President, visited the command centre on his way back to the White House after a three-day break in Florida. Trump, the commander in chief of the US, made the comments after a lunch with troops from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. "Radical Islamic terrorists are determined to strike our homeland, as they did on 9/11, as they did from Boston to Orlando to San Bernardino and all across Europe. You've seen what happened in Paris and Nice. All over Europe it's happening. It's gotten to a point where it's not even being reported," he said. Continuing his tirade against the US media, Trump alleged that "the very, very dishonest press" doesn't want to report the incidents of terrorism. "They have their reasons and you understand that," he told his commanders. "So today we deliver a message in one very unified voice to these forces of death and destruction. America and its allies will defeat you. We will defeat them. We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism. And we will not allow it to take root in our country. Not going to allow it," Trump said. In an apparent reference to a US federal court halting his executive orders preventing people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US, Trump said the country needs strong programmes so that "people that love us and want to love our country and will end up loving our country are allowed in". "Not people that want to destroy us and destroy our country," he said amidst cheers and applause. Freedom, security and justice will prevail, he asserted. "In his first State of the Union message, President George Washington wrote that 'to be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.' "Almost 200 years later, as the general was also speaking about Ronald Reagan, he said that 'wisdom comes in three very, very strong words. Peace through strength'," he said. "I've said it many times during the campaign, speak it in front of tens of thousands of people at one sitting. And I'd always mention America first, a phrase that you probably never heard, 'make America great again'. Anybody ever heard that? And 'peace through strength'," he said. Trump said men and women of the US military provide the strength to bring peace to "our troubled, troubled times". "We stand behind you. We support your mission," he said. Two senior leaders and a suspected militant of the United Democratic Liberation Army (UDLA) were arrested by the Assam Rifles, an official statement said today. UDLA's Army Chief Raj Kumar Reang, Financial Secretary Neta Rai Reang and a suspected militant Mela Rai Reang were arrested by the 39th battalion of Assam Rifles on Friday night during an operation along Mizoram-Assam border, the statement said. The arrested persons were handed over to the Assam Police as they were arrested within the jurisdiction of Assam, it added. The insurgent outfit UDLA, comprising of people belonging to the Bru community, have been indulging in a plethora of illegal activities in the Mizoram-Assam-Tripura border areas for years including abduction, highway robbery and extortion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Speculation was rife about AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala taking charge as chief minister of Tamil Nadu tomorrow but there was no official word from the party in this regard. Meanwhile, a PIL was filed in the Supreme Court seeking to restrain the swearing-in of Sasikala on Tuesday. However, the Madras University Auditorium, which had earlier hosted the swearing-in of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, was being reportedly spruced up for the occasion, while apparently awaiting the court directive. The party remained tight-lipped on Sasikala taking over as chief minister tomorrow as is being widely speculated. A senior AIADMK source, however, indicated that all arrangements were in place in the event of the ceremony taking place tomorrow. On Sunday, Sasikala was elected AIADMK Legislature Party Leader by its MLAs, paving the way for her elevation to the top post. Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao has accepted the resignation of incumbent Chief Minister O Panneerselvam who quit citing 'personal reasons. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Central trade unions, including RSS affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), have decided to oppose the decision to cap the number of consecutive terms to two for the trustees of the retirement fund body, EPFO. Earlier, members of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation's (EPFO) apex decision-making body -- the Central Board of Trustees -- headed by the labour minister were allowed to be re-appointed any number of times. Now, a new clause inserted in Section 5 of the EPF Scheme, 1952, by the ministry provides that "an outgoing trustee or member shall be eligible for re-appointment as member of the Central Board or the Regional Committee, as the case may be, for a maximum of not more than two terms". However, this limitation or restriction will not be for an official trustee or member. There are certain members who are on board of CBT because of their official positions like the central provident fund commissioner and the labour secretary. They hold ex-officio positions on the board. BMS General Secretary Virjesh Upadhyay told PTI, "The government cannot impose this on the trade unions. It is for the trade unions to decide who would represent them in CBT. We will oppose this decision." Voicing similar views, All India Trade Union Congress Secretary D L Sachdev said, "This decision in not in the spirit of the EPF & MP Act, 1952. They have amended the scheme using their executive powers, which is not appropriate." Sachdev alleged, "They want to dilute the basic issues by bringing in inexperienced people on the board of various unions. It is for us to decide who would be a CBT member from our union. We have spoken to other trade unions like Hind Mazdoor Sabha. We will write a letter to the labour minister to oppose this unilateral decision as it was not discussed with us." As per the scheme, a CBT member's term is for three years. EPFO has a subscriber base of over four crore and manages a corpus of over Rs 8.5 lakh crore with annual incremental deposits of over Rs 1 lakh crore. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a joint operation by UP Special Task Force (STF) and state police, five alleged contract killers have been arrested here while they were planning to kill three persons in Azamgarh district, including a cop. Acting on a tip off, joint team of STF Varanasi and Gorakhpur along with the Sarnath police yesterday arrested the five criminals near the Railway Station in Baraipur, who all were travelling in a car, police said. During the checking of their car, they also recovered .30 bore pistol, .38 bore revolver and three country made guns along with 18 live cartridges from their possession. The arrested contract killers have been identified as Sanjay Kumar Mishra, Shakti Singh, Rahul Yadav, Abshiek Upadhyay, all hailing from Azamgarh and Kripa Shankar, of Jaunpur district, police said. Sanjay was having a land dispute with Gopal Singh at his native place. In police interrogation, the criminals also revealed their plan for allegedly killing Azamgarh's Ahiraula Police Station SHO, Anil Kumar Singh and a former Block Pramukh of Atraulia, Chandrashekhar Yadav, in a land dispute. An FIR has been registered against the five arrested. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly 100 of America's top tech companies like Apple, Google and Facebook have joined the court battle against President Donlad Trump's controversial immigration restrictions, warning the move would hurt their businesses and violate both immigration law and the US Constitution. In a filing to a federal appeals court on Sunday, the companies argued that Trump's temporary ban on all visitors from seven predominantly Muslim countries would hurt their businesses and violate both immigration law and the United States Constitution. A lower court on Friday temporarily halted crucial parts of the ban, but the Trump administration has said it would fight to have them reinstated. "The tremendous impact of immigrants on America - and on American business - is not happenstance," the companies said in a friend-of-the-court filing. "People who choose to leave everything that is familiar and journey to an unknown land to make a new life necessarily are endowed with drive, creativity, determination - and just plain guts," The New York Times quoted the filing as saying. "The energy they bring to America," it said, "is a key reason why the American economy has been the greatest engine of prosperity and innovation in history." The issue is set to be considered this week by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, here. In addition to Apple, Facebook and Google, major technology names that signed the brief included Microsoft, Uber, Twitter, Airbnb, Intel and Snap, the parent of Snapchat. A few names from outside the technology field, like Levi Strauss, the jeans maker, and Chobani, a yogurt company, also signed the brief. Separately, a group of prominent Democrats also protested the ban in a court filing. It is not the first legal move by tech firms over Trump's ban. Amazon and Expedia filed motions last week in the Washington attorney general's lawsuit. They argued the immigration order will hurt their employees and their businesses. An estimated 37 per cent of the workforce in Silicon Valley is foreign born, according to a report by the think tank Joint Venture. The temporary travel ban which affects seven Muslim-majority countries that include Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen has been a highly controversial move by the new Republican President causing widespread protests around the world. The filing is likely to fray already tense relations between Trump and the technology industry. Its most prominent figures largely backed Trump's Democratic Party rival, Hillary Clinton, in last year's election campaign. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving "false" assurances, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray today said he was waiting for his rally to be held in the city ahead of the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. "I want to see Narendra Modi coming to Mumbai and campaign for BMC polls. I want to see Sena's win after his rally here," Thackeray said while addressing a rally for the February 21 Mumbai civic body polls here. "In spite of his (PM Modi's) assurances ahead of Bihar polls to release large amount of money for the development of the state, they (BJP) were wiped out... Similar will be the case here (in Mumbai) after his false assurances (if he comes to campaign in city)," said Thackeray. Taking a jibe at BJP's transparency poll plank, Thackeray asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to explain to people how he occupied the Constitutional post when he did not have sufficient numbers post 2014 Maharashtra Assembly polls. Invoking Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's contribution to the city, he said his late father was the first one to fight for the cause of Mumbai and that the current generation is only continuing the battle. "All we demand from them (the Centre) is to give us 25 per cent of the money we pay to the Centre as taxes. According to estimates we have paid around Rs 2 lakh crore as taxes in the last fiscal year. If this money is given to us for 2-3 years, all of the state's debts will be cleared," he said. The Sena President further said that the BJP only indulges in bhoomipujans and Jal pujans for memorials of stalwarts but nothing happens to the project after elections. Thackeray said that during the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) polls held last year, Fadnavis had assured to allocate Rs 6,500 crore for its development but not a single rupee has been released as yet. "I have not seen the people of the country getting tired of the government (referring to the BJP government) so soon in the last 65 years," Thackeray said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A woman Maoist, Gurubari Munda who was active within limits of Gurabandha police station area, was today arrested, police said. She was arrested from a place near Swarnarekha Bhakar Bridge of naxal-affected Ghatsila sub-division, police said. Acting on a tip-off, the District Armed Police led by Superintendent of Police (Ops) Pranav Anand Jha and Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Ghatsila) Sanjeev Besra conducted raid and arrested her, a resident of Benasoli village under Shyamsunderpur police station, early in the morning today, said Superintendent of Police (Rural), Shailendra Prasad Burnwal. Addressing a press conference here, Burnwal said, Gurubari during interrogation told police that she has been an active member of the Gurabandha Maoists squad for last one year. Following her arrest, he claimed that the Gurabandha squad did not have any other woman activists. Gurubari was wanted by the police in as many as four naxal-related cases including attempt to murder, he said, adding that she was arrested under relevant sections of IPC and CL Act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Written for Arutz Sheva, translated by Rochel Sylvetsky Dr. Mordechai Kedar is a senior lecturer in the Department of Arabic at Bar-Ilan University. He served in IDF Military Intelligence for 25 years, specializing in Arab political discourse, Arab mass media, Islamic groups and the Syrian domestic arena. Thoroughly familiar with Arab media in real time, he is frequently interviewed on the various news programs in Israel. Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ..Israelnationalnews.com..03 February '17..I would like to raise a few pointed questions at the start of this article:Why doesn't the Arab world make an all out effort to free "Falestin" from the Jews and give it to the Palestinian Arabs?How come the Arab world, most of which has not recognized Israel's right to exist - goes on about its business, despite the fact that two major countries, Egypt and Jordan, have made peace with Israel? Why doesn't it boycott those two countries, except for the short period during which Egypt was ousted from the Arab League?Why hasn't the Arab world waged a total war against Israel for the last 44 years - that is,since 1973?Why did the Iraqis expel the Palestinians from Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003?Why did the Egyptian regime persecute the Gazan Palestinians? Is it a political struggle against Hamas or does it signal something deeper?Why did all the sides fighting one another in Syria - Assad, Hezbollah, the rebels, Islamic State - behave with such cruelty to the Palestinians living in refugee camps in Syria?Why do the Arabs continue to keep the Palestinians in refugee camps?Why, over the past 68 years, haven't the Arab countries, except for Jordan, granted citizenship to the refugees within their borders?These are only a few of the questions that can be raised regarding the antipathy of the Arab nations and the Arab people to the so-called "Palestinians" - despite the constant mantras of "Arab unity" and "Arab solidarity". The only explanation which answers most of the questions asked above is that the Arab world's treatment of the "Palestinians" is the result of some deep seated negative feelings about them which no one is willing to reveal, let alone discuss.The must-not-be-mentioned feeling regarding the Palestinian Arabs is that they themselves are responsible for all the sufferings brought upon them by Israel. Even prior to 1948 (when Israel declared its statehood) they lost the battles that were supposed to have rid them of the Zionists. Why? Because they were not united, were disorganized and because some of them did not participate in the struggle and some of them even cooperated with the Zionists.The second negative feeling is based on the well-known fact that many of these Palestinian Arabs sold lands to Jews way before 1948 and continued to do so afterwards, including lands in Judea and Samaria after Israel "occupied" those areas in the June 1967 Six Day War. Palestinian Arabs sold land to Jews for billions, took the money out of the country, some of them depositing their riches in numbered Swiss bank accounts, and are now wailing to the Arab world to free their "stolen lands" for them.This is most conspicuous in Jerusalem, the city in which Arab residents sold land, homes and apartments to Jews and are now complaining about the "Judaization of Jerusalem."Arafat is another reason for Arab anger. His support for the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait under the Saddam Hussein regime caused the expulsion of many thousands of workers from Kuwait's oil industry, and everyone knew quite well why that happened. Many Arabs also understood that Arafat always wore the same military uniform because its many pockets contained slips of paper with the first names of those in whose hands he had placed millions taken from money meant for aid. The day Arafat died, they all became instant millionaires, and no one has any idea how much money Arafat handed each of them.A third unpleasant feeling results from the fact that these very same Palestinians earned large sums of money working to build communities built by Jews since 1948, both within the "Green LIne" (1949 Armistice lines) and in the post-1967 "occupied territories." They are the ones who built the State of Israel, literally. Palestinian Arabs are employed in industries established by Jews in all these areas, they purchase the products manufactured by Jews and contribute to the expanding Israeli economic presence in the "occupied territories."A fourth nasty feeling about the Palestinians is the Arab world's knowledge that the UN has been helping the "Palestinian refugees" since 1948 most generously, mostly by way of UNRWA, granting them more funding than is given to the all the other refugees in the Arab world today - in Syria, Sudan, Jordan, Iraq and Turkey - combined. Many Arabs feel that the Palestinians use extortion to blackmail the world's conscience and obtain large sums from its dwindling financial resources, so that not enough is left for the real refugees, those from Syria or Iraq, for example, who are desperately in need of UN aid.The fifth uneasy feeling about the Palestinians surfaced at the start of 2011, when the "Arab Spring" broke out and brought down the regimes of Mubarak in Egypt, Qaddafi in Libya, Tsalach in Yemen and placed Assad's rule in danger. Many Arabs expected the Palestinians to take advantage of these events to begin a real uprising that would get rid of the Israeli "occupation." This did not occur. The Palestinians placidly watched their fellow Arabs streaming into the streets, filling the squares, demonstrating in the public arena and turning the tables on established rulers. They watched the events via the media while munching on sunflower seeds, the Middle Eastern equivalent of popcorn, but did nothing. The Arab man on the street asks: What are the Palestinians waiting for? For Israel to become stronger? For the Arab world to become weaker and even more divided against itself?And- worst of all -- there is a feeling in the Arab world that the Palestinians prefer to continue under Israel "occupation" because they have so much to gain, especially economically, from its continued existence.In conclusion, the Palestinian's image in Arab media has fallen to an unbelievable and unprecedented low. There is not one Arab country today willing to be endangered by fighting for them. And I will not be surprised if other Arab countries (Morocco, Tunisia and the Emirates, for example) recognize Israel in the near future, whether or not there is a negotiated agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. A 12-year-old girl who was stranded in an African country after President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily banning people from seven predominantly Muslim nations from entering the US has reunited with her family in San Francisco. Eman Ali and her father, Ahmed, arrived together Sunday at the airport, where they were greeted by her older sister and other relatives as well as many reporters. She ran to embrace her older sister, Salma, and the two hugged and cried. Eman and her father had been stuck in the east African nation of Dijbouti since Monday, when authorities refused to let Eman board a plane with him to the United States because she is from Yemen. The Middle Eastern nation is one of the seven predominantly Muslim nations listed in Trump's order. That order was halted by a federal judge in Seattle on Friday. Eman's father, mother and older sister are US citizens, but Eman, who was born in Yemen, had not yet received citizenship when Trump issued his order. Her lawyer says she became a citizen upon entry. Her father a 38-year-old grocery store manager from Los Banos, California, said he spent five years trying to get Eman a visa. Ahmed Ali said he's now happy to be home with all his family and adds "it's the best feeling." Ahmed Ali criticized Trump's order. "It's not fair. I mean some people they are bad, but that doesn't make everybody bad," he said. Through her father, Eman Ali said she's excited to see her mother and her younger sister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Dhara Ranasinghe LONDON (Reuters) - Investor uncertainty about France's presidential election took its toll on French and lower-rated bonds on Monday, pushing up the premium investors demand for holding French over German government debt to its highest in almost four years. The move came after far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen launched her presidential bid, vowing to fight globalisation and take France out of the euro zone. French 10-year bond yields hit 17-month highs and Italian, Spanish and Portuguese equivalents rose 8-12 basis points to their highest level in months or, in the case of Italy, years. Nervous investors fled to the safety of top-rated German bonds, pushing their yields to their lowest level in almost two weeks. Buoyed by the election of President Donald Trump in the United States and by Britain's vote to leave the European Union, Le Pen's anti-immigration, anti-EU party is seeking to tap into similar voter dissatisfaction in France. Le Pen laid out her presidential election manifesto at the weekend, pledging to curb migration drastically, take France out of the euro zone and hold a referendum on EU membership. France would default on its sovereign debt if it unilaterally converted its euro-denominated obligations into new francs following a Le Pen victory, a senior executive at ratings agency Standard & Poor's told The Economist. FILLON DEFENCE Le Pen's strong showing in opinion polls has rattled investors at a time when conservative Francois Fillon, once the favourite to win presidential elections in April and May, is embroiled in a scandal over salary payments to his wife. Rising centrist star Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, is as yet untested. Fillon on Monday defended his past conduct and said he would push on in his bid for the presidency. "Le Pen winning is unlikely, but the situation in France is certainly raising fears among investors," said DZ Bank rates strategist Christian Lenk. "French bonds will continue to underperform even though a lot is priced into the market." France's 10-year bond yield rose as much as 6 basis points to about 1.14 percent, its highest level in about 17 months. In contrast, Germany's 10-year Bund yield tumbled 5 bps to 0.37 percent. Deutsche Bank said the risk for markets is in the first round of voting. Both Fillon and Macron are expected to win if they go head to head with Le Pen in the second round, but the outcome is uncertain if Socialist party candidate Benoit Hamon makes it through and faces Le Pen. Polls suggest Le Pen will win enough votes to go through to the second round, but the overall margin between Fillon, Macron and Hamon is just 5 percent. As German and French bond yields pulled in different directions, the gap between the two briefly pushed out to 73 basis points - its widest level in almost four years. Italy's 10-year bond yield hit a 19-month high at 2.39 percent, with the gap over German peers hitting 200 bps. The Portuguese spread was at its widest in three years. "Le Pen's comments at the weekend have not brought new news, but highlight the tail risks from France right now," said Commerzbank rates strategist Christoph Rieger. (Editing by Catherine Evans and Alison Williams) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Aziz El Yaakoubi RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco's government said on Monday it would end economic cooperation with the European Union if the bloc does not honour a farming deal, weeks after an EU court ruled that trade accords do not apply to the disputed Western Sahara region. In a statement to MAP state agency, the agriculture ministry said the EU should resist any attempts to block Moroccan products entering into the European market but did not explain why the pact might be at risk. "In the absence of a frank commitment from the European Union, Morocco will have to make a decisive choice whether to continue with EU trade or to undo it without looking back, and focus on building new trade routes," the ministry said. The European Court of Justice ruled in December that deals involving trade of agricultural products, processed agricultural products and fisheries between the EU and Morocco did not apply to Western Sahara. The ruling was claimed as a victory by the Polisario group seeking independence for Western Sahara, which Morocco calls its own. Last month, Polisario sought to have the EU apply the ruling to block a shipment of fish oil to a French port from the territory. Rabat had said the European court ruling would not impact current trade deals in any way. The agriculture ministry said on Monday that current agreements with EU ensured thousands of jobs and could trigger migrant flows if their implementation fails. An EU diplomatic source told the ministry's statement came after Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete referred in a written reply to a question in the EU parliament to the "separate and distinct" status of Western Sahara. Moroccan agriculture minister Aziz Akhannouch said Monday's statement was not a response to Canete's remarks, but that his comments reflected an attitude seen within EU institutions. "It is about what the European court decision means," the minister told by telephone. "For Morocco it means the deals should be implemented like they have been since their signature." Akhannouch said European officials have not yet started official talks on the meaning of the ruling but that Morocco has been preparing for its potential effects. "We are reasonable people, we know that we need Europe and Europe needs us. But we want them to see all the efforts Morocco does to make the partnership work," he said. Without going into details of the trade deals, the court had signalled some EU fisheries in disputed coastal waters would be in violation of the ruling. It said agreements signed with Morocco could not include Western Saharan resources because the region's inhabitants had not agreed to that. Western Sahara, which has significant phosphate reserves and offshore fishing, has been contested since 1975 when Spain, the former colonial power, withdrew. Morocco fought a 16-year war with Polisario, which established a self-declared Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. A 1991 ceasefire was meant to be followed by a U.N.-backed referendum on self-determination including the question of independence. The vote has never happened mainly because of disagreements on who could take part and Morocco since 2006 has promoted its own autonomy proposal. The two sides often engage in diplomatic sparring but tensions on the ground have also increased since August last year, when UN peacekeepers were forced to deploy after Morocco forces and a Polisario unit faced off in a buffer zone between Morocco-controlled area and territory held by Polisario. Last month, Morocco rejoined the African Union, having left decades ago because it had allowed Polisario recognition. Analysts expect Morocco to try use its position inside the AU to promote its own autonomy plan for Western Sahara against Polisario. (Reporting by Aziz El Yaakoubi; Writing by Patrick Markey; Editing by Catherine Evans) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Naomi Tajitsu TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp and Suzuki Motor Corp said on Monday they plan to trade expertise in parts supplies and R&D, in an agreement that will aid expansion in emerging markets and help them cope with rapid technological sophistication. Any deal could see Toyota benefit from a supply chain that has helped Suzuki dominate India's massive auto market, while Suzuki could hope to access Toyota's innovations in automated driving, artificial intelligence and low-emission vehicles. "Toyota and Suzuki have agreed to work toward the early realization of a business partnership," they said in a joint statement, singling out areas of possible cooperation such as procurement and environment- and safety-related technology. They added that they saw no need to rush into a capital tie-up. The agreement comes about four months after Suzuki, Japan's fourth-biggest automaker, said it was struggling to keep up with research and development (R&D) in an industry simultaneously exploring non-petrol engines and self-driving vehicles - areas in which it has yet to announce any major strategy. While Toyota has the financial fire power to keep up with technology, the world's second-largest automaker has long struggled to win market share in India where drivers prefer the type of affordable compact cars in which Suzuki excels. "There's a lot we can learn from the speed at which Suzuki operates and implements changes," Senior Managing Officer Shigeru Hayakawa said at an earnings briefing, where Toyota also announced an upward revision to its full-year profit outlook. Suzuki, through a majority stake in Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, makes every other car sold in the country thanks in no small part to a local supply chain built up since the 1980s. Access to that chain could help Toyota make more cars tailored for India, and possibly compete with Suzuki in a market widely expected to be the world's third biggest by 2020. Toyota aims to double its share of India's passenger vehicle market to 10 percent by 2025 helped by entry-level cars from minivehicle specialist Daihatsu, an affiliate wholly owned since last year which has yet to gain a presence in the market, a Toyota executive told last year. "We would be happy to share lessons we learned from our experience in India and emerging markets with Toyota if they wish, to make this a win-win partnership for both parties," Suzuki Vice Chairman Yasuhito Harayama said at a quarterly earnings briefing on Monday. Toyota is hoping to mine Suzuki's know-how in low-cost design which has enabled its peer to come up with competitive cars priced below $7,000, according to several company insiders who have spoken with on condition of anonymity. In the past, Toyota asked Daihatsu for help in this area but its engineers and parts purchasing managers have told that establishing supply chains from scratch which can compete with Suzuki's would be highly time-consuming. The courtship comes after Suzuki and Volkswagen AG in 2015 ended a fraught partnership in which Suzuki accused the German automaker of wanting to bring its under its control, while VW objected to Suzuki's purchase of diesel engines from Fiat instead of its own. Some analysts have questioned whether the latest partnership could see Suzuki compromise its dominance in India, along with its independence. "(Suzuki) needs access to technology, but would that mean giving up being an independent company?" CLSA managing director Chris Richter said. "I think that's a price too high for Suzuki at the moment." (Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu; Additional reporting by Norihiko Shirouzu in BEIJING and Aditi Shah in DELHI; Writing by Naomi Tajitsu and Tim Kelly; Editing by Christopher Cushing) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Orhan Coskun ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey has transferred government stakes worth billions of dollars in Turkish Airlines, major banks and fixed-line operator Turk Telekom to a sovereign wealth fund set up last year to help finance big-ticket infrastructure projects. Ankara has ambitious plans for the fund, established last August with initial capital of 50 million lira ($13.6 million). It wants the fund to manage $200 billion in assets as soon as possible, the economy minister has said. The state's 49.1 percent stake in flag carrier Turkish Airlines - worth roughly $1 billion - and its 51.1 percent of lender Halkbank - worth some $2 billion - have been transferred to the fund, a statement from the government's privatisation administration said on Monday. Stakes in state-owned Ziraat Bank, the Borsa Istanbul stock exchange and state-owned pipeline operator Botas have also been transferred, according to an announcement in the country's Official Gazette on Sunday. The sovereign wealth fund will be able to use the stakes as collateral to secure funding for major infrastructure projects, one senior official told . "There will be a search for credit abroad to implement very big projects in the period ahead," the official said. "Turkey's most important companies have been transferred to the sovereign wealth fund. It will be possible to secure credit at low rates for these projects by offering the shares in these companies as a guarantee." Turkey has embarked on a series of ambitious infrastructure projects under President Tayyip Erdogan, including high-speed railways, suspension bridges and undersea tunnels. Other planned megaprojects include one of the world's biggest airports in Istanbul and a huge canal that would render a large chunk of the city an island. The official did not specify which type of projects the wealth fund may help finance. Once one of the world's most promising emerging markets, investor sentiment towards Turkey has been hit by political uncertainty, insecurity and a tumbling lira currency. Economic output declined in the third quarter for the first time in seven years, and Erdogan has repeatedly called for cheaper credit to spur growth. BANK, BOURSE Other assets moved to the fund include stakes in fixed-line operator Turk Telekom, oil company TPAO, the PTT post office, satellite communications company Turksat, Eti Maden mining company and tea producer Caykur. Some 3 billion lira of funds under the control of the defence industry support fund will also be transferred, according to the Official Gazette. Shares in Turkish Airlines were up 1.2 percent after the announcement, while Halkbank shares advanced 2 percent. Turk Telekom shares also strengthened. The companies would retain their existing management and policies after the asset move, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim's office said in a statement. "The Turkey wealth fund will manage the companies concerned within the framework of the strategic investment plan approved by the cabinet of ministers," it said. While sovereign wealth funds are often associated with oil-rich countries such as Norway or Gulf states, Turkey imports almost all of its energy needs. Some economists have said Ankara could better spend the money by paying down a national debt that runs at roughly 30 percent of economic output. The government has said the fund, while targeting annual growth of 1.5 percent over the next 10 years, will not compromise fiscal discipline. The fund is headed by Mehmet Bostan, a former finance sector executive who was appointed head of the OIB privatisation board last year. Yigit Bulut, a senior Erdogan adviser, has been appointed to its four-member management board, according to a statement in Turkey's trade registry gazette. ($1 = 3.6757 liras) (Additional reporting by Behiye Selin Taner and Ceyda Caglayan in Istanbul; Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by David Dolan and Anna Willard) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The proposal of laying 3,500-km new rail lines by the Indian Railways would boost the order portfolio of state-run Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL). The H1B visa ban issue and cost-cutting scenario across the IT sector have started reflecting in the appraisal cycle of Tech Mahindra, at least for now. The IT sector behemoth has suspended appraisal cycle for employees having more than six years of experience, signalling slowing of the hiring cycle. The announcement was made on Friday at the firm's webinar chaired by chief operating officer L Ravichandran, according to a report in The Economic Times. The employees have been told they will have to wait for at least two quarters before they get to know if they would get a hike. These employees are typically team leaders and above having more than six years of experience. The company has said the employees would be informed about prospects of their hike post a management review. The company posted 4 per cent rise in Q3 revenue sequentially to $1.12 billion. Its net profit rose 30.8 percent sequentially to $126.3 million. Toyota Motor Corp and Suzuki Motor Corp on Monday said they have agreed to begin formal talks aimed at forging a partnership in shared procurement, green vehicles, IT and safety technologies. The agreement takes the two Japanese automakers a step closer to a tie-up that could give Suzuki, a maker of affordable minivehicles and compact cars, access to Toyota's technology. The world's second-biggest car maker in return would benefit from Suzuki's strong market position in India. "Toyota and Suzuki have agreed to work toward the early realization of a business partnership," they said in a joint press release. The companies in October said they were exploring a partnership, citing technological challenges facing automakers and the need to keep up with consolidation in the global auto industry. Suzuki, Japan's fourth-largest automaker, has said it has been struggling to keep pace with the speed of research and development (R&D) in the industry, a technology race that Toyota, with its greater financial clout, is better able to cope with. Toyota invests heavily in R&D in areas including automated driving, artificial intelligence and lower-emission cars. ALSO READ: Compact SUVs surge past cars in sales growth Suzuki has long sought a bigger partner. A tie-up with Volkswagen AG ended on a sour note in 2015, after the German carmaker accused Suzuki of violating their pact by agreeing a diesel engine deal with Fiat. For Toyota, access to Suzuki's tightly knit supply chain network in India, which the automaker has cultivated since the 1980s, could help it develop and sell more mainstream cars tailored for the local market. "We would be happy to share lessons we learned from our experience in India and emerging markets with Toyota if they wish, to make this a win-win partnership for both parties," Suzuki Vice Chairman Yasuhito Harayama told reporters at a briefing in Tokyo after Suzuki released its earnings results for the three months through Dec. 31. Suzuki dominates the Indian market through its majority stake in Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, which sells roughly half of all cars sold in the country, whereas Toyota, despite years of trying, is still struggling to gain significant share in a country expected to be the world's third-largest car market by 2020. Toyota aims to double its share of India's passenger vehicle market to 10 percent by 2025 and entry-level, no-frills cars built by small car affiliate Daihatsu will be key to achieving this goal, a company executive told Reuters earlier. Toyota last year decided to buy the remaining stake in its small car affiliate Daihatsu. The country's total imports from China stood at $45,629.11 million between April-December 2016, Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Commerce & Industry, stated in her Lok Sabha reply. It declined 2.3 per cent from the corresponding period previous year. Total imports from China grew around 2 per cent to $ 46,699.27 million during Apr-Dec 2015 from $ 46,015.02 million in Apr-Dec 2014. The country's total imports stood at $ 2,08,230.65 million during April-Oct 2016 period, sliding around 11 per cent over the corresponding period in the previous year, as per the latest data available with the ministry. China contributes close to 17 per cent of India's total imports. The top ten imported items from China include bulk drugs, computer hardware, consumer electronics, electric machinery and equipment, electronics components, fertilisers manufactured, industrial machinery for dairy, iron & steel and organic chemicals. The share of top ten imported items from China stood at around 56 per cent of total imports during Apr-Dec 2016. Import of milk and milk products (including chocolates and chocolate products and candies/ confectionary/ food preparations with milk or milk solids as an ingredient) from China is prohibited till 23.6.2017 or until further orders, whichever is earlier. Besides, import of fireworks is restricted and for last three years no license or authorisation has been issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade. Government has also imposed prohibition on the import of mobile handsets without International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number or with all zeroes IMEI and import of CDMA mobile phones without Electronic Serial Numbers (ESN), Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID) or all zeroes ESN/MEID. Ousted Tata Group boss Cyrus Mistry has had a warm relation with the newly-elected Chairman N Chandrasekaran for the past several years. Despite that, a day before the announcement, Mistry shot off an angry letter to his fellow board members at Tata Sons questioning the legality of his appointment. Mistry will be one among many whom Chandrasekaran will have to deal with, at least, in the initial days, including Ratan Tata, Nusli Wadia, retail shareholders, whistle blowers and even British Prime Minister Theresa May. Mistry has already levelled a series of allegations - fraudulent transactions, unethical practices and conflict of interest - against the Tata Group and his predecessor Ratan Tata. He has questioned Ratan Tata's investment decisions and losses caused by these 'legacy hotspots', which include decisions regarding the overseas assets of Indian Hotels, the Nano, Tata Steel Europe, Tata Power's Mundra project, Tata-Docomo and the group's aviation joint ventures. He has warned the Tata Sons board and trustees of a potential $18-billion writedown. As the groups Chairman, Chandrasekaran will now have to fight these allegations legally - Mistry's two private investment companies have already moved The National Company Law Tribunal - and clear the taint on Tata by turning around the sick assets. At the same time, he will have to be cautious of not repeating the mistakes Mistry had made during his stint that led to his ouster. He will also have to keep Ratan Tata and other members of the Tata Trusts, including R. Venkataramanan, in the loop while taking major decisions. Tata had earlier linked the performance of Mistry to the fall in dividend earnings of the trusts. So, the performance of group companies will also be accounted for on Chandra's balancesheet. Another pair of keen eyes watching Chandrasekaran's performance would be that of Nusli Wadia, who lost his directorships to the Tata-Mistry battle. Wadia is now fighting a criminal defamation suit against Ratan Tata. Therefore, Chandrasekaran will also have to be careful while dealing with Wadia group companies as well as the Shapoorji Pallonji group. In addition, he will have to handle the agitated retail shareholders, who largely supported Mistry in his battle, and the possibility of rising number of whistle blowers within the group. However, the biggest challenges before Chandrasekaran would be to turn Tata Steel UK and the group's telecom business around. For that he would have to take up the issue of cheap steel imports into the UK with premier Theresa May, besides arriving at a settlement with NTT Docomo. Dealing with new US visa policies under President Donald Trump will be another challenge for Chandrasekaran that would see TCS acquire companies and aggressively hire locally to counter the restrictions. There will certainly be no easy way out for the Tata Groups veteran. In fact, it will be tough for Chandrasekaran to find a middle path to success.~ @nevinjl The bureau of Civil Aviation Security's (BCAS) security hassuspended the licence of low-cost carrier IndiGo's aviation security trainingcentre for lapses in its examination system as it was found that the airlinewas repeating the same set of question papers for several months in a row. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security's (BCAS) order, issuedlast week, bars Indigo from conducting security training programmes for itsemployees. The training centre is run by IndiGo's parent company InterGlobeAviation. Warning that the licence could be suspended indefinitelyunless there is complete compliance, BCAS chief Kumar Rajesh Chandra said therewas complete breach of trust and that the airline moved from computerbasedsystem to pen and paper mode for the examinations. BCAS has also issued a showcause notice to the centre seeking an explanation. Without informing BCAS the Indigo training centre had fromApril 2016 onwards switched from a computer-based system of examination to apen and paper test. C HANDRA said that after looking at the examinationresults, BCAS found that for as many as eight batches, all the candidates gotover 95 per cent marks. Each batch has around 35-40 people. As this aroused suspicion BCAS carried out an inspectionwhich found that the centre was repeating the same set of question papers whichin effect meant that there was a leak of questions. So, naturally, there was notraining actually taking place. The lapse at the centre is considered a serious issue as itSecurity watchdog BCAS suspends licence for airline's training centre comes ata time when security has been stepped up nationwide at all airports in view ofthe increased threat perception. At sensitive airports such as Srinagar, a secondaryladderpoint check of passengers is carried by airline security staff and it isessential that they be properly trained for the purpose. A senior official saidthe casual approach to security also fosters a laid-back mindset on the part ofairline staff who are supposed to be alert at all times to ensure passenger andaircraft safety. This major responsibility is entrusted to the airlinesecurity staff on the premise and assurance that they would execute this dutyin a responsible manner, sources added. Following the suspension of licence,IndiGo would have to outsource the training programme, which would result inadditional cost for the carrier. Regulations make it mandatory for all scheduled airlines toimpart aviation security training to its security staff, cockpit and cabin creweither through their own BCAS-approved facility or any other similar authorisedcentre. B ESIDES, BCAS conducts such training programmes for airlines and otherstakeholders at all its regional offices. While cockpit and cabin crew are imparted a one weektraining in various aspects of airline and airport security, for those deployedin other jobs it runs for more than a week. The IndiGo spokesperson said thatthe airline was already in contact with BCAS and is confident of demonstrating sufficientcompliance to the satisfaction of the BCAS. Meanwhile stating that the currentdiscussion with BCAS only pertains to the aviation security training, IndiGospokesperson also said all other trainings are continuing, as scheduled, andthere has been no change in the airline's operations. The run-in with BCAS also comes at a time when Indigo hasfallen behind arch rival Spicejet in on-time performance. However, Indigo hascomplained to the DGCA about the methodology of calculating OTP. However,Spicejet has hit back by saying that Indigo had no complaint when it wasearlier being rated higher on OTP with the same method in use. After its long tussle with the Indian government Apple has, in all probability, decided to set shop in India. The company has been facing trouble with Indian bureaucracy over setting up a manufacturing unit in India. However, it seems Apple has managed to turn the tide in its favour and is most likely to begin production in Karnataka. What does this development mean to the consumer? According to a CNET report, in 2016, Apple products were most expensive in India. There are a couple of reasons why this is the case. Firstly, the American company needs to pay heavy custom duty while importing their products and secondly, they have to rely on a heavy network of retailers in India which ultimately reduces their profit margin in the country. To maintain that margin and keep a buffer between weakening rupee and their desirable profit, the company has prices higher than other countries. The new trend however, is seeing a major shift in favour of India. No matter how big a company, ignoring the Indian market can be a detrimental move for any international smartphone brand and Apple does not want to be left behind in the second largest smartphone market. The company will definitely face the onslaught of Chinese smartphones as competition but the revised prices might give its sales the required boost. The most obvious and consumer-centric change will be in the pricing of the iPhones manufactured in India. The company will benefit out of lower taxes and no custom duty which will directly impact the prices of the devices. The company will face one major problem, though. It still needs to source 30 per cent of its components from within the country. This was the problem that caused delay in the first place. However, the company may be able to overcome this challenge. Wistron Corp and Foxconn, which have built iPhone parts in the past, already exists in India and these companies can pull Apple out of this situation. Does this mean Apple is sure to drop prices of all iPhones? While the prices might go down for a few Apple iPhones, we cannot say the same for the company's flagship devices iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The Cupertino giant will test the waters by manufacturing midrange devices like iPhoneSE. Hence, the only devices that will get a substantial cut in prices will fall in the compact form factor. Mercury Filmworks, one of Canada's most prolific independent animation studios, has joined forces with acclaimed Kilkenny-based animation studio, Cartoon Saloon to create an all-new 2D-focused animation studio in Ireland, Lighthouse Studios. In the coming weeks, Lighthouse Studios plans to announce development and production projects, as well as a hiring initiative encompassing production management, designers, animators, effects artists, compositors, technical directors, 3D modelers, riggers, lighting and texture artists and IT administrators. The joint venture, supported by Irelands Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through IDA Ireland will create over 140 jobs in the next three years. Lighthouse Studios will provide childrens and family animated content development and end-to-end production services--from script writing, design, storyboard, animation and compositing to post production services--to a global client base. Specializing in 2D animation with some CGI integration and utlizing the latest technologies, the studios production pipeline will mirror Mercury Filmworks Canadian operation. However, Lighthouse Studios will operate autonomously with its own management team, reporting to a Board of Directors comprised of executives from both Mercury Filmworks and Cartoon Saloon. Making the announcement in Kilkenny today, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O'Connor TD said, "This is terrific news and I warmly welcome the additional 140 jobs which will be created in Kilkenny. I am always keen to pursue as wide a range of Foreign Investment projects as possible and this launch today shows that we have the creative talent to attract companies like Mercury Filmworks to Ireland." She added, "Ireland has a strong record in film making, including animation, and I have no doubt that this partnership between Mercury Filmworks and Cartoon Saloon will go from strength to strength." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us MicksGarage.com have today announced the completion of a 1.5 million funding round to support further growth in the UK market. This latest fundraising for the Irish owned e-commerce business which provides car parts and accessories to both do-it-yourself motoring enthusiasts and garages was founded by brothers Ciaran and Michael Crean. The 1.5 million investment secured by MicksGarage.com was raised by Investec Wealth & Investment through the Employment and Investment Incentive Scheme (EIIS), a scheme designed to allow investors a tax efficient method of supporting the development of Irish Small & Medium Sized Enterprises. Qualifying investors can claim a deduction from their total income and, in the case of a 50,000 investment, could result in tax relief of up to 20,000 or 40%. MicksGarage.com remains one of the most successful Irish businesses to have exploited the potential of selling products exclusively via an online channel. The investment secured will support major development plans including extending its own exclusive range of branded products along with establishing a new distribution centre in the UK as it continues to expand in that market. Speaking about the investment, Co-Founder of MicksGarage.com, Ciaran Crean said, "Investec has been an important source of support for MicksGarage.com as it continues to grow its business not only in Ireland but increasingly in the UK and other European markets." He added, "The access to further capital with the 1.5 million investment being announced today will allow us to grow market share in the UK and provide us with the capability to achieve even further growth in the years to come." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us Irelands tourism industry was celebrated on Friday at the Irish Tourism Industry Awards, where winners in 14 categories won awards for excellence and innovation. The Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC), the umbrella group for the tourism industry in Ireland, organises the awards in conjunction with Failte Ireland and Tourism Ireland. Over 550 people from the industry were in attendance. Designed with the intention of rewarding innovation and excellence in tourism, 14 worthy winners were ultimately selected from approximately 250 entries. Award winners included Westport House for Best Leisure Tourism Innovation, Dublin Airport for Best International Access Initiative and the GPO Witness History Visitor Centre for Best Cultural Experience. There was also a Special Recognition Award from the Irish Tourism Industry for the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme, which the adjudicating panel felt shone a positive spotlight on Ireland to a global audience. Minister for Tourism, Shane Ross was on hand to present the Waterford Crystal trophies to winners at a gala event in the Clayton Hotel Burlington Road. Speaking at the event, Minister Ross said, "The range of awards recognises both innovation and excellence and rewards the best operators within Irish tourism. It gives us the opportunity to come together to champion excellence, reward success and inspire others in the tourism industry to follow suit. Congratulations to all winners." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us Cork Airport saw passenger numbers increase by 6% in January 2017 compared with the same month last year. This represents an increase in passenger numbers of 7,000 from 125,000 in January 2016 to 132,000 in January 2017. The increase comes on the back of a really strong performance in 2016. The biggest increase in passenger growth was on routes to and from the UK, despite the challenges posed by Brexit. Traffic to and from multiple UK destinations including three London Airports and multiple Provincial cities in England, Scotland and Wales was up 7% to 91,000 passengers from 85,000 the previous January. Winter sun destinations also grew strongly compared to 2016 with more choice and frequency now available from Cork. Speaking today, Managing Director at Cork Airport, Niall MacCarthy said, "We are very pleased with the start to the year and to see the growth momentum continuing into 2017. 2017 will see nine scheduled airlines operating from Cork with existing airlines Aer Lingus, Flybe, Iberia Express, Ryanair, Stobart Air to be joined by four new airlines, WOW air, Swiss, Volotea and Norwegian." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us The Dublin office market is in for a further year of strong growth in 2017, according to HWBC. The property agents predict that headline rents will hit 65 per sq.ft. (700 per sq.m) by the end of 2017, this would reflect growth of 8% on top of the 2016 end year rent. HWBC notes a strong Brexit-related occupier demand pipeline from London, however no new institutions are mentioned in the mix. HWBC believe Dublin is well positioned in terms of office capacity to absorb Brexit relocations, with 401,000 sq.m of space under construction in the city centre. However, 35% of this space is already pre-let, with completions ranging from mid-2017 to early 2019. In 2016, 76,000 sq.m of space was delivered to the market and 90% of this was pre-let before completion. A similar trend is emerging already for 2017, with 55% of new space expected to complete this year already pre-let. Residential supply issues are amongst the primary risks to Dublins role in a post-Brexit world, although this is now being slowly remedied. The experts believe the strong level of pre-letting for under construction office space is further evidence of the buoyancy of the Dublin market and this is all before any Brexit uptake of scale emerges. Over half of the new space expected to complete in 2017 is now pre-let. This will support further pressure on headline rents and narrow tenant incentives such as rent frees (currently one month per year of lease) and break options (rare on leases less than 10 years). According to Goodbody Stockbrokers, The continued strong occupier demand supports the Goodbody view of central Dublin offices achieving rental growth of 8% in 2017. This has obvious benefits for both Hibernia REIT and Green REIT, both of whom are progressing significant city centre developments in 2017." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams A famous mural in the Bronx was recently restored by an up and coming artist. On Saturday, January 28, emerging artist Hawa Diallo unveiled her new restoration of the Amadou Diallo mural in Soundview. The 18-foot mural on the brick side wall of his residence, which was updated for the first time in over 15 years, commemorates and honors the life of Amadou, who was shot to death by police in front of his home at 1157 Wheeler Avenue on February 4, 1999. The mural portrays a smiling Diallo in front of the American and Guinean flags and next to African cuisine. A message from Amadou on the mural reads, Mom, Im going to college. Im very honored to have had the responsibility of restoring this mural and bringing attention to an important moment in New Yorks history, Hawa said. This mural is a reminder of the work our city and our nation needs to do so lives like Amadous are not lost in the future. Hawa, a Fulani from West Africa, came to the United States as a refugee after surviving a genocide. Painting since her mid-40s, Hawa uses near-photographic visual memory to produce paintings which remind her of her childhood, as well as beautiful and painful experiences from when she lived in Africa. Though not related, Hawa and Amadou are both Fulani, a large and widely dispersed West Muslim ethic group based out of countries in West Africa, such as Nigeria, Guinea and Mali. This beautiful mural commemorating the life and legacy of Amadou Diallo holds a dear spot in my heart and a reminder of where we have been since that fateful night in Soundview, and where we want to go as we continue to fight for justice and equality, said Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. The unveiling of the restored mural was held in preparation for the second annual Amadou Diallo Foundation Benefit Dinner, which will take place at the Alhambra Ballroom in Harlem on Saturday, February 4, the 18-year anniversary of the tragic incident. The dinner will honor former congressman Charles Rangel, former mayor David Dinkins and Rev.Al Sharpton, while Emmy award-winning reporter and multimedia journalist AJ Ross will emcee the event. Amadou, who came to the United States in the mid-1990s, was returning home in the early morning hours when police officers, in plain clothes fired 42 shots at him, 19 of which hit him, when he reached into his pocket and pulled out a wallet after being told not to move. He was unarmed. It was later discovered that the police officers were in search of a serial rapist. Amadou matched the suspects description. The mother of Eric Garner, who died while being handcuffed by police on Staten Island, was in attendance at the unveiling. Since its creation in 2001, the mural has become a popular Bronx attraction for tourists. The original earlier version of the mural depicted Diallo on the right side of the wall, with four police officers wearing Klu Klux Klan hoods on the left side. Bear River Charter School and InTech Collegiate High School will host a Student Safety Parent Seminar about suicide prevention on Thursday, Feb. 9, at 6:00 p.m. at Bear River Charter School. All parents are encouraged to attend. Partnering for the third year, Bear River Charter School and InTech Collegiate High School will hold an annual Student Safety Parent Seminar on Thursday, Feb. 9, at 6:00 p.m. to discuss a sensitive but important topicsuicide prevention. Presenters will include prevention specialists Becky Austad and Shauna Morgan, with the Northern Utah Hope task force (NUHOPE), and Cathy Davis, representing the Utah State Board of Education. The meeting will take place at Bear River Charter School, located at 75 S. 400 W. in Logan. Parents of students attending both schools are encouraged to participate. I think its a scary topic and maybe not everyone realizes that suicide is the leading cause of death among teens in the state of Utah, said Wyatt Lutsk, school counselor at InTech. I think sometimes parents dont know the statistics. Learning about suicide prevention, said Lutsk, could help parents learn to understand not only their own children, but also their friends, their childrens friends or someone in the community. Were really trying to look at this as a community outreach in helping parents learn how to make a difference in any teenagers life, she said. Topics of discussion during Thursdays seminar will include warning signs of suicide risk, how parents can talk to their teens about suicide and how they can help their teens friends. This issue affects everybody, even if your child is not having any kind of issues, said Lutsk. This is a big deal, and I just want parents to know the best way to work with teenagers is for us all to come together and work together. Bear River Charter School serves 170 Cache Valley students in grades K-8. InTech Collegiate High Schools campus has 190 students in grades 9-12. While the Student Safety Parent Seminar is geared toward adults, students will receive similar information, shared at developmentally appropriate levels, in their classrooms at school.
jennifer@cvradio.com California has been enduring a five year drought, but it keeps raining in SoCal and snowing in the mountains this year. For much of the state, the drought is over. Here are a few resources to track the rain and snow. These tables show the snowpack in the North, Central and South Sierra. Currently the snowpack is about 145% of normal for this date in the North, 174% of normal in the Central Sierra, and 198% of normal in the Southern Sierra. And here are some plots comparing the current and previous years to the average, a very dry year ('14-'15) and a wet year ('82-'83). This winter is already above the average and close to the record winter of '82-'83. And for Los Angeles, here is a historical table of annual rainfall. After five years of significantly below average rainfall, this year is well above normal and the rain is still falling. This is good news for the state and the state economy. For Pacific Crest Trail and John Muir Trail hikers, I recommend using the Upper Tyndall Creek sensor to track the snow conditions. This graph shows the snow water content for Upper Tyndall Creek for the last 40 years. Note: I hiked the trail in September 1998 - a very wet year - and there was snow all year on Mt. Whitney. There were four very dry years in a row, and then last winter was a little better - but still below normal. For the Tyndall Creek area, this is the fifth wettest year in the last 20 years - and it is still early February! Warning | This is historical material frozen in time. The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work. Please visit the newsroom for up-to-date news and articles | BY Ricki Green | Bonds has launched its latest campaign introducing Comfytails, a new range of underwear aimed squarely at Aussie women in their forties. The campaign, created by Leo Burnett Melbourne, celebrates women via a series of TVCs that tell the Uncomfytales flashbacks to the nineties when these women were in their twenties, making underwear mistakes of epic proportions. The campaign aims at women blessed with the wisdom to know that its better to be comfy than to persist with some of the trends that characterised their underwear youth. Theyre not only waving goodbye to the polyester thong, theyre fully embracing a new era of being comfortable as well as being fashionable. Hailed as the underwear to wear for when youve outgrown uncomfortable, Bonds Comfytails features a range of cant-live-without staple undies. A palette of basic colours, stylised florals and textured prints, they are made from super comfy and breathable cotton, and include a seamfree range. Says Emily Small, head of marketing, Bonds: These tales will resonate with women who are looking for underwear that feels as good as it looks. Says Sarah McGregor, head of copy, Leo Burnett Melbourne: Everyone has a tale of underwear woe -and theyre nearly always painfully funny. The TV spots are supported by magazine and online content. Client: Bonds Head of Marketing: Emily Small Marketing Manager: Michelle Taylor Senior Brand Manager: Mahli Pullen Agency: Leo Burnett Melbourne CCO Jason Williams Copywriters: Sarah McGregor & Garret Fitzgerald Art Director: Joe Hill Senior Agency Broadcast Producer: Cinnamon Darvall Senior Designer: Tiffany Wilson Group Account Director: Amanda Nicoll Account Director: Emma Lazarou Director of Integrated Strategy Ilona Janashvili Production: Finch Director: Alex Roberts Senior Producer: Kate Merrin Producer: AnnaTara Clark DOP: Tim Tregoning Editor: Rodrigo Balart | BY Ricki Green | IAB Australia has continued to strengthen its team, announcing today that Jonas Jaanimagi has been engaged as executive consultant. Jaanimagi will provide support for the IAB Technology Council and working groups, as well as driving initiatives including the Ad Portfolio update. Well known and respected in the Australian media industry, Jaanimagi was most recently head of media strategy and operations at REA and an IAB executive board member. He has more than 18 years digital experience working in both the UK and Australia. Says Vijay Solanki, CEO, IAB Australia: Jonas is a godfather in the world of advertising technology. He knows the tech, how it connects with business commercials and he also knows how to connect the technology community. His understanding of the digital ecosystem will be critical in the key projects we have lined up for him. Says Jaanimagi: At a time when our industry must look to work together and collaborate in areas related to technology and general standards, Im delighted to be able support the IAB; an organisation I know very well. | BY Ricki Green | A regular blog by Damon Stapleton, chief creative officer of DDB New Zealand Ive searched all the parks in all the cities and found no statues of committees. Gilbert K. Chesterton Quick, name your top 10 Super Bowl ads from this year. I know, its a struggle. I am asking you to remember 10 out of a 100 or so ads whose sole purpose is to be memorable. Each 30 second spot costs 5 million dollars to run. Each spot would have cost at least a million dollars to make. These numbers are considered a bargain because of the massive audience the Super Bowl attracts. These numbers also do something else. They create enormous pressure to deliver a great ad. And the truth is, year in and year out only about 10 percent are any good. As hit rates go, that isnt great. Now, the easy explanation is the creative was no good. Well, I will take you a billion dollar bet that there are better ideas sitting on the wall inside each agency involved. Ideas that are perhaps risky. Ideas that dont just use yet another celebrity. Ideas that are actually ideas instead of wrapping. Perhaps the agency couldnt sell them. Maybe the client couldnt buy them. What it proves though, is that all the money in the world doesnt make a good ad. What it proves is when the pressure comes no matter how big the committee, fear and bravery, will always decide the outcome. In a world of endless data and research, which should help guarantee a higher hit rate than 10 percent, we find many making average decisions because of the most human of emotions. Fear. A large part of our industry is now in the business of trying to get rid of fear. Processes that try to get us to an acceptable answer rather than a great one. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, it is a strange anomaly in our industry that our screens are full of average, boring ads and nobody is nailed for it. There are a hundred explanations for why it was the right decision to make something nobody will remember. Yet, the moment you try and push the boat out and you dont quite make it you are crucified. The great fear in our industry is that something will be weird. That seems to be a far greater sin than something being average. I humbly suggest that this attitude is what gets us to a massive 1o percent hit rate at the Super Bowl. Bravery and courage. Words used in our industry on a daily basis like verbal confetti. I think we have to make those words mean something again. We need to inspire. We need to persuade. That is how you overcome fear. And fear will always be what we have to conquer to do great work. The second reason the Super Bowl ads were so average is Newtons first law of creative success. A creative ideas success is inversely proportional to the amount of people who decide if it will be successful. And I can only imagine how many people were involved. Once you have the dubious pleasure of presenting globally to 50 people around the world using tele-presence you realise you are no longer in the business of creativity but crowd control. There is a silver lining in all this. The flip side for me is how it confirms my belief in a very simple formula for great work. The great Super Bowl ads were made up of three things. A great idea. A great relationship. A great execution. Our industry probably lost its confidence over the last couple of years because so much was changing. And, there are people out there who have definitely drunk the wrong cool-aid and stopped looking at what is real. The truth is we should take great comfort from the Super bowl ratio because its probably true for all advertising. 10 percent. Why? Because its bloody hard to make a great ad. The comfort comes from knowing in 2017 the three ingredients have not changed. No matter how much money, people or process you have, they do not guarantee success. What does however, is the perfect balance of creativity, trust and craft. Always has. Always will. | BY Lynchy | Its been 18 months since Leo Burnett lured Victor Manggunio (pictured) back to the network to lead its China operations as Chief Creative Officer. Campaign Brief Asia decided to ask him how its all going, just a couple of months shy of his next gig at AdFest 2017, where hes on board as the festivals Jury President for Media Lotus & Effective Lotus. You re-joined Leo Burnett in 2015. What have achieved so far, and whats your creative vision for Leo Burnett China? Coming into Leo Burnett in 2015, we knew it would be a transition year. Morale was down and a lot needed to be stabilised business-wise. Im happy to say that by end of 2016 we did well and more importantly the influx of new talent resulted in a fantastic boost to morale and a sense of togetherness that was maybe lacking previously. I love the teams dearly and they have really put their heads down and delivered against a very difficult task. My creative vision for LB China has always been to bring it back to what makes LB great all around the world. Human-centric stories that immerse, engage or move our audiences to be brand lovers. The goal is to steer away from pandering product features or clever-for-clevers sake ideas, and tell relatable stories. What are the biggest challenges and opportunities you face leading a network in China? The large gap in acceptable quality. The good enough disease, I call it. The culprits are basically anyone who has been here long enough. It seems that eventually everyone accepts that certain standards are unattainable or not worth the extra effort. We tend to settle for ok and pat ourselves on the back and say, Lets move onto the next project, maybe it will be better. My pet peeve is hearing the phrase: T I.C. -This Is China. Its a cop-out statement. Why did you decide to leave ad land to set up your own production company as a director for a few years? I needed a break from corporate life and ad agency structure. I wanted to pursue a different aspect to my passion, which was to direct and film the stories I wrote or help create. So, what inspired you to return to Leo Burnett? I learnt a lot working with other agencies outside the LB network. I felt reinvigorated in the approach towards briefs, work and even clients & agency. When the opportunity came to join LB again in an expanded role, I jumped at the chance. Its not every day top level management asks you to help build a forward thinking agency. I started with fresh talents with little reference of what a traditional agency is and restructured teams where possible to break away from the art director + copywriter model. It excites me to bring in different types of talent into the creative mix. For example, we have a writer that actually can code software and has a good backend understanding of digital mediums. We have collaborated on projects with film editors (I love the way they think about a story, its rather different compared with writers), game designers (Im a big gamer) and fabrication & manufacturing engineers. We have also been active with in-house training holding different types of classes and sharing sessions. Im also a believer in the Internship Programs and the hope is to have a decent conversion from interns to full time staff when they graduate. So far were off to a decent start but more eyes need to be opened, both on client and agency side, for this to hit full stride. You have a reputation for being a wonderful mentor to younger creatives. Do you have any advice for people starting out in advertising? My advice may be cliche but it works for me: Write down your passion on a piece of paper, frame it, commit it to memory and follow it. There will be days, nights weeks and even maybe years that people or situations will make you question what youre doing. That piece of paper may just help you stay the course. Adjust your career decisions smartly, but never lose track of that passion. On long lonely nights when you question your purpose, that handwritten note to yourself will light up the way for you. Mine is: I want to create and tell the best stories in the world. The theme of AdFest is all about diversity this year. What are you most looking forward to about being part of this years event? Im excited to be a part of this years theme Cultural Diversity. Considering current global news and tensions, I think the world needs a lot of it right now. Understanding diversity is really the key. The ability to tap into different point of views, life lessons, experience and generally being more open to forward thinking ideas from varied sources is the path to creative work that resonates well with our audiences, bringing better work and results for everyone. Speaking of diversity: you are Canadian Chinese, born in Hong Kong, but have lived and worked across Hong Kong, Malaysia, and China. Do you think living in so many different places has influenced your creativity? Monday, February 6, 2017 at 12:44AM Its been a long time coming but its finally herewell, at least for beta users. The Sony PlayStation 4 will be getting external HDD support in the next update. Itll use USB 3.0 and support hard drives of up to 8TB. Aside from that, this update will also add custom wallpapers, a Quick Menu overhaul, and simplified notifications. The update will also let you post directly to your PSN Activity Feed: and watch 3D Blu-rays on the PlayStation VR. Source: Kotaku We don't actually stop anywhere until we reach the Sydney Building, as there aren't any passengers waiting. A screen then says the bus is terminating and to get off, but a quick chat to the driver reveals he's actually just finished his shift and the next bus driver will be along shortly - our lack of stopping along the way means we're a bit ahead of schedule. In Canberra, 316 people aged 55 years or older sought help from homelessness services last year and 44 per cent in this group were women, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Of all homeless clients, 6.8 per cent were aged more than 55. In their social impact statement, the club said while the Canberra Casino was not currently authorised to install gaming machines, "extensive lobbying to the ACT government to change this policy which may effect the levels of gambling in the ACT in the near future". "A dog walking up to bark at me could be classified as harassment and that [seizing] is what we need to do. What some people feel as an attack and harass is different [to others] who have a higher threshold. It's a very complex issue." "To be PM, what an honour that would be. It is a privilege to be the leader of the nation. But it is a tough position and I can understand that you can't please everyone all the time," she said. The Ile de Sein ship departed on Friday with 8,200km of cable the largest amount of cable ever carried on a ship owned by Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN). It is due in New York in two weeks. The ship is also carrying five branching units and more than 125 repeaters for the 72Tbps project. Seabras-1, owned by Seaborn Networks, will be the first direct subsea cable linking the financial centres of New York and Sao Paulo. ASN will supply a further 2,600km of cable, another two branching units and 45 further repeaters to complete the project, which is expected by June 2017. The cable will connect a landing station at Praia Grande, Brazil, with Wall, New Jersey. Seabras-1 will have 11 points of presence when it is complete. Seaborn Networks completed the full $520 million funding for the project in 2015. Sparkle announced last year that it owns half the six fibre-pair system, with a $300 million investment. Seaborn Networks will be at the Capacity LatAm 2017 conference in Rio de Janeiro on 28-29 March 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. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. The United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) has invited eligible candidates to apply for its annual competition for Fulbright-Nehru and other Fulbright fellowships. India-US Exchange These exchanges have, over the years, helped bring the people of India and the United States closer together In 2008, the U.S. and Indian governments agreed to significantly increase the number of scholarships awarded each year The Fulbright program offers opportunities in the United States that enrich fellows' academic, research, teaching and professional capacity Fulbright Kalam Climate Fellowships USIEF also invites applications for the Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships The fellowship is jointly funded by the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of India to build long-term capacity in both countries related to climate research and education. Testimonies Feby Varghese, a 2015 Fulbright-Nehru Master's Fellow at the American University, Washington, D.C. said, "The Fulbright-Nehru experience has broadened my horizons by empowering me with knowledge, skills and self-confidence. I got the opportunity to work as a Congressional fellow on Capitol Hill. The fellowship has provided me with professional and development opportunities that would not have been otherwise possible." Debapriyo Chakraborty, a 2014 Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Duke University, Durham, NC observed, "As a Fulbright-Nehru fellow at Duke University, I received training in field sampling and infectious diseases, which helped me to construct ecological networks, build and interpret epidemiological models, and gain a deeper understanding of global health from an ecological perspective." Anant Kumar, a 2015 Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Scholar at Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, said, "After returning from the U.S., I have started the process of developing linkages and partnerships with academic contacts whom I met during my Fulbright-Nehru grant. For me, it is a beginning of a new journey." About USIEF USIEF alumni have demonstrated strong leadership in all fields, including agriculture, the arts, business, education, the environment, humanities and social sciences, public health, and science and technology. Outstanding Indian students, academics, teachers, policy makers, administrators, and professionals are encouraged to apply. USIEF expects to offer approximately 100 Fulbright-Nehru and six Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowships to Indian applicants in 2018. Fellowship details are posted on the USIEF website (www.usief.org.in) and the first application deadline is June 15, 2017. Applicants may send any queries to ip@usief.org.in or contact one of the USIEF offices in New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, or Mumbai. DIT, Ireland Offers Scholarship for International Students: Apply Now! Although Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick recently stepped down from Donald Trumps economic advisory council, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is remaining committed to his role with the advisory council. In a statement issued on his Twitter account late last week, Musk expressed his objection to the Presidents executive order on immigration and said that being involved with Trumps advisory forum doesnt mean he agrees with actions by the Administration. On Saturday, Musk reaffirmed this by posting on Twitter, At my request, the agenda for yesterdays White House meeting went from not mentioning the travel ban to having it be first and foremost. He also said that during the meeting he raised climate change, an issue that Trump has vehemently denied in the past saying that the concept was simply created by China to hurt U.S. manufacturing. This morning, Musk also said that it is important for moderates to advise the President rather than only letting extremists advise him. Musks defence of his position comes after a number of prospective customers cancelled their $1,000 orders for the Model 3. Regarding the meeting at the White House: pic.twitter.com/8b1XH4oW6h Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 3, 2017 In addition, I again raised climate. I believe this is doing good, so will remain on council & keep at it. Doing otherwise would be wrong. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 4, 2017 Activists should be pushing for more moderates to advise President, not fewer. How could having only extremists advise him possibly be good? Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 5, 2017 PHOTO GALLERY The new Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid arrives in Europe and the company released the full details on its latest eco-friendly model. Instead of retaining the characteristic and rather divisive looks of the normal Prius, the Japanese company opted for a different design which gives the Prius PHEV a character of its own. Theres no denying that the new addition in the Prius family will be a head turner but whether thats good or not comes down to personal preferences. We must notice though that the new styling gives the Prius PHEV a very slippery drag coefficient of 0.25. The numbers accompanying the new model continue to impress with some frankly ridiculous claims on the fuel economy and emissions department, with the company saying that the Prius PHEV returns a combined 1.0lt/100km (282mpg UK) and just 22g/km of CO2 emissions, according to the NEDC cycle. The plug-in hybrid powertrain is backed up by a 8.8kWh battery pack, which can be fully charged in just over 3 hours from a standard household socket or in 2 hours using a fast charger. The 1.8-litre petrol engine combined with the electric motor continue to offer 120hp, enabling the Prius Plug-In Hybrid to achieve a 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in 11.1 and reach a top speed of 162km/h (100mph). All-electric range is over 50km (31 miles), while the top speed in EV mode is limited to 135km/h (84mph). There are four powertrain modes to choose from: HV Mode, EV Mode, EV City and a new Battery Charge mode. Additionally, the new Toyota Prius PHEV also gets three driving modes: Normal, Power and Eco. Toyota has also made some model-specific changes to the suspension from the regular Prius, with the springs and dampers optimized for better ride quality and stability, plus a bigger by 13 percent front stabilizer for less roll and greater handling. The roof host a solar panel which generates electricity to charge the battery pack and helps increase the daily driving range of the Prius PHEV by up to 5km (3 miles). Also the tailgate is made out of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) -a first for a mass production vehicle, according to Toyota- to reduce weight. The company also increased the amount of sound deadening in the Prius PHEV to further reduce the NVH levels, by installing an acoustic front glass, urethane fender separators and bonnet side seals to suppress the engine noise out of the cabin. Unlike the tablet-like 11.6inch infotainment system that equips cars destined for the US and Japan, European customers will only get the option of an eight-inch option with updated graphics, along with dual 4.2-inch screens in front of the driver. Other features include wireless charging, a colored head-up display, a new Simple Intelligent Parking Assist (S-IPA) system, and an enhanced Toyota Safety Sense system which now comes with Pre-Collision Safety with pedestrian recognition and a Full-Speed Adaptive Cruise Control. PHOTO GALLERY Heavens to Murgatroyd! Warner Bros., which owns the entire Hanna-Barbera libary, is rebooting the late-1950s character Snagglepuss as a gay Southern Gothic playwright. The eight-page story will debut this March in the Suicide Squad/Banana Splits Annual #1, before turning into a regular DC series this fall. I envision him like a tragic Tennessee Williams figure, writer Marc Russell told HiLoBrow.com. Huckleberry Hound is sort of a William Faulkner guy, theyre in New York in the 1950s, Marlon Brando shows up, Dorothy Parker, these socialites of New York from that era come and go. The sexual orientation was never affirmed in the Hanna-Barbera cartoons, but Russell, who has also done an updated take on The Flintstones for DC Comics, is making Snagglepuss sexuality a key part of the story, in which the pink mountain lion is dragged before the Communist-hunting House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Hes accused of being a pinko, get it? For a few months each winter, Harbin, China, turns into a fantastical "city of ice." From January 5 through February 25, this chilly provincial capital plays host to the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival. Artists create an incredible display of large-scale sculpture, architecture and design built entirely from snow and ice. The spectacle may be temporary, but for award-winning ice sculptor Jinnan Zheng, the preparation begins long before the first snowflakes fall. Photo: @Rafi_AAA A network of Canadian lawyers are volunteering at airports across the country to help people who could be affected by a U.S. travel ban navigate the shifting landscape. A federal judge in Seattle froze the ban, which affects people from seven Muslim-majority countries, on Friday. The initial executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Jan. 27 barred all travellers originally from the targeted countries, including visa and green card holders. And while the "temporary restraining order" issued by Judge James L. Robart Friday has temporarily lessened the lawyers' workload, Corey Shefman of Toronto said the hundreds of lawyers who have signed up to volunteer are waiting at the ready for further developments. "One of the most serious concerns over the last week is that nobody really knows what the heck is going on. Is this court order enforced?' Is that court order enforced? Are none of the court orders enforced?" he said. "So travellers who are from the affected countries and some of them who honestly aren't from the affected countries are looking for answers. So one of the roles that our lawyer volunteers play is to help provide those answers." They stand by the U.S. departures, holding signs offering free legal help, he said. And they're being kept up to date "minute by minute" so they always have the latest legal information. "The other service we're providing is to make it clear to people at the airport that there is help," he said. "I think we've also helped to create a safe space at the airport for travellers." Shefman said the Canadian lawyers started volunteering in response to a call from the International Refugee Assistance Project in New York. "We've been wonderfully overwhelmed with the outpouring of support," said Elizabeth Foydel, policy counsel for IRAP. She said Canadian lawyers have been a great help to her organization. Initially, Foydel said, individual Canadian lawyers and groups of lawyers were contacting her organization. But they ended up joining forces and forming the Canadian Cross-Border Legal Coalition. It's streamlined the process, and taken some of the heat off of IRAP the coalition is now able to take on some of the work of spreading information, which IRAP was previously doing. Shefman said he felt driven to take on some of the work. "For me, as a lawyer, I believe that we have an obligation to work for justice wherever it may be needed," he said. "We aren't American, we aren't in the United States, but this isn't just an American problem." "I'm Jewish, and I learned about the Holocaust growing up, and it's very much a part of my identity," he said, adding that it's hard to hear about refugees being barred. "When you hear about denying all entry to travellers from certain countries that just happen to have a majority of people from one religion, you know, what a coincidence, it brings to the forefront some really strong and uncomfortable memories of that time in our history." But he said it's been heartening to see so many people working together on the project. There are outposts and lawyers on call at airports across the country; the biggest are in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, but there are also volunteers in Ottawa. And Shefman said they're still looking for more volunteers, as the legality surrounding the ban is constantly in motion and they could need more help in the coming weeks. Early Sunday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco denied the American Justice Department's request for an immediate reinstatement of the ban. The court asked challengers of the ban respond to the appeal, and for the Justice Department to file a counter-response by Monday afternoon. Photo: Town of Osoyoos The Town of Osoyoos has an issue with boats illegally moored on the shore of its lake, at North Lions Park. The boats were recently pointed out to staff at Town Hall, including what operational services director Jim Dinwoodie says appears to be an original Sea Doo with a regular boat motor on the back and some aluminum fishing boats. "We didn't realize people were actually storing their boats on public land," Dinwoodie said. "This an environmentally sensitive area right on the shoreline and stuff like that. What we don't want happening, of course, is for the antique Sea Doo, here, to start leaking oil or gas into the lake." The owners of the watercraft have until March 6 to pick them up before they are taken to the operational services yards, at a cost of $35 to the owner and a $2.50 daily fee for storage at the yard. Dinwoodie says it appears the Sea Doo has been at that spot for some time, but notes that it's likely that it hasn't just been abandoned there. "My staff have said that they've noticed that the Sea Doo gets moored in and around that area throughout the summer," he said. "My staff have told me that occasionally they've seen it out on the water, so somebody takes it out and does something with it, comes back and just kind of beaches it there and then they wander off." He adds that it's likely the owners either don't want to pay the mooring or storage fees at the yacht club, but says it could also be about convenience. "This neck of the woods is pretty decent fishing," Dinwoodie said. "I suspect what people are doing, rather than hauling the boat home every night, I'm just going to drag it up onto the shore, the one individual has obviously chained it to a tree. It's just more convenient for them if they want to go fishing early in the morning." He adds the owners may not have known that it's against the town's bylaws to store things on public property. Given enough time at the operational services yards, the town will auction off the boats. Photo: Contributed Maya Rosenkrantz, Vikas Sharma, Alice Liu, Natasha Benson A Naramata-raised woman is one of eight first-year UBC medical students travelling to Nepal this spring to organize the largest public health screen in the countrys history. The five-week trip is the third year for the UBC Sickle Cell Project, which is trying to get a handle on the prevalence of sickle cell disease in rural Nepal. Natasha Benson is part of the team returning to the region this year, building on previous groups' research that has estimated as many as 9.3 per cent of the indigenous Tharu population is impacted. Its a disease that isnt really diagnosed over there and it causes a lot of damage, she said. The spleen, kidneys, liver, bones, all throughout the body because it's affecting your blood supply. Due to the high prevalence of malaria in the area, the indigenous population's genetic makeup have adjusted to resist the disease, but in doing so, they have increased the prevalence of this sickle cell disease, Benson said. If left unmanaged, sickle cell disease can cause serious pain and death. Benson says the Nepalese government has not recognized the widespread impact of disease, mostly because there is no infrastructure for people to get diagnosed in the first place. What we are hoping, is that data we collect with our projects, in the future to be able to lobby the Nepalese government to show them what's happening here and what this gap is, she said. The group will be flying into Kathmandu after classes end in April and start with widespread public education on sickle cell. I cant wait, Im very excited, I dont have a personal connection to Nepal, but I worked on a few projects for Nepal post-earthquake, Benson said. But I've never had the opportunity to travel there and work with the people, Ive only worked with them from afar. It's really exciting to get to go with a bunch of medical students who are also super passionate about what they are doing, she added. Donations to fund the screening program are being accepted online. Photo: City of Penticton The City of Penticton will be officially unveiling its mosaic tile art piece celebrating Canada's 150th birthday at its new home this week. That new home is at the Penticton Community Centre under the Cleland Theatre sign, where the city will unveil the piece at 11 a.m. on Friday. "Community art is just one type of public art, and this mural is a wonderful example of how it can bring many individuals, families, and artists together to create something beautiful," said chair of the arts, creative and cultural innovations committee Allison Markin in a news release. "We can all admire the iconic imagery of Penticton while celebrating our country's milestone birthday at the same time." The city got the project rolling in 2015, when it was accepted as a host community to participate in the Canada 150 Mosaic Tile Project. The goal of that program is to create 150 murals involving all provinces and territories, with each mural representing a train car. The murals will be joined virtually to form a 365-metre virtual "mosaic train" representing the foundation of Canada's unification. Penticton's mural will remain in the city as a historical legacy to commemorate the anniversary. Council members voted to put the mural at the community centre, but decided to leave wording in the motion to allow for the mural to be moved if council sees fit at a later time. Photo: The Canadian Press An imam who spoke at the funerals for three mosque shooting victims says he believes his words have become popular on social media because his message came from the heart. Hassan Guillet, 64, says he didn't even prepare his speech, which has been lauded for its message that the man accused of the shooting in Quebec City last week is himself a victim of hate, and that people shouldn't seek revenge for the crime. "People could see that the man standing in front of them is an honest man, a sincere man and a sad man and is talking his pain. I think it was apparent," Guillet said in an interview Sunday about the speech he delivered Friday. "When I was talking, I saw the tears on the face of our prime minister, Mr. Trudeau, and on the face of our premier, Philippe (Couillard), on the face of the mayor of Quebec (City)." "I was touched." Stories about the speech have since appeared on the social media feeds of people around the globe, including some celebrities. "The extraordinary and humane words of Imam Hassan Guillet, at the funeral for the victims of the Quebec massacre," J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, tweeted along with a link to a transcript of the speech. Guillet, who came to Canada from Lebanon in 1974 and is now retired from the aerospace industry, said he was too busy to prepare for the speech leading up to the funerals. As a spokesman for the province's council of imams, he hadn't had a lot of time since the shootings happened last Sunday night. The tragic evening began happily for Guillet, with a dinner in his home to celebrate his son's birthday. But then his son got a message on his phone about the shooting. Guillet's own phone began to ring from members of the Muslim community. They wanted to know what was going on, but at that point he didn't know much more than they did. Six men died and 19 others were injured when a gunman stormed the mosque in Quebec City and opened fire on men who were attending evening prayer. Guillet said he believes he was chosen to speak because the community wanted someone to convey its concerns and pain without being aggressive or shouting. Muslims in Quebec know him for an orchard he runs in Saint-Remi where he grows apples, berries, figs and other fruit and hosts picnics and Ramadan events. He told the gathering that the victims were the dead, the injured, the witnesses, Quebecers and Canadians but also the man accused of murder. Photo: The Canadian Press/HO-Erica Baguma A Nova Scotia university student who has been collecting tweets of disillusioned Donald Trump voters has attracted quite a celebrity following, including billionaires, Hollywood personalities and sworn Trump-nemesis Rosie O'Donnell. Reality show investors Mark Cuban and Chris Sacca, actress Oliva Wilde and Chaz Bono are also amongst 186,000 Twitter users following @Trump_Regrets. Erica Baguma, a 23-year-old social anthropology student at University of King's College in Halifax, curates the account in between classes. The Twitter feed features posts from Americans who say they cast their ballots for Trump but now feel "ashamed," "embarrassed" and "disappointed" with the new president, some calling their vote "the biggest regret" of their life. The idea came to Baguma while scrolling through social media to see how Trump supporters were reacting to the president-elect's reversal on his campaign promise to appoint a special prosecuter to look into Democratic rival Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server. "I was shocked to see there were so many people feeling betrayed by him," Baguma said in an interview. "I decided to keep track of all of it ... It's always increasing." Baguma said early on, Trump voters expressed misgivings about his dismissal of U.S. intelligence reports that Russia had meddled in the 2016 election and wealthy cabinet picks that some felt contradicted his pledge to "drain the swamp" in Washington. The chorus of Trump defectors grew around inauguration day, Baguma said, as it became clear that Trump's rhetoric on the campaign trail was not just bluster and he intended to follow through on plans to repeal government-subsidized health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as "Obamacare." Many people have taken issue with Trump's twitchy Twitter habit, according to Baguma, imploring the American leader to be more "presidential." "I think everybody sort of wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt," she said. "(They thought) it would get better ... Definitely after the inauguration, you couldn't deny it. He wasn't going to stop tweeting." Baguma said interest in the account surged as several celebrity followers latched on. T.V. producer Dan Harmon endorsed the account as both "nerve-wracking" and "soothing exposure therapy." Democratic member of North Carolina's Senate Jeff Jackson tweeted that the account was proof that "people can change." Baguma said Trump diehards have lashed out at the account as a "smear campaign" and have accused her of fabricating the thousands of retweets for political purposes, even though some of the original accounts date back years. Photo: The Canadian Press One week after six of their own were gunned down in a deadly attack, worshippers from a Quebec City mosque led hundreds of residents on a march to promote unity and tolerance on Sunday. After a 6 km walk under snowy skies, mosque president Mohamed Yangui read a message he said was written by the family of the victims of the tragedy. "My brothers and sisters, you are our family," it began. "Thank you to our community who came from Montreal, from Sherbrooke, from Ottawa in Ontario and elsewhere." The message went on to thank Quebec City officials and first responders as well as Quebecers and Canadians for their sympathy and support in the week since the massacre. "Thank you everyone, for your sympathy and your love," Yangui read. The march began at Laval University, where one of the victims taught, and made its way down one of the city's main streets to Quebec's legislature. The crowd grew as the march progressed, as people from the sidewalks linked arms with the marchers and joined in chanting slogans such as "All Canadians! All Quebecers!" and "No to violence, no to hate." Ali Dahan, a former diplomat, said he was marching in memory of his friend Azzedine Soufiane, who was among the six men who were gunned down during evening prayers the week before. He said he'd seen Soufiane, a grocer and father of three, the day before the shooting. "He was so kind and he was interesting, everything that was peace and love," he said. "I couldn't believe the next day he was dead." One woman, who gave her name as Fatima, struggled to find the words to explain the loss suffered by the community. "It will always be painful because what happened cost us so dearly," she said. "It's as if (the shooter) chose the stars of our community." Photo: The Canadian Press The military is phasing out its presence in New Brunswick as power steadily returns to the storm-ravaged Acadian peninsula. The Canadian Armed Forces said in a statement Sunday that conditions in parts of the province have improved to point where military support is no longer necessary. Some troops will remain in the region to assist the relief effort in communities still suffering from the aftermath of last month's ice storm. The soldiers are expected to gradually return to their base in Gagetown near Fredericton as conditions in the worst-hit areas become more manageable. More than 200 troops were sent to the region last week to help regional authorities clear away debris, distribute basic necessities and check on the welfare of local residents. The air base in Greenwood, N.S., sent a patrol aircraft to fly over the region and survey the extent of the damage to infrastructure. NB Power reported that only 30 customers were without power Sunday night, down from 133,000 customers at the peak of the outages. Photo: CTV - File photo A labour group will be rallying for a $15 an hour minimum wage in Penticton this week. The B.C. Federation of Labour will be sponsoring the rally, to be put on by the South Okanagan Boundary Labour Council, which will take aim Canada's second-lowest minimum wage at $10.85 per hour. "You can't even live on that," said the labour council's president Greg McGowan. "I mean, $15 an hour isn't even a living wage. Living wage for this area is about $19 an hour." The rally will be held in the "grassy knoll" where Main Street and Martin Street meet, across from Penticton Secondary and the library from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday. McGowan says claims that bumping the minimum to $15 an hour will hurt small businesses are unfounded, citing Seattle, among other cities, as an example. "What it does is people who are making minimum wage don't have any disposable income to go out and spend money in their local businesses," he said. "Fifteen dollars an hour will give them that money, and where are they going to spend it? They're not going to go to Florida or some place like that, they're going to spend that extra money within their community." McGowan says a raise to the minimum should be done slowly, or damage could be done to smaller or mid-sized businesses. He points to Alberta's NDP Premier Rachel Notley, who vowed to raise the minimum to $15 over the course of her four-year mandate. It's not the first rally the group has held in Penticton over the minimum wage. Rallies began in spring 2015, when the B.C. Federation of Labour began campaigning for the $15 an hour minimum. Those rallies have had varied turnouts according to McGowan, who says weather often plays a role. He wasn't able to say how many are expected to show up this week. The sentencing for Penticton teen who lit a set of townhouses on fire has been delayed, due to an apparent lack of resources within B.C. Forensic Psychiatric Services. Sydney Leer, 18, appeared in Penticton court Monday morning via video link from the Lower Mainland expecting to get sentenced for the Oct. 13 fire. However, a report on Leers mental health, due weeks ago, has not been completed. Crown counsel requested the sentencing be put off until at least Feb. 27, so the court can take the report into account, noting Leer is just 18 with no criminal record. He said the contents of the report could have a major impact on the sentence Leer ultimately receives. In my 28 years of appearing before the court, Ive never seen anything as abject as this one, defence lawyer Norm Yates told the courtroom, indicating he had just learned of the delay Monday morning. Yates agreed the mental health report was crucial to sentencing and agreed to Crown counsels request for adjournment. Ive been locked up for four months and you guys havent even completed a report? blurted out Leer, clearly frustrated by the delay. She pleaded guilty on Nov. 22, 2016. I lit a house on fire, it doesnt take four months to write up a report can you guys hustle? she added. Judge Gregory Koturbash called the delay, distressing, and directed the Crown and defence to schedule a conference call with psychiatric services to determine a final date the report will be ready. Photo: Contributed Penticton city council will wrangle with the issue of marijuana dispensaries yet again on Tuesday. Jukka Laurio, owner of the Herbal Green dispensary, will be back in front of city council, appealing a decision from city staff which denied his application to set up an non-profit society at 256 Westminster Ave. W. Laurio has been operating openly without a license from the city, and has vowed to fight any fines he receives. Meanwhile, a downtown business has penned a letter to council voicing concern about Okanagan Cannabis Solutions at 575 Main Street, which has also been operating without a license. When that dispensary opened in mid-January, Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said it would not go unpunished, with fines from the city escalating to $500 a day. He said the city will explore court injunctions if the fines do not close the shops. Okanagan Cannabis Solutions has refused to speak to Castanet in the past, citing a no-comment policy. The City of Penticton granted temporary use permits to two pot shops in in December, becoming the first municipality in the Okanagan to do so, but declined five others including Okanagan Cannabis Solutions and Herbal Greens. Photo: City of Kelowna Residents of several Kelowna neighbourhoods are being reminded to park their cars off the street so snow plows can do their job. With a significant snowfall and more in the forecast, parking bans are in effect on designated "snow routes" in Wilden, the Ponds, Magic Estates and Dilworth Mountain. Residents have 24 hours to move their vehicles or risk being towed or receiving a fine. Snow routes apply to certain areas because of their elevation, roadway width, road grade, number of cul-de-sacs, and past challenges with snow clearing. Residents in these areas received notification from the city in mid-November. Street signage was also installed. Those not living on snow routes are also encouraged to move their vehicles to help snow-removal crews work more efficiently. Find out if you're on a snow route here or follow the city on Facebook and Twitter @cityofkelowna. The city clears streets by priority. Priority one includes high-traffic roads such as Gordon Drive. Priority two includes collector roads such as Richter Street, bus routes, school zones, town centers and emergency vehicle stations. Priority three includes local roads in neighbourhoods, and priority four includes remaining lanes. Highway 97 and Highway 33 are maintained by the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Meanwhile, West Kelowna says its plows are busy clearing top-priority roads. Residents on other routes are asked to be patient. "Parked cars mean plows must work around these vehicles and are unable to clear the road surface to a safe width, narrowing our roadways needlessly. There is also additional time spent to manoeuvre around these vehicles rather than conducting one steady pass with the plow," the city says. Residents are also reminded not to shovel snow onto roadways from their driveways or sidewalks. Shovel to the left side (when facing your property) to avoid having your driveway blocked. Dustin Godfrey A fire in a carriage house on Saturday is currently under investigation, according to the Penticton Fire Department. The cause of the fire on Kilwinning Street is currently not known, and a captain with the department says there aren't any leads, yet but adds the investigation only got underway Monday morning. No injuries have been reported as a result of the fire, and there was no significant damage to the structure. The fire department reports firefighters were quickly able to combat and extinguish the fire. The department got the call at around 10 p.m. Saturday, and three engines and other PFD vehicles were deployed, along with RCMP, B.C. Ambulance and Penticton city works, according to a witness. Update: Wednesday, February 6: Makal Mann and Katie Poppy have agreed to end their tenancy effective March 15. Makal Mann, Katie Poppy and her two young children are being asked to leave their Lark Street home. This is the same house trashed by more than 200 party goers last month. Photo: Jennifer Zielinski - Castanet Guy Langill Home owner Guy Langill, an Alberta resident, issued an eviction notice to the couple Tuesday. Mann told Castanet he received an eviction notice giving the family 20 days to leave the house. "It's not going to happen," says Mann. Langill is devastated. He says the house, in its current form, is not livable and in order for the necessary repairs to be made, it must be unoccupied. He further states that what started out as a dream retirement home has turned into a nightmare. Langill and his wife purchased the former Bed and Breakfast on Lark Street in the Upper Mission about six years ago with the hopes of moving into the home once he retired. Once the necessary repairs are made Langill says he will likely sell it. "As a result of what happened in the home and the pictures I have sent my wife, she can't see herself living in the home anymore," says Langill. "We are still going to retire to the region, it just probably won't be in this home." Langill says of immediate concern is the livability of the house as a result of damage created by those found partying. Servicemaster owner Franco Graziani agrees, he says the house is an extreme bio hazard. "There was urine all over the place. They spread human feces all over the carpets. There was blood on the carpets," says Graziani. "Anytime you get into the possibility of pathogens being spread, it's what is called a category 3 bio-hazard which means it has to be removed with proper containment and any underlay has to be removed." Graziani says he wouldn't recommend anyone living in there. "You're talking about human waste in the carpet fibers. You cannot guarantee that has all been removed," says Graziani. "You have a little kid playing on the carpet, they can get seriously ill. In our industry when you have a category 3 loss it's mandatory to rip that stuff out." Graziani says his company will cover the cost of the repairs estimated at about $10,000. In order for the house to be made livable again, Langill says the family will have to vacate the home. "You can't do it with someone in the home. There are so many articles in the home and where do you put them," says Langill. "Hopefully our tenants can find another location to move into as soon as possible and take themselves out of the exposure area." In deciding to evict the family Langill admits he'll probably look like the bad guy but says it's something that he needs to do. "I think it's in their best interest to get out of the home as quickly as possible. In this case the house is not fit to live in and you can't clean it, in its current condition," says Langill. "I did talk to them about it Saturday that we have to clear the residence in order for repairs to begin. This is probably the best thing that we can do right now for everybody." Langill says because he and his wife no longer wish to reside in the home once repairs are made he feels there is no point in renting out the home. "Now is the time where we both have to sit back and say this is a new chapter in Katie and Makal's life and in our lives." Langill's homeowners insurance policy only covers the damage done as a result of the flooding from the upstairs toilet and not the random damage inflicted by the party goers. He says that expense falls on the shoulders of the renters and, if they can't afford to pay, on him as the homeowner. Pakistan: US$400m British investment in new plant 06 February 2017 British company Asian Precious Minerals (APML) announced plans to invest US$400m in a new cement plant in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The announcement was made during a meeting between APML and the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pervez Khattak. The Chief Minister explained the provinces new industrial policy under which the government offered several incentives to local and foreign investors. He said investors could benefit from a transparent one-window operation for establishing an industrial concern without the need for a no-objection certificate. Mr Khattak went on to offer his support and commitment to ensuring that the cement project could be a success. He called the project an important symbol of a greatly-improved business environment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. British Trade Director for Pakistan, Belinda Lewis, said Asian Precious Minerals had recognised the improved security and investment climate in the region and Pakistan, and realised the clear potential for future growth in the country. Published under In 2008 Hamilton County and the city cut a deal with Alstom Power to allow the company huge property tax breaks on their land and plant equipment. In return for the sweetheart tax deal, Alstom agreed to invest $265 million in the plant and create 300 new high paying jobs in Chattanooga. Did Alstom keep its promise? No. A few new jobs briefly came and then the people were let go. Alstom met their investment commitment, primarily by buying factory equipment for them to use. That equipment was sold last month. Let's review: Alstom gets a $13+ million tax break. The city and county get no jobs and the investment is sold. Let's examine how we got here and learn from it. Alstom took the tax breaks and things started to unravel. Local officials and Alstom told citizens that the economic climate of nuclear power caused Alstom's downturn. That's not entirely accurate. Alstom fell on hard times in part because of bad corporate behavior. Before the tax break was offered, it was well known to investors and others in their industry that Alstom was a company in financial difficulty. If Chattanooga or Hamilton County officials had rigorous procedures or seriously vetted tax break recipients, they would have seen this train wreck coming. Tax break vetting was awful then and--despite what Mayor Berke's administration says--it's not much better now. Alstom corporate executives were under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. About 2008, DOJ opened a multi-year case involving Alstom's long-term history of bribing international government. Alstom employees in the U.S. perpetrated some of the illegal actions. In late 2014, people were arrested, the company pled guilty and agreed to pay $772 million to resolve the criminal charges. Few were interested in buying Alstom products after that. In 2015 the company sold all of their local assets to General Electric. Alstoms tax breaks were worth about $2 million per year in tax savings to the company or $2 million in lost revenue to the city/county. Oddly enough the sale to GE included the transferable gift of continuing the 15-year tax break package. No responsibilities (jobs) to the city or county, just a tax break. It boggles the mind that the city and county would have signed a contract allowing tax breaks to be transferred without responsibilities. This is another example of poor local government decision-making. It illustrates why our taxpayer-funded and mayor-directed city and county attorneys should start reading the tax break contracts written by company attorneys before passing them on to the City Council and County Commission for approval. A Feb. 3 article published on Chattanoogan.com states that, in the fall of 2016, the city and county hired the Waller law firm in Nashville to negotiate with Alstom. In a letter dated Nov. 30, Waller attorney James M. Weaver wrote: The City and County can and should recoup the full amount of taxes abated on the real and personal property subject to the PILOT agreement and owed to them from the inception. Weaver placed the total cost of the PILOT agreement at $13 million from 2010 through 2016.The same article indicated that the city and county mayors are proud and happy to accept a $6 million settlement in lieu of the $13 million loss owed the city and county. Why should citizens be happy citizens with a settlement of half the money? Folks, the city/county rip-off goes much further than $13 million. Alstom received the local $13 million value and millions more in grants and credits from the state's approval and facilitation of millions of federal dollars to Alstom as part of President Obama's stimulus program. The $6 million is a drop in the bucket of what is owed to the city and county. Is this settlement the best the city and county can do? Trust me. If this situation had gone to a jury trial, we would have done much better. Deborah Scott Chattanooga * * * It was not the city or county that got ripped off it never is. It was taxpayers as always. Did any city or county official lose money? Did any city or county employee lose a paycheck? This election cycle will be no different than the last. Political promises for accountability, less crime, affordable housing, work-force development programs, all written on Charmin that quickly dissolves after election day. The taxpayers get the corncobs. The fools are the people who continue to believe this time it will be different. Politicians know this; the gullible dont. Stephen Greenfield * * * Only government would pat themselves on the back for a less than mediocre outcome. Alstom entered into a written contract with the city of Chattanooga and Hamilton County to create jobs in lieu of paying property taxes. Bottom line, Alstom reneged and must be held accountable to the contract provisions and pay back the property taxes forgiven. Alstom has resources and needs to pay back the property taxes in full, not less than 50 percent. Alstom needs to pay back 100 percent to we the people, called taxpayers. I simply cannot fathom that Mayor Andy Berke would color this pathetic deal as a job well done. If the millions not paid back were the mayor's funds, they would certainly pursue recapturing those dollars with zeal. Spare me the false media, press release nonsense from the puzzle girls,and job well done from the mayors, this is a horrible deal. April Eidson * * * Once again, this is a perfect example of government corruption and crony capitalism at the expense of the hardworking tax paying citizens of Chattanooga. There is a serious problem when our elected officials are in the business of giving taxpayer dollars (i.e. tax breaks) to businesses like Alstom, Erlanger, Walnut Hill Apartments, and many others. Picking favorites and giving taxpayer money to friends is not governing nor in the best interests of all the citizens of Chattanooga. Quick note to all our government officials, you were elected to be fiduciaries and good stewards of taxpayer dollars. This means avoiding groupthink and making rational decisions in the best interest of all taxpayers and not just a select few of your friends. Giving away millions of taxpayer dollars to your friends at Alstom, Erlanger, Walnut Hill Apartments and all the other PILOT programs is not being a good fiduciary. That is money that should/could have been used to address the shortage of police officers or other noteworthy causes. No wonder each day Chattanooga continues to lose ground on our competitors. John Madzin A Hixson woman was one of two people revived by the same trio of Port Authority police officers at LaGuardia Airport on Saturday. An 89-year-old man was Orlando suffered a heart attack and was found lying on the floor without a pulse, according to the New York Daily News. Joseph Miranne, Jason Berrios and Anthony Oliveto performed CPR to revive the man, who was taken to a hospital. Then the 67-year-old woman from Hixson had a heart attack while riding a bus outside Terminal C. The same officers shocked the woman with a portable defibrillator to revive her. Police said the trail of a stolen car that led police on a chase in Middle Valley led through several people who wound up in jail. Police concluded that the vehicle was eventually passed down to the girlfriend of Lucas Aaron Dobbs, who let him use it. Dobbs, 28, of 2527 Love Lane, Soddy Daisy, was charged with speeding, not having insurance, violating the seat belt law, driving left of center, reckless driving, reckless endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, driving on a revoked license and felony evading arrest. A deputy said he was running radar on Daisy Dallas Road on Jan. 24 when a vehicle went by going 54 mph in a 35 mph zone. He said he tried to stop the car, but it sped away. The vehicle it went along Middle Valley Road at a high rate of speed before turning into Kensington Hills Drive. The deputy backed off as the vehicle went over a hill. When the deputy got to the other side, the driver had gone. He had left the vehicle running and it careened into a utility pole at a cul de sac. A wallet with several different IDs was found in the vehicle. The next day, the Sheriff's Office received a call from the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office noting that the owner of the vehicle that was abandoned by the driver is deceased. Her son, Bayless Sullivan, had been driving it until he was arrested. He gave the vehicle to his girlfriend, Dovie Mae Vinson Williams. She drove it until she got put in jail as well. The vehicle then passed to Jennifer Renee Long (Buie), who was likewise arrested. Ms. Long advised the staff at the county workhouse that she allowed Savannah Marie Vines to use it. She was listed as the girlfriend of Dobbs. The ID cards included one for Dobbs, another for Ms. Williams and another for Ms. Long. Police said a computer and several cell phones were found in the vehicle under the seat. One phone kept getting text messages for someone named Lucas and many callers wanted to know where Lucas is. Deputies said Dobbs "has a history of running and being uncooperative with law enforcement." A Gastonia, N.C., man came to Chattanooga after he said he made payments via Facebook for a truck he planned to buy. The man said he sent a money gram via Walmart for $200 and another for $500.00 to an individual who was supposedly selling the truck. The seller was listed as Alexandra Juan Thomas of 4707 Sabrina Lane, Hixson, he told police. The man said Mr. Thomas was to deliver the truck to him in Gastonia. He said has not received the truck and now the seller's profile is gone from Facebook. The North Carolina man said he had filed a report with the police in Gastonia and they told him to also file in Chattanooga. * * * At the Walmart on Highway 153, store personnel said Jeffrey L. Baggett was observed selecting assorted merchandise. He then passed all points of sale without paying for the items. Baggett was then detained and cited in lieu of arrest for theft under $500. The assorted meat he took was recovered. It was valued at $71.32. * * * At the McDonald's on Third Street a black male became aggressive in the lobby and threw his drink on the register. This caused the system to crash and permanently damage the computer. Store personnel said it would cost around $1500 to replace it. The man was later Identified by McDonald's staff to be Jerterrius Akridge. Warrants were obtained on Akridge for vandalism over $1,000. * * * Police answered a shoplifting call at Spencer's Gifts at Hamilton Place. A loss prevention specialist said she observed Harold Maradiaga Ramirez, put a hat in his backpack and then walk out the door without paying for the hat. She immediately detained Ramirez, who admitted to her that he did in fact steal the hat. While waiting for police, Ramirez also admitted to stealing two T-shirts from Hot Topic, which he had in his backpack. The Hot Topic store manager and an employee were notified and met police at Spencer's Gifts. All items were recovered and given back to the respective stores. Ramirez was issued a citation in lieu of arrest. * * * An E. 48th Street woman said she allowed one of her friends to take her vehicle to his shop to fix it earlier in the day. Her friend arrived at the house at 4 a.m. to get the vehicle. Around 11:30 a.m., her friend returned saying his ex-girlfriend came to his shop and stole the vehicle. The woman did not have a phone number for this friend or the location where he took the vehicle to have it fixed. * * * A black cloth-type bag was found in bushes outside Buffalo Wild Wings at 120 Market. There was no ID along with the several hundred dollars inside. The bag and cash were turned in to the police property room. * * * Tommy Fuget of 6th Avenue said an unknown suspect has stolen his vehicle. He last saw the vehicle parked in the back of his house late at night. He used a different vehicle when leaving for work the next morning, and, after returning home, realized his vehicle parked in the back yard had been taken. It was a white 1995 Nissan Maxima. A neighbor arrived on scene to find out why police were at the location and mentioned hearing a vehicle speeding off down the road earlier in the day around 11 a.m. * * * As the CVS Pharmacy on Lee Highway was closing an unknown white female stated her name was Jessica and she had worked there yesterday and left her name badge in the pharmacy. The woman was allowed to walk into the pharmacy past the safe area and was seen videotaping with her phone as she walked past the safe. The woman who let her in said she did not know if the woman actually worked at the store or not because she was off and there have been floaters in the area. The woman was accompanied by an unknown male who attempted to hide his face as he walked by the camera. The store employee said the whole incident was strange, and she requested the incident be documented. The woman was described as approximately 5'1", 115 pounds, with long dark hair. The white male was about 5'10", 160 pounds, with dark hair. * * * At Patten Towers on E. 11th Street, police spoke to a woman who said that her neighbor had been talking to her grandmother telling her that she drinks Dr. Peppers. The complaintant said that upset her "because she does not want Lina telling everyone what she is doing all the time." An officer told the woman it is "OK if she wants to drink Dr. Peppers. It is not illegal." He advised the woman not to let Lina in her apartment again to see what she is drinking. My grandmother was Elizabeth McDonald and, in all the years we were growing up, Mammaw was the most Christian person and genuinely Godly woman I have ever known. One summer day in the mid-1990s, she called me out of the blue to say shed been praying for a man named Byron Beckwith and well, that the Lord had put it on her heart to urge me to go see this man and tell him about salvation. Lordy, Mammaw, you know about him? Byron De La Beckwith is a Mississippi legend. Ive known about him forever and, when I heard he was living on Signal Mountain before the Feds grabbed him, I liked to have died! Everybody knows hes the one that killed Medgar Evers if I was to see the guy I'd only be because I wanted to whip him! Hes a vile human being. He should have been shot a long time ago! That was a dumb thing to say the Biblical onslaught predictable -- but, my goodness, the whole world knew the man was a murderer and, whats more, far worse. My grandmother told me Jesus was about forgiveness and I told her I loved her and Jesus deeply but for both to forgive me for not getting involved. I was of the mind the Savior did want me to have anything to do with anybody filled with such hate, Eternal Life notwithstanding. Later that same morning I saw my uncle, Lee Anderson, in the hall and he asked me when I was leaving for Mississippi. Mammaw had even called him, trying to get our familys premier Sunday School teacher to urge me to go. He, of course, laughed until he cried but I still stayed out of my grandmothers way a month or so. Whew, talk about a pact with the devil! All of this came flooding back this weekend when History.com reminded me in my morning reading that this weekend marked the 34th anniversary of the day De La Beckwith was finally sentenced to a life in prison. Before then it had been the biggest travesty of justice in the history of the state, if not the nation. Two earlier trials not long after the cold-blooded murder in the mid-60s -- were hung, which was what should have happened to Beckwith with a study oak tree branch in the beginning. Both trials were ludicrous, each panel made up of all white males, and during the second trial the fix was blatant; Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett himself get this! -- interrupted courtroom testimony by Mrs. Evers to actually shake Beckwiths hand in full view of the entire court! The judges reaction? His Honor wanted a handshake, too. The entire nation was absolutely outraged! Bobby Kennedy, the Attorney General at the time, almost fainted. Beckwith murdered Medgar Evers in the driveway of his home on June 12, 1963, with a snipers rifle. Byron was a World War II machine gunner with the Marines and something of a hero; he fought valiantly at Guadalcanal and was shot in the waist at Tarawa. But he was also so horribly twisted he fell in with the KKK and legend has it was truly a sadistic and brutal psychopath. The Evers murder was bland compared to other things he and his ilk actually did to horribly tarnish the states reputation to this day. One year before Medgar was murdered, the charismatic black leader stood on the steps of the Lyceum at Ole Miss to accompany James Meredith as he became the first black to enroll there. Contrary to what you may see in the movies, the vast majority of students were happy to integrate the school, this even long before movies like The Ghosts of Mississippi and In the Heat of the Night being shown at the Oxford picture show. After Medgar Evers was killed, it seemed integration intensified for a year or two but soon the students at Ole Miss were back to beer and girls, not necessarily in that order. In the spring of 1968 I was a noted student and my crowd wasnt bothered by the rumors in the least. That is, until my birthday April 4 when the paralyzing news came Dr. Martin Luther King had been fatally shot in Memphis, some 65 miles away. That was the first national tragedy that really affected me personally, realizing I was so close to real evil. Within an hour that day a car with loudspeakers mounted on the roof drove slowly through the Ole Miss campus, announcing: Spring vacation starts immediately! Leave the campus now. No meals will be served on campus tonight. Please leave the university and go home now. As a typical college kid, I later went back and studied for myself the genuine horrors of how one people with white skin could act towards another people with black skin. Not to this very day can I get my arms around that. Anyone who goes through history and seriously studies Medgar Evers unfailing quest for what was right, or what Martin Luther King was really like as a human being, cant help but be enormously moved. My favorite example of all-time came about a month after Rosa Parks famously refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery. That was in December of 1955 and, in January, Dr. King was helping organize a peaceful black boycott of the city buses. A thunderous explosion ripped through the house where he and his family were guests. Dr. King rushed home to check on his wife and daughter who were not hurt -- and found a number of white journalists trapped in the house by a seething and vicious black mob who completely surrounded the house and understandably wanted revenge. Now because the news media was inside there is a faultless account of what then took place. With the acrid stench of dynamite still in the air, Dr. King walked out on the front porch, held one hand high, and said these words: * * * Dont get panicky. Dont do anything panicky. Dont get your weapons. If you have weapons, take them home. He who lives by the sword will perish by the sword. Remember that is what Jesus said. We are not advocating violence. We want to love our enemies. I want you to love our enemies. Be good to them. This is what we must live by. We must meet hate with love. I did not start this boycott. I was asked by you to serve as your spokesman. I want it to be known the length and breadth of this land that if I am stopped, this movement will not stop. If I am stopped, our work will not stop. For what we are doing is right. What we are doing is just. And God is with us. * * * With that, Martin Luther King went inside and got two large baskets that had been used to deliver flowers: As he then escorted the news media through the crowd, he smiled and thanked everybody for their love. Please put any weapons in these baskets You will not have any need for them. There was never an arrest made in the bombing but Im told Kings reaction I am moved every time I read it -- will never be forgotten in Montgomery. I am also told that right after De La Beckwith gained notoriety in the early 60s, there were some who believed he was in Montgomery four years before when that house bomb exploded. They think they saw him. Shortly after he was arrested in 1963 and before the first trial began, one of the greatest Southern writers ever known, Eudora Welty, wrote a sensational article that was published in The New Yorker magazine. Welty was already known for her vibrant short stories about Southern characters, but this was before her 1972 Pulitzer Prize winner, The Optimists Daughter. Trust me, Eudora was a female Faulkner. Eudora lived in Jackson for almost her entire life and was well connected in the city and the state. Her New Yorker story fiction, mind you was written as though it was through the eyes of the man who assassinated Medgar Evers. It was so accurate it was uncanny, this based on testimony that was yet to be heard, and her instinct or inside skinny made the article the talk of the nation and, more particularly, a must read through the South. Weltys article was entitled, Where Is The Voice Coming From? and, as she later revealed in a page-one interview: Whoever the murderer is, I know him: not his identity, but his coming about, in this time and place. That is, I ought to have learned by now, from here, what such a man, intent on such a deed, had going on in his mind. I wrote his storymy fictionin the first person: about that character's point of view". Oh my goodness! It was the perfect fodder to keep the murder by De La Beckwith hot for the next 30 years. But Beckwith was far from done. In 1973 the FBI got a tip that De La Beckwith planned to murder A.I. Botnick, a leader of the B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation League in New Orleans. Botnick had said some pointed things about white Southerners and their racial hatred and there was a hit ordered. The cops waited until they could catch De La Beckwith on the long Lake Pontchartrain Bridge you cant hide. They cornered him front and back and, he couldnt run only swim. They confiscated several loaded firearms, a map with highlighted directions to Botnick's house, and a dynamite time bomb. Soon De La Beckwith did three years in Angola Prison and survived several attempts on his life in such a cauldron. Just before he went to do his time, Byron was said to have been ordained as a minister in the Temple Memorial Baptist Church of Knoxville, which I always figured is how he ended up on Signal Mountain. He was paroled in the early 80s but Evers wife was tenacious and soon the Clarion-Ledger did some investigative reporting. In 1993 De La Beckwith was arrested by the FBI and the Hamilton County Sheriffs Department and extradited to Jackson for the third murder trial. This time there were four whites and eight blacks on the jury. Byron De La Beckwith was finally brought to justice, some 30 years after he often bragged about it. I was pretty relieved to find out he was an ordained preacher. I always figured that after Mammaw called, maybe Bryon De La Beckwith had enough time to work out his own salvation. I hope he did before he died behind bars in 2001. But, I gotta tell you this, stuff like this has happened to me all my life and sometimes when I wake up in the quiet of the night, it is why I can giggle myself back to sleep. royexum@aol.com Five Jewish-themed, award-winning films produced in Israel, Hungary, Sweden, and Germany will be shown on five consecutive Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. beginning March 22 at the Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace Road. These films are suitable for those 16 and older. Individual tickets are $7.00 per person and include complimentary popcorn and a soft drink. These films have garnered international film awards and nominations, and have received recognition at film festivals throughout the United States, Europe and Israel. Sponsors for the Series include Chattanooga Allergy Clinic; Erlanger Health Systems; Kleen-a-matic; Market Street Partners; Monen Family Restaurants; Pinnacle Financial Partners; Southport Capital; The Chattanooga Times Free Press; Chattanooga Symphony and Opera; and the Chattanooga Theatre Centre, along with over 80 individual sponsors. For more information, contact the Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga (423) 493-0270. An event for individual and corporate sponsors of the Jewish Film Series will be held March 15 at 6 p.m. and feature a screening of the film Harmonia. In this film, Sarah, the harpist of the Jerusalem Philharmonic, is married to Abraham, the conductor of the orchestra. The story is told as the biblical story of Sarah, Abraham, Hagar, Yitzhak and Ishmael, from the book of Genesis, taking place in present day Israel. For information about individual sponsorships, contact Ann Treadwell, Program Director, at 423-493-0270. The Series schedule is as follows: March 22 The Womens Balcony 1 hour, 36 minutes Hebrew with English subtitles A close knit congregation fractures along gender lines after a catastrophe at their synagogue. The film shows the tensions and relationships between the different groups within Orthodox Judaism in Jerusalem, and provides a cautionary and universal tale about religious fundamentalism. March 29 Fever at Dawn 1 hour, 40 minutes Swedish, Hungarian with English subtitles This is the story of a love born in the strangest of circumstances between two long-suffering survivors of the Holocaust. Their love overcomes all the obstacles in its path. The story is set in the Swedish rehabilitation camps during the autumn and winter of 1945. April 5 1945 1 hour, 31 minutes Hungarian with English subtitles On an August day in 1945, two Orthodox Jews arrive at the train station of a European village with a mysterious box labeled fragrances. The town clerk fears the men may be heirs of the villages deported Jews and expects them to demand back their illegally acquired property, which was confiscated during the war. Other villagers are afraid more survivors will come and pose a threat to the property and possessions they have claimed as their own. April 19 The Last Mensch 1 hour, 33 minutes German, Hungarian with English subtitles Born as Menachen Teitelbaum, Marcus Schwarz escaped from Auschwitz with his life, only to exterminate his Jewishness. When faced with his own mortality, Marcus sets out with an unlikely friend on a journey that will irrevocably change both of them. April 26 AKA Nadia 1 hour, 55 minutes Hebrew, Arabic with English subtitles Maya is a happily married mother of two. She is a successful choreographer and everything seems perfect.but this life is a lie. Unbeknownst to her family and everyone around her, she has a hidden past. An average of 25 films are reviewed by a committee of dedicated volunteers each year in order to choose 6 feature films. Films that have been screened at major national and international film festivals, recommended by peers throughout the United States, and brought to the committees attention by film makers are included in the selection process. Past selections have included Academy Award nominees and winners, as well as Israeli Ophir Award winners. Over the past ten years we have included films from twelve different countries. Here is the latest jail booking report from Hamilton County: AGULLAR, MARIO ALBERTO 10429 DOLLY POND ROAD OOLTEWAH, 37363 Age at Arrest: 21 years old Arresting Agency: Tenn Highway Patrol DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE --- ALVEY, SHANA DIANE 7111 TERESA ST. BIRCHWOOD, 37308 Age at Arrest: 28 years old Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) --- BAUGH, CODY SEBASTIEN 5220 CREEKS BEND LANE HIXSON, 37343 Age at Arrest: 20 years old Arresting Agency: Hamilton County ROBBERY (STRONG ARMED ) POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA FOR RESALE TAMPERING WITH OR FABRICATING EVIDENCE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA --- BRAKE, TIMOTHY CHARLES 4504 DUMACK ROAD CHATTANOOGA, 37343 Age at Arrest: 43 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga VIOLATION OF ORDER OF PROTECTION --- BRAUCH, JENNIFER LEA 824 CLIFT STREET CHATTNAOOGA, 37305 Age at Arrest: 41 years old Arresting Agency: Hamilton County THEFT OF PROPERTY THEFT OF IDENTITY FALSE REPORTS --- BRAVO, ALDANI OSMERI GUILLEN UNKOWN , Age at Arrest: 22 years old Arresting Agency: East Ridge DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE --- CASTLEBERRY, BRENT LEE 127 CHRIS LN CHICKAMAUGA, 30707 Age at Arrest: 28 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA REGISTRATION, EXPIRED DRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSE POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING)---CLARK, ERIC JUSTIN1688 NORTH CEDAR LANE FLINTSTONE, 30725Age at Arrest: 28 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaDRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSEDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCEOPEN CONTAINER LAWFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITYRESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESSLEAVING SCENE OF ACCIDENT W/DAMAGE TO VEHICLE---COLLAKE, MATHEW JOSEPH7303 ASTEROID LANE HARRISON, 37341Age at Arrest: 22 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyDOMESTIC ASSAULT---DAVIS, CHARLES MICHAEL1409 CINDERELLA ROAD LOOKOUT MTN, 30750Age at Arrest: 35 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIACONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IN SCHEDULE IIPOSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE---GABRIEL, JOHNNYUNKNOWN ,Age at Arrest: 25 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaDRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSE---GETER, JAMES EDWARD3424 VINEWOOD DR CHATTANOOGA, 37406Age at Arrest: 23 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaVIOLATION OF PROBATION ( POSSESSION OF COCAINE FOR---GILES, AARON SCOTT2315 DAISY STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37406Age at Arrest: 34 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaDOMESTIC ASSAULTASSAULTVIOLATION OF PROBATION ( DOMESTIC ASSAULT )---GUNN, COURTENAY TREMAINE4209 MALINDA DRIVE CHATTANOOGA, 37416Age at Arrest: 37 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyFAILURE TO APPEAR---HARDEN, TERRY JAMESSODDY DAISY, 37379Age at Arrest: 48 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyVIOLATION OF PROBATION (DRUGS GENERAL)VIOLATION OF PROBATION (AGGRAVATED ASSAULT)---HARRISON, EDDIE LEON2072 LAKESIDE LN HIXSON, 37415Age at Arrest: 34 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyFALSE REPORTS---JAMES, DUSTIN BLAKE503 PITTS ROAD HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest: 19 years oldArresting Agency: Red BankROBBERY STRONG ARMEDPOSSESSION OF ALCOHOL (UNDER AGE)---KENDRICK, PATRICK GLENN3200 STONE ROAD SW APT P15 ATLANTA, 30331Age at Arrest: 31 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaCRIMINAL TRESPASSINGDISORDERLY CONDUCTFALSE REPORTSRESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESSEVADING ARRESTRESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESS---KOGER, JIMMY ODELL935 HUNT ROAD CLEVELAND, 37323Age at Arrest: 30 years oldArresting Agency: Soddy DaisyFAILURE TO APPEAR---LAYNE, STEPHANIE7432 DAVIS MILL RD HARRISON, 37341Age at Arrest: 33 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaPOSS OF HEROIN FOR RESALEPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA---MCELWEE, CODY NICHOLAS8441 DUNNHILL LANE HIXSON, 37434Age at Arrest: 19 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaVIOLATION OF PROBATION ( VANDALISM/ MALICIOUS MIS---MORRIS, CHARLES KING721 EAST 11TH STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37402Age at Arrest: 62 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaRESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESSPUBLIC INTOXICATION---MOSTILLER, DEMETRIC LEBRON1109 GROOVE STREET APT9 CHATTANOOGA, 37402Age at Arrest: 43 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCEFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITYFOLLOWING TOO CLOSELYIMPLIED CONSENT LAW - DRIVERS---ORR, TAMMY KAY4100 MCCAYHILL ROAD CHATTANOOGA, 37341Age at Arrest: 49 years oldArresting Agency: Red BankRESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESSCRIMINAL TRESPASSING---PENNEY, TERRY LAMON806 TROTTER LANE HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest: 51 years oldArresting Agency: CollegedaleDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEOPEN CONTAINER LAW---PEREZ-MORALES, ADULFO NICOLAS1501 E 17TH STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37404Age at Arrest: 19 years oldArresting Agency: Tenn Highway PatrolDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE---SLEDGE, CLARENCE LOUIS5008 16TH AVENUE CHATTANOOGA, 37402Age at Arrest: 35 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIAEVADING ARREST---SMITH, ALICIA MARIE84 NEW ENGLAND ROAD WILDWOOD, 30757Age at Arrest: 32 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaDOMESTIC ASSAULT---SMITH, SCOTTIE RAY103 LEGGITT RD SALE CREEK, 37373Age at Arrest: 36 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---SNOW, JONAS COLEMAN272 SNOW DR CHATTANOOGA, 30707Age at Arrest: 41 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCEDISORDERLY CONDUCT---TAYLOR, MARVIN DARRELL101 E. 20 TH STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37408Age at Arrest: 55 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaPUBLIC INTOXICATION---THOMAS, TOMMY LEE1813 BARNES COURT CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest: 43 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaPOSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMED---WADE, ASHLEE ANN9233 PETTY LANE OOTEWAH, 37363Age at Arrest: 27 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaVIOLATION OF PROBATION (THEFT OF PROPERTY)---WALKER, LEON MANNING1718 CANNON DRIVE CHATTANOOGA, 37411Age at Arrest: 56 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaSTOP SIGN VIOLATIONDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE---WEHUNT, KIMBERLY ANN8952 HARRISON BAY RD HARRISON, 37341Age at Arrest: 38 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE---WILLIAMS, TODD ANTHONY1119 LINDY LANE CHATTANOOGA, 37412Age at Arrest: 25 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyPOSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCECONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IN SCHEDULE IIPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA Here are the mug shots: AGULLAR, MARIO ALBERTO Age at Arrest: 21 Date of Birth: 08/01/1995 Arresting Agency: Tenn Highway Patrol Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE BAUGH, CODY SEBASTIEN Age at Arrest: 20 Date of Birth: 12/03/1996 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROBAION (CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION ) FAILURE TO APPEAR BRAKE, TIMOTHY CHARLES Age at Arrest: 43 Date of Birth: 12/10/1973 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF ORDER OF PROTECTION BRAUCH, JENNIFER LEA Age at Arrest: 41 Date of Birth: 05/13/1975 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY THEFT OF IDENTITY FALSE REPORTS BRAVO, ALDANI OSMERI GUILLEN Age at Arrest: 22 Date of Birth: 08/22/1994 Arresting Agency: East Ridge Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE CASTLEBERRY, BRENT LEE Age at Arrest: 28 Date of Birth: 02/08/1988 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA REGISTRATION, EXPIRED DRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSE POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING) COLLAKE, MATHEW JOSEPH Age at Arrest: 22 Date of Birth: 10/31/1994 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT DAVIS, CHARLES MICHAEL Age at Arrest: 35 Date of Birth: 04/23/1981 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IN SCHEDULE II POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE GABRIEL, JOHNNY Age at Arrest: 25 Date of Birth: 01/15/1992 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): DRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSE GETER, JAMES EDWARD Age at Arrest: 23 Date of Birth: 05/16/1993 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROBATION ( POSSESSION OF COCAINE FOR GILES, AARON SCOTT Age at Arrest: 34 Date of Birth: 11/28/1982 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT ASSAULT VIOLATION OF PROBATION ( DOMESTIC ASSAULT ) GUNN, COURTENAY TREMAINE Age at Arrest: 37 Date of Birth: 01/09/1980 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): FAILURE TO APPEAR HARRISON, EDDIE LEON Age at Arrest: 34 Date of Birth: 10/03/1982 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): FALSE REPORTS JAMES, DUSTIN BLAKE Age at Arrest: 19 Date of Birth: 04/30/1997 Arresting Agency: Red Bank Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): ROBBERY STRONG ARMED POSSESSION OF ALCOHOL (UNDER AGE) KENDRICK, PATRICK GLENN Age at Arrest: 31 Date of Birth: 09/22/1985 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): CRIMINAL TRESPASSING DISORDERLY CONDUCT FALSE REPORTS RESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESS EVADING ARREST RESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESS KOGER, JIMMY ODELL Age at Arrest: 30 Date of Birth: 09/28/1985 Arresting Agency: Soddy Daisy Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): FAILURE TO APPEAR LAYNE, STEPHANIE Age at Arrest: 33 Date of Birth: 05/14/1971 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): POSS OF HEROIN FOR RESALE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA MCELWEE, CODY NICHOLAS Age at Arrest: 19 Date of Birth: 07/11/1997 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROBATION ( VANDALISM/ MALICIOUS MIS MORRIS, CHARLES KING Age at Arrest: 62 Date of Birth: 10/31/1954 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): RESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESS PUBLIC INTOXICATION MOSTILLER, DEMETRIC LEBRON Age at Arrest: 43 Date of Birth: 12/20/1973 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY IMPLIED CONSENT LAW - DRIVERS ORR, TAMMY KAY Age at Arrest: 49 Date of Birth: 02/06/1967 Arresting Agency: Red Bank Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): RESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESS CRIMINAL TRESPASSING PENNEY, TERRY LAMON Age at Arrest: 51 Date of Birth: 09/26/1965 Arresting Agency: Collegedale Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE OPEN CONTAINER LAW PEREZ-MORALES, ADULFO NICOLAS Age at Arrest: 19 Date of Birth: 12/15/1997 Arresting Agency: Tenn Highway Patrol Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE SMITH, ALICIA MARIE Age at Arrest: 32 Date of Birth: 04/05/1984 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT SMITH, SCOTTIE RAY Age at Arrest: 36 Date of Birth: 09/09/1980 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) SNOW, JONAS COLEMAN Age at Arrest: 41 Date of Birth: 07/09/1975 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE DISORDERLY CONDUCT TAYLOR, MARVIN DARRELL Age at Arrest: 55 Date of Birth: 04/06/1961 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): PUBLIC INTOXICATION THOMAS, TOMMY LEE Age at Arrest: 43 Date of Birth: 08/30/1973 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): POSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMED WADE, ASHLEE ANN Age at Arrest: 27 Date of Birth: 02/18/1989 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROBATION (THEFT OF PROPERTY) WALKER, LEON MANNING Age at Arrest: 56 Date of Birth: 10/08/1960 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 02/05/2017 Charge(s): STOP SIGN VIOLATION DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE A wide variety of communities have focused on Donald Trump's recent Oval Office signing ceremonies, but only one among them has turned close attention to the tool with which the new U.S. president affixes his jagged signature to executive orders. I refer, of course, to members of the internet forum fpgeeks.com-a nonpartisan commission of Fountain Pen Geeks. Studying video clips with the attention of forensic experts ("looks as if the ink was flowing all around the tip from where the barrel ends all the way to the paper surface") and trusting a comrade who claimed insider knowledge, the group surmised that the world's most powerful Sharpie fan has recently been wielding a Cross Century II black lacquer rollerball converted into a felt-tip. "I'm just glad they weren't fountain pens," wrote one geek, using the handle fountainpenkid. Wait-you didn't know fountain pen geeks existed? Oh. Well, they do, and there are many distinct subspecies. Members include aesthetes who admire the exceptional resin work of Hawaii's Kanilea Pen Co., lawyers flashing Graf von Faber-Castells, speculators snapping up R2-D2 tributes from a reenergized A.T. Cross, and even maniacs willing to pay 1.4 million euros ($1.5 million) for Montblanc's Johannes Kepler High Artistry Stella Nova Limited Edition 1, a pen named for an astronomer and decorated with 570 diamonds and 5,294 sapphires to capture the mood of the Milky Way. (It's yet to be proven that the last group actually exists, but Montblanc is certainly hoping so.) Like the mechanical watch, the fountain pen has survived by pulling a neat trick: transforming its obsolescence into an aura of indulgent luxury. You might think this writing instrument, distributing ink through the slit in its nib, was outmoded around the 1950s, when ballpoint pen manufacturers finally fixed the glitches in their product. And you'd be right. But according to market-research firm Euromonitor, global fountain pen retail sales were up 2.1 percent in 2016 from a year earlier, reaching $1.046 billion. The overall market for personal luxury goods was flat over the same period, and the contrast suggests that good pens have sturdier value, culturally and otherwise, than the fancy handbags and cashmere overcoats in which they're stowed. More impressive yet, fountain pen sales have grown every year for the past decade (except in 2009). The fountain pen has not gone the way of the horse and buggy. Rather, the correct analogy is with the horse itself: It would be peculiar to use one as your only mode of transportation, but it's a privilege to trot one out on special occasions. "The relevance that fountain pens and handwriting had is diminished," says Nicky Pessaroff, editor-in-chief of Pen World magazine. "It's become more of a lifestyle choice and an identity choice. It's a throwback and a cultural comment." Wait-you don't know Pen World? It's a bimonthly glossy that premiered in 1988 to serve baby boomers who were beginning to congregate at a scrum of new of pen trade shows. These aficionados are still on the scene, trading in all the venerable old brands, including Sheaffer, S.T. Dupont, and Faber-Castell. The boomers are joined, on the convention floor and (especially) on the internet, by Gen Xers and millennials drawn to "analog tools," Pessaroff says. "I don't even know if I'd call them collectors. They're more enthusiasts, and not just pen enthusiasts. There are art enthusiasts, people into old-school desk accessories." Their passions range from hunting down the gorgeous nibs of the U.S.'s Franklin Christoph pens, to obsessing over the rich lacquers of Japan's Namiki line of instruments, to chronicling the elegant technical advances of Germany's Lamy. Still, stateside, the subculture's enthusiasm has its limits, and there are only so many high school graduation presents to give. According to Euromonitor, North America was the one zone in which fountain pen sales shrank in 2016, down 3.5 percent year-over-year. Meanwhile, 2016 sales were up most sharply in South America, a key growth sector in recent history. This fact seems connected to the sort of paper-and-ink traditions that have yielded Buenos Aires's rich culture of bookstores, not to mention Brazil's street culture of vendors pushing knockoff Montblancs. This time last year, Euromonitor forecast long-term growth in China, in an analysis further noting that the Communist Party's crackdown on graft means a gift to a government official is now more likely to be a tasteful three-figure pen than a gaudy six-figure watch. To be clear, far greater forces than Politburo corruption scandals are driving the fountain pen business in the Asia-Pacific market. In 2016 the region accounted for 48 percent of worldwide sales. As Pessaroff notes, cultures with logogrammatic languages have always had "a reverence for handwriting as an art form, not just as a form of communication." Steve Wiederlight, co-owner of Manhattan's Fountain Pen Hospital, counts Singapore among the most important of the 65 countries to which he ships. The store, founded 71 years ago by his father, bills itself as the last remaining high-end pen shop in the U.S. In 1988-clearly a banner year for the penaissance-the senior Wiederlight told the New York Times that sales had more than tripled over the most recent two years: "You know why? Because everyone has their hands on the computer. People want to write." The son does brisk business at a shop with "2,500 to 3,000 pens on display," he says, and-hidden from public view-the repair department that gives the store its name. Up front, relatively humble numbers such as the Pilot Vanishing Point share space with the illustrious models from Krone, Caran d'Ache, and Visconti. Each of the grand brands warrants a display case, many of which feature at least one photo-celebrated figure. I'm not just talking about Hugh Jackman's Montblanc ad, either. There are pens to honor John Hancock and Abraham Lincoln, Miles Davis and Andy Warhol, Ben Franklin and Buzz Aldrin and Harry Houdini. They add up to a curious crew of giants. In sum they speak, with a tug of nostalgia, to the precise emotional pull of a fountain pen. Any doodad can be a status symbol, and any old objet d'art can be eyeballed, but from a beautiful pen flows great self-expression. Or, anyway, that's the message of the marketing and the beauty of the idea: holding craft and ritual in your hand. Fight for $15 workers in Chicago protest the nomination of Andy Puzder for Labor secretary. (Scott Olson / Getty Images) Reporting from Washington Andy Puzder, the fast-food executive who is President Trump's nominee for Labor secretary, fondly recalls his first job: scooping ice cream at Baskin-Robbins for a buck an hour as a teenager near Cleveland. "I learned a lot about inventory and customer service," the chief executive of CKE Restaurants Inc. told The Times last year. "But there's no way in the world that scooping ice cream is worth $15 an hour, and no one ever intended it would ever be something that a person could support a family on." Advertisement Those comments encapsulate the starkly different approach the Trump administration is expected to take on low-wage workers and their issues compared with the Obama administration. To President Trump and other Republicans, fast-food jobs and other low-paying work are largely for young people just getting started in the labor market. An increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 from the current $7.25 would reduce those opportunities, hurting workers and businesses, Republicans say. Advertisement That view is part of a broader Trump goal of slashing 75% of federal regulations and reducing regulatory oversight to try to stimulate economic growth and job creation. Republicans and many business owners have criticized former President Obama's efforts to expand access to overtime pay. They complained that the Labor Department has been overly aggressive in seeking back pay from employers accused of wage theft, as well as in issuing guidance limiting the ability of companies to classify workers as independent contractors and making companies take more responsibility for actions by franchise owners. (Kyle Kim) Obama and his fellow Democrats viewed federal workplace regulation as a force to push back against the sliding fortunes of lower-rung employees. The share of overall U.S. income going to workers, rather than capital, has fallen steadily since 2001, for instance. One manifestation of that trend, they argue, is that many low-wage workers these days are trying to support a family and those workers need a higher minimum wage and strong federal policies to make ends meet. "This notion that the minimum wage doesn't need to be raised because all it is is pocket change for teenagers so they can go out and buy sneakers isn't reflective of today's labor market," said Tom Perez, who was Labor secretary under Obama from 2013 until stepping down last month. "These are breadwinners for families in many, many cases," he said. Both sides can point to data to support their positions. Republicans note that the Labor Department reports minimum wage workers tend to be young. In 2015, the most recent data available, workers under 25 years old made up only about one-fifth of hourly paid workers. But they were 45% of workers earning the federal minimum wage or less. (Some workers, such as students and those earning tips, are exempt from the minimum wage.) Advertisement Overall, there were about 2.6 million workers earning at or below the minimum wage in 2015, about 3.3% of hourly paid workers, according to Labor Department statistics. "If the minimum wage were raised, these individuals would have a harder time finding jobs," said Diana Furchtgott-Roth, a former Labor Department chief economist during the George W. Bush administration. "There will be more encroachment of technology into the low-wage jobs that have served as entry points for teens and low-skilled workers," said Furchtgott-Roth, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a free-market think tank. "If you have $15 instead of $7.25 [minimum wage], then these low-skilled workers just aren't going to get hired." A 2014 report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found there were pluses and minuses of hiking the minimum wage. The report determined that an increase to $10.10 an hour would cause the loss of about 500,000 jobs nationwide. But the increase also would boost the earnings for about 16.5 million low-wage workers. Workers-rights advocates said the Labor Department statistics are misleading because they exclude many people who earn just above the minimum wage. The UC Berkeley Labor Center said a better definition of low-wage workers is those earning less than two-thirds of the median hourly wage. In California, that meant earning less than $13.63 an hour in 2014, the most recent year analyzed. Advertisement About a third of workers in the state roughly 4.8 million earned less than that amount, the Labor Center said. The average age of those workers was 35. The share of low-wage workers who were teens declined to 5% in 2014 from 16% in 1979; the share of low-wage workers ages 35 to 64 increased to 44% from 32%. Working at Carl's Jr. one of the chains owned by Puzder's CKE Restaurants isn't a starter job for Nancy Hernandez, 34. She has put in seven years at the company, working at different locations across San Jose. She's now a supervisor and makes $13 an hour. Hernandez's husband makes less than she does working at a Vietnamese restaurant. "We are living on this work," Hernandez said. "I have to pay rent" $1,700 for a one-bedroom apartment "and pay bills and buy what the kids need." There are five, ages 1 to 16. Some younger people at the restaurant move on to jobs that pay more, she acknowledges. But when presented with the argument that the minimum wage shouldn't go up because fast-food restaurants aren't meant for long-term employment, Hernandez gets defensive. "They are rich," she says of business owners generally. "They don't know anything about our lives, how we suffer to make the effort to make ends meet and live." Advertisement These are workers living paycheck to paycheck, and if they get cheated out of wages and overtime, they cant feed their families. Tom Perez, former Labor secretary The Obama administration unsuccessfully pushed for an increase in the federal minimum wage to $12 an hour and embraced the "Fight for $15" movement. That effort, led by fast-food workers, unions and liberal activists, has produced state and local minimum wage hikes in California, New York and elsewhere. Under Obama, the Labor Department's Wage and Hour Division forced employers to pay more back wages to their employees than under the Republican administration of former President George W. Bush. In the first seven years of the Obama administration, through 2015, the division recovered $1.59 billion in back wages compared with $1.46 billion for all eight years of the Bush administration. Perez said the Obama administration targeted low-wage sectors, such as fast food, because their workers were the most vulnerable. The garment industry, which has a major presence in Los Angeles, was another focus. Under Obama, the Wage and Hour Division conducted more than 1,000 investigations in Southern California alone, leading to workers getting more than $11.7 million in back wages. Trump has sent mixed messages on a federal minimum wage increase but has been clear he doesn't support anything close to $15. Puzder also has indicated he's open to a small minimum wage increase. Advertisement "Instead of creating a living wage, the fight for dramatic minimum wage increases could leave millions with no wage at all," Puzder wrote in a Wall Street Journal column in 2015. Trump's decision to nominate Puzder, whose Carpinteria-based company includes the Hardee's fast-food chain as well as Carl's Jr., outraged Democrats and worker-rights advocates. Puzder has criticized new federal rules expanding overtime pay, which have been blocked by a federal judge. He also has infuriated worker-rights advocates by talking about the advantages of increased automation in the fast-food industry. His nomination has triggered protests and an aggressive campaign to try to derail his confirmation. Puzder's Senate hearing has been delayed four times as he works to divest his business interests to avoid conflicts of interest. "This isn't a man who has the needs of workers first and foremost in his mind, and that's what the Labor secretary should be," said Judy Conti, federal advocacy coordinator at the National Employment Law Project, which advocates for workers rights. An analysis in September by Bloomberg BNA found that about 60% of Labor Department investigations of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's restaurants since 2009 resulted in at least one violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which covers minimum wage, overtime and other regulations. Advertisement But as Puzder and his supporters point out, that was one of the best performances by leading fast-food outlets. In nominating Puzder, Trump said the fast-food executive would "fight to make American workers safer and more prosperous by enforcing fair occupational safety standards and ensuring workers receive the benefits they deserve. And he will save small businesses from the crushing burdens of unnecessary regulations that are stunting job growth and suppressing wages." Even some business owners who aren't enthusiastic about all of Puzder's qualifications believe having a restaurant executive at Labor could be good. "Having someone who understands what it's like to run a business and the challenges of today's economy, hopefully that's helpful," said Michaela Mendelsohn, who owns six El Pollo Loco restaurants in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. She has doubts about Puzder's lack of government experience. And Mendelsohn, who is transgender, says she's particularly concerned about complaints lodged recently by employees of CKE Restaurants that they were discriminated against or sexually harassed. Still, she said, "There is something to be said for the difficulties of the regulations." But Democrats and workers' advocates fear that Trump's Labor Department will reduce enforcement efforts designed to protect low-wage workers. Advertisement There was some criticism of the Labor Department's more aggressive actions. One labor attorney who represented employers told a 2011 House hearing that the Wage and Hour Division had developed a "gotcha" approach that was "increasingly punitive." But Perez, who is running for chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said the Obama administration was trying to protect Americans struggling to survive in low-paying jobs. "These are workers living paycheck to paycheck, and if they get cheated out of wages and overtime, they can't feed their families because they have no margin for error," he said. Perez sees that approach changing under Trump. "I don't have a lot of optimism about the ability of low-wage workers who are victimized by systematic violations to have a receptive voice in this administration," Perez said. jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com Advertisement Follow @JimPuzzanghera on Twitter Times staff writer Natalie Kitroeff contributed to this report. ALSO People from all around California are heading to the Central Valley to defend Obamacare. Here's why Trump and Congress may make it easier to get drugs approved even if they don't work U.S. utilities seek solar power as Trump sides with coal, fossil fuels Advertisement Travel executives worry about Trump's effect on their industry Michael Scodro, a former Illinois solicitor general who most recently worked for Jenner & Block, has joined rival firm Mayer Brown, where he had worked earlier in his career. Scodro, a onetime law clerk for retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, had worked at Jenner since 2014 and before that spent more than six years as Illinois solicitor general. Advertisement Among his most recent cases and victories at Jenner was representing Hertz Corp. before the Illinois Supreme Court in a lawsuit against the city of Chicago. Last month, Chicago's requirement that car rental companies in nearby suburbs collect a tax for the city's coffers was ruled unconstitutional by the state's high court, reversing an appellate court decision. The new job marks Scodro's return to Mayer, where he spent five years earlier in his career. He also had been a summer associate at the firm, where he will join the Supreme Court and appellate practice. Advertisement Some of Scodro's mentors are still at Mayer. "It was something I couldn't pass up," he said. After his first stint at Mayer, Scodro became an assistant professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law and eventually served as Illinois solicitor general. That job entailed overseeing the civil and criminal appeals divisions of the Illinois attorney general's office, supervising more than 40 lawyers when the state was a party in federal or state actions. Scodro has argued dozens of cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, state supreme courts, federal appeals courts and all five districts of the Illinois Appellate Court, Mayer said. Scodro, 45, has "extraordinary oral advocacy and writing skills," Andrew Marovitz, a co-leader of Mayer's litigation and dispute resolution practice, said in a news release. He also cited Scodro's "vast experience representing clients in jurisdictions around the country and before the U.S. Supreme Court, together with his time as Illinois' chief appellate lawyer." Matthew Hellman, co-chairman of Jenner & Block's appellate and Supreme Court practice, said of Scodro's departure: "Mike is a great friend, and we wish him nothing but the best. I enjoyed working with him at Jenner." Scodro, who earned his law degree at Yale University, is a longtime lecturer at the University of Chicago's law school, where he teaches a seminar about the U.S. Supreme Court. byerak@chicagotribune.com Twitter @beckyyerak The Oak Street Playhouse will present Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins. There are five performances held Feb. 10-11 and 17-18 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. Review for the show: For more than half a century the name Florence Foster Jenkins has been guaranteed to produce explosions of derisive laughter. Not unreasonably so, as this wealthy society eccentric suffered under the delusion that she was a great coloratura soprano when she was in fact incapable of producing two consecutive notes in tune. Nevertheless, her annual recitals in the ballroom of the Ritz Carlton hotel, where she resided, brought her extraordinary fame. As news of her terrible singing spread, so did her celebrity. Her growing mob of fans packed her recitals, stuffing handkerchiefs in their mouths to stifle their laughterwhich Mrs. Jenkins blissfully mistook for cheers. The climax of her career was a single concert at Carnegie Hall in 1944. Famously, it sold out in two hours. In August 2016, a film version of Florence Foster Jenkins' life was released starring Meryl Streep for which she received an Academy Award nomination. This show features Beth McClary as Florence Foster Jenkins and Jerry M. Draper as her accompanist, Cosme McMoon. Advanced tickets are available on-line brownpapertickets.com or may be purchased at the door. Ticket prices are $15 and $12 for seniors 65+. For more information go to www.oakstreetplayhouse.com or on the Facebook page. Oak Street Playhouse is at 418 Oak St. For more information call 653-0440. Tickets are now on sale for the 2017 Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanoogas Women Build Breakfast. The fundraiser will be held on Saturday, March 11, at 9 a.m. at The Chattanoogan Hotel. Individual tickets to the breakfast are $30 and tables (seating 8) are $300. Proceeds raised at this event will support the construction of the 2017 Women Build home. The 2017 Women Build Home will be constructed in Chattanoogas Glass Farms Historic Neighborhood by women for a working mother and her two children. Habitat Women Builds are organized throughout the country as a way to unite women to take a stand against poverty housing in communities. Additionally, this annual project connects women from all walks of life for the purpose of empowering and constructing Habitat homes for deserving women. Saying the proof he has heard thus far shows that a man killed his son-in-law "almost execution-style," Judge Don Poole said for now he will keep the bond at $500,000 for Glen Allen Donaldson. He said he would take another look at the bond next Monday when there is another hearing in the case involving the Dec. 29 death of Adam Levi in Ooltewah. Attorney Jerry Summers called the bond "totally excessive," while prosecutor Cameron Williams said the facts point toward first-degree murder. He said bond is often well over $1 million in first-degree murder cases. The prosecutor said the proof showed that the victim was shot in the back of the head as he was washing dishes at his home on Niles Terrace. He said powder burns at the wound showed it was at close range. A 911 tape was played in which Donaldson calmly told a dispatcher he shot his son-in-law after "an altercation." He said he pulled a handgun from his pocket after he said the younger man pulled a knife and said he was going to cut him. Prosecutor Williams said there was a knife in a dish drain by the sink, but he said it was covered up by a coffee pot lid. Attorney Summers said Levi abused drugs, saying he obtained records showing him getting 1,080 pills from 13 different pharmacies. He was going through a divorce with Donaldson's daughter, Amanda. Harold Donaldson, 86-year-old father of the defendant and a former city police captain over auto theft, said Amanda and her daughter, Olivia, now live with him and his wife. He said she told him of one occasion when the couple was at the grave of their deceased son and Levi got out a marijuana cigarette. He said Amanda told him to stop smoking because the daughter had suffered a collapsed lung. The witness said Amanda stated that Levi had thrown an item in the kitchen, but never said he had hit her with anything. He said the only time he thought Levi might be on drugs was once when he came over and "wasn't normal." He said he told him and his wife that he had just gotten fired from his job. He said he did not smell anything, but "he just wasn't acting right." The defendant's boss at T&T Produce said he was his best employee and he would welcome him back on the job. He said Donaldson had discussed with him getting a gun carry permit. It was testified that the woman who lives with Donaldson, Tina Sandridge, had bought him a gun for Christmas and that he bought another gun. On the 911 tape, Donaldson was asked if the shooting victim was still alive. He said, "I doubt it." Donaldson, 56, told the dispatcher, "I'm just sitting here waiting for the law to come." Prosecutor Williams said Donaldson did not try to aid the victim. He said his first call was to his brother, Jerry Donaldson, at Rising Fawn, Ga. He said he drove three miles to a Regions Bank parking lot before calling 911. Arguing that the bond should not be lowered, he said Donaldson would have to serve at least 52 years in prison before he is eligible for parole if convicted of first-degree murder. He said he would be facing 15-25 years for second-degree murder. He has no prior criminal record. The Dalton Police Department arrested Quentrell Patrick Shropshire, 28, of 1300 Autumn Court and Jonathan Aaron Sutton, 34, of 810 Beirut Place, on Sunday on charges related to a pair of aggravated assaults. The first incident happened at Suttons residence on Beirut Place on Dec. 11, 2016. Sutton told investigators that while Shropshire was visiting, he took a gun that belonged to Sutton and started to beat Sutton with it. When Suttons girlfriend Cassie Pedigo woke up and came out to see what the disturbance was about, Shropshire then beat Pedigo with the gun as well. Shropshire then stole the couples 2014 Hyundai Elantra and fled the scene. Neighbors called police to the scene and responding officers found Sutton and his girlfriend bloodied from the attack. The stolen vehicle was discovered abandoned two days later and returned to the owners. Investigators obtained warrants for Shropshires arrest on charges of armed robbery, two counts of aggravated assault, and one count of aggravated battery and false imprisonment. On Sunday afternoon at approximately 1:45 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of Elm Street and Matilda Street to a report of shots being fired. When officers arrived, witnesses pointed out a Kia Soul that was attempting to turn around in a parking lot. Officers stopped the vehicle and found Cassie Pedigo in the passenger seat and Jonathan Sutton in the back seat. Pedigo told officers that Sutton had a gun, and officers recovered a handgun from the vehicle. Witnesses at the scene told responding officers that they saw Sutton get out of the Kia Soul and chase a man later identified as Quentrell Shropshire on foot while firing a gun at him after Shropshire got out of a white van. Shropshire was located a short time later after a search of the area and charged on his warrants. Sutton was also arrested and charged with aggravated assault, reckless conduct, discharging a firearm near a public street, discharing a firearm on the property of another, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. These incidents are being investigated and further charges are possible. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers - Local175, through council from its membership and evaluation from its political committee, has endorsed Mayor Andy Berke, Councilman Jerry Mitchell, Councilman Russell Gilbert, Councilman Chris Anderson, Councilman Moses Freeman, Councilman Yusef Hakeem, and Councilwoman Carol Berz. Officials said, "IBEW Local 175 has identified these candidates as steady representatives of Chattanooga area working men and women. The policies crafted by these candidates regarding economic development, community outreach, and increasing security within all families directly align with IBEW's core objectives. For these reasons, IBEW Local 175 supports these candidates and their reelection campaigns." With the scope and penalties of Chinas social credit system being further clarified in 2021, legal and regulatory compliance has become more important than... China will deepen supply-side structural reform in agriculture to develop the sector, according to a policy document released Sunday. The major problems facing China's agricultural sector are structural ones, mainly on the supply side. [Photo/Shanghaidaily.com] The major problems facing China's agricultural sector are structural ones, mainly on the supply side, according to the document by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council. The document calls for improving structures in the industry, promoting "green" production, extending the sector's industrial and value chain, boosting innovation, consolidating shared rural development and enhancing rural reforms. This is the 14th year in a row that the "No. 1 central document" has been devoted to agriculture, farmers and rural areas. The "No. 1 central document" is the name traditionally given to the first policy statement released by the central authorities in the year and is seen as an indicator of policy priorities. When carrying forward supply-side structural reform for the sector, national grain security must be guaranteed, according to the document. It also said that supply-side structural reform in the agricultural sector would be a long and challenging process, demanding the relationship between government and market be well handled and in the interests of all stakeholders. China started structural reforms in its agricultural sector a few years ago. Partly due to structural adjustment, China's grain output dropped slightly in 2016, ending a 12-year rising streak. The yield stood at about 616 million tonnes, down by about 5.2 million tonnes or 0.8 percent year on year. Better farm products The gist of supply-side reform in China's agricultural sector is to increase the output of high-quality products based on green and innovative production. The country will maintain its zero increase in the usage of pesticides and fertilizers and vigorously control water usage in the sector. For better farm produce, a group of innovation centers and alliances will be created, and outstanding research will be enhanced. The reform also aims to refine the quality supervision and standard system for farm produce, control soil pollution and encourage agricultural businesses to gain international certifications. China will promote the export of competitive farm produce, cross-border operation of agricultural enterprises and the establishment of global leaders in the sector. Tangible benefits "The success of agricultural supply-side reform depends on increase in farmers' income as well as more quality farm products," said Tang Renjian, deputy director of the central rural work leading group. Continuous income increase, like ensuring food security, is a must during the reform, he said. China will deepen reform on pricing mechanism for major farm products to make sure farmers sell their harvest at reasonable prices. It will ensure moderate growth in fiscal spending in rural areas and the increase in loans issued for farmers and the development of agriculture and the countryside. The policy document called for the implementation of a rural land reform which separates farmland ownership rights, contract rights, and operating rights, allowing farmers to earn more by transferring their land rights to individuals or conglomerates. The per capita income of urban households was 2.72 times that of rural households in 2016, down from 2.73 times in previous year, as the government pursued the integrated development of urban and rural areas, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Brain gain China will encourage migrant workers to return to rural areas and start businesses, while stepping up training for professional farmers, including professional agricultural managers. Authorities will offer favorable taxation policies for business start-ups in rural areas in addition to support with financing, land use and social insurance. Local governments are encouraged to start business parks and incubators for the returnees. The nation will also encourage college graduates, entrepreneurs and returned students from overseas to start businesses and bring technological and managerial expertise to rural areas. Institutions of higher learning will open more programs and courses on rural planning and rural house design. "New industries and new types of businesses will become engines of rural development and increase the income of farmers," Tang said, adding that farming will become an enviable profession. The Black Friday sales promotion offers consumers a dazzling array of goods. Consumers worldwide have embraced the latest cyber-purchasing passion overseas online shopping. From daily necessities like meals, toothpaste, and slippers, to furniture, electrical appliances, garments, and luxury items, cyber shoppers now have a global scale of choice. China has been foremost in the furor of this latest shopping mode, not only as its most popular source, but also for its abundance of avid overseas online shoppers. Shopping on Chinese Websites Internet retailer Alibaba cleaned up once more during last year's November 11 online shopping bonanza, nicknamed the Double 11 Festival, partly thanks to its overseas patrons. The commodities available on Chinese websites indeed attract many shoppers from abroad. Since British multinational grocer and general merchandise retailer Tesco introduced the Laoganma brand of chili sauce, highly recommended by the New York Times, it has been a favorite both with Chinese overseas students and their local peers. American housewife Debbie reportedly spends one third of her spare time surfing Chinese websites for bargains and smart outfits that are much admired by her neighbors. In Russia, around 15 million citizens surf Chinese shopping websites. A survey of online consumption trends showed that China's Taobao is the most popular shopping website among netizens in Japan keen purchasers of the Chinese Dabao cosmetic brand, whose products sell online for just one tenth of the price at Japanese retailers the U.S., Russia, and the EU. In addition to their high product quality, the popularity of Chinese products is attributable also to network advances. Results of a survey among foreign consumers showed that, in 2012 only three percent of respondents could name even one Chinese brand, but by 2015 this figure had risen to 23 percent. Shopping on Chinese websites is now commonplace abroad. The PayPal and Ipsos Third Annual Global Report showed that China is the most popular overseas online shopping country. The report examined the consumption habits of more than 280 million online shoppers in 32 countries worldwide. It found that around 21 percent buy from Chinese websites, 17 percent from those in the U.S., and 13 percent from U.K. websites. Shoppers surveyed sought high quality, low-priced goods. Around 76 percent patronized overseas online shopping due to favorable prices, and 65 percent because they could thus obtain goods unavailable in their home countries. Another 46 percent appreciated the free deliveries, and 44 percent the more secure payment mode. Many shoppers make purchases on smartphones, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. The report showed that about 37 percent of overseas shopping in the region is carried out on mobile devices, especially smart phones, and that around 68 percent of consumers there have shopped by phone over the past 12 months. Mobile shopping in China has also significantly increased in recent years. In 2016 spending via smart phones accounted for 35 percent of the total volume of overseas online shopping. The figure in 2015 was 27 percent. Expanding Yearly As overseas consumers focus on Chinese websites, Chinese customers also use the Internet to browse commodities on the overseas market. Chinese people's daily-use articles often include products from around the world, such as Japanese pharmaceuticals, Australian healthcare products, Korean cosmetics, French fashion garments, and Sri Lankan tea, most of which are bought online. Recent online shopping festivals generated huge profits for many e-commerce platforms. During the first 10 minutes of November 11, 2016, the amount of rice ordered from www.JD.com increased 100-fold, and JD's global purchase orders registered a year-on-year growth of 170 percent. About 13,000 international brands were included in the Tmall online shopping festival, when it took just 9.5 hours for Tmall to surpass its 2015 Double 11 Festival sales volume. The amount of www.tepin.hk orders was also 5.5-fold that of 2015. Black Friday, another manic shopping festival, is when overseas e-commerce platforms such as Amazon.com and ymatou.com recommend thousands of products to consumers. JD.com's global purchasing has also launched services, such as panic and low price buying. Amazon China, meanwhile, offers Prime membership, while Alipay supports global payments covering more than 200 countries and regions. Owing to their ever broadening range of consumer tastes and purchase demands, Chinese consumers have become the main force behind overseas online shopping. The PayPal and Ipsos Second Annual Global Report underlines 2015 as a significant year in this respect, as it was then that around 35 percent of Chinese consumers opted for overseas online shopping, compared to 26 percent in 2014. The scope of Chinese overseas online shopping expands yearly, covering more than two million types of commodities from 100 countries and regions. The report showed that in 2015, around 22 percent of Chinese online buyers purchased from American websites, as compared with 14 percent in 2014. Purchases by Chinese consumers also showed 10 percent growth in Japan and South Korea, due to their high quality goods at favorable prices, and access to products not available in China. Insiders report that the frequency in 2016 of Chinese overseas online shopping was 18 times per buyer, as compared to the seven times of 2015. The average amount expended was over RMB 10,000 the highest more than RMB 900,000. According to China E-business Research Center projections, the number of Chinese overseas online shoppers will hit 35.6 million in 2018, equal to a more than RMB one trillion market. Online and Offline Service Along with development of e-business, an Omni-channel sales model integrating online and offline service is now available an innovation insiders believe will prove an irresistible trend. For the next two decades, e-business will undoubtedly combine with offline service and logistics. Many merchants are already taking the first steps in this direction. In contrast with earlier years, in 2016 Alibaba focused on both online and offline services, linking more than one million online stores and offering digitization to more than 100,000 physical stores. JD.com also cooperated with Walmart in the lead-up to last year's online shopping festival. During Black Friday in 2016, the Friendship&Apollo Group launched its Omni-channel mode offering online shoppers products from 50 countries and regions. The group has opened a dozen overseas shopping experience centers for local consumers. According to advisory body IDC, during the 2016 Double 11 Festival, the main achievement of Omni-channel distribution became clear; further meshing supply chains, logistics and users appreciably eases antagonism between store retail and e-business. This integration is happening nationwide. Hangzhou's Cross-border Trading Town includes national and themed pavilions from Oceania, Europe, Asia, and America. They offer thousands of popular items, from cosmetics, healthcare products, and food items to mother and baby products, household appliances, and garments. Consumers can try them out there and then, and buy these taxable commodities either directly from the store or online. Products are delivered from bonded warehouse, so covering the entire process from offline experience to online shopping. Experts believe that online-offline integration is the future of commercial development. It can also promote city and countryside integration by giving full play to each one's respective advantages, achieve better service, lower cost, higher efficiency, and so better satisfy consumer demands and gradually equalize the uneven development of China's e-commerce. In 2016, the government also introduced e-commerce to rural areas, communities and small to medium-sized cities in efforts to hasten integration of online and offline development. Cameron Esposito Raised Thousands For Trans Lifeline After Mike Huckabee's Awful Tweet By Stephen Gossett in News on Feb 6, 2017 5:50PM Cameron Esposito / Facebook Heres some Monday uplift for you. When former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee dropped a loathsome, transphobic tweet on Saturday evening, formerly Chicago-based comedian Cameron Esposito seized the moment to rally financial support for the Trans Lifeline. Huckabee on Saturday night followed President Donald Trumps lead by making light of Senator Chuck Schumer, who got choked up at the memory of the Holocaust, which took the lives of Schumers great-grandmother and seven of her children. Schumer was cast in lead role for remake of Boys Don't Cry," Huckabee cracked, to the delight of no one with a soul. Breaking news from Hollywood! Sen. Chuck Schumer cast in lead role for remake of "Boys Don't Cry." Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) February 5, 2017 But Esposito quickly twisted some altruistic lemonade from such nonsense, rallying folks on social media to donate to the Trans Lifeline, a support network for transgender people in crisis. (Boys Dont Cry is a biopic of Brandon Teena, a trans man who was viciously murdered in 1993.) Turn a heartless joke into a heartfelt action & donate to @Translifeline in Brandon Teena's memory. I am! https://t.co/JxaGxjn82e Cameron Esposito (@cameronesposito) February 5, 2017 I guess @GovMikeHuckabee can take my job telling jokes. I work in fundraising: https://t.co/ds26GeAfvC https://t.co/B9jedk0RIo Cameron Esposito (@cameronesposito) February 5, 2017 The donations kept pouring in over the weekend, and as of Monday morning, the campaign had pulled in over $18,000 for Trans Lifeline. Contributions can still be made here if you'd like to give to a good causeand further give Huckabee a well-deserved tweak in the process. Aligning State and Market Author: Chen Yuan Aligning State and Market: China's Approach to Development Finance is authored by economist Chen Yuan former president of the China Development Bank. The book records how Chen Yuan and China Development Bank (CDB) gave full play to the theory of development finance to solve problems regarding people's livelihoods and national development. For the first time, Chen Yuan reveals the formulation process of major investment policies from his own perspective, together with an in-depth analysis of both national circumstances and the international situation. All these occurrences epitomize China's socio-economic development, especially in the financial area, in recent decades, thus making it a must-read to understand the "government and market" with Chinese characteristics. Chen Yuan has made remarkable achievements in economic and financial theories. During his 20-plus years of financial work experience, whether as a supervisor or a practitioner, he has insisted on financial reforms. Since the Asian economic crisis in 1998, Chen Yuan has led the CDB's change from a traditional policy bank to a world-class development financing institute, with increasing global impact all thanks to his development finance theory. What is development finance? It is essentially a financial method that serves the national development strategy through medium- and long-term investment and financing. Based on both the government's credibility and market rules, it breaks through the bottleneck of social and economic development, safeguards financial stability and strengthens competitiveness. Whether in a developing or developed country, where there is a development deadlock there is leeway for development finance to show its capabilities. Otherwise, neither the market itself nor business financing can achieve the government's development goals. The whole book which includes a discussion on the practical exploration of development finance covers topics ranging from bank-government partnership and national strategy to regional planning and international financial cooperation. Each chapter constitutes three parts: a case study, theory, and practice, in which the author presents both background information and big events, together with his publications and interviews with the media. In 1998, due to the disastrous Asian financial crisis, China's economy suffered an enormous shock. The Chinese government formulated a series of policies to accelerate infrastructure construction, major project construction, enterprises' technological upgrading and as encouragement to invest in fixed assets. CDB was then the largest policy bank in China and shouldered the responsibility of discovering new sources of economic growth. Chen Yuan immediately carried out investigations in eight provinces and municipalities that summer, and built a new-type of bank-government partnership the Wuhu Model with local government. Its aim was to construct a new financing platform and to highlight urban infrastructure in accelerating economic growth. In 2000, the State Council promulgated the Western Development Strategy. CDB strengthened cooperation with local governments to speed up the establishment of a market mechanism and scientific planning in western areas. It also helped with financing to bolster local infrastructure buildings and the development of characteristic industries. During the decade from 2001 to 2010, CDB issued accumulated loans of RMB 1.66 trillion to 12 western provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, accounting for one fourth of CDB's total loans over the same period. Inclusive finance is another area CDB mainly focuses on. The bank creatively transformed long-standing problems concerning people's livelihoods, such as student loans, government-subsidized housing projects, the three rural issues of agriculture, farmers and rural areas, medium-sized and small enterprises, and water conservancy construction, into sustainable major bank businesses. CDB is the bank that gives the largest loans to poor students and for affordable housing projects. It is also a major force in supporting new construction in rural areas, water conservancy construction and medium-sized and small enterprises development. In 2008, the global economic crisis, triggered by the sub-prime crisis, shocked the world. China's central authority readjusted its macro-economic policies. In November, the State Council promulgated 10 measures to expand domestic demand and accelerate steady and rapid economic growth. Among them, government-subsidized housing projects, rural infrastructure construction, and construction of railway, highways, and airports were the priority of CDB. More than a month before the end of 2008, CDB had finished the assignment of the Central Bank of China with an increase of RMB 70.2 billion credit availability, thus bolstering China's economic stabilization and recovery. How can one find the joint point of government credit and market credit? More and more governments have realized that giving full play to development finance is an effective way to handle the global financial crisis. Development financing institutes in various countries have expanded their strong support for economic entities and made contributions to safeguarding market stability and reviving national economies. Themed on global economic growth challenges and financial reform, the 2016 Lujiazui Forum commences in Shanghai on June 12, 2016. I went to Brussels this spring, right after the terror attacks on the airport and metro. It was midnight when I arrived but soldiers wearing body armor and armed with rifles could be seen everywhere, from the airport to the hotel. The next day on my way to work, I saw a crowd of people in front of the EU headquarters carrying placards. A local friend told me that they were protesting against the TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership). He sighed and continued, "People in France are also demonstrating because the government is reforming the labor law." This European trip, though brief, gave me a direct perspective of the setbacks that globalization is experiencing in Europe. Foreign threats and domestic unrest are impediments to globalization. What's worse, a few "black swan" incidents in 2016 have posed further threats: first Brexit, then the election of Donald Trump, who advocates "America First" and claims he intends to build a border wall with Mexico. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was suspended before Trump entered the White House. Many people perceive the dawning of an age of anti-globalization: Major powers are re-focusing on domestic affairs; more and more people are becoming influenced by populism that is anti-elite, anti-establishment, and anti-globalization; barriers to international trade and investment are on the rise; and countries that own the world's major currencies lack coordination. Geopolitical games, terrorist attacks, unrest among local ethnic groups, and religious conflicts spell trouble for economic networks. Yet despite these barriers, China has vowed to continue to open up. Increased Opening-up Impetus First of all, China has become part of the global economy. It would be impossible, therefore, for the country to break its economic relations with the world and retreat to the domestic market. Forty years of reform and opening-up have seen China's economy continuously integrate in the world economy. Since the global financial crisis of 2008, China has been strengthening economic cooperation with the world in spite of an unfavorable trade and investment environment. The pace of the "going global" of Chinese enterprises, people, and capital did not slow down. More than 20,000 Chinese enterprises invest overseas, and more than 100 million Chinese citizens go abroad every year. In 2015, China's Overseas Direct Investment (ODI) hit a new high of US $145.67 billion with an annual growth of 18.3 percent. The proportion of China's ODI in global ODI increased from 0.4 percent in 2002 to 9.9 percent that year, ranking a world second for the first time. Against such a backdrop, China's domestic economy would suffer from severing its ties with overseas interests, and its capital and people abroad would sustain a great loss. As China continues to open up to the world, China's open economy, epitomized by the Belt and Road Initiative, develops, too. To date, more than 100 nations and international organizations have expressed their support for the initiative and their willingness to join, and more than 40 cooperation agreements have been signed. This demonstrates the steady pace of opening-up of the Chinese economy. Second, the economic interdependence between China and the world is too strong to sever. At the start of reform and opening-up, it was mostly reflected at the lower end of the industrial chain. In other words, the world needed cheap labor from China, and China needed the world's orders, technology, and management experience. If at that time China had separated its economy from the world, the world would have lost access to cheap, high quality clothes, shoes, and toys, and Chinese workers, especially rural migrants, would have lost their jobs. Today, China's economic relations with the world take on a new look due to upgrading of the industrial chain, but the ties are still too close to disconnect. Since 2015, mechanical and electrical products have made up half of China's exports, with a focus on large single unit and complete sets of equipment. China is also highly competitive in high-speed rail and nuclear power products as well as railroads, vessels, aerospace industry and other transportation equipment industries. Though the form of economic relations is changing, the interdependence between China and the world is strong. With the upgrading of the world's economy and the change in economic content, China's economic relations with the world might spread to areas like currency and finance, and intellectual products, but the fundamental interdependence of China and the world will not change. Chinese culture is a third driving force for opening-up. The cradle of Chinese culture lay in the vast and flat arable lands where towns and villages had no clear borders, and people had close links. In contrast, Western culture was formed in "mosaic" areas, like coasts, mountains, and forests where cities and villages were discrete and links between people loose. Thus, the notions of nationalism and sovereignty first appeared in Europe, and China was "forced" to accept these notions only after the infiltration of Western guns and capital. The most fundamental aspect of Chinese culture remains the concept that "the world is one." Therefore, China accepts globalization not only because of material interests but also because of the intrinsic belief that all human beings should unite. Chinese President Xi Jinping has advocated building a community of shared destiny, called for an open world economy at the G20 Hangzhou Summit, and re-emphasized the policy of opening-up at the recent Central Economic Work Conference. These proposals are not mere expediency, but absolute economic needs, and rooted in Chinese culture. Therefore, we can say that China's opening-up is fundamental and lasting. Confidence in Opening-up China will continue to open up to the world because we have confidence in globalization. Though arriving late at the "party," China quickly grasped the essence of globalization. Learning from a failed closed-door policy in history, China knew that the international trend was unstoppable and could not be reversed. China witnessed how some emerging nations once prospered but declined because of their conceit and separation from world development. China also saw how WWI, WWII and the Cold War nearly destroyed the world but how the international flow and exchange of economy, people, and culture resumed after each crisis. If wars could not stop globalization, then what could? Can an economic entity really become autarkic and stop the permeation of information, capital, and technology? Can populism, which is just a transient way for some people to express themselves and for shortsighted elites to please, really change the development of world history? China does not think so. Therefore, China has confidence in its opening-up and also that other countries will return to the road of opening-up. In a changing world, especially in an environment of anti-globalization, China's opening-up will take on a different look. This difference can be summarized in one word rules. How to Further Open up? China will continue to open to the world, and participate in and promote globalization with a focus on the establishment of rules and regulations. China needs to improve its legal system. The country's recent legislation on strengthening management of the Internet and NGOs incurred suspicion from abroad. Some saw it as signifying foreign investment brakes on China's opening-up; others complained that the foreign investment environment in China had begun to worsen. This demonstrated that the outside world was not used to China's opening-up based on rules. But to open up thoroughly, rules have to be strengthened; otherwise, there will only be chaos, which will not generate benefits but harm both China and the world. In the last 20 years, many emerging markets, faced with foreign capital speculation and a deformed domestic economic structure, could not find countermeasures, and suffered from financial and social crises that spread throughout the world. This lesson resonated with us. During the process of China's reform and opening-up, some cases lacked rules and regulations. For example, some local governments promised foreign investors huge preferential treatment in land, tax, and labor rights, which seemed to attract capital and broaden opening, but had serious consequences. When the world economy slowed down and the trade environment worsened, those seemingly preferential arrangements became unprofitable. China gradually strengthened regulations, which increased the difficulties of officials who had made promises and investors who held big hopes. This teaches us that opening up cannot go beyond market laws and regulations, and that we will definitely pay the price in the long run if laws are broken. Internet companies and NGOs arrived in China after ODI. Therefore, it is best to set rules that are acceptable to both China and foreign corporations. In fact, the trend of rule-setting is a world phenomenon. For instance, Internet enterprises in Silicon Valley are negotiating tax affairs with the EU, and NGOs in the West are trying to adapt to new rules set by emerging and developing countries. When the Chinese say "Even brothers should do the accounts" and Americans say "Good fences make good neighbors," both mean that progress can only be made when rules are followed cooperatively. It is laws and regulations that have enabled the market economy and globalization to come this far. Some think it is hard to understand the Chinese government's rules. In fact, they are very simple: The ultimate goal is not only regional and economic development but also overall development, which can be summarized by "building a moderately prosperous society comprehensively." To achieve this goal, the market plays a decisive role, which in turn calls for a change in many old things. This is what is meant by "deepening reforms comprehensively." The market economy has to operate under laws. Therefore the Chinese government advocates "rule by law comprehensively." Lastly, to smoothly push reforms and rule by law, the ruling party has to "reinforce party discipline comprehensively." The four "comprehensivenesses" mentioned above constitute the current governing strategy of the CPC and the guarantee of China's opening-up. We believe that every investor who wants to share the bonus of win-win cooperation with China does not want to leave after one transaction but expects to cooperate in the long term, and hopes this cooperation takes place under laws. When going abroad, China has to learn to negotiate rules. Generally speaking, the Chinese market economy has still not been recognized 15 years after the country joined the WTO. It seems ludicrous, but this teaches us that China needs to learn how to negotiate rules with the international community. In industrial areas, for example, Chinese steel-making capacity problems continuously met obstacles defined by the West, including anti-dumping investigations of many goods and the setbacks met by overseas RMB businesses. From this we can see that China, as an emerging country, is not yet used to international economic rules, and that developed countries seem to exclude China. China will not flinch from rules. China will not start trade wars or currency wars. China will learn the rules and use them to negotiate peacefully with interested parties to change old rules and set new ones. When people worried that the U.S. would abandon the TPP and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), President Xi continued to appeal to countries for the establishment of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) at the APEC Peru Summit last November, which demonstrated a positive attitude and firm action. To conclude, the anti-globalization movement is gaining momentum and worries many people. Therefore, resistance to China's flying against the wind is huge. But principles of flight tell us that with the right posture and method, a headwind can sometimes make you fly even higher. It will not be easy for China to continue to open up in an anti-globalization environment, but China is willing to explore ways to promote a new globalization mode with other countries, one that is more efficient, fair, and organized, and which needs the participation and management of emerging and developing countries like China. A tourism campaign is launched in eastern China's Suzhou City in October 2016 as part of the China-U.S. Tourism Year. February 2017 marks the 45th anniversary of the first Sino-U.S. joint communique. Popularly known as the Shanghai Communique, it formed the foundation of the relations today between the two countries. The recent U.S. presidential campaign and its aftermath, featuring "China bashing" and even attempts to undermine these long established relations, make essential a clear analysis of why stable, friendly relations between China and the U.S. are in the fundamental interests of both countries and their peoples. In particular, it must be understood that the 2016 U.S. presidential election culminated in the greatest destabilization of U.S. politics since the Great Depression. Such instability and dissatisfaction are undoubtedly rooted in an economic and social situation where U.S. household incomes are lower now than 15 years ago and a rise in U.S. economic inequality that has been afoot for three or more decades. Yet both U.S. presidential candidates attempted during the campaign to divert the U.S. voting public's attention from these real problems in various ways, one of them "China bashing." Trump made false claims that China gains an unreasonably competitive edge through an artificially low exchange rate an argument that even the U.S. Treasury has abandoned. In fact, "China bashing" goes against the interests of both China and the people of the United States themselves. As the world's most important bilateral relationship, the dynamics between China and the U.S. affect the global situation as a whole. Income Trends U.S. median household incomes in 2015 were still 2.4 percent below the level 16 years previously. And at the trough of the Great Recession, in 2012, they were 9.1 percent below their 1999 peak level. The U.S. population therefore suffered more than a decade and a half of significantly lowered incomes something which could alone cause deep political discontent and anger in any country. But the political consequences of the falling U.S. incomes trend were exacerbated by greater social inequality and a lower share by the overwhelming majority of the U.S. population in the nation's total income. The share of the bottom 80 percent of the U.S. population the overwhelming majority in total U.S. income fell from 56 percent in 1967 to 49 percent in 2015. Over the same period, the top 20 percent of the U.S. population's share in total U.S. income rose from 46 percent to 51 percent. In 2015, therefore, the top 20 percent of the U.S. population received a higher share of the total U.S. income than the bottom 80 percent. This inequality has become more pronounced since Reagan's presidency in 1981. From 1980 to 2015, the bottom 20 percent of U.S. households' share in the total U.S. income fell from a low of 4.2 percent to 3.1 percent. Simultaneously, the share of the top 5 percent of U.S. households in total U.S. income underwent a sharp 5.6 percent rise from 16.5 percent to 22.1 percent. Meanwhile, the share of each household income group in the bottom 80 percent of the U.S. population in total U.S. income showed a sharp 7.1 percent decline from 55.9 percent to 48.8 percent. Given these dramatic and growing income disparities since 1980, the rising political instability in the U.S. is no surprise. The fundamental economic reasons behind these negative trends in U.S. incomes are equally clear. Figure 1 shows that, when taking a 20-year moving average to remove all effects of short-term business cycle fluctuations, between 1980 and 2016 the annual growth of U.S. per capita GDP fell by half from 2.6 percent to 1.3 percent. That this slow economic growth was accompanied by a radical increase in social inequality explains the fall in U.S. median household incomes. Recently, this slowdown in the U.S. economy has worsened. As Figure 2 shows, under the impact of the international financial crisis the 10-year moving average of annual per capita GDP growth in the U.S. had fallen to 0.5 percent close to stagnation by the second quarter of 2016. Such miniscule per capita economic growth made impossible any significant increases in the living standards of the American people. A Win-win U.S.-China Economic Relationship While, as analyzed below, foreign trade and investment are not main factors in the recent U.S. economic performance, the correlation of trade expansion and positive economic performance is nevertheless widely acknowledged both theoretically and factually. Adam Smith said in the first sentence of the first chapter of his seminal work on modern economics The Wealth of Nations: "The greatest improvement in the productive powers of labor, and the greater part of the skill, dexterity, and judgment with which it is directed, or applied, seem to have been the effect of the division of labor." The division of labor necessarily applies both internationally and domestically. Numerous factual studies have confirmed the positive correlation between economic openness and faster growth. This economic conclusion is also confirmed, in the negative sense, by the world's post-1929 relapse into the protectionism that presaged the Great Depression the greatest economic crisis in modern world history. It was indeed this catastrophic experience that moved the U.S. after World War II to reverse its previous protectionist course and, for half a century, promote an open world trading order one with great "win-win" benefits for both itself and other countries. Globalization brought great benefits to economies not only to the U.S. but also to China in the wake of its reform and opening-up policy of 1978. At the present stage of globalization the economic relations between China and the U.S. are critical. The U.S. and China are the world's first and second largest economies, accounting for 39 percent of the world economy at current exchange rates. They are hence the world's first and second largest trading nations. In summary, China and the U.S. combined are sufficiently powerful to play a decisive role in the world economy and in world trade. Approaching the question of how to achieve optimum development of world trade and investment, therefore, necessitates discussions between the U.S. and China. Furthermore, it is easy, from the point of view of economic fundamentals, to understand and build on the framework of mutually beneficial economic trading relations between China and the U.S. due to the two economies' different features. China is the world's largest "upper middle income" economy, while the U.S. is the world's largest "high income" economy. Consequently, as regards medium technology items, China enjoys the combination of a comparable technological level but with much lower labor costs which the U.S. cannot match. Therefore, China has a decisive competitive advantage in medium and medium-high technology products. If, rather than importing these medium technology products from China, the U.S. were to manufacture them, the result would be substantially higher prices for U.S. consumers and producers, and consequently lower U.S. living standards and U.S. international competitiveness. But, equally, the U.S. has competitive advantages over China as regards high technology. China's per capita GDP, which reflects the contrasting productivity of the two economies, is only 27 percent of that of the U.S. measured in PPPs the most appropriate unit for long-term comparisons. Even with the best economic policies, therefore, it would take China several decades to equal the U.S.'s level of productivity. In other words, the U.S. will continue to enjoy a comparative advantage over China as regards high technology products for several decades to come. The "win-win" outcome of economic relations between China and the U.S., therefore, is clarity and stability in both the short and long term. China will continue to be able to produce medium and medium-high technology goods more competitively than the U.S., which will meanwhile enjoy a competitive advantage in the field of high technology products. The two economies' fundamental complementarity accounts for the dynamism of trade between China and the U.S. That the U.S. is China's single largest export market is well known. But since 1999, China's share of total U.S. exports has increased 5.3 percent, whereas that of the EU declined by 2.8 percent and Japan's by 4.6 percent. In short, the growth of U.S. exports to China is much more dynamic than it is to either the EU or Japan. Simultaneously, China's share of total U.S. imports rose by 11.2 percent, while that of the EU fell 0.2 percent, and Japan's by six percent. Finally, from a geopolitical standpoint, there is no call for any military confrontation between the U.S. and China. No significant force on either side envisages a nuclear war between the U.S. and China, because that would result in the devastation of both countries. As the U.S. is protected on one side by the Pacific Ocean and on the other by the Atlantic, a conventional military invasion of the U.S. is also inconceivable. Having analyzed the mutual benefits of "win-win" relations for China and the U.S., I next examine the consequences for the U.S. population of any U.S. decision to confront China, that is, to progress from verbal to physical "China bashing." Consequences of Confrontation with China Both the U.S. military build-up under Reagan and George W. Bush were limited in scope. Reagan's aim was not to fight a war with the U.S.S.R. but to exert economic pressure on the Soviet Union at a time when the Soviet economy was growing less rapidly than that of the U.S. Meanwhile the military forces of George W. Bush's targets, Afghanistan and Iraq, were pitifully weak when compared to China's. But even Reagan and Bush's partial military build-ups nevertheless destabilized the U.S. economy and swelled the national debt. A U.S. confrontation with China, whose economy is growing much faster than that of the U.S. and which possesses military forces considerably more powerful than those of the Taliban or Saddam Hussein, would require a further massive diversion of U.S. resources into military expenditure, and consequently far greater destabilization of the U.S. economy than was ever witnessed under Reagan or George W. Bush. This, in turn, would affect the political dynamics within the United States. If the U.S. were to be directly attacked, its people would of course make immense sacrifices and display the same bravery as those of any other country. The U.S.'s loss of life during the Pacific War after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor was small compared to China's, but the bravery of individual U.S. soldiers fighting in Iwo Jima and Okinawa was equal to that displayed by Chinese soldiers battling Japan's invasion. Between 1940 and 1945, the percentage of U.S. household consumption as GDP also fell from 69 percent to 53 percent, due to the huge diversion of resources into military expenditure. But it brought no serious social discontent or destabilization in the U.S., whose people logically and rightly considered these sacrifices necessary and justified to repel any direct attack by Japan on the United States. But the U.S. population has since WWII, again logically and rightly displayed a growing antipathy to making sacrifices for non-core U.S. interests or conflicts. This has intensified with the slowdown of the U.S. economy and relative decline of U.S. economic dominance. U.S. public opinion has therefore shown a clear trajectory of growing popular opposition to the launch abroad of any major military actions unless U.S. core interests are directly threatened. A U.S. decision to confront China, not necessarily in a war but in an attempt to exert on it serious pressure, would of course require far greater sacrifices from the U.S. population than earlier conflicts. But local wars (Vietnam, Iraq) and military build-ups against economies growing less rapidly than the U.S. both destabilized the U.S. economy and caused a decline in the people's living standards. U.S. public opinion, as evident in polls, may or may not be favorable to China. That is something that changes periodically. But the facts as explained above show a clear absence of any indication that the U.S. population would willingly make the economic sacrifices necessary to confront China. On the contrary, all evidence shows that, unless China were to make a serious and provocative foreign policy miscalculation that recklessly and aggressively threatened U.S. core interests, or major policy errors that slowed down China's economy, the U.S. population would shun the concomitant ramifications of confronting China. Conclusion These economic processes clear two fundamental paths for the U.S. people. The first, which correlates both to the interests of China and the prosperity of the U.S. people, is that whereby the U.S. seeks "win-win" collaboration with China. This means that, for example, important trade negotiations between the world's two biggest trading nations China and the U.S. would be oriented towards cooperative agreement, rather than, as in the TPP, protectionism. U.S. foreign policy would thus seek to lighten the burden of military spending by lessening direct tensions with China and seeking agreements with the country, and other powers, in efforts to avoid and contain regional conflicts. This is indeed in the interests of China but also takes into account the prosperity of the U.S. people. The other path of U.S. confrontation with China would mean a further plummet in the U.S. population's living standards. It would also have an even more economically destabilizing effect on the U.S. than its confrontations with the U.S.S.R. while in economic decline or the militarily weak Afghanistan and Iraq. In short, "China bashing" is in the interests neither of China nor of the U.S. people. Premier Li Keqiang sent congratulations to the opening ceremony of the China-Australia Tourism Year, which was held on Sunday in Sydney. The premier affirmed that cultural exchanges are one of the most significant pillars for a bilateral relationship and he hopes both countries can expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges through such events as the China-Australia Tourism Year. Li also said China and Australia are popular tourism destinations, with more than 2 million trips made between the two countries last year. Both countries, the premier said, respect the diversity of global civilization and China is willing to promote cooperation with Australia based on mutual respect and openness, and bring more benefits to both peoples as well as global peace and stability based on their friendship over the past 45 years. In his congratulatory letter, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the past 20 years has seen major achievements in tourism cooperation due to the efforts of both countries. China has become the most significant tourism market for Australia, and the number of tourists visiting the Oceanic country reached 1.2 million in the last year, he said. Turnbull said the China-Australia Tourism Year marks the beginning of a new era for bilateral relationships and both countries will share opportunities for development in the future. More than 2,000 people, including officials, leading tourism figures and local residents, attended the ceremony. A model of China's bullet train on display at an exhibition on high-speed rail in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on January 16. The exhibition was held by a Chinese consortium led by China Railway Corp. (XINHUA) Mixed ownership is the most significant issue in the ongoing reform of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). In order to fully unleash the benefits of the systematic SOE reform program and achieve positive outcomes, the government must first classify SOEs by function. According to an Economic Information Daily report on January 11, notable progress has been made in such classification, which will be made public in the near future, and a corresponding assessment scheme has also been formulated. Consequently, mixed ownership reform based on SOE classification will accelerate. According to Zhang Xiwu, Vice Minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, SOEs can be divided into two types: those that provide public goods and those that seek to attain commercial goals. Both types of SOEs are primarily independent market players, and they must follow market economy and corporate growth rules, serve the nation's development strategies and work for both economic and social benefits. The two SOE types differ, however, in their development objectives. Commercially-oriented SOEs should aim to maintain state-owned assets and increase their market value, while publicly-oriented SOEs should focus on ensuring people's livelihoods and providing public products and services. After clarifying the development targets for each type, reform should follow a correspondingly appropriate path. SOEs seeking commercial gain should implement thorough mixed ownership reform and establish a modern corporate structure by diversifying shareholding structure. The ownership of such SOEs will be arranged according to type. State-owned capital will retain majority control of SOEs engaged in national security or economic lifelines. SOEs in fully competitive industries should reduce stakes held by state-owned capital, adopt more open and diversified shareholding structures and enlisted in the stock market. SOEs holding industry monopolies must actively advance reform under the principles of dividing government functions from corporate management; promoting market-oriented allocation of public resources; and introducing other state-owned capital to enterprises that must be fully state-owned. SOEs providing public benefits may be fully controlled by state capital, although a structure of diversified ownership can be adopted in some qualified enterprises. Non-state enterprises will also be encouraged to participate in such SOEs' business operations through means such as purchase of services and franchising. Whether SOEs are commercially or publicly oriented, their status as market participants determines that they must fully engage in market competition both at home and abroad. Thus, openness and diversification of shareholding structures will become necessary. Under fierce market competition, equality among playersSOEs, private firms and foreign-funded enterpriseswill characterize market order, and securing advantages through status, privilege or policy will not work. In accordance with the concepts of resource allocation by market forces and the rule of law, other types of capital must be allowed into SOEs in order to fully reform their makeup, inject vitality and thereby improve their competitiveness. Classifying SOEs and subsequently implementing corresponding reforms, however, require careful consideration. For instance, the definition of SOEs with commercial aims is clear. But, should the category include the three major telecom operators and state-owned commercial banks? In the mixed ownership reform, can they be changed from absolutely state-owned to majority state-owned or even joint-stock companies? Moreover, how should important industries and key sectors concerning national security and economic lifelines be defined? Should SOEs such as China National Petroleum Corp., China National Offshore Oil Corp. and China Railway Corp. be included in this category? Although they must remain majority state-owned, while introducing private capital in their mixed ownership reform, the government should give private investors access to those good-quality resources to ensure their return on investment. Otherwise SOE reform will attract very little private capital, and mixed ownership reform will become empty talk. Moreover, uncertainty still exists over the mixed ownership reform of SOEs with monopolies and in the definition of SOEs with public welfare aims. Many SOEs possess both monopoly and publicly-oriented characteristics. China Railway Corp. is one such example. Therefore, many difficulties could be encountered when implementing mixed ownership reform in these enterprises. Monopolies must be broken by the reform, but the government must also ensure that such SOEs maintain their social service functions. The author Zhang Jingwei is a researcher at the Charhar Institute, and this is an edited excerpt of an article originally published in National Business Daily You are here: Home Flash The Spring Festival holiday is a peak period for Chinese to travel overseas, with 6.15 million overseas trips made this year, up 7 percent from last year. Travel website Ctrip said that Chinese tourists are estimated to have spent 100 billion yuan (about 14.5 billion U.S. dollars) over the seven-day holiday. SOUTHEAST ASIA IS HOTTEST DESTINATION "It's a totally different way to celebrate Spring Festival in a foreign country," said Li Chunhong,from the southern city of Nanning. Her family just returned from five-day trip to Thailand, among a growing number of Chinese who visit Southeast Asia to celebrate Spring Festival. According to online travel agency Tuniu.com, outbound tourists accounted for 48 percent of its Spring Festival business. Southeast Asian countries are the most popular destinations, with Thailand top of the list. TRAVEL FEVER SPREADS TO SMALLER CITIES People from smaller cities are now more keen to venture abroad. China National Tourism Administration reported that inland cities have become important sources of outbound tourism. Li Jianlin, general manager of Guangxi overseas travel agency's Nanning branch, said that tickets on chartered flights from Nanning to Phuket and Bangkok were sold out Jan. 26, the eve of Spring Festival, and Feb. 5. Tuniu.com said that second-tier and third-tier cities, such as Nanjing and Wuhan have generated the fastest growth in outbound tourists this holiday. The number of UnionPay overseas transactions rose nearly 40 percent this holiday to 462 billion yuan. As Chinese tourist numbers grow, more hotels, restaurants and stores overseas have started to take UnionPay cards. DIVERSE TRAVEL EXPERIENCES ARE NEEDED In addition to shopping and sightseeing, Chinese tourists have shown interest in a wide variety of travel experiences. Fu Hua, president of Beijing Damei International Travel Agency, said tours to the United States have gained popularity as tourists can see the northern lights in Alaska or travel to the United States by cruise ship. Celebrating Spring Festival at the bottom of the earth is not a dream. According to Tuniu.com, ten tourists, most from Shanghai, went to the South Pole. "The growth in overseas tourism can be attributed to higher incomes," said Fu. Other factors, such as simpler visa procedures and more flights also contribute to the boom. Flash The Chinese Embassy and the Syrian Planning and International Cooperation Commission (ICC) signed two agreements on Sunday, under which China will provide two batches of humanitarian aid to the Syrian government worth 16 million U.S. dollars. Chinese Ambassador to Syria Qi Qianjin (2nd R) and Imad Sabuni (2nd L), head of the Syrian Planning and International Cooperation Commission (ICC), sign agreements in Damascus, Syria, on Feb. 5, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] The agreements were signed by Chinese ambassador to Syria, Qi Qianjin, and Imad Sabuni, the head of the ICC, under which China will send two batches of humanitarian aid to Syria worth 110 million CNY (16 million U.S. dollars). The delivery of the humanitarian aid will start soon, according to Qi. During the agreement signing ceremony held in the ICC headquarters in Damascus, Qi expressed happiness for providing the humanitarian aid to Syria, saying his country has been committed to providing the war-torn country with aid over the past few years. "We sympathize with the Syrian people for what has befallen their country, and we are signing this agreement with the aim of bolstering friendship between the Chinese and Syrian peoples and to fulfill the international obligations and responsibilities," he said. The ambassador also pointed out the "positive progress" made recently in Syria, especially after the battle in the northern city of Aleppo, where the Syrian army succeeded to wrest control over the entire city, after the rebels were dislodged toward rebel-held areas in the northern part of Syria. "Syria has witnessed a positive progress, particularly after the Aleppo battle late last year, in terms of the war on terror," he said. Qi also expressed optimism about the recent political efforts aiming at finding a solution to the crisis, referring to the recent Syrian talks in Astana, where the rebels and the Syrian government met face to face for the first time and agreed on a Russian-Turkish sponsored cease-fire. He also mentioned the upcoming Syrian talks slated for later this month in Geneva, where the political solution is expected to be further discussed after the success of the Astana talks. "We are so glad these efforts are taking good paths, and we hope that 2017 could be the year of the return of peace to Syria," he said. Flash Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday extended an amnesty announced last year till the end of next June, for all rebels who surrender themselves to the Syrian army, state news agency SANA reported. The presidential pardon covers all those who have held weapons in the face of the government and fugitives as well as kidnappers on condition to surrender themselves during the time of the pardon. It is the second extension to the amnesty since it was first announced in late July last year. The government considers the amnesty as a golden chance for the rebels who want to abandon their insurgency, and it was applied for tens of rebels who have surrendered themselves during the past months. This comes as Syrian government and opposition delegations are set to embark on talks in Geneva at the end of February, a month after rebels and government representatives agreed to a nationwide cease-fire brokered by Turkey and Russia, which went into force on Dec. 30. Flash Despite huge humanitarian suffering caused by over three years of conflict in South Sudan, experts say the war-torn nation is not yet at the level of warranting international takeover. The proposal to put the oil-rich yet impoverished country under African Union (AU) technocrats for an interim period gained currency after the renewed clash between the warring factions in July 2016, which threatened to reverse the slim gains in the 2015 peace deal. South Sudanese officials in the capital of Juba have vehemently dismissed any possibilities of foreigners taking charge of their sovereignty after the hard-earned independence from Sudan in 2011. Remember Miamingi, a South Africa-based law expert, told Xinhua that the conditions in the country were not yet at the requisite level for International Transitional Administration (ITA) like in Kosovo and East Timor, but he instead supports a government of technocrats. "Even though I believe that in some extreme cases of state failure ITA might be an appropriate remedy, I intend to argue here that South Sudan is not yet a very good case," he told Xinhua. Miamingi said international trusteeship succeeded only in countries where warring parties had reached mutually hurting stalemates, and with significant domestic constituencies that were willing to consent to ITAs. This would contrast with South Sudan where the post-independence war nostalgia was still high and hugely credited to the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) that dominated the transitional unity government formed last April. "ITAs should more likely be considered only in the event that a territory contains a true vacuum of political authority; domestic political agents are fragmented to the extent that collective action via UN-facilitated power sharing is impossible; political actors are too violent or untrustworthy, or because they have violated foundational internal norms and covenants," he said. Juba-based analyst with the Ebony Center for Strategic Studies James Alic Garang said letting the AU takeover of South Sudan will not happen as the AU member states will be moving in unchartered waters. "Besides, there are many countries in Africa with similar political problems and none has been put under the AU sanctioned mandate. It's unacceptable in the present day and age where self-determination tops agenda at the international arena," he said. "There is no compelling reason to believe that UN or AU administrators will be effective or efficient in transitioning South Sudan out of its current crisis. If local political actors have failed, why would anyone expect foreigners to singlehandedly deliver South Sudan from its modern abyss given a prevailing undulating political terrain?" he added. Garang however said South Sudan still needs the AU to challenge all warring parties to stop fighting and implement the Agreement on Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCISS). Meanwhile, former deputy defence minister Majak D' Agoot, told Xinhua there was urgent need for roundtable conference outside Juba to bring all warring factions to chart a new road map for the country. "The first premise to restoring peace is to recognize that the peace agreement has been fractured and for peace to return a fresh break is needed," he said. Jacob Chol, head of Juba University's political science department, said the proposed government by technocrats was not a bad thing. He however added that the proposal would likely be resisted. "Nobody wants to be removed especially the illiterates who have been accommodated in government," he said. "Most of the technocrats we have are not very well qualified since they are mostly political appointees," Chol added. Miamingi noted that ITAs for South Sudan should be last resort for an extreme form of limited statehood. "Other options should be tried first before frog jumping to the other extreme. One such alternative is a technocratic administration of South Sudanese with support where needed, from the international community," he said. He added that such technocratic government could be responsible for overseeing the healing, reconciliation and accountability processes, ensuring political and security stability, and providing normative and institutional frameworks for successful transition. Flash At least 50 people were killed and a dozen others wounded after an avalanche struck a remote village in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nuristan on Sunday, a local official said. At least 50 people were killed and a dozen others wounded after an avalanche struck a remote village in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nuristan on Sunday. [Photo/Xinhua] "The natural disaster struck Hafsaa village, Barg-e-Matal district roughly at midday. The initial information found 50 people died and over one dozen wounded," a provincial source told Xinhua anonymously. The source added that the number of casualties may further rise as the avalanche also destroyed countless houses in the province, bordering Pakistan. "Most of the roads leading to the affected village have been blocked by the snow, and the local officials were trying to dispatch rescue teams to provide assistance and aid to affected people in the district with difficult terrains," he said. The deaths have brought to over 90 the number of people who lost their lives due to snowfall and freezing weather across Afghanistan over the past three days. The heavy snow and avalanche also destroyed or damaged more than 200 houses across the mountainous country over the same period. Afghan security forces and Natural Disaster Management Authority's officials rescued several passengers, who were trapped in 40 vehicles along a main highway connecting Kabul to southern Kandahar province over the past 24 hours. The Chicagoist will be launching later but in the meantime please enjoy our archives. Flash Islamic Hamas movement said Sunday it seeks reaching a full prisoners' swap deal with Israel via a broker, a spokesman for the movement in Gaza said. Abdulatif al-Qanou denied earlier Israeli reports saying that Hamas rejected an Israeli offer to free two Israeli civilians for the release of a brother of a senior Gaza Hamas leader. "Hamas hasn't received any offer for a prisoners exchange and so far there is still no deal with Israel," said al-Qanou, adding that Hamas welcomes Egypt's mediation to finalize a full prisoners swap deal with Israel. Israel Public Radio had earlier reported that Hamas welcomed an Egyptian mediation for reaching a prisoners swap deal, but rejected an Israeli proposal for a humanitarian swap deal of two Israelis. "Hamas won't talk on any deal before Israel shows commitment to the terms of the first swap deal, which is to release all those were freed in 2011 deal and were re-arrested again," he said. In October 2011, Egypt brokered the first-ever prisoners swap deal between Israel and Hamas, where the latter freed an Israeli soldier for an Israeli release of 1,028 prisoners from its jails, including women and children. However, Israel arrested and resentenced dozens of Hamas prisoners in the West Bank, who were released in the 2011 deal. Hamas said they should first get released before starting to talk about a new deal. Illinois Student Accused Of Passing Out Racist, Nazi Propaganda At School By aaroncynic in News on Feb 6, 2017 4:51PM A high school student in Huntley, Illinois, a town in McHenry County just outside of Elgin, will face disciplinary action after bringing racist propaganda pamphlets to school. A widely-circulated Facebook post on Saturday shows photos of the pamphlets, the front of which has a racist caricature, the n-word and Owners Manual. The pamphlets were allegedly taped to lockers as well as handed out by a student at Huntley High School. "It was so nonchalant, just like a smiley face sticker on the locker or anything," Cameron Viera, student at Huntley High School told ABC7 Chicago. (Content Warning: graphic racism) In an email to parents, Principal Scott Rowe called the racist garbage offensive and unacceptable, and thanked the students who brought it to the administrations attention, according to the Northwest Herald. It is unfortunate that these types of hurtful and ignorant messages can still be found anywhere in our society, and it is a shock to the system to see them appear here in our own school, wrote Rowe. But as much as we want to avert our eyes when we see things like this, we cannot do so. The pamphlets appear to have been printed off the Internet. The website listed offers all manner of racist and nazi garbage, including swastika flags, white power music, white lives matter stickers and even pocket knives, some emblazoned with the confederate flag. Dan Armstrong, Consolidated School District 158 director of communication and public engagement, told the Herald that support would be available for students who need it. Certainly there will be individual support available through our counselors. There will be a team getting together Monday to talk through what the most appropriate follow-ups will be throughout the week. By Lena Ge, China Aviation Daily | Feb. 06, 2017 During the week-long Chinese New Year Holiday, as many as 9.84 million people traveled by air, according to statistics released by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). Chinese airlines operated more than 80,000 flights during the week-long holiday from January 27 to February 2, an increase of 11.9 percent over the same period last year, the statistics shows. Hub airports in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou witnessed more than one million passengers in the week-long holiday, ranking the top three among the domestic airports. China's 20 Busiest Airports in Spring Festival Holiday (January 27-February 2) Related News: CAAC: Over 9.84 Million People Travel by Air During Chinese New Year Holiday Women work out during a pole dancing class at a self-improvement center in Handan, Hebei province. [Photo/China Daily] In a ballet dancing classroom at Changning district, Shanghai, 12 students form an unbelievably straight line during their one-hour choreography lesson. Opposite their room is an ukulele classroom, and next to it, an oil painting studio. Saturday afternoons are busy hours on the sixth floor of this commercial complex, fully packed with "consumers", hailing from different parts of the megapolis. They want to learn and master new skills that are marketed as "cultural products", a euphemism for art programs. Evidently, "cultural consumption" is on the rise in Shanghai. Alongside sports, tourism, and outdoor activities, art programs including oil painting, brushwork painting, learning how to play musical instruments, dancing and singing are getting increasingly popular among discerning, well-off consumers whose accent is on what they can do or achieve in life rather than what they can buy. "I spent 20,000 yuan on a ballet course, which I would have spent on a luxury bag back in 2014," said Yang Shanshan, 26, an advertising specialist. Retirees, young professionals, school students said they enjoy the progress they make in these art programs. Huang Fanwen, 62, has been learning flower arrangement for three years. She also brings her 12-year-old granddaughter to the class. "Art classes like flower arrangement are less about utilitarianism and more about beauty and joy. It helps you to develop a new perspective on life, noticing every detail in seasonal changes, identifying the finest differences in two similar shades," she said. In China, art programs and skill training have evolved from a small market with 6.4 billion yuan in sales revenue in 2008 into a sizable market with 46 billion yuan in revenue in 2015, with compound annual growth rate reaching 32 percent. It is expected that the market size will further grow to 80 billion yuan in 2018, said a research note from Beijing-based Zhi Yan Market Research Ltd. Existence of such courses, programs and activities reflects consumers' changing value systems and priorities in life, which is getting reflected in their spending patterns as well, said researchers. As incomes grow, consumers are becoming aware of qualitatively different spending options like personality development courses and training in so-called soft skills or interpersonal intelligence. "After having everything you want to have in terms of material possessions, you want to think about what you want to be. Acquiring more skills, not for the purpose of showing off but just to enrich one's own life, makes one feel more contented. That's why growth (of sales of cultural goods) is fast and outlook (for cultural consumption) bullish," said Qin Yazhou, consumer behavior analyst with Shanghai-based Shendu Market Research Services Ltd. Brewers prepare yellow rice wine at a winery of Yiwu Danxi Wine Industry Co Ltd in Yiwu, Zhejiang province, on March 4, 2015. [Photo provided to China Daily] Forget beer and wine made from grapes. In China's alcoholic drinks market, it's all about another, equally old boozy beverage. Yellow rice wine, sometimes known as liquid cake, dates back to the Shang Dynasty (c.16th century-11th century BC) more than 3,000 years ago. It is the fastest growing mass-market alcoholic drink in China, with sales volume estimated at 8 percent of the total market last year, according to China International Capital Corp Ltd. The brokerage, known as the Goldman Sachs of China, likes Anhui Kouzi Distillery Co Ltd and Jiangsu Yanghe Brewery Joint-Stock Co Ltd in the broader beverages sector, and highlights the three listed yellow rice wine producers: Zhejiang Guyuelongshan Shaoxing Wine Co Ltd, Kuaijishan Shaoxing Wine Co Ltd and Shanghai Jinfeng Wine Co Ltd. With beer sales dropping and regular wine and liquor sales growth in 2016 slowing, yellow rice wine is seeing an uptick. It's less alcoholic than the more famous baijiu liquor. It's also seen as nutritious, hence the name liquid cake, as it contains eight types of essential amino acids, CICC analysts note. Chinese consumers can easily identify the market position of yellow rice wines based on age, production region and taste, while imported grape wines are niche products and lack a clear hierarchical brand system in China, according to CICC analysts. This leaves yellow rice wine better positioned to capture upgrades in consumption, they say, citing the shift in taste from Anhui's 5-year-old Kouzijiao, which retails for about 80 yuan ($12), to its 6-year-old version that is more than 40 percent more expensive. There's also an expansion at shops selling a greater variety of yellow rice wine, according to CICC analyst Xing Tingzhi and colleagues who penned a 28-page report on what they've dubbed as the arrival of the drink's golden era. More shop owners are applying for licenses to sell it, and the drink is also enjoying more popularity through internet sales. The drink, which typically contains less than 20 percent alcohol, is made from water, cereal grains such as rice, sorghum, millet, or wheat and a starter culture. Shanghai and neighboring Zhejiang province are the heartlands of yellow rice consumption, although growth is picking up elsewhere, according to CICC. Sales of beer have been hit by more affluent and increasingly sophisticated consumers, analysts add, while wine is slowing after a huge expansion in the early part of this century. As growth in yellow rice wine consumption increases, there is still room for wine made from grapes in China, they add. Morgan Stanley analysts said investors were underestimating growth for Treasury Wine Estates Ltd, as a move away from beer and grain liquor boosted earnings at the Australian firm, which has raised prices at its Penfolds Bin range. Bloomberg Swastika Spotted, Removed By Local In Logan Square On Sunday By Stephen Gossett in News on Feb 6, 2017 5:46PM Photo: Brennan McDowell Over the same weekend that saw a rash of swastika vandalism in several U.S. cities, an apparently spray-painted swastika was spotted underneath a highway overpass in Logan Square. The hateful graffiti was photographed on Sunday evening by Brennan McDowell, 30, of Logan Square, near the Kennedy Expressway on-ramp at North California Avenue, just north of West Diversey Avenue. McDowell was heading to a Super Bowl party in Avondale at around 5 p.m. when he saw the swastika tag, which "seemed very fresh, like it had gone up the night before," McDowell told Chicagoist by email. The vandalism was still on display when he walked home, so McDowell, inspired by the subway riders who erased swastika vandalism on New York City Trains on Saturday, returned at around 10:30 p.m. to paint over it, he said. "I made it a window frame so it would be unclear what it had been before," McDowell said. Side-by-side shots on McDowell's Facebook show the before and after. The Nazi vandalism in Logan Square was spotted the same weekend someone defaced a Loop synagogue with swastika stickers and smashed in its window. Police are investigating that hate-crime incident, which happened early on Saturday morning. Such acts of defacement with swastikas and hate speech appear to be the rise as of late in Chicago, as seen in incidents at the University of Chicago, in Beverly and in the South Loop. Chicago police said they did not have a report of vandalism in the 2800 block of N. California Ave. over the weekend before the swastika was painted over. Prospective home buyers check out new property prices at a sales event in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, East China, on Dec 17, 2016. [Photo/China Daily] Onshore note issues decline 94 percent in January year-on-year on speculation Steps to cool China's property market are stoking speculation the good times are about to end for developers' bonds offshore. The hangover would be big. Yield-starved fund managers around the world have piled into the $65 billion market for dollar-denominated notes sold by Chinese builders. Yield premiums for lower-rated US-currency securities from China, the majority of which are from real estate borrowers, dropped to the lowest level since 2007 this month, according to a Bank of America Merrill Lynch index. That leaves plenty of scope for pain among the holders of those bonds and the developers who need to raise financing. "We are not optimistic about prices and sales in the property market," said Xu Cheng, who will be fund manager for Franklin Templeton Sealand Fund Management Co's new overseas bond fund, which finished raising money on Jan 19. The Shanghai-based joint venture of the San Mateo, California-based group oversees 20.1 billion yuan ($2.9 billion) of assets. "We estimate there will be a correction in Chinese developers' dollar bonds. The near-record low yield premium isn't big enough to cover credit risks." Regulators concerned about a bubble have succeeded in taking some of the froth out of housing prices. China Bond Rating Co Ltd estimated property sales volume may suffer a "substantial decline" this year as local governments step up buying restrictions and down-payment requirements. A government report showed home prices fell in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen in December and increased in the fewest Chinese cities since January 2015. The nation's onshore real estate securities may be the riskiest part of the local yuan-denominated debt market in 2017, according to the largest number of respondents in a survey of domestic analysts and traders conducted Dec 22 to Dec 26. Some investors believe the government won't permit a slump in real estate. "The property industry has been and is still one of the pillars of the Chinese economy," said Wu Xiangjun, an overseas bond fund manager in Shanghai at Guotai Asset Management Co Ltd, which oversees 77.7 billion yuan of assets. The government probably won't loosen controls on property bond financing in the first half, according to Christopher Yip, an analyst at S& P Global Ratings in Hong Kong. Onshore note offerings by the sector shrank to 2.3 billion yuan in January, down 94 percent year-on-year. GF Fund Management Co Ltd, which oversees 304.9 billion yuan of assets, said curbs on property financing may increase cash-flow pressures. "Property bond yield premiums may widen," said Li Yaozhu, a Guangzhou-based overseas bond fund manager at the firm. "Smaller developers may have liquidity problems and those with bad credit profiles may even go bankrupt." Bloomberg Technicians check solar panels at a textile company in Jimo, Shandong province. [Photo/China daily] BEIJING - China has the largest capacity for photovoltaic (PV) energy in the world, official data showed Saturday. China's installed PV capacity was 77.42 million kilowatts at the end of 2016, thanks to 34.54 million kilowatts of capacity added over the year, the National Energy Administration (NEA) said in a statement. China's PV capacity and its increase in 2016 were the biggest in the world, according to the NEA. China's solar plants generated 66.2 billion kilowatt hours of power last year, accounting for one percent of the country's total power generation, the NEA said. Over the next five-year period (2016-2020), China will continue to expand its PV capabilities and phase out outdated capacity, according to the NEA solar power development plan for the period. China will add over 110 million kilowatts of solar power by 2020, according to the plan, and reduce the price of PV power by at least 50 percent compared with 2015. The country is aiming to increase the proportion of non-fossil fuel generated power to 20 percent by 2030 from the present 11 percent. Tencent's employees queue up to get hongbao (red envelopes containing money) outside the Tencent building in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong province, on Feb 4, 2017. Handing out hongbao personally to employees on the first working day after the Spring Festival has become a tradition of Tencent's CEO Pony Ma. [Photo/VCG] As most Chinese people reluctantly went back to work at the end of last week, some companies gave their employees something to look forward to. Handing out hongbao - red envelopes containing money - personally to employees on the first working day after the Spring Festival has become a tradition for Tencent boss Pony Ma. On Saturday, the eighth day of the first lunar month and the first day back at Tencent, the line of the employees waiting to collect hongbao from Pony Ma stretched over tens of floors to the street in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong province, according to a report by sohu.com. Besides the hongbao given by Pony Ma in person, each of Tencent's employees also received digital hongbao worth 200 yuan ($29.21) on QQ and WeChat respectively. In Beijing, Lei Jun, founder and CEO of China's mobile company Xiaomi Corp, also handed out hongbao in the office on Friday, the company's first working day after the Lunar New Year holiday. Employees of Fliggy.com, the travel website of e-commerce gaint Alibaba, even received lottery tickets as a kick-off bonus. As a tradition, especially in Guangdong province and Hong Kong, the kick-off hongbao or kick-off bonus expresses the good wishes for the company's booming business. A pedestrian walks past an Apple iPhone 6 advertisement at an electronics store in Mumbai, India. [Photo/Agencies] Apple Inc is willing to start making iPhones in India, but it wants a big helping hand from Narendra Modi's government first. For long, the Cupertino, California-based company's iPhones and other gadgets like iPads have been assembled in China by contract manufacturers. That may change now. On Jan 25, Apple's officials met Indian officials in New Delhi to discuss the prospects for setting up manufacturing facilities in the country this year. Apple, the most valuable company on Earth, is asking for a long list of financial concessions from India, one of the poorest countries. Among the requests, the company is seeking a 15-year tax holiday on imports of components and equipment, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. "We would like Apple to set up base in India," Ravi Shankar Prasad, minister for information technology, said on Jan 18, without disclosing the company's negotiating stance. Apple wants to boost business in India as the country of 1.3 billion becomes the fastest-growing smartphone market and sales flatten in the United States and China. Tim Cook, Apple CEO, visited the country for the first time in May 2016 as he sought government approval for Apple to open its own stores. India has insisted that Apple, like any single-brand retailer, source 30 percent of its components locally, though the country is relaxing those rules so technology companies can operate stores for three years before meeting that requirement. Still, Apple wants more. The company had sent a list of requests ahead of its Jan 25 meeting with officials from several government departments, including electronics and commerce, the person said, asking not to be named because the matter is private. Apple is also asking for a waiver on customs duties for new and used equipment brought into India. The Indian Express newspaper reported Apple wants full exemption from duties on raw materials, components and capital equipment. Apple won't insist on getting everything on its wish list, the person said. Apple didn't respond to requests for comment. The company doesn't manufacture devices itself, but rather partners with contract manufacturers to handle the capital-intensive demands of building factories and hiring staff. One surprise in India is that Apple plans to partner with Wistron Corp of Taiwan province rather than Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, its usual manufacturing source, according to the person. Assembly of iPhones could start at Wistron's existing facility in the suburbs of Bengaluru, the person said. The work may be expanded to other suppliers including Hon Hai later, depending on demand, the person said. Apple and India's officials have met several times amid a prolific exchange of correspondence, but next week's meeting will be crucial. If the government gives in to Apple's demands, it may have to offer similar incentives to other global brands, such as Samsung Electronics Co and Xiaomi Corp. "Historically, the government has given no such concessions to any other company and there is no room in the policy to do so," said Anshul Gupta, the Mumbai-based research director at Gartner Inc. "What Apple is asking for is outside the trend so it will be interesting to see how the government looks at it." India isn't the only country pressing Apple for local manufacturing. During his election campaign last year, US President Donald Trump said he wants to see iPhones made in Apple's home market, part of a broader push to get companies to keep or create manufacturing jobs. Hon Hai has said that it is in preliminary discussions to broaden its investment in the US. Prime Minister Modi wants companies to make products in the country as part of his "Make in India" policy, aimed at reaping the benefits that come from manufacturing facilities and jobs. His administration doesn't want technology companies to sell products and take advantage of its vast consumer base without making their own capital investments. Despite its global success, Apple is a minor player in India, largely because its phones are too expensive for local consumers. Apple holds about 2 percent of the market in a country where about 500 million smartphones are expected to be sold in the next few years. Bloomberg Vistors pose with Kika emoji pillows at South by Southwest Conference in Texas in March 2016. [Photo provided to China Daily] Kika Tech sees big opportunity in digital keyboards for subcontinent Abhishek Shome, a 26-year-old Indian working with a Chinese smartphone keyboard app developer in Beijing, speaks six languages: English, Chinese, Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi and Assamese. The last three are provincial languages while Hindi is India's national language. Shome received his master's degree in computer science from Jain University in India in 2013. Using his skills and knowledge, he assists his team in designing smartphone keyboard input methods for some Indian languages, a job he describes as "very meaningful". Shome's employer Kika Tech Inc said it will scale up its operations in the India market this year. As India is a land of many languages and dialects, Kika sees a big opportunity. More so because young Indians prefer texting and messaging to communicate in their respective native language. "In the internet and smartphone era, some languages are in danger of dying," said Hu Xinyong, CEO of Kika. "We hope to play a role in preserving indigenous languages and cultures of India." So, Beijing-based Kika will increase its research and development budget by 10 times to 50 million yuan ($7.2 million) this year, and would employ more Indian programmers and linguists. After implementing similar projects successfully for a Russian minority group, Kika has so far developed smartphone keyboards for 22 languages in India, including Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil and will further improve the existing software. Take Punjabi, a language used by about 2.3 percent of India's billion-plus population. Having stabilized the first version, Kika's second version would need less typing and add more multimedia elements, said Shome. As the input method becomes increasingly stable, more and more young Indians will be able to communicate via text or messaging apps in their native language rather than Hindi or English, said Hu. Kika has also hired Indian designers to make emojis, graphics and themes with a strong local flavor. For instance, a user can customize the smartphone keyboard's layout featuring Taj Mahal. Kika has reached millions of daily active users on average across India until late 2016, and the number is projected to exceed tens of millions this year, claimed its vice-president Ma Xuefeng in an earlier interview with China Daily. An increasing number of Chinese internet and software companies are reportedly heading for the India market where the mobile business is booming. According to a report released by Beijing-based developer SHARE it Technologies Co Ltd, India became the world's second biggest mobile internet market after China, as its mobile internet users increased to 325 million till June 2016. Ericsson AB, the world's largest maker of wireless networks, forecasts in a report that by the end of 2021, the number of mobile Internet users in India will exceed 1.37 billion, including 810 million smartphone users. But the cultural gap is the biggest challenge Chinese app firms face, according to Zhao Ziming, an analyst at internet consultancy Analysys. "Firms specializing in smartphone keyboard input apps may face more challenges than developers of tools such as browsers and social media software. That's because the demand for keyboards in certain languages is relatively small, while companies need to do lots work to facilitate their localization there," said Zhao. Kika is no exception. To cope with the challenges, Hu said it has been negotiating with smartphone manufacturers and carriers both in China and India. The agreement with Huawei Technologies Co Ltd allows Kika keyboard to be installed as a default input method on Huawei's phones sold in India. It also cooperates with Indian linguists and universities to offer more precise and efficient products. Crew members pose on the Zhiyuan, a warship purchased from Britain for the Beiyang Fleet. CHINA DAILY Final preparations are underway for a project that will restore the graves of five Chinese sailors who died in the 1880s in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, a city in northeastern England. Experts consider the tombs to be historical artifacts that mark the birth of the Beiyang or Northern Fleet, the most powerful naval force assembled by China during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), which was bolstered by four battle cruisers that China purchased from the United Kingdom between 1881 and 1887. Located in St. John's Cemetery in the Elswick district of the city, the gravesthree of which have collapsed and are half-sunkencontain the remains of Yuan Peifu, Gu Shizhong, Lian Jinyuan, Chen Shoufu and Chen Chengkui, members of the first two naval delegations that China sent to Europe. The five men died from unidentified illnesses while waiting to bring the cruisers back to China to form the most powerful navy in Asia at the time, according to Chen Yue, president of the Chinese Naval Historical Institute, who specializes in studies of the period. Despite its power, though, the fleet was defeated by Imperial Japan during the first Sino-Japanese War (1894-95), signaling the end of a modernization movement under the Qing and the start of Japanese colonialism across Northeast Asia. Last year, photos of the cracked tombstones were posted online by a Chinese student at the Royal College of Art in London and quickly attracted the attention of the China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation, a nonprofit organization. In December, the foundation launched its first global crowdfunding campaign with the aim of raising 460,000 yuan ($67,000) to pay for the restoration work, according to Li Xiaojie, the foundation's president. The campaign is ongoing. The Chinese government spends about 8 billion yuan every year on the protection of relics, but most of the projects are in China, he added. The tombstones in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne are Chinese landmarks overseas, and as such are of great historical value, according to Chen Yue, president of the Chinese Naval Historical Institute: "They are rare historical artifacts of the Qing's modernization movement and Chinese naval history in general." Zhao Chunhua was facing the prospect of spending Spring Festival behind bars before her appeal against her sentence for firearm offenses was upheld. The 51-year-old had been given more than three years in prison for purchasing guns for her balloon-shooting gallery that, according to China's standards, were dangerous weapons. Yet on Jan 26, the No1 Tianjin Intermediate Court cut her sentence to three years, suspended for three years, as she had shown remorse and had no intention to endanger public safety. Now, legal experts hope the outcry online over the original sentence could be a catalyst for change in the definition of illegal firearms. "I was so happy when I heard about the appeal," said Zhao Li, a Beijing lawyer who has handled similar cases. "The attention this case has gained is a real opportunity to push forward a revision of the penalties for gunrelated crimes." According to data on Sina Weibo, Zhao Chunhua's appeal was the most-discussed topic on Jan 26, with 23 million netizens commenting or forwarding posts related to the case. The interest is unprecedented considering that, according to several lawyers' estimates, there have been at least 20 similar cases in the past five years. The response from netizens can largely be attributed to the defendant's attorneys, Xu Xin and Si Weijiang, who used social media and blogs to raise awareness of her plight. The duo say they are using the momentum from this high-profile case to appeal to the Supreme People's Court to change the rules on firearms to prevent potential miscarriages of justice. In a 2010 document from the Ministry of Public Security, an illegal firearm is any gun that can fire a bullet with a force of at least 1.8 joules per square centimeter. Six of the nine guns confiscated from Zhao Chunhua's shooting gallery ranged from 2.17 to 3.14 joules per sq cm. The standard is strict compared with other nations. For example, in Canada, air guns that shoot with anything less than 5.7 joules of muzzle energy are exempt from requirements under the Firearms Act. In addition, according to China's law, a person with five guns that exceed the standard automatically faces three years in prison, with six months added for every extra gun. In 2015, a judge in Zhejiang province was given a suspended three-year sentence for buying two model guns online, according to the top court's records. Xu argues that the standard is too low and has called on the Supreme People's Court to issue a judicial interpretation to distinguish the penalties for model guns and real ones. Ruan Qilin, a law professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, agrees. He added: "Defendants found with different categories of guns should face different penalties. Handing out the same punishment for model guns and real guns isn't with the rule of law, let alone justice." A psychiatrist reportedly transferred 64 patients from one hospital to another without the knowledge of his employer, according to health authorities in Guizhou province. The patients, originally being treated at Guihang Guiyang Hospital - which is affiliated with the State-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China - in the provincial capital of Guiyang, were transferred to Guiyang Sixth People's Hospital, according to a statement by the Guiyang Health and Family Planning Commission on Sunday. Four patients had returned to Guihang Guiyang Hospital as of Sunday morning, while the other 60 patients are receiving treatment at Guiyang Sixth People's Hospital and are in stable condition, the commission said. A team of experts from Guizhou Provincial Center for Mental Health has been dispatched to the two hospitals to provide medical assistance to the patients, it said, adding that the two hospitals will contact the patients' guardians to help decide which hospital the patients want to be treated at. Yang Shaolei, director of Guihang Guiyang Hospital's psychiatry department The Guizhou Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission and Guiyang Health and Family Planning Commission have formed a joint investigation team to look into the issue, the statement said. All 65 patients in Guihang Guiyang Hospital's psychiatry department, except a 103-year-old patient with dementia, were discharged from the hospital on Jan 30 by department director Yang Shaolei, without the knowledge of the hospital, it said in a statement on Saturday. The hospital failed in its attempts to contact Yang before reporting the incident to the police, it said. Meanwhile, four doctors and seven nurses quit their jobs without going through necessary procedures, the statement said, adding that Yang did not submit an application for resignation before the incident. The hospital will respect the choice of the patients' families and provide assistance if they decide to leave the hospital, it added. The hospital said it condemns the actions of medical staff leaving their posts without considering patients' safety, and suspects hospital rivalry is involved, adding that it will use legal procedures to hold Yang and other medial staff accountable. A staff member at Guiyang Sixth People's Hospital told Beijing News that Yang had agreed to work at the hospital, but that he had not completed the recruitment process. Yang told Beijing Youth Daily on Saturday that he sent a resignation letter to a head nurse at Guihang Guiyang Hospital on Jan 29, requesting that she deliver it to the hospital's human resources department. He added that he discharged the patients with the consent of their families, and after completing necessary procedures, such as issuing certificates and a doctor's notice to the patients. Guiyang's publicity department confirmed to China Daily on Sunday that Yang had discharged the patients with the consent of their families, adding that they were well treated, without revealing further details. A 13-year-old girl has died after being flung out of a fast-turning ride at an amusement park in Southwest China. The national product safety regulator said in a statement late on Saturday that an initial investigation showed her seat belt had broken and a passenger safety bar did not fit tightly enough at Chaohua Park in Chongqing. Cellphone footage aired by State media showed the girl flying out of the "Travel Through Space" ride on Friday afternoon as seats repeatedly spun round 360 degrees. Media reports say she fell onto iron railings and was taken to a hospital, where she died. West China Metropolis Daily reported on Sunday that the family of the girl, Gan Yajie, had reached a compensation agreement with the park for their only child's death amounting to 870,000 yuan ($126,700). The newspaper also said the ride had passed a routine quality inspection in December. The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said that it had asked Chongqing authorities to suspend all of the park's large amusement facilities to "carry out checks and eliminate hidden dangers". It also ordered companies operating the same "Travel Through Space" ride across the country to immediately suspend its use and contact the Chengdu-based manufacturer for further checks. Answering queries, punching tickets and collecting used instant noodle containers - the Spring Festival travel rush is always a busy time for the employees of Changchun Railway Station. Li Qiang, who works at a ticket kiosk, smiles and asks her customer to confirm the details of their booking for the third time. "It only takes seconds to sell a ticket, but we must do whatever we can to avoid mistakes," said Li. "Ticket changes are difficult during the Spring Festival." Li talks with more than 2,000 passengers every day for nine hours during the Spring Festival holiday, which came to an end on Thursday. Migrant workers are the main buyers of train tickets from the kiosk. "They do not use the online booking system, so we need to help them face to face," Li said. Sun Tianyou works for the station's security team. Sun and his colleagues have confiscated more than 1,900 dangerous items, such as knives, since the festival began on Jan 13. Endless streams of passengers walk into and out of the waiting hall where Pan Xiangke is using a cumbersome machine to clean the floor. He drives back and forth at least 90 times every day. The station sanitation team collects more than 5,000 used instant noodles containers and removes 20 metric tons of trash a day. Yang Hongmei works at the information desk in the waiting hall. Over the festival, she answered questions from more than 10,000 passengers a day. "I spend less than 10 minutes finishing my lunch and I don't drink much water in case I need go to the toilet too often," Yang said. Ticket inspector Zhang Zhongming stands at the ticket gate for up to nine hours, punching more than 10,000 train tickets a day. "My forearm muscles are now very strong," he said. Zhang Zhen patrols the station's platforms for up to 10 hours a day. "Its freezing cold, but I feel warm when people thank me," he said. The station, which is the largest railway terminal in Northeast China, is expected to handle more than 100,000 passengers a day during the 40-day holiday travel rush. You are here: Home The performance of "Si Hai Tong Chun" art troupe on Saturday was staged in Utrecht, a historic city located in the central Netherlands, to celebrate the Chinese New Year. The two-hour evening show attracted over 1,400 audience in Utrecht's TivoliVredenburg music complex, bringing the enjoyment of Chinese culture to the overseas Chinese and local people. The highlight of the show was Shaolin Kungfu practiced by a group of warrior monks from China's Songshan Shaolin temple. Their performance triggered loud applause by the audience and livened up the evening. Dance, music and magic are also part of this year's programs. The audience gave the artists rounds of applause throughout the event. "The show is so wonderful. I was impressed by the Kungfu," said C. Van Den Bor, a Dutch business woman. The visit by the art troupe to the Netherlands brought happiness to Chinese people here, said Hu Yunfei, with the local Chinese community, who also participated in the preparation work. "Si Hai Tong Chun" means "people all around the world celebrate the Spring Festival". It is a series of international cultural events initiated in 2009. It has become an important part of Chinese New Year celebrations for overseas Chinese people as well as locals. A newly married couple raise a toast to guests at their wedding feast in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture in Guizhou province last month. [Photo by Peng Huan / For China Daily] One's wedding day is often considered the happiest day of a person's life. The same can not be said for the parents of a groom in rural China, where saving face and social pressure often leave them in debt for years. Wang Yueguo, from East China's Shandong province, managed to scrape together enough money to pay for his son's marriage last month. The wedding completely drained the family's savings and left them with a debt that will take a decade to repay. "My son's marriage cost me more than 200,000 yuan ($29,000), including about 100,000 yuan that I borrowed from relatives and friends," said Wang, whose family earns about 30,000 yuan a year from farming. Wang is among many parents in parts of China's rural areas that feel pressured to splurge on their sons' weddings in order to secure a daughter-in-law and avoid losing face. In China, it is expected that the family of the bridegroom will buy a house, pay for the wedding ceremony and provide a dowry, which is usually paid in cash. In the countryside, where people earn less, but tend to maintain traditions more, families often spend most of their hard-earned savings on weddings, In addition to paying for the wedding banquet, jewelry and home appliances, Wang is expected to provide a dowry of more than 40,000 yuan, as well as a car. According to a survey conducted last year in Linyi, Shandong, weddings in the city's rural areas cost at least 200,000 yuan, the equivalent of four to five years' net income for a local family of four. Some families struggling to cope with debts incurred by a wedding have even been dragged into poverty, the survey showed. Wedding banquets are not free to guests, as attendees are expected to give fenzi, cash in a red envelope, to the newlyweds. It is not unusual for poorer guests to borrow money so that they can give fenzi and not loose face. "I earn about 15,000 yuan a year, but I easily give out 10,000 yuan a year in fenzi at weddings and funerals, but mostly weddings," said Tao Yuanfeng, 76, who lives in a village administered by Yucheng, Shandong. As rural families now have more disposable income, extravagance and overspending have become a serious problem. The root of the problem, however, is in the concept of "saving face", as nobody wants to be labeled amiser. Sociologist Zhou Xiaozheng said the gender imbalance means that the family of the bride can be more picky, andthis is why wedding costs in some rural areas have sky-rocketed. By the end of 2015, there were 33.6 million more men than women in China, heating up competition for brides. The 2016 Linyin survey suggested that although the majority of respondents disagree with the practice, they will still accrue debt to cover a wedding just to save face. While 80 percent of the respondents said this custom should change. The good news is that change is already underway. Shandong has supported the establishment of supervisory institutions to help address the issue of extravagant weddings and funerals. Headed by respected villagers, the institutions have designed and implemented rules to help their fellow residents. Since his village issued a regulation on banquet budgets, Zhao Yuhua had to limit the cost of his son's wedding banquet to just a couple of hundred yuan. Previously, the banquet would have lasted three to four days in accordance with local customs. Such institutions have also been established in the provinces of Hebei, Henan and Shaanxi. Tourists examine a model of the Dingyuan, a member of the Beiyang Fleets, in Weihai, Shandong province.Xu Suhui / Xinhua The calm waters of the Yellow Sea, an area of ocean in the far north of the East China Sea, were the venue for the largest naval battle in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95). On Sept 17, 1894, 12 ships from the Beiyang Fleet sailed into a dense volley of cannon fire from the Imperial Japanese Navy off the coast of Dadonggou, Liaoning province. By the end of the battle, China had lost four cruisers and more than 1,000 men, while only a few hundred Japanese sailors had been injured and four ships had sustained damage. "It was a disaster for the Chinese fleet," said Chen Yue, president of the Chinese Naval Historical Institute who specializes in the studies of the conflict. Pressing home their advantage, the Japanese won two more battles in the following months - at Lushunkou, Liaoning, and Weihaiwei, Shandong province, the place where the Beiyang Fleet was born and ultimately annihilated, and is now known simply as Weihai. At the conclusion of the war, China had to sign the Treaty of Shimonoseki, under which the country had to pay reparations, cede Taiwan and the Liaodong peninsular in Liaoning province to Japan, and recognize the independence of Korea. "It was a war that changed Asia forever," Chen said. "It gave Imperial Japan the confidence and military assets, such as the captured armored cruiser Zhenyuan, to defeat the Russian Empire in 1904, paving the way for the colonization of the Korean Peninsula and northern China." Chen believes the defeat taught China many painful but valuable lessons - namely that a strong navy requires a solid sociopolitical foundation as well as advanced technology and combat-tested military discipline. For thousands of years, China viewed its 18,000-kilometer coastline as a "natural Great Wall", he said. "Before Great Britain, no nation had invaded China via the sea, so, as a result, the army held most of the resources and senior posts because inland threats were far more common." Li Hongzhang, a politician and one of the leaders of a modernization movement during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), had to fight political battles to gain support for the Beiyang Fleet. Still, the Qing's political elite was skeptical and China had suffered great losses in terms of economics and morale after the Opium Wars (1839-60). "Li simply did not have the sociopolitical support to build a modern navy," Chen said. Li's methods of modernization left much to be desired. Using the theory "learning from the enemy to beat the enemy", he spent enormous amounts westernizing his fleet, including purchasing foreign-made warships, training sailors overseas and adopting Western culture. However, even as the Beiyang Fleet was being completed in the late 1880s, it was already beginning to fall behind the rest of the world, as Chen noted. "It was the strongest navy in Asia by the standards of previous generations, but the world's naval technology and doctrines had moved on from 'big ships, big guns' to 'fast ships, fast guns'. Firing speed, mobility and volley density were the new normal," he said. The technological gap was the deciding factor in the battle in the waters off Dadonggou. The Chinese ships were bulky and slow. It took 15 minutes for the Zhenyuan's 12-inch cannon to fire once, while the smaller cannons used by the Japanese could fire five times per minute, according to Chen: "The Japanese sailors could stride leisurely on their deck, while fire and chaos consumed everything on the Chinese side." Before the battle, the foreign press was certain of a Chinese victory because the two armored ships - the Dingyuan and the Zhenyuan - were fitted with superior armor and their firepower was unmatched by the Japanese navy. Despite that, Li was aware of the outdated technology and philosophy of the Beiyang Fleet, but was unable to remedy the situation because he had overspent and had made too many enemies, Chen said. In modern China, though, naval development has been given unprecedented emphasis, both financially and politically, he added. "With its economic size and global initiatives, China has the ability and the need to develop a strong navy to protect its growing interests overseas. A strong navy is a natural milestone in any country's ascent to global power - that has been the case for every colonial power and the United States," he said. "The only way to test technology and doctrine is through actual combat, which is something the Chinese navy is attempting to emulate through increasingly complex drills in multiple sea environments," he said. "After all, wars are not won on paper." In the summer of 1881, a group of Chinese sailors, with their tanned skins, long braided hair and dragon-embroidered uniforms, walked down a street in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in northern England as the locals, unused to the sight of Chinese people, flocked around to observe them and pass comment. The sailors had been the center of attention since April 24, when their 200-strong delegation arrived in the city. Their mission was to bring home two British-built cruisers, the Chaoyong and the Yangwei, to form the Beiyang, or Northern, Fleet and defend China against threats from overseas. The ships weren't ready, so Ding Ruchang, the head of the delegation, opened the Chinese flagship to the public and encouraged the sailors to mingle with the locals to learn about Western culture. "The sailors were like rock stars," said Li Xiaojie, president of the China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation. "Hundreds, sometimes thousands, would tour the Chinese ship every day. It was an eye-opening experience for both the Chinese and the British." The Chaoyong, a cruiser bought by China from the United Kingdom in the 1880s. Chi Zhongyou, the delegation's official scribe, recorded his experiences and the entire trip in his diary, The Journal of a Western Journey, which is now kept at the Museum of the Sino-Japanese War in Weihai, Shandong province. During a visit to the home of his friend James Fenwick, Chi fell in love with Annie Fenwick, James's younger cousin. It was love at first sight, and two days later, Chi wrote to Annie to declare his love. However, not everything was rosy. Chi recorded that four days after the delegation arrived, sailors Yuan Peifu and Gu Shizhong died from unknown illnesses. Both were low-ranking deckhands and, with the exception of Chi's brief record, little is known about them. "They were probably in their mid-20s, bold, energetic and willing to learn anything to protect their country, even learning things from the enemy," said Chen Yue, president of the Chinese Naval Historical Institute. "A naval career is dangerous, but to die without a fight, one cannot imagine how unfulfilling that must feel." The two warships were officially handed over to the Chinese on Aug 2, and on Aug 8, a day before departure, Chi paid a final visit to the graves of his dead comrades. However, he had forgotten to take flowers or any other offerings, so he rushed to the Fenwick's home and asked Annie and her sister Margaret to plant some flowers for the sailors the following Sunday. The next day, Annie arrived to bid Chi goodbye. She brought a frosted cake, with the ship's name, Chaoyong, and Chi's name written on the top in honey. She also brought a jar of cookies for Chi's mother, accompanied by a polite note wishing the old lady good health. "When shall we meet after this hasty departure? Who can relieve me of this lingering love?" Chi wrote in his diary entry for the day. On Nov 17, Chi's delegation arrived at the Da Gu shipyard in the northern Chinese port of Tianjin. He never saw Annie again. Six years later, when a 400-strong Chinese delegation returned to Newcastle to collect the cruisers Zhiyuan and Jingyuan, three sailors - Lian Jinyuan, Chen Shoufu and Chen Chengkui - died from illnesses and were buried next to Yuan and Gu. Fortified by eight German- and British-built cruisers, the modern Beiyang Fleet was born in Weihaiwei, Shandong province, now known simply as Weihai, on Dec 17, 1888. With about 40 ships and more than 4,000 personnel, the fleet constituted more than half of the Qing Dynasty's (1644-1911) total naval force, according to Chen. In June 1911, Chen Biguang, an admiral who was in the United Kingdom for the coronation of King George V, paid a special visit to St. John's cemetery in Newcastle and oversaw repairs of the damaged tombstones. In 2012, Deng Xinli, a reporter for Weapons Magazine, which publishes articles about military history, visited the cemetery and discovered several yellow flowers growing next to one of the tombs. The locals told him that they had been planted in memory of the Chinese sailors. "The flowers are for those who did not return," Deng later wrote. KUALA LUMPUR -- Frist four Chinese tourists who were rescued after their boat sank off Malaysia's Sabah state left for China on Monday, said China's consulate general. The first four Chinese tourists and their family were sent off early Monday by Consul General Chen Peijie in Kota Kinabalu, the state capital as well as Pang Yuk Ming, assistant minister of tourism, culture and environment of Sabah. The consulate general said the remaining rescued tourists were in stable condition and would return home soon. The boat carrying 28 Chinese tourists capsized on Jan. 28 enroute from Kota Kinabalu to Mengalum island, some 50 km to the west. Three of the tourists have been confirmed dead while another five and a crewmember remain missing. The search and rescue operations covered an area of 2,000 square nautical miles on Sunday. A body was found near the last location of the sunken boat on Friday, but the authorities has yet to confirm whether it was one of the missing. The author in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, during the Spring Festival holiday. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] January 28 2017 marks the official lunar New Year for the Chinese people. As the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar, it is observed in Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Chinese communities worldwide. Also known as Spring Festival (), the festival's date changes each year as it coincides with the Chinese lunar calendar which also defines the twelve-year repeating cycle of the Chinese zodiac. 2017 marks the year of the rooster, the only bird represented in the zodiac. This week-long public holiday boasts over 4,000 years of unique traditions and history dating as far back as the Shang Dynasty (c.16th century-11th century BC). According to ancient legends, Chinese New Year began with villagers fighting against the mythical creature known as Nian. Having the body of a bull and the head of a lion, this ferocious beast hunted for humans to eat towards the end of the year and the beginning of the new year when food was scarce. Knowing that the Nian was afraid of the color red, loud noises and fire, the villagers would decorate their doors and windows with red scrolls and use firecrackers to scare the monster away. The Nian never returned the following year, and the tradition of lighting fireworks and using red decorations to drive out bad spirits and bad luck continues to this day. In modern day China, people are no longer fighting against mythical creatures but rather immense crowds of people and traffic jams. The largest migration of humans on earth, over hundreds of millions of people each year travel back to their homes to see and spend time with their loved ones and friends. Whether by car, train, boat or plane, if you're traveling throughout China days before the Chinese New Year begins expect long lines, delays and large crowds. Being that Chinese New Year is the most important holiday, many Chinese people spend their week-long vacation with their families. On New Year's Eve, families gather together at the reunion dinner, where generations of families eat and enjoy time with each other. Fish, dumplings, spring rolls, sweet rice balls, noodles, glutinous rice cake and fruits such as tangerines, oranges and pomelos are typically eaten and have symbolic importance. Fish sounds like the word 'surplus' in Chinese, dumplings symbolize wealth as they resemble silver ingots, spring rolls and glutinous rice cake symbolize higher income and position, the circular shape of sweet rice balls symbolize family togetherness, noodles represent longevity and happiness and fruits symbolize fullness and wealth. In addition, other traditional celebrations include giving red envelopes that contain money to children, the elderly and to employees by their employers. Streets, stores, buildings and homes are decorated with the celebrated animal of the Chinese zodiac and the color red as it is believed to bring about luck and happiness. Traditional performances such as lion and dragon dances can be seen at temple fairs. Lastly, fireworks and firecrackers loudly accompany the Chinese New Year. They are lit day and night in front of houses, buildings and businesses to sound in the new year and to drive away bad luck and bad spirits. As a foreign student residing in Jinan, I have had the opportunity to experience Chinese New Year first hand. Chinese New Year is comparable to Christmas in the West. Both holidays are prepared before the actual celebrations to create a joyous atmosphere, people are given the chance to enjoy time off from work and reunite with their families, delicious food is prepared and gifts are exchanged. Traveling becomes more hectic and stores are more crowded than usual. Days leading up to the celebration, taxis are more difficult to acquire, there is more traffic and train and metro stations are much more crowded. Unlike Christmas, there is no religious undertone. Chinese New Year is an official public holiday that lasts for seven days rather than the typical five day work week in the States. In addition, streets are decorated with red lanterns and buildings and homes are adorned with red scrolls, red decorations and roosters. Like all major holidays, food plays an important role. Jiaozi, or dumplings, are typically eaten during this holiday and I ate my fair share at restaurants and friend's houses this new year. Boiled, fried, filled with meat, vegetables or seafood you will be sure to find jiaozi that suits your taste buds. What also came as a surprise was the sound of fireworks and firecrackers that sound before and during the holiday. Morning, afternoon or night, the loud and joyous noise is a constant reminder of welcoming the new year and driving out bad luck. Lastly, I had the opportunity to attend the Spring Festival Gala which was aired on Shandong TV. Viewers were entertained with a variety of comedic skits, lively singing and colorful dance routines performed by famous Shandong natives to celebrate the new year. It was a joyous event that put everyone, including myself, into the holiday spirit. Chinese New Year is the time when bustling streets become quiet and desolate. Businesses and restaurants close their doors to the public. Schools and universities are closed as students enjoy their time away from their studies. Chinese New Year is a chance for people to renew ties with their loved one, enjoy a relaxing time away from work and look forward to a new beginning. Jessica and her husband Ming Jie spend Spring Festival at Ming's hometown in Zhanjiang city, South China's Guangdong province. [Photo provided by Jessica to chinadaily.com.cn] "Jia Mu-eh!" my husband's mother shouts loudly from the outdoor kitchen. "Jia Mu-eh" means having dinner in the dialect of my husband's hometown in Zhanjiang city, South China's Guangdong province. This is the only phrase I know. Thankfully though, most of his relatives can speak Mandarin, so communicating with them is not a big issue. The only ones who cannot understand me are his little cousins. They won't start studying Mandarin until they enter kindergarten. My husband's English is better than my Chinese, so he's my personal translator when I can't speak what I want to say. This is my fourth time visiting his hometown and the first time as his wife. We got our marriage license last year, a day before we went back to Beijing so there wasn't much time for celebration besides a shot of baijiu and congratulations all around. Typically, my husband and I will take the "slow" train from Beijing, where we live, to Zhanjiang. A 37-hour trip in a sleeper car. Due to work this year, we had to travel separately, him leaving a week before me. He, once again, rode the train and I, for the first time, flew there. For me, four hours was much more tolerable than 37. Landing on the tiny runway at the airport in Zhanjiang was the start of my holiday. Lin Zhigang (left), the general manager of a leather company, visits Zhou Xiangcheng, one of his employees, and his grandma. [Photo/Qianjiang Evening News] Lin Zhigang, the general manager of a leather company, trekked more than 5,000 kilometers to deliver New Year greetings to his employees in the far-flung countryside of hinterland provinces, reported Qianjiang Evening News. Lin's company was created in 2004 and is based in Haining, East China's Zhejiang province. Lin said the company's workforce is largely made up of young people between 25 and 30 years old and most employees come from the same villages in Southwest China's Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. "Our company does not hire workers in the job market because veteran employees bring over their fellow villagers, which makes for a stable workforce," said Lin, brimming with pride. "Many young workers got to know each other and married within the company. And now there are dozens of couples in our company. We are like a big family," said Lin. It is the second time Lin has visited employees in remote villages during the Spring Festival, the most important holiday on the Chinese calendar when families reunite. Li embarked on this journey with his driver and the human resources manager on the early morning of the first day of the lunar New Year. Their first stop was Linshui county in Guang'an, Sichuan province. After driving 17 hours, they arrived at the home of a long-time employee surnamed Wen where they were warmly welcomed. They had dinner together and took a group photo. Throughout his journey, Lin was impressed by the hospitality of local families. He said regardless of anyone's resources, they served them the best food available. He also saw the hardships of life in mountainous areas, where young people tend to go to cities to seek better-paying jobs, leaving behind the elderly and children. Lin's final stop was a small mountainous village in Qujing, Yunnan province, where Zhou Xiangcheng, a 28-year-old quality inspection worker lives. Zhou said the visit from his boss was something more precious than any material reward. Having worked in the company for five years, Zhou married one of his fellow workers and now earns about 4,000 yuan ($580) a month, which enables him to "live a much better life than in his hometown". Zhou said he dreamed of making roots in Haining and bringing his children to study there in the future. An appeal to increase state compensation to a man who was wrongfully jailed for eight years has been rejected, as there isn't enough evidence to support the medical and treatment fees he applied for, according to his lawyer and sister. Cao Lelong, the lawyer for the plaintiff, Nian Bin, confirmed today that the Supreme People's Court dismissed Nian's appeal for 5.4 million yuan ($787,100) in compensation before the Spring Festival. "But considering the family's sufferings and feelings, I did not tell them until after the holiday", Cao said. Nian, a native of Fujian province, was sentenced to death in the poisoning deaths of two children in 2006, and was freed on Aug 22, 2014 after the provincial high court decided he was innocent, citing a lack of evidence. In February 2015 he was awarded 1.19 million yuan in compensation for damages brought about by wrongful detention of more than 2,800 days and mental harm. But Nian did not accept it and appealed to the top court. The highest judicial chamber filed the case last year, but after the one-year review, it said Nian's compensation appeal to cover his medical and treatment costs has no legal basis in line with the State Compensation Law. Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court, the lower organ that presided over the wrongful conviction, harmed Nian's freedom instead of his health, so it should not cover the present cost of treatment to Nian's injured legs and hands. Nian Jianlan, Nian Bin's elder sister, said the injuries were made by police during her brother's detention, "but they are short of evidence", the top court added. Cao and the sister showed disappointment at the result, but they said they respected it. Cao added: "The rejection means all the legal procedures that a litigant can apply for state compensation in the country has been exhausted, and the 1.19 million yuan the family was offered two years ago is the final compensation." But Nian Jianlan, who gave up jobs to prove her brother's innocence, said that she will continue to ask for social aid to help treat Nian Bin's injuries and also to find a new job to support the family's basic cost of living. "My brother is 40 and with little education. His health condition now does not allow him to do hard work and the compensation is far from what's needed to afford his treatment fees," she said. "He wants to seek something to do, but few will hire him due to his past life." Pianist Alice Sara Ott has developed her international career with a series of high-profile debuts. Ahead of her debut recital in Beijing four years ago, Alice Sara Ott cut her long hair that she'd for years. "I like closing chapters. I am not the person who looks in the past," says Ott, a 28-year-old German-Japanese pianist. She applies the same philosophy to her music, she says. "I don't want to hold on to anything that doesn't fit into a new environment." During a recital she gave at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, which concluded her latest China tour in January, Ott took the audience both through "wonderland and hell" by playing pieces of Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg and Hungarian composer Franz Liszt. She fell in love with a Liszt sonata for piano from the time she started to learn it, she says. "But it turned out to be a piece that is very difficult to couple with other pieces. It is too heavy and dark, like a trip to hell. For me, playing this sonata is one of the most emotional experiences I can have onstage," Ott says. She describes Grieg's music as "light and dreamy" and a good balance for Liszt. She wore a yellow dress while performing Grieg's piece and changed into a black dress while playing Liszt. "I did it for the first time in Japan last year," Ott says. "What I wanted is to make the audience understand more about the music. I cannot play such a dark piece (Liszt's sonata) in a bright color." "We live in a time, where we complain about young people not coming to classical concerts," Ott says, adding that creating the right atmosphere is necessary. The pianist also notes that classical concerts are often associated with expensive tickets and for the elite, which she says is wrong. "Music is for anybody. If you want to enjoy classical music in jeans and T-shirt, that's fine." In her latest album, Wonderland, released in September, Ott soaks in Grieg's music. The composer's life, lived in the woods, awoke Ott's own forgotten childhood memories. "We live in a century where everyday life is dominated by time, money and materialism. Fantasies and dreams are things we have left behind," she says. Born in Munich to a German engineer and his Japanese pianist wife, Ott grew up running around with boys rather than playing with her dolls. Ott's love for the piano began at age 3, when her parents took her with them to a concert because they couldn't find a nanny. A year later, she was introduced to a piano teacher. In 2002, at age 13, she became the youngest finalist in the history of the Hamamatsu International Piano Competition. She also won top prizes at the Koethen Bach Competition the following year and the Val Tidone International Music Competition in 2004. Her international career developed with a series of high-profile debuts in Europe, including a critically acclaimed performance of Maurice Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major with Zurich's Tonhalle Orchestra and conductor David Zinman in 2006. At age 19, Ott, who can speak Japanese, German and English, signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon. Her first album was a recording of Liszt's etudes that year. Then she recorded Frederic Chopin's complete waltzes in 2010. But does early success mean high expectations of Ott? "The worst pressure is something you put on yourself and you have to find a way to deal with it," she says. She has two things to relieve pressure, which are also ways to warm her before concerts. One is milk chocolate: "Ten bars a day", she says. The other is Rubik's Cube (her best score is 55 seconds). Based in Berlin now, the pianist says she likes whiskey. When she returns from a tour, she usually goes to a bar with friends. "That's the moment when I know I am home." China's embassy in India has pushed India to complete entry and exit procedures in time for a Chinese veteran who has spent more than 50 years there to visit his family in China, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said today. Wang Qi, 80, is reportedly a Chinese army surveyor who entered India in 1963 but has not been able to go back to China since. The embassy issued a 10-year Chinese passport to Wang in 2013, and since then has been providing with him financial support every year, Lu said. According to China's embassy in India, Ambassador Luo Zhaohui talked to Wang over the phone on Saturday, telling Wang that the embassy has maintained close contact with the Indian government over the issue of facilitating his trip to China to visit family members. Luo said appropriate arrangements need to be made, considering that Wang is married and has children in India. Wang said he has told the Indian government he wants to go back to China as soon as possible, and his wife and children support his plan to make the trip. He said he feels sorry that he couldn't make it to China when his mother passed away years ago. Lu reiterated: "We believe that under the joint effort by China and India, and on the premise of respecting Mr Wang's wishes, the case will come to a satisfying end." Many people are just getting to bed when Roger Medina wakes up at the stroke of midnight and, after a quick coffee, heads to the US-Mexico border as his wife and infant daughter sleep. Six hours later, having gone through US customs and immigration control and after an hourlong bus ride from the border, the 23-year-old is standing in a field, packaging lettuce at a California farm. Medina is among the tens of thousands of laborers who legally cross into the United States daily from Mexicali, just opposite California's Imperial Valley, to harvest the fruits and vegetables. And they have warily been watching as President Donald Trump rails against Mexican immigration, accusing migrants of crime and of taking US jobs, even as he orders the building of a border wall to prevent, he said, undocumented migrants or terrorists from entering the country. "If he wants to close the border, he can come and harvest the fruits and vegetables himself," scoffed Jose Luis Carrillo, 35, as he methodically chopped iceberg lettuce heads, placing them with lightning speed into plastic bags before they are loaded in crates on conveyor belts. Almost 55,000 people cross into the US from Mexicali every day. Nationwide, some 540,000 Mexicans work in the US farming and forestry sectors. In the Imperial Valley, one of the world's most productive agricultural regions, most of those who work the land are Mexicans with green cards or dual citizenship. They line up at the border before dawn every day but Sunday to cross over, and they make the long journey back home as the sun is setting. "No gringo could survive this," said Medina, who has been working the fields since the age of 17. (China Daily 02/06/2017 page12) People of the Miao ethnic group dress up as "Manggao", a legendary creature in the Miao culture, as part of the Manggao festival in Rongan county, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Feb 5, 2017. During the festival, Manggao performers dance and put black ash on the faces of local residents, believing this will bring good fortune in the coming new year. [Photo/China News Service] Palace Museums are something to treasure Updated: 2017-02-06 07:25 By Paul Surtees(HK Edition) The recent announcement that a special museum will be built as part of Hong Kong's growing West Kowloon cultural hub to showcase ancient Chinese objets d'art on long-term loan from the famous Palace Museum in Beijing has so far met with a surprisingly mixed reaction here. Some seek to make controversial political points about it while others welcome this cultural good news, announced in late December by the former chief secretary for administration Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor. The coming West Kowloon Cultural District is generally envisioned as reinforcing Hong Kong's growing importance as a cultural hub, with world-class museums and art performance venues. That position is already backed up by Hong Kong hosting over 100 art galleries, plus having numerous cultural performance venues, art fairs aplenty, cultural and religious festivals of many types, and a goodly number of excellent museums. For example, any visitor or resident should make the time to take in the outstanding "Hong Kong Story" permanent exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of History in Tsim Sha Tsui. Such offerings add much to the experience of visiting or living in this vibrant city. So which of us could reasonably speak against adding a world-class venue to showcase one-of-a-kind priceless Chinese cultural gems borrowed from Beijing? Situated within the impressive walls of the 1,000-roomed old Forbidden City in Beijing is the Palace Museum. This important cultural storehouse is able at any one time to display only a small fraction of its priceless collection of 1.8 million ancient objects. For example, it holds 30,000 exquisite jade carvings and 1,000 antique timepieces. The plan is for Hong Kong to have its own version of that Palace Museum at West Kowloon. It will cost the local taxpayer nothing, because the funding (estimated at HK$3.5 billion) will be provided by the Hong Kong Jockey Club's charity funding arm. Not all Hong Kong people are able to travel to the nation's capital Beijing to view this collection in situ in the former palaces of the old emperors of China, who built up the collection over many centuries and over several dynasties. So the long-term loan to Hong Kong of key items from that collection will give all Hong Kong people the opportunity to view parts of this fascinating collection, a collection which represents their birthright. Reinforcing their feelings of Chinese identity in this way will be one of the intangible benefits of the advent of this new museum in Hong Kong. A public consultation on these plans is being conducted until Feb 22 by the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority. Commentators can share their ideas and comments on these early-stage plans - such as whether additional exhibition halls should be provided for temporary exhibitions, whether a bookshop and/or a restaurant should form part of the facilities, and how to attract plenty of visitors to the planned displays. In my view, organized guided tours should be arranged for school groups, aided by the pupils having pre-tour and post-tour worksheets to complete. The interesting, ancient, even exotic items to be displayed by two Palace Museums, one in Beijing and a new one in Hong Kong, represent the best of the cultural heritage of all Chinese people, no matter where they come from. The same may be said of the collection of some 700,000 items held by the Palace Museum in Taipei. Indeed, the source of the latter collection is the same as for the other two - the old imperial art collections from the Forbidden City. The Taipei museum's vast number of objects means that they struggle to display more than about 3,000 items at any one time. What a fine thing it would be for improved cross-Strait relations were Taipei's Palace Museum to offer selected key items from those held in storage there for long-term loan to be displayed in West Kowloon. The Beijing authorities several years ago agreed to lend Palace Museum items for display to Taiwan; Taiwan could reciprocate by lending some of their massive holdings to this coming Hong Kong Palace Museum and - who knows - even some to their original place of collection in Beijing. And last but not least, imagine the goodwill such positive gestures would contribute to healthier cross-Strait relations. These three Palace Museums could collaborate on a long-term cooperation plan, whereby selected items for themed exhibitions could be pooled together for rotational display at the three locations, thereby benefiting residents and visitors to all three. After all, an enlightened view is that these cultural treasures belong to all Chinese people, who can all feel justifiably proud no matter where they may be displayed. In due course, consideration can also be given to moving such themed exhibitions to other major museums, such as a proposed new museum in Shanghai. This promises to be a win-win idea that all three Palace Museums should give serious consideration to. (HK Edition 02/06/2017 page8) People watch performance at Qingjiangpu temple fair during Chinese Lunar New Year holiday in Huai'an city, East China's Jiangsu province, Jan. 30, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Spring Festival means happy family reunions for most Chinese people. But for parents that have lost their only child, the festival is a time of sadness as it only reminds them their loss. Governments at all levels make efforts to support these families during the festival. There are many media reports of local authorities providing financial aid to families that have lost their only child, or civil servants and social workers visiting these families during the holiday. But what these parents really need is not flowers, gifts or even money during the holidays, but rather a sound institutional arrangement for their well-being when they grow old, as they have no children to look after them in their old age. It is a tradition in China that children look after their elderly parents. Even though society has drastically changed since reform and opening-up, young adults still play an important role in supporting their elderly parents. It's an urgent task that the government steps in to provide the support to those parents who have lost their only child. Many local governments provide subsidies or allowances to parents that lose their only child, but in reality they are usually far from enough. Many senior citizens' pensions are not enough for them to live decent lives without the financial support of their adult children. Financial support to secure the basic life needs of these seniors based on the actual situation of local areas is in urgent need. Meanwhile, local governments should also provide a mental counseling service to these elderly, many of whom suffer from serious psychological trauma. A high percentage of the elderly who have lost their only child reportedly suffer from depression and even attempt to commit suicide. It is necessary that governments and social workers provide regular and effective psychological support and, when necessary, intervention to this group. In addition, even if they are financially self-sufficient and are able to cope with the daily routine by themselves, these elderly still face difficulties in dealing with emergencies. For instance, if they fall ill or have an accident, they have no child to turn to for help as other families do. It is good to see the higher authorities are already aware of the significance of taking care of these elderly-in-need and taking action on their behalf. In August last year, the National Health and Family Planning Commission announced it was establishing a contact person system for "the special families under the system of family planning". It requires two specific contact persons be designated for the families that have lost their only child, and requires the contact persons to properly deal with any serious emergencies that might arise. In addition, some local authorities have begun to purchase old age support services for these families, which is also an effective means of aiding them. Support for the elderly has become an increasingly important issue in China as its society ages and nuclear families replace traditional big multi-generation families. Moreover, despite the government now allowing all families to have two children, more and more couples choose to have only one child or even be DINKS (dual income, no kids) due to people's ever-increasing pursuit of self-fulfillment and the heavy financial burden of raising children. Under such circumstances, in the future more and more families will face the same difficulties as those families that lose their only child do. Therefore, the authorities should pay more attention to the transition from the family-based support for the elderly to community-based support for the elderly dominated by the government. The author is a writer with China Daily. wangyiqing@chinadaily.com.cn During Spring Festival, many Chinese cities with large migrant populations become empty when these workers return to their hometowns for family reunions. According to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, during this year's Spring Festival, the capital's population was reduced by 8.48 million, which accounts for 39 percent of the city's population at ordinary times. The empty city phenomenon is a combination of Chinese tradition and modern life in contemporary China. With China's rapid economic growth and urbanization, more and more rural residents go to study, work and live in the big cities. But a majority of Chinese people still keep the Chinese tradition of going back to their hometowns during Spring Festival to have family reunions with their relatives. Many cities, especially metropolises and those along the coast, have attracted a large number of migrant workers due to their job opportunities. But there is a shortage of workers in the service sector in many big cities during Spring Festival. The local authorities concerned should implement more active measures to encourage migrant workers to stay in the cities during Spring Festival. It will not only solve the labor shortage problem in big cities, but also help ease the pressure on transportation nationwide during this period. US President Donald Trump and First Lady MelaniaTrump arrive for the 60th Annual Red Cross Gala at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach on February 4, 2017. [AFP File Photo/ MANDEL NGAN] Two weeks since newly-elected US President Donald Trump took office, Americans are split in their assessments of whether the US news media is covering the Trump administration fairly, a new Gallup poll found. Just over a third of Americans, at 36 percent, think the media has been too tough on Trump, while just under a third, or 31 percent, think it has been about right, according to the poll. Twenty-eight percent say the media has not been tough enough. Republicans overwhelmingly believe the media has been too tough on Trump, the poll found. However, this masks broad disapproval among Republicans, who mostly believe the media -- which Trump has declared "the opposition party" -- is being too hard on the new Republican president. Meanwhile, about half of Democrats think the media should be tougher on Trump, according to a Gallup poll released Friday. Trump's team has battled against what it describes as the US media' s unfair coverage of a number of issues. The White House has fought against some media estimates of the size of Trump's inauguration crowd being relatively small, and against media descriptions of Trump's visa ban as a "Muslim ban," for example, Gallup noted. This comes against this backdrop of nearly three in four Republicans, or 74 percent, saying the media has been too tough on Trump. Democrats, on the other hand, are more divided, with 49 percent saying the media has not been tough enough and 40 percent saying its coverage has been about right. The public's mood, according to this late January poll, differs from January 2009, when only 11 percent of Americans thought the US news media had been too tough on then newly-elected President Barack Obama. Nearly half, or 48 percent, thought the media was about right in its coverage of Obama and his administration, while 38 percent said it was not tough enough, Gallup found. A senior EU politician said recently that China represents an external threat to Europe, an accusation which is groundless as well as outrageous. As a matter of fact, China's development provides an enormous opportunity for Europe and both sides benefit from strong and stable bilateral ties. The European Union is China's biggest trading partner, and China is the EU's second biggest, following a dramatic increase in trade in recent years. Data from Chinese customs show that bilateral trade reached 2.94 trillion yuan (423.34 billion U.S. dollars) in the first 10 months of 2016, reaching a new high, and overcoming the global trade downturn. China's rapid economic growth has served as an opportunity for the European Union's own growth. With a fragile economy, the rising threat of protectionism and uncertainty in relations with other major world powers, Europe can benefit significantly from strong trade relations with China. China and Europe should also work closer together in global governance issues, with climate change as a primary example. China and the EU played key roles as brokers of the COP21 Climate Agreement in Paris, and were urged to work even more closely for COP22 in Marrakech. With the Paris Agreement having entered into force, China and the EU will need to trust each other more than ever to help ensure that these critical measures are being implemented fully and correctly. Global security is also a core principle of China-EU relations, with Chinese President Xi Jinping calling for a community of shared future, and China showing its commitment to this vision through its involvement in the Iran nuclear talks, mediation for national reconciliation in South Sudan, and the facilitation of peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, among others. In all global issues, China is a partner to the European Union, a sign of the friendship and mutual trust built over the 42 years since diplomatic relations were formally established in 1975. Strong bilateral ties need these twin guarantees to ensure that different political systems and different cultures can still find common ground. International relations are not a zero-sum game, as China has repeatedly shown in its partnerships with Europe. Through strong bilateral ties, China seeks a relationship with the European Union that promotes win-win development and mutually benefiting cooperation. Senior European politicians should be cautious about the statements they make, and safeguard the long-term and steady development of China-EU relations. Biased views will do no good for such development. Hundred-bird dress is decorated in feathers and embroideries. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn] Miao people perform a lusheng dance to welcome the Start of Spring on Feb 2. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn] The dance is performed to music from the lusheng, a reed-pipe wind instrument. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn] Guizhou is land blessed with diverse traditions, cultures and ethnicities which stretch back thousands of years. To celebrate the Start of Spring, the first solar phase of the Lunar New Year, members of Congjiang countys Miao ethnic group performed the lusheng dance. The dance is performed in a special embroidered and feathered dress made by the local Miao people, and covered in depictions of hundreds of birds and dragons. Often performed in a circle and accompanied by the reed-piped sounds of lusheng music, the dance bids farewell to winter and welcomes the spring and its oncoming fertile greenery. As with many customs which surround Spring Festival and the beginning of a new lunar calendar, the lusheng dance is also performed to worship ancestors long past and embody hopes of good luck and prosperity in the New Year. Beginning on Feb 3 and ending on Feb 17 in this year, Start of Spring is the first of 24 Chinese solar terms. Unlike a modern calendar, the solar terms divide the year up into segments according to the position of the sun in the sky. In ancient China, this enabled farmers to make predictions and take action based on the position of the sun in order to optimize their crops and achieve the best harvest. Edited by Owen Fishwick US President Donald Trump speaks while signing executive orders at the White House in Washington January 24, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Sunday ramped up his criticism of a federal judge who blocked a travel ban on seven mainly Muslim nations and said courts were making US border security harder, intensifying the first major legal battle of his presidency. In a series of tweets that broadened his attack on the country's judiciary, Trump said Americans should blame US District Judge James Robart and the court system if anything happened. Trump did not elaborate on what threats the country potentially faced. He added that he had told the Department of Homeland Security to "check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult!" The Republican president labeled Robart a "so-called judge" on Saturday, a day after the Seattle jurist issued a temporary restraining order that prevented enforcement of a 90-day ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen and a 120-day bar on all refugees. A US appeals court later on Saturday denied the government's request for an immediate stay of the ruling. Vice President Mike Pence defended Trump earlier on Sunday, even as some Republicans encouraged the businessman-turned-politician to tone down his broadsides against the judicial branch of government. "The president of the United States has every right to criticize the other two branches of government," Pence said on NBC's "Meet the Press" program. It is unusual for a sitting president to attack a member of the judiciary, which the US Constitution designates as a check on the power of the executive branch and Congress. US Senator Patrick Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Trump seems intent on precipitating a constitutional crisis. Some Republicans also expressed discomfort with the situation. "I think it is best not to single out judges for criticism," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on CNN's "State of the Union" program. "We all get disappointed from time to time at the outcome in courts on things that we care about. But I think it is best to avoid criticizing judges individually." Republican Senator Ben Sasse, a vocal critic of Trump, was less restrained. "We don't have so-called judges ... we don't have so-called presidents, we have people from three different branches of government who take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution," he said on the ABC News program "This Week." The People's Liberation Army has released a video of a recent exercise employing the advanced DF-16 medium-range ballistic missile, a weapon seen as filling a gap in the nation's arsenal. Several launch vehicles carrying the ballistic missiles were seen in the footage that the PLA published on its video website, released to show the training of Rocket Force missile brigade soldiers around the Spring Festival holiday. The participating units handled a number of scenarios, including chemical/biological contamination, countering satellite reconnaissance and electronic jamming. The crews practiced multiple maneuvers, such as rapid loading, redeployment and launch sequence, though the video showed no missile actually being launched. Two types of DF-16 that appeared in the exercise are the bullet-shaped missile that is considered the original DF-16 and a new variant that features a maneuverable warhead and several extra fins. The video represents the third time the DF-16 has been shown to the public. The missile made its debut at a military parade in Beijing in September 2015. In July, a television news program showed General Fan Changlong, a vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspecting a DF-16 unit of the Southern Theater Command. Though the PLA has never disclosed its ballistic missiles' specifications, experts said the DF-16 poses a challenge to foreign military installations along the first island chain, which is what the Chinese military calls the series of islands that stretch from Japan in the north to China's Taiwan and the Philippines to the south. Xu Guangyu, a retired major general and now a strategy researcher, said that DF-16 has a strike range of more than 1,000 kilometers, filling the gap that previously existed with the absence of a medium-range ballistic missile in the PLA's arsenal. He said the missile also is able to reach Okinawa, a Japanese island about 400 km from China's Diaoyu Islands. Shi Hong, executive editor of Shipborne Weapons, said the DF-16 was developed by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp based on the DF-11 short-range ballistic missile and can carry a warhead of at least 500 kg. The missile has a strike accuracy as good as that of a cruise missile, Shi said. It is also able to maneuver in its final stage to penetrate enemy defensive firepower, he said. Other PLA Rocket Force brigades also mobilized their DF-11, DF-15 and DF-21C ballistic missiles during training around Spring Festival, according to PLA media outlets. In another development, Washington Free Beacon, a news website in the United States that specializes in military affairs, reported on Jan 31 that China conducted the first flight of the DF-5C intercontinental ballistic missile in January. The missile carries 10 multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles. The DF-5C is the latest variant of the three-decade-old DF-5 family, the report said. An unidentified officer from the Defense Ministry's Information Bureau reached by Shenzhen TV on Saturday would neither confirm nor deny the DF-5C test, but said such tests are not aimed at any foreign nation or specific target. US President Donald Trump speaks by phone with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, US January 28, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] WEST PALM BEACH President Donald Trump said he respects Vladimir Putin, and when told the Russian leader is "a killer," Trump said the United States has many of them. "What do you think? Our country's so innocent?" he told Fox's Bill O'Reilly in a taped interview aired Sunday on the Super Bowl pregame show. Trump has long expressed a wish for better ties with Moscow, praised Putin and signaled that US-Russia relations could be in line for a makeover, even after US intelligence agencies determined that Russia meddled in the 2016 US presidential campaign to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. Putin has called Trump a "very bright and talented man." During Putin's years in power, a number of prominent Russian opposition figures and journalists have been killed. In the interview, Trump says, "I do respect him," then is asked why. "I respect a lot of people, but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with him. He's a leader of his country. I say it's better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world that's a good thing," Trump said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group. "Will I get along with him? I have no idea."O'Reilly then said about Putin: "But he's a killer, though. Putin's a killer."Trump responded: "There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country's so innocent?" When O'Reilly says he doesn't know any government leaders who are killers, Trump says "take a look at what we've done, too. We've made a lot of mistakes" and references the Iraq war. The Kremlin had no immediate comment. Democrats and Republicans took issue with Trump's comparison of Russia and the US "I really do resent that he would say something like that," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., on ABC's "This Week." The Senate's top Republican, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, distanced himself from the president. "Putin's a former KGB agent. He's a thug. He was not elected in a way that most people would consider a credible election. The Russians annexed Crimea, invaded Ukraine and messed around in our elections. And no, I don't think there's any equivalency between the way the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does," McConnell told CNN's "State of the Union."O'Reilly also asked Trump to back up his claims that some 3 million to 5 million illegal votes were cast in the election. Trump didn't answer directly, but asserted that immigrants in the US illegally and dead people are on the voter rolls. "It's really a bad situation, it's really bad," Trump said. There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the Nov. 8 election. Trump won the Electoral College vote but lost the popular vote by nearly 2.9 million votes to Clinton. Trump recently announced on Twitter that he would call for a "major investigation" into voter fraud, but senior administration officials said last week that plans for Trump to take some type of executive action on the issue had been delayed. Trump said in the Fox News interview that he will set up a commission to be headed by Vice President Mike Pence and "we're going to look at it very, very carefully. "McConnell, meanwhile, said he saw no role for the federal government because states historically have handled voter fraud investigations. "There's no evidence that it occurred in such a significant number that would have changed the presidential election, and I don't think we ought to spend any federal money investigating that," McConnell told CNN. "I think the states can take a look at this issue." On other issues, Trump said:California's consideration of legislation to create a statewide sanctuary for people living in the country illegally is "ridiculous." He suggested withholding federal funding as possible punishment. Plans to enact a replacement for the Affordable Care Act could slip into next year. "I would like to say by the end of the year, at least the rudiments, but we should have something within the year and the following year," Trump said. Living in the White House is "a surreal experience in a certain way, but you have to get over it, because there's so much work to be done." The Trump administration on Thursday revised recent US sanctions that had unintentionally prevented American companies from exporting certain consumer electronic products to Russia. The change allows companies to deal with Russia's security service, which licenses such exports under Russian law. The products were not intended to be covered by the sanctions the Obama administration imposed on Dec. 29 after US intelligence agencies concluded that Russia interfered in the presidential election. The White House denied it was easing sanctions. Marine Le Pen, French National Front (FN) political party leader and candidate for the French 2017 presidential election, attends the 2-day FN political rally to launch the presidential campaign in Lyon, France February 5, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] LYON, France French far-right candidate Marine Le Pen blasted the "two totalitarianisms" of globalization and Islamic fundamentalism Sunday in a speech formally launching her presidential campaign that hit all the right chords for her National Front party followers. Looking to translate her high early poll numbers into votes, Le Pen evoked a frightening image of France's future during her much-anticipated speech. The country, enslaved to the European Union and unrecognizable as French, risks losing its identity if the political status quo endures, she said. "We are at a crossroad .... This election is a choice of civilization," she said, asking whether her three children and other young citizens would have the rights and cultural signposts of the current generation. "Will they even speak our French language?" She issued a call for French voters on the left and right to join her, saying "You have a place at our side."The speech recalled the thundering and previously unpalatable pronouncements of her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, the National Front's hard-liner founder. Marine Le Pen banished him from the party in an effort to clean up its image. But her remarks made clear the elder Le Pen's anti-immigration message, targeting Muslims, remains a selling point in party ranks. "We do not want to live under the rule or threat of Islamic fundamentalism. They are looking to impose on us gender discrimination in public places, full body veils or not, prayer rooms in the workplace, prayers in the streets, huge mosques ... or the submission of women," she said. The estimated 5,000 people in the amphitheater and watching on big screens cheered and chanted "On est chez nous" ("We are in our land.")Le Pen reiterated some of the 144 "commitments" she has pledged to fulfill, if elected. It is a nationalist agenda laying out plans for France to leave the European Union, control its borders and readopt the old French franc as the national currency. Running under the slogan, "In the Name of the People," her platform also would create popular referendums on any issue that gathered at least 500,000 signatures. And it would put French people first, with "national preference" enshrined in the Constitution. "We've witnessed the impoverishment of France for some years now at a cultural, economic and social level," Billy Winkens, a 41-year-old supporter from Toule, in eastern France, said. "Today, people are hungry for change and want to drain the swamp, but in an orderly fashion, with coherence."The National Front has taken heart in the French left's disarray amid the unpopularity of Socialist President Francois Hollande, who decided not to run for re-election. An Internally displaced Afghan boy looks on as he stands outside his shelter during a snowfall in Kabul, Afghanistan February 5, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] KABUL -- At least 50 people were killed and a dozen others wounded after an avalanche struck a remote village in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nuristan on Sunday, a local official said. "The natural disaster struck Hafsaa village, Barg-e-Matal district roughly at midday. The initial information found 50 people died and over one dozen wounded," a provincial source told Xinhua anonymously. The source added that the number of casualties may further rise as the avalanche also destroyed countless houses in the province, bordering Pakistan. "Most of the roads leading to the affected village have been blocked by the snow, and the local officials were trying to dispatch rescue teams to provide assistance and aid to affected people in the district with difficult terrains," he said. The deaths have brought to over 90 the number of people who lost their lives due to snowfall and freezing weather across Afghanistan over the past three days. The heavy snow and avalanche also destroyed or damaged more than 200 houses across the mountainous country over the same period. Afghan security forces and Natural Disaster Management Authority's officials rescued several passengers, who were trapped in 40 vehicles along a main highway connecting Kabul to southern Kandahar province over the past 24 hours. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Monday that China has lodged representations to the United States concerning the Trump administration's new sanctions against Iran, which involve three Chinese individuals and two Chinese companies. The new US administration, under Donald Trump, ordered sanctions against 25 people and entities on Friday in retaliation for Iran's recent ballistic missile test. Those targeted are prohibited from doing any business in the US or with American citizens. However, executives of the two Chinese companies, Cosailing Business Trading Co. Ltd and Ningbo New Century Import and Export Co, told Reuters on Sunday that they had only exported "normal" goods to the Middle Eastern country and didn't consider they had done anything wrong. "We've noticed the statements made by related Chinese companies," Lu told a daily press conference in Beijing. In terms of sanctions, the spokesman reaffirmed that China is always opposed to unilateral sanctions, especially when it harms the interests of third parties. "This is not conducive to the mutual trust of related parties, and their efforts to solve international issues," he said. Performers at The Northeast England Five-University Chinese New Year Gala at Newcastle City Hall on February 4, 2017. [Photo provided to China Daily] The Chinese Lunar New Year, the Year of the Rooster, has been welcomed across the United Kingdom, where many communities hosted their largest-ever events. And the party continued at the weekend with a huge gala at Newcastle City Hall headlined The Northeast England Five-University Chinese New Year Gala. The event was one of the biggest and best in the UK and attracted more than 2,000 people, many of whom were Chinese students and business people who joined British officials and locals. Linda Wright, sheriff and deputy Lord Mayor of Newcastle City Council, said the city cherishes its close ties with Chinese students. "It is important that traditional and cultural links are maintained, as history and heritage are significant to us all," she said. The gala, which was first held in 2008, has increased in size and popularity. Qu Zhaodan, gala director, said its aim was to "bring homely warmth to overseas students, to show the traditional Chinese culture to British guests, and to illustrate the life and influence of Chinese migrants in the local community". The event was organized by the Chinese Students and Scholars Association at Newcastle University, along with four other universitiesDurham, Teesside, Northumbria and Sunderland. The gala featured singing, dancing and short dramas all performed by Chinese students. The high point of the night was from children at the local preschool, Oak Field Infant School, who sang Happy New Year in Chinese, under the supervision of teachers from the local Confucius Institute. Deng Sangyu, 18, a first-year student at Newcastle University, said, with so many friends and happy strangers, she felt the warmth of the festival season and was less homesick. LONDON - Police officers in Britain were subjected to almost 2.5 million assaults over a 12 month period, the Police Federation said in a report released Sunday. The federation, regarded as the trade union for police officers, said the new figures reveal the horrific extent and frequency of assaults on police officers. Estimations based on data from a welfare survey data suggest that there were potentially more than two million (2,113,602) unarmed physical assaults on officers over a 12-month period, and a further 302,842 assaults using a deadly weapon during the same period. It means there were a total of 2,416,445 attacks, 40,009 injuries due to violence, equating to a policeman or policewoman being assaulted at the rate of one every four minutes. Until now the estimate had been that around 23,000 police officers were assaulted every year, but the new figures presented a stark reality of the job and what police officers have to deal with. A spokesman for the federation said: "It has been difficult to determine the actual number of police officers assaulted every year. Much of this has been down to what data has been used, taking into consideration inconsistencies and a variety of recording processes." "Incidents are also often under-reported, further contributing to an incomplete national picture on what is a growing concern," the spokesman said. Steve White, the federation's chairman for England and Wales said: "We always knew that 23,000, whilst bad enough, was not the true picture but 2.4 million is beyond anyone's expectations and totally unacceptable." Last year the federation raised the issue with Britain's interior department, the Home Office, about the official figures not giving a true picture of the number of police assaults per year. WASHINGTON - If it's tough being a kid, try being a "first kid" - the child of an American president. Just ask President Bill Clinton's daughter, Chelsea. Or President George W. Bush's twins, Jenna and Barbara. And now, President Donald Trump's youngest child, Barron, is finding out. Ten-year-old Barron was the target of a poorly received joke tweeted by a "Saturday Night Live" writer on Jan 20 as the new first family reveled in Inauguration Day events. Separately in Chicago, comedian Shannon Noll played the title character in "Barron Trump: Up Past Bedtime," which had a recent run at a theater in Hyde Park. Both instances have revived age-old questions about the sometimes less-than-kid-glove treatment of presidential kids. "I think the children are off-limits," said Lisa Caputo, who was White House press secretary when "Saturday Night Live" made fun of then-13-year-old Chelsea Clinton. "They didn't run for public office, they don't hold an official role.""SNL" cast member Mike Meyers sent the Clintons a letter of apology after the incident. The teenage Chelsea Clinton also was mocked by talk radio host Rush Limbaugh, who called her a dog. Katie Rich, the "SNL" writer who tweeted about Barron, was suspended indefinitely. After deleting the tweet and deactivating her Twitter account, she reactivated the account, saying she wanted to "sincerely apologize" for the "insensitive" tweet and that she deeply regretted her actions. "It was inexcusable & I'm so sorry," Rich said. Fellow comedians have risen to her defense, but Noll told the Chicago Reader that she has been the subject of a social media backlash, including death threats, as well as homophobic, transphobic, anti-Semitic and racist comments directed at her. The theater has also been harassed. All presidents and first ladies seek a life outside the spotlight for minor children who live in the 132-room mansion, except when they themselves put their kids in the spotlight. Days after the incident involving Rich, the White House appealed for respect for Barron's privacy. "It is a longstanding tradition that the children of presidents are afforded the opportunity to grow up outside of the political spotlight," the White House press office said in a brief statement. "The White House fully expects this tradition to continue."That same week, Trump told Sean Hannity of Fox News that it was "a disgrace" for NBC "to attack my 10-year-old son." Trump also suggested the dustup may have bothered Barron, who has only been seen publicly during big moments of the past year, such as the night Trump addressed the Republican National Convention and election night. He continues to live full-time in New York City with his mother, first lady Melania Trump. China's biggest wine producerChangyu Wine Group Co Ltdsaid it plans to sign with distributors in about 15 European countries, to sell its globally competitive wine products in large-scale local supermarkets. China Daily Changyu said it had signed cooperation agreements with distributors from Germany and the Netherlands. That was after the Yantai, Shandong province-based winemaker put its products onto the shelves of the United Kingdom's second-biggest supermarket chain, Sainsbury's, where they were featured during the Chinese New Year, which began on Jan 28. Sainsbury's added Changyu's Noble Dragon Red, which sells at 8 pounds ($10.63) per bottle, equivalent to its price in China. The wine is a Cabernet Gernischt, a red wine grape variety used in China originally believed to be of European origin. It is a blend of two types of grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Changyu describes it as a smoky red with blackberry and cassis flavors and a smooth finish. "This is the first time that we are selling our products in a mainstream local supermarket chain in the UK and we are mainly targeting middle-class consumers," said Sun Jian, Changyu's deputy general manager. Sun said the wine producer hoped to expand its business to other European countries with a similar strategy. He added that with a small local production of wine, UK consumers had a big appetite for global wines. "The UK wine market is one of the most diverse worldwide and local residents are interested in trying wines from different regions. In the past few days, the sales of our wines at Sainsbury's have been pretty good," Sun added. The new sales at Sainsbury's have taken Changyu a step forward from its first entry into the UK in 2013, when its wines were made available through luxury wine and spirits merchant Berry Bros and Rudd. "We know that customers are keen to broaden their repertoire and we have been looking at some distinctive regions and countries for new additions to expand our range," said Georgina Haughton, Sainsbury's wine buyer for products from South Africa, South America and China. Contact the writers at zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn LONDON - British prime minister Theresa May was hosting a meeting at 10 Downing Street Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The two have never previously had a face-to-face meeting. The pair will be discussing increasing trading relations between the two countries after Britain leaves the European Union. May is also expected to express the British government's concerns over settlement building in the West Bank. An official spokesperson at 10 Downing Street said the talks will cover a range of security and international issues, including the Middle East peace process. Ahead of the meeting, Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition Labour Party, called on May to tell Netanyahu that building settlements on occupied Palestinian land undermines trust. An official communique is expected to be released after the private talks at Number 10 have finished. EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom backs China in fight against protectionism. [Photo/Agencies]] The European Union (EU) stands firmly with China to fight global protectionism, a senior EU official in Brussels pledged on Monday. "I welcomed President Xi Jinping's commitment in fighting against protectionism," EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said at a seminar on China's reform agenda organized by Business Europe in Brussels. Malmstrom said that she agreed with Xi's comment in his keynote speech at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan 17, and quoted him: "Pursuing protectionism is like locking oneself in a dark room. While wind and rain may be kept outside, that dark room will also block light and air." Malmstrom said that she also agreed with Xi when he said, "No one will emerge as a winner in a trade war." With US President Donald Trump challenging the alliances and partnerships of global powers since taking office, the EU has been re-positioning its relationship with its alliances and partners, including China. In further embracing openness and globalization, Malmstorm said both China and the EU should continue the reform agenda. She said many barriers and challenges between China and the EU still exist in boosting trade and investment, though China and the EU are their own respective big trade partners. While the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the US and the EU "is now frozen," the commissioner said China and the EU can work more effectively this year in bilateral investment talks to pave the way to enter each others market more openly and with fair terms. Business leaders echoed the commissioner's views on fighting protectionism, but they said the EU must create more business opportunities. Jochum Haakma, president of the EU-China Business Association, said that Europe should actively engage in the talks on the Belt and Road Initiative, which was proposed by Xi three years ago to bring Europe, Asia and Africa closer. "There is a feeling that Europe is not fully engaged in the talks of the Belt and Road initiative, which is a huge plan, and I think the plan will bring a lot of changes in the coming years," Haakma told China Daily. China will be organizing an international forum on the Belt and Road Initiative in Beijing in May, and Haakma said Europe should take that opportunity to try to expand investment in China and attract more investment to Europe as well. "I think there will be huge opportunities for European companies if we grasp these opportunities offered in implementing Belt and Road initiative," said Haakma. In citing the Chinese government's multi-trillion-dollar plan to invest overseas, a representative from PA Asia Ltd Beijing representative office said the EU also needs to design such an ambitious plan to invest. The representative, who commented on the condition of not being named, said that Asia now is the most attractive destination in the world and the EU should take advantage of a partnership with the Asian Infrastructural Investment Bank (AIIB) to expand investment. "This is what the European Union should do in following China in rolling out an investment plan," the representative said during an interview at the Monday seminar. China's top envoy to the UK said 2017 will be a year for consolidating the China-UK "Golden Era", in spite of challenges that some Chinese businesses in the UK may face from Brexit, especially those in the financial industry and companies with EU headquarters in the UK. "The China-UK relationship is now at a historic moment, and it is time to lock in what has been achieved and seek further progress," said Liu Xiaoming, China's ambassador to the United Kingdom, in an exclusive interview with China Daily. "There is huge potential to be tapped and bright prospects for cooperation." Liu made his remarks in tandem with the publication of a British government policy document on Thursday that clearly sets out the way in which the UK will be withdrawn from the 28-member European Union. The white paper details 12 major principles, including the way the UK will control its immigration and arrangements for trade. The document is seen to be in line with British Prime Minister Theresa May's vision of building Britain into "an independent, truly global UK". Reiterating China's position on Brexit, the ambassador said: "We respect the choice of the British people. We respect Britain's independent choice of its own development path. And we hope the UK and the EU will reach an early arrangement that is acceptable to both sides." He also said he is optimistic about the Brexit negotiations. "I believe, when there is a problem, there is always a solution." Brexit will not affect China's confidence in its growing ties with the UK and the EU, Liu said. His attitude is reflected in the increasing enthusiasm of Chinese businesses to invest in Britain and the EU. China's investment in Europe as a whole increased by 76 percent last year, and its direct investment in the UK's nonfinancial sectors in 2016, from January to November, exceeded $1 billion. Additionally, the value of British exports to China has skyrocketed, increasing by 108 percent between 2010 and 2016, according to British government figures. China is Britain's second-largest trading partner outside the EU, while the UK is China's largest investment destination in Europe. Commenting on the strong momentum of China-UK ties, Liam Fox, the British secretary of state for international trade, said earlier that the UK was happy to see how China had positively greeted its "new place in the world" since the referendum on the EU in June last year. He said the UK had seen record levels of investment from China. In an article signed by the ambassador that was published on Thursday in the Daily Telegraph, Liu said that, instead of a U- or V-shaped rebound of the Chinese economy, which is undergoing structural and supply-side reforms, the recovery will be L-shaped. "This L-shaped curve means China's economic growth, though slower than before, will sustain a steady speed," he wrote in the opinion piece, which ran under the headline "Steady Chinese growth is lifting millions out of poverty". "That can be translated into more business opportunities for British companies," he told China Daily. "The Chinese and British economies are quite complementary." Liu noted that the UK enjoys a leading role in high-end manufacturing, the services sector, pharmaceuticals and the biological and high-tech sectors. He said such advantages can help China improve its industrial structure and the quality of its GDP growth. He also said Chinese business and investment that focuses on the UK domestic market, such as the automobile industry, infrastructure development, the real estate sector and service industry, will not be affected by Brexit. "The British economy is performing better than expected, and the fundamentals in the UK are stable," he added. However, for Chinese doing business in the UK especially those involved in the financial sector and enterprises whose European headquarters are in the UK attention should be paid to policy uncertainties hovering around Britain's relationship with the European single market, the settling of euro business and the perceived undercutting of London's role as Europe's financial center. "Chinese companies in these sectors should take precautions," said the ambassador. Liu Xiaoming, China's ambassador to the United Kingdom Chinas Relations With the West: Straight Line Decline There are those who believe China's ongoing Party Congress will bode well for companies that do business in or with China. I am firmly convinced that the opposite is true and that it will used as yet another opportunity by China to show that it will not be cowered by the declining relations and sanctions/counter-sanctions between the United States / EU / Australia / Japan on the one hand, and China on the other. I see China using this Congress to let the world (domestic and external) know that it fully intends to fight back and fight back hard. In other words, this Party Congress will lead to China's decoupling from much of the world accelerating, not slowing down. (Photo : VCG/VCG via Getty Images) Alibaba Group Chairman Jack Ma attends a meeting during the first training class of Jack Ma Foundation Rural Teachers Awards at Xiaohewan Primary School in Xiayun Town in Anshun, Guizhou Province of China. Advertisement China's Jack Ma Foundation is set to become the largest donor to an Australian university. The University of Newcastle (UON) is expected to receive US$20 million from the foundation. According to Xinhua, it is the foundation's first commitment in the said country. Meanwhile, for its, part, this would be UON's "largest philanthropic commitment" in its entire history. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Called The Ma & Morley Scholarship Program, the Jack Ma Foundation's contribution to UON will grant 50 scholarships in its first year: 30 new ones and 20 to support existing scholars until they finish the degree they are currently enrolled in. "Through this remarkable friendship spanning decades, a new generation of talented students will have the opportunity to reach their full personal and professional potential," said Professor Caroline McMillen, UON Vice-Chancellor. "This scholarship program will exemplify the shared values between Mr. Ma and Mr. Morley, and aims to develop the next generation of globally aware and socially conscious Australian leaders," she added. The Star reported that the commitment from the Jack Ma Foundation was actually done in honor of the Chinese business mogul's Australian friend Ken Morley. The two reportedly met in 1980 when the latter's family was in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Ma's hometown, for the Australia-China Friendship Society. Their bond was reportedly created after the Alibaba founder requested to talk to Morley to practice his English. Since then, they remained friends until Morley died in 2004. "I am very thankful for Australia and the time I spent there in my youth," said the founder of the Jack Ma Foundation. "The culture, the landscape and most importantly its people had a profound positive impact on my view of the world at that time." Advertisement TagsJack Ma, Alibaba, Jack Ma Foundation, University of New Castle Australia, UON (Photo : Getty Images) A drone is flown for recreational purposes as an airplane passes nearby in the sky above Old Bethpage, New York. Advertisement Chinese investigators will launch a probe into the alleged intrusions of drones within the restricted airspace of Kunming's Changshui International Airport. Civilian drones have reportedly been flown within the 1,028-square-kilometer restricted area, posing flight safety risks, South China Morning Post reported citing Yunnan. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Local officials are also seeking for the public's cooperation to report any drone sighting within the area. China is setting up stringent airspace rules and follows tight policies when it comes to civilian drones. Aside from the need to obtain flight permission from aviation officials, drones are not allowed to enter a 15-kilometer range near airports. Moreover, drones are prohibited from flying higher than 100 meters on flight paths. Drone owners caught disobeying the rules will be detained for between five and 15 days. It can be recalled that in 2013, at least four individuals were detained after they illegally flew a drone near Beijing's international airport to conduct surveys. Two aircrafts were diverted while several other flights were delayed because of the incident. They were charged with "endangering public security" after the Civil Aviation Administration detected their drones at an altitude of 700 meters and speed of 100 km per hour. Aviation and police authorities scrambled a helicopter to intercept the drone and eventually brought it on the ground. Drones have become popular across the world, being used by videographers, tech fans, as well as for businesses, recreational and professional purposes. In fact, several universities and institutions have started expanding their curriculum to include drones. Advertisement Tagsdrones, China Drones, civilian drones (Photo : US Navy) The first intercept of a ballistic missile target using the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA. Advertisement The Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA interceptor missile, the most advanced interceptor in the AEGIS Missile Defense System aboard U.S. Navy warships, was successfully test fired for the first time in waters of Hawaii. This test aboard the USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, also marks the first time an SM-3IIA was launched from an Aegis warship, and the first intercept using the Aegis Baseline 9.C2 (BMD 5.1) weapon system. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement SM-3 Block IIA is the latest variant of the RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 (SM-3), a ship-based missile system used by the Navy to intercept short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBM) as a part of Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System. SM-3 is primarily designed as an anti-ballistic missile missile but was successfully employed as an anti-satellite weapon once before. The SM-3 Block IIA interceptor is designed to defeat short-range missiles and IRBMs. It can be launched from Aegis-equipped warships or Aegis Ashore sites such as one in Romania. The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA); Japan's Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the U.S. Navy conducted the missile's flight test on Feb. 3. "Today's test demonstrates a critical milestone in the cooperative development of the SM-3 Block IIA missile," said MDA Director Vice Admiral Jim Syring. "The missile, developed jointly by a Japanese and U.S. government and industry team, is vitally important to both our nations and will ultimately improve our ability to defend against increasing ballistic missile threats around the world." During the interceptor test, a medium-range ballistic missile target was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Kauai, Hawaii. John Paul Jones tracked the target missile with its onboard AN/SPY-1D(V) radar using the Aegis Baseline 9.C2 weapon system. Upon acquiring the target, the ship launched an SM-3 Block IIA guided missile, which intercepted the target. Preliminary data shows the test met its primary objective. The warhead aboard the SM-3 Block IIA interceptor is the Lightweight Exo-atmospheric Projectile (LEAP). LEAP is a lightweight miniaturized kinetic kill vehicle designed to destroy incoming ballistic missiles both inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere. Advertisement TagsStandard Missile-3 (SM-3), Block IIA interceptor missile, U.S. Navy, AEGIS Missile Defense System, USS John Paul Jones, RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 (SM-3), Lightweight Exo-atmospheric Projectile, LEAP (Photo : Getty Images) China's solar power more than doubled in 2016. Advertisement China's photovoltaic (PV) capacity more than doubled in 2016, making the mainland the world's biggest producer of solar energy in terms of capacity, according to the National Energy Administration. China's PV capacity jumped to 77.42 gigawatts by the end of 2016, with the addition of 34.54 gigawatts over the course of the year. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The provinces that saw the most capacity increase are Henan, Shandong, and Xinjiang. Meanwhile, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, and Xinjiang had the greatest overall capacity at the end of 2016. However, that does not end there as China plans to add over 110 gigawatts of capacity by the end of the decade. Solar plants generated a total of 66.2 billion kilowatt-hours of power in 2016, accounting for 1 percent of the country's total power generation. China is targeting to increase the mix of non-fossil fuel generated power from the current 11 percent to 20 percent by the end of the decade. It also plans to allocate 2.5 trillion yuan ($364 billion) for renewable power generation by 2020. China has also reported progress on its energy efficiency and clean energy levels last year. The amount of energy used per unit of GDP dropped 5 percent in 2016. Clean energy such as hydropower, natural gas, and wind power account for 19.5 percent of China's total energy consumption last year, up from 17.9 percent recorded in 2015. However, it is still relying more than half (60 percent) of power from coal, although it plans to cut down its dependency to 55 percent by 2020. Meanwhile, the country's power use is slated to increase by 3 percent this year. Power consumption is used to gauge the country's economic activities, confirming China's ongoing restructuring and growth momentum. Advertisement Tagssolar power, china, renewable resources, power consumption, CLEAN ENERGY (Photo : Getty Images) Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa (2nd R) attends a meeting with China's President Xi Jinping (2nd L) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. Advertisement China will not be allowed to conduct military activities or set up a military facility at the Hambantota Port, Sri Lanka's ambassador said on Saturday. "I do not know about other countries, but Sri Lanka as very categorically informed the investor that it [Hambantota port] will not be allowed to be used for any military purposes," Ambassador Karunasena Kodituwakku said, stressing that the rule is not only applicable to Hambantota port but also to all the ports in Sri Lanka. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The envoy's statement comes as hundreds of protestors rallied to express their opposition to the government's decision to hand an 80 percent stake in the strategic port to China Merchants Port Holding company. Despite the ongoing protests, the ambassador said the government would push for the deal. Sri Lanka said the port was being handed over to a Chinese firm on a 99-year lease. Kodituwakku also noted that the port had not been a viable project so far. "Very small numbers [of ships]. Even the incoming they have received is not even enough to maintain the port maintenance, forget the salaries about the people who are working," he said. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka plans to finalize its free trade agreement with China within this year. Kodituwakku said, "2017 is the 69th anniversary of Sri Lanka and the 60th year of the establishment of diplomatic relations with China... the best way to remember the friendship of both countries is to sign a free trade agreement." Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is scheduled to attend a forum on the Belt and Road initiative in Beijing in May, Kodituwakku told reporters during the Sri Lanka National Day Celebration on Saturday. Advertisement TagsSri Lanka, china, Hambantota Port (Photo : Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) A Chinese doctor helped a Russian couple during Chinese New Year. Advertisement There are good samaritans everywhere, as a young Russian couple found out in a small town in China. A Chinese doctor came to the couple's rescue when their money ran out, and they could not afford a room in a hotel. The young Russian couple ran out of money while they were backpacking in China, according to the South China Morning Post. During the Chinese Lunar holiday, the couple had been planning to visit Kunming, which is in Yunnan province of China. But as they boarded a wrong bus in Chengdu, they ended up in Yibin, which is in the same province as Chengdu -- Sichuan province. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Completely broke and with no place to stay in Yibin, the Russian couple, whose names were not revealed, broke into a hospital to spend the night. They were, however, soon discovered by the hospital staff, according to the South China Morning Post. Instead of reprimanding the Russian couple or turning them over to the legal authorities, a doctor at the hospital made sure that they did not have to spend the night outside in the cold. He arranged for their stay in a hotel and paid for the cost of the room. The doctor took the help of his English speaking son-in-law to communicate with the Russian couple. According to the report, the Russian couple expressed their appreciation for the Chinese doctor. Meanwhile, Russia Beyond the Headlines is reporting that Russia's capital city, Moscow, is set to witness a surge in tourists from China this year, as it marks the 100th anniversary of the Russian revolution. The total number of tourists visiting Moscow is expected to exceed 18 million in 2017, according to the Russian authorities. One of the largest groups of tourists visiting Russia is from China, while for China, Russia is reportedly the fifth-largest source market for its tourism industry. Advertisement TagsChinese doctor, Russian Tourists in China, Chinese Tourists (Photo : USAF) F-35A Lightning IIs from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings prepare to depart Hill AFB, Utah for Nellis AFB, Nevada to participate in Red Flag 17-01. Advertisement The only thing surprising about the superiority of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in air-to-air combat exercises is how huge its kill ratio against fourth generation fighters will be. The latest demonstration of F-35 superiority was the eight-day Exercise Red Flag 17-01 or Red Flag 17-01 held recently at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement F-35As scored a 15:1 kill ratio against Aggressor "Red Forces" (enemy) aircraft, in this case General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons wearing Russian Air Force camouflage schemes and insignia, and whose pilots were trained in Russian dogfighting tactics. This is the first time F-35s have joined a Red Flag exercise, the premier air-to-air combat exercise of the U.S. Air Force, and the world's most realistic and challenging exercise of its kind. An advanced aerial combat training exercise, Red Flag is an all-out air war featuring air-to-air, air-to-ground, search and rescue and Special Forces units. Fighters from U.S. allies, including NATO, also joined Red Flag 17-01, and flew and fought as part of the friendly "Blue Forces." The F-35A is the version flown by the U.S. Air Force. The F-35A pilots are from the 388th Fighter Wing and 419th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. These fighter jocks began air-to-air combat against the "Russian" F-16s on Jan. 23. These "Russians" belong to the 57th Adversary Tactics Group (57 ATG) of the 57th Wing flying F-16s from the 64th Aggressor Squadron (64 AGRS), and F-15s from the 65th Aggressor Squadron (65 AGRS) to provide realistic air threats through the emulation of Russian and Chinese tactics. The Red-Flag exercises, which take place every four to six years, are flown in the skies over the Nellis range located northwest of Las Vegas and covers over 2.9 million acres. Apart from fighter jets, bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, air-refueling tankers and airborne early warning and control aircraft all take part in Red Flag. Fighters and other aircraft from the United States Air Force (USAF); the United States Navy (USN); the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and the United States Army (USA) fly in Red Flag. Confidence in the ability of the F-35 to dominate Generation 4 fighters of China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) remains high among U.S. fighter pilots. Their confidence stems from the overwhelming victories in simulated aerial combats against U.S. fourth generation fighters such as the F-15 Eagle, and the testimonies of F-35 pilots surprised at the ease with which they racked up kills against their opponents. The kill ratio in these air-to-air combats held over the past few years ranged from 24-0 to 8-0 for the F-35, depending on the number of fighters involved. "I can't wait to get the airplane out to the Pacific," said Lt. Gen. Jon Davis, Deputy Commandant for Aviation, Headquarters Marine Corps in 2015. "It's tailor-made for that part of the world with its fifth generation capability and its expeditionary capabilities to land on a small ship or strip, and flow back and forth between those." "It is like watching a velociraptor going through. Everything in its path is killed," he said. Advertisement TagsLockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Red Flag 17-01, 15:1 kill ratio, General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Russian Air Force, Blue Forces, Red Forces, F-35A, Hill Air Force Base, 57th Adversary Tactics Group (Photo : PLARF) DF-16 on its TEL. Advertisement Out of sight of the Chinese public, the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) conducted a series of training exercises involving its short range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) and medium range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) such as the DF-16 deployed against Taiwan during the Chinese New Year last Jan. 28. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Separate PLARF brigades conducted combat drills involving deploying and practice firing of the DF-11, an SRBM with a range of 300 km and an 800 kg high-explosive warhead; the DF-15 SRBM with a range of 600 km and a 500 kg high explosive warhead; the DF-16 MRBM with a range of 1,600 km and a 1,500 high explosive warhead and the DF-21C MRBM with a range of 2,500 km and a 500 kiloton nuclear warhead. The brigades practiced different combat scenarios, including countering satellite reconnaissance and electronic jamming. The missile crews also practiced multiple maneuvers such as rapid loading; redeployment and launch sequence. Chinese state-owned media, however, gave inordinate exposure to the DF-16, which it described as a missile that fills a gap in the China's ballistic missile arsenal. Videos showed two types of DF-16: the original version with bullet-shaped nosecone and a new variant with a maneuverable re-entry vehicle and several extra fins. State media said this was only the third time the DF-16 has been shown to the public. The missile made its debut at a military parade in Beijing in September 2015. PLARF seems to place great faith in the DF-16, saying this MRBM "poses a challenge to foreign military installations along the First Island Chain," which is how the People's Liberation Army (PLA) describes the series of islands that stretch from Japan in the north to Taiwan and the Philippines to the south. State media also revealed the DF-16's strike range fills the gap that previously existed with the absence of a medium-range ballistic missile in the PLA's arsenal. The missile can also reach Okinawa. Only the 180 kilometer-wide Taiwan Strait separates Taiwan from mainland China. An invasion force from the PLA can traverse the strait in a few hours while a PLARF ballistic missile can cover this distance in a few minutes. Advertisement TagsPeople's Liberation Army Rocket Force, PLARF, short range ballistic missiles, SRBMs, medium range ballistic missiles, MRBMs, People's Liberation Army (Photo : Getty Images) Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte (L) speaks during the meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (not in pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. Advertisement Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte admitted on Monday that he indeed paid a visit to a hospital in China. "Totoo nagpunta ako ng China [It's true that I went to China]. Totoo nagpunta ako ng hospital [It's true I went to the hospital]. I underwent circumcision," the tough-talking president said during the launching of the tax campaign of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in Manila. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "Sabihin mo sa kanya. Nagpatuli ako uli... bumalik eh. [Tell him I underwent circumcision. It returned]," he added, referring to the foreskin of the male reproductive organ. The remarks come after a column by former Senator Francisco Tatad published in The Manila Times last month revealed that the president spent his New Year at the Fuda Cancer Hospital in Guangzhou, China. Tatad claimed to have received reports that the leader flew via a private plane to meet with Chinese doctors. Duterte retaliated against Tatad, calling him an "idiot" and "gago [fool]" for using his news column to redeem himself. "You know this guy, Tatad, he read the Proclamation 1081... Staying with Marcos for so many years and now he talks as if he were a saint," he added. Meanwhile, Duterte also revealed that a doctor, identified as a certain "Dra. Del Rosario" from the Cardinal Santos Medical Center, visited him in Malacanang Palace after he felt pain in his heart. "I was late. Pardon me. I had an EKG. I was not feeling well. I told [the doctor], 'I feel pain in my heart,'" the 72-year-old chief executive said, adding that the doctor did not find anything wrong with his heart. Advertisement TagsDuterte News, Duterte Health News, Duterte health problems, Duterte China visit Canada legalized euthanasia in June 2016, declaring assisted suicide a humane way to end the suffering of already dying patients. Opponents warned it wouldnt be a far jump from legalizing euthanasia to manipulating patients into believing they have an obligation to die and stop draining medical system resources. Eight months later, researchers at the University of Calgary have released a study extolling assisted suicides cost benefits: If Canadians adopt medical assistance in dying in a manner and extent similar to those of the Netherlands and Belgium, we can expect a reduction in healthcare spending in the range of tens of millions of dollars per year. The authors of the study denied any suggestion cost should factor into end-of life-decisions, despite the obvious connection. We are not suggesting medical assistance in dying as a measure to cut costs, they wrote in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. But critics note the utilitarian view of euthanasia, that it can benefit the general public, gives society a stake in the death of vulnerable people. I cant imagine anything more dangerous than that, Wesley J. Smith, senior fellow at the Discovery Institutes Center on Human Exceptionalism and a consultant for the Patients Rights Council, told me. Bioethicists already link the medical cost savings of euthanasia with organ harvesting. A recent article in the Journal of Medical Ethics suggested euthanasia in Canada has the potential to provide organs for transplantation. The article even suggested it would be acceptable if the organ harvest was the cause of death, Smith noted in National Review. In the Netherlands and Belgium, people who choose euthanasia because of disability or mental illness are being targeted as potential organ donors, Smith said. Such thinking exploits vulnerable people worried about being a burden and losing their dignity. This is not just a cold issue of choice, this involves deep emotions, this involves deep fear, Smith said. Canadas laws legalize medical aid in dying for any seriously ill or disabled adult whose condition is incurable and who is in an advanced state of irreversible decline in capability. Doctors must determine no alternatives acceptable to the patient can relieve the suffering and the patient has to believe the physical or psychological suffering is intolerable. The patients natural death needs to be reasonably foreseeable but the law does not require a prognosis specifying the time period within which death is expected. Smith isnt certain the United States will follow the euthanasia prescription of its Northern neighbor. So far, five states have legalized physician-assisted suicide, which allows a doctor to provide the means for death, usually prescription medication, but the patient must administer it. Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying law takes physician-assisted suicide a step further and allows practitioners to administer the means of death for patients who have requested it but are physically unable to do it themselves. At least in the United States we still dont know what the outcome is going to be, Smith said. Assisted suicide advocates are far less candid in the United States than they are elsewhere precisely because the United States is still up for grabs on this issue. Courtesy: WORLD News Service Publication date: February 6, 2017 The residents of a small Mississippi town have engaged in rallies and protests after an atheist organization forced the mayor to take down the Christian flag at a local park. TheBlaze.com reports that the Freedom From Religion Foundation threatened to sue the town of Rienzi, Mississippi for $500,000 if Mayor Walter Williams did not remove the flag from the public park. Williams felt he had no choice but to give in to the FFRFs demands since Rienzi is such a small town and does not have the funds to engage in an expensive lawsuit. I never dreamed that something like this would have happened in a town this small, but it happened, Williams said. However, the residents of Rienzi, who are predominantly Christian, were not surrendering without a fight. They organized and staged protests in an attempt to send a message that there was support for the flag to fly, even in a public space. There just comes a point in time when youve got to be politically incorrect and take a stand, said Kevin Nelms, the organizer of the protest event. Were not gonna let other people, or a foundation, or anybody else up in Wisconsin [where the FFRF is based] tell us that we cant fly our flag! he added Youre gonna take one down, were gonna put a hundred back up, he continued. On Saturday, residents of the town hosted a rally in support of keeping the flag up. The event included motorcyclists who flew dozens of Christian flags behind their vehicles. Williams said that the town has hired an attorney and is discussing what further action can be done at their town board meeting on Tuesday. Photo courtesy: pixabay.com Publication date: February 6, 2017 The Trump administration stated on January 30 that it would keep employment protections for LGBT workers provided by a 2014 executive order. "President Trump continues to be respectful and supportive of LGBTQ rights, just as he was throughout the election," the administration said in a statement. "The president is proud to have been the first ever GOP nominee to mention the LGBTQ community in his nomination speech, pledging then to protect the community from violence and oppression." The 2014 executive order signed by President Obama prohibited federal hiring practices from discriminating on the basis of gender identity (the policy already barred discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation). It also prohibited contractors that do business with the government from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The announcement was received with mixed responses. Some LGBT activists, like Chad Griffin of the Human Rights Campaign, said that Trump must do more to express his commitment to the LGBT community. "Trump talks a big game on his support for LGBT people, yet he has filled his cabinet with people who have literally spent their careers working to demonize us and limit our rights," Griffin said. "Donald Trump has left the key question unanswered -- will he commit to opposing any executive actions that allow government, employees, taxpayer-funded organizations, or even companies to discriminate?" Meanwhile, conservatives pushed Trump to ensure that religious organizations and companies would be exempt from the policy. "I am prayerfully confident that the president and his team will issue an executive order ensuring charitable and religious organizations are not prohibited, because of their biblical views of marriage and human sexuality, from receiving contracts or grants from the federal government in order to provide critical services to people in need, like refugees and the homeless," said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council. Will the Lord suffer this people to go on much longer, taking his holy name in vain? Will he not stop them, preachers and all? O Americans! Americans!! I call GodI call angelsI call men to witness that your destruction is at hand, and will be speedily consummated unless you repent." The words of David Walker, the Bostonian son of a free mother and slave father, were as much a threat as they were a jeremiad. His 76-page pamphlet, Walker's Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World (1829), marked the beginnings of a new abolitionismand the beginnings of a rift between white and black antislavery movements. Nervous reactions "They want us for their slaves, and think nothing of murdering us," Walker wrote of southern slaveholders. "Therefore, if there is an attempt made by us, kill or be killedand believe this, that it is no more harm for you to kill a man who is trying to kill you than it is for you to take a drink of water when thirsty; in fact the man who will stand still and let another man murder him is worse than an infidel." Walker had never been a slave, but having been born in Wilmington, North Carolina, he knew its horrors. He had once seen a son forced to whip his mother to death. As a devout Baptist with a deep knowledge of the Bible, he believed the Old Testament God who violently freed the Israelites would free "the most degraded, wretched, and abject set of beings that ever lived." The Boston clothier was also fluent in the rhetoric of the American Revolution, quoting Thomas Jefferson at length. For Walker, the Declaration of Independence, which affirmed the right of revolution, justified blacks' rising against their oppressors. Thus they could ... From Nephtali Matta, ministry coordinator at Koinonia House National Ministries: Pastoral ministry is full of moments for which you were never trained. As ministry coordinator for Koinonia House National Ministries, Im often surprised by the situations I encounter. I oversee Radical Time Out (RTO), a weekly gathering of individuals facing incarceration, those who have been incarcerated, their families, and those in the church who want to serve them. [Harold Smith recently wrote in Christianity Today about RTO and the joys and challenges of post-prison ministry.] Carlos, a Christian for 10 years, began attending RTO after serving 20 years in prison for murder. Some months later, on a night when Carlos was unable to attend, Nelson Vargas came to RTO for the first time to share his testimony. God redeemed him from a life of gangs and called him to pastor in Chicago. Carlos heard about Pastor Nelsons testimony and called me the next day to reveal new information ... You have reached the end of this Article Preview You have reached the end of this Article Preview To continue reading, subscribe to Christianity Today magazine. Subscribers have full digital access to CT Pastors articles. 1 World Academics to Debate the Ethics of Fur at Oxford Contact: Dr. Sam Calvert, SC Marketing Communications, +44 (0)1782 505430, +44 (0)7967 042050, sam@samcalvert.plus.com OXFORD, Feb. 6, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- Top academics from around the world will debate the ethics of the international fur trade at a Summer School at St. Stephen's House, Oxford , from 23-26 July, 2017. Philosophers, theologians, and ethicists will be among academics from more than 12 countries, including the US, India, Croatia, China, Brazil, Spain, Austria, Canada, Ireland, Estonia, Finland, and Italy. The fur industry is a multi-million pound, multinational business, responsible for the deaths of tens of million animals, especially mink and fox every year. The task of the Summer School will be to interrogate and analyse the ethical claims of the fur industry. The Summer School on the Ethics of Fur is being organised by the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics in partnership with Respect for Animals Educational Trust . The Centre pioneers ethical perspectives on animals through academic research, teaching, and publication. "We are making history," said Centre Director the Revd Professor Andrew Linzey, "since this is the first academic gathering worldwide on this issue." Speakers include: Dr. Natalie Thomas, The Seal Hunt in Canada (University of Guelph-Humber); Laura Donnellan, Cat and Dog Fur Regulation (University of Limerick); Pei F. Su and Yuan-Chih, Lung, The Chinese Fur Industry and its Global Position (ACTAsia, and Tsinghua University); Dr. Darren Calley, An Analysis of the WTO Fur Seals Ruling (University of Essex); Professor Boris Bakota, Croatian Legislation Ends the Breeding of Chinchillas for Fur (University of Osijek, Croatia); Kumud Kant Awasthi, Fur Farming in India (National Institute of Animal Welfare, India); Dr. Margarita Carretero-Gonzalez, And Some We Wear: The Sexual Politics of Fur (University of Granada, Spain); Simon Brooman, Fur, Law, and Politics (Liverpool John Moores University), and Dr. Leticia Albuquerque, Dr. Paula Brugger, and Gabriela Franziska, The Fur Trade in Brazil: Changing Legislation (Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil). To help facilitate international attendees, the call for papers has been extended until 15 March, 2017. Information about the call for papers and registration is available at www.oxfordanimalethics.com/what-we-do/summer-school-2017 , or email Clair Linzey at depdirector@oxfordanimalethics.com For more press information, please contact: Dr. Sam Calvert SC Marketing Communications sam@samcalvert.plus.com +44 (0)1782 505430 +44 (0)7967 042050 Notes to editors The Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics is an independent centre, founded in 2006. Its Director, Professor Andrew Linzey is a member of the Faculty of Theology in the University of Oxford. The Centre has more than 100 Fellows drawn from a variety of academic disciplines from throughout the world. See The Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics is an independent centre, founded in 2006. Its Director, Professor Andrew Linzey is a member of the Faculty of Theology in the University of Oxford. The Centre has more than 100 Fellows drawn from a variety of academic disciplines from throughout the world. See www.oxfordanimalethics.com Respect for Animals Educational Trust works internationally to raise consciousness of the suffering inherent in the fur trade. Its Director, Mark Glover is the recipient of the Lord Erskine award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. For more information about Respect for Animals, please contact Mark Glover on +44 (0)115 952 5440 or see Respect for Animals Educational Trust works internationally to raise consciousness of the suffering inherent in the fur trade. Its Director, Mark Glover is the recipient of the Lord Erskine award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. For more information about Respect for Animals, please contact Mark Glover on +44 (0)115 952 5440 or see www.respectforanimals.co.uk/home St Stephen's House is an Anglican Theological College and Hall of the University of Oxford. See St Stephen's House is an Anglican Theological College and Hall of the University of Oxford. See www.ssho.ox.ac.uk Share Tweet home US School district bans distribution of Christian purity flyers after receiving complaint An Indiana school district has stopped allowing a local Christian group from distributing promotional flyers following a complaint from an atheist group. Warrick County Schools said that the non-denominational group known as Pearls of Purity (POP) Girls are no longer allowed to distribute its flyers after it received a letter of complaint from the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) last month. The FFRF lamented that the Christian group promotes the "wisdom of Christ" and aims to convert others to Christianity. It warned against allowing the distribution of flyers, stating that it can be construed as an official endorsement from the school. In response to the complaint, Warrick County Superintendent Brad Schneider explained that the flyers were for informational purposes only, and the school does not endorse the content of the promotional material. "We simply provide the information and allow parents to determine if they would like their child to participate or not participate," Schneider wrote in the letter dated Jan. 24. He said that he reviewed the promotional flyer in question and agreed that it should not have been approved. "This flyer should not have been approved and we will put steps in place to prevent objectionable flyers to slip through the cracks in the future. You have my word that flyers of this nature will not be distributed home in the future," he added. POP Girls described itself on its official website as an organization "that encourages both the parents and girls to live a life of purity in body, mind, and heart." The FFRF claimed in its letter that the Christian organization's lessons of purity "include homophobic and anti-transgender views." The atheist organization urged the school district to amend its flyer policy and suggested that all third-party take-home flyers be banned. It recommended that the school district should require all flyers to include disclaimers and prohibit promotional materials that promote discrimination, in case that it is unwilling to ban third-party flyers altogether. FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor expressed her approval of the decision to ban the flyers and commended the school district for addressing the issue promptly. 2017 Longest Married Couple Project Winners Announced by Worldwide Marriage Encounter SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., Feb. 6, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME), the original faith based marriage enrichment program in the United States, announced today the national winners of the 2017 Longest Married Couple Project. They are Horace Allen and Beatrice Ricks of Callahan, Florida. The Ricks have been married 81 years as of Jan. 10, 2017. Over 225 nominations were received for this year's project. The winners from individual states will be announced on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017. This is the seventh year for the nationwide project. "It is truly a privilege and honor to recognize Horace Allen and Beatrice Ricks for their commitment to marriage," said Joe & Sue Talarico and Fr. Tom Ogg, the United States Ecclesial Team for WWME. "We are looking forward to personally recognizing them on Feb. 11th in their hometown of Callahan," they added. The Talaricos serve with Fr. Ogg, as the U.S. leadership for the marriage enrichment movement. Fr. Ogg will join the Talaricos at the presentation. The Ricks were married December 25, 1935. They are originally from Mississippi and met at an ice cream social in the summer of 1935 when they were teenagers. A few months later they married on Christmas Day because they and their families had the holiday off from work so they could get married. The Florida couple achieved the honor of being the Longest Married Couple based on nominations submitted to Worldwide Marriage Encounter beginning in October of last year. The nomination project ended on January 10th of this year. The Talaricos pointed out that the project is based on nominations received from October 10th the previous year to January 10th of the current year. "We realize there could be couples married longer, but we did not receive their nominations from friends or family during the nominating period or they chose not to be recognized for their marriage achievements," they said. Worldwide Marriage Encounter created the project to highlight marriage in America and to show young couples that marriage really can go the distance. "What an inspiration Mr. & Mrs. Ricks are to all of us. They made a commitment to each other 81 years ago and they have kept that commitment. They truly are an inspiration and sign of hope to all of us," the Talaricos said. The national winners have two children, nine grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. The presentation of gifts and acknowledgments to the Ricks will be made on Feb. 11th in Callahan. State winners from across the country will be presented certificates of achievement and other recognitions by Worldwide Marriage Encounter couples during Valentine's week as well as the rest of the month. Worldwide Marriage Encounter has been offering weekend experiences for over 49 years and is considered the original faith-based marriage enrichment program. The programs are continually updated to keep abreast of changes in society, and WWME now offers evening and half-day programs that are presented at parishes and other church facilities. The weekend program, traditionally presented as an overnight experience at a hotel or retreat center, can also be presented at facilities where the couples return to their homes in the evenings. WWME has a presence in almost 100 countries, which makes it the largest pro-marriage movement in the world. In North America, the WWME programs are presented in English, Spanish, French, and Korean languages. Worldwide Marriage Encounter offers married couples the opportunity to spend time together away from the busyness of the world to focus on each other. It offers tools for building and maintaining a strong, Christian marriage in today's world. To learn more about Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends go online to wwme.org or contact the WWME Office at 909/332-7309. home World Sudanese government to demolish 25 churches for 'trespassing' At least 25 churches in Sudan are scheduled for demolition because the places of worship are said to be "trespassing into residential areas." According to a report from Radio Tamazuj, the authorities have issued notices regarding the demolition of the churches in Sharq Al-Neel and Khartoum North localities. Meilad Musa, a member of the Sudanese Christian Church, said that the government has refused to approve the requests of Christians to build places of worship. "The decision has already been issued, the 25 churches are from different denominations in Sharq Al-Neel, so we are calling on the government to give us our rights as Christians," Musa told Radio Tamazuj. He called on the government to recognize the rights of the Christians and pointed out that they buy their lands officially in order to build their churches. Rev. Yahya Abdurrahman, a pastor of Evangelical Church in Sudan, described the move as a flagrant violation of religious freedom and accused the government of deliberately targeting churches. "This move targets the churches in Khartoum, because they always acclaim that these churches have trespassed into public places, but it I think it a plan," Abdurrahman remarked. Nasri Morgus, a member of the Sudanese Organisation for Defending Rights and Freedoms (SODRF), also denounced the government's decision and described the situation of Christians as "unfortunate." Morgus noted that Christians have been requesting the government to allocate land to build churches for almost 20 years, but their appeal have not been met with any positive response. He also expressed his dissatisfaction regarding what he believes to be discrimination against Christians. He pointed out that Christians were not allowed to read the Bible during a conference for forgiveness that was recently held in Khartoum, while the Muslims were invited to recite the Quran. The Sudanese government announced in 2014 that it would no longer allow the construction of new churches. Shalil Abdullah, the Sudanese Minister for Guidance and Religious Endowments, explained at the time that the existing churches are sufficient because many Christians have fled when the country separated from South Sudan. Sudan is currently ranked on the Open Doors World Watch List as the fifth out of 50 countries where Christians experience the worst persecution. Archbishop Of Canterbury Apologises For Abuse Allegations The Archbishop of Canterbury apologised unreservedly on Wednesday after it emerged he worked at a Christian youth camp whose leader is alleged to have physically abused young boys. Most Rev Justin Welby says the Church "failed terribly" by not reporting John Smyth QC, who ran the Iwerne Trust's summer camps, to the police. Allegations to be broadcast on Thursday night on Channel 4 News claim Smyth used the camps to access young boys and carry out "horrific" sado-masochistic attacks in the 1970s. There is no suggestion any abuse took place at the UK camps themselves, however. Smyth forced boys to strip naked and subjected them to savage beatings to "help you become holy", according to one victim Mark Stibbe. They were a punishment to purge them of such sins as masterbation and pride, victims said. Although the Church of England was made aware of the abuse in 1982, it failed to report it to the police, the Channel 4 investigation found. Welby worked as a dormitory officer and a mentor at the Iwerne retreats, which were known as "Bash" camps and aimed at public school teenagers. A statement from the Archbishop said: "We recognise that many institutions fail catastrophically, but the Church is meant to hold itself to a far, far higher standard and we have failed terribly. "For that the Archbishop apologises unequivocally and unreservedly to all survivors." He added on LBC radio on Thursday morning he was "completely unaware" of any beatings going on while he was working at the camps. "I never heard anything at all about any abuse," he said. "I had no suspicions." The assaults were carried out over a three-year period in the late 1970s and only came to light in 1982 when one victim, then a 21-year-old student at Cambridge, attempted to commit suicide after being told he would be beaten again. An investigation was launched at the time by the Iwerne Trust and carried out by a vicar and friend of the Archbishop, Mark Ruston. But despite concluding that "the scale and severity of the practice was horrific", Smyth was not reported to the police. Welby says he was not aware of the allegations and says he kept occasional contact with Smyth. The Archbishop was only made aware of the allegations in 2013 when it was eventually reported to the police. A Lambeth Palace statement on Wednesday said: "John Smyth was one of the main leaders at the camp and although the Archbishop worked with him, he was not part of the inner circle of friends; no one discussed allegations of abuse by John Smyth with him." The Church of England has echoed the Archbishop's "unreserved and unequivocal apology to all the survivors" and said its team of six full time safeguarding officers would review all the files to see what more could have been done. Despite Previous 'Clashes', Pope Francis Expected To Meet President Trump In May The first meeting of Pope Francis and President Trump may take place this May, during the G7 world leaders summit. The White House confirmed yesterday that President Trump would be attending the G7 meeting of world leaders in Sicily. Diplomatic sources say that Trump will meet Pope Francis during this time, The Tablet reports. "This visit gives the president an opportunity to meet the Pope," one inside source said. "And if he came to Italy without seeing Francis it would be seen as a snub, particularly given their earlier clashes over migration. Trump also sees that wherever you sit on the political spectrum attacking the papacy isn't wise." The G7 summit runs from May 26-27 in Taormina, Sicily. A meeting between the President and the Pope is made more likely by the fact that both Trump's predecessors, Barack Obama and George W Bush, used G8 summits in Italy as opportunites to have their initial meetings with pontiffs. The Holy See has not yet made any official comment on the matter. Trump and Francis already have some tense history. During the presidential campaign, Pope Francis said of Trump: "A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not the gospel". Trump, who had once said that Francis "seems like a pretty good guy", called the Pope's disparaging of his faith "disgraceful". He warned him: "if and when the Vatican is attacked by ISIS...I can promise you that the Pope would have only wished and prayed that Donald Trump would have been president because this would not have happened." After Trump's election, Pope Francis said that he would "wait and see" how Trump acts as President before judging him, but simultaneously warned of the threat of populist authoritarian figures. GAFCON Accuses Anglican Head Office Of Deceit Over 'Consequences' For Gay-Affirming Episcopal Church The global Anglican head office is being accused of deception in a row over the role of the gay-affirming Episcopal Church in the USA. The Episcopal Church allows same sex marriage and consecrates gay bishops and as a result worldwide Anglican leaders at the last primates meeting in January 2016 imposed "consequences". As part of those consequences, which the primates insist are not "sanctions", The Episcopal Church (TEC) was barred from decision making in matters of doctrine for three years. But GAFCON, a conservative grouping within the Church, accused Anglican officials of half-truths, manipulation and compromise in a dispute over whether TEC delegates voted at a recent meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC), a decision making body in the wider Anglican Communion. Bureaucrats at the Anglican Communion Office insist TEC did not officially vote because the decisions were agreed by consensus, not by ballot. GAFCON's head, former Archbishop of Sydney Peter Jensen said this was "sophistry" in a statement on Friday. "The Primates agreement in January was never limited to the narrow issue of the method of voting," he said. "Whether a meeting uses a consensus model, or a voice vote, or paper ballots, or electronic ballots is of no relevance. The Episcopal Church was not to take part in decision making on issues pertaining to polity or doctrine. They did." TEC representatives Rosalie Simmonds Ballentine, Ian Douglas and Gay Clark Jennings attended the meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, in April last year and insist they voted on every resolution that came up, including those on doctrine and polity. "As the duly elected ACC members of a province of the Anglican Communion, this was our responsibility and we fulfilled it," they said in a statement. They added they were dismayed by a report on the Anglican Communion News Service that suggested they did not vote on those key matters. "It could be inferred from today's ACNS story that we did not fulfill our voting responsibilities at ACC-16 to comply with a communique issued by the primates of the Anglican Communion in January 2016," they said. "The communique sought to impose consequences on the Episcopal Church for its adoption of marriage equality at our 2015 General Convention. Such an inference would be incorrect." A prominent member of The Episcopal Church added on Facebook: "The intent here is to show that the top bishops of the communion have the power to discipline churches for allowing same-sex couples to marry, and have done so. But they have no such power, and the Episcopal Church's reps voted on every issue at the meeting in question. I know those reps personally and have spoken with them about this." The GAFCON affiliated primates added: "The future of the Anglican Communion does not lie with manipulations, compromises, legal loopholes, or the presentation of half-truths; the future of our Communion lies in humble obedience to the truth of the Word of God written." The Anglican Communion has been contacted for comment on this story. 'I Gave My Homosexuality To God': Former Gay Activist Met Jesus And His Life Was Completely Changed A former anti-Christian gay rights activist has described how he met Jesus in a pub and turned over his homosexuality to God. David Bennett is among those who welcomed the decision by the Church of England bishops to hold fast to biblical standards on same-sex relationships. Until he met Jesus in a pub in Australia, David Bennett was an active campaigner for gay rights. He took part in Sydney's annual gay rights parade, Mardi Gras. Bennett, who works as a speaker with the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and is currently studying postgraduate theology at the University of Oxford and hope to continue on to an MPhil in Christian Ethics next year, is inspired by Psalm 45: "Grace has annointed your lips." He told Christian Today: "I have always had this strong sense that God has called me to speak out, in a way that's loving but still truthful. That is the difficult part in this whole thing what is Christian truth? "People have quite different views on what that looks like. "I really understand how gay experience is so important, and how the Church has not taken that into account." He emphasised that his sexual orientation has not changed. He is still gay and is not linked to the ex-gay movement. But he is no longer sexually active. Bennett grew up in an agnostic home but attended a conservative evangelical Christian school. He "came out" as gay when he was 14. He completely rejected Jesus and the Bible. He experienced homophobia. One formative incident was when a man threw a brick at him when he was with his boyfriend in a park. He got involved in politics and the Labor Party in Australia. When he was 19 and at university training to be a journalist, he interviewed a film maker and asked her what inspired her. She said it was God. "I said, 'I'm homosexual, I don't think God is interested in me.' She asked if I had experienced the love of God and offered to pray for me." She did, and he had an incredible experience of the Holy Spirit coming upon him. "This was the love I had been reaching for my whole life. I just felt God breathing me his breath. I said, 'What is happening to me?' She said, 'It is the Holy Spirit. You are being born again. Finally I heard a voice say, 'Will you accept my son Jesus as your Lord and Saviour?' I had this long deliberation. I finally said, Yes." The love of God turned his whole life upside down. But he still wasn't entirely convinced. He asked God for a sign that He was real. And then, at a film festival, he bumped into his friend again. And she said: "God is begging me to tell you that he exists." At first he remained convinced that gay marriage could be sanctified by God. "It came down to a moment where God said to me, 'You need to give me your homosexuality completely.' I said, 'Lord, your son died on the Cross for me. I will give you anything.' So I gave him my homosexuality, and felt that call to celibacy." He admits this was a sacrifice of "profound proportions". By studying scripture, he then reached a point where he no longer saw marriage as simply a life-long commitment between two individuals like in a secular or gay marriage. Rather, he came to believe that marriage in the Church had to be between a man and woman, as reflected by the image of God in which men and women were created in Genesis. His testimony is among those shared by Living Out, a church website run by three evangelical Christians who experience same-sex attraction but live according to Bible standards. He is now writing a book about his life so far, and hopes to go on to a broader Christian ministry. Watch a video of David and his story here ISIS Guard Couldn't Take It Anymore, Flees After Seeing Rapes And Brutal Treatment Of Sex Slaves "Is this your Islam?" That question haunted Nizar, a Syrian Muslim who was hired by the Islamic State (ISIS) as a guard in the jihadist group's detention centre. Before that, Nizar confided that he was a devout Muslim who thought living in a self-proclaimed Islamic caliphate would fulfil his expectations of his faith, according to God Reports. However, when he started witnessing the maltreatment of female captives who were turned into sex slaves, he said he became disillusioned. Nizar saw for himself how the women captives, including Yazidis and Iraqis, were brutalised. The young women told him they were forcibly separated from their children. "Is this your Islam?" they asked him. Nizar saw how foreign ISIS fighters were made to choose from among the captive women on who they want as their sex slaves. He saw the women treated like personal property and forced into marriages with strangers, against their will. One day, he saw an African ISIS militant rape a 15-year-old girl who started bleeding badly and died. Nizar started having nightmares. He felt he couldn't take it anymore. He finally decided to flee, bringing his family with him to Turkey. If Nizar was totally sickened by the atrocities he had seen, one can just imagine how much more sickened the surviving victims of those atrocities were. One of them, sex slave survivor Nadia Murad, recently recalled her horrific captivity under the claws of ISIS. The young Yazidi woman revealed that she was raped by 12 ISIS fighters, one at a time. What she endured was so painful and nightmarish that no words could describe it, she said. In August 2016, the British Parliament heard a long list of heinous crimes committed by the ISIS, according to Inquisitr. The crimes as read included the killing of a boy whose body was then grounded into meat and fed to his mother. British MPs also heard about Christians being killed and tortured, and children beheaded, some crucified in front of their parents. Other crimes included ISIS captives being beheaded, burned, lowered into pools of nitric acid and dipped into vats of burning tar. Last year, a family of three, including a 2-year-old girl, were burned alive for trying to escape. The jihadist group has also sentenced hundreds of its own fighters to death for desertion or simply asking to be allowed to return to their home country. A mass grave of 200 militants discovered in Anbar province last year showed how ISIS deals with its fighters who sleep on duty, disobey an order, abandon their post or retreat on the battlefield. Muslims Outnumber Christians At Over 30 Church Schools In England Muslim students outnumber Christians in more than 30 church schools in England, according to new reports. St Thomas in Werneth, Oldham a Church of England School - has a "100 per cent Muslim population", with no Christian pupils, The Times reports. Staincliffe CofE Junior School in Batley, West Yorkshire, states that 98 per cent of its pupils "come from a Muslim background". The Church of England estimated that about 20 if its schools hosted more Muslim than Christian students, while the Catholic Education Service (CES) reported that 15 of its schools had Muslim pupils in the majority, with one school where nine out of 10 pupils were Muslim. The CES said that the change is due to the increasing immigration of Muslim communities into areas that used to be predominantly Christian. Some Church schools reflect this makeup in their practice, for example including Islamic prayers in their services, while All Saints Church of England Primary in Bradford sells hijabs to its pupils. Emphasis may be put on observing Islamic as well as Christian festivals, or making pupils' time off coincide with the Muslim festival of Eid. The tension arises in particular because Church schools both Anglican and Catholic receive government funding and are expected to feature a daily act of Christian worship. The disproportionate demographic figures have led some to suggest that these Church schools should become secular institutions. Professor Alan Smithers, the director of the centre for education at the University of Buckingham, said: "The Church of England has traditionally provided education in this country but now that risks being an uncomfortable experience for the Muslim pupils that fill many of these schools. "It must also be very confusing for the handful of Christian pupils in some of them. It would seem logical these schools become secular institutions." The Church of England's chief education officer, the Rev Nigel Genders, said that at Bishop Bridgeman CofE Primary School in Bolton 90 per cent of pupils were Muslim "yet it feels like a Church of England school". He added: "It goes back to the principle that we are not faith schools serving a Christian population but Church schools serving the local community." Philippines Church Denounces Duterte's 'Reign Of Terror' Against Drug Dealers The Catholic Church in the Philippines mounted its strongest attack yet on President Rodrigo Duterte's alleged policy of encouraging the killing of drug dealers and users, with sermons read out in its churches at the weekend denouncing the practice. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said killing people was not the answer to trafficking of illegal drugs, and it was disturbing that many didn't care about the bloodshed, or even approved of it. "An even greater cause of concern is the indifference of many to this kind of wrong. It is considered as normal, and, even worse, something that (according to them) needs to be done," the bishops said in a pastoral letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters. "An additional cause of concern is the reign of terror in many places of the poor. Many are killed not because of drugs. Those who kill them are not brought to account," they said. Duterte came to power with a pledge to deal with the Philippines' drug scourge by any means necessary. More than 7,600 people have died since he launched his anti-drugs campaign, more than 2,500 in what police say were shootouts during raids. Both the government and police have strenuously denied that extrajudicial killings have taken place. The bishops's letter urged "elected politicians to serve the common good of the people and not their own interests" and called for steps to tackle "rogue policemen and corrupt judges". In apparent reference to accusations that many drug pushers and users have been victims of extra-judicial killings, the bishops said "every person has a right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty", and the law should be followed. "We must also give priority to reforming rogue policemen and corrupt judges," they said. Duterte suspended all police operations against drug dealers last week due to what he said was corruption in the police force. A Reuters investigation last year found the police had a 97 per cent kill rate in their drug raids, indicating suspects were being killed out of hand. The Reuters reports also found that low-level officials in poor neighbourhoods helped police assemble "watch lists" of alleged drug users and pushers that were effectively hit-lists, with many of the people named ending up dead. An Amnesty International report last week said police prosecuting the war on drugs behaved like the criminal underworld they were supposed to be suppressing, taking payments for killings and the delivery of bodies to funeral homes. It said the wave of drugs-related killings appeared to be "systematic, planned and organised" by authorities, and could constitute crimes against humanity. A presidential spokesman, Ernesto Abella, said in a statement: "The officials of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) are apparently out of touch with the sentiments of the faithful who overwhelmingly support the changes in the Philippines turning the nation into a safer place for families, working people, especially young night shift workers, far from the 'terror' the bishops paint rather dramatically." Abella added that bishops should stick to practical teachings that build strong moral character among the faithful, and contribute to the peace felt by ordinary citizens. "The efforts of these Church leaders might be put to better use in practical catechetics that build strong moral character among the faithful, and so contribute more to the reign of peace felt by ordinary citizens everywhere, especially those who are innocent of illegal activities," he said. Additional reporting by Reuters. At the 2016 IPCPR Trade Show, La Flor Dominicana showcased a new cigar known as the La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull. Company owner Litto Gomez was born in Spain and the Andalusian takes its name from Andalusia, a region in the southern part of that country. The cigar pays homage to the cattle breed that is a part of popular sport of bullfighting that the Andalusian region is known from. La Flor Dominicana is known for both artistry and innovation with its cigars and the Andalusian Bull is no exception. This cigar features a unique figurado shape covered by an Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper. Recently Ive had the opportunity to smoke the La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull. Overall I found this to not only be an enjoyable smoking experience, but one that delivers a smoke as good as it works. The Andalusian Bull made its way to retailers in the Fall of 2016 and it did not take long for the cigar to make history. Toward the end of 2016, the cigar captured Cigar Aficionados Cigar of the Year award something considered the cigar industrys highest honor. La Flor Dominicana has said the Andalusian Bull is a done in limited production batches. After receiving the award, it was no surprise that demand spiked for this cigar. As a result, at press time this has become quite a difficult cigar to find in many retailers. Without further ado, lets take a closer look at the La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull and see what this cigar brings to the table. Blend Profile The Andalusian Bull consists of a Corojo wrapper from Ecuador over an all Dominican blend that includes Criollo 98 and some Pelo de Oro. Wrapper: Ecuadorian Corojo Binder: Dominican Filler: Dominican Country of Origin: Dominican Republic (Tabacalera La Flor) Vitolas Available The La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull is available in one size a 6 1/2 x 52 x 64 figurado. This figurado almost has the look of a Salomon with about 3/4cut off at the footer. Gomez used an old cigar mold he found in Belgium as the basis to make this size. The cigar is packaged in ten count boxes. Appearance The Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper of the La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull has a rich mahogany color with some darker marbling. There is also some oil on the surface. Overall I found this cigar had a smooth wrapper. Most of the wrapper seams were well hidden, but there were some visible veins. The figurado is gently tapered toward the cap while the footer has a short, but slightly sharper taper. The banding to the Andalusian Bull is new to La Flor Dominicana. The primary band is green with gold trim. On the center of the and is a large oval design. A silhouette of a matador is on the center of the oval. Draped over the matador is a gold LFD script logo. A black and gold ring surrounds the silhouette design. There are also gold adornments going around on the ring surrounding the oval. The secondary band rests just under the lower portion of the oval on the primary band. It is also green with gold trim. The text andalusian bull is draped across this band in a gold cursive font. Preparation for the Cigar Experience Prior to lighting up the Andalusian Bull, I went a straight cut to remove the cap. My objective was to keep to maximize as much of the tapering as I could. I then moved on to the pre-light draw experience. The dry draw delivered a mix of natural tobacco and graham cracker. I didnt find this to be an overly complex dry draw, but it still was quite satisfying. At this point I was ready to light up the Andalusian Bull and see what the smoking experience would have in store. Flavor Profile The start to the Andalusian Bull delivered a mix of white pepper, natural tobacco, and graham cracker notes. As the cigar moved through the tapered section by the footer, I found the natural tobacco notes became primary. The graham cracker and pepper notes moved into the background. On the retro-hale, I picked up a mix of assorted pepper spices. Throughout the first third of the Andalusian Bull, the natural tobacco notes had a nice mesquite component mixed in. Meanwhile, I still picked up the graham cracker and pepper notes. During this stage, a savory note emerged. I dont like picking strange flavor notes out of left field, but this one was almost like a sweet beet with some spice mixed in. During the second third, the natural tobacco notes remained primary. I found the mesquite and graham cracker notes moved in and out of the forefront. The savory (beet-like) note was still present, but as the Andalusian Bull entered the second half, this note diminished. By the last third of the Andalusian Bull, the pepper-spice notes joined the natural tobacco in the forefront. The mesquite notes were still very much present. The savory and graham cracker notes were nearly dissipated. While I loved the uniqueness of the first two thirds of this cigar, the last third was more average. As the Andalusian Bull came to a close, the resulting nub was slightly soft to the touch and cool in temperature. Burn and Draw Overall the La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bulls burn performed well. There was some jagged-ness on the burn line from time to time, but this was remedied with some touch-ups. At the same time, the Andalusian Bull maintained a straight burn path and was never in danger of tunneling nor canoeing. The resulting ash had a silver gray color to it and was slightly on the looser side. The burn rate and burn temperature were both ideal. Sometimes you cannot judge a book by its cover. When I first looked at this cigar, I was expecting a looser draw. This was definitely not the case. I found this cigar had an exceptional draw with the resistance level was near perfect. The tapering by the cap helped mitigate the impact of smoking a big ring gauge cigar. Overall, the Andalusian Bull was a very enjoyable cigar to puff on. Strength and Body Again, I will apply the not judging a book by its cover analogy. Given La Flor Dominicanas reputation for bold and powerful smokes and the fact that this cigar has the name Andalusian Bull, I was expecting a very bold smoke. Once again, this was not the case. Overall I found this to be a medium strength, medium to full-bodied smoke from start to finish. In the end, I found the level of strength and both meshed well with the flavor profile. In terms of strength versus body, I gave a slight edge to the body. Final Thoughts 2016 was a banner year for La Flor Dominicana. Even if Andalusian Bull didnt garner the Cigar Aficionado ranking, I still would have had said La Flor Dominicana had a great year. The Andalusian Bull is an enjoyable cigar. It looks different, and it smokes different. As I said up front, its a great representation of the artistry and innovation coming out of La Flor Dominicana. Is it the best cigar out of La Flor Dominicana in the past couple of years? Thats a judgment call, but personally I still have the Small Batch No. 6 and TAA 48 cigars ahead of it. Still this is a cigar Id recommend. Its one I would gear toward an experienced cigar enthusiast. Its a nice cigar for a novice to try something different and one who wants to graduate to a medium plus cigar. As for myself, its one I would smoke again and its worthy of a box split. Summary Key Flavors: Natural Tobacco, Pepper, Mesquite, Graham Cracker, and Savory notes Burn: Very Good Draw: Exceptional Complexity: High Strength: Medium Body: Medium to Full Finish: Good Rating Assessment: 3.5-Box Split Score: 91 References News: La Flor Dominicana Andalusian Bull at 2016 IPCPR Trade Show Source: Purchased Price: $15.00 Brand Reference: La Flor Dominicana 'Silence' Director Martin Scorsese Finds Meaning Of Life In Christianity: 'This Is The Real Saving Grace Of Our World' As far as Martin Scorsese is concerned, there is little hope for humanity without Christianity. Speaking at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California recently after a private screening of his new film "Silence," the Academy Award-winning director said the movie about persecuted Jesuit missionaries in 17th-century Japan was the culmination of his more than 20 years' struggle to "reinvent" Christianity in cinema to "make it accessible to the young generation," according to God Reports. Reflecting on his struggles in making the film, Scorsese said it all boiled down to finding the meaning of existence and the meaning of life. "For me, it's Christianity," he said. Without the love and compassion inherent in Christianity, humanity will not survive, Scorsese said. "This is the real saving grace of our world, of our species, really." But then the question arises: "How does one express and live a true Christian life? How does one live out Christianity in daily life? How does one do it?" Scorsese said the answer is in making faith flow into every aspect of life. "We don't make religion something that's foreign, separate from life, that's the key," he said. Liam Neeson, who plays the part of the apostate Fr. Ferreira in "Silence," has also reflected on how the film impacted on his faith. Although Neeson's character renounces his faith after being tortured by the Japanese and after witnessing other Christians being tortured, the Irish actor said he believed "Ferreira's idea of God was ultimately one of love," and that personally "this is what I choose to believe myself." "God is love, love is God. I have had personal experiences of God's love, beautiful and calming, all the things the Psalms talk about. If he was a stern master, well, I don't know," Neeson said. For his part, Andrew Garfield said he experienced a profound encounter with Jesus while playing the role of a Portuguese Jesuit priest who faced violence and persecution when he and another priest (Adam Driver) travelled to Japan to seek their mentor, Fr. Ferreira. "What was really easy was falling in love with this person, was falling in love with Jesus Christ. That was the most surprising thing," he said. Transgender Baptisms, Gay Marriage And George Bell: Your Guide To Next Week's General Synod Transgender transition ceremonies, gambling, gay marriage and the Reformation are all on the agenda for the Church of England's forthcoming General Synod next week. The headline act will undoubtedly be a report on sexuality, which refuses to change the Church's teaching or practice in relation to same sex marriage. After more than two years of internal talks throughout the CofE over accommodation for gay couples, the Church's lead bishops have said there "are no proposals" to change teaching that marriage is exclusively between one man and one woman. But they called for "maximum freedom" with the existing laws and said there needed to be "a fresh tone and culture of welcome and support for lesbian and gay people". Two and a half hours of "group work" on Wednesday afternoon will come before a "take note" debate where warring factions will take to the floor to voice their frustrations, concerns and praise at the bishops' decisions. The Archbishop of Canterbury and others have desperately kept conversations about sexuality away from a high-profile debate at the synod. And at the end of more than two years of behind-closed doors talks, he has managed to keep it down to just 90 minutes of explosive debate. LGBT campaigners have already started lobbying synod members to not "take note" of the report, branding it a "betrayal of trust". But aside from the high-octane debate on Wednesday afternoon, the Archbishop of Canterbury will give his usual address and be forced to answer awkward questions, many of which will undoubtedly focus on the ever-present issue of sex. Outside of the normal formalities, here is what you can expect from the Church of England's February synod 2017: Transgender transition ceremony? LGBT lobbyists will be pushing behind the scenes after the Blackburn diocesan synod tabled a motion asking bishops to consider liturgy to mark a gender transition. Although unlikely to be debated at this sitting, the motion will prompt fresh calls for a new service, akin to baptism, for when someone wishes to change gender. The idea was sparked after Rev Chris Newlands, the vicar of Lancaster Priory, was approached by someone wanting to be "re-baptised" in their new identity. "The Church needs to take a lead and be much more proactive to make sure they are given a warm welcome," he said. Informal ceremonies or "public affirmations" have taken place, according to The Guardian, but this motion asks for an official Church liturgy to mark the occasion. Bishop George Bell fallout: The shocking case of the late Bishop George Bell, who is accused of abusing a woman while she was a girl, has split the Anglican world after it emerged the Church made a payment to an alleged victim. Some accuse the Church of a "witch-hunt" against Bishop Bell, with supporters saying there is no evidence he actually committed the abuse. A damning motion tabled by Martin Sewell calls for the synod to say it has "no confidence in the investigation" launched by the Church into how it handled the Bell affair. The motion, which is unlikely to be debated at this sitting despite already amassing 40 signatures, accuses the Church of a lack of transparency and insists on "the principle of equal fairness to accuser and accused alike". Gambling: A motion brought by Clive Scowan will call on the government to clamp down on "the crack cocaine of gambling" fixed odd betting terminals. The roulette machines are high speed, easily accessibly machines with a maximum stake of 100 every 20 seconds or 18,000 every hour. The Church's intervention describes them as "a pernicious form of high street gambling ... wholly lacking in any social benefit" and "causing great harm and misery to thousands of people". A background paper for the synod is heavily critical of the government for valuing the tax revenues gained from the machines above "the risk of harm to large numbers of vulnerable people". A ban on banns: The long-standing tradition of wedding banns being read three times in church before a couple can be married is facing extinction. Church officials claim the process is too long and bureaucratic and describe it as "an inheritance of administration". Proposals bought forward by Rev Stephen Trott would remove the legal requirement and instead require checks to be carried out by a registrar, who would then issue a certificate to the vicar to proceed. Trott pointed out the "growing burden and complexity of the legal requirements" before a wedding can go ahead and asked for a similar arrangement to Scotland's where banns are issued by a civil registrar. But the Church's top civil servant, secretary general William Nye, warned "making couples go through bureaucratic civil processes might make them less likely to marry in church". He added: "Abolishing banns would mean that parishioners would cease to have a right to marry in their parish church." A Nigerian bishop: The Most Rev Dr Josiah Atkins Idowu-Fearon, secretary general of the Anglican Communion, will address synod members the morning after the "take note" debate on same sex marriage. The Nigerian, formerly Bishop of Kaduna, is an expert on Christian-Muslim relations and has repeatedly reasserted his commitment to a landmark resolution passed in 1998 known as Lambeth 1.10, which is seen as the archetype of conservative theology on marriage. But he has also criticised American conservatives for manipulating African Christians and making it appear African clergy were more obsessed with a conservative position on gay marriage than they really are. Whoever said General Synod was dull? Harry Farley will be covering the synod for Christian Today. You can follow him on Twitter @harryfarls. When The Palestinian President Met The Pope: A Message Of Hope And Challenge A few weeks ago President Abbas was received by Pope Francis in the Holy See. For Palestine, this meeting served as a reminder of the historic relation between the Catholic Church and the Holy Land, as well as an invitation to further strengthen such a relationship. At a moment of despair in our region, and when the Israeli government has stepped up its illegal policies aimed at making it impossible for the Palestinian people to enjoy the right to freedom and independence, this sends a strong message of hope and of the need to take concrete measures in order to bring justice and peace to the land where everything began. The Palestinian national movement has embraced the heritage of our land with deep pride. Christianity was born in Palestine, it is part of our social fabric, and we cannot envision an independent State of Palestine without a vibrant Christian community. Our vision is for our country, and particularly for the city of Jerusalem, is to preserve the beautiful mosaic that has made Palestine a land holy to the three monotheistic religions. We share the Vatican's vision of Jerusalem being an open city and a capital of two states, where the values of freedom, including freedom of worship, justice and peace would prevail while ensuring that the Holy City preserves its flavour. Regrettably, this is not the current situation of Palestine in general, and of Jerusalem in particular: Israel claims that Jerusalem is the "eternal and undivided capital of the Jewish people", making use of religion in order to gain political revenues. The Israeli government has further stepped up its call for Israel to be recognised as a "Jewish State", despite the negative implications this would have for 1.5 million citizens of Israel that are either Muslim or Christian. This dangerous combination fuels the rest of the region and prevents a peaceful resolution that ends the Israeli occupation. Under the motto of turning Jerusalem into an exclusive Jewish city, Israel, the occupying power, has been implementing demographic and geographic changes to alter the unique character of the Holy City and separate the holy cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem for the first time in 2,000 years of Christianity. The culture of impunity under which Israel has been able to operate, including its latest announcement for thousands of new settlement units, has forced many people into desperation. This desperation and hopelessness are precisely what we have been trying to prevent. It gave us hope when we saw the flag of Palestine our symbol of resilience and existence raised in the Vatican City and also raised over our embassy to the Holy See, located a few steps away from Saint Anne's Gate. The proximity of our embassy to the Pope's premises is also a symbol of how close our visions are for a just and lasting peace between Israel, Palestine and the rest of the region. We also had a message of hope to deliver during our president's visit to His Holiness Pope Francis. Among the presents brought to His Holiness, President Abbas delivered a piece of stone brought from the renovation works of the Holy Sepulchre currently under way by the three Churches in Jerusalem. President Abas personally contributed to the works in full respect to the place where the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is celebrated. We hope that soon we will be able to celebrate also the resurrection of the Palestinian people into a free nation while we all also celebrate peace and reconciliation. Palestine is fully committed to freedom of worship and preservation of its heritage, today and in the future. We have the oldest still-inhabited city in the world, Jericho, as well as several sites outside the famous Bethlehem-Jerusalem which we want to promote for pilgrimage. We want the whole world to enjoy touring these places. That's why we have continued to use diplomatic channels to protect such places, including through our membership in UNESCO. We also fully back the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem which have continually affirmed their position against changing the historic status quo of the Holy Sites in Jerusalem. With the implementation of the comprehensive agreement between the Holy See and the State of Palestine, that formally recognised the State of Palestine on the 1967 border, we will be able to serve as a model to be followed by the rest of the region. Palestine and the Holy See are opening a new chapter in their rich relationship. The audience between President Abbas and His Holiness Pope Francis served to continue paving this long path of shared values, for the promotion of justice and peace in the Holy Land and in the rest of the world. The peace prayer led by his Holiness at the Vatican City in the presence of President Abbas and the late President of Israel Shimon Perez, will continue to be the metaphoric icon all good people will continue to work on to ensure that the seeds of peace his Holiness has planted will bear fruit. Issa Kassissieh is Ambassador of the State of Palestine to the Holy See. Why We Need To Support Our Queen In Her Meeting With Donald Trump Queen Elizabeth II made history today as she became the first Queen in history to reach her Sapphire Jubilee. It is typical of our Queen that she marks this incredible 65-year milestone, not by celebrating her many achievements, but quietly at home in Sandringham, Norfolk, reflecting on the day her father, King George VI, died on February 6, 1952. In fact, the Sapphire Jubilee celebrations are remarkably low key and most are intimately linked to her devout religious faith. Gregory Cameron, Bishop of St Asaph in the Church in Wales, a well-known coin collector and artist, designed a beautiful but also modest Royal Mint Jubilee coin. Cameron told Christian Today: "I can understand that that for The Queen it is a day of mixed emotion: bereavement and responsibility, potential and celebration. I wanted to design a coin which celebrated the Queen's service, with the olive branch of fruitfulness, and the oak branch of loyalty. It is this record of sixty five years of unremitting service which is so staggering - and sustained by Christian faith of course." I was honoured myself to attend, last night, the Anglican-Catholic parish of St Mary's in Rotherhithe, east London. St Mary's was among those that discreetly marked this Jubilee with an accession service of thanksgiving and prayer. This church was perhaps a little unusual however in using a liturgy from the 1789 edition of the Book of Common Prayer, a service actually drawn up to mark the accession of King George III. The London Gallery Quire, which performs West Gallery music from the era of Thomas Hardy, sang all five verses of the National Anthem to Thomas Clark's 'Northcourt' setting. This is preferred by many - including me - to the anonymous dirge in popular use today. The Queen herself attended church yesterday in St Peter and St Paul in West Newton, Norfolk. A book published by the Bible Society to mark her 90th birthday last year is testament to her strong Christian faith. So how can we, her subjects and her admirers, best honour our Queen on her Jubilee in this newly-troubled world? I well remember her Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977, two years before the 1979 elections. Being among those who had just turned 18, I used my first ever chance at the ballot box to vote Conservative and help usher in the era of Margaret Thatcher. Those years in the late 1970s had been years of terrible privations. So many people suffered so much. I voted for Maggie, along with so many others in rural Britain, because never again did I want to be so hungry and cold. Never again did I want to be forced to revise for exams or do close book work by candlelight. Never again did I want to have to walk eight miles a day there and back again, to school or later work. Although I have of course recently done exactly that in London, many times, thanks to the tube strikes. We in rural Britain in the 1970s were perhaps the UK "rust belt" of our time. But in 1977, when we danced in the streets and church halls and bought commemorative mugs and coins that I have to this day, of course we had no concept of the massive changes in British society that were only just around the corner. It is astonishing to reflect that only two years earlier, in 1975, Britain had voted in a referendum to "stay" in what was then the European Economic Community. Like many young people I knew at that time, contemplating the European wine lakes and butter mountains from the remote Staffordshire countryside acres of farmland, towns and villages that had changed little since the 1950s I was not entitled to vote in the 1975 Referendum. I was rendered anxious and furious by the outcome. In Luke 19, we read of how Zacchaeus was trying to see Jesus. The King James Bible renders this as: "And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature." Christian journalists sometimes like to joke that this is the only mention of the "Press" in the Bible. Zacchaeus was a tax collector, as reviled then by the educated elite as Donald Trump is today. Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore tree to escape the "press" of people around him. When Jesus saw him up there, he invited him down and then went off to dine with him. Many were shocked. Yet in the end it became one of the most powerful stories of Christian witness in the Bible. This story, alongside the Beatitudes, shows to many of us the despised and marginalised, the estate agents and journalists such as myself, all those who feel sometimes we are the modern equivalents of tax collectors of Jesus' time that we are not beyond redemption. In that sense, George Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, is quite right in what he said to James Macintyre, Christian Today reporter, when he criticised the "staggering" hostility to Trump. As a State Visit approaches, we must make sure that Donald Trump is not denied access to our Queen in any way by the loud "press" of the noise against him, and that the tone of that access is not compromised in any way. The Queen is Supreme Governor of the Church of England. But far, far more than this, in her own daily life she bears witness to the life of Jesus Christ in a manner that is truly humbling and exemplary. In spite of a life of apparent ease and privilege, she carries immense burdens in her willingly-borne duties. We should reflect on her example. She does not need protecting in some strange way from Donald Trump. He needs to meet her, and she needs to be supported in this meeting. As this Sapphire Jubilee Year kicks off, so different in every way to the Silver Jubilee of 1977, perhaps it's time to sing the less familar words of the National Anthem, and sing them to a different tune: "O'er her thine arm extend, for Britain's sake defend, Our mother, Queen and friend, God save the Queen." The man who dressed Picasso As Michel Sapone created hundreds of garments for Picasso, he became an intimate friend. Other artists, from Joan Miro to Hans Hartung and Zao Wou-Ki, also sought out the humble Italian and paid him with their art In photographs of Nices arts scene taken between 1950 and the early 1970s, one face emerges again and again. Immaculately dressed, with a moustache so full it entirely obscures his upper lip, the tailor Michel Sapone hovers in the background the unlikely confidante of artists including Alberto Giacometti, Hans Hartung and Pablo Picasso, to whom he was particularly close. In February 2017 an exhibition at Christies Paris illuminated Sapones remarkable life. It featured more than 100 documents, archival photographs and original artworks, received as payment for dressing some of the 20th centurys greatest artists. We thought it was time to place Sapone centre stage, explains Tudor Davies, Head of Impressionist and Modern Art in Paris. Sapone received his first artwork in exchange for a suit made for Florentine artist Manfredo Borsi. Although the tailor later claimed, I had never looked at a painting in my life; I looked at women, Borsis unconventional payment method soon took off. As news of Sapones work travelled around Nice, he found himself dressing a growing circle of artists, each new garment resulting in a new artwork that was dedicated to him and his family. Picasso sought to strip things away; to create art that got to the bare essentials. There was something of that in Sapones tailoring It was Sapones relationship with Picasso, however, that became his most meaningful and enduring. Sapone was introduced to Picasso by two other artists when he arrived in Nice in 1948, explains Davies. It became immediately obvious that the two of them had a connection: they were both from the Mediterranean, and they shared the regions temperament. They spoke of its landscapes; of places they had visited as children. In Sapone, Picasso found someone who shared the same approach to his work. Picasso sought to strip things away; to create art that got to the bare essentials. There was something of that in Sapones tailoring, says Davies. According to Luca Masia, author of Il sarto di Picasso (Picassos Tailor), Sapone dressed Picasso for 16 years, producing more than 100 jackets and 200 pairs of trousers always without the artists direction. [Sapone] was quickly able to size up someones character, using it to inform the clothes he made, Davies continues. One of the first garments he created for Picasso was a pair of striped trousers a la Courbet an homage to Gustave Courbets Autoportrait au col raye. Other garments included a Cubist-style shirt that the artist would wear only in private, and outfits engineered to lengthen Picassos diminutive frame. Although his clothes referenced many of Picassos greatest artistic influences, Sapone himself had little knowledge of the art world. He grew up in a poor working-class family, but had an innate sense for what was beautiful, Davies reveals. The artists in Nice were the first hed met, and he felt a great curiosity for the way they created. He built up a knowledge of art, not through a formal education, but through his exchanges with them. Sapone was discreet, he operated at the edge of things. Artists gravitated towards him not just as a tailor, but as a confidante If Sapone was captivated by his artist clients, they appeared just as interested in him. Sapone was discreet; he was someone who operated at the edges of things, says Davies. I think thats why artists gravitated towards him, not just as a tailor but as a confidante. This trust occasionally manifested itself in unexpected ways. The exhibition includes a letter from Zao Wou-Ki, who asked Sapone to look at a piece of land and advise whether he should buy it. The unusual request was emulated by artist Hans Hartung, who asked Sapone to source a piece of land that he might use as the site for his ideal house. Those who asked favours of him never seemed ill at ease when doing so, adds Davies. Of course he received things in return, but people trusted him; there was never a sense that he was out to make a profit. Indeed, the artists Sapone dressed had much to be grateful for; adept at working for big personalities, his outfits allowed their wearers to create and project an identity. A lot of the artists he worked with were self-promoters. Picasso, in particular, was keen to dress in a way that made him look impressive, and asked Sapone to source clothes that would make people say, Wow, where did you get that?. Among Picassos more eccentric requests was a kilt, bought not because he had Celtic heritage but because he like the idea. A photograph, featured in the Paris exhibition, shows the artist wearing a giant Yugoslavian-style mountain coat, purchased directly from the country by Sapone. It had masses of embroidery and was completely over-the-top. Picasso wore it as though he were King of Yugoslavia, says Davies. Other outfits became central components of major events. Photographs taken at Picassos 75th birthday show him wearing an amazing striped velvet coat, which was a present from Sapone. Picasso put it on right away and wore it for the whole day, Davies continues. Sapones clothes were incredibly distinctive; I think Picasso liked that as it helped him to project this larger-than-life personality. Open a larger version of this image Measurements of Sapones clients, including Picasso, Giacometti, Miro and Zao Wou-Ki Open a larger version of this image As Sapone amassed artworks, the walls of his shop became covered. He hung art in the changing rooms theres a photograph of Sapone reflected in one of the mirrors, surrounded by hundreds of framed works. Also featured in the exhibition is Sapones original workbook, recording the measurements of clients including Picasso, Miro and Alberto Giacometti the latter being famously tall. Personally addressed to Sapone, much of his art offers an insight into the relationships between the tailor and his clients. While admitting that its a little bit rude, Davies highlight is a portrait by Picasso, dedicated to the Bandito Sapone on 1 April 1960. Picasso drew the tailor with a big fish, but made it exceptionally phallic. Were exhibiting it next to a photograph of Picasso laughing as he drew, and Sapone, responding to the finished work. It captures the great camaraderie between them. As Picasso grew older, Sapone became one of his closest acquaintances. He reached a point where he didnt really need to meet people and Jacqueline [his last wife] restricted access to him, says Davies. The Sapones were low-key. The family would come over with a big dish of pasta on Sunday and they would have lunch together. Sapone might give the artist a shirt hed made, and theyd spend the afternoon together. That near-familial connection, says Davies, is why were doing the show. We want to show that art is about connections between people. To enter into a relationship with an artist, you dont necessarily need to be highly cultured. Ultimately, artists are interested in humanity; if they find that in you, then art can spring from that. Sapone is a great example of that. The much-anticipated Yauatcha restaurant in the Galleria isn't even open yet but already it has a might attractive feather in its cap. The Michelin-star Chinese dim sum teahouse concept has hired Houston restaurateur Gigi Huang to serve as its marketing manager. The owner of the former Gigi's Asian Bistro in the Galleria also will serve as the restaurant's brand ambassador in addition to marketing the Yauatcha brand regionally. The move by the Hakkasan Group to hire Huang may prove to be a strategic coup. Huang, who has developed eight restaurants both independent of and with her father, restaurateur James Huang of Houston's iconic Hunan Restaurant, is a hospitality star. The city's socialites and power brokers were all known to her during the six year she ran Gigi's, which closed in February 2014. She was considered the hostess with the mostest, throwing many memorable parties, fundraisers, chef's dinners, and wine and spirits events at the restaurant which featured a main dining room decorated with cascades of 15,000 silk cherry blossoms. "I am thrilled to partner with a globally renowned restaurant group on a concept that will be a wonderful addition to Houston's ever-evolving restaurant industry," Huang said in a statement Monday. "Yauatcha's international team is eager to establish deep roots in the Houston community, and I look forward to helping facilitate those relationships on their behalf." In Huang's new role she will assist Hakkasan Group executive chef Ho Chee Boon in "developing long term partnerships with local organizations and individuals in addition to creating a customized approach for the global brand." Yauatcha, scheduled to open at the Galleria in late March, originally opened in London in 2004, earning a Michelin star a year later. The brand now has six locations across the United Kingdom and India, as well as U.S. outposts: Honolulu and Houston. "We selected Houston as one of our first U.S. cities for Yauatcha because of its diverse population that come with international tastes as well as backgrounds," said Hakkasan Group president Nick McCabe. "We look forward to immersing our brand into the city's unique culture, and to working with Gigi to make a personal connection with the residents and visitors of Houston." The restaurant will serve authentic Cantonese dishes with a modern flair: steamed, baked, grilled and fried dim sum, duck, fish, and noodle dishes. After taking a break from the restaurant industry after Gigi's closed, Huang began working with Martha Turner Sotheby's International Realty as a broker. Meanwhile, Yauatcha is holding its second Houston job fair this week to recruit for hospitality positions for the Houston restaurant. This week the fair will be held on Feb. 8 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Feb. 9 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Feb. 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will be held at Hilton Houston Post Oak, 2001 Post Oak. Webster-based NanoRacks announced Monday that it will partner with Boeing to build and install the first commercial airlock on the International Space Station. "This partnership is an important step in the commercial transition we'll see on the ISS in coming years," Mark Mulqueen, Boeing International Space Station program manager, said in a news release. "Utilizing a commercial airlock to keep up with the demand of deployment will significantly streamline our process." Grab your binoculars and your camera and be prepared for a glorious site. The Lower Trinity Valley Bird Club will be hosting a field trip to Anahuac Saturday, Feb. 18 and the public is invited to join them-and that includes novices who are curious to experience one of the many excursions taken by the club throughout the year. The bird enthusiasts are not just any club, but actively helping in research, and volunteerism that helps the Trinity Valley National Wildlife Refuge and Audubon Society. And club members put their money where their mouth is with contributions to help fund research and much more. The group was founded in the mid-1990s and has remained strong since. "We are interested in preservation and identifying birds," said Gary Holmes, president of the club. And that, he says, is no easy task at times. More Information Want to go? Contact Gary Holmes at 281-576-0574 or email him at atgeholmes52@gmail.com See More Collapse "Like a puzzle, some are easy and some are hard. The plumage is never perfect so it can be challenging," he said. But, that's part of the fun with the group, all contributing to finding the answer and identifying the fowl. Holmes said they club is active in bird counting. "We do the Christmas bird counts, two or three of those each year, and the Bird Sit-In during the fall and this month in the Great Backyard Bird Count," he said where birders will count the number of species and birds in their own yards. Each month the group takes a trip to a different area, like Anahuac, to explore around the area. Trips to the Katy Prairie, the lower Texas valley, Rockport and a day trip to King Ranch are among some of the places the group has been or will travel to during the year. But the trips aren't limited to Texas only. "We've been to Arizona, and taken major trips out of the country to Belize, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago just to name a few," Holmes said. The trip is spent bird watching, which many find relaxing and rewarding. Not only are the birds a joy to watch, but they have intrinsic value to people as threads in the earth's ecological tapestry, as pollinators, predators and prey. The club meetings have the typical business aspects, but then focus on a special speaker who comes to share interesting and educational information with the members. The February meeting will be on Thursday, Feb. 9, at 6:30 p.m. at the FLNB Corner, 1822, Sam Houston Ave. in Liberty across from the bank. The guest speaker will be Lonnie Castleman and his presentation is on Eastern Bluebirds. Holmes said anyone who joins the Texas Bluebird Society ($15) at the meeting will receive a free bluebird nestbox and Castleman will teach everyone the correct way to mount and maintain the nestbox. Castleman has an array of vast knowledge and experience with all things 'bluebird.' He is retired from Shell Oil and lives in Trinity and has been a board member, vice president and nestbox builder coordinator and distributor for Texas Bluebird Society and the North American Bluebird Society. Holmes encourages everyone to come early for 'birder's chat' time. Those planning on attending the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge trip will car pool from White Park off I-10 past Wallisville at 6:45 a.m. and stay most of the day at the Refuge exploring nature and watching birds. "We get there early because they're excited when they wake up. The birds get up early and around noon they got to sleep and settle down," he said. So, early bird really does get the worm. Anyone who bet big on the Atlanta Falcons is probably feeling a bit sick, but whatever the reason, millions of Americans are expected to miss work or show up late on Monday. According to a 2016 survey by Workforce Institute at Kronos, an estimated 16.5 million employed U.S. adults were expected to miss work the day after Super Bowl 50. Given the nail-biter finish in overtime for this year's contest, the number of absentee workers is probably even higher. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate THE CONCEPT The first iteration of James Beard Award-winning Underbelly chef Chris Shepherd's ambitious new five-year restaurant project. Each year, One Fifth will close for the month of August and reopen as a different concept; it will operate as a steakhouse till July 31, and subsequent themes will be "romance languages" (food and wines of Spain, France and Italy) and seafood. Decor, menus and wine lists will change annually. Shepherd's One Fifth partners include investor/Houston Texans linebacker Whitney Mercilus, beer-and-cocktail guru Kevin Floyd of Hay Merchant fame and businessman Steve Flippo. THE SPACE The 3,900-square-foot 1920s church on Lower Westheimer that most recently housed Mark's American Cuisine has been re-imagined by Floyd and Jim Herd's Collaborative Projects. The newly lighter and brighter 120-seat restaurant's central bar is now a cold bar, over which looms a glassed-in meat cooler. The main bar stretches across another wall. Most striking is the grid of large red, blue, zinc and mahogany tiles that hovers just below the vaulted ceiling and dangles Edison bulbs on long cords. Patrons can sit in the main dining area, in a more secluded side room or upstairs in the choir loft. THE FOOD Traditional steakhouse trappings live on the menu but come with twists courtesy of Shepherd and chef de cuisine Nick Fine. The "wedge" salad is a bloom of local Bibb lettuce in a clay pot atop a layer of bacon-studded blue cheese dressing, and the seafood tower (in two sizes, "big" and bigger") involves salads: lobster, crab and tuna tartare with gochujang sauce. Most of the dry- and wet-aged steaks, sourced from Texas' 44 Farms and Marble Ranch, are cooked in cast iron with butter, and the nightly butcher's cut may yield crispy beef neck, hearth-roasted lamb ribs or Steak Diane. You will not find an 8-ounce filet mignon on the menu because, says Shepherd, who champions whole-animal cooking, "it's a utilization thing. Forty to 50 filets is like five 1,000-pound cows." Appetizer-wise, expect grilled bacon sausage with hash browns and cured egg; chicken liver pate with grilled bread and strawberry black pepper preserve; 18-month Benton's ham with pickle mustard and redneck cheddar; and caviar service. The raw-bar menu touts East and Gulf Coast oysters alongside Shepherd's favorite menu item, uni panna cotta with chile, peanuts and benne seeds. Twice-baked potatoes and pomme aligote mingle with other sides including "Lamburger Helper" and broccoli rice casserole. For dessert? A gorgeous chocolate layer cake, wood-fired apple pie or hummingbird cake. THE DRINK Shepherd's a whiskey lover, reflected at the bar in an impressive selection of bourbon, rye and Scotch available in three pour sizes (Pappy Van Winkle 20-year, anyone?). Cocktails veer classic - Old Fashioned, Manhattan, martinis. The well-priced wine list, unlike at Underbelly, is not entirely focused on smaller producers, with a few tried-and-true standards peppered in (Krug, Chateau de Beaucastel); about two dozen by-the-glass options; and a handful of magnum bottles. Thoughtful assortment of craft beer, both local and global, too. THE WORD "If people are expecting the classic steakhouse ambience, music and vibe, they're in for a surprise," says Shepherd, who likens the One Fifth experience to having dinner at his own home and notes the place's classic-rock soundtrack. Also of note: Investor Mercilus was hands-on in menu tasting, planning and training. He called the first ticket in the kitchen on opening night. ONE MORE THING The restaurant will offer table-side Caesar salads in the near future. The Houston-based descendants of Alex Cardini, the late Italian who is credited with co-inventing the Caesar salad, recently taught the One Fifth crew how to make the original recipe. DETAILS 1658 Westheimer, 713-955-1024; onefifthhouston.com. Open 5-11 p.m. daily. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A bright swastika chalked below a scrawled TRUMP vandalized Rice Universitys founders statue this weekend. The chalk graffiti was found this weekend on the William Marsh Rice statue in the heart of the academic quad. University officials were quick to condemn the vandalism, the third act Rice has experienced in the last month. I have had it with this behavior, undergraduate dean John Hutchinson said in a Facebook post Saturday night. The use of the swastika clearly reveals that whoever did this is either ignorant of the history of true evil associated with this emblem of hate or is genuinely motivated by blind hatred." VANDALS STRIKE: Trump stickers, swastikas posted around Fort Bend plantation University President David Leebron echoed Hutchinsons statement. We wont tolerate such behavior, and it will be punished. If a student is found responsible for the vandalism, Hutchinson said, one possible sanction is expulsion from Rice. He urged students to report incidents to university police and to hold the moral high ground taught by all faiths. In mid-January, the universitys portion of the Berlin Wall was defaced with Trump 2016 and Aloha! VANDALS CAUGHT: Students identified as ones who marked up Rice University A professional art conservator will remove the graffiti, the university said. Last weekend, a white supremacist group called American Vanguard placed racist recruitment posters on college campuses around Texas, including Rice. Protect the family, reject degeneracy, one poster near Rice read. University police officers removed three posters around the campuss perimeter, a spokesman said. >>>Click through the gallery to see photos of the damaged areas, as well as a history of the campus and it's secret symbols. A 29-year-old registered nurse accused in the shooting death of her husband last week broke down in court Monday after seeing her family in the gallery. Tu Thien Huynh is accused of using a shotgun to kill her husband, Steven Hafer, on Thursday then calling 911 and reporting it as a suicide, prosecutors said in court. Investigators became suspicious when Huynh kept changing her story about the shooting, prosecutors said. The shotgun had apparently been wiped clean and the trajectory did not match a self-inflicted wound. WANTED: Houston man accused of shooting 24-year-old from Humble The husband was found shot in the bedroom, according to the medical examiner's office. Huynh later admitted to having an affair with an ex-boyfriend, prosecutors said in court. State District Judge Randy Roll ruled that Huynh has to surrender her passport if she makes her $50,000 bail. Prosecutors said she is a registered nurse who began working at the cancer center after coming to the United States in 2004. BOTCHED ROBBERY: Restaurant owner shoots, kills man after robbery attempt Family who were in court for the hearing declined to comment afterward, but friends of the slain man took to social media to pour out their grief. "He was an awesome, awesome, awesome guy," Josh Becker, 34, told the Chronicle on Monday. "He was just loaded with integrity and morals and amazingness. He was the type of guy I would gladly have my daughters marry." Huynh and Hafer married three years ago and had a 2-year-old daughter. The civil engineer was a hard worker who valued family and fatherhood, friends said. "For the first several years of his career he was working 70 hours a week - and he did it all for the family," Becker said. "He lived for being in that role." But the now-apparent marital problems stayed hidden even from Hafer's closest friends and family. Becker, who'd met Huynh when the young couple visited his home in Florida, said she seemed compassionate and "almost angel-like." "Nothing would give a clue that something like this would happen," he said. Huynh was arrested Thursday after police were called to the home in the 10400 block of Newpark Drive near Goodrum about 4:10 p.m., according to the Houston Police Department. She had worked previously at MD Anderson Cancer Center but has not been employed there since 2015. brian.rogers@chron.com twitter.com/brianjrogers This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Prosecutors dropped the lone felony charge Friday against a Conroe rancher accused of cruelly treating more than a dozen horses. Herman Hoffman, 65, was indicted July 2015 on a third-degree felony tampering with physical evidence charge after prosecutors alleged he intentionally moved horses off his property during a June 2015 investigation. That investigation led prosecutors to file 20 Class A misdemeanor charges of cruelty charges against Hoffman and his wife Kathleen Hoffman for their alleged neglect of their 200-head herd of horses. Chief Prosecutor Sheri Culberson, who is handling Herman Hoffman's felony and misdemeanor cases, filed to drop the felony charge for "judicial economy," court documents show. Culberson said she was worried about further prolonging the misdemeanor cases if Hoffman was convicted on the felony case, seeing that any possible prison sentence from the tampering charge could delay the trial for the cruelty charges. 13 SUSPECTS CITED: 26 birds seized after reported cock fight in New Caney Judicial economy refers litigation and measures taken to avoid unnecessary effort or expense on the part of the court or the court system. "It's not fair to the witnesses, it's not fair to the horses," Culberson said. "This is a rare case in which the human impact of the misdemeanor cases is bigger than in the felony case. Many of my witnesses on the misdemeanor cases were emotionally affected by the cruelty they saw, even though they are not technically considered victims. I want them to have their day in court." On the misdemeanor cases, prosecutors are trying both Hoffmans in one trial. Hoffman filed a motion for continuance, one of many in the misdemeanor case, back in October that County Court-at-Law No. 1 Judge Dennis Watson granted then. EVICTION NOTICE: 3 cats living at Atascocita Walmart have to move out Kathleen Hoffman has been suffering from heart complications that make it impossible for her to participate in any court proceeding, a doctor said in a sworn affidavit. Her health concerns were the center of a previous motion for continuance filed by Hoffman, who is acting as his own counsel for the time being. As for the felony case, Culberson said it was not a matter of whether or not the DA's office believed they could have proved the case. The DA's office can still refile the tampering charges, Culberson said. "I don't want those misdemeanor cases delayed any further," Culberson said. The Hoffmans are set for trial Feb. 27 on the 20 Class A misdemeanor charges of cruelty to livestock animals in Watson's court. Each are facing up to a year in jail if convicted. Texas schools may need panic buttons, door monitors if law passes The proposed law aims to address failures in law enforcement's response to the Uvalde shooting. Selena Gomez revisits her Texas neighborhood in documentary Gomez is shown spending time with a childhood friend in her hometown. Houston police on Monday identified the man found dead Saturday morning, slumped over his bicycle in southwest Houston. Gregory Hale, 54, apparently suffered blunt force trauma to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police officers found him about 9 a.m. Saturday in the 12800 block of Hiram Clark after witnesses reported seeing a man slumped over a bicycle. They found Hale lying face-down across his bicycle, Houston police said in a news release. Police ask anyone with information on this case to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS. Houston police are asking the public's help with finding a man charged with shooting and wounding another man during an altercation in the Greenspoint area on Sunday evening. James McQueen, 42, has been charged with aggravated assault with serious bodily injury. The wounded man remains in critical condition, police said. Several people were arguing about 6:30 p.m. Sunday in front of an apartment complex in the 12800 block of Northborough. Kendrick Robertson, a 24-year-old from Humble, tried to break up the fight. McQueen walked up from behind Robertson and shot him with a pistol, police said in a news release. Houston paramedics responded and transported Robertson to Ben Taub Hospital, where he remained in critical condition Monday. After investigating the case and interviewing witnesses, police identified the suspect as McQueen, who may also go by the name Jacob Stephens. His last known address is not far away from the scene of the shooting in the Greenspoint area. McQueen's criminal history in Harris County included several drug charges and a 2007 charge of felon in possession of a weapon, which was dismissed. He entered a no-contest plea to a 1994 charge of assault with bodily injury and was sentenced to six months. Police ask anyone with information in this case or on McQueen's whereabouts to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477). This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Memorandums sent to four fraternities at Texas State detailing their suspensions one for up to 5 years shed new light on the events of an October party held at the same venue a female student was found dead under a bus. A university investigation found Pi Kappa Alpha, Alpha Tau Omega, Kappa Alpha Order and Delta Tau Delta each participated in hazing and serving minors, among other violations including submitting false documents to Texas State, according to the memorandums obtained by mySA.com. Local law enforcement agencies called to Cool River Ranch for the Oct. 28, 2016 party found vomit in the facility's bathrooms, and passed out party-goers throughout the area. Additionally, the university investigation revealed that EMS officials were called to the party the night before a 20-year-old was found dead. RELATED: Texas State fraternity suspends operations in wake of death of 20-year-old student "The investigation found that attendees were intoxicated to the point of being unconscious as they laid on the ground or being intoxicated to the point of throwing up," each memorandum states. In the notice sent to Alpha Tau Omega, officials said the fraternity was found to have texted a chapter member to tell university officials that the party was not one of their events, drinks were not being served from the bar and that everyone had their own drinks. However, the investigation found the fraternities were responsible for serving beer and boxed wine at the event. Moreover, the fraternities were unable to provide the university with sufficient evidence that identification of minors was properly checked. RELATED: 20-year-old Texas State sorority member found dead under bus near San Marcos River The morning after the party, the body of Jordin Taylor, a 20-year-old Alpha Delta Pi sorority member and respiratory care freshman, was found near Cool River Ranch underneath a bus after being dragged 500 feet, officials said. Guadalupe County Sheriff Arnold Zwicke said Taylor's cause of death was "consistent with being stuck and dragged by the bus" and "appears to be an accident." Click through the slideshow above to see five of the most shocking revelations about the party where Jordin Taylor was found dead. University spokesman Matt Flores avoided connecting the fraternity infractions directly to Taylor's death, but the party site and date mentioned in the documents matches the site and date where Taylor was found dead. On what appears to be Taylor's Twitter account, she favorited a tweet posted Oct. 27 containing an image promoting a "Monster Mash" party hosted by Delta Tau Delta, Alpha Tau Omega, Kappa Alpha and Pi Kappa Alpha Order fraternities the fraternities facing suspension for their alleged actions. The flier image did not include a date or location for the "Monster Mash" party. On Nov. 1, Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity released a statement that the chapter voluntarily suspended all operations in the wake of Taylor's death. Staff writer Madalyn Mendoza contributed to this report. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Kellyanne Conway will have to use more than 140 characters to explain herself this time. The counselor to the president recently came under fire for name dropping the "Bowling Green massacre," a tragedy that never happened, in order to push President Donald Trump's majority-Muslim immigration ban-- a gaff she called an "honest mistake" on Twitter. REACTION: Internet has a field day with Conway's "Bowling Green Massacre" gaffe But a new Cosmopolitan article may call bunk on her defense. The magazine is reporting that the MSNBC interview in which she originally referred to the fictitious massacre was not its first mention. In an interview with the magazine conducted four days earlier, Conway compared then-President Barack Obama's temporary increased vetting to Trump's executive order barring travel. "(Obama) did that for exactly the same reasons," said Conway, defending Trump. "He did that because two Iraqi nationals came to this country, joined ISIS, traveled back to the Middle East to get trained and refine their terrorism skills, and come back here, and were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre of taking innocent soldiers' lives away." In addition, she referred to the "Bowling Green massacre" a third time, while being interviewed by TMZ. ROASTED: CNN Trolls Kellyanne Conway Over 'Bowling Green Massacre' Misha In truth, two Iraqi men were arrested in Bowling Green in 2011 for trying to send weapons to al-Qaida. They also admitted to being involved in attacks on American troops while in Iraq, but not in America. Click through above to see social media reactions to Conway's "Bowling Green massacre" moment. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate After a federal judge temporarily halted Donald Trump's majority-Muslim immigration ban, airports, travelers and concerned Americans are enjoying a legal "eye of the storm" moment. And one of the institutions likely most relieved by the stay is higher education. Marketplace's Kai Ryssdal recently had a great analogy in describing how the world of higher education is suffering from Trump's controversial executive order. TRUMP: 'If something happens,' blame the judge who blocked my immigration order "Imagine you run a big company that employs tens of thousands of employees and tens of thousands of customers, except those customers are students, the employees are faculty and staff, and your company is a major American research university," wrote Ryssdal. "And then imagine that the White House issues an executive order limiting some portion of your employees and customers from coming and going into and out of this country." It's no surprise that these institutions are set to lose big if Trump's travel ban is reinstated, and Texas universities could be especially hard hit. A recent report by data site College Factual found that universities have $700 million at stake in the form of revenue from international students paying full tuition. Texas alone sees a financial gain of more than $47 million, according to the site. PHOTOS: The best signs from protests over Donald Trump's immigration ban College Factual also listed campuses which would be most affected by the executive order, based off universities with the most banned international students. The number one most impacted university would be Texas A&M with 273 international students paying more than $8 million in tuition and fees. At number six is The University of Texas at Arlington with 219 students paying $7 million. Similar information acquired by Business Insider found the University of Houston-system would lose $7.9 million from 221 international students. EXPLAINED: Why Trump's immigration order is bad foreign policy Click through above to see how foreign-born immigrants help make Texas great. 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. We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. BNM anunta concurs pentru postul vacant de expert coordonator (durata determinata) responsabil de control pe teren si din oficiu a sistemelor de plati Freelance journalist Abigail Edge was at an Online News Association conference in Los Angeles in 2015 and found herself chatting with the head of a prominent national trade publishing association. The woman asked where she lived. When I told her Denver she laughed and said thats not really America. Only the east and west coasts are America, Edge recalls. The reporter found the comment irritating, but says that it seemed that that attitude was not uncommon. She often had difficulty getting national media executives and editors to care about stories outside of the coasts and was getting the impression journalism higher-ups considered her choice of home base as a career impediment. Not wanting to ruffle feathers, Edge smiled and walked away. She wonders whether the woman has changed her attitude. The medias collective misfire on the 2016 election has led to an acknowledgement of our own media bubblesinsular elite worlds in a handful of coastal cities where journalists congregate and lose touch with everyone else. The bubbles exist, in part, because legacy publications and new digital outlets still rely on a centralized newsroom model that requires editorial staff comes into an officetypically located in the most expensive cities in the nation. The digital age, rather than fostering a new era of remote work, actually increased our professions geographic concentration. One out of every five media jobs was located in New York City, Washington, DC, or Los Angeles in 2014, up from one in eight 10 years prior, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data crunched by The Washington Post. Journalists outside major coastal cities say that the damage of geographic concentration goes beyond a disconnect with swaths of the population. It also contributes to a lack of diversity and may help explain the publics diminishing confidence in our work. A few national media outlets are shifting their policies, showing more openness to hiring journalists outside their headquarters cities and even seeking out geographic diversity as a hiring priority. Those rethinking their national coverage range from established players such as The New York Times to digital upstarts like Mic. Though the shift is, at this point, slight, such adjustments could help correct one of the troubling elements of the current model: relying too heavily on parachute journalism, says Kristin Roberts, who recently resigned as Politicos national editor. You cant just send a gifted reporter to a far-away place and get anything much more than an archaic portrait of rural or red small-town America, says Roberts, who blamed the media bubble problem for her departure from Politico. We need to, as journalists, know these communities, be there to experience them, and write accurately about them and for them, she says. Anne Trubek, a Cleveland-based writer, says that parachuters have trouble grasping nuance, intricaciesand sometimes glaring facts. During the lead-up to the election, she says, there was one article after another about the white working class steelworker in the Rust Belt. The problem is, health care is the No. 1 employer in Cleveland. Factories are 8th and 9th. Your average voter here is an African American woman making $11 per hour in health care, says Trubek, the founder of Belt Publishing, which runs Belt Magazine and a small press focusing on the Rust Belt and Midwest. People who live here would never think that typical Trump voter was a factory worker, she says. "do you know anyone who lives in the Rust Belt?" "man that's tough. just a lot of dying small towns, right? do they have internet?" Sign up for CJR 's daily email atrubek (@atrubek) January 19, 2017 Beyond coverage that misses the mark, parachuting is predicated on a belief that the rest of the country only deserves spot coverage: Ohio during a Presidential election; New Orleans after a terrible hurricane; the Mexican border whenever theres an uptick in immigration discussion in the Beltway. The reality, says Sarah Kendzior, a freelancer based in St. Louis, may be the opposite. We in the Midwest are often ahead of the curve in terms of criseseconomic, political polarization, racial strife, she says. Her city witnessed an early rise of the Tea Party and the birth of the Black Lives Matter movement. The idea that [the middle of the country] is some sort of boring wasteland is really fraudulent, she said. Representatives of national outlets interviewed for this story stress that they keep tabs on the nations pulse through freelancers. The Washington Post, for example, has a network of 2,800 journalists worldwide, most of whom are US-based. A Post spokeswoman said in an email they rely on these reporters to pitch us story ideas, respond to news assignments, and keep us abreast of what is happening in their communities and regions. While individual story assignments are valuable, they become problematic when thats the only option for outside-the-bubble journalists. It seems crazy to me that there are a lot of good journalists who dont live in major cities of America, and they are not able to find work, says Denver-based Edge, whos a native of the UK. She has been offered four jobs at national publications since coming to Denver, but she refuses to relocate to DC or New York on a salary that would force her to live with a roommate. Kendzior, in St. Louis, says shes had more than a dozen offers for full-time gigs that would have required relocating herself, her partner, and two kids to the nations most expensive cities. The few times she asked for flexibility on the residency requirement, she says her editors were sympathetic but ended up saying that company policy didnt allow for special arrangements. To be sure, theres a reason newsrooms have always been the backbone of journalism. Centrality facilitates the hallmarks of a strong news operation: a high-energy environment, camaraderie, collaboration among reporters, relationship building between writers and editors, and quality control of the product. In-house newsrooms werent created with the goal of excluding certain people from the journalism profession, but the model may have that de facto effect. Along with other media customs, such as unpaid internships and higher degree requirements, newsrooms based in the most expensive cities in the US effectively limit the ability of people who arent coastal urban, elite-university educated white liberals. Latria Graham, a long-form writer of color whos from and lives in South Carolina, has no desire to live in New York because she loves the South and considers her location an advantage for unique reporting. People are like: Oh, Trumps America what does that look like? Ive been in it for 30 years, Graham says. She believes that high-profile media outlets tend to fill unspoken diversity quotas, measured in tallies like the VIDA countan annual scoring of gender, race, and other demographic disparities in the nations leading literary publicationswith freelance submissions, instead of supporting these people with benefits and the space to breathe. Graham does not have health insurance (South Carolinas governor blocked the Affordable Care Acts expansion of Medicaid) and she sometimes churns out 10,000-word pieces in a weekend to make ends meet. This is why writers burn out or do something else, she says. Some national outlets do have virtual newsrooms. Jodi Jacobson, who is president and editor in chief of Rewire (formerly Reproductive Health Reality Check) built her staffcurrently based in 11 statesfirst by hiring the best people no matter where they were and not forcing them to move, and then through a bureau model of hiring in the places she really wanted coverage. There are days when its a bit frustrating to get everyone together and not be able to see them, she says. But, for her, the benefits of having people reporting on issues facing their home communities far outweigh managerial annoyances. Rewire and Snopesanother outlet that uses a virtual-newsroom modelrely on Slack, video conferencing, emails, phone calls, and texts for communication. Jessica Wakeman, former lifestyle editor at the Daily Dot (headquarters in NY with employees in DC, Minnesota, Oregon, Europe, and elsewhere) says the company has two video editorial meetings per day to keep communication flowing. The best part of having far-flung staff, says Wakeman, is the range of perspectives, which you cant get with the same old crew of NYC media people who play musical chairs at the same companies. The best part of having a far-flung staff is the range of perspectives, which you cant get with the same old crew of NYC media people who play musical chairs at the same companies. Some centralized national media are making changes. ProPublica recently announced ProPublica Illinois, which will be less like a bureau, and more analogous to a newspaper, which is ultimately owned by a parent, says ProPublica President Richard Tofel. The projectthe planning for which got underway before the surprising election resultsseeks to beef up local and state accountability reporting and, if successful, could be replicated in other states. The New York Times is also rethinking its national coverage. National editor Marc Lacey says that the Times is more dedicated than ever to its 14 domestic bureaus but that hes assessing the locations, to make sure staff is in the right places for the upcoming years. He recently posted job descriptions for new positions where Im actually saying I prefer that you not move to Manhattan and come into this building every day. Id rather have you living somewhere else, says Lacey. He added that while he doesnt want to sit in the New York office alone, he wants as many people as make sense to be in other areas of the country, listening to, talking to, and having dinner with non-New Yorkers. New York-based Mic is moving in a similar direction. Executive news director Kerry Lauerman wrote in an email that he is keen to find either staffers or full-time contractors in more far-flung locations. Mic is seeking issue reporters for which location doesnt necessarily matter, but probably would benefit by not being in the heart of a big liberal city, he says. As for the rest, its anyones guess. Buzzfeed, Vice, and Politico declined requests for interviews. Think Progress initially answered an email request, but never arranged for an interview. Vox and Bloomberg did not respond at all. Those who ignore this issue could eventually regret a lack of self-reflection. Because geographic diversity is connected to something crucial to what we do: audience trust in our work. The most hurtful thing [about the 2016 election] was how little American people care about the facts that journalists were giving them, says Kristin Roberts, who is now executive editor of McClatchys Washington Bureau. She adds, We have to own that. We have a role in this and we have to have to figure out what we did to contribute to a broken relationship. So you may have heard I trashed Minnesota and then moved there. Made a lot of cool friends, learned lots of interesting stuff. Christopher Ingraham (@_cingraham) January 24, 2017 Having more full-time jobs outside media bubbles wont fix it all, but it could be part of the repair. Consider the experience of Washington Post data reporter and writer Christopher Ingram, who moved to Minnesota in Spring 2016, not to get to know real America, but because he wanted a calmer and more affordable life for his family. He says the move has improved his writing. A conversation with a man at his local gas station, for example, caused him to think twice about referring to the white working class as a monolithic group. Lived experience infiltrates your reporting in many subtle ways, he says. (A Post spokeswoman says they are open to considering other staff relocations on a case-by-case basis). Those subtleties are likely to be noticed, says Latria Graham, the South Carolina writer. Often people outside of these major city bubbles see themselves depicted in print and on television in a sensationalized way, without any nuance, she says. The thought is well, if theyre getting depictions of us wrong, what else are they getting wrong? People start distrusting or simply stop paying attention to the information presented to them. Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated Anne Trubeks home base. It also mischaracterized the South Carolina governors action on the Affordable Care Act. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jean Friedman-Rudovsky has been a freelance journalist for 11 years and is based in Philadelphia. She is a Vice Magazine contributing editor and has written for outlets mentioned in this article, including The New York Times and Bloomberg Businessweek. Follow her on Twitter @jean_F_R Imitation, they say, is the sincerest form of flattery. Mockingbirds are great at it, able to sound like car alarms and even cats. It is, after all, why they are called mockingbirds. We find them amusing. So why then, is it considered an insult when someone mocks you? Because the insult got there first. Mock is among many words that can be negative or positive, depending on how they are used. They are not quite Janus words, which have almost opposite meanings (think sanction, which can mean to endorse something or to impose a punishment on something). Instead, the words have connotations that carry a subtext, depending on context. The first use of mock was in the early 15th century, the Oxford English Dictionary says. It came from the Old French moquer, to tease, but carried more sinister meanings: To deceive or impose upon; to delude, befool; to tantalize, disappoint. The noun form was a derisive or contemptuous action or utterance; an act of mockery or derision. This is not making fun of someone; its more derogatory than that. (Think of the description of Donald Trump mocking a reporter. Theres no fun in that.) About the time the mockingbird itself was discovered in the New World in the mid-17th century, mock was dialed back to be merely an imitation or parody with less hostile intent (though there is no etymological evidence of cause and effect). The insult sense, though, carried through in slang terms: A 1699 dictionary of slang included A Mock-Romance, that ridicules other Romances, as Don Quixot. Sign up for CJR 's daily email The Australians used mock to mean a jinx in the early 20th century, the OED says, and shortly thereafter people began to speak of mock-ups, replicas or imitations of buildings, statues, etc., mostly intended to be temporary imitations of the final product to be used as a guide. (And yes, journalists, this is also our own mock-ups, also called dummies.) Today, to mock someone is more often meant as to make fun of, mean but not evil. Which takes us to fun, which also started as a negative, debuting in English as a late 17th-century verb, the OED says, to mean To cheat, hoax; also, to cajole. The noun soon followed, and gained a more amusing outlook in the mid-18th century: Diversion, amusement, sport; also, boisterous jocularity or gaiety, drollery. (The lexicographer Samuel Johnson, though, sniffed at that usage as a low cant word, much the way some people today sniff at using fun as an adjective. Those are not fun people.) If you understood the contextual usage of low cant, that makes you pretty sharp. Or, you may have thought our comment about people who didnt like fun as an adjective was too sharp. Thats our third good-bad word of the day. Sharp began as an adjective and verb in the early ninth century, the OED says, and had the meaning of Well adapted for cutting or piercing; having a keen edge or point. It quickly became applied figuratively to people: Acute or penetrating in intellect or perception, the meaning we still use for someone whos insightful, perceptive, smart, witty, even. But sharp began to cut both ways. By the 14th century, the OED says, sharp became Cutting in rebuke, invective, or satire; harsh and peremptory in command, and severe or merciless. That satire was embodied in the early 20th-century slang expression youre so sharp youll cut yourself, which could be considered both a compliment and a warning. (Or, perhaps, mockery.) The figurative uses of sharp are useful, and fun. If you are envious of someone dressed better than you are, you might give a sharp look to someone who has a sharp look. That could be a two-edged sword, though. After all, as Hamlet said, there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Merrill Perlman managed copy desks across the newsroom at the New York Times, where she worked for twenty-five years. Follow her on Twitter at @meperl. Drunken drivers in Nebraska who refuse to take blood tests could be in for harsher punishments, including up to a year in jail and fines of up to $1,000. Refusing to take a breathalyzer or blood test had been a crime in Nebraska, along with 11 other states. However, the U.S. Supreme Court last summer ruled law enforcement officers must obtain search warrants to require blood tests. The Legislatures Judiciary Committee heard a bill Friday that would make failing to comply with those warrants a separate criminal offense and create stricter penalties. Its designed to allow our law enforcement officers an enforcement tool to make sure drunk drivers are taken off our roads, said Sen John Lowe, of Kearney, the bills sponsor. :Giving them this tool is something worthwhile. The bill as written would make refusing to submit to a blood test a Class I misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000 and losing a drivers license for 18 months. In contrast, actually being convicted of first-offense drunken driving can cause drivers to lose their licenses for up to six months, along with up to 10 days in jail and a $500 fine. Lowe said he plans to file an amendment removing the loss of driving privileges. State law already criminalizes actions such as failing to appear in court or pay court-ordered child support, said Buffalo County deputy county attorney Patrick Lee. Lowes bill just fixes a loophole, he said. In 2015 and 2016, Buffalo County had 435 DUI arrests and 34 people refused to submit to blood tests, including four whove refused to comply with search warrants since the Supreme Court ruling. Prosecutors are left without options, Lee said. Were not going to strap someone down and take their blood, he said. Sen. Ernie Chambers, of Omaha, questioned whether blood tests could be construed as a violation of the Fifth Amendment, which protects criminal defendants from being witnesses against themselves. He promised to filibuster the bill if it made it to the full Legislature. To me, thats compelling a person to testify against himself or herself, Chambers said. Ill never support a bill like this. The committee also heard a bill Friday that would allow juries deciding how to award damages in civil cases where a drunken driver hurt or killed another person to see evidence the driver was drunk. Members were leaning toward killing that bill because of concerns it could result in civil juries awarding punitive damages, something that isnt allowed under the Nebraska Constitution. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Environmental Protection Agency has told Oklahoma regulators to do more to protect the state from a surge in earthquake activity that scientists have linked to the underground disposal of oil and gas wastewater. An EPA administrator sent a letter in November to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, saying a magnitude 5.0 earthquake happened despite state and federal action to curb wastewater injection. The Frontier first reported the contents of the letter. Well-related pressure buildup can affect health and underwater drinking water sources, said the letter, dated Nov. 22. The commissions response to the EPA, dated Nov. 29, said Oklahoma will continue to work with federal officials and made note of a governors task force on wastewater. That groups study is expected later this month. Year-end data from the Corporation Commission show disposal well operators placed about 23 percent less wastewater into the earthquake zone in 2016 compared to the previous year. Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt is President Donald Trumps pick to head the EPA. His nomination is pending Senate approval. Environmentalists have criticized Pruitt for not doing more to reduce seismic activity linked to oil and gas production in Oklahoma. The EPA sent the letter to Oklahoma while President Barack Obama was in power. The Trump administration could take a different stance on scaling back on oil and gas wastewater disposal. A Night of Jazz.jpg On Friday, Feb. 10, experience Firestone High School's award-winning jazz band at a Night of Jazz at Greystone Hall from 7-10:30 p.m. This year's "A Night of Jazz" artwork was designed by Ty Zimmer, a Firestone High School student. (Ty Zimmer) AKRON, Ohio - Celebrate Valentine's Day in Akron with chocolate. Or if sweet treats aren't your thing, listen to some jazz music, check out the Ohio Shakespeare Festival's production of "The Upstart Crow" or celebrate in Victorian style at the Hower House Museum's Valentine Tea Program. Here's a look at this week's Fun Around Akron Calendar: Monday, Feb. 6: Internationally known teacher, lecturer and diversity trainer Jane Elliott will be at E.J. Thomas Hall 6-9 p.m. to discuss "Rethinking Race." Elliott, a recipient of the National Mental Health Association Award for Excellence in Education, will examine the arbitrary nature of prejudice and bigotry. Cost: free; registration required. E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St., Akron. Monday, Feb. 6: Kids in grades 6-12 can make (and eat) goodies at the Akron-Summit County Public Library's Chocolate Treats program at 6 p.m. Cost: free. Call 330-666-4888 or drop in to register. Akron-Summit County Public Library Fairlawn-Bath Branch, 3101 Smith Road, Akron. Friday, Feb. 10: Experience Firestone High School's award-winning jazz band, special musical guests, dinner, a silent auction and more at a Night of Jazz from 7-10:30 p.m. Cost: $50-100 + cash bar. Get tickets here. Greystone Hall, 103 S. High St., Akron. Thursday, Feb. 9, and Sunday, Feb. 11: The Ohio Shakespeare Festival presents "The Upstart Crow," a comedy/drama that offers a fresh perspective about Shakespeare's world and that of those he loved. The play tells the story of Shakespeare's daughter, who travels the world after her father's death, and his former business partner and their expose of the intricacies of Shakespeare's own life. Cost: $20-50. Get tickets here. Ohio Shakespeare Festival, 103 S. High St., Akron. Saturday, Feb. 11: For the first time, all three University of Akron a cappella groups will be performing under one roof beginning at 8 p.m.: Kanga Blue, an all-female group; Rhythm and Roos, a male and female group; and Nuance, an all-male group at the E.J. Thomas Hall. Tickets are available at the door or get them here. Saturday, Feb. 11: Kids ages 2-3 and their adults can get creative by exploring various mediums, textures, colors and shapes at Akron Art Museum's Tots Create - From Wool to Felt multi-sensory experience from 10:30 a.m.-noon. Cost: $10/members, $15/non-member. Get tickets here or call 330-376-9186. Akron Art Museum, 1 S. High St., Akron. Sunday, Feb. 12: Celebrate Valentine's day in style at the Hower House Museum's Valentine Tea Program from 2-4 p.m. The program features savory and sweet treats, a variety of hot teas, an informative program, a vintage Valentine exhibit and a self-guided tour of the museum. Cost: $32; $22 for children ages 8-12. Reservations are due Feb. 6, call 330-972-6909 to register. Hower House, 60 Fir Hill, Akron. Brecksville Petros Plans.JPG Petros Homes has submitted these plans for the first phase of The Village, a cluster-home development in Brecksville. Snowville Road runs along the left side of the plans, and Brecksville Road runs across the top. The first phase, shown here, would contain 27 lots. The second phase, to the west, would contain 32 lots. (Bob Sandrick, special to cleveland.com) BRECKSVILLE, Ohio - A plan by a Broadview Heights developer to build 59 stand-alone cluster houses at Snowville and Brecksville roads will have to wait for federal approval. Petros Homes needs a wetlands permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before it can move forward with its subdivision - named The Village - which would stand on 25 acres off the north side of Snowville, just east of Brecksville Road. To receive the permit, Petros must identify all federally protected wetlands on the 25 acres and show how it would preserve the wetlands or recreate them elsewhere. Company officials said they are waiting for the U.S. Army Corps to approve its wetlands plan. On Jan. 26, the Brecksville Planning Commission gave Petros permission to start clearing and landscaping the heavily wooded 25 acres but only after receiving the federal wetlands permit. After clearing and landscaping the site, Petros will have to return to the commission and City Council for subdivision approval. The firm must also give the city an arborist report - listing the species of trees on the 25 acres and identifying which must be preserved - and obtain land easements from the city and Cuyahoga County. Petros introduced its plan in March. However, the firm needed a rezoning because the proposed site was zoned for half-acre lots and would have fit just 35 homes. Petros wanted to make the 25 acres a multifamily district that would accommodate up to eight houses an acre. Voters approved the rezoning in November. Mayor Jerry Hruby supported the rezoning. He said the city for years has recognized a need for empty-nester housing for aging residents wanting to downsize. Until now, Brecksville residents seeking smaller homes and yards have had to leave the city. Gary Naim, president of Petros Homes, said the new development would target residents age 55-75. It would have one single-street entrance off Snowville. The homes would measure between 2,000-3,000 square feet and would cost between $300,000-$400,000. About three or four houses would sit on each acre, and the lots would measure at least 8,125 square feet. Buyers would choose from among five or six basic floor plans, perhaps with some customization options. The homes would come with a two-car garage. A homeowners' association would plow snow and cut lawns. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The family of Tanisha Anderson said Monday that while it reached a $2.25 million settlement with the city of Cleveland over the 37-year-old's November 2014 death, their fight for what they see as justice is far from over. Cassandra Johnson, Anderson's mother, wants to ensure people with mental illness do not suffer the same fate as her daughter. "This is not the last you're going to see of me," Johnson said on the steps of City Hall. "I'm going to continue to fight for the rights for all mentally ill. I can't bring Tanisha back, but there are more, many, many more, that need this kind of help, and my goal is to do that." Johnson and Anderson's family spoke at a news conference Monday morning to discuss the settlement. (You can watch the full news conference at the bottom of this post.) Anderson suffered from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and was suffering from a breakdown when her family called police to its home on Ansel Road in November 2014. She died after officers Scott Aldridge and Bryan Myers cuffed her hands behind her back and placed her in the back of a police car following a struggle. One of the officers used a take-down move on her as she stepped out of the car. He placed his knee on her back and placed her in handcuffs before she stopped moving, Anderson's family has said. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office ruled her death a homicide and said she asphyxiated while being restrained in a prone position. Obesity and other health factors also contributed to her death, the office said. The settlement was reached after more than two years of litigation. It is one of the largest the city ever reached in a police misconduct case. Aldridge and Myers are the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation by the Ohio Attorney General's Office. Tanisha Anderson's 18-year-old daughter Mauvion Green said she misses her mother every day, but knows she is still out there. "I'm going through my high school years without a mother," Green said. "And it's been hard, but I get through, because I know she's looking down on me and she's supporting me in every way." The family and its lawyers stood on the steps of City Hall in front of a blown-up photo of Anderson. The family also displayed a plaque it's asking the city to hang at the police department to recognize Anderson's death. Johnson and the family are also asking for the police department to carry out an order on how to prevent the sort of positional asphyxiation that killed Anderson. They also want the department to use Anderson's case as an example during training. None of these changes are believed to be in the settlement. When asked if the family expected these changes to be made, Johnson said, "we pray that it does. Because it would change the world." Michael Anderson, Tanisha Anderson's uncle, also said a foundation would be started in his niece's name to help those seeking journalism and criminal justice degrees. He said it is up to the family whether any of the $2.25 million settlement would go into the foundation. "But as far as I'm concerned, any dime that comes across my hands is going into that fund," Michael Anderson said. For now, though, the focus is pushing prosecutors to criminally charge Aldridge and Myers. Both face internal discipline, though it is on hold while the criminal investigation continues. Johnson said she would like to see the officers go to prison. "The police are supposed to serve and protect. That's not going on these days. I'll tell who you they're serving and protecting: themselves," Johnson said. Green said she witnessed her mother's death and said she now knows the severity of the officers' actions. "At the time, I really didn't know what was going on, but now I do," Green said. "I'm much wiser now, and that's only because of her. She made me wise." If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Monday's crime and courts comments section. BEREA, Ohio -- For nearly four decades, Louie Williams took trips to major cities throughout the country searching the crowds for his missing brother. But on Friday, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office identified James "Jim" Francis Williams as the man killed by a train Nov. 14, 1980 in Berea. While the news dashed Louie Williams' hopes of seeing his long-lost brother alive, it did bring some closure to him and his family. "All those years, my whole family, we never knew what happened to him," said Williams, who now lives in California. "It was a big relief to finally find out." Louie Williams, 68, lost touch with his brother -- an alcoholic and drifter -- in 1974. Jim Williams -- who would have been 35 years old in 1980 -- might have been drinking the night he died, Louie Williams said. "I believe he was in a blackout when that happened," said Louie Williams, who also struggled with alcohol and drugs but has been sober since 1981. Jim Williams was part Odawa and part Chippewa Native American. He grew up in Michigan with two brothers and six sisters, his brother said. Louie Williams said he would sometimes drink with his older brother, but the two didn't develop much of a bond. When Jim Williams was 17, the brothers stole a car and drove to Indiana. The incident landed Jim Williams in prison, but Louie Williams -- who was just 13 at the time -- got a slap on the wrist, he said. That arrest proved critical to identifying Jim Williams' body, investigators said. In 1980, investigators used fingerprints and released information to local media in an attempt to identify the man. But new technology helped the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's DNA Parentage and Identification Department -- which routinely investigates cold cases - linked those fingerprints to Williams this year. The fingerprints led investigators to an old Grand Haven, Michigan arrest report that named the Williams brothers as suspects. Grand Haven detectives knew the man killed in Berea might be Native American so they contacted detective Sgt. Mike Pins of the Sault Tribe Police Department, which provides enforcement for the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Pins searched Native American tribal rolls, then used traditional law enforcement databases to track down Louie Williams last month. He gathered information on Jim Williams through phone calls and developed a friendship with his brother. "I talk to Louie about once a week now," Pins said. "We just call and chat." Louie Williams said he hopes the investigators' work in identifying his brother will give hope to other families with missing loved ones. "I think that's the most awesome thing that's happened to me," Williams said. "I've seen it on TV. But to have it happen to me and my family, it's awesome." If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Monday's crime and courts comments section. Hosp walkway DSC07475.JPG Demolition of parts of Lakewood Hospital has already begun. The city is looking for submissions for redevelopment of a 5.7 acre site to a mixed-use area. (Carol Kovach, special to cleveland.com) LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- The city wants to create "Lakewood's finest multi-functional outdoor community gathering space," on the site of the former Lakewood Hospital, which closed its doors early last year. The city wants the 5.7-acre site to be a mixed-use, with residential and commercial opportunities, according to a news release. A request for qualifications seeks responses from developers who could partner with the city, Mayor Michael Summers said. City Council would like to consider a proposal by the fall, according to the city's website. The controversial decision to close the century-old Lakewood Hospital and sell land to the Cleveland Clinic has dragged out for years, with lawsuits and referendums. The city has been working on demolition for months at the downtown site, on Detroit Road. The Cleveland Clinic plans to open a new family health center and emergency center, expected to be completed by mid-2018. A community conversation to discuss the process of redeveloping the site will take place 7 p.m. Feb. 15 at Lakewood City Hall. Questions about the redevelopment? What would you like to see on the site? Leave them in the comments below. Cocoa prices are in a meltdown, hitting a four-year low due to an abundant supply and weakening demand as growing health consciousness grips consumers. Benchmark cocoa futures on the Intercontinental Exchange in New York hit $2,052 per metric ton on February 3, the lowest level since March 2013, in an extended year-long decline after 2015's weather-related rally. They closed at $2,052 per ton on Friday. A man choosing chocolates in Shanghai, China. Zhang Peng | LightRocket | Getty Images A bumper crop last season from benign weather in West Africa is weighing down prices. Ivory Coast and Ghana are the world's top producers of cocoa beans, accounting for more than two-thirds of global supply. "The Harmattan seasonmarked by dry and dusty winds blowing from the Saharahas been weak this season, and has so far not created much damage to cocoa crops," said Singapore-based Phillip Futures soft commodities dealer, Wilfred Chong. "Instead, weather conditions are seen to be improving, fuelling the selloff." ICE cocoa may fall further, Chong said, pegging support at $2,000 a ton. In the largest cocoa producing country of Ivory Coast, beans are piling up at warehouses and ports as exporters who put in bids for the commodity at high prices are now stuck with stock they're unwilling to sell at a loss, Reuters reported in January. watch now Demand fundamentals are also poor as weight-conscious consumers are cutting down on snacking. In the U.S., which is the world largest chocolate market, retail sales of chocolate candy have seen little growth in the last two years. Sales by volume increased by just 0.6 percent in 2016 while sales by value were up 0.7 percent to $13.7 billion in the year up to December 25, according to data from Chicago-based market research firm IRI. In 2015, volume sales fell 2.8 percent while dollar sales were up 3 percent to $13.6 billion, said IRI. Annual cocoa production is about 4 million tons and many traders are expecting a supply surplus this year. The ICCO will release its projections for the current cocoa year later this month. In China, retail volumes of chocolate likely fell 4 percent to 122,000 tons in 2016. Market research firm Euromonitor attributed this decline to a growing awareness about health, a slowdown in discretionary spending, and only marginal product innovation. watch now "New product development in chocolate was limited in 2016 compared to other snack foods, such as nuts, as many leading confectionery manufacturers have cut their budgets for product innovation. This lead to a slowdown in demand, as consumers are typically drawn to novel line extensions," wrote Euromonitor analysts. Survey results released in late-January from the inter-government International Cocoa Organization showed almost unchanged global stock level as of September 30a signal that there was little drawdownspooking the market, which had been expecting a production deficit in the 2015-2016 marketing year. watch now Workers connecting tubes on the Raven Oil Drilling rig near Watford City N.D. Ken Cedeno | Corbis | Getty Images Oil prices fell on Monday as a stronger dollar and ample U.S. supplies outweighed OPEC output curbs and rising tensions between the United States and Iran. Brent crude was trading down $1, or 1.8 percent, at $55.81 a barrel by 2:35 p.m. (1935 GMT). U.S. crude fell 82 cents, or 1.5 percent, to settle at $53.01. The Brent premium over WTI narrowed to about $2.15, its lowest since Feb. 1. If it stays at that level at the close, it would be the smallest premium since Jan. 16. The dollar edged up versus a basket of currencies amid concerns over political uncertainty in Europe ahead of elections. "It's most likely the stronger U.S. dollar," said Commerzbank analyst Carsten Fritsch of the reason for the dip in oil. A stronger dollar makes crude more expensive for other currency holders and usually weighs on the oil market. watch now Oil prices, while supported by supply cuts agreed by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and a new spike in tension between Iran and the United States, are struggling for new direction. "The tug-of-war between oil bulls and bears continued last week and there are no clear signs who could turn out to be the winner," said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM. "The result is a rangebound market where buyers shy away on a pop over $57 basis Brent, but they feel a dip to the $54 level is an attractive purchase." The Trump administration's new sanctions against Iran, though not affecting oil output, raised concern about the potential for further developments that could hinder export growth in OPEC's third-largest producer. Tension between Tehran and Washington has risen since an Iranian missile test that prompted the United States to impose sanctions on individuals and entities linked to the Revolutionary Guards. Iran has been raising crude output since most international sanctions over its nuclear programme were lifted in 2016. Tehran is exempt from the OPEC supply cuts. watch now The OPEC members covered by the deal with Russia and other independent producers have implemented at least 80 percent so far, according to a Reuters survey and analysts. Russia has cut about 100,000 bpd and plans to increase that to 300,000 bpd. Implementation of the cuts began on Jan. 1 with the aim of reducing output by almost 1.8 million barrels per day. Against this backdrop, more investors are betting on rising prices despite indicators such as the Baker Hughes rig count pointing to increased U.S. supply. U.S. energy companies added oil rigs for a 13th week in 14, data showed on Friday. Despite the OPEC cuts, U.S. crude inventories rose by more than expected last week. U.S. crude futures, however, have well been supported, with WTI futures posting gains in seven of the past eight weeks. Hedge funds and other speculators also boosted their bullish bets in U.S. crude futures and options in the week to Jan. 31 to the highest level on record, betting prices will continue to rise, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said on Friday. Rival power designs about throwing Uncle Sam out of Asia just got more difficult or well-nigh impossible. And that crowd sloshing in the snow of ridiculously expensive Alpine resorts will have to eat its weeks-old bubbling about America's vanishing global leadership. Here is what happened. On a visit to Tokyo and Seoul last week, the U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis (a) reaffirmed security guarantees to Japan and South Korea, (b) set the stage for an integrated American, Japanese and South Korean political, economic and military alliance, (c) opened the way for President Trump to knock heads together in Tokyo and Seoul to set aside their divisive historical grievances if they wanted Washington's umbrella and (d) told Pyongyang that our nuke operators knew the return address for a swift and devastating response if they ever saw a wrong move on their X-band radar. That is a major breakthrough because no previous administration succeeded in binding these three countries in such a strong and integrated alliance. Japan was repeatedly blamed for scuttling these efforts by its allegedly defiant attitude toward Korean grievances. Japan also wanted to make money in China while leveraging American protection in its territorial disputes with Beijing. As recently as 2014, a quarter of Japan's exports and a third of its foreign direct investments were going to the Middle Kingdom. But Tokyo would run for cover in Washington whenever the Chinese navy and air force would challenge Japan's presence on the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea. China has been one of the main targets of U.S. President Donald Trump's criticisms, especially on supposed currency manipulation claims. He vowed to name China currency manipulator on the first day in the White house, even though economic data points to China actually intervening in markets to prop up the Chinese yuan and not push it lower. Last Tuesday in a meeting with the chief executives of top pharmaceuticals, Trump made remarks that suggested that both Japan and China were devaluing their currencies, the Nikkei Asian Review reported. "You look at what China's doing, you look at what Japan has done over the years. They play the money market, they play the devaluation market and we sit there like a bunch of dummies," Trump reportedly said. Meanwhile, trump's top trade adviser, Peter Navarro, told the Financial Times, that Germany is using a "grossly undervalued" euro to gain a competitive advantage over its main partners. This week for CNBC's "Trader Poll," we want to know which foreign currency will likely be the biggest target of currency manipulation accusations under President Trump. By most indications, President Donald Trump's first two weeks in office have been a whirlwind that's left a number of investors and political observers exhausted. Yet some say that could be just the antidote a polarized and moribund political establishment needsand Trump could even achieve some long-held goals if he plays his cards right. "So far we would characterize Donald Trump's presidency as "an unconventional Presidency" with a style that will likely continue to shake up the beltway establishment for the foreseeable future," John Stoltzfus, Oppenheimer Asset Management's chief investment strategist, told CNBC recently. Trump's brash style, and his propensity to call out companies, countries and opponents on Twitter and TV appearances is a way to provoke dialogue, the strategist said. "This could ultimately prove a worthy antidote from the gridlock that has dogged Washington for decades," Stoltzfus added. In a meeting with his business advisory council last week, Trump reiterated his plans for tax reform, the centerpiece of his efforts to spur better growth. However, some think his push to repeal Obamacare could throw up roadblocks, with even some Republicans voicing doubts. For the moment, most believe that an emphasis on deregulation, tax cutting and infrastructure spending may help forge bipartisan agreement, and keep investors encouraged. Yet time isn't entirely on Trump's side, with investors growing antsy and divisions among Congressional Republicans growing. "Tax reform will be tough to do," Alan Simpson, a former Republican senator from Wyoming told CNBC in a recent on-air interview. He also cast doubt on the effort to reshape the national health care program, a central part of former president Barack Obama's legacy. "A big problem for our party will be repealing Obamacare without even a vision of what to replace it with," Simpson told CNBC last month. Currently, all eyes remain on the Trump rally that has boosted stocks to record highs. "For now, the reflation trade that began in the fall and accelerated post-election is still in place. That said investors are going to start to focus on details and timing," Russ Koesterich, a portfolio manager at BlackRock told CNBC. "If economic reforms do not start to progress, I would expect a pickup in volatility and some reversal of recent trends," Koesterich added. However, "Rome wasn't built in a day. The transition going on in Washington won't be over in 100 days but will likely take more time," Oppenheimer's Stoltzfus said. And from his vantage point, managing money for Oppenheimer's global clients, Stolzfus said the firm remains "constructive on the effect the Trump Presidency might have on the U.S. economy even with the challenges it brings via dramatic change of approach and style." People protest against President Donald Trump as they gather to walk toward Mar-a-Lago Resort where he is staying for the weekend on February 4, 2017 in Palm Beach, Florida. Several technology companies plan to send a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday urging his administration to follow through on proposed changes to a travel ban on seven mainly Muslim nations, sources familiar with the letter said Sunday. "We welcome the changes your administration has made in recent days in how the Department of Homeland Security will implement the Executive Order," according to a draft of the letter. The technology companies expected to sign the letter include Apple , Facebook , Alphabet 's Google, Twitter , Microsoft and Yahoo . The sources did not want to be identified because discussions regarding the letter were ongoing. On Jan. 27, Trump issued an executive order imposing a 90-day ban affecting citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen and a 120-day bar on all refugees. Those travel bans caused chaos by trapping some travelers at airports and stranding others overseas. A generation ago, during a heated presidential campaign, George H.W. Bush called opponent Michael Dukakis a "card-carrying member of the ACLU." It was meant as a way to paint Dukakis, the Democratic nominee for president, as a far-left extremist. And it worked: the line became the campaign's signature insult, and after a series of Dukakis missteps, Bush won with 53.4 percent of the popular vote. After the events of the past two weeks, it's hard to imagine Bush's words carrying quite the same sting. In the wake of President Donald Trump banning immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries, the American Civil Liberties Union recorded $24 million in online donations over a single weekend. Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., speaks with an ACLU legal observer during the protest at Dulles International Airport in Virginia on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017. Bill Clark | CQ Roll Call | Getty Images Silicon Valley has historically been wary of politics, but Trump's executive order spurred a series of large donations. Lyft donated $1 million. Twitter employees donated $1.59 million. Googlers raised $4 million to be divided among the ACLU and three nonprofits that support immigrants and refugees. Google Ventures made a separate donation of undisclosed size. "It's the most important investment we'll make all year," David Krane, the firm's managing partner, told portfolio companies at a private dinner last week. It's the most important investment we'll make all year. President of Y Combinator, Sam Altman. Brian Ach | Getty Images The lure of Y Combinator is the alumni network The main difference for nonprofits in Y Combinator is how they're funded. For for-profit companies, Y Combinator makes a small investment in exchange for part of the company. For nonprofits, Y Combinator gives them a no-strings-attached donation. In both cases, the lure of the program is the alumni network as much as it is the program itself: being part of Y Combinator means having easy access to some of this generation's most successful entrepreneurs, who readily offer young companies advice, contacts, and business deals. In some ways, ACLU will be like any other nonprofit in Y Combinator. According to the ACLU, it's getting a $200,000 donation. It will also get access to Y Combinator's alumni network, which is lining up to offer its support, Altman said. "One of the cool things has been that many big YC companies have said whatever we can do free services, discounts multiply that by 10, [and that's] what we'll do for the ACLU," Altman said. "Payments processing, [web] hosting, help with designing the payments flow and donations flow. We want to do that." In other ways, though, it will be different. The ACLU isn't sending representatives to Silicon Valley to live and work with the other startups in the batch. Instead, Y Combinator will send advisers to the organization's headquarters in New York City, Altman said an unusual arrangement for the incubator, but not the first time it has worked with a remote organization. Other details are still being worked out what metric the ACLU might try to improve during its time in the accelerator, for instance. Silicon Valley can help us harness recent membership surges and spread the word. The ACLU declined to make anyone available for an interview. But in an email, executive director Anthony Romero said the organization hopes to use Y Combinator's expertise to help sustain its momentum. "We're thrilled to have the help of Y Combinator to help us reach new audiences and be at the leading edge of technology," Romero said. "Beyond financial contributions, the Silicon Valley community can help organizations like ours harness recent membership surges and spread the word about what the ACLU is doing to protect people's rights from violations by the Trump administration." Still: a 97-year-old nonprofit corporation doing inside a startup factory? It's a move that has raised eyebrows among some ACLU supporters, who worry that the organization's embrace of Silicon Valley could warp its values. "I wish I was excited [about] this," tweeted Laura Weidman Powers, CEO of Code 2040, a nonprofit that seeks to create opportunities for black and Latino workers in the tech industry. "But I'm nervous [because] principles of tech growth have not historically been inclusive or benefitted all." Critics have also blasted the ACLU for linking itself to an organization where Trump adviser Peter Thiel is a part-time adviser. Romero said Thiel would have no influence over the group. "Thiel, a well-known supporter of President Trump, has no role in this project, but the ACLU imposes no political litmus test on our supporters or volunteers," Romero said in an email. (The organization has defended a host of notorious individuals and organizations over the years, including Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan.) "As with other pro-bono legal donations and other in-kind services received by the ACLU, individuals across the political spectrum are welcome to support our work. We set our own agenda." Nonprofits do not have a great grasp of technology. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk could be the beginning of a compromise between tech companies and President Donald Trump on the U.S. immigration order, CNBC's Jim Cramer said. On Sunday night, the Washington Post reported that several technology companies including Apple , Facebook , Google , and Microsoft filed a legal brief opposing the administration's entry ban that temporarily barred citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States and suspended the U.S. refugee program. According to the Post, the brief said in part, "The order inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth. The order effects a sudden shift in the rules governing entry into the United States and is inflicting substantial harm on U.S. companies." Musk, who serves on Trump's business council, said via Twitter on Sunday activists should recommend that moderates work with the president. @elonmusk Activists should be pushing for more moderates to advise President, not fewer. How could having only extremists advise him possibly be good? "I think that the idea there is something that could work in between is something that Musk is really kind of front and center with, saying, "Look, you got to work with the guy," Cramer said on "Squawk on the Street." "And I think that when you have such a uniform protest and then you sit down, I mean, maybe this was the first example of there could be a compromise," he said. Cramer said Trump's tweets indicate that the White House is not going to back down on its immigration plans. He said the issues is likely to go to the Supreme Court. "I don't think this is going to be as left, right as people think," he said. "I think that there are people in the Supreme Court ... who are Republican who really aren't kind of backing the federal court system." In this June 2003 file photo, a Boeing 747 Iran Air plane is seen at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran. Boeing's agreement to sell 80 passenger jets to Iran may not be directly impacted by new U.S. sanctions on Tehran but the deal still could unravel, according to analysts. President Donald Trump's administration on Friday imposed new sanctions on Iran after a ballistic missile test by the Islamic republic. The U.S. claims the missile test was a violation of a United Nations resolution. "The Trump administration is absolutely determined to ratchet up tensions and the Iranians will of course, being hardliners there, want to do the same," said Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis at Virginia-based industry consultancy Teal Group. In December, Boeing announced an agreement for Iran Air, the country's flag carrier, to buy 50 of its narrow-body 737 passenger jets and 30 of the wide-body 777 aircraft. The aircraft manufacturer valued at the deal at $16.6 billon, based on list prices for the planes. Industry observers suggest Tehran could pull out of the Boeing deal if tensions continue to worsen. Besides the new sanctions, Trump's travel ban against Iran and six other majority-Muslim countries also drew criticism from Tehran and vows of retaliation. Besides the airplane sale, the Boeing deal involves aircraft maintenance services as well as ongoing support with spare parts on the jets. "It's a risk, but not something that will overwhelm [Boeing]," said Moody's analyst Russell Solomon, who covers the aerospace and defense industry. "They do have a tremendous amount of operating and financial flexibility because of strength of the balance sheet, a strong liquidity profile and a very significant order book." At the end of 2016, Boeing's backlog stood at $473 billion with more than 5,700 commercial airplane orders. Boeing led Airbus in commercial airplane deliveries last year, 748 aircraft compared with 688 for Airbus. On Friday, a Boeing spokesman said the Chicago-based company was still operating under the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control license, which provided federal authorization for the plane sale during the Obama administration. "Should we receive new guidance from the Treasury Department, we will act accordingly," the Boeing official added. According to the Moody's analyst, the economics of the Iran deal were "far less compelling than they are for Boeing on average when it conducts business with airline carriers." He explained that some of the orders were for older plane models while the current generation planes are considered potentially more lucrative and desirable. Moreover, Boeing "can afford to give a bigger discount [on the current generation planes] to keep the production line humming along," he added. The new set of sanctions imposed Friday by the Trump administration targets individuals and entities that provide support to Iran's ballistic missile program and to the country's Revolution Guard Corp's Quds Force. Iran claims the missiles were not intended to be capable of carrying nuclear warheads and for defensive purposes so they were not in violation of any U.N. resolution. Iran's leadership dug in its heels Saturday, conducting new military exercises to test missile and radar systems "to deal with hypothetical enemy's aerial attacks" on sensitive sites, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported. The same outlet also reported Monday that Iran unveiled a new guided rocket and assault weapons to show off what it called Iran's "self-sufficiency in arms production." The first airplanes under the Boeing deal are scheduled for delivery in 2018. Last month, France's Airbus delivered its first passenger jet to Iran Air under a separate commercial aircraft contract that includes wide-body A380s, the world's largest passenger jet. Iran's aging fleet of passenger jets is among the oldest in the world due to commercial and financial sanctions that were in place for decades. The average age of Iran Air's planes now exceeds 20 years and Tehran and been looking to Airbus, Boeing and other airplane manufacturers to modernize its fleet. Iran's Fars news agency reported Saturday that another Western airplane manufacturer, French-Italian aircraft company ATR, was preparing to sell turboprop short-haul airplanes to Iran. Talks were scheduled Sunday. Analysts say financing airplanes to Iran remains risky business too. That is partly due to Iran not being a signatory country to the Cape Town Treaty, which provides legal remedies for default in financing agreements as well as the repossession of capital goods such as aircraft. "Boeing will probably have to backstop a lot of that [financing] on its own," said Solomon. That said, he believes Boeing may only go so far without having third-party financiers. Indeed, Airbus is believed to have provided backstop financing for as many as six passenger jets to Iran but is relying on third-party financiers for the rest. watch now President Donald Trump's tough stance against Mexico could make it easier for China to become the country's and Latin America's top trade partner. "The U.S. trade tensions with Mexico are putting the Mexican government on overdrive trying to find new export markets," said Sean Miner, fellow at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank, who noted that 80 percent of Mexican exports go to the U.S. "Recently, China and Mexico have become closer. Clearly this is a consequence of the rising tensions." On Jan. 27, Trump threatened to send U.S. troops into Mexico, accusing Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto of not doing enough to "a bunch of bad hombres down there." He did not identify the hombres or why they are bad. Earlier that week, Trump appeared to have warmed up to the idea of a border-adjusted tax plan proposed by House Republicans. Such a plan would tax imports into the United States, and exclude exports from taxes. Fearing that trade with the U.S. may be restricted by policies implemented by the Trump administration, Mexico has been looking to lessen its economic dependence on its big neighbor to the north. Chinese and Mexican officials met on Dec. 12, pledging to deepen ties between the two countries. In fact, Mexico's Giant Motors, which is partly owned by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim's Grupo Financiero Inbursa, and Chinese auto maker JAC Motor will invest more than $200 million to manufacture SUVs in Mexico, Hidalgo State Governor Omar Fayad told reporters at a news conference last week. "This automobile will proudly carry a label that will say 'Made in Mexico,'" Fayad said, according to The New York Times. "And that should be a cause for great pride for the people of Hidalgo." Trump has slammed U.S. automakers for so much as planning to manufacture cars south of the border. Ford Motor said Jan. 3 it will invest $700 million in its Flat Rock, Michigan, plant and add 700 new jobs rather than build a $1.6 billion plant in Mexico. The announcement came after Trump bashed the company for shipping jobs outside the U.S., though CEO Mark Fields said the decision to cancel the Mexican facility was made because of low market demand. But it is not just Mexico looking to strengthen economic ties with China. Other Latin American nations may give China a bigger economic beachhead in the Western Hemisphere. What is happening is because of the death of the [Trans-Pacific Partnership] countries want to strengthen regional trade agreements. Sean Miner fellow, Atlantic Council Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in October that China wants a feasibility study for a free trade agreement with Colombia. If the two countries agree on a deal, Colombia would join Peru, Chile and Costa Rica among Latin American countries that have bilateral trade agreements with China. "What is happening is because of the death of the [Trans-Pacific Partnership] countries want to strengthen regional trade agreements" and "they're going to look at many other avenues that exclude the U.S." said Atlantic Council's Miner. The Trans-Pacific Partnership was a multination trade deal spearheaded by the United States and excluding China but which was canceled by Trump after he assumed office. The end of the TPP has prompted China to try to seize advantage of the vaccuum left by a retrenching United States, according to economists. China had already been quietly increasing its economic influence in Latin America well before the TPP's demise and Trump's shocking election win. According to Americas Society/Council of the Americas, a New York Citybased nonprofit organization, trade between China and Latin American countries rose 24-fold between 2000 and 2013. Trade between the United States and Latin America roughly tripled between 1996 and 2016, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Mexico makes 'a lot of the stuff that China makes' However, increased trade between China and Latin America faces limitations for now. "If China wants to take the lead in Latin America that's good. Now, the question is: Are there complementarities between Latin America and China? Right now, the U.S. and Latin America have more than China and Latin America," said Alberto Ramos, head of Latin American Economics at Goldman Sachs. "Why doesn't Mexico trade with China? Because they make a lot of the stuff China makes." Ramos added that trading between Latin America and China is more difficult logistically, given the distance between the two regions. As for China, "I don't think the Latin America option is a very strong one," said Nick Lardy, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Lardy noted that the U.S. alone accounts for 20 percent of Chinese exports, while the entire Latin America region takes in just 6 percent. China "can always seek out other options, but I don't think Latin America is a very good one," he said, adding that if a trade war between the U.S. and China erupts, it would adversely affect China and would make it harder for the country to expand into other markets. There is also another problem, said Atlantic Council's Miner: "China sells a lot more than it buys." China remains a net exporter of goods despite its efforts to pivot its economy to a more consumer-driven one. "The Chinese are in a transition, but this shift from an export-based economy into a more consumer-driven economy is taking quite a long time," Miner said. Reuters contributed to this report. WATCH: Why Trump's foreign policy is on a collision course in the South China Sea Some Republican and Democratic lawmakers have rejected President Donald Trump's most recent notion that the United States government is morally equivalent to Vladimir Putin's Russia. The most recent controversial claim took place during the president's interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, which aired Sunday before the Super Bowl. During the discussion, Trump defended his decision to criticize longtime allies instead of the Russian authoritarian regime. TWEET "I say it's better to get along with Russia than not," Trump said. O'Reilly pushed back. "He's a killer though. Putin's a killer," the host said, referring to Putin's critics who have been found dead and Russian military tactics in Syria and Ukraine. "There are a lot of killers. We got a lot of killers. What, do you think our country's so innocent?" the president responded. Trump's unexplained defense of Russia, which has he sustained since the campaign, continued to stump some lawmakers who appeared on network news shows Sunday. More from NBC News Trump, Challenged About Putin, Says 'Our Country's So Innocent?' Mike Pence: Trump 'Has Every Right to Criticize' Other Branches of Government Analysis: Why Voting Rights Advocates Are Worried About a Trump Voter Fraud Probe "I'll be honest, I don't know what the president is trying to do with statements like these," Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) said on ABC's "This Week." The Nebraska senator then described the rights provided by the First Amendment, making it clear that Putin and Russia's government do not provide those freedoms to its citizens. "There is no moral equivalency between the United States of America the greatest freedom loving nation in the history of the world and the murderous thugs that are in Putin's defense of his cronyism," Sasse added. European markets closed lower on Monday as investor concerns increased amid political instability in France and the U.S. The pan-European Stoxx 600 ended 0.68 percent lower with almost all sectors and major bourses in negative territory. Autos were the worst-performing sector on Monday, down by more than 1.4 percent, despite data earlier showing that car sales rose 2.9 percent in January in the U.K. the highest level since 2005. Bank of America warned Monday that profit margins could drop on the back of Brexit and uncertainty over Trump's tax policy. French 10-year bond yields spiked to 17-month highs after increasing political uncertainty over the outcome of the upcoming Presidential election. French center-right presidential candidate Francois Fillon told supporters he would continue to fight allegations of political scandal on Monday. He had faced calls from within his own party to step down, however insisted he had nothing to hide. Basic resources edged lower on Monday after earnings news. The gold mining business Randgold Resources ended among the best performers in the European benchmark, up by over 4.1 percent after reporting a 76 percent increase in its fourth-quarter profits. Glencore has reportedly extended a deal with Libya's state oil company to ensure it is the sole marketer for one-third of the current crude oil production in the country, Reuters reported. In 2009, Russia cut off natural gas supplies to Ukraine, leaving thousands of homes and businesses without heat in freezing temperatures in parts of southeastern Europe. Russia has long been criticized by the United States for using its position as a monopoly supplier of natural gas for geopolitical leverage, especially toward Eastern European nations which are dependent on Russia for access to this important commodity for everything from heating, electricity, industry, and cooking. As such, the U.S. has urged Europe to bolster its energy security by expanding pipeline capacity and integrating markets, diversifying supplies, and increasing storage to reduce the political risk associated with this dependence. These same concerns are mounting in another country that has rapidly become dependent for its energy on a single supplier that suddenly poses new political risk. Mexico worries that under an America First energy policy, the United States may become the new Russia. Natural gas trade between the U.S. and Mexico over the last five years has soared as a result of the U.S. shale gas boom, which propelled the U.S. into the new role of natural gas net exporter. This development could not have come at a better time for Mexico, which, despite launching a series of energy reforms, has faced dwindling gas production. As a result of this reality, Mexico has become increasingly reliant on cheap U.S. natural gas imports. Pipeline capacity between the two countries doubled in the past five years, and may almost double again through the end of 2018, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The share of natural gas in Mexico's electricity generation mix has increased from 34 to 54 percent between 2005 and 2015, and Mexican industry has staked its growth on continued cheap imports. But Mexico has not been the sole beneficiary to this trade. U.S. energy producers benefit as infrastructure constraints limit their ability to deliver this gas elsewhere around the world in a convenient and cost-effective manner. While the U.S. has begun to export liquefied natural gas (LNG), it will take several years before enough capacity is available to accommodate the volumes of gas currently going to Mexico. Yet these positive interdependencies also create risks in the event of a U.S. supply disruption. Unlike oil or coal, which can be diverted relatively easily by ship to different ports, natural gas is far less flexible to transport. By contrast, most natural gas supplies are moved by pipelines between fixed points, creating unique energy security risks for gas-consuming countries highly dependent on neighboring supplies. Mexico has few options to substitute imported gas from the U.S. The country's unused LNG import capacity is less than half the volume of gas it currently imports from the U.S., and while it could switch back to burning fuel oil in older power plants, this is a costly and dirty option and has capacity limitations. Up until now, Mexico's energy security risks associated with U.S. gas supplies seemed remote. But President Trump's threats to impose a border tariff, and his demands for Mexico to finance a border wall and renegotiate NAFTA, have precipitated a fall in relations between the two countries to their lowest point in decades. The last threat, to renegotiate or even end NAFTA, is especially consequential for natural gas vulnerability. U.S. law requires a permit to export natural gas, and for exports to free-trade-agreement (FTA) partners that authorization is to be granted "without modification or delay." However, for exports to non-FTA countries, authorization is given only after a finding that it is in the public interest, the opportunity for public comment and an environmental review. If Mexico were to become a non-FTA country, or if a renegotiated FTA did not allow for national treatment for trade in natural gas, all gas exports to Mexico would be subject to this more burdensome approval process. Non-FTA approvals not only take more time, but are subject to more political risk. We saw this at work in the political controversy around LNG exports, which led to a roughly two-year permitting delay before the Obama Administration agreed to grant additional authorizations. But the instability to Mexico's energy security doesn't end there. Imagine a scenario where a combination of factors like cold weather and pipeline or storage outages lead natural gas prices in the United States to spike. If the U.S. is now operating under an American First energy strategy, it is not unimaginable to think some might question why we would send scarce resources to other countries. Moreover, given recent rhetoric, we cannot assume President Trump would stop short of threatening to cut off essential energy supplies as leverage to extract concessions from Mexico over paying for the wall or renegotiating NAFTA. While these risks seem unlikely at present, Mexican officials are understandably concerned. Natural gas is not the only vulnerability Mexico faces. Crude oil trade also poses risks. While Mexico exports about 600,000 barrels per day of crude to the United States, U.S. refineries turn Mexican oil into gasoline and diesel, exporting it back to Mexico for use by Mexican consumers and businesses. Around half of Mexico's gasoline and diesel is imported, and nearly all of that comes from the U.S. New trade barriers like tariffs would raise costs for U.S. refiners to access crude, force Mexico to sell crude at a discount elsewhere and could disrupt Mexico's refined product supply--although oil is far more fungible than gas so producers and consumers could adjust more easily. As Mexico waits to see what an America First energy policy looks like, the nation might be wise to take a page from Europe's playbook and make plans for a rainy day. Commentary by Jason Bordoff and Tim Boersma. Bordoff is a former energy adviser to President Obama, a professor of professional practice in international and public affairs and the founding director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. Dr. Tim Boersma is a senior research scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy. Follow them on Twitter @JasonBordoff and @TimBoersma4. Goldman Sachs told clients President Donald Trump's agenda may ultimately disappoint investors because of a less ambitious tax cut, increased trade protectionism and implementation delays. The S & P 500 is up 7 percent since Nov. 8 through Friday. "Following the election, the positive shift in sentiment among investors, business, and consumers suggested that the probability of tax cuts and easier regulation was seen to be higher than the probability of meaningful restrictions to trade and immigration," economist Alec Phillips wrote in a note to clients Friday. "One month into the year, the balance of risks is somewhat less positive in our view." The economist gave three reasons why the market may be overly optimistic: "The recent difficulty congressional Republicans have had in moving forward on Obamacare repeal does not bode well for reaching a quick agreement on tax reform or infrastructure funding, and reinforces our view that a fiscal boost, if it happens, is mostly a 2018 story." "While bipartisan cooperation looked possible on some issues following the election, the political environment appears to be as polarized as ever, suggesting that issues that require bipartisan support may be difficult to address." "Some of the recent administrative actions by the Trump Administration serve as a reminder that the president is likely to follow through on campaign promises on trade and immigration, some of which could be disruptive for financial markets and the real economy." Phillips said the GOP's and Trump's tax reform plan, which includes a corporate tax rate reduction to 20 percent from 35 percent, will likely be "scaled back." A key impediment is the border adjusted tax (BAT), which subsidizes a large portion of the corporate tax rate cut by taxing imports. The economist estimates there is only a 20 percent chance the BAT will make it into the final legislation due to resistance from senators and retail industry lobbyists. The economist expects Congress will lower the corporate tax rate by 10 percentage points to 25 percent and exclude BAT. He also predicts import tariffs will be raised and immigration will be reduced. As a result, the firm projects 2.2 percent of annual real GDP growth in 2017 and 2018. Donald Trump Nicholas Kamm | AFP | Getty Images Schoolchildren play on a beach in front of an oil platform in Brazil. Getty Images The U.S. energy industry's core argument against an anti-corruption rule struck down by Congressional Republicans does not hold water, supporters of the regulation say. The rule, which was originally introduced by former Sen. Richard Lugar, a Republican, and Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, requires oil, gas and mining companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges to disclose how much they pay to foreign governments. The goal is to prevent foreign leaders from skimming off the payments that drillers and miners make to their countries. Such corruption, which enriches the politically connected but deprives regular people of their country's mineral wealth, is known as the "resource curse." The idea that American firms would be at a competitive disadvantage has certainly been undercut if 80 percent of the largest firms in the world are making a report. Richard Lugar president and chairman, the Lugar Center "I believe that the effect would have been to rein in a good bit of the corruption, simply because there would have been public information and therefore debate within the various countries," said Lugar, who is now president of think tank the Lugar Center. Last week, Republican lawmakers invoked the rarely used Congressional Review Act to kill the disclosure rule, which was created by an amendment to the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial regulations. The American Petroleum Institute, the chief U.S. energy lobbying organization, and its Republican allies say the rule puts U.S. companies at a disadvantage, because their foreign competitors are not subject to the requirements. watch now In a Wall Street Journal op-ed last month, House Leader Kevin McCarthy said the rule "adds an unreasonable compliance burden on American energy companies that isn't applied to their foreign competitors." But that's largely false. Major European drillers like BP , Total and Royal Dutch Shell , as well as Canadian firms and Russian oil and gas giants Rosneft and Gazprom, must report what they pay to foreign governments, Cardin and Lugar said in an op-ed. The U.S. rules would force some Chinese and Brazilian firms to do so, as well, they said. In praising Republicans for killing the rule, the American Petroleum Institute said it "is inconsistent with other major international reporting regimes, like the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the European Union's disclosure rules." That is not the view of the SEC. In making the rule, the SEC said European and Canadian regulations are "substantially similar." In fact, the commission said a company that satisfies the conditions of the EU, Canadian, or EITI rules will satisfy the requirements of the U.S. regulation. The EITI is a voluntary reporting system that the industry generally supports. The SEC's rule would have put some additional requirements on companies that report through EITI. watch now Asked for comment, McCarthy's office insisted that the disclosure rule causes "immense reporting efforts that foreign competitors do not have to adhere to" and that it forces companies to share proprietary information. To be sure, drillers and miners that are not listed on U.S., European or Canadian exchanges are not subject to disclosure rules. But 84 of the world's biggest 100 oil and gas companies were listed or cross-listed on U.S., European or Canadian exchanges, according to research submitted to the SEC by Publish What You Pay, a group that advocates for greater transparency in the energy industry. "The idea that American firms would be at a competitive disadvantage has certainly been undercut if 80 percent of the largest firms in the world are making a report," Lugar said. Fifty-eight of the top 100 miners were listed on an exchange with transparency rules. Companies are already required to track payments but not report them under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. For that reason, it would not be burdensome for them to make that information public, transparency advocates say. More trouble for drillers and miners? Overturning the rule could actually make things more difficult for energy companies listed on both U.S. and foreign exchanges, said Zorka Milin, senior legal adviser for Global Witness, an anti-corruption and environmental group. Congress scrapped the rule, but not the Cardin-Lugar Amendment itself. That means the SEC will have to come up with a new disclosure rule. Under the Congressional Review Act, a new rule cannot be substantially similar to the original one. Since the first disclosure rule was "substantially similar" to European and Canadian regulations, it will be difficult to create a new rule that dovetails with those foreign regulations and meets the requirements of the Congressional Review Act. That would likely lead to the creation of two different rules with which dually listed companies would need to comply, Milin said. That assumes Republican lawmakers will not scrap the Cardin-Lugar Amendment altogether. They are expected to begin the work of dismantling the overarching Dodd-Frank regulations this week. Asked what hope he has of the rule surviving, Lugar said, "I'm always hopeful, but I'm certainly startled that repeal of the Cardin-Lugar Amendment would be such a priority for the Congress now." For corporate executives and Wall Street investors worried about President Donald Trump's positions on import tariffs and immigration and his penchant for sparking confrontations with global leaders, there is a key power struggle to watch inside the White House. The key player, and the great hope for free traders and those who believe well-regulated but significant immigration is a key driver of economic growth, is National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, former president of Goldman Sachs . Cohn's fingerprints were all over Trump's rollout Friday of an executive order to loosen financial regulation and review the Department of Labor's fiduciary rule for brokerage advisors. He was there for the signing and lauded the moves in a series of interviews. But the big question is not the extent to which the former Goldman Sachs president will influence financial regulatory policy. That's already pretty clear. Cohn and Treasury secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin will drive financial deregulation along with House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling. Their success will determine whether the huge rally in bank stocks since the election is justified. The more critical and long-term question for executives across multiple industries is whether Cohn will emerge as a powerful countervailing economic force to temper Trump's instincts toward protectionism. To pull this off, Cohn will have to nudge Trump himself while also muscling out Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller as well as to lesser degrees Trump advisor Peter Navarro and Commerce secretary nominee Wilbur Ross. If anyone can pull this off, it's Cohn, a powerful personality not known to be shy about making his views known. He has an added bonus in his favor: He came into the Trump orbit through Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, critical advisors to the president. Those inclined to Cohn's worldview inside the administration believe the former Goldman banker will eventually win the day. Some even mention him as a potential future chief of staff or shadow chief of staff. But nothing is for certain in Trump-world and Cohn will come up against some skilled infighters. And it's clear from his tweets (and from his campaign) that Trump himself has a strong mercantilist view of trade where one country wins and another loses. Changing that to a trade as win-win view will be extremely challenging. But Cohn has powerful allies, including former Goldman executive Dina Powell. Cohn may also benefit from all the early press Bannon, who is on record with a desire to bring down the entire American system, is getting. Trump, who doesn't like to be outshone by anyone, is already showing signs that he is chafing at arguments that Bannon is really running the White House. Bannon, not Trump, appeared on the latest cover of Time magazine as the power behind the throne. And a New York Times story on Sunday described Trump as essentially hoodwinked into putting Bannon on the National Security Council through an executive order. That story sparked a strong reaction from Trump on Twitter on Monday morning. "I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it. Some FAKE NEWS media, in order to marginalize, lies!" Trump tweeted. The president directed his fire not at Bannon but at the Times, a favorite target of the new president who appears to hate-read the paper pretty regularly. But if Cohn is to emerge as a powerful influence on Trump, pushing him away from tariffs and major moves to deport current undocumented immigrants and shut the doors to new ones, then he could capitalize on the president's unhappiness with Bannon's high profile. The betting line among people both outside and inside the administration is that if the White House keeps running into big PR headaches and massive protests then an early shake-up will come among the president's top staff. For companies and investors who like Trump's plans for tax cuts and regulatory relief, the hope is that when the shake-up comes, hard-line voices like Bannon and Miller will be marginalized and more moderate, business-friendly advisers like Cohn, Powell and current chief of staff Reince Priebus will emerge with stronger hands. Ben White is Politico's chief economic correspondent and a CNBC contributor. He also authors the daily tip sheet Politico Morning Money [politico.com/morningmoney]. Follow him on Twitter @morningmoneyben. First Nordstrom, then Neiman Marcus. Now, it looks like more companies from the #GrabYourWallet boycott campaign are dropping the Ivanka Trump line. Over the weekend, Belk, the department stores with about 300 locations in 16 states, was down to zero products from the Ivanka Trump label. Shannon Coulter, one of the founders of the #GrabYourWallet campaign who has been tracking retailers and the products they carry, tells Racked that Belk had 30 products from the label on its website. When searching, the Ivanka Trump label is no longer listed as available on the website. Racked reached out to Belk for comment and is waiting to hear back. More from Vox: Still silent on immigration, American designers unite for Planned Parenthood Writing for the #Menswear boys' club made me a feminist See Tiffany's Lady Gaga-approved, Super Bowl ad-worthy collection On Saturday, it's worth noting, the New York Post ran a list of the retailers that still sold Ivanka Trump products, and so the disappearance at Belk seems to have occurred over the weekend. It is still unclear if the label is in brick-and-mortar stores. Racked called several Belk stores across Florida, and employees said there weren't any Ivanka Trump products in stores, but they were all smaller locations that hadn't carried Ivanka Trump in the first place. Racked will continue to update this story as we learn more. Mark Zuckerberg introduces the Messenger platform at the F8 summit. Josh Edelson | Getty Images Both the leak and the ensuing witch hunt are Facebook rarities. Unlike tech companies such as Apple and Snapchat, which keep employees in the dark about projects and ambitions, Facebook routinely shares all kinds of secrets with all of its workers at Friday afternoon Q&A sessions that Zuckerberg has been running for a decade. What's most surprising: Almost none of it leaks out. Sources say Zuckerberg uses these weekly meetings to tell his nearly 16,000 employees details of yet-to-be-released products, like news reader app Paper or Snapchat competitor Slingshot and M, the AI assistant. He'll open up about the company's product strategy, like its push into live video. And Zuckerberg will also share his personal opinions on competitors like Snapchat and Twitter, and even Facebook's board members. Almost nothing is off limits. And almost nothing leaks to the press, even though Facebook's entire workforce including its interns have access to the meetings. "That level of transparency is alarming when you see it at first," said one former employee. "But there's something [special] about knowing you're getting an unfettered response." And that special feeling that employees have access to information and an open, unscripted, says-whatever-he-thinks Zuckerberg helps keep what happens at the weekly meetings inside the weekly meetings. Usually. "If we're going to have this open culture, there's a little bit of a pact [around not leaking secrets]," explained another former employee. AFP | Getty Images There are formal pacts as well. Facebook puts new employees through media training and warns them that they could be fired for leaking company info. And Zuckerberg routinely reminds Facebook employees that his weekly Q&As are meant to be private. But at Facebook there's another deterrent: Shame. We spoke with more than a half-dozen current and former employees, and almost all of them mentioned peer pressure as a key motivator for keeping secrets secret. "People would be pissed if someone else leaked something," explained one former employee. "You don't betray the family." Company-wide Q&As aren't unique to Facebook. They have become standard in the tech industry, a tradition that many trace back to Google and its weekly all-hands meetings, called TGIF. Twitter, Uber and Nextdoor hold them, too. But Zuckerberg's celebrity and Facebook's size and influence make the company's weekly ritual rather astonishing. Zuckerberg has even started doing public Q&As with Facebook users in different cities around the globe. Some believe Zuckerberg gets as much out of the events as his employees. The meetings offer Zuckerberg a chance to hear from the rank and file, but also a chance to improve his public speaking skills. (Zuckerberg was a notoriously poor and awkward public speaker in the company's early days, but has improved dramatically over the years.) At Facebook headquarters, the Q&As work like this: Each Friday at 4 pm PT, Zuckerberg speaks for about an hour from the cafeteria in Facebook's massive new building in Menlo Park. Zuckerberg's top lieutenants folks like COO Sheryl Sandberg, product boss Chris Cox and CTO Mike Schroepfer sit in the front row of chairs set up for employees in case Zuckerberg wants to call on them to answer a question. The meetings are usually limited to Facebook employees, though others have made appearances, too. Board members Peter Thiel, Susan Desmond-Hellmann and Don Graham have all attended Q&As, as did Jay Z back in the summer of 2013, though no one seems to remember why he was there. If you work out of a remote Facebook office, the Q&As are streamed live and then uploaded to Facebook's internal portal for a short time so people can watch them at their convenience. Zuckerberg starts with opening remarks, then typically acknowledges any long-tenured employees celebrating a work anniversary that week what Facebookers call a "Faceversary." If you've been there long enough, usually around a decade, you might get to go up and share a favorite story about your time with Facebook. Then Zuckerberg highlights a "fix of the week," usually honoring some behind-the-scenes engineering fix or accomplishment that others may not be aware of. It's a small shout-out that's meant to help Facebook keep its "hacker DNA," even as the company swells in size. Mark Zuckerberg announces the Internet.org Innovation Challenge in India in New Delhi. Chandan Khanna | Getty Images Then Zuckerberg highlights a "fix of the week," usually honoring some behind-the-scenes engineering fix or accomplishment that others may not be aware of. It's a small shout-out that's meant to help Facebook keep its "hacker DNA," even as the company swells in size. After the formalities, Zuckerberg digs into questions submitted by employees, starting with the most popular questions Facebookers have submitted and voted on throughout the week using an internal Facebook group. (The questions aren't submitted anonymously.) A snapshot of this polling system published by Gizmodo earlier this year showed questions ranging from Snapchat's business strategy to whether or not employees should try to stop Donald Trump's presidential campaign. Once the poll questions are done, Zuckerberg will take unfiltered questions from the audience for the remainder of the time. Topics vary wildly. Zuckerberg usually won't comment publicly on competitors, but at Facebook Q&As, he'll talk candidly about Twitter and Snapchat. He's talked about Elon Musk and his rocket ambitions on multiple occasions. When Kanye West asked Zuckerberg for $1 billion on Twitter, Zuckerberg was inevitably asked about it the following Friday. "Maybe if he'd asked me on Facebook," one employee remembered him joking. A new TV ad featuring a disabled military veteran blasts President Donald Trump for seeking to repeal Obamacare and for imposing a travel ban that primarily affects Muslims. "You want to be a legitimate president, sir? Then act like one," says the veteran, who according to the ad's sponsor is a Marine who lost a leg while on patrol in Afghanistan. The ad aired for the first time Monday on MSNBC's show "Morning Joe" which Trump is known to avidly watch and was produced by the progressive veterans group VoteVets. It lasts just 30 seconds. But in that half minute, the ad lands a series of punches at sore spots of Trump's ego, all delivered by a weightlifting unidentified veteran. "President Trump, I hear you watch the morning shows," the veteran says in a voiceover. "Here's what I do every morning," the vet says, as he squats to begin lifting a barbell in his garage. "Look." Watch the ad here "You lost the popular vote. You're having trouble drawing a crowd. And your approval rating keeps sinking," the vet's voice says, as the camera pulls back to reveal that he is lifting the weight while using just a single leg. "But kicking thousands of my fellow veterans off their health insurance by killing the Affordable Care Act, and banning Muslims, won't help," he says. "That's not the America I sacrificed for," the vet says. "You want to be a legitimate president, sir? Then act like one." The veteran receives health coverage through the Veterans Affairs Department because of his service-related injury, according to the group, which did not identify him in the ad because of concerns that his family would be targeted for harassment. Not all veterans qualify for such health coverage. It's no fun to get jerked around. You don't have to be a reporter or an entire news media channel to get real tired real fast of listening to people not being very truthful to you time and again. That's how CNN must have felt this weekend when the Trump team offered White House counselor Kellyanne Conway as a guest for that network's "State of the Union" program Sunday and the network declined to put her on. After Conway made the embarrassing mistake of citing a terrorist attack in Bowling Green, Kentucky that never happened, it appears CNN decided it was through putting Conway on the air. Strangely enough, this happened just a few days after Politico and other websites reported that the White House was freezing CNN out by refusing to send its official spokespeople and surrogates to appear as guests on that network. And of course, President Donald Trump himself has singled out CNN for harsh criticism on numerous occasions on his Twitter feed and elsewhere. This is just a nasty relationship, period. But here's the thing: Both sides are at fault to some degree in this situation and someone's going to have to put on their grownup pants and figure this out. And when they do, it'll be better for the administration, the news media, and the country. First, let's go through the key mistakes and immaturity on both sides. It should go without saying that the White House needs to get its facts straight and cease spreading misinformation, either intentionally or unintentionally, to the public. Now for the less naive among us who know that all administrations spin and borderline lie to the public, there is an important caveat to the simple "tell the truth" directive. That is, it's not realistic to expect a president or any politician and his or her team to just tell the unvarnished and "unspun" truth. But it is imperative to avoid the kind of sloppiness Conway exhibited with her reference to Bowling Green and when she defended White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer's use of "alternative facts" when he pushed back at reports on the attendance at the Trump inauguration. The irony of both those flubs is that sticking with the accepted facts would have worked just fine for the Trump team. The real Bowling Green incident, which was the case of two Iraqi refugees who abused the program and were caught trying to send weapons to al Qaeda, is indeed a good example of how our refugee program is vulnerable. The fact that those weapons were never used and no massacre occurred in that case on U.S. soil doesn't make it irrelevant in any way. And while it does appear that the attendance for the Trump inauguration was down compared to President Barack Obama's 2009 inaugural, the attendance compared to all the inaugurations of the recent past was nothing to sneeze at. In other words, Conway and Spicer snatched potential defeat from the jaws of victory by stretching the truth and presenting untruths that will forever mar their ability to discuss those specific stories credibly. The funny thing about politics is that there are indeed so many ways to spin the actual truth, that you don't really have to make stuff up. But the Trump team did. And while there is no real evidence that the public is in some kind of enraged fury about these incidents now, it doesn't matter. Conway and Spicer have to wield more credibility in the coming years for the good of the country. If they need a better spinmeister to figure out how to score points even against a hostile news media in the future, I'm sure there are a few dozen experts on doing just that working right now on Madison Avenue or Silicon Valley. Maybe the White House should hire them. Now here's what CNN and any other network or newspaper or website that has or is thinking about boycotting or simply not covering the president or his key administration spokespeople need to do: Get over it! The proper response to a White House that's pumping out untruths isn't to shut it out. Let the protesters do that. The news media simply doesn't have the right to even consider a blackout on coverage of these spokespeople or the president's tweets, or anything like that. We signed on to the duty of informing the American people what the administration is saying, whether we like it, agree with it, or believe it's true or not. OK, so how is this going to work exactly? The American people aren't going to be served very well as news consumers or voters with an administration that's not being careful with the truth and a news media that spends too much time fighting personal battles. To start, the White House needs to straighten itself out. Not to please its unfair and unreasonable critics and political opponents, but for its own ability to get anything done. Every success President Trump may have in boosting foreign investment in the U.S., jobs, or even in the war on terror will be undermined if his own spokespeople simply aren't talking about facts. And while it's an historic tradition for administrations to trot out less-than-lovable spokespeople to make the presidents themselves look more likable in comparison, Spicer and Conway have become punching bags that are a real liability as opposed to a helpful distraction. CNN and the rest of the news media have a tougher job (other than sucking up the personal attacks from the president). They must work harder to fact check this administration better and do it in real time. They must find the right way to challenge the president and his spokespeople without resorting to rudeness or simply playing the part of a partisan opponent. Indeed, this challenge is a reason why media experts like USA Today contributor Michael Wolff recently called the Trump presidency possibly the best thing that could happen to the industry. That's because it's likely to spur the media to work harder and dig deeper at every level. Again, that doesn't mean simply acting as mouthpieces for the president's political opposition. The Democrats have their own spokespeople, and frankly, the news media has been playing the role of that party's advocate for far too long. The fawning coverage President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton received from the news media over the past eight years is an undeniable fact too. The key will be trying to find that sweet spot where the journalists challenge and analyze the Trump team in a unique and non-partisan way. No, that won't be easy. And it's sad that the political beat news media will never achieve 100 percent success based on that criteria. But sad is one thing, and unacceptable is another. And a White House information team that is too sloppy or too dishonest to simply deal with and spin actual facts is unacceptable. And a news media that simply wants to close its ears and ignore that kind of a White House isn't acceptable either. Politicians and the news media folks have one thing in common: They're always telling us how important it is to stay informed and vote. But unless these politicians and journalists get their acts together, and fast, those of us who really want to be informed and vote responsibly won't have what we need to do either. Commentary by Jake Novak, CNBC.com senior columnist. Follow him on Twitter @jakejakeny. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter. Paris holds all the aces over its European counterparts in luring U.K.-based bankers away from London throughout Brexit negotiations, according to the president of the Ile-de-France region which includes the French capital. "(Brexit) started a process of competition between all of the metropolises of continental Europe and in this competition I think Paris has got many assets. I want, of course, to take advantage of this situation, but not to punish the British people Just because I don't think Paris should yield in front of the competition," Valerie Pecresse, president of the Ile-de-France region, told CNBC on Monday. Pecresse argued that the French capital has the best negotiating position in comparison to its European rivals attempting to attract financial industry workers away from London. However, she did concede that a priority for France should be to bolster ties with Germany in order to strengthen the "main pillar of Europe" after the U.K. has withdrawn from the European Union (EU). Brexit passed its first legislative hurdle on February 1 after the U.K. parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of starting the formal two-year negotiation process with the EU. Britain could be set to complete the legislative process by March 7 which would meet Prime Minister Theresa May's self-imposed April deadline to begin divorce talks with the bloc. Several U.K.-based banks are poised to announce at least part of their business operations are being moved from London to another European city, with countries on the continent scrambling to attract top financial officials. Le Pen victory 'shouldn't happen' Rising protectionism is only partially responsible for this year's record number of failed Chinese overseas deals, Baker McKenzie's mergers and acquisitions partner, Tim Gee, told CNBC. A new report published Monday by the international law firm indicates that failed overseas acquisitions by Chinese investors have hit unprecedented levels, with 30 deals worth almost $75 billion cancelled last year across the U.S. and Europe. However this is as much a reflection of the overall surge in demand from Chinese foreign direct investors in "world-class assets" as it is an indication of the growing swell of protectionist policies, according to Gee. The study shows that in 2016 Chinese direct investment in the U.S. and Europe more than doubled to a new record of $94.2 billion. South Korea's SK Hynix has submitted an initial bid to acquire a stake in Toshiba 's memory chip business, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. The person said it has not been decided how much a stake SK Hynix, the world's No. 2 memory chip maker, will acquire in Toshiba's memory business as the deal is in early stages. A SK Hynix spokesman declined to comment, and Toshiba could not be immediately reached for comment. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. The U.K.'s small businesses and start-ups need the government to boost jobs and long-term growth in the forthcoming spring Budget, the Federation of Small Businesses has urged the finance secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond. Acknowledging that small business confidence had bounced back to levels seen before the U.K. decided to leave the European Union, small firms were still seeing their growth prospects falling, the FSB said Monday. They were facing a "triple hit", according to the FSB: a continuing increase in the national living wage; a rise in national insurance contributions; and a hike in pensions auto-enrolment. Companies could be saddled with 2,600 ($3,241) in extra employment costs, the FSB said. "Spring Budget 2017 is a critical moment for the government to show it is unashamedly pro-business, and that the Chancellor recognises that small businesses are the engines of job creation," Mike Cherry, the FSB's national chairman, said in a statement. "Spiralling labour costs are now threatening their growth ambitions and hiring intentions," Cherry added. The FSB said that since the turn of the century, the number of people working for themselves had reached 4.8 million, an increase of 40 percent. The stakes, Cherry said, were high. "FSB was established to champion the interests of the self-employed," he said. "At Spring Budget 2017, our entrepreneurial culture is on the line. The Government's announcements on self-employment will be the litmus test for how pro-business it is going to be for the rest of this Parliament." Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. Executives at the carmakers are exploring the possibility of cooperation in areas such as shared procurement, environmental and safety technologies and in IT. Rival Japanese automakers Toyota and Suzuki have initiated formal talks on a wide-ranging strategic partnership, and analysts are welcoming an alliance. Suzuki Motor Corporation logo is shown on display at the 2016 Tokyo Auto Salon car show on January 15, 2016 in Chiba, Japan. "I am truly thankful for having been given this opportunity to work together with a company such as Suzuki, which overflows with the spirit of challenge," Toyota President, Akio Toyoda, said in a news release. While key elements of the partnership are still lacking detail, the move to begin "concrete examinations" of a deal comes after the two carmakers said in October that they were considering a formal tie-up. "Toyota was enthusiastic throughout our discussions regarding partnership, even though such was sought by Suzuki, which was concerned about the development of advanced technologies," Suzuki Chairman, Osamu Suzuki, said in the release. The manufacturers are also looking at opportunities to partner on the mutual supply of products and components, but no formal detail has been announced. Analysts have been positive on the partnership, particularly regarding Suzuki gaining access to Toyota's leading technology as well as its capabilities in research and development. It's a field where Suzuki has struggled to keep pace in recent years, experts said. In turn, Toyota stands to benefit from Suzuki's market expertise and share in different regions such as India, which now accounts for around half of Suzuki's total global sales. "Toyota is very weak in India," said SBI Securities analyst Koji Endo. "Suzuki is OK for the time being as its affiliate, Maruti India, is making record-high profits." Toyota has been bolstering its efforts to form alliances with rival automakers to maintain growth and influence, as new market participants like tech companies bring fresh and tough competition to the space. Toyota has also been investing in the development of new technologies, such as autonomous vehicles. "Suzuki is a fairly small automaker and more stringent safety and fuel efficiency regulations around the world, not to mention changing consumer tastes, demand large R&D budgets as well as enormous production requirements to increase economies of scale," said IHS Automotive analyst, James Chao. "Suzuki doesn't have either of thesebut Toyota can help." Toyota aims to double its share of India's passenger vehicle market to 10 percent by 2025, but any synergies as a consequence of the deal are likely to be hard won. "It's extremely difficult to do this, especially given that you are dealing with two widely different company cultures. Suzuki tried this before, with VW, which did not end positively," Chao said. Wires contributed to this report. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. Escalating violence in eastern Ukraine in recent weeks has underlined the importance that Donald Trump now plays in the region, with the U.S. president promising to restore peace after a phone call with the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Trump has signaled his intent to have a closer relationship with Russia and its President Vladimir Putin. And with an open line of communication with Poroshenko, Trump could well prove to be instrumental. The Ukrainian conflict "has never been at the forefront" for Western leaders and with the raft of elections across the European Union in 2017, the issue is unlikely to be a priority, Andrius Tursa, an advisor on central and eastern European issues at analysis firm Teneo Intelligence told CNBC. This is likely to leave the Ukrainian war even more in the hands of the U.S. The war in eastern Ukraine has seen an increase in fighting since last week, particularly in the cities of Donbass and Avdiivka. Russia still denies involvement in the conflict despite evidence to suggest that the country has supplied arms and even troops to pro-Russian separatists in the region. U.S. President Donald Trump has agreed to join a meeting of NATO leaders in Europe in May this year, after speaking with the alliance's secretary-general on Sunday. During his presidential campaign, Trump was a fierce critic of the organization, claiming that other, European, countries were not contributing enough. In a phone call Sunday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Trump appears to have softened his earlier stance over the organization's future. A follow-up White House statement said the two men "discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments." "President Trump agreed to join in a meeting of NATO leaders in Europe in May," the statement said. The White House statement also said the president and Stoltenberg "discussed the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict" in eastern Ukraine. A peace deal between Russia and Ukraine was agreed in February 2015 but both sides have blamed each other in a recent upsurge in violence. U.K. prime minister Theresa May has also claimed to get further commitment from Trump on NATO when she met with the president last month. President Donald Trump took another shot at the mainstream media on Monday, slamming coverage of the administration's temporary ban on refugees and of his leadership. Trump, a frequent critic of the news media, tweeted on Monday that any negative polls regarding border security and "extreme vetting" of immigrants are "fake news." @realDonaldTrump Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting. Minutes later, Trump fired off another tweet, saying as president he calls his "own shots." @realDonaldTrump I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it. Some FAKE NEWS media, in order to marginalize, lies! On Friday, a CNN/ORC poll found most Americans opposed the travel restrictions that were put in place by Trump's temporary immigration restrictions on refugees. A U.S. appeals court late Saturday denied a request from the Justice Department to immediately restore Trump's order barring citizens from seven mainly Muslim countries and temporarily banning refugees. Trump denounced the "so-called" judge in a series of tweets on Saturday. On Sunday, The New York Times one of Trump's biggest targets published a story detailing the first two weeks of Trump's administration, including Trump signing an order giving chief strategist Steve Bannon a spot on the National Security Council. The report said Trump was not fully briefed on the details of the order. An amicus brief by 97 technology companies opposes Trump's recent executive order, which imposes a 90-day ban affecting citizens from Iran , Iraq , Libya , Somalia, Sudan , Syria and Yemen and a 120-day bar on all refugees. The ban was blocked by a federal judge in Seattle on Saturday, and the Department of Homeland Security has stopped enforcing it for the time being. The companies filed the brief to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which is expected to rule on the ban in days. President Donald Trump 's travel ban has inflicted "significant harm on American business, innovation and growth," technology companies said in a legal filing challenging the constitutionality of the executive order. President Donald Trump signs an executive order to impose tighter vetting of travelers entering the United States, at the Pentagon in Washington, January 27, 2017. The Trump administration has defended the temporary order, designed to allow for more vetting of travelers from countries known to harbor terrorists. The legal brief backed by companies including Apple , Airbnb, Google , Facebook and Intel calls the ban abitrary and subject to "inconsistency or abuse." "[The ban] severely undermines immigrants' and businesses' ability to make plans, conduct business, or manage affairs involving non-citizens," the brief reads. "For any immigrant ensnared in this system, the prospect of entry becomes a 'sport of chance.' " The tech giants many of which were co-founded or led by immigrants also argued it is no coincidence that immigrants are often at crux of innovation. "People who choose to leave everything that is familiar and journey to an unknown land to make a new life neccesarily are endowed with drive, creativity, determination and just plain guts," the brief says. You can read the brief here. Reuters contributed to this report. President Donald Trump aimed to reassure American allies about military support Monday, but again said he expects them to contribute more to defense. Speaking after a meeting with the United States Central Command, Trump affirmed support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the military alliance he criticized on the campaign trail. While he signaled his backing for the 28-member group, Trump urged allies to "pay their fair share" as part of the alliance. "They're very unfair to us. We strongly support NATO, we only ask that all NATO members make their full and proper financial contribution to the NATO alliance, which many of them have not been doing," Trump told military officials at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. As a candidate, Trump sparked concerns in Europe for suggesting that he could set conditions for defending members who were under attack. He questioned NATO's continued relevance. Late last month, Uber sued the city of Seattle, challenging the city's authority to implement a landmark law allowing drivers in the gig economy to unionize. It was an opening shot in what is likely to be a long and costly legal battle. Uber's legal challenge comes at an awkward time for the ride-hailing juggernaut. The company recently named 2017 "the year of the driver" and has said it will devote energy and resources to improving its relationship with the hundreds of thousands of people who drive on its platform. But the situation in Seattle shows how complicated that can be, especially as Uber continues to fight these employment battles across the country. More from The Verge: France's alt-right has turned Pepe the frog into Pepe Le Pen The Super Bowl's best ads got political, intentionally or not Apple, Facebook, Google, and 94 others file opposition to Trump's immigration ban "Year of the driver" hits a snag The law in Seattle, passed by the city council in a 90 vote, was a first of its kind. It allows drivers for ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft to unionize and collectively bargain for better working conditions, earnings, and other benefits. The bill was a victory for the App-Based Drivers Association, which had lobbied with the local Teamsters union on behalf of freelance contractors. After its passage in December 2015, Uber and Lyft declined to challenge it outright, instead supporting a lawsuit brought by the pro-business, anti-union US Chamber of Commerce. But then in August, a judge tossed the chamber's lawsuit, calling it premature until the city moved forward with implementation. That implementation began in December, when Seattle's department of Finance and Administrative Services published rules online that cover issues like which drivers get to unionize, working conditions subject to bargaining, and how an organization gets certified to represent drivers exclusively. "Arbitrary and capricious" Shortly thereafter, Uber filed a lawsuit challenging the city's rulemaking authority, calling it "arbitrary and capricious" and inconsistent with "fundamental labor laws," according to court documents. "The City must follow a lawful rulemaking process and adopt rules which properly consider the facts and circumstances of drivers and the industry, and labor law precedent," Uber argues in the suit. The city of Seattle has already filed its response to Uber, and is confident that the court will rule in favor of the city's authority in implementing this law. "What [the city] did was absolutely appropriate under the circumstances," city attorney Michael Ryan told The Verge. A hearing on the lawsuit was originally scheduled for February 10th, but then moved to March 17th after the Teamsters signaled their intent to support the city against Uber's challenge. According to a spokesperson, Lyft is not participating in the lawsuit, but is watching its outcome very closely. A possible twist in all this: last year, The Verge uncovered evidence of Uber using a CIA-linked firm to investigate union politics in Seattle. Uber confirmed the project and characterized the effort as research into the city's political landscape, emphasizing that it was not targeted at any individuals or drivers. Whether the Teamsters, or any labor groups involved in the lawsuit, see it the same way remains to be seen. President Donald Trump addressed military officials on Monday after another weekend of wrangling over his executive order related to immigration and refugee admissions. He made the remarks after lunch with troops at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. Trump spent his weekend in the state at his Mar-a-Lago resort. Trump spent the last few days defending the executive order after a federal judge temporarily blocked it and an appeals court denied the administration's request to restore it. Trump then attacked Judge James Robart, the George W. Bush appointee who blocked the order, calling him a "so-called judge" and saying he would be blamed if a terrorist attack took place. Trump's order temporarily barred travel to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries and paused the U.S. refugee program. Its rollout sparked confusion at airports and protests nationwide, but Trump the White House has defended it as necessary to properly vet people coming from countries with terrorism concerns. watch now The executive order Trump signed the controversial order banning some refugees and immigrants on the evening of Jan. 27. The executive order temporarily halted a U.S. refugee program and indefinitely suspended admission of Syrian refugees into the country, as well as restricting citizens of seven Muslim majority countries from coming into the country. Those countries are Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya and Yemen. The Trump administration said the order was necessary to keep Americans safe and "keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States of America." The executive order followed Trump's campaign promise to implement "extreme vetting" for certain refugees and visa seekers. Protests and airport chaos After Trump put pen to paper on the executive order, the impact would soon resonate in airports around the world as citizens from the newly restricted countries, some of which were already mid-flight on the way to the U.S., discovered their documentation was no longer valid. Refugees and visa holders were detained and questioned in airports nationwide, from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport. In New York, at least 12 people were detained and questioned for hours. Lawyers and immigration activists rushed to airports, but said it was unclear how many people were being detained or even sent on planes back to their country of origin. Trump has since defended the travel restriction and said on Twitter that only 109 people in total were detained and held for questioning. Trump's chief of staff Reince Preibus had to clarify on NBC's Meet the Press on Jan. 29 that the ban "doesn't include green card holders going forward," but also said anyone traveling back and forth from the seven named countries would be subject to further screening. Protests erupted in airports across the nation the next day as reports of the detentions and confusion in how agencies were interpreting the executive order spread. Thousands gathered and airports and cities for a second day last Sunday to protest the order. The lawsuits The American Civil Liberties Union and others filed a lawsuit on Jan. 28 in New York on behalf of individuals subject to the ban. The lead plaintiffs in the case were detained even though they had proper documentation. One had worked for the U.S. military, while the other was threatened because of perceived ties to the U.S., the ACLU said when it unveiled the lawsuit. Also on Jan. 28, federal judges in several states including New York, Massachusetts, Washington and California began issuing orders in response to the slew of lawsuits temporarily halting part of Trump's executive order and blocking the deportation of people coming into the country with valid visas and others who were legally authorized to enter the country. There are at least eight major lawsuits opposed to the order, and in seven cases, judges have begun ruling on parts of the order. On Friday, a federal judge in Boston refused to extend a temporary injunction against the immigration order. But later that day, another federal judge U.S. District Court Senior Judge James Robart in Washington temporarily blocked the executive order and said the restraining order applied nationwide. Soon after and in a blow to the administration, the Department of Homeland Security said it would stop forcing airlines to block travelers with proper visas from boarding their flights. The State Department also announced it had reversed its cancellation of visas under the order. Trump has a vocal critic of the Washington judge on Twitter since his ruling. @realDonaldTrump Tweet 1 Monday morning wrangling LINCOLN The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) is currently accepting grant proposals for its 2017 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). Specialty crops include fruits and nuts, vegetables, and horticulture and nursery crops. The states program supports research, development and marketing of specialty crops. The deadline for submitting proposals to NDA is March 1 at 5 p.m. Specialty crops add diversity and value to the states agriculture industry, said NDA Director Greg Ibach. Were always looking for innovative projects and ideas to help specialty crop producers stay competitive and grow their businesses. NDA administers the states SCBGP, which is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). For the 2017 SCBGP, NDA anticipates approximately $600,000 will be available to fund new projects. Producers, organizations and associations, as well as state and local agencies, educational groups and other specialty crops stakeholders are eligible to apply. Sixteen specialty crop projects were funded in Nebraska last fall through the program for a total of $620,000. This years proposals will be reviewed and scored using select criteria. Applicants who make it through the first round will be asked to submit additional information. NDA and USDA will announce the projects receiving funding in the fall. Instructions for submitting a proposal, proposal applications, performance measures and program guidelines are available on NDAs website at http://www.nda.nebraska.gov/promotion/scbgp/index.html. All proposals should be saved as a Microsoft Word .docx file and sent electronically to casey.foster@nebraska.gov by the March 1 deadline. For more information contact: Casey Foster at (402) 471-4876, or by the email listed above. To view a comprehensive list of eligible specialty crops and examples of projects funded under the SCBGP, visit USDAs website at http://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scbgp. Recap: Mizzou falls 21-17 to Kentucky after strange personal foul Mizzou football takes on Kentucky Saturday. We've got you covered with live score updates and analysis from the game. 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. Samsung took two major strikes when it introduced (and then recalled and reintroduced) its Note 7 device after it was found to have batteries that could overheat and cause fires. While there were relatively few incidents (perhaps a few hundred out of millions of devices shipped) it nevertheless was a serious safety issue, as even one incident could have caused a real disaster. It even got the Note 7 officially banned from all U.S. airlines/flights. An overreaction perhaps, but it did elevate the perception in consumers minds that rechargeable devices can be dangerous. No doubt the Samsung battery disaster has been bad for the company, and has caused them significant monetary losses. It caused an otherwise potentially category-leading product to be taken off the market. But it also exposed a much bigger problem with modern battery technology and companies pushing the edge in battery chemistry and fast-charging systems. Indeed, many others have had battery problems, even if they have been less visible to the public. Recently a story of an e-cig blowing up in a users mouth was attributed almost certainly to a bad battery. And there have been numerous examples of hover boards catching fire and often causing peripheral damage, including burning down buildings. Other devices, from laptops to iPhones have had battery overheating problems, causing injury or property damage. Lithium-ion batteries in airline cargo and checked bags have been banned for years due to a lost aircraft attributed to battery explosions. And there are many more examples of battery induced incidents. This really is an industry wide problem that exists due to the inherent dangers of chemical reactions in high-tech batteries that sometimes are not operating safely due to design flaws, excessive charging, excessive battery drains, or simply manufacturing defects. Safer battery designs are being researched, but they are still years away. [ To comment on this story, visit Computerworld's Facebook page. ] Back to Samsung and its problem. As only a company of Samsungs size and scale could, it decided to fully investigate the battery failures (and of course to also prevent negative perceptions of its quality from ever happening again). Samsung did extensive research into the failure mechanisms in hardware and software within the Note 7 devices, and also examined the various weak points of battery design and manufacturing. Samsung, in cooperation with internationally recognized testing organizations (i.e., UL, TUV Rhineland), tested 200K devices and 30K batteries from two different manufacturers to get at the root cause of the problem. In both battery models they found design flaws with the internal battery layer insulation that separated the positive and negative electrodes, and in some cases found manufacturing defects from welding the cases shut that caused internal shorts in the battery. This level of rigorous testing led Samsung to create an 8-point battery test for all of their future products. While there may always be some potential faults in any product, this process once fully implemented should go a long way to alleviating future battery problems. Indeed, this is probably a far more exhaustive test than most lithium-ion batteries used in many products undergo. Samsung plans to openly share the test findings and its new battery quality process with the rest of the industry. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and their charging systems have been problematic on many products. But the industry has done relatively little to address these issues. It took a products consumer-level disaster to finally have someone take a long hard look at the core battery chemistry, manufacturing process, charging functions and environmental conditions to discover important failure mechanisms that often go ignored. As a result, Samsung has put in place probably the most extensive battery/system test and QA process ever undertaken by a phone company -- it is certainly more exhaustive than most other consumer devices using rechargeable batteries. And if the rest of the industry adopts the recommendations and learns from this, well all be safer when using our battery powered high-tech devices. What do Google and Microsoft have in common? Well, a lot. But more recently, both companies have gone to court against FBI orders to hand over customer information stored outside the U.S. But the judges in each case have come back with differing decisions. In IT Blogwatch, we'll see you in court. So what is going on? Michelle Meyers has the background: A U.S. judge reportedly ruled...that Google has to comply with an FBI search warrant seeking customer emails stored on a foreign server. ... The FBI warrant...stems from a domestic fraud investigation...U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Rueter in Philadelphia reportedly ruled that transferring emails from a foreign server for FBI agents to review...locally "did not qualify as a seizure" because there was "no meaningful interference" with the account holder's "possessory interest" in the data sought. And where does Microsoft come into this whole thing? Lulu Chang has the details: This marks a sharp departure from a...ruling in a similar case that involved Microsoft...it was determined that [Microsoft] could not be forced to give authorities access to emails stored on a server in...Ireland...wanted in connection with a narcotics case. ... Judge Rueter's...ruling...may not stand, particularly as it goes against the precedent set...in the Microsoft case. That decision was largely applauded by tech companies, privacy groups,...the American Civil Liberties Union and U.S. Chamber of Commerce. But why did the judges rulings diverge? Charlie Osborne explains: The issue at hand for both companies is the Stored Communications Act, which restricts the disclosure of wire and electronic stored information held by Internet Service Providers...While the...judges involved in Microsoft's case ascertained that the act was not designed to apply outside of the U.S., it appears...in Google's case, the judge disagrees. So what is Google's next play here? Carl Velasco is in the know: Google...has intentions to appeal the ruling, releasing a statement that noted the magistrate's departure from the [Microsoft] precedent. ... Court papers stated that Google "sometimes" parses emails into disparate pieces as a way to improve its network performance, meaning the company didn't...know where specific emails might be stored...Google believes it has complied with the warrants it...received by facilitating the handover of data stored in U.S. servers. While we wait for all this to play out, how are people responding to the ruling? Adam is pretty concise: So much for privacy. President Trumps ban on people from certain Muslim countries entering the U.S. is not just a war on the Constitution and on core American values; its also a war on technology. And the technology industry is fighting back. Its a well-worn cliche to say that were a nation of immigrants, but one look at the tech industry shows how true that is. At every level, from top executives on down, immigrants have helped build the tech economy. Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who emigrated from Russia, participated in protests against Trumps Muslim ban, saying, Im here because Im a refugee. Google CEO Sundar Pichai is an immigrant, as is Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Microsoft says that 76 of its employees are from countries under Trumps ban, and the company has come out strongly against it, saying in a statement, We believe the executive order is misguided and a fundamental step backwards. There are more effective ways to protect public safety without creating so much collateral damage to the countrys reputation and values. Google said at least 187 of its employees were affected and released a statement saying, Were concerned about the impact of this order and any proposals that could impose restrictions on Googlers and their families, or that could create barriers to bringing great talent to the U.S. The company went well beyond that and set up a $4 million fund to fight Trumps executive order. The money will go to the ACLU, the Immigrant Resource Center, the International Rescue Committee and Mercy Corps. And after the Muslim ban was announced, the Google doodle on Googles home page was of Fred Korematsu, an American civil rights activist who had battled against the U.S. internment of Japanese during World War II. From Lyft to Facebook to Apple, at Airbnb, Netflix, Intel, Twitter and beyond, the tech industry is nearly unanimous in criticizing the ban. Nearly 100 companies from technology and other industries filed a friends-of-the-court brief in support of a restraining order on Trumps decision to restrict the entry of visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries. Immigration is good for the industry because it helps bring the best and brightest tech talent in the world to the U.S. But in fighting the ban so publicly and vociferously, the industry is going beyond self-interest, because it faces blowback from Trump. Trump has repeatedly gone after companies that disagree with him, with serious consequences. [ To comment on this story, visit Computerworld's Facebook page. ] Its good to see the tech industry fight back against intolerance. As I wrote in my previous column, theres plenty else the industry can do, including refusing to cooperate with any effort to create a database of Muslims in the U.S. More than 3,800 tech professionals have signed a petition toward that end at Neveragain.tech. And Facebook, Apple, Google, Twitter, Uber, IBM and Microsoft said they wont work on it as well. This issue is personal for me. Im Jewish, and my grandparents all emigrated from Poland and Russia. After Trump issued his order, I reread an interview one of my uncles did with my paternal grandfather about how he had desperately crossed borders and continents to get here in the early 1920s, hopscotching from Poland to Germany to Belgium to the Netherlands to Mexico, paying smugglers along the way, before managing to make his way into the U.S. Back then, Europe was in crisis after World War I, awash in refugees looking for safe harbor, just as the Middle East is today. Change my grandfathers religion and the geography he crossed, and youll find that his story is being played out today countless times. Look into your own family history. Theres a good chance youll find similar stories. My grandfather came to a nation that tried to ban him, just as Trumps administration is doing to Muslims. The Immigration Act of 1924 targeted Jews by restricting immigration into the U.S. from countries that had large numbers of Jewish emigrants wanting to come here. It also banned Asians and restricted immigration from Italy and Slavic countries. When I was growing up decades later, however, I thought we had left that kind of racism and religious targeting behind. Clearly, I was wrong. My grandfather made his life here as a baker. But many of his descendants have gravitated toward the STEM fields. Were scientists, tech journalists, engineers, developers and other tech professionals exactly the kind of people who helped build Americas scientific and technology dominance. Many of the people Trump wants to ban are in the STEM fields as well. In Massachusetts, where I live, at least two MIT students, one from Syria and one from Iraq, werent allowed back into the country. An Iranian Ph.D. student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was banned as well. Two professors of engineering at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth were initially banned from re-entering the U.S. because they are Iranian. Eventually, lawyers intervened and they were let in. All this shows that Trumps Muslim ban is an assault on technology as well as the Constitution. Thats one reason the tech industry is fighting back. But another reason is that its the right thing to do. Quicken last month moved to a software-by-subscription model for Canadian customers. Unlike a pilot program that launched in April 2016, the Quicken subscription is not a pure cloud-based service, but relies on software installed locally on a Windows personal computer. The two subscriptions available to Canadian users cost $40 a year (Quicken Cash Manager) and $90 annually (Quicken Home & Business). The core software must be installed on a Windows device, and will, Quicken said, be updated "to make sure you're always on the newest version." More importantly, however, is that the subscription offers one year of what Quicken dubbed "Connected Service," the back end that supports transaction downloads from banks, credit card companies and other financial organizations. Like most vendors offering software subscriptions, Quicken will automatically ding the customer's on-file credit card for renewals. But if customers do not renew their subscription, they will lose more than just access to downloads from their bank. "While you can continue to access your data and run reports, you'll no longer be able to download transactions, or add manual transactions [emphasis added]," a FAQ said in reply to a question about what happens when access to Connected Service ended. The restriction is no different than what other subscription services place on customers. Users who stop paying for Office 365, for instance, can no longer create new or edit existing documents. But the idea that they could not continue to track finances by manually entering transactions fueled push-back from Quicken customers. "If the subscription isn't renewed, manual access and updates to the data need to be allowed, otherwise the company will be perceived to be holding the customer's data hostage," argued Dan Glynhampton in a message posted to a Quicken support forum. "Quicken is supposed to help me manage my finances, not prevent me from managing my finances," added mshiggins on the same thread. When a Quicken representative intervened on the forum to say that the only real difference between a subscription and the older licensed software is "that manual transactions can't be added" when the former expired, users were quick to respond. "If at the point the subscription ends my data essentially becomes frozen in time then that makes the program absolutely useless to me," asserted Peculiar_Investor. Quicken had long used a similar "sunset" policy, as after three years a licensed version of the software would stop downloading transactions from online sources or letting users pay bills electronically. Even then, though, customers could add transactions manually. In another answer to a question in the FAQ, Quicken implied that all versions would be offered solely as subscriptions. "All future Quicken products will be subscription products," the FAQ said. In an email reply to questions, Quicken later clarified that the FAQ applied to Canadian users only. The move to subscriptions is not a surprise. Last year, Quicken CEO Eric Dunn said that the company -- which had just split from its parent firm, Intuit -- was investigating a subscription model for the software. "We're open to that. It could make sense," Dunn said in April 2016. Quicken declined to comment when asked whether it planned to expand the subscription model to U.S. customers, and if so, whether that would be their only option. "While we're not sharing any information on changes to our U.S. offerings at this time, we remain completely focused on delivering the best product possible to all Quicken customers," a spokeswoman said in an email. The 97 tech firms who have joined forces to oppose President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration say they are looking to protect their employees as well as their business interests. "The order makes it more difficult and expensive for U.S. companies to recruit, hire, and retain some of the world's best employees," the court brief reads. "It disrupts ongoing business operations. And it threatens companies' ability to attract talent, business, and investment to the United States." The list of firms who signed onto the friend-of-the-court brief includes Airbnb, Apple, Facebook, GitHub, Google, Intel, Microsoft, Netflix, Twitter and Yelp. The move comes in response to the executive order signed on Jan. 27 that temporarily bars citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, as well as all refugees, from entering the United States. The Trump administration has said the ban is only temporary and was designed to protect the nation from terrorist attacks. It has been placed on hold while lawsuits against it work their way through several courts. The 97 companies contend that it would be bad for business. "Immigrants are among our leading entrepreneurs, politicians, artists, and philanthropists," the companies said. "Immigrants or their children founded more than 200 of the companies on the Fortune 500 list, including Apple, Kraft, Ford, General Electric, AT&T, Google, McDonald's, Boeing, and Disney. ...Collectively, these companies generate annual revenue of $4.2 trillion, and employ millions of Americans." The move echoes protests that have erupted around the world about the ban. On Friday, James L. Robart, a U.S. federal judge who presides in Washington state, halted Trump's immigration ban by granting a temporary restraining order against it. That ruling has been appealed by the Trump administration. After Robart temporarily blocked the travel ban, Trump took to Twitter to complain about the move and to disparage the judge. "The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!," the president tweeted just hours after Robart made his ruling. Industry analysts say the companies could face similar criticism from Trump, but likely feel the need to defend themselves and their employees. "There could also be backlash if they did not participate, especially if a large number of other companies did," said Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research. "I think this was a principled stand, but it is also a sound business move. All the populations these companies deal with are diverse - employees, prospective employees, customers, and partners. The U.S. being, and being seen as, hostile to refugees, immigrants, and people from other countries would impede their businesses." Judith Hurwitz, an analyst with Hurwitz & Associates, said many companies, particularly international businesses, may be feeling the strain of what the immigration ban could mean to them. "One of the consequences is that companies may decide not to locate their companies in the United States because they are afraid that they will not be able to hire the right people they need," she said. "Technology companies often have unique personnel requirements and have to be able to find the right people no matter where they live. These employees need visas and green cards." While Gottheil isn't sure how much effect the brief will have, he did say it could help sway public opinion. Error 500 Oopsour servers taking a break while we frantically figure out what went wrong. We apologize for ruining your day. If you keep running into this error, please let us know. Lord Flight is Chairman of Flight & Partners Recovery Fund, and is a former Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. The Prime Ministers speech on the Governments plans for exiting the EU was, in my view, excellent. It was clear, logical and polite, but firm. Any reasonable person reading the speech could hardly disagree with it, from the key starting points of the UK wishing to take control of our own laws, manage our own immigration system, and to manage our own trade agreements; to the argument that a free trade regime with European markets is of huge self-interest of the EU. With the forthcoming negotiations led for the EU by Michel Barnier it strikes me that, provided our negotiators remain calm and reasonable, we have a good chance of achieving the sort of deal which the Prime Minister has described. He understands the importance of the City of London to the economies of the EU. Last year, 88 per cent of EU capital-raising was done in London. While, correctly, the Prime Minister included reference to the WTO fall back option if the EU plays silly, this was set out in language which was reasonable and not aggressive. Interestingly, I believe the same issue of conducting calm and reasonable negotiations is also going to be fundamental in optimising US/UK relations with President Trump. At the time of his election victory, I made the point that I could see Trump wanting to position himself as President Regans successor, with a close understanding with Theresa May as his Margaret Thatcher. President Trump is also not blind to the fact it was very much Thatcher who made the running in the Reagan/Thatcher relationship. In an entirely different context the big international issue then and now is of managing successfully the relationship with Russia. I see a great deal of advantage for the UK in having as close a relationship with the US as was the case in the Thatcher/Reagan era, particularly towards achieving sensible arrangements for strengthening NATO and our negotiations with the EU. But now that President Trump has opened the door to restoring the special relationship, it will be extremely important that the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, and all involved in the current discussions should make the most of the opportunity and carefully avoid giving any offence. It strikes me that both a sensible deal with the EU and the restoration of close relations with the US are for the asking, provided Britain conducts itself wisely. In this context, Theresa May was the only plausible candidate with the necessary experience, discipline and patience to take over as Prime Minister. My only reservations about the May Government have been a perceived tendency to believe the state can organise things better than the market which we have learnt, over the last 50 to 60 years, is not the case; and the odd throw back to the Edward Heath governments socialist policies. Also, as yet, there has been an absence of passion to dramatically reduce the regulations which clutter up much of our economic activities. Whether lawyers, bankers, fund managers, doctors or other professionals, most of the tedious and time consuming regulations and form filling requirements are about the interests of the professional individuals involved, exonerating their responsibilities and reducing the ability to sue them if they make a mistake. Much of this self-protection is then passed off as regulatory requirements. This practice has come from the US, as a much more litigious place, and needs pruning back in the interests of the consumer. Sir Eric Pickles is CFI Parliamentary Chairman, a former Communites Secretary, and is MP for Brentwood. Theresa Mays recent hectic schedule of meeting world leaders is set to continue today as Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flies in to visit 10 Downing Street. The meeting, the first between the two, comes at an important moment and theres no shortage of issues for the two leaders to discuss. Firstly, the meeting will act as an unofficial reset in Government relations following the controversial UN Resolution 2334 just before Christmas, which was wrongly interpreted by some as a change in the UKs support for Israel. Whats unambiguous is the UKs unmistakable actions since that vote in New York. In the days following the vote, the Government issued an unprecedented rebuke of John Kerry for his comments on the make-up of an allys government, as well as his claim that settlements are the biggest threat to peace. Shortly after, the UK was alone among 73 other countries in its refusal to sign a communique at the conclusion of the Paris Peace Conference. The message from Theresa Mays Government was clear : the UK believes that the only way to secure a lasting two state solution is for the two parties to sit together for direct peace talks, and not through diversionary international fora which would simply harden Palestinian negotiating positions. There will certainly be no shortage of symbolism behind this visit. The democratically-elected leader of the Jewish state visits London in the centenary year of the Balfour Declaration. This historic letter, penned in 1917 by Conservative Foreign Secretary, Arthur James Balfour, was the first official support for the establishment of a Jewish state in the land of Palestine. The Prime Minister has already spoken of the UKs pride in creating a homeland for the Jewish people at the Conservative Friends of Israels Annual Business Lunch last December, and the UKs historic role will undoubtedly form part of the discussions. Beyond this, the visit will highlight the deep bilateral relationship between Britain and Israel. A relationship based on shared values; democracy, equality, and the rule of law. An incredible one-in-six generic prescription drugs provided by the NHS comes from Israel. Not to speak of the wealth of advanced medical equipment and procedures we have acquired from Israel. The British Army has for years used Israeli supplied drone technology, saving untold numbers of British lives on battlefields around the world. The cyber and intelligence relationship is stronger than ever. Just last week the outgoing Director-General of GCHQ, Richard Hannigan, spoke about Britains strong partnership with Israeli Intelligence Services and said the relationship protects people from terrorism not only in the UK and Israel but in many other countries. As Home Secretary, May introduced measures to tackle modern slavery. Israel has enacted similar measures and is a firm international partner dealing with this modern evil. Trade between the UK and Israel is also at a record high, with total bilateral trade amounting to 4 billion in 2015. More than 300 Israeli companies are currently operating in the UK employing thousands of Brits, with an ever-increasing number raising capital on the London Stock Exchange. These record figures are set to jump significantly after Israeli airline El Al signed a landmark 1 billion agreement with Rolls-Royce in 2016. Israel was one of the first countries to grasp that, post-Brexit, the UK will be stepping out into the world, and it would be fitting were the UK to sign its first free trade deal with the Middle Easts only true democracy. The building bricks are there, and Mark Garnier, the International Trade Minister, has already visited to set wheels in motion. Irans nuclear ambitions and support for international terrorism will also feature high on the agenda. In an apparent test of the new Trump administration, the Islamic Republic recently test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. Not only was the test a direct contravention of a UN resolution, but it also further calls into question Tehrans commitment to the nuclear deal. In such an uncertain world, the UK would do well to heed Netanyahus call for a common stand against Iranian aggression and the many risks it poses. This isnt to say that there wont be some frank exchanges. Recent announcements of settlement expansions have elicited criticism from the international community, including the Foreign Office. The Prime Minister has stated her own belief that settlements are counterproductive. While settlements are unhelpful, its important not to lose sight of the broader context. Israel has a long history of evacuating settlements in the interest in peace, and remains committed to this principle despite the painful experience of Hamas exploiting Israels 2005 withdrawal from Gaza to wage terror. The long-agreed framework for peace sees Israel absorbing the largest settlement blocs in exchange for equivalent land swaps; a principle Yasser Arafat realistically ascribed to. It should also be recognised that Israels Supreme Court has recently ordered the evacuation and demolition of the controversial Amona settlement deep in the West Bank. An outpost such as this is distinctly different from those larger towns along the Green Line which will become part of Israel proper in any future peace settlement, and it should be welcomed that the rule of law has been successfully upheld. At a time of violence and unrest throughout the region, Israel has been an invaluable source of stability. Its economy continues to prosper, its people remain resilient and its Government remains committed to securing the ultimate goal of a lasting peace deal with its Palestinian neighbours. Our relationship with Israel makes Brits safer, healthier, and more prosperous. The visit affords an opportunity to look ahead to a golden era in Anglo-Israeli relations. Alexander Hitchcock is senior researcher at Reform whose new report, Work in Progress, is published today. One of the Prime Ministers most immediate Brexit aims is a radical rethinking of the way the UK does business. Calling for a low-tax, highly competitive digital economy recognises that normal service cannot continue if the UK is to shine internationally. A more agile country is also needed to meet the demands and challenges of citizens whose expectations are higher than ever and a leaner, smarter country requires a leaner, smarter state. Public services should be efficient and responsive to peoples needs to meet the cocktail of challenges they face. Fiscal headwinds persist: this year, the Office for Budget Responsibility labelled public services unsustainable in the long run. The deficit is still forecast to be almost 70 billion this year. Productivity in the public sector has flatlined over the last decade and a half. Reforming a flabby state has been the backbone of Conservative thinking for centuries, and in 2010 David Cameron spoke of creating a post-bureaucratic age. Theresa Mays attacks on police red tape as Home Secretary show that creating leaner working patterns is in her DNA. Yet the public sector remains a byword for bureaucracy. There are 137,000 administrators in Whitehall. There is one receptionist for every GP in the country. A total of over 200,000 administrators in the NHS should be a cause for concern for any government. Reform research published today calculates that current technology could replace 250,000 administrator roles in the public sector, saving over 4 billion from the annual wage bill. Chat bots instead of call centres and automatic updates for citizens, for example on their taxes and benefits, would drive this change. In healthcare, artificially intelligent triage apps on smartphones, of the type offered in the private sector, and online booking can replace up to 24,000 receptionist roles making interactions with the NHS quicker and more effective. It is not only administration roles that will be affected. Front-line staff are bogged down by unnecessary paperwork and tasks. The Royal College of Nursing argues that up to 20 per cent of nursing time is spent on non-essential paper work. Up to 30 per cent of a doctors role can be replaced by robots capable of doing anything from administering anaesthesia during simple procedures to reading radiological scans. Not only can this be done more accurately, but it frees doctors to focus on other tasks and the human side of medicine interacting with patients and their families. Paperwork is not the only problem. Experts interviewed for Reforms research pointed to a frozen middle layer of management that stifles innovation across public services. Some Whitehall departments have 14 employee grades one more than the Treasury Select Committee chided HMRC for in 2011, on the basis that they inhibited employees from doing their jobs most effectively. In the police, a senior leader cited in Reforms paper has argued that too many layers of management have enabled officers to fiddle crime figures. Removing excessive management roles will ensure responsibility for work is clear and will empower employees to take ownership of their work. Doing so will also require a more open culture that looks to learn from past mistakes. Burying negative reports should be consigned to political satires. Jeremy Hunt has recognised that blame games in the NHS are no way to resolve the issue of medical error which affects one in ten people entering hospital. The Secretary of State for Healths ambition for the NHS to be the worlds largest learning organisation is exactly the right message. But, as Bernard Jenkin pointed out last week, this requires bodies independent of the NHS to investigate errors and protect whistle blowers. Combining Hunts aim with Jenkins blueprint would set the tone for other areas, like policing and the civil service. Turning the public sectors business model on its head will free public servants to be servants of the public. After all, demands and expectations have changed drastically since Whitehall, the NHS, and the police were founded. People conduct 80 per cent of banking online and expect to interact with government services in a similar way. Crime is also changing: recent statistics reveal that in 2015-16, 5.2 million crimes were fraud and computer misuse almost as many as the 6.2 million traditional crimes, such as burglary. Bobbies on the beat are not going to meet these demands computer algorithms and cyber experts will. New ways of working can radically change the way services are provided to the benefit of citizens and taxpayers. CORNWALL, Ontario Local funeral home Lahaie & Sullivan are always impressed by the generosity and support of the community in Cornwall and SD&G and they have decided on a new way they can pay it forward. The idea sprung from Lahaie & Sullivans recent effort to deliver more personalization to their services. Lahaie & Sullivan consult with families to try and add a personal touch and show the departeds personality at funeral services. This can be as simple as adding Christmas decorations to their hall in honour of someone who loved Christmas, to more complex endeavours such as restoring a beloved tractor and wagon to serve as the carriage for the ride to the internment site. Some of these personalization efforts are undertaken by Lahaie & Sullivan, some are done by the family, but some require outside help. In the case of one young gentleman, his company Cornwall Gravel provided the dump truck he always drove to be on-site for a part of the service at Lahaie & Sullivan. "These things take time and money but they make all the difference for a greiving family," said Lahaie and Sullivans Lori Hollingsworth. "It takes a community to support a family thats greiving," added Laurie Sullivan-Kennedy, Lahaie & Sullivans Family Services Counsellor. To give back to the community and recognize the genorisity of the people in it, Lahaie & Sullivan has started their Pay it Forward program. For the past month, theyve been asking residents to nominate people that they know who are deserving of recognition. These unsung heroes could be the people who drive cancer patients to their appointments, help senior citizens at the store, go the extra mile for the kids in their neighbourhood or many others. Each month Lahaie and Sullivan will pick one of these deserving nominees to receive a gift and recognition in the Seaway News. Nominations can be sent to info@lahaiesullivan.com or can be dropped off at their offices at 614 First Street East or 20 Seventh Street West. ALEXANDRIA, Ontario Community Living Glengarry has announced that they have closed White Swan Linen due to financial reasons. In a press release, Community Living Glengarry said that the decision was made in-line with guidlines issued from the Ministry of Community and Social Services (MCSS). White Swan Linen will wind down between now and March 12. During that time, all participants and those who rely on the program will be slowly transferred over to the Meaningful Days Program. Currently, there are 30 individuals who participate in the White Swan Linen program. Please be assured that the level of service and the same number of hours and days that are currently in place will remain the same, delivered through the Community Living Glengarrys Meaningful Days , reads Community Living Glengarrys press release. The closing of White Swan Linen is also affecting employees of the program. There are 12 labourers who were issues notices of layoff on Jan. 23 and whose last day of work will be March 12. Three Full Time Support Workers will be reassigned to the Meaningful Days program and four Casual Support Workers have been notifed that there will be no-more casual hours available as of March 12. Community Living Glengarry sincerely regrets the necessity of this closure and wishes to effect this transition as seamlessly and supportively as possible for our persons supported ,their families and for our employees, the press release reads. MNF Makes Big Conferencing Buy Share Tweet By Steve Anderson Contributing Writer By Steve AndersonContributing Writer The value of conferencing is hard to understate, especially given how many firms have already put this technology to use to improve internal communications, better collaboration, or even save money on business travel. Some firms have done all of these at once. So we see a regular move toward the improvement of conferencing tools, and that recently came through clearly as MNF purchased Conference Call International (CCI (News - Alert)). MNF, a firm known for its voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) offerings, was slated to pay $17.5 million Australian dollarsabout $13.375 million U.S. as of this writingin cash, with an extra $500,000 Australian to come in another form. CCI, in turn, is expected to provide $3.5 million Australian in earnings. This represents a 17 percent increase over the previous year, reports note, and the company will be contributing further amounts in other ways as well. This isn't the first such move MNF has made in recent days, as back in April 2015, MNF also purchased Spark's international voice business. That was a move that actually required regulatory approval from the United States, reports noted, and gave MNF access to a slate of markets from Europe to Asia to even North America. Then, MNF looked to build a complete voice network in New Zealand with its Symbio (News - Alert) Networks branch, offering such services on a wholesale basis to both over-the-top (OTT) providers and service operators alike. However, it's also worth noting that MNF's subscriber base has been on the decline of late thanks in part to the recently-launched National Broadband Network (News - Alert), so an expansion is warranted. CCI is widely known for its audio conferencing systems, which when added to a VoIP provider's lineup, could represent a great new way for MNF to break into new markets as well as go back to the well of old customers with completely new services. MNF has made no secret of its expansionist ambitions of late, and most every move seen out of the company of late has been in advance of such goals. This is a great strategy to take on, of course; it provides an array of new opportunities for MNF to push into in several directions. That improves the likelihood that one plan or another will actually work, and that means further revenue growth for MNF. Conferencing has delivered plenty of value to its users for years now, and now, we see firsthand just how much value it can mean for its users and providers alike. For MNF, it's allowing the company to augment services, fill gaps in the market, and improve the possibility of realizing new revenue streams. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Article comments powered by Disqus Edited by Alicia Young Close It is a widely known fact that people exposed to dirty air or polluted air are more likely to have increased risk of developing lung cancer. A recent study conducted by scientists from Oregon State University found that people worldwide are at risk of developing lung cancer by four times due to shield-protected air pollutants. The new research reveals that a shield-like protection from tiny particles like aerosol droplets forms around pollutants. These shield-protected pollutants can last longer and can travel farther than what previous climate models predicted. Due to this recent development, scientists are developing a more appropriate model to predict the actual measurements of air pollutants in the world. Among the pollutants caused by the use of fossil fuels, forest fires, and biofuel consumption, is an air polluting chemical called as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAHs. PAHs are recognized by the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) as cancer-causing agents. Past climate change models have difficulty in representing PAHs and fail to correctly stimulate its degradation and actual measurements in the present environment. In order to determine how far the PAHs can travel while shielded by the tiny particles called as organic aerosols, the scientists compared the results of the new prediction model with the actual measurement of PAHs taken from the top of Mount Bachelor in the Central Oregon Cascade Range. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that the predictions based on the new model coincide with the actual measurements taken from the top of Mount Bachelor. Alarmingly, the measurements taken from the top of Mount Bachelor were four times higher than predicted using the old climate change models. The scientists even found evidence that the aerosols came as far as the Pacific Ocean. The scientists explain that organic aerosols are gasses, pollutants, and other molecules that clump around a central core. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons also stick to these organic aerosols and can move freely inside the organic aerosol. The shield-like protection afforded due to the organic aerosol helps the PAHs to travel as far as the ozone layer where the aerosol breaks downs and releases the PAHs back in the air. However, due to the new models, the scientists were able to determine that depending on the conditions, the aerosols can become quite sticky. By trapping the movement of the PAHs and other pollutants due to the sticky aerosol, the pollutants are shielded from degradation and can travel farther than once was predicted. The implications of the findings show that instead of one cancer death out of 100,000 people as outlined by the World Health Organization, with the new model, the deaths dues to cancer increases by four times or two cancer deaths out of 100,000 people. These statistics are over the limit of the current WHO standards. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close People who have near-death experienced have reported having felt moving through a tunnel, seeing bright lights, meeting spiritual beings, seeing their life flash before their eyes, a sense of elevation, and an out-of-body experience. A near-death experience changes the outlook of the person making him or her more generous, compassionate, charitable, and most importantly, have a reduced fear of death. By using virtual reality, researchers from Barcelona are examining how an out-of-body experience can help reduce the fear of dying in people. The idea behind the experiment is to see if people who have an out-of-body experience or consciousness or the person's soul leaving and seeing the body outside of the physical form would influence the person into thinking that survival outside the body is possible and thus reducing the fear of dying. The researchers used an immersive virtual reality wherein they programmed the software to provide the illusion of out-of-body experience to the person wearing the virtual reality headset. Furthermore, real-time motion capture was used to synchronize the movements of the individual with the virtual reality body. Multisensory stimulation was also used to let the person experience an illusion of touch on both their real and virtual bodies. The experiment used a total of 32 female participants group into two. Both groups experienced the immersive illusion of being inside their virtual bodies. Once this was accomplished, the groups experienced floating outside of their body and seeing their body from above the ceiling thus mimicking an out-of-body experience. One group had a continuous multisensory stimulation during their out-of-body experienced while the other group did not. After the virtual reality experience, the participants were asked to answer a questionnaire that included questions regarding fear of death. The details of the experiment, published in PLOS ONE, saw that both groups of participants scored high on questions regarding their out-of-body experience. However, the group that has continuous multisensory stimulation during their out-of-body experience reported a reduced fear of dying. The researchers explain that the reduced fear of dying can be because the participants felt that there is life after death or there is a chance of survival even after death. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close Police are investigating the allegations of Clutha Trust Charity against Eli Stewart, a terminal cancer patient. The charity is claiming that Stewart was just lying about his sickness and was just after the free gifts that he was receiving from the charity and other charities in the area. Eric Stewart allegedly told Clutha Trust Charity in Scotland that he was diagnosed with cancer two years ago, Mirror UK reports. According to the 19-year-old, his condition was discovered after a knee scan and a biopsy. He was discovered to have lung cancer and stomach cancer. Since then, he has taken part in several programs and events that helps in funding for young people like him. Stewart was given a 1,000 guitar by the Clutha Trust Charity. The 19-year-old was also given an all-expense paid trip to Belfast to see the Titanic exhibition by Project Genie. He even arranged a concert for Project Genie at the Ivory Blacks nightclub. Thou, Project Genie insists that they have not received any money from the concert and lost contact with Stewart after the event. The allegations grew during the end of 2016 when Clutha Trust Charity founder Allan Crossan felt suspicious about Stewart, The Sun UK reports. Stewart posted that he was having a discussion with Dr. Fiona Cowie at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. Yet, the doctor denies receiving any email from Stewart when asked by Allan Crossan. A complaint was then brought to the police and detectives have already interviewed Crossan and representatives from Project Genie. Crossan also revealed that since the concert in Clutha a year ago, Stewart also made claims that beside his cancer, he also has epilepsy and was also suffering from seizures. He said that he was so terminally ill that he only had six months to live. Police have confirmed that they have received a complaint against Stewart. Police also came to his house but was unavailable according to his mom. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close A previous treatment that is capable of brutally killing bacteria is found to be successful by researchers through a particular type of antibiotic. This discovery may lead to a new generation of drugs capable of killing the evolutionary deadly bacteria that medicine is facing nowadays. According to Independent UK, amid the growing reports of bacteria being able to resist antibiotics, researchers have finally found a new type of antibiotic that may be able to destroy it. This may lead to a new set of antibiotics that can treat superbugs in the very near future. However, researchers found that this particular antibiotic exerted too much physical force in destroying bacteria. Further tests are being conducted to be able to achieve similar properties that this antibiotic possess to create a "new generation" of drugs that can defeat even the most drug-resistant superbugs. There has been a growing concern in the increasing number of bacteria being able to resist antibiotics. This is the case around the globe and not only within a specific country. The UK is already organizing a meeting together with the United Nations to be able to discuss the problem. The research conducted at the University College London used sensitive equipment to measure the forces that four different antibiotics applied on bacterial cells. One of the antibiotics, vancomycin was included in the experiment. This antibiotic is currently being used as a last resort treatment for MRSA. Another antibiotic involved in the experiment is oritavancin, used to treat complex skin infections as reported by The Sun UK. Oritavancin was observed to be able to kill bacteria within 15 minutes and can rip apart bacteria cells. Similar modifications and experiments will be implemented to find a way to use this development in creating a new generation antibiotic that could tackle multi-drug resistant bacterial infections. At present, drug-resistant infections are being treated as a threat as high as terrorism and climate change. This latest breakthrough will help in formulating ways to improve and fight these infections for a better and brighter future for healthcare across the globe. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close After the recent floods and snow that have terrorized crops and farming lands in Spain and Italy, the United Kingdom has implemented limitations in the number of lettuce customers can buy during a single visit. This, however, introduced the creation of a black market of lettuce in the UK. Daily Caller reports that the current shortage in supply of lettuce in the United Kingdom has led to a lettuce black market. Here, boxes of iceberg lettuce are being sold for $62.49 which is almost 10 times higher compared to its original cost $6.25. The cold winter in Spain and in other southern regions of the EU nation has caused a reduced in crops. This led to several price hikes, particularly for lettuce. Other supermarkets have completely run out of supplies of zucchinis and eggplants. Social media has been a platform being used by consumers nowadays to share their experience about the shortage of lettuce in their area as well as their experience in being able to buy some vegetables but at a higher price, Telegraph UK narrates. Local supermarkets are already considering getting vegetable wholesalers other than the EU regions to provide the needs of their consumers. Some stores will start to import lettuce from the US. This too will bring additional costs. Other supermarkets are still implanting rationing of vegetables with their stocks running low due to the vegetable shortage crisis. This situation has already led to a black market for lettuce. Supermarkets and casual sellers alike are taking advantage of the situation. Some are even using social media as a platform to sell their black market goods at "reasonable" prices. The situation is also highlighting UK's too much reliance to foreign-imports. Experts are now advising supermarkets in buying British-farmed vegetables not only to support British farmers but to be able to avoid future problems like this. The supply of salad and vegetables are expected to return to normal around April this year. Others meanwhile are resorting to serving other salad alternatives like soups and stews, with ingredients readily available in shops. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are closely monitoring the situation. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close Baby milk formula is now a big business in Asia. The United Kingdom goods giant Reckitt Benckiser is betting that it will continue to grow in the next coming years. This is also the reason why they gave in to Mead Johnson's bid of $16.7 billion just for the supply of milk in the region. China's decision to tussle its one-child policy is one of the reasons being implied for the change of demand in the milk industry. This move in ousting the long existing population control policy in the region is also being perceived as a device to tap into consumer-oriented businesses like that of Reckitt and Mead Johnson, as reported by BBC. Due to China's growing concern over their aging population, couples are now allowed to have two children, instead of the usual one. This lead to a rising 7.9 percent increase in the number of newborns in the country, equivalent to 17.86 million on 2015, the highest ever birth rate this century. This means that with two children, consumers will also require twice the number of infant milk, disinfectant wipes, and even dishwashing liquids. An increase in demand for baby clothing and medicines are also expected to rise. Other Asian countries like Indonesia and Vietnam have shown a rapid increase in industrialization. This would open more job opportunities even for nursing mothers, which in the end will be led to decide in replacing breastfeeding with formula feeding. Bellamy also reported as record huge growth and profits in their Australia-made infant milk formula. Revenues went up to 83 percent from $13.6 million to $105.1 million, ABC Australia reports. This growth is also being linked to the recent increase in demand for baby formula and organic food products in Asian markets. With China introducing a new generation of Chinese into their aging demographic and with the aim to boost the sales in commodity based-goods, a growth in the demand for milk formula and other baby related products are expected to rise further in the coming years. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close Nick Seddon, a former government health adviser has joined Optum, a multinational insurance company firm, which is currently involved in the privatization of the NHS. This followed shortly after David Cameron became Executive Vice President of Optum. The Independent UK reports that Nick Seddon was initially David Cameron's Special Adviser for Health before Cameron left his political role last July 2016. Parliament representative Theresa May is firm that the NHS is not for sale and it will never be sold as a response to the growing concerns that the privatization of the organization is part of the post-Brexit trade deal between Britain and the America. Optum has already provided medication management and contract negotiations for 156 NHS organizations and has been treating the NHS as "partners." Nick Seddon's involvement in the move to the private healthcare system is the United States is showing the links between private health care firms and the present U.S. administration's growing disappointment with the state of the NHS. Back in 2011, Nick Seddon who was working for Cameron for the Circle of Health managed to head the move in successfully running an NHS hospital via the private healthcare company. However, the hospital, Hinchingbrooke in Cambridgeshire was handed back to the NHS in 2015 due to "inadequate" reasons as determined by the Care Quality Commission, The Guardian reports. Reports also indicate that instead of private healthcare companies directly partnering with the NHS, some of the US companies are entering the United Kingdom through acquisitions, with the aim of building a relationship with other existing British companies. This lead to the acquisition of the Aspen Healthcare that aims to operates not only private hospitals and clinics in the UK but as well as NHS hospitals. The NHS has always been a goldmine by US tech companies just like how insurance companies see the organization. Several personalities and organizations are expected to fight for their belief against the privatization of the health service or if it will soften up to welcome private health organizations and other organization to consider their welfare. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close A new campaign focused on issues such as depression, stress and suicide is now being launched to take away the stigma of people discussing about it. It is primarily centered on medical students who are surrounded with heavy workloads and tight deadlines. The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that one in four medical students across the globe have experienced depression during the course of their studies. Also, one in nine has suicidal thoughts. The result of the study prompted Kevin McMahon, president of Association of Medical Students Ireland (AMSI) to do something to promote positive mental health. He also wants to remove the stigma of medical students talking about it. AMSI represents 7,000 medical students across the seven medical schools in Ireland. McMahon said that the result of the study is high and unacceptable. Ironically, it means that the medical students are among the highest risk groups for mental illness. Our Med Minds is an initiative by AMSI that runs in universities during the week with workshops and other events. Nick Stefanovic, public relations officer of AMSI, said that the aim of the campaign is to make medical students aware that support is there and that it is okay to talk about mental health. In Our Med Minds website, one of the events happening is a nationwide survey of 7,000 medical students which is aimed at improving the quality of mental wellbeing of medical students. Students are also encouraged to share their mental health story. The stigma of medical students talking about their mental health is that people might think that if a medical practitioner cannot take care of himself, how he can ever take care of someone else. Stefanovic added that they constantly need to put up a professional front like sporting a nice hospital smile even though they are not feeling that way inside. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Close James McAvoy has donated $62,500 (50,000) to a teenager that is battling cancer for treatment in America. The "X-Men" actor visited the Royal Marsden Hospital in London last week and met cancer patient Kelly Turner. The 16-year-old was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, desmoplastic round cell tumors in October 2015. She was given only two years to live. The National Health Service (NHS) and ruled out treatment and told her family they could no longer fund further treatment after nine rounds of chemotherapy. NHS also refused to fund surgery abroad. Kelly's family set up a JustGiving page to raise $1.24 million for her surgery and treatment. This would cover travel costs to America so that she could be treated in New York. Now Kelly and her family are closer to their target after 37-year-old actor, James McAvoy, shared his donation online on Thursday. "Great to meet you the other day, Kelly. I hope this helps you achieve your goal sooner rather than later. Good luck, luv James," the actor wrote along with the donation on Kelly's fundraising page. According to Daily Record, Gift Aid added another $15,600 (12,500) to the donation. Martin Turner, Kelly's father tweeted on Thursday night: "Thank you James McAvoy, you're wonderful." Martin said he was impressed with James' kind approach when he visited his daughter. James came to visit everyone at the Royal Marsden Hospital and spent time with Kelly and other patients. Tumors were found close to Kelly's liver and the hospital was not prepared to carry out any surgery. Martin and his wife Linda sought out a fifth opinion from Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York. The hospital has agreed to do the surgery, immunotherapy and radiotherapy. According to Belfast Telegraph, Kelly's initial surgery at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York will cost $500,000. Plus follow-up immunotherapy and other treatments, the total bill will be around $1.2 million. Her JustGiving page currently has $562,000. James was originally from Glasgow and grew up in Drumchapel. Thanks to his donation, Kelly is now closer to getting the surgery she needs. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare Almost one-half (49.3%) of the worlds population lives in a democracy of some sort, although only 4.5% reside in a full democracy, down from 8.9% in 2015 as a result of the US being demoted from a full democracy to a flawed democracy, the report asserts, adding, Around 2.6bn people, more than one-third of the worlds population, live under authoritarian rule, with a large share being, of course, in China. The US, a standard-bearer of democracy for the world, has become a flawed democracy, as popular confidence in the functioning of public institutions has declined, the report asserts, adding, The score for the US fell to 7.98 from 8.05 in 2015, causing the worlds leading economic superpower to slip below the 8.00 threshold for a full democracy. The report says, In the 2016 Democracy Index five regions, compared with three in 2015, experienced a regression Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Western Europe as signified by a decline in their regional average score. It further says, Eastern Europe recorded by far the biggest decline (from 5.55 to 5.43). Not a single region recorded an improvement in its average score in 2016, adding, Two regions, Asia & Australasia and North America, says the report, stagnated in 2016.Almost one-half (49.3%) of the worlds population lives in a democracy of some sort, although only 4.5% reside in a full democracy, down from 8.9% in 2015 as a result of the US being demoted from a full democracy to a flawed democracy, the report asserts, adding, Around 2.6bn people, more than one-third of the worlds population, live under authoritarian rule, with a large share being, of course, in China.The US, a standard-bearer of democracy for the world, has become a flawed democracy, as popular confidence in the functioning of public institutions has declined, the report asserts, adding, The score for the US fell to 7.98 from 8.05 in 2015, causing the worlds leading economic superpower to slip below the 8.00 threshold for a full democracy. The Economist Intelligence Unit (The EIU), attached with the powerful British conservative weekly The Economist, has assessed India as ranking No 32nd, much better than the four peer countries South Africa (39th), Brazil (51st), Russia (134th), and China (136th) in its report Democracy Index 2016. The EIU report comes despite doubts being expressed worldwide, including in India, about alleged efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to undermine democratic institutions.Not only does the report, which is sub-titled Revenge of the Deplorables, rank India quite high, it insists, India is among the group of countries such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan which are close to being classified as full democracies (from 'flawed democracies') and could make the transition over the coming years, depending on public support for democratic governance, increased voter turnout or stronger confidence in political parties.Significantly, the report, which ranks in all 167 countries, has found that India has improved its overall ranking on a scale of 10 over the years. Indias latest score for 2016 was 7.81, an improvement over 7.74 in 2015, though a slight deterioration from 7.92 in 2014, but it is better than previous years.India scored 7.69 in 2013, 7.52 in 2012, 7.30 in 2011, and 7.28 in 2010. These years happened to be the years of the Congress-led UPA rule, the report suggests. However, it gives no explanation on how the score went up in under the NDA government, led by the BJP.What is particularly interesting is, on a scale of 10, Indias score is one of the best for the category "electoral process and pluralism", 9.58. And, despite concerns of human rights violations over the last three years, in civil liberties, too, the report scores India at 9.12 on a scale of 10, again one of the best.The report appears to suggest, what may be pushing down Indias score is its political culture, in which it scores a poor 5.63 on a scale of 10. It scores 7.50 for functioning of government, and 7.22 for political participation.The report states, In the 2016 Democracy Index the average global score fell to 5.52 from 5.55 in 2015 (on a scale of 0 to 10). Some 72 countries experienced a decline in their total score compared with 2015, almost twice as many as the countries which recorded an improvement (38). In reality, there were huge numbers of colonists who didn't support the American Revolution. After the initial fervor died down, just getting people to enlist proved tough. The patriots had to offer large bounties to get people to sign up for the war, and when that didn't work, most colonies resorted to conscripting men, sending the conflicting message, "Cast off the chains of oppression or we'll throw your ass in jail." On top of Americans being far more divided than the movies would have you believe, even historians forget about the opinions of a huge population, one that the fledgling U.S. government also conveniently overlooked: the slaves. It's easy to see why many American slaves would have been on the side of the British: They didn't like being fucking slaves. And as a slave, that's probably your number one political issue. Gilbert Stuart, Allan Ramsay Number two, surprisingly: "Who would you rather have an ale with?" Continue Reading Below Advertisement Slavery was already outlawed in the United Kingdom and its island territories, which meant that it would likely be on its way out in the Colonies if the British prevailed. In fact, Lord Dunmore, the royal governor of Virginia during the revolution, announced that any slave who joined the British against the rebellion would be granted freedom. "Tyranny" under the British monarchy meant freedom for the slaves. As a result, many slaves fled -- or attempted to flee -- including Harry Washington (three guesses as to who his master was). Henry Washington joined the British army in Lord Dunmore's regiment, who wore uniforms embroidered with "Liberty to Slaves." Unfortunately for Henry and thousands of other slaves on the run, the British surrendered to the colonists fighting for "freedom" -- including the freedom to keep slaves. Many former slaves scrambled to make it aboard retreating British ships. Female slaves who were pregnant were especially incentivized to make it across British lines, because any baby born there would receive a "BB" certificate (which stood for "Born Free Behind British Lines"). 3 Canadians Made A New Currency By Cutting Money In Half A few towns and regions have tried to create local currencies before. The general intent behind it is that because the new currency is only recognized in a small area, it encourages anyone who uses it to support local businesses. It's an almost sensible thing to do, even if it has always struggled with issues like counterfeiting -- most of these homemade currencies can be duplicated with a photocopier. A few locals in Quebec got around this problem by ripping the country's traditional currency in half. Isabelle Larose/Radio-Canada Bless the Canadians, with their love of intensely parochial wackadoo currencies. Continue Reading Below Advertisement The new "currency" is called the demi, and it is worth precisely half the value of the original bill it came from. Half of $20 is worth 10 bucks, and half of a $10 is $5, and so on, which makes a certain amount of sense, even if it seems like just a massive missed opportunity these guys could have used to double their savings. And here's the coolest part: It's not illegal! The Bank of Canada has said as much. They definitely frown upon it, but come on. How bad could that frown be? At least in the short term, the odds of Venezuela continuing to service its mountain of external debt are l ooking slightly better , though long-term prospects remain bleak. State-owned oil company PDVSA may be even worse off . A default or restructuring by one or both borrowers will raise issues that are typically peripheral in a sovereign debt crisis. If Argentina's pari passu saga tested the willingness of courts to approve novel injunctions, Venezuela's debt crisis will test the willingness of courts to disregard the legal fiction that corporations are separate legal "persons." That fiction means that a corporation's shareholders are not liable for corporate debts (or vice versa), unless a creditor can "pierce the corporate veil"--i.e., prove the shareholder abused the corporate form to engage in "fraud or inequitable conduct." Consider at least two ways veil piercing issues might arise. First, Venezuela's economy depends heavily on oil exports managed by PDVSA and its subsidiaries, but assets related to these sales may belong to legally separate entities. PDVSA likely has few US assets, aside from shares in a holding company whose remote subsidiaries include CITGO Petroleum. Although we have limited information about PDVSA's operations, accounts receivable for US oil sales likely belong to a Venezuelan subsidiary. As an initial matter, bond creditors can try to attach these receivables, because the subsidiary has guaranteed PDVSA's bonds. Creditors without such a guarantee, however, cannot attach receivables without piercing the veil between these entities. Moreover, PDVSA's right to exploit Venezuelan oil reserves exists by the government's say-so. If the government were to transfer that right to a new entity, even bond creditors would have to persuade a court to let them pursue claims against the new entity's assets. Veil piercing is one of several theories they might invoke to do this. As a second example, consider whether PDVSA creditors might like to hold Venezuela responsible for PDVSA's debts. Piercing the corporate veil between PDVSA and its government owner could help creditors avoid being bound by the result of a PDVSA bankruptcy. Moreover, while most Venezuelan bonds have CACs, PDVSA's creditors are not bound by these clauses; they could not be compelled to participate in a Venezuelan restructuring either. To be sure, creditors like these would be hard-pressed to find attachable Venezuelan assets. They could, however, disrupt the country's future access to capital and commercial markets by threatening to seize loan proceeds or other assets. For the most part, US courts resolve questions like these by simply borrowing the rules from corporate law. To us, this is odd. For one thing, the usual reasons for limiting a shareholder's liability for corporate debts don't seem very relevant when the shareholder is a foreign government. Among other reasons, because a foreign sovereign is entitled to sovereign immunity, it does not need to rely as heavily on corporate law principles to protect its assets. Moreover, many of the standard justifications for limited liability, such as ensuring liquid markets for corporate shares, have little relevance to entities like PDVSA. Given the significance of oil exports to the Venezuelan economy, and the many entities involved in these trades, the Venezuelan debt crisis may require courts to think more deeply about veil piercing questions. (This article describes some of the basic facts.) One intriguing question is whether PDVSA's bond creditors can pierce the corporate veil separating PDVSA from Venezuela given the extensive disclosures in PDVSA's offering documents about the relationship between the company and its sole shareholder. Those disclosures make clear the country controls PDVSA, requires it to provide gas at subsidized domestic prices and to contribute to a variety of social funds, and in other respects uses PDVSA as a government cash machine. In the ordinary corporate context, a creditor might seize on facts like these to try to pierce the corporate veil. In the context of a state-owned entity, it isn't clear to us that such facts should matter at all, and that seems especially true when the facts are disclosed in advance to voluntary corporate creditors. But we will see. To return to the example of Argentina: courts have sometimes gone to great lengths to make foreign sovereigns come to terms with their remaining creditors. Last week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a new warning to employers, urging them to stay alert as reports of compromised W-2 records started to climb. This newest advisory aligns with the agency's plan to delay refunds for those filing their returns early in order to combat identity theft and fraud. The IRS also informed employers the W-2 scam has moved beyond corporations, expanding to include schools, tribal organizations, and nonprofits. In a statement, IRS Commissioner, John Koskinen, said the scams - sometimes known as Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks - are some of the most dangerous email scams the agency has seen in a long time. "It can result in the large-scale theft of sensitive data that criminals can use to commit various crimes, including filing fraudulent tax returns. We need everyones help to turn the tide against this scheme," Koskinen said. In 2016, at least 145 organizations fell victim to BEC scams, exposing tens of thousands of employees to tax fraud and identity theft. Salted Hash kept track of some of the high-profile cases, and Databreaches.net tracked everything, resulting in a massive list of documented successful attacks. As of February 5, 23 organizations have disclosed BEC-related data breaches publicly, each one resulting in compromised W-2 data. Based on data provided by the victims, as well as data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and employment figures at Glassdoor, the successful BEC attacks have affected at least 29,534 taxpayers. The confirmed BEC victims include ten school systems, a software development firm, a utility company in Pennsylvania, at least one restaurant in Indianapolis, and businesses operating within the healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and energy sectors. Update: Earlier today (February 6), Salted Hash learned of another BEC victim. Distribution International emailed employees that their W-2 data was compromised on January 27. Their notification expands the number of affected taxpayers to more than 30,000. 2/7/2017: Sky Climber, LLC. emailed employees about an attack on January 23. The scammers spoofed an email and pretended to be one of the company's owners. W-2 records for all companies and all employees were compromised. The total number of people impacted is unknown. Salted Hash reached out to Sky Climber's CFO, Jeff Caswell, for more information. Also, the College of Southern Idaho has reported an incident that could impact 3,000 employees. According to Public Information Officer Doug Maughan, the W-2 records affected belong to seasonal and auxiliary staff. Palomar College disclosed an attack on January 30, which affected employee W-2 records. The school didn't say the incident was the result of a BEC attack, but Salted Hash is listing it anyway due to the timing of the attack and the information targeted. Finally today, the West Michigan Whitecaps - a Class A minor league baseball team affiliated with the Detroit Tigers - said staff W-2 records were compromised after someone posing as a manager requested them. In 2016, the criminals behind the BEC attacks mostly focused on payroll and tax records. This year though, the IRS says that in addition to the usual records request, the scammers are now following-up and requesting wire transfers. "Although not tax related, the wire transfer scam is being coupled with the W-2 scam email, and some companies have lost both employees W-2s and thousands of dollars due to wire transfers," the IRS explained in their warning. "Employers should consider creating an internal policy, if one is lacking, on the distribution of employee W-2 information and conducting wire transfers." Background: What are BEC attacks? BEC attacks are essentially Phishing scams, or Spear Phishing since the criminals have a specific target. They're effective too, exploiting the trust relationships that exist within the corporate environment. In a majority of the reported cases from 2016, the attackers forged an email and pretended to be the victim organization's top executive, or someone with direct authority. Often it is the CEO or CFO, but any high-level manager will work. The message, usually sent to someone in Human Resources or payroll, isn't subtle the attackers clearly identify the type of data they're after. The three examples below have been seen recently, but they're similar to the messages criminals sent last year. Kindly send me the individual 2016 W-2 (PDF) and earnings summary of all W-2 of our company staff for a quick review. Can you send me the updated list of employees with full details (Name, Social Security Number, Date of Birth, Home Address, Salary). I want you to send me the list of W-2 copy of employees wage and tax statement for 2016, I need them in PDF file type, you can send it as an attachment. Kindly prepare the lists and email them to me asap. The messages change between attacks, but the examples provided by the IRS offer a clear teaching tool do any of those requests "sound" like your CEO, or CFO? Would someone working in administration request those records using this wording? Context is key. These examples sound wrong when you read them out loud. But strange wording or not - clearly they're working. It's worth noting, some criminals have used customized email templates and compromised company accounts to pull off similar scams. The attacker words their message to match the style of the person who is supposed to be making the request. In those situations, a passive read might not be enough to determine if the request is a scam. BEC isn't a tech problem BEC attacks can't be fixed with a single tool or security product. Successful attacks are the result of humans being human and poor data control policies. Again, the criminals behind these attacks are looking to take advantage of a typical workflow where protected information is normally shared via email, especially with executives. In their eyes, it's purely a numbers game one that's paying off in the long run. Salted Hash and Databreaches.net will keep track of BEC attacks this tax season, updating as often as possible once the details become public. The list being maintained by Dissent at Databreaches.net is available now. Dealing with the aftermath of a BEC attack If you've been impacted by a W-2 scam, follow the advice published by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as well as the advice published by the IRS. In addition, anyone who has had their Social Security Number compromised in a data breach, or has had their e-file return rejected as a duplicate, needs to submit a Form 14039 - Identity Theft Affidavit. This form is also required if someone has been contacted by the IRS via USPS, and informed they may be a victim of identity theft tax fraud. Want to add your rant about this scam? Head to Facebook. / Tyler Sizemore DANBURY - College students without legal immigration status from the city and their allies from across Connecticut plan a show of support Tuesday in Hartford during a hearing for two bills to grant financial aid to immigrant students regardless of their immigration status, according to a release. In Connecticut, public colleges and universities set aside a proportion of tuition revenue to be used as institutional aid to assist students with financial need, reads a statement by Connecticut Students for a Dream, a youth-led group co-founded by two sisters from Danbury. However, immigrant students who have grown up in Connecticut and have graduated high school in Connecticut are not eligible for this student-generated aid even though they contribute to these funds through their tuition. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT What do we want? bellowed Alberto Bernardez. Sanctuary city, responded the crowd in City Hall Monday night. When do we want it? Bernardez followed. Now, chanted the crowd. There was no instant gratification for the 100-plus people demanding Mayor Joe Ganim and the City Council, all Democrats, alter the nights agenda to openly defy Republican President Donald Trumps crackdown on undocumented immigrants. Instead the council, without debate, sent a resolution designating Bridgeport a so-called sanctuary that would not bend over backward for federal immigration authorities, to a subcommittee for discussion. Anticlimactic. But it was a first step. And it came despite behind-the-scenes efforts by Ganim and his staff to lobby council members to abandon the sanctuary city bid. Ganims reasoning? Trump signed an executive order to strip federal funds from sanctuary municipalities. Critics say the order is illegal. But the mayor, who believes he has an in with Trump because the Manhattan developer sought to build a casino in the city in the 1990s, would rather make nice with the White House. You want me to adjourn the meeting? an irritated Ganim, eager to get through an agenda of otherwise uncontroversial items and go home, told the crowd. Councilman Jose Casco, who is helping to spearhead the sanctuary-city effort, at one point tried to elaborate on his support. Ganim told him, Im not going to take comments and discussions. Is there a motion to adjourn? There was, and Ganim was gone. Afterward, Councilwoman Kathryn Bukovsky, a supporter of the sanctuary proposal, said the council owed it to residents to further research and discuss the controversial matter in committee. A draft of the sanctuary ordinance obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media would, among other things, prevent police and other city employees from acting as immigration agents, stopping, arresting or detaining people based on perceived or actual immigration status or belief the person has committed an immigration offense. Ganim has said local police are not federal agents. Casco wants the sanctuary designation to ensure it. Last week, Hearst interviewed 10 council members, Casco and Bukovsky included, who said they would back the sanctuary designation. That is half of the legislative body. Veteran Councilman Richard Holloway said in an interview Monday, Im not going to put the city of Bridgeport in jeopardy (for losing federal aid). Trump has the trump card. Other council members said privately they and the mayor want to support undocumented immigrants, but without a public act of defiance making Bridgeport a target. Still others said their constituents are against it. Ganim, who runs council meetings, can break a tie or issue a veto requiring a super-majority vote to overturn. From Mondays turnout it was clear sanctuary city supporters will not make it easy for the mayor and council to say no. The rally, organized by Make the Road Connecticut and other groups, began outside City Hall before the council convened. Participants were from Pakistan, Brazil, Mexico and Guatemala, among other countries. I came here because I wanted to get a good life for my children, to get them a good education, said Maria Lima, who arrived in Bridgeport 10 years ago from Brazil and works as a domestic. But there is a lot of fear now. I am here to say this is my home, and I intend to stay. Bernardez, of the Service Employees International Union, said the work immigrants do is essential for the economy, but President Trump only recognizes us so he can bully us. Trump has said a crackdown helps security and public safety. As the council convened, the mayor and members, as is custom, recited the Pledge of Allegiance. With liberty and justice for all, they said. For all! loudly repeated a woman in the audience, to cheers. Much of the time, we overlook the origins of some of our favorite companies and brands. And with all of the confusion caused by President Donald Trumps recent immigration ban, people may not realize how much of the items they own or services they use can be credited to foreign-born entrepreneurs. Related: Here's How to Fix the H-1B Visa Program to Drive Startup Growth More than 40 percent of companies on the U.S. Fortune 500 list were launched by immigrants or children of immigrants. No one can deny the success and impact of ecommerce website eBay -- a credit to the ingenuity of its French founder Pierre Morad Omidyar. And howd you find this article? Chances are through a Google search, whose co-founder Sergey Brin was born in Russia. Intel, AT&T, Tesla, Yahoo!, Pfizer, Huffington Post -- check out Free Enterprises infographic below to check out more companies launched by foreigners. Related: How Reviews Influence Women's Shopping Decisions (Infographic) The Immigrant Entrepreneurs Behind Major American Companies (Infographic) 12 Things You Should Never Say at Work (Infographic) Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved No money. No mandates. That should be the message every Connecticut municipality sends this year to Governor Malloy and to our state legislators. Connecticut municipalities are fed up with being told by the state how to manage our operations. We are fed up with being constantly told what is best for our communities. We are fed up with being forced to bear the entire cost, or at best, the biggest share of the cost of programs that are never means tested. We are fed up with being dictated to by a group of people that hasnt produced a balance budget in many years. As a former mayor, Governor Malloy should be well aware of this. Instead of continuing to pass the burden of Connecticuts budget disaster down to the municipalities, he should be working collaboratively with towns and cities to provide real long-term solutions. The impact of this stuff it down their throats/ Big Brother brother knows best unfunded mandate legislation has and continues to put Connecticuts larger cities on the brink of financial collapse and forced other communities to raise local property taxes. The governors latest experiment with the Education Cost Sharing Grants would cut back on state money to municipalities except major cities in a futile attempt to salvage these ill thought out mandates. Everyone, including the governor, knows Connecticut is in serious financial crisis and the revenue side of the budget is not going to solve the problems without major private investment, which has been discouraged instead of encouraged by Connecticut. Yet, the governor and the Democrat-controlled legislature refuse to address non-essential mandated spending issues. Instead, they continue to heap unnecessary added costs onto our municipalities, continue to give away that which we cannot afford and place more financial burden upon municipalities. One classic example of this is the Prevailing Wage law. It forces municipalities to pay higher wages for construction jobs that could otherwise cost less using the bidding process that has worked for decades. This is just a plain waste of everyones hard-earned money. The governor and the state legislature have got to remove this and other politically motivated special interest laws. These laws cause unnecessary spending at all levels of government which none of us can afford. Its time for municipal CEOs to take a stand on behalf of Connecticuts citizens. Hartford has failed us and has consistently demonstrated an inability to revise this negative trend that is pushing people of all socioeconomic backgrounds out of our great state. Mark A. Lauretti The writer is mayor of the city of Shelton. Still Standing: Four the Moments legacy honoured at Nova Scotia Music Week When a quartet of Halifax women began singing together a cappella in the name of social justice in 1982, there was little in the way of a music industry at play in Atlantic Canada. And even if there had been, its likely that Four the Moment would ... 05 Subat 2017 Pazar, 20:39 Released Mardin Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor, Ahmet Turk, has said, I hope that our friends from Cumhuriyet newspaper will also be free in the very near future. I hope that everybody in Turkey who is still in prison deprived of their freedom in an unjust and unlawful manner will also be free. Ahmet Turk, who was removed from his post by the interior ministry on 17 November, arrested on 21 November and remanded in custody on 24 November, has walked free after 72 days thanks to an application made by his lawyers to Mardin Penal Bench of the Peace. The court imposed a ban on foreign travel and bail conditions on Ahmet Turk. This means that Ahmet Turk will report to sign at a police station three times per week. Ahmet Turk, having been released from Elazg Prison the evening before last and arrived at his home in Mardin at midnight, has spoken to Cumhuriyet. I will defend the parliamentary system Turk, assessing the constitutional change that is to be taken to referendum, said, I have served as a member of parliament for six terms. I have defended the democratic parliamentary system for my entire political life, and I will continue to do so hereafter. I believe that the problems in Turkey will be solved under the democratic parliamentary system. The whole issue over the referendum is actually people going to the ballot box, heading to vote, of their free will. All my concerns stem from this. There is of course no need to ask about the colour of my vote regarding the referendum. I have been in politics for years and I have a political stance and beliefs. I hold the same thoughts today and I will act in keeping with my political thoughts. We exchanged greetings Turk, indicating that at the time he was held in Silivri Prison he communicated and shared greetings with our papers columnists, cartoonist and managers including General Publishing Director Murat Sabuncu and our papers Executive Board Chair Akn Atalay, Attorney-at-Law, said, I hope that our friends from Cumhuriyet newspaper will also be free in the very near future. I hope that everybody in Turkey who is still in prison deprived of their freedom in an unjust and unlawful manner will also be free. Restrictions are in place Turk, noting that he is in good health, commented, There was a lot of public discussion about my health problems. There are a few difficulties and problems just now, but I am in pretty good shape. Turk, stating no ill treatment was directed at him in prison, had the following to say about the photographs taken when he was being led to hospital in Elazg that provoked a lot of public discussion: There was no ill treatment directed at me personally in prison. But certain restrictions are in place. Particularly when I was in Silivri, I observed restrictions being applied to the friends at Cumhuriyet newspaper. Restrictions are also in place on our HDP MP friends. They were being held in solitary confinement. I was held together with another person in view of the health problems I experience, but they were in solitary confinement. In Elazg, actually, in all honesty, they acted politely while bringing me to and back from hospital. Of course, there was snow on the ground when they were leading me off to go to hospital and they took me by the arms so that I wouldnt slip and fall. But, in general, they treated me well. Visit from the HDP HDP Parliamentary Group Vice Chair and Diyarbakr MP Idris Baluken, who was released from Kandra Prison six days ago, DBP Co-chair Kamuran Yuksek, Central Executive Board members and a group of HDP MPs came to Mardin yesterday and will visit Ahmet Turk at his home. Following the visit, Turk, Baluken and Yuksek will make a joint press statement. 05 Subat 2017 Pazar, 20:42 You have not misunderstood. I want to address you precisely as in the heading. I am indeed saddened. We spent 92 days in prison. There was nothing more to it. This was the full extent of our story that was on everybodys lips. After we got out of jail, we did not mention these 92 days much. If anybody asked, we would say emphatically that the 92 days lasted years. And, on top of this, our mate Akn gave us a rough idea of how our time in prison would play out. On top of this, he told us as of his first visit to us in prison how long we might be incarcerated. Our mate Akn said, Youll do three, actually. He reckoned that our time inside would be around three months. Bulent Utku and Mustafa Kemal also looked at things, unlike us, through lawyers eyes, and backed him up with the view that at the most we could serve three to five months. On the one hand, they gave us the message, Grit your teeth. Theres not long to go, but, on the other, hinted, You will not get a such a lengthy term that you can make a song and dance about it. Youll be inside for a season at most. Thats all youll have to your name. They turned out to be right. It is actually me who is counting the days since that actual syndrome on the Monday on which you were taken away, making us regret the unfair treatment we have meted out to other Mondays. The first, second, third, fourth day ... One week. One month. Then forty-five days. Fifty days ... I have lost my lead There was still no problem. But, with the passage of a further second month, I was gripped with alarm. I cannot even say that I did not consult a faith healer on the side. It will not have escaped your attention, but I confess that, approaching the third month, I deducted the five days in police custody when calculating your time on remand. I mean, I now started the chronometer just from the time you were put in jail. All my airs and graces have come to nought. As I pen these lines you are reading, my state of mind is that of a vanquished man in the face of your superior 92 days in jail. You will now be able to say to us, You didnt do it - it has been 92 days in jail. I do not know if you have noticed, but until now I have not made any mention of Ahmet. On purpose, of course. The tally at the top of our paper every day shows 91 days for you and 35 days for Ahmet. If this were Ahmets 35th day, I would swell with pride and compare my time inside with his. But, forget 35 days, Ahmet had a whole 375 days in jail to his credit, so our score is hardly worth mentioning. Maybe sooner than tomorrow At that time, maybe we had ways of reducing those 92 days by half. My brother Murat, for example, reduced half of that half period on his own. How? At that time, we nominated three people as visiting friends on entering the jail. Murat was one of our three friends and he came every week and, with him saying with very serious and convincing nods and winks and tone of voice, Youre getting out. Its over. Maybe tomorrow or sooner than tomorrow, he had us sitting in the cell for half the week with our belongings packed up. Kadris relations with the world, not purely the International Press Institute, in which he told them about us saw to it that the 92 days flew by with ease like a month. If all of you and especially Kadri are thinking, The guys only served 92 days. It really caught the worlds attention. I suppose there isnt the same attention to us, you would be wrong. It exists but there are few places to report it. You know that even if there is a murder, television stations can no longer make Breaking News. Just because they cannot, are we to say that there are no more Breaking News events in this country? Dont get a lead on me This breaking news ban is important. Our mate Guray should really explain to you there what it means and its consequences, but, because he is the papers ombudsman, I imagine he does not have much time for developments in television. But, I imagine Musa Kart will explain this ban in drawings if he can get paper from the canteen, otherwise on newspapers. I am sure that Hakan Kara will have something to say about this. As to our mate Onder, he will puff away on his cigarette, as I do not imagine he will have given up yet, but make a few incisive comments and, when he gets out, I want to hear them from him. Meanwhile, as to any book projects that may be on our mate Turhans mind, I also want to part of them even if I have only clocked up 92 days. My last word is to those who are detaining you. Let them release you at once so that you dont have the pleasure of stealing a lead on me. Eternal greetings. Discredited: Phil Shiner was struck off last week but The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, of which he was vice-president, announced its 'solidarity' with him in 2015 Not everyone is relieved at the discrediting of Phil Shiner, the lawyer struck off last week after the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal found against him on 22 charges, including dishonesty, lack of integrity and paying illicit sweeteners. This comprehensive catalogue of professional misconduct was Shiners modus operandi while pursuing thousands of completely false allegations of murder and torture against British troops in Iraq. It is an enormous relief to our soldiers that this campaign of lies, supported by taxpayer-funded payments to corrupt middlemen, has been revealed for the scam it was and its chief perpetrator disgraced and debarred. Yet, as I say, there are some institutions which are not so pleased with this outcome. One such is The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers. In 2015, it announced Solidarity with Phil Shiner and complained to the Law Society about what it described as the attacks by Right-wing media . . . on our vice-president, Phil Shiner. Grotesque The fact that Shiner described himself as a committed socialist might actually be connected to his appalling breaches of professional ethics. As another lawyer, who knows him, told me some months ago: Phil feels that he is on the side of the oppressed, and that this justifies almost anything. This idea of the ends justifying the means lies behind some of the greatest crimes in history, carried out by regimes which went under the banner of socialism. I am not remotely comparing Shiners actions with those of Stalin. But its worth examining the Society of Socialist Lawyers website to see where it fits in with history. Its masthead, red with a star, is the traditional logo of communism. And it proudly proclaims how during the Stalinist period, it split over the Labour Partys decision to discipline party members who then supported the mass-murdering Soviet regime. The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers broke with Labour, and threw in its lot with the Stalinists. These included such lawyers as Denis Pritt, who endorsed the grotesque Soviet show-trials of the Thirties and (partly as a mark of gratitude for this British lawyers defence of its judicial methods) received the International Stalin Peace Prize in 1954. Until quite recently, the society held an annual Pritt memorial lecture. It is in this context that we can more clearly understand Phil Shiners campaign to destroy the reputation of the British Army, its officers and men (or, as the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal described it, deliberate lies, reckless speculations and ingrained hostility towards the UK). Shiner was hardly alone in regarding the invasion of Iraq as an act of imperialistic aggression by the capitalist West. But it was in allowing his political views and campaigning to corrupt his legal practice that Shiner crossed the barrier from legitimate protest into malign malpractice. It was also highly profitable for his (now defunct) firm, Public Interest Lawyers. That firm and another, Leigh Day which denies wrongdoing and is contesting disciplinary charges divvied up 3.2 million between them over fees for Iraq claims, all paid for by the British taxpayer. The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers broke with Labour, and threw in its lot with the Stalinists. One lawyer, Denis Pritt, endorsed the grotesque Soviet show-trials of the Thirties and until recently there was a lecture named in his honour Naturally, being a committed socialist is no barrier to charging the public extortionately for ones legal services. Take the current president of the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, Michael Mansfield QC. Mansfield whom I last saw in a courtroom advocating the billionaire Mohamed Fayeds foul attempt to prove that the Duke of Edinburgh was behind the death of Diana, Princess of Wales was one of a group of lawyers whose charges in cases funded by legal aid were denounced by a senior Law Lord in 1998 as quite astonishing fees. The money is not really the point, though: it might be darkly amusing if some of the greediest lawyers are also socialists, but I doubt financial reward was Shiners motivation in his deceitfully managed campaign to ruin the reputation of British soldiers. He enjoyed the acclaim it brought him from newspapers such as the Guardian, and the awards from like-minded lawyers: he was named solicitor of the year by the Law Society in 2007. And in 2014, even as some of the evidence about Shiners methods began to emerge, the Law Society Gazette wrote a leading article entitled In Defence of Phil Shiner. In other words, Shiner had become a hero to a certain sort of highly politicised lawyer and this doubtless encouraged him to further acts of rashness. Yet such an attitude runs completely counter to everything we should want in our legal profession. Current president Michael Mansfield QC was one of a group of lawyers whose charges in legal aid funded cases were denounced by a senior Law Lord in 1998 as 'quite astonishing' The glory of the legal system is, or should be, that it is above politics, completely blind to issues of Left and Right. But the Left sometimes finds this insupportable. This is partly a residue of the Marxist belief that the British legal system is nothing more than the bewigged guardians of the interests of the ruling classes. This, in turn, can be used to justify the perversion of our court system, on the grounds that a higher good that of the allegedly oppressed is being served. Once again, this is the pernicious doctrine of the ends justifying the means. Obviously, it is quite possible for those on the Right to have a similar approach: Fascists in the Thirties had exactly this attitude. Yet what tends to characterise the far-Left, even today, is the belief that they stand for virtue and that their political enemies are not merely wrong, but actually wicked. Attack Once you feel your opponents are inherently and irredeemably evil, then you can justify as Shiner did almost any dishonesty in the cause. It is a form of supervening self-righteousness, which absolves the sufferer from that most important moral guidance, the exercise of conscience. George Orwell understood this better than almost anyone as he set out in an article in 1940 about the Lefts attack on the ethos of the British Army then fighting against the Germans in the deserts of North Africa: It is all very well to be advanced and enlightened, to snigger at Colonel Blimp . . . but the time comes when the sand of the desert is sodden red and what have I done for thee, England, my England? Orwell, who was far from an uncritical supporter of British military attitudes, concluded: Even at its stupidest and most sentimental, it is a comelier thing than the shallow self-righteousness of the Left-wing intelligentsia. Similarly, the British Army did do some bad things in the Iraq campaign: but I would back the moral judgment of the average squaddie before that of the self-righteous socialist Phil Shiner, on any day of the week. Diane's own party hates her most Diane Abbott is despised by both her political opponents and her own colleagues in the Labour party Its not necessarily a bad thing to be despised by your political opponents: it might suggest you are doing a good job. But being hated by your colleagues is a more objective measure of loathsomeness. That sums up the Shadow Home Secretary, Diane Abbott (right). Her decision to dodge an awkward parliamentary vote on triggering Brexit, on the grounds that she had a headache, is just the latest reason for their contempt. They point out that at least one very seriously-ill Labour MP had travelled hundreds of miles to make the effort. Not only that, but Abbott, whose constituency is in London, had been well enough to speak at a public meeting less than two hours earlier. One reason for the immediate popularity of the novice Labour MP Jess Phillips is that she told Abbott, Who the f*** do you think you are? in a room full of parliamentary colleagues. Phillips remarked afterwards: People said to me that they had always wanted to say that to her: and I dont know why they dont, as the opportunity presents itself every other minute. To this I can only add that when I asked a BBC staffer on Desert Island Discs who was the most unpleasant guest theyd ever had on the programme, the answer was immediate: Diane Abbott. How much can it cost to hire (and fire) a cannon containing the ashes of Hunter S. Thompson? If you are Johnny Depp, 2.4 million. We know this, because of a lawsuit the actor has brought against his former business manager, The Management Group, claiming it had defrauded him of 20 million. The firm counter-sued, and listed what it described as Depps extravagances, which included spending 238,600 a month on a staff of 40 to cater to his every whim. Thats where some of the trouble might lie, I suspect. How much can it cost to hire (and fire) a cannon containing the ashes of Hunter S. Thompson? If you are Johnny Depp (pictured last month), 2.4 million Who knows what secret commissions such retainers negotiated from suppliers whose outrageous charges would otherwise never have been agreed to on Depps behalf? Thats how you end up paying 2.4 million to hire a cannon for the day. No longer welcome: Peter Stringfellow will be conspicuously absent at tonight's Ball A man too easily seduced by shallow and louche people, it was predictable that David Cameron turned the Conservative Partys annual fundraising gala dinner into a vulgar bacchanal of tax-avoiders, porn barons, rogueish foreign oligarchs and hedge-fund financiers. Now, in keeping with the new leaderships more honourable principles, Theresa May (a vicars daughter) and party chairman Sir Patrick McLoughlin (a former coal miner) have ordered that tonights event must be a much more dignified affair. In place of the Cameroon chums, there will be more party stalwarts, such as financier Sir Michael Hintze, a Christian whose charitable foundation has given over 40million to good causes. And former party treasurer Lord Marland, absent from the past few years, will be on the same table as Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. Marland, chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, is leading moves to promote new post-Brexit trade deals with Britains long- time allies. Every Cabinet minister is expected to be at the event in Londons Battersea Park. The dress code is cocktail. In another break with the Cameron era, party activists have been encouraged to attend the bash, with cut-price tickets at 75. Also, auction prizes are less glitzy. One conspicuous absentee symbolic of the new order will be Peter Stringfellow, owner of the eponymous nightclub. Joke of the week: Labours Lord Beecham, on hearing that Donald Trump has a blind trust for his complex financial interests so he is not compromised when making decisions as President, quipped: What are the odds for the trust also being deaf? While on walkabout in his Devon constituency, Tory MP Oliver Colvile was startled when a gull dive-bombed a colleague. The bird decided it was going to have his fish and chip supper, he says. Gull attacks are a big concern in seaside towns and Colvile is staging a Commons debate on the subject this week. After a spate of resignations over Article 50 and Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn has been forced into his fourth Shadow Cabinet reshuffle in 17 months. Yet he never completed the last one as there is still no Shadow Minister for Immigration. Hardly surprising since Labours policy on immigration is as full of holes as Britains borders. The Lib Dems Europhile former Scottish Secretary, Alistair Carmichael, rebuked Labour MPs for not voting against the Bill last week to trigger Article 50 for the UK to leave the EU. But I didnt hear him lecture the two Lib Dem MPs who did the same. Westminster Abbey is hosting a series of lectures on Integrity and Public Service with several eminent clerics due to speak. One session will be chaired by former Labour Home Secretary Jack Straw. Something of a bizarre choice, considering that his political career ended in ignominy in 2015 when Channel 4s Dispatches programme named him as a politician for hire after filming him offering his political connections to earn money from commercial companies. Sir Bernard Ingham joked about Trump and May holding hands: 'Wait for the first kiss' Mrs Thatchers irrepressible Press Secretary, Sir Bernard Ingham, 84, was unmoved by Theresa May holding hands with Donald Trump in the White House. Recalling his one-time bosss very tactile relationship with Ronald Reagan, he says: Wait for the first kiss. Meanwhile, one of the first to jump on the bandwagon to denounce President Trumps ban on people from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering America was London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Yet the first elected Muslim mayor in a western Europe capital seemed happy last week to host dignitaries from 11 countries (including Iran, Iraq and Kuwait) which refuse entry to Israelis. Paris, Champagne, passion, oh, and that accent - mais oui, the French know their stuff when it comes to love. The intimacy of the City of Light, with its winding streets, the twinkling Seine and the long, intimate dinners, you'd have a task on your hands not to say J'adore amour in the country that created romance. But when you're stuck in Blighty and need to add a certain je ne sais quoi to your life (British blokes pay attention), it's time to look to our cosmopolitan neighbours for inspiration. From food to fine wine, here's how you can proclaim your love French-style, without crossing the Channel! Paris, Champagne, passion, oh, and that accent - mais oui, the French know their stuff when it comes to love Indulge with elegance The French don't shy away from the odd indulgence, and are the experts on dining with decadence. So, ditch the idea of calorie-counting and poring over the label and just enjoy your food, wine and life - while not going overboard on the portion front. Try a perfectly proportioned Mini Dauphinoise Gratins (1.99 for 4, Lidl) or an irresistible slice of Salmon Quiche (1.99, Lidl). Get dynamic with dating When it comes to romance, us Brits start off all guns blazing before settling into a routine of box sets and pizza. Tomato sauce-splattered tracksuits never made anyone's list of desirable attributions we're afraid. Even couples who have been married for decades are expected to enjoy regular romantic rendezvous in France, so follow their lead. Surprise your partner when they walk in the door with a bouquet of roses like Lidl's Luxury Rose Bouquet (25). Love needs no special occasion! When it comes to romance, us Brits start off all guns blazing before settling into a routine of box sets and pizza while even established French couples are expected to have date nights Follow their lead and surprise your partner when they walk in the door with a bouquet of roses like Lidl 's Luxury Rose Bouquet (25). Love needs no special occasion! Cheers to a drop of the good stuff! The French make no apologies for enjoying a glass of wine or deux with their meals. With the wine industry dating back to Roman times, it's ingrained in their identity - so it's no wonder French wines are still seen as the cream of the crop when it comes to great grapes. From a lusty Bordeaux to a crisp white, little else is as romantic as toasting each other with a good bottle. Why not say cheers with a Chateau Plessis Bordeaux, 5.99 or a Cremant de Bourgogne, 7.49, both at Lidl. From a lusty Bordeaux to a crisp white, little else is as romantic as toasting each other with a good bottle. Why not say cheers with a Chateau Plessis Bordeaux, 5.99 or a Cremant de Bourgogne 7.49, both at Lidl Try out the language Touted as the language of love for centuries, no matter what the French say it always sounds passionate. Try and woo your beloved with a few phrases or create a menu for them entirely in French. What shows you care more than being willing to take the risk of stumbling over your nouns in a foreign language! C'est magnifique! Touted as the language of love for centuries, no matter what the French say it always sounds passionate Think fromage, not cheesy! Legendary general Charles de Gaulle quick had his countrymen sussed as he took charge of the country last Century, saying: 'How can you govern a country that makes over 256 kinds of cheese?' He's right, of course, apart from the fact that they boast over 400 types! Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, what better way to indulge in life's pleasures than sharing a board of delicious goodness with your other half. You'll certainly be saying 'cheese' with a huge grin when you stock up on the authentic goods on offer in the fromage aisle at Lidl. From Normandy Brie (2.49, 500g, Lidl) to spreadable Goats' Cheeses with herbs, honey and cranberries (99p, 100g, Lidl). Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, what better way to indulge in life's pleasures than sharing a board of delicious goodness with your other half You'll certainly be saying 'cheese' with a huge grin when you stock up on the authentic goods on offer in the fromage aisle. From Normandy Brie (2.49, 500g, Lidl) to spreadable Goats' Cheeses with herbs, honey and cranberries (99p, 100g, Lidl) Scent of success The French are serious when it comes to the scent of success. Perfume is an essential for every Parisian woman and when you indulge in a spritz of the good stuff, you'll feel on top of the world - or at least the Eiffel Tower. So why not treat the special person in your life to some seductive new fragrance such as Suddenly Diamonds or Woman I (Lidl, 3.99 or 2 for 7, 50ml). Affordable luxury is simply heaven scent. Perfume is an essential for every Parisian woman and when you indulge in a spritz of the good stuff, you'll feel on top of the world - or at least the Eiffel Tower So why not treat the special person in your life to some seductive new fragrance such as Suddenly Diamonds or Woman I (Lidl, 3.99 or 2 for 7, 50ml). Affordable luxury is simply heaven scent Pop your cork France gave the world champagne - the excitement of the popping cork, the bubbles, the clink of glasses, it screams romance and exclusivity. Get the fizz back into your love life by ensuring you're stocked up on a few bottles of the good stuff. Check out refreshing and very affordable Comte De Senneval Champagne Brut for just 9.99 (Lidl). Now that's worth celebrating. From the stunning vocals of Edif Piaf to THAT Je T'aime song by Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin, nothing will get the emotions moving like French music Je ne regrette rien... about my music choice From the stunning vocals of Edif Piaf to THAT Je T'aime song by Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin, nothing will get the emotions moving like French music. Get dressed up, light the candles, put on some slow-paced classics and voila! Breakfast in bed A trip to a boulangerie is part of everyday life over the Channel. From flaky croissants to perfect profiteroles, the French do breakfast with style and pizzazz. Want to enjoy more regular breakfasts in bed? Ditch the smell of fried food and burnt bangers and introduce an altogether more elegant early morning meal. Plates of pastries will do the trick. Stock up on delicious goodies such as buttery Madeleines (1.79, Lidl) or Chocolate Creme Crepes (1.29, Lidl), or pop down to your local Lidl for some fresh croissants straight from the ovens. A trip to a boulangerie is part of everyday life over the water. From flaky croissants to perfect profiteroles, the French do breakfast with style and pizzazz - perfect for breakfast in bed Stock up on delicious goodies such as buttery Madeleines (1.79, Lidl) or Chocolate Creme Crepes (1.29, Lidl) to sweeten up your weekend mornings Stay balanced It's a country that doesn't take the old adage 'work hard, play hard' too literally, as they have the perfect balance of work. Staggering in exhausted from a 12 hour shift every day does not do wonders for romance, so follow their lead when it comes to clocking off on the dot, especially if you have something planned with your partner. Don't check emails over dinner or bang on about how annoying Kev in accounts is - be filled with the joie de vivre and discuss the fancy things in life (most of these are French as well). Staggering in exhausted from a 12 hour shift every day does not do wonders for romance, so get a little bit French about things when it comes to clocking off on the dot, especially if you have something planned with your partner Majestically moreish macarons Who could resist the bright coloured gems of pure mouth-watering bliss? Macarons are a seriously one-of-a-kind pastrie and are the trendiest treat you can buy at the minute. Forget the cronut or the cupcake, this chic little morsel will kick you a sugar rush without feeling leaving you feeling full and frumpy. The French say that eating these is like a sweet kiss - unforgettable - so get these Lidl Macarons (2.99 for 12, Lidl) in your shopping trolley and who knows, there might be a peck in it for you once you get home. Macarons are a seriously one-of-a-kind pastries and are the trendiest treat you can buy at the minute The French say that eating these is like a sweet kiss - unforgettable - so get these Lidl Macarons (2.99 for 12, Lidl) in your shopping trolley and who knows, there might be a peck in it for you once you get home Aphrodisiacs It can't be a coincidence that the most romantic country in the world has such a love of one of the planet's most potent aphrodisiacs. Believe it or not garlic (yes, the stuff you were told to steer clear of before smooching) is jam packed full of allicin, a compound which gets your bloodflow pumping. Indulge in the deliciousness the most authentic way you can with escargot. Make like you're a local and cook up some Burgundy style snails packed with flavour (1.99 for 12, Lidl) or try some seafood in the form of traditional Breton scallops (3.49, Lidl). It can't be a coincidence that the most romantic country in the world has such a love of one of the planet's most potent aphrodisiacs Indulge in the deliciousness the most authentic way with Burgundy style snails packed with flavour (1.99 for 12, Lidl) or try some seafood in the form of traditional Breton scallops (3.49, Lidl) Make time to dance Walk along the Seine during the summer and you'll come in contact with a series of swooning couples slow dancing as dusk approaches. You may not have the Eiffel Tower in your eyesight, but don't let that stop you giving a pas a deux a go. Their 'marriage' was over before it even started. In dramatic scenes on Sunday night's episode, Married At First Sight bride Lauren slipped off in to the night, leaving her husband behind without explanation. And while everything seemed rosy on screen, Woman's Day has since reported firefighter Andrew caused a booze-fueled scene on the couple's first night out together, prompting Lauren to give him the slip. Scroll down for video Married At First Sight bride Lauren did a runner on her husband Andrew on their first night together as a couple It has since been reported that behind the scenes Andrew (pictured) and Lauren locked horns, before Andrew was refused entry to a bar for being intoxicated After some initial hesitation, single mother Lauren, 33, and Andrew, 38, appeared to hit it off. After their wedding reception they were seen kissing at their hotel, before going out for a drink together. It is then that things took a turn for the worse, with Woman's Day reporting Andrew started a 'war of words with security' at a Bondi establishment. 'He'd clearly had too much to drink,' an anonymous security guard told Woman's Day. 'When I refused him entry, he got agitated.' The split took viewers by surprise as it appeared Lauren and Andrew were getting along at the wedding 'She thought he was arrogant and rude, and didn't even want to be in the same room as him,' Lauren's friend said of the couple's pairing Andrew has told The Fix he doesn't believe he did anything wrong to cause his bride to run away New Idea also reported the couple had 'explosive fights' and Lauren refused to go on their honeymoon to Thailand. 'She thought he was arrogant and rude, and didn't even want to be in the same room as him, never mind on a romantic trip away,' New Idea reported a friend of Lauren's to have said. But the accusations are a stark contrast to Andrew's side of the story. In an interview with The Fix, Andrew said he didn't believe he did anything wrong to cause his bride to flee. Lauren, who is a single mum to her son Dylan, has since started dating a man called Jake who himself is a single father 'I dont feel like I did anything wrong on the night,' he told The Fix. 'We both had a really good time.' Lauren, 33, has a 11-year-old son Dylan with her ex-husband, and it has since been reported she has moved on with someone else since the show ended. According to New Idea, Lauren is dating a single father named Jake, who has twins of his own. 'Lauren loves spending time with his kids and they adore her too - she says they are her "Brady Bunch",' a friend reportedly told the publication. Married At First Sight will continue on Channel Nine at 7.30pm Monday. Follow in the worlds most fashionable royal footsteps... DIANA'S TIMELESS STYLE Be reminded of Princess Dianas impeccable sense of style at a new exhibition of outfits, from working wardrobe items to evening gowns Be reminded of Princess Dianas impeccable sense of style at a new exhibition of outfits, from working wardrobe items to evening gowns. INSIDER TIP: Dont miss the dark blue velvet gown by Victor Edelstein, worn by Diana when she danced with John Travolta at the White House. DETAILS: Diana: Her Fashion Story opens on February 24 at Kensington Palace, hrp.org.uk. The Baglioni offers a Royal Visit package from 420 per room per night, including a private Palace tour and Champagne afternoon tea, baglionihotels.com. SWEDENS CROWNING GLORY The 18th-century Royal Palace of Stockholm is the official residence of King Carl Gustaf XVI and Queen Silvia, who last year celebrated 40 years of marriage The 18th-century Royal Palace of Stockholm is the official residence of King Carl Gustaf XVI and Queen Silvia, who last year celebrated 40 years of marriage. By way of commemoration, five exquisite royal wedding dresses are on display until April 23. INSIDER TIP: Visit the Royal Treasury. DETAILS: Royal Wedding Dresses is included in entry to the palace from 160 SEK (14), royalpalaces.se. Victory Hotel rooms from 2,590 SEK (235), thecollectorshotels.se. Flights from 100 return, britishairways.com. AUSTRIAN EMPRESS Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as Sisi, was renowned for her beauty, rebellious spirit and untimely end she was assassinated in 1898 Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as Sisi, was renowned for her beauty, rebellious spirit and untimely end she was assassinated in 1898. Viennas Hofburg, the former Imperial Palace, houses the Sisi Museum of her dresses, jewels and accessories. INSIDER TIP: Look out for the coat used to cover Sisi after her murder. DETAILS: Tickets to the Hofburg from 11, imperial-austria.at. Three-night trip to Vienna from 469 pp incl B&B at the 3* Superior Hotel Savoy, flights and transfers, kirkerholidays.com. On the day before her 45th birthday, Crown Princess Mary was focused on helping others. The Australian-born royal showed her support for people living with cancer by presenting an award to a leading physician. The mother-of-four took to the stage at the 2017 Danish Cancer Society's Honorary Award event, where she presented the award to Inge Marie Svane. Crown Princess Mary presented an award on World Cancer Day to Professor Inge Marie Svane Prof Svane is a chief physician at the Herlev Hospital and Professor at Copenhagen University. She was presented the award for her outstanding contribution to the fight against cancer through her work in cancer immune therapy. Her area of research was working to enhance cancer patients' immune systems based on their individual immune capabilities. Inge Marie Svane (centre) was recognised for her research working to enhance cancer patients' immune systems Princess Mary presented the award dressed in an all-black ensemble. The 45-year-old, who celebrated her birthday on February 5, wore an on-trend off-the-shoulder black top with bell sleeves. She paired the piece with tailored black pants and a chunky silver pendant worn around her neck. The event came one day before Mary's birthday, with the Danish royal turning 45 on February 5. The event came after Princess Mary attended Copengahen Fashion Week in another all-black ensemble The fashionable event showcased pieces created for the Designer's Nest Award (pictured) Earlier that week, Princess Mary appeared in another all-black ensemble at Copenhagen Fashion Week. Mary stunned in a jewel-embellished black coat, cigarette pants and white jumper at the event held in City Hall, Denmark. The mother-of-four added a high-end feel to her look by offsetting it with a pair of Valentino rockstud heels. Chirpy Chelsy Davy has been replaced in Prince Harrys affections by U.S. actress Meghan Markle, but she still enjoys partying with the royals. This weekend, the law graduate, 31, was a guest at a London wedding attended by European royals including Queen Maxima of Holland and King Constantine of Greece. At the marriage of Greek socialites Filippos Lemos and Marianna Goulandris, the House of Windsor was represented by Princess Beatrice, who wore a striking 2,995 black-and-white Burberry trench coat. Chelsy posed with hotel heiress Irene Forte at the reception at the Duke of Northumberlands Syon House. Chelsy Davy, pictured with hotel heiress Irene Forte, was a guest at the wedding of Greek socialites Filippos Lemos and Marianna Goulandris. Princess Beatrice also attended the wedding Fashion faceoff in 3k frocks It can be awkward to arrive at a party only to discover another guest is wearing the same dress, so Bryan Ferrys ex-wife Amanda Sheppard was keen to be reassured that she looked prettiest. Who wore it best? demanded Amanda, 33 (left), next to a photo of her and socialite Tamara Beckwith, 46, in the same 2,950 pink striped Gucci frock. They were at Oxfordshires trendy Soho Farmhouse for the 40th birthday of property tycoon Ryan Prince. Bryan Ferrys ex-wife Amanda Sheppard (left) wore the same 2,950 pink striped Gucci frock as socialite Tamara Beckwith Prince Andrews pal Goga Ashkenazi wore a Philip Colbert dress inspired by Marcel Duchamps urinal artwork, Fountain Gotta go? Ask Goga Most women spend time in the bathroom before going out for the evening, but Prince Andrews pal Goga Ashkenazi appears to have taken the bathroom with her. To celebrate her 37th birthday, the Kazakh socialite, who arranged the sale of Andys former home in Berkshire for 3 million more than its asking price, wore a Philip Colbert dress (right) inspired by Marcel Duchamps urinal artwork, Fountain. Got p***ed last night cause its my birthday, joked the Oxford grad. At one of her last parties, the drinks were served via ice sculptures of naked men. A guest reported that vodka was poured in through the heads of the sculptures, flowing through their bodies before issuing forth from their nether regions. Englands burly rugby players are inspired by an unlikely figure. Scrum-half Danny Care reveals he and his team-mates, who beat France at Twickenham on Saturday, are obsessed with pop heart-throb Justin Bieber. Im a big Bieber fan and so are many of the rugby lads, gushes Danny, 30. Ive seen [him] in concert twice. And if Im choosing music for training, I always include him. Clearly hes a Belieber. So far this season, we've already seen a disappearing bride and a stripper tie the knot in Married At First Sight Australia. But nothing could prepare viewers for the double wedding of Sharon and Michelle Marsh, from Perth. The 31-year-old identical twins exchanged vows together in spectacular fashion on Monday night's episode, at the same ceremony, the same reception and even wearing the same dress. 'Double trouble. This is gonna be complicated,' Sharon's groom and self-confessed 'bogan', Nick, said to fellow groom Jesse, as the twins walked down the aisle and realisation dawned that they were all getting married together. Scroll down for video Double trouble: Identical twins, Sharon and Michelle Marsh (pictured), from Perth, tied the knot together in a double wedding on Married At First Sight on Monday I do times two! The twins exchanged vows together in spectacular fashion, at the same ceremony, the same reception and even wearing the same dress Confusing: 'Double trouble. This is gonna be complicated,' Sharon's groom and self-confessed 'bogan', Nick (left), said to Jesse (right), as the twins walked down the aisle together Here come the brides: As the grooms waited for their brides nervously, Nick and Jesse started putting two and two together as to what was going to happen Close: Sharon and Michelle Marsh (pictured) have always had an incredibly close bond as sisters Tell apart: 'Sharon's older. She owns her own home, she owns her own business and I'm a bit more of a gypsy at the moment. I've just returned from London,' Michelle, 31, explained As the grooms waited for their brides nervously, Nick and Jesse started putting two and two together as to what was going to happen: 'This is a different experience. I've never been to a wedding where they've had two weddings on the same day,' Jesse said. 'I'm assuming that's both brides' family on that side. Are we gonna marry friends, or are we gonna marry sisters?'. 'That'd be funny. Identical twins,' Nick joked. Nervous: 'This is a different experience. I've never been to a wedding where they've had two weddings on the same day,' Jesse said, as they waited for the twins nervously Variations: While both of the twins seem identical in many ways, there were differences that the experts were quick to highlight when pairing them with grooms, Nick and Jesse Key points: For Michelle (right), 'attraction is very important', while for Sharon (left), she said that loyalty was key While both of the twins seem identical in many ways, there were differences that the experts were quick to highlight when pairing them with grooms, Nick and Jesse: 'Sharon's older. She owns her own home, she owns her own business and I'm a bit more of a gypsy at the moment. I've just returned from London,' Michelle, 31, explained. I hope my guy is from the country. They've got a different aura. A different way of holding themselves and a different way of coming across. I find that really attractive 'Some would describe me as a party girl at heart I'm doing this experiment because I don't wanna stuff around anymore... Attraction is very important [to me].' For Sharon, the main quality she wanted from a husband was loyalty. She said she wanted 'a guy with a lot of patience. Someone to ground me, to calm me. 'I hope my guy is from the country. They've got a different aura. A different way of holding themselves and a different way of coming across. I find that really attractive,' Sharon said. Dream come true: Sharon (pictured) said: 'I hope my guy is from the country. They've got a different aura. A different way of holding themselves and a different way of coming across' Dealbreaker: Michelle found it a sticking point that she was taller than Jesse (pictured) Passionate? 'So the kiss was like nothing really,' Michelle said of her first kiss with Jesse - 'Right now I'm a little bit worried. The sexual chemistry is not there. I don't know what to do' Smitten: However, her older sister, Sharon, said she was smitten with Nick - 'Tall, dark, handsome. Blue eyes, oh my god. I gotta say I'm pretty happy,' Sharon said (pictured) Luckily for the older twin, the man she was paired with was exactly what she'd hoped for. I definitely felt a little bit insecure. She was probably a little bit too good for me Carpenter, Nick, 30, from Melbourne, told Sharon he was a 'country boy at heart' and their chemistry was clear for all to see as they met each other at the altar: 'Tall, dark, handsome. Blue eyes, oh my god. I gotta say I'm pretty happy,' Sharon said, upon meeting carpenter Nick. 'Sharon. I thought 'wow' absolutely gorgeous girl, seriously. I'm so lucky. I definitely felt a little bit insecure. She was probably a little bit too good for me,' Nick added. No chemistry: Michelle (pictured) worried throughout the ceremony that there was no spark between her and Jesse No show: After first failing to show up for the photoshoot, it was again brought to her attention that she was taller than Jesse (pictured) 'Sharon. I thought 'wow' absolutely gorgeous girl, seriously. I'm so lucky. I definitely felt a little bit insecure. She was probably a little bit too good for me,' Nick said (pictured at shoot) However, on the other side of the ceremony, Michelle wasn't quite as enthralled with retailer, Jesse, 31. 'So the kiss was like nothing really,' she said after the couple had exchanged vows. 'Right now I'm a little bit worried. The sexual chemistry is not there. I don't know what to do.' Retailer, Jesse, clearly didn't share his new bride's qualms. 'I felt like a bit of a spark. Like it could go somewhere. I hope so. I hope we're gonna do some more kissing later,' he said. Love: 'I felt like a bit of a spark. Like it could go somewhere. I hope so. I hope we're gonna do some more kissing later,' Jesse said, unaware of Michelle's feelings Not good: 'I'm trying to look happy, like everything's fine, like Sharon,' Michelle said. 'But inside, I'm looking at him and I'm thinking I'm wasting his time, I'm wasting my time' As the brides settled in and got to know their new grooms at the reception, discrepancies widened as younger twin, Michelle, continued to compare her experience to Sharon's: 'I'm trying to look happy, like everything's fine, like Sharon,' she said. 'But inside, there was a lot of emotions going on. I'm looking at him and I'm thinking I'm wasting his time, I'm wasting my time.' After failing to show up for their couple photos and having to be chased down by the photographer, Michelle, 31, said: 'It's just concerning to me that I don't feel all these butterflies. I just feel like I really need Shaz [Sharon]. I really need to talk to her one on one because it's not ideal. It's not really ideal.' However, all was forgotten - or at least for now - when Jesse gifted Michelle with a charm necklace. 'Jesse is definitely growing on me. He's funny, he's kind, he's thoughtful. I mean, how cute is this?,' Michelle said to the cameras. Change of heart: However, all was forgotten - or at least for now - when Jesse gifted Michelle with a charm necklace (pictured) Gift: 'Jesse is definitely growing on me. He's funny, he's kind, he's thoughtful. I mean, how cute is this?,' Michelle said Who knows: 'When it comes to intimacy with Jesse, again, I'm just going with the flow,' Michelle said Happy: Meanwhile, it seemed like a match made in heaven for Sharon and Nick (pictured) - 'Nick definitely makes me feel at ease. It feels comfortable. It feels really right,' Sharon said All seemed like a match made in heaven, meanwhile, for Sharon and Nick. 'Nick definitely makes me feel at ease. It feels comfortable. It feels really right,' Sharon said after their photos. As the episode came to its conclusion, both couples settled in for their first night together as newlyweds. Sharon and Nick seemed happy enough to sleep in the same bed - 'no messing around. Just your side, my side' - and Jesse and Michelle playfully shooed the cameras as they clambered into bed together: 'When it comes to intimacy with Jesse, again, I'm just going with the flow,' Michelle said. Whether the twins' new marriages both have happy endings remains to be seen. Married At First Sight Australia will return on Tuesday night on Channel 9 at 7.30pm. Call the Midwife viewers have been left reeling by hints that one of the show's most popular characters could be facing heartbreak. Fans quickly took to Twitter when they discovered that fan favourite Shelagh Turner, played by actress Laura Main, could lose the baby she was expecting with her husband Dr Patrick Turner, played by Stephen McGann. The former nun, who had believed she was infertile, found out she was pregnant at the beginning of the series in a joyful turn of events, but her baby's life now hangs in the balance after Shelagh started to bleed in last night's episode. Former nun Shelagh was devastated to learn the news that she may lose her baby after being rushed to the hospital by her husband Dr Patrick Turner Shelagh and Patrick were thrilled at the beginning of the series to discover she was pregnant after believing she was infertile Viewers threatened to boycott the drama if fan favourite Shelagh Turner lost the baby she was expecting After rushing to the hospital, Shelagh and Patrick learned that she could 'abort spontaneously'. The news devastated the couple and viewers watching at home who threatened to boycott the BBC series: 'If Shelagh loses the baby I'm out #callthemidwife.' 'If Sheila loses this baby I'm never watching #callthemidwife again..... until next Sunday obviously,' added one. 'I'm just putting it out here but NOTHING better happen to Sheila's baby or heads will roll,' complained another. Those watching the BBC programme at home quickly took to Twitter to complain about the potentially devastating news Dr Patrick worries for his wife after learning that she could 'abort spontaneously' after she began bleeding in Sunday night's episode A worried Patrick listened to Dr Canley as he explained: 'The bleeding has stopped for now, but even with full bed rest she may abort spontaneously. You do know that...?' Forced to admit the danger Shelagh was in he solemnly responded: 'Yes, I am a doctor...' He then comforted Shelagh as she wept in her hospital bed over the fate of her baby. Call the Midwife returns to BBC One next Sunday at 8pm The dedicated team of 'doctors and nurses' perform all kinds of 'surgery' One of Britain's last remaining 'toy hospitals' is experiencing a surge in demand for broken teddy bears as people realise the value in heirloom toys. Alice's Bear Shop in Lyme Regis, Dorset, is home to a dedicated bear and doll hospital which now has a four month waiting list to repair 'patients' for their sentimental owners. The dedicated team of 'doctors and nurses' perform all kinds of 'surgery' from simple restringing and re-stuffing to head re-attachments and complete skin grafts to bring the valuable bears back to life. Rikey Austin, who opened the shop and hospital 17 years ago, said it has only been in the last three years that demand for the specialist care has taken off. Bear hospital boss Rikey Austin with one of their patients The poorly teddy bear ward with patients awaiting their treatments - having been 'loved to bits' She puts it down to a combination of the demise of other toy hospitals across Britain due to society's 'throwaway culture' and the value in heirloom toys, in particular Steiff bears, shooting up in recent years. Rikey, 49, now receives dishevelled and limbless bears from the US, Australia and Kenya, as well as toys from across the UK and Europe. Previous clients include the Saving Mr Banks actress Emma Thompson. Each patient is diagnosed by email with photos showing its condition and a description of what the owner would like done. When they arrive at the hospital they have to go into quarantine - a big airtight container with a hefty dose of good bug spray - for 48 hours before they can be operated on. Even the most poorly bears can be repaired and restored at Alice's Bear Shop Rikey with her bear hospital team and some very poorly patients who are being nursed back to good health Simple jobs can be done in a couple of hours but some more complicated procedures can take several weeks and cost 300 a week. One recent case took three months - a young boy's teddy that had a run-in with a lawn mower . The boy said he would pay for it with his pocket money so the team agreed to take it on and only charged him 5. When the team opened up another bear which came in with a broken squeaker, they discovered love letters stuffed inside. The stuffed toy had been used by the owner's grandfather during the Second World War to smuggle the notes out of a work camp. Broken bears and deteriorating dolls from all over the world are being brought back to life at the Dorset store 'Nurse' Lesley Taylor at work on one of her injured patients Rikey's team includes husband and wife bear-makers 'Dr' Dave Taylor and his wife 'nurse' Lesley. They use recycled materials and even dip fabrics in tea or coffee or rub them in dirt to get the right ageing effect to blend in with the toy's original colouring. Rikey, who used to work for teddy bear company Russ and designed bears for Harrods, says the aim isn't to make the toys pristine as that would ruin the well-loved character of them, but to stop them deteriorating so they can be loved for many more generations. The married mum-of-three said: 'I used to work for the big bear maker Russ, but the bit of my job I loved most was repairing old bears. Rikey, who used to design bears for Harrods, says the aim isn't to make the toys pristine 'Doctor' Dave Taylor (left) and 'Nurse' Lesley Taylor take good care of their patients 'There used to be toy hospitals in every town but now there are hardly any left because we stopped mending things and became obsessed with having new. 'We've passed that on to our children so they don't treasure one teddy bear anymore, they have an average of 32. 'Having a teddy or doll is how children practice being a carer or a parent, even before they have a pet. If you give a child 30 bears, it's like an adult having 30 children. 'If I can show them the value of treasuring their toys it will be better for people and the planet. 'The whole shabby-chic, vintage thing has become so popular and people are now realising how characterless the new things can be. 'If you get something handed down from your mother or grandmother it has a history and character to it. They use recycled materials and even dip fabrics in tea or coffee or rub them in dirt to get the right ageing effect to blend in with the toy's original colouring Rikey's team includes husband and wife bear-makers 'Dr' Dave Taylor and his wife 'nurse' Lesley 'I've been doing it for 17 years now. We used to get one or two a month but it's really gone mad in the last three or four years. 'About two years ago we had to stop telling people what we do because we just couldn't cope. Our waiting list is now at four months. 'If it's small jobs like restringing or putting a bit of stuffing in we can do several toys in a day but some bigger projects can take several weeks. 'We've got a Steiff cow on wheels at the moment that's head had come completely off and the fabric on his back was worn out from generations of children sitting on him. Each patient is diagnosed by email with photos showing its condition and a description of what the owner would like done Rikey said: 'If you get something handed down from your mother or grandmother it has a history and character to it' 'That's two weeks work and will cost about 600. 'There has sadly been times when there's nothing we can do. Some dolls made after the Second World War have a sort of plastic cancer - the companies changed the plastic formula during the war so it could be used for ammunitions. 'People come in and the plastic looks like it's shriveling and there's a vinegar smell. Then we have to sit them down with tissues and tell them we we can't help. 'We get to hear the most beautiful stories from people about their treasured toys. We'll never be rich from it but that's not why we do it.' Their romance is heating up by the minute and Meghan Markle made a bold declaration of her love for Prince Harry by wearing a ring embossed with the initial 'H' on Monday. The Suits actress, who has 'virtually moved into' Prince Harry's Kensington Palace cottage, stepped out to shop for flowers in London and the gold jewellery on her finger was impossible to miss. The Canadian actress, who has previously worn an 'H' necklace and love bracelets identical to those worn by her boyfriend, looked casually chic in Hunter wellies, a green Barbour jacket, jeans and a blue beanie hat. It is not the first time Meghan has revealed Harry's commitment to her through accessories. The pair regularly wear matching beaded bracelets and Meghan has previously worn a personalised gold necklace that appeared to be subtly decorated with the letters M and H. Meghan Markle, 35, made a bold declaration of her love for Prince Harry wearing a ring with his initial on as she shopped for flowers on Monday in Kensington The loved-up actress wore the ring as she shopped for flowers; it's not the first time she's been seen wearing jewellery with his initials on Suits actress Meghan, who is said to have practically moved into Harry's Kensington Palace cottage, looked chic in Hunter wellies and a Barbour coat for the occasion The stylish actress carried a cream Goyard bag - which can cost up to 800. Her shopping trip came after she was spotted out with Prince Harry over the weekend. Hand in hand, Prince Harry and his actress girlfriend Meghan Markle walked through the streets of London as rumours of an impending engagement continue to grow. The prince was pictured with the American-born divorcee, who has been spending a lot of time with him at Kensington Palace since the beginning of the year, after a romantic dinner at trendy private members' club Soho House on Wednesday. Harry, 32, was said by onlookers to be relaxed about being photographed with his new love, which is being seen by royal watchers as a sign of how seriously he is taking the relationship. Her shopping trip came after she was spotted out with Prince Harry over the weekend One source told the Mail that she may well move to London permanently by the end of the year, once her filming commitments have finished, and the creators of the legal drama she stars in are already looking at ways to write her out Another indication is that Miss Markle, 35, who is based in Canada where she films the hit television show Suits, has found a sitter for her dogs, Guy and Bogart, who live with her in Toronto. According to sources, she wants to spend as much time as she can in London with the Queen's grandson before she has to return for filming commitments in March. Once a prolific social media user, Miss Markle has become much more circumspect about the information she puts out, not least because Harry is wary of such public forums. She failed to highlight a charity trip to India last month although some handpicked media were in attendance, it is believed and has not posted any photographs on Instagram since December 11. One source told the Mail that she may well move to London permanently by the end of the year, once her filming commitments have finished, and the creators of the legal drama she stars in are already looking at ways to write her out. They say Harry has fallen 'heads over heels' for the actress and is desperately keen for the relationship to work. The source says Harry has fallen 'heads over heels' for the actress and is desperately keen for the relationship to work Meghan, who is thought to be living with the Prince in his cottage, was shopping for colourful flowers near the Palace The actress, who dressed down for the occasion, opted for some purple and green flowers from the florist on Monday One source said: 'She is beautiful, accomplished, whip-smart and has all the humanitarian credentials that Harry so admires' Harry is due to spend several weeks in Toronto later this year when the Invictus Games, his Paralympic-style event for injured servicemen and women, is held there. But after that, the source suggests, Miss Markle could become a permanent fixture in London The source added: 'And although Meghan has her roots in the US and Canada, she is a keen traveller with a lot of friends in London, so moving over wouldn't be too seismic' He has long wanted to settle down and have children, while Miss Markle is said to be equally keen on starting a family. Both are said to have been enjoying living together like any 'normal' couple at Nottingham Cottage, Harry's two-bedroom residence in the grounds of Kensington Palace. One source said: 'She is beautiful, accomplished, whip-smart and has all the humanitarian credentials that Harry so admires. 'And although Meghan has her roots in the US and Canada, she is a keen traveller with a lot of friends in London, so moving over wouldn't be too seismic. 'The only issue would be getting [her dogs] Guy and Bogart settled permanently in the UK as the three of them come as a package.' FIRST THE BRACELETS, THEN THE NECKLACE, NOW A RING! Meghan Markle ensured there was no doubt over the status of her relationship with Prince Harry by wearing their first initials side-by-side on her chest in December. The 35-year-old actress was pictured shopping in Toronto, Canada, wearing a personalised gold necklace that appeared to be subtly decorated with the letters M and H. The 35-year-old actress was pictured shopping in Toronto, Canada, in December, wearing a personalised gold necklace that appeared to be subtly decorated with the letters M and H The 14 karat gold necklace is by Los Angeles-based designer Maya Brenner whose jewelry has been worn by celebrities including Kendall Jenner, Mila Kunis and Ashley Graham. A spokeswoman for the jewelry company confirmed that Meghan wore the 'asymmetrical letter and number necklace' which comes in white, yellow and rose gold. It costs $240 with one letter, but the company charges an extra $60 for each additional letter. It is not the first time that Meghan has used jewellery to show her feelings for the prince. The couple regularly wear matching beaded bracelets . PEOPLE has reported: 'Harry reportedly picked up the bracelets during one of his trips to Africa - and the gift has rarely left the actresss wrist.' Prince Harry spends a lot of time in Africa, where he carries out charity work with his Sentebale organisation. He established the charity, which means forget me not, in the African nation with its Prince Seeiso, in memory of their mothers. The 31-year-old royal built the Mamohato Childrens Centre to support vulnerable children through healthcare and education. In the past, when he was dating South African socialite Chelsea Davy, it was reported that Prince Harry gifted her jewellery as a token of his affections. It is not the first time that Meghan has used jewellery to show her feelings for the prince. The couple regularly wear matching beaded bracelets PEOPLE has reported: 'Harry reportedly picked up the bracelets during one of his trips to Africa - and the gift has rarely left the actresss wrist' Advertisement With the Queen due back from Norfolk next week, there is much speculation that the prince will take the opportunity to introduce his girlfriend to his grandmother, a sure sign that marriage is on the cards. Although these sorts of introductions normally take years to achieve, the Queen has a soft spot for her grandson and wants to see him happy. Harry is due to spend several weeks in Toronto later this year when the Invictus Games, his Paralympic-style event for injured servicemen and women, is held there. But after that, the source suggests, Miss Markle could become a permanent fixture in London. The couple met last July after being introduced by Soho House consultant Markus Anderson, a mutual friend. Since then barely a few weeks have gone by without them criss-crossing the globe to spend time together. Last month they enjoyed their first holiday together, visiting the Norwegian fjords. It seems that Meghan is getting into the British swing of things, opting for Hunter wellies and a navy jacket Meghan plumped for classic British attire as she shopped for flowers at the local florist near Prince Harry's cottage It comes as friends of Harry and his actress girlfriend Miss Markle have said the pair are 'taking things to the next level and are practically living together' The royal residence - showing the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's apartment in the background and Nottingham Cottage, were Prince Harry resides According to a friend Miss Markle 'has always enjoyed spending time in London' but she is now 'really putting down roots' He has long wanted to settle down and have children, while Miss Markle is said to be equally keen on starting a family. Both are said to have been enjoying living together like any 'normal' couple at Nottingham Cottage, Harry's two-bedroom residence in the grounds of Kensington Palace. One source said: 'She is beautiful, accomplished, whip-smart and has all the humanitarian credentials that Harry so admires. 'And although Meghan has her roots in the US and Canada, she is a keen traveller with a lot of friends in London, so moving over wouldn't be too seismic. Hardly camera shy! Their dinner date at media haunt By Daily Mail Reporter Soho House is perhaps an unlikely choice for a couple who might wish to remain discreet. Membership of the trendy private club is limited to those who work in the creative industries film, fashion, advertising, music, art and, of course, the media. However the swanky haunt in Dean Street holds memories for Harry and Meghan, because it was where they first met. The club has 18 branches around the world, including Berlin, Istanbul and Miss Markles adopted home town of Toronto. The couple were this week spotted hand-in-hand after enjoying a dinner date at Soho House, the private members' club in West London where they met last year (pictured) The Dean Street branch, which is set over four floors of a Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse, has a courtyard, club bar, house kitchen, sitting room, top floor and a basement cinema and bar. Membership that permits entry to all the clubs locations can cost in excess of 1,500 a year and prospective joiners must be nominated by two existing Soho House members. Prince Harry and Miss Markle recently enjoyed minibreaks at Soho Farmhouse in the Cotswolds, as well as dinners and soirees at the Dean Street branch. The original Soho House, on Greek Street, was founded in 1995 by Nick Jones, who is married to broadcaster Kirsty Young. It is currently closed for refurbishment. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands put on a stunning display as she received a visit from the German president in the Hague on Monday night. Maxima, 45, and her husband, King Willem-Alexander dressed up to the nines as they hosted Joachim Gauck for an audience at the Noordeinde Palace. The Argentine-born queen dazzled in a sweeping Valentino gown with flared sleeves, adding a touch of glamour with a pair of amethyst earrings and a matching necklace. Maxima opted for a dazzling red gown as she and her husband received a visit from the German president at the Noordeinde Palace in the Hague on Monday night Fit for a queen: Mother-of-three Maxima added a touch of glamour to her Valentino gown with a pair of amethyst earrings and a matching necklace She wore her blonde hair in loose curls and let her natural beauty shine through with just a subtle slick of pink lipstick. Mr Gauck, who was joined by his partner Daniela Schadt, is currently on a state visit to the Netherlands. Ms Schadt opted for an equally show-stopping look in a sweeping floor-length purple number with ruching detail. Mother-of-three Maxima and her husband have just returned from a lavish weekend in London, where they joined Princess Beatrice and Eugenie at the wedding of socialites Filippos Lemos and Marianna Goulandris. Queen of glamour: The royal, pictured with German president Joachim Gauck, wore her blonde hair in curls and let her natural beauty shine through with just a subtle slick of lipstick The group pose for a photo in the opulent venue, L-R Queen Maxima, German president Joachim Gauck, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, and Daniela Schadt Mr Gauck (second left) who was joined by his partner Daniela Schadt (far right), is currently on a state visit to the Netherlands The star-studded nuptials, held at the Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sophia near Hyde Park, was also attended by Prince Harry's ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy. It has been a busy few months for Maxima, who last week visited a wind farm in the Dutch town of Nijmegen and met with young refugees at a school in Amsterdam. Maxima, who is mother to Princesses Catharina-Amalia, 13, Alexia, 11 and Ariane, nine was born in Argentina and married into the Dutch royal family in 2002, after meeting her husband-to-be in Seville in 1999. Despite reportedly having no idea that Willem-Alexander was heir to the throne when the pair first met, she eventually became Queen consort when her husband was crowned in April 2013. Dressed in voluminous white gowns and sporting glittering tiaras, they look like any other women getting ready for the biggest day of their lives. But the first hint that there's something different about these brides-to-be are the red, white and black sashes with a single star they are proudly wearing over their wedding dresses. Not to mention the fact that there are dozens of them all waiting to walk down the aisle. As Syria's fragile peace continues to hold, 30 brides are preparing themselves for the first mass wedding since the Assad regime and the opposition agreed to the pact in December. Brides and bridegrooms preparing themselves for their wedding being held in the Dama Rose Hotel in Damascus Reports state that some 30 couples from the Syrian army's allied forces will take part in the mass wedding organized by the private SyriaTel Mobile Company. The ceremony will take place at the Dama Rose Hotel in Damascus, with another mass nuptials tomorrow. It's not the first time a mass wedding has been organised in the war-torn country. In 2014 a pro-Assad charity hosted a mass wedding for 36 soldiers and men affiliated with the military, including wounded servicemen and brothers who had lost their siblings in conflict. A bride wears a voluminous white dress with lace embellishment and a sash bearing the colours of her national flag, while her husband wears his military uniform One of the brides has her nails pained red in advance of the ceremony for 30 couples A ceasefire has come into effect across Syria after the Assad regime and the opposition agreed to a nationwide deal brokered by Turkey SyriaTel also arranges for 120 couples to get married in September 2016, the third event of its kind. The mass wedding entitled 'In Good Times and in Bad' was part of the company's initiative to take care of war heroes. Two of the brides chat ahead of the ceremony, the third of its kind to be held in the war-torn coutnry Couples have gathered at the Dama Rose Hotel in Damascus where another 30 pairs are set to be wed tomorrow The brides get ready for the biggest day of their lives. All the women wore white dresses with huge skirts as well as tiaras The head of Syriatel Media Section Alaa Salamour said at the time: 'Syriatel has a doctrine that we all believe in. 'It is to stand by the side of the Syrian Arab Army heroes, since being loyal towards martyrs is by upholding their families. 'This is an event of a national victory, embodying the culture of life and hope.' A mother-of-three believes washing her late husband's asbestos-ridden clothes caused her incurable cancer. Vivienne Swain, 60, has mesothelioma a form of the disease that affects the lining of the lungs and is often linked to chemical exposure. She would often come into contact with what she believes to be asbestos when she washed Michael Power's clothes. The former joiner, who worked for Manchester City Council in the 1970s, died from a brain disease in his early forties. But after struggling to breathe, Ms Swain sought medical advice herself before being told that she had just three years to live when she was diagnosed in August 2015. Now she is appealing for people to support her claims that she developed the disease through washing dust off Mr Power's clothes. Vivienne Swain, 60, has mesothelioma a form of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs and is often linked to asbestos exposure Ms Swain, from Rochdale, said: 'I would shake the overalls before washing them and they would be heavy with dust so much so that it would cover the kitchen floor, and I'd have to sweep it up. 'I believe these were asbestos fibres.' Previously fit and healthy, she began feeling wheezy in early 2015 - but thought it was because she was looking after a hamster at the time. Visiting her GP, she was given an inhaler and her symptoms eased off temporarily. Then, in May of the same year, she went to the Greek island of Rhodes on a family holiday and found herself getting out of breath easily. 'The hotel we always stay at is up a hill. I've never had any problems before, but found myself wheezing and having to stop,' Ms Swain said. Her late-husband, Michael Power, who worked as a joiner for Manchester City Council in the 1970s, died from a brain disease in his early forties 'I knew then that something wasn't right.' Back home, she visited Rochdale Infirmary for an X-ray where she assumed it wouldn't be anything serious. I would shake the overalls before washing them and they would be heavy with dust so much so that it would cover the kitchen floor, and I'd have to sweep it up. I believe these were asbestos fibres Vivienne Swain, 60 But, after studying the scan, doctors admitted her as an emergency patient. They told her that it looked like a third of her lung had collapsed and asked her if she had suffered a fall or had knocked herself. However, she had no recollection of any such events and was transferred to Fairfield General Hospital in Bury. Over the next few months, she underwent a string of tests - but everything kept coming back negative. Then, after undergoing further testing at Wythenshawe Hospital she received her diagnosis three weeks later. 'I was told it was incurable, and a cold feeling went through my whole body,' she said. Previously fit and healthy, she began feeling wheezy in early 2015 - but thought it was because she was looking after a hamster at the time 'I didn't cry, I just launched into asking about treatment. I was on autopilot. I kept thinking about how I'd tell my sons Craig (43), Paul (39), and Todd (26).' 'I asked how long I had and was told, at best, three years. But I said to the doctors, 'I guarantee you I'll still be here in five.' I've got too much living left to do.' Following her heartbreaking diagnosis, Ms Swain was fitted with a pleural drain to help prevent a build up of fluid on her lungs. Her partner, Ian Johnston, 63, was taught how to drain it, which he had to do roughly every three to seven days. Next, she began chemotherapy, which she underwent every three weeks until October 2016. Now she is appealing for people to support her claims that she developed the disease through washing dust off Mr Power's clothes (pictured with her partner, Ian Johnston, 63) Doctors have since told her that her cancer was most likely caused by asbestos exposure, which she believes was through washing her late husband's clothing. WHAT IS MESOTHELIOMA? Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops in the lining that covers the outer surface of some of the body's organs. It's usually linked to asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma mainly affects the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), although it can also affect the lining of the tummy (peritoneal mesothelioma), heart or testicles. More than 2,600 people are diagnosed with the condition each year in the UK. Most cases are diagnosed in people aged 60-80 and men are affected more commonly than women. Unfortunately it's rarely possible to cure mesothelioma, although treatment can help control the symptoms. The symptoms of mesothelioma tend to develop gradually over time. They typically don't appear until several decades after exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos, a group of minerals made of microscopic fibres that used to be widely used in construction. These tiny fibres can easily get in the lungs, where they get stuck, damaging the lungs over time. It usually takes a while for this to cause any obvious problems, with mesothelioma typically developing more than 20 years after exposure to asbestos. The use of asbestos was completely banned in 1999, so the risk of exposure is much lower nowadays. However, materials containing asbestos are still found in many older buildings. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement Following her diagnosis, she contacted specialist asbestos disease solicitors Thompsons in Manchester to investigate her case. Now, she is urging others who worked for Manchester City Council as joiners from 1969 to 1977 - particularly those that may have known her late husband - to come forward with information. Determined to carry on in the face of her devastating illness, she hopes compensation will help her fund treatments that aren't currently available on the NHS, but could potentially prolong her life. She is currently working closely with charity Mesothelioma UK, raising awareness of her type of cancer, and also praised Greater Manchester Asbestos Victim Support Group for the invaluable help they've given her since her diagnosis. They organised funding to help her, which she plans to repay if she gets compensation. She continued: 'I refuse to be defined by my illness. I've been given a sentence but I won't give in to it. 'I've kept very positive, and am surrounded by positive people. I'm not downbeat because there's nothing I can do about this. 'I'll just keep looking forward, keep making plans and spending time with my family. I never used to be one for having my picture taken but now I do it all the time because I'm determined to make memories.' A spokesperson for Manchester City Council said: 'It is always deeply regrettable when anybody has contracted mesothelioma or any other asbestos-related illness, but it would be inappropriate for us to comment on this case at the present time.' Anyone with information about potential asbestos exposure with Manchester City Council as joiners between 1969 and 1977 or anyone who worked with Mick Power during that period please contact Steven Dickens at Thompsons Solicitors on 0161 819 3571 or email stevendickens@thompsons.law.co.uk An NHS Trust has apologised after an elderly woman remained on a ward for six months at a cost of more than 80,000 despite being fit for discharge. Iris Sibley, 89, had been taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary last June after she suffered a fall at her care home. Health officials assessed her as being well enough to leave shortly after, but advised that she needed round-the-clock care. And it was not until January 4 that they were able to find her a suitable nursing home, leaving her 'distressed and let down' after spending so long in isolation. Iris Sibley (pictured) was left 'distressed and let down' after being left on a hospital ward for six months despite being fit for discharge Trapped in hospital wing Early June 2016 - Mrs Sibley is admitted to Bristol Royal Infirmary after fracturing her leg in a fall at her care home June 20 - Her treatment, which included placing her leg in a brace, finishes Early July - She is declared fit to be discharged but her former home says they cant take her back August 11 - Bristol Community Health begins searching for a suitable home September 13 - Mrs Sibley is offered her first care home place, but it is too far away October 4 - The second care home place becomes available, but again, the location is unsuitable October to January - Mrs Sibley is forced to live in a side room at Royal Bristol Infirmary January 4, 2017 - A suitable care home place finally becomes free Advertisement Her son, John, told the Guardian her ordeal was 'pretty scandalous' and had put a 'huge strain' on their family. 'It's not until you get caught up in it that you realise how serious the situation is,' he told the newspaper. Robert Woolley, chief executive of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, said a formal investigation was under way. 'I'm very sorry for what happened to Mrs Sibley and apologise to her family for the massive frustration that all of us have caused,' he told The Guardian. Mr Woolley said there is a 'critical interdependency' between social care and the NHS. 'If we get the capacity wrong in social care, it's the NHS that bears the consequences. That is plain for all to see,' he said. The Department of Health said it had increased funding and published guidelines designed to improve co-ordination between the NHS and relevant bodies. Mrs Sibley's case follows revelations that patients have faced discharge delays of more than year in Scotland. One patient in Dumfries and Galloway was kept in hospital for 508 days despite being well enough to be discharged, figures obtained by the Scottish Liberal Democrats showed. HOSPITALS ARE FULL NHS hospitals serving millions of people are completely full, with no beds for new patients, shocking official figures revealed last month. In the weeks running up to Christmas, more than a dozen hospitals across England faced turning away critically ill patients because they were running at 100 per cent capacity. Experts say anything over 85 per cent occupancy is dangerous. One hospital, the Princess Alexandra in Harlow, Essex, did not have a single bed free in any general or acute care ward for 27 days in December. Advertisement This case comes after a man who was evicted from a hospital after he 'repeatedly refused to leave' for two years claimed he was 'forced to stay'. Portuguese-born Adriano Guedes, 63, was admitted to the James Paget University Hospital in Norfolk following a stroke in August 2014. But he was removed after the hospital, which said he occupied a bed 'unnecessarily', obtained a court order on January 10 this year. However, the pair came to a stalemate after Mr Guedes' fare of events differs to that of the hospital's. In fact, he said he asked to leave to be moved on multiple occasions, both to a 'wheelchair-friendly place' and a specialist clinic in London. But the hospital in Gorleston, near Great Yarmouth, said he was offered appropriate accommodation. This comes after figures in December revealed bedblocking is costing the NHS half a billion pounds each year. The rate at which patients are becoming trapped in hospital because of a lack of care at home has more than doubled since 2010. In 2015/16, bedblocking patients who were well enough to be discharged spent a total of 1,489,575 days in hospital. Nine out of 10 hospitals are overcrowded and have operated at levels deemed unsafe this winter, new figures have revealed. NHS hospitals are not meant to have more than 85 per cent of their beds occupied - but the majority are operating at well over this. An analysis by the BBC discovered that 137 of the 152 NHS trusts are currently operating above this and have done so since December. Experts say the limit allows hospitals sufficient space to deal with any emergencies and reduces the risk of infections spreading. An analysis by the BBC discovered that 137 of the 152 trusts are currently operating at levels deemed unsafe, leaving patients in danger While more than 60 had rates of above 95 per cent between the start of December and January 22. Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospitals, said the data was 'extremely worrying'. He added: 'Above 85 per cent and the risks start rising and once you get into the 90 per cent it is significant. 'You don't get this in other countries and it just shows the pressure hospitals are under.' The 85 per cent safe occupancy level was established by a study in the British Medical Journal in 1999. Researchers found there was a 'discernable' risk to patients in hospitals where it was exceeded. NHS trusts are not meant to have more than 85 per cent of their beds occupied - but the majority are operating at well over this And studies since then have shown that patients are 9 per cent more likely to die if they admitted to hospitals which breach this limit. A&E departments are known to be dealing with their busiest winter in 15 years as some doctors claim they have never seen it so bad. DOCTORS SAY PATIENTS ARE AT RISK Some 2,000 NHS doctors signed a letter last week to state that patient safety is at risk due to an 'unacceptable' lack of funding. The open letter to Prime Minister Theresa May said doctors constantly have to apologise to patients about the poor standard of care. The Government has come under severe pressure over NHS funding in recent weeks, as the winter health crisis has seen waiting times lengthen and hospitals turning patients away. The Department of Health repeatedly insists it has given all the NHS more than it needed, at the same time as other public services had received fundings cuts. Advertisement NHS hospitals serving millions of people are completely full, with no beds for new patients, official figures revealed last month. The British Red Cross warned that hospitals were facing a 'humanitarian crisis' as an elderly woman died after spending 35 hours waiting for a hospital bed on a trolley. In the weeks running up to Christmas, more than a dozen hospitals across England faced turning away critically ill patients because they were running at 100 per cent capacity. One hospital, the Princess Alexandra in Harlow, Essex, did not have a single bed free in any general or acute care ward for 27 days in December. Another, the North Middlesex in Edmonton, North London, was full for 23 days. The new figures come after one in 14 people in England are known to be on an NHS waiting list. Some 3.7 million are waiting to be admitted for routine treatment - the highest figure for nearly a decade. And nearly one in 10 of those - 350,000 - have been delayed for longer than the official waiting time of 18 weeks. E-cigarettes are far less harmful than tobacco products, a study appears to confirm. While vaporizers are touted as 'safe', health experts warn we still don't have enough evidence to say that for certain. But a new set of experiments performed in the UK have shown lung tissue is barely affected at all by e-cigarettes - compared to the crippling affect cigarette smoke has one our organs. Lungs exposed to tobacco suffered changes in 123 genes - mutating cells in a way that creates fertile ground for heart disease, inflammation, and even tumor growth. Meanwhile just two genes were affected in lungs exposed to e-cigarette vapor. Research by the British American Tobacco R&D Center found lungs exposed to e-cigarettes suffered two gene mutations - compared to the 123 genes changed by exposure to tobacco The products still carry a danger - two genes is more than none, and a study last week e-cigarette users have a higher risk of heart disease than non-users, due to higher levels of inflammation. However, lead author Anisha Banerjee of the British American Tobacco R&D Center insists it is time we universally acknowledge the safety of vaporizers in contrast with cigarettes. To investigate the impact of e-cigarettes versus cigarettes, the researchers used a groundbreaking new kind of lung model. Using cultured human airway cells, they managed to build 3D models that mimic the precise structure of human lung tissue. These models were exposed to two kinds of smoke - cigarette smoke and e-cigarette vapor from Vype ePen, a commercially available e-cigarette. To mimic human smoking, the cells were exposed to the substance for five minutes at a time, with a 30-minute break in between, over a period of two hours and 20 minutes. The cells were then allowed to rest for 24 hours and 48 hours following exposure, to allow the effects to set in. Finally, they tested the cells. To test them, the researchers used state-of-the-art 'next generation sequencing' of DNA and RNA molecules to identify any disturbance to the process that would signal changes in gene or protein expression. The results revealed human lung cells exposed to cigarette smoke exhibit higher number of gene expression changes compared to e-cigarette vapor. Cigarette smoke affected immune responses, oxidative stress and inflammation, which were not observed on exposure to e-cigarette vapor. The results are published in Applied In Vitro Toxicology as part of a special issue on Next Generation Nicotine Products. Many in the public health community believe e-cigarettes offer great potential for reducing the public health impact of smoking. Public Health England, an executive body of the UK Department of Health, recently published a report saying that the current expert estimate is that using e-cigarettes is around 95 percent safer than smoking cigarettes. The Royal College of Physicians have said that the public can be reassured that e-cigarettes are much safer than smoking and that they should be widely promoted as an alternative to cigarettes. The appointment of judges to high courts and Supreme Court is all too important to the working of the Constitution. If politicians derive power from political texts, then judiciary is the custodian of the justice and rule of law texts of the constitution. In 2016, there was a huge battle - can be even called a war - between the government and Supreme Court over judicial appointments. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Thakur did everything he could to make individual appointments in the High Courts and Supreme Court The appointments The then Chief Justice of India (CJI) Thakur did everything he could to make individual appointments in the High Courts and Supreme Court. He wept, cajoled, remonstrated, shouted and threatened. It was to no avail. Even though Supreme Court has the over-riding power over judicial appointments, the government - somewhat unconstitutionally - held its ground. Appointments were stalled. Is this is the battle-royale between the judicial and political custodians on judicial appointments? Enter the new CJI J.S. Khehar. On January 30, 2017, some writ petitions were filed to pray filling the judicial vacancies in the High Courts. The appointment of judges to high courts and Supreme Court is all too important to the working of the Constitution. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, not known for compromise in these matters, thundered (as he always does) that the Supreme Court was ill advised to entertain these petitions as part of its judicial power. 'No' he said. 'The Supreme Court should deal with delay in judicial appointment in High Courts on the administrative and not lend its weight to public interest petition (in this area)'. CJI Khehar was even more than emphatic in his reply: 'Once the petitions have been entertained, whether to grant them or not... This question will be answered by us in a formal order. We will give the order'. So the question: is the controversy over? The answer may well be that it is alive and well and it will continue. The role of the collegiums is to make a selection. The Union government do a security check; and then either agree or return the list to the Supreme Court. On such a reference, the Supreme Court's second look is final. Unfortunately, the government, having lost the appointment case (2016), is now testing and teasing the court. The court does not want to use its ultimate brahmasthra of making judicial orders to resolve the issue and wants an administrative settlement provided there is a meeting ground which recognises the court's supremacy. Any attempt to saffronise the judiciary must be closely watched. (Pictured ex CJI Thakur with Modi) On February 2, the Supreme Court formulated a new list of potential appointees Naveen Sinha (CJ Rajasthan) Sanjay Kaul (CJ Madras), Dipak Gupta (CJ Chattisgarh) Shantanagoudar (CJ Kerala) and a non-CJ from Karnataka and puisne Justice S. Abdul Nazeer. Non-Chief Justices are called puisne judges. These appointments were overdue. But there is some controversy the appointment of puisne judge Nazeer. This is a silly controversy for which the court itself may be responsible. The major controversy over puisne appointments was when the Janata government in 1978 appointed Justice D.A. Desai who was No. 4 in seniority in Gujarat. Puisne judges Senior judge J.B. Mehta of Gujarat resigned. C.K. Daphtary (former Attorney General) welcomed the appointment if it was free from corruption. Soli Sorabji (the additional solicitor general) found the via-media of not attending the swearing in of Desai. The underlying controversy was that Desai was too left wing and was distantly related to PM Morarji Desai. When I wrote a book on this controversy I showed that from 1950-1978 28 appointments (nearly half) were of puisne judges who had never been CJs in any court. Included in the list of non-Chief Justices Mahajan, B.K. Mukherjea, Bhagwati senior, Gajendragadkar, Shah, A.N. Ray, Krishna Iyer - some but not all of whom became CJIs. After 1978, there were other non-CJs in the High Court, including Justice Venkatachaliah, Babu, Lahoti. Many puisne judges appointed to the SC were among its greatest. Why is preference given to appointing CJs of some HC or the other? One reason is under the transfer policy of the government from the mix eighties whereby Chief Justices were chosen from some other state. This is manouvered to make chosen favourites to become High Court CJs in their path way to appointment to the Supreme Court. The second reason comes from the Supreme Court Judicial Appointment cases of 1993 and 1998. Colossal mess The normal rule is to appoint High Court Chief Justices as Supreme Court justices unless there is a puisne (CJ) of exceptional abilities who simply must come to the Supreme Court. So Chief Justices of High Court come first (the seniority principal) and puisne judges only if they are exceptional (the merit principle). We must assume that in the present appointment of 2017 of puisne judge Nazeer is of exceptional quality. However raising controversies of Nazeer must now be rested as stale. But unfortunately the 'best' judges do not find their way to the Supreme Court. Some CJI's of India could not even dictate orders (e.g. CJIs Balkrishnan and Khare). Even their judgments could well have been written by others. I know of at least one example of this. Appointments to the High Court and Chief Justice are in a colossal mess. The principal of seniority has too many loopholes. There is a loss of objectivity. Once upon a time, the judges of the High Court and Supreme Court were truly distinguished. This is no longer the case. Like Mrs Indira Gandhi after the Bangladesh war, the present government has a powerful majority. Just as in America, Justice Scalia's replacement will change the balance among the judges. In India, too, judicial appointments in the High Court and Supreme Court could change judicial decisions. Any attempt to saffronise the judiciary must be closely watched. The author is an advocate, legal expert and human rights activist I would be lying if I said that I never contemplated suicide every day after acid peeled off more than half of my face and neck,' said Mohini Kumar as she recounts the horrific day in 2005. A jilted lover hurled acid on Mohini's face after she refused to reciprocate to his advances and had warned him to keep distance. That was just another day in Jaipur, when Mohini was enthusiastically going to her new work place. Mohini (pictured left) now counsels female victims of crime, assault and acid attack at Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) But the attacker, who had earlier expressed his willingness to marry her, threw a jug full of acid on her. 'On spotting him, I turned my face away but that did not help. In a second, my face melted and there were fumes coming out of my burnt skin,' Mohini told Mail Today. Mohini now counsels female victims of crime, assault and acid attack at Delhi Commission for Women (DCW). She works as a coordinator and handles as many as 1,500 complaints received from all corners of the state in a month. Till now, she has shaped the lives of several survivors of rape, domestic violence, acid attack among others. Mohini is the first to answer the women's safety helpline today in the Capital. After that horrific day, Mohini did not see the colour of the sky or what season it was for almost a year. 'I restricted myself in my room and was largely confined to my bed. I was an adopted child, and people often used to tell my parents that they would not have seen this had they adopted a son,' Mohini recalled. 'My father, despite being the eldest was stopped from attending the matchmaking ceremonies. The insensitivity in the society was enough for me to think of ways to end my life. 'Ironically, these incidents scar the life a girl but the attacker usually walk free.' 'People will never accuse the person who could think of something as evil as burning someone's face with acid.' 'Society goes on to blame the girl, saying things like- 'It was obviously the girl's fault'. 'I wanted to defeat this stigma where a criminal walks away while the girl has to live with scalded face,' said Mohini. After undergoing several surgeries, Mohini picked up the job of tele-caller. 'I would cover every inch of my face before moving out to keep uncomfortable questions at a bay.' 'I met my husband while making one such business call.' 'We spoke at length on phone, and one day I told him that I have survived an acid attack.' 'For three years, we spoke on phone and finally when he came to meet me he willingly accepted me as I was. He went down on his knees to propose,' said Mohini. 'I see furious families seeking redressal for crimes against their daughters and sisters now.' They vent their anger on us. I patiently listen to them as I have been in similar situation,' Mohini said. Parents of 'Nirbhaya' have described the Supreme Court's decision to re-examine the death penalty awarded to the four convicts in the sensational 2012 rape and murder case as 'travesty of justice' and the amicus curiae as 'friends of the convicts'. Speaking to Mail Today, the victim's father Badrinath Singh and mother Asha Devi said they were disheartened by the way their daughter's case was progressing and how the 2012 tragedy, which shook the conscience of the nation and brought flash protests across the country, is now largely forgotten. 'Amicus sirf ek tarfa bol raha hein (Amicus is speaking on behalf of only one side),' Asha Devi said. Nirbhaya's father Badrinath Singh (right) and mother Asha Devi said they were disheartened by the way their daughter's case was progressing 'Jis tarah ke baat court mein ho raha hein aisa lag raha hein ki amicus accused ke taraf se hein (The way he has argued the case in the court makes one believe that he is representing only the accused).' Both Raju Ramachandran and Sanjay Hegde, the senior lawyers appointed by the court as amicus curiae in the case, refused to comment on the allegations. 'If this is what they are saying, I would not be responding,' Hegde said. On December 16, 2012, five adult men and a juvenile lured the 23-year-old trainee physiotherapist and her male friend onto a bus in Delhi, where they repeatedly raped the woman and later threw her out of the bus Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, who is the special public prosecutor in the case, also declined to comment. Asha Devi referred the amicus curiae Raju Ramchandran (pictured) as 'friends of the convicts' The parents sought to counter the arguments presented by the amicus in the court by saying: 'The amicus is giving out various reasons as why the convicts should not be hanged and one of them is that they are young and poor. I want to ask him, 'wasn't our daughter young?' 'Aren't we poor who were saving to spend for the education of our daughter whom they finished off?' 'It is sad that our struggle for justice for our daughter has now turned into fight to save the convicts,' said Singh. As per procedure, the Supreme Court needs to confirm the death sentence and only then the four convicts can be hanged. The court is also hearing the appeal filed by the four convicts Mukesh (24), Pawan (20), Vinay (22) and Akshay (29) challenging the death penalty. People lit candles and held solidarity marches in remembrance of the horrific December 16 Delhi gang-rape that shook the nation at the Munirka bus stand In its order on July 18, 2016, the Supreme Court said: 'We may hasten to clarify the amicus, the learned friends of the court, shall assist the court with regard to the case and not with regard to any particular petitioner' (convicts who have challenged the death sentence awarded by trial court and upheld by the Delhi HC). On Friday, giving a new twist to the case, an Supreme Court bench headed by justice Dipak Misra said it would re-examine the death penalty after accepting the submission of Ramachandran which claims that there has been violation of the CrPC with regards to the sentencing of the four convicts. The amicus had primarily argued that charges and the nature of crime alleged against each of them were separate and all of them could not have been sentenced to death in one brush without hearing them separately. 'While arguing with regard to the imposition of the capital punishment on the accused persons, one of the main submissions of Ramachandran was that neither the trial court nor High Court has followed the mandate enshrined under section 235(2) of CrPC. 'He also argued that the trial judge had not considered the aggravating and mitigating circumstances, as are required to be considered,' the Supreme Court said on Friday. The parents, who have been attending various fast track court hearings since December 2012, said they were shocked beyond belief how senior lawyers were able to turn the case on its head in so short a period. 'Nyay nahi mila, pahle juvenile ko chhod diya, ab inko bhi phansee se bachane ki koshish ho rahi hai (we have been denied justice, first the juvenile convict was let off and now these four may also escape the gallows),' said Singh. On the night of December 16, 2012, five adult men and a juvenile lured the 23-year-old trainee physiotherapist and her male friend onto a bus in Delhi, where they repeatedly raped the woman and beat both with a metal bar before dumping them on a road. The woman, later dubbed Nirbhaya (meaning fearless), died two weeks later of her injuries. Four of the adults were sentenced to death while the fifth hanged himself in prison. On August 31, 2013, the juvenile was convicted and sentenced to three years in a reformation home. He was released in December 2015. The incident stirred widespread public outrage forcing the government to rewrite rape laws and enhancing the punishment for all crimes involving sexual harassment of a woman. Parrikar has set up a committee to bring in major changes in the system Against the backdrop of controversies surrounding promotions in the Army, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has formed a high-level committee to overhaul the system to make it transparent and fair. The defence minister has decided to set up a committee comprising of two retired lieutenant generals, soon after the retirement of previous Army chief Gen. Dalbir Singh Suhag last month. The two retired officers are Lt Gen G S Katoch and Lt Gen A K Ahuja, who recently superannuated as the deputy chief of Integrated Defence Staff and was responsible for procurement of weapon systems for the three services. 'The defence ministry has decided to set up a committee of two officers, who would give their recommendations to the government on the changes in promotion policy and the quantified system of selection for officers of the Indian Army,' senior defence ministry sources told Mail Today. The aim of setting up the committee is to infuse 'more objectivity, transparency and fairness in the promotion system that is coming under cloud very frequently as several officers are complaining against it to the ministry and taking government to courts'. Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) had come down heavily on the Army and Defence Ministry while hearing a case where an officer had allegedly deliberately concealed facts about his confidential records to get promotion (File Picture) The biggest question mark on the promotion system was raised when a particular board for elevation of officers from the rank of Major General to Lieutenant General in 2015-16 came under the scanner for alleged payment of bribes by them. A couple of officers, who were considered by the promotion board, are still facing CBI inquiries for charges of disproportionate assets and could not be elevated to the next rank and had to retire from service. All the promotion boards have discretionary power of awarding five numbers to the officers in race for promotion and many a times, those who are left behind allege that this sometimes gives scope of favouritism in the force. Indian army's director general of military operations, Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh Army officers also complain against the Military Secretary's branch of the Army which looks after promotions and postings of officers for lack of transparency in the system. That is why the committee has been asked by the ministry to cover aspects such as 'calculation of vacancies, consideration of special review, deferred cases and matters such as notional empanelment'. Recently, the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) had come down heavily on the Army and Defence Ministry while hearing a case where an officer had allegedly deliberately concealed facts about his confidential records to get promotion. Taking a serious view, the court had ordered the officer, who is serving as Lt Gen, to be demoted to the rank of Brigadier. The matter has now reached the Supreme Court. While parting with that case, the AFT had remarked that 'we feel corruption has crept in every system of the country and pray to the almighty to impart justice and help the country recognise merit of the people serving the nation instead of extraneous considerations'. To bring in major changes in the system, Parrikar has empowered the committee to call for any record and information from the Army headquarters and Defence Ministry. 'A Brigadier from the Military Secretary's branch would be attached with the committee to arrange all logistics, secretarial and other assistance to the members,' the sources said. To implement the recommendations in the earliest possible time frame, the defence minister has asked the committee to submit its report within one month from the date of its constitution. Mocking the opposition parties for joining hands, fearing that BJP will get a majority in Rajya Sabha after the UP polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a dig at the SP-Congress alliance. He said that the BJP storm has forced CM Akhilesh Yadav to desperately seek the help of anything, even a pole, to retain power. Addressing an election rally in Aligarh, he also launched a scathing attack on the SP government for doing nothing for development in the state, as he used his signature style of coining acronyms to assert that BJP will bring Vikas - 'Vidyut' (electricity), 'Kanoon' (law and order) and 'Sadak' (roads), if voted to power in Uttar Pradesh. Government apathy has led to the closure of Aligarh lock factories, said PM Modi, at a gathering Maintaining that he had come to Aligarh in 2014, as the PM candidate, Modi said not even half this ground was filled then. 'But today there is a 'kesariya sagar' (saffron sea) before me... And when the wind is so strong, even a young leader cannot face it and seeks help of anything ...even a pole...but this time BJP 'aandhi' (storm) is so strong that the Chief Minister fears that he might be blown off...' 'The people of UP want change and justice.' Attacking the opposition, Modi said we are working to save money by adopting strict measures. 'Will they not be angry with me and will not come together to defeat Modi?' 'They feel that if they remain alone, Modi will get majority in the Rajya Sabha and make such rules that thieves, looters and the corrupt will not get any help. This is what they fear.' Thousands of people turned up at the rally addressed by PM Modi in Aligarh 'I am tightening the screws to teach those supporting black money a lesson,' he said. Attacking the SP government, Modi said past governments in UP worked in such a manner that it led to the closure of famous Aligarh lock industry as they could not provide enough electricity. He castigated the state government for doing nothing for the development of poor villagers, and accused it of neither checking corruption, casteism and nepotism, nor clearing the cane farmers' dues. 'But we are working day and night to ensure that every corner of India has electricity. We are making good progress.' 'I am confident that electricity will reach every factory and household very soon, he said. Amidst chants of Modi-Modi, the Prime Minister said it is shameful that youths were asked to pay bribe and bring recommendation for interviews by MLAs and Ministers. 'Poor had to mortgage land and assets to pay. This has to be stopped.' He said that the BJP storm has forced CM Akhilesh Yadav to desperately seek the help of anything, even a pole, to retain power. Observing that corrupt people were withdrawing money out of a widow's pension, Modi said the corrupt are flourishing under the current UP administration. 'To stop this, we have from the Centre linked pension to Aadhaar and bank accounts,' he said. 'Rs 40,000 crore of the treasury that these rats would have silently eaten, is now being saved.' On demonetisation, Modi said there was chaos among the corrupt after note ban was announced as they were forced to deposit the ill-gotten money in bank accounts. 'They thought Modi has not made any arrangement but they did not know that there was sufficient planning to find out details of all the money being deposited in the banks.' We want that this money comes to good use, for the benefit of our youth and development of our country. I am thankful to 1.2 billion people for supporting me, Modi said. On lack of development in UP, Modi said, that apathy of the state government led to the closure of Aligarh lock industry because of lack of regular electric supply. He said there was a magic which had led to the annual saving of Rs 10,000 crore. By introducing cheap LED bulbs, we have reduced electricity bills. Speaking on the law and order situation in UP, Modi said that women cannot move out after sunset in UP, which is because of the prevalent goondaism. V K Sasikala, who was the shadow of Jayalalithaa for nearly three decades, is set to become the chief minister of Tamil Nadu as the AIADMK Legislature Party elected her as its leader, over a month after she became the party's powerful general secretary. She is expected to be sworn-in as the third chief minister of the state within two months on Tuesday. The name of 62-year-old Sasikala as AIADMK legislature party leader was proposed by chief minister O Panneerselvam at a meeting of party MLAs at the party headquarters in Chennai. AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala flashes a victory sign after attending the party MLA's meeting in which she was elected as a AIADMK Legislative party leader, set to become Tamil Nadu CM, at Party's Headquarters in Chennai Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam tendered his resignation from the post citing 'personal reasons.' 'Due to my personal reasons, I am tendering my resignation from the post of chief minister of Tamil Nadu. 'Kindly accept my resignation and relieve the Council of Ministers of Tamil Nadu appointed by me on December 6, 2016, he said in a letter addressed to Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao. Sasikala claims that Panneerselvam 9pictured) had first persuaded her to become the CM when Jayalalithaa passed away 'It was Panneerselvam who had first persuaded me to become the chief minister and general secretary as well when Jayalalithaa passed away,' Sasikala told party legislators in her acceptance speech. She said the development has come shattering the expectation of our political opponents that there will be a split in the party after the demise of our Amma (Jayalalithaa). Sasikala had a special word of praise for Panneerselvam, stating, 'whenever the party faced tough times and whenever there were difficulties in Amma becoming the chief minister, it was our dear brother Panneerselvam who has been loyal.' Sasikala said the AIADMK would strive for the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu. With her elevation, which comes over a month after she took charge as AIADMK general secretary on December 31, Sasikala carries on the legacy of Jayalalithaa, who also held the two posts allowing her to wield complete control on the government and the party. 'I would never imagine of something as bad as this happen to the people of Tamil Nadu,' said Deepa Jayakumar, Jayalalithaa's niece Sasikala said it was Panneerselvam who had for the first time urged her to become both the party general secretary and chief minister after the demise of Jayalalithaa. 'I was, however, not in a mood to listen to anything then, due to the passing away of Amma,' she said, adding, she agreed to become the party general secretary after leaders and cadres persuaded her to do so to fulfill the ideals of Jayalalithaa. Recalling that the party leaders and workers had been urging her that both the party general secretary and chief minister should be one. 'I will fulfill the dreams of Amma fully and I give my assurance that this regime will work for the people,' Sasikala said with her eyes moist. Panneerselvam was the stop gap chief minister twice, first time when Jayalalithaa was unseated following a Supreme Court order in 2001 and when she was convicted in a disproportionate assets case in 2014. When Jayalalithaa was at the helm, Sasikala was considered to yield a huge clout behind the scenes. After taking charge of the party, she had pledged to take forward the legacy of the former chief minister. Ever since Jayalalithaa's death, there has been a clamour that Sasikala should follow the earlier practice of both the party general secretary and the chief minister's post being vested with the same person. Senior party leader and Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai is among those who have backed Sasikala for the chief minister's post. In December last year, four state ministers have asked Sasikala to become the chief minister, besides being the AIADMK general secretary. A resolution to this effect was passed at a meeting of Tirunelveli Urban Jaya Peravai (Forum), led by state AIADMK secretary and revenue minister R B Udhayakumar on December 17. Few days back, Sasikala had appointed senior leaders, including some former ministers and a former mayor, to key party posts. DMK working president and leader of Opposition MK Stalin dubbed the elevation of Sasikala as against the wishes of both Jayalalithaa and the expectations of the people. When she addressed the party legislators, Sasikala was clad in the signature green sari and blouse emulating the late Jayalalithaa. Sasikala's elevation saw her supporters celebrating it by bursting crackers and distributing sweets at many places. It is now a mere formality for Panneerselvam to resign from the chief ministership, paving the way for Sasikala to assume the top post. Stalin claimed Sasikala was not Jayalalithaa's choice for position either in the government or in the party. 'I would never imagine of something as bad as this happen to the people of Tamil Nadu,' said Deepa Jayakumar, Jayalalithaa's niece. Speaking to reporters at Tiruvarur, the DMK leader recalled that whenever Jayalalithaa could not be at the helm as when she was indisposed since last September and after being convicted in a disproportionate assets case, she chose Panneerselvam to head the government. He said his party will face it in the upcoming elections (civic) in a democratic manner. However, CPI (M) state secretary G Ramakrishnan greeted Sasikala on her elevation. 'I believe she will factor in people's opinions on this change, he said in a statement.' Several central government agencies and financial institutions, including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), received complaints against Anubhav Mittal - the alleged mastermind of Rs 3,700-crore online ponzi scam - but failed to act, it's claimed. Documents in the possession of Mail Today show the RBI, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Delhi's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and even the district administration of Gautam Budh Nagar, were approached by the complainants in 2016 but they failed to act on time, allowing the 'dubious' business to grow. Even the officials of Uttar Pradesh Police STF, which arrested Mittal last week, admitted that they took legal and financial advice before deciding to approach the company, which has about 6.5 lakh investors. Anubhav Mittal at the launch of one of his business ventures, IntMaart, at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Greater Noida on November 29, last year Anubhav Mittal is accused of running multi-level marketing and ponzi schemes under the banners of Ms Ablaze Info Solutions Private Ltd, Ms Social Trade India Pvt Ltd, Ms 3W Digital Pvt Ltd and Ms Intmaart India Pvt Ltd. The RBI had initiated some groundwork against the company in October 2016, but could not find anyone at registered address of two offices owned by Mittal in Delhi. A senior official confirmed that an online complaint was made to them on October 3 which was closed on November 8, 2016. Accused Anubhav Mittal, who was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) for an online trading scam worth over Rs.3,700 crore RBI official wrote as a remark to the complaint filed: 'Visit to Ablaze Info at Chandni Chowk revealed that the company was not present at the registered address. Registrars of Companies (ROC) Delhi have been informed on October 28, 2016. Sunny Leone was among the celebrities at Mittal's launch, an STF officer said 'Visit to Rbiz.com private limited gathered that no board containing the name of the company was found at the registered address of the company at Vasudhara Enclave in Delhi. The flat was found locked.' But an STF officer claimed: 'It was around the same time when the company realised that the agencies have started coming after them and they shifted their base to Noida Sector 63.' Police have also allegedly found several presentations where Mittals companies had used names of several government institutions, like Delhi government, MCD, Uttar Pradesh transport department, apart from other leading private companies and educational institutions as its partners. On verification, they have denied being linked with any of his companies. On Sunday a large group of people gathered at Jantar Mantar to protest against Mittal's arrest and demanded his immediate release. Mittal launched one of his business ventures, IntMaart, at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Greater Noida on November 29, 2016 - an event attended by a number of guests, including Bollywood A-listers. The guest list included Bollywood actresses Sunny Leone and Ameesha Patel, a senior STF official said. A large group of people gathered at Jantar Mantar to protest against his arrest and demanded his immediate release on Sunday He added that, if needed, a notice would be sent to any guests of the party who might be able to help police with inquiries. The officer said the inaugural programme was clubbed together with Mittal's birthday celebration but the invite did not mention any personal event. 'The company spent over a crore of rupees for the launch-cum-birthday celebration as they paid Rs 25 lakh to the hotel,' said the officer, who did not wish to be named. India has sealed the dubious title of being the world's top destination for spam, at a time when cyber criminals are again resorting to mediums such as adware and email spam for hacking, according to a study by American tech giant Cisco. Eighty five per cent of emails in India are spam, the annual cyber security report said. Brazil comes in at the second spot with 57 per cent, followed by Mexico with 54 per cent spam. India has sealed the dubious title of being the world's top destination for spam Global spam volume has also surged to levels not seen since 2010. Spam accounts for 65 per cent of emails, with eight to 10 per cent cited as malicious, the report said. Adware or software that downloads advertising without user permission infected 75 per cent of business organisations that were investigated. The Cisco report assumes significance as it highlights vulnerabilities at a time when India is going in for a big push to digital transactions. In October 2016, 32 lakh ATM cards in India belonging to major banks such as ICICI Bank and SBI were suspected to be hacked and had to be recalled. Several victims reported unauthorised usage from China. Reports said the breach could have been because of a malware generated in Hitachi Payment Services, one of the largest providers of Point of Sale services, ATM machines and mobile transactions in India. American tech giant Cisco said 85 per cent of emails in India were spam in its report Highlighting the potential financial impact of attacks on businesses, the global report said: 'After a security breach, over 50 per cent of organisations faced public scrutiny. Operations and finance systems were the most affected, followed by brand reputation and customer retention.' Over one-third of organizations that experienced a breach in 2016 reported substantial customer, opportunity and revenue loss of over 20 per cent. In 2016, hacking became more 'corporate', with digitisation creating opportunities for cybercriminals. 'Though attackers continue to leverage time-tested techniques, they also employ new approaches that mirror the 'middle management' structure of their corporate targets. Certain malvertising campaigns employed brokers (or gates) that act as middle managers, masking malicious activity,' it said. Adversaries can then move with greater speed, maintain their operational space, and evade detection. Among employee introduced, third-party cloud applications, intended to open up new business opportunities and increase efficiencies, 27 per cent were identified as high risk and created significant security concerns. The report said just 56 per cent of security alerts are investigated and less than half of legitimate alerts remediated. The Cisco report surveyed nearly 3,000 chief security officers and security operations leaders from 13 countries as part of the study. They attributed budget constraints, poor compatibility of systems, and a lack of trained talent as the biggest barriers to advancing their security postures. Leaders also reveal that their security departments are increasingly complex environments with 65 percent of organizations using from six to more than 50 security products, increasing the potential for security effectiveness gaps. The shortcomings leave gaps of time and space for attackers to use to their advantage, the report said. A bright spot was the drop in the use of large exploit kits or malware such as Angler, Nuclear and Neutrino, whose owners were brought down in 2016. But smaller players rushed in to fill the gap, it said. A fierce price war among budget airlines is set to benefit millions of passengers as Ryanair was the latest carrier to announce a drop in fares - as well as in profits. Ryanair passengers saw the price of air tickets fall by a more-than-expected 17 per cent to an average of 33 in the three months to the end of December and could be in line for more falls this and the coming year. The budget airline said the sharp fall in fares attracted more customers but dragged its profits 8 per cent lower to 95million (81million) in the three months to the end of December. Cautious: Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said prices were falling faster than initially planned and the firm expected to grow at a slower pace than previously planned in the UK Budget airlines have taken advantage of lower fuel prices to cut their prices in recent months and add capacity, but this is taking a toll on profits. Ryanair said prices had also fallen because of a drop in demand for destinations like Turkey and Egypt, which have made headlines for terrorist attacks in recent years. Airlines are now pulling back from those regions to focus on the Western Mediterranean, Spain and Portugal, where competition is getting fierce. This could mean lower prices for months to come as carriers battle for customers, according to analysts. Numis Securities analyst Wyn Ellis said the relative rate of capacity growth - or the number of seats and flights on offer - is 'significantly higher' than underlying demand growth. Demand across Europe is growing between 4 per cent to 5 per cent, while capacity growth - most of which is concentrated in the Western Mediterranean - is rising by 6 per cent to 7 per cent. 'That's the overall issue and it's affecting all airlines in European short haul. Too much capacity chasing too little demand in a relatively low cost fuel environment,' Ellis said. As the price war gains traction, a number of carriers have issued more cautious outlooks in recent months. Last month rival easyJet warned that profits would be 35million lower than it had expected, while Wizz Air said that the price war threatened to wipe 26million off its earnings. Ryanair, which reports results in euros but derives about a quarter of its earnings in pounds, also blamed the sharp decline in sterling following Brexit for the slump in profits. Shares in the group fell by 1.6 per cent or 0.23 to to 14.50 in early morning trading. Chief executive Michael O'Leary said: As previously guided, our fares this winter have fallen sharply as Ryanair continues to grow traffic and load factors strongly in many European markets. These falling yields were exacerbated by the sharp decline in sterling following the Brexit vote. He added that Ryanair had responded to this weaker environment by continuing to improve the customer experience, cutting costs, and stimulating demand through lower fares, which has seen load factors jump to record levels. Lower fares helped to grow traffic by 16 per cent to 29million customers and Ryanair maintained its full year profit guidance of between 1.3billion (1.12billion) and 1.35billion (1.16billion). However, it said this was dependent on the absence of any unforeseen security events taking place, adding the outlook for 2017 was cautious. The airline's load factor a measure of how efficiently a transport provider fills seats and generates fare revenue - climbed 2 percentage points to 95 per cent. By contrast, easyJet saw its load factor fall 0.3 percentage points to 90 per cent in the final three months of 2016. Lower fares helped traffic grow 16 per cent to 29million customers Neil Wilson, senior market analyst at ETX Capital, said that despite the bigger-than-expected drop in fares, what really mattered was the seismic impact of Brexit on Ryanair. Ryanairs trouble is that it has huge exposure to the UK market and sterling, but earnings are booked in euros. The airline derives about a quarter of its earnings in pounds so the collapse in sterling explains a good deal of the fall in profits. But its approach to the challenge has also contributed to the decline in profitability in the third quarter, he said. The companys response to the drop in the pound to aggressively lower fares to grab market share while expanding routes doesnt help profits in the near term. But going forward the growth in traffic will help put it on a surer footing, particularly as its also reducing costs, Wilson added. In July, the carrier said the decision by Britain to quit the European Union was a surprise and a disappointment, and it would pivot growth away from UK airports and focus more on growing European airports over the next two years. On Monday, Ryanair reiterated the stance, saying that uncertainty over Brexit would continue to be a challenge for the rest of this year and next. We expect sterling to remain volatile for some time and we may see a slowdown in economic growth in both the UK and Europe as we move closer to Brexit. While there may be opportunities to expand at certain UK airports (such as the recent extension of our growth deal at Stansted), we expect to grow at a slower pace than previously planned in the UK. Buried side by side in the desert that claimed their lives: Bodies of 92 migrants who died trying to cross the Sahara are laid to rest The bodies of 92 migrants have now been discovered, official said Bodies were badly decomposed and had been eaten, possibly by jackals Officials buried the bodies in mass graves dug where they died Found scattered across a 20km radius in small groups, often under trees Children and teenagers may have been heading for low-paid jobs in Algeria All died in early October after failed bid to escape Nigerien town of Arlit Left stranded in Sahara after both vehicles carrying them broke down Soldiers pause for a moment as they dig a mass grave to bury the bodies of 92 migrants who died of thirst trying to cross the Sahara. These new photographs show the horrifying scene which confronted the first people to discover the trail of decomposing corpses of men, women and children, found in Niger's desert north. All died in early October after a failed attempt to reach Algeria that began in late September - just a few kilometres from the border of Algeria, their planned destination. Scroll down for video Horror: Volunteers and soldiers pause while digging graves to inter the bodies of migrants who died of thirst after their the truck they were traveling in broke down in the Sahara Desert north of Arlit, Niger Grim task: The bodies of 92 migrants, who died of thirst while trying to cross the Sahara desert have now been discovered and buried, officials confirmed The bodies were in such a terrible condition, many eaten by jackals and decomposed, that officials had to bury them where they lay. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Daughter of couple found buried in their back garden after... Heartbroken husband 'killed himself' just hours after his... Share this article Share One of the photographs shows half a dozen covered corpses just a few feet from the abandoned wreck of a pick up truck that was part of a caravan of vehicles which broke down carrying the migrants across the forbidding desert. Almoustapha Alhacen, from local aid organisation Aghir In'man, confirmed the death toll and gave a graphic account of discovering the bodies. 'The corpses were decomposed. it was horrible,' he said. Grim task: A men cover the bodies of migrants who died of thirst after the truck they were traveling in, right, broke down while attempting to cross the Sahara Desert Burial: Soldiers walk away from the freshly dug grave, after burying bodies of migrants who died of thirst when their the truck broke down in the Sahara Desert north of Arlit, Niger 'We found them in different locations in a 20km (12-mile) radius and in small groups, often under trees, or under the sun. 'Sometimes a mother and children, but some lone children too.' The bodies were buried according to Muslim rites, 'as and when they were found,' added Alhacen. Mr Alhacen said that because so many of the dead were children or teenagers, it was possible they were heading for low paid jobs in Algeria. Death in the desert: A graphic showing where the bodies of 87 migrants were found in Niger after two vehicles taking them to Algeria broke down before reaching the border Treacherous: The seven men, 32 women and 48 children died of thirst in early October after walking for days in the Sahara desert (above, file picture) Nigerien officials said on Monday that dozens of migrants, most of them women and children, had died of thirst in the Sahara desert earlier this month. Two vehicles were carrying the migrants when they broke down, one about 83 kilometres (51 miles) from the city of Arlit, northern Niger where they had set off from, and another at 158 kilometres (98 miles), a security source said. 'The first vehicle broke down. The second returned to Arlit to get a spare part after getting all the migrants it was carrying to alight, but it too broke down,' said the source. 'We think that the migrants were in the desert for seven days and on the fifth day, they began to leave the broken down vehicle in search of a well,' said the source. However, 21 people had survived, the source said, including a man who walked to Arlit and a woman who was saved by a driver who came across her in the desert and took her to the same city. 'We found them in different locations in a 20km (12-mile) radius and in small groups, often under trees, or under the sun. Sometimes a mother and children, but some lone children too' - Aid worker Nineteen others reached the Algerian city of Tamanrasset, but were sent back to Niger, the source added. In the lucrative business of transporting Africans fleeing conditions at home for what they hope will be a better life elsewhere, traffickers quite frequently abandon their human cargo in the desert, leaving them to near certain death. Azaoua Mamane, who works for the non-governmental organisation Synergie in Arlit, said the group left behind consisted of 'entire families, including many children and women, who departed for Algeria, where they hoped to beg for their keep'. Niger is one of the world's poorest countries and has been hit by successive food crises. Libya, rather than Algeria, is more frequently the favoured country of transit for west Africans making the journey across the continent, many of whom aim to travel on to Europe. The UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that at least 30,000 economic migrants passed through Agadez, northern Niger's largest city, between March and August of this year. These migrants often look to Europe as their final destination, a security source told AFP, and use Libya as a jumping off point amid the relative chaos in the North African country since the fall of Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. Humanitarian agencies say nearly 20,000 migrants have perished while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe over the past 20 years. A Philadelphia police officer with an eagle tattoo resembling a Nazi emblem has been cleared of wrongdoing, several months after an image of the tattoo sparked outcry. Officer Ian Hans Lichterman's tattoos, including one similar to the Nazi imperial eagle, don't violate police department policy, because the department has no policy on tattoos, a police source told the Philadelphia Inquirer on Tuesday. The department has closed its internal investigation and Lichterman remains on the job, police said. The tattoo on Lichterman's forearm shows a spread-winged eagle under the word 'Fatherland' in Gothic script, recalling the swastika-clutching Reichsadler, or imperial eagle, of Nazi Germany. Philadelphia cop Ian Hans Lichtermann, who has a pro-Nazi tattoo, has been cleared of any wrongdoing after a photograph emerged showing his controversial ink The picture of Officer Ian Hans Lichtermann showing a Reichsadler eagle and the word, 'Fatherland', on his left arm surfaced on social media in September The Reichsadler, or imperial eagle, is a symbol that has been used in other situations, but is most commonly associated with Nazism Lichterman's tattoo was initially spotted last summer, as the officer patrolled a protest march at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney was among those criticizing the officer's tattoo after images surfaced on social media in September. He called it 'incredibly offensive' at the time. Kenney reiterated his stance Tuesday, saying, 'I am deeply offended by the tattoo and I think it is completely inappropriate for any law enforcement officer to have such a tattoo given its impact on those they are sworn to protect and serve.' Records suggest that Lichterman has been on the Philadelphia police force since May 2003 He says the investigation determined that since the department doesn't have a tattoo policy, the officer couldn't be dismissed. Kenny says the city 'will draft such a policy so this cannot happen again,' but insiders say such a rule would be subject to negotiation with police unions, which may not support tattoo restrictions on their members. Other photos of Lichterman appear to show his left elbow tattooed with an Iron Cross, another symbol associated with Nazi Germany. Another photo from the Democratic National Convention appears to show an Iron Cross tattoo on Lichterman's left elbow Lichterman's other arm reads 'For God and Country,' the motto of the American Legion, a group that was sympathetic to Fascism in Europe in the years leading up to World War II On the officer's right forearm is tattooed an M16A1 - the weapon that used to be the U.S. military's standard service rifle - over an American flag, along with the slogan 'For God and Country.' The words were the motto of the American Legion, a group that was sympathetic to Fascism in Europe in the years leading up to World War II. In the outcry over the tattoos last fall, photos also surfaced that appeared to show Lichterman in military re-enactment gear as a Nazi-era German soldier. An officer with the same name as Lichterman has been employed on the Philadelphia force since May 2003 and earns about $72,000. Mermaids hold a certain mystique. Colorful, glamorous and beautiful they have been prominent in folklore for thousands of years, and have been cemented into the consciousness with appearances in literature, paintings and movies. It is no surprise then that groups of people across America and the world are drawn to these mythological creatures, eager to identify as half-human, half fish. But it may also come as no surprise that these sirens of the sea who are so often associated with peril can cause as much of a ruckus on dry land. Scroll down for video A community of people - called the merfolk - who identify as half-fish and half-human is growing but there is a dark side where bitter rivalries have formed. In this picture, a mermaid (left) tries to diffuse tensions between Shannon Rauch (pictured right) and another merperson at the community's annual convention, Mermania The atmosphere among the people in this community - that call themselves 'merfolk'- seems very different from a scene in Ariel, The Little Mermaid. Here, Shannon is pictured arguing with another merperson while a mermaid (pictured in the blue hoodie) watches on On closer inspection the colorful community of sea-lovers who don bejeweled costumes is a fractured group with a dark side where bitter rivalries form, silicone tails clash. It is an atmosphere that feels very different from a scene in The Little Mermaid. This community of people who call themselves merfolk is growing. They meet annually at conventions in the United States and communicate online through social media and a dedicated forum, the Mernetwork, to talk about work, life, love, tails, and everything in between. There are at least 1,000 merfolk across America who embrace the lifestyle fully. Some make a living from charging up to $250 an hour to attend parties and have been flown as far as Australia where they swim underwater holding their breath for up to four minutes at a time while wearing expensive silicone tails that can cost up to $6000 and weigh up to 50lbs. Whats more, the silicone tails worn by those in the community have become so popular that swimwear companies are expanding their businesses to cater to the merfolk audience and are banking millions from it. In this community, popularity is currency. Most mermen and merwomen yearn for online fame and try to outdo each other in their personal and professional lives. Tensions peaked at Mermania. Days before the convention, a mermaid wrote posted as her Facebook status: What if I actually fight someone at Mermania?. Her post garnered replies from other mermaids encouraging her to 'fight Bonnie if she tries me with that baby talk.' This year tensions rose days before the gathering. A mermaid posted as her Facebook status: What if I actually fight someone at Mermania? Her post garnered replies from other merfolk encouraging her to fight a fellow mermaid, Bonnie Lavender, 'if she tries me with that baby talk'. In the latter part of the thread other mermaids called for the mean comments to stop. But it was at the largest convention held earlier this year where furor peaked. Called Mermania, this three-day event brought merfolk from around the world and at the gathering, tensions which had bubbled online among many in the community spilled into reality. At the recent Mermania convention in North Carolina, DailyMail.com witnessed tensions peak between two former chief mermaids and police were called. One mermaid who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals remembers her friends life being threatened on social media by others from within the merfolk community. She felt endangered. That was in bad taste. I know how it feels like to be afraid and I did not appreciate my friend feeling like that. At the recent Mermania convention, where more than 300 participants gathered in North Carolina, DailyMail.com witnessed tensions peak between two former chief mermaids and police were called (this is a stock photo and none of the mermaids pictured here were involved) Tensions were such that as some took to social media to make flippant threats, while others posted videos on YouTube calling for a peaceful convention. One woman who goes by the name Mermaid Kelly posted on YouTube: To those who have drama, I would like for you to confront each other and just sit down to have a civilized talk about the issue and how you can fix it. Another wrote on Facebook: The past few days in my life there has been negativity surrounding Mermania. The drama that has hit the fan has assured me that I really shouldnt and dont want to go. Bonnie Lavender is a professional mermaid who says shes endured a barrage of insults from her mer community. The 34-year-old mother-of-one from Nashville, Tennessee, said: I have had sadness I have had stress. This has affected my family and I have spent so much time dealing with this drama sent my way. Bonnie suffers from endometriosis a condition that can cause infertility. She has been taking pills to keep her illness under control and was able to have her first child two years ago but last spring, the condition made a fierce return and Bonnie miscarried. Before Mermania, some merfolk took to YouTube to ask for calm. Mermaid Kelly said on the video channel: To those who have drama, I would like for you to confront each other and just sit down to have a civilized talk about the issue and how you can fix it. Bonnie Lavender (pictured second from left at Mermania) is a professional mermaid who says she's been cyber bullied by those in her mer community and the bullying especially got worse before the convention The 34-year-old said the bullying has 'affected my family'. The mum-of-one who suffers from endometriosis has been taking pills to keep her illness under control and was able to have her first child two years ago but last spring, the condition made a fierce return and Bonnie miscarried She said: I am trying to have a baby and I cannot take this drama or stress because I do not want to have another miscarriage. I have publicly shared that I'm trying to have a child and I need positivity. In the days leading to the convention, Bonnie told DailyMail.com that she experienced negativity like she had never faced before when someone threatened to beat her up. One mermaid wrote on her Facebook status: What if I actually fight someone at Mermania? garnering replies and encouragement from others who appear to be within the mer community. The same mermaid goes on to say: It's going to be Bonnie if she tries me with that baby talk. One replies with a Monty Python clip showing a character being slapped across the face, another demanded to know when it would happen so she could film it and others wanted to record it for Facebook Live. Referring to the one who posted first, Bonnie said: I did not know who that person was because on the Internet when you see a picture you don't know if that person is a 30-year-old woman or a 15-year-old teen. Bonnie says the cyber bullying has been stressful on her and she is fearful she might miscarry again. Still, at least 300 merfolk traveled to Greensboro one weekend in January for the three-day convention. There was plenty of fun, laughter, socializing and swimming in glitzy tails. Year-long war of words between two old friends erupted into screams of 'go f*** yourself' and a 911 call On the second night, furor peaked when two sides of a year-long battle that had been unfolding on the mernetwork clashed. On one side: Shannon Rauch, a professional mermaid who said bullying had made her feel hopeless and put her marriage under strain. One the other side: Convention organizer and mother of two Venessa Lewis and her fellow mermaid Stephanie Brown. The reason for the tension dates back to Halloween 2015. Shannon believes she was roofied while drinking at a bar. While in a drugged state, she inadvertently bit her husbands arm and was arrested by the police for assault. Although no charges were brought against her, she has had her career jeopardized by other mermaids digging into her past and relaying information to her clients. She says she has even received anonymous texts that have read kill yourself. A war of words between the former friends widely shared and seen by their fellow merfolk online resulted in Shannon being banned from this years convention. Shannon: There were times when I felt hopeless....I wanted to hurt myself ...I mean this is serious and there are people who have also felt that way. I couldnt be the wife and mother I was supposed to be. Asked about the confrontation, Venessa said: Im not sure why she assigns the anger to us. She has an agenda maybe, she has some hurt feelings from the parting from ways. I dont have time for that level of pettiness and I feel people are trying to suck me in from this little realm of accusations. Shannon believes the reason for the 'bullying' dates back to Halloween 2015, when was roofied while drinking at a bar While in a drugged state, she inadvertently bit her husbands arm and was arrested by the police for assault. Although no charges were brought against her, she has had her career jeopardized by other mermaids. The link to Shannon's mugshot(left) was e-mailed to some of her clients (as seen on the right) She believes her former friends Stephanie Brown (right) and Venessa Lewis are behind much of the online bullying. Shannon is pictured here with Stephanie at Mermania 2016, just a few weeks before she believes the online bullying began Venessa (left) maintains that she and Stephanie have never bullied Shannon (right). She said: I dont have time for that level of pettiness and I feel people are trying to suck me in from this little realm of accusations Venessa and Stephanie are both organizers of Mermania and in December their team banned Shannon from attending the next event Shannon travelled 100 miles to the Mermania convention in Greensboro to try to put the tension to bed but she only succeeded in escalating them. A fierce confrontation took place culminating in Shannon yelling: Go f*** yourself! and on the same night a video circulating among mermaids at the convention showed Stephanie Brown being escorted away by Mermanias Human Resources Representative after she apparently clashed with Shannon in the lobby of the hotel where many of the convention attendees were staying. Shannon still decided to show up at Mermania despite the ban. Because she was not allowed to participate, she socialized nearby with other merfolk in the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel, where many of the convention events were taking place As the night wore on, Shannon began to confront merfolk she believed had taken sides, and a heated argument ended with her shouting 'Go f*** yourself!' On the same night a video circulating among mermaids at the convention showed Stephanie Brown (right) being escorted away by Mermanias Human Resources Representative after she apparently clashed with Shannon in the lobby of the hotel where many of the convention attendees were staying At 2.20am, police were called to deal with Shannon, a disorderly subject. They describe the mermaid as being in a very intoxicated state. No arrests were made because the caller insisted she did not need police help any longer At 2.20am, police were called to deal with Shannon, who was described as a disorderly subject by the caller. When they knocked on Shannons door the Greensboro police report claims to have found her in a very intoxicated state. No arrests were made because the caller insisted she did not need police help any longer. Shannon maintains that she was never disorderly and that the incidents that unfolded in Mermania had allowed her to see the worst in people. This has gone too far and out of control This trip made me see the worst in people I thought I loved once... I can now grieve the ghosts of what were some of my favorite relationships. While drama unfolded at Mermania, Ariel Stein watched on while hyperventilating in a nearby elevator. She is friends with all three women but the tensions she witnessed among those who shared her love of all things mer awakened memories from her childhood. She said: I dont handle aggression very well because I grew up watching my parents fight constantly. The moment I saw the fighting and screaming and yelling at Mermania I got to the elevator and started scream crying. I didnt even want to go back to the pool. While the dramatic exchanges were unfolding at Mermania, Ariel Stein, 29, watched on while hyperventilating in a nearby elevator. She has been a professional mermaid for four years and says mermaiding is her 'source of strength' The 29-year-old from Florida has been a professional mermaid for four years. She adopted this lifestyle with the hope that she would be able to control her self-harming, a habit that once controlled her. Mermaiding gives me a source of strength and now I hardly ever self-harm anymore, Ariel said. I now wear braces over my arms to help me cover up those self-harm scars. Ariel has refused to be dragged in the dramatic exchanges because of the egos among those in the community. A lot of it revolves around egos and who should or should not be friends with somebody. Honestly, the best way to stay out of it is to not get your ego involved and to be yourself. For Bonnie, the scars are more emotional and she is learning to better deal with hurtful comments. She said: I had to realize that people gossip about me and people don't like me not because of anything I've done but because of whatever it is that is going on in their own lives. Ariel is pictured here with Shannon but has refused to take sides. She said: Honestly, the best way to stay out of it is to not get your ego involved and to be yourself. Bonnie, who is also friends with Shannon, has tried to stay clear of the dramatic exchanges within the community. She said she had to realize that 'people don't like me not because of anything I've done but because of whatever it is that is going on in their own lives. Venessa said the event organizers are not involved in bullying and the mer community is no different from other online groups. As an organization in Mermania, we cant be responsible for the actions of participants of our convention,' she said. I think bullying is in any communitywhen their main source of communication is through social media. People always have their opinions on the right way to do things and were not immune to that. We hope we can come to some sort of amicable relationship with her so maybe she can come back. DailyMail.com reached out to Stephanie Brown but had no response. Euthanising animals in shelters has been banned in Taiwan - nearly a year after a vet took her life after becoming distraught about the number of dogs she had to kill. Jian Zhicheng was described as a 'butcher with beauty' and inundated with threatening messages after it emerged that she had euthanised more than 700 pets in two years. Jian, who was 31 when she died in May last year, strived to rehome dogs, but had often had to put them down because there wasn't space for them in the state-run facilty where she worked. Animal lover: Jian was described as kind and caring by colleagues, and she was distraught at the number of dogs she had to put down Sad story: She was a target for animal rights activists, but campaign group PETA said she had been forced to do society's 'dirty work' She revealed the number of dogs she had been forced to euthanise during a news bulletin. The revelation made her a target for animal rights activists, and colleagues said she became upset at the criticism directed at her. Taiwan's ban came into effect on Saturday, two years after it was passed by parliament, having given shelters time to prepare. Jian's death sparked calls for authorities to improve conditions for animals and staff at shelters. A protester holds a picture of dead dogs during a demonstration in front of the Taiwan government's agriculture council, in Taipei, in 2013 Following her suicide last year, a member of staff from the Office of Animal Care and Control in Taoyuan confirmed to MailOnline that Jian used to work as the director at the Xinwu Animal Protection and Education centre. They told MailOnline: 'Public animal shelters are allowed to carry out mercy killings when they are running out of space, according to Taiwanese law. 'Since this is an animal shelter, it cannot refuse to take in stray animals, when there are more coming in than leaving, and in order to maintain the standard of the living quality of animals here, this is allowed.' Elisa Allen, Associate Director of animal rights group PETA, told MailOnline: 'The reality is that there are simply not enough homes to go around for the millions of unwanted animals who are euthanised every year. 'It's left to shelter workers like Jian Zhicheng, who love animals so much, to do society's dirty work because so many people fail to do the one thing that could alleviate the animal overpopulation crisis: spraying and neutering animals. 'We offer our deepest condolences to Jian's family and urge all compassionate people to spay and neuter as well as always adopting companion animals from a shelter, rather than buying from a breeder.' She appeared in a news broadcast where she revealed she had to put animals to sleep Animal welfare group, Life Conservationist Association, estimated more than 1.2 million animals not adopted from shelters have been put down since 1999. 'Animal protection in Taiwan has moved towards a new milestone,' the association's executive director Ho Tsung-hsun said in a statement. But Taiwan's Council of Agriculture warned the ban would lead to a deterioration in the quality of shelters through a surging intake or it may discourage the capture of strays. 'It's impossible for there to be no problems,' said Wang Chung-shu, deputy chief of the animal husbandry department, according to The China Times. He said Taiwan's ban was 'quite idealised', adding that manpower was a problem because the vet's suicide had had a 'chilling effect' on the sector, according to the report. Even before the legislation, the number of animals being put down had been steadily declining. Last year, 12.38 percent of the 64,276 animals in public shelters were euthanised, according to official statistics. Support for German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative alliance has shrunk to just four percentage points, an opinion poll showed on Sunday - her lowest lead in almost three and a half years. She maintains a narrow lead over the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), which a week ago appointed Martin Schulz as leader. The SDP scored 29 percent in the survey published in newspaper Bild am Sonntag - a six-point jump that Bild said was the biggest pollster Emnid had ever recorded for the party. The jump took SPD support to its highest in more than four years. Support for Merkel's CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the CSU, fell four points to 33 percent - cutting the gap between the two blocs to its narrowest in records compiled by poll tracker wahlrecht.de going back to Sept 2013. Support for German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative alliance has shrunk to just 4 percentage points 'Martin Schulz is managing above all to win back former SPD voters and to appeal to them emotionally,' Emnid's Torsten Schneider-Haase told the newspaper, adding: 'Such a strong shift in party preferences within a week is a one-off.' The SPD appointed Schulz, a former European Parliament president, as leader last Sunday, replacing Sigmar Gabriel who said he was standing aside to boost the party's chances. The move has re-energised the SPD, junior partner in Merkel's 'grand coalition', ahead of September's federal election. Schulz has vowed to unseat Merkel with a campaign aimed at overcoming 'deep divisions' that he says have fuelled populism in Germany in recent years. The SPD appointed Schulz, a former European Parliament president, as leader last Sunday In a theoretical head-to-head contest for chancellor, the Emnid poll showed Merkel pipping the Social Democrat to victory with 41 percent support to his 38 percent. The SPD has held exploratory talks with the environmentalist Greens and the far-left Linke party about forming a left-leaning coalition government after the election but they need more support if that is to become a viable option. The Emnid poll - a survey of 2,233 voters conducted from Jan. 26 to Feb. 2 - showed support for both the Greens and the Linke falling 2 points to 8 percent. The anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) was unchanged on 11 percent, with the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) on 6 percent, also unchanged. Schulz has called for higher wage increases for workers, described U.S. President Donald Trump's policies as 'un-American' and warned against lifting sanctions imposed against Russia over its role in the Ukraine crisis. Since President Donald Trump opened the gold-infused ballroom at his Mar-a-Lago resort almost 12 years ago, it has been a popular rental for the American Red Cross, hospitals, medical researchers and other charities for fundraising galas where the wealthiest donors are wined and dined, often netting $1million or more. But Trump's election puts charities in an awkward position over choosing the resort recently dubbed the president's Winter White House for events they may have planned more than a year in advance. With Trump placing a moratorium on refugees and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries and his promises to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, activists are pressuring charities such as the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Cleveland Clinic to move or cancel their galas this month. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend the 60th Annual Red Cross Gala at Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday As the American Red Cross held a gala fundraiser Saturday at Mar-a-Lago, about three thousand demonstrators marched nearby to protest Trump's now-blocked executive order temporarily limiting immigration. The event ended peacefully, and there were no arrests. So far, no known Mar-a-Lago charity events have been moved or canceled. More than 2,300 people, including faculty and students from Harvard Medical School, have signed an online petition demanding that Boston-based Dana-Farber move or cancel its February 18 'Discovery Celebration,' featuring a performance by Grammy Award winner David Foster. The cheapest ticket is $1,250. The letter, published on Medium, alleges: 'The executive order is a direct threat to the health and well-being of thousands of refugees worldwide who are fleeing violence and persecution by denying them consideration for refugee status in the United States. 'The executive order also poses significant risk to [Dana Farber Cancer Institute] patients from barred countries who may no longer be able to travel between their home country and DFCI for their medical care, including patients who are permanent residents of the United States.' Petition organizer George Karandinos, a 30-year-old Harvard medical student from Houston, said he understands that canceling or moving the Dana-Farber event would be difficult, 'but they can make a public moral stand that is in line with their stated values' of diversity and supporting scientific exchanges across borders. Plus, he said, a cancellation might attract additional donors. Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort is pictured in Palm Beach, Florida, in this Sunday image A similar open letter, signed by more than 1,500 including doctors and medical students, demands that Cleveland Clinic move its February 25 'Reflections of Versailles: A Night in the Hall of Mirrors' gala. Its cheapest ticket also is $1,250. The letter said that among those effected by Trump's executive order is Dr. Suha Abushamma, ' a first-year internal medicine resident at the Cleveland Clinic. 'She was diverted back to Saudi Arabia because her passport was issued in Sudan, one of the seven Muslim-majority nations blocked by the executive order. 'She is currently unable to return to the United States and to her career, despite holding a legally-obtained visa. Trump's ban also impacts nine patients who are scheduled to receive care at the Cleveland Clinic over the next 90 days.' 'Far from publicly condemning these actions, the Cleveland Clinic silently continues to promote ties with the Trump administration,' the letter says, going on to mention the planned gala. So far, no known Mar-a-Lago charity events have been moved or canceled Both Dana-Farber and the Cleveland Clinic said they won't move or cancel their events, but added that it doesn't mean they support the president's policies. Applications filed with the town of Palm Beach show Dana-Farber expects to raise $1.25million after paying expenses of $250,000. The Red Cross says it will make $950,000 after spending $400,000. A portion of those expenses would go to Mar-a-Lago. The town did not immediately release Cleveland Clinic's application. Dana-Farber President Dr. Laurie H. Glimcher issued a statement saying she shares the protesters' concerns about the immigration moratorium and what it will mean for doctors, scientists, students and patients from the affected countries, but that the protesters are unrealistic. She said: 'The forthcoming fundraiser in Palm Beach is planned many months in advance, and raises critical funds to support this lifesaving work. 'Contracts have been signed, and a large number of people have committed to attend. Cancelling the event outright would only deny much-needed resources for research and care.' Protesters are seen outside Trump Plaza in West Palm Beach, as President Donald Trump and first lady Melania attend the 60th annual Red Cross Ball Protesters are pictured marching to Mar-a-Lago and chanting outside in this image The Cleveland Clinic issued a similar statement. Spokeswoman Eileen Sheil said: 'The sole purpose of our event in Florida is to raise funds for important research to advance cardiovascular medicine that improves patient care. 'In no way is this connected to anything else but helping patients. The event has been held there for years, well before the election.' Mar-a-Lago director Bernd Lembcke didn't return a call seeking comment. The Trump Organization didn't respond to an emailed request for comment. Photos of the ballroom complex, including the Donald J. Trump Grand Ballroom, show large open spaces lighted by chandeliers and surrounded by massive archways and columns. Bathroom fixtures are gold-plated. The walls, ceiling and columns have intricate decorations gilded with gold leaf. Many organizations have been using the venue for years to host their wealthiest donors. Trump opened the 20,000 square-foot ballroom complex in late 2005 the inaugural event was the reception for his wedding to Melania Trump. He told reporters the complex cost $35million, but Palm Beach building records indicate the cost was lower, likely no more than $15million. Mary Simboski, who teaches in Boston University's fundraising management program, said that while she could not speak to any specific event, major galas like the ones the Cleveland Clinic, Red Cross and Dana-Farber are throwing take a year to plan and are a major part of an organization's fundraising operation. Picking a site like Mar-a-Lago often comes down to location, size, cost and availability, she said, and has nothing to do with politics. Projecting that the groups could perhaps garner more financial support by canceling the event is wishful thinking, she said. An Iranian engineer whose emotive Facebook post when viral after she was blocked from returning to South Carolina due President Donald Trump's travel ban is now back in the U.S. Nazanin Zinouri, a data scientist, cleared through an immigration check in Boston and is expected to return home Monday to Clemson, where the 29-year-old works for startup technology firm Modjoul, company founder Eric Martinez said in a phone interview. She received a warm welcome from Modjoul employees Eric Martinez, Jen Thorson and Rick Toller at Boston airport. Zinouri had gone to her native Iran late last month but was prevented from returning due to Trump's ban on immigrants from seven Muslim countries. On Friday, US District Judge James Robart put on hold the travel ban. Scroll down for video Nazanin Zinouri, front left, and her colleagues from Modjoul, a startup technology firm in Clemson, South Carolina, pose for a photo after Zinouri arrived at Logan International Airport in Boston on Sunday, February 5. She had been affected by Trump's immigration ban (courtesy of Eric Martinez via AP) Eman Ali, 12, and her father Ahmed, who were stranded in Djibouti, arrived together in San Francisco on Sunday. Eman was born in Yemen but the rest of her family was born in the US. Her lawyer says she became a citizen upon entry Sahar Yarjani Muranovic (L) greets her sister, Iranian student Sara Yarjani (R) upon Sara's arrival at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles Sunday And Eman Ali, 12, and her father Ahmed, who were stranded in Djibouti, arrived together in San Francisco on Sunday. The pair had been stuck because authorities refused to let Eman board a plane with her father to the United States, because she is from Yemen. Eman ran to embrace her older sister, Salma, and the two hugged and cried. Eman's father, mother and older sister are U.S. citizens, but Eman, who was born in Yemen, had not yet received citizenship when Trump issued his order. Her lawyer says she became a citizen upon entry. Her father, a 38-year-old grocery store manager from Los Banos, California, said he spent five years trying to get Eman a visa. Ahmed Ali said he's now happy to be home with all his family and adds 'it's the best feeling.' Ahmed Ali criticized Trump's order. 'It's not fair. I mean some people they are bad, but that doesn't make everybody bad,' he said. Through her father, Eman Ali said she's excited to see her mother and her younger sister. Sara Yarjani, who was deported a week ago, was greeted by her sister Sahar Muranovic upon Sara's return on February 4 at Los Angeles International Airport Yarjani, an Iranian student deported in the wake of Donald Trump's travel ban is back in the United States, one of thousands of travelers rushing to enter the country after a judge temporarily blocked the ban Meanwhile Sara Yarjani, who was deported a week ago, was greeted by her sister Sahar Muranovic upon Sara's return on February 4 at Los Angeles International Airport. Yarjani, an Iranian student deported in the wake of Donald Trump's travel ban is back in the United States, one of thousands of travelers rushing to enter the country after a judge temporarily blocked the ban. She had a valid two-year visa but was nonetheless deported. She had been studying holistic health at the California Institute for Human Science and is a permanent resident of Austria, the Los Angeles Times reported. Nima Enayati was turned away last week when he tried to fly to New York from Italy, where he's working on a Ph.D. He is on a three-month visa to conduct research at Stanford University And Nima Enayati was turned away last week when he tried to fly to New York from Italy, where he's working on a Ph.D. Enayati, an Iranian man, said: 'It feels great finally I'm here.' He says he acted quickly when he saw a judge rule against President Donald Trump's executive order suspending America's refugee program and halting immigration to the US from seven Muslim-majority countries. Enayati is on a visa for three months to conduct research at Stanford University working on robotics that will help make surgeries less invasive and cheaper for patients. Ammar Aqel Mohammed Aziz and Tareq Aqel Mohammed Aziz are green-card holders who were traveling through Dulles on their way to Flint, Michigan, when the ban took effect. A federal lawsuit alleges they were coerced into signing away their status and sent to Ethiopia. Attorney Paul Hughes said Sunday an agreement was reached with the government to allow their re-entry. They are expected to arrive Monday. Yarjani had been studying holistic health at the California Institute for Human Science and is a permanent resident of Austria Yarjani wipes her eye as she exits LAX's Tom Bradley International Terminal, commencing her re-entry to the United States Zinouri, who is a legal US resident, said last week she was taken off a plane in Dubai days after Trump signed an executive order temporarily banning entry from citizens of Iran and six other nations. She said in a Facebook post about her experience: 'After almost 7 years of living the the United States, I got deported!!! 'No one warned me when I was leaving, no one cared what will happen to my dog or my job or my life there. 'No one told me what I should do with my car that is still parked at the airport parking. Or what to do with my house and all my belongings. 'They didn't say it with words but with their actions, that my life doesn't matter. Everything I worked for all these years doesn't matter.' Zinouri, who is a legal US resident, said last week she was taken off a plane in Dubai days after Trump's executive order. She wrote about her ordeal on Facebook She wrote: 'No one warned me when I was leaving, no one cared what will happen to my dog or my job or my life there' A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the travel ban following a lawsuit by Washington state and Minnesota that said Trump's order is causing significant harm to residents and effectively mandates discrimination. A federal appeals court on Sunday denied a Justice Department request for an immediate reinstatement of the ban, creating at least a temporary opening for travel by citizens of the seven countries. Zinouri said she rushed to return to the United States before the Trump administration could persuade other judges to reinstate the ban. 'The last 48 hours have felt a lot longer than 48 hours,' she told Greenville television station WHNS. She added: 'It was chaos, it was a lot stress, it was a lot of shock and it was hearing the rumors, and then going from the rumors to actually something happening that would possibly affect my entire life and trying to somehow address the problem.' Nationals from Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Iran were affected by Trump's travel ban. Trump has business dealings in Muslim-majority countries Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey and Azerbaijan The Trump administration said the president's executive order banning US entry citizens of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen is necessary to keep out potential terrorists until stricter vetting procedures are put in place US Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina had urged Trump's executive order to be modified to people like Zinouri could enter the United States. Graham told people at Zinouri's workplace in Clemson, South Carolina, that the Clemson University graduate 'is exactly the type of person we want to be part of America.' 'We've made a mistake,' Graham said. 'What I think happened here is the executive order was issued without really thinking it through.' The Trump administration said the president's executive order banning US entry citizens of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen is necessary to keep out potential terrorists until stricter vetting procedures are put in place. Thousands took to the streets and to airports to protest Trump's executive order 'We've made a mistake,' South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said. 'What I think happened here is the executive order was issued without really thinking it through.' Zinouri moved to the US in August 2010 and obtained a master's degree from Northern Illinois University, then obtained a Ph.D. in industrial engineering last year on a full scholarship from Clemson University, where she won a prestigious research award. She began working in August for Modjoul, which makes a monitor for workers to help companies prevent injuries. Martinez, of Mercer Island, Washington, described Zinouri as 'the smartest lady I know.' A group of Muslim women have reclaimed their freedom by participating in a world- first ocean race at Sydney's Maroubra beach while wearing the burkini. The Burkini Babes group prepared for months in advance for the south Maroubra swimming event on Sunday morning, SBS News reported. Women sporting the burkini have been the subject of verbal warnings by police, abuse from onlookers and sparked an international debate. Scroll down for video The Burkini Babes (pictured) pose for a group selfie before diving into their first ever open water swim wearing the burkini A woman poses in her blue burkini at a swimming pool in Algouna, Egypt Yusra Metwally founded the group in 2016 after the burkini ban in the French Riviera, which was later overturned by the Council of State - France's highest appeal court. 'There's a lot going on globally. There's a lot going on politically, and I like to think that when we're in the ocean we get to get away from that,' she told SBS. 'We're just a bunch of girls out for a swim; and the more people can see that the more people see diversity on our beaches, diversity in different activities that will hopefully change perceptions that we're just like everyone else.' Ms Metwally said she never thought she would partake in an open water swim as she is not a strong swimmer. The South Maroubra ocean swim consists of three distances - 500m, 1km and 2km. Five of the Burkini Babes took part in the race, which has over 30 participants. The part bikini, part burqa has been liberating for the women, according to swimmer swimmer Anisa Buckley, who told SBS they were limited to swimming at women-only pool times. The Burkini Babes group prepared months in advance for the swimming event in south Maroubra on Sunday morning Yusra Metwally founded the group in 2016 after the burkini ban in the French Riviera, which was later overturned by the Council of State - France's highest appeal court Australian designer Aheda Zanetti created the burkini and has sold more than 700,000 around the world. But the majority of her customers are not Muslim and merely seek proper sun protection while living an active lifestyle. The Nice Administrative Council lifted the burkini ban, so abiding with the law laid down by the judiciary. It reads that mayor cannot without exceeding police powers, enact measures that prohibit access to the beach and swimming, as they are not based on proven risks of disturbances to public order, nor reasons of hygiene or decency. The creator of the burkini is Australian designer Aheda Zanetti who has sold more than 700,000 around the world A woman dives into the pool in her pink floral burkini in Sangatta, Indonesia Thunderstorms and flash flooding in Melbourne is expected to ease after a wild and woolly end to the weekend led to hundreds of emergency calls. Rain battered Victoria on Sunday and led to flash flooding, power outages and damages to homes. Only 5-10 millimetres of rain is expected on Monday, following on from a wet Sunday that saw up to 33mm in parts of Melbourne and 46mm at Arthurs Seat. Scroll down for video Thunderstorms and flash flooding in Melbourne is expected to ease after a wild Sunday evening Bureau of Meteorology senior forescaster Rod Dickson told AAP the weather conditions would ease on Monday, with a high of only 19 degrees and rains clearing. The Victorian capital is expected to return to summer conditions on Tuesday for a sunny 26 degrees, followed by temperatures in the low-30s and high-20s for the remainder of the working week. Residents should check their roofs on Monday to ensure they haven't got any missing tiles and that their guttering is clear to prevent the chance of indoor flooding, State Emergency Service (SES) spokeswoman Jacque Quaine said. The SES responded to more than 330 requests for assistance on Sunday, with most of the chaos in the Melbourne metropolitan area, Ballarat and Phillip Island, the spokeswoman said. A map shows the areas affected by rain in the last 24-hours in Victoria Heavy clouds and wet footpaths are pictured in Melbourne on Monday morning Reading Cinemas in Waurn Ponds was forced to shut its doors on Sunday night to due water damage from the storm Those call outs included 170 flooding jobs, 122 building damage jobs and one instance where a car was stuck in water. Reading Cinemas in Waurn Ponds was forced to shut its doors on Sunday night to due water damage from the storm. Customers who missed out can have tickets refunded or exchanged when the cinema reopens. Emirates passengers flying from Auckland on EK407 were diverted to Auckland due to the downpour in Melbourne. Wet weather is pictured in Melbourne on Sunday. Only 5-10mm is expected to fall on Monday Rain is pictured falling over the city on Sunday as the state was battered by wild weather Rain is pictured in Melbourne on Sunday night, when up to 33mm fell in parts of the city Power outages struck thousands of homes on the state's northwest, but power was restored to most by 11pm. Tram lines suffered delays because of flooding at Clarendon Street Junction in Docklands. Adelaide was hit by its entire February average of rain in the 24 hours from 9am on Sunday, with 29.2mm of rain, Adelaide Now reported. The South Australian city is expected to double the mounthly average by the end of Monday. Sunday had a high of 25 degrees, and Monday is expected to reach 24 before temperatures soar from Tuesday to reach 40 degrees by Wednesday. Flash flooding is pictured in Pakenham. The SES responded to more than 330 requests for assistance on Sunday Adelaide was hit by its entire February average of rain in the 24 hours from 9am on Sunday, with 29.2mm of rain The South Australian city is expected to double the mounthly average by the end of Monday A convicted paedophile, who is banned from jobs involving children, has been running a toy shop at an indoor market for three years. David Croft, 69, was given a three-year community order at Bradford Crown Court in 2010 for downloading 39,000 indecent images of children and was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order. He was again caught with 1,851 indecent images of children in 2013 and was given a suspended prison term. David Croft, 69, was given a three-year community order at Bradford Crown Court in 2010 for downloading 39,000 indecent images of children and was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order Despite, being given an indefinite ban from working in a job which could involve contact with children, it has emerged that he has been running a toy shop in Halifax Borough Market, West Yorkshire. The indoor market stall sells toy cars, model planes and fancy dress hats. He told an undercover reporter from The Sun: 'Mothers come past with their squalling brat and a two-quid car cheers them up. I keep cheap ones here for the kids.' And when he was later confronted by the newspaper, he denied coming into contact with children. He said: 'These are vintage toys, not for kids.' The Sun on Sunday alerted West Yorkshire Police, who said they cannot comment on individual cases. Tiffany & Co's CEO has resigned after the company expressed concerns about its recent financial performance. The New York-based retailer on Sunday announced Frederic Cumenal's departure, effective immediately. Cumenal, a French businessman, joined Tiffany in 2011 and was named its chief executive officer in April 2015. The search for a successor has begun. Michael Kowalski, chairman of the board of directors and previous CEO of Tiffany, will serve in the interim. Tiffany & Co's CEO Frederic Cumenal (pictured) has resigned after the company expressed concerns about its recent financial performance Tiffany's board said Cumenal has helped position the company for success in the long term, but that it has been 'disappointed by recent financial results,' according to a statement by Kowalski. The company in November reported better-than-expected quarterly profit and revenue. But in January, it said that holiday sales were lower than it anticipated. Lady Gaga stunned in an ad for Tiffany & Co during the Super Bowl on Sunday, channeling Audrey Hepburn in a classic black outfit. Cumenal's time at Tiffany saw the opening of new stores in Asia and Europe, including a boutique on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, in his native France. Lady Gaga stunned in an ad for Tiffany & Co during the Super Bowl on Sunday (pictured), channeling Audrey Hepburn in a classic black outfit The 56-year-old businessman was also elected to the board of trustees of the Whitney Museum in 2015. He previously worked at French luxury group LVMH and once held the title of president and CEO of champagne producer Moet & Chandon. Cumenal is a graduate from Harvard Business School as well as Paris-based Ecole Superieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales and Institut d'Etudes Politiques. The company in November reported better-than-expected quarterly profit and revenue. Pictured is its flagship Fifth Avenue store in New York City A One Nation candidate wants a revival of white rule in South Africa and asked women on the streets about their orgasms. Rozane Bezuidenhout told her Facebook followers 'white Afrikaners and whites worldwide' needed to unite for a white state in Africa. The 'actor, model and dancer' from Perth is also a freelance television host who isn't shy about asking some personal questions. Gentleman you have Viagra, shouldnt we too?, she said in a YouTube highlights video. Scroll down for video Rozane Bezuidenhout did a TV segement about orgasms and is running for One Nation Rozane Bezuidenhout (right) with husband Piet asked if a female Viagra should be developed 'Should medicine makers be spending millions of dollars to find that elusive libido pill? 'We are out on the streets asking the general public the million-dollar question.' The freelance television presenter was previously a model but had to quit for height reasons. 'I modelled as a child but clearly was too short as an adult to continue, I have the confidence to pursue diverse opportunities,' she said on her internet profile page. 'I was born to stand out not to fit in.' This One Nation candidate had to quit modelling because she was too short One Nation candidate Rozane Bezuidenhout wants a return of a white rule in South Africa The South African-born mother-of-three is running as One Nation's candidate for Cannington, in Perth's south, in the upcoming West Australian elections. The 36-year-old woman, who grew up in Apartheid South Africa, wants a separate state for white people in Africa. She posted a change.org petition on her Facebook page in December 2015 calling on 'white South Africans and whites worldwide' to demand an independent Afrikaner state. Such a state existed until 1994, when Nelson Mandela became South Africa's first black president in the nation's first free elections. Rozane Bezuidenhout says convicted terrorist should be sentenced to death The One Nation candidate for a southern Perth seat wants paedophiles to go on death row Ms Bezuidenhout has also previously posted petitions on social media calling for the death penalty to be applied to convicted child molesters and terrorists. One Nation's website misspelt her name as 'Rozane Bezuiddenhout'. The candidate also describes herself on Twitter as a candidate for the Legislative Council when she is running for a Legislative Assembly seat. She is part of the same team as David Archibald, running in the Pilbara, who wrote an opinion piece in 2015 saying single mothers are too lazy to keep and hold a man and deserved to be stripped of welfare benefits because they were producing 'lazy and ugly' children. Another candidate in Dawesville, 73-year-old pastor Lawrence Shave, advertised for 'bikini baristas' in 2015 and advertised online for a Russian bride aged 20 to 44. A group of parents spent the weekend sleeping on the pavement in front of an elite Brisbane primary school with the hope of landing their child's name on the enrolment waiting list. Families, nannies or friends bribed with $400 camped overnight on Saturday and Sunday in front of Ascot State School, armed with tents, sleeping bags and eskies, according to The Courier Mail. Families began lining up around 10am on Saturday and by Monday morning there were 12 families hoping to enlist their child at the prestigious government school when it opened at 8am. A group of parents camped out in front of Brisbane's Ascot State School on Saturday and Sunday night so their child could be one of the first names on the enrolment waiting list (pictured) Families began lining up at the prestigious government school around 10am on Saturday and by Monday morning there were 12 families armed with tents and sleeping bags (pictured) In a video by ABC Radio Brisbane, parents are seen hiding from the scorching summer temperatures under umbrellas and in tents as the sun rose on Monday. It is believed the parents who lined up over the weekend live outside the school's catchment, but their efforts may not secure them a spot on the waiting list. Ascot cannot accept more than 125 students each year - and those spots typically go to those families living within the boundaries, according to its enrolment management plan. Nicole Scarinci, who was the first person in line on Saturday morning, spent almost 48 hours queuing for a spot for her son, Aiden. 'So at 8am tomorrow, they will open the gates and we will get an enrolment form with a number on it and hope for the best,' Ms Scarinci told The Courier Mail. But she fears her camp out will be in vain. 'We just spoke to the principal and she seems to think that it's not even guaranteed that we will get a spot so it's still up in the air.' The gates at Ascot State School (pictured) opened at 8am on Monday morning Nicole Scarinci, who was the first person in line on Saturday morning, spent almost 48 hours queuing for a spot for her son, Aiden (stock image) Another hopeful, Melissa Goscomb said she believes her daughter Millacent will be admitted in. 'We have a lot of friends and family that have been through this school and have been very happy with their child's performance,' she said. Ascot has a maximum student enrolment of 807 students for the entire K-6 school, according to its enrolment management plan. It cannot accept more than 125 students each year, unless there are more than 125 students enrolling who live in the catchment area. The catchment area includes parts of Ascot, Hamilton and Bowen Hills all located within kilometres of the city centre and along the Brisbane River. One woman whose family have attended the school took to Facebook to vent her frustrations about the lengths parents went through to try and enrol their kids. 7am and four in the line at Ascot State School. First one there Saturday afternoon, think it is pathetic that this is how we have to get our kids into schools. We were one house out of the catchment and a long history of adult siblings, father, uncles and cousins going to the school did the sleepover and got in. There are no guarantees even if youre first in line that you will get in. Madness!' she wrote. Ascot has a maximum student enrolment of 807 students for the entire K-6 school, according to its enrolment management plan (stock image) One woman whose family have attended the school took to Facebook to vent her frustrations about the lengths parents went through to enrol their kids Ascot State School, which was founded in 1920, has received numerous awards for its academia, according to its website. At least 98 percent of third and fifth year students ranked at or above the standard in the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) in 2015. In 2014 it was announced as the Showcase Regional Winner for excellence in leadership. It also received awards for its academic success and excellence in reading in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ascot State School for comment. Advertisement The Queen today marks her Sapphire Jubilee as she becomes the first British monarch in history to have reigned for 65 years. To mark her latest milestone, a poignant photograph of her wearing a suite of sapphire jewellery given to her by her father King George VI as a wedding gift in 1947 has been issued. Sapphire is the 65th anniversary gemstone and the Kings gift to his eldest daughter, then Princess Elizabeth, featured a glittering necklace, dating from 1850 and made of 16 large oblong sapphires surrounded by diamonds, with a pair of matching sapphire and diamond drop earrings. The Queen has added a sapphire and diamond tiara - made from a necklace that originally belonged to Princess Louise of Belgium - and a bracelet in 1963 to the collection to compliment the original sentimental pieces. She had the necklace shortened and the largest stone made into a pendant. To mark her latest milestone, a poignant photograph of her wearing a suite of sapphire jewellery given to her by her father King George VI as a wedding gift in 1947 has been issued The newly released portrait was taken by David Bailey in 2014, for the Governments Great campaign, which aims to promote the UK abroad. She has very kind eyes with a mischievous glint, he said at the time. Ive always liked strong women, and she is a very strong woman. Despite the historic occasion, it was a sense of business as usual yesterday as Her Majesty went to church and chatted with well-wishers on the eve of her Back to London this week, the 90 year old monarch said as she thanked veteran Royal fan Mary Relph, who had handed her two red roses outside St Peter and St Paul church in West Newton on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. The Queen always spends her Accession Day quietly at Sandringham House, and today will be no exception. Yesterday the Queen, wearing a turquoise outfit and hat with black velvet trim, appeared to be as fit as ever as she attended the morning service and showed no signs of the heavy cold which afflicted her over Christmas. She and Prince Philip, 95, were driven to the church in her maroon Bentley and were greeted by a crowd of around 250 people. The couple walked up the 100 yard gravel path to the church door, accompanied by Sandringham rector, the Reverend Jonathan Riverie, for the 45 minute service conducted by children from the village Sunday School. The Queen seemed to be in especially high spirits this morning as she arrived for a church service in Norfolk. Pictured: a well wisher takes a photo on his tablet The Queen, who was accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, was presented with several bouquets of flowers on Sunday morning including a posy from three-year-old Jessica Atfield The Queen presented annual prizes of bibles and books to children, as she does on her visit to the 14th century church every year. Afterwards she stopped to accept around 20 bunches of flowers from children and adults in the crowd. Among them was Jessica Attfield, two, of Gravesend, Kent, who was dressed in a Union Jack dress and cardigan. Her father David Beatte said: We didnt know whether the Queen was going to stop and take her flowers. Its brilliant that she did. As she handed bunches of flowers to her lady in waiting and watching police officers, the Queen joked: I dont know how many hands weve got. The Queen also chatted with Royal watcher Alan Mowton of Fosdyke, Lincolnshire, who wished her all the best for her Sapphire Jubilee. Mr Mowton said: She told me, Its such a lovely morning. She looked very well indeed and is back to her old self. It is a remarkable achievement being on the throne for 65 years. Her sense of duty and service to the country is just incredible. Long may she continue. It was clearly Jessica's festive outfit of a skirt decorated with the Union Jack which caught Her Majesty's attention on the frosty February morning Jessica was not the only young well wisher who had waited patiently with a floral gift It seems that Her Majesty was slightly overloaded with flowers and had to call in extra help Today will see the Queen mark 65 years since her accession celebrating her sapphire jubilee There are no grand festivities planned for the Sapphire Jubilee. But the Royal Mail today issues a Sapphire Blue 5 stamp to commemorate it, and the Royal Mint marks the occasion with a range of specially designed Sapphire Jubilee commemorative coins. Royal gun salutes will be staged in London today, as is the tradition on Accession Day. A 41-gun salute will be fired by the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Green Park at noon, and a 62-gun salute by the Honourable Artillery Company will be fired at the Tower of London at 1pm. The Queen will undoubtedly be matter-of-fact about the significant date. In 2015, when she thanked the nation for its kind messages after overtaking Queen Victoria to become the longest-reigning monarch in British history, she admitted bluntly that the royal record was not one to which I have ever aspired. She added: Inevitably, a long life can pass by many milestones. My own is no exception. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will today urge Theresa May to take a tough stand against Iranian aggression. The pair will meet for the first time in Downing Street when the Israeli leader embarks on a 24 hour trip to London. Mr Netanyahu will tell Mrs May and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson there needs to be a common stand against the Iranian aggression that has reared its head in recent days'. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured) leads one of the most Right-wing governments Israel has ever had and demonising Iran appeals to his voting core He says: 'This needs to be done a regular basis, especially in defiance of the world order. He told his Cabinet that he would also speak to Britain about strengthening the two countries diplomatic, security, economic and technological ties, including close cooperation in the field of cyber security. Tehran tested a ballistic missile eight days ago, in defiance of United Nations rules. US President Donald Trump has put Iran on notice that such destabilising acts will not be tolerated. He said on Twitter: Iran is playing with fire - they dont appreciate how kind President Obama was to them. Not me! Mrs May will also be expected to deliver a firm message to Mr Netanyahu, however. She will tell him of the governments concern over the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements. Mrs May is expected to say that the settlement construction is undermining trust in the Middle East peace process. But Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, said the PMs expected message to Mr Netanyahu was simply not good enough. Iran has been testing missiles in defiance of United Nations rules STOCK PHOTO Mr Corbyn said: The Israeli governments decision to build 3,000 new settlement homes in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem is illegal under international law and a threat to peace and international security. It undermines still further the prospect of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, about which the Netanyahu government is increasingly contemptuous. He added: Theresa May must make clear to the Israeli Prime Minister that the British government will stand unequivocally behind the rights of the Palestinian people, along with the many who support them in Israel, as well as human rights and justice across the region. She must also demand an assurance from the Israeli Prime Minister that the improper interference by the Israeli embassy in British democratic politics exposed last month will not be repeated. Qatar Airways launched the worlds longest scheduled commercial service with its inaugural flight from Doha to Auckland yesterday. Flight QR920 left the Qatari capital at 05:02 (0202 GMT) and was set to land in New Zealand at 07:30 local time on Monday (1830 GMT). The Boeing 777 flight will take 16 hours and 20 minutes, pass over 10 time zones, five countries and travel 14,535 kilometres (9,032 miles) before reaching Auckland. The Qatar Airways Boeing 777 will be flying from Doha, Qatar to Auckland, New Zealand But even that flying time may be looked on jealously by passengers on the return flight which, due to high-altitude winds, will take 17 hours and 30 minutes, according to the company website. This will make it the worlds longest passenger service in terms of flying time, according to tracking website flightradar24. Qatar Airways did not immediately have a figure for the number of passengers who boarded on Sunday, but it is believed there are four pilots and 15 crew on the plane. In March last year, Emirates airline launched what was then thought to be the worlds longest non-stop scheduled commercial flight, with a service from Dubai to Auckland, spanning 14,200 kilometres (8,824 miles). A Victorian woman claims she was left traumatised after discovering live maggots in her chicken tenders during her meal. Tooradin man Bill Johnson told 3AW Mornings his daughter and her friend were eating the tenders bought from supermarket giant Aldi when they found the fly larvae crawling in the meal. Mr Johnson's daughter called him in a 'distressed state' after finding the 'creepy crawlies in her chicken meal' last Monday. Scroll down for video A Victorian woman was left traumatised after discovering live maggots in her chicken tenders during her meal Mr Johnson's daughter made a video as the cooked chicken tenderloin was split open, and small yellow specks could be seen wriggling inside. 'This was what was found inside a chicken tender,' Mr Johnson says. 'They are still moving as you can see'. Mr Johnson told 3AW he was skeptical anything would be alive in there after coming out of the freezer and going into the oven. 'I couldn't believe it myself ... As you can see in the video, there's alive something in there.' He suspects the maggots made their way from the batter mix into the chicken flesh. The family caught the maggots on video, with Mr Johnson's daughter opening up the cooked chicken tenderloin with small yellow specks wriggling inside Mr Johnson says they had recently purchased the Farmwood brand of chicken tenders from Aldi Mr Johnson said they had recently purchased the Farmwood brand of chicken tenders from the Casey Central Aldi store in Victoria. An Aldi spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that this was an isolated incident with no further complaints made. 'Upon being notified of this matter, we immediately contacted the customer and commenced a high-priority investigation with our supplier.' The video shared by the customer has been examined by Skye Blackburn, an independent Entomologist and Food Scientist, who believes it is extremely unlikely that this contamination has occurred during the manufacturing or distribution process. 'I have taken a look at the video supplied and believe it would be extremely unlikely that the larvae of the fly would survive the cooking and freezing process associated with producing this product. 'Furthermore, the larvae of the fly in the video looks to be approximately just two days old and given this product was manufactured on 12th December, 2016, it would be almost impossible that this would have happened during the manufacturing process. 'The larvae also appear to be moving very quickly, which indicates they are quite warm and therefore have not been in a fridge or freezer previously,' Blackburn said. A Mississippi antique store owner had to travel all the way to California to get his 140-pound tumor removed. Roger Logan, of Gulfport, began putting on weight 12 years ago. While doctors at first told Logan, 57, that it was 'just fat,' when it began swelling they realized it was a growth that needed to be removed. Scroll down for video Roger Logan, 57, traveled all the way from Gulfport, Mississippi to Bakersfield, California to get a 140-pound tumor removed Logan began putting on weight 12 years ago, but doctors had at first said it was 'just fat' Logan's surgeon, Doctor Vipul Dev, told the Bakersfield Californian that the growth most likely started as an ingrown hair. It eventually grew so large that it had its own blood supply. The growth gradually left him unable to run his antique store, tend to his farm or be physically active. He became increasingly confined to a large armchair big enough to support him and his tumor. Logan's surgeon said the tumor most likely started as an ingrown hair. The growth gradually left him unable to run his antique store, tend to his farm or be physically active Logan's tumor was successfully removed last week and he walked for the first time in years. He will be able to return to Mississippi in two years and is looking forward to going fishing Logan's wife, Kitty, worked tirelessly to find a surgeon who could remove the growth. An Indianapolis doctor previously told him that with the surgery, he had a 50/50 chance of survival. But in August of last year she found Doctor Dev, who agreed to do the surgery. The couple traveled in a cargo van with Logan's armchair bolted to the floorboard to travel to Bakersfield. And following a successful surgery, Logan will in two weeks time be able to return to Mississippi, where he is particularly excited to go fishing again, ABC reported. On Thursday, he walked for the first time in years. He told the newspaper: 'I never want to see that armchair again.' Kelly Landry and her estranged millionaire husband Anthony Bell have stepped up their public relations war - as it was reported the former Getaway presenter fears he may cut her off financially. Within hours of each other at the weekend both parents posted dueling images of themselves with their two little girls, Thea and Charlize. Noticeably absent was the other parent. Celebrity accountant and champion yachtsman Bell on Saturday shared a loving photo of him and his two blonde girls gazing over Darling Harbour, close to the offices of his firm, Bell Partners. 'Accountant to the stars' Anthony Bell posted an Instagram tribute to his two daughters at the weekend, weeks after police hit him with an AVO on behalf of his estranged wife Meantime, Ms Landry posted a picture of her and one of her daughters and a kitten cuddling in bed - as friends urged her to be a 'strong mumma' 'That's awesome Belly', a friend wrote. Added another: 'Best daddy ever'. Within 24 hours, Ms Landry had also hit social media with a picture of one of her daughters cuddling up with a kitten apparently named 'Ragdoll'. The picture likewise sparked words of support from associates. 'A strong Mumma Helps to make strong children.... all the best Kelly and be strong,' a friend said. The Sunday Telegraph reported Chemist Warehouse ambassador Ms Landry has confided to 'friends' her concerns her former partner would cut her off financially. Ms Landry has previously told Daily Mail Australia she is focused on the wellbeing of her children. The Sydney power couple - known affectionately as 'Kelly and Belly' - have split Police hit Mr Bell with an apprehended violence order on Ms Landry's behalf in early January. The couple's AVO matter fronted Waverley Local Court last month, with Mr Bell's lawyer Chris Murphy saying the couple would divorce. Mr Bell has denied allegations he pushed Ms Landry and humiliated her in front of friends. The matter is expected to return to court for mention on Friday week. Overseas patients needing non-urgent treatment at hospital will be made to pay first under a major crackdown on health tourism. From April hospitals will be legally obliged to charge patients upfront for procedures which are not deemed immediately necessary. This includes hip or knee surgery, cataract removals and operations to remove hernias as well as certain scans and medications. Priscilla (pictured), gave birth prematurely to quadruplets at Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital last year. Her care cost 500,000 and is an extreme case of health tourism If patients are unable to pay, doctors will be told to make a decision, based on their clinical need, as to whether the treatment should go ahead anyway. One in 14 are waiting to go into hospital One in 14 people in England are on an NHS hospital waiting list. Some 3.7million are waiting to be admitted for routine treatment the highest figure for nearly a decade. Nearly one in ten of those 350,000 people have been waiting for longer than the official maximum waiting time. Nobody should have to wait more than 18 weeks for a routine operation such as a knee or hip replacement under NHS rules. The numbers waiting longer than the target have grown 163 per cent since 2012. Clare Marx, president of the Royal College of Surgeons, told the BBC: The longer you wait for a hip or knee replacement the less likely you are to have good outcomes. Richard Murray, from the Kings Fund think tank, predicted that the numbers on the waiting list will keep rising. Waiting lists are the longest they have been since early in 2008. The Department of Health said the number of operations carried out has soared so even though more people are waiting longer, the numbers getting treatment within target time is up. NHS England said: Last month more than 1.4million patients started consultant-led treatment and more than nine out of ten patients were waiting less than 18 weeks. Advertisement But many may be instructed to return to their home countries and have the procedure there. The rules will not apply to maternity care or any treatment considered potentially life-saving or immediately necessary. This includes scans or treatment for cancer or heart conditions as well as operations to remove the appendix. Hospitals are also being told to ask all new patients for passports and utility bills when they first arrive to check they are entitled to NHS care. Those which fail to show they are collecting enough money from patients at the end of the year may be fined. Last week a damning report from the Commons spending watchdog accused the NHSs billing system for health tourism of being in chaos. The Public Accounts Committee blamed hospital staff and GPs for failing even to identify which patients needed to be charged. It coincided with a hard-hitting BBC documentary which revealed how one Nigerian mother who gave birth to quadruplets had racked up a bill of 500,000. Priscilla, 43, went into early labour at Heathrow after being turned away from the US. Two of the babies have since died. The other two are still being looked after at Queen Charlottes and Chelsea Hospital in West London and their mother will not be able to repay even a fraction of their costs. Although the rule change will not apply to maternity care, ministers are hoping it will help stop the NHS being seen as an international health service. Government research has estimated that health tourism costs the taxpayer up to 2billion a year. But doctors leaders are deeply opposed to the new rules and say they should not be obliged to turn away vulnerable patients if they cannot pay up. They also fear the charges will deter vulnerable patients with potentially life-threatening conditions from seeking help. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the millions of pounds recovered could be reinvested to improve patient care. We have no problem with overseas visitors using our NHS as long as they make a fair contribution, just as the British taxpayer does, he said. So today we are announcing plans to change the law which means those who arent eligible for free care will be asked to pay upfront for non-urgent treatment. The cost of caring for premature infants is extremely expensive. Priscilla's quadruplets cost the NHS around 500,000 Mr Hunt added that the measures would help the Government get back on track with its target of recovering 500million by 2017/18. The payments will be collected by overseas visitor managers who are administrative staff employed by hospitals to check patients eligibility and send invoices. They will be urged to present chip and pin machines to patients or collect cash payments before treatment can go ahead. If patients cannot pay, doctors will be told to have sensible discussions in which they urge them to have the procedure in their home country. But it is not yet clear whether doctors will be comfortable sending patients away without treatment, even if their condition is not life-threatening. And many of the highest bills are racked up by patients on intensive care units, kidney dialysis machines or having complex births which are all exempt. By law only patients who are ordinarily resident in the UK here for at least six months are entitled to free hospital treatment. This excludes A&E, maternity care and GP services which are free for everyone. Dr Mark Porter, chairman of the British Medical Association council, which represents senior doctors, said: It is hard to see how these new proposals will operate in practice. Snail farming has seen an unexpected boom in Italy after their slime is being harvested for beauty products. While edible land snails are frequently bred for their meat in France, it is their mucus which is in demand elsewhere in the continent. Breeding has increased by more than 325 per cent in Italy over the past twenty years, as those in the beauty industry pursue the unlikely snail trail. Snail slime creams and serums are said to be great for slowing wrinkles and healing acne Agricultural association Coldiretti has estimated that 44,000 tons of live and preserved snails are produced annually. Coldirettis president Roberto Moncalvo told the Telegraph: We are seeing record numbers of new avant-garde snail-production businesses. Snail farming or heliciculture is an industry worth 180 million in Italy and involves raising snails for human use. As well as eating their flesh as escargot and using their slime for cosmetics, snails eggs are also used as gourmet caviar. Snail slime creams and serums are said to be great for the skin and are sold with the promise that they can stimulate collagen production, slow wrinkles and heal acne and scars. The benefits of snail secretions were written about as far back as the ancient Greeks, who spoke of snails potential to heal skin or protect against ulcers. However, dermatologists debate their effectiveness. In the past, snails were forced to secret slime by being dunked in water mixed with salt or vinegar, but now cruelty-free methods of extraction are used. Italys International Heliciculture Association recently patented a machine called the Muller One, which extracts slime by immersing the gastropods in a steam bath. A care firm worker moved into the home of a vulnerable client they were supposed to be looking after, a damning report reveals. The employee used his frail charges house as a squat and later had to be forced out. Other staff with the same care agency used the properties of housebound residents as a place to sleep for the night. One frail charge even had two employees sharing their bedroom. The company's website has a number of testimonials on it from social workers The incidents were part of a series of failings involving neglect or abuse at Essex-based Chinite Resourcing Ltd highlighted by care inspectors. Staff also stole from clients, abandoned frail people for weeks, failed to administer medicines and spoke so little English they couldnt communicate with the people in their care. None of the staff had even basic training and many were hired without criminal record checks, watchdogs discovered. But despite the catalogue of failings, Essex County Council said it would continue paying the company to look after some of its most vulnerable residents. The areas Tory MP Stephen Metcalfe criticised the decision, saying: It is a dreadful report and I will be asking the council on what grounds they are still using this company. I want to know how those failures were allowed to continue. Chinite Resourcing, based in Basildon, was put in special measures last month after a report by the Care Quality Commission said its overall service was inadequate. Company director Sylvester Okafor pretended he was someone else when confronted by the Mail. The firm later said in a statement: We are very sorry if there are any instances where we have fallen short of our high standards. We have completely restructured the management team. The Mail has highlighted the substandard treatment of vulnerable people by carers and health professionals in our Dignity for the Elderly campaign. Chinite's website says its objective is to treat 'service users...with dignity and respect at all times' Chinite Resourcing provides care for housebound patients and supplies staff to care homes. Its objectives include treating service users... with dignity and respect at all times, according to its website. But CQC inspectors found that staff failed to maintain professional boundaries between themselves and their charges. Some clients said carers would sleep in their homes, including one who said they had two staff members sharing their bedroom. Another said a carer had moved into their home and the care agency had to forcibly remove them. Abuse was often hidden away from the authorities. One carer stole money from a client but the police, CQC and local authority were not informed of the crime. In another case the company replaced stolen funds following financial abuse by a member of staff, who was dismissed. Again, the theft was not reported. Staff were regularly late or failed to turn up at all. One client was abandoned for two weeks until they involved their social worker. There were several complaints that staff, many of whom were recruited from overseas, could not communicate with people in a way they could understand. Out of 22 staff, 15 did not have up-to-date training in managing medicines and 12 had not been subjected to adequate checks to ensure they did not pose a risk to clients. One employee was convicted of fraud in 2012 but had not been screened by bosses. Another was hired despite providing their next of kin as a referee and handing over a false employment history. Inspectors found one client was not given their drugs for nine days and medicine charts were not kept up to date. Family members complained some staff didnt know how to handle conditions including dementia. There was also a lack of information about what food clients preferred and nutritional plans just stated English food. An acting manager created files for policies such as safeguarding and complaints but every folder was empty. The report warned there were insufficient numbers of staff to provide the amount of care and support that the service had been commissioned to provide. Essex County Council said it was satisfied Chinite was now making progress to address the concerns. We will continue to monitor the level of care being provided to ensure the health, safety and well-being of service users, said a spokesman for the authority. Members of the Republican Party took issue with comments President Donald Trump said about Vladimir Putin in a new interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, but the Vice President was willing to let it slide. Appearing on Face the Nation, Pence wouldn't directly answer host John Dickerson's query of whether the United States is 'morally superior' to Russia. 'What you have in this new president is someone who is willing to and is in fact engaging the world, including Russia, and saying, 'Where can we find common interests that will advance the security of the American people, the peace and prosperity of the world?'' Pence first answered. Dickerson tried again. Scroll down for video Vice President Mike Pence was more willing to let the president's comments slide, as he wouldn't say to John Dickerson if America is morally superior to Russia Appearing on Face the Nation, Pence wouldn't directly answer host John Dickerson's query of whether the United States is 'morally superior' to Russia 'But America morally superior to Russia? Yes or no?' the CBS newsman asked. Pence began talking about American ideals and a recent visit to Philadelphia's Independence Hall. 'Shouldn't this just a yes answer?' Dickerson asked. Pence continued to talk about the country having the 'highest ideals in the world.' 'Shouldn't we be able to just say 'yes' to that question though?' Dickerson probed. Pence then answered, 'I think it's without question, John.' The host tried finishing his sentence, 'That America is morally superior to Russia.' But Pence wouldn't get specific. 'That American ideals are superior to countries all across the world,' the vice president answered. He then pivoted and spoke of Trump trying to have a 'new relationship with Russia.' Dickerson said 'I understand' and answered 'all right,' and left it there. President Donald trump was asked by Fox News' Bill O'Reilly if he had 'respect' for Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the new American president said he did The interview was in reference to President Trump's pre-Super Bowl taped interview with Bill O'Reilly when he said he indeed had 'respect' for Putin. 'I do respect him. Well, I respect a lot of people, but that doesn't mean I'll get along with them,' Trump said. O'Reilly then pointed out that 'Putin is a killer.' Trump noted that, 'there are a lot of killers. We have a lot of killers,' seemingly putting Russia and the U.S. on equal footing. 'What do you think? Our country's so innocent?' he added The president justified his comments by pointing to the Iraq War, which he considers a major foreign policy blunder. 'A lot of mistakes. A lot of people were killed,' Trump said. THE YOUNGER GENERATION: Rep. Liz Cheney (left) and Jack McCain both spoke out against President Donald Trump saying 'you think our country is so innocent?' when showing support for Russian President Vladimir Putin Jack McCain, son of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Liz Cheney, former Vice President Dick Cheney's daughter who is a congresswoman from Wyoming, both pushed back when Trump answered, 'Well, you think our country is so innocent?' when O'Reilly labeled the Russian president a 'killer.' 'My nation of laws just got compared to one that murders journalists that don't fall in line and kills political opposition,' McCain, a Navy helicopter pilot, tweeted. 'Awesome ..........' Cheney, who was sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives last month, sang a similar tune. 'POTUS statement suggesting moral equivalence between Putin's Russia and the United States of America is deeply troubling and wrong,' she wrote on Twitter. Sen. John McCain's son Jack initially commented on what President Donald Trump said about Vladimir Putin. He later deleted this tweet Rep. Liz Cheney dashed off a tweet after President Donald Trump made the remarks to a taped interview with Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly While the young McCain initially stepped into the debate, he soon deleted his tweet. 'I just need to go back to tweeting about why I love Air Tractors,' the pilot wrote. 'For the record no one 'got to me,'' McCain added. 'I just don't want to cause a fuss.' But the younger generation had some big Republicans voices backing their stance. Speaking to CNN's Jake Tapper this morning, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell dismissed any sort of comparison of the U.S. to Putin. 'Well, Putin is a former KGB ... agent, he's a thug,' McConnell said on CNN. 'He was not elected in a way that most people would consider a credible election.' Jack McCain took down his tweet and joked that he should go back to tweeting about 'Air Tractors' and just didn't 'want to cause a fuss' 'The Russians annexed Crimea, invaded Ukraine, and messed around in our elections,' the GOP's leader in the Senate continued. 'No, I don't think there is any equivalency between the way the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does,' McConnell said. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who ran against Trump in the Republican primary, used Twitter to broadcast his thoughts. 'When has a Democratic political activists been poisoned by the GOP, or vice versa?' Rubio wrote. 'We are not the same as Putin.' British consumers face forking out more money for tinned tuna this year. Surging costs for Thai tuna could push up the price of cans in supermarkets, research shows. Thai skipjack tuna prices are up 96 per cent year-on-year due to low catches in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean, according to commodity analysts Mintec. There has been a 15 per cent reduction in yellowfin tuna (pictured) catches in the Indian Ocean since the beginning of the year, according to Mintec (file photo) They said tuna prices were expected to fall when ships increased catches after the end of a ban in October 2016. Instead, catches of both skipjack and yellowfin tuna have remained low. Mintec said a 15 per cent reduction in yellowfin tuna catches in the Indian Ocean imposed by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission since the beginning of this year has further increased prices. UK brands warned last year that rising raw material prices could push up the cost of tinned tuna for British shoppers. In October Neil Brownbill, managing director of Princes, said: 'Category prices are closely related to variations in the cost of raw materials and although price deflation has been a key factor over the past 12 months, we do not expect this trend to continue into next year due to an increase in commodity prices and the effect of a weaker pound.' Thai skipjack tuna (pictured) prices are up 96 per cent year-on-year due to low catches in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean (file photo) Thai Union, owner of John West, one of the UK's most popular tinned fish brands, reported in November that an 'unexpected' high tuna price in the third quarter of 2016 had 'posed a challenge to our Thailand-based tuna export business as well as our branded seafood business in Europe'. The Grocer said that Thailand was the world's largest tuna exporter during January to October 2016 according to latest data from the UN FAO, although Thai tuna exports to the EU were down 13.4per cent compared with the same period in 2015. UK tuna imports were up 13 per cent over the same period as demand, particularly for pole-and-line tuna products from the Maldives, increased. World-first data from the Catholic church has revealed seven per cent of priests are accused child sex abusers. The shocking figures coincide with the Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse's 15th and final public hearing on the church, beginning in Sydney on Monday. This is the first time in the world Catholic church records on child sex abuse have been analysed for public consideration, and it covers church records from to 1950-2010. Scroll down for video Counsel assisting the royal commission Gail Furness said 60 per cent of survivors attending private royal commission session were from faith-based institutions More than 20 per cent of the members of some Catholic religious orders including Marist Brothers and Christian Brothers were allegedly involved in child sexual abuse, the hearing was also told. In her opening address, counsel assisting the royal commission Gail Furness , SC, said a survey revealed 4,444 alleged incidents of abuse between January 1980 and February 2015. Ms Furness said 60 per cent of survivors attending private royal commission sessions reported sexual abuse at faith-based institutions. Of those, almost two-thirds reported abuse in Catholic institutions. Ms Furness described the victims' accounts as 'depressingly similar'. Children were ignored or worse, punished, she said. 'Documents were not kept, or they were destroyed. 'Secrecy prevailed as did cover-ups.' The Catholic Church's Truth Justice and Healing Council chief executive Francis Sullivan (left) says the data reveals horrific abuse at the hands of priests The average age of the victims at the time they were allegedly abused was 10 for girls and 11 for boys. The church's Truth Justice and Healing Council chief executive Francis Sullivan said the data would reveal a horrific story of abuse at the hands of priests. CHILD MOLESTERS * 597 (32 pct) religious brothers * 572 (30 pct) priests * 543 (29 pct) lay people * 96 (5 pct) religious sisters * 90 pct of offenders male * 7 pct of priests overall alleged to have abused children Source: Catholic Church records 1950-2010 Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse Advertisement Australia's most senior Catholic leaders will have to explain why widespread child sexual abuse continued for several decades while convincing a royal commission the church is acting to ensure it is not repeated. Six of Australia's seven Catholic archbishops and the leaders of its religious orders have been told to appear before the child abuse royal commission. The data covers reports made to the church and will therefore still not reveal the full extent of the abuse, given many victims never come forward. The provincial leaders of the Christian Brothers, Marist Brothers, Jesuits, Salesian and St John of God orders will testify, along with several bishops, Catholic education officials, academics and experts. Melbourne Archbishop and Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president Denis Hart (pictured) Many of the archbishops and Catholic leaders have already appeared before the commission. Hobart Archbishop Julian Porteous is the only archbishop not listed as a witness. Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson, believed to be the most senior Catholic official in the world to face a charge of concealing child sex abuse, will participate in a panel with other archbishops. Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president, Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart, said the leaders will explain what the church has been doing to change the old culture that allowed abuse to continue and to put in place new policies and structures to safeguard children. The hearing, set down for three weeks and one day, will involve panel discussions about issues including the church's structure, the screening and training of priests, canon law and the sacrament of confession. Britain's most senior immigration judge has condemned cavalier and unprofessional taxpayer-funded lawyers for obstructing attempts to deport a vile child sex abuse gang. Mr Justice Bernard McCloskey launched the withering attack after the Asian grooming ring appealed against then Home Secretary Theresa Mays decision in 2012 to strip them of their British citizenship and boot them out of the country. He said the groups lawyers had treated the immigration tribunal hearing with sustained and marked disrespect. Mr Justice Bernard McCloskey has condemned 'cavalier and unprofessional' taxpayer-funded lawyers for obstructing attempts to deport a vile child sex abuse gang Paedophile Shabir Ahmed, 63 the ringleader of the Rochdale gang that preyed on girls as young as 13 has tried exploiting human rights laws to avoid being deported. Fellow convicts Abdul Aziz, 41, Adil Khan, 42, and Abdul Rauf, 47, are also fighting the order. The move is the latest in a series of cases in which foreign criminals have tried to avoid being kicked out of Britain. Paedophile Shabir Ahmed, 63, was the ringleader of the Rochdale gang that preyed on girls as young as 13. They tried exploiting human rights laws to avoid being deported Mr Justice McCloskey said there had been multiple recent examples of similar conduct and misconduct. He has urged Government legal officials to investigate the scandal. In a damning ruling, the judge said the sex abuse gangs barristers and solicitors had failed to submit papers to the court and had repeatedly asked for adjournments. The gangs solicitors, Nottingham-based firm Burton & Burton, are funded by the taxpayer via the Legal Aid Agency, with fees reported to be 50 to 70 an hour adding up to thousands of pounds over the course of the case. Rajiv Sharma, the barrister who represented Ahmed, is a protege of campaigning lawyer Michael Mansfield QC. The other three men were represented by Zainul Jafferji, who specialises in human rights, immigration and asylum law. In some of the strongest criticism delivered by a judge, Mr Justice McCloskey, president of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber, said: The conduct of these appeals has been cavalier and unprofessional. 'The rule of law has been weakened in consequence. He described the circumstances which had forced him to adjourn the case in December as frankly shameful, adding: Scarce judicial and administrative resources have been wasted in dealing with repeated unmeritorious requests by the appellants solicitors for an adjournment. Mr Justice McCloskey, who is expected to deliver his decision on the appeal this month, threatened to refer the lawyers to their professional bodies for disciplinary action, saying their behaviour could be in contempt of court. The four Pakistani men were convicted in May 2012 of preying on girls as young as 13, plying them with drink and drugs before they were passed around for sex. McCloskey also damned fellow convicts Abdul Aziz, 41, (left) and Adil Khan, 42, (right). They were represented by Zainul Jafferji, who specialises in human rights, immigration and asylum law Ahmed was given a 19-year sentence for conspiracy, two rapes, aiding and abetting rape, sexual assault and sex trafficking. He was later jailed for a further 22 years, to run concurrently, for 30 child rapes after a separate trial. The court heard that he repeatedly raped a young Asian girl for more than a decade. Abdul Rauf, 47, was also part of the Rochdale gang. Ringleader Ahmed was given a 19-year and a 22-year sentence to run concurrently. Rauf was sentenced to six years for trafficking a 15-year-old girl to the UK Last year the divorced father of four lost a bid to overturn his convictions using human rights laws. Father-of-five Rauf, a former religious studies teacher at a Rochdale mosque, was sentenced to six years for trafficking a 15-year-old girl to the UK for sex. He was released on licence in 2015 after serving half his term. Aziz, a taxi driver, was convicted of trafficking and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child and sentenced to 18 years. Khan, another taxi driver, was sentenced to 18 years for trafficking and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child. Tory MP Tim Loughton, a member of the home affairs select committee, accused immigration lawyers of playing the system, with some cases being spun out over years. Mohammed Mahruf, senior partner at Burton & Burton, refused to comment while proceedings are ongoing. Up to 50 students from three schools have been involved in a huge brawl that saw dozens of punches thrown and a chair thrown at a teenager. Four fights broke out in 20 minutes inside a shopping centre food court in Darwin after tensions boiled over between teenage boys from rival schools. Students from Casuarina Senior College, Dripstone Middle School and Sanderson Middle School were all involved in the violence at Casuarina Square on Friday, at the end of the first week back from the holidays. Up to 50 students from three schools have been involved in a huge brawl that saw dozens of punches thrown and a chair thrown at a teenager Four fights broke out in 20 minutes inside a shopping centre food court in Darwin after tensions boiled over between teenage boys from rival schools Shocking footage obtained by the NT News shows two teenagers squaring up in the packed canteen before one of them punches the other in the face. An all-out brawl suddenly breaks out as one of the boys falls to the floor and several other teenagers pile in. Other videos show teenagers punching each other and chairs going flying as the boys continued to scrap while their friends filmed it all on their phones. A mother who tried to separate one of the fights told said the violence upset a young family nearby. 'There was a young family and a little kid was crying - that's what I didn't like about it,' she said. She also said that some of the teenagers abused a security guard and described an eerily quiet 'calm before the storm' in the minutes before he fight. Students from Casuarina Senior College, Dripstone Middle School and Sanderson Middle School were all involved in the violence at Casuarina Square on Friday Other videos show teenagers punching each other and chairs going flying as the boys continued to scrap while their friends filmed it all on their phones A Northern Territory Police spokeswoman said officers were called but that the teenagers had left by the time they arrived One worker at the food court said their colleagues were left shell-shocked following the clashes. 'It was quite scary, there were four fights within 10 minutes,' they said. 'A security guard was hit and a trolley was thrown through the glass door at Maccas.' A Northern Territory Police spokeswoman said officers were called but that the teenagers had left by the time they arrived. Police are reportedly not investigating the incident as no one has filed an official complaint. The shopping centre has given CCTV of the incident to the police and a spokesman said the teenagers would be banned from returning for a year. He added that no one was injured. The principals of the three schools united to condemn their students' actions. 'Under no circumstances do we condone any anti-social behaviour,' Casuarina Senior College principal Paul Mathews said. Dripstone Middle School principal Peter Swan said: 'We consider what our kids do, in our uniforms, is part of the school and we take responsibility.' Racist graffiti proclaiming 'white power' and swastikas have plagued a Queensland town and left locals horrified. Bundaberg residents woke up on Monday to find the offensive message sprayed onto their welcome sign and on a prominent intersection. Gayle McDonald was shocked when she saw the graffitti 'marring the new merge wall' with four of her youngest children in the car. 'I remember saying out loud that it was pathetic,' she told News Mail. Racist graffiti proclaiming 'white power' and swastikas have plagued a Queensland town and left locals horrified (Pictured: Graffiti on a busy intersection) Ms McDonald further called the black spray painted messaged 'asinine and archaic' that made the 'artist' look stupid. 'F*** N*****' and a swastika were painted on the back of the welcome to Bundaberg sign along the Isis Highway. The same phrase was graffitied onto a property two weeks ago 'New skid pad' was sprayed on a section of concrete behind fabric store giant Spotlight. The most noticeable scrawls were on an intersection where vandals spray painted 'white power' and two swastikas. The vandals face up to five years in prison if caught, and can be fined $2438 fine or one year in prison if found in possession of aerosol spray, marker or other instrument which is being used for graffiti. 'It [graffiti] hurts schools and neighbourhoods both visually and economically, Bundaberg Regional Council told News Media. 'It decreases people's feeling of safety, it drains tax dollars, and sends the signal that nobody cares.' 'F*** N*****' and a swastika were painted on the back of the welcome to Bundaberg sign and along this property two weeks ago Millions may have been misled into buying power-hungry Samsung or LG TVs, after the firms allegedly cheated in tests. The companies are embroiled in a Volkswagen-style scandal, after technology in their sets meant they performed better in energy efficiency tests than in real life. In some cases, they guzzled twice the amount of power than the manufacturers claimed, research found. Millions may have been misled into buying power-hungry Samsung or LG TVs, after the firms allegedly cheated in tests The discrepancy means millions of customers in Britain and around the world may have paid over the odds for their TV, as they believed it was energy efficient. As a result, their energy bills are higher than they should be. TVs sold in Britain, America and Europe effectively recognise a ten-minute video used by laboratories to test energy performance. When the video is played on Samsung and LG TV sets, the backlight dims and the TV uses far less energy than it would normally. The problem was first found in 2015, in sets sold in the US. But now a UK lab is running a 350,000 probe into TVs sold in Europe including Britain. The European Environmental Bureau, which commissioned the UK research, said it wanted to find out if the distorted tests were down to a cheat device. US scientists found that Samsung and LG TVs were recognising the test video thanks to motion detection dimming software designed to improve the picture for viewers. The companies are embroiled in a Volkswagen-style scandal, after technology in their sets meant they performed better in energy efficiency tests than in real life (It) reduces power consumption by reducing screen brightness when the picture on the screen is in motion, Samsung says on its website. But it also kicks in when the test video is played, putting Samsung and LG TVs in line for energy ratings they would not otherwise deserve. The EEB, which ordered the probe into the TVs sold in Europe, said it wanted to establish whether this was a convenient side-effect or a deliberate attempt to rig the tests. Both firms previously denied deliberately trying to mislead US customers. They declined to comment on the accusations in Europe. Noah Horowitz, director at the Natural Resources Defence Council, which first identified the US problems, said while the under-the-hood changes may not be illegal, it smacks of bad-faith conduct. The EEB probe is set to publish results in the spring. Samsung TVs cost between 369 for a 40in smart TV, to 5,600 for a 78in model. A 32in LG TV costs 200 at John Lewis, but this rises to 4,600 for a 65in set. According to the US study, the motion detection feature alone would add around 165 to the owners electricity bill over ten years. Volkswagen was forced to pay 15billion to 500,000 US customers after it cheated in emissions tests. Housing minister Gavin Barwell was asked if there will be incentives for older people 'to sell big family homes they're no longer using' Pensioners with large family homes will be given incentives to downsize in a drive to solve the housing crisis. Ministers yesterday vowed to make it 'easier' for older homeowners to move into sheltered accommodation. In addition to building tens of thousands of new places in specialised housing, councils could offer help with the costs of moving or decorating to encourage owners to downsize. The attempt to free up more family homes will form part of the Government's housing white paper, which will also aim to help those renting property. A report by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said 2.6million family homes could be released on to the property market if older owners downsized. However, the report also acknowledged 'there is a very strong emotional dimension to people's homes', and that moving home requires 'considerable effort, both physical and emotional'. Whitehall officials stressed that ministers have no intention of putting pressure on anyone to sell their home against their will. Housing minister Gavin Barwell was asked by ITV's Robert Peston if there will be incentives for older people 'to sell big family homes they're no longer using'. He replied: 'Yes, the white paper will have something to say about that. I think it's important in two regards. 'First of all, we've got a lot of demographic change in the country and an increasing elderly population, so it's not just about how many houses you build, but are you building the right kind of houses? 'And secondly ... if we can make it easier for elderly people to move [into sheltered accommodation] it releases family homes that we're desperate for. It's a really interesting idea.' A Department for Communities and Local Government spokesman said: 'The white paper will explore ways to stimulate the market ... we want to make sure older people have a good choice of accommodation to help them to live independently for longer, and help reduce costs to social care and health systems.' In 2014 a report by think-tank Demos proposed a 'Help to Move' scheme that would give downsizers a stamp duty exemption on properties worth up to 250,000. Similar schemes have already been implemented on a local level. A council in Redbridge, north-east London, helped elderly residents who wanted to move to sheltered accommodation by offering financial advice and covering the cost of moving and renovations. Mr Barwell said more homes will have to be built. 'Housing has become more and more unaffordable for people who are trying to buy or trying to rent because governments for 30 or 40 years have not built enough homes,' he said In 2012, then housing minister Grant Shapps said councils should help pensioners move into 'more suitable accommodation' so their homes could be made available to young families. However, over-50s group Saga warned that those in large homes 'should not be blamed for the scarcity of affordable housing, or the economic conditions that make it difficult for younger people to get a mortgage'. The housing white paper, due to be published tomorrow, is central to Theresa May's pledge to help families who are 'just about managing'. In a marked change of direction, the Government is also planning to make it easier and more secure for people to rent homes. David Cameron had promised a 'property-owning democracy', but Mr Barwell yesterday admitted the number of affordable homes being built just 32,000 last year is 'embarrassing'. Ministers will now put renewed focus on helping tenants by building 10,000 homes a year for the growing number of families who live in private rented accommodation. Planning laws will be rewritten to focus on family-friendly policies, which could include a ban on landlords whose properties are substandard, action on excessive charges by agencies. and guaranteed three-year tenancies. Mr Barwell said more homes will have to be built. 'Housing has become more and more unaffordable for people who are trying to buy or trying to rent because governments for 30 or 40 years have not built enough homes,' he said. 'We want to see more housing built in this country of every kind. At the moment we are far too dependent on a small number of large developers building our homes. 'We need to get more people involved in building homes and more different kinds ... for outright ownership, for shared ownership, for renting.' British Prime Minister Theresa May, Martek Managing Director Derek Galloway and Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell speak with a worker as they visit Martinek joinery factory last year Mr Barwell indicated that the white paper would also include measures to tackle developers who obtain planning permission for a site but then do not build on it. Those who wait too long are likely to lose planning permission, and could even face compulsory purchase orders. As the Mail reported on Saturday, ministers have backed away from building on the green belt. Mr Barwell said: 'There is no need to take huge tracts of land out of the green belt to solve the housing crisis. '[Councils] can take land out of the green belt in exceptional circumstances but they should have looked at every alternative first. That policy is not going change.' However, Conservative critics have warned that local authorities are already encroaching on the green belt. Former minister Andrew Mitchell, Tory MP for Sutton Coldfield, said large numbers of homes had been approved for land in the West Midlands without any objection by ministers. 'We have seen a monstrous plan put forward by the Labour council to build 6,000 on our treasured green belt and it has been waved through,' he told Peston. Married RE teacher Owen Madivani, 46, has been jailed for raping another teacher at a hotel after she got drunk during a night out at an education conference A married RE teacher has been jailed for rape amid claims the school where he worked mishandled previous complaints that he sexually assaulted women staff. Owen Madivani raped another teacher at a hotel after she got drunk during a night out at an education conference. Now it has emerged that before his arrest Zimbabwe-born Madivani was the subject of sexual complaints by three female staff at The Towers School and Sixth Form Centre in Ashford, Kent, where he worked. The 46-year-old father of three stood trial at Blackfriars Crown Court last December and last month he was jailed for 34 months. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely. He was originally accused not only of the rape of a teacher but also the attempted rape and sexual assault of another woman. Madivani travelled to the Russell Hotel in Bloomsbury, central London, in June 2015 to take part in the conference. Around 50 teachers including the two middle-aged women who cannot be named for legal reasons attended the two-day event. Neither worked at The Towers School. Madivani had attended the conference the previous year where he had met both women. The rape happened after a group went out for a meal on the night of June 4. The victim became drunk after drinking for more than four hours. The woman told police that she and Madivani returned to their hotel and the next thing she remembered was her attacker being on top of her in her bedroom and they were having sex. She told prosecutors she repeatedly told him no and tried to push him off her but he carried on with the assault before he left her. The woman passed out. When she woke at around 7am, she contacted a friend to say she had been raped. Shortly after, Madivani knocked on her door and asked her to let him in because he had lost his bank card. During their conversation, he is alleged to have told her: Im sorry, Im sorry I cant tell you not to tell people. The victim felt this implied he was asking her not to report the rape. Police also investigated separate allegations involving another woman at the conference who claimed he had attempted to rape her and sexually assaulted her in her room the day before, after they had enjoyed breakfast together. Before his arrest Madivani was the subject of sexual complaints by three female staff at The Towers School and Sixth Form Centre in Ashford, Kent, (pictured) where he worked During his trial he changed his plea to guilty on the rape allegation. The Crown Prosecution Service said it was then decided not to proceed with the other two charges. Acting Detective Sergeant Paula Hill, the officer in the case, said: I would like to pay tribute to the victim who had the courage to quickly report this distressing assault to police. The Daily Mail has learned that one woman teacher at The Towers School claims to have been assaulted by Madivani after he allegedly began stalking her. She has since left the school after reporting the incident to police and now teaches at another school. Another female member of staff reported that Madivani had groped her bottom and she complained to the school. Another woman teacher is also believed to have complained to the principal, Richard Billings, that she had been inappropriately touched by Madivani and she has since left the school. The women are understood to be unhappy that their complaints were not treated more seriously by senior school figures. Members of the teaching unions are also said to be unhappy with how Mr Billings dealt with the alleged assaults. Last night it was unclear if Madivani was suspended prior to his rape conviction or dismissed at an earlier date. The school refused to discuss both his rape trial and employment. In a bid to cover-up the court case Mr Billings sent an email last week to staff urging them not to discuss the matter with anyone so not to attract the local Press. The school slogan is Excellence in Everything and when Mr Billings was appointed in January 2014 he promised vision, expectation, achievement and care. When asked about Madivanis behaviour both inside and outside the school, he said: I have had dealings with the Press before, therefore I am not prepared to comment about anything. Great-grandmother Joan Pimblett had almost made her way across the street in a shopping area a few hundred yards from her flat when she was struck by a vehicle A police employee has been questioned over the death of a 91-year-old woman in a road accident amid claims he may have been using a mobile phone at the wheel of his car. Great-grandmother Joan Pimblett had almost made her way across the street in a shopping area a few hundred yards from her flat when she was struck by the vehicle. The former dinner lady, who was still independent despite her age, was planning a holiday to Canada and was a member of the University of the Third Age, a learning group for older people. But she died in hospital on Monday, three days after the collision in Heaton Moor, Greater Manchester. Divorcee Mrs Pimblett, who was using a wheeled walking frame at the time of the crash, had suffered severe head injuries and multiple broken bones. Greater Manchester Police have confirmed the male driver was a civilian employee and that their Professional Standards Unit has been informed. The force added that the car involved was not a police vehicle. It is not known whether or not the man was at work at the time. It is understood that lines of enquiry include whether the driver, who has been questioned but not arrested, was using a mobile phone at the time. Investigations into the collision are ongoing. Greater Manchester Police have confirmed the male driver was a civilian employee and that their Professional Standards Unit has been informed One witness to the accident, who was stood at a bus stop outside the nearby Savoy cinema said: The lady had nearly got all the way across the road when the car hit her. The driver didnt seem to see her. It was a sickening impact. There was a lot of pedestrians around at that time. I was just one of many people who saw or heard it. Neighbours paid tribute to Mrs Pimblett. One said: She was a kind, determined and independent woman. She was clever enough to use a computer at her age and was strong enough in body and spirit to have lived past 100. The friend added that Mrs Pimbletts family are in shock and cannot comprehend that Joan may to have died for the sake of a phone call. She leaves four sons including Colin, who lives nearby, Robert, a solicitor in Poynton, Cheshire, a sister and brother in Canada, and another sister in Florida. There are also grandchildren and great grandchildren. The accident occurred at 10.55am on Friday January 27, on Heaton Moor Road, and Mrs Pimblett was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital in an ambulance but died of her injuries on Monday morning (January 30). The force added that the car involved was not a police vehicle. It is not known whether or not the man was at work at the time Mrs Pimbletts devastated son Colin, 54, said: It has cut an active life short. My mother was planning trips abroad and a family wedding next year. We would urge any witnesses to get in touch with the police, particularly who saw the vehicle approaching the incident. Mr Pimblett added that his family wanted to thank members of the public at the scene who tried to save his mothers life. I believe that by co-incidence there may have been some medical professionals in the area who were among them. Our thanks go to all those people who were able to help, he said. He added that he did not wish to comment about the possible cause of the collision. In a statement, the family added: Joan was an independent and active pensioner with many friends and was frequently seen in the local shops, cafes and restaurants. Despite her age, she continued to travel, having family both in the UK and across the globe. She will be sadly missed by both family and friends, tragically taken before her time. Police Constable Paul Shore, of Greater Manchester Polices Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: Our thoughts are with the family of the woman and we are currently offering them our support. Officers are working to ascertain exactly what happened and we are appealing to anyone with information about this collision to please come forward. Anyone with dash-cam footage prior to the incident is also urged to get in touch. Penalties for mobile phone use at the wheel are set to double to a minimum of six points after a campaign by the Daily Mail. A nationwide crackdown by police forces on mobile phone use by drivers took place last month, following a similar week of action last November when 8,000 people were caught breaking the law. A heavily pregnant woman and her partner are lucky to be alive after a large piece of concrete was thrown onto the couple's car as they drove at 100km/h on an expressway. Heidi Wilkin, 32, was driving her partner Adam Haak home from a party along the Southern Expressway in Morphetville in Adelaide at 1.15am on Sunday morning. Ms Wilkin, who is 29 weeks pregnant heard a 'loud bang' and saw that her windscreen was smashed and noticed that something had landed on her bonnet after driving under the Honeypot Rd bridge. A heavily pregnant woman and her partner are lucky to be alive after a large piece of concrete was thrown at their car while travelling along a 100km/h expressway 'It scared the absolute bejesus out of me. I didn't know what was going on to be honest. I just knew something had hit my car,' Ms Wilkin told The Advertiser. The traumatised couple said it took them a minute to calm down and try to understand what had just happened. But once settled the pair got out of the car to inspect the damage and were horrified at just how badly their car had been mangled. Ms Wilkin called police after inspecting the damage who arrived a short time later. Heidi Wilkin, 32, was driving with her partner along the Southern Expressway in Morphetville in Adelaide at 1.15am on Sunday when their vehicle was impacted by a concrete pit cover A damaged concrete pit cover was found only metres from where the car had been impacted Ms Wilkin saw that her windscreen was smashed and noticed that something had landed on her bonnet after driving under the Honeypot Rd bridge (pictured) 'I think they thought we were a little bit exaggerating the damage,' she said Mr Haak and the police officer went for a walk and came across a damaged concrete pit cover which was determined to be the projectile that struck the vehicle. Police searched the area for the culprit but came away empty handed . Thankfully the couple were not seriously injured from the incident. Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Prime Minister Theresa May said regaining control of Britains borders will be a red line in her negotiations with the EU over Brexit Migrants could account for more than four in every ten households formed between now and 2039, a minister has warned. The figure is the equivalent of 109,000 extra households every year. The impact of mass immigration on the number of households in the UK was revealed in the House of Lords by Integration Minister Nicholas Bourne. He said that, based on the Governments highest estimates for the number of new arrivals, over the next 22 years there will be up to 243,000 new households each year. Lord Bourne told the Lords that an estimated 45 per cent of the growth was down to net migration the difference between the number of arrivals and the number leaving the country. And Lord Green of Deddington, who is the chairman of think-tank MigrationWatch, said that the figures showed the costs of immigration. He told peers: The difference between high and zero migration is 110,000 households being formed every year. That is 300 every day. To put the point slightly more dramatically, that would mean building a home every five minutes, night and day, for new arrivals until such time as we get those numbers down. Prime Minister Theresa May has said that regaining control of Britains borders will be a red line in her negotiations with the EU over Brexit. However, Whitehall officials have also stressed that any new regime is likely to have to be phased in gradually. Lord Bourne said: Net migration will probably fall as a result of Brexit, but it will be some time before that happens. Official figures released in October revealed that record numbers of migrants came to the UK from the European Union in the run-up to last Junes referendum. An unprecedented 284,000 arrived in the 12 months to July, with 82,000 of them looking for work. The influx included 70,000 from Romania and Bulgaria, which was also an all-time high. Net EU migration reached 189,000, a further peak, Office for National Statistics figures showed. At the time, Brexit Secretary David Davis told business leaders that significant numbers of migrant workers could still be allowed to come into Britain to cope with labour shortages. The statistics raised new questions about the viability of the Governments determination to get net migration down to the tens of thousands. Nearly half of new employment over the year to the end of September, 49 per cent, was accounted for by workers from EU countries, the ONS said Net migration from outside the EU over which the Government has full control was 196,000, or almost double the overall target. That pushed the net global immigration figure to 335,000, which was just 1,000 short of the record. Leave campaigners highlighted figures showing that 82,000 European Union immigrants arrived in the UK without a job, which was 43 per cent of the total and the highest number ever recorded. The number of national insurance registrations, which covered the period of the year ending in September, was 629,000 for EU citizens and 195,000 for non-EU citizens. The figures included 227,000 applications by Romanians and Bulgarians. Nearly half of new employment over the year to the end of September, 49 per cent, was accounted for by workers from EU countries, the ONS said. Nicola White, of the ONS, said in October: The main reason people are coming to the UK is for work, and there has been a significant increase in people looking for work, particularly from the EU. There does not however appear to have been any significant impact during the run-up to the vote. Recent figures have shown that more than a quarter of new babies in Britain are born to foreign mothers. Using a genetic test could tell doctors which breast cancer sufferers need the powerful treatment (stock photo) Thousands of women with breast cancer could be spared the gruelling ordeal of chemotherapy, a trial suggests. Using a genetic test could tell doctors which women need the powerful treatment, and which women could be safely spared its harsh side effects. Chemotherapy is commonly used after surgery to stop breast cancer returning. But by analysing the genetic make-up of the tumour, scientists can now calculate the likelihood of the cancer returning, allowing them to identify women at low-risk. A trial led by experts at the University Hospital of South Manchester suggests 63 per cent of women with the most common form of breast cancer could avoid chemotherapy by using a genetic test called Oncotype DX. Up to 6,000 a year in Britain could avoid the need for chemotherapy if the test was widely used, the results suggest. Professor Nigel Bundred, the breast cancer surgeon who led the trial, said: 'Deciding whether to have chemotherapy is a big decision for women in this position to make. 'Their life is on hold for six months while the treatment is completed, they may lose their hair and there is fatigue and other side effects. 'But they are also deciding about the risk of recurrence it is a decision they will have to live with for the next five or ten years of their life. This test helps give women more certainty about their decision.' NHS watchdog NICE issued guidance approving use of the Oncotype DX test in September 2013. But since then only 9,200 women have been given the test fewer than 3,000 a year. Experts hope the new findings, published in the European Journal of Surgical Oncology, will see wider use of the test. One reason for low take-up is thought to be the price of the test 2,580 minus a confidential NHS discount. But scientists stress this is dwarfed by the price of unnecessary chemotherapy, which costs the NHS an average of 6,180 per patient. The researchers used the test on 201 women at the Wythenshawe and Christie Hospitals in Manchester who had been diagnosed with an early stage of ER positive HER2 negative breast cancer the most common form. Each had had surgery to remove the tumour, and was being considered for chemotherapy. Chemotherapy (stock photo) is commonly used after surgery to stop breast cancer returning The test analyses samples of the tumour taken during surgery. After using the test, 63 per cent of women were advised they would not have to have chemotherapy advice that was accepted by 98 per cent. This included 60 per cent whose breast cancer had not yet spread to their lymph nodes the group for whom NICE already recommends the test. But the scientists found that chemotherapy could also be avoided in 69 per cent of women who already had cancerous cells in the lymph nodes, which suggests use of the test could be extended. Breast cancer is Britain's most common cancer, with 55,000 women diagnosed with the disease each year, 43,000 of whom have surgery to remove their tumour. About 41 per cent of these women roughly 18,000 a year receive chemotherapy to reduce the risk of early-stage breast cancer returning after surgery, with the powerful drugs destroying any microscopic cancer cells that have escaped the surgeon's knife. But chemotherapy can cause gruelling side effects including nausea, hair loss and exhaustion. The test could be used for about half of these women those with the ER positive HER2 negative form. If the Manchester results were replicated nationally, roughly 6,000 women in Britain could avoid chemotherapy every year. Cyprus is the cheapest destination for UK families booking a half-term sunshine trip, a study has found. A family of four can enjoy a weeks holiday in Paphos for 1,130, according to Post Office Travel Money. The study of 10 popular winter sun spots found that Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands, was runner-up at 1,663. Cyprus is the cheapest destination for UK families booking a half-term holiday, according to Post Office Travel Money. Pictured, Limassol, Cyprus A package holiday in Cancun, Mexico, at 2,106 was found to be cheaper than some destinations closer to home, such as Sliema, Malta (2,113) and another Canary Island, Tenerife (2,147). Mexicos peso is the only currency weaker against the pound than a year ago, meaning UK tourists have around 3% more cash to spend than in early 2016. The most expensive location included in the research was Jumeirah, Dubai, at 3,266, which was driven by the high cost of food and drink. It was followed by Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic (2,791) and Penang, Malaysia (2,382). Andrew Brown, of Post Office Travel Money, said: Bargain-hunters should always add the cost of meals and drinks in resorts to the price of a holiday package to find the destination that will give them the best overall value. Up to 30 pop-up brothels are being opened each week in Swindon, police have said. In any one week, up to 40 sex workers were marketing their services in properties for a few days before moving on. Wiltshire Police have said that most of the prostitutes are eastern European and the brothels are understood to be linked to crime gangs which traffic women from Poland and Romania. Up to 30 pop-up brothels are being opened each week in Swindon, police have said. File photo It is the latest of several locations nationwide, including holiday hotspots in the south West and the Lake District, to be targeted by gangs running transient brothels. Det Sgt Chris Hitchcock, of Wiltshire Police, said: Many of these women move between addresses within the town as well as outside of it. Of these 40, we estimate they populate 20 to 30 brothels in short-term to medium-term rental properties. He said that officers were looking to intervene and see if we can offer safeguarding, and see if organised crime is involved, as often as we can. In any one week, up to 40 sex workers were marketing their services in properties for a few days before moving on. File photo The number of reports of suspected brothels in Swindon nearly doubled between 2014 and 2015, from 60 to 112. Det Sgt Hitchcock added that the force was currently monitoring a total of between 170 and 190 women involved in sex work predominantly in Swindon. Devon and Cornwall Police revealed earlier this year that criminal gangs were using holiday lets in Newquay as brothels. Officers discovered 14 premises being used for paid sex since July last year and believed more were being operated. Owners had no idea their second homes or investment properties were being used for such activities, and they are often brought to the attention of the police when neighbours report unusual behaviour. Inspector Dave Meredith, of Newquay police, said at the time: They move quickly, they book them online and they advertise their services via the internet. Certainly you wouldnt see anything in the local papers or women touting for business in the street. Its all web-based. The Lake District was also revealed to be a target last year as human traffickers used hotels and guesthouses as pop-up brothels. The crime gangs trafficked refugees to use as sex workers, block-booking hotel rooms in Barrow and across the south lakes. Wiltshire Police have said that most of the prostitutes are eastern European and the brothels are understood to be linked to crime gangs. File photo of Swindon town centre One landlady in Barrow was shocked when she found prostitutes were using her property. She told the North-West Evening Mail last year that she trawled through her guest houses CCTV saw images of local men regularly visiting prostitutes. A study last year by the Police Foundation found women in pop-up brothels were more likely to be trafficked than in standard brothels. A US Marine Corps jet pilot crashed and died in his 50 million aircraft because he was in a rush to get home, an official report has concluded. Major Taj Sareen, who was in the UK after a seven-month deployment fighting Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, was also concerned he would hold up colleagues. He hinted to them there was a problem with the navigation system of his FA-18C Hornet but failed to report it to maintenance crews. Marine Corps Major Taj Sareen was on his way back to America to see his wife and young child The pilot did not want to reveal the problems with his plane's navigation system andrisk delaying he and his colleague's flight home Minutes into a flight home to his girlfriend and young child in America his jet came down in Redmere, Cambridgeshire. An accident investigation report has now revealed his navigation system was not 100 per cent. The author said a combination of stress from wanting to get home and not wanting to be the reason for an additional delay led him to conceal his concerns from engineers. The better decision would have been to debrief Maintenance Control about the problem and let them troubleshoot the aircraft, they wrote. Major Sareen, 34, of Marine Attack Fighter Squadron 232, stationed in his home state of California, was asked by a maintenance controller at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk whether there were problems with his plane and he told them: The inertial navigation system, but it is good. Pushed on exactly what was wrong, he added: Dont worry about it, the jet is good. A fellow pilot revealed Maj Sareen told him if they encountered poor conditions he might need to join up to punch through the weather. Major Sareen was hailed as a 'hero' for steering the jet away from two houses into farmland The Marine Corps began an investigation after the accident on October 21, 2015, which happened in heavily overcast conditions with low cloud cover. The report said this had a major impact on the outcome, explaining: If the weather conditions had been clear, I believe Major Sareen would have been able to adequately deal with the system problems/failure modes of the INS (inertial navigation system) and would have been able to avoid impact into the ground. The pilot was hailed a hero at the time by witness Peter Sizer. The farmer said the jet had been steered away from two houses into farmland to avoid hurting anyone on the ground. A photo was taken of Major Sareen a day before his death in which he smiled and waved for an amateur photographer. Plumber Matthew Varley said: There were four aircraft that day and he was the only pilot to take off his flight mask and actually wave, which was quite poignant. When I later found out it was possibly the last photo of him alive it became heart-wrenching. He was smiling and looking happy and I think its become a nice tribute to him. MPs have called for Britain's railways to be broken up into smaller franchises following the Southern Rail debacle. A damning report by the House of Commons Transport Committee says the UK franchising model is no 'no longer fit for purpose' and is failing passengers, who are forced to put up with poor service, overcrowded trains and rising fares. It suggests giant rail services could be split into smaller franchises covering smaller areas, to boost competition and improve service. Commuters wait for a train at East Croydon station last year after hundreds of trains were cancelled and other services affected as a result of one of many strikes The committee argues ministers, rail bosses and trade unions are all to blame for the 'disastrous outcomes' of the Southern Rail franchise. The Department for Transport headed by Transport secretary Chris Grayling - is accused of being too soft on Southern Rail bosses - and failing to properly monitor punctuality and performance targets as passengers have endured more than ten months of disruption. Ministers awarded Govia Thameslink Railway a controversial deal worth more than 1billion a year to run the giant Southern franchise which includes Thameslink and Great Northern until 2021. Under the agreement the only one of its type in the UK rail bosses are awarded annual fees to run the network, with the government pocketing the proceeds from tickets sales. This has meant taxpayers have had to foot the bill for the wave of strikes and engineering works which have plagued the service over the last year. The lost revenues over the last financial year are estimated to amount to around 38million. Govia has cited 'force majeure' claiming the persistent disruption for Southern passengers is caused by events beyond its control. But the commons transport committee said the government should consider stripping Govia of the franchise if it is found to have breached its contract. Arguing that 'all parties are accountable for the disastrous outcomes on this franchise', it says the Department for Transport has 'failed to take responsibility for some of the failings in the handling of the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise'. It adds: 'While we do acknowledge that factors were beyond the control of the Department, including the significant and inevitable impact of the Thameslink programme enhancements, and industrial relations disputes; the Department does need to address issues such as inadequate planning, inaccurate assumptions and weak performance incentives.' Demonstrators holding placards stage a protest at Victoria Station against Southern Rail and its parent company Govia. Critics say Chris Grayling has been too soft on Southern Rail bosses MP said there are also 'serious deficiencies in the Department's monitoring and enforcement of this franchisee'. The committee's chair Louise Ellman said: 'The government has serious lessons to learn from the management from the Thameslink Southern and Great Northern franchise.' She added: 'While franchising enabled passenger growth and service improvements when it was first rolled out, passenger satisfaction with the railways is falling. Its core objectives are no longer being met, potential benefits are being lost and the passenger is suffering through higher fares and continued underperformance.' The Transport committee urges ministers to launch an independent review of rail franchises, and explore the option of handing powers to fine rail operators for poor performance to the independent Office of Rail and Road. Ministers are also urged to consider breaking up giant rail franchises, offering longer term contracts to rail operators to run smaller rail services. MPs argue this could boost competition, leading to new rail operators being set up. But Labour yesterday reiterated calls for the railways to be brought back under public ownership. Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald told the BBC'S The Andrew Marr Show: 'A railway works best as an integrated network but privatisation and franchising have meant breaking it up.' A railway works best as an integrated network but privatisation and franchising have meant breaking it up Andy McDonald MP The report comes as the boss of the militant Rail Maritime & Transport Union vowed to continue strike action against Southern, despite a peace deal reached between rail bosses and drivers' union Aslef on Friday. Mick Cash, the boss of RMT which represents train guards, described the deal as a 'disgrace' and a 'stitch up'. RMT and Aslef had joined forces to protest against Southern's decision to give responsibility for opening and closing train doors to drivers, rather than guards. They claimed this system, which has been used on trains across the UK for decades, poses a danger to passengers. But members of Aslef are said to baulked at the prospect of losing thousands of pounds more in wages from further strikes and overtime bans. Earlier this month it emerged Department of Transport officials are monitoring Southern performance figures. But ministers are convinced that awarding the contract to another operator or renationalising Southern would be unlikely to improve the service while industrial action engineering works are ongoing. Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the government was already taking steps to ensure Network Rail worked more closely with rail operators, as recommended by the committee. A spokesman for the Department of Transport said: 'We can make improvements and the transport secretary has been clear that it will take new ways of working, more investment and better collaboration across the industry to tackle the challenges ahead.' At least 16 people are dead and 34 more are injured following a 'drunk' cargo truck driver crashing into a school bus and fleeing the scene in Honduras. The out-of-control truck slammed into the bus, carrying 60 passengers, on a highway outside of the country's capital, Tegucigalpa, on Sunday. Officials and Red Cross workers retrieved bodies from the wreckage, as police apprehended the driver who is believed to have been intoxicated while operating the vehicle. At least 16 people are dead and 34 people are injured following a 'drunk' cargo truck driver crashing into a school bus and fleeing the scene in Honduras on Sunday The out-of-control truck slammed into the bus on a highway outside of the country's capital, Tegucigalpa A representative of the charity organization at the scene said: 'Several people who attended him confirmed that they felt the smell of intoxicating drinks,' reported The Sun. He was then arrested by police after they apprehended him. The injured were taken to University Teaching Hospital in Tegucigalpa, where hospital spokesman Miguel Osorio said two were in serious condition from severe blows to the head. At least 14 people died at the scene of the crash and two others died at the hospital from their injuries. Police apprehended and arrested the driver who is believed to have been intoxicated while operating the vehicle At least 14 people died at the scene of the crash and two others died at the hospital from their injuries The public transportation school bus was carrying around 60 passengers The bus was reportedly carrying around 60 passengers, including the son of the mayor of a town close to the crash site. He is among the fatal victims, reported Xinhua. Also among the dead was bus driver Gustavo Ariel Euceda who was 23 years old. Police said the truck driver fled after the crash on a highway that links the capital with southern Honduras. National Transportation Director Leonel Sauceda said investigators were trying to determine if the truck driver was speeding in his vehicle, which was loaded with fruit. A 12-year-old girl who was stranded in an African country after Trump's 'Musim ban' has finally been reunited with her family in San Francisco. Eman Ali and her father, Ahmed, arrived together Sunday at the airport, where they were greeted by her older sister Salma and other relatives as well as many reporters. She ran to embrace Salma, and the two hugged and cried. The youngster and her father had been stuck in the east African nation of Dijbouti since last month, after authorities refused to let Eman board a plane with him to the United States because she was born in Yemen. 'We've been waiting a long time, and we're finally home,' said their father who lives in Los Banos, California. Emotional: 12-year old Eman Ali of Yemen (left) broke down in tears as she was reunited with her sister Salma Ali (right) for the first time in four years at San Francisco Airport Relief: Eman and her sister shared a heartwarming hug at the airport as Eman, who was stranded in Africa after Trump's 'Muslim ban', was finally allowed to join her family in America Long-wait: Salma Ali (center), sister of 12-year old Eman Ali of Yemen, waits with other relatives for the arrival of Eman and her father Ahmed Ali at San Francisco International Airport Anticipation: Relatives of the 12-year-old waited at San Francisco airport for her arrival in the U.S. after four years apart The Middle Eastern nation is one of the seven predominantly Muslim nations listed in Trump's order. That order was halted by a federal judge in Seattle on Friday. Eman's father, mother and older sister are U.S. citizens, but Eman, who was born in Yemen, was only granted her visa to enter the States last month. She had been living with her grandparents for four years while she waited for her immigration papers to be approved. Her father flew to Jordan early January to meet her and together the two traveled to Djibouti for an interview with the US Embassy, where Eman was granted her visa. Reunited at least: Eman chatted happily with her sister Salma (right) and young cousin (left) after finally making it to San Francisco airport Delighted: Eman and her father Ahmed had a long journey to the U.S. after being halted by Trump's travel ban Citizenship: Eman's father, mother and older sister are U.S. citizens, but Eman (pictured), who was born in Yemen, was only granted her visa to enter the States last month Attention: Eman, her father Ahmed, and the family sit down for a press conference at San Francisco airport. Her case attracted global coverage in the wake of Trump's travel ban Smiling: Eman Ali, 12, (second from left) and her father Ahmed (center) were met by Eman's sister Salma Ali, 14 (second from right) her cousin (left) and their lawyer Katy Lewis (right) Not alone: Eman's story was echoed by scores of others who were separated from their loved ones by Trump's order Tearful: It was an emotional reunion for everyone at San Francisco International Airport as the sisters cried happy tears to see each other again after so long 'Unfair': Eman's father had hit out at Trump's immigration ban as indiscriminate adding 'not everyone is a terrorist' They booked a flight back to the United States on January 28 but President Trump's ban went to effect the day before. The executive order put a 120-day hold on allowing refugees into the country, an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees, and a 90-day ban on citizens from Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. The federal judge's order halting the travel ban was recently upheld by the appeals court. Ali said he and his daughter were checking their bags on January 28 when she was told she would not be allowed to board the plane. Her suitcase was filled with gifts for her mother and two sisters. 'She asked me, 'Why can't we go? Why only Yemeni? Why only Muslim?'' Ahmed Ali, told the Mercury News: Demonstrations were held at major airports and cities in the United States after the order was put into place. 'It's really not fair,' Ali told the News from his hotel room in Djibouti, 'Not everyone is a terrorist.' Ahmed Ali became a citizen of the United States in 2010 and manages a shopping center in the Central Valley town of Los Banos, where he lives with his family. Protest: Eman is just one of scores of people who were denied entrance to the United States on the weekend of the ban. Protesters have opposed the move at airports across the country Anger: Demonstrations were held at major airports and cities in the United States protesting the ban after it was introduced on January 27 Though they did not want to leave Eman, Lewis explained that they wanted to take their older daughter to safety, and did not anticipate that it would take four years for the family to be reunited. Lewis said: 'It's a hard choice for any parents to make - an impossible choice. It's a war zone.' Eman's journey to Djibouti, across the war-torn country of Yemen, was incredibly dangerous. But she's thankful to finally be reunited with her family in the US. Her lawyer says she became a citizen upon entry. Ahmed said he's now happy to be home with all his family and adds 'it's the best feeling.' He criticized Trump's order. 'It's not fair. I mean some people they are bad, but that doesn't make everybody bad,' he said. Trump faces an uphill battle to overcome a federal judge's temporary hold on his travel ban, but the outcome of a ruling on the executive order's ultimate legality is less certain. Any appeals of decisions by U.S. District Court Judge James Robart in Seattle face a regional court dominated by liberal-leaning judges who might not be sympathetic to Trump's rationale for the ban, and a currently shorthanded Supreme Court split 4-4 between liberals and conservatives. The temporary restraining order Robart issued on Friday in Seattle, which applies nationwide, gives him time to consider the case in more detail, but also sends a signal that he is likely to impose a more permanent injunction. Signed: President Donald Trump signed executive orders in the Hall of Heroes at the Department of Defense Friday at the Pentagon on January 27 The Trump administration has appealed that order. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said late on Saturday that it would not decide whether to lift the judge's ruling, as requested by the U.S. government, until it receives briefs from both sides, with the administration's filing due on Monday. Appeals courts are generally leery of upending the status quo, which in this case - for now - is the suspension of the ban. The upheaval prompted by the new Republican administration's initial announcement of the ban on January 27, with travelers detained at airports upon entering the country, would potentially be kickstarted again if Robart's stay was lifted. The appeals court might also take into account the fact that there are several other cases around the country challenging the ban. If it were to overturn the district court's decision, another judge somewhere else in the United States could impose a new order, setting off a new cascade of court filings. If the appeals court upholds the order, the administration could immediately ask the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene. But the high court is generally reluctant to get involved in cases at a preliminary stage, legal experts said. A four-year jail sentence given to a mother who drugged and murdered her severely autistic daughter implies the lives of disabled people are 'worth less' than able-bodied people, an advocacy group claims. Gabrielle Hogg, the co-director of the Autistic Advocacy Network, said the prison term for New Zealand mother Donella Knox for killing her 20-year-old daughter Ruby is 'nowhere near enough,' according to the NZ Herald. Prosecutors wanted a sentence of at least a 12 years for Knox, who suffocated Ruby in May last year at their home in Blenheim, in the north-east of New Zealand's South Island. The 49-year-old, who cared for Ruby for 20 years and has been described as a 'loving mother', gave her daughter Risperidone and anti psychotic medication before placing her her hands over her face until she stopped breathing. An Autistic advocacy group has argued the prison term for New Zealand mother Donella Knox (right) for the murder of her 20-year-old daughter Ruby (left) in May is 'nowhere near enough' Gabrielle Hogg, (pictured) the co-director of the Autistic Advocacy Network, said Knox's light sentence implies the lives of those who are disabled are 'worth less' It is believed Knox, a single mother, had become fed up after dealing with Ruby's violent outbursts for two decades and felt let down by the health system. This week, Ms Hogg - who is also autistic - told the NZ Herald she was shocked by the shortness of Knox's sentence and called for more support for parents who have autistic children, as well as the children themselves. 'The sentence of four years in [jail] for the murder of Ruby is nowhere [near] enough,' she said. 'Where was the crisis management support team to sort out Ruby's increasing behavioural issues? Where were they in investigating the cause of Ruby's pain and alleviating Ruby's pain by pain medication or any number of health tests that could have been done to get to the leading cause of Ruby's increase in behavioural issues?' In a statement on Facebook, the Autistic Advocacy Network New Zealand said its members are 'disgusted by the was the judge handled Ruby's case of murder.' The group said they agreed that more should have been done to aid Knox and Ruby, a lack of support does 'not give you the right to murder an Autistic individual.' 'Take the disability out of the equation - if Ruby was not disabled, Donella would [have gotten] a life sentence, instead she got a mercy let-off pitiful four year jail sentence for murdering a innocent human being,' the statement read. Donella Knox, 49, cared for her daughter Ruby for 20 years before she gave her Risperidone and anti psychotic medication before suffocating her in May last year at their Blenheim home, in the north-east of the South Island of New Zealand It comes as supporters of Knox revealed they are planning on hosting marches in the coming weeks and months for the improvement of resources for parents of Autistic children. Knox's friend, Sharna Butcher, told Stuff.co.nz she watched Knox struggle to take care of Ruby, who was taller and larger than her mother. 'The only reason she's in prison today is because the system failed her. If she'd had enough support, Ruby would still be alive. It hurts me deeply that she's in there,' Ms Butcher said. 'We tried to help her and give her support, but it was hard. We've all got our own kids, so we would get someone to look after our kids so we could look after Ruby and give Donella a bit of a break. But it was hard. She'd get violent, and we're not qualified carers.' In the weeks before the murder, Knox self-published 'Rubies and Pearls' and describes her 'rage' over attempts to find help for her daughter's condition Before sentencing, Justice Joe Williams acknowledged Knox's devotion to her daughter described it as a 'once in a generation case'. 'The common theme from all who knew you and Ruby was that you loved and cared for Ruby constantly, diligently, unselfishly and unconditionally. A tireless advocate with health authorities, you refused to give up,' Justice Williams said. The day Ruby was murdered, Knox reportedly received a letter from doctors who could find 'no obvious reason for (Ruby's) severe pain'. Justice Williams said: 'It seems that this letter was a trigger for your decision to take Ruby's life.' Three days before Ruby was murdered, Knox told Stuff she began writing a book about her experience as the sole caretaker of her disabled daughter. 'Sometimes I would be feeling despairing or alone and sad at our situation. Any strong emotion that was overwhelming me, I would write it out,' she said. 'I found it helped. It was almost like I became my own best friend.' Victoria police has released a recruitment flyer specifically targeting African Australians and says it will hold separate information sessions for male and female applicants. The flyer, posted to Facebook over the weekend has sparked outrage online with many questioning its wording and the need to have segregated sessions for men and women. 'African Australians are most welcome to attend,' the flyer reads. Victoria police has released a recruitment flyer specifically targeting African Australians and says it will hold separate information sessions for male and female applicants 'Victoria Police are you serious? Segregated male and female recruitment seminars? And are anglos less welcome than Africans?' wrote Peter Wallace on Twitter Victoria police released the information session flyer via the Eyewatch- Wyndham Police Service Area Facebook page (stock image) 'Separate sessions for male and female applicants will be run simultaneously.' Victoria police released the information session flyer via the Eyewatch- Wyndham Police Service Area Facebook page. 'Victoria Police are you serious? Segregated male and female recruitment seminars? And are anglos less welcome than Africans?,' wrote Peter Wallace on Twitter. 'Victoria really has become a joke separate seminars for female and males,' wrote another user. The ad has since been removed. In a statement Vicoria Police said: 'In late January we launched the "be a force for good" Victoria Police recruitment campaign which will run until the end of April. 'To coincide with this campaign our recruitment team attend a range of community events and information sessions to attract applicants. 'Many of these information sessions are targeted at groups that are underrepresented in applications including women, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities (CALD), multi-faith, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex communities. 'These information sessions are often in response to a request from the community and enable us to answer questions specific to that group.' The flyer, posted to Facebook over the weekend has sparked outrage online with many questioning its wording and the need to have segregated sessions for men and women Pauline Hanson has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for being a strong leader, sparking outrage for ignoring the 38 Australians who died on flight MH17. 'I quite like him,' she told the Today show on Monday. 'I have no problem with Vladimir.' The One Nation leader also told the Nine Network she wished Australia had a prime minister like him. This saw her accused of overlooking the deaths of 38 Australians aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which was shot down in 2014 by Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine. Scroll down for video Perth siblings Mo, Evie and Otis Maslin (pictured) who were killed on flight MH17 as they returned from Amsterdam Today host Karl Stefanovic pointed out Mr Putin was a 'killer' drawing an awkward response from Senator Hanson. 'OK, that is right,' she said. 'There are issues there.' However, the Queensland senator said Mr Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump were both 'strong leaders'. 'You may not always agree with what they do but the whole fact is they are prepared to make a decision and they have the country's best interest at heart.' Pauline Hanson says Russian President Vladimir Putin (pictured) is a strong leader Today show host Karl Stefanovic (left) pointed out to Pauline Hanson (right) Vladimir Putin was a killer With a Newspoll showing One Nation's support at the highest level since the 1998 election, Senator Hanson said Mr Putin was a better leader than Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Labor leader Bill Shorten. 'That's what people want from the leaders here in this nation, not only Malcolm Turnbull but Bill Shorten,' she said. Mr Putin is accused of orchestrating the deaths of Russian journalists who are critical of his administration. Labor leader Bill Shorten tweeted Russian President Vladimir Putin did not deserve praise Perth children Otis, Mo and Evie were killed on fight MH17 when their plane was shot down The remains of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 near Ukrainian town of Donetsk in July 2014 Mr Shorten accused Senator Hanson of disrespecting the 38 Australians who were killed aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 after it was shot down by Russian-backed rebels as it flew over Ukraine in July 2014. 'There is nothing strong about Putin's actions - he does not deserve praise from any Australians,' he tweeted. 'Still no justice for their families - we need to know the truth about what happened.' The Boeing 777 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when Ukrainian government forces were fighting armed groups in the area, during the crash over the town of Donetsk. International prosecutors found Russian-backed rebels were responsible for shooting down MH17 over Ukraine and killing all 298 people on board. A report by the Dutch-led Joint Investigation Team said there was no doubt the missile that downed the plane came from Russia and fired from rebel-controlled territory, during the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Melbourne residents have been warned to avoid the beach after severe storms battering the city flooded the water with fecal matter. On Sunday, some suburbs received a month's worth of rain in just one day, prompting the Environment Protection Authority to issue a warning about water quality. On Monday all 36 beaches in the Port Phillip Bay area were forecast to have 'poor' water quality, and locals have been urged not to swim at them, or risk getting sick. Melbourne residents have been told to avoid swimming in the Port Phillip Bay area (pictured, stock image) after storms flooded the city and contaminated the water with fecal matter 'People are at risk of gastro, or if you have an open cut or something it can get infected', EPA group manager of applied sciences Dr Anthony Boxshall told Daily Mail Australia. He said as the majority of water in the catchment area passes through the bay, is can easily become contaminated with things such as fecal matter. Dr Boxhall said that people who are 'fit and healthy' are at a lower risk of contracting any illness, but warned that children and the elderly should steer clear. 'There are people who may be a bit immune suppressed, people who are already ill, old, young, or pregnant women,' he added. Dr Boxhall explained that the Port Phillip Bay area is 'like a big, flat, shallow bathtub with a tiny entrance down the bottom.' Because of this, and the fact the weather changes so often in Victoria, pathogens can get 'stuck' in the region. Swimmers are at risk of contracting gastro or other infections due to the poor water quality He said people should avoid swimming for 24 to 48 hours after a large weather event. Popular swimming spots along the Yarra River in Kew, Warrandyte, Healesville and Launching Place were also forecast to have poor conditions on Monday. 'EPA advises against swimming at all waterways and beaches for up to 48 hours after heavy rain as there could be a higher risk of illness to swimmers from increased bacterial levels,' they said in a statement. After being battered by rain and storms on Sunday, a chilly Monday will give way to summer conditions on Tuesday in Melbourne. A brokenhearted woman has paid tribute to her 'amazing' husband who was struck and killed in a boating accident. Matthew Price, 27, was with friends on the Murray River at Ravenswood when he was hit by the propeller and rushed to Royal Perth Hospital with serious injuries. Mr Price tragically died from his injuries on Sunday, as police now investigate how the beloved WA man sustained his fatal injuries. Brokenhearted Amy Price (right) has paid tribute to her 'amazing' husband Matthew Price, 27, (left) who was struck and killed by a boat propeller Mr Price was with friends on the Murray River at Ravenswood when he was hit by the propeller and rushed to Royal Perth Hospital with serious injuries Devastated wife Amy posted a tribute to her husband on Sunday. 'Today I had to say the hardest good bye of my life, to my husband and best friend,' Ms Price wrote. 'Matty you will live on forever in my heart. 'You were an amazing person and an even better husband. No man will ever live up to you in my eyes. 'You are my soul mate in this life and the next, you make sure you wait for me up there.' Alongside her touching tribute, others expressed their condolences to the much loved WA man. 'Matty you were a true gentleman,friend and husband to Amy and are going to be truly missed,' one friend wrote. Another added: 'Words are [in]adequate for your loss, the worlds loss. Praying you know how much we are all feeling for you right now.' Police are now investigating how the 27-year-old man received his fatal injuries and have seized a 7.92 metre Cabin Cruiser for forensic examination. 'Today I had to say the hardest good bye of my life, to my husband and best friend,' Ms Price wrote online Mr Price was described as 'a true gentleman, friend and husband to Amy' and 'would be truly missed' Advertisement Sydney could swelter through its hottest day ever recorded on Sunday as the long-running heatwaves continue. The warmest day ever recorded smashed 45.7C at Observatory Hill in January 2013, beating the previous record of 45.3C in January 1939. A Weatherzone meteorologist says we could again top the record across Sydney on Sunday. Sydney could swelter through its hottest day ever recorded on Sunday as the long-running heatwaves continue Hot stuff! Sydney could swelter through its hottest day ever recorded on Sunday as the long-running heatwaves continue, with people already enjoying the sun on Bondi Beach on Monday Cooling off: Two women dipped their toes into a swimming pool at Bondi Beach in Sydney as they enjoyed the hot day Sunny Monday: It was a scorcher at Bondi Beach, with hundreds of people making the most of the beautiful sunshine The city just endured its warmest pair of nights in 158 years of records, Weatherzone said - and the day was pretty hot too It's only getting warmer! If you thought it was hot today, there could be record-breaking temperatures in Sydney on Sunday The forecast for Sunday is currently predicting 36 degrees in the city and 41 in Penrith in the western suburbs. But Jessica Miskelly said there's potential for it to be the hottest day in Sydney on record in both the city and western suburbs. 'We're looking at an extremely hot day on Sunday, it could be the warmest day on record,' Ms Miskelly told Daily Mail Australia. Thankfully, a 'significant' cool change will wash over the city that night or Monday morning and keep temperatures low for at least a few days. Young women are pictured taking advantage of the hot weather on Monday at Bondi Beach, where temperatures soared Working on his tan: A man is pictured in the spirit of summer at Bondi Beach in the eastern suburbs on Monday No Monday blues here! A woman enjoys the surf at Bondi Beach as temperatures crept into the 30s on Monday Sunbathers made the most of the delightful weather as they stripped down to their swimmers on Bondi Beach on Monday Bondi was busy for a Monday as anyone with the day off made their way to the beach to make the most of the balmy weather Ms Miskelly said heatwaves had been more predominant on the southeast coast this summer, and she said February was at high risk of recording warmer than average temperatures. The city just endured its warmest pair of nights in 158 years of records, Weatherzone said. 'The minimum temperatures of 25.8 degrees on Sunday morning and 26.2 degree this morning ousted the record,' meteorologist Ben Domensino said on Monday. 'Richmond extended its tally of days over 40 degrees this season to eight on Sunday, distancing this season from the previous record of six days from 2002/03. Richmond has more than 70 years of observational history. A woman checks out the surf at Bondi Beach for another day well into the 30s A woman cools down with her legs in the water at Bondi Beach on yet another hot day Locals and tourists flocked to the beach on Monday to take advantage of the warm weather The prediction for warmer than average temperatures across the east coast is pictured A sun smart woman enjoys Bondi Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs on Monday Young women take a dip at the beach on Monday to keep cool Women apply sunscreen through the scorching day 'Bankstown's 42.7 degrees was the highest temperature recorded in the Basin yesterday and the suburb's fifth day above 40 degrees this season. This summer now beats the 1979 record of four days.' Mr Domensino said the southerly change on Tuesday and Wednesday will be short-lived. 'Hotter weather will return to the Sydney Basin from Thursday and build towards what is shaping up to be another sweltering and potentially record-challenging weekend,' he said. Bureau of Meteorology recently released its summary for February to April months. It said the east coast was expected to experience warmer than average temperatures. Cooler than average temperatures are expected in the northwest. Sydney could have its hottest day on record on Sunday (woman pictured at Bondi Beach) A group of women enjoy the sun at Bondi Beach on Monday Sydney was expected to swelter through 35 degrees on Monday, or 43 degrees in Penrith in the city's west. A southerly change will kick-in in the afternoon with fairly strong winds, bringing temperatures down steadily. There is expected to be a reprieve on Tuesday and Wednesday, with highs of 26 degrees. Mr Sharpe said Sydney could see quite a bit of rain over Tuesday and Wednesday, particularly along the east coast. Women enjoy the surf at Bondi Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs on Monday Sydney is expected to reach 35 degrees on Monday before cooler weather on Tuesday and Wednesday Sunday was the city's tenth day of temperatures above 35 degrees, the most consecutive days on record (Bondi Beach is pictured) The city will then creep back up into the 30s, before temperatures peak on Sunday. In south-west Queensland, temperatures are expected to reach 48 degrees on Tuesday and could continue to sit around 45 for six consecutive days. While Brisbane will sit around 33 degrees during the week, the small town of Birdsville, on the border of Queensland and South Australia, is predicted to stay in the mid-40s until Thursday. A wind change will bring a brief drop in temperatures before they rise again on Friday, according to Weatherzone. Locals and tourists flocked to the beach to take advantage of another scorching day on Monday A woman sun-bakes at Bondi Beach on Monday when temperatures rose above 30 degrees again Women enjoy the surf at Bondi Beach in the eastern suburbs on Monday High humidity will accompany the rising temperatures this week as an abnormally high pressure to the east of Australia creates stagnant hot air. Jacob Cronje, a senior meteorologist for Weatherzone told Daily Mail Australia the previous record of nine consecutive days over 35 degrees was held since 1896. Sydney reached 34.9 degrees on Sunday and was expected to smash 35 again on Monday. Adelaide will have a cooler start to the week with a maximum temperature of 24 on Monday but will soar to 40 degrees on Wednesday, with temperatures in the high-30s for the following few days. Thunderstorms and flooding are expected to ease across Victoria after wild weather led to hundreds of emergency call outs. Monday is expected to become the eleventh consecutive day above 35 degrees After a brief reprieve on Tuesday and Wednesday, temperatures are expected to again soar from Thursday A man is pictured at Bondi Beach on Monday enjoying the heat Western Sydney will reach between 38C and 43C on Monday and will remain warm until Saturday when temperatures reach the 40s again Bureau of Meteorology senior forescaster Rod Dickson told AAP the weather conditions would ease on Monday, with a high of only 19 degrees and rains clearing. State Emergency Service spokeswoman Jacque Quaine said the SES responded to more than 330 requests for assistance on Sunday, with most of the chaos in the Melbourne metropolitan area, Ballarat and Phillip Island. Those call outs included 170 flooding jobs, 122 building damage jobs and one instance where a car was stuck in water. Temperatures in Melbourne will remain cool on Monday but will reach 32 on Wednesday and linger in the late 20s until Saturday. Darwin is bracing for an extreme monsoon with thunderstorms expected all week with temperatures hovering around 30 degrees. A woman is pictured with a large crowd of people at a beach on the Gold Coast People flocked to Sydney's eastern beaches on Sunday as temperatures reached over 30 degrees by 9am While Brisbane will sit around 33C during the week, some areas of south Queensland can expect temperatures to sit around 45C to 48C until next weekend 7 DAY WEATHER FORECAST FOR AUSTRALIA Penrith, Sydney Monday: Max 43, mostly sunny Tuesday: Max 27, showers Wednesday: Max 27, possible showers Thursday: Max 34, mostly sunny Friday: Max 40, mostly sunny Saturday: Max 40, possible showers Sunday: Max 41, possible showers Melbourne Monday: Max 20, showers clearing Tuesday: Max 26, mostly sunny Wednesday: Max 32, sunny Thursday: Max 32, possible shower Friday: Max 26, mostly sunny Saturday: Max 27, possible shower Sunday: Max 21, possible shower Brisbane Monday: Max 32, mostly sunny Tuesday: Max 33, clearing showers Wednesday: Max 32, possible showers Thursday: Max 31, possible showers Friday: Max 32, mostly sunny Saturday: Max 34, mostly sunny Sunday: Max 36, sunny Adelaide Monday: Max 24, rain clearing Tuesday: Max 31, sunny Wednesday: Max 40, sunny Thursday: Max 37, partly cloudy Friday: Max 37, mostly sunny Saturday: Max 37, mostly sunny Sunday: Max 28, mostly cloudy Advertisement New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia are expected to see extreme temperatures throughout the week A family have been left devastated after their pet dear was killed and beheaded on their property. Jonathan Alt from Glen Innes, north New South Wales, discovered his pet deer shot and beheaded on his property on Thursday. With both Mr Alt's children, four and nine, still believing Big Red was one of Santa's helping deer, he said they were particularly devastated. 'Big Red' was savagely shot and beheaded on the backyard of the Alt family's property 'Big Red' was a family pet and owned by Jonathan Alt's father 'The whole family and many others who knew Big Red are very upset. My children are devastated as they believed 'big red' was one of Santas' helping deer when he delivered his presents around the area,' Mr Alt told Daily Mail Australia. The father-of-two said he was also concerned armed trespasses would come so close to his family. 'That people will come so close to a house, clearly armed also presents a danger to the community. We believe this is not opportunistic but an organised crime, based on similar incidents across the state and interstate, so there is also a future risk to other deer.' The father-of-two said his children were devastated as they still believed the deer was apart of Santa's deer that helped deliver presents in the area Jonathan Alt took to Facebook to reach out to the community to find the culprits who savagely killed his pet Mr Alt said he was overwhelmed from the support of the local community and hunting organisations aiming to track down the culprits. The father said due to the deer's stunning antlers, the callous hunters will most likely mount the head and pass it off as a wild prize. 'Some idiot snuck into my families property, near Rangers Valley (Glen Innes, NSW) and shot this pet deer and took its head, possibly last Thursday,' he wrote on Facebook. 'The idiots will no doubt get the head mounted and claim they shot it in the wild. As can be seen no gun needed.' Vice-President Mike Pence said anti-LGBT discrimination had 'no place' in Donald Trump's administration as he backed the president's decision to uphold protective measures for federal workers. Pence told ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos during an interview aired Sunday that 'in the patriot's heart, there's no room for prejudice'. The White House on Tuesday released a statement saying an executive order signed by Barack Obama to protect LGBT federal workers against discrimination would remain in place. A draft order had been circulating, outlining plans to overturn the 2014 protections. A conservative group leader questioned the White House's decision to uphold the measures, saying it was 'an issue of religious liberty'. Scroll down for video Vice-President Mike Pence said in an interview aired Sunday that anti-LGBT discrimination had 'no place' in Donald Trump's administration Stephanopoulos asked Pence about the criticism, prompting the vice-president to support Trump's stance. 'I think throughout the campaign, President Trump made it clear that discrimination would have no place in our administration,' Pence said. 'He was the very first Republican nominee to mention the LGBTQ community at our Republican National Convention and was applauded for it. And I was there applauding with him.' The vice-president further praised Trump's message. 'I think the generosity of his spirit, recognizing that in the patriot's heart, there's no room for prejudice, is part of who this president is,' Pence said. The vice-president (pictured during the interview) backed the president's decision to uphold protective measures for federal workers Obama's executive order 11478 dates back to July 2014. It prevents federal contractors from discriminating based on a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. The order also added on to existing measures for federal employees, who were already protected against discrimination against sexual orientation. It ensured they couldn't be discriminated against based on their gender identity as well. 'The executive order signed in 2014, which protects employees from anti-LGBTQ workplace discrimination while working for federal contractors, will remain intact at the direction of President Donald J Trump,' the White House's statement released Tuesday reads. Politician and activist Bob Vander Plaats, the CEO of social conservative group The Family Leader, questioned Trump's decision to keep the anti-discrimination measures in place. 'Our base would want to know who is responsible for what we believe is an issue of religious liberty that would be of concern to us,' Vander Plaats told the New York Times. 'We have been consistent. We've cheered President Trump a lot. But on this one, our base is wondering why Obama's executive order would be allowed to stand?' Pence however insisted that Trump's decision to uphold Obama's executive order was in line with his message during the presidential campaign. He also emphasized Trump's 'reiterated commitment to religious liberty' and said it would be up to the president to determine whether further executive action was necessary in that area. Melbourne police are hunting for a man who allegedly assaulted a pregnant woman on Christmas Day. Police on Monday released photos of 34-year-old Kane White in a bid to help them capture him after issuing a warrant for his arrest. White is alleged to have assaulted the woman at about 5.45am on December 25 on in Maidstone in the city's west. Melbourne police are hunting for Kane White who is is alleged to have assaulted a pregnant woman at about 5.45am on December 25 on Ballarat Road in Maidstone Police say the woman and White know each other. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 A fare-dodging thug who launched a brutal attack on a train ticket inspector has been jailed for 15 weeks. British Transport Police has released video of Elliot Nash ranting at a female train worker before kicking and lashing out at her colleague on a London Midland service. The 32-year-old, from Northfield, Birmingham, told three members of rail staff to 'f*** off' and threatened to knock them out while travelling between Bournville and Northfield in November. British Transport Police has released video of Elliot Nash ranting at a female train worker before kicking and lashing out at her colleague on a London Midland service The 32-year-old, from Northfield, Birmingham, told three members of rail staff to 'f*** off' and threatened to knock them out while travelling between Bournville and Northfield in November Shocking footage from one ticket officer's bodycam shows Nash repeatedly swearing and taking a running kick at a staff member in the train's aisle. Police identified Nash from the footage, arrested him at his home just two hours later. He was later charged with assault and two public order offences. He pleaded guilty at Birmingham Magistrates' Court. PC Nicola Mallaber said: 'Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, Nash had the audacity to deny the offences initially, only changing his plea when the case went to trial. 'As the footage shows, his attitude is completely unacceptable and there was absolutely no need for this to have escalated into violence ... all for the sake of a 2.20 fare. 'No member of rail staff should be spoken to in this way or attacked simply for doing their job. 'We hope this spell behind bars will teach Nash a valuable lesson and make him review his behaviour in the future.' Shocking footage from one ticket officer's bodycam shows Nash repeatedly swearing and taking a running kick at a staff member in the train's aisle Police identified Nash from the footage, arrested him at his home just two hours later London Midland's head of security and revenue protection, Darren Hanley, said: 'No colleague or customer should have to see behaviour like this when travelling by train. 'Fare-dodging, anti-social behaviour and violence will never be tolerated by London Midland. 'In partnership with the British Transport Police and local forces we have made great strides in reducing crime and fare evasion in recent years. 'Incidents like this just make us more determined to make our railways even safer.' A man died after allegedly being punched by his neighbour during a fight over loud music, a trial has heard. Phillip Pama, 30, pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of 55-year-old Leon Yeaman in Taigum, north of Brisbane, in 2015. The court heard on Monday that Pama went to Mr Yeaman's house night to tell him to be quiet because he started work at 3am the next day. 'I was in bed trying to sleep and heard him yelling and screaming in his yard,' Pama told police at the time. Phillip Pama (pictured) pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of 55-year-old Leon Yeaman at Taigum, north of Brisbane, in 2015 Leon Yeaman, 55, (pictured) died after allegedly being punched by 30-year-old Pama 'He's always doing this type of thing.' 'He kept yelling so I tried to take him to the (police) station. He was coming but then he pushed me,' he said. Prosecutor Danny Boyle said that Pama then punched Mr Yeaman to the right side of the head, causing him to fall. 'I just get to that point, like I'd had enough of it,' Pama said. Mr Yeaman died within minutes from bleeding in his brain. The court heard he had a blood alcohol content of 0.14. Pama (right) arrives at the Supreme Court in Brisbane on Monday. He allegedly punched his neighbour during a fight over loud music Prosecutor Danny Boyle said in his opening statement that Pama (pictured) punched Mr Yeaman The trial continues. Friends and family left flowers and cards at Mr Yeaman's home in Taigum, north of Brisbane The Islamic State group is 'completely besieged' in Al-Bab after forces loyal to Syria's regime cut off a road into the jihadists' last major stronghold in Aleppo province. Syria's army and its allies advanced towards the northern Islamic-State held city on Monday, cutting off the last main supply route that connects to militant strongholds further east towards Iraq. Islamic State militants are now effectively besieged in the area, by the army from the south and by Turkish-backed rebels from the north, as Damascus and Ankara race to capture the largest IS stronghold in Aleppo province. Fighters from the Free Syrian Army disembark from a vehicle near the town of Bizaah northeast of the city of Al-Bab on February 4, 2017 Two fighters from the Free Syrian Army stand next to an armoured pickup truck, one carrying a machine gun, near the town of Bizaah northeast of the city of Al-Bab A map showing who controls areas of north-western Syria. The darkest colour shows Islamic State (ISIS), yellow is the People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), green is the Free Syrian Army and the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), brown is Assad's Syrian Army and the National Defence Force (NDF) and the red regions are being contested 'Al-Bab is now completely besieged by the regime from the south, and the Turkish forces and rebels from the east, north and west,' said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. It came after 'the regime's forces and allied militia seized the only and last main road used by the jihadists between Al-Bab and Raqa,' Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said, referring to the jihadists' de facto capital in Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based group monitoring the war, said the army and the Lebanese Hezbollah group made gains southeast of al-Bab overnight. Backed by air strikes, government forces and their allies severed the main road that links the city near the Turkish border to other ISIS-held territory in Raqqa and Deir al-Zor provinces. Northern Syria is one of the most complicated battlefields of the multi-sided Syrian war, with Islamic State now being fought there by the Syrian army, Turkey and its rebel allies, and an alliance of U.S.-backed Syrian militias. The Syrian army's advance towards al-Bab risks triggering a confrontation with the Turkish military and its allies, groups fighting under the Free Syria Army banner, which have been waging their own campaign to take the city. Fighters from the Free Syrian Army sit inside an armoured vehicle near the town of Bizaah A man carries a wooden door to be used for heating in Bab Antakia, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Turkish troops and FSA rebels clashed heavily with ISIS militants around the town of Bazaa, east of al-Bab, in recent days, the Observatory said. Turkish-backed forces had briefly captured the town before Islamic State suicide bombers pushed them out on Saturday. Regime forces were backed by fighters from Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah and by Russian artillery, said the Britain-based Observatory, which relies on a network of sources on the ground for its reports. The town of Al-Bab, 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of the border with Turkey, is seen as a prize by nearly all sides in the complex war. The regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has refocused on ISIS since fully recapturing Aleppo city in December, in the biggest blow to rebels who have been fighting to topple his regime since 2011. Free Syrian Army fighters sit inside an armoured vehicle north-east of the city of al-Bab A fighter from the Free Syrian Army sits in the back of an armoured pickup truck while another one stands opposite to him as he mans a mounted machine gun ISIS is among several jihadist movements that have shot to prominence during the conflict, which has left more than 310,000 people dead and has forced millions more from their homes. Assad's forces were also locked in fighting with ISIS in the central province of Homs at the weekend, the Observatory said. It reported that the troops had captured the Hayyan oilfield west of the celebrated desert city of Palmyra. A street-art mural featuring Muslim feminist activists and artists has been vandalised. The Melbourne artwork displayed five well-known Saudi women in headscarves, with pink spray paint stencilling the words 'radical Muslim' and poetry. But on Saturday night, the paste-up of the contemporary showpiece was targeted after the women's faces were covered in black paint. Saudi-Australian artist Ms Saffaa - who collaborated on the mural with other graffiti artists - described the incident as a 'personal attack on Muslim women'. The paste-up of the mural was targeted after the women's faces were covered in black paint A Melbourne street-art mural featuring Muslim feminist protesters has been vandalised Saudi-Australian artist Ms Saffaa described the case as a 'personal attack on Muslim women' 'I almost wanted to cry ... it's quite disheartening,' Saffaa told The Guardian. She also believed the vandals were targeting the women represented in her work. 'What do I tell these women? You have to fight the misogynist men back home and the Islamophobic racist bigots in this country?' she said. Saffaa worked on the mural with a number of female artists, including American writer and artist Molly Crabapple. The artwork displayed five well-known Saudi women in headscarves, with pink spray paint stencilling the words 'radical Muslim' and poetry Her remarks comes as people speak out against the vandalism, leaving support for Saffaa after she shared the incident on her Twitter. Ahlam Soulami said: 'Even when blackens, the message is still loud and clear.' Haymarket Helen wrote: 'Any attack on Muslim women is an attack on all women.' Basim posted: 'They may have defaced the mural but not the message it carries. Thanks @MsSaffaa & @mollycrabapple for creating this memorable piece of art.' And Nora A tweeted: 'This is saddest thing I read this week (which says a lot). I'm so sorry, @MsSaffaa. I know how hard you worked.' Police have released CCTV footage in the hope of finally finding out just what happened to a man they suspect of having met with foul play. The CCTV footage was captured at Sydney Airport and features a man police are keen to speak with as they continue to investigate the disappearance of Sang Don Yo, who hasn't been seen for almost four years. The man was seen dropping Mr Yo's wife at the airport a short time after his disappearance, police said. Scroll down for video Police are keen to speak to this man captured on CCTV at Sydney Airport Sang Don Yo has not been seen since March 2013 Police believe Mr Yo met with foul play Mr Yo, a Korean national, vanished shortly after leaving a business on Bridge Street, Lidcombe, on March 6, 2013. Police have carried out 'exhaustive inquiries' since launching Strike Force Linderman to investigate Mr Yo's disappearance but have yet to crack the case. 'At this stage of the investigation, we strongly believe that Mr Sang Don Yo has met with foul play,' Detective Inspector Paul Arnold said. 'There is no logical reason to explain his disappearance or our inability to locate him for the past four years. 'It's completely out of character for Mr Yo.' Police have called on the public's help to identify the man seen in the CCTV footage. Detective Senior Constable Michael McGuirk said the family were desperate to find out what happened to Mr Yo. 'I've got a brother and a family who really want to find their brother and son and just want answers,' he said. '[They] want to know where he is, if he is alive and well and if he's not, if he's dead, they'd like to get his remains and give him a proper burial.' Sang Don Yo's brother Ho Don Yo addressing reporters in Sydney The 52-year-old was reported missing by his brother, Ho Don Yo. 'I want to find out what's going on,' he said. Anyone with any information on Mr Yo's disappearance is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. John Kerry and Madeleine Albright, both former secretaries of state, are joining former top U.S. national security officials in asking the courts to continue blocking President Donald Trump's recent immigration order. Most of the 10 former officials signing on to a federal appeals court brief served under President Barack Obama. They said travel restrictions on seven Muslim-majority nations would disrupt 'thousands of lives,' while likely 'endangering U.S. troops in the field' and hurting partnerships with other countries to combat terrorism. The group wrote that the order will aid the ISIS terror army's 'propaganda effort and serve its recruitment message by feeding into the narrative that the United States is at war with Islam.' They add: 'Blanket bans of certain countries or classes of people are beneath the dignity of the nation and Constitution that we each took oaths to protect.' Former Democratic Secretaries of State John Kerry (left) and Madeleine Albright (right) are among a group of 10 high-ranking government veterans who have signed on to a court brief asking for a permanent end to President Donald Trump's controversial travel ban order Lawyers for Washington state and Minnesota said restoring Trump's ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries would 'unleash chaos again' The six-page document was provided to the same court that turned down a Justice Department request to immediately set aside a Seattle judge's ruling that put a temporary hold on the ban nationwide. Others joining in the brief include former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, former National Security Advisor Susan Rice, former CIA Director Leon Panetta, former National Security Agency chief Michael Hayden, former Acting CIA Director John McLaughlin, former Deputy National Security Advisor Avril Haines, former Homeland security adviser Lisa Monaco and former Deputy CIA Director Michael Morell. Lawyers for Washington state and Minnesota also told the appeals court early Monday morning that restoring Trump's ban would 'unleash chaos again'. The filings came after the White House said it expected the federal courts to reinstate the executive order. Washington and Minnesota said their underlying lawsuit was strong and a nationwide temporary restraining order was appropriate. If the appellate court reinstated Trump's ban the states said the 'ruling would reinstitute those harms, separating families, stranding our university students and faculty, and barring travel.' District Court Judge James Robart said in his ruling that it is not his job to 'create policy or judge the wisdom of any particular policy promoted by the other two branches,' but to make sure that an action taken by the government 'comports with our country's laws' The rapid-fire legal maneuvers by the two states were accompanied by briefs filed by the technology industry arguing that the travel ban would harm their companies by making it more difficult to recruit employees. Tech giants like Apple and Google, along with Uber, filed their arguments with the court late Sunday. Their brief included other top tech firms including Facebook, Twitter and Intel, as well as non-tech companies such as Levi Strauss and Chobani. In all nearly 100 firms, including eBay, Netflix and Uber signed on. 'The Order represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system of the United States for more than fifty years,' the brief stated. That ruling last Friday prompted an ongoing Twitter rant by Trump, who dismissed US District Court Judge James Robart as a 'so-called judge' and his decision 'ridiculous' Trump said in his rant on Saturday that the judge 'opens our country to potential terrorists and others' Trump renewed his Twitter attacks against Robart and the entirety of the court system on Sunday 'The Order inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth as a result,' it added. 'Immigrants or their children founded more than 200 of the companies on the Fortune 500 list.' U.S. tech firms have been among the more vocal sectors speaking out against the policy, with many of their staff made up of foreign-born nationals. Trump's executive order was founded on a claim of national security, but lawyers for the two states told the appellate court the administration's move hurts residents, businesses and universities and is unconstitutional. Among the Democrat-dominated group there are two former CIA heads, two former Secretaries of State, a former Secretary of Defense, a former Secretary of Homeland Security and senior officials of the National Security Council. 'This order cannot be justified on national security or foreign policy grounds. It does not perform its declared task of "protecting the nation from foreign terrorist entry into the United States",' the brief said. They urged the 9th Circuit court not to reinstate the ban while deciding if Trump's immigration order is legal. 'Since September 11, 2001, not a single terrorist attack in the United States has been perpetrated by aliens from the countries named in the order,' the co-authors write in the brief. 'Very few attacks on US soil since September 11, 2001 have been traced to foreign nationals at all.' The next opportunity for Trump's team to argue in favor of the ban will come in the form of a response to the Washington state and Minnesota filings. The 9th Circuit ordered the US Justice Department to file its briefs by 6:00 p.m. on Monday. It had already turned down a Justice request to set aside immediately a Seattle judge's ruling that put a temporary hold on the ban nationwide. In the latest filing, lawyers for Washington state and Minnesota said: 'Defendants now ask this Court to unleash chaos again by staying the district court order. The Court should decline.' That ruling last Friday prompted an ongoing Twitter rant by Trump, who dismissed US District Court Judge James Robart as a 'so-called judge' and his decision 'ridiculous'. Trump renewed his Twitter attacks against Robart on Sunday. 'Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!' he wrote. He followed with another tweet saying he had instructed the Homeland Security Department to check people coming into the country but that 'the courts are making the job very difficult!' Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday that 'we don't appoint judges to our district courts to conduct foreign policy or to make decisions about the national security'. Trump himself had offered an optimistic forecast the previous night, telling reporters during a weekend at his private club in Florida: 'We'll win. For the safety of the country, we'll win.' The government had told the appeals court that the President alone has the power to decide who can enter or stay in the United States, an assertion that appeared to invoke the wider battle to come over illegal immigration. Congress 'vests complete discretion' in the President to impose conditions on entry of foreigners to the United States, and that power is 'largely immune from judicial control,' according to the court filing. Sen Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, predicted the appeals court would not have the last word. Members of International Migrants Alliance in Hong Kong hold placards during a protest against US President Donald Trump's selective country travel ban outside of the US Consulate in Hong Kong on Sunday Trump's travel ban has prompted protests across the United States and the rest of the world. Pictured above, members of International Migrants Alliance in Hong Kong hold placards during a protest outside of the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong on Sunday 'I have no doubt that it will go to the Supreme Court, and probably some judgments will be made whether this President has exceeded his authority or not,' she said. In his ruling, Robart said it was not the court's job to 'create policy or judge the wisdom of any particular policy promoted by the other two branches,' but to make sure that an action taken by the government 'comports with our country's laws.' Whatever the outcome and however the case drags on, a President who was used to getting his way in private business is finding, weeks into his new job that obstacles exist to quickly fulfilling one of his chief campaign pledges. 'The President is not a dictator,' said Feinstein. 'He is the chief executive of our country. And there is a tension between the branches of government.' The Twitter attacks on Robart appointed by George W. Bush - prompted scolding from fellow Republicans as well as Democrats. 'We don't have so-called judges,' said Sen Ben Sasse. 'We don't have so-called senators. We don't have so-called presidents. We have people from three different branches of government who take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution.' However, Pence defended the President, saying he 'can criticize anybody he wants.' The Vice President added that he believes the American people 'find it very refreshing that they not only understand this President's mind, but they understand how he feels about things'. Trump's order applied to Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen Muslim-majority countries that the administration said raise terrorism concerns. The order had caused unending confusion for many foreigners trying to reach the United States, prompting protests across the country and leading to multiple court challenges. The State Department said last week that as many as 60,000 foreigners from those seven countries had had their visas canceled. After Robart's decision, the department reversed course and said they could travel to the United States if they had a valid visa. The department also advised refugee aid agencies that refugees set to travel before Trump signed his order would now be allowed in. The Homeland Security Department no longer was directing airlines to prevent visa-holders affected by Trump's order from boarding U.S.-bound planes. The agency said it had 'suspended any and all actions' related to putting in place Trump's order. Terror groups like ISIS are recruiting unaccompanied child refugees by paying for them to get into Europe. A report from counter-extremism firm the Quilliam Foundation also warned hundreds of under-18s have gone missing in the UK since migrating. The youngsters' passage to Europe and the UK is being funded by the terror groups, who hand over cash to human smugglers to get them over the border having radicalised them at some stage along the way. An Albanian refugee child grimaces after receiving loaves of bread in the center of Kukes, a northern Albanian border town (file photo) Terrorists are also actively recruiting in refugee camps and a new government strategy isn't expected to address the issues until May. Militants give out food to the children and attempt to buy their allegiance by paying for the first leg of their journey to Europe. 'Children and young people who are indoctrinated and recruited by IS are an important resource,' the report says. Having gained entry to countries in Europe, many children vanish from the care system. This is understood to be over fears they will not be granted asylum, while others are abducted, trafficked further or sexually exploited, the report said. The foundation's report says extremists may attempt to infiltrate refugee groups and radicalise young minds at any stage of the trip. Figures from 2015 show 340 children went missing between January and September and that 132 of those remained unaccounted for at the end of the year. White British ISIS child executioner Abu Abdullah al-Britani (JoJo Dixon) about to kill a Kurdish prisoner The government's answer to this is expected to include measures to increase the amount of available foster placements and supported accommodation. Lily Caprani, Unicef UK deputy executive director, said: 'Currently, too many children with a legal right be in the UK are forced into the hands of criminal traffickers and smugglers because no system is in place to get them to safety. 'We need to ensure that children in danger are helped by the law, cared for and educated, and not pulled into a new horror by the lawless. 'This shows why it is so urgent for our Government to step up efforts to get unaccompanied children out of dangerous camps and into homes waiting for them in the UK.' Rosalind Ereira from Solidarity with Refugees said: 'Among the most eye-opening points in this report is the fact that while most of us understand that our failure to provide safe passage to refugees endangers refugee lives, we might not understand that it also creates a threat to our own national security. 'Money paid by refugees to smugglers not only helps to fund Islamic State activities, but refugees are signed up to support IS in exchange for their travel. 'Where we fail to offer security to refugees, we leave the door open for radicalisation. 'We need to understand that the provision of safe and legal routes for refugees is in the best interests of all of us.' Refugees making their way to Europe via the Mediterranean may have to pay smugglers up to $560 for passage towards the coast. ISIS, capitalising on this route, offer free passage to those willing to join the terror group and the militants are also able to provide a degree of security. The report says: 'The financial lure is ever-present on the refugee journey - to those reaching the Mediterranean coast, ISIS offer potential recruits up to $1,000 to join the organisation.' A female member of the Australian Federal Police has reportedly been shot inside the law enforcement agency's Melbourne city headquarters. Emergency services responded to reports of a firearm incident at about 5.45pm on Monday after at least one shot was fired inside the La Trobe Street building. 'The AFP can confirm that police and ambulance responded to a shooting incident at its La Trobe Street Headquarters in Melbourne late this afternoon,' an Australian Federal Police spokesperson said in a statement. A female Australian Federal Police member has reportedly been shot inside the agency's Melbourne city headquarters Emergency services responded to reports of a firearm incident at about 5.45pm on Monday 'An AFP member has been taken to hospital as a result. 'The cause of the incident remains under investigation and while this is being undertaken, including notification to family members, the AFP will not be making further comment at this time.' A Victorian Police spokesperson confirmed there had been no arrests and officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with the shooting. It's unclear what injuries the AFP member sustained in the shooting, or the nature of the incident. 7 News reported that the injured person was a woman, although Victoria Police were unable to confirm the reports to Daily Mail Australia. Dramatic photographs show a person being carried out on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance. A waiter at a Korean restaurant next door told the Herald Sun he saw 'many' paramedics carrying a person out of the AFP headquarters. The publication also reported that officers were seen taking photographs at the entrance of the building. The AFP is calling for privacy for those affected. At least one shot was fired inside the La Trobe Street building The lawyer who launched the 1.8million signature petition against President Donald Trump's visit to the UK could now face disciplinary action from the CPS. Graham Guest, 42, who works in the CPS office in Leeds, west Yorkshire, started an anti-Trump petition after claiming a visit would cause 'embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen'. However, his campaigning may have potentially violated his employers' strict code of conduct. Graham Guest, 42, who works in the CPS office in Leeds, west Yorkshire, started an anti-Trump petition after claiming a visit would cause 'embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen' The CPS has refused to rule out whether or not Mr Guest, who qualified as a solicitor in 2003, now faces disciplinary action. A spokesman told the Times: 'This issue will be considered in accordance with our human resources procedures and the CPS code of conduct.' The CPS says that its prosecutors must be 'fair, independent and objective' and not let the 'political views' of others effect their legal decision making. However, there is no mention of whether their staff could be punished for expressing their political leanings outside of work. Mr Guest said that he launched the petition so that it would make President Trump's life 'uncomfortable', with the aim that the visit will be discussed in Parliament. He told the Yorkshire Evening Post: 'He is a misogynist racist and he just seems to be completely incapable of running the richest, most powerful, country and it is a worry for everyone. I thought a state visit would legitimise his presidency in a way that it shouldn't be.' Mr Guest's petition went on to garner 1.8million signatures as Britons called for Trump's visit to be banned (pictured, a grab of the petition just before it reached the 900,000 mark) Prime Minister Theresa May officially announced last week that the Queen had invited President Trump to make an official state visit to the UK. Mrs Mary said: 'In a further sign of the importance of that [special] relationship I have today been able to convey Her Majesty the Queen's hope that President Trump and the First Lady would pay a state visit to the United Kingdom later this year and I'm delighted that the President has accepted that invitation.' However, while the Prime Minister is keen to welcome the US Premier to Britain, senior female MPs have said they will boycott formal speeches made by Mr Trump on his visit. Harriet Harman, who called Mrs May's handholding with the President in Washington 'disastrous', said: 'I could not be there clapping a man who is a self confessed groper.' She also called his views on 'many issues' 'unacceptable'. While Conservative MP Anna Soubry slammed Mr Trump as craving attention like a 'spoilt child'. Prime Minister Theresa May revealed that the President and the First Lady had accepted an invitation from the Queen to make a state visit to the UK later this year Mr Guest explained that he was not against Mr Trump visiting the UK for political reasons, but did not want the controversial leader given the celebration of a state visit. He said: 'A state visit legitimises his presidency and he will use the photo opportunities and being seen with the Queen to get re-elected. 'The wording in the petition is quite precise as I actually say that he should come here as the head of government to do government business. 'At the end of the day he is still the President and we've just got to live with that. But there's no reason why he should get all the pomp and publicity of a state visit.' 'Anything to make his life more uncomfortable. 'I think a debate in Parliament to ban a state visit would be great as people will have had the chance to air their views on him. 'The petition is really just to make as much noise as possible and put the spotlight on him and what an awful person he is.' President Donald Trump's early foreign travel schedule is taking shape and Europe is the destination. Trump has been burning up White House telephone lines calling his world counterparts and, during those talks, has committed to several trans-Atlantic trips to Germany, Italy and Belgium, on top of a previously planned visit to the UK. He spoke Sunday with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and agreed to attend a NATO leaders' meeting in Brussels in late May. Trump once dismissed the trans-Atlantic military alliance as 'obsolete.' Trump spoke with Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Saturday and promised to attend a late May summit of the Group of Seven leading industrial nations in Taormina, Italy. President Donald Trump's early foreign travel schedule is taking shape and Europe is the destination. He's pictured above on Sunday with First Lady Melania Trump at Mar-a-Lago British Prime Minister Theresa May was the first to sit down with Trump in the Oval Office. Trump has accepted an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II for a state visit. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu follows with a White House meeting with Trump on Feb. 15 In talks last weekend with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Trump accepted her invitation to the Group of 20 economic summit in Hamburg. He spoke Sunday with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and agreed to attend a NATO leaders' meeting in Brussels in late May In talks last weekend with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the White House says Trump accepted her invitation to the Group of 20 economic summit in Hamburg, Germany, in early July. World leaders are lining up to visit Trump at the White House, too. British Prime Minister Theresa May was the first to sit down with Trump in the Oval Office. After their meeting, she announced at the White House that Trump had accepted an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II for a state visit, expected in the summer. But thousands have protested the decision or signed a petition calling for the queen's invitation to be withdrawn. May has said it stands. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was the first foreign leader to meet with Trump after he was elected, will meet with the president at the White House on Friday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu follows with a White House meeting with Trump on Feb. 15. Trump and Netanyahu met last year during the presidential campaign. Still, some meetings haven't happened or remain to be scheduled. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto canceled his Jan. 31 visit over disagreement with Trump over who will pay for the wall Trump has pledged to build along the U.S.-Mexico border. A nail-biting video of a female cyclist being thrown off her bike and trapped under a car has emerged online. Footage of the near-fatal accident in Zhejiang, eastern China, shows around 20 passersby lifting the vehicle in a bid to free the woman. The rescued biker was then sent to a hospital with no injuries reported. Passers-by and onlookers helped to lift up the car to save the woman who got trapped under According to cctv.com, the injured woman, unidentified, was riding a bicycle with a man at a crossing in Pujiang county. Video clips, uploaded on February 6, show a white car coming from their right and hit them. Shortly after the hit, the woman is mowed down and trapped under a white car, while the man riding with her falls to the ground. Shortly after the hit, the woman is mowed down and trapped under a white car, while a man riding with her falls to the ground She was trapped under the car after the hit, where the man fell off behind the white car More than a dozen commuters came to the scene to help prevent another collision from occurring. They gathered around and lifted up the car. Traffic policemen was also on the scene to assist the crowd. Ambulance and traffic police waiting aside as over a dozen of citizens helped to pull her out The woman was pulled out shortly and carried onto the ambulance. She is now being treated at the hospital. It's unclear what happened to the male passenger she was travelling with. A blind woman who was told by doctors she would never see again claims she miraculously regained her vision days after praying to a saint. Dafne Gutierrez from Phoenix, Arizona, went blind in her right eye in 2012 and lost vision in the other in November 2015. Doctors diagnosed her with benign intracranial hypertension a condition where pressure in the brain mounts and damages optical nerves. Dafne Gutierrez was told she would never see again after she went blind in her right eye in 2012 and lost vision in the other in November 2015. But she claims she regained her vision after praying to a saint The mother of three was told by her doctor that her affliction was 'irreversible' and that she would never be able to see again. Despite the diagnosis Gutierrez remained hopeful she would regain her sight, with the ability to see her young children's faces again the main motivation. 'For me, I was like, "Please God, let me see those faces again. Let me be their mother again." Because I feel like (my kids) were watching me, taking care of me 24-7,' Gutierrez told WNCT. She took her prayers to St Joseph Maronite Catholic Church in Phoenix after learning that relics of Saint Charbel, a Lebanese monk, would be visiting the small church. The 31-year-old said her body felt different immediately after she prayed to the relics. She returned the following day for Sunday mass when she experienced a similar feeling. Gutierrez prays on the St Charbel relic at the church. Days later she could see again. St Charbel, right, was a Maronite monk and priest from Lebanon. He died in 1898 and was canonized in 1977 The next morning she said she woke up in pain, but started to see shadows. Gutierrez said: 'I was just wiping my eyes, and I'm like, "They burn! They burn!"' On January 21 2016, three days later, doctors confirmed her eyesight was completely restored and that they couldn't provide a medical explanation as to why. Dr Anne Borik, an internist who reviewed Gutierrez's case, said when benign intracranial hypertension causes blindness it is unlikely that eyesight will return. She said: 'This is a condition where the pressure in the brain is so high that oftentimes it strangulates the optic nerves. Unfortunately once the blindness occurs, it's irreversible.' 'We took her to actually two other specialists to look at the eyes and see how can we explain this medically, and in fact there was really no medical explanation,' she continued. Dr Borik said that Gutierrez was restored with 20/20 vision and that her patient showed no signs of damage to her optic nerve. 'After this happened, the optic nerve looked completely normal, with no signs of damage or atrophy,' she added 'There's nothing in the medical literature that anything like this had ever happened.' St. Joseph Maronite Catholic Church in Phoenix where Gutierrez prayed to St Charbel's relics Gutierrez was told by her sister-in-law that St Charbel was coming to her local church and that a blind boy in Mexico regained his vision after visiting the relics. And she attributes her recovery to faith in God. 'God gave me my vision back for a reason,' Gutierrez said. 'I want to be able to help others. I give testimony wherever I can because it's important for people to know that God does exist and he does hear us.' Since the supposed miracle the St. Joseph Maronite Catholic Church has received visitors from across the world and a shrine to St. Charbel is being built with a three-ton statue set to arrive from Lebanon next month. St. Charbel died aged 70 in 1898 in his native Lebanon after a life of severe asceticism. When he was a young man he left his family and entered the Monastery of Our Lady in Mayfouq to begin his training as a monk, later transferring to the Monastery of St. Maron in Annaya. In the 23 years before his death St. Charbel was granted a hemitage at a monastery. It is said a bright light surrounded his tomb months after his death and when his tomb was opened his body was still intact. His tomb was reopened in 1950 and 1952 with those present saying his body resembled a living one. A number of miracles have been attributed to the saint including that of Nohad El Shami who claims she was healed from a partial paralysis after he and another monk appeared to her in a dream. Advertisement Thousands of sleepless Sydneysiders have tossed off the bedsheets in fits of heat-induced fury throughout the summer. But after the harbour city sweltered through yet another scorcher on Monday, relief finally came overnight. Temperatures dropped to 23C by midnight, after the mercury earlier soared into the mid-30s in the city and nearly 40C in the west. 'A strong southerly is moving through Sydney and temperatures will fall by 5C to 10C overnight,' a Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. Sydneysiders finally got some respite from the scorching summer nights after temperatures plummetted to 23C by midnight on Monday The mercury soared into the mid-30s in the city and nearly 40C in the west on Monday A Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'A strong southerly is moving through Sydney and temperatures will fall by 5C to 10C overnight' 'There won't be any sudden change in the temperatures - we're looking at a gradual cooling.' On Sunday and Monday, the city endured its warmest pair of nights in 158 years of records, according to Weatherzone. 'The minimum temperatures of 25.8 degrees on Sunday morning and 26.2 degree this morning ousted the record,' meteorologist Ben Domensino said on Monday. 'Richmond extended its tally of days over 40 degrees this season to eight on Sunday, distancing this season from the previous record of six days from 2002/03. Richmond has more than 70 years of observational history.' Sydney could swelter through its hottest day ever recorded on Sunday as the long-running heatwaves continue, with people already enjoying the sun on Bondi Beach on Monday This coming Sunday could be Sydney's hottest day ever recorded on Sunday as the long-running heatwaves continue Sunny Monday: It was a scorcher at Bondi Beach, with hundreds of people making the most of the beautiful sunshine Sydney has also experienced a record-breaking five nights of 25C-plus overnight minimums this summer, beating the four set in 2010-2011. The overnight respite will be no doubt be welcomed, but forecasters say it will be short-lived. Scorching conditions will return on Thursday and will build toward what could be the hottest day ever recorded in Sydney on Sunday. The current record, 45.7C at Observatory Hill in January 2013, beat the previous high of 45.3C in January 1939. Weatherzone meteorologist Jessica Miskelly says we could again top the record across Sydney next weekend. The city just endured its warmest pair of nights in 158 years of records, Weatherzone said - and the day was pretty hot too It's only getting warmer! If you thought it was hot on Monday, there could be record-breaking temperatures in Sydney on Sunday Young women are pictured taking advantage of the hot weather on Monday at Bondi Beach, where temperatures soared 'We're looking at an extremely hot day on Sunday, it could be the warmest day on record,' Ms Miskelly told Daily Mail Australia. Thankfully, a 'significant' cool change will wash over the city that night or Monday morning and keep temperatures low for at least a few days. Ms Miskelly said heatwaves had been more predominant on the southeast coast this summer, and she said February was at high risk of recording warmer than average temperatures. Working on his tan: A man is pictured in the spirit of summer at Bondi Beach in the eastern suburbs on Monday No Monday blues here! A woman enjoys the surf at Bondi Beach as temperatures crept into the 30s on Monday Sunbathers made the most of the delightful weather as they stripped down to their swimmers on Bondi Beach on Monday A woman checks out the surf at Bondi Beach for another day well into the 30s The prediction for warmer than average temperatures across the east coast is pictured Young women take a dip at the beach on Monday to keep cool 'Bankstown's 42.7 degrees was the highest temperature recorded in the Basin yesterday and the suburb's fifth day above 40 degrees this season. This summer now beats the 1979 record of four days.' The Bureau of Meteorology recently released its summary for February to April months. It said the east coast was expected to experience warmer than average temperatures. Cooler than average temperatures are expected in the northwest. Sydney could have its hottest day on record on Sunday (woman pictured at Bondi Beach) A group of women enjoy the sun at Bondi Beach on Monday Women enjoy the surf at Bondi Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs on Monday Sydney sweltered through 35C on Monday and 39C in Penrith in the city's west. A southerly change kicked in in the afternoon with fairly strong winds, bringing temperatures down. There is expected to be a reprieve on Tuesday and Wednesday, with highs of 26 degrees. Sydney reached 35 degrees on Monday before cooler weather is expected on Tuesday and Wednesday Sunday was the city's tenth day of temperatures above 35 degrees, the most consecutive days on record (Bondi Beach is pictured) Locals and tourists flocked to the beach to take advantage of another scorching day on Monday In south-west Queensland, temperatures are expected to reach 48 degrees on Tuesday and could continue to sit around 45 for six consecutive days. While Brisbane will sit around 33 degrees during the week, the small town of Birdsville, on the border of Queensland and South Australia, is predicted to stay in the mid-40s until Thursday. A wind change will bring a brief drop in temperatures before they rise again on Friday, according to Weatherzone. Women enjoy the surf at Bondi Beach in the eastern suburbs on Monday High humidity will accompany the rising temperatures this week as an abnormally high pressure to the east of Australia creates stagnant hot air. Jacob Cronje, a senior meteorologist for Weatherzone told Daily Mail Australia the previous record of nine consecutive days over 35 degrees was held since 1896. Adelaide had a cooler start to the week with a maximum temperature of 22C on Monday, but will soar to 40 degrees on Wednesday, with temperatures in the high-30s for the following few days. Thunderstorms and flooding are expected to ease across Victoria after wild weather led to hundreds of emergency call outs. Western Sydney will reach 39C on Monday and will remain warm until Saturday when temperatures reach the 40s again State Emergency Service spokeswoman Jacque Quaine said the SES responded to more than 330 requests for assistance on Sunday, with most of the chaos in the Melbourne metropolitan area, Ballarat and Phillip Island. Those call outs included 170 flooding jobs, 122 building damage jobs and one instance where a car was stuck in water. Temperatures in Melbourne remained cool on Monday but will reach 32 on Wednesday and linger in the late 20s until Saturday. Darwin is bracing for an extreme monsoon with thunderstorms expected all week with temperatures hovering around 30 degrees. People flocked to Sydney's eastern beaches on Sunday as temperatures reached over 30 degrees by 9am A woman is pictured with a large crowd of people at a beach on the Gold Coast While Brisbane will sit around 33C during the week, some areas of south Queensland can expect temperatures to sit around 45C to 48C until next weekend 7 DAY WEATHER FORECAST FOR AUSTRALIA Penrith, Sydney Monday: Max 39, mostly sunny Tuesday: Max 27, showers Wednesday: Max 27, possible showers Thursday: Max 34, mostly sunny Friday: Max 40, mostly sunny Saturday: Max 40, possible showers Sunday: Max 41, possible showers Melbourne Monday: Max 20, showers clearing Tuesday: Max 26, mostly sunny Wednesday: Max 32, sunny Thursday: Max 32, possible shower Friday: Max 26, mostly sunny Saturday: Max 27, possible shower Sunday: Max 21, possible shower Brisbane Monday: Max 32, mostly sunny Tuesday: Max 33, clearing showers Wednesday: Max 32, possible showers Thursday: Max 31, possible showers Friday: Max 32, mostly sunny Saturday: Max 34, mostly sunny Sunday: Max 36, sunny Adelaide Monday: Max 24, rain clearing Tuesday: Max 31, sunny Wednesday: Max 40, sunny Thursday: Max 37, partly cloudy Friday: Max 37, mostly sunny Saturday: Max 37, mostly sunny Sunday: Max 28, mostly cloudy Advertisement Innocent: Jayne Pearce, 23, suffered 'vitriol' at the hands of an online 'pitchfork mob' A judge has slammed Facebook as a 'tool for evil' after an innocent mother killed herself after being falsely accused of killing a baby on social media. Jayne Pearce, 23, suffered 'vitriol' at the hands of an online 'pitchfork mob' after two mothers hacked into her Facebook page and falsely alleged she had tried to smother one of their children. During her ordeal the warehouse worker was charged with attempted murder and locked up in jail for three months to await trial after one of the women put a 'fake confession' on her timeline. Although Miss Pearce was eventually cleared of wrongdoing and her accusers arrested, she turned to drink to block out the memories of her incarceration. And two days before the women were due in court, Miss Pearce was found dead in her flat in Royton, Greater Manchester, after ingesting vodka, cocaine and an anti-depressant drug. At Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester, Judge Angela Nield condemned the 'artillery' of social media as she jailed mother-of-two Leonie Hampson-Ogden, 24, and Shauna Stanway, 21, who has one child. Sentenced: A judge condemned the 'artillery' of social media as she jailed mother-of-two Leonie Hampson-Ogden (left), 24, and Shauna Stanway (right), 21, who has one child They were both jailed for ten months each after they pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice. Both women claim they were severely trolled after the tragedy. Passing sentence, Judge Nield said: 'Social media has a great deal to answer for. 'It does do a great deal of good for bringing together friends who have not met each other for many years - but sadly, as is often the case now, people find it to be a tool for evil, a tool for wrong and a tool for criticising each other. 'In this case it was a tool to bring down upon the head of an innocent person the wrath of social media by way of public opinion. Your victim was released - but only from custody. 'She was not released from the consequences of what had happened to her. She became a changed person. Her mother and sister noted a significant change in her and the tragedy of this case was yet to come. 'Jayne Pearce was only 23 and her life was cut short and in her last year she was dogged by the allegations that she harmed a child and being labelled as such. 'The tragedy in this case is that whatever this court decides to do it will not bring her back in their lives nor can it compensate what they have lost. 'The message of deterrence has to be a strong one. Social media is a process which is easily abused by users. The weapon of choice was Facebook and it was a weapon whose artillery was eventually turned on you. Hampson-Ogden (left), 24, and Stanway (right), were both jailed for ten months each after they pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice 'It was first used on Jayne Pearce who had done nothing wrong, but its heavy weaponry was then turned on those who had first fired it. 'There are members of the public who believe that the death of the victim in this case was your fault. Each of you have personally experienced the barrage of abuse via social media, much the same as the victim and her family did. 'Social media is a powerful and effective tool and at times it is an evil tool when it is abused in this way. This was a serious and wicked thing to do.' The court heard the victim's ordeal began on January 28, 2015 after she and Stanway attended Hampson-Ogden's home for a girls' night in. During the evening Miss Pearce went upstairs to the toilet but after saying she was leaving the house, Stanway checked on the infant in his bedroom and noticed a pink pillow over his face with a blank blanket covering it. As she relayed her suspicions, Hampson-Ogden hacked into Miss Pearce's Facebook page and posted a false confession on the victim's timeline saying: 'I think I need sectioning, can't believe I just tried killing a 12-week-old baby by suffocating it, feeling guilty.' Two days before the women were due in court, Miss Pearce (pictured) was found dead in her flat in Royton, Greater Manchester, after ingesting a fatal combination of vodka and drugs Stanway then took a screenshot of the fake confession and alerted police who went to the house. Steven Wilde, prosecuting, said: 'Officers spoke to both the defendants but they appeared calm and unfazed by the events. Police were surprised by this because of the nature of the offence and the serious nature of the complaint being made. 'There was also a significant delay in contacting the police, of two hours. The circumstances as told to the police also seemed odd as the child didn't appear distressed. At a recent inquest, a coroner recorded a misadventure verdict saying she believed Miss Pearce had not intended to kill herself 'But because of the confession Miss Pearce was arrested and interviewed by the police on four occasions. She was kept in custody for approximately ten weeks on the attempted murder of a child.' Police examined the women's phones but arrested both after they noticed the apparently incriminating post had been posted on Hampson-Ogden's O2 phone. She later admitted posting the fake confession, saying Miss Pearce had borrowed her device during the evening to update her own Facebook page - but had forgotten to log out. Mr Wilde said: 'She said it wasn't her intention to create evidence - it was to tell people what she was capable of doing. She didn't expect her friend to take that false confession to the police. 'When she was asked if Stanway knew she had posted the status she said: "Yeah, she knew she was there when I did it".' Stanway denied knowing Ogden had planted the fake confession. Mr Wilde added: 'Miss Pearce suffered some anguish as a result of being placed in custody and there was distress and anxiety to her family. 'As a result of the fake confession posted on Facebook, a number of threats and messages followed on - and this impacted upon her family. It is clear Miss Pearce suffered a great deal and she was a changed person.' In a statement the victim's mother Patricia said: 'She turned to drink and drugs to block out what had happened. When she came out of prison she was a different person. 'It broke my heart to hear her screaming and shouting during the night, from nightmares that she never had before she went to prison. She was dogged by the allegation and labelled as harming a child.' In mitigation for Hampson-Ogden, defence lawyer Daniel Prowers said his client has suffered from post natal depression. He added: 'Even now she is struggling with the enormity of what she has done. She has said to me 'every day I regret what I have done'. 'She herself has been vilified, particularly a backlash from members of the community and as a consequence has suffered physical thread to her safety and to her children. 'The vitriole on Facebook has caused her to close her account and report it to the police. She has repeatedly been accused of being a murderer. 'She had all of the windows in her house broken by bricks. The police advised her for her own safety to leave her home. She cannot even take her own children to school because of the threats.' Defending Stanway, Jon Close said: 'The second that it was posted on Facebook it spiralled out of control and the mob came to life. 'But the mob mentality was let loose on this defendant too. The same vitriole that was used with Miss Pearce has now been used on her. 'People see things and grab their pitchforks and torches and she has been confronted in a taxi by a complete stranger. 'She says she is acutely sorry for that which she did. Her mother has said she has seen a dramatic change in her from the immature teenager who used that social media.' Last month at an inquest into Miss Pearce's death, a coroner recorded a misadventure verdict saying she believed the victim had not intended to kill herself. For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See www.samaritans.org for details A woman known as 'Granny Canute' after moving into a caravan on a fast-eroding clifftop has finally been forced to tear down her home. Bryony Nierop-Reading, 71, was determined to live on the land she owned near Happisburgh on the north Norfolk coast. Her 'dangerous' three-bedroom bungalow had already been knocked down in 2013 but she continued to live in a mobile home as the sea edged gradually closer. The retired maths teacher choked back tears yesterday as she and her friends were forced to demolish the caravan on the order of authorities. She told of her sadness at watching her second home on the site disappear, but said it has been a pleasure to live in such a beautiful location. Erosion has robbed Bryony Nierop-Reading of two homes on the north Norfolk coast The mobile home she was living in on the fast-disappearing cliff was removed yesterday Mrs Nierop-Reading which bought a bungalow on the site for just 25,000 in 2008, but that was torn down after coastal erosion took the cliff from under it. Mrs Nierop-Reading then moved into the caravan on the site, which sits on top of an 80ft cliff, but was told to leave the site for her safety by North Norfolk District Council by February 2015. Mrs Nierop-Reading appealed that order and lost, but the appeal inspector extended the eviction deadline to December 10, 2016. The council then extended the date to January 7 this year, before handing the pensioner a final warning that she had to be out by yesterday. She said: 'I'm incredibly angry and deeply sad. I lost my last home to the sea and am now losing another through a human decision. I think is cruel. 'The great support of other people has strengthened me and helped me to cope in an extremely stressful situation.' These were the scenes when her previous house of the site was demolished over safety fears The house was left overhanging the cliff as the sea ate into the coastline near Happisburgh She added: 'We are smashing the caravan to pieces. The plastic is going in the skip, the timber on the bonfire and the metal will be recycled. 'It has been marvellous living here with the fantastic views of the sea on two sides and I'm going to miss it very much indeed.' It was an emotional day for locals who have supported Mrs Nierop-Reading's fight not to give in to the sea. She will now take to the road in a mobile home she has bought with her two cats Socrates and Mischa and aims to visit other areas hit by coastal erosion. Mrs Nierop-Reading also plans to sell a house in Witton Heath, near North Walsham, that's been lived in by her daughter and son-law for four years, and buy a new property in Happisburgh. Since the house went, she has been living in a mobile home on the site, near a lighthouse The tide meant she had to abandon the mobile home and she is now trying to buy a new home Mrs Nierop-Reading's close friend, Stephen Burke, helped take her caravan apart yesterday. Mr Burke said: 'Bryony is a long-standing friend and neighbour - these are the sort of things you should do to help. 'I have supported her in her battle with the council over a number of years and this is just the latest phase. I hope to see her back in the village soon.' Valerie Pecresse, president of Ile-de-France, is trying to poach British bankers to Paris Britain will lose crucial financial access rights to the EU because of Brexit, a French politician said today during a visit to London. Paris is trying to use Britain's departure from the EU to poach British bankers to the French capital as part of a bold pitch to replace London as the European capital of finance. Valerie Pecresse, president of Ile-de-France - the region that includes Paris - said Brexit is opening up 'fierce competition' between Europe's capital cities vying to take business from the City. Exit talks will 'most likely' mean an end to passporting rules that allow unhindered financial trade, she said. Ms Pecresse told the Today programme: 'We are a very stable choice, we are very near London, we are very close.' Paris last year launched a campaign to tempt financial institutions away from London with the slogan 'Tired of the fog? Try the Frogs!'. Ms Pecresse said Paris was the largest financial centre after London and had a better quality of life. She added: 'You chose to be outside the European Union. It's a long, long process to go out of the European Union but, in the end, most likely, London will lose the financial passport. 'If it loses the financial passport some of the London firms will have an interest to go to a country of the European Union.' She added: 'The market is in Europe, the clients are in Europe, the tech is in Paris, the quality of life is in Paris.' Eugenio De Freitas (pictured), 52, is facing jail after performing a sex act on himself in a Home Bargains store A father-of-four who performed a sex act on himself in a Home Bargains store is facing jail and deportation. Shocked workers and shoppers saw Eugenio De Freitas, 52, touching himself underneath his clothing while in the store in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. After being arrested, De Freitas told police that his hand was down his trousers because he had shaved himself. The court heard the pervert already had several similar previous conviction, including performing a sex act on himself in the town's Sainsburys. De Freitas, originally from Portugal, later pleaded guilty to outraging public decency. He also admitted breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order imposed in October 2012. During the hearing, magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre decided their sentencing powers were insufficient. They remanded De Freitas in custody until his sentencing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. The court heard the incident took place in Home Bargains at 4pm on February 1. Mike Kimberley, defending, said De Freitas has now been served with a deportation notice. The Kremlin has demanded an apology from Fox News anchor Bill O'Reilly who branded Vladimir Putin 'a killer' during an interview with Donald Trump. O'Reilly was questioning Trump on why he respected the Russian leader in an interview which was aired before last night's Super Bowl. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticized O'Reilly this morning. He said: 'We consider such words from the Fox TV company to be unacceptable and insulting, and honestly speaking, we would prefer to get an apology from such a respected TV company.' Bill O'Reilly, right, branded Russian president Vladimir Putin 'a killer' during an interview last night with Donald Trump, left, which has caused anger among officials in the Kremlin Trump in response asked how 'innocent' the United States had been in its dealings abroad Vladimir Putin has been accused of ordering the death of political opponents but the Kremlin has strongly denied the allegations describing them as 'false' and 'politically motivated' During the interview, O'Reilly asks Trump about his future relationship with Putin. Trump replied: ' I do respect him, but I respect a lot of people. That doesn't mean I'm going to get along with him.' The president continued that he would 'appreciate' assistance from Russia in dealing with ISIS.' O'Reilly responded that Putin 'is a killer'. Trump defended Putin claiming: 'There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country's so innocent?' US intelligence agencies have accused Moscow of having sponsored computer hacking to help Trump win office, and critics say he is too complimentary about the Russian leader. Trump, when commenting on the allegations against Putin in the same interview, questioned how 'innocent' the United States itself was, saying it had made a lot of its own mistakes. That irritated some Congressional Republicans who said there was no comparison between how Russian and US politicians behaved. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, pictured, demanded an apology from O'Reilly and Fox News A judge in London ruled last year that Putin 'probably' authorized the killing of former KGB spy Alexander Litvineko, pictured, who died of radioactive poisoning on November 23, 2006 Putin, in his 17th year of dominating the Russian political landscape, is accused by some Kremlin critics of ordering the killing of opponents. Putin and the Kremlin have repeatedly rejected those allegations as politically motivated and false. Trump, who has said he wants to try to mend battered US-Russia ties and hopes he can get along with Putin, was asked a question about some of those allegations by Fox Business before he won the White House. In January last year, after a British judge ruled that Putin had 'probably' authorized the murder of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London, Trump said he saw 'no evidence' the Russian president was guilty. Advertisement Schizophrenic Zakaria Bulhan (left, as a boy and, right, in a court sketch) has admitted killing an American tourist during a knife rampage in London's Russell Square A mentally-ill teenager who stabbed an American tourist to death and injured five others in a knife rampage in London's Russell Square was allowed into the UK by European freedom of movement rules, a court heard. Norwegian national Zakaria Bulhan, 19, killed retired teacher Darlene Horton, 64, just hours before she was due to fly home to Tallahassee, Florida, after visiting the UK with her university professor husband Richard Wagner. Bulhan's parents emigrated from Somalia to Norway in 1994 and he was born in the Scandinavian country three years later. The second of three children, he moved to the UK with his mother in 2003 under free movement rules after being granted asylum in Norway. Norway is part of the European Economic Area (EEA), whose members share freedom of movement with the 28 countries of the EU. Bulhan, who was living in south-west London at the time of the attack, denied murdering the mother-of-two, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility today. Prosecutors have accepted that schizophrenic Bulhan was in the midst of a psychotic episode at the time after police ruled out a terrorist motive to the attack. The court heard he was assessed by his local mental health trust on 20 April, but received no further treatment despite acting increasingly 'oddly' before the attack. Bulhan struck just after 10.30pm on Wednesday 3 August in Russell Square, an area popular with tourists, after visiting the East London Mosque in Whitechapel. Bulhan (left, as a boy and, right, in a court sketch today) had been brought to Britain from Norway by his Somali mother. He had been assessed by mental health services in London by received no treatment before he carried out the attack Darlene Horton, from Florida, was in the UK with her husband, Richard Wagner, a visiting university professor, at the time The knife rampage through the busy London square caused widespread shock in August with victims from around the world The court heard he ran from the Mosque and was later seen moving erratically along the pavement at Russell Square, walking alongside the park railings and holding a large kitchen knife. He 'smiled and skipped' towards his first victim before continuing the rampage with a 'crazed smile', the court heard. HOW THE KILLER MOVED TO BRITAIN Bulhan was born in Norway in 1997 after his parents arrived from Somalia. He was granted asylum in the country, and moved to Britain in 2003. The Scandinavian nation is part of the European Economic Area (EEA), which allows it to be part of the EU single market. Therefore, Norway must abide by EU rules regarding the free movement of people, goods, services and capital. Advertisement Londoner Bernard Hepplewhite, 65, shouted in pain as he was stabbed in the abdomen, having travelled to the West End with a friend to see 'Showboat' on Drury Lane with a friend. He said his attacker showed no sign of anger and simply skipped straight on towards Australian Lillie Sellentin, 23, who had been to see 'Aladdin' at the Prince Edward theatre and was making her way back to her hotel. She thought she had been punched when she was struck to the right of her ribcage. 'He showed no emotion as he did so, but carried on moving in the same fashion,' said the prosecutor. It was only when someone shouted 'he's got a knife' that they realised they had been stabbed before Mr Hepplewhite hailed a passing cab to take them to hospital. Darlene Horton, 64, had eaten dinner with her husband, Richard Wagner, at a restaurant in Bloomsbury before the pair made their way back to where they were staying through Russell Square. Mr Wagner said a black male rushed past them and as he did so his wife simply said: 'ouch.' Israeli Yovel Lewkowki, 18, was stabbed in the hand by the killer during the horrific incident In an emotional Facebook post after the attack, Yovel pleaded with her friends to make the most of life, adding: 'The last few hours have taught me to appreciate every second' Mr Wagner described how Bulhan ran past them in a 'haphazard manner, swerving and loping towards members of the public'. It was only then he saw the knife and warned others: 'This guy is trying to stab people.' Killer did not get treatment for mental health problems The Russell Square killer did not receive the treatment he needed in the run up to his knife rampage, the court heard. He was referred to his local mental health trust in March 2016 and assessed on 20 April, but received no further treatment despite acting increasingly 'oddly' in the period leading up to the attack. The prosecutor said: 'That is no doubt partly behind what follows. 'He was not then receiving the treatment for his condition to the extent that, as it now appears, was necessary, although not apparent at the time.' Advertisement American Martin Hoenisch, 59, was the next to be targeted as Bulhan zig-zagged towards him and stabbed him in the chest. He was on holiday with his wife and the pair had spent their first evening in London at a restaurant in Covent Garden. David Imber, 40, who is Australian, had arrived in the UK for a holiday on 1 August and had been to see 'Kinky Boots' at the Adelphi Theatre. He was also struck to the chest after Bulhan came straight towards him. The prosecutor said: 'Mr Imber made brief eye contact and describes the male having a 'crazed smile' on his face as if he was enjoying it or that he was under the influence of drugs.' Israeli Yovel Lewkowski, 18, was in London on a four-day holiday with her family and had spent the evening in the West End before she was knifed in the arm. 'She became considerably distressed, feeling overwhelmed and in a state of shock,' said Mr Heywood. Bulhan today denied the attempted murder of Mr Hoenisch, Ms Selletin, Mr Imber, Mr Hepplewhite, and Ms Lewkowski. But he pleaded guilty to alternative charges of wounding with intent after injuring them in the same attack. Bulhan was carrying a copy of a book called the Fortress of the Muslims - a daily book of Islamic prayers - and was heard muttering 'Allah, Allah,' but a terrorist motive has been ruled out. This was the scene in Russell Square shortly after the multiple stabbings in August. Police later ruled out terrorism 'I CAME VERY CLOSE TO SHOOTING RUSSELL SQUARE KILLER', SAYS ROOKIE FIREARMS COP A Metropolitan Police officer has described the 'butterflies' and 'heart-racing' moment he was called up to deal with Zakaria Bulhan in Russell Square A rookie firearms officer came 'very close' to shooting the Russell Square killer amid fears of a repeat of the carnage caused in the 7/7 terror attacks. The Metropolitan Police officer has described the 'butterflies' and 'heart-racing' moment he was called up on his first serious firearms incident on the evening of August 3 last year. He had only been in the unit for five weeks when the reports came in of a man stabbing people indiscriminately in the street and injured 'bodies littering the pavement'. In an interview with the Press Association on condition of anonymity, he said his initial thought was terrorism. He said: 'You hear Russell Square and you think of the bombings.' It was also the same day the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe announced the start of Operation Hercules in which more firearms officers were to be deployed in the capital, he said. The officer had gone with his partner to Bedford Place to cut off Zakaria Bulhan's escape route after he killed American tourist Darlene Horton and stabbed five others. The pair got out of the police car and chased after Bulhan after he refused to stop and drop his large kitchen knife. The officer said it was a 'quite surreal' scene as Bulhan pelted away from them with the knife held aloft as if he was about to strike again, only glancing over his shoulder as they screamed at him to stop. The 19-year-old suspect darted past a colleague who tried to take him down with his baton and was moments away from diving around a corner into unsuspecting members of the public. As he headed towards the British Museum, the officer said they had to make a 'pre-emptive strike' with a Taser before he could hurt anyone else. He said: 'He was running at pace with the knife raised and kept looking back at us every time we were screaming to stop. 'He was nearing the corner with Great Russell Street. We knew already there were members of the public there. 'He may have been a danger, with unrestricted access to members of the public if we did not engage with him. 'At that point one of the others managed to withdraw his Taser and used that option. The Taser worked extremely effectively. 'He landed face first onto the floor and dropped the knife. We jumped on him, placed him in handcuffs and detained him.' Asked how near he came to shooting Bulhan dead, the officer said: 'Very close. He was approaching that corner and we knew if he got around that corner for a very small amount of time he would have had unrestricted access to members of the public. 'It had to be a pre-emptive strike. We could not let him get around the corner.' As Bulham tried to catch his breath on the ground, he kept saying 'Allah, Allah, Allah' which the officer thought at the time could be confirmation of his worst fears. Afterwards, he said, he felt 'relief' but it was only later that he learned of Mrs Horton's death. He said: 'For us at that point, we felt relief that we didn't have to use lethal force. 'You think you have done a good job, however, you have the wind knocked out of your sails when you are updated that one of the casualties has died as a result of the attack he had done.' On his concerns at the time, he said: 'He is not going to win if he decides to attack. You are very worried about members of the public running away. 'We were worried if he reached that corner out of our sights for a matter of seconds we could have failed in our job.' He had 'butterflies' when he set out to face the unknown, but once the team got back to their headquarters, they celebrated making the arrest without a shot fired with a cup of tea. Advertisement Bulhan was living with his mother, step-father and siblings at the time of attacks. He left school aged 16 and retook his GCSEs at college before dropping out in April 2016 as his mental state deteriorated. In March last year, he had been referred for treatment for his mental health and his behaviour became more odd leading up to August, the court heard. Mr Heywood said the pleas were accepted by the Crown having been considered 'at the very highest level'. He told the judge: 'At the time of these events it has been clearly established the defendant was suffering from an acute episode of a mental illness that has been diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia. 'That acute episode was a psychotic one, and floridly so, at the time of these events on 3 August 2016.' Council workers wash the pavement on Russell Square the day after Bulhan's deadly attack left scenes of chaos Armed police praised for arrest without firing DI Tony Lynes, of the Metropolitan Police, said: 'Bulhan's actions caused an enormous amount of fear and distress with initial concerns this incident may be linked to terrorism. 'This was quickly found not to be the case and we now know Bulhan was suffering a severe episode of mental health. He clearly poses an enormous risk to the general public and I hope he can now get the help he needs. 'I would like to commend our armed officers who were called to the incident that night not knowing what they might encounter. They arrived on the scene within six minutes and acted with the utmost professionalism to detain an armed and violent man with the minimum necessary force and without firing a single shot. 'However, our thoughts must remain with Bulhan's victims who were simply enjoying a night out on a summer's evening when they were subjected to this terrifying ordeal. And of course the friends and family of Darlene Horton who so sadly lost her life.' Advertisement Bulhan was assessed by psychiatrists following his arrest on the night of the attack and held in Broadmoor secure hospital where doctors found he was fit to enter pleas. He told a psychiatrist at Broadmoor he 'felt dreadful' about what he had done. 'I could never have predicted it, it's surreal,' he said. 'I did everything to stop myself becoming ill. I went to the psychiatrist, I went to the Mosque, I did prayers.' The court heard an assessment on 20 April 2016 carried out by the East Wandsworth mental health trust found Bulhan was not currently psychotic, but had mood and anxiety symptoms that should be treated by his GP. But his mother said he became more aggressive and she removed the knives from the kitchen following incidents in which he had a knife in the home and took her mobile phone. He also thought people were putting spells on him when they spat in his direction, said the prosecutor. Bulhan's father took him to the Mosque in Whitechapel on the day of the attack because he was ill. But Bulhan ran away and later told a psychiatrist he believed someone blew on him and put spirits inside him. The Old Bailey heard he also believed people were trying to kill him, the secret service was tracking him and he was possessed by demons. Appearing in the dock wearing a grey zip-up jacket today, Bulhan spoke only to confirm his name and that he could hear proceedings before entering his pleas. Forensics officers at the scene. Armed police who tackled Buhlan were today praised for arresting him without opening fire After the charge of murder was put to him, Bulhan, who was surrounded by health workers, answered: 'Not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter by diminished responsibility.' He then pleaded not guilty to five counts of attempted murder before pleading guilty to alternative charges of wounding with intent. Old Bailey judge Mr Justice Spencer said he will sentence the teenager tomorrow. The judge said there were two realistic options available to him of either a life sentence or a hospital order with indefinite restriction. Ruslanas Solovjovas has been jailed for shooting people with an air rifle out of a window of an old pub in Boston, Lincolnshire A former Lithuanian army sniper caused chaos in a British town when he used a high powered air rifle to shoot five innocent members of the public as 'target practice.' Ruslanas Solovjovas, 39, took aim at passers-by and shoppers from a third floor window in Boston, Lincolnshire, injuring his victims and leaving another woman traumatised. Armed police swooped on the site after residents reported shots were being fired from the upper floors of the building on an otherwise quiet Sunday morning. Officers raided the flat where Solovjovas had been hiding and found the 'potentially lethal' air rifle and some left over pellets, Lincoln Crown Court heard. When arrested, he claimed to be 'Jesus Christ' and warned them 'I've got a gun.' He also told them: 'I was a sniper in my own country.' Among his victims was a 28-year-old mother-of two who suffered a hole in her right leg when she was shot as she went to buy some biscuits from a local shop for her children. In her victim impact statement, which was read out in court, she described how she feared her two children could have been shot when she left them in her car while she went to the shop. Police at the scene when the shooting took place. Armed officers arrested Solovjovas The mother drove home after the shootings but was treated in hospital with painkillers for a hole in her right leg after she reported feeling 'dizzy and sick.' Another 44-year-old woman described how she was suffering from recurring nightmares in which she is 'always running away from the shooting.' Another man was left with blood on his back from a pellet and a dent in his car, Lincoln Crown Court heard. Phil Howes, prosecuting, said pellets from the weapon were cutting through clothing. He told the court: 'People reported the noise of pellets whizzing past as they walked down the street.' Police found the weapon and leftover pellets inside the flat. A cushion had been moved to beneath the window in the flat to aid his firing position more comfortable. Solovjovas, of Boston, admitted three charges of common assault and two charges of assault causing actual bodily harm to the five people he shot. He was jailed for 14 months. Solovjovas holed himself up in building in November and fire at five members of the public Passing sentence Judge Michael Heath told Solovjovas: 'Tou were very drunk and you behaved stupidly. You had been a sniper in the Lithuanian Army when you did your national service and you were involved in target practice. 'You bought an air rifle a few days before 13 November and should have taken the advice of your girlfriend to get rid of it. 'You chose to exercise target practice on five innocent members of the public who were going about their lawful business. 'You caused some physical and psychological harm. Fortunately the physical injuries were not serious. 'But you could have caused the loss of eyes and heaven knows what would have happened if you had hit somebody in the temple.' Stuart Lody, mitigating, told the court Solovjovas had been drinking vodka heavily on the day of the incident after his girlfriend left him because of his alcohol dependency. 'He told police that he was eight out of ten on a scale of being drunk,' Mr Lody said. 'He decided to use the air rifle, which he had bought a few days before and which his girlfriend had told him to get rid of, to shoot at perfectly innocent people.' Solovjovas is one of many Eastern Europeans to have moved to Boston, which last year was rated worst for integration in new analysis by think-tank Policy Exchange. Ces Colagrande, 48, (pictured) was found guilty at Southport District Court on Monday on a single count of sexual assault A Gold Coast plastic surgeon's 'breach of trust' by sexually assaulting a patient during a consultation has been condemned by a judge. Ces Colagrande, 48, was found guilty at Southport District Court on Monday on a single count of sexual assault. A jury determined Colagrande had assaulted a 24-year-old woman during the visit to his Southport clinic in May 2015. The court heard the surgeon hugged the woman, grabbing and slapping her buttocks, before whispering to her he wanted to 'f*** and f*** now'. Colagrande then pressed his crotch into the woman's groin despite her telling the surgeon to stop before the woman left the clinic. Judge David Kent QC said Colagrande's assault, while brief and unplanned, was a serious breach of the trust a patient places in a medical professional. A Gold Coast plastic surgeon's 'breach of trust' by sexually assaulting a patient during a consultation has been condemned by a judge (pictured arriving in court on Monday) A jury determined Colagrande had assaulted a 24-year-old woman during the visit to his Southport clinic in May 2015 'She was your patient ... and in circumstances where she should have been safe,' Judge Kent told the court. 'I do regard it as a serious offence and a serious breach of trust.' Colagrande's lawyer, Peter Davis QC, had suggested to the court during his closing submission on Friday that the woman, a stripper and nude model, had a 'golden opportunity to lie if she wants to'. Mr Davis said the woman had fabricated the complaint after being denied a refund or free surgery for her dissatisfaction following breast enhancement surgery Colagrande performed on her in 2014. The court heard the woman was determined to acquire 'porn star tits' and was unhappy with the size of implants used by Colagrande. Prosecutor Melissa Wilson disagreed with Mr Davis' claims and told the court Colagrande had committed 'uninvited sexual abuse against his patient'. Colagrande (pictured) leaving the Southport courthouse on the Gold Coast on Monday She added Colagrande had shown no remorse and said the age disparity between the pair should be another factor to be considered in sentencing. The fate of Colagrande's medical practice is unknown, but Mr Davis told the court his conviction would have an 'enormous, fairly substantial impact on that'. He has been given a nine-month jail term, wholly suspended for 18 months. This is the shocking moment CCTV footage shows a man trying to abduct a seven-year-old boy blatantly at a car park in northern China's Hebei province. According to Sina news, the mother, surnamed Li, who was walking just 13 feet ahead of her son Le Le, discovered the kidnapper's act and saved him in time. The alleged kidnapper and his accomplice explained their spontaneous act was in in a bid to secure a ransom to pay off a huge debt to loan sharks. The attempted kidnap failed when the man tripped over while trying to carry the child onto the car and alerted the child's mother Mrs Li told the reporters that it was a usual morning to drive Le Le to school and she did not notice her son being kidnapped until hearing a running car's engine. 'I thought they are beating up my child for no reason,' said Mrs Li. 'Then I found out he was trying to take away my son. But he tripped over while carrying Le Le and when i ran up to them, the guy went back on his car and escaped,' she continued. Mrs Li and her son (top left) walked to their car without knowing the kidnapper (top right) was in position The kidnapper attempted to abduct Le Le for a huge sum of money to pay back his debts Mrs Li reported the incident to the police. The police looked into the street surveillance camera footage and identified two suspects and their white car. The crime duo, surnamed Chen and Zhang, were working in the same neighbourhood in Tangshan city. The police identified the white car and two suspects from surveillance camera footage They admitted that they had no acquaintance with Mrs Li and her son. They spotted Mrs Li's luxurious car and thought to abduct her seven-year-old son to ask for money as to pay off their huge debt to loan sharks. The police caught Chen three days later. Zhang, the accomplice, confessed and pleaded guilty the day after. The duo are now remanded in custody. Two men gave Detroit police a fright of their lives as they entered a local station while wearing guns to file a complaint. The men, one of who is known only as 'Brandon', filmed themselves walking into Dearborn Police Station in Michigan to complain. In the video, which was filmed on a snowy day, one of the men, who is wearing a ski mask and glasses, says: 'We're going to go in and file a complaint because we were illegally pulled over about an hour ago. Two men filmed themselves walking into a police station, while armed with guns, to file a complaint 'We felt a little afraid for our lives as we were pulled over so we figured we better protect ourselves.' After walking into the station, an officer is heard shouting 'Dude put that on the ground.' The camera, which is being held by the man in the ski mask, then turns around and shows the officer pointing a gun at the two men. Several other officers are then heard shouting: 'Put that on the ground!' The camera is then dropped on the floor but continues recording the incident. The officers are heard threatening the two men if they don't drop their guns, with one shouting: 'I will shoot you!'. When they enter the station, many police officers shout at them to put their guns down and threaten to kill them At one point, one of the men can be heard defending their actions with one quipping: 'It's all legal sir', but the officers continue to shout at them to put their guns down. The men eventually do remove their weapons and the video ends. The footage was uploaded to Live Leak and then posted on Reddit, a forum website. Many viewers condemned the actions of the men, with some saying it helps 'lose support for open carry', a practice where US citizens openly carry a firearm in public. One poster, called super_amazing, wrote: 'What amazes me is that not one, but two adults with (presumably) whole and functioning brains thought it would be a good idea to retaliate against the police by walking into the station open carrying AKs and wearing SKI MASKS. Honestly, it's the ski masks I just can't fathom. Open carry = maybe I'm legally exercising rights, maybe I'm a violent criminal. Open carry + ski mask = I'm about to rob and/or murder you.' Ryalre wrote: 'Prime example of just because you can, doesn't mean you should.' WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has made a fresh appeal to the UK and Swedish authorities to 'restore' his liberty WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has made a fresh appeal to the UK and Swedish authorities to 'restore' his liberty. He has been living in self-imposed exile at the Ecuadorian Embassy for more than four years, believing he will be extradited to the United States for questioning over the activities of WikiLeaks if he leaves. He is also subject to a European Arrest Warrant over allegations he raped a woman in Sweden which could be enforced as soon as he steps out on to the street. Mr Assange spoke out a year after a United Nations' working group found he was being 'arbitrarily detained' by the UK and Sweden. He said that one year on, neither government has complied with the UN's findings. Mr Assange said: 'I call on UK and Sweden to do the right thing and restore my liberty. 'These two states signed treaties to recognise the UN and its human rights mechanisms. 'Their governments accepted the jurisdiction of the working group in my case, the world's peak legal body for cases of arbitrary detention. 'At no time in the 16-month process did they withdraw. They lost, appealed and lost again. 'This refusal to respect the umpire's decision comes at a terrible cost. 'Other states can now illegally detain Swedish and UK citizens with effective impunity and the UN human rights system more broadly is imperilled.' Elsewhere today Ecuadorian presidential candidate Patricio Zuquilanda said if he were elected on February 19 his first act would be to boot Assange out the embassy. However Zuquilanda is only an outsider in the country's presidential race, with one of either Lenin Moreno or Guillermo Lasso the two frontrunners. Assange has been living a cramped room at the diplomatic mission in Knightsbridge since June 19, 2012, after claiming asylum to avoid extradition over the allegations in Sweden ASSANGE VISITED BY BAYWATCH ACTRESS Pamela Anderson has visited Julian Assange at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London five times in the past four months - sparking rumours they are in a relationship. The Baywatch actress and model was first spotted at Assange's residence in September of 2014. The meeting was set up for Anderson to try to persuade Assange to back her new foundation, which supports women who are victims of sexual abuse. Most recently she was seen at Assange's residence on January 21, a little over a month from the last time she saw him. Advertisement Assange's appeal comes after the WikiLeaks' founder backtracked on the claim he made last month that he would leave the Ecuadorian embassy and be extradited to the US if Chelsea Manning was released from prison. The Australian had pledged to hand himself in if Manning - who was sentenced to 35 years in jail for leaking 700,000 classified government and military documents to WikiLeaks - was shown clemency. In one of his final acts as President, Barack Obama announced the former soldier would be released 30 years early, in May. But after that, Assange appeared to go back on his promise with a statement saying he was happy to travel to the US but only if his rights were 'guaranteed'. In an interview, he said: 'I am not a complete idiot! We had a major strategic victory in liberating Chelsea Manning, the most significant alleged whistle-blower in the last 10 years but, of course, saying I'm willing to accept extradition doesn't mean I'm saying that I'm willing to be a complete idiot and throw all my lawyers away and so on.' Assange has refused to leave, saying he also fears extradition to the US to be quizzed for leaking secret military documents Pamela Anderson has visited Assange at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London five times in the past four months - sparking rumours they are in a relationship Assange has been living a cramped room at the diplomatic mission in Knightsbridge since June 19, 2012, after claiming asylum to avoid extradition over the allegations in Sweden. The taxpayer-funded bill for police posted outside the building around the clock topped 12.5million before it came to an end last year. Assange has refused to leave, saying he also fears extradition to the US to be quizzed for leaking secret military documents. Assange denies claims he raped a woman, named in legal papers as SW, at her home in August 2010 and believes the allegations are politically-motivated after WikiLeaks released covert files on the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Amanda Knox has insisted she has no intention of changing her name Amanda Knox, who was convicted but later cleared of the brutal murder of British student Meredith Kercher in Italy, has vowed never to changed her name. Knox is known all over the world because of the notorious killing, for which she spent four years in jail but was later acquitted. Kercher, who was 21, was sexually assaulted, had her throat slashed and was stabbed 47 times in 2007 in Perugia. Speaking on a podcast, she said many had suggested she adopt another name to escape the attention her name has attracted. She said: 'People told me all the time, "You should just change your name so you dont have to deal with it". 'But its like, you know what, no. Theres nothing wrong with being Amanda Knox. Amanda Knox didnt do anything. Im a good person.' Murdered: British student Meredith Kercher was killed in 2007 in Perugia, Italy She made the comment on the Wrongful Conviction podcast by judicial reform campaigner Jason Flom. A documentary about Knox, released on Netflix in September, gives her account of the murder and its aftermath, and she said it had changed people's minds about her. Knox stated: 'People were saying sorry to me for jumping to conclusions about me, and I never expected that to happen.' Knox was sentenced to 26 years behind bars, but acquitted in 2015 because DNA evidence was found to be faulty And she added: 'Id come to peace with the idea that unless you met me, you probably hated me.' She was sentenced to 26 years behind bars, but acquitted in 2015 because DNA evidence was found to be faulty. Ivorian Rudy Guede was found guilty of Meredith's murder. Last month an Italian court refused to review Guede's conviction. Lawyers for Guede, who was convicted after a fast-track trial in 2008, had presented the court with a deposition arguing that the terms of the 2015 acquittal of Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito made their client's conviction unsafe. Nearly 100 top tech companies - including Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter - have filed a joint legal brief arguing against President Donald Trump's travel ban. The brief was filed late Sunday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in support of an ongoing lawsuit against the ban. It charged that the ban 'inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth as a result,' according to a copy of the document published by media outlets. 'Immigrants or their children founded more than 200 of the companies on the Fortune 500 list.' Nearly 100 companies - many of them in the tech sector - signed an amicus brief against President Trump's travel ban on Sunday 'Immigrants make many of the Nations greatest discoveries, and create some of the countrys most innovative and iconic companies,' the brief states. 'America has long recognized the importance of protecting ourselves against those who would do us harm. But it has done so while maintaining our fundamental commitment to welcoming immigrants - through increased background checks and other controls on people seeking to enter our country.' The tremendous impact of immigrants on America - and on American business - is not happenstance. People who choose to leave everything that is familiar and journey to an unknown land to make a new life necessarily are endowed with drive, creatively, determination - and just plain guts. The brief added: ' The tremendous impact of immigrants on America - and on American business - is not happenstance. People who choose to leave everything that is familiar and journey to an unknown land to make a new life necessarily are endowed with drive, creativity, determination - and just plain guts. The energy they bring to America, is a key reason why the American economy has been the greatest engine of prosperity and innovation in history.' Executives from several top Silicon Valley companies had previously spoken out against the ban, which temporarily barred all refugees and travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States. On Friday, following a lawsuit filed by the state of Washington challenging the ban, a federal judge in Seattle temporarily suspended Trump's order pending a wider legal review - freeing refugees and visa holders from those seven countries to re-enter the country again. The Trump administration appealed over the weekend to the Ninth Circuit court, where a flurry of legal filings were flooding in early Monday. The appeals court declined to immediately reinstate the order. But the court said it would reconsider the government's request after receiving more information. Bloomberg reported that the companies planned the file the amicus brief later this week, but sped up the process amid the other legal challenges to the order. The travel ban would have a large impact on Silicon Valley firms which employ thousands of immigrants. Other tech companies that are part of the coalition include AirBnb, Dropbox, eBay, Intel, Kickstarter, LinkedIn, Lyft, Mozilla, Netflix, PayPal, Uber and Yelp. The list also includes non-tech companies such as Chobani and Levi Strauss & Co. Uber's inclusion on the list is interesting because it's chief executive, Travis Kalanick, previously agreed to sit on the president's business advisory council. Kalanick stepped down from that role last week, after people started boycotting the service. He later issued a statement saying he was never in favor of the ban. Amazon said they are also part of the action and have their own filing in support, but they were told by the Attorney General not to be part of the brief because they were listed as a witness in the lawsuit. There were some notable exceptions too - including Tesla. The company's billionaire CEO Elon Musk sits on Trump's advisory board. Several of these large tech companies are also planning to sending an open letter to the president, Bloomberg previously reported. Microsoft and Alphabet Inc. were two of the companies who planned to express their concerns in the letter. 'We share your goal of ensuring that our immigration system meets todays security needs and keeps our country safe,' a draft of the letter obtained by Bloomberg reads. 'We are concerned, however, that your recent Executive Order will affect many visa holders who work hard here in the United States and contribute to our countrys success.' An Amazon spokesperson told DailyMail.com they have joined the action by the companies. They also have their own filing in support of the lawsuit. However the Attorney General told them not to participate in the original amicus brief because they were listed as a witness. Advertisement Four inches of snow, wind gusts of up to 75mph and icy conditions are expected to hit Britain this week along with a week's worth of rain today as a 'Beast from the East' cold spell arrives from Russia. The Met Office is warning of snow in the Highlands and ice causing treacherous driving conditions today, while it also expects the weather to become very windy this afternoon with 75mph gusts in the Western Isles. The working week began today with a belt of up to an inch of rain crossing Britain, but meteorologists say falling temperatures will spread from the east on Wednesday, accompanied by the chance of wintry showers. A beautiful sunrise over the River Great Ouse near Ely in Cambridgeshire on a frosty Monday morning today A dog walker heads out on a cold and frosty morning at Clayfield Copse near Reading in Berkshire today A horses stands in a frosty small holding in the Oxfordshire countryside as the day breaks this morning Aircraft are barely visible this morning at Leeds Bradford Airport after West Yorkshire awoke to a thick covering of fog A cyclist and a dog walker pass frost covered fields near Holme Pierrepont in Nottinghamshire this morning Emma Sharples, from the Met Office, said temperatures are likely to dip by at least two or three degrees by Thursday for much of England with day time maximums unlikely to rise higher than around 5C (41F). Ms Sharples said: 'We'll definitely be seeing low single figures by the end of the week. And, of course, overnight, where skies remain clear and away from coastal areas, we'll see temperatures dipping down to negative figures. 'The wind will start to pick up from the east, so it's not just numerically temperatures being low but, also, the wind chill's going to add to that as well.' She said the colder temperatures could be accompanied by the odd wintry flurry, mostly in the East. But the Met Office is not currently expecting these to be significant snow falls. 'There will be some snow around,' Ms Sharples said. 'It looks like there will be some wintry flurries down the east coast on Thursday, Friday and into Saturday. Met Office weather warnings have been issued for Northern Ireland and Scotland with high winds, ice and snow expected Compared: The temperatures forecast for today (left) and Friday (right) across Britain show how it will become colder 'It's difficult at the moment to say exactly where we'll see those but it's definitely turning cold enough.' Ms Sharples said the colder weather will come as air from the freezing continent moves over the UK once the latest weather front from the Atlantic moves off. She said: 'Once we get through this spell of rain today most places will be mostly dry, so that's a good thing.' Night times temperatures are already low with areas of Yorkshire getting down to the -5C mark overnight from Sunday to Monday. The sun rises over a frost covered Great Park in Windsor, Berkshire, as temperatures remain low across Britain Frost covers plants in the woodlands near Emmer Green in Berkshire as the country is gripped by more freezing weather The sun rises as deer walk through a frost covered Great Park in Windsor, Berkshire, on another chilly winter's day Freezing fog hits Cefn Coed near Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales this morning as the UK enters another cold spell The yellow warning issued for Northern Ireland and parts of western Scotland by the Met Office was in response to high winds expected from this afternoon. The Met Office said gusts of 50-60 mph are expected across the affected area with isolated gusts of 65mph in the north of Northern Ireland. It said gusts of up to 75mph are likely in exposed coastal parts of the Western Isles. Forecasters added that one to two inches of snow is expected above 300m in the Highlands, while four inches is also possible over the very highest routes where drifting is also possible with strong winds. Monday of last week was the coldest night of the winter so far, with -10.1C recorded in Braemar, Aberdeenshire. The coldest UK temperature of 2016 was -12.4C at Kinbrace, while in 2015 it was -13.7C at Loch Glascarnoch. The grief-striken boyfriend of an Australian woman who died in a jet-ski crash in Thailand has paid tribute to his 'beautiful girl' in an emotional Facebook post, as it's revealed he will face charges over her death. Emily Jayne Collie, 20, was killed when the jetski she was riding crashed into the one being driven by her boyfriend, Tommy Keating, just off Kata Beach in Phuket on Sunday. 'I love you so much Emily and I wish I could just bring you back into my arms,' Mr Keating wrote in his heartbreaking Facebook post. Scroll down for video A photo of Tommy Keating and his girlfriend Emily Jayne Collie, which he posted to his Facebook page along with an emotional tribute Tommy Keating described Emily Jayne Collie as the most beautiful girl he had ever met Ms Collie, 20, died in a jetski accident in Thailand on Sunday Part of Mr Keating's emotional Facebook tribute to his girlfriend, Emily Jayne Collie 'I'm so broken and I know I'll never never be able to mend. 'I'll always be your boy and you'll always be my girl! We had so many plans for our future Emmy.' Mr Keating described his girlfriend as 'My beautiful girl' and said Ms Collie was 'taken too soon'. 'I love you to bits baby and I promise I'll never stop and you'll always have my heart!' he wrote. 'You where such an inspiration to myself and many others! The most beautiful girl I've ever met! Inside and out! 'Fly high up there Emmy I know you'll always be looking down on me and everyone you loved. 'Rest easy Emily I'll never forget you.' The Phuket News reported on Monday evening Mr Keating will face charges over the jetski crash. 'Ms Collie's boyfriend, Mr Keating, who was driving the other jetski when they collided will faces charges of reckless driving causing death,' Lt Patiwat Yodkhwan from the Karon Police told the paper. The police officer added Ms Collie's parents were due to arrive in Phuket on Wednesday to collect her body. In a statement, Ms Collie's family paid tribute to their 'princess'. 'Emily was our princess, everything shined bright when she was around,' the statement said. 'She was the most caring person and deeply loved her family more than anything in the world. 'She was looking forward to celebrating her 21st birthday this year and completing her pharmacy degree. Ms Collie was pulled unconscious from the water and was treated by lifeguards on the beach before she was pronounced dead Ms Collie is pictured being treated by lifeguards on the beach at Phuket in Thailand Ms Collie is pictured being taken to the ambulance by lifeguards on Sunday 'The family would like to thank everyone for the love and support during this difficult time. 'She left a hole in our hearts.' Ms Collie was pulled unconscious from the water and was treated by lifeguards on the beach before she was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital. Mr Keating said strong sunlight reflected off the sea and made it impossible to see her jetski, leading to the crash just off Kata Beach in Phuket. She and Mr Keating crashed into each other about 4.45pm local time on Sunday, local media reported. Ms Collie died after suffering severe neck and shoulder injuries, The Age reported. Mr Keating suffered minor injuries and broke down in tears in the ambulance. An onlooker, Prapai Navarak, said the boyfriend was crying but there was nothing anybody could do. 'It was so sad to see. Nobody could do anything. The woman's husband was crying. I am shocked,' Mr Navarak said. Mr Keating suffered minor injuries and broke down in tears in the ambulance Two jet skis are pictured parked in front a police station in Phuket, Thailand Mr Keating's cousin, Sean Lyon Smith, said the couple had been in a relationship for about two years and had gone to Thailand on a 'dream holiday'. Ms Collie, of Victoria, was a student at Charles Sturt University and went to Goulburn Valley Grammar School in Shepparton, according to her Facebook page. A spokesperson confirmed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was providing consular assistance to Ms Collie's family. Tributes began flowing on Monday morning for the young woman. Mr Keating's sister, Bree Lyon, said Ms Collie had a 'genuine heart' and a 'beautiful smile'. A spokesperson confirmed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to Ms Collie's family Mr Keating's cousin, Sean Lyon Smith, said the couple had been in a relationship for about two years and had gone to Thailand on a 'dream holiday' Ms Collie's boyfriend said strong sunlight reflected off the sea and made it impossible to see her jetski, leading to the crash just off Kata Beach in Phuket Onlooker Prapai Navarak said: 'It was so sad to see. Nobody could do anything. The woman's husband was crying. I am shocked' 'I was inspired by you in so many ways my darling girl, you were so strong and so determined,' Ms Lyon wrote on Facebook. 'I miss you so much Emily. I truly do. I love how you loved my brother, the way you looked into his eyes with nothing but pure love, it was the truest thing I've ever been grateful to witness. I know you're up there our darling, and I know the stars will forever shine brighter now that you've found home in their skies. I promise to look after your Tommy forever and always our darling girl.' Steph Hanlon said she 'cannot even accept that this has happened'. 'Such a beautiful and strong girl and I feel so blessed to have once been so close with you,' the friend wrote on Facebook. Above, Vachira Phuket Hospital where Emily Jayne Collie was treated in Phuket Ms Collie of Victoria was a student at Charles Sturt University and went to Goulburn Valley Grammar School in Shepparton, according to her Facebook page The 20-year-old and her boyfriend Tommy Keating crashed into each other about 4.45pm local time on Sunday Mr Keating suffered minor injuries in the crash, according to reports Another friend, Maddie Louise King, said Ms Collie was a 'gorgeous girl' and was shocking 'something as horrible as this can happen, especially to someone you know'. Kaila Grundy said she 'couldn't accept' Ms Collie's death. 'Cant accept the fact that such a beautiful person has been taken away too early,' the friend wrote on Facebook. 'I feel privileged to have had a friend like you, Em! You'll never be forgotten and always will be missed. Fly high girl xxx.' Ebony Britten said: 'Rest easy beautiful, forever grateful to have met such a kind soul.' Another friend commented: 'My Heart is breaking. Such a sad loss of the most beautiful girl, such a sweet girl taken too soon. A beautiful angel, now in heaven.' The leader of a notoriously violent New Zealand bikie gang that claims to have rid its town of meth dealers claims Australia could learn from his strong-arm tactics. Jamie Pink, the president of Tribal Huk, shot to fame last year after giving the meth dealers in 'his' town 24 hours to leave before his group cleared them out with force. The heavily tattooed gang leader from the small town of Ngaruawahia, south of Auckland, told A Current Affair that Sydney could learn a lot from his methods. 'If you're strong enough it can work anywhere. But the people have to want it, it can't just come from one quarter,' Pink told reporter and former classmate Steve Marshall. Jamie Pink, president of notorious New Zealand gang Tribal Huk, claims Australia could learn from his group's strong-arm tactics in dealing with meth dealers Pink, 45, told A Current Affair: 'If you're strong enough it (removing drug dealers) can work anywhere' The heavily tattooed gang leader from the small town of Ngaruawahia, south of Auckland, claimed to have rid 'his' town of meth (or 'P') dealers A local businessman known only as Don backed Pink's ruthless tactics, claiming the gang chief did for his community what local police 'ignored'. 'We got to the stage where it wasn't even worth going to the police. They just ignored the problem. Jamie didn't ignore it and he fixed it,' Don said. 'Nobody else was doing it and the police have got an invidious job, they have got to follow the rules... It's worked.' Flanked by representatives from different chapters of Tribal Huk, Pink openly admitted to giving outed drug dealers 'a bashing or a hiding on the main street'. In previous years, the gang has attracted attention for helping feed poverty-stricken school children by making up to 1000 sandwiches a day Pink was pictured driving through Ngaruawahia claiming victory over meth dealers last year In November last year, footage emerged of Pink bellowing death threats in the street to a suspected drug dealer, shouting out: 'Nobody can save him.' In previous years, the gang has attracted attention for helping feed poverty-stricken school children by making up to 1000 sandwiches a day for their lunches. Despite Tribal Huk's apparent humanitarian efforts, local police were less impressed with Pink's decision to take the law into his own hands. New Zealand Police Assistant Commissioner Richard Chambers said 'tremendous emotion' attached to meth addiction led some people to make rash decisions. 'New Zealand Police don't condone that at all. We do not recommend anyone uses tactics that uses violence to address the problem. That's our job,' he told ACA. Members of the Tribal Huk gang from Waikato, in New Zealand's North Island A vicious brawl between huntsmen and protesters left one animal rights activist with a fractured skull. Horrifying footage shows a confrontation between two men before a fight breaks out in an area of secluded woodland in South Molton, Devon. Saboteurs claim they were staging a peaceful protest at a meet of the Cheldon Buckhounds, who were out with their dogs, before the incident took place. A shocking video showing an altercation between Cheldon Buckhounds and Devon County Hunt Saboteurs has emerged Ollie Richmond, 28, was sent to hospital after suffering a fractured skull during the altercation The shocking footage shows the encounter turn violent after an anti-hunt campaigner strayed from the group. Many others, dressed in balaclavas, masks and camouflage gear - who the protesters claim were hunt supporters - joined the melee. Protester Ollie Richmond suffered a fractured skull and eye socket trying to protect fellow saboteur Andy Kane, 53, who was allegedly hit with a motorcycle helmet. Plumber Ollie, 28, of Devon, said: 'It has been a traumatic experience and the police have been terrible. 'They basically dropped the case due to the fact that the guys had a good lawyer and they claimed self defence. 'It's not self defence if you are beating someone up on the floor. 'These people absolutely should be charged. If this happened to anybody else the perpetrators would be prosecuted but the police don't like hunt saboteurs. 'I ran down and my intention was to stop the fight, so I targeted the one who was punching Andy. 'I shoulder barged him out of the way and he looked furious and about to attack, so I placed myself between Andy on the floor and him. 'He then took me down and someone else jumped on top of me and started punching me on the ground. 'It all happened very fast but I remember being on the ground and looking up and seeing fists pounding down on my face. 'It eventually stopped. At the time I was in shock. I didn't realise what had happened until I started feeling my skull.' Horrifying footage shows a confrontation between two men before a fight breaks out in an area of secluded woodland in South Molton, Devon Saboteurs claim they were staging a peaceful protest at a meet before the incident took place Andy Kane, 53, was also injured after being allegedly hit with a motorcycle helmet Ollie was rushed to North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple, Devon, by ambulance. He has since been left with a scar on his head Ollie suffered a fractured skull and eye socket and was rushed to North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple, Devon, by ambulance. He later underwent surgery to have titanium plates and mesh could be fitted to his skull. Ollie was left with a scar on the top of his head where it was stapled back together and was off work for three months afterwards recovering. The saboteurs claim the attackers were connected to the Cheldon Buckhounds. But the footage shines a light on the frightening battles being regularly fought out between pro-hunt and anti-hunt supporters in Britain. Left is Ollie pictured before the incident took place. He also suffered a fractured eye socket Devon and Cornwall Police launched an investigation after receiving eight crime reports after the two confrontations, on May 14 and May 30 last year. None of those involved were prosecuted, however, three hunt supporters received a police caution in relation to their involvement. It is not known whether any members of the opponents' group was hurt. The Cheldon Buckhounds could not be reached for comment today. Devon and Cornwall Police said: 'Video footage was available to investigators in relation to both events from both parties. 'All the allegations were investigated, witnesses were spoken to and suspects were interviewed in connection with their involvement in the offences. 'There were no prosecutions as a result of these allegations. However, three individuals received police cautions in relation to their involvement. 'All the victims are aware of this and the reasons why.' A sheriff's deputy has died after inhaling liquid nitrogen while trying to save a worker at a sperm bank. Sergeant Greg Meagher, 57, died on Sunday afternoon after inhaling the chemical substance at sperm bank Xytex in Augusta, Georgia. The Richmond County Sheriff's deputy and father of four was responding to an alarm at the business when he went inside to rescue a female employee. Richmond County Sheriff's deputy Greg Meagher, 57, (left) died on Sunday afternoon after inhaling liquid nitrogen as he tried to save a woman inside a sperm bank in Augusta, Georgia Fire crews arrived shortly after following reports of a nitrogen leak. They entered the building with protective gear and found Meagher and the female employee unresponsive. They were rushed to hospital but Meagher was pronounced dead shortly after. The condition of the female employee is not known. Three other deputies were also taken to hospital complaining of shortness of breath, but they are expected to recover. Authorities say they inhaled liquid nitrogen, which is used to freeze sperm donations. Hazmat teams were called in to shut off the liquid nitrogen tanks. Meagher was responding to an alarm at Xytex when he went inside to rescue a female employee. Fire crews arrived shortly after following reports of a nitrogen leak Meagher, who was a 33-year veteran at the sheriff's office, was found unresponsive inside and died a short time later in hospital Meagher had worked at the sheriff's office for 33 years and was a former drug investigator, the Augusta Chronicle reports. He was once shot in the face on duty in 2004 while working on a drug sting. A bullet entered his jaw and exited at the back of his neck. Meagher was also commended for assisting during the undercover drug investigation of a deputy US marshal in 1996. The officer's body has been sent to Atlanta for an autopsy to be carried out. Authorities say Meagher, the female employee and three other officers inhaled liquid nitrogen at Xytex, which is used to freeze sperm donations This is Vladimir Putin's Young Army, where children are groomed Soviet-style in military skills and patriotism. Unveiled last year, the Yunarmia has already recruited more than 42,000 school students. It is a 'military and patriotic' organisation that has been criticised as an echo of Hitler Youth. TV pictures showed star recruits from Moscow being presented to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russian Federation at a time of rising tension with the West. A young recruit learns how to use a weapon during his training with the the Yunarmia The Yunarmia has already recruited more than 42,000 school students. It is a 'military and patriotic' organisation that has been criticised as an echo of Hitler Youth Children as young as 10 are recruited to the army, which has 42,000 young members Recruits pledge to make themselves prepared for the service and labour for the sake of the Motherland Schoolchildren as young as ten are taught military drills, how to handle Kalashnikovs, practice wrestling and learn to make parachute jumps. The project was rolled out in Yaroslavl last May with 2,014 cadets, and began nationwide in September. The oath of male and female 'yun-armists' (young soldiers) reads: 'I swear to aim for victories in studies and sports, to live a healthy lifestyle, to make myself prepared for the service and labour for the sake of the Motherland, to cherish the memory of the heroes who fought for freedom and independence of our Motherland, to be a patriot and a dignified citizen of Russia.' The project was rolled out in Yaroslavl last May with 2,014 cadets, and began nationwide in September Officially the new set-up is known as the Voluntary Society of Support for the Army, Air Force and Navy, known as DOSAAF, and it mirrors a Soviet organisation Russia has witnessed a surge of nationalism since Putin's land grab in Crimea in 2014 The moving force behind the young army was hawkish defence minister Sergei Shoigu, a close ally of Putin's. Officially the new set-up is known as the Voluntary Society of Support for the Army, Air Force and Navy, known as DOSAAF, and it mirrors a Soviet organisation. Recruit Igor Izbayev, 18, from Yekaterinburg, said: 'Yunarmia is increasing the patriotic spirit of the country. 'It is now popular. Hard times, wars are everywhere. It is necessary to increase the patriotism to avoid the civil war like in Ukraine. There is never too much patriotism.' Young soldiers take part in military drills, and the move has been backed by Russian sports stars One Russian website complained that the young army was 'plagiarising Hitler Youth' - but the report was swiftly removed Unveiled last year, the Yunarmia has already recruited more than 42,000 school students When the young army was established, General-olonel Alexander Kolmakov said that reviving an old tradition of children and youth organisations can lead to the 'growing of a generation of citizens who treat the history with care, who are kind and responsive, ready to build a bright future for themselves and for their country'. His phrase 'svetloe buduschee' or 'bright future' was widely used in Soviet times to describe the expected great future of the USSR when Communism finally triumphed over the West's capitalism. 'The Yunarmia movement, created upon the initiative of the Russian Defence Ministry and supported by the President of Russian Federation, will unite all organisations and bodies that train the citizens before they join the army,' he said last year. Recruits are trained in carrying out military operations in the young army, likened to the Hitler Youth Recruits are made to do push ups under the supervision of army officers 'And DOSAAF will allow members of the new movement to use its facilities for training.' Russia has witnessed a surge of nationalism since Putin's land grab in Crimea in 2014. The Russian army is accused of supporting pro-Putin rebels in eastern Ukraine, amid fears a new war could erupt. And Moscow's forces have been deployed in Syria propping up the Assad regime. Top brass launched the young army saying they want to make the country's 'growing number of patriotic military movements' more structured. Some young army groups are sponsored by major enterprises, for example the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company. The new cadet force had 'a proper military-patriotic and military-sports programme' More than 40,000 schoolchildren have been recruited in the space of just a year Olympic pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva is among those who have been prominent in backing the initiative Russian sports stars are backing the initiative. Olympic pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, 34, and Svetlana Khorkina, 38, have been prominent in backing the initiative. The first-ever woman in space, cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, 79, attended an 'initiation ceremony' to welcome to new 'conscripts'. 'I hope that studies and practical training will give you a chance to join the Russian Army later and to become the true defenders of our Motherland,' she told the children. The complicated international situation demands attention and training, she explained, alluding to perceived Western threats to Russia. Svetlana Khorkina, two-time Olympic champion in gymnastics, at a Young Army event All recruits make a pledge to 'aim for victories in studies and sports' School children joining Young Army, which has been likened to the Hitler Youth 'I congratulate you. I want to hope that our joint work will produce new sportsmen and new heroes. I wish each of you becomes the decent officer of the Russian Army.' The new cadet force had 'a proper military-patriotic and military-sports programme', she said. 'Military-type sports, army service studies ~ it is not only about assembling and dissembling guns, it is also a course for a young soldier with marching and firing training with pneumatic guns. Children will study tactics and the military history of Russia.' They will also be taught the basics of first aid. One Russian website complained that the young army was 'plagiarising Hitler Youth' - but the report was swiftly removed. 'Something similar to German organisation Hitler Youth is coming from Russia,' it stated. Other criticism has been more muted. Irina Abankina, head of the Institute for development of education: 'Beyond any doubt, education in the spirit of responsibility and patriotism is extremely important. However, it is very easy to cross the line and go into a lot more aggressiveness.' This is the bizarre moment a bungling thief pulled a whole chicken out of his trousers after he was caught stealing food. The man, who has not been identified, was pulled into an office by security guards at a supermarket after workers suspected him of stealing food. The incident happened in the Russian city of St Petersburg and the footage was filmed by an employee, and it has since gone viral after being posted online. A shoplifter in St Petersburg, Russia stunned security guards when he revealed where he had been hiding his stolen goods - down his trousers! In the footage the man can be seen struggling to get the stolen goods out of his trousers. He desperately tries to pull the meat out of his pants, much to the shock of the guards. The man is then forced to unzip his jacket and loosen his trousers and only then is he able to pull the whole chicken out by its legs in the bizarre scenes. After freeing the chicken from his trousers, reports suggested that some sausages also slipped out from the unknown man's pants It is reported that once the chicken was free, a bunch of sausages then fell out onto the floor too. Online viewers lined up to share a giggle at the footage. One netizen said: 'Here we can see a man giving birth to a chicken.' It is not known if police were called or if charges are being pressed. The thief has not been identified. 27-year-old Briddell Barber was apprehended by U.S. Marshals on Monday morning after the fatal shooting around 1am outside Club 66 in Yazoo City, Mississippi A man has been arrested in connection with a quadruple homicide outside a bar in rural Mississippi where four men were shot dead. The suspect, 27-year-old Briddell Barber, was apprehended by U.S. Marshals on Monday morning after the fatal shooting around 1am outside of Club 66 in Yazoo City, Mississippi. Barber was charged with murder in a previous homicide in March of 2016 when he shot and killed a 25-year-old Justin Jamel Porter. The victims at the Club 66 shooting have been identified as Edward Johnson, Kevin Johnson, Jerrandan Allen, and Gabriel Townsend. Barber (pictured being arrested on Monday morning) was charged with murder in a previous homicide in March of 2016 when he shot and killed a 25-year-old Justin Jamel Porter Jackson Police Department Commissioner Tyree Jones confirmed that the suspect came to Jackson, Mississippi to a home in the area of Wood Lawn Street and Derry Street Police Chief Andrew Loyd said that one of the victims was giving Barber's girlfriend a ride home from the bar, which angered Barber who didn't want her to go with them. They then got into an argument outside the establishment which carried into a nearby apartment complex, the Clarion-Ledger reported. Two of the men were pronounced dead at the scene. The other two wounded men died at University of Mississippi Medical Center. Tributes of heartbroken friends and family have been posted on social media as the news has circulated of the four men's untimely deaths. Gabriel Townsend has been identified as one of the four victims in the shooting Tributes of heartbroken friends and family have been posted on social media as the news has circulated of the four men's untimely deaths Police Chief Andrew Loyd said that one of the victims was giving Barber's girlfriend a ride home from the bar Club 66, pictured here, which angered Barber enough to draw a weapon Authorities had earlier asked law enforcement officials in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama to be on the lookout for him. Jackson Police Department Commissioner Tyree Jones confirmed that the suspect came to Jackson, Mississippi to a home in the area of Wood Lawn Street and Derry Street. He reportedly had ties to an unnamed individual in the area and went there following the shooting before being arrested around 7:30 this morning. Barber's previous murder charge was also at a Yazoo City nightclub, Club Teflon, less than two miles away from Club 66. Theresa May today rejected calls by her Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu to impose fresh sanctions on Iran as the pair met for the first time in London. Earlier she kept Mr Netanyahu waiting on the steps of Downing Street in an embarrassing blunder as he arrived for talks. There were heavily armed police keeping a close eye on proceedings with the Israeli leader one of the biggest targets of Islamist extremists. Scroll down for video There was a massive armed police presence as the Israeli leader arrived for talks Looks like a lemon: Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured, left) may have been silently seething as he was made to wait outside No10 for Mrs May, who finally emerged to shake his hand (right) The Prime Minister was hosting Mr Netanyahu amid tensions over settlements on the West Bank and the Iranian nuclear deal. And the visit did not get off to the best start when the Israeli leader got out of his car in the famous street - and Mrs May did not emerge. After waving sheepishly at journalists opposite, Mr Netanyahu went inside unaccompanied. When Mr Netanyahu met David Cameron at Downing Street two years ago there were smiles all round but this time the atmosphere was distinctly cool. Mrs May lectured Mr Netanyahu on the issue of Israeli settlement building on occupied Palestinian land, something Britain has long opposed Downing Street said Mrs May had lectured Mr Netanyahu over Britain's continued opposition to Israeli settlement building on disputed territory. In an unusual move, Mr Netanyahu publicly challenged Mrs May to toughen the UK's stance on Iran in the wake of the Tehran regime's ballistic missile test last week. He told Mrs May Iran's aggression should 'not go unanswered' and urged her to follow Donald Trump's lead in proposing new sanctions. Speaking on the steps of Downing Street, he added: 'Iran seeks to annihilate Israel, it seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the West, it threatens the world. 'And it offers provocation after provocation. That's why I welcome President Trump's assistance of new sanctions against Iran, I think other nations should follow suit, certainly responsible nations.' Mr Netenyahu is pushing the West to abandon the nuclear deal with Iran and is emboldened by Mr Trump's harsh criticism of Tehran. The new US President has described the settlement with Iran as 'the worst deal ever negotiated'. A Downing Street spokesman yesterday said Mrs May had condemned Iran's 'pattern of destabilising' behaviour, but rejected Mr Netanyahu's demand for fresh sanctions. The spokesman said Mrs May 'made clear that we support the nuclear deal' with Iran, but acknowledged it needs to be 'properly enforced and policed'. She added: 'We share concerns about that test. It was discussed at the UN and we made clear our position. 'With regard to the specific agreement relating to the nuclear weapons it's important that it is very carefully and rigorously policed, but we should also be clear that it has neutralised the possibility of the Iranians acquiring nuclear weapons for more than a decade.' Mrs May also risked angering the Israeli PM by repeating the UK's longstanding opposition to the construction of new settlements on disputed land in the West Bank. The Prime Minister made it clear that the UK also continues to support a two-state solution to the Middle East crisis. She said the UK was a strong and close friend of Israel, highlighting co-operation in science, trade and security. Mrs May said there was 'much more we can do', adding that it was important to look at how 'we can build that relationship'. Outside in the cold: Mr Netanyahu's visit did not get off to the best start when the Israeli leader got out of his car in the famous street - and Mrs May did not emerge Mr Netanyahu was left waiting awkwardly on the steps of No10 and waving to journalists The PMs did then emerge all smiles to shake hands for waiting photographers. Downing Street aides blamed the confusion on Mr Netanyahu's car arriving two minutes earlier than expected. Mr Netanyahu took the unusual step of using the so-called 'warm words' in front of the cameras, ahead of the formal discussions, to make clear he wants to see Britain take action against Iran. Highlighting a recent ballistic missile test, he told Mrs May: 'We face challenges, that's very clear, from militant Islam and especially from Iran. 'Iran seeks to annihilate Israel, it seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the West, it threatens the world. 'And it offers provocation after provocation. 'That's why I welcome (US) President Trump's assistance of new sanctions against Iran, I think other nations should follow suit, certainly responsible nations. 'And I'd like to talk to you about how we can ensure that Iran's aggression does not go unanswered.'. The Israeli PM shuffled around seemingly unsure about whether to wait for Mrs May or go inside by himself After waving at journalists, the Israeli leader eventually walked inside the famous building on his own Despite the initial confusion, the two premiers came out and shook hands for the waiting photographers The two leaders also kick-started talks for a trade deal between the two countries and set up a new UK-Israel Trade Working Group to continue the progress. Trade minister Lord Price will visit Israel in the coming weeks to make further progress. Speaking before the meeting, the PM's spokeswoman said: 'This is their first bilateral meeting, I expect the focus to be on the relationship between our two countries, how we work together and particularly to increase the prosperity of our nations. 'Of course, I would expect the peace process to come up and in that context to reiterate our longstanding position to make clear that we view the continued increase as settlement activity undermining trust but also a very clear position that we have taken of needing to pursue a twin track approach, recognising the right of Israel to live safe from terrorism.' However Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that was 'simply not good enough' and called on the Prime Minister to stand up for Palestinian rights. Mr May and her visitor were all smiles despite the slightly chaotic start to their first meeting 'Fifty years after the United Nations demanded Israeli withdrawal from the territories occupied in the 1967 war, and 70 years after the UN voted for the creation of a Palestinian state, the British Government must act in support of peace and justice in the Middle East conflict,' said Mr Corbyn, a long-time campaigner for the Palestinian cause. 'Theresa May must make clear to the Israeli prime minister that the British Government will stand unequivocally behind the rights of the Palestinian people, along with the many who support them in Israel, as well as human rights and justice across the region.' He said the Prime Minister should also demand an assurance there would be no repeat of the 'improper interference' by the Israeli embassy in London, after an official was secretly filmed discussing how to 'take down' Foreign Office Minister Sir Alan Duncan. Amanda Telfer (shown) was passing by a building site in Hanover Square, London when a gust of wind toppled over three 13ft-by-13ft wooden structures weighing 655kg A lawyer was crushed to death by falling window frames after three construction companies and key staff ignored 'obvious' risks to public safety, a court heard. Amanda Telfer, 44, was passing by a building site in Hanover Square, central London when a gust of wind toppled over three 13ft-by-13ft wooden structures weighing 655kg. Members of the public had noticed the window moving in the wind but their concern was not shared by those involved in the project to refurbish the building, jurors were told. Ms Telfer, an intellectual property and media law specialist at Keystone Law near Oxford Street, was pronounced dead at the scene on 30 August 2012. Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson told the Old Bailey: 'There was a clear and serious risk posed by these window frames given their weight and size. 'Indeed it was obvious to anyone they carried a clear and serious risk of death. 'There were a series of obvious and straightforward steps that could have been taken to avoid that risk.' Mr Atkinson said the delivery of the windows could have been delayed until they were ready to be installed or stored properly rather than being left overnight on the public pavement leaning against the building. Members of the public had noticed the window moving in the wind but their concern was not shared by those involved in the project to refurbish the building, jurors were told Project managers Damian Lakin-Hall (left) and Claire Gordon (right) are charged with gross negligence manslaughter and breaching a general duty at work The frames could also have been strapped down to prevent them falling over, it is claimed. Mr Atkinson said: 'There was no proper plan in place for them to be lifted from the delivery vehicle and moved to the building or for them to be stored. 'The process of unloading the large, heavy framed was undertaken without any measures to restrict the free movement of pedestrians. 'The window frames were simply left on the public pavement overnight leaning against the building. 'No efforts had been made to secure them, nor had any barrier been placed around them to protect members of the public using that busy thoroughfare. 'Members of the public who did pass then noticed they moved in the wind and were concerned they might fall. Steve Rogers (left), the senior project manager responsible for overseeing health and safety is charged with breaching a general duty at work, while Kelvin Adsett (right) is charged with gross negligence manslaughter and breaching a general duty at work Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson told the Old Bailey the delivery of the windows that killed Ms Telfer (pictured) could have been delayed until they were ready to be installed 'That concern was not shared by those who were actually responsible for making sure they did not fall.' Project managers Damian Lakin-Hall, 48, and Claire Gordon, 35, and window installer Kelvin Adsett, 63, are charged with gross negligence manslaughter and breaching a general duty at work. Steve Rogers, 62, the senior project manager responsible for overseeing health and safety is charged with breaching a general duty at work. The three companies accused of health and safety failures are the principal contractor Westgreen Construction Ltd, the manufacturer of the window frames Drawn Metal Limited, and the window installers I S Europe Ltd. Rogers and Lakin-Hall, who worked for Westgreen, were both on site after the frames were delivered and had a 'reasonable duty of care' to make sure they were secure, jurors heard. Police Forensics at the scene examine the window frame (pictured) Mr Atkinson said: 'Instead it appears Westgreen, Rogers and Larkin-Hall simply left it to others to deal with.' Gordon was also on site as the planning manager for Drawn Metal but also 'took no meaningful steps to make the frames safe.' Adsett, the sole employee of I S Europe, personally supervised the delivery of the window frames, the court heard. Mr Atkinson said: 'He was actually responsible for placing them against the wall of the building. 'He was also directly responsible for failing to take any steps to secure the frames and exclude the public from the area.' Lakin-Hall, of Portsmouth Road, Cobham, Surrey; Claire Gordon, of Ashby Crescent, Leeds; and Adsett, of New Road, Slough, Berkshire, all deny manslaughter and breaching a general duty at work. Rogers, of Sheering Mill Lane, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, denies breaching a general duty of work. I S Europe Ltd, from Slough, Westgreen Construction Ltd, from Richmond, Surrey, and Leeds-based Drawn Metal Ltd, all deny with breaching general duty of care to an employee and breaching general duty of care to a non-employee. Another member of the public had almost been hit in a 'near-miss' at the site just days before the fatal accident, the court heard. Work was 'routinely carried out' on the pavement and equipment was stored there overnight, but there was no external barrier to separate the working area from the public, Mr Atkinson said. Ms Telfer, an intellectual property and media law specialist at Keystone Law near Oxford Street, was pronounced dead at the scene on 30 August 2012 Plywood hoarding, painted with Westgreen Construction Limited's logo, had instead been placed inside the building behind the door and window spaces, he said. He told the jury: 'The incident with which this case is concerned was not the first time that the public was put at risk, as it would appear this was not the first incident of its type involving Westgreen's construction site. 'In the days before the accident, a plywood hoarding had fallen from one of the apertures on the building, almost hitting a member of the public as he made his way home.' Mr Atkinson said the alleged incident raised questions over health and safety at the site. He told the jury they must consider whether the defendants were aware of what had happened and if this should have caused them to reassess 'the sufficiency of the measures being taken to segregate the public from the construction site'. The trial continues. A 'reliable' husband who gave his wife all of his 'liquid' money when they divorced 15 years ago must increase her maintenance payments because she has spent every penny on 'unwise property investments', a court has ruled. Part-time beautician Maria Mills, 51, received a 230,000 lump sum - along with 1,100 monthly maintenance payments - when she split from her husband Graham after 13 years of marriage. But, since the divorce in 2002, Mrs Mills has invested the money 'unwisely' in a series of London properties, landing herself in debt because of her 'poor' decisions. 'Reliable' husband Graham Mills (left) has been ordered to increase maintenance payments to his wife Maria (right) because she has spent every penny on 'unwise property investments' Mr Mills argued he 'should not be the insurer against the wife's poor financial decisions', saying it was unfair that he should 'pick up the tab' years after they split. But the businessman has now been ordered to increase Mrs Mills's monthly payments to 1,441 so she is 'able to meet her basic needs'. Despite pleas from Mr Mills for his ex-wife to secure her own 'independence', a judge said her monthly outgoings equated to 1,441 and it was wrong for a previous judge to order lower payments. Sitting at London's Appeal Court, Lord Justice Longmore and Sir Ernest Ryder heard how the couple, who have a grown-up son, married in 1988, before separating in 2001. They divorced in 2002, after reaching an agreement on how their wealth should be split. The court heard how Mr Mills, a surveyor, agreed to give his ex-wife 1,100 a month in personal maintenance. He also offered to give her almost all their 'liquid capital', while he agreed to keep his businesses. Later, however, Mrs Mills 'unwisely invested in a series of properties', each time 'moving upmarket' from a house in Weybridge, Surrey, to a smart three-bedroom flat in Wimbledon. She then moved to a two-bedroom apartment in a luxury Victorian mansion block in Battersea. The court heard how Mrs Mills 'over-financed' each of her homes, increasing her mortgage liabilities. But she failed to offset them with enough profit from the sale of the properties, the court heard. Mrs Mills 'unwisely invested in a series of properties', each time 'moving upmarket'. Her first home was this house in Weybridge, Surrey (pictured) She then took out a bigger mortgage and moved to this three-bedroom flat in Wimbledon She is now living in a rented home, back where she started in Weybridge, and works two days a week as a beauty therapist, the court heard. The judge said the pair both went before a family judge last year, with the wife asking for more maintenance because she could not manage financially. Her husband - who has since remarried and has another child with his new wife - went to judges in a bid to get a clean break, the court heard. Judge Mark Everall QC - who heard the original case - threw out both their challenges, but both parties then each instructed QCs to renew their battle before the Court of Appeal. Philip Cayford QC, for Mr Mills, told the judges that he is desperate to 'move on' with his life and that a decision in favour of Mrs Mills went against 'the tide towards seeking independence'. 'This is a case where the wife leaves the marriage with all, or almost all the liquid capital, then says she needs maintenance for another 50 years, despite proving herself capable of working to a high standard,' he said. Mrs Mills later moved to a two-bedroom apartment in a luxury Victorian mansion block in Battersea (pictured) 'It is the husband's case that he should not be the insurer against the wife's poor financial decisions, taken over the course of the 15 years that have passed since the original ancillary relief order. 'The time is long overdue for the wife to terminate her financial dependency on the husband. 'Since 2002, the wife's management of her finances has been so poor that she appears to have exhausted her entire capital, and seeks to continue and now increase the periodical payments element of the order.' He added: 'The husband has done all that could be reasonably expected of him in his reasonable wish to move on post-divorce.' But Frank Feehan QC, for Mrs Mills, pointed out that the original judge did not find Mrs Mills was 'profligate or wanton in her approach to her finances.' Although she was 'not a good businesswoman' and 'did not manage her finances wisely', the judge accepted that her finances and ability to work had been 'hindered' by health problems. Mr Feehan also defended Mrs Mills's 'credit card debts, run up over many years as a single parent having health difficulties'. Asking for an increase in maintenance, he said Mrs Mills is currently 'unable to meet her basic needs'. Sir Ernest, giving the court's ruling, said Mr Mills had been regarded as 'reliable, truthful and frank' by Judge Everall, who had been 'less impressed with the wife.' Referring to Mrs Mills, he said: 'She had unwisely invested in a series of properties, each time moving upmarket, with the consequence that she is now without any of the capital she was given in 2002. 'She is not a good businesswoman. The wife now says the judge left her unable to meet her basic needs,' he added. Judge Everall had calculated the wife's 'needs' at 1,441 a month, but had gone on to order that her monthly maintenance should not be increased from 1,100. But Sir Ernest said that 'shortfall' was unexplained and left Mrs Mills out of pocket. 'He concluded that the wife would not be able to move towards independence,' he said. 'It is impossible for the court to ascertain how the 341 a month difference was to be saved by the wife. He didn't make the findings to justify the lower figure,' he added. 'The judge made an error of principle. The order should have been that the husband pay maintenance in the sum of 1,441 a month until further order of the court. 'The husband has and had the ability to make the maintenance payments asked for.' No value was put on Mr Mills's business interests, but the court was told that he had previously been able to draw dividends from them of up to 200,000 a year. Three people who were shot and killed during a late-night rampage near a Christian school in Florida have been identified. Kelli J. Doherty, 20, Brandi El-Salhy, 24, and Sean P. Henry, 25, were all gunned down inside a Jupiter home on Sunday night. Authorities were called to the property in the upmarket neighborhood at around 10.30 last night after locals heard rounds of gunshots. Upon arrival officers found their three bodies, making it the town's worst shooting in more than seven years. Neighbors revealed that Henry worked at a church called JupiterFIRST and had recently returned from a mission in Haiti. Church volunteer Sean P. Henry (above) was identified as one of the three people killed during a late-night shooting rampage in Jupiter, Florida Brandi El-Salhy, 24, (left) and Kelli J. Doherty, 20, (right) were also shot and killed during the attack in Jupiter, Florida Police say they have a person of interest in custody, but their identity has not been released. Cops also said the trio were targeted in the shooting, but have not disclosed the motive. Tisa Oldham, the JupiterFIRST's chief operating officer, told the Palm Beach Post Henry had been a participant in the church's program since he was a child. During his trip to Haiti he helped build houses. Last week, he led the prayer for children during a Sunday service. He worked with the youth group and was one its leader, Oldham said. Police on Mohawk Street after the shooting. Upon arrival officers found three bodies Officers searched overnight for a gunman and urged residents to stay in doors. A person of interest was taken into custody on Monday 'He is deeply missed here,' he said. 'He is loved by this congregation. We plan to make ourselves available to his family.' Jennifer Foster, a 13-year resident of on the street, said he was surprised by what happened. 'It's a middle-class neighborhood, mostly owners, some rentals,' she added. Neighbors revealed that Henry (pictured) worked at a church called JupiterFIRST and had recently returned from a mission in Haiti 'Everybody is friendly, kids go trick-or-treating every year. We've had petty crimes here, never anything like this.' Jupiter police announced on Monday morning that they were evacuating homes along Mohawk Street, where the slaying took place, after finding a suspicious package near the scene of the triple homicide. Although the size of the package or what it may be hasn't been disclosed, the bomb squad has been called to the scene as a precaution. 'I'm not taking any chances,' said Jupiter Police Chief Frank Kitzerow. Officers searched overnight for a gunman and urged residents to stay in doors, according to Kitzerow. One local resident, who wished to remain anonymous, also told the Post that he heard eight initial gunshots when the fatal shooting started. After leaving his home to check the commotion he saw a young man run and duck. Police said Henry, El-Salhy (left) and Doherty (right), were targeted in the attack The shooting took place close to Jupiter Christian School which was closed on Monday He added that the young man ran back toward where the initial gunshots were fired. There was one more shot, and then a car sped away. Police are believed to be concentrating the search in a home on the north side of Mohawk Street close to an intersection with Suwanee Avenue. Officers have yet to confirm whether the home is the crime scene or if any of the bodies were found there. The killings are the worst since November 2007 when Paul Merhige fatally shot four members of his family at a Thanksgiving dinner at home. Merhige is serving life in prison. Lawyers for Washington state and Minnesota have told a federal appellate court that restoring President Donald Trump's ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries would 'unleash chaos again.' The filing with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco came early Monday after the White House said it expected the federal courts to reinstate the ban. Washington and Minnesota said their underlying lawsuit was strong and a nationwide temporary restraining order was appropriate. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer argued the White House's position on board Air Force One today with reporters. 'The law is on the president's side,' Spicer said on the trip between Tampa and D.C. 'The Constitution is on the president's side.' 'We feel very confident that we will prevail in this matter,' he said. 'Once we prevail, it will go right back into action.' Just hours after an appeals court blocked an attempt to re-impose the travel ban, Iranian researcher Nima Enayati checked in on an Emirates Airline flight direct from Milan Members of International Migrants Alliance in Hong Kong hold placards during a protest against President Donald Trump's selective country travel ban outside of the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong However, if the appellate court reinstated Trump's ban the states said the 'ruling would reinstitute those harms, separating families, stranding our university students and faculty, and barring travel.' The rapid-fire legal maneuvers by the two states were accompanied by a declaration filed by John Kerry and Madeleine Albright, former secretaries of state, along with former national security officials under President Barack Obama. They said Trump's ban would disrupt lives and cripple U.S. counterterrorism partnerships around the world without making the nation safer. 'It will aid ISIL's propaganda effort and serve its recruitment message by feeding into the narrative that the United States is at war with Islam,' according to the six-page declaration filed in court. 'Blanket bans of certain countries or classes of people are beneath the dignity of the nation and Constitution that we each took oaths to protect,' the declaration later added. Members of International Migrants Alliance in Hong Kong hold placards during a protest against President Donald Trump's selective country travel ban outside of the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong The technology industry also argued against the ban, contending it would harm their companies by making it more difficult to recruit employees. Tech giants like Apple and Google, along with Uber, filed their arguments with the court late Sunday. The next opportunity for Trump's team to argue in favor of the ban will come in the form of a response to the Washington state and Minnesota filings. The 9th Circuit ordered the Justice Department to file its briefs by 6 p.m. EST Monday. It had already turned down a Justice request to set aside immediately a Seattle judge's ruling that put a temporary hold on the ban nationwide. That ruling last Friday prompted an ongoing Twitter rant by Trump, who dismissed U.S. District Court Judge James Robart as a 'so-called judge' and his decision 'ridiculous.' Trump renewed his Twitter attacks against Robart on Sunday. 'Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!' He followed with another tweet saying he had instructed the Homeland Security Department to check people coming into the country but that 'the courts are making the job very difficult!' The government had told the appeals court that the president alone has the power to decide who can enter or stay in the United States, an assertion that appeared to invoke the wider battle to come over illegal immigration. Congress 'vests complete discretion' in the president to impose conditions on entry of foreigners to the United States, and that power is 'largely immune from judicial control,' according to the court filing. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, predicted the appeals court would not have the last word. 'I have no doubt that it will go to the Supreme Court, and probably some judgments will be made whether this president has exceed his authority or not,' she said. In his ruling, Robart said it was not the court's job to 'create policy or judge the wisdom of any particular policy promoted by the other two branches,' but to make sure that an action taken by the government 'comports with our country's laws.' The Twitter attacks on Robart appointed by President George W. Bush prompted scolding from fellow Republicans as well as Democrats. 'We don't have so-called judges,' said Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb. 'We don't have so-called senators. We don't have so-called presidents. We have people from three different branches of government who take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution.' Trump's order applied to Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen Muslim-majority countries that the administration said raise terrorism concerns. The State Department said last week that as many as 60,000 foreigners from those seven countries had had their visas canceled. After Robart's decision, the department reversed course and said they could travel to the U.S. if they had a valid visa. The department also advised refugee aid agencies that refugees set to travel before Trump signed his order would now be allowed in. The Homeland Security Department no longer was directing airlines to prevent visa-holders affected by Trump's order from boarding U.S.-bound planes. The agency said it had 'suspended any and all actions' related to putting in place Trump's order. Two refugees who fled war-torn Syria to start a new life in Australia with their family have questioned President Donald Trump's controversial visa ban. Saad Al-Kassab, 19, made headlines when he scored an ATAR of 96.65 and became dux of his Melbourne high school, despite only learning English two years ago. Joined by his older brother Omar - who is halfway through a business degree at university - the pair were in the audience for Monday night's episode of Q&A. Referencing his brother's achievements amidst immense suffering, Omar asked the panel: 'Why would someone ban people like us from being citizens of its country?' Scroll down for video Syrian refugees Saad (right) and Omar (left) have criticised President Donald Trump's controversial visa ban on Monday night's episode of Q&A Pro-Trump political analyst and writer Helen Andrews defended the ban and claimed it was only a temporary 90-day suspension to allow the US government time to fix vetting standards 'During the Arab Spring, when marching for democracy and freedom I was shot, tortured by the Syrian regime and forced to flee with family,' Omar began. 'Australia has given us a new life and with only two years of learning English, my brother recently graduated as the dux of his school and is hoping to be a doctor. Im also half way through my business degree. ' Pro-Trump political analyst and writer Helen Andrews was first to respond to the question, pointing out that the controversial travel ban was only for 90 days. 'Yes (there is a ban), for a period of 90 days, At this point it's extremely inaccurate to talk about a ban on anything,' she replied. 'The Trump administration wants to put in place a new system of vetting for its refugee population. And it's going to take 90 days to put that together.' 'So right now, we're only talking about a suspension, no-body is keeping anybody out permanently.' But Omar was quick to interject, pointing out that the ban on Syrians travelling to the United States was in fact 'indefinite' - not a 'suspension'. 'So the Syrian ban is indefinite, it's 90 days for everyone except the Syrian ban is an indefinite ban,' he said, to the applause of the mixed political bias crowd. Omar was quick to correct Ms Andrews on her assertion that the travel ban was only in place for 90 days, explaining that the ban was 'indefinite' for all Syrians Saad Al-Kassab, 19, made headlines when he scored an ATAR of 96.65 and became dux of his Melbourne high school, despite only learning English two years ago Ms Andrews stumbled on her words briefly before pointing out that the United States could only take 50,000 of the five million displaced people and had a responsibility to focus largely on people 'who are oppressed religious minorities.' Saad and Omar taught themselves how to speak English by watching 'Question Time' in Federal Parliament and using their father's battered English-Arab dictionary Saad and Omar taught themselves how to speak English by watching 'Question Time' in Federal Parliament and using their father's battered English-Arab dictionary Last week Foreign Minister Julie Bishop confirmed that Australia would support Donald Trump's controversial visa ban and tough border control policies. Ms Bishop said Australia would stand by the president's executive order - despite backlash from the United Kingdom, Canada and a number of countries in Europe. The executive order bans all citizens and refugees from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States for the next 90 and 120 days respectively. 'I'm confident that the Australian government and the U.S. government will continue to support each other in ensuring that we can implement our strong immigration and border protection policies,' Ms Bishop said in Los Angeles. The ban prevents citizens from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States. A groom fled his wedding with his new bride as a 17-year-old girl screamed at him saying that he was the father of her child and her unborn baby in what is being dubbed the most disastrous ceremony ever. Rosa Esperanza Reyes, 17, was hoping to stop the man marrying 18-year-old Rita Elena Lopez at a church in the city of Masaya, in the western Nicaraguan region of the same name. Holding her baby, Reyes told authorities the man was the father of the child in her arms and her unborn baby, and that he had even stayed with her the night before the wedding. The groom, right, escapes the ceremony with his wife, a woman believed to be his mother-in-law (left) and a young relative Rosa Esperanza Reyes with her child, who she claims was fathered by the groom Rosa Esperanza Reyes, right, with her child is surrounded by a crowd and the police She said: 'I am his wife, I have his son and I am pregnant. I am only 17 years old. 'I am here to stop the wedding, do you know why? 'Because I am pregnant and I want to avoid the wedding so that neither I nor the bride will be with this man.' According to local media, the pair had a relationship for three years and is currently six months pregnant. Although too late to stop the ceremony going ahead, a video shows that Rosa Esperanza Reyes did manage to cause a scene outside the church which resulted in the police being called. The video shows the man and his new bride leaving in a taxi, together with a lady who looks like the groom's new mother-in-law and a young female relative. Edwin Roman, the priest who married the couple, said: 'Apparently, the bride already knew that her boyfriend had another girlfriend so she was not surprised over the scandal outside the church.' A police officer helps Rosa Esperanza Reyes, right, and her child into the back of a police car Rosa Esperanza Reyes, left, attempted to postpone the wedding, claiming the groom was the father of her child and unborn baby The incident has caused outrage in Nicaragua, where the age of sexual consent is 18. Lawyer Manuel de Jesus Chavez said the man could face two to four years in prison if found guilty of sex with a minor aged 14 to 18. Prosecutors say they are waiting for Rosa Esperanza to report the case officially so that they can charge the groom. Elia Palacios, president of Women Against Violence, said: 'This is a crime. It has to be seen as a crime and the first thing we should do is to find the man, arrest him and judge him for the crime of raping a minor.' Kayakers filmed themselves paddling down a waterfall in pitch black while they are illuminated by LED lights. Brendan Wells, 22, took the incredible footage while paddling down rapids on the White Salmon River and Outlet Creek in Washington State. The professional kayaker can be seen navigating the rapids with his brother, Todd, 24. The two are seen splashing water into the air as the bright LED lights flash. Brendan Wells (above) filmed himself and his brother kayaking on the White Salmon River and Outlet Creek in Washington State The professional kayakers donned LED lights and were filmed in the pitch black as they navigated the rapids The stunning images see the men stick out clearly while paddling through the water Brendan, who hopes to continue filming kayaking expeditions, said: 'I paddle here with my brother on a regular basis and we have so much fun' He added: 'With the help of friends, we attached LED lights to our kayaks, paddles, and our gear' Brendan, who hopes to continue filming kayaking expeditions, said: 'I paddle here with my brother on a regular basis and we have so much fun. 'With the help of friends, we attached LED lights to our kayaks, paddles, and our gear.' The video was shortlisted in the Short Film of the Year Awards 2016 by Kayak Sessions. A 24-year-old woman from New Jersey was found slumped behind the wheel of her car after overdosing on heroin while her three-month-old son cried in the back seat. Katelyn Cox was unconscious in the driver's seat of her Hyundai Sonata which she had left running outside a bagel shop and pizzeria in Staten island, New York. Cox only regained consciousness after EMS workers gave her naloxone, an anti-overdose spray. Katelyn Cox, 24, was found to have overdosed on heroin while her three-month-old son was in the back seat along Arthur Kill Road in Staten Island, New York (pictured) She admitted to police she was high on heroin. The mother and baby were then taken to a local hospital. The baby was not harmed and is now in the custody of the Administration for Childrens Services, police said. Cox was charged with acting in a manner injurious to a child, operating a motor vehicle impaired by drugs, reckless endangerment and refusal to take a breath test. He has been described as 'the heir to Scalia' and is a religious conservative whose appointment to the Supreme Court was greeted with jubilation on the pro-gun, anti-abortion Right. But DailyMail.com can reveal that Neil Gorsuch's own church, in Boulder, Colorado, is a hotbed of liberal thinking and is led by a pastor who proudly attended the anti-Trump Women's March in Denver the day after the President's inauguration. Another member of the clergy at St. John's Episcopal Church is outspoken about the need for gun control, and helped organize opposition to a gun shop giveaway of high-capacity magazines in the run-up to a 2013 law that banned them from the state of Colorado. In December 2015, shortly after the San Bernardino terrorist attack, Rev. Ted Howard, 74, also put his name to a public letter slamming the 'criticism and disrespectful rhetoric' directed at Islam just as President Trump was floating a total ban on Muslim immigrants. He has been described as 'the heir to Scalia', but DailyMail.com can reveal that Neil Gorsuch's church, in Boulder, Colorado, is a hotbed of liberal thinking. Gorsuch was unveiled last week by the president with wife, Louise, who also worships at the church Members of the clergy at St. John's Episcopal Church have spoken out in favor of gun control, immigrants' rights, gay marriage and protecting the environment against the 'climate crisis' St. John's is led by a pastor who proudly attended the anti-Trump Women's March in Denver the day after the President's inauguration. The church, which trumpets its 'inclusive' ethos, also operates an outreach program that includes an LGBT center and a sexual health clinic And in a twist that may surprise religious conservatives who welcomed Gorsuch's appointment, church leader Rev. Susan Springer, 58, has said she is pro-gay marriage and offers blessings to same sex couples. The church, which trumpets its 'inclusive' ethos on its website, also operates a homeless outreach program that includes an LGBT center and a sexual health clinic in a pamphlet setting out the best places for those in need of help. Church authorities also appear to be strongly in favor of environmental initiatives - even adding solar panels to the roof in January last year saying it was because of the 'climate crisis'. Gorsuch, 49, moved to Colorado with his British wife Louise and daughters Emma, 18, and Belinda, 16, a decade ago after being appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit by President George W. Bush. The judge, who grew up in Denver but relocated to Washington DC as a teenager, has been a member of the congregation ever since and regularly volunteers as an usher. Gorsuch was brought up as a Catholic by his mother Ann, and attended an elite all boys Catholic school in Washington D.C. run by the Jesuit order. Church leader Rev. Susan Springer, 58, (above presiding over Christmas mass in 2013) has said she is pro-gay marriage and offers blessings to same-sex couples Springer (left) is a registered Democrat and protested President Trump the day after the inauguration. Rev. Ted Howard (right) put his name to a letter slamming the 'disrespectful rhetoric' directed at Islam just as Trump floated a total ban on Muslim immigrants Springer posted the above to her Facebook page the day after the anti-Trump Women's March The New York Times reported that he had become an Episcopalian while attending Oxford University as a postgraduate. It was there that he met his wife, Louise Burletson, whose family are understood to be members of the Church of England, which is part of the Anglican communion along with the Episcopalian church in the U.S. Gorsuch, his wife and his family, including his brother JJ, 43, and sister Stephanie, 45, are listed as Republican voters. But the same cannot be said for the pastors at his church. Springer is a registered Democrat and was among the estimated 100,000 protesters who descended on central Denver to protest President Trump the day after the inauguration. The cleric, who is from Maine but now lives in Longmont, described her afternoon protesting as being part of 'an epic, hopeful day' in a social media post that evening. A day later, she described her experience of the protest in another social media post, writing: 'Somewhere in that glorious, unified, peaceful, friendly, law-abiding crowd of 200k [sic] was a contingent from St. John's in Boulder. 'I carried a sign that read 'Episcopalian women marching for the dignity of every human being'. I had some extra and gave four away. 'Some people came over to say hello, including three folks whose relatives are Episcopal priests. We met an Episcopalian from Grand Junction [Colorado] and one from Golden [Colorado]. Rev. Howard spoke out in support of Islam after the San Bernardino massacre which saw 14 murdered in December 2015. He signed a letter calling for the end of criticism of Muslims At the time, President Trump was calling for a complete halt to Muslim immigration - a watered-down version was introduced last week and has caused chaos at airports nationwide 'We even saw a number of our own parishioners marching with friends and family. I have never felt so connected to humanity as I did yesterday.' She went on to call for more efforts 'to keep the work for justice and equality moving forward'. Equality is clearly a subject close to Springer's heart, with the 58-year-old publicly declaring her support for gay marriage in 2013. Gorsuch has never ruled on the issue and it appears unlikely to be re-litigated in front of the Supreme Court at present, but his past view of the issue is likely to come up in confirmation hearings. Speaking to local paper The Daily Camera in March of that year, Springer said: 'I don't think anybody in my [Episcopalian] faith tradition is out to destroy marriage between a man and a woman. 'I think we are out to find a way to offer the same blessing and the same sense of inclusion to same-sex couples. 'And I think we stand as prophetic witness that same-sex couples ought to enjoy the same legal benefits, if you will, as heterosexual couples.' St. John's has been included on multiple lists of gay-friendly churches in Boulder and works closely with an LGBTQ organization called Out Boulder (pictured) St. John's has since been included on multiple lists of gay-friendly churches in Boulder and works closely with an LGBTQ organization called Out Boulder. The latter has hosted events inside the church and features on a list of places willing to help the homeless in a St. John's pamphlet entitled The Handy Dandy Handout. One gathering, in June 2012, included the screening of a documentary called Love Free or Die which tells the story of Gene Robinson, the first openly gay man to become a bishop. Out Boulder features on a list of places willing to help the homeless in a St. John's pamphlet entitled The Handy Dandy Handout (pictured) Robinson, 69, is now retired but his elevation to the Episcopalian bishopric in 2003 proved so controversial, he was forced to wear a bulletproof vest at his New Hampshire consecration. Springer, who leads the church, is helped in her work by two pastors: Rev. Tim Howard and Rev. Janet Dewlen, 62. Howard, a 74-year-old former urban planner originally from Scarsdale, New York, is the more politically active of the two, with a long history of supporting gun control and speaking out for minorities. Like Springer, he is a registered Democrat, and in May 2013, he joined other Colorado clergy in staging a 'silent prayer witness' outside a gun shop giving away high-capacity magazines ahead of the roll-out of a law banning them across the state. The giveaway, dubbed Operation Mountain Standard, was also intended as a fundraiser for Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, a Colorado firearms lobby. Speaking to The Daily Camera ahead of the event, he said: 'It's not really meant to be a protest. It's just a gathering of clergy and others that are concerned with encouraging a safer, more peaceful community, a less violent community. 'We're concerned that what is being done with Operation Mountain Standard [the gun shop's initiative] is moving in the wrong direction.' Howard has also spoken out in support of Islam and, shortly after the San Bernardino massacre which saw 14 murdered in December 2015, signed a letter calling for criticism of Muslims to end. At the time, President Trump was calling for a complete halt to Muslim immigration a campaign promise that caused chaos in airports across the world when a watered-down version was introduced last week. Out has hosted events at St. John's Episcopal. The LGBTQ organization hosted a viewing of the film, 'Love Free or Die', inside the church. The film follows Bishop Gene Robinson - the first openly gay man to become a bishop Robinson (above with his partner Mark) is retired but his elevation to the Episcopalian bishopric was so controversial he was forced to wear a bulletproof vest at his consecration The letter, which was addressed to members of Colorado's Islamic community and published by The Colorado Imam Council on December 10 2015, says: 'In light of recent violent events in the US and elsewhere, messages of hate against Muslims are spreading. 'Misguided people will continue to seek opportunities to destroy peace and inflict pain and suffering. 'We abhor the criticism and disrespectful rhetoric that is being misguidedly directed towards Islam and Muslims.' It concluded: 'We stand by you and your families and believe that, by the will of God, together we can help turn this atmosphere of fear to an atmosphere of love.' Howard is also a member of Together Colorado, a community justice initiative that campaigns on issues ranging from immigration to police accountability. On immigration, the organization's stated aims are to 'love, care for and seek justice for the stranger among us' and adds that shared humanity 'ascends beyond the borders of man'. Together Colorado also campaigns for alternatives to jail for offenders and decries the use of force by police, as well as agitating for universal healthcare. Howard is also thought to be behind a St. John's initiative launched in the wake of the Orlando Pulse Night Club massacre of June 2016 that saw the church bells rung 49 times every Wednesday between July 7 and November 2 last year. Church authorities also appear to be strongly in favor of environmental initiatives - even adding solar panels to the roof in January last year saying it was because of the 'climate crisis' The church's website reads: 'We wanted to set a visible sign of our faith by providing a piece of the solution to our world's glowing climate crisis. We wanted to be good stewards of Creation, now and for future generations' In a Facebook message announcing the scheme, church authorities wrote: 'So that we might never forget those killed from gun violence in Orlando and in every time and place, so that our communities might be inspired to call for action to make our nation safer, saner, and more civil, and so that our elected representatives might hear us and know of our determination not to permit the epidemic of gun violence in America to become part of a new normal, please share this with your faith community and ask them to join us in ringing their tower bells each Wednesday from now through November 2nd.' It added: 'Some of us are pro-gun and some of us are anti-gun. Even so, as people of faith we share in common an aversion to gun violence, and we believe there are many others in our community and across our nation who share this conviction.' Howard and his colleagues Springer and Dewlen also take a liberal approach to climate change and the environment both of which have been reclassified as low priority by the Trump administration. In January 2016, solar panels were added to the roof of the church's administration building and the website includes a tracker, which allows parishioners to see how much energy St. John's uses. Explaining the church's decision to install the panels, a page on the website reads: 'A small group of motivated parishioners was looking for a way our church, St. John's Boulder, could be solar powered. Gorsuch and his family, including his brother JJ, 43 (pictured with Justice Scalia on a fishing trip), are listed as Republican voters. But now questions will be raised whether the judge does in fact share Scalia's conservative views 'We wanted to set a visible sign of our faith by providing a piece of the solution to our world's glowing climate crisis. We wanted to be good stewards of Creation, now and for future generations.' When DailyMail.com visited the church in Boulder, parishioners and clergy alike were reluctant to discuss Gorsuch's elevation to the Supreme Court and the liberal policies espoused by church leaders. Howard made repeated efforts to evade approaches from this website, while Springer is on holiday and refusing to take calls. Visited at her home, Dewlen said she was not prepared to answer questions and instead directed enquiries to the church office where staff also declined to comment. However, one parishioner, who asked not to be named, insisted that St. John's does not 'preach politics' and has no official stance on the issues soon to be crossing Gorsuch's desk. 'The church is very diverse,' said the woman. 'We have Republicans in the church, we have Democrats, we have Libertarians. 'We have a wide mix of people, there's a diverse range of thinking in our church. We don't have stances on politics in church.' She added: 'We don't talk politics. Everybody in this church has their own view, everybody brings their mind to church, everybody has their own opinion we don't preach politics. 'We preach Christ's love to everyone.' If Gorsuch is confirmed, he will take the Supreme Court's Christian majority back to where it was until Scalia's death, and join as the only non-Catholic member of that majority. Three of the current bench are Jewish and five are Catholic, as was Justice Scalia. The last time an Episcopalian was appointed was in 1990, when President George H. W. Bush picked David Souter. Rioting has broken out on a tinderbox French council estate after a policeman was accused of sexually assaulting a black youth worker with a truncheon. Amateur video posted online by the BFM news channel shows the 22-year-old, who has been identified as 'Theo' by protesters, being arrested last Thursday. Now one of four officers involved in the incident has been charged with rape on the so-called '3000 estate' in Aulnay-sous-Bois, in the north east suburbs of Paris. Scroll down for video A police officer has been charged with rape after a 22-year-old man was allegedly sodomised with a baton A police officer has been charged after the alleged sexual assault on a 22-year-old youth worker CCTV appears to show the man, named Theo, being attacked with a baton by an officer In horrific scenes that have been edited out of the film, a telescopic baton was allegedly inserted into the man's anal passage. The man was so badly injured that he required surgery on his injuries. The three other officers involved have in turn been charged with 'deliberate violence'. All face trial. Today bloodstains were still visible where the attack happened, and the alleged victim was still 'traumatised' with a 'severe wound' in hospital. Furious protests have been held on the estate where the 22-year-old was allegedly sodomised with a baton in Paris Rioting has taken place every night since, with Socialist presidential candidate Benoit Hamon saying: 'Police represent the republic that they protect. There is an urgent need to reestablish confidence.' A march is planned though the estate today, and there are fears that it too could descend into violence. 'We are doing everything possible to maintain public order,' said a local police source. 'Gangs of youths have been attacking us, and setting property on fire every night. The fear is that this violence will escalate.' Large demonstrations have been held by a community shocked by the allegations A window of the local police station was smashed by rioters angry over the alleged rape of a 22-year-old man who was arrested last Thursday At one stage over the weekend all street lightening went out on the 3000 which is named after the approximate number of people who live there because of an act of vandalism. Police argue that Theo's injuries are consistent with an accident, in which his tracksuit bottoms fell down and the baton penetrated him. It was not until the patrol brought the man back to their station that they noticed he was bleeding, and called paramedics. 'He was there at the wrong time and came across some crooks,' his brother-in-law Johann told BFM television, explaining the arrest. His sister Aurelie called for calm as supporters gathered outside her brother's home on Monday holding banners reading 'Justice for Theo'. The local prosecutor's office said the police had stopped a group of around a dozen people 'after hearing calls characteristic of lookouts at drug dealing sites'. Graffiti brands police 'rapists' in Aulnay-sous-Bois following the alleged attack During the operation they 'attempted to arrest a 22-year-old man'. When he resisted, they used tear gas, and 'one of them used an expandable baton,' the prosecutor's office said, without giving further details. The Socialist politician in charge of the Seine-Saint-Denis region where Aulnay-sous-Bois is located, Stephane Troussel, said the incident raised 'numerous questions'. 'Although thousands of police are doing their work properly... too many arrests end in nightmares for some young people. The image of the Republic is being tarnished. We have to urgently find a solution,' he said in a statement. Former prime minister Tony Abbott reportedly played a role in Cory Bernardi's resignation from the Liberal Party. The right-wing South Australian is quitting the party he has represented in the Senate since 2006 to start his own 'conservative movement'. Mr Bernardi's decision to ditch the Liberal Party came after a conversation with Mr Abbott, The Sydney Morning Herald said. Conservative politician Cory Bernardi has quit the Liberal Party Mr Bernardi's decision to ditch the Liberal Party came after a conversation with former Prime Minister Tony Abbott (pictured) Mr Bernardi discussed his resignation with Mr Abbott during a wide-ranging conversation and decided to pull the trigger following the meeting, the report said. There are now fears other conservative MPs could follow Mr Bernardi's lead and walk away from the Liberal Party, along with donors and voters. Mr Bernardi's resignation comes just a day after the latest Newspoll revealed the Coalition was trailing Labor 46 to 54 per cent. Liberal MPs were quick to slam Mr Bernardi's decision. 'I don't believe Cory could now be so unscrupulous and disloyal as to leave the party that has provided him with his seat in the Senate,' Assistant Minister to the Treasurer Michael Sukkar told The Daily Telegraph. Other Liberal MPs made last-ditch pleas for Mr Bernardi to remain in the party. 'He should remember that he was elected as [a] Liberal party senator, therefore every policy that he was elected under, that the Coalition took to the last election, I think he has an obligation to support that at the very least,' Liberal MP Craig Kelly told the ABC. Shocking footage has emerged of a police officer smashing a handcuffed man's head into a car windscreen. The video shows the suspected thief speaking to police officers outside the supermarket in Dublin, on Friday. Without warning the man suddenly lunges and appears to headbutt the police officer. The surprised Garda, in an attempt to restrain the attacker, slams the unidentified man's head into a car's windscreen, shattering the glass. CCTV footage shows an Irish police officer slam a man's head through a car windscreen after the suspected thief lunged at him outside a Tesco store in Dublin. It appeared as if the man had headbutted the officer before being restrained Police were called after the unidentified man was suspected of shoplifting. He was detained and handcuffed before suddenly jumping towards the officer The attacker, who has already been handcuffed, falls onto the ground as colleagues move in to help. As the man lays sprawled on the floor, one policeman stands over him while the second one watches on. Slow motion footage shows the impact of the slam was so severe that the windscreen shattered against the man's skull. The footage of the man falling to the floor was uploaded on to Liveleak. Following the incident the man was taken into custody and is due to appear in court next month The CCTV video was uploaded onto Liveleak and has already been viewed thousands of times. Following the melee the attacker was taken into custody on suspicion of theft and assault at the Aungier Street store, in Dublin. A police spokesperson said the man was arrested and bailed. He is due to appear in court later this month. The father of murdered jogger Karina Vetrano has labeled her accused killer a 'piece of s**t' and a 'loner loser' in a seething update on Monday to her online memorial fund. Former FDNY vet Phil Vetrano wrote he was in no doubt that the man who raped and murdered his daughter six months ago had been caught and said 'he will pay for his crime'. Vetrano, who discovered her body in a Queens park six months ago, then added that the $288,000 collected on GoFundMe as a reward to catch her attacker will now be donated to her favorite charities. Scroll down for video Fury: Phil Vetrano, Vetrano's father (pictured with her), posted an update to his daughter's memorial fund on Monday and called her suspected killer a 'piece of s**t' Honest: The former FDNY vet left those who had donated to the fund in no doubt that he felt the NYPD had arrested the right man He also raised the possibility of a scholarship to her high school in her name to honor his daughter, who was a writer and published poetry online. This comes one day after her mother hurled abuse Chanel Lewis, who police say has confessed to raping and killing her daughter on Sunday as they came face to face for the first time in court. Cathy Vetrano was joined by her husband Phil and dozens of relatives and friends to watch Chanel Lewis, 20, be arraigned at a Queens Criminal Court court on Sunday night. 'Now your nightmare begins,' she screamed as Lewis was formally charged with murdering Karina in Spring Creek Park on August 2. Mrs Vetrano, who has maintained an active public profile since her daughter's murder, earlier deemed him a 'savage' and a 'demon' who 'must get his justice'. She and her former fire fighter husband vowed to attend all of Lewis's court appearances after news of his arrest spread on Sunday. NYPD detectives arrested Lewis, an unemployed 20-year-old, at his mother's house in East New York, Brooklyn, on Saturday after matching his DNA to traces found under Karina's fingernails. Police say he has made 'detailed' confessions about raping and strangling Vetrano since being taken into custody. 'Now your nightmare begins': Cathy Vetrano shouted at Chanel Lewis, the 20-year-old accused of murdering her daughter Karina, as he was arraigned at Queens Criminal Court on Sunday Lewis was arrested on Saturday in East New York, Brooklyn, and is facing one count of second degree murder The 20-year-old was held without bond on Sunday night and will reappear in court on February 21 Appeal: Cathy and Phil Vetrano made an appeal last year for help in finding their daughter's killer Lewis was staying with his father at the time of the murder and had gone to the park 'angry' on August 2 because there were too many people in the house, sources told New York Daily News. He had never met Karina before when they crossed paths, but sources say Lewis had a 'deep seated aggression' towards women. The Queens District Attorney's Office would not comment on the theory on Monday morning, telling DailyMail.com: 'It's an ongoing investigation.' Detectives honed in on him after reviewing a 911 call from May last year, two months before the murder, which reported a man acting suspiciously near the park in Howard Beach, Queens. Lewis is accused of murdering 30-year-old Karina Vetrano as she jogged near her home in Howard Beach, Queens, on August 2 He is facing one charge of second degree murder with more likely to be brought as the District Attorney's investigation continues. The NYPD scratched around for leads for six months before their first contact with Lewis on Thursday. The news that he had been arrested came as a shock to the Vetrano family who said it was 'too early' to say how they felt on Sunday. 'We hoped to get to this point one day. 'We didn't know if or when it would happen. 'We can't even really respond to how we feel, we don't know yet,' Mr Vetrano, who was supposed to have joined his daughter running on the night she died, said. The couple commended the 'magnificent' NYPD which they said had worked 'tirelessly' to solve their daughter's murder and also gave themselves credit for keeping the case in the public eye. 'We would stop at nothing to find the savage that did this to her. The demon must get his justice and we will see to it,' Mrs Vetrano said. Police sources revealed on Monday that the 20-year-old who they said had a 'deep seated' anger towards women. Lewis's father, retired elementary school principal Richard Lewis, however said his 'humble' son couldn't have been involved with such a violent crime. 'Chanel would never have gone to do what they say he has done. He hasn't had a fight in his 20 years,' he told The New York Post. Mr Lewis rushed to the 107th Precinct in Queens on Sunday where press had gathered after his son's Saturday night arrest. 'He's a wonderful kid': The suspect's father, retired principal Richard Lewis, was shocked by the charges against him There, he told proudly how Chanel was an honor roll student at Martin De Porres High School in Far Rockaway, Queens, and said he had been the victim of muggings. The suspect's father said that while he was sorry for Vetrano's death, he believes his child is innocent. In a plea to the jogger's parents, he said: 'I'm sorry to hear about [your daughter], but I'm sure that [Chanel] would not be a part of that. Theresa Forbes, his half-sister, said she believed he was being framed because he was black. 'I think the cops framed him because hes a black person. They couldnt find anyone else to pin this on, so they pinned it on my brother. 'My family, we are God-fearing people. The Bible tells us Do no killwe do not kill,' she told The New York Post, adding that officers 'coerced' her brother into confessing. Lewis was led out of the 107th precinct on Sunday afternoon after his arrest was announced at a press conference Lewis was reported acting suspiciously at the park in May, two months before Vetrano's death, by one of her neighbors. He is seen above being taken out of the precinct on Sunday The 20-year-old has no prior criminal record but has three court summonses for acting suspiciously NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said on Sunday (left) that Lewis did not know Vetrano and it was a 'chance encounter' Lewis has no previous criminal record but has three court summonses for suspicious behavior in a bicycle track at Spring Creek Park. Chief Bryce would not disclose what the previous 'issues' were for. In May, a resident in Howard Beach, Queens, called 911 to report him acting suspiciously near Spring Creek Park where the jogger died. Detectives investigating Vetrano's death found a record of the call as they purged through hundreds of reports and similar phone-ins while trying to make headway in the case. They were able to build a profile from the call which led them to Lewis. 'We found a 911 call prior to the homicide of him being in Howard Beach. 'We had a member of community call to say he was a suspicious person which we get all the time. 'From that we had a profile. He does have a number of summonses, he has no criminal record,' he said. It's not clear what was done about the call at the time. Vetrano was seen on surveillance footage jogging towards the park at 5.46pm, moments before her death Lewis was arrested at the home he shares with his mother in East New York on Saturday night. It is less than four miles from the park where Vetrano was found The suspect was reported to police previously for acting suspiciously in a bicycle track in Spring Creek Park, where the 30-year-old was murdered They visited his mother's house in East New York on Thursday to take a cheek swab , which the 20-year-old agreed to, and two days later marched it to DNA found on Vetrano at the scene. The traces were found beneath her fingernails, signs she tried to fight him off before her death, NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Bryce said at a press conference on Sunday. A hand print left on her back also matched him as did DNA found on her cell phone. Detectives were still searching his home on Sunday. 'Karina helped us identify is person, she had the DNA under her nails, touch DNA on her back and she had DNA on her cell phone.' Karina's parents Cathy and Phil maintained an active public profile during the investigation Since being taken into custody, Lewis has described the attack in detail, Chief Boyce said. 'He gave very detailed, incriminating statements. We don't believe he knew her at all. 'It appears to be a chance encounter. I don't think there was any stalking,' he said, adding the suspect's had described 'each step of the assault'. They could not confirm whether familial DNA testing, which the Vetrano family had pushed for, played any role in the investigation. Mr Vetrano, the jogger's father, was due to go running with her on the night she died but didn't because of an injury. He and his wife are campaigning for familial DNA testing, which examines the DNA of potential suspects' family members to rule them in or out of crimes, to become commonplace. It's not clear whether it played a part in Lewis's arrest. Vetrano was found face down in weeds in Spring Creek Park on August 2 by her father who had launched a search party after she didn't come home. Police sources said at the time there was evidence she had been anally and vaginally raped and had been punched in the face. An Uber driver who allegedly raped a 22-year-old tourist says she called him handsome and asked him to have sex in the back seat of his car. Muhammad Naveed, 41, pleaded not guilty to having sexual intercourse without consent with a heavily intoxicated woman after picking her up outside a Kings Cross nightclub in 2015. Mr Naveed broke down in court while giving evidence on Monday, repeatedly sobbing 'she trapped me,' according to The Sydney Morning Herald. 'My hand was on top of my car gear stick and then she put her hand on top of my hand and she kept it there... She said ''thanks for giving me a ride you're a handsome man'',' Mr Naveed said. Muhammad Naveed (pictured) pleaded not guilty to having sexual intercourse without consent with a heavily intoxicated woman after picking her up outside a Kings Cross nightclub in 2015 Mr Naveed broke down in court while giving evidence on Monday, repeatedly sobbing 'she trapped me' 'I said ''thank you very much you're also a beautiful girl''. She said ''no one has ever said to me that I'm a beautiful girl, thank you for that'' and then she came closer to me and tried kissing me.' At the opening of the District Court trial last month, crown prosecutor James Trevallion said the woman thought she was getting into a cab. He said that en route to Sydney's eastern suburbs, where the woman lived, Naveed pulled into a service station and bought condoms and a bottle of water, saying to her: 'I've just got these.' 'She became confused...and did not really understand why the accused was showing her this packet of condoms,' Mr Trevallion said. Mr Naveed allegedly raped a 22-year-old tourist says she called him handsome and asked him to have sex in the back seat of his car Naveedis led away by police after he was charged with allegedly raping an Uber passenger Crown prosecutor James Trevallion said the woman thought she was getting into a cab, not an Uber (stock image) Mr Naveed then drove in the opposite direction to the woman's home, stopped in a side street and asked if she wanted to move to the back seat, the prosecutor said. 'The complainant will tell you at this point she could not keep her eyes open and she was falling asleep,' he told the jury. 'She did not have the strength to be able to push him off,' Mr Trevallion said. The next thing the woman remembers is waking up to find Naveed on top of her. Mr Naveed told the court he never had sex with the woman because he couldn't get an erection. The trial continues. A woman who was kidnapped and kept captive in Ariel Castro's house of horrors for a decade is joining a local news team to help find missing persons. Amanda Berry suffered a decade of rape, torture and psychological torment at the hands of Castro after she was lured to his Cleveland, Ohio, home in 2003, aged just 16. On Sunday, in a pre-Super Bowl commercial, Berry announced she was joining the Fox 8 News team on Monday for a missing persons segment. As host of the daily feature, Berry will report on a different missing person from Northeast Ohio each day. She will tell the story of people who have disappeared and provide information on how viewers can help trace them. Scroll down for video Amanda Berry, who was kidnapped and kept captive in Ariel Castro's house of horrors for a decade, is joining a local news team to help find missing persons On Sunday, in a pre-Super Bowl commercial, Berry announced she was joining the Fox 8 News team on Monday for a missing persons segment As host of the daily feature, Berry will report on a different missing person from Northeast Ohio each day. She will tell the story of people who have disappeared and provide information 'I'm thrilled to be joining the Fox 8 News team for this important segment,' said Berry. 'When I was missing, the people who were looking for me never gave up. My wish is that this segment will not only help find those who are missing but offer hope for the loved ones who are looking for them.' Berry was one of three women abducted and held by Castro until May 6, 2013, when she, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, were freed by police. Berry told Channel 8 news that she occasionally sees DeJesus and Knight, but they refuse to focus on the horrors they faced while kept captive. 'We laugh,' she said. 'Silly stuff. The women described a real-life house of horrors where they were repeatedly beaten, raped and kept in chains for more than a decade. Berry's daughter, which Castro fathered during the years of abuse, was also freed. Castro was arrested and jailed for more than 1,000 years for hundreds of charges including rape and kidnapping. He hung himself in 2013 just one month into his sentence. Berry (left) was one of three women abducted and held by Castro until May 6, 2013, when she, Gina DeJesus (center) and Michelle Knight (right) were freed by police DeJesus and Berry have since published a joint memoir about their experience. Berry described how Castro lured her into his home on April 21, 2003, on a promise to see his daughter, her acquaintance. He barricaded the then-16-year-old in a room, told her to pull down her pants and raped her. She was then chained in the basement and repeatedly abused. Castro placed a tall, beige trash can next to the bed so that Amanda could use it as a 'bathroom'. Four days after she was captured, Castro turned on the news and saw her mother pleading for her safe return. She said that a silent Castro watched Louwana Miller beg for her daughter to come home. 'He has an odd look on his face, and then I realize: He's proud,' Amanda wrote about her monstrous captor. She also described in a People interview how Castro was much stronger than he looked, packing muscle beneath his rotund figure. In chains: Ariel Castro killed himself in prison in September 2013 after being sentenced to life in prison plus 1,000 years for abducting the three women 'To be around him was scary,' Amanda recalled.'He had these cold black eyes. We were afraid we were going to die.' Berry described the psychological tricks that Castro played on her, pretending that he had called her mom and allowing her to listen to voicemails from her desperately worried family. At one point, he allowed her to read an article in the local newspaper, the Plain Dealer, where her mom spoke of her worry. Berry then recalled of Castro's reaction: 'It turns him on to see how much it hurts me to read the article.' Gina DeJesus was abducted using a similar ploy by Castro a year later. She described her abductor to People as 'always prepared'. Both Gina and Berry, said Castro raped them up to five times a day, forcing them to tell him they 'want it, love it' and that he was 'sexy'. An FBI investigator told GMA that doors were used to cover the windows, turning areas of the home into a fortress. The doors were bolted to the wall - and then those bolts were sheared off. The house on Seymour Avenue in Cleveland Ohio where Amanda Berry kicked her way to freedom on May 6, 2013, more than a decade after she went missing Investigation photographs from the Castro home where doors were bolted over windows - and then the bolts sheared off, keeping the three women captive for a decade Amanda Berry gave birth to a daughter Jocelyn in captivity. She tried to shield her daughter from the horrifying reality of their lives and even set up a kindergarten in the room It later emerged that Michelle Knight had been imprisoned in a separate bedroom since August 2002. A month after learning that her mother, Louwana Miller, had died, Amanda, realized she was pregnant by Castro in April 2006. Despite the misery of their lives, often chained, starved and sexually abused, the women found comfort in the birth of Amanda's baby girl by Castro in 2006. Amanda described the moment that she first laid eyes on her baby, Jocelyn. 'It was amazing,' she said. 'She was so quiet and she was just the most beautiful thing.' She explained how she tried to shield Jocelyn from the horrors of their lives by creating a kindergarten in the one-room prison where Castro held them. Evidence pictures revealed a cramped room with no natural light but the walls decorated with colorful drawings and a pink Barbie desk set up next to a bed with a neat row of soft toys. Amanda Berry, pictured following her escape from Ariel Castro's 'house of horrors' with her sister (left) and daughter Jocelyn (right) in 2013 The mom even dreamed up a 'walk to school' for her daughter each morning when she had turned five. Amanda said: 'We would pretend - leave our house, all of us in the same room of course. 'I would tell her, ''okay, we're at a street now, so you have to stop. Then you look both ways for cars and then we can go across the street. Okay, we're at school now.'' The Cleveland 'house of horrors' survivors wrote a book that was published on April 27 'I'd sit her at her little desk and tell her, ''okay you have a good day at school now. Mommy will be back later for you.''' Finally on May 6, 2013, Amanda said it was her daughter who noticed that the women were alone in the house. She recalled that her daughter told her 'mom, daddy's car is gone'. Amanda knew that this was her opportunity to break free. 'My heart immediately started pounding. Should I chance it? If I'm going to do it, I need to do it now.' On May 6, Berry grabbed her daughter and bolted for the front door, kicking her way out through a bottom panel. She returned with police who freed the other captives and arrested Castro. Christopher Thompson has been jailed for 27 years for a catalogue of shocking child sex offences A disgraced soldier who molested a boy in a garage and paid a paedophile 50 to rape on a boy on camera has been jailed for more than 27 years. Christopher Thompson spent hours online attempting to groom children and asked other sex offenders for pictures of babies. He sent around 7,000 messages online including on a social network called Tagged, but was arrested after a worker for the website in the US spotted his activity and told British police. Thompson, 26, discussed his disgusting fantasies with convicted paedophile Aaron Hughes, who is now serving a life sentence. The pair arranged for Thompson, of Darlington, to pay 50 to watch Hughes raping a child. Hughes, from Wales, later sent him video files showing the rape of a very young child and Thompson replied: 'Wow.' While on bail in May 2015, Thompson was arrested again after he met an 11-year-old boy in a park and sexually abused him in a garage. The court heard he used social network Tagged to groom youngsters, but was caught after a website employee in the US saw his messages and reported him Thompson admitted 12 charges of sexual activity with a child, sexual activity in the presence of a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to watch a sexual activity, attempting to arrange a child sex offence and making and distributing indecent photographs of children. Among his catalogue of sick crimes, he also sent sexually explicit pictures and videos of himself to children and asked them to do the same and offered to pay for sex in cash, trips to the cinema or presents. The court heard he groomed one boy from this room at his Army quarters in Scotland. A mother of one of his victims said in a statement: 'I find it difficult to believe an adult would stoop so low.' Thompson paid paedophile Araron Hughes to rape a child so he could watch the video Thompson was jailed for a total of 27 years and eight months, plus an extended five-year licence period. Det Con Kevin Byrne, of the north west regional organised crime unit, 'Thompson is a depraved individual who sexually abused children online to fulfil his sexual fantasies. 'He knew full well how young the boys he abused were when he began his offending, and even continued his horrific acts after he had been arrested. 'I hope today's sentence demonstrates our commitment to pursuing sexual predators, no matter where they are or how long it takes.' A loose potbelly pig nick-named Piggy Smalls has finally been apprehended by police after months harassing a small Oregon town. The little black pig made several appearances on the Forest Grove Police log before it was caught at 12.53pm Friday. The Notorious P.I.G will now be passed to an animal rescue shelter outside the city. Residents of Forest Grove are allowed to own potbelly pigs but like any other pet they are responsible to make sure it doesn't bother their neighbors. The origin of the pig is unknown with no-one coming forward to claim the elusive hog. Caught: Notorious P.I.G: Piggy Smalls was apprehended by Forest Grove Police in Oregon Officers were called on November 17 and 18 after residents reported the small pig roaming the streets. Forest Grove Police posted on Facebook: 'Smalls, alias Notorious, has been frequently reported loose to the Forest Grove Police by numerous citizens, his actions having been published several times in the weekly Police Log. He has eluded capture by authorities until now.' 'Smalls will be released to the custody of an animal rescue outside the city.' Gangster: Piggy Smalls was spotted for the first time in November running down 16th Ave away from cops 'While there is no ordinance prohibiting the possession of a pig in Forest Grove city limits, owners are expected to follow the same rules regarding leashing and cleanup as of any other pet.' One person commented with several pig emojis: 'I will feel safe and sleep better tonight. thank you Forest Grove.' Another said: 'Isn't the pancake feed coming up pretty soon and don't they have bacon there? Coincidence, I think not.' Forest Grove Oregon is a town of 22,000 and is about a 40 minute drive from Portland. Heather Mack is facing a tougher jail sentence after confessing to killing her mother herself in a prison video uploaded to YouTube. Balinese prosecutors said they were reviewing the videos during which Mack said coldly 'I killed her myself' and 'I don't regret killing my mother'. The 21-year-old is currently serving a 10 year sentence after being convicted alongside boyfriend Tommy Schaefer in 2015 of murdering Sheila von Wiese-Mack and stuffing her body in to a suitcase at the St Regis Hotel in Nusa Dua. She was given a lighter sentence to benefit the pair's daughter who Mack gave birth to in custody and still lives with behind bars. Schaefer is serving a 15 year term. Scroll down for video Bali suitcase killer Heather Mack is facing a tougher sentence after confessing to murdering her mother alone in a YouTube video she shared last week (above) 'If Mack is indeed the mastermind of the murder, the video can be used as evidence in the case, and the sentence should be heavier than it is now,' Ashari Kurniawan, a public relations official in the Bali prosecutor's office, told Reuters. Mack's attorney said she had been 'pressured' into making the video and that Schaefer, who is serving 18 years for the killing, wanted to 'attack' her. His lawyers have not responded to Mack's YouTube videos. They were shared online on Thursday and detail how she plotted to kill her mother after learning that she was responsible for her father's 2006 death. James Mack, a Chicago composer, died in Athens, Greece, from a pulmonary embolism during a holiday with his wife and daughter. Mack believes he was murdered by her socialite mother and that the Bali killing was her revenge. 'I don't regret killing my mother and as evil as that may sound, that's my reality. 'When I was 10, my mother killed my father in a hotel in Athens, Greece. Mack (above in 2015) is currently serving a 10-year sentence for the murder but Balinese prosecutors say it may be extended if they can prove she masterminded the plot as she claims Mack said she murdered her mother, Sheila von Wiese-Mack (left) herself and that her boyfriend Tommy Schaefer (right) only helped her dispose of the body by stuffing it in a suitcase 'Two weeks before I came to Bali, I found out that she killed my father and I made it up in my heart, in my mind, my soul, in my blood, in the oxygen running through my body, that I wanted to kill my mother,' she said. She made the videos out of remorse for dragging Schaefer into the murder plot, she said. Schaefer and Mack stuffed her mother's body in this suitcase which they left at the hotel before fleeing in a taxi 'I got this whole new savage idea in my head that I wanted to kill her in a hotel room because she had killed my father in a hotel room.' Mack claimed she forced Schaefer into joining her and her mother on the trip, booking him a ticket with her mother's credit card. Once they'd arrived in Indonesia, she said she told him of her plan and forced him to help her dispose of her mother's body. When the pair were arrested, Mack said she and her lawyers convinced him to take the fall for the killing so that she could keep her inheritance. 'My lawyers and I, because of the fact that if I get money, if my article that I was charged with was not that I'm the one that killed her, I'm still entitled to the money and therefore I can pay the lawyers more. 'So we told Tommy together, my lawyers and I, that if he didn't take the blame in the court, that he would get the death penalty.' They said Schaefer bludgeoned von Wiese-Mack to death after she launched racial slurs at him. In the videos, Mack said he had chosen to speak out because she was 'tired of living in a lie'. Mack gave birth to the pair's daughter Stella while in custody and now lives with the infant behind bars, regularly sharing photographs on Instagram of their prison life Through tears, she told Schaefer that she was sorry and that she loved him before signing off. 'I'm sorry you won't be able to get a job, I'm sorry everybody thinks that you're some crazy killer. This is the truth and whoever is watching this, don't hate Tommy. 'He's innocent. I'm not. I love you Tommy.' Mack gave birth to the couple's daughter Stella while in police custody for the murder. She now lives with the baby in Bali's notorious Kerobokan Prison where Schaefer claims she drinks, smokes and has sex with female inmates. Mack enjoys preferential treatment at the prison and has a cell phone which she uses to upload selfies on Instagram. She presumably used the phone to film her confessional videos to share on YouTube last week. The young girl, named Tania, was found dead in a canal in eastern Pakistan A 12-year-old girl died after being drugged, raped and drowned in a canal, her family claim as they accuse police in Pakistan of failing to investigate her death. Police ruled the child, named in reports as Tania, committed suicide, according to Christian news websites. Reports from Pakistan say the youngster died on January 23, when her body was found in the Upper Chenab Canal in the east of the country. Her family believe she was drugged and assaulted because her mouth was full of froth and her trousers were ripped. They also dispute police claims that the youngster, who was a Christian, was suffering from depression. Her father, Nadeem Gill, told the Pakistan Christian Post: 'Tania was young, happy and full of energy. There is absolutely no way she would take her own life. 'Every day in the evening we would spend an hour talking on Skype she would tell me what she had done through the day and would ask me about my day. 'She was a truly wonderful and loving daughter. I hated being so far away from her but had to feed my family, I earn more in Dubai then I could ever earn in Pakistan where Christians are hated so much. Her family claims she was drugged, raped and murdered, and her father described police as 'corrupt' 'Sadly the distance meant I could not be with my daughter when she most needed me. 'Our corrupt police force is preventing justice for my daughter. But I will never give up till her murderer is found.' It is claimed before she died, Tania left school and got into a vehicle with someone inside who wasn't her mother. Her family believe that identifying the person she went off with is key to finding her killer, and the family has called on authorities to exhume her body for further examination. In the dock: Richard Wood, 33, has walked free despite believing he was meeting an 11-year-old girl for sex A father-of-six caught by an internet vigilante group trying to meet an 11-year-old girl for sex has today walked free after claiming he is immature and 'probably gets on best with children'. Richard Wood, 33, was confronted outside a Tesco supermarket by adults who had set up the fake chatroom profile of the girl whose breasts he 'wanted to kiss'. The 33-year-old, whose six children have all been adopted or taken into care, was filmed arriving for the meet-up with the child who he had some 'sexy underwear' for her. In messages sent to who believed to be 11-year-old 'Gemma', he said he wanted to 'make love' to her and 'kiss her lips, kiss her breasts and stomach.' Police were then called by the vigilantes and he was arrested at the scene. But despite admitting attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming he was sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment, suspended for a year. He was made the subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) restricting his use of the internet and interacting with children. Judge Peter Moss ordered him to pay 670 in costs, plus a victim surcharge of 140, carry out 40 rehabilitation activity session and undertake 200 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months. Sentencing him he said: 'You struck up a conversation with a girl you thought was 11 years old. In fact it was a part of a vigilante group. 'It was suggested you had some sexy underwear right for that meeting and you had previously engaged in sexual conversations with her. 'You were videoed and that video has been published online and that humilation is something you will have to adjust to for the rest of your life.' Evidence: In messages sent to who believed to be 11-year-old 'Gemma' (pictured), he said he wanted to 'make love' to her and 'kiss her lips, kiss her breasts and stomach' Held: Police were called to the scene and the father-of-six was arrested in Crawley town centre Prosecuting Ross Talbot told Guildford Crown Court that Wood started talking with 'Gemma' - a profile set up by an adult, Sarah Doherty - on chat app Waplog before turning to WhatsApp. 'He suggested to the 11-year-old girl that she come to see him, that she come to see his cat and that she spend some time at his house,' he said. He added: 'He proceeded to tell the defendant that there were things he wanted to do with her and that he wanted to kiss her lips, kiss her breasts and her stomach. 'The defendant then went onto to say that he wanted to make love to Gemma but he was worried that he could get into trouble or even arrested because of her age.' Plea: His defence told the court that the unemployed cleaner lacked maturity and 'probably gets on best with children', having attended a special needs school as a child and spent time growing up in care The pair agreed to meet outside Tesco Extra, in Reigate Road, Hookwood, Surrey, at 11am on Saturday, December 10 2016 but at 11.40am he was confronted by Miss Doherty, who had set up the fake profile and two others. After the woman showed him the picture of 'Gemma' used on the profile, Wood initially denied knowing her, instead claiming he was out to buy a television, but later admitted exchanging messages. The group then flagged down a passing police car and he was arrested but later checks on his home revealed a gift bag containing a small thong covered in hearts. Defending, Guy Russell told the court that the unemployed cleaner lacked maturity and 'probably gets on best with children', having attended a special needs school as a child and spent time growing up in care. 'He seems to live an almost hermit-like existence and lives in an almost virtual reality,' he said. 'There was no cunning, no guile.' He added: 'He is socially inadequate and keeps out of sight in a flat for 24 hours a day and only goes out to but the absolute necessities. 'He is just so immature,' he continued, adding: 'He probably gets on better with children.' Mr Russell also explained that Wood's six children had each been taken away from him. 'What we know is that the children were adopted or taken into care, all six of them,' he said. 'They would of course have been given opportunities to parent their children. He is a sad and in many ways a vulnerable individual. From the video you can really see he has got no idea how to interact.' Wood, of Horley, Surrey, has previously admitted attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming when he appeared at Guildford Crown Court on January 9. The United States should follow Germany's lead and tag refugees with suspected ties to terrorists with tracking devices while the courts consider President Donald Trump's travel ban, says a law professor who believes the executive action is legal. George Washington University's John Banzhaf told the Washington Examiner that the GPS devices are 'fully consistent' with the code Trump is using to enact his travel restrictions. 'It is also more likely to be upheld since it is far less objectionable than a total ban,' Banzhaf said of the ankle bracelets. The United States should follow Germany's lead and tag refugees with suspected ties to terrorists with tracking devices while the courts consider President Donald Trump's travel ban, says George Washington University's John Banzhaf Trump's executive order is facing numerous court challenges, the most significant of which led to a halt of the measure over the weekend. Washington and Minnesota are suing the federal government over the seven-nation travel ban. They won their first round of arguments Friday night and a federal appeals court is set to review the case today. The Justice Department argued that the ruling of the Republican-appointed, Washington state judge who issued the stay, US District Court Judge James Robart, 'second-guesses the President's national security judgment.' It 'contravenes the considered judgment of Congress that the President should have the unreviewable authority to suspend the admission of any class of aliens,' DOJ lawyers wrote in the government filing. The West Coast-based Ninth Circuit of Appeals will make a decision right away on Robart's stay. Legal experts say a case challenging the constitutionality of the seven-nation travel ban is sure to make its way, however, to the high court. Banzhaf has long said that it is his opinion Trump's travel restrictions are legal. Citing Title VIII, Section 1182, of US immigration law, the law professor said last August that the president could enact a ban if he wanted. 'He doesnt have to provide any reason for doing it. If Congress joins him, it makes it even stronger, more likely to be constitutional,' Banzhaf told Breitbart News' Stephen Bannon in August. Bannon is now the chief strategist tor President Trump. 'Ordinary constitutional protections, primarily equal protection, do not apply to people who are not U.S. citizens, and who are trying to enter the country,' Banzhaf told Bannon. 'This has been true for over a hundred years. 'Our Supreme Court has, time after time, turned away objections to restrictions based upon race, national origin, political belief, even under free speech grounds.' Even if Trump said 'no Muslims could come into the United States, that would be constitutional' because of the plenary power doctrine, Banzhaf told Breitbart in late January. 'This order is largely constitutional and probably will stand.' Until it is decided by the Supreme Court, which will have a 4-4 split so long as Trump's nominee, Neil Gorsuch (pictured) hasn't been confirmed, Banzhaf says the U.S. government should make use of GPS trackers Until it is decided by the Supreme Court, which will have a 4-4 split so long as Trump's nominee, Neil Gorsuch, hasn't been confirmed, Banzhaf says the U.S. government should make use of GPS trackers. Germany's government is pursuing the trackers in the wake of a Christmas-time massacre that was committed by a foreign-born terrorist. 'Imposing such conditions on admission is fully consistent with 8 USC 1182(f) which expressly gives the president the authority to "impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate," ' he said to the Washington Examiner. Banzhaf pointed out that the monitors are already in use within U.S. immigration agencies. 'There have now been several major terrorist incidents in which authorities pointed out that they were suspicious of the perpetrator, but did not have sufficient information to arrest him, nor the vast resources necessary to provide effective surveillance of everyone under suspicion,' he said. The GPS systems are more efficient, he contended. One agent can track 'hundreds of suspects in real time, and provide computer generated alerts if he goes anywhere suspicious (e.g., near a nuclear power plant), meets with other persons likewise wearing ankle monitors.' After a jam-packed week starting a new internship and rubbing elbows at an HBO party, Malia Obama took it easy this weekend - grabbing coffee and walking around her New York City neighborhood. The former first daughter moved out of her childhood bedroom in the White House and into a Manhattan apartment last month, so she can work this spring at the Weinstein Co. before starting college next fall. In addition to reading scripts and pitching executives at the production company, the 18-year-old political progeny also mingled with industry types at an HBO party for the series Girls last week, where she also interned two summers ago. Former first daughter Malia Obama headed into work Monday morning, wearing a black turtleneck, jean shorts, leggings and shearling-lined Chelsea boots Eighteen-year-old Malia is spending her spring interning at the Weinstein Co.'s New York City offices But this weekend, it looked like President Obama's daughter was taking it easy. She was pictured picking up a couple of iced and hot coffees at a Starbucks with a girl friend. Malia was already looking the part of a typical New Yorker - wearing head-to-toe black except for her crisp white Nike sneakers. On Monday, it was back to work for the eldest Obama daughter. She donned another all-black outfit including a turtleneck sweater and $695 shearling-lined Chelsea boots by Phillip Lim, covering up with a berry-colored coat and carrying her essentials in a boho-print backpack. After her first week of work, Malia unwound during the weekend with a coffee date with a girl friend (above, on Sunday) The eldest daughter is transitioning well to her New York City life - wearing the city's uniform of all black The eldest Obama daughter graduated from high school last spring, but is currently taking a gap year before starting at Harvard in the fall. Before starting her internship, she spent the fall travelling South America and attended the Sundance Film Festival last month. Her parents have moved into a new home in the DC neighborhood of Kalorama, so that younger daughter Sasha can finish high school. Amin Abdullah (pictured) set himself alight outside Kensington Palace after he suffered a 'mental breakdown' when he was sacked An award-winning nurse who became suicidal after being sacked from his job left his mental health unit unaccompanied and set himself alight outside Kensington Palace 40 years after his mother also burnt herself to death, an inquest has heard. Amin Abdullah - who was said to have 'lived for his job' - suffered a 'mental breakdown' after he was dismissed from Charing Cross hospital, London, in December 2015, over his support for an underfire colleague. After trying to take an overdose of steroids, he was voluntarily referred to a mental health unit in west London, where he expressed suicidal thoughts. But, two days before the appeal hearing over his sacking, Mr Abdullah was let out of the unaccompanied to get a suit. Four hours later, the 41-year-old doused himself in petrol and torched himself outside the London home of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Westminster Coroner's Court heard how his mother had also killed herself by setting herself on fire when he was aged three. Mr Abdullah was also said to be such high risk that he was initially not allowed to have 15-minute smoking breaks without a nurse present. Today, at an inquest into his death, Mr Abdullah's partner of 12 years criticised the NHS trust for sacking him and then taking too long over the disciplinary process. Terry Skitmore, 62, said: 'Had the investigation been carried out properly, I wouldn't be standing here today. 'What I wanted was the trust to acknowledge what they had done so they could change things for the future so it doesn't happen to someone else again, but no one was willing to do that. 'The trust have always refused, then and now, to have an investigation into the details.' The hearing heard how the process began in September 2015 when a patient complained about a fellow colleague. Mr Abdullah was one of 17 people to sign a petition in her support and also wrote a draft letter on her behalf that she could use in her appeal. Today, at an inquest into his death, Mr Abdullah's partner of 12 years Terry Skitmore (pictured together) criticised the NHS trust taking too long over the disciplinary process Mr Abdullah (pictured) - who was said to 'live for his job' - was heard to be such high risk that he was initially not allowed to have 15-minute smoking breaks without a nurse present The letter was shared among staff and included denials that his nursing colleague was 'lazy and unfriendly' and accusing the patient of being a serial complainer. The inquest heard how Mr Abdullah was then put under investigation but later put in a grievance when he did not hear anything 'for many weeks'. On December 21 2015 he was handed an instant dismissal on the grounds the letter he had written to support his colleague was 'untrue'. The hearing heard how Mr Amin then lodged an appeal against Imperial College Healthcare over the way they had handled the disciplinary process and a date was set for February 11. While awaiting his appeal, Mr Abdullah was treated for depression and suicidal thoughts at St Charles Hospital in Ladbroke Grove, west London. Mr Skitmore (right, with Mr Abdullah), a grandfather of two, said the sacking and delayed disciplinary process led to him being 'colossally depressed' Mr Abdullah and Mr Skitmore (pictured) met in 2003 while the nurse was on holiday in the UK. The couple moved in together five months after starting a relationship in February 2004 After he was admitted, Mr Abdullah sent Mr Skitmore a text saying: 'You need to start forgetting about me, when I get out of his s****hole I'm finishing myself. 'I know you will be heartbroken, but you need to be strong for your grandchildren.' Then, two days before the hearing, at around 8.30pm, he was allowed to leave alone - despite being under close observation - so he could get new clothes to meet his Royal College of Nursing union representative the next day. Hours later, at 3am, his charred body was found by police outside the palace. The hearing heard how, in the letter sent to Mr Abdullah less than a month before he died, his superior admitted the nurse's actions were merely a 'foolish mistake'. But they upheld the disciplinary decision before 'dragging' it on for ten weeks. The nurse's body was found by police outside the palace (file picture) in February last year Mr Skitmore, a grandfather of two, said it led to him being 'colossally depressed'. 'The ACAS guidelines which say the process should be done as quickly as possible were ignored,' he said. 'They let it drag on for ten weeks and he became colossally depressed. 'He was very shy and was bullied as a child and so any threat would make him very worried. 'He was very proud of what he achieved, getting his degree in his second language and being promoted in record time to band 6. 'The disciplinary and additionally the 10 weeks of ignoring him caused him to have a mental breakdown and caused him to do what he did.' The hearing heard how the process began in September 2015 when a patient complained about a fellow colleague at Charing Cross Hospital (file picture) Caroline Cross, representing Mr Skitmore, questioned the hospital's risk assessment policy for allowing patients to leave unaccompanied. She said: 'You clearly changed the assessment without seeing him and none of your senior medical team seeing him? Do you agree you did not comply with the policy?' Dr Anna Higgitt, consultant psychiatrist at St Charles Hospital admitted the hand-over of patients was inadequate. 'The plan was to allow him a bit more leave than a usual because he denied any plans to harm himself and reassured us he wasn't planning anything,' she said. 'He had negotiated extra leave and was now much calmer. Nurses were also reporting how calm he was, he wasn't detained under the mental health act. 'We felt if we had detained him it could have made him worse, we wanted to support him and if we told him he could not leave the ward it might of had a corrosive impact.' During the hearing, Mr Skitmore held up a picture of him and Mr Abdullah smiling and sitting on the beach in Spain just seven months before he died. He added: 'He was so caring and dedicated he lived for his patients. This is a picture of us in Spain, he was the happiest man, but seven months later I was looking at a lot of ashes with a candle beside to it. 'I asked them how can a person like this turn to ashes in a box in seven months? But I never got a reply.' Mr Abdullah, of Notting Hill, west London, was raised in an orphanage and moved to the UK in 2003 before becoming a British citizen. He won The Hannah Evans Award for Excellence when he graduated with a nursing degree from Buckinghamshire New University. He and Mr Skitmore met in 2003 while the nurse was on holiday in the UK. The couple moved in together five months after starting a relationship in February 2004. The hearing continues. Russian-made Sam-6 surface-to-air missiles are seen in front of a portrait of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Iran has boasted it only needs seven minutes to hit a US airbase in Tel Aviv with a ballistic missile just days after Donald Trump put the country on notice over its missile testing. Mojtaba Zonour, a former advisor to the Iranian Supreme Leader's Representative at the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), threatened the President by saying any mistake made by the US would result in action. 'The US army's fifth fleet has occupied a part of Bahrain, and the enemy's farthest military base is in the Indian Ocean but these points are all within the range of Iran's missile systems and they will be razed to the ground if the enemy makes a mistake,' he said. 'And only seven minutes is needed for the Iranian missile to hit Tel Aviv.' Last week, a top adviser to the Iranian supreme leader said the country will not yield to 'useless' US threats from 'an inexperienced person' over its ballistic missile programme. Donald Trump said it was putting Iran 'on notice' over its 'destabilising activity' after it test-fired a cruise missile. But Ali Akbar Velayati said, who is a senior counsel to Iran's most powerful man Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hit back. 'This is not the first time that an inexperienced person has threatened Iran,' he said. 'The American government will understand that threatening Iran is useless.' Iran hit back at Donald Trump's comments saying the country was being put on notice over its 'destabilising activity' after it test-fired a ballistic missile Trump had said in a tweet 'Iran has been formally put on notice' after his administration said it was reviewing how to respond to the launch that Iran said was solely for defensive purposes. Iran claimed on Wednesday it had tested the new ballistic missile but said it did not breach a nuclear deal reached with six major powers in 2015 or a UN Security Council resolution that endorsed the accord. Velayati responded by saying: 'Iran does not need permission from any country to defend itself.' The exchange led Trump to take to Twitter once again on Friday to say, 'Iran is playing with fire - they don't appreciate how "kind" President Obama was to them. Not me!' In the latest war of words, Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh echoed Zonour's threats. He told Fars News: 'If the enemy makes a mistake our roaring missiles will hit their targets.' A US official said Iran had test-launched the medium-range Sumar ballistic missile last Sunday and it exploded after travelling 630 miles (1,010 km). Iran said it had been a successful launch. A series of tests conducted by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in 2016 caused international concern, with some powers saying any launch of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles would violate UN Security Council resolution 2231. A senior leader to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's most powerful figure, said America's threats were useless and that Iran did not need permission to defend itself Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that all 'responsible nations' should back new sanctions against Iran, speaking during a meeting with his British counterpart Theresa May in London. He said he welcomed US President Donald Trump's 'insistence on new sanctions against Iran'. 'I think other nations should follow suit, certainly responsible nation,' he said as he accused Iran of 'provocation after provocation'. He said: 'Iran seeks to annihilate Israel, it says so openly, it seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the West, it threatens the world. 'I'd like to talk to you on how we can ensure that Iran's aggression does not go unanswered.' Theresa May and Benjamin Netanyahu Netanyahu is a fierce opponent of the deal with world powers, including Britain, in which Iran pledged to curb its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. A spokeswoman for May said the two leaders would 'talk about a range of security and international issues, including the Middle East peace process'. She said May would raise Britain's concern about how the 'continued increase of settlements activity undermines trust'. There has been a sharp acceleration in Israeli settlement expansion plans since Trump took office last month, with more than 6,000 new homes announced in less than a fortnight. British Minister for the Middle East Tobias Ellwood warned on Wednesday that the plans made the two-state solution 'much harder to achieve'. Britain voted in favour of a UN Security Council resolution passed in December demanding a halt to settlement construction. The vote prompted Israel to temporarily scale back relations. But Britain refused to sign the final statement of a Middle East peace conference held in Paris last month that was strongly opposed by Israel. Under the nuclear agreement, most UN sanctions were lifted a year ago. But Iran is still subject to an UN arms embargo and other restrictions, which are not technically part of the deal. Trump has frequently criticised the Iran nuclear deal, which restricts Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of the sanctions, calling the agreement weak and ineffective. Xixi Bi (left), 24, was killed by 23-year-old Jordan Matthews (right) in a 'vicious attack' A Chinese student who moved to Britain to further her education was beaten to death by her obsessed barman boyfriend, a court heard today. Xixi Bi, 24, of Llandaff, Cardiff, was killed by Jordan Matthews, 23, in a 'vicious, sustained and prolonged attack'. Matthews - who admits manslaughter but denies murder - told police he had 'been horrible' to Miss Bi after he saw a message from another man on her phone. The court heard Miss Bi spoke four languages and had moved to Oxford as a teenager to further her education. She was studying for a master's degree in international business when she fell for Matthews - who had a black belt in karate - showering him with gifts. But after their relationship began, Matthews allegedly began beating Miss Bi and forcing her to miss lectures. Prosecutor Paul Lewis QC told the jury that Miss Bi would pay the rent, bills and bought Matthews a car. Couple: Matthews, of Llandaff, Cardiff, told police he had 'been horrible' to Miss Bi after he saw a message from another man on her phone But the court heard he regularly beat her up and called her 'worthless'. Mr Lewis said: 'He was manipulative and he was possessive in his attitude towards her. 'She was apologetic and even subservient in comparison. She lost weight, she became quiet and withdrawn and submissive.' Cardiff Crown Court heard Miss Bi was beaten in the house they shared in Llandaff. Matthews dialled 999 minutes after the attack to say: 'Well, me and her had a bicker last night and I hit her a few times.' Matthews (right) allegedly began beating Miss Bi (left) and forcing her to miss lectures 'She fell asleep and then I had been really, really horrible to her, I was really worried and now she's struggling to breathe.' The court heard Miss Bi suffered dozens of injuries including multiple broken ribs, a broken jaw and severe bruising The court heard Miss Bi suffered dozens of injuries including multiple broken ribs, a broken jaw and severe bruising - as well as healing fractures from alleged previous attacks. The court heard a weapon similar to a steel rod was used. Mr Lewis said: 'Matthews beat Miss Bi to death in her own home in a vicious, sustained and prolonged attack. 'Miss Bi was no match physically for the defendant, she was 5ft 1in and just over seven stone.' Mr Lewis told the court Miss Bi grew up in Nanjing, China, but came to the UK to study when she was just 15. He said: 'Ms Bi was born in China on April 24, 1992 and was 24 years old at the date of her death. 'She was initially educated in her homeland and when she was about 15 years old she and her brother were sent to the UK for further education.' But after striking up a relationship with Matthews her university studies fell began to suffer. Miss Bi's studies started to suffer after she began a relationship with Matthews, it was claimed Mr Lewis said: 'Her attendance on the course dropped off and she missed some deadlines of written work. The court heard Matthews had been 'controlling' to Miss Bi (pictured) 'The university decided that she needed to resit the year, and she agreed to that and was told to re-commence her master's studies.' The court heard Matthews had been 'controlling' to Miss Bi and blamed his attacks on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Messages between the couple were read to the jury, with one from Matthews saying: 'The thing is see, I have ADHD babe, and when you do these things I ask you not to, it sets off a trigger I can't control.' In another he told her: 'Stop texting me you worthless piece of s***. You never do anything right.' The court heard that the day before Miss Bi's death, she had travelled to London to visit a friend who spotted bruising on her face. Arriving back in Cardiff, Matthews picked Miss Bi up from the train station and took her back to their flat. The court heard that the day before Miss Bi's death, she had travelled to London to visit a friend who spotted bruising on her face But the couple allegedly argued after Matthews saw what he believed to be a message on Miss Bi's phone from a dating website. After he was arrested, Matthews said that he 'felt the need to kick off because she didn't seem to care'. Reading an analysis from pathologist Dr Ryk James, Mr Lewis said: 'The assault upon her was severe and involved dozens of impacts. 'She had died as a result of the multiple blunt force injuries.' The trial, expected to last up to three weeks, continues. Advertisement Fast-food fanatics have taken their love of a burger chain to a new level - by having their engagement photos taken there. Luis Limon and Denise Gomez felt traditional commemorative photos were boring, and wanted to make theirs a bit more personal. Rather than a picturesque field or landmark landscape, the two set up their photoshoot at Texas-based chain Whataburger in their hometown of San Antonio. Fast-food fanatics have taken their love of a burger chain to a new level - by having engagement photos taken there Luis Limon and Denise Gomez felt traditional commemorative photos were boring, and wanted to make theirs a bit more personal Rather than a picturesque field or landmark landscape, the two set up their photoshoot at a Whataburger in their hometown of San Antonio 'It is their favorite place,' photographer Nicole Conrad said, whose pictures gained attention after she posted them to her business Facebook page. 'Yeah, it's where we go,' Gomez told My San Antonio. 'We're there a couple times a week, we love it,' she said. The burger joint is popular in Texas and the southern part of the United States, and is headquartered in the to-be wed couple's hometown. 'It is their favorite place,' photographer Nicole Conrad said, whose pictures gained attention after she posted them to her business Facebook page Paying homage to San Antonio greats, the two both donned Spurs attire for the tasty photoshoot They fed each other fries, shared a drink, and Limon even proposed to Gomez with an onion ring Continuing to pay homage to San Antonio greats, the two both donned Spurs attire for the tasty photoshoot. They fed each other fries, shared a drink, and Limon even proposed to Gomez with an onion ring. The two have made a number of local news appearances after the photos went viral and received an outpouring of positive responses. The two have made a number of local news appearances after the photos went viral and received an outpouring of positive responses Their wedding is in March, which they joked 'will not be at a Whataburger' 'It all came out really cute,' Conrad continued. 'And I will be shooting their wedding too, but it will not be at a Whataburger.' However, Gomez joked that they have toyed with the idea of having their wedding catered by the burger joint. President Donald Trump ripped United States allies for failing to 'pay their fair share' of NATO expenses and boasted about his electoral support among members of the military on Monday as he spoke to the troops for the first time. Trump said his administration 'strongly' supports the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 'We only ask that all of the NATO members make their full and proper financial contributions to the NATO alliance, which many of them have not been doing.' 'They're very unfair to us,' Trump said of NATO partner nations. Trump delivered remarks to service members at MacDill Air Force Base, home to the United States Central Command, CENTCOM, and the United States Special Operations Command, USSOCOM, after an afternoon briefing at the Tampa, Florida, military base. In the talk that included musings on the Supreme Court and a promise to load up the military base with new planes and equipment, Trump told told service members, 'We stand behind you. We support your mission. 'We love our country. We are loyal to our people. We respect our flag. We celebrate our traditions. We honor our heroes. You are our heroes. And we are prepared to fight.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO President Donald Trump ripped United States allies for failing to 'pay their fair share' of NATO expenses and boasted about his electoral support among members of the military on Monday as he spoke to the troops for the first time To terrorist organizations he said: 'America and its allies will defeat you...We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism, and we will not allow it to take root in our country. Not going to allow it.' CENTCOM is the hub for United States' military actions throughout the Arabian Gulf and Central Asia, including the operations against ISIS. It was created after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. 'America stands in awe of your courage,' Trump told military personnel from CENTCOM's auditorium. 'Those serving at CENTCOM have bravely fought across the theatre of war in the Middle East, and bravely battled a vicious enemy that has no respect for human life.' The president also applauded the Special Forces stationed there, saying against them, 'No enemy stands a chance' 'They don't have a chance, and that's the way we're going to keep it. And you're going to be better off because you're going to have the finest equipment known to man. Going to be better off.' The men and women of the United State military 'are the greatest fighters and the greatest forces for justice on the face of the earth, and that the world has ever known,' Trump said. 'The challenges facing our nation nevertheless are very large. Very, very large. We're up against an enemy that celebrates death and totally worships destruction,' he stated. 'ISIS is on a campaign of genocide, committing atrocities across the world. 'Radical Islamic terrorists are determined to strike our homeland as they did on 9/11, as they did from Boston to Orlando to San Bernardino, and all across Europe.' Trump claimed that terror attacks are even more frequent than what's being reported by the 'very, very dishonest press.' He did not provide any examples as he reiterated the point and said of the media, 'They have their reasons, and you understand that.' Trump lunched with enlisted troops after his briefing at the United States' military headquarters that's overseeing the battle against ISIS and dispatched a patrol boat to Yemen The president is coming off a weekend at his Palm Beach, Florida, estate. His trip to the south capped off a week of heated rhetoric between the United States and Iran as his administration began a court battle to defend his travel ban. After repeatedly tweeting about a judge who stalled the order Friday night, Trump made only a minor reference to the kerfuffle as he addressed troops at MacDill on Monday. 'You've been seeing what's been going on over the last few days. We need strong programs so that people that love us and want to love our country, and will end up loving our country are allowed in,' he said. 'Not people that want to destroy us and destroy our country.' The line earned him applause from within the room that was comprised of some 300 men and women in fatigues. 'Thank you. Freedom, security and justice will prevail,' the president said to them. At the beginning of his remarks Trump suggested that their support helped him win the presidential election. 'I saw those numbers,' he said. 'You like me and I like you!' 'America First, a phrase that you probably never heard. Make America Great Again. Anybody ever hear that?' he later said, reciting his campaign slogans. 'Peace through strength. The men and women of the United States military provide the strength to bring peace to our troubled, troubled times.' Trump had lunched with a group of enlisted troops after his briefing at the United States' military headquarters that's overseeing the battle against ISIS and dispatched a patrol boat to Yemen. He was greeted today by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford and the White House's National Security Adviser Mike Flynn. Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, chief strategist Stephen Bannon, a Navy veteran, and senior policy adviser Stephen Miller came with him to Tampa on the plane. Florida Governor Rick Scott, a Republican who supported Trump, did not meet the president for a handshake on the Tampa tarmac. But he was present at MacDill for Trump's remarks. Calling him out, Trump said Scott is a 'great governor and a very good friend of mine and somebody who endorsed me. 'That makes him a better friend of mine. If they don't endorse, believe me...it's never quite the same. Okay? You can talk, but it never means the same.' President Donald Trump arrives in Tampa forhis briefing at the United States' military headquarters that oversees operations in the Middle East The president received a command briefing at MacDill AirForce Base, home to the United States Central Command, CENTCOM, and the United States Special Operations Command, USSOCOM. He was greeted by Michael Flynn, his National Security Advisor, and Marine General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff Presidential trip: This is Trump's first visit to an active duty military base as president except for flying from Andrews and a stop at Dover AFB last week to greet a fallen soldier The CENTCOM visits comes just as the United States slapped new sanctions on Iran and refused to rule out additional military and economic punishments Trump with met with a group of nearly 50 enlistees from the five branches before delivering remarks. 'See the game?' the president asked the service members. 'Tom Brady cemented his place. He did a good job,' he said of the Patriots quarterback and five-time Super Bowl champ. The president asked several of his lunch companions if they intended to stay in the armed services telling one, 'C'mon you have to stay.' Teasing another, he said, 'See this guy? Strong guy. Think I could lift as much as you? I don't think so.' The CENTCOM visits comes just as the United States slapped new sanctions on Iran and refused to rule out additional military and economic punishments. Trump's White House put the country 'on notice' last week after it illicitly tested ballistic missiles, in violation of a United Nations agreement, and followed through with sanctions on Friday. After arguing that Iran felt emboldened to test ballistic missiles because the country was used to working with the all too 'kind' Obama administration, Trump's executive branch sanctioned 25 entities associated with Tehran. 'Iran is playing with fire - they don't appreciate how "kind" President Obama was to them. Not me!' he said in a Friday morning tweet. He told reporters later that the country was 'not behaving.' Irans foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said early Friday, in response to the coming sanctions, 'Iran is unmoved by threats as we derive security from our people. ISIS will also be on Trump's agenda as he speak to the troops at MacDill. CENTCOM handles the United States' strikes against the Islamic State Force projection: CENTCOM oversees all forces in the Middle East - including the USS Cole, newly deployed off Yemen after an Iranian-rebel group's strike on a Saudi warship Airstrikes: CENTCOM handles the air war against ISIS in which U.S. forces are flying combat missions with other allies over Iraq and Syria, bombing targets in places including Mosul 'We will never use our weapons against anyone, except in self-defense. Let us see if any of those who complain can make the same statement,' he said over Twitter. A senior official had previously said Iran would ignore the United States' 'useless' threats, belittling Trump as 'an inexperienced person.' CENTCOM handles the United States' strikes against the Islamic State, as well. Trump signed an executive order last month demanding that the Pentagon come up with a new plan to defeat ISIS, a slam on his predecessor's military operations. He has not committed to a troop strategy in Iraq, saying at times during the campaign that he could send in more American forces or leave combat fighting to Russia, and is awaiting a recommendation now from his top general, James Mattis, the Department of Defense head. In the order he signed at the end of January, Trump committed to creating a 'safe zone' in Syria for refugees in return for an end to resettlement policies in the United States. It's not clear, though, when the U.S. might begin such a military action. Chief of Staff Reince Priebus (right), chief strategist Stephen Bannon (center) and senior policy adviser Stephen Miller were also seen boarding the president's plane Trump has also authorized a separate directive that placed temporary travel restrictions on citizens of Iraq and Syria and five other nations that are terror prone that he's said will last until the U.S. gets a handle on the chaos overseas. The order is being disparaged by Trump's opponents, and even some party members, as a 'Muslim' ban because of the religious orientation of most people from those countries, even though the Republican president's administration says it's not. Republican Senators John McCain, the chairman of the Armed Forces Committee, and Lindsey Graham, have warned Trump that the ban could have unintended consequences in the effort to defeat overseas extremists. The measure could 'become a self-inflicted wound in the fight against terrorism,' they told him in a joint statement. 'This executive order sends a signal, intended or not, that America does not want Muslims coming into our country,' the told him as soon as he signed it. 'That is why we fear this executive order may do more to help terrorist recruitment than improve our security.' Trump knocked a federal judge who halted the order late Friday night several times of the weekend but held back in front of the troops today. 'Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!' he said at one point on Twitter. The Supreme Court is likely to weigh in on the case. At MacDill, Trump mentioned the high court, but only only in reference to his nomination of the 'great, great' judge Neil Gorsuch to fill a vacancy on the bench. 'Perhaps the only thing more important' than the court is national defense, Trump said. 'The Supreme Court's so important but we have to defend our nation, and we will do that, believe me.' MacDill was getting its second visit from its commander in chief in two months with Trump's visit. Barack Obama met with service members at the base and gave a speech there near the end of his tenure, offering a lengthy defense of his counterterrorism policies in December. Obama directed the bulk of his address to criticisms leveled at him by Trump on the campaign trail. Trump did not respond kind, despite his making numerous attacks on Obama for perceived failures in the fight against ISIS and in nuclear negotiations with Iran in the last several weeks. At McDill Obama had insisted that the conflict in Iraq and homegrown terrorist attacks in the United States could not have been prevented by his administration. British tourists will face crippling mobile phone roaming charges in Europe after Brexit, leaked EU plans revealed today. EU lawmakers banned phone operators from charging holidaymakers roaming charges - the extra fees for making and receiving calls when abroad. And from June this year consumers will be able to send texts and surf on their mobile at the same price they pay at home. But European Parliament documents on the new rules say they should not apply to British travellers after the UK officially leaves the EU - expected to be in spring 2019. Mobile roaming charges will be axed in Europe under an EU deal that will see phone bills rise for people living in Mediterranean nations while benefiting German tourists (file picture) It means British holidaymakers and business travellers will be hit with the excessive roaming charges when they use their mobile phones on the continent unless UK government ministers strike a deal with the union. But it would also mean that EU nationals travelling to the UK would face having to pay the roaming charges after Brexit. The paper by the European Parliament's committee on industry, research and energy - leaked to the Guardian - states that 'regulation (EU) No 531/2012 on roaming will no longer apply with respect to the UK, impacting business and other travellers to and from the UK'. It adds that 'transitional arrangements will be necessary' for the interim period. The EU has gradually forced phone operators to reduce roaming charges over the last decade. Lib Dem leader Tim Farron, pictured said: 'From the cost of food and petrol to mobile phone bills, Brexit is hitting consumers in the pocket. Families shouldn't pay the price for this government's reckless hard Brexit plans' Some companies have voluntarily scrapped the charges altogether in order to gain a competitive advantage before the overall ban on roaming charges. Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said: 'From the cost of food and petrol to mobile phone bills, Brexit is hitting consumers in the pocket. Families shouldn't pay the price for this government's reckless hard Brexit plans. 'Theresa May must fight to keep hard-won benefits for British consumers like reduced roaming charges in the negotiations. 'This shows again why the British people must get the final say on the government's Brexit deal once its full impact becomes clear.' French presidential hopeful Francois Fillon has apologised for putting his British-born wife and children on the taxpayer funded payroll but refused to pay a single Euro back. In a blustering speech at his election headquarters in Paris, the 62-year-old conservative said he had done nothing illegal and was still the best candidate to become head of state. Both he and Penelope Fillon, also 62 and originally from Wales, face prison after prosecutors launched a corruption investigation into embezzlement, abuse of public funds, and concealment. Francois Fillon (right) touches his wife on the shoulder at a political rally on January 29 They are accused of helping themselves to almost 1m (862,000) worth of cash, along with two of their children, Charles and Marie, who are also under investigation. I apologise to the French people, said Mr Fillon, blaming the system for persuading him to reward his family with large amounts of money, including an average salary of 3,677 (3,017) for Mrs Fillon. She has publicly admitted in at least two televised news reports that she did not work for her husband in any official capacity at all. Mrs Fillon had no badge or even email suggesting she was Mr Fillons parliamentary assistant, even though he insists she had held down this job since the 1980s. Referring to one of the TV confessions by Mrs Fillon that she had never been his political assistant, Mr Fillon said she had meant she did not work as hard as political spouses such as Cherie Blair, wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Presidential candidate Mr Fillon has refused to pay any of the money back and faces prison Mr Fillon admitted his wife Penelope did not work as hard as other political spouses like Cherie Blair Penelope Fillon, originally from Wales, holds her right fist up in defiance at a political rally last month Mr Fillon said: Yes, Penelope was always first and foremost my colleague. Penelope worked with discretion, refusing to speak in my place as some political spouses have done, and today her discretion is turned against her and against me. Asked if his wife actually knew she was working for him, Mr Fillon said of courseshes a highly qualified, intelligent woman. Mr Fillon added that I have nothing to hide, and that all the payments were above board. When he was asked twice if he would return the money to the French people, Mr Fillon said no, because it was legitimately earned. I am at ease with my conscience, Mr Fillon concluded, saying he was ready to get on with his campaign. Significantly, Mrs Fillon was not at todays press conference, and has not uttered a single word in public since the scandal broke almost two weeks ago. Since then Mr Fillon, a devout Roman Catholic who styles himself as a highly moral free marketer like French Margaret Thatcher, has seen his popularity rating collapse. The scandal has opened the door for French far-right National Front's Marine Le Pen National Front leader Marine Le Pen looks set to battle it out with Emmanuel Macron for power He is no longer the favourite to become a Republican Party president in May, and is instead expected to lose in the first round of the poll to the independent Emmanuel Macron, and the far-right National Front leader, Marine Le Pen. Today it emerged that Mr Fillon is also being investigated over whether he helped his billionaire friend Marc Ladreit de Lacharriere earn the coveted Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor in exchange for his wife getting a highly paid job on a literary magazine he owns. Some have suggested that former prime minister Alain Juppe should now replace Mr Fillon as Republican Party candidate. But 71-year-old Mr Juppe, the Mayor of Bordeaux, said today: I've set out my position: it's no, clearly and definitively. In interviews with the British media over the past decade Mrs Fillon has always presented herself as a devoted mother-of-five who is happiest when with her family and horses in the countryside. It was just three months ago in Dijon, the mustard capital of France, that Mrs Fillon made the comment about having never been involved in the political life of my husband. Mrs Fillon is a solicitors daughter from Abergavenny in Wales. She went to the King Henry VIII Grammar School, and then took a degree in French and German at University College, London. She met Mr Fillon while working as a teaching assistant in Le Mans, west France, and they married in the village of Llanover, near Abergavenny, in 1980. MPs saw off the first round of trouble making amendments to historic Brexit legislation tonight. Brexit minister Davis Jones made clear the Government had no intention of accepting any of the hundreds of pages of amendments that have been tabled to the two clause Article 50 bill. Prime Minister Theresa May had earlier told MPs 'let's get on with it' as MPs braced for three days of rearguard fighting by Remain supporting MPs. The first amendments dismissed by the Commons included demands from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for regular formal updates on the Brexit negotiations. In the first vote on the amendments tonight, the Government won comfortably by 49 votes. Mrs May signalled a tough line as MPs saw off the first amendments to the Article 50 bill In the Commons today, Mrs May pointed out that the legislation had been passed at second reading stage last week by a huge majority In the Commons today Mrs May pointed out that the legislation had been passed at second reading stage last week by a huge majority. 'Our European partners now want to get on with the negotiations, so do I, and so does this House, which last week voted by a majority of 384 in support of the Government triggering Article 50,' she said. 'But the message is clear to all - this House has spoken and now is not the time to obstruct the democratically expressed wishes of the British people. 'It is time to get on with leaving the European Union and building an independent, self-governing, global Britain.' Dismissing Mr Corbyn's amendments, and a slew of others tabled by pro Remain backbenchers, Mr Jones said they were unnecessary. During the debate, former shadow chancellor Chris Leslie claimed that doubts over post-Brexit arrangements for Britain's financial services mean there is a "clear and present danger" to the economy. Among Mr Leslie's many amendments to the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill are demands for more information on how the UK wants to work with EU agencies and bodies, including Europol. He also wants two reports published each year to explain how the Government is aiming to "defend and promote" access to European markets for the UK financial services sector. Speaking during the Bill's committee stage, Mr Leslie said of the sector: 'You could say merely a small corner of Britain's GDP but it provides 67 billion of revenue for all of our schools, for all of our hospitals. 'If we mess around with that particular sector in the wrong way, we're all going to be poorer and our public services will be poorer as a result.' Some Eurosceptics have warned that as many as 27 Tory MPs could vote with the opposition on amendments in the coming days In other debates tonight, MPs demanded a unilateral commitment to allow EU nationals currently living in Britain to stay after Brexit. Mrs May has insisted she wants this to be final outcome but has refused to do so without similar guarantees for British expats on the continent. Votes are not due to be held on the subject until Wednesday night. Andrew Tyrie, chairman of the Treasury Select Committee, said EU nationals living in Britain should not be used as 'bargaining chips' in the Brexit negotiations. Labour MP Harriet Harman and Vote Leave co-chair Gisela Stuart also called on Theresa May to 'set the tone' by giving the guarantee before formal talks with Brussels kick off. The Opposition is seeking to amend the Bill allowing the Prime Minister to start formal Brexit talks by including the pledge. The Commons is sitting as a committee this week for line by line scrutiny of the Article 50 bill Intervening on Conservative MP Mark Harper in the Commons during discussion on the Bill, Mr Tyrie said: 'Other nationals should not be treated as bargaining chips. 'And he would also, I'm sure, be aware that the Treasury Committee has heard a good deal of evidence to suggest that the failure to guarantee the rights of EU nationals is now beginning to damage the economy.. 'Given that, and the overwhelming ethical case, doesn't he agree, on reflection, the time has come now, just to protect these citizens' rights? But Mr Harper warned giving the guarantee risks "throwing overboard the interests and concerns of UK citizens living elsewhere in the European Union" who have not received the same promise from the 27 EU member states. Debates and votes on the fine details of the bill - which was agreed by a landslide last week - are due to be held until Wednesday evening. The most dangerous moment for the Government is expected to be tomorrow evening when Tory rebels could back a Labour amendment on the need for a 'meaningful' final vote on Brexit. They still don't get it: Labour in Scotland vote against triggering Article 50 Labour's leader in Scotland Kezia Dugdale has said she will vote symbolically against the EU Bill Scottish Labour is to vote against the triggering of Article 50 in a symbolic debate at Holyrood. Leader Kezia Dugdale has confirmed that while her party accepts the UK is leaving the European Union, it opposes Prime Minister Theresa May's proposed terms. On Tuesday, MSPs will vote on a Scottish Government motion arguing that the UK Government's European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill currently making its way through the Commons should not proceed. The move puts Ms Dugdale at odds with UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is facing a revolt by pro-Remain MPs - including the party's only Scottish MP Ian Murray - who are defying his leadership to vote against the Bill at Westminster. In an article for LabourList, Ms Dugdale said: 'The UK is leaving the EU - that is not in doubt. What is in doubt is the terms on which we are leaving. 'Scottish Labour respects the result of the UK-wide referendum on the EU, but we also know the people of Scotland did not vote for Theresa May's hard Brexit and that no-one voted to become poorer. 'While the Bill to leave the EU is still progressing through the House of Commons, Labour in Holyrood will send a clear message that we do not support a hard Brexit. 'The UK is leaving the European Union, but there is no reason why Scottish Labour and the Scottish Parliament should not give a voice to the wishes of the vast majority of Scottish people.' The Holyrood debate is being held despite the Supreme Court ruling that the UK Government is not legally compelled to consult the devolved administrations before beginning EU divorce proceedings. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon pledged to give MSPs a vote on the issue regardless of the court's decision, but the Scottish Government has put forward a motion for debate rather than a formal legislative consent memorandum. The motion argues that UK ministers have 'set out no provision for effective consultation with the devolved administrations on reaching an agreed UK approach to the negotiations on implementing Article 50'. It adds that the UK Government 'has refused to give a guarantee on the position of EU nationals in the UK, has left unanswered a range of detailed questions covering many policy areas regarding the full implications of withdrawal from the single market, and has provided no assurance that a future parliamentary vote on the outcome of the negotiations will be anything other than irrelevant'. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon pledged to give MSPs a vote on the Article 50 issue Labour has tabled an amendment calling on the SNP not to use Brexit as an excuse for a second independence referendum. Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont MSP said: 'The referendum was held, Parliament has had its say, and we should now respect them both by moving to trigger Article 50. 'The SNP is hoping to use this debate to sow division and grievance in order to further its unwanted plan for a second independence referendum. 'It is disappointing that Scottish Labour has fallen into the same old trap and failed to stand up to the same old Nationalist stunts. The Scottish Conservatives will have no truck with them.' If you believe that 'strangers are simply friends you haven't met yet', you could be making a lot more if you stay at some Marriott hotels in the near future. The largest hotel chain in the world is planning to make communal rooms in some of its hotels that will be shared by between six and 16 guests. The idea, which is still in the design stage, would be rolled out in 23 Element hotels which is the chain's eco-conscious, extended stay brand. Guests will have their own rooms to sleep in, but they will share a kitchen, dining room and lounge area. Marriott is planning to make communal rooms in some of their hotels that will be shared by between six and 16 guests However, it won't be just families and business colleagues who will be able to reserve; random strangers will also be able to book the individual rooms 'Our lobbies have become more communal and social hubs, but we saw a need for something in between. There are a lot of opportunities for people to have their shared common space and be together but still have their private space.' 'We strive to stay one step ahead of what our guests want in order to innovate and evolve our hotel experiences. More and more our guests are telling us that they want more unique, shared spaces whether on the road for business or leisure,' Toni Stoeckl from Marriott told DailyMail.com 'For example, our business guests have told us they would love private spaces where they can review presentations together or catch up over coffee but dont always need a formal meeting room or the higher energy of a public lobby or bar. 'On the flip side, leisure travellers, particularly families, want a similar balance of shared and private space so they can dine together, watch a movie, and then retreat to their rooms. The room is also perfect for guests travelling alone who are seeking a sense of community. In fact many of our business travellers often tell us that they want to be comfortable being alone while still in the presence of others which the Communal Space also provides.' The communal spaces consists of a block of about 3-4 rooms surrounding a common living room and kitchen area (above, artists impression) The Element brand is popular with young business travelers. The brand provides rooms at a lower price point with many of the amenities found in higher-end hotels. 'The day-to-day traveler today, they are self-sufficient, they carry their own bags, they're looking for ease of travel, they're looking for a quality sleep experience, they're looking for some food and beverage, but they're not necessarily looking for the full service experience,' said Eric Jacobs to USA Today. 'They're there for a night. Do they really need a huge spa and banquet spaces?' Some of the rooms are already being trialed out in Marriott's own 'innovation lab' based at its headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, although none actually exist in any of the hotels just yet. Former Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden A letter from Osama bin Laden detailing when jihadists should be allowed to masturbate has been revealed. The Al-Qaeda leader had such a pull on his followers that he was able to dictate when they pleasured themselves. In a memo marked top secret, he wrote to one of his trusted aides in North Africa saying that in the extreme conditions of being kept separate from their wives, the terrorists could masturbate. It was seized along with 49 other documents by the US in 2011, and now they have been made public by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). In it, the one-time world's most wanted man discussed attacks on America and targeting France should efforts fail against the US. But, he also lifts the lid on the sexual activity of his jihadis. In the letter, he wrote: 'Another very special and top secret matter - it pertains to the problem of the brothers who are with you in their unfortunate celibacy and lack of availability of wives for them in the conditions that have been imposed on them. 'We pray to God to release them. 'God is not ashamed of the truth. 'As we see it, we have no objection to clarifying to the brothers that they may, in such conditions, masturbate, since this is an extreme case.' Terror wrist! The letter sent by Osama bin Laden to his trusted aide in North Africa The letter goes on to say: 'The ancestors approved this for the community. 'They advised the young men at the time of the conquest to do so. 'It has also been prescribed by the legists when needed, and there is no doubt that the brothers are in a state of extreme need.' Although the control Al-Qaeda's top terrorist had on his militants may be shocking, his liberal view on masturbation should come as no surprise. In 2015, US officials refused to release details on the 'extensive' porn collection found in Osama bin Laden's Pakistani bolt-hole, because of the 'nature' of the smut. The DNI released a list of books the 9/11 mastermind was reading when he was killed six years ago, as well as a trove of letters he exchanged with family members from the lair. Osama bin Laden's lair was discovered by the US to have included a huge stash of porn While it was widely reported that Navy SEALs recovered a large digital collection of sex videos from the compound when they staged a secret mission to kill bin Laden in 2011, the US government said it was not going to describe or release details on any of the pornographic materials. 'We have no plans to release that at this point in time,' Brian Hale, a spokesman for the DNI, told The Telegraph. 'Due to the nature of the content the decision was made not to release it.' Officials also refused to describe what kind of porn was kept in the bin Laden household. Just two weeks after bin Laden was shot dead inside his Abbottabad compound, Reuters reported that pornography was recovered from the property. Samir Hussain, 28, left a film screening in West Sussex when he was attacked Two thugs have admitted their roles in a brutal acid attack outside a cinema which left an innocent man scarred for life. Samir Hussain, 28, left a screening of Straight Outta Compton at Crawley Leisure Park in West Sussex when Michael McPherson threw sulphuric acid in his face. Lee Bates, who was with McPherson at the time, was given a two-year conditional discharge after admitting common assault, while McPherson, who admitted GBH, will be sentenced later. Mr Hussain was in agony as the acid burned into his flesh and said it was only because he shielded his face that he was not blinded. Brighton Crown Court heard Mr Hussain was punched by both men before McPherson retrieved a bottle of acid from his car and threw it in his victim's face. McPherson admitted GBH and Bates pleaded guilty to common assault at Brighton Magistrates Court. Bates, 26, of Halston Close, south-west London, was given a two-year conditional discharge for punching Mr Hussain. The court heard he had already been on a curfew for 18 months. Horrific injuries: Mr Hussain has supported calls by a Conservative MP to control the sale of corrosive substances such as sulphuric acid, battery acid and powerful drain cleaners McPherson, 27, also from south-west London, will be sentenced at a later date. Mr Hussain was left badly scarred and now has to wear an uncomfortable face mask 24 hours a day as he recovers from the assault in the car park which happened last August. Sensation in many parts of his face, arms and neck has been lost and his left eye now does not close properly. He has had plastic surgery and multiple skin grafts and must wear the mask constantly for at least the next 18 months. And because he is the manager of the Three phone shop in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, he is constantly reminded of what happened because he gets asked so many questions as he deals face-to-face with at least 100 customers a day. He said: About 90 per cent of those people ask what happened and I live through it again and again and again. It comes to a point where you have to disconnect from your emotions otherwise I think about it all the time. Its made me a person I dont want to be. He was treated at the reconstructive surgery centre at Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead and was off work for three months before forcing himself to return and move on with his life. Cinema: Mr Hussain is recovering from the assault in the car park of the Crawley Leisure Park in West Sussex Mr Hussain added: I had to force myself to go back, I didnt want the attackers to win. I had to go back out there, I had bills to pay. It was probably a good thing, because I had to deal with people straight away. But it makes everything generally hard and it is hard to converse. Now, because of the facial injuries, people cant tell if I am joking or smiling or being sarcastic. Mr Hussain has had to come with terms with people staring at him in the street. He added: I have had it for quite a long time but, for others, it is a big shock because they dont see this every day. You have to learn to live with that. I dont have a choice. When I go out to a normal place, like a restaurant, I am a bit, I would not say wary, but it does make me think about other people more. Mr Hussain, who has two sisters, has to massage his face and arms for two hours every day, plus wear a stifling mask, putting constant pressure on his face that will need treatment for many years. He must also stay out of the sun and will be left with his scars for life but hopes they will flatten as he begins to heal. A University of Michigan assistant professor who was seen in a cellphone video being dragged off a flight at Detroit Metropolitan Airport has pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct. Rhima Coleman, 40, acknowledged in court on Monday that a confrontation led to her being asked to leave the plane on December 12. In exchange for her guilty plea to the misdemeanor charge, prosecutors have agreed to drop a more serious count of failure to obey a police officer. Embarrassing display: This video from December 12 shows Rhima Coleman, 40, being dragged by a uniformed cop off of a Delta Air Lines flight at Detroit Metropolitan Airport Down for the count: An incident report said the 40-year-old assistant professor with a PhD 'passively resisted by falling to the floor' Coleman's lawyer Dov Lustig told MLive.com his client, who has a PhD in bioengineering, felt she was being treated unfairly during the incident, which was sparked by a disagreement over a piece of luggage fitting in a bin. The lawyer added that Coleman knows she didn't handle the situation properly. On Monday, a judge ordered Coleman to pay $495 in fines or serve 30 days in jail. Coleman, who has taught biotechnolgy at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor since 2012, was ejected from a Delta Air Lines flight on December 12 as it was preparing to depart for San Diego at the airport in Romulus, about 20 miles southwest of Detroit. According to a police report, Coleman refused to check her bag, swipe her boarding pass and leave the plane. Coleman, pictured left in her mugshot and right in her LinkedIn profile photo, teaches biotechnolgy at University of Michigan's College of Engineering A fellow passenger on board the flight used his cellphone to capture the moment uniformed police officers who were summoned to remove Coleman from the plane proceeded to drag the uncooperative woman by her wrists down the aisle. The incident report said the 40-year-old educator 'passively resisted by falling to the floor.' The cellphone footage that was posted on YouTube by travel blogger Renee deLambert has racked up more than 2.3million views as of Monday afternoon. A UM spokesperson said Colemans employment status at the College of Engineering has not changed in the wake of the incident in December According to her LinkedIn page, Coleman earned her Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Rochester, followed by a doctorate from Georgia Institute of Technology. Her biography posted on University of Michigan's website indicates that Colemans research areas include tissue engineering, biometrics and regenerative medicine. Donald Trump was branded 'racist and sexist' as Commons Speaker John Bercow revealed the US President will be barred from making a speech at Westminster Hall on his state visit. In an extraordinary broadside from the Speaker's chair, he said Mr Trump's controversial ban on migrants from seven majority Muslim countries had left him 'even more strongly opposed' to a speech than he had been. But Mr Bercow previously had no objections to leaders of controversial regimes including China, Kuwait and Qatar addressing MPs and peers in both houses. Speaker John Bercow, pictured rebuking Donald Trump in the Commons today, said his opposition to a speech in Parliament by Donald Trump had been increased by the President's migrant ban Speaker Bercow was applauded by MPs after his intervention, prompted by a point of order from Labour MP Stephen Doughty US President Donald Trump speaking to troops at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida The Speaker is one of three 'key holders' for the ancient hall who must agree to its use and if he refuses to cooperate it will be impossible for Theresa May to extend a speaking invitation to the US President. Mr Bercow was applauded by MPs after branding Mr Trump racist and sexist but despite its acclaim the tirade is likely to provoke a diplomatic headache in No 10 and at Buckingham Palace. Mr Trump's executive order provoked protests around the world and has been suspended by US judges as unconstitutional. He told MPs: 'What I will say is this: an address by a foreign leader to both Houses of Parliament is not an automatic right, it is an earned honour. 'Moreover, there are many precedents for state visits to take place to our country which do not include an address to both Houses of Parliament. 'Before the imposition of the migrant ban, I would myself have been strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall. THREE KEY HOLDERS: THE POWERFUL PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF WESTMINSTER HALL The use of Westminster Hall is closely guarded by three powerful keyholders. The ancient hall - the oldest part of the Parliamentary estate that dates back around 1,000 years - has played a pivotal role in UK history. It is protected by the Speakers of the Commons and Lords and the Great Lord Chamberlain, on behalf of the Queen. Currently they are John Bercow for the Commons, Lord Fowler for the Lords and David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley for the Queen. Speeches in the hall are rare. US President Barack Obama, South African President Nelson Mandela and Burma freedom fighter Aung San Suu Kyi are among the select few. Events cannot take place without the agreement of the key holders. Advertisement 'After the imposition of the migrant ban by President Trump I am even more strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall.' Mr Bercow said he has less influence over whether a speech could be made by President Trump in the Royal Gallery because it is in a different part of the building. But he told MPs it was customary for an invitation to be sent in the names of both speakers of Parliament - himself and Lords Speaker Lord Fowler. 'I would not wish to issue an invitation to President Trump to speak in the Royal Gallery,' he told MPs. Mr Bercow concluded: 'We value our relationship with the United States; if a state visit takes place that is way beyond and above the pay grade of the Speaker. 'However, as far as this place is concerned I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the House of Commons.' The speech was in response to a point of order raised by Labour MP Stephen Doughty. He spoke to highlight a Commons motion opposing Mr Trump's speech. It has been signed by 163 MPs - mostly from Labour and the SNP. But the intervention was slammed by ex-Ukip leader Nigel Farage who said: 'For Speaker Bercow to uphold our finest parliamentary traditions, he should be neutral.' No 10 sources played down the intervention, insisting the itinerary for the visit had not been set and would be discussed 'in due course'. Speaker Bercow made his extraordinary intervention in the House of Commons today in response to a point of order Speaker Bercow raised no public objection to Chinese President Xi Jinping speaking to MPs and peers in the Royal Gallery in 2015. He watched on from the platform (pictured) John Bercow with the Emir of Kuwait - a country which bans Israelis and uses Sharia Law in family disputes Britain and China toasted a 'golden age' of relations with a State Visit festooned with regal pomp and pageantry but overshadowed by concerns about national security, human rights and economic rivalry Mr Trump is due to visit Britain for a state visit later this year. A normal part of the programme would be a speech to MPs and peers in Parliament. Barack Obama addressed Parliament in Westminster Hall while Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan used the opulent Royal Gallery, which is behind the House of Lords. Prime Minister Theresa May extended an invite to Mr Trump for a state visit on her trip to Washington earlier this month - marking the earliest invite for a new US president in decades. Mr Bercow personally welcomed Chinese president Xi Jinping for a speech in the Royal Gallery in 2015 - but used a speech to rebuke him over human rights and democracy. TEN PREVIOUS STATE VISITS THAT ATTRACTED CONTROVERSY From protesters toppling an effigy of George W Bush to demos against China's human rights record, state visits to the UK have had their fair share of controversy. Leaders of countries, seen as having backward laws - including Sharia Law - and issues with human rights, have been welcomed by the British governments in the past. And at least three controversial figures were allowed to address parliament by Mr Bercow himself. 2012 - Kuwait's Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, gave an address to members of both Houses of Parliament on Thursday, November 29 in the Queen's Robing Room, as part of his state visit to the UK Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, gave an address to members of both Houses of Parliament on Thursday, November 29 in the Queen's Robing Room, as part of his state visit to the UK. Following his arrival at Sovereign's Entrance, The Emir of Kuwait was received by Black Rod, Lieutenant General David Leakey and was taken to the Queen's Robing Room. Commons Speaker, John Bercow MP, gave a welcome address introducing The Emir of Kuwait's speech. Kuwait has banned its citizens from entering 'into an agreement, personally or indirectly, with entities or persons residing in Israel, or with Israeli citizenship'. The country also uses Sharia Law for family disputes - where a woman's testimony is not valued as highly as a man's. 2015 - China's President Xi Jinping The extraordinary intervention at a key moment in British-Chinese relations will cause deep embarrassment for the government which hopes to use the visit to secure billions of pounds in trade deals. Pictured is President Xi addressing MPs and peers Protesters attempting to highlight human rights violations clashed with pro-China supporters during a procession welcoming Chinese president Xi to the UK. Scuffles broke out between the two groups after the police perimeter set up for protesters was ignored by both sides. But thousands of supporters also lined The Mall to welcome Xi Jinping with flags, T-shirts and hats - provided by the Chinese embassy. 1971 - Japan's Emperor Hirohito Emperor Hirohito, Japan's wartime head of state, made his first state visit to Britain in 1971 Emperor Hirohito, Japan's wartime head of state, made his first state visit to Britain in 1971. Former prisoners of war - angry at Japan's brutal militaristic past - protested by standing in silence as his carriage drove past. Some turned their back on the emperor and wore red gloves to symbolise war deaths while others whistled the popular Second World War march, Colonel Bogey. They called on Japan to offer them compensation and a full apology for their treatment during the war. 1978 Romania's Nicolae Ceausescu The President of Rumania, Nicolae Ceausescu, rides through London with the Queen in an open carriage, at the start of his state visit It was the first state visit by a Communist head of state to the UK and Romania was already well-known as one of the most corrupt and oppressive of the Soviet Union's Cold War satellite states. The Queen took drastic steps to avoid meeting Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu any more than necessary, according to royal author Robert Hardman. 'While walking her dogs in the Palace gardens, she spotted Ceausescu and his wife Elena heading in her direction. 'As the Queen told a lunch guest some years later, she decided the best course of action was to hide behind a bush rather than conduct polite conversation,' he wrote. 1998 Japan's Emperor Akihito Just like his father did in 1971, Akihito met obvious hostility on London's streets from British prisoners of war. Former PoWs symbolically turned their backs on him, while others jeered him. Addressing the state banquet, Akihito spoke of his 'deep sorrow and pain' over the suffering inflicted by his country during the war, but did not apologise for the treatment of prisoners in work camps. 2003 - Russia's Vladimir Putin Her Majesty invited Russian President Vladimir Putin for a state visit in June 2003 Mr Putin's historic trip was the first by a Russian head of state since Tsar Nicholas I in 1843. Amnesty International and other human rights groups used the visit to highlight ongoing reports of killings, rape and torture by Russian forces in Chechnya. 2003 - US president George W Bush Tens of thousands of people came out to protest against George W Bush over the war in Iraq when the Queen hosted him in 2003. Pictured, the Queen and the President at Windsor Castle President George Bush's state visit, while Tony Blair was prime minister, was highly controversial. Tens of thousands of people came out to protest against the American leader and the war in Iraq, amid unprecedented security for a state visit. Demonstrations throughout Mr Bush's stay were mostly peaceful, and peaked with the toppling of an effigy of Mr Bush in Trafalgar Square, which parodied scenes of the capture of Baghdad. Stop The War Coalition said some 200,000 joined the demonstration. One protester threw an egg at the presidential cavalcade, but missed. 2005 - Chinese president Hu Jintao Tony Blair, Prime Minister, sees off President Hu Jintao of China (waving) from 10 Downing Street, London Noisy protests against Chinese rule in Tibet targeted Hu Jintao's state carriage procession. The Metropolitan Police was criticised for its hardline handling of the peaceful demonstrations, and admitted following a High Court case its officers acted unlawfully when they removed protesters' banners and flags. The Prince of Wales, a supporter of the Dalai Lama, had been accused of boycotting a Chinese state visit to the UK in 1999 by failing to attend the return banquet held for then-president Jiang Zemin. This time, during Hu Jintao's stay, Charles carefully side-stepped the issue by being out of the country on a tour of the US on the night of the official dinner. He did not meet Mr Hu on the remaining two days of his visit. 2007 - Saudi Arabia's king Abdullah Saudi Arabia's king Abdullah's state visit in 2007 revived controversy over his regime's abuse of human rights The first state visit by a Saudi king to the UK for 20 years revived controversy over the regime's abuse of human rights and the government's halting of a Serious Fraud Office bribery inquiry into the al-Yamamah arms deal. Tensions surrounding the trip were heightened when the king insisted in an interview Britain was not doing enough to tackle terrorism. Around 100 human rights and anti-arms trade activists jeered and shouted 'shame on you' as the royal procession passed along The Mall in central London. 2010 - Qatar's Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Prince Philip, Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, Queen Elizabeth II and Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Queen Elizabeth II and Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani The Emir of Qatar - a country which practices Sharia Law, involving lashes as punishments - was welcomed by Mr Bercow on October 26, 2010. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani was welcomed by the Commons Speaker, John Bercow and thanked by the Lord Speaker, Baroness Hayman. The Sheikh also met the Queen with his second of three wives, Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned. Advertisement The Commons Speaker said China should aspire to be seen as a 'moral inspiration' to the world as it takes its place as an international superpower. Mr Bercow said 'the world will be watching' the Asian nation's progress. Mr Bercow referred to 'the wise Chinese words' that 'it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness'. 'We very much hope that your time here will assist the process of illumination,' he told Mr Xi. He has also welcomed other controversial leaders, including the Emir of Kuwait in 2012 and the Emir of Qatar in 2010. Commons speakers are among the most powerful people within the Westminster system but they are expected to be independent. By tradition, when elected speakers are literally dragged to the Commons chair. But once installed convention dictates they set aside their own politics to stand up for the rights of all MPs. Donald Trump, pictured at MacDill airforce base today, is due to visit Britain for a state visit later this year. A normal part of the programme would be a speech to MPs and peers in Parliament US President Donald Trump speaks following a visit to the US Central Command and Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida today Mr Trump is due to visit Britain for a state visit later this year. A normal part of the programme would be a speech to MPs and peers in Parliament HOW BERCOW WELCOMED CONTROVERSIAL LEADERS AS THEY ADDRESSED PARLIAMENT John Bercow's welcome to Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015 'It is my pleasure to introduce the leader of a nation that is both very ancient and truly modern to a Parliament that is both very ancient and truly modern. 'It is a reflection of our changing times that we have hosted no fewer than four prominent daughters and sons of Asia in our Parliament in the past three years, starting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, democracy champion and international symbol of the innate human right of freedom. 'Your visit here today, Mr President, reinforces the links between the United Kingdom and China. China's President, Xi Jinping addresses MPs and peers in Parliament's Royal Gallery on October 20, 2015 in London 'Those links are social and personal as well as economic and political and are all the stronger for that. 'This trip should provide the means for both sides to come to understand one another better. The Chinese people have many, many, friends in this Parliament. 'Those friends are familiar with what you, Mr President, have described as the "Chinese Dream" and which others have referred to as a second Chinese Revolution. 'Your country is engaged in an experience and an experiment without equal in history. 'You are attempting to complete an industrial revolution which took Britain the better part of two centuries in little more than two decades. Your country has seen a transformation in how its people work and in what they rightly expect for themselves, for their families and for their society. The enormous challenge of how to deal with this falls to you and to your colleagues. 'Yet what China does, economically but also politically, is seen by, and relevant to not merely your own 1.5bn citizens. It is seen by and relevant to billions more across the globe. 'The world will be watching and waiting expectantly on the outcome as the emerging superpower that is China takes its new place in the world. In this century, no country can exist in isolation: in all matters, from international law to individual liberty, we should all aspire to be seen not merely as a powerful force in the world, but as a moral inspiration to it. 'In all this, we can usefully reflect on the wise Chinese words that it is 'We very much hope that your time here will assist the process of illumination. On behalf of our Parliament I invite you, Mr President, to address us.' Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow listens as the Emir of Kuwait John Bercow's welcome to Emir of Kuwait in 2012 'Your Highness it is my privilege to welcome you here to our Parliament for this important stage of your state visit. 'Your presence here today is a welcome reminder of the many intimate ties that exist between our nations and our peoples, born of history, tested in conflict after the outrageous invasion of your country in 1990 and continuing to this day in the realms of diplomacy, trade and cultural exchange. 'Kuwait has long been a nation of innovation in its region, the site of the oldest directly elected Parliament in its area, a long-standing and potent force within the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation and the Gulf Co-operation Council, and a pioneer in the political representation of women. 'You are one of the most experienced statesmen in the Middle East having served as Foreign Minister for an astonishing 40 years, followed by 3 years as Prime Minister before your elevation to be the Amir. 'It is a record of remarkable duration which many colleagues might wish to imitate, but probably should not! 'Your visit comes after two years of extraordinary turmoil across the Arab world. Change, as you have publicly recognised, is essential if the popular demand for representation is to be met, human rights entrenched and prosperity enhanced. 'Our two countries are signatories to a range of international human rights conventions and compliance with their letter and spirit is vital. Equality before the law, irrespective of race, gender, disability or orientation, is fundamental to our society here in the UK and we expect to be held to that standard. 'Naturally, we hope that that principle of equality will be practised and championed across the world. Rest assured there are many, many friends of your country both within this Parliament and Britain at large and we all stand ready to support Kuwait in exercising leadership in a modern, open and progressive direction. 'Your presence here can only encourage dialogue between us. I therefore invite you to address this audience and I look forward enormously to hearing what you have to say.' Advertisement Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: 'Well said John Bercow. We must stand up for our country's values. 'Trump's State Visit should not go ahead.' Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: 'This is the right decision by The Speaker. 'The Prime Minister might wish to kowtow to the nasty misogynist that now sits in the Oval Office but no-one else does. 'We do not want him to speak to us. He is not welcome. 'Speaking within Parliament is a rare honour, the highest honour we can offer. 'In the past we have hosted speeches from leaders in equality, justice and human rights from Mandela to Obama to Aung San Suu Kyi. Trump is not fit to shine their shoes.' Barack Obama was granted the rare honour of a speech in Westminster Hall during a state visit to Britain in 2011 Other leaders - such as President Ronald Reagan in 1982, pictured - have addressed MPs and peers from the opulent Royal Gallery behind the House of Lords Via HaitiLibre.com: Nightmare at the National Penitentiary. At the National Penitentiary of Port-au-Prince has a capacity of 778 prisoners, at a rate of 2.25 m per prisoner below international standards which sets the minimum area per prisoner at 4.50 m2. However, in reality because of prison overcrowding, in January 2017, the National Penitentiary had 4.257 prisoners, each with less than half a square meter of living space! Note that only 548 prisoners in this prison are convicted and that all other prisoners are held in preventive detention without trial, some have been waiting for several years. The detainees live in disreputable conditions: there is no toilet in the cells forcing prisoners to use polystyrene containers and throwing them out of the windows, no lighting, no ventilation. The overpopulation is such that it is not uncommon for 4 detainees to share a bunk. In addition to the shortage of food the water is unsuitable and causes skin diseases: itch, scabies etc.... and intestinal: diarrhea and cholera. In addition, the presence of rats and various insects in the cells, promote the spread of certain diseases, as a result that healthy inmates often fall ill. In addition, penitentiary staff are understaffed and can not guarantee the safety of prisoners who are confronted with everyday violence. Only about forty agents each day, an agent for 112 detainees while the international standards are of an agent for 4 detainees. Several prisoners, already weakened by the conditions of detention and the physical environment of the prison, died of disorders due inter alia to malnutrition. Number of detainees who died in 2016: January (8); February (10); March (6); April (2); May (2); June (0); July (6); August (5); September (3); October (1); November (4); (13). In 2017: Until January (14). Between 1 and 19 January there is an increase in deaths from previous months. The causes of the deaths, declared by the authorities of the prison for January 2017 are: anemia, severe anemia, cardiorespiratory arrest, respiratory distress, pulmonary tuberculosis, hypovolemic shock and gastroenteritis. Today, 30 detainees are currently in a state that could cause their deaths in the next few days due to conditions of detention and food rationing due to non-payment of inputs by the Directorate of Prison Administration (DAP), in particular since last December. Stock shortages and delays in condiment payments have had serious repercussions on the health of prisoners. Numerous steps have been taken by the National Penitentiary with the DAP but they have remained unsuccessful so far and the alarming situation in which prisoners live now becomes chronic and critical. The Google Home speakers might be intelligent, but it seems that their advertisers are dim bulbs after a misguided Super Bowl ad led to devices across the country going crazy. The speakers also act as a voice-activated hub for home devices and a hands-free search engine for users. All they need to say is 'OK Google' followed by their request. Naturally, the Super Bowl ad tried to show off the device's cool voice functionality - and in doing so, it activated Google Home devices within earshot of their TVs, USA Today reported. Scroll down for video Smart talk: The Google Home (pictured) is a voice-activated 'smart speaker' that can answer questions and control home devices - it is activated when a user says 'OK Google' Outspoken: The Google Home Super Bowl ad (pictured) features families using the device with the 'OK Google' password - causing viewers' devices to react in turn 'Freaked out': This user thought he was being robbed after the Super Bowl ad turned on the Google Home in his kitchen. Many users reported similar problems on Twitter The advert shows people across the US coming together as they ask their smart speakers a series of questions. 'OK Google - what's a good substitute for cardamom?' 'OK Google - what sound does a whale make?' 'OK Google - what's the weather?' Of course, the repeated refrain of 'OK Google' led to nearby devices trying to help the fictional families out - to the amusement and annoyance of Twitter users. 'Google Home was saying "sorry, I don't understand" to the TV in response to the #GoogleHome #SuperBowl commercial,' wrote James Thomas. 'Not quite there yet.' 'Hahah #GoogleHome commercial made my lights dim....' chuckled Dylan Schmoldt. 'The @Google Home #Superbowl commercial just totally confused our poor #googlehome who dutifully tried to answer all questions,' wrote Johanna Rehnvall. But others were less amused. A Twitter user with the name 'Luke, you're my...' wrote: 'Thanks Google. My Google home that I already purchased just had a mental breakdown trying to respond to your commercial.' And Tom Quinn had a worse experience: 'That #GoogleHome commercial just made my GH device go off in my kitchen. Freaked me the f**k out. Thought I was being robbed.' Dim: At the end of the advert, a group of people planning a surprise birthday party tell Google Home to dim the lights - having the same effect on this user's home setup Breakdown: Other Google Homes simply couldn't deal with the barrage of requests in the advert, including this user's, which had a 'mental breakdown' Google isn't the only smart speaker company to come a cropper thanks to an ill-thought-out ad. Its rival, the Amazon Echo, suffered a similar malfunction in January, according to The Verge. A young girl in Dallas, Texas, asked the Echo - which is activated using the name of its, AI, Alexa - to buy her a dollhouse and cookies, which it dutifully did, using her parents' Amazon account. Unfortunately, an anchor on San Diegos CW6 News commented on the story shortly afterward: 'I love the little girl, saying "Alexa ordered me a dollhouse."' The station received a series of calls from viewers saying that their Echos had made dollhouse purchases of their own. The fly-blown corpses of ISIS militants have been left to rot on a main street in Mosul as the Iraqi Army leave them as a grisly warning to others. The bodies have lain there for two weeks and the Iraqi army says it has no intention of burying the jihadists and wants as many people as possible to get a good look at their grossly blackened and bodies, distorted by bombs and bullets. As Iraqi forces prepare to expand their offensive against Islamic State from east to west Mosul, they want to stamp out any sympathy that residents may have for the group, which seized the city in 2014. Scroll down for video When ISIS was in charge of Mosul they maintained a brutal rule, so there is little sympathy for them as their bodies slowly decompose in the street 'We will leave the terrorists there,' said Ibrahim Mohamed, a soldier who was standing near three dead jihadists, ignoring the stench. His cousin, a policeman, suffered death by electrocution at the hands of the jihadists, who are fighting a rearguard battle to retain a foothold on the city. 'The message is clear to Iraqis, to keep them from joining or supporting Daesh (ISIS). This will be your fate. The Iraqi army will finish you off,' he said. A man on the back of a motorbike snatches a glance at one of the corpses in north Mosul One of the militants died with his suicide bomber's belt and detonation pin still in place. The Iraqi army has come a long way since it collapsed in the face of ISIS's lightning advance into northern Iraq. After retaking half of Mosul in three months of fighting, Iraqi forces are poised to enter the western side of the city. Victory there would mean the end of ISIS's self-proclaimed caliphate, though Iraqi officials expect the group to fight on as insurgents in Iraq and inspire attacks in the West. Iraqi soldiers view the ISIS militants as terrorists, rather than soldiers The corpses are left on view as a psychological weapon to deter ISIS sleeper cells, which Iraqi officials say are highly effective and distributed across the country. ISIS executed thousands of Iraqi soldiers and policemen in cold blood and their comrades are eager for revenge. Soldier Asaad Hussein said: 'We leave them in the street like that so the dogs eat them. We also want the citizens to know there is a price for supporting terrorists.' Mosul is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim and there have been accusations that the Shi'ite-led government in Baghdad had encouraged widespread abuses by the army, something they deny. ISIS exploited the resentment but lost popularity when it imposed its radical version of Islam and shot or beheaded anyone deemed an enemy. The stench of death is overpowering but nobody is keen to bury the bodies Youssef Salim, a labourer who walks past the rotting bodies every day, said he had no sympathy for the militants and did not want their bodies to be moved, let alone given a proper Muslim burial. He recalled the brutality of ISIS/Daesh: 'Do you know what smoking one, just one cigarette meant? Twenty-five lashes in a public square where people were forced to watch you suffer. 'If your beard length did not meet their requirements, that was a month in jail and 100 lashes in public.' Although ISIS has been kicked out of eastern Mosul people are still fearful. Two men approached a soldier to complain about suspicious wires at the factory where they work. Minutes later soldiers looked up and spotted an ISIS drone operated remotely from 600 metres away on the other side of the Tigris River, which cuts through Mosul. Iraqi forces opened fired with their assault rifles, hoping to blast the drone before it dropped a bomb. A few streets away, a group of young boys walked towards three more ISIS corpses. They were shot when they tried to sneak through some trees to kill Iraqi soldiers. 'The bodies should stay. Daesh killed lots of people so why should they be buried,' said Salem Jamil, 13, who was carrying a plastic bag filled with old electric wiring he hoped to sell. But a local man said the bodies should be buried. One of the soldiers stood proudly over the dead men, including one still wearing a suicide belt. He smiled and pointed to a cigarette stuffed in one of the jihadist's nostrils. The soldier, Asaad Najif said: 'We put it there because of the terrible things they did to Iraqis. The fate of any terrorist is clear. We will find you and kill you.' A secret hoard of more than 1,000 letters discovered in an attic show how war-time sweethearts kept their love alive. Cyril Mowforth served with a tank regiment in El Alamein, North Africa, and Germany, during World war II. But he and bride Olga - who wed just weeks before he was called up - exchanged near-daily letters between 1940 and 1946. A hoard of more than 1,000 love letters between wartime sweethearts has been uncovered by their children. Cyril Mowforth exchanged messages with his bride Olga almost every day between 1940 and 1946. Pictured, daughter Sue, 68, and son Peter, 63 Their daughter Sue uncovered the cache, tied with ribbon, while clearing out the family home. She spent five years deciphering and typing up the letters, had them printed in a book for the extended family, and will now have them accepted into the archive at the Imperial War Museum, London. 'Of course, we never knew our parents during their first six years of marriage but they must both have been hugely influenced by their wartime experience,' said Sue Cyril (left) served in the as a tank commander with 42nd Royal Tank Regiment at El Alamein in North Africa and in Germany. Bride Olga, (right) stayed at home in Sheffield and helped with the war effort with civil defence duties Retired air traffic controller Sue, who lives in Cheshire, found the letters tied up in a ribbon in a box when she was clearing up the family home. It took her five years to decifer and type up the correspondence 'They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. From this experience Cyril and Olga grew into the loving parents we remember, respected and adored. 'Their love for each other and for us was quite special.' Her brother Peter said: 'War is something our parents, and probably a lot of people in that generation, almost never really talked about.' 'It's been amazing to learn about our mum and dad, the strength of their relationship - and really, how and why we've become the people we are today.' Cyril Mowforth with his tank in Africa. He and Olga wed just weeks before he was called up to fight in WWII and the pair used the letters to keep their love alive while they were apart Peter, who lives in Milngavie, Glasgow, and sister Sue made the amazing discovery when clearing out the attic of the family home a few years ago. 'Sue found the letters tied up with a ribbon in a box after our parents died,' the father-of-two explained. 'She didn't know what to do with them at first. She asked if she should shred or burn them - after all, it was personal stuff between our parents - but we agreed we'd all like to read them. 'The problem, however, was they were all in scrawny handwriting.' The couple met through their love of youth hostelling in the 1930s and married in June 1940. Sue collected the love letters into a book called Good Evening Sweetheart Retired air traffic controller Sue, who lives in Cheshire, decided to do something about it. She and a neighbour with a penchant for deciphering script spent five painstaking years typing up and organising the letters. And in 2015, she had them printed into a book, Good Evening Sweetheart, which they distributed to the extended family. Sue, 68. said: 'When all the grandkids heard about the letters they wanted to read them, so it seemed like the most logical thing to do.' Peter, 63, added: 'The book has around 400,000 words - the same as Lord of the Rings! 'Mum wrote twice as much as dad, often not knowing where he was but the letters always found him. 'Their usual greeting to each other was Good Evening Sweetheart'. That's where the title came from.' The letters, dated from 1940 to 1946, were exchanged while Cyril was in training at Army barracks in Catterick, and serving as a tank commander with 42nd Royal Tank Regiment at El Alamein in North Africa and in Germany. All the while, Olga remained at home in Sheffield, assisting with the war effort with civil defence duties. After the war, Olga served as an independent community councillor and was instrumental in campaigning for assisted living for the elderly. She passed away from cancer aged just 54. After her death, Olga Mowforth House, a sheltered housing unit, opened in Woodcote, Oxfordshire The couple, who met through their love of youth hostelling in the 1930s and wed in June 1940, share anecdotes about everything from rationing, coupons and transport issues to books and music and, of course, the horror and terror of fighting on the front line. Romantic Cyril even wrote love poems. In the six years of battle, they only saw each other briefly when Cyril returned home on leave in 1944. When he returned from war, Cyril qualified as a remedial teacher, a role he enjoyed until his retirement. He passed away in 2004, after reaching the fine age of 91 'Dad would send his underpants home to be washed and sewn from northern Europe, and mum would send a few squares of chocolate in between dad's socks that she'd darned. It was very sweet,' e-commerce specialist Peter said. Sue added: 'It's so evident from these letters that our parents were continually in each other's thoughts when they were, as Cyril put it, living on the edge of eternity'. 'Nobody knew how long the war would last. They kept saying six more months' and they'd be back together.' Lots of Cyril's letters were censored by the Army. 'There are big holes in them where dad had mentioned where he was and it had been cut out,' Peter said. 'Of course this must have been frustrating for mum as they were double-sided which meant she missed out on big parts of dad's stories!' And there are some lovely stories. The couple talk about their dream of coming to Scotland, after Cyril travelled to Glasgow to collect a Comet tank from the Finnieston Crane... now affectionately referred to by Peter's kids Joss, 23, and Lara, 21, as 'Grandad's Crane'. Cyril dreamed of coming to Scotland after Cyril travelled to Glasgow to collect a Comet tank from the Finnieston Crane, now known by the family as 'Grandad's Crane'. Pictured, the book of Olga and Cyril's love letters. Peter said: 'The book has around 400,000 words - the same as Lord of the Rings' But equally some of the letters make for harrowing reading. 'Dad was allocated to the tank division, which is just about the most dangerous job you could do,' Peter said. 'I once asked him if he had ever been blown up and he said quite a few times. Peter said: 'Dad was allocated to the tank division, which is just about the most dangerous job you could do.' Pictured, Cyril wrote to Olga describing the horrors of war Olga wrote Cyril a touching message on their fourth anniversary. Cyril sent her a bunch of red roses, which reminded her of when they first met. She said: 'I just can't say here what it meant to me, but I know you'll understand' 'On one occasion he got blown right out of the top of the tank like a champagne cork. Even though he left out a lot of the details to avoid upsetting or worrying mum, the horror really comes across. 'Dad was one of the first to arrive at the Belsen concentration camp and the first tank over the River Elbe in Germany. 'He lost a lot of comrades. The attrition rate in the tanks was huge. Cyril jokes to Olga that his time in the army has been a year's holiday from his work at home. He said: 'It's been a grand holiday alright but how I long to get back to it all' Olga wrote a heartwarming letter to her husband on their third wedding anniversary. She said: 'three years ago it was 20 minutes to nine. I was up and busy - dressing for a very special occasion' 'In some instances, he was the only soldier in the tank to survive.' On his return from war, Cyril qualified as a remedial teacher, a role he enjoyed until his retirement. He passed away in 2004, after reaching the fine age of 91. Olga, who served as an independent community councillor and was instrumental in campaigning for assisted living for the elderly, passed away decades earlier from cancer, aged just 54. After her death, Olga Mowforth House, a sheltered housing unit, opened in Woodcote, Oxfordshire. The book of love letters has been accepted into the Imperial War Museum's collection. Peter said; 'Nobody in the family thinks of our parents as heroes' 'It's been interesting to learn about the extraordinariness of their traumatic start to married life,' Peter said. 'Of course, it's just part of their story. 'Nobody in the family thinks of our parents as heroes. 'But it's so spectacular because, to them it was ordinary.' Sue sent the book to the Imperial War Museum and it has been accepted into its collection. The letters will soon become part of the establishment's archives. The interest in their pet project has become so huge that Peter and Sue are considering opening up their parents' letters to the public in a published form. 'History tends to be about kings and queens... there is very little known about the day-to-day life of war,' Peter said. 'And to read it in an exchange between two people in love who shared almost everything certainly gives you a different viewpoint.' Sue added: 'Handwritten letters have become outdated. I can't remember the last time I received a personal letter, yet not so long ago they were the main means of keeping in touch. 'It's a skill that must have been tested to its limits during WWII.' A Missouri man whose eight-year-old granddaughter died in a car crash when he let her drive him home from church will serve just one year probation. Dennis Meers, 57, was handed probation and a suspended jail sentence in St Joseph, Kansas on Monday after pleading no contest to child endangerment. His granddaughter, Cadence Orcutt, died in November 2015 when she lost control of the 2007 Chevy Cobalt she was driving and went down an embankment and overturned. Dennis Meers, 57, was handed probabtion and a suspended jail sentence in St Joseph, Kansas on Monday after his granddaughter Cadence Orcutt died in a car crash in November 2015 The eight-year-old wasn't wearing a seat belt. Her grandfather, who was injured in the crash, was charged with allowing the third-grader to drive the vehicle. Meers won't serve anymore jail time following his sentencing on Monday. He has been ordered to complete a 12-month probation. If he fails to comply with his probation, Meers will have to serve 11-months in prison, the St Joseph News-Press reports. Conditions of his probation means he is not allowed alcohol, firearms and he must submit to drug and alcohol testing. He is also required full-time employment and pay $800 monthly court costs. He is also not allowed to have any contact with his granddaughter's family unless they give permission. Eight-year-old Cadence died in November 2015 when she lost control of the 2007 Chevy Cobalt she was driving and went down an embankment and overturned Cadence, pictured with her mother Brittany, was not wearing a seat belt when she crashed The child's grandmother Bonnie Chavez said she was angry he wasn't charged 'at the very least with involuntary manslaughter.' 'He took away all our hopes and dreams for her,' Chavez said. After her death, Cadence's mother Brittany Nicole Orcutt took to Facebook to lash out at critics who criticized her parenting skills. She said that if she were in the car she never would have let her daughter drive. 'For all the judgemental people saying bad things about me and my parenting skills, theres one thing you all should know -- I am so over protective of my children,' the post read. 'I would have absolutely never let my daughter drive on one gravel road,' the heartbroken mother added. 'I wasnt with her and if I had been, this wouldnt have happened. I dont need anyones judgement. Im blaming myself enough as it is. My heart is dying. There are no words. Theres nothing. She will never come home again, she lamented. Meers previously was sentenced to two years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for felony driving on a revoked license. In 1996 and 2001, Meers was convicted in Missouri of being a persistent offender for driving while intoxicated. Meet the angel-faced 12-year-old girl with a deadly talent - she can assemble a rifle faster than police. Salisa Yasuwat learned how to handle dozens of weapons - including M16 assault rifles and Smith and Wessons - when she was just nine years old. The pint-sized pig-tailed youngster can dismantle, clean and reassemble the arms with incredible precision that normally takes decades to master. Twelve-year-old weapons expert Salisa Yasuwat is so fast as assembling guns that she teaches police officers in Thailand how to be more efficient with their weapons handling Incredible footage shows the girl taking apart assault rifles and hand guns with such precision she stuns local police officers She now spends her free time working with her gunsmith father Prajak, 51, in his mobile weapons repair van travelling around Chiang Mai, Thailand. Incredible footage shows the youngster even teaching cops how to take apart and reassemble their own weapons. She begins with a shiny silver Smith and Wesson 686 Magnum .357 - taking just ten minutes - before moving on to giant weapons including pump-action shotguns that are almost as big as her. Chiang Mai police constable Damrong Saenduangdee, who has his guns serviced regularly by Salisa, said: 'I've never seen a young girl like this. I cannot do what she does. She is much, much faster than me and has a greater knowledge of firearms. She is very, very good.' Police constable Damrong Saenduangdee said: 'I've never seen a young girl like this. I cannot do what she does. She is much, much faster than me and has a greater knowledge of firearms. She is very, very good.' Salisa began weapons handing when she was only nine-years-old and was taught by her gunsmith father. Now the youngster spends her time in her father's mobile weapons repair van travelling around Chiang Mai, Thailand Salisa said that her father taught her about guns and that she can work on 'revolvers, shotguns, war weapons, M16s and rifles.' She added: 'I like helping my father with the guns. My favourite is the Magnum. I can do take it apart, clean every part of the machinery, and assemble it again in ten minutes. Sometimes quicker, but I am careful.' Proud dad Prajak said he became an gun smith eight years ago and says his children have always been around a lot of guns. He said: 'For me, it is very safe for my daughter to be around guns. She is very sensible and shows a lot of respect to them. She knows how to handle them and knows how dangerous they can be. 'My daughter enjoys helping me with my business, and we have a lot of customers who are police and soldiers that need their weapons cleaning. 'None of them are able to handle the weapons as well as Salisa. She is an expert and she enjoys it a lot.' The devastated father of missing teen Sarah Stern is clinging to the hope that the body of his only daughter will be found after two childhood friends were charged in connection with her murder. The 19-year-old college student has not been seen since December 2 when her car was found abandoned with the keys still in the ignition on the Route 35 Bridge over Shark River in Belmar, New Jersey. There were suspicions that she had committed suicide or run away from home but following a tip-off, police charged classmate Liam McAtasney, 19, with first-degree felony murder and robbery last Thursday. He allegedly strangled Stern at her home in the course of robbing her of thousands of dollars. Preston Taylor, who took Sarah to junior prom, has been charged with desecration of human remains and hindering apprehension after he allegedly helped McAtasney by taking Stern's body from her home and driving in her car to throw her into the water. Michael Stern, the devastated father of missing New Jersey teen Sarah Stern, is clinging to the bleak hope that the body of his only daughter will be found after two childhood friends were charged in connection with her murder The 19-year-old college student, pictured left as a child in a photo provided by her father, has not been seen since December 2 when her car was found abandoned with the keys still in the ignition on the Route 35 Bridge over Shark River in Belmar, New Jersey 'I just love Sarah so much and I'm doing this for her,' Michael said. Pictured, a memorial to Sarah on the Belmar Bridge There were suspicions that she had committed suicide or run away from home but following a tip-off, police charged classmate Liam McAtasney (left) with first-degree felony murder and robbery last Thursday, and Preston Taylor (right) with dumping her body Sarah's father, Michael Stern, who works in construction, exclusively told DailyMail.com that he was informed of the arrests last Wednesday. 'That's my whole life - you see a flash. It's a horror. And for it to be somebody you know?' he said. 'Sarah was my only child. My wife Carla passed away from cancer four years ago, almost to the day.' The 61-year-old said that he drove McAtasney and his twin brother Seamus to school with his daughter. 'They made their Confirmation together five years ago. We're in the same parish. Liam and Seamus were on the volunteer fire department in Bradley Beach with Sarah as a cadet about three years ago. 'The other boy took Sarah to the junior prom. They were friends. Apparently he helped Liam with her body.' Liam McAtasney stopped by Stern's home in December to offer him support after Sarah went missing, he said. McAtasney and Taylor also reportedly took part in a search for the missing girl on December 10, according to NJ.com. Stern, a lifelong resident of the Jersey Shore, said that he didn't know Taylor's parents but knew the McAtasney family well. The families live close to each other in the small community of Neptune City. At Stern's home, he proudly shows off his daughter's artwork which is propped amid a sea of photographs of Sarah, posing for a school portrait and grinning in her cap and gown while hugging her dad at high school graduation. Christmas decorations remain on display. Last Christmas, Sarah Stern surprised her father by presenting him with a drawing of a much-loved movie. 'Sarah didn't know what to get me as a gift, so she drew me the lamp from A Christmas Story. Jean Shepherd who wrote it had once came to a book store I had back in 1971 and signed some books. That story was always kind of neat to me and Sarah knew that,' he said. 'It probably took her two or three hours to do the drawing. She's a good kid.' Preston Taylor, who took Sarah to junior prom in 2014, has been charged with desecration of human remains and hindering apprehension after he allegedly helped classmate Laim McAtasney by taking Stern's body from her home and driving in her car to throw her into the river Sarah's father said that he drove McAtasney (left) and his twin brother Seamus to school with his daughter. 'The other boy took Sarah to the junior prom. They were friends. Apparently he helped Liam with her body,' he said The teenager was studying art and video production at Brookdale community college and dreamed of working in Toronto. She was active in the YouTube community of vloggers and had attended VidCon in California with her father in 2015. 'She loved Toronto and California, she liked to travel. She was out to California for VidCon a couple of times. I had gone out with her in 2015 and she went by herself last year, she was old enough. That was her passion. 'She had friends in Canada and that was some of the rumors that she had gone up there. But the thing is, she wouldn't have run away. We talked about her going to Canada. 'She wanted to do video production and she loved the YouTube stars Grace Helbig and Hannah Hart. She did some drawings for them. She was so impressed by it and she really enjoyed that. 'In the last few years, she became a fantastic artist in all kinds of medium - sculpting, pencil drawing, watercolor. She had talent that I just couldn't believe. 'If she was impressed by you, she would take a picture, draw you and send you the picture. That's the kind of thing she liked to do. She would tell people, "If you'd like me to draw something for you, just let me know and I can do that.' She just did her own thing.' Her father did not believe the theory that his daughter had committed suicide. 'Nobody really knew what had happened, there was nothing concrete, but Sarah was a good kid,' he said. 'She was well grounded, people loved her and she had friends all over the place.' He last saw his daughter on November 28. They had spent Thanksgiving with family in Florida and Sarah returned home ahead of her father. He had been in constant contact with her with phone calls and text messages. Sarah had also seen her grandmother and her aunt during the week and nothing seemed amiss. Sarah was last seen at her home during the afternoon of December 2, but her 88 Oldsmobile was found on the side of a bridge a few miles away at 2:45 AM the following morning On the afternoon of December 2, Sarah's father was unable to reach her by cell phone or on their house landline, and she stopped responding to text messages. Pictured, Taylor in Superior Court in Monmouth County last Thursday Police officers found her car on the southbound shoulder of the bridge shortly before 3 AM on December 3. The following day, divers searched the water but she was not found On the afternoon of December 2, he was unable to reach her by cell phone or on their house landline, and she stopped responding to text messages. 'I wasn't too concerned as she sometimes slept late when she had been up late working on her drawing. Then I thought she might have been out with her cousins. Sometimes they went over to Applebee's,' Stern said. Police officers found her car on the southbound shoulder of the bridge shortly before 3 AM on December 3. The following day, divers searched the water but she was not found. Family and friends organized search parties and appealed for information across social media. 'I had been talking to the police frequently and if there was any developments, they would let me know. They were monitoring phones and credit card accounts,' Stern said. 'The only activity was an automatic subscription to iTunes. That created an alert but police said other than that, everything stopped on that Friday.' A tip to the Crime Stoppers hotline led police to McAtasney. Authorities believe Sarah withdrew a large amount of money, in the thousands of dollars, from her bank account and McAtasney was aware of this and came to her home on December 2 to rob her. Her father does not know the reason his daughter would have taken out a large amount of money. She was focused on college and last had a job during the summer when she worked checking passes to get onto the local beach. 'It's a big question, it's definitely out of character,' Stern said. On Monday, official sources claimed that two safe deposit boxes containing valuables which were taken from the Stern home had been found after one was hidden in Sandy Hook and the other in Shark River Park, according to News12. It is believed that McAtasney quit his job as a waiter at a local restaurant around December 5. McAtasney allegedly strangled Stern at her home in the course of robbing her of thousands of dollars. Officer believe her body then may have been thrown over the bridge on Shark River by the two boys The State Police searching the inlet area around the bridge for Sarah's body but came up with nothing McAtasney and Taylor appeared in court on Thursday and are being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institute in Freehold. Taylor is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday and McAtasney's court date is scheduled for next week. When contacted at their home, Taylor's parents gave no comment and threatened to call the police. The McAtasney family could not be reached at their home. On Friday, authorities resumed the search for Stern's body, focusing on the Shark River inlet near the ocean. The search continued throughout the weekend but nothing has been found. Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said on Friday he was hoping for a miracle but that they were battling the ocean current. 'I freely admit it's going to be difficult but we have some of the best and most dedicated law enforcement officers working on this. We'll hope for the best,' he said. Michael Stern was at the waterfront on Sunday until they called off the search. 'It's nerve-wracking and I'm tired but there's nothing they could tell me,' he said. A steady stream of family and friends have been visiting his home to offer support. On Friday, as he walked his dog, Buddy, several neighbors came out to hug him. 'It's a small, close community,' Stern said. 'Sarah grew up here. 'She used to walk Buddy two or three times a day. They were close, he slept up in the bedroom with her. At night, when Sarah went upstairs, he would go up with her and stay there for the night.' The father appealed to anyone who may have any information to come forward. 'Sarah is still missing,' he said. 'I would ask people if they have any information, even if it seems insignificant, to please speak to the police in Belmar or Neptune City or the Monmouth County Prosecutors. They can also give information anonymously to Crimestoppers. 'Any information, the authorities will look at. We welcome the public's help. Please let us know. 'I just love Sarah so much and I'm doing this for her.' Anyone with information about Sarah Stern's case is urged to contact Detective Brian Weisbrot of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office at 732-431-7160 or Belmar Police Detective John Mahoney at 732-681-1700. For anonymous tips, call the Monmouth County Crime Stoppers tip line at 800-671-4400 or text 'MONMOUTH' and the tip to 274637 (CRIMES). The Senate will be in session around the clock this week as Republicans aim to confirm more of President Donald Trump's Cabinet picks over Democratic opposition. Democrats intend to drag out the process as much as possible using all the time they can under the Senate's arcane rules. That means keeping the Senate in session 24 hours a day, beginning Monday as senators head to a showdown vote on Education Secretary nominee Betsy DeVos. Scroll down for video Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren railed against the nomination of Betsy DeVos for education secretary and suggested the likely outgoing Sen. Jeff Sessions shouldn't get to vote for her Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell needled Democrats for dragging their feet on getting President Donald Trump's nominee confirmed DeVos, a wealthy GOP donor, has drawn particularly fierce opposition. She's an advocate for school choice and charter schools, which Democrats fear will have her stripping money away from public schools. Two GOP senators Maine's Susan Collins and Alaska's Lisa Murkowski have announced they plan to oppose her, which could result in a 50-50 Senate vote Tuesday. Vice President Mike Pence would then come in to break the tie. Additionally, the Senate plans to vote on the nomination of one of their own, Sen. Jeff Sessions, who is Trump's attorney general pick. Democrats intend to drag out the process as much as possible using all the time they can under the Senate's arcane rules Also scheduled would be votes on Steve Mnuchin for treasury secretary and Rep. Tom Price, who Trump wants to run the Department of Health and Human Services. As Democrats spent speech after speech calling DeVos unfit to run the education department, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell shamed them for holding Trump's nominations up. The GOP Senate leader noted how by this time in previous administration, 12 nominations had been given the Senate's seal of approval for President Barack Obama, all 14 were confirmed for President George W. Bush and President Bill Clinton had 13 of his choices. So far, Trump only has four. 'Well, Mr. President, it seems this gridlock and opposition has far less to do with the nominees actually before us than the man who nominated them,' McConnell said, speaking to the chair. He suggested Democrats 'simply cannot cannot accept the results of a democratic election.' And he tsk-tsked groups on the left who are pressuring Democratic senators to 'continue to resist.' 'Democrats don't have to like that decision but they do have a responsibility to our country,' McConnell said. Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn echoed McConnell several minutes later when he spoke on the Senate floor. 'This behavior is really juvenile if you ask me and it can't really accomplish anything,' Cornyn said. 'It's a strategy in search of a goal.' But Democrats spent hours reading letters from their constituents, trying to convince one more Republican all that would be needed to kill DeVos' chances to join them tomorrow. Speaking for about 57 minutes on the floor, Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren said 'it was difficult to imagine a worse choice' for education secretary. 'I rise today to call on my colleagues to reject the nomination of Betsy DeVos,' Warren said on the Senate floor, according to The Hill. 'The Republicans have made it clear no matter her experience, no matter her radical views ... they will ram this nomination down the throats of the American people sideways,' Warren didn't believe Sessions, about to be confirmed as attorney general, should be about to vote for DeVos in the Senate first, calling it a 'massive conflict of interest.' 'Now with at least 50 senators ... publicly opposed to this nomination, the Republican leadership has rigged the vote so that Sen. Sessions can drag her across the finish line just before he is confirmed as attorney general,' Warren said. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Democrat from DeVos' home state of Michigan, talked about how the Republican fundraiser's educational efforts have harmed education in the state. Stabenow accused of now only negatively impacting public education, but making charter schools less accountable and transparent. 'Her vision of education and her actions have, unfortunately, played a major role in undermining our pubic schools,' Stabenow said on the Senate floor. Of her fellow Michiganders she said, 'overwhelmingly they've told me that Betsy DeVos should not be our secretary of education.' West Midlands Police said it had discovered the body of a man in an 'inaccessible area of waste ground' next to the M6, while searching for Zahid Mirza A body has been found next to the M6 three weeks after the disappearance of a driver whose car crashed off the same stretch of motorway. West Midlands Police said it had discovered the body of a man in an 'inaccessible area of waste ground' next to the M6, while searching for Zahid Mirza. The 40-year-old from Chelmsley Wood in Solihull, near Birmingham, had not been since his damaged car was found abandoned on January 15. The force said its professional standards department would now refer its handling of the investigation to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), as is usual in such circumstances. Police believe Mr Mirza's car crashed on the M6 southbound between junction 4A and junction 5, near Coleshill, in the West Midlands, last month. The car had crashed through a barrier and was found abandoned nearby. Officers said they carried out a search of the immediate area at the time, but had found no trace of the driver. It then emerged that Mr Mirza's family had not seen him since the day of the crash. Specialist police search teams were sent back to comb the area at the weekend and discovered a body last night. The remains have not been formally identified but Mr Mirza's family has been informed. Detective Superintendent Tom Chisholm said: 'At the time of the collision in January, a search was made of the immediate area, but there was no trace of the driver. 'Following inquiries, we discovered that Mr Mirza's family have had no contact with him since then, so specialist officers have been in the area over the past two days carrying out searches. 'On Sunday the search team discovered the body of a man in an inaccessible area of waste ground.' A post mortem will take place in due course to establish the cause of death. Mr Mirza was described as a funny and intelligent man, a close brother and a son who devoted much of his recent years to caring for his mother. A family member said: 'This has all happened in very strange circumstances and I'm confused as to why it took so long for Zahid to be found. 'I think it's possible this delay from the police will have only made things worse for his family grieving for him.' Police believe Mr Mirza's car crashed on the M6 southbound between junction 4A and junction 5, near Coleshill, in the West Midlands, last month She said: 'He was intelligent kind charming a credit to his parents. He looked after his mum as she was very ill. 'He had a very close bond with his brother as there's only two of them and a year apart in age. 'Zahid was the most funniest charming and intelligent person I'd ever known.. It's a great loss. 'He was so kind and would go out his way for anyone. I feel like I can't even do him justice by the words I'm saying. This news is so upsetting. 'I saw Zahid a year or so ago and he looked well and made me laugh. In fact he always made me laugh as well as others. He is very close to his brother and a wonder uncle to his nephews. 'He moved from where he lived in London back to his hometown in Birmingham to look after his sick mum. He was always very loving towards her. I can't begin to imagine what she must be going through. 'I don't think anyone has a bad word to say about Zahid as he was very much liked.' The delay in the finding of a body has been blasted on Facebook. Shaun Veness, said: 'I can't believe I'm reading this. 'When a 2 years old goes missing in a shopping centre the whole place is on lock down until toddler is found. 'Yet it takes 3 weeks to find a man next to the scene of a crash he's involved in. The police need to be held accountable for this tragedy.' Sen. Bernie Sanders suggested that President Donald Trump's cabinet picks and executive actions show that he's not really working for the 'forgotten man.' 'You know, it is hard not to laugh to see President Trump alongside these Wall Street guys,' Sanders told Jake Tapper Sunday on State of the Union. 'I have to say this, Jake, and I don't mean to be disrespectful this guy is a fraud.' Tapper was talking to Sanders about the administration's move, via executive order, to chip away at Dodd-Frank, the bill regulating Wall Street banks that was put into place after the 2008 financial crash. Scroll down for video Sen. Bernie Sanders went off about President Donald Trump - telling CNN's Jake Tapper he believed the president to be a 'fraud' CNN's Jake Tapper (left) had Sen. Bernie Sanders (right) talk about a new Trump executive order that would roll back regulations on Wall Street put in place after the 2008 crash Tapper had pointed out that a study from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government found that some community banks were having trouble complying with the law. The CNN newsman wanted to know if Sanders saw any upside in Trump's actions. He didn't. 'This guy ran for president of the United States saying, "I, Donald Trump, I'm going to take on Wall Street. These guys are getting away with murder,"' Sanders remarked. 'And then suddenly he appoints all these billionaires,' the progressive crusader continued. 'And now he is going to dismantle legislation that protects consumers,' Sanders added. So far, three members of Trump's team have Goldman Sach ties Steve Bannon, the president's chief strategist, worked for the Wall Street bank after leaving the Navy; his treasury pick Steve Mnuchin worked there too; and his top economic adviser Gary Cohn just left the institution, having been president, or No. 2, at the firm. Additionally, Wilbur Ross, Trump's secretary of commerce pick, is worth $2.5 billion, according to Forbes. Betsy DeVos, Trump's education secretary choice who faces a contentious vote in the Senate tomorrow is worth $1.25 billion. Every other cabinet pick is worth in the millions, except Rep. Ryan Zinke, who's up for secretary of the interior. He's worth only $800,000, according to Forbes. 'We have never had more billionaires in a Cabinet in the history of this country,' Sander remarked. 'So I hope that all of those folks who voted for Mr. Trump because [they] thought that he would stand up for working people, man, this guy is you know, he's a good showman,' Sanders said. 'I will give you that,' the senator from Vermont continued. 'He's a good TV guy.' Sanders said he worried this cast of characters would cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. The former Democratic candidate suggested the cabinet members would go after the needs of 'working families, the elderly, the children, the sick, and the poor.' And said he believed Trump would 'sell out the middle class and the working class of this country.' Tapper pointed out that many of Sanders' own supporters liked the sound of Trump's rhetoric, in part because Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton had herself been portrayed as being too close to Wall Street. Sanders suggested that voters who went for Trump had been tricked. 'Look, it is one thing if you run a campaign that says, look, I think Wall Street is great, I think the drug companies are great, I think we have to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid,' Sanders began. 'And if people want to vote for that, that's fine, that's democracy.' 'But you have a president who I think, in a totally fraudulent campaign, said that, "I'm going to stand up for the working people,"' Sanders said. Pointing again to the people that Trump has since hired, Sanders said, 'That is called hypocrisy.' The senator called on Mitch McConnell, the Senate's GOP leader, to be a check against Trump and the president's 'movement toward authoritarianism.' 'And I hope that Senator McConnell, who is a decent guy, conservative guy I disagree with him on everything,' Sanders said. 'But I would hope that he and his Republican friends will make it clear to Trump that this country belongs to all of us, and it's not a one-man show,' the senator concluded. Donald Trump said on Saturday that 'Obama people' civil servants left over from the previous White House were behind 'disgraceful' leaks describing his phone calls with two foreign leaders. And the president said his administration is searching 'very, very hard' for the partisan saboteurs. He told a Fox News Channel journalist following an annual International Red Cross fundraiser at his Mar-a-Lago resort club that 'it's a disgrace that they leaked because it's very much against our country. It's a very dangerous thing for this country.' Trump did not elaborate on the reasons for his suspicion. An unknown number of employees who served in the Obama administration are still manning their posts, including some at the State Department. President Donald Trump, shown on the phone with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, said Saturday that 'Obama people' were behind leaks of that call and a similar chat with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto Trump reportedly tolf Pena Nieto (left) that he might send U.S. troops into Mexico to interdict drugs; he reportedly hung up on Turnbull (right) over an Obama administration pledge to accept 1,250 largely Muslim refugees housed in Australian-run camps That, the president, suggested, presents the possibility that government workers loyal to Obama could work behind the scenes to hamstring his shift in foreign policy tactics. Trump told Fox that some Obama administration employees are still working in his White House and on his National Security Council staff but are on their way out. He also said he had 'positive' relationships with both Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. But call transcripts leaked to The Washington Post and other media outlets led to reports that Trump hung up on Turnbull less than halfway through a planned hour-long call. The stories described tension between the two leaders over the status of Obama's pledge to accept 1,250 people mostly Middle Easterners held in high-security Australian refugee camps. Turnbull downplayed the tensions, insisting on Australia's '60 Minutes' program that 'it's a deal that President Trump entered into. He would not have to honor it, but he has committed' to putting the refugees into his 'extreme vetting' pipeline. Former U.S. president Barack Obama left office last month but many civil servants who worked in his White House are still lingering The earlier call with Pena Nieto made news with an Associated Press reports that Trump threatened to send military troops across the U.S.-Mexico border to interdict narcotics because there are 'bad hombres down there.' Against that backdrop, Pena Nieto spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said in a radio interview that 'The things that have been said are nonsense and a downright lie.' 'I know it with absolute certainty, there was no threat,' Sanchez said. The White House later suggested the comment was real, but made jokingly. In a third twist, Trump told Fox News host Bill O'Reilly in an interview broadcast Sunday that Pena Nieto is willing to accept the American military's help to fight drug cartels. Millions of dollars worth of heroin, cocaine, marijuana and other drugs cross Mexico's famously porous U.S. border every year This file photo shows a camp on the Island of Nauru where Australia holds refugees hoping to resettle in the U.S., most of whom are from majority-Muslim nations 'I did talk to him about it. I want to help him with it,' Trump said. 'He seemed very willing to get help from us because he has got a problem ... and it's a real problem for us. Don't forget those cartels are operating in our country. And they're poisoning the youth of our country.' It's unclear if federal investigators are probing the leaks. But White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a separate Fox interview that 'the president takes these leaks very seriously.' 'That's troubling and I think the president has asked the team to look into this because those are very serious implications,' Spicer said. A 'bored' RAF pilot flying a plane carrying 187 passengers was 'practicing taking photos' when his camera jammed the controls, causing it to nosedive 4,400 feet in 29 seconds, a court martial heard. Terrified military personnel on the aircraft being flown by Flight Lieutenant Andrew Townshend, 49, were 'pinned to the ceiling and thought they were going to die'. The Voyager aircraft was cruising at 33,000 feet when it suddenly nosedived 4,400 feet towards the Black Sea. Flight Lieutenant Andrew Townshend, 49, was carrying 187 passengers from the UK to Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, when he decided to take photos with his Nikon DSLR camera. His camera jammed his controls, causing the Voyager aircraft to nosedive 4,400 feet in 29 seconds During the nosedive, Townshend said 'f*****g hell, s**t, Jesus Christ' and afterwards announced to passengers he 'was not sure' what caused it, Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, heard. Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, heard Townshend was 'bored' while flying from the UK to Camp Bastion in Afghanistan and was 'practicing long-exposure photography when his co-pilot left the cockpit to get a cup of tea'. Terrified military personnel on the aircraft were 'pinned to the ceiling and thought they were going to die'. Bins, paper cups, teapots and bags were thrown into the air during the nosedive His Nikon DSLR camera was positioned in front of his arm rest and became jammed with the plane's controls when he moved his seat forward. The camera wedged between his arm rest and the 'side-stick' - a joystick used to control the plane - which pushed it forward, disengaging the auto-pilot and causing the plane to nosedive. He and the co-pilot, who was pinned to the cockpit ceiling, wrestled with the controls as it plummeted towards the sea and were able to retrieve the dive in time. Bags, paper cups, teapots and bins were thrown into the air when the Airbus A330-200 passenger jet fell into the nosedive. While flying, he took photos of the views, passing aircraft, the inside of the cockpit, instruments used by pilots and the speed and altitude dials. He took a total of 28 photos in the lead-up to the incident and a transcript read out by prosecutor Nigel Lickley QC revealed conversation between him and co-pilot Flt Lt Jones. After diverting to an airbase in Turkey, Townshend lied when filing a tech-log in which he attributed the cause of the incident to a mechanical fault. He allegedly then lied days later while under oath at a service inquiry, by insisting the incident was a result of a technical error. Townshend denies two counts of perjury and making a false record in relation to lying, but admits negligently performing a duty in relation to causing the camera to collide with the side-stick. The court today heard he deleted photos he took in the cockpit after the incident. Townshend took 28 photos after his co-pilot left the cockpit to make a cup of tea. During the nosedive, Flt Lt Townshend said 'f*****g hell, s**t, Jesus Christ' and afterwards announced to passengers he 'was not sure' what caused it, Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, heard. Pictured, how the Voyager fell into the steep nosedive After diverting to an airbase in Turkey, 49 year old Townshend lied when filing a tech-log in which he attributed the cause of the incident to a mechanical fault. He allegedly then lied days later while under oath at a service inquiry, by insisting the incident was a result of a technical error. File picture, an RAF Voyager Opening the trial, Mr Lickley QC said: 'The plane left with 187 military personnel on board, the flight was in essence no different from a passenger flight. 'The pilots operate the plane with a side stick which is similar to a gaming joy stick and they fly in auto-pilot soon after taking off. 'When auto-pilot is engaged the side stick stays in the middle - it can be disengaged when the stick is pushed forward. A reconstruction of the situation shows how the DSLR camera got stuck between the arm rest and the side stick, similar to a gaming joy stick. The plane fell into the nosedive when autopilot was disengaged 'This is exactly what happened during the flight and there was a rapid descent of 4,400ft in a matter of seconds. 'The descent was unannounced so passengers experienced weightlessness, they were thrown to the ceiling and thought they were going to die. 'This all happened while he was alone in the cockpit, the co-pilot managed to get back to his seat and was in fact on the ceiling while trying to gain control with Townshend. The board of seven military personnel was shown a simulation video of a replica camera being wedged into a plane's controls and it was demonstrated how difficult it was to release the camera. Pictured, a reconstruction 'Fortunately they managed to gain control of the plane.' Mr Lickley said checks carried out when they landed in Turkey revealed there were no technical issues with the plane and said Flt Lt Townshend had caused the side stick to move forward. He added 'bored' Flt Lt Townshend, based at RAF Northolt, had taken a series of 'blurred photos' in the minutes before the nosedive suggesting he was practicing long-exposure photography. Townshend denies two counts of perjury and making a false record in relation to lying, but admits negligently performing a duty in relation to causing the camera to collide with the side-stick He said: 'He was seen during the flight taking photos of passing aircraft. Examination of his camera revealed other photos a few minutes before the incident. 'The camera photos were blurred and suggest he was practicing long exposure photography. 'Flt Lt Townshend was not concentrating while flying and was bored. The camera and side stick have damage to them which is consistent with them coming into contact like they did. 'His camera was next to his arm rest which for some reason was not in the right position recommended for pilots. 'The arm rest was pointing downwards and he moved his seat forward, causing it to jam into the side stick and disengage auto-pilot. 'He disputes putting the camera next to him and knowing the camera was in the position it was while jammed. He says it had fallen from a shelf. 'In a tech-log after they landed he said it was a mechanical issue and suggested there was a very serious issue with the aircraft. 'Days later at two service inquiries, while answering questions under oath, he did not tell the truth. He said the reason for the incident was a technical malfunction.' Mr Lickley QC added: 'He chose for some reason to have his arm rest in an odd position, he knew he had put the camera there and he knew it was was there when he moved his seat forward. 'He knew the camera was there during the descent as he was trying to move the side stick to free the camera and he knew he had caused the incident. 'After the incident, 14 personnel were unable to fly back to the UK because of their injuries. The court today heard he deleted photos he took in the cockpit after the incident 'Flt Lt Jones noticed Flt Lt Townshend taking photos on the flight of other aircraft and was shown them. 'Flt Lt Jones said at first there was a rumble and he was thrown into the ceiling and was looking at the sea below him. 'When he asked Flt Lt Townshend what happened he told him 'nothing I was just looking out the window at the stars'.' Flt Lt Jones suffered a cut to the head, a fractured back, a prolapsed disc and nerve damage. The court heard accounts from other passengers. Mr Lickley said: 'Sergeant Ian Burke was pinned up on the ceiling and couldn't move. Sergeant Humphries thought he was going to die and was also pinned on the ceiling. 'Natalie Thornhill, a cabin crew member, was thrown to the ceiling and then thrown to the floor.' Mr Lickley also told the court: 'After the incident a number of images had appeared to go missing and he admitted deleting some. Later he produced a memory stick with the images on.' The board of seven military personnel was shown a simulation video of a replica camera being wedged into a plane's controls and it was demonstrated how difficult it was to release the camera. The trial, expected to last two weeks, continues. Advertisement A woman living by the train tracks in rural eastern Iowa was awakened early Sunday morning by a deafening din that violently rattled her house. When she looked out the window, Kerry Rogers was shocked to discover more than two dozen train cars that had come to rest in her backyard following a derailment. Canadian Pacific Railway spokesman Andy Cummings said 26 of the 99 empty cars in the train went off the tracks at around 6am along Massey Station Road. Off the rails: Crews work to upright cars after approximately 26 of 99 Canadian Pacific cars derailed south of Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday Too close for comfort: Some of the cars came to rest in Kerry Rogers' backyard south of Dubuque, Iowa Lucky escape: A view from the top showing the empty train cars just a few feet from the side of the Rogers family's home on Massey Station Road The incident occurred about 10 miles from Dubuque near the Mississippi River. The derailment shook several nearby homes, but none was hit and no injuries were reported. Terrified: Rogers said the racket from the derailment sounded like an earthquake and shook her entire house At the time of the accident, the freight train was headed north, to Sparta, Wisconsin. Kerry Rogers, who lives with her husband, Rob, and her grown daughter, Tana, at 4641 Massey Station Road, told The Telegraph Herald she was 'scared to death' and likened the racket from the derailment to an earthquake. Some of the empty cars landed just steps away from her deck, and a tree on the Rogers' property was uprooted on impact. 'When I saw it, I was scared to death. I panicked, she recalled. Rogers' mother, Betty Thill, has lived in the neighborhood for 71 years and said she has never seen anything like what happened on Sunday. She expressed relief that at the time of the incident, the cars were empty. At the time of the accident, the freight train was headed north, to Sparta, Wisconsin Work crews labored through the night to clear some of the overturned, mangled train cars By Monday morning, Canadian Pacific Railway announced that its rail line south of Dubuque was back in operation Work crews labored through the night to clear some of the overturned train cars. By Monday morning, Canadian Pacific Railway announced that its rail line south of Dubuque was back in operation. The cause of the derailment is under investigation. Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway referenced the 'Bowling Green Massacre' in two other interviews days before she used the same justification for the refugee ban on Hardball with Chris Matthews. She mentioned the fictitious massacre to Cosmopolitan in a phone interview about the ban and to a cameraman for TMZ on January 29. After she was lampooned for citing the 'alternative fact' on Hardball, Conway tweeted out how the mistake was a mere slip of the tongue and she really meant to say 'Bowling Green terrorists.' She tried to deflect the row by pointing out mistakes journalists made that week on Twitter: 'Honest mistakes abound. Last night, prominent editor of liberal site apologized for almost running a story re: tweet from fake account. Kellyanne Conway referenced the fictitious 'Bowling Green Massacre on Hardball' with Chris Matthews and in a Cosmopolitan interview 'Yet won't name him, attack him, get the base 2 descend upon him. Same with MLKJr bust fake story. It's called class, grace, deep breath.' The interview aired on February 3, but four days earlier Conway made a similar 'honest mistake' to Cosmopolitan. While she was saying Obama prolonged the process for Iraqi refugees from entering the country, Conway told the magazine: 'Why did [Obama] do that? He did that for exactly the same reasons.' Counselor to the President, Kellyanne Conway, has tried to defend her gaffe about the made-up massacre by saying she meant to say terrorists Mohanad Shareef Hammadi (left) and Waad Ramadan Alwan (right) were the men Conway was referencing when she said 'Bowling Green terrorists' 'He did that because two Iraqi nationals came to this country, joined ISIS, traveled back to the Middle East to get trained and refine their terrorism skills, and come back here, and were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green Massacre of taking innocent soldiers' lives away.' The same day she used the same reasoning to TMZ claiming Obama had similar travel restrictions: '[Obama] did that because, I assume, there were two Iraqis who came here, got radicalized, joined ISIS, and then were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green attack on our brave soldiers.' She was referencing Mohanad Shareef Hammadi and Waad Ramadan Alwan, two Iraqi men pretending to be refugees. They pleaded guilty to federal terrorism charges in 2011 admitting to planting bombs against American soldiers while they were in Iraq between 2003 and 2006. Alwan's fingerprints were found on an unexploded IED overseas. The Department of Justice does not mention them going back to the Middle East for training like Kellyanna Conway does. Hammadi and Alwan were arrested in Bowling Green but did not kill anyone there like the name 'Bowling Green Massacre' or 'Bowling Green terrorists' implies. Also, the men were not planning an attack on U.S. soil. When Cosmo followed up with Conway about her Bowling Green comment, she said: 'Frankly they were terrorists in Bowling Green but their massacre took place in Iraq. At least this got clear-thinking people to focus on what did happen in Bowling Green.' 'I gave new life to that ABC News investigative report and the fact that these two Iraqi nationals came to the U.S. with a plan of death and destruction.' The Cosmo and TMZ quotes are almost identical in sentiment to what Conway said on MSNBC. She told Chris Matthews: 'I bet it's brand new information to people that President Obama had a six-month ban on the Iraqi refugee program after two Iraqis came here to this country, were radicalized and they were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green Massacre.' 'Most people don't know that because it didn't get covered.' Casey Anthony was out protesting President Donald Trump over the weekend in Palm Beach. The 30-year-old, who was tried and acquitted of killing her daughter Caylee in Orlando following the girl's disappearance in 2008, was one of 3,000 people who marched from Trump Plaza to Mar-a-Lago on Saturday, where President Trump and the First Lady were hosting the annual Red Cross Ball WPTV managed to spot Casey at the protest in Facebook Live videos they filmed of the protest, where she was seen talking to fellow protesters while smiling and waving at one point and standing alongside a friend who held a sign reading: 'Wake Up People. Divide & Conquer Is At Work. Rise up!' In another video she spoke with a group of men and after laughing at one of them could be seen taking her phone out of her back pocket and typing something into the device. Casey had on multiple glow-in-the-dark bracelets, an olive green shirt and wore a backwards Cleveland Indians hat. She declined a request to be interviewed on camera, but did say she is against President Trump's policies. Scroll down for video Rally cry: Casey Anthony (above) was one of the 3,000 protesters who marched in a rally outside Mar-a-Lago on Saturday night Movement: Anthony was part of a group that marched 2.5miles through Palm Beach to protest against President Trump Greeting a friend: Casey wore a wrist full of glow-in-the-dark bracelets at the rally on Saturday, and said she was against President Trump's policies (above) The 2.5mile protest on Saturday night was called March Mar-a-Lago and organized by South Florida Activism and Women's March Florida PBC. It was supposed to end at the bridge across from President Trump's Florida estate, but many continued on and stopped just outside the gates of Mar-a-Lago. Along the march route were also numerous supporters of President Trump holding up 'make America Great Again' signs. Casey's night of protesting came almost six years after she was found not guilty of killing her daughter Caylee in 2011 after a two-month trial that enraged the nation. The two-year-old girl went missing in June 2008 and her skeletal remains were later found in a bag near her home in December of that year. After her daughter was reported missing, Casey told conflicting stories to members of law enforcement, saying at one point that Caylee had been kidnapped by a nanny over a month before she was reported missing by her grandmother. Those statements led to her being charged with giving false statements, and she was arrested and put in jail one day after Caylee was reported missing. She was released on $500,000 bond the following month. Casey was then indicted on charges including first-degree murder in October 2008 by a grand jury and later pleaded not guilty to all charges. At the time, the body of Caylee had yet to be discovered, but Casey was still ordered held without bond. The following April prosecutors revealed that they would be seeking the death penalty in the case. The trial would not being until two years later, and Casey never took the stand in her defense. Casey was found not guilty of killing her daughter Caylee in 2011 after a two-month trial that enraged the nation. Making friends: Later in the video Casey (above) could be seen speaking with a group of young men and then putting some information into her phone The look: Casey had on multiple glow-in-the-dark bracelets, an olive green shirt and wore a backwards Cleveland Indians hat Making friends: Later in the video Casey (left) could be seen speaking with a group of young men and then putting some information into her phone (right) The case was once again in the spotlight last year thanks to new documents that made shocking claims about Anthony and her lawyer Jose Baez. Private investigator Dominic Casey stated in an affidavit filed with United States Bankruptcy Court in the Middle District of Florida Tampa Division: '[On] Saturday, July 26, 2008, Baez had told me that Casey (Anthony) had murdered Caylee and dumped the body somewhere and, he needed all the help he could get to find the body before anyone else did.' Mr Casey also claimed in the affidavit that Anthony traded sexual favors with Baez to cover her legal fees. Those claims were denied soon after by both Casey and Baez. Casey was found not guilty of killing her daughter Caylee in 2011 after a two-month trial that enraged the nation. The two-year-old girl went missing in June 2008 and her skeletal remains were later found in a bag near her home in December of that year. Mr Casey claimed in his affidavit that on September 5, 2008, Anthony was scheduled to sit down for a television interview but told Baez she did not want to do it, leading him to cancel with the network. That is when Mr Casey claimed Mr Baez, who is married, told him: 'You now owe me three blow jobs.' Later that month there was another incident Mr Casey claims when he arrived at Mr Baez's office and saw Ms Anthony naked.'This time she ran from his private office, through the conference room to the hallway,' Mr Casey claimed in the affidavit. 'That night, I told her that she cannot allow [Baez] to continue engaging in this behavior. Casey told me she had not money for her defense. I reminded her that Baez had more than enough money from the network he sold the photographs to pay for her defense,' said Mr Casey. 'Casey apologized and assured me it would not happen again.' Timing: The protest was held while President Donald Trump and the First Lady (above on Saturday) were at their Florida estate for the annual Red Cross Ball Court: Casey's night of protesting came almost six years after she was found not guilty of killing her daughter Caylee in 2011 (Casey above leaving jail in July 2011 after her acquittal) Trageedy: Caylee (above) went missing in June 2008 and her skeletal remains were later found in a bag near her home in December of that year Mr Casey also spoke about the recovery of Caylee's body later in the affidavit, claiming that Baez had suggested the baby would likely be found in the swamp where investigators did eventually discover her body. 'Baez had already told me on Saturday, July 26, 2008, that Casey had murdered Caylee and dumped the body somewhere,' claimed Casey. 'He also suggested to me that if I could gain access to the swamp on Suburban Drive without being seen, to do so because it could be the place that Casey had dumped Caylee's body.' Baez said in an interview shortly after that there was absolutely no truth to claims that Casey told him she had killed her daughter Caylee or that he and his client had a sexual relationship. He also said he was pursuing legal action against Mr Casey. Casey also stated in court documents that Mr Casey's claims were false and designed to help him sell his book about the death of Caylee. A holidaymaker who was in Sousse on the day of the terrorist attack said he was told by a travel agent that it was '100% safe' when he was looking into the trip, an inquest has heard. Paul Thompson said that he and his wife were 'pushed' towards choosing Tunisia and were told that there were 'special deals' on offer at that time - weeks after the attack at the Bardo National Museum in the capital, Tunis, in March 2015 in which 24 people were killed. The victims' relatives have heard how there were serious security failings at the resort in Sousse - which were not changed despite it being reported months beforehand A Thomson travel agent said she did not give a safety guarantee to the couple, and that she would not say somewhere is completely safe. Mr Thompson said they were told the atrocity was a 'one-off' and that another travel agent likened it to avoiding Skegness if there was an attack in London. On June 26, when Mr Thompson was on holiday, Seifeddine Rezgui opened fire at the five-star Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel in Sousse killing 38 tourists, including 30 Britons. The inquest into the deaths of the Britons at the Royal Courts of Justice heard that Mr Thompson and his wife had visited the Thomson travel agents in Ilkeston on May 5. Tunisia survivor Suzanne Richards (left) lost her son, brother and father in the attack, and says it's 'destroyed' her family They wanted to discuss changing their holiday to Greece to a different destination. 'We originally wanted Egypt but the travel agent pushed for Tunisia,' Mr Thompson told the inquest. He said in his statement that he could get all inclusive in a five star hotel because there were 'special deals on in Tunisia at that time'. Mr Thompson said his wife Zoe mentioned the Bardo attack to the travel agent, and said they were told it was a 'one-off' and the place was '100% safe'. Billy and Lisa Graham (left) and Jim and Ann McQuire (right) were among the 30 Britons killed during the beach massacre He added: 'In fact, one of the travel agents there likened it to if something happened in London, would that stop you from going to Skegness?' In his statement he said they were told the Bardo attack was 'a one-off like the 7/7 bombings'. Amy Smallman, assistant manager of the Thomson travel agents in Ilkeston, told the inquest she did not tell the Thompsons that the destination was '100% safe'. Ms Smallman said she does not give safety guarantees to customers because 'nowhere is 100%', adding: 'I wouldn't have said that.' The ISIS-inspired shooting was the deadliest non-state attack in Tunisian history Families of 16 of the victims have accused travel company TUI Group of ignoring security warnings and putting holidaymakers at risk Asked if she was particularly 'pushing' Tunisia, she said: 'No, not at all.' Mr Thompson said he was '100% certain' that he and his wife had been given the safety guarantee, adding that a holiday rep at a welcome meeting in Tunisia also said the place was '100% safe'. He said he was 'reasonably sure' that they had also been told that hotels in Tunisia were gated and had 24-hour security, but this is disputed too. A 23-year-old tourist from New York has been discovered dead on a Panama island during a trip to the beach. Panama's Civil Defense said the body of Catherine Johannet, of Scarsdale, was found Sunday on a trail in a wooded area not far from a beach on Bastimentos Island. The US Embassy in Panama City confirmed her passing but no cause of death was provided and it was unclear whether foul play was suspected. Tourist found dead: Catherine Johannet, 23 (left and right), was found dead on a Panama island Sunday afternoon, three days after she had left on a trip to the beach Adventurer: Johannet had been staying at a hostel in the village of Bosca del Toro on Colon Island (pictured in file photo) during a backpacking trip Final destination: Johannet had been planning to spend half the day Thursday on Red Frog Beach on Bastimentos Island (pictured), a popular travel destination in Panama Johannet had been staying in a hostel in Bosca del Toro village on Colon Island, part of the same archipelago popular among tourists for its clear water, coral reefs and wildlife. The US Embassy says that Panamanian authorities and the FBI had searched for Johannet throughout the weekend and will continue investigating the case. Johannet was last seen alive at around 10am on Thursday on Colon Island, where she had been staying during a backpacking vacation, reported LoHud.com. That morning, she traveled to the nearby Bastimentos Island, a popular travel destination off the northern cast of Panama, where she had been planning to spend the day on Red Frog Beach. Staff at Johannet's hostel on Colon Island reported her missing after she failed to return from her day trip, according to Newsroom Panama. Gone: Staff at Johannet's hostel reported her missing after she failed to return from her beach excursion This map shows locations off the coast on Panama where Catherine Johannet had visited and where her body was found on Sunday Police and volunteers scoured the islands in search of the missing tourist until her body was discovered on a hiking trail near the beach on Bastimentos at 2.11pm on Sunday. Adrienne Bory, press attache at the US Embassy in Panama offered condolences to Catherine Johannet's family in New York. Catherines older sister, Laura, took to Facebook Sunday to thank friends for their support during this trying time. My family is thinking of all our beautiful memories with our laughing, adventurous, warm little girl, she wrote in a status update. According to her LinkedIn profile, Catherine graduated from Columbia University in 2015 with a Bachelors degree in comparative literature. From July 2015 to October 2016, she was employed as a teacher with the organization IvyPrerp based out of Hanoi, Vietnam. Her family were on their way to Panama on Monday to bring her body home. Johannet is survived by her parents, sister Laura and brother Paul. A race row has erupted at Oxford after college officials sent out an alert about a black intruder who turned out to be a visiting former university student. Oluwafemi Nylander, 22, accused the university of institutional racism after his photograph was sent out to hundreds of undergraduates in a security alert. He said he had been on the grounds of Harris Manchester College picking up a key from a friend's office when he was captured by security cameras. The row erupted after former Harris Manchester student Oluwafemi Nylander was spotted on the college ground picking up a key for a friend A CCTV image was then circulated to all students and staff at the college, who were warned to be vigilant about an unauthorised person as his intentions were unclear. Yesterday, Harris Manchester denied that his race had been a factor and said an alert would be issued about any intruder on college grounds. But Mr Nylander, who graduated last year with a Politics, Philosophy and Economics degree, said he felt the staff were only suspicious of him because of his skin colour. In an alert that circulated students and staff were urged to 'maintain their vigilance' - but Mr Nylander said it would have been a 'different reaction' if he was a different colour He told the Daily Mail: Had this been another student of a different colour there would definitely have been a different reaction. Oxford as an institution is shambolic. There are more Etonians at undergraduate level than black students. You are more likely to walk through a college in a suit and tie than with an afro. Your presence is an anomaly. Mr Nylander said the incident was an example of Oxford's 'terrible record of anti-black racism' All of these things attest to Oxfords terrible record of anti-black racism. These issues have to been seen in a wider light with Oxfords admissions and syllabus. The underrepresentation is huge. Institutional racial profiling has become normalised. Harris Manchester, which caters solely for undergraduates who are over 21, said they became alerted to a stranger on campus last week in a building owned by All Souls College. An academic raised the alarm with staff after a man he did not recognise burst into his bedroom at 11.30pm on Thursday evening and then apologised, saying he had the wrong door. The academic also saw the same man outside the building at 7am the following morning. College officials then found CCTV footage of the man which suggested he had accessed the grounds without a security pass. They sent out an email on Friday with a CCTV still warning that although interactions with the individual had been amenable, any sighting of him should be reported. It said: This is a serious reminder that this wonderful and safe environment in which we live and work can be taken advantage of. 'We must all do our bit to maintain vigilance against unauthorised persons in the college. Mr Nylander, who attended Regents Park College at Oxford, said he had entered the college late at night to pick up a key from a friends office and then became locked in the building. He said when he realised he was stuck, he worked on his laptop until the gates were opened in the morning. Last year Mr Nylander dressed up in chains outside Codrington Library to protest the founder, Chris Codrington, who made his fortune from the slave trade When a friend at the college showed him the email, he posted it on the Facebook campaign group Race Matters, where he received dozens of messages of support. However, Annette Duffell, the college bursar, said: As far as the college was concerned, we had an intruder on our premises and so we issued a picture. Given this person was not a member of our college and not with anybody, we needed to circulate something so that we could identify who it was and ask people to just be a bit vigilant about who they let in. We know the students of our college and we have photos of them all. There are only 200, so we knew he was not a member of our college. Mr Nylander was a leading campaigner in the 'Rhodes Must Fall' movement and has also interned for Labour MP Julie Hilling It was purely a security issue. Anything else is conjecture. We were responding as we would to any overnight security issue. Mr Nylander, who attended the 11,000-a-year private school Manchester Grammar, has interned for Labour MP Julie Hilling. He was a leading campaigner in Oxfords Rhodes Must Fall movement which called on the university to remove a statue of the imperialist Cecil Rhodes at Oriel College. Last year he dressed in chains and stood outside All Souls College in protest against the Codrington Library and commemoration of its founder, Christopher Codrington, who made his fortune from the slave trade. The poet, musician and actor who starred as Othello in a university production said CCTV incident was part of a very worrying trend across Oxford University. He said other black students had been stopped and asked for ID when entering their colleges, while porters were said to keep photographs of the few black students at the front desk as a security measure. An ex-convict who posted anti-Islamic rants online was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Monday for setting fire to a mosque linked to Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen. Joseph Schreiber, 32, pleaded no contest on Monday to setting fire to the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce on September 11, 2016 - the 15th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks. At his sentencing he said that he was not motivated by hate, but by anxiety that there might be another attack like Mateen's assault on gay nightclub Pulse, which saw 49 people murdered and 53 injured in July last year. Convicted: Joseph Schreiber (left), 32, was given 30 years on Monday for torching the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce. The dad of Pulse shooter Omar Mateen (right) attends the mosque Damaged: The mosque's rear was badly burned in the attack. Schreiber pleaded no contest and said that he burned it because he was 'anxious' about possible future terrorist attacks Schreiber made the remarks in a letter that he read to the court. In the letter, Schreiber, who is Jewish, also called on Muslim communities 'to make peace with America, make peace with Israel and stop the attacks.' He then turned toward the mosque's imam and apologized. The imam whispered 'Thank you' in return. The mosque had been linked to Mateen through his father, who is among the roughly 100 worshipers there. Despite his claims that he was motivated by anxiety, p rosecutor Steve Gosnell said Schreiber told police he believed Muslims 'are trying to infiltrate our government' and that 'the teaching of Islam should be completely, completely illegal.' He also posted on Facebook last July that 'All Islam is radical' and that all Muslims should be treated as terrorists and criminals. Schreiber also admitted to detectives that he burned the mosque down, but submitted a 'no contest' plea, which is treated the same as a guilty plea by the court. No contest pleas are sometimes made as part of plea agreements, or to avoid the possibility of a civil suit after the criminal trial has ended. Burned out: The mosque was rendered unusable by the fire. Schreiber apologized to the its imam in court, but had previously said that all Muslims should be treated as terrorists Schreiber was previously sentenced twice to state prison for theft, according to records from the Florida Department of Corrections. The records show he served his first sentence from March 2008 to July 2009 and his second from June 2010 to August 2014. Last September, a former inmate who served time with Schreiber at the faith-based Lawtey Correctional Institution, described Schreiber as being a 'couple cans short of a six-pack.' Video courtesy of WPTV Ralph Alfonso said Schreiber joined a Messianic Jewish group he led because he was looking for a place to fit in. Messianic Jews follow Jewish law and the Torah but also believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. He said Schreiber sometimes would say something negative about Muslims, but 'we would tell him that's not what we believe, that it is not godly.' A surveillance video from the mosque showed Schreiber driving up to the mosque on a motorcycle and approaching the building while talking on a cellphone. He carried a bottle of liquid and some papers and left when there was a flash. The first 911 calls were made about 45 minutes later, after the fire had spread to the attic. It took about four-and-a-half hours for firefighters to extinguish the blaze. No one was injured in the fire. As well as being sentenced to 30 years in prison, Schreiber was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution, although damages exceeded $100,000. The damage to the mosque was so extensive that the leaders recently announced that it will have to move. President Donald Trump's upcoming state visit to Great Britain is stirring up new opposition in the wake of his new immigration ban, with the Speaker of the House of Commons saying he is 'strongly opposed' to Trump getting the honor of speaking in Westminster Hall. British Prime Minister Theresa May announced Trump's state visit to the United Kingdom during her White House visit and meetings with Trump last month. But that was before Trump's immigration ban, which drew protests in Great Britain, just as it did at U.S. airports, at the White House, and in front of Trump's luxury hotel in Washington. 'Before the imposition of the migrant ban, I would myself have been strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall,' said Commons Speaker John Bercow. British Speaker John Bercow, pictured rebuking Donald Trump in the House of Commons, said his opposition to a speech in Parliament by Donald Trump had been increased by the President's migrant ban Commons Speaker John Bercow has said he is 'strongly opposed' to Trump speaking in Westminster Hall, the oldest and most hallowed part of the Palace of Westminster, where the UK Parliament sits Now following in these footsteps: President Obama was the first and so far only U.S. president to speak in Westminster Hall to both houses of the UK Parliament, the elected House of Commons - of whom John Bercow (left) is speaker - and the appointed House of Lords 'After the imposition of the migrant ban by President Trump I am even more strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall,' he added. Bercow is one of three dignitaries with special influence over who gets to speak in the hall. Such an address would be to the two parts of Britain's Parliament: the lower, elected, House of Commons, and the upper, appointed, House of Lords. Bercow is the Speaker of the lower house and although an elected member, is seen as being above politics as a result of his office. His refusal to offer an invitation is therefore a particularly stinging insult. The hall is the oldest and most hallowed of the British Parliament's buildings, dating back to 1097, and has been at the center of the country's history. Only five foreign leaders since World War II have been invited to speak there - with Obama one of them and the first U.S. president to be afforded the honor. Trump's immigration ban set off worldwide protests, and set governments around the world scrambling to figure out how to interpret it as would-be refugees, green card holders, and dual citizens made their way to the U.S. in the confusing early days of the ban. The British parliament is set to debate whether to cancel the visit later in the year. During the campaign, parliament held a debate on a petition calling on him to be banned from the country for 'hate speech.' As Commons Speaker, Bercow is one of three individuals who control access to speaking rights at the hall. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May walk at the White House on January 27 A general view shows the House of Lords chamber in session at the Houses of Parliament in London on September 5, 2016 The Trump Organization owns property in Scotland. Donald Trump gives a press conference on the 9th tee at his Trump Turnberry Resort on June 24, 2016 in Ayr, Scotland President Barack Obama became the first U.S. president to address both houses of parliament in the first two months of his term, but it wasn't an official state visit - the honor afforded Trump by Britain's prime minister Theresa May. 'What I will say is this: an address by a foreign leader to both Houses of Parliament is not an automatic right, it is an earned honor,' Bercow said.'Moreover, there are many precedents for state visits to take place to our country which do not include an address to both Houses of Parliament.' The medieval hall carries special significance as the ancient home to British democracy and the oldest part of the Palace of Westminster. Another alternative is for Trump to speak in the Royal Gallery, which is behind the House of Lords. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton both spoke there. Bercow said he has less influence over that hall. 'I would not wish to issue an invitation to President Trump to speak in the Royal Gallery,' he told Members of Parliament, even as he acknowledged it wasn't up to him whether Trump comes. 'We value our relationship with the United States; if a state visit takes place that is way beyond and above the pay grade of the Speaker,' he said. 'However, as far as this place is concerned I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the House of Commons,' he said. Former UK Independence Party head Nigel Farage blasted the move, saying: 'For Speaker Bercow to uphold our finest parliamentary traditions, he should be neutral.' Trump's visit also puts the 90-year old Queen Elizabeth in a 'difficult position,' according to one observer. Lord Rickets, former permanent secretary to the British Foreign Office, asked in a column published in the Times of London whether Trump were 'specially deserving of this exceptional honor?' He wrote that there is 'no precedent for a U.S. president paying a state visit to this country in their first year. Most have had to wait till their third,' and added, 'now the Queen is put in a very difficult position.' Speeches in the hall are rare. Besides Obama, South African President Nelson Mandela and Burma freedom fighter Aung San Suu Kyi are among those who have been given the honor. A billionaire British businessman has been accused of firing staff before he has to pay them big bonuses. John Caudwell, who founded the mobile phone firm Phones4u, has been accused by a former employee who took legal action after losing her job. Detail emerged on Monday during the latest round of a High Court dispute involving Mr Caudwell and French financial expert Nathalie Dauriac-Stoebe. John Caudwell (left), who founded the mobile phone firm Phones4u, has been accused by former employee Nathalie Dauriac-Stoebe (right) Mr Caudwell, who is in his 60s and grew up in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, denies the allegation. Bosses at money management firm Signia Wealth, which is controlled by a Caudwell family trust, have sued 39-year-old Miss Dauriac-Stoebe. They say Miss Dauriac-Stoebe misused expenses when an employee and director at the firm. Miss Dauriac-Stoebe says she was constructively dismissed and lost shares. She wants around 20 million compensation. All sides dispute allegations made against them. Mr Caudwell has lost the latest round of the fight. Miss Dauriac-Stoebe wants a trial judge to consider allegations from a former executive in another business in which Mr Caudwell was the main shareholder. She says evidence shows that Mr Caudwell 'behaved similarly' towards Tracy Gehlan, and is relevant to her case. Mobile phone tycoon John Caudwell and his partner Claire Johnson at a party to celebrate the British Citizenship of Evgeny Lebedev Mr Caudwell says Ms Gehlan's evidence should not be aired at a trial. His lawyers say the trial judge should not be asked to oversee 'two cases'. But a judge analysing preliminary issues has ruled that Ms Gehlan's evidence should be analysed, following a High Court hearing in London. Chief Master Matthew Marsh said one part of Ms Gehlan's evidence related to what Mr Caudwell was 'said to have said' about firing employees. The judge said: 'Mr Caudwell is said to have said he always sets bonuses high and then finds a way of firing an employee before he has to pay it.' He said litigation involving Ms Gehlan featured a company based in Poland in which Mr Caudwell had an interest. A spokesman for Signia said after Monday's hearing that the litigation involving Ms Gehlan was taking place in Poland and was being 'fiercely contested'. He said Mr Caudwell denied allegations made by Ms Gehlan. A female Australian Federal Police officer who was shot inside Melbourne city headquarters on Monday evening has died in hospital. Emergency services responded to reports of a firearm incident at about 5.45pm after at least one shot was fired inside the La Trobe Street building. On Tuesday morning AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin said that the woman had died as a result of her injuries. A female Australian Federal Police member has died after she was shot inside the agency's Melbourne city headquarters on Monday evening Emergency services responded to reports of a firearm incident at about 5.45pm on Monday AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin released a statement on Tuesday about the woman's death 'The circumstances surrounding this tragic incident are being investigated by Victoria Police who will prepare a report for the coroner,' Commissioner Colvin said. 'Our colleague's death is not believed to be suspicious. 'My thoughts are with her loved ones and the broader AFP family who are dealing with the loss of one of our own today.' He added that support would be provided for the woman's family and colleagues. Earlier, emergency services were called to the Melbourne AFP headquarters in response to the shooting. 'The cause of the incident remains under investigation and while this is being undertaken, including notification to family members, the AFP will not be making further comment at this time,' they said in a statement on Monday. At least one shot was fired inside the La Trobe Street building A Victorian Police spokesperson confirmed there had been no arrests and officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with the shooting A Victorian Police spokesperson confirmed there had been no arrests and officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with the shooting. Dramatic photographs showed a person being carried out on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance. A waiter at a Korean restaurant next door told the Herald Sun he saw 'many' paramedics carrying a person out of the AFP headquarters. The publication also reported that officers were seen taking photographs at the entrance of the building. Almost half of Australians support a Donald Trump-inspired measure to make it more difficult for people from Muslim-majority countries to come to Australia. Newspoll found more than half of Coalition voters supported blocking citizens from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen from travelling Down Under. President Trump's executive order also blocked all refugees from travelling to the U.S. for 120 days, and put an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees. Overall, Australians were divided on whether we should follow that lead. U.S. President Donald Trump is pictured on the phone to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull Muslim men are pictured praying at a demonstration at JFK airport in New York to protest President Trump's executive order 44 per cent of all respondents said Australia should take similar action, and 45 per cent opposed the measure. 11 per cent of the 1,734 respondents were not committed. 52 per cent of Liberal and Nationals voters support following President Trump's lead on visa suspensions, according to the survey which was taken for The Australian. 55 per cent of Labor voters and 75 per cent of Greens voted objected to the proposition. 52 per cent of Coalition voters and 34 per cent of Labor voters support the measures (Labor leader Bill Shorten and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull pictured) The Newspoll question was: 'Donald Trump has introduced changes that make it harder for citizens from seven mainly Muslim countries to enter the U.S. Would you be in favour or opposed to Australia taking similar measures? President Trump's controversial executive order has inspired protests at airports across the country. A District Court judge has halted the measures. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has refused to comment on the executive order. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has said she would go further than President Trump's measures. Would you be in favour or opposed to Australia taking similar measures? OVERALL SUPPORT: 44 OPPOSED: 45 UNCOMMITTED: 11 COALITION VOTERS SUPPORT: 52 OPPOSED: 39 UNCOMMITTED: 9 LABOR VOTERS SUPPORT: 34 OPPOSED: 55 UNCOMMITTED: 11 GREENS VOTERS SUPPORT: 22 OPPOSED: 75 UNCOMMITTED: 3 Advertisement One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has said she would go further than President Trump's measures A U.S. citizen was arrested last week for trying to smuggle more than 50 pounds of cocaine back into the country while driving with his three step-kids. The incident happened the afternoon of February 3, at a checkpoint near Salton City, California. A Border Patrol K-9 sniffing dog alerted agents to the vehicle and it was pulled over for a second inspection. A 21-year-old man was arrested last week after trying to smuggle more than 50 pounds of cocaine into the U.S. while driving with his three step-kids, ages 10, seven and six During that inspection, agents found hidden compartments in the vehicle's floor where the driver allegedly stashed 24 packages of cocaine weighing 57 pounds. It's estimated that the cocaine was worth a total of $678,000 on the street. The driver, a 21-year-old man who has not been identified, was arrested on suspicion of smuggling cocaine. His three step-children - ages 10, seven and six - were placed in child protective services. The cocaine was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Agency. Jamie Lynn Spears and her husband watched in horror as their daughter Maddie's ATV flipped into a pond and desperately tried to save her but couldn't free her from her safety belt. The eight-year-old was eventually rescued by paramedics when the ambulance arrived within just a couple minutes. She was rushed to hospital where she remains in a critical but stable condition. Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards said the accident occurred shortly before 3pm on Sunday at the family home. Maddie had been driving the Polaris ATV when she swerved to avoid a drainage ditch. That's when the vehicle flipped into the pond and immediately went under - trapping her underneath, according to the police report. Scroll below for video Jamie Lynn Spears (right) and her husband watched in horror as their daughter Maddie's (left) ATV flipped into a pond on Sunday Jamie and her husband desperately tried to save her but couldn't free her from her safety belt. The mother-daughter duo are pictured above together during Thanksgiving. It's unclear if this is the ATV she was driving during the accident The eight-year-old (pictured) was eventually rescued by paramedics when the ambulance arrived within just a couple minutes Maddie's aunt Britney Spears posted on Twitter: 'Need all the wishes and prayers for my niece' The ATV had been a gift for her 7th birthday, TMZ reported. The entire incident took place in front of Maddie's horrified parents, Jamie Lee Spears, 25, - Britney's sister - and Jamie's husband Jamie Watson who were just 100 yards away. 'Within seconds the child's mother, step-father and other family members reached the pond, dove in and attempted to rescue the child to no avail, People reports. 'The child was trapped and secured by the seatbelt and the ATV's safety netting. Within two minutes, Acadian Ambulance Services arrived and assisted in freeing the child from the cold waters,' police said in a statement. The eight-year-old was airlifted to a New Orleans hospital where doctors say she's in a critical condition, but stable, sources say. 'This is an extremely tragic accident,' the report added. Maddie's aunt Britney Spears posted a plea for 'wishes and prayers' on Twitter after the accident. 'Need all the wishes and prayers for my niece,' she wrote alongside a picture of Maddie. Urging fans to focus positive thoughts in the child's direction, Jamie Lynn's father, Jamie Spears, told ET: 'All I can say is pray for our baby Maddie.' Holding out hope: The child was reportedly hurt in an ATV accident Sunday. She was snapped riding above in 2015 The entire incident took place in front of Maddie's horrified parents, Jamie Lee Spears, 25, and Jamie's husband Jamie Watson (pictured with his wife and step-daughter) who were just 100 yards away Britney Spears' niece Maddie, 8, (with Britney) was left in a 'critical but stable condition Spears' rep issued a statement on Sunday after the crash, which suggested media reports did not have the full story of what happened. The statement said: 'The details the media are reporting surrounding the incident regarding Jamie Lynn's daughter Maddie are incorrect. 'Right now the Spears family asks that everyone respect their privacy during this time and appreciates all the prayers and support for their family.' Multiple well-wishes were pouring in via social media Sunday night, praying for the child's recovery. 'Can everyone please stop and pray for Jamie Lynn Spears and her daughter Maddie right now. She was in a serious ATV accident. It's serious. Please. Pray. Omg. Please be okay baby girl, ' author Jaime Primak wrote. 'I feel sick ... everyone stop and pray for @jamielynnspears and her daughter Maddie right now. It's serious. Please. Pray. Omg. Please be okay baby girl.' Jamie Lynn Spears and her husband watched in horror as their daughter Maddie's ATV flipped into a pond Sunday (Maddie with her mom and grandma Lynne Spears last year) Thicker than water: Britney's family helped her turn around her life in 2007. The singer looked amazing at the VMAs last August (left) while sister Jamie is pictured at the CMA Awards in 2015 User @LazNmatt1230 wrote: 'Praying that Maddie is ok and will be strong love you @britneyspears and the spears family my prayers and love go out to you.' Jamie Lynn was the lead actress on the Nickelodeon series Zoey 101 from 2005 until 2008. She made headlines in 2007 when she became pregnant with Maddie at 16; the child, whose father is Jamie Lynn's ex Casey Aldridge, was born June 19, 2008. The young mother opened up about the experience last year in a TLC documentary titled Jamie Lynn Spears: When the Lights Go Out. 'I look back now and I'm like, 'Oh my gosh',' she said. 'I was a child then. I needed to grow up outside of the world's view.' She's since turned her attention toward a career in country music, putting out an EP titled The Journey three years ago. Speaking with People last June about her daughter, Jamie Lynn said Maddie's 'got such a sweet little heart. 'I feel like I've raised her with a lot of honesty, but I've also raised her with a lot of love,' she told the magazine. 'She's a very happy, content little girl, and there's nothing more a parent could ask for. 'That's my most proud accomplishment out of anything and always will be.' Call to prayer: Many Twitter users were sending kind vibes to the musical family amid the awful occurrence Sunday Malcolm Turnbull appears to have turned to the heavens after Cory Bernardi called him to confirm he will defect from the Liberal Party. Federal MPs marked the start of parliament at the traditional ecumenical church service on Tuesday morning, where the prime minister stared above. Earlier in the morning, Mr Bernardi formally called Mr Turnbull to state his intention to resign from the Liberal Party. The South Australian will sit on the crossbench as an independent, and will form a breakaway party called Australian Conservatives, Laurie Oakes told the Today Show. Scroll down for video Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is pictured at the ecumenical church service to mark the start of the parliamentary year at St Christopher's cathedral in Canberra Mr Turnbull, his wife Lucy and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce are pictured on Tuesday Mr Bernardi appears to be getting bankrolled by mining magnate Gina Rinehart. In the phone call, Mr Bernardi told Mr Turnbull the 2015 leadership coup against Tony Abbott was a key driving force behind his resignation from the party, Sydney Morning Herald reported. He told the prime minister there were talks to challenge his leadership. 'There's talk about doing it again and I want no part of it,' Mr Bernardi told Mr Turnbull, colleagues told Fairfax. Mr Abbott, backbencher and former prime minister, could be seen smiling at a Coalition joint partyroom meeting at Parliament House on Tuesday. Mr Bernardi is expected to address the senate about 12.30pm on Tuesday. Mr Oakes said the senator had timed his resignation 'to inflict maximum damage' on the prime minister, on the first day of the parliamentary year. Cory Bernardi shared this selfie posing in a Donald Trump 'Make Australia Great Again' hat last year Mr Turnbull is pictured delivering a reading during the ecumenical church service to mark the start of the parliamentary year at St Christopher's cathedral in Canberra Mr Turnbull was tight lipped about the future of renegade senator Mr Bernardi as he arrived at the ecumenical service at St Christopher's cathedral in Canberra with his wife Lucy. He refused to answer questions as he arrived for the service in suburban Canberra. Inside, he read from Psalm 15: 'Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain. 'The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart.' Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and wife Chloe also attended the Tuesday gathering, which traditionally marks the start of the parliamentary year. Peter Dutton - regarded as the leading conservative inside Mr Turnbull's cabinet - didn't hold back on criticising Mr Bernardi. 'I think people will be angry about any defection, angry about the betrayal of the Liberal Party values,' the immigration minister told ABC radio. Mr Abbott, backbencher and former prime minister, could be seen smiling at a Coalition joint partyroom meeting at Parliament House on Tuesday In the phone call, Mr Bernardi told Mr Turnbull the 2015 leadership coup against Tony Abbott (pictured on Tuesday) was a key driving force behind his resignation from the party Mr Dutton said he didn't believe other coalition MPs would follow Mr Bernardi who is tipped to announce the formation of the Australian Conservatives party when he publicly reveals his future to the Senate later on Tuesday. On Twitter, Defence Minister Christopher Pyne said the 'honourable course' was for Mr Bernardi to resign and recontest as an independent because he was elected as a Liberal. 'Those most hurt by Cory Bernardi are the hundreds of thousands of SA voters who voted Liberal in the Senate only to be let down by him,' Mr Pyne wrote on Twitter. 'The Liberal Party's values are not limited to conservatism. We are Liberals because we are open to new ideas; tolerant of difference; ... modern and forward looking; we believe in reward for effort and sharing Australia's good fortune with those in need.' Liberal MP Craig Kelly wants Mr Bernardi to think again. 'You can do a lot more inside the Liberal party, working for, arguing those things that you believe in, than actually outside the tent,' he told the ABC. Mr Turnbull refused to answer questions as he arrived for the service in suburban Canberra Mr Bernardi's decision is set to dominate the first day of federal parliament for the year. But cabinet minister Arthur Sinodinos denies it will be a distraction. 'Not if we and the press focus on what's important to our fellow Australians,' he said. Fellow coalition MPs, who are usually not willing to talk politics on sacred grounds, were happy to give their two cents worth on Mr Bernardi at the service on Tuesday. 'He should be honourable and he should resign from the Senate and run as an independent,' Liberal backbencher Jane Prentice said. Ken Wyatt offered a more charitable view. 'On principle I'd like to see Cory remain with us but if he's made that decision then I'm not going to begrudge him making that decision,' the minister told reporters. Mr Turnbull is pictured with a portrait of former prime minister Tony Abbott at a Coalition joint partyroom meeting on Tuesday Mr Abbott and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton are pictured at the meeting at the Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday Treasurer Scott Morrison was in a reflective mood as he went to pray for the year ahead, turning his mind to South Australian Liberal party members who supported Senator Bernardi at the 2016 election. 'They're the ones he made the promise to, to be a Liberal,' Mr Morrison said. The traditional display of political unity across the aisle was short-lived, as Labor leader Bill Shorten sought to remind everyone that a government that could not govern itself could not govern the nation. 'It is long overdue for the government to focus on the jobs of other Australians,' he said as he left the service alongside his wife, Chloe. Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce did not appear too fussed by the distraction. Cory Bernardi has called Malcolm Turnbull to confirm he will defect from the Liberal Party (Mr Bernardi pictured in August last year) 'Everything is always interesting in this job, eh,' he said. And his advice for Senator Bernardi? 'Pray. Pray hard.' Conservative Queensland government backbencher George Christensen said Mr Bernardi had never asked him to leave the Liberal National Party. 'At this point in time I'm very loyal to Barnaby Joyce - I sit within the National Party - it's a party I've been a member of for more than two decades,' he told ABC radio. 'I'm going to continue here for as long as the party - and I believe the National Party always will be - in tune with conservative values and in tune with regional electorates.' Sean Edwards has more reason than most to be angry with his fellow South Australian. On Twitter, Defence Minister Christopher Pyne said the 'honourable course' was for Mr Bernardi to resign and recontest as an independent because he was elected as a Liberal 'It would be a gross departure as to - certainly six months into a six-year term - what people would have expected,' said the former senator who lost his seat at the 2016 election. Mr Edwards, who was number five on the SA Senate ticket behind Mr Bernardi running as number two, said he would be disappointed if he left. 'I would prefer to see Mr Bernardi stay within the Liberal party and do the work that all the members that preselected him in preference to members like myself (expect),' he said. Changes to way senators are elected would make it harder for Liberal renegade Cory Bernardi to retain his Senate seat, one crossbencher warned. Cory Bernardi has been told by one his of soon-to-be fellow crossbenchers he risks losing his Senate seat if he quits the Liberal Party to sit as an independent conservative. Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjlem told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday he had a simple message for the renegade government senator: 'Don't do it.' Mr Bernardi will sit on the crossbench as an independent conservative (pictured in August 2016) Changes to way senators are elected would make his South Australian seat much harder to retain, he warned. But Mr Bernardi would make a good replacement on small-L liberal economic issues after Family First senator Bob Day quit parliament. Government senator James Paterson said his thoughts were with Liberal voters in South Australia who would be feeling disappointed. 'I hope if Cory does go to the cross bench that ... he bears in mind he was elected on a Liberal Party platform,' he told reporters. Support for the federal government is at its lowest point since Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ousted Tony Abbott, Newspoll revealed on monday. Labor leads 54 to 46 per cent on a two-party preferred basis, according to the poll published in The Australian newspaper. The survey of more than 1700 people showed the Liberal party's primary vote slipped four points to 35 per cent over the holidays. Advertisement The western half of the island of New Guinea is rich in minerals, especially copper and gold, but its discovery has been a very mixed blessing for the local people. It was the Dutch who first discovered minerals on the island in the 1930s and when the Netherlands cut its ties with the colony in the late 1960s it was the presence of the goodies underground which tempted neighbouring Indonesia. What had been Dutch New Guinea was annexed by Indonesia in 1969 after a highly questionable referendum, known as the 'Act of Free Choice'. Dead trees affected by gold mine waste, known as tailings are seen in Timika. Indonesia produces over $70billion in gold a year but the local people in West Papua rarely see any of that money An illegal gold prospector sifts through sand and rock as she pans for gold in Timika. Indigenous tribes in West Papua such as the Kamoro are still trying to get their fair share of the country's wealth The indigenous people, who are ethnically Melanesian, mainly Christian, and kinfolk of neighbouring Papua New Guinea, have been oppressed ever since by Muslim Indonesian settlers and Jakarta's occupying army. In 1971 Melanesians made up 96 percent of the population but now they are in a minority and by 2020, if migration rates remain the same, they will be less than three in 10 of the population. The West Papuans have also suffered as the land they depend on has been devastated by mining. A man wearing a Santa Claus hat pans for gold in the Aikwa riverbed. According to reports, the Grasberg mine, owned Freeport McMoran, dumps as much as 200,000 tonnes of mine waste directly into the Aikwa delta system every day, turning thousands of hectares of forest and mangroves into wasteland Indigenous tribes like the Kamoro say they have been hit by disease, poverty and environmental degradation since operations began at the Grasberg mine in 1973. Their chief, Hironimus Urmani, told The Guardian: 'Nature is a blessing from God, and we are known by the three S's: Sago (trees), sampan (canoes) and Sungani (rivers). But life is very difficult now.' The Free West Papua movement has been demanding independence for the territory but has struggled to gain attention in a world distracted by other issues. The Grasberg mine is owned by an American firm, Freeport McMoRan, which is based in Arizona. They did not respond to Mail Online's request for a response. The Aikwa river flows into the ocean but nowadays it is virtually an outflow pipe of the Grasberg gold and copper mine The gold mine waste, known as tailings, has killed off thousands of trees in the Aikwa river delta The Aikwa river is so polluted by mine waste that all the fish in it have long ago died off and the water is completely undrinkable. All it is good for now is gold prospecting A man shows off the gold dust he had found in the Aikwa river. Most prospectors are able to obtain around a gram of gold per day, which they can sell for around 25 The gold is weighed on a scales. This amount is worth 400,000 rupiah (25) It takes a keen eye to spot the tiny dots of gold in the murky water Theresa May's government is planning a sweeping new multi-million pound campaign against far-right fanatics. The online battle, to be led by advertising giants M&C Saatchi, comes amid fears of the growing threat from 'alt-right' extremists. The 60 million will recruit advertising giants M&C Saatchi to lead the online campaign The campaign in Britain will be launched by the Home Office and focus on the threat of 'extreme right-wing narratives', the Times reported. A source said: 'They are going against people who read Breitbart and stuff like that, the conspiratorial media. They want people to be critical about what they read. 'If you have issues, it's not other communities who may be the cause of your issues.' The 'alt-right' have risen to prominence since the election of Donald Trump. The President's chief strategist, Steve Bannon, ran the right-wing news site Breitbart which has been often accused of spreading fake news. Fears have grown over the 'alt-right''s growth with the appointment of former Breitbart founder Steve Bannon to Donald Trump's inner circle Britain has also experienced its own right-wing extremism. The house of Thomas Mair, who murdered MP Jo Cox, was found to be full of far-right literature and Nazi memorabilia. The new government crackdown will also examine possible ties between right wing British radicals and vigilante groups hunting asylum seekers in eastern Europe. In 2016 former BNP leader Nick Griffin was photographed delivering bullet-proof vests, drones and night-vision goggles to hooded vigilantes in Bulgaria. According to Whitehall sources a secretive anti-subversion section of Whitehall has been monitoring these kind of groups and a 'strategic assessment of the European far-right and the UK' has been prepared. The house of Jo Cox's murderer Thomas Mair was found full of far-right and Neo-Nazi literature A 2 million security programme for places of worship has been put in place, likely to especially benefit mosques needing protection. M&C Saatchi have previously worked to undermine extremist groups. In the 2010 election they produced images using swastikas to remind voters of the BNP's hardline roots. M&C Saatchi have also worked to deter jihadism in Somali by using a radio campaign. The advertising giant has developed a reputation for challenging extremism through military-style 'psy-ops' campaigns. A Home Office spokesperson said: 'This government is determined to challenge extremism in all its forms including the evil of far-right extremism and the terrible damage it can cause to in can cause to individuals families and communities' The White House has released a list of 78 terror attacks that the press had 'ignored' following President Donald Trump's claims that the media was 'very, very dishonest'. The attacks dated from September 2014 to December 2016, all of which the president believed were 'underreported' as he put the blame on the media Monday. Trump's administration said the attacks in Orlando, San Bernardino, Brussels, Nice and the Bataclan in Paris 'have not received the media attention they deserved' and released the list on Monday night as proof. Several members of the press have voiced their confusion over the list, as a handful of instances named were the subject of news coverage that lasted 'days on end'. The report, several pages long and seemingly hastily thrown together, is littered with spelling errors such as 'ATTAKER', 'ATTAKERS' and incorrectly spelling the California city as 'San Bernadino'. SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FULL LIST OF 78 The White House has released a list of 78 terror attacks that the press had 'ignored' following President Donald Trump's claims that the media was 'very, very dishonest' on Monday night (pictured) The report, several pages long and seemingly hastily thrown together, is littered with spelling errors such as 'ATTAKER', 'ATTAKERS' and incorrectly spelling the California city as 'San Bernadino' (pictured) Trump's administration said the attacks in Orlando, San Bernardino, Brussels, Nice and Paris 'have not received the media attention they deserved'. Pulse nightclub was subject to a mass shooting in June 2016 and left 49 people dead and wounded 53 Among the attacks named was the Nice, France, truck massacre (pictured) which killed 84 civilians and injuring more than 300 people on July 2016 One of the biggest terror attacks over the past two years took place in France, with the Bataclan theatre attack in Paris and the Nice truck massacre, both of which were on the list. The Orlando, Florida nightclub shooting was widely covered in the news for being a terror attack and a hate crime in June 2016. It left 49 people dead and wounded 53 more. The mass shooting and attempted bombing in San Bernardino, California was also included on the roster, the December 2015 attack ended with 14 dead and 22 wounded. The list of 78 occurrences of terror attacks were worldwide and included who was the subject of the attack and named the persons involved. CNN reporter Jim Acosta said it was a 'head scratcher as his news organization was reportedly one of the first to see the list after it was labeled 'fake news' by Trump in December. President Donald Trump claimed Monday that terror attacks are happening 'all over Europe' but they're not being covered by the 'very, very dishonest press' The Bataclan concert hall was attacked in Paris, France. In the fatal attack 130 people lost their lives and many more were injured on November 13, 2015 President Donald Trump claimed Monday that terror attacks are happening 'all over Europe' but they're not being covered by the 'very, very dishonest press.' Before the list was published the president did not provide any examples as he made the claim in front of troops stationed at MacDill Air Force base in Tampa, Florida. His press secretary, Sean Spicer, told reporters aboard Air Force One, 'Theres a lot of instances where I dont think theyve gotten the coverage it deserved.' He did not name one, either. 'Well provide a list later,' he asserted, indicating in the gaggle that the president may have been thinking of foiled' attacks, in addition to murderous assaults. On it's face, it wasn't obvious what attacks Trump was referring to when he hit the media with the broadside at MacDill. His senior counselor, Kellyanne Conway, had accused the press last week, on MSNBC, of ignoring a terrorism-driven massacre that was found to never have occurred. 'President Obama had a six-month ban on the Iraqi refugee program after two Iraqis came here to this country, were radicalized, and they were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre. Most people don't know that because it didn't get covered,' Conway said. The White House official says she 'misspoke' and meant to say 'terrorists.' Cosmo revealed Monday, however, that she made the mistake in an interview with their magazine, too. She claimed two Iraqi nationals were the 'masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre' in a Jan. 29 interview. The refugees she was referring to were Iraqi, and they were living in Bowling Green, Kentucky, when they were arrested. They did not commit any acts of terror on America soil. Instead, they were taken into custody for trying to send weapons back to Iraq for use against American soldiers. The mass shooting and attempted bombing in San Bernardino, California, killed 14 people in December 2015 Trump on Monday similarly claimed that there are terror plots that are going unnoticed. Speaking to U.S. Special Forces and U.S. Central Command soldiers, he said, 'We're up against an enemy that celebrates death and totally worships destruction. You've seen that. ISIS is on a campaign of genocide, committing atrocities across the world. 'Radical Islamic terrorists are determined to strike our homeland as they did on 9/11, as they did from Boston to Orlando to San Bernardino, and all across Europe,' he said. 'You've seen what happened in Paris and Nice. All over Europe, it's happening.' He at that point added: 'It's gotten to a point where it's not even being reported. And in many cases the very, very dishonest press doesn't want to report it. They have their reasons, and you understand that.' The president moved on without calling attention to any specific terrorist attack he believes the media is covering up. Spicer insisted later that there are 'a lot of instances,' however, that are being 'underreported.' 'I think the president's comments were very clear at the time,' he told a reporter asking about the president's claim that the media has its 'reasons' for burying terror-related news. Continuing, Spicer said, 'He felt members of the media dont always cover some of those events to the extent that other events might get covered,' he explained. 'Protests will get blown out of the water, and yet an attack or a foiled attack doesnt necessarily get the same coverage.' The president's spokesman went on to claim that the press was unfairly covering Trump's travel ban, something the president had brought up earlier in a tweet. 'Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting,' Trump had said. His senior counselor, Kellyanne Conway, had accused the press last week of ignoring a terrorism-driven massacre that was found to never have occurred. She told Fox she 'misspoke' and meant to say 'terrorists' Spicer invoked Trump's gripe in his session with reporters riding Air Force One later. 'I think sometimes the polls dont reflect what you see on the media,' he said. 'You see a wide degree of support for the presidents policies to protect this country, to create jobs, to grow the economy. And yet a lot of those stories and success that hes had in a mere two and a half weeks in office arent exactly covered to the degree to which they should be.' A CNN/ORC poll released Friday showed that 53 percent of Americans oppose the president's plan, which also suspended America's refugee program for 120 days, however. Hours earlier a CBS News poll found 51 percent don't like Trump's approach. The CNN and CBS polls surveyed Americans in phone calls, as did a Gallup poll. All three showed majorities opposing the policy. But four online polls have found majorities or pluralities of Americans support the president. Those include surveys from Reuters/Ipsos, Rasmussen Reports, Public Policy Polling and YouGov/Huffington Post. The Rasmussen poll, which was limited to likely voters, showed a 52-43 gap in Trump's favor. This is the second page of the terror attack list the White House claims that the media had 'ignored' This page of the report includes the Nice, France, massacre where at least 129 people were killed when a truck drove through a crowd Some of the incidents on the list included attacks where no causalities happened The dates of the attack are from September 2014 to December 2016 The most recent attack named was in Berlin where a terrorist drove a truck into a Christmas market William Charles Thomas, 58, faces five counts of child rape Investigators who searched William Charles Thomas' trailer home in Pennsylvania were sickened by what they found on Thursday. Strung up all around the mobile home, especially over the bed, were over 1,000 pairs of children's underwear, say police. Cops also say they found over 1,000 pieces of child porn, the majority depicting 'prepubescent' kids, in the trailer in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, a small town right on the New Jersey border. Thomas, 58, was arraigned Friday on child porn charges, and faces an additional 5 counts of child rape and 46 related charges, LeHigh Valley Live reports. Police say he admitted to abusing two children in an interview on Saturday. Prosecutors fear the tally of Thomas' victims may grow unthinkably longer before their investigation is done. The investigation into Thomas began in November, on a fluke tip. Thomas was working as a handyman in the Midway Village Trailer Park, where he also lived, and was making renovations on another trailer. The Midway Village Trailer Park, where Thomas lived and worked as a handyman. Cops say they found thousands of pairs of children's underwear when they raided Thomas' trailer The home's new owner noticed something sickening in the construction material though: plywood that had 'handwritten graphic details about someone sexually assaulting two very young girls' scrawled on it, according to court records. This is a real life boogeyman. This is your parents' worst nightmare District Attorney Matt Weintraub The writings described a specific assault on Christmas of 2014, and referred to the author's penis as one-eyed Willie, police said. The homeowner contacted cops, and the two young girls described in the sick note were identified as children who used to live in the trailer park. Police tied the sick writings to Thomas by comparing the handwriting to work orders written by the handyman, cops said. Disturbingly, a similar note written on drywall was also reportedly discovered in Thomas' previous home in 2010, along with a homemade child sex doll. It's unclear whether any charges or further investigation stemmed from the discovery. But a search executed on Thursday revealed a trove of incriminating evidence, including children's underwear, porn, and graphic writings, police say. Mugshots: Accused child rapist William Charles Thomas in 2012, 2008 and 2004 (left to right) Mugshots: Accused child rapist William Charles Thomas in 2000, 1998 and 1996 (left to right) 'This was a perverse shrine to his criminal conquests, and we are merely scratching the surface of those conquests today,' said District Attorney Matt Weintraub. 'To be blunt about it, this is a real life boogeyman. This is your parents' worst nightmare,' Weintraub said. In an interview with cops, Thomas allegedly admitted he had been sexually attracted to children for decades, and described sex acts he'd committed with children, including a relative and children he babysat, Philly.com reported. Writings found in Thomas' trailer suggest that he may have been subjecting kids to sickening abuse for nearly four decades. 'Some of these writings documented Thomas molesting children as young as three years old, when Thomas was in his twenties, which would be during the nineteen seventies,' court documents obtained by the New York Post said. 'Thomas also wrote that he was aware some of the children were either asleep or so young that they wouldnt be able to disclose the abuse.' Thomas remained in Bucks County jail on Monday morning, pending bond of $150,000. He faces arraignment on Tuesday of child rape charges related to alleged victims under the age of 13, all dating from since the 1990s. Anyone with information about potential victims of Thomas is urged to contact the Falls Township Police Department at (215) 302-3315. Advertisement If you had a family photograph taken how many people would be present? Well, for one supersize family in China, 500 relatives turned up for their photo session, requiring a drone to fly back from a distance in a bid to get the full clan in the frame. Apparently it took more two years for the Ren family to coordinate the impressive stunt, which took place close to their ancestral town in the Zhejiang province. Scroll down for video Say cheese! 500 relatives turned up for a family photo session in China, requiring a drone to fly back from a distance in a bid to get the full clan in the frame Family planning: Apparently it took more two years for the Ren dynasty to coordinate the stunt which took place close to their ancestral town in the Zhejiang province Images show a mixture of different generations standing side-by-side on a rocky outcrop. The photos were taken in front of a backdrop of basalt formations where Ren's original family village was founded. The ancestors are seen snaking down the hillside with some passers-by even snapping shots of the unusual family get-together. The 500 living members of the Ren dynasty are part of the 25th to 31st generations of the family. Many of them are scattered across the country with some residing in Beijing, Shanghai, Xinjiang, and even across the strait in Taiwan. The relatives were brought together by a project to update their sprawling family tree. It took more than 30 minutes for them to get into position in front of the drone camera. Back to where it all started: The photos were taken in front of a backdrop of basalt formations where Zen's original family village was founded 20 years ago Making a scene: The ancestors were seen snaking down the hillside with some passers-by even snapping shots of the unusual family get-together Commenting on the reunion, Ren Tuanjie - one of the main organisers of the event - told china.org: 'It took us two and a half years to complete the new family tree. During Spring Festival, we like to bring all the family members together so as to let our ancestors know where they are.' In China the Spring Festival is an annual event which often brings family members together. Many opt to have photographs taken during this time to mark the occasion. The Ren's very busy photo was branded 'amazing' by internet users after hitting the web. Ren added: 'China is moving towards modernity, but Chinese people's roots in their native land never disappear. 'Wherever they go, descendants from one family have always got something to bring them together.' He estimates that their are more than 1,000 over seven generations of the Ren family who are still alive. Maybe next year the family photograph will be an even bigger affair. Taro Landis has been named the new chief of police in Carlisle borough. Landis will assume his duties March 1. Lt. Stephen Latshaw took over as interim police chief following the March 2016 retirement of Stephen Margeson, who spent more than two decades as chief of police. Landis brings almost three decades of law enforcement experience to the position. He currently serves as the senior lieutenant with the Tredyffrin Township Police Department, where he has served for a little less than 30 years. During his tenure with Tredyffrin, he has served in a variety of positions including patrolman, SWAT officer, field training officer, detective, sergeant and senior lieutenant. Tredyffrin Township is in Chester County. Prior to joining the Tredyffrin Police Department, Landis served in the United States Marine Corps and was a commissioned officer in the United States Army Reserve. We are very excited about Taro coming to Carlisle to lead our police department, said Borough Manager Matthew Candland, and he has served with distinction for many years with the Tredyffrin Police Department. We are confident that, through his able leadership, he will help our Police Department be the best it can be. Landis, whose first day in Carlisle will be March 1, said, I am extremely honored to have been chosen to be a part of this great organization, the Carlisle Police Department, and I look forward to building strong relationships with the community. The managers of a foot massage parlour in China where 18 people were killed in a fierce fire on Sunday afternoon have been detained. Flames engulfed the Zuxintang beauty spa - located in the eastern Zhejiang province - at around 5:26pm, leading to more than a dozen fatalities and 18 reported injuries. The official Xinhua News Agency gave no further details on Monday's arrests and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation. Caught on camera: The managers of a foot massage parlour in China where 18 people were killed in a fierce fire on Sunday afternoon have been detained Billowing: Flames engulfed the Zuxintang beauty spa - located in the eastern Zhejiang province - at around 5:26pm, leading to more than a dozen fatalities Video captured by a passerby shows the beauty parlor blaze in full force with thick plumes of smoke filling the streets. People are seen jumping out of second-floor windows of the six-storey in a bid to escape. More graphic footage shows the deceased being stretchered out by paramedics. Fire fighters arrive on the scene frantically trying to deaden the inferno. Emergency: Video footage captured by passersby show the beauty parlor blaze in full force with thick plumes of smoke filling the streets Damage: The aftermath of the fire shows sooty marks coating nearby apartment blocks State of disrepair: Interior photographs show the beauty spa was left completely gutted It apparently took around two hours for them to extinguish the burning building. Following the fatal accident, the surrounding area of the neighbourhood has been cordoned off by police. The spotlight has been on China to improve workplace safety. Other recent disasters include an explosion at a hazardous material warehouse in the eastern city of Tianjin in August 2015 that killed at least 114 people. Seven people also died in a fire in an elderly care facility last month. It apparently took around two hours for them to extinguish the burning building Self-made billionaire and China's second richest man Jack Ma has launched a million-pound scholarship in a bid to recognise a family who helped kickstart his lucrative career. The 52-year-old founder of Alibaba - China's equivalent of eBay and the worlds largest retail platform - is set to give 16 million ($20 million) to fund an educational program to the University of Newcastle in Australia. Ma, who is worth 22.8 billion ($28.4 billion), said he wanted to give back in a bid to highlight the support he received as a teenager from a man named Ken Morley, who lived in Newcastle, New South Wales, until his death in 2004. Thumbs up: Self-made billionaire and China's second richest man Jack Ma has launched a million-pound scholarship in a bid to recognise a family who helped kickstart his career Jack Ma gave a speech at the 'Ma Yun Rural Teachers Prize' on January 6 in Sanya, China Ma met Morley in 1980 when he was 16. Morley was travelling to the tech guru's hometown of Hangzhou, China, on a tour with the Australia-China Friendship Society along with his family. It was Morley's son, David, who Ma first approached to practice his English and a bond quickly grew with the family. Ma said that Ken Morely went on to become a highly influential figure in his life, instilling 'core values and a global perspective'. Ma would write letters to Morley, who would correct his grammar and spelling in an effort to iron out any kinks. The Morleys invited Ma to Australia in 1985 for his first visit. To make the trip he apparently had to apply seven times for a visa before it was finally approved. Since that initial trip, he has returned many times over the years. Flashback: Jack Ma made friends with the Morley family when he was in his early teens Brave move: He first approached the Australian family while they were visiting his hometown in China in a bid to improve his English According to a report on People's Daily Online, Ken Morley also helped Ma out on the financial front, giving him about 122 to fund his studies back in China. With Ken Morley's help, Ma managed to graduate from the Hangzhou Normal University majoring in English Literature in 1988. At the time, few people could speak English in China. Reflecting on the relationship which helped foster his rise to success, Ma said: 'I am very thankful for Australia and the time I spent there in my youth. 'The culture, the landscape and most importantly its people had a profound positive impact on my view of the world at that time. 'To honour the experience and the special relationship I formed with the Morley family, the Jack Ma Foundation is delighted to announce The Ma & Morley Scholarship Program that will inspire, educate and cultivate tomorrows leaders. 'Alibaba was built by young people and we are committed to lifting up and empowering students so they can reach their dreams and ambitions.' Learning from elders: Ma said that Ken Morely went on to become a highly influential figure in his life, instilling 'core values and a global perspective' Cheers to that! The Morleys invited Ma to Australia in 1985 for his first visit - to make the trip he apparently had to apply seven times for a visa before it was finally approved The Ma and Morley Scholarship Program is set to support 90 students a year. It is expected to be advertised from the middle of the year, with the recipients hailing from financially disadvantaged and indigenous backgrounds. Undergraduate students will be selected based on their interest and commitment towards cross-cultural understanding, cooperation and peace; social justice and equity; fairness and ethics in entrepreneurship and industrial relations; and sustainable development, including environment, conservation and renewable energy. Last Friday, Ma visited Newcastle to mark the launch of his scholarship program. The university's vice-chancellor, Professor Caroline McMillen, said The Ma and Morley Scholarship Program would have a 'transformational impact on the lives of students and shape the next generation of leaders'. She added: 'Through this remarkable friendship spanning decades, a new generation of talented students will have the opportunity to reach their full personal and professional potential.' Cultural exchange: The Ma and Morley families forged a close friendship over the years Giving back: Ma is set to give 16 million ($20 million) to fund an educational program to the University of Newcastle in Australia Friends in high places: Other noteworthy visits undertaken by Ma recently, includes a meeting with US President Donald Trump David Morley, who still lives in Newcastle, said he was thrilled to see Ma remember his Newcastle connection and honour his father. He commented: 'Dad would be extremely proud of Jacks commitment to making a difference to students in our hometown, and so touched that their close friendship has led to this program, which will transform the futures of hundreds of University of Newcastle students, to hopefully do good things in the world.' Other noteworthy visits undertaken by Ma recently, includes a meeting with US President Donald Trump. He announced that his company Alibaba would help create one million jobs in the United States over the coming years. He also warned this month against Trump going down the path of protectionism, stating that 'if trade stops, war starts'. No doubt Ken Morley would be proud of Ma's rise as one of the world's most influential business thinkers. China's first-ever passenger jet built on home soil is set to take flight this month, it has been announced. In a bid to challenge foreign giants Airbus and Boeing - owned by France and America respectively - China is expected to finally 'realise its blue-sky flight dream' with its single-aisle C919 jet. The People's Daily newspaper has revealed that the 168 seater aircraft was moved to a test flight centre on December 25, 2016 with the installation of onboard systems almost complete. China's first-ever passenger jet built on home soil is set to take flight this month, it has been announced There have reportedly been 570 orders for the jet with Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines tipped as one of the first to receive the new model. COMAC is yet to release the price tag of the jet, but a previous report by China National Radio in June predicted that C919 was likely to be priced at 32 million (US$50 million), which was up to 30 per cent cheaper than a Boeing 737 or an Airbus 320. China Central Television, the country's national TV station, was given special permission to board the first C919 jet at the ceremony and filmed the interiors. Video footage showed the cockpit was fully equipped and, according to the reporter, its piloting system was more similar to Airbus planes. The cabin remained largely empty and was padded with a layer of cotton insulation. Four large boxes have been installed in the cabin for collecting data during test flights. The first C919 passenger jet is rolled out at the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd Many people are seen celebrating at the revealing of the C919 passenger jet plane in Shanghai today An industry source said the plane's maiden flight is scheduled for February but no exact date has been confirmed. Following its initial outing, test flights will be conducted for about three years before being put into commercial use. The C919 has a standard flight range of 2,532 miles (4,075 kilometres), which means the aircraft can fly non-stop from Shanghai to Kuala Lumpur or from New York City to Los Angeles. The plane, produced by the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), was originally scheduled to make its debut journey in 2015, but the date was repeatedly pushed back as it underwent additional testing and certification. For China, the aircraft represents at least eight years of effort in a state-mandated drive to reduce the country's reliance on European plane maker Airbus and Boeing of the United States and compete directly against them for market share. A CCTV presenter showed the interior of C919 during the unveiling ceremony(left). The pilots gear stick inside the cockpit of first C919 cockpit (right) The first C919 rolled off the assembly line in November 2015 after workers spent more than a year putting together the narrow-body aircraft. It is hoped the plane will take market share in the lucrative segment from the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320. In November COMAC said it had received 570 orders from 23 customers. China is one of the Western manufacturers' key battlegrounds, with its travellers taking to the skies in ever-growing numbers. The country's airlines will need nearly 6,000 new planes worth $945 billion over the next two decades, Airbus said in its 2016-2035 Global Market Forecast. Retired Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang takes a selfie in front of China's first self-developed large passenger jetliner A worker directs the people taking the plane out of the hub ready for its unveiling in front of thousands Boeing's expectations are even more optimistic, for 6,800 aircraft costing $1 trillion. To win favour locally both have built partnerships with Chinese firms, even as Beijing hopes to oust them with homegrown aircraft. Airbus has a completion and delivery centre in Tianjin, where workers install furnishings and apply paint to aircraft for the domestic market. It also buys parts such as exit doors, brake blades and wing sections from Chinese suppliers. Boeing last year announced plans to open a facility with COMAC to paint and install cabins for 737-model planes, the Chinese firm said. COMAC has also developed a smaller regional jet, the ARJ21, which took to the skies in its first commercial flight last June. A flaming big hole that won't stop burning: Giant gas crater called The Door To Hell that was caused by drilling blunder and was expected to burn out after a few daysin 1971 These are the astonishing images of the very aptly named Door To Hell, a fiery crater caused by a drilling blunder that is baffling scientists after flaming away for more than 40 years. The 230-feet wide crater, situated near Derweze village in Turkmenistan, was named the Door to Hell by locals, referring to the endless flames and boiling mud that can be found inside. Originally a level surface, the site was identified by Soviet scientists in 1971 as an area that was believed to house a substantial oil field. Scroll down for video Still smoking: The Door To Hell, a 230-feet wide crater, situated near Derweze village in Turkmenistan, has been burning since 1971 A camp and drilling rig were set up nearby, and, after the Soviets were pleased with amount of gas resources that were believed to be at the site, it was agreed that gas from the field would start being stored. However, the ground beneath the drilling rig soon collapsed, creating a wide crater that was believed to be releasing large quantities of methane gas, a potential danger to the nearby Turkmenistan villages. Scientists decided that the most efficient way to solve the problem would be to burn off the poisonous gases - by doing so, it was expected that all of the gas in the crater would be burnt off within days. More than four decades later, though, the crater is still ablaze - and hundreds of tourists flock to visit it every year. The crater was formed when a Soviet drilling rig collapsed, releasing large quantities of methane gas Attraction: Hundreds of tourists flock to visit the Door To Hell every year more than four decades after it was created Back in 1971, Russian Scientists decided that the most efficient way to solve the problem would be to burn off the poisonous gases expecting it would take only a couple of days The Karakum Desert, where Derweze is located, has one of the largest gas reserves in the world. Turkmenistan hopes to up its exportation rate around 75 million cubic meters of gas in the next 20 years. Will Keeping, a retiree from Buchlyvie, near Stirling, visited the crater last month. Unaware of the Door to Hell's existence before he visited Turkmenistan, Will, 57, was told on his tour that the crater was one of the hundred most bizarre places to visit before you die. Intrigued, he decided to ride across the bleak dessert environment, not knowing what to expect. Will said: 'During daylight, I was initially not impressed as it looked like a hole in a vast desert. As we got nearer and the glow from inside the carter became evident, though, I started to notice the size of the crater and wondered how could continually glow like that. 'As I approached on foot, it became clear that this was a large crater and that inside was like a huge open furnace. 'At first, it appeared that it might have been a natural phenomenon, but the sides of the crater contradicted that. I could see the bent and rusted remains of some sort of metal railings or structure, implying some sort of catastrophe having occurred long before. The Karakum Desert, where Derweze is located, has one of the largest gas reserves in the world. Turkmenistan hopes to up its exportation rate around 75 million cubic meters of gas in the next 20 years 'I stood there gazing into the crater, the sheer size and intensity of the fire inside became more and more apparent. 'As the sun began to set, the location slowly transformed from a large, isolated furnace in the middle of the desert into the centre of attention that dominated the surrounding area - the glow became more intense and lit up the area including the sky above. 'It was impossible not to be drawn to the crater, something that was just dominant over the surrounding area.' An experimental Japanese mission to clear 'space junk' or rubbish from the Earth's orbit has ended in failure, officials said Monday, in an embarassment for Tokyo. Over 100 million pieces of garbage are thought to be whizzing around the planet, including cast-off equipment from old satellites and bits of rocket, which experts say could pose risks for future space exploration. Scientists at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) were trying to test an electrodynamic 'tether' - created with the help of a fishing net company - to slow down the orbiting rubbish and bring it into a lower orbit. Scroll down for video The hope was that the clutter -- built up after more than five decades of human space exploration -- would eventually enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up harmlessly before it had a chance to crash into the planet. An artist's impression is pictured HOW THE 'SPACE JUNK' COLLECTOR WORKS The vessel uses a so-called electrodynamic tether, which is made from thin wires of stainless steel and aluminium. One end of the strip will be attached to debris big enough to damage working equipment. The electricity generated by the tether as it swings through the Earth's magnetic field is expected to have a slowing effect on the space junk. This should, scientists say, pull it into a lower and lower orbit. Advertisement The hope was that the clutter -- built up after more than five decades of human space exploration -- would eventually enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up harmlessly before it had a chance to crash into the planet. The 700-metre (2,300-foot) long tether -- made from thin wires of stainless steel and aluminium -- was due to be extended out from a cargo ship launched in December carrying supplies for astronauts at the International Space Station. Problems arose quickly, however, and technicians tried for days to remedy the situation but only had a one-week window to carry out the mission before the vessel reentered the Earth's atmosphere before dawn on Monday. 'We believe the tether did not get released', leading researcher Koichi Inoue told reporters. 'It is certainly disappointing that we ended the mission without completing one of the main objectives,' he said. Over 100 million pieces of garbage are thought to be whizzing around the planet, including cast-off equipment from old satellites and bits of rocket, which experts say could pose risks for future space exploration The disappointment is the latest failure to hit JAXA and comes just weeks after the agency had to abort a mission that sought to use a mini-rocket to send a satellite into orbit. The agency also abandoned a pricey ultra-high-tech satellite launched in February last year to search for X-rays emanating from black holes and galaxy clusters after losing contact with the spacecraft. The rocket bound for the International Space Station carrying the vessel blasted off from the southern island of Tanegashima at around 10:30 pm local time (13:30 GMT). JAXA worked on the project with Japanese fishnet manufacturer Nitto Seimo to develop the cord, which has been about 10 years in the making. The 700 metre long space tether was due to be extended out from a Japanese cargo ship that was launched in December 2016 THE WORLD OF SPACE JUNK Since the first object, Sputnik One, was launched into space 53 years ago, mankind has launched thousands of spacecraft, satellites and rockets into space. This has created a swarm of tens of millions of pieces of debris. The rubbish circling the planet comes from old rockets, abandoned satellites and missile shrapnel. But it also includes a missing spatula, a lost glove and a stray toothbrush. Bags of rubbish ejected into space by cosmonauts on board the Mir Space Station also still pose a risk. Among the more unusual items to be added to the list of space junk was a spatula dropped by astronaught Piers Sellers while conducting repairs on the space shuttle discovery in 2006. A tool bag was lost by astronaut Heide Stefanyshyn in 2008 and it added to the hazards in orbit until it burned up in 2009. A glove was lost by astronaut Ed White on the first US space-walk and a pair of pliers were lost during a space walk in 2007. Advertisement 'The tether uses our fishnet plaiting technology, but it was really tough to intertwine the very thin materials,' company engineer Katsuya Suzuki told AFP. 'The length of the tether this time is 700 metre (2,300 feet), but eventually it's going to need to be 5,000 to 10,000 metre-long to slow down the targeted space junk,' he added. Previous experiments using a tether have been done in recent years. At the time, a spokesman for the space agency said it hoped to put the junk collection system into more regular use by the middle of the next decade. Robots are set to take over yet another job from humans Amazon has plans for a two-storey, automated supermarket run almost entirely by droids. A staff of robots on the top floor will automatically grab shopping from shelves and bring it down to customers waiting in their cars below. This means that each store will only need to be run by a minimum of three staff at a time. Scroll down for video Amazon has made plans for a two-storey, automated supermarket run by robots. The robot-run supermarkets are not Amazon's first foray into the world of grocery shopping. The company unveiled a small convenience store in Seattle in December (pictured) AMAZON GO STORES The robot-run supermarkets are not Amazon's first foray into the world of grocery shopping. The company unveiled a small convenience store in Seattle in December that uses technologies found in self-driving cars to replace cashiers. To enter the store, customers simply open the Amazon Go app and place it to a sensor located at the turnstile entrance. The app uses computer vision, sensor fusion and deep learning to detect what customers take off the shelves and what they end up putting back. When customers have found the items they need they can walk out of the store and everything is charged to their Amazon account. Advertisement The ground-level of the prototype store is a supermarket-sized version of the company's recently announced 'Amazon Go' convenience store. The supermarket's huge layout could reach anywhere between 10,000 and 40,000 square feet and sell over 4,000 items. Items would include eggs, meats, cheeses, fresh fruits and vegetables, and 'grab-it-and-go' products like beer and wine, sources close to Amazon told the New York Post. Eventually, Amazon plans to roll out these robot-run stores globally. 'Amazon will utilize technology to minimise labour,' a source close to the situation told The Post. Amazon has already invested heavily in automation in its warehouses to cut down on staff. The company has also begun using drones for deliveries instead of humans, and has even filed patents for an unmanned blimp that could be used as a floating warehouse. But the latest plans could see a huge number of people out of work. The average supermarket today is run by around 90 members of staff. Amazon's automated prototype supermarkets would be run by six staff at a time on average, the sources said. At a minimum, it could be run by three people. One worker would restock shelves while another two would work at 'drive-thru' windows to hand customers their groceries. Another pair would work upstairs to help the robots bag the groceries which would then travel downstairs on conveyor belts. Amazon has already invested heavily in automation in its online delivery warehouses to cut down on staff. The company has also begun using drones (pictured) for deliveries instead of humans Amazon may only open its robot-run supermarkets to members of its 'Prime' and 'Prime Fresh' services, which carry annual fees. Amazon Fresh launched in June 2016 in a bid to take on supermarket giants who deliver food AMAZON'S ROBOT SUPERMARKETS - Can be run by a minimum of only three staff - Has two floors, with robots on the top floor bagging groceries and sending it to the ground floor - Could reach anywhere between 10,000 and 40,000 square feet - Items would include eggs, meats, cheeses, fresh fruits and vegetables, and 'grab-it-and-go' stuff like beer and wine - Would have motion-tracking software to watch for shoplifters - Could include a drive-thru section where shoppers pick up their ordered goods - Amazon could also open pharmacies at some of the locations Advertisement A manager would help customers sign up for the company's 'Amazon Fresh' grocery service. Amazon could also employ 'greeters' to help curtail shoplifting at the thinly staffed stores alongside motion-sensing software to track goods. 'Shoplifting is a touchy subject for Amazon,' the source said. Amazon may only open its stores to members of its 'Prime' and 'Prime Fresh' services, which carry annual fees. 'In the view of Amazon, people who can afford Prime memberships aren't likely to shoplift,' the source said. 'If someone walks in off the street, they'll be able to access the stores, but they'll have to sign up for a membership which means showing an ID.' Using robots in the upper floors means that Amazon could pack for more items into a small space than conventional supermarkets. Each store could pack in 15-20,000 items at a time. With such a small number of staff needed to run each store operating profit costs of Amazon's supermarkets could be above 20 per cent, the New York Post reports. Amazon has also filed patents for an unmanned blimp that could be used as a floating warehouse from which the company could launch drone deliveries With the industry average at just 1.7 per cent according to the Food Marketing Institute Amazon's prototype could change the supermarket industry for good. The sources said that the project is still in its early stages and has not yet got the green light. Amazon denied any existence of a robot-driven supermarket chain when contacted by the New York Post on Sunday. 'As we've said previously, it's not correct,' an Amazon spokesman said. 'We have no plans to build such a store.' A company spokesman also told MailOnline: 'As we told the New York Post, we have no plans to build such a store and their story is incorrect.' Amazon unveiled a convenience store in downtown Seattle in December that replaces cashiers and lines with technology found in self-driving cars. The app uses a range of sensors that detect what shoppers take off shelves and bills it to their Amazon account Amazon unveiled a smaller convenience store in December in Seattle that replaces cashiers with technology found in self-driving cars. Called 'Amazon Go', customers enter the store using an accompanied app, grab the items they need, and are able to walk out without stopping at a register. The app uses a range of sensors that detect what shoppers take off shelves and bills it to their Amazon account. It is currently only open to Amazon employees during the Beta program, but is set to open to the public in early 2017. Amazon Go may sound like the store of the future, but this technology could also replace the 3.4 million people employed as cashiers if other physical stores adopt the technique in the US. However, an Amazon spokesperson told DailyMail.com that Amazon Go will 'have at least as many associates as a traditional retail store'. 'Amazon Go associates work in both the kitchen and the store, prepping ingredients, making breakfast, lunch, and dinner items, stocking shelves, and helping customers,' they said in an email. The store, called Amazon Go', lets customers enter using an accompanied app, grab the items they need and are able to walk out without stopping at a register During last night's Super Bowl, Google's advert for its Home device was one of the most talked-about of the event. But viewers with their own Google Home were left annoyed by the advert, as their home system thought the TV was trying to communicate with them. Users took to Twitter to complain, with one person saying the advert had made his Google Home go 'bonkers.' Scroll down for video Viewers with their own Google Home were left annoyed by the advert, as their home system thought the TV was trying to communicate with them ALWAYS LISTENING Google Home is continually listening for commands. Google says nothing gets passed back to them until the speakers hear the keywords 'Hey Google' or 'OK, Google'. A light comes on to remind you that it's listening. You can turn off the microphone temporarily, too. Advertisement Google Home is dormant until someone says 'Hey Google' or 'Ok Google'. But during the Super Bowl advert the home systems heard the TV broadcasts saying those phrases, causing them to turn on. Users took to Twitter to complain about the interference. Scott Foster tweeted: 'Our Google Home just went a little bonkers with the Google Home commercial'. Another user said: 'The Google commercial had my Google Home going haywire'. The home system, which relies on Artificial Intelligence, was released at the end of last year at a cost of around $130 (104). The Google Home device can answer questions or perform any number of functions - from playing music to turning on or off the lights. You can also temporarily turn the microphone off - which might have been useful during the Super Bowl TV commercials this year. Home-based systems like Google Home are taking on more importance with the advent of improved voice technology. Twitter user Scott Foster tweeted: 'Our Google Home just went a little bonkers with the Google Home commercial' Cheezus Price also took to Twitter to complain, saying: 'The Google commercial had my Google Home going haywire' At the unveiling of Home in May last year, Google boss Sundar Pichai said: 'We think of the assistant as an ambient experience that goes across devices - this is more than just phones, it will be on devices they wear, in their car and in their living rooms.' The leading technology companies are all competing to assist consumers in their online activities such as shopping, since that gives the companies a better chance of selling advertising or other services. MailOnline has contacted Google for comment. A warning went out to millions of parents today that schoolchildren could be sending nude selfies after being groomed by paedophiles through a teenage dating app. The children are being lured into sending sexual, 'inappropriate' images of themselves through the Mylol website and mobile dating app. It's feared 'pervert' adults are tricking teenagers into sending naked images of themselves. A warning went out to millions of parents today that schoolchildren could be sending nude selfies after being groomed by paedophiles through teenage dating app Mylol. The dating app and site has been labelled as 'Tinder for teens' by concerned parents WHAT IS MYLOL? Mylol is a site described as the 'number one teen dating site in the US, Australia, UK and Canada.' It has been labelled as 'Tinder for teens' by concerned parents. It was founded in 2006 and has around 300,000 members from around the world. Many teenagers use the site instead of Facebook to avoid the watchful eyes of their parents. Children as young as 13 can use the app to chat to other teens. It has been described by Australian police as a 'playground for paedophiles'. Advertisement Police are investigating after parents of pupils at Tollbar Multi Academy Trust secondary schools in Grimsby, were sent warning letters about the teenage dating app. The letter states that children 'are being groomed' and 'persuaded to send inappropriate images of themselves'. Mylol is a site described as the 'number one teen dating site in the US, Australia, UK and Canada.' The app and website are targeted at teenagers aged between 13 and 19 year of age. Many teenagers use the site instead of Facebook to avoid the watchful eyes of their parents online. But the app has previously been described by Australian police as a 'playground for paedophiles'. The UK investigation followed a complaint made by a parent of a pupil at Cleethorpes Academy in North East Lincolnshire who, according to the schools Trust, had used Mylol. The distressed parent contacted police who then asked Cleethorpes to send a warning letter to other parents. The letter said: 'It has been brought to my attention that an internet site called "Mylol" is targeting children. 'We have been informed by the police that children in our area are being groomed, and in some cases being persuaded to send inappropriate images of themselves, online, to this site. A parent at Cleethorpes Academy (pictured) contacted the police over concerns that their child had been groomed through the teenage dating app 'We are very perturbed to have been informed of this information and would ask as parents/carers you are very vigilant regarding which sites your children are visiting online. 'If you feel any sites are particularly targeting children, in an inappropriate manner, please report it to the Academy and to the Police on 101.' Parents in Australia were warned by police to take their child off of the Mylol app and website last June. Kirwan State High School in Queensland issued a warning on Facebook about Mylol in a post that was shared more than 8,600 times in three days. The warning issued by the Townsville school stated Mylol is 'primarily a sexual predator website. If your kids are on it, get them off. The website claims to be the number one teen dating site in several countries, including Australia, the US and the UK, with over 300,000 members worldwide Terms and conditions on the website state those using Mylol must be at least 13 years of age and users over the age of 19 are forbidden from joining 'It has poor administration monitoring and a lack of supervision. 'With its target audience of young people, there are a number of dangerous concerns in relation to the age, maturity, capabilities and intentions of its users'. It said the site has been labeled 'Tinder for teenagers'. Kirwan State High School-based Senior-Constable Julie Cooke said she was alerted to the group after pupils had discussed it. 'It could be some 40-year-old posing as a 13-year-old,' she said. 'Kids really shouldn't be chatting to anyone online unless they know them in real life.' A US national guardsman was convicted of producing child pornography using Mylol among other social networking sites in March 2015 while deployed in Afghanistan. Andrew Schiller convinced a 14-year-old child from Minnesota to 'send him nude photos over the internet' according to office of U.S. Attorney Andy Luger. US prosecutors claimed that Schiller asked numerous under-age girls to send him nude photos through online platforms including Facebook, Skype, Meet Me, MyLOL and KIK. Parents in Australia were warned by police to take their child off of the Mylol app and website last June. Kirwan State High School in Queensland issued a warning on Facebook about Mylol (pictured) in a post that was shared more than 8,600 times in three days The court heard that he sent sexually explicit images of himself to the girls as encouragement. Schiller would even use alcohol and money as incentives to tempt the girls to send naked pictures. In a single week Schiller used Mylol to contact 86 under-age girls. 'On Mylol, Schiller targeted, in particular, minor females who lived on or near military bases,' federal prosecutors wrote in a court filing. 'In one communication between Schiller and a fourteen-year-old girl, Schiller stated that he wants to get to know her better, become her boyfriend, and spend a weekend with her in his dorm.' As part of a recent campaign to warn young people of the dangers of the web, UK Police released a film about the last 13 days of the life of murdered 15-year-old Kayleigh Haywood. The video was made to serve as a warning to children and adults of the dangers of grooming and sexual exploitation following Kayleigh's tragic death in November 2015. Today's Mylol warning comes after it was revealed yesterday that 43 per cent of UK parents of eight to 18-year-olds don't use parental controls online. As part of a recent campaign to warn young people of the dangers of the web, police released a film about the last 13 days of the life of murdered 15-year-old Kayleigh Haywood (pictured) Rachel Lowe, 40, whose daughter Amy, 14, is a Tollbar Academy pupil, said parents could never be too careful when it comes to making sure children stay safe online. 'We have always been very careful with Amy. 'There are certain restrictions as to what she can go on and we always do check. 'In the past, friends of hers at school have been getting random messages from boys and men online and I don't think they always tell their parents. 'It's unfortunate to hear about this sort of thing. You can never be too careful.' Janice Hornby, principal of Cleethorpes Academy, said: 'Tollbar Multi Academy Trust academies work very closely with safeguarding agencies to ensure the safety of all of our students. 'The ICT systems which we have in place within the Trust are strictly controlled to keep students safe online whilst they are in our care. 'However, we do not have control outside of the academy and, on this occasion, following a request from the police, we felt that it was our duty to inform parents of this website and make them aware of any perceived dangers.' A Police spokesman said: 'Having access to technology and being able to explore is vital and searching for content undoubtedly helps young people to learn and develop. But parents and guardians being aware of what they are looking at and who they are speaking to is equally important. 'Taking steps to ensure your browser settings make the most of built in security, safety functions and privacy features such as filter out search results that contain potentially harmful content will greatly reduce the chances of young people seeing inappropriate content. Mylol are yet to respond to MailOnline's request for comment. To find out more about staying safe online visit www.getsafeonline.org Advertisement Its thought that Enceladus may hold the right conditions for life, with watery jets, hydrothermal activity, and a global ocean buried beneath its icy crust. Now, a stunning new image from the Cassini spacecraft reveals an up-close look at the mysterious moon. Like Saturns other moons, Enceladus appears cold, icy, and inhospitable but scientists say it could be a promising candidate in the search for alien life. Scroll down for video Its thought that Enceladus may hold the right conditions for life, with watery jets, hydrothermal activity, and a global ocean buried beneath its icy crust. Now, a stunning new image from the Cassini spacecraft reveals an up-close look at the mysterious moon ENCELADUS Enceladus is Saturns sixth largest moon, at 313 miles wide (504 kilometers). Cassini observations have revealed hydrothermal activity, with vents spewing water vapour and ice particles out from a global ocean buried beneath the icy crust. According to NASA, the plume includes organic compounds, volatile gases, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, salts, and silica. While it may look inhospitable like Saturns other moons, the observations suggest it may have the ingredients to support life. Advertisement The image shows Enceladus Saturn-facing hemisphere, captured with the Cassini spacecrafts narrow-angle camera on November 27, 2016 in green light. The 313-mile-wide moon (504 kilometers) has been of great interest to scientists in recent years, with Cassinis observations revealing possible signs that it could support life. Over the course of the Cassini mission, observations have shown that Enceladus not only has watery jets sending icy grains into space; under its icy crust it also has a global ocean, and may have hydrothermal activity as well, NASA explains. Since scientists believe liquid water is a key ingredient for life, the implications for future missions searching for life elsewhere in our solar system could be significant. The stunning view was captured taken roughly 81,000 miles (130,000 kilometers) from Enceladus, with an image scale of 2,566 feet (782 meters) per pixel. Earlier this year, NASA revealed some of the closest views yet of Saturns icy rings captured by the Cassini spacecraft as it moves through its penultimate mission. The new images provide an unprecedented look at the details of the outer parts of the main rings, revealing a number of interesting features, from straw to millions of moonlets. Cassini is heading toward the end of its mission, with the first of its finale plunges into the gap between the rings and Saturn set to take place in late April. NASAs Cassini spacecraft has captured some of the closest views yet of Saturns icy rings as it moves through its penultimate mission. A region in Saturn's outer B ring is pictured. The new images show them off in much greater detail, resolving details as small as .3 miles the scale of Earths tallest buildings. WHAT ARE THEY? The rings of Saturn consist of countless small particles, ranging in size from micrometres to metres, that orbit about Saturn. The ring particles are made almost entirely of water ice, with a trace component of rocky material. The new images reveal never-before-seen details of features known as straw and propellers, which are caused by clumping ring particles and small, embedded moonlets, respectively. Advertisement According to NASA, some of the structures observed in the new images havent been seen since 2004, when the craft first arrived at Saturn. And now, its showing them off in much greater detail, resolving details as small as .3 miles the scale of Earths tallest buildings. The craft has imaged never-before-seen fine details of features known as straw and propellers, which are caused by clumping ring particles and small, embedded moonlets, respectively. The craft is halfway through its Ring-Grazing phases, its second to last mission phase. During this task, it travels past the outer edges of the rings every week, with 20 orbits that dive through the area. This began last November, and will end in late April when the craft begins its final mission phase. The new images are some of the best yet of Saturns rings and moons, NASA says. As the person who planned these initial orbit-insertion ring images which remained our most detailed views of the rings for the past 13 years I am taken aback by how vastly improved are the details in this new collection, said Cassini Imaging Team Lead Carolyn Porco, of Space Science Institute, Boulder, Colorado. The new images provided an unprecedented look at the details of the outer parts of the main rings, revealing a number of interesting features, from straw to propellers. Saturn's outer B ring is pictured A density wave in Saturn's A ring that lies around 134,500 km from Saturn can be seen. Density waves are accumulations of particles at certain distances from the planet, according to NASA, and they are filled with clumpy perturbations known as 'straw' How fitting it is that we should go out with the best views of Saturns rings weve ever collected. The new images show both the backlit and sunlit side of Saturns rings, allowing for far more detail than earlier observations. Cassini has studied Saturns rings for nearly 13 years. The new images are some of the best yet of Saturns rings and moons, NASA says. The image above shows a look at Saturn's A ring. Small, bright blemishes resulting from cosmic rays and charged particle radiation can be seen as well These close views represent the opening of an entirely new window onto Saturns rings, and over the next few months we look forward to even more exciting data as we train our cameras on other parts of the rings closer to the planet, said Matthew Tiscareno, a Cassini scientist who studies Saturns rings at the SETI Institute. Last month, NASA released a stunning new image from the Cassini spacecraft which shows the closest view yet of Saturns wavemaker mini-moon Daphnis as it creates ripples along inside one of the planet's rings. The 5-mile-wide moon orbits within a 26 mile wide gap known as the Keeler Gap, and its gravity causes the edges to 'wave' in both the horizontal and vertical directions. In the image, Cassini has also captured a barely-visible tendril of ring material thats thought to have been drawn out by Daphnis before dispersing. A stunning new image from NASAs Cassini spacecraft shows the closest view yet of Saturns wavemaker mini-moon Daphnis as it creates ripples along the Keeler Gap THE KEELER GAP The Keeler Gap is roughly 26 miles wide and lies in Saturns A Ring, about 155 miles from the outer edge. Daphnis induces a wavy pattern in the edge of the Keeler Gap that extends nearly a mile above the ring. Advertisement According to NASA, the image was taken as Cassini passed over the outer edges of Saturns rings on January 16, 2017. A ridge seen around Daphnis equator, along with a fairly smooth mantle of material on the surface. This is thought to be an accumulation of fine particles from the rings. The softened appearance of the wave peak is likely the result of ring particles movement as they spread out into the gap after the moons last close approach, NASA explains. Cassini captured the image in visible (green) light using its narrow-angle camera, at roughly 17,000 miles 28,000 kilometers from Daphnis. The image scale is 551 feet per pixel. Just last month, the Cassini spacecraft revealed Saturns north pole in a whole new light. The 5-mile-wide moon Daphnis orbits within the Keeler Gap, and its gravity causes the edges to wave in both the horizontal and vertical directions The Cassini Division is a distance between two of Saturn's rings, A and B. It is almost as wide as the planet Mercury. The 2,980-mile (4,800-kilometre) wide division is thought to be caused by the moon Mimas, which is the closest moon to the planet (shown on diagram) With the entire northern region bathed in sunlight, the planets hexagon-shaped jet-stream can be seen in stunning detail. The view was captured on Sept 9 at roughly 750,000 miles from Saturn, giving scientists a chance to study the weather patterns leading up to its summer solstice. According to NASA, areas where the planet appears darker like the inside of the hexagon are where the cloud deck is lower. The image, captured with Cassinis wide-angle camera, looks toward the sunlit side of the rings from about 51 degrees above the ring plane. A breathtaking new image from NASAs Cassini spacecraft shows Saturns north pole in a whole new light. With the entire northern region bathed in sunlight, the planets hexagon-shaped jet-stream can be seen in stunning detail WHAT IT SHOWS The image shows a view of Saturn's north pole, looking toward the sunlit side of the rings, at roughly 750,000 miles from the planet. Areas where the planet appears darker like the inside of the hexagon are where the cloud deck is lower. The hexagonal jet-stream can be seen as well. Advertisement The camera used a spectral filter that preferentially admits wavelengths of near-infrared light centered at 728 nanometers, according to NASA. Sunlight truly has come to Saturns north pole, the space agency explained. The whole northern region is bathed in sunlight in this view from late 2016, feeble though the light may be at Saturns distant domain in the solar system. The stunning image is at a scale of 46 miles per pixel. It's just one of the latest in a series of remarkable photos captured by the Cassini spacecraft. The craft recently revealed a close-up view of Saturns moon Pandora. Its one of the highest-resolution views yet, showing the 52-mile-wide moon that orbits just outside the F ring SATURN'S MOONS MAY BE YOUNGER THAN THE DINOSAURS While Saturn's rings and moons were first spotted in 1600s, there is an ongoing debate about how old they are. Many assume that they are primordial - as old as the planet itself - making them around four billion years old. However, evidence published last month suggests the majority of its moons are significantly younger than this and may have even formed at the same time dinosaurs roamed the Earth. In 2012, French astronomers discovered that tidal effects, caused by gravity of the inner moons with fluids in Saturn's interior, are causing the moons to spiral outward relatively quickly. This suggests the moons, and presumably the rings, are younger than the planet itself. A team of researchers, led by Matija Cuk, principal investigator at the SETI Institute in California, used computer modeling to infer the past behaviour of Saturn's icy inner moons. His team also used results from Nasa's Cassini mission to study ice geysers on Saturn's moon Enceladus. The orbits of Tethys, Dione and Rhea are less altered than previously thought and their relatively small orbital tilts suggest they haven't crossed many orbital resonances. This means they formed not far from where they are now. Assuming the energy powering the geysers on Enceladus comes directly from tidal interactions, and that moon's level of geothermal activity is more or less constant, then tides within Saturn are strong. According to the team's analysis, these would move the satellite by the small amount indicated by the simulations in only about 100 million years. This would date the formation of the major moons of Saturn, with the exception of more distant Titan and Iapetus, to the Cretaceous Period, the era of the dinosaurs. Advertisement The craft has also revealed a close-up view of Saturns moon Pandora. Its one of the highest-resolution views yet, showing the 52-mile-wide moon that orbits just outside the F ring. Cassini captured this image roughly 25,200 miles from Pandora during its closest-ever flyby on December 18. A sex doll company is set to release a robotic sex assistant that can form emotional bonds with its users. Each life-like silicon 'RealDoll' is created with a flexible skeleton and requires about 80 hours of work from start to finish, and even has customized genitalia and interchangeable faces. But now the manufacturers of the RealDoll are looking to add another layer of realism to their sex companions, releasing the AI sex assistant system over the course of this year and next year, with the first 'robotic head systems' set to be released by the end of the year. Scroll down for video Unfinished silicone RealDoll sex dolls hang from chains at the Abyss Creations factory in San Marcos, California. RealDolls are created using Hollywood special effects technology and have orifices made of a special soft grade of silicone for people who want to 'enhance their sex lives', according to Abyss Creations The company is set to release their sex assistant app, the Harmony AI app, in April this year and a virtual reality sex system next year. The company, based in San Marcos, California, has been making the dolls since 1996 and ships to almost every country in the world. Standard dolls, which come with the choice of 18 female body types, or two male figures, start at $6,500 while more specific creations start at an eye-watering $12,000. These AI systems, however, wont be cheap - the 'head' system will cost $10,000. Matt McMullen, the CEO of RealDoll, told Digital Trends: 'We are developing the Harmony AI system to add a new layer to the relationships people can have with a Realdoll. 'Many of our clients rely on their imaginations to a great degree to impose imagined personalities on their dolls. 'With the Harmony AI, they will be able to actually create these personalities instead of having to imagine them. 'They will be able to talk to their dolls, and the AI will learn about them over time through these interactions, thus creating an alternative form of relationship.' Each doll is anatomically correct, and genitalia, like everything else, can be custom made to a client's preferred specifications. The figures are even fitted with a hinged jaw, with 'soft, stretchy lips, ultra soft tongue, soft silicone teeth' Mr McMullen also said that the conversations possible with the AI will not be limited to just sexual topics. The AI system will allow users to choose different personality trait settings for the sex assistant, such as kind, sexual, shy, naive and brainy and choose how strongly these traits are expressed in their doll. The Harmony app will also allow you to pick and change the clothes on your personal 'avatar' and change her body size. The Harmony system may also be compatible with some of the existing dolls that the company sells, although this is not confirmed as yet. The VR component would work with a head set such as the Oculus Rift and let you visit environments such as the moon with your avatar. 'We feel that this system, and this technology, will appeal to a segment of the population that struggles with forming intimate connections with other people, whether by choice or circumstance,' said Mr McMullen. Pennsylvania State Police are seeking the public's help in identifying a driver they say was involved in a fiery hit-and-run crash on Interstate 81 in Franklin County in November that resulted in the death of a Virginia man. Around 5:50 p.m. Nov. 24, an 18-foot flatbed car trailer was stolen from Stakes Auto in the 4000 block of Lincoln Way East in Guilford Township by a person driving a blue and white 1987 to 1995 Ford F150 single cab truck, police said. The driver left the lot with the trailer attached and headed north on Interstate 81, where the trailer came loose and crossed into the southbound lanes near mile-marker 18, according to Franklin County Crime Solvers. The trailer struck a tractor-trailer that was hauling flammable liquids, causing it to crash and burst into flames, a news release from Franklin County Crime Solvers stated. The driver, 48-year-old William Golladay, of Mount Jackson, Virginia, was killed in the crash, police said. Anyone with information about the theft or fatal crash is asked to contact State Police by calling 717-264-5161 or texting 717-418-7858. Franklin County Crime Solvers can also be reached by calling 717-263-3000. Information leading to an arrest may result in a reward of up to $2,000. As Samsung's unveiling of its make or break Galaxy S8 approaches, the firm's official cases for the handset appear to have leaked online. The leather cases, complete with a Samsung logo, show the S8 will have a fingerprint sensor on the rear - backing previous claims it will have no home button but an 'infinity screen' on the front. It also reveals the firm may have added a button just for its new Siri-killer smart AI, called Bixby. Scroll down for video The leather cases, complete with a Samsung logo, show the S8 will have a fingerprint sensor on the rear - fitting with previous claims it will have no home button but an 'infinity screen' on the front. SAMSUNG'S BIXBY Bixby could be used for a wide variety of functions in a similar way to Apple's Siri. The latest rumors suggests Bixby will have visual search capabilities to analyze the image, identify objects and performing optical character recognition on visible text. Once activated, a search tool will appear allowing users to search for specific objects or use optical character recognition to process any text you point the phone at. And will be equip with a high degree of interconnectedness to other applications For example, the technology will show you where to buy an object in and image and can also complete the transaction for you. And will be activated once users open the handsets camera app. Advertisement 'Today, we have one more leak which are images of the alleged official cases for Samsung Galaxy S8, claims Androidpure. 'The images of the alleged official Galaxy S8 show one slot for the Flash, main Camera and another slot for Fingerprint sensor at the back.' Samsung is expected to officially It claims they will be unveiled on March 29th. The first pictures claiming to show off Samsung's Galaxy S8 phone have been posted online. They reveal the majority of the rumours surround the phone are correct - showing a larger device with no home button. The image, obtained by VentureBeat, shows the larger of the two expected models, which are believed to have 5.8- and 6.2-inch AMOLED screens. 'Samsung is preparing to unveil a pair of Galaxy S8 smartphones significantly different from past models, according to someone familiar with the companys plans,' VentureBeat said. The new range is expected to have processors made using Samsung's new 10-nanometer fabrication methods, which VentureBeat says makes them 11 percent faster than the Galaxy S7 overall, with 23 percent faster graphics processing, but still 20 percent more energy efficient. The Galaxy S8: This picture shows the larger version of the handset, which has a 6.2inch 'infinity' curved screen and no home button. The fingerprint sensor used to unlock it is on the rear (right image). the pictures also reveal a USB-C charging port and a headphone socket, scotching rumours Samsung was set to follow Apple and abandon it. With no Home button to house the fingerprint sensor, it has been moved to the rear. The leather cases, complete with a Samsung logo, show the S8 will have a fingerprint sensor on the rear - backing previous claims it will have no home button but an 'infinity screen' on the front. Here, the embossed Samsung logo can clearly be seen. The Guardian first revealed details of the phone's 'infinity display'. 'The two smartphones are codenamed Dream and Dream 2, representing the smaller and larger Galaxy S8 respectively, according to two sources,' it said. 'Both versions will have screens that curve down at the left and right sides of the device similar to the Galaxy S7 Edge, two sources have said.' Earlier this week it was revealed Samsung will not unveil its Galaxy S8 smartphone at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) trade show in February this year as expected, it has been revealed. The make or break handset will be the firm's first flagship launch since the disastrous Galaxy Note 7 launch, which led to a $4.5bn recall. Samsung mobile chief Koh Dong-jin confirmed the phone would not get a launch event at the MWC event in Barcelona, which begins on Feb. 27, unlike the previous Galaxy S smartphones. According to the images, the Galaxy S8 Plus (pictured) measures 152.38 x 78.51 x 7.94mm, which would make it taller that the Samsung S7 edge. It would also have a 6.3 inch screen with curved sides Koh did not comment on when the company planned to launch the new handset, the first premium model Samsung is due to release since the failure of its Note 7 flagship device in October over safety issues. The firm showed off the Galaxy S7 on the sidelines of MWC in February 2016, and started selling the phones in March. It comes as Samsung has blamed two separate battery issues for the fires that hit its flagship Galaxy Note 7 device last year, as it sought to draw a line under the humiliating recall. The world's biggest smartphone maker was forced to discontinue the smartphone, originally intended to compete with Apple's iPhone, after a chaotic recall that saw replacement devices also catching fire. The fiasco cost the South Korean company $5.3 billion (4.2 billion) in lost profit and reputational damage. It came during a torrid period when it has also been embroiled in a corruption scandal that has seen President Park Geun-Hye impeached. Internal and independent investigations 'concluded that batteries were found to be the cause of the Note 7 incidents', Samsung said in a statement. Samsung has blamed two separate battery issues for the fires that hit its flagship Galaxy Note 7 device last year, as it sought to draw a line under the humiliating recall TWO MAJOR FLAWS The first issue was that the battery components in the Galaxy Note 7 did not fit in the battery's casing. This caused the battery cell's upper right corner to be crimped by the casing. The second round affected the devices sent to replace the original faulty phones. These were caused by manufacturing issues, including poor welding at the battery manufacturer. Advertisement 'We sincerely apologise for the discomfort and concern we have caused to our customers,' Koh Dong-Jin, the head of its mobile business, said bowing before hundreds of reporters and cameramen at a press conference in Seoul. The first issue was that the battery components in the Galaxy Note 7 did not fit in the battery's casing. This caused the battery cell's upper right corner to be crimped by the casing. The second round affected the devices sent to replace the original faulty phones. These were caused by manufacturing issues, including poor welding at the battery manufacturer. Samsung is the most prominent unit of the giant Samsung group, South Korea's largest conglomerate with a revenue equivalent to about a fifth of the country's GDP. Samsung has blamed lithium-ion batteries for causing its Galaxy Note 7 mobile phones to overheat and catch fire It announced a recall of 2.5 million units of the oversized Galaxy Note 7 in September 2016 after several devices exploded or caught fire, with the company blaming batteries from a supplier, widely believed to be its sister firm Samsung SDI. SAMSUNG'S GALAXY S8 RUMORS New renders of what could be Samsung Galaxy S8 have surfaced and they suggest the device will incorporate a dual-lens camera design and remove the home button for an edge-to-edge screen. It's speculated that Samsung could design a fingerprint-sensing display or place the feature behind the tempered glass. Because levels of concentration will be increased with a 'full screen', pictures and videos should be much clearer and even go so far as to produce a 3D effect. A recent render of what Samsung's Galaxy S8 is believed to look like. Samsung mobile chief Koh Dong-jin confirmed today the phone would not get a launch event at the MWC event in Barcelona, which begins on Feb. 27, unlike the previous Galaxy S smartphones. Rumors suggest that pixels of the dual-cameras will support 16 megapixels and 8 megapixels. Another new addition to the Galaxy S8 could also be an upgraded Application process (AP) that corresponds to handset's brain. Sources say Samsung is going to start mas-producing 10-nano Snapdragon 830s, which will be used for Galaxy S8, at the end of this year at the earliest. The artist impression also shows the handset in four vibrant shades of red, blue, purple and yellow - another feature yet to be seen by Samsung users. Advertisement When replacement phones - with batteries from another firm, largely thought to be Chinese manufacturer ATL - also started to combust, the company decided to kill off the Note 7 for good. The first issue was that the battery components in the Galaxy Note 7 did not fit in the battery's casing. This caused the battery cell's upper right corner to be crimped by the casing The world's biggest smartphone maker was forced to discontinue the smartphone, originally intended to compete with Apple's iPhone, after a chaotic recall that saw replacement devices also catching fire. Pictured is a test in which the Galaxy S7 battery caught fire under pressure As many as 1.9 million of the phones were sold in the US, where authorities banned the device from use on planes and even from being placed in checked luggage. Airlines around the world issued similar prohibitions. The firm has since embarked on a campaign to restore its battered reputation, issuing repeating apologies and putting full-page advertisements in prominent US newspapers including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post admitting that it 'fell short' on its promises. Analysts said that Samsung was looking to move on from the crisis with the announcement, which did not implicate other devices. 'Consumers tend to be forgiving the first time,' said Tom Kang, research director at Counterpoint Technology. 'But if it happens again, it will leave a lasting mark on Samsung's quality and brand image.' Samsung had concentrated on innovative design, thinness and battery capacity rather than safety, he said. The firm's next model, the Galaxy S8, had been expected to be unveiled at next month's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, but Samsung's Koh said it would be delayed to ensure that it had no safety issues. The second round affected the devices sent to replace the original faulty phones. These were caused by manufacturing issues, including poor welding at the battery manufacturer Koh Dong-Jin, president of Samsung Electronics Mobile Communications Business apologises for the faults in its Galaxy Note 7 devices that led to their recall Analysts said that Samsung was looking to move on from the crisis with the announcement, which did not implicate other devices. Pictured is the Galaxy S7 Customers whose devices spontaneously set on fire shared their pictures since the first incidents were reported in August Samsung deployed around 700 researchers and engineers on its investigation, testing more than 200,000 fully-assembled devices and more than 30,000 batteries, it said. It did not identify the battery makers on Monday, but independent investigators UL and Exponent agreed with the findings. Battery A had a design issue that pushed down the right corner of the battery, while Battery B had defective internal welds, said Kevin White, principal scientist at Exponent. But Koh dismissed the possibility of suing the manufacturers. 'Whatever parts we use, the overall responsibility falls to us for failing to verify its safety and quality,' he said. 'At this point, I don't think it's right to seek legal action. GIRL, 13, SUFFERS MINOR BURN FROM NOTE 7 REPLACEMENT A Minnesota father says his daughter suffered a minor burn to her thumb when her replacement Samsung smartphone melted in her hand last week. Andrew Zuis of Farmington, Minn., said his daughter, Abby, was holding the Galaxy Note 7 in her left hand Friday when it melted. Zuis saidthat the family had acquired the new phone on the day the replacement phones were released. There had been no problem with the original phone, he said. 'She's done with Note 7s right now,' Zuis said of his daughter. Reports of more replacement phones catching fire continued 'It's very fortunate Abby was not injured and was holding the phone,' Zuis said. 'If it was in her pocket, I think it would have been a whole different situation. I'm just very disappointed in Samsung and their product.' Zuis provided KSTP-TV with receipts showing that the family bought a Galaxy Note 7 in August and then exchanged it Sept. 21 after Samsung announced the recall. Andrew Zuis, of Farmington, Minn., showed the replacement Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phone belonging to his 13-year-old daughter Abby, that melted in her hand 'She's done with Note 7s right now,' Zuis said of his daughter. A Samsung representative told KSTP that an investigation is underway. 'We want to reassure our customers that we take every report seriously and we are engaged with the Zuis family to ensure we are doing everything we can for them and their daughter,' the representative said in a statement. Advertisement Around 1,000 different parts from some 450 suppliers were needed for each Galaxy Note 7. Samsung acknowledged that it provided the specifications for the batteries, adding in its statement: 'We have taken several corrective actions to ensure this never happens again. The lessons of the past several months are now deeply reflected in our processes and in our culture.' The firm, which is set to announce fourth-quarter and full-year results on Tuesday, has estimated the cost of the recall at $5.3 billion. But investors welcomed today's announcement with Samsung shares trading up 1.9 percent at 1.90 million won in Seoul in the afternoon. The firm has separately been caught up in South Korea's wide-ranging political corruption scandal, with prosecutors last week seeking the arrest of its vice-chairman Lee Jae-Yong on charges of bribery, embezzlement and perjury. Lee, who became Samsung's de facto head after his father suffered a heart attack in 2014, is accused of bribing Choi Soon-Sil, Park's secret confidante at the centre of the scandal, and receiving policy favours from Park in return. Self-catering holidaymakers warned to 'avoid Cyprus and head for Spain' While self-catering is often a good way to save on holiday costs, the difference in price between countries can vary greatly, with destinations like Cyprus costing twice as much as a trip to Spain, according to a new survey. The report compared the cost of a basket of 20 supermarket-bought household items, including alcohol, for a one-week holiday for a family of four. It found that the items would cost just 56.67 in Mallorca, compared with 104.29 in Cyprus. The gain in Spain: The 20 shopping items cost just 56.67 in Majorca After Majorca, the next best-value destination for self-caterers was the Portuguese Algarve, where the basket of items cost 57.78. The next least-costly destination was Spain's Costa Blanca (65.31), followed by Menorca (66.71), according to the survey by Post Office Travel Money. The items in Brighton cost 89.08, putting the West Sussex resort among the more-costly of the 12 holiday regions surveyed. Apart from Cyprus, the most expensive destination surveyed was Corfu, where the items cost 100.31. Out of pocket: A holiday in Cyprus could cost twice as much as a trip to Spain Buying bread for a family-of-four for a one-week holiday cost as little as 3.55 on the Mediterranean island of Gozo but as much as 13.25 in Tuscany in Italy. Cheese in Portugal was less than half the price of Cyprus, while butter in Corfu was three times more expensive than in Majorca. Brighton had some of the most expensive beer. Pizza in Italy was twice as expensive as in Portugal, while milk in Mallorca was almost a quarter of the price self-caterers would have to pay in Cyprus. Post Office Travel Money head Andrew Brown said: The variations we found in supermarket prices mean that families will be well-advised to check prices before booking. Although self-catering can be a great way for families to save money, they should choose their destination carefully. Mallorca and Portugal are great value options but Greece is looking more expensive. Total price of 20 shopping items Sometimes you dont have to travel far to experience something weird and wonderful. Or just plain weird. It can be right on your doorstep as internet users have been explaining in a discussion on a popular forum in response to someone asking: Whats the weirdest thing in your city? One contributor has cited an owl sculpture that looks like a penis, another a weekly turtle race and one user explained that where he lived, theres a roundabout with five mini-roundabouts inside it. Here MailOnline Travel takes a peek at the oddities bemusing locals around the world. In response to the question 'what's the weirdest thing in your city?' one Reddit user flagged the owl sculpture (pictured) in Canberra - that from behind looks like a penis Swindon's 'Magic Roundabout' was put forward by a Reddit user as a notably weird thing One contributor to the discussion, on Reddit, is baffled by a permanent flame in his home city of Chicago. Ethanpowah simple wrote, in answer to the question: There's a little hole on the ground that continuously spits fire. He then posted a picture of the flame that shows pigeons using it to keep warm. One Reddit user pointed out that in Chicago there's 'a little hole on the ground that continuously spits fire' (pictured) Shlaaap chimed in with the fact that his home Swindon - contains one of the worlds most ridiculous roundabouts: One big roundabout made up of five mini roundabouts the Magic Roundabout. Another user added: On a work trip to England last year our very very sensible boss was driving the minibus. He turns off the freeway saying "how much time do we have? I'm going to show you something. We spent 10 minutes driving around this. Amazing. Bornwithatail, meanwhile, revealed that theres a taxidermy museum in Guildford, western Australia, that has to be seen to be believed, while Harleen_Quinzel mentioned a stupid pile of silver balls in her home city by the side of the road. User AbnormalFillet points out that by Denver Airport is a very ugly giant blue horse with glowing eyes. Its certainly weird, but he says everyone loves it all the same. User AbnormalFillet points out that by Denver Airport is a very ugly giant blue horse with glowing eyes (pictured) Other oddities include a psychedelic arts museum called The Womb, a fountain thats in the shape of a man holding his penis and a stop light on the second busiest arterial freeway into a city of over two-million people carrying 90,000 vehicles during rush hour, according to user Kinkymeerkat. Strange people also get a mention. One user explained that in his city theres a guy called Brampton Batman, who dresses up as the superhero and 'walks around downtown'. User Moonchild revealed that his city used to be home to someone called the snake man. He wrote: He walked around with his anaconda/python (not sure) around his neck and his shirt off. Then the snake died and he just walked around shirtless. 'Recently he passed away but his legend lives on. Another, contributor Cherrycoffeecola, said that his city is home to the wolf guy, who walks around making surprisingly realistic wolf howls. The animal theme continues in Chicago, as theres a pub there called Big Joes 2 & 6 that holds weekly turtle races, and in Canberra, where theres an owl sculpture that looks, from behind, like a penis. Advertisement There isnt much fun left at this funfair. These eerie photographs show an abandoned theme park that looks like something from the end of the world. Once a place of laughter and the merry screams of visitors rushing from ride to ride, Gaya Land in Gimhae, South Korea, is far from the tourist hotspot it once was. The former-theme park now looks like something from an apocalyptic film since closing five years ago due to a lack of visitors. Now buried in overgrowth, the once-popular park's Ferris wheel, bumper cars and other rides are lost to mountainous forests. Photographer Bob Thissen, 31, from Heerlen in the Netherlands, visited the park earlier this year and said that it now resembles the Hollywood movie I Am Legend. These eerie photographs show an abandoned theme park that looks like something from the end of the world Once a place of laughter and the merry screams of visitors rushing from ride to ride, Gaya Land in Gimhae, South Korea, is far from the tourist hotspot it once was The former-theme park now looks like something from an apocalyptic film, since closing five years ago due to a lack of visitors Now buried in overgrowth, the once popular park's Ferris wheel, bumper cars and other rides are lost to mountainous forests Photographer Bob Thissen, 31, from Heerlen in the Netherlands, visited the park earlier this year and said the park now resembles the Hollywood movie I Am Legend The funfair looks simply creepy now, with most of the rides in a state of decay Mother Nature is doing her best to take over the park, as this striking image shows Horror show: A children's swing ride looks forlorn and spooky on a rusty, dirty base In its prime, this funfair would have made memories that lasted a lifetime for those who visited. Now it's the stuff of nightmares This children's roller coaster ride is barely visible through the advancing vegetation The park is set is stunning surroundings, with lush rolling hills on one side The photographer's website says: 'Bobs biggest passion is researching and exploring abandoned buildings and since 2007 he has been to uncountable locations worldwide to capture the beauty of decay' Thissen's portfolio includes pictures of decaying hospitals, cars and even warships Dusty and rusting dodgem cars look like they're still in position from when they were last used The vegetation at the theme park is now totally out of control - with some elements almost completely covered This section of roller coaster almost looks like it's in usable condition - but the leaves covering the track to the right give the game away This ride is now scary for all the wrong reasons. Thissen specialises in capturing the poignancy of decay One can almost picture hundreds of children running up these stairs in excitement, during the park's heyday Supermodel of the Cyclades, the Greek island of Santorini is drop-dead gorgeous. A froth of whitewashed stone houses and blue-domed churches cling to the puckered maw of a vast caldera, plunging dramatically into the azure Aegean Sea. Throw in beaches, dreamy tavernas, chi chi shops and a sunset experience to rival Ibiza, and its easy to see why the A-list regularly sail up in their super-yachts. Blue delight: The Greek island of Santorini boasts colourful roofs and truly staggering views Unfortunately, the day husband Nick and I visit Santorinis pretty town of Oia an idyllic hill-top place of medieval churches and sea captains houses its not super-yachts but cruise ships that are in town. We shuffle past Oias pumice-cave houses and sail-splayed windmills, wedged in on all sides like bargain-hunters at the sales. We retreat to the terrace of a pretty taverna, eating flaky spanakopita as we gaze at a ruined Venetian castle, stuck in enviable isolation out on a rocky pinnacle. Happily, for the rest of our visit we find ourselves better prepared. We are staying at the elegant Grace Hotel, a boutique property set on terraces of whitewashed pumice running down the flank of the caldera. Booking their Bespoke package allows you to pre-select lovely extras, such as bathroom products and pillows, but also experiences, such as a private yacht trip or spending the day sightseeing and snapping with a professional photographer. Nick being a history buff, we booked the archaeology experience. I had no idea that on Santorinis southern tip is Akrotiri: Greeces own Pompeii. We were met by archaeology guide Effa Katsaros, who explained Akrotiri had been a prosperous Minoan settlement, until the 2nd Century BC when a volcanic eruption ripped the island apart. As Santorinis distinctive caldera was created, Akrotiri was submerged under 150ft of volcanic ash. Peace at last: Jennifer in front of one of the famous windmills of Oia Unearthed in the late 1800s, today Akrotiris four-acre site is preserved in astonishing detail: entire streets of four-storey houses are filled with poignant items of daily life. And as Effa tells us about Akrotiri, she also gives us tips on the right way to explore Santorini. Such as visiting Oia at sunrise, rather than sunset. And about Giorgaroson, the taverna on Santorinis southern tip, where tablecloths flap in the breeze, secured by huge platters of the freshest seafood. We also follow Effas suggestion to visit Pyrgos, a medieval fortress village. We puff up a spiral of medieval streets, past whitewashed, blue-shuttered houses and churches, to the imposing ruined Venetian Kasteli on top. This is the highest point in Santorini and the island stretches before us clear to the sea. We sit on a wall, gasps of hot air the only sound. And as ribbons of gold, pink, orange and purple blaze across the sky, we marvel at the natural light show for which Santorini is famous. And theres not a single tourist in sight. The evening slams into action with a long blast of brass. Ronell Johnson has swung to his feet and is squeezing every last bit of jazz out of his trombone. Rickie Monie, meanwhile, is tinkling the ivories at the speed of a hurricane. Id been told that the Preservation Hall in New Orleans was the place to see live jazz, but Id never realised it would be as moody-blues as this. The Preservation Hall in New Orleans, pictured, continues to attract the best acts in town All the local jazz legends have blown their trumpets here, from Punch Miller and George Lewis to Sweet Emma Barrett and The Humphrey Brothers. The Preservation Hall continues to attract the best acts in town. Jazz is everywhere in New Orleans in the bars, in the streets and in the psyche. This, after all, is the city of Louis Armstrong, who played his way to fame on the paddle-steamers that plied the Mississippi river. This, too, is where the early jazz legends Buddy Bolden and Jelly Roll Morton once jammed through the night. Their local haunt, the Little Gem Saloon, has recently reopened and serves cocktails and food along with the music. Even those paddle-steamer river excursions still serve up jazz with their Creole cuisine. Welcome to New Orleans, whoops the compere at the Preservation Hall in a pause between acts. Welcome indeed. New Orleans has to be the funkiest city on Earth, where the streets are filled with buskers and the back-alleys packed with cocktail bars. They even have drive-thru daiquiri bars where I kid you not the daiquiris are sold by the gallon. For all the excess, Bourbon Street, pictured, is the party-till-dawn exception in the French Quarter A visit to Louisianas most beguiling city ought to begin with a government health warning: this is a place that takes partying very seriously. Just remember that whatever you could do today, you might want to put off until tomorrow, when the hangover has finally subsided. The wildest district is Bourbon Street, setting for some of Americas most outlandish clubs, strip-joints and cocktail bars. Its about as raw as it gets. Women dressed in knickers and nipple-tassels parade the street touting for photos ($1 a snap) while men hang out in doorways drinking hand grenades, a Bourbon Street speciality that will blow your socks off. It comes in a yard-long vessel thats tinted green and shaped like a grenade at the bottom. The recipe is a guarded secret. For all the excess, Bourbon Street is the party-till-dawn exception in the French Quarter. The rest of the city winds down to a jazz-induced slumber at around the midnight hour, when the stinking tropical heat finally begins to subside. Jazz and gumbo are two of the staples of life in New Orleans Then its back to the hotel in my case, the historic Maison DuPuy where the party continues in the inner courtyard at a more subdued pace. New Orleans is best known for two things: its jazz heritage and Hurricane Katrina. The latter caused catastrophic devastation when it swept through the city in 2005, leaving entire districts under 20ft of water. More than 1,200 locals were killed and 400,000 left homeless. An excellent (if sobering) exhibition in the citys Presbytere a branch of Louisiana State Museum recounts the unfolding catastrophe, minute by minute, as the city levees collapsed under the sheer weight of the hurricane water, forcing a ferocious tidal wave through the residential quarters. The only part that was scarcely touched was the historic French Quarter, home to many of the oldest buildings, jazz clubs and museums. New Orleans is not an American city, explained John, my guide, as he took me around the various districts. Its half European, half African. Its unique. Part of that uniqueness is down to its history. Founded by the French, ceded to the Spanish, sold to the Americans and besieged by the British, it was populated for much of its history by slaves from Africa. Allowed one day off work each week, they would congregate in local parks and improvise the musical riffs of their African forbears. This was how jazz was born, nurtured and developed. Jackson Square is home to some of the citys finest museums: the 1850 Museum, the Cabildo the old town hall and the Presbytere are all must-see sights. So, too, is nearby Gallier House, a preserved mid-19th Century interior, with a guided tour that takes the lid off the citys ingrained schizophrenia: beautiful yet also squalid, refined yet also sordid. New Orleans is not an American city. Its half European, half African. Its unique Although there are plenty of sights in the French Quarter, its less about visiting and more about atmosphere. Head to the Gumbo Shop restaurant to sample typical New Orleans fare: shrimp Creole, seafood gumbo (a thick Creole soup) and deep-fried alligator (the alligator comes straight from the swamps that still surround the city). But Im in need of a cocktail drinking cocktails is de rigueur in New Orleans and take myself back to Bar Tonique, which serves the best sazerac in town. (This is New Orleanss signature cocktail: cognac, absinthe and a shot of local Peychauds bitters.) As the sun oozes itself into the Mississippi, I down a couple before taking myself back to Preservation Hall. Theres no Ronell Johnson on tonights programme. But local star Clint Maedgen is on the sax, and thatll do for me. It might be chilly weather in the South African jungle at night, but things are getting steamy with My Kitchen Rules alum Ash Pollard apparently trying to woo Kris Smith. An on set source has told NW magazine this week that the single gal has set her sights on the hunky Brit and wants to 'sneak into his bed'. 'She started asking the guys in the group to alter their sleeping arrangements so she could be closer to Kris,' a crew insider tells the magazine. Scroll down for video Bit of alright: An on set source has told NW magazine this week that the single gal has set her sights on the hunky Brit and wants to 'sneak into his bed' Eyefull: 'She started asking the guys in the group to alter their sleeping arrangements so she could be closer to Kris,' a crew insider tells NW When her plan didn't work, the My Kitchen Rules star said: 'she was just going to sneak into his bed.' With temperatures plummeting overnight, the former Dancing With The Stars contestant has a fitting excuse to snuggle up to the muscly former athlete. 'It is cold out there, so I guess she could use that as a legitimate excuse,' the crew source adds. Ash has made no bones about finding the former Mr Dannii Minogue attractive. Hottie! Ash has made no bones about finding the former Mr Dannii Minogue attractive It's on! On Sunday nights episode, she admitted to the group that had her eye on Kris and admitted, 'Yeah, I'll make a move' On Sunday night's episode, she admitted to the group that had her eye on Kris and admitted, 'Yeah, I'll make a move'. Ash was hot for Kris from the beginning, exclaiming when he joined that cast that she felt she's been blessed with his presence. 'It was like the universe was listening to me and suddenly, in comes a single hottie, with muscly arms,' she quipped when she first saw him. Ready to bed: 'It is cold out there, so I guess she could use that as a legitimate excuse,' the crew source says of Ash's plans to sneak into Kris' bed Hashtag blessed: Ash was hot for Kris from the beginning, exclaiming when he joined that cast that she felt she's been blessed with his presence What a view! 'It was like the universe was listening to me and suddenly, in comes a single hottie, with muscly arms,' Ash quipped when she first saw him The curly haired blonde has said the other women know she's single and have 'rounded her up' to 'talk strategy' NW reports. Former Miss Universe Australia Tegan Martin has been particularly encouraging. 'Give it a crack, C'mon. He might have an elephant d****' Tegan quipped previously, and other contestants have gotten in on the gossip about the 'jungle romance' too. Helped along: Former Miss Universe Australia Tegan Martin has been particularly encouraging. 'Give it a crack, C'mon. He might have an elephant d****' Tegan quipped previously Not kidding? 'Everybody's just looking for something to entertain them and that apparently is the jungle romance between Kris and I,' the blonde chef laughed on a recent episode 'Everybody's just looking for something to entertain them and that apparently is the jungle romance between Kris and I,' the blonde chef laughed on a recent episode. Ash, 31, has made some tentative attempts at flirting with Kris, 38, by offering to make him a bracelet. But the encounter was awkward when the TV personality misunderstood the word 'bangle' and thought she was offering a 'bagel'. Flirting: Ash, 31, has made some tentative attempts at flirting with Kris, 38, by offering to make him a bracelet Oops: But the encounter was awkward when the TV personality misunderstood the word 'bangle' and thought she was offering a 'bagel' 'A bagel? Oh bangle! I thought you said you would make me a bagel. I'd love a bangle please,' he said. The former rugby player split with his girlfriend of four years, Maddy King, in October last year and said he'd planned to stay single for a while. 'I am definitely very single and will be for a while I imagine,' he told The Daily Telegraph late last year. Single? The former rugby player split with his girlfriend of four years, Maddy King (R), in October last year and said he'd planned to stay single for a while He's been linked to three women since then, including ballet dancer Brooke Locket Lana Maxwell and model Monika Clarke but has said they are just friends. The six foot two hottie split with former partner Dannii in April 2012 after six years together. They have one son, Ethan Edward Minogue-Smith, six. She's back in the public eye with her star turn on the latest season of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! And whilst Tziporah Malkah - formerly known as Kate Fischer - revealed that she has been talking to a mystery man in South Australia, a new source reveals she's long admired her fellow Celebrity star, Steve Price. New Idea quotes the source, who claims that Tziporah was 'beyond excited' when she learned that she would be heading to the jungle with shock jock Steve, and the pair have been keeping close company on the show, bonding over common interests. Scroll down for video Bond: A source has revealed to New Idea that Tziporah Malkah has long admired shock jock Steve Price, with whom she has formed a close bond on the new season of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! The insider tells New Idea that the star 'knew they'd hit it off'. Like Steve, Tziporah is confident, outspoken and politically conservative. Almost immediately after she arrived in the South African jungle, she began bonding with Steve over politics, discussing right-wing figures such as Donald Trump and Pauline Hanson. 'She loves that he's educated and opinionated and well-read...she respects that he's willing to put himself out there,' the source stated, before continuing, 'She thinks they're similar in many ways'. New friends: Steve and Tziporah quickly bonded over politics in the South African jungle Whilst the pair have quickly become close friends, Steve has been married for over a decade to wife Wendy Black, and has two teenage daughters, Lucy and Kate. Meanwhile, last week Tziporah opened up about her love life on the show, revealing that she has not had sex in six years. However, the former model - who was once engaged to billionaire James Packer - announced that she is talking over the phone with a man in South Australia, whom she knew when she was a teenager. Opening up: Candid Tziporah revealed that she is currently talking with a mystery man in South Australia Opening up to fellow contestant Lisa Curry, Tziporah revealed that she is going to meet up with the man when she returns home to Australia after filming of the reality show wraps. 'I'm going to go visit, stay in a hotel within walking distance from him and see how it goes,' she said. The star went on: 'We have discussed there may not be any physical chemistry with us, but we're getting on really well on the phone.' Before entering the jungle, Tziporah talked with New Idea, and stated: 'I would love to have a wonderful companion. You've got no idea!; Former fiance: Tziporah was engaged to billionaire James Packer in the 1990s Alongside her acting career, Jessica Alba's fielding business mogul responsibilities as the head of consumer goods brand The Honest Company. Yet she set it all aside on Saturday to take her daughters Honor, five, and Haven, eight, out to the iconic Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, California. That evening, her Snapchat played host to images of herself celebrating with Champagne in a plastic cup and some foil-wrapped chocolates shaped like hearts. Family weekend: Jessica Alba took her eight-year-old daughter Honor and her five-year-old daughter Haven out to the iconic Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, California on Saturday For her daytime outing, spectacles on her face, she'd pulled on a long grey coat over her fossil grey Quinn sweater and tight black trousers, A stylish black purse dangled cross-body from her right shoulder, over which she'd also slung a large pink bag. Both her girls were wearing bomber jackets with their names stitched on the front in white, and Honor - the firstborn - carried a doll. Muted style: Spectacles on her face, she'd pulled on a long grey coat over her fossil grey Quinn top and tight black trousers The Good Luck Chuck actress married Cash Warren, the son of Hill Street Blues actor Michael Warren, in 2008. Honor was born three weeks later, Haven in 2011. Her Snapchat video Saturday night saw her sitting on the floor with her husband and a third reveler, all of whom were toasting with their Champagne. Last year, the Sin City star revealed to The Sun that 'I was a lot more critical of my body [before having kids] when it was probably pretty awesome. I was so skinny!' After bringing two daughters into the world, however, 'I know how silly and unimportant it is, so its certainly given me perspective.' Family background: The Good Luck Chuck actress married Cash Warren, the son of Hill Street Blues actor Michael Warren, in 2008, three weeks before they had Honor and three years before they had Haven 'There's so much optimism and hope in children': Effervescing that 'there really isnt anything I dont enjoy about being a mum!' she's told The Sun of her girls that 'They're always funny and curious' In her words, 'Being pregnant and giving birth gave me a new found respect for my body, its amazing. It made me realize: "Oh right, this is why we have all the bits that we have!" There is a real reason for it.' Effervescing that 'there really isnt anything I dont enjoy about being a mum!' she said of her girls that 'They're always funny and curious.' 'Of course, they can be little brats sometimes when theyre overly tired or hungry or fighting, but theres so much optimism and hope in children.' The weekend's here in earnest: That evening, her Snapchat played host to images of herself celebrating with Champagne in a Cheeky plastic cup Trio: Her Snapchat video Saturday night saw her sitting on the floor with her husband and a third reveler, all of whom were toasting with their Champagne She became a mother for the first time less than three weeks ago. But Stephanie Davis, 23, was already proving that her body had returned to pre-baby shape on Sunday night, as she enjoyed her first night out since the birth. Stepping out in celebration of baby Caben's uncle Jordan - Stephanie's younger brother - and his birthday, Stephanie wore a belted coat to emphasise her middle. Scroll down for video She's out! Stephanie Davis showed off her trim figure, post baby, on Sunday night as she celebrated brother Jordan's birthday The brunette captioned the shot: 'Me and the bro' with a love heart and the words 'bestie' and 'family time'. Leaving baby Caben-Albi behind for the night, Stephanie slipped on a pair of gold glittered heels and headed out on the town. Opting for a more sophisticated look, the new mum chose trousers and blouse, while keeping her post-baby waist teasingly concealed in a long coat. New mum: Caben welcomed her baby Caben-Albi George Davis (pictured) three weeks ago Celebrating: It was a time for celebration, as Stephanie was keen to support her brother on his birthday The picture post came after the actress paid tribute to her younger sibling for stepping up as an uncle to her son in the last three weeks. Honouring his birthday in a sweet Twitter message next to a photo montage, she said: 'Happy birthday to my best mate & brother. I'm so proud of the beautiful young man & uncle you have become. love u longtime bro' And while Stephanie's baby has been showered with love from within the Davis' family, the brunette has been battling to prove that Jeremy McConnell really is Caben's father, as she insists. Proud: Stephanie had used her Instagram to congratulate her brother on his birthday earlier that day The same Sunday, the hunky Irish man naturally opted to shirk his woes by sharing a snap with a stunning blonde - his first post on the photosharing site since Caben's birth. The 26-year-old model looked as though he did not have a care in the world as he beamed in the snap while clutching a drink, just says after his ex revealed she is currently processing paternity tests. Jeremy met Stephanie when they entered the Celebrity Big Brother house in January 2016, where they struck up a turbulent romance despite her taken relationship status with model Sam Reece on the outside. Baby who? The man Stephanie insists is the father, Jeremy McConnell, opted to shirk his woes as he similarly took to Instagram on Sunday, but instead with a stunning blonde at his side Their meet and subsequent love affair saw the couple descend into a toxic romance, marred with accusations of infidelity and violent fights from both sides. In May, after the couple split amid mud-slinging from either sides, the former Hollyoaks actress announced she was expecting Jeremy's child - claims he vehemently denied throughout her entire pregnancy. Stephanie has vowed to undergo a paternity test upon her baby's arrival and in a recent interview with OK! magazine she stated: 'The paternity tests in the process of being arranged, but any tests that happen will be dealt with privately.' Happy times... Jeremy met Stephanie when they entered the Celebrity Big Brother house in January 2016, where they struck up a turbulent romance despite her taken relationship status with model Sam Reece on the outside In love: Last week, Stephanie proved she is clearly enamoured with her baby son as she chatted in a sweet video for OK! magazine, in which she told readers she 'can't wait to share their journey' Happy to help: He penned on the microblogging site: 'I am delighted that Steph has safely had the baby, of course if he is my son I will absolutely step up and do what I can to support him.' He penned on the microblogging site: 'I am delighted that Steph has safely had the baby, of course if he is my son I will absolutely step up and do what I can to support him.' Last week, Stephanie proved she is clearly enamoured with her baby son as she chatted in a sweet video for OK! magazine, in which she told readers she 'can't wait to share their journey'. The brunette beauty gave birth to her son on January 13 at Liverpool Women's Hospital weighing in at 6lb 10oz following a 48-hour labour. Just the two of us: The brunette beauty gave birth to her son on January 13 at Liverpool Women's Hospital weighing in at 6lb 10oz following a 48-hour labour Happier that ever: Stephanie uploaded a photo of her carrying her baby in his car seat two weeks ago, as they made their way out of the maternity suite at a hospital in Liverpool Stephanie uploaded a photo of her carrying her baby in his car seat two weeks ago, as they made their way out of the maternity suite at a hospital in Liverpool. She captioned the sweet snap: 'We did it little one... By far my favourite chapter yet... (sic),' followed by a red heart emoji. The actress has admitted she can't wait to get started on the first chapter of the rest of her life with her son, and has thrown herself into life as a new mother. HARRISBURG Libre, the Boston Terrier puppy left for dead on a Lancaster County farm, is continuing to inspire change in Pennsylvania. Hes awesome. He loves people. He loves dogs. He definitely loves being the center of attention, said Janine Guido, founder of Speranza Animal Rescue. Libres story was much different last July. Authorities say the breeder who left him to die got only a $904 fine and no jail time. Guido took Libre to the Dillsburg Veterinary Center, where he gradually recovered. If change can be brought around because of this little miracle boy, then thats awesome, Guido said. Luckily, Libre turned not to be a tragedy and turned out to be a huge success story, but many other animals arent, said Sen. Richard Alloway, R-Cumberland and Franklin. Alloway reintroduced Libres Law on Feb. 2. Its now Senate Bill 298. If theres major harm to the animal or death, it would be up to the local district attorney to determine if it rises to the level of a felony, Alloway said. Pennsylvania is one of only three states without a felony statue for animal abuse. Under Libres Law, those found guilty could be charged with a third-degree felony, which carries a maximum penalty of up to seven years in prison. Libres Law unanimously passed the Pennsylvania Senate last year but got stuck in the House. One of the things I think our society is judged on is how we treat our animals, and theres just no excuse for animal abuse, Alloway said. I think Libre was a wake-up call for animal abuse laws, Guido said. I have a feeling his law is going to pass this year. Obviously, I hope and pray it does. Its a big step in the right direction. Libre will be campaigning at the State Capitol again this year putting his best paw forward. He showed up at several Libres Law rallies in 2016. It was built up to be an epic battle between two all-time rugby greats. But Jason Robinson and Gareth Thomas's parallel slalom race on The Jump was all but over in seconds as the England ace dramatically crashed at the top of the slope. The accident enabled Welsh legend Gareth to comfortably glide home and avoid the dreaded ski jump but simultaneously hinted that, as in previous years, there could be many more casualties in the current series of The Jump. Scroll down for video Lucky escape: Jason Robinson and Gareth Thomas's parallel slalom race on The Jump was all but over in seconds as the England ace dramatically crashed at the top of the slope Speaking to host Davina McCall at the bottom of the slope, neither Gareth nor Jason could hide their frustration. The Welshman wanted the opportunity to beat his former rival in a convincing manner and felt the crash robbed him of that. Gareth was disappointed he couldn't win in more sporting circumstances, telling Davina he was 'genuinely gutted'. Job done: The accident enabled Welsh legend Gareth to comfortably glide home and avoid the dreaded ski jump Fuming: As Jason joined them in the finish zone he let off some steam by whacking the ground with his ski poles in faux rage As Jason joined them in the finish zone he let off some steam by whacking the ground with his ski poles in faux rage. However, he redeemed himself when it mattered, posting the furthest jumping distance in the decider with an impressive 14.95 metres. Meanwhile, Olympian Louis Smith emerged from episode one as the man to beat after he claimed the mini cowbell for completing the course in the quickest time. Letting off steam: Speaking to host Davina McCall at the bottom of the slope, neither Gareth nor Jason could hide their frustration Born to do it: Olympian Louis Smith emerged from episode one as the man to beat after he claimed the mini cowbell for completing the course in the quickest time Dusting himself off: Jason returned to his feet as quickly as he could Taking flight: Jason redeemed himself when it mattered, posting the furthest jumping distance in the decider with an impressive 14.95 metres He saw off Made In Chelsea's Spencer Matthews, who was cheered on by best pal Hugo Taylor, in the first heat of the night. Louis boasted before the event: 'Without blowing my own horn, I kick butt at things like this. This is what I'm bred for. When it comes to something physical, I'm top notch.' Similiarly to Jason, Spencer also fared well in the jump, coming up with the second furthest distance at 14.55 metres. She announced her happy engagement just last week. And now Lisa Snowdon has delighted her fans by giving a very first glimpse at her engagement ring on Instagram. The beaming radio host is to be wed to her boyfriend of 14 months George Smart but has yet to reveal the 'beautiful diamond ring' she discussed on the announcement. Scroll down for video Stunning: Lisa Snowdon has delighted fans with the first glimpse of her engagement ring The ring, reflected in a mirror as the 45-year-old beauty posed seductively for a snap before a stint on QVC, appears to be understated but elegant. In the picture, Lisa is wearing a stunning orange and white two-tone optical illusion dress from Stella McCartney. Her fans were blown away by the striking ensemble. One Instagram user said: 'So stunningly gorgeous' while another wrote: 'Gorgeous as always'. Joy: The ring is reflected in a mirror as the 45-year-old beauty posed seductively for a snap before a stint on QVC Sexy: In the picture, Lisa is wearing a stunning orange and white two-tone optical illusion dress from Stella McCartney Lisa replied to the kind comments by saying: 'thank you!! Although it's the dress, it's an optical allusion!! Xxx' The radio host, who has been friends with entrepreneur George Smart for 15 years, announced the joyous news in an interview with The Sun's Fabulous magazine last week, as she revealed she is happy she never 'settled'. Detailing the romantic pre-Christmas proposal, she revealed the entire scene was a surprise as he presented her with 'the most beautiful diamond ring'. Just the two of us! Lisa Snowdon has announced her engagement to her boyfriend of 14 months George Smart Since going public with their romance, Lisa has been candid about her beau as she previously gushed over 'the kindest, most loving person Ive ever met. In her interview with The Sun, the stunning star revealed the news: 'George proposed on the Saturday before Christmas and it was such a lovely surprise I had absolutely no idea he was going to do it!' 'He did it at home it was just us, it was really low-key and completely unexpected. He chose the most beautiful diamond ring, which I love, and amazingly it fits me perfectly! It was such a great way to start the New Year.' Lisa and George's lengthy friendship saw the couple enjoy a brief fling after they met while both working at MTV - although their eight year age gap drove them apart. Overjoyed! The delighted radio host, who has been friends with the entrepreneur for 15 years, announced the joyous news in an interview with The Sun 's Fabulous magazine, as she revealed she is happy she never 'settled' Yay! In October, Lisa spoke to Hello! magazine about the prospect of marrying her long-time pal and it seems the proposal would not have been a total surprise In October, Lisa spoke to Hello! magazine about the prospect of marrying her long-time pal and it seems the proposal would not have been a total surprise. When grilled over marriage, she said: 'Yes, at some point (we will marry). But theres no pressure because we fit I know well be together forever... 'Hes my best friend. Hes understanding, nurturing and thoughtful and he gets me beyond anyone Ive ever met before. He cares about me and I care about him. It feels like we were meant to be together'. Loved-up: In October, Lisa spoke to Hello! magazine about the prospect of marrying her long-time pal and it seems the proposal would not have been a total surprise That was then: Lisa has enjoyed a number of high profile relationships over the years - most notably her five-year, on-off romance with George Clooney Lisa has enjoyed a number of high profile relationships over the years - most notably her five-year, on-off romance with George Clooney. The brunette beauty is all too aware of the stigma and resonance her relationship has, but clearly has a tongue-in-cheek attitude to her previous love. In an interview with the Mirror in 2013, she said: 'Im always going to be George Clooneys ex. I sometimes think it will be written on my tombstone George Clooney once dated Lisa Snowdon. Candid... Lisa revealed all in her interview with The Sun 'I will have to do something super-radical for people to forget about it. Goodness knows... Im definitely too old for Prince Harry! 'It really doesnt bother me any more. Im so used to the George thing that I take it all with a pinch of salt... People actually ask me what he was like in bed... Usually after a few drinks have made them brave. 'They are like Seriously, though, how was it? What was he like? Now, Id promised myself I wouldnt do this but... Seriously then, Lisa, how was it? What was he like? I never tell.' While Lisa has clearly found happiness elsewhere, her world famous ex-beau has also moved on, after marrying human rights lawyer Amal Clooney in 2014. George and Amal are reportedly expecting twins, with an insider telling In Touch: 'Amal is pregnant with twins: a boy and a girl. 'When George and Amal found out it was twins they were surprised, but also a little scared because they both had said one was enough. But the news that it was a boy and a girl made the them both really happy. They feel like theyve hit the family jackpot.' Both found happiness: George and Amal are reportedly expecting twins, with an insider telling In Touch: 'Amal is pregnant with twins: a boy and a girl' Despite her ex-boyfriend's reported imminent arrival, Lisa is insistent she is not prepared to have children, after she and fiance George both reasoned that they are 'not bothered' about kids. During her recent stint on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here, the model spoke to Ola Jordan, who is also childless, about the reasoning for not having children. She said: 'It's a weird one because it's so hard. I left it kind of late. I didn't find anyone that I wanted to actually be with and I didn't want to have kids to just 'Children enrich your life so much, so of course I wanted to be a mum. But it didn't work out for me in that way.' Ladies should form an orderly queue, because My Kitchen Rules truffle farmer Henry Terry is looking for a wife. Henry first set the nation's heart a flutter after he featured on the first episode My Kitchen Rules for just a few minutes. The handsome brunette has now confirmed he is single and looking for love, in an interview with New Idea. He's single! Truffle farmer Henry Terry featured on the first episode My Kitchen Rules for a few minutes confirmed he is single The 25-year-old told the magazine: 'I'm open to anything. I'll give anything a crack.' The Tasmanian caught the attention of eagle-eyed female MKR viewers with his charming smile and good looks. He was compared to the likes of a Calvin Klein model by contestants Damo and Caz during their produce haul of the cooking show, which set social media on fire. Like a Calvin Klein model: The 25-year-old said 'I'm open to anything. I'll give anything a crack' Truffle expert: He first gained the attention of female viewers on competitive cooking show My Kitchen Rules Comments on the show's Twitter feed were littered with excitement over the hunk. One wrote: 'Oh my god, moving to Tasmania to find Henry the truffle farmer #mkr,' and included an engagement ring emoji. Another commented: 'Henry the truffle farmer will be making all the ladies go gaga over him #mkr.' Passionate about produce: Tweets on the show's feed were filled with excitement over the hunk Good looks and charm: Henry's family were the first to start black french truffle farming in 1999 Potential suitors can be assured that Henry comes from a good family. He said his parents pioneered black french truffle farming to Australia in 1999 in an interview with Weekend Sunrise. In a video for University of Tasmania, his alma mater where he graduated with a Bachelor of Agriculture, he talked his passion for truffle farming as a child. 'As a kid I was faking sickies to get a chance to go for the truffle hunts during the week,' he recalled. Henry also boasts a creative and entrepreneurial streak branching from his family's farm and launching a side business. Handsome: As a child he has been passionate about truffles, even faking he was sick so that he could join the truffle hunts Small screen star: The hunk is no strange to TV screens, having appeared on The Living Room and Food Safari 'I started playing with the truffles in the kitchen. That's my primary business now. We use all our truffles to make products like oils, chocolate, ice-cream,' he said. The handsome farmer was asked about his future career prospects for roles on TV following other stints on the small screen on The Living Room and Food Safari. He told the publication: 'I'd give it a go, give it a crack!' They confirmed their romance at the end of 2016. And Professor Green and Fae Williams looked stronger than ever as they enjoyed a Sunday roast at the Fat Walrus pub in South East London. The German Whip rapper, 33, and his model girlfriend puckered up for a selfie as they got 2017 off to a united start. Scroll down for video Loved up: Professor Green and Fae Williams looked stronger than ever as they enjoyed a Sunday roast at the Fat Walrus pub in South East London Curling his lip, Professor Green looked on in mock horror as Faye planted a smacker on his cheek. '#Happycouple #couplegoals #99%ofcouples #whenitsoverletitgo,' the Read All About It hitmaker captioned the snap. Pro Green, real name Stephen Manderson, has been keeping his fans updated on his new flame with regular loved-up selfies. Family Sundays: The German Whip rapper, 33, and his model girlfriend puckered up for a selfie as they got 2017 off to a united start Last Sunday they duo enjoyed another Sunday roast, with the blonde giggling behind a plate of sumptuous food. 'There's some veg underneath there somewhere I promise @blacklocksoho #bestroastinengland,' he captioned the snap. And another snap showed Fae snuggling up on the sofa with his beloved dogs. 'Loyalty in a picture', he wrote alongside the cosy set-up. 'Loyalty in a picture', he wrote alongside the cosy set-up recently It was a far more conservative look than the one she had boasted on New Year's Eve, as she had posted a topless snap of herself with just thin black bars protecting her modesty. Clearly a fan of the image, Professor Green had posted the same shot, which he captioned: '2016, I have one word for you, bye!' Fae and Pro Green are believed to have started dating in November, which came after released a new track One Eye On The Door which fans believed contained some thinly-veiled jibes at ex-wife Millie Mackintosh. 'Out to the pasty crew!' Fae shared a snap of her new beau on her Instagram Reports soon followed that he had well and truly moved on from their short-lived union and was allegedly dating model Fae. According to The Sun, the recently-divorced rapper had been 'practically inseparable' from his rumoured new love and believes their romance is the 'real deal'. A source told the site: 'She was absolutely smitten and theyve been practically inseparable ever since.' Chest a glimpse! t was a far more conservative look than the one she had boasted on New Year's Eve, as she had posted a topless snap of herself with just bars protecting her modesty 'Hes even been fobbing his mates off for her and for Pro that means its the real deal. 'Hes been on loads of casual dates with various girls since splitting with Millie but this is serious. Hes really into Fae and doesnt want to mess it up.' Professor Green - real name Stephen Manderson - split from wife Millie last February after a three-year marriage. Two's company: Fae and Pro Green are believed to have started dating in November and their romance is said to be 'the real deal' The rapper contacted Millie through her agent and the pair went public at the Brit Awards in February 2012, with Stephen proposing on holiday in Paris just over a year later. They tied the knot in a lavish ceremony at Babington House in Somerset in September 2013, before their marriage was dissolved in just 30 seconds with a decree nisi. In a statement at the time, they said: 'It is a mutual decision, we still care deeply about each other and would like it to be known that it is on amicable terms and we wish each other well.' She's regularly pictured posing in items from her swimwear range. But Imogen Thomas, 34, ramped things up a notch as she stripped off to her knickers for a racy spray tan Boomerang on Sunday. The Welsh beauty held one arm across her ample assets while she blew a kiss with the other. Scroll down for video Baring all: Imogen Thomas, 34, ramped things up a notch as she stripped off to her knickers for a racy spray tan Boomerang on Sunday Standing sideways on, the curvy stunner sported a new bronze glow and styled her brunette tresses in a messy updo. Makeup free for the playful clip, Imogen's spray tan looked to have raised her spirits, with the businesswoman claiming she had been in need of a boost. She wrote: 'I never have them but really needed a pick me up ' Covering her modesty: The Welsh beauty held one arm across her ample assets while she blew a kiss with the other Confidence boost: Makeup free for the playful clip, Imogen's spray tan looked to have raised her spirits, with the businesswoman claiming she had been in need of a boost Earlier in the day, Imogen's pal Michelle Heaton shared a swimsuit-clad image - just hours after Imogen posted a snap in the same one-piece. The 37-year-old former Liberty X star took to Instagram to share her swimsuit snap while touring New Zealand with Atomic Kitten, while the Big Brother star took her picture from the confines of her bedroom. Michelle, who previously revealed she works out five times a week on an empty stomach, showed off the fruits of her gym-honed physique in the one-piece. Fashion friends: Earlier in the day, Imogen's pal Michelle Heaton shared a swimsuit-clad image - just hours after Imogen posted a snap in the same one-piece Taut and toned: Michelle, who previously revealed she works out five times a week on an empty stomach, showed off the fruits of her gym-honed labour in the one-piece The red swimsuit was cut in all the right places to best enhance all her best features - including her incredibly muscular legs and arms. As she confidently posed on the exquisite shores, the brunette beauty stood with her hand cocked on her hip while jutting her leg to highlight her muscles. She looked incredible as she flaunted her unbelievably toned physique in the Baywatch-inspired swimsuit in a bevy of snaps shared with her 113,000 followers. Looking slick: She looked incredible as she flaunted her unbelievably toned physique in the Baywatch-inspired swimsuit in a bevy of snaps shared with her 113,000 followers In the caption on the image, she revealed the swimming costume had been gifted to her by Imogen, from the Welsh beauty's Chasing Summer swimwear range. The caption on the shot read: 'Thank you Imogen for my gorgeous swim suit .. wore it today on my last day in New Zealand ... xxx @chasingsummeruk swim wear x' Just a few hours previously, Imogen shared a snap with her 204,000 followers, in which she wowed in the chic one-piece. As she stood in front of the mirror in her plush bedroom, she pulled her very best pout while cocking one leg up to best show off her figure. Here come the girls! Michelle has hopped into Liz McClarnon's boots for the Atomic Kitten reunion tour Down Under, where she's joined original members Kerry Katona and Natasha Hamilton (centre-right) in storming the stage Michelle has hopped into Liz McClarnon's boots for the Atomic Kitten reunion tour Down Under, where she's joined original members Kerry Katona and Natasha Hamilton in storming the stage. She ensured it was not all work and no play as she headed to the beach for some sizzling antics on the sand on Sunday, where atop her lookalike snap to Imogen, she also shared some other playful snaps. Showing off her perky derriere, she turned to the back to display the sand stuck to her legs after her time reclining on the shores. She also stole a moment to work on her tan, as she reclined in pure luxury while soaking up the blistering sun. She's the '90s model who has returned to the spotlight as a contestant on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! And with a new lease of life, T'ziporah Malkah - formerly known as Kate Fischer - has revealed she is in a happy stage of her new relationship with a mystery man. The Sirens actress, 43, did not reveal the man's identity to TV Week, but he is believed someone from her past and based in South Australia. 'We're in the honeymoon period,' she told the publication. 'We're in the honeymoon period': T'ziporah Malkah - formerly known as Kate Fischer - has revealed she is in a happy stage of her new relationship with a mystery man 'He feels sad that I'm in the jungle, because we talk on the phone for at least seven hours a day like teenagers,' she said of her boyfriend. T'ziporah revealed that after having several difficult relationships in the past she is now feeling confident and ready to find love. She was famously in a high profile engagement with billionaire James Packer for five years until they separated in 1998. 'He feels sad that I'm in the jungle, because we talk on the phone for at least seven hours a day': T'ziporah did not reveal the man's identity but he is believed someone from her past Former flames: The Sirens actress was famously in a high profile engagement with billionaire James Packer (R) for five years until they separated in 1998 When asked about settling down to have children, T'ziporah said she might be a bit late in terms of her biological clock - but she hasn't lost all hope. She said: 'I look at Sonia Kruger and think, 'Yay, you're my pin-up girl!' Sonia Kruger, a host of Channel Nine's Today Extra, had her first child at 49 after several IVF attempts. Future family? When asked about settling down to have children, T'ziporah said she might be a bit late in terms of her biological clock - but she hasn't lost all hope T'ziporah recently claimed she been celibate for six years, but that she was talking over the phone with a man from her teenage years in South Australia. Speaking to fellow camper Lisa Curry on the show, the former Sydney socialite said she hopes to visit him after leaving the South African jungle. 'I'm going to go visit, stay in a hotel within walking distance from him and see how it goes,' she confessed. Robbie Williams is rumoured to be joining Take That for a special reunion during the Let It Shine finale. Gary Barlow, 46, is said to be masterminding the get-together to boost ratings for his BBC One singing show - but reportedly hasn't bothered asking Jason Orange back. 'Robbie seems very keen to get on board, so things are looking good. But in the end, Gary decided not to even ask Jason,' a source told The Sun. Scroll down for video Back together? Robbie Williams is reportedly set to join Take That for a special reunion during the Let It Shine finale It would be the first time since last year that Robbie has joined forces with Gary, Howard Donald and Mark Owen. Gary reportedly feels that Jason is leading a life away from the band, since quitting in 2012, and that his chances of returning were 'non-existent'. The insider said: 'With Jason out of the picture, Gary is pouring his energy into making sure their reunion as a four-piece is a huge success and blows the audience away.' 'He wanted to finish off Let It Shine with a bang and he thought a Take That reunion to close the show was the perfect way to achieve it.' Feeling left out? Gary Barlow, 46, is said to be masterminding the get-together to boost ratings for his BBC One singing competition - but allegedly hasn't bothered asking Jason Orange back Mastermind: 'Robbie seems very keen to get on board, so things are looking good. But in the end, Gary decided not to even ask Jason,' a source told The Sun (pictured, Gary on Let It Shine) It is believed that the band would perform as a foursome, setting the stage nicely for the show's winners - who will play the boyband in Gary's theatre musical, The Band. MailOnline has contacted a representative for Gary for comment. Robbie last reunited with his beloved bandmates last November during a special one-off show to celebrate receiving the prestigious BRITs Icon Award. The three-piece band sent the audience into a spin when they joined Robbie on-stage. Robbie, 42, then gave a surprise performance with Take That's Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen, much to the audience's delight. All the gang: Robbie last reunited with his beloved bandmates last November during a special one-off show to celebrate receiving the prestigious BRITs Icon Award Lads: Take That shot to fame after forming in Manchester in 1990 - but now operates as a trio with Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald It comes as Robbie confessed he would jump at the chance to rejoin former his former Take That bandmates for a reunion tour. The star admitted he was 'really proud' of what the pop group have achieved, describing himself as a 'floating member'. Quizzed whether he would ever rejoin the band, Robbie revealed his upcoming tour would clash with a 2017 reunion, but he was keen to mark their 25th anniversary in some way. He told The Sun: 'I dont think itll be next year but I think itll be at some point... Well wait and see when our paths collide.' Asked whether he believed fellow former member Jason Orange - who quit the band for good in 2014 - would return, Robbie wasn't so sure. Pals: It comes as Robbie confessed he would jump at the chance to rejoin former his former Take That bandmates for a reunion tour Discussing Jason's departure from the limelight, he said: 'This line of work is not for everybody and I dont think [it's] for Jay, for whatever reasons.' In 2014 Jason announced his decision to walk away from Take That where he enjoyed more than two-decades of chart success. At the time sources claimed Jason was never comfortable with the lack of privacy that comes with life in the public eye after he shot to fame in the mid-nineties, alongside current members Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen as well as former bandmate Robbie Williams. The group returned to the music scene after a ten-year hiatus in 2006, but Jason was the only member of the band to steer clear of the music scene during their decade long break, opting instead to try his hand at acting. Jason maintained there had been 'no fallings out' but casted doubt over his lack of motivation to continue promoting and touring. Icons: Robbie admitted he was 'really proud' of what the pop group have achieved, describing himself as a 'floating member' 'I want to start by saying how proud I am of what we have achieved together over the years,' he said in a statement. 'However, at a band meeting last week I confirmed to Mark, Gary and Howard that I do not wish to commit to recording and promoting a new album. 'I have spent some of the best years of my life with Take That and I'd like to thank everyone who has been a part of my journey, including my bandmates, who I feel are like brothers to me. 'Most especially my gratitude goes to all of the good and kind, beautiful and ever-loyal fans of the band, without whom none of this could have been possible. Thank you.' Discussing his decision to leave, he told the Daily Star in 2015: 'I just want to blend in to public life and not be recognised. 'I want to be able to come to my local, have a drink and chat about normal everyday things with people who aren't just thinking "It's Jason from Take That".' 'Obviously, its difficult to fade into the background given the whole Take That thing, but in an ideal world thats what I want.' She's been impressing her campmates on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! with her honesty. And before going into the South African jungle, Tziporah Malkah - formerly known as Kate Fischer - did an interview with The Project where she spoke about her fractured relationship with her mother, politician Pru Goward. The buxom beauty also opened up about her 'busy and ambitious' mother in an interview with The Australian Women's Weekly late last year. 'The whole thing is so terribly, terribly sad': A family friend has spoken about the strained relationship between Tziporah Malkah - formerly known as Kate Fischer (left) - and her mother, politician Pru Goward (right) However, friends of Pru - the new NSW Minister for Family and Community Services, and Social Housing - have claimed in this week's Woman's Day magazine: 'Pru's never stopped loving her or worrying about her,' The anonymous family friend also noted Tziporah is still Kate in their eyes, saying: 'I can't call her by that other name'. 'The whole thing is so terribly, terribly sad. I feel for them both,' the source added of their relationship. The I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! contestant has impressed her campmates with her honesty but is yet to speak about her mother or their relationship on the show 'About time': The former model and actress said her parents were 'happy' when she went from Hollywood to homeless and came out of her 'ivory tower' Honest: The I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! contestant has impressed her campmates with her honesty but is yet to speak about her mother or their relationship on the show After the former model and actress went from Hollywood starlet to homeless, she returned from Los Angeles to Australia and ended up in a Melbourne Women's Shelter but was adamant not to seek her mother's help. 'I would've given them the satisfaction of lording it over me,' Kate told AWW. 'I think they kind of felt like, "Well, it's about time you were a princess in an ivory tower for so many years". I think they were quite happy,' she added. Last Thursday, in her interview for The Project Tziporah told Carrie Bickmore she no longer speaks to her mother. Keeping it quiet: The brunette beauty admitted she didn't want to tell her parents she was living in a woman's shelter because she didn't want to give them the 'satisfaction of lording it over me' 'She is not motherly': In her interview for The Project Tziporah (left) told Carrie Bickmore (right) she no longer speaks to her mother 'It has always been quite a difficult relationship. I respect my mother and I understand my mother... that she is not motherly.' Kate was catapulted to stardom as a 14-year-old when she won the Dolly Model Search competition, landing the cover. It's understood her mother didn't approve of her career path as well as Ms Goward's political ambitions taking a lot of time away from her family. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Goward for comment. Beginning: Kate was catapulted to stardom as a 14-year-old when she won the Dolly Model Search competition, landing the cover A rollicking new trailer for Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 aired on Sunday evening in aid of Super Bowl 51. Chris Pratt, who leads the cast as Star-Lord, can briefly be seen shirtless, exposing his musclebound figure in the 'Extended cut' posted by director James Gunn. Zoe Saldana's green assassin Gamora roars as she fires a massive multi-barreled gun, and Dave Bautista's Drax The Destroyer brandishes two knives while leaping toward the maw of a tentacled monster with several rows of piercing teeth. Scroll down for video Action-packed: A rollicking new trailer for Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 aired on Sunday evening in aid of Super Bowl 51 The trailer opens on Elizabeth Debicki's golden character Ayesha, Sovereign High Priestess, who asks some Guardians: 'Just who in the hell do you think you are?' Standing before her are Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, the racoon-like Rocket and the sapling-like Baby Groot. Star-Lord replies: 'Well...' and trailer launches into high-gear. Against Fleetwood Mac's blaring 1977 song The Chain, a profusion of action sequences explode onto the screen. When you got it: Chris Pratt, who leads the cast as Star-Lord, can briefly be seen shirtless, exposing his musclebound figure in the ' Extended cut ' posted by director James Gunn In one, Star-Lord activates an oxygen mask that materializes onto his face before he leaps alongside Bradley Cooper's Rocket into an outer-space firefight. During another, Rocket cackles after detonating a bomb that sends several of his foes hurtling into the air as a force-field bursts into being underneath them. Michael Rooker's Yondu, who's blue but for a glinting red fin on his head, strolls nonchalantly down a bridge while his own enemies float suspended in mid-air. Armed: Zoe Saldana's green assassin Gamora roars as she fires a massive multi-barreled gun Antenna-sporting Mantis, acted by Pom Klementieff, squeals: 'He's so cute!' before a shot of Vin Diesel's Baby Groot screaming as he charges at an unseen target. Karen Gillan's blue and purple Nebula flicks her tongue across her lips while holding a knife to a foe, and is also seen firing the guns of a spaceship she's flying. Gamora and Nebula were raised together by the villainous Thanos of the first film, also directed by Gunn, which opened in 2014. Belly of the beast: Dave Bautista's Drax The Destroyer brandishes two knives while leaping toward the maw of a tentacled monster with several rows of piercing teeth Ready to strike: Karen Gillan's blue and purple Nebula flicks her tongue across her lips while holding a knife to a foe After a shot of Baby Groot intoning the only phrase he can say: 'I am Groot,' another shot shows a perplexed Yondu shouting: 'What is that?' Rocket, who frequently translates for Baby Groot, is seen with the little creature on his shoulder, and interprets: 'He says: "Welcome to the frickin' Guardians Of The Galaxy"...only he didn't use "frickin'."' The Guardian octet - Yondu, Nebula, Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, Baby Groot and Mantis - are all seen posing in apparent triumph as explosions rage behind them. Bosom buddies: Bradley Cooper's raccoon-like Rocket translates for Vin Diesel's sapling-like Baby Groot, saying: 'He says: "Welcome to the frickin' Guardians Of The Galaxy"...only he didn't use "frickin'"' Picture of calm: Michael Rooker's Yondu, who's blue but for a glinting red fin on his head, strolls nonchalantly down a bridge while his own enemies float suspended in mid-air Their moment of heroism is, unfortunately, cut short when a flaming boulder hurtles in from nowhere and strikes Mantis from her perch. 'Look out!' Drax shouts, uselessly late, and after Star-Lord appraises the damage with a hushed: 'Oh, wow...' the Destroyer offers a sheepish: 'I tried, guys.' Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2, which also stars Sylvester Stallone, Kurt Russell, Chris Sullivan and Sean Gunn, will be out April 28 in the UK and May 5 in the US. High-spirits: Antenna-sporting Mantis, acted by Pom Klementieff, squeals: 'He's so cute!' She shot to fame after starring in the second season of Married At First Sight. But last week, Melbourne-based Clare Verrall made her feelings clear about the reality show, slamming it as 'absolute trash'. And now, Woman's Day claim that the outspoken star has 'attacked' the show's matchmaking psychologist Melanie Schilling on Twitter. Scroll down for video New claims: Woman's Day is reporting that Married At First Sight star Clare Verrall 'attacked' the show matchmaking psychologist Melanie Schilling on Twitter, but Clare has told Daily Mail Australia that her account has been disabled 'since about October' Melanie - who matched Clare with her controversial 'husband' Jono Pittman - reportedly told the publication that Clare 'has had a go at me on Twitter. She refused to believe the matchmaking process was genuine.' Speaking with Daily Mail Australia, Clare stated, 'I didn't meet her [Melanie] until after I was matched [with Jono], so what does that tell you?' Clare's Twitter account is now disabled and has been 'since about last October', and the star believes 'old news' is now being brought up in a bid for increased ratings. 'She had a go at me on Twitter': MAFS psychologist Melanie Schilling told Woman's Day that Clare 'refused to believe the matching process was genuine' 'For me it's in the past,' Clare told DMA. 'I'm done with the whole thing.' The Herald Sun revealed last year that Clare - who survived a violent assault in 2015- was matched with Jono, despite his history of violence. The newspaper stated that Jono was ordered 'to complete an anger-management course after admitting assault and recklessly causing injury to a man in a 2008 bar brawl'. Despite Jono having no criminal record, 'a spokeswoman for Nine confirmed it was aware of Mr Pitmans history'. Controversial couple: On the second season of Married At First Sight, Clare- who survived a violent assault in 2015- was matched with Jono who, according to The Herald Sun, was ordered to complete an anger management course after a 2008 bar brawl Clare and Jono had a fiery relationship on the show, and she later revealed to Kyle and Jackie O that the series re-triggered her PTSD. 'In my situation I am very angry at Channel Nine because they knowingly set up someone I was attacked on the street eight months prior to filming by a random stranger,' Clare told the radio duo in September of last year. 'I was recovering from PTSD and I was very open with them about that,' Clare continued. 'So they then matched me with someone who has... anger problems. So they thought that would make great TV.' Making magic: Melanie (left) is one of the reality show's matchmaking psychologists, but Clare claims they never met until after she had been matched with Jono On her Instagram account, Clare has continued to slam the show. Last week, in response to a fan asking if she wished she was on the new season, she candidly replied: 'F**k no! Would rather gouge my eye out with a fork'. He interviewed one of his former crushes on Monday morning. But rather than get excited about talking to Mandy Moore, Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald admitted he was 'nervous' as the Fitzy & Wippa co-host confessed about a lie he told about the actress 16 years ago. 'I was on a footy trip and we went to Las Vegas and when I got back my local paper asked if I had any gossip from the trip,' the retired AFL player began explaining. 'Oh my goodness!' Mandy Moore was left a little shocked during a radio interview on Monday when she found out Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald had told Australian press the pair 'hooked up' when he was in Las Vegas 16 years ago 'And I unfortunately made up this rumour that you and I were together and we hooked up,' he admitted of his 24-year-old self, much to the American starlet's horror. 'Oh my goodness! That's a big fib, that's crazy,' she laughed in shock, while on to promote her new series This Is Us. 'Well I appreciate your honesty right off the bat,' Mandy, 32, added. 'Well we were the talk of the town for just a little bit so I'm just glad it didn't get back to you but I had to get it off my chest,' the now 40-year-old said. Cute couple! The former AFL player-turned-radio host told the singer he had a crush on her around the year 2000, when he visited Sin City, so he lied about them knowing each other Footy trip! The now married father-of-two explained that he was on a footy trip and was asked by a local newspaper if he had any gossip from the trip when he got back 'I hope so, I'm glad I could help,' she added, continuing to giggle at the thought. It turns out the Nova FM host told the Adelaide Advertiser in 2000, 'about us being in love and hooking up'. At the time though he was reportedly 'coy' with the newspaper after feeding them the fib, saying: 'We met when I was in Las Vegas. It's not a romance. We're just friends'. 'That's a big fib, that's crazy': The singer and actress took the confession in her stride giggling at first before saying she forgave Fitzy But it seems all was forgiven, with the starlet telling him at the end of their chat: 'don't carry that around with you anymore, you've gotten in off your chest'. Mandy was married to American musician Ryan Adams but the pair split last year. Meanwhile Fitzy has been married to Belinda since 2008 and they have two sons together. He is being hunted by an undead rival hellbent on putting him six feet under. But it seems Captain Jack Sparrow has just been dredged from a depth far deeper after making his mud-covered return in the new Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Super Bowl teaser trailer. In typical style, Johnny Depp's boozy buccaneer heads straight for the nearest tavern, slamming down some coinage before knocking back a tankard full of ale. Scroll down for video Worth drinking too: Captain Jack Sparrow returns in the new Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales trailer After handing over he teasingly says, 'Pirates life,' before chugging away on his beer. Sadly just what the mucky marauder has been up to will remain a mystery, as the rest of the latest teaser features a musical soundtrack. In the latest film Jack will have to overcome perhaps his toughest challenge yet, as he is being pursued by old rival Capitan Salazar and his crew of ghost pirates, who are determined to kill every pirate at sea. Salazar, who is played by Spanish hunk Javier Bardem, is on his trail and hoping to collect a bounty on his head - or worse To save his sorry hide he has to find the Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artifact that grants total control over the seas. Cashing in: He hands over a container of coin as he seeks a refreshing glass of ale Just visited Davy Jones' locker? The boozy buccaneer is covered head to toe in mud 'Pirates life': He gives a typically brief explanation about why he is so dirty In a previous trailer the undead naval plunderer boarded a Royal Navy vessel, in the Caribbean of course, and after overpowering those on board heads straight for the brig, where he finds a young sailor Harry played by Brenton Thwaites. After showing him a wanted poster displaying Johnny Depp's character, he says: 'Find Sparrow for me. And relay a message from Capitan Salazar and tell him, 'Death comes straight for him.'' However it seems the rough-around-the-edges raider is also quite the stickler for etiquette. For he then tells the terrified sailor: 'Will you say that to him, please?' Ahoy there: It seems there can only be one winner between the impressive galleon and its rickety rival Can't we be friends? Jack Sparrow's old rival Captain Barbossa will soon come face-to-face with Capitan Salazar Walking the plank: He is leading a group of ghost pirates from the Devil's Triangle CGI ahoy: A dramatic fiery sea battle is also shown as they ravage the seven seas Salazar is leading a group of ghost pirates from the Devil's Triangle, and it seems unlikely they are merely hoping to share out the modest booty of 200 pounds after finding their rival. Sparrow is not the only character making a comeback in the new film, which follows the reviled, yet commercially triumphant, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Will Turner, Orlando Bloom's captain of the Flying Dutchman, and Geoffrey Rush's Captain Barbossa are also appearing. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is scheduled to be released on May 26, 2017. Dripping wet: Kaya Scodelario's character Carina Smyth is seen fleeing in the waves Dead man's chest: As the busty beauty looks over her shoulder she sees invaders rushing Even an errand as un-glamorous as putting gas in the car can be an excuse to show off one's fashion instincts. Paris Jackson bared her midriff in a skintight brown crop top when she stopped off at a gas station in Los Angeles on Sunday. Her splashily designed jacket - which featured green and brown patterns bleeding into purple and orange ones - slid off her shoulder. Showing what she's got: Paris Jackson bared her midriff in a skintight brown crop top when she stopped off at a gas station in Los Angeles on Sunday Below her cleavage-baring top, she'd popped on a pair of faded jeans with massive tears that showed off the 18-year-old's toned legs. Black and white shoes rounded out her outfit, and she wore multiple necklaces, letting her platinum hair fall free. The daughter of Michael Jackson's covered the February issue of Rolling Stone this year and opened up about her childhood on her father's Neverland Ranch. Mind my wrap!: Her splashily designed jacket - which featured green and brown patterns bleeding into purple and orange ones - slid off her shoulder Unaware he was the globally recognizable King Of Pop, 'I just thought his name was Dad, Daddy. We didn't really know who he was. But he was our world' In addition to which, she and her two siblings - elder brother Michael Joseph 'Prince' Jackson, Jr. and younger brother Prince Michael 'Blanket' Jackson II - 'were his world.' Though the estate, which sprawled across 2,700 acres, was littered with amusement park attractions, 'We couldn't just go on the rides whenever we wanted to.' Rounding out the look: Below her cleavage-baring top, she'd popped on a pair of faded jeans with massive tears that showed off the 18-year-old's toned legs Said she of living on a compound with its own petting zoo: 'We actually had a pretty normal life. Like, we had school every single day, and we had to be good.' The girlfriend of MIchael Snoddy reminisced that 'if we were good, every other weekend or so, we could choose whether we were gonna go to the movie theater or see the animals or whatever.' Paris and her elder brother were the result of their father's marriage to nurse Debbie Rowe, who'd worked where he was being treated for his infamous vitiligo. Blanket was born via surrogacy. She is eagerly expecting her fifth child with husband Dean McDermott. And on Sunday night, Tori Spelling took to Instagram to proudly show off her bare burgeoning baby bump. The 43-year-old actress wrote, 'Just #kickinit couchside with my bump and my furboo watching the #superbowl.' About to pop! Tori Spelling took to Instagram to proudly show off her bare burgeoning baby bump on Sunday night while 'kickin' it couchside' during the Super Bowl Tori went topless only wearing a black bra and a low-slung pair of maternity jeans to fully display her belly. The 90210 alum and her ever-expanding midsection reclined on the couch next to her little terrier pup. The hot mama had that expectant glow on her face and she wore her short blonde tresses down with a side braid. The rest of her caption included the hashtags: '#SoReady #LadyGagaBUMPEDItUp2AWholeNewLevel #believe photo by my beautiful friend Xanthia #CapturingItLikeItIs.' Bumping along: The 43-year-old mama is nearing her son's March due date, and has been thoroughly enjoying showing off her belly on social media. She shared this shot last week 'Can't wait to meet you little man': The 90210 alum shared this 'bump proud' selfie two weeks ago when she had '6 weeks to go' Tori is nearing her son's March due date, and has been thoroughly enjoying showing off her bump on social media. Her Super Bowl post comes two weeks after she shared another baby bump shot on Instagram 'six weeks' ahead of her son's expected arrival. She captioned the 'bump proud' selfie: 'Can't wait to meet you little man... my little Pisces. #6weekstogo #littleman #number5.' Tori and Dean, who've been married since 2006, already are proud parents to Liam, 9, Stella, 8, Hattie, 5, and Finn, 4. The ever-expanding family also just welcomed a baby pig into the fold. Tori announced the news via Instagram on Friday: 'We have a new member of the family...Nutmeg! Thanks to @oinkoinkminipigs for making this happen! Get all of the details on ToriSpelling.com.' 'New family member': On Friday, ahead of baby number five, Tori revealed on Instagram that the family got a pet pig named Nutmeg She loves to take a daring selfie from time to time. And Nicole Trunfio was right back at in on Monday, showing off some skin in the name of Valentine's Day. The 30-year-old model flaunted her incredible figure as she flashed her underwear to promote lingerie label, Pleasure State. Red hot! Nicole Trunfio flashes her lingerie on social media on Monday to celebrate upcoming Valentine's Day She declared the risque outfit was 'PERFECT and just in time for #valentines day'. Wearing a black furry coat over what appears to be a turtle neck jumper, Nicole lifted her top to flash both her bra and undies. Her red and black floral push up bra flaunted her assets, making the most of the brunette's cleavage. The matching undies left little to the imagination and flaunted Nicole's flat tummy and shapely hips. Little left to the imagination: Nicole loves to take a daring selfie from time to time A pair of thigh-high black boots and her hair in a loose, half-up do completed the incredibly sexy look. With the romantic holiday coming up on February 14, the Western Australian born model is clearly in the mood to celebrate. No doubt her American husband Gary Clark Jr. will appreciate his wife's dedication to skimpy lingerie. Valentine's Day is coming up: No doubt her American husband Gary Clark Jr. will appreciate his wife's dedication to skimpy lingerie After tying the knot with musician Gary in a lavish Palm Springs ceremony in April last year, the now US based Aussie moved to a ranch in Austin, Texas. The 30-year-old beauty has a two-year-old son with hubby Gary, toddler Zion Clark. Nicole told The Daily Telegraph that absence makes the heart grow fonder in her marriage. Both she and her muso husband are often travelling the world for work and give ach other 'space' to chase their creative dreams. US based: After tying the knot with musician Gary in a lavish Palm Springs ceremony in April last year, the now US based Aussie moved to a ranch in Austin, Texas 'We've had that challenge in our relationship for so long,' she told the paper. 'It's easier when two people travel and there's not one person left at home'. The model added, 'I feel like we give each other creative space.' Spending stretches of time apart no doubt makes the pair appreciate one another more when they're together and the racy lingerie is no doubt welcome too. Nicole recently got political, joining millions of people around the world in protesting for women's rights in a march held in her hometown of Austin in late January. She's back in the spotlight starring on the new season of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! But Casey Donovan hit headlines in 2014, after it was revealed by New Idea that she was caught up in a catfishing hoax, in which her best friend posed as the pop star's online lover. Now, the publication is quoting a friend of Casey's who claims that, after the scandal, the star 'sank into self-loathing' and began meeting up with strangers for sex. 'Self-loathing': A friend of Casey Donovan has told New Idea that following her catfish hoax, the star 'sank into self-loathing' and began meeting up with strangers she had met on the internet for sex The magazine quotes the friend as saying, 'She [Casey] went out and had sex with total strangers she found online. It was like she needed validation after that awful catfish experience. She needed to believe someone found her attractive.' Daily Mail Australia reached out to Network Ten for comment on Casey's behalf. The star shot to fame in 2004 after winning Australian Idol at the age of just 16, the same year the catfish hoax started. The star's best friend pretended to be a man named 'Campbell', and seduced Casey online. The hoax lasted for six years. In the jungle: Casey Donovan is currently in South Africa filming the latest season of I'm A Celebrity The new claims from the friend in New Idea echo what Casey wrote in her 2014 autobiography, Big Beautiful and Sexy. 'I wanted to stop the vicious cycle of sex and one-night stands but I didnt know how to get out,' Casey wrote in her memoir. According to The Daily Telegraph, the star wrote in a separate chapter, 'In the first year of using online dating I was f**king a new guy every two days. I didnt even enjoy half of it.' Tell-all: Casey detailed the catfish hoax and its aftermath in her memoir, Big Beautiful and Sexy And the catfish incident is still having an effect on Casey, who broke down after discussing it in the jungle on I'm A Celebrity. While she managed to hold things together while detailing the hoax to her fellow celebrities, Casey couldn't help but break down in tears in the diary room later. 'I'd never had a boyfriend. I was always a bit different. No-one was ever interested in me,' she sobbed. 'And this guy was telling me that he'd loved me. I think I'd known for a while that...it wasn't real. I knew there was something wrong.' Amber Sherlock hit the headlines last month when she erupted at colleague Julie Snook over her choice of outfit. The newsreader demanded her Channel Nine co-worker put a jacket on following a wardrobe malfunction that left both presenters and their guest all dressed in white. And during the chat room segment on Nine News Now on Monday, the 41-year-old appeared on screen with guest Kellie Alderman in a bizarre blue jacket after they both appeared on screen in matching green dresses. Not again! Amber Sherlock (centre) was involved in another wardrobe malfunction on Nine News Now on Monday, wearing the same shade of green as guest Kellie Alderman (R) While Amber's Channel Nine colleague in Adelaide, Kate Collins, clearly got the memo, dressing in a powder blue jacket, Kellie did not. The fashion writer wore almost exactly the same shade of green as Amber, with their outfits also featuring a similar neckline. In an apparent attempt to cover up her dress, Kellie was seen sporting a striking blue jacket which clashed with her dress. Green with envy: While Amber's (centre) Channel Nine colleague in Adelaide, Kate Collins (L), clearly got the memo, dressing in a powder blue jacket, Kellie did not Twinning: The fashion writer wore almost exactly the same shade of green as Amber, with their outfits also featuring a similar neckline There was no evident friction between Amber and her guest as, along with Kate, they debated a number of topical issues. However, social media users were quick to pick up on the irony of another wardrobe malfunction involving Amber. Entertainment reporter Peter Ford questioned whether Amber had prompted her guest to put the blue jacket on. He tweeted: 'Random question. Do we think someone was politely asked to put a jacket on this afternoon?' Tweet, tweet: Entertainment reporter Peter Ford questioned whether Amber had prompted her guest to put the blue jacket on Cliche: Another user picked out the old adage 'blue and green should never be seen without something in between' Bad decision: Meanwhile, one tweeter remarked that the outfit choice must have been made at the 'last minute' Another user picked out the old adage 'blue and green should never be seen without something in between'. Meanwhile, one tweeter remarked that the outfit choice must have been made at the 'last minute'. Last month, Amber received a social media backlash after launching into an angry exchange with Nine colleague Julie over the colour of her outfit. The extraordinary footage shows newsreader Amber having an epic meltdown after realising she, her fellow journalist and her guest were all wearing white. Awkward: Amber (centre) hit the headlines last month when she erupted at colleague Julie Snook (L) over her choice of outfit Speaking to her producer, Amber said: 'I need Julie to put a jacket on because we're all in white. I asked her before we came on Julie you need to put a jacket on.' Julie defended herself, insisting she had not had time to change out of her outfit - but Amber refused to back down, replying: 'Come on I told you two hours ago.' Julie apologised and said she had been 'flat out' and had not had time to switch into a different colour. But a furious Amber had no time for her apology and continued to demand she get changed before going live. Jacketgate: The newsreader (centre) demanded her Channel Nine co-worker (L) put a jacket on following a wardrobe malfunction that left both presenters and their guest all dressed in white Colourblind: Julie tried to claim her dress was actually blue, but she then agreed to put on a black jacket that was lying around in the newsroom Julie tried to claim her dress was actually blue, but she then agreed to put on a black jacket that was lying around in the newsroom. 'If there's an issue I can just head on out and get back to work. I'm flat out. I genuinely forgot,' Julie said as she left her chair to find other clothes. Amber responded: 'Fine, jump on out if that's what you'd like to do. Come on, wearing a jacket. I asked you two-and-a-half hours ago. It's not the hardest request. 'I know it's not your issue. But we did talk about it two-and-a-half hours ago.' Diva: Despite their incredibly diva-esque row, the pair were all-smiles when they went on air, with Amber (centre) grinning as she introduced her colleague It is not clear who leaked the footage, which was published by Mumbrella. The two journalists later released a statement, with Amber admitting she 'probably overreacted'. 'Live TV can be a pretty stressful beast, at times. And as anyone knows, it's never much fun rocking up to work or to a party in the same outfit as one of your colleagues or friends,' she said. 'I probably overreacted with the pressure of presenting a live news bulletin.' As a model, she is used to posing in unique spots. Yet Doutzen Kroes took things to a whole new level when she enjoyed a spot of horseriding in the ocean, as she shared a behind the scenes snap with her 5million Instagram followers on Monday. The 32-year-old Dutch beauty looked incredible as she embarked on her gallop along the shores while sporting just a tiny black bikini as she pulled her very best pose while atop a horse. Scroll down for video Trotting along: Doutzen Kroes took things to a whole new level when she enjoyed a spot of horseriding in the ocean, as she shared a behind the scenes snap with her 5million Instagram followers on Monday Doutzen soared to fame in 2003 when she sent snap shots to Amsterdam-based modelling agency Paparazzi Model Management and despite admitting she did not take her flourishing career seriously, she went on to enjoy huge success. In her latest venture, the stunner posed in a bikini on the Cuban shores although shunned a typical swimwear shoot as she climbed atop a horse to pose. As she confidently reclined on the steed, Doutzen flaunted every inch of her incredible curves in the simple two-piece - which made her body the main focus. The bandeau top showed off her perky bust, while she boosted her cleavage with a halter string extending from the centre of the cleavage. Out and a pout: The 32-year-old Dutch beauty looked incredible as she embarked on her gallop along the shores while sporting just a tiny black bikini as she pulled her very best pose while atop a horse Her low-slung bikini bottoms helped expose her incredibly taut abs, the result no doubt of gruelling hours spent in the gym. With her honey blonde locks billowing in the wind, Doutzen looked ethereal as she pouted into the distance while frowning slightly in an intense gaze. Despite the unique nature of the shoot, the blonde beauty perfectly pulled off her horseriding pose to perfection on the back of the white horse. She added a caption on the shot reading: 'This trip was so special! And I can't wait for you to see the results #doutzenstories #swimwear #hunkemoller #nofilter'. Model behaviour: Doutzen soared to fame in 2003 when she sent snap shots to Amsterdam-based modelling agency Paparazzi Model Management and despite admitting she did not take her flourishing career seriously, she went on to enjoy huge success It is plain to see how Doutzen looks so sensational, as she previously discussed her healthy living and clean attitude towards life in an interview with The Telegraph. She said: 'I biked to school every day, about 25km there and back. My mum would say, if you go on your bike it will make you stronger. 'I think it did... In the countryside I was always outside, kind of like a tomboy... I never even thought about my looks. We didn't have social media so we couldn't look at other girls and pictures from magazines. 'We didn't really buy a lot of magazines; my mum and dad would just read papers... I felt super-young coming from the north of Holland, and I went to Amsterdam only once before I went to New York City.' She welcomed her darling baby girl a mere three months ago. Yet, Blac Chyna showcased her enviable post-baby body on Sunday night as she stepped out in West Hollywood in a figure-flaunting pair of ripped denims. The 28-year-old reality star looked sensational as she sported the skintight jeans which accentuated her endless curves and perky posterior as she stopped for a selfie with a fan outside the cinema. Scroll down for video Sensational: Blac Chyna showcased her enviable post-baby body on Sunday night as she stepped out in West Hollywood in a figure-flaunting pair of ripped denims Complementing her distressed denims, she teamed her look with a white ribbed turtleneck which amplified her buxom bust and narrow waist. The E! star injected height into diminutive frame with a pair of sky-high red sandals as she teetered to her waiting car in her effortless look. With red proving to be the colour of the night, she accessorised her evening ensemble with a coordinating quilted Chanel backpack, silk print scarf around her jeans and an eye-catching blood red lip. Having become household name with the help of her reality show Rob And Chyna, the mother-of-two happily stopped for a dear fan - who enthusiastically pecked her cheek. Kind: Having become household name with the help of her reality show Rob And Chyna, the mother-of-two happily stopped for a dear fan - who enthusiastically pecked her cheek Red hot: The 28-year-old reality star looked sensational as she sported her skintight jeans that accentuated her endless curves and perky posterior It was back in November that Chyna gave birth to her second child and first daughter Dream, whose father is fiance Rob Kardashian. In addition to Dream she's also got a four-year-old son called King Cairo by Tyga, who's now dating Chyna's sister-in-law-to-be Kylie Jenner. The Washington, D.C. native's previously said she plans to whittle her post-baby weight down to 130 lbs, and told E! News last month about her progress. She said: 'Its super hard because, you now, I had actually had a C-section.' Welcome to the world: It's been less than three months since Chyna gave birth to her second child and first daughter Dream, whose father is fiance Rob Kardashian Her routine included 'breastfeeding and drinking water and my teas and my little other little remedies that Im not gonna tell you, but its been, like, working out for me really good.' When asked about fielding her chockablock schedule, 'I feel like, you now, it, like, comes natural, and Ive kinda been doing it all this time, and I feel like being pregnant obviously prepares you to, obviously, be able to, like, juggle everything.' In a stroke of luck for the mother of two: 'Dream is, like, a really good, easy baby, so its been really easy for me.' They're usually impeccably dressed on hit US legal drama Suits. But on Sunday, actors Rick Hoffman and Sarah Rafferty sported a casual look as they arrived in Australia to promote season seven of the show. A weary Rick managed a smile for the cameras as the pair were pictured upon arrival at Sydney airport. Jet setters: Suits actors Rick Hoffman and Sarah Rafferty sported a casual look as the arrived in Australia to promote season seven of the show Looking almost unrecognisable from his role as Louis Litt in Suits, Rick was dressed down in a blue hoodie as Sarah trailed behind. The 46-year-old New Yorker also wore jeans and a pair of red trainers, accesorising with a navy cap and a pair of sunglasses. His co-star, who plays Donna Paulsen, walked behind, looking equally casual in a denim jacket, trainers and a beige hat. In character: Looking almost unrecognisable from his role as Louis Litt in Suits (pictured), Rick was dressed down in a blue hoodie as Sarah trailed behind Not messing around: Getting straight down to business, the duo held a Facebook Live Q&A session with Australian fans on Monday Getting straight down to business, the duo held a Facebook Live Q&A session with Australian fans on Monday. The actors popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate their arrival in the country before declaring their delight at taking the trip, which will also see them travel to New Zealand. Despite rumours that season seven could be the last, the Suits stars told AAP on Monday that they don't want it to end. Sarah said: 'I have said to our creator through tears that day when the show is done, I'm really going to miss Donna. I feel like she's a really good friend of mine. I will mourn her. I would like to never be done with it.' Globe trotters: The actors popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate their arrival in the country before declaring their delight at taking the trip, which will also see them travel to New Zealand Keen to continue: Despite rumours that season seven could be the last, the Suits stars told AAP on Monday that they don't want it to end Rick agreed: 'When you're an actor you barely get the chance to work half the time. Sometimes people forget that they had to struggle and that was a lottery ticket that they won to get the job.' Before touching down in Australia, the pair shared a video on Instagram from their flight, in which they were seen singing Men At Work's classic Down Under. After their rendition, Sarah said: 'Hi Australia, we're on our way to see you.' The 44-year-old also shared a snap of the Sydney Opera House later on Sunday as they explored their new surroundings. Season seven of Suits will return on 9 February when it premieres on Universal Channel. Jay Laga'aia was elected camp leader on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here on Monday night's episode. The newly elected leader's first act was to convince his fellow celebrities to give up their contraband after they were busted by producers. Despite being reluctant to give up their smuggled goods, the contestants coughed up a healthy haul of banned items. Scroll down for video In charge: Jay Laga'aia was elected camp leader on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here on Monday Jay collected sachets of salt and pepper, sugar, chilli, chocolate and a refresher towelette before model Tegan Martin unveiled her stash. Visibly disappointed at being busted, the 24-year-old gave up a snack size Twix. 'I am so naughty,' she said. 'I forgot what chocolate tasted like and I miss it and I am depressed without it.' Laying down the law: The newly elected leader's first act was to convince his fellow celebrities to give up their contraband after they were busted by producers Buried treasure: Despite being reluctant to give up their smuggled goods, the contestants coughed up a healthy haul of banned items Naughty: Jay collected sachets of salt and pepper, sugar, chilli, chocolate and a refresher towelette before model Tegan Martin unveiled her stash Funny man Nazeem Hussain put up a fight before giving up a packet of peanuts and raisins. News Corp report that producers are keeping a close eye on the celebrities, with one said to be concealing Vegemite. Earlier, Jay received the backing of his fellow campmates as camp leader after a vote, coming out as clear winner ahead of Steve Price, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Lisa Curry. Absolutely nuts: Funny man Nazeem Hussain put up a fight before giving up a packet of peanuts and raisins Democracy: The actor received the backing of his fellow campmates after a vote, coming out as clear winner ahead of Steve Price, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Lisa Curry Group decision: Jay picked up six votes to take the title with a number of stars voicing their support for the 53-year-old Jay picked up six votes to take the title with a number of stars voicing their support for the 53-year-old. 'I voted for Jay because I think you're a rational thinker and I think you don't allow your emotions to get in the way of decisions,' reality star Ash Pollard said. Tziporah Malkah, formerly known as Kate Fischer, also lent her support to the Star Wars actor. She said: 'Jay can also ask and tell people to do things in a way without making people feel small.' Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband Frederic Prinz Von Anhalt is reportedly not moving out of their shared home following her death last year. The West Hollywood estate was sold in 2013 for $11 million under the condition that four months after her death it would be vacated. However, TMZ has reported that the 73-year-old widower doesn't believe this is enough time to move out. Scroll down for video Staying put: Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband Frederic Prinz Von Anhalt is reportedly not moving out of their shared home following her death last year Zsa Zsa died from cardiac arrest at the age of 99 on December 18, meaning Frederic was expected to vacate the premises by April 17. The site reports that he's now struck a deal with the owners to allow him to stay another six months. In doing so it's reported that $300,000 has been taken off the selling price, whilst Frederic will pay rent of just $1000 a month. MailOnline have contacted Frederic's representatives for comment. Not moving: Zsa Zsa died from cardiac arrest at the age of 99 on December 18, and as the house had been sold Frederic was expected to vacate the premises by April 17 Frederic was Zsa Zsa's eighth husband, with the pair tying the knot in August, 1986. At the Hollywood star's funeral Frederic paid tribute to his late wife and said his life was 'empty' without her. Speaking to the congregation about her death, he said: 'She left peacefully. It was beautiful the way she passed,' he said. 'She was a good woman. She helped people, especially the homeless. Cute couple: Frederic was Zsa Zsa's eighth husband, with the pair tying the knot in 1986 Concluding his lengthy speech, he said: 'I was my wife's partner. I was her best friend. 'It was my duty, and it's the duty of any husband or any wife, to care for your partner. 'My wife was my life. Right now my life is empty. I was glued to my partner.' Steve Price has recalled how his colleague on The Project, Carrie Bickmore, coped with the loss of her husband in 2010. Days before he went into the jungle on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here, the shock jock told TV Week that 'no one would have known' what she was going through despite partner Greg Lange's battle with brain cancer. The 62-year-old told the publication that she showed bravery when picking up the Best New Female Talent award at the 2010 Logies - months before her husband passed away. Scroll down for video Emotional: Steve Price has recalled how his colleague on The Project, Carrie Bickmore, coped with the loss of her husband in 2010 He said: 'She was very brave that night at the TV Week Logies when she was voted the most popular person on television.' The radio host, who was working on The Project alongside Carrie at the time, said her conduct offered no clue as to what was going on behind closed doors. 'Carrie was flying back and forth to Perth each weekend to sit by his bedside. She would come back to film and no one would have known,' he said. Courage: The 62-year-old said she showed bravery when picking up the Best New Female Talent award at the 2010 Logies - months before her husband passed away Under wraps: The radio host, who was working on The Project alongside Carrie at the time, said her conduct offered no clue as to what was going on behind closed doors The winner of I'm A Celebrity will bag $100,000 to donate to a charity of their choosing, and Steve has already nominated his. The broadcaster has chosen Carrie's Beanies 4 Brain Cancer as the recipient of the money should he win, and his gesture went down well with the charity's founder. Carrie said: 'I was surprised and really chuffed when I heard Pricey nominated Carrie's Beanies 4 Brain Cancer as his charity. He's always been supportive of my fundraising work.' Co-stars: The broadcaster (R) has chosen Carrie's (L) Beanies 4 Brain Cancer as the recipient of the money should he win, and his gesture went down well with the charity's founder In order to win the top prize, Steve will need to last six weeks in the South African jungle and beat off competition from 11 other celebrities. The straight-talking TV presenter has proved popular with most of his camp mates thus far, although not all have taken to him so quickly. On Monday, Tziporah Malkah, formerly known as Kate Fischer, accused Steve of washing his feet in a bucket of water used by everyone in the camp. After expressing her disgust, Steve was quick to bite back at the former pin-up, branding her paranoid. In December 2015, British star Ed Sheeran shocked fans when she announced he was taking a year-long break from his career and social media. And on The Project on Monday, the hit maker opened up about his decision to step away from the limelight and music for a while. The 25-year-old said getting a 'lukewarm reaction' from people with his career moves, influenced his decision. Scroll down for video 'I was getting a lukewarm reaction': On Monday, hit maker Ed Sheeran opened up about his decision to step away from the limelight and music for a year 'I just felt like everything I did, I got a very lukewarm reaction by the end of it,' Ed said. 'I was like here's a new song. And people were like, ''ah, great,'' changing the tone of his voice to say it negatively. He added about releasing new music this year: 'But you disappear for a year and then people are kind of hungry for it again.' 'I rented a Mini and drove up the coast': The humble star - who is known for hits including Drunk and Lego House - said he enjoyed his time off, spending some time in Australia 'But I'm sure I'll get to the end of this campaign and people will be like ''yeah, cool,'' making the gesture of people shooing him away. The humble star - who is known for hits including Drunk and Lego House - said he enjoyed his time off, spending some time in Australia. 'I rented a Mini and drove up the coast,' he said, saying he avoided being seen by avoiding the typical celebrity haunts. He added he didn't miss singing while on his break. Time off: He added he didn't miss singing while on his break (seen in Las Vegas in May 2015) 'Not for the first bit, but I found myself going to concerts and having withdrawal symptoms from it, but I didn't really miss it that much.' 'But I got back and when I started putting the album together, I was like, ''I can't remember the lyrics to my own songs.'' Because you sing them every single day, and then the moment you stop doing it, it's like exercising everyday, the moment you stop doing it, it just disappears.' When Ed announced his career break, he shared a lengthy post to his social media channels. 'I've had an amazing ride': When Ed announced his career break, he shared a lengthy post to his social media channels 'Hello all. I'm taking a break from my phone, emails and all social media for a while, I've had such an amazing ride over the last five years but I find myself seeing the world through a screen and not my eyes so I'm taking this opportunity of me not having to be anywhere or do anything to travel the world and see everything I miss.' 'To my family and friends, if you love me you will understand me buggering off for a bit, to my fans, the third album is on its way and is the best thing I have made thus far. See you all next autumn, and thank you for being amazing, Ed x.' Ed is dating Cherry Seaborn, who he has known since school and who travelled Australia with him on his break. Going strong: Ed is dating Cherry Seaborn, who he has known since school and who traveled Australia with him on his break Ed recently opened up about his girlfriend during an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music's Beats 1 radio. He admitted he 'wanted to be a dad' for the past year and is ready to start having 'chubby babies'. He said: 'This has been the first time I've ever actually had the time to fall in love properly.' 'I've always got into relationships very passionate - I'm a redhead and also Irish. But then I will get in a relationship and go on tour for 18 months and everything will f**k up. 'And I'm like, "Oh, what happened?" But it's because I had no time to put into someone.' El Rowland showed extreme mental toughness in the face of adversity as she finished third on Australian Survivor. But the challenges the 33-year-old faced during 54 days on a Samoan island paled into insignificance compared to the battle which nearly claimed her life five years ago. El told Daily Mail Australia that after the birth of son Darcy in 2012 she almost died during a battle with post traumatic stress disorder, slipping into a cycle of depression which left her devoid of hope. Strong showing: El Rowland showed extreme mental toughness in the face of adversity as she finished third on Australian Survivor She revealed: 'I suffered immensely with PTSD, panic attacks and depression following the birth of my baby boy Darcy. 'It was at my most rawest point, where I lost all my identity, hope and didn't know who I was anymore.' El, a corporal in the Australian Army, had just been posted to Brisbane when her breakdown struck. Dark days: But the challenges the 33-year-old faced during 54 days on a Samoan island paled into insignificance compared to the battle which nearly claimed her life five years ago Fearful: El told Daily Mail Australia that after the birth of son Darcy in 2012 she almost died during a battle with post traumatic stress disorder, slipping into a cycle of depression The mental torment left her feeling as though she was 'drowning', and with no end in sight she started to fear the worst. 'I almost died in those months I was suffering and being tortured by my mind,' she confessed. 'I managed to get through it and learnt how to think and have a beautiful mind again.' Despite her ongoing struggle with PTSD at the time, El resolved to help others in the same predicament - assuming she managed to escape her torment alive. Crisis: El, a corporal in the Australian Army, had just been posted to Brisbane when her breakdown struck New venture: El will soon be launching 'Belle of the Ashes', a support program aimed at instilling confidence in young women She said: 'I have honoured my promise since, starting my own charity to help homeless veterans and now, after Survivor, I am starting a new support range to help women going through a dark period in their life.' Soon to be launched, 'Belle of the Ashes' is a support program aimed at instilling confidence in young women that are experiencing similar troubles. El added: 'I plan on doing motivational speaking in schools and trying to help people, one beautiful soul at a time.' The new venture has coincided with her decision to go part-time with the army following 13 years of loyal service. Day job: The new venture has coincided with her decision to go part-time with the army following 13 years of loyal service. El has been deployed on humanitarian missions twice, undertaken a peacekeeping exercise in Lithuania and, just last year, was awarded a Royal Australian Dental Corps Medallion for her selfless service to veterans. And El is again putting the needs of others at the forefront of her thinking as she makes good on the promise she made to herself in her own time of need. She said: 'I took a leap of faith to do this and quit what I love doing most - being in the army - to sacrifice myself to the service of others.' Johnny Depp reportedly fired his longterm agent Tracey Jacobs in October as he could no longer afford her commission fees. Page Six reports that the Golden Globe winner left his manager of three decades at UTA and signed with rival company CAA because they offered lower rates. A source told the site: 'Depp told Jacobs and UTA he no longer wanted to pay their commissions. But they pushed back.' Scroll down for video Moving on: Johnny Depp reportedly fired his longterm agent Tracey Jacobs in October as he could no longer afford her commission fees Another insider added that CAA were 'sensitive' to his financial situation upon signing him. They continued: 'He was with Tracey Jacobs for a gajillion years their relationship had run its course.' When Depp left UTA in October, a company spokesperson announced: 'We had a great 30-year run with Johnny and we wish him well.' MailOnline have contacted representatives for Depp and Jacobs for comment. Over: It's reported that the Golden Globe winner left Tracey Jacobs his manager of three decades at UTA and signed with rival company CAA because of their lower fees The reports come as Depp's extravagant spending has been highlighted in a bitter lawsuit with his ex-management. However, the star has been firing back at his former management team over their claims his financial woes are all his fault, according to a statement by Depps attorney, Adam Waldman reports People on Thursday. The star - who is said to spend an astonishing $30,000 a month on wine, $300,000 a month maintaining a team of 40 staff and $200,000 a month on private planes - said his former business team, The Management Group (TMG) are 'blaming the victim.' Money woes? The reports come as Depp's extravagant spending has been highlighted in a bitter lawsuit with his ex-management According to the publication the Pirates of the Caribbean star's lawyer said that TMG 'have chosen to employ a reprehensible "blame the victim" strategy in a transparent attempt to save their own skin and deflect away from their malfeasance, which is chronicled in Mr. Depps 48 page complaint.' The statement continues: 'Mr. Depp did not sue his former business managers for his own personal investment decisions or the "financial distress" they wildly allege - Mr. Depp sued them for fraud and multiple breaches of their fiduciary duty, among other claims.' Waldman adds: 'Gaslighting the public with global press releases will not save the defendants in court from their gross misconduct set forth in the complaint.' Bitter dispute: Johnny Depp fired back at his former management team over their claims his financial woes are all his fault on Thursday Depp is suing his ex-managers for $25million for mismanaging his earnings. But his excesses have been revealed in a counter lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by The Management Group (TMG) on Tuesday, with the firm describing him as a voracious spender. His ex-managers claim they repeatedly warned the 53-year-old his lavish lifestyle over the past two decades, which cost more than $2 million a month to maintain, was leading him towards financial ruin but he chose to ignore their advice. In TMGs lawsuit, obtained by People, the management firm asks Depp to pay more than $560,000 in allegedly unpaid commissions and credit card fees. They also report that TMGs lawsuit is also asking for a court declaration that it 'complied with all of its fiduciary obligations under the law and that Depp is responsible for his own financial waste.' Victim blaming? According to People, the Pirates of the Caribbean star's lawyer said that TMG 'have chosen to employ a reprehensible 'blame the victim' strategy TMG handled his finances from 1999 until early 2016, which was an especially lucrative period for the actor. During that time, Depps career rocketed after landing the role of Jack Sparrow in the Pirates Of The Caribbean movie franchise. Its thought starring as the lead in the five films has made him more than $250million. Depps lawsuit, filed on January 13, accused his former advisers of defrauding him out of his fortune, taking out loans without his approval and hiding the severity of his financial problems from him. He claimed that he only realised his fortune was dwindling when he was advised to sell off his 45-acre chateau in France to pay off his debts. He also alleges that the company failed to file his taxes on time, costing him $7 million in penalties. Lavish life: The star is said to spend an astonishing $30,000 a month on wine, $300,000 a month maintaining a team of 40 staff and $200,000 a month on private planes However, the management company claims the actor has spent more than $75million on 14 homes including the French castle, a chain of islands in the Bahamas and several homes in California. In documents filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday, Joel and Robert Mandel claim they repeatedly warned Depp that he was overspending, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 'Depp lived an ultra-extravagant lifestyle that often knowingly cost Depp in excess of $2 million per month to maintain, which he simply could not afford,' attorney Michael Kump wrote in the cross-complaint. 'Depp, and Depp alone, is fully responsible for any financial turmoil he finds himself in today.' TMG claims the Black Mass actor spent $75 million on the purchase of 14 residences including a chateau in France, splashed out $18 million on a luxury yacht and paid more than $3 million to blast the ashes of author Hunter Thompson over Aspen, Colorado, from a specially-made cannon. TMG is currently pursuing foreclosure actions against Depp to recover $4.2 million it claims he still owes the company. Soared to fame: TMG handled Depp's finances from 1999 until early 2016, which was an especially lucrative period for the actor Meanwhile, Depp has accused his former managers of 'gross misconduct' that led to him losing 'tens of millions of dollars', Variety reported on January 13. He alleged the company had failed to file or pay his federal taxes on time costing him millions in fees and fines and lent $10 million of his money to a third party without his knowledge. Depp has been selling off some of his properties in the past year. He also settled his divorce from Heard for $7 million which she stated she would donate to charity. The LA court is due to consider the case at a later date. He recently began shooting scenes for his upcoming movie Kings, a drama following a family in the weeks leading up to the infamous Los Angeles riots of 1992. And Daniel Craig, 48, showed he's retained the skills he picked up as James Bond, as he was spotted dangling from a lamppost while shooting a stunt scene on Saturday. Wearing shorts and a T-shirt under a black jacket, the British actor hung tightly onto the post as a discreet harness and ropes kept him safe. Scroll down for video Just hanging! Daniel Craig was seen dangling from a lamppost, as he shot scenes for his upcoming LA Riots drama Kings in Los Angeles on Saturday night Cameras rolled as he got into character, hanging on for dear life in night air while appearing to be in distress. Two days earlier, Halle Berry, 50, was spotted putting her hands up, a steely look on her face, while filming an outdoor scene for the film. Doing the same thing near her were three child actors and none other than Daniel. Last June, Deadline reported Craig was in talks for a part in the film, but there'd been no confirmation since until he was spotted on the Los Angeles set last Thursday. Dangling Daniel: Getting into character, the British actor was seen clinging for dear life Casual: He wore shorts and a T-shirt under a black jacket, teamed with brown boots At one point, Halle could be seen leaning down to speak to one of the children, who appeared to be running. Both were in a street covered in scattered debris. Behind them stood a police car with its emergency lights on, as well as a policeman who seemed himself to be running. In another sequence, Daniel was seen in a long black coat and black trousers. Halle wore a flowing charcoal cardigan. Her arm was outstretched and she pointed her finger as the three children rushed around, gathering objects from the litter-strewn road. Hands up: Halle Berry and Daniel were spotted with three child actors on Thursday Busy set: His sighting on the shoot confirmed rumors he was in the film after Deadline reported last June that he was in talks for a role Kings is its writer/director Deniz Gamze Erguven's first movie in English and revolves around a South Central LA foster family during the time of the Rodney King trial. After the police officers who'd beaten King were acquitted, riots spread in Los Angeles for six days and resulted in 55 deaths. Erguven is best known for Mustang, a 2015 Turkish-French-German co-production set in Turkey which earned a Best Foreign Language Film nod at the Oscars. It came under fire in January when viewers voiced their concern that the distressing scenes mirrored that of the recent Berlin terrorist attack. And now it's been revealed that EastEnders has avoided an investigation by broadcasting watchdog Ofcom over the harrowing action, as the episode didn't show 'graphic' detail and was part of a 'long-running storyline'. The television regulator had received a total of 44 complaints over the two episodes, which saw a bus crashing in Albert Square after the driver had a heart attack. Scroll down for video Dramatic: EastEnders has avoided an investigation by Ofcom over the harrowing action, as the episode didn't show graphic detail and was part of a 'long-running storyline' While many beloved characters perished in the crash, the soap's audience found the distressing scenes insensitive in light of the Berlin terrorist attack, in which a hijacked lorry was driven into a Christmas market killing 12 people. Of the 44 objections, 33 were received after the first episode on January 23 while a further 11 complaints were made to broadcasting authority after the second broadcast, which showed the scene's aftermath. An Ofcom spokesman said: 'We considered 33 complaints that scenes of a bus crash were offensive, in light of recent actual events. 'However, we found that the episode was not graphic or explicit, and was part of a long-running storyline.' MailOnline have contacted BBC for comment. Hard to watch: The television regulator had received a total of 44 complaints over the two episodes, which saw a bus crashing in Albert Square after the driver had a heart attack In January, some viewers found the scenes, which saw a red double-decker bus plough into the soap's famous market, too similar to the recent Berlin terror atrocity. A spokesman for Ofcom told MailOnline in January: 'We received 29 complaints about EastEnders. We are assessing these before deciding whether to investigate or not.' While a spokesman for EastEnders said they didn't comment on Ofcom complaints specifically, they reissued an initial statement which read: 'EastEnders is a fictional drama and the crash in tonight's episode was not based on any real-life event. We are always mindful of the content within our episodes.' Emotional: EastEnders' second episode during its disaster week centered on the aftermath of the shocking bus crash from the night before The terrifying incident left several characters in the soap fighting for their lives and was slammed by some as 'insensitive' in light of the recent terror attacks. However, it was a different story for Tuesday's installment, as viewers flocked to Twitter to praise the soap's shock ending - which implied Whitney Carter was the first casualty. Fans took to the social media site in droves to applaud the cliffhanger, which heard Whitney's ringtone play from the wreckage - with many deeming it better than the recent Christmas special. At risk: In one emotional scene, Max Branning gathered the residents together to help lift the bus away from a suffering Martin Fowler Although many were left bemused by the cast's ability to lift a double-decker bus off Martin Fowler. Starting where the crash left off, the next installment in the BBC soap's 'Disaster Week' saw the community team up to try and save as many people as they could. In one emotional scene, Max Branning gathered residents together to help lift the bus away from a suffering Martin. Many viewers questioned how realistic the scene was with one tweeting that a bus weighs around 12 tonnes: 'Just googled the weight of a double decker bus: 12.65 TONNES. Danny Dyer & a couple of old ladies just deadlifted that. #ok #eastenders.' World's strongest cast: Many viewers questioned how realistic the scene was with one tweeting that a bus weighs around 12 tonnes Another added: 'See, I saw the world's strongest man pull a bus on telly once... I don't know if Max, Ben and Jay can lift one #Eastenders.' The scene mirrored the real-life incident in London's Walthamstow in 2015 when 100 heroic bystanders rushed to help life a 12-tonne double decker bus off trapped unicyclist Antony Shields. Fans were left wondering if a bloodied Martin would survive his injuries after he was seen declaring his love for Stacy after he was freed by his Albert Square neighbours. Real events: The scene mirrored the real-life incident in London's Walthamstow in 2015 when 100 heroic bystanders rushed to help life a 12-tonne double decker bus off a trapped unicyclist Help! Stacy (Lacey Turner) was distraught when she realised Martin was trapped Shock: Viewers flocked to Twitter to praise the soap's shock ending - which implied Whitney Carter was the first casualty Casualty: It was a different story for Tuesday's installment, as viewers flocked to Twitter to praise the soap's shock ending - which implied Whitney Carter was the first casualty Distraught: However it was the final scene which sent chills down the spines of viewers, as Whitney Carter's ringtone was then heard from underneath the bus - but the brunette nowhere to be seen Appearing to take a turn for the better, the episode then saw a distraught Denise Fox fight her way through the rubble alive and into the arms of Kim, weeping with relief. However, it was the final scene which sent chills down the spines of viewers, as Whitney Carter's ringtone was then heard from underneath the bus - but the brunette nowhere to be seen. The episode ended on her father-in-law Mick, played by Danny Dyer, putting two and two together - with his face crumbling as the eerie music played out to the square. Fans were left in shock after the cliffhanger, and headed immediately to Twitter to vent their joy at the unexpected ending. Devastated: Mick's eyes filled with tears as he heard his daughter-in-law's phone go off Shocked: Fans were left in shock after the cliffhanger, and headed immediately to Twitter to vent their joy at the unexpected ending One particularly enthralled fan wrote: 'I can't breathe. This is what EastEnders has lacked recently. That cliffhanger, oh my god. #eastenders' before adding in frustration: 'I HAVE TO WAIT TILL THURSDAY?!' Another matched the excited reaction, writing: '#EastEnders was sooo good tonight, I hope Whitney's gonna be ok. I swear I cried like 3 times' (sic) Meanwhile, others noted that the jaw-dropping episodes had exceeded all expectations of recent Specials - including the much-anticipated scenes aired on Christmas and New Year. One fan observed: 'I don't understand how EastEnders can make the best episode on a Tuesday night but will fail to make a good one on Christmas Day #eastenders' While another agreed, adding: 'That was better than Christmas, New Year and killing off the misery sisters! #eastenders' Thrilling: Meanwhile others noted that the jaw-dropping episodes had exceeded all expectations of recent Specials - including the much-anticipated scenes aired on Christmas and New Year Reeling: Fans were left reeling from Tuesday's event as they were left stunned by the chaos The positive reaction followed Monday night's more controversial episode - which fans slammed for being 'insensitive' in light of recent terrorist attacks. Ending on a dramatic bus crash scene in Albert Square, the cliffhanger could leave up to 11 characters fighting for their lives, in a dramatic plot twist. Viewers were left disgruntled by the story - and went on to criticise show bosses for a lack of respect to victims murdered in the ISIS-orchestrated truck crashes in Nice and Berlin last year. The long list of characters at risk from the crash include Denise Fox, Keegan, Bex Fowler, Shakil Kazemi and Louise Micthell, who were on the bus. Stunned: The positive reaction follows Monday night's more controversial episode - which fans slammed for being 'insensitive' in light of recent terrorist attacks While the collision send ratings through the roof, for some viewers it was an upsetting reminder of the terrorist atrocities of last year. In July 2016, a HGV driven by Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel crashed into crowds of people on the southern French resort of Nice, killing 86. While on December 19, a truck was driven into a Christmas market in Berlin, Germany, leaving 12 dead. On Twitter, one fan fumed: 'Slightly insensitive storyline from #Eastenders. Glasgow bin lorry crash, the lorry in France & Berlin Christmas markets.' One EastEnders fan tweeted: 'Hmm not sure about this latest storyline considering recent terrorist activities. Seems a bit insensitive.' Kim Zolciak has been enjoying an relaxing beach vacation in Turks and Caicos. But things got a little hairy when some beach side drama unfolded between Kim and another resort guest. The 38-year-old reality star, who was staying at the Amanyara luxury resort with her family, took to Snapchat to recall a heated discussion she had with the fellow beach-goer. Scroll down for video Things got heated: The 38-year-old reality star took to Snapchat to recall a heated discussion she had with the fellow beach-goer while on vacation in Turks and Caicos Four of Kim's six kids joined the former Real Housewives of Atlanta star and her husband Kroy Biermann on the luxurious vacation and they all seemed to be having a good time on the beach. In the video Kim was seen loudly cheering on her kids - Brielle, 19, Ariana, 15, KJ, five, and Kash, four - as they participated in water sports. But, apparently, a woman who was also on the beach didn't appreciate the enthusiastic displays. Family affair: Four of Kim's six kids joined them on their vacation The Don't Be Tarydy star later recalled what happened: 'This lady on the beach came up to me and said: 'Could you keep you and your kids quiet? It's a very quiet peaceful beach,'' she started. Her response to the complaint: 'B*tch, what? They're 4 and 5.' 'We've been nothing but respectful,' she continued. 'I told her: 'Well, why are you always sitting next to me? Move your f***ing chair to the other end of the beach!' ' But that apparently wasn't enough and Kim continued to explain how the argument escalated. Rowdy bunch: Kim recalled a story where a fellow tourist asked her and her kids to be quiet while playing on the beach Quiet kids? The mom of six wasn't happy she was called out for her rowdy bunch as her young sons played in the water 'I said: 'That's ok, b***h, because we're leaving.' She's like: 'I'm not asking you to leave.' I honestly told her: 'You might want to f***ing loosen up, lady,' ' she continued. 'This is a beach that a lot of people pay a lot of money to stay here and enjoy the beach and if you don't like it, f***ing go somewhere else. It's life.' ' The protective mama bear then showed her son trying his best to behave, but admitted he was a little sad. 'So KJ's trying to be really quiet and respectful, but his feelings are hurt, which makes me really mad,' she said in another video of her son looking downcast on the beach to which her eldest daughter, Brielle, shouted, 'F*** her!' Sad son: 'So KJ's trying to be really quiet and respectful, but his feelings are hurt, which makes me really mad,' Kim recalled about the incident Relaxing before work: Kim and her husband Kroy are set to start filming season six of their reality show The resort, which is situated right on the warm Caribbean water isn't cheap. According to the website, a standard room costs $1800 per night on average, but prices can go up to almost $8000 a night depending on the time of year. The star later took to Instagram to say goodbye to the resort and thank the staff for a great time. Expensive digs: The resort, which is situated right on the warm Caribbean water isn't cheap According to the website, a standard room costs $1800 per night on average, but prices can go up to almost $8000 a night depending on the time of year Gorgeous views: The private beach boast idyllic views for guests willing to fork out the money 'Until next time!! Turks n Caicos,' she wrote. 'Thankful so incredibly thankful. And to the lady that said to keep it down she would like it to remain quiet on the beach kiss it where the sun is shining, 'And loosen up and live a little.' ' The mother-of-six also shared a family photo taken during their beach day. Kim wrote: 'Half of my beautiful family missing my twins!' Kim and her second husband Kroy are parents to - Kroy Jr., five; Kash, four; and twins Kaia & Kane, three. 'Loosen up': Kim couldn't seem to let it go as she referenced the incident in an Instagram photo she posted as the family left their resort Happy Family: The reality star shared a photo of herself with four of her six children, as her 3-year-old twins were missing from the family fun Before meeting husband Kroy the star was briefly married to Dan Toce who is the father of 15-year-old Ariana. Her daughter Brielle, 19, is also from an earlier relationship. The family will start filming season six of their hit Bravo reality series, Don't Be Tardy, which is set to premiere later this year. The Bravo beauty has been inundating her social media platforms with loads of bikini shots from her family holiday in Turks and Caicos. And on Monday, Kim Zolciak Biermann flaunted her insane physique yet again while explaining to her 2.3 million Instagram followers how she maintains her 'fit' bod. 'It's genetics,' the 38-year-old mother-of-six, who has admitted to having Botox, breast implants, and a tummy tuck in the past, wrote. Boasting beauty: Kim Zolciak Biermann flaunted her insane physique on Monday while explaining to her 2.3 million Instagram followers how she maintains her 'fit' bod The sexy shot was taken in the crystal clear Caribbean ocean. The reality TV star showcased her taut tummy, ample cleavage, and shapely derriere in a tiny two-piece. Kim boasted, 'Paradise! To answer your ?s how I stay "fit" I run 5x a week on average 3 miles, I do NOT eat red meat never have. It's genetics OBVIOUSLY.' The lengthy caption continued: 'I never sit down from the time I get up til the time I go bed. If you think it will make you "fat" it will! MODERATION!! Everything in Moderation.' 'It's genetics OBVIOUSLY': Kim, who has repeatedly admitted to having Botox, breast implants, and a tummy tuck in the past, also added that her 'fit' bod is due to 'running' and 'no red meat' 'No I don't do weights I need tooooo but, I went through the windshield of my car at 18 and I have a terrible neck so I'm working on simple easy exercises. I tend to strain my neck when I do any weights. Everyday is a new day.' While Kim certainly looks fabulous, she has repeatedly admitted to having Botox, breast implants, and a tummy tuck in the past. Back in May she again told E! News she has had work done and even added that she could have more procedures in the future. 'I will always nip and tuck if I feel the need to do so,' Kim said. Pert derriere: The plastic surgery loving star has even had Sculptra fillers injected into her buttocks to remove cellulite Her breast augmentation and tummy tuck were even documented on her Bravo reality show, Don't Be Tardy. The outspoken beauty has only denied having a nose job. And as recent as 14 weeks ago, according to Instagram, she's even had Sculptra fillers injected into her buttocks to remove cellulite. She also gets lip fillers - as does her daughter Brielle. In September, Kim spoke out about Brielle getting lip injections during her appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. Family holiday: Four of Kim's six kids joined the former RHOA star and her husband Kroy Biermann on the luxurious beach vacation in Turks and Caicos. All was well until... Meanwhile, Kim's 'genetics' post comes soon after she revealed some beachside drama that occurred while she and her family were enjoying their Turks and Caicos holiday. The star, who was staying at the Amanyara luxury resort with her family, took to Snapchat to recall a heated discussion she had with the fellow beach-goer. Four of Kim's six kids joined the former Real Housewives of Atlanta star and her husband Kroy Biermann on the luxurious vacation and they all seemed to be having a good time on the beach. In the video Kim was seen loudly cheering on her kids - Brielle, 19, Ariana, 15, KJ, five, and Kash, four - as they participated in water sports. 'F***ing loosen up, lady!' Kim took to Snapchat to recall a heated discussion she had with the fellow beach-goer during their getaway But, apparently, a woman who was also on the beach didn't appreciate the enthusiastic displays. She recalled: 'This lady on the beach came up to me and said: 'Could you keep you and your kids quiet? It's a very quiet peaceful beach.' Kim's response to the complaint: 'B*tch, what? They're 4 and 5.' 'We've been nothing but respectful,' she continued. 'I told her: 'Well, why are you always sitting next to me? Move your f***ing chair to the other end of the beach!' ' Kim continued to explain how the argument escalated. 'I said: 'That's ok, b***h, because we're leaving.' She's like: 'I'm not asking you to leave.' I honestly told her: 'You might want to f***ing loosen up, lady,' ' she continued. 'This is a beach that a lot of people pay a lot of money to stay here and enjoy the beach and if you don't like it, f***ing go somewhere else. It's life.' ' Expensive digs: The Amanyara luxury resort, which is situated right on the warm Caribbean water isn't cheap 'At its finest:' According to the website, a standard room costs $1800 per night on average, but prices can go up to almost $8000 a night depending on the time of year The resort, which is situated right on the warm Caribbean water isn't cheap. According to the website, a standard room costs $1800 per night on average, but prices can go up to almost $8000 a night depending on the time of year. The family will start filming season six of their hit Bravo reality series, Don't Be Tardy, which is set to premiere later this year. Union Government launches Measles Rubella vaccination campaign Published: February 6, 2017 The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched Measles Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign in the country at Bengaluru, Karnataka. It is largest ever in any campaign against these two diseases will start from five States/UTs viz. Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Goa and Lakshadweep covering nearly 3.6 crore target children. Key Facts The MR campaign is largest ever vaccination campaign aimed to target around 41 crore children across the country against two diseases. Under it all children aged between 9 months and less than 15 years will be given a single shot of Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination free-of-cost acros irrespective of their previous vaccination status or disease status. Measles vaccine is currently provided under Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). However, rubella vaccine will be a new addition to it. After the completion of the campaign, MR vaccine will be introduced in routine immunization and will replace measles vaccine, given at 9-12 months and 16-24 months of age of child. Measles immunization will directly contribute in reduction of under-five child mortality and with combination of rubella vaccine, it will control rubella and prevent CRS (congenital rubella syndrome) in country population. About Measles Measles is a deadly disease and one of the important causes of death in children. It is highly contagious and spreads through coughing and sneezing of an infected person. It can make a child vulnerable to life threatening complications such as diarrhoea, pneumonia and brain infection. Globally, in 2015, measles killed an estimated 1, 34,200 children, mostly under-five years. In India, it killed an estimated 49,200 children. About Rubella Rubella is generally a mild infection, but has serious consequences if infection occurs in pregnant women, causing CRS, which is a cause of public health concern. CRS is characterized by congenital anomalies in the foetus and newborns affecting the eyes (cataract, glaucoma), ears (hearing loss), brain (mental retardation, microcephaly) and heart defects, causing a huge socio-economic burden on the families in particular and society in general. In 2010, an estimated 1,03,000 children were born with CRS globally, of which around 47,000 children (46%) were in South-East Asia Region. Month: Current Affairs - February, 2017 Topics: Diseases Measles Rubella National Public health Science and Technology Vaccination Campaign Latest E-Books She missed Ellen DeGeneres' actual birthday. And Sofia Vergara decided to make up for it by bringing the daytime talk show host a belated birthday present when she visited The Ellen Show on Monday. The busty star found a creative way to wrap and hide the present as she walked out on stage for her appearance on the show. Scroll down for video Belated birthday: Sofia Vergara made up for missing Ellen DeGeneres' birthday by bringing the daytime talk show host a present wrapped in her boob on The Ellen Show Monday When Sofia sat down she immediately apologized for forgetting Ellen's birthday and pulled out a gift from her ample cleavage. For her birthday, Sofia, who is a spokesperson for the brand, got the host two used bottled of Head and Shoulder travel shampoo. 'I forgot your birthday. It was, like, a couple of weeks ago, no?' she asked Ellen before pulling the bottles out of her cleavage. Ellen confirmed her birthday was on January 26. The actress continued: 'But I brought you a little gift because I was thinking of you. I went to Bora Bora so I used two days of it, but I think you have leftover like two or three days for when you travel.' Happy birthday! Sofia got the host two used bottled of Head and Shoulder travel shampoo Any more in there? Ellen jokingly looked to see how many more bottles she could fit in her cleavage Comediennes: The two funny ladies had a good laugh about Sofia's funny joke The gorgeous Colombian handed the two bottles to Ellen and added that she could give one of them to Ellen's wife, Portia de Rossi. 'Thank you so much, they're nice and warm!' DeGeneres laughed as she accepted her used gift. 'Why do you need to bother with a purse when you have gigantic boobs, no?!' Vergara humorously explained. Useful! 'Why do you need to bother with a purse when you have gigantic boobs, no?!' Vergara hilariously explained The actress also discussed some details from her husband Joe Maganiello's 40th birthday, which they threw last month. The Modern Family star revealed she was only allowed to do some of the decorating and Joe took care of the rest, including an 80s cover band. But she says it's exactly what Joe wanted and everyone, including their 150 guests, had a good time. Big 4-0: The actress also discussed some details from her husband Joe Maganiello's 40th birthday, which they threw last month Manganiello and Vergara, who've been married since 2015, rang in his actual birthday - as well as Christmas and New Year's - on holiday in Bora Bora. They'd been accompanied by her 24-year-old son Manolo Gonzalez-Ripoll Vergara, as well as other members of her family, as her Instagram's documented. An Instagram photo Vergara posted on her husband's actual birthday saw him from behind on the patio of their digs, watching a blazing sunrise over their ocean view. 'My bday boy,' she captioned the photo, in which he accented his physique in a T-shirt and shorts, adding: '#nofilter'. It is Helen Flanagan's big comeback to Coronation Street as Rosie Webster. And her return to the cobbles on Monday night will certainly be one to remember, as she already seems to be in trouble. Monday's dramatic scenes see Rosie and sister Sophie taken in for questioning by police, following a drugs tip off immediately after Sophie's return from Miami. Scroll down for video In trouble already? Helen Flanagan's big return to Coronation Street as Rosie Webster is one to remember as she is questioned for suspected drug smuggling The episode, aired on Monday night at 8:30, sees Rosie and Sophie being questioned by detectives after police arrive at with a search warrant at number 13. Having searched the house on the tip-off, a suspicious white substance is found, leading to their interview. Have the sisters unwittingly been used as drugs mules? Scandal! Monday's dramatic scenes see the Webster sisters taken in for questioning by police, following a drugs tip off Last week it was revealed that the Webster sisters will be embroiled in a drug scandal after Rosie returns from the US. Returning with her sister Sophie, who left the cobbles to visit wild child Rosie in the autumn, the sisters will face quite the scare after police search their premises - but to no avail. However, when asked by her sister to open a bag full of sweets, Rosie unveils a stash full of what appears to be cocaine. After attempts to bury the drugs fail, Ken Barlows grandson Adam finds out and attempts to sell it for the frightened sisters. They're back! Rosie makes a surprise return with Sophie Webster who has been on holiday in Miami However, the plan doesn't come without a hiccup as the girls' dad Kevin finds out and all hell breaks loose. Speaking of Rosie's shocking return, a source told the publication: 'Rosie tells Sophie someone planted the drugs on her, and is as shocked as her sister when she sees the white powder. 'The girls panic and decide to bury the drugs but Adam Barlow finds out what they have done and offers to sell the drugs for a fee. Last week Brooke Vincent, who plays Sophie, has revealed she is the reason Helen Flanagan (Rosie) got her job back, having left several years ago. Speaking on This Morning on Thursday, Brooke said: 'Before I left, I was speaking to Helen and I said: "You should come back." And she said: "Darling I'd love to come back." So when I was speaking to [producer] Kate Oates, I said: "Do you reckon we could bring Helen back for a bit?" And she said: "Well, I'll see." And the next thing we're on our way back.' Helen quit the soap in 2012 to take part in I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here, before giving birth to little Matilda with father Scott Sinclair. It's been nearly two weeks since the stars of the small screen stepped out for the annual National Television Awards, hosted by Dermot O'Leary. And now the studio that snapped all the celebs in their finery for the official event portraits have unveiled the stunning shots for all to see. And it was expectant mothers that were leading the glam-stakes in the photos, with pregnant Rochelle Humes and Amy Childs looking all aglow. Scroll down for video All aglow: Rochelle Humes leads the way with fellow mum-to-be Amy Childs and glamorous Ola Jordan as the official National Television Awards portraits are unveiled Blooming: The 27-year-old The Saturdays singer proudly showed off her baby bum in a glamorous strapless gown Rochelle proudly showed off her baby bum in a glamorous strapless gown going for a slightly updated twist on classic red carpet glamour, with the star opting for a dark floor-length number. Thestrapless gown featured a subtly thigh-high slit on the left side of the garment, whilst the fitted nature of the gown allowed the star to show off her bump. The dress also featured and off-the-shoulder cape, which attached to the main body of the dress by way of glittering, intricate silver embellishments. Sticking to the must-have item for a red carpet appearance, the Ninja Warrior UK presenter wore a pair of strappy black heels - that only served to highlight and define her figure. Expecting: The dress also featured and off-the-shoulder cape, which attached to the main body of the dress by way of glittering, intricate silver embellishments Red hot mumma: Amy Childs was every inch the proud mummy-to-be as she posed for the portrait shots Friends: Danielle Armstrong joined Amy for a duo portrait, in a navy dress, in the absence of Amy's other half Keeping things simple and chic, Rochelle only wore a smattering of jewellery and a minimal palette of make-up, allowing her natural features to shine through. Marvin cut a sharp figure in an all-black ensemble, opting to go for a classic, tailored approach to red carpet style, and held on to his wife's hand lovingly for their joint-photo. Amy Childs was every inch the proud mummy-to-be as she posed for the portrait shots. The former TOWIE star, 26, slipped into a flowing scarlet gown which showcased her blossoming baby bump and featured a trail as well as a subtle cape, slinking down from the shoulders. Feathered: Rio 2016 presenter Helen Skelton, 33, wore a floor-length blue dress decorated with silver feather patterns and two cut-out panels on her waist Hollywood-worthy: Strictly Come Dancing siren Ola put on a bold display in her cobalt blue gown which not only flashed her perky cleavage but also exposed the entirety of her back She added a pair of high heels to the mix which only served to highlight her pregnant figure further. Amy kept her look simple and chic when it came to the accessories department, with the former The Jump contestant adding very little jewellery to her look alongside a glittering clutch. Wearing her long red hair in carefully coiffed waves down past her shoulders, the Essex girl allowed her locks to frame her famous face. She added some thick eyeliner and pink lip gloss to further define her features. Tess Daly and Vernon Kay complimented one another in a classic black and white ensemble - Vernon in a traditional black suit with a skinny tie and Tess in a half black/half-white shoulder-less body, sleek black trousers and sharp heels. Semi-sheer Samia: Ghadie attended the National Television Awards at The O2 Arena looking stylish in a lacy black number Matchy matchy: Tess Daly and Vernon Kay complimented one another in a classic black and white ensemble - Vernon in a traditional black suit with a skinny tie and Tess in a half black/half-white shoulder-less body, sleek black trousers and sharp heels That Friday feeling: Ben Shepherd and Kate Garraway looked classically glam in their all-black ensembles Strictly Come Dancing siren Ola put on a bold display in her cobalt blue gown which not only flashed her perky cleavage but also exposed the entirety of her back. Proving she knows how to work all her angles, the blonde beauty twisted this way and that to help maximise all her best assets - including her flawlessly honed dancer's body - for her ever-crucial studio portrait. Samia Ghadie posed for her portrait at The O2 Arena looking stylish in a lacy black number, showing off her tiny frame in the semi-sheer strappy dress. Rio 2016 presenter Helen Skelton, 33, wore a floor-length blue dress decorated with silver feather patterns and two cut-out panels on her waist. Also pregnant, the Countryfile host wore her blonde hair up in a classic style, resting her hand on her small baby bump for one of her photographs. Final two: The X Factor's two finalists from last year posed together for their portrait, showing there are no hard feelings following Matt Terry's win Winning: Matt Terry and Saara Aalto were both in attendance; Matt wearing his trademark skinny jeans with a white shirt and black trench coat Pretty in pink: Saara wore an elaborate floral number with sparkling heels. The bold pink number boasted a huge netted skirt Matt Terry and Saara Aalto were both in attendance; Matt wearing his trademark skinny jeans with a white shirt and black trench coat, Saara in an elaborate floral number with sparkling heels. The bold pink number boasted a huge netted skirt with a revealing crop top which merely covered her chest with floral appliques. The X Factor's two finalists from last year posed together for their portrait, showing there are no hard feelings following Matt's win. Never one to put on a minimal display, Katie Price opted for an extremely dramatic and somewhat uncharacteristic look complete with a volumunious golden skirt with a tight black top. What a pro: Katie Price gave the camera a twirl for her potrait shoot, swishing her ash-blonde locks and pouting perfectly down the lens Golden girl: Never one to put on a minimal display, Katie opted for an extremely dramatic and somewhat uncharacteristic look complete with a voluminous golden skirt with a tight black top Like father, like son: The Kemp boys, Martin and Roman, wore contrasting suits but looked as stylish as each other She gave the camera a twirl for her potrait shoot, swishing her ash-blonde locks and pouting perfectly down the lens. The Kemp boys, Martin and Roman, wore contrasting suits but looked as stylish as each other, in what was in fact a family portrait for them. Another family in attendance was Bradley Walsh's brood - Donna Derby in a conservative mauve figure-hugging dress and Barney Walsh in a tux, not unlike his dad's. Veteran TV host Lorraine Kelly looked stunning in a grey silk gown which boasted flattering ruching around the waist which made the very best of her ageless physique. Ben Shepherd and Kate Garraway kept things chic; he wore a black suit with a stylist waistcoat, while she wore an off-the-shoulder sequined black floor-length gown. Stunning in silver: Lorraine Kelly looked stunning in a grey silk gown which boasted flattering ruching around the waist which made the very best of her ageless physique Women in white: Former TOWIE star turned This Morning correspondent Ferne McCann wowed in an abs-flashing white two-piece complete with a floor-sweeping skirt and dramatic top, joined also by Sam Faires in a lacy white dress Cat that got the cream: Michelle Heaton wore a cream, low-cut number, allowing her lightly-curled chestnut locks to tumble down her shoulders Head and shoulders: Jordan Banjo and Bobby Norris posed for head shots at the portrait session Former TOWIE star turned This Morning correspondent Ferne McCann wowed in an abs-flashing white two-piece complete with a floor-sweeping skirt and dramatic top. Sam Faiers oozed fairytale beauty in her pretty white gown which highlighted her perky cleavage and tiny waist. Michelle Heaton wore a cream, low-cut number, allowing her lightly-curled chestnut locks to tumble down her shoulders. The bottom half of the dress was embellished with a lacy floral design. Family portrait: Another family in attendance was Bradley Walsh's brood - Donna Derby in a conservative mauve figure-hugging dress and Barney Walsh in a tux, not unlike his dad's Larking ladies: Ayda larked around with Penny Lancaster who was a little more daring in her short-hemmed silver mini-dress Loose Women: Stacey Solomon pulled her best Jessica Rabbit impression as she swept the carpet in an exquisite glittering red gown while her tresses were pulled into a Hollywood inspired curled side-parting, joined for her portrait by Saira Khan I'm A Celebtrity... Get Me Out Of Here! star Jordan Banjo and TOWIE's Bobby Norris posed for head shots at the portrait session. As did Pete Wicks who posed seperately from his on/off TOWIE love interest Megan McKenna. Ensuring she put of a trademark show-stopping display, Megan slipped into an extremely unique red two-piece comprising of a stiff taffeta material. His and her pouts: Pete Wicks posed separately from his on/off TOWIE love interest Megan McKenna Miss Scarlet: The corseted top boasted a boned body along with a Bardot neckline, with added drama coming from the heavily frilled trim Goggle-boys: (L-R) Stephen Webb and Chris Steed of Gogglebox looked beside themselves with joy to be at the event on behalf of the fly-on-the-wall show The corseted top boasted a boned body along with a Bardot neckline, with added drama coming from the heavily frilled trim. Her high-waisted skirt perfectly coordinated with a fishtail hem and tight body helping display her perky posterior. Married presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford cut handsome figures, Ruth wearing a lacy electric blue number, complimented by Eamonn's suit complete with matching pocket square. Robbie Williams' wife Ayda Field borrowed from the Eighties in style in sweeping peach wrap-around type dress. She larked around with Penny Lancaster who was a little more daring in her short-hemmed silver mini-dress. Happy couple: Married presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford cut handsome figures Far cry from the jungle: Wayne Bridge scrubbed by nicely, having spent last November in the depths of the Australian rain forest Stephen Webb and Chris Steed of Gogglebox looked beside themselves with joy to be at the event on behalf of the fly-on-the-wall show, in their portrait. The extravert pair wore a navy suit with a red cupid-themed tie and a black outfit with a bergundy velvet cream floral detailed jacket respectively. Zoe Williams wore a daring plunging black gown with a hint of silver embellishment at the bust and intricate earrings. Olivia Buckland was happy to show off her figure in a semi-sheer black dress, dotted with glittery sequins here and there, see-through enough to accentuate her tattooed thighs. The Love Island participant scraped her blonde hair back for her portrait. The problem with Apple Tree Yard was simple but all encompassing: you couldnt believe any of it. Not because, like even the classiest psychological thrillers, it was implausible nonsense (but also great television). No its fatal flaw was it transpired that not one but both of the protagonists were not just pathological, polished, liars but inveterate fantasists. In the clear: The dramatic events of Monday night's Apple Tree Yard finale saw Dr Yvonne cleared of murder The fact that Apple Tree Yard was told from the viewpoint of one of them (Dr Yvonne Carmichael) and narrated through her (terribly written) secret diary meant we couldnt trust anything. Her hopelessly naive inability to see through the deceit and delusion of her lover Mark Costleys conduct only compounded things. So when the verdicts came in there were only from the jury, not necessarily the viewers. All's well: There were some parts of the way the drama was dealt with that made Yvonne easier to trust A relief: Mark Costley was found Guilty of manslaughter, not murder Mark Costley was found Guilty of manslaughter, not murder, having viciously killed George Selway the man who had brutally raped Carmichael. How many viewers felt that Carmichael was innocent of the same charges or in general well never know. They could have been forgiven for feeling less certain they knew what had really happened, and why. The true nature of the protagonists personalities and their motives, particularly of the heroine, were still shrouded in secrecy and ambiguity. What Dr. Yvonne Carmichael was doing (or what she thought she was doing) was just as debatable/dubious in the finales final scenes as it had been in the very beginning of the first episode when she had sex with the then-stranger. Too many questions: The true nature of the protagonists personalities and their motives, particularly of the heroine, were still shrouded in secrecy and ambiguity Even the significance of her parting glance to camera was Mona Lisa-elusive. If anything, the question of why she was so irresistibly, self-destructively, drawn to Mark Costley was more questionable now after what shed learnt during the trial about who he was (or wasnt). This was pretty shocking more for her than for us. As I suggested after Episode Two, the manner in which Costley killed George Selway (having knocked on his front door in broad daylight while Yvonne waited in the getaway car outside) was a huge clue that her mysterious lover was not a spy, as shed assumed and been led by him to believe. He had been rejected by MI5 and was just a security officer at Westminster whose duties included (dont laugh) Health & Safety. Wheres the glamour? Burning questions: The big question at the end of it was who was the maddest: Costley or Carmichael? Costley also had a reputation and a record for being violent and a sex pest, although not remotely as bad as his victim, whom Costley had kicked to death, shattering Selways voicebox by stamping and jumping on his face and throat. Nice. Despite this and the fact that Dr Carmichaels dangerous liaison with Costley had only come out after he had revealed it to his lawyer who used it against her, seriously undermining her case and jeopardizing her freedom the finale ended with Carmichael visiting him in prison. Placing her hand over his (over the glass between them) she still seemed to believe their relationship was more about love than sex, that the feelings were real - as she had before when she reiterated I saw you and you saw me. It was a shame that she didnt see he was not a spy then, that she wasnt f**king a spook, that he was a fantasist, a married man with two kids, a failure, a liar, a vengeful, vicious, narcissist, a womanizer, more interested in satisfying his own predilection for sex in public than her romantic hopes. The big question at the end of it was who was the maddest: Costley or Carmichael? Or us for watching? She believes it: Placing her hand over his (over the glass between them) she still seemed to believe their relationship was more about love than sex Here are 7 questions thrown up by the finale. 1. Was the court case remotely plausible? The notion that the affair between the two lovers accused of murder would not have been discovered by the detectives whod arrested and investigated them, by the lawyers prosecuting or defending them, or by any of their families, friends, and work colleagues, was ludicrous. Particularly as their sex life was conducted almost entirely in public (in the pub toilets and alleyways of Central London or crypts in the Palace of Westminster). As you do Or dont. Even the other characters didnt believe Yvonnes story. Why DID your co-defendant kill George Selway? asked one legal advisor. He was warning off him as a favour to me, Yvonne claimed blankly. Quite a favour ! You hadnt known him that long had you? he remarked. Yes you could that. 2. Why did such a strong, successful, intelligent, woman suddenly embark on this improbable descent of reckless sex, family betrayal, and delusion? Apart from some sudden, inexplicable, urge to self-destruct this wasnt clear. Why did you do it? Why with someone like that? asked her best friend, mystified, after it came out. He didnt seem the way he seems in court, Yvonne mumbled. Not much of an answer. Please at least tell me that the sex was good. She didnt answer that either. Even Carmichael seemed to know it was all rather forlorn and sordid like the moment she sat on the loo taking her underwear at Marks behest. All she wanted was to go to a hotel. 3. Was Yvonne the worst diary writer of all time? Just for that moment I doubted you. Forgive me my love You are my knight in shining armour. Youve admitted you acted alone. Keeping me safe. If relationships are stories there is no happy ending for ours. But life as they say goes on. Dear X. With good behaviour and help from your psychiatrist youll be free in five years. Frankly, her diary was so absurd it was hard to tell if she was serious. 4. Why couldnt Carmichael ever accept she had done anything wrong, acted badly or out of character? When she was arrested for breaching the conditions of her bail, her immediate response was I havent done anything. When her own lawyer pointed out she had texted Costley back twice, she merely complained hes not even supposed to have a phone in prison is he? Then when Costleys QC destroyed her, branding her as a liar after Costley had revealed their affair, her voice-over merely commented: courts arent about the truth. Theyre about who tells the best story as if their affair was irrelevant or she hadnt driven him to Selways house and then away from the murder scene and kept it quiet. She ended up just convicted of perjury but spared prison. Even this only inspired self-pity rather than relief. A suspended sentence ! Sounds about right. Suspended. Hanging above me - the sword that could fall on my neck at any time. And of course my good behaviour has to last a lifetime. This was a reference to the penance she had to pay with her husband Gary for her affair and enduring the trial. But even his support was not enough. She wanted him to tell their daughter about his own fleeting dalliance with his assistant. Surely its only fair that she knows about you and Rosa? Hardly the same. 5. Why was Yvonne not affected by finding out what Costley had done? Yvonne was virtually indifferent to the violence he inflicted on Selway as with most things so inured she was blank. How did it go so far? Did he provoke you? I know you. Youre not a monster, she mused. Well he did stamp a man to death... For a supposed feminist heroine, she cared little about the way she or her lover affected other women? His wife, her own pregnant daughter, the colleague at Westminster that he lasciviously groped in public... Her wet lament poor sergeant Johns was hardly an adequate response. 6. Why was she visiting Costley in prison? Even after the affair, the murder, and the trial even after her daughters baby, and her husbands forgiveness, Yvonne was still lying: to her husband, her family, herself By now she knew that two weeks after I told you that George Selway raped me you were in that pub with Sergeant Johns. She knew now she was not f**king a spook but a man whose job was to check the duty logs and supervise the shifts for CCTV monitoring crews. But when Costley called it the flat, she still corrected him: the safe house. Costley had told his lawyer about their affair after he had seen her look up at her husband in the public gallery to let her know her their daughter had given birth to their grandson. He argued feebly that his QC twisted everything and that he had only told her because how else would anyone know? How would they know that it had been real? She forgave him, still soppy and love-sick, drifting back into her fantasy. You panicked. Is that what happened with George Selway. I know you wouldnt have meant to kill him. Like he crushed his voicebox by accident... 7. Did Carmichael encourage Costley to exact violent revenge for the rape on her behalf, as he claimed? The final episode did not remind us that she had asked Costley: cant you warn him off for me? and he had eagerly replied: Nothing would give me greater pleasure. Dont tell me you wouldnt like to put the wind up that pathetic piece of s**t. I would. I want him to crap himself with fear. I want to feel half as terrified as he made me feel. So when she picked him up at the station and they set off heading for Selways house (with Costleys only plan to escape detection seemingly being to wear a hoodie) what did she think was going to happen or they were doing? It seemed pretty clear. Sure enough at the end of the finale, when she visited him in prison, Costley whispered I never told them what you said. A flashback showed them in bed together and he asked: what do you want? I want you to kill him ! Yvonne giggled. I want you to smash his f**king face in ! Through the prison glass she looked at him in wide-eyed denial and just murmured: people can say anything. Not exactly a the type of rebuttal youd give to an accusation of inciting murder. You really cant tell the difference can you? she added. It was true of course, but was she much better? She's a British model that's known to look good in every light. Even in twilight it seems, because Suki Waterhouse was spotted parading along the sidewalks of New York City this weekend in the dark as she shot a new campaign. The 25-year-old, favouring her trademark Sixties style, looked particularly cosmopolitan as she flew solo through the city with a natural confidence about her. Scroll down for video Late night: Suki Waterhouse was up at all hours as she shot a new modelling campaign recently An ever-so-cool Suki wore her hands in the pockets of a retro baby blue coat with large navy lapels and giant buttons. Beneath it, the blonde modelled a boilersuit, keeping her balance superbly in sky-scraper heels. And to complement her pastel coat, Suki's hair was worn in a girlie hairstyle; parted in the middle and pinned to one side with a simple grip. Bright lights, big city: The star was captured sashaying through the streets while the cameras flashed Suki, who shares a jewellery business with her friend Poppy Jaime back in London, has not been short of modelling work during her recent stint in the States. Alongside it, she's kept up her film work, including an art house flick called Sound Of Sun. Eva Dolezalova's film, which appears to draw influence from Derek Jarman's work, is the first film project for Suki following her stint in the Jim Carey led, The Bad Batch (2016). The film even features a cameo appearance from Hollywood heavyweight Sean Penn. In 2017, she also has three other projects slated for release including Assassination Nation, Billionaire Boys Club and Future World. A girl of many talents, Suki also tried her hand at music at the end of last year though it wasn't to bring her as much success as modelling, fashion and film. With high hopes of making herself a triple threat with another career in music, the song Brutally unfortunately did nothing more than live up to its name. The debut track - made originally for Lena Dunhams podcast - failed to make the top 200 when it was released in early November 2016. After eight weeks on release, Suki's song was reportedly only purchased 296 times meaning it fails to even scratch through into the top 200 tracks in the UK's download charts. She's known for sharing bold and racy photos of herself on social media. And Skye Wheatley is doing what she does best while on holiday in Bali - sharing photos of herself on Instagram. The 22-year-old first posted a photo of herself in white lace underwear, sitting on her bed looking out in to the distance. Bombshell: Former Big Brother contestant Skye Wheatley shared racy photos of herself on Monday, posing in lingerie in one image on Instagram As she flaunted her curves in white lingerie, the blonde beauty pointed out another body part instead to fans - her hair. She captioned her photo: 'You can tell I just really could not be bothered with blending my real hair with my extensions in this photo going to leave that up to @missblisshair.' Her post received plenty of likes and comments complimenting her on her good looks and busty display. In another photo posted soon after, Skye posed kneeling on top of a swinging lounge putting her recently slimmed down figure on display, with her face turned away from the camera. Belfie queen: The 22-year-old also shared a bikini clad shot of her pert derriere while posing on a swinging lounge Racy: The racy holiday snaps were well received by fans, who complimented her on her figure Wearing a muted pink bikini top and G-string bottom, she flaunted her pert derriere. Skye captioned her post: 'Rock a bye baby on the Bali swing ohh wow I'm sooo not funny.' The blonde bombshell traveled to Bali a week ago with her friend Brooklyn Kelly for a little rest and relaxation but has continued posing up a storm. Holiday: Skye is on currently on a Bali getaway with her friend Brooklyn Kelly Pert derriere: Since arriving, the pair have been busy sharing snaps of their delicious meals and racy pictures by the pool Since arriving, the pair have been busy sharing snaps of their getaway on their social media posting racy pictures by the pool and of their delicious meals. Skye first gained media attention when she appeared on Big Brother in 2014. However, since then the Gold Coast girl has undergone a drastic makeover thanks to a series of cosmetic enhancements. Transformation: 'I feel like there is a bit of pressure to be perfect on Instagram cause you look at all these models on Instagram and their life is perfect' In 2016 she underwent a boob job Bangkok, which left her with uneven breasts. She also admitted to having lip fillers and rhinoplasty, but denied she had butt implants. 'I feel like there is a bit of pressure to be perfect on Instagram cause you look at all these models on Instagram and their life is perfect,' she told Channel Ten's The Project. She is known to always bring her fashion A-game to every red carpet. But even when running errands, Diane Kruger manages to look stylish. The 40-year-old actress was spotted dropping off her laundry in the East Village neighborhood of New York City on Monday. On-the-go: Diane Kruger was spotted dropping off her laundry in the East Village neighborhood of New York City on Monday She was not too posh to lug around a large red garment bag full of her dirty clothes over her shoulder during the outing. Despite the tedious duty, Diane managed to look very chic for the occasion. She bundled up in a plush black double-breasted fur coat which was worn over a brown knit turtleneck sweater. The Inglorious Basterds star showed off her svelte legs in clinging black leggings along with all white trainers. Not too posh: The 40-year-old actress lugged around a large red garment bag full of her dirty clothes over her shoulder during the outing Showing her style: She looked stylish as she bundled up in a plush black double-breasted fur coat which was worn over a brown knit turtleneck sweater The evergreen star let her natural beauty show by going completely make-up free for the occasion. Her signature blonde locks were pulled back into a messy bun as she made her way to the laundromat. No doubt Diane has been getting more time to herself as she split with fellow actor Joshua Jackson in July of last year. Her favorite piece: Last week Diane swapped outfits and hairstyles as she ventured out twice in the Big Apple on Wednesday as she sported the same fur coat in each outing Changing it up: The star went from athletic to every-day casual as she walked the streets of Soho in Manhattan Swapping looks: Later, Diane emerged for the second time for a quick stop at the drug store Diane began dating the 38-year-old former Dawson's Creek star in 2006 after she split from her husband of five years, French director Guillaume Canet. The exes have been spotted out together a handful of times since the break up. Since then, Kruger has been linked to Walking Dead star Norman Reedus. The two were last seen together taking photos at Reedus's photography exhibition in Paris in mid-December. The German-born beauty has been keeping busy as she has two films set for release in 2017: French film Tout Nous Separe and German flick In The Fade. He has just returned to breakfast TV after taking two months off to spend in the US amid his split from wife Cassandra Thorburn. And Karl Stefanovic, 42, has spoken about exactly what he did during his sabbatical, telling 9Honey that he 'slept for two months.' 'I just slept. I slept for two months. I was like a bear in one of those national parks in the US,' he said, adding that he came back to work 'full of energy'. Recharging his batteries: Karl Stefanovic, 42, says he 'slept for two months' during his two-month sabbatical in the US last year Karl took an extended hiatus from Today late last year to initially serve as a correspondent from Washington, where he reported on the US election, before taking time off for himself. During his tip, Karl flew to Aspen to stay with billionaire friend James Packer, who coincidentally also recently split from his fiancee Mariah Carey. He returned to Australia around Christmas to spend quality time with family, including his famous brother Peter. Back in the spotlight! He has just returned to the helm at Today alongside Lisa Wilkinson (right) Famous pals: During his tip, Karl flew to Aspen to stay with billionaire friend James Packer, who coincidentally also recently split from his fiancee Mariah Carey Family first! He returned to Australia around Christmas to spend quality time with family, including his famous brother Peter Meanwhile, Cassandra celebrated the festive season at the family home on Sydney's upper north shore. In November, Nine's National Director of News and Current Affairs, Darren Wick, confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that Karl would be taking at least a month off work as he dealt with family issues. 'I think any of us would be happy to take a holiday at the end of the year,' he said. Time off: In November, Nine's National Director of News and Current Affairs, Darren Wick, confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that Karl would be taking at least a month off work as he dealt with family issues, amid his split from wife Cassandra Thorburn (right) 'Previously what we've done with Karl is that he has often shot 60 Minutes stories over the summer,' he revealed. 'We don't want him doing that this year just have a break. Obviously what he's working through with his family situation he needs to have a break and just rest and spend time with his family.' 'He's going to do that and come back fresh next year.' Trump under fire for saying he respects 'killer' Putin President Donald Trump is drawing fire from Republicans and Democrats alike after playing down political assassinations in Russia and Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Trump -- now two weeks into his four-year term -- showed no signs of yielding to demands from within his own Republican Party to distance himself from President Vladimir Putin's regime, instead plunging himself into a fresh political firestorm. "I do respect him. Well, I respect a lot of people, but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with them," Trump said in an excerpt of an interview with Fox News's Bill O'Reilly that aired before the Super Bowl on Sunday. Donald Trump (left) refused to criticise Vladimir Putin during the 2016 election campaign, arguing that better relations with the Kremlin would be in the US national interest DON EMMERT, Natalia KOLESNIKOVA (AFP) When pressed in relation to Putin's alleged links to the extrajudicial killing of journalists and dissidents, Trump said, "we've got a lot of killers. You think our country's so innocent?" "Take a look at what we've done too. We've made a lot of mistakes." Trump's fellow Republicans, including Senate leader Mitch McConnell, were quick to criticize the president's remarks. "I don't think there is any equivalency with the way the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does," McConnell said. "He is a former KGB agent, a thug, not elected in a way that most people consider a credible election," he told CNN. That criticism was echoed by Michael McFaul, a former ambassador to Russia and advisor to president Barack Obama, who described Trump's comments as "disgusting." "This moral equivalency that Trumps continues to draw between the USA and Russia is disgusting (and inaccurate)," he said on Twitter. - 'Major fight' against IS - Mainstream Republicans have repeatedly called on Trump to distance himself from Putin, with little impact. Throughout the election campaign, Trump refused to criticize the Russian leader, saying better relations with the Kremlin would be in the US national interest. The new president has advocated working with Russia to combat the Islamic State group in Syria. "If Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all around the world, major fight. That's a good thing," Trump told Fox. Moscow has deployed aircraft, naval assets and troops to Syria, but has so far trained its fire on rebels with the aim of propping up President Bashar al-Assad's regime. In December, US intelligence agencies went public with their view that Russia conducted a hack-and-release campaign aimed at swinging the US election in Trump's favor. Trump's repeated criticism of NATO -- a common target for Putin -- has only fueled suspicions that Trump is ready to side with Moscow over allies in Europe. Across Europe, there are growing concerns that the continent might be wedged between a hostile Russia and a hostile United States. Trump's stance on Ukraine has also raised eyebrows. After a call with Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko on Saturday, the White House said the pair addressed "Ukraine's long-running conflict with Russia." Russia annexed the Ukrainian region of Crimea in March 2014 and has supported separatists in the east of the country. Former national security advisor Susan Rice publicly criticized Trump's framing of the situation. "This distortion of even recent history is deeply troubling," she tweeted. - 'We're watching' - Trump's Vice President Mike Pence tried to explain the administration's approach to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which had flared after Trump and Putin spoke by telephone a week ago. "We're watching, and (we're) very troubled by the increased hostilities over the past week in eastern Ukraine," Pence told ABC's "This Week" news program. The Kremlin said that during the Trump-Putin call the two men had discussed improving economic relations, a potential signal of Trump's willingness to lift sanctions on Russia. Asked whether the administration would be willing to ease sanctions while Russia is violating ceasefire agreements, Pence demurred. "I think that's a question that will be answered in the months ahead. And it just simply all depends," he said. "If we have opportunities to work together, I think the president is looking for an opportunity to begin that relationship anew. "But make no mistake about it -- those decisions will await action. And they'll be very dependent on how the Russians respond in the days ahead." Israel hits Hamas in Gaza after rocket fired Israel carried out a series of strikes against the Islamist Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip on Monday after a rocket fired from the enclave hit a border area. Three Palestinians were injured in around a dozen Israeli strikes throughout the day, including in Gaza City, medical sources in the Hamas-run territory said. Two Hamas posts were targeted by Israeli tank fire in the late morning, a Palestinian security source said, and air strikes hit targets in northern Gaza, sending a column of black smoke into the sky, an AFP reporter said. Palestinians run for cover as smoke rises following an Israeli air strike on a Hamas post, in the northern Gaza Strip on February 6, 2017 MOHAMMED ABED (AFP) Later at least five air strikes hit Gaza City, while one struck Khan Yunis in the south. The strikes came after a rocket was fired earlier on Monday from Gaza and hit an open area along the Israeli border, causing no injuries. "The (army) targeted these locations in response to the projectile fired from the Gaza Strip at Israeli communities earlier today and the attack against (Israeli) forces operating near the border with the southern Gaza Strip," an Israeli military statement said. "Hamas is accountable for the unacceptable aggression that threatens the wellbeing of Israelis and breaches Israeli sovereignty," spokesman Peter Lerner said in the statement. Hamas accused Israel of risking a new round of conflict. "This Israeli escalation in Gaza is dangerous and must be stopped," spokesman Fawzy Barhum told AFP. Before Monday, the most recent rocket fire from Gaza into Israel occurred in October. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008. Since the last round in 2014, a fragile ceasefire along the largely closed border has been observed. Missiles and rockets are occasionally fired at Israel but such attacks often attributed to other Islamist groups inside impoverished Gaza. Making sense (and, sometimes, nonsense) out of Current News, Issues, Politics Dolores Huerta: little-known militant icon with a big part in history "Who has the power? People have the power!" Small, slender Dolores Huerta, with her soft but firm voice, was whipping up a crowd at a Los Angeles rally against an oil pipeline in North Dakota. Dozens of people boisterously echoed her words. "She's an icon," actress Jane Fonda told AFP. Fonda, who had organized the protest, has frequently crossed paths with the indefatigable militant Huerta, an activist in an impressive array of movements: for union, feminist, ecologist and human rights -- and for nonviolence. American labour leader Dolores Huerta visits the graves of Cesar and Helen Chavez in Keene, California, on January 31, 2017 Frederic J. Brown (AFP) At 86, the inspiration for Barack Obama's "Yes We Can" slogan -- he awarded Huerta the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor -- remains largely unknown to the wider public. She was a comrade-in-arms of Cesar Chavez, the famous leader of farm worker protests. Yet while he has had streets named after him and a monument raised in his honor, Huerta remains largely in the shadows. But now, a documentary called "Dolores," previewed at the Sundance Film Festival last month, wants to give Huerta her proper place in history. The film, co-produced by guitarist Carlos Santana, has "an important message that women's participation in history also has to be recorded and memorialized," she said in an interview from the offices of her foundation in Bakersfield, in the heart of California farm country. - Women's role minimised - "Hopefully it will inspire more women to get involved." "I call it HIS-tory," she said. "It's easy to see in the last election -- we had a woman that was superbly qualified to be president of the United States that was not elected even if she won the popular vote, and you had a man who had no experience in governing at all that was elected." "It shows how women in our societies are devalued and disrespected," Huerta said. Director Peter Bratt says Huerta, the descendant of Mexican immigrants who was raised by a single mother during the Depression, "has impacted our democratic evolution in the last 50 years." "Dolores" traces the birth of the United Farm Workers (UFW), co-founded in the 1960s by Huerta and Chavez. It revisits their struggle for the basic human rights of farm workers: fresh water, functioning toilets, safe working conditions, regular rest breaks, unemployment insurance and a minimum wage. Huerta and Chavez organized strikes, spectacular marches on the California legislature, and a nationwide grape boycott to protest the poor conditions facing vineyard workers, notably their exposure to toxic pesticides. - Arrests and beatings - This mother of 11 children (she was twice married, and also had children by Chavez's brother Richard) marched for abortion rights alongside Angela Davis and Gloria Steinem. She has been arrested more than 20 times, has been beaten, and was seriously wounded by the police during a 1988 protest in San Francisco. Twenty years earlier, she stood on a podium alongside Robert F. Kennedy, the president's brother, just minutes before he was assassinated in Los Angeles in 1968. That incident left her with a fierce commitment to nonviolence and a passionate dislike for firearms. "It was very emotional for me to see the movie," she said. "I relived a lot of things." She added: "Many issues it addresses are still relevant, like police violence, discrimination against women, the use of pesticides..." The documentary also shows the sacrifices made: those who lost their lives, were beaten or jailed after clashes with police, the children who sometimes had to raise themselves as their mother criss-crossed the country on behalf of her many causes. "But it is very satisfying to think we've built a strong movement," she said, speaking from the monument to Chavez at UFW headquarters on a bucolic property in the town of Keene. The UFW's influence has faded, however, since Chavez died in 1993. But enough about the past, says Huerta. The subject of "Dolores" would have liked for the documentary to "be less about the past and more about the future." She mentioned the many works of her foundation, including a door-to-door campaign to register people to vote, anti-discrimination work in schools, and the defense of gays and lesbians in the very conservative region around Bakersfield. With the arrival in the White House of Donald Trump, Huerta -- whose hectic days feature an unending series of protest rallies, training sessions and meetings with VIPs -- is girding for "many, many fights." She fears the new administration could roll back gains on environmental protection, women's right to abortion, gun control, minimum wages and more. "We've faced tremendous obstacles with President Nixon, Reagan when he was governor of California, the agribusiness," she said, adding: "This is the nature of struggles: You take two steps forward and one step back. But you keep going." Huerta's parting message for her fellow citizens: "Get yourselves organized, go to your neighborhood, talk to people, get involved. "A lot of people are going to march and protest, but at the end of the day you have to translate that to voting." US President Barack Obama awarded Dolores Huerta the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a 2012 ceremony in the East Room of the White House MANDEL NGAN (AFP) Jane Fonda joined Dolores Huerta to protest against Wells Fargo during a rally in Hollywood, on December 21, 2016 TOMMASO BODDI (AFP/File) Thailand blames PM death threats on exiled anti-monarchists Thailand's national security chief said Monday that a group of Laos-based Thais wanted for spreading anti-monarchy messages had made death threats against the prime minister and his deputy. The allegation comes as Thailand seeks to extradite the group for slandering the royal family -- an offence punishable by up to 15 years in prison per count. "The threats came from Thais who are disloyal to the monarchy and ran away to live in Laos...It is the same group that held radio programmes defaming the monarchy," national security chief Thaweep Netniyom told reporters in Bangkok. Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha has been in power since 2014 The group allegedly issued the death threats against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha and his deputy, defence minister Prawit Wongsuwan, on social media. "They did it to hit back at the government that wants to prosecute them," Thaweep said. Thailand's military government has tried in vain to extradite a number of royal insult suspects who have fled abroad since its 2014 coup. Neighbouring Laos has yet to publicly comment on Thailand's efforts to bring the royal defamation suspects home. Lese majeste prosecutions have skyrocketed under the royalist junta, with courts handing down record jail sentences, often for comments posted online. Kerry, Albright urge court to uphold block on Trump travel ban A group of prominent Democrats including former secretaries of state John Kerry and Madeleine Albright called Monday for a federal appeals court to continue blocking President Donald Trump's travel ban, saying it harms national security. In a brief submitted to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the former top officials argued that the executive order signed by Trump on January 27 was "ill-conceived, poorly implemented and ill-explained." Trump's ban barred all refugees and travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States. Then US Secretary of State John Kerry (C) talks with former US Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton (L) and Madeleine Albright (R) after breaking ground at the US Diplomacy Center at the US State Department in Washington, DC, September 3, 2014 Jim WATSON (AFP) On Friday, following a lawsuit filed by the state of Washington challenging the ban, a federal judge in Seattle temporarily suspended Trump's order pending a wider legal review. The Trump administration appealed over the weekend to the Ninth Circuit court, where a flurry of legal filings were flooding in early Monday. They included a brief from the prominent Democrats, who included Kerry, Albright and several top aides to ex-president Barack Obama. Among them were national security advisor Susan Rice, CIA chief and defense secretary Leon Panetta, and homeland security chief Janet Napolitano. "We view the Order as one that ultimately undermines the national security of the United States, rather than making us safer," they argued. "Reinstating the Executive Order would wreak havoc on innocent lives and deeply held American values." Specifically, the brief said Trump's travel ban could endanger US troops in the field and disrupt counterterrorism cooperation. It also feeds Islamic State group propaganda that the United States is at war with Islam, it said. Trump has defiantly defended his position and launched fiery tweets attacking the judge who suspended the travel ban. India's Tata completes purge of ex-chairman Cyrus Mistry Indian salt-to-steel giant Tata completed its purge of former chairman Cyrus Mistry on Monday by removing him from the board of the conglomerate's holding company. Mistry was axed as chairman of the holding company Tata Sons in October and then forced out of its operating companies as group patriarch Ratan Tata set about eradicating his influence in the 150-year-old conglomerate. Mistry's dismissal from the Tata Sons board at a special meeting in Mumbai on Monday saw him stripped of his last official position in the group, which has annual revenue of $103 billion. Cyrus Mistry, the former chairman of Indian salt-to-steel giant Tata Dibyangshu SARKAR (AFP/File) "The shareholders of Tata Sons Limited, at the extraordinary general meeting held today, passed, with the requisite majority, a resolution to remove Mr. Cyrus P. Mistry as a Director of Tata Sons Limited," Tata said in a statement. Mistry became a Tata Sons director in 2006 and succeeded Ratan Tata as chairman in 2012. But their relationship quickly deteriorated, with the 79-year-old Tata said to be unhappy at the direction Mistry was taking the group. Tata took interim charge following Mistry's dismissal in October as the pair engaged in bitter public mudslinging, including accusations of corporate malfeasance. Mistry also dragged Tata Sons to India's National Company Law Tribunal, claiming that he was unfairly sacked as the world-renowned group descended into turmoil and its global reputation took a hit. Mistry had asked the tribunal to halt Monday's meeting but it refused. The next hearing is due to be held on February 13. Ratan Tata eased fears about the group's future recently by announcing that company veteran Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the respected chief of software giant Tata Consultancy Services, would become Tata's new chairman. He will take up his role later in the month. US-bound Bhutanese refugees left in limbo in Nepal Kalimaya Magar had given away most of her belongings as she prepared to leave the refugee camp in Nepal for a new life in the United States. But after more than two decades of waiting, her departure -- originally scheduled for this week -- was cancelled in an instant after US President Donald Trump issued a temporary ban on refugee arrivals. The US has been the largest recipient of Bhutanese of ethnic Nepali origin who say they are fleeing persecution in the tiny Himalayan kingdom. A sign for the Beldangi refugee camp, home to thousands of Bhutanese, in Nepal's Jhapa district Gopal Gartoula (AFP) More than 90,000 have been welcomed into the US since 2007, when talks to secure their return to Bhutan collapsed. Over 10,000 still live in camps across Nepal but Trump's controversial order on refugee resettlement has plunged many into limbo. "My hope for freedom from this life as a refugee is only a dream now," Magar told AFP at Beldangi camp last week. The 41-year-old was due to be resettled in Vermont with her husband and children. A notice circulated to refugees at the camp last week said "there would be no departure-related processes from February 3 until further notice", and referred to the order signed by the US president. While the travel ban on refugees has since been suspended by a US court, those at the camp were unsure what that meant for them. "We've heard rumours, but have no official information about if or when we might be able to go," Magar said Monday. A State Department spokesperson said they have been informed about the court ruling, but did not specify its impact on the Bhutanese resettlement programme. "We are working closely with our legal teams as well as our interagency and overseas partners to comply with the order," the spokesperson said. - Cold comfort - More than 100,000 ethnic Nepalis fled Bhutan in the early 1990s after the Buddhist kingdom made national dress compulsory and banned the use of the Nepali language. The majority were resettled in the US while thousands more found new homes in Europe, Australia and Canada, among other destinations. Trump's order on January 27 unleashed chaos and confusion around the world after it barred refugees from entering the US for 120 days and indefinitely blocked those from Syria. The UN refugee agency UNHCR, which has publicly criticised the ban, estimates more than 20,000 people worldwide were slated for resettlement in the US during that window. A US federal judge on Friday suspended the presidential order pending a wider legal review. An appeals court on Sunday refused a government request immediately to reinstate the ban. But it's cold comfort for Aitemaya Tamang, who was told a day before she was to depart to join her family in the US that her resettlement had been suspended. Tamang, who was only a toddler when she fled Bhutan, had packed her bags and attached labels marked with her destination: North Carolina. "I am shocked and worried," the 26-year-old told AFP from her hut in the camp, her bags on the floor. "I wanted to go because I want to work and earn for my family and send my son to a good school. Now I don't know what will happen." Bhutanese refugee Aitemaya Tamang is pictured with her son next to bags labelled with their expected destination of North Carolina at the Beldangi camp in Nepal's Jhapa district Gopal Gartoula (AFP) Bloody 2016 for Afghan civilians Violent clashes between Afghan security forces and militants, particularly in populated areas, resulted in a record number of civilian casualties last year. Nearly 11,500 civilians were killed or wounded in Afghanistan in 2016 -- one third of them children -- according to the United Nations, the highest number of annual non-combatant casualties since it began collecting figures in 2009. Here is a recap of some key incidents in major cities with high civilian casualties in 2016, a bloody year for the war-ravaged nation: An elderly Afghan mother mourns for her son who was killed in a suicide attack in July 2016 SHAH MARAI (AFP) - Kabul, the war-torn capital - Even for Kabul's estimated population of five million, grimly accustomed to attacks which tear through the city with devastating regularity, 2016 brought carnage on a new scale. - A truck bomb and ensuing firefight killed at least 64 people on April 19, most of them civilians, and wounded some 350 others a week after the start of the Taliban's "spring offensive". - On July 23, Islamic State jihadists claimed responsibility for twin explosions that ripped through crowds of Shiite Hazaras in Kabul, killing at least 85 people and wounding more than 400 others. The bombings marked the deadliest single attack in the Afghan capital since the Taliban were ousted from power in a 2001 US-led invasion, and were a major escalation for IS. - Taliban militants launched an assault on the Kabul offices of CARE International, part of a wave of bombings in the city on September 5 that left at least 41 people dead and dozens wounded. - Lashkar Gah on the brink - The Taliban, once a rural insurgency, continued an aggressive push to capture big cities in 2016, launching attacks on three provincial capitals -- Tarin Kot, Lashkar Gah and Kunduz -- with many civilians caught in the fighting. In early August, the Taliban launched a major offensive in Helmand province, advancing on Lashkar Gah, which has 200,000 inhabitants. The Afghan army flushed out the insurgents with the support of American air strikes, and around 100 US troops were deployed in the city, the first major American presence there since foreign forces withdrew in 2014. - Storming of Tarin Kot - In September the Taliban stormed into Tarin Kot, capital of southern Uruzgan province, triggering heavy fighting around government buildings as many of its panicked 70,000 residents scrambled to flee. Within hours Afghan forces bolstered by reinforcements and air support repelled the militants, though fighting continued in the outskirts. - Return to Kunduz - After briefly seizing the northern Afghan city of Kunduz in September 2015, the Taliban returned in October 2016, launching a fresh assault that triggered fierce gun battles with government forces, who ultimately drove the insurgents back. In November, US forces conceded that an air strike had "very likely" killed at least 30 civilians in the Kunduz area, many of them children, triggering impassioned protests in the city. Civilian casualties caused by NATO forces have been one of the most contentious issues in the 15-year campaign. Monday's UNAMA report recorded the highest number yet of civilian casualties caused by air strikes -- 590, of whom 250 were killed. - Islamic State expands - While the Taliban have been making their aggressive push into cities and are still blamed by UNAMA for the bulk of civilian casualties, fears are also growing about the expanding presence of Islamic State. After the earlier attack on Hazaras in Kabul, in October militants linked to Islamic State jihadists abducted and killed around 30 civilians, including children, in central Ghor province. UNAMA's report Monday charted a 10-fold increase in civilian casualties blamed on Islamic State -- 899, including 209 deaths. SHAH MARAI (AFP) Trump faces deadline in court battle over travel ban The US government on Monday defended President Donald Trump's travel ban as a "lawful exercise" of his authority, and claimed that a federal court made a mistake in barring enforcement of the measure. With the ban suspended since Friday, the legal battle has moved to San Francisco, where Justice Department lawyers defended the executive order and said the nationwide injunction against it was "vastly overbroad." A hearing has been set in the case for Tuesday at 3:00 pm (2300 GMT). US President Donald Trump salutes before boarding Air Force One from MacDill Air Force Base on February 6, 2017 in Tampa, Florida MANDEL NGAN (AFP) Meanwhile two new polls show that a majority of Americans now oppose the ban, which sparked chaos at US airports -- findings that Trump angrily dismissed as media lies. "Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election," he said on Twitter. "Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting." Trump, who paid a visit to US Central Command in Tampa, Florida, earlier in the day once again roundly condemned the media -- accusing them of downplaying the terror threat his administration has cited to justify its travel ban. "Radical Islamic terrorists are determined to strike our homeland as they did on 9/11, as they did from Boston to Orlando to San Bernardino, and all across Europe," the president told military personnel. "And in many cases the very, very dishonest press doesn't want to report it," he claimed. "They have their reasons, and you understand that." Asked to explain Trump's comments, White House spokesman Sean Spicer promised to "provide a list" of attacks that had been "underreported." "Protests will get blown out of the water, and yet an attack or a foiled attack doesn't necessarily get the same coverage," he said. - Court 'erred' - A federal court that temporarily rolled back Trump's directive "erred in entering an injunction barring enforcement of the order," the government told the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in asking that the ban be reinstated. "But even if some relief were appropriate, the court's sweeping nationwide injunction is vastly overbroad," it said. The president's executive order summarily denied entry to all refugees for 120 days, and travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days -- a move critics charge will damage US interests. Refugees from Syria were blocked indefinitely. But the Justice Department argued that "the executive order is a lawful exercise of the president's authority over the entry of aliens into the United States and the admission of refugees." The Justice Department defended the ban as a means to undergo "an orderly review and revision of screening procedures to ensure that adequate standards are in place to protect against terrorist attacks." It stressed that non-US citizens seeking to enter the United States for the first time have no constitutional rights. - Mounting opposition - On Friday in Seattle, a federal judge ordered the temporary nationwide suspension of the president's order, allowing the many travelers who were suddenly barred from US soil to start trickling back in. On Sunday, the appellate court refused to overrule the federal judge. Attorneys general for the states of Washington and Minnesota, which won the temporary stay of the ban, have asked the appeals court to refuse to reinstate it. They were backed Monday in a court brief filed by 16 other US states. Several legal and rights groups have filed in support of the states, including the Southern Poverty Law Center, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American Civil Liberties Union. And in an additional blow, a slew of Silicon Valley giants led by Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter have filed a legal brief in support of the lawsuit. The 97 companies speaking out against Trump's travel ban said it harms recruiting and retention of talent, threatens business operations and hampers their ability to attract investment to the United States. A group of prominent Democrats including former secretaries of state John Kerry and Madeleine Albright added their voices to the criticism. "Reinstating the executive order would wreak havoc on innocent lives and deeply held American values," they said in a filing. Specifically, the Democrats said Trump's travel ban could endanger US troops in the field, disrupt counterterrorism cooperation and feed Islamic State group propaganda. - Arrivals - Spicer insisted the administration was "absolutely not" thinking about withdrawing its order. On Trump's plan to introduce so-called "extreme vetting" at US borders, he said: "Once we win the case, it will go right back into action." But top Republicans have also shown renewed signs of discomfort with the president as the controversy escalates. Trump had blasted James Robart, the Seattle federal judge, in a series of angry tweets. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" With the ban suspended, travelers from the targeted countries holding valid visas have begun arriving on American soil. In New York, 33-year-old Sudanese doctor Kamal Fadlalla rejoiced -- after a week blocked in his home country, he was back in the Big Apple with friends and colleagues. "It feels great," Fadlalla told AFP on Sunday at John F. Kennedy International Airport. "It was a tough week actually." The State Department has said visa holders from the seven countries are allowed to travel to the US as long as their documents have not been "physically canceled." The battle over Trump's immigration order Gillian HANDYSIDE, Kun TIAN, Vincent LEFAI (AFP) Volunteers wait to offer free legal advice to travelers at the international arrivals hall at Washington Dulles International Airport on February 6, 2017 Brendan Smialowski (AFP) Salwa Tabiedi greets her son Hussamedin Agabani, a Sudanese citizen who arrived in the United States for the first time, at Washington Dulles International Airport on February 6, 2017 in Virginia Brendan Smialowski (AFP) Teen admits killing US tourist in London knife attack A teenager on Monday pleaded guilty to killing a US tourist and injuring five others in a central London knife attack, with prosecutors accepting his admission of manslaughter by diminished responsibility. At a hearing in London's Old Bailey court, Zakaria Bulhan, 19, admitted killing 64-year-old retired teacher Darlene Horton. He also admitted charges of wounding with intent with respect to Martin Hoenisch, Lillie Selletin, David Imber, Bernard Hepplewhite and Yovel Lewronski. Armed police on duty in London's Russell Square following a knife attack on a US tourist in August 2016 JUSTIN TALLIS (AFP/File) The August 3 stabbing spree initially sparked fears it was a terror attack as it took place in Russell Square, the site of one of the suicide bombings in 2005. Police quickly arrived at the scene and arrested him. Bulhan, who lives in south London, is a Norwegian national of Somali origin who came to Britain as a young child in 2002. At the hearing, the court heard how the suspect was suffering from an "acute" episode of paranoid schizophrenia at the time, with prosecutor Mark Heywood saying he accepted Bulhan's plea. Describing the attack, Heywood said the suspect was seen "moving in an erratic fashion". "Without warning or provocation, the man stabbed six people in relatively quick succession, saying nothing to any of them, moving on after each stabbing towards his next victim," he told the court. Horton, a mother of two, was stabbed in the back, with the blade piercing her left lung and her heart. She died hours before she was due to fly home. She was married to a professor at Florida State University who had been teaching summer classes in London. The three men injured in the attack were a Briton, an American and an Australian. Two women, an Australian and Israeli, were also wounded. Nigerians push for clarity on absentee president's health Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari is apparently unwell. Or he might not be. Either way, it's enough for his health to have increasingly become a national talking point. The 74-year-old former army general had been due to resume work on Monday morning in the capital, Abuja, after a holiday in London. But on Sunday evening, his office announced he was to prolong his stay on doctor's orders, as he was still waiting for the results of medical tests conducted during his stay. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's health is a national talking-point Dan Kitwood (POOL/AFP/File) No further details were given about his condition nor when he would finally return. The announcement triggered fresh speculation about the state of Buhari's health and has done little to convince an already sceptical public that there is no cause for concern. Buhari's office has already had to counter rumours during the trip that Buhari was critically ill and had even died. - In the dark - The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seized on the announcement of his extended stay in London, saying Nigerians had a right to know what he was being treated for because he was using public funds. "He should tell them (the public) the true state of his health," a statesman for the PDP was quoted as saying in the Punch newspaper. "Medical tests have dates of collection of results. It can't be open-ended without dates." In Abuja, where protesters had turned out to demonstrate against Buhari's economic policy and call for solutions to end a crippling recession, there were calls for greater openness. "I wonder why the government is not transparent enough about our president's health issue," said one woman, who gave her name only as Mabel. "We are completely in the dark." James Badmus, a lawyer, added: "The issues are clear and straightforward: what exactly is wrong with our president and for how long is he going to be away? Period. "Anybody can fall sick but when a president falls sick, it should not be a confidential matter." - Spectre of Yar'Adua - The health of Nigeria's head of state has long been a sensitive issue. In 2010, president Umaru Yar'Adua died from a long-standing, but undisclosed kidney condition, while in Saudi Arabia. His initial illness and treatment in hospital abroad triggered months of political uncertainty. Yar'Adua's death brought his deputy, Goodluck Jonathan, to power. To be sure, Buhari's presidency has not hidden the fact that he needed medical treatment: in June 2016, it said he was heading to London for treatment to a persistent inner ear infection. It also announced last month that his latest trip would include "routine medical check-ups". But Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC) have been unable to shake off persistent rumours that he is more seriously ill than is being made out. The PDP claimed during the 2015 election in which Buhari defeated Jonathan that he had terminal prostate cancer -- one of a series of smears designed to show he was unfit for office. One of Buhari's spokesmen, Femi Adesina, on Sunday evening tried to play down the significance of the extension, as Nigerians took to social media to air their theories. "I am sure it will get to a point when the president has to disclose the status of his health if it needs to be disclosed," he told Channels television. But he said that because of doctor-patient confidentiality, only Buhari himself could reveal what was wrong. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is deputising and there was no power vacuum, he added. - Open government - Nigerians are generally mistrustful of government and its pronouncements. They also have long memories that go back beyond Yar'Adua to military ruler Sani Abacha, who also died in office. "My concern is that I hope history is not going to repeat itself," said one civil servant, who gave his name only as Adam. "The Yar'Adua episode is still fresh in our memory. "They told us Yar'Adua was OK but what they eventually brought back from Saudi was not healthy for the country." Victor Giwa, of the Advocates for Peoples' Rights and Justice pressure group, said the public had a right to know if the president was unwell. : FIR; Islamic State on the defensive: UN report The Islamic State group is militarily on the defensive, facing a drop in revenue from oil and extortion and a shrinking ability to attract new recruits, according to a new UN report released Monday. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned however in the report to the Security Council that IS jihadists continue to pose a grave threat and are "partially adapting" to losses on the battlefield. "ISIL is militarily on the defensive in several regions, notably in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and the Syrian Arab Republic," said the report sent to the council on Thursday. Iraqi soldiers pose with an Islamic State flag near Mosul on November 2, 2016 BULENT KILIC (AFP/File) IS finances are on a decline, forcing the militant group to operate on a "crisis budget," it added. Illicit oil sales, mainly from oil fields in Syria's Deir Ezzor province, dropped from as much as $500 million in 2015 to $260 million last year. The report urged governments to be vigilant of IS efforts to find new revenue streams, citing concerns that journalists and aid workers traveling to areas recaptured from the jihadists could be targets for kidnapping. The flow of foreign fighters to Iraq and Syria has slowed considerably, because of security measures taken by governments and also due to the "diminished attractiveness" of the group, said the report. Several member-states are reporting that many hardened foreign fighters will remain in Iraq and Syria as most of those who intended to leave have already done so. "The ability of ISIL to attract new recruits has diminished, and fighters are increasingly leaving the battlefield," it said. The council will meet Tuesday to discuss the report as President Donald Trump has ordered US generals to draw up a new plan to defeat the radical extremists. Iraqi forces are making strides in their offensive to drive the Islamic State from Mosul, the country's second city seized in 2014 and proclaimed as the capital of a caliphate stretching into Syria. In response to the military pressure, IS communication and recruitment "are increasingly moving towards more covert methods, such as the use of the dark web, encryption and messengers," said the report. The Israeli parliament has finalised a controversial law legalising dozens of Jewish outposts built on private Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank. The law - approved by 60 members of parliament to 52 against - was criticised by the Palestinians as a means to 'legalise theft' of land. The new law will allow Israel to legally seize Palestinian private land on which Israelis built outposts without knowing it was private property or because the state allowed them to do so. Palestinian owners will be compensated financially or with other land. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who did not participate in the law's final votes as he was returning from a trip to Britain, said he had 'updated' the US administration so as not to surprise 'our friends'. Israel recently unveiled plans to build 3,000 new homes for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank Ahead of the vote, opposition chief and Labour leader Isaac Herzog voiced his opposition to the 'despicable law', which he said would undermine the country's Jewish majority. 'The vote tonight isn't for or against the settlers, rather Israel's interests,' Herzog said. The law would 'annex millions of Palestinians into Israel', he warned, and expose Israeli soldiers and politicians to lawsuits at international criminal courts. Speaking after the law was finalised, Bezalel Smotrich of the far-right Jewish Home party, who was one of the forces behind the legislation, thanked the American people for electing Donald Trump as president, 'without whom the law would have probably not passed'. The Palestine Liberation Organisation said the law was a means to 'legalise theft' and demonstrated 'the Israeli government's will to destroy any chances for a political solution'. A PLO statement stressed that the 'Israeli settlement enterprise negates peace and the possibility of the two-state solution'. This map shows the locations of Jewish settlements in the West Bank Science and Technology Minister Ofir Akunis of Netanyahu's Likud party said the argument was over the right to the Land of Israel. 'All of the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people,' he told Herzog, using the biblical term that included the West Bank. 'This right is eternal and indisputable.' The law is seen by critics as promoting at least partial annexation of the West Bank, a key demand for parts of Netanyahu's right-wing cabinet, including Jewish Home. Human Rights Watch said the law 'reflects Israel's manifest disregard of international law' and deepens the 'de facto permanent occupation' of the West Bank, warning that 'the Trump administration cannot shield them from the scrutiny of the International Criminal Court'. Israeli rights group B'Tselem said the law proved Israel 'has no intention of ending its control over the Palestinians or its theft of their land'. The bill could still be challenged, with Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman saying last week: 'The chance that it will be struck down by the Supreme Court is 100 percent.' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was visiting London for talks with leading British officials earlier this week Last week, the few hundred residents of the Amona outpost in the West Bank were evicted after the Supreme Court ruled their homes were built on private Palestinian land. In parliament on Monday, Shuli Mualem of Jewish Home dedicated the law to those evicted from Amona. International law considers all settlements to be illegal, but Israel distinguishes between those it sanctions and those it does not, dubbed outposts. The lengthy Amona saga - including the evictions broadcast live on Israeli television -directly inspired the bill. Demolitions and removal of the buildings there began on Monday. The law applies to 53 other outposts and homes within existing settlements recognised by Israel built on Palestinian land, according to the anti-settlement organisation Peace Now. More than 3,800 homes would be 'legalised', the NGO said ahead of the vote. Prefabricated houses were removed from the Israeli Amona wildcat outpost, northeast of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, on Monday UN envoy for the Middle East peace process Nickolay Mladenov said he was 'concerned' by the law, which could 'greatly diminish the prospects for Arab-Israeli peace'. Since Trump's inauguration, Israel has announced more than 6,000 new homes in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, seen as key parts of any future Palestinian state. For the first time last week Trump's administration said settlement expansion 'may not be helpful' for peace prospects, but also broke with previous administrations by saying settlements were not an obstacle to peace. The White House statement was interpreted as a message to Netanyahu and his government that the US administration intended to reserve its options. Washington has refused to comment on the new law. 'At this point, indications are that this legislation is likely to be reviewed by the relevant Israeli courts, and the Trump administration will withhold comment on the legislation until the relevant court ruling,' a State Department official told AFP. Palestinians set vote timetable despite Hamas rejection The Palestinian electoral commission announced Monday a calendar for delayed municipal elections, despite Gaza rulers Hamas rejecting them. The commission said on its website that voter registration would end on 25 February, while registration of candidates will take place for 10 days from March 28. The Palestinian Authority said last month that vote will be held on May 13th simultaneously in the Gaza Strip and in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which the PA controls. Palestinians demonstrated in front of the hight court in the West Bank city of Ramallah as the 2016 municipal elections were delayed ABBAS MOMANI (AFP/File) But the Islamist Hamas movement which runs Gaza has criticised the plans and said that the new timetable "strengthens divisions". The rival parties have not contested an election since 2006 parliamentary polls, which Hamas won -- sparking a conflict that led to near civil war in Gaza the following year. Hamas boycotted the most recent municipal elections in 2012, which took place only in the West Bank. Last year a timetable was agreed for elections in both territories, but they collapsed amid political squabbling and the elections were delayed. Multiple attempts at political reconciliation between the two sides have failed, though both express willingness to continue working towards it. Israel detains Palestinian for six months without trial The Israeli army on Monday ordered a Palestinian journalist to be detained without trial for six months, less than a year after freeing him following a prolonged hunger strike. In May, Mohammed al-Qiq, 34, was released from a six-month prison term without trial following a 94-day hunger strike. He was rearrested last month for his alleged activities in the militant Islamist group Hamas aimed against Israel as well as undermining the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, the Shin Bet domestic security service said at the time. Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Qiq, pictured on May 19, 2016, following his release from the Israeli Nafha prison, to be detained without trial for six months HAZEM BADER (AFP/File) On Monday, his wife Fayha Shalash said he was on hunger strike again. The prison service confirmed this, without saying when the fast had begun. A controversial Israeli administrative detention law allows the state to hold suspects without trial for periods of six months, renewable indefinitely. The army said on Monday he was given the new six-month term without a court hearing, based on intelligence that Qiq "continues to be an operative for the Hamas terror group who incites dangerously to harm Israeli citizens". A military spokeswoman told AFP that administrative detention was "a last resort" measure employed as they had no other way of "neutralising the danger" Qiq posed. He has denied the Israeli allegations about militant activity, saying he works for the Saudi television channel Al-Majd. Qiq's case was widely covered last year, and the United Nations expressed concern about his condition during his previous time in prison. He was jailed for a month in 2003 and for 13 months in 2004 for Hamas-related activities. The US and Japan have successfully carried out the first test of a defense system designed to shoot down ballistic missiles. The US Missile Defense Agency revealed the USS John Paul Jones was able to track, locate and ultimately destroy a missile by using its onboard Aegis Missile Defense System and a Standard Missile-3 Block IIA interceptor. The test took place off Kauai in Hawaii on Friday about 10:30pm, and saw the defense missile hit its target in space, officials said. Scroll down for video The US and Japan have successfully carried out the first test of a defense system designed to shoot down ballistic missiles. Pictured is the defense missile being launched on February 3 The defense missile is seen being launched from the US Navy vessel in Hawaii on Friday as part of the first successful test of the new system 'Today's test demonstrates a critical milestone in the cooperative development of the SM-3 Block IIA missile,' MDA Director Vice Admiral Jim Syring said in a statement. 'The missile, developed jointly by a Japanese and U.S. government and industry team, is vitally important to both our nations and will ultimately improve our ability to defend against increasing ballistic missile threats around the world.' Japan and the US have been working together since 2006 to develop a variant of the Standard Missile-3, which is a ship-launched missile that operates as part of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System. According to the MDA, America has so far spent about $2.2 billion on the system and Japan about $1 billion. The missile was launched from the USS John Paul Jones (pictured in July 2015) on Friday night WHAT IS THE AEGIS SYSTEM? AEGIS is a: 'centralized, automated, command-and-control system designed as a total weapon, from detection to kill'. It uses an AN/SPY-1 radar, which can track 100 missiles simultaneously, and is aboard 84 cruisers and destroyers. Japan and South Korea also use AEGIS-equipped destroyers. (Source: US Navy) Advertisement Officials said on Monday the joint development was in response to fears about North Korea's potential military technology. 'We are both deeply concerned about North Korea's capabilities, and we are constantly working to improve our defense capabilities,' MDA spokesman Chris Johnson said Monday. 'It makes sense for the US and Japan to share some of that burden.' Mitsubishi and Raytheon both make parts of the missiles, which are assembled in the United States, and which are designed to defeat medium and intermediate-range missiles. The joint test took place on the same day as US Secretary of Defense James Mattis (left) held a press conference with Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada (right) The test occurred as Pentagon chief Jim Mattis was in East Asia on his first overseas trip as defense secretary. He said Friday any nuclear attack by North Korea would trigger an 'effective and overwhelming' response, as he sought to reassure Asian allies rattled by President Donald Trump's isolationist rhetoric. Shortage of Philadelphia transit cars expected due to cracks PHILADELPHIA (AP) The Philadelphia area's main transit agency says there will be a temporary shortage of rail cars during peak hours following the discovery of cracks in the support beams of two cars. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority said a crack was found on a main load-carrying beam on a Market-Frankford Line car during regularly scheduled vehicle overhaul work over the weekend. Cracks were fund in two cars, and the transit agency also removed some other vehicles that had indications of possible cracks; other vehicles that have been cleared remain in service, and more cars should be added as inspections progress, SEPTA said. "With what we've seen so far, we expect we'll be 30 to 40 cars short of the 144 we need for peak-level service," SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch said Sunday night. Beginning Monday morning, service on the Market-Frankford Line will operate as frequently as possible during the 6 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m. rush hours. But express A/B stop service will be suspended, so trains will make all stops. Supplemental bus service will be positioned along the line to provide alternative service. Midday and evening service will operate on regular schedules, as will overnight bus service. Last summer, the agency had to take about one-third of a different fleet out of service because of a structural defect. SEPTA had to repair its entire Silverliner V fleet due to cracks found in beams that distribute the weight of vehicles to their axles. The transit agency and the trains' manufacturer, South Korea's Hyundai Rotem, have attributed the flaws to a combination of design and manufacturing missteps. Australian woman dies in watercraft crash in Thailand BANGKOK (AP) An Australian woman died when the personal watercraft she was operating collided with one operated by her companion off the Thai island of Phuket, officials said Monday. Emily Jayne Collie, 20, was not breathing when rescuers brought her to shore after the crash Sunday, said Rungsak Ouarun, the head lifeguard on Phuket's Kata beach. "We tried to perform CPR but she was not responsive," he said. In this image from video, two personal watercraft are parked in front a police station in Phuket, Thailand, Monday, Feb. 6, 2016, a day after the two collided. Australian woman Emily Jayne Collie, 20, died when the personal watercraft she was operating collided with one operated by her companion off Phuket, officials said Monday. (AP Photo) Collie's companion, Thomas Keating, was not injured, said Thai Police Maj. Gen. Pattiwat Yodkwan, the investigator in charge of the case. Personal watercraft are popular on the beaches of Thai tourist destinations like Phuket. Pattiwat said the operators who rented the watercraft in Sunday's crash had the necessary license and insurance documents. ___ This story has been corrected to remove references to 'Jet Ski' and replace with 'personal watercraft.' In this image from video, one of two personal watercraft is parked in front a police station in Phuket, Thailand, Monday, Feb. 6, 2016, a day after the two collided. Australian woman Emily Jayne Collie, 20, died when the personal watercraft she was operating collided with one operated by her companion off Phuket, officials said Monday. (AP Photo) This image from video shows Vachira Phuket Hospital where Australian Emily Jayne Collie was treated in Phuket, Thailand, Monday, Feb. 6, 2016. The 20-year-old Australian woman died when the personal watercraft she was operating collided on Sunday with one operated by her companion off Phuket, officials said Monday. (AP Photo) Travelers denied entry a week ago, now arriving in US NEW YORK (AP) Travelers from the seven Muslim-majority countries targeted by President Donald Trump who were denied entry into the United States a week ago are arriving at airports around the country and into the open arms of their loved ones. Fariba Tajrostami, a 32-year-old painter from Iran, came through the gate at New York's Kennedy Airport on Sunday with a huge smile and tears in her eyes as her brothers greeted her with joyful hugs. "I'm very happy. I haven't seen my brothers for nine years," she said. Ali Abdullah Alghazali, 13, right, from Yemen, wipes his eyes as he walks with his father Abdullah Alghazali, left, and his uncle after arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. Travelers from the seven predominantly Muslim countries affected by President Donald Trump's ban enjoyed tearful reunions with family members in the U.S. on Sunday after a federal judge swept the restrictions aside. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan) Tajrostami had tried to fly to the U.S. from Turkey over a week ago, but was turned away. "I was crying and was so disappointed," she said. "Everything I had in mind, what I was going to do, I was so disappointed about everything. I thought it was all over." Tajrostami said she hopes to study art in the U.S. and plans to join her husband in Dallas soon. He moved from Iran six months ago, has a green card and is working at a car dealership. Similar scenes played out across the U.S. after a federal judge in Seattle on Friday suspended the president's travel ban and after a federal appeals court denied the Trump administration's request to set aside the ruling. The U.S. canceled the visas of up to 60,000 foreigners in the week after the ban on travel from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen took effect, according to the State Department. Trump also suspended nearly all refugee admissions for 120 days and barred Syrian refugees indefinitely. The order triggered protests and a multitude of legal challenges around the country and blocked numerous college students, researchers and others from entering the U.S. Trump, who said the goal was to keep terrorists from slipping into the country, lashed out against U.S. District Judge James Robart for putting the ban on hold. He referred to Robart as a "so-called judge" and called the ruling "ridiculous." On Sunday, the president tweeted: "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" Iranian researcher Nima Enayati, a Ph.D. candidate at a university in Milan, was prevented from boarding a flight to the U.S. on Jan. 30. He had a visa to conduct research on robotic surgery at Stanford University in California. On Sunday night, he arrived in New York. "It feels great finally I'm here," Enayati said at JFK. "Considering the last 10 days we had no idea if we'll be able to make it or not." Enayati said he feels safe for now, but worries that the travel ban could inhibit research in the future. "We always had this open collaboration around the world," he said. "We never had concerns about whether we would be able to go somewhere physically or not." Mahsa Azabadi, 29, an Iranian-American who lives in Denver, was forced to put her wedding plans on hold after her fiance, Sorena Behzadfar, was turned away when he tried to board a plane to travel from Iran to the U.S. on Jan. 28. Over the weekend, though, Behzadfar was cleared for travel and was expected to arrive at Boston's Logan Airport on Sunday afternoon. "It's been a really tough week to figure out what will happen to us," said Azabadi, who has lived in the U.S. for 11 years and is now a U.S. citizen. The couple is hoping to keep their wedding date of May 12. "Seeing the support from the lawyers and different people trying to help, it was really nice," she said. "We want to be the best and do the best for the people and for this country. We would love to have the opportunity." ___ Associated Press writer Emery Dalesio contributed to this report from Raleigh, North Carolina. Lavoie contributed from Boston. Abdullah Alghazali, right, hugs his 13-year-old son Ali Abdullah Alghazali after the Yemeni boy stepped out of an arrival entrance at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. Travelers from the seven predominantly Muslim countries affected by President Donald Trump's ban enjoyed tearful reunions with family members in the U.S. on Sunday after a federal judge swept the restrictions aside. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan) Ali Abdullah Alghazali, 13, from Yemen, center front, hugs his mother as his cousins looks on after he stepped out of an arrival entrance at John F. Kennedy International Airport, in New York, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. Travelers from the seven predominantly Muslim countries affected by President Donald Trump's ban enjoyed tearful reunions with family members in the U.S. on Sunday after a federal judge swept the restrictions aside. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan) Iranian bioengineering researcher Nima Enayati walks out of a gate after arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. The Ph.D. candidate at a university in Milan, was prevented from boarding a flight to the U.S. on Jan. 30. He had a visa to conduct research on robotic surgery at Stanford University in California. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan) Iranian bioengineering researcher Nima Enayati walks out of a gate after arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. The Ph.D. candidate at a university in Milan, was prevented from boarding a flight to the U.S. on Jan. 30. He had a visa to conduct research on robotic surgery at Stanford University in California. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan) Iranian bioengineering researcher Nima Enayati walks out of a gate after arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. The Ph.D. candidate at a university in Milan was prevented from boarding a flight to the U.S. on Jan. 30. He had a visa to conduct research on robotic surgery at Stanford University in California. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan) Anas Allouz pumps his fist in the air to protest against President Donald Trump's executive order during a rally on Public Square in Wilkes Barre, Pa., Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017. (Dave Scherbenco/The Citizens' Voice via AP) Noor Almeky, 10, holds up a sign during a rally on Public Square in Wilkes Barre, Pa., Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, protesting President Donald Trump's executive order. (Dave Scherbenco/The Citizens' Voice via AP) A man protests in front of Trump Plaza holding a sign depicting the cover of the German magazine Der Spiegel in West Palm Beach, Fla. as President Donald Trump and first lady Melania attend the 60th annual Red Cross Ball at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017. (Michael Ares/Palm Beach Post via AP) Thousands gather at Denver's City Center Park for a rally in support of the Muslim community and to protest President Donald Trump's executive order to temporarily ban some refugees from seven mostly Muslim countries, in Denver, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley) Protesters opposed to President Donald Trump's Immigration policy gather outside the Stonewall Inn, a Greenwich Village bar where the gay rights movement was born, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017. One week before, the president issued an executive order barring people from seven mostly Muslim countries from the U.S. A judge temporarily blocked the ban Friday, allowing travelers to enter. (Karen Ciaramella via AP) Members of International Migrants Alliance in Hong Kong hold placards during a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's selective country travel ban outside of the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) Members of International Migrants Alliance in Hong Kong hold placards during a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's selective country travel ban outside of the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) Members of International Migrants Alliance in Hong Kong hold placards during a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's selective country travel ban outside of the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) Members of International Migrants Alliance in Hong Kong hold placards during a protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's selective country travel ban outside of the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) Iranian-born bioengineer researcher Nima Enayati talks on his phone at Milan's Malpensa International airport in Busto Arsizio, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. Just hours after an appeals court blocked an attempt to re-impose the travel ban, Iranian researcher Nima Enayati checked in on an Emirates Airline flight direct from Milans Malpensa airport to New Yorks JFK on Sunday afternoon. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Iranian-born bioengineer researcher Nima Enayati talks on his mobile phone at Milan's Malpensa international airport in Busto Arsizio, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. Just hours after an appeals court blocked an attempt to re-impose the travel ban, Iranian researcher Nima Enayati checked in on an Emirates Airline flight direct from Milans Malpensa airport to New Yorks JFK on Sunday afternoon. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Iranian-born bioengineer researcher Nima Enayati talks on his phone at Milan's Malpensa International airport in Busto Arsizio, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. Just hours after an appeals court blocked an attempt to re-impose the travel ban, Iranian researcher Nima Enayati checked in on an Emirates Airline flight direct from Milans Malpensa airport to New Yorks JFK on Sunday afternoon. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Iranian-born bioengineer researcher Nima Enayati looks at his boarding pass as he waits at the Milan's Malpensa International airport in Busto Arsizio, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. Just hours after an appeals court blocked an attempt to re-impose the travel ban, Iranian researcher Nima Enayati checked in on an Emirates Airline flight direct from Milans Malpensa airport to New Yorks JFK on Sunday afternoon. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) AP FACT CHECK: Reality in Washington took a beating Reality took a beating from the Washington blame game this past week. Americans heard about a Kentucky massacre that never happened, a travel ban that was a ban despite it being called something else, and a dark plot to help Russian intelligence that was nothing of the sort. A look at some of the ways political figures strayed into fiction: ___ SEAN SPICER, White House press secretary: "Well, first of all, it's not a travel ban." On President Donald Trump's executive order halting travel to the U.S. for people from seven majority-Muslim countries. In this Feb. 3, 2017, photo, President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. Reality took a beating from the Washington blame game this past week. Americans heard about a Kentucky massacre that never happened, a travel ban that was a ban despite it being called something else, and a dark plot to help Russian intelligence that was nothing of the sort. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) JOHN KELLY, secretary of homeland security: "This is not a travel ban; this is a temporary pause that allows us to better review the existing refugee and visa-vetting system." THE FACTS: That's not what their boss said the day before. President Donald Trump defended the order and its immediate implementation in a tweet: "If the ban were announced with a one week notice, the 'bad' would rush into our country during that week. A lot of bad 'dudes' out there!" Spicer himself also had called it a ban Monday at George Washington University's School of Media and Public Affairs, saying "the ban deals with seven countries that the Obama administration had previously identified as needing further travel restrictions." ___ TRUMP, in a White House statement Sunday: "My policy is similar to what President (Barack) Obama did in 2011 when he banned visas for refugees from Iraq for six months." THE FACTS: That's not what happened. According to State Department data, 9,388 Iraqi refugees were admitted to the United States during the 2011 budget year. The data also show that Iraqi refugees were admitted every month during the 2011 calendar year. The Obama administration did slow processing for Iraqi nationals seeking refuge in the U.S. under the government's Special Immigrant Visa program for translators and interpreters who worked with American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. That happened after two Iraqi nationals were arrested on terrorism-related charges. But that year, 618 Iraqis were allowed to enter the U.S. with that special visa. As well, government data show that during the 2011 budget year, more than 7,800 Iraqis were allowed into the United States on non-immigrant visas, including tourists. ___ TRUMP, in the same statement: "The seven countries named in the Executive Order are the same countries previously identified by the Obama administration as sources of terror." THE FACTS: That's misleading. There were no special U.S. travel restrictions on citizens of those seven countries. The Republican-led Congress in 2015 voted to require visas and additional security checks for foreign citizens who normally wouldn't need visas such as those from Britain if they had visited the seven countries: Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. This was included in a large spending bill passed overwhelmingly by Congress and signed by Obama. As the law was enacted, the Obama administration announced that journalists, aid workers and others who traveled to the listed countries for official work could apply for exemptions. ___ TRUMP, also in Sunday's statement: "To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting. This is not about religion this is about terror and keeping our country safe. There are over 40 different countries worldwide that are majority Muslim that are not affected by this order." THE FACTS: Trump is right that there are many majority-Muslim countries that have not been included in the travel ban. But he's also being misleading. The executive order signed Jan. 27 does not specifically say Muslims can't visit the U.S., but it does create a temporary total travel ban for citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries. It also indefinitely bans Syrians. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani recently told Fox News that Trump had asked him to create a plan for a Muslim ban that would meet legal tests. Giuliani said he ultimately made recommendations that focused on security and what countries posed security threats. ___ NANCY PELOSI, a California Democrat and House minority leader, on Thursday: "Less than two weeks after walking into the White House, President Trump lifts sanctions on the Russian Security Service. Vladimir Putin's thugs meddle with an American election, and President Trump gives them a thank you present. " THE FACTS: Pelosi's complaint about Trump's revision of sanctions on the Russian intelligence service FSB doesn't hold water. If the revision is a gift to anyone, it's to U.S. sellers of consumer electronics. The Dec. 29 sanctions imposed by the Obama administration were not intended to ban the U.S. sale of cellphones, tablets and other consumer electronics to Russia. But they had that effect, by barring U.S. firms from getting the permits needed from the FSB to sell in Russia. The FSB has regulatory as well as intelligence responsibilities. Trump's change does not materially benefit the FSB, except in a minuscule way. It allows U.S. firms to pay the FSB a required fee of up to $5,000 per year to export encryption-capable consumer electronics to that country. It's of more benefit to the U.S. sellers and Russian buyers of those devices. It's not unusual to fine-tune sanctions to permit certain transactions. Democrats incensed at alleged Russian hacking of their party's campaign communications have been watching for a sign that Trump would ease Obama's Russian sanctions in a consequential way. But this wasn't it. ___ KELLYANNE CONWAY, senior Trump adviser, in an MSNBC interview Thursday: "President Obama had a six-month ban on the Iraqi refugee program after two Iraqis came here to this country, were radicalized, and they were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre." She went on: "Most people don't know that because it didn't get covered." THE FACTS: There was no massacre. Conway tweeted the next day that she'd misspoken, and meant to say "Bowling Green terrorists." But she didn't address another mischaracterization that Obama had instituted a similar ban. Obama never banned Iraqi refugees or other Iraqi travelers from coming to the United States. His administration did slow down the processing for Iraqis seeking Special Immigrant Visas, which are given to translators and interpreters who worked with the U.S. in that country. The slowdown was prompted by the May 2011 arrest of two men in Kentucky charged with plotting to send weapons and money to al-Qaida operatives abroad. Waad Ramadan Alwan and Mohanad Shareef Hammadi had been mistakenly admitted to the U.S. as Iraqi refugees in 2009 and resettled in Bowling Green. IS suspects detained in Turkey raids rises to nearly 750 ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey has now detained nearly 750 suspects in a police operation against the Islamic State group, authorities said Monday. Anti-terrorism police launched the security operation against people with alleged links to IS early Sunday, conducting simultaneous raids in 29 provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara and the border provinces of Gaziantep and Sanliurfa. The Interior Ministry released a statement Monday saying that 748 people have been detained in the police sweep, but did not give their nationalities. In addition, 72 other suspects were detained last week, it said. Turkish anti-terrorism police break a door during an operation to arrest people over alleged links to the Islamic State group, in Adiyaman, southeastern Turkey, early Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. Turkey's state-run agency says anti-terrorism police have detained more than 400 people in simultaneous police operations that spanned several cities, including Istanbul and Gaziantep near the border with Syria, according to the report. (Mahir Alan/Dha-Depo Photos via AP) The state-run Anadolu Agency said police seized IS documents, digital material and six firearms during the raids. Anadolu, citing police sources, said the IS was "searching" for ways to carry out a "sensational attack" in Turkey, and was actively engaged in propaganda in order to recruit fighters. It said the raids targeted suspects believed to be in contact with IS operatives in conflict zones. Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said Turkey was determined to "bring to their knees" IS and other terror organizations active in the country by blocking them from recruiting new fighters. "We will get results," Kurtulmus added. Turkey in the last year has suffered dozens of deadly attacks linked to IS or Kurdish militants, and has been stepping up its anti-terrorism efforts. The Islamic State group, which took responsibility for a New Year's mass shooting at an Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people, claims to have multiple cells in Turkey. The accused perpetrator of the nightclub attack, an Uzbek national who reportedly trained in Afghanistan, was detained in Istanbul two weeks after the assault. Officials hoped his questioning would lead to valuable information about IS operations and cells inside Turkey, but it wasn't immediately known if the major raid was in any way linked to his arrest. Trump says media 'doesn't want to report' extremist attacks MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AP) President Donald Trump on Monday accused the media of deliberately minimizing coverage of the threat posed by the Islamic State group, saying news outlets "have their reasons" for not reporting what he described as a "genocide" underway at the hands of the group. The president did not immediately offer evidence to support his claim, made during the new commander in chief's first visit to the headquarters for U.S. Central Command. Later, the White House released a list of 78 attacks it described as "executed or inspired by" the Islamic State group since September 2014. The White House said "most" on the list did not get sufficient media attention, although it did not explain how it defined the term. Some of the incidents on the list received widespread attention and deep reporting. "You've seen what happened in Paris and Nice. All over Europe it's happening. It's gotten to a point where it's not even being reported," Trump told a group of military leaders and troops during the visit. "And in many cases, the very, very dishonest press doesn't want to report it. They have their reasons and you understand that." President Donald Trump speaks to troops while visiting U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla., Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Trump, who has made relentless criticism of the media a hallmark of his presidency, did not explain why he thinks news outlets minimize attention on such attacks. Later, White House spokesman Sean Spicer tried to tone down the president's remarks, saying it was a question of balance: "Like a protest gets blown out of the water, and yet an attack or a foiled attack doesn't necessarily get the same coverage." The list released late Monday included incidents like a truck massacre in Nice, France, that killed dozens and received widespread attention, as well as less high-profile incidents in which nobody was killed. The AP could not verify that each of the incidents had connections to the Islamic State group. The list appeared to be hastily assembled, including several misspellings of the word "attacker." Trump also used the visit to CENTCOM to defend his immigration and refugee restrictions and reaffirm his support for NATO. He laced his speech with references to homeland security amid a court battle over his travel ban on people from seven majority-Muslim countries. He did not directly mention the case now before a federal appeals court after a lower court temporarily suspended the ban. "We need strong programs" so that "people that love us and want to love our country and will end up loving our country are allowed in" and those who "want to destroy us and destroy our country" are kept out, Trump said. "Freedom, security and justice will prevail," Trump added. "We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism and we will not allow it to take root in our country. We're not going to allow it." Trump touched upon various alliances in his remarks, noting, "we strongly support NATO." He spoke Sunday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. A White House statement said the two "discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments," and also talked about the crisis in Ukraine and security challenges facing NATO countries. Trump once dismissed the trans-Atlantic military alliance as "obsolete," and said he would decide whether to protect NATO countries against Russian aggression based on whether those countries "have fulfilled their obligations to us." Speaking as commander in chief, Trump repeated his promises to defeat "radical Islamic terrorists" but provided no specifics on any policy changes he wants in the fight against the Islamic State. Before his remarks, Trump sat down for lunch with a room full of troops in fatigues from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, as well as senior members of his White House staff. Trump made small talk with some of the soldiers, discussing everything from football to military careers. "Gonna make it a career?" Trump asked one person. "C'mon, you have to stay," he urged another. Trump also hailed New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, saying he "cemented his place" in football history after his fifth Super Bowl win Sunday. Trump stopped at the base on the way back to Washington after his first weekend away from the White House. Trump spent the weekend at his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, with first lady Melania Trump, who had not appeared in public since shortly after her husband took office. At MacDill, the president was briefed by CENTCOM and SOCOM leaders. A number of his advisers, including Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Michael Flynn, Trump's national security adviser, also attended. Trump met with Florida Gov. Rick Scott before delivering his remarks, telling the crowd at CENTCOM that Scott's endorsement of his candidacy for president "makes him a better friend of mine," adding that with those who don't offer their endorsement, "it's never quite the same." CENTCOM oversaw a recent raid by U.S. special operations forces on an al-Qaida compound in Yemen, the first military operation authorized by Trump. A Navy SEAL, Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens, 36, of Peoria, Illinois, was killed, making him the first known U.S. combat casualty under Trump. Three other U.S. service members were wounded in the operation. More than half a dozen suspected militants and more than a dozen civilians were also killed, including the 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical cleric and U.S. citizen who was targeted and killed in 2011 by a U.S. drone strike. Trump made no mention of Owens or the raid in Yemen during his remarks Monday, but he paid recognition to the sacrifices of American military families and the spouses of American soldiers, vowing his support to those who risk their lives for the country. "We protect those who protect us, and we will never, ever let you down," he said. __ Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap President Donald Trump has lunch with troops while visiting U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. Trump, who spent the weekend at Mar-a-Lago, stopped for a visit to the headquarters before returning to Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) President Donald Trump has lunch with troops while visiting U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. Trump, who spent the weekend at Mar-a-Lago, stopped for a visit to the headquarters before returning to Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Walker's Wisconsin could be a model for Trump on unions WASHINGTON (AP) Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's crackdown on collective bargaining could serve as a model for President Donald Trump's plans to overhaul the federal workforce. But any such move by the new president would risk a fight with already wary labor leaders. Walker, the chief promoter, says he spoke last week with Vice President Mike Pence about "how they may take bits and pieces of what we did" with the union law and public workforce overhaul and "apply it at the national level." "They look at not only what we did with (the collective bargaining law) but even some of the civil service reforms, the two combined, so they can hire and fire based on merit and pay based on performance," Walker told The Associated Press in an interview last week. A spokesman for Pence declined to comment. Those remarks raised fresh hackles among leaders of public and private unions, many of whom endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton and have seethed over Trump's choice of a fast-food executive to be his secretary of labor, as well as his executive order freezing most federal salaries. To them, Wisconsin is a warning. "President Trump and Vice President Pence should stay far away from Gov. Scott Walker," said J. David Cox Sr., president of the American Federation of Federal Employees. Walker's record on labor, he added, "is a bad investment, particularly if you'd like to be known as a 'jobs president.' " Under Walker, the state's 2011 law barred collective bargaining over working conditions and big pay increases for most public workers. It also required them to pay more for health care and pension benefits. The measure led to massive protests and an unsuccessful attempt to recall Walker in 2012. His legacy includes a 2015 law that made Wisconsin one of at least 27 states with so-called right-to-work laws that generally prohibit businesses and unions from requiring all workers, not just union members, to pay union dues. Republicans in Congress introduced a national version of right-to-work legislation last week that would, for the first time, allow millions of workers to opt out of union membership. In many ways, the national political environment favors right-to-work and a crackdown on collective bargaining. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Jan. 26 that the number of working Americans who are union members declined from 2015 to 2016 by 240,000 people. About 1 in 10 U.S. workers belonged to unions in 2016, roughly half of the percentage in 1983 the first year comparable data was available, the agency said. Exit polls from the 2016 election showed people living in union households supported Clinton over Trump by a 9 percentage point margin, down from margins of around 20 points for Democrats in most recent presidential votes. And the nation's ranks of right-to-work states are poised to increase, with Republican-controlled state governments in New Hampshire and Missouri advancing legislation. Although right-to-work legislation has historically failed in New Hampshire, supporters see new hope with a GOP governor and legislature. Kentucky also has a new GOP majority, and in January became the last Southern state to pass a right-to-work law. "We don't care if they are union jobs or nonunion jobs," said state Rep. Jonathan Shell, the No. 2 Republican in the Kentucky House, which flipped to GOP control for the first time since 1921. "I don't think people who are trying to put food on the table are going to care (about) that either. I think what they are worried about is making sure that they do have a job." But Wisconsin is a Trump favorite because it was expected to go to Clinton. Important, too, is a Wisconsin-to-Washington power nexus that includes House Speaker Paul Ryan and Trump's White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus. Trump held a "thank you" rally in the state at which he shared the stage with Walker, Ryan and Priebus. "What we're seeing today is what happened in Wisconsin six years ago," said Paul Secunda, director of the labor and employment law program at Marquette University Law School. "With the current administration, it's Wisconsin on a larger scale," he said. But Trey Kovacs, a labor policy analyst at the conservative Competitive Enterprise Institute, notes that Trump hasn't given many details about his plans for the work force. Labor unions and their allies aren't stepping aside. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka shrugged off the idea of Trump making a Walker-style assault on the federal civil service because, he said, even the Republican-controlled Congress won't allow it. "Most people understand that if he does that in a Republican administration, it can also happen in a Democratic administration," Trumka said in an interview. "And that wouldn't be so good, would it?" ___ Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin. Associated Press writers Emily Swanson and Ken Thomas in Washington, Adam Beam in Lexington, Kentucky, Summer Ballentine in Jefferson City, Missouri, and Kathleen Ronayne in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this report. ___ Afghan diplomat killed by his guard in Pakistan KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) An Afghan diplomat was shot and killed by his security guard inside the consulate in the Pakistani port city of Karachi on Monday, officials said. Mohammad Zaki Abdu, the third secretary at the consulate, died of his wounds shortly after the shooting, according to the consulate's spokesman, Haris Khan. "We were working at our office when we heard gunshots," he said. "Everybody was running in panic." Pakistani paramilitary soldiers and police commandos gather outside the Afghan consulate following a shooting incident, in Karachi, Pakistan, Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. Officials say a security guard has shot and killed an Afghan diplomat in the Pakistani city of Karachi. (AP Photo/Shakil Adil) The guard, identified only as an Afghan national named Rahatullah, was taken into custody, said Pakistani police official Azad Khan. Both officials said the motive behind the killing was not yet known. Pakistan has long been a hotbed of Islamic militancy. Foreign missions are provided extra security and also frequently hire their own private guards. Rahatullah was the slain diplomat's personal bodyguard, and it wasn't clear whether the Afghan Consulate had hired him officially, said Khan, the police official. Noor Wali Khan Noor, a Foreign Ministry official in Kabul, said a delegation from the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad has been dispatched to Karachi to investigate the incident. Pakistan's Foreign Office said police intervened immediately after the shooting, which took place in the lobby of the consulate. It said Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry spoke by phone with the Afghan ambassador to offer condolences and assistance in the investigation. Afghanistan and Pakistan have long accused each other of tolerating Islamic militants who operate along their porous border. A Pakistani paramilitary soldier stands guard outside the Afghan consulate following a firing incident in Karachi, Pakistan, Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. Officials say a security guard has shot and killed an Afghan diplomat in the Pakistani city of Karachi. (AP Photo/Shakil Adil) Pakistani security officials escort a suspect, center, for interrogation outside the Afghan consulate following a shooting incident, in Karachi, Pakistan, Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. Officials say a security guard has shot and killed an Afghan diplomat in the Pakistani city of Karachi. (AP Photo/Shakil Adil) China ex-deputy intelligence chief graft probe proceeding BEIJING (AP) The corruption investigation into a former Chinese deputy intelligence chief is proceeding, prosecutors said Monday, signaling President Xi Jinping's determination to continue targeting high-level officials as part of his sweeping anti-graft campaign. The supreme state prosecutor's office said that Ma Jian, a former vice minister of state security, has been placed under "compulsory measures." The term can refer to arrest, detention, bail pending trial or house arrest. The proceedings in such investigations are shrouded in secrecy and Ma is believed to have already been under initial investigation for about two years. Prosecutors say Ma, who was in charge of counterespionage, is suspected of having taken bribes in return for favors and abusing his position to help his relatives' businesses. He's also accused of interfering with law enforcement and judicial activities, secreting away money and property relating to his case, and arranging for exit permits for his family members. Reports in the widely respected Chinese magazine Caixin, which were later reprinted by state media, said investigators found that Ma had been keeping six mistresses with whom he'd had a pair of sons, and owned a half-dozen mansions in Beijing. Ma, who had worked in the Ministry of State Security for three decades, was expelled from the ruling Communist Party in December, placing him in line for prosecution and almost certain conviction. High-level officials such as former Communist Party Politburo Standing Committee member Zhou Yongkang have received sentences of up to life in prison as President Xi seeks to purge the ruling party of corrupt officials seen as diminishing its standing among the public and weakening its mandate to rule. Tech firms take stand against travel ban, risking backlash SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Through a Super Bowl ad, public statements and court filings, Silicon Valley's biggest companies are taking a strong stand against President Donald Trump's travel ban, saying high tech needs immigrants' creativity and energy to stay competitive. Although the companies are risking a backlash from customers who side with Trump, they say the pushback is necessary for an industry dependent on thousands of highly skilled foreign workers. About 58 percent of the engineers and other high-skill employees in Silicon Valley were born outside the U.S., according to the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, an industry trade group. Nazanin Zinouri, 29, is greeted at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, S.C., with kisses from her dog Dexter and well-wishers holding signs reading "Welcome Home" on Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. Zinouri, an Iranian engineer and Clemson University graduate, had been unable to return to the United States because of the executive order President Donald Trump signed that limited travel to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz) "Immigration and innovation go hand in hand," said Carl Guardino, the group's CEO. "This cuts so deeply into the bone and marrow of what fuels the innovation economy that very few CEOs feel the luxury of sitting on the sidelines. So people are going to stand up and speak up." The tech industry contends there aren't enough Americans with the specialized skills these companies need. Though critics contend that companies favor immigrants because they can pay them less, tech companies argue that the ban would pressure them to move some operations abroad. "A lot of these companies will really struggle if all of a sudden we turn off the spigot," said Greg Morrisett, dean of computing and information sciences at Cornell University. In a court filing Sunday against the ban, 97 companies, including such major tech players as Google, Apple, Microsoft, eBay, Netflix, Facebook and Twitter, also spoke of the entrepreneurial spirit of "people who choose to leave everything that is familiar and journey to an unknown land to make a new life." Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella both came from India. Google co-founder Sergey Brin is a Russian refugee who moved to the U.S. as a boy. The father of Apple's late co-founder, Steve Jobs, immigrated from Syria. Tech worker Ehsaan Taeb, 28, said his whole family is in Iran and knowing his parents won't be able to visit him has added stress to his life. But seeing his company and other tech companies taking a stand against the ban has heartened him, he said. "When you see your employer and other companies make that kind of effort, that makes me feel very supported and in a community that's thoughtful and caring," said Taeb, who works in support at Checkr, a software company that provides background checks for businesses. The Silicon Valley Leadership Group estimates that half the companies in the region were co-founded by an immigrant or are now led by a CEO from outside the U.S. In signing an executive order Jan. 27 that would temporarily ban people from seven Muslim-majority countries, Trump said he was trying to protect Americans by preventing terrorists from slipping into the country. The administration says the president has the constitutional authority to decide who can enter. During the Super Bowl, several companies ran ads that promoted diversity and inclusion, as marketers tried to reach both sides of a consumer base roiled by the election. One of the most overtly political was from Airbnb, a company that matches travelers with places to stay. The San Francisco company showed close-ups of people with different ethnicities. A narrator says: "We believe no matter who you are, where you're from, who you love or who you worship, we all belong. The world is more beautiful the more you accept." Airbnb followed up with a campaign to provide short-term housing over the next five years for 100,000 people in need, starting with refugees, disaster survivors and relief workers. The company also said it will donate $4 million over four years to the International Rescue Committee, joining many tech brethren in making financial contributions. Google set up a $4 million "crisis fund" in January to support organizations that are helping immigrants and refugees, while ride-hailing service Lyft pledged $1 million over the next four years to the American Civil Liberties Union, one of the groups challenging the ban. And workers from Google and Comcast workers have staged walkouts over the restriction. "I wouldn't be where I am today or have any kind of life that I have today if this was not a brave country that really stood out and spoke for liberty," Brin told a crowd of Google employees who walked out in protest last week. Tech companies risk alienating the many Americans who support Trump and his policies. But the risk is lower than that of, say, a company that makes consumer products with plenty of alternatives. It's much harder to boycott a Facebook or Google, where you have friends or your email address, said digital marketing analyst Rebecca Lieb. She added that people are less likely to toss out a $2,000 laptop or pricey mobile phone than change soft drinks. In fact, tech companies might be more wary of backlash from the anti-Trump side. Last week, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick quit Trump's council of business leaders after an outcry from Uber customers and employees who were upset about the ban. In addition, most tech companies have operations around the world and risk alienating customers abroad if they stay silent. "We interact with a large global ecosystem and our businesses would not be here or be able to thrive without it," said Aaron Levie, CEO of Box Inc., an online storage service. "So our businesses are extremely sensitive, by default, to things that affect immigration and things that affect our relationship with the broader world." ___ Associated Press Writers Barbara Ortutay in New York and Chris Grygiel in Seattle contributed to this report. Mae Anderson reported from New York. Iranian bioengineering researcher Nima Enayati walks out of a gate after arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. The Ph.D. candidate at a university in Milan, was prevented from boarding a flight to the U.S. on Jan. 30. He had a visa to conduct research on robotic surgery at Stanford University in California. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan) This photo provided by Airbnb shows a still image from the company's Super Bowl 51 spot. Airbnb is following up its Super Bowl ad calling for acceptance with a campaign to provide short-term housing over the next five years for 100,000 people in need. An announcement on the rental service's website says it plans to start with refugees, disaster survivors and relief workers, but wants "to accommodate many more types of displaced people over time." (Airbnb via AP) FILE - In this April 19, 2016, file photo, Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky speaks during an event in San Francisco. Airbnb is following up its Super Bowl ad on Feb. 5, 2017, calling for acceptance with a campaign to provide short-term housing over the next five years for 100,000 people in need. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) Sen. Tom Udall, D-New Mexico, speaks to immigrant rights advocates at the New Mexico Statehouse in Santa Fe, N.M., Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. Udall told advocates on Monday that President Donald Trump's travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries is "illegal and unconstitutional" and vowed to fight it with other Democratic senators. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras) Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M, right, speaks to an immigrant rights advocate at the statehouse in Santa Fe, N.M., Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. Udall told advocates on Monday that President Donald Trump's travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries is "illegal and unconstitutional" and vowed to fight it with other Democratic senators. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras) Israel passes law legalizing thousands of settlement homes JERUSALEM (AP) Israel's parliament on Monday passed a contentious law meant to retroactively legalize thousands of West Bank settlement homes built unlawfully on private Palestinian land, a step that is expected to trigger international outrage and a flurry of lawsuits against the measure. The explosive law is the latest in a series of pro-settler steps taken by Israel's hard-line government since the election of Donald Trump as U.S. president. He is seen as more sympathetic to Israel's settlement policies than his fiercely critical predecessor, and the Israeli government has approved plans to build thousands of new homes on occupied territory since Trump took office. "We are voting tonight on our right to the land," Cabinet minister Ofir Akunis said during a stormy debate ahead of the vote. "We are voting tonight on the connection between the Jewish people and its land. This whole land is ours. All of it." FILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017, file photo, heavy machinery work at a construction site in the West Bank Jewish settlement of Ariel. Israels prime minister is moving ahead with a contentious law that would legalize dozens of settlement outposts in the West Bank, despite questions about the bills legality and a warning from the White House that settlement construction may not be helpful. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit, File) Critics say the legislation enshrines into law the theft of Palestinian land, and it is expected to be challenged in Israel's Supreme Court. According to the law, Palestinian landowners would be compensated either with money or alternative land, even if they did not agree to give up their property. The vote passed 60-52 in Israel's 120-member Knesset following a raucous debate in which opposition lawmakers shouted from their seats at governing coalition lawmakers speaking in favor of the vote from the dais. Some legislators supportive of the law took pictures of the plenum during the vote while some spectators in visitors' seats raised black cloth in apparent protest. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had voiced misgivings about the law in the lead-up to vote, reportedly expressing concern that it could lead to international censure and saying he wanted to coordinate with the Trump administration before moving ahead on a vote. He told reporters on a trip to London that he had updated Washington and was ready to move ahead with the law. He was on his way back from the trip and was not present for the vote. The White House's immediate response was to refer to its statement last week that said the construction of new settlements "may not be helpful" in achieving an Israeli-Palestinian peace. The State Department later that "the Trump administration will withhold comment on the legislation until the relevant court ruling." David Harris, CEO of AJC, the global Jewish advocacy organization, said: "Israel's High Court can and should reverse this misguided legislation." "The controversial Knesset action, ahead of Prime Minister Netanyahu's meeting with president Trump in Washington, is misguided and likely to prove counter-productive to Israel's core national interests," he said in a statement. Netanyahu's attorney general has called the bill unconstitutional and said he won't defend it in the Supreme Court. Critics have warned it could drag Israel into a legal battle at the International Criminal Court at The Hague, Netherlands, which is already pursuing a preliminary examination into settlements. Among the law's problematic elements is that the West Bank is not sovereign Israeli territory and that Palestinians who live there are not citizens and do not have the right to vote for the government that imposed the law on them. Palestinians condemned the law. "This is an escalation that would only lead to more instability and chaos. It is unacceptable. It is denounced and the international community should act immediately," said Nabil Abu Rdeneh, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Netanyahu faced intense pressure from within his nationalist coalition, especially from the pro-settler Jewish Home party, to press ahead with the vote following the court-ordered evacuation last week of the illegal Amona outpost found to have been built on private Palestinian land. Over 40 settler families were forced to leave the 20-year-old outpost, and on Monday construction vehicles demolished and removed the trailer homes that remained behind. Opposition legislators said Netanyahu's support for the law was a high-stakes risk meant solely to curry favor with settler constituents and their potent political lobby. "For how many settler votes is Netanyahu willing to pass a law that he admits will drag us to The Hague?" Zehava Galon, leader of the dovish Meretz party, wrote on Facebook ahead of the vote. "The prime minister declares that the legalization bill is dangerous for Israel and instead of standing on his hind legs to stop this shameful law, he presses ahead with it." After years of condemnations from the Obama administration over settlement construction, Israel's government has ramped up settlement initiatives since Trump took office, announcing plans for some 6,000 new homes in the West Bank and east Jerusalem and promising to build a new settlement for the Amona evacuees. Trump has signaled a far more accepting approach to settlements, raising hopes in Netanyahu's government that it will be able to step up construction. The White House said little as Netanyahu announced plans during Trump's first two weeks in office to build over 6,000 new settler homes. But after Netanyahu announced his plan to establish a new settlement for the first time in two decades, Trump indicated that he, too, might have his limits. "While we don't believe the existence of settlements is an impediment to peace, the construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful in achieving that goal," the White House said. The Palestinians want the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war for their future state. Much of the international community views settlements as illegal and an obstacle to reaching peace with the Palestinians. Shortly before leaving office, President Barack Obama allowed the U.N. Security Council to pass a resolution declaring settlements illegal. Obama cited the Israeli outpost legislation as a reason for not vetoing the resolution. Before the law passed, the U.N. Mideast envoy, Nickolay Mladenov, called on lawmakers to vote against the law, saying that "it will have far-reaching legal consequences for Israel and greatly diminish the prospects for Arab-Israeli peace." ___ Associated Press writers Bradley Klapper in Washington and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. Landmark Srebrenica massacre trial starts in Serbia BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) The landmark trial of eight former Bosnian Serb police officers charged with taking part in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre started in a Serbian court on Monday with judges rejecting another postponement. The judges also read out the names of 1,313 people who the suspects are accused of killing. The long-awaited trial at the War Crimes Court in Belgrade is seen as a test of Serbia's pledge to deal with its wartime past and an important step in Balkan reconciliation efforts more than two decades after the Bosnian war ended. A police officer guards the entrance to the special court building during a trial of eight men accused of taking part in the massacre on the outskirts of Srebrenica, in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. Eight former Bosnian Serb special police troops went on trial Monday in Serbia charged with taking part in the massacre of thousands of Muslims in Srebrenica in 1995. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) The proceedings are the first time that a Serbian court has dealt with the killing by Bosnian Serb troops of around 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica, at the time a U.N.-protected enclave. It was Europe's worst single atrocity since World War II. A legal representative of the victims' families, Nikola Cukanovic, said he expects the court to deliver "justice according to the law." Serbia, which armed and backed the Bosnian Serbs during the 1992-95 war, has promised to punish war criminals as it advances toward EU membership. The country's nationalist government has faced criticism for stalling on that pledge. The trial was supposed to start in December, but was postponed over defense demands to know the identity of protected witnesses interviewed by prosecutors. On Monday, one of the defense lawyers demanded another adjournment, claiming the testimonies of protected witnesses believed to be Bosnian Serbs who were in the firing squads were illegal as they were given without the presence of defense attorneys. "It is clear to anyone that the value of such evidence is misplaced and cannot be accepted by the court," said defense lawyer Miroslav Petkovic. The eight suspects are charged with participating in the killing of hundreds of Muslims in a warehouse in Kravica, a village outside Srebrenica, as they tried to escape the Serb onslaught. More than 1,300 were crammed into the warehouse in the village and then killed with grenades and machine guns in a rampage that lasted all night. Among the suspects is a special police unit commander, Nedeljko Milidragovic, also known as "Nedjo the Butcher," accused of ordering and "organizing" the killings. The indictment says Milidragovic fired his pistol at those who still showed signs of life after the carnage. The group was apprehended in 2015. They were later released despite the gravity of the charges. ___ Ivana Bzganovic contributed to this report. 10 Things to Know for Tuesday - 7 February 2017 Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Tuesday: 1. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FILES DEFENSE OF TRAVEL BAN The fierce battle over Trump's travel and refugee ban edges up the judicial escalator, headed for a possible final face-off at the Supreme Court. FILE - Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of Fatah al-Sham Front, center, is seen in this picture posted by the group, discussing battlefield details with field commanders over a map. Syrias rebel groups and insurgents trying to oust President Bashar Assad have turned their guns on each other in some of the worst infighting yet, with al-Qaida-linked fighters battling other factions in a split between supporters and opponents of the Russian-led push for a new peace process for the country. (Militant UGC via AP, File ) 2. WHO'S SAYING THEY CAN'T ABIDE TRUMP'S BAN Silicon Valley's biggest companies are taking a strong stand against the travel ban, saying high tech needs immigrants' creativity and energy to stay competitive. 3. ISRAELI GOVERNMENT TAKES ANOTHER PRO-SETTLER STEP Israel's parliament passes a contentious law meant to retroactively legalize thousands of West Bank settlement homes built unlawfully on private Palestinian land. 4. PATRIOTS' QB BREATHING RARIFIED AIR With a record five Super Bowl rings, Tom Brady has established himself as the measuring stick for quarterbacks, NFL players and, just maybe, for all team-sport athletes. 5. SYRIAN REBELS TURNING GUNS ON ONE ANOTHER The clashes represent some of the worst infighting yet between the ragtag rebel groups and insurgents trying to oust Assad. 6. HOW BUS TOUR DEPARTS FROM BEATEN PATH Instead of taking folks to historic plazas and churches, the new Corruptour shines a spotlight on the murky world of graft in Mexico. 7. COUNTERMEASURES FOR ONLINE FALSEHOODS From less-than-useful browser add-ons to legislative bills calling for news literacy education, grassroots efforts are underway to fight "fake news." 8. DASHCAM VIDEO CAPTURES FIREBALL A meteor over Lake Michigan lights up the early morning sky across several states in the Midwest. 9. WHAT'S LIKELY TO ROIL THE OSCARS For those wondering if the Academy Awards will get political this year, the film academy's president all but confirms it at the annual Oscar nominees' luncheon. 10. IN COLLEGE HOOPS, A WAR OF ATTRITION Gonzaga stays put at No. 1 in the AP men's basketball poll following a week in which all but four of the top 10 teams lost at least one game. This image from a dashcam video provided by the Lisle Police Department in Lisle, Ill., shows a meteor as it streaked over Lake Michigan early Monday morning, Feb. 6, 2017. The meteor lit up the sky across several states in the Midwest. (Lisle (Ill.) Police Department via AP) 1st major German customer sues VW over diesel emissions BERLIN (AP) A fish wholesaler has become the first major Volkswagen customer in Germany to sue the automaker for selling diesel vehicles rigged to cheat on emissions tests. Deutsche See GmbH says it filed a lawsuit with a court in Braunschweig on Friday, alleging "malicious deceit" on the part of Volkswagen, after failing to reach an out-of-court settlement. Deutsche See says it wants Volkswagen to repay about 11.9 million euros ($12.8 million) in leasing fees paid for its fleet of 500 Volkswagen diesel vehicles since 2009. Volkswagen said Monday that it hadn't yet received official notification of the lawsuit and therefore couldn't comment on the case. Suspect in Florida mosque fire may plead no contest FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) An ex-convict who investigators say confessed to setting fire to a Florida mosque tied to the Orlando nightclub shooter may plead no contest to those charges. Public defender Stanley Glenn told local reporters last week that Joseph Michael Schreiber may plead no contest at a hearing Monday. He is charged with second-degree arson for allegedly torching the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce last Sept. 11, the 15th anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. A no contest plea is treated the same as a guilty plea. The 32-year-old Schreiber could get 30 years in prison. Portugal is cautioned over high debt, low investment LISBON, Portugal (AP) The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is warning Portugal that its fragile banks and high national debt make it especially vulnerable to international events, such as a slump in world trade or financial difficulties in other eurozone countries. The 34-nation global policy organization says Portugal must swiftly address the problem of non-performing loans, possibly creating a so-called "bad bank" where they could be held, and boost investment. The OECD said in a report Monday that bad loans accounted for around 13 percent of all credit granted in Portugal. That was the fourth-highest in the eurozone after Greece, Italy and Ireland. Government debt is at about 130 percent of GDP, one of the highest in the eurozone. Teen admits killing Florida woman in London knife rampage LONDON (AP) A teenager on Monday admitted killing a retired Florida teacher and injuring five other people in a stabbing rampage near the British Museum in London. Zakaria Bulhan, 19, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility in the Aug. 3 slaying of 64-year-old Darlene Horton of Tallahassee, Florida. Bulhan also pleaded guilty to five counts of wounding during a hearing at London's Central Criminal Court. He had been charged with one count of murder and five of attempted murder, but prosecutors said they would accept the guilty pleas to lesser charges. FILE - In this Aug. 4, 2016 file photo, police forensic officers at work in Russell Square, central London, after a knife attack. A teenager has admitted killing a retired Florida teacher and injuring five other people in a stabbing rampage near the British Museum in London. Somali-Norwegian Zakaria Bulhan, 19, pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility in the Aug. 3 slaying of 64-year-old Darlene Horton. He also pleaded guilty to five counts of wounding during a hearing Monday, Feb. 6, 2017 at London's Central Criminal Court. (Yui Mok/PA via AP, file) They said Bulhan was suffering an "acute" episode of paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the attack. He told police who interviewed him that the devil had made him kill. Police subdued Bulhan with a stun gun after the late-night attack in Russell Square, a busy tourist hub. The stabbings raised fears of terrorism, but police said it was not considered a terrorist attack. Prosecutor Mark Heywood described how "without warning or provocation, (Bulhan) stabbed six people in relatively quick succession, saying nothing to any of them, moving on after each stabbing towards his next victim." Heywood said Horton was stabbed in the back, with the blade penetrating her left lung and heart, and died at the scene. The other victims two Australians, an Israeli, an American and a British citizen have recovered from their injuries. Horton was in London with her husband, Florida State University psychology professor Richard Wagner, who had been teaching summer classes. They were scheduled to fly home the day after she was killed. Cyprus: UN Security Council has role in reunification talks NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) U.N. Security Council member states must take part in a future summit aiming to remove a key stumbling block to a deal reunifying ethnically divided Cyprus, the island's government spokesman said Monday. Nicos Christodoulides told The Associated Press that Security Council members have expressed their readiness to "actively and effectively take part" in such a summit, and that he expects their participation. He said that the U.N. Security Council, which has been involved in Cyprus talks for more than five decades, should ensure the implementation of a peace accord something that concerns both Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Greek Minister for Foreign Affairs Nikos Kotzias, left, shakes hands with the U.N. Special Advisor of the Secretary-General Espen Barth Eide before their meeting to discuss the progress of Cyprus Peace Talks in Athens, Friday, Feb. 3, 2017. The rival leaders of ethnically split Cyprus have asked the United Nations to prepare for a follow-up summit in early March that will aim to clinch a breakthrough on the difficult issue of how security will be handled after the island is reunified, a U.N. envoy said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) A summit scheduled in Geneva next month will be a follow-up to a January gathering of Cyprus' rival leaders as well as the foreign ministers of the island's 'guarantors' Greece, Turkey and former colonial ruler Britain. Next month's summit will again take up the key issue of how post-reunification security will be handled, something that has long stumped peace talks. The earlier summit ended without a breakthrough after differences between the sides proved too wide to bridge. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades suggested Sunday that the March summit will aim to sustain the momentum of talks rather than to achieve an overall peace accord. Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup aimed at union with Greece. A Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence is recognized only by Turkey which keeps more than 35,000 troops in the island's breakaway north. Greek Cypriots reject a demand by the minority Turkish Cypriots to keep Turkish military intervention rights and troops in place after reunification, saying the European Union of which Cyprus is a member needs no third country security guarantees. Swiss investigates possible crimes by Gambian ex-minister GENEVA (AP) Gambia's former interior minister who applied for asylum in Switzerland is being investigated for possible crimes against humanity committed in his homeland, Swiss federal prosecutors said Monday. The attorney general's office said in a statement that it's taking over an investigation initially launched by regional authorities in Bern because crimes against humanity would be international offenses that fall under federal jurisdiction. Michael Lauber's office did not specify the suspect by name Monday but cited a complaint filed by Trial International. The watchdog group last month called for an investigation into whether former Gambian Interior Minister Ousman Sonko had any role in crimes including assault, coercion and false imprisonment during the 22-year rule of former President Yahya Jammeh. Sonko, who was minister from 2006 to 2016, applied for asylum in Switzerland on Nov. 10 amid a political squabble following elections that Jammeh lost. Sonko was taken into custody Jan. 28. Trial International welcomed the prosecutors' decision, saying Sonko must have been aware of the human rights violations happening in Gambia. "As the head of detention centers, M. Sonko could not have ignored the large-scale torture that political opponents, journalists and human rights defenders suffered there," said Benedict de Moerloose, the group's head of the inquiries and criminal law division. It said Sonko first fled to Senegal and then to Sweden, where an asylum application was rejected. Queen's 65-year reign a milestone in a record-breaking life LONDON (AP) On Monday, Queen Elizabeth II marks her Sapphire Jubilee, becoming the first British monarch to reign for 65 years. It's just one of many milestones the queen has marked in her nine decades. Here's are some other significant numbers about her record-breaking life and reign: Elizabeth assumed the throne on the death of her father, King George VI, on Feb. 6, 1952. On September 9, 2015, she became Britain's longest-reigning monarch, passing her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. She turned 90 on April 21, 2016, and has been the world's oldest monarch since the death of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah in 2015. FILE - In this Thursday, March 8, 2012 file photo, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II escorted by The Bishop of Leicester, left, meets members of the public during a walkabout at Leicester Cathedral in Leicester, England. On Monday Feb. 6, 2017, Queen Elizabeth II marks her Sapphire Jubilee, becoming the first British monarch to reign for 65 years. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File) She has had 13 British prime ministers serve during her reign, from Winston Churchill to Theresa May. She has met 12 U.S. presidents, from Herbert Hoover (after he had left office) to Barack Obama more than a quarter of all the U.S. presidents since Independence. The only president during her reign that she did not meet was Lyndon B. Johnson. She is due to meet President Donald Trump when he comes to Britain for a controversial state visit later this year. She has traveled more than 1 million miles (1.6 million kilometers) on official trips, visiting 106 of the 193 current official members of the United Nations. She has visited Canada 22 times the largest number of trips to any nation. She has four children, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She has cut back on her official duties in the past few years, but Elizabeth still conducted 341 official engagements in 2015. FILE - In this May 8, 2007 file photo, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she is greeted by astronauts aboard the International Space Station, via video conference, during her visit to NASA's Goddard Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.. On Monday Feb. 6, 2017, Queen Elizabeth II marks her Sapphire Jubilee, becoming the first British monarch to reign for 65 years. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE - In this April 8, 2007 file photo, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip leave St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, England, after Mattins on Easter Sunday. On Monday Feb. 6, 2017, Queen Elizabeth II marks her Sapphire Jubilee, becoming the first British monarch to reign for 65 years. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File) Pro-Russian opposition in Montenegro plans NATO referendum PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) Montenegro's main opposition party said Monday that it will organize a referendum on the country's membership in NATO with the support of Russia if the ruling pro-Western majority keeps insisting the decision should be made in parliament. The Democratic Front's leader, Andrija Mandic, said that the "people's referendum" received the support of the Kremlin when he visited Moscow earlier this month. "We consider that the people of Montenegro must be consulted on such an important issue like it is the country's NATO membership," Mandic told The Associated Press. "We haven't set the date of our referendum yet, but I would like it to be on March 24 when NATO started bombing campaign against our country, with tragic consequences, destruction and many victims." People in Montenegro are evenly split between those supporting NATO and those denouncing the Western military alliance for a nearly three-month-long bombing campaign against mainly Serbia, but also Montenegro, in 1999 that stopped a bloody Serb crackdown against ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo. Montenegro's ruling Democratic Party of Socialists called the staging of the referendum illegitimate. "A group of lawmakers may initiate a referendum, it is their constitutional right, but they need parliamentary majority, which they don't have," Predrag Sekulic, an DPS official, told the AP. "They don't think about the country's constitution and don't want to hear what citizens think about it, but want only to satisfy someone else's interests," referring to Russia. Montenegrin authorities have accused Russian nationalists for an alleged coup attempt in October that included plans to assassinate the pro-Western then-prime minister because of his government's bid to join NATO. The Kremlin has denied involvement, but has actively supported local groups that oppose having the traditional Slavic ally become the 29th member of the Western military alliance. Montenegro is expected to wrap up the membership process in the spring. During Mandic's visit to Moscow, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Meshkov said "dragging" Montenegro into NATO may cause "a deep rift" in the country, according to the TASS news agency. Cambodia charges Japanese man in sex trafficking case PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) A Japanese man and two Cambodians were charged Tuesday with allegedly tricking Cambodian women into working in the sex trade in Japan. They could face seven to 15 years in prison if convicted of "unlawful recruitment for exploitation," said Ly Sophana, a spokesman for Phnom Penh Municipal Court. A statement posted Monday on the Cambodian National Police website said Susumu Fukui, the 52-year-old owner of a Japanese restaurant in Phnom Penh, was arrested last week on suspicion of luring at least 10 women from provincial areas to work in Japan, ostensibly as well-paid waitresses, but then forcing them into the sex trade. Also arrested were his 28-year-old Cambodian wife and a 34-year-old male employee of the restaurant. The website said the arrests followed the rescue of seven of the women by Japanese police after they secretly contacted the Cambodian Embassy in Tokyo. The women returned to Cambodia late last month. Police said the Japanese man and his wife told the women they recruited that they would earn $3,000 to $5,000 a month in Japan. On arrival, however, they were sent to Gunma prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, where they were forced to work in the sex trade. The Latest: White House issues list of 78 attacks WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times EST): 8:45 p.m. The White House has released a list of 78 attacks it describes as "executed or inspired by" the Islamic State group. President Donald Trump speaks to troops while visiting U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla., Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) The White House says most did not get sufficient attention. The list includes incidents like a truck massacre in Nice that killed dozens and received widespread attention, as well as less high-profile incidents in which nobody was killed. The AP could not verify that each of the incidents had connections to the Islamic State group. President Donald Trump claimed during a speech earlier Monday that the media was deliberately ignoring attacks. Trump said that, "in many cases, the very, very dishonest press doesn't want to report it," adding, "They have their reasons." ___ 8:30 p.m. President Donald Trump says he and his predecessor genuinely like each other despite the vicious 2016 campaign. Trump tells Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly in an interview taped Friday that, "It's a very strange phenomena," but he and former President Obama really "get along." He adds: "I don't know if he'll admit this, but he likes me. I like him." Trump and Obama spent months hurling insults during Trump's campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton. Trump wrongly claimed Obama had founded the Islamic State group, while Obama said Trump wasn't qualified to lead the country. Nonetheless, Trump says that after all that vitriol, the two were able to "hop into the car" and drive down Pennsylvania Avenue together during his inauguration with no ill will. He says, "Politics is amazing." ___ 4:45 p.m. President Donald Trump says the media is dropping the ball on reporting extremist attacks. During his speech Monday at U.S. Central Command, Trump pointed to recent extremist attacks in San Bernardino, Calif., Boston and Paris. He says, "Radical Islamic terrorists are determined to strike our homeland," adding: "It's gotten to a point where it's not even being reported. And in many cases, the very, very dishonest press doesn't want to report it. They have their reasons and you understand that." Asked about Trump's remarks Monday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said, "The president's comments were very clear." Spicer says Trump feels a "protest gets blown out of the water, and yet an attack or a foiled attack doesn't necessarily get the same coverage." ___ 2:15 p.m. President Donald Trump is pressing the need for more stringent screening while his immigration order is on hold by the courts. Trump says in remarks at the U.S. Central Command at the MacDill Air Force base in Florida that, "We need strong programs" so that "people that love us and want to love our country and will end up loving our country are allowed in" and those who "want to destroy us and destroy our country" are kept out. He says, "Freedom, security and justice will prevail." Trump is also warning that the Islamic State group "is on a campaign of genocide, committing atrocities across the world." He's delivering a message: "To these forces of death and destruction: America and its allies will defeat you." ___ 2:05 p.m. President Donald Trump is telling an audience of U.S. military personnel, "we strongly support NATO." The president praised the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in a speech at U.S. Central Command at the MacDill Air Force base in Florida. Trump's comments follow his conversation Sunday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. A White House statement said the two "discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments," as well as the crisis in Ukraine and security challenges facing NATO countries. Trump agreed during that conversation to attend a NATO leaders' meeting in Brussels in late May. Trump once dismissed the trans-Atlantic military alliance as "obsolete." ___ 12:55 p.m. A senior House Republican says the United States is not the same as Vladimir Putin's Russia, putting him at odds with President Donald Trump. Trump triggered a bipartisan backlash during an interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly broadcast Sunday before the Super Bowl. Trump repeated his desire to improve relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. O'Reilly called Putin "a killer." Trump answered, "We've got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country's so innocent?" Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas, the House Armed Services Committee chairman, told reporters on Monday that he didn't see the interview. But he says, "If you're asking me 'Are we the same as Putin's Russia?' The answer is no." ___ 12:25 p.m. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer thinks actress Melissa McCarthy could dial it back a bit if she reprises her impression of him "Saturday Night Live." McCarthy lampooned Spicer in a sketch that shows him taunting reporters, firing a water gun at one, and using the White House briefing room lectern to ram another. Spicer tells Fox News that the sketch was "was cute" and "funny," but says he'd "rather us be talking about the issues that the president is so committed to helping Americans on." As for his advice for McCarthy, Spicer tells the entertainment show "Extra" he thinks she "could dial back" a bit. He says she, "needs to slow down on the gum chewing; way too many pieces in there." ___ 9:30 a.m. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she will seek common ground "wherever possible" with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, despite differences over Trump's entry ban for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. Germany has Europe's biggest economy and is a major exporter. In 2015, the U.S. was its biggest trading partner, and there's concern in Berlin over the possibility of a more protectionist approach in Washington. Merkel told reporters in Munich on Monday: "We will try to find common ground wherever possible." Merkel added: "We will see issue by issue where we can cooperate and where we have different opinions, but it's in Germany's interest to strengthen the common ground there is." ___ 8 a.m. President Donald Trump is insisting "I call my own shots" and that any negative polling data is "fake news." It's unclear what prompted Trump's early morning tweets on Monday. The New York Times released an unflattering portrait of Trump's nights at the White House, suggesting Trump spends much of his time watching cable news and wasn't fully briefed before signing an executive order elevating Stephen Bannon to the National Security Council. Trump tweeted early Monday: "I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it. Some FAKE NEWS media, in order to marginalize, lies!" ___ 3:25 a.m. President Donald Trump is making his first visit to the headquarters for U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. Both military commands are headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. Trump is heading to the base Monday on the way to Washington following his first weekend away from the White House. Trump spent the weekend at his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, joined by first lady Melania Trump. At MacDill, Trump is to be briefed by CENTCOM and SOCOM leaders, join troops for lunch and deliver a speech. CENTCOM oversaw a recent raid by U.S. special operations forces on an al-Qaida compound in Yemen. A Navy SEAL was killed during the operation. President Donald Trump has lunch with troops while visiting U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. Trump, who spent the weekend at Mar-a-Lago, stopped for a visit to the headquarters before returning to Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) FILE - In this Friday, Jan. 13, 2017, file photo, executive producer Melissa McCarthy speaks at the "Nobodies" panel at Viacom's TV Land portion of the Winter Television Critics Association press tour, in Pasadena, Calif. McCarthy lampooned White House press secretary Sean Spicer in a Saturday Night Live sketch on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, where she taunted reporters as losers, fired a water gun at the press corps and even used the podium to bash a Wall Street Journal journalist. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File) White House press secretary Sean Spicer speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington, Friday, Feb. 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) German chancellor and head of the German Christian Democrats, Angela Merkel, arrives for a party meeting in Munich, Germany, Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. Merkel is meeting her Bavarian conservative allies in a show of unity following a long-running argument over migrant policy, setting the scene for a joint campaign for German elections in September. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) French policeman charged with rape after violent ID check PARIS (AP) Hundreds of people marched in a Paris suburb Monday to show support for a young black man who authorities allege was sodomized by a police officer's baton last week during a police operation that targeted drug traffickers. One officer was charged Sunday with aggravated rape and three others were charged with aggravated assault. Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux suspended the four officers and also said the facts surrounding their arrest of the 22-year-old man during an identity check must be established "very clearly and with no ambiguity." People march in the streets of Aulnay-sous-Bois, north of Paris, France, holding a sign reading "Justice for Theo" during a protest, a day after a French police officer was charged with the rape of a youth, Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. One French police officer has been charged with raping a 22-year-old man and three others have been charged with assault after an identity check degenerated last week in the Paris suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois. (AP Photo/Milos Krivokapic) The incident allegedly occurred in a neighborhood with a large minority population in the city of Aulnay-sous-Bois, east of Paris, and a crowd turned out there to march in support of the alleged victim. "The feeling of humiliation is felt by people," said Abdallah Benjana, a former deputy mayor who lives in the neighborhood. "What are they seeking?," he said of the officers. "To provoke a spark? Isn't there enough gunpowder in those neighborhoods? Unemployment, insecurity, high rents ... no perspectives for future. They do that to a young man, it can only explode." Abdel Adhoure, a 20-year-old resident of the area, said that "every day it's like that: whenever the police come they carry out abusive checks." The young man allegedly assaulted by the officers told his story to the BFM television channel Monday. Speaking in an audio interview, he said the officers hit him and peppered him with racist insults. At one point, one of the officers took his truncheon and "he drove it into my buttocks," he said. A lawyer for the officer charged with rape said that any injury inflicted was done accidentally. The Associated Press does not typically identify victims of sexual assault. Authorities have not identified the young man, but supporters have been marching in "Justice Pour Theo" shirts. Eric Dupond-Moretti, a lawyer representing the young man, told Europe 1 radio that his client underwent emergency surgery for a "deep anal tear" and had been hospitalized since. The attorney said the case is "exceptionally serious" and he called on judicial authorities to treat the officer as any other suspected rapist would be. French law defines a rape as any act of sexual penetration of any kind, committed by violence, coercion, threat or surprise. When an alleged offender has an authority of law over the victim, a conviction can bring up to 20 years in prison. In the interview with BFM, the alleged victim said that have he was sodomized, he fell face down. "I had no strength left. It was as if my body had left myself," he said. He said he was then handcuffed and taken to a police car, where he was insulted again, spat at and beaten "in the private parts." Once at the police station, he said, another officer saw his condition and he was taken to a hospital. Frederic Gabet, a lawyer for the officer charged with rape, told Europe 1 radio that his client "had never wished at any time to cause any injury to the victim and that the blow had been carried out in a totally involuntary manner, without his being aware of any injury." In an interview with AP, Yves Lefebvre, a police union chief, suggested the rape charge was filed "to calm or to stop a violent outburst" in the sensitive suburban neighborhood. Aulnay-sous-Bois was one of the worst-hit suburbs during 2005 riots around the French capital. Lefebvre said there was no evidence so far that "the truncheon was actually introduced" into the victim's rectum. And if that actually happened, it was likely done "accidentally," the union leader said. Defender of Human Rights, an independent French watchdog group, said Monday that it would investigate "this dramatic case that illustrates the conflicts that sometimes arise from identity checks." ___ Associated Press writer Milos Krivokapic contributed to this report. People march in the streets of Aulnay-sous-Bois, north of Paris, France, holding a sign reading "Justice for Theo" during a protest, a day after a French police officer was charged with the rape of a youth, Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. One French police officer has been charged with raping a 22-year-old man and three others have been charged with assault after an identity check degenerated last week in the Paris suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois. (AP Photo/Milos Krivokapic) People march in the streets of Aulnay-sous-Bois, north of Paris, France, holding a sign reading "Justice for Theo" during a protest, a day after a French police officer was charged with the rape of a youth, Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. One French police officer has been charged with raping a 22-year-old man and three others have been charged with assault after an identity check degenerated last week in the Paris suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois. (AP Photo/Milos Krivokapic) The wife who helped her two inmate lovers escape from a maximum-security prison in 2015 is scheduled for a parole hearing this week. Joyce Mitchell's hearing before a parole board will take place this week at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Westchester County. The board doesn't release the days when hearings are held. At her sentencing in 2015, husband Lyle Mitchell said he would stand by his wife though she admitted to the affair and is spending at least two years in prison. His Facebook relationship status still says he is married and he updated his profile picture to a photo of the couple yesterday. The 52-year-old Mitchell was sentenced to two to seven years in prison for helping convicted murderers Richard Matt and David Sweat escape in June 2015 from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, near the Canadian border. Scroll down for video Joyce Mitchell weeps at her sentencing on September 28, 2015. She is scheduled for a parole hearing this week after spending over a year in prison Lyle Mitchell (right) said he would stay with wife Joyce Mitchell who admitted to cheating on him with the two inmates she helped escape prison (son Tobey Mitchell, center) The convicts used tools smuggled in using hamburger meat to cut their way out of their adjacent cells and get into the catwalk between the cell block walls. They crawled through an underground steam pipe and reached a street near the prison walls through a manhole. Matt was shot dead three weeks after the escape by searchers in woods west of the prison. Sweat was shot and captured two days after near the border. Mitchell supervised the two inmates in the prison's tailor shop and had sexual relations with them. She claims she only had oral sex with Matt and not Sweat and that there was never any consensual sex. She also said she volunteered to be their getaway driver but backed out at the last minute because they convicts allegedly planned to kill her husband. Joyce Mitchell helped Richard Matt (left) and David Sweat (right) escape prison She said she only helped them escape because she feared they would hurt her family. The judge did not buy this excuse from Mitchell. Mitchell pleaded guilty to providing hacksaw blades and other tools to Richard Matt and David Sweat, who broke out of the maximum-security Clinton Correctional Facility on June 6, 2015. Her husband Lyle Mitchell said he still loves his wife. He told NBC in 2015: ' My wife has a heart of gold, ' he said. 'Thats her biggest downfall.' As she was led out of court on September 28, 2015, Mitchell appeared to mouth 'I love you' to her husband. Standing by his wife: Lyle Mitchell (leaving the courthouse at Joyce's sentencing in 2015) said he would stay with his wife though she admitted to cheating on him with the prisoner Joyce Mitchell said she was going through a tough time in her marriage, where she didnt think her husband loved her anymore, and the inmates' attentions made her feel special. She told NBC in an exclusive interview: 'I was going through a time where I didn't feel like my husband loved me anymore...I was going through depression, and I guess they saw my weakness and that's how it all started. 'Their attention made me feel good.' Rwanda fires 200 police officers accused of corruption KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) Rwanda's government has dismissed 200 police officers implicated in corruption as the East African country strives to maintain its reputation as largely free of petty graft. Rwanda is sub-Saharan Africa's third least corrupt country in Transparency International's latest survey. The ranking shows the Rwandan government's will to fight corruption, said Marie-Immaculee Ingabire, the head of Transparency International in Rwanda. The dismissal of the police officers was approved by a Cabinet meeting last Friday chaired by President Paul Kagame, whose government has been hailed by donor countries for punishing corrupt officials. Rwanda depends on foreign aid to finance a sizable part of its national budget. Rwanda police spokesman Theos Badege said Monday there would be "no mercy" upon corrupt officers in the police. "It is a national policy to ensure zero tolerance to graft," Badege said, adding that accountability and integrity are among the core values expected of police officers while on duty. Last year 200 civilians were arrested for allegedly giving bribes to police officers. The Latest: 500 migrants on way to Europe rescued off Libya ATHENS, Greece (AP) The Latest on Europe's migration influx (all times local): 4:30 p.m. Spain's defense ministry says one of its frigates has rescued almost 500 people from a wooden boat off the Libyan coast as it headed slowly north toward Europe. Sub-Saharan migrants wait their turn to leave the Golfo Azzurro rescue vessel after arriving at the port of Pozzallo, south of Sicily, Italy, with more than 220 migrants aboard, rescued by members of Proactive Open Arms NGO, on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. Rescuers from different aid organizations pulled more than 1000 people in waters off the Libyan coast on Friday, and all of them were transferred to the Italian authorities. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Authorities say that among the 494 rescued Sunday were 18 women and eight children. A defense ministry statement on Monday says that the frigate provided those rescued with food and medical treatment before Spanish sailors destroyed the boat to stop it being used by human traffickers. The frigate is patrolling the Mediterranean as part of a European operation to capture and destroy vessels used by migrant smugglers or traffickers. ___ 12:45 p.m. Greek and refugee protesters have confronted the country's migration minister at the entrance of a sprawling migrant camp in the south of Athens, trying to stop him from entering the site. Police surrounded the minister, Yannis Mouzalas, as he encountered dozens of demonstrators at the Elliniko camp, located at a disused airport that also includes sporting venues built for the 2004 Athens Olympics. The protest was organized against conditions at the camp. Mouzalas eventually entered the camp and spoke to migrants. He insisted the facilities were adequate and accused one group protesters of staging a "fake" hunger strike. Greece says more than 60,000 refugees and migrants are stranded in camps here after European border closures last year. Syrian rebels and insurgents battle in split over peace push BEIRUT (AP) Syria's ragtag rebel groups and insurgents trying to oust President Bashar Assad have turned their guns on each other in some of the worst infighting yet, with al-Qaida-linked fighters battling other factions in a split between supporters and opponents of the Russian-led push for a new peace process for the war-torn country. The clashes mainly in opposition-held areas in northern Syria have led to the formation of two new coalitions but have also raised the specter of more fractures among rebel factions, already struggling to recover from their December loss of the eastern half of the city of Aleppo to Assad's forces. At the root of the infighting is a call that came at the end of the peace talks last month in the Kazakh capital of Astana. Russia, Turkey and Iran sponsors of the gathering urged Syria's rebels to dissociate themselves from al-Qaida's affiliate in Syria, now known as the Fatah al-Sham Front. In this Friday, March 1, 2013 file photo, anti-Syrian President Bashar Assad protesters hold the Jabhat al-Nusra flag, as they shout slogans during a demonstration, in Kafranbel, Idlib province, northern Syria. Syrias rebel groups and insurgents trying to oust President Bashar Assad have turned their guns on each other in some of the worst infighting yet, with al-Qaida-linked fighters battling other factions in a split between supporters and opponents of the Russian-led push for a new peace process for the country. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File) The Astana meeting was designed to pave the way for political talks to be held in Geneva in late February but it also marked a new push in efforts to resolve Syria's conflict, with Russia and Iran, Assad's main supporters, and Turkey, the rebels' chief backer, pledging to put their influence behind the truce. The United States, busy with the presidential transition, played no significant role in Astana. The Fatah al-Sham Front, previously called the Nusra Front, has been excluded from all negotiations and cease-fires, along with the Islamic State group both considered by the international community to be terrorist organizations. For the rebels, however, the exclusion of al-Qaida's affiliate is a sore point as many groups have close links with it on the ground, perceiving it to be the most powerful force against Assad's army and allied militiamen. Fatah al-Sham signaled its determination to fight back even as the rebels were still sitting at the table in Astana. On Jan. 23, Fatah al-Sham fighters surrounded the offices in Idlib province belonging to one of the rebel groups that had sent representatives to Astana, the U.S.-backed Jaish al-Mujadeen, and hours later, forced its fighters to surrender. "Al-Qaida has been waging a campaign to sideline and ultimately eliminate moderate opposition groups since it entered Syria," said Jennifer Cafarella of the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War. Al-Qaida's affiliate in Syria, which lost many senior leaders in targeted assassinations in recent months, had accused Jaish al-Mujahdeen of giving the U.S.-led coalition intelligence on the location of their commanders and top figures. The Idlib attack was not the first assault by al-Qaida's fighters the militants have on several occasions since late 2014 defeated moderate rebel factions, including those backed by the United States. But the Jan. 23 fighting quickly escalated to include other groups, leading to fierce clashes between Fatah al-Sham and more moderate factions. To seek protection from Fatah al-Sham, many small groups turned to the ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham, one of Syria's most powerful insurgent groups and a former ally of al-Qaida. This in turn led to the formation of two broad coalitions in northern Syria, effectively pitting Fatah al-Sham against Ahrar al-Sham. Ahrar al-Sham did not take part in the Astana talks but groups that joined it later did attend. A Fatah al-Sham member, who has been frequently contacted by The Associated Press over the situation in northern Syria, said on Tuesday that since the latest round of fighting began last month, he had left to join Ahrar al-Sham. "They wanted to wipe out Ahrar al-Sham but they were not able to," said the member, referring to Fatah al-Sham. Speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, he added that he did not take part in the Idlib clashes between Ahrar al-Sham and Fatah al-Sham. Most of the fighting that followed eventually prompted the al-Qaida affiliate to issue a statement calling for unity among all insurgent groups under a "unified political and military command." The rebel infighting and reshuffling of alliances if it continues could facilitate a break between Fatah al-Sham and moderate groups, making it easier for the international community to single out the al-Qaida affiliate for attack. However, for Cafarella, the Idlib developments do not reflect the "sorting" of al-Qaida from other factions as some analysts have argued. Rather, she said it's "the next step ... in al-Qaida's campaign to transform the opposition in its own image." Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that his activist network, which has tracked the six years of Syria's civil war, registered only 14 dead on both sides but that he suspects the factions are keeping secret the real number of their fatalities. One of the two new coalitions that emerged is The Levant Liberation Committee, under Abu Jaber Hashem, a hard-liner and former Ahrar al-Sham member. It includes Fatah al-Sham, Nour el-Din el-Zinki, The Brigade of Righteous, Jaish al-Sunnah and Ansar al-Deen Front. The other coalition is made up groups that have melted into Ahrar al-Sham, including Suqour al-Sham, Jaish al-Islam's Idlib branch, the Levantine Front, the al-Farouq Brigade and the Al-Sham rebels. Ahrar al-Sham's top commander, Ali al-Omar, accused Fatah al-Sham in a statement posted on YouTube recently of "oppressing" the more moderate rebels and rejected the al-Qaida affiliate's call for unity. Syria's armed opposition has struggled for years to unify behind a leadership, political or military. Efforts were always short-lived and often self-destructed. The Syrian government has labeled all armed opposition groups "terrorists" and says they are backed by foreign enemies, particularly with the influx of foreign fighters to an increasingly complex battlefield. Asaad Kanjo, an opposition activist originally from Idlib province now living in Britain, said the rebel infighting is mostly taking place in Idlib province but also in small parts of Aleppo province. He said Fatah al-Sham and its allies have been sending fighters to the border town of Sarmada, which is an Ahrar al-Sham stronghold, and a nearby border crossing point to Turkey in preparation for what may be their next showdown. "We are yet to see more fierce battles between them," Kanjo said. FILE - This still image taken from drone footage, posted online by the communications arm of Ahrar al-Sham militant group, purports to show a blast on the ground, apparently the result of an airstrike, in a Syrian-government controlled neighborhood of Aleppo, Syria. Syrias rebel groups and insurgents trying to oust President Bashar Assad have turned their guns on each other in some of the worst infighting yet, with al-Qaida-linked fighters battling other factions in a split between supporters and opponents of the Russian-led push for a new peace process for the country. (Ahrar al-Sham, militant video, via AP, File) FILE - in this file photo posted, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016, by the Syrian militant group Ahrar al-Sham, shows the general commander of Ahrar al-sham, Mohannad al-Masri, center, visiting fighters in rural western Aleppo, Syria. Syrias rebel groups and insurgents trying to oust President Bashar Assad have turned their guns on each other in some of the worst infighting yet, with al-Qaida-linked fighters battling other factions in a split between supporters and opponents of the Russian-led push for a new peace process for the country. (Militant UGC via AP, File) FILE - in this file photo posted on Dec. 23, 2016, by the Syrian militant group Ahrar al-Sham, purports to show Ahrar al-Sham fighters holding positions in the countryside around the northern Syrian town of al-Bab, Aleppo province, Syria. Syrias rebel groups and insurgents trying to oust President Bashar Assad have turned their guns on each other in some of the worst infighting yet, with al-Qaida-linked fighters battling other factions in a split between supporters and opponents of the Russian-led push for a new peace process for the country. (Ahrar al-Sham, via AP, File) FILE - In this file photo posted on the Twitter page of Syria's al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front on March 28, 2015, which is consistent with AP reporting, a fighter from Syria's al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front holds his group flag as he stands in front of the governor building in Idlib province, north Syria. Syrias rebel groups and insurgents trying to oust President Bashar Assad have turned their guns on each other in some of the worst infighting yet, with al-Qaida-linked fighters battling other factions in a split between supporters and opponents of the Russian-led push for a new peace process for the country. (Al-Nusra Front Twitter page via AP, File) FILE - In this file photo posted on the Twitter page of Syria's al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front on April 25, 2015, which is consistent with AP reporting, shows Nusra Front fighters in the town of Jisr al-Shughour, Idlib province, Syria. Syrias rebel groups and insurgents trying to oust President Bashar Assad have turned their guns on each other in some of the worst infighting yet, with al-Qaida-linked fighters battling other factions in a split between supporters and opponents of the Russian-led push for a new peace process for the country. (Al-Nusra Front Twitter page via AP, File) File - In this Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017, file photo, spokesman for the Syrian opposition Yahya Al-Aridi speaks to the media ahead of Syria peace talks in Astana, Kazakhstan. Syrias rebel groups and insurgents trying to oust President Bashar Assad have turned their guns on each other in some of the worst infighting yet, with al-Qaida-linked fighters battling other factions in a split between supporters and opponents of the Russian-led push for a new peace process for the country. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits, File) FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, file photo, Mohammed Alloush, head of a Syrian opposition delegation gestures while speaking to the media after the talks on Syrian peace in Astana, Kazakhstan. Syrias rebel groups and insurgents trying to oust President Bashar Assad have turned their guns on each other in some of the worst infighting yet, with al-Qaida-linked fighters battling other factions in a split between supporters and opponents of the Russian-led push for a new peace process for the country. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits, File) FILE - Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of Fatah al-Sham Front, center, is seen in this picture posted by the group, discussing battlefield details with field commanders over a map. Syrias rebel groups and insurgents trying to oust President Bashar Assad have turned their guns on each other in some of the worst infighting yet, with al-Qaida-linked fighters battling other factions in a split between supporters and opponents of the Russian-led push for a new peace process for the country. (Militant UGC via AP, File ) Bon voyage, Bao Bao! National Zoo panda heads to China soon WASHINGTON (AP) The National Zoo says 3-year-old panda Bao Bao will fly to China this month. The zoo tweeted Monday that Bao Bao will move to China on Feb. 21. The zoo recently announced a celebration of Bao Bao starting Feb. 16 in anticipation of her departure. The zoo's cooperative breeding agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association requires all cubs born at the zoo move to China by the time they turn 4 years old. Bao Bao turns 4 on Aug. 23. FILE - In this Aug. 23, 2014 file photo, panda cub Bao Bao hangs from a tree in her habitat at the National Zoo in Washington in Washington. The National Zoo says 3-year-old panda Bao Bao is heading to China this month. The zoo tweeted Monday, Feb. 6, 2017, that Bao Bao will fly to China on Feb. 21. The zoo recently announced a celebration of Bao Bao starting Feb. 16 in anticipation of her departure. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File) Yemeni brothers reunite with family at Dulles CHANTILLY, Va. (AP) Aqel Aziz couldn't stop smiling after his two sons, ages 19 and 21, were finally able to join him in the United States Monday. "America is for everybody," he said, after greeting his boys, Tareq and Ammar, at Dulles International Airport. The brothers were turned away last week in the chaotic opening days of President Donald Trump's travel ban directed at seven Muslim-majority countries. The family filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the ban. The lawsuit remains ongoing, but last week the government reached a settlement with the Aziz family, and another Yemeni family on the same flight, the Al Murisis, who were all turned away despite status as lawful permanent residents. The Aziz brothers and the seven members of the Al Murisi family all natives of Yemen, one of the seven countries affected by the ban all arrived safely at Dulles Monday morning. "This morning a wrong has been made right," the families' lawyer, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, said at a press conference at the airport after their arrival. "These are nine people who did absolutely nothing wrong." Sandoval-Moshenberg said the Aziz brothers had waited 18 months and underwent exhaustive security checks to obtain their green card status, which allows them to join their father, a naturalized U.S. citizen living in Flint, Michigan. They had already boarded a flight to America when Trump imposed the executive order Jan. 27. "They had the bad luck of taking off Friday instead of Thursday," Sandoval-Moshenberg said. In court, a Justice Department lawyer said the government was willing to accommodate families who were already traveling when the ban was imposed, as well as people with lawful permanent resident status. The Trump administration order amended its Jan. 27 executive order a few days after it was filed to clarify that lawful permanent residents, commonly known as green card holders, were exempt from the ban. But that clarification had come too late for the Aziz and Al Murisi families. Since then, a federal judge in Washington state issued an order halting the implementation of Trump's executive order. But Sandoval-Moshenberg said the Aziz and Al Murisi families would not have benefited from judge's ruling because their visas had been canceled when they were first turned away. The Aziz brothers spent several days stranded at the airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia while their situation was resolved, and both families had to spend thousands of dollars on additional air travel that will not be reimbursed. But the Aziz brothers and their father said they still feel welcome in the U.S. despite their ordeal. "If we are in a different country, they are not going to come back," Aqel Aziz said, referring to the legal help he received and the judicial system's willingness to hear their case. Luxembourg files complaint after it's drawn into VW scandal LUXEMBOURG (AP) The government of Luxembourg is filing a legal complaint after it became embroiled in the Volkswagen emissions scandal. The country's sustainable development minister, Francois Bausch, said Monday that the complaint is against persons unknown. He said the move was needed after the European Union itself started proceedings against Luxembourg and some other EU nations for not penalizing Volkswagen for using illegal software to hide vehicle emissions. Traveling exhibition features Rockwell's 'Four Freedoms' STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) Norman Rockwell's most celebrated series of paintings is embarking on a multi-year tour across the U.S. and to Europe. The exhibit titled "Enduring Ideals: Rockwell, Roosevelt and the Four Freedoms " opens June 2018 at the New York Historical Society and ends with a five-month run starting June 2020 at the Memorial de Caen museum in France. The exhibit features Rockwell's works "Freedom of Speech," ''Freedom from Fear," ''Freedom from Want," and "Freedom to Worship," inspired by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 1941 State of the Union address. It will also appear in Dearborn, Michigan; Washington; Stockbridge, Massachusetts; Houston; and Philadelphia. Thank you for reading! To read this article and more, subscribe now for as little as $1.99. El Salvador alleges 22 fishermen helped Mexican drug cartel SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) Authorities in El Salvador say they have arrested 22 fishermen who provided logistical support for a Mexican drug cartel. Justice and Public Safety Minister Mauricio Ramirez Landaverde said Monday that the fishermen were responsible for providing fuel, food and lodging to smugglers carrying drug shipments from South America through El Salvador's waters to Guatemala for the Sinaloa cartel. Once the drugs arrived in Guatemala they continued north by land through Mexico to the United States. National Civil Police director Howard Cotto said in an interview with local television that the fishermen also alerted smugglers to the movements of Salvadoran authorities. Queen's porter at Treetops later joined Mau Mau rebellion NYERI, Kenya (AP) Sixty-five years ago, Britain's Princess Elizabeth went up into a treehouse safari lodge and watched elephants below. She was informed that her father had died and she descended from the treehouse a queen. Nahashon Mureithi, her porter and guide, had a good opinion of the young royal, but soon he became a member of the Mau Mau revolt against British colonial rule. Mureithi, now 89, said the young Elizabeth was "very beautiful and she was not wearing very expensive clothes ... When we met her, we carried her bags and followed her and as she stepped onto the staircase to go up to the hotel, she saw an elephant." In this photo taken Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, Nahashon Mureithi, 89, recollects his time as a porter and guide for Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, at the Treetops hotel near Nyeri, in Kenya. Sixty-five years ago, Princess Elizabeth went up into the treehouse safari lodge watching elephants below, and was informed that her father had died and she descended from the treehouse a queen. (AP Photo/Andrew Njuguna) Despite his positive impression of the queen, within a few years Mureithi joined the Mau Mau rebellion because "we were being oppressed by the white man." He said that when he decided to join the revolt "people were very happy" and he was promoted within the rebels because of his experience working at the safari lodge. "My role was to cook for them and to look for weapons for them," he said. Within the rebel cells he became known as Nyawira (hard worker in the Kikuyu language). He said he worked with three older women who were not suspected of being rebels and who would communicate with other members of the resistance. Eventually Mureithi took the government's amnesty offer and admitted he was in the Mau Mau and was jailed for a time. An Australian lungfish that entranced visitors to Chicago's Shedd Aquarium for more than 80 years has been euthanized due to old age, the popular tourist attraction announced Monday. Granddad, who was 4ft long and weighed 25lb, had stopped eating and started showing signs of organ failure. He was euthanized on Sunday. A necropsy - or animal autopsy - found conditions consistent with old age, aquarium officials said. 'For a fish who spent much of his time imitating a fallen log, he sparked curiosity, excitement and wonder among guests of all ages who would hear his story,' said Bridget C. Coughlin, Shedd Aquarium's president and CEO. Scroll down for video Granddad, an Australian lungfish who was four feet long and weighed 25 pounds, was euthanized on Sunday at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois Granddad had stopped eating and started showing signs of organ failure. A necropsy - or animal autopsy - found conditions consistent with old age, aquarium officials said A Shedd spokesman said Granddad's exact age was unknown but that he was believed to be in his mid-90s. The aquarium acquired him from the Sydney Aquarium in Australia during a 1933 collecting expedition in preparation for the 1933-34 Chicago World's Fair. Granddad was one of two lungfish that attracted visitors during that year's A Century of Progress International Exposition in Chicago. Aquarium officials estimate more than 104 million people saw Granddad over eight decades. Rob Vernon, a spokesman for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, said the nonprofit group is unaware of any older fish kept by a zoo or aquarium that it accredits in the United States or eight other countries. A Shedd spokeswoman said Granddad's exact age was unknown but that he was believed to be in his mid-90s Aquarium officials estimate more than 104 million people visited Granddad over eight decades The aquarium acquired Granddad (pictured in his younger years) from the Sydney Aquarium in Australia during a 1933 collecting expedition in preparation for the 1933-34 Chicago World's Fair 'Granddad lived a pretty relaxed life, enjoyed interactions with us, including gentle pats along his back, and loved to eat his leafy greens,' said Michelle Sattler, who was Granddad's caretaker for more than 30 years. Lungfish, which are native to the Mary and Burnett rivers in Queensland, Australia, can live up to 100 years and are a protected species in Australia. The lungfish has a sin gle primitive lung and are among the few fish that can breathe air. The species has existed for more than 380million years and has not changed for 100million years, according to the aquarium. Binge Eater: Black hole taking over decade to devour star CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) Scientists have detected a black hole that's taken a record-breaking decade to devour a star and it's still chewing away. The food fest is happening in a small galaxy 1.8 billion light-years from Earth. University of New Hampshire research scientist Dacheng (dah-CHENG) Lin said that black hole feeding frenzies have been observed since the 1990s, but they've lasted just a year. At 11 years and counting, this is the longest known one yet. This artist rendering provided by NASA shows a star being swallowed by a black hole, and emitting an X-ray flare, shown in red, in the process. A new study published Monday, Feb. 6, 2017, in the journal Nature Astronomy details a black hole that's taken a record-breaking decade to devour a star 1.8 billion light-years from Earth. (NASA/Chandra X-ray Observatory/M.Weiss via AP) Lin and his team used data from orbiting X-ray telescopes to study the monstrous munching. X-ray flares erupt when a star gets swallowed by a black hole and cooked millions of degrees. Black holes clearly like their stars well done. "We have witnessed a star's spectacular and prolonged demise," Lin said in a statement. The X-rays coming from this black hole surpass expectations in another way. "For most of the time we've been looking at this object, it has been growing rapidly," said the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics' James Guillochon, a co-author. "This tells us something unusual like a star twice as heavy as our Sun is being fed into the black hole." The binge eating by this particular black hole began around July 2005. Based on computer models, the feasting should taper off over the next decade. The Latest: Democrat backs agriculture secretary nominee WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on Senate consideration of President Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees (all times EST): 2 p.m. President Donald Trump's nominee for agriculture secretary, former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, has already won the support of one farm-state Democrat. North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp said Monday she'll support Perdue's nomination. If confirmed, Perdue would be the first agriculture secretary from the South in more than two decades, and farm politics in Congress often fall along regional lines. While Midwestern lawmakers frequently back policies and government subsidies that are good for corn and soybean growers, Southerners champion those that pay farmers well for cotton and rice. Heitkamp says that after with Perdue today, "I look forward to confirming him...and working with him to get results for North Dakota farmers and ranchers." Heitkamp is up for re-election in 2018 and is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. ___ 1 p.m. The Senate will be in session around the clock this week as Republicans aim to confirm more of President Donald Trump's Cabinet picks over Democratic opposition. Democrats intend to drag out the process as much as possible using all the time they can under the Senate's arcane rules. That means keeping the Senate in session 24 hours a day, beginning Monday as senators head to a showdown vote on Education Secretary nominee Betsy DeVos. DeVos, a wealthy GOP donor, has drawn particularly fierce opposition. Two GOP senators have announced plans to oppose her, which could result in a 50-50 Senate vote Tuesday. That would leave Vice President Mike Pence in the role of tie-breaker. Ex-leader of Turks and Caicos wounded in armed robbery PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands (AP) A former leader of the Turks and Caicos Islands was shot and wounded during an apparent robbery near a strip of tourist hotels, police in the British territory said Monday. Galmo Williams, a prominent businessman and former premier in the islands southeast of the Bahamas, was walking late Sunday night near Grace Bay when he was approached by three masked men who demanded his wallet, said Constable Kevin Clarke, a spokesman for the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. The 57-year-old Williams told police he turned over his wallet but that one of the men shot him anyway. He was wounded in the left leg and hospitalized for treatment, Clarke said. His condition was not immediately available and the former premier could not immediately be reached for comment. Investigators were trying to determine if it was a random attack. Prosecutors: Bergdahl to get fair trial despite Trump jabs RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) President Donald Trump's campaign-trail condemnation of Bowe Bergdahl the army sergeant charged with desertion while serving in Afghanistan won't prevent the soldier from getting a fair trial, according to military prosecutors. Prosecutors are seeking to rebuff Bergdahl's assertion that Trump violated his constitutional rights to due process when, as a presidential contender, Trump called Bergdahl a "traitor" and made other disparaging remarks. Bergdahl will be tried in April on charges alleging that he put the lives of his fellow soldiers in jeopardy when he walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009. Even though Trump repeatedly suggested that Bergdahl should face stiff punishment, including being thrown out of a plane, prosecutors said in a court filing last week that any reasonable observer would understand that comments by the then-Republican contender amounted to campaign rhetoric and should not be taken literally. FILE - In this Jan. 12, 2016, file photo, Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl arrives for a pretrial hearing at Fort Bragg, N.C. President Donald Trumps campaign-trail condemnation of Bergdahl, the army sergeant charged with desertion while serving in Afghanistan, wont prevent the soldier from getting a fair trial, according to military prosecutors. Bergdahl will be tried in April 2017 on charges alleging that he put the lives of his fellow soldiers in jeopardy when he walked off his post in Afghanistan in 2009. (AP Photo/Ted Richardson, File) "With regards to Mr. Trump's comments that SGT Bergdahl is a 'traitor' or committed 'treason,' such comments were clearly intended to be understood by their colloquial meaning," the prosecutors wrote in the Feb. 1 filing. "It strains credulity to believe that Mr. Trump was seriously suggesting that SGT. Bergdahl should be thrown out of an airplane," prosecutors wrote. An email seeking comment from a White House spokesman wasn't immediately returned. Prosecutors also argue that the statements can't constitute unlawful command influence because they were made before Trump became president and because they were spread out among other campaign coverage. However, Eric Carpenter, a former Army lawyer who teaches law at Florida International University, said that potential military jurors could be influenced by Trump's comments even if he made them before becoming president. "The prosecution is in a tough spot. These statements are really indefensible, and they have the job of defending them," he said. "No one in the administration has disavowed those comments, so the comments still have life." Defense attorneys have asked that charges be dismissed because of the Trump comments. Their motion, filed shortly after Trump was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, cites more than 40 instances of Trump's criticism at public appearances and media interviews through August 2016. Defense attorneys argue that potential jurors may feel obligated to agree with their new leader and would have a hard time ignoring the criticism. "The government does not dispute that he made those statements, and while some of them may have been outlandish, taken as a whole they clearly indicate his view that the harshest possible penalties should be imposed," defense attorneys wrote in a legal filing Monday. Bergdahl will be tried at Fort Bragg on charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. The latter carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. Bergdahl, who is from Idaho, has said he walked off his post to cause an alarm and draw attention to what he saw as problems with his unit. He was held captive by the Taliban and its allies for five years. The Obama administration's decision in May 2014 to exchange Bergdahl for five Taliban prisoners prompted some Republicans to accuse Obama of jeopardizing the nation's safety. ___ AP Explains: Can Trump deny funds to sanctuary cities? WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump is threatening to punish cities and other municipalities that shelter immigrants living in the country illegally by denying them federal dollars. Can a president do that? Most taxpayer money is beyond Trump's control. But a relatively small portion of the federal budget involves grants distributed by agency and Cabinet department heads appointed by Trump, and those programs could be affected. President Donald Trump pauses while speaking to troops at the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla.,Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) WHAT IS TRUMP THREATENING? Through a recent executive order and, on Sunday in an interview with Fox's Bill O'Reilly, Trump threatened to "defund" so-called sanctuary cities by taking away their federal grants. Those are cities and other municipalities that, generally speaking, shelter immigrants in the country illegally by refusing to help the federal government enforce immigration laws. Among the sanctuary cities are New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, as well as smaller jurisdictions like Takoma Park, Maryland, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. "I don't want to defund anybody. I want to give them the money they need to properly operate as a city or a state," Trump told O'Reilly. "If they're going to have sanctuary cities, we may have to do that. Certainly that would be a weapon." Just how big of a weapon isn't clear. Trump's threat was enough to prompt Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, a Republican, to abandon its sanctuary status. But many other sanctuary cities are vowing to fight. WHAT MONEY WOULD TRUMP CUT OFF? As for Trump's defunding threat, the first thing to know is that the largest sources of federal funds are exempt from Trump's edict. Payments to individuals, such as Social Security or health benefits from Medicare, Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act are off the table. Other large pots of federal money set by formula such as highway funding and aid to disadvantaged schools are also exempt, as well as other programs like subsidized housing vouchers, heating subsidies for the poor and food stamps. What is left are discretionary grant programs. The order decrees that sanctuary jurisdictions "are not eligible to receive federal grants, except as deemed necessary for law enforcement purposes." That wording is very broad and could conceivably include grant programs that cities and states apply for and are distributed at the discretion of agency heads. Such funds include sewer and water grants distributed by the Environmental Protection Agency, money to help communities buy equipment for first responders such as firefighters, and special transportation grants established under President Barack Obama's 2009 economic stimulus bill. On the other hand, there's legal precedent that says the federal government has to establish a concrete tie between the funding it may cut off and what it is demanding of the states in other words, the punishment is supposed to fit the crime. If applied so narrowly, the ban on funding for sanctuary cities could be limited to a handful of smaller programs within the departments of Justice and Homeland Security. Such more narrowly targeted programs include grants for justice assistance, police hiring and funds for programs combating violence against women. Another program partially reimburses state and local governments for the costs of keeping unauthorized immigrants in jail. WOULD THERE BE LEGAL CHALLENGES? Yes. Argentine man arrested in deaths of wife, 4 of her relatives BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) Police in Argentina have arrested a man suspected of killing his police officer wife and four members of her family. They also accuse him of shooting and wounding his pregnant sister-in-law, killing her fetus. Police say 38-year-old Diego Loscalzo was arrested Monday about 430 miles (700 kilometers) from where the shootings occurred in Buenos Aires province. Authorities say Loscalzo and his wife, Romina Maguna, argued late Sunday. They believe he snatched a gun from her holster and shot her four times, then killed her sister, brother and mother and one of her brothers-in-law. Her brother's wife, who was nine months pregnant, survived the shooting but her fetus did not. Aide: Alabama's ex-gov Siegelman to be released from prison MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) A longtime aide says former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman is to be released from prison this week, nearing the end of a 6 and 1/2 sentence for bribery and obstruction of justice. Friend and former aide Chip Hill says the ex-governor was told he'll be released to house arrest Wednesday. The 70-year-old Democrat is in a federal prison in Louisiana. Siegelman was convicted of selling an appointment to a state health board in exchange for donations to his 1999 lottery campaign. Siegelman's supporters unsuccessfully sought a presidential pardon for the former governor. Hill said Monday that the former governor's friends and family are "very excited about his release and very much look forward to seeing him." He has been cited by Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed on radio, TV and in social media. Inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame, for many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates. Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post and other publications. A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He served as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington and on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Selection Commission. He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award, the highest honor from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups. Cirucci's passions include politics, the popular culture, books and authors, art, communication, music, theatre, movies, dining and travel. In his hometown of Camden, Cirucci taught fifth grade at the Ulysses Wiggins Elementary School named for the founder of the Camden NAACP. There he was one of the first teachers in the country to teach African-American history to inner city students. He later served as editor of a local weekly newspaper, as Assistant to the Township Manager of Cherry Hill Township and as Associate Director of Communications at the New Jersey State Bar Association. He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog, Matt Rooney's sidekick on Save Jersey's videocasts and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also been a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals and hosted The Advocates on RVN-TV. Man charged with murder in fatal shooting of 4 at nightclub YAZOO CITY, Miss. (AP) Mississippi authorities say a Yazoo City man has been arrested and charged in the deaths of four people shot after an argument at a nightclub. State Department of Public Safety spokesman Warren Strain says 27-year-old Briddell Barber was charged Monday with first-degree murder. That could bring the death penalty if he's convicted in the shootings that took place about 1 a.m. Monday. Strain says the victims have been identified as 24-year-old Gabriel Townsend, 31-year-old Jerrandan Allen, 30-year-old Kevin Johnson and 45-year-old Edward Johnson. He says autopsies are scheduled Tuesday in Pearl, and Barber's initial court appearance is scheduled Wednesday afternoon in Yazoo City. California grandmother convicted of killing her son-in-law VISTA, Calif. (AP) A Southern California woman who shot her son-in-law nearly a dozen times, reloading twice, has been convicted of first-degree murder. Sixty-five-year-old Cynthia Cdebaca (See-duh-BAH'-kuh) of Fallbrook was convicted Monday. She could face 50 years to life in prison. Prosecutors say in 2014, Cdebaca shot 53-year-old Geoward Eustaquio 15 times at his home hitting him 11 times after he'd made an insulting remark about her clothes. Authorities say after the shooting, Cdebaca had breakfast at a Denny's, went gambling at a casino and was finally arrested at her favorite coffee shop. Ex-medical marijuana officials charged for illegal shipment ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Prosecutors in Minnesota filed felony charges Monday against two former officials from one of the state's licensed medical marijuana manufacturers for allegedly shipping marijuana oil to a subsidiary facility in New York. Minnesota and New York have both legalized medical marijuana programs, and parent company Vireo Health cultivates and sells the medication in both states. But shipping products across state lines still violates both state and federal laws. The complaint filed in Wright County Court alleges that two officials who no longer work for Minnesota Medical Solutions the company's Minnesota branch collaborated in December 2015 to ship more than 5 kilograms of concentrated marijuana oil from Minnesota to New York, where the company faced a product shortfall ahead of New York's January 2016 start to legal sales. Laura Bultman, the former chief medical officer, and Ronald Owens, the former chief security officer, each face felony charges that carry fines of up to $3,000 and up to a year in jail. A third Minnesota Medical Solutions executive was named in the complaint but has not yet been charged. Bultman's attorney, Paul Engh, called the allegations unfounded. No attorney was listed for Owens in the charges. A spokesman for Vireo Health said the company has complied with the investigation and takes its legal obligations seriously. It's unclear when Bultman and Owens stopped working for Minnesota Medical Solutions. Engh said he couldn't remember. Legal medical marijuana sales began in Minnesota in July 2015. Both Minnesota and New York ban use of the plant form, restricting it to marijuana oils, pills and vapors. The charges allege Bultman and Owens drove the marijuana oil valued at $500,000 or more to New York in an armored truck, then entered faulty information in the database that tracks shipments, suggesting the oil was taken to a waste facility to be destroyed. Investigators said they obtained text messages in which Bultman repeatedly referred to a specific kind of oil as "Christmas red." An early December 2015 email from a New York facility employee that was obtained by investigators read: "Laura is here today with Christmas presents from MN." Package of veteran's mementos makes it home after 4 years GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. (AP) The owner of a UPS store in Minnesota spent four years searching for the intended recipient of a package filled with mementos before he found the man living in Georgia. The package ended up at Randy Holst's UPS store in Golden Valley after several failed attempts to deliver it. Holst finally opened it and discovered a military veteran's mementos: a framed military flag, spent shell casings, newspaper clippings and other items. "You wouldn't toss a memory like that," said Holst, whose father was a veteran. "I can't imagine anyone would." The name of veteran Carl Burnett Burchell was on several items, so Holst called the Department of Veterans Affairs looking for information about the man. When the agency couldn't help, Holst took his search to the internet. He sent more than 40 Facebook messages to people with potential ties to Burchell. He finally reached the wife of a man named Tim Burchell on Facebook last month. Tim Burchell confirmed that the items belonged to his father, a Navy veteran who died of cancer in 1988. "It's just priceless," Burchell said of the parcel's contents. "Obviously the flag is just a treasure trove right there." The box also contained old family photos, letters from Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan thanking the elder Burchell for his military service, and a game of Scrabble, which Burchell's dad played while receiving chemotherapy. It turns out Burchell's stepsiblings had mailed the box to an incorrect address in 2012, after Burchell's stepmother died. Burchell wasn't expecting the box, so he didn't know it was missing, and his stepsiblings themselves then moved. Burchell, who lives in St. Marys, Georgia, said he's incredibly grateful Holst took the time to find him. Cannibal killer Stefano Brizzi, who strangled a police officer during a bondage sex session and then cooked and tried to eat him, has died in prison. Brizzi, 50, was jailed at the Old Bailey for a minimum of 24 years in December for the murder of 59-year-old Gordon Semple at his flat in south London. HMP Belmarsh A Prison Service spokeswoman said in a statement: HMP Belmarsh prisoner Stefano Brizzi died in custody on Sunday. As with all deaths in custody there will be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. Brizzi was arrested after police called to his flat to investigate a foul stench discovered the gruesome scene. Gordon Semple (Metropolitan Police/PA) During his trial, the Italian admitted he was inspired by his favourite TV series Breaking Bad as he tried to get away with the killing by dissolving his victims flesh in an acid bath. But the crystal meth addicted former Morgan Stanley IT developer denied he had cooked and tried to eat parts of the body with chopsticks, saying he had no memory of it. Brizzi was found guilty of murder and sentenced by Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC to life with a minimum of 24 years, with seven years concurrent for disposing of the body. The court heard evidence from an odontologist settled the matter of whether Brizzi had in fact cannibalised part of his victim. On examining a rib discarded in the kitchen bin, the expert found that a bite mark did in fact match the defendants lower teeth. Brizzi, who met his victim on gay dating app Grindr, reportedly took his own life. Leading Brexit-backer Boris Johnson may have been expecting an awkward welcome at a European Union summit on Monday. But even he was taken by surprise as he was poked in the face with a reporters microphone as he arrived at the EU foreign affairs council in Brussels. The Foreign Secretary appeared to take it in his stride before remarking as journalists moved their microphones away from him: Thank you for moving your I dont want to accidentally bite one of your things. Boris Johnson (PA) Mr Johnson also used the visit to reiterate the case for sanctions against Russia amid a flare-up of violence in Ukraine between government troops and Russia-backed separatist rebels. He told reporters: Well be talking about Ukraine as well, talking about the recent upsurge in violence. Everybody is very concerned about that. The causes, as you know, arent quite clear. Theres a bit of murkiness about who initiated that. But the UK will be insisting there is no case for relaxation of the sanctions and every case for keeping up the pressure on Russia. Royal gun salutes were staged in London today to commemorate the Queen making history by becoming the first British monarch to reach their Sapphire Jubilee. The Army honours The Queen today at the start of her #SapphireJubilee year pic.twitter.com/vG5XxeFXU2 British Army (@BritishArmy) February 6, 2017 It is 65 years to the day since the Queen acceded to the throne following the death of her father, George VI, on February 6 1952. Today marks 65 years since Her Majesty The Queen acceded to the throne #SapphireJubilee pic.twitter.com/jTxFLeLdq9 The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) February 6, 2017 (Philip Toscano/PA) A 41-gun salute was fired by the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Green Park at noon. (Jonathan Brady/PA) (Jonathan Brady/PA) The Band of the Royal Artillery played a selection of celebratory music close to the firing position, and 89 horses pulled the six First World War-era 13-pounder field guns into position in the park. (Jonathan Brady/PA) The Honourable Artillery Company fired volleys at the Tower of London to mark the Sapphire Jubilee of the Queens accession. (Matt Dunham/AP) They fired a 62-round Royal Salute from Gun Wharf at 1pm with an extra 21 volleys for the citizens of the City of London to show their loyalty to the monarch. (Philip Toscano/PA) Prime Minister Theresa May has offered her congratulations to the Queen, hailing her as truly an inspiration to all of us. (Matt Dunham/AP) Mrs May said: Todays Sapphire Jubilee marks yet another remarkable milestone for our remarkable Queen. I know the nation will join with me today in celebrating and giving thanks for the lifetime of service Her Majesty the Queen has given to our country and to the Commonwealth. Myanmar commanders should be punished for rape of Rohingya-Human Rights Watch By Simon Lewis YANGON, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Human Rights Watch on Monday called for Myanmar to punish army and police commanders if they allowed troops to rape and sexually assault women and girls of the Rohingya Muslim minority. The New York-based campaign group said it had documented rape, gang rape and other sexual violence against girls as young as 13 in interviews with some of the 69,000 Rohingya Muslims who have fled to Bangladesh since Myanmar security forces responded to attacks on border posts four months ago. "The sexual violence did not appear to be random or opportunistic, but part of a coordinated and systematic attack against Rohingya, in part because of their ethnicity and religion," a Human Rights Watch (HRW) news release said. Reuters was unable to contact a Myanmar government spokesman to respond to the allegations. An estimated 1.1 million Rohingya live in the western state of Rakhine, but have their movements and access to services restricted. Rohingyas are barred from citizenship in Myanmar, where many call them "Bengalis" to suggest they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Independent journalists and observers have been barred from visiting the army's operation zone in northern Rakhine since the Oct. 9 attacks that killed nine border police. The government has so far dismissed most claims that soldiers raped, beat, killed and arbitrarily detained civilians while burning down villages, insisting instead that a lawful operation is underway against a group of armed Rohingya insurgents. The HRW report comes just days after United Nations investigators said Myanmar's security forces had "very likely" committed crimes against humanity, posing a dilemma for de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Nobel Peace Prize winner took charge of most civilian affairs in April after a historic transition from full military rule, but soldiers retain a quarter of seats in parliament and control ministries related to security. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said on Friday that Suu Kyi had promised to investigate the U.N.'s allegations. HRW said it had gathered evidence on 28 separate sexual assaults, including interviews with nine women who said they were raped or gang raped at gunpoint by security forces during the army's so-called "clearance operations" in northern Rakhine. The women and other witnesses said the perpetrators were Myanmar army troops or border police, who they identified by their uniforms, kerchiefs, arm bands and patches, HRW said. "These horrific attacks on Rohingya women and girls by security forces add a new and brutal chapter to the Burmese military's long and sickening history of sexual violence against women," said HRW senior emergencies researcher Priyanka Motaparthy. Cutters turn counsellors to fight female genital mutilation in Benin By Anne Mireille Nzouankeu COTONOU, Benin, Feb 6 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - B rowsing a market in Parakou, a city in Benin, 63-year-old Yon Sokogi was troubled by the latest gossip about a teenage bride rejected by her husband after she lost control of her bladder. Recognising this as a complication of female genital mutilation (FGM), Sokogi decided to visit 19-year-old Kpaare, a mother-of-two, in the hope of convincing her go to a hospital. But Sokogi is not a typical health worker. She is a cutter-turned-counsellor, who put down the knife five years ago - after cutting more than 1,500 girls during a 20-year period - to instead work towards stamping out FGM. "I did it with a knife, without anaesthesia, and without any medical training," Sokogi told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, explaining how her mother had trained her to help carry out FGM in their village. "The number of lives I shattered is enormous." The practice was criminalised in 2003 in the tiny West African nation of Benin, where one in 11 women and girls have been cut - a rate which has almost halved since 2000 - according to data from the U.N. children's agency (UNICEF). However, an adviser to Benin's first lady Claudine Talon said last week the practice had gone underground, and warned that up to three in 10 women and girls may have undergone FGM. Facing the risk of up to 20 years in prison, dozens of women like Sokogi are being persuaded by advocacy groups to put down the knife and retrain as counsellors in what is believed to be the first initiative of its kind in West Africa. These counsellors try to dissuade parents from cutting their daughters by explaining the harmful effects, and encourage girls suffering complications after undergoing FGM to go to hospital for treatment, rather than turning to traditional healers. "This is a great first for Benin, and an example that other nations must follow," said Nicolas Biaou, head of Mortiz, one of several grassroots groups which have helped to convert more than 30 cutters to counsellors across the country. CUTTER TO COUNSELLOR Some 200 million girls and women worldwide are estimated to have undergone FGM, which is practiced in a swathe of African countries and parts of the Middle East and Asia. The ancient ritual, which is often seen as a gateway to marriage and a way of preserving a girl's purity, can lead to a lifetime of physical, psychological and sexual problems. For Kpaare, who was cut at the age of 13, the birth of her second child was shortly followed by urinary incontinence, and traumatic flashbacks of the night she was laid on the ground naked - legs spread apart - with four women pinning her down. "I felt a sharp pain in my vagina and saw the blood flow, Kpaare said in her home in Parakou. "I wanted to scream but the women told me to shut up as a real woman must know how to bear pain, and that I would dishonour my mother if I cried." "So I stayed silent, and cried in my heart," she added. Having been shunned by her community, and told by a traditional healer that the incontinence was as result of black magic used against her by one of her husband's other wives, Kpaare was relieved when Sokogi knocked on her door last month. Sokogi's conversion from cutter to counsellor involved training sessions with nurses, who explained the risk of infections, vaginal tears, and complications during pregnancy. Eventually, Sokogi started visiting homes, no longer to cut girls, but to inform them and their parents of the dangers. She said her proudest achievement is having saved 11 girls from FGM. "The girls do not know what they are suffering, how to react or who to talk to," she said. "It is easier for them to confide in me because I am a woman, a victim and a former cutter." GUILT While its neighbours such as Guinea, Mali and Sierra Leone have some of the world's highest rates of FGM, around 90 percent or higher, the practice has steadily waned in Benin since it was made a crime in 2003, activists and state officials say. The fact that being complicit in the carrying out of FGM and failing to report it were also made punishable by between three and 20 years in prison sent out a strong message, according to Ines Hadonou-Toffoun, an official at the justice ministry. The state followed up the law with a cross-border crackdown on people moving between Benin and neighbouring Burkina Faso, Niger and Togo to carry out FGM, said Claire Houngan Ayemonna, a magistrate and formerly minister of families and social affairs. However, families are still crossing borders to get their girls cut, while some cutters in Benin who had abandoned the practice have also resumed their work, an adviser to first lady Talon told an international conference on FGM in Rome last week. Yet for Sokogi, the guilt she suffered after the death of four girls she cut means she will never again pick up the knife. "The village elders said it was due to sorcery ... but a health worker showed me that one died of a haemorrhage, and explained the dangers," she said. "My conscience overcame me." Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Ryanair says profits on track as fares continue to fall By Conor Humphries DUBLIN, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Ryanair's average fares fell more than expected in the last three months of 2016 amid a capacity glut in Europe's short-haul aviation market, but the low-cost giant said it remains on track to post a modest increase in annual profits. While competition may ease in the coming year, the market will continue to be challenging, with average fares likely to post single-digit percentage falls, Chief Executive Michael O'Leary said. Europe's short-haul carriers have struggled in recent months with over-capacity and Britain's vote to leave the European Union, with low-cost rivals Wizz and easyJet both trimming their annual profit forecasts in recent weeks. Ryanair, Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers, said average fares fell 17 percent in the three months to Dec. 31 and could fall up to 15 percent in three months to March 31. That is worse than its earlier forecast of a fall of between 13 and 15 percent over the six-month period. Weak fares knocked its profit in the final three months of 2016, the third quarter of its financial year, by 8 percent year-on-year to 95 million euros ($102.2 million), compared to a forecast of 99 million euros in a company poll of analysts. But it said it remained confident of meeting its profit guidance for its financial year to March 31 of 1.3-1.35 billion euros, which would imply an increase of around 7 percent on last year. Shares in Ryanair, which have outperformed the wider European airline market in recent months, were 2 percent lower at 14.48 euros by 1416 GMT. The stock is 37 percent ahead of its post-Brexit low of 10.46 compared to a 23 percent increase in the ThomsonReuters European Airlines Index. "MAY BE WORSE" Ryanair hopes falls in fares will ease next year as a more than doubling of oil prices since January last year should encourage competitors to shed fuel-inefficient capacity. "Europe's airlines have either been taking on too much new capacity or have not been retiring loss-making capacity over the past two years because oil prices were falling. That should reverse itself this year," O'Leary told a conference call. "We think a number of our competitors will be under much more material pressure to get fares, yields up, whereas we are content to add capacity and drive down fares in the next 12 months if that's what we have to do" to fill our planes, he said. O'Leary, who last month said he hoped fares would fall only by low-single digits, said the airline "doesn't have a clue" exactly what the outturn would be. "We hope it will be less than [5 percent] but frankly, the way we are expanding capacity, the way others are expanding capacity, it may be worse," O'Leary said. The Irish airline, which is focusing on market share rather than profit per passenger, increased its passenger numbers in the last three months of 2016 by 16 percent and further cut the number of empty seats on its planes. It plans to grow capacity by 13 percent this winter compared to an industry average increase of around 9 percent - the highest level of capacity growth in the industry in a decade. Ryanair said its costs per passenger were down 12 percent in its third quarter, half of that due to fuel. Unit costs for the full year to March 31 will fall by around 4 percent, it said. Czech Republic - Factors To Watch on Feb 6 PRAGUE, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Czech financial markets on Monday. ALL TIMES GMT (Czech Republic: GMT + 1 hours) =========================ECONOMIC DATA========================== Real-time economic data releases.................... Summary of economic data and forecasts........... Recently released economic data.................. Previous stories on Czech data............. **For a schedule of corporate and economic events: http://emea1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/Apps/CountryWeb/#/2E/events-overview ==========================NEWS================================== BABIS: Czech billionaire Finance Minister Andrej Babis said on Friday he had transferred his assets into two trust funds to comply with a new conflict-of-interest law that he has criticised for being aimed at him. Story: Related stories: CEZ: Czech electricity producer CEZ could split into two parts in the future, one responsible for enlarging nuclear power plants, and the other focusing on new sources of energy, Chief Executive Daniel Benes told Lidove Noviny newspaper. Story: Related stories: CEE MARKETS: Croatia's kuna, buoyed by an improving economy, set its firmest level in over 4 years against the euro on Friday, while central European currencies were mixed. Story: Related stories: ---------------------- MARKET SNAPSHOT ------------------------ Index/Crown Currency Latest Prev Pct change Pct change close on day in 2017 vs Euro 27.001 26.983 -0.07 0.02 vs Dollar 25.086 25.803 2.78 2.19 Czech Equities 943.99 943.99 0.33 2.43 U.S. Equities 20,071.46 19,884.91 0.94 1.56 Pvs close or current levels vs prior domestic close at 1600 GMT ==========================PRESS DIGEST======================== MERCEDES: Germany's Daimler might built its new distribution centre for Mercedes spare parts in the Czech Republic, which is competing for the multi-billion crown investment with neighbouring Poland, a source from the reality market told the paper. Daimler only said it was searching for a location. Hospodarske Noviny, page 1 (Reuters has not verified the stories, nor does it vouch for their accuracy.) For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX For updates on CEE currencies TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets Prague Newsroom: +420 224 190 477 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (Reporting by Prague Newsroom) Afghan diplomat shot dead at consulate in Karachi, Pakistan By Syed Raza Hassan KARACHI, Feb 6 (Reuters) - An Afghan diplomat was shot dead on Monday by a guard at the Afghan consulate in Pakistan's southern city of Karachi in a personal dispute, officials said. The consulate's third secretary was killed by the consulate guard, also an Afghan national, who had been arrested, police official Saqib Ismail told Reuters. "The guard used his automatic weapon, firing multiple bullets," Ismail said. Afghanistan's foreign ministry issued a statement identifying the murdered diplomat as Muhammad Zaki Abdu. "Police authorities immediately intervened to minimise further loss of life," read the statement. Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal described the shooting on his official Facebook account. "Firing inside Afg Consulate General in Karachi at around 12:30 pm today ... has been carried out by an Afghan guard inside the compound resulting in fatality of one of our diplomats," he wrote. Scandal-hit Fillon sorry, but staying in French presidency race By Brian Love and Emmanuel Jarry PARIS, Feb 6 (Reuters) - French conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon on Monday vowed to fight on for the presidency despite a damaging scandal involving taxpayer-funded payments to his wife for work that a newspaper alleges she did not do. At a news conference in Paris, Fillon, 62, apologised for what he said was his error of judgment regarding the employment of family members - though he said his wife's work as parliamentary assistant over 15 years had been genuine and legal. But he said the campaign of "unfounded allegations" against him and his family would not make him abandon his bid for the presidency as the nominee of the centre-right. "There is no plan B," he said, dismissing reports that other centre-right candidates were being lined up to replace him. "I am the only candidate who can bring about a national recovery. I am the candidate of the Right and I am here to win" he said. He announced he would launch a new phase of his campaign from Tuesday. The stakes are high for France's Right which is battling to return to power after five years of Socialist rule under President Francois Hollande. Fillon, a former prime minister, called the news conference after members of his own party, The Republicans, urged him to quit the race to give the party time to find a replacement candidate. He will hope his apology and denial of wrongdoing rally the party and voters behind him. Before the scandal surfaced in a weekly satirical newspaper nearly two weeks ago, opinion polls had shown Fillon to be the clear favourite to win the election, a two-stage ballot held on April 23 and May 7, over the far-right leader Marine Le Pen. Since then his approval ratings have plummeted and he is now seen failing to reach the May knockout. Two opinion polls published on Monday showed independent centrist Emmanuel Macron, a former investment banker, challenging Le Pen in the runoff vote and winning comfortably. It has been a humiliating reversal of fortune for Fillon, a devout Catholic and father of five children, who had portrayed himself on the campaign trail as a squeaky-clean politician. He and his wife have been interviewed by the fraud police - he for four hours, she for five - his office in parliament has been searched, and the inquiry has been extended to two of his adult children he also paid for stints of work at the Senate. The accusations of phantom jobs for the family also sit uncomfortably with his free-market economic plans for setting France back on to its feet which include slashing public spending and sacking half a million public servants. DEEP REGRET Fillon's political future still hangs in the balance and the grandees of his party will want to see if he has been convincing enough to stop the haemorrhage of votes. Fillon said all the important figures of his "political family" supported him - though whether this support continues may depend on what the opinion polls show over the coming days. Even so, some in The Republicans were cautious after Fillon had spoken. "Francois Fillon has told us that he remains the candidate ... I sincerely hope that we don't wake up with a hangover on April 23," said Republicans lawmaker Georges Fenech, referring to the date of the first round. The weekly Le Canard Enchaine alleged that Fillon had approved hundreds of thousands of euros to be paid to his British-born wife Penelope for fraudulent work as a parliamentary assistant while two of his grown-up children had received salaries for work for which they were not qualified. Fillon said his wife's work had included representing him at functions and events. Her average monthly salary of 3,677 euros ($3,947.26) over 15 years had been justified, he said. "Her job was vital for my role as an elected official ... All of this was legal," he said. It has been common for French legislators to employ wives, children and even mistresses in their office. What had been acceptable practice in the past was no longer accepted by the French public, Fillon said. "It was a mistake, which I deeply regret, and I apologise to the French people," he said. Replying to a question, he said he saw no reason to reimburse the money paid to his wife. A champion of free-market policies to reinvigorate a heavily regulated economy, Fillon said the violence of the campaign against him had been the work of those who wanted to undermine his "programme of breaking with the past". ($1 = 0.9315 euros) "We woke up in 1989": Romanian graft decree turned back the clock By Luiza Ilie BUCHAREST, Feb 6 (Reuters) - When fire tore through a Bucharest nightclub in 2015, victims were rushed to the city's Floreasca hospital - but its newly-built, multi-million-euro burns unit was standing idle and could help no one. Sixty-four people eventually died and the Social Democrat government was brought down within days by popular anger over the failure to enforce fire-safety regulations at the Colectiv nightclub, a failure blamed on endemic corruption and negligence. The reins of government were handed temporarily to a team of technocrats and Romania's special anti-corruption prosecutors turned their sights on the burns unit. It lacked emergency exits and trained staff and had been left unused. But prosecutors believed someone had stood to gain from the expensive project, if not the injured clubbers. After a closer look at the books, they launched a criminal investigation in November on suspicion that those in charge had knowingly overpaid for dozens of pieces of equipment worth hundreds of thousands of euros, all from one company. Corrupt procurement practices are rife in Romania's public sector, particularly hospitals, and a decree published by the ruling Social Democrats last month has underlined the scale of the challenge in cleaning up public life. In an embarrassing U-turn on Sunday, the month-old leftist government reluctantly annulled the decree, which would have decriminalised some graft offences, after the largest protests since the 1989 overthrow of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Under his rule petty bribery was a way of life. Parliament must eventually uphold the repeal of the decree, which would have decriminalised abuse-of-power offences where the sums involved are less than 200,000 lei ($48,000). It also would have narrowed the definition of conflict of interest, making it no longer punishable for a public official to favour a business partner when deciding who should win a contract. "In the case of abuse of power, public procurement contracts could be split into smaller sums and awarded separately," said Livia Saplacan, spokeswoman for Romania's anti-corruption prosecution unit, the DNA, before the withdrawal of the decree. "Until the decree, this was a very clear crime to investigate." ABUSE OF OFFICE The DNA is currently investigating some 2,000 cases of alleged abuse of office, and had feared many would have be halted. Protesters said the government order was tailor-made to amnesty dozens of public officials across all parties, not least the leader of the ruling party, Liviu Dragnea, who is on trial for abuse of office. The sum of money in his case fell under the new 200,000-lei threshold. The government denied this, saying the decree and a related prisoner pardon bill were designed to ease overcrowding in jails and bring the criminal code into line with recent constitutional court rulings. "My God, corruption has been a way of life for so long, we've had enough," 62-year-old pensioner Natalia Pop said as she joined tens of thousands of protesters on Wednesday in the capital. "Now they want to bend the laws to suit corruption - where's that going to take us?" The latest protests have dwarfed those that followed the Colectiv fire. Then, the Social Democrats quickly stepped aside - elections were only a year away and the party stood to gain little from clinging to power. This time, they are barely one month into a four-year mandate, with a comfortable majority in parliament after winning an election on a promise to raise pensions and wages. In one of the poorest countries in the European Union, many worry more about how to feed their families than the cost of corruption. "THEY CAN DO IT AGAIN" Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu, handpicked by Dragnea to head the government after Dragnea himself was barred by a previous vote-rigging conviction, had initially ruled out withdrawing the decree, despite the mass demonstrations, international criticism and the prospect of legal challenges. "This goes to show how systems, in general but ours in particular, are extremely vulnerable to authoritarian pressure," said Sergiu Miscoiu, professor of political science at the Babes-Bolyai University. Mirela Motatu, a 45-year-old dressmaker who joined Thursday's protest in Bucharest, said she had been spooked by the decree, which bypassed parliamentary debate. New GlaxoSmithKline CEO prepares for R&D choices, potential deals By Ben Hirschler LONDON, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Emma Walmsley, GlaxoSmithKline's incoming CEO, will take over Britain's biggest drugmaker at a challenging time but the 47-year-old also inherits the flexibility to do deals and make key choices on new drugs. Just four days before Walmsley moves into the top job on April 1, U.S. regulators could approve the first substitutable generic version of GSK's inhaled lung drug Advair, which has raked in more than a $1 billion in sales every year since 2001. Walmsley is expected to formally present her strategic vision for the company in the summer. Investors, however, will get an indication of how she views the Advair threat on Wednesday, when GSK gives its 2017 outlook alongside full-year earnings. While Walmsley will not be on the results call, she has been closely involved in the forecasts. Navigating GSK through the loss of Advair, assuming U.S. generics are approved, is the biggest near-term challenge and will demand a sharp focus on maintaining sales momentum for GSK's newer respiratory drugs Breo, Anoro, Incruse and Nucala. Other hurdles to come include trying to improve GSK's relatively weak pharma growth at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump criticises high drug prices in its largest market. It is arguably better placed than some to weather such pressure, given its high-volume, lower-margin strategy set in place by outgoing CEO Andrew Witty at a time when much of the industry was focused on expensive drugs for rare diseases. A solid consumer health business, led by Walmsley since 2010, selling everything from painkillers to toothpaste, has added stability, while a weak pound has provided a windfall. That has helped blow away fears about dividend payouts and has increased the scope for acquisitions, with Goldman Sachs analysts citing "pro-growth capital allocation" as a key strategic option for Walmsley. One big deal could come next year if Novartis opts to sell its minority stake in GSK's consumer business. R&D DECISIONS At the same time, there are important choices to be made in the key pharmaceuticals division, which still accounts for nearly 70 percent of operating profits, despite the recent expansion of vaccines and consumer health. GSK expects to get important clinical trial results on around 25 products in development over the next 18 to 24 months. "The big value generator for the company is going to be getting a decent yield from that dataset and then making exquisitely good decisions about prioritisation," Witty told Reuters in a recent interview. With a background in shampoo and cosmetics, after 17 years at L'Oreal, Walmsley's expertise is far from the lab bench, although she has taken a crash course in pharma R&D since September, according to company insiders. She needs to get up to speed as GSK heads into a period of intensified R&D activity, which could see the drug pipeline become a more important part of its investment case. Significantly, Walmsley's first senior appointment decision as CEO-designate was to hire Luke Miels from AstraZeneca as head of pharmaceuticals, making him her key pharma lieutenant alongside GSK's research boss Patrick Vallance. "She and Luke and Patrick are going to be opening the envelopes together, making the choices and then living with them. You'll have a team that is accountable right from the get-go," Witty said. In the meantime, GSK's top priority is to continue the momentum of the core drugs business, which has enjoyed strong sales of HIV medicines but could soon face competition from a new Gilead drug. Slovak supreme court clears Czech FinMin of cooperation with Communist secret police BRATISLAVA, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Slovakia's Supreme Court cleared Czech Finance Minister Andrej Babis of cooperation with the former Communist secret police, a spokesman said on Monday, upholding the verdict of a lower court. Babis, a Slovak-born billionaire owner of more than 250 companies, entered government with his ANO movement in 2013 and is favourite to become prime minister after this October's Czech national election. A Communist party member and official at a state foreign trade firm in the 1980s, he has consistently denied having been an informant. UPN, Slovakia's investigative institute of Communist-era oppression that brought the prosecution, said it would appeal the verdict at the Constitutional Court. Babis was initially cleared by a lower court in June 2015, after two former agents of the StB, the secret police of the then Czechoslovakia, testified that Babis was never recruited and his name in the archives only meant unwitting cooperation. "The court has confirmed what I've been saying from the beginning -- my listing by the StB was unjustifiable, I have never cooperated with the StB," Babis told Czech news agency CTK after the Supreme Court ruling was announced on Monday. Czechoslovakia broke up peacefully in 1992 and Babis eventually moved to the Czech Republic where he built up his Agrofert chemicals business. It is the Czech Republic's biggest private employer and has made him the second richest Czech, worth $2.7 billion according to Forbes magazine. Last week, Babis transferred his assets to a trust fund to comply with a new Czech conflict-of-interest law. Babis, 62, has in the past admitted to meetings with undercover police but said he only discussed issues related to the country's economic interests. UPN produced files at the 2015 hearing that it maintained showed Babis was an informer towards the end of the Communist era. Babis is not the only major political figure in the former Soviet bloc to have faced high-profile allegations of cooperation with the Communist-era police. In Poland, the government-affiliated history institute said last week it had new evidence that Lech Walesa, who led protests and strikes that shook Communist rule in the 1980s, had been a paid informant for the secret police in the 1970s. Albanian rescuers working to reach trapped Chinese miners TIRANA, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Albanian rescue teams were still working on Monday to reach three Chinese mining engineers trapped since Saturday afternoon in a chrome mine at Bulqize after an explosion. The gas explosion on Saturday has destroyed the ventilation system as well as one side of the well at the chrome mine, run by Albanian Chrome, owned by Albania's Balfin Group. "The rescuers have managed to come 240 metres away from the spot where they are believed to be trapped," an official said. "They are building a makeshift airing system as they go along because there is a lot of gas there. It is really hard work as they go down the well," the official told Reuters. There has been no contact of any kind with the three since Saturday afternoon. The Chinese Embassy confirmed earlier that the search operation was still going on. Three other Chinese miners suffered minor injuries. Here's what could sink the Trump-Putin relationship By Josh Cohen Feb 6 (Reuters) - Donald Trump continues to defend Vladimir Putin. In his pre-Super Bowl interview with Bill O'Reilly, the U.S. president dismissed the Fox News host's description of the Russian president as a "killer." "There are a lot of killers," said Trump. "What do you think? Our country's so innocent?" U.S. national security interests could certainly benefit from improved relations between Washington and Moscow, most notably by reducing the risks of nuclear war and nuclear terrorism. However, despite the optimistic signals emanating from the Trump and Putin camps, the relationship could sour quickly - and perhaps even make tensions worse. Among the policy issues that could still drive a wedge between the United States and Russia: Iran. Trump is sending contradictory signals on the nuclear deal with Tehran. As a candidate, he repeatedly promised to rip it up. As president, he may be looking to strengthen it. Putin will not want him to take the first option. Russia played a key role in bringing the Iran deal to fruition, in particular by developing solutions to reconcile Iran's desire for a domestic uranium enrichment capacity with the West's desire to limit this capability. Russia also continues to play an important part in the deal's implementation. At the end of 2015 Moscow took possession of 25,000 pounds of Iran's enriched uranium, and more recently - with the blessing of the Obama administration - Moscow shipped 116 metric tons of raw uranium to Iran in exchange for Tehran sending 44 tons of reactor coolant to Russia. Putin could easily view Trump's repudiation of the deal as a provocation, and perhaps as a precursor to an American strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. Putin might even respond by authorizing the shipment of advanced Russian weaponry to Iran to counter any perceived American threat, which could easily lead to a spiraling Russian-American crisis. Trump and Putin could also find themselves in a new nuclear arms race. Remember the furor over Trump's tweet that "the United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability" and his "let it be an arms race" comment to MSNBC after Putin said that Russia needed to strengthen the military potential of its strategic nuclear forces. It's not difficult to envision how a renewed Russian-American nuclear arms race might occur. The United States is building a European missile defense shield that by 2018 will cover the entire European continent. While ostensibly constructed to defend NATO against missiles from Iran, Russia believes the shield is directed at Moscow's own nuclear arsenal. In response, Putin may feel compelled to expand Russia's offensive missile forces if he believes they are needed to maintain Moscow's nuclear deterrent. That, in turn, could set off further growth in the American nuclear arsenal as well. Russian policy in Afghanistan could also induce a Trump-Putin clash. Although Moscow professes its own fear of Islamic extremism, Russia now shares intelligence with the Taliban - the same jihadists American troops have been fighting for 15 years. While Russia claims it only exchanges information with the Taliban to fight Islamic State, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan is on record as saying that Moscow is lending public legitimacy to the Taliban mainly to undermine NATO. The Taliban's continued ties to al Qaeda - combined with Trump's stated desire to focus on fighting Islamic extremism - could easily prompt Trump to demand that Moscow change its Afghan policy. It remains to be seen whether Putin would assent to such a demand. There are, of course, other areas where the two leaders could seek common ground. One is Ukraine, the other is Syria. If the Trump-Putin relationship stays warm, the U.S. president might consider cutting off support for the broader Syrian rebel movement and partnering with Russia and the Bashar al-Assad regime to fight solely against Islamic State. While this would no doubt please Moscow, the question is what would Putin give Trump in return? Russia entered Syria ostensibly to fight Islamic State, but in reality largely targeted other Syrian opposition groups. Putin could promise to join the American battle against Islamic State, but how would Trump react if Putin ignored this commitment? Moreover, by aligning with Russia and Assad in Syria, Trump would also join a de-facto alliance with Iran - the very country he reviles. Similar concerns apply to Ukraine. Moscow would love for Washington to end sanctions and recognize its annexation of Crimea. Again, what would Putin give Trump in exchange? Moscow could theoretically promise to end its hybrid war in eastern Ukraine, but Putin shows no indication of allowing Ukraine to join the West and he would quite possibly renege on such a deal. Furthermore, Moscow not only wants American sanctions lifted, but even demands that Washington pay it compensation for the damage these sanctions caused. Trump's personal relationship with Putin has yet to be determined. The U.S. president has said he respects the Russian president as a strong leader, but told O'Reilly "that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with him." Regardless of whether Putin and Trump get along, domestic political constraints could upend efforts by Trump to normalize Russian-American relations. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, for example, plans to introduce a bipartisan bill requiring Trump to obtain Congressional approval before lifting sanctions on Russia. There is also a provision in current intelligence legislation working its way through Congress to create a new organization dedicated to countering Russian political interference - something which could provoke even further Russian ill-will. Even lifting the 2012 Magnitsky Act sanctioning numerous Russians for human rights violations would require approval as well - something unlikely to occur in the current environment. Trump could also face resistance to his Russia policy within his own administration as well as the wider national security establishment. In her first appearance at the United Nations Security Council, Trump's U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley condemned Russia's "aggressive actions" in Ukraine and stated that sanctions against Russia for annexing Crimea would remain. During confirmation hearings Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called Russia a "danger" to the United States, C.I.A. Director Mike Pompeo criticized Russia for "threatening Europe" and "doing nothing" to fight Islamic state and Defense Secretary James Mattis said he considered the "principal threats to start with Russia." While Trump could theoretically circumvent any resistance by simply ordering the military to cooperate with Russia in Syria, the Pentagon has already stonewalled a similar approach by former Secretary of State John Kerry. In Trump appeal of immigration ruling, a battle over courts' authority: Frankel By Alison Frankel NEW YORK, Feb 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. judiciary is the only branch of our government that frequently restricts its own power. The constitutional system of checks and balances requires the courts to decide when Congress or the president is overreaching. But no one tells the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, who are appointed for life, that they're exceeding their constitutional power (except other justices). The system depends on judges acting judiciously. The Trump administration believes the system failed on Friday, when U.S. District Judge James Robart of Seattle granted a motion by the states of Washington and Minnesota to suspend enforcement of the president's week-old travel, immigration and refugee policy. The Justice Department's appeal at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to stay Judge Robart's order is, fundamentally, a call on federal courts to limit their own authority to review the president's power to decide who comes into and goes out of this country. The government's brief contends the Supreme Court has already conceded its restricted power in opinions that say courts must defer to the president as long as the government offers a legitimate rationale for its immigration decisions. Beyond that, the Trump Justice Department said, judges are intruding on terrain the U.S. Constitution and Congress have reserved for the president, meddling in policy they have no right to control. STATES' "RIGHT AND DUTY" Washington and Minnesota responded late Sunday night courts "have both the right and the duty" to examine the motives behind an unprecedented immigration and refugee policy that flouts the Constitution and a Congressional directive against nationality-based discrimination. The 9th Circuit can decide the case on any number of technicalities - ranging from its jurisdiction to hear the appeal to the standing of Washington and Minnesota to bring claims on behalf of their residents - without reaching the essential question of the scope of court authority to review the president's immigration policies. But the issue won't go away with this case. The Trump administration intends to pursue aggressive immigration policies. Judges need to know how closely they can scrutinize the administration's actions. President Trump made clear his own view of the appropriate balance of power in a series of Twitter posts this weekend. Deriding Judge Robart - who was appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate - as a "so-called judge," Trump tweeted, "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.?" On Sunday, the president once again questioned federal court interference with his national security policy. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril," he tweeted. "If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" The president's comments seem to me to be gratuitously disdainful of Judge Robart's authority, but his tweets distill the arguments his Justice Department has been making all week in the Washington and Minnesota AG case. The government has warned against "judicial second-guessing" of the president's discretion in matters of national security, which, it said, Congress codified in immigration law provisions guaranteeing the executive branch's power to suspend admission to the U.S. when the safety of the nation is at stake. "SECOND-GUESSING" THE PRESIDENT In the brief filed Saturday, the Justice Department added the argument that judges don't have access to all of the classified information the president sees, so "courts are particularly ill-equipped to second-guess the president's prospective judgment about future risks." According to the Justice Department, judges are committing irreparable harm to constitutional separation-of-powers doctrine when they intrude "on the political branches' exclusive authority over the admission of aliens." To back those arguments, the government cites two Supreme Court opinions, Kleindienst v. Mandel from 1972 and Kerry v. Din from 2015. Both cases were brought by U.S. citizens suing over State Department decisions not to issue visas to particular foreign nationals. In Kleindienst, American professors claimed the government was violating their First Amendment rights by refusing entry to a radical Belgian journalist; in Kerry, a woman married to a former Taliban member asserted the government was obliged to explain its refusal to grant her husband a visa. In both cases, the Supreme Court said that when the government has a "facially legitimate and bona fide" reason to deny a visa, courts should not probe the executive branch's exercise of its discretion. "This reasoning has particular force in the area of national security, for which Congress has provided specific statutory directions pertaining to visa applications by noncitizens who seek entry to this country," wrote Justice Anthony Kennedy in a concurrence in the Kerry case. The Justice Department's position is not unreasonable. Boston federal district judge Nathaniel Gorton, who declined on Friday to extend a temporary restraining order barring enforcement of the Trump policies, agreed with the government's restricted view of court oversight of immigration policy. (And was hailed in a yet another tweet from President Trump over the weekend.) "The president has exercised his broad authority  to suspend entry of certain aliens purportedly in order to ensure that resources are available to review screening procedures and that adequate standards are in place to protect against terrorist attacks," Gorton wrote, citing Kleindienst among other cases. EVIDENCE OF "BAD FAITH" But as Washington and Minnesota explained Sunday night in their 9th Circuit response to the Justice Department, the Supreme Court doesn't always give the executive branch a free pass when it comes to national security. Most notably, in a series of decisions in the early 2000s, the justices granted constitutional rights to detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, over ardent opposition from the George W. Bush administration. "Courts routinely review executive decisions with far greater security implications" than the Trump administration immigration policy, the states' brief said. Moreover, according to Washington and Minnesota, Justice Kennedy's concurrence in the 2015 Kerry case specifically said that courts can consider the executive branch's motives if there is sufficient evidence the government acted in bad faith. The states contend the Trump administration policy, which bars entry from seven Muslim-majority countries, is a de facto ban on Muslims, in violation of the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. UK, (Daily Mail, London), 4 February 2017- Tearing through the skies above the South Coast, two Spitfires evoke powerful memories of Britains wartime resilience. But this stirring image holds a further poignancy in the cockpit of the lead aircraft sits Mary Ellis, celebrating her 100th birthday by recreating her time as one of the Ata-girls, the select gang of female pilots who flew Britains fighters during the war. Wizard, this is wizard! yelled the delighted centenarian through her intercom. Mary was handed the controls of the 275mph twin-seater as it swooped over West Sussex. After about 15 minutes, she turned for home, and told her co-pilot Matt Jones: Goodwood on the nose, you have control. Then she settled back to enjoy the ride back to base. Two students were killed and three others were injured when their three-wheeler collided with a tipper truck at Meegama on Aluthgama- Mathugama main road, police said. They said the students were members of the cadet platoon of the Aluthgama Maha Vidyalaya. The injured boys had been admitted to the Nagoda and Dharga Town Hospitals. It was reported that the three-wheeler driver had lost control of the vehicle and collided with the tipper truck. (Bandu Thambavita and S. Madawala) Good governance activist and retired private sector executive, Chandra Jayaratne has written to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) to come forward to protect the independence of the countrys Auditor General (AG), who is a member of the institute. My appeal arises from public criticism, by some leaders in governance, of the Auditor General, challenging the integrity, independence, professionalism and unbiased judgment of the holder of the office of the Auditor General. Such public criticism and associated pressure, challenges and may even have the effect of attempting to influence the independence and professionalism of the holder of the office of the Auditor General, Jayaratne said in his letter. Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake recently slammed Auditor General Gamini Wijesingha in parliament for giving a report relating to the Central Bank treasury bond transactions in the last eight years to the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) without giving it to him first. He (Wijesingha) has gone beyond his mandate, Karunanayake told parliament. However, Wijesingha said a copy of the report was sent to the finance minister also and Karunanayake acknowledged receiving the said report in writing. The report was also immediately posted on the Auditor General Departments website. Wijesingha told the media that his duty is to make the dealings of the government as transparent as possible and he has no intention in protecting the confidentiality of the report, specially at a time when the Right to Information (RIT) Act is in force. The position of the Auditor General is a high post appointment made in terms of Article 153 of the Constitution by the president, with the concurrence of the Constitutional Council. Article 153 D (1) of the Constitution reads as follows: A person who otherwise than in the course of his duty, directly or indirectly, by himself or through any other person, in any manner whatsoever, influences or attempts to influence any decision of the Commission, any member thereof or any officer of the Sri Lanka State Audit Service, shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand rupees or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both such fine and imprisonment. Hence, Jayaratne urged the CA Sri Lanka to write to President Maithripala Sirisena asking him to publicly caution those who are culpable of attempting to criticize and pressure/influence the Auditor General in violation of the constitution. Jayaratne also asked the institute to write to the Constitutional Council for inquiry and advice to the president. He further urged the CA Sri Lanka to write to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is the leader of the political party whose members appear, as reported in the media, to possibly be associated with the pressure, criticism and influence exerted on the Auditor General. Jayaratne also recommended the CA Sri Lanka writing to the Speaker of parliament, as the head of the legislature to whom the Auditor General reports to and accountable for public finance, to caution the members of parliament to refrain from any actions that denigrate the office of the Auditor General. Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) meter readers or billing officers staged a protest outside the Fort Railway Station in Colombo today calling for the ban of power and piece-rate based employment. They also urged the Government to cancel the expulsion of some 100 billing officers. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana REUTERS, 05th FEBRUARY, 2017-Dozens of people in Afghanistan and Pakistan were killed after heavy snow and avalanches hit over the weekend. In eastern Afghanistan, at least 50 people died and dozens more were missing on Sunday after an avalanche buried a village in Nuristan, provincial governor Hafiz Abdul Qayum said. Based on information from district officials, 50 dead bodies have been recovered and the number may increase, he said. At least five other deaths from collapsed roofs were reported elsewhere in Nuristan. In the northern province of Badakhshan, over the past two days as many as 19 people were killed and 17 injured by avalanches, collapsed roofs and road accidents, said Naweed Frotan, a spokesman for the provincial governor. The government was working to reach at least 12 districts in Badakhshan that had been completely cut off, he said. Heavy snow also blanketed the Afghan capital of Kabul, where the government closed its offices on Sunday. Patriotic National Movements General Secretary Dr. Wasantha Bandara, in an interview with the Daily Mirror says the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India would be detrimental to the countrys entire labour market. Therefore, he said it should not be viewed as an issue of medical professionals only. Excerpts of the interview: Not merely an issue concerning medical professionals only Indian migratory workers will flood labour market It will cause untold hazards Q How do you see the present lull on activities for the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA?) More than the ETCA, the Constitution-making process is crucial for the government as things stand at the moment. This government was installed merely for the purpose of bringing about a new Constitution by those with vested interests. It was stressed upon by all concerned in clear-cut terms. Starting from one time US Foreign Secretary Hilary Clinton to Government MP Jayampathi Wickramaratne, it was the slogan. They held the belief that a new Constitution was unrealistic as long as President Mahinda Rajapaksa was in power. They defeated him and installed this government solely to work out the new Constitution. So, it has taken precedence over everything else in the government. In case the government fails to muster the two-thirds for it, it would herald the collapse of the government. It is a foregone conclusion. Along with the end of the Constitution-making process, it will ensure the political death knell of the government. The ETCA has taken a back beat as a result. The government is planning to work out 15 legislations that, if enacted, would enable the global multinational companies to access the economic nerve centres of the country. These are in the pipeline. The ETCA is only part of this whole exercise. The government would not give up on it. If the government brings the constitution making process to a successful conclusion, it would pay attention to the ETCA with full force. This is a political game. If the ETCA is prioritized instead, the government would be subjected a huge public protest. The government would be left in the lurch, being unable to do anything. It would affect the Constitution-making process. I believe even India might have instructed the government to focus more on the Constitution-making process first. "Lowering the wage limit, there should be a huge importation of labourers to the country from outside. It is not the mere arrival of some doctors, architects etc. For such categories, doors are open to some extent even now." Q How do you view the ETCA? In our country, people mostly believe that it is a matter of concern for medical and other professionals. There is a reason for it. It was these professionals who sensed the impending danger first and took initiatives for public awareness. Its impact on professionals is minimum in the broad picture, in my analysis. It is an issue concerning the entire labour market. For example, the government is trying to lower the wage limit. Here, a labourer is paid Rs.1,000-1,200. It is a high cost for local manufacturers. With such a high labour cost, they cannot compete in the international market for their products. Likewise, foreign investors cannot be attracted in the same fashion. So, they want to bring it down to somewhere close to Rs.750. The daily wage of an estate labourer is that. That is the price tag determined for labour within this economic system. For lowering the wage limit, there should be a huge importation of labourers to the country from outside. It is not the mere arrival of some doctors, architects etc. For such categories, doors are open to some extent even now. In India, there are as many as 120 million migratory labourers working in urban areas of India. They account for more than 10% of the Indian population. Of this migratory labour population of India, 10% travel even across the border and work in different countries. They work in Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong etc. They go as construction workers mostly. The construction industries of these countries thrive on cheap Indian labour. Some travel with work permits and others without. These labourers toil, sometimes for 12 hours a day, amid untold difficulties in the absence of health facilities and safety standards. They stay in labour camps. They sleep in crammed, tinned sheds. It is reminiscent of slavery that prevailed in history. They are prone to diseases. Tuberculosis (TB) is prevalent among them. They have low nutritional intakes. From their meagre income, they have to save something as their take- home savings. They frequent prostitutes. It leads to sexually transmitted diseases. HIV infection is very high among them. If they come here, it would create health hazards in our country. Local labourers would also get lower salaries if there was an influx of foreign cheap labour. Q How would it happen? This would be done by manpower companies. Indian companies would come and set up such companies. Indian labourers are used to low living standards unlike our workers. If their salaries get reduced drastically, it would be mentally painful. In our country, farmers sometime work as part time labourers during the off-season. Once their cultivation period is over, they work at medium level estates in their localities. They work as agricultural labourers. The estate authorities also stand a chance to get cheap foreign labourers from manpower companies if the agreement is signed and implemented. "India considers its labour force as its fifth army virtually. Today, in Sri Lanka, India has a political clout through estate workers" Q Anyway, the government argues that the service sector would not be covered under the ETCA. Then, why do you harbour such fears? The government repeatedly says the mode 4 of service trading - the movement of natural persons - will not be covered. The government cannot do so. We have signed the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) which covers international trade in goods. That is with the World Trade Organization. When we sign any form of service agreement with another country having signed the same GATT, our minimum commitments given under the GATT would apply. We have committed under the GATT to open the mode 4 of service trading. When we opt for service trading with India as a country having signed GATT, we cannot deviate from this position. We cannot say no to opening the mode 4. If we sign the ETCA, the mode 4 of service trading would apply automatically because of our commitments under GATT. India has signed GATT after placing a lot of conditions such as tough visa regulations, limitation of openings for foreign, workers etc. We have signed it yet with minimum conditions. We have only said visas would be issued in accordance with the prevalent immigration and emigration laws of the country. There are no major restrictions here. When one applies, a visa could be obtained. For example, if an Indian company invests in the construction field here, it would submit a list of workers they need. They may not call these workers labourers. They will be called as craftsmen, master craftsmen etc. we cannot place restrictions. Visas would be issued through the normal procedure. Inroads could be made in this manner even to the public service. There are two Bills in the pipeline to be enacted for the regulation of work in the education and health sectors. Of them, if the health authorities Bill is enacted, each hospital would have its own management body. Then, each body would have the authority to make recruitments. It could make recruitments from the public service or from outside as contract workers. It would turn to manpower companies in that context. It would make way for the recruitment of foreign nationals. Even sex workers may enter the country in this manner. The situation would be compounded worse if the bridge was built connecting India with Sri Lanka. Q How could you stop signing the agreement then? It could be done only by rallying people against it. There is a fault here. Today, it is seen as an issue of doctors or other professionals. It is not. This is an issue concerning the entire labour market. This is the reality to be understood. Even the political parties project it as an issue of doctors. "It would make way for the recruitment of foreign nationals. Even sex workers may enter the country in this manner. The situation would be compounded worse if the bridge was built connecting India with Sri Lanka" Q On what evidential basis, did you formulate your opinion on this as an issue concerning the entire labour market? For the first time, India is trying to sign this agreement. This is a serious agreement. If you look at the manner in which Indian migratory labourers work, Sri Lanka is a paradise on the earth for them. For this government, it is needed to lower wages to reduce production costs. As for investors, we managed to get Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) worth US $ 600 million only last year. A country like Malaysia gets US $ 20 billion. Labour cost is the problem here. If low cost labour is provided, foreign investors would flood the country to invest in the manpower intensive industries. Manpower issue is the bottleneck here. Q But, the government says there is no finalization of the ETCA. Then, how do you see such a crisis looming? When studying the Indian labour market, all data is available. We could access them. Then, we could analyse the situation. India considers its labour force as its fifth army virtually. Today, in Sri Lanka, India has a political clout through estate workers. In Fiji, the Indian labour force is big enough for any political impact to be made. As for trading in goods, it is an issue for them even now. Former Director General at the New Delhi-based autonomous think-tank Research and Information System for Developing Countries, Senior Indian trade economist and Professor of Economics at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Dr. Biswajit Dhar in an interview with the Daily Mirror on the proposed Indo-Lanka Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) said that Sri Lanka should find ways of neutralising the opposition of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa whose administration had earlier succeeded in jeopardising attempts to take the 1999 Indo-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to the next level through Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by including investment and services. He shared the following: What is the current stage of the ETCA? The proposed ETCA seems to have hit yet another hurdle with both governments playing hard ball, essentially to make the proposed agreement acceptable to the special interest groups in their respective countries. There is a strong opposition to the ETCA from professional entities, business community and also some political parties in Sri Lanka. Isnt their opposition valid? Trade deals, in general, have often faced these kind of opposition that you are alluding to. But, it is also important to understand that the governments on the two sides are expected to address genuine domestic sensitivities in consultation with the special interest groups. For, instance, movement of people can be restricted to the categories where the apprehensions of job losses do not exist. Meanwhile, I think that Sri Lanka should find ways of neutralising the opposition of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa whose administration had succeeded in jeopardising attempts to take the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which was signed in 1999 to the next level through CEPA by including investment and services. How exactly did the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration jeopardise the attempts of CEPA? Well, I am not going far with my answer to that question. But, in my view, the former President was anyway not keen and he was against any trade agreement with India. Despite a plenty of negotiation rounds were held between two countries, the SL Government did not sign the agreement at the last moment. Is ETCA basically CEPA by another name? It is right that ETCA is CEPA by a different name and is an attempt to deflect the opposition to CEPA that the earlier government had raked up. The two agreements are basically identical. What should be done by both governments to clear the doubts of the public on the ETCA in order to build their confidence? The two governments could first reach a common ground for addressing each others domestic sensitivities. Domestic constituencies in Sri Lanka have to be spoken to by their government, based on the understanding it has reached with the Indian government. Further, I dont think the Indian Government should make any attempt to assuage the apprehensions of special interest groups in Sri Lanka. Why are both the countries hurrying to get ETCA finalised? India would certainly want its relationship with Sri Lanka put on a firmer footing, and that too in as short a time frame as possible. Then the CEPA and now the ETCA have been on the anvil for a fairly long time. It has resulted to a sense of anxiety in both India and Sri Lanka until the ETCA gets finalised. Indo - Lanka FTA was not that beneficial to Sri Lanka on the long run. Shouldnt the old issues pertaining to the earlier trade agreement be discussed before entering into a new agreement? Yes, of course, I firmly believe that there needs to be thorough reviews and studies of the FTA which was signed in 1999 so that India would be able to understand the issues that Sri Lanka is raising. Moreover, I am in the view that India also needs to explore the ways in which Sri Lankan products could penetrate into Indian markets more than it has happened thus far. Are there any studies or reviews on the FTA being carried out by the Indian government? I am not aware of any recent official studies on either the ETCA or FTA. How is it cooperatively beneficial for a smaller country like Sri Lanka to open its market to a larger country like India? I would say that a smaller country could benefit if it imports raw materials or semi-processed material from the larger country. The larger country is then provided the opportunities to export the finished products. In the early years of the FTA implementation, vegetable oil manufacturers relocated themselves in Sri Lanka and were exporting the final products to India. When they found that their operations were no longer profitable, they stopped producing in Sri Lanka. What are the political, strategic and economic benefits which India targets to gain through the ETCA? For India, ETCA would be politically significant for it could count on Sri Lanka as a reliable partner, especially in light of the dynamics in South Asia. The economic partnership through which the two countries seek to provide a much needed boost to their economies, would, in due course bring greater prosperity to their peoples. A growing India, which is now the fastest growing economy in the world, has plenty of room for Sri Lankan products now. What are the regulations that India would put forward in the ETCA? India is not spelling out the regulations that it wants to bring in through the ETCA. However, what would be interesting to see how issues relating to temporary movement of people, which is an integral component of trade in services, is handled by India. We know Sri Lanka is opposed to Indian nationals going and working in Sri Lanka. China has already gotten into Sri Lanka in a big way. Where does India stand in this issue? India is certainly worried about the increasing Chinese footprint in Sri Lanka. Now that China has emerged as the main votary of globalisation. India is viewing its partners intent with some degree of circumspection. Is India contemplating on ways to counter Chinese influence in Sri Lanka? India could only extend its hand of friendship which it has been doing for decades. Sri Lankas relationship with India and China are independent of one another and India understands this well enough. How do you see the difference in economic relationship between SL and India during previous government and after the establishment of the incumbent regime? Basically, Indias relations with Sri Lanka have improved manifold since the present government took office. The confidence-building that has taken place in recent years is really the reason why the discussions on ETCA are taking place. As befitting a reputation of excellence and being Sri Lankas premier hospitality brand, four Jetwing properties have been listed in the recently published Top 25 Hotels in Sri Lanka by TripAdvisor as part of its 2017 Travellers Choice Awards. In the second place comes Jetwing Vil Uyana, located in Sigiriya renowned for its design and sustainability initiatives. This resort features 36 dwellings set in five distinct habitats taking a form of a private nature reserve; it is the finest eco-living experience found in the island. Jetwing Yala, a resort experience that combines wildlife and the beach, is placed ninth. Jetwing Lagoon, Sri Lankas first resort and master Geoffrey Bawas first resort design, comes in at 14th place. Last, but not least, is Jetwing Lighthouse, Bawas finest creation for the hospitality industry, taking the 19th slot. Jetwing Vil Uyana has now become the ultimate luxury living experience sought after by travellers in Sri Lanka. Being the first man-made nature reserve ever to be created in the country, Jetwing Vil Uyana is highly praised for its layout of a wetland system with lakes, reed beds and allowing dwellings to be built within a variety of habitats. This property is a haven for lavish living, warm service, exceptional architecture and design, royal history and eco-friendly surroundings. As an enclosure in perfect harmony with natural habitat, the resort paves way for flora and fauna to take precedence at the property. One of the many attractions to date at Jetwing Vil Uyana is the night trail, which goes on to spot the elusive grey slender loris, which is naturally attracted to the habitat, and also the fishing cat. Introducing a beach experience to Yala, making it one of the most sought-after beach swims, is Jetwing Yala. Merging the life in the wilderness and the sunny seaside living, this resort allows guests to embrace the natural wonders of the region while basking in the luxury experience that Jetwing offers. With rooms built to seamlessly blend into the surroundings, two restaurants, three bars, a pool, gym and spa, guests can fully submerge in blissful escapism here. Much like any other property Jetwing Yala boasts a tremendous commitment to sustainability and the environment it hosts one of the islands largest privately-owned solar parks and engages in many responsible wildlife tourism practices. Jetwing Lagoon and Jetwing Lighthouse are treasure troves of Geoffrey Bawas architectural masterpieces one being his first resort designed in the country and the other housing the unique spiral stairway with sculptures depicting the Portuguese war. His love for open spaces allowing the property to blend in with the natural surrounding is plainly seen in the two properties. One overlooking a lagoon and the other in view of the Indian Ocean, Jetwing Lagoon and Jetwing Lighthouse promise unique tropical experiences leaving guests awed by their hospitality. We love it when a guest comes to any of our properties and leaves with a smile, knowing that our service and our product are simple yet superior in every way. Through TripAdvisor, its refreshing to hear about different experiences and our guests also provide us with comments that help us improve. My congratulations go out to all the other hotels that are on the Top 25 list, as it is through our efforts that Sri Lanka grows in stature as a premier tourist destination, said Jetwing Chairman Hiran Cooray. Family-owned and in the tourism industry for the past 44 years, Jetwing Hotels has surpassed expectation at every aspect. Building on its foundation of being passionate, as well as the experience of true, traditional Sri Lankan hospitality, constantly pioneering discoveries captures the essence of the brand. Such a strong statement and direction have enabled Jetwing Hotels to imagine, create and manage marvels and masterpieces, where distinctive design and elegant comfort complement each other and the environment. In line with the Jetwing Hotels Sustainable Strategy, across all properties sustainable and responsible practices are given precedence with resource efficiency, community upliftment and education and awareness being some of its key focus areas. In 1973, the destiny of Sri Lankan tourism changed. From humble beginnings in the fishing town of Negombo, a homegrown, family-owned company grew to be a pioneering force in the industry. Renowned for its simple values and its promise of traditional Sri Lankan hospitality, Jetwing Hotels is now the largest resort brand in the island, with 30 properties within the country. The Japanese are known for their obsession with cleanliness. They are also known for their high quality and productivity. There is obviously a connection. Kireizuki is a Japanese term which closely translates to the high level of cleanliness and an almost obsession with it. Chinese historians who visited Japan in the third century as well as European visitors who arrived when Japan opened up in the 16th century have commented on the fastidious Japanese where cleanliness was given the highest priority. Even Sri Lanka had a glorious sanitary system in the past as far back as the Rajarata civilization. However unlike the Japanese who kept on improving their standards of cleanliness we in Sri Lanka have seen a drastic deterioration. We are only left with historical artefacts to prove that once, a long time ago, we were a clean and hygiene conscious nation. We even arranged for Queen Elizabeth to see the ancient toilets slabs during her visit to declare open the Victoria dam. It was as if to say, even though the country is filthy dirty now, we were more advanced than you in 500 BC. We need to face reality and not fool ourselves. We are not a very clean nation. We do not have a culture nor do we have social rules that promote cleanliness. Historical records indicate our advanced sanitation systems and high standards of cleanliness of the Sri Lankan royalty, and there is an abundance of evidence of the precise vinaya rules for the monks. There is no dearth of concepts nor profound proclamations about the need for cleanliness, but the actual practice is far from those abstract concepts. It is said that even Kautilyasarthashastra had many concepts and rules for cleanliness. Kautilya has been widely studied and discussed in India and even in Sri Lanka. However Kautilyas thoughts on hygiene and cleanliness do not appear to have made much impact on the Indian or Sri Lankan cities. This proves the point made over and over again that South Asians are very good at conceptualizing and theorising but hopeless at implementation. I have been speaking about this, and writing about this, since 1980 when I first visited Japan and saw at first hand their cleanliness culture. When I returned I tried my best to implement some of these methods at the Sri Lanka Tyre Corporation where I worked as the Industrial Engineer in late 70s and early 80s. I failed miserably. I only succeeded in getting my office cleaned the Japanese way as my colleagues called it, and it became a big joke to everyone. However in every organization I was the CEO I was successful in drastically improving the standards of cleanliness. After over 30 visits to Japan since then, I once again visited Japan at the end of last year and decided to write this piece. Attitude in Sri Lanka I had learnt the Japanese 5S system in Japan and was the first to conduct seminars and promote this concept since the 1990s. When I took over as Chairman of Dankotuwa Porcelain Ltd and then the Japanese investors came in after peoplisation I had just started implementing 5S there. I still recall the conversation with the Japanese technical expert who had been in the factory for few months before and who very bluntly told me, that I may succeed in the first two steps of 5S but will miserably fail in the third step, which is mostly about cleanliness. On challenging him, his reply was that Sri Lankans believe that they have a fundamental right to dirty the workplace and get workers, janitorial services, peons and servants to clean up. He gave loads of examples to prove his point. He had once found a dirty piece of cloth on a machine and asked the factory manager about it, and the Factory manager called an Assistant Production Manager to attend to it, who called the supervisor who called his Charge Hand and finally a factory worker removed it. He may have exaggerated this a bit, but made his point. Next he took me into his office, sat down, wrote something on a piece of paper with a pencil and then erased it, collected the eraser dust off the table onto his palm and dusted into the waste paper basket very neatly. He looked up at me and said That is Japanese method. Then he took me into the general office and asked me to observe, at which point someone was just erasing something he had written. He erased, lowered his head towards the paper and blew away the erased dust across the table onto the floor. That is Sri Lankan method said the Japanese Expert, adding you expect someone else to clean your mess, because you think it is your birthright to mess up your workplace. Once a team from Sri Lanka was on a productivity and quality observation mission organized by the German GTZ. We were in Hanover, in an apartment hotel. One day there was a suggestion to cook a Sri Lankan dinner organized by a good cook amongst our team members. We cooked Sri Lankan food and after an enjoyable evening in his room and when we were breaking up I suggested that we all get together clean up the room and wash up the utensils before we head back to our own rooms. The organiser protested Our room charge includes cleaning up so we just leave things as they are. I was aghast and asked him how he could possibly sleep with bits of curry spilled on the writing table and blobs of seenisambol on the floor etc. He was quite happy to sleep with all that mess because we have the right to dirty the workplace. This is the problem with us Sri Lankans. This was quite in contrast to the philosophy of the Japanese. Once a Japanese Director told me how he won a competition in school and the prize was the golden opportunity to clean the school toilets. I am not joking. Japanese schools usually do not have janitorial services, the children clean the school themselves. In Sri Lanka a child will never be asked to clean a toilet even as a punishment. The difference is that we think it is our right to dirty the workplace while the Japanese believe it is bad manners not to clean up and keep the place clean and neat for the other person. Once a former boss of mine who had retired from the then Ceylon Civil Service told me how he refused to give an extension to an officer who never kept his institutions toilets clean. He said whenever he visited the Institution he was greeted by an unbearable stench emanating from the toilets. On hearing the news that his extension was not approved, he had confronted the boss and asked why he did not get an extension and was promptly told the reason. In disbelief he had asked What do you mean clean sir? They are toilets no sir. My boss explained to me that to many Sri Lankans a toilet is considered an excellent toilet only if it smells to high heaven, with water splashed everywhere, and generally filthy. If not, it fails to qualify as a good toilet. When I took over as Chairman of the ETF the toilets at the entrance were smelly and dirty, the office was disorganized and unclean. I had the whole place cleaned up and floors polished, and introduced potted plants decorating the place. Although petitions went to the Minister that I was wasting ETF money the staff soon became cleanliness conscious and maintained the office very well. Some even told me that they are so proud of the office when their friends visit them. I distinctly recall the incident when Hon Aboosally took over as the new Minister of Labour and visited the Labour Department and the ETF, which are housed in the same Labour Secretariat. He was very impressed with the cleanliness of the ETF and asked why the Labour Department could not be kept equally clean. The answer was that since most people who come to the Labour Department are floor level workers with some workplace issue, such as a dismissal, and therefore in a distressed state of mind, it would make them feel far more comfortable in a dirty smelly environment! Once again I must say I am not joking, it is a true story. Relationship of cleanliness with quality and productivity It is obvious that breakdowns are far less if machines are kept clean and well maintained. Japan boasts of having one of the lowest breakdown rates in the world. The Japanese philosophy is to bring back to original condition every piece of equipment at the end of every day. This applies to large machines and even to your personal equipment kept on your table such as calculators, mobile phones, and even paper punches. Its not just the breakdowns only, because poorly maintained machines will turn out defective products lowering quality yields and machines that do not perform at the rated output levels will lower your productivity as well.There is a definite direct correlation between a well maintained workplace or factory and a higher quality yield. Personal hygiene too can have a significant impact on quality and productivity as demonstrated to me by a Japanese expert. In the porcelain industry the factory has to be very clean because if iron particles (which may not be visible easily to the naked eye) rest on the item before it is fired it will end up with a black spot, easily visible, after firing, and it therefore becomes a rejected piece. Workers had been asked to regularly wash their hands with soap before they handle products before firing, but the problem still persisted. The Japanese expert then decided to visit the toilets and observe how workers washed their hands. To his horror he found that the steps were as follows; with dirty hands they open the tap, wash, apply soap, wash again and close the tap. What happens?The dirt on the tap comes back on the clean hands. In Japan,said the expert,school kids are taught to wash their hands properly so that they take water to their hands and wash the tap before touching the tap again to close it. He was surprised that we do not teach our children in Sri Lanka how to wash their hands. Instituting a cleaning culture Although there has been a remarkable change in attitudes in Sri Lanka over the past few years, we need a massive change to come upto world standards. Many years ago if a worker from Telecom came to your house to install a telephone he would do his job and depart leaving all the mess behind. Cleaning is someone elses job. Today it is much better. A person who came to install a shower cubicle in my home recently cleaned and vacuumed the entire area before leaving. A person who came to fix a wall bracket had an innovative method of holding the vacuum cleaner near the drill while he was drilling so that the plaster and brick dust arising from the drilling was immediately sucked in to the vacuum cleaner. Hopefully things are changing. One important aspect of the Japanese concept of cleanliness is clean in one step rather than with two or more steps. This concept was first driven to me during my first visit to Japan in 1980. The programme included home visits where we had to visit a typical Japanese family one afternoon, spend the evening with them, and have dinner. For the two of us Sri Lankans It was a wonderful experience. The day before we left Japan this family visitedus in our hotel and brought along with them some typical Japanese fruits. We sat in the lobby and they brought out the fruits on a plate and the knife to peel and cut the fruits. Before anything else they took out a small garbage bag and made it sit on the table with the open end in an open circle. They peeled the fruits straight into the garbage bag, so that there was no need to put the peels on something else and then collect and put into the garbage bag subsequently. It was a single step cleaning. Generally in Japanese cities today, it is hard to find garbage bins because garbage is your responsibility, and you are supposed to take the garbage home. Once when my son and I visited the touristic city of Nikko he was wondering why there were no garbage bins anywhere, only to realise the reason when we arrived at the bus station when we saw everyone carrying their own garbage back home. Five minute SEISO One of the recommended methods under the third step of 5S, Seiso, is cleaning your own workplace for 5 minutes at a designated time every day. At this time everyone gets up from their seats and will first arrange their tables, tidy things up, clean their own desk, chair, computer, cupboard tops etc with a cloth and other cleaning equipment such as brushes and leave everything spick and span. This will inculcate a self-cleaning culture. Today many garment factories that practice 5S have inculcated these good habits to their workers. They wash their own plates and mugs and clean the table so that a janitorial service is not required. Even the Managing Director follows the same routine. In Sri Lanka we desperately need to take away the stigma attached to cleaning by yourself. The Castle Street Maternity Hospital was one of the pioneers to practice the Japanese 5S method and they proved with statistical data that mortality rates reduced and rate of infection reduced. Once I took a team of Indian senior managers there and they were astounded by the standard of cleanliness and were surprised that there wasnt a single fly to be seen. This only proves that we can do it with good leadership. Machines that are not cleaned will break down more often, produce defective products and work at a slower rate. Homes, schools, and workplaces that are not hygienic will cause more disease. Even the dengue epidemic currently prevalent in Sri Lankan cities could be brought under control if we follow the Japanese practices. Let us emulate Japan and make our country the cleanest at least in South Asia. (Sunil G Wijesinha was the first Sri Lankan to be awarded the prestigious National Award by the Asian Productivity Organisation (APO) for promoting productivity in Sri Lanka, and later the only Sri Lankan to be awarded the Regional Award by the APO for promoting productivity in the Asia Pacific region. He is the most well known promoter of Japanese Management techniques in Sri Lanka and recognized as the pioneer in introducing Quality Circles and 5S to the country. He is a consultant in Productivity and Japanese management and is on the Boards of several listed and unlisted companies) The Korea Programme on International Agriculture (KOPIA) Sri Lanka Centre donated 25 drip irrigation system units, 40 power spreading machines and 1,000 plastic containers to transport onion mother-bulbs for vernalization to a total of 40 Sri Lankan farmers in Gelenbindunuwewa, Hambantota and Mannar. Since 2015, the KOPIA Centre has been assisting with onion production in Sri Lanka, in cooperation with the Field Crops Research and Development Institute (FCRDI) of the Agriculture Department, Mahailluppallama. The project aims to improve onion productivity by using Korean agricultural technologies and accordingly, to help Sri Lankan farmers to be self-sufficient. During the implementation of the project, the centre established three model farm villages for onion production in Mannar, Galenbindunuwewa and Hambantota, including four onion storages (165m2), each of which comprises 12 shelves at five levels. The centre also donated basic agricultural equipment and two ha rain shelters (500m2) to 40 Sri Lanka farmers. Thanks to the centres efforts, the Sri Lankan farmers benefited from the shared agricultural technologies on onion production transferred by Korean agricultural experts and Sri Lankan researchers of the FCRDI. One of the technologies is to transport onion mother-bulbs to Nuwara Eliya for vernalization and then return them to the origin fields. Onions were cultivated in four ha field of poly-tunnels in Galenbindunuwewa and Hambantota for 2016-17 and about 800 kg and 400 kg of the crops will be harvested in the respective areas. USITC investigation says tyre imports hurting US industry Five of the six USITC members vote in support of findings Anti-dumping duties will come into effect retrospectively Certain new pneumatic off-the-road tyres imported to the US from Sri Lanka and India will shortly be subjected to anti-dumping and countervailing duties following a recently concluded United States International Trade Commission (USITC) investigation. USITC today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of certain new pneumatic off-the-road tyres from India that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value and are subsidized by the governments of India and Sri Lanka, a USITC statement said. Five of the six USITC members had voted in support of the findings, while another had not taken part in the investigation. Accordingly, the US Department of Commerce will be issuing the antidumping and countervailing duty orders in the future. Tyres which have been imported to the US from India and Sri Lanka since June 20, 2016, when a US Department of Commerce had made similar preliminary findings determinations, will be subjected to retrospective countervailing duties as well. Investigations had begun in January 2016, when Titan Tire Corporation, Des Moines, Iowa and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania had filed petitions. The US currently has 6 companies engaged in producing the types of tyres that now fall under the antidumping orders. Sri Lanka and India had exported US$ 229 million worth of such tyres to the US during 2015, while other countries had exported US$ 829 million worth of such products to the US during the same year as well. In 2015, Sri Lanka had exported US$ 467 million worth of rubber tyres, down from US$ 564 million in 2014. US importers of Sri Lankan and Indian tyres had been lobbying against such action, and a reversal is unlikely, given the protectionist policies being implemented by new US President Donald Trump. With the possible declaration of a state of emergency and the deployment of troops to deal with the effects of the ongoing drought, citizens need to consider ways in which they could co-operate to overcome this national crisis. Reports indicate that with the water levels in the hydro-power reservoirs dropping, the supply of electricity in the coming weeks and months may hit a blackout point. Therefore, eco-friendly and responsible citizens need to rise beyond party and other affiliations and reduce the use of electricity, especially during peak hours from 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm. It will be an enlightened act of patriotism and they will be a light to the country. Even better would it be if various organisations religious, business or other groups and even households -- consider the installation of solar power panels. The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is offering incentives such as low-interest loans to be deducted in small instalments from the monthly bills. Some private companies are also doing this in collaboration with the CEB and families could get it even for certain sections of their residences. As the Minister in charge of environmental affairs, President Maithripala Sirisena has set a bright example by getting solar energy panels installed at the Presidential Secretariat and at his residences in Colombo and Polonnaruwa. The the savings in financial terms alone is reported to be several lakhs. It would be a powerful message and a sacred act for temples and kovils, churches and mosques also to get solar energy panels installed so that there would not only be a saving in terms of money but also a reduction in air pollution. According to website reports, two factors are making solar panel installation a better deal for homeowners, tax incentives and the rising cost of electricity from traditional sources. Till now Sri Lanka has been depending most on hydro-power generated by imported fossil fuel and in recent years from coal power. Costs have been rising steadily while air pollution is also increasing. Thus making an investment on solar panels is likely to pay for itself in a short period. On top of that, there are tax credits. In an effort to encourage homeowners to go green, the government has offered significant tax credits for installing solar panels as an alternate energy source. We live in a tropical island where we have about 12 hours of solar energy every day. So far most people have not made use of this but now with a climate change and environmental catastrophe looming -- we need to turn to the sun for a sustainable source of energy at a much lower cost to ourselves and the environment. According to a study done in the United States, an energy efficient fridge will use about 350 KWh a year, at an average utility cost of $0.12 a watt, thats less than $50 a year, while a large plasma screen TV can use as much as 700 KWh a year, about $100 a year. But those costs are not expected to stay steady remember that electricity costs are on the rise and the use of electricity probably is too. If a 3 KWh system is installed, the system would create 450 KWh, a month -- about half of the monthly electricity bill. Estimating that bill at $100, the initial investment will save about $50 a month for the life of the solar panel system. These figures are about the same in Sri Lanka. We hope the Power and Energy Ministry works out the savinsg and gives it wide publicity in the media to attract more solar panels. LOLC Group Deputy Chairman Ishara Nanayakkara and Pak Oman Investment Company and Pak Oman Microfinance Bank Chairman Yahya Al Jabri signing the joint venture agreement. Also in the picture are Pak Oman Investment Company Managing Director/CEO and Pak Oman Microfinance Bank Director, Bahauddin Khan and LOLC Group Managing Director Kapila Jayawardena By Shabiya Ali Ahlam Sri Lankas leading non-banking financial institution, Lanka Orix Leasing Company (LOLC), saw its unique microfinance model being accepted to be applied in yet another regional market. Having recognized the microfinance business model of LOLC as uniquely effective due to its success in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Cambodia, Pak Oman Microfinance Bank Limited has offered the local entity to take a stake of 51 percent in its microfinance venture. Pak Oman Microfinance Bank Limited is a joint venture between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Sultanate of Oman, and was established in May 2006. The entity offers a range of micro credit and micro savings products and services in Pakistan. Officials of Pak Oman Microfinance Bank Limited stated that with its new partnership with LOLC, it aims to capitalize on the specialty of LOLCs distinctive microfinance model. The model is recognized to be transforming while enabling microfinance businesses to become small and medium level enterprises through sustainable industrialization. Pak Oman Investment Company and Pak Oman Microfinance Bank Chairman Yahya Al Jabri while addressing a gathering prior to inking the joint venture in Colombo on last Friday stated that the said arrangement is only the first step towards building a long-term relationship through which Oman, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are to reap benefits in the near future. We have the necessary resources in our country to be the leading economic power in the region. We just need to coordinate and plan in an effective manner to capitalize on each of our strengths, said Jabri at the gathering that was also graced by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake. Reflecting similar sentiments, LOLC Group Managing Director and CEO Kapila Jayawardena noted that by helping startups and small businesses, the joint venture will assist such aspiring entities to gain greater confidence to progress into any industry. Speaking from the view point of LOLC he said: The transaction will continue to spread our (LOLC) global footprint and is a compelling opportunity to continue to invest and pursue short and long-term growths with operational flexibility. The transaction with Pak Oman Microfinance Bank is said to perfectly complement LOLCs growth trajectory, expanding the positive impact on the lives of those in Sri Lanka and beyond. LOLCs maiden international investment, PRASAC Microfinance Institution, is currently Cambodias largest microfinance institution, providing access to financial services to rural communities. A number of non-resident ambassadors would be appointed to selected countries as envoys of Sri Lanka instead of resident ambassadors, Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera said today. Cabinet approval had been granted to go ahead with the concept. The appointments would be made in near future, he said. He said that these non-resident ambassadors would travel to assigned countries occasionally on their own expense. Addressing the re-launching ceremony of the Consular Affairs Division at the Ceylinco Building in Colombo 1, the Minister said they were ready to shut down Missions which were inefficient. In addition we will not be hesitant to open up new Sri Lankan missions in countries, where there is a need. This is why we recently opened an embassy in Ethiopia, where the African Union has its headquarters. Ethiopia has the potential to transform as the political capital of the Continent. We will also open a Consulate General in Cyprus, where there are many Sri Lankans. We have also received requests to establish a Consulate General in Madagascar, he said. (Lahiru Pothmulla) Video by Indika Sri Aravinda CFA Sri Lanka announced that Royal Institute of Colombo won the local competition of the CFA Institute Research Challenge 2017 and would advance to the Asia Pacific Regional round where they will compete against leading universities from the region. The Royal Institute team consists of Chamath Muthukuda, Buddhika Peiris, Anojan Srikanth, Nishara Sangapalaarachchi and Ibrahim Hameem. The team was supported by lecturer Travis Gomez, CFA and mentored by Mifnaz Jawahar, CFA. The winning team beat six other teams including the team from the University of Colombo, who emerged the runner-up, and teams from the University of Kelaniya, two teams from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, American National College Sri Lanka (ANC) and Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology (APITT). Research Challenge is an annual global competition that provides university students with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis. A panel of judges consisting of charterholders with hands-on investment analysis and management experience holds the students to demonstrate real-world standards in analysis and ethics. It is a reflection of students dedication and perseverance needed to succeed. The competitions strong focus on ethics and professional standards leaves the youngsters confident that as future investment professionals, they have the ability to create a sustainable investment industry. The competition began in June 2016 and students presented their analysis and buy/sell/hold recommendations on Sunshine Holdings PLC, one of the largest conglomerates in the country at the local finals held at Ramada Hotel on January 13. Their presentation at the Sri Lanka Research Challenge was the culmination of months of research, interviews with company management, competitors and clients, investment research and presentation training including training conducted by Moodys Analytics Knowledge Services. Each university sent a team of three to five students to participate in the local challenge. The competition was the first step of two for a local team to advance towards the global final in Prague, Czech Republic. The students from the Royal Institute will now travel to the Super Regional, where they will match their wits, analytical skills and presentation abilities against student teams from the Asia Pacific region and if successful, will advance to compete in the Global Final. CFA Sri Lanka Vice President and Research Challenge Chairperson Zaffar Jeevunjee said, We would like to congratulate all the teams that took part in this years local challenge and we wish the Royal Institute of Colombo the very best as it goes on to compete at the Regional Final in Bangkok. The CFA Institute Research Challenge enables Sri Lankan university students to learn and develop best practices in equity research. The training and mentoring they receive during this competition, from CFA Charterholders, industry experts, as well as the senior management of the target company, is an invaluable complement to their regular course work. REUTERS, 05th FEBRUARY, 2017-Russia said on Sunday that it supports the continuation of Syria peace talks under United Nations auspices, long-running negotiations which had been thrown into doubt by separate, Moscow-backed peace talks launched last month. The latest round of U.N. talks had been planned to begin in Geneva on Feb. 8 but Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said last week that they had been postponed. They have now been rescheduled for February 20, diplomats have told Reuters. The UN envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said he had decided to delay them to take advantage of negotiations between the Syrian government and opposition in Astana, Kazakhstan, hosted by Moscow, Ankara and Tehran. The Astana talks last month ended with Russia, Turkey and Iran agreeing to monitor Syrian government and opposition compliance with a Dec. 30 truce brokered by Moscow and Ankara. Lavrov said on Sunday the Astana talks between representatives of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and opposition groups were a breakthrough step in efforts to resolve the crisis but were not instead of the U.N.-led talks. We are not planning to replace Geneva with the Astana format, he said in an interview published on the ministrys web site on Sunday. The Astana talks were a diplomatic coup that underlined the growing Middle East clout of Russia, Iran and Turkey and Washingtons diminished influence at a time when Donald Trump is settling into the presidency. But the talks spotlighted sharp differences between Moscow and Tehran over the possible future participation of the United States and also excluded Gulf states, despite their major role in the proxy war in Syria that has drawn in the entire region. The Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) said today the controversial South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) was illegal and was established in a stubborn manner in 2009. PHU General Secretary MP Udaya Gammanpila said in 2011 the then Higher Education Minister issued a gazette notification granting medical-degree-awarding status to SAITM with conditions. SAITM has failed to prove in writing that they have fulfilled the required conditions though the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) had asked for documentary proof in March 2015. But in the absence of the required documentary proof the gazette notification has been nullified and the university has been operated illegally, he told a news conference. THE HINDU, 05th FEBRUARY, 2017-AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala was on Sunday elected as the Leader of the Legislature party by the MLAs in the party head office in Chennai paving the way for her swearing in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Ms. Sasikala will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on February 9. The development came exactly two months after Jayalalithaas death. Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam proposed her name in the MLAs meeting and she was unanimously elected as the Legislature party leader. Mr. Panneerselvam said he would soon hand over the resignation to the Governor. Ms. Sasikala was elected as the partys general secretary in December last year following the death of Jayalalithaa. A high class lady who has got a political appointment to a key position is said to be generously entertaining a group of friends and loyalists at state expense. She is lavishly spending public funds on arranging weekend picnics and parties for the select group apart from showering gifts on them at regular intervals. The ladys friends and their family members went on a picnic to Jaffna in a bus last week too thanks to her generosity. The ladys unusual generosity has set many wondering whether there is an ulterior motive behind it. Induction of 2017 fresh batch Preliminary Certificate in Marketing (PCM), the three monthcourse launched by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM) in 1988 was aimed at bestowing a basic knowledge in marketing toyoung executives, school leavers who yearn to venture into the philosophical world of marketing and non-marketers who realize the value in marketing. PCM having completed 30 years in the mentoring sphere had its anniversary celebrations on a grand scale that coincided with the first intake of students for 2017. The event was held at the Sri Lanka Institute of Hotel Management auditorium on 15th January 2017. Marketing could be described as a Way of Life.A marketer who thinks ahead of his/her peers will brighten up his/her life by securing solid careers which come with fringe benefits and perks. SLIM as the National body for marketing is the fully fledged local marketing institute where they could confidently enrollwith for their quest towards becoming marketing oriented individuals The 2017 inauguration of PCM was themed as My Determination. The eventsaw the participation of school leavers, parents, people from the business fraternity and entrepreneurs. An introduction to the PCM course was done and awareness was created on the reputation SLIM has made over the decades as a crediblementoring institute. Educating budding marketers on the basic and fundamental theories of marketing is the core object of PCM. Fundamentals of marketing whichinvolves the four Ps or the marketing mix; relationship marketing, stakeholder marketing, marketing orientation and sales orientation plus much more is in the curriculum.Students will also be provided with the knowledge on the Sri Lankan context in marketing and sales, vital for practitioners. PCM, athree month certificate course in marketing is held at SLIM Business School in Colombo. SLIM Vice President Pradeep Edward who is the Director/CEO of GAP Holding, gracing the occasion endorsed SLIMs Preliminary Certificate in Marketing (PCM) as the ideal foundation course for those who aspire to pursue a career in marketing and sales. He said the professional career path led by PCM will open new vistas in ones thinking pattern and expose him/her to a whole new world of marketing. PCM will bestow you with practical aspects of marketing and secure a career path with the highest growth rate. It is the shortest route to an MBA.Plus, PCM lays thefoundation for obtaining the Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing (PgDip). Hence without curtailing your marketing studies to PCM, move forward, he urged the new batch of students. The occasion was also graced by Senior lecturer, marketing consultant, trainer, tutor and Chairman Education Reforms Committee of SLIM, G S Sylvester. He said the PCM course is designed to be in line with the latest global trends in marketing and PCM students are groomed to be future marketers who could rub shoulders with the global marketing fraternity and the corporate sector. PCM focuses on the importance of marketing to the current world, he added. In the opinion of SLIM CEO/ Executive Director Sanath Senanayake, Professional career path led by PCM will open new vistas in an individuals thinking pattern exposing him/her to a whole new world of marketing.PCM will also grant you with practical aspects of marketing and secure a career path with the highest growth rate. Thus practicality and quality of this qualification is unparalleled to other similar courses. Suran de Silva now holding the position of Head of Underwriting and Claims at Asset line Holding said PCM course kindled the marketeer in him. He said PCM motivated him to complete his MBA at young age. Currently he is a PgDipholder and a research supervisor at SLIM. He said he has chosen the correct path to brighten his career and now drawing a salary three times better than the previous one. SLIM has been operating as a plausible marketing institute since 1970 with the noble vision of elevating the status of marketing in Sri Lanka. It was a privilege to be part of an audience of between 200 and 250 people when the Prime Minister addressed AMCHAM recently. I had been present at the same event one year ago too, and he was as impressive this year as he was then. He was welcomed by AMCHAM President Ravin Basnayake, after which the PM spoke. He was expansive, spoke with knowledge, vision and precision as has become his style, was unperturbed, and in good spirits, in spite of his heavy work schedule. He spoke of several tasks already achieved. The first task was to stabilize the economy which was the main reason behind forming the Unity Government, which had inherited an economy which was beyond their eyebrows in debt with no revenue collection. He said they were not in a position to repay the large foreign debts which put pressure on the rupee.Therefore the objective was to tackle the balance of payment and to create employment.The income from traditional exports and foreign employment was insufficient. In a middle income country one has to venture forth to find other sources and markets which go hand in hand.They were building the infrastructure for a good road system, two harbours and two airports. It is up to the private sector too, to find good, new markets,encourage investors to come here and create jobs.There is a lot of black money, which will never come here, collected from drugs, smuggling, money laundering and so on. Re-gaining the GSP plus will help the economy, being modest he failed to comment on his role in getting this back.The Indian economy was booming and Indian industrialists want another production base which we can provide, and we have an FTA with China.The three largest financial markets are the EU, India and China and were talking to all of them.We have an agreement with Singapore.We are also looking at co-operation with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand.We have the dual infrastructure for the South West corridor from Kandy to Hambantota. Galle will be developed into a high-end tourism centre. Colombo will be a megapolis, and we are determined to make this the business hub of the Indian Ocean. There will be a special task force to draft legislation for a financial city which will be completed by the end of 2017, there is a well thought out scheme for the development of Kandy and the governments of India and Japan will help to develop the Trincomalee harbour. Tourism and Agriculture will be developed in the hill country and compulsory education for 13 years will be introduced.We will give incentives for exports, tourism, etc., to make this one window, a one-stop-shop for all facilities including IT. We need the private sector to find new markets, to expand industries, to go out and find investors, tell them how good Sri Lanka is, to double our export earnings, go into manufacturing. So I appeal to you to invest, expand, help to bring more people into Sri Lanka, the more the merrier, this may be the last and grandest opportunity to do this, if we dont look sharp, countries like Afghanistan may get ahead of us. So help us to take Sri Lanka ahead, the economy which was sinking when we took over, is now thankfully floating. "We need the private sector to find new markets, to expand industries, to go out and find investors, tell them how good Sri Lanka is, to double our export earnings, go into manufacturing" When it came to question time, the PM was at his best, in good humour and tackled all the questions with ease. While the questions asked by AMCHAM members and their guests were pertinent and mostly to the point, I thought that the young man who was MC went rather over the top with his, but the PM was unruffled and gave as good as he got. To a question about whether Arjuna Mahendran is his friend, he answered, yes he is, as is the present governor. The one before that was an acquaintance as he was a member of my party. He got loud claps and cheers for his answers. But I couldnt help but wonder what the fate of the questioner would have been, if he had dared to ask those questions of the rulers of the last regime. He would have been whisked away in a white van to end up in no-mans land, as happened to some in those horrific years, which remain in the recesses of my mind like a nightmare! I must say that the Ministers present, Ravi Karunanayake, Harsha de Silva and Eran Wickramaratne, also handled their questions well as did the Central Bank Governor Indrajith Coomaraswamy. A senior member of AMCHAM who called me later in the day remarked that there is no-one who can equal the PM in speeches of this kind or in answering questions off the cuff. I agreed that I have only seen this kind of witty repartee in the late Dudley Senanayake. I was glad to see many young men and women in the audience, they are the future who can take this message, build on it, and act on it. While dogs outside keep barking, the caravan will and must move on. We have one joker in the JO pack saying that they were responsible for Trumps victory by getting him the Srilankan vote. The biggest favour Trump could do for Sri Lanka is to give this man honorary citizenship of the US as a reward and a scholarship for his much needed education in mathematics! Others who have shown that they are incapable of even disciplining their own children are also quick to grab any opportunity for personal publicity to shout long and loud with accusations in an unpleasant obnoxious manner. Ranil Wickremesinghe has trodden a hard path to power, a path which was littered with routed opponents and embittered rivals.The changes he has envisioned for our country will remain a monument to his vision and legendary flair.The silver in his hair now adds to the impression of experience and trustworthiness which he was always respected for. People must learn to appreciate what has been achieved by the government led by President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. We have at long last an independent judiciary, freedom to write and say what one feels, justice, freedom to practise the religion of ones choice without fear of attack. Losses at Srilankan Airlines have been reduced by fifty per cent, medicines have been drastically reduced in price. Why harp on what hasnt been done, when so much has been done, this is our last chance, we have to make the most of it. Democracy and transparency are back, be thankful for this and let each man or woman do our bit to take this country forward with optimism and vigour. Demonstrators march in support of a ruling by a federal judge in Seattle that grants a nationwide temporary restraining order against the presidential order to ban travel to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries (AFP) A US appeals court in San Francisco has denied an emergency motion filed by the justice department to reinstate President Donald Trumps halted immigration ban. The decision from the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit means the ban will remain frozen throughout the weekend, and that a decision on a further request to restore the ban will be put off until at least Monday afternoon. The justice department filed an appeal on Saturday to reinstate an executive order barring citizens from seven mainly Muslim countries and temporarily banning refugees, even as travellers raced to enter the country while the ban was lifted. The appeal aimed to reverse a federal judges Friday order that lifted the travel ban, warning the decision posed an immediate harm to the public. Appellants request for an immediate administrative stay pending full consideration of the emergency motion for a stay pending appeal is denied, the late-night appeals court order stated.Meanwhile CNN reported the strongly-worded filing by the Department of Justice argued that blocking the travel ban harms the public and second-guesses the Presidents national security judgment.The governments emergency motion was part of a mutli-pronged attack on the ruling by US District Court Judge Robarts decision, emphasizing the Presidents broad authority in the immigration context. The restrictions on all refugees and travellers from the seven countries went into effect a week ago wreaking havoc at airports across the US . The political backlash for Trump has been equally severe, with the order driving numerous mass protests. US, (Courtesy Aljazeera), 05.02.2017 Trump defends Putin 05.02.2017 Quoting an interview with Fox CNN reported US President Trump saying There are a lot of killers. You think our countrys so innocent? Trump made the remark during an interview with Fox News Bill OReilly, saying he respected his Russian counterpart. He continued, I think our country does plenty of killing also, Joe, so you know. Theres a lot of stupidity going on in the world right now, a lot of killing, a lot of stupidity, Trump said. Unlike during the decades back when patriotism was forced down the throat, these days there is a degree of circumspection when Sri Lankans mark Independence Day -- the 69th, which was celebrated last Saturday. It would be demeaning to say our post-independent history is a flop. In fact, viewed in absolute terms, Sri Lanka has become better over the past seven decades; social indicators have improved considerably on the back of extensive social welfare measures and they were, in most cases, beyond the scope of what our mediocre economic development levels would have allowed. However, a more accurate comparison would be in relative terms, with other countries of the world; where were they then and now? That is when our post independent record is laid bare as hollow. Much has been said about how a host of South-East and East-Asian countries which were dirt poor then leapfrogged to prosperity within a generation or two. They did not have pampered social welfare systems during their sweatshop era of economic take off, often under repressive regimes, however, when the growth trickled down to the bottom, those changes were reflected in their social, political and economic lives. Our decent achievements of social indicators were a product of a welfare system that predated independence. We were generally better off in most social measures, when compared to most Asian states even when the British left our shores. Our social development levels remain acceptable at present. However, at independence, our economy was also on a sound footing, and it is no longer the case now. One who would take a closer look at the success or the failure of states would find the driver of that process is not democracy, human rights or god, but the economy. Differential economic growth rates of states over time determine their place in the world, and their peoples standards of living. All other factors affect the process to the extent that they are allowed to interfere with. That is however a function of state power. Some authoritarian states had more state autonomy from society than ours did, which could be either good or bad depending on how that power was wielded. There is a general consensus about the sorry mismatch of our post-independent promise and reality. However, school text books that teach children about the glory of independence and politicians who spout its virtue do so without acknowledging that grim reality and the factors that led to our gradual decline. That is dangerous because that continues to feed into a vast reservoir of feel good fantasy which continues to blind us. Kids when growing up encounter the reality in the job market, or when in the absence of employment at home, are forced to go to toil under sub-human conditions in some Middle Eastern country. Every new state that emerged in any time of history had that primary task of forging a national identity, generally representative of all spheres of the nations life; economic, social, political and external. It was that choice and its implementation that shaped the destiny of those nations for many generations to come. The era during which our new nations emerged was swept with a new sense of liberating ideology that was twisted with an anti-hegemonic world view. Thus the West was viewed as reactionary, the Soviet Union, though Stalin killed 20 million of its own people, was romantic; Capitalism was immoral, Socialism was viewed as the path to economic emancipation Until 1956, Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, was nonetheless undisturbed by wider trends and by and large trod the path paved by the British. The so-called peoples revolution of 1956 followed a wholesale borrowing of the popular anti-hegemonism that was making waves across the former colonies at the time. It may have been done with sincere intentions for the good of average folks though political opportunism itself played a part. However, those policies proved to be a disaster in the long run. Much has been said about the language policy, which was controversial, and over time had disastrous ripple effects, and was made worsened by the Tamil political strategy and emphasis on Tamil exceptionalism, which chose to fight to the bitter end. "There is a general consensus about the sorry mismatch of our post-independent promise and reality. However, school text books that teach children about the glory of independence and politicians who spout its virtue do so without acknowledging that grim reality and the factors that led to our gradual decline" The real damage that the 1956 policies caused was for the economy and national competency. Warning shots of which were fired in the first year itself when the economic growth plummeted for the first time since independence and remained so until the end of the decade. Early attempts of nationalization were followed by Statism in the 70s. Those efforts continually stifled the economic spirit of people. A democracy cannot be sustained over the long-run in the absence of economic freedom. Economic freedom generates social freedom as richer the people get, they begin to exercise and expand their rights. Those two freedoms feed in to political freedom and vice versa. Our long term decline was more than anything else because of lofty and often misplaced economic policies that began to be adopted since 1956. Now so much for freedom, as the Sunday Times reported on the anniversary of our 69th independence Day, even toilets in the Fort Railway Station are now segregated. Foreigners are offered separate washrooms while the locals have to use smelly dirty toilets. This institutional decline also stems from the long term effects of misplaced social engineering efforts. One function of the changes in the 1956 was to enable the upward mobility of the masses, which was a salutary deed. However, it took place without the exposure to ideological sophistication: Now you have senior public officers who defend segregated toilets. This decline was exacerbated by the Swabasha education policy and politicization of public service. Long-term effects of those policies are now omnipresent in our universities, civil service, foreign service, Parliament and also in media. This incompetency and inefficiency breed a sense of complacency since when you are a frog in the well, you compare yourself, at best, with those who inhabit the same well. Bringing down the walls of the insular social, economic, political edifice that loomed large over the past six decades will take another generation. Follow RangaJayasuriya @RangaJayasuriyaa on Twitter If you are a JNU student, or a mediaperson who had covered the months-long agitation over the arrests of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya, or just a secular Indian watching in awe the grave parallels between what happened in this country exactly a year back, and what the University of California at Berkeley, one of the top Ivy League institutions of higher education in the US, you could be experiencing deja vu. Its little wonder then that the satirical group Aisi Taisi Democracy dubbed the Berkeley incidents as Trumps JNU. Chalo wahaan ka JNU ho gaya. https://t.co/U1FeJzxRoF February 2, 2017 And it is. Although protests in America are coming from every corner, from women who are thronging the streets in millions wearing pink pussy hats, to newspapers and magazines that are opting out of the famed White House Correspondents Dinner, hitherto the most prestigious gathering to get to know the elected top boss the POTUS. While activists are turning up in thousands outside US embassies in London, Paris, Brussels, Berlin and other big European cities to agitate against the now temporarily overturned "Muslim ban", the UC Berkeley moment is a tad different from all. When noted internet troll and pro-Trump white nationalist Milo Yiannopoulos wanted to speak at the liberal haven of UC Berkeley, students felt it was their obligation to protest. When Donald Trump threatened to defund the sanctuary cities municipalities that have adopted a policy of protecting illegal immigrants by not prosecuting them for violating the federal immigration laws there was a hue and cry. However, when the noted internet troll and the pro-Trump white nationalist Milo Yiannopoulos wanted to come speak at the liberal haven of UC Berkeley, the students felt it was their obligation to protest. While the question of freedom of speech might be at stake here, what is also true is that Milo is symptomatic of the rise of the Alt-Right Breitbart brand of fact-free fascism, which simply thrives on whipping up hysteria. Milo Yiannopoulos has been using his white nationalist drag persona to both claim a minority status within the pro-Trump movement and also hide behind it, all the while fanning the worst nativist passions, even though hes a British-Greek himself. While President Trump has threatened to cut off UC Berkeleys funding for the protests, the parallels with JNU are unmissable. A large body of students in JNU had steered the nation towards seeing just how authoritarian the Modi regime could have been, locking up research scholars for merely allowing a talk on Kashmir and Afzal Guru, for raising a few slogans. JNU and UC Berkeley are and will continue to be the first line of defence against the onslaught of fascism. Just like Trump wants to squeeze public funds for higher education even though much of it is privatised in the US, and is practically run on immigrant money, as foreign students pay thrice the fees compared to US-born students, Ivy League universities such as UC Berkeley are really run on massive donations from major corporations as part of their CSR and cultivating the next generation of intelligentsia. But the public money, if completely cut off, would mean a vindictive government that is crushing its own youth who want to retain a liberal and fair America. Just like there were protests in JNU when the Patanjali honcho and yoga entrepreneur, Baba Ramdev, was supposed to speak, Yiannopoulos had evoked extremely negative response from the UC Berkeley students, who are used to lectures that expand the horizons of liberty, equality and justice, not shrink them. Although stopping Milo from speaking may not have been the correct response he should have been grilled and roasted while on stage and every claim of his torn to shreds Trumps response has been unbecoming of a President. Just like social media has been used to the hilt by right-wing commentariat and the BJPs immense troll army to spread communally charged rumours, falsehoods about journalists, non-BJP politicians, threaten women journalists and liberals in India, the likes of Milo, just like Steven Bannons Brietbart News, have been responsible for fascism taking deep roots into America. Unfortunately, they have used working class grievances against the Democrats for bringing in the most working class-unfriendly regime, the richest in the history of America. The empathy-less presidency of Donald Trump has to be countered by the generations that will shape the future of America, including the protesting students of UC Berkeley. This is a historic moment when a people rise up against a regime that is trying to undo the two centuries of American ideal at least in theory by tearing apart the inclusive fabric of the chiefly and fundamentally immigrant nation. Both JNU and UC Berkeley are not just havens of social democratic ideals, they are also reservoirs of intellectual and cultural memory that is crucial to counter the make-believe ideas of both the Trump presidency and the Modi regime. Just like the Alt-Right government of Donald Trump, engineered by Steve Bannon, is busy normalising fascism, the RSS-driven Modi sarkar is routinising discrimination on the basis of religion and caste, in its bid to restore India to its imagined Vedic glory, to turn it into an Akhand Hindu Bharat. JNU and UC Berkeley are and will continue to be the first line of defence against the onslaught of fascism. The students and the faculty are the foot soldiers of a regime change that is desperately needed in these trying times in the worlds biggest democracies. If there is an acid test of measuring anyone or anythings patriotism in India, it is getting banned or criticised in Pakistan. And on that scale, Shah Rukh Khans Raees just hit patriotic jackpot. The movie that was scheduled to release in Pakistan on February 5, banned today for portraying Muslims inappropriately. According to the Pakistani newspaper Dawn, the reason behind the films ban in the country is that the content undermines Islam, and a specific religious sect. (It also) portrays Muslims as criminals, wanted persons and terrorists. Raees was scheduled to release in Pakistan country after the ban on Bollywood films was lifted recently. In fact, even Hrithik Roshans Kaabil (Raees rival in terms of release) was received rather positively. The content of the film apparently undermines Islam, and a specific religious sect. [Photo: Indiatoday.in] Perhaps it is time for BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya to take back his words. Because while the film stars not only a Muslim actor and Pakistani actor, its a movie about goons and violence, (something the BJP has obviously nothing to do with). The BJP leader had not only tried to defame the movie on social media (while praising Kaabil, prior to the release of either) gone so far as to compare Shah Rukh Khan to noted criminal and terror mastermind Dawood Ibrahim. It is now time for the man to come out and openly embrace Raees. After all, if Pakistan doesnt like it, it must obviously be made of gold. On that note, perhaps even the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena should come out and congratulate the King Khan. It was, after all, thanks to the MNS chief and casual vandalism connoisseur Raj Thackerays efforts that Pakistani actors longer have the luxury of working in Bollywood productions. It was because of protests by them, that Mahira Khan, a Pakistani actor, was not able to promote the film in India. Come on Raj, no need to be shy about it. Kremlin says it wants apology from Fox News over Putin comments The Kremlin said on Monday it wanted an apology from Fox News over what it said were "unacceptable" comments one of the channel's presenters made about Russian President Vladimir Putin in an interview with U.S. counterpart Donald Trump. Fox News host Bill O'Reilly described Putin as "a killer" in the interview with Trump as he tried to press the U.S. president to explain more fully why he respected his Russian counterpart. O'Reilly did not say who he thought Putin had killed. "We consider such words from the Fox TV company to be unacceptable and insulting, and honestly speaking, we would prefer to get an apology from such a respected TV company," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call. Fox News and O'Reilly did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Poor little Putin got his feelings hurt by the mean ol' O'Reilly..More: Kremlin says it wants apology from Fox News over Putin comments | Reuters Trump leans on fake news line to combat reports of West Wing dysfunction President Donald Trump on Monday lashed out via Twitter at a series of news reports revealing the turmoil inside the White House, leaning on his crutch of fake news as he struggles to control a hardening narrative about a dysfunctional West Wing. One of his missives came from Air Force One en route to Tampa, Fla., as Trump panned a New York Times report that detailed the friction inside his administration and its early stumbles. "The failing @nytimes writes total fiction concerning me. They have gotten it wrong for two years, and now are making up stories & sources!" Trump tweeted at 11:32 a.m., ignoring the fact that many of his top advisers were quoted by name in the story. Trump seemed particularly incensed by reports and parodies about chief strategist Steve Bannon being the actual decision-maker in the White House. I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it. Some FAKE NEWS media, in order to marginalize, lies! Trump tweeted. Wouldn't your life be grand if every time anyone disagreed with you, you could brush off the criticism with a "fake news?"But Trump does have some evil guys circling around him: Bannon and Pence immediately come to mind.More: Trump leans on ?fake news? line to combat reports of West Wing dysfunction - POLITICO TANGENT JTI Supply Inc. is another one of those mid-Willamette Valley companies that does plenty of business throughout the region, but isnt well known by the general public. Owner Joe Richard sells plastic tanks throughout Oregon, Washington and Idaho, and those containers range from 3 gallons to 16,500 gallons. Farmers use them for fertilizer and other chemicals. Brewers and wineries store their beverages inside tanks. The Oregon Department of Transportation buys tanks for deicers, and cities buy massive tanks for water treatment. The Greenbelt Land Trust uses tanks from JTI Supply to spray invasive plants in riparian areas. We carry any tank that will hold any liquid, Richard said. Its amazing the people you meet and see. JTI Supply, which is celebrating its 10th year in business, moved to a new location off of Highway 99E in December. The business previously was off of Highway 34. Richard doesnt plan to make any more big changes with the company. My biggest thing is customer service, he said. We just want the customers to be happy. Word-of-mouth advertising, coffee shop talk, it can kill you or it can help you, Richard added. Those positive reviews, and the fact that the JTI Supply delivers the tanks itself, helps Richard battle against internet based businesses that dont provide the same level of service, he said. JTI Supply also has a great reputation thanks to its community service. Richard provides tanks that hold thousands of gallons to school groups and charities that then sell water to RVs and campers at music festivals. Thats all pretty much a donation that we do for the kids, Richard said. For example, Harrisburg boosters raised more than $40,000 at the Bi-Mart Willamette Country Music Festival last year, Richard said. Richard also has temporarily loaned water tanks to residents whose wells have failed. JTI Supply currently has four full-time employees and a couple of part-timers. Richard, a 1984 West Albany High School graduate, started selling plastic tanks for agricultural companies in the mid-Willamette Valley back in 1988. Its always been a dream of mine to own my own business, Richard said. JTI Supply started in 2007, and Richard quickly branched out into spray nozzles, pumps and everything else a customer would need to use a tank. He also sells Traeger barbecues and parts. JTI Supply Inc. is located at 31989 Cinema Way in Tangent, just off of Highway 99E. For more information, go to www.jtisupply.com or call 1-800-982-1099. Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. provides investor communications and technology-driven solutions for the financial services industry. The company's Investor Communication Solutions segment processes and distributes proxy materials to investors in equity securities and mutual funds, as well as facilitates related vote processing services; and distributes regulatory reports, class action, and corporate action/reorganization event information, as well as tax reporting solutions. It also offers ProxyEdge, an electronic proxy delivery and voting solution; data-driven solutions and an end-to-end platform for content management, composition, and omni-channel distribution of regulatory, marketing, and transactional information, as well as mutual fund trade processing services; data and analytics solutions; solutions for public corporations and mutual funds; SEC filing and capital markets transaction services; registrar, stock transfer, and record-keeping services; and omni-channel customer communications solutions, as well as operates Broadridge Communications Cloud platform that creates, delivers, and manages communications and customer engagement activities. The company's Global Technology and Operations segment provides solutions that automate the front-to-back transaction lifecycle of equity, mutual fund, fixed income, foreign exchange and exchange-traded derivatives, order capture and execution, trade confirmation, margin, cash management, clearance and settlement, reference data management, reconciliations, securities financing and collateral management, asset servicing, compliance and regulatory reporting, portfolio accounting, and custody-related services. This segment also offers business process outsourcing services; technology solutions, such portfolio management, compliance, fee billing, and operational support solutions; and capital market and wealth management solutions. The company was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Lake Success, New York. How fitting that the first stop for the "Beaver Tales" art exhibit would be Oregon State University, home of Benny the Beaver. The exhibit, now on view at Giustina Gallery in LaSells Stewart Center, is the creation of volunteer curator Sara Vickerman and president of The Wetlands Conservancy, Ester Lev. The two wanted to promote more appreciation and understanding about the important role beavers play in ecosystems, Vickerman said. "We thought sometimes environmental politics just make people tired and angry," she said. "That's not what we want here. We want people to have some fun and enjoy looking at this art." The beaver-themed art exhibition will travel to six northwestern Oregon locations this year. Vickerman searched for artists at art fairs, galleries and open studios who focused on natural subjects and landscapes, and encouraged them to contribute to the exhibit. Most of the 75 participating artists had never created artwork with the beaver as a subject, but each welcomed the challenge, she said. Some artists took field tours provided by OSU to the North Coast and Portland to observe beavers in their habitat. "People were just amazed. Here they (beavers) are living among us, working quietly and not so quietly," Vickerman said, and laughed. "The artists went out and started looking for beavers on their own." About 125 pieces are displayed in the exhibit. Featured mediums include photography, clay, fused glass, stone mosaics, and wood pieces. "There is everything from people who paint with watercolors, oils and acrylics to sculptures, even a woman who paints on cross-cut saws," Vickerman said. She was also impressed with photographs of beavers taken in Alaska by retired OSU professor Sharon Rosenkoetter and her husband, Larry. "The beauty of photographing beavers in Alaska is you don't have the problem of them only coming out only when it's dark, and you can't get decent pictures. They have pictures of beavers taken in daylight that are just incredible," she said. Viewers may recognize works by mid-valley artists, including Mike Bergen, Bill Shumway, Mark Allison, Mariana Mace and Marnie Ernst Zoa. "I'd say about a third of the art in the exhibit comes from the Corvallis area," Vickerman said. The exhibit is part of SPARK, OSU's year of Arts and Science. "Charles Robinson (College of Liberal Arts faculty, coordinator of SPARK-OSU Year of Arts & Science) got us space at OSU for the exhibit. He thought it was the perfect illustration of the intersection of art and science, because people are doing research at OSU," she said. A reception scheduled for Thursday features many art and science presentations, including research and history of the beaver. Dr. Stephen Ramsey, from the OSU Center for Genome Research & Biocomputing, will discuss gene sequencing in beavers. Dr. Mark Needham from the OSU Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society also will present. Lev will discuss The Wetland's Conservatory's efforts working with beavers. Mike Dicianna from the OSU Special Collections and Archives will share artifacts related to beaver history in Oregon, Vickerman said. Frances Backhouse will offer a talk based on research and writing in her award-winning book, "Once They Were Hats: In Search of the Mighty Beaver." A percentage of the sales of art pieces will benefit The Wetlands Conservancy and other conservation groups, Vickerman said. The Green Landtrust will also hold a Beaver Walk Feb. 25 in relation to the exhibit. The exhibit moves on to Lake Oswego in April, Seaside in May, Astoria in June, Nehalem in August, and will conclude at the Portland's Oregon Zoo in September. President Trump reportedly was not fully briefed about the executive order that he signed allowing Steve Bannon his chief strategist to have a seat at meetings of the top national security efforts of the country. On Sunday, the New York Times ran a report that said Bannon has told his allies that he and Stephen Miller the policy director at the White House have their window to push their vision through of the economic policies of Trump. Get Warning: Undefined variable $CompanyName in /home/acctdp/public_html/wp-content/themes/responsalambre/single.php on line 65 alerts: Trump became frustrated about the executive order, as he reportedly demanded he was looped in on the orders earlier during the process of drafting them. The reports said that Trump demanded that Reince Priebus this chief of staff come up with an approach to drafting executive orders. Priebus reportedly told both Bannon and Trump that the White House needs a revamp of its policy and its communications following recent leaks related to the orders that are being made. Priebus has created a checklist of 10 points for release of any new initiatives that must be signed off by the communications department at the White House. Trump has restructured the National Security Council at the White House adding Bannon on the principals committee that includes the secretaries of defense and state. In addition, Trump announced that his national intelligence director and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman would attend when issues that pertain to their overall responsibilities and expertise are discussed. Bannon was in the Navy prior to attending Harvard Business School. He then worked for Goldman Sachs, started a media focused investment firm and headed Breitbart News a ultraconservative media outlet that has received condemnation for, for featuring sexist, racists as well as anti-Semitic content. Sean Spicer the press secretary at the White House said last month that Bannon was a former officer in the navy and has great understanding of the world as well as the geopolitical landscape of today. However, Tim Kaine, a Senator from Virginia and the vice presidential nominee for the Democrats said that the NSC has questionable members citing Bannon as being amongst that questionable group. Senator John McCain a Republican from Arizona called the appointment of Bannon a departure from any prior NSC. He added that his understanding was that the role of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was diminished in the recent reorganization. The following companies are subsidiares of LyondellBasell Industries: A. Schulman, A. Schulman 's-Gravendeel B.V., A. Schulman AG, A. Schulman Asia Limited, A. Schulman Belgium BVBA, A. Schulman Canada Ltd., A. Schulman Castellon S.L., A. Schulman Europe GmbH & Co. KG, A. Schulman Europe International B.V., A. Schulman Europe Verwaltungs GmbH, A. Schulman Gainsborough Ltd, A. Schulman GmbH, A. Schulman GmbH (Austrian Branch), A. Schulman Holding Company France S.A.S., A. Schulman Holdings (France) S.A.S., A. Schulman Holdings S.a.r.l., A. Schulman Inc., A. Schulman Inc. Limited, A. Schulman International Inc., A. Schulman International Services BVBA, A. Schulman Ireland Limited, A. Schulman Magyarorszag Kereskedelmi Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, A. Schulman Nordic AB, A. Schulman Plastics (Branch), A. Schulman Plastics (Dongguan) Ltd., A. Schulman Plastics (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., A. Schulman Plastics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., A. Schulman Plastics BVBA, A. Schulman Plastics India Private Limited, A. Schulman Plastics PTY. LTD., A. Schulman Plastics S.r.l., A. Schulman Plastics SAS, A. Schulman Plastics bvba Bornem Sucursala Cluj-Napoca, A. Schulman Plastics organizacni slozka, A. Schulman Plastk Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, A. Schulman Plasticos do Brasil Ltda., A. Schulman Polska Sp. z o.o., A. Schulman Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, A. Schulman S.A.S., A. Schulman S.a.r.l., A. Schulman Thermoplastic Compounds Limited, A. Schulman Thermoplastic Compounds Sdn Bhd, A. Schulman de Mexico S.A. de C.V., A. 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Ltd., Basell UK Holdings Limited, Basell UK Ltd., Brindisi Servizi Generali S.c.a.r.l., Bulk Molding Compounds Inc., Bulk Molding Compounds Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bulk Molding Compounds do Brasil Industria de Plasticos Reforcados Ltda., Citadel Brazil Holdings LLC, Citadel Intermediate Holdings LLC, Citadel Plastics Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Citadel Plastics Holdings Inc., Citadel Plastics Mexico Holdings LLC, Citadel Plastics Netherlands Holdings LLC, Compagnie Petrochimique de Berre SAS, Compagnie de Distribution des Hydrocarbures SAS, EMS Holding Ltd., EPS Ethylen-Pipeline-Sud Geschaftsfuhrungs GmbH, EPS Ethylen-Pipeline-Sud GmbH & Co. KG, Elian S.A.S., Equistar Bayport LLC, Equistar Chemicals LP, Equistar GP LLC, Equistar LP LLC, Equistar Mont Belvieu Corporation, GuangZhou Basell Advanced Polyolefins Co. Ltd., HGGC Citadel Plastics Holdings Inc., HGGC Citadel Plastics Intermediate Holdings Inc., HMC Polymers Company Limited, HPC Holdings LLC, Hadlock Plastics LLC, Houston Refining LP, I.F.M. S.c.a.r.l., ICO Europe C.V., ICO Holdings LLC, ICO Holdings New Zealand Limited, ICO Petrochemical Cayman Islands, ICO Polymers Cayman Islands, Indelpro S.A. de C.V., Infraserv GmbH & Co. Hochst KG, Inmobiliaria Satchmo S. de R.L. de C.V., Innovacion Y Desarrollo en Materiales Avanzados A.C., J.R. Courtenay (N.Z.) Limited, LPI Holding Company, LYB (Barbados) SRL, LYB Advanced Polymer Solutions Ireland Limited, LYB Americas Finance Company LLC, LYB Equistar Holdings LLC, LYB Export Holdings Limited, LYB Exports Inc., LYB Finance Company B.V., LYB International Finance B.V., LYB International Finance II B.V., LYB International Finance III LLC, LYB Ireland 2 Limited, LYB Ireland Limited, LYB La Porte Hyperzone LLC, LYB Luxembourg S.a r.l., LYB Matrixx Holdings Inc., LYB Receivables LLC, LYB Trading Company B.V., LYB Treasury Services Ltd., Limited Liability Company "LyondellBasell Polyolefins", Limited Liability Company A. Schulman, Lucent Polymers Inc., Lyondell Asia Holdings Limited, Lyondell Centennial Corp., Lyondell Chemical Company, Lyondell Chemical Europe Inc., Lyondell Chemical Overseas Services Inc., Lyondell Chemical Products Europe LLC, Lyondell Chemical Properties L.P., Lyondell Chemical Technology 1 Inc., Lyondell Chemical Technology L.P., Lyondell Chemical Technology Management Inc., Lyondell Chemie (PO-11) B.V., Lyondell Chemie (POSM) B.V., Lyondell Chemie Nederland B.V., Lyondell Chimie France SAS, Lyondell China Holdings Limited, Lyondell Greater China Holdings Limited, Lyondell Greater China Ltd., Lyondell Greater China Trading Limited, Lyondell Japan Inc., Lyondell PO-11 C.V., Lyondell POJVGP LLC, Lyondell POJVLP LLC, Lyondell POTechGP Inc., Lyondell POTechLP Inc., Lyondell Refining Company LLC, Lyondell Refining I LLC, Lyondell South Asia Pte Ltd, LyondellBasell Acetyls Holdco LLC, LyondellBasell Acetyls LLC, LyondellBasell Advanced Polyolefins Mexico S.A. de C.V., LyondellBasell Australia (Holdings) Pty Ltd, LyondellBasell Australia Pty Ltd, LyondellBasell Brasil Ltda., LyondellBasell Canada Inc., LyondellBasell Central Europe Kft., LyondellBasell China Holdings B.V., LyondellBasell Circular Economy B.V., LyondellBasell Covestro Manufacturing Maasvlakte V.O.F., LyondellBasell Egypt LLC, LyondellBasell F&F Holdco LLC, LyondellBasell Finance Company, LyondellBasell Holdings France SAS, LyondellBasell Hungary Kft, LyondellBasell Industries Holdings B.V., LyondellBasell Industries N.V., LyondellBasell Investment LLC, LyondellBasell Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., LyondellBasell Polyolefin (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., LyondellBasell Services France S.A.S., LyondellBasell Subholdings B.V., LyondellBasell Taiwan Co. Ltd., LyondellBasell Transportation Company LLC, Millennium Chemicals, Natpet Schulman Specialty Plastic Compounds, Ningbo ZRCC Lyondell Chemical Co. Ltd., Ningbo ZRCC Lyondell Chemical Marketing Co. Ltd., OE Insurance Ltd, Oil Casualty Insurance Ltd., Oil Insurance Limited, PD Glycol LP, PO JV LP, PO Offtake LP, POSM II Limited Partnership L.P., POSM II Properties Partnership LLC, PT A.Schulman Plastics, PT ASchulman Plastics Commercial, PTT Chemical PCL, Poly Pacific Polymers Sdn. Bhd., Poly Pacific Pty. Ltd., PolyMirae Co. Ltd., Premix Holding Company, Premix Inc., Prime Colorants Inc., QCP B.V., QCP Holding B.V., QCP IP B.V., Quantum Composites Inc., RIGK GmbH Gesellschaft zur Ruckfuhrung industrieller and gewerblicher Kunstoffverpackungen mbH, Rayong Olefins Co. Ltd., Rexene - LDPE and PP Businesses, SCG ICO Polymers Company Limited, SJS Plastiblends, San Jacinto Rail Limited, Saudi Ethylene & Polyethylene Company, Saudi Polyolefins Company, Sociedad Espanola De Materiales Plasticos Semap S.A., Societe des Stockages Petroliers du Rhone SA, Solvay Engineered Polymers, Surplast S.A., TRV Thermische Ruckstandsverwertung GmbH & Co. KG, TRV Thermische Ruckstandsverwertung Verwaltungs-GmbH, Technology JV LP, The Matrixx Group Incorporated, ULSAN PP Co. Ltd., YNCORIS GmbH & Co. KG, Zylog Plastalloys, and tetra-DUR Kunststoff-Produktion GmbH. Read More 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. Envestnet, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides wealth management software and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through Envestnet Wealth Solutions and Envestnet Data & Analytics segments. The company's product and services include Envestnet | Enterprise, which provides an end-to-end open architecture wealth management platform, as well as offers data aggregation and reporting, data analytics, and digital advice capabilities; Envestnet | Tamarac that provides trading, rebalancing, portfolio accounting, performance reporting, and client relationship management software; and Envestnet | MoneyGuide that provides goals-based financial planning solutions to the financial services industry. It also provides Envestnet | Retirement Solutions, which offer a suite of services for advisor-sold retirement plans; and Envestnet | Portfolio Management Consultants that provide research and consulting services to assist advisors in creating investment solutions for their clients, and portfolio overlay and tax optimization services, as well as data aggregation and data intelligence platform, which offers cloud-based innovation for digital financial services. Envestnet, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. 125 Years of Progress takes you inside The Daily Progress' archives every day in celebration of our 125 years serving Charlottesville and the rest of Central Virginia. Sponsored by Hanckel-Citizens Insurance Charlottesville The Woolen Mills, a manufacturing facility located at the east end of Market Street, was the site of the areas first major labor dispute on this date in 1918. Eighteen workers, many of whom had worked at the mill for more than 30 years, walked out, protesting the mandatory Monday shutdowns that had been imposed a month earlier. A coal shortage during World War I forced the federal government to issue a mandatory five-day shutdown of all mill operations, followed by 10 consecutive Monday shutdowns. The lack of pay for those Mondays was the point of contention leading to the walk-out. Several large East Coast manufacturing facilities had already announced that their employees would not lose pay for those days, while other facilities announced they could not bear the financial loss. The Daily Progress reported that by midday, several of the disgruntled employees had already applied to be reinstated in their jobs. Many may have seen the stream of job applicants in the mill office, applying for jobs advertised in The Daily Progress a day earlier. The following day, Harry Flood Byrd, fuel administrator for Virginia, issued a statement that he believed the heartless Monday edict would be reversed as no sizeable decrease in coal usage had been recorded. The order was formally revoked on Feb. 14. According to the historicwoolenmills.com blog site, the affected workers returned to their jobs on Feb. 8. Built in the 1830s, the textile plant provided wool uniforms for the soldiers of the Confederacy and was burned to the ground by Union Gen. Philip Sheridan. Rebuilt after the Civil War, the plant went on to provide high quality textiles used by Brooks Brothers clothiers, uniforms for the cadets of West Point, police officers in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles, and experienced its greatest prosperity manufacturing uniforms for soldiers during World War I and II. The introduction of synthetic fabrics in the late 1950s led to the eventual shutdown of the plant in 1962. The building still stands today. Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP hosts Angela Ciolfi of Legal Aid Justice Center speaking about opportunities for criminal justice reform in Virginia during its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday at Jefferson School City Center at 233 Fourth St. NW. (434) 220-1493. Charlottesville Aviation Luncheon Club hosts Al Falcone sharing his experiences as an aerial gunner during World War II in North Africa and Italy during its meeting at noon Feb. 15 at Blue Ridge Cafe at 8315 Seminole Trail in Ruckersville. (434) 328-2323. Congregation Beth Israel hosts Micah Schwartzman presenting Religious Freedom in the Supreme Court as part of the Adult Education Lecture Series at 4 p.m. Sunday. 301 E. Jefferson St. (434) 295-6382. Creciendo Juntos host the panel discussion Building Bridges: Supporting the Psychological and Social Well-Being of Linguistic, Racial/Ethnic and Religious Minority Youth and Children, moderated by Amanda Kibler, associate professor in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education at the University of Virginia Curry School of Education, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 15 at the Albemarle County Office Buildling on Fifth Street Extended. (434) 817-2436. Fralin Museum of Fine Art hosts Paul Barolsky presenting The Art of Della Robbia at 1 p.m. Sunday in Room 160 of Campbell Hall on UVa Grounds. (434) 906-1022. Highland observes Black History Month with Emmanuel Dabney presenting Trusty Servants: The Life and Work of Enslaved Manservants to the Presidents from 4 to 5 p.m. Feb. 16. 2050 James Monroe Parkway. (434) 293-8000. Ivy Creek Natural Area presents the Ivy Talks series with Lorenzo Dickerson, who will speak about the countys historic African-American schools at 2 p.m. Sunday. 1780 Earlysville Road. (434) 973-7772. Senior Statesmen of Virginia hosts Kristen Suokko, executive director of Local Food Hub, presenting Local Food: Fresher, Lower Transportation Costs, Support of Local Producers; What Could Be Better? during its regular meeting from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Senior Center. (434) 974-7756. Virginia Foundation for the Humanities hosts Joe Sensbach speaking about the influence of black freedom on the origins of modern art from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday. 145 Ednam Drive. (434) 243-5522. LYNCHBURG A Nelson County High School teacher who admitted to having a sexual relationship with a student while teaching in Albemarle County has resigned. Nelson County Schools Superintendent Jeff Comer said Amelia Jean Tat, 27, submitted a letter of resignation on Jan. 26, a day before she pleaded guilty in Albemarle County Circuit Court to two felony counts of carnal knowledge of a minor. The Nelson County School Board is expected to formally accept her resignation at its meeting Tuesday, Comer said. Tat was a science teacher at Jack Jouett Middle School when she was arrested last June. It was during the second half of the 2014-15 school year that she began communicating with one of her students, who was between ages 13 and 15 at the time, via social media sites. The relationship became sexual, an Albemarle County prosecutor said at Tats plea hearing. The relationship came to light when the victims mother found text messages from Tat on her sons phone, the prosecutor said. Two other felony charges against Tat were dropped, according to a plea agreement. Tat finished up her first year at NCHS when she was arrested. She did not return for the 2016-17 school year, school officials have said. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 1. Tat, who is free on bond, faces up to 20 years in prison. RICHMOND A former University of Virginia dean will lead Sweet Briar College in the next phase of its recovery efforts. Sweet Briar today announced Meredith Woo, dean of UVa's College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences from 2008-14, will succeed Phillip C. Stone, who last April announced he would retire at the close of this academic year. Woo will begin working with Stone on April 3 and become the college's 13th president on May 15. Two years ago this March, the previous leadership announced plans to permanently close the women's college in Amherst County, prompting a successful campaign by alumnae to override the decision. At UVa, Woo oversaw 11,000 undergraduate students, 1,600 graduate students and 800 full-time faculty. Most recently, she has been in London as director of the Higher Education Support Program for the Open Society Foundations. The program works to support more than 50 liberal arts colleges in the former Soviet bloc and support higher education for refugee populations in the Middle East, South Asia and Africa. Teresa Pike Tomlinson, chairwoman of Sweet Briar's board of directors and of the presidential search committee, described Woo "as a star among stars in our search process" with an undeniable passion for womens education. Woo holds a doctorate and master's from Columbia University, and earned her bachelor's from Bowdoin College in Maine. Her specialty is international and comparative politics with a focus on East Asia. A native of South Korea, she is married to Bruce Cumings, a history professor at the University of Chicago. Charlottesville police are looking for information about a shooting near the University of Virginia that left one man injured. At about 8 p.m. Sunday, city officers responded to the area of 10th Street Northwest and Run Street for a report of a shooting. When they arrived, officers found a 43-year-old Albemarle County man suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, police said. The man was rushed to the UVa Medical Center for treatment. As of Monday morning, the victim was still receiving treatment at the hospital, according to police. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call Charlottesville police at (434) 970-3280 or Crime Stoppers at (434) 977-4000. RICHMOND The General Assemblys budget committees agree that more pay for public employees is their top priority, but they take much different paths on providing raises for teachers, college and university faculty, and the Virginia Capitol Police. The Senate Finance Committee adopted a proposed budget on Sunday that would include a 2 percent pay increase for teachers in K-12 and higher education faculty, while the spending plan the House Appropriations Committee approved provides more money to local school divisions and colleges and universities to spend as they want, but not necessarily on raises. The House budget also includes $2.4 million for Capitol police to boost officer starting salaries and pay, while filling vacancies and hiring up to 15 new officers. The Senate plan does not address compensation for Capitol Police beyond a 3 percent raise that both committees would restore for all state employees, who lost the pay increase when state revenues fell short at the end of last June. And the Senate also tried to position itself as more fiscally cautious than the House by proposing a $40 million revenue reserve, based primarily on an additional $30 million it expects to collect from a tax amnesty program Gov. Terry McAuliffe proposed both chambers have endorsed. We believe this is the most fiscally prudent use of these resources, and a conservative way to address the volatility in revenue forecasting in light of the unknown direction of the federal budget, Senate Finance Co-Chairman Thomas K. Norment Jr., R-James City, said in introducing the budget proposal. House Appropriations Chairman S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, said the House budget is actually more conservative than the Senate's because "we just don't recognize revenue we don't know is going to be there." The different spending plans if adopted by the full bodies on Thursday set the stage for spirited negotiations in conference committee in the second half of the legislative session, with McAuliffe waiting in the wings with his veto pen to push his spending priorities. However, both budget proposals rejected the governors proposal of a one-time, 1.5-percent bonus next year for public employees, and used the money he planned to pay for it to instead provide salary increases to state classified employees, boost the starting salary and pay of state police, give raises and other salary relief to sheriffs deputies, and provide additional compensation to low-paid, high-turnover jobs in state behavioral health facilities. There was almost uniform rejection by state employees of the bonus, Norment said in an interview. We did not feel that was an appropriate message to send. McAuliffe issued a statement Sunday that said he shares the General Assemblys desire to increase the compensation our hard-working state employees receive, particularly our Virginia State Police troopers and sheriffs deputies. However, the governor reminded legislators not to forget about compensation of teachers, whose average annual pay lags the national average by $7,200. Retaining and recruiting the best teachers is essential to building a new economy, he said. House Democratic Leader David J. Toscano, D-Charlottesville, and Caucus Chairwoman Charniele L. Herring, D-Alexandria, said in a joint statement that they are pleased that House Republicans have recommended pay raises for state employees, but we are concerned that teachers have generally been left out, and are troubled by the proposed cuts in the areas of law enforcement and reproductive health. The Senate budget includes $83 million for the states share of a 2 percent pay increase for teachers, regardless of whether their local school division gave the raises in December out of their own funds. All but 12 of the 135 school divisions gave the raise last year after the state backed out of its share. The Senate took a more direct approach, Norment said, noting concern about treating teachers differently than other public employees. The House chose to use the governors bonus funds and other revenues to add $61 million to the $157 million already budgeted to free up Virginia Lottery funds for local school divisions to use as they wish, without a requirement that they match the grants with local funds. Unlike college faculty and school teachers, whose pay raises are determined by the boards of visitors and respective school board, state classified employees only have the General Assembly to turn to, Jones told the committee. The House budget includes more than $9 million for 40 school divisions with fewer than 10,000 pupils that have experienced a decline in enrollment of 10 percent or more in the past 10 years. The Senate took a different approach, allocating $6.9 million for school divisions that lost 1.5 percent or more in enrollment from the last fiscal year to the current year. In higher education, the Senate provided a 2 percent increase to college and university faculty, as well as other staff, regardless of whether the institution gave raises last year with its own money, as most did. Although some institutions have provided increases in the current year, this subcommittee realizes that the institutions require flexibility to meet their specific needs related to compensation actions, Norment, chairman of the higher education subcommittee, said in its report. The House provided $17.9 million for a 3 percent raise for college and university employees, but also allocated the money based on whether they gave raises last year and the continued ability to self-fund. However, the Senate kept the 5 percent reduction in state funding that McAuliffe cut for every institution but Virginia State University and Norfolk State University, while the House restored about $21 million of the $76 million the governor cut, so that no institution lost more than 1.4 percent. Norment said in an interview that he would expect parts of the House proposal to end up in the Senates plan after negotiations with Jones and House Majority Leader M. Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights, who leads the higher education subcommittee. I am confident Delegate Jones, Delegate Cox, and I will have some pithy conversations about higher education, said Norment, who is an adjunct professor at the College of William & Mary. Both committees made public safety a high priority, especially state police, which has lost 48 employees, including 41 sworn officers, in the past two months, Jones said. Budget leaders from both chambers already had announced support for a plan that would raise the starting salary for troopers by almost $7,000 a year, and provide a boost of the same amount to current officers in addition to the 3 percent pay increase for state employees. The House took a similar approach to Capitol Police, with a package that allows the force to fill vacant positions and hire for new ones, while increasing the starting pay by about $6,200 a year. Current officers would receive an additional boost of about $4,300 each. Both committees included money for a 2 percent raise for sheriffs deputies and other state-supported local employees, while including additional funds for district court clerk staff. The Senate included $3.9 million to provide career development for constitutional officers, while the House did not. The spending plans also made mental health a priority, as did McAuliffe in the budget he proposed in December. Both budget proposals eliminated $4.5 million the governor wanted for a study of restructuring the mental health system, but added money for supportive housing of people with mental illness $5 million in the Senate plan and $2 million in the House. The House also added money to expand access to a Medicaid program created two years ago at McAuliffes request for people with mental illness or substance use disorders who had not been eligible. The proposal would expand eligibility from 80 to 100 percent of the federal poverty limit, or $12,060 for a single person. Both spending plans include money to address high turnover among nurses and direct-care staff at state behavioral health facilities by providing additional raises 2 percent in the House plan, which would affect more staff, and 4 percent in the Senate proposal. Both budgets also include money for more Medicaid waiver slots for people with disabilities 160 in the Senate, 144 in the House. In response to the conflicts that are dividing our country and our community, I would submit some comments by Gen. Robert E. Lee after the Civil War. Some people have presented an inaccurate picture of who Lee is, his character, and what he desired after four years of war. "So far from engaging in a war to perpetuate slavery, I am rejoiced that slavery is abolished. I believe it will be greatly for the interests of the south. So fully am I satisfied of this, as regards Virginia especially, that I would cheerfully have lost all I have lost by the war, and have suffered all I have suffered, to have this object attained" (quoted in R.E. Lee: A Biography, 1934, by Douglas Southall Freeman). "I think it is the duty of every citizen, in the present condition of the Country, to do all in his power to aid in the restoration of peace and harmony. It is particularly incumbent upon those charged with the instruction of the young to set them an example" (letter to trustees of Washington University, quoted in "Honoring Lee Anew," July 15, 2014, in A Magazine of Student Thought and Opinion). "My engagements will not permit me to be present, and I believe if there I could not add anything material to the information existing on the subject. I think it wiser, moreover, not to keep open the sores of war, but to follow the example of those nations who endeavored to obliterate the marks of civil strife, and to commit to oblivion the feelings it engendered" (1869 letter regarding war monuments, quoted in Personal reminiscences, anecdotes, and letters of Gen. Robert E. Lee, 1874, by John William Jones, p. 234). As a Charlottesville native, I have wrestled with the battle over the Lee and Jackson statues. I would like the statues to remain in place. Add what you will to the parks, but do not destroy our history or art. Evelyn Braintwain Albemarle County A few years ago, ISIS terrorists went into Palmyra, Syria, and destroyed ancient monuments, memorials and mementoes that represented a part of history with which they disagreed. Soon, a small group of locals, including Charlottesville city councilors, likely will peacefully destroy the name of Lee Park and remove or relocate the majestic monument of Gen. Robert E. Lee. Their reasoning for doing this is the same as the terrorists, and the result will be similar. Only the way it is done will be different. If philanthropist Paul Goodloe McIntire gave that park and monument to the people of this community and their heirs, where is the legal right of a few people to end that legacy? Another thought: There is a policy that protects many different aspects of our society that have been in existence over a certain period of time. It is called the Grandfather Clause. It even protects signs along the highway that might be unpleasant to look at but have been there for years. Why does that policy not protect this park and the monument as it now stands? Gen. Lee was a servant of his state and nation for a lifetime. A graduate of West Point, he was appointed as superintendent of that institution in 1852. From 1855 to 1861, he served in the U.S. Cavalry on frontier duty in Texas. When the Civil War started, President Lincoln offered him field command of Union troops. His dedication to his family, friends and native state could not let him accept the offer. He accepted command of the Army of Virginia not because he believed in slavery, but because it was the only honorable thing he could do, considering his station in life. Gen. Lee surrendered to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865. He later became president of Washington College (later renamed Washington & Lee University in his honor). This is the man and part of his legacy this small group of people want to write out of American history! Weldon J. Showalter Charlottesville Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy CHICAGO - USA - Former president of the U.S. Barack Hussein Obama has been detained at O'Hare airport and refused entry into the country. The former president touched down at OHare airport at 04.30 this morning but was refused entry into the United States based on reports that he is a practising Muslim. TSA officials immediately encircled the former president and told him to go to a separate room for an internal body search and questioning. If he is a Muslim he could have stashed away a prayer mat or Islamic beads. We found a Quran in his hand luggage. The former president was given a full body search including his entourage. Michelle Obama was found to be hiding other objects on her person of which we cannot reveal as to their sensitive nature, TSA spokesman, Arnold Felch told Fox news local. The former president who had just arrived from vacation in Kenya was aghast at the new regulations brought in by new president, Donald Trump and called the ban on Muslims as unconstitutional. Developing. NEW YORK - USA - If you're going to ban Muslims from entering America, it goes without saying that Christians should be banned as well. Throughout history, Christians have created more death and mayhem than any other recorded religion in the history of mankind. From Hitlers Christian troops who believed they were upholding gods word by killing Jews, to the Japan atomic bomb detonations to the Spanish Inquisition and to the missionaries in South America who committed atrocities on the indigenous population in the name of Jesus, there is enough evidence out there proving how evil Christianity is. Lest we forget the smiling Catholic priests of Europe who in world war II eagerly revealed where the Jews were and waved them away as they were ferried to the concentration camps to die. To have something masked in goodness and love, yet to commit unspeakable acts of cruelty on people describes the Christian faith very succinctly. This malevolent religion masks itself in outward displays of goodness, charity and love yet behind doors priests commit unspeakable evil acts of buggery on children in the name of Jesus Christ. The Holy Christian church is an evil organisation, almost demonic in its acts of cruelty to children with the proliferation of paedophile priests fucking little boys in the vestry whilst only a few feet away someone innocently utters the lords prayer. Christianity should most definitely be banned from any nation, as the atrocities created in its name are too long to even list. George W. Bush himself an evangelical Christian, along with Tony Blair a devout Catholic know all too well of what they did in Iraq in the name of Jesus Christ. They murdered and butchered over 1.6 million Muslims and displaced millions more from their homeland. All in the name of their god of course, and who is to say they were not justified in their actions, especially when they had the full support of the churches during the invasion and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. The demonic entity of the Catholic church itself, the Holy See is one of the richest most affluent organisations in the world. How they have amassed such large amounts of money is of course a trick of the devil himself, for he masks his technique well whilst plundering and enriching in the name of of Jesus Christ. Here is a small list of Christian atrocities committed throughout history. By all means cross reference the list yourself, do your own research: Deaths Caused by Christianity Ancient Pagans As soon as Christianity was legal (315), more and more pagan temples were destroyed by Christian mobs. Pagan priests were killed in their thousands. Between 315 and 6th century thousands of pagan believers were slain. Examples of destroyed Temples: the Sanctuary of Aesculap in Aegaea, the Temple of Aphrodite in Golgatha, Aphaka in Lebanon, the Heliopolis. Christian priests such as Mark of Arethusa or Cyrill of Heliopolis were famous as temple destroyers. [DA468] Pagan services became punishable by death in 356. [DA468] Christian Emperor Theodosius (408-450) even had children executed, because they had been playing with remains of pagan statues. [DA469] According to Christian chroniclers he followed meticulously all Christian teachings In 6th century pagans were declared void of all rights. In the early fourth century the philosopher Sopatros was executed on demand of Christian authorities. [DA466] The world famous female philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria was torn to pieces with glass fragments by a hysterical Christian mob led by a Christian minister named Peter, in a church, in 415. [DO19-25] Mission Emperor Karl (Charlemagne) in 782 had 4500 Saxons, unwilling to convert to Christianity, beheaded. [DO30] Peasants of Steding (Germany) unwilling to pay suffocating church taxes: between 5,000 and 11,000 men, women and children slain 5/27/1234 near Altenesch/Germany. [WW223] Battle of Belgrad 1456: 80,000 Turks slaughtered. [DO235] 15th century Poland: 1019 churches and 17987 villages plundered by Knights of the Order. Victims unknown. [DO30] 16th and 17th century Ireland. English troops pacified and civilized Ireland, where only Gaelic wild Irish, unreasonable beasts lived without any knowledge of God or good manners, in common of their goods, cattle, women, children and every other thing. One of the more successful soldiers, a certain Humphrey Gilbert, half-brother of Sir Walter Raleigh, ordered that the heddes of all those (of what sort soever thei were) which were killed in the daie, should be cutte off from their bodies and should bee laied on the ground by eche side of the waie, which effort to civilize the Irish indeed caused greate terrour to the people when thei sawe the heddes of their dedde fathers, brothers, children, kinsfolke, and freinds on the grounde.Tens of thousands of Gaelic Irish fell victim to the carnage. [SH99, 225] Crusades (1095-1291) First Crusade: 1095 on command of pope Urban II. [WW11-41] Semlin/Hungary 6/24/96 thousands slain. Wieselburg/Hungary 6/12/96 thousands. [WW23] 9/9/96-9/26/96 Nikaia, Xerigordon (then Turkish), thousands respectively. [WW25-27] Until Jan 1098 a total of 40 capital cities and 200 castles conquered (number of slain unknown) [WW30] after 6/3/98 Antiochia (then Turkish) conquered, between 10,000 and 60,000 slain. 6/28/98 100,000 Turks (incl. women & children) killed. [WW32-35] Here the Christians did no other harm to the women found in [the enemys] tentssave that they ran their lances through their bellies, according to Christian chronicler Fulcher of Chartres. [EC60] Marra (Maraat an-numan) 12/11/98 thousands killed. Because of the subsequent famine the already stinking corpses of the enemies were eaten by the Christians said chronicler Albert Aquensis. [WW36] Jerusalem conquered 7/15/1099 more than 60,000 victims (Jewish, Muslim, men, women, children). [WW37-40] (In the words of one witness: there [in front of Solomons temple] was such a carnage that our people were wading ankle-deep in the blood of our foes, and after that happily and crying for joy our people marched to our Saviours tomb, to honour it and to pay off our debt of gratitude) The Archbishop of Tyre, eye-witness, wrote: It was impossible to look upon the vast numbers of the slain without horror; everywhere lay fragments of human bodies, and the very ground was covered with the blood of the slain. It was not alone the spectacle of headless bodies and mutilated limbs strewn in all directions that roused the horror of all who looked upon them. Still more dreadful was it to gaze upon the victors themselves, dripping with blood from head to foot, an ominous sight which brought terror to all who met them. It is reported that within the Temple enclosure alone about ten thousand infidels perished. [TG79] Christian chronicler Eckehard of Aura noted that even the following summer in all of Palestine the air was polluted by the stench of decomposition. One million victims of the first crusade alone. [WW41] Battle of Askalon, 8/12/1099. 200,000 heathens slaughtered in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ. [WW45] Fourth crusade: 4/12/1204 Constantinople sacked, number of victims unknown, numerous thousands, many of them Christian. [WW141-148] Rest of Crusades in less detail: until the fall of Akkon 1291 probably 20 million victims (in the Holy land and Arab/Turkish areas alone). [WW224] Note: All figures according to contemporary (Christian) chroniclers. Heretics Already in 385 C.E. the first Christians, the Spanish Priscillianus and six followers, were beheaded for heresy in Trier/Germany [DO26] Manichaean heresy: a crypto-Christian sect decent enough to practice birth control (and thus not as irresponsible as faithful Catholics) was exterminated in huge campaigns all over the Roman empire between 372 C.E. and 444 C.E. Numerous thousands of victims. [NC] Albigensians: the first Crusade intended to slay other Christians. [DO29] The Albigensiansviewed themselves as good Christians, but would not accept Roman Catholic rule, and taxes, and prohibition of birth control. [NC] Begin of violence: on command of pope Innocent III (greatest single pre-Nazi mass murderer) in 1209. Bezirs (today France) 7/22/1209 destroyed, all the inhabitants were slaughtered. Victims (including Catholics refusing to turn over their heretic neighbours and friends) 20,000-70,000. [WW179-181] Carcassonne 8/15/1209, thousands slain. Other cities followed. [WW181] Subsequent 20 years of war until nearly all Cathars (probably half the population of the Languedoc, today southern France) were exterminated. [WW183] After the war ended (1229) the Inquisition was founded 1232 to search and destroy surviving/hiding heretics. Last Cathars burned at the stake 1324. [WW183] Estimated one million victims (Cathar heresy alone), [WW183] Other heresies: Waldensians, Paulikians, Runcarians, Josephites, and many others. Most of these sects exterminated, (Some Waldensians live today, yet they had to endure 600 years of persecution) Estimated at hundred thousand victims (including the Spanish inquisition but excluding victims in the New World). Spanish Inquisitor Torquemada alone allegedly responsible for 10,220 burnings. [DO28] John Huss, a critic of papal infallibility and indulgences, was burned at the stake in 1415. [LI475-522] University professor B. Hubmaier burned at the stake 1538 in Vienna. [DO59] Giordano Bruno, Dominican monk, after having been incarcerated for seven years, was burned at the stake for heresy on the Campo dei Fiori (Rome) on 2/17/1600. Witches From the beginning of Christianity to 1484 probably more than several thousand. In the era of witch hunting (1484-1750) according to modern scholars several hundred thousand (about 80% female) burned at the stake or hanged. [WV] Incomplete list of documented cases: The Burning of Witches A Chronicle of the Burning Times Religious Wars 15th century: Crusades against Hussites, thousands slain. [DO30] 1538 pope Paul III declared Crusade against apostate England and all English as slaves of Church (fortunately had not power to go into action). [DO31] 1568 Spanish Inquisition Tribunal ordered extermination of 3 million rebels in (then Spanish) Netherlands. Thousands were actually slain. [DO31] 1572 In France about 20,000 Huguenots were killed on command of pope Pius V. Until 17th century 200,000 flee. [DO31] 17th century: Catholics slay Gaspard de Coligny, a Protestant leader. After murdering him, the Catholic mob mutilated his body, cutting off his head, his hands, and his genitals and then dumped him into the river [but] then, deciding that it was not worthy of being food for the fish, they hauled it out again [ and] dragged what was left to the gallows of Montfaulcon, to be meat and carrion for maggots and crows. [SH191] 17th century: Catholics sack the city of Magdeburg/Germany: roughly 30,000 Protestants were slain. In a single church fifty women were found beheaded, reported poet Friedrich Schiller, and infants still sucking the breasts of their lifeless mothers. [SH191] 17th century 30 years war (Catholic vs. Protestant): at least 40% of population decimated, mostly in Germany. [DO31-32] Jews Already in the 4th and 5th centuries synagogues were burned by Christians. Number of Jews slain unknown. In the middle of the fourth century the first synagogue was destroyed on command of bishop Innocentius of Dertona in Northern Italy. The first synagogue known to have been burned down was near the river Euphrat, on command of the bishop of Kallinikon in the year 388. [DA450] Council of Toledo 694: Jews were enslaved, their property confiscated, and their children forcibly baptised. [DA454] The Bishop of Limoges (France) in 1010 had the cities Jews, who would not convert to Christianity, expelled or killed. [DA453] First Crusade: Thousands of Jews slaughtered 1096, maybe 12.000 total. Places: Worms 5/18/1096, Mainz 5/27/1096 (1100 persons), Cologne, Neuss, Altenahr, Wevelinghoven, Xanten, Moers, Dortmund, Kerpen, Trier, Metz, Regensburg, Prag and others (All locations Germany except Metz/France, Prag/Czech) [EJ] Second Crusade: 1147. Several hundred Jews were slain in Ham, Sully, Carentan, and Rameru (all locations in France). [WW57] Third Crusade: English Jewish communities sacked 1189/90. [DO40] Fulda/Germany 1235: 34 Jewish men and women slain. [DO41] 1257, 1267: Jewish communities of London, Canterbury, Northampton, Lincoln, Cambridge, and others exterminated. [DO41] 1290 in Bohemian (Poland) allegedly 10,000 Jews killed. [DO41] 1337 Starting in Deggendorf/Germany a Jew-killing craze reaches 51 towns in Bavaria, Austria, Poland. [DO41] 1348 All Jews of Basel/Switzerland and Strasbourg/France (two thousand) burned. [DO41] 1349 In more than 350 towns in Germany all Jews murdered, mostly burned alive (in this one year more Jews were killed than Christians in 200 years of ancient Roman persecution of Christians). [DO42] 1389 In Prag 3,000 Jews were slaughtered. [DO42] 1391 Sevilles Jews killed (Archbishop Martinez leading). 4,000 were slain, 25,000 sold as slaves. [DA454] Their identification was made easy by the brightly colored badges of shame that all jews above the age of ten had been forced to wear. 1492: In the year Columbus set sail to conquer a New World, more than 150,000 Jews were expelled from Spain, many died on their way: 6/30/1492. [MM470-476] 1648 Chmielnitzki massacres: In Poland about 200,000 Jews were slain. [DO43] 1941 1943: Six million Jews killed by Hitler in concentration camps in the name of Christian Aryan purity. Native Peoples Beginning with Columbus (a former slave trader and would-be Holy Crusader) the conquest of the New World began, as usual understood as a means to propagate Christianity. Within hours of landfall on the first inhabited island he encountered in the Caribbean, Columbus seized and carried off six native people who, he said, ought to be good servants [and] would easily be made Christians, because it seemed to me that they belonged to no religion. [SH200] While Columbus described the Indians as idolators and slaves, as many as [the Crown] shall order, his pal Michele de Cuneo, Italian nobleman, referred to the natives as beasts because they eat when they are hungry, and made love openly whenever they feel like it. [SH204-205] On every island he set foot on, Columbus planted a cross, making the declarations that are required the requerimiento to claim the ownership for his Catholic patrons in Spain. And nobody objected. If the Indians refused or delayed their acceptance (or understanding), the requerimiento continued: I CERTIFY TO YOU THAT, WITH THE HELP OF GOD, WE SHALL POWERFULLY ENTER IN YOUR COUNTRY AND SHALL MAKE WAR AGAINST YOU AND SHALL SUBJECT YOU TO THE YOKE AND OBEDIENCE OF THE CHURCH AND SHALL DO YOU ALL MISCHIEF THAT WE CAN, AS TO VASSALS WHO DO NOT OBEY AND REFUSE TO RECEIVE THEIR LORD AND RESIST AND CONTRADICT HIM. [SH66] Likewise in the words of John Winthrop, first governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony: justifieinge the undertakeres of the intended Plantation in New England to carry the Gospell into those parts of the world, and to raise a Bulworke against the kingdome of the Ante-Christ. [SH235] In average two thirds of the native population were killed by colonist-imported smallpox before violence began. This was a great sign of the marvelous goodness and providence of God to the Christians of course, e.g. the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony wrote in 1634, as for the natives, they are near all dead of the smallpox, so as the Lord hath cleared our title to what we possess. [SH109,238] On Hispaniola alone, on Columbus visits, the native population (Arawak), a rather harmless and happy people living on an island of abundant natural resources, a literal paradise, soon mourned 50,000 dead. [SH204] The surviving Indians fell victim to rape, murder, enslavement and Spanish raids. As one of the culprits wrote: So many Indians died that they could not be counted, all through the land the Indians lay dead everywhere. The stench was very great and pestiferous. [SH69] The Indian chief Hatuey fled with his people but was captured and burned alive. As they were tying him to the stake a Franciscan friar urged him to take Jesus to his heart so that his soul might go to heaven, rather than descend into hell. Hatuey replied that if heaven was where the Christians went, he would rather go to hell. [SH70] What happened to his people was described by an eyewitness: The Spaniards found pleasure in inventing all kinds of odd cruelties They built a long gibbet, long enough for the toes to touch the ground to prevent strangling, and hanged thirteen [natives] at a time in honour of Christ Our Saviour and the twelve Apostles then, straw was wrapped around their torn bodies and they were burned alive. [SH72] Or, on another occasion: The Spaniards cut off the arm of one, the leg or hip of another, and from some their heads at one stroke, like butchers cutting up beef and mutton for market. Six hundred, including the Cacique, were thus slain like brute beastsVasco [de Balboa] ordered forty of them to be torn to pieces by dogs. [SH83] The islands population of about eight million people at the time of Columbuss arrival in 1492 already had declined by a third to a half before the year 1496 was out. Eventually all the islands natives were exterminated, so the Spaniards were forced to import slaves from other Caribbean islands, who soon suffered the same fate. Thus the Caribbeans millions of native people [were] thereby effectively liquidated in barely a quarter of a century. [SH72-73] In less than the normal lifetime of a single human being, an entire culture of millions of people, thousands of years resident in their homeland, had been exterminated. [SH75] And then the Spanish turned their attention to the mainland of Mexico and Central America. The slaughter had barely begun. The exquisite city of Tenochtitln [Mexico city] was next. [SH75] Cortez, Pizarro, De Soto and hundreds of other Spanish conquistadors likewise sacked southern and Mesoamerican civilizations in the name of Christ (De Soto also sacked Florida). When the 16th century ended, some 200,000 Spaniards had moved to the Americas. By that time probably more than 60,000,000 natives were dead. [SH95] Of course no different were the founders of what today is the US of A. Although none of the settlers would have survived winter without native help, they soon set out to expel and exterminate the Indians. Warfare among (north American) Indians was rather harmless, in comparison to European standards, and was meant to avenge insults rather than conquer land. In the words of some of the pilgrim fathers: Their Warres are farre less bloudy, so that there usually was no great slawter of nether side. Indeed, they might fight seven yeares and not kill seven men. What is more, the Indians usually spared women and children. [SH111] In the spring of 1612 some English colonists found life among the (generally friendly and generous) natives attractive enough to leave Jamestown being idell did runne away unto the Indyans, to live among them. Governor Thomas Dale had them hunted down and executed: Some he apointed (sic) to be hanged Some burned Some to be broken upon wheles, others to be staked and some shott to deathe. [SH105] Of course these elegant measures were restricted for fellow Englishmen: This was the treatment for those who wished to act like Indians. For those who had no choice in the matter, because they were the native people of Virginia methods were different: when an Indian was accused by an Englishman of stealing a cup and failing to return it, the English response was to attack the natives in force, burning the entire community down. [SH105] On the territory that is now Massachusetts the founding fathers of the colonies were committing genocide, in what has become known as the Peqout War. The killers were New England Puritan Christians, refugees from persecution in their own home country England. When however, a dead colonist was found, apparently killed by Narragansett Indians, the Puritan colonists wanted revenge. Despite the Indian chiefs pledge they attacked. Somehow they seem to have lost the idea of what they were after, because when they were greeted by Pequot Indians (long-time foes of the Narragansetts) the troops nevertheless made war on the Pequots and burned their villages. The puritan commander-in-charge John Mason after one massacre wrote: And indeed such a dreadful Terror did the Almighty let fall upon their Spirits, that they would fly from us and run into the very Flames, where many of them perished God was above them, who laughed his Enemies and the Enemies of his People to Scorn, making them as a fiery Oven Thus did the Lord judge among the Heathen, filling the Place with dead Bodies: men, women, children. [SH113-114] So the Lord was pleased to smite our Enemies in the hinder Parts, and to give us their land for an inheritance. [SH111]. Because of his readers assumed knowledge of Deuteronomy, there was no need for Mason to quote the words that immediately follow: Thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth. But thou shalt utterly destroy them (Deut 20) Masons comrade Underhill recalled how great and doleful was the bloody sight to the view of the young soldiers yet reassured his readers that sometimes the Scripture declareth women and children must perish with their parents. [SH114] Other Indians were killed in successful plots of poisoning. The colonists even had dogs especially trained to kill Indians and to devour children from their mothers breasts, in the colonists own words: blood Hounds to draw after them, and Mastives to seaze them. (This was inspired by Spanish methods of the time) In this way they continued until the extermination of the Pequots was near. [SH107-119] The surviving handful of Indians were parceled out to live in servitude. John Endicott and his pastor wrote to the governor asking for a share of the captives, specifically a young woman or girle and a boy if you thinke good. [SH115] Other tribes were to follow the same path. Comment the Christian exterminators: Gods Will, which will at last give us cause to say: How Great is His Goodness! and How Great is his Beauty! Thus doth the Lord Jesus make them to bow before him, and to lick the Dust! [TA] Like today, lying was OK to Christians then. Peace treaties were signed with every intention to violate them: when the Indians grow secure uppon (sic) the treatie, advised the Council of State in Virginia, we shall have the better Advantage both to surprise them, & cutt downe theire Corne. [SH106] In 1624 sixty heavily armed Englishmen cut down 800 defenceless Indian men, women and children. [SH107] In a single massacre in King Philips War of 1675 and 1676 some 600 Indians were destroyed. A delighted Cotton Mather, revered pastor of the Second Church in Boston, later referred to the slaughter as a barbeque. [SH115] To summarize: Before the arrival of the English, the western Abenaki people in New Hampshire and Vermont had numbered 12,000. Less than half a century later about 250 remained alive a destruction rate of 98%. The Pocumtuck people had numbered more than 18,000, fifty years later they were down to 920 95% destroyed. The Quiripi-Unquachog people had numbered about 30,000, fifty years later they were down to 1500 95% destroyed. The Massachusetts people had numbered at least 44,000, fifty years later barely 6000 were alive 81% destroyed. [SH118] These are only a few examples of the multitude of tribes living before Christian colonists set their foot on the New World. All this was before the smallpox epidemics of 1677 and 1678 had occurred. And the carnage was not over then. All the above was only the beginning of the European colonization, it was before the frontier age actually had begun. A total of maybe more than 150 million Indians (of both Americas) were destroyed in the period of 1500 to 1900, as an average two thirds by smallpox and other epidemics, that leaves some 50 million killed directly by violence, bad treatment and slavery. In many countries, such as Brazil, and Guatemala, this continues even today. More Glorious events in US history Reverend Solomon Stoddard, one of New Englands most esteemed religious leaders, in 1703 formally proposed to the Massachusetts Governor that the colonists be given the financial wherewithal to purchase and train large packs of dogs to hunt Indians as they do bears. [SH241] Massacre of Sand Creek, Colorado 11/29/1864. Colonel John Chivington, a former Methodist minister and still elder in the church (I long to be wading in gore) had a Cheyenne village of about 600, mostly women and children, gunned down despite the chiefs waving with a white flag: 400-500 killed. From an eye-witness account: There were some thirty or forty squaws collected in a hole for protection; they sent out a little girl about six years old with a white flag on a stick; she had not proceeded but a few steps when she was shot and killed. All the squaws in that hole were afterwards killed [SH131] By the 1860s, in Hawaii the Reverend Rufus Anderson surveyed the carnage that by then had reduced those islands native population by 90 percent or more, and he declined to see it as tragedy; the expected total die-off of the Hawaiian population was only natural, this missionary said, somewhat equivalent to the amputation of diseased members of the body. [SH244] 20th Century Church Atrocities Catholic extermination camps Surprisingly few know that Nazi extermination camps in World War II were by no means the only ones in Europe at the time. In the years 1942-1943 also in Croatia existed numerous extermination camps, run by Catholic Ustasha under their dictator Ante Paveli, a practising Catholic and regular visitor to the then pope. There were even concentration camps exclusively for children!In these camps the most notorious was Jasenovac, headed by a Franciscan friar orthodox-Christian Serbians (and a substantial number of Jews) were murdered. Like the Nazis the Catholic Ustasha burned their victims in kilns, alive (the Nazis were decent enough to have their victims gassed first). But most of the victims were simply stabbed, slain or shot to death, the number of them being estimated between 300,000 and 600,000, in a rather tiny country. Many of the killers were Franciscan friars. The atrocities were appalling enough to induce bystanders of the Nazi Sicherheitsdient der SS, watching, to complain about them to Hitler (who did not listen). The pope knew about these events and did nothing to prevent them. [MV] Catholic terror in Vietnam In 1954 Vietnamese freedom fighters the Viet Minh had finally defeated the French colonial government in North Vietnam, which by then had been supported by U.S. funds amounting to more than $2 billion. Although the victorious assured religious freedom to all (most non-Buddhist Vietnamese were Catholics), due to huge anticommunist propaganda campaigns many Catholics fled to the South. With the help of Catholic lobbies in Washington and Cardinal Spellman, the Vaticans spokesman in U.S. politics, who later on would call the U.S. forces in Vietnam Soldiers of Christ, a scheme was concocted to prevent democratic elections which could have brought the communist Viet Minh to power in the South as well, and the fanatic Catholic Ngo Dinh Diem was made president of South Vietnam. [MW16ff] Diem saw to it that U.S. aid, food, technical and general assistance was given to Catholics alone, Buddhist individuals and villages were ignored or had to pay for the food aids which were given to Catholics for free. The only religious denomination to be supported was Roman Catholicism. The Vietnamese McCarthyism turned even more vicious than its American counterpart. By 1956 Diem promulgated a presidential order which read: Individuals considered dangerous to the national defence and common security may be confined by executive order, to a concentration camp. SUPPOSEDLY TO FIGHT COMMUNISM, THOUSANDS OF BUDDHIST PROTESTERS AND MONKS WERE IMPRISONED IN DETENTION CAMPS. OUT OF PROTEST DOZENS OF BUDDHIST TEACHERS MALE AND FEMALE AND MONKS POURED GASOLINE OVER THEMSELVES AND BURNED THEMSELVES. (NOTE THAT BUDDHISTS BURNED THEMSELVES: IN COMPARISON CHRISTIANS TEND TO BURN OTHERS). MEANWHILE SOME OF THE PRISON CAMPS, WHICH IN THE MEANTIME WERE FILLED WITH PROTESTANT AND EVEN CATHOLIC PROTESTERS AS WELL, HAD TURNED INTO NO-NONSENSE DEATH CAMPS. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT DURING THIS PERIOD OF TERROR (1955-1960) AT LEAST 24,000 WERE WOUNDED MOSTLY IN STREET RIOTS 80,000 PEOPLE WERE EXECUTED, 275,000 HAD BEEN DETAINED OR TORTURED, AND ABOUT 500,000 WERE SENT TO CONCENTRATION OR DETENTION CAMPS. [MW76-89]. TO SUPPORT THIS KIND OF GOVERNMENT IN THE NEXT DECADE THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN GIs LOST THEIR LIVES. Rwanda Massacres In 1994 in the small African country of Rwanda in just a few months several hundred thousand civilians were butchered, apparently a conflict of the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups. FOR QUITE SOME TIME THERE WERE ONLY RUMOURS ABOUT CATHOLIC CLERGY ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE 1994 RWANDA MASSACRES. ODD DENIALS OF INVOLVEMENT WERE PRINTED IN CATHOLIC CHURCH JOURNALS, BEFORE EVEN ANYBODY HAD OPENLY ACCUSED MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH. THEN, 10/10/96, IN THE NEWSCAST OF S2 AKTUELL, GERMANY A STATION NOT AT ALL CRITICAL TO CHRISTIANITY THE FOLLOWING WAS STATED: ANGLICAN AS WELL AS CATHOLIC PRIESTS AND NUNS ARE SUSPECT OF HAVING ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN MURDERS. ESPECIALLY THE CONDUCT OF A CERTAIN CATHOLIC PRIEST HAS BEEN OCCUPYING THE PUBLIC MIND IN RWANDAS CAPITAL KIGALI FOR MONTHS. HE WAS MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY FAMILY AND ALLEGEDLY MURDERED TUTSIS IN THE MOST BRUTAL MANNER. HE IS REPORTED TO HAVE ACCOMPANIED MARAUDING HUTU MILITIA WITH A GUN IN HIS COWL. IN FACT THERE HAS BEEN A BLOODY SLAUGHTER OF TUTSIS SEEKING SHELTER IN HIS PARISH. EVEN TWO YEARS AFTER THE MASSACRES MANY CATHOLICS REFUSE TO SET FOOT ON THE THRESHOLD OF THEIR CHURCH, BECAUSE TO THEM THE PARTICIPATION OF A CERTAIN PART OF THE CLERGY IN THE SLAUGHTER IS WELL ESTABLISHED. THERE IS ALMOST NO CHURCH IN RWANDA THAT HAS NOT SEEN REFUGEES WOMEN, CHILDREN, OLD BEING BRUTALLY BUTCHERED FACING THE CRUCIFIX. ACCORDING TO EYEWITNESSES CLERGYMEN GAVE AWAY HIDING TUTSIS AND TURNED THEM OVER TO THE MACHETES OF THE HUTU MILITIA. IN CONNECTION WITH THESE EVENTS AGAIN AND AGAIN TWO BENEDICTINE NUNS ARE MENTIONED, BOTH OF WHOM HAVE FLED INTO A BELGIAN MONASTERY IN THE MEANTIME TO AVOID PROSECUTION. ACCORDING TO SURVIVORS ONE OF THEM CALLED THE HUTU KILLERS AND LED THEM TO SEVERAL THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO HAD SOUGHT SHELTER IN HER MONASTERY. BY FORCE THE DOOMED WERE DRIVEN OUT OF THE CHURCHYARD AND WERE MURDERED IN THE PRESENCE OF THE NUN RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE GATE. THE OTHER ONE IS ALSO REPORTED TO HAVE DIRECTLY COOPERATED WITH THE MURDERERS OF THE HUTU MILITIA. IN HER CASE AGAIN WITNESSES REPORT THAT SHE WATCHED THE SLAUGHTERING OF PEOPLE IN COLD BLOOD AND WITHOUT SHOWING RESPONSE. SHE IS EVEN ACCUSED OF HAVING PROCURED SOME PETROL USED BY THE KILLERS TO SET ON FIRE AND BURN THEIR VICTIMS ALIVE [S2] IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN WAR OVER 2 MILLION MUSLIMS LOST THEIR LIVES AFTER GEORGE W. BUSH AND BRITAINS TONY BLAIR INVADED IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN IN 2003. THE RESULTANT VACUUM CREATED BY THE TOPPLING OF SADDAM HUSSEIN IN IRAQ WAS FILLED BY ISIS WHO NOW OCCUPY HALF OF SYRIA AND IRAQ, AN AREA AS LARGE AS THE COUNTRY OF BELGIUM. References: [DA] K.Deschner, Abermals krhte der Hahn, Stuttgart 1962. [DO] K.Deschner, Opus Diaboli, Reinbek 1987. [EC] P.W.Edbury, Crusade and Settlement, Cardiff Univ. Press 1985. [EJ] S.Eidelberg, The Jews and the Crusaders, Madison 1977. [LI] H.C.Lea, The Inquisition of the Middle Ages, New York 1961. [MM] M.Margolis, A.Marx, A History of the Jewish People. [MV] A.Manhattan, The Vaticans Holocaust, Springfield 1986. See also V.Dedijer, The Yugoslav Auschwitz and the Vatican, Buffalo NY, 1992. [NC] J.T.Noonan, Contraception: A History of its Treatment by the Catholic Theologians and Canonists, Cambridge/Mass., 1992. [S2] Newscast of S2 Aktuell, Germany, 10/10/96, 12:00. [SH] D.Stannard, American Holocaust, Oxford University Press 1992. [SP] German news magazine Der Spiegel, no.49, 12/2/1996. [TA] A True Account of the Most Considerable Occurrences that have Hapned in the Warre Between the English and the Indians in New England, London 1676. [TG] F.Turner, Beyond Geography, New York 1980. [WW] H.Wollschlger: Die bewaffneten Wallfahrten gen Jerusalem, Zrich 1973. (This is in german and what is worse, it is out of print. But it is the best I ever read about crusades and includes a full list of original medieval Christian chroniclers writings). [WV] Estimates on the number of executed witches: N.Cohn, Europes Inner Demons: An Enquiry Inspired by the Great Witch Hunt, Frogmore 1976, 253. R.H.Robbins, The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology, New York 1959, 180. J.B.Russell, Witchcraft in the Middle Ages, Ithaca/NY 1972, 39. H.Zwetsloot, Friedrich Spee und die Hexenprozesse, Trier 1954, 56 California's 4th Congressional district is a sprawling, mostly empty area east of Sacramento. Most of the people live in a tiny corner of the district in the suburbs north of Sacramento, a triangle encompassed by Roseville, Placerville and Auburn. There are 10 counties but almost 90% of the voters live in suburban Placer and El Dorado counties. The largely rural district includes Yosemite Valley, most of Lake Tahoe and lots of national forests, national wildernesses, national parks and more senior citizens than most California districts. It's one of the most Republican districts in the state-- with a PVI of R+10. In 2012 Romney took 58% of the votes to Obama's 39%. The past November Hillary won that same 39%... but Trump was somewhat off from Romney's big win-- just 54%. Voters in Placer gave him 52.5% and voters in El Dorado 53.4%. Romney won Placer with 59% and El Dorado with 58%. The local congressman is far-right, but often libertarian-leaning, Tom McClintock. After a series of unsuccessful statewide bids-- for Controller, Lt. Governor and Governor-- McClintock was first elected to Congress in 2008, right on the heels of corrupt Republican John Doolittle being driven from office when he was caught up in a festering mess of financial scandals. The Democrats don't bother contesting the district and McClintock never has to break a sweat in his reelection bids. This cycle he beat Bob Derlet 196,613 (62.8%) to 116,541 (37.2%); having outspent Derlet better than 9 to 1. (When local progressive hero Charlie Brown challenged him in 2008, the DCCC essentially ignored the race-- not wanting a progressive to win-- and McClintock took it with 185,790 votes to Brown's 183,990, less than a 2,000 vote margin, 50.2% to 49.8%. What a great DCCC Pelosi has saddled with! Anyway, Saturday McClintock had a downhill meeting in the biggest town in the district, Roseville. It was a pretty contentious, raucous scene. Keep in mind, 3 months ago Trump took 54% of the vote and McClintock took 63%. Now it looks like Trump's stink is sticking to McClintock, something Republican congressmembers all over the country are worried about. Facing a packed auditorium and raucous crowd, Republican Rep. Tom McClintock on Saturday defended his partys national agenda and voiced strong support for President Donald Trumps controversial executive actions to scale back Obamacare, ban visitors from seven predominantly Muslim countries and build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Vote him out, hundreds of demonstrators chanted outside the Tower Theatre in downtown Roseville, the Republican-heavy population center of McClintocks sprawling congressional district. Inside the theater, more than 200 people gathered for a town-hall event hosted by McClintock. Attendees, some carrying signs that read Resist, Dump Tom McTrump and Climate change is real, pressed McClintock to denounce Republican plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act, acknowledge the science supporting the human causes of climate change, and oppose Trumps executive order temporarily restricting refugee admissions to the U.S. I believe that order is constitutional, said McClintock, one of several comments that elicited boos at the hourlong event. McClintocks visit drew hundreds of people, most of whom had come to express opposition to the new administration. Many identified themselves as liberal Democrats and progressives, while party registration in McClintocks district-- which incorporates all or part of 10 counties spanning from Tahoe to Yosemite-- is solidly Republican. This is really all about resisting the Trump agenda, said Wendy Wood, chairwoman of Indivisible Sierra Nevada, a local chapter of a political organization formed in response to the election. Most of us have never participated in political activism of any sort. Something is happening here, and people here are not happy with (Trump) and McClintock. Were here to vote them out. Roseville police and fire officials capped attendance inside the theater at roughly 200 people. Those left outside voiced frustration about being locked out of the theater, some saying they had driven for hours simply to see McClintock face to face. We just wanted to be able to ask questions of our representative and share our thoughts on key issues, wrote Lauren Lake in an email. I drove hours over a snowy pass to be there we were told that the venue was at capacity and no one else would be allowed in. Inside the theater, McClintock took about a dozen audience questions. Some of the most passionate comments came from people who said they feared losing access to health care if Republicans press forward to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a clear replacement. What do you expect seniors and people with disabilities with low income to do if you take away our Medicare and Medicaid that we rely on to literally stay alive? asked Amanda Barnes, who said she was paralyzed from her waist down after a hit-and-run accident in a crosswalk five years ago. McClintock said his party did not yet have a replacement plan, but that there were several Republican-backed proposals still taking shape. The answer is a comprehensive bill that rescinds Obamacare in its entirety, and replaces it with reforms that put the patient back in charge of their own decisions, and give them the widest possible range of choices, McClintock said. And assure its within financial reach for the majority of Americans. The response drew shouts of disappointment, as did his comments on climate change. In any scientific arena, you are seeing a very vigorous debate over the extent to which man-made carbon dioxide emissions are causing global warming, McClintock said. Whether or not we destroy our economy for our children, our planet is going to continue to warm and cool as it has for billions of years. Many in attendance expressed general disappointment with Trump and called on McClintock to distance himself from recent executive actions, including Trumps orders scaling back bank regulations and temporarily restricting U.S. entry for refugees as well as visitors from seven predominantly Muslim nations. I am terrified about Mr. Trumps behavior. I literally havent slept, said Jill Ruffman, 58, of Granite Bay. She criticized McClintock and Trump for supporting a House vote to undo an Obama administration rule that required the Social Security Administration to disclose information about disabled recipients with mental illness to the national gun background check system. I understand you do not like Donald Trump, McClintock told the crowd at one point. I sympathize with you. There have been elections where our side has lost... Just a word of friendly advice: Remember that there were many people in America who disagreed and feared Barack Obama just as vigorously as you disagree with and fear Donald Trump. Several times he thanked the audience for the discourse, even if they disagreed. ...McClintock left the theater at 11 a.m., immediately after the town hall concluded, escorted by police as he waded through a thick crowd of protesters who trailed him, shouting, This is what Democracy looks like. When dull, oafish right-wing Florida Congressman Gus Bilirakis asked his constituents to come share their thoughts on the future of health care at a town hall meeting he figured he had nothing to worry about. FL-12 is a safely red R+7 district north of Tampa. In 2012, Romney had beaten Obama 53-45.5% and this year Trump had done even better against Clinton-- 57.4% to 38.8%. Bilirakis, who most people still think is his father, their former congressman, beat his opponent by nearly 140,000 votes-- 68.6% to 31.4%. Why worry? Saturday there was an over-capacity crowd at the Palm Harbor community center-- and they were as pissed off as McClintock's constituents. Bilikakis doesn't have a deft mind and isn't capable of veering away from stale Paul Ryan talking points. His constituents noticed. Some of his constituents showed up Saturday emboldened by recent demonstrations at airports and on the National Mall. One waved a rainbow flag. Another held a cardboard cutout of the Statue of Liberty. The crowd got rowdy, booing a 77-year-old speaker who said former President Barack Obama played politics to ram the Affordable Care Act through Congress in 2010. "Facts, not Fox!" one woman yelled. Bilirakis took fire from the crowd, too, particularly when he criticized Obamacare. "I've been hearing from my constituents for several years and they're not happy," he said. "We are your constituents!" someone shot back. ...[W]hen asked if his thoughts had changed on the Affordable Care Act, the congressman turned to familiar talking points. "We need to repeal because we need to do it right and expand health care," he said. "Right now, 73 percent of the counties only have one provider. It's too expensive. The premiums are too high. The deductibles are too high." He plans to hold another listening session next Saturday in New Port Richey. Sunday morning, halfway across the country, Wisconsin Republican freshman Mike Gallagher-- in a district Trump won 56.2% to 38.6%-- tweeted, uncomfortably, in response to Trump's unhinged comments about the U.S. and Russia on Bill O'Reilly's show, that there is "no moral equivalence between America-- leader of the free world/greatest country on Earth-- and Putin's violent, autocratic, and corrupt Russia." It's going to get harder and harder for Republicans to defend Trump while navigating the tumultuous environment he's creating for them in the lead-up to 2018. CA-04 doesn't fit into the DCCC's criteria for a challenge and they're not trying to recruit a candidate to run against him. (I suspect the same about Gallagher's district in Wisconsin and Bilirakis' in Florida.) In California, local Democratic activists hate the DCCC as much as they hate Trump, McClintock and the Republican Party and plan on finding their own champion to run against McClintock-- and against the transpartisan establishment that has failed them so miserably-- in 2018. Nationally, Republican congressmembers are starting to feel the pressure of defending a toxic agenda being promulgated by Trump and Ryan. Believe me, it isn't just Gallagher and McClintock sweating today. It will be less than year before they're all panic-stricken and thinking about jumping off tall buildings. ( Tepid establishment Democrats like Adam Schiff should try wrapping their heads around this before they get swept up too.) Meanwhile, opposition to Trump's visit to the U.K. is so strong and widespread that House of Commons Speaker John Bercow has barred so-called President Trumpanzee from being admitted to the House of Commons for an address to Parliament, citing "opposition to racism and sexism" and his anti-refugee Executive Order. He was cheered loudly by both sides of the aisle. Perhaps all the Trump supporters were out fox hunting at the time of the speech. Saturday, Trumpanzee woke up, chopped up and then snorted a couple of Adderalls and started with the morning ritual-- his nasty, childish, mastabatory tweeting. One claimed that theis fake news and that it had apologized to His Trumpiness. The fake news-- or in the Regime's own terms, #AltFacts-- is that it ever apologized to him for anything. Interestingly, the latest poll from PPP asked people who had more credibility,or the Trumpanzee. 51% of people chose; 42% chose the orange-hued orangutang. In fact, among self-identified "moderates," that number is 61% forand just 30% for Trumpy-the-Clown. Some people assumed-- inaccurately-- that it waseditorial against his endangered Department of Education nominee, the ultra-odious Betsy DeVos, that got him going aboutagain. The editors urged a decent Republican in the Senate-- I don't know what they've been smoking-- to join Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and-- to deny DeVos confirmation Monday. They just need one more. But that's a hopeless task. Once electorally vulnerable Dean Heller (R-NV) said he was voting for DeVos, the battle was, in effect, over. There are no other decent Republicans in the Senate, despite whateditors may wish. "The extra Republican vote," they fantasized , "could come from one of several independent-minded senators; one candidate is Lamar Alexander, an expert on public schools who actually owes the country a good turn because of his failure as chairman of the committee vetting Ms. DeVos to question her closely and to give more time to her critics. There are few more telling examples of Mr. Trumps disdain for the federal governments critical role in lifting up Americas schoolchildren than his choice of Ms. DeVos. She has spent years funneling her inherited fortune into a campaign to replace the nations traditional public schools with federally funded charter schools, regardless of the latters performance, and supporting vouchers, which help families send children to private or parochial schools and drain funds from public schools that need more, not less, support. Mr. Alexander didnt give senators much time to question Ms. DeVos, but it was sufficient to reveal her near-total unfamiliarity with public education law, standards and even problems. A conservative ideologue, she fell back on most policy questions to an assertion that states should make their own rules, even on settled matters of federal law, like access for handicapped children." Betsy DeVoss nomination is not about making public education more effective, or helping publicly schooled children succeed; its about blowing up the system without a clue as to what comes next. Mr. Alexander was secretary of education himself, from 1991 to 1993, and he ran for president twice, speaking out against the influence of money in politics. And while he went way easy on Ms. DeVos in the hearings, he surely knows better than to place her in a job of such importance to the countrys future. The editors then landed some gratuitous slaps at Scott Pruitt, Tom Price and Steven Mnuchin, Trumpanzees picks to head the EPA, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Treasury. But Trump is primarily concerned with Trump, not Betsy DeVos or anyone else. Sure, he wants to "win," but, again, that's about him, not them. No, what got him into a foul mood yesterday was a report by Susanne Craig and Eric Lipton calling him out on his lies about separating himself from his businesses . His attorneys and advisors have urged him to take at least theof ethics seriously. He has consistently refused to do any such thing. And now, as they reported yesterday, "records have emerged that show just how closely tied" the most corrupt and crooked, self-serving monstrosity ever installed in the White House "remains to the empire he built." While the president says he has walked away from the day-to-day operations of his business, two people close to him are the named trustees and have broad legal authority over his assets: his eldest son, Donald Jr., and Allen H. Weisselberg, the Trump Organizations chief financial officer. Mr. Trump, who will receive reports on any profit, or loss, on his company as a whole, can revoke their authority at any time. Whats more, the purpose of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust is to hold assets for the exclusive benefit of the president. This trust remains under Mr. Trumps Social Security number, at least as far as federal taxes are concerned. Since his election, there have been widespread calls for Mr. Trump to sell his assets and put the proceeds in a blind trust. He has resisted those calls, stressing that the president has no legal obligation to do so. While the trust structure, outlined in documents made public through a Freedom of Information Act request by ProPublica, may give the president the appearance of distance from his business, it drew sharp criticism from experts in government ethics. I dont see how this in the slightest bit avoids a conflict of interest, said Frederick J. Tansill, a trust and estates lawyer from Virginia who examined the documents at the request of the New York Times. First it is revocable at any time, and it is his son and his chief financial officer who are running it. ...The most immediate test of Mr. Trumps legal moves to separate himself from his company, the Trump Organization, pertains to the ownership of the new Trump International Hotel in the Old Post Office Building in Washington. The trust documents, which were prepared last month, argue that all beneficial ownership in the licensee previously held by Donald J. Trump, personally, now is held derivatively and beneficially by The Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, which is legal language intended to suggest that Mr. Trump no longer has a personal tie to the hotel lease. A provision in the 2013 lease for the building, held by Mr. Trump and his three oldest children, appears to prohibit a federally elected official, including the president, from benefiting from it. But lawyers who specialize in federal contracts say the trust arrangement simply creates an additional legal step between Mr. Trump and the hotel-- meaning he will still profit from it. Robert H. Sitkoff, a professor at Harvard Law School, said the new details in the trust documents were unlikely to resolve the apparent legal problems with the Old Post Office site. Formally he is no longer the owner, but functionally he still is, he said. Representative Elijah E. Cummings, Democrat of Maryland, the ranking member on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform who has called for a congressional investigation into the lease, said he remained unsatisfied that Mr. Trump had addressed his conflicts. This is smoke and mirrors, he said of the new documents. Following recent provocative actions by the Iranian government, the United States Treasury Department has sanctioned individuals and entities involved in Irans support for terrorism and ballistic missile development. These sanctions are in keeping with a pledge by U.S. officials to work positively with Iran when it abides by international norms, while underscoring our commitment to counter its destabilizing activities, including support for terrorist and militant groups. On January 29, Iran again tested a ballistic missile in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231. On January 30, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels attacked a Saudi ship off the coast of Yemen, resulting in the deaths of at least two Saudi sailors. At a White House press briefing, U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Flynn said, The Iranian actions, involving a provocative ballistic missile launch and an attack against Saudi naval vessels conducted by Iran-supported Houthi militants, underscore what should have been clear to the international community all along about Irans destabilizing behavior across the entire Middle East. Mr. Flynn pointed out that U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 calls upon Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology. These are just the latest of a serious of incidents in the past six month in which Houthi forces that Iran has trained and armed have struck Emirati and Saudi vessels and threatened United States and allied vessels transiting the Red Sea. In these and other similar activities, Iran continues to threaten U.S. friends and allies in the region. On February 3, the U.S announced sanctions against 25 individuals and entities that provide support to Iran's ballistic missile program and to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Qods Force. These sanctions are being taken separately from the JCPOA, which was intended to address Irans nuclear program not concerns with Irans support for terrorism or its ballistic missile program which are the reasons for the most recent designations. In a statement, National Security Advisor Flynn said, The Islamic Republic of Iran is the worlds leading state sponsor of terrorism and engages in and supports violent activities that destabilize the Middle East These sanctions target these behaviors, he said. The days of turning a blind eye to Irans hostile and belligerent actions toward the United States and the world community are over. Mumbai: Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia has made it clear that the government cannot extend concessions to Apple Inc under Goods and Services Tax regime, The Economic Times reported. "There is no way we can give individual exemptions under GST regime," ET quoted the revenue secretary as saying. We have limitations giving exemptions under GST, he added. The Cupertino-based iPhone maker plans to set up iPhone-manufacturing facility in Bengaluru for that it has sought a number of relaxations in rules from government. Exemption from countervailing duty on foreign items brought into country was one of them. Countervailing duty is a tax imposed on imports of select items to prevent their dumping. The US tech-giant wants electronic goods imported to India for making iPhones should not be brought under the purview of countervailing duty for a period of 15 years. However, the all-powerful GST Council, nodal agency for GST related matters, would take a final call on Apple's demands. Now no Cyrus Mistry family member is on Tata Sons board. Mumbai: Tata Sons shareholders on Monday removed Cyrus Mistry as director from the board of the holding company, CNBC-TV18 reported. Tata Sons shareholders at the extraordinary general meeting called to oust Mistry passed a requisite majority resolution favouring Mistry's ouster. Noel Tata, stepbrother of Ratan Tata who is married to Mistrys sister, voted in favour of Tata Sons' resolution to remove Mistry as director, the channel quoted its sources as saying. Earlier in the day, Tata Sons chairman emeritus Ratan Tata and other board members that included incumbent Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran and Ajay Piramal arrived at Bombay House for the proceedings. Counsel for Tata Sons Mohan Parasaran said that 'minority stakeholder' case that Mistry brought to the quasi-judicial body would be fought in National Company Law Tribunal. "Only remedy will be to move to National Company Law Appellate Tribunal," Parasaran was quoted by the channel as saying. Earlier, Cyrus Mistry brought two petitions one about oppression of minority interests and mismanagement and the other was about contempt in NCLT and NCLAT respectively. Both the foras turned down Mistry claims and refused to grant him any relief. The bank has reduced its minimum lending rate to 8.20 per cent from 8.50 per cent. Mumbai: State-run IDBI Bank today said it has reduced its marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR) by 30-35 basis points across various tenors, effective February 1. For overnight tenor, the bank has reduced its minimum lending rate to 8.20 per cent from 8.50 per cent, it said in a statement here today. For one month loan, the new lending rate has been set to 8.40 per cent from 8.75 per cent. One year MCLR has been reduced to 8.80 per cent from 9.15 per cent. "The reduction in MCLR is expected to positively impact loan growth; both in the retail consumer segment and corporate sector lending, thereby supporting the growth impulses in the economy," the bank said. This is the second reduction by the bank in the last two months. Banks, in January, have reduced their minimum lending rates or MCLR after surge in deposits post the government's decision to demonetise old high value currency notes. President Donald Trump has banned Muslims from seven countries from entering America. Several technology giants, including Apple, Google and Microsoft, banded together on Sunday to file a legal brief opposing President Donald Trump's temporary immigration ban, arguing that it "inflicts significant harm on American business." The brief, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, included other top tech firms including Facebook, Twitter and Intel, as well as non-tech companies such as Levi Strauss and Chobani. In all nearly 100 firms, including eBay, Netflix and Uber signed onto the brief. Trump's temporary immigration ban, the most contentious policy move of his first two weeks in offices, faces crucial legal hurdles. His administration has a deadline on Monday to justify the executive order temporarily barring immigrants from seven mostly Muslim countries and the entry of refugees, after a federal judge in Seattle blocked it with a temporary restraining order on Friday. "The Order represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system of the United States for more than fifty years," the brief stated. "The Order inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth as a result," it added. "Immigrants or their children founded more than 200 of the companies on the Fortune 500 list." U.S. tech firms have been among the more vocal sectors speaking out against the policy, with many of its staff made up of foreign-born nationals. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco over the weekend denied the Trump administration's request for an immediate stay of the federal judge's temporary restraining order that blocked nationwide the implementation of key parts of the travel ban. But the court said it would reconsider the government's request after receiving more information. A visitor walks past the logo of Toyota Motor Corp. at its showroom. (Photo: AP) Tokyo: Japan's Toyota Motor Corp and Suzuki Motor Corp appeared poised to unveil a wide-ranging partnership on Monday that could include the development of new technologies and procurement. Both automakers, which said in October they were exploring a tie-up, said their boards would make a decision on the matter later in the day. The firms are also set to announce third-quarter earnings on Monday. A partnership could offer Suzuki, a maker of affordable minivehicles and compact cars, access to Toyota's R&D expertise. Japan's fourth-largest automaker has said it has been struggling to keep pace with the breakneck speed of R&D in the industry. While the two companies have yet to say how Toyota may gain from a partnership with Suzuki, insiders at the world' No. 2 automaker have said it will likely seek Suzuki's help in cracking the India market. Suzuki dominates the Indian market through its majority stake in Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, which sells roughly half of all cars sold in the country, whereas Toyota is still struggling to gain significant market share despite years of trying. Access to Suzuki's tightly knit supply chain network in India, which the automaker has cultivated since the 1980s, could help Toyota to develop and sell more mainstream cars tailored for the local market. Fujio Ando, an adviser at Chibagin Securities, noted that except for compact cars, the two automakers had little overlap in their production line-up, adding that Suzuki was already buying hybrid technology from Toyota. "One question will be how much Toyota will open up to Suzuki given its relations with Daihatsu," he added, referring to Toyota's own minivehicle specialist firm. Toyota invests heavily in R&D in areas including automated driving, artificial intelligence and lower-emission cars. Suzuki has long sought a bigger partner. A partnership with Germany's Volkswagen ended on a sour note in 2015, after the German carmaker accused it of violating their pact by agreeing a diesel engine deal with Italy's Fiat. Shares in Toyota and Suzuki were roughly flat, in line with the broader Tokyo market. Toyota and Suzuki have agreed to begin concrete examinations towards the realisation of business partnership in areas including environmental technologies, safety technologies, information technologies, and mutual supply of products and components. Tokyo/New Delhi: Japanese auto majors Toyota and Suzuki today agreed to begin concrete examinations for business partnership in areas of environment, safety and information technology along with supply of products and components. Toyota Motor Corporation and Suzuki Motor Corporation have agreed to start exploring ideas directed towards business partnership, as announced on October 12, 2016, the two companies said in a statement. "Since then, the companies have shared with each other their challenges and have been discussing areas of collaboration in a manner that ensures fair and free competition." it added. "Toyota and Suzuki have agreed to work toward the early realization of business partnership. To that end, the two companies are to immediately establish an implementation framework aimed at bringing to realization the points agreed on today," it added. The companies have agreed to begin concrete examinations towards the realisation of business partnership in areas including environmental technologies, safety technologies, information technologies, and mutual supply of products and components. They will aim to jointly contribute to the resolution of social issues and achievement of sound and sustainable development of an automobile-based society. Commenting on the development, Toyota President Akio Toyoda said: "...we want to cooperate toward enabling all people throughout the world to truly experience the joy of mobility and to achieving a society of future mobility full of smiles. "I am truly thankful for having been given this opportunity to work together with a company such as Suzuki, which overflows with the spirit of challenge. Toyota looks forward to learning much." Suzuki Chairman Osamu Suzuki said: "Under the leadership of President Akio Toyoda, Toyota was enthusiastic throughout our discussions regarding partnership, even though such was sought by Suzuki, which was concerned about the development of advanced technologies." He further said: "In response to Toyota's display of enthusiasm, Suzuki also intensively engaged in the discussions, and we now stand at the starting point for building a concrete cooperative relationship." Last year in October, the two Japanese automobile manufacturers had announced plans to explore business partnership to strengthen collaboration in the fields of environment, safety, and information technology. New Delhi: Reserve Bank today said 10 Non Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs), including Supreme Securities and Island Leasing, have surrendered their registration certificate. The central bank also said it has cancelled the certificate of registration of nine NBFCs. "(Ten) NBFCs have surrendered the Certificate of Registration granted to them by the Reserve Bank of India...(and) has therefore cancelled their Certificate of Registration," it said in a statement. The other NBFCs, which surrendered their registration certificate, are Pinnacle Trades and Investments, Kalyani Mfg and Leasing, Sahyog Credits, M CT M Global Investments, Sree Sankari Benefit Funds, Wham Investments, M K W Finance and Shasun Leasing and Finance. In a separate statement, RBI said it has also cancelled the registration of the Instalment Supply, Sunshine Finlink, Link Benefit Fund, Mani and Money, Hanumangarh Finvest, Vijaya Finance, Westend Management Technologies, HNM Leasing and Finance and Paras Hire Purchase Company. Now, all these 19 NBFCs cannot transact the business of a Non-Banking Financial Institution, the RBI added. New Delhi: Amid concerns being raised by India Inc on the US visa regime, the Commerce and Industry Ministry today said it will soon hold a meeting with industry including Nasscom to discuss the issue. Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that India is closely monitoring the developments and is constantly in touch with the councillor office in the US. "There are several nuances to that...So I would not rush to give a view on it, yes there is going to be an impact...We will be holding a meeting with Nasscom, industries which have significant presence in the US, talking to them about how they are working out in this environment, what are there strategies," she told reporters here. She said the meeting would be convened soon after the parliament go for recess. In the meeting, "we are going to have a clear exchange and discussions with them and after that, I will be able to have a clearer picture of where the industry is...," she added. Industry body Nasscom has said that it will take a delegation of senior executives to Washington DC later this month to reach out to the new US administration as well as senators on concerns around clampdown on visas and flow of skilled manpower between the two nations. The delegation will highlight and share information with the new US administration on direct jobs being created by Indian IT companies in the US, and contribution of Indian IT firms in making the US economy competitive. The proposed overhaul of popular H-1B visa regime by American President Donald Trump has raised concerns among the Indian IT firms, as any changes in the visa regime may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the USD 110 billion Indian outsourcing industry. Indian IT sector, which contributes 9.3 per cent of the country's GDP, is one of the largest private sector employer at 3.7 million people. The US contributes nearly 62 per cent of the exports, while EU is the second largest market for the Indian IT services exporters contributing approximately 28 per cent. Recently, a US legislation (Lofgren Bill) has been introduced that proposes doubling of the minimum wages of H-1B visa holders to USD 130,000. The current H-1B minimum wage of USD 60,000 was fixed in 1989 and has since remained unchanged. Such protectionist stance by the US could also spell more trouble for IT firms that are already facing strong headwinds from currency fluctuation and cautious client spending. The Ministry of External Affairs has said India's interest and concerns on the issue have been conveyed both to the US administration and the US Congress at senior levels. New Delhi: Criticising India's decision to scrap high value currency notes, noted American economist Steve H Hanke has said demonetisation is for 'losers' and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not know where the country is heading now. "#Demonetisation is for losers and has been bungled from the start. No one, not even Modi, knows where India is heading," Hanke, an American applied economist at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, said in a tweet. A Senior Fellow and Director of the Troubled Currencies Project at the Cato Institute in Washington, Hanke had earlier said that "India simply does not have the infrastructure to adapt to Modis demonetisation...he should have known." Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8 had announced demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes in a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption. The Economic Survey for 2016-17 had said, "demonetisation will have significant implications for GDP, reducing 2016-17 growth by 0.25 to 0.50 percentage points compared to the baseline of 7 per cent." The key sectors that received a major chunk of FDI included metallurgy, computer software and hardware, telecom, information and broadcasting and automobile, Commerce and Industry. New Delhi: India attracted USD 32.49 billion foreign direct investment (FDI) in April-November of 2016-17, Parliament was informed today. The key sectors that received a major chunk of FDI included metallurgy, computer software and hardware, telecom, information and broadcasting and automobile, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. "The government reviews FDI policy on an ongoing basis and significant changes are made in the FDI policy regime, from time to time, to ensure India remains increasingly attractive and investor-friendly investment destination," she said. "Further, no proposal is under consideration of the government to review extant policy to bring public sectors under its ambit in the country." Replying to a separate question on exports of rice to China, she said 14 mills have been approved by China for export of basmati rice. "As regards export of non-basmati rice, the protocol signed between Plant Quarantine agencies of the two countries is to be reviewed by the Chinese side," she said. According to Sitharaman, market access for export of non-basmati rice to China can be confirmed only after the review of the protocol and signing of the same between China and India. India accounts for 0.11 per cent share of China's imports and is the 31st largest importing partner. Replying to another question, she said that with regard to grapes exports, India has requested the US to expedite the evaluation of pest risk analysis submitted by it. "The pest risk analysis is under finalisation with South Africa, Vietnam and Japan," Sitharaman added. New Delhi: The percentage of minorities in Central government jobs almost doubled from 5.3 per cent in 2014 to 9.9 per cent at present, Government said today. "In Central Government jobs the proportion of minorities was 5.3 per cent in 2014. Today the percentage of minorities in central government jobs is 9.9 per cent. This is not because of us. "We do not agree that they (minorities) did not have the capability. They should have got this right earlier, there must have been differential treatment. We created an environment to end the differential treatment. The percentage has increased due to the minorities' progress and self belief," Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said in the Rajya Sabha. Referring to the talk of intolerance and awards being returned, he said "despite all such things, the Minorities Commission in its report has observed that communal incidents have declined more than 200 per cent during this period and there was no big communal incident witnessed in the country". The Minister further said at a time when the Islamic State and terrorist forces were "engulfing the world, we take pride in saying that due to my country's culture of tolerance, terror organisations like ISIS could not gain ground in India and wherever they attempted, Muslims were at the forefront in opposing and destroying them". Clarity is still awaited on whether the tax benefit would accrue to the new companies which set up business in 2016-17 or in 2017-18. (Representational image) New Delhi: The I-T department today said companies that had a turnover of less than Rs 50 crore in 2015-16 will pay tax at the reduced rate of 25 per cent from April 1 even if they cross the threshold in 2016-17 or subsequent years. Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) chairman Sushil Chandra said the income tax department will come out with a clarification on which companies would be eligible to avail the tax benefit. In order to boost the SME sector, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Budget 2017-18 reduced the income tax for smaller companies with annual turnover up to Rs 50 crore to 25 per cent as against the usual rate of 30 per cent. "If your turnover in 2015-16 was Rs 50 crore then you will be subject to 25 per cent tax. We will come out with clarification on (applicability of the tax benefit to) new companies," Chandra said. According to the memorandum to the Finance Bill 2017, in case of domestic company, the rate of income-tax shall be 25 per cent of the total income if the total turnover or gross receipts in the previous year, 2015-16, did not exceed Rs 50 crore. Concerns have been raised whether a company having breached turnover threshold of Rs 50 crore in 2016-17 or 2017-18 would be entitled to concessional tax rate of 25 per cent. A Finance Ministry official said that those companies that had total income of less than Rs 50 crore in 2015-16 can continue to avail the tax benefit even if the turnover has been breached in subsequent years. However, clarity is still awaited on whether the tax benefit would accrue to the new companies which set up business in 2016-17 or in 2017-18. As per data of Assessment Year 2015-16, there are 6.94 lakh companies filing returns of which 6.67 lakh companies have turnover of less than Rs 50 crore and, therefore, percentage-wise 96 per cent of companies will get this benefit of lower taxation. "This (decision) will make our MSME sector more competitive as compared to large companies. The revenue forgone estimate for this measure is expected to be Rs 7,200 crore per annum," Jaitley had said earlier. New Delhi: Providing clarity on scrutiny of deposits made in banks post demonetisation, I-T department today said no questions will be asked about deposits of up to Rs 2.5 lakh and only those accounts will be probed that do not match the tax returns. Using Big Data analytics, the Income Tax Department has segregated different kinds of deposits and large ones like more than Rs 1 crore that do not match with income tax returns filed in previous years will be taken for "layer enforcement". "There is no need to fear for any genuine person. We will ensure there is no harassment to genuine person," Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman Sushil Chandra said at CII post-Budget seminar here. The department, he said, has accumulated a large data on deposits made in banks after the government banned old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes on November 8. "We found (and segregated) the data (for deposits) between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 80 lakh and Rs 80 lakh and above. As the Prime Minister has clearly said that (for deposits) up to Rs 2.5 lakh we will not ask (questions), so we have put that data aside at the moment," he said. The tax department has used its data bank to run all deposits exceeding Rs 5 lakh made during the 50-day window provided post demonetisation to get rid of junked notes, he said. Giving examples, he said deposits of Rs 3 lakh are "justified" if a person has an annual taxable income of Rs 10 lakh and the tax department will "not touch" him. Importantly, if companies show a cash in hand in balance sheet of Rs 10 lakh and have deposited Rs 5 lakh, the tax department will not scrutinise those. "But if you have deposited Rs 5 lakh and you have not filed return of last three years, that I should touch (for scrutiny)," he said. "Similarly if you file income tax return (ITR) of Rs 2.5 lakh income but you deposit Rs 10 lakh in different bank accounts, I should ask about it." Even for those explanations can be provided through the tax department's website, he said. "This will also be analysed with data and then it will be closed." "Only where it is absolutely not matching, action will be taken. And if there is large deposit may be more than a crore of rupees, then I think if it is not matching with ITR filed, then all honest tax payers will agree that that the man should be taken for layer enforcement," he said. He however did not explain what he meant by 'layer enforcement'. New Delhi: The government has not taken a final decision yet on the concessions being sought by US iPhone maker Apple for setting up a manufacturing unit in India, a top official said today. Secretary in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ramesh Abhishek said that Apple has submitted certain demands for the government's consideration. "We had a meeting of all the concerned ministries and departments (on those demands) and we have asked them to look at those issues and take a view. No ministry has yet taken a final decision on any of those. But we are in touch with them," Abhishek told reporters here. He said the government supports all manufacturing, including value manufacturing, in the country by companies. "So we would definitely like to promote this. So we are coordinating response from all the concerned ministries but no final view has been taken yet on any of those," he said. The secretary also clarified that the government does not take any policy decision for a particular company. "Decision is taken for everyone. So no company specific decision can be taken," he said, adding that DIPP has forwarded the requests of Apple to the Department of Revenue also. On January 25, Apple Inc indicated to the government that it is ready with a blueprint to begin manufacturing iPhones in India, but wants fiscal concessions, including Customs duty waiver on import of components. Apple executives made a detailed presentation on its road map for setting up a manufacturing unit in India to an inter-ministerial group headed by Abhishek. With sales tapering in the US and China, Apple is eyeing India the fastest growing smartphone market in the world and looking to set up a local manufacturing unit to cut costs. It makes devices through contract manufacturers. Besides exemption from the Customs duty on imports of components and equipment for 15 years, Apple wants relaxation in the mandated 30 per cent local sourcing of components. In a communication to the government, the Cupertino-based technology major has asked for several tax and other incentives, including long-term duty exemptions, to enter the manufacturing sector in India. Currently, the government provides support by way of benefits under the Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme (MSIPS) to boost electronic manufacturing. The company sells its products through Apple-owned retail stores in countries like China, Germany, the US, the UK and France, among others. It has no wholly-owned store in India and sells its products through distributors such as Redington and Ingram Micro. The gross profit declined because of the increase in corporate overheads to the tune of Rs 2.03 crore. Chennai: The highly brand conscious Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) which rolls out its red carpet for budget travellers too, may be getting a sinking feeling now. The company has registered a negative growth, indicating a decline in its gross profit by Rs 10.47 crores for the 2015 - 16 fiscal. The increase in corporate overheads reduced the gross profit of this state-owned enterprise while the December cyclone corroded its revenue, the Corporation reveals. During 2015 - 16 fiscal, the TTDC netted a turnover of Rs 100.88 crore as against Rs 105.98 crore during the previous fiscal, thus registering a negative growth of 4.81 per cent. The decline in turnover is attributed to the decline in the turnover of lodging, bars, petrol bunk and transport division to the tune of Rs 1.30 crore, Rs 99 lakh, Rs 4.04 crore and Rs 1.03 crore respectively. The net loss has been put at Rs 1.53 crore during 2015 - 16. The gross profit declined because of the increase in corporate overheads to the tune of Rs 2.03 crore. The profitability has been eroded due to the extraordinary expenditure of `5.41 crore relating to establishing the Tamil Nadu Maritime Heritage Museum at Mamallapuram, as per the annual report. Its only consolation is its boating sector, which had achieved a growth of 5 per cent. Of late, it has been noticed that some associations/federations have commented adversely in the government and its polices finance ministry pointed towards earlier order. New Delhi: Coming down on associations denouncing the Goods and Services Taxes, the finance ministry has warned employees of disciplinary action if they criticise the government or its policies. No government servant shall, in any radio broadcast, telecast through any electronic media or in any document published in his own name or anonymously, pseudonymously or in the name of any other person or in any communication to the press or in any public utterance, make any statement of fact or opinion which has the effect of an adverse criticism of any current or recent policy or action of the central government or state government, reads the service rules. Of late, it has been noticed that some associations/federations have commented adversely in the government and its polices. It may be brought to the notice of all associations/ federation that if anyone indulges in criticism of the government and its polices, appropriate action (including disciplinary action) shall be taken under .... Central Civil Services (conduct) Rules, finance ministry pointed towards earlier order. Bengaluru: When Samit Ghosh, the MD and CEO of Ujjivan Financial Services, decided to turn his back on a lucrative banking career, one that spanned over three decades of working with top foreign banks and dealing with high-net-worth individuals,he found himself faced with a good deal of scepticism. "I wasn't convinced when Samit first told me about his plans back in 2003. He had a wealth of experience, of course, but none of it was related to micro-finance in any way," said K.R. Ramamoorthy, who has been on the Board of Directors of the path-breaking micro-finance concern since it was founded in 2005. It was his trip to Bangladesh that really clinched it, his enthusiasm contagious enough to bring me on board too!" In Bangladesh, Ghosh met the man who would become his greatest inspiration Nobel prize-winning economist Professor Muhammad Yunus, the pioneer of micro-finance and the man who single-handedly lifted a nation out of decades of poverty. A dance performance at the launch of Ujjivan Bank at Seshadripuram College, in Bengaluru on Monday. (Photo: Shashidhar B) Monday marked an important milestone in Ujjivan's journey, as they launched Ujjivan small finance bank operations, making them the first micro-finance bank in the country. Top bankers, financial experts and leading intellectuals from across India were all in attendance as Samit Ghosh and Professor Yunus flagged off its operations at five centers across Bengaluru. This marks the culmination of a ten-year journey for Ujjivan, which started out back in 2005 with the aim of bringing about financial inclusion across sectors. Yunus touch changed Ujjivan Being brought within the framework of the banking system is an achievement, although this is the start of a brand-new journey. Both Professor Yunus and Ghosh concurred over the fact that Ujjivan is now in completely unmarked territory. "This is largely due to policy," said Professor Yunus. "Micro-finance institutions are awarded something of a Dalit status, they're not brought into the mainstream framework of the banking laws. These laws currently support banking for the rich." His own efforts to include micro-finance institutions within the larger fabric of the law have largely gone in vain, Professor Yunus recounted. "I'm very glad India has taken the first step by granting Ujjivan a license. This is their turning point, however. They will have to deal with the issue of identity - do they stick to the identity with which they began, or become part of a larger culture?" The years that followed Ujjivan's application to the RBI for a banking license were marked by relentless research. The sector had not been ventured into and to do so would mean establishing a sustainable, long-term vision. "We had to start with what micro-finance is all about?" Ghosh remarked. "We have been trying to figure out market research, economic distribution, products, services and collaborating with technology partners. We have been driving ourselves crazy trying to figure out what to do!" Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus plants a sapling at Seshadripuram College in Bengaluru on Monday. (Photo: DC) It is vital, said Professor Yunus, that Ujjivan holds on to its identity as a "mission-driven" bank. "The aim has always been to bring about financial inclusivity," he said. "If you lose that, you will become part of the larger fabric of small finance banks." Being brought into the legal framework, he said, is Ujjivan's opportunity to ensure that its services are more far-reaching and impactful than ever before. Holding on to their mission isn't too big a leap for Samit Ghosh's Ujjivan, however The institution has, since its founding, worked alongside Parinaam, the organisation founded by Samit's wife, Elaine. The two organisations function hand-in-hand, driven by the belief that financial inclusion cannot happen without financial literacy. Now headed by the talented daughter, Mallika Ghosh, the Parinaam Foundation works with the urban poor as it helps bring about financial inclusion among the masses of slum-dwellers and daily-wage labourers who reside in our cities. Ujjivan has also been repeatedly named in the top three of the top 25 places to work in India, with over 10,000 employees across the country. With ten-years of work already behind them, a stream of loyal supporters and the inspiration he received from the visionary Professor Yunus, Samit Ghosh has taken the first step in a long and arduous journey toward changing India's financial landscape. Hyderabad: State industries and IT minister K.T. Rama Rao on Monday vowed to transform Hyderabad as the global hub for life sciences and pharma industries. Hyderabad already has a place in global pharma map. But the Telangana government wants to take it to the top with the proposed pharma city, the minister said addressing the delegates of the BioAsia 2017. The Silicon valley is considered the worlds top destination for IT sector. We will transform the Genome Valley along similar lines for pharma and life science sector, he said. The three-day event was inaugurated by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan. The event witnessed many strategic partnerships and investment announcements, involving a total budget of over `3,000 crore. Earlier in the day, the minister visited the Genome Valley in Shamirpet to inaugurate and to lay foundation stone for several firms. It is considered as one of the biggest pharma clusters in Asia with over 200 pharma companies, employing 10,000 people. He laid foundation stone for new SEZ of city-based vaccine manufacturer Biological E. Limited, which involves a capital expenditure of of Rs 300 crore, SME Knowledge Park, MN Park (second phase). The comedy flick was earlier titled as Abhinay Chakra which was changed later. Mumbai: Raveena Tandon, has done around 12 films with Govinda. But it seems nothing is well between the two actors. Recently, Govinda invited all his co-actresses at the launch of his upcoming comedy film, which was stuck for the longest time, Aa Gaya Hero and Raveena decided to skip the event. A source close to the actor said, Govinda has invited all his leading ladies to the launch of his upcoming film Aa Gaya Hero. Except Shilpa Shetty and Manisha Koirala, nobody turned up for the event. Interestingly, Raveena Tandon, who has done maximum films with Govinda missed out the launch. The actor called Raveena several times but the actress dropped out at the last minute. Directed by Dipankar Senapati, 'Aa Gaya Hero' is slated to release on February 24. Mumbai: If youve seen them together, the cold vibes shared between the two Yash Raj protegees, Sushant Singh Rajput and Ranveer Singh are there for all to see. Whenever theyve come face-to-face in public, the two have met each other with distant cordiality. Recently, Sushant had even lashed out at Ranveers latest release, 'Befikre', saying that he would never have done the movie, even if it were offered to him. Indeed, the two actors have quite a history. Sushant, who has been showing exceptional support to Sanjay Leela Bhansali after distasteful attacks on him in Jaipur, had been the directors first choice for Bajirao Mastani. In fact, SLB, who is currently making 'Padmavati', was very keen on working with Sushant. The young actor, at that point, was to star in Shekhar Kapoors 'Paani'. A source reveals, Sushant was fully immersed in Paani. He sported a particular look, and was going through intense workshops with Shekhar, and Aditya Chopra, who at that point, was mentoring both Sushant and Ranveer. Sushant expressed his inability to take up Bajirao Mastani, and thats where Ranveer came in. Eventually, Paani never got made and Sushant lost out on both 'Bajirao Mastani' and 'Paani'. Ranveer, on his part, seems to have an incredible knack for being in the right place, at the right time. He was signed on to do Anurag Kashyaps 'Bombay Velvet'. When Ranbir Kapoor showed interest in the project, Anurag dropped Ranveer without even informing him of the change. That worked out well for Ranveer, and its no surprise that the touch of luck has led to the cold vibes with Sushant. Balakrishna stated that he'd play his father in the film. Mumbai: A feature film on the life of Telugu idol late Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao will soon be made, his son and actor N Balakrishna announced today. "It will be a biopic and will contain many unknown facets on the life of NTR," Balakrishna told reporters in his ancestral village Nimmakuru in Krishna district. Asked who will play NTR's role, the actor jocularly shot back, "I will. Any doubt?" NTR, known as the pride of Telugus, had acted in about 350 films and was revered as the screen God for his portrayal of roles like Sri Rama, Sri Krishna and Lord Venkateswara besides many mythological and historical characters. He founded the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1982 and created a record by riding to power in a short span of nine months. He served as Chief Minister of (united) Andhra Pradesh from 1983 to 1989 and later between December 1994 and August 1995 before his son-in-law dethroned him in an internal party coup. "Many books have been written on my father. We are collecting several inputs from them and also by speaking to our relatives. The script for the biopic is currently being prepared," Balakrishna said. In a 2015 report China told the UN that it had 501,000 cases of HIV/AIDS as of the end of 2014. (Photo: AFP) Beijing: China will double the number of AIDS patients it treats with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), officials have said, part of a broader push to increase the use of the ancient practice in the country's medical system. The promotion of TCM is part of a five-year plan from the State Council, China's cabinet, to tackle HIV/AIDS. "The number of people living with AIDS who are treated with traditional Chinese medicine should be twice what it was in 2015," the State Council said on its website yesterday. The plan outlined collaboration between traditional Chinese medicine departments and national health and family planning commissions "to find a therapeutic regimen which combines traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicines". The TCM push aligns with a recent effort by the government to make the practice a priority for both development and publicity. TCM, dating back thousands of years, treats ailments using herbal mixtures and physical therapies such as acupuncture and cupping. The science behind such remedies has long been questioned. Last month medical researchers disputed a study claiming that acupuncture could cure babies of colic. In late December the Chinese legislature passed its first TCM law, which will allow practitioners to be licensed and make it easier for them to open clinics. There are about 450,000 TCM practitioners across the country, according to the State Council Information Office. The government sees the practice as a cost-saving alternative to modern healthcare. The new initiative to tackle HIV/AIDS will aim to reduce "AIDS-related homosexual behavior" by at least 10 per cent and mother-to-children transmission rates to less than four per cent. In a 2015 report China told the UN that it had 501,000 cases of HIV/AIDS as of the end of 2014. Melbourne: 'Weed-like' algae is killing corals in Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef because of increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, a new study has warned. The study conducted by researchers at Griffith University in Australia and colleagues showed that if the world continues with 'business as usual' CO2 emissions important reef building corals will suffer significantly by 2050 and die off by 2100. That, researchers said, is because algae will compete for space with corals in the reef, much like a weed and eventually take over. Researchers knew increased CO2 had an effect on seaweed behaviour but have now been able to demonstrate just how this happens. They discovered this is due to an increase in the potency of chemical compounds that poison corals. "This is a major step forward in understanding how seaweeds can harm corals and has important implications for comprehending the consequences of increased carbon dioxide emissions on the health of the Great Barrier Reef," said Associate Professor Guillermo Diaz-Pulido, of Griffith's School of Environment. "For the algae to grow they need light and CO2, just like any other plant, and because algae in the future would be exposed to much more CO2 in seawater we wanted to know to what extent the CO2 would affect some of the things algae do, the physiology and the interaction with animals," said Diaz-Pulido. "What we have discovered is that some algae produce more potent chemicals that suppress or kill corals more rapidly. This can occur rapidly, in a matter of only weeks," Professor Mark Hay, from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the US. "If the algae overtake the coral we have a problem which contributes to reef degradation, on top of what we already know with coral bleaching, crown of thorn starfish outbreaks, cyclones or any other disturbance," said Hay. The research was undertaken at Heron Island, a coral cay on the southern end of the reef using underwater reef experiments and outdoor lab studies. Diaz-Pulido said the study has global impact because one of the seaweeds studied that causes the most damage is a common brown alga species found in reefs worldwide. "That is a problem because if these algae take advantage of elevated CO2 in seawater that is even more a matter of concern," he said. "The scale of the problem is so big removing a bunch of seaweed from the reef is not going to do much because it just regrows and regenerates, so I think the way to address this really is to reduce the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere," Diaz-Pulido added. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports. Chennai: People of the Irula tribes in Kancheepuram near Chennai, whose lives have been restricted to catching snakes in Tamil Nadu, are elated to see some of their relatives making the headlines and news in Florida for pulling out hefty Burmese pythons in the Everglades National Park, a vast wetland and forest habitat covering nearly 2,000 square kilometers in south Florida. Masi Sadaiyan and Vadivel Gopal, two Irula tribals from Chengalpet are in Florida for a two-month pilot python detection project approved by the Florida Wildlife Commission and funded by the University of Florida to bring two expert Irula snake catchers from TN. "I saw my fellow villagers rescuing the world's heaviest pythons with our traditional techniques with the use of crowbar, etc. All our staffers and villagers around the Madras Crocodile Bank are elated to see those pictures and videos on social media", said a beaming K. Munusamy, who handles captive crocodiles at the Madras Crocodile Bank (MCB). "The tribes trained by India's celebrated herpetologist Romulus Whitaker are now teaming up with Florida's wildlife authorities to identify Burmese pythons that were released in US as pets during the 1980s. The US is now capturing these invasive species to protect their local wildlife", explained Yamini Bhaskar, assistant director, Centre for Herpetology, MCB. This is the second time that the duo is on a global assignment looking out for snakes. Last year, the same team spent a few weeks in Thailand rescuing venomous snakes. It's there in the DNA of Irulas to catch snakes safely without harming them and now the tribal skills are technically transferred to learned foreign biologists, adds Yamini. According to MCB sources, Burmese pythons are one of the largest snakes in the world, growing to 6 metres. They are found in India, Myanmar and nearby Southeast Asian countries. But now they are found in Florida as a result of accidental or intentional releases by pet owners. A few years ago, Whitaker contacted Professor Frank Mazzotti at the University of Florida telling him that the Irulas of Tamil Nadu are the best snake catchers in the world and it would be useful to do a pilot project with two of these experts to study the problem and to teach local American snake catchers some of the Irula techniques in locating pythons. This has started yielding results with the duo so far catching 27 pythons, sources said. Hope's rescuer, Anja Ringgren Loven, celebrated the happy moment by recreating the viral image she had of her with him. (Photo: Facebook) The Nigerian boy who was left for dead by his family and the community after being accused of being a witch has now completed his first week at school. His rescuer, a Danish aid worker, celebrated the happy moment by recreating the viral image she had of her with him. Anja Ringgren Loven, who runs an orphanage in south-east Nigeria for children who are abandoned by their families because of superstitious beliefs, took the then-two-year-old Hope under her wing on 30 January 2016. At that time, Hope was severely malnourished, riddled with worms. He also had hypospadias which is a congenital condition in which one has an underdeveloped urethra. Anja shared the before and after images on social media and wrote the following words: A rescue mission that went viral, and today it's exactly 1 year ago the world came to know a young little boy called Hope. This week Hope will start school. Her post quickly went viral with around 22,000 likes and was shared more than 7,000 times. The girl from the Al Maktoum royal family of Dubai is wearing the uniform that is most likely used by Emirates pilots. (Photo: Instagram/lateefam) Dubai: Shaikha Mozah Al Maktoum, one of the female members of Dubai's ruling family, is claimed to have become the first woman commercial pilot, according to media reports. A few members of the Al Maktoum family took to Instagram to congratulate the young achiever, expressing their pride and joy on her accomplishment. Yesterday, Shaikha Latifa posted on her Instagram account a photograph of her cousin Shaikha Mozah, which said in Arabic: "Mozah Marwan. My sister's daughter. The first female pilot in the family, who is on her first assisted flight as a commercial pilot for Emirates. As long as you can dream it, you can achieve it," the Gulf News reported. Other members of the ruling family sent their congratulations on social media to the young royal pilot, with Shaikha Maitha Bint Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum saying: "So proud of you cousin." Although the veracity of the airline - that she flies for - can not be confirmed, but the uniform looks similar to the one worn by Emirates pilots It is noteworthy that UAE's aviation sector boasts of many women, from pilots to engineers. In 2016, Etihad Airways announced that more than half the UAE nationals employed by the airline are women, including nearly 50 pilots. In recent years, an Emirati woman fighter pilot - Major Mariam Al Mansouri - made headlines around the world when she led an aerial raid against ISIS in Syria. The accused had befriended the 33-year-old victim last year on Facebook. (Photo: File) New Delhi: An Afghan national was arrested on Friday for allegedly raping an American woman and extorting Rs 57 lakh from her by threatening to link her with terror activities and intimidating her with acid attack. According to a Hindustan Times report, Hameedullah (36), was arrested in south Delhis RK Puram on Friday, following the victims complaint earlier last week. The accused had befriended the 33-year-old victim last year on Facebook by posing as MK Fahim and persuaded her to meet him. Hameedullah had reportedly established a sexual relationship with the victim by promising to marry her. He allegedly also produced fake documents to convince her that they were married. Recording their private moments together, the accused used the footage to extort money periodically from the victim. According to the woman, she had paid Rs 57 lakh in total that was transferred through Western Union first to Afghanistan. The money was later procured by the accused in India through several channels. After getting to know through a common friend that Hameedullah has been faking his identity, the woman confronted him. The accused, however, threatened to tell the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that the money she had been sending to Afghanistan was being used to fund terrorists in Kabul. Exploiting her fear, Hameedullah further threatened the victim with acid attack, following which the woman complained to the police. The US woman also alleged that there are 15 more women who have been duped by the accused. The investigation revealed that the accused has visited India in July 2011 on a tourist visa, which was later converted to a medical visa. He possesses excellent communication skills and has a command over several languages. He has made Facebook profiles with different names and approaches women with friend requests before winning their trust, a police official was quoted as saying. The victim used to work with the United Nations before she started her own business in Delhi. Hyderabad: Six persons including the husband of a 14-year-old girl and her parents were arrested by Nalgonda police for forcing the girl into a child marriage four months ago. The girl, who was kept confined, escaped and had approached her school principal on Wednesday. The arrested persons are her 50- year-old husband Ramavath Ravi Nayak, father Dhanakoti, stepmother Jeeja, stepbrother Nagaraju, stepsister Sujatha and priest Araveera Sharma who solemnised the marriage. Police said the girl was studying in Class IX at the Government ST Girls Hostel in Devarakonda mandal. In September 2016 when she went home for Dussehra, her stepbrother Nagaraju told her parents that he had a proposal for her marriage. He told them that one Ravi who owns a welding shop and was financially well off would like to marry her, and both parents agreed. Nagaraju took the girl to his sister Sujatha's house in Kondamallepally and confined her there. On November 4, 2016, she was forcibly married to Ravi. She was later sent back to Sujatha's home and shifted to Ravi's home. Since then she was in confinement. On Wednesday. she escaped from home, reached her school and explained her problem to the principal. Later, on a complaint from the school coordinator, police registered a case under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. All the six persons who forced the girl into the marriage were arrested and remanded. Hyderabad: The murder of a Pune Infosys employee has raised safety concerns in Hyderabad IT companies. Cyberabad police sources say that many IT companies and security agencies have not been doing proper background checks of security guards. Though security agencies are paid huge sums by IT firms the agencies pay the guards very little. Most of the guards are not given proper training or orientation courses. There are some security firms that do a good job by properly vetting employees before deployment. But, there are some black sheep among security agencies, who do not follow rules or vet their employees, Cyberabad police commissioner Sandip Shandilya said. As per rules, when a security firm hires employees, the candidate has to submit a no objection certificate (NoC) from the police station at his native place. The local police has to thoroughly check the background of the candidate. Only after this the candidate should be hired. However, few companies follow these procedures. Most guards are hired in haste and criminals get in, said a Cyberabad police official. Earlier, Cyberabad police had conducted training sessions for security firms. Now, formal training sessions have been shelved. Now we meet senior managers of security firms once in three months. We have strictly asked them to vet everyone they recruit, said police commissioner Sandip Shandilya. Many women employees often complain about continuous ogling and obscene comments by security guards. The guards are changed every month in the building we work. There are some among them who ogle at all times. Some even take the liberty to talk about the way we dress and walk. I had complained to my HR department against one of them and got him removed, said G. Sadhya, a techie, who works in an MNC in Madhapur. Pune: "Someone is entering my working bay, I will call you back," these were the last words uttered by 24-year-old Rasila Raju, before she was found murdered in her Infosys office in Pune last month. According to an NDTV report, Rasila last spoke to her cousin sister Anjali Nandkumar on phone, before a person entered her work area on January 29. It was a Sunday and Rasila was the only person working at the office. The systems engineer, who hailed from Kozhikode district of Kerala had been trying to get a transfer to Bengaluru. Rasila had often told her family that she felt her boss had something against her and forced her to put in extra hours at work. My transfer to the Bangalore office depends on my submission today. I should receive my transfer order by the first week of February," Rasila told Anjali during her last phone call. "Someone is entering my working bay, I will call you back," she informed Anjali moments later and hung up the phone. Hours later, Rasila was found dead in a conference room on the 9th floor of the Infosys building in Phase II of Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park. She had been strangulated with a computer cable. Bhaben Saikia, a security guard from Terrier Security Services deployed at the campus, was arrested for her murder and confessed to the crime. A An officer from Hinjewadi police station said Saikia, hailing from Assam, told police during questioning that on Saturday Rasila had chided him for 'staring' at her, and threatened to complain. The accused had entered the section on the pretext of noting down serial numbers of some computers. "He then asked her not to complain against him for his actions, however, she refused," police said. Rasila then went into the conference room. Saikia followed her, and strangled her using a computer cable and then kicked her in the face. The accused stayed on the company premises till his duty ended and later fled to Mumbai from where he was planning to board an Assam-bound train. Police tracked Saikia down to the train terminus in Mumbai and arrested him. A farmer and his son protest against the laying of high-tension wires through their patch of agricultural land near Melavoy in Madakasira mandal in Anantapur. ANANTAPUR: A farmer and his son was injured when they were protesting the laying of high-tension wires through their patch of agricultural land near Melavoy in Madakasira mandal on the Karnataka border on Sunday. The Karnataka State Electricity Board is erecting HT lines between Madhugiri and Pavagada talukas in Tumkur district of that state. The lines pass through Madakasira mandal in Andhra Pradesh. The powerline was to pass through the land belonging to Mr K. Nabirasool, 65, on the outskirts of Melavoy. He was demanding compensation from the KSEB but his plea had been ignored. On Sunday, the contractor began erecting the HT line through the fields, including the one belonging to Mr Nabirasool. Mr Nabirasool and his son Vannor Saheb tried to stop the work and caught hold of the HT wire. However, the workers continued pulling the line to hoist it on the towers. The father-son duo refused to let go, and were hoisted to a height of 30 ft. Both of them fell after a while. Mr Nabirasool suffered serious injuries while Mr Vannor Saheb escaped with minor injuries. Mr Nabirasool was rushed to Hindupur hospital and his condition was said to be serious. Locals gathered there and demanded action against KSEB officials and contractors. MLC Gundumala Thippeswamy said the Karnataka officials had taken up the work without settling compensation for the farmers. New Delhi: A recent inspection by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) revealed that around 11 deaths were recorded in the past two months at the government shelter for women in the capital city. According to media reports, the DCW inspection also discovered that women inmates were forced to change in the open, with male staff manning the CCTV cameras at the shelter that is ironically named Asha Kiran (ray of hope). The agony doesnt end there. The nightlong inspection by DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal and her team also found the state of the toilets and other infrastructure at the shelter deplorable. The team found the washrooms used by the inmates covered in excreta, menstruation blood and urine. Even the rooms that were accommodating the patients were reeking of urine, DCW officials were quoted as saying. The inmates were being forced to sweep, wash clothes and look after fellow boarders. A woman was helping other inmates take a bath. An employee was getting her legs massaged, Maliwal said. Furthermore, the children housed at the shelter were not given mattresses and were made to sleep in the cold as they wet the bed. In addition to the long list of human rights violations, the team also found that there was only one staff to help 153 women in a dormitory. Incidentally, the shelter which houses 450 women and children has an approved capacity of only 350. Half of them could not walk or were bedridden. There was only one woman to take care of them. Is it possible for a single person to take that many people to the toilet? Maliwal wondered. Dismayed by the shabby state of the shelter, the DCW has sought details of the 11 deaths that were recorded with copies of the autopsies. Notably, the shelter for mentally-challenged women did not have an in-house psychiatrist to address the patients needs. A psychiatrist visited the shelter twice a week for a few hours. Flagging horrific conditions and deaths at the Asha Kiran Home for the mentally challenged, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also directed the Chief Secretary to intervene immediately on Monday and set the situation right and file a report in a week. Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday asked district collectors to strengthen the rural economy to achieve overall development of the state. Speaking at the collectors conference, he said the state will not develop by focusing on just five or 10 cities and the progress of the rural economy is imperative for sustainable development. To strengthen the rural economy, Mr Rao said that the government has decided to encourage village occupations and professions in a big way. He asked the collectors to identify human resour-ces through resource mapping. There are 25 lakh Yadavs in the state. They have expertise in sheep rearing. This is the reason why we have decided to give more encouragement to sheep breeding. It is painful that though we have 25 lakh sheep breeders, we are importing 500 truckloads of sheep from others states, he said. Chennai: In his last official assignment as Chief Minister, O Panneerselvam on Sunday visited the Kamarajar Port in Ennore where two ships collided resulting in an oil spill. He said adequate compensation would be paid to the fishermen for the losses that they have had to endure. Mr Panneerselvam visited the port in the morning, hours before he was replaced as leader of the AIADMK Legislature Party. At the site of the oil spill, the Chief Minister said the Union and the State Governments were working together on the issue and that the clean-up operation would be completed in the next couple of days. The Commander, Coast Guard Region (East) Inspector General Rajan Bargotra briefed O.Panneerselvam on oil spill recovery operation at Ramkrishna Nagar Kuppam. He had explained the measures adopted for shoreline cleaning and expressed confidence to complete the works within a week. Fishes caught from this region were found fit for consumption. There is no impact on marine life. We would provide compensation to the fishermen for their loss, Mr Paneerselvam said. Claiming that over 90 per cent clean-up operation was completed, he said that more than 5,700 people took part in tackling the oil slick. The Union Minister of state for shipping, Pon Radhakrishnan also inspected the beaches of Marina, Elliots and Ernavoor and Kamarajar port yesterday and held discussions with the chairman of Chennai port, P Raveendran and Commander, Coast Guard Region (East) Inspector General Rajan Bargotra about the clean-up operations. Chennai: Apollo Doctors on Monday briefed the media on the health condition of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa during her last days in the Chennai hospital. British doctor Dr Richard John Beale, who treated her, said they weren't sure of the source of infection first, but later they found out that the infection was in her blood. "Bacteria had grown in her blood and septicaemia resulted in the general deterioration of her health" the doctor said. The late Chief Minister was on and off ventilator and often also interacted after being admitted for fever and dehydration, Richard Beale told a news conference in Chennai. Dousing rumours over her death, Beale clarified that during the initial days of her hospitalisation, "she (Jaya) was certainly conscious and responding", but her condition worsened unexpectedly. Beale clarified that it was possible for sepsis, the body's response to infection, to spread fast and damage other organs though Jayalalithaa showed signs of recovery during her 75-day stay at the Apollo Hospitals. On the day she was admitted "she became short of breath at home and very short of breath when the ambulance brought her to the hospital...there was an infection resulting in damage to organs and contributing to shortness of breath". He said at that time "it was not clear" what the source of infection was "but subsequent tests showed there was indeed infection in her blood". "So bacteria were going from the blood and that was where the infection was identified and resulted in her general poor condition," he said. It was known that Jayalalithaa was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, he said. When asked if Jayalalithaa was conscious when she signed the Election Commission's papers of her party nominee for November 19 bypoll to Thirupparankundram, the doctors said she was very much awake. "She was conscious when she signed the Election Commission papers, she read the papers. Since she was very weak, she could not sign the paper and made the thumb impression instead," Apollo doctors said. "She came into hospital with sepsis she was certainly conscious and responding before her condition worsened," Dr Beale clarified. When questioned over the secrecy surrounding her health, Beale said its not a normal practice to photograph patient and publish private details. It is an intrusion into her privacy. Beale said, "There was no conspiracy, and added that questions of exhuming the body were ridiculous. Chennai: No amputation was carried out on Jayalalithaa's legs during her 75 days in hospital that culminated in her demise on December 5, a doctor who attended on her said on Monday. "No amputation was done and no transplantation (of any sort) was done," Dr P Balaji of Madras Medical College replied when asked on claims that Jayalalithaa's legs were removed. He said the late chief minister had her legs intact till the end. It may be recalled that senior counsel K M Vijayan, who appeared for AIADMK worker Joseph last month, had told the Madras High Court that people were worried about the secrecy surrounding Jayalalithaa's death and wanted to know whether her leg was 'amputated' during treatment prior to her passing away. The court was hearing a PIL seeking a judicial inquiry into the circumstances leading to her death. Police at the hillocks of Acharpura village after the STF killed 8 Students of Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). (Photo: PTI/File) Bhopal: Confusion prevailed over the continuation of retired Madhya Pradesh High Court judge S K Pandey as the head of the one-man panel probing the October 30 jailbreak by eight SIMI activists and their subsequent "encounter" by police, with a top officer today saying Pandey has resigned over the lack of "infrastructure". According to the officer, Pandey quit over the "delay in providing a car by the government for carrying out official work". However, he also added the retired judge has agreed to continue after government apologised to him. "Yes, he (Pandey) has resigned citing that the government has not provided him a car for carrying out official work," the officer close to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said. He said Pandey's resignation has not been accepted. When contacted over phone to know whether he has withdrawn his resignation, Pandey merely said, "Thank you very much" and hang up. Thereafter, he couldn't be contacted even after repeated calls were made. According to sources, Pandey resigned yesterday, following which senior officials went into a huddle and scrambled to placate him. The former HC judge was also probing the murder of Bhopal Central Jail warden Ramashanker Yadav allegedly by the SIMI activists before their escape on intervening night of October 30 and 31 last year. According to Parvez Alam, the counsel for the deceased SIMI men, the Pandey commission has held two hearings so far and the next hearing is scheduled for March 1. In a daring jailbreak, the eight SIMI under-trials escaped from the high-security Central Jail on the intervening night of October 30-31. They were gunned down in an alleged encounter by police on the outskirts of city on October 31 morning. The encounter had mired in controversy with opposition Congress and other parties raising doubts over its genuineness after surfacing of a video clip and audio tapes that questioned the police version. In a notification issued last November, the government asked the Pandey panel to probe the "circumstances in which the SIMI members escaped from the prison and the officials responsible for it". "How and under what circumstances the encounter took place at Manikheda village under Gunga Police Station limits on the outskirts of Bhopal in which all eight prisoners were killed...Whether the action taken by the police is justified under prevailing circumstances," the notification stated. Before setting up the Pandey panel, the government had announced a probe by an SIT comprising CID officers into the encounter and a separate investigation by former DGP Nandan Dubey into the jailbreak. However, it agreed for the judicial probe following demands made by the Congress and other parties. Chennai: Over Rs 5 crore was spent on Jayalalithaa's treatment after she was rushed to the Apollo Hospital here on the night of September 22, where she subsequently died after 75 days. P Balaji of Madras Medical College, who attended on the late chief minister, told reporters that the hospital bill for the treatment provided to her came around Rs 5 crore to Rs 5.5 crore. K Babu of Apollo Hospitals and Balaji said Jayalalithaa was admitted with "uncontrolled diabetes alongside septicaemia and that the best of treatment was given." They, along with Richard Beale, clarified that when admitted, Jayalalithaa had fever and dehydration and it was found that her sugar levels were uncontrolled. She also had urinary infection. The expensive treatment involving the use of Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine was also engaged during her final stages, they said. Richard Beale, the British doctor who treated her asserted that she was conscious while being brought in an ambulance from her home. The late Chief Minister was on and off ventilator and often also interacted after being admitted for fever and dehydration, Richard Beale told a news conference here. Beale was flanked by P Balaji of Madras Medical College and K Babu of Apollo Hospitals, who had signed in election forms on which her thumb impression was taken. This was for nominating AIADMK candidates for elections to two seats and bypoll to one segment last year. Beale clarified that it was possible for sepsis, the body's response to infection, to spread fast and damage other organs though Jayalalithaa showed signs of recovery during her 75-day stay at the Apollo Hospitals. On the day she was admitted "she became short of breath at home and very short of breath when the ambulance brought her to the hospital...there was an infection resulting in damage to organs and contributing to shortness of breath". He said at that time "it was not clear" what the source of infection was "but subsequent tests showed there was indeed infection in her blood". "So bacteria were going from the blood and that was where the infection was identified and resulted in her general poor condition," he said. It was known that Jayalalithaa was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, he said. New Delhi: The Indian Army paying rent for a piece of land in Pakistan occupied Kashmir? This may sound bizarre, but some army officials kept drawing money from the exchequer on the pretext of paying the rent for the last 16 years. The CBI has now registered a criminal case and is investigating officials who have allegedly been taking money by forging documents related to the land. CBI sources said lakhs of rupees have been disbursed as rent since 2000. As per jamabandhi register of 1969-70 for the land in question, khasra No. 3000, 3035, 3041 and 3045, is under the occupation of Maqbooza, Pakistan (PoK), but rents are being paid by the defence estate to the alleged owner. The land, measuring 122 Kanals and 18 Marlas, had been shown to be occupied by Army authorities. Whether the owner of the land existed at all, or he was just a name on the paper, will be probed by the CBI. We are also trying to zero in on the beneficiaries of the scam, sources said. Investigation by the CBI has revealed that R.S. Chanderwanshi, the then sub-divisional defence estate officer (Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir), Darshan Kumar, the then Patwari Nowshera, village Khamba, Rajesh Kumar and other unknown persons allegedly entered into criminal conspiracy in 2000. In pursuance of the alleged criminal conspiracy, different land was shown on rent to the Army authorities, which in fact is situated in PoK, sources said. Jammu: Pakistani troops on Monday targeted forward Indian positions twice by using small arms and mortar bombs along the International Border in Samba sector of Jammu and Kashmir. No one was injured in the ceasefire violation, the first by Pakistani troops this year. "At about 0845 hours, Pakistani troops resorted to small arms firing in Samba sector along the IB", a senior BSF officer said. It was followed by small arms firing and also shelling of 51 MM mortar bombs from 0935 hours from the Pakistani side, he said. "Our troops also retaliated. No loss of life or damage to property has been reported from the area", he said. It may be recalled that Indian troops had foiled an attack by heavily armed terrorists on troops deployed on forward areas along the IB in Samba sector on February 2. The terrorists entered Indian territory and targeted troops by opening fire from automatic weapons and also firing of Under Barrel Grenades, forcing them to retreat. Sasikala flashes a victory sign after attending the party MLA's meeting in which she was elected as a AIADMK Legislative party leader. (Photo: PTI) Chennai: From forever being under the shadow of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, to catapulting herself to the top post within 60 days of the latters demise, Sasikala Natarajan has scripted quite a story for herself. She may have the support of almost all AIADMK MLAs, but she will have to prove her popularity with the electorate too. Sasikala is set to take oath as chief minister of the state on Tuesday. She needs to get elected to the Assembly within six months from the day she becomes the Chief Minister. A by-election will have to be conducted, where the public will have to decide if they accept Sasikala as Jayalalithaas successor. It is expected she will contest the R.K. Nagar seat that fell vacant following Jayalalithaas demise. Winning a by-election has been seldom difficult for a ruling party in Tamil Nadu. The true test of Sasikalas leadership and public acceptance would be the local body elections expected in a couple of months, when the main opposition DMK is certain to make her appointment as CM its main poll campaign issue. Who is Sasikala? (Photo: PTI) An unwanted successor? Sasikla seems to be an unwanted figure in the former Tamil Nadu Chief Ministers constituency of RK Nagar in Chennai. Last month, many workers from AIADMK, mostly women, protested as lawmaker P Vetrivel appealed to Natarajan to fight from the seat Jayalalithaa represented. Vetrieval was present at a silent rally in Chennai to mark 30 days of Jayalalithaas death. There, people organized protests against Sasikala. "We only came for Amma. Tell Chinnamma (Sasikala) to not imagine we have come to vote for her," a senior citizen had said. Sensing discontent, some senior AIADMK office bearers had suggested that Sasikala contest elections from Madurai. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday set aside the Gauhati High Court order asking CBI to probe corruption allegations against former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki and ordered a fresh hearing on the PIL. A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice N V Ramana said the former CM was not granted adequate hearing in the high court. It disposed of the plea with the direction that the High Court will hear afresh the PIL on which CBI probe was ordered. The court, however, made it clear that FIRs, registered by CBI so far, will remain. Earlier, the apex court had stayed the High Court order for a CBI probe into corruption allegations related to Tuki's tenure as PWD Minister in 2006. Tuki is alleged to have influenced the Arunachal Pradesh government to give some contractual works to his relatives as PWD minister in 2006. Chennai: Two months after her death, the Supreme Court on Monday it will pronounce verdict within a week on pleas challenging acquittal of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and her close aide Sasikala in disproportionate assets case. Sasikala was on Sunday unanimously elected as the AIADMK Legislature Party leader replacing incumbent O. Panneerselvam. Sasikala is likely to take oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on February 9. With the first accused in the case, former Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa, passing away, the Karnataka government has mentioned before the Supreme Court regarding the deletion of her name from the list of accused. Jayalalithaa was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act in 1996 for allegedly amassing unaccounted wealth. The charges against Sasikala, her son V.N. Sudhakaran and daughter-in-law Elavarasi, pertain to the acquisition of benami properties with the help of Jayalalithaa. A special court in Bengaluru had convicted Jayalalithaa and her three associates in 2014 in the case and sentenced her to four years imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 100 crore. However, the Karnataka High Court on May 11, 2015, acquitted Jayalalithaa and her three associates. If the Supreme Court upholds the judgement of the special court convicting all the accused, it could be considered as big political setback for Sasikala and the AIADMK, said sources. Hyderabad: Over 5,000 households in the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) area have been served red notices for pending water supply payments. Residents were shocked as some of the bills ranged between Rs 10,000 and Rs 35,000. Consumers were asked to make a one-time settlement. The board disconnected over 15 connections of those who did not pay up. Red notices were issued to colonies located in Wards 2, 3 and 4, and 10. About 300 residents from Picket, Lakshminagar and Harijan Basti gathered recently to protest the high bills. Mr Sri Ganesh, a Cantonment resident, said, Red notices were issued some of the households that were not receiving water bills every month. When we questioned the board, their reply was that consumers should have a social responsibility to pay their bills, even if the demand is not issued. The bill per house comes to around Rs 350 a month or about Rs 4,200 a year. The board, has not mentioned in the bill the period for which the payment was not made. The SCB issued notices to the households and asked them for one-time settlement. In September last, this newspaper had reported that an estimated 3,000 houses under the SCB area had not been receiving their monthly demand notices. The 3,000 unbilled connections include some of those consumers who have not registered with the Unique Identification Number. Asked about this, SCB chief executive officer Chandrasekar Rao said the board had identified households that had not been receiving or paying bills. He said the arrears were calculated on the basis of monthly demand. Chennai: From being a backstage confidante of late J Jayalalithaa for more than three decades, V K Sasikala has now stepped forward to claim the mantle of Chief Minister left behind by her elder sister when she passed away two months ago, on December 5. Just as her election as AIADMK general secretary was a smooth affair on December 29, the applause from the party legislators gathered for the historic crowing of Chinnamma as CM was unanimous. The clamour shook the ceiling of the party headquarters and incumbent CM, O. Panneerselvam himself proposed her name as his worthy successor thereby shutting down any whisper that there could be some reservations among the party seniors and MLAs about the transition of power that happened at lightning speed since their Ammas tragic demise. All but one of the total 133 MLAs of the AIADMK not taking into account Speaker P. Dhanapal and the late Jayalalithaa attended the session at the party headquarters on the Avvai Shanmugam Salai. The lone absentee B. Arumugam of Kandarvakottai (Pudukottai) could not make it as he was hospitalised at RGGH in Chennai, but his concurrence was already obtained. Chinnamma is our soul and our breath. We support her totally. Our district minister (C. Vijayabaskar) will shortly take my signature on the MLAs letter of support, Arumugam told DC over phone from his hospital bed. Having thus demonstrated total control of the party and the MLAs, Sasikala now faces the crucial test of proving public acceptance by contesting a by-election to get elected to the Assembly within six months. It is expected she will contest the R.K. Nagar seat that fell vacant following Jayalalithaas demise. Winning a by-election has been seldom difficult for a ruling party in Tamil Nadu. The true test of Sasikalas leadership and public acceptance would be the local body elections expected in a couple of months, when the main opposition DMK is certain to make her appointment as CM its main poll campaign issue. DMK working president M. K. Stalin has given enough hint of that in his first response to Sasikala becoming CM. AIADMK comes out with new poster of Sasi Shortly after the AIADMK legislature party elected its general secretary VK Sasikala as the new leader of the legislature party, about a month after she became the party supremo, the ruling party's official Twitter handle on Sunday released a new poster featuring both the late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and Ms. Sasikala. The poster says that Ms. Sasikala has now been appointed as the leader of the AIADMK. Another tweet quoting her said that the Tamil Nadu government will follow the principles of Amma. The girl, who was working as a casual labourer, was allegedly gang-raped and killed a month ago by her paramour, a caste Hindu, along with three of his friends. Chennai: Amid allegations from activists that the 17-year-old Dalit girl who was found dead in a well on January 14 in Ariyalur, police officials on Sunday denied the gang rape theory, but added that they are waiting for the forensic reports. Unfortunately, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) remained mum as no suo moto cognisance was passed, activists rued. The girl, who was working as a casual labourer, was allegedly gang-raped and killed a month ago by her paramour, a caste Hindu, along with three of his friends. It is a clear case of criminal conspiracy as the prime accused, Manikandan, murdered her for not aborting her one-and-a-half-month-old foetus. He suspected the paternity of the baby, said sub-inspector, Special Branch, Ariyalur. Delay in registering a complaint on the grounds of kidnap and obtaining a forensic report, a series of events since the girl went missing on December 29, strongly proves the discrimination in the progression of the case. We received a call from a person called Tamilarasan stating that the girl is with him. Rather than paying heed to it, police officials abused us saying, You do not know how to raise a girl, said a family member of the victim. The accused, with close links to the secretary of Hindu Munnani, Raj Sekhar, is known for rowdyism. They instigate riots during church services in the pretext of protecting Hindus. As a result of their history of violence, we had to deal with the case sensitively in order to avoid further chaos, said the sub inspector. The 17-year-old is survived by her mother, elder brother and elder sister, who blame the cops for her death. Following the direction of District Collector Saravanavel Raja, the two prime accused were booked under Goondas Act - a preventive detention under which they will be lodged in prison for a year. The four accused are slapped with sections of SC and ST (prevention of atrocities) Act, 1989, POCSO Act, rape and murder, the collector told DC. Attributing the delay in obtaining the chemical analysis report to the procedure, the Collector said, The procedure is time-consuming. We are expecting the reports within the next two to three days. Defending the police stand, DSP Jeyankondam told DC, There was no one by the name of Tamilrasan when verified. If the enquiry had progressed at the right time, she would have been still alive, lamented the victims relative adding that the phone call was from Manikandan, who introduced himself as Tamilrasan. Terming it as an indirect discrimination on the Dalit family, Executive Director of an NGO, Evidence, A. Kadir, who is rendering legal support for the family, said, Discrimination need not be direct. The police had treated the family in an abusive manner, which is punishable under section 4 of the SC/ST Act. We have requested a special advocate selected by the NGO to be public prosecutor as the accused has strong political ties. What happened? 29 December 2016: 17-year-old dalit girl goes missing after 8pm. 30 December 2016: Family lodged a Kidnap complaint. But police registered a Community Service Registry (CSR), terming it as a missing case. 5 January 2017: Police file an FIR and started the investigation. Victims friend confesses the relationship between the former and Manikandan. Manikandan goes absconding. 9 January 2017: Police conduct investigations on Manikandans friends. As one of his close aide, Arun, attempted suicide by consuming poison, investigations were directed towards him. Arun took the drastic step following an altercation with his parents. 12 January 2017: Manikandan is admitted in a private hospital, after consuming poison. 14 January 2017: In an extra judicial confession, Manikandan confesses to murder to the village administrative officer. Police arrest Manikandan, Victims body was found with her hands tied and brutal injuries. Political parties BSP and VCK conduct Road Roko for arresting Manikandan. Victims body found in a decomposed state, samples sent to forensic department. 15 January 2017: Police arrest three of Manikandans friends, who were involved in the conspiracy. 5 February 2017: Waiting for the medical and forensic report to confirm the gang rape theory. A team of TS excise officials has gone to Delhi to file a petition in the Supreme Court. (Representational image) Hyderabad: The Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh governments have decided to appeal to the Supreme Court to extend the deadline for shifting bars and liquor shops located within 500 metres of national and state highways. In December, an apex court order had banned liqour shops near the national and state highways from April 1 to end drunk driving, which was considered to be a major cause for road accidents. A team of TS excise officials has gone to Delhi to file a petition in the Supreme Court. Two days ago, Andhra Pradesh excise commissioner M.K. Meena met TS excise department principal secretary G. Somesh Kumar to know the TS governments stand and how it was proceeding. Sources said Mr Kumar told him about the governments intention to move the apex court. The AP government later decided to file a similar petition. The licence period of bars and liquor shops ends by September in TS and June in AP. More than 1,000 bars and liquor shops have to be shifted in each state. The governments contend that they would lose revenue if the liquor outlets are shifted before the tenure ends. Sources said both governments wanted to inform the Supreme Court that the national and state highways which are passing through some cities and towns have become local roads after the building of ring roads and bypasses. The governments are drawing up a list of such roads. However, a petition filed by liqour shop owners in January seeking a one year stay on the ban was rejected by the Supreme Court. HYDERABAD: In the course of just one week, five mothers died while delivering their babies at Niloufer Hospital, a shocking statistic that points to medical negligence of some kind. All the women underwent C-section surgeries, after which there was severe bleeding in some cases. The deaths occurred between January 28 and February 4 this year. On Health Minister Dr Laxma Reddy's orders, the director of medical education, Dr M Ramani, went to the hospital to take stock of the situation. She said that a three-member team consisting of Dr Deep Raj Singh, Dr Rani and Dr Pratibha would look into all the issues that might have caused infection, such as quality of the drugs, checking of blood samples, hygiene in the operation theatre etc. The family members of the women, who held a protest near the hospital, alleged that they had to buy blood from outside after doctors at Niloufer told them to do so as some of the women were anaemic. When asked about this, DME Ramani said that blood is available at the hospital, but she will look into the allegations made by the concerned families. Deaths puncture hospital claims of safe deliveries It's not difficult to believe the allegation of the families of the women that medical negligence caused their deaths. At the same hospital, a piece of cotton was left inside a mother's body last year after she underwent a C-section. Her health deteriorated rapidly and she was rushed to Osmania Hospital, where scans revealed the negligence of the Niloufer hospital doctors, according to sources. Fortunately, the patient survived in this instance. The government insists on institutional deliveries as being safer, but the condition of public hospitals continues to be abysmal since such a tiny percentage of GDP is invested in public health. Boasts about doing great things for women also sound hollow when maternal mortality rates continue to be high. New Delhi: Isolated in his own party, Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav said on Monday that he would campaign for the SP-Congress alliance in Uttar Pradesh. The veteran leader apparently changed his stance, sensing that his threat that he would only campaign for his brother Shivpal Yadav had failed to have the desired impact on SP workers who have rallied behind his son and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Mulayan Singh Yadav, who was speaking to the reporters outside the Parliament, dismissed reports of intra-party differences. There is no bickering... Akhilesh will be the next Chief Minister... I will campaign (for the alliance) from tomorrow (Tuesday), he said. The SP patriarchs brother Shivpal Yadav, who has been sidelined in the party, has talked about floating a new outfit after the Assembly polls. No one is unhappy... He (Shivpal) has not spoken to me or anyone in the party. He may have said out of anger... Now leave it, there will be no new party, Mulayam Singh Yadav said. The Samajwadi Party and the Congress forged a pre-poll alliance in UP, with the two contesting 298 and 105 seats respectively. The SP patriarch had on January 29 voiced displeasure over the alliance and had said he would not campaign for it. The state goes to polls in seven phases, starting February 11. The two factions of the Samajwadi Party, one led by Mulayam Singh and the other by Akhilesh Yadav, had staged a high-voltage battle at the EC over their claims for the SPs election symbol, the cycle. Hyderabad: The alumni of Osmania University have vowed to give a big facelift to the varsity on the eve of its centenary celebrations. It would take up several initiatives over the next 14 months to enable the institution regain its past glory. The Forum for Nationalist Alumni of Osmania University, formed on the occasions of OUs centenary year, held a meeting on Sunday evening. Telangana BJP chief Dr. K. Laxman, who was the chief guest, promised to try and get Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the inaugural event. He would also meet HRD minister Prakash Javadekar for release of funds from the central government for the centenary celebrations. K. Sudhir of the organising committee said a resolution adopted at the meeting, saying, We will help in the efforts of Osmania University to make it a hub of knowledge. Bhubaneswar: Its a marriage made in jail. A rape accused, cooling his heels behind the bars in Odishas Bonai Sub-jail, on Saturday married the victim in the presence of the officials and the family members from both sides reports said on Sunday. The under-trial rape accused Pramod Patra took marital vows in the presence of Sundargarh district marriage officer Saroj Kumar Pruseth, public prosecutor Kailash Chandra Pradhan, senior advocate Binay Kumar Das, jailer Birendra Mahali, prison officials and kin from both sides. As per the reports, the victim from Kudaikala village under Lahunipada police limits was allegedly raped by the accused in July last year. She had been to Talita village under Bonai police limits to attend a marriage ceremony. While she had gone to attend to natures call, she was allegedly raped by the accused. She narrated her ordeal to the people present in the ceremony following which the accused apologised besides making a commitment to marry her. However, he reneged on his promise. The girl lodged a complaint with the Bonai police following which he was arrested. He has been behind bars since his bail plea was rejected. Later, the families chalked out a compromise formula and decided to marry them off. While the marriage was solemnised after following the legal procedure, the union of the couple would be a delayed affair till the court delivers its verdict. Kochi: Demonetisation has only helped in doubling the corruption in the country, according to CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury. It has made the people to convert black money into legal tender, he said addressing a public meeting held in connection with the conclusion of the 10th national conference of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). If the government has achieved its stated objective, it would have taken measures to strengthen the purchasing power of the people, he said. The budget only increased the burden caused by demonetisation, he added. Mr Yechury also warned the people of Kerala against the BJP designs to create law and order problems to destabilise the LDF government. The Centre is trying to employ the tactics adopted against the EMS ministry during the liberation struggle, he said and asked the youths not to permit this. Addressing the rally, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan made an indirect dig at the CPI by stating that nobody should have the illusion of weakening the government by siding with the BJP. The times have changed and 2017 is not 1959. Nobody can browbeat this government, he said. CPM politburo member M.A. Baby, outgoing DYFI president M.B. Rajesh and several others addressed the meeting. New Delhi: Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday took a u-turn, saying he will campaign for SP-Congress alliance in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, nearly a week after he expressed displeasure over the tie-up and stated he would not canvass for the combine. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Yadav also dismissed reports of intra-party differences after his brother Shivpal Yadav, who has been sidelined in the party, talked about floating a new outfit post the Assembly polls. "There is no bickering...Akhilesh will be the next Chief Minister...I will campaign (for the alliance) from tomorrow," Yadav told reporters on Parliament premises when asked about his opposition to the alliance and his reluctance to campaign for it. Yadav also played down reports of Shivpal, who was locked in a bitter battle with Akhilesh over control of SP, planning to form new party post assembly polls in the state. "No one is unhappy...he (Shivpal) has not spoken to me or anyone in the party. He may have said out of anger...now leave it, there will be no new party," he asked. The SP patriarch had on January 29 voiced displeasure over the alliance, and said he would not campaign for it. The Samajwadi Party and Congress have forged a pre-poll alliance in Uttar Pradesh contesting 298 and 105 seats respectively. Last week, Shivpal Yadav, unhappy over his supporters being denied party ticket for the high-voltage election, had stated he will form a new party after March 11, when the poll results will be out. The state goes to poll in seven phases starting February 11. Chennai: With Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao accepting the resignation of Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Monday, Sasikala Natarajan may formally take over the reins as early as Tuesday morning. Read: Decks cleared for Sasikala as TN Guv accepts Panneerselvam's resignation According to an NDTV report, Sasikala will take oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Tuesday and the swearing-in ceremony will take place at Madras University hall at 8.30 am. Panneerselvam's resignation came after Sasikala was elected the Legislature Party Leader. On Sunday, she was unanimously elected as the leader of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (AIADMK) legislature party. The AIADMK said that it was unwise for the party and government to have different power centres in the state and therefore, vociferously demanded Sasikala's elevation and O. Panneerselvam's removal. In her four-minute speech, Sasikala expressed her gratitude to the elected representatives and party workers for "shattering the dreams of rivals who wanted to see the party split." She praised Panneerselvam who, she said, stood loyal whenever the party faced tough times and when there were difficulties in Jayalalithaa continuing as the chief minister. Meanwhile, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader T.K.S. Elangovan said, "No party can go against wishes of the people. The MLAs might have chosen Sasikala, whether the people will accept her as the Chief Minister has to be seen. The future of Tamil Nadu has spoiled since 2011 when the AIADMK came to power." Resonating similar sentiments, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Sasikala Natarajan isn't the primary member of her party. If such people will run the government then it isn't a good message for democracy." Sasikala is not a member of the legislature, something the country's Constitution requires her to remedy within six months. While Sasikala has neither been an elected member of the Tamil Nadu Assembly nor held any official post in the government, she was considered to be the closest aide of Jayalalithaa. She had a considerable say in appointments and in the selection of candidates. What her hold is at the grassroots level of the party and in politics remains to be seen. Jayalalithaa was introduced to Sasikala - a former video store owner - in the 1980s and over the years, she became a permanent presence in the actor-turned-politician's her life and home. The former chief minister described Sasikala as the "sister I never had." Following Jayalalithaa's death on December 5, it was the 61-year-old Sasikala who performed her last rites. On December 31, she formally took over as general secretary of the AIADMK, fuelling speculation that she would, eventually, take charge as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. Chennai: Tamil Nadu incharge Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao on Monday sought legal opinion on whether or not he could induct AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala as Chief Minister. He left for Mumbai on Monday night from Delhi. According to sources close to the Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan, Mr Rao who was in Coimbatore on Sunday took a direct flight to Delhi and on Monday met with legal pundits before taking a flight to Mumbai. This it appears will put paid to the plans to get Ms Sasikala sworn in on Tuesday as originally planned. Sources said the Governor was of the opinion that there was no hurry to hold the swearing-in of Ms Sasikala on Tuesday as he had not extended an invitation based on the AIADMK Legislature Party communique to him that they had elected her as their leader. The Governor while accepting the resignation of Mr O. Panneerselvam had specifically asked him to continue as caretaker Chief Minister till alternative arrangements are made. This means Mr Panneerselvam and his ministry will continue for some more days before the Governor forms his opinion on the AIADMK Legislature Party resolution, a source told this newspaper. Sources said the Governor wanted to wait till the verdict of the Supreme Court, expected next week, on whether Ms Sasikala, a close aide of the late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, was guilty of corruption charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, in the 21-year-old Rs 66-crore disproportionate assets case. Supreme Court had found fault in Jayalalithaas swearing in Sources said that on an earlier occasion, the Supreme Court had found fault with then Governor Fatima Beevi for swearing in Ms Jayalalithaa on May 14, 2001 when she had been barred from contesting in the elections. Jayalalithaa would have needed to get elected within six months, which would not have been possible at that time. A few public interest litigations were filed in the Supreme Court questioning the validity of Jayalalithaas appointment as Chief Minister. Ms Beevi justified her decision by saying that the majority party in the Assembly had elected Jayalalitha as their leader. Ms Beevi submitted her resignation after the Union Cabinet decided to recommend to the President to recall the Governor for having failed to discharge her constitutional obligation. Subsequently, the Supreme Court overturned Jayalalithaas appointment as Chief Minister. The court ruled: The Governor cannot, in the exercise of his/her discretion or otherwise, do anything that is contrary to the Constitution and the laws. Therefore, the Governor, having due regard to the Constitution and the laws, must decline to exercise the discretion in appointing as Chief Minister a non-member who was not qualified to become a member of the legislature. ON Sunday, Jan 29, 27-year-old Alexandre Bissonnette walked into the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre during evening prayers and opened fire, killing six people and injuring many. He was tracked down and taken into custody, and later charged with six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder. Notably, he was not charged with terrorism even though Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the massacre a terrorist attack. Legal experts weighed in, saying that terror charges would not affect the sentence he received and arguing that the addition of such charges would place a greater burden on the prosecution which would then have to prove that this was indeed an act of terrorism. Bissonnette is a lone wolf who acted on his own and without the support of a larger terrorist network. That, it is claimed, makes him distinct from, say, someone who claims allegiance to Daesh and perpetrates a similar atrocity. That man is a terrorist because he acts for a global cause, with clear political objectives, and has usually gone through a definable process of radicalisation. But thats exactly the process Bissonnette went through; his actions were very much part of a wider movement, one that includes Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik and, arguably, Charleston shooter Dylan Storm Roof. Bissonnette wasnt born a radical, as his acquaintances and online profiles testify, but began showing an interest in right-wing extremism after Frances far-right National Front Leader Marine Le Pen visited Quebec City in 2016. From then on, Bissonnettes views grew more extreme. It is a world that is a mirror image of the one Daeshs adherents dwell in; it has saints and martyrs and holy texts expounded by charismatic preachers who dont wear turbans or sport long beards, but who are hate-mongers in every sense of the term. Three of these, Pamela Geller, Daniel Pipes and Richard Spencer, were even referenced by Anders Breivik in his manifesto much as jihadi preachers like Anwar al-Awlaki are referenced by Islamist terrorists. Like Bissonnette, Breivik belonged to no definable group, but drank from the same toxic brew. It is a world where Western civilisation itself is threatened by invading Muslim hordes, where your Muslim neighbour is secretly plotting to impose Sharia and where the Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated the US government. It is a world of absolutes, of us versus them. It is a world of lies (or alternative facts), where truth is simply a matter of perspective. And now, this fringe has gone mainstream. Talking points that were once the domain of obscure internet forums are now echoed by members of the White House administration. And then of course theres Steve Bannon, founder of right-wing news outlet Breitbart and prominent Islamophobe who now is the White Houses chief strategist. Is it then any wonder that Bissonnettes political hero, Trump, who tweets on just about every issue under the sun chose to ignore the Quebec massacre and instead focused on an attack in Paris, where a machete-wielding Egyptian was shot after attacking a soldier? Truth is, white right-wing extremists and their Muslim counterparts are parts of the same whole, a yin and yang of hate. Every terror attack by Muslim extremists emboldens and swells the ranks of Breiviks and Bissonnettes comrades, and as the Western world lurches to the right, enacting measures like the immigration ban, no one is happier than Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Ayman al-Zawahiri. Stuck in the middle, in what Daesh calls the gray zone of coexistence, are the rest of us watching in horror and wondering if this dark tide will ever recede. By arrangement with Dawn The recent announcement in the Union Budget bringing down the amount of donations in cash to political parties from Rs 20,000 to Rs 2,000 is seen as an important step towards political reforms. Earlier, the parties were required neither to pay taxes nor disclose the source of donors for cash donations below Rs 20,000. It is largely believed that political parties received a lot of donations in cash with each contribution being less than Rs 20,000. A recent report by the Association for Democratic Reforms regarding cash donations received by various political parties between 2004-05 and 2014-15 shows the following figures: 85 per cent for Congress, 65 per cent for BJP and 100 per cent for BSP. If parties do not disclose the source of such donations, it raises questions about who is donating and why? The bigger question is can the reform measure resolve this problem and bring about transparency in political funding? The new rules still leave scope for political parties to receive donations in cash, for which they need not make any disclosure. The new laws will only make entries more frequent. A donor would now need to donate in many more installments. Thus scrouge of black money in Indian elections remains. There are various manifestations of the use of black money in Indian elections and mere reduction of the amount of contribution in cash cannot stop the menace. It is a long tunnel and this change cannot even spread so much light by which one could even see the other end. There are many other more serious issues which need to be addressed immediately if the government is serious about electoral reforms. Look at the most obvious loophole in the law, it puts restrictions on how much a candidate can spend on his election campaign, but there is no restriction on the amount his friends or relatives or party can contribute. There is nothing which prevents political parties to bring about this simple change in election laws. The fixing of expenditure limit of the candidate is just an eyewash for ordinary people, it remains only on paper; the rules enable candidates to spend as much as they can. The problem does not end there. While there are genuine political parties which spend money on campaigns of their candidates, there are fake political parties which spend money on election campaigns of Independent candidates. The question is why would such parties spend money on the election campaign of Independents? Actually, many Independent candidates use the platform of fictitious political parties for spending their own money on their election campaigns as there is no restriction on spending by political parties. The Election Commission of India recognises 2045 political parties. The large number is not a problem as various regional political parties represent the social diversity of India. But the suspicion about many such political parties being fictitious comes to mind when we see many of them not contesting any election for as long as two decades. At least 255 political parties have not contested any election during the past one decade. After all, the main function of political parties is to contest elections. If registered political parties have not contested any election either since their inception or for decades, it raises the important question about why these parties exist. What could be the motivation for their existence? Only recently it was discovered that a political party is registered at the address of current home minister Rajnath Singh, while another one is registered at the office of Crime Investigation Department of Jammu and Kashmir. There are many such instances of political parties registered at fake, incorrect or non-functional addresses. This raises doubts in the mind why then do these parties still exist if they do not contest elections? It can be concluded that they are being used for making use of black money for electoral purposes. The laws in India are simple with regard to the registration of a political party. Any group of people can be registered as a political party by making a simple declaration under Section 29A (5). Clearly the rules regarding registration of political parties need to be made more stringent. New rules regarding deregistration of political parties are also required. The Election Commission has no powers to deregister any political party under any circumstances, the best they could do is delist it. Even the Supreme Court gave a ruling in 2002 to that effect. It observed that deregistration of a political party is a serious matter as it involves divesting the statutory status of a registered political party. So unless there are express of review powers conferred upon the ECI, it has no rights to entertain or even inquire into complaints for de-registering party for having violated the constitutional provisions. The new law as stated in the Budget is a welcome step, but it is still unclear what prevented the government from putting a complete ban on cash donations for political parties rather than only reducing the limit of such donations. It may have created the initial buzz but sooner than later we will realise that it will hardly help in bringing about the desired impact. Behind the guise of that sweet-sounding woman may actually be a man a beardy cybercriminal who only wanted to get your phone number to scam you. (All images are for representational use only - Credits/Pixabay) Lets face it, the days of dropping cheesy pick-up lines at social gatherings are coming to an end. We would be hearing less cheesy lines like Did it hurt when you fell from heaven? or Was your dad a thief? Because he stole the stars and put them in your eyes. The traditional approach to getting an opposite sex to talk to you or take an interest in you by actually talking to them face to face is slowly fading. Our cavemen instincts of hunting is slowly being overtaken by convenience The equivalent of a caveman ordering pizza delivery instead of hunting. Digital Dating Broken Barriers Before the advent of internet dating, we used to head to various places to socialize and meet people - bars, pubs, clubs, parties, weddings, places of worship and even the library! It took physical effort and mental courage to walk up to someone and introduce oneself. Back then, its victory when phone numbers were exchanged, which then led on to conversations to get to know each other to actually going on a date to get to know the person further. Unfortunately, all these would have to take place in the location or country you reside in flying in and out of the country can be costly! Now, with online dating websites and apps, it has become so easy to find a partner or in this case, a match even from a different country if you wish. You can judge if you like the person by looking at their picture and also read their profile details to see if theyre your type. Computers and servers in these virtual dating agencies filter the millions of people in their databases to find you your closest match. Youre able to scroll through profiles of people near you on your smartphone and send them a flirty text copied from a Google search you just did, bypassing the effort and anxiety of thinking of what you would like to say to your match. Not everybody on the Internet is whom they seem to be You might be a guy and scrolling through profiles on a dating site and then you spot a nice girl who you might like to date. You send her a message and she answers in a kind and lovely manner. She wants to know you better! She wants to talk to you! But behind the guise of that sweet-sounding woman may actually be a man --- a beardy cybercriminal who only wanted to get your phone number to scam you. Last year, Russian police have arrested two men from Smolensk who pretended to be young, attractive girls stealing the hearts of men in Moscow and then threatening and tricking them into sending rather big sums of money. The criminals were found to have actually earned about one million Russian rubles (or USD16,500) with this scheme. Now, some of you are thinking that men are more gullible in this area, but there are many cases where women have been scammed of money by their internet lovers. However, the real figures on romantic frauds are never known. Many of the victims, especially married people, prefer to keep silent. Also, there are instances where website employees behaved like scammers as there were only a few women registered on the site. So they create accounts of pretty girls themselves using pictures copied from anywhere on the internet. Then, there are bots created to lure newcomers into chat and get them to pay money to continue the conversation. So just believe us: anyone can be reeled in. This is how Monica Whitty, a cyber-psychologist from the University of Leicester explains the situation to the DailyMail: You dont have to be vulnerable. You can be a highly intelligent person with a good job. The strategies these fraudsters use are highly sophisticated. Whitty has acquired much experience working with victims of romance frauds. She admits that victims meet double pressure: they blame themselves and their friends and relatives do the same. Most crime victims are given sympathy and support, but in the case of online fraud, friends and family are furious. Their response is, How could you be so gullible? Valentines Day cometh As we approach the official day of love, most of us will receive the traditional anonymous Valentines albeit in digital form. Usually it doesnt take a rocket scientist to guess the author but some come as a surprise and the admirer is unknown. Your curiosity is quite understandable in this case, but do not let it reduce your vigilance instead of romance, such letters typically lead to malware or real money loss. While installing a reliable internet security suite such as Kaspersky Internet Security 2017 will secure from malware and malicious links, it will not protect you from a broken heart. So to keep you safe from being broken hearted and scammed this Valentines Day, we have put together list of common scams and some tips to ensure your safety and your digital life is not compromised: Scam: Mutual connection This is where a scammer contacts you via social channels and claims having common interest or a mutual connection with you maybe from an introduction at a wedding or large gathering. If youre a serial poster of pictures and havent updated your privacy settings, its easy guesswork for the cybercriminals. Tip: If you receive such a claim, and no matter how desperate you are, dismiss the conversation and never add that person as a friend. Also, update your privacy settings to share with only those you know. Scam: Intimate Activity A very common scam especially for those in a long distance internet dating relationship. After an intense courtship period, the scammer asks the victim to connect with them via webcam and chat. The fraudsters webcam is mysteriously broken, but they heap praise on their victim and, with a combination of flattery and persistence, convince their partner to partially disrobe or perform other intimate acts. The scammer then reveals their true identity. They claim to have made a video recording and threaten to share the video with mutual social media friends or post the recording online, unless the victim sends money. Once the victim complies, the cycle beginsdemands increase until the victim finally refuses. Tip: If it involves a webcam and you are asked to perform indecent acts, never ever give into to the demands, no matter what they are. If the relationship is real, then you would wait to meet each other in person. Scam: Fake Dating Sites The recent Ashely Madison leak offers a glimpse into the world of fake dating sites. Services claim to offer legitimate meetups, but are either severely underpopulated or awash with scammers and bots. Tip: Look out for sign-up questionnaires that are light on personal details, but heavy on questions about finances. Also watch for an influx of attention just after youve created your profile. If all your profile contains is a few lines of text, no photo and no set preferences, but you start getting message after message from potential suitors, chances are youve stumbled across a fake dating site. Other things to pay attention to even on legitimate dating sites lets face it, scammers are everywhere - include the following: Suspicious Spelling and Grammar If they supposedly come from an English-speaking nation, be on the lookout for awful spelling and grammar. While not everyone looking for love online has the soul and finesse of William Shakespeare, truly terrible grammatical errors and run-on sentences are red flags. The same goes for emails. Native English speakers have a natural cadence when they speak and write that isnt easily mimicked. Be suspicious if something seems off about the tone or pacing. Cut-and-Paste If messages and profile descriptions read too well, be worried. Often, scammers wont bother writing their own material, but instead lift it from other websites or dating profiles. Here, its a good idea to run suspicious text through an Internet search to see if any matches come up. If they do, dont message or respond to this scam artist. Weird Links Legitimate users often post links to their favourite bands, travel destinations or hobbies. Scammers typically fill their profiles with links to low-quality spam sites that are trying to sell a product or teach you to get rich quick. You may also find links to X-rated websitesa warning sign that the profile isnt entirely legitimate. Double Time While strong feelings often accompany the first few weeks of any new romance, scammers will try to accelerate this process even further by offering not only a huge volume of compliments and kind words, but also intimate details of their own life that they have never shared with anyone else. What can be even more troubling is if after just a few chat sessions or emails, theyre asking for a small amount of money to cover strange expensesperhaps theyre stranded in a foreign country, have a family member in medical distress or have just been robbed, and need you to wire transfer money ASAP. If requests for money are ever on the table, walk away. As we get closer to Valentines Day, everyone, especially single folks will be scurrying to find themselves a date with a potential Mr. or Ms. Right. One of the many ways would be through the use of internet dating sites or apps. We would like to arm everyone with knowledge about common romance scams and how to avoid these fraudsters so you can skip the fake romance and seek out your true love instead, said Mr. Altaf Halde, Managing Director, Kaspersky Lab, South Asia. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. The Google Now launcher has always been the first choice for Android users looking for a simple, stock home screen since its general availability in 2014. Sadly, the Google Now Launcher will probably be gone soon. According to Android Police, Google is sending out letters to OEM partners declaring that the Google Now launcher will be pulled in the first quarter of 2017. Devices that have the launcher installed will be able to continue using it, but the app will no longer show up on Play Store. Google has two home screen apps on the Play Store, the Google Now launcher available widely and stock launcher for Nexus smartphones, and the Pixel Launcher, which is exclusive to the Pixel and Pixel XL. Neither app contains the code for the home screen, but they are just small enabler apps. By sticking the launcher code in the Google Search app, Google has enabled deep integration on Androids primary interface and Google Search. Since the Googles Search app is already running as the home screen, the voice response system is always ready to handle a command. On the Google Now launcher, this is the regular voice command system. But in the Pixel launcher, the voice command system is the Google Assistant. Considering that the limited exclusively route would follow the original path of the Google Now Launcher, which existed as a Nexus exclusive for some time before opening up to the wider ecosystem. Google is a search engine giant, and Google Assistant is the future of Google Search. Regardless of what Google decides to do, advanced users will always be able to download the APK from a third party provider and sideload it. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Cairo: Egypt's top Islamic body has rejected President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi's suggestion for a legislation to ban the practice of Muslim men verbally divorcing their wives, saying it is an "undisputed practice" since the days of Prophet Muhammad. The Council of Senior Clerics in Al-Azhar, the highest authority in Sunni Islam, unanimously ruled on Sunday that verbal divorce, meeting all requirements, has been an "undisputed" practice since the days of the Prophet Muhammad. However, it said the legislative superior should legislate a deterrent punishment for men who did not or delayed in documenting the verbal divorce. In a statement, the council said the verbal divorce should meet requirements, including that the man has a sound mind, full consciousness and uses appropriate phrasing. Addressing the "people" without mentioning the President's name, the carefully-drafted statement said the man should document the verbal divorce immediately to preserve the rights of the divorcee and children. The council expressed concern over the soaring divorce cases in Egypt. According to a recent study by Egyptian Cabinet's Information and Decision Support Center, divorce cases increased from 7 per cent to 40 per cent in the last 50 years, making Egypt the first in divorce rate worldwide. Last month, President Sisi had suggested to put a new legislation to invalidate verbal divorce. During a speech, the President told Al-Azhar Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, who was among the attendees, "Dont you agree with me, your eminence?", indirectly acknowledging that he needed al-Azhar's backing for his proposed legislation. Then he said with a smile "You tired me, your eminence." The Committee of Religion issues of the Egyptian Parliament on Monday welcomed the council's statement which confirms the validation of verbal divorce. Osama el-Abd, head of religion issues committee in the parliament, said the decision of the council has elaborated three important points. "The first one is that it confirmed that verbal divorce is an undisputed practice. The second point, is that it confirmed the importance of documenting the divorce to preserve the rights of the woman. The third point is that the Council gave the president the right to adopt a legislation to punish men who do not documenting the divorce," Al-Abd told Al-Ahram Arabic newspaper. Prominent constitutional law expert Nour Farahat tweeted that Al-Azhar sided with the views of senior jurists without looking at what happen in reality or taking into account the welfare interest and the developments happen in the society. Washington: For the first time in 70 years, music by the survivors of Nazi concentration camps may be heard, thanks to discovery of recordings of "Henonville Songs" - performed in Yiddish and German - that were long thought lost. In the final months of World War II, as Allied Forces began to liberate the prisoners of Nazi concentration camps, they captured on film the horrors they saw around them. Soon, the whole world saw - images of skeletal survivors bearing silent witness to what they and millions more had been forced to endure. In 1946, researcher David Boder interviewed at least 130 Jewish survivors in nine languages in refugee camps in France, Switzerland, Italy and Germany. With a wire recorder - then considered state-of-the-art equipment - and 200 spools of steel wire, Boder preserved some of the first oral histories of concentration camp survivors. He also recorded song sessions and religious services. A portion of Boder's work has been archived at The University of Akronin the US since 1967. A recent project to digitize led to the discovery of a spool containing the "Henonville Songs," performed in Yiddish and German and long thought lost. "I think it is one of the most important discoveries from our collections in our 50-year history," notes David Baker, from the University of Akron. "The songs were recorded at a refugee camp in Henonville, France. The Nazis made the prisoners sing some of these songs as they ran to their forced labour sites and back each day," Baker said. "That we could give the world the melody to a song sung by those sentenced to their death through forced labour during one of the most unspeakable horrors of the 20th century is remarkable," Baker said. "The discovery of this single canister holding a lost recording means that these songs can be heard again, they can be studied and they can inform us in a new way about the experiences, the joys and the frustrations of these displaced persons," said Jon Endres, a media specialist with at the University of Akron. "These songs, in the voices of those subjected to unspeakable cruelty, are a reminder of the power of memory, the value of history and the indomitable human spirit," said Baker. "Hearing them sing again after 70 years of silence gives the world a greater understanding of the circumstances and experiences of those who were witnesses to a dark chapter in human history," said Endres. California student Sara Yarjani, right, is welcomed by her sister Sahar Muranovic after arriving at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport. (Photo: AP) Los Angeles: An Iranian graduate student expelled shortly after President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily banning people from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the US has returned to America after a judge halted the order, the Los Angeles Times reported. Sara Yarjani was among those caught in a confusing legal limbo after Trump the order on Jan 27, about seven hours before Yarjani landed in Los Angeles on a flight from Oslo, the Times reported. Yarjani arrived on Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport. She has a valid two-year student visa, the newspaper reports. On January 27, armed customs agents ultimately escorted Yarjani to a plane bound for Vienna, where she had been visiting family, the Times reported. Her sister, Sahar Muranovic hugged her when she arrived at LAX. Yarjani thanked Americans for their support. "Whenever I was in Europe...if ever anybody criticised America, I would be the one defending it and saying, 'You know, whatever you say, I feel that some of the greatest, most beautiful, most accomplished people also live in that land,' " she told the Times. "From everything I've seen with the love and support from last week, that's even more true." Washington: The Pentagon has failed to disclose up to thousands of air strikes the US military carried out over several years in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan against militants in those countries, the Military Times reported on Sunday. In 2016, the United States carried out at least 456 air strikes in Afghanistan that were not documented in a US Air Force database, the website reported. The air strikes were conducted by US Army helicopters and drones. The incomplete data could go back to October 2001, according to the Military Times, which describes itself as an independent news organization. The Pentagon and Army did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Washington: US Judge James Robart emerged from relative obscurity on Saturday as the first jurist to come under fire from the president since he took office after his temporary order to lift Donald Trump's immigration ban. In a reaction that went viral on Twitter, Trump called the 69-year-old Robart a "so-called judge" whose "ridiculous" opinion "essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country." To those who know Robart, who has been on the federal bench in Seattle for more than a decade after his appointment by another Republican, President George W. Bush, the ensuing drama surrounding the move was a far cry from the judge's standard. "He is relatively apolitical," said Douglas Adkins, a private equity investor and former investment banker who has known Robart since childhood. "He's not a conservative or a liberal. He's a man interested in the law and fairness." Late on Friday, Robart grabbed national headlines with his decision to temporarily lift Trump's week-old travel ban for citizens of seven mainly Muslim countries and refugees. His ruling was just a first step in considering the merits of the case challenging the ban. The Justice Department on Saturday filed a formal notice that it intends to appeal the ruling. As a candidate, Trump had criticized federal judge Gonzalo Curiel, who was overseeing a case against his Trump University - arguing Curiel could not be impartial because of his Mexican heritage and Trump's vow to crack down on Mexican immigrants. But by lashing out at Robart as president, Trump's anti-judiciary stance takes on new importance: it hits at the very heart of the checks and balances system meant to protect the country from government abuse of power. Coincidentally, in his wide-reaching ruling on Friday, Robart emphasized that the three branches of government - the executive branch, Congress and the judiciary - should function as equals. "The work of the Judiciary, and this court, is limited to ensuring that the actions taken by the other two branches comport with our country's laws, and more importantly, our constitution," Robart wrote. Reached by email, Robart declined to comment on Trump's tweets. A graduate of Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, and Georgetown University Law Center, Robart spent 30 years in private practice at the law firm now known as Lane Powell, before being appointed to the bench by Bush in 2004. Adkins said Robart and his wife have no children but have been foster parents to several immigrant children over the years, primarily from Southeast Asia. Robart could not be reached for comment. The judge served in the past as the president of the Seattle Children's Home and was a former trustee of the Children's Home Society of Washington, according to his official biography on the federal court website. Those organizations provide mental health services for at-risk youth and help troubled families. "His involvement with children may have helped contribute to his understanding of the people impacted by this ruling but would not have shaped his interpretation of the rule of law," said Paul Lawrence, who was one of the attorneys who filed an amicus brief backing Washington State in the immigration case. 'Preventable human suffering' During his confirmation hearing, Robart recalled providing pro-bono legal services early in his career to "people who in many times felt that the legal system was stacked against them." He said he learned that the law "could be, if properly used, an opportunity for them to seek redress if they had been wronged," according to a transcript of the testimony. Often sporting bow-ties with his black robes, Robart is known for saying from the bench in 2016 that "black lives matter." He cited the statement popularized by protesters during a hearing about a 2012 consent decree with the federal government that required the Seattle police department to address allegations of bias and excessive force. In 2011, Robart put a temporary hold on a state rule change that would have cut government funding for disabled children and families in Washington. "When faced with a conflict between the financial and budgetary concerns ... and the preventable human suffering," Robart wrote in that opinion, "the balance of hardships tips in the favor of preventing human suffering." Adkins said he thought his friend would be able to take Trump's attacks in stride. "His view is that criticism is important," said Adkins. Brenda, the passenger who claimed that she was deboarded because of her cleavage. (Photo: Twitter | @theGrio) Florida: Brenda, a 21-year-old waitress alleged that she was deboarded from a Spirit Airlines flight scheduled from New Orleans to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for showing too much cleavage. Initially, the flight attendant accused her of being inebriated, but when she came off sober, they asked her to "cover up", Inside Edition reported. "They asked me if I was drunk," Brenda recalled. "I said, 'No, I am fine.'" It was then, Brenda says, that the issue of her exposing too much skin came up. "They mentioned my body was too exposed and it was obvious it was my breasts and said, 'You need to cover up,'" she said. She added, "I feel if I was smaller or someone with a smaller breast size, there would have been no issue." Image shot by one of Brenda's co-passengers shot this to show if her clothes were in fact inappropriate. (Photo: Twitter | @OPENJAW) Brenda also alleged that the attendants were looking for excuses to get her off the flight to make room for one more crew member. One of her co-passengers, Cathy Supp, who came out in support of Brenda, quipped, "The way they treated her was terrible." Supp was also booted from the flight. Commenting on the allegations, Spirit Airlines said, "The woman's cleavage played absolutely no role in her removal. The woman was removed because she was intoxicated and other passengers complained about her behaviour." Her lawyer, Ken Padowitz, said, "Maybe Spirit Airlines should change their name to Mean-Spirited Airlines. Kabul: Civilian casualties in Afghanistan in 2016 hit their highest recorded level, the UN said Monday, with nearly 11,500 non-combatants - one third of them children - killed or wounded. Fighting between Afghan security forces and militants, especially in populated areas, remained "the leading cause of civilian casualties" more than two years after NATO's combat mission ended, said the UN, which began documenting civilian casualties in 2009. More than 3,500 children were among the victims, a "disproportionate" increase of 24 percent in one year, its report said. This was mainly due to a 66 percent increase in casualties, most of whom were children, from unexploded ordnance. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said there were 11,418 civilian casualties (3,498 deaths and 7,920 injured), an increase of three percent over 2015, With insecurity spiralling as fighting spreads to all 34 provinces, "UNAMA documented record numbers of civilian casualties from ground engagements, suicide and complex attacks and explosive remnants of war", said the mission's human rights director Danielle Bell. 2016 also saw the highest number yet of civilian casualties caused by air strikes -- 590, of whom 250 were killed, the report said. That is nearly double the number of 2015, with women and children in populated areas often the victims, such as near the northern provincial capital of Kunduz in October. In the eight years since the United Nations launched the annual report, the conflict has claimed 24,841 civilian lives with 45,347 injuries, the report said. The vast majority (61 per cent) of the casualties were attributed to "anti-government elements", mainly the Taliban, but also to the Islamic State group, while 24 percent were attributed to pro-government forces. Paris: The arrest of a youth worker in a Paris suburb who was allegedly sodomised with a baton led to new accusations of police brutality on Monday, reviving past controversies from France's crime-ridden housing estates. One officer was charged Sunday night with rape, while three others were charged with assault over the arrest of a 22-year-old black man on Thursday in Aulnay-sous-Bois, a suburb north of the capital. The youth worker, named as Theo, suffered severe anal injuries which required surgery. He also suffered injuries to the head and face, leading a doctor to declare him unfit to work for 60 days. Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux confirmed late Sunday that all four officers had been suspended during the investigation, adding that exemplary conduct and respect "must guide the behaviour of security forces at all times". There were minor clashes and arson attacks on the vast housing estate on Saturday and Sunday evening. At least five people have been arrested, police sources said. The latest incident comes in the middle of a presidential election campaign and follows the death of a man in police custody in another Parisian suburb which led to violent protests last year. The death in July of 24-year-old Adama Traore led to nights of violence in Beaumont-sur-Oise against the police, with cars set alight. A group calling itself Black Lives Matter France, an offshoot of the movement against police brutality in the United States, seized on the case and helped organise protests afterwards. Calls for justice Hundreds of people were marching Monday in Aulnay-sous-Bois to demand justice for the alleged victim, described by family and friends as a youth worker who came from a respected family in the area. "He was there at the wrong time and came across some crooks," his brother-in-law Johann told BFM television, explaining the arrest. His sister Aurelie called for calm as supporters gathered outside her brother's home on Monday holding banners reading "Justice for Theo". The local prosecutor's office said the police had stopped a group of around a dozen people "after hearing calls characteristic of lookouts at drug dealing sites". During the operation they "attempted to arrest a 22-year-old man." When he resisted, they used tear gas, and "one of them used an expandable baton," the prosecutor's office said, without giving further details. The Socialist politician in charge of the Seine-Saint-Denis region where Aulnay-sous-Bois is located, Stephane Troussel, said the incident raised "numerous questions". "Although thousands of police are doing their work properly... too many arrests end in nightmares for some young people. The image of the Republic is being tarnished. We have to urgently find a solution," he said in a statement. In 2005, the death of two teenagers who were electrocuted while hiding from police in an electricity substation sparked weeks of riots. Around 10,000 cars were burned and 6,000 people were arrested. Police protest attacks The far-right National Front, which is riding high in the polls ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections from April, jumped to the defence of France's security forces. Its anti-immigrant leader Marine Le Pen rails frequently against "lawlessness" and promises "zero tolerance" of crime in the rundown suburbs which are home to many newcomers to France. "If the facts are confirmed, then it's serious and reprehensible," the party's secretary general, Nicolas Bay, told France 2 television on Monday. "(But) one shouldn't take advantage to heap criticism on the police who do admirable work in very difficult conditions," he added. French police say they are frequently targeted by delinquents in rough areas around Paris and other cities as they play a game of cat-and-mouse with gangs and drug dealers. They protested in October last year, spontaneously gathering in cities to denounce their ever-increasing workload, bureaucracy, outdated equipment and what is seen as lenient sentencing for violence against officers. The spark was several petrol bombs thrown at officers in a car in a known troublespot outside Paris on October 8. A 28-year-old officer suffered serious burns and was left in a coma afterwards. The father of the alleged Louvre attacker, Egyptian-born Abdullah Reda Refaie al-Hamahmy, 28, Reda Refae al-Hamahmy, left, gives an interview to al-Hadath, in his Nile Delta home, aired Saturday. (Photo: AP) Paris: The machete-wielding attacker who was shot by a soldier outside France's Louvre museum refused to answer investigators on Sunday after being formally placed into custody at a hospital, a source at the Paris prosecutor's office said. Abdullah Reda al-Hamahmy, an Egyptian, was shot several times on Friday after attacking soldiers as he cried "Allahu Akbar" in what French President Francois Hollande described as a terrorist attack. "The first interview took place this morning, but it turned out to be a short one. For the moment, he refuses to talk to investigators," the source at the prosecutor's office said. Hamahmy's father said it was "nonsense" to suggest his son was a terrorist, saying that the youngest of four children was a law graduate who had been working in the United Arab Emirates for about five years and was in Paris on business. The 29-year-old arrived in France on January 26 after obtaining a tourist visa in Dubai. Egyptian security officials have not said whether he had any known links to militant groups. Hours before the Louvre attack, an entry on Hamahmy's Twitter account was posted reading: "Why are they afraid of the establishment of an Islamic state? Because the country of Islam will defend its resources and territory and the honour and dignity of Muslims." It could not be independently verified the authenticity of the tweet and the account has since been shut down. The incident underlined the Islamist militant threat facing France, which is still under a state of emergency as presidential elections loom following a series of attacks over the past two years that have killed more than 230 people. Hamahmy's father, Reda Al Refaai, in an interview on Saturday accused French officials of fabricating the allegations against his son to excuse the force used to stop him. Asked if his son had shown Islamist militant tendencies, the retired police major general said: "If he had I would have thrown him out of the house." French investigators are hunting for clues to establish whether he acted alone, on impulse, or on orders from someone. He attacked troops checking bags near the museum's shopping mall with a machete in each hand, wounding one soldier. Hamahmy's father said he last spoke to his son a few hours before the attack and that they had discussed what colour hat Hamahmy should buy to protect him against the cold weather of Paris. He said he heard the news of the Louvre incident via Facebook. Shortly afterwards, police came to his house to ask some questions before leaving. Berlin: Germany will seek common ground "wherever possible" with US President Donald Trump's administration, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday, despite differences over Trump's entry ban for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. Germany has the biggest economy in Europe. The United States was its largest single trading partner in 2015, with German exports significantly outweighing imports from America. There is concern in Berlin over the possibility of a more protectionist approach in Washington. "We will try to find common ground wherever possible," Merkel told reporters in Munich. She stressed the importance of NATO, and acknowledged the need for Germany to "do more in the area of defence." President Barack Obama also pressed European NATO allies to boost their defence spending, "but it is now gaining yet more significance," Merkel said. "We will see, issue by issue, where we can cooperate and where we have different opinions," she added of the Trump administration. "But it's in Germany's interest to strengthen the common ground there is, where possible, on our part - from the cooperation of intelligence services to defence questions and, of course, the fact that the United States is the biggest trading partner for Germany." Trump has in the past called NATO "obsolete." However, the White House said after the two leaders spoke a week ago that he and Merkel agree on the "fundamental importance" of NATO to trans-Atlantic relations. Merkel has criticized the immigration restrictions imposed by Trump, but otherwise has been restrained in commenting on the new US administration. Asked Monday whether German companies and banks need to be shielded from possible US protectionist measures, she replied, "I have no reason to speculate." "We must see what the American administration does, and then will have to consider whether we react or don't react," she said. Merkel underlined her commitment to multilateralism and trade agreements. London: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that all "responsible nations" should back new sanctions against Iran, speaking during a meeting with his British counterpart Theresa May in London. He said he welcomed US President Donald Trump's "insistence on new sanctions against Iran. I think other nations should follow suit, certainly responsible nation," as he accused Iran of "provocation after provocation". "Iran seeks to annihilate Israel, it says so openly. It seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the West, it threatens the world," he said. "I'd like to talk to you on how we can ensure that Iran's aggression does not go unanswered," he told May. Trump last week said Iran was now formally "on notice" after a recent missile test and has voiced opposition to the Iran nuclear deal. Netanyahu is a fierce opponent of the deal with world powers, including Britain, in which Iran pledged to curb its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. A spokeswoman for May said the two leaders would "talk about a range of security and international issues, including the Middle East peace process." She said May would raise Britain's concern about how the "continued increase of settlements activity undermines trust." There has been a sharp acceleration in Israeli settlement expansion plans since Trump took office last month, with more than 6,000 new homes announced in less than a fortnight. British Minister for the Middle East Tobias Ellwood warned on Wednesday that the plans made the two-state solution "much harder to achieve". Britain voted in favour of a UN Security Council resolution passed in December demanding a halt to settlement construction. The vote prompted Israel to temporarily scale back relations. But Britain refused to sign the final statement of a Middle East peace conference held in Paris last month that was strongly opposed by Israel. Doha: Qatar Airways launched the world's longest scheduled commercial service with its inaugural flight from Doha to Auckland taking off eight minutes early on Sunday, a company spokeswoman said. Flight QR920 left the Qatari capital at 05:02 (local time) and is set to land in New Zealand at 07:30 (local time on Monday). The Boeing 777 flight will take 16 hours and 20 minutes, pass over 10 time zones, five countries and travel 14,535 kilometres before reaching Auckland. But even that flying time may be looked on jealously by passengers on the return flight which, due to high-altitude winds, will take 17 hours and 30 minutes, according to the company website. This will make it the world's longest passenger service in terms of flying time, according to tracking website flightradar24. Qatar Airways did not immediately have a figure for the number of passengers who boarded on Sunday, but it is believed there are four pilots and 15 crew on the plane. In March 2016, Emirates airline launched what was then thought to be the world's longest non-stop scheduled commercial flight, with a service from Dubai to Auckland, spanning 14,200 kilometres. Baghdad: Nadia Murad, one of the thousands of girls captured as sex slave by the terror group Islamic State, was raped by 12 men before she could escape the bounds of slavery. On August 2014, 19-year-old Nadia was captured when the Iraqi area of Sinjar fell to the jihadists, and she could not manage to escape the nightmare, until 3 months of her capture, Daily Mail reported. Since fleeing to Germany, one of the havens for escapees of the war-torn region, she has been travelling the world raising awareness about the plight of the minority Yazidi women, who are generally enslaved by the Islamic State. "We didn't feel valued as humans in their hands. They enslaved more than 6,500 females they took them to different places," she told STV News during her visit to Scotland, where she met the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, she said, the captured Yazidis were given the option to either convert to Islam, becomes sex slaves or die. Girls as young as 9 years of age, and young women were taken as slaves. While Nadia was taken as slave along with two of her sisters, her mother was executed since she was considered "too old". She also said, "In general world leaders are supposed to know there are many people who need protection. "This is something real and this is happening for more than 3500 females - they are being subjected to more than what I have been subjected to." "Donald Trump should know religious minorities are persecuted everywhere. He should not close his borders to those who need help." Lahore: Jamaat-ud-Dawah and Falah-e-Insaniyat, recently placed under "watch-list" and against whom Pakistan government launched a crackdown, on Sunday, held rallies in parts of the country under the banner of Tehreek Azadi Jammu Kashmir (TAJK). The rallies were organised just days after the JuD's chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed was put under "house arrest" in Lahore under the Fourth Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act by Pakistan government. Saeed had indicated a week before his "house arrest" that he might launch TAJK to "expedite the freedom of Kashmir". The Interior Ministry had also placed Saeed and 37 other JuD and FIF members on Exit Control List, barring them from leaving Pakistan. At the rallies in several parts of Pakistan on Sunday, the participants demanded immediate release of Saeed. In Lahore, Yakjahtee (solidarity) Kashmir Conference was held at Nasser Bagh in which a large number of activists of JuD and FIF participated. They shouted slogans against Pakistan, Indian and the US governments for detaining Saeed, and said the Nawaz Sharif government was damaging the country's image by maintaining friendship with the Narendra Modi government. "Pakistani nation is united for Hafiz Saeed's release," said JuD central leader Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, who is also the brother-in-law of Saeed. He said unfortunately due to Saeed's detention "our message of solidarity to Kashmiris is not that powerful and encouraging this year". The Sharif government, he said, should make its stance clear on Kashmir and tell the people of Pakistan that it is loyal to Kashmiris, and not India. Makki said trade of potato and onion with India is not right. "Treacherous plot of giving India the Most Favoured Nation status will not be successful," he said. ELKO Tuesday is the last day to sign up to attend the Lincoln Day Dinner on Friday. The annual Elko County Republican Party event will feature state Attorney General Adam Laxalt and Elko County Commissioner Demar Dahl as the speakers. Laxalt recently published his formal opinion that Nevadas recently passed firearms background check initiative legislation is impossible to comply with and therefore not enforceable. Dahl is active and knowledgeable about public lands issues and has consulted with President Donald Trumps administration about Western lands. The annual fundraising dinner will be at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Elko and will be catered by Luc Gerber of Lucianos restaurant. Festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a VIP reception at the Northeastern Nevada Museum. Attendees will have an opportunity to meet local, state, and federal Republican officials. Reservations for the VIP reception are $25 per person or $35 per couple and include a special drawing ticket. No host cocktails will begin at 6 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Elko at 782 Country Club Drive, followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The menu includes a prime rib carving station, salmon in basil-lemon sauce, Parmesan potatoes, Caesar salad, balsamic vegetables, and bite-size desserts. Dinner will be followed by the speakers, a live auction including a half of beef donated by Kristen McQueary and a SAV Model A17 22-inch target rifle with a Bushnell 3x9 scope donated by Gun World, and drawings for items. Drawing tickets can be purchased online at elkonvgop.org or at the dinner. A silent auction will be conducted throughout the evening. Dinner is $65 per person or $500 for a table that seats eight; the VIP reception is separate at $25 per person or $35 per couple. Please RSVP online at elkonvgop.org, through Lynne Hoffman via email to llblhoff@frontiernet.net or by phone at 738-3920. Credit cards will be accepted online or at the door; checks should be made payable to Elko County Republican Party and mailed to PO Box 326, Elko, NV 89803. For more information, contact Lynne Hoffman at 738-3920 or visit the Elko County Republican Party website at elkonvgop.org. Karachi: An Afghan diplomat in the Pakistani port city of Karachi was shot and killed by his security guard who opened fire inside the diplomatic mission on Monday, officials said. Mohammad Zaki Abdu -the third secretary at the Afghan Consulate in Karachi - died of his wounds shortly after the shooting, according to the consulate's spokesman, Haris Khan. "We were working at our office when we heard gunshots," he said. "Everybody was running in panic." The guard, identified only as an Afghan national named Rahatullah, was taken into custody, said police official Azad Khan. Both officials said the motive behind the killing was not yet known. The Afghan Embassy in Islamabad said it was awaiting further details. In Pakistan, which has long been a hotbed of Islamic militancy, foreign missions are provided extra security and also frequently hire their own private guards. Rahatullah was the slain diplomat's personal bodyguard, and it wasn't clear whether the Afghan Consulate had hired him officially, said Khan, the police official. Noor Wali Khan Noor, an official with the Foreign Ministry in Kabul, said he had no further details at the moment but that a delegation from the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad had been dispatched to Karachi to investigate the incident. Ousted Tata Sons Chairman Cyrus Mistry was today removed as director of the company with shareholders voting in favour of his removal with "requisite majority". "The shareholders of Tata Sons Ltd, at the extraordinary general meeting held today, passed, with the requisite majority, a resolution to remove Cyrus P Mistry as a Director of Tata Sons Ltd," the Tata Group's holding firm said in a statement.Last month, Tata Sons had called for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to remove Mistry from its board. However, Mistry had legally challenged the move. Last week, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) had dismissed petitions by two investment firms, backed by Mistry family, against holding the EGM. Mistry camp had moved the NCLAT after the Mumbai bench of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had on January 31 refused to grant any relief. Tata Sons had abruptly removed Mistry as its Chairman on October 24 last year and sought his ouster from operating companies like Tata Motors and TCS. Mistry subsequently resigned from the board of six companies but dragged Tata Sons and his interim successor Ratan Tata to the NCLT. After the board meeting of October 24, 2016, Tata Sons had resolved that Mistry shall, notwithstanding his ceasing to be the Chairman, continue as a director of the company. But his conduct thereafter in levelling "unsubstantiated" allegations and causing "enormous harm" to Tata Group had made his continuation as a Director of Tata Sons "untenable" and therefore, he should be removed, Tata Sons had said in a notice seeking Extraordinary General Meeting on February 6. Mistry's family owns 18.5 per cent stake in Tata Sons. The apex court also asked Sahara Group to provide it within two weeks the list of "unencumbered properties" which can be put on public auction to realise the remaining over Rs 14,000 crore of the principal amount of around Rs 24,000 crore that has to be deposited in the SEBI-Sahara account for refunding money to the investors. A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra, which will hear the matter again on February 20, noted that out of the principal amount, the group has deposited around Rs 11,000 crore and it has to deposit over Rs 14,000 crore more. The bench, also comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and A K Sikri, was told by SEBI counsel Pratap Venugopal that the interest on the principal amount till October 31, 2016 would lead to a liability of Rs 47,669 crore on the Sahara Group, which today deposited over Rs 600 crore in accordance with the January 12 order by which extension of time beyond February 6 was refused. The apex court had said failure to pay the said amount would lead Sahara Group Chief Subrata Roy going back to jail. The top court was not in agreement with Sahara's counsel senior advocate Kapil Sibal that the amount should be realised in accordance with the roadmap provided by the group, which suggested the deadline of July 2019 will be adhered to. "No small token amounts," the bench observed, adding that the balance amount of over Rs 14,000 crore can be realised by public auction of Sahara's unencumbered properties which are free from litigations, mortgage and any charge. "The fundamental question is that the court (Supreme Court) found that the money collected by you from XYZ etc was in violation of the rule," the bench observed while not accepting Sibal's plea that he should be given at least a minimum of two hours to explain that the apex court judgement against Sahara was "ex-facie erroneous". "It's a question of a core verdict," the bench said, while referring to the August 2012 judgement by which the Sahara Group was asked to make refund to the investors. Sibal said the court should refrain from passing any order as the review petition against the August 2012 judgement was pending and he would demonstrate the "error on the face of the records". The bench, which was not impressed with his contentions, said, "You talk about the attachment of the property. We have no option. You give the list of unencumbered properties which are good enough to bring Rs 14,000 crore. Then we will let you (take back) the Aamby Valley (property) and we will hear you." The bench also said the question of consideration of the interest amount would be taken up after the principal amount has been realised. When the Sahara Group pleaded that it should be given an opportunity to explain its case to satisfy the court that its orders were erroneous, the bench said, "There is no question of going back." Sibal submitted that there was a need for "breathing time" for making the payment and contended that no bank or investor was claiming the money from Sahara Group. The senior advocate also raised the issue of demonetisation and liquidity crunch in generating the money. It was following this submission, that the bench asked him to make effort for public auction of the unencumbered properties and expressed its intention of seeking placing a list of properties which are free from litigation and mortgage. While the bench was deliberating on the issue of the list of properties and wanted to know about the Aamby Valley, senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, and SEBI counsel, said the hill resort was approximately worth Rs 39,000 crore. The bench noted that the SEBI counsel and Naphade were of the view that the Aamby Valley property was substantial for realising the amount and they favoured its attachement as such a move would press Roy and other directors to endeavour for depositing the amount in the SEBI-Sahara account. This was opposed by Sibal. During the hearing, Sibal said if the bench was dealing with the issue of Aamby Valley what was the need for seeking a list of properties. When he raised the issue of demonetisation and sought more time to arrange the money, the bench said, "Either you speed up or we will go for your property." "We are talking about attachment when we have no option. So, give us the list of properties which are good enough to bring Rs 14,000 crore," it said. The bench had at the last hearing granted liberty to the Sahara Group chief to transfer 35 million pounds, equivalent to Rs 285 crore, deposited in a bank in London to SEBI-Sahara account as part of Rs 600 crore payment required to be made. That order was complied with today. The apex court had on November 28 last year asked Roy to deposit Rs 600 crore more by February 6 in the SEBI-Sahara refund account to remain out of jail and warned that failure to do so would result in his return to prison. The apex court had on May 6, 2016 granted a four-week parole to Roy to attend the funeral of his mother. His parole has been extended by the court ever since. Roy was sent to Tihar Jail on March 4, 2014. During the last hearing, the bench had scrutinised the repeated extension of Roy's parole and said too much indulgence had been shown to him by the court. Besides Roy, two other directors - Ravi Shankar Dubey and Ashok Roy Choudhary - were arrested for the failure of Sahara group's two companies - Sahara India Real Estate Corporation (SIRECL) and Sahara Housing Investment Corp Ltd (SHICL) - to comply with the court's August 31, 2012 order to return Rs 24,000 crore to their investors. However, woman director Vandana Bhargava was not taken into custody. However, the bench said, it was convinced that the property should be ordered to be attached. In a big blow to beleaguered businessman Subrata Roy, The Supreme Court today directed attachment of Sahara Group's prime property worth Rs 39,000 crore at Aamby Valley in Pune for realisation of money to be paid to its investors. The prospects of AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala's immediate swearing-in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister tonight appeared remote with Governor C Vidyasagar Rao headed for Mumbai from New Delhi and not to Chennai. Amid reports that Rao was seeking legal advice before administering the oath of office to Sasikala, Maharashtra Raj Bhavan sources said he was arriving in Mumbai tonight. There was, however, no official word on what the Governor was exactly planning to do after the Supreme Court today indicated it could deliver a judgement soon in a disproportionate assets case against Sasikala. Late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa is also an accused in the case. A conviction after being sworn in would result in Sasikala having to step down as chief minister. A PIL was also filed in the Supreme Court today seeking to restrain Sasikala from being sworn-in as chief minister as in the event of her having to resign, in case she was convicted in the DA case, could lead to law and order problem in the state. Rao had travelled from Coimbatore to the national capital last night after Sasikala was elected leader of the AIADMK legislature party, clearing the decks for her elevation as the chief minister. Chief Minister O Panneerselvam today tendered his resignation and those of his ministers to Governor Rao which were accepted. According to a Chennai report, the Madras University Auditorium, which had earlier hosted the swearing-in of Jayalalithaa, was being reportedly spruced up for the occasion. A senior AIADMK source said all arrangements were in place for the swearing-in. Where are house sparrows these days? They have just become extinct! is a common rhetoric we hear in the cities. Yet, it is impossible to scientifically assert that they are dwindling in numbers, since there has not been any systematic observation or data gathered about them. The case of the vanishing sparrows in cities like Bengaluru throws light on an important issue associated with biodiversity the lack of data. To add to this, there has been a significant drop in the tree cover and the number of insects and birds in our neighbourhoods. But, to answer such questions like the change in the numbers of any species and the total number of species present rigorous observations, documentation and research are necessary. Without the numbers, it is simply impossible to infer that there has been a change, let alone the decline or disappearance of certain species. It is, of course, not the same story with charismatic forest dwelling species like the tiger. Tiger numbers are hailed from the rooftops at the slightest increase in number, and it becomes news the world over, and correctly so, because India is one of the last bastions for the worlds tigers. Tigers, elephants, leopards and other species which inhabit forests (mostly located within protected areas) are systematically counted every year by the forest department and researchers. Edges matter But what about the species in our backyard? We have very scant records of biodiversity at this point we should reiterate that biodiversity also includes insects and amphibians and aquatic life, to name a few outside our protected areas. However, we depend on the biodiversity around us for basic needs such as medicine, food, fuel and fibre. An elephant, tiger, leopard or bear entering human inhabited areas creates a furore that catapults small villages to national fame. A group of researchers at Gubbi Labs, a research collective based in Bengaluru, has carried out a series of observations and saw more than a 100 species of birds, over 20 species of butterflies, more than 10 species of frogs and many others flora and fauna in and around Gubbi taluk in Tumakuru district, Karnataka. These numbers are astounding, considering Gubbi is not a part of any biodiversity hotspot, nor is it within a designated Protected Area (PA). It is a part of the typically hot and semi-arid south-central Deccan plateau, dominated by scrub, chequered with plantations of coconut, arecanut and banana, and vast open fields with paddy and millets. So what makes an area rich in biodiversity? A key aspect that seems to encourage diversity is the presence of edges. Despite the nature of monoculture in plantations and other crops, the edges of these plantations and farmlands are mostly dotted with trees and plants that harbour and attract numerous taxa. The numerous tanks that dominate the landscape around Gubbi provide the much-needed access to water. There is a ray of hope now as nations across the world have now slowly begun to understand the importance of urban biodiversity and the benefits of its conservation. In 2008, the United Nations Environment Programme set up the Urban Environment Unit, kickstarting a global partnership on cities and biodiversity, with representatives from many nations participating in the conference. The primary objective of the unit was to conserve land efficiently, thus helping the biodiversity of the region thrive. Contributing factors Unlike PAs, where dedicated forest departments are responsible for conservation, human-dominated landscapes like cities depend entirely on their citizens to help conserve the rich biodiversity they offer. Bringing about a biodiversity-friendly outlook in citizens seems to be a challenging task in the current context. What makes us shudder at this responsibility? The general public have other concerns like livelihood, their own future, their own culture and so on. Farmers for example, have a lot of problems like financial condition, rains or lack of it, etc. And biodiversity is really not on the top of their heads, points out Ashok Hegde, a citizen science enthusiast and resident of Mavinagundi, Karnataka. He also feels that biodiversity is largely ignored by the public and it only becomes a concern when there is a humananimal conflict, and the academicians address bigger problems like climate change. Which is why Ashok feels that the efforts put in need to be complementary. For common people to participate and understand whats happening in the academia, they have to, temporarily at least, suspend their immediate gains, opines Ashok. Factors like different kinds of pollution and loss of habitat and food sources affect biodiversity in human-dominated landscapes. These are mostly caused by an expanding human population that results in the destruction of natural ecosystems. Apart from encroachment of natural resources, human activities like the use of chemical inputs in agriculture, mono-cropping and indiscriminate fishing and hunting indirectly affect biodiversity. When people help The onus is now on us, the people who co-habit with wildlife of all kinds in cities and villages to conserve and nurture everything around us. Conservation, however, requires an understanding of the underlying biodiversity in a region and its role in the ecosystem. A fun and interesting way to spend time with nature is to watch, observe and count in other words, help with assessing biodiversity in your backyard. In a first of its kind, a citizen science based initiative that was launched in 2012 called Citizen Sparrow in India. Citizen Sparrow is an ongoing citizen science project in which the public are encouraged to contribute information on the presence and absence of the house sparrow. It is organised by Bombay Natural History Society and Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India in partnership with the National Centre for Biological Sciences and Nature Conservation Foundation. The effort resulted in gathering 11,262 observations from 5,989 persons at 8,870 locations across India (as per their latest report). In the recent past, citizen science activities by Gubbi Labs has recorded at least two new species of frogs outside protected areas. Such efforts have reinforced how little we know about the diversity right in our backyard. As Ashok puts it, If one has to live with nature, then one has to understand it. In oppressively dry heat and a miasma of sulphur and chlorine, the rocky landscape sprouts patches of neon green and yellow that resemble oozing scrambled eggs. Near-boiling pools of acidic water bubble between odd formations of rocks and minerals: white beehive-shaped mounds of salt, yolk-coloured lattices of sulphuric crust, purplish-red crumbles. Nearby, iron-rich rock fans out into flat mushroom shapes. The ground crackles hollowly underfoot and emits the hiss of bubbling liquid. Cones and small mineral chimneys babble from one-holed spouts. Though it looks like an extraterrestrial scene, this landscape belongs to the Danakil Depression, in a remote northeast region of Ethiopia aptly named Afar, near Eritrea. About 110 yards below sea level, the Danakil Depression is one of the worlds lowest places. It is also one of the hottest places on Earth, with average daily temperatures of 34.4 degrees Celsius and only about four inches of rain each year. Of extremophiles & microbes This volcanic region is known as a geological wonder. Indeed, most of the relatively scant scientific research on the Danakil Depression involves its fantastical geology, not its biology. Now, scientists are studying this area to understand the possibilities of life on other planets and moons, despite the regions political volatility and sporadic violence between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Last month, a team of astrobiologists from Europlanet, a consortium of research institutions and companies doing planetary research, returned to study the depressions geology, mineralogy and especially its biology, as an analogue to Mars. Felipe Gomez Gomez of the Centro de Astrobiologia in Madrid, Spain led the teams first expedition last spring to study Danakils extremophiles and microbes that live in extreme conditions. Researchers from Madrid and the University of Bologna and the International Research School of Planetary Sciences, both in Italy, assisted by scientists from the University of Mekelle in Ethiopia, are isolating and identifying the hardy bacteria that thrive in this hostile environment of heat, acidity and salinity. The aim is to try to know the limits of life and the possibility of such forms of life in other planets like Mars, said Felipe. New knowledge from Danakil could be applied to Mars missions. Studying Danakils microbes is a way to train ourselves to identify different forms of life for astrobiological exploration, Felipe said. While Mars today has subfreezing temperatures, its origins are volcanic and might be similar to the early history of Earth. There is also a broader goal of exploring ways to identify signs of life in extreme environments. The Danakil Depression, a rift valley stretching from the Dallol volcano in Ethiopia to the salt plains of Lake Assal in Djibouti, lies at the convergence of three tectonic plates that are slowly separating. As the Earth pulls apart and thins over millenniums, the land sinks. Thousands of years ago, the larger Danakil Desert was part of the Red Sea. But volcanic eruptions formed rock barriers and created an inland sea that eventually evaporated in the intense heat. Dallol, which means disintegration in the Afar language, is the section that is home to colourful, otherworldly formations. Here, magma heats groundwater, which wells up and dissolves salt, potash and other minerals when emerging through hot springs. Brine evaporates, leaving crusty formations coloured by minerals, iron and salt-thriving halophile algae to create this multicoloured scenery. Some pools of water reach 90 degrees Celsius. The combination of heat, high acidity and sulphur concentrations causes bright yellow chimneys to form. Other pools of water heated to 40 degrees Celsius take on a turquoise hue from copper salts. Thriving in extreme conditions Europlanet researchers last year took water samples from salt chimneys, blue and red pools, and yellow and brown crust. Although halophiles microbes that thrive in saline conditions have been identified in Dallol, this new research is the first to focus on microbes thriving in extreme acidity and heat, in addition to salinity, Felipe said. Researchers are isolating bacteria and their DNA and also doing genetic sequencing to identify the bacteria. Among them are chemolithotrophs microorganisms that acquire energy from inorganic compounds that were found in the hot water on the mineral chimneys. These microbes do not require sunlight for energy and are usually found in extreme environments like hydrothermal vents on the seafloor. These simple organisms can survive with a very small battery, and were probably among the first bacteria on Earth, This winters expedition will focus on bacterias relationship with the atmosphere. Researchers will set up weather stations to record wind, temperature, humidity and more, to study the environment completely, like what Curiosity does on Mars, Felipe said. In this case, though, scientists will not have to leave Earth to do so. Gurshinder Kaur, a school principal in a village near Indias border with Pakistan, can catalogue a long list of local men lost to heroin, which passes across this fertile agricultural belt on its way from Afghanistan poppy fields to users in the West. Kaurs cousin was arrested last month on smuggling charges. Another cousin, her next-door neighbour, changed over four years into a menacing, manipulative spectre, forcing his mother to provide him with money until he turned up dead one day, of an overdose. It has become reflexive for Kaur to scan her 17-year-olds eyes every time he arrives home, searching for signs that he has tried heroin. At a family wedding, the day before, she counted four young relatives who had crossed that line. They were there, she said. But they had become empty. Punjabs drug problem, which in the past years was discussed in a hush in family circles, is being trumpeted by Opposition parties this year as a full-blown social crisis. With unemployment high, and 2,30,000 men and women estimated to be dependent on opioids, an anti-incumbency wave seems likely to force the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) from power in state elections held on Saturday and clear the way for major gains by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a young political group founded to fight corruption. In interviews in the affected region, many complained that local politicians had enriched themselves by protecting powerful smugglers from arrest, though they could offer little in the way of specific evidence. Government statistics show that a police crackdown over the last two years has had some success in reducing the supply of heroin, and public rehabilitation centres have proliferated. But that has done little to blunt the public anger, or the human damage. People are very, very angry, if they come from a home where anyone is using drugs, said Dharminder Singh, 22, who said he planned to vote for the Aam Aadmi Party. He said he was so unnerved by watching the deterioration of one of his uncles, a small-town shopkeeper who is injecting heroin, that he had decided to move to Canada. I am going from here because of the drugs, to get away, he said. I am afraid. If one time you will taste it, then you will not be able to stop. Emotions run particularly high in the district of Tarn Taran, where every morning solitary farmers fan out through a border security fence to mist-shrouded cropland along the 60-mile border with Pakistan. In years past, smuggling networks moved gold bullion and weaponry into India to feed a militant Sikh insurgency; those pathways became the basis for a drug trafficking route, using villagers as couriers. The smugglers throw parcels of heroin across the border in bottles, or enlist farmers to carry the drugs after pushing the parcels into long plastic pipes using a wire, said Faiyyaz Farooqui, a counterintelligence official in the Punjab police. Once, after a farmer explained that he had to remove a tree, police found that logs had been hollowed out to conceal a large shipment of heroin. Among those recently arrested is Baldev Singh, 48, a farmer from the village of Rajoke, who was caught with more than 1 pound of heroin, worth more than $370,000 on the international market, in the speaker box of his tractors stereo. Singhs relatives describe him as so poorly educated that he cannot read a clock. His wife, Sharanjit Kaur, said a stranger had offered him Rs 20,000 to pick up the parcels of heroin. He is a simple man, she said. He is not very greedy. Its just that on that occasion, he was trapped. The arrests of Singh and a younger cousin, Pargat, have infuriated their relatives, who say they face prosecution only because they are so poor. The big fishes have lots of money, so they pay the money and they get out of it. The politicians protect them, said Iqbal Singh, 70, Pargats father. The small people, they get arrested. Equally maddening, to many, is the fact that many in the governing party deny that drugs are a problem. In Rajokes tiny police outpost, less than 1 mile from Baldev Singhs house, the head constable, Jarnail Singh, said he had not heard a single complaint about drug use or trafficking in his six months of service. Jasbir Singh, leader of the SAD in Rajoke, said no drug smuggling or use had occurred in Rajoke in the last 10 years. This is a big myth, he said. Relative success Virsa Singh Valtoha, a legislator in the Tarn Taran district, was more measured, saying Punjab had made progress in controlling the problem. We took tough measures against it, he said. Nobody was spared. Now the problem is very less. I wont say that it is totally finished. Some voters said they would stick with the SAD because, they reasoned, the opposition would be no less corrupt. Ranjit Singh, 32, said he believed that smugglers had received protection from Akali Dal legislators when they faced arrest, and that the legislators relied on the cartels in exchange for votes and cash assistance. We need a messiah, he said. For now, families are moving on without loved ones lost to drugs. Sumandeep Kaur, a pale, straight-backed woman of 24, was three months into her arranged marriage when she realised that her husband, from a prosperous farming family in Rajoke, had resumed using heroin. His drug friends would begin calling him first thing in the morning, she said. She would beg him, and berate him, but he went anyway. For one or two days, he would ignore them, but they would say, Come on, come on, and he would start again, said Kaur, who grew up in Amritsar, Punjabs major city. We were pulling from this side, and they were pulling from that side. He died of an overdose 19 days before the birth of their son, who is now 5. Swedens Saab has expressed its vision to work beyond Make in India, as it plans to offer complete aerospace capability to India, enabling the latter to become a major defence export hub in future. Talking to DH on the sidelines of the defence and security giants Aero India 2017 presentation here on Monday, Saab India Technologies Chairman and Managing Director Jan Widerstrom said, Its important to take Make in India a step further, looking at transfer of capabilities rather than transfer of technologies and production. Our offer is more about going further. Its really a transfer and copy of what we have today in Sweden a full-fledged aerospace capability and build that up in India for the future. Its based around the Gripen E platform, and not just for the domestic market, but for export, he added. Accordingly, Saab is placing the Gripen E a state-of-the-art latest-generation multirole combat aircraft in the race to bag a probable order from the Indian Air Force, which had sought an RFI (Request for Information) to procure a fleet of single-engine fighters. Gripens India story It must be noted that Saab had also pitted the Gripen in competition to win the MMRCA deal, which was eventually awarded to Dassaults Rafale. Currently, Saab has also been producing signature management systems like camouflage nets in India. A part of the Gripen E has also been developed at its Hyderabad R&D centre. Talking about Saabs prospects for India, Widerstrom said, There may be an opportunity to locally manufacture the Gripen in India, and sell it to neighbouring markets. Thats the plan behind setting up a full-fledged aerospace capability (complete production, R&D, analytics, design and development) in India, which will be a part of our global supply chain not only for fighters, but other sub-systems. In future, systems and products produced in India could be exported to our other markets. Meanwhile, the company has received an RFI for a combat aircraft from the Indian Navy too, for which it is pushing Gripen M. We are offering our full portfolio to India from submarines to fighters. We are participating in several tenders of which, SRSAM (an automatic command-to-line-of-sight missile system) and VSHORD air defence system have reached the RFP (Request for Proposal) level. Were also offering the AESA radar system for the Tejas light combat aircraft, Widerstrom concluded. DH News Service The finance ministry has granted Rs10,000 crore, under a special banking arrangement (SBA), as sought by the Department of Fertiliser to help the industry tide over the liquidity crunch. The finance ministry approved Rs 10,000 crore as SBA and it will help to increase the cash flow in the sector, Chemicals and Fertiliser Minister Ananth Kumar said here. The SBA, under which fertiliser companies can take loans from banks against subsidy receivables, would help the industry meet its fund requirements till the time the cash subsidy is released by the finance ministry. Outstanding subsidy amount in the sector now stands at Rs 20,000 crore, against Rs 40,000 crore in 2009. We will pursue for the release of subsidy with the finance ministry, and see the dream-day without backlog, the minister said. Fertiliser subsidy arrears are estimated to be around Rs 35,000 crore by the end of this fiscal. In view of delayed payments of subsidy by the government, the industry has to bear about Rs 4,000 crore annually as interest cost. In November last year, the minister had promised the industry to clear fertiliser subsidy arrears at the earliest. With the several initiatives taken by the government, including the revival of five closed urea units, will help India became self-sustained in urea in a couple of years, the country can export the fertliser. Scientists have found the formation of three tiny pockets of deserts in the river-rich Gangetic basin by using satellite images. These arid zone patches are in western part of the Great Indian desert (Rajasthan), northern Aravalli range (western Madhya Pradesh-eastern Rajasthan) and western Chota Nagpur plateau (Jharkhand and bordering areas of Odisha). While the first zone is located on the fringe of the Thar desert region, aridity has increased in the other two pockets more recently due to urbanisation. As many as 36 districts in these areas are becoming drier and drier over the last three and half decades, triggering concerns among scientists. The alert comes from researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, who extensively studied the 1975 satellite images of the Ganga river basin and compared them with space-based imageries from 2010. Our analysis clearly elucidated the emergence of 3-pockets of the alarming increase in aridity that could cause other cascading impacts in future, including encroachment of more lands under desert, making them nearly unfit for human use, said Shafique Matin, who carried out the aridity anomaly study as a part of his doctoral thesis. There are several signatures of increased aridity. One of the first sign is a visible change in the vegetation landscape. In 1975, forests of dhok tree (Anogeissus pendula) was commonplace in Japiur and surrounding areas whereas in 2010, only a few sparsely distributed A. pendula trees were around. Another species named Prosopis juliflora (Indian name: Junglee kikar or Vilayati babool) that can survives even with increasing aridity is now replacing the endemic flora in high aridity zone. The cascading effect of such aridity is high, Matin, who now works for the Irish government told DH from Dublin. Overexploitation of natural resources for farming and expansion of opencast mining are the causes of desertification in other two pockets in the 844,000 sq km Ganga river basin. Changing rainfall pattern adds to the woes. Matin and his colleague M D Behera published the results of their study in the latest edition of the journal Current Science. Increased desertification threat is one of the ecological threats the world is facing along with climate change and loss of biodiversity. The Opposition on Monday created a ruckus in the Lok Sabha over the governments actions following the death of former Union minister E Ahamed, prompting Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to adjourn the House for 50 minutes. The Congress and members of the Left parties rushed to the Well with placards in their hands and began shouting slogans after the Speaker refused to allow them to raise the issue during the Question Hour. I am sorry to see this. Such things should not happen here. We paid tribute to Ahamed here and also adjourned the House for one day. I request you, please do not resort to this (creating din in the House) with posters in your hands, a visibly upset Sumitra told the agitating Opposition members, who were holding placards that read Parliamentarians for dignified life and death. The protesting leaders, however, refused to relent. It is against democratic norms, one of the Opposition members was heard shouting amid the din. With the agitating members showing no signs of relenting, the Speaker adjourned the Question Hour to meet again at noon. When the House reassembled, the Congress and members of the Left parties raised the issue again and staged a walkout. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi joined a protest by MPs from Kerala near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex. We are Ahamed Sahib read the placard held by Rahul as he stood with the MPs, who had their mouths covered with a black cloth. The Opposition has been demanding a probe into the manner in which the death of Ahamed was handled by the government, saying he died soon after reaching the hospital, but the news of his death was announced much later. With many Opposition MPs busy with Uttar Pradesh polls, the government may escape embarrassment in Rajya Sabha this time in case of a vote on amendments on Motion of Thanks to Presidents address. In the last two instances, the Opposition defeated the BJP-led NDA in Rajya Sabha, where it the latter is in a minority, by passing amendments to the President's address. It is to be seen whether the Opposition parties will press for voting on amendments this time as almost all MPs from Samajwadi Party (19) and BSP (6) as well as several Congress members are busy with campaigning for the crucial polls in Uttar Pradesh. Also, Trinamool Congress, a vociferous Opposition party, decided against voting on amendments out of respect for the Rashtrapatiji, as one leader put it. Opposition leaders are keeping their cards close to the chest, but indications from some sections are that there is no point in pressing for voting as it could go against them. Already, 1,066 amendments have been moved by the Opposition MPs in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. In the Upper House, 651 amendments have been moved and 19 are on the absence of reference to demonetisation in the Presidents speech. Keeping the number game in mind, sources said, Opposition parties have tweaked their strategy. They have decided that each party will raise its own issues, unlike the Winter Session where there was a coordinated attack on the government against demonetisation. The idea is to slam the government through speeches. They may also try to take the discussion over Budget to the second leg of Budget Session starting March 9, saying there is not enough time left to vote on the Budget before February 9, when Parliament goes to recess. None of the Uttar Pradesh parties are in Parliament. Shiv Sena has its focus on the civic polls. The Punjab parties are also not back. AIADMK MPs are busy with the swearing-in of Sasikala. Only JD(U) and Trinamool are in full strength, he said. The Rajya Sabha is functioning, while in Lok Sabha, the debate on Presidents speech started on Monday amid fears that the Congress and other parties would disrupt it over E Ahameds death. A senior Congress leader told DH that the BJP expected that they would disrupt it, but we decided not to fall into their trap. Shiv Sena slams govt over note ban The Shiv Sena, an ally of the ruling BJP, on Monday joined the Congress and other Opposition parties in the Lok Sabha to lambast the Centre over demonetisation. Anand Rao Adsul of the Shiv Sena alleged that the BJP-led government hastily decided to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 without prior arrangement to immediately replenish the invalid notes with new ones. Adsul asked the BJP MPs if they had been to villages to see how people were affected by the cash crisis. A Bill to pave way for Kambala, the traditional buffalo race held in the coastal districts of Karnataka, will be tabled in the Legislative Assembly in two days, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said on Monday. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Jayachandra said the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA), 1960, will be amended to include Kambala and bullock cart race as traditional sports. At present, an interim stay by the High Court of Karnataka does not allow Kambala to be organised. The state government has been under tremendous pressure during the past few days to take steps so that Kambala is allowed. This is following the Tamil Nadu governments move circumventing the Supreme Court ban on Jallikattu (bull taming) by promulgating an ordinance and later replacing it with a law. Sources in the government said the Primary and Secondary Education department is preparing a draft bill that seeks to make the question paper leak of public examinations a criminal offence. The department is planning to bar students who are caught buying, selling or transferring leaked question papers, from appearing for exams for five years, besides slapping a fine of Rs 5 lakh on them. It wants to amend the Karnataka Education Act, 1983, for this purpose. But it is not clear whether the government will introduce the amendments in the ongoing legislature session. DH News Service Continuing his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modis key initiatives in his campaign rallies across western Uttar Pradesh, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Monday made a satire of demonetisation, saying what an idea, sirji!. Rahul said in a satirical vein that Modi came up with an idea on November 8 the day demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes was announced. He said bhaiyo aur behno I have an idea! The money you have in your pocket, the money farmers have in their pockets, I will make them redundant, said Rahul. Rahul said the prime minister justified the move as an idea to tackle corruption, which left experts bemused, enamouring only a few journalists. The reality, Rahul said, was that the move robbed farmers and the poor of their hard-earned money. Despite the Opposition being critical of the note ban decision, the BJP has made it a poll issue owing to the partys internal feedback that it has created a positive buzz. In his 45-minute speech, the Gandhi scion also raked up issues of the farmers plight, unemployment among youth and migration to other states in search of jobs. The state government is contemplating action against educational institutions that fail to notify the police about overstaying foreign students. Home Minister G Parameshwara gave an ominous warning here on Monday. Foreign students mention the expiry date of their visas in admission applications. Colleges certainly know about students whose visas have expired. We will hold both the government and private colleges responsible and decide on what action to take, Parameshwara told mediapersons at a two-day workshop on Gender Sensitive Best Practice, Implementation and Capacity Building of Police Officials at the Bengaluru police commissioners office. The government doesnt have the exact number of foreigners overstaying in Karnataka, but there are some figures which are being cross-checked. We have launched a combing operation against overstaying foreigners. We have notified foreign embassies and consulates, besides the Ministry of Home Affairs. We will make it clear that foreigners are not welcome unless they renew their visa or the Government of India permits them to stay, he said. Asked about the lack of coordination between the local police and the Foreigners Regional Registration Office on monitoring foreign nationals, he said, The government is in touch with the MHA. We need to discuss the matter. The situation changed after the attack on a Tanzanian woman in Bengaluru a year ago. The ministers tough talk follows the murder of a Ugandan woman in the city last week. In his previous reaction, Parameshwara had blamed foreigners and said they were creating trouble. The minister also announced a probe by the Criminal Investigation Department into the arson attack on the Lakshmeshwar police station in Gadag district on Sunday. Police have information about the miscreants and rounded up 25 people. But we are not sure if the incident was politically motivated, he said. Parameshwara also promised to seek funds from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on opening more women-only stations in the city. An Air India (AI) flight landed safely after it suffered a bird-hit on Monday. All 122 on board escaped unscathed. The Delhi-Bhopal flight was diverted to Jaipur, where all passengers disembarked. Claims surfaced that the pilot had continued the flight after the bird-hit, breaching safety protocol, and also that the Air Traffic Control had cited his violation to refuse permission for the plane to land in Delhi. Officials have denied both charges. The aircraft was hit during take-off from the Bhopal airport in the morning, an AI spokesperson said. The pilot and co-pilot were watchful of the impact during the journey, and upon feeling the vibration in the engine decided to land at the Jaipur airport, which was also the nearest airport, the spokesperson said. Sources said seven blades of the aircraft were damaged after it was hit by a bird. AI said it had sent passengers in a hurry to Delhi on alternative flights, and international travellers in taxis. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has often said wildlife and birds pose a significant threat to flight safety. Most incidents occur at the critical phase of the flight, resulting in structural damage and damage to aircraft systems, a DGCA report said in 2015. Was fuel leaking? Prabhat Jha, BJP Rajya Sabha member, was among those on the plane. He appreciated the way in which the pilot had handled the emergency. The crew had announced the plane would land in Jaipur, and handled passengers in a proper manner, he said. The pilot dealt with the situation adroitly... After the plane landed safely, he informed (passengers) about the mid-air fuel leakage, Jha was quoted by PTI as saying. Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday called upon media professionals to be sensitive while reporting crimes involving women and children. Delivering a key note address during a two-day workshop Gender Sensitive Best Practice, Implementation and Capacity Building of Police Officials at the Police Commissioners office here, he said: There was an incident on December 31, 2016, in the city. It came to light on January 2, 2017, while a section of media blew it out of proportion as an incident of mass molestation. But, what had happened on that night was totally different. Police Commissioner Praveen Sood himself verified footage of as many as 80 CCTV cameras, but there was no incident of mass molestation. The incident brought disrepute to Bengaluru and the police department. Media should be sensitive especially while dealing with crimes involving women and children. Damage will be done by the time truth comes to light due to insensitivity while highlighting issues, he said. He also announced a new state-of-the-art forensic science laboratory. False rape claims may invite action The police may take action against women lodging false complaint of molestation and uploading false posts of molestation on social media platforms. False complaints of molestation are increasing in Bengaluru. The government will address such issues within legal framework to prevent misuse of law, Home Minister G Parameshwara said. The landlord of the Ugandan woman who was murdered last week has asked four of his tenants from African nations to vacate the houses. One of the tenants vacated the house on Saturday. K M Narayanaswamy, the landlord, said he took the decision because the foreigners had been causing a ruckus on his premises. Some of my foreign tenants are very good. They have been staying for over two years now and never created any problems, he said. But there are also troublemakers. Thimmegowda Layout, in eastern Bengalurus Kothanur, is home to a number of people from African nations. Narayanaswamy owns three houses in the locality, each having six to nine units which have been rented mainly to people from Africa nations. The rental income is shared by his three daughters who live close-by. We dont charge rent as per our whims. For a one-bedroom house, we charge between Rs 6,000 and Rs 7,500 per month. This is the running rate in the area even for Indian tenants, Vanajamma, Narayanaswamys wife, said and showed rental agreements. Vanajammas presence of mind had helped police to nab Ishaan, who allegedly killed the Ugandan woman, Nakayaki Florence, in the early hours of Thursday. Vanajamma and her family heard Nakayaki screaming around 2 am. They rushed up to her house on the second floor only to see bloodstains everywhere. With help from other tenants, they quickly locked the house from the outside, trapping Ishaan inside. They also pacified and stopped angry Africans from entering the house. Police trouble Vanajamma complained that police troubled her whenever any of her tenants was directly or indirectly involved in a crime. We collect all the scheduled forms from foreign tenants, such as passport, visa, admission letter, residential permit and rental agreement, and submit them to police. Still, my husband had to pay a court fine of Rs 350 after the Kothanur police sent a notice that he was not collecting the requisite documents, she said. Landlords are required to collect from every foreign tenant scheduled forms duly attested by the jurisdictional station house officer. Police will keep a copy of the same. The notice was issued after one of their tenants, Victoria alias Vicky, was involved in a police case. Victoria and her friends had pushed a Ugandan woman from the first floor of a house in July 2016 during a drunken brawl. The woman was grievously injured. We collect all the documents, but we cannot verify them, she said. Its polices job. Three officials from the Ugandan embassy visited Nakayakis house on Friday. They met Narayanaswamy and Vanajamma and sought information about the incident. The landlady narrated what happened that night. The embassy officials then went to the B R Ambedkar Medical College Hospital to facilitate the post-mortem. No one has come forward to arrange for sending the body to her hometown, Kampala in Uganda, because of financial constraints. Legendary Hindi filmmaker from Karnataka, Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone or Guru Dutt, as he was better known, is still relevant today, said Arun Khopkar, author of the book Guru Dutt: A Tragedy with Three Acts. Originally written in Marathi, the book was translated into Kannada by Virupaksha Kulakarni and Uma Kulakarni and published by the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy. It was released at the Bengaluru International Film Festival on Monday. When cinemascope was introduced, other filmmakers used it to give the impression of grandeur by projecting the movies on large screens. But Guru Dutt used it to show loneliness of his characters. It was a unique technique and was later picked up by other filmmakers, Khopkar said. Today, when filmmaking technology has advanced so much, are we using it to create better cinema? he asked. The book, published as Guru Dutt-Teen Anki Shokantika in Marathi, discusses mainly three movies by him Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam. In these movies, he reveals the darker side of himself. The characters are all rebelling against oppressive conditions and there is a romantic pessimism about them, Khopkar said, adding that his other movies show the `brighter side of the moon as they were lighter, with ready wit. Speaking at the release, Kannada director Girish Kasaravalli said: I had never taken Guru Dutt seriously before as I thought his movies were too sentimental. But after reading the book, I now see him and his melodramas in new light. Kasaravalli appreciated Khopkars discussion on the songs in Dutts movies. The songs were never inserted into the movie. They were built into it seamlessly and were part of the narrative, he said. The translator of the book, Virupaksha Kulakarni said that he had met Khopkar in 2015 and discussed translating it into Kannada. There were many challenges because we were not familiar with the terminology of filmmaking, he said. Chairman of the academy, S V Rajendra Singh Babu expressed his desire to have many more books on films translated into Kannada. Three men from Uttar Pradesh who adopted a unique way to burgle valuables from luggage-cum-brake vans have been arrested in a joint operation by the Bengaluru City Railway Police (BCRP) and Mumbai Railway Police (MRP). The police have recovered 27 out of 28 stolen Apple Macbooks worth Rs 32 lakh from Kamal Yadav, 39, Dinesh Chandra, 38, Jagadish Chandra, 38. All three are from Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh. Three others involved in the burglary are at large, a BCRP officer told DH from Mumbai. We have arrested three men and recovered stolen laptops worth Rs 32 lakh in a joint operation with the MRP. We will take their custody for interrogation, said Anoop Shetty, SP, Railways. Six people had burgled 28 laptops from an brake van of Udyan Express on September 25, 2016. Parasmal Modi, a resident of Chickpet and branch manager of Marudhar Express Service, Bengaluru, a courier firm, has taken the brake van of the train for five years on lease to transport goods from Mumbai. Passengers goods are not loaded in brake vans as they are given to private persons on lease. Brake vans are attached to the guards room for safety reasons, next to the locomotive. A small passage divides the guards room and the brake van. The suspects boarded the train at Dadar railway station at 8 am on September 25, 2016, after realising that the guard did not board the train. They climbed atop the brake van unscrewed a portion of its top and one of them entered inside. He collected laptops and came out. Later, they fitted the top and deboarded at the next station. The entire operation was over within 20 minutes, police said. This modus operandi is a first of its kind in the history of Indian railways. The suspects have been burgling valuables in a similar fashion for the last two years from trains originating from Mumbai. We are ascertaining the number of offences committed by them, Shetty said. The suspects have taken a house on rent in Firozabad, where they would store the stolen booty and sell them later. After receiving the materials at the Bengaluru city station on September 26, 2016, Modi realised that Macbooks were missing. He lodged a complaint with the BCRP on October 4, 2016. The BCRP shared information with the MRP. In January 2017, an informant of MRP received a WhatsApp message about sale of Apple Macbooks for lesser price, along with images. The number on a laptop in the image matched with that one of the stolen laptops and the BCRP was informed. A BCRP team led by police inspector R Diwakar was sent to Mumbai. Later, a joint team went to Firozabad after striking a deal with the man who had sent the message. Based on his information, the police arrested the trio. The High Court of Karnataka has refused permission to a man to heli-drop petals on his residence during housewarming. Justice A S Bopanna noted on Monday that entertaining the petition filed by M Muniraju would set a bad precedent and send a wrong message to society. Permission to use the helicopter in a densely populated area cannot be granted, the judge ruled. Muniraju had urged the court to direct the Bengaluru police commissioner to allow him to use a helicopter to shower petals on his house on February 9. He first approached the police commissioner who rejected his application. He then moved the court, arguing that police had given permission to his neighbour. He sought permission by citing Article 14 of the Constitution of India (equality before law). The government counsel submitted to the court that permission for using the helicopter was rejected on the grounds that hutments in the vicinity of Munirajus house could get damaged. Sub-registrars transfer The High Court of Karnataka on Monday directed the state government not to appoint anyone to the post of sub-registrar, Dasanapura, Bengaluru North taluk. A division bench of Justices Jayant Patel and A N Venugopala Gowda passed the order on a petition filed by S Dinesh, the incumbent sub-registrar of Dasanapura, who moved the court against his transfer. The state government had transferred Lalitha Amruthesh, Superintendent, District Registrar Office, Bengaluru Rural district, to Dineshs post and the latter to her position. Dinesh questioned the transfer and suggested that Lalithas transfer was politically motivated. Lalitha levelled the same accusation at him. Hearing Dineshs petition, the court asked Advocate General (AG) Madhusudhan R Naik to spell out the governments stand on clause 12 of the Guidelines for Transfer Policy, which prohibits transfer of government servants under political pressure. The bench also instructed the government not to make such postings. The judges noted that thousands of transfer-related petitions are pending before the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal. If the government functions this way, a separate tribunal may be required to handle transfer-related disputes, they said. The AG sought more time to clarify the government stand. The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghatan has ordered a departmental enquiry against the principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya Hebbal, who was arrested and released on sexual harassment charges. According to Devakumar, deputy commissioner, Bengaluru division, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghatan, the headquarters has ordered an enquiry into the matter. This comes a week after a police complaint was lodged at Sadashivanagar police station. A 17-year-old girl student from the school claimed that the principal had harassed her by using sexually coloured remarks. He spoke to her for over an hour in his cabin much after school hours on the pretext of counselling her to score better in examination. A week after this incident, the victim came forth to file a Pocso complaint and the principal was arrested for making obscene gestures and indulging in lewd talk. However, just a day after this, he was granted bail. Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera views the process to draft the citys first Constitution as an example for the entire country to follow in these turbulent times. Mancera, who presides over a metropolis of 8.8 million people , underscores that nine political forces came together in a spirit of dialogue in order to complete the document by the deadline, which expired on Tuesday January 31. Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera. Francisco Canedo A former federal district attorney, 51-year-old Mancera took office in 2012 after winning three million votes. Once a champion of the leftist Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), he says he is happy not to be affiliated with an organization riven by internal disputes. His background makes him one of the most visible left-wing candidates in the 2018 presidential race, which he is openly interested in entering. Yet despite his own moderate, pro-dialogue attitude, Mancera is now recommending taking a tougher stance in view of Donald Trumps threats against its southern neighbor, which have apparently triggered a new national unity movement in Mexico. Mexican society needs to understand that it has to change Question. There is a lot of talk about standing united. But behind who or what? Answer. The country was at a point where the prevailing feelings were annoyance and anger. That was creating unity. And suddenly this disruptive thing came along and set off a fuse. Its the people who are showing unity, which can be very important to build things. But I dont think it will last very long if the government does not work well. Q. Is President Enrique Pena Nieto overwhelmed by the situation? A. National unity means the unity of Mexicans, not uniting behind the government. The president has a vote of confidence from many people because he must represent the country in negotiations with Trump. But he has a mandate to be unyielding, strong and dignified. If the president were to make a mistake, he could face an adverse wave of public opinion. My proposal is to not bring back any bad news to Mexico; not to raise the price of fuel again, for instance. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto is being asked to stand up to Donald Trump. Efe Q. You asked for business leaders to join the renegotiation of NAFTA. A. Trump is running his country like a businessman. He is thinking how he could acquire a company called Mexico, or how to control it in such a way as to make it his subsidiary. But Mexico is not part of Trumps holding. Lets listen to the business community. Many of Mexicos leading businesspeople are already known to Trump because they are making million-dollar deals and the US needs them. Q. What guidelines should Mexico follow during the negotiations? A. We must be very firm and make the most of the situation to position certain issues. If NAFTA is going to be opened up, it must include labor policies better salaries for Mexican workers and environmental issues. Pena Nieto must go about it very carefully. Trumps team talks about negotiating, but he is sending out aggressive messages. We need a group of business leaders to send out aggressive messages of their own. Trumps team talks about negotiating, but he is sending out aggressive messages Q. Should Mexico take a tougher stance? A. Yes. Trump has realized that Mexico can take a tougher stance. We are not going to say amen to everything. Q. Does this national unity require a leader? A. This unity is asking for someone to tell Trump that he will not be allowed to cross the line or to harm Mexicans, whether they live here or in the United States. Q. Who would you like that leader to be? A. Im happy in the role of someone who says what the city needs to say. I have told Pena Nieto that we want a firm president who will defend Mexicans. Q. What is Mexico City doing to prepare for alleged mass deportations? A. The city has one fund to cover emergencies and another for social welfare programs. Deported and returning migrants are included in productive processes. That is why we need the businessmen. They have a niche for these deported men and women who can speak English. We should make the most of that. The problem is not a mass expulsion per se, but an expulsion that would include not just Mexicans but also Central American citizens at the border. I dont think Trump is going to break any deportation records. US President Donald Trump is viewed as a threat by many Mexicans. AFP Q. After this crisis, what needs to change in Mexico? A. Mexico will have to turn to other trade partners, and the United States will have to realize how bad it is to lose a strategic partner that offers cheap labor and quality products. Q. In social terms, will there be any changes? A. I think that the Mexico City Constitution seeks to stabilize very deep inequalities. When we talked about a minimum wage, everyone was shocked, even though the change comes 30 years late. Mexican society needs to understand that it has to change. Q. Why did you not win the minimum wage battle despite your good relationship with the business world? A. We achieved substantial improvements, but now, with higher gasoline prices, part of the effect has been lost. I want to keep insisting on this issue with business leaders. Q. Has the political system run out of steam? A. There is a pressing need for change. The Constitution considers the possibility of a coalition government. It is in nobodys interests to have someone win with 27% of the vote and then be unable to govern. This national unity we are seeing has to lead to a political unity. The limits between the left and the right are still holding society back significantly. Q. Are you still interested in running for president? A. Yes, but I am more interested in projects than in parties. I am interested in projects that can rally the whole of society together. I still think I can be an independent backed by different parties. English version by Susana Urra. The former premier of Catalonia and two top aides went on trial on Monday over an informal independence vote for the region held on November 9, 2014. Artur Mas faces a 10-year ban from public service for disobedience and for deliberately making unlawful decisions while holding office. His ex-deputy premier Joana Ortega and ex-education chief Irene Rigau could each receive nine-year bans. Artur Mas in court on Monday. Albert Garcia The five-day trial is widely viewed as a showdown between Catalan separatists and the central government in Madrid, which is in the hands of the conservative Popular Party (PP). Current Catalan premier Carles Puigdemont said that the case should never have reached the courts. Pro-sovereignty groups used the hearing to make a public show of force. In the minutes prior to the scheduled starting time, thousands of supporters marched with the defendants along downtown Barcelona, waving unofficial independence flags and holding up signs reading We shall overcome. No will to disobey Inside the Catalan regional High Court, Artur Mas did not answer questions from the prosecution and instead said that the Constitutional Court should have done more to stop the vote if it was so evidently a crime. There was no express will to commit any crime or to disobey anybody, said Mas, alleging that the Constitutional Court which had banned the informal referendum four days before it took place did not properly explain the legal consequences of holding the ballot. Both Ortega and Rigau followed the same line of defense. We are holding our heads up high, we would do it all over again Artur Mas, ex-Catalan premier In court, Mas portrayed himself as a politician torn between two duties: the duty to obey the Constitutional Courts ban, and the higher duty of obeying the [Catalan] parliaments mandate and the clamoring in the streets demanding a vote on independence. He also insisted that the non-binding poll was not directly organized by the regional government but rather by 42,000 volunteers, and that Catalan authorities simply offered support. Prosecutors reject this theory and say they have evidence showing that the Catalan government actively worked to make the poll happen by opening voting stations, providing laptops and more. The three defendants in court on Monday morning: Joana Ortega (l), Artur Mas and Irene Rigau. Alberto Estevez (EFE) Around 2.3 million people voted in the participatory process held on November 9, 2014 out of an eligible voter pool of 6.3 million, according to the regional governments own figures. Although 80% voted in favor of independence, it was dismissed by international observers as lacking sufficient guarantees of objectivity, given that it was organized and counted by pro-sovereignty activists and that many detractors of independence simply did not participate. The vote further eroded relations between Madrid and Catalonia, where separatists received a renewed mandate to push for independence at the regional election of September 27, 2015, won by the pro-sovereignty Junts pel Si coalition. The current Catalan government is promising to hold a binding referendum on independence later this year. Speaking in Malta on Friday, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy insisted that any regional referendum on independence will be illegal as per the Spanish Constitution. We can talk, but everyone must obey the law, he said in Malta. A distraction On Monday, non-nationalist parties criticized the public display by separatist forces, portraying it as a distraction from political scandals in the region. I see Mas much more at ease talking about this trial than about the 3% case, [a reference to the commission allegedly paid to government officials in exchange for contracts], or about the Palau case [involving alleged illegal party financing], said Ines Arrimadas, head of the Catalan branch of the center-right party Ciudadanos. Arrimadas was alluding to separatists hope that the show of force will reinforce unity within their camp following recent divisive scandals. One of these involves a judge who said the regional government has illegally accessed Catalan taxpayers files, and another has to do with new arrests in connection with a large bribes-for-contracts scheme affecting the nationalist party Convergencia, which has since renamed itself as the Democratic Party of Catalonia (PDeCAT). English version by Susana Urra. Donations from the locally-based George & Betty Harbaugh Charitable Foundation continue to make a difference in the region. For the third year in a row the Harbaugh Foundation funded Patriots Outpost at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, held in Janaury, giving back to military men and women. Patriots Outpost is a private chalet located on the 13th hole of the popular PGA tour stop made exclusively available to veterans and active duty servicemen and women. Last year Patriots Outpost hosted nearly 2,000 active military and veterans, and provided lunch, refreshments and a spectacular and up-close viewing outpost for all in attendance. In addition, this year the Harbaugh Foundation is introducing a $10,000 scholarship titled the Harbaugh Patriot Award, which will be given annually to a deserving Navy SEAL. The scholarship will cover tuition to the Honor Foundation - a unique transition readiness institute created exclusively for Navy SEALs and the U.S. Special Operations community as they transition from military to civilian life. The recipient this year is Brandon Myers, a Navy SEAL-in-training who suffered a debilitating injury on the obstacle course during training last year that nearly claimed his life. Myers also served as the 2017 Ambassador during the tournament at the Harbaugh Foundation Patriots Outpost. In addition to the scholarship, Myers, as well as the Farmers Open tournament champion, received a rugged RESCO timepiece that has become synonymous with Navy SEALS. The watch was designed and tested by Navy SEALS and is currently worn by more than 100 of these elite warriors in the day-to-day execution of their duties. Sponsoring Patriots Outpost and creating the Harbaugh Patriot Award falls in line with one of the primary objectives of the Harbaugh Foundation, which is to honor and serve our American freedom fighters in any way we are able, said Joe Balla, director of the George & Betty Harbaugh Charitable Foundation, and a longtime resident of Del Mar and Solana Beach. The Harbaugh Foundation was created in 2014 to honor George and Betty Harbaugh, who loved San Diego and quietly supported the military their entire lives. Among those benefiting from the Harbaugh Foundations gifts are the Jessie Rees Foundation, Easter Seals, Starkey Hearing Foundation, Scripps Health Foundation, the J. Craig Venter Institute and various wounded warrior causes. In 2015 the Harbaugh Foundation donated $1.15 million to save the controversial piece of property bordering San Elijo Lagoon, formerly known as Gateway Park. Now, as Harbaugh Seaside Trails, it will forever be protected as an asset of the people of Solana Beach with wide-open and unobstructed view corridors. More recently the Harbaugh Foundation funded transformation and landscape upgrades (which will soon be revealed) for the popular Carpentier Parkway in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. Balla and the Harbaugh Foundation have worked closely in conjunction with the Cardiff-by-the-Sea Foundation again with the intent to preserve ecological assets important to the North County community. The George and Betty Harbaugh Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) created in 2014 as a purpose-driven philanthropy committed to impactful giving and the thoughtful advancement of human achievement. -- Submitted press release By Zeke Hausfather 5 February 2017 (Carbon Brief) In an article in todays Mail on Sunday, David Rose makes the extraordinary claim that world leaders were duped into investing billions over manipulated global warming data, accusing the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of manipulating the data to show more warming in a 2015 study by Tom Karl and coauthors. What he fails to mention is that the new NOAA results have been validated by independent data from satellites, buoys and Argo floats and that many other independent groups, including Berkeley Earth and the UKs Met Office Hadley Centre, get effectively the same results. NOAAs results are independently verified The new NOAA record published in Karl, et al., primarily updated their ocean temperature record. While they also released a revised land record based on data from the International Surface Temperature Initiative (and the related Global Historical Climatology Network version 4 beta product GHCNv4), the land record was largely similar to their prior record and was responsible for relatively little of the increase in warming they showed. I recently led a team of researchers that evaluated NOAAs updates to their ocean temperature record. In a paper published last month in the journal Science Advances, we compared the old NOAA record and the new NOAA record to independent instrumentally homogenous records created from buoys, satellite radiometers, and Argo floats. Our results, as you can see in the chart below, show that the new NOAA record agrees quite well with all of these, while the old NOAA record shows much less warming. This was due to two factors: the old NOAA record spliced together warmer ship data with colder buoy data without accounting for the offset between the two; and the new NOAA record puts more weight on higher-quality buoy records and less weight on ship records (versus the old NOAA record which treated ships and buoys equally). You can read more about the study in Carbon Briefs article. This is one of those tales that make you angry. So if you are at all sensitive to the gory details of animal cruelty, stop reading. It is the story of Illona Mitchell, a 48-year-old British woman who moved with her then husband in 2004 to the south of Spain more specifically to Caniles in Granada, a village of 4,300 people. Jack, Domingo and Dizzy. After a lot of work, the couple managed to buy a beautiful 173-hectare (427-acre) farm, five kilometers out of Caniles. The area was both lively and beautiful, with native forests of pine, holm oak and juniper populated by hares, deer, foxes and wild boar. The only thing I want is to be left in peace and see justice done Illona Mitchell Illona has always been an animal and nature lover. In fact, she brought her two horses with her from the United Kingdom. So, with her new set up, it seemed life couldnt get any better. Like many Brits coming to the peninsula, she was seeking peace but instead she came face to face with the dark side of rural Spain. On January 6 or King's Day, when children in Spain traditionally receive their Christmas presents five of her dogs were shot, the sixth disappeared and one of her horses was beaten about the head so violently that it could lose its eye. Illona with her daughter Eli (left) and playing with Domingo (right). Over the 13 years she has been in Spain, Illona has had her share of good and bad times. Her daughter Eli was born here 11 years ago. After a long fight with Spanish bureaucracy, she managed to get permission to build a home on her land. The clarification of land boundaries brought her into conflict with some of her neighbors, she and her husband separated, she fell in love again and, most importantly, she did what she has always dreamed of doing she set up an animal rescue shelter. Gradually, her animal family grew until there were 10 dogs, five cats and 14 horses to look after. This she did with the help of her friend Mandy and Mandys husband Roberto, a British couple who live on a farm nearby. As time went on, and after some serious deliberation, she decided to fence off her land to prevent people hunting on it. This, she believes, is the reason her animals have been killed as a brutal act of revenge. Ever since I decided there would be no hunting here, there have been all kinds of insults thrown my way, she says. Ive been stopped on the street, my daughter and I have been intimidated and my signature has even been forged on official documents, making hunting on my land legal. Roco after being attacked (left) and with Illona (right). Illona is still in a state of shock and has lost nine kilos since her dogs were killed and her horse attacked. She still doesnt know how to explain what happened to her daughter, a girl who loves animals as much as she does if not more. They waited until it was a holiday, such as Kings Day, because thats when there are fewer police about and security is lower. It was all planned, she says. Real hunters dont do things like that: we condemn these acts as criminal Jairo Azar, Granada hunting federation Illona and Eli are not the only ones who are distraught. Illonas friend Mandy and her husband found the dogs first. As Illona still lives in town her house will be finished next month Mandy and Roberto would generally be the ones to feed the animals in the morning. Illona would get there a little later and stay until evening. On the day of the slaughter, Eli was still busy opening her presents when Illona got the call. The dogs were dead, said Mandy, who has since been on medication to calm her nerves. She has also put the couples property on sale, frightened that there might be a repeat performance. Illona left immediately and found a nightmarish scene awaiting her. The kennels where the dogs slept had been opened during the night. And because they were very sociable dogs by nature, they must have come out to say hello because almost all their bodies were outside their kennels, says Isidoro, Illonas partner. Dizzy, a shy seven-year-old mongrel, was the only one to be killed where he slept. He must have stayed inside the kennel because he doesnt like to go near strangers. He finds it difficult to trust people because he was badly treated, but he was a lovely dog, says Isidoro, 40, who farms locally. Max and Cilla (left), two of the dogs who managed to escape. Dizzy (right) was was killed as he slept. Coco the dog, aged two, and Maisie, a two-month-old puppy, each got a bullet in the head and lay in a pool of blood at the door to their kennels. Jack, a German shepherd, had been shot in the mouth. He survived for half an hour but died on the way to the vet. Domingo, three, was shot in the face and lasted until the next morning. Rocky, two, is still missing while the four other dogs were lucky enough to escape. They were found days later. Roco, the four-year-old colt, was beaten repeatedly over the head. This caused so much damage to his eye that the vet is not sure he can save it. Horses are very noble and affectionate animals, says Isidoro who is also convinced that the killings were a premeditated act of revenge by hunters who refused to stay off Illonas land. Roco was great but now hes a mess. If he hears a male voice, he starts to tremble. At first, he would only let Illona and Mandy near him. But now he wont even accept them. Hes very nervous. He and I had a special bond because I spent a lot of time with him but now he cant stand me. Or the vet. So its really hard to treat him. He needs time. Jairo Azar, director of education with Granadas hunting federation, calls the acts savage and horrible. According to him, real hunters dont do things like that. We condemn these acts as criminal, as we did in the case of the hunter who killed two forest rangers in Catalonia, he says, referring to a recent case in the north of Spain. Illona with Jack. Azar adds that everyone has the right to ban hunting on private property and the ban must be respected. Being a hunter means obeying the law and what has happened here clearly isnt [legal]. I dont know what went on because its not something we knew anything about. It could have been a personal grudge or perhaps something carried out by poachers. We dont do things like that. This is someone who is clearly disturbed, he says. Roco, a four-year-old colt, was beaten repeatedly over the head and may lose his eye Disturbed or not, the person or people who attacked Illonas dogs and horse knew what they were doing. They were cool and collected enough to pick up the cartridges and cover their tracks. The only evidence Seprona, the Civil Guards environmental department, has managed to obtain is a .22 caliber bullet lodged in the skull of one of the dogs: the animal was shot with what appears to have been a short-barreled rifle. They have since interviewed a number of people but are still investigating. We are sure that they wont give up until they find the culprits, says Isidoro. Theyve told us that in cases like these, you have to examine the immediate surroundings. At least weve been lucky enough to get agents on the case who love animals and who are horrified by what happened. Coco died after being shot in the head. In 2016, Seprona intervened in more than 12,400 cases of animal abuse in Spain, 783 of which resulted in penalties being applied. However, only 490 people were detained or investigated. Meanwhile, Illona is terrified. She doesnt trust anyone and she has taken the other dogs to her house in town to protect them. Until the perpetrators are found, she doesnt want to rescue any more animals, although she is clear about one thing: she will maintain the hunting ban on her land. She has also offered a reward to anyone who offers information. They were all so good, she says, referring to the dogs. They had suffered a lot of abuse before, but here they were looked after and were doing well. Its so unfair. The only thing I want is to be left in peace and see justice done. This article originally appeared on the AnimalesyCia blog. English version by Heather Galloway. Two weeks after Spains eastern Mediterranean coastline was battered by storms, the seafront of the small tourist resort of Almenara, in Castellon, looks like a war zone. Its as though a bomb had dropped and made half of it disappear, says Estibaliz Perez, the Socialist Party (PSOE) mayor of this town of 6,000 residents whose economy largely depends on visitors with holiday homes here. The seafront at Almenara, in Castellon, after storms last month. MONICA TORRES The storms that have lashed the Mediterranean since November have left beaches swallowed up by the sea, showers and wooden walkways destroyed by waves, promenades devastated and streets badly damaged. The slow pace of repair work and rebuilding in coastal towns has officials worried that they will not be ready in time for Easter, when the tourism season begins. We are responsible for maintenance, but this is too much for us Official in Muro, Mallorca It is very important to be ready in time, and I hope that at least the promenade will be finished. It is impassable at the moment, and it is a danger. But well have to hurry because there is a lot of damage, says Almenaras mayor. The 1 million cost of repairing the promenade will be borne by the central government. Tourist organizations in Valencias two other provinces, along with Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Murcia, are all calling on local, regional and central governments to work together quickly to repair the infrastructure. We want our beach infrastructure to be in perfect condition within two months. Not just for Easter, but because it would reflect badly on us in the summer if we dont, says Luis Marti, president of the hotel federation of Valencia. Spains Environment Ministry says it is to spend around 28 million on repair work to around a hundred towns damaged by the storms. The government says the work will be completed by Easter. Valencia has called on Madrid to help with the cost of repairing damage to 59 towns Responsibility for coastal infrastructure is shared by the central and regional governments, as well as local councils, although the latter say they are largely unable to do much. Muro, a small town in the northeast of Mallorca, is a typical example. Jaume Ramon, the councilor who heads the environment department, says he lacks the resources to clean the two kilometers of beach currently covered in debris left behind by the storms. If it isnt cleaned soon, it will work its way into the sand and by Easter it could be dangerous for bathers. We are responsible for maintenance, but this is too much for us, thats why we have asked the regional government for help. Malgrat de Mar, some 60 kilometers north of Barcelona, is waiting for the Environment Ministry to help repair a road to two campsites that was washed away last month. The town of San Javier, in Murcia, has just been told that the central government has approved funding to help repair badly damaged beaches. The regional government of Valencia has called on Madrid to help with the cost of repairing damage caused to 59 coastal towns. Francesc Colomer, head of the Valencia regions tourism agency, says that an overarching plan is needed to protect Spains beaches from the impact of extreme weather, which is expected to become more frequent due to global warming. English version by Nick Lyne. Deutsche Telekoms Romanian operations are reportedly up for sale, with the operator believed to be holding talks to sell off its fixed and mobile units separately. The two deals could be worth over 1 billion, with Orange tipped as the lead candidate interested in buying the fixed unit. Romanian broadband and cable provider RCS & RDS has been mooted as a potential buyer for the mobile operations. Romanian M&A website Mirsanu.ro has cited Telekom Romanias continuing decline over the past few years as DTs main impetus for exiting the market. Across the first nine months of 2016, Telekom Romanias revenue dropped 0.4% to 718 million, with subscriber numbers also falling to 5.87 million, down from 5.99 million at the start of the year. Telekom Romania is the second largest operator in the country. The market is Oranges Romanian unit, which already has an agreement in place to use Deutsche Telekoms fixed infrastructure. BlackBerry has secured a device manufacturing agreement in India while Apple has taken a further step towards a similar agreement. As the worlds second largest smartphone market, having a presence in India is highly desirable for device manufacturers. Apple has been in talks with Indias government since the end of last year, and now seems poised to begin the manufacture of devices in Bengaluru by the end of April, according to an interview with Karnataka states information technology minister Priyank Kharge. Kharge posted on Twitter saying: Apples intentions to make iPhones in Bengaluru will foster cutting edge technology ecosystem and supply chain development in the state. Karnataka, of which Bengaluru is the capital, has celebrated Apples manufacturing proposal in an official release which was picked up on by a number of press outlets. He noted that if a deal is agreed, Apple will begin manufacturing devices at a plant founded by the firms Taiwanese partner, Wistron. Apple has made no official confirmation of a deal, although CEO Tim Cook stated that India was a great place to be with regard to manufacturing, noting that the firm was in discussions on a number of things, including retail stores, and fully intend to invest significantly in the country. However, the firm could face setbacks as it looks to secure tax and sourcing concessions from Indias government, with officials previously stating that they would give Apple no special treatment. BlackBerry meanwhile has partnered with Optiemus Infracom, and will license device software and brand assets to the firm. Optiemus already distributes BlackBerrys devices in India, and the firm will now assume responsibilities for designing, manufacturing, selling and marketing products under the BlackBerry brand in India as well as neighbouring Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The agreement with Optiemus is BlackBerrys third with a device manufacturer, and covers markets that were not included in its previously announced deal with handset firm TCL. At the time of this announcement, BlackBerry confirmed that it was holding late discussions for an Indian manufacturing deal. It can now be inferred that these talks were with Optiemus. BlackBerrys now has agreements in place that will allow its licensees to manufacture and sell devices carrying the BlackBerry brand in every market globally. This final agreement with Optiemus was described by BlackBerry as completing our transition to a security software and services company. Both deals are broadly beneficial to Indias prime minister Narendra Modi, whose Make in India campaign is aimed at encouraging job creation in the country. Mexicos Chamber of Deputies has approved a reform to make femicide a serious crime meriting preventive prison. Under current legislation, a suspect may be released pending trial, creating a risk for witnesses and other potential victims, according to human rights groups. A 2016 march against femicide in Mexico City. AFP-GETTY More information Los diputados mexicanos endurecen la legislacion ante el alza en los feminicidios The reform to Section 167 of the National Penal Procedures Code seeks to ensure that defendants will appear in court instead of fleeing justice. The initiative will now move to the Senate for debate. Mexicos response to violence against women is still deficient, which leads to a lack of faith in the authorities, said Deputy Claudia Anaya Mota, who introduced the initiative in the lower house of Mexicos Congress. The National Observatory against Femicides estimates that 60% of female killings in the country go unpunished. The municipality of Ecatepec, in the State of Mexico, is considered particularly dangerous Maria Eugenia Ocampo Bedolla, another federal deputy, said it is necessary to include femicides on the list of high-impact crimes deserving of pre-trial detention, as the killing of women has reached alarming rates in Mexico. The administration of justice has not adequately responded to violent crimes, she said, adding that this creates an increase in insecurity for women. Femicides in Mexico made world headlines in 1993 due to a spate of cases in the border town of Ciudad Juarez. But it was another 20 years before the countrys penal code incorporated femicide as a crime. A poster showing missing women in Ciudad Juarez. AP In 2012, Congress approved prison sentences of 40 to 60 years for individuals found guilty of killing a woman for gender-related reasons. Federal authorities asked the states to adapt their own legislation to the new situation. To date, the only state that has yet to incorporate femicide into its criminal code is Chihuahua which is home to Ciudad Juarez. In 2015, the Senates Gender Equality Committee told the Chihuaha State Assembly to incorporate the crime into its code, but the change has yet to happen. In 2009, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled against Mexico for its inability to guarantee womens right to life. The historical ruling involved three women who had been murdered in Ciudad Juarez in 1993, and found that Mexico had obstructed families access to justice. These days, human rights groups are particularly concerned about another part of the country: the state of Mexico, where 2,318 women have been murdered over the course of nine years, according to the watchdog group National Citizen Femicide Observatory (OCNF). The municipality of Ecatepec is considered particularly dangerous: around 600 women were killed there between 2012 and 2016. English version by Susana Urra. As per the agreement, BlackBerry will license its brand name, security software and suite of services to Delhi-based Optiemus Infracom. BlackBerry Limited has signed yet another licensing deal to design, manufacture and sell BlackBerry software powered Android smartphones in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. Following its deal with Chinese OEM TCL, BlackBerry has now roped in Delhi-based Optiemus Infracom to manufacture and sell BlackBerry smartphones in the country and its neighbours. As per the agreement, BlackBerry will license its brand name, security software and suite of services to Optiemus Infracom, which will in turn manufacture, promote and sell the devices in India. The deal was first reported on February 3, but has now been officially announced. A statement released by the BlackBerry says that the deal will help encourage the Make In India movement. As reported by Economic Times, Alex Thurber, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Mobility Solutions at BlackBerry said, India is a very important market for BlackBerry, so we are delighted our latest licensing partnership will extend the BlackBerry software experience to more customers and support the Indian governments Make In India agenda. This is an important milestone in our strategy to put the smart in the phone, providing state-of-the-art security and device software on a platform relevant to mobile customers, with more localization. With its infrastructure and experience in manufacturing, and proven success as our distribution partner, Optiemus Infracom Ltd is the ideal partner to design and manufacture trusted BlackBerry secure Android handsets for customers in India and neighboring markets. Commenting on the Ashok Gupta, Chairman of Optiemus Infracom Ltd. said, "This agreement will help us expand mobility choices by designing, manufacturing and offering secure BlackBerry devices which are made in India, for customers in India, as well as Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. With our strong end to end play in the mobile ecosystem in manufacturing, retail, distribution and support, we are confident that our journey with BlackBerry will be a long and successful one. As per previous reports, Optiemus Infracom plans to focus on manufacturing BlackBerry handsets priced between Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 20,000, hinting that the company might be looking to target India's budget Android users. These handsets will be localised for Indian users, while they will recieve regular security updates from BlackBerry. Optiemus will be manufacturing BlackBerry handsets in India at a Wistron facility, as the company has a contract with the Taiwanese manufacturer. Incidently, Cupertino-based Apple is also set to assemble and manufacture iPhones in India at a Wistron facility in Peenya, Karnataka. BlackBerry launched its latest Android handsets, DTEK 50 and DTEK 60 in India back in December, 2016. While the DTEK 50 is priced at Rs. 21,890, the DTEK 60 is a more premium smartphone priced at Rs. 41,500. Xiaomi India head Manu Jain claims local manufacturing will boost company's sales in India Xiaomi aims to sell 7 million units of the Redmi Note 4 smartphone in India. The company surpassed $1 billion revenues in India last year and now aims to become the number one smartphone maker in the next 3-5 years. For Xiaomi, the Redmi Note 3 was a success and the company claims to have sold nearly 3.6 million handsets. Xiaomi was one of the first companies to start local manufacturing at Foxconn's Sri City unit in Andhra Pradesh. The company plans to expand local manufacturing efforts further. Xiaomi India Head, Manu Jain, told the Economic Times that local manufacturing will boost the company's sales in India. "We are looking to open one or two new factories with similar capacities to double or triple our capacities, either at Sri City itself or elsewhere in the country, with Foxconn," he said. Xiaomi announced the Redmi Note 4 with Snapdragon 625 SoC in India on January 19. It sold over 2,50,000 units in the first sale held on both Flipkart and Mi.com. Jain says his company hopes to double the sales volume on the Redmi Note 4 this year. Xiaomi may have good sales in the online smartphone space, but its peers, like Vivo and Oppo, have expanded themselves into the offline retail space. Back in October, Xiaomi announced the Redmi 3S+, meant exclusively for the offline retail channel, but the company is yet to tap into that market. "Even while continuing its focus on online first sales strategy, the Chinese firm will nearly triple its offline sales this year to around 30% from some 10% now," notes ET. Xiaomi has seen significant growth in India since its foray almost two and a half years ago. With Global VP, Hugo Barra leaving the company, Xiaomi will have to bank on compelling features and availability of devices, to maintain its growth in an highly competitive market. Fitbit laid off 6% of its workforce. Pebble shut shop. Jawbone is reportedly planning to exit the wearable space and enter the medical tech arena. Misfit handed over its business to Fossil way back in 2015. The wearable world is stagnant and in a downward spiral. Will it stand the test of time? Are you still using the smartwatch you picked up 6 months ago? Are fitness trackers purely riding on a novelty factor? Do we really need another device to charge? Lets try and answer, these and other pertinent questions. The fate of the wearables market depends on them. Why are we buying wearables in India? To say that wearables do not attract the same enthusiasm as smartphones would be an understatement, at least in the developing market we live in. However, market reports will tell you that Indians are still stocking up on wearables. According to a report by the International Data Corporation, wearables clocked just over 400,000 units in the first quarter of 2016. They continued their successful streak through to the second quarter of 2016, with a jump of 41.9 percent over the previous quarter. While Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi led the rally of wearable shipments in India in the first quarter, native GOQii took its title away in the second quarter, while Fitbit sat comfortable on the third spot throughout the two quarters. While a robust growth trajectory looks good on paper for the wearables industry in India, it may not remain in the green for long. The same IDC report goes to show that Indians are more likely to buy basic activity trackers, instead of smart wearables that run third-party apps such as the Apple Watch or the Samsung Gear S3. Here in India, it all comes down to price and novelty. While the latter may also be a factor that influences wearables purchases in countries like the US and UK, price sensitivity is, and has been, a crucial deciding factor for Indians. A Rs. 1,999 Mi Band 2 is any day more attractive to the Indian buyer than a Rs. 14,999 FitBit Charge 2 or a Rs. 32,900 Apple Watch 2. In fact, almost 94% of wearables accounted for in IDCs Q2 2016 numbers account for basic bands and trackers. The average price of over $190 has had a negative impact on smart wearables (smartwatches and such) as it is still perceived as a premium device which not many consumers can afford, Raj Nimesh , Senior Market Analyst - Client Devices, IDC writes in the report. A new toy to play with, or as we called it earlier, novelty, is the second factor that influences wearables purchases, in India. That, coupled with an affordable price tag, is a recipe for success that many wearable sellers like Xiaomi and Huawei have adopted in India. GOQii, Indias largest wearables vendor by market share, takes a different approach by selling subscriptions instead of devices. The cheapest, 3 month subscription for GOQii services, including a fitness band and real-life health consultations starts at Rs. 1,999. Still very affordable for personal consumption as well as gifting. Global smartwatch shipments grew as low as 1% annually Why are they not buying wearables abroad? In markets that are not driven by price, wearables had a real opportunity to make a difference. However, they have failed to do so. Every now and then Apple launches a watch or Samsung releases a new Gear device, to create some 'buzz' in the market. A market, which for long, has been hoisting red flags for wearable makers. Since 2014, the western world has made its lack of commitment to wearables very apparent. An Endeavour Partners survey by from circa 2014 claimed that 50% of wearables' users had a tendency to dump their devices. As per the report, "The wearables that are very successful are the ones that are designed to solve a very specific problem for someone that a smartphone isn't doing." Come 2016, a Gartner report remains almost unchanged. According to the findings of the report, the abandonment rate of smartwatches is 29%, and that of fitness trackers is 30%. The abandonment rate is quite high relative to the usage rate. To offer a compelling enough value proposition, the uses for wearable devices need to be distinct from what smartphones typically provide. Wearables makers need to engage users with incentives and gamification, stated the report. In this two year period, smartwatches and fitness trackers became smarter, added more sensors, and heightened their appeal. But they still havent hit the sweet spot with consumers. A latest study by Strategy Analytics points out that global smartwatch shipments grew as low as 1% annually, from 8.1 million units in Q4 2015 to 8.2 million in Q4 2016. This, after two consecutive quarters of declining volumes. Another report by eMarketer shows the dire state of US adult wearables users and penetration. You can view the data from this report below. Smartwatches in particular, the report states, have failed to impress customers. As per the firms estimates, 39.5 million adults in the US will use an internet-enabled wearable device at least once a month. The firm cut their own estimate, which it predicted to be 63.7 million back in October 2015. Without a clear use case for smart watcheswhich have more features than fitness trackers, but significant overlap with smartphone functionalitythe more sophisticated, expensive devices have not caught on as quickly as expected, said eMarketer analyst Nicole Perrin in the report. The Silver Lining, beyond fitness tracking and useless apps After years of playing the same record, there is one good thing that seems to have come from the wearables space - medical wearables. Why? Because they actually have some utility to offer. In some cases, this could be monitoring long term illnesses, or in others, reminding patients to take their medicines on time, or help a paralysed man feel touch, or even help calm down patients who suffer from panic attacks. Medical wearables have the ability to actually make a difference for their users, as opposed to trackers and smartwatches that bombard people with data they cannot interpret or trust. As per a study carried out by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, fitness trackers dont actually help people reduce weight and become fitter. Another one published in Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, states that while fitness trackers and smartwatches do increase activity levels in people, it is not enough to battle chronic illnesses. In conclusion, it is safe to say that the days for wearables as we know them now, are numbered. The future belongs to wearables that can do more than just replicating smartphone tasks. Wearables that can truly engage users, assist them in achieving tasks that they otherwise cannot using a smartphone. Competition for wearables has presented itself in the form of VR/AR headsets, virtual assistants and IoT devices, all of which present stronger use-case scenarios even at this nascent stage. Will wearables suffer the same fate as tablets? One cant help but wonder. SEE ALSO: Brain wearables and my battle with concentration Botswana Diamonds announced on Monday that it has entered into an option and earn-in agreement with Vutomi Mining and Razorbill Properties 12 - collectively known as Vutomi - a private diamond exploration and development firm in South Africa. The AIM-traded firm described it as a new strategic development for Botswana Diamonds, saying advanced projects in South Africa would be developed in tandem with the ongoing Botswana-based exploration programme. It said there was potential for commercial diamond mining in the short to medium-term. Under the agreement, Botswana Diamonds has agreed to pay Vutomi a total of 942,000 in cash, of which 581,000 will be used to fund exploration activities. In addition, the company will issue 100 million ordinary shares of 0.25p each to Vutomi shareholders. The agreement will be executed in three phases, Botswana Diamonds said, after which the company will own 72% of Vutomi. It confirmed the remaining 28% will continue to be held by Vutomi's Black Economic Empowerment partners. Vutomi has a portfolio of over twenty high interest kimberlites, many of which are diamondiferous spanning the Limpopo, North-West and Free State Provinces of South Africa, the Botswana Diamonds board said in a statement. These kimberlites are housed in ten prospecting rights encompassing over 50,000 hectares of ground. It said the flagship project, Frischgewaagt, is in the Limpopo Province 300km north of Johannesburg and is immediately adjacent to the Marsfontein Mine which was previously operated by De Beers. This mine operated for only two years in the 1990's but the diamond grade and quality was such that the entire capital cost was repaid in four days. Botswana Diamonds said the Frischgewaagt project consists of a minimum 4km long kimberlite dyke/blow system. Vutomi have already undertaken detailed ground geophysics and sampling and are currently in the process of a core and percussion drilling programme which will give both BOD and Vutomi a better indication of size and grade. The sampling programme, which was undertaken in 2016, yielded a raw diamond value of US$180/ct from 247 carats and kimberlite intersections in the dyke/blow system have been between 1-17m. As at 30 November 2016, Vutomi's net assets were valued at 221k. AIM-listed investment firm Glenwick is to buy explorer Cora Gold for shares equivalent to about 91% of its enlarged share capital, as the company pivots towards the mining sector. The acquisition of Cora Gold, which was established by Hummingbird Resources and Kola Gold in 2016 to amalgamate gold permits in Mali and Senegal, is subject to the completion of technical and legal due diligence by Kola, Hummingbird and Glenwick, and the entering of a legal binding share purchase agreement. Glwnwicks enlarged share capital due to the acquisition is expected to be admitted to trade on AIM the second quarter of 2017. The company also announced that Dr. Jaap Poll has stepped down from Glenwicks board with immediate effect, after joining in last year as its oil and gas sector expert bit as the company is pivoting towards the mining sector, Dr. Poll has decided resign to pursue his other business interests. Amanda van Dyke, director of Glenwick, said: "We are very excited to be working with the experienced Cora Gold management team, given it historic successes in West Africa, as well as the Hummingbird team. The gold portfolio comprises what we believe to be some of the most prospective ground in West Africa and there could be no better team to develop the assets than the one Cora Gold has assembled. "The board is thrilled to be able to offer our shareholders access to this opportunity, and will be doing everything in our power to make the transaction a success." Meanwhile, the company said that its pre-IPO investment in i3 Energy is currently seeking admission to AIM and that the i3 shares received by Glenwick following the IPO will be distributed to Glenwick shareholders, excluding new shareholders as part of the acquisition of Cora Gold and a recent share placing. Glenwick raised 130,000 through a placing of 260m shares at a price of 0.05p each from Paternoster Resources, an AIM-quoted investment mining firm, for general working capital. Paternoster will receive an entitlement to i3 shares once they are distributed to Glenwick shareholders for the new shares. AIM-listed card payments company Proxama said a leading unnamed South African insurance and financial services provider, has signed a five year contract with for the supply of in-house Europay, Mastercard and Visa (EMV) card issuing, PIN management and card lifecycle management. Revenue earned from software licenses, services and support will be 0.365m in 2017 and a minimum of 0.691m in total over the five years, with additional payments if certain card capacity thresholds are achieved, Proxama said. Proxama will supply Payment Application Manager for EMV card issuing, card lifecycle and key management, PIN Manager for electronic PIN capture and distribution, and EMV Transaction Manager for EMV transaction authentication and post-issuance control of EMV cards, including PIN changes and risk management. Proxama shares rose 3.3% to 39p on the news at 0908 GMT. Symphony Environmental Technologies announced the launch of a range of plastic pipes incorporating Symphony's d2p antimicrobial technology on Monday, in conjunction with with Dadex Eternit in Pakistan The AIM-traded company confirmed the launch took place in Karachi in the presence of trade and media, with the board saying it marked the conclusion of a two-year programme of scientific testing and technical trials, and the signing of a five-year exclusive agreement between Dadex and Symphony's Pakistan distributor, Business Dynamics, for the supply of d2p. Dadex is exclusively using Symphony's d2p technology in its antimicrobial products, and a dedicated joint sales team had been formed with Business Dynamics to introduce the new d2p pipes to existing customers as well as new ones. The d2p technology is designed to ensure that the pipes will be free from harmful bacteria and fungi, Symphony said. We are delighted to be associated with Dadex on their initiatives to improve their plastic pipe products with the incorporation of our d2p additive technology, said CEO Michael Laurier. We are also excited to be involved with helping to create this important improvement to an everyday product. The weeks ahead will involve an active supporting role for Business Dynamics and Symphony as the new range of antimicrobial pipes are introduced to the market. Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT Google Ad The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh British tourists will have to pay mobile phone operators roaming charges when they travel in the EU after Brexit, the Guardian reported, citing a leaked analysis paper from the European parliament. From June this year consumers will be able to call, send SMS or surf on their mobile at the same price they pay at home when travelling in the EU, after years of negotiations between the EU and mobile phone companies. However this will not apply to UK holidaymakers and business travellers from 2019 unless the British government strikes a favourable deal with the union. The document was drawn up earlier this month by the European parliaments committee on industry, research and energy, and endorsed by MEPs, the Guardian report stated. The analysis states that regulation (EU) No 531/2012 on roaming will no longer apply with respect to the UK, impacting business and other travellers to and from the UK and that transitional arrangements will be necessary. In recent years, the EU has slowly forced phone operators to reduce their roaming charges although there was opposition to this from the UK government when the proposal was first mooted. In 2014, before roaming charges started to be reduced, 20% of UK mobile users travelling to the EU faced higher than usual bills for usage, according to data from Uswitch. The average charge added to bills was 61, and 17% of those affected faced bills of 100 or more. Deutsche Bank has reiterated a buy rating on Astrazeneca but cut the target price to 5,500p from 6,000p after the drug maker warned that profit and revenue would fall this year. Last Thursday Astrazeneca issued a profit warning as cheaper generic versions of its cholesterol drug Crestor continue to hurt sales. The pharmaceuticals group said it hopes that 2017 will be the earnings trough. However, its recovery will depend on the success of new medicines and results from a clinical trial of a combination of two lung cancer drugs. Although we see a greater risk that material earnings per share (EPS_ growth is delayed into 2019 and view Astrazeneca as more dependent on pipeline delivery, we continue to see positive risk-reward ahead of a major flow of pipeline catalysts through 2017, said Deutsche Bank. With our forecasts suggesting a 2017-20 EPS compound annual growth rate of 14%, we maintain our buy rating with a lowered 5,500p price target. AstraZeneca expects core EPS in the current fiscal year to fall by a low to mid-teens percentage in local currency terms from 2016's level of $4.31. It has also forecast a low to mid single-digit percentage decline in revenue. The companys guidance was in line with consensus forecasts. Meanwhile, the group anticipates an increased share of profits coming from asset sales and partnership income. Deutsche Bank said such externalisation and other operating income is expected to contribute to greater than $900m more of profits than expected. We have also reduced our pre-externalisation operating margin assumptions leading us to lower our 2018-2022 core EPS forecasts by 5-10%, the bank said. Given the dependence of 2017 earnings on externalisation income, we see a greater risk that a return to material EPS growth is pushed into 2019. The bank concluded that risks for the firm include failure to deliver cost savings, lower sales from the growth platforms, pipeline failure and lower commercial potential of pipeline drugs. Shares in Astrazeneca on Monday rose 0.78% to 4,392p at 1014 GMT. Tell us more You are seeing these quotes based on previous browsing related to sectors such as Jack Ma , the chief executive of huge Chinese online retailer Alibaba , has warned that the end of free trade would bring about a global conflict, and spoken about the benefits that globalisation has for world economies. During the launch of Alibaba's new headquarters in Australia and New Zealand, Ma did not specifically mention the policies of US President Donald Trump or the trade fallout from Britain's exit from the European Union, but promoted "fair, transparent and inclusive trade". Ma and Trump met at Trump Tower last month, before announcing that Alibaba would help to create over one million jobs in the US. "Everybody is concerned about trade wars. If trade stops, war starts," Ma said at the launch in Melbourne. "But worry doesn't solve the problem," he added. "The only thing you can do is get involved and actively prove that trade helps people to communicate. We should have fair, transparent and inclusive trade." One of Trump's first actions as US President was to take the country out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which stopped the free trade initiative with 11 countries, including the likes of Mexico, Japan and Singapore. He has also said that the US will seek a renegotiation of the NAFTA trade deal. The impact of Brexit may have a significant effect on global trade, especially after Prime Minister Theresa May's assertion that Britain would leave the EU single market. The Alibaba boss added that trade was an important way of aiding communication amongst different nations. "The world needs globalisation, it needs to trade," he said. "Trade is about trust and cultural exchange." Germanys finance minister cautioned the European Central Bank that its expansionary policies would drive an excessive depreciation of the single currency for Germanys needs, bolstering its trade surplus, before it embarked on its looser monetary policy. Speaking to Germanys Tagesspiegel, on Sunday, Wolfgang Schaeuble said that: "the euro exchange rate is, strictly speaking, too low for the German economy's competitive position. "When ECB chief Mario Draghi embarked on the expansive monetary policy, I told him he would drive up Germany's export surplus." "I promised then not to publicly criticise this (policy) course. But then I don't want to be criticised for the consequences of this policy," Schaeuble reportedly said. "The euro exchange rate is, strictly speaking, too low for the German economy's competitive position." "The ECB must make policy that works for Europe as a whole," he added. Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK, said: "The timing of the comments is no coincidence given last weeks broadside by Peter Navarro, Donald Trumps chief trade advisor, and are clearly an attempt to try and deflect some of that criticism. "At the beginning of this year the US dollar index hit its highest levels in 14 years, and since then it has slowly started to slip back, despite the fact that US economic data has by and large been positive, while Fed policymakers have suggested that we could well see multiple rate rises this year." A measure of France's country risk widened noticeably after French far-right presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen laid out her plans for a referendum on EU membership at the weekend, although some analysts sounded a confident note that scenario could be avoided. On Sunday, Le Pen held a rally for over 5,000 people in the southern French city of Lyons, calling for the euro area's second largest economy to pull out of the single currency, a tax on foreign workers, trade barriers or what she dubbed "intelligent protectionism", re-industrialisation and a halt to "uncontrolled" immigration. Above all, the EU, Le Pen claimed, had failed to live up to its promises in terms of prosperity and security. She also laid out plans for a referendum on France's continued membership of the EU. Under her proposals, the number of migrants allowed into France each year would be capped at just 10,000, 80% less than at present. Her policy proposals sent yields on French and German 10-year government debt in opposite directions and saw the differential, which many analysts consider to be a key barometre of the riskiness of the country's debt, blow out to 73 basis points - its widest since at least March 2013. As of 1520 GMT the yield on the benchmark 10-year French sovereign bond was higher by four basis points to 1.12% and that on Bunds of similar maturity off by two basis points to 0.39%. In parallel, the news-flow over the weekend appeared to indicate that some observers had begun to pin their hopes of keeping the far-right National Front leader out of the Elysee on the centrist presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron, especially as a scandal continued to engulf rival centre-right candidate Francois Fillon. Fillon was under pressure following accusations that his wife and two of his children were paid 900,000 for work they did not actually do. That led economists at Barclays Research to describe the coming week for Fillon's Les Republicains party as "crucial" as it might be left headless and in disarray just two months before the elections and with no obvious substitute for him in sight. The results of the latest poll, from Opinionway, put Le Pen in the lead after the first round of the elections on 23 April, followed by 23% support for former economy minister Macron and 20% backing for Fillon. However, a second round due to be held on 7 May was expected to result in Macron making off with 65% of the vote against 35% for Le Pen, Market News International reported. "There is no right wing and no left wing anymore. There are only those who support globalisation and patriots," Le Pen told her supporters. The far right leader framed the debate as a choice between two "totalitarianisms", that of economic globalisation and Islamic fundamentalism. At the weekend, she also unveiled 144 presidential commitments, including on the environment, which one commentator said were meant to broaden the party's appeal before the elections. On a more hopeful note for the EU, Alberto Gallo at Algebris Investments said: "There is still a potentially positive outcome for European politics. Yes, populist candidates Geert Wilders in the Netherlands and Le Pen in France have gained ground, but they remain head-to-head with others. In France, both Emmanuel Macron and Francois Fillon support domestic reforms and want more, not less European integration. "[...] While Le Pen may continue to rise in the polls against Fillon if the latters scandal worsens, it seems increasingly likely that the battle will be between Le Pen and Macron. This is positive as Macron has been enjoying a significant and growing lead over Le Pen in polls." Well-known portfolio manager Bill Gross has warned that the US could fall into recession due to the over-reliance on central banks' quantitative easing policies, referring to it as the "methadone" which keeps the financial system running. Gross wrote in his monthly Investment Outlook letter for his firm Janus Capital that such programs implemented by the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan have done little to boost economic growth. "Without that financial methadone, both bond and stock markets worldwide would sink and produce a tantrum of significant proportions," Gross said. "I would venture a guess that without QE from the ECB and BOJ that 10-year US Treasuries would rather quickly rise to 3.5% and the US economy would sink into recession." The investor asserted that there was at least $12trn attached to fixed income assets in central banks' balance sheets throughout the globe, allowing the private sector redirect $600bn away from state economies. "In addition, individual savers, pension funds, and insurance companies are now robbed of the ability to earn rates of return necessary to maintain long-term solvency," Gross wrote. "Financial Armageddon is postponed as consumption is brought forward and savings suppressed and deferred." Gross added that it was unlikely that central banks will change their policies any time soon, and quantitative easing will become more prominent. "In order to control volatility, and keep a floor under asset prices, central bankers may be trapped in a QE-forever cycle, (in order to keep the global system functioning)," he said. Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on the judge who blocked his executive order to ban the entry of immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries into the US, saying that the responsibility for a potential act of terrorism in the country would rest on his shoulders. Judge James Robart overturned Trump's ban on those entering the US from Iraq, Iran, Syria and four other countries with a ruling that was upheld by an appeals court in San Francisco. In a series of tweets referring to Robart, Trump said that the court's decision had put the country in "peril". "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" Trump tweeted. "I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult!" he added. President Trump had previously referred to Robart as the "so-called" judge when criticising his decision on Saturday. Robart decided that Trump's signing of the executive order had not legally given enough evidence as to why the seven countries were singled out. The executive order led to mass confusion and disorder at several airports across the US, as travellers were detained and deported just hours before the ban was overturned. Vice-president Mike Pence defended Trump's actions on Sunday, saying that he was justified in his criticism of the legal system. "The president has every right to criticize the other two branches of government," Pence said during an interview on NBC. "I think people find it very refreshing that they not only understand this presidents mind, but they understand how he feels." At 1158 GMT, the FTSE 100 climbed 0.17% to 7,200.17 points. Randgold Resources was the top riser after saying it will hike its dividend by 52% after an increase in full year profit and gold production. A rise in gold prices and lower costs helped the company achieve a 38% jump in profit to $294.2m. Sector peers Anglo American and Glencore also rallied. Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group gained following news of US President Donald Trumps plans to relax banking regulation as he signed an executive order to possibly modify Dodd-Frank within the next four months. Barclays was also supported by reports over the weekend that it is undertaking a restructuring of its back office operations in order to cut costs ahead of new ringfencing rules, which will come into effect in 2019. Astrazeneca was another high riser after Deutsche Bank reiterated a buy rating but cut the target price to 5,500p from 6,000p after the drug maker warned that profit and revenue would fall this year. While the company said its recovery will depend on the success of new medicines and results from a clinical trial of a combination of two lung cancer drugs, Deutsche Bank continues to see positive risk-reward ahead of a major flow of pipeline catalysts through 2017. Going the other way, housebuilders were on the back foot following reports the government is expected to reveal a major shift in housing policy in a white paper this week. The white paper will deliver more affordable and secure rental deals, and threaten tougher action against rogue landlords, for those unable to buy due to rising property prices, the Guardian reported. Housebuilders will also have to adhere to a timetable to build their homes or they may lose their planning permission. Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon and Barratt Developments were in the red. On the data front, China services activity continued to grow in January but the pace of expansion eased from the previous month. The Markit/Caixin services purchasing managers index fell to 53.1 in January on a seasonally adjusted basis from 53.4 in December. However, it remained above the 50 level that separates an expansion in sector activity from a contraction. The composite PMI, which measures services and manufacturing, dropped to 52.2 in January from 53.5 in December. Elsewhere, German factory orders rose 5.2% in December from the previous month, when they declined a revised 3.6%, beating analysts expectations for a much more modest 0.7% gain, according to Destatis. Meanwhile, a survey by Sentix showed eurozone investor confidence rose more than expected in February. The investor confidence index edged up to 17.4 from 18.2 in January, exceeding forecasts of 16.8. Still to come, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi is due to speak to Parliament in Brussels. There are no UK economic reports due for release. Market Movers FTSE 100 (UKX) 7,199.78 0.16% FTSE 250 (MCX) 18,407.15 -0.02% techMARK (TASX) 3,285.21 0.15% FTSE 100 - Risers Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 7,185.00p 4.74% Mediclinic International (MDC) 814.00p 3.23% Standard Chartered (STAN) 814.40p 1.61% Fresnillo (FRES) 1,490.00p 1.43% Aviva (AV.) 499.70p 1.34% SSE (SSE) 1,497.00p 1.15% Sage Group (SGE) 637.00p 1.11% BAE Systems (BA.) 589.50p 1.03% British Land Company (BLND) 592.00p 1.02% Capita (CPI) 490.80p 0.99% FTSE 100 - Fallers Dixons Carphone (DC.) 298.20p -2.10% International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 478.10p -1.36% Reckitt Benckiser Group (RB.) 7,037.00p -1.29% Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 170.60p -1.16% Barratt Developments (BDEV) 495.90p -1.12% Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) 336.60p -1.06% Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) 262.00p -1.06% ITV (ITV) 203.40p -1.02% Persimmon (PSN) 1,951.00p -1.01% Tesco (TSCO) 195.45p -0.94% FTSE 250 - Risers Inmarsat (ISAT) 635.00p 3.00% CMC Markets (CMCX) 112.30p 2.74% McCarthy & Stone (MCS) 172.10p 2.56% Spire Healthcare Group (SPI) 326.10p 2.55% NMC Health (NMC) 1,762.00p 2.44% Essentra (ESNT) 434.30p 2.04% AA (AA.) 252.00p 1.94% Pennon Group (PNN) 793.00p 1.93% Keller Group (KLR) 857.50p 1.66% Petra Diamonds Ltd.(DI) (PDL) 149.20p 1.57% FTSE 250 - Fallers Euromoney Institutional Investor (ERM) 1,069.00p -3.26% PayPoint (PAY) 976.50p -3.03% JD Sports Fashion (JD.) 355.30p -2.60% William Hill (WMH) 268.40p -2.58% Sophos Group (SOPH) 255.00p -2.41% Restaurant Group (RTN) 295.30p -2.35% Hill & Smith Holdings (HILS) 1,190.00p -2.06% Telecom Plus (TEP) 1,195.00p -2.05% Supergroup (SGP) 1,472.00p -2.00% UK Commercial Property Trust (UKCM) 83.30p -1.88% The FTSE 250 closed the session down 0.19% to 18,377.37 points. Mining shares rallied, including Hoschchild Mining, Kaz Minerals and Centamin, as metal prices gained. Investors flocked to gold amid a politically motivated sell-off in equities. At 15:26 GMT, on Comex, gold was up 0.62% to $1228.4 an ounce, while silver was up 0.75% to $17.61 a pound and copper rose 0.97% to 264.15 cents a pound. Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK, said gold's rise came as investors sought safe havens due to political uncertainty. These uncertainties, broadly speaking, included the US President Donald Trump and his platter of controversial executive orders, the fear of so-called hard Brexit for the UK, the eurozone economy, and US sanctions of Iran. Going the other way, Thomas Cook edged lower following reports the travel company is under pressure from shareholders over bonus plans for chief executive Peter Fankhauser. Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), which represents about 20% of investors, is against a proposal that could see Fankhauser pocket up to 1.6m a year. The company will host its annual meeting on Thursday. FTSE 250 - Risers Indivior (INDV) 325.70p 3.43% Hochschild Mining (HOC) 248.30p 3.11% McCarthy & Stone (MCS) 172.90p 2.80% Kaz Minerals (KAZ) 512.00p 2.63% Spire Healthcare Group (SPI) 326.40p 2.48% Victrex plc (VCT) 1,936.00p 2.27% CMC Markets (CMCX) 111.70p 2.20% Inmarsat (ISAT) 629.50p 2.11% CLS Holdings (CLI) 1,593.00p 1.98% Keller Group (KLR) 858.00p 1.72% FTSE 250 - Fallers JD Sports Fashion (JD.) 351.20p -3.73% Restaurant Group (RTN) 291.50p -3.60% Synthomer (SYNT) 446.90p -2.89% Thomas Cook Group (TCG) 88.45p -2.80% AO World (AO.) 153.60p -2.78% Telecom Plus (TEP) 1,190.00p -2.46% Ladbrokes Coral Group (LCL) 123.20p -2.38% Greencore Group (GNC) 246.10p -2.34% Allied Minds (ALM) 380.70p -2.34% Brown (N.) Group (BWNG) 221.10p -2.17% Anahit Bakhshyan: I dont conceal, I want to become a lawmaker (video) Yerevan Council of Elders Barev Yerevan faction member Anahit Bakhshyan doesnt rule out that by the rating system she will be nominated in Kentron district. Now she cooperates with Free Democrats party. Today in the meeting with journalists, Mrs Bakhshyan noted why she had accepted the cooperation offer of Khachatur Kokobelyan. In 2012 when Free Democrats and Heritage participated in the parliamentary elections with one list, it meant that the ideological basis, political line, principles were very close then. That line is very familiar to me. It is maintaining Armenias sovereignty, the vision of our legal state, future, democratic values, the model of European countries, and, of course, human rights. Those values are my own. I have accepted Mr Kokobelyans offer and I dont conceal I want to become a lawmaker. Mrs. Bakhshyan didnt want to speak of her leaving Heritage party, noting that the decision wasnt made in a day. She says that there are incomprehensible clashes in that party. The board of Heritage has decided to participate in the elections necessarily with an alliance, and negotiations are underway with Yelk (Way out) and Seyran Ohanyan. These are alliances obviously having opposite poles. I cannot understand how they cooperate with both. Edgar Arakelyan, spokesperson of Armenian renaissance party, who was also present the press conference, added that the party, in all probability, with participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections separately, but cooperation isnt excluded too. Subscriber content preview MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) The Oregon Court of Appeals has affirmed a decision to allow Costco Wholesale to build a store in Central Point. The Mail Tribune reports the court issued the ruling without an opinion this week, apparently ending a two-year legal struggle that began after a planning commission approved a permit for the construction of a 162,000-square-foot warehouse and gas station. . . . Subscriber content preview SEATTLE A small, four-story building near the Pike Place Market has sold for $5.18 million, according to King County records. The seller was 1924 First LLC, which acquired the property in 2011 for $4 million. . . . The father of a child with a rare genetic condition grew cannabis in Donegal so that he could use it to treat his son, a court has heard. Christopher McDaid (33), pleaded guilty at Letterkenny Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a controlled drug and cultivation of cannabis without a license at The Haw, Churchtown, Carrigans on October 23rd, 2015. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a suspended sentence on McDaid after accepting arguments from his legal team that he was growing the cannabis because he believed it could ease the symptoms of a rare disorder his son suffers from. The court heard that McDaid, of 41 Farmhill, Foylesprings, Derry, had carried out research into treatments for his ten-year-old son who suffers from Ataxia-Telangiectasia (AT), a rare, neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no cure for. Two grow tents containing ten plants each were discovered in the house after gardai obtained a search warrant. Sgt Joe Kealy told the court that more than 80 smaller plants or cuttings were also discovered and that work was underway to increase the size of the operation. The ESB connection to the house had been bypassed and strong lights could be scene coming from the house at night. McDaid was arrested at the house after it was put under Garda surveillance. When interviewed, McDaid told gardai the owner of house house lived abroad. He said the motivation behind the cannabis cultivation was medical - to help treat his son and also his father, who is seriously ill. Barrister Sean MacAodha (BL) said McDaid, who has a degree in marine science, had carried out research into the condition his son suffers. The growing of the plants was to help his son and was not for profit, he said. During his research, McDaid came across the case of a family in Canada with two children who suffer from AT. When treated with cannabis oil, the girl and boy were walking within two weeks, Mr MacAodha said. This was his aim. He was doing it to help his family and they were not to be sold on the street, he said. Mr MacAodha said McDaids son was born in New York, where he and his partner had lived, but they returned home due to the cost in the US of tests the child required. His son was diagnosed with AT in 2009. The maximum lifespan for sufferers of AT is 25, Mr MacAodha said, but for McDaids son, it is likely to be closer to 18. However, the latest medical review showed he was probably looking at less than that. He said McDaid had been carrying out research for years into the benefits of cannabinoids and the treatment does have a beneficial effect in terms of palliative care and the easing of symptoms. The difference between the family in Canada or a family in Derry or Donegal, is that the family in Canada can avail of prescriptive cannabinoids but that cannot be done here, he said. Sentencing McDaid, Judge Nolan said the explanation given by McDaid, that he believed the derivatives of cannabis could help his son deal with a very serious and distressing condition, was a credible one. It seems he was not in this enterprise for profit and he had no intention of the selling drugs on the market, Judge Nolan said. The judge said that considering all the factors and that McDaid had no previous convictions, the offence did not merit a custodial sentence. McDaid was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended for one year. Ballyshannons Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival has been named among the best festivals in Ireland winning the accolade at the Irish Festival Awards for the Best Small Festival for ticketed attendances up to 5,000 people. The Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival claimed the award ahead of some 20 other Festivals in its category with Electric Picnic winning the Best Major Festival Award. The Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival was established in 2002 and since then has firmly become one of the most popular Music Festivals in Ireland, attracting hundreds of overseas visitors and in particular dedicated Rory Gallagher Fans to the North West. Among the leading bands to have appeared over the last 15 years at the Festival include Horslips, Ex. Rolling Stone - Mick Taylor & His Band, the legendary Wilko Johnson & His Band, Eric Bell Band (Thin Lizzy), The Blockheads, Rory Gallaghers Band, Jan Akkerman (ex. Focus), the Late Ronnie Drew who performed on two occasions at the Rory Gallagher Festival and annual favourites Pat McManus (ex. Mamas Boys), Johnny Gallagher & Boxtie Band and Seamie ODowd Band. Chairperson and founder of the Rory Gallagher Festival Committee Barry ONeill has greeted the announcement with delight saying: It's absolutely fantastic news for the locality to have the Rory Gallagher Festival named Irish Festival of the Year in the Small Festival Category. "Its an honour for the hard working voluntary committee but also we would like to thank the thousands of people who come to Ballyshannon every year to pay tribute to Rory Gallagher. We are looking forward to the 2017 Tribute Festival, with tickets to date sold in 22 Countries across the World. Speaking from his London home, Donal Gallagher, brother and Manager of the Late Rory Gallagher said that the news of the success for the Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival at the Irish Festival Awards is well deserved and Rorys fans will be in particular very pleased by this news. I congratulate all the committee members on a fantastic achievement, its a truly amazing result and would mean so much to Rory. Ballyshannon have over the past 15 years ensured that Rorys music and legacy remains strong and has became a focal point for thousands of Rorys fans from all over the world to meet on annual basis, we are so proud of this award. The 16th Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival takes place in Ballyshannon from Thursday 1st June to Sunday 4th June 2017. Publicans from Donegal are joining a national campaign calling on the Government to amend the licensing laws to permit all licensed premises to trade normally on Good Friday. The two main representative groups, the Licensed Vintners Association (Dublin publicans) and the Vintners Federation of Ireland (Outside Dublin) described the current law which prohibits the sale of alcohol on Good Friday as archaic and discriminatory. Speaking at the launch of the #AboutTime campaign, Donall OKeeffe, Chief Executive of the LVA said the rationale for a change to the law was compelling. There is no case for the licensed trade to be treated differently to other retail businesses. Easter is a huge tourism weekend right across the country. Forcing pubs and all licensed hospitality businesses to close sends a very negative signal to tourists and visitors who are left baffled and disappointed by the measure. Last year the LVA decided to shoot a video on Good Friday to highlight the impact which the closure has on tourists, locals and on the local economy. The video was shown for the first time at the launch of the campaign. We wanted tourists and locals to give their own views on the ban and they do so in a very articulate manner. One man from the United States pointed out that in his country there was a separation of Church and State and thats what one would expect in a modern democracy. Others pointed out the negative effect on local business. So this shows the fallacy of the Governments claim to be pro-business Padraig Cribben CEO of the VFI said the public view the law as being completely out-of-date and publicans believe there is broad support for the law to be amended. The law is over 90 years old. In 2017 Consumers should have the option to go out for a drink on Good Friday if they so choose. Indeed many are choosing to drink at home or organise house parties on the day. Friday itself is a very important trading day for many publicans it accounts for 30% of their weekly business and this is especially true of bank holiday weekends. The Government claim to be ready for Brexit but their inability to make a simple law change, makes one wonder. Publicans have been engaging with politicians on this issue for the last six years but the constant response is the issue will be addressed as part of a new Sale of Alcohol Bill. Its as if ministers are living in Never-Never land while the rest of us have to live in the real world, he said. The LVA and the VFI are now calling on the Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald to introduce the necessary legislation in time for Easter 2017 and to avoid further procrastination by deferring it to the Sale of Alcohol Bill. I had never heard of a Bullet Journal. Journaling I am familiar with, of course. And before you go off too far in the wrong direction, the bullets referred to here are the little dots you use in writing a list of items. I wasnt alone in my ignorance or in my curiosity when I saw a notice of a Bullet Journal workshop being held by the Dothan Houston County Library System. So, on a Friday afternoon I joined a group of others to learn the basics of this organizational trend. Turns out, a Bullet Journal is a number of things planner, calendar, to-do list, journal. Its a place to keep a list of goals for the year and then check them off one by one. You can track your spending habits or weight-loss efforts, log your exercise time, plan your meals, jot down a list of books to read or movies to see, or keep a list of birthday and anniversary dates to remember. You can write down interesting thoughts or any memorable moments in your day. If you doodle, you can use the pages of your Bullet Journal to doodle. It is whatever you want to make it. But at its most basic form, a Bullet Journal is simply a notebook. The Bullet Journal, or Bujo as some call it, was created by Ryder Carroll a digital product designer from Brooklyn, New York. In a tutorial video on bulletjournal.com, Carroll describes the Bullet Journal as an analog system designed to track the past, organize the present and plan for the future. There are a lot of apps that help people organize their time. But the Bullet Journal is intended to be flexible so that you can make it whatever you need it to be. Depending on what works best for you, you can create pages for monthly logs, weekly logs, daily logs, even a future log for long-term items. You create your bullet journal as you go, which allows it to evolve as you figure out what works best. Entries are meant to short. Even ideas or special moments should be in short bulleted-format just enough info to trigger your memory. While the Bullet Journal website sells a kit, you can use any type of notebook you like. Many people seem to like the notebooks that have pages marked with dotted lines or solid lines like graph paper. And as long as the ink doesnt bleed through the pages too much, any pen will do. Dont let the Bujo language get in the way. Terms like rapid logging and signifiers and task migration are not nearly as complicated as they sound. And dont get intimidated if you do a Pinterest or Google search for Bullet Journal ideas. Some journals are like art projects with colorful inks, cute borders made with Washi tape, calligraphy and elaborate drawings. I am not artistic. I am not good at hand lettering (Im doing good to read my own handwriting sometimes). I did invest in a good pen and a tiny ruler. The tiny ruler has really proven handy since drawing a straight line is a challenge for me even with dotted lines on my pages. When youre ready to get more advanced, there are a number of bloggers with advice and tutorials on how to create collections, habit trackers, goal pages and other pages in your journal. For now, lets get the basics: Contact page Since the Bullet Journal is intended to help you track things in your life, losing it would be bad. The Bullet Journals Contact page in the front should at least include your first name and a phone number or email so if someone finds your lost Bullet Journal, theyll return it. The Index Everything you track in your Bullet Journal is listed in an index a quick-search reference to help you look something up. Youll need the first two-page spread for your index since youll be adding to it all year. Youll be numbering your pages as you go and then logging those pages in your index. For example, if you create a monthly log for February on page 7 of your journal, then youll indicate so in your index. And if you decide to create a habit tracker in your journal, you can easily find it by noting the page in your index. Bullets and Signifiers Bullets are kind of the key to this type of organization system; hence the name. Every item will have a bullet at the beginning. The type of bullet indicates what kind of item it is. A simple dot can be used for tasks; an open circle for events; and a dash for notes. You can use whatever bullets you want squares, triangles, arrows. Signifiers are just symbols to lend emphasis to your bullet items. A star or asterisk beside a dot, circle or dash means that particular bulleted item is important. An X through a task bullet means that task is completed. Future Log The future log is simply a quick-reference calendar for your whole year. Take a two-page spread in your notebook and divide the pages evenly into thirds by drawing two lines horizontally across the spread. Repeat on the next two-page spread for a full-year calendar. Label the six blocks on each two-page spread with the months of the year. The future log is used to remind you of things scheduled in advance such as deadlines, appointments, or important tasks in each month. Monthly Log Like the future log, the monthly log is set up to be a quick reference for tasks, appointments or events scheduled for that month. On a two-page spread, write the month at the top of the left page. Write the dates of the month down the left side of that page with the corresponding days of the week beside it. In other words, Wednesday, Feb. 1, would be written 1W. Use this to write down scheduled appointments for that month. On the right page, youll log the tasks you need to complete for that month. Daily Log This is basically a record of your day. Since you are creating journal pages as you go, you use as much space for your daily log as you need. Just put the date at the top of the page and jot down what you need to do that day and then what you actually did accomplish. If an inspirational thought strikes you, write it down in your daily log. If something nice happens to you, write it down. It really is all up to you. And if you dont fill a page with one day, just draw a line and start a new day on the same page. Migration Migration is simply moving tasks you didnt complete in one month to the next month. If you put clean clothes closet down for February but February ends and your clothes closet is still a mess, move that task to March. Choose a signifier to indicate that the task has been migrated to another month. Most Bullet Journal enthusiasts suggest that if you move a task over and over, it may be time to re-evaluate the task. 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 Google Ad 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 Google Ad The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh Alfa Romeo is set to share its new-found secrets with the rest of the Fiat Chrysler family. FCA boss Sergio Marchionne has confirmed his intercontinental brands will expand their platform sharing program, which started with the Fiat 500X and Jeep Renegade. He has told North American media that the all-new Alfa Romeo Giulia's rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive platforms will be shared not only with fellow Italian brand Maserati but will cross the Atlantic for use by Jeep, Dodge and maybe Chrysler. FCA is in the midst of re-launching the iconic Alfa Romeo brand, first with the Giulia and soon to be followed by the ground-breaking Stelvio SUV, and platform sharing is one way of amortising the costs involved. Marchionne confirmed an investment in Alfa Romeo so far of $US2.7 billion ($3.5 billion) with a total of 5 billion euros ($7.05 billion) booked-up until 2020 to underwrite up to eight all-new models. The plans are aimed at lifting Alfa Romeo's global sales to beyond 400,000 vehicles from 2018. The so-called Giorgio platform that underpins the Giulia will be part of all Maserati models from 2018 including the company's rumoured mid-size SUV that will sit below the Levante - as well as the larger Jeep models (Cherokee and Grand Cherokee), the next-generation of rear-wheel drive vehicles for Dodge (Charger, Challenger, Journey and Durango, plus an all-new new Giulia-based mid-sizer) and possibly the all-new Chrysler 300. "The investment in Alfa Romeo and certainly the technical investment in the architecture was something that was designed to benefit more than Alfa," Marchionne revealed. "I'm happy that we have finally found clarity of thought in the extension of these architectures well beyond Alfa." - For more information visit our Alfa Romeo showroom page For a brand long associated with driving dynamics, you might have expected the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive BMW production car yet to be a supercar. Or, at the least, some kind of special M car. Those honours, however, instead go to a limousine the M760Li xDrive that marks the German car maker's first attempt at a high-performance 7-Series in the model's 40-year history. Priced $140,000 above the 750i, from $419,000, it joins a niche-within-a-niche group containing elder statesmen such as the Mercedes-AMG S65, Audi S8, and Jaguar XJR. And while there's an M Performance-based badge rather than M7 on the bootlid, the M760Li still takes the chairman's position on the acceleration board with a 0-100km/h time of 3.7 seconds. All-wheel drive is key to that figure and marks a milestone in Australia as the first BMW sedan to be sold that doesn't solely drive the rear wheels. The M760Li's 448kW twin-turbocharged 6.6-litre V12 is a further development of the old 760Li's unit, now matching the capacity of the Rolls-Royce 12-cylinder with which it shares its technical base though modified components target greater response. If initial lag when requesting a burst of acceleration isn't ideal, in the car's Comfort mode there's a hushed civility to the way the V12 goes about its business that wouldn't be entirely alien to owners of a Ghost or Dawn. Combined with restrained wind and tyre noise, and a comfortable ride, the pacified cabin is a suitable match for an interior dressed more luxuriously than any other 7-Series: BMW Individual Merino leather for the upholstery and dashboard; Piano Black wood trim; high-pile floor mats; super-soft anthracite Alcantara roof-lining; Bowers & Wilkins 16-speaker 1400-watt audio. BMW Australia says 85 per cent of 7 Series buyers are owner-drivers, yet the rear seat still facilitates a grander experience via the Executive Rear Console, which divides the two outer seats, and the Executive Rear Seating, which brings pillowy-soft headrests and a front passenger seat that moves up to the dash and features a footrest to allow sir or madam to pop their feet up. This is all you might expect from a 760Li. Yet tap two buttons Sport and DTC (Dynamic Traction Control) and flick the gearlever left and assume control of gearchanges via the paddles, and you discover why the M letter exists. Car and engine both adopt a completely new character. The V12 becomes more vocal as a flap opens in the exhaust system, shifts from the eight-speed auto focus on speed rather than seamlessness, and the throttle pedal becomes more responsive. Putting a 5.2-metre, 2.2-tonne luxury car on a racetrack as BMW did during the international launch in Palm Springs, USA might be considered perverse, if not pointless considering the target market. Yet if a Launch Control test didn't feel 3.7-seconds quick, a handful of laps confirmed the company's M division has worked some extra magic on the 7-Series' competent underpinnings. While no engineer's wand is going to make physics vanish, electro-hydraulic roll bar stabilisation, faster-acting dampers, and rear-wheel steering combine to bring a tautness and agility to the M760Li's handling that is rare for this class. The big BMW flows just as naturally on Tourist Drive routes, with the all-wheel-drive system, sporty 20-inch Michelin tyres, and huge, 19-inch M Sport brakes ensuring confidence in the areas of traction, grip and stopping. Home Two wheelers Honda Launching New Scooter With BS IV Engine oi-Kennedy Paul Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) is ready to launch a new scooter with an engine which meets the Bharat Stage IV emission norms along with the Automatic Headlamp On (AHO) feature. {photo-feature} Most Viewed Bike Photo Gallery Oliver McConnon from Dundalk Co. Louth has won 15,000 on last Saturdays (4th February 2017) National Lottery Winning Streak game show on RTE. The winning ticket was bought at Aisle Rock Londis on the Castletown Road. Forty-two-year-old Oliver is single. He is an Electronic Technician in Xerox in Dundalk. Oliver lives with his mother, Kathleen in their family home. He has two older sisters, Elaine and Fiona and two nephews and a niece. Oliver is a Dundalk FC and Liverpool fan. He loves to travel especially to the US. He loves the theme parks in Florida and the beaches of the west and east coast. He has never been to New York City and would consider going there with any winnings from playing Winning Streak. He would also like to take his family away on holiday. Olivers whole family were in the audience of Winning Streak this weekend along with his godparents, Gerard and Ann, his friends and some colleagues from work. A Dundalk woman has issued an ultimatum to the men who burgled her nanny's home. On Sunday night the local woman issued a message on Facebook addressed to the men who burgled the home of the elderly grandmother on the Doylesfort Road. She has given them 48 hours to return jewellery and cash to a local shop or she will go to Gardai with CCTV footage. She said on Facebook: "To the small minded ***holes who broke into my nanny's house today - approximately 3pm - and wrecked her beautiful home! "You have 48 hours to return what you stole. You've been caught on CCTV! "Before the footage is handed to guards - return the jewellery and the money to local shop - Arthurs - before you are named, shamed and in prison. "48 hours and counting. You should be ashamed of yourselves!" Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. A recent economic report published last week has shown that the combination of a hard Brexit and the Public Health Alcohol Bill pose a major threat to Louths economy. The report by agri-economist Ciaran Fitzgerald on behalf of the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABFI) cites a number of factors that will have an impact on the cost base of the hospitality sector that employs over 3,300 people in Louth. The devaluation of sterling following the Brexit vote last June has led to a rise in cross border shopping and increased the cost of Ireland as a tourist destination. Combined with the new regulations proposed in the Alcohol Bill which will increase costs on brewers and distillers, a real concern exists for growth in the sector. Indeed, the drinks industry and hospitality sector in Louth -alone supports: 182 pubs 10 hotels 5 producers 53 restaurants 97 off-licenses Wage bill of 71m 600,000 in agri-output ABFI is calling on the Government to introduce a range of policy measures to enable the sector to offset the risks posed by Brexit and the Alcohol Bill including: Cut excise duty. Ireland has the most expensive alcohol in the EU which penalises consumers, impacts tourism and negatively impacts the sectors economic contribution. Reintroduce the ban on below cost selling to disincentives cross-border shopping and tackle alcohol misuse. Introduce tax and regulatory measures to incentivise companies in the food and drink sector that have huge Irish economy supply chains grow their businesses in the Republic of Ireland. Not impose any additional costs on business, such as structural separation, additional advertising restrictions and health labels which will increase the cost of doing business in Ireland and effectively act as major barriers to emerging craft brewers and distillers. Ensure all island geographic indicators for Irish Whiskey, Irish Cream, and Irish Poitin/Irish Poteen are protected and supported. Assist the food and drinks sectors to diversify and gain market access to new markets. The reports author, agri-economist, Ciaran Fitzgerald, said; The Brexit vote last June and the subsequent drop-in sterling has presented a huge challenge for border counties like Louth. Irish alcohol prices are already the most expensive in the EU at 175% the average and this combined with sterling's devaluation means the price of alcohol can be up to 40% cheaper across the border. "The UK is Irelands biggest export market for food and drink with exports of 4.5bn in 2015. The outcome of Brexit negotiations remains unclear however, it's vital that the Government puts in place a series of policy measures which will support the sector, ensure it gains access to new markets, supports new entrants and protects the unique geographic indicators for Irish Whiskey, Irish Poitin and Irish cream that we share with the North. World Waternet, Acacia Water and Wageningen Environmental Research (Alterra) signed an agreement to support Lebanon with Dutch knowledge on water and agriculture. In February 2017 they will jointly start a project in Lebanon to improve the water infrastructure, to increase the water availability and to increase the production of farmers through better and more efficient water use. The Dutch partners will cooperate with the Bekaa Water Establishment, the water company responsible for drinking water and wastewater in the Bekaa Valley. The Dutch partners signed the agreement on 31 January. Signing the agreement for cooperation (from left to right): Bram de Vos (Wageningen Environmental Research), Kenneth Comvalius (World Waternet) and Arjen de Vries (Acacia Water). Syrian refugees Over 1.5 million Syrian refugees have fled to Lebanon and the availability of drinking water and sanitation is under great pressure. In addition, water for agriculture has become scarce, yet the demand for food is increasing. Following a visit by a Dutch disaster risk reduction team (DRR-Team) in August last year, the Dutch government and Bekaa Water Establishment, together with financial donors and non-governmental organisations worked out a plan to improve the situation on water and agriculture specifically in the Bekaa Valley. Along with the Litani River Authority, the water quality of the Litani River will be improved. The project also includes the construction of greenhouses in collaboration with local partners. Balancing surpluses and shortages Director Arjen de Vries at Acacia Water "Lebanon as a whole has a positive water balance. Overexploitation only occurs in certain areas. It lacks good water management to balance the local surpluses and shortages of water. By gaining a better insight in the dynamics of the water, we will be able to formulate measures to improve the optimal use of the available water. " Better quality of life Director Bram de Vos at Wageningen Environmental Research: "Especially in this crisis with so many refugees the quality of life is fragile. Together with our partners we want improve the situation by making available more and cleaner water, more green, better health and quality of life, and more and healthy food." Sustainable investment Speaking on behalf of the team of directors of World Waternet, Kenneth Comvalius said: "For more sustainable investments in water infrastructure it is necessary to strengthen the bodies responsible for managing these investments. World Waternet will share its knowledge on water management to contribute to this sustainability. Accommodation of Syrian refugees The project is part of a wider support package by the Dutch government to accommodate Syrian refugees in Lebanon and to support the host community. Besides activities in the field of water, projects are supported for improving the agricultural sector and promoting employment. This news item was originally published on the website of Wageningen University and Acacia Water (in Dutch only). Read also on this website Dutch Relief Alliance funds 3.9 million euro to combat El Nino effects in Zimbabwe, 15 September 2016 Sino-Dutch consortium completes artificial groundwater recharge facility in Deyang city, China, 26 September 2016 Acacia Water maps water resources to counter droughts and floods in Lokok river catchment, Uganda, 19 August 2016 Kenyan farmers supported for better access to 'smart water' products and services, 15 June 2016 Dutch-Egyptian consortium to assist Egypt to reform its water sector, 3 February 2015 Expertise: Water and agriculture Country: Lebanon More information World Waternet: Amsterdam, the Netherlands +31 900 9394 www.worldwaternet.com Wageningen Environmental Research (Alterra) Wageningen, the Netherlands +31 317 480 700 www.wur.nl/en Acacia Water Gouda, the Netherlands +31 182 686 424 www.acaciawater.com/en Choir of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary to perform in Russia and Belarus With the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; the Etchmiadzin Choir of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary left for Russia on February 5, where they performed a concert program. Prior to their departure, on the evening of February 4, the "Etchmiadzin" choir students, accompanied by His Grace Bishop Gevork Saroyan, Dean of the Spiritual-Educational institutions of Mother See; Rev. Fr. Karekin Hambardzumyan; Dean of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary and Dn. Artur Vardanyan, Founder and Director of the Choir, were received by the Catholicos of All Armenians. The Armenian Pontiff expressed his appreciation to the Gevorkian Theological Seminary administration and the students of the Etchmiadzin Choir, expressing joy at their initiative. His Holiness expressed confidence that this first-time event will generate great excitement and enthusiasm for the students, leaving a positive impact on their educational experience. His Holiness praised the Choirs travel itinerary, stressing that the spiritual-national culture of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian people will be presented through songs. On February 5, the Choir, under the high patronage of His Eminence Archbishop Yezras Nersisyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of New Nakhichevan and Russia, perfomed in the church complex, presenting secular and spiritual songs. In the upcoming days, the Choir will perform in the Moscow Theological Academy of the Russian Orthodox Church. Following their Russia tour, the choir will travel to Grodno, the Republic of Belarus, where they will participate in contest-festival of 45 choirs. The choir is being accompanied by Rev. Fr. Karekin Hambardzumyan; Dean of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary. The most annoying thing when dining out is getting a table at a restaurant you want during peak hours. You either do two things, wait until an available table comes because you are craving for their dishes or leave to find the next best or a resto thats not so full. Sometimes it even sparks an argument with your dining mates, Why did you not book a reservation earlier so we dont have to eat at that crappy restaurant? Why go through it all when theres a way to avoid the argument and hassle. There is a convenient way now to reserve a table on a restaurant you love plus get up to 50% off on your entire bill! The best part is there is no reservation fee and you dont have to give out your credit card info. All you have to do is book via BigDish. All you need is download BigDish via Google Play or iOS or visit their website. Did I mention that can also get a discount on top of your entire bill up to 50% off . This discount is not exclusive to a single person only compared to using a senior citizen or a PWD ID card? Amazing right? Recently I was able to experience how the BigDish app works when I had a late dinner with my friends at Grind Bistro at 5th Avenue Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. Grind is just across the Fort Strip going to Ascott BGC. It was very convenient to use the app or book a restaurant to think I made the table reservations at Grind less than two hours before we went there. Upon arriving at Grind, I just showed the confirmation message I got from BigDish . Immediately the staff ushered me in to the table they reserved for me. Unexpecedly, table for 2 became table for 6 because I had more friends coming over last minute. I asked the staff if it is possible to move to a bigger table. Fortunately the Grind people were kind enough to accommodate my request (Thank you!). We ordered the New York Steak medium well done , very flavorful and the meat is tender and lean yet it melts in my mouth. Delicious! Thethat was perfectly cooked, not dry or raw just the way I want it! The veggie garnish was yummy too. And we also had thetheyre mini version of the Grind Burger, Black Chicken Tempura, Pulled Pork Sliders. While waiting for our orders they also served us complimentary.For drinks we had thewhich was a hit with my friends. Q Itch is a Jasmin-Green Tea infused gin with herbal vinegar, pandan syrup, cucumber and pink peppercorn. An hour and more later of good food , drinks, and stories I asked for our tab , showed my BigDish app code and they they returned with a new receipt with %10 off our bill! FUN! (P.S. discount only applies to food not drinks) Do I recommend BigDish ? Yes! Use it by all means. It is so convenient to get a table using the app with no hassle. Everyone who loves to eat out will appreciate it. The discount you get is far more better than someone having a senior citizens ID or PWD ID who gets 20% off on their individual meal only! BigDish gives you the discount on your entire meal! Discount will cover all and theres no minimum spend amount. They wont ask for reservation fees and wont ask for your credit card info . All you need is the app and show it to the resto staff upon arriving. You can book for a table for 1 up to 9 people. If theres more of you you can ask your friends and companions or relatives to just download the app and book for themselves the same time you are going! All of you gets to enjoy good food , big savings, full tummy so everyone wins! Browsing it, I discovered I would have gotten 30% off if I booked and dined at Grind on Sunday the next day I was there! You should take note of that when you use the app. The 30% discount applies to certain time of the day, I guess at peak hours the least discount you can get is 10% which is not bad at all. At the moment BigDish has about 100 partner restaurants in the Philippines and now they are expanding in Hong Kong and Indonesia with almost 40 restarant partners for each country signing in already! This is such an exciting app that is very useful (everybody loves to eat!). I can imagine it expanding even further. Visit BigDishPh to download the app or follow them on Instagram @BigDishPh. Stay gorgeous everyone! New homes in UKs most vibrant city at Abode, Great Kneighton The city of Cambridge was recently awarded the number one spot in Grant Thorntons Vibrant Economy Index. The index ranked 324 local authority areas on six categories, aiming to identify the place with the best balance between economic growth, social equality, health and happiness. The newly launched Windham house design at Countrysides Abode development in Great Kneighton, Cambridge, is perfect for families looking for a modern home in one of the UKs most welcoming, and forward-thinking cities. The index emphasised that strong economic performance did not always translate into a healthy, happy place to live, in which individuals feel part of their community. Cambridge scored particularly highly in the Dynamism and Opportunity category, owing to its renowned tech cluster, which is a serious rival to Londons Silicon Roundabout, and more than 10 times the national average number of patent registrations. However, it also importantly scored extremely well in Community, Trust and Belonging, which measures how safe and engaged people feel in their community. Abode is a collection of contemporary two and three-bedroom apartments and four and five-bedroom houses that forms part of Great Kneighton, an exciting new community being created on the southern fringe of Cambridge. Great Kneighton offers a range of amenities, abundant green spaces, including a 120-acre park, and excellent transport links that provide a quick and easy commute to Cambridge train station, and into the city centre. David Everett, Managing Director of Countrysides New Homes & Communities Central Division, comments: Famous for being one of the UKs most historic cities, Cambridge is also one of its most progressive. This index shows that a vibrant economy is not just an economically prosperous one, but one where everyone benefits from economic growth, people are engaged in the local community, and have the opportunity to lead healthy, active, and fulfilling lives. At Abode, residents can enjoy the very best that Cambridge has to offer, in a home that is as innovative as the city its in. The Windham is an exceptional family home which is both architecturally striking and environmentally conscious. Interior space and light is maximised with full height windows, creating airy rooms that are inviting and calming, perfect for contemporary living. The ground floor is home to an integrated double garage with a fully automated gate and bicycle storage. The large open-plan kitchen/dining/family room, includes a full range of energy efficient, integrated appliances, and two sets of double doors which open onto the central courtyard. Three double bedrooms can be found on the first floor, joined by a separate living area, with large glazed doors leading onto the first private terrace overlooking the courtyard. On the second floor is the expansive master bedroom, which boasts its own larger private terrace, dressing area and en-suite, and a third terrace, which can be accessed via the main hallway. Abode is only a short walk from the Great Kneighton access point for the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway, which provides a five-minute journey to Cambridge train station, and then into the city centre. Frequent services from the station into London Kings Cross take as little as 49 minutes, making Cambridge a popular choice with commuters. The development is also just a few minutes from the M11 for London, Stansted Airport and the nearby towns of Newmarket, Huntingdon and Norwich. Prices for The Windham start from 1,275,000. For more information on Abode, visit abodecambridge.co.uk. Mortgage affordability improved significantly over past decade Mortgage affordability levels have remained significantly below the peak of 2007 almost a decade on, new Halifax research has revealed. Mortgage affordability the proportion of disposable earnings devoted to mortgage payments has improved by 18 percentage points since reaching its peak in 2007. Typical mortgage payments for new borrowers (both first-time buyers and homemovers) at the historic average loan to value ratio1 stood at 30% in Q4 2016 compared to the peak of 48% in Q3 2007. Historically low mortgage rates have been the main driver behind the significant improvement in affordability since 2007. Despite average house prices growing by 7% in the past year, mortgage affordability in Q4 2016 was unchanged from 2015 at 30%.This is comfortably below the long-term average of 35%2. This proportion has stayed low due to further dip in mortgage rates during 2016, from an average of 2.49%1 in Q1 to 2.17%1 in Q4. Significant improvements in mortgage affordability in nearly all areas since Q3 2007 There have been significant improvements in affordability in almost all local authority districts since 2007, with mortgage payments falling by at least 40% as a proportion of average earnings in 10 areas. Almost two thirds (60%) of all districts have seen an improvement of at least 15 percentage points over the period. The greatest improvements were mostly in Northern Ireland, where housing affordability has improved due to a significant fall in house prices, now 40% lower than in 2007. In North Down and Ards mortgage payments as a proportion of disposable earnings have fallen by more than half (from 73% to 21% in Q4 2016), followed by Lisburn and Castlereagh (69% to 19%) and Causeway Coast and Glens (68% to 20%). In England, the most significant improvement has been in South Bucks where the proportion of average disposable earnings devoted to mortgage payments has plummeted from 96% to 51%, a reduction of 45 percentage points since 2007. However, there are seven areas where affordability on this measure has deteriorated since Q3 2007, including Mole Valley in Surrey (from 57% to 65%), and the London boroughs of Waltham Forest (52% up to 56%) and Harrow ( from 58% to 63%). These areas have seen significant house price growth in the range of 46% to 88% since 2007. Clear north / south mortgage divide Mortgage payments are at their lowest as a proportion of disposable earnings in Scotland (19%), Northern Ireland (20%), North (23%) and Yorkshire and the Humber (23%) and the North West (24%). Payments are highest in relation to earnings in Greater London (49%), the South East (41%) and the South West (34%). London is the only region where the current rate is above its long-term average. Eight out of the 10 most affordable local areas are in northern Britain, whilst the 10 least affordable areas are all in the South. Seven of the 10 most affordable local authority districts are in Scotland, with West Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire and East Ayrshire among the most affordable local authority districts in the UK. There, typical mortgage payments account for 16% of average local earnings in all areas. The remaining most affordable areas in the top 10 are Copeland in Lancashire (16%), Merthyr Tydfil (17%) and Blaenau Gwent (17%), both in Wales. Unsurprisingly, the 10 least affordable areas are predominantly in London. Haringey is the least affordable local authority district in the country, with average mortgage payments on a new loan accounting for 68% of average local disposable earnings, followed by Brent (66%), Mole Valley (65%) and Camden (65%). Low rates continue to keep affordability under control for first-time buyers and homemovers The proportion of disposable earnings devoted to mortgage payments by a first-time buyer stood at 32%3 in Q3 2016 in line with the long-term average2 of 34%. This is a substantial improvement since 2007, when this figure reached a peak of 50%. Record low mortgage rates have helped reduce this cost as a proportion of homemovers overall outgoings. In Q4 2016, mortgage payments accounted for 38% of homemovers disposable earnings close to the long-term average2 figure of 40%. This is a substantial improvement since the peak in 2007, when average mortgage outgoings accounted for 57% of homemovers disposable income. Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax, said: Looking back almost a decade, there has been a considerable improvement in housing affordability across the country, which has been maintained over the past year as further falls in mortgage rates have offset the effects of higher house prices. The significant reduction in mortgage payments by a typical borrower has resulted mostly from record low rates that have provided monthly savings of, on average, around 220 in 2016 compared to a peak monthly payment of 888 in 2007. The real difficulty arises with British trade with countries of all the world except the EU. British trade at present is conducted under agreements with the EU, and once Britain ceases being an EU member, new trade agreements would be needed. Moreover, all such agreements would have to conform to World Trade Organization rules. The task of successfully concluding trade agreements with every country in the world outside the EU would be like a nightmare that could well last ten years or more, if the recent agreement between the EU and Canada is any guide. The British negotiators who will seek an agreement with such notoriously hard bargainers as India or the United States will have to earn our sympathy. By denying the free entry of EU labour, Britain will now pay the price of the privilege of free access to the Common Market for goods and services. It must make an offer for some substitute access to which the EU could be persuaded to agree. As Mr. Michel Barnier, the chief bargaining negotiator of the EU made it to understand, Britain is the demander and so cannot expect to receive terms that would be as good as the previous access that she has given up. Negotiations will officially open in April, but of course they have already begun discretely. They must be concluded by March 2019, then ratified by both the British Parliament and the twenty-seven governments of the EU member states. And if any of these conditions fail to be satisfied, everybody will have to start thinking again. The bargaining for access to the Common Market is unlikely to be too harsh, because both sides would gain if trade between them were preserved as far as possible. Any harsh conditions that the British side were likely to be confronted with would be concentrated on non-tariff obstacles to trade. Brussels may have a field day, insisting both on regulations that already exist and others that may be invented, for instance, making British financial services more difficult to export to the Continent. In her first six months as Britains Prime Minister, Theresa May has earned herself the partly playful and partly reproachful nickname of Theresa Maybe. Ceaselessly questioned about her strategy for what to do about the countrys future in Europe, all she would say was that Brexit is Brexit, which may of course mean nothing or everything, and the ambiguity made the listener feel that Theresa May herself is of two minds about what it should mean. She complained more than once that she was not ready to reveal her strategy, and it was suspected that she did not have one. If the word is not misused, as it is so often misused in ordinary discourse, a strategy is not a long term desire or a plan, but a series of steps chosen with a view of the probabilities of the possible steps with which the adversary would react to them. When she finally made her strategy known, it became evident that her first step was accepting that the European Union was in all probability going to reply with a strong negative. In claiming absolute sovereignty over the admission of European citizens to Britain, Theresa May has deliberately invited the EU to reply that the free movement of labour is one of the cornerstones of the EU, and as even the moderate Angela Merkel warned, it was not negotiable. Theresa May has decided not to seek any compromise, but has seemed quite content that the adversarys counter move in response to hers was as radical as it could possibly be. She immediately proceeded to her next move, the renunciation of British access to the customs union. Sovereignty over the access of citizens of EU countries to Britain was a price Theresa May judged worth having in exchange for customs-free access to the EU Common Market. While this is a bargain not everybody will consider a good one, for Mrs. May it was a bargain that she would never want to miss. Being master over the countrys borders was for her worth more than any number of trade concessions. Having workers move to the capital, or the capital move to the workers are both tolerable alternatives; like belts or braces you do have to choose one or the other, but you do not necessarily need to choose one rather than the other. The free movement of people into Britain must be a very precious privilege, if you consider the price that Britain was willing to pay and the EU was able to exact. However hard we may look at it, it is difficult to see why this privilege is so priceless. The distribution of industry inside the EU is no doubt influenced by the distribution of manpower, and it could be argued that it would be more efficient if manpower were freely distributed without any constraint that national boundaries might present. However, the EU is not only demanding the free movement of labour but also that of capital, and neither party is objecting to the latter. If Italian workers cannot migrate from the Mezzogiorno to the British Midlands to work in a new scooter factory, it would still remain possible to invest British capital in a factory in the Mezzogiorno and employ resident Italian workers in it. The efficiency between the factory in the Midlands and of the Mezzogiorno may be slightly different, but is likely to be of second-order magnitude. Having workers move to the capital, or the capital move to the workers are both tolerable alternatives; like belts or braces you do have to choose one or the other, but you do not necessarily need to choose one rather than the other. EU residents have had up to now free entry to Britain, but they have not made such use of it that would suggest that this was not a major factor in the development of the EU. The major countries of the EU have all had a long past in terms of immigrant labour, with Britain having major post-war immigration from the countries of the Indian subcontinent as well as from East Africa and Nigeria, France from the Arab countries of Africa, and Germany from Turkey. None of these countries of origin were in Europe, and entry from them was a matter of the sovereignty of the receiving countries. Immigration from one EU country to another, on the other hand, was subject to the EU cornerstone of free entry, but this intra-European immigration into Britain was smaller and of a more recent order. It was becoming relatively more important after 2014 with the admission of several low-income countries to the EU. In the year prior to September 30, 2016, net immigration from other EU countries was 189,000 people, with Romania, Poland, Italy, Spain, and Bulgaria as the countries of origin in that order. In any case, the number was not large and it is difficult to conceive why national sovereignty had to become of such vital importance and a decisive factor in Britain deciding to leave the EU. One might as well say that it was much ado about nothing, or at least for rather little. For more on these topics, see also the EconTalk podcast episode, George Borjas on We Wanted Workers. It is tempting to suppose that the free movement of labour was installed as a cornerstone of the EU by the brain trust in accord with the European ideal- not because the Common Market needed it, but because the European ideal and its champions, whether consciously or not, had the United States in mind. There, with two or three great movements of peoplefrom East to West, from South to North, and finally from the East to the Southeast in the last two centuries, the melting pot has produced a great people with many of the common characteristics of one nation. Europe was to prove to be the same kind of melting pot, producing a great nation with common characteristics. Unlike America, the nations of Europe have not fit to a melting pot; it was staying empty and did not ever produce even the beginning of a single common nation. America had the melting pot, while European nations had each a history of their own. During a rather long history of writing about politics and economics, I always tried to respect good manners and deny bad taste by avoiding the temptation of citing my own texts. I am now breaking this rule by citing something that I once wrote to explain the rule of liberal discipline in the respect of the home and the public places, the hospitals and schools and the entire public order behind the frontier. A very different stand can, however, be defended on no less pure liberal grounds. For it is quite consistent with the dictates of liberty and the concept of property they imply, that the country is not a no mans land at all, but the extension of a home. Privacy and the right to exclude strangers from it is only a little less obviously an attribute of it than it is of ones house. Its infrastructure, its amenities, its public order have been built up by generations of its inhabitants. These things have value that belongs to their builders and the builders heirs, and the latter are arguably at liberty to share or not to share them with immigrants who, in their countries of origin, do not have as good infrastructure, amenities and public order. Those who claim that in the name of liberty they must let any and all would-be immigrants take a share are, then, not liberals but socialists professing share-and-share alike egalitarianism on an international scale. National frontiers that provide us with privacy from others, except when we do not require it, are in fact also the frontiers of liberty. 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Its been fifteen years since I worked for a newspaper. I no longer know much about what constitutes common knowledge in their pared-down newsrooms, much less combat readiness in their front offices. But Jack Shafer, who writes the Fourth Estate Column for Politico, is a close and shrewd commentator on the scene. So I sat upright when Shafer wrote in December, Dont Blame Craigslist for the Decline of Newspapers. The conviction that free online for-sale lists verticals, in Web-speak were a critical factor was widespread, Shafer wrote. For example, The Economist had written in 2006, Craig Newmark has probably done more than anything to destroy newspapers income. But blaming the innovative Newmark was unfair and ahistorical, Shafer continued. Newspapers themselves deserve a share of it. Where they gained monopoly power, which was in most U.S. cities, daily newspapers gouged their classified customers pitilessly; they lobbied Congress heavily to block the early migration of classifieds to electronic forms. And the big newspaper chains helped destroy their own business by investing in national online classified advertising verticals, which they ultimately sold. It was as I feared. Newsrooms still dont understand what happened to their centuries-old semi-monopoly on advertising. It was search-based advertising, introduced in 2002 by Google, not Craigslist, which sent newspapers into a tailspin from which they havent yet fully leveled off. Regaining altitude depends critically on responding effectively to the entry of this new competitor in the market for attention. Google didnt invent search advertising. That honor belong to a serial entrepreneur named Bill Gross, who in February 1998 introduced the idea to an uncomprehending TED audience that a search term was inherently valuable six months before Google incorporated. A Cal Tech graduate, Gross understood that, because it signaled intent, a search term could be priced and sold at auction to an advertiser. His GoTo.com, later known as Overture, didnt make it big (unless you think its eventual $1.63 billion sale to Yahoo was big), but Google did, when it introduced an improved version of the scheme it called AdWords four years later. At that point newspapers were still expecting a full recovery from the mild recession. The significance of search advertising to newspapers was news to me when I started writing about it, in 2011, in A Bare Knuckles Pricing Strategy for The New York Times and A Momentous Event, Not Yet Widely Understood. I cobbled together my understanding from several books, the best of which remains The Search: How Google and Its Rival Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture (Portfolio, 2005), by John Battelle, a founding editor of Wired. Columbia University professor Tim Wu gives the story a ten-page reprise in The Attention Merchants: The Epic Scramble to Get inside Our Heads (Knopf, 2016), though far too late in the book to be of much use to newspaper strategists. I dont want to go on rewriting old columns. My point here is that newspapers themselves havent covered the story. Among financial sophisticates, search advertising is old news to almost everyone but newspaper readers. Heres how Bloomberg Businessweek last month described the enormous new market in a cover story on Googles new CFO: Whereas traditional advertising companies had tried to target audiences based on demographic profile, Googles search ads could be aimed at people already interested in a particular product. Its pioneering pay-for-click pricing scheme, AdWords, meant advertisers paid only for ads that worked. The result revolutionized media and advertising, and gave Google a revenue stream that seemed almost limitless. Googlers have a name for its ad business: the cash machine. The magazine cover was simplicity itself: . Google Income Statement: 1. Revenue from online advertising $76,062,000,000 2. Revenue from Google Glass, venture capital investments, Nest thermostats, smart contact lenses, building-size video screens, seawater-based fuel, broadband internet service, delivery drones, internet balloons, self-driving cars, quadrupedal all-terrain robots, Wi-fi kiosks, energy generating kites, the worlds most sophisticated artificial intelligence software, possible cure for death: \_()_/ Facebook, Googles closest search-advertising competitor, saw revenues climb to around $25 billion last year. In contrast, the four best papers probably didnt sell $10 billion worth of advertising between them. But if deeply reported stories about the invention and significance of search-based advertising have appeared on newspapers front pages, I have missed them. Five developments have been necessary to remove newspapers from the hands of travelers, wherever they happen to be: browsers, search engines, servers, auction technology and, of course, smart phones. But what about the body (and mind) at rest? Research is accumulating that a significant market remains for printed newspapers, delivered to homes and offices. As Jack Shafer wrote last summer, in Why Print Still Rules, Printparticularly the newspaperis an amazingly sophisticated technology for showing you whats important, and showing you a lot of it. The newspaper has refined its user interface for more than two centuries. Incorporated into your daily newspapers architecture are the findings from field research conducted in thousands of newspapers over hundreds of millions of editions. Newspaper designers have created a universal grammar of headline size, typeface, place, letter spacing, white space, sections, photography, and illustration that gives readers subtle clues on what and how to read to satisfy their news needs. Web pages cant convey this metadata because theres not enough room on the screen to display it all. Even if you have two monitors on your desk, you still dont have as much reading real estate that an open broadsheet newspaper offers. Computer fonts still lag behind their high-resolution newsprint cousins, and reading them drains mental energy. Id argue that even the serendipity of reading in newsprint surpasses the serendipity of reading online, which was supposed to be one of the virtues of the digital world. And last week, in Print Still Refuses to Surrender, Shafer concluded that English readers, at least, had spoken: You can pry their newspapers from their cold dead hands. A new study, by Neil Thurman, of the City University of London, had found that 88.5 percent of the total time readers devoted to 11 national U.K. newspapers was spent on the print edition, Shafer wrote, compared to 7.5 percent on smartphones, and 4 percent on PCs. Another study, by the audit and consulting firm Deloitte, revealed that 88 percent of newspaper revenues in France, Germany, Spain and the UK still come from print editions of newspapers. Everybody knows that printed editions are doing better in Europe than in the US, but here, too, advertisers pay far more for space in newspapers than they do for fleeting online impressions, even as print-advertising revenues continue to drop last year precipitously, it turns out,. Here is where the story gets interesting. Leave aside the FT, a truly global newspaper that was purchased in 2015 by the deep-pocketed Nikkei media group. (The Japanese are the ones who really love newspapers.) The three leading US newspaper appear to be pursuing very different strategies with respect to print. The New York Times publisher Arthur O. Sulzberger Jr. in 2012 hired as chief executive Mark Thompson, who built a highly successful web page for the state-subsidized British Broadcasting Company. The Washington Post, is now owned by Jeffrey Bezos, Amazon founder who possesses an almost limitless sense of the power of the web. Bezoss executive editor, Martin Baron, told Madrids El Pais in an interview last month, Print is not going to be around forever and its going to become a smaller and smaller part of what we do. I dont know whether its five or ten years or something longer than that, but I do know its not going to be the future of our business I wouldnt even use the word newspaper anymore. That leaves The Wall Street Journal, privately owned by Rupert Murdochs News Corp. since 2007. The WSJ, like the WPost, no longer publishes its income statements, so it is hard or at least expensive to know how either enterprise is doing. But of the three, the Journal seems most deeply committed to its paper editions, given Murdochs deep, deep roots in print. It could turn out that the NYT and WPost become, as did the Christian Science Monitor in 2008, all digital operations. Suppose, for the sake of argument, that Shafer is right that print is in fact a vital aspect of the future of the business. That could leave Murdochs WSJ, along with Gannetts USA Today, with a shared monopoly on the national newspaper business. Its one more thing to worry about in the time of Trump. Its staggering to recall that one of Donald Trumps main appeals to many of his voters was a pledge to drain the swamp and rid Washington of corruption. In only two weeks he has, instead, begun stocking the swamp with new and poisonous creatures, making it yet more deadly, much as sugar planters did in the Caribbean importing fleur-de-lance and other poisonous snakes to discourage slaves from making new lives for themselves by escaping into the jungle. Trumps cabinet, of course, may contain as many irreconcilable conflicts of interest as all the cabinets of the 20th century combined. Secretary of State Tillerson cannot do his job without becoming deeply enmeshed in the interest of ExxonMobil. Education Secretary DeVos, Health and Human Services Secretary Price, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Ross are ensnared with layers of inappropriate investments; Labor Secretary Puzder has made it clear that he wants to use his new position to reduce wages paid by his fast-food companies and only conceded on Feb. 1 that he might have to divest much of his investment portfolio to avoid future conflicts. Trumps case for himself was set a thief to catch a thief. He argued that he alone of recent Presidential candidates had been so deeply engaged in manipulating the federal tax code, that he alone knew how to fix it. Well. If only. Its not surprising that Trump has gone after Dodd-Frank financial regulations. There are features of those regulation that can honestly be argued to limit the ability of banks to provide useful services. So looking at Dodd-Frank, with the intent to give Americans access to better credit, isnt per se outrageous. But the first target of the Trump administration is a Dodd-Frank regulation which has absolutely nothing to do with financing average American citizens or businessesit simply protects American oil companies when they bribe corrupt oligarchies in places like Africa. Following Trumps lead, the Congressional assault on Dodd-Frank began by rolling back regulations requiring American oil companies to disclose the terms of their leases with foreign governments. If ExxonMobil signs leases with Kazakhstan, (as Rex Tillerson did), why should Trump object if Exxon has to tell the people of Kazakhstan the terms of the lease? More broadly, why should any Americanother than those interested in Exxonobject? We wouldnt allow our own government to sign a secret lease with, say, Rosneft, to develop oil off the coast of North Carolina. Why should the people of Kazakhstan be kept in the dark? The answer, of course, is that if lease terms are public, its harder for corrupt officials to steal and if Russian oil companies, but not Exxon, can offer secret terms, corrupt governments may prefer to deal with Rosneft. And, if U.S. companies choose to skirt American law against bribery, they are less likely to face prosecution if the evidence is kept secret. Exxon, Russia Eye Oil and Gas in Disputed South China Sea https://t.co/lTLCNpvNlI @GreenpeaceAustP @foeeurope EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) February 5, 2017 So for investigators of the massive oil and gas corruption that curses the world, the swamp just got more dangerous, because the sunlight was just snuffed out. Or look at the source of the rot in the DC swampcampaign bribery. Trump was correct in his Inaugural speechsitting behind him on both sides of the partisan aisle were a number of elected officials who in common English parlance had been bribedmaking policy choices influenced by financial gain, albeit almost always for their campaigns, not their retirement accounts. This is a long-standing abuse and problem. But it got much worse when the Supreme Court perfected, in its Citizens United ruling, the legal doctrine that not only wealthy individuals, but corporations, could play this influence game, because corporations were, after all, a funny kind of personendowed with freedom of speech even though they are not citizens and cannot vote. In Citizens United, the Supreme Court ruled this included the right to bribe real life, flesh and blood elected officials by financially supporting their campaigns, a doctrine that even a conservative Chief Justice like William Rehnquist had found repugnant. So, given Supreme Court rulings, how do we drain the campaign finance swamp? You couldnt realistically expect President Trump to have done this in his first two weeks. But you might be surprised to know that he has brought the architect of Citizens United, David Bossie, to help run Trumps own America First Superpac. America First? Citizens United enabled foreign interests, using corporate laundering loopholes, to intervene in U.S. political campaigns legally. Bossies job is to make sure that Trump benefits maximally from that loophole. Bossie roles makes entirely clear that Trump sees no problem with briberyits business. He just wants his share. Trumps real message is, to steal the most, hire a thief. This should not be surprising. During the Progressive era, repeated efforts to clean up corruption by electing business leaders failedbecause as Lincoln Steffens pointed out, the ethics of business success and those of clean politics are utterly different. Honest government is infused with an ethic openness and public service and depends on collaboration on behalf of the general welfare. Business jealously guards trade secrets, sees competitors as rivals and practices, in Donalds immortal words, the zero-sum art of the deal. Previous efforts to clean up corrupt city and state government by electing business reformers mostly went on the rocks as a result. But previous business reformers mostly started out making a serious effort to drive out the grafters. Trump has started out making them his inner-circleafter all, he has no intention of solving his own conflicts of interest and, indeed, has thus far quite openly used the White House to fatten the coffers of the Trump Tower. (Foreign governments understand this. Many are already taking care that Trump properties are fully occupied, that labor disputes or environmental requirements dont slow them down and that the President is sufficiently happy with the treatment his businesses get that he would never add them to a list of, say, risky terrorist countries. None of those listed in the ban last week had Trump properties within their borders). So it seems likely that the Trump White House will be more scandal ridden than any since Ulysses Grantwith the difference that Grant himself never feathered his own nest and Trump already is auditioning for grafter in chief. Investigators and prosecutors will do well out of the next four yearsalthough Las Vegas is giving even odds that Trump doesnt survive that long. Norwegian zoologists have discovered some 30 plastic bags and other marine debris inside the stomach of a malnourished 20-foot Cuviers beaked whale. The whale was an adult male that weighed about 2 tons. Local authorities were forced to euthanize the distressed animal on Jan. 28 after repeatedly stranding itself off the shallow waters of Sotra, an island near Norways southwestern coast. After it was put down, University of Bergen researchers analyzed the whales stomach and determined that the various non-biodegradable objects were likely the cause of death. [facebook https://www.facebook.com/SkyOceanRescue/videos/163910794105808 expand=1] Our whale was emaciated; little fat and low weight. But its stomach was full of plastic, which likely killed it, University of Bergen associate professor Hanneke Meijer tweeted. According to NRK, large quantities of small plastic as well as candy wrappers and plastic bread bags were found in addition to the 30 plastic bags. The items had packaging and labels in Danish and English. University of Bergen associate professor Terje Lislevand told the Associated Press that the whales intestine had no food, only some remnants of a squids head in addition to a thin fat layer. https://twitter.com/TerjeLislevand/status/827287709467160576 Lislevand also told Norwegian publication Bergens Tidende that the whale was likely in pain due to its clogged stomach. The plastic was like a big ball in the stomach and filled it almost completely, he said. The whale might have mistakenly ingested the plastic bags thinking it was squid, its preferred source of food. Lislevand remarked that the animal was one of the first Cuviers beaked whales to be spotted near Norway. EcoWatch has documented many instances of whales suffering and even dying because of plastic waste. But ocean plastic is not just a problem for whales. Fish, seabirds, turtles and many other marine creatures are choking from the 8 million metric tons of plastic garbage that enters our oceans every year. Unfortunately, if consumers do not reduce their use of plastic and plastic-intensive goods, the problem will only get worse. A widely reported study found that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050 if the world continues to consume and dump this form of non-biodegradable waste at current rates. (Islamic Center of Victoria, Texas Facebook page) Some of the statements coming from the current U.S. administration around Islam and people from certain Muslim majority countries may have been disheartening for those seeking to building strong inter-faith relations. But the response of Jewish and Christian communities in the small Texas town of Victoria after a local mosque burned to the ground, have highlighted the American spirit of generosity that the world had long come to expect. After the mosque in Victoria was razed the weekend, the local Jewish and Christian communities there have come together to help those affected, Time magazine reported. The early-morning fire on Jan. 28 destroyed the Texas mosque that was a target of hatred several years earlier and experienced a burglary only a week before it burned down, The Associated Press reported. A convenience store clerk spotted smoke and flames billowing from the Islamic Center of Victoria at around 2 a.m. and called the fire department. "It's sad to stand there and watch it collapse down, and the fire was so huge," Shahid Hashmi, the Islamic center's president, said. "It looks completely destroyed." Victoria Fire Marshal Tom Legler asked for help from the Texas Fire Marshal's Office and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine the cause of the blaze. Hashmi said authorities had told him it was too early to speculate. Members of the B'Nai Israel temple, however, gave the keys to their synagogue to the Muslim community so they would have a place to worship, USA Today reports, and four churches in the town also offered space for the mosque's Muslim congregation to hold services, according to NPR. "Jewish community members walked into my home and gave me a key to the synagogue," Dr. Shahid Hashmi, a co-founder of the Victoria Islamic Center, told The New York Times. "We were very happy to do this," Melvin Lack, treasurer of Congregation B'Nai Israel told USA Today. "You feel what's happening in the community and everyone reacts." The synagogue's offer prompted a Muslim woman who lives in Texas to write on the temple's Facebook page, "On behalf of the Muslim Community, I would like to thank you." She later added, "I am proud to call you all my brothers and sisters. Thank You!" Only hours before the fire occurred, President Donald Trump had announced the controversial executive order that bans immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, said USA Today. AUTHORITIES STILL INVESTIGATING The cause of the incident hasn't, however, been determined yet, and authorities there are still investigating. "We are praying that it is an accident because the thought of actually somebody doing something terrible like that is beyond imagination," said Abe Ajrami, a member of the mosque, according to the Advocate. Children from a Catholic school in Victoria also visited the mosque on a few days after it burnt down, forming what the Islamic Center called a "human chain of love and peace," the center's Facebook page recorded. The students also presented the Muslim community with a tree. "The tree will be planted in the grounds of our new mosque & prominently displayed to remind us of this beautiful moment," the post reads. "This is the spirit of love where the cross hugs the crescent." In addition, the Islamic Center also received financial support: a GoFundMe page raised more than $1 million for reconstruction, within days of the fire. Dr. Hashmi, a surgeon who in 2000 helped found the Victoria Islamic Center, said that both an online fund-raising campaign and separate offerings of cash and checks from the local community had pushed total donations over $900,000 only two days after the fire, The New York Times reported. The money will go toward rebuilding the 4,000-square-foot (372 square meter) prayer and community center in Victoria, home to about 66,000 people, about 100 miles southwest of Houston. It was the only Muslim community center and place of worship for some 40 Muslim families in the city, Hashmi said. (Photo: REUTERS / Amit Dave)Muslims offer prayers on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr at a mosque in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad July 29, 2014. The Eid al-Fitr festival marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has received high praise from city residents of Indian Muslim origin for his efforts during the latest Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations. Also known as the "festival of breaking of the fast", Eid is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of the fasting holy month of Ramadan. Every Eid, most Indian Muslims in the United States miss the pomp, celebrations, sounds, aromas, food, festivities, and the people of India, the Times of Indian editorialized July 17, the day the celebrations began. "There is nothing like celebrating Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha in India," said the newspaper. But it hailed a March announcement by New York Mayor de Blasio who announced that the largest U.S. city, will close it's school system (that serves 1.1 million students), to celebrate Eid Ul Fitr and Eid ul Adha. "It really made us feel completely at home here in the US. Other States including New Jersey, Massachusetts and Vermont already celebrate both Eids. The Times of India noted that at the March 2015 press conference, Mayor de Blasio stated: "I am proud to say that this now makes New York City the largest school district in the nation to take this action, so this is a historic moment for our country as well. "This is about respect for one of the great faiths of this earth - 1.6 billion Muslims around the world. "The Muslim faith is one of the fastest growing in this nation and in this city, and many, many city students celebrate Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha at the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca." David Dinkins, an earlier NY mayor, had passed a law suspending city parking regulations for six days each year - three days on Eid ul Fitr and three days on Eid ul Adha to facilitate the Muslims to park their cars on the crowded NY City streets. NY'S MUSLIM POPULATION GROWING Muslims constitute about 13 percent of New York City's population, the Times of India reports. It cites a study by Columbia University said to show that about 10 percent of the NY City public school students are Muslim. On a drive through New York City, the ubiquitous Halal food carts, and the Hijab wearing young women underline the fact that Muslims have now made this City their home and hearth. The U.S. Postal system started issuing "Eid Mubarak," stamps on September 1, 2001, in Arabic calligraphy - another milestone noted for the Muslim community. There are now 2,106 mosques in the U.S.A, which also serve the communities other needs such as weddings, funerals, etc. Due to the rapid growth in Muslims' numbers, however, most of the mosques are now unable to host the number of worshippers during Eid. Many of the mosques therefore combine to pray in large buildings such as armories, hotel ballrooms, or in open parks. Panic struck the education establishment over the election of President Donald Trump and his selection of school choice advocate Betsy DeVos for U.S. secretary of education. There was fear that she would preside over a dramatic expansion of nontraditional forms of education, including charter schools. But even senators who opposed DeVos nomination concede that charters have become mainstream in the education world. While charters continued expansion is important, its also clear that their progress has come at a price. Charters are suffering from regulatory strangulationnot from foes, but from so-called friends. As a devoted advocate of charter schools, DeVos, once confirmed, could make her most important contribution to education by restoring sanity in charter school policy. Charter schools began as a state effort to disrupt districts exclusive franchise over education. Since the first charter school law was passed in Minnesota a quarter-century ago, this school choice option has united people from diverse backgrounds and lifestyles who have wanted more personalized and innovative public education to meet student needs in ways that traditional public schools have often failed to do. Between 1991 and 1999, Democrats and Republicans joined forces to enact charter school laws in 35 states and the District of Columbia. It was the beginning of a competitive environment that shook the education establishment. In fact, the rise of charter schools mirrors disruptive innovation, a term coined by the Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen. The theory explains how technology allows for the creation of better services, which eventually replace those of well-established competitors. Traditional public schools, for example, are focused on low-risk, sustainable improvements. They lost their dominance in the market to cutting-edge charters that worked to transform labor, capital, materials, and information to better meet consumer needs. For more than 2.5 million students in almost 7,000 schools, 43 states, and the District of Columbia, charter schools have ignited innovations in how education is delivered, measured, and structured , by lengthening school days, emphasizing project-based learning, and using new and creative models for classroom management. That traditional public education has adopted many of the same notions first tried in charters is cause for celebration. The more established innovations become, the greater their impact. But charters also run the risk of losing the very conditions that made them able to innovate in the first place. Charters are slowly morphing into bureaucratic, risk-averse organizations fixated on process over experimentation." That is the precarious position in which the charter sector finds itself today. The operational freedom initially afforded to charters through law, in exchange for performance-based accountability, caught a regulatory fervor that its own advocates invited. Charters are slowly morphing into bureaucratic, risk-averse organizations fixated on process over experimentation. Such organizational behavior is called isomorphism, allowing once-innovative organizations to resemble those they disrupted. The root cause has been a regulatory push of laws at both the state and federal levels. These have empowered state agencies to micromanage everything from the approval to the authorization of charters. Some call it accountability. Others know it better as bureaucracy. Sociologists Walter W. Powell and Paul DiMaggio discuss the effect of isomorphism on systems of organization in their 1991 book The New Institutionalism in Organizational Analysis. They argue that once a field becomes well-established ... there is an inexorable push toward homogenization. In charters case, the push toward regulation was a result of stinging critiques in both the media and research, often from inconclusive data. The critiques of charters are spearheaded largely by a 2009 report from the CREDO Institute, an independent research group at Stanford University, which found that nearly half of charter schools nationwide had academic-performance results that were no different from those of public schools. The groups report produced the famous and frequently quoted (but incorrect) finding that charter schools do no worse or better than regular public schools and resulted in widespread calls to close charter schools, without third-party vetting of the data. Ultimately, this response started the path toward increased regulation and the stifling of innovation for charter schools. Even leading advocates of charters, such as the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools and the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, have embraced misleading data points about charters and have begun to allow bureaucratic forces to strangle the charter sectors innovation. They increasingly advocate one-size-fits-all charter laws and accountability systems. State legislators adopt education laws that are rife with top-down compliance, discouraging the growth of new charter schools. Thats where the next education secretary could turn the key to reverse this isomorphic trend, starting with gutting the regulatory requirements of the once-simple federal charter-grant program and repealing a bevy of nonregulatory guidance that restricts how states do business. But the new secretary must also be discriminating in personnel selections; even the most prominent leaders in the charter sector have isomorphic tendencies. If charter schools do not reject isomorphism, they will cease to be the laboratories of innovation that made them successful in the first place and will instead become part of the education establishment they were once built to reject. Nutriad launches Iraq partnership Nutriad and its new partner Mila Company for Veterinary Drugs, has held a launch meeting in Erbil, Iraq. The event, hosting representatives of 70 key customers, marked the beginning of an increased focus on an important feed market in the Middle East. Gilles De Feyter, Area Manager MEA, discussed the key benefits of Nutriad products and services with nutritionists and veterinarians. An in-depth view was given on mycotoxin management, covering the importance of analysing raw materials and finished feed, securing storage, and, using the right mycotoxin deactivator. Mr. De Feyter said, "Successive wars, civil unrest and years of economic sanctions have stifled agricultural production in Iraq. Together with our local partners we witness how the country is working towards developing a competitive market-based agriculture sector. Nutriad wants to be a part of that development and support local producers with practical solutions." Beaver County preparing for robust Election Day turnout As the Nov. 8 midterm election approaches, nearly 114,000 people are registered to vote in Beaver County. The potential collapse of the Nafta economic bloc could have a huge global impact, Mexican officials have warned, as they prepare to fall back on World Trade Organisation rules amid fears Washington could torpedo the global trade body. "I hope the world understands that what happens . . . [with the North American Free Trade Agreement is going to be very telling for the rest of the world," Ildefonso Guajardo, Mexico's economy minister, told the Financial Times. "Our membership of the WTO is our safety net," said Mr Guajardo who was unsure the US would respect WTO rules, an approach that could be hugely destabilising for global trade. "From public statements, the US is not very pleased with multilateralism," he added. "It's a big call to action for the rest of the world . . . it's more than a row between neighbours," said Agustin Carstens, governor of the Bank of Mexico. Donald Trump, US president, has come into office with an "America first" policy that has already seen him withdraw from a 12-country Pacific Rim deal negotiated by his predecessor, Barack Obama, and vent his frustration with large bilateral trade deficits the US has with countries such as Germany, Mexico and China. That the US might be contemplating using its number three trade partner as a way of blowing up the international trade order is a sign of how bilateral relations have soured since Mr Trump was inaugurated. The past two weeks have seen a rollercoaster start to efforts to rethink a trade relationship worth $580bn a year that has also anchored security co-operation between the two nations. Mexico's president Enrique Pena Nieto scrapped a planned Washington summit after Mr Trump insisted Mexico pay for a border wall. A mollifying phone call the next day then degenerated into farce after news reports quoted Mr Trump saying he would send the US military to quell Mexico's "bad hombres" and drug cartels, saying the Mexican army was "scared". Both capitals have denied Mr Trump used such terms. The real possibility that Nafta could fall apart has brought into focus a 23-year relationship long taken for granted by both sides. US agricultural companies, which export $39bn under Nafta, have written to Mr Trump to express their concerns. Security analysts point out that Mexico could end co-operation with US intelligence agencies if pushed too far. The White House is expected soon to give Congress a required 90-day notice that it will begin negotiations with Canada and Mexico, which wants to see the start of Nafta talks in May. "You cannot properly react until you see the policies [that will be proposed]," Mr Guajardo said. Meanwhile, Mexico is drafting bilateral deals with Brazil, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand, and the government says Singapore and Malaysia are priorities. Mexico already has free-trade agreements with 45 countries, the most in the world. The crisis over Nafta is also forcing Mexico to take a hard look in the mirror - and the image staring back includes stagnant growth, wages and productivity, corruption and legal impunity. "This makes it doubly urgent to increase Mexico's productivity and competitiveness . . . Structural reforms are so important," said Mr Carstens. Although anecdotal evidence suggests the trade uncertainty is depressing investment, he remains confident that Mexico can ride out the volatility. After all, it has many years of practice. In 1994, the year Nafta began, a massive devaluation produced a debt and banking crisis - light years away from today's reality given the central bank's more than $175bn of reserves and an $80bn International Monetary Fund credit line it can also call on. "I don't want to say that this isn't complicated, but I do think we have the ability to overcome tough times," Mr Carstens said. "The problem is that we don't know with any certainty how long all this uncertainty will last." Hollywood directors named Damien Chazelle the best film director of 2016 for "La La Land" at a gala ceremony on Saturday, placing the musical in a strong position for the movie world's top honors, the Oscars, later this month. The Directors Guild of America (DGA), the leading industry group representing film and television directors, chose Ezra Edelman as the best documentary maker for "O.J.: Made in America," which is nominated for the best documentary feature Oscar. Past DGA feature film award winners have often gone on to claim the best director Oscar and see their films win best picture from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Australian director Garth Davis won the first-time feature DGA honor for the drama "Lion". It was Chazelle's first DGA win and first nomination for only his third feature film, which scored a record-tying 14 Oscar nominations last month, including best picture and best director for Chazelle. So far this year industry awards from the Producers Guild and now the DGA have gone to "La La Land", a musical set in Los Angeles starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone which now appears to be the odds-on Oscars favorite. The Oscars will be handed out in Hollywood on Feb. 26 to producers, directors, actors and actresses in a star-studded television show viewed around the world and among the most-watched TV programs in the United States. We packed up and headed out at about 9:30 on a blustery Minnesota morning for the drive to Radisson Blu Mall of America which is located in Bloomington, Minnesota. With all the excitement leading up to the getaway, the kids didnt sleep much so most of the ride was peaceful and quiet while the kids napped. We arrived close to noon so I ran in to see what time our rooms would be ready. Even though official check in isnt until 3, we were pleasantly surprised to learn our rooms were all ready. (I love that they offer early check in if your room is available! But another note I wanted to mention is that if your room isnt ready, they will store your luggage in the bellhop closet until it is.) Sending a big thank you to Radisson Blu for inviting my family for a complimentary visit! Passing through the lobby is an amazing experience in itself. Its truly unique and gorgeous! They have two nest styled hanging lounge chairs filled with comfy pillows. They are big enough to fit a crowd yet enclosed enough for a private moment too. After checking in, we took the lobby elevator up to the second level to the guest rooms elevators. As mentioned in my previous post, these elevators use card secure technology so only guests and workers with approved room keys will be able to utilize. And something that awed my family was how fast these elevators are! It is literally only seconds to get from one floor to your next destination and the kids loved how smooth a ride it was! Next stop was our rooms. We stayed in a (non-smoking) King Junior Suite and City/Valley View Guest Room. The rooms had adjourning doors and this was an ideal arrangement for our family of seven. The four older kids stayed in the City View Room while my husband and I shared the Junior Suite with our 2 year old. Originally we thought wed just have the youngest jump in a bed with someone but at about 8:30 pm on night one, we werent so sure that was a good idea and called down for a crib. Within less than 10 minutes, it was at our door. Heres a video tour of our two rooms: The Junior King Suite was absolutely gorgeous. Filled with great amenities, guests will walk in to find a mini refrigerator, coffee maker, coffee and cups & supplies, safe, office desk, free Wi-fi, couch, large closet, large bathroom with a tub & separate walk-in shower, and more. Its truly breathtaking! The more standard yet unique with decor room would be Radisson Blus City/Valley View Rooms. Also offering the mini-refrigerator, coffee maker and supplies, large closet, and safe, this room came with a standard shower/tub combo and slighter smaller bathroom than the Suite. Yet the room was large enough to include both a mini table/desk area as well as a side chair and side table in the corner. Another great surprise we received from Radisson Blu was about 1/2 hour after check in, there was a knock on our door. A friendly member of the staff was delivering our welcome! They sent us a dozen chocolate chip cookies, milk, honey from their rooftop bees (which youll learn more about in my next post), and five adorable plush honeybees! It was such a fun way to start off our vacation! This little munchkin wanted to hoard all the bees to herself but her siblings took care of that quickly and all laid claim to one. Check our my entire Radisson Blu & MOA Series by clicking on the links below: ~Looking For A Fun Getaway? Head To Minnesotas Mall Of America & Radisson Blu! ~Treat Yourself To An Unforgettable Vacation With Radisson Blu Mall Of America {Winter Getaway Part 1} ~Visit Radisson Blu At Mall Of America {Winter Getaway Post 2} ~Radisson Blu Mall Of America ~ Fun Packages Available For A Perfect Family, Couple, Or Friend Getaway ~Hungry? Radisson Blus FireLake Grill House + Cocktail Bar Has You Covered! {Winter Getaway Post 3} ~Radisson Blu MOA & The Crayola Experience {Visit Minnesota} Winter Getaway Post 4 ~Family Vacation To Radisson Blu Mall Of America & Fly Over America Attraction {Winter Getaway Post 5} Visit: Head over to Radisson Blu to learn more to learn more about all the great options, packages, and special they have available. Connect: Dont forget to like Radisson Blu on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, and subscribe to their You Tube Channel for all the latest news and promotions. Im a city girl turned country by my awesome husband and we have three busy boys and two darling daughters. I love spending time with my family, reading Karen Kingsbury novels, and catching up with friends while our kiddos have play dates. Im blessed beyond measure and cant wait to see what God has in store. Follow Miranda on Pinterest | Twitter| Blog | Instagram www.emilyreviews.com/category/miranda Ramsey to mark 100th anniversary of seaman's death A minute's silence will be observed in Ramsey later to mark the 100th anniversary of the death of a Naval seaman from the town. Alfred Kinrade was 21 years old when the minesweeper trawler he was serving on was struck by a mine off the coast of South Wales during World War I. Seaman Kinrade was one of 10 children born to a Ramsey couple who ran two fish and chip shops in the town, while his brother was a former chairman of Ramsey Town Commissioners. His family will place a cross at the town's War Memorial at 6.30pm and hold a minute's silence, which members of the public are invited to attend. Rain, snow warning from Met Office The Manx met office has issued an amber weather warning with heavy rain and snow forecast for this afternoon and into this evening. Meteorologists are expecting sleet, wet snow and coastal splashover to hit the Island until around 9pm. Sleety conditions are expected to mainly affect the hills, but Rushen, Douglas, Laxey and Ramsey can all expect large waves hitting coastal roads. Forecasters warn there could be localised flooding as well as debris on coastal roads as a result of the conditions. Swift Current Energy (Swift Current) is developing the 175 ~ 200MW HillTopper Wind Energy Project (HillTopper) in Logan County, Illinois. Swift Current acquired the rights to HillTopper from Relight Enterprises in late 2016. Swift Current will complete development and construction of HillTopper and plans to bring the project online in late 2018. "We are excited to have the opportunity to develop the HillTopper Wind Project and look forward to bringing clean, locally-made energy to Illinois and the Midwest," said Tony Lent, Swift Current's Chief Executive Officer. "We are so grateful to the people of Logan County and Mt. Pulaski who have welcomed us into their community as we work to bring this exciting project online. We look forward to continuing to work with residents and local officials as we finalize the design and layout of the wind farm." "Logan County is wind country. We are fortunate to have attracted excellent developers to our region in recent years and are excited to have Swift Current join our community," said Bill Thomas, the Executive Director of the Logan County Economic Development Partnership. Thomas continued, "Construction of the HillTopper project will bring well-paying jobs and investment to Logan County. The commitments Relight made during the permitting process, which Swift Current has an obligation to uphold, will provide payments in aggregate of $560,000 per year to Unit School District 23, Mount Pulaski Zion Lutheran School, Heartland Community College, Lincoln Land Community College, and to community benefit funds in each of the Broadwell, Elkhart, and Mt. Pulaski townships for the coming decades. Businesses in Logan County look forward to the HillTopper project getting built." Formerly known as the Meridien wind project, Swift Current recently changed the name to the HillTopper Wind Project to more closely associate the Project with its surrounding community. "As folks in Logan County know well, the city of Mt. Pulaski sits on a hill surrounded by some of the most fertile farmland in the region. We wanted to recognize the community and the five towns that send students to Mt. Pulaski High School by renaming the project after its high school mascot, the HillToppers," said William Kelsey, Executive at Swift Current.Mr. Kelsey helped Relight permit the project with Logan County and has joined the Swift Current team. "I am pleased to be able to continue to work with the good people of Mt. Pulaski, Lincoln and Logan County as we move towards construction and build a great project that delivers clean energy to the region and great benefits for the community." Announcing the Formation of Swift Current Energy Comprised of a small team of wind and energy industry veterans, Swift Current launched in late-2016 with a mission to bring large-scale, 2016 production tax credit qualified, energy projects to the market and attract long-term investment in clean, renewable power for America's future. "Our team knows what it takes to get projects into operation," said Eric Lammers, Chief Investment Officer and former principal at Arclight Capital, an active sponsor in the energy arena. Lammers continued, "Collectively our team has developed, financed, constructed, operated and either sold or bought nearly 8GW of energy assets in the last decade. We look forward to bringing our expertise and deep industry experience to this new effort." (Photo Credit: Swift Current Energy) The first step towards a future devoid of oil, coal and related energy holdings looks promising. Just days after US President Donald Trump signed the resumption of an access pipeline project that will transport hundreds of thousands of crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois, an initiative to preserve the natural resources has been launched in Europe. Ireland has steered its ship towards an impending outlook that sees the country using alternative means of energy assets. Its legal system has done it quite convincingly. With a 90 to 53 runaway voting decision, the Parliament has withdrawn its support for the country's Strategic Investment Fund. This means that gas, oil and coal investments will no longer be backed by Ireland's $8.56 billion coffer. Although the result of the ballots has not been officially translated into law, it is believed that this development is highly likely to be approved soon. The proposal has been pushed by independent politician Thomas Pringle. Considering the overwhelming chances of the initiative to be passed into law, the budget for fossil ventures will be taken out of the strategic fund for the next five years. The stakes will eventually be sold down the road. According to Pringle, the move sends a strong signal to global companies that their constant exploitation of natural resources will come to an end. It is a fact that such scheming has led to climate changes which resulted to catastrophic effects in underdeveloped nations where living instability has been rampant. However, the implication of Ireland's political will may not be that formidable. Judging from the European country's link with environmental issues, the dent is somewhat minimal. Still, the action is a huge symbolic approach. Ireland's breakthrough will become more vital than Norway's drive to eliminate fossil fuel projects. It can be recalled back in 2015, Oslo has launched a process that will undermine the financial resources from the government's sovereign pension fund. Even though the campaign pushed through, the implementation coverage has fallen short considering that not all fuel organizations were included. James Bond is eternal, only his avatars vary! The latest one is tipped off to be Sam Heughan, the Scottish-born actor. Having played Jamie on "Outlander," Sam Heughan is now known everywhere. A number of fans are convinced that he can step into the role of James Bond easily. Being among the biggest stars on television at present, he has millions of fans all over the world. They are convinced that he is ideal for the role, according to Scotsman. Fans of the 36-year-old star are sure that he is the best for the role. He wowed audiences with his "Outlander" role as Jamie Fraser. Heughan looks great fighting, and is a "dab-hand" even with the ladies, according to The Scottish Sun. Rumors whisper that he will be hooking up with co-star Caitriona Balfe in real life. These speculations are based on what his fans have seen for years. However, while no one really knows how far it is true, the two have definitely been going around with each other. Right now, Sam Heughan does not seem to be in any other movie or show apart from "Outlander." Hence, he will be a big hit as the next Bond, it is surmised. Still, there are competitors and other actors who are also in the running to be the next Bond. They make the speculation impossible to confirm. One of the rivals is Aiden Turner, who did not answer anything about the question in Britain's National Television Awards recently. Aidan Turner even refused to either confirm or deny his relationship with James Bond. Still, he sure seemed to light up when asked about it. Other A-list stars include actors Tom Hardy, Tom Hiddleston, and Idris Elba and "Homeland" star Damien Lewis. There has not been any other news or rumor regarding the last selection for the super suave thriller star's role. YouTube/Summer Pic Paris Jackson is gearing up to become a Hollywood star. The latest news is that Michael Jackson's daughter is going to be part of Lee Daniels' Fox drama, "Star." It will be a music-themed show created and executive produced by Lee Daniels and Tom Donaghy. Paris will play a character called Rachel Wells, who is described as "stylish," yet aggressive as a social media professional. Rachel will egg on Eva and Star to contribute to a publicity shoot, according to Billboard. The news says that Paris has been picked out for the role by the Director. He has not said anything about another highly-rated drama "Empire," even though Paris' presence would make a big difference in that series too. So far, Paris Jackson has not been a Hollywood star, although rumors and news push her in that direction. So far, she has appeared on television and has also been featured in "Oprah's Next Chapter" in 2012. She was also featured on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show. Last month, she made her first solo appearance at the Golden Globes. She bagged a large contract deal with Chanel, a luxury brand, for which she appeared in another ad campaign in Paris. Still, it does seem as if she is going to make an even bigger splash as a Hollywood star. It was a recent interview with Rolling Stone Magazine that fiercely moved the spotlight on her. She said that she had tried to commit suicide many times, as she had been assaulted several years ago. She spoke fondly of her father, Michael Jackson, and is convinced that he was murdered in 2009. Reportedly, Michael Jackson suffered a cardiac arrest due to an unholy combination of "prescription drugs." Many fans were actually surprised to see Paris Jackson speak so candidly about her dark past. Is Paris talking to the press simply because she's looking to generate publicity and hoping to keep her name in the headlines? Some believe that might be the case. After all, Paris is giving a lot of interviews these days. But many other fans call that kind of comment unfair. Paris has had a tragic life. Why would anyone want to be in the limelight for such reasons, they ask. YouTube/Access Hollywood Kate Middleton will spend Valentine's Day this year away from her husband, Prince William. Instead of a romantic night together, the Duchess of Cambridge will prioritize visiting the Royal Air Force cadets at Cambridgeshire base in England. Cambridgeshire is only an hour and a half drive from Anmer Hall, the home of Kate Middleton and Prince William. The Duke could easily join the Duchess, or she could be back home easily for a lovely dinner. Kate Middleton has been serving as the Royal Patron and Honorary Air Commandant of the Air Cadet Organization for roughly a year now according to a report by Vogue. She followed the footsteps of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who is the princess' grandfather-in-law and the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. This will be the duchess' third trip to the base in Cambridgeshire. On the 14th Feb, The Duchess of Cambridge will visit an RAF base in Cambridgeshire to meet with the @aircadets pic.twitter.com/51TvxNA7bk Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) February 1, 2017 As the Queen and Prince Philip advance in age, Kate Middleton and Prince William have started to take on more patronships as part of their royal functions. Contrary to rife rumours that the couple are on the verge of divorce, the Duke and Duchess will make London their primary residence this year. "The week acts as an initial 'camp experience' for cadets who are in their first six months of membership. Her Royal Highness will join the cadets as they view a tutor aircraft, and participate in a personal development training session," the Kensington Palace said. Kensington Palace has not released any official statement why the Duke will not be joining Kate Middleton. However, on Feb 12, Kate Middleton and Prince William are expected to attend the BAFTA Film Awards at London's Royal Albert Hall. Sony is likely to reveal a series of smartphones in the next Mobile World Congress to be held in Barcelona, Spain soon. Apparently, in 2016 the company released a few of the Xperia handsets, and recently it seems that Sony is again preparing to launch five new phones. The handsets appear to be split between the high-end and mid-range, and accordingly if rumors are true, the flagship phone may stand out from among Sony's smartphones and even in whole gamut of smartphone world. According to Trusted Reviews, among the phones to be unveiled is the Sony Xperia XA that is rumored to be the main object of the event. Consequently, Sony enthusiasts are apparently already excited when an apparent video of the phone was recently leaked online. While not much is known yet about the phone, it is probable that this will be just like the earlier models. Ostensibly the video also shows some of the software features of the Sony Xperia XA phone at various angles, and from what appears in the leak, the phone probably is running the recent Android 7.0 Nougat. It is further reported by Tech Radar that the smartphone is listed under the codename 'Yoshino' and is supposed to be the flagship model of the series. It apparently has a 5.5-inch 2160 x 3840 screen, a Snapdragon 835 chipset, 4GB or 6GB of RAM and a Sony IMX400 camera sensor. It is said that the prominent spec is the 4K screen, which is common to Sony. Accordingly, the Xperia Z5 Premium also has a 4K screen, while the majority of Sony's other unveiled flagships have remained with 1080p displays. It is alleged that rival smartphones have already migrated to QHD. The other specs apparently are not very spectacular, but the Sony Xperia XA would probably still make it as a high-end smartphone. "Dragon Ball Super" Episode 78 is expected to feature the clash of the 12 universe. Losers are doomed as Omni-King will be ruthless to them. In the trailer of "Dragon Ball Super" Episode 78, Goku tells Vegeta to be ready so he will have better chances of conquering and winning the tournament. However, it seems Vegeta is not willing to do just that according to Comicbook. Vegeta has been Goku's reliable partner, but this time he does not seem to be willing to join "Dragon Ball Super" hero as Bulma is about to give birth. He might feel that his presence is more needed by Bulma, rather than Goku. Goku is all prepared and ready for the martial arts competition. He is all set for the training and ready to proceed anytime. Tripped Media reported that Todd Blankenship recently shared a translation in English of "Dragon Ball Super" Episode 78 which was original published in Japanese publication Weekly Shonen Jump. Todd Blankenship recently shared a translation in English of "Dragon Ball Super" Episode 78, which was original published in Japanese publication Weekly Shonen Jump. The Omni-King, king of the 12 universe, has reserved a seat for the first battle. The reason why he is watching the "Tournament of Power" is because he wants to wipe out the world of the god who will lose the battle. Jump preview for DBS ep.78, airing February 12th. Spoilers and all that jazz. pic.twitter.com/6Ncn4d57qd Todd Blankenship (@Herms98) February 2, 2017 Goku is up for the first battle with Universe 9. Knowing what Omni-King has in mind as a punishment for the loser, the "Dragon Ball Super" hero will try hard to build an alliance with the best fighters in the universe. It is reported that Goku will reach out to Gohan in "Dragon Ball Super" Episode 78, who is hesitant to join the Tournament of Power because he is now a scholar. Goku is left with Vegeta and Krillin to join forces with him. Watch out for "Dragon Ball Super" Episode 78 on Feb 12. Starz is now gradually completing the return of "Outlander" Season 3 as it recently added two stars to play major characters. Gary Young and Charlie Hiett are about to join Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan in the upcoming third run of the much favorite television series. Gary Young is set to play the role of Mr. Willoughby in the upcoming "Outlander" Season 3. Mr. Willoughby is a Chinese man who knows everything when it comes to Eastern medicine. Although he is an Asian, he can speak English very well but tries to hide when the situation asks him to. Mr. Willoughby, too, is a brilliant poet, a woman lover and more of an outcast in the 18th century Scotland compared to Claire (Caitriona Balfe). However, even though he is an exile, the role of Gary Young will be Jamie's (Sam Heughan) great confidante in "Outlander" Season 3, according to E! News. Charlie Hiett, on the other hand, will be playing Captain Thomas Leonard, a third lieutenant who never thought he could be captain of a warship in "Outlander" Season 3. He is an inexperienced captain of the Artemis who plays it strictly by the book. This is because he got quickly promoted when his commanding officer died unexpectedly. In spite of that, he sincerely does his job and does everything that is right according to the British Navy, but it is taking its toll on him. Meanwhile, The Wrap noted that "Outlander" Season 3 will be based on the third book, "Voyager," of Diana Gabaldon's novel series with the same title. It is set to continue Claire's journey through the stones back to her life in the 1940s. Fans will see her pregnant and struggles on her return in the past while managing the effects of it on her then husband Frank (Tobias Menzies). Alternatively, Jamie will be staying in the 1700s era and will be seeing taking the consequences of the Battle of Culloden's repercussion. He, too, will be seen wasted for thinking Claire's loss. Separated by many occurrences, the two have to find a way to see each other again. "Outlander" Season 3 is expected to be out this 2017. It seems that the avid fans of "Making a Murderer" still has to wait a little longer as the Netflix's VP of Original Content, Cindy Holland hasn't stated the exact release date of "Making a Murderer" Season 2. Also, it was stated that the series' creators; Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi are already filming the much-awaited show. According to USA Today, Netflix's VP of Original Content; Cindy Holland stated that the "Making a Murderer" Season 2 story is still uncompleted, so the viewers might be able to see some of the show's episode on their TVs sometime this year. She also added that it is not yet known when the new episodes will be airing. Furthermore, it was noted that the "Making a Murderer" creators; Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos are in Manitowoc and they are filming the series' regularly. Holland also stated that the creators are also working on what is the right story to tell in the next set, so it is dependent deferring to them on when "Making a Murderer" Season 2 will be ready. Holland further said that "Very few people inside of Netflix actually know the details of what we're getting because we want to keep it really under wraps and it is an ongoing case so we're trying to be sensitive to that." As a refresher, TravelersToday reported that the first season of "Making a Murder" had 10 episodes and it premiered in late 2015. The TV series has scrutinized the notorious case of Steven Avery, who was imprisoned due to the murder of photographer Teresa Halbach in 2005. Avery proclaims that he was not guilty; instead, he was framed up for Halbach's murder as revenge for a complaint he filed against Manitowac County worth $36 million. The authorities purportedly put him behind bars unlawfully for a sexual assault case wherein he served 18 years in prison before being acquitted in 2003. Although there is no specific date when the "Making a Murderer" Season 2 will air, it is still good to know that it will premiere this year. Also, the creators of "Making a Murderer" are reportedly already filming the show so it seems that its premiere is forthcoming. The past, present, and future of Quebec (Part Six) By Mark Wegierski Jacques Parizeau's Parti Quebecois won the September 1994 provincial election with about two-thirds of the seats (but with only 44% of the popular vote, under the "first-past-the-post" system of geographic ridings). Also, in the October 1993 federal election, the Bloc Quebecois, running candidates exclusively in Quebec, won 54 seats in the federal Parliament, ironically becoming the Official Opposition. Together with a smaller party in Quebec, the ADQ, the PQ and BQ launched a coordinated effort to win the Quebec referendum of 1995. A Yes would have authorized the Parti Quebecois government to begin negotiations towards Quebec sovereignty. The referendum failed by an extremely thin margin. One of the possible reasons why separatism is a major but not overwhelming force in Quebec, is that Quebec receives substantial economic benefits for remaining in Canada, a process which has been ongoing for at least four decades. Considerable numbers of so-called non-separatist nationalists feel that the Quebecois are already maitres chez nous ("masters in our own house"), especially in terms of the now-current, mostly linguistic focus of identity. Robert Bourassa, a long-serving Liberal Premier of Quebec, had talked about federalisme rentable a term which has sometimes been translated as booty federalism. Some exasperated English-Canadian right-wingers have argued that the interaction between the so-called federalists and so-called separatists in Quebec is nothing but a stratagem to maximize the amount of federal funds flowing to the province. The Quebecois never seem to want to embrace their nationalism overwhelmingly. Perhaps they want to maintain the pretence that, if English-speaking Canada does enough for them, they might just choose to remain in Confederation. When Justin Trudeau spoke to Quebeckers that they should want to be a part of a country stretching to the Rockies, and so forth, this was the classic Quebec federaliste appeal. While this may sound like Canadian patriotism in English-speaking Canada, what this really means is that French-Canadians should be filled with the desire to dominate a continent-wide polity, rather just confining themselves to dominating Quebec. I believe that Jean Chretien, too, had once spoken of our Rockies to a French-Canadian audience. The fact is that English-speaking Canada expends enormous amounts of political energy (as well as economic resources), just to keep Quebec in Confederation. Indeed, English-speaking Canada has surrendered vast amounts of its own traditional culture, which is said to be the price of keeping Quebec in Canada. But Quebec separatism does not seem to be going away. Perhaps this is because there really are two nations in existence, and all of English-speaking Canadas sacrifices and efforts are going to be futile in the end, anyway. Some English-Canadian right-wingers have suggested that a way to cut through this Gordian knot, is not to approach Quebec as abject, groveling supplicants, but actually threaten to expel the province from Confederation. It could also be argued that some of the attitudes of Quebecois nationalists towards Quebec sovereignty have been curious, indeed. For example, they have sometimes proposed to leave the armed forces under federal jurisdiction. This blatantly contradicts the notion of national sovereignty at its most basic. It is often enough stated that we live in a post-modern world of fluidity and amorphousness. One could ask the question whether, in this post-modern context, some kind of accommodation could be negotiated between Canada and Quebec that would not need to stand hard on notions of hard sovereignty. The 2007 provincial election gave a lot of play to the then-resonant message of ADQ leader Mario Dumont. The ADQ tended to see the notion of full separation as too chimerical but wished to negotiate a so-called autonomous status for Quebec within Canada. It also attached great importance to notions of what could be called cultural sovereignty. One of today's ironies is the fact that secularization and modernization have given Quebec one of Canada's lowest birthrates and highest abortion rates -- creating a demographic crisis (and sense of psychological siege) in a society once known for its very large families, and for its "revenge of the cradle" against the English. It could be argued that Quebecois nationalists will have to re-evaluate their relationships to TROC, to North American technological civilization, to their own traditionalist past, and to the rapidly-increasing Third World immigration into Quebec, if they are indeed seriously interested in their survival as a nation and a people over the coming centuries. To be continued. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home Trumps toughest challengerevving up growth By Dr. Peter Morici Already President Trump is set to move decisively on the economy, but he must scale huge hurdles to accomplish 3 to 4 percent economic growth. Radical policy changes are requiredtough to do even in this era of aggressive executive orders. House leaders are working on corporate tax reform that will close loopholes, lower rates to internationally competitive levels and shift part of the tax burden onto imports. It has a decent chance of winning enough bipartisan support in the Senate but much more needs to be done. Still many large businesses and most small ones are organized as limited liability corporations and pay taxes through the personal tax codeafter corporate tax reform they would be saddled with effective rates above 40 percent while their corporate rivals pay half that rate or less. Congress only has so much tax writing bandwidth, and personal tax reform may be booted into next year. Also, Treasury Secretary-designate Steven Mnuchin has stated that upper income individuals will not see a reduction in their overall tax burden but they pay more than 80 percent of the personal income taxes. Hence it remains a puzzle as to how taxes can be meaningfully cut to stimulate growth. Whenever and whatever congress ultimately decides, genuine tax relief will require bigger deficits. Those are an anathema to many Republicans and in any case dont guarantee growth. George W. Bush slashed personal income taxes, Barack Obama expanded entitlements and both relied in some considerable measure on bigger deficits as opposed to pruning spending elsewhere. Yet, each presided over moribund recoveries. Trade deficits with China and on oil directly subtract $500 billion annually from the demand for American made goods and services, kill millions of jobs, stifle R&D and tax growth. Confronting China on trade with a 45 percent tariff, alone wont get Beijing to stop undervaluing its currency, subsidizing exports and cease blocking market access for American-made goods and services. It can push back by harassing U.S. companies with operations in China and imposing new barriers on U.S. products, and more broadly by squeezing Taiwan, upping the ante on militarization of the South China Sea and further enabling North Korea. Trump must gird for a broad crisis with China, deploy the full range of Americas geopolitical and economic assets and compel Beijing to reckon with the fact that their shaky economy cannot withstand an all front confrontation with the United States without risking the Communist Partys grip on power. Energy and Interior Departments committed to opening up drilling in the eastern Gulf and off the Atlantic and Pacific Coastsand ending the endless federal harassment of shale producerscould make America energy independent. However, as with many other issues, the lack of 60 Republican votes in the Senate will require guerrilla warfare to accomplish the results American voters deserve for awarding Trump the presidency. On the supply side, its a lot more expensive to start a business and make things in America than in the 1980s and 90s, because of the growth of the regulatory state. Just compliance with labor market, health care, financial, environmental regulations and the like require hundreds of thousands of employees and cost businesses billions of dollars. Imposing an efficacy test on regulationsrequiring just what is absolutely needed to accomplish legitimate goals for protecting workers, the environment, consumers and financial stability, and then jettisoning the restshould be the overarching objective as Trumps cabinet goes to work at Labor, EPA, Treasury and elsewhere in the far flung federal regulatory apparatus. A good deal of what Obama imposed was by fiatexecutive orders that can now be repealed. However, he also imposed overly aggressive and burdensome regulations established under statutes, and those are more difficult and time consuming to nix. Just as the law required the Obama administration to publish and take public comment on proposed regulations before imposing new rulesand then endure legal challenges from businesses and Republican state officials the Trump administration will have to repeat those steps and face litigation from environmental groups, labor unions and Democratic governors . All can be axed or reshaped by congress, but the Trump administration can expect a pitched battle from progressive Senate Democrats dedicated to remaking the American economy in the low-growth, high unemployment model of continental Europe. After losing the presidential election, muffing the opportunity to capture the Senate and managing to hold only 16 state governorshipsnot to mention their minority standing in the House and most state legislatureswe likely wont be hearing Obama pontificating on the sidelines that elections have consequences. Instead, we can expect the only remaining consequential Democratsthose who can filibuster against the popular will in the Senateto rely on the 60 vote rule to try to run out the clock until the 2020 presidential elections. In the end, Republicans in congress may have to resort to a grand budget reconciliation billor for their senators to reluctantly vote to suspend the 60 vote ruleto push through a panoply of reforms, and Trump will have to marshal public support for radical measures to overcome a barrage of criticism and protests from liberal politicians and the media. Bigger than his vision and knack for picking competent executives will be his salesmanship. Americas first dealmaker is not a man inclined to small deeds, and these will be the measure of his presidency. Peter Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist. EU President Donald Tusk has described the administration of US President Donald Trump a threat to the 70 years of the American foreign policy in Europe. Donald Tusk has listed Donald Trump alongside radical Islam, terrorism, Russia and China as threats to the European Union, adding that worrying declarations by the new American administration all make our future highly unpredictable. In Mr. Tusks opinion, the change in Washington puts the European Union in a difficult situation, reflecting upon Mr. Trumps earlier comments about the European institutions and the broader role of NATO. Donald Trump had previously described the EU as obsolete and a vehicle for Germany, saying that he had had a very bad experience with the EU as a businessman. EU leaders generally fear that Mr. Trumps comments will not only undermine the EU itself but they will also benefit Russia, which would like to see a weaker NATO and a broken trans-Atlantic alliance. Moreover, Europes elites grow wary of Donald Trumps likely choice as ambassador to the European Union Ted Malloch. Mr. Malloch, who is himself a businessman, was an avid supporter of Brexit before the June referendum and he is said to have been interviewed for the post by President Trump. In his recent interview for the BBC, when asked about his interest in moving to Brussels, he replied: I had in a previous career a diplomatic post where I helped bring down the Soviet Union. So maybe theres another union that needs a little taming. On top of Mr. Mallow, EU leaders are also wary about Mr. Trumps chief strategist Stephen Bannon, who is also anti-EU and had a major influence on the President. Although analysts agree that it is very unusual for an EU leader to criticize the US President in such an open way, it is also true that Mr. Trumps policies to the EU are completely unprecedented. Stefan Lehne of Carnegie Europe summarized this conundrum: Every Brit and European was socialized to expect the US to lead on every international crisis. Now you have a US president who wouldnt mind at all if the EU fell apart. European leaders met on Friday (3 February) in the Maltese capital, Valetta, to discuss their concerns regarding the new US administration in a very open discussion, said the host of the gathering, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. EU leaders vowed to remain united in response to Donald Trumps criticism of the bloc and pledged to speak up whenever Washington breaches any of the EUs principles and values. EU leaders also stood against President Trumps ban on the nationals of seven-majority Muslim countries, which German Chancellor Angela Merkel denounced by stressing that fighting terrorism should not be a reason for a blanket stigmatization. Mrs. Merkel also noted that trans-Atlantic relationship remained important but added that the new US administration was pushing Europe to take our destiny in our own hands. European Council President Donald Tusk had earlier described Donald Trump as a challenge to Europe, which can turn into a threat if the bloc loses its unity and focus. However, Mr. Tusk also emphasized that a strong EU-US relationship has been and should remain a key pillar of the free world. British Prime Minister Theresa May added that she had made clear to Mr. Trump that a strong EU was good for the US while also urging Brussels to work patiently and constructively with the US and warning that division and confrontation would only come back to harm the bloc. French President Francois Hollande on his part stressed that EU countries should not try to seek bilateral deals with the United States: During their meeting in Malta, EU leaders also discussed migration and approved another batch of financial support worth 200 million for the Libyan government to stop migrants from attempting to cross the Mediterranean. Our way is cooperation and partnership, we do not believe in walls and bans, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini commented. NZD JPY Exchange Rate Trading At Elevated Levels Says Leading Bank At the end of last week, BNP Paribas initiated shorts in the NZD JPY exchange rate, selling the pair at 82.60, with a stop-loss at 84.00 and a target of 78.60 a target representing a 5.5% fall. With NZD/JPY very close to the highs of its recent range, Sam Lynton-Brown, FX Strategist at BNP, sees significant opportunity in fading what he considers to be elevated levels in the pair. A Dovish Surprise from the RBNZ Not Unexpected BNP have decided to enter the position ahead of Wednesdays RBNZ rate decision and monetary policy statement. While no change in New Zealands official cash rate is expected, BNP believe that the Kiwi is vulnerable to a dovish surprise. Currently, the market is pricing in one hike by the RBNZ by the end of 2017. Lynton-Brown has the following to say about the banks views on the upcoming RBNZ meeting: Market pricing for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) could be vulnerable to unwinding. The market currently prices around 35bp of tightening by the end of this year. However, we note that at its last meeting the RBNZ reiterated that New Zealands trade weighted index (TWI) needed to decline, and since then it has strengthened further. We therefore expect the central bank to be cautious in prompting the market to price in more tightening at its 9 February meeting, as this would further strengthen New Zealands TWI. Multiple Reasons for Selling New Zealand Dollars, Says BNP Analyst Further to monetary policy factors, Lynton-Brown points to the obvious Double Top pattern forming below 84.0 on the New Zealand dollar to yen daily chart. BNP Paribas also believe that the market is positioned overly long in NZD/JPY due to its score of +30 in the banks FX Positioning Analysis (on a scale of -50 to +50). This is the pairs highest score since July 2014. Not yet done, Lynton-Brown points also to milk prices something which prompted considerable NZD strengthening in 2016. Milk prices appear to have now topped out, and if recent milk price weakness is confirmed at Tuesdays Fonterra auction, the NZD could be vulnerable to a downward correction. Finally, according to BNPs short-term fair value model, NZDUSDs beta to the MSCI World Index is currently 0.83, which suggests that a 5% correction lower in global equities would reduce NZDUSDs fair value by 4.1%, which is more than any other G10 currency. In other words, BNP believe that the New Zealand dollar is the most vulnerable of all G10 currencies to a correction in global equity markets. An equity market correction is something which Morgan Stanley said last week has several possible catalysts. In summarizing BNPs view on the New Zealand dollar-to-yen rate, Sam Lynton-Brown says: Technicals, risky asset vulnerability, RBNZ rate hike pricing and positioning signal downside in the cross. We think risk-reward favours being positioned for a correction lower. NZD JPY Data Releases This Week [Day, Currency, Time in GMT, Data, Forecast] TUE NZD 02:00 Inflation Expectations Q/Q TUE NZD (no scheduled time) GDT Price Index WED NZD 20:00 Official Cash Rate 1.75% WED NZD 20:00 RBNZ Statement WED NZD 21:00 RBNZ Press Conference THU NZD 00:10 RBNZ Governor Wheeler Speaks THU USD 13:30 Jobless Claims 249,000 FRI USD 15:30 University of Michigan Sentiment 97.9 A general increase in market risk appetite helped to bolster the Loonie, although this afternoons US crude oil inventories data could prompt fresh weakness if stockpiles are found to have expanded further. Tuesday's session saw demand for the risky Canadian Dollar exchange rates wane on lower risk-sentiment, as well as continued concerns about the oil market. Despite signs of widespread compliance for the OPEC oil output cap plan, stocks remained high and analysts remained concerned that OPECs efforts would make minimal difference. The increasing prospect of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates in the near future prompted a dip in market risk appetite, leaving the GBP/CAD exchange rate on a narrow trend around 1.6317. Despite the diminished appeal of the Canadian Dollar, the Pound struggled to advance on its rival, weighed down by worries surrounding Brexit and the passage of the governments Article 50 bill. GBP CAD Exchange Rate Softened by Brexit Concerns The pound dropped this morning as UK businesses are reportedly already suffering the impact from the vote to leave the EU Despite recent domestic data suggesting that the UK economy has shown surprising resilience since the referendum, an Ipsos Mori survey of business leaders showed that 58% feel that it is having a negative impact on their business. Two thirds of executives are predicting that that the situation will worsen once the UK formally leaves the EU, with only 32% of the companies surveyed expecting that it will have a positive impact in their business within five years. Ben Page, chief executive of Ipsos Mori said, Business in this country is already feeling the pain of the economic upheaval of leaving the EU and there is no sign that this is likely to ease this year. The survey also showed companies have been struggling to woo investors since the referendum as most would prefer to wait until there is more certainty over the process before committing to the UK, especially in regards to tariffs as there are fears that businesses will suffer if they lose access to the free market. Meanwhile, a separate report from consultancy firm Mercer predicts that UK firms will face worker shortages post-Brexit as tighter immigration controls and the ageing population will leave a huge deficit of labour. Sterling Falls as SMEs Face Rising Costs UK consumers face the prospect of rising prices this year as over 50% of SME businesses prepare to raise their prices, according to a report from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). The weakened Pound has been blamed for the price rises as the drop in value since the Brexit vote has caused import costs to balloon. The report also pointed out the many SMEs will likely face a drop in domestic demand as economist predict that consumer spending will dry up this year as households feel the pressures of Brexit. Canadian Dollar Strengthened by Rising Oil Prices The Canadian Dollar rose Monday as markets speculate that new US sanctions against Iran could throttle supplies from the middle-east. Prices were also shored up by another movement in the US as the government announced that it would scrap rules placed on energy and metals firms regarding the transparency of foreign dealings, potentially leading to fewer restrictions on foreign energy investments. Brexit Bill to Pass through House of Commons This Week The UK governments Brexit bill allowing it trigger Article 50 will pass through the House of Commons this week, with the GBP CAD exchange rate likely to be impacted by any potential amendments made to the bill, especially if they make it more difficult for Theresa May to pursue her plans for a hard Brexit. GBP CAD Data Releases Monday, February 6, 2017 NZD 09:00 GBP New Car Registrations (YoY) (JAN) Tuesday, February 7, 2017 00:01 GBP BRC Sales Like-For-Like (YoY) (JAN) 08:30 GBP Halifax Plc House Prices s.a. (MoM) (JAN) 08:30 GBP Halifax House Price (3MoY) (JAN) 13:30 CAD International Merchandise Trade (Canadian dollar) (DEC) 13:30 CAD Building Permits (MoM) (DEC) 15:00 CAD Ivey Purchasing Managers Index SA (JAN) Wednesday, February 8, 2017 13:00 GBP BOE Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe speaks in Birmingham 13:15 CAD Housing Starts (JAN) People looking to travel to the United States from countries that have been subject to a temporary entry ban are still facing confusion with their legal situation even less clear.Currently the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has suspended all action relating to President Donald Trumps Executive Order banning people with passports, including dual citizens, from seven mainly Muslim countries. This came after the ninth US circuit court of appeals in San Francisco agreed a temporary order at the weekend restraining the entry ban on travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.In accordance with the judge's ruling, DHS has suspended any and all actions implementing the affected sections of the Executive Order entitled Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States, said a DHS spokesman.This includes actions to suspend passenger system rules that flag travellers for operational action subject to the Executive Order. DHS personnel will resume inspection of travellers in accordance with standard policy and procedure, the spokesman added.However, the Department of Justice has said it intends to file an emergency stay of this order and defend the President's Executive Order. The Order is lawful and appropriate. The Order is intended to protect the homeland and the American people, and the President has no higher duty and responsibility than to do so, said a Whitehouse spokesman.Although it means that passport holders from the banned countries should currently be able to travel to the US and be allowed entry it is not clear how long the latest legal action will take and travellers are advised that they could find the ban in place again at a moments notice.For the latest information the DHS is asking travellers to go to its https://www.dhs.gov/news and individuals who may be affected by the Executive Order can also visit the CBP INFO Center website for additional information. On the webpage people can request additional guidance by clicking on the Email us your Question button.Immigration advocacy groups including the American Civil Liberties Union and International Refugee Assistance Project issued a joint statement on Saturday saying that those with visas should consider rebooking travel to the US immediately because the ruling could be overturned or put on hold.The order had caused unending confusion for many foreigners trying to reach the US and prompted protests across the nation including in Washington outside the Whitehouse and in New York and near Trumps estate in Palm Beach, Florida, where Trump was attending the annual American Red Cross fundraising gala at the weekend. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In the race to find someone anyone to lash out at over the immigration and travel restrictions ordered recently by President Donald Trump, many consumers settled on an odd target: Uber. It had, supposedly, undercut prices for non-Uber taxis just as protesting taxi drivers went back to work. A boycott brigade formed almost immediately. In response to the same executive order on immigration, Starbucks announced plans to hire 10,000 refugees around the world. Then another boycott action began, started by people who couldnt understand why the company wasnt hiring 10,000 unemployed people in the United States. Both groups had the same goal, whether they were trying to stick it to the president or stick with him: to bring the fight to the companies that may (or may not) do the literal bidding of the new administration. And their weapon was their daily budget. Both actions, however, were not actual boycotts, at least if you ask a purist. They are calls for boycotts, said Monroe Friedman, the unofficial dean of American boycott studies and an emeritus professor of psychology at Eastern Michigan University. Sustaining a true boycott, he noted, requires more than a hashtag. So what makes a true boycott work? And was it the call for a boycott of Uber that prompted the companys founder, Travis Kalanick, to quit Trumps economic advisory council last week? The target: A good boycott starts with picking the right company to put on the defensive. Sometimes, in the desire to make big changes fast, activists take a fire-hose approach. Consider the efforts of the anti-Trump organizers at Grabyourwallet.org. They offer a helpful list of the top 10 companies to boycott. Then, the small-font spreadsheet lists several dozen more, from most boycott-able to least. Uber was midway down that list. As well-intentioned as it may be, this makes for some exhausting reading. Its also exhaustive so much so that the organizers felt duty-bound to include a list of entities not being boycotted at this time. Last week, the movement claimed a scalp: Nordstrom, its top target, said it was not ordering anything from Ivanka Trump and her fashion line this season. The reason: Why boycott? Outrage tends to fall into two general categories, according to Daniel Diermeier, who is provost at the University of Chicago. First, there are the one-sided issues. No one, he said, is on the side of child labor, for instance. These kinds of boycotts tend to draw more supporters and have a greater chance of success. But if youre organizing a boycott around a more polarizing issue say, who deserves to come to a country you can expect that for any consumer action, there will be an equal and opposite reaction. The #DeleteUber campaign prompted #BoycottLyft after that company announced a $1 million donation to the American Civil Liberties Union. At the same time, Starbucks fans who support the companys outreach to refugees gleefully tweeted about supersizing their Frappuccinos. Victory: After Trump won the election, Bill Penzey, chief executive of Penzeys Spices in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, wrote a message on Facebook informing Trump voters that they had just committed the biggest act of racism in American history in more than 50 years. Boycotts ensued but good luck to you if your goal is to change the mind of a guy like that. And if youre going to try, dont send him letters telling him that youre not going to buy his tea anymore. (He doesnt sell it.) And dont give him a reason to disparage your intellect by misspelling chef as chief. 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. Ease: Deleting the Uber app from a smartphone is easy enough, especially when Lyft and others offer reasonable substitutes. Caffeination is available everywhere. Other boycotts may not be so simple, though. For instance, no one makes a chicken sandwich quite like Chick-fil-A, so people who crave one but dislike the companys historical support of organizations that oppose same-sex marriage are in a pickle. A friend of mine once suggested a solution: gay marriage offsets. Have a sandwich, then take the same amount of money and donate it to, say, the Human Rights Campaign. Diermeier invoked the Disney example: Good luck talking a child out of a promised trip to its theme parks. Simplicity: For a boycott to take hold, the precipitating action must be easy to explain. In Ubers case, however, it wasnt. It had sent a tweet noting that the surge pricing it puts in place when demand is high had been lifted. That led to accusations that it was trying to undercut prices of taxi drivers who had just been involved in a work stoppage to protest the presidents travel ban. But if the company had left the surge on, the same protesters would have probably accused it of profiteering off the work stoppage. So there was no way for Uber to win. Still, this alone hardly is the cause for a boycott. So whats really going on here? Well probably never know exactly how much the boycott affected Kalanicks choice to quit Trumps advisory board or whether he did so because his employees urged him to. According to Friedman, the boycott dean, a true, successful boycott requires a sustained campaign and plenty of money or time. Consumers who dont have much of either, however, can take heart in one big change that the travel-ban controversy has revealed. For the past week, scores of companies have felt compelled to make statements about a new president and an important piece of policy. Few, if any, of any size offered full-throated support of the ban. AUSTIN State Sen. Bob Hall is playing the long game on abortion. To date, more than two dozen bills relating to abortion have been filed in the Texas Legislature, most aimed at restricting the controversial procedure. Hall, however, has gone a step further and authored a bill to create a constitutional amendment to prohibit abortion to the fullest extent authorized under federal constitutional law as interpreted by the United States Supreme Court. The Republican senator from Edgewood is looking forward to a conservative U.S. Supreme Court he hopes will overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that made abortion legal in the United States. Other states have attempted similar approaches by passing trigger laws, that would go into effect if Roe v. Wade were overturned. According to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that supports abortion rights, 19 states have laws that could be used to restrict the legal status of abortion. Four states Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota and South Dakota have laws intended to ban abortion automatically if Roe is overturned; eight others still have pre-1973 abortion bans on the books but do not enforce them. Eight states have laws that mirror Halls bill. I think there might be a real possibility that a Supreme Court in the near future just might overturn Roe v. Wade, Hall said. If they were to do that, then this would put in place in Texas that abortions would be illegal. The proposed constitutional amendment, SJR 9, would require a two-thirds super-majority vote in both chambers, and if approved, voters would have the final say on the change. Similar bills were introduced in 2011 and 2015 but went nowhere. Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond, said it was unlikely such a law ever would be implemented even if Halls resolution is approved by lawmakers and voters, calling it wishful thinking. He pointed to the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling last June in Whole Womens Health v. Hellerstedt, the lawsuit that successfully challenged provisions of Texas 2011 strict abortion law. Without Scalia, the court reaffirmed Roe v. Wade, and struck down the Texas laws strictest provisions by a 5-3 majority. Even had Scalia been alive, the result would have been the same, Tobias said. (Trumps pick for justice) would just substitute for Justice Scalia, and that still doesnt give you enough votes, he said. Among other anti-abortion bills filed in Austin this year are measures that would prohibit health insurance from covering the procedure and ban dismemberment abortions. One that has garnered the most attention would enable authorities to charge a woman who gets an abortion and the abortion provider with murder. That bills author, Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, has been placed under Department of Public Safety protection after receiving death threats in reaction to the bill, according to his spokesman. A spokesman for NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, which advocates for abortion rights, said the group is more worried about legislation that would reduce access or interfere with a doctors ability to make professional decisions about abortion than it is about Tinderholt and Halls bills to criminalize or outlaw the procedure. This constitutional amendment is a pretty unserious idea, said Blake Rocap, the groups legislative counsel. It would basically have no effect because, guess what? The Supreme Court already said you cant make abortion illegal. Many of the anti-abortion bills filed in the Texas legislature are similar to legislation being drafted in states across the country, reflecting a national push by abortion foes and lawmakers to challenge Roe v. Wade or at least chip away at it in hopes that a fully-staffed conservative Supreme Court will uphold them. Anti-abortion group Texas Right to Life, for example, has made its top priority a bill by state Sen. Charles Perry that would ban abortions in which a fetus is dismembered and removed one piece at a time. According to National Right to Life, seven states have passed dismemberment laws. All have been challenged or have yet to take effect. John Seago, legislative director for Texas Right to Life, said the group had help from national groups to find the best bill to challenge Roe v. Wade. Seago said the intent is not to overturn Roe v. Wade directly, but challenge the logic of the Supreme Court decision. This is the type of case wed like to get into court, he said. Were constantly having that conversation with our national partners. Joe Pojman, executive director for Texas Alliance for Life, said his group is backing away from pushing legislation that is likely to end up in court. Were not recommending that the legislature pass any bill that would not withstand a federal court challenge, Pojman said. This is not a good time to challenge Roe v. Wade. The outcome is predictable. He said the group often looks at sample legislation from Americans United for Life, an anti-abortion group that develops model legislation for state and national lawmakers. The organization has worked with Texas lawmakers, including former Gov. Rick Perry, for years to craft abortion regulations that have become law. The most notable of those was House Bill 2 the subject of last years ruling in Whole Womens Health v. Hellerstedt which required Texas abortion facilities to meet hospital-like standards and forced more than half of the states 41 abortion clinics to close its doors. Americans United for Life acknowledged its role in H.B. 2 in 2015, saying the ambulatory surgical center standards became part of the bill with the help of AUL experts. That provision was one of the two struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court last summer. The other was a requirement that doctors who perform abortions have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. While Hall fights to push his constitutional amendment through the Capitol, he said he is less worried about the national anti-abortion movement. I really dont belong to any of the national organizations, Hall said. My focus is on Texas and protecting the rights and liberties of the people in Texas. nicole.cobler@chron.com twitter/nicolecobler As President Donald Trump worked toward dismantling the nations historic relationship with Mexico, a binational group of U.S. and Mexican legal scholars, former ambassadors, Foreign Service officers, judges and lawyers met at St. Marys School of Law to do the complete opposite to better understand and appreciate each others constitutional protections. In the law schools courtroom, where so many South Texas lawyers have been produced, the prestigious group discussed La Constitution Politica de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos de 1917, the Mexican constitution, its third, on its 100th anniversary. The first two weeks of the Trump administration in no way spurred the gathering, but it came at an opportune time to appreciate a major trading partners constitutional progress. While Trump sought to build a border wall, demand that Mexico pay for it, threaten to send U.S. troops to the border, suggest a tax on Mexican imports that incited fears of a trade war, asserted erroneously that 3 million undocumented immigrants voted illegally in the presidential election, U.S. and Mexican officials talked and listened. For St. Marys School of Law, it was important outreach, said Dean Stephen M. Sheppard, given its steady production of Mexican American graduates, many of them descendants of the Mexican refugees who fled during the revolution, landed in San Antonio and forever transformed it. St. Marys also has distinguished itself in producing so many leading Chicano civil rights activists, most especially the late Willie Velasquez, founder of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project. Sheppard finds the Mexican constitution a fascinating document to study, in part, because it was the first written constitution in the world to set out the rights of the people first. The Constitution of Mexico is clearly strongly influenced by the Constitution of the United States, he said, especially in its commitment to federal, separation of powers and to the independence of the judiciary. That was pioneered in the United States and enshrined in the Mexican constitution. The drafters of the Mexican constitution studied very carefully our Bill of Rights and other ways rights have meaning in the United States, he said. But they made important additions about the rights of the individual. They wanted clearly to make it a priority, so its the first written Constitution in the world to put the rights of the people first, he said. Ours has a preamble, and the first thing mentioned are the powers of Congress. The Mexican constitution deals with political, social and economic rights that Sheppard says make a commitment to the middle class to avoid an economy that makes great winners of the few. Of course, its aspirational, he said. Then again so is ours. Its foolish to say we secure all our rights. We don't do that. They are infringed and ignored, and the courts some time says thats OK. Mexico doesnt live up to its constitutional ideals, but Sheppard said it strives to reach them amid corruption and drug wars. In that, its not unlike the struggles of so many emerging and developing democracies. Cecilia Elizondo Herrera, a career diplomat who helped establish the largest U.S. embassy in the world in Baghdad, where there were such hopes, reminded the audience that its important not to judge such efforts, even those that fail. Democracy is no easy venture. Sheppard noted its worth remembering, for example, that Mexico abolished slavery and extended voting rights to women long before the United States did. Mexico is catching up to its aspirations, especially with regard to economic growth that might grow a middle class. Its progress that seems at least to me, as a single observer, to suggest that Mexico has taken up the baton of not only protecting institutions in its constitution but focuses on securing the rights of its individuals rather than the other way around, he said. St. Marys law began planning the conference two years ago. Trumps election had nothing to do it. But it certainly has underscored the lack of understanding between the two countries. The conference also featured an impressive presentation by South Texas lawyer Robert C. Hilliard, who delivered his arguments in Hernandez v. Mesa, a case he soon will present to the U.S. Supreme Court. He represents the family of a Mexican teen shot and killed on Mexican soil by a U.S. border agent standing on U.S. soil. In doing the conference leg work, St. Marys law grew ties to universities in Guadalajara and Monterey and did some initial programming around the needs of lawyers in Mexico and the effects of immigration on family members who remain at home, Sheppard said. The school already has similar programming ties with Europe and China. Theres also a very practical reason St. Marys law is building connections to Mexicos legal scholars and its judiciary its students. Someday theyll take the baton in working trans-nationally for U.S. and Mexican companies and investors. While the inane shouting continues from Washington, its good to know that here at home, scholars are preparing for those ties that will bind. eayala@express-news.net "In considering the level of the levy, the committee was cognisant of the need to ensure that an appropriate level of funding is available to Dairy Australia to support the current and future long-term research, development and extension strategy for the dairy industry which is critical to improving farm productivity," said Mr Lawrenson, a former Bonlac Foods director. "Technology is increasing at a rapid pace and we want our customers to know that we've got it covered, with people who not only understand the John Deere product but also have the knowledge about how to operate it efficiently." The future of Fauquier Times now depends on community support. Your donation will help us continue to improve our journalism through in-depth local news coverage and expanded reader engagement. Support Funeral homes often submit obituaries to the newspaper as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we are happy to accept obituaries from family members. You may use the form linked below, or you may email Jeanne Cobert at jcobert@fauquier.com or call her at 540-270-4931. Go to form Mark Sorrells will be the new president of FTCC next year education There is an evident shift in fraud typologies away from traditional real world frauds, such as card skimming, fraudulent documents, social engineering, etc., toward cyber frauds, such as cyber intrusion, phone cloning, malware and fake apps (mal-apps). While these two realms dont exist in isolation and many fraud typologies span both dimensions, the trajectory is continuously heading towards the cyber realm. In the Asia Pacific region alone, financial losses from cyber fraud came to $81.3 billion in 2015 and exceeded losses in North America and the EU by about $20 billion. Asia accounted for more than a quarter of the $315 billion cost of attacks globally during this period. Reportedly, 90 percent of Asia-Pacific companies have been hit by some form of cyber-fraud last year. Even frauds that have traditionally been real world in nature (such as collusion, mail theft, etc.), are adapting to the expansion of the cyber realm. As an example, internal fraud historically sits in the real world and is reported to cost on average approximately 5 percent of an average organizations revenue. However, of late, it is adapting to leverage possible cyber vulnerabilities. This was demonstrated in the case of Morgan Stanley, where an employee was accused of stealing customer information with the intent to sell to cyber criminals. Whether employees steal customer information or intellectual property, the need to protect your data not just from external threats, but the insider threat, has never been greater. In this ever-changing environment, organizations need to ensure they are not only protecting themselves against real world frauds, but also against growing cyber fraud. Traditional fraud detection, such as internal controls, red flag monitoring and internal audit, is still capable of protecting organizations against real world frauds; however, as fraudsters move into the cyber realm, fraud detection methods needs to follow. The basis of cyber fraud revolves around an organizations data and a criminals ability to manipulate, access or steal that data. Whether this occurs through malware, intrusion or phishing, the result is nearly always, but not limited to, financial loss to the organization. Therefore, the key to better protecting your organization against fraud is to have fraud detection methods that span the real world and the cyber realm. For example, predictive analytics, statistical analysis and machine learning can enable organizations to defend themselves in a more effective manner. In its Report to the Nations (2016), the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners identified that organizations with proactive data-led fraud detection, were able to reduce their median fraud loss for an organization by up to 54%. Data-led solutions, which leverage the power of the data that the criminals are so desperate to steal, provide a bright light at the end of the fraud detection tunnel. As fraud moves towards the cyber realm, it is imperative that organizations follow and arm themselves with the right tools to better protect their organizations so they arent bringing a knife to a gun fight. ___ Allanna Skeels is the regional lead for data analytics in Asia Pacific for Control Risks. She specializes in providing data-led proactive solutions to reduce fraud and financial crime exposure, fusing intelligence techniques and data analytics to enhance investigative methodologies and providing insightful analysis and forecasts to reduce risk exposure. Allanna is based in Sydney. The U.S. Senate voted Friday to repeal an SEC rule that would have required oil and gas and mining companies to disclose each year all of their payments to foreign governments for exploration and production rights, permits, taxes, and other things. The House passed the bill earlier last week. It now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature. The disclosure rule was set to go into effect in 2018. It was first adopted by the SEC in August 2012 under the Dodd-Frank Act and finalized in late June 2016. Lawmakers used the Congressional Review Act to repeal the disclosure rule. That law allows a simple majority in Congress to repeal rules finalized in the past 60 legislative days. The SECs approval of the final version of the extractive disclosure rule fell within the 60-day legislative deadline. Anti-corruption activists had said payments to foreign governments were often bribes in disguise. They said the disclosure rule would help opposition politicians and local NGOs hold regimes accountable. Business groups had argued that the law would stigmatize U.S. companies for making legal payments to foreign governments and reduce their ability to compete globally. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act doesnt prohibit payments to foreign governments. It outlaws corrupt payments made directly or indirectly to foreign officials, political parties, or other covered organizations to win or keep business. Repealing the SEC extractive industries disclosure rule wont change the FCPA anti-bribery provisions or the books and records and internal controls provisions of the FCPA that the SEC enforces. Nearly all natural resource deals involve foreign governments, which typically control their countrys resources directly or through state-owned enterprises. Energy companies, for example, usually pay foreign governments for the right to explore for oil and gas, and then they pay royalties on the eventual production. Those payments, as well as taxes and other fees, would have been disclosed each year under the SEC rule. * * * In mid 2013, a federal judge in DC threw out the first version of the SECs extractive industries disclosure rule. Judge John Bates said the SECs refusal to allow any exemptions to companies was arbitrary and capricious. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups had asked the SEC to allow companies to privately disclose the payment data to regulators, and to protect commercial interests by limiting public disclosures to a more general compilation of the payments. After the federal court ruling, the SEC rewrote the rule to allow reporting companies to pursue case-by-case exemptions for commercially-sensitive information or to comply with foreign laws against disclosing resource extraction-related payments to those countries governments. The first disclosures under the finalized rule would have been due in September 2018. Covered companies would have been required each year to disclose the type and total amount of payments made on a project-by-project and country-by-country basis. Even after repeal of the U.S. rule, many SEC-reporting oil and gas and mining companies will still have to disclose payments to foreign governments under rules in place in Europe and Canada. In April 2013, the European Union adopted a disclosure rule largely mirroring the SEC rule. The EU action directed member countries to require oil and gas, mining, and logging companies to report all payments to governments of 100,000 or more. * * * The SEC and EU rules were pushed by a coalition of NGOs that included Christian Aid, Global Financial Integrity, Global Witness, and Transparency International. Last week, Jana Morgan, director of the U.S. chapter of the Publish What You Pay coalition, told Sam Rubenfeld of the Wall Street Journal that repealing the SEC rule sent a very disturbing message about House Republicans commitment to fighting corruption. Why are Republicans prioritizing voiding an anti-corruption rule that has been adopted in 30 other countries around the world when the message the Trump administration ran on was one of draining the swamp? she said. The SEC commissioners adopted the original extractive industries disclosure rule in 2012 on a 2-1 vote (there were two recusals). Commissioner Daniel Gallagher voted against the rule. In a dissenting statement he talked about the anti-competitive impact on U.S. companies: And lets be clear; were talking about real competition. Although it would be natural to assume that our large and familiar domestic oil and gas companies fill the list of the worlds top ten, that isnt the case. State-owned oil companies, some of them truly huge even by reference to our largest domestic publicly held oil and gas companies, are major competitors. I am talking about national oil companies in Russia, China, Iran, and Venezuela among others. These companies do not operate in the highly transparent, intensely regulated world of U.S. issuers. And, they will reap competitive advantage through todays rules. A statement published last week by Global Witness called the extractive resources disclosure rule a key part of U.S. efforts to curb the corruption that keeps poor countries poor and threatens U.S. national interests and global security around the world. Simon Taylor, a co-founding director of Global Witness, said in the statement that repealing the rule was a pro-corruption move by the Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress and a sign that not only do they think corruption is perfectly acceptable but that they intend to become pro-active enablers of corruption. ____ Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. The Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), under the commerce ministry, Government of India, has initiated anti-dumping investigation concerning imports of polyester staple fibre (PSF) from China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The period of investigation shall be 18 months from April 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016. The investigation has been initiated following an application filed by Alok Industry Limited, Indo Rama Synthetics (India) Limited and The Bombay Dyeing & Mfg. Co. Ltd. for imposition of anti-dumping duty on imports of non-dyed PSF ranging from 0.6 to 6 Deniers, excluding recycled PSF and specialty fibres namely, cationic dyeable, fire/flame retardant, low melt and bi-component fibres from China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, a DGAD notification said. Non-dyed PSF ranging from 0.6 to 6 Deniers are predominantly used to spin yarn of 100% PSF or in blends with natural, artificial and/or synthetic staple fibres for manufacture of textiles, sewing thread, other industrial textiles, non-woven applications, etc. The Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), under the commerce ministry, Government of India, has initiated anti-dumping investigation concerning imports of polyester staple fibre (PSF) from China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The period of investigation shall be 18 months from April 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016.# Though the period of investigation shall be from April 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016, the injury investigation period will cover the data of previous three years, i.e. April 2012 to March 2013, April 2013 to March 2014, April 2014 to March 2015, and the current period of investigation, the notification said. The probe will determine the existence, degree and effect of alleged dumping and after that, DGAD may recommend the quantum of anti-dumping duty, which if levied, will be adequate to remove the injury to the domestic industry. (RKS) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Orsha Linen Mill in Belarus is shipping a trial order worth $59,000 to an Indian buyer, who sells fabrics in wholesale and retail. Orsha has signed a contract for supplying $1 million worth of fabrics with the Indian buyer, whose representatives had visited the mill earlier. Orsha will be supplying its fabrics to the Indian market for the first time.Speaking to Belarus news agency, Dmitry Muravyev, deputy director general for commercial affairs at Orsha Linen also added that they were trying hard to make their presence felt in new markets, while strengthening their hold in markets, where they are already present. Orsha Linen Mill in Belarus is shipping a trial order worth $59,000 to an Indian buyer, who sells fabrics in wholesale and retail. Orsha has signed a contract for supplying $1 million worth of fabrics with the Indian buyer, whose representatives had visited the mill earlier. Orsha will be supplying its fabrics to the Indian market for the first time.# Orsha began exports to countries like Tunisia, Morocco, New Zealand, and South Africa in 2016, while also supplying finished textile products to China. The mill derives 80 per cent of its revenues from exports to 36 countries. (AR) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India HON PM BAINIMARAMA'S MINISTERIAL STATEMENT TO THE PARLIAMENT ON COP 23 Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker,I rise to inform Honourable Members about aspects of Fijis presidency of COP 23 the ongoing UN negotiations on climate change that I will preside over in Bonn, Germany, in November.As I indicated in my New Years Address to the Nation, Fiji has been given the tremendous honour and the tremendous opportunity by the community of nations to lead the world in these negotiations.It is by far the biggest and most important task that we have been given in almost half a century as an independent nation. The world is looking to Fiji to maintain the momentum that was set by the Paris Agreement at the end of 2015 for substantial cuts in the carbon emissions that are causing global warming. And are leading to the rising sea levels and extreme weather events like Tropical Cyclone Winston that devastated our nation almost a year ago.As we all know, the impact is much wider, and includes changing weather patterns that are affecting agriculture, plants, fauna and sea life.I cannot stress enough to every Honourable Member and to every Fijian the importance of this mission. Not only for ourselves and other Pacific Islanders but for all 7.5 billion people on the planet.In our region, the simple truth is this: If we cannot gain the agreement of the industrial nations to keep reducing their carbon emissions and lower the global temperature, the consequences will be catastrophic. As you already know, three of our Pacific neighbours will disappear beneath the waves altogether. And while we in Fiji will also lose vast tracts of arable land and be forced to move many communities to higher ground, it is the extreme weather events that global warming is generating that pose the greatest threat to our way of life, and our ability to sustain the livelihoods of the Fijian people.Madam Speaker, this is not a false alarm. This is not something that is going to happen sometime down the track. It is a clear and present danger. As anyone who bore the brunt of Winston knows. Anyone who has had their community relocated knows. Anyone whose farmland has been spoilt by seawater knows. And it is my responsibility as Prime Minister to confront that danger. Not only by doing what we can to future proof ourselves against disaster at home. But to go out into the world and take up the fight for decisive action on climate change. For the global community to act and act now.The world has given Fiji the opportunity to lead that fight. At COP 22 in Marrakesh last November, almost 200 other nations gave Fiji the task of moving the global agenda on climate change forward. It is a privilege and also a great responsibility. But I want to assure Honourable Members and every Fijian as the incoming COP President - that I assume this responsibility with determination and pride.Failure is not an option. I have taken on this job with the intention to do it well. With your support, to show the world what we can do as a nation and as a people. And with the support of billions of people and goodwill across the world, to show that by coming together, we can make a difference and save our planet from the worst effects of climate change.Madam Speaker, I appealed in my New Years message for the prayers and support of every Fijian to make our presidency of COP 23 a success. And I have been gratified and very touched by the expressions of support I have been receiving.I dont need to tell ordinary Fijians how critical this mission is. The people of Kumi in Verata, Tailevu whose sea wall I showed to a visiting UN delegation last week know it. Any Fijian with the slightest ounce of common sense knows it. So I was shocked and disappointed to see that the Honourable Biman Prasad doesnt seem to know it.The Leader of the National Federation Party issued a statement questioning the priority I am giving to COP 23. In his strange view of the world, I am spending my time on something he doesnt think is important. Well, the leaders of almost 200 countries arent questioning it. They think it deserves the highest priority. But, of course, what would they know? Compared to the great mind that leads the NFP on the benches opposite two members, soon to be three because of the resignation of the NFP President.The Honourable Prasad says I shouldnt be travelling the world talking to my fellow leaders about climate change. I should be leaving it to our ambassadors.Madam Speaker, anyone who knows about international diplomacy, anyone who knows these negotiations, knows that they are conducted leader- to-leader.The statements by the Honourable Prasad and other opposition figures demonstrate their lack of knowledge and lack of understanding of the immense challenge before us. This is an extremely serious matter a life or death struggle to protect our environment and our way of life. Yet the opposition quibbles about me doing what every other Fijian knows needs to be done, not only for ourselves but every vulnerable person on the plant. Flippancy and ignorance in the face of the greatest challenge the world has ever faced.Madam Speaker, no vision for Fiji. No idea how the world works. No alternative plan to future proof ourselves, our children and future generations of Fijians. Petty, small minded and irrelevant. [Thats the Honourable Biman Prasad and his once great party, that is now reduced to a shell.]But while he and those like him snipe, we act. While they play politics, we tackle our problems head on. And thats why the world has placed its trust in Fiji, in the FijiFirst Government and in me as incoming COP president to get the job done. Because of our demonstrated level of understanding and commitment to this issue over the past few years.Madam Speaker, last week, we hosted, in Fiji, a high-level delegation from the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change headed by its Executive Secretary, Her Excellency Patricia Espinosa of Mexico. During two days of talks, we received a detailed briefing from the peak UN body on climate change about our duties and responsibilities as we prepare to assume the COP Presidency.I want to place on record our gratitude to the Executive Secretary for coming to Suva and reaffirming the confidence that the world has placed in Fiji to lead the fight on climate change.In our meetings, we agreed that the world cannot afford to drop the ball at this critical stage. More than 120 countries have so far ratified the Paris Agreement, pledging their commitment to address the issues of climate change and to also reduce their carbon emissions so that we can keep the global temperature as close as possible to one-point-five degrees above that of the pre-industrial age. But as you all know, there are worrying signs that the momentum for decisive action may be slowing.It is no secret that the United States federal administration under President Trump appears to be less enthusiastic about the Paris Agreement.Madam Speaker, I intend as incoming COP President to reach out to President Trump to try to reach common ground and move the global agenda forward.As incoming COP President, I also intend to work closely with some of the big players such as China, India, the European Union, Japan, Canada, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Australia, New Zealand and others to keep the momentum rolling. And, of course, to work closely with our Pacific island neighbours, international NGOs, civil society and the private sector.My brief as incoming COP President is to represent the interests of the entire world. To be impartial and achieve consensus between all parties on the best way forward. But it is only natural that as Fijians, we have a special interest in the needs of Small Island Developing States in our own region and beyond.Madam Speaker, in the lead-up to the main COP gathering in Bonn in November, we intend to hold a Climate Champions meeting in Suva. And bring Pacific leaders, NGOs, civil societies and representatives of the private sector together to discuss a common agenda for COP. And then in October, a month before Bonn, we will host a pre-COP gathering in Denarau of many of the major players to hone our approach to the main event itself.As the year progresses, we will be making a special effort to engage the Fijian people and especially our young people and our artists - in the COP process. And that engagement has already begun, with the advertisement on Saturday calling for ideas for the COP logo, that will brand our effort.I urge every Fijian to consider lodging an entry by the closing date of 24 February. It doesnt have to be the final product, just an idea that can go into the mix. Because we will need to refine any concept we receive using graphics professionals to incorporate it into all the platforms on which the logo will appear. Whether it is the COP 23 Fiji website, our social media platforms, backdrops or flags.The prize for the winning entry is a trip for two anywhere on the Fiji Airways Network. So my message to everyone is to get those entries in as soon as possible. Because it could be your idea that produces the final logo that will be seen around the world. Global exposure for a global event.Madam Speaker, as I said last week, we are putting together a dedicated Fijian Secretariat to make preparations here in Fiji. And to liaise with the UNFCCC Secretariat in Bonn. We have already allocated office space for this purpose in Suvavou House.Our UN friends have stressed that this is a team effort in which Fiji will work closely with them and the German Government to make COP 23 an unqualified success. And we have hired the same expert team of consultants that assisted Morocco with its successful hosting of COP 22.Madam Speaker, as to meeting the cost of our commitment, we have already begun the task of raising the necessary funds in the form of donations from an array of nations and foundations. These funds will be deposited into a trust fund here in Fiji that we are establishing with an Act of Parliament. The Bill setting up the fund will be tabled this week.The whole world wants Fiji to succeed in this effort and will provide the necessary resources to make it happen. There will be no need to increase the overall expenditure whatsoever in the Parliament approved 2016/2017 Budget.Madam Speaker, I have the great pleasure as incoming President to announce today that the Chief Negotiator for COP 23 will be Ambassador Nazhat Shameem-Khan, our Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva. Ambassador Shameem-Khan is a standout candidate to lead these very complex and challenging negotiations because of her distinguished legal career and outstanding professional and personal qualities.Madam Speaker, as those people who have been involved in the various COPs know, and especially after the Paris Agreement, the parties face a momentous task to develop the rulebook for the practical implementation of the various legal obligations set our under the respective clauses.As you already know, our Climate Champion is the Honourable Inia Seruiratu, who, as Minister for Agriculture and Natural Disaster Management, knows the impact of climate change on ordinary Fijians better than most. Minister Seruiratu is one of the Governments best performers and has already demonstrated his effectiveness as a climate advocate at Marrakesh and in other high level talks in Europe.Our designated Climate Ambassador is Ambassador Deo Saran, our envoy in Brussels.As I have said before, the duties of incoming COP President will require a range of international engagements. Not only for me but for our Climate Champion, the Chief Negotiator and other members of the team. But as we have said, our domestic agenda will not suffer.We intend to continue the longest running period of economic growth in Fijis history into its seventh year. We will continue to strengthen our education and health systems and continue to extend basic services like electricity and water to every citizen. We will continue to improve our road network, footpaths and install streetlights in urban and rural areas. And if anything, our presidency of COP 23 will open up all sorts of opportunities for new investments, both in the private and public sectors in Fiji.Part of our plan is to attract new and cutting edge technology in several important areas so they can be trialed here for eventual use in other countries, including in our island region. We also intend to attract finance for climate adaptation through the private sector.So Madam Speaker, let me reiterate in closing that this is a national effort to lead the global agenda on climate change, which we are also confident will have significant domestic spinoffs. And every Fijian no matter who they are or where they live - can be very proud of how tall we now stand in the eyes of the world.Madam Speaker, it is critically important that our COP presidency succeed and I sincerely ask Honourable Members of this House to avoid politicising the issue. They must take time to understand and educate themselves about the Paris Agreement and climate change as a whole. We must all take a united approach to this global issue.Madam Speaker, in so many ways, this is the fight of our lives, for our lives. And certainly it is also about the preservation of our beloved Fiji and all that we hold dear. Our hopes for ourselves and our hopes for generations of Fijians to come.We must all unite as a nation behind this effort, just as the world must unite to do what is necessary to save our planet. Planet Earth, that all 7.5 billion of us, as global citizens, call our home. On Not Giving Chance To Mira To Explore Her Career "I don't give importance to people who try to get importance by criticizing those who are important. Just because she [Mira] got married early, doesn't mean she doesn't have an identity. Today, women do what they feel like doing. And, as men, we should respect that.'' Om Mira's Pregnancy ''Whether you are a working woman, housewife, young mother or a woman who chooses to have a child at a later stage in life, it's your decision. Mira and I are really happy. I wish people could be happy for those who are." Shahid On Baby Misha: There Is No Mira-Shahid Time Now "There is no Mira-Shahid time now. All the time we have is Misha time. I'm loving this phase." On Their First Appearance Together On Karan's Chat Show "I think people have loved Mira's interview, and I was also there (laughs). I think what people enjoyed most was watching us as a couple. It was more about seeing me as a husband, and her as the person she is. All the things that people have been saying about her are things that I've known for over a year. She's normal, she's great, she's real.'' On His Cold War With Kangana Ranaut ''We finished shooting for the film in April. These rumours surfaced in December. Why was it that there was no news about our equation back then? If they [rumours] were true, they would have surfaced then.'' On Making A Career In Hollywood ''I had no issues working with anybody. I thought people would believe that there were problems between me and Saif [Ali Khan, co-star], for obvious reasons, but it went the other way around. Kangana is one of the best actors we have.'' 'I am a home bird so I love being here [Mumbai]. Also, I don't like taking flights. But, if an opportunity comes my way, why not [partake in it]? I would love to do good work, be it in any language. Of course, I will make certain that I'm as comfortable expressing myself in that language as I am in Hindi.'' On Working In Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmavati ''I want to act. If I'm able to do that in another language, no problem. Having said that, who am I to sit here and make plans? I don't make five-year plans or chalk out my career. I take life as it comes.'' 'Sanjay sir drives you to give your best. It's only the beginning but I'm loving the experience. He pushes every department to the maximum. When you think you've done a good job [with a scene], that's where he starts working on you.'' MINNEAPOLIS (dpa-AFX) - One of Target's trademark two-ton red ball used as a bollard outside its stores got dislodged and hit a moving vehicle. The incident happened at a Target location in Paramus, New Jersey. The red ball became free after a pickup truck hit it. The ball then rolls into the parking lot striking into shopper Eileen Grady's Nissan Rogue, causing about $3,500 in damages. A surveillance footage recovered from the parking lot camera, shows that the ball ricocheted off Grady's car and kept rolling. A man jumped out of his car, followed by his dog, to stop the ball. Three men then roll back the ball across the parking lot to the store entrance, where an employee placed a cone nearby. Meanwhile, Target is refusing to pay an compensation to Grady, citing the pickup truck driver as the culprit. 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. YANGON, Myanmar, February 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Partnerships with UNESCO and Positive Planet and an expanding agriculture program are helping PepsiCo play a positive role in Myanmar's growth Sanjeev Chadha, CEO, PepsiCo Asia, Middle East and North Africa, and Adel Garas, President, PepsiCo Asia Pacific, reconfirmed PepsiCo's focus on promoting economic development in Myanmar during a visit to the country on February 1-3, 2017. The visit focused on reviewing key business priorities, meeting with local partners and speaking with individuals who have been positively impacted by PepsiCo's efforts. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464769/PepsiCo_Supports_Economic_Development.jpg ) (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464770/PepsiCo_Economic_Development_in_Myanmar.jpg ) Through successful partnerships with Positive Planet and UNESCO, and by expanding PepsiCo's potato-growing program within Myanmar, PepsiCo is investing in education, building human capital, and enabling opportunities for employment. These initiatives are an integral part of Performance with Purpose, PepsiCo's belief that its success is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the world around. PepsiCo believes that continuously improving the products it sells, operating responsibly to protect the planet and empowering people around the world is what enables PepsiCo to run a successful global company that creates long-term value for society and its shareholders. PepsiCo re-entered Myanmar in 2012 and in 2014 teamed up with LOTTE-MGS to locally manufacture its core carbonated soft drink portfolio, including Pepsi, Mirinda and 7UP, as well as Sting energy drink. Myanmar is an attractive frontier market with strong economic growth potential and a population of approximately 53.9 million people. Reducing rural poverty with Positive Planet Mr. Chadha and Mr. Garas visited the city of Hpa An, the capital of the Kayin State, on February 2 to meet with individuals who have benefitted from a project supported by PepsiCo and led by Positive Planet, an organization working to help men and women across the world create the conditions for a better life for future generations. The objective of this project is to alleviate poverty and reduce economic vulnerabilities in conflict-affected villages in the Kayin State, and to promote financial inclusion among low-income rural households. The project creates cooperatives within villages that provide members sustainable access to financial services, as well as financial education training. It also promotes business development by providing grants to support commodity or enterprise activities. A total of 33 activities were implemented between the second half of 2015 and November 2016. Activities included demonstration farms for crops and livestock, as well as modeling of rural enterprises such as garments retailing, concrete products, rice trading, and grocery store operations. Successful farmers and entrepreneurs who have made their businesses profitable are invited to become community-based trainers, thereby creating local resources for technical knowledge. "Positive Planet's project in Myanmar uses a two-pronged strategy to tackle complex issues around rural poverty in minority agricultural communities. Combining a strong financial inclusion element through the creation of a vibrant cooperative, as well as the diversification of agricultural value chains, we have strengthened local communities, helped build their financial reserves and provided local youth with an alternative to migration over the border," said Jacques Attali, President, Positive Planet Foundation. "This flagship project shows how by working with local communities we can create added value in local economies and build people's resilience through strengthened social and financial networks. PepsiCo is and has always been a strong partner of Positive Planet, fighting with us on the ground to create a better world for future generations," added Audrey Tcherkoff, Global Head of Fundraising and Communications, Positive Planet Foundation. Mr. Chadha said, "Empowering people around the world to improve their economic situations is a critical part of PepsiCo's Performance with Purpose agenda. I applaud Positive Planet as a terrific and long-term partner in helping develop economic opportunities for families and communities, and I am very impressed by the progress being made by the people of Myanmar." Centre of Excellence for Business Skills Development Mr. Garas and Mr. Chadha announced PepsiCo's continued financial support of Myanmar's first Centre of Excellence for Business Skills Development (CEBSD) at a ceremony at the Centre in Yangon on February 3. The CEBSD, founded in 2014, is the result of a public-private partnership between PepsiCo, UNESCO and the Myanmar Ministry of Education, the first initiative of its kind in Myanmar to address the issue of youth employment. The CEBSD aims to improve employment prospects for youth in Myanmar by offering targeted courses and training in business and employability skills, career counselling, and networking opportunities. To date, seven courses have been developed and delivered to more than 670 students. Courses cover topics such as business skills for youth, English for the business world, and retail and hospitality management. In total, more than 2,500 individuals have attended trainings and events since June 2014; of those, 68% were female. Additionally, more than 80 business people and leaders from the local and international community in Yangon have engaged with the Centre as speakers, moderators, and workshop facilitators, including nine executives from PepsiCo. Mr. Garas said, "Myanmar is an emerging market with great potential, and the country's economic progress will be enhanced by developing practical and technical skills to increase employment. The Center of Excellence for Business Skills Development addresses this issue by providing the training necessary for individuals, especially young people, to compete in today's economy. PepsiCo is proud to be a part of this initiative and play a positive role in the country's growth." Min Jeong Kim, Head of Office, UNESCO Myanmar, said, "UNESCO Myanmar is very grateful that support for innovative approaches in skills development among Myanmar youth will continue thanks to PepsiCo in partnership with the Yangon University of Economics. The ongoing partnership provides a space for young people to grow professionally, to learn from each other, and to connect with different business partners." PepsiCo promotes sustainable agriculture PepsiCo is contributing to the economy in Myanmar with an agriculture program that is helping meet the company's need for potato supplies in Southeast Asia, as well as providing economic opportunities for local farmers. PepsiCo identified Myanmar as a potential hub for growing potatoes, thanks to its rich, fertile lands and favorable climate. The company undertook a comprehensive approach to partnering with farmers, training them on sustainable agriculture practices, and guiding them on investments in infrastructure, such as drip irrigation technology that conserves water usage and minimizes the use of fertilizers and chemicals, as well as improved potato storage facilities. When PepsiCo began the local sustainable agriculture program in 2014 through its partner in Myanmar, 38 farmer partners produced 700 tons of potatoes that year. By the end of 2017, the company projects there will be 144 farmers producing 3,300 tons of potatoes annually, reflecting improvements in average yields in tons per acre over the last three growing seasons. Continued field yield improvements can help PepsiCo drive better purchasing prices and expand to additional export markets to meet growing demand in countries such as Indonesia and Thailand. It also has the potential to improve farmers' incomes, which are expected to rise 9 percent in 2017. Bassim Rizk, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain, PepsiCo Asia Pacific, said, "When we first started agricultural operations in Myanmar, we saw a great opportunity to bring new farming expertise to the country. Now, our teams of experts have transferred knowledge and innovation in farming practices to our farmer partners, with the ultimate goal of increasing farm productivity and enhancing crop yields and quality. These efforts deliver maximum benefits to both PepsiCo and to our farmers in line with our Performance with Purpose work to expand sustainable agricultural practices and spur economic development and prosperity in communities around the world near where we work." www.pepsico.com/newsroom CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Australian dollar weakened against the other major currencies in the Asian session on Monday. The Australian dollar fell to 1.4077 against the euro and 86.09 against the yen, from Friday's closing quotes of 1.4035 and 86.46, respectively. Against the U.S. and the Canadian dollars, the aussie dropped to 0.7659 and 0.9974 from last week's closing quotes of 0.7679 and 0.9998, respectively. If the aussie extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 1.44 against the euro, 84.00 against the yen, 0.75 against the greenback and 1.02 against the loonie. 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. Mondi Limited Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa Registration number: 1967/013038/06 JSE share code: MND ISIN: ZAE000156550 Mondi plc Incorporated in England and Wales Registered number: 6209386 LEI: 213800LOZA69QFDC9N34 JSE share code: MNP ISIN: GB00B1CRLC47 LSE share code: MNDI 6 February 2017 As part of the dual listed company structure, Mondi Limited and Mondi plc (together "Mondi Group" or "Mondi") notify both the JSE Limited and the London Stock Exchange of matters required to be disclosed under the Listings Requirements of the JSE Limited and/or the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules and the Listing Rules of the United Kingdom Listing Authority. Mondi Group acquires Excelsior Technologies Mondi Group has acquired 100% of the outstanding share capital of Excelsior Technologies Limited ("Excelsior" or the "Company") from funds managed by Endless LLP and certain other minority shareholders, for a total consideration of 33 million (38 million), on a debt and cash-free basis. Excelsior is a vertically-integrated producer of innovative flexible packaging solutions, mainly for food applications, with a unique packaging technology for microwave steam cooking. With two plants, located in Deeside (Northern Wales, UK) and Nelson (Lancashire, UK) the Company serves both domestic and US customers. For the year ended 31 December 2016, Excelsior generated revenues of 39 million (47 million). Commenting on the acquisition, David Hathorn, Chief executive of Mondi Group, said: "The acquisition of Excelsior supports the development of our Consumer Packaging business in high growth product applications. Its leading microwave steam cooking packaging technology complements and enhances our global food packaging offering". Contact: Mondi Group Lora Rossler Group Head of Communications Tel: +27 (0)31 451 2111 or +27 (0)83 627 0292 E-mail: lora.rossler@mondigroup.co.za Andrew King Group CFO Tel: +27 (0)11 994 5415 E-mail: andrew.king@mondigroup.com We are Mondi: In touch every day At Mondi, our products protect and preserve the things that matter. Mondi is an international packaging and paper Group, employing around 25,000 people across more than 30 countries. Our key operations are located in central Europe, Russia, North America and South Africa. We offer over 100 packaging and paper products, customised into more than 100,000 different solutions for customers, end consumers and industrial end uses - touching the lives of millions of people every day. In 2015, Mondi had revenues of 6.8 billion and a return on capital employed of 20.5%. The Mondi Group is fully integrated across the packaging and paper value chain - from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and compound plastics, to developing effective and innovative industrial and consumer packaging solutions. Our innovative technologies and products can be found in a variety of applications including hygiene components, stand-up pouches, super-strong cement bags, clever retail boxes and office paper. Our key customers are in industries such as automotive; building and construction; chemicals; food and beverage; home and personal care; medical and pharmaceutical; packaging and paper converting; pet care; and office and professional printing. Mondi has a dual listed company structure, with a primary listing on the JSE Limited for Mondi Limited under the ticker code MND and a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange for Mondi plc, under the ticker code MNDI. For us, acting sustainably makes good business sense and is part of the way we work every day. We have been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series since 2008 and the JSE's Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Index since 2007. Sponsor in South Africa: UBS South Africa (Pty) Ltd Regulatory News: The PSA Group (Paris:UG) and URYSIA today signed a contract to assemble Peugeot brand vehicles in Kenya. This assembly project will begin in June 2017 with an annual volume of over 1,000 units in order to meet the expectations of the Kenyan market. The signature ceremony took place at the Kenyan State House, the President's residence in Nairobi, in the presence of the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, the French Minister for the Economy and Finance, Michel Sapin, Claude Mwende, CEO of URYSIA, and Jean-Christophe Quemard, Executive Vice-President for Middle East Africa for the PSA Group. URYSIA is the importer and distributor for the Peugeot brand in Kenya since 2010. Production will start with the Peugeot 508, followed by the new Peugeot 3008 SUV. This agreement is part of the strategic profitable growth plan, "Push to Pass" and materialises the PSA Group's ambition to develop internationally. On this occasion, Uhuru Kenyatta, the President of Kenya, said: "Peugeot cars have always been renowned for resilience, durability and reliability. We are proud to welcome them back home", inreference to the assembly of Peugeot cars from 1974 to 2002. Jean-Christophe Quemard added: "This investment in Kenya is part of the long term strategy of the PSA Group to increase its sales in Africa and the Middle East, with the aim to sell a million vehicles in 2025. These local production capacities will serve the region's markets and meet the expectations of our customers and the specific features of each country." About PSA Group With sales and revenue of 54 billion in 2015, the PSA Group designs unique automotive experiences and delivers mobility solutions that provide freedom and enjoyment to customers around the world. The Group leverages the models from its three brands, Peugeot, Citroen and DS, as well as a wide array of mobility and smart services from its Free2Move brand, to meet the evolving needs and expectations of automobile users. The french automobile manufacturer PSA is the European leader in terms of CO 2 emissions, with average emissions of 104.4 grams of CO 2 per kilometre in 2015, and an early innovator in the field of autonomous and connected cars, with 1.8 million such vehicles worldwide. It is also involved in financing activities through Banque PSA Finance and in automotive equipment via Faurecia. Find out more at groupe-psa.com/en. New media library: https://medialibrary.groupe-psa.com/ Communications Division www.groupe-psa.com/en - +33 1 40 66 42 00 @GroupePSA View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005399/en/ Contacts: PSA Group Media Contact: Pierre-Olivier Salmon ,+33 1 40 66 49 94 pierreolivier.salmon@mpsa.com RALEIGH, NC / ACCESSWIRE / July 31, 2017 / Next week, a select group of scientists, engineers, industry researchers, environmental health specialists, national security experts, and philanthropy executives will meet in Raleigh for a two-day conference to explore the potential future uses of a massive new database of chemical information. Their goal: envision what the world might do with this new open source database, a "genome" of industrial chemicals and materials- the essential building blocks of everything humans have created and engineered. They describe their work as building an elaborate "map" of how industry, worldwide, utilizes approximately 100,000 Lego-like bits of chemicals and materials to create all our consumer, industrial and military products. Experts say the project has the potential to support innovative new industrial processes, epidemiology, maternal and child health, earth systems science, basic energy science, and climate science. The project was awarded the 2017 Innovation in Smart Chemistry Award, attracting the interest of major corporations, public policy makers, and the philanthropic community. A new nonprofit, The Environmental Genome Initiative, has been formed to organize the project, create new support for an international effort to complete the mapping work, and to administer the database of information. To date, over 1600 detailed chemical manufacturing processes and plants have been studied. This work led to the Environmental Genome discovery that has piqued the interest of the scientific community when it was revealed in a paper published by Dr. Michael Overcash in the Royal Society of Chemistry's Green Chemistry Journal in March 2016. The successful completion of the Human Genome Project has allowed researchers to understand the blueprint for building a person, and use that knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and in drug development. The Environmental Genome Initiative promises to create a new ability to visualize and study the genomic structure of all chemical building blocks-from their origins in the earth, to their manufacture, to how these enter our environment to cause potential human health impacts. As the conference participants work together to understand the future potential of the completed database, they will consider what exciting new discoveries and important new fields of study might be created through the development and application of powerful analytic tools to fully access and understand the data. Contact: Michael Overcash, Ph.D. mrovercash@earthlink.net (919) 571-8989 www.environmentalgenome.org SOURCE: Environmental Genome Initiative HELSINKI, Feb 06, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Caverion Corporation Investor news 6 February, 2017 at 1.00 p.m. EET Caverion implements Total Technical Solutions for office and laboratory building in Dresden, Germany. Caverion and the construction company Bilfinger Hochbau have agreed on the project execution of Total Technical Solutions covering all building systems. The end-customer is Novaled, organic semiconductor manufacturer in Dresden, Germany. The contract includes the renovation of a historical office building and a new laboratory building and has a volume of approximately EUR 5 million. The work started in January and will be completed in March 2018. The gross floor area of both buildings will total over 6,000 square meters. Caverion's Total Technical Solutions for the buildings includes all technical disciplines, including Heating and Sanitation, Ventilation and Air Conditioning, Cooling, Electricity, Information and Communication systems, Security and Safety as well as Automation. The new laboratory building will contain clean rooms which are classified as ISO7 and ISO5 and have demanding requirements concerning clean air solutions. They will be used for the research and development of materials for premium organic light-emitting diode (OLEDs) and organic electronics. "Caverion has been our reliable partner for clean rooms and building services for a long time. Also other references in the high technology field speak in favour of Caverion," says Gerd Gunther, CEO of Novaled GmbH. "In the Novaled project we can showcase our expertise in all technical disciplines. We have tightened our project management and our operating models make it possible to implement such a large-scale and demanding project," says Werner Kuhn, Executive Vice President & CEO, Division Germany of Caverion. Novaled is a leader in the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) field. Bilfinger Hochbau belongs to Caverion's general contractors client segment. Illustration: Novaled GmbH For more information, please contact: Holger Winkelstrater, Head of Marketing and Communication, Caverion Germany, Tel: +49 89-374288-117, E-mail: holger.winkelstraeter@caverion.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/caverion/r/caverion-implements-total-technical-solutions-for-office-and-laboratory-building-in-dresden--germany,c2181177 The following files are available for download: WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - US President Donald Trump has attacked the judge who suspended the travel ban imposed on Middle East immigrants, and warned that he will be responsible if something happens. An Executive Order signed by Trump on 27 January halts the entire US refugee program for 120 days, bars entry of refugees from seven mostly Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somali, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - for 90 days, and suspends entry of Syrians until further notice. A district court judge in Washington state on Friday passed an order halting the executive order. In an appeal against the lower court order, the Justice Department requested the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to reinstate the ban, but the federal appeals court rejected it a day after. 'Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system,' Trump said on Twitter Sunday referring to Judge James Robart. 'The judge opens up our country to potential terrorists and others that do not have our best interests at heart. Bad people are very happy,' according to him. The President later tweeted that he has instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into the United States 'VERY CAREFULLY'. He blamed the courts for 'making the job very difficult.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 6, 2017) - CVR Medical Corp. (TSXV: CVM) (FSE: B3BN) (OTCQB: CRRVF) ("CVR Medical") has retained the services of DuVal & Associates, P.A., a Minneapolis-based, regulatory law firm focused on counsel within the medical device and pharmaceutical industries. In addition to its strategic advisory role, DuVal & Associates will represent CVR throughout the process of FDA approvals and clearances for its "Carotid Stenotic Scan (CSS)" device. With over thirteen years of experience working on behalf of clients seeking FDA clearances and approvals, DuVal & Associates has established a worldwide reputation for streamlining regulatory procedures and right-sizing FDA's demand for data. Their expertise in managing submissions, including formal filings, quantitative and qualitative trial data analysis, and in-person negotiations between the FDA and client will guide CVR with best practices for preparation and efficiency. CVR Medical Chief Operating Officer Tony Robinson expresses confidence in the results the partnership will help achieve, stating, "As we approach the point of FDA submissions for the CSS, we feel our position could not be stronger with regard to our legal regulatory support. Mark DuVal and his staff have an incredible track record of success, and we look forward to having their familiarity with and insight into this process." Mark DuVal, President and founder of DuVal & Associates, states, "We are truly excited to be working with CVR. We always embrace the challenge of helping companies meet FDA requirements at the lowest cost and fastest times possible. As an organization, we are meeting face to face with representatives from the FDA more often than any other group in the country, and we do it to ensure great products like [the CSS] become available to patients and their physicians as soon possible." For additional information on the organization, leadership, and current news please visit the company website www.CVRMed.com About CVR Medical CVR Medical is a company that is involved in an equal parts joint venture with CVR Global Inc. (the "Joint Venture"). The Joint Venture operates in the medical industry focused on the commercialization of a proprietary subsonic, infrasonic, and low frequency sound wave analysis technology and has patents to a diagnostic device designed to detect and measure carotid arterial stenosis. CVR Medical is managed by a proven technical team. CVR Medical trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol CVM. About DuVal & Associates, P.A. DuVal & Associates is a boutique law firm located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that specializes in FDA regulations for products at all stages of the product life cycle. DuVal's clientele includes companies that market and manufacture pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biologics, nutritional supplements and foods. These clients range in size from global Fortune 500 companies to small start-ups. For more information, please visit the company website at www.duvalfdalaw.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD: (signed) "Peter Bakema" CEO, President & Director For further information contact: Brisco Capital Partners Corp. Scott Koyich, President Telephone: (403) 262-9888 This press release contains forward-looking information that involves various risks and uncertainties regarding future events related to the Joint Venture. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements and are not guarantees of future performance of the Company. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain expectations, estimates and assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including: (1) a downturn in general economic conditions in North America and internationally, (2) the inherent uncertainties and speculative nature associated with commercialization of technology and the practice of medicine, (3) a change in health regulations, (4) any number of events or causes which may delay or cease commercialization and development of the Joint Venture, (5) the risk that the Company or the Joint Venture does not execute its business plan, (6) inability to retain key employees, (7) inability to finance operations and growth, and (8) other factors beyond the Company's control. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results differed from those projected in the forward-looking statements. THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE INC. HAS NEITHER APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. 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. LOWELL, MA and MADISON, WI -- (Marketwired) -- 02/06/17 -- TRC Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRR), a recognized leader in engineering, environmental consulting, and construction-management services, today announced that SoCore Energy's development of 18-megawatts of solar energy for Dairyland Power Cooperative won a prestigious award. TRC served as a key development consultant to SoCore. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) named the Dairyland/SoCore project, which encompasses 14 sites in Wisconsin and Iowa, one of four recipients of 2016 Project of Distinction Awards. The Dairyland/SoCore project includes solar arrays ranging from 600 kilowatts to 2.75 megawatts and can produce enough electricity to power 2,500 homes. Notable details include: It has singlehandedly doubled the total deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation in Wisconsin. It was the first large-scale deployment in Wisconsin of single-axis tracker arrays, with panels that turn with the sun all day long to maximize electric output. All 14 solar sites double as "pollinator gardens," sustaining and growing bee and butterfly populations that benefit crops, flowers and trees through planting of native seed mixes of grasses and flowering plants. The pollinator gardens also reduce storm water runoff and erosion. Dairyland member distribution cooperatives are offering member-consumers the opportunity to invest in or own community solar gardens adjacent to the 14 sites, maximizing the use and cost-effectiveness of new power grid interconnections. "TRC is proud to be part of the team that assisted Dairyland and SoCore on this innovative, award-winning solar project," said Chris Vincze, TRC's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Every day, across all kinds of electric power generation and transmission and development of renewable energy sources, TRC experts are consistently delivering our clients innovative solutions." TRC has Wisconsin offices in Brookfield and Madison and a laboratory in Madison, as well. Dairyland's solar projects were developed under power purchase agreements with SoCore Energy, which installed, owns, operates and maintains the facilities. TRC provided SoCore professional consulting services including: geotechnical investigations, topographic and American Land Title Association surveys, wetland surveys, sensitive-species reviews, storm water permits, Phase I environmental site assessments, and Karner blue butterfly habitat surveys. (Wisconsin is home to some of the country's most abundant habitats supporting the world's largest remaining populations of the Karner blue butterfly, which has been listed federally as an endangered species since 1992.) Key criteria for SEIA and SEPA in choosing winners were: Innovation in use of technology, design, financing, and collaboration; the benefits they provide to multiple stakeholders across their communities; and their replicability and development of best practices for the Midwest region. "SoCore is honored to be part of such a unique project in Wisconsin," said Laura Caspari, Director of Development at SoCore Energy. "The Project of Distinction Award was a reflection of the great collaboration between SoCore, Dairyland, TRC and the communities with whom we worked. We are excited about the contribution these developments have made to increasingly clean, reliable and cost effective energy for Co-op members." About SoCore Energy SoCore Energy (www.SoCoreEnergy.com) offers companies, electric cooperatives and communities solar solutions that provide reliable, lower carbon and cost effective energy. SoCore is a subsidiary of Edison International. SoCore works together with the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative (NRTC) to support the development of solar for rural electric cooperatives and their members. About Dairyland Power Cooperative With headquarters in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Dairyland (www.dairylandpower.com) provides wholesale electricity to 25 member distribution cooperatives and 17 municipal utilities. A Touchstone Energy Cooperative, Dairyland's service area encompasses 62 counties in four states (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois). Dairyland's resources include coal, natural gas, hydro, solar, wind and landfill gas. About TRC A pioneer in groundbreaking scientific and engineering developments since the 1960s, TRC (www.TRCsolutions.com) is a national engineering, environmental consulting and construction management firm that provides integrated services to the power, environmental, infrastructure and oil and gas markets. TRC serves a broad range of commercial, industrial and government clients, implementing complex projects from initial concept to delivery and operation. TRC delivers results that enable clients to achieve success in a complex and changing world. TRC trades on the NYSE under the symbol TRR. For more information, visit TRC's website at www.TRCsolutions.com, follow us on Twitter and StockTwits at @TRC_Companies or find us on LinkedIn. Company Contact: Nicole Collins 978-656-3594 NCollins@trcsolutions.com Investor Contact: Sharon Merrill Associates (617) 542-5300 trr@investorrelations.com NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 02/06/17 -- Balabit, a leading provider of Contextual Security Intelligence (CSI) technologies, today announced that it has been identified as a representative vendor in a Gartner report entitled: 'Use Central Log Management for Security Event Monitoring Use Cases'(1). The report focuses on the role of Central Log Management (CLM) in improving threat monitoring and detection, and recognizes the challenges of fragmented or incomplete log management environments. It also looks at the factors that can hamper Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) deployments such as training and licensing models, and examines use cases where CLM can help organizations to maximize the return on their SIEM tool investments. Regarding the current log management challenges organizations face, Gartner's report states: "...At the other end of the spectrum, enterprises that have started their SIEM journey usually end up in one of two places: underinvested in their initial implementation and having to find budget to increase capacity to meet their use cases, or overlicensed and being stuck paying higher maintenance costs to the SIEM vendor for years for that unused capacity." Balazs Scheidler, Balabit co-founder and CTO comments: "The report recognizes given particular scenarios, the importance of a centralized log management for security event monitoring is having a renaissance. This is something that we have been advocating for more than 16 years. For many organizations, the resource constraints, coupled with the budget and expertise requirements for successful SIEM deployments, can mean that they don't always meet expectations. Added to that, there are often unknown costs to factor in, particularly when SIEM costs are based on the volume of data processed." The report includes recommendations from Gartner that security and risk management leaders responsible for security monitoring and operations should pay attention to: Use a CLM tool to address security monitoring and compliance use cases where there are insufficient resources or budget for a SIEM or for managed security services. For midsize organizations, look to use existing IT and network operations log management tools to collect and manage security event logs. Consider a multitier approach using a CLM tool when planning a SIEM deployment to avoid overutilization, and overlicensing, from the start. Use a CLM tool to better manage your existing SIEM tool investment if your organization has an existing SIEM solution that cannot scale its collection and analysis capabilities due to budget constraints. Scheidler continues: "There are ways to optimize SIEM investments, to lower the total cost of ownership and to improve incident response capabilities. Analysis for security alerts is only as good as the information that is received from logs. By filtering irrelevant data and classifying messages before they are fed to SIEM solutions, organizations can reduce the costs of their SIEM investment and process structured and unstructured data across their IT environment. For some of our customers, we are reducing their SIEM licensing costs by as much as 40%." Balabit's syslog-ng collects, processes, and transfers logs from a wide variety of sources and securely stores the data or forwards it to analytic tools such as SIEM. More than a million users worldwide trust syslog-ng to deliver log data from across their IT environments. Whether it's deployed as a software or as a turnkey appliance, syslog-ng supports the use cases most frequently mentioned by clients to Gartner: improving foundational security capabilities in the absence of other means and augmenting new or existing SIEM deployments or service engagements. To read the full report please visit: https://pages2.balabit.com/use-central-log-management-for-security/?utm_source=gartner_press_release&utm_campaign=gartner_central_log_mgmt_report&utm_medium=referral. Gartner Disclaimer Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. About Balabit Balabit -- founded in Budapest, Hungary -- is a leading provider of contextual security technologies with the mission of preventing data breaches without constraining business. Balabit operates globally with offices across the United States and Europe, together with network of reseller partners. Balabit's Contextual Security Intelligence platform protects organizations in real time from threats posed by the misuse of high risk and privileged accounts. Solutions include reliable system and application Log Management with context enriched data ingestion, Privileged User Monitoring and User Behavior Analytics. Together they can identify unusual user activities and provide deep visibility into potential threats. Working in conjunction with existing control-based strategies, Balabit enables a flexible and people-centric approach to improve security without adding additional barriers to business practices. Founded in 2000 Balabit has a proven track record, with 23 Fortune 100 customers and more than 1,000,000 corporate users worldwide. For more information, please visit https://www.balabit.com. The syslog-ng, the syslog-ng Store Box, the Shell Control Box and the Blindspotter as well as the Balabit names are trademarks of Balabit S.A. All other product names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. (1) 'Use Central Log Management for Security Event Monitoring Use Cases' by Toby Bussa, and Kelly M. Kavanagh, published: 12 October 2016 Dan Chmielewski dchm@cox.net 714-832-8716 TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 02/06/17 -- Metals Creek Resources Corp. (TSX VENTURE: MEK) ("Metals Creek" or the "Company") is issuing this press release in response to a request by the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada ("IIROC") to comment on recent trading activity in its stock. The Company announces that it is not aware of any material, undisclosed corporate developments and has no material change to report at this time. The Company will keep the market informed as required. About Metals Creek Resources Corp. Metals Creek Resources Corp. is a junior exploration company incorporated under the laws of the Province of Ontario, is a reporting issuer in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario, and has its common shares listed for trading on the Exchange under the symbol "MEK". Metals Creek has earned a 50% interest in the Ogden Gold Property, including the former Naybob Gold mine, located 6 km south of Timmins, Ontario and has a 8 km strike length of the prolific Porcupine-Destor Fault (P-DF) that stretches between Timmins, Ontario and Val d'Or, Quebec. The Company has also recently entered into an Option/JV with Trifecta Gold Ltd. on Metals Creek's Squid properties in Yukon. Metals Creek also has a JV with Benton Resources on Metals Creeks Staghorn Gold Project in Newfoundland as well as two option agreements with Anaconda Mining Inc. on Metals Creek's Jacksons Arm and Tilt Cove Properties also in Newfoundland. The company is engaged in the identification, acquisition, exploration and development of other mineral resource properties, and presently has mining interests in Ontario, Yukon and Newfoundland and Labrador. Additional information concerning the Corporation is contained in documents filed by the Corporation with securities regulators, available under its profile at www.sedar.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Alexander (Sandy) Stares, President and CEO Contacts: Metals Creek Resources Corp. Alexander Stares President and CEO (709)-256-6060 (709)-256-6061 (FAX) astares@metalscreek.com www.MetalsCreek.com Twitter: www.Twitter.com/MetalsCreekRes Facebook: www.Facebook.com/MetalsCreek The Global Network for Advanced Management, a network of 29 leading international business schools dedicated to driving innovation and creating value through exchange and engagement, will celebrate its fifth anniversary in April. Today, the principles on which the network was founded are more important than ever. The world is currently experiencing an upsurge in populism, economic nationalism, and anti-globalization rhetoric. Despite such sentiment, we recognize that the global economy is more interconnected than ever before. Business operations are increasingly global, with ideas, products, capital, and teams moving across borders. At the same time, big challenges from climate change to financial stability and the fight against debilitating diseases are global in nature and cannot be addressed without the private sector. Business cannot deliver for all its stakeholders if borders are closed or certain groups are prevented from crossing them because of their country of origin or religious beliefs. Ongoing global engagement and exchange are paramount. Today, Global Network member schools join in a commitment to: understand the manifest challenges that market economies face given the changes in political sentiment; deliver on our responsibility to develop principled leaders who create value and access to opportunities; support the rights of our students, faculty, alumni, and knowledge partners to freely engage in our programs and work; and advocate for the positive impacts that global exchange, in education and in business, have on society. The power of the Global Network lies in its ability to harness diverse insights to address important global issues. The Global Network connects students, faculty, and alumni from around the world, allowing them to increase their effectiveness by understanding differences and commonalities in their economies and societies. In its brief history, more than 5,000 master-level students and faculty have participated in Global Network courses, exchanges, and cross-school virtual team projects. The network has conducted global inquiries into major issues including sustainability and the obstacles facing women in management roles. Faculty have collaborated on international entrepreneurship, urban resilience, and social enterprise. Member schools have co-authored case studies on palm oil in Indonesia, banking in Ireland, manufacturing in China, agriculture in Mexico, and impact consulting in Ghana. We do this because of our unwavering commitment to developing leaders who can work successfully across boundaries, who are prepared to address pressing global issues, and who can perform at the highest levels in diverse and complex contexts. As deans of Global Network member schools, we recognize that the fundamental drivers of global business are not changing. Technology will continue to advance and disrupt markets and societies, and the transfer of innovations and expertise across borders will continue. We believe that countries that retrench will harm themselves and their citizens. Therefore, we redouble our commitment to collaborative learning across countries and cultures, and to gain and leverage the insights of the best and brightest throughout the world. In this way, we continue to improve educational outcomes and professional development of our students, deliver innovations that benefit business and society, and contribute to a better world. Jikyeong Kang, President and Dean, Asian Institute of Management (The Philippines) Juan Pablo Murra Lascurain, Acting Dean, EGADE Business School, Tecnologico de Monterrey (Mexico) Jorg Rocholl, President, ESMT Berlin (Germany) Luiz Artur Ledur Brito, Dean, FGV Escola de Administracao de Empresas de Sao Paulo (Brazil) Xiongwen Lu, DeanSchool of Management, Fudan University (China) Richard K. Lyons, Dean, Haas School of Business, University of California Berkeley (USA) Peter Todd, Dean, HEC Paris (France) Kazuo Ichijo, Dean, Hitotsubashi University, Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy (Japan) Kar Yan Tam, Dean,Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Business School (China) Martin Boehm, Dean, IE Business School (Spain) Jean-Francois Manzoni, President, IMD (Switzerland, Singapore) Enrique Bolanos, President, INCAE Business School (Costa Rica, Nicaragua) Ilian Mihov, Dean, INSEAD (France, Singapore, Abu Dhabi) Nida Bektas, Executive Director, Koc University Graduate School of Business (Turkey) Enase Okonedo, Dean, Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University (Nigeria) Naufel Vilcassim, Head of Department, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Management (United Kingdom) Bernard Yeung, Dean, National University of Singapore Business School (Singapore) Jose Miguel Sanchez Callejas, Dean, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile School of Business (Chile) Jiye Mao, Dean, Renmin University of China School of Business (China) Peter Tufano, Dean, Said Business School, University of Oxford (United Kingdom) Robert Helsley, Dean, Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia (Canada) Choelsoon Park, Dean, Seoul National University Business School (South Korea) Miriam Erez, Vice-Dean, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology (Israel) Ciaran hOgartaigh, Dean, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School (Ireland) Ari Kuncoro, Dean, Universitas Indonesia, Faculty of Economics (Indonesia) Mills Soko, Director, University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (South Africa) Joshua Yindenaba Abor, Dean, University of Ghana Business School (Ghana) Edward A. Snyder, Dean, Yale School of Management (USA) View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005874/en/ Contacts: Media: On behalf of Global Network for Advanced Management Nathan Williams, 203-432-7817 nathan.williams@yale.edu WARMAN, SASKATCHEWAN -- (Marketwired) -- 02/06/17 -- The Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan, along with Warman Mennonite Special Care Home Inc., celebrated the official opening of a new affordable rental housing project for seniors today. Located at 201 Centennial Boulevard in Warman, North View Mennonite Haven will add a total of 72 homes to the community, 20 of which have funding contributions from the Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan. The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), along with the Honourable Tina Beaudry-Mellor, Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC), Her Worship Sheryl Spence, Mayor of the City of Warman, and Jim Wiebe, Administrator, Warman Mennonite Special Care Home Inc., made the announcement today. Quick facts: -- The Federal and Provincial Governments, through CMHC and SHC, are jointly contributing $800,000 towards 20 units in this 72-unit project under the Canada-Saskatchewan Investment in Affordable Housing (2014- 2019) Agreement Capital Rent Subsidy program. -- The 20 homes consist of studio apartments, each approximately 288 square feet (26.75 square metres) in size, and include a full kitchen and bath. The project is connected to their existing seniors' home, and is comprised of a total of 72 units (32 market rental units, 20 life-lease units and 20 affordable rental bachelor units). -- This housing project is supported by $100,000 in funding from the City of Warman. -- The funding balance of approximately $15.3 million will be provided by Warman Mennonite Special Care Home Inc. -- This project, North View Mennonite Haven, is owned by Warman Mennonite Special Care Home Inc. who incorporated in August 1967 as a non-profit charitable corporation. Quotes: "We recognize how important it is for seniors to be able to live independently close to their families and friends. The official opening of North View Mennonite Haven is another example of our Government's commitment toward ensuring that senior citizens are able to enjoy a safe and stable environment." - Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness "We are pleased to work with the Government of Canada, the City of Warman and Warman Mennonite Special Care Home Inc. to provide affordable housing options for senior members of this community. Most importantly, the seniors who will call North View Mennonite Haven home will feel safe and secure in their new surroundings." - Honourable Tina Beaudry-Mellor, Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation. "The City of Warman is pleased to welcome North View Mennonite Haven Home to our community. The facility offers various affordable options to our seniors who want to remain close to their family and friends. Our seniors are a part of our past, part of our present and will continue to be part of Warman's vibrant and exciting future as we move ahead." - Her Worship Sheryl Spence, Mayor, City of Warman "This expansion means so much to our seniors. I get phone calls every week from a family needing a place for their loved one. It is so good to be able to say yes, we can help." - Jim Wiebe, Administrator, Warman Mennonite Special Care Home Inc. Associated links: - CMHC has been helping Canadians meet their housing needs for more than 70 years. As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to Canadian governments, consumers and the housing industry. Prudent risk management, strong corporate governance and transparency are cornerstones of CMHC's operations. For more information, please call 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc.ca or follow CMHC on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook. - In October 2012, the Government of Saskatchewan released the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth: Vision 2020 and Beyond, which sets out the Government's vision for a province of 1.2 million people by 2020. The Plan identifies principles, goals and actions to ensure Saskatchewan is capturing the opportunities and meeting the challenges of a growing province. Since 2007, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested over $727 million to develop or repair more than 15,300 housing units across our province. Contacts: Media contacts: Emilie Gauduchon Press Secretary Office of Minister Duclos 819-654-5546 Emilie.Gauduchon@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca Young Ong Public Affairs Advisor, CMHC 403-515-2962 yong@cmhc-schl.gc.ca Leya Moore Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services 306-787-3610 leya.moore@gov.sk.ca WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - In an effort to convince at least one Republican to switch to their side, Senate Democrats plan to speak for 24 hours in protest of President Donald Trump's nomination of Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary. Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash., said Democrats will hold the floor until the final vote on DeVos' nomination on Tuesday. 'Democrats will hold the floor for the next 24 hours, until the final vote, to do everything we can to persuade just one more Republican to join us,' Murray said. She added, 'I strongly encourage people across the country to join us - to double down on your advocacy - and to keep making your voices heard for these last 24 hours.' The planned speak-a-thon come as Democrats and GOP Senators Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, oppose DeVos, potentially resulting in a 50-50 tie. Vice President Mike Pence has indicated he would cast the deciding vote in favor of confirming DeVos, marking the first time a vice president's vote was needed to approve a Cabinet secretary Democrats, teachers unions, and other liberal groups have staunchly opposed the nomination of DeVos, a charter school advocate and Republican mega-donor. 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. Ceres Nanosciences, Inc., a Manassas, Virginia-based biotechnology company, raised $3m in Series A financing. The funding, part of a larger $9m round, was led by GreyBird Ventures, which is committing up to $5.5MM over the next year. In conjunction with the funding, Tom Miller, a co-founder of GreyBird Ventures, has joined Ceres board. Led by CEO Ross Dunlap, Ceres has developed and commercialized a novel nanoparticle technology, the Nanotrap, which provides biomarker capture and biofluid sample processing capabilities for a wide array of diagnostic applications and sample handling needs. The technology was invented at George Mason University and developed under funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for biomarker discovery applications. With support from the NIH, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Commonwealth of Virginia, Ceres is focused on incorporating this technology into a range of innovative diagnostic products. Its lead product is a urine-based Lyme Antigen test that will provide sensitive detection of Lyme disease, at all stages. Emanuel Chip Petricoin, PhD, is one of the co-inventors of the Nanotrap technology and a co-founder of Ceres. FinSMEs 06/02/2017 Under its Grab 4 Indonesia 2020 master plan, Southeast Asian ride-hailing platform Grab will launch a social impact investment fund. The Grab 4 Indonesia fund will invest up to $100m in companies focused on deepening financial inclusion across all cities and income levels in Indonesia. The fund will focus on the mobile and financial services industries, with a particular emphasis on serving smaller cities and communities who have yet to benefit from the digital economy, helping entrepreneurs accelerate their products to market with both capital investment and technical assistance from Grab. In support of the 1,000 Digital Startups National Movement initiated by the Government of Indonesia, Grab will also organize a series of entrepreneurship programs in collaboration with selected partners including educational institutions and entrepreneurship organisations. This will include seminars for aspiring entrepreneurs and mentorship from executives on developing sustainable business plans with social purpose. Via the plan, endorsed by Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal (BKPM), the Government of Indonesias Investment Coordinating Board, Grab will invest $700m in Indonesia over the next four years to support Indonesias goal of becoming Southeast Asias largest digital economy by 2020. Grab 4 Indonesia covers a range of programs that aim to provide all Indonesians an opportunity to move into the digital economy, including opening a Grab R&D centre in Jakarta to develop technology innovations for the Indonesian market, expanding the access to mobile payments and financing opportunities and launching of the fund. FinSMEs 06/02/2017 Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said that it cannot disclose who all, exactly, were part of the decision making process in the run up to the demonetisation announcement on 8 November, 2016. This information is sensitive and is exempt from the RTI Act, the central bank said responding to an RTI query filed by Firstpost. The information sought relates to sensitive matters pertaining to discontinuation of discontinuation/ withdrawal of bank notes. The information is exempt from disclosure under section 8(1) (a) of RTI Act, 2005, the RBI said. Further, the RBI said the matter regarding the withdrawal of the legal tender character of banknotes is governed by the provisions of Section 26 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes on 8 November. This constituted about 86 percent of the total currency in circulation at that point or about Rs 15.44 lakh crore. In January, the RBI Governor Urjit Patel had said before a Parliamentary panel that the central bank had issued new currency notes worth Rs 9.2 lakh crore but didnt clarify on the volume of cash deposits banking system received post demonetisation saying the counting process is still on. Demonetisation, launched with the originally stated objective of clamping down on black money, fake currency and corruption, triggered a chaos in the country with cash crunch in the following two months, some of which has eased by now, but the impact on multiple sectors still present. Various government and private agencies, both Indian and foreign, had predicted a sharp decline in the GDP in the aftermath of note ban. But, on a positive note, the note ban gave a push to non-cash transactions in the weeks post the announcement with more people, facing cash crunch, moving to card and electronic payments. In an earlier RTI-based report, the RBI had said that it recommended demonetisation of Rs 500 and 1,000 notes hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced it. The recommendation was made in the meeting of the Central Board of Directors of the Reserve Bank of India held in New Delhi on 8 November, 2016," the RBI said. No info on illegal bank accounts Also, the apex bank doesnt have information on the number of illegal bank accounts found since the note ban. Black money hoarders might have opened such accounts to push their ill-gotten wealth to the banking system. The RBI said information sought is not available with us. RBI Reply for RTI Query - Feb 3, 2017 by Anonymous LRhbdzfjq on Scribd There have been reports of wrongdoers opening fake bank accounts using benamis to make their black money legit. In the aftermath of demonetisation there have been media reports of a mad rush to open accounts with chances of foul play by black money hoarders to inject their money in to the banking system. A senior banker, who requested anonymity, said RBI has become opaque in divulging information. I dont know what is so sensitive about revealing the details of the discussion process that resulted in demonetisation on 8 November. Also, that the RBI doesnt have information on illegal back accounts (benami, accounts opened with KYC lapses) suggests that it never asked for any inspection reports from banks considering a special situation, the banker said. Demonetisation gains unclear The actual, tangible gains of demonetisation exercise are as yet unclear. Going by the budget statement by finance minister Arun Jaitley last week, the government is unlikely to receive any major windfall gains from the note ban, except the expectation of higher tax realisation from the huge cash deposits in banks. But, as this report in The Wire points out, the budget estimates of gross tax revenues for 2017-18, same as the revised estimates for 2016-17 11.3 per cent of GDP, shows that the government isnt expecting any big bonanza. The budget was completely silent on this count. There was no mention about the gains out of this exercise, said the banker quoted earlier. Arun Jaitley certainly deserves congratulations for being able to diagnose the challenges faced by Indian economy at this juncture. In a way, he has tried to respond to the prevailing internal as well as external factors affecting Indian economy through appropriate measures. There are also a few out of the box thoughts. Steps initiated are, no doubt, in the right direction. However, in view of the serious challenges confronting the economy these steps are not adequate. At the most these measures may be seen as mere good gestures. Perhaps, the finance minister was aware of the gap between expectations and implementation when he being a shrewd lawyer cleverly articulated that the Economic Survey was meant to generate public debate. Facilitating political parties to raise fund through corporate bond is certainly an out of box idea. This would compel donors and receivers to avail of transparent fund mobilisation facility. However, still, there is room for black money getting into the system. Reducing cash limitation from Rs 20,000 to Rs 2,000 may mean a little inconvenience. But splitting donations into ten more entries is not something which cannot to be ventured into. Ideal proposition would have been state funding. Perhaps, a wider debate among major political parties and also a public debate by the experts involved with electoral reforms would have facilitated workable solution to the satisfaction of all. On issues such as electoral reforms there should not be any space for ego let alone who gets credit. This should have been collective effort in the long-run interests of the nation. Lowering income tax rates would help in reversing downward trend in consumption which is crucial for economic growth. Moreover, it was expected that government would suitably reward general public for wholeheartedly supporting fight against black money despite hardships due to cash crunch and going through trauma of standing in queue and often returning empty handed. In this respect, the finance minister has done a fantastic job by reducing income tax rate from 10 percent to 5 percent for taxable slab between Rs 2,50,000 to Rs 5,00,000-in spite of the fact that our rates compares better. Looking from a narrow angle, this step can be dubbed as an attempt to take care of the ruling partys middle class vote bank. But the measure is backed by strong economic logic. Since marginal propensity to consume is high at lower level of income, putting more money in the hands of those at lower slab of income is bound to raise overall consumption leading to kick-starting economic revival. Similarly, the decision to not bring down the income tax rates for higher slabs too makes sense as people in higher brackets normally do not change their consumption pattern even in tough times. Putting additional money in their hands would have raised savings but not consumption. There was expectation from the government to come out with big ticket reform measures in terms of targeting subsidies to the deserved. Had the proposed Universal Basic Income [UBI] idea been implemented replacing existing food and other welfare oriented schemes that would have been a game changer in terms of extending benefits to the needy and also, correcting unhealthy fiscal practice. Besides, this would have meant empowering the weaker in real sense. That would have helped the ruling party in expanding its support base beyond traditional segment apart from strengthening rural demand and sustaining economy in the long run. The finance minister was certainly aware of challenges from external front be it slow down in world economy or growing protectionism, especially, restrictive attitude of President Donald Trump. We cannot afford to ignore these factors as these are our major export destinations. US have been the major export supporting country contributing around 16 percent of the total exports. Moreover, as much as 80 percent of earnings of our IT majors depend on US market. In other words, a large number of middle class families which started enjoying comfortable living standards because of IT revolution are under dilemma, rather shock. Trump has also started putting pressure on US investors to shift back their manufacturing base as well as capital to be used for the benefit of native labour force. The new President might have appeared a bit crude in his bold speech on 20 January followed by imposition of border tax. Here is the President determined to reverse outward move of American manufacturers since the last seventy years. But for countries like India it would mean a big blow, especially, the ones associated with US destined export units. In this background, the proposal to abolish Foreign Investment Promotion Board [FIPB] is a damp squib. Anyway, FIPB has lost its relevance under changed economic environment. Had the government come out with big ticket reforms such as labour laws reforms, banking reforms and administrative reforms, agricultural sector reforms with rationalisation of subsidies and user charges that would have helped in reversing negative impact of Trump and expected further increase in Federal rate. Proposed amendment to laws facilitating confiscation of assets of a defaulter of bank loan is a right step. But how long we keep on responding to crisis with curative measures? Why cannot we think in terms of preventive measures so as to minimise such an eventuality. What is required is creating an environment facilitating different sections of the system to function without undue interference by the political bosses. Functional autonomy through banking sector reforms alone ensures healthy functioning of financial institutions. However, only visionary leadership is capable of initiating steps in overall interests as it would mean downsizing of empire to exercise political power. Emphasis on housing by declaring it as an infrastructure is the one which construction industry has been demanding for a long. In fact horizontal expansion in housing construction is very much needed from the point of potential demand waiting for affordable houses and also from the point of employment generation and to boost to the economy as this sector has over 250 backward linkages. However, good intention alone will not resolve the problem. Right now there surplus supply of built houses in all parts of the country. Proposal on notional tax on vacant built houses not only indicated that the finance minister was aware of this fact but he also meant to control black money flowing into this sector. At the same time, measures should have been initiated to make dwelling units really affordable for those who badly in need of them. Efforts should have been made to include housing construction within the GST regime in order to bring down prices substantially. Some of the supportive measures mentioned above may be still be initiated if the government means business. Otherwise, good intentions expressed through the current years budget may remain pipe-dream. (The author is an Economics Professor at BIMTECH and formerly, Member of the Prime Ministers Economic Advisory Council) New Delhi: Aviation security watchdog BCAS has suspended the licence of budget carrier IndiGo's aviation security training centre for lapses in its examination system as the same set of question papers were repeated for many months. Warning that the licence could be suspended indefinitely unless there is complete compliance, BCAS chief Kumar Rajesh Chandra said there was "complete breach of trust" and that the airline moved from computer-based system to pen and paper mode for the examinations. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security's (BCAS) order, issued last week, bars the Gurgaon-based airline from conducting security training programme for its employees any further. The training centre is run by IndiGo's parent company InterGlobe Aviation. BCAS has also issued a show cause notice to the training centre seeking an explanation. "There was a complete breach of trust. What they did was without informing the BCAS, from April-May 2016 onwards, they (the training centre) changed from computer-based to pen and paper examination," Chandra told PTI. After looking at the examination results, BCAS found that for as many as eight batches, all the candidates got over 95 per cent marks, he said. Each batch has around 35-40 people. As this aroused suspicion, Chandra said, an inspection was conducted and it was found that the centre was "repeating the same set of question papers and so there was a leak of questions". "So, naturally, there was no training. This is what they were doing. That is why their licence has been suspended," he said. Sources said the lapses at the centre was a serious issue. When contacted, an IndiGo spokesperson said, "we are already in contact with the BCAS and are confident of demonstrating sufficient compliance to the satisfaction of the BCAS". Following the suspension of licence, IndiGo would have to outsource the training programme, which would result in additional cost for the carrier, sources said. "Any lapse on the security front can have major ramifications for the country's aviation sector. At sensitive airports like Srinagar, a secondary ladder point check of passengers is carried by airline security staff," they said. India's famed multi-billion dollar information technology (IT) industry has been facing challenging times over the past 6-12 months with top-notch IT companies already facing earnings pressures in recent quarters due to tough business environment prevailing in their most lucrative US and European markets. With changing business dynamics of the global IT sector, Indian companies, too, are gearing up for more challenging times ahead. Already, the sector has witnessed job losses in recent times with analysts fearing more retrenchment in coming days due to concerns of subdued global IT spending, proposed curbs on H1-B visas in the US and increased focus on automation, Not just that, software employees are also facing the prospects of a possible delay in their annual wage revision. In a move aimed at boosting its margin, software firm Tech Mahindra has put on hold appraisals of its employees having experience of more than six years. These employees mainly the team leaders and above were conveyed about the suspension of their appraisal through a webinar by its chief operating officer L Ravichandran, the Economic Times report said. These employees may have to wait for at least two more quarters before the management will let them know on when to expect a change in their salaries. We thought the wage increases would be very bad but we did not expect this. At least there are no large-scale layoffs so far. That was also a worry, the ET report said quoting a Tech Mahindra employee. Although, the management confirmed the news of delay in appraisal, but said the decision was nothing to do with the performance in the third quarter. Recently, the company reported a 31.3 percent jump in sequential net profit on a consolidated basis to Rs 845 crore in the quarter ended December 2016, mainly on the back of higher revenue & other income, and lower tax cost. Just last month, Infosys admitted to have released over 9,000 employees in 2016, with the company's HR head asserting that recruitment has fallen sharply in the wake of automation, a report said. As seen in its falling head count numbers, Infosys hired just 5,700 employees during the first 9 months of this fiscal, sharply down from 17,000 in the last year, thus reflecting a fall in its total staff strength in the December quarter. India's IT firms are already dealing with changing nature of the business in global arena. While the banking and financial services industry and telecom formed a major part of their overall revenues, segments like healthcare and retail are likely to be future growth drivers, Mint report said. Foreign companies already have a strong presence here; Indian companies will have to invest more and play catch-up. It also shows in the fundamental nature of the services demanded, the Mint report said. Not just these segments alone, the IT sector is also grappling with changing business dynamics such as a shift to automation, cloud, artificial intelligence and data analytics where Indian IT firms are lagging against their global peers. Further, the latest threat emanating from US President Donald's Trump's decision to put curbs on H1-B visas issued to foreign nationals has already made Indian IT companies jittery, which fear cost escalation and a drag on their margins. To overcome the challenges, Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy last week said Indian software companies need to stop sending people on H1-B visas and focus on local hiring in the US. The recent introduction of a US bill (Lofgren Bill) that proposes to double the minimum wages of H-1B visa holders to $130,000 from $60,000 has made the industry worried. "I think even if the executive order comes, we should look at it more as opportunity for Indian companies to become more multi-cultural than we have been, rather than looking at it as a lacuna," Murthy said. However, a recent Firstpost report, after speaking to some industry experts, showed that NR Narayana Murthy's suggestion that Indian companies should start hiring local hands as a solution may not be a workable one. The dependency of US organisations on H1-B is very high. You cannot call Indian companies names simply because the US companies too are benefiting from Indian companies and their Indian employees working on US soil, Firstpost report said quoting Sanchit Vir Gogia - CEO, Greyhound Research. A Nasscom report says that the industry pays equal wages to US nationals as well as Indians on H1-B visas. For instance, in 2013, while a US citizen was paid about $81,447 a year, an H1-B visa holder was paid $81,022, with an additional $15,000 on visa and ticket costs for the individual and his spouse/family. "We need to assess possibilities of any adverse legislative action derailing client decision making on projects starts/awards. Additionally this could levy pressure on valuation multiples (and limit any prospects of valuation rerating) in the near term as the street remains apprehensive of likely impact on business/earnings from any action on this front while we believe the new US Presidents stance within days of taking charge validates such concerns. Adverse H1B visa reforms could accentuate the structural challenges for the sector as a whole," brokerage firm Emkay Global Financial Services said in a note to its clients. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA), one of the flagship programmes of the government, has heralded a change in the sphere of sanitation programmes in the country. Though India has made strides in improving sanitations standards, the dismal sanitation statistics for both rural and urban areas still leave much to be desired. Goal 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals committed the countries of the world to achieve universal access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation and hygiene to all in the next 15 years. With sanitation as a key priority, SBA was introduced by restructuring the erstwhile Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan (NBA) for raising the standards in sanitation. Since its launch on 2nd October 2014, the country has seen an unprecedented scaling up of sanitation related activities. States are competing with each other to fulfill goals and targets by 2019 which is the target date to achieve an open-defecation free country. According to the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS), sanitation coverage has gone up from 42 percent in October 2014 to 60 percent in 2017. As per MWDS, three states Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim 85 districts across the country and 1,52,535 villages have already been declared open defecation free (ODF). These achievements have clearly contributed to making sanitation a political priority. The Ministry has also come up with ODF Sustainability Guidelines with a view to address sustainability. Forget allocations, what about water? The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation which implements the SBA has been allocated Rs 20,011 crore in the Union Budget 2017 which is a marked jump from the previous year. There is clearly an upward trend in allocations from 2012 to 2017 in terms of budget allocation. The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) has two sub-missions - SBM (Rural) and SBM (Urban) and budgetary provisions for both of them are provided separately through the MDWS and the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) respectively. The SBM (Rural), and the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) are part of the SBA, within this, the SBM (R) has been allocated Rs 13,948.27 crore in 2017-18 BE which is significantly higher compared with the previous year (Rs 10,500 crore 2016-17 RE). The figures augur well for the status of rural sanitation. However, the allocations for rural wate specifically the NRDWP have remained almost stagnant (Rs 6,000 crore in 2016-17 RE to Rs 6,050 crore in 2017-18 BE). (Source: Compiled by CBGA from Union Budget documents, various years.) This could have serious consequences, especially in view of the fact that the recent drought situation in the country, has exacerbated the drinking water crisis and has even led to slip-backs in toilet usage. Further, the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development in its 23rd Report on the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation in May, 2016 had pointed out the fallout of the decrease in Union Budget allocation for the rural drinking water programme. There are also concerns regarding the quality of water which the government is trying to address through a sub-mission of the NRDWP. The sub-mission proposes to provide safe drinking water to over 28,000 arsenic- and fluoride-affected habitations in the next four years. However, as of November 2016, at least 17 states had not submitted proposals under NRDWP for release of second installment of funds which would lead to further delay in project completion. Beyond sanitation There was an expectation that the government would acknowledge the importance of drinking water and make higher allocations for NRDWP in the recent 2017 Budget. The finance minister in his Budget speech assured that ODF villages are being prioritised for piped water supply under the SBA. However, as mentioned earlier, there has been an increase of only Rs 50 crores in the allocation for rural water for 2017-18. Hence, one can only speculate as to how much this meager amount will help in addressing such a substantive issue. Almost two-and-half years after the SBAs launch, it is time to take stock of its progress and look beyond sanitation; not just in terms of toilet construction but also into issues of sustainability of toilets, equity in access to drinking water across social categories, gender and culture. Many more steps would be required for the country to become swachh and fulfill the dream of a Clean India. The author is with the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, New Delhi. She can be reached attrisha14@gmail.com . Views expressed are personal. For full coverage of Union Budget 2017 click here. The Bombay High Court has found four scenes in Subhash Kapoor's upcoming courtroom drama Jolly LLB 2 objectionable as they amount to contempt of court. The film, earlier cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with a U/A certificate, has now been sent back to the board for review. India Today reports that the court has ordered deletion of four scenes from Akshay Kumar's film that depict the judiciary in a bad or objectionable light. These scenes include one in which a judge, played by Saurabh Shukla, is seen hiding behind his chair. Another scene that the court has ordered to delete is in which a shoe is hurled at a member of the judiciary. The other two scenes consist of objectionable signalling and dialogue during an argument in the court. As per TV reports, the makers have decided to move the Supreme Court in order to challenge the verdict of the Bombay High Court as the film is slated to release this Friday on 10 February. Also, a Jaipur court has summoned both Kumar and Kapoor over defamation of the judiciary on 10 March, as per a report by The Economic Times. Last month, an advocate Ajaykumar S Waghmare had filed a petition in the Bombay High Court objecting to some of the scenes of Jolly LLB 2 that malign the reputation of the legal profession. The court found prima facie case of contempt and formed a three-member committee to review the film. On the orders of the Supreme Court, Bombay HC was scheduled to hear the committee report on 6 February along with the objections of the filmmakers who have maintained that the film does not intend to defame the legal profession. Jolly LLB 2 is the sequel to the National Award-winning film Jolly LLB. It also stars Huma Qureshi and Annu Kapoor. Also read: Jolly LLB 2 review: Akshay Kumar, Subhash Kapoor pull off emotional resonance in a patchy film Priyanka Chopra appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and had a nine-minute chat with the celebrated host about her popularity in India, the Indian film industry, her high school and college days in the USA and her Hollywood projects Quantico and Baywatch. Chopra, like many other Hindi film personalities, in the past have expressed her reservations against the Hindi film industry being dubbed as 'Bollywood'. She pointed out that unlike Hollywood, Bollywood is not actually a geographical place. But when Chopra said that the Indian film industry churns out around four to five thousand films annually, Colbert jokingly suggested that Hollywood should be named after the Indian film industry in that case. Chopra also said that she is glad that Damien Chazelle's musical La La Land was received so warmly in the USA as it has paved the way for Hollywood enthusiasts to comprehend the narrative style of the traditional Hindi films, which is full of song and dance sequences. "Otherwise Bollywood is just considered a zumba class around the world," said, Chopra on the show. The star also disclosed that three former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) spies were present during the filming of the first three episode of Quantico. They acted as creative consultants for the television series as Chopra plays a CIA spy in the show. She shared that those three spies had so many interesting anecdotes to narrate that the entire cast and crew had a blast listening to them. When Colbert asked her the difference between spies and actors (since the job of both is to pretend), Chopra pointed out that actors do not infiltrate people's homes. To which, Colbert wittily retorted that actors infiltrate homes every day through the television box, much to the amusement of Chopra. Watch The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, featuring Priyanka Chopra, below. The famed Superbowl 2017 TV spots also featured the second trailer for Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. This will be the fifth installment in the franchise of the films which stars Johnny Depp as the whacky pirate Captain Jack Sparrow. The film will also see the return of Orlando Bloom as Will Turner and Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbosa. Brenton Thwaites (Maleficent, The Giver) plays a new character named Henry, and Paul McCartney has a role as well. The film is directed by Norwegian filmmakers Espen Sandberg and Joachim Rnning (Kon-Tiki) and features Academy Award winner Javier Bardem as the villainous Captain Salazar. The new CGI-heavy trailer like the last heavily focuses on Captain Salazar; rather than keeping the focus on the protagonist Jack Sparrow. Salazar and his army of skeletons escape from the Devils Triangle bent on killing every pirate at sea especially Sparrow. Sparrow's only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it, he must forge an uneasy alliance with Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), an astronomer, and Henry (Brenton Thwaites), a young sailor in the Royal Navy. The trailer which is set to Johnny Cash's 'Ain't No Grave' also set the release date of 26 May 2017 in the U.S. Here's a peak of the upcoming film: HOUSTON Shell Oil Co, the U.S. unit of Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L), said on Monday it expects to divide the refineries and other assets of the Motiva Enterprises joint venture with co-owner Saudi Aramco IPO-ARMO.SE in the second quarter of 2017."We are pleased with the progress we have made to date, and anticipate completion of the transaction in Q2 2017," Shell spokesman Ray Fisher said in an email. "The April 1 date is a target that the internal project teams are working toward."Neither Motiva nor Saudi Aramco representatives were immediately available on Monday to discuss Shell's statement.Rumors have swirled through U.S. refined products markets that the split would be delayed until the fall.Shell and Saudi Aramco said in March 2016 they would divide up the 20-year-old joint venture, which operates three refineries, including the United States' largest, on the Gulf Coast. Originally, the two companies targeted October 2016 for the split of assets, including pipelines and terminals as well as the refineries.The major sticking point, sources told Reuters, was Shell's demand for a $2 billion payment as part of the breakup. Under the plan for the division of assets, Saudi Aramco will retain the Motiva name and the 603,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) Port Arthur, Texas, refinery, the nation's largest.Aramco would also take over 26 distribution terminals and have exclusive license to use the Shell brand for gasoline and diesel sales in Texas, the majority of the Mississippi River Valley, and the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic markets. Shell is slated to become sole owner of two Louisiana refineries with a combined capacity of 472,700 bpd and Shell-branded gasoline stations in Florida, Louisiana and the U.S. Northeast. (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. New Delhi: An Afghan man has been arrested on charge of cheating a US woman of over $86,000 after starting a love affair with her, Delhi Police said on Sunday. Hameedullah, 34, presently staying in Noida in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, had threatened to get the woman framed in a terror case and also defamed publicly by uploading her explicit pictures on the Internet, apart from attacking her with acid, police said. "Hameedullah was arrested on Saturday night in south Delhi," said Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime, Ravindra Yadav. "The woman filed a complaint of cheating, sexual assault and extortion against Hameedullah on Thursday. She accused him of befriending her on a social networking site by posing as M.K. Fahim and trapping her," Yadav said. The woman alleged the accused promised to marry her and sexually exploited her and also took her explicit photographs. He cheated her of $86,000 on various pretexts. When the woman came to know his real identity and confronted him, he allegedly threatened her to get her implicated in a fake case that the money transferred to him by her was used to fund terrorists in Kabul, Yadav said. "Hameedullah told police during questioning that he trapped his women victims through social websites and cheated them out of money on different pretexts. He was maintaining a flashy lifestyle through this easy money," he added. The woman has since left for the US after Hameedullah's arrest, the police officer said. Bhopal: Failure of men to exchange and return little sums saved by their wives in demonetised bills has caused a spurt in domestic discord, says a study conducted by an NGO. "Women who had saved bills of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations, which were scrapped on 8 November last year, handed those currency notes to their husbands to get them exchanged during the post note ban period. But in many of the cases, the men did not return the exchanged money to their wives, leading to quarrels between them," said Sarika Sinha, president of Gauravi, a one-stop crisis centre (for helping women in distress), jointly run by NGO ActionAid and Madhya Pradesh Public Health and Family Welfare department. "Gauravi centre has registered 200 cases of domestic violence, primarily fights between husband and wives from November last year to January end this year in Bhopal, which comes to around 67 such cases monthly. Earlier, an average of about 50 cases per month of domestic violence were reported from the state capital," Gauravi's co-ordinator Shivani Saini said. The women, in their complaints put up before the Bhopal District Family Dispute Counselling Centre, said they had fights with their husbands after they failed to buy necessary household items like LPG cylinders and milk for want of the currency notes post demonetisation. On the other hand, the husbands claimed that the money which their wives saved had been stolen from their pockets, Saini said. In the aftermath of United States President Donald Trump's crackdown on the H1-B visa, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said they are monitoring developments with the Ministry of External Affairs to take a call on the issue soon. The minister also said that she will hold a meeting with all the industries, which have their presence in the United States, once Parliament Session is over. The delegation will highlight and share information with the new US administration on direct jobs being created by Indian IT companies in the US, and contribution of Indian IT firms in making the US economy competitive. Closely monitoring developments. Together with MEA, we're in touch with the embassy in US: Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on H1B visa pic.twitter.com/URyQF6U0Gv ANI (@ANI_news) February 6, 2017 There is going to be an impact.Will hold meeting wth NASSCOM whn Parl is over,with industries which hv significant presence in US:Sitharaman pic.twitter.com/M1VQrXnMtc ANI (@ANI_news) February 6, 2017 India had recently said it has conveyed its concern to the US over a bill being introduced in the Congress to change rules on H1-B visas which is likely to impact the Indian IT industry and Indian techies working in the US. "India's interests and concerns have been conveyed both to the US administration and the US Congress at senior levels," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said. According to the IANS, three bills have been introduced to Congress which reportedly seek to restructure the H1-B visa programme, including one that would raise the salary threshold, making it more expensive for Indian firms to send employees to America. The High-Skilled Integrity and Fairness Act of 2017, introduced in House of Representatives by California Congressman Zoe Lofgren, calls for doubling the minimum salary of H1-B visa holders to $130,000 from the current minimum wage of $60,000 a move that could impact Indian techies. The bill, likely to be signed by Trump, would make it difficult for firms to use the programme to replace American employees with foreign workers, including from India, with lower wages. Indias IT outsourcing industry is worth around $108 billion, according to industry body Nasscom, the National Association of Software and Services Companies, with almost four million people employed in the sector. Indian IT sector, which contributes 9.3 percent of the country's GDP, is one of the largest private sector employer at 3.7 million people. Nasscom president R Chandrashekhar told AFP that restrictions would create uncertainty and leave US businesses short of the skilled workers they need. According to some reports, analysts say the issue also threatens to sour Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis burgeoning relationship. The leaders have extended mutual invitations to visit their respective countries but are heading for a clash on visas. Firstpost's Sulekha Nair writes: "Trump, in an attempt to fulfill his poll promise of providing more jobs to Americans, has proposed a bill that increases the minimum salaries of H1-B employees to $130,000. The bill is likely to increase the cost of the Indian IT firms, which derive 62 percent of their revenue from the US and send many Indian staff on this visa to the US for working offsite." (With inputs from agencies) Islamabad: Upping the ante, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Sunday that Kashmir is the "core dispute" between India and Pakistan and the dream of peace and prosperity of the people of the region will remain elusive without resolving the issue. Describing Kashmir issue is the "unfinished agenda of partition and the oldest disputes in the UN Security Council, Sharif said "for the last seven decades India has denied the people of Kashmir the right to self-determination promised to them by the international community through numerous UN Security Council resolutions". He was speaking on the occasion of 'Kashmir Solidarity Day'. "The people of Pakistan join their Kashmiri brothers and sisters in observing Kashmir Solidarity Day today to reaffirm our moral, diplomatic and political support to the legitimate struggle of the Kashmiri people for their basic human rights, especially the right to self determination enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions," Sharif said. Pakistan, he said, "strongly condemns the systemic state terrorism and brutal killings of the innocent people of Kashmir by Indian forces". "However, all the Indian brutalities have failed to deter the people of Kashmir from their cause for freedom from Indian subjugation," he said. Pakistan calls upon the international community to raise its voice in seeking an end to the "gross violations of human rights and the reign of terror unleashed by Indian forces" in Kashmir and fulfill the promises it made with the people of Jammu and Kashmir 70 years ago, he said. "Jammu & Kashmir is the core dispute between Pakistan and India. The dream of peace and prosperity of the people of this region will remain elusive without resolving this dispute in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions," Sharif said. "We urge India to stop bloodbath in....Kashmir and allow the holding of free and fair plebiscite under the UN auspices," he added. WHY DONT YOU READ THESE? Kohima: On Monday, Congress demanded imposition of President's rule in Nagaland, alleging that the NPF-led DAN government "failed" to control the situation in the state as tribal groups opposed to 33 per cent reservation to women in ULBs have paralysed functioning of government offices. "The NPF led-Democratic Alliance of Nagaland government has completely failed to understand the people and also to govern as almost all the government departments are locked up, no government office has been able to function for almost a week since the bandh started," NPCC president Kewekhape Therie told a press conference here. "How long will this go on?" he asked, adding that Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee, on January 12, had urged the state government to postpone the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections and have wider consultation with the tribal organisations to bring about a consensus. He claimed that the government submitted to the demand of the people by nullifying the ULB elections, which itself shows a "complete failure". "If the elected government is not sensitive or responsive to the peoples' demand, than they are unfit to rule. They should now completely understand that they have lost the moral support of the people and they have lost the moral authority to rule over the people of Nagaland," Therie said. The present situation can only be calmed with the imposition of President's Rule and holding of early election, he added. Considering the present situation, President's rule is the best solution and early election should be held so that new MLAs can be elected for the new House to develop consensus on the ULBs, the NPCC president said. Naga tribal organisations today continued with their indefinite stir by paralysing functioning of government offices demanding Chief Minister T R Zeliang and his cabinet step down. Various tribal organisations in Nagaland are opposed to holding of elections to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with 33 per cent reservation of seats for women. On the decision of the State Cabinet taken on Saturday to approach New Delhi to exempt Nagaland from the purview of Part IX A of the Constitution which deals with municipalities and their composition, Therie said the "it will only embarrass the people of Nagaland as the Nagaland Municipal Act is an Act of the State Assembly." "Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) has never ratified the 73rd and 74th Amendment of the Constitution in this matter, and therefore it is not our law but we have only adopted," he said while claiming that "it is the prerogative of the State Assembly to scrap the whole of Nagaland Municipal (NM) Act, or if they want to amend, delete and add is also upto them." "Why should the State Government go to Government of India as the Article 243T was adopted by the State Assembly in 2006 and added to our Municipal Act without being asked by GoI to enforce it," he said. Therie maintained that above the State List, Nagaland has the privilege with the special provisions for Naga people under Article 371(A) of the Constitution, which is not a prohibitory, but a freedom given to the State Assembly. "Under the provisions of Article 371(A) and the State List, NLA has sovereign power to make any law, and therefore since NM Act is an Act of the State Assembly, it is the prerogative of the Assembly either to remove, add or delete," he said. They gathered, around a shack, to discuss an unusual situation that is threatening to rob them of their livelihood and their settlements, once again. On Friday, dozens of hoardings popped up in the entire Jammu city asking Rohingyas, a Muslim ethnic group that has faced persecution at the hands of majority-Buddhists in Myanmar for decades, to immediately leave the city or they will be thrown out. "Where will we go," Mohammad Johar, 35, who was among the first batch of refugees to arrive in this city, said, as he caressed his four-year-old daughter near his Juggie. It is not easy to find a place to live and make a living, he adds. The Jammu and Kashmir government recently said that more than 1,200 Rohingya families, comprising of 6,000 people, have been living in different parts of Jammu for the last six years. They are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and also with the Union Home Ministry. But now, they are at the crossroads of a fierce political debate raging in this winter capital, whether they should be allowed, at all, to live in the state. Does the state law permit them (Rohingyas) to settle here in any part of the state? Article 370 does not allow anyone to settle here in Jammu and Kashmir, Harshdev Singh, JKNPP Chairman, said. If the state government does not throw them out, we will do that. The hoardings put by the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party threatens that Rohingya and Bangladeshis should leave the Jammu immediately or face the consequences. However, these persecuted people have found little support from both mainstream as well as separatist politicians. Inside a Rohingya camp, in Narwal area of Jammu, residents gather to discuss the explicit threat and explore the possibility of meeting political leaders and appraise them about their condition back home and their reason for migration. We want to tell them that we are cursed people and trying hard to live a peaceful life here, Saleem Ahmad, another refugee, says. Our migration here was purely on the bases of economic reasons. The wages here are much better than in the rest of India, he adds. The issue of Rohingya started taking political colour after the valley based political parties started expressing concern over the issuance of identity certificates to the West Pakistani refugees, who migrated from Sialkot and other neighbouring belts in 1947 and settled in Jammu. However, these refugees are still neither state subjects nor citizens of India. If West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs) cant be given citizenship after three generations, how can these people be allowed to stay in the state. Their settlement in a sensitive border state is a great threat to national security, BJP MLA from Nowshera, Ravinder Raina, said recently in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, before demanding the headcount of these displaced people. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said recently 5,743 Burmese (Rohingyas) are staying in the state and no instance of radicalisation has been reported among them so far. No Rohingya has been found involved in militancy-related incidents. However, 17 FIRs have been registered against 38 Rohingyas for various offences, Mehbooba, who holds the charge of the Home Department also, had said in a written reply to a question of BJP MLA Sat Sharma in the Legislative Assembly. For living, Rohingyas do daily wage jobs and majority of them have become scrap dealers. Children support their families by collecting and selling recyclable material, and a few women work in walnut factories up to 12 hours a day, cracking shells and removing nuts. However, majority of the political parties in Jammu, including the ruling BJP, was of the opinion that by demanding the expulsion of Rohingya from state, the valley based political parties would give in on the demand of refusing issuance of identification cards to the refugees who came from West Pakistan in 1947, 1965 and 1971. But to their surprise, almost every political party from the valley has refused to come to the aid of Rohingyas, and instead, demanded the expulsion of both. That could be the reason the fresh hoarding in the Jammu are indications of what is coming for these refugees who fled Myanmar as security forces there carry out a brutal counter-insurgency campaign. The Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry called the presence of foreigners in the city a sinister campaign to change the demography of the area by unseen forces. Rakesh Gupta, its president, says, there is an attempt by people to change the demography of Jammu by settling Muslim population from foreign lands. If the politics over our temporary settlement continues, I think we will have to move from here, Abir Sheik, a Rohingya, says in the Narwal camp. New Delhi: In an unusual case of 'mass bunking' being confronted by the CRPF, 59 trainee commandos of its elite jungle warfare and counter-Naxal squad CoBRA have gone missing from a train just before they were to report for duty in the Left Wing Extremism-hit theatre of Bihar as part of their first deployment. The incident occurred on Sunday at the Mughalsarai Station when the commandos, on way from their training centre in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar after their 5-week basic training, apparently decided to abandon their forward journey and leave en masse to go to their homes or some undisclosed location. Officials said the jawans also did not inform their contingent commander on board the train as they made their daring escape bid in the night. Shocked by the utter disregard to rules by these constable-rank jawans recruited in the country's largest paramilitary in 2011, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has ordered for a Court of Inquiry into the incident, termed as a case of "unauthorised absence" by the force. Senior officials of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) and CRPF said the jawans were scheduled to report at the headquarters of the 205th CoBRA unit in Gaya in Bihar today for their onward deployment for conducting special anti-Naxal operations in Bihar. "A full Inquiry has been ordered by the force headquarters in Delhi. The trainers and the havildar who was accompanying these commandos have got in touch with some of those who vanished from the train without informing seniors. Some have promised to report by tomorrow," senior officials told PTI. It is to be ascertained as to how all of the men decided to make the slip en masse, they said, adding the jawans were "not armed". They added that maximum of the commandos who undertook this 'mass bunk' hail from the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Meanwhile CRPF issued a clarification regarding the matter. CRPF issues clarification regarding the 59 trainees of 205CoBRA Bn, who went missing from train sans informing before their first deployment pic.twitter.com/hXTY1XolvF ANI (@ANI_news) February 6, 2017 The CoBRA was raised in 2009 by the central government under CRPF to act as a special guerrilla combat wing for tackling violence perpetrated by naxalites as well as insurgents in the northeast with the aid of specific intelligence inputs. Mumbai: On Monday, Maharashtra Congress alleged that the party workers staging a "peaceful" protest against the play "Hey Ram Nathuram" in Nagpur on Sunday were given life threats by police "as the state government belonged to the ideology of Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi". In a statement, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) spokesman Sachin Sawant said, Godse is being glorified through the play, which is being staged in different parts of the state. "Congress was peacefully protesting against the play in Nagpur by raising slogans like 'Mahatma Gandhi Ki Jai'. But since the government belongs to Godse's ideology, slogans hailing the father of the nation were not tolerated. Therefore, the party workers were threatened by police that they will be shot dead," Sawant alleged. He also alleged that the state Home Department, which is headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, is trying to ensure that the play is a success. He said despite attempts to glorify Godse, the poor attendance at the show in Nagpur shows Mahatma Gandhi is always on the minds of Indians. When contacted, BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari hit back saying Congress is merely indulging in "publicity stunts" as it has no credibility left in the state. "The Congress is using all possible rhetorics and levelling false allegations without substance to show the BJP in poor light," he said. "The BJP has nothing to do with the play or the Congress workers protesting there. Maintaining law and order is the job of the police and there is no reason to believe that instead of doing their duty, they would indulge in threats," Bhandari said. High voltage drama was witnessed outside the Vasantrao Deshpande Hall in Nagpur hours before the staging of play on Sunday, when workers from Congress, NCP and Sambhaji Brigade raised slogans and blocked auditorium entrance preventing viewers entry. Some protestors, including the officer-bearers of various political parties had been detained by police. In a relief to former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Nabam Tuki, the Supreme Court on Monday set aside the Guwahati High Court order for CBI probe against Tuki in an alleged corruption case. While dismissing the order, the apex court had also observed that the ex-chief minister was not granted and adequate hearing and directed the Guhawati High Court to hear a fresh PIL on which CBI probe was ordered. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Jagdish Singh Khehar and Justice NV Ramanna delivered the order. The court, however, made it clear that FIRs, registered by CBI so far, will remain. The former chief minister faces many corruption charges, which came to light in August 2015, after Nabam Tagam moved the high court alleging nepotism by Tuki in allocating Public Works Department contracts to his wife Nabam Yani, sister-in-law, brother and other relatives. It is to be noted that Tuki was the PWD minister before taking over as the chief minister. The Guwahati High Court then ordered a CBI probe into the allegations. However, the apex court later stayed the order after Tuki had challenged it. Nabam Tuki was the chief minister of the frontier state between 2011 and January 2016, when his government was controversial dismissed and president's rule was imposed. However, after the Supreme Court's intervention, his government was restored in July 2016, but resigned just three into his second term. With inputs from PTI Chennai: Expelled AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP Sasikala Puspha on Sunday opposed party chief VK Sasikala becoming the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, alleging she had a "criminal background". In letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, she said, "It is condemnable to nominate or invite Sasikala Natarajan to be a Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu due to her criminal background. All criminal cases are pending and (she is) convicted." Pushpa was apparently referring to the disproportionate assets case against late chief minister Jayalalithaa in which Sasikala was a co-accused and convicted by the trial court in Bengaluru. The Karnataka High Court had set aside the conviction. An appeal challenging the acquittal is now pending before the Supreme Court. Pushpa also alleged Sasikala, who was on Sunday elected leader of the AIADMK Legislature Party, paving the way for her to become the Chief Minister, had "not done any basic work to the party." "The then Chief Minister (J Jayalalithaa) not even proposed her (Sasikala) as a candidate when she was in hospital. When she will be Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, there would be law and order problems," she alleged. She urged Modi and Rao "not to recommend or invite Sasikala to be Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu". Pushpa had recently filed a complaint with the Election Commission claiming that the election of Sasikala as AIADMK General Secretary was not done as per procedure, following which the panel had sought the party's response. New Delhi: Alleging political vendetta behind the disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, Rajya Sabha member TMC member Vivek Gupta on Monday asked the Centre to order a probe by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or any other appropriate agency in the matter. Najeeb had gone missing on 15 October following an on-campus scuffle allegedly with ABVP members the night before. Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the House, Gupta asked the government whether any special measures have been initiated to trace the missing student. Alleging that the JNU officials were insensitive in the matter, he wondered whether Najeeb will end up just as a statistics about missing persons. Gupta said the ABVP students allegedly involved in the incident have not yet been questioned. He also claimed that the Vice Chancellor of the University had even refused to meet the mother of the missing student. "This a clear case of political vendetta. We are witnessing that political vendetta is spreading like a cancer in the country," he said and asked the Centre to order a CBI probe or any other appropriate enquiry to trace Najeeb. He further said political vendetta is a "serious" matter and demanded a statement from the government on the issue. Joy Abraham (KC-M) raised the issue of Father Tom Uzhunnalil, a priest from Kerala abducted by a terror group in war-torn Yemen last year, and sought the help of the entire House for his early release. "It seems his life is in danger...It seems his health is deteriorating," he said and sought speedy intervention by the government in the matter. Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had earlier spoken on the issue and the matter is being "definitely" being taken up. "Since he is an Indian citizen, we all have to be concerned about this," she added. Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to convey the members' concerns to the External Affairs Minister. In his Zero Hour mention, Nadimul Haque (TMC) highlighted the poor financial condition of several ex-sportspersons who have made the country proud. He said many of them have to take up petty jobs to earn their livelihood. Prem Chand Gupta (RJD) sought a discussion on the issue. Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairman said the business in the House was "productive and fruitful" compared to the days of disruption, in an apparent reference to the nearly washed out Winter Session. "Let's do like this. It will be good for us," he said. Rajya Sabha has not witnessed any adjournment in the ongoing Budget Session so far. Chandigarh: The Jat quota agitation in Haryana continued for the ninth day, with protesters sitting on dharnas at various places on Monday, even as the community's leaders have threatened to intensify the stir if their demands are not met by the government. Amid elaborate security arrangements, the Jats held sit-ins at several areas in the state, which remained peaceful, officials said. In Chandigarh, Jat leader Hawa Singh Sangwan gave an ultimatum to the state government to fulfill their demands by 26 February. The faction led by Sangwan had been holding parleys with the Haryana government and till now they had not participated in the protests being organised by Yahspal Malik headed All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti. He said they are demanding general amnesty for the accused in last year's February Jat stir and regular jobs for the kin of those persons killed in the agitation. Sarv Jat Khap Panchayat spokesman Sube Singh Somain said the current agitation being spearheaded by Malik had been politicised with Congress and INLD joining the stir. Addressing a gathering in Charkhi Dadri, Malik claimed that Jat activists from Punjab are also ready to extend support to the protests in Haryana. "The Jat activists from Punjab will also join and support dharnas being staged at various places in Haryana," Malik said in Dhanana village. He also warned that the ongoing stir will intensify if government does not accept their demands. At some places, the Khap panchayats or caste councils are also backing the dharnas. The call for the fresh stir has been given by some Jat outfits, especially those owing allegiance to that headed by Malik. Haryana's main Opposition party INLD has openly come out in support of the agitating Jats and asked the government to meet their demands. Malik said Jats were willing to wait for reservation since the matter was sub-judice, but they wanted all other demands to be accepted immediately. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had earlier said the government accepted the demand of the Jats to give job to the next of kin of those who had lost their lives in the agitation last year. He had said the process for the same had been initiated. In the fresh round of the Jat stir, paramilitary forces have been deployed in sensitive areas in Haryana while state police personnel, in large numbers, are maintaining strict vigil. Security has been further strengthened in many sensitive districts and at the Rohtak residences of Haryana Finance Minister Abhimanyu and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the officials said. Arsonists had set Abhimanyu's Rohtak house on fire during last year stir, in which 30 people had died and property was damaged. However, this time the state has been put on maximum alert, the officials said. Notably, Rohtak and some of its neighbouring districts, including Sonipat and Jhajjar, had been worst-hit by the violence which broke out during last year. Malik said 19 February would be observed as 'Balidan Divas' in memory of all those who lost their lives in last year. Over the past three days, the number of protesters at various dharna sites, especially in sensitive districts, has been going up. In Rohtak, the Jats have gathered at Jassia village. The government is also closely monitoring the situation, the officials said. Apart from the reservation for Jats, demands include release of arrested youths from jails, withdrawal of cases during last year's agitation and government jobs to the kin of youths killed and those injured during the earlier stir. Their demands also include action against BJP MP from Kurukshetra Raj Kumar Saini over his alleged anti-Jat rants. Suspense over nominations for the upcoming Maharashtra civic polls was maintained till the last possible minute, as none of the parties had released their list of candidates. AB forms authentication of candidature by the party were directly distributed and submitted at Ward offices. The reason behind the secrecy: To ensure that aspirants didn't get a chance to rebel in case they were denied candidature. But now, the parties are faced with an even bigger challenge; to convince candidates against rebelling, as they have made evident their discontent towards the inherent nepotism in various parties. With their eye set on the two-phased civic body election spanning 10 municipal corporations, 26 zilla parishads and 283 panchayat samitis BJP leaders have left no stone unturned to ensure a win. Their campaign, of being a party with a difference, had started right from the Assembly elections where BJP had won all eight constituencies in Pune. The party cadre and loyalists had worked hard towards securing a win. But when nominations for the current civic elections were declared, many of the party loyalists were left shell-shocked. Almost all of the tickets were bagged by the kinship of the leaders and MLAs, with MP Anil Shirole leading the way. Despite opposition from party members, he ensured that his son Siddharth Shirole was nominated from the Shivajinagar constituency. Madhuri Misal, MLA from the Parvati constituency, also ensured that her sister-in-law Manasi Deshpande got the candidature. While MLA Yogesh Tilekar fielded his mother Ranjana in the Hadapsar constituency, Wadgaon Sheri MLA Jagdish Mulik helped his brother Yogesh to contest. In Khadakwasla, MLA Bhimrao Tapkir bagged multiple tickets for his family members and supporters. Minister of State of social justice Dilip Kamble's brother Sunil was also handed a ticket. While the leaders ensured tickets for their kinship on one hand, the other faction to get nominated were the outsiders who had recently switched their allegiance to BJP. Nine of the 10 sitting corporators who joined BJP just a few days earlier were also nominated. But the real twist came when Nationalist Congress Party MLC Anil Bhosale's wife, who had contested the elections from NCP last term, filed her nomination from BJP at the last minute, after her name didnt appear in the NCP candidate list. Though she got her AB form from BJP, the party had already issued one to a party worker that morning itself. But, even if she will now contests as an Independent candidate, the mere fact that BJP had approved her candidature sent out a strong message. The disgruntled party loyalists made it a point to get their message across, by protesting outside the party office. Jagannath Kulkarni, along with a few other party workers, even sat on a hunger strike. I got a call saying that my AB form would be issued at the party office in the morning... I came to the office only to be told that some other member was nominated. If my name was there in the candidate list till last night, what made it disappear in the morning? he asked. Rebels from Pimpri-Chinchwad have now announced the formation of a new party. The reason for denying Reshma Bhosale's nomination, according to NCP city president and MP Vandana Chavan, was that her husband Anil had already got an opportunity to contest during the legislative council elections. But Reshma seemed to be an exception for the party as tickets were issued to the relatives of other NCP leaders in the city. NCP has fielded present Mayor Prashant Jagtap and his mother Ratnaprabha from the same ward. Few other relatives of various leaders have also bagged nominations. The situation within Shiv Sena is no different as its city chief, Vinayak Nimhans, helped his son get nominated. Similarly, many other parties have fielded husband-wife duos from the same ward as well. Like the BJP, unrest was visible in Congress as well. Congress city president Ramesh Bagwe announced that the party would contest the elections separately. But in the end, they decided to form an alliance with NCP for 100 seats. More than an alliance, this was seen as a compromise between the two parties. But this lead to the cancellation of nominations of many aspirants, leading to protests outside the Congress Bhawan in Pune. Many of the aspirants have now decided to contest as independents. While the unrest was clearly seen in all other parties, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had to struggle to find candidates to contest from all panels fielding candidates only for 126 out of 162 panels. MNS had emerged as the second largest party during the last elections but the party seems to have lost its sheen with many of the sitting corporators and party workers joining other parties ahead of the elections. Over 2,600 aspirants have filed their nominations from various parties. Over 250 of these were rejected in the scrutiny. Official campaigns of various parties are set to take off this week. But it seems that convincing the rebels still remains the biggest challenge. Nearly 10 crore voters will exercise their franchise in the upcoming elections. Polling for 15 zilla parishads and 165 panchayat samitis will be held on 16 February and elections to the remaining 11 zilla parishads, 118 panchayat samitis and 10 municipal corporations will be held on 21 February. New Delhi: A team of Union Home Ministry officials is in Imphal to hold talks with the Manipur government and a Naga group spearheading the agitation in the poll-bound state for a "definite solution". Sources said the second round of tripartite talks, among the officials of the Ministry, Manipur government and representatives of United Naga Council (UNC), will be held in Imphal tomorrow. A definite solution to the over three-month-long economic blockade there is likely to come up during the meeting, they said on Monday. National Highway number 2 (NH 2) in Manipur is blocked since 1 November by UNC cadres leading to normal life being severely affected. The Council is protesting against creation of seven new districts in the state. The Home Ministry had made "substantial progress" during the talks held by it in Imphal on Friday and officials hope that the economic crises will end soon, the sources said. They said an agreement has been reached between the agitating Naga group and the state government which is likely to be signed shortly. Tuesday's meeting is likely to be attended by UNC president Gaidon Kamei and the Council's information secretary Sangkhel Stephen, both of whom are lodged in Imphal central jail since January after Manipur police arrested them on 25 November last for leading the indefinite blockade. Satyendra Garg, Joint Secretary in the Home Ministry -who will represent the Centre in the talk has reached there along with other officials concerned, the sources said. Due to the blockade, normal life in Manipur has been badly affected and prices of essential commodities have sky rocketed. Polling for the 60-member Manipur Assembly is scheduled to be held in two phases next month 4 and 8 March. Imphal: Rights activist Irom Sharmila will contest against Manipur chief minister and Congress candidate Okram Ibobi Singh from Thoubal constituency in the Assembly elections to be held next month. Sharmila will contest from Thoubal seat, convenor of her party People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) Erendro Leichonbam, said. Known for her fight against Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Sharmila is a political greenhorn while Congress has been in power in Manipur for three successive terms under Ibobi Singh. Congress on 3 February had released a list of 60 candidates for Manipur Assembly elections, with Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh contesting Thoubal seat. In August last year, the 44-year-old Iron Lady broke her 16-year-old hunger strike, the world's longest such campaign, and declared that she wants to become the chief minister so that she could press for repeal of the contentious AFSPA. While launching her party PRJA in October last year, Sharmila had said she would contest from two seats - Thoubal and Khurai. While she belongs to Khurai, Thoubal is the Assembly constituency of the chief minister. Leichonbam said the party has already started campaigning in Thoubal for Sharmila. However, there is no word yet about her contesting Khurai seat. Leichonbam said PRJA, which recently was alloted 'whistle' as the party's symbol, is likely to field altogether 10 candidates for the Assembly elections to be held on 4 and 8 March. Meanwhile, the Naga People's Front (NPF), the ruling party in Nagaland, has announced names of 15 candidates for the Manipur Assembly elections. In a first of any election campaign, the common man is being asked to participate in constructing the manifesto of a national party. The BJP launched this initiative that has seen over seven lakh Mumbaikars providing feedback to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, as part of his 'Our City Our Agenda' campaign. According to the campaigns official website, 560,496 suggestions were received through telephone calls, 148044 via WhatsApp messages and over 22,337 people sent in their suggestions via social media. It may be noted that the Shiv Sena, Congress, NCP have already published their manifestos, whereas the BJP will declared its manifesto in the next 72 hours with the help of people's suggestions. The top 20 suggestions will earn their providers an audience with Fadnavis to discuss the manifesto at his Varsha bungalow on Monday evening. And for those who did not make the list, the chief minister's office offers an alternative: I invite you all to discuss the agenda for your city tomorrow 6.15 pm. Join us live at https://t.co/BTL5ReU5Ui #OurCityOurAgenda pic.twitter.com/EsAs31bqnC Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) February 5, 2017 Citizens are encouraged to ask questions, give suggestions and vote on the issues raised during the event using hash tag #AskMahaCM. Speaking with Firstpost, the BJP's Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar said that this is the first stage towards transparency. "Transparency is the need of the hour. Instead of preparing policies on the basis of a birds eye view of peoples problems, this time, we will let the people speak out about their problems. The response has been truly overwhelming, with more than 7 lakh people joined our manifesto campaign 'Our City Our Agenda'," Shelar said. He added that while other parties make their manifestos based on what they think, the BJP will craft its manifesto based on what the people think. Mumbai: The faction-ridden city unit of Congress on Sunday failed to put up a united show even on the occasion of release of party manifesto for BMC polls, slated on 21 February, with senior leaders like Gurudas Kamat and Ashok Chavan not attending the event led by Sanjay Nirupam. On the occasion, Nirupam, who seems to be getting isolated amid bitter feud between him and Kamat and others, took a dig at the absentees, saying, "If you cannot campaign for the party, at least do not engage in any anti-party campaign". In its vision document, the Congress has made a range of promises, some of which already announced by Shiv Sena and the NCP. Among the key assurances is offering free of cost Clean drinking water to citizens. The manifesto also promises to make Mumbai a garbage-fee city by developing a new dumping ground and introducing measures like collecting the waste in night. Congress almost imitated the Sena and BJP by promising subsidy in property tax. Sena had declared waiver of property tax for houses up to 500 square feet whereas BJP had assured subsidy in footpath tax. On the lines of cities like Delhi and Chennai, Mumbai Congress is planning subsidised food stalls in city. In a bid to woo the North Indian voters', the party has promised to implement hawkers' policy without any change. The policy is currently lying with a cabinet sub-committee after Sena raised an objection. Addressing a rally, Nirupam refuted the allegations levelled by city unit BJP chief Ashish Shelar about the "match-fixing" between Congress and Sena for 42 municipal wards. He said on the contrary people of Mumbai are witnessing a match-fixing between Shiv Sena and BJP. "BJP president Amit Shah himself has said that it's a 'friendly match' between them. Even BJP cabinet minister has himself hinted about post-poll alliance between the saffron parties," the city unit Congress chief said. He accused the Sena-BJP combine, which has been ruling the BMC for 20 years, of "making fortune through corruption in every ward. In last 20 years they have done nothing other than corruption. In every tender they have a share of loot". Among those who didn't attend the rally were state unit Congress president Ashok Chavan, former state minister Narayan Rane, former Union minister Gurudas Kamat, Nasim Khan and Kripashankar Singh. They had accused Nirupam's "way of functioning and choice of candidates for the BMC polls." State Congress in-charge Mohan Prakash, former MPs Milind Deora and Priya Dutt were present at the rally. Heralding the "chinnamma" era in AIADMK and Tamil Nadu politics, party supremo VK Sasikala on Sunday was unanimously elected as the leader of the legislature party, paving the way for her to take over as the next chief minister of Tamil Nadu. Soon, O Panneerselvam resigned as the chief minister. His resignation was accepted by Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao on Monday. However, reactions to her elevation were mostly negative. Principal opposition party DMK slammed Sasikala's elavation, calling it "murder of democracy". Working president MK Stalin told PTI, "The people voted for a government to be headed by Jayalalithaa in May 2016 and not for one to be run by O Panneerselvam or any other person from Jayalalithaa's household." Stalin further added, "One thing is certain that the government in its present form is clearly one that doesn't have the explicit legitimacy of having been elected by the people." Congress, DMK's ally in the state, too lashed out at the AIADMK. The party called Sasikala's elevation as a 'black day' for Tamil Nadu. We cannot and people will not accept her as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Her contribution to AIADMK is zero, did nothing for the people of Tamil Nadu, Senior Congress leader EVKS Elangovan was quoted by Times Now as saying. Rajya Sabha MP and Tamil Nadu leader P Chidambaram tweeted to express his displeasure over the decision. It is the right of AIADMK MLAs to elect their leader. It is the right of the people to ask if the leader deserves to be CM P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) February 6, 2017 Looking back with pride, TN CM chair was occupied by Kamaraj and Anna. AIADMK and PEOPLE OF TAMILNADU are now moving in opposite directions. P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) February 6, 2017 RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy tweeted out, saying: Sasikala the new CM. No celebrations. No crackers. No cheer. Eerie silence. Never seen a person so hated within n outside party becoming CM S Gurumurthy (@sgurumurthy) February 6, 2017 While not directly criticising the decision to make the AIADMK supremo the new chief minister, the BJP state president Tamilisai Soundarrajan told CNN-News18, "As general secretary, she would be involved with the affairs of her party but as Chief Minister she would be engaged in administering the state and hence the AIADMK paving way for Ms Sasikala to become Chief Minister cannot be construed as internal affairs of that party. PMK, a party with a strong base among the Vanniyar community in north Tamil Nadu, slammed the move to make Sasikala the chief minsiter. Party partriarch S Ramadoss told The Hindu, "AIADMK got votes only due to Jayalalithaa and now a person who is no way connected to the people of the state has been selected to be the chief minister. This is nothing but deceiving the voters who voted for AIADMK," However, not all reactions were negative. Leaders from the VCK and CPM along with the Dravidian parent organisation, Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) welcomes the move. It augurs well for the State that she has been elected unanimously, and there will no longer be two power centres, eliminating any divergence in decision-making, while making her the main person responsible for all decisions, K Veeeramani of the DK was quoted by The Hindu as saying. With inputs from PTI The Union Budget for 2017-2018 presented by the Finance Minister in the Lok Sabha on 1 February, 2017 has been widely hailed. One of the features that attracted a lot of adulation is the section in the Finance Ministers budget speech, titled "Transparency in Electoral Funding". This is what this section said: "164. India is the world's largest democracy. Political parties are an essential ingredient of a multi-party Parliamentary democracy. Even 70 years after Independence, the country has not been able to evolve a transparent method of funding political parties which is vital to the system of free and fair elections. An attempt was made in the past by amending the provisions of the Representation of Peoples Act, the Companies Act and the Income Tax Act to incentivise donations by individuals, partnership firms, HUFs and companies to political parties. Both the donor and the donee were granted exemption from payment of tax if the accounts were transparently maintained and returns were filed with the competent authorities. Additionally, a list of donors who contributed more than Rs 20,000/- to any party in cash or cheque is required to be maintained. The situation has only marginally improved since these provisions were brought into force. Political parties continue to receive most of their funds through anonymous donations which are shown in cash. 165. An effort, therefore, requires to be made to cleanse the system of political funding in India. Donors have also expressed reluctance in donating by cheque or other transparent methods as it would disclose their identity and entail adverse consequences. I, therefore, propose the following scheme as an effort to cleanse the system of funding of political parties: a) In accordance with the suggestion made by the Election Commission, the maximum amount of cash donation that a political party can receive will be Rs 2000/- from one person. b) Political parties will be entitled to receive donations by cheque or digital mode from their donors. c) As an additional step, an amendment is being proposed to the Reserve Bank of India Act to enable the issuance of electoral bonds in accordance with a scheme that the Government of India would frame in this regard. Under this scheme, a donor could purchase bonds from authorised banks against cheque and digital payments only. They shall be redeemable only in the designated account of a registered political party. These bonds will be redeemable within the prescribed time limit from issuance of bond. d) Every political party would have to file its return within the time prescribed in accordance with the provision of the Income-tax Act. Needless to say that the existing exemption to the political parties from payment of income-tax would be available only subject to the fulfillment of these conditions. This reform will bring about greater transparency and accountability in political funding, while preventing future generation of black money. Amendments to the Income Tax Act In pursuance of the above, the Finance Bill 2017 proposes amendments to several existing laws, one of which is the Income Tax Act. The proposed amendment to the IT Act is contained in para 11 of the Finance Bill 2017 which reads as under: "11. In section 13A of the Income-tax Act, with effect from the 1st day of April, 2018, (I) in the first proviso, (i) in clause (b), (A) after the words such voluntary contribution, the words other than contribution by way of electoral bond shall be inserted; (B) the word and occurring at the end shall be omitted; (ii) in clause (c), the word ; and shall be inserted at the end; (iii) after clause (c), the following clause shall be inserted, namely: (d) no donation exceeding two thousand rupees is received by such political party otherwise than by an account payee cheque drawn on a bank or an account payee bank draft or use of electronic clearing system through a bank account or through electoral bond. Explanation For the purposes of this proviso, electoral bond means a bond referred to in the Explanation to sub-section (3) of section 31 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.; (II) after the second proviso, the following proviso shall be inserted, namely: Provided also that such political party furnishes a return of income for the previous year in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (4B) of section 139 on or before the due date under that section. The existing Section 13A of the Income Tax Act reads as under: Special provision relating to incomes of political parties. 13A. Any income of a political party which is chargeable under the head Income from house property or Income from other sources or Capital gains or any income by way of voluntary contributions received by a political party from any person shall not be included in the total income of the previous year of such political party: Provided that (a) such political party keeps and maintains such books of account and other documents as would enable the Assessing Officer to properly deduce its income therefrom; (b) in respect of each such voluntary contribution in excess of twenty thousand rupees, such political party keeps and maintains a record of such contribution and the name and address of the person who has made such contribution; and (c) the accounts of such political party are audited by an accountant as defined in the Explanation below sub-section (2) of section 288 : Provided further that if the treasurer of such political party or any other person authorised by that political party in this behalf fails to submit a report under sub-section (3) of section 29C of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 of 1951) for a financial year, no exemption under this section shall be available for that political party for such financial year. Explanation.For the purposes of this section, political party means a political party registered under section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 of 1951). If the proposed amendment is approved by the Parliament which it would be because the ruling party has a majority in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha cannot amend the Finance Bill 2017 since it a money bill, the amended Section 13A of the Income Tax Act would read as under (the amended portions have been italicised): 13A. Any income of a political party which is chargeable under the head Income from house property or Income from other sources or Capital gains or any income by way of voluntary contributions received by a political party from any person shall not be included in the total income of the previous year of such political party : Provided that (a) such political party keeps and maintains such books of account and other documents as would enable the Assessing Officer to properly deduce its income therefrom; (b) in respect of each such voluntary contribution other than contribution by way of electoral bond in excess of twenty thousand rupees, such political party keeps and maintains a record of such contribution and the name and address of the person who has made such contribution; (c) the accounts of such political party are audited by an accountant as defined in the Explanation below sub-section (2) of section 288 :; and (d) no donation exceeding two thousand rupees is received by such political party otherwise than by an account payee cheque drawn on a bank or an account payee bank draft or use of electronic clearing system through a bank account or through electoral bond. Explanation For the purposes of this proviso, electoral bond means a bond referred to in the Explanation to sub-section (3) of section 31 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. Provided further that if the treasurer of such political party or any other person authorised by that political party in this behalf fails to submit a report under sub-section (3) of section 29C of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 of 1951) for a financial year, no exemption under this section shall be available for that political party for such financial year. Explanation For the purposes of this section, political party means a political party registered under section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 of 1951). Provided also that such political party furnishes a return of income for the previous year in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (4B) of section 139 on or before the due date under that section. Amendment to the Representation of the People Act Now, we come to the amendments to the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The only amendment to this Act is to Section 29C which requires political parties to make annual declarations of contributions received from individuals and companies in excess of Rs. 20,000/-. This section, as it exists now, reads as follows: 29C. Declaration of donation received by the political parties. (1) The treasurer of a political party or any other person authorised by the political party in this behalf shall, in each financial year, prepare a report in respect of the following, namely: (a) the contribution in excess of twenty thousand rupees received by such political party from any person in that financial year; (b) the contribution in excess of twenty thousand rupees received by such political party from companies other than Government companies in that financial year. (2) The report under sub-section (1) shall be in such form as may be prescribed. (3) The report for a financial year under sub-section (1) shall be submitted by the treasurer of a political party or any other person authorised by the political party in this behalf before the due date for furnishing a return of its income of that financial year under section 139 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961), to the Election Commission. (4) Where the treasurer of any political party or any other person authorised by the political party in this behalf fails to submit a report under sub-section (3) then, notwithstanding anything contained in the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961), such political party shall not be entitled to any tax relief under that Act. The proposed amendment, contained in para 135 of the Finance Bill 2017, reads as follows: 135.The provisions of this Part shall come into force on the 1st day of April, 2017. 136. In the Representation of the People Act, 1951, in section 29C, in sub-section (1), the following shall be inserted, namely: Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall apply to the contributions received by way of an electoral bond. Explanation For the purposes of this sub-section, electoral bond means a bond referred to in the Explanation to sub-section (3) of section 31 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. What does this mean? Reading the amended Section 13A, and translating it from legalese to simple English means the following: Political parties do not need to include donations by electoral bonds in their record of such voluntary contributions in excess of twenty thousand rupees. This is the meaning of the amendment of clause (b). Political parties cannot accept donations in cash in amounts more than Rs 2,000. This is what insertion of clause (d) achieves. It is important to note that earlier there was no law specifying how much amount can a political party received in cash as donation. The insertion of an additional proviso, after the second proviso, to require political parties to furnish a return of income for the previous year in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (4B) of section 139 on or before the due date under that section seems superfluous because Sub-section 4B of Section 139 of the Income Tax Act already has that provision. It reads as follows: "(4B) The chief executive officer (whether such chief executive officer is known as Secretary or by any other designation) of every political party shall, if the total income in respect of which the political party is assessable (the total income for this purpose being computed under this Act without giving effect to the provisions of section 13A) exceeds the maximum amount which is not chargeable to income-tax, furnish a return of such income of the previous year in the prescribed form and verified in the prescribed manner and setting forth such other particulars as may be prescribed and all the provisions of this Act, shall, so far as may be, apply as if it were a return required to be furnished under sub-section (1). This is just reiteration of this provision and there is nothing new in it. Since the only amendment to the Representation of the People Act is that nothing contained in this sub-section shall apply to the contributions received by way of an electoral bond, it simply means that any contribution by way of an electoral bond will not be included in the report in respect of the the contribution in excess of twenty thousand rupees received by such political party from any person in that financial year. What this means is that the statement submitted to the Election Commission under Section 29C will (a) continue to be limited to donations above Rs.20,000 each, and will not need to include donations below Rs.20,000, which means that donations above Rs.2000, though received by cheque or by digital means, do not have to be declared, and (b) donations received through electoral bonds do not need to be declared. What the above paragraph means is that the statement that the limit has been reduced from Rs 20,000 to Rs 2,000 is not really true. However, all of the above is in keeping with the statement of the Finance Minister that all the changes suggested will keep the donor anonymous. Keeping the donor anonymous does nothing to change the situation where 69 percent of all income of 57 political parties is from unknown sources. So, what does Rs 20,000 to Rs 2,000 mean? In effect, nothing! New Delhi: Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday took a U-turn, saying he will campaign for SP-Congress alliance in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, nearly a week after he expressed displeasure over the tie-up and stated he would not canvass for the combine. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Yadav also dismissed reports of intra-party differences after his brother Shivpal Yadav, who has been sidelined in the party, talked about floating a new outfit post the Assembly polls. "There is no bickering...Akhilesh will be the next Chief Minister...I will campaign (for the alliance) from tomorrow," Yadav told reporters on Parliament premises when asked about his opposition to the alliance and his reluctance to campaign for it. Yadav also played down reports of Shivpal, who was locked in a bitter battle with Akhilesh over control of SP, planning to form new party post assembly polls in the state. "No one is unhappy...he (Shivpal) has not spoken to me or anyone in the party. He may have said out of anger...now leave it, there will be no new party," he asked. The SP patriarch had on 29 January voiced displeasure over the alliance, and said he would not campaign for it. The Samajwadi Party and Congress have forged a pre-poll alliance in Uttar Pradesh contesting 298 and 105 seats respectively. Last week, Shivpal Yadav, unhappy over his supporters being denied party ticket for the high-voltage election, had stated he will form a new party after 11 March, when the poll results will be out. The state goes to poll in seven phases starting 11 February. Almost a third of voters polled said power cuts were the biggest problem in Uttar Pradesh (UP), according to a new survey conducted by by FourthLion Technologies, a data analytics and public opinion polling firm, for IndiaSpend. Elections in UP, with 138 million voters, greater than the population of the north American country of Mexico, start February 11, 2017. FourthLion conducted 2,513 telephone interviews in Hindi of registered voters in UP, and said their sample is representative of UPs urban and rural voters as well as socioeconomic, age, gender and caste make-up. The survey was conducted between January 24 and January 31, 2017. The next part of this series, based on the survey, addresses political preferences of voters. About 28% of the voters interviewed said power cuts were the biggest issue in the state, 20% said jobs, the economy and development were the biggest issues, while 10% said a shortage of clean water was the biggest issue. Few voters said the roads, food, the currency ban, crime, corruption, agriculture, sanitation, health and education were the biggest issues. Source: FourthLion-IndiaSpend survey Why might access to electricity be the biggest issue? The percentage of households that used electricity as the main source of energy grew from 31.9% in 2001 to 36.8% in 2011, according to census data, with a stark difference between urban and rural areas. While 81.4% of urban households used electricity as the main source of energy in 2011, as few as 23.7% did so in rural areas, data show. By the end of 2016, in rural UP, 177,000 rural households were unelectrified, down from 185,900 households in March 2014, government data show. But even households that have electricity face power cuts, the FourthLion-IndiaSpend survey shows. As many as 38% of those surveyed said they faced power cuts every day, while 16% said they faced power cuts every week but not every day. Women, who are likely to stay at home more, and rural voters, are more likely to face power cuts than men and urban voters respectively. Source: FourthLion-IndiaSpend survey Power cuts are a more tangible issue, and so voters might identify it as being a big problem compared to health or education, the quality of which is a more abstract issue, said Neelanjan Sircar, a senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, a New Delhi-based policy think tank. Source: Census 2001 and 2011 The other big issue: jobs Of the voters surveyed, 20% said that availability of jobs was the most important issue in UP. The number of unemployed in UP per 1,000 of the working-age population decreased from 82 to 52 between 2009 and 2015, but it was higher than the Indian average in 2015-16 (37), labour ministry data show. Youth unemployment was much higher with 148 of those between the ages of 18 and 29 per 1,000 people unemployed in 2015-16. Even those with a graduate degree face unemployment, pointing both at the lack of jobs and the poor quality of education in the state. For instance, in India, while 97% wanted jobs, either in software or core engineering, only 3% were good enough to be engineers in software jobs, and only 7% could handle core engineering tasks, as IndiaSpend reported in September 2014, based on a report by Aspiring Minds, a New-Delhi based employment consultancy. As many as 237 per 1,000 working age people (between the ages of 18 and 29 years) with graduate qualifications were unemployed in UP, according to labour ministry data from 2015-16. Source: Ministry of Labour & Employment What did voters say about environmental issues? As many as 46% of urban voters surveyed thought the air they breathe was polluted compared to 26% of voters in rural areas. Kanpur, Firozabad, Allahabad, and Lucknow in UP are included in the worlds 25 most toxic towns, according to data between 2008 and 2015 from the World Health Organization. A high percentage of voters said they would use public transport and solar energy, the survey found. Low income voters were more likely to use solar energy and public transport than more affluent voters, survey data show, even though fewer low income voters (26%) said the air they breathe was polluted compared to richer voters (36%). As many as 90% of voters who owned no vehicle said they would use electricity generated from the sun if it reduced pollution in their community, compared to 73% of those voters who owned a car. Similarly, 96% of those who did not own any vehicle said they would use public transport if better facilities were available, compared to 87% of those who owned a car. Source: FourthLion-IndiaSpend survey Sanjukta Nair contributed to this story. Next: As Many As 40% of Uttar Pradesh Voters Undecided With 5 Days To Go (Shah is a writer/editor with IndiaSpend.) Around five years ago, the Samajwadi Party (SP) had made a host of promises to the Muslim community. It was the time when Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawatis five-year regime was coming to an end and a young Akhilesh Yadav was criss-crossing the state on a cycle. Ahead of the Assembly polls, Akhilesh was working hard to attract youths to the party. One of the major promises of the SP was to give laptops to students. Clearly, the SP was trying hard to win the overwhelming support of the community through the 16 promises made in the 2012 Assembly poll manifesto. Some of the promises included reservation for Muslims, opening of government educational institutes in Muslim areas and setting up of Urdu medium schools. The document said that the Uttar Pradesh government will put pressure on the Centre to implement the recommendations of the Sachar panel and Ranganath committee reports. It was also said that once the SP was in power, the government would hold special camps so that more Muslims get recruited in state forces and the community gets its due representation in the police department. Eventually, the SP won the election and laptops were distributed after Akhilesh Yadav took over as the chief minister but the long list of promises to the Muslims remained unfulfilled. The party's promise of the government releasing Muslim youths implicated in false cases, a compensation to them apart from taking action against erring policemen in such cases remained empty vows. After coming to power, the SP leaders remained silent over the promise of reservation too. Strangely enough, UP, which has the highest Urdu speaking population in India among all states, doesnt have Urdu medium schools unlike Maharashtra or Karnataka (to name a few) because of an old law that doesnt allow the medium of instruction in any language other than Hindi or English. The government never bothered to change the parochial law. As a result, there are fewer government schools (forget English medium or private schools) in Muslim hamlets and madrasas still cater to a huge population of students. Over the years, the SP didnt bother to fulfill the promises it had made to the Muslims. Why? Perhaps, because the party was confident that it would get the Muslim vote, even if it didnt keep its word. Instead, one of the promises that was kept was the construction of boundary walls around graveyards. They wont give you what you need education, jobs and representation, was a common lament in Muslim gatherings in Uttar Pradesh in the last couple of years. However, whether the community will still vote for the party is yet to be seen. The publicity campaign that has equated Akhilesh's tenure with development seems to have swayed a section of Muslims. Many Muslims in the state also acknowledge, Akhilesh ne kaam to kiya hai (Akhilesh has worked)." After the Muzaffarnagar riots, the party suffered. There was anger among both Hindus and Muslims but now the situation has improved. Muslims are largely going to vote for the party, says a Muslim functionary of the party. A retired bank official from the community echoes the functionary's sentiments. The community was upset with the SP after the riots but the positive campaign focusing on development and its alliance with Congress has given it an edge lately, says Viqar Ahmad, the official. However, Lucknow resident Maqsood Mohammad Khan says the tables could turn anytime. There is no blind support for the SP among the Muslims. People are going to vote according to their considerations and candidates in each constituency. The Muslim electorate is not vocal this time, they are still thinking and the decision could be made just before polling, says Khan. Rihai Manch, an organisation that has been fighting for youths implicated in false cases in UP, has written an open letter to Akhilesh. In the letter, Manch spokesperson Shahnawaz Alam speaks about the SP's failure to keep its promise. With barely a week to go before the first phase of polling in UP, it is just a matter of time when the voters might recall the empty words and the lack of development in their community and the state. By Syed Raza Hassan | KARACHI KARACHI An Afghan diplomat was shot dead on Monday by a guard at the Afghan consulate in Pakistan's southern city of Karachi in a personal dispute, officials said.The consulate's third secretary was killed by the consulate guard, also an Afghan national, who had been arrested, police official Saqib Ismail told Reuters."The guard used his automatic weapon, firing multiple bullets," Ismail said. Afghanistan's foreign ministry issued a statement identifying the murdered diplomat as Muhammad Zaki Abdu. "Police authorities immediately intervened to minimise further loss of life," read the statement. Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal described the shooting on his official Facebook account."Firing inside Afg Consulate General in Karachi at around 12:30 pm today ... has been carried out by an Afghan guard inside the compound resulting in fatality of one of our diplomats," he wrote. Deputy Inspector General of Police Azad Khan told Reuters: "So far, from what we have gathered from investigation, the killing seems to be the result of some sort of personal grudge between the guard and third secretary. We have found there was a history of tensions between the two persons." (Reporting by Syed Raza Hassan; Additional reporting by Mirwais Harooni in Kabul; Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Tom Heneghan) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Photo: nhandan.org.vn The road links Provincial Road 2263 and the Ho Chi Minh memorial site in Nong Hang village, Chiang Phin commune of Mueang district, Udon Thani province. It includes two branches: Thau Chin 1 with length of 850m and width of 6m and Thau Chin 2 with length of 160m and width of 4m. A ceremony to inaugurate the road with the new name was solemnly held in Mueang district on February 4th. Speaking at the ceremony, Vietnams Deputy Foreign Minister Vu Hong Nam stressed that during the time President Ho Chi Minh stayed in Thailand, he laid a firm foundation for the long-term friendship between Vietnam and Thailand. In 2016, various activities were organized to mark the 40th anniversary of establishing the diplomatic relations between the two countries. The naming of the road after the alias of President Ho Chi Minh is a demonstration of the two countries determination to reinforce the bilateral relations, he noted. He also expressed deep gratitude to the Royal Family, the government and the administration of Udon Thani province and local people, as well as the overseas Vietnamese community in Thailand. Mr. Suchai Butsara, Deputy Governor of Udon Thani province, said that the province has become part of Vietnams struggle for national liberation and confirmed that the Ho Chi Minh commemorative site will forever be a symbol of the amity and close bonds between the two nations. Ho Chi Minh lived and worked in Thailand from early July 1928 to late 1929. During the six months he stayed in Udon Thani, under the name of Thau Chin, he was a chief editor of a newspaper, opened a school teaching Vietnamese language in Nong Bua and translated some books to prepare for the fight against France to gain national independence for the people of Vietnam. In a short time, image of President Ho Chi Minh left an indelible mark on the people of Thailand, especially for overseas Vietnamese. /. Palm Beach: President Donald Trump blasted the federal courts for a second day in a row after his efforts to implement a travel ban were suspended and warned that the judiciary could be placing Americans in "peril." "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" the president tweeted on Sunday, after uncharacteristically taking a nearly day-long break from Twitter. "I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult!" The saga began on 27 January when Trump issued a blanket ban on all refugees, as well as on travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. That sparked a worldwide furore, prompting protest marches and demonstrations in cities and at airports across the United States. On Friday, a federal judge in Seattle, James Robart, blocked the ban nationwide pending a wider legal review. On Saturday, Trump angrily fired off multiple tweets on the matter, stating that the "so-called judge" was "ridiculous" and drawing criticism from Democrats and others who said the president was dangerously close to interfering with the judicial branch of government. A leading Democratic senator, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, said Trump seemed "intent on precipitating a constitutional crisis." Then early on Sunday, a US appeals court rejected an urgent government request to reinstate Trump's controversial ban. Coverage of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, Shaikh Mohammad bin Zayed al Nahyan's visit to India, as the Chief Guest for Republic Day 2017, has been described as signaling ever-closer bilateral ties/a complete reset of India's relationship with the Gulf, and other equally strong affirmatives. Part of the reason is the invitation itself, which under this government has only been extended to countries that are a feature in India's strategic calculus. But another reason for these strong assertions come from an increased momentum observed in India's interactions with the Gulf and wider West Asia region under the incumbent government. Beginning in 2015 with Prime Minister Modi's maiden visit to the UAE, there have been two-way heads of state visits between India and the UAE, India and Qatar and an outgoing visit to Saudi Arabia. Further, the joint statements issued from these visits have been strikingly similar in the new grounds covered, incorporating as they have, maritime security and defense cooperation, statements against extremism and terrorism, pledges of infrastructure investment and increasing trade figures, and plans to orient beyond the market logic of the energy relationship in order that it also be driven by strategic calculations. Though the relationship between India and the Gulf is an old one held up by multiple stakeholders, and with a monetary value attached to it, aspects that have been described as an "evolutionary happening", by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar at last year's Raisina Dialogue, the effort to infuse a strategic element into this organic past and influence the design of future relations under the 'Think West' moniker, is new. Newer still, is the intent to match 'Think West' with India's other important strategic outreach to its East, 'Act East', also mentioned in the same speech. Thinking West India's core concerns when dealing with West Asia have traditionally centered around sustained energy access, diaspora-related issues and the safety of its citizens working there, the encroachment of absolutist ideologies foreign to the Indian subcontinent, the safe haven that terrorists who have attacked India have found in some countries of the region and related counter-terrorism concerns. These core concerns were first given formal expression in late Saudi King Abdullah's visit to Delhi in 2006 where the Delhi Declaration was issued and in former PM Manmohan Singh's visit to Riyadh and the Riyadh Declaration of 2010. These declarations were foundational documents which for the first time described the strategic potential of the India-Gulf relationship. They have since set the tone of our engagement with important Gulf countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, as seen in the latest round of joint statements signed since 2015. That being said, the momentum to build on these new benchmarks is very different from what was seen post 2006. While some of it comes down to individual drive on part of leaders from both regions to elevate the relationship, changed security and economic contexts have also altered the Gulf calculus. Joint statements signed since 2015 attest to the fact that Gulf countries now look at us as an economic market beyond oil, a security partner in securing common waters, a future supplier of professional labor expertise and some countries in the Gulf regard us as a country committed to influencing international responses on countering state-backed terrorism. At the same time, it is important to note that India too has changed. India can now be described by certain facts and figures that change the way a lot of countries look at us. India is now one of the world's fastest growing economies. The Indian navy has made clear its security intent for the Indo-Pacific Indian Ocean region - an area it sees as beginning in the Suez - and has taken ownership of a maritime region bearing its name. Further, India's growth ambitions depend on meeting sizeable infrastructure development goals and investment targets. It is a different India that the Gulf sees from just a decade ago, and coupled with the maximalist foreign policy drive of the current government, in a context of waning American influence in the region, the relationship is now a two-way street by design, not just lucky happenstance. Economic and Security Linkages A major portion of India's recent engagements with the region have focused on economic and security subjects and the intersection between the two. To that end, the economic recalibration happening in many countries of the region is a promising indicator for rooting stability in economic imperatives. And that belief is reflected in the joint statements, where we see cooperation between India and Gulf countries going far beyond oil into unchartered territory like renewables, IT cooperation, space and discussions on nuclear cooperation. For instance, on the conventional energy sector, the UAE's plan to partially-finance a Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in Mangalore to mitigate Indian concerns of disruptions to oil supply have lent a strategic bend to the buyer-seller relationship. On non-conventional energy sources, the UAE's deep interest in renewable energy sources has matched the growing Indian interest here, and made this a strategic platform for Indian-UAE cooperation. Though this may rank as a competitive arena - on the opportunity side, there exists potential to increase solar-based technology cooperation between the two countries. Similarly, while Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan is an ambitious vision for economic transformation, from where India sits, there are clear synergies that can be exploited between the two countries. For instance, upgrading labor flows to the region to meet their demand for more professional classes in the health and IT sector. Or partnering with Saudi capital in third party oil-rich countries to develop their downstream sector. On the new type of labor flows, our large presence in Saudi Arabia will facilitate a smoother entry culturally into the host country - and our presence in Africa will open doors for a joint venture that can reap economic dividends for that country too. Committing our labour and know-how are only starter projects, but we believe in Saudi Arabia's plans for diversification, and depending on how the Vision 2030 plans develop - especially during its phase II years - the expectation would be that India's involvement and level of participation in the country's development, only increase. Of particular relevance to influencing the trajectory of India-UAE relations was the UAE's response to Prime Minister Modi's call for investment in India during his maiden visit to the country in 2015. The UAE's decision to sign on to the government's plans for infrastructure development projects through a dedicated amount of US$75 billion, ranks as the largest investment by any country into India so far and has been taken as a sign of the UAE's intent to be a partner in the future growth of India. Counter Terrorism and Combating Extremism Cooperation on combating terrorism has also been front and centre in India's outreach to the Gulf. Indian efforts to counter violent radical ideologies have largely weighed in on its counter-terrorism dimension. Home to the third-largest population of Muslims in the world, and also the seat of South Asia's leading school of Islam at Deoband, India is sensitive to the threat of radicalization. On this front, India has upgraded its intelligence cooperation with security agencies in Saudi Arabia and the UAE on two types of threats: state-back terrorists that find refuge in Gulf countries and second, on returning migrants who may have been radicalized. On the first type of threat, India has received support from Saudi Arabia over the last year. In March 2016, following the handing over of a second terror suspect to India a month earlier, Saudi Arabia, along with the US, clamped down on Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) financiers by imposing sanctions on four individuals and two organizations with ties across Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. In the joint statements of 2015 and 2016 signed with the Saudis and the Emiratis, both countries pledged their support to backing India's convention against state-back terrorism (CCIT) at the UN and they are increasingly seen as front-line partners in combating terrorism. The UAE's strong statement of support after an attack on Indian soldiers in Kashmir this September, which led to India's retaliatory raid over the Line of Control (LoC) and the subsequent downturn in relations with Pakistan, was warmly received in India, and in a sense, has further vouched for its credibility as a partner for India in countering state-sponsored terrorism. In the most recent contribution to furthering the bilateral dialogue on countering violent extremism, the Emirati delegation for India's Republic Day included a 'Tolerance Delegation', comprising of experts in the field of countering violent extremism - expanding the bilateral counter terrorism project beyond its legal framework and intelligence dimensions. Security and Defence Cooperation Progress has also been made over the last year in the realm of security and defense cooperation, the UAE and Saudi Arabia have both signaled interest in Prime Minister Modi's Make in India and indigenous defense manufacturing flagship programs. There has been talk of Indian assistance in developing the UAE's air defense systems and repairing defense equipment. The strategic setting to security cooperation in the Gulf is admittedly more complicated, and raises questions of capabilities, India's different approach to security alliances and a fractious regional political setting that still needs to be rigorously examined for potential opportunities. However, an area of budding cooperation is between the navies of the Gulf and India. India's maritime strategy in this region is largely understood to be driven by the need to secure passage of energy and trade shipments through Arabian Sea/Indian Ocean waters to India, and toward this end, the Indian navy has provided training and support to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) navies, worked on building operational synergy, and also partnered with them in anti-piracy operations. The other driving consideration for India's Arabian maritime strategy is its aim to secure its strategic stakes in the Indian Ocean region, and its partnership with Gulf navies over here is overtly strategic, benefiting from their natural geographic placement along the western rim of the Indian Ocean. Additionally, the UAE's own naval power projections in its near-abroad, seen last year in the establishment of their first military base outside the Gulf, in Eritrea, and the fact that many Gulf navies are members in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, are indicators that bode well for deepening the strategic partnership in this arena. Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammad bin Zayed's visit to India as Chief Guest for Republic Day celebrations has happened against the backdrop of a whole year's worth of closer engagements between the two countries and this, to some extent, provides a working template for closer relations between other Gulf countries and India. The author is a consultant in the Policy Planning and Research Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. She tweets @nithyaek. The views expressed are personal and do not reflect those of the division or the ministry. Indians eager to know the fortunes of their H-1B life would do well to direct their astrological queries on international trade dispute judges rather than attempting to prognosticate the American Presidents intent on work-visa programs. While NR Narayana Murthy co-founder of a company that has led the Indian outsourcing drive may have given US President Donald Trumps proposed reform of the H-1B regime a thumbs-up, the real battle would have to be fought through international lawsuits in Geneva. Few know that India has already filed an objection (referred to as request for consultation which is the first step for trade dispute settlement) with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in March last year on the current H-1B visa rules. If Trump has his way upending work-visa programs than the present Indian concerns may just look finicky. India requested for consultations with the US, regarding certain American measures for imposing increased fees (objections to pay higher filing fees and fraud prevention and detection fees under certain specified circumstances) on certain applicants for L-1 (a non-immigrant visa which allows companies to relocate foreign qualified employees to its US subsidiary or parent company) and H-1B (a non-immigrant visa that allows American employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in speciality occupations), and concerns relating to a numerical commitment for H-1B visas. India has said that these measures are in violation of several articles of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) the set of multilateral rules that govern international trade in services. New Delhi requested for consultations with Washington that were held last year. India has not yet requested the WTO for establishing a Dispute Settlement Board (DSB). Specifically, India has said that some Washington measures on these categories of visa holders violate clauses related to Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) treatment, rules on transparency, clauses on domestic regulation, measures to increase the participation of developing countries in world trade and commitments to market access and national treatment. Consider some of these stipulations under GATS. The national treatment clause says that a government shall accord services and service suppliers of other countries in respect of all measures affecting the supply of services, treatment no less favourable than that it accords to its own like services and service suppliers. The MFN treatment clause requires that governments should accord immediately and unconditionally treatment no less favourable to a country what it accords to other countries for like services and service suppliers. In sectors where a country has undertaken market commitments, the measures that a country cannot adopt or maintain in its sub-regions or its territory extend to limitations on the number of service suppliers whether in the form of numerical quotas, monopolies, exclusive service suppliers or the requirements of an economic needs test, limitations on the total number of service operations or on the total quantity of service output expressed in numerical units in quotas, among other such stipulations. The clause on movement of Natural Persons Supplying Services in the GATS Annex says that though GATS does not prevent a country from applying measures to regulate the entry of natural persons into, or their temporary stay in its territory, provided that such measures are not applied in such a manner as to nullify or impair the benefits accruing to any Member under the terms of a specific commitment. All of these possible violations would be important to cite if India chooses to request WTO to set up a DSB. After the panel judgment, either of the countries can appeal against the judgment. If the highest international trade court even then rules in favour of India then US would be bound to comply. However, it is unclear how much the Trump administration would feel bound by its WTO commitments, including dispute judges verdicts against it. The growing rhetoric of unfair trade agreements used in the current US political discourse might even see Washington pulling out of the WTO. India and most other WTO members are in for rough weather in the present climate as far as trade negotiations with the US are concerned. In a hypothetical situation of India winning a case against the US regulations on work visas at the highest trade court and US ignoring the verdict against it, India can seek WTOs authorisation to retaliate (to suspend concessions or other obligations) against the US normally such an authorisation is not refused, trade experts opine. India could then consider imposing punitive tariffs on US imports. Another option for retaliation, experts say, could be the refusal to recognise some of the intellectual property (IP) rights of US right holders. But this option of retaliation could involve a much more complicated procedure. An across-the-board or discriminatory higher tariffs, on the face of it, would also be violative of international trade rules, particularly the MFN clause, though much depends on the nitty-gritties of the American legal changes in trade policy. Even Trumps Buy American, Hire American would not be so easy to implement if US does choose to abide by its international trade commitments. There could be two scenarios: one, when the US government procures only from domestic sources, and linked with that the government mandates that even a private entity must source from within the US. In both these possible realities, there is no talk of subsidies yet (which could violate other WTO rules). In the first situation, the US has some flexibility it is government procurement to mandate procurement from domestic sources provided this is for non-commercial use and for governments own use. Then the US would be within its rights to mandate such a local procurement for government purposes. But if the US government mandatorily requires even the private sector to source domestically then that would be violative of WTO rules, Abhijit Das, Head of the Centre for WTO Studies at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade says. Then the second situation where US government gives incentives to procure domestically, such an incentive would be violative of WTO subsidies agreement. This is commonly called the local content subsidy, which is prohibited, he adds. By Ellen Francis and Humeyra Pamuk | BEIRUT BEIRUT Syrian government forces advanced on the northern Islamic State-held city of al-Bab on Monday, cutting off the last supply route that connects it to militant strongholds further east towards Iraq, a monitor said. Islamic State militants in the area are now effectively surrounded by the army from the south and by Turkish-backed rebels from the north, as Damascus and Ankara race to capture the largest Islamic State stronghold in Aleppo province.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based war monitor, said the army and allied militia made gains southeast of al-Bab overnight, and fought the militants there on Monday. Backed by air strikes, they severed a road that links the city to other Islamic State-held territory in Raqqa and Deir al-Zor provinces, it said.A military commander in the alliance fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad said Islamic State was encircled."There is one narrow passage left out of al-Bab," the commander said. Government forces now had most of it "within close firing range". The Syrian army's advance towards al-Bab risks triggering a confrontation with the Turkish military and its allies - rebel groups fighting under the Free Syria Army banner - which have been waging their own campaign to take the city. In three weeks, Syrian army units moved to within 6 km (4 miles) of al-Bab, as Damascus seeks to stop its neighbour, Turkey, penetrating deeper into a strategic area of northern Syria."It's clear the regime is in a hurry to reach al-Bab," said Mustafa Sejari, a senior rebel official in the FSA group Liwa al-Mutasem. The Turkish-backed rebels, who have had the city in their sights for months, would fight government forces if they got in the way, he said. Turkey launched its campaign in Syria, "Euphrates Shield", in August to secure its frontier from Islamic State and halt the advance of the powerful Kurdish YPG militia. Northeast of the city, Turkish troops and FSA rebels, backed by Turkish air strikes, clashed on Monday with Islamic State around the town of Bazaa, the Observatory said. Turkish-backed forces had briefly captured the town before suicide bombers pushed them out on Saturday. SYRIA, TURKEY RISK FACE-OFF Al-Bab is 40 km (25 miles) northeast of Aleppo, where the government defeated rebels in December, its most important gain of the nearly six-year-old war.Northern Syria is one of the most complicated battlefields of the multi-sided Syrian war, with Islamic State now being fought there by the Syrian army, Turkey and its rebel allies, and an alliance of U.S.-backed Syrian militias. If a clash does occur, it would be the first time Syrian government forces have confronted the Turkish army on the ground in northern Syria since Turkey launched its operation.Russia, Assad's most powerful ally, has carried out air strikes targeting Islamic State in the al-Bab area in support of both sides, underlining big shifts in the diplomatic landscape.As relations between Russia and Turkey have improved, the two countries brokered a shaky ceasefire in December between the Syrian government and rebel groups fighting to unseat Assad.An official from one of the Turkmen rebel brigades backed by Turkey said the presence of Russian forces could help prevent a confrontation."There are Russian soldiers along with the regime forces who are leading the way and that is an element that could satisfy Turkey," the rebel official said. "I dont expect clashes." (Additional reporting by Suleiman al-Khalidi in Amman and Laila Bassam in Beirut) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. United Nations: The Islamic State group is militarily on the defensive, facing a drop in revenue from oil and extortion and a shrinking ability to attract new recruits, according to a new UN report released on Monday. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned however in the report to the Security Council that Islamic State jihadists continue to pose a grave threat and are "partially adapting" to losses on the battlefield. "ISIL is militarily on the defensive in several regions, notably in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and the Syrian Arab Republic," said the report sent to the council on Thursday. IS finances are on a decline, forcing the militant group to operate on a "crisis budget," it added. Illicit oil sales, mainly from oil fields in Syria's Deir Ezzor province, dropped from as much as USD 500 million in 2015 to USD 260 million last year. The report urged governments to be vigilant of Islamic State efforts to find new revenue streams, citing concerns that journalists and aid workers travelling to areas recaptured from the jihadists could be targets for kidnapping. The flow of foreign fighters to Iraq and Syria has slowed considerably, because of security measures taken by governments and also due to the "diminished attractiveness" of the group, said the report. Several member-states are reporting that many hardened foreign fighters will remain in Iraq and Syria as most of those who intended to leave have already done so. "The ability of ISIL to attract new recruits has diminished, and fighters are increasingly leaving the battlefield," it said. The council will meet Tuesday to discuss the report as President Donald Trump has ordered US generals to draw up a new plan to defeat the radical extremists. Iraqi forces are making strides in their offensive to drive the Islamic State from Mosul, the country's second city seized in 2014 and proclaimed as the capital of a caliphate stretching into Syria. In response to the military pressure, Islamic State communication and recruitment "are increasingly moving towards more covert methods, such as the use of the dark web, encryption and messengers," said the report. "The group continues to encourage its followers and sympathisers outside conflict zones to perpetrate attacks." By Dustin Volz | WASHINGTON WASHINGTON President Donald Trump's temporary immigration ban faced on Monday the first of several crucial legal hurdles that could determine whether he can push through the most controversial and far reaching policy of his first two weeks in office.The government has a deadline to justify the executive order temporarily barring entry of people from seven mostly Muslim countries and the entry of refugees after a federal judge in Seattle blocked it with a temporary restraining order on Friday. The uncertainty caused by a judge's stay of the ban has opened a window for travelers from the seven affected countries to enter the United States. Trump has reacted with attacks on the federal judge and then the wider court system which he blames for hampering his efforts to restrict immigration, a central promise of the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign. Democrats, meanwhile, sought to use Trump's attacks on the judiciary to raise questions about the independence of his Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch.The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco over the weekend denied the Trump administration's request for an immediate stay of the federal judge's temporary restraining order that blocked nationwide the implementation of key parts of the travel ban. But the court said it would consider the government's request after receiving more information.The government has until 3 p.m. PST (2300 GMT) on Monday to submit additional legal briefs to the appeals court justifying Trump's executive order. Following that the court is expected to act quickly, and a decision either way may ultimately result in the case reaching the U.S. Supreme Court.Top technology giants, including Apple, Google and Microsoft banded together with nearly 100 companies on Sunday to file a legal brief opposing Trump's immigration ban, arguing that it "inflicts significant harm on American business." Noting that "immigrants or their children founded more than 200 of the companies on the Fortune 500 list," the brief said Trump's order "represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system of the United States for more than fifty years."The controversial executive order also "inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth as a result," the brief added. Trump, who during his campaign called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, has repeatedly vowed to reinstate the Jan. 27 travel ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen and a 120-day bar on all refugees in the name of protecting the United States from Islamist militants.His critics have said the measures are discriminatory, unhelpful and legally dubious. Ten former U.S. national security and foreign policy officials, who served under both Republican and Democratic presidents, filed overnight a declaration in the court case against the executive order arguing the ban serves no national security purposes. The declaration was signed by former secretaries of state including John Kerry, Madeleine Albright, Condoleeza Rice and former CIA Directors Michael Hayden and Michael Morell.Bob Ferguson, the Washington State attorney general who filed the Seattle lawsuit, said he was confident of victory."We have a checks and balance system in our country, and the president does not have totally unfettered discretion to make executive orders as he chooses," he told NBC News' "Today" show. "In the courtroom, it's not the loudest voice that prevails... it's the Constitution."On Sunday, Trump broadened his Twitter attacks on U.S. District Judge James Robart in Seattle, who issued the temporary stay on Friday, to include the "court system." Trump a day earlier derided Robart, who was appointed by former Republican President George W. Bush, as a "so-called judge." "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril," Trump tweeted on Sunday. "If something happens blame him and court system."Trump did not elaborate on what threats the country potentially faced.It is unusual for a sitting president to attack a member of the judiciary. Vice President Mike Pence defended Trump, even as other Republicans urged the businessman-turned-politician to avoid firing such fusillades against the co-equal judicial branch of government, which the U.S. Constitution designates as a check on the power of the presidency and Congress.Democrats, still smarting from Republicans' refusal last year to allow the Senate to consider former Democratic President Barack Obama's nomination of appeals court Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, have seized on Trump's attacks to question his nomination last week of Gorsuch."With each action testing the Constitution, and each personal attack on a judge, President Trump raises the bar even higher for Judge Gorsuch's nomination to serve on the Supreme Court," Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Senate, said in a statement. "His ability to be an independent check will be front and center throughout the confirmation process."Republicans hope to swiftly confirm Gorsuch, a 49-year-old conservative appeals court judge tapped by Trump to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia nearly a year ago. (Additional reporting by Lawrence Hurley and Susan Heavey in Washington; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Chizu Nomiyama) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Islamabad: On Monday, Pakistan and China held high level counter-terrorism talks, days after Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed was put under "house arrest" in Lahore. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi met Chinese State Commissioner for Counter Terrorism and Security Cheng Guoping who is in Islamabad on a three-day visit and reviewed all aspects of bilateral relationship, with a special focus on security and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Fatmi said Pakistan viewed its relationship with China as the "cornerstone" of its foreign policy and the country will continue to support Beijing on all its issues of core interest, including combating "evils" of terrorism and separatism. "The SAPM affirmed that friendship with China was the cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy," Foreign Office quoted Fatemi as saying. He said Pakistan supported China on all its core issues, while firmly opposing any attempt to undermine China's sovereignty. "Pakistan will continue to support China's efforts to combat the three evils of terrorism, extremism and separatism," he said in a statement. Appreciating China's forthright position on Pakistan's counter-terrorism strategy and its successes, Fatemi thanked China for its support to national security and territorial integrity. The talks take place days after Saeed was put under "house arrest" in Lahore by Pakistan government after Punjab Province's Interior Ministry issued an order in pursuance to a directive from the Federal Interior Ministry on 27 January. During the talks, both sides noted that the all-weather friendship between the two countries has withstood the test of time, notwithstanding changes in the international, regional and domestic environments. Noting the importance of CPEC for the economic development of Pakistan, the two sides stressed that timely completion of the USD 46 billion project would not only give a boost to Pakistan's economy, but would also significantly contribute towards regional connectivity, peace and development. Fatemi stated that Pakistan was fully committed to the timely and effective implementation of all the projects under CPEC. Cheng said China attached great importance to its relations with Pakistan, and supports its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. He thanked Pakistan for its consistent support to China on issues of core interest and lauded Islamabad for its fight against terrorism, extremism and separatism. The two sides expressed satisfaction at the continuing progress in bilateral relations in all fields and expressed their resolve to work towards further solidifying political relations, deepening economic bonds and security cooperation and closer people-to-people contacts to achieve the common goal of China-Pakistan "Community of Shared Destiny". Karachi: An official of the Afghan consulate in Pakistan's Karachi was shot and killed by a guard on Monday, Dawn reported. The Third Secretary at the consulate, Zaki Adu, was killed at the consulate in the Old Clifton area. Private security guard Hayatullah opened fire on Adu following a disagreement between the two, deputy inspector general Azad Khan said. Hayatullah was arrested and the situation was under control, the DIG said, adding that the incident did not appear to be an act of terrorism. The Pakistan police and rangers have cordoned off the highly sensitive area which is home to a number of foreign missions. The Pentagon has failed to disclose up to thousands of air strikes the US military carried out over several years in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan against militants in those countries, the Military Times reported on Sunday. Last year, the United States carried out at least 456 air strikes in Afghanistan that were not documented in a US Air Force database, the website reported. The air strikes were conducted by US Army helicopters and drones. The incomplete data could go back to October 2001, according to the Military Times, which describes itself as an independent news organisation. The Pentagon and Army did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Earlier, while facing questions about a raid conducted in Yemen, in which a US Navy SEAL and some civilians including an eight-year-old girl were killed, the Pentagon had said that good intelligence was collected and had released clips of video retrieved during the raid. "The videos released are samples of a series of detailed, do-it-yourself lessons intended for aspiring terrorist bomb-makers and included an exhortation to use those techniques to attack the West," an accompanying statement from Central Command had said. Central Command added that among those killed in the raid were two al Qaeda operations planners and weapons experts. New Delhis engagement with West Asia (read the Muslim world) might not be making the headlines but Prime Minister Narendra Modi's diplomatic soundings across the Arab world have found many takers, increasing hopes of a rub-in effect at home to boost the NDAs secular credentials. Modis idea is to create a greater West Asia policy, pushing relations between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Qatar and most importantly, Palestine. Signals of these moves will be global but strongly resonate within India, home to an estimated 14 crore Muslims the second largest population after Indonesia. Modi, who has standard diplomatic and economic interests, also wants to use this opportunity to reduce Islamabads standing in a part of the world from which it has long received blind support. Many are buying into Modis theory, claim sources within the Ministry of External Affairs. They say important data is trickling in from faraway Rabat, the capital city of Morocco, about Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives using the North African country bordering the Atlantic and Mediterranean as a transit point. For almost a decade, Morocco didnt even care to (respond to) repeated requests from New Delhi to share the same data, but now (things are) turning around, claimed sources. At the heart of Modis push is Indias minister of state for external affairs, MJ Akbar, who has already been to Syria, Iraq and Palestine to gauge minds and sign pacts. Akbar, once a celebrated editor, rejected requests for interactions but MEA sources said the government was attaching tremendous importance to such moves, the latest being the visit of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, son of UAEs founding President and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. Interestingly, his presence as Chief Guest at the 68th Republic Day celebrations took place after four decades; the move seen as a complete reset of Indias relationship with the Gulf. The previous prime minister made over 40 trips to the US but one to UAE home to an estimated 2.2 million Indians... not one to the Gulf, the sources added. Former Indian diplomats say that Modi's move could work at home as well as abroad. Al Nahyan neither a head of state nor a head of government is a next generation UAE leader. Modi is betting on the future because the Crown Prince is a very popular leader in the Gulf and there is increased cooperation between the security agencies of the two countries, says Hardeep Puri, Indias former permanent representative to the United Nations. Puri says that such moves traditionally send strong signals to Muslims in India who look to the UAE and Saudi Arabia for some kind of mental support. Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE are known for its concerns for Muslims in India. By making this move, Modi hopes to please Muslims at home there is an obvious eye on the forthcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and also counter next door Islamabad that, over the years, has invested great diplomatic effort in Gulf countries, including the UAE. The Crown Princes visit is Modis effort to build Indias brand again in the Gulf. Indians happy in Gulf will send a strong message to their families back home, added Puri. The UAE Indias second largest export destination is also Indias third largest trading partner for 2015-16 after China and the US, with bilateral trade hovering around $50 billion. For India, the gains include a defence cooperation pact and an eye-popping $75 billion investment fund for Indias infrastructure (whenever it is signed). The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) supplies more than 50 percent of Indias oil and gas and control nearly 45 percent of the world's recoverable oil wealth and 20 percent of gas resources. The GCC seeks Indias vast consumer market, says Narendra Taneja, a top energy expert. Equally important is New Delhis current interaction with Palestine. The move, claim MEA sources, has come handy for the government in its search for secular parties in the Arab world, especially when India has nothing significant to contribute to the crisis in Syria or Iraq. Modi knows his government has become closer to Tel Aviv and that there is an inevitable blowback in the Arab world, with Tehran and with the Indian Muslim intellectual class. Hence, showing renewed interest in Palestine is a useful means to help counter this problem. India, for decades, has used support for Palestinian nationalism as a foil to counter criticism of its shift to Tel Aviv, says Aftab Kamal Pasha, a professor at the Centre for West Asian Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University. He reminded how in the joint commission meeting, the Palestinians said they were pleased to talk to India because of its presumed influence on the Israelis. And then, half the Arab world, consumed by even stronger hatreds, is now wooing Israel, adds Pasha. India, which is a huge importer of Israeli arms, now seeks a security relationship extending to sensitive defence areas like nuclear weapons technology and doctrine. In addition, the current government wants to benefit from Israels world class water technology. Diplomatic observers say that New Delhis interest in Palestine is about issues other than Palestine itself. The proposal to build an infotech park in Gaza could easily be the most important and tangible contribution New Delhi can make to the Palestinians. The MEA seems hyperactive Last month, Akbar even wrote a letter to the Jamia Millia Islamia University for failing to implement the memorandums of understanding (MoUs) signed between the institute and three Palestinian universities in 2015. In a letter, he asked the university vice chancellor Talat Ahmad why the MoUs signed with Al Quds, Al Istiklal and Hebron universities were at a virtual standstill, even after a year. Modi wants results, he realises Indias position is indeed unique a rare alignment of geopolitical stars in the West Asian political cauldron. And it is because not many nations have good relations with both Israel and Iran. India-Iran ties, after a lull during the nuclear deal days, are on an all-time high, probably the strongest India has with an Arab/Persian nation. In the event of US-imposed sanctions on Iran being lifted, India stands to gain the most, claim the observers. It is not just about Palestine or the UAE, Puri says that the coming together of the three Is India, Iran and Israel could change world politics. Modi wants this alliance to provide energy security and keep a check on counter-terrorist groups sprouting in the region. If it eventually happens, he could have put his signature as a world leader who made a difference at an international level, and use this as a ticket to improve his image with Muslims in India. But will it happen? Dr Anirban Ganguly, who co-authored the book Modi Doctrine, says that for decades New Delhis West Asia policy, which could have a definitive impact on Muslims in India, was held hostage to Islamabads diversionary tactics. But Modi is scripting a new trajectory. Muslims in India, for long, have always wanted the ruling party to have meaningful dialogues with the Arab world, says Ganguly. The forthcoming polls in Uttar Pradesh will be the first acid test for Modi and his policies, the state has an estimated 38 million Muslims, the largest minority group. Ambassador Doan Xuan Hung presents certificate of merit to outstanding students (Photo: vov.vn) The program was attended by nearly 1,000 students from across cities in Germany and some neighbouring countries. Speaking at the program, Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Doan Xuan Hung hoped the students would fulfil their ability to collect good and new things to serve their own lives and the nation, contributing to preserving diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Germany. On this occasion, the Ambassador presented certificates of merit to students, who have gained good results in studying and participating in social and cultural activities. The program was eventful with art items and games, to which participants responded enthusiastically./. Lahore: Jamaat-ud-Dawah and Falah-e-Insaniyat, recently placed under "watch-list" and against whom Pakistan government launched a crackdown, on Sunday held rallies in parts of the country under the banner of Tehreek Azadi Jammu Kashmir (TAJK). The rallies were organised just days after the JuD's chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed was put under "house arrest" in Lahore under the Fourth Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act by Pakistan government. Saeed had indicated a week before his "house arrest" that he might launch TAJK to "expedite the freedom of Kashmir". The Interior Ministry had also placed Saeed and 37 other JuD and FIF members on Exit Control List, barring them from leaving Pakistan. At the rallies in several parts of Pakistan on Sunday, the participants demanded immediate release of Saeed. In Lahore, Yakjahtee (solidarity) Kashmir Conference was held at Nasser Bagh in which a large number of activists of JuD and FIF participated. They shounted slogans against Pakistan, Indian and the US governments for detaining Saeed, and said the Nawaz Sharif government was damaging the country's image by maintaining friendship with the Narendra Modi government. "Pakistani nation is united for Hafiz Saeed's release," said JuD central leader Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, who is also the brother-in-law of Saeed. He said unfortunately due to Saeed's detention "our message of solidarity to Kashmiris is not that powerful and encouraging this year". The Sharif government, he said, should make its stance clear on Kashmir and tell the people of Pakistan that it is loyal to Kashmiris, and not India. Makki said trade of potato and onion with India is not right. "Treacherous plot of giving India the Most Favoured Nation status will not be successful," he said. West Palm Beach, Florida: President Donald Trump has long expressed a desire for improved relations with Moscow, but his latest comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin and the US are leading some fellow Republicans to take a step back from the president on this issue at least. Told by Fox News' Bill O'Reilly during an interview that the Russian leader is "a killer," Trump said the US has killers, too. "What do you think? Our country's so innocent?" Trump said during the taped interview broadcast during Sunday's Super Bowl pregame show. Trump has praised Putin and signaled that US-Russia relations could be in for a makeover under his leadership, even after US intelligence agencies concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 US presidential campaign to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. During Putin's years in power, a number of prominent Russian opposition figures and journalists have been killed. Trump says in the interview that he respects a lot of people, including Putin "but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with him. He's a leader of his country. I say it's better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world that's a good thing," Trump said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group. "Will I get along with him? I have no idea." O'Reilly then said about Putin: "But he's a killer, though. Putin's a killer." Trump responded: "There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country's so innocent?" When O'Reilly says he doesn't know any US government leaders who are killers, Trump said "take a look at what we've done, too. We've made a lot of mistakes" and then he referenced the Iraq war. The Kremlin voiced anger over O'Reilly's characterisation. Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, refused to comment on Trump's reply but lashed out at Fox, calling O'Reilly's remarks "unacceptable and offensive." "We would like to receive an apology to the president from this respected organisation," Peskov told reporters on Monday, referring to Fox News. At home, Republicans and Democrats took exception to Trump's comparison of Russia and the US. "Putin's a former KGB agent. He's a thug. He was not elected in a way that most people would consider a credible election," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told CNN's "State of the Union. "The Russians annexed Crimea, invaded Ukraine and messed around in our elections. And no, I don't think there's any equivalency between the way the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does." Added Sen. Ben Sasse, of Nebraska, one of Trump's Republican critics: "There is no moral equivalency between the United States of America, the greatest freedom living nation in the history of the world, and the murderous thugs that are in Putin's defense of his cronyism." O'Reilly also asked Trump to back up his claim that some 3 million to 5 million illegal votes were cast in the election. Trump didn't answer directly, but shifted to assert that immigrants in the US illegally and dead people are on the voter rolls. "It's really a bad situation, it's really bad," Trump said. There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 8 November election. Trump won the Electoral College vote but lost the popular vote by nearly 2.9 million votes to Clinton. Trump recently announced on Twitter that he would call for a "major investigation" into voter fraud. He said during the Fox News interview that he will set up a commission to be headed by Vice-President Mike Pence and "we're going to look at it very, very carefully." Asked earlier about Trump's promised investigation, McConnell said he saw no federal role because states historically have handled voter fraud investigations. "I don't think we ought to spend any federal money investigating that," he said on CNN. On other issues, Trump said in the interview that: California's consideration of legislation to become a statewide sanctuary for people living in the country illegally is "ridiculous." He suggested withholding federal funding as a possible punishment. Plans to enact a complete replacement for the Affordable Care Act could slip into next year. "I would like to say by the end of the year, at least the rudiments, but we should have something within the year and the following year." Living in the White House is "a surreal experience in a certain way, but you have to get over it, because there's so much work to be done." January 2017 witnessed a curtain-raiser of sorts for a new era in international politics. Donald Trump took oath as the 45th President of the United States, and barely a fortnight after he took office, the spate of executive orders that he signed led the world to believe that the US is retreating from its global responsibilities and going into isolation to 'Make America Great Again. The second set of events that generated a lot of interest (and some concerns too) were Chinese president Xi Jinpings speech at the UNs Geneva office on 18 January, projecting China as a protector of the realm and at World Economic Forum, Davos on 17 January "opening arms to the people of other countries and welcoming them aboard the express train of Chinas development". One could wonder whether these two events mark the peaceful transition of global leadership from one country to another. Is it the end of the American Hegemony and Western Dominance? Are we entering into another unipolar world or heading towards bipolar world system whereby the US is reluctantly sharing its leadership role with China. Or the multi-billion-dollar question: Are we expecting a tripod world system or multi-polar world? Answers to these questions are certainly opaque at the moment. But Chinas engagement with the world inevitably suggests that Beijing is stepping out from keeping a low profile (tao guang yanghui) as per the foreign policy mantra of the Deng Xiaoping era to striving for achievement (fenfa youwei) in Xis times. At Davos, Xi defended globalisation and even suggested that isolation in the time of globalisation will backfire. Its no secret that China has been the biggest beneficiary of globalisation and is now riding the same horse. In this context, it is pertinent to emphasise that Chinese companies are well equipped to go global and compete with other multinational companies. Chinese mobile brands, Xiaomi (), Oppo, Huawei () have become popular in India, even rivalling the likes of Samsung. Xis signature strategy "Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road", commonly known as the One Belt One Road (OBOR) in other parts of the world and "yidai yilu ()" in China is posited to run as Ashvamedha's horse, in the aftermath of the premature death of the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), to establish a Chinese Ramrajya in the world. At the UNs Geneva office, Xi frankly remarked that we have travelled a long way to establish a fair and equitable international order. He referred to the Peace of Westphalia and Geneva Convention to affirm that sovereign equality is the most important norm governing State-to-State relations. Affirming Beijings faith in the international system with the UN as its core, Xi reassured the world community that engaging China is in no way altering the liberal world order but merely signalling a 'change in regime' by promoting the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and other new multilateral financial institutions in order to "provide more public goods to the international community". Interestingly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at the recently-concluded Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, also expressed similar sentiments that institutions and architectures built for a different world, by a different world, are outdated. But striking differences between the perceptions the of two leaders are evident. Beijing entrusts faith in old institutions but also creates new ones whereas New Delhi is interested in reforming the existing ones with India among the members, whether as a permanent member of United Nations Security Council or as a member of the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) among others. Despite discord on some issues, the views of both leaders, Xi and Modi, are converging on the new international order, advocating globalisation and multilateralism. New Delhi and Beijing need to channelise these converging ideas into realpolitik. Xi, addressing the gathering at Davos, suggested that any "attempt to cut off the flow of capital, technologies, products, industries and people between economies, and channel the waters in the ocean back into isolated lakes and creeks is simply not possible" while Modi, supporting globalisation at the Raisina Dialogue, asserted "a sentiment against trade and migration, and rising parochial and protectionist attitudes across the globe are also in stark evidence". The three leaders Modi, Xi and Trump are considered conservative in domestic politics but it seems Xi and Modi are more liberal in their international outlook and could emerge as the new champions of the liberal world order. If Xi, as a core leader of the Communist Party of China, and Modi heading the absolute majority government with unquestionable political will become a little more liberal and chart out a new paradigm in solving bilateral disputes and restore the centuries-old 'civilizational peace', they can certainly speed up and strengthen bilateral engagement to a 'Himalayan level'. The chaos heralded by Trump invariably challenging the principles and norms, themselves created by the US, is an opportunity for India and China to act decisively and in unison to put Asia in the saddle of intentional politics. The author is an assistant professor at Shanghai University, Shanghai where he teaches international politics. The author tweets @mrajivranjan By Luiza Ilie and Radu-Sorin Marinas | BUCHAREST BUCHAREST Romania's Social Democrat-led government on Monday urged an end to what it called "this tense state" as it braced for further mass protests despite its withdrawal of a decree widely condemned as reversing the countrys anti-corruption drive.Following the largest demonstrations since the fall of communism in 1989, the government on Sunday rescinded the decree, which would have shielded dozens of politicians from prosecution.Political analysts said the government in power for barely a month now faced an uphill task restoring shattered public confidence. Even after its embarrassing U-turn, some 250,000 protesters chanted late on Sunday: "We don't believe you, we won't give up."Some said they would protest daily until parliament confirms the withdrawal of the decree, while others said only the government's resignation would satisfy them.Social Democrat Party (PSD) leader Liviu Dragnea, the chief target of the protesters ire, sounded a defiant note on Monday after chairing a meeting of senior party officials, and he reiterated its support for Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu."The government has no reason to resign, it was legitimately elected," Dragnea told reporters. "As long as this tense state continues in Romania no one has anything to gain."He signalled that the government could still seek, with parliamentary involvement, changes to the criminal code, and might seek the advice of foreign experts."All the PSD can do is to urge calm. Besides the protesters in the square, there are other Romanians also shouting that their vote must be protected," he said, in reference to the party's big win in a December election. However, the scenes of Romanians thronging Bucharest's broad boulevards and other cities every evening since Jan. 31 have clearly shaken the PSD, and they will not have gone unnoticed elsewhere across Eastern Europe, blighted by corruption and cosy ties between business and politics since the end of communism.Romania, a country of 20 million people and host to a U.S. ballistic missile defence station and one of the staunchest Washington allies with troops in the middle East, remains one of the poorest and most corrupt members of the European Union. "DEEPLY SCARED" A Social Democrat-led government was felled by street protests only 15 months ago following a nightclub fire that killed 64 people. That incident triggered an outpouring of public anger amid accusations of state negligence and corruption in failing to enforce fire-safety regulations at the club. "They (Romania's leaders) are deeply scared by these huge protests, unprecedented in 27 years," independent political commentator Cristian Patrasconiu said of the latest rallies."This amounts to more than a simple step back. Any new move by them needs assessment. Everything looks suspicious."The corruption decree, issued late in the evening of Jan. 31 by the cabinet without parliamentary debate, had been designed to decriminalise a number of graft offences, cut prison terms for others and narrow the definition of conflict-of-interest. The government said it was merely bringing the criminal code into line with recent rulings by the Constitutional Court and an EU legal directive to member states to consolidate some aspects of presumption of innocence, as well as to ease jail overcrowding. But the opposition, anti-corruption prosecutors, magistrates and hundreds of thousands of Romanian protesters said it had been tailor-made to amnesty dozens of politically-affiliated public officials convicted or accused of abuse of office in one of the most corrupt members of the EU. The EU's executive arm, the European Commission, and the United States both condemned the government's move as backtracking on anti-graft reforms and the widely-acclaimed work of anti-corruption prosecutors. On Monday morning, Justice Minister Florin Iordache told reporters he would publish the details of a new, alternative bill to update the criminal code, which would be put to the public for a month-long debate.But his own ministry later appeared to contradict him, issuing a statement that said the justice ministry was not planning to draft a bill.The governments decision to withdraw the decree will require the approval of parliament, where the PSD and their junior partners enjoy a big majority.On Wednesday, the government also faces a no-confidence vote filed by the opposition Liberals and Save Romania Union. (Writing by Matt Robinson; Editing by Gareth Jones) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Luiza Ilie and Radu-Sorin Marinas | BUCHAREST BUCHAREST Romania's ruling Social Democrats appealed for calm on Monday after withdrawing a decree widely condemned as reversing the country's anti-corruption drive, but protesters again took to the streets to demand the government's resignation.On Sunday the government rescinded the decree, which would have shielded dozens of politicians from prosecution, following the largest demonstrations in Romania since the fall of communism in 1989.Political analysts said the government in power for barely a month now faced an uphill task restoring shattered public confidence.About 12,000 people gathered in front of government offices in central Bucharest on Monday evening - far fewer than the 250,000 seen the previous evening - to demand Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu's resignation and snap elections."This government has offered us a perfect demonstration of what it can do during its first 30 days in office. Conclusion: they must leave," said one protester named Franciscus, 30, who works in the banking sector.A rival demonstration of about 4,000 people gathered for a second day outside the office of President Klaus Iohannis, accusing him of instigating the week-long anti-government rallies.Iohannis is a former leader of the centre-right opposition who briefly joined an anti-graft rally in late January and has since called a referendum over anti-corruption reforms. He was due to address parliament at 1000 GMT on Tuesday.Social Democrat Party (PSD) leader Liviu Dragnea, the chief target of the protesters ire, sounded a defiant note earlier on Monday after chairing a meeting of senior party officials. "TENSE STATE" "The government has no reason to resign, it was legitimately elected," Dragnea told reporters. "As long as this tense state continues in Romania no one has anything to gain."He signalled that the government could still seek, with parliamentary involvement, changes to the criminal code, and might seek the advice of foreign experts."All the PSD can do is to urge calm. Besides the protesters in the square, there are other Romanians also shouting that their vote must be protected," he said, in reference to the party's big win in a December election. However, the scenes of Romanians thronging Bucharest's broad boulevards and other cities every evening since Jan. 31 have clearly shaken the PSD, and they will not have gone unnoticed elsewhere across Eastern Europe, blighted by corruption and cosy ties between business and politics since the end of communism.Romania, a country of 20 million people which hosts a U.S. ballistic missile defence station and is one of Washington's staunchest allies with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, remains among the poorest, most corrupt members of the European Union. A Social Democrat-led government was felled by street protests only 15 months ago following a nightclub fire that killed 64 people. That incident triggered an outpouring of public anger amid accusations of state negligence and corruption in failing to enforce fire-safety regulations at the club."They (Romania's leaders) are deeply scared by these huge protests, unprecedented in 27 years," independent political commentator Cristian Patrasconiu said of the latest rallies."This amounts to more than a simple step back. Any new move by them needs assessment. Everything looks suspicious." The corruption decree, issued late in the evening of Jan. 31 by the cabinet without parliamentary debate, had been designed to decriminalise a number of graft offences, cut prison terms for others and narrow the definition of conflict-of-interest. The government said it was merely bringing the criminal code into line with recent rulings by the Constitutional Court and an EU legal directive and also wanted to ease jail overcrowding.But the opposition, anti-corruption prosecutors, magistrates and hundreds of thousands of Romanian protesters said it had been tailor-made to amnesty dozens of politically-affiliated public officials convicted or accused of abuse of office in one of the most corrupt members of the EU. The European Commission and the United States both condemned the government's move as backtracking on anti-graft reforms and the widely-acclaimed work of anti-corruption prosecutors. The governments decision to withdraw the decree will require the approval of parliament, where the PSD and their junior partners enjoy a big majority.On Wednesday, the government also faces a no-confidence vote filed by the opposition Liberals and Save Romania Union. (Writing by Matt Robinson; Editing by Gareth Jones) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Alastair Macdonald | VALLETTA VALLETTA "Our Donald", or "the other Donald"? European Union leaders meeting in Malta found themselves taking sides, between their summit chairman, "our Donald" Tusk, and the new U.S. president, Donald Trump.But despite declarations of unity, EU states are split on how to respond to policies from a man who has reversed staunch postwar U.S. support for European integration and suggested others follow Britain out of a bloc he has called "a vehicle for Germany".Tusk, a former Polish prime minister, said EU leaders gave him the "our Donald" nickname in Malta. He presented it as a sign of their support, saying before the summit that Trump posed a "threat" to the bloc, alongside Russia, China and violent Islam."The mood in the room was 'our Donald' and 'the other Donald'," said one person present at the talks, where Tusk also felt confident enough in his support to confirm he wants a second term as president of the European Council.His political enemies in the Warsaw government publicly disavowed any sense of unanimity behind Tusk, however, calling his criticism of Trump a "gross abuse" and accusing him of "sowing fear" and "seeking confrontation". Others, less publicly, said there was wider disquiet that the EU could turn its back on its Transatlantic relationship.Such internal arguments pit historic unease, especially in France, over U.S. influence against fears of weakening a Western front against Russia and, increasingly, China. How they play out will help shape Trump's hopes, for example, of saving U.S. money spent on NATO and shifting world trade in Americans' favour.They will also flavour the EU's Brexit talks with London - where Prime Minister Theresa May sees Britain being a bridge between Washington and Brussels - as well as efforts by some states to tighten cooperation on euro zone economic policies and other areas, notably an independent EU military capability. "STRATEGIC AUTONOMY" As a Pole well aware it is U.S. forces that underpin NATO's security guarantees in eastern Europe, Tusk nuanced his call to Europeans to pull together to defend their independent interests against the "superpowers, the United States, Russia and China" with an appeal to Americans to preserve "the Transatlantic bond without which global order and peace cannot survive".But some leaders worry Trump's coolness toward NATO and the exit of well-armed Britain will fuel ambitions for Europeans to loosen that bond - notably in Paris, which has often chafed at "Anglo-American" influence and where officials say Trump shows France has been right to seek "strategic autonomy" for the EU. "The French ... are as usual saying 'It's just the European Union now; there's no such thing as the West'," said a senior eastern European diplomat, criticising Paris's view. "The Germans are much more cautious. There is a clear issue to be decided on whether we should seek a common ground to engage with the United States, or turn our backs."As EU leaders prepare to map out a post-Brexit strategy at a 60th anniversary summit in Rome next month, French President Francois Hollande criticised Trump and eastern European governments he accused of raking in EU subsidies but then breaking ranks and undermining the bloc by seeking special favour from Washington.Many in the east are especially alarmed by Trump's warmer tone toward Russia but some back his entry ban on Muslims, which echoes their own criticisms of EU refugee policies. German Chancellor Angela Merkel took a less confrontational tone but stressed the need for "multilateralism" - a prod to Trump not to try and circumvent the EU by talking only to national leaders, and to Europeans to speak with a single voice.Whether "the other Donald" gets that message is another matter, given a seemingly hazy grasp on who is who in Brussels. The tycoon-turned-president told an interviewer last month he had spoken to "the head of the European Union" and named his interlocutor as Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU chief executive. In fact, however, he had spoken to "our Donald", Tusk. "Sometimes I have an impression that the new administration does not know the EU in detail," Juncker said drily on Friday."But, in Europe, details matter." (Additional reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Louise Ireland) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Washington: The US and Russia have "common interest" in confronting radical Islamic terrorism and defeating the Islamic State, Vice President Mike Pence said on Sunday. "Russia has a common interest in confronting radical Islamic terrorism and especially ISIS. And if we have opportunities to work together, I think the President is looking for an opportunity to begin that relationship anew," Pence told ABC News in an interview. "But make no mistake about it, those decisions will await action and they'll be very dependent on how the Russians respond in the days ahead," he said. Pence said there is kind of changes in posture by Russia. "The opportunity perhaps to work on common interests. The President's made it clear the top priority of this administration is to hunt down and destroy ISIS at its source," he said. "He's directed our military commanders and our Secretary of State to collaborate and to develop a strategy in the region to bring together the resources and the allies necessary to do that," the Vice President said. Responding to questions, Pence told Fox News in another interview that the Trump Administration is determined to reform financial regulations. "The message that we're sending to Main Street is that we're going to pull back this mountain of red tape that is stifling access to capital loans particularly for small businesses across this country and we're going to get this economy moving again," Pence told Fox News. "The action that the President took this week is just the beginning of that effort, and we're going to continue to work hard while we protect consumers along the way. We're going to continue to work hard to advance that kind of regulatory reform that will make resources and loans available for a growing America," he said. Pence also defended Trump's decision to make changes on religious liberty. "The President's made it clear that he wants to take action on the Johnson amendment," he said. Back in the 1950s, the Congress passed a law that essentially threatened the tax-exempt status of churches and synagogues and religious institutions if they were seen to be involved in political expression, he added. "I don't think we'd have ever made it to these hallowed halls back in 1790 if the pulpits of this country had been silenced from speaking about what they thought was right and wrong. The President provided real leadership in the campaign where he identified the Johnson amendment and he told people of faith of every background across this country that he would work to repeal it," Pence said. Trump has directed the administration to begin to look at ways, both legislatively and through executive action to do that, he said. Washington: US President Donald Trump said that he has asked the Department of Homeland Security to do a very "careful" checkup of those entering the country after a US court rejected a request by his administration to reinstate travel ban on citizens of seven Muslim-majority nations. The US President continued to be critical of the judge for passing an order that halted his executive order which banned people of seven countries from entering the United States. "I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country very carefully. The courts are making the job very difficult!" Trump tweeted. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" Trump said. Earlier in the day, a US federal appeals court rejected a request by his administration to immediately reinstate Trump's travel ban on citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. The Justice Department had made the request with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco as part of an appeal against a lower court order halting the travel ban on people from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen. The court asked that challengers of the ban respond to the appeal, and for the Justice Department to file a counter-response. The Justice Department said it would not elevate the dispute to the Supreme Court before that. Boston: Travellers from the seven predominantly Muslim countries targeted by President Donald Trump enjoyed tearful reunions with loved ones in the US after a federal judge swept the ban aside. Airlines around the world allowed people to board flights as usual to the United States. One lawyer waiting at New York's Kennedy Airport said visa and green-card holders from Iraq and Iran were encountering no problems as they arrived. "It's business as usual," said Camille Mackler, of the New York Immigration Coalition. Fariba Tajrostami, a 32-year-old painter from Iran, came through the gate at Kennedy with a huge smile and tears in her eyes as her brothers greeted her with joyful hugs. "I'm very happy. I haven't seen my brothers for nine years," she said. Tajrostami had tried to fly to the US from Turkey over a week ago but was turned away. "I was crying and was so disappointed," she said. "Everything I had in mind, what I was going to do, I was so disappointed about everything. I thought it was all over." Tajrostami said she hopes to study art in the US and plans to join her husband in Dallas soon. He moved from Iran six months ago, has a green card and is working at a car dealership. Similar scenes played out across the US two days after a federal judge in Seattle suspended the president's travel ban and just hours after a federal appeals court denied the Trump administration's request to set aside the ruling. The US cancelled the visas of up to 60,000 foreigners in the week after the ban on travel from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen took effect, according to the State department. Trump also suspended nearly all refugee admissions for 120 days and barred Syrian refugees indefinitely. The order triggered protests and a multitude of legal challenges around the country and blocked numerous college students, researchers and others from entering the US. Trump, who said the goal was to keep terrorists from slipping into the country, lashed out against US District Judge James Robart for putting the ban on hold. He referred to Robart as a "so-called judge" and called the ruling "ridiculous." On Sunday, the President tweeted: "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and the court system. People pouring in. Bad!" At JFK on Sunday evening, Abdullah Alghazali hugged and kissed his 13-year-old son, Ali Abdullah Alghazali, who he had not seen in six years. That wait was made even longer by Trump's executive order. The European Union will provide EUR 1.5 million for improvement of operations of the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli has said. He said at a press conference in Kyiv last week that stepping up the rule of law in Ukraine is one of the important tasks and conditions for cooperation under the requirements of the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement. Anti-corruption measures in Ukraine should be successful, judicial reform should be conducted, free mass media should develop and human rights should be protected, he said. The EU will further promote the strengthening of the institutional potential of the Ombudsman Office to protect human rights. The budget of the project is EUR 1.5 million for 24 months, he said. He said that specialists from Lithuania and Austria were involved into the project. In turn, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Valeria Lutkovska said that the project will be revised jointly with the Ombudsman Office of Lithuania and BoltzmannInstitute in Austria. She said that the project is aimed at providing for effective prevention of violation of human rights via strengthening of the potential of the ombudsman institute and bringing the institutional structure of the Secretariat and its internal procedures in line with international practices. Lutkovska said that the program includes seminars, training events, exchange of practice and joint work on legal documents. Ukraine is making the dredging works market open and invites businessmen to participate in it, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan has said. "We are opening the dredging works market for business. I hope that the market will be open and transparent," he said at a meeting with dredging companies in the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine last week. Omelyan said that the country will also open the internal water route market. He invited business to constructive work in this segment. It was a long-lost piece of Texas history, missing for nearly a century. Until it was found in a dusty West Virginia attic. I nearly fell out of my chair, said historian Sam Ratcliffe, of Southern Methodist University, when he learned of the discovery The story is featured in the latest episode of Strange Inheritance with Jamie Colby. It airs Monday, February 6 at 9 p.m. ET on Fox Business Network. The missing masterpiece was painted by Harry McArdle, an Irish immigrant who became fascinated with the battle for Texas independence. He was the first artist to thoroughly research the sweep of the Texas revolution, said Ratcliffe. He talked to many of the surviving veterans of San Jacinto. He did a lot of research on flags, on uniforms, and was just fanatical about getting the revolution commemorated properly. The revolutions climactic clash -- the 1836 Battle of San Jacinto -- was the subject of McArdles greatest work: a 14-foot long, 8-foot high mural that depicts the exploits of legendary Texans such as Sam Houston in their fight against Mexicos Santa Anna. Its one of six McArdle paintings that hang in the Texas capitol to this day. But public archives indicated that in 1901 McArdle had painted a second San Jacinto mural -- assumed to have been lost in a 1918 house fire. Almost a century later, McArdles great-great grandson Jon Buell was rummaging through his grandmothers attic in West Virginia. He found a five-by-seven foot canvas slipped between the rafters. It was just kind of leaned against a wall, underneath a tarp and it was very, very dirty, recalls Buell, who asked his grandmother about it. She said, Oh, your great-great grandfather did that. Its not worth anything, thats just a working drawing. Buell, however, got her permission to contact a Texas auction house to see if it was valuable. My heart stopped, says Atlee Phillips of Heritage Auctions in Dallas, who determined the work was indeed that second mural of the Battle of San Jacinto. The painting sold for $334,000 to a Texas buyer. Its what anyone in the business is looking for, something that no one has ever seen before, says Phillips. These things just dont happen. Opponents of Peabody Energy Corp's reorganization plan have filed an emergency appeal against a key piece of the coal producer's proposal they say violates U.S. bankruptcy law by prematurely requiring creditors to promise support it. At the heart of creditors' complaints are the terms of a $1.5 billion private recapitalization that Peabody has proposed as part of a plan to slash $5 billion of debt and exit Chapter 11 protection. The plan by the world's largest private-sector coal company could provide lucrative returns for early subscribers. In order to sign up for the private offering, creditors had to support Peabody's broader reorganization plan, a complex and lengthy document, within days of its publication on Dec. 22 and almost a month before it went to bankruptcy court for approval. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Barry Schermer blessed the plan on Jan. 26, overruling objections from a range of parties and opening the door for Peabody to officially begin seeking creditor votes. In a filing with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit on Friday, an ad hoc committee of dissenting creditors said Peabody "improperly" forced the majority of creditors to commit their votes in favor of the plan well before it received court approval. "The choice was to support the plan or suffer severe economic loss," they said in a motion to expedite the appeal, adding that the move undermined "the creditor democracy at the core of Chapter 11." In an emailed statement, Peabody spokesman Vic Svec said the company continued to support its plan as submitted. While it is normal for a company in Chapter 11 to try to build creditor support for its plan early on, Peabody's opposing creditors say the company negotiated for months with "a favored few" to develop a complex plan and then forced others to quickly accept, according to court papers. The select group included Aurelius Capital Management and Elliott Management Corp, some of Wall Street's most litigious investment funds. When Peabody filed for Chapter 11 the two funds disputed the value of its assets, but the disagreement with other lenders later dissipated when coal prices rose, increasing many creditors' chances for recovery. Peabody, with attractive coal mines in Australia and the United States, hopes to emerge from bankruptcy in April, a year after its Chapter 11 filing during a commodities crash, with over $8 billion of debt. Its bankruptcy confirmation trial is scheduled for March 16. (Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) Toyota Motor Corp (NYSE:TM) reported a drop in quarterly operating profit on Monday but still added 9.7 percent to its full-year earnings forecast as the world's No. 2 automaker expects a bigger reprieve from a weakening yen. The manufacturer also said it had "no immediate plans" to change its policy of producing an annual 3 million vehicles at home in Japan, many of which are shipped to the United States, even after criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump for the number of cars it exports to the country. The results come as Toyota braces for profit to tumble from last year's record 2.31 trillion yen. However, its outlook has improved as it anticipates the domestic currency to stabilize following volatility seen earlier in the financial year. "We've revised our full-year yen forecast to 107 yen to the U.S. dollar from 103 yen, which is the biggest contributing factor to our profit forecast revision," Managing Officer Tetsuya Otake told reporters. Toyota now expects net profit of 1.7 trillion yen ($15.08 billion) for the year ending March, a decline of 26 percent from a record set a year earlier. It also sees operating profit of 1.85 trillion yen, 8.8 percent more than forecast in November. For the three months ended Dec. 31, however, a stronger yen knocked 770 billion yen off earnings. That pushed operating profit to 438.5 billion yen from 722.2 billion a year earlier, below a median forecast of 483.57 billion yen drawn from 11 analysts in a Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S/ poll. U.S. Imports The rosier profit outlook comes as Toyota expects to sell slightly more cars globally than previously forecast. It now forecasts sales in North America, its biggest market, to be a touch higher than last year, fueled by demand for larger cars. Toyota has been working to supply more sport utility vehicles (SUVs) to the United States where demand for larger models has surged due to historically low gasoline prices. Such is the demand that Toyota has shifted production in the region away from its staple sedans. It has also increased imports of its RAV4 SUV crossover from Canada and Tacoma pick-up truck from Mexico. U.S. President Trump has taken issue with the proportion of cars domestic automakers import rather than produce locally, considering the size of sales in the world's second-biggest market. Toyota imported about half of the record 2.449 million vehicles it sold in the country last year, including 26 percent from Japan. But Toyota on Monday said it would stick to its long-held policy of keeping around one-third of production at home as a way to continually hone the country's manufacturing expertise. Japan's automotive exports are likely to be high on the agenda when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with Trump for summit talks in Washington later this week. Super Bowl, immigration and the troops. Here's what's On Our Radar today: One For The History Books America tuned in to Superbowl LI as the New England Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons in a stunning comeback. Of course the commericals were also in focus, with Anheuser-Busch InBev's (NYSE:BUD) Budwesier Super Bowl immigration ad gaining the most social media traction -- over 95,000 mentions according to Talkwalker, a social data intelligence company. Also, Tom Brady thought he lost his jersey. FOX Business will have complete wrap-up throughout the day of the big game. Blocked! A federal judge in Seattle issued a ruling late Friday delaying Trumps immigration ban executive order. A federal appeals court refused to reinstate the order, asking for more briefings. Attorneys are scrambling for their deadline today and the ban remains in question. Our President expressed his own opinion on the matter, questioning the judge who made the decision. 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 Stay tuned for Countdown to the Closing Bell at 3 p.m. EST, when the briefings could reach the appeals court. Trump Today At ease! President Trump is heading to MacDill Air Force Base in Florida today for a meet and greet with troops, and to talk foreign relations, military spending and Americas safety. Tune in to Cavuto: Coast to Coast at 12 p.m. EST for full coverage of his remarks. Don't Miss This! Two back-to-back episodes of the FOX Business Network's Strange Inheritance kick off at 9 p.m. EST. First up, one swordmasters mix up with the FBI and a Texas masterpiece discovered inside of someones attic! Dont miss it. Apple, Google and more than 90 other companies are pushing back in court against President Donald Trump's temporary travel ban, calling it unconstitutional, un-American and bad for the economy. The companies filed briefs Sunday to back lawsuits from Washington state and Minnesota fighting Trump's travel ban. The ban keeps refugees and travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. Trump has said his Jan. 27 executive order is necessary to prevent "radical Islamic terrorists" from coming to the U.S. The White House did not respond to a request for comment Monday. The 97 companies are mostly in the technology industry and include social media companies Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc. Non-tech companies participating include yogurt maker Chobani and jeans-seller Levi Strauss & Co. Here's some of the reasons why they oppose the travel ban: IT HURTS THE U.S. ECONOMY Immigrants will avoid the U.S. and want to work in other countries where "their immigration status will not suddenly be revoked," the companies argued. They also said the ban makes it more likely that big companies will move employees overseas or make investments outside the U.S. "Ultimately, American workers and the economy will suffer as a result," the companies said. IT HURTS THEIR BUSINESS The travel ban makes it harder for companies to "recruit, hire, and retain some of the world's best employees," according to the court filings. The companies also say the ban disrupts day-to-day operations by making it more difficult to send employees to meetings and conferences abroad because of uncertainty over whether they can return. IT'S UNLAWFUL The companies said the executive order violates immigration laws and the U.S. Constitution because it bans people from entering the country based on their place of origin. IT WILL HURT ENTREPRENEURSHIP According to the court documents, 200 of the 500 companies on Fortune magazine's list of largest U.S. companies were founded by immigrants, or children of immigrants. That includes iPhone maker Apple and search company Google, both of which joined the court filing. "The energy they bring to America is a key reason why the American economy has been the greatest engine of prosperity and innovation in history," the companies said. _____ Contact Joseph Pisani at http://twitter.com/josephpisani . Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) has made a huge impression on investors in less than a decade as a publicly traded company. The international tobacco giant has seen its stock double since its 2008 IPO, and along the way, Philip Morris has paid extremely attractive dividends to add further to its total return. Given the stock's success, some investors wonder if the time might be right for Philip Morris to consider doing its first stock split. Below, we'll consider this question more closely and look at whether Philip Morris is likely to split its shares sometime in 2017. Has Philip Morris ever done a stock split in the past? With such a short history, it's not surprising to see that Philip Morris hasn't done any stock splits in the past. As a result, it's more difficult to speculate on what company management is likely to take into consideration in making any decision about whether to split its shares in 2017. However, back when Philip Morris was part of Philip Morris Companies, now known as Altria, the stock had several splits. A couple of 2-for-1 splits in the 1970s showed the success of the stock, and further splits in 1986, 1989, and most recently in 1997 give a glimpse into the decision-making process that Philip Morris International's previous corporate parent used. Image source: Getty Images. Philip Morris Companies stock split history Data source: Yahoo! Finance. NOTE: This chart applies to Philip Morris International's former parent, not to Philip Morris International itself. Philip Morris Companies used a fairly standard set of criteria in making its decisions about stock splits. In 1986, the company allowed its stock to climb well into triple digits, moving above $130 per share before it did a 2-for-1 split that brought the stock price back down in to the $60s. Later in its existence, though, Philip Morris Companies waited well beyond when the stock rose above the $100-per-share level. In 1989, the stock climbed to around $180 per share before the company did an aggressive 4-for-1 stock split to bring the shares back into the $40s. The company's move in 1997 wasn't quite as extreme, but management still waited until the stock was at $140 or so before pulling the trigger on a stock split. Why Philip Morris International has never done a stock split When Philip Morris International became an independently traded stock, its share price was around $50. In the nine years since its IPO, Philip Morris saw its stock perform well, but its share-price gains were held back in part by extremely attractive dividend yields. Dividend payments tend to hold stock prices down, and so the more money a company returns to shareholders in dividends, the less the stock tends to rise. Only in the past year has Philip Morris International stock hit the $100-per-share mark. Turbulence in international markets has kept the stock from climbing further, but many investors are optimistic that Philip Morris could finally overcome some of the headwinds from a strong U.S. dollar and see more growth in revenue and earnings going forward. Will Philip Morris International split in 2017? Philip Morris International won't do a stock split simply because its stock has moved into triple digits. It will likely take a much bigger move for the tobacco giant to consider splitting its shares. However, if the stock were to climb toward the $140- to $150-per-share area, that might be enough to make Philip Morris consider a move similar to what its former parent did in the 1990s. Such a huge move upward isn't particularly likely in 2017, but it's also not impossible -- and eventually, Philip Morris will likely face a situation in which a stock split could be a clearer choice. 10 stocks we like better than Philip Morris International When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now and Philip Morris International wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of January 4, 2017 Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Already, millions of Americans are starting to file their tax returns, hoping to get refunds back from the IRS as early as possible. One of the last steps in your tax preparation is calculating your taxable income, from which you'll determine your final tax bill. The federal government regularly releases data on American taxpayers on a delayed basis, and its most recent numbers show quite clearly what the average American taxpayer's taxable income is. Yet there's reason to believe that if proposed tax reforms become law, some taxpayers could see that number drop, leading to possible tax savings. Image source: Getty Images. What's the average American's taxable income? More than 112 million American households reported their taxable income on their tax returns during 2014, the most recent year for which the IRS has released data. In total, the numbers they reported on their 1040 tax returns added up to almost $7 trillion in taxable income. When you do the math using the precise figures that the federal government released, the average American household reported taxable income of $62,116. There are a couple things to note with respect to this number. First, it represents taxable households rather than individual Americans, because couples who file jointly will combine their income on a single return. When you take into account the tens of millions of joint returns that got filed and adjust accordingly, the estimate for the average American's taxable income goes down to $45,575. In addition, this figure leaves out a substantial number of Americans. If your income is low enough that you don't have to file a tax return at all, then the IRS data doesn't reflect that. In addition, if you filed a return but your taxable income was zero or negative, then the IRS data doesn't include the return in its count of taxpayers. It's difficult to estimate precisely for that effect, but what it suggests is that the true average would be lower still if it included all of those who would have no taxable income at all. Nevertheless, the figure is interesting, especially when you compare it to gross income figures. With taxpayers reporting nearly $10 trillion in total income figures, a look at where the remaining $3 trillion goes can tell a lot about the tax breaks that Americans claim. What taxable income is To figure your taxable income, you start with your total income and then start taking deductions. Certain deductions, such as IRA contributions, student loan interest payments, and self-employment taxes, get subtracted off the top to come up with adjusted gross income. These made up a relatively small amount of about $145 billion. Two key items are largely responsible for bringing taxable income the rest of the way down. You can take the standard deduction or itemize your deductions, and that accounted for nearly $2 trillion in the reduction in taxable income. Also, most taxpayers get to take personal exemptions, and that slashed taxable income by about another $1 trillion. What tax reform could do to taxable income Under current law, the personal exemption for 2016 is $4,050 per taxpayer. Standard deductions range from $6,300 to $12,600 depending on filing status, with additions made for taxpayers who are 65 or older or blind. However, proposed tax reform would change the way that taxpayers would calculate their taxable income. Instead of having separate standard deductions and personal exemptions, a larger standard deduction would apply. The amount would be $15,000 for single taxpayers and $30,000 for joint filers. Depending on the number of exemptions claimed, some taxpayers would see larger deductions under this plan, while others would see smaller ones. However, the average return claims roughly two personal exemptions. So for single filers, the proposed $15,000 standard deduction would be slightly higher than the existing $6,300 single standard deduction plus $8,100 for two personal exemptions, adding up to $14,400. For joint filers, the corresponding $20,700 total under current law would be substantially less than the proposed $30,000 standard deduction. What's not clear yet is what would happen to itemized deductions under tax reform. If new laws take away certain tax breaks, then those who itemize now might end up actually seeing less of a decrease in their taxable income despite the higher standard deduction. Moreover, proposed caps on itemized deductions could dramatically increase taxable income for those who take full advantage of available tax breaks. Don't be afraid of taxable income Finally, taxpayers should remember that no matter what happens to taxes, it always pays to take advantage of opportunities to bring in extra income. Even if some of it gets lost to tax, you'll always keep your fair share. That said, the lower taxable income gets without affecting your total income, the more your money stays in your own pocket rather than going to the IRS. The $15,834 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $15,834 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after.Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Yanair airline is entering the business aviation market and offers the YanAir Connect service: charter flights using Cessna Citation CJ1 business jet. The airline said in a press release that corporate clients and private persons could use the service. The airline provides broker services and orders charter flights using the plane. "Our airline is trying to provide a wide range of services. In this case this is the business aviation segment which is of great demand today on the Ukrainian market," Yanair Commercial Director Yevhen Pushenko said. He said that at the end of the year the airline will assess if this segment is profit-making. Then it will be decided to continue cooperation with business aviation or not. Cessna Citation CJ1 jet is based at the Zhuliany airport. Partners of Yanair provide the plane. Yanair provides broker services. Yanair was registered in Zhytomyr on June 15, 2012. In July 2013 it received a certificate for operations. As of January 23, 2017, the airline's fleet consists of two Saab 340 planes, two Airbus A320 planes, one Airbus 321, two Boeing 737-300 planes and one Boeing 737-400 plane. More than 40 people have pleaded guilty in a $200 million health care fraud scheme run by a New Jersey blood testing lab. This week, the government's evidence will be tested for the first time by a 79-year-old family doctor who hopes to convince a jury he is innocent. Bernard Greenspan is charged with violating federal anti-kickback laws and other crimes. He allegedly took about $200,000 in bribes over several years from Parsippany-based Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services. Opening statements are scheduled for Tuesday in federal court. Federal authorities announced charges against BLS and its principals, brothers David and Scott Nicoll, in April 2013. Since then, 41 people, including more than two dozen doctors, have pleaded guilty. The company is believed to have made $200 million between $2006 and 2013, with more than $100 million as a result of the bribery scheme, according to authorities. U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman estimated Medicare was defrauded out of tens of millions of dollars. The U.S. attorney's office alleges the company bribed doctors by paying them inflated prices for leased office space. In one, BLS allegedly paid a doctor $2,200 per month for about 100 square feet of office space. BLS paid for Greenspan's holiday office party and gave a job to an employee with whom he was having a sexual relationship, the criminal complaint alleges. Greenspan's attorney said his client's dealings with the lab were legal, legitimate business transactions. He said Greenspan continues to practice medicine at an office in Hawthorne. Visa (NYSE: V) reported fiscal first-quarter results on Feb. 2. The world's largest credit card network is enjoying strong revenue and earnings growth as it integrates its Visa Europe business. Visa results: The raw numbers Metric Q1 2017 Q1 2016 Year-Over-Year Change Revenue $4.461 billion $3.565 billion 25% Net income $2.070 billion $1.941 billion 7% Earnings per share $0.86 $0.80 7% Data source: Visa Q1 2017 earnings press release. What happened with Visa this quarter? Net operating revenue surged 25% year over year to $4.5 billion, as the payments giant completed its second full quarter with the recently acquired Visa Europe operations included in its results. Image source: Getty Images. Service revenue, which is recognized based on payment volume in the prior quarter, rose 17% to$1.9 billion, as payments volume jumped 44% to $1.9 trillion on a constant dollar basis. Data processing revenue increased 28% to$1.9 billion, with the number of transactions processed on Visa's network (including Visa Europe) climbing 44% to 27.3 billion. Total processed transactions -- adjusted to exclude the impact of Visa Europe -- grew 13% year over year. International transaction revenue leapt 44% to$1.5 billion, with constant currency cross-border volume soaring 140%(12% when normalizing for Visa Europe). Client incentives, which are a contra revenue item, were $1 billion. That figure represented 18.9% of gross revenue, compared with 18.1% in the prior-year period. Total operating expenses increased 16% to $1.4 billion, mainly because of costs associated with the acquisition of Visa Europe and higher marketing expenses. All told, net income -- adjusted to exclude non-recurring items related to the Visa Europe deal -- rose 23% to $2.1 billion, or $0.86 per share. Looking forward Visa affirmed its financial outlook for fiscal 2017, including: Net revenue growth of 16% to 18%. Operating margin in the "mid-60s". EPS growth in the low 30% range on a GAAP basis and "mid-teens" on an adjusted basis. "Visa's fiscal 2017 is off to a terrific start, with a strong first quarter of revenue and earnings growth driven by accelerating growth in payments volume, cross-border commerce, and processed transactions in virtually all regions around the world," saidCEO Alfred Kelly in a press release. "As we look ahead, we continue to see good momentum in the business driven by domestic and cross-border volumes, increasing consumer participation in electronic payments in developing markets, and the further acceleration of e-commerce in developed markets." 10 stocks we like better than Visa When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Visa wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of January 4, 2017 Joe Tenebruso has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Visa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Stewart-Haas Racing filed a $31 million breach of contract lawsuit against Nature's Bakery on Friday, accusing the company of refusing to pay millions of dollars it owes the team to sponsor driver Danica Patrick this season. Nature's Bakery was scheduled to sponsor at least 20 races this NASCAR season, the second year of a three-year deal to be the primary sponsor for Patrick. The lawsuit filed in state superior court says Stewart-Haas Racing had "significant concern" Nature's Bakery could afford a primary sponsorship, but founder David Marson "provided repeated assurances that Nature's Bakery had the cash flow and funds to meet all the financial requirements." However, the suit claims after executing the agreement, Marson and Nature's Bakery chief financial officer contacted SHR about "cash flow issues, and asked if payment amounts and deadlines" could be modified on the more than $15 million the company owes the team each season. SHR also accused the company of eventually concocting "a scheme to avoid further payments" by claiming Patrick had been endorsing competing products and was not using her social media presence enough to promote Nature's Bakery. The suit says Nature's Bakery sent a letter to the team on Jan. 19 terminating the sponsorship agreement, and that the company has missed several re-scheduled deadlines to pay. The lawsuit seeks $31.7 million, plus interest for the breach of contract. Nature's Bakery did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Friday SHR said it wants a court to resolve the matter. "It is an unfortunate situation, as the team has delivered on all aspects of its contract and was prepared to do so again in 2017. Ultimately, this is a situation that will be resolved in a court of law," the statement said, adding the team is moving forward with plans to field four cars in the Monster Energy Cup Series while also expanding to include a full-time Xfinity Series team. "The litigation with Nature's Bakery will not impact the organization's on-track efforts," the statement said. Nature's Bakery is not the first and won't be the last company to enter into a sponsorship agreement and then default on payments. Many companies don't appreciate the financial undertaking of a NASCAR sponsorship, and when the checks stop, the teams often have to shut down the car. Even though Nature's Bakery was on the hook for 25 races it had the option to sell five to other companies SHR remains committed to fielding Patrick's car. The first sign of trouble came two weeks ago when Patrick did promotional work wearing a firesuit adorned with TaxAct, which is only scheduled to sponsor three races this year on the No. 10 Ford. SHR acknowledged then it was in discussions with Nature's Bakery, but gave no further information. Nature's Bakery came into NASCAR in 2016 as one of the smallest companies to sign a primary sponsorship deal with an A-list driver. The Nevada-based food brand replaced Patrick's longtime sponsor, GoDaddy, and used its signature tagline, "Energy for Life's Great Journeys," on Patrick's car. The company, which sells fig bars and promotes healthy eating, has fewer than 500 employees in the United States. Its bars are sold in all 50 states and 22 countries. But SHR alleged in the suit the company faced numerous setbacks last year, including a lack of product distribution, recurring mold issues, a fire in its St. Louis, Missouri, plant and termination of its vice president of sales. The suit alleges that Nature's Bakery stopped communicating with SHR late last year about this coming season and on Dec. 19, the CEO sent a letter to SHR asking to "initiate a frank discussion of our Sponsorship Agreement and some concerns we have heading into the New Year." Initially, the pairing with Nature's Bakery was a natural fit for Patrick because she heavily promotes a healthy lifestyle and clean eating. She has started a fitness program that will be turned into a book, has launched an active-wear clothing line and uses her social media channels to encourage fans with recipes and workouts. Patrick has also promoted Nature's Bakery on social media, and has claimed she ate the fig bars before she was partnered with the company. But, according to the lawsuit, Nature's Bakery took issue with Patrick using Instagram to promote Six Star Pro Nutrition Protein Powder, Purely Inspired Protein, home-made energy balls, a homemade spinach smoothie and various other home cooked meals ranging from ice cream to grilled cheese. SHR maintains none of those products is in competition with fig bars or brownies, and that Nature's Bakery "liked" most of the Instagram posts. An exhibit filed with the suit includes numerous Patrick photos from Instagram that show Nature's Bakery had "liked" the post. "By "liking" Danica Patrick's various posts regarding protein powder and homemade food items, Nature's Bakery's public endorsement of those posts was open for the entire world to see," the suit alleges. SHR claimed Nature's Bakery never complained about the Instagram posts until it began missing payments and accused Patrick to be in breach of contract. Patrick has 154 starts at NASCAR's top level, with six career top-10 finishes. She won the pole for the Daytona 500 in 2013, and finished 24th in the standings the last two seasons. She led a career-high 30 laps last year. She's twice led laps in the Indianapolis 500, finished a career-best third in that race in 2011, and won her only IndyCar race in 2008, in Japan. Did you miss the Ford Bronco at this years Detroit Auto Show? So did we. As it turns out, quite a few of the heavy-hitting names expected to make a splash were absent from the 2017 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). While the show lacked the world-shaking debuts that car enthusiasts crave, there was at least a glimmer of hope. Interviews with Big Three execs confirmed that several classic American nameplates would be making a comeback. Hopefully, upcoming auto shows will provide a glimpse of things to come, but for now, following are our top five classic nameplates returning to showrooms near you: Ford Ranger Fords plucky compact pickup will return, but this time its bulked up to compete in the mid-size segment against GMs Colorado and Canyon. United Auto Workers (UAW) Union Chairman Bill Johnson initially hinted at the news in an interview with the Detroit Free Press and Ford recently confirmed it at the 2017 NAIAS. Fords President of The Americas Joe Hinrichs said, Weve heard our customers loud and clear. They want a new generation of vehicles that are incredibly capable yet fun to drive. The new Ranger will debut in the U.S. as a 2019 model. Strangely enough, North America is one of the few markets where Fords small truck isnt already available. The rest of the world enjoyed access even after it left our dealerships back in 2012. Throughout its 28 year production run, over seven million pickups were produced, meaning that even the first-year 1983 models havent yet reached full collectable status. However, for many of us there is some nostalgia surrounding the Ranger. It sure seemed as though one fourth of my high schools student body drove one of these little trucks. Regardless, another entry into the mid-size pickup fray is always welcome as options remain very limited in this market space. Jeep Wrangler Pickup It may seem like a short time ago, but the last time you could walk into a dealership and order a brand new Jeep-based pickup, George H.W. Bush was completing his single presidential term. Fiat-Chrysler aims to remedy this by investing $1 billion into its Warren, Mich., and Toledo, Ohio, plants. Confirmed by FCA at this years NAIAS, one of the vehicles produced at the upgraded facility will be a pickup truck version of the Jeep Wrangler. Company CEO Sergio Marchionne said, The expansion of our Jeep lineup has been and continues to be the key pillar of our strategy. Although its unknown if itll wear the familiar Comanche badge, were still including it on our list because the idea alone is a classic one. And if the growing market for vintage Jeeps is any indication, this pickup could end up a collectible down the road as well. All thats left at this point is developing a brand new 4.0-liter inline-6 and the Jeep faithful should line up in droves for the rebirth of this utility focused 4X4. Chevy Corvette ZR1 In late December, a GM dealer bulletin containing options for Corvettes 2018 model year was leaked to the internet. Besides the usual paint colors and trim levels, the document contained information hinting at the LT5 powerplants return. Additionally, it will also feature a double overhead-cam setup as opposed to the Chevy Small Blocks customary overhead valve setup, used since its inception. For those not up to speed on Corvette history, the LT5 engine designation has traditionally been associated with Chevrolets King of the Hill, the fourth generation Corvette ZR-1. The Lotus-designed 1990s iteration of this engine shares the twin-cam bloodline, but measures in at 5.7 liters as opposed to the new versions 6.2-liter displacement. Does this signal the return of ZR1 for the C7 generation? There is no official word from GM, but if this document along with numerous spy shots of a camouflaged Vette fitted with an ironing-board-sized wing is any indication, the forecast appears positive. Jeep Grand Wagoneer This years Detroit show provided official confirmation of not only a Jeep pickups return, but also the Grand Wagoneers. When initially released in 1984, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer was positioned as the top-of-the-line trim package for those looking for power, style and rugged capability think Hugh Jackman in a three piece suit. This new model looks to mimic the originals formula, but pricing will be considerably higher than its $30,000 MSRP when production ended in 1991. Fiat-Chrysler has big plans for this newly revived model, namely positioning it as a Cadillac Escalade rival. Reportedly, it could be priced as high as $100,000 to compete in the segment. This all makes sense in the grand scheme of things as company CEO Marchionne has discussed his desire to internationalize the Jeep brand. A high-end SUV such as this could give Jeep the momentum needed to break into foreign markets. Will it sell? Probably. But more importantly, will it have the requisite fake-wood body cladding? Well have to wait and see. Ford Bronco Broncos are big news right now. As the supply of clean, unmodified 4x4s dwindles, collectors are quickly snatching up examples with solid, rust-free bodies. Supply and demand obviously plays a role in the collector market and, accordingly, Hagerty has watched prices on Good condition first-generation Broncos increase by about 25 percent within the past three years. Ford is completely aware of this phenomenon, hence their goal of beginning production by 2020. Company CTO Raj Nair also provided an idea of its dimensions: This new Bronco will be based off the Ranger platform and so its going to be a similarly sized vehicle to what you see in the Ranger. Die-hard fans have been begging the blue oval to release an updated version ever since its quiet demise in 1996. Heres hoping that Ford delivers on its promise to provide a capable, body-on-frame off-roader. If engineers behind the recent Ford GT, Mustang GT350R and Raptor have anything to do with it, then the new Bronco should be in very capable hands. MORE CLASSIC CAR STORIES FROM HAGERTY I've been thinking a lot about this quote from President Lincoln. We are not enemies. We are all Americans. pic.twitter.com/3bUlXGyAew Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) November 10, 2016 Arnold Schwarzenegger isnt backing down from his public feud with President Donald Trump. The 69-year-old former California governor and current host of The Celebrity Apprentice responded to Trumps tweets last month about the reality shows low ratings. I said, Lets sit on it for an hour, said Schwarzenegger to Men's Journal. I called my assistant and said, I think what we really should do is request a meeting a go back to New York. And then we just smash his face into the table. And then I think, We cant do that, either. I think I have to be above all of that and put him on the spot, he added. Schwarzenegger also took to Twitter and posted a video where he challenged Trump to work for all of the American people as aggressively as you worked for your ratings. Please study this quote from Lincoln's inaugural, @realDonaldTrump. It inspired me every day I was Governor, and I hope it inspires you. pic.twitter.com/QRoOFTZfQ9 Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) January 6, 2017 I think people really reacted well to that response, Schwarzenegger told the magazine of his video. I sound more presidential and more diplomatic and more elder-statesman thats exactly the way Donald should be. Last week, Trump said "The Apprentice" has been a "total disaster" since the Austrian-born took over. Trump said during the National Prayer Breakfast that we should pray for a rise in ratings. Schwarzenegger fired back, suggesting he and Trump should switch jobs so people can finally sleep comfortably again. On Friday, Trump tweeted Schwarzenegger did a really bad job as governor of California and is even worse as the host of The Apprentice. For the purveyors of the most famous erotic film franchise in history, the bosses behind "Fifty Shades Darker"are oddly prudish. The Sun reports that execs at Universal Pictures have banned the cast from making sexual and graphic references in their promo interviews. The BDSM films stars including Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson have been forbidden from any kinky talk and forced to push the romantic elements of the movie instead. Oscar-winner Marcia Gay Harden, who plays the mother of Jamies character Christian Grey, let slip the stuffy stipulations after landing herself in trouble for jokingly tweeting about sex toys. In a new, thankfully unfiltered interview, Marcia said: We cant talk too much about nipple clamps. I used to send out some naughty little tweets, along the lines of this sweater clasp and I was told by Universal that I couldnt do it anymore, but Ill tell you one anyway. Im a good girl, I fell in line. Because its supposed to be more about the romance. Maybe I went too far I dont know. I sent out a picture of a sex toy and I was like, Dear Christian, thank you so much for that lovely bracelet under the Christmas tree. Perhaps it wasnt meant for me. Oh well, so pretty." And all the fans would write back, No that wasnt for you Mama Grey, oh no. That was a lot of fun but it was shut down. It is a love story after all I dont think they want us being too overtly sexual in interviews. The Sun reported last week how the sequel to "Fifty Shades" is far raunchier, with 15 minutes of erotic action including two bondage scenes. One graphic, X-rated moment involving a sex toy lasts almost three minutes and had members of the audience at last weeks LA premiere laughing and screaming in horror. Another explicit scene sees Dakotas character Anastasia Steele strapped to a stainless steel bondage bar with foot restraints for a love-making session in Christian Greys infamous Red Room. This article was originally published by The Sun. The 8-year-old daughter of Jamie Lynn Spears is reportedly in critical but stable condition after suffering injuries in an ATV accident in Louisiana on Sunday. TMZ reported that Spears' daughter was underwater for several minutes after an ATV that she was riding flipped over. The girl was airlifted to a local hospital, according to the report. A rep for Jamie Lynn's big sister, the pop star Britney Spears, told Fox News, "The details the media are reporting surrounding the incident regarding Jamie Lynn's daughter Maddie are incorrect. Right now the Spears family asks that everyone respect their privacy during this time and appreciates all the prayers and support for their family." The rep did not further eloborate which facts were incorrect. The pop superstar asked fans on Twitter Monday afternoon to send prayers for her niece. Need all the wishes and prayers for my niece pic.twitter.com/lTlVQmNEh5 Britney Spears (@britneyspears) February 6, 2017 Spears' father told ET, "All I can say is pray for our baby Maddie." Jamie Lynn' s ep did not return Fox News' request for comment. Spears was 16 when she announced she was pregnant. At the time she was engaged to the father Casey Aldridge, but is now married to Jamie Watson. Fox News' Sasha Savitsky contributed to this report. Walmart has been selling its own line of "craft" beers since 2016. Since the six-and 12-can variety packs debuted, the discount retailer has been scaling the alcoholic offering and the beers are now available in 3,000 stores across 45 states. But should brews like Walmarts Cats Away IPA, After Party Pale Ale and Pack of Trouble really be considered craft? According to the Brewers Association, an American craft brewer is defined as a small, independent and traditional. 5 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT MILLER LITE How small is "small?" The Association says to be considered craft, a brewer must have an annual production of six million barrels of beer or less. To be independent, fewer than 25 percent of the brewery should be owned or controlled by an alcoholic beverage industry member that is not itself a craft brewer. And traditional means that the brewers product is mostly derived from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation. So, does Walmart, which opereates over 11,000 stores around the globe, qualify? According to a new Washington Post analysis, its debatable. The chain collaborates with a company called Trouble Brewing to brew its signature beers. But, according to the Post, "Trouble Brewing" doesn't really exist. Instead, the applicant listed on the filings with the Treasury Departments Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) is Winery Exchange, Inc. That company has since turned into WX Brands. WX Brands develops exclusive brands of wine, beer and spirits for retailers around the world, according to its website. But under the brewery address section of the TTB filings, Genesee Brewings business office in Rochester, N.Y. is listed instead. Genesee is owned by another company that brews Costa Rican lager amid other industrial brands-- i.e. they produce well over the prescribed amount that would be considered "small." FOR THE LATEST FOOD FEATURES FOLLOW FOX LIFESTYLE ON FACEBOOK Though the name "Walmart" doesn't appear anywhere on its beer cans, Walmart insists they arent trying to trick customers. We were intentional about designing a package that conveyed a look and feel youd expect of craft beer, Teresa Budd, a senior buyer for Walmarts adult beverage team, told The Post. Whether or not it passes your definition of craft, Walmart's beer has a leg up on its competition when it comes to price. The beer retails for $7.96 for a six-pack and $13.86 for the variety pack with 12 beers. Atrial fibrillation (AFib) contributes to nearly 6 million annual deaths in the United States, and standard treatments for the condition which is linked to obesity, stroke, heart disease and diabetes are only effective about 70 percent of the time. But researchers at the Ohio State University are trying to improve those numbers by studying cardiac disease in live human donor hearts and creating 3-D maps to better personalize ablation therapy, a common treatment for AFib. The atria, which refers to the two upper chambers of the heart, is responsible for moving blood into the ventricles, or the two lower chambers of the heart. Healthy hearts contract then relax into a regular beat, but during AFib, the atria beat irregularly, increasing the risk of blood clots. According to the American Heart Association, having AFib is linked with a fivefold increased risk of stroke and a twofold risk of heart-related death. It is the most common form of arrhythmia worldwide. Standard ablation therapy for AFib involves performing a CAT scan or MRI of the heart, and creating a 3-D image in a mapping system to help guide treatment. The therapy aims to target electrical activity in the organ by sending radiofrequency waves through a catheter that is inserted in the atria. Those waves are meant to target affected tissue and make a tiny scar in the heart chamber, ideally disrupting the entire source of AFib. But because the heart is a 3-D organ, current mapping methods are imprecise and directly applying treatment often requires guesswork, lead study author Vadim Fedorov, associate physiology and cell biology professor at OSU, told Fox News. Fedorov likened targeting electrical activity this way to identifying a fish in a lake simply by monitoring surface waves. If you see some waves, it might be a fish, but you dont know what kind of fish, he said. The whole point is to find the fish because the fish would be this driver of the atrial fibrillation. Current clinical imaging can detect up to 200 recordings from only one side, while the imaging technique Fedorovs team has developed conducts 40,000 recordings in 3-D in other words, through the heart and at various depths. In his research thus far, which was published recently in the European Heart Journal and Circulation, Fedorov and his colleagues are applying fluorescent dye to live human donor hearts from heart transplant recipients, and then using four highly sensitive infrared cameras to study the organs electric activity. The dye itself helps identify such activity. Researchers have 12 hours from receiving the heart to prepare the atria and make their observations. Previous animal studies have suggested there are tornado-like patterns of electrical activity called re-entrant drivers that cause AFib. The human heart model that Fedorovs team has studied confirms how this activity travels to heart tissue. Next in their research, Fedorovs team plans to better define the driver of AFib and validate their results so doctors can one day carry out more precise ablation therapy clinically hopefully, Fedorov said, in another five years. He and Dr. John Hummel, an electrophysiologist at OSU, are studying cardiac MRIs of patients who have received standard ablations to see how successful the therapies are at targeting these reentrants. Because were not to the point where we can ablate based on the high-resolution mapping done in the lab, were working it backwards, to verify if the mapping matches where we have successfully ablated, Hummel said in a news release. Often, patients who receive standard ablation therapy must undergo additional ablations. Thats especially true for individuals with persistent AFib, whose condition is thought to be unfixable. [Fedorovs] research suggests that might not be true, Hummel said in the release. For Fedorov, the potential impact of his teams research is personal. His cousin and father are among the millions of Americans who have died from sudden cardiac arrest an event that is associated with AFib. Were talking about targeted, personalized treatment based on functional and structural imaging thats our ultimate goal, Fedorov said. President Trump may have lost the early legal skirmishes over his executive order on immigration, but in the end he will likely win. The overwhelming weight of history and the law is on his side. The president does have the authority to ban the entry of foreigners, as long as he has what is called a rational basis to believe they pose a threat to the nations security. He does, and his order is designed to accomplish precisely that. The seven nations targeted by Trump in his immigration ban were originally identified in an anti-terrorism law signed by President Obama. Unlike other Muslim-majority nations that have a history of terrorism, these seven countries do not assist the U.S. in providing background checks and other vetting of immigrant applicants. Thus, it is not only rational to deny entry, it is imperative for the safety of Americans. The U.S. does not have the resources to properly vet all these individuals on its own. Shortly after the executive order was put in place, several federal court judges issued temporary restraining orders. Most of those TROs halted the detention and deportation of foreigners who had already been issued legal immigration visas. Many had already arrived in the U.S. But that is a very small part of the presidents order. The merits of those TROs, not to mention the presidents order itself, have yet to be fully litigated. The judicial rulings were issued ex parte. That is, only one side was represented in court. The Trump administration lawyers havent even been given a chance to appear in court to say, good morning, your honor. All of that may change once both sides are represented in court. The Washington State Case The ruling in Seattle by U.S. District Court Judge James Robart was different and far more expansive. He issued a temporary hold on the immigration ban nationwide. Lawyers at the Department of Justice appealed to the 9th Circuit which refused to overturn Judge Robarts ruling, although further briefs have been filed. Thereafter, the 9th Circuit could revisit its decision. It is no surprise that the 9th Circuit got it wrong. It is the most overturned appellate court in the nation. Theres a joke among California lawyers: if you lose your case in the 9th Circuit, youre assured of winning it before the Supreme Court. Get the picture? Nevertheless, the Seattle ruling is the case to watch, in part because Washington became the first state to sue. Take a look at judge Robarts decision. It is largely devoid of any legal reasoning or sound analysis. Its brevity is exceeded only by its lack of logic as applied to the law. Absence of Standing to Sue Washington State does not have standing to sue on behalf of its residents because they have suffered no "actual harm" from Trump's order. In order to sustain a lawsuit, the plaintiffs must demonstrate their alleged injury is direct and real, not merely hypothetical. The harm must be imminent and irreparable, not speculative. So how have Washington residents been harmed? Lawyers for the state suggest their economy will be adversely impacted because the ban may prevent immigrants from working for Washington-based companies. Taxes might be reduced and its education system could be affected. However, all of that is pure conjecture. It might happen, but it might not. Hence, it does not constitute immediate actual harm. On that basis alone, the lawsuit should be dismissed. Foreigners Do Not Enjoy Constitutional Rights The vast majority of people affected by President Trumps executive order are people who do not have legally valid immigration visas but are seeking entry to the United States by undertaking the lengthy application process. We are talking about hundreds of thousands of people. The claim by Washington State that the immigration ban violates the First Amendment (freedom of religion) or the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments (equal protection clause) may seem, at first blush, like a reasonable argument. Until you consider that our Constitution applies only to citizens and those on American soil. A man in Somalia may wish to invoke our Constitution to claim his freedom of religion is being infringed, but until he arrives here he enjoys none of its privileges and protections. He has no right to assert discrimination, religious or otherwise. And the state of Washington has no legal right to represent him in court. It can only represent its own residents. The President Has Authority to Dictate Immigration Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution gives Congress the power to regulate immigration. In 1952, Congress passed a law empowering the president to deny entry into the U.S. to any class of aliens considered to be detrimental to the interests of the United States. In other words, a threat to America and in the interests of national security. As I pointed out in a recent column, the Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that Congress and the president have plenary power to regulate immigration. For more than a century, the high court has consistently upheld such authority and rejected constitutional challenges to presidential action banning entire groups of foreigners. Even the 9th Circuit has endorsed this legal principle. Past presidents, including Carter and Obama, have issued orders similar to Trumps. It is true that a subsequent 1965 immigration law prohibits discrimination based on race, sex, nationality, place of birth or place of residence. But that law says nothing about religion. And, more importantly, it applies only to the issuance of visas. The presidents authority to deny entry to a large class of aliens is a broader power which supersedes individual visa considerations. Trumps Executive Order Is Temporary Lost in all the legal tumult is the fact that President Trumps executive order is only temporary: It applies for just 90 days for people in the seven designated countries that are sources of terrorism and 120 days for refugees. (The Syrian ban is indefinite, but that could change, too.) By the time each side has had the opportunity to fully litigate the merits of the various cases and undertaken the usual course of appeals, the executive order will likely have expired. That may render most of the cases moot. Absent a legal controversy, there would be nothing for judges to resolve. The petitions and lawsuits would probably be dismissed. For now, however, the Seattle case may head to a hearing before the full complement of judges on the 9th Circuit Court, known as an en banc session. Or, the Department of Justice may seek an emergency application to the U.S. Supreme Court. The latter action might be imprudent, since the current court has only eight sitting justices. A 4-4 tie would allow the 9th Circuits decision to stand. It would make more sense to wait for the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to cast the ninth, and perhaps deciding, vote. Given the great weight of the law in favor of the president, the decision should be unanimous. But why take the chance? Unwise To Attack a Federal Judge True to form, President Trump launched a Twitter attack on Judge Robarts decision, calling him a so-called judge who issued a ridiculous decision. I agree, the decision is ridiculous to the extent it is based on scant legal analysis and completely contravenes long established law. Nevertheless, it is unwise and counterproductive to personally insult or demean a judge by questioning his legitimacy. Judges tend to be a collegial group. An attack on one may be viewed as an attack on all. Why create an underlying reason in the minds of appellate judges to find a way to support one of their brethren? A better strategy would be to compliment the Boston judge who affirmed Mr. Trumps executive order. In a 21 page decision issued on February 3, Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton eloquently explains the power of the president embedded in sturdy constitutional principles. It is a thoughtful and comprehensive treatise on how our laws and the courts have spoken in unison on immigration authority. If any of these immigration cases ever reach the Supreme Court, Judge Gortons opinion may be the foundation for their decision. Electricity consumption in Ukraine in January 2017, taking into account losses in electricity transmission, grew by 1.8% or 263.4 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) year-on-year, to 14.913 billion kWh, the Energy and Coal Industry Ministry has told Interfax-Ukraine. Electricity consumption, not including losses, over the period rose by 6.7% or 738.2 million kWh, to 11.793 billion kWh. Industry in Ukraine over the period under review increased electricity consumption by 9.9%, to 4.544 billion kWh, including a 9.8% rise in consumption by the metallurgical industry, to 2.568 billion kWh, a 2.5% rise by the fuel sector, to 339.6 million kWh, a 14.8% rise by engineering sector, to 405 million kWh, a 25.3% decline in consumption by the chemical and petroleum industry, to 214.4 million kWh, a 20.5% rise in consumption by food and processing industry, to 382.5 million kWh, a 45.4% rise in consumption by the construction materials sector, to 187.2 million kWh and a 18.1% rise for other industries, to 447.6 million. Agricultural companies consumed 326.2 million kWh (a rise of 13.8% year-over-year, transport companies 691.2 million kWh (a rise of 8.5%) and construction companies 90.3 million kWh (a rise of 14.1%). There was a 1% rise in consumption by households, to 3.898 billion kWh. The share of industry in total electricity consumption grew from 37.4% in January 2016 to 38.5%, and the share of households fell from 34.9% to 33.1%. President Donald J. Trump has once again shown his remarkable expertise at finding and hiring strong people. His nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court on Tuesday was a brilliant move on multiple levels. First, Judge Gorsuch is an eminently skilled jurist who has brought a decade of intelligence, decorum, and wisdom to the 10th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Colorado. While Justice Antonin Scalia is certainly irreplaceable, Gorsuch will do an excellent job filling Justice Scalias seat. It would be difficult to reasonably question his judicial credentials. Gorsuch attended Columbia University, is a graduate of Harvard Law, is a Marshall Scholar at Oxford University, and was unanimously confirmed to his current judgeship by the Senate in 2006. This brings us to the second reason why Gorsuch was a brilliant pick: His confirmation will be difficult for Democrats to oppose. Since Trump was elected, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has said Senate Democrats would oppose any nominee who wasnt mainstream. The propaganda medias own Rachael Maddow already acknowledged on MSNBC that Gorsuch is a mainstream nominee. So, immediately after the nomination, Schumer conveniently expanded his mainstream requirement to someone who will remain independent on the bench, preserve the rights of Americans, and stand up to the president. According to one of President Obamas former Department of Justice appointees, Gorsuch meets those requirements, as well. In a column in the New York Times written the day Gorsuch was nominated, former Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal, who was appointed by Obama to fill the vacancy left when Justice Elena Kagan joined the bench, called him, an extraordinary judge and man. I have no doubt that if confirmed, Judge Gorsuch would help to restore confidence in the rule of law. His years on the bench reveal a commitment to judicial independence a record that should give the American people confidence that he will not compromise principle to favor the president who appointed him, Katyal wrote. Gorsuch is a widely respected, independent minded judges judge. How will Schumer continue to say no? Third, the timing and manner of Gorsuchs nomination was perfectly Trumpian. In the last weekend of January, the media was in a total frenzy over President Trumps executive order to impose a 90-day U.S. travel ban on people from seven nations pending a security review. This list of nations had been identified as dangerous by the Obama administration. Still, the propagandists in the media immediately labeled the order a ban on Muslims. It simply is not a Muslim ban. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world. The next largest Muslim populations are in Pakistan and India. These countries are not on the list nor are any of the other large Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East. Trump understands the media better than any politician in modern history. He knows the media needs rabbits to chase, or they will make their own rabbits. They were chasing an immigration rabbit to his disadvantage. So instead of letting the needless furor continue, Trump announced he would move his Supreme Court nomination up two days. As Trump knew they would, the media immediately chased the new rabbit. Judge Gorsuch is a superb nominee who Im confident would have made Justice Scalia proud. And Democrats in the Senate who unanimously confirmed him to the federal bench in 2006 presumably agreed. That list includes Senator Schumer, former Senators Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, among others. He will be approved by the Senate. The strategists inside Hillary Clintons Brooklyn campaign headquarters believed that demography was destiny and that a mythical ascendant majority of African-Americans, Hispanics, single women and millennials would elect their boss president of the United States. In mapping out their strategies based on data analytics and computer modeling, the Clinton campaign strategists ignored---even held contempt for---people of faith. This dismissal of evangelicals and faithful Roman Catholics as part of a "basket of deplorables" proved to be a fatal mistake. Indeed, people of faith ultimately fueled the Trump victory. According to exit polls, evangelical voters comprised 26 percent of the electorate in 2016, and they supported Donald Trump by a margin of 81 percent to 16 percent. Among the 33 percent of voters who self-identified as conservative Christians, they voted for Donald Trump by a margin of 78 percent to 15 percent over Hillary Clinton. Even more than the gender gap, Democrats have a "faith gap" causing such estrangement from religious voters that it is putting large swaths of the country out of their reach. Republicans now control the governorships and state legislative chambers in 25 states. The GOP governing majority is so broad that a person could drive from Florida to Idaho and not transverse a single state where Democrats are in power. Yet it appears Democratic elites are committed to continue their losing War on Religion that is driving more voters away from their candidates. In recent weeks, there have been scores of stories planted by teachers union apparatchiks that smear Betsy DeVos, President Trumps nominee to be secretary of education, for her deeply held religious beliefs and for her support for allowing children in underperforming public schools to attend religious schools that infuse religion and moral values into classroom instruction. If the Democrats continue to ratchet up this line of attack during the confirmation process for Mrs. DeVos, they will further alienate people of faith and create a big opening for the Trump administration to make inroads with voters of faith, including African-Americans and Hispanics. This would create a permanent shift in American politics that could solidify the Democrats status as Americas minority party for a generation or more. The biggest victims of the failures of traditional public education and the dominance of teachers unions over K-12 education policy are minority children trapped in failing public schools. The wealthy and elites have the power to send their children to private schools. It is telling that the past two Democratic presidents sent their children to private schools as opposed to the underperforming public schools in Washington, DC. Why shouldnt poor black kids in D.C. or Hispanic children in Los Angeles have the same access to higher performing private schools? The liberal smear campaign against Mrs. DeVos' religious faith is despicable. The left-wing magazine "Mother Jones" headlined one hit job "Betsy DeVos Wants to Use America's Schools. To Build God's Kingdom." Nonsense. Mrs. DeVos simply wants to insure that every child in America has a civil right to a quality education. She is a convincing and passionate advocate for the cause of school choice and greater parental control over how and where their children are educated. In her worldview, education dollars should follow the student to the best available school whether it be a traditional public school, charter school or private school. In fighting for the rights of parents, DeVos and Trump will be taking the side of minority parents who are demanding better schools for their children. In urban school districts, the demand for school choice is high. For example, in Chicago, more than 70 percent of high school students attend schools of choice. In New York City, 44,000 kids are on waiting lists to get into charter schools. In opposing Mrs. DeVos for being a Christian who supports providing children with access to private and charter schools, the Democrats are doubling down on a failed strategy of demonizing people of faith. This is a losing argument on the merits, and it will only further drive evangelicals and faithful Roman Catholics further away. This is a warning that Democrat Senators in red-state fly-over country such as Joe Manchin, Heidi Heitkamp, Claire McKaskill, and Joe Donnelly would be wise to heed. President Trump on Saturday denounced the leaks of transcripts of his telephone conversations with leaders of Australia and Mexico as disgraceful and said his administration was searching very, very hard for the leakers. Trump, speaking to Fox News, accused Obama people of giving news organizations embarrassing details of his recent tense phone conversations with his Australian and Mexican counterparts, and said that the holdovers from the Obama administration still serving on his White House and National Security Council staff were being replaced. Its a disgrace that they leaked because its very much against our country, Trump said, without stating why he believed that career civil servants who work in Democratic and Republican administrations were the source of the leaks. Its a very dangerous thing for this country, he said. Trump said that media reports of what appeared to be angry exchanges between him and the two foreign leaders had been mischaracterized, and insisted that he had positive relations with both countries and their leaders. Meanwhile, hours before a federal judge in San Francisco turned down the Trump administrations request to reinstate travel restrictions on refugees and foreign travelers, President Trump defended his administrations travel ban, saying the temporary halt was needed while the administration reviewed vetting procedures to prevent people with bad intentions from entering the country. I just want a safe country, and you cant have a safe country with open and weak bordersyou cant, he said. Trump said that the FBI had informed him that the bureau had 1,000 investigations ongoing into potential terrorist threats and lacked sufficient manpower to pursue them all. Finally, he disputed press reports which characterized the sanctions he imposed last week on Iran as weak and ineffective. He said that punishing Tehran for violating United Nations Security Council restrictions on ballistic missile testing was the right thing to do, and argued that the sanctions were already beginning to constrain Iranian aggression. Iran, he said, was trying to undermine and destabilize U.S. allies by exporting sensitive technology to countries around the world and that such aggressive conduct had to be countered. The sanctions were already working, he asserted. Have you noticed theyve been very quiet in the last two days? Trump made these and other comments in a conversation with three journalists whom he had invited to join him after the 60th annual International Red Cross ball, a fundraiser for the charity that was held this year at his club, Mar-a-Lago. In his first trip back to his home in Palm Beach since becoming president, Trump answered several questions on wide-ranging topics from this reporter, Christopher Ruddy, founder and chief of Newsmax Media, and Melanie Dickinson, president and publisher of the South Florida Business Journal, an online and print business publication. Trump and his wife Melania lingered on after the ball to mix with admirers and some of the estimated 800 Red Cross supporters attending the black-tie event at Mar-a-lago, which has become known as The Winter White House. While wealthy supporters of the charity rubbed shoulders with one another and clustered around the table occupied by Trump and his wife, eager to congratulate him and take photos with First Couple, some 4,000 people turned out for an anti-Trump march in West Palm Beach. Hundreds of protesters made their way from Trump Tower in West Palm Beach to a staging area near Palm Beach on Bingham Island, and then to the entrance of the exclusive club, where they shouted anti-Trump slogans and yelled chants against the new administrations policies. Many of the protesters, most of whom were peaceful, carried placards criticizing Trump, his immigration and other policies, and several of his wealthy Cabinet nominees. The protest was among the largest, if not the largest, in recent Palm Beach county history. Inside the huge ornate ballroom, Trump seemed particularly insistent on disputing the notion that his travel restrictions now being challenged by several courts were unpopular. Theyre very popular, he insisted. But, he added, he would have imposed them whether or not Americans approved of them. Im not doing it for popularity. Im doing it because our country is like a sieve for people coming in, he said. He said that he had learned in his meetings with FBI officials that the bureau was having a difficult time staffing the more than 1,000 investigations it was conducting into potential threats to the country. Theres no manpower to do them. Calls to FBI headquarters regarding the number of ongoing terror investigations were not returned on this Super Bowl Sunday. But last summer, James Comey, the FBI director, testified that the bureau had about 1,000 open terror-related investigations in 2016 and at least one in all of the 50 states. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., who follows counter-terrorism efforts closely, confirmed that senior FBI officials have spoken of nearly 1,000 ongoing investigations. John Pistole, the former FBI deputy director, told Fox News last summer that the FBI lacked the resources and legal authority to maintain investigations on everybody they talk to, he said. The FBI had perpetrators of the terror attacks carried out in Orlando, San Bernardino, and Boston under surveillance for a time, but closed out their inquiries before the attacks. Trump said Saturday night that many Americans did not realize the danger posed by Americas open borders and insufficient vetting. You dont realize it, he said. However, groups helping asylum seekers, refugees, and other civil and human rights groups point out that no Americans have been killed in domestic terror attacks by asylum seekers and refugees from the seven Middle Eastern countries with majority Muslim populations who would be barred from entering the U.S. for 120 days while the administration reviews its immigration and vetting policies. Under Trumps executive order, refugees from Syria would be permanently barred, exclusions whose legality several civil rights and civil liberties experts and groups have challenged. They also argue that political refugees are already among the most heavily vetted of all immigrants. Im doing this because our country is like a sieve for people coming in, Trump said. One former CIA official said that while the administrations implementation of its executive order was clumsy, the concerns behind it are real. But the constitutionality of the executive order seems headed for a Supreme Court challenge. The FBI also did not return calls for comment Sunday on whether it was conducting an investigation into the leaking of transcripts of the president's telephone calls with foreign leaders. While White House press spokesman Sean Spicer recently said that the president had asked his team to to look into this because those are very serious implications," Trump had not previously discussed his own view of the embarrassing leaks. His comments Saturday underscored his concern about what has become widespread early on in his administration the unauthorized distribution of material highlighting numerous exaggerations and false statements by him and senior members of his White House and other incidents that seem to reflect incompetence or inexperience. Trump seemed particularly anxious to reinforce his spokesmans descriptions of his conversations with the leaders of Australia and Mexico as candid," but respectful. Spicer noted that both leaders have disputed some of the details as reported. Based on the transcripts, the Washington Post and several media outlets, for instance, reported that Trump hung up on Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after an angry discussion of a refugee swap negotiated by former President Obama. In a recent interview, Turnbull called his discussion with Trump frank but said that Trump had agreed to abide by the refugee swap negotiated by former President Barack Obama. In one interview, he said it had been a "good week" for Australia. In an earlier call with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Trump apparently threatened to send the U.S. military to Mexico to stop drug cartels -- according to a transcript published by a Mexican news organization and the Associated Press. The White House later said the comments were intended to be lighthearted. A Cuban artist who courted controversy with a magazine cover depicting President Donald Trump as a terrorist holding the Statue of Libertys severed head has been considerably softer on his countrys sibling dictators, a fellow artist who has done time in Havanas jails for his own political satire told Fox News. Danilo Maldonado said he wonders why Edel Rodriguez, who has lived in the United States since he fled Cuba with his family in the 1980 Mariel boatlift, has not produced works about Fidel and Raul Castro that are as explosive and damning as the one that he did of Trump for the German magazine Der Spiegel. But Maldonado, who is famous internationally for works of art that take aim at the Communist regime and human rights violations, says that as someone who constantly pushes boundaries through his own creations, he defends Rodriguezs right to artistic expression. Artistic freedom must always be protected, said Maldonado, An artist must be able to express his feelings, his perspective. Everyone, artists and people who are not artists, should have freedom of expression. Maldonado has paid the price for his own artistic expression. Cuban authorities jailed him for nearly two months for spray painting Hes gone the day after Fidel Castro died in late November. His friends and relatives said that the regime viewed the message as celebratory and disrespectful. Maldonado was released on Jan. 21 and was never charged. He said he was moved to six different jails and beat up several times. He plans to testify about human rights violations before the U.S. Senate foreign affairs committee on Feb. 16, and at the Geneva human rights convention on Feb. 21. Rodriguez's illustration of Trump for the German magazine generated debate on Twitter and in German and international media, with Alexander Graf Lamsdorff, a member of the nation's Free Democrats and vice president of the European Parliament labeling it "tasteless," according to Reuters. At the moment, Maldonado is visiting his girlfriend in Miami as he prepares for an exhibit of his work in San Francisco. Maldonado, whose nickname is El Sexto, plans to return to Cuba, despite the harassment he says he faces and the various times he has been jailed for art deemed counter-revolutionary. I do not denounce people who have decided to leave, Maldonado said, but I feel I must stay, and the more people who stay instead of flee the more pressure on the dictatorship. Its the thugs who have an entire population held hostage who should leave Cuba, not the people they are oppressing. That is why, Maldonado said, he is not against the end of the wet-foot-dry-foot policy that allowed Cubans reaching U.S. shores to remain here. Former President Barack Obama ended the policy in his last week in office. If people dont have an escape valve, perhaps they will feel more urgency and determination to stand up to the dictatorship and push back, he said. President Trump could come under new pressure to lift the curtain on secret elements of the Iran nuclear deal struck by his predecessor, especially as the Islamic Republic continues its war of words with his administration. Only days after the Iran nuclear deal was announced in July of 2015, news began to leak out about secret side agreements made between the Islamic Republic and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Some of those agreements have been subsequently released, but with the tension ratcheting up between Iran and Trump, who has criticized the deal, the White House could reveal more details. Iran has been formally PUT ON NOTICE for firing a ballistic missile. Should have been thankful for the terrible deal the U.S. made with them! Trump tweeted last week, quickly adding: Iran was on its last legs and ready to collapse until the U.S. came along and gave it a life-line in the form of the Iran Deal: $150 billion. Talk of secret "side agreements" involving Iran's past testing and inspection methods began almost as soon as the deal was reached. President Obamas national security adviser Susan Rice acknowledged that the documents between Iran and the IAEA were not public, but said Obama administration was informed of their contents and planned to share the details with Congress in a classified briefing. Since then, however, a number of other alleged side deals have come to light and many Republicans in Congress including former Kansas congressman and President Trumps current CIA director Mike Pompeo - continued to demand that the full context of the deal with Iran is revealed, especially following the countrys recent failed ballistic missile test. The fact that there are side deals to begin with is a problem, Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior Iran analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News. The deal was sold to us as transparent and that hasnt been the case. PJMedia columnist Roger Simon, in an article that was picked up by numerous conservative blogs, called for a full airing of the nuclear deal. "The time is long since past for the complete details of this quondam deal to be released," read the column. The agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), forced Iran to halt its enrichment of uranium, a material that can be used in nuclear weapons and in exchange received widespread relief from U.S. and international sanctions that had crippled the Iranian economy. One of the contentious issues brought up in the side deals is Irans claim that they can develop ballistic missiles with a range of 2,000 kilometers and that the tests are legitimate because they are not designed to carry a nuclear warhead. We will follow two restrictions: The first is mentioned in the JCPOA, in the matter of no nuclear planning, and the second is the range of 2,000 km, which has already been noted previously by all elements in Iran," Iranian Army chief of staff Hassan Firouzabadi told local media back in 2015. Officials from the U.S. and other Western nations contend that Tehran agreed two years ago to an eight-year extension of a ban on ballistic work during the nuclear negotiations. That agreement was codified in a U.N. Security Council resolution passed in parallel, but independently from the nuclear accord. Besides the ballistic missile tests, there have also been a number of side deals revealed since the nuclear deal was announced a year and a half ago. The Wall Street Journal reported last fall that Washington paid a $1.7 billion ransom for U.S. hostages held in Iran and agreed to lift UN sanctions on two major Tehran banks. The Obama administration also agreed to lift sanctions on Air Iran that were first imposed when it was revealed that the airline was ferrying weapons and supplies for the countrys Revolutionary Guard. Another side deal with the IAEA relaxed key restrictions on Irans nuclear program in a decade, rather than the original 15 years agreed upon, and also gave the country the right to collect its own soil samples, instead of IAEA inspectors, at the Parchin military base. On the campaign trail last year, Trump pledged to be tough on Iran and openly criticized the Iran deal as bad for the U.S. While his administration last week ordered sanctions against more than two dozen people and companies in retaliation for Iran's recent ballistic missile test, the new sanctions represent a continuation of the Obama administration's limited punishment for Iran's ballistic missile activity and avoid a direct showdown with Tehran over the nuclear deal itself. The sanction targets were drawn up before Obama left office as Trump press secretary Sean Spicer noted - and don't affect Iran Air, a big Iranian bank or any major government entity, making it unclear how effective they'll prove as deterrents. Still analysts and conservative lawmakers, like Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Corker of Tennessee, believe that Trumps sterner approach to U.S.-Iranian relations puts the country in a good position when it comes to renegotiating the terms of the deal with Iran. Trump spoke on Sunday with King Salman of Saudi Arabia and the White House said the two leaders. "agreed on the importance of rigorously enforcing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran and of addressing Irans destabilizing regional activities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would bring up the Iran issue with Trump when the two leaders meet next week. The new administration is in a good position to call for Iran and the IAEA to release all the documents, Ben Taleblu said. If Trump wants to renegotiate the deal, he can really hold Irans feet to the fire by vigorously enforcing of the existing agreement. Teachers unions, advocacy groups and others are jamming Senate phone lines, funding TV ads and rallying on the ground to stop Betsy DeVos from becoming President Trumps secretary of Education. But their efforts, at least for now, appear to be coming up one vote short. With her final Senate confirmation vote set for Tuesday at noon, the chamber still seems locked in a 50-50 split on the nomination. If that happens, Vice President Pence is expected to cast a historic, tie-breaking vote to confirm her. This scenario has DeVos' critics going into overdrive in a bid to peel off one more Republican to vote nay. We are trying to do everything we can to persuade just one more Republican to join us, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said Monday. Double down on your advocacy. Shes spent her career trying to destroy public schools. The Democrats' appeals come after GOP Sens. Susan Collins, of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, announced their opposition last week to DeVos, the school choice advocate and wealthy Michigan political donor. Presuming all 48 Democratic senators oppose DeVos, this brings the tally to 50-50. Several of the major groups rallying against DeVos, including the American Federation of Teachers union, declined on Monday to name which of the remaining Republican senators they are targeting. Senate Democrats acknowledged the challenge ahead, as they took the floor Monday planning an all-night session of speeches railing against her nomination. While teachers unions and others say DeVos support for voucher programs and other school-choice efforts will hurt public education, backers say her plans will provide more opportunities to families and an alternative to public schools, which in some parts of the country are showing little progress improving student proficiency in core subjects. Pence, speaking on "Fox News Sunday," predicted victory for their nominee. "We are very confident that Betsy DeVos is going to be the secretary of Education," he said. "It would be my high honor to cast the deciding tie-breaking vote on the floor of the Senate." Among the names mentioned early as potential targets to flip were GOP Sens. Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania; Deb Fischer, Nebraska; and Rand Paul, Kentucky. All of them, however, have publicly backed DeVos. If you are a Republican senator who is going to vote against DeVos, you would have needed to make that clear well in advance, David Payne, a Republican strategist and partner at Vox Global, said Monday. No way would somebody do that on the Senate floor. That would be a massive embarrassment. Not going to happen. Among the other major groups trying to fight the nomination are End Citizens United and Every Voice, whose strategy is largely focused on trying to get senators who have received DeVos campaign donations to recuse themselves from voting. Were continuing to cast a wide net with our work to pressure senators with donations from the DeVos family to avoid any conflicts of interest, Laura Friedenbach told Fox News on Monday. To be sure, members of Congress have reported a high volume of calls since Trump, a Republican, was elected in November. We are seeing a heavier-than-normal amount of constituent calls, Collins spokeswoman Annie Clark told Fox News on Monday. However, Clark, like other Capitol Hill aides, have made clear that the calls are for a variety of constituent concerns, including the future of ObamaCare and Cabinet nominations beyond DeVos, and that many are from out-of-state voters. Clark also said an extremely high volume of calls have come from out of state. Friedenbach also made clear that Every Voices efforts to expose money in politics and the critique of DeVos will continue even if she becomes Education secretary. The after-effects of the widespread public backlash to her nomination will linger, she said. People are tired of a government that works best for the wealthiest among us. Rewarding a big donor with a Cabinet position will only add fuel to the fire. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said Monday: Were seeing a massive wave of opposition to Betsy DeVos. ... Weve never seen someone tapped for this job who is so ill informed and who would give such preferential treatment to for-profit schools, vouchers and other strategies that actively drain funding from public schools. Some federal employees are gearing up for a cyber-battle against President Trump, and they are creating a hidden messaging system to elude detection. According to POLITICO, employees of agencies that seem on the chopping block of the new administration are setting up new email addresses and turning to encrypted messaging apps to hold group conversations with other anti-Trump staffers, and to communicate with the press. Theyre also using these cloak-and-dagger methods to work on letters that take exception to Trump policies, POLITICO reported. Career employees at the State Department have amassed some 1,000 signatures on a memo that expresses condemnation of Trumps executive order that imposes a travel ban on immigrants and that puts a hold on refugee admissions from seven Muslim-majority countries deemed hotbeds of terrorist activity. Employees of other agencies, such as the Labor Department and Environmental Protection Agency, also have turned to off-the-grid messaging to urge U.S. senators to oppose Trump Cabinet nominees and warning against the presidents plans to make cuts in some agencies. Such off-grid communication can work, and stay within legal boundaries, say experts, so long as it is done during personal time and on personal equipment. It could work, but it depends on whether they are using their office computers or networks, said Jim Lewis, director of the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to Fox News. If they are, theyll be detected, even if they use encryption. If they are using private accounts or devices, it would require a warrant to find them and they arent violating any law if they stick to opinion. Lewis served as a Foreign Service officer with both the State and Commerce departments. Illegal surveillance would lead to a lawsuit against the [agency] that conducted it [and] the workers would win, Lewis added. Encryption is a problem in that it can hide communications between two people but can be a handicap if you want to share material widely. Some State Department employees see it as their civil duty to flag any policies or proposals that they believe will be detrimental to their agencys role, POLITICO said. I think we all have to look within ourselves and say Where is that line that I will not cross? one Foreign Service officer said about opposition toTrump's ban, according to POLITICO. One of the most high-profile acts of dissent occurred when Acting Attorney General Sally Yates ordered the Department of Justices lawyers not to defend the ban order in court. Trump abruptly fired her. Recently, news surfaced about a Secret Service agent who last year said in a Facebook post that she would not sacrifice her life for Donald Trump if he became president. Employees of the National Parks Service raised eyebrows when the agencys Twitter account had a retweet of photos showing crowds at Trumps and Barack Obamas inaugurations. The agency removed the retweet and described it as an error. But so-called unofficial resistance teams at the park service, EPA and NASA have been apparently using alternative accounts to take jabs at Trump and his policies. One tweet, cited by POLITICO, said: Can't wait for President Trump to call us FAKE NEWS. You can take our official twitter, but you'll never take our free time! Many of the federal workers turning to under-the-radar means of communicating are using Signal, a smartphone app that can be used to send encrypted messages. It seems Trump is going after people who oppose things that hes doing, so it makes sense that federal workers would be concerned about making their political ideas known, said Jonathan Katz, director of the Maryland Cybersecurity Center at the University of Maryland. The [Signal] app is well-designed, its secure, it would be difficult to collect widespread information from it, Katz said to Fox News. But if [the government] wants to target a specific individual, it could do that. Every day seems to bring new tragedy on Chicagos streets. Three people, including two 15-year-old boys, were murdered over the weekend, according to police, as 19 others were wounded in shootings. The bloodshed is only reviving questions of whether leaders can find a solution to the citys violent crime and whether the politics of policing is costing lives. "Politics is a cancer to good policing and we're seeing the results right now, said Chicagos former police superintendent, Garry McCarthy. I think the political landscape in this country for the last couple of years has taken us down this path and its time to recognize that what we are doing is not working. According to a comprehensive new study by the University of Chicago Crime Lab, the citys exclusive contract with the American Civil Liberties Union could be having a significant impact on Chicagos crime. This is one of the few dramatic changes where the timing does fit the increase in homicides and so it seems it would be rash to reflectively rule this out as a possibility, said Dr. Jens Ludwig, the director of the University of Chicagos Crime Lab. The agreement the city of Chicago struck with the ACLU in 2016 requires that officers fill out paperwork after every single stop, with the information to be compiled and analyzed by the ACLU. The president of the Fraternal Order of Police, Dean Angelo, says at best the ACLU contract is making officers job difficult. At worst its costing lives. Let the police do their job, Angelo said. Let the police department write its order, dont give your authorship to the ACLU because now youve hugely impacted policing as we know it to be. As the ACLU requirements were rolled out in 2016, police stops plummeted by over 80 percent, according to police. Angelo said officers feared being labeled racist or losing their job. "It's the amount of the above and beyond type of activity that officers were engaged in that we may not see at that same level ever again, Angelo said. The ACLU defends the current approach. Research compiled by the group determined over 250,000 people were stopped by police in the city of Chicago in the summer of 2014. Seventy percent of those stop and frisks were for black people and some were illegally harassed and publicly profiled, the ACLU says. "Most of us never saw this, said Karen Sheley, director of police practices at ACLU Illinois. Never saw the experiences of the black Chicagoans around stop and frisks, but it was harmful to the community." Statistics show Chicagos most violent districts largely are made up of black residents; and the majority of police stop and frisks are chronically uneven. However, the ACLU says its research indicates black residents were targeted even in majority white, affluent neighborhoods. McCarthys time as the top cop in Chicago abruptly ended in 2015, when he was fired by Democratic Mayor Rahm Emanuel after the release of the police shooting video of Laquan McDonald. McCarthy, who maintains he was thrown under the political bus, acknowledged: There are some of these videos weve seen which are beyond comprehension and I dont know what these officers were thinking. But McCarthy also was credited with reducing the citys crime to lows not seen in decades. Hovering over Chicagos latest struggles was a Department of Justice investigation into the Chicago Police Department that painted the department as racist and in need of better training and oversight. McCarthy claims the DOJ report was politically motivated and says hes frustrated that former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said he was unavailable to discuss the investigation into the department that he ran for years. "When I saw Loretta Lynch say that I was unavailable -- it's disgust, that's probably the best way to put it," he said. The Trump administration has not commented on whether it will enforce the DOJ report put out under the Obama administration. The ACLU says the drop in police stops is a victory for minorities, and the broken police department is to blame for the spike in crime. President Trump was reportedly not fully briefed on the executive order he signed that allowed his chief strategist Steve Bannon a seat at the meetings of the countrys top national security efforts. The New York Times reported Sunday that Bannon has been telling allies that he and the White House policy director, Stephen Miller, have a window to push through their vision of Trumps economic policies. Trump was frustrated over the executive order and reportedly demanded to be looped in on the executive orders earlier in the drafting process. According to the Times, Trump demanded that his chief of staff Reince Priebus to come up with a fundamental approach to executive orders. Priebus told Trump and Bannon that the administration needs to revamp its policy and communications after the recent leaks about the orders coming out. Priebus created a 10-point checklist for the release of any new initiatives that needs a signoff from the White House communications department, The Times reported. Trump restructured the White House National Security Council at the end of January, adding Bannon to the principals committee, which includes the secretaries of state and defense. At the same time, Trump said his director of national intelligence and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would attend "where issues pertaining to their responsibilities and expertise are to be discussed." Bannon served in the Navy before attending Harvard Business School, working at Goldman Sachs, starting his own media-focused boutique investment banking firm and later heading the ultraconservative outlet Breitbart News, which has been accused of featuring racist, sexist and anti-Semitic content. "He is a former naval officer. He's got a tremendous understanding of the world and the geopolitical landscape that we have now," White House press secretary Sean Spicer told ABC's "This Week" last month. Spicer said "having the chief strategist for the president in those meetings who has a significant military background to help make -- guide what the president's final analysis is going to be is crucial." But to Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, the NSC "sadly has some really questionable people on it," he told NBC's "Meet the Press," citing Bannon among them. And Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called Bannon's appointment "a radical departure from any National Security Council in history." He had told "Face the Nation" on CBS: "The role of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has been diminished, I understand, with this reorganization. One person who is indispensable would be the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in my view. So, it's of concern, this `reorganization."' The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from The New York Times. Several Republican lawmakers sought Sunday to distance themselves from President Trumps comments he made about Russian President Vladimir Putin, made during an exclusive interview with Fox News Bill OReilly. Trump has long expressed his desire to mend the relationship with Russia. When told by OReilly that the Russian leader is a killer, Trump replied that the U.S. has killers too. "What do you think? Our country's so innocent?" Trump said during the taped interview broadcast during Sunday's Super Bowl pregame show. Trump said in the interview that he respected Putin, "but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with him. He's a leader of his country. I say it's better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world that's a good thing," Trump said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group. "Will I get along with him? I have no idea." O'Reilly then said about Putin: "But he's a killer, though. Putin's a killer." Trump responded: "There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country's so innocent?" Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., immediately looked to distance himself from Trumps comments in an interview on CNNs State of the Union. Putin's a former KGB agent. He's a thug. He was not elected in a way that most people would consider a credible election," he said. The Russians annexed Crimea, invaded Ukraine and messed around in our elections. And no, I don't think there's any equivalency between the way the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does." Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., who is also one of Trumps Republican critics, said on ABCs The Week that "there is no moral equivalency between the United States of America, the greatest freedom living nation in the history of the world, and the murderous thugs that are in Putin's defense of his cronyism. Sasse added that he didnt know what Trump was trying to do with comments like these. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio also chimed in with their criticisms about Trumps statements on Putin and Russia. .@POTUS statement suggesting moral equivalence between Putin's Russia and the United States of America is deeply troubling and wrong. Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) February 5, 2017 When has a Democratic political activists been poisoned by the GOP, or vice versa? We are not the same as #Putin. MR Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 5, 2017 Vice President Pence tried to reduce some of the heat on Trump in his interview on CBSs Face the Nation. "American ideals are superior to countries all across the world," Pencesaid. "But, again, what the president is determined to do, as someone who has spent a lifetime looking for deals, is to see if we can have a new relationship with Russia and other countries that advances the interests of America first and the peace and security of the world." Trump has praised Putin and signaled that U.S.-Russia relations could be in for a makeover under his leadership, even after U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Ukraine gas stocks down 35% in heating season so far Gas stocks in Ukraine's underground storage facilities declined by 35% to 9.580 billion cubic meters (bcm) since October 13, when the current heating season began, through February 4. Ukraine withdrew 58.89 million cubic meters (mcm) from underground storage on February 4 and a total of 304.63 mcm in the first four days of February (75.16 mcm/day on average), Ukrtransgaz, which operates the country's pipelines and storage facilities, said in a statement. Withdrawals amounted to 2.102 bcm in January (67.8 mcm/day on average), 1.569 bcm in December (50.6 mcm/day) and 909.42 mcm in November (30.31 mcm/day). Last year, Ukraine withdrew 35.4 mcm of gas from underground storage on February 4, when stocks amounted to 10.915 bcm. It withdrew 45.3 mcm on February 4, 2015, when stocks totaled 9.126 bcm. As of February 4, 2017, daily imports of gas were 47.859 mcm, of which 40.597 mcm from Slovakia, 3.548 mcm from Hungary and 3.714 mcm from Poland. Ukraine has not imported gas from Russia since November 26, 2015. Gas production in Ukraine on February 4 was 56.685 mcm, of which Ukrgazvydobuvannia produced - 40.864 mcm, Ukrnafta - 3.337 mcm and other companies - 12.484 mcm. Overall production in the first four days of February was 227.095 mcm. Transit via Ukraine's gas transport system was 1.170 bcm in the period February 1-4, corresponding to a monthly rate of about 8.2 bcm. Republican Gov. Eric Greitens signed legislation on Monday making Missouri the latest right-to-work state, as the growing movement sets its sights next on New Hampshire hoping to break into one of the labor unions last remaining strongholds. Legislation advancing in the New Hampshire capital, if approved, would make the state the first in the Northeast to go right-to-work. The measure, which bars unions from forcing employees to join or pay dues, is set for a vote in the states House next week after having passed the Senate. The push is the latest sign of labor unions diminishing clout, and how Republican gains at the state level are having a broad impact on policy, amid support for such legislation from the Trump White House. In Missouri, the new Republican governor declared Monday on Twitter that his state is open for business, after making it the 28th with a right-to-work policy. Today, I signed Right to Work. This is about more jobs - Missourians are ready to work, and now our state is open for business! pic.twitter.com/xM4zY71RH1 Eric Greitens (@EricGreitens) February 6, 2017 In January, Kentucky GOP Gov. Matt Bevin signed a similar bill after it breezed through the Republican-led legislature. But even though Republicans won the governorship in New Hampshire last November, the right-to-work bill is still a toss-up in Concord. State Republican Rep. Stephen Schmidt, chairman of the House labor committee, said some Republicans are not supporting the bill. While he personally backs it, Schmidt voiced doubts about the bills passage, saying it could come down to one or two votes. I believe it will be a very tight vote one way or another, he told Fox News. Should the bill make it to Republican Gov. Chris Sununus desk, he is expected to sign it. A similar measure had moved through the legislature in 2011, but had been vetoed by then-Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat. The local branch of the AFL-CIO said the bill would only inhibit working families ability to bargain for whats best for them. This bill will silence the teachers who advocate on behalf of smaller class sizes for our children, the transportation employees who negotiate for the equipment they need to keep the roads clear after a blizzard and the police and firefighters who negotiate for the staffing levels they need to keep us safe, the New Hampshire union said. Despite stiff resistance from unions, the right-to work-movement shows little sign of slowing down. Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and West Virginia have passed similar legislation in the last five years, in addition to Kentucky and now Missouri. Some Republicans in Congress also are pushing national versions. Last week, Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., introduced the National Right to Work Act, which would amend the National Labor Relations Act to give American workers the right not to be forced to join a union or pay union dues. Right-to-work states, like South Carolina, have seen first-hand that job creation and economic growth comes from expanded freedoms. We need to expand common-sense reforms, like those in the National Right to Work Act to protect American workers and create jobs, Wilson said. Like at the state level, the move is likely to face significant pushback from labor unions. Right to work is a lie dressed up in a feel-good slogan. It doesnt give workers freedominstead, it weakens our right to join together and bargain for better wages and working conditions, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said in a statement responding to Wilsons legislation. Trumka accused Republicans of trying to kill off organized labor. Its end goal is to destroy unions. Numbers dont lie. Workers in states with right to work laws have wages that are 12 percent lower. Thats because unions raise wages for all workers, not just our members, he said. But President Trump in the White House represents another boost for the movement. While President Barack Obama opposed such legislation, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer made clear last week that Trump supports the efforts in New Hampshire and beyond. The president believes in right to work. He wants to give workers and companies the flexibility to do what's in the best interest for job creators, Spicer said. Lawyers for Minnesota and Washington state told a federal appellate court Monday that it would unleash chaos if it lifted an order temporarily halting President Trumps ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslims countries from entering the U.S. The states said in briefs filed with the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that Trumps travel ban harmed residents, businesses and universities and stated that the ban was unconstitutional. The legal maneuvers by the two states were accompanied by briefs filed by the technology industry arguing that the travel ban would harm their companies by making it more difficult to recruit employees. Tech giants Apple and Google, along with Uber, filed their arguments with the court late Sunday. A federal judge in Seattle imposed a temporary restraining order on Trumps ban, in response to a case filed last week by Washington and Minnesota challenging Trumps constitutional authority to unilaterally impose such a sweeping ban. On Saturday night, a federal appeals court denied a Trump administration request to lift the restraining order and allow the immigration ban to continue. That ruling prompted an ongoing Twitter rant by Trump, who dismissed U.S. District Court Judge James Robart as a "so-called judge" and his decision "ridiculous." Trump renewed his Twitter attacks against Robart on Sunday. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" He followed with another tweet saying he had instructed the Homeland Security Department to check people coming into the country but that "the courts are making the job very difficult!" Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday in an interview on Fox News Sunday that the federal judge who halted Trumps temporary immigration ban made the wrong decision and vowed to use all legal means at our disposal to protect Americans. From the outset of his campaign and administration, the president of the United States has made it clear to put the safety of the American people first, Pence said. We are going to win this argument. Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 27 that temporarily halted immigration from seven mostly Muslim nations and the United States Syrian refugee program. The order follows his steadfast argument that radical Islamic terrorism poses a major threat to Americans safety. The order immediately caused confusion for many foreigners trying to reach the U.S., prompted nationwide airport protests and led to multiple court challenges. The federal government has until later today to respond to the state's briefs. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Trump administration is exploring ways to break Russias military and diplomatic alliance with Iran in a bid to both end the Syrian conflict and bolster the fight against Islamic State, said senior administration, European and Arab officials involved in the policy discussions. The emerging strategy seeks to reconcile President Donald Trumps seemingly contradictory vows to improve relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and to aggressively challenge the military presence of Iranone of Moscows most critical alliesin the Middle East, these officials say. A senior administration official said the White House doesnt have any illusions about Russia or see Mr. Putin as a choir boy, despite further conciliatory statements from Mr. Trump about the Russian leader over the weekend. But the official said that the administration doesnt view Russia as the same existential threat that the Soviet Union posed to the U.S. during the Cold War and that Mr. Trump was committed to constraining Iran. TRUMP SAYS PENCE TO LEAD VOTER REGISTRATION FRAUD PROBE, LEAVES DOOR OPEN ON IRAN DEAL FUTURE Such a strategy doesnt entirely explain the mixed signals Mr. Trump and his circle have sent regarding Moscow, which have unnerved U.S. allies and caught Republican leaders in Congress off guard. Mr. Trump himself spoke again about wanting to mend relations with Mr. Putin in an interview that aired before Sundays Super Bowl, saying its better to get along with Russia than not. After Fox News host Bill OReilly said Mr. Putin was a killer, the president responded: What, you think our countrys so innocent? But those involved in the latest policy discussions argue there is a specific focus on trying to drive a wedge between Russia and Iran. The Kremlin has said it aims to mend ties with the U.S. under the Trump administration but in recent months has also signaled its intent to continue to build on its cooperation with Iran. Moscow and Tehran have formed a tight military alliance in Syria in recent years. The Kremlin is a major supplier of weapons systems and nuclear equipment to Iran. Click for more from The Wall Street Journal. The intense national debate over President Trumps refugee executive order could be headed to the Supreme Court, as the dispute quickly works its way up the judicial food chain while adding another dimension to the confirmation fight over the presidents pick to fill the high courts vacancy. "I have no doubt that it will go to the Supreme Court, and probably some judgments will be made whether this president has exceeded his authority or not," Senate Judiciary Committee ranking Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein told Fox News Sunday. The presidents order suspending the U.S. refugee program as well as most travel and immigration from seven predominantly Muslim nations is on hold amid litigation, and currently before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. Lawyers for Washington state and Minnesota already have told the court that restoring the ban would unleash chaos again. The Trump administration, which has voiced confidence the courts will reinstate the measure, has until 6 p.m. ET Monday to file its briefs to the same court, which already turned down a prior Justice Department request to immediately set aside a Seattle judge's ruling that put a temporary hold on the order nationwide. The rapid-fire legal maneuvers by the two states were accompanied by briefs filed by the technology industry arguing that the travel ban would harm their companies by making it more difficult to recruit employees. Tech giants like Apple and Google, along with Uber, filed their arguments with the court late Sunday. Trump's executive order was founded on a claim of national security, but lawyers for the two states told the appellate court the administration's move hurts residents, businesses and universities and is unconstitutional. The 9th Circuit is generally considered the most liberal circuit in the country. Regardless of the outcome there, the Supreme Court soon could be asked to weigh in strictly on the question of the Trump orders enforcement. Beyond that, the Supreme Court eventually could be asked to rule on the merits of the measure. This possibility only complicates the debate on Capitol Hill over Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuchs nomination. The high court remains split along ideological lines, 4-4, and Gorsuchs confirmation could restore the conservative tilt that existed during the late Justice Antonin Scalias tenure. Democratic senators skeptical of Gorsuch have used Trumps immigration order and his recent Twitter attacks against the judge standing in his way to underscore the high stakes in the confirmation fight. With each action testing the Constitution, and each personal attack on a judge, President Trump raises the bar even higher for Judge Gorsuch's nomination to serve on the Supreme Court, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement Saturday. His ability to be an independent check will be front and center throughout the confirmation process. Tim OBrien, an attorney who covered the Supreme Court for two decades, noted Gorsuch would not be in a position to vote on the matter any time soon. But he suggested Trumps Twitter criticism of District Court Judge James Robart could cause problems as the nominee meets with lawmakers. I dont think that has helped, he said on Fox News Happening Now. Feinstein, who is meeting with Gorsuch on Monday, declined to comment Sunday on her initial views of the court nominee. I view the minority party's challenge to do a full and fair hearing, and to have the time to garner the facts to really understand the history of this nominee. And we will do that, Feinstein said, adding: I want the Democratic side to start out from a neutral base and really do the proper exploratory work and then be able to hold full and fair hearings. She also said, the president is not a dictator he is the chief executive of our country. Trump riled Democrats and some Republicans by blasting Robart, the judge who blocked his order, as a so-called justice. "We don't have so-called judges," said Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., on ABCs This Week. "We don't have so-called senators. We don't have so-called presidents. We have people from three different branches of government who take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution." But Vice President Pence defended the president, saying the judge made the wrong decision. From the outset of his campaign and administration, the president of the United States has made it clear to put the safety of the American people first, Pence said on Fox News Sunday. We are going to win this argument. He argued that the president has the authority to impose such immigration restrictions. Bob Ferguson, Washington state's attorney general, said, "we don't argue" that Trump has authority to act in the interest of national security. But in an interview on NBC's "Today" show, he also said "we have checks and balances" in the country, maintaining the president's order was "unconstitutional" and saying president's don't have "unfettered authorization" in these cases. Trump's order applied to Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen -- Muslim-majority countries that the administration said raise terrorism concerns. The order had caused unending confusion for many foreigners trying to reach the United States, prompting protests across the United States and leading to multiple court challenges. The State Department said last week that as many as 60,000 foreigners from those seven countries had had their visas canceled. After Robart's decision, the department reversed course and said they could travel to the U.S. if they had a valid visa. The department also advised refugee aid agencies that refugees set to travel before Trump signed his order would now be allowed in. The Homeland Security Department no longer was directing airlines to prevent visa-holders affected by Trump's order from boarding U.S.-bound planes. The agency said it had "suspended any and all actions" related to putting in place Trump's order. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Amid the Super Bowls wide array of spectacle-driven, stunt-filled commercials, homestay network Airbnb used its 30-second spot to wade into political territory. In a spot that has been deemed as an apparent statement against President Donald Trumps temporary travel and refugee ban, Airbnbs ad featured photos of the companys staff members of different races and ethnicities underneath a written message of tolerance and acceptance. In full, the message read, We believe no matter who you are, where youre from, who you love, or who you worship, we all belong. The world is more beautiful the more you accept. The ad concluded with a simple hashtag: #WeAccept. In a statement released on the Airbnb apps official website, company founders Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia and Nathan Blecharczyk further explained the intentions beind their commercial. People who've been displaced, whether because of war or conflict or other factors, are acutely vulnerable to not being accepted, the statement read. They are, quite literally, in need of a place to belong, which is why we've been inspired to take action. Chesky, Gebbia and Blecharczyk followed up by pledging to provide short-term housing over the next five years for 100,000 people in need, starting with aid workers, displaced survivors from natural disasters, and refugees. FOR THE LATEST TRAVEL FEATURES FOLLOW FOX LIFESTYLE ON FACEBOOK As of Monday morning, Airbnbs efforts have already gotten attention on social media from politicians such as former Secretary of State John Kerry and former Attorney Genereal Eric Holder, and even the ACLU: Heartened to see people and companies standing with those doing so much good for those most in need -- leadership that's needed! #WeAccept https://t.co/Nk15igKZsJ John Kerry (@JohnKerry) February 6, 2017 This is who we truly are - We work together. We stand together. We are one nation. We are one people. @Airbnb @bchesky #weaccept together Eric Holder (@EricHolder) February 6, 2017 Airbnb's Super Bowl ad takes dig at Trump with a beautiful message https://t.co/c3u2mG3tTz Dennis Pardue (@Dennisardue9876) February 6, 2017 @Airbnb didn't even watch the Super Bowl but we did watch the @Airbnb #weaccept ad! definitely using Airbnb in the future! Aria & Isley Zamora (@thezamoratwins) February 6, 2017 But many suppoerters of the president's controversial executive order saw the ad as "un-American" and have planned to boycott the home sharing service: How about offering housing for our homeless vets that fought for your freedom @Airbnb #boycott https://t.co/Zznsgn2hG4 Jenna Jameson (@jennajameson) February 6, 2017 #boycottbudwiser actually prefer to boycott @airbnb the most forcefully preachy company. took it upon themselves to "teach" us how to live buy_the_hype (@jm83nj) February 6, 2017 Airbnbs #WeAccept message also comes less than a year after they banned two hosts for violating their anti-discrimination policy, including a woman in Minneapolis, Minn. who refused to let a transgender woman stay in her home, and a man in Charlotte, N.C., who was allegedly caught using a racial slur against a black woman who booked a room in his home. A flight attendant has been hailed a hero after reportedly saving a teenage girl from a sex trafficker while working on a flight nearly 6 years ago. Shelia Fedrick of Alaska Airlines noticed a girl with greasy blonde hair, believed to be about 14 or 15, sitting next to a well dressed older man on an Alaska flight from Seattle to San Francisco in 2011. Fedrick said the difference in age and appearance between the traveling companions seemed suspicious to her at the time. WOMAN CLAIMS SHE WAS BOOTED FROM SPIRIT FLIGHT FOR SHOWING TOO MUCH CLEAVAGE But the flight attendant was especially struck by the demeanour of the girl who looked like she had been through pure hell." When Fedrick decided to approach the pair, the girl apparently refused to speak or make eye contact. The man sitting next to the female passenger reportedly kept interrupting the younger girl and became defensive as the stewardess tried to make conversation. Something in the back of my mind said something is not right, Frederick told WTSP. Deciding something was amiss, Fedrick says she formulated a plan. She managed to convince the girl to go to the bathroom where the flight attendant had left her a note stuck to the mirror. Sex and the Flight Attendant Sheila Frederick, 49, was working on an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to San... https://t.co/hoA9Y2GjYf Naomi T. Drake (@iMoanMinistries) February 6, 2017 She wrote back on the note, Fedrick told NBC News. She wrote on the note she needed help. Fedrick immediately reported the man to the pilot who then alerted police.. By the time the flight touched down in San Francisco, cops were waiting at the terminal. It was then revealed the girl was the victim of human trafficking and Fedrick had just saved her life. Fedrick told WTSP, Ive been a flight attendant for ten years and its like I am going all the way back to when I was in training. "And I was like, I could have seen these young girls and young boys and didnt even know. If you see something, say something. FOR THE LATEST TRAVEL FEATURES FOLLOW FOX LIFESTYLE ON FACEBOOK Fedrick said she has kept in contact with the girl who is now attending college. I put my phone number on the note that I left for her and I guess she memorised it, so a few weeks later, she called me, Frederick said. Its estimated that more than 50,000 women and girls are trafficked into the United States for prostitution each year, reports The Washington Post. Last year, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 2,000 human traffickers and identified 400 victims. Flight attendants are now being trained to spot for signs of human trafficking as part of their instruction, reported airlineamb.org. This article originally appeared in the The Sun. The Philadelphia area's main transit agency says there will be a temporary shortage of rail cars during peak hours following the discovery of cracks in the support beams of two cars. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority said a crack was found on a main load-carrying beam on a Market-Frankford Line car during regularly scheduled vehicle overhaul work. The transit agency removed some other vehicles that had indications of possible cracks. Other vehicles that have been cleared remain in service, and more cars should be added as inspections progress. But beginning Monday, SEPTA says customers may experience delays and crowded conditions along the Market-Frankford Line. Supplemental bus service will be provided. Last summer, the agency had to take about one-third of its fleet out of service because of a structural defect. A 5-year-old girl was fatally shot and her 4-year-old neighbor wounded in an accidental shooting in north Florida by the girl's brother, authorities said Sunday. The children were alone in a Jacksonville apartment when the shooting occurred Saturday, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Chief Chris Butler said. Butler said the girl's 8-year-old brother fired a single shot from a gun, fatally wounding his younger sister and wounding the 4-year-old boy with a non-life-threatening injury. Emergency personnel tried to save the girl but were unsuccessful. "We believe, in the absence of any other information being developed, that unfortunately this is a tragic, unfortunate accidental shooting," Butler told The Florida Times-Union. He added that the mother of the girl had left to go to a store at the time. Police said 34-year-old Maurice Antonio Mobley, the mother's boyfriend, was arrested after he turned himself in and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Sheriff's office spokesman Officer Christian Hancock said in a news release that police believe Mobley brought the gun into the house. It wasn't immediately known if Mobley had an attorney. Butler said a therapist was called to help the boy who fired the shot. A sheriff's statement added that the Florida Department of Children and Families and the state attorney's office were also being consulted. The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs is sending agents to North Dakota to help clear Dakota Access oil pipeline protesters from makeshift camps on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. The Standing Rock tribe led the months-long protest against the pipeline project, but recently requested BIAs assistance in closing the camps, Prairie Public Broadcasting reported Friday. BIAs announcement comes after the Army Corps of Engineers issued an order to a few hundred protesters at a camp in Cannon Ball, N.D., to get out by Feb. 22, the station reported. BIAs Acting Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Michael Black said on Friday that closing the camps is a matter of public health and safety. PROPOSED FINE AGAINST DAKOTA ACCESS COMPANY TO GET HEARING North Dakota Gov. Burgum, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe leadership, local law enforcement, and local landowners have all warned the public and those still camped of the dangerous spring flooding expected due to the heavy amount of snowfall the state received this winter, Black said. Authorities arrested 74 protesters, including American Indian activist Chase Iron Eyes, after they set up teepees Wednesday on land owned by Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners. Protesters said they were peacefully assembling on land they believe rightfully belongs to American Indians. President Donald Trump last month called on the Army to reconsider its earlier decision to block the pipeline from being laid under Lake Oahe. It's the last big chunk of construction for the pipeline, and work has stalled while ETP battles the Army Corps of Engineers in court for permission to proceed. Acting Army Secretary Robert Speer on Tuesday ordered a review of the Army's earlier decision not to grant permission until more study was done. It's unclear how long the review will take, but U.S. Sen. John Hoeven told the AP that after a conversation with Speer, he's certain permission will be granted soon. TRIBAL CHAIRMAN DECRIES DAKOTA ACCESS PROTESTERS' NEW CAMP "The fight is no longer here, but in the halls and courts of the federal government," Standing Rock Sioux tribal Chairman Dave Archambault said. The Dakota Access pipeline would carry oil from North Dakota to Illinois. Opponents fear it could harm the environment and American Indian artifacts. The pipeline developer disputes that. The Associated Press contribued to this report. Ukraine's Finance Ministry is finishing talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding the next credit tranche, Finance Minister Oleksandr Danyliuk said in Kyiv on Monday at a press conference devoted to the results of the ministry's work in 2016 and plans for 2017. "We are at the final stages. Technical moments for receiving the next tranche are being discussed," he said. The minister said that the negotiations with the IMF on the tranche could be finished by the end of this week. Danyliuk said that resumption of cooperation with the IMF is an important signal for foreign investors and partners that Ukraine is on the way of reforms. "All tranches scheduled for this year are to be received, as this is an important indicator of reforms," he said. A Chicago woman imprisoned in Indonesia for the 2014 killing of her mother says in videos posted on YouTube that she acted alone and her boyfriend at the time only helped her cover it up because she threatened him. SUSPECT ID'D ARRESTED IN MURDER OF NYC JOGGER In a series of three videos that were posted last week, 21-year-old Heather Mack says that her then-boyfriend Tommy Schaefer falsely confessed to striking her 62-year-old mother, Sheila von Weise-Mack, in the head with a metal fruit bowl during their trip to Bali. She says he only helped her stuff the body in a suitcase and clean up because she threatened to tell police that he committed the crime. Authorities have said that the two discussed killing von Weise-Mack in text messages, but in the videos Mack said that she took his phone when he was asleep and exchanged text messages with herself to make it appear the two were texting each other when they weren't. She said when she asked Schaefer to help her find someone who would kill her mother for $50,000 he refused. "Tommy's an innocent man," said Mack, who has cellphone and internet access in prison. She said one reason she framed Schaefer was because she knew there was a chance she would be arrested after she killed her mother and "I didn't want to get arrested by myself in a different country." The two were convicted in 2015. Schaefer was sentenced to 18 years in prison and Mack received a 10-year prison sentence. At the time, the three-judge panel said it decided to be lenient toward the then-19-year-old Mack because she had recently given birth. Schaefer's mother does not have a listed phone number and phone calls to Mack's Chicago-based attorney were not immediately returned. A Texas man whose life sentence on drug charges was commuted by former President Obama is back behind bars after cops caught him with more than two pounds of cocaine following a high-speed chase, according to a report. Robert M. Gill, 68, had been imprisoned in 1990 for for cocaine and heroin distribution before Obama set him free along with other non-violent federal inmates in 2015, the San Antonio Express News reported. During his eight years in office, Obama commuted 1,715 prison sentences, more than any other president. Last Thursday, according to federal court papers, Gill met with his probation officers and then went to the parking lot of a food market to buy more than 2 pounds of cocaine. Gill met a person who gave him a black backpack that he placed in his vehicle, and a sheriffs deputy in an unmarked car tried to stop him, the affidavit said. But Gill took off and after a high-speed chase collided with another vehicle where deputies were able to disable his car. Officers found the cocaine in the backpack and put him under arrest, the affidavit said. CLICK FOR MORE FROM THE NEW YORK POST. Family and friends remembered the life of a security officer who was shot and killed while on duty in Denver last week. POLICE ID SUSPECT ARRESTED IN MURDER OF NYC JOGGER The Denver Police Department said Regional Transportation District officer Scott Von Lanken, 56, was shot "execution style" on Tuesday night while helping to give directions to two women near Union Station. A service was held Monday morning at Resurrection Fellowship Church in Loveland, Colo. His family said he wasn't just a security officer, but also a husband, father, former police officer and pastor. CHICAGO WOMAN SAYS SHE ACTED ALONE IN 2014 MURDER OF MOTHER IN BALI He is survived by his wife, Shellie, and two children. He just had such a passion to reach out to people in this area and see their lives change, Shellie Von Lanken said. Scott Von Lanken previously was a pastor and police officer. He always had a connection with being a police officer and pastor because he had such a heart to help people," Shellie Von Lanken said. "When he was a pastor, he would help people, but he felt like when he was a police officer or security officer, he always felt like he could really help people." The alleged shooter, 37-year-old Joshua Cummings, has been charged with first-degree murder. He is due back in court March 3. The Denver Muslim community said it warned the U.S. Department of Homeland Security about Cummings late last year. The FBI has yet to comment on the case. Click for more from Fox 31. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 They don't mean to sound ungrateful, but ... New York public college students who stand to gain from the nation's most ambitious free-tuition proposal point to a sobering reality: Free tuition doesn't mean free college. Students tell The Associated Press tuition help is welcome but the $6,500-a-year expense is only about a third of the total bill when things like housing and books are added. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposal would pay the difference between financial aid and tuition at public colleges for students whose families earn $125,000 or less. Cuomo's office says the goal is to provide the most students with the greatest opportunity. The New York proposal is one of an increasing number of plans across the country aimed at the nation's $1.2 trillion in student debt. The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times local): 9:30 a.m. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she will seek common ground "wherever possible" with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, despite differences over Trump's entry ban for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. Germany has Europe's biggest economy and is a major exporter. In 2015, the U.S. was its biggest trading partner, and there's concern in Berlin over the possibility of a more protectionist approach in Washington. Merkel told reporters in Munich on Monday: "We will try to find common ground wherever possible." Merkel added: "We will see issue by issue where we can cooperate and where we have different opinions, but it's in Germany's interest to strengthen the common ground there is." ___ 8 a.m. President Donald Trump is insisting "I call my own shots" and that any negative polling data is "fake news." It's unclear what prompted Trump's early morning tweets on Monday. The New York Times released an unflattering portrait of Trump's nights at the White House, suggesting Trump spends much of his time watching cable news and wasn't fully briefed before signing an executive order elevating Stephen Bannon to the National Security Council. Trump tweeted early Monday: "I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it. Some FAKE NEWS media, in order to marginalize, lies!" ___ 3:25 a.m. President Donald Trump is making his first visit to the headquarters for U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. Both military commands are headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. Trump is heading to the base Monday on the way to Washington following his first weekend away from the White House. Trump spent the weekend at his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, joined by first lady Melania Trump. At MacDill, Trump is to be briefed by CENTCOM and SOCOM leaders, join troops for lunch and deliver a speech. CENTCOM oversaw a recent raid by U.S. special operations forces on an al-Qaida compound in Yemen. A Navy SEAL was killed during the operation. The U.S. military failed to disclose thousands of airstrikes over the last several years in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the Military Times. TURKEY DETAINS NEARLY 750 ISIS SUSPECTS IN NATIONWIDE RAIDS An investigation revealed Sunday that the U.S. conducted at least 456 airstrikes in Afghanistan last year that were not recorded in the open-source database kept by the U.S. Air Force. The airstrikes were conducted my several U.S. aircraft including helicopters and drones. Military officials told the Military Times they were unable to determine how far back some information was excluded in reports. It is really weird. We dont track the number of strikes from Apaches, for example, an official from U.S. Central Command said. GERMAN MAGAZINE SPARKS FUROR WITH COVER OF TRUMP BEHEADING STATUE OF LIBERTY I can tell you, unequivocally, we are not trying to hide the number of strikes," the official added. "That is just the way it has been tracked in the past. Thats what its always been. Under definitions established by U.S.-led coalition forces in the Middle East, an airstrike can involve several different types of aircraft, including fighter jets, attack helicopters and drones. One airstrike can have multiple targets and use different kinds of munitions. However, the definitions can be skewed across the branches. "It seems to me the collection or distribution of airstrike data is not an Army Title 10 responsibility," a senior Army official told the Military Times. "This responsibility should lie with the operational or combatant commander. Additionally, Apaches for example, conduct close combat attacks as a maneuver element supporting a ground force in contact with the enemy. I would not consider this in the category of 'airstrike.' " Title 10 sets the laws surrounding the militarys roles, responsibilities and missions. The Air Force keeps information all missions as part of its airstrike numbers. But another major discrepancy appeared in its bookkeeping surrounding airstrikes carried out against ISIS since 2014. The Air Force says coalition forces conducted 23,740 airstrikes up until the end of 2016. However, the Defense Department put the number at 17,861 through Jan. 31. The Military Times reported that the incomplete data might date back as far as when the U.S. entered Afghanistan in 2001 and could question other data the Pentagon releases to the public, including casualties, the bill footed by the American taxpayer and the militarys progress in the war on terror in the Middle East. Click for more from the Military Times. A space capsule-like item on the side of an Arizona interstate caught the attention of drivers Monday who may have thought astronauts touched down in the desert. Several people traveling along Interstate 10 just outside Casa Grande, Arizona -- about 50 miles south of Phoenix -- contacted authorities after spotting the capsule, which turned out to be a cement truck drum repurposed into a piece of art, Fox 10 reported. It appears an artist got creative near Casa Grande and turned a cement truck drum into a space capsule! Caused a stir on #I10 this morning. pic.twitter.com/dVLEwUfqYA Dept. Public Safety (@Arizona_DPS) February 6, 2017 PICKUP CRUSHES CAR IN FLORIDA ROAD RAGE CASE The capsule had a parachute attached to it, in addition to having the words "United States and Capt. J. Millard" along with an American flag emblazoned on the side. The artist behind the creation, Jack Millard, told the Arizona Republic he was driving through the area, spotted the abandoned cement truck sitting in the field and thought it looked like the capsules astronauts would use for space missions. He began the transformation project on Feb. 2 with the help of another artist. "I just get these impulses to create," he told the newspaper. "Its a glorified yard ornament." Millard told the Arizona Republic he explained to motorists and police who pulled over the capsule was just an art project. "I don't know what to expect," Millard said. "If they enjoy it, that's great. We live in such a cynical, jaded world. If it distracts them for a moment, that's a wonderful thing." Click for more from Fox 10. Federal investigators say a South Carolina deputy coerced an 11-year-old girl into sending him a nude picture, then told her to send more naked photographs or he would show the first one to others. Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright said in a statement he fired sheriff's Sgt. Chris Wilbanks, who was charged Friday with production of child pornography. Wilbanks had been a deputy for 18 years. Homeland Security Special Agent Steven Miles says in a sworn statement that Wilbanks posed as a 14-year-old boy nicknamed "Redneck Rick" on social media and talked to the girl, who said she was 12. Wilbanks' age wasn't immediately available. Miles says the girl sent about a dozen pornographic images to Wilbanks and was crying in many of them. Court records didn't indicate if Wilbanks has a lawyer. Jury selection begins Monday in a Las Vegas federal court in the trial of six men stemming from an armed standoff near Cliven Bundys ranch three years ago. HERO PRISON GUARD SAVED OFFICERS' LIVES DURING HOSTAGE STANDOFF, UNION SAYS In April 2014, agents from the Bureau of Land Management were attempting to seize Bundys cattle when a tense confrontation ensued. No shots were fired, but the indictment claimed protesters pointed guns at federal agents in protest. The dispute stemmed from Bundys cattle grazing on federally protected lands. The federal indictment said Bundy was under a 1998 court order demanding he remove his cattle from federal lands. CALLS MOUNT FOR TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO LABEL MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD 'TERRORIST ORGANIZATION' Bundy and his supporters said they believed the government was far too encroaching, violating their free speech and gun rights. The defense will want to try it as, theyre patriots, this is free speech, they have a right to bear arms, all those things the government is going to say are irrelevant to the case because you either committed a crime or you didnt, Thomas Pitaro, a local criminal defense attorney not affiliated with the case, said. This is the first trial out of three. A federal judge last December ordered the trials be separated based on the defendants level of involvement in the standoff, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal. The six men on trial now are considered low-level defendants according to the court. The second trial is scheduled to be held 30 days after the first and will feature Cliven Bundy and his sons, Ryan and Ammon. Daniel Hill, the attorney for Ammon Bundy, said he thought it would have been feasible to try all the defendants together. He added, I think the government, rather than seeking justice, is trying to seek a tactical advantage in the groups it has selected. Last fall, a federal jury found Ammon Bundy and his six co-defendants not guilty on all charges for taking over a federal wildlife refuge in eastern Oregon earlier in 2016. They were charged with conspiring to impede federal workers from their jobs at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The defendants said they were engaging in a peaceful protest, pressing their case against federal control of Western lands and the imprisonment of two ranchers convicted of setting fires. The upcoming trial is expected to draw media coverage and U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro issued an order last week to keep jurors identities private, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal. In all, 17 defendants were indicted on the same charges including extortion, assault, and threats. The Associated Press contributed to this report. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 Court rulings halting enforcement of President Donald Trump's ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries have reopened the door to the United States for some people initially denied entry. Here are some of their stories: ___ Syrian immigrant Mathyo Asali thought his life was "ruined" when he landed at Philadelphia International Airport on Jan. 28, visa in hand, only to be denied entry to the United States. Asali, who returned to Damascus, said he figured he'd be inducted into the Syrian military. But on Monday, the teenager and five members of his extended family were ecstatic to be back on U.S. soil. The Asali brothers, their wives and two teenage children flew to New York from Abu Dhabi on Monday, then headed to Allentown on a bus. "It's really nice to know that there's a lot of people supporting us," Asali told Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, who greeted the family at a relative's house in Allentown. Dr. Ghassan Assali and his wife, Sarmad, both U.S. citizens originally from Syria, started the visa process for the dentist's two brothers and their families more than 13 years ago. The Assalis, who spell their name differently, bought and renovated a rowhome in the heart of Allentown's large Syrian Christian community for their relatives in anticipation of the families' arrival last month. When they were barred from the country, "I was pessimistic. I did not think this was going to happen," Sarmad Assali said Monday. "Today we woke up to a new dream, and I am so thankful that they are ... safe with us." ___ A South Carolina resident who was stuck in Iran following President Trump's executive order said she "just wants to get back to a normal life" in the country she's made her home. Nazanin Zinouri was greeted Monday at the Greenville-area airport with kisses from her dog Dexter and well-wishers holding signs reading "Welcome Home." The 29-year-old Clemson University graduate says it's "amazing" to be back following weeks of fear that all she's worked for since moving to the U.S. in 2010 would be taken away. The Iranian citizen had flown to Iran to visit family but, while trying to return, was barred from getting on a plane in Dubai. ___ Aqel Aziz couldn't stop smiling after his two sons, ages 19 and 21, were finally able to join him in the United States Monday. "America is for everybody," he said, after greeting his boys, Tareq and Ammar, at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. The brothers were turned away last week. The family filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging Trump's ban. The lawsuit remains ongoing, but last week the government reached a settlement with the Aziz family, and another Yemeni family on the same flight, the Al Murisis, who were all turned away despite status as lawful permanent residents. The Aziz brothers and the seven members of the Al Murisi family all natives of Yemen, one of the seven countries affected by the ban all arrived at Dulles on Monday morning. ___ More than three dozen Yemenis fleeing their country's civil war, who had been previously stranded in the African nation of Djibouti, arrived at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday. The 37 people, who are children, parents and spouses of U.S. citizens, arrived after a 30-hour journey. The trip included a 12-hour layover in Istanbul, which is where their flight to New York originated. They were temporarily stranded by President Trump's entry ban. Yemen has been gripped by conflict since 2014. A Saudi-led coalition, backed by the United States, has been carrying out an air campaign against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels for nearly two years. One man currently living in Brooklyn greeted three teenage children from Yemen at the airport in New York. He declined to be interviewed after a tearful reunion. Ukraine in January 2017 exported electricity worth $21.577 million. According to the State Fiscal Service, electricity delivered to Hungary amounted to $17.061 million last month, to Poland to $4.515 million, and Moldova to $1,000. Thus, in money terms exports of Ukrainian electricity last year grew by 53.5% compared to January 2016 ($14.056 million). In addition, in January 2017 Ukraine imported power worth $267,000 ($267,000 from Russia, $7,000 from Moldova and $4,000 from Belarus), while electricity for $84.874 million was imported in 2015. As reported, Ukraine in 2011 exported electricity for $399.963 million, in 2012 for $574.819 million, in 2013 for $580.195 million, in 2014 for $487.185 million, and in 2015 for $150.056 million and in 2016 - $152.063 million. An investigation is underway after authorities shot a driver following a chase in Tennessee. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation tells media outlets that the incident began Sunday night when a woman drove over a National Park Service ranger's foot after he tried to stop her for speeding. The driver fled and was pursued by authorities into Cosby, where they say the woman hit a police cruiser before fleeing again. Deputies chased the vehicle to a field, where they say the driver then hit a deputy with her car. Law enforcement officials say shots were fired at the driver as the vehicle continued moving toward the injured deputy. The driver was taken to the hospital. Her condition is unknown. The injured Cocke County deputy was hospitalized and released. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 President Donald Trump is making his first visit to the headquarters for U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. Both military commands are headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. Trump is heading to the base Monday on the way to Washington following his first weekend away from the White House. Trump spent the weekend at his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, joined by first lady Melania Trump. At MacDill, Trump is to be briefed by CENTCOM and SOCOM leaders, join troops for lunch and deliver a speech. CENTCOM oversaw a recent raid by U.S. special operations forces on an al-Qaida compound in Yemen. A Navy SEAL was killed during the operation. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a man clinging to a life raft after his sailboat sank off the coast of Puerto Rico. Wolfgang Sloma, 56, was found Sunday morning about 120 nautical miles northeast of San Juan after he sent out a distress signal. FOUR SOLDIERS INJURED IN FORT CAMPBELL HELICOPTER CRASH His boat, the 27-foot-long "Daphni, sank in the Atlantic Ocean northeast of Puerto Rico. Sloma said the boat started to take on water when a mast partially broke and opened a hole in the hull. The Austrian, who was traveling solo, put on a life jacket and got onto the raft, which was equipped with signal lights, GPS, food, a radio and a satellite phone. The man was pulled out of the water by a HH-60 Jayhawk. He was transferred to the Borinquen Air Station in Puerto Rico, where medical staffers evaluated and released him. Texas cops navigated vomit-covered bathrooms and passed-out party-goers during an investigation into the death of a 20-year-old woman whose body turned up under a bus last fall, according to details released Monday. PROTESTS, PEPPER SPRAY, ARRESTS AT NYU AS CONSERVATIVE SPEAKER STOPS BY The particulars of the scene at Cool River Ranch in Martindale were contained in memorandums obtained by MySA.com sent to four Texas State fraternities who have since been suspended. The decision came after the deadly night last October when Jordin Taylor was struck by a bus and dragged 500 feet. FREE TUITION DOESN'T MEAN FREE COLLEGE, STUDENTS POINT OUT The investigation found that attendees were intoxicated to the point of being unconscious as they laid on the ground or being intoxicated to the point of throwing up, the memorandum states. The investigation said the fraternities involved -- Pi Kappa Alpha, Alpha Tau Omega, Kappa Alpha Order and Delta Tau Delta -- served beer and boxed wine to guests at the event, and could not prove that they checked IDs. The university has not specifically connected the events of the Oct. 28 party to Taylors death, spokesman Matt Flores told MySA.com. There was no immediate response from the fraternities. Pi Kappa Alpha claimed last November it voluntarily suspended its operations, MySA.com reported. Martindale is an hour's drive northeast of San Antonio. Click for more from Fox 7. A woman who was dragged off a flight at Detroit Metropolitan Airport has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct. MLive.com reports (http://bit.ly/2ke8SB5 ) Rhima Coleman acknowledged in court Monday that a confrontation led to her being asked to leave the plane. Prosecutors dropped a failure to obey a police officer charge. Coleman's lawyer Dov Lustig says she knows she didn't handle the situation properly. The University of Michigan professor was removed from a Delta Air Lines flight Dec. 12 that was preparing to depart for San Diego at the airport in Romulus, about 20 miles southwest of Detroit. A police report says she refused to check her bag, swipe her boarding pass and leave the plane. A video posted online showed officers dragging her away. ___ Information from: The Grand Rapids Press:MLive.com, http://www.mlive.com North Korea said Monday it will deport an Australian missionary detained for spreading Christianity in the country, saying he apologized for his anti-state religious acts and requested forgiveness. Authorities in North Korea have been investigating John Short since his arrest for secretly spreading Bible tracts near a Buddhist temple in Pyongyang on Feb. 16, the birthday of late leader Kim Jong Il, the North's official Korean Central News Agency said. The report said that Short, 75, admitted he committed a crime that hurt the Korean people's trust in their leaders and apologized for his behavior. "I now realize the seriousness of my insult to the Korean people on February 16th because I made the Korean people angry and for this I truly apologize," Short was quoted as saying in a written apology, according to separate KCNA report. "I am willing to bow down on my knees to request this tolerance of (North Korea) and the Korean people." KCNA says North Korea has decided to expel him thanks for the tolerance of the country's law and in consideration of his age. North Korea's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but in practice only sanctioned services are tolerated by the government. Defectors from the country have said that the distribution of Bibles and secret prayer services can mean banishment to a labor camp or execution. North Korea typically frees foreign detainees after they've admitted their crimes but many say after their releases that their confessions were given involuntarily and under duress. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement that it is aware of reports on North Korea's announcement on Short and is seeking to confirm them. Australia does not have an embassy in Pyongyang and is represented there by the Swedish embassy Short, from Barmera, South Australia state, has been arrested multiple times while evangelizing in mainland China, according to a biography on a Christian website, Gospel Attract. He was banned from entering China for nearly two years after his second arrest in 1996. Authorities later let him back in and he was arrested several more times for "speaking out about the brutality against Chinese Christians," said the site. Short's wife, Karen, said he was visiting North Korea for the second time. His first trip was a year ago "so he knew what he was going into," she said. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 One shouted about God's love as he crossed a frozen river, clutching a Bible. Another swam, drunk and naked. Several U.S. soldiers dashed around land mines. Time and again, Americans over the years have slipped illegally into poor, deeply suspicious, fervently anti-American North Korea, even as it has become increasingly easy to enter legally as a tourist. It's incomprehensible to many, especially since tens of thousands of desperate North Koreans have crossed in the opposite direction, at great risk. On Tuesday night, a U.S. citizen apparently tried to swim across a river separating the Koreas, eager to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, local media reported. And on Sunday, a young American who entered legally but then tore up his visa was sentenced to six years of hard labor on charges he illegally entered the country to commit espionage. Sneaking into autocratic, cloistered North Korea has proven a strange and powerful temptation for some Americans. Sometimes the spur is deep religious conviction. Sometimes its discontent with America and a belief that things will be different in a country that can seem like its polar opposite. Quite often, analysts say, it's mental or personal problems or simply a case of a person acting upon a very, very bad idea. Whatever their reasons, Americans detained in North Korea, including three currently in custody, are major complications for Washington, which must decide whether to let a U.S. citizen languish or to provide Pyongyang with a propaganda victory by sending a senior U.S. envoy to negotiate a release. In the Cold War, a handful of U.S. soldiers, some of whom knew little about life in the North, fled across the Demilitarized Zone and later appeared in North Korean propaganda films. Charles Robert Jenkins, of North Carolina, deserted his army post in South Korea in 1965. He was allowed to leave North Korea for Japan in 2004. Other defector soldiers had problems in their military units or issues with family at home. One was reportedly lured north by a female North Korean agent. In the decades after the war, some Americans harbored "glamorous notions of North Korea as a socialist paradise," said John Delury, an Asia expert at Yonsei University in Seoul. "But that's just not part of the mix any more. Even in the furthest fringes of American online culture, you don't find that notion." Mental health issues have often played a part, Delury said. "It's seen as a forbidden country ... a place that's perceived in the American mind as being locked down," Delury said. "To cross the border, in some ways, could be alluring" to people looking to break social rules. Evan C. Hunziker had reportedly been drinking with a friend in 1996 when he decided to swim naked across the Yalu River between China and the North. Hunziker, who was released after about three months, had drug, alcohol and legal problems. He was later found dead in Washington state in what was ruled a suicide. Religion has provided a powerful impulse for some to cross. North Korea officially guarantees freedom of religion, but outside analysts and defectors describe the country as militantly anti-religious. The distribution of Bibles and secret prayer services can mean imprisonment or execution, defectors have said. "It is one of the last frontiers to spread the Christian faith, so there are people who would take unimaginable risks" to evangelize there, Delury said. A Bible in his hand, American missionary Robert Park walked into North Korea on Christmas Day 2009 to draw attention to human rights abuses and to call for the resignation of then-leader Kim Jong Il. Park, who was deported from the country in February 2010, has said he was tortured by interrogators. In 2011, ex-President Jimmy Carter visited North Korea to win the release of imprisoned American Aijalon Gomes, who had been sentenced to eight years of hard labor for crossing illegally into the North from China. It was unclear what led Gomes, who had been teaching English in South Korea, to cross. But he may have been emulating Park, said Jo Sung-rae, a South Korean human rights advocate who met with Gomes. Gomes attended rallies in Seoul calling for Park's release before he was arrested. For North Korea, getting a senior U.S. official or an ex-president to visit is a huge propaganda coup. It allows Pyongyang to plaster its newspapers and TV screens with scenes meant to show its powerful leaders welcoming humbled American dignitaries, said Andrei Lankov, a North Korea expert at Kookmin University in South Korea. Washington has repeatedly offered to send its envoy for North Korean human rights to discuss the currently detained Americans, but Pyongyang has so far balked. "The North Koreans are in no hurry," Lankov said. "It's a sellers' market. They say, 'This is our price: a senior visit and some concessions. These are our goods, these Americans. If you don't want to pay, that's your problem. We can wait.'" ___ AP writers Kim Tong-hyung and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul contributed to this story. __ Follow Klug, AP's Seoul bureau chief, at www.twitter.com/APklug Opposition parties in Botswana say the president is undermining the role of parliament after he challenged the process of electing a vice president. The Umbrella for Democratic Change said Tuesday that President Ian Khama's request that members of parliament elect a vice president by a show of hands was a form of intimidation. Khama and the ruling Botswana Democratic Party were re-elected in last month's general election. Last week, the president's lawyers approached the attorney general to petition the court to change the voting process from a secret ballot. In Botswana, publicly elected members of parliament select the vice president, speaker and deputy speaker. October's election resulted in the highest number of seats won by the opposition. Botswana's court will decide this week whether a show of hands is constitutional. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 Joseph-Marc Carel knows the danger of ferrying passengers on his small motorbike, sometimes two at a time, as tides of the buzzing vehicles cut through the chaotic Haitian capital. He has a prosthetic leg to prove it. Carel would like to find a job that's safer than driving a two-wheeled taxi in Port-au-Prince, but he knows he's unlikely to find one that pays anything close to the $50 a week he can earn with his battered motorbike. "It doesn't look good," he said, gesturing at the shattered reflectors and dented red gas tank as he revved the sputtering engine, "but it's mine." Cheap motorbikes such as the one that transformed this 24-year-old into an entrepreneur, and cost him his right leg in a 2011 accident, are seen by some as an economic lifeline and by others as a scourge of the streets. The Chinese-made vehicles began to flourish after Haiti's devastating earthquake of 2010, when foreign aid workers brought them in as part of their disaster-relief efforts. Port-au-Prince now is flooded with the small-engine Jialing, Lifan or Jeely models, which can be bought new for about $800 or leased from middlemen. Motorbikes provide one of the most efficient ways to navigate the unpredictable and rutted streets of the teeming capital. But with regulation largely nonexistent, the combination of inexperienced drivers, general lawlessness and packed roadways has resulted in a big jump in accidents. Dr. Bermann Augustin, an orthopedic surgery resident at the Hospital of the State University of Haiti, found in a recent study that motorbikes were involved in nearly 80 percent of all road accidents that sent patients to Port-au-Prince's main general hospital between April 2014 and February 2015. Emergency room administrators say they rarely saw victims of such accidents before the quake. "This has become a big public health problem in Haiti and it's getting worse," Augustin said. From her hospital bed in Port-au-Prince, food vendor St. Helene Morissette bitterly describes the accident that fractured her ankle. She was attempting to scurry across a road when a speeding motorbike taxi slammed into her. While she screamed in agony, the driver zipped away without a word. "A lot of these moto drivers are crazy," Morissette said while her young son rested his head on her shoulder and a daughter counted cash needed to buy medicine. The Haitian National Police says its officers are trying to crack down on unregistered motorbike operators. But with as many as 500,000 motorbikes on the streets in the greater Port-au-Prince area, traffic division Inspector Jean Yves Pierre acknowledged that authorities are struggling to keep up. The appeal of a motorbike is easy to understand in Haiti. Cars and SUVs often cost twice the price of a new vehicle in the United States and, in any case, are out of reach for most people. According to the World Bank, 59 percent of Haitians live on less than $2.44 a day and 24 percent make do with less than half of that. Even so, the Port-au-Prince area is a traffic nightmare, with SUVs, rumbling trucks and colorfully painted bus-pickups known as "tap taps" competing for space. A trip from the airport to the hillside community of Petionville just a few miles (kilometers) away can take two hours by car. On a motorcycle, the fearless can dart through long lines of vehicles and make it in a fraction of the time. Motorbikes were available in Haiti before the earthquake but they mostly were seen in rural towns, commonly used to carry all types of cargo, including live chickens and pigs, or towing items like rebar, bamboo poles and even wooden coffins from the back. The motorcycles have been critical during Haiti's ongoing cholera outbreak, often serving as the only way to get aid to people in remote corners. And they now make up nearly 45 percent of Haiti's underdeveloped public transportation system, according to official estimates. The influx has been a boon for Haitian repairmen. Luckson Jean, a mechanic who works at a motorbike shop on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, said the quality of the Chinese machines is inferior to coveted Japanese brands like Honda and Suzuki. They require a lot of maintenance, he said, and even then, generally only last a couple of years. In the hillside shantytown where he lives alone in a one-room concrete shack, Carel is on his fourth motorcycle since his accident. He says he has nightmares that his job may cost him another limb. "But there's no other way for me to survive so I keep going as a moto taxi driver even with one leg," Carel says as he straddles his battered motorbike amid the sounds of sputtering engines on a busy street below. ___ David McFadden on Twitter: http://twitter.com/dmcfadd ISIS claimed responsibility for twin suicide blasts that killed dozens of people in Lebanon Thursday, an attack that could escalate Sunni-Shia violence in the Hezbollah hub. An ISIS statement released after the bombings credited "caliphate soldiers" in southern Beirut, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute. Sunni ISIS previously had not made significant inroads into Lebanon due to Hezbollah's strength. The attack killed at least 37 people and wounded more than 180 others, George Kittaneh, head of the Lebanese Red Cross operations, told state-run National News Agency. It was one of Lebanon's deadliest attacks in years. The explosions hit minutes apart in an area called Burj al-Barajneh during rush hour. According to a Lebanese security official, the first suicide attacker detonated his explosives' vest outside a Shiite Mosque, while the second blew himself up inside a nearby bakery. An apparent third suicide attacker was found dead, his legs blown off while he still wore an intact explosives' belt, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. The official speculated the third may have been killed from the explosion of the second suicide attacker, as he was reportedly close to that blast. The Al-Mayadeen TV also reported there was a third would-be suicide attacker, describing him as a bearded young man who wore an explosives' belt. The report said he was killed before he was able to detonate the explosives. Hospitals in southern Beirut were calling on people to donate blood and appealed on residents not to gather at the hospital gates so that ambulanced and emergency staff could work unhindered. Shortly after the explosions, ambulances rushed to the area and started evacuating the wounded and the dead as Lebanese troops and Hezbollah gunmen cordoned the area, preventing anyone from getting close. "There is a massacre inside and we will not let you take photos," a Hezbollah member screamed at an Associated Press photographer at the scene. An hour later, ambulance sirens could still be heard in Beirut streets. Hezbollah also called on people to leave all coffee shops in the area, which are usually packed with people, and urged residents to inform the group about any suspicious moves. Fox News' Jennifer Griffin, Matt Dean and The Associated Press contributed to this report. The European Union will provide EUR 9 million to support internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Dnipropetrovsk region, Head of EU Delegation in Ukraine Hugues Mingarelli has said. "Ambassador Mingarelli in Dnipro: EU provides EUR 9 mln for the support of IDPs in Dnipropetrovsk region, which will be implemented by international organizations," the EU Delegation in Ukraine wrote on Twitter on Monday. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 One French police officer has been charged with raping a 22-year-old man and three others have been charged with assault after an identity check degenerated last week in the Paris suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois. Eric Dupond-Moretti, the victim's lawyer, said Monday that his client was hospitalized after an operation. The man was severely injured Thursday after allegedly being sodomized with a police baton. Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux suspended the four policemen and said the conditions of the man's arrest must be established "very clearly and with no ambiguity." A march was being organized Monday to support the victim. Aulnay-sous-Bois was one of the worst-hit suburbs during the 2005 riots around the French capital. A fish wholesaler has become the first major Volkswagen customer in Germany to sue the automaker for selling diesel vehicles rigged to cheat on emissions tests. Deutsche See GmbH says it filed a lawsuit with a court in Braunschweig on Friday, alleging "malicious deceit" on the part of Volkswagen, after failing to reach an out-of-court settlement. Deutsche See says it wants Volkswagen to repay about 11.9 million euros ($12.8 million) in leasing fees paid for its fleet of 500 Volkswagen diesel vehicles since 2009. Volkswagen said Monday that it hadn't yet received official notification of the lawsuit and therefore couldn't comment on the case. Volkswagen has agreed to buy back up to 500,000 cars in the United States under a $15 billion settlement agreed with U.S. authorities and car owners. An Afghan diplomat was shot and killed by his security guard inside the consulate in the Pakistani port city of Karachi on Monday, officials said. TURKEY DETAINS NEARLY 750 ISIS SUSPECTS IN NATIONWIDE RAIDS Mohammad Zaki Abdu, the third secretary at the consulate, died of his wounds shortly after the shooting, according to the consulate's spokesman, Haris Khan. "We were working at our office when we heard gunshots," he said. "Everybody was running in panic." GERMAN MAGAZINE SPARKS FUROR WITH COVER OF TRUMP BEHEADING STATUE OF LIBERTY The guard, identified only as an Afghan national named Rahatullah, was taken into custody, said Pakistani police official Azad Khan. Both officials said the motive behind the killing was not yet known. Pakistan has long been a hotbed of Islamic militancy. Foreign missions are provided extra security and also frequently hire their own private guards. Rahatullah was the slain diplomat's personal bodyguard, and it wasn't clear whether the Afghan Consulate had hired him officially, said Khan, the police official. Noor Wali Khan Noor, a Foreign Ministry official in Kabul, said a delegation from the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad has been dispatched to Karachi to investigate the incident. Pakistan's Foreign Office said police intervened immediately after the shooting, which took place in the lobby of the consulate. It said Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry spoke by phone with the Afghan ambassador to offer condolences and assistance in the investigation. Afghanistan and Pakistan have long accused each other of tolerating Islamic militants who operate along their porous border. Three Chinese warships sailed near the contested Senkaku Islands Monday, apparently sending a message to the U.S. just two days after President Trumps defense secretary visited Japan and vowed to defend the islands. STATE-OF-THE-ART CHINESE BALLISTIC MISSILE APPEARS IN MILITARY DRILLS The ships sailed within Japans territorial waters some 12 nautical miles off the islands in the East China Sea, roughly 140 miles northeast of Taiwan, a U.S. defense official told Fox News. On his first overseas trip as defense secretary, Jim Mattis, speaking in Tokyo, said China has shredded the trust of countries in the region by building up man-made islands in the South China Sea. He also said the U.S. commitment to protect Japanese territory applied to its islands in the East China Sea. CHINA'S FIRST LARGE HOMEMADE PASSENGER JET TO FLY IN 2017 Mattis later called for all regional disputes over territory to be handled peacefully during a press conference alongside his Japanese counterpart, Minister of Defense Tomomi Inada. The Chinese, who also lay claim to the Senkakus, call the uninhabited islands the Diaoyus. Japan has laid claim to the islands since the late 19th-century. China has claimed the islands since the end of World War II. I made clear that our long-standing policy on the Senkaku Islands stands. The U.S. will continue to recognize Japanese administration of the islands, Mattis said. As such, Article 5 of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty applies. Article 5 commits the U.S. to defend Japan or its territories if attacked. Following Mattis pledge, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said, We urge the U.S. side to take a responsible attitude, stop making wrong remarks... and avoid making the issue more complicated and bringing instability to the regional situation. The three Chinese coast guard cutters were Haijing patrol boats with hull numbers 2302, 2305 and 2501, the U.S. official added. Chinese government ships intruded in Japanese waters at least 34 times in 2016, The Japan Times reported. The sailing of the Chinese warships close to the contested islands followed a series of other recent provocations in the region. China has flown nuclear-capable bombers around other contested islands, including the Spratly Islands, six times this year. The latest flight took place on Sunday, according to the official. In late November, China flew a pair of nuclear-capable bombers around Taiwan for the first time. Days later the Taiwanese president called then-President-elect Donald Trump to congratulate him on his election win. The call broke a decades-long one-China protocol with American leaders communicating directly with Beijing only. Japan scrambled eight F-15 fighter jets to intercept the Chinese flight while it was circumnavigating Taiwan, according to officials. In recent years, China has constructed seven artificial islands in the South China Sea and has placed runways on three of them. In recent months, China has added military fortifications to protect the islands. In late December, China placed hundreds of surface-to-air missiles on Hainan Island off mainland China, which intelligence officials say could one day be moved to Chinas man-made islands in the South China Sea to better defend them. President Trumps newly confirmed secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, told lawmakers during his confirmation hearing last month that Chinas buildup in the South China Sea was "akin to Russias taking Crimea from Ukraine. "Were going to have to send China a clear signal that, first, the island-building stops and, second, your access to those islands also is not going to be allowed, he said. Mattis visited South Korea before arriving in Japan as part of his Asia trip. He also met Japans prime minister, Shinzo Abe. The Associated Press contributed to this report. French populist Marine Le Pens longshot political campaign just got a major boost after her main rival became mired in scandal just months before France goes to the polls -- possibly giving the outsider her best shot yet at the Elysee Palace. Le Pen, who leads the right-wing Front National, has run on a Trump-like platform of anti-Islamism, anti-globalization, stricter immigration controls, and a promise to leave the European Union. Formally launching her presidential bid Sunday, she warned about the two totalitarianisms facing France -- Islamism and globalization. Those two ideologies want to bring France to its knees, she told supporters in Lyon. Le Pens main opponent, conservative Francois Fillon -- who is running a traditionalist social and economic conservative platform with a strong Catholic flavor, was until recently seen as the favorite. Although running neck-and-neck in first-round polls it was widely believed that in the second round on May 7 -- when the race becomes a head-to-head between the two top candidates -- left-wingers and independents would pick Fillon over Le Pen. But that narrative has been turned upside-down after the French newspaper Le Canard Enchaine revealed earlier this month that Fillons wife Penelope and their two children were paid almost a million euros of taxpayer money, with little evidence they did any work in return. Police have opened a probe, Fillons poll numbers have dropped, and a recent Franceinfo radio poll shows two thirds of the public want Fillon to pull out of the race. The Penelopegate claims are more devastating in particular for Fillon as he has run a campaign emphasizing his Catholic background and family values. "These accusations are hitting at the load-bearing wall of his popularity," Yves-Marie Cann, head of political studies at Elabe, told Reuters. Fillon has scrambled to move past the accusations. In a press conference Monday he apologized for hiring his wife, denied wrongdoing and said he wasnt stepping down from the race. It was an error; I profoundly regret it and I apologise to the French people, he said. Whether he steps out of the race, his fall from grace has left Le Pen in a fundamentally different fight. One of Fillons strengths was that he was able to appeal both to traditional conservatives with his fiscal and social policies, while also eating into Le Pens hardline stance on immigration -- he even wrote a book called Conquering Islamic Totalitarianism. As Fillon sinks, Le Pens opponent is now likely to be independent center-left candidate Emmanuel Macron -- previously running in a distant third place. While Macron is running well behind Le Pen in first round polls, polls for a hypothetical second round between Macron and Le Pen suggest the centrist would be victorious. France is a region that has been rocked by a number of high profile Islamic terrorist attacks, of which some of the perpetrators have been migrants. On Friday, a man wielding a machete and yelling Allahu Akbar was shot by a soldier at the Louvre. Additionally, the recent deconstruction of the so-called Jungle Camp in Calais has left migrants from the Middle East and North Africa setting up makeshift camps on the streets of Paris. Le Pen has repeatedly praised President Trump, and may use a form of his drain the swamp campaign promise to weaponize the Fillon scandal as an example of a broader problem in French politics. There were signs of that Sunday when she took a swipe at the cash-rich right and the cash-rich left." A Le Pen victory would not be a small issue globally. Should the feisty Frenchwoman enter the Elysee Palace, the European Union would be hit with a potentially fatal blow -- as she has promised a Frexit referendum to leave the E.U. France and Germany make up the core of the bloc and it is difficult to see how it could possibly survive in its current form if France chose to leave. The raid by Marines on two methamphetamine labs in a remote mountain village in western Mexico saw the seizure of 1,800 kilos of crystal meth, 50 gallons of precursor chemicals and five industrial ovens used to produce the drug, just two of hundreds of such labs that have been found and dismantled by the Mexican military in recent years. 'EL CHAPO' LAWYERS SAY JAIL CONDITIONS ARE TOO STRICT IN NYC In many ways, the Jan. 25 raid was merely another chapter in Mexicos seemingly endless war on drugs, which has taken tens of thousands of lives since former president Felipe Calderon first deployed the military to combat the cartels in 2007. Yet it was also an example of the increasing sophistication and transnational reach of Mexican gangs which have long moved beyond the traditional traffic of marijuana and heroin to the U.S. market. In this case, the materials necessary to make crystal meth had been smuggled from China -- which according to the U.S. government produces 80 percent of such chemicals. The meth itself was manufactured in Mexico, where authorities discovered 131 meth labs in 2014 alone. And the finished product may have been destined for consumers as far away as Europe and Australia. Mexicos most legendary drug lord, Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, was extradited to the U.S. Jan. 19 after a criminal career that spanned three decades. Born in the impoverished mountains of Sinaloa to peasant farmers in the 1950s, El Chapo has become the most enduring symbol of the Mexican drug trade, yet experts insist that the 59-year-old veteran is far from typical of the countrys drug traffickers today. El Chapo was very much the prototype for todays drug lords, but over the last few years the criminal landscape in Mexico has changed significantly, Raul Benitez-Manaut, a security expert and professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, told Fox News. 'EL CHAPO' GUZMAN'S $16B IN ASSETS BELONG TO MEXICO, CONGRESSMAN CLAIMS The groups competing over the drug trade are smaller, more fragmented, and frequently they are more violent. The current spike of drug-related violence in Mexico began in 2007 after Calderons controversial federal crackdown on the cartels. Dozens of leading traffickers have been arrested and many others killed by security forces, yet government efforts have also caused the breakup of the larger cartels and spawned breakaway groups that have rapidly diversified their activities. It is a very different scenario to the 1990s when you only had two major groups [the Gulf and Sinaloa cartels] and they were primarily focused on drug trafficking, said Benitez-Manaut. Today there are many groups participating in a range of activities, most worryingly, extortion and intimidation. Since the mid-2000s, countless younger gangs have emerged such as the Zetas, the Guerreros Unidos, and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, groups that earn revenue not only from drug trafficking, but also kidnapping, extortion, and counterfeiting, among other crimes. According to Edgardo Buscaglia, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institute and an expert on international organized crime, they also frequently operate on a transnational basis, moving meth and cocaine to Europe and participating in human trafficking rings across South America. In recent years, organized crime in general has become more sophisticated because of developments in trade, technology, and finance, Buscaglia told Fox News. Such groups form strategic alliances and are more likely to operate across borders. The Mexican organizations are no exception. It is the dark side of globalization. For decades, Mexicos most famous drug lords overwhelmingly came from the mountains and villages of Sinaloa on the Pacific Coast where marijuana and heroin have been produced by farmers since the late nineteenth century. They were often portrayed in the press as Robin Hood-like figures, pouring drug money back into local communities. After El Chapo was arrested by Mexican authorities for a second time in 2014, poor people from his home state of Sinaloa marched in the streets to demand his release. Yet according to Mexican journalist Javier Cardenas, a native of the region who has covered the drug trade for twenty years, todays ambitious young narcos are a different story. Maybe they were Robin Hoods in the past, but the next generation of gang leaders are increasingly urban and lack the sense of social responsibility of their predecessors, he told Fox News. It is a very different mentality now. The newer Mexican gangs have proven to be way more violent. Two years ago, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel infamously brought down a Mexican Army helicopter with a grenade launcher in the state of Jalisco. Authorities have dismantled dozens of military-style training camps in recent years where cartel recruits are schooled in the use of high-caliber firearms and torture. Current Mexican president Enrique Pena Nietos term looks set to end with more violent homicides than that of his predecessor, with 20,766 murders in 2016 alone, according to government statistics. Reported kidnappings have also risen in the past decade from 438 in 2007 to 1,128 last year. Benitez-Manaut said he believes that Mexico is making slow but steady progress in its fight against crime, although serious challenges remain. The rise of new groups has seen violence spread to parts of the country it wasnt seen before, he said. German factory orders rose sharply in December, more than making up for a steep decline the month before driven by growth within the eurozone and domestically. The Economy Ministry said Monday that industrial orders were up 5.2 percent, following a 3.6 percent decline in November in season- and calendar-adjusted terms. Germany saw a 6.7 percent increase in domestic orders and a 10 percent increase from countries using the euro currency. Overall foreign orders were up 3.9 percent, with no increase recorded from non-eurozone nations. ING economist Carsten Brzeski says the surprising strength of the increase "all of sudden made a rather weak year 2016 a strong year for new orders" and could portend a strong start to 2017 for Germany's economy. Less than a week after the White House put Iran on notice for conducting a new ballistic missile test, Iran fired off five advanced surface-to-air missiles as part of a military exercise Sunday, two U.S. officials revealed to Fox News. ISRAELI LEADER PRESSES UK TO IMPOSE NEW SANCTIONS ON IRAN The Iranian Sayyad -- or Hunter -- missiles were launched from Dasht-e Kavir, a remote area 45 miles south of Semnan, Iran, the location of last weeks ballistic missile launch. Officials said the tests were successful. The missiles are used to down aircraft and incoming ballistic missiles, according to the officials. VIDEO: WALID PHARES ON RELATIONS WITH IRAN UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP They said they believed the launches were meant to coincide with the countrys 10 Days of Dawn celebrations marking 37 years since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. The celebrations began February 1, the anniversary of Ayatollah Khomeini's return to Iran after 15 years in exile. Just 10 days later, then-Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's regime collapsed. Iran's Revolutionary Guard conducted a separate military exercise on Saturday aimed at testing its missile and radar systems. It came after National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said the U.S. was putting Iran "on notice" for testing ballistic missiles and supporting Houthi rebels in Yemen. Iran apparently conducted its first ballistic missile test during Donald Trump's presidency about a week ago. In addition, the Iran-backed rebels may have been targeting the U.S. in their recent attack on a Saudi ship, defense officials said. We will never use our weapons against anyone, except in self-defense. Let us see if any of those who complain can make the same statement, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said in a tweet Friday. U.N. Resolution 2231 says Iran is called upon not to conduct ballistic missile tests -- but it does not forbid the rogue nation from doing so. The resolution went into effect days after the landmark nuclear deal was signed by world powers including the U.S. It was unclear whether Sayyad-1s or Sayyad-2s were launched on Sunday. The Type 2 has a range of up to 125 miles, while Type 1 can fly up to 75 miles. Both missile appear similar from satellite imagery, according to officials. Both types of missiles have been in Irans arsenal only since 2013, when mass production began. The Associated Press contributed to this report. What passes for a warning sign in Mosul is the rotting, charred, fly-infested corpse of a dead ISIS fighter lying in open view on the street, a live, unexploded suicide belt lying precariously nearby. The Iraqi army believes its a lot more effective than a big yellow triangle. IRAQ DECLARES EASTERN MOSUL 'FULLY LIBERATED' FROM ISIS We will leave the terrorist there, soldier Ibrahim Mohamed told Reuters. The message is clear to Iraqis, to keep them from joining or supporting [ISIS]. This will be your fate. The Iraqi army will finish you off. The armys psychological weapon comes with drawbacks too: The dead bodies are health hazards and the bombs lying in the street could still go off. TURKEY DETAINS NEARLY 750 ISIS SUSPECTS IN NATIONWIDE RAIDS Its a risk the Iraqi army is willing to take. We leave them in the street like that so the dogs eat them Asaad Hussein told Reuters. We also want the citizens to know there is a price for supporting terrorists. Said soldier Asaad Najif: The fate of any terrorist is clear. We will find you and kill you. ISIS-held territory in and around Mosul has shrunk significantly over the past several months. The roads fighters once easily traveled by taxi in early 2016 are now dotted with government checkpoints and airstrike craters. The western half of Mosul, which is still under ISIS control, is almost entirely cut off from territory the militants hold in Syria. In Mosul's east, the abandoned ISIS bases sit ransacked by security forces, intelligence officers and curious neighbors. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Israel's parliament has passed a contentious law meant to retroactively legalize thousands of West Bank settlement homes. The law passed 60-52 in a late-night vote Monday. The law is expected to be challenged in Israel's Supreme Court and is likely to face legal hurdles. ISRAELI LEADER PRESSES UK TO IMPOSE NEW SANCTIONS ON IRAN The law retroactively legalizes several thousand homes built illegally on private Palestinian land. The original landowners would be compensated either with money or alternative land, even if they do not agree to give up their property. The international community overwhelmingly opposes settlements and sees them as an obstacle to peace. The law is part of a series of pro-settlement steps taken in recent weeks by Israel's hard-line government, which has been emboldened by the election of U.S. President Donald Trump. Donetsk Filtering Station has resumed operation, the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) of the OSCE reported. "DFS pumping station restarted. DFS staff will stay overnight. Stop fighting," the OSCE SMM wrote on Twitter on Monday. The OSCE SMM also quoted on Twitter the mission's principal deputy chief monitor Alexander Hug as saying: "Hug @ DFS: Water is running again. Much more to be done. Guns need to remain silent now." The Ministry for Temporary Occupied Territories and IDPs earlier reported water supply from Donetsk Filtering Station may be resumed on Monday evening. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday urged British Prime Minister Theresa May to follow the American administration and impose new sanctions on Iran over a recent missile test. The two leaders met at 10 Downing St. for talks British officials hoped would focus on boosting trade ties between the two countries once Britain leaves the European Union. As photographers captured the start of the meeting, Netanyahu told May: "I'd like to talk to you about how we can ensure that Iran's aggression does not go unanswered." Iran and Israel are bitter enemies. Netanyahu vehemently opposes the 2015 international agreement that imposed curbs on Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. Britain backs the deal, which May has called "vital." President Donald Trump, with whom May's government wants close ties, is also a critic of the Iran deal. His administration imposed new sanctions on more than two dozen companies and individuals after Tehran tested a ballistic missile last week. In pointed remarks at the start of his meeting with May, Netanyahu said he wished other countries would follow the U.S. lead. "Iran seeks to annihilate Israel, it seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the West, it threatens the world," he said. "And it offers provocation after provocation." Netanyahu added: "That's why I welcome President Trump's assistance of new sanctions against Iran. I think other nations should follow suit, certainly responsible nations." The Trump administration is also perceived as sympathetic to Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land, an issue that caused friction between Netanyahu and former President Barack Obama. The Palestinians claim the West Bank and east Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as parts of a future state. They say the settlements, home to 600,000 Israelis, are making it increasingly impossible to partition the land into two states -- a position that has wide international backing. May is under pressure to condemn Israeli settlement-building. The prime minister's office said May would raise Britain's longstanding concerns that the settlements undermine the peace process, although it is expected to form only a small part of the meeting. May said at the start of the meeting that "we remain committed to a two-state solution as the best way of brokering stability and peace." next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 The Latest on scandal surrounding French conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon (all times local): 4:20 p.m. French conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon has denied that he acted illegally in a scandal surrounding his wife's well-paid job as his assistant. Fillon told a news conference that "all acts evoked (in the press) are legal and transparent." The candidate said "I have nothing to hide" and the accusations are "unfounded." Fillon was once considered the front-runner in France's two-round April-May presidential vote. Prosecutors are investigating the well-paid political jobs he gave to his wife, son and daughter to see if they actually did any work. ___ 12:15 p.m. French conservative Francois Fillon is scrambling to save his presidential bid as prosecutors investigated the well-paid political jobs he gave to his wife, son and daughter to see if they actually did any work. Fillon, once considered the front-runner in France's two-round April-May presidential vote, was holding a news conference later Monday at his campaign headquarters in Paris. The preliminary probe involves suspicions of embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds. Fillon's popularity has dropped in the past two weeks following revelations by the Canard Enchaine newspaper alleging that his wife was paid 830,000 euros ($900,000) over 15 years. The Paris prosecutor's office on Thursday expanded its investigation to include Fillon's son and daughter. Fillon, who campaigns as an upstanding family man, has denied any wrongdoing. next Image 1 of 3 prev next Image 2 of 3 prev Image 3 of 3 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is meeting Prime Minister Theresa May in London for talks he hopes will focus on Iranian weapons, and not Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Netanyahu told reporters in Jerusalem that he would "emphasize the need for a common front against Iran's defiant aggression which has raised its head in recent days." Iran fired a ballistic missile last week. Netanyahu vehemently opposes the 2015 international agreement that imposed curbs on Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions a deal Britain backs. U.S. President Donald Trump, with whom May's government wants close ties, is a critic of the deal. May also is under pressure to condemn Israeli settlement-building on occupied Palestinian land. May's office says she'll raise Britain's longstanding concerns during Monday's meeting. Montenegro's main opposition party says it will organize a referendum on the country's membership in NATO, with the support of Russia. The Democratic Front said Monday it will organize a "people's referendum" if the ruling majority keeps on insisting the membership decision should be made in parliament. The party's leader, Andrija Mandic, says the popular referendum has the support of the Kremlin. Montenegrin authorities say Russian nationalists were behind an alleged coup attempt in October that included plans to assassinate the pro-Western then-prime minister because of his government's bid to join NATO. The Kremlin has denied involvement, but has actively supported local groups that oppose having the traditional Slavic ally become the 29th member of the Western military alliance. Montenegro is expected to wrap up the membership process in the spring. Qatar Airways has launched the world's longest scheduled commercial airline route with the arrival of its flight from Doha to Aukland, New Zealand. The Gulf carrier said flight QR920 touched down in Aukland early on Monday after covering a distance of 14,535 kilometers, or 9,032 miles. That is the furthest distance between any two cities linked by direct flights. The outbound journey is scheduled to take 16 hours and 20 minutes on the Boeing 777-200LR. That's relatively short compared to the return trip of 17 hours and 30 minutes, which is slower because of headwinds. Qatar Airways' rival Emirates previously held the record for its route between Dubai and Aukland. That route is more than 300 kilometers shorter. Queen Elizabeth II becomes Britain's first ever monarch to mark her Sapphire Jubilee today. QUEEN'S 65-YEAR REIGN A MILESTONE IN A RECORD-BREAKING LIFE It's been 65 years since she became Queen following the death of her father King George VI. As Britain's longest reigning sovereign, this is a milestone in her reign that the United Kingdom has never seen before with any other monarch. ISRAELI LEADER PRESSES UK TO IMPOSE NEW SANCTIONS ON IRAN To mark the occasion Buckingham Palace re-released a photograph of the Queen wearing distinctive sapphire jewelry. The picture was taken by the photographer David Bailey in 2014 for the GREAT campaign, a publicity campaign to promote Britain around the world. In the photograph The Queen is wearing a suite of sapphire jewelry given to her by King George VI as a wedding present in 1947. Her father died in 1952. Princess Elizabeth, who was 25, was in Kenya on a royal tour with her husband Prince Philip at the time. To mark the day gun salutes are being fired in Green Park and at The Tower of London. But there are no grand national celebrations planned for the Sapphire Jubilee. On Sunday her majesty was given flowers by well-wishers in Norfolk after she attended a church service at St Peter and St Paul in West Newton. Click for more from Sky News. Showing no sign he would give himself up to the U.S., WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange reportedly begged the United Kingdom and Sweden to "do the right thing and restore my liberty" Monday, claiming he deserves freedom. SEAN HANNITY: TRUMP, SPICER TURN TABLES ON ALT-LEFT MEDIA Assange has been holed up for more than four years at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. He has refused to meet prosecutors in Sweden, where he remains wanted on rape accusations. He spoke out one year after a United Nations group found the U.K. and Sweden were "arbitrarily" detaining him. Assange argued, "These two states signed treaties to recognise the U.N. and its human rights mechanisms," the BBC reported. CALIFORNIA VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM 'HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE' TO FRAUD, EXPERTS SAY British officials previously said the finding from the U.N.'s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention "changes nothing." Last month, Assange raised eyebrows across the Internet when he appeared to offer himself up as a kind of swap for Chelsea Manning, the former private convicted of leaking the hundreds of thousands of documents that made WikiLeaks a household name. The group made its offer to then-President Barack Obama. "If Obama grants Manning clemency Assange will agree to US extradition despite clear unconstitutionality of DoJ case," WikiLeaks tweeted, apparently referring to the U.S. Department of Justice's continuing investigation into the radical transparency website. But when Obama granted clemency to the ex-Army analyst a week later, setting a May release date that lops almost 30 years off her sentence, Assange's lawyers said it wasn't enough. "There's no question that what President Obama did is not what Assange was seeking," said Barry Pollack, who represents the WikiLeaks chief in the United States. "Mr. Assange was saying that Chelsea should never have been prosecuted, never have been sentenced to decades in prison, and should have been released immediately." Melinda Taylor, who also represents Assange, agreed, saying in an email that clemency was "far short of what Mr. Assange asked for and what Ms. Manning deserved (which is to be pardoned and freed immediately)." Neither supplied any evidence that Assange had used the words "immediate" or "pardon" in relation to his extradition offer, but Pollack said it was clear that was what Assange meant noting that the Australian computer expert had previously pushed for Manning's pardon. "Why would he be called for Manning's release in a few months from now?" Pollack said. "You can parse his tweets any way that you want to parse them. I think his position has been clear throughout." The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Swiss federal prosecutor is investigating possible crimes against humanity involving a former interior minister from Gambia who applied for asylum in Switzerland. Michael Lauber's office says it is taking over an investigation initially launched by regional authorities in Bern because crimes against humanity would be international offenses that fall under federal jurisdiction. Lauber's office did not specify the suspect by name Monday but cited a complaint filed by Trial International. The watchdog group last month called for an investigation into whether former Gambian Interior Minister Ousman Sonko had any role in crimes including assault, coercion and false imprisonment during the 22-year rule of former President Yahya Jammeh. Sonko applied for asylum Nov. 10 amid a political squabble following elections that Jammeh lost. Sonko was taken into custody Jan. 28. The Speaker of Britain's House of Commons says he strongly opposes letting U.S. President Donald Trump address Parliament during a state visit to the U.K. John Bercow said Monday that he would have opposed the invitation even before Trump's temporary ban on citizens of seven majority-Muslim nations from entering the U.S. He said that after the migrant ban was issued, "I am even more strongly opposed." Bercow's intervention is unusual because Speakers are expected to remain above Parliament's partisan fray. He was cheered by lawmakers when he said that, although Britain values its relationship with the U.S., "our opposition to racism and to sexism, and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary, are hugely important considerations." Trump is due to visit Britain later this year. Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada will ratify an agreement on a free trade area between Ukraine and Canada in the coming weeks, Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv has said. "We expect a Verkhovna Rada session in the coming weeks and the ratification of the free trade deal with Canada," he said at a round table meeting in parliament on Tuesday. A corresponding bill on the ratification is ready now, he said. Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada committee for foreign affairs Hanna Hopko in turn expressed hope that lawmakers will be able to ratify the deal as early as the next meeting this Wednesday. "We hope very much there will be a positive signal, and we'll see in the session hall that there will be the political will for this [ratification]," she said. Ukraine's Ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko said during a skype conference that Canada in turn will be able to ratify the document on its part as early as in spring this year. "We [in Canada] have every chance of finalizing the ratification procedures in spring 2017," he said. Ukraine and Canada signed a free trade agreement on July 11, 2016, amid Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on November 17, 2016, tabled a bill in parliament to ratify the agreement, having designated it as a priority one. Canada's House of Commons backed the ratification of the bilateral deal on December 14, 2016. Now it is the Canadian Senate that should decide on the ratification. The Venezuelan government received a pat on the back from Russia Monday, with its foreign minister expressing the Kremlin's strong support for Nicolas Maduro's socialist rule and a willingness to expand the existing bilateral cooperation. In a meeting with his Venezuelan counterpart Delcy Rodriguez, Serguei Lavrov also spoke against foreign interference in the countrys internal affairs and reiterated Russias commitment to a 2016 deal to reduce oil production. IN VENEZUELA, WOMEN SELLING HAIR TO MAKE ENDS MEET "Foreign pressure is unacceptable," Lavrov said during a joint press conference after the Moscow meeting. "It is very important to avoid artificially-fueled tensions and protests which violate Venezuelas laws and may lead to dangerous consequences for both Venezuela and its neighboring countries," he added, as reported by Russian news agency Tass. Rodriguez said President Maduro is open to dialogue in an effort to heal the deeply divided country, as opposed to the extremist opposition that only listens to Washingtons mandates. Russias top diplomat expressed full support to Maduros socialist government and the Chavista cause. "We reaffirm our solidarity with the friendly people of this country [and] our strong support for the government's course of action to prevent a destabilizing situation and establish a national dialogue," Lavrov said. 'ANTI-COUP SQUAD' IN VENEZUELA MONITORS, HUNTS OPPONENT The two ministers lauded last years agreement between OPEC and non-OPEC, including Russia, to limit the extraction of oil to stabilize prices. "We share the view that this agreement will help stabilize the market situation," said Lavrov, who stressed that "Russia has already begun to reduce production gradually." The Venezuelan foreign minister said Russias commitment to cut its production to 300,000 barrels a day is decisive in the deals success. Both officials highlighted the ongoing cooperation in various fields, including nuclear medicine, agriculture and the production of vaccines and drugs in Venezuela. "Our relations are on the rise, the presidents communicate regularly and confidentially," Lavrov said. "The high-level commission, which oversees the entire array of multifaceted trade, economic and investment cooperation between Russia and Venezuela, is working," he added. Rodriguez , who is traveling with oil minister Nelson Martinez, was scheduled to meet Monday afternoon with Russian Energy Minister Alexand Novak. EFE contributed to this report. Yemen's Houthi rebels say they have "successfully" fired a ballistic missile at Riyadh for the first time, and are vowing more attacks on the Saudi capital. Saudi Arabia has been leading an international coalition against the Houthis and allied Yemeni military units since March 2015. Saudi officials could not immediately be reached for comment on the missile claim. In a statement posted on the Houthi-run SABA news agency on Monday, the rebels said the missile "targeted" the al-Mazahmiya army base in western Riyadh, around 1,000 kilometers (650 miles) from the rebel-held Yemeni capital, Sanaa. In October, Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed a Houthi-fired missile some 65 kilometers (40 miles) from Mecca, home to the cube-shaped Kaaba toward which the world's Muslims pray five times a day. Salata Signs 20-Store Agreement For Atlanta Market Next Generation Salad Bar concept teams with Unbeleafable Holdings on major expansion February 06, 2017 // Franchising.com // ATLANTA Salata the Next Generation Salad Bar has set its sights on Atlanta. The company announced today that it has executed an Area Development Agreement to open up to 20 restaurants in the Atlanta market over the next few years with Unbeleafable Holdings, a subsidiary of Henry Investment Group (HIG). We believe Atlanta is a prime market for the Salata brand, said David Henry, owner of HIG. Theres a growing number of health-conscious consumers who want fresh, healthy and quick dining options at a great price, and thats exactly who Salata caters to. HIG has seen tremendous growth in its restaurant division over the past several years and views the Salata brand as a key investment to round out its diverse portfolio. The company also owns franchise locations of El Pollo Loco in Texas and Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Atlanta is one of the most dynamic cities in the country, and I have no doubt the Salata brand will be well received there, said Berge Simonian, CEO of Salata. David and his team at HIG are outstanding operators who understand our brand, so I couldnt be more pleased that they will be carrying our flag in that booming market. HIGs first Salata will be located in Atlantas popular Atlantic Station. Construction is expected to begin in the next couple of months in anticipation of a grand opening this summer. Salata is renowned for its healthy, fresh and simple menu. The vegetables and fruits are chopped daily and the protein selection is fresh and lean. All of the dressings, soups and sauces are house-made and gluten-free. Salata: Eat Good, Look Good, Feel Good. About Salata Founded in 2005, Houston-based Salata is a fast-growing salad chain with more than 50 corporate-owned and franchise locations in Texas, Illinois and Southern California. Serving fully customizable salad and salad wraps made from a selection of more than 50 fresh, pure ingredients, Salata is the only salad concept that is gluten-free certified and completely customizable. Guests choose from an array of lettuces, vegetables, fruits, cheeses, seeds, nuts, chicken, seafood and vegan proteins, and all of Salatas dressings, soups and sauces are house-made and preservative-free. Freshly made soups, breads, desserts and signature teas and lemonades round out the menu. Ranked among the fastest-growing small chains in the U.S. by Restaurant Business, Salata plans to open 30 additional restaurants in 2017 in multiple markets, including Florida, Georgia and Oklahoma. For more information, visit salata.com or facebook.com/salatasalads. Contact: Ladd Biro Champion Management Founder & Principal O: 972.930.9933 C: 817.675.3499 SOURCE Salata ### Add to Request List Added Request Information Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus During their telephone conversation Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump paid particular attention to settling the situation in Donbas, the Ukrainian president's press office said. "The parties expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions and the deteriorating humanitarian situation, primarily in Avdiyivka. The countries' leaders noted the urgent need to ensure full ceasefire in place," according to a statement on the official site of the Ukrainian president. The conversation between Trump and Poroshenko lasted for over an hour. Poroshenko's press secretary Sviatoslav Tseholko wrote on his Facebook page that the parties also "discussed the issue of strengthening the strategic Ukraine-U.S. partnership." Poroshenko "thanked the U.S. leader for supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," Tseholko said. Furthermore, the parties discussed Poroshenko's future visit to Washington, to prepare for which the Ukrainian foreign minister will travel to the U.S. In the protocol part of the conversation, Poroshenko congratulated Trump on his inauguration and urged a more active dialogue with the new U.S. administration on every level, Tseholko said. More pay for public employees is the bottom line in the budget proposals that will emerge in the General Assembly today. In addition to restoring a canceled 3 percent pay increase for state employees and giving an additional boost to state police salaries, the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Finance Committee will propose a 2 percent raise for sheriffs deputies and other state-supported local employees. The House proposal also will include $2.4 million for the Capitol Police to raise officer pay, fill vacant positions and hire 15 additional officers to address turnover and staff shortages in the force that polices the Virginia Capitol and seat of government around it. The plan would raise the starting salary for Capitol Police by $6,200to $42,750 a yearwhile providing existing staff an increase of $4,300 on top of the 3 percent raise for all state employees. Capitol Police provide more than just our security when were here, Appropriations Chairman S. Chris Jones, RSuffolk, said in an embargoed budget briefing for the media on Friday. Senate Finance did not share its budget proposals with the media in advance, but Co-Chairman Emmett W. Hanger Jr., RAugusta, said the plans priorities are restoring the pay increase for state employees, boosting state police compensation, and improving the states dysfunctional behavioral health system I expect our budget to end up in a more conservative posture than the House, Hanger said Saturday. The House budget includes $2.8 million for targeted raises to employees in high-turnover positions, such as nurses and direct-care aides at state behavioral health facilities, and housing staff and food-service workers at higher education institutions. They would get a 2 percent boost on top of the pay hike for all state employees. The plan would provide money for raises to employees of public colleges and universities who didnt get them last year because of a surprise shortfall in state revenues. Some institutions, notably the University of Virginia and College of William & Mary, gave raises to faculty anyway. It also would restore $21 million of the $76 million that Gov. Terry McAuliffe cut in state support for higher education institutions in the budget he proposed last month, reducing the spending cut to no more than 1.4 percent of any institutions total education and general funds. The House budget proposal does not include money explicitly for teacher pay increases, but Hanger said of the Senate plan, Were going to attempt to work something out for the teachers. Both committees plan to free Lottery proceeds for local school divisions to use as they wish, and to provide extra relief for small school divisions with sharp declines in enrollment and state funding. House budget leaders briefed school superintendents on the K12 spending plan in a conference call Wednesday, Jones said. They were very pleased with the news we gave them. Richmond and other cities with high poverty rates would have an opportunity for grants from a $10 million fund that would be established under the House budget for community wealth building programs that provide services to move people out of poverty and off public assistance by helping them get jobs. Its a comprehensive approach to move people from dependence to self-reliance, said Del. Christopher K. Peace, RHanover, a member of Appropriations who pushed for funding of the program. Its one of those areas there is common ground on both sides of the aisle. Both committee budget proposals include big increases in funding for mental health and substance disorder treatment, building on the $31.7 million McAuliffe proposed in December for the states behavioral health system. The committees did not include $4.5 million the governor had proposed for a study of how to restructure the mental health system. The House instead boosted eligibility for mental health services under Medicaid to people earning up to 100 percent of the federal poverty level, or $11,880 for a single person, expanding eligibility to the Guaranteed Access Program by about 3,000 people. The budget proposals also include money to provide permanent supportive housing for people with behavioral health disorders, with $5 million in the Senate proposal and $2 million in House plan. With our focus on mental health, we felt that was an omission by the governor that we intend to address, Hanger said. The House budget would provide $1.5 million to expand the states program for victims of domestic violence and restore about $723,000 cut from the Library of Virginia, which lost up to 15 positions because of spending cuts in the current years budget to close an immediate revenue shortfall. The restored money will allow the library to reopen on Mondays and Saturdays, said Del. Jimmie Massie, RHenrico, who introduced budget amendments to restore the funding. In economic development, the House plan would restore $7.5 million to the GO Virginia initiative, or about half of the $15 million that McAuliffe cut in his proposed budget. It also would restore half of the $4 million the governor cut from incentives for the Inova Global Genomics and Bioinformatics Research Institute in Fairfax County. The House did not restore any of the $10 million that McAuliffe cut from the Virginia Research Investment Fund. Jones sponsored the higher-education research initiative, but he said, We didnt feel like they were ready. Jones did not say how much the House budget may provide to support restructuring of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership through legislation he is sponsoring. The restructuring plan is likely to require the creation of a division to oversee financial incentives given to new or expanding businesses, and an internal auditor. If we get a bill, there will be funding at the end of the day, Jones said. It has been 25 years since the Caroline County Board of Supervisors approved Haymount, a proposed planned community to be built on the Rappahannock River in the northern part of the county. In that time, not one of the proposed 4,000 homes has been built, but the developers continue to apply for the renewal of their wastewater treatment plant permit every five years. The plant has not been built. At the same time, the population of Caroline continues to grow and county officials are beginning to think about the need for a municipal water supply that doesnt rely on wells. Joseph Schiebel, director of public utilities for Caroline, said that the county has identified the Rappahannock River as the long-term solution for its water needs. Some county leaders see a potential conflict with Haymounts wastewater treatment plant, which would discharge into the Rappahannock. The permit for the treatment plant is up for renewal this year, and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality issued a notice seeking public comment on the draft permit. At the request of Supervisor Nancy Long, who represents the Port Royal District where Haymount is located, the Board of Supervisors discussed the permit at its Jan. 24 meeting. Longs concern is that the county is planning to apply for a permit to withdraw water from the same section of the Rappahannock where Haymounts treatment plant would be. A withdrawal system must be a certain distance away from sewage output. The property was rezoned a long time ago. Its changed hands a number of times. Development never happened, but yet theyre renewing a huge discharge permit, Long said in a telephone interview. The draft permit states that the Haymount facility proposes to release 580,000 gallons of treated sewage wastewater per day, expanding in the future to 960,000 gallons per day. The Bowling Green town wastewater treatment plant has a permit to release 250,000 gallons per day, the Lake LandOr plant can release 220,000 gallons per day and the countys regional plant can release from 1.5 to 3 million gallons per day. We have noticed, as well as the state, that over the years the groundwater level continues to subside, Schiebel said in a telephone interview. In the long term, its not a solution, especially as we have to draw more and more water to meet the demands of growth. Long said that the county cant wait much longer for a permit to draw water from the river. We want to remind [Haymount] that they are not doing anything actively right now, but we are. We really need our permit, she said. At the meeting, Supervisor Jeff Sili questioned whether the Haymount development would ever get off the ground. With all the construction on [U.S.] 17 and [State Route] 2, I dont see that this is ever going to be viable. I think we should submit a letter and request that [DEQ] deny their wastewater permit, Sili said. Supervisor Floyd Thomas said that while the Haymount development has caused him a great deal of heartache and pain, he would caution against actively opposing something that has already been approved. We could approach the Haymount people about their intents and then see if they could move their site so it wouldnt affect our intake, he said. Schiebel mentioned that the design plans for the Haymount treatment plant were never approved, are not proved to work in this area and are very maintenance-intensive. Long motioned that county staff compose a letter to the DEQ panel stating the countys concerns with the permit being in the area where it wants to put an intake. She also asked that the letter request taking the age of Haymounts plans into account. Her motion was unanimously approved. Haymount developer John Clark said that he has had no discussions with Caroline officials about the project because it is inactive. Theres no need to have discussions with them until its time to go forward, he said in a telephone interview. This is not the first time the permit has been renewed. We keep our permits renewed. Thats what you do with a project that one day will be built. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said that Russian representatives in the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) had unilaterally limited the number of staff allowed to carry out repairs on the contact line, thereby complicating efforts to restore the damaged infrastructure. Under a proposal made by Alexander Hug, first deputy head of the Special Monitoring Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a ceasefire must be put in place and the reconstruction begin in an area covering Avdiyivka, Yasynuvata, Donetsk airport, Pesky and two districts of Donetsk from 8 a.m. on February 5, the ministry's spokesperson said. "The armed forces of Ukraine and the Ukrainian side of the JCCC fully backed this initiative and provided written safety guarantees to ensure the repair work on infrastructure. At the same time the Russian side of the JCC, by 6 a.m. on February 5, had unilaterally limited the necessary number of workers and demining experts to do the work down to ten people, whereas at least 30 people are needed to do it properly," Kyiv said. This "hinders substantially the restoring of damaged infrastructure in Donbas," the spokesperson said. Spotsylvania County resident Gina Terry discovered a white supremacist flier on the way to her childrens school bus stop Monday morning. The printout had been placed at the end of her driveway, inside a plastic bag held down by two rocks. She said it appeared that the entire neighborhood received copies. I thankfully didnt open it up until the kids were on the bus, said Terry, 42, who lives in the Creekside subdivision off State Route 3 near Chancellorsville Battlefield. The flier, which touts a neo-Nazi group called New Order and depicts an image of a swastika, proclaims: Make America WHITE again-and greatness will follow. It refers to President Donald Trumps promise to construct a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, and states the purpose of the wall is to keep the non-White invaders out. The flier says it is not a bad idea, but militarizing the US/Mexico border would be faster, cheaper and more effective. The Spotsylvania Sheriffs Office had received four reports of the fliers as of Monday afternoon, Maj. Troy Skebo said. Three Creekside residents called authorities, as did a homeowner on Willow Woods Drive. In addition, a resident of the Smoketree neighborhood near Harrison Crossing told The Free LanceStar that the leaflets had been distributed there. We are currently investigating the situation, Skebo wrote in an email. The Fredericksburg Police Department and the Stafford County Sheriffs Office had not received reports of similar fliers. Terry said a neighbor has organized a town hall-style meeting with the Spotsylvania Sheriffs Office Thursday to discuss the incident. She and Kate Stafford, 38, who also got the flier, told The Free LanceStar that the Sheriffs Office advised them to simply throw away the leaflets. Terry said a deputy also told her the department would increase patrols in the area. Im appalled, Terry said. We have a wonderfully diverse neighborhood full of people with different backgrounds and different beliefs. This is a hateful thing to wake up to. Mark Potok, a senior fellow for the Southern Poverty Law Center, said his organizationwhich tracks hate groupsis seeing more and more of what he called cowardly leafleting by white supremacists. He said there is not much authorities can do because the First Amendment protects such content. The fliers reflect the energy that these groups feel after the Trump victory, Potok said, but added that they also show weakness. The great saviors of the white race are basically courageous enough to anonymously throw a pamphlet on someones lawn and run away with their tails between their legs, he said. The fliers delivered in Spotsylvania include a number for a post office box in Milwaukee. They came with a card featuring a link to New Orders website. Stafford, whose home is near Chancellor Elementary School, said her husband found the flier at the end of their driveway as he left for work Monday morning. Her neighbors got them, too. I hope it is just a few racists, but Im worried that its not, she said. Im worried that its much more than that. Its not the first time controversial fliers have been distributed in Spotsylvania. Residents received anonymous, anti-Islam handouts in 2015, after an uproar over a proposed mosque in the county. Terry, a professor at Germanna Community College, discussed the latest flier Monday with her students in a Controversies in Contemporary American Culture class. The students, she said, mulled over strategies to combat racism. Their advicedont pretend its not there. It needs to be tackled head-on. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin sees no grounds to lift sanctions on Russia, because, in his view, Moscow does not display its readiness and striving to honor its obligations under the Minsk agreements. "I find it senseless," Pavlo Klimkin said in an interview with the Austrian magazine Profil, after being asked whether the step-by-step lifting of sanctions on Russia suggested by Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz makes sense. The interview was published on the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's Facebook page on Sunday. "Russia is insisting on it not being party to the conflict [in eastern Ukraine], but demonstrates neither repentance nor readiness to repair what it has done. Thus, we want to sweeten to Russia the matters it even does not want to listen to [...]," the foreign minister said. "The sanctions are the only line between the good and evil, peace and war, which has been drawn by the European Union in this situation," he said. "No sanctions - no difference between the good and evil, one can do everything he wants to," Klimkin said. He views it more correct to make the Russian party get back to the basics of international law and rectify the implications of its actions. "Only after this one would be able to contemplate the softening of punishment," Klimkin said. Asked what Russia, in his view, should do in the current situation, the minister said: "It is absolutely simple. Withdraw your troops from Donbas, regardless of whether they are 'on leave' or not, bring the control over the Ukrainian border back to Ukraine, de-occupy Crimea. This is for beginning." Free Freightnet Membership List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in his greetings to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the bilateral diplomatic relations said that ensuring peace in the Black Sea region is a shared responsibility of Ukraine and Turkey. In his message to the Turkish president, Poroshenko stressed over the past 25 years the friendly bilateral relations between the two nations have deepened and created a solid foundation for the Ukrainian-Turkish cooperation, the Ukrainian president's press service reported on Friday. Poroshenko said the expansion of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries will promote the signing of a free trade area agreement. He also recalled the two countries have moved to the implementation of projects in the defense industry. For his part, Erdogan in his greetings to Poroshenko noted that the challenges, which the two countries face at the regional and international levels proved once again that the Turkish-Ukrainian friendship rests on a solid foundation, and our cooperation has deepened more in every area. "No doubt, our excellent relations with friendly Ukraine will continue to develop in the near future. Turkey will undoubtedly support the settlement in the region based on the preservation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our strategic partner of Ukraine," the Turkish president said and expressed the hope that his visit to Ukraine, which is scheduled in the coming months, will give a new impetus to relations. The Russian Justice Ministry has again declined the Ukrainian Justice Ministry's request for the extradition of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov and his accomplice Oleksandr Kolchenko, who were given lengthy prison sentences in Russia, Kyiv said. "Russia has refused to extradite Sentsov and Kolchenko without any grounds. It considers them its citizens," Serhiy Petukhov, deputy justice minister for European integration, said on Facebook. He said Ukraine considers Sentsov and Kolchenko its citizens and will seek their return through international organizations that have influence on Russia, and also within the framework of the lawsuits filed with the European Court of Human Rights. Petukhov has attached a copy of the Russian Justice Ministry's response to his report. According to earlier reports, the Northern Caucasus District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, in August 2015 sentenced Sentsov, who was detained in Crimea in 2014, to 20 years in a high-security penal colony on charges of creating a terrorist community on the peninsula. Kolchenko was sentenced to ten years in prison in the same case. In early May 2016, the convicts filled out documents for their extradition to Ukraine to serve their terms there. On June 1, the Russian Supreme Court refused to consider an appeal against the sentence. On October 21, 2016, Petukhov said Russia had refused to extradite Sentsov and Kolchenko to their home country to serve their terms there. WHATS UP The Cherokee County Literacy Association is having a hot dog sale fundraiser on November 12 at 11:00 a.m.2:00 p.m. in the office parking lot at 409 Buford Street. Plates for... Blacksburg town employees to get bonus of $175 Blacksburg town employees were rewarded for their work Tuesday with a little extra in their holiday bonuses. Blacksburg Town Council unanimously agreed to give most full-time and part-time employees an... In this region, no one fights alone Traditional rivals Landrum and Liberty presented a $4,700 check at Fridays Blacksburg game from a competitive fundraiser to celebrate Pink Out Week. Students competed to see which school could raise... Pet Obituary Cameo CamiWard 7/27/2004 10/29/2022 Cameo chose her forever family by walking into their yard June 2006. She loved her cat proof backyard, window and screen porch. Cameo for many years played hide and go... Story Highlights Spending figure one of the highest in past Januaries Decline of $17 from December consistent with previous January drops High- and low-income groups both report less spending WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans' daily self-reports of spending fell to an average of $88 in January, down from $105 in December. This is consistent with the drops in January over the previous four years. Still, this is the highest daily consumer spending average for the month of January since 2008, when the average was $97. Later that same year, consumer spending began to drop, as the U.S. economy faltered during the Great Recession. In January 2011, the average reached a low point of $58. Since 2013, Americans' self-reports of spending have stayed in the $78 to $88 range in January. Decline From December to January Typical of Most Years While December is often the highest month for consumer spending -- and December 2016 was the highest December in nine years -- January is often the lowest. The drop of $17 this year in Americans' self-reported spending from December to January is consistent with the declines in spending between the two months in each of the past four years. The smallest January drop in the nine-year history of this measure was from December 2012-January 2013, at $3. In the midst of the Great Recession, the biggest January drop occurred from December 2008-January 2009, when spending declined $25 in a month's time. Comparison of Average Daily Reports of Spending, December to January Monthly averages Years December January Difference, January vs. December $ $ $ 2016-2017 105 88 -17 2015-2016 99 81 -18 2014-2015 98 81 -17 2013-2014 96 78 -18 2012-2013 83 80 -3 2011-2012 76 63 -13 2010-2011 75 58 -17 2009-2010 72 62 -10 2008-2009 89 64 -25 Note: Daily tracking began in January 2008, so there is no 2007-2008 comparison Gallup Daily Among income groups, spending in January dropped not only among people making at least $90,000 annually but also among those making less than that. The same happened one year ago at this time. Still, as Januaries go, the past few have seen a pronounced uptick in monthly consumer spending among all Americans. Bottom Line While there was a marked drop in Americans' self-reported spending in January compared with December, last month was one of the highest January spending figures in the nine-year history of Gallup's tracking. This may be attributed to a healthy job market, rising economic confidence and an overall improving economy. Rising stock values may also be helping Americans feel better about their finances, at least for those who own stock. With December breaking the $100 mark for average daily spending and an expected rebound in February through the spring, consumer spending in 2017 may be poised to reach even higher levels. If that occurs, it could jump-start economic growth in the country, because consumer spending accounts for the lion's share of the U.S. gross domestic product. These data are available in Gallup Analytics. Gallup.com reports results from these indexes in daily, weekly and monthly averages and in Gallup.com stories. Complete trend data are always available to view in the following charts: Daily: Employment, Economic Confidence, Consumer Spending Weekly: Employment, Economic Confidence, Job Creation, Consumer Spending Read more about Gallup's economic measures. View our economic release schedule. The dates of the official visit of Azeri President Ilham Aliyev to Ukraine are under consideration, Ukrainian Ambassador in Baku Oleksandr Mishchenko said. According to earlier reports, Aliyev plans to visit Ukraine in 2017. "Negotiations are now being conducted to determine the date of the visit," Mischenko told a roundtable meeting on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Ukraine on Monday. During the visit to Kyiv, Aliyev will take part in the sixth meeting of the Council of the Presidents of Ukraine and Azerbaijan. Readers, we need your help to prove a merry Christmas for victims of domestic violence. There was a promising sign last week out of Salem as the Legislature settled down to work: Lawmakers appear to be serious this session about trying to find money-saving options to the state's troubled public-pension system. PERS issues grabbed the spotlight as the Senate Workforce Committee met on Wednesday, the official first day of the 2017 session. And the committee's chair, Portland Democrat Kathleen Taylor, made it clear that the committee would entertain any PERS proposal from legislators. "All bills will be treated equally," Taylor was quoted as saying in a story in The Oregonian, "and all will be brought out into the public light so everyone can see what we're grappling with." In fact, Taylor and her Republican co-chair, Sen. Tim Knopp of Bend, have invited legislators to submit any of their own PERS proposals by the end of the month. In a memo they issued last week, they even listed the nine criteria they would use to evaluate the proposals: They include items such as constitutionality, cost savings, impact on employer contribution rates, the impact on the public workforce, and so on. (The online version of this editorial includes a copy of the memo.) The idea is that the committee's staff will evaluate each proposal and prepare a summary. For his part, as we've noted in previous editorials, Knopp already has filed a pair of PERS bills, Senate Bill 559 and 560. One of the bills would change the calculation of members' final average salaries used in benefit calculations to an average of five years instead of three. The other would redirect employees' 6 percent retirement contributions, which now go into supplemental retirement accounts owned by the employee, to pay for their pensions. The committee also heard the first of two scheduled presentations by Steve Rodeman, the executive director of the Public Employees Retirement System, that served notice that substantial PERS reform won't be an easy task. Rodeman emphasized that the 2015 Supreme Court decision that invalidated most of the PERS reforms approved by the Legislature in 2014 made it clear that benefits can only be changed going forward. And, he noted, any changes the Legislature makes to PERS in this session are certain to be challenged in court. All that, obviously, increases the degree of difficulty legislators face in coming up with meaningful PERS reform. And, as we have noted before, it's becoming increasingly clear that there likely is no magic bullet solution one answer to all of our PERS issues. Still, it was gratifying to see the committee take up the PERS issue on the session's first day, especially in light of the Legislature's general reluctance to tackle the topic at all in its last couple of sessions. Proposals to reform the system didn't get much traction at all in the 2015 and 2016 sessions, as the PERS deficit ballooned to $22 billion and state and local governments dealt with the prospect of steep rate increases that will take a bigger and bigger bite out of their budgets. Legislative leaders seemed to think that they had taken their best PERS shot, and it had been rejected by the Supreme Court, so there was really nothing they could do. Of course, it still could be that these new legislative efforts, promising as they seem today, still could come to naught: These sessions are long and twisty affairs, and we still don't sense much enthusiasm among Democratic legislative leaders to tackle PERS reform. But the Senate Workforce Committee appears to be off to a good start, and the committee's efforts could well be one key to a successful session. (mm) 1931 2017 Duane passed away on Feb. 1, 2017, at the age of 85. He was born Nov. 14, 1931, to P. W. Drushella and Florence Miner Drushella on their farm near Livermore, Iowa. Duane was the third of five children, Marcine (Carter Gilliam), Harmon, Richard and Lyle. Duane graduated from Albany High School in 1949 and married Avis Arnold on Nov. 19, 1950. He served as FFA National Vice President in 1952, and always valued the leadership experience he gained through the organization. Duane spent many years in Scio where they raised their four children. Duane and Avis purchased timber land in 1955 of which his stewardship continued until his death. He dairy farmed full time until 1960 when he became a realtor and joined his father and uncle at Strout Realty in Albany. Later he was a partner in ABC Realty, and continued to sell real estate until 1995. Farming continued to be his passion throughout his life. Duane was actively involved in the community serving on the Scio School Board, President of the Linn County Lamb and Wool Fair and a member of the Albany Elks. He was also a life member of the Scio Masonic Lodge 39 and Al Kader Shriners. In 1959 Duane was elected as Albany Jaycees President and he was very involved in the Timber Carnival for many years. In the early 1970s he managed the USA All American Logging Team that traveled to Australia to compete. In addition to brokering real estate he was involved in several land developments in the Willamette Valley including Spring Hill Estates and Cascade Heights. He served as President of the Albany Association of Realtors Board, and the Farm & Land Brokers for Oregon and the Western Region. He was named Oregon and Linn County Tree Farmer of the Year. Family was very important to Duane. He enjoyed family time at the Oregon coast fishing, crabbing and gatherings at the beach house. He always looked forward to seeing the family at the annual family reunion chicken barbecue. He also enjoyed traveling and sharing life experiences with family and friends. He was an avid poker player winning many tournaments over his lifetime and was well known throughout the Oregon poker community. Duane is survived by his children, Nancy Iannarone, Leslie Whitson (Mark), Michael Drushella (Sheryl) and Eric Drushella (Sheryl); 14 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and former wife Kathie Bowlin. Memorial gifts may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for children or Future Farmers of America. A service will be on Feb. 10, 2017, at Fisher Funeral Home in Albany. The celebration of Duane's life will begin at 11 a.m. followed by a reception. At 2 p.m. there will be a graveside service at Franklin Butte Masonic Cemetery near Scio. Online condolences for the family may be posted at www.fisherfuneralhome.com. In a telephone conversation, U.S. President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discussed issues related to cooperation within NATO and the Ukrainian crisis, the White House said. The report says that the sides touched upon the issue of the U.S. policy towards NATO. Trump expressed strong support of the alliance, as well as his readiness for close coordination and cooperation to confront the challenges it faces. However, Trump and Stoltenberg also talked about how to ensure that all unit-member countries to fulfill their obligations in the area of finance. Trump confirmed that he will participate in the meeting of European leaders of NATO member countries, scheduled for the end of May this year. During their conversation, Trump and Stoltenberg also discussed the issues concerning the situation in Ukraine and the possibility of a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border, the White House said. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. City centre : Protests over future of Viktoriakaree Bonn A neighbourhood association formed a human chain on Saturday to symbolise protection of the Viktoriakarree ahead of a citizens workshop on its future this Saturday. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken This coming Saturday, the citizens workshop on the future of the Viktoriakarree in Bonn city centre begins. A recently formed neighbourhood association called for a demonstration in Rathausgasse on Saturday afternoon. There were more than 150 participants and Clara Arnold, chairwoman of the association, said the demonstration was a complete success. It ended with the formation of a human chain symbolising the protection of the area. The formation of the association brings to the table another player wanting to shape the future of the area. Klara Esch, spokesperson for the association, said: Developments in the Viktoriakarree should not lead to any demolition or disturbance to housing. We will fight for our living space. She demanded that the Austrian investor, Signa, stop the buildings remaining vacant. She is following the same line as Libertare Zentrum (Liz) and the Viva Viktoria Alliance. A citizens initiative by Viva Viktoria successfully stopped plans by Signa to demolish the Viktoriakaree in November 2015 to build a shopping mall and library rooms for the university. On 27 January, police and a Signa representative searched rooms in Rathausgasse occupied by Libertare Zentrum. As previously reported, they found a 25-year-old and a 28-year-old, who are now under investigation for trespass, according to police spokesperson Ruth Braun. Signa spokesperson Robert Leingruber said security measures had been taken and it was hoped the premises would be more easily marketable now the squatters were gone. When asked whether he thought there was a chance of renting the vacant spaces in the current situation, Leingruber responded: There are companies that have formed their entire business model around short and midterm leases. It is in Signas interests to find tenants and generate income. Shortly before the police intervention, businesses had written to the city saying Signa was allowing the area to become more rundown. However, the investor insists the police and the department of public prosecution have to make the next move. There are nine ongoing cases for breaking and entering, electricity theft and trespass. However, public prosecution spokesman Sebastian Bu said: The current investigations present no obstacle to starting construction works. The city does not believe it can force Signa to rent out the commercial property, saying ownership also gives the right to leave a property vacant. As long as the buildings are not dangerous it is not able to intervene. Mogherini says about EU commitment to continue work with all partners to achieve peace in Ukraine Head of the EU diplomacy Federica Mogherini said on Monday that the EU will continue striving to achieve a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian conflict, including its work in the Normandy format. According to her, the EU will reaffirm its position and will work with all partners, including the Normandy format [...] to find a solution to the conflict, she said on the eve of the EU Council on Foreign Affairs in Brussels. She said that clarity that exists in the EU is that the EU will not recognize illegal annexation of Crimea, and that the EU needs to complete the implementation of the Minsk agreements, taking into account the fact that the achievement of peace in Ukraine is the most important thing. SBU releases audio recordings of conversations between Plotnitsky and his deputy about 2014 downing of IL76 Investigators from Ukraine's SBU Security Service in Dnipro have completed their pretrial investigation of a criminal case involving the head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) Igor Plotnitsky with two militant commanders of illegal armed formations. Audio recordings between the men have been released and shed light on the case involving the shooting down in 2014 of the IL-76 military transport plane. "SBU investigators received unequivocal proof that LPR chief Plotnitsky, who at the time of the crime was the commander of an illegal armed formation ("Zarya"), together with A. Patrushev (Plotnitsky's deputy) and commander of the illegal armed formation "Vityaz" A. Gureev were the organizers of the criminal act [of shooting down the IL-76 military transport plane]. With the aim of preventing Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) troops from deploying, the men shot down the plane using a portable ground-to-air missile near Luhansk airport," the SBU's press service said on Monday. The SBU's website published the audio recording conversations between Plotnitsky and Patrushev, in which the latter says, "Two planes approached the airport one has been shot down three rockets malfunctioned, but they shot the plane down." The SBU also released audio recordings of a conversation between Gureev and entrepreneurs Stanislav (from Krasnodon, Luhansk region), who agreed to sell the carcass of downed plane as scrap metal. As earlier reported, at the end of January the criminal case involving LPR head Plotnitsky and two commanders of illegal military formations implicated in the downing of the IL-76 military transport plane was sent to court. Dnipro region representatives of Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office are seeking the conviction of Plotnitsky and the commanders of two illegal military formations for shooting down an IL-76 transport plane. The accused are charged with committing a terrorist act (Part 3 of Article 258 of Ukraine's Criminal Code), the PGO's press office said. The tragedy occurred in June 2014 when in Luhansk region while landing at the Luhansk airport ground-to-air missiles were fired and downed a IL-76 military transport plane, killing all nine crew members and 40 soldiers aboard. One of the topics of the EU Council debates on the level of foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday is the need to address a number of major international issues by the EU, Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said. This applies to Libya and to Ukraine, it refers to our relations with Egypt, and I also think to the Middle East peace process, the head of the Foreign Ministry of Belgium told reporters on arrival at the EU Council meeting. In his opinion, it is necessary to make an effort to prove that the European Union provides a real European diplomacy, not just contacts between the states of the Union and various partners. Answering about Ukraine, Reynders stressed the need for a ceasefire in the east of the country and the implementation of the Minsk agreements by both parties. He also insisted on the importance of implementing reforms in Ukraine. Sometimes, Native legends influence settlers in an area to the extent that stories of creation and other worlds become interwoven with urban legends for future generations. Some might say the pukwudgies of New England are a good example. The native Wampanoag People had legends of small creatures who roamed the forests. They were said to be human-like, but standing only 2-3 feet tall. They were also said to be able to shapeshift into other creatures. They also were said to form a ball of light that would lure people deeper into the woods (the infamous spooklights phenomena). The wanderer would then be driven to their death over a cliff or some other calamity if not killed by these pukwudgies and their poisoned darts. Some people today have claimed to follow the lights only to run into these wee creatures, get lost, or have an accident. Nearly every region of the country reports some form of these wee folk. Out west, one mummy was touted as being one, the "Pedro Mountain Mummy," as it is termed. This was found in 1932 in the San Pedro Mountains in Wyoming. It seems that tales of giants and little people both abound around the world by cultures that never met each other. That consistency is very relevant as to such people being a real true possibility and that even today they could continue to exist in hidden groups in the forests around the world. One present-day urban legend involves the " melonheads " that I spoke about on the blog a few days past. Such things begin as a native legend and later are interpreted by settlers. Something similar is seen with trolls in Norway. They began as giant beings, and Christians turned them into wee folk in their telling. In Tennessee in the 18th Century, wee folk were supposedly exhumed. From the book The Natural and Aboriginal History of Tennessee by John Haywood (starting page 200 on reprint edition from Amazon): Referred to as "pygmies," these skeletons were found buried in crypts just outside of Sparta, Tennessee in the County of White and reported in the Nashville Whig in June 1820. These graves had many bodies, all of them quite small. Some of the crypts were as small as 18 inches by 12 inches. The first grave was 2 feet long and inside the small skeleton and its teeth had the researcher wondering if it was canine or monkey. He had them sent off to be examined. They were buried with care in a stone crypt and had shells and urns with them. The bones were so old they crumbled quite easily. One skull the examiner held up was 5" across from side to side. Most individuals were from 18 inches to 2 feet 10 inches long. One find was a 5 foot 5 inch individual found with the smaller ones. The taller skeleton had a head that was longer, eyes much wider asunder, the forehead much higher above the eyebrows, and the under jaw measured one inch longer on each side than the smaller fellows. Atop the head of one skull had bright silver grey fine hairs. There was great dissimilarity in skull shapes, the size and shape of the bones, and looked to belong to different tribes of people. Just 8 miles away, a 7-foot giant was found. These finds were packaged and sent for examination in Nashville. The prevailing opinion was that they were not children. No 1 skull belonged to some carnivorous animal of the canine genus; but that the skull belonged on an adult person of small size, not much exceeding 3 feet in length. Cylindrical bones and teeth appeared canine. Others gave the same odd opinion. Source: V.R. Pilapil, for example, asserts that the disputed Tennessee graves really did contain pygmy remains. Not only that, but he hypothesizes that the pygmies arrived in ancient times from southeast Asia, probably the Philippines, where today's diminutive Aetas live. To support his case, Pilapil recalls B. Fell's examination of the Tennessee skeletal material. Fell noted that: (1) The skull brain capacity was equivalent to only about 950 cubic centimeters, about the volume of a non-pygmy 7-yearold; (2) The teeth were completely developed and showed severe wear characteristic of mature individuals; and (3) The skulls were brachycephalic (flat-headed like dogs) with projecting jaws (like dog). Fell had, in fact, described skulls very much like those of today's adult Philippine Aetas. Another line of evidence adduced by Pilapil involved the traditions of British Columbia tribes, which recognized a tribe of very small people called the Et-nane. More significant is the oral history of the Cherokees, which mentions the existence of "little people" in eastern North America. From the book Tby John Haywood (starting page 200 on reprint edition from Amazon): **Tomorrow's post "The Beast of Bladenburo"** Article Protecting the worlds oceans an important goal of Germanys climate diplomacy The worlds oceans are vital to our survival. They regulate the global climate and are a source of food and income for billions of people. Only a very small part of the seas enjoys legal protection, however. Our diplomats are working in New York right now to change this state of affairs. The Primorsky district court of Odesa has approved the request of the region's Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) to arrest an entrepreneur involved in the organization of fake oil deliveries via Odesa region in the so-called "Kurchenko scheme" corruption case. The individual, detained in Dnipro, has been placed in pretrial confinement. The court's press service said the individual could post UAH 20 million in bail or remain behind bars. As earlier reported, Serhiy Kurchenko is involved in the criminal case as the leader of a criminal organization, which from 2010 through the start of 2014 committed serious and very serious economic crimes involving the sale of gas condensate. For example, during this period Kurchenko is suspected of organizing an organized criminal group to seize control of PJSC Ukrgazvydobuvannia, and the public joint-stock company Ukrnafta, as well as gas condensate supplies belonging to the state worth UAH 2.2 billion. The criminal act was committed at state-run auctions by buying condensate gas for the population at lower than market prices. Simultaneously, condensate gas was sold by the criminal group to enterprises controlled by Kurchenko in Ukraine at market prices. Kurchenko has been on the international wanted list since March 2014. As reported on February 2, prosecutors in Odesa region together with police and Ukraine's SBU security agents in the "Kurchenko scheme" case established that the Odesa Oil Refinery was used to evade taxes in excessive amounts. Oil supplies were delivered to the enterprise for re-export of 800,000 tonnes of oil supplies. However, the oil products were not re-exported and remained in Ukraine. As a result, from 2012 through 2014 the state incurred losses amounting to UAH 1.2 billion. Kurchenko's accomplices included customs workers, tax authority officials and businessmen. Three customs officials from Odesa have been charged with suspicion of abetting tax evasion, along with employees of two commercial companies. Italy Begin Raids And Deportation Of Undocumented Nigerians In The Country bayonel3 at 6-02-2017 02:48 PM (5 years ago) (m) A document circulated by the Ministry of the Interior to the Questure (Police Headquarters) has announced a new wave of raids and arrests from January 26th to February 18th against undocumented Nigerian men and women. A document circulated by the Ministry of the Interior to the Questure (Police Headquarters) has announced a new wave of raids and arrests from January 26th to February 18th against undocumented Nigerian men and women. Those arrested (the document speaks of 100 people) will be likely detained in the detentions centres (C.I.E.) of Roma, Torino, Brindisi and Caltanisetta. According to Refugee Radio Network, every third or fourth Thursday of the month there are already direct flights deporting people back to Nigeria, but it is also possible that during this month the deportations will increase. "We invite everybody to spread the word and to be particularly careful around train stations and in places where the police is most present, like markets and work places" says RRN. Those arrested (the document speaks of 100 people) will be likely detained in the detentions centres (C.I.E.) of Roma, Torino, Brindisi and Caltanisetta.According to Refugee Radio Network, every third or fourth Thursday of the month there are already direct flights deporting people back to Nigeria, but it is also possible that during this month the deportations will increase.says RRN. Post Reply I scour the world wide web to bring you interesting stories from around the globe. +2348055557203 Posted: at 6-02-2017 02:48 PM (5 years ago) | Hero Larry28 at 6-02-2017 02:56 PM (5 years ago) (f) Nawa ooooo Posted: at 6-02-2017 02:56 PM (5 years ago) | Hero Nawa ooooo Reply Bruther at 6-02-2017 03:43 PM (5 years ago) (m) I think Nigeria too should start similar thing here now before it is too late. These Countries are playing on our inteligents and the earlier the better to let them know that Nigeria is not a push over country. Let us show them just once and see how it will sound to them. It should be fire for fire. Posted: at 6-02-2017 03:43 PM (5 years ago) | Newbie I think Nigeria too should start similar thing here now before it is too late. These Countries are playing on our inteligents and the earlier the better to let them know that Nigeria is not a push over country. Let us show them just once and see how it will sound to them. It should be fire for fire. Reply akinmanchy at 6-02-2017 03:46 PM (5 years ago) (m) O'boy na wa ooo Life na jeje so just try to take am softly Posted: at 6-02-2017 03:46 PM (5 years ago) | Hero O'boy na wa ooo Reply osarobo62 at 6-02-2017 04:10 PM (5 years ago) (m) Quote from: Bruther on 6-02-2017 03:43 PM I think Nigeria too should start similar thing here now before it is too late. These Countries are playing on our inteligents and the earlier the better to let them know that Nigeria is not a push over country. Let us show them just once and see how it will sound to them. It should be fire for fire. hio hio hio hio....i'am laughing in urhobo,.....how many illegal or undocumented Italians are in Nigeria Posted: at 6-02-2017 04:10 PM (5 years ago) | Hero hio hio hio hio....i'am laughing in urhobo,.....how many illegal or undocumented Italians are in Nigeria Reply Mykie010 at 6-02-2017 04:51 PM (5 years ago) (m) Make dem no too dey go for game house, dem dey go there well well,then girls go hear nwii because na for night dem go pack all of dem Posted: at 6-02-2017 04:51 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Make dem no too dey go for game house, dem dey go there well well,then girls go hear nwii because na for night dem go pack all of dem Reply tommy70 at 6-02-2017 05:08 PM (5 years ago) (m) Posted: at 6-02-2017 05:08 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Reply abcdqwer at 6-02-2017 07:15 PM (5 years ago) (m) If this is done in America there would be a massive protest Posted: at 6-02-2017 07:15 PM (5 years ago) | Upcoming If this is done in America there would be a massive protest Reply zoe61 at 6-02-2017 10:23 PM (5 years ago) (f) nawa ooh Posted: at 6-02-2017 10:23 PM (5 years ago) | Hero nawa ooh Reply miccoy at 6-02-2017 10:55 PM (5 years ago) (m) Na real waaaaah. Posted: at 6-02-2017 10:55 PM (5 years ago) | Newbie Na real waaaaah. Reply james987 at 7-02-2017 12:27 AM (5 years ago) (m) Ok oooooo Posted: at 7-02-2017 12:27 AM (5 years ago) | Hero Ok oooooo Reply LG H871 with Snapdragon 820 appears on Geekbench News oi -Rohit The leaked LG H871 might be a Lite variant of the upcoming LG G6 backed by Snapdragon 820 and 4GB of RAM A new LG smartphone has surfaced on Geekbench database running the 2016's flagship chipset- the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820. The smartphone that goes by the model number- LG H871 could be LG G6 Lite, a less powerful variant of the upcoming flagship LG G6. Spotted by Gsmarena, the benchmark listing shows the handset running Android 7.0 out-of-the box and a 2.19 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC running the show. The CPU is paired with 4GB of RAM to support multitasking. This reminds us of a recent finding that Samsung has claimed all the stocks of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 CPU and LG is only left with Snapdragon 821 chipset for its upcoming flagship- LG G6, which is widely speculated to arrive on February 26. In that case, the leaked handset might be a less powerful variant of the upcoming LG G6 as the company has plans to launch the smartphone in multiple RAM variants depending on the region. As noted, LG G6 is said to make an appearance on February 26, one day before MWC 2017 kicks off. Unlike LG G5, the G6 will ditch the modular design and is expected to come with a Snapdragon 821 CPU, which forces us to think how it will fight the likes of upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8. Besides, it is said that LG G6 will be arriving with features such as heat piping in the interior, water resistance, and a large 2:1 display with a unique resolution of 1440x2880 pixels. Stay tuned for more updates on GIZBOT. Images Source: Geekbench, underkg.co.kr Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Overall, dont let the bhoot mislead you, nothing bhootiya about this story. Had the makers tried to push the envelope, the idea could have been outstanding for a bhootiya comedy. Lawmakers, activists decry CIA No. 2's link to black site prison torture Iran Press TV Sun Feb 5, 2017 1:19AM Donald Trump's selection of an officer, linked to CIA's notorious torture of terror suspects in overseas black site prisons, as the spy agency's deputy chief has sparked opposition by Democratic lawmakers and human rights activists. The US president picked as the Central Intelligence Agency's second-in-command a veteran clandestine officer, Gina Haspel, "who oversaw the brutal interrogation of two terrorism suspects at a black site in Thailand and then later played a role in the destruction of video tapes documenting the harsh treatment of the detainees," Washington-based news outlet The Hill reported Saturday citing "multiple reports." The development comes amid reports that the Trump administration intended to reopen CIA's overseas "black site" prisons, where agency officers once tortured terrorism suspects, but backed off due to a strong bipartisan opposition from Congress and cabinet officials. According to the report, ranking member of US Senate's Intelligence Committee Senator Dianne Feinstein of California blocked Haspel's promotion to the head of CIA's clandestine services in 2013 over her role in the so-called enhanced interrogation (torture) program. The report further underlined that US-based human rights activists regard Haspel's promotion as "confirmation of their worst fears about the intentions of the new administration." "We are gravely concerned that, only a few days after taking office, CIA Director [Mike] Pompeo has selected as his deputy a person who has run a secret CIA torture prison and then lobbied to destroy evidence of the crimes committed there," said deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Washington DC, Christopher Anders as quoted in the report. Haspel, a 30-year veteran of the spy agency, was reportedly in charge of torturing and interrogating two captured terrorism suspects, identified as Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri. Zubaydah alone, the report added, "was waterboarded 83 times in a single month, slammed into walls and confined in a coffin-like box" before CIA interrogators determined that he had no useful information to provide. "I felt I was going to explode from bending my legs and my back and from being unable to spread them not even for short instants," he wrote to his lawyers in 2008, describing being placed in the box. "The very strong pain made me scream unconsciously." The torture and interrogation sessions were recorded by the US spy agency, "but the videotapes were ordered destroyed in 2005," the report underlines citing a New York Times articles that further pointed out that the CIA maintains that the decision was made by Haspel's then-boss, Clandestine Service head Jose Rodriguez. However, Haspel's name appears alongside Rodriguez's on the cable carrying the order, the report added noting that other reports cited former officials as saying that "she also lobbied to destroy the recordings." The controversial bid to destroy evidence of CIA's involvement in torture triggered a Justice Department probe, though no charges were brought. This is while some Democratic senators consider the promotion of Haspel to deputy director of the CIA as a clear sign that the Trump administration intends to reestablish the use of torture techniques such as waterboarding and sleep deprivation. The report further points out that the lawmakers are cautious about publicly addressing Haspel's role in the torture program since only a heavily-redacted 500-page executive summary of the Senate report on CIA's interrogation techniques has been declassified. Democratic Senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico sent a letter to Trump on Thursday regarding Haspel's appointment, warning that "her background makes her unsuitable for the position." "We are sending separately a classified letter explaining our position and urge that the information in that letter be immediately declassified," they further wrote. "I want some reassurance from her that she intends to comply with both the spirit and the letter of the law, like Director Pompeo testified that he would during his confirmation process," said ranking Senate Intelligence Committee member Mark Warner of Virginia in a statement, adding that he plans to meet with her "as soon as possible to secure that commitment." The report insists, however, that there is very little that concerned Democratic lawmakers will be able to do to block Haspel's appointment since the position does not require Senate confirmation. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers as well as some former CIA officers view Haspel's promotion as a signal that Director Mike Pompeo "is wisely prioritizing career officials as he attempts to boost morale after months of disparaging comments about the agency from President Trump," the report said. The appointment, one former officer argued, indicates the "consistent agency position that you shouldn't punish good officers for doing their best in difficult circumstances." Trump insisted in a televised interview last month that he "absolutely" thinks that waterboarding works and would consider reinstating it as senior administration officials see it necessary. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address "United we stand, divided we fall": letter by President Donald Tusk to the 27 EU heads of state or government on the future of the EU before the Malta summit 31/01/2017 13:45 Press release 35/17 Home Affairs Foreign affairs & international relations Institutional affairs Dear colleagues, In order to best prepare our discussion in Malta about the future of the European Union of 27 member states, and in light of the conversations I have had with some of you, let me put forward a few reflections that I believe most of us share. The challenges currently facing the European Union are more dangerous than ever before in the time since the signature of the Treaty of Rome. Today we are dealing with three threats, which have previously not occurred, at least not on such a scale. The first threat, an external one, is related to the new geopolitical situation in the world and around Europe. An increasingly, let us call it, assertive China, especially on the seas, Russia's aggressive policy towards Ukraine and its neighbours, wars, terror and anarchy in the Middle East and in Africa, with radical Islam playing a major role, as well as worrying declarations by the new American administration all make our future highly unpredictable. For the first time in our history, in an increasingly multipolar external world, so many are becoming openly anti-European, or Eurosceptic at best. Particularly the change in Washington puts the European Union in a difficult situation; with the new administration seeming to put into question the last 70 years of American foreign policy. The second threat, an internal one, is connected with the rise in anti-EU, nationalist, increasingly xenophobic sentiment in the EU itself. National egoism is also becoming an attractive alternative to integration. In addition, centrifugal tendencies feed on mistakes made by those, for whom ideology and institutions have become more important than the interests and emotions of the people. The third threat is the state of mind of the pro-European elites. A decline of faith in political integration, submission to populist arguments as well as doubt in the fundamental values of liberal democracy are all increasingly visible. In a world full of tension and confrontation, what is needed is courage, determination and political solidarity of Europeans. Without them we will not survive. If we do not believe in ourselves, in the deeper purpose of integration, why should anyone else? In Rome we should renew this declaration of faith. In today's world of states-continents with hundreds of millions of inhabitants, European countries taken separately have little weight. But the EU has demographic and economic potential, which makes it a partner equal to the largest powers. For this reason, the most important signal that should come out of Rome is that of readiness of the 27 to be united. A signal that we not only must, but we want to be united. Let us show our European pride. If we pretend we cannot hear the words and we do not notice the decisions aimed against the EU and our future, people will stop treating Europe as their wider homeland. Equally dangerously, global partners will cease to respect us. Objectively speaking, there is no reason why Europe and its leaders should pander to external powers and their rulers. I know that in politics, the argument of dignity must not be overused, as it often leads to conflict and negative emotions. But today we must stand up very clearly for our dignity, the dignity of a united Europe - regardless of whether we are talking to Russia, China, the US or Turkey. Therefore, let us have the courage to be proud of our own achievements, which have made our continent the best place on Earth. Let us have the courage to oppose the rhetoric of demagogues, who claim that European integration is beneficial only to the elites, that ordinary people have only suffered as its result, and that countries will cope better on their own, rather than together. We must look to the future - this was your most frequent request in our consultations over the past months. And there is no doubt about it. But we should never, under any circumstances, forget about the most important reasons why 60 years ago we decided to unite Europe. We often hear the argument that the memory of the past tragedies of a divided Europe is no longer an argument, that new generations do not remember the sources of our inspiration. But amnesia does not invalidate these inspirations, nor does it relieve us of our duty to continuously recall the tragic lessons of a divided Europe. In Rome, we should strongly reiterate these two basic, yet forgotten, truths: firstly, we have united in order to avoid another historic catastrophe, and secondly, that the times of European unity have been the best times in all of Europe's centuries-long history. It must be made crystal clear that the disintegration of the European Union will not lead to the restoration of some mythical, full sovereignty of its member states, but to their real and factual dependence on the great superpowers: the United States, Russia and China. Only together can we be fully independent. We must therefore take assertive and spectacular steps that would change the collective emotions and revive the aspiration to raise European integration to the next level. In order to do this, we must restore the sense of external and internal security as well as socio-economic welfare for European citizens. This requires a definitive reinforcement of the EU external borders; improved cooperation of services responsible for combating terrorism and protecting order and peace within the border-free area; an increase in defence spending; strengthening the foreign policy of the EU as a whole as well as better coordinating individual member states' foreign policies; and last but not least fostering investment, social inclusion, growth, employment, reaping the benefits of technological change and convergence in both the euro area and the whole of Europe. We should use the change in the trade strategy of the US to the EU's advantage by intensifying our talks with interested partners, while defending our interests at the same time. The European Union should not abandon its role as a trade superpower which is open to others, while protecting its own citizens and businesses, and remembering that free trade means fair trade. We should also firmly defend the international order based on the rule of law. We cannot surrender to those who want to weaken or invalidate the Transatlantic bond, without which global order and peace cannot survive. We should remind our American friends of their own motto: United we stand, divided we fall. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemeni troops kill 7 Saudi soldiers in Najran, Jizan, pound Saudi bases Iran Press TV Sun Feb 5, 2017 4:34PM Yemeni army soldiers, backed by fighters from allied Popular Committees, have killed at least seven Saudi troops in the kingdom's southwestern border regions of Najran and Jizan as the Riyadh regime pushes ahead with its campaign against Yemen. According to a report by Yemen's Arabic-language al-Masirah television network, the Yemeni forces on Sunday gunned down two Saudi troops in a sniper attack on al-Tala'a military base in Najran, and killed three more by attacking al-Makhroq base with rocket-propelled grenades in the same region. The Yemeni troops also launched a heavy artillery attack against a number of Saudi military bases in the region, including al-Sadis and al-Shabakeh. They also bombarded the Rejla Camp with artillery shells. The Yemeni forces also launched an attack against al-Qais military base in Jizan, killing two more Saudi soldiers. They managed to destroy three Saudi military vehicles in the vicinity of al-Fariza and another near al-Jamayel base in the same region. The Yemeni fighters also managed to destroy two military vehicles and an armored vehicle, belonging to the Saudi-led coalition, in the western coastal line of Yemen's southwestern province of Ta'izz, near the Bab al-Mandeb strait. Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah fighters and their allies in the army have been launching retaliatory attacks against parts of the Saudi territory adjacent to northern Yemen, as well as the gatherings of Riyadh-allied militants inside Yemen. A report by Reuters published in April last year showed that at least 400 Saudi soldiers had been killed in the cross-border fire since the start of the campaign in March 2015. Riyadh has maintained a policy of ambiguity regarding its casualties in the war on Yemen. Senior military officials have said that they would not release such information until after the campaign. Saudi Arabia has been engaged in the deadly campaign since March 2015 in an attempt to bring back Yemen's former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a staunch ally of Riyadh, to power and undermine Houthi Ansarullah movement. The Saudi war has so far claimed the lives of at least 11,400 Yemenis, and taken a heavy toll on the country's facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said recently that Saudi military aggression against Yemen had killed nearly 1,400 Yemeni kids, injuring hundreds more. Rights groups have described the United States and the United Kingdom as complicit in the bloodletting given their provision of deadly weapons to the Saudi regime during the campaign. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump says US government has 'a lot of killers, isn't 'so innocent' Iran Press TV Sun Feb 5, 2017 4:32PM US President Donald Trump says the American government has "a lot of killers" and is not "so innocent," adding that he respects Russian President Vladimir Putin for fighting against the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group. Trump made the remarks on Saturday during an interview with Fox News at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. The complete interview will air on Sunday. Asked by host Bill O'Reilly if he respected Putin, Trump replied: "I do respect Putin." "I respect a lot of people, but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with them," Trump added. "He is a leader of his country. I say it's better to get along with Russia than not and if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS (ISIL) which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world, major fight, that's a good thing." "He's a killer, though," O'Reilly said, without providing any proof. "Putin's a killer." "There are a lot of killers," Trump answered. "We've got a lot of killers. What, do you think our country's so innocent?" During an interview with ABC News in December 2015, Trump said he has not seen any evidence that Putin has killed anyone. "It's never been proven that he's killed anybody, so you know you're supposed to be innocent until proven guilty at least in our country he has not been proven that he's killed reporters." Before entering the White House, Trump repeatedly praised Putin and called for closer ties between Washington and Moscow, despite allegations that Russia had interfered in the 2016 US presidential election. Relations between Washington and Moscow deteriorated during the administration of former President Barack Obama over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria. The Obama administration levied broad economic sanctions against Russia over its alleged support for pro-Russia separatist forces in eastern Ukraine and reunification with Crimea in 2014. During a phone conversation on Saturday, Trump told Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko that Washington will work with Ukraine and Russia to "restore peace along the border," according to a statement released by the White House. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the Council of Europe Dmytro Kuleba has said that he gave a letter from Ukrainian journalist Roman Sushchenko, accused of espionage by Russia, to Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland. "I have handed over a letter from Sushchenko, sent from Lefortovo prison, to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. I stressed that the release of Ukrainian political prisoners must be EC priority," Kuleba wrote on his twitter on Friday. On Friday, the Ministry of Information Policy of Ukraine together with the Ukrinform information agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine presented a tape dedicated to Sushchenko. Representatives of embassies and international organizations were invited. Russia voices concern over Daesh growth in Afghanistan Iran Press TV Sun Feb 5, 2017 7:39AM Russia has expressed concerns about growing militancy in Afghanistan, warning that the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group is expanding its foothold in the conflict-ridden Asian country. The Russian Foreign Ministry issued the warning in a commentary released on Saturday ahead of a visit by Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani to Moscow due on February 7. "We watch closely the situation with security in Afghanistan, and we are concerned about the growing combat and terrorist activities of the armed opposition," the ministry said. It further noted that "great concerns are caused by the spread of influence" of Daesh. The ministry also highlighted the importance of relations between Moscow and Kabul in the fields of technology and military and voiced Russia's support for the Afghan reconciliation process. "We consider as important directions the continuing military-technical cooperation with Kabul, support in improvement of combat capacity of the Afghan national security forces, as well as training of the republic's military and police personnel by Russian respective authorities," it added. Afghanistan has been torn apart by years of Taliban-led militancy and the 2001 invasion of the US and its allies. Recently, the country has seen a surge in terrorist attacks despite the presence of thousands of foreign boots on the ground. Taking advantage of the chaos, Daesh is attempting to expand its presence in some Afghan provinces, particularly Nangarhar. The terror outfit, which is mainly active in Syria and Iraq, has lately managed to take recruits from Afghan Taliban and al-Qaeda defectors. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Duterte ends peace talks with Philippine communist rebels Iran Press TV Sun Feb 5, 2017 3:23AM Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has scrapped peace talks with communist rebels some five months after both sides agreed on negotiations to end almost fifty years of deadly conflict. On Saturday, Duterte said that his country is abandoning discussions in Norway with the New People's Army (NPA) just one day after calling off a unilateral ceasefire with the rebels. "I will request tomorrow the Philippine contingent to fold their tents and come home," he said, adding that, "I tried everythingI walked the extra mile, released prisoners, released their leaders so they can go to Oslo to talk." He added that now that the peace talks have been canceled, the group's leaders, who had been freed to take part in negotiations, would be going back to prison. The last round of talks fell through last week in Italy after the rebels called for the release of some 400 prisoners. Since taking office last year, Duterte has been attempting to reach an agreement with the rebels and has already engaged in two rounds of formal discussions with them. During the almost five decades of conflict between the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing the NPA, and the Philippine government around 40,000 people have been killed. The rebels have also accused Duterte of using his controversial war on drugs as an excuse to launch operations against them. The military says the NPA has fewer than 4,000 gunmen today, down from a peak of 26,000 in the 1980s. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Responds to Fox News Criticism of Russia, Saying US Not 'So Innocent' Sputnik News 14:17 05.02.2017(updated 14:22 05.02.2017) US President Donald Trump has responded to criticism of Russia by a US television channel Fox News journalist, by remarking that Washington is not so "innocent." WASHINGTON (Sputnik) In a publicly released excerpt of the interview, which will air in three parts, the new US president said that he respected his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, but does not know whether they will get along with each other. Fox News reporter Bill O'Reilly then reminded Trump of the accusations that the West has made against the Russian side. "You think our country's so innocent?" Trump said in response to the journalist. At a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Theresa May on January 27, Trump said that a good relationship with Russia and possible cooperation against Daesh would be beneficial and something that he was ready to consider. Donald Trump has repeatedly advocated establishing a political dialogue with Moscow, particularly in regards to the fight against terrorism, and expressed readiness to build positive relations with Russia. Moscow has long been promoting the idea of fruitful cooperation with Washington. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Stronger Relations Between Russia, US Bring Hope for Peace in Afghanistan Sputnik News 14:08 05.02.2017(updated 15:59 05.02.2017) A recent report issued by a US agency estimates that the Afghan government controls less than 60 percent of the country. Afghan officials put the blame on the US and NATO which have failed to stabilize the country, while political and economic analysts recall the aid provided by the USSR and hope that now Russia can also help out. As of November, the Afghan government could only claim to control or influence 57 percent of Afghanistan's 407 districts, according to US military estimates released by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), a US watchdog which monitors the funds allocated for reconstruction of Afghanistan, in its quarterly report to the US Congress. That represents a 15 percent decrease in territory held compared with the same time in 2015, the agency said. Commenting on the released data, the former governor of the country's Herat province Mohammad Yunus Fakur blamed the US and NATO who have failed to stabilize the country throughout the long-term presence on the ground. "There is an ongoing fight against terrorists in Afghanistan headed by NATO and the US. The Afghan government is operating solely under their control," he told Sputnik. "The war in our country has been raging for a long time, and still there is no peace as such in almost any province," he added. The former governor further elaborated that at the same time neither drug production nor its illegal trafficking have decreased, and some provinces have witnessed a sharp increase in the production of opiates. "The Afghan people are convinced that it is the fault of the US and NATO who were either unable to prevent this or have not made it their aim," Mohammad Yunus Fakur said. However he further noted that it is impossible to throw them out of Afghanistan as the country's government has signed a Security and Defense Cooperation Agreement, under which both US and NATO military contingents have the right to be stationed on Afghan territory. In a separate comment on the issue, an economist from the capital Kabul Jamsheed Shahabi recalls that it was the USSR which developed the country's major industries. For example, he says, it constructed, among others, a 71-meter-long canal in the Eastern province of Nangarhar with the only dam in the province, the Duranta Dam constructed by the Soviet companies. Puli Khumri II hydro-power plant, the Naghlu Dam and Naghlu hydro-power plant on the Kabul river, TPP (thermal power plant) with nitrogen fertilizer plant and much-much more. "When the political influence of Russia's predecessor, the USSR was especially strong, our economy was flourishing. The Soviet experts contributed much to the electrification of our country by constructing large-scale projects. These projects now can become a foundation for the implementation of Russia's advanced technologies into the Afghan economy," he suggested. Kabul-based political analyst Mahfooz Alhaq meanwhile suggested that future security of Afghanistan will depend on the relationship between Russia and the US. "The stronger the relations between the US and Russia, the more secure will be Afghanistan," he told Sputnik. "It is very important that Moscow and Washington are acting hand in hand, granting support in training and re-arming the Afghan police and National Security forces," he said. The political analyst further noted that both Afghan police and the country's army have sufficient potential to fight terrorism, however it needs to be developed. He also added that his home country did not forget the aid that Russia recently provided to the armed forces by sending 10,000 Kalashnikov machine guns. He believes that the US should value its relationship with Russia through opening a dialogue and lifting the sanctions on Moscow. Meanwhile Ahmadullah Moahed, deputy of the Wolesi Jirga, the lower chamber of the country's parliament, the National Assembly, from the Nuristan province noted sincere tone in the phone conversation between Presidents Trump and Putin, which gave hope to the Afghan people. "The dialogue between Trump and Putin has been perceived as good news which will bring peace to the world," he told Sputnik. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Beijing Urges Washington to Take Responsible Attitude to East China Sea Dispute Sputnik News 02:29 05.02.2017(updated 14:14 05.02.2017) US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis's statement that the US remains committed to supporting Japan's claim to the disputed Diaoyu islands is putting regional stability in East Asia at risk, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang Friday. According to Lu, the United States should take a "responsible attitude" toward the disputed islands in the East China Sea, which are called Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan. "We urge the US side to take a responsible attitude, stop making wrong remarks on the issue involving the Diaoyu islands' sovereignty, and avoid making the issue more complicated and bringing instability to the regional situation," Lu said Friday. His statement comes in the wake of remarks by US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis that the United States will defend the disputed islands on Japan's behalf should they ever be attacked. "I made clear our longstanding policy on the Senkaku Islands," Mattis said during his inaugural trip to Tokyo. "The US will continue to recognize Japanese administration of the islands." Responding to Mattis's statement, Lu called the US-Japan relationship "a product of the Cold War, which should not impair China's territorial sovereignty and legitimate rights." After World War II, the islands remained under US control until they were given to Japan in 1972. China cites historical records to prove its rights to control this territory. US President Donald Trump has taken a harsh stance against China, accusing it of currency manipulation and not taking appropriate measures to reign in its rogue neighbor, North Korea. After the presidential election, Trump violated a decades-old tradition by taking a phone call from the president of Taiwan, an independent nation that China claims as a part of its territory. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Baltic Bastion: Latvia Building 171-Mile Fence on Border With Russia Sputnik News 01:31 05.02.2017(updated 02:30 05.02.2017) As anti-migrant hysteria sweeps the world, little Latvia has rushed to fence itself off from its surrounding neighbors, constructing nine-foot high walls around its periphery. RIGA (Sputnik) Latvia has constructed a 14-mile fence along the 171-mile border with Russia for protection against illegal migrants entering the European Union, additional 37 miles will be constructed in 2017, the country's State Border Guard spokeswoman Jevgenija Poznaka said Saturday. "The construction was started back in 2015, and we are planning to finish it by 2019. Forty miles of the border zone was built up, and the 14-mile fence was constructed," Poznaka told journalists. The Delfi news agency reported last March that Riga received nearly $2 million from Brussels for constructing the first part of the wall, a 15-mile section. In 2017, Latvia allocated 6.3 million euros ($6.8 million) for the construction of the 37 miles of fence and 93 miles of border zone, the spokeswoman stated. Media reported that the minimum height of the fence, including the barbed wire, will reach almost nine feet. It is expected to be constructed along some 120 miles of the border. Latvian official have also included in the country's 2017 budget funds for construction of a similar fence on the border with Belarus. State Border Guard Chief Gen. Normunds Garbars hasn't provided details on the length and cost of the planned wall. Latvia was not the only state that decided to fence it off from neighbors. Norwegian authorities have decided to erect a gated fence at the only checkpoint on the border with Russia in a bid to prevent a new wave of migrants crossing in, while the Estonian government has approved the building of a 2.5-meter fence on its border with Russia as the latest measure aimed at fortifying Estonia's part of EU outer borders. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Says 'Respects' Putin, But Not Sure They Will Get Along By VOA News February 05, 2017 President Donald Trump says that though he "respects" Russian President Vladimir Putin, they may not necessarily get along. "I say it's better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS (Islamic State), which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world - that's a good thing," Trump told Fox News in an interview due to air Sunday. "Will I get along with him? I have no idea." When asked about atrocities committed by Putin in the past, and how Trump could respect him knowing this history, Trump likened Russia to the United States. "There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country's so innocent?" he said, according to excerpts released from the interview Sunday by Fox News. Responding to these comments on CNN, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said he doesn't think "there's any equivalency" between the U.S. and Putin. U.S. intelligence agencies have accused Russia of hacking computers connected to the Democratic Party as part of a wide-ranging campaign aimed at interfering in the U.S. presidential election . Before taking office, Trump repeatedly questioned the intelligence community's findings. Those criticisms have since eased. Still, the president has continued to say publicly that he is open to better relations with Moscow. Trump and Russian President Putin spoke by phone last Saturday in what the White House described as "a significant start to improving the relationship between the United States and Russia that is in need of repair." The excerpts released from the interview also include a question about Trump's call for investigating voter fraud in the November presidential election. Trump has made many claims that undocumented immigrants voting illegally cost him the national popular vote.Trump won the Electoral College vote to defeat Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton but he lost the popular vote by about three million votes. "Let me just tell you, when you see illegals - people that are not citizens and they are on the registration rolls," Trump said. "You have illegals, you have dead people, you have this, it's really a bad situation, it's really bad." Election officials who have analyzed the November 8 vote say there were almost no indications of voter fraud, certainly not on the scale Trump cites. VOA National Security correspondent Jeff Seldin contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Respects Putin, Says 'Getting Along' With Russia Will Help Defeat Daesh Sputnik News 00:14 06.02.2017(updated 00:16 06.02.2017) Good relations between the United States and Russia would be a "good thing" especially if cooperation contributed to the defeat of Daesh jihadist group, US President Donald Trump said Sunday. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Answering a question whether he respects the Russian president in an interview with the Fox broadcaster, Trump said that he does, noting that good ties with Moscow would help to fight terrorism. "I do respect [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. I respect a lot of people, but that does not mean I'm going to get along with them. He is a leader of his country. I say it's better to get along with Russia than not and if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS [Daesh] which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world, major fight, that's a good thing," Trump said in an interview that was partially aired on Sunday. At a joint press conference with UK Prime Minister Theresa May on January 27, Trump said that a good relationship with Russia and possible cooperation against Daesh would be beneficial and something that he was ready to consider. Donald Trump has repeatedly advocated establishing a political dialogue with Moscow, particularly in regards to the fight against terrorism, and expressed readiness to build positive relations with Russia. Moscow has long been promoting the idea of fruitful cooperation with Washington. Trump also said that maintaining good relations with Putin was his "asset, not a liability." Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Court ruling against Trump ban 'move in right direction,' Iraq says Iran Press TV Sun Feb 5, 2017 1:50PM Iraq welcomes a US appeals court ruling against a travel ban imposed by the administration of President Donald Trump that bars citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. Iraq's government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi on Sunday said the revocation of the ban was the "right" thing. "It is a move in the right direction to solve the problems that it caused." Iraq's government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi The controversial decision by the Trump administration sparked a growing backlash in Iraq, whose forces are fighting against the Daesh Takfiri terrorists. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi earlier said the ban punishes those people who have rendered sacrifices in combating terrorism. On Saturday night, the US appeals court denied an emergency appeal from the Department of Justice to restore the ban on citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Trump said the Justice Department would succeed in appealing District Court Judge James Robart's order, which lifted his administration's travel ban on Muslims. Following Robart's decision, the US State Department said it was reversing the cancelation of visas, more than 100,000 of which were revoked after Trump's directive last week. Trump's travel ban has also prompted global outcry with an increasing number of countries, including long-standing US allies, criticizing the move as discriminatory and divisive. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Appeals court rejects Trump's request to restore travel ban Iran Press TV Sun Feb 5, 2017 5:5AM A US court has denied an emergency appeal from the Department of Justice to restore President Donald Trump's executive order banning citizens of seven Muslim countries from entering the United States. "Appellants' request for an immediate administrative stay pending full consideration of the emergency motion for a stay pending appeal is denied," the ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said on Sunday. On Saturday night, Trump said the Justice Department would succeed in appealing District Court Judge James Robart's order which lifted his administration's travel ban on citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. "We'll win. For the safety of the country, we'll win," Trump told reporters at his private Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Earlier on Saturday, Trump said that "the opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!" Trump's tweets drew a swift condemnation from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. "The President's attack on Judge James Robart, a Bush appointee who passed with 99 votes, shows a disdain for an independent judiciary that doesn't always bend to his wishes and a continued lack of respect for the Constitution, making it more important that the Supreme Court serve as an independent check on the administration," Schumer said. Trump has also come under considerable pressure from politicians and rights groups to rescind the Muslim ban. The measure has created a global backlash with an increasing number of countries, including long-standing US allies, criticizing the curbs as discriminatory and divisive. A Democratic lawmaker suggested Saturday that Trump needs a mental check-up over his extreme measures. "Last 24 hrs on Twitter, Donald Trump went on rant about 'death & destruction,' 'FAKE NEWS,' & 'evil.' Should he get mental health exam?" California Congressman Ted Lieu tweeted Saturday. Following Robart's decision, the State Department said it was reversing the cancellation of visas, more than 100,000 of which were revoked after Trump's directive last week. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. concerned about increasing violence in Donbas U.S. Vice President Michael Pence has declared that Washington is alarmed by the growing violence in the east of Ukraine. "We're watching and very troubled by the increased hostilities," Pence told ABC. Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Washington will make efforts to ensure peace in the Russian-Ukrainian border. We will work with Ukraine and Russia and all interested parties to help them restore peace along the border, Trump said in a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, says a message released by the White House. U.S. Court Denies Justice Department Appeal To Reinstate Travel Ban RFE/RL February 05, 2017 A U.S. federal appeals court in San Francisco has denied an emergency motion filed by the Justice Department to immediately reinstate President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily barring citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries, as well as all refugees, from entering the United States. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco instead asked the state of Washington and the Trump administration early on February 5 to file more arguments by the afternoon on February 6. U.S. District Court Judge James Robart, who was appointed by former President George W. Bush, ruled late on February 3 that the executive order could not be enforced until the case against it brought by the states of Washington and Minnesota was decided. In its filing late on February 4, the Justice Department said the judge's order "second-guesses the president's national-security judgment" and harmed the public by "thwarting enforcement" of the executive order. Acting Solicitor-General Noel Francisco argued on February 4 that the president alone had the power to decide who can enter or stay in the United States. "The power to expel or exclude aliens is a fundamental sovereign attribute, delegated by Congress to the executive branch of government and largely immune from judicial control," the brief says. Trump also lashed out at Judge Robart, labeling him a "so-called judge" on Twitter and dismissing his "opinion" as "ridiculous." "Because the ban was lifted by a judge, many very bad and dangerous people may be pouring into our country. A terrible decision," Trump tweeted. The restraining order is valid nationwide, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service has informed airlines to board passengers bound for the United States who hold valid visas. Visas that were physically canceled while the executive order was being enforced remain invalid. Trump justified his January 27 order on national-security grounds, but opponents say it unconstitutionally targets people on the basis of their religion. The executive order bars citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries -- Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen -- from entering the United States for a 90-day period, suspends all refugee admissions for 120 days, and indefinitely stops the processing of refugees from Syria. The higher court's denial comes just hours after the Justice Department filed for an emergency stay of the suspension of Trump's travel ban and means legal battles over the ban will most likely continue over the next several days. With reporting by AP and AFP Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/us-court-denies-appeal- reinstate-travel-ban/28280015.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Court Denies Request to Reinstate Travel Ban; Asks for More Arguments Monday By VOA News February 05, 2017 The U.S. appeals court that rejected the Trump administration's request to reinstate a temporary travel ban has given the government and state's challenging the order until Monday to file more arguments. The early Sunday ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco came after the U.S. Justice Department filed an appeal in response to a federal judge's decision (Friday) to temporarily reverse the executive order banning travel to the U.S. from seven Muslim majority nations. The Justice Department's appeal said the judge's decision "second-guesses the president's national security judgement" and harms the public by "thwarting enforcement" of President Donald Trump's executive order. Hours after the federal judge blocked the order, the president hurled fresh criticism at the judge, warning that the ruling would allow "many very bad and dangerous people into our country." Trump's verbal fusillade targeted U.S. Judge James Robart, a 69-year-old jurist in the northwest state of Washington known for his conservative legal views. Robart was appointed to the federal bench in 2004 by former President George W. Bush. "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.," Trump tweeted. Earlier Saturday he called Robart's decision "ridiculous," and vowed to have it overturned. Vice President Mike Pence defended Trump's criticism of the federal judge saying the president expresses himself in a "unique" way and the American people find it refreshing and understand the president's mind. "The judge's action in this case about making a decision about American foreign policy and national security it's just very frustrating to the president," Pence said Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press. After Trump's criticism of Robart, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell said on CNN he thought it was "best not to single out judges for criticism." "We all want to keep terrorists out of the United States but we can't shut down travel. We certainly don't want our Muslims allies who fought with us in countries overseas to not to be able to travel to the United States. We need to be careful about this," McConnell said. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, told NBC Sunday she would be willing to work on legislation to allow for a temporary suspension "as long as we are honoring the constitution." "We always have to subject our vetting to scrutiny to see if it's working, but doesn't mean we institute an unconstitutional, immoral ban on Muslims coming in to the country," she said. Customs service responds Earlier Saturday, in compliance with Robart's decision, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service moved to allow travelers with valid visas to enter the country. The U.S. State Department later confirmed the latest visa policy and promised to release further information as soon as possible. "We have reversed the provisional revocation of visas under Executive Order 13769. Those individuals with visas that were not physically canceled may now travel if the visa is otherwise valid," the official said. "We are working closely with the Department of Homeland Security and our legal teams." Several major airlines, including Air France, British Airways and allied carrier Emirates began allowing passengers from the seven countries banned by the executive order to board planes destined for U.S. territory. Rula Aoun, director of the Arab American Civil Rights League in Dearborn, Michigan, told the Associated Press on Saturday her group is advising people to hurry to board U.S.-bound flights. "We're telling them to get on the quickest flight ASAP," she said. Travelers, refugees But refugees have been left in limbo. A Somali refugee said about 140 refugees whose resettlement in the United States was blocked by Trump's executive order were sent back to their refugee camp and it was unclear if or when they could travel. The group had been expected to settle in the U.S. this week, but was sent back to the to Dadaab camp in eastern Kenya on Saturday from the International Organization for Migration transit center in Nairobi where they had been staying. The president's executive order suspends U.S. entry to all refugees for 120 days and bans Syrian refugees indefinitely. It also blocks people from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Yemen and Somalia from entering the United States for three months, while security procedures are being reviewed. The State Department said fewer than 60,000 visas have been provisionally canceled as a result of President Trump's executive order banning travel from seven countries. The number conflicts with one released earlier by Department of Justice (DOJ) lawyers, who said more than 100,000 visas were revoked after the people they were issued to were blocked from traveling to the United States. The State Department said the higher figure included diplomatic and other visas that were exempted from the ban. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Louvre Attack Suspect Not Talking to Investigators By VOA News February 05, 2017 The man suspected of attacking French soldiers outside the Louvre museum in Paris Friday is so far refusing to speak with investigators, French judicial sources say. Meanwhile, the father of the suspect has told the Associated Press his son is not a terrorist. "He is a very respectable man who never had a problem with anybody, he never had any sort of political views,'' Reda Refaie al-Hamahmy told the news agency late Saturday. "His main concern in his life was his work in the United Arab Emirates,'' he said, adding that his son had gone to France on a "work assignment.'' Al-Hamahmy added that he trusted the French judiciary system to find the truth behind the charges against his 28-year-old son Abdullah. The Louvre museum in Paris reopened Saturday morning, less than 24 hours after a knife-wielding man was shot by soldiers. Abdullah al-Hamahmy's condition was "markedly improved" Saturday, according to the Paris prosecutor, after having been shot four times. Al-Hamahmy reportedly yelled "Allahu Akbar" as he attacked soldiers outside the museum, injuring one of them. The attack at an entrance to a Paris shopping mall that extends beneath the museum sowed panic and again highlighted the threat French officials say hangs over the country, which was hit by several extremist attacks over the past two years. French President Francois Hollande said there is "no doubt" that the attack was of a "terrorist nature." While he said the situation around the Paris tourist attraction is "totally under control," he said it shows why increased security was needed in the country after attacks in 2015 and 2016. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump 'evaluating' Iran nuclear deal: Pence Iran Press TV Sun Feb 5, 2017 5:48PM The administration of US President Donald Trump is currently "evaluating" whether to uphold the Iran nuclear agreement, says Vice President Mike Pence. Speaking to ABC News on Sunday, Pence said the White House had not yet made any decisions about honoring the 2015 agreement, which was reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of nations the US, the UK, Russia, France, China and Germany. Under the deal, which entered into force in January, 2016, Iran accepted to limit parts of its civilian nuclear program in exchange for the removal of all nuclear-related sanctions. "The Iranians got a deal from the international community that again, the president and I and our administration think was a terrible deal. It essentially allows Iran to develop a nuclear weapon in the years ahead at a date certain. And they received hundreds of millions of dollars in cash," he said. "The president and I and our administration think it was a terrible deal," Pence said. "We're evaluating [what to do next] as we speak." Trump has been critical of the landmark deal, pledging to "shred" it on his first day in office. The new administration, however, seems divided over that promise. On Friday, the US Treasury Department undermined the deal by introducing new sanctions against a number of Iranian individuals and companies, days after Tehran successfully test-fired a ballistic missile. Tehran insists its missile tests do not breach any UN resolution because they are solely for defense purposes and not designed to carry nuclear warheads. Meanwhile, US House Speaker Paul Ryan said Saturday that the Iran nuclear deal was irreversible and would sustain the recent developments. Pence addressed the contradictory views within the administration, noting that Trump had the final say. "The president will make that decision in the days ahead, and he'll listen to all of his advisers, whether it be Secretary [of State Rex] Tillerson or whether it be Secretary [of Defense James] Mattis. We'll take all the inputs." he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Completes Missile, Radar Exercises By Edward Yeranian February 05, 2017 A top Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander says Tehran conducted missile and radar exercises Saturday. The drills happened a day after the Trump administration imposed new sanctions on Iran for a ballistic missile test it conducted last week. Iranian state TV reported that the country's Revolutionary Guard air force conducted air defense exercises Saturday, including missile and radar tests over a 35,000-square-kilometer area in the northern province of Semnan. The TV channel added that Iran's vice president, Eshaq Jahangiri, denounced recent U.S. accusations against Tehran, insisting the Iranian people "do not take them seriously." U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis called Iran the "single biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world," while visiting Tokyo on Friday. Mattis stressed, however, the U.S. was not contemplating raising the number of U.S. troops in the Middle East, for the moment, to respond to what he called Iran's "misbehavior." The U.S. has, nevertheless, deployed the warship USS Cole in the strategic Bab al-Mandeb strait, off the coast of Yemen, in response to a recent attack on a Saudi naval vessel, which left several crew members dead. The USS Cole itself was attacked by al-Qaida militants in 2000. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday there is a diplomatic "need for a common front against Iran's defiant aggression which has raised its head in recent weeks." Israel and Iran are bitter enemies. Houthi support alleged Saudi military spokesman General Ahmed Assiri claimed recently that Iran has military advisers helping Yemen's Houthi militia fighters in various parts of Yemen. Assiri said he would not give specific details about Iran's activities inside Yemen, but he accused Tehran of being responsible for all the wars and instability in the region. Saudi analyst Ali Touati did, however, in an interview with al-Arabiya TV, accuse Iran of helping Houthi forces in the Red Sea port of Hodeida, which attacked the Saudi naval vessel. He also accused Iranian advisers of helping the Houthi forces conduct a series of missile attacks that have hit inside Saudi territory. One such missile struck a U.N. compound Monday in the Saudi town of Dhahran al-Janoubi. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohamed Javad Zarif told state TV that his country would never initiate a conflict, though, and was relying on its own resources to defend itself. "We will never, repeat, never use [missiles] against anybody, unless in self-defense and be sure that nobody has the guts again, to attack us," Zarif said. U.S. National Security Adviser Michael Flynn told journalists Wednesday the U.S. believes that Iran's recent missile tests breached U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, adopted in July 2015, after a nuclear deal between Tehran and the P5+1 group of nations. Iran has denied it violated the resolution. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Senior Daesh figures break ranks with chief: Report Iran Press TV Sun Feb 5, 2017 11:22AM A number of Daesh's Iraq-based ringleaders and members have reportedly reneged on their oath of allegiance to the terror group's chief as army troops and allied forces pushed to rid the terrorists of their last stronghold in the Arab state. Iraq's al-Sumariah news network said on Sunday that the defectors had rejected to partake in bombings ordered by Ibrahim al-Samarrai, the head of the group, who is better known as Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi. The network cited Abu-Abdullah al-Shami, one of the group's ringleader's in the northern Iraq city of Mosul, as calling Baghdadi unfit to lead the outfit. He said the Daesh chief had failed to retain the territories, which had been captured by the group since 2014, when it launched its campaign of bloodshed and mayhem against Iraq and Syria, the report added. Over the past year, concerted pushes by Iraqi and Syrian forces, along with volunteer fighters, have caused the group's major turf to dwindle to a handful of cities and towns. The biggest concentrations of the terrorists currently lie in Mosul and Raqqah, their so-called headquarters in Iraq and Syria. Iraqi forces have liberated half of Mosul and are in the middle of an offensive to retake the rest, while reports from Syria say Damascus is contemplating an operation to put Raqqah back under the Damascus' command. A security source, meanwhile, reported that Daesh terrorists, who had swarmed the border of the west-central and western Iraq provinces of Salahuddin and Diyala have been pushed from there to the outskirts of the city of Kirkuk in the neighboring province of the same name. Daesh's so-called governor for the Thallab Valley in Diyala, which lies to the north of the capital Baghdad, was also killed alongside those accompanying him in the explosion of a roadside bomb planted by the group itself, the network said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address South Korean Military 'Eagerly' Agrees to Work With US Around-the-Clock Sputnik News 07:50 05.02.2017 James Mattis and Han Min-goo, Defense Ministers of the United States and South Korea, both want their agencies to establish around-the-clock communication between their agencies as a way to strengthen the ties between the countries and against North Korea, media reported on Sunday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the source, Defense Minister Han "eagerly" agreed to the Mattis' proposal to closely around the clock. "Secretary Mattis suggested to Minister Han (they) communicate closely around the clock and all year round," Yonhap agency wrote, citing an unnamed military source. Mattis' two-day visit to South Korea, which started on Thursday, marks his first official visit as the US Secretary of Defense. During the visit he also met with National Security Advisor Kim Kwan-jin, with the parties agreeing to continue to maintain peace and security on the Korean peninsula. Mattis stated that the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on the South Korean territory, which was agreed on in July 2016, is only a matter of discussion because of "the provocative behavior of North Korea". Mattis' visit to South Korea marks his first overseas as Secretary of Defense, and comes amid brewing tensions in the Korean Peninsula over the recent months. Pyongyang has successfully conducted five nuclear tests, including two in 2016, and has frequently made statements about the advancement of its nuclear program. In January 2017, the North Korean Foreign Ministry announced that the country was ready to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) "anytime and anywhere." Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Comments by the Department of Information and Press of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in Connection with the Proceedings Instituted Against the Russian Federation with the International Court of Justice by Ukraine 17 January 201714:05 49-17-01-2017 In view of the application filed by Ukraine against Russia under the International Convention on the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and the International Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, we hereby note the following. The Russian Federation has always strongly condemned all forms of terrorism and actively combats it. Naturally, we pay very close attention to compliance with our obligations in this sphere. The Russian Federation had genuinely attempted to clarify the nature of Ukraine's claims investigating its statements in good faith, however, it faced the persistent unwillingness of Ukrainian authorities to engage in a substantive dialogue and, finally, with the unilateral termination of consultations by the Ukrainian side. Ukraine failed to provide any confirmation of its position that there existed any circumstances that would fall under the Convention. It must be noted that during consultations the Ukrainian side labelled the DPR and the LPR, the participants of the Minsk process, with which Ukraine itself conducts negotiations thereunder, as terrorists. We do not understand how allegations of terrorism can comport with the Minsk process, whereby the parties, with the help from international mediators, are trying to find a balanced solution for peaceful settlement of the conflict. At the same time our questions regarding a number of incidents in the territory of Ukraine (for example, the attacks on the Russian diplomatic and consular missions) were left without any satisfactory answer. The proposal to establish a neutral international arbitration pursuant to an agreement between the parties that could resolve this situation also did not suit Kiev. Apparently, from the onset, Ukraines main (or maybe even the only) aim consisted not in settling any disagreements but rather in finding a reason to file an application against the Russian Federation with the International Court of Justice. As a multi-national and multi-religious state, the Russian Federation pays great attention to compliance with its obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Harmonious development of interethnic relations is the primary focus of the Russian state authorities. Therefore, we take all questions that may arise in connection with the implementation of the Convention very seriously, regardless of who may raise them. The Russian Federation has thoroughly studied the questions of the Ukrainian side with regard to the implementation of the Convention and made a good faith effort to provide the necessary comments. However, the approach adopted by the Ukrainian side showed a lack of interest in the substantive discussion of these issues. A suggestion was made to Ukraine to compare the Russian and Ukrainian legislation and practice in this sphere in order to find a common understanding of the best way to protect the peoples rights and substantively deal with each specific situation. Several proposals were made to review the experience of the Ukrainian authorities with regard to implementation of the Convention in Crimea prior to its reunification with Russia and to compare it with Russias approaches. Unfortunately, the Ukrainian side showed no interest in the dialogue with Russia and, having unilaterally terminated the consultations, decided to file an application with the International Court of Justice. Moreover, Ukraine has ignored the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination an expert body established under the Convention to settle any differences if such arise. It is important to note that in its diplomatic notes and in the course of consultations Russia posed a number of questions to Ukraine in relation to the rights of the Russian and Russian-speaking population in Ukraine. However, Ukraine avoided substantive dialogue on this issue. It is clear that as far as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination is concerned Kiev is also not interested in actual protection of the people or compliance with the agreements. The application against the Russian Federation with the International Court of Justice only serves some short-term political interests. The Russian Federation intends to use all available remedies at law. A more detailed comment may be made after the procedural documents are perused. This comment is made without prejudice to any rights of the Russian Federation in the course of the potential proceedings and may not be regarded as waiver of any claims or objections that the Russian Federation may have in relation to the competence of the Court or admissibility of Ukraines complaints. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrian forces retake control of strategic town near Aleppo Iran Press TV Sun Feb 5, 2017 6:59PM Syrian forces have managed to retake control of a strategic town near the city of Aleppo in the northern part of the Arab country. The town of Um Arkile is located south of Kweiris air base east of Aleppo. It was liberated on Sunday following clashes with the Daesh Takfiri terrorists. The Syrian forces have achieved a string of victories across the northern region over the past few days. The village of al-Qatbiah was earlier retaken in the same region. It was December 15, 2016, when Damascus announced the liberation of Aleppo. President Bashar al-Assad said at the time that the victory was "worthy of more than the word 'congratulations'." Separately on Sunday, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said Syrian troops had advanced on oil fields located on the eastern suburbs of the city of Homs. According to the SOHR, Syrian forces had also liberated Hayan Petroleum Company in the west of the ancient city of Palmyra. In another development, Syrian officials said militants had torched a gas pipeline that transferred gas to al-Nasiriyah power station in the west of the capital Damascus. The plant had stopped electricity supply following the attack. The Syrian army and its allies have been fighting against different terrorist groups wreaking havoc in the Arab country since 2011. The forces have made sweeping gains against the Takfiri elements. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrian army pushes to retake control of oil, gas wells Iran Press TV Sun Feb 5, 2017 10:53AM The Syrian military has launched an operation to win back control of oil and gas wells in a push to choke off the sources of funding for foreign-backed terrorist groups. Government forces managed to advance on the eastern suburbs of Homs city and recapture a number of oil and gas wells such as Jihar, the Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper reported on Sunday. The Syrian troops also destroyed some vehicles and equipment owned by Daesh terrorists, the report added. Meanwhile, Syria's Ministry of Defense announced that the positions and warehouses belonging to the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham terrorist group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, were demolished in several areas situated on the outskirts of Homs. All militants present in the targeted areas were killed. Furthermore, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported heavy clashes between the Syrian army soldiers and armed militants near the Eastern Qalamoun and Eastern Ghouta regions on the outskirts of Aleppo. Separately on Sunday, a roadside bomb hit a vehicle carrying militants near Homs, killing three of them. An unnamed source at Syria's Ministry of Electricity also said that a terrorist attack targeted a gas line that feeds al-Nasseriye power station in the city of Jayrud in Damascus countryside, causing the power station to go out of service. Oil sales are the largest source of income for Daesh terrorists. Turkey stands accused of buying crude from the Takfiri group in an illegal trade. Last year, Syrian forces, backed by Russian air raids, repeatedly targeted the main routes used by Daesh to deliver oil to Turkey, inflicting heavy losses on the terrorist organization's illegal crude trade. The Syrian army troops and allied fighters have been fighting against different terrorist groups wreaking havoc in the Arab country since 2011, and have made sweeping gains against Takfiri elements. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson has opposed the easing of European sanctions against Russia. He said Britain will insist on the fact that there are no reasons to mitigate the sanctions now. It is necessary to continue putting pressure on Russia, the minister told journalists on the eve of the EU Council on Foreign Affairs in Brussels. The same view was expressed by head of the Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius. The sanctions need to be maintained, as we see no reasons for their lifting, Linkevicius said. For his part, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain Alfonso Dastis also stated the importance of keeping sanctions against the Russian Federation. It is necessary to achieve full implementation of the Minsk agreements. It will be possible to review the sanctions policy only under this condition, the head of the Foreign Ministry told journalists in Brussels. Syrian Army Liberated 32 Daesh-Occupied Settlements in 2017 Sputnik News 19:20 05.02.2017(updated 19:25 05.02.2017) The number of settlements liberated since January 1, 2017 by the Syrian government forces from the Daesh international terrorist organization has increased up to 32, according to the statement of the Russian Defense Ministry. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Syrian Armed Forces liberated two settlements occupied by the Daesh jihadist group over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of such settlements to 32, the Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday. On Saturday, the ministry reported that the Syrian troops had driven Daesh fighters from 30 settlements since the beginning of the year. "The number of settlements liberated since January 1, 2017 by the Syrian government forces from the armed groups of the Daesh international terrorist organization, has increased up to 32," the ministry's Center for Syrian reconciliation said in a daily bulletin. The ministry added that the government forces had also liberated over 56 square miles of territory. The Syrian army has been fighting in a civil war against the country's opposition and numerous terrorist groups, such as the Daesh, which is outlawed in Russia and the United States, among others. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Assad Extends Amnesty Decree for Surrendering Militants Until End of June Sputnik News 17:18 05.02.2017(updated 17:19 05.02.2017) Syrian President Bashar Assad extended a decree on amnesty for militants who surrender and hand over their weapons until the end of June. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The decree 15/2016 dated July 28, 2016 was extended by President Assad until June 30, 2017, the state-run SANA news agency reported on Sunday. The above-mentioned order was initially issued for the period of three months and on October 27, 2016 was prolonged for the same period. The amnesty also covers kidnappers who agree to release their hostages. Since 2011, Syria has been engulfed in a civil war, with government forces fighting against numerous opposition and terrorist groups, including al-Nusra Front and Daesh, banned in a range of countries, including Russia. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey 'arrests 400 suspected Daesh terrorists' Iran Press TV Sun Feb 5, 2017 10:20AM Turkey says its police forces have detained 400 suspects linked to the Daesh terrorist group across the country, including in the capital city, Ankara. Anti-terrorism police detained 60 Daesh-linked suspects in Ankara early on Sunday morning, according to a security source quoted by the state-run Anadolu news agency. The suspects, reportedly mainly foreign nationals, were arrested during simultaneous raids in four different districts in the capital. Some 150 other suspects were detained in Sanliurfa in Turkey's southeast, and dozens of others were arrested in provinces ranging from Bursa in the west to Bingol in the east, the Dogan and Anadolu news agencies reported. On New Year's Eve, a gunman went on a shooting spree inside an Istanbul night club, killing 39 people. Daesh claimed responsibility for the massacre. The suspected attacker, Abdulgadir Masharipov, an Uzbek national, was arrested on January 16 after over two weeks on the run. Another security source was cited by Anadolu as saying that separate raids in the city of Istanbul, and in northwestern Kocaeli and western Izmir provinces in the early hours of Sunday also led to the arrest of 26 more suspects linked to the movement of US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen, including 10 children. Turkey has been carrying out military operations in neighboring Syria since August last year in a declared mission against Daesh. The operations have not been sanctioned by the Damascus government, and observers believe they are more intended against Kurdish forces who are themselves fighting Daesh than against the terrorist group itself. Turkey considers the armed Kurdish groups as "terrorists." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkish Air Force Eliminates Senior Daesh Commander Near al-Bab in Syria Sputnik News 15:25 05.02.2017(updated 15:27 05.02.2017) The Turkish Air Force eliminated a senior Daesh commander in the area of the Syrian town of al-Bab on Friday, a source said. ANKARA (Sputnik) Local Daesh jihadist group commander Abu Halid Urduni was killed as a result of Turkish airstrikes carried out in the area of the Syrian town of al-Bab on Friday, a military source told Sputnik on Sunday. "The so-called Daesh governor in al-Bab was killed on February 3 among 32 terrorists eliminated as a result of the airstrikes carried out by the Turkish Air Force. This fact is confirmed by the radio intercepts of terrorists' conversations," the source said. The source added that an intercepted message, which was sent from a Daesh leader in Raqqa to Urduni, congratulated him on the appointment as a governor and contained recommendations on finding and punishing the traitors, who were guilty of losses among Daesh fighters during the last week in al-Bab. On August 24, the Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield against militants of the Daesh group, which is outlawed in Russia and many other countries. Turkish forces, with assistance from Syrian opposition fighters, occupied the city of Jarablus in northern Syria and are currently conducting its offensive on al-Bab. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the aim of the operation is to clear the region of terrorists and make it a safety zone for refugees. The operation has been widely criticized both by the Syrian Kurds and Damascus, who have accused Ankara of violating Syria's territorial integrity. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkish Forces Kill 33 Daesh Terrorists, Destroy 39 Targets in Northern Syria Sputnik News 11:28 05.02.2017 The Turkish Armed Forces have killed over 30 Daesh jihadists and destroyed 39 targets over the past 24 hours as part of the Euphrates Shield operation near the town of al-Bab in northern Syria. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the Daily Sabah newspaper, citing a statement of the military, the Turkish Armed Forces destroyed 32 buildings, three headquarters, an ammunition depot, two bomb-laden vehicles in in the area of al-Bab and Bzagah, killing 33 Daesh terrorists. On August 24, the Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield against militants of the Daesh group, which is outlawed in Russia and many other countries. Turkish forces, with assistance from Syrian opposition fighters, occupied the city of Jarablus in northern Syria and are currently conducting its offensive on al-Bab. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the aim of the operation is to clear the region of terrorists and make it a safety zone for refugees. The operation has been widely criticized both by the Syrian Kurds and Damascus, who have accused Ankara of violating Syria's territorial integrity. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump, Poroshenko Talk Amid Renewed Fighting in E. Ukraine By Lou Lorscheider February 04, 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump spoke Saturday with Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko, seeking to reassure the Ukrainian leader of continued U.S. support, as Kyiv government forces and pro-Russian rebels again battled near the Russian border. A White House statement described the conversation as "a very good call" that addressed the "long-running conflict." It also said the two leaders discussed the potential for a face-to-face meeting soon. Poroshenko's office said the two leaders agreed on "the urgent necessity of establishing a complete cease-fire." It further said they voiced "deep concern" about the spike in [military] tension and the deterioration of the humanitarian situation" on the front lines of the conflict. Poroshenko said he also thanked Trump "for his strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine." Shelling near border Hours earlier, monitors near the Russian border reported renewed shelling just north of the rebel stronghold city of Donetsk, at a flashpoint where monitors say artillery and rocket fire has killed at least 33 people and wounded dozens of others in the past week. Alexander Hug, the chief Ukraine monitor for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Friday described the fighting outside Donetsk at Avdiivka as "the worst fighting we've seen in Ukraine" in at least two years. Hug also confirmed that both sides have deployed and used heavy weaponry that both rebels and the Kyiv government had agreed to pull back from front lines under a truce brokered in 2015. Rebel commander killed Earlier this week, the U.S. State Department said the fighting, which erupted last Sunday at an industrial park outside Avdiivka, had left 17,000 civilians, including 2,500 children, without water, heat or electricity. In a separate development Saturday, rebels near the Russian border said one of their top commanders was killed when his vehicle exploded. The death of People's Militia commander Oleg Anashchenko in Luhansk followed widespread regional news reports that a top-level deputy rebel commander had been killed January 29, in what reports described as intense fighting in the nearby Donetsk region. Luhansk and Donetsk are the two key rebel-controlled regions in Russian-speaking eastern Ukraine where separatists have been fighting government forces since 2014. A United Nations tally shows nearly 10,000 people, more than half of them civilians, have been killed in the conflict. Political maneuvering unabated The uptick in fighting at Avdiivka coincided with a January 28 telephone conversation between the new U.S. president and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Days later, the Russian leader accused the Ukraine government of starting the latest fighting and blaming the rebels, in an effort ultimately aimed at ensuring continued U.S. support for Kyiv. Putin also said the maneuver was aimed at blocking any moves to repair frayed ties between Moscow and Western governments. Each side blames the other for the new fighting, and each side is seeking the support of Trump to gain a decisive advantage in the drawn-out conflict. Ukraine's Poroshenko has framed the new fighting as the principal reason for supporting ongoing Western sanctions against Russia for Moscow's widely acknowledged support for rebels and its unilateral annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014. For her part, Nikki Haley, the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, condemned Russia on Thursday for its "aggressive actions" in eastern Ukraine. She also warned that the economic and trade sanctions imposed on Moscow after its annexation of Crimea would remain in effect until the peninsula was returned to Ukrainian control. But Haley also acknowledged that the Trump administration wanted, in her words, "to better our relations with Russia." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fighting Eases Around Eastern Ukrainian City February 05, 2017 Fighting has appeared to subside in the Ukrainian town of Avdiyivka after a weeklong surge, as U.S. President Donald Trump told Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko the United States will work to end the deadly conflict near the Russian border in eastern Ukraine. The late February 4 call came as an upsurge in fighting killed at least 35 in a week of escalated fighting between Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian military said on February 5 that two soldiers were wounded in fighting but no soldiers had been killed in the past 24 hours for the first time since fighting over the frontline flashpoint city of Avdiyivka escalated. Ukraine said that artillery attacks had significantly lessened, while the separatists reported scores of mortar and tank barrages by government forces. The streets of Avdiyivka, an industrial city near the separatist stronghold of Donetsk, were quiet and no shelling was heard, according to AFP reporters. A statement by Poroshenko's office said the two leaders "noted the urgent necessity of establishing a complete cease-fire" in the region. Ukrainian military spokesman Serhiy Klymenko told AFP that a cease-fire agreed by both sides came into effect from 8 a.m. local time but it was only a verbal deal. The pause was aimed at allowing workers to fix broken power lines after days without power or heat in the town of 25,000. More than 9,750 people have been killed since the conflict in eastern Ukraine erupted in April 2014. Ukraine has expressed concern that Trump could roll back some sanctions imposed on Russia after its illegal 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and in retaliation for Moscow's military, economic, and political support for the separatists in eastern Ukraine. Based on reporting by AFP Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia -avdiyivka-fighting-subsides/28280125.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kiev Forces Shell Donetsk as More Troops Head to Eastern Ukraine Sputnik News 23:42 05.02.2017(updated 00:27 06.02.2017) On Sunday, the Ukrainian forces resumed heavy shelling of the residential areas in the embattled Donbass city of Donetsk, pulling additional troops closer to the borders of the self-proclaimed republics in the east of Ukraine. DONETSK (Sputnik) The Ukrainian forces have fired more than 50 shells since 4:10 p.m. local time (13:10 GMT), Deputy Defense Minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Eduard Basurin said Sunday. "Ukrainian forces use heavy weaponry against the residential areas of Donetsk, they have already fired more than 50 shells from the weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreement starting from 4:10 p.m., despite the respect of ceasefire by our side," Basurin told reporters. He added that Kiev had also started to deploy additional troops of Ukraine's Armed Forces and National Guard to the eastern Ukrainian regions, which could prove Ukraine's preparations for a large-scale offensive against Donbas militias, as well as for sabotage activities against the civilian infrastructure in the region. Ealier in the day, a representativeof the DPR authorities told Sputnik that Kiev's forces were shelling the Zaitseve village near the town of Horlivka in Donbass. The situation in the Donetsk region has escalated harshly recently, with over 40 people reported dead and more than 100 wounded in the clashes. The breakout of hostilities in eastern Ukraine began in April 2014 as a local counter-reaction to the West-sponsored Maidan coup in Kiev that had toppled legitimate President Viktor Yanukovych in February. Residents of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions held independence referendums and proclaimed the People's Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. Kiev has since been conducting a military operation, encountering stiff local resistance. In February 2015, Kiev forces and Donbass independence supporters signed a peace agreement in the Belarusian capital of Minsk. The deal stipulates a full ceasefire, weapons withdrawal from the line of contact in Donbass, as well as constitutional reforms that would give a special status to the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. Since then, the ceasefire regime has been regularly violated, with both sides accusing each other of multiple breaches, undermining the terms of the accord. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine's Military Shelling Horlivka Suburbs in Donbass Region Sputnik News 20:56 05.02.2017(updated 21:04 05.02.2017) Zaitseve village near the town of Horlivka in the Donbass region of Ukraine is being shelled by heavy weaponry of Kiev's forces, according to a representative of the local authorities. DONETSK(Sputnik) Kiev's forces are shelling the Zaitseve village near the town of Horlivka in the Donbass region of Ukraine, a representative of the local authorities told Sputnik Sunday. "Currently the village is being shelled by heavy weaponry, the shelling has been ongoing since 17:00 local time [14:00 GMT]. There is no information on casualties or damage," the representative said. On Saturday, the Ukrainian forces blew up the power tower of the Horlivka city, prompting the authorities to switch to the reserve power line, a spokesman for the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) said. In April 2014, Kiev authorities launched a military operation against pro-independence militia in the eastern Ukrainian Donbass region. In February 2015, the two sides reached a ceasefire deal after talks brokered by the leaders of Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine the so-called Normandy Format in the Belarusian capital of Minsk. The situation in southeastern Ukraine has escalated over the past few days, in particular near the town of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region, where clashes between Kiev forces and the DPR militia have intensified. The conflicting parties have both accused each other of initiating the violence. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Six servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were injured in the Anti-Terrorist operation (ATO) zone in the country's east over the past 24 hours; no one was killed, Defense Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzianyk said. "Over the past 24 hours, as a result of hostilities, there have been no fatalities among the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces; six military servicemen have been injured," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday. Ukraine made no decision to ban French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen from entering the country, Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) chief of staff Oleksandr Tkachuk said. "No decision was made on an entry ban. Following the assessment of all information and government agencies' opinions, a collegial decision was made not to ban entry for the moment," Tkachuk told journalists in Kyiv on Monday when asked if the Foreign Ministry had agreed with the SBU position on the travel ban. It was reported that French presidential candidate Le Pen had stated that the return of Crimea and Sevastopol to Russia was fair. Her remarks prompted the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to express its indignation on January 3. For its part, the SBU wrote to the Foreign Ministry to agree on possibilities of barring Le Pen from the country. To the editor: In regards to building a wall and the Trump administration, President Trump should understand the liberal news media is not his friend. The cost to build the wall can be paid for by a $10,000 fine and five years in prison for anyone who hires aliens. Ten thousand for aliens now in this country and solicits contributions from Americans. This wall could be called The Peoples Wall. The Great Wall of China will be helpful model. This wall was built to protect China from invaders like Mongolia. Building this wall alone will not stop aliens crossing our borders. The U.S. needs a military draft and should use the National Guard on our borders armed with AR 15 rifles and warning not to enter the U.S. The United States hasnt been serious about securing our borders for many years. In 2000 when I ran for Congress, it was kicked around. I was all for enforcing U.S. immigration laws. In 2001 on 9/11, 3,000 citizens were murdered. Some burned to death, some jumped from the Twin Towers and the Pentagon and other perished on a field in Pennsylvania. With this horrible event the U.S. thinks they can trust these people, and they knew those terrorists were in this country. Yet former President Barack Obama allowed thousands of those people to enter this country. Some members of Congress have procrastinated, doing nothing to stop this madness. Some of those people would like to blow up the U.S. Some are protesting our laws and the Bill of Rights. Members of Congress should understand that our Bill of Rights applies to American citizens. Article I, Congress shall make no law respecting and establishment of religion or prohibiting free exercise thereof. This has nothing to do with immigration. This means government will not run religion or tell you where to worship or how to worship. Those from the Middle East shouldnt be allowed to enter this country to use this for their advantage. They dont abide by our laws. If we wanted to start a church of Christ in any Arab country in the Middle East, this would not be allowed. JOSEPH SPENCE Danville Doomsday may be coming to Chatham in the best way possible. Doomsday Tackle Co. is a Nashville-based fishing rod and tackle company owned by Danville native Steve DelGiorno. DelGiorno is hoping to buy the old Chatham theater building after a public hearing during Mondays Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors meeting. The county currently owns the building. Their slogan is Bringing the Doom to fish everywhere since 2015. Fish to the End, in a way that brings an edginess to the product and a little attitude to the company. Their tackles are currently sold in Bass Pro Shops, Dicks Sporting Goods and Field and Stream stores. DelGiorno graduated from George Washington High School in 1981, and worked in Tokyo, Hong Kong, South Korea and China over 10 years before returning to the United States. DelGiorno began investing in the Danville community in 2010, starting with 616 and 620 N. Main St., which have since become the 616 Restaurant and a renovated building for Woodcraft of Virginia. He also has purchased homes to renovate, and will soon be opening Crema & Vine, a coffee house, cafe and wine bar, at 1009 Main Street with Rick Barker. He and his wife recently moved back to Danville from Nashville, Tennessee. DelGiorno said he wanted to buy this particular building in Chatham because of the design of the building, and the location being near lakes for recreational fishers. The 1945 military-style building fits into the look of our business, DelGiorno said. The 30-foot high ceilings also allow people to test our products in the store. We also wanted a venue we could hold expos, workshops and meet the pro events. The parking compliments that pretty nicely. DelGiorno wants to have the old theater be a design studio, logistics center, warehouse and retail location. I know hell do a great job at renovating buildings that have been neglected, and bring them back to life, Pittsylvania County Economic Director Matt Rowe said of DelGiorno. DelGiorno will make a presentation about the company Monday. If the sale is approved after Mondays public hearing, DelGiorno hopes to start renovating this month. The building has been used for county storage for at least 30 years, and the sale would not only bring business to Chatham, it would also bring that building back onto the tax rolls. WEST KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Feb 6, 2017) - Colorado Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:CXO) ("Colorado" or the "Company") announces it has entered into a purchase agreement, (the "Agreement") with Kaizen Discovery Inc. ("Kaizen") (TSX VENTURE:KZD) to acquire a 100% interest in the Castle gold-silver-copper property (the "Castle Property") The Castle Property is located 25 km northwest of Imperial Metals Red Chris1 mine development and within a district which hosts several significant gold-copper mines1 and occurrences including Red Chris, North Rok3, GJ1, Quash1, Saddle1, and Spectrum1, (see Figure 1). The Castle property is also surrounded on three sides by Colorado's Kinaskan property. Previous work at the Castle2 focused on the western side of the property and included the completion of 21 diamond drillholes (4,805 m) between 1988 and 2013. The mineralization at Castle is associated with an east-west striking structural and intrusive corridor that is spatially related to a 150 m x 1500 m long copper and gold soil anomaly, a coincident magnetic anomaly and an IP chargeability high. Gold - copper mineralization noted to date includes both broad porphyry style and higher grade vein styles, such as: DDH CA 13-01 with 274 m of 0.102% Cu and 0.283 g/t Au DDH CA 13 - 03 with 4 m of 2.14% Cu, 4.88 g/t Au, and 73.2 g/t Ag contained within a 174 m interval of 0.106% Cu and 0.466 g/t Au4 The historic data2 suggests that the gold-copper mineralization at the Castle is open, and potentially strengthening, to the east, over a distance of 4.4 km to the property boundary towards the GT Gold1, Saddle Zone discovery. This area has seen the lowest density of historical drill testing. Adam Travis, Colorado President and CEO states, "We are pleased to have Kaizen as a shareholder and to have the opportunity to advance the already significant historical results at the Castle Property. We believe that our technical team, with their extensive experience in this belt, and in particular with the successful North Rok porphyry copper-gold project, is strongly positioned to rapidly advance the Castle Property during the 2017 field season." The Agreement Under the terms of the agreement, Colorado may acquire a 100% interest in the property, subject to a 2% percent NSR to the underlying original vendor (the "Original Vendor NSR") for the following consideration: 1,000, 000 units of Colorado ("Consideration Units") to be issued to Kaizen within 5 days of the TSX Venture Exchange ("Exchange") approval. Each Consideration Unit will consist of one common share and one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle Kaizen to purchase a further common share at a purchase price of $0.60 per share for a period of 24 months. The Company has the option to purchase the Original Vendor NSR for CDN$4,000,000. The Consideration Shares issued in connection with the agreement will be subject to a four month hold period. The Agreement remains subject to regulatory approval. Qualified Person Dr. Jim Oliver, Ph.D, P. Geo., the Company's Chief Geoscientist, is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 who reviewed the preparation of the technical data in this news release. About Colorado Colorado Resources Ltd. is currently engaged in the business of mineral exploration for the purpose of acquiring and advancing mineral properties located in British Columbia and Nevada and is also seeking opportunities in Southwest USA and Latin America. Colorado's current exploration focus is to continue to advance: the KSP property currently under option with Seabridge Gold Inc., located 15 km's along strike to the southeast of the past producing Snip Mine*; its 100% owned Kingpin property; its 100% owned North ROK property, located 15 km's northwest of the Red Chris* mine development, both located in northern central British Columbia; the Green Springs Property (Nevada) currently under option from Ely Gold & Minerals Inc. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF COLORADO RESOURCES LTD. Adam Travis, President and Chief Executive Officer Cautionary Notes1 - 4 New Release and Figures 1 This news release contains information about adjacent properties on which Colorado has no right to explore or mine. Readers are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Company's properties. 2 Historical information contained in this news releases maps or figures regarding the Company's project or adjacent properties are repeated for historical reference only and cannot be relied upon as the Company's QP, as defined under NI-43-101 has not prepared nor verified the historical information. 3 Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral resource estimates do not account for mineability, selectivity, mining loss and dilution. These mineral resource estimates include inferred mineral resources that are normally considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is also no certainty that these inferred mineral resources will be converted to measured and indicated categories through further drilling, or into mineral reserves, once economic considerations are applied. 4 All drill intercepts are drill indicated lengths. Insufficient technical information exists to demonstrate the true widths of these intersections. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this news release, constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including: that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events, that the Company obtains required regulatory approvals, that the Company continues to maintain a good relationship with the local project communities. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the risk that any of the assumptions referred to prove not to be valid or reliable, which could result in delays, or cessation in planned work, that the Company's financial condition and development plans change, delays in regulatory approval, risks associated with the interpretation of data, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, the possibility that results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to mineral exploration and development activities and to the Company as set forth in the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis reports filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information or statements, other than as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Feb. 6, 2017) - THIS NEWS RELEASE IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES Colonial Coal International Corp. (TSX VENTURE:CAD) (the "Corporation" or "Colonial Coal") is pleased to announce the initial closing of its previously announced (January 17, 2017) non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") pursuant to which the Corporation has now issued an aggregate of 48,335,998 units of the Corporation (each, a "Unit"), at a subscription price of $0.15 per Unit. The balance of the Private Placement is expected to complete today for an additional 3,616,663 Units, resulting in aggregate gross proceeds to the Corporation of $7,792,900 in the Private Placement. Each Unit is comprised of one common share in the capital of the Corporation and one-half of a transferable common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant now entitles the holder thereof to purchase one additional common share of the Corporation at an exercise price of $0.30 per common share for a period of three years from the date of issue. In connection with the completion of the Private Placement, the Corporation will pay advisory and finder's fees of an aggregate of $543,770, equal to approximately 7% of the gross proceeds of the Private Placement, and an aggregate of 3,625,136 Unit purchase warrants (each, a "Finder's Warrant"), equal to approximately 7% of the Units issued in the Private Placement. Each Finder's Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Unit at an exercise price of $0.15 per Unit for a period of three years from the date of issue. The Corporation intends to use the net proceeds of the Private Placement to fund its 2017 exploration programs on each of its Flatbed and Huguenot coal projects and for general corporate and working capital purposes. The securities issued in connection with the Private Placement are subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus one day from the date of issuance in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities legislation. In addition, the securities referred to in this news release have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. The common shares and Warrants to be issued by the Corporation will be "restricted securities" as defined under Rule 144(a)(3) of the U.S. Securities Act. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation or an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Colonial Coal International Corp. Colonial Coal is a publicly traded coal corporation in British Columbia that focuses primarily on coking coal projects. The northeast Coal Block of British Columbia, within which our Corporation's projects are located, hosts a number of proven deposits and has been the subject of M&A activities by Xstrata, Walter Energy, Anglo-American and others. Additional information can be found on the Corporation's website www.ccoal.ca or by viewing the Corporation's filings at www.sedar.com. Forward-Looking Information Information set forth in this news release involves forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the closing of the Private Placement and use of proceeds. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address a Corporation's expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: risks associated with marketing and sale of securities; the need for additional financing; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers or directors with certain other projects; and the volatility of common share price and volume. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and except as required by law, the Corporation undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE CORPORATION AS OF THE DATE OF THIS NEWS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE THE CORPORATION MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE SECURITIES LEGISLATION. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Vancouver, Feb 6, 2017 - LiCo Energy Metals Inc. ("the Company "or" LiCo") TSX-V: LIC; OTCQB: WCTXF is pleased to announce that plans are currently being finalized to start a comprehensive exploration program at the Purickuta Lithium Project in the Salar de Atacama, Chile. Phase One will consist of preparing digital maps, completing surface mapping and sampling near surface brine locations to a depth of +/- 1.5 meters utilizing an excavator. In addition, Phase Two quotations have been received for both a NanoTEM geophysical survey (helpful in determining non-metallic conductors at shallow depths) and a comprehensive engineering and hydrological study that includes 72hr flow testing, porosity measurements and calculation of potential reserve values. An RFP for drilling quotes will be issued this coming week. "It is with great anticipation that we approach the start of our exploration program in the Salar de Atacama, famous for its Lithium production by our neighbors SQM and Albemarle. If all goes well, we are hopeful to have a commercially viable project. Several direct extraction technologies are now being developed which would be an ideal fit for our rate of production." commented Mr. Dwayne Melrose, Director and Head of the Technical Advisory Board of LiCo. The Company holds an option to acquire up to a 60% interest in the Purickuta Exploitation concession (the "Property"), subject to TSX Venture Exchange ("Exchange") approval. The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Alan Morris CPG and Qualified Person. Update on Transaction The Company previously announced on January 18, 2017 that it had entered into a mining option agreement to acquire up to a 60% interest in the Property from Durus Copper Chile SPA (the "Transaction"), subject to Exchange approval. The Company confirms that it has submitted all required documentation to the Exchange including a 43-101 Technical Report on the Property. The Company will provide further updates to its shareholders including the closing date of the Transaction when available. Exercise of Warrants The Company is pleased to report that 9,100,909 share purchase warrants have been exercised resulting in proceeds of $623,818 being added to the Company's treasury. About LiCo Energy Metals: https://licoenergymetals.com/ LiCo Energy Metals Inc. is a well funded Canadian based exploration company who's primary listing is on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company's focus is directed towards exploration for high value metals integral to the manufacture of lithium ion batteries. Chile Purickuta Lithium Project: The Purickuta Project is located within Salar de Atacama, a salt flat encompassing 3,000 km2, being about 100 km long, 80 km wide and home to approximately 37% of the worlds Lithium production. The salar possesses a very high grade of both Lithium (1,840mg/l) and Potassium (22,630mg/l and is close to power, labour, communications, transportation and other infrastructure. The property of 160 hectares is enveloped by a concession owned by Sociedad Quimica y Minera ("SQM") and lies, significantly, within a few kilometers of the property of CORFO (the Chilean Economic Development Agency) where its leases to both SQM and Albermarle's Rockwood Lithium Corp. Together these two companies have combined production of over 62,000 tonnes of LCE (Lithium Carbonate Equivalent) annually making up 100% of Chile's current lithium output. The unique characteristics of Salar de Atacama make finished lithium carbonate easier and cheaper to produce than any of its peer group globally. Purickuta is a smaller exploitation concession rather than a large exploration concession thereby accelerating the task of taking the project to production once a measured reserve can be established. Currently, the Chilean government retains ownership of lithium separate from other minerals and thus production can only proceed upon receipt of a special lithium operation contract know as a "CEOL". In the future, it will be necessary for LiCo and partner to negotiate a production contract with CORFO concurrently with completing any positive feasibility study. "Chile, which has one of the world's most plentiful supplies of lithium, is pushing ahead with new policies to develop those reserves". (Reuters Jan2, 2017). Ontario Teledyne Cobalt Project: The Company has an option to earn 100% ownership, subject to a royalty, in the Teledyne Project located near Cobalt. Ontario. The Property adjoins the south and west boundaries of claims that hosted the Agaunico Mine. From 1905 through to 1961, the Agaunico Mine produced a total of 4,350,000 lbs. of cobalt and 980,000 oz. of silver. A significant portion of the cobalt that was produced at the Agaunico Mine located along structures that extended southward onto property currently under option to LiCo Energy Metals. Nevada Dixie Valley Lithium Project: The Company has an option to acquire a 100% interest, subject to a 3% NSR, on a large lithium exploration project at the Humboldt Salt Marsh in Dixie Valley, Nevada. The geologic setting and presence of lithium in active geothermal fluids and surface salts in Dixie Valley match characteristics of producing lithium brine deposits at Clayton Valley, Nevada and in South America. Nevada Black Rock Desert Lithium Project: The Company has entered into an option agreement whereby the Company may earn an undivided 70% interest, subject to a 3% Net Smelter Return Royalty, in the Black Rock Desert Lithium Project that consists of 128 placer claims (2,560 acres/ 1,036 hectares) in southwest Black Rock Desert, Washoe County, Nevada. The Company is planning an exploration programs for all its properties over the next several months. On Behalf of the Board of Directors Rick Wilson, President & CEO 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. Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information: This news release may contain forward-looking statements which include, but are not limited to, comments that involve future events and conditions such as Exchange approval of the Option Agreement and the Company's ability to exercise the Option, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Except for statements of historical facts, comments that address resource potential, upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt and security of mineral property titles, availability of funds, and others are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may vary materially from those statements. General business conditions are factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from forward-looking statements. Copyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. VANCOUVER, February 06, 2017 - Ceylon Graphite Corp. (TSX-V: CYL) ("Ceylon" or the "Company") is pleased to announce proposed shares-for-debt transactions (the "Proposed Transactions"), made in order to preserve its cash, in which Ceylon would issue up to 3,000,000 common shares ("Common Shares") at a price of $0.20 per share to certain directors and consultants of the Company in connection with the settlement of an aggregate of up to $600,000 of debt relating to unpaid director and consulting fees and expenses. The Proposed Transactions will be completed pursuant to agreements with such creditors and are conditional on TSX Venture Exchange approval. All securities to be issued pursuant to these agreements are subject to a 4-month hold period. As certain insiders will be participating in the Proposed Transactions, those transactions will be considered related party transactions subject to TSX-V Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101. The Company will be exempt from the need to obtain minority shareholder approval and a formal valuation as required by MI 61-101 as the fair market value of the shares for the applicable debt transactions will not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. About the Company The Company is a mineral exploration and development company that is focused on its graphite projects located in Sri Lanka. For further information, please contact: Company Contact Bharat Parashar CEO and Director bharat.parashar@ ceylongraphite.com 1-202-3526022 Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information as such term is defined in applicable securities laws. The forward-looking information includes statements about the Proposed Transactions. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guarantees of future performance. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the estimates, beliefs, intentions, expectations and other forward looking statements will not occur. Risk factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by forward-looking information include, among other things, the failure to obtain the required approval from the TSX Venture Exchange for the Proposed Transactions. The Company cautions the reader that the above list of risk factors is not exhaustive. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Copyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. CALGARY, February 6, 2017: Margaux Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:MRL, OTCQB:MARFF) ("Margaux" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Linda Caron as Vice-President, Exploration effective February 6, 2017. "Margaux is very pleased with the appointment of Linda as our VP Exploration. With her extensive experience in the B.C. region, Linda will provide insightful technical advice for our properties' future development, as well as moving our historic resources towards NI 43-101 status," stated Tyler Rice, President and CEO. "Linda's regional experience and widely recognized knowledge of the geology and deposits in the area adds a dimension that Margaux will greatly benefit from, and will assist in our regional consolidation plan." Ms. Caron has over 30 years of national and international experience in the mining industry. Since 1997 she has worked as a geological consultant on multiple projects for junior mining companies, small-scale producers and majors. Most recently, she has acted as Project Manager for several large mineral exploration projects in southern B.C., with a primary focus on gold, including Kinross Gold Corp.'s Grizzly Greenwood project and Ximen Mining Corp.'s Brett Gold project. She has worked extensively in the Boundary district of southern B.C. and northern Washington and is widely recognized for her knowledge of the geology and deposits in the area. Ms. Caron graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1985 with an honors degree in geological engineering and obtained a master's degree in geological sciences from the University of Calgary in 1988. Ms. Caron will be replacing Mr. Richard Kilpatrick who will be stepping down from his role as VP Exploration. Mr. Kilpatrick contributed greatly to the Company's exploration program on its Jersey-Emerald property and in positioning Margaux as a regional consolidator in the Kootenay Arc. Jim Letwin, Chairman of the Board, commented, "We want to thank Richard for his time at Margaux and his efforts in developing and executing the Company's exploration programs. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors." In addition, Margaux wishes to announce that it has granted 175,000 common share purchase options to Ms. Caron in accordance with the Company's shareholder-approved stock option plan. The stock options are exercisable at a price of $0.315 per share, expire in five years, and vest over a period of three years, with 1/3 of the options vesting immediately, and 1/3 vesting at the end of each the first and second anniversary of the date of grant. Finally, Margaux is pleased to announce that it has retained Mr. Todd Keast as a consulting geologist to assist with the exploration and development work on Margaux's properties. Mr. Keast has over 25 years of experience in a diverse field of commodities. Since 2014 he has worked as a consulting exploration geologist for multiple companies. Prior to that, he was President and CEO of Manitou Gold Inc., a start-up mining exploration company in Ontario. Mr. Keast graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1987 with an honors degree in geology. About Margaux Resources Ltd.: Margaux is a publicly traded polymetallic exploration company focused on the exploration and development of previously producing properties in the Kootenay Arc, located in southeastern British Columbia, including the Jackpot/Oxide, Jersey-Emerald, Sheep Creek and Bayonne properties, on which Margaux has options. The Company is directed by a group of highly successful Canadian business executives with proven track records. Margaux trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol MRL and on the OTCQB under the symbol MARFF. Forward Looking Statements This press release may contain forward looking statements including those describing Margaux's future plans and the expectations of management that a stated result or condition will occur. Any statement addressing future events or conditions necessarily involves inherent risk and uncertainty. Actual results can differ materially from those anticipated by management at the time of writing due to many factors, the majority of which are beyond the control of Margaux and its management. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements pertaining, directly or indirectly, to Margaux's exploration programs and regional consolidation plans. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. These statements speak only as of the date of this release or as of the date specified in the documents accompanying this release, as the case may be. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements except as expressly required by applicable securities laws. 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. CONTACT INFORMATION Margaux Resources Ltd. Tyler Rice President, CEO and a Director (403) 537-5590 tyler@margauxresources.com Copyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. On Friday, February 10, at 11.00, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference "Ukraine-U.S.-Russia Triangle. Reboot has Started." The participants will include Director of the Dialogue Institute of Social and Political Design, political analyst Andriy Myseliuk and chairman of the Ukrainian Politics Institute, political analyst Kost Bondarenko (8/5a Reitarska Street). Registration requires press accreditation. More information by phone: (097) 948 3975, info@i-dialog.com.ua With a banner behind her that read "Protecting Womens Health," it was obvious what Connecticut state Sen. Mae Flexer wanted to discuss during a press conference last month.Flexer and a group of Democratic lawmakers were unveiling a package of bills designed to safeguard some of the women's health provisions set in place by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) -- provisions that could soon be eliminated if Congressional Republicans dismantle the law.The ACA has been a boon for women. It mandated insurers to fully cover preventative care, prenatal care and at least some form of birth control. The law also made it illegal for women to be charged higher premiums than men, simply based on their gender.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that one in three women gained access to preventative services under the ACA.People have gotten used to these protections, and quite frankly they save us money, said Flexer.A 2012 study by the Brookings Institution found that expanding access to contraception can save around $1 billion in taxpayer dollars by preventing unwanted pregnancies.President Donald Trump vowed to repeal and replace Obamacare but hasnt said whether or not he favors keeping the women's health protections. But many Republicans, who hold control of both chambers of Congress, have expressed opposition to the law's birth control mandate.Last month, Republican Congressmembers shot down an amendment that would have codified the women's health provisions in the event of an ACA repeal. Republican leaders have also already pledged to defund Planned Parenthood, which offers abortions among its many other women's health services.In the meantime, Democratic state lawmakers across the country are scrambling to make sure that even if the law is repealed or Planned Parenthood is defunded, women in their state will continue to have access to free contraception and abortion. Bills have already been filed in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York and Oregon.Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a leader in the fight against many of Trump's policies, announced last month that New York will make insurers cover contraception and medically necessary abortions, as defined by the doctor.But Kevin Cahill, a New York state assemblymember, said the governor's actions aren't enough and hurt the chances of his more comprehensive bill from passing.This takes a great deal of pressure off the Senate, which is GOP lead," he said. "They might say they dont have to pass the bill because of the governor, but its more necessary than ever. Every aspect of this law is under attack."On top of what Cuomo ordered, Cahill's legislation would also mandate coverage of emergency contraception, like the Plan B pill, and male vasectomies.Across the country, in Oregon, a retired nurse-turned-lawmaker pre-filed the Reproductive Health Equity Act in January before her state's legislative session even started.We are living in a world of unknowns," said Democratic state Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson. "We want to be proactive."Monnes Anderson's bill would require insurance companies to fully cover birth control, breastfeeding support and abortion.The abortion part, she admits, may make some lawmakers hesitant.We have a Democratic majority, but that doesnt mean that all Democrats will want the bill as it stands," she said. "Well have to work at it."As for the states with Republican governors and legislatures, which is most of them, similar legislation is unlikely to gain traction. That could leave millions of women with a choice: pay more for birth control or forego it altogether. Inmates at the largest state prison for men in Delaware took four corrections department workers and fellow prisoners hostage Wednesday in a stand-off with authorities that had yet to be resolved more than 20 hours later on Thursday morning, forcing prisons across the state to enter lockdown.By early Thursday morning, the state Department of Correction said two employees and 82 inmates remained inside the seized prison block, though it was unclear how many were hostages as opposed to hostage-takers.Throughout the standoff, two of the prison employees one of whom had non-life threatening injuries and 46 inmates had been released in four groups by the hostage-takers, who said their rebellion was a direct response to President Donald Trump.Everything that he did. All the things that hes doing now, they said during the second of two manifesto-like phone calls to a local newspaper. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse.The inmates demanded education first and foremost, a rehabilitation program that works for everybody and a comprehensive look at the prisons budget and spending, according to audio of the calls posted online by the News Journal in Wilmington, Del., located about 40 miles north of Smyrna, where the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center has been since 1971. Once again wading into the contentious battle over policing and violent crime in Chicago, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday announced he would file a statement in federal court opposing the proposed court order that would force sweeping changes to the city's Police Department.Sessions' announcement came the day after President Donald Trump -- who has repeatedly highlighted Chicago's stubborn gun violence -- suggested the department employ stop-and-frisk policing to battle crime.Sessions revealed his plan weeks before a federal judge is scheduled to hear public comments on the proposed consent decree, a court order that would mandate reforms overseen by an independent monitoring team. The decree would likely stand as one of the most significant consequences of the push for police reform sparked nearly three years ago with the release of the video of Officer Jason Van Dyke shooting Laquan McDonald 16 times.On Friday, Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery.The written announcement from the Department of Justice referenced another controversial oversight deal governing policing in Chicago -- the agreement between the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois and the city that required cops to more thoroughly document street stops. Sessions argued that the deal led to a spike in homicides."Chicago's agreement with the ACLU in late 2015 dramatically undercut proactive policing in the city ... with homicides increasing more than 57 percent the very next year," Sessions said in the statement."Now the city's leaders are seeking to enter into another agreement. It is imperative that the city not repeat the mistakes of the past -- the safety of Chicago depends on it. Accordingly, at the end of this week, the Justice Department will file a statement of interest opposing the proposed consent decree. It is critical that Chicago get this right."A "statement of interest" is a mechanism the Justice Department has used to weigh in on legal cases, but such statements carry no inherent legal weight, according to lawyers familiar with those documents. They resemble amicus briefs, which lawyers can file in an effort to sway a judge's view of a case, attorneys said.The forthcoming consent decree is a product of a Justice Department investigation initiated shortly after the city was forced in November 2015 to release video of Van Dyke, a white police officer, shooting McDonald, a black teenager who was carrying a knife. The video led to heated street protests fueled by long-standing anger among African-Americans over their treatment by police.In January 2017 -- the waning days of an Obama administration that often sought to intervene in local police departments -- the Justice Department issued a report portraying CPD as a broken institution plagued by bad training, lax supervision and rare discipline for cops. Mayor Rahm Emanuel agreed to work toward a consent decree.But then Trump took office and appointed Sessions, who has criticized federal intervention in local law enforcement. Emanuel announced he would try to negotiate an out-of-court agreement to overhaul the Police Department -- a move blasted by reform advocates who said a federal judge's oversight was needed to bring lasting change to the force.In August 2017, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan sued the city to force a consent decree and the mayor agreed to negotiate. Groups including Black Lives Matter Chicago and the ACLU also sued seeking changes, and the Emanuel administration and Madigan's office reached a deal giving those groups a role in guiding the eventual consent decree.The city and Madigan's office have submitted a proposed decree that would aim to create tighter restrictions on use of force, closer supervision of officers and a more effective disciplinary system, among other policy changes. U.S. District Judge Robert Dow Jr. has scheduled court hearings for late October, at which the public can comment on the prospective order.Madigan spokeswoman Maura Possley noted in a written statement that Sessions plans to weigh in against a court order grounded in the findings of the department he now runs."As the Justice Department found after an extensive investigation, Chicago residents and police officers have endured decades of serious problems that have endangered too many lives," she said. "It's not surprising that this Justice Department is opposing real reform."In a joint statement, Emanuel and police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said that "public safety reforms have public safety benefits.""The Trump Administration never ceases to amaze, and this is just further proof that they are out of step with the people of Chicago and out of touch with reality," the statement said.Sessions' opposition to the consent decree dovetails with the perspective of the union that represents rank-and-file officers, the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, which has sought unsuccessfully to have the litigation dismissed. Union President Kevin Graham could not be reached for comment. The opening ceremony of the highly-anticipated China-Australia Year of Tourism was held at Sydneys iconic Opera House on February 5, 2017. [CRIENGLISH.com/Qi Zhi] Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull have sent their congratulations to the China-Australia Year of Tourism 2017, which was officially launched in Sydney on Sunday. In his congratulatory message, Li said people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the Chinese and Australian people is one of the important pillars supporting the development of bilateral relations. Li said he was happy to see that China and Australia have become popular tourism destinations for each other, with the total number of two-way arrivals between the two countries reaching nearly 2 million last year. Li expressed his hope that the two countries can use the Year of Tourism as an driving opportunity to broaden and deepen bilateral cooperation and exchanges in various fields including people-to-people and cultural exchanges, to build a more solid popular basis for all-round development of bilateral ties. The Chinese premier said the two countries respect civilizational diversity in the world, and on the basis of sound development of bilateral relations in the past 45 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Australia should continue to uphold equality in treating each other, tolerance and openness, and learn from each other to jointly safeguard world peace and promote regional stability, and achieve new results from mutually beneficial cooperation in the greater interest of the two peoples. The Australian prime minister said in his congratulatory message that more than 20 years of partnership in tourism between Australia and China has borne many fruits and China has become Australia's most valuable tourism market with 1.2 million Chinese tourists visiting Australia last year. He said the Australia-China Year of Tourism marks a brand new era for bilateral relations and he believes that through joint efforts, Australia and China will share opportunities to be brought about by future development in the field. On Friday, in the morning, at St Josephs Nudgee College, Nudgee, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey attended the Investiture of Seniors of 2017 and the College Opening Mass and addressed guests. In the evening, in Brisbane, the Governor and Mrs Kaye de Jersey attended dinner with Mrs Gina Rinehart. On Saturday, in the evening, at the Sofitel Brisbane Central, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey attended the Chinese Club of Queenslands Chinese New Year Function Year of the Rooster, where the Governor addressed guests and delivered New Year greetings. Description GIS - 06 February, 2017: The Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations, Employment and Training, Mr Soodesh S. Callichurn, expressed determination to amend the Employment Rights Act 2008 and the Employment Relations Act 2008 in view of addressing apprehension felt by job seekers vis-a-vis the private sector. The Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations, Employment and Training, Mr Soodesh S. Callichurn, expressed determination to amend the Employment Rights Act 2008 and the Employment Relations Act 2008 in view of addressing apprehension felt by job seekers vis-a-vis the private sector. He was speaking on the 04 February 2017 during a job fair organised by the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations, Employment and Training at the Lady Sushil Ramgoolam SSS Girls, in Triolet. Minister Callichurn further observed that several actions are to be taken to remedy this situation which has aggravated over the years hence causing an atmosphere of inconvenience and insecurity for those job seekers willing to be employed in the private sector. He enumerated various amendments to be brought to the labour laws so as to reinstate confidence in the population bringing it at par with the public sector. They are namely; review of the mechanism regarding the Termination of Service Contract Board so as to eliminate injustices caused to employees owing to the hire and fire approach by employers; restoration of the Portable Severance Allowance scheme for private sector employees which guarantees that any employee of the private sector is granted a lump sum upon retirement; and the reestablishment of the mechanism for the disciplinary committee. Regarding the national minimum wage salary, Minister Callichurn is upbeat that very soon the Ministerial Committee set up to look into the matter will come up with the minimum wage salary. Around 5,000 persons visited the job fair which served as platform for job seekers to meet and interact with potential employers. Some 40 employers in sectors such as textile and other manufacturing, cruise, security, ICT/BPO, construction, hotel, bank, insurance, trade and cleaning services participated in the fair. Various institutions also provided information on training and self-employment. Description GIS 06 February 2017: Science, Technology, Innovation and Research cannot, in whatsoever manner, be dissociated from the concepts of green economies, green societies and sustainable development, said the President of the Republic, Dr Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, this morning at Le Sirius, Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel, in Port Louis. The President was delivering a keynote address on the theme Transitioning from green economies to greener societies through Science at the launching ceremony of a two-day seminar on Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+. Horizon 2020 is the European Unions (EU) biggest Research and Innovation programme ever with nearly 80 billion (3 200 billion Mauritian rupees) of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020). Erasmus+ is the European Union's programme for 2014 to 2020 to support projects, partnerships, events and mobility in the areas of education, training youth and sport. Organised by the EU, the seminar has as objective to present opportunities available to Mauritian stakeholders research, innovation and higher education for collaboration with their counterparts in Europe, specifically in the key areas of interest for Mauritius. In her address at the seminar, the President of the Republic observed that in our quest to make life better and greener and more sustainable for people, even in the poorest countries, scientists should be able to build on all the knowledge the human race has ever gained. Green societies are fundamentally knowledge societies in which Science and Technology play a crucial role in helping create green jobs as well as boosting social development, she said. When we talk about transitioning to green societies, it is also timely to recognise that we have not given sufficient importance to traditional knowledge to the same extent that other countries such as India and China have done. Our region has enough biodiversity to respond to the call of industry for innovative ingredients. It is time for African scientists to play a central role in using African knowledge to solve African problems using African resources, and one such resource is also African traditional information, added the President. For her part, the Head of the delegation of the European Union, Ms Marjaana Sall, observed that research and innovation are recognised as key building blocks of competitive and dynamic economies. Countries which have invested in this sector tend to witness higher productivity rates, leading to increased economic growth and more robust job creation, the main pathways through which the poor can escape poverty, and this is why the EU has invested significantly in this area, she recalled. According to Ms Sall, the EU growth strategy for the coming decade sets the objectives for a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy. In addition, there is an increasing number of complex global challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity, or infectious diseases. To address these issues, we need to invest in research and innovation, and the EU and Mauritius are determined to work together to address these global challenges, she added. Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+ Mauritius is currently benefiting from two projects under Horizon 2020, which is the financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union, a Europe 2020 flagship initiative aimed at securing Europe's global competitiveness. 2017 marks 30 years of Erasmus+. The original Erasmus programme began in 1987 as an exchange programme giving higher education students a taste of life and learning abroad. Erasmus+ funds thousands of opportunities a year, for students, staff, teachers, apprentices and young people, from sectors across education, training, youth and sport. Under Erasmus+, 17 Mauritians will travel to Europe and 13 Europeans will come to study or teach in Mauritius as a result of the first projects selected in 2016. Earlier, 14 Mauritians have benefitted from Erasmus Mundus. Description GIS - 06 February, 2017: The newly rebranded entity regrouping all state entities predominantly involved in real estate development and property management, namely Landscope (Mauritius) Ltd, launched its logo on 3rd February 2017 at the Cyber Tower 1 in Ebene. The newly rebranded entity regrouping all state entities predominantly involved in real estate development and property management, namelyLandscope (Mauritius) Ltd, launched its logo on 3February 2017 at the Cyber Tower 1 in Ebene. Landscope (Mauritius) Ltd which is operational since November last year emanated following a merger of the State Land Development Company Limited; the State Property Development Company Limited; Business Parks Mauritius Limited; Belle Mare Tourist Village Ltd; Le Val Development Ltd; and Les Pailles Conference Centre Ltd. It is part of a major public sector reform programme engaged in the development of state land property in view of eliminating potential or actual overlapping of functions by the above mentioned entities for a greater overall efficiency. Its core objective is to achieve higher value-added through the mutualisation of precious resources for a smarter management and leapfrogging onto a new paradigm for developing and managing Governments real-estate assets. Speaking at the launching of logo ceremony, the Chairperson of Landscope (Mauritius) Ltd, Mr Gerard Sanspeur, explained the rationale of Landscope (Mauritius) Ltd, which will focus mostly on urban regeneration and in developing new cities. According to him, Landscope (Mauritius) Ltd wants to emerge as a leader in urban regeneration and a developer and all its actions will be part of sustainable development. He further added that Mauritius wants to develop a long-term partnership with Reunion Island partners who have great expertise similar to what Landscope (Mauritius) Ltd is planning to do. Among the major projects of Landscope (Mauritius) Ltd are: the new city project at Highlands, the urban regeneration of Ebene and Port Louis. It will be recalled that on the same occasion a workshop with representatives of Landscope (Mauritius) Ltd and of public entities shouldering similar responsibilities in Reunion Island was held. The aim was to acquire expertise in the development of new cities, urban planning, urban regeneration and real estate projects. (TNS) - Exposure to toxic chemicals is a routine part of the job for firefighters, increasing their risk for cancer and other illnesses.State leaders are now taking steps to help protect them, including a bill recently signed by Gov. Charlie Baker that designates cancer as a work-related injury for state and local firefighters.The designation gives firefighters diagnosed with cancer better medical coverage, paid leave and more access to disability benefits."Cancer is a very real hazard of the job, and we want to make sure were doing what we need to do to help those who serve, Baker said at the bill's signing.Richard MacKinnon, president of the Professional Firefighters Association of Massachusetts, said firefighters with a cancer diagnosis are often forced to use sick and personal days for treatments. Most communities don't pay for coverage of cancer-related illnesses, either."We've had firefighters who had to use all of their sick time to get treatments," he said. "Some have even lost insurance coverage because they aren't working.Since 2016, nearly 300 active firefighters in Massachusetts have been diagnosed with cancer, according to the union, and at least 29 have died from the disease.Nationally cancer is a leading cause of death for firefighters, accounting for about 3 in 5 deaths in the line of duty, according to recent studies.The new law also includes coverage for breast and reproductive cancers, MacKinnon said.He noted that firefighters are exposed to burning plastics, chemicals and toxins -- including flame retardant chemicals used to treat furniture -- each time they respond to a burning structure or vehicle. The materials emit carcinogenic fumes, such as benzene and hydrocarbons, that can be absorbed through skin.Rep. Paul Tucker, D-Salem, a member of the Legislature's Public Safety Committee, said cancer diagnoses are more likely among firefighters than others."The numbers speak for themselves," he said. "These guys are putting themselves in harm's way so anything we can do to help them, we need to do."A 2015 study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found firefighters are 9 percent more likely than the general population to develop cancer, and 14 percent more likely to die from it.The International Association of Firefighters reports 61 percent of line-of-duty deaths from 2002 to 2016 were cancer-related.Decades ago firefighters were most often diagnosed with asbestos-related cancers, but now the cancers are more typically leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among the most aggressive cancers are oral, digestive, respiratory and urinary.Cancer-causing agents can be absorbed through the skin, the CDC notes, and studies have shown that more toxins are absorbed as skin gets hotter.State lawmakers were considering a ban on flame-retardant children's products and household furniture, but the bill stalled before its formal session ended.At least 13 states -- including California, Maine, New York and Vermont -- ban flame-retardant products, while a dozen others are considering similar restrictions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.But the industry is resisting and suing to block laws that seek to keep flame retardants off the market or require labeling of new products.Federal policymakers, in the meantime, are trying to get a handle on the problem by creating a cancer registry.In June, President Donald Trump signed a law directing the Centers for Disease Control to collect data on the occurrence of cancer among firefighters, potentially leading to better prevention and safety protocols.Under the law, firefighters will voluntarily enter health information into a database that hopes to better determine their cancer risk.Besides requiring cancer coverage, Massachusetts lawmakers have also earmarked funds for equipment to minimize firefighters' exposure to carcinogens.An amendment to the fiscal 2019 budget, sponsored by Rep. Linda Campbell, D-Methuen and others, calls for $420,000 to purchase so-called "extractors" -- commercial-grade washing machines that allow firefighters to wash chemicals and toxins off their gear after a shift.Cash-strapped fire departments can't afford to buy the equipment -- which can cost $9,800 or more -- or a second set of gear for firefighters, she said."The goal is to eventually get one of these extractors in every fire station," Campbell said. "It's something that can be done, right now, to help them."Christian Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for the North of Boston Media Group's newspapers and websites. Reach him at cwade@cnhi.com.2018 The Eagle-Tribune (North Andover, Mass.)Visit The Eagle-Tribune (North Andover, Mass.) at www.eagletribune.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. If the " Respecting State's Rights and Concealed and Carry Reciprocity Act " becomes law, it would allow those with concealed weapons permits from one jurisdiction to legally carry a concealed weapon into other jurisdictions which may currently prohibit the practice. If the measure -- an amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill -- passes, said New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine in a release, the state will file a lawsuit to have the law declared unconstitutional.The National Rifle Association terms the measure the "Right to Carry Reciprocity Act" and on its Web site says that "Under the Thune-Vitter amendment, an individual who has met the requirements for a carry permit, or who is otherwise allowed by his home state's state law to carry a firearm, would be authorized to carry a firearm for protection in any other state that issues such permits, subject to the laws of the state in which the firearm is carried."[Update: the measure fell two votes short of Senate approval.] Volkswagen is no longer ruling out a future F1 foray. Earlier, it was suggested that amid the diesel emissions scandal, and VW's rumoured disdain for Bernie Ecclestone's management style, the German car giant had ruled out entering the sport. But Ecclestone is now gone, and Liberty Media has taken over and is promising changes. "From my point of view, the whole topic is mixed up again. It is absolutely a new beginning," Wolfgang Durheimer, boss of the VW brands Bentley and Bugatti, told the German website motorsport-total.com. (GMM) Effect picture of Christian theme park allegedly sponsored by the government of Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province. [Photo: Baidu] Chinese netizens expressed outrage over a large Christian theme park allegedly sponsored by the government of Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province, claiming that government should not encourage religious practices in a secular country that separates religion and politics. The park in Changsha Xingsha Ecological Park, which covers an area of 150,000 square meters, is the largest Christian theme park in central and south China, reported Hunan Dushi, a local TV station based in Changsha. A Christian church and Bible institute were built in the park, Chen Zhi, president of the Christian Council of Hunan Province, was quoted as saying by the TV station. The church will begin operations in June 2017, said the report. Dai Rihong, the representative of the ecological park's construction team, was quoted by Changsha Evening News as saying that the park was designed as a romantic wedding park for citizens to shoot wedding photos. The Changsha government website said the Xingsha Ecological Park was a government-sponsored project, and was subcontracted to the Huashun Construction Project Management Co. Neither the Church nor Huashun could be reached for comment as of press time. A resident who lives nearby said that the park opened during the 2017 Spring Festival and welcomed some tourists, mostly families. Meanwhile, netizens expressed their outrage over the Christian-themed park, especially after learning that the local government subsidized the project. Sina Weibo user "youguocaiyoujia" wrote that the government should be alert to the penetration of religious ideas that contradict China's mainstream ideology, which might pose a threat to political security. Another Weibo user named "sanxiaren" said Hunan is the birthplace of Chairman Mao Zedong and a sacred place like this would never tolerate the overflowing of religion. Many local governments are struggling for progress during industrial transformation, and religion is being used for cultural and tourist development, Zhang Yiwu, a professor and cultural scholar at Peking University, told the Global Times. However, local governments should be cautious about religious and ethnic issues, and should take into consideration their social impact and those projects should avoid conflicting with the mainstream ideology, Zhang added. A report released during the 9th National Chinese Christian Congress in 2013 showed that more than 2.4 million Protestants in the Chinese mainland were baptized from 2007-12, with experts saying that more people are turning to religion for help and spiritual consolation. The report also said that 5,195 churches had been built or renovated from 2007-12. However, cities such as Wenzhou and Hangzhou in East China's Zhejiang Province have demolished Christian churches during the province's campaign to renovate the region. A boy carries water and firewoods back home in the snow in Kabul, Afghanistan, Feb. 5, 2017. At least 42 people have lost their lives and scores of others sustained injuries due to snowfall and freezing weather over the past three days across Afghanistan, local media and officials reported. (Xinhua/Dai He) At least 42 people have lost their lives and scores of others sustained injuries due to snowfall and freezing weather over the past three days across Afghanistan, local media and officials reported. Heavy snowfall has also resulted in the closure of transport and road blockade in parts of the country and disrupted road connection between districts and provincial capitals. Even the essential Salang Pass which links capital Kabul to eight northern provinces has remained closed over the past couple of days due to snowfall and avalanches. To tackle the problem and avoid more snow-related casualties, the government announced Sunday as public holiday. The snowfall has also partially paralyzed the life in Kabul on Sunday as the streets are deserted and many shops are closed. Kabul Municipality has called upon drivers to follow all the traffic rule and regulations on snowy days. Although, there is no report on loss of life and property damage in Kabul, continued snowfall and chilly weather has added to the suffering of poor families as the prices of basic needs include wood which is used in warming houses have gone up. Snowfall has also hampered the outgoing and incoming flights at Kabul airport on Sunday, according to passengers. In the northern Badakhshan province, according to local media reports, 18 people have lost their lives and 21 others injured. Five more people have fallen victim to freezing climate in the northern Saripul province over the past three days, a local official Aziz Rahman Aymaq said. Heavy snowfall, chilly weather and avalanches have killed 16 people in Siagurd and Surkhparsa district of the eastern Parwan province, according to local officials. Countless houses, according to Hasan Reza Yusufi, a member of eastern Ghazni province, have been destroyed due to snowfall in the province. At least three people, according to locals, have lost their lives in the central Ghor province. However, the Natural Disaster Management Authority has yet to release any statement on the number of snow-related casualties. Meanwhile, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, in a meeting with cabinet ministers on Saturday night, directed concerned ministries and government entities to get ready to handle with the untoward situations arising of heavy snow and to deliver aid to the needy people in the country. Guihang 300 Hospital. [Photo : cgtn.com] The Chinese community has been shocked by an outrageous case of psychiatrists running away from a hospital, along with 64 patients over the weekend. The Guihang 300 Hospital released an announcement on its official website Saturday, declaring that 64 patients being treated at the hospital had left, led by the director of psychiatry, Yang Shaolei, without informing the patients families or going through any formal procedures. Meanwhile, 11 other staff members of the psychiatry department had quit before getting official approval by the hospital, the announcement said. Guihang 300 Hospital. [Photo: CFP] The hospital immediately reported the incident to the police and later confirmed that the psychiatrists and patients had been transferred to Guiyang No.6 Hospital, according to the announcement. The hospital believes this is a planned incident that severely infringes on the patients' guardians' right to know and choose, maliciously offends the professional integrity of the medical staff, and tramples industry rules for healthy competition the hospital said, and it will hold the involved medical staffers accountable according to the law. Announcement by Guihang 300 Hospital on its official website. [Photo: gh300.cn] Announcement by Guihang 300 Hospital on its official website. [Photo: gh300.cn] An undercover investigation at the Guiyang No.6 Hospital by a CCTV reporter who pretended to be a patients family member, revealed that the doctors and nurses collective departure was motivated by higher pay and better medical conditions in the new hospital, although there was no verification from the side of the patients or their families showing they transferred for better medical services. Introduction of Yang Shaolei on the bulletin board of Guihang 300 Hospital. [Photo: CFP] Yang dismissed the claim by Guihang 300 Hospital that he took the patients without informing their guardians, saying that he had contacted all the families to get their approval before the patients left the hospital. Yang also said that he had issued the necessary certificates to patients for hospital discharges, but all the papers had been repealed by the hospital. The letter of consent for a patient's transfer by her family. [Photo: youth.cn] Yang said he was giving a helping hand at Guiyang No.6 Hospital right now, without signing a formal labor contract, which was confirmed by the hospitals head, Kang Zhengmao. Kang said they do need to introduce medical talents, but havent employed Yang since he hasnt finished his resignation formalities. Local health authorities had been informed of the incident and had intervened, said an official with Huaxi District Health and Family Planning Bureau of Guiyang city. Guihang 300 Hospital is rated as a Class A hospital in Chinas official 3-tier hospital rating system, where a hospital is rated according to its ability to provide medical care, medical education, and to conduct medical research. Cheng Dongdong, a boy who suffers from ALS and now lives in Anhui province, has been receiving help from his classmates for the past 7 years. Through elementary and middle school, he never missed a day of school, thanks to his classmates, who helped take him to school and send him home, helped him with his wheelchair, and helped him go to the bathroom. Theyve treated him as a member of their own family and have never complained. The cellulosic ethanol allows greenhouse gas emission savings of up to 95% across the entire value chain without competing with food production or tying up agricultural land. Clariant, a leading global specialty chemicals company, together with Mercedes-Benz and Haltermann Carless, a well-established HCS Group brand, tested the use of sustainable cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues in a fleet test with Mercedes-Benz series vehicles over a period of 12 months for the first time in Germany. sunliquid 20 was used for the testa fuel produced by Haltermann Carless with a cellulosic ethanol content of 20 vol% (E20) from Clariants sunliquid plant in Straubing. The sunliquid process uses a bespoke enzyme mixture to hydrolyze cellulose and hemicellulose chains to form sugar monomeri.e., saccharification. The enzymes are highly optimized based on feedstock and process parameters, resulting in maximum yields and short reaction times under optimal conditions. Using optimized microorganisms, the sunliquid one-pot system simultaneously converts both C 5 and C 6 sugars to ethanol, delivering up to 50% more ethanol than conventional processes which convert only C 6 sugars. Clariant has been operating a pre-commercial plant in Straubing, which produces up to 1,000 metric tons of cellulosic ethanol from around 4,500 metric tons of raw material every year, since July 2012. At the Haltermann Carless production site in Hamburg, the bioethanol is mixed with selected components to form the innovative fuel whose specifications represent the potential for the quality of E20 fuel in Europe. In the fleet test with Mercedes-Benz vehicles, sunliquid 20 exhibited very good combustion properties with a high degree of efficiency and identical consumption compared to todays standard E10 fuel. Due to the slightly lower energy density of E20 compared to E10, slightly higher fuel consumption was expected under the same operating conditions. The tests performed under laboratory conditions demonstrated variability in the consumption analysis in which additional consumption between 0 and 3 percent was observed. In addition to the performance, an improvement in particle count emissions by around 50% was measured for sunliquid 20 versus the EU reference fuel Euro 5. GREENSBORO Students sometimes wonder what their teachers are up to in the evenings when they arent at school. Once a week, on Monday or Tuesday nights, some of the newer Guilford County Schools teachers become county students themselves. Since 2008, the school district has offered a year-long teacher licensure training program thats unique in the state. It targets teachers who come in with expertise in the content area they will teach, but not an education degree or its equivalent. Its one of the strategies the district employs in the face of a challenging recruiting climate and concerns about helping teachers know what they are doing. The whole focus is taking people that are not trained to be educators and making them excellent educators, said Lisa Sonricker, who teaches the teachers. All lateral entry teachers must pass certain tests by their second year of teaching and complete required teacher training coursework within three years. Usually, teachers take those required classes at colleges and universities. Sonricker said, however, that many college certification programs are heavy on the theory early on, whereas Guilford County Schools badly needs teachers to have some of the more practical stuff right away. And with their own program, the district can train these teachers just how they like them. Guilford Countys do-it-yourself approach is currently the outlier in North Carolina, but other districts may soon follow. Wake County Public Schools and the Central Carolina Regional Education Service Alliance are hoping to hear back in March on their application to the State Board of Education for a grant to start a program for teachers in that region. In their grant they say decreased enrollment in state colleges of education and an increase in teachers leaving the field are driving districts to seek different ways to get and keep good teachers, and that districts are increasingly turning to lateral entry teachers to fill spots. In Guilford County, about 55 percent of new-to-teaching hires for 2016-17 were lateral entry teachers, Sonricker said. Only some participate in the GCS Alternative Track Certification program, which involves paying about $1,000, and learning directly from district instructors. Northeast High science teacher Leondra Richardson said the school systems certification program was the cheaper, better alternative for her. With doing the lateral entry, I felt like I needed something that was going to be way more hands on than just going back to school, she said. This way I could go ahead and be in the classroom, and as I am learning here I can be applying it. On a recent Monday, Richardson listened to Sonricker give instructions while sitting in a classroom decorated with brightly colored posters in a warehouse-like building behind the districts school administration office. The students, all teachers, looked more alert and focused than might be expected for people who have been teaching all day. Many brought sodas and snacks. Sonricker isnt big on lectures. Much of her class on Monday was spent in whats known as pair and share activities, where students team up to discuss or answer questions, before then sharing their answers in a larger group, or sometimes the whole class. Richardson paired with Page Highs Elizabeth Bowser. Both were biology majors in college. Bowser used to work in a toxicology lab; Richardson worked as a teacher assistant at an elementary school to get her foot in the door with the school district before applying for this job. They shared a table with other teachers that have a wide variety of other past experience, for example, a social studies teacher who has served in the military and a math teacher who came from teaching community college. Its quite a big transition, but its been really fun, Bowser said, adding people often are surprised she would leave toxicology for teaching. Im tired all the time, but its so good; it is so worth it, you know, she said. It is this is so much harder than I ever thought it would be but it is. When you have those kids that you are struggling so hard to reach and then they get it. I dont know how to describe it. Its just a cool moment. Richardson said shes benefiting from the mentoring of a master teacher assigned to her through the program, and from the weekly classes. Even when shes tired, or feeling discouraged, maybe especially on those occasions, shes glad to come out and find a support system. We come in, we laugh with each other, we talk, she said. This is almost like therapy sometimes, its great. The loss of North Carolina jobs tied to the American trade imbalance with China may have peaked about a decade ago. However, the ripple effect continues to be felt in the state, particularly in the high-tech sector, according to a national study released last week. The Economic Policy Institute, a left-learning nonprofit research group, reported that North Carolina has lost 131,100 jobs, primarily in manufacturing, since 2001 because of trade policies deemed more favorable to China than the United States. About 95,100 of the job losses occurred between 2001 and 2008, primarily in furniture and textiles. For 2015-16, North Carolina has lost 10,500 jobs from the trade imbalance, the Washington-based institute determined. Mark Vitner, a senior economist with Wells Fargo Securities, said the disruption unleashed by opening up trade with China was severely underestimated. We have been living with the impact in rural parts of North Carolina and Virginia for the past two decades. ... Vast numbers of folks remain underemployed, Vitner said. The report comes as President Donald Trump is considering raising tariffs on Chinese imports, a potential response that opponents worry could provoke a trade war. The United States has a massive trade deficit with China, said Robert Scott, the institutes director of trade and manufacturing policy research. According to a January report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the U.S. trade deficit with China was a record $367 billion in 2015 U.S. exports to China were valued at $116.2 billion, while imports from China were valued at a $483.9 billion. The growth of that deficit almost entirely explains the failure of manufacturing employment to fully recover along with the rest of the economy, Scott said. And as other studies have suggested, the trade deficit has cost us millions of jobs since China entered the World Trade Organization in 2001. North Carolina ranks sixth in terms of jobs lost because of the China trade imbalance and fifth highest in terms of percentage of lost jobs, at 3.12 percent, the institute said. California was No. 1 for the most jobs lost, at 589,100, while Oregon was first in lost jobs by percentage, at 3.82 percent. North Carolinas 5th, 6th and 12th congressional districts have lost a combined 34,700 jobs, about 3.5 percent of the combined employment level within the three districts. The 5th District includes Forsyth County and is composed mostly of Northwest North Carolina counties. A Healing Touch Clinic will be held WednesdayFeb. 8, and March 8 at West Market United Methodist Church, 301 W. Market St. in Greensboro. Appointments are available at 5:30, 6:30 or 7:30 p.m. Described as biofield therapy, it relieves pain, eases stress and assists in eliminating toxins. Love offerings are accepted. To make an appointment, contact Lundee Amos at (336) 288-2654 or Lundeeht@gmail.com. *** The Hirsch Wellness Network will offer yoga with instructor Terry Brown of Triad Yoga in Greensboro from 7:15 to 8:45 p.m. Thursdays, Feb. 9-23 at the Triad Yoga Institute, 3940 W. Market St. in Greensboro. The free sessions are designed for cancer survivors and caregivers. Participants will learn how gentle yoga postures, guided imagery and visualization can help reduce and release stress, anxiety and other forms of tension. To register, call (336) 549-8367 or email info@hirschcenter.org. *** Hospice of Randolph County will offer Surviving Hearts, a special program designed for those who are grieving the loss of a spouse, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Hospice Educational Building at 416 Vision Drive in Asheboro. The program correlates with the Valentines Day season and includes an educational component and time for personal reflection and feedback from the group and facilitator. The event is free, but there is a workbook that goes with the program it is $15. To register or for more information, call (336) 672-9300. *** In partnership with Signature Sponsor Cornerstone Health Care, an affiliate of Wake Forest Baptist Health, the American Heart Association will hold its first High Point Healthy For Good Expo from 8 a.m. to noon Feb. 18 at High Point Universitys Oak Hollow Mall. Attendees will be given a passport to visit various health stops including hands-only CPR, healthy cooking demonstrations, the FAST warning signs of stroke, a kids physical activity area, exercise demonstrations and health screenings and have their passport to good health stamped for a chance to win prizes. There also will be a special VIP area for military and veterans. Individuals raising more than $250 for heart disease and stroke will be entered to win a new car courtesy of Carolina Kia Hyundai of High Point. For information, visit www.Heart.org/HealthyForGoodExpo. *** The YWCA Greensboro offers Teens Learning Childbirth classes from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursdays in the Education Center located on the campus of Womens Hospital in Greensboro. The classes are conducted by a certified childbirth educator and include dinner, transportation for those who need it, and an opportunity for teens 19 and younger to share their pregnancy experiences with one another. Adult classes, for women 19 and older, offer the same benefits. The group meets from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Mondays in the Education Center at Womens Hospital. Both sessions cover such topics as childbirth preparation, fitness activities, breastfeeding education and a tour of the hospital. Winter classes have begun for both programs, but there is still time to register and participate. Spring classes begin in April. For information, contact Brandi Collins-Calhoun at (336) 273-3461 or bcalhoun@ywcagsonc.org. *** Beth David Synagogue will present the film The Cake Lady at 7 p.m. Feb. 25. The documentary focuses on an 88-year-old senior citizen, Fay Tenenbaum, who moves from her home of 65 years to an assisted living facility. In this documentary, Tenenbaum allows viewers to see firsthand the emotional and physical obstacles she faced during the transition. The film also explores how family members are affected by the move as well as other life challenges. The synagogue is at 804 Winview Drive in Greensboro. For information, call (336) 294-0007. *** Heartstrings will offer a child-loss support group beginning Feb. 28 in Kernersville. The nine-session support group will meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, through June 13. The group is open to parents who have experienced the death of a child aged 1 to 23. Participants will have an opportunity to meet other mothers and fathers who have experienced child loss. They will also learn more about their grief and its impact on relationships with family and friends, ways to remember their children, as well as nurture themselves. A participant fee of $15 per meeting applies for each parent/pair. Scholarships funds are available upon request. For location information and to register, call (336) 335-9931 or visit www.heartstringssupport.org. *** The Down Syndrome Network of Greater Greensboro will hold its first 5K run/walk in honor of World Down Syndrome Day at 8:30 a.m. March 18. The 3.21 Dash for Down Syndrome will be the first race to start and finish at LeBauer Park, 208 N. Davie St. in Greensboro. It will be a traditional timed 5K race. In addition to the finish line at 3.1 miles, runners will have the opportunity to dash an extra .11 mile to a second finish line for a 3.21-mile finish, symbolizing the three copies of the 21st chromosome that characterize individuals with Down syndrome. During the extra dash, people with Down syndrome race alongside the runners, cheering them on. To register, email dsngginfo@gmail.com or visit https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/Greensboro/ 321DashforDowns. Feb. 6, 1939 Fleeing Spanish government armies began a mass flight into France tonight after their leaders had abandoned Catalonia to conquering insurgent armies. Government leaders were reported violently split over continuing the war. President Manuel Azana, former Premier Jose Giral, Luis Companys, president of the Catalonian government, and many of Premier Juan Negrins ministers were said to have appealed to him to surrender immediately to Generalissimo Francesco Franco. But Negrin, with a few of his followers, including Foreign Minister Julio Alvarez del Vayo, was said to have insisted on continuing resistance in central Spain, where the government-held area includes Valencia and Madrid. [File photo] The shooting of a 60-year-old man in Chesapeake, Virginia, has stirred up indignation among Chinese-American communities, who are demanding justice for the killing of the unarmed man. The incident is the latest in a series of shootings involving Chinese Americans and took place in the victims minivan on Jan. 26. Jiansheng Chen, a retiree whose English was very limited, was shot to death by a security guard while playing Pokemon Go, a popular augmented reality game, NBC News reported. Though local police have confirmed that Mr. Chen was unarmed at the time, the security guards attorney is claiming self-defense, media reported. No one has yet been charged in connection with the shooting. Local police have not released further details on the shooting, but Chinese Americans have voiced their discontent, demanding authorities carry out an impartial investigation. I cant sleep after hearing about the tragedy. I fear my family members may become the next victims. Chinese Americans are vulnerable in the U.S., I dont think this would have occurred if [Mr. Chen] was an African American or a Muslim, said Cui Songyao, a Chinese American on WeChat. The incident was reported by mainstream media in the U.S. a week after it occurred. It seems to me the public didnt pay much attention to the tragedy because the victim is a Chinese American. More people should know about this incident and justice should be given to the victim, Alexandra Shi, a Chinese student in New York, told Peoples Daily Online. In response to the incident, chat groups have also been formed on social media platforms, such as WeChat, to support the impartial investigation of the shooting. Civil Rights, a WeChat public account founded in 2013 to support the legal rights of Chinese Americans, has also called for Chinese-American communities to support Mr. Chen and his family. GREENSBORO A record gift to Greensboro College will go a long way toward the colleges new fundraising goal. The college made a pair of announcements late last week: It hopes to raise $15 million by 2020, and it will receive $6 million a record gift for the private college from the former chairman of the colleges Board of Trustees. This latest capital campaign GC 2020: Uniquely Focused is the first at the college in about decade. In its last sustained fundraising effort, the private liberal arts school collected about $60 million over about 15 years. That campaign ended toward the latter part of the 2000s. This is still a meaningful capital campaign, President Lawrence Czarda said Monday. This goes a long way toward supporting Greensboro College. The college hopes to raise money in four areas: student scholarships, faculty and staff salaries and training, new academic programs and campus upgrades. These four priorities theyre equally important are critical components of executing our strategic plan, Czarda said. Increasing scholarship funds is crucial, Czarda said, because about 80 percent of the colleges students get financial help to attend school. The college also wants to raise professor and staff salaries, which were cut during the colleges financial crisis earlier this decade. Greensboro College is considering three new academic programs, and money raised would be used to hire faculty and support staff. Campus improvements might include upgrades to labs and a stronger WiFi network. The college also wants to spruce up the buildings that overlook the new Downtown Greenway, which will run along the east side of campus. Czarda said Greensboro College began working on its new strategic plan and planning for a capital campaign in late 2013. Thats when the college learned it would keep its accreditation after it had resolved serious financial issues with its lenders and the U.S. Department of Education. The quiet phase of the campaign, when the college approached its biggest donors, began two years ago. That effort has already yielded $13.2 million in gifts and pledges almost 90 percent of the campaigns goal. Nearly half of the money raised so far will come from Walter and Dennie Newton. The Durham couple has agreed to leave $6 million of their estate to the college. The familys ties to the college go back nearly a century. They are the son and daughter-in-law of Mary Hall Newton, a 1943 graduate who later served on the colleges Board of Trustees. Her cousins attended the school in the 1920s. Walter Newton is president of Newton Instrument Co., a Butner company started by his father. Newton served on the colleges board from 1995 to Dec. 31 and had been chairman since 2012. The college awarded him an honorary doctorate at commencement last year. Walter and Dennie Newton will serve as co-chairs of the capital campaign. In a statement, Walter Newton said the fundraising effort is a labor of love for Dennie and me. We have benefited from the experience my mother had at Greensboro College in ways we probably will never quite understand. Editor's note: An earlier version of this story gave the incorrect date for Walter Newton's tenure as chairman of the college's Board of Trustees. His term started in 2012. [File photo] President Donald Trumps recent travel ban has struck a chord with many Chinese Americans, who have arranged rallies to support the controversial policy, claiming that it will ensure the security of the nation. The order, issued by Trump on Jan. 27, temporarily bars the entry of anyone from seven predominantly Muslim countries. While the presidents hawkishness has irritated many people, his order has galvanized remarkable support from many Chinese Americans, who are usually not interested in politics. Trump is the only politician who dares to challenge political correctness in order to point out the real problems facing America. You can't deny the fact that there are terrorists lurking among certain ethnic groups, and its not wrong to take precautions. The order may not be perfect, it may even be harsh, but I think its necessary for our security, Wang Cheng (pseudonym), a 45-year-old Chinese American living in New York, told Peoples Daily Online. Some nongovernment organizations run by Chinese Americans have also voiced their support for President Trump. CAFT, the Chinese Americans for Trump movement, an informal group made up mostly of Chinese Americans, has shown its discontent with political rightness in the U.S., claiming on its website that, The Democrats have made it NOT okay to call Islamic Extremism for what it is....That is NOT the America we knew and loved. Social media platforms have also been used to voice support for the travel ban. Civil Right, a WeChat public account run by Chinese Americans, called for a rally in New York to support Trump on Feb. 5, as well as publishing articles and commentaries to defend the travel ban. But not all Chinese Americans are optimistic about the controversial policy. Many opponents claim that it will only jeopardize the legal rights of minority groups, including the Chinese-American community. The executive order is basically a Muslim ban. If we allow Trump to ban certain groups at will, Chinese Americans might be next. We shouldnt tolerate such injustice, said Alex Shi, a 27-year-old student in New York. While fans around the country are busy unpacking their foam fingers and favorite jerseys and prepping their Buffalo wings and guacamole dip, Houston-area franchisees are gearing up for what promises to be one of their busiest and most profitable weekends ever. While independent business owners will no doubt benefit from the influx of fans to the Houston area as well, franchise owners have a unique advantage since their brands are likely already familiar to visitors from New England, Atlanta, and across the country. Terry Powell, CEO of The Entrepreneurs Source, a company that matches people with franchises to buy, puts it this way: Being comfortable with a familiar franchise brand on a trip away from home takes the unknown out of questions about quality, service, and cleanliness. Related: The Most Talked About Super Bowl 51 Ads -- So Far. Shaun Gill, owner of two Houston-area American Family Care urgent-care clinics, agrees. Our franchise- and corporate-owned clinics in the New England and Atlanta markets have really created a great brand identity for us, he says. I truly believe that fans traveling from those areas, should they need us, will be pleasantly surprised to see AFC clinics here as well. And between a flu season in full swing and crowds of rowdy fans, hes expecting that plenty of people will need AFCs services over the weekend. Houston-based franchisees of other brands expect to benefit from the big game as well. Judy Brown and her son Jonathan, who own both a Papa Murphys take-and-bake pizza store and a sweetFrog Premium Frozen Yogurt just a few doors down, expect sales to triple this week, with each store offering 15-percent-off coupons to its sister store to drive even more traffic. Blimpie Subs & Salads franchisee Sobhi Badra, whos got the added advantage of having a store located near dozens of hotels, already had one of his highest-grossing weekends ever thanks to catering orders for the Houston-New England playoff game, and is expecting this weekend to be even better. And its not just health and food franchises that are cashing in. SpeedPro Imaging franchisee Kevin Ducayet is expecting a 25 to 30 percent boost in business this week as well. Thats thanks in part to an already established partnership with the Revention Music Center in downtown Houston. His teams designing wall murals, signage, and other graphics for a private corporate party there. Related: Does it Pay to Release Super Bowl Ads Before the Game? Of course, the benefits of all this extra business wont come without a lot of extra work. It might be a few crazy days where a bite to eat is hard to squeeze in, admits Gill, but its nothing we havent been through before. He does have part-time staff available if needed, as well as managers who can step in and help out. And Im no stranger to working our front desk and registering patients if need be, he adds. Brown, Badra, and Ducayet are also prepared to put in longer hours to make the weekend a success. Brown is doubling up on staff and ordering extra product for the weekend, and expects to move employees back and forth between her two stores depending on the flow of traffic. Badra plans to come into his store at 4 a.m. on Sunday to handle an unprecedented number of catering orders, and hes got family members lined up to help out. The other benefit of being a franchisee during a busy weekend is that youre not on your own. Our franchisors teach best practices for big events like this, Brown points out. Related: Borrow Tom Brady's Trick For Visualizing a Super Bowl Success Ducayet concurs: We have a great network of support and advice. If we have questions on the best way to handle something, there are a number of people at corporate we can contact and quickly get answers. He also noted that, if necessary, he can outsource some of his work to other SpeedPro Imaging franchisees nearby. Having access to support and advice from not just the corporate office, but fellow franchisees as well, is invaluable for Gill. Our franchisees are like a family, and everyone wants to see each other succeed, he says, so all I need to do is pick up the phone and call one of my fellow franchisees and ask them how their experience was when the Super Bowl was in their town. Of course, as busy as they are, the franchisees are bound to get swept up in the excitement of the big game as well. We asked each franchisee we interviewed who theyd be rooting for, and they preferred New England two to one. (Gill, a self-described Louisiana guy living in a Texas world, abstained.) But no matter which team takes home the trophy, all of Houstons franchisees are bound to go home after a long day Sunday feeling like winners. Related: Secrets From a Super Bowl Campaign That's Had 2 Billion Impressions 3 estrategias para conquistar a tus clientes en el Super Bowl (y siempre) How Houston-Area Franchises Are Getting Super Bowl Ready Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Baxtrom and Silverman. Photo: Brian Ach/Getty Images; Olivier Douliery/AFP/Getty Images At Brooklyns Olmsted tonight, a notable guest will join chef-owner Greg Baxtrom in the kitchen: Aaron Silverman, of Roses Luxury in Washington, D.C., which skyrocketed to fame after Bon Appetit crowned it the Best New Restaurant of 2014. As with Roses, which has become somewhat infamous for its no-reservation policy and long lines, Olmsted will only accept walk-ins for this collaboration (a practice the restaurant employs every Monday). Its the second time the chefs have teamed up, after a successful one-night stint at Roses that Baxtrom describes as a great first date. Olmsted, a 50-seat spot in Prospect Heights that Baxtrom conceived as a neighborhood restaurant, is actually on a similar trajectory to Roses topping countless lists of openings in 2016. While this is, of course, exciting for both of these chef-owners, it also poses a challenge: How do you stay true to your local, regular customers operating the restaurant in a way thats accessible and relaxed while still catering to diners who may have flown in for dinner? If a sense of warmth and intimacy is critical to your success, how do you expand? Here, they explain. How did you first connect? Greg Baxtrom: Directly, a friend of mine, Johnny Black, works for Pineapple and Pearls as a sous-chef. But long before that, in the last two years of trying to open up my own restaurant, I really admired Aarons work. Honestly, Im somewhat just trying to emulate that a little bit. So I just took advantage of that friendship with Johnny Black and tried to see if there was some connection there. And Aaron, why was this appealing to you to go out of your way to transplant your dishes to another restaurant? Aaron Silverman: I didnt know much about Olmsted, except that there was a lot of buzz and a lot of talk. I looked it up and felt super excited by the kind of restaurant Greg opened. I dont normally bring in guest chefs Olmsted was really the first one that we hosted but it was fun and smooth. Greg invited us up pretty much anytime we could come. There are a gazillion types of restaurants out there, but sometimes you meet other chefs and you just kind of get each other. I guess its kind of like going on a date. GB: We had a great first date. AS: Greg walked in and was like, Man, did you guys copy our playlist? This is the exact same playlist. GB: I slept at your place that night, too. Your restaurants are both neighborhood places that broke out to become well known by a national audience. How do you balance that, and make sure youre not isolating your regulars? GB: In terms of our food, we try to stay as approachable, un-intimidating, and as neighborhood-friendly as possible. We try to set aside as many tables as we can so that people from the neighborhood still feel like they can walk in. Thats why we went with walk-ins only on Mondays it combats that stereotype that were this impossible restaurant to get into, when really its just that were not that big of a restaurant. We only have 50 seats. The menu still has a grid that we follow: a white, flaky fish, a white meat, a dark meat, and dishes that are easy to adapt for vegans. But it has evolved. When we opened, there was a play on steak and potatoes, and now we serve pierogies with uni. AS: Even though we attract people from all over the city and other parts of the country, we make decisions as if were a neighborhood restaurant. Aaron, Roses doesnt accept reservations, and people line up. You seem intent on sticking with that policy why? AS: When we opened, we never expected to be as busy as we are. Bottom line is that when I come into work every day, everything I do falls into one of two categories: How can I make the guests lives better? How can I make the staffs lives better? For the question about reservations, assuming that we wouldnt be jam-packed every night because you should never assume that we thought that if the guest comes in and we have to kick them out so that the next reservation can sit down, thats not really hospitable. We wanted people to have a laid back, enjoyable, fun time. So we put down bread when the guests arrive and let them sit and hang out as long as they want. Once we started getting really busy, then it made even more sense, because as we started to get people from outside of our neighborhood, outside of our city, if we took reservations online, everything would be totally booked all the time, and our locals would never be able to just show up. I feel like now 30 to 40 percent of our crowd lives in the neighborhood. If there is a wait, they can walk back home across the street, or they go upstairs to a bar. Reservations would probably hurt our neighbors more than it would help them. That said, we do accept reservations for big groups, because it kind of sucks to have eight people waiting in line. I just spoke to Anita Lo, and she said its become increasingly hard to make money in New York as a small-business owner you have to create a restaurant empire. But part of the success of your restaurants is based on intimacy, and seeing you both in the kitchen. So how do you think about expansion? GB: I would be lying if I said I didnt want another restaurant someday. But I think what makes me really love coming to work is just how naturally everything fell into place for this one. I probably almost opened like 25 restaurants before this; everything just kept falling about. I think Ill just let the next one, hopefully, present itself, and if it feels right, Ill go with it. My goal for a long time was to try to open a fine-dining restaurant. But you have to take your neighborhood into context. Is it Manhattan or Brooklyn? Williamsburg or Prospect Heights? The key part is catering to the neighborhood. If not, Im dropping a rock in someone elses neighborhood. If I see a space and it looks like a good spot for a French restaurant, or a sandwich shop, maybe its that. But for now, I still work seven days a week, so Im just taking baby steps. Yes, Aaron, you have expanded beyond Roses opening Pineapple and Pearls in April. Howd you come to that decision? AS: We werent working to open our second restaurant, which is almost two restaurants in one because we run a coffee shop with sandwiches and pastries, and then the fine-dining restaurant. Originally, at Roses, we wanted to have a cafe in the front, and it just never worked out. Then a year or two later, the landlord called us and said he had a building available thats literally the space next door. I dont actually understand the model of spreading out strategically for me, its more emotional and organic. We all want to do well and be successful, but at the end of the day, were doing this because we love it, not because were going to get rich off it. So Im waiting for those opportunities to show up and then, like with this collaboration, be like, Aw, yeah. This works. I have to ask, do you ever think about opening a restaurant in New York? AS: I had a lot of great years here, and I think thats enough for me. But who knows? I hope this helps Greg when hes thinking about opening up his next place: When I opened the first one, I was like, I dont see how we could ever expand. I just dont see how thats possible. And you dont see it as possible until it is. What you find over time is that you have such great team members, and they start taking on more responsibility and challenges and moving up and wanting to do more, that you find yourself with more free time. I see managers doing a job that I used to do better than I used to do it. So you can actually improve and kind of grow at the same time. New York is not out of the question. Nothings out of the question, even though I cant visualize it right now, GB: Just dont come to Prospect Heights. This is my turf! Murrays home base has been sold. Photo: Murrays Cheese Shop What Russ & Daughters is to appetizing, Murrays is to all things cheese in New York. The 75-year-old store is a Manhattan classic, still one of the best places to get your cheddar fix in the city, even as newcomers like Saxelby Cheesemongers and Bedford Cheese have come onto the scene. Now, owner Rob Kaufelt has sold Murrays flagship store to grocery chain Kroger, a publicly traded company thats second only to Walmart in the retail sector. New York property records reveal that Kroger bought Murrays Greenwich Village building, also home to Amys Bread, from Kaufelt for a cool $20.6 million. Its not a totally surprising move: While Kaufelt only operates two locations in the city, he has partnership deals with supermarkets around the country, including Ralphs, Dillons, and Kroger, with which he has opened 350 kiosks since 2008. What this means for the cheesemonger hasnt been established yet, but more Brie should certainly be expected. China is planning to ban online games for minors from midnight to 8:00 am, according to a draft regulation on the protection of minors issued by the Office of the Central Leading Group for Cyberspace Affairs on Jan. 6. According to the draft, all people under the age of 18 will not be allowed to use online game services from midnight to 8:00 am. Experts believe it will be a powerful measure to prevent minors Internet addiction. But implementation of the policy requires not only users registration information, but a verification and recognition system for minors. By June 2016, the total number of China's netizens who are minors reached 160 million, accounting for 23 percent of the country's netizens. Given that 90.1 percent of minors in the country have online access, the online world has a profound influence on them. Therefore, the prevention of Internet addiction among minors has become an important issue for the country. Liu Chunquan, a lawyer from a law firm in Shanghai, believes the country should implement such measures, since minors are unable to effectively control themselves, and addiction to online games may harm their mental and physical health. However, China Youth University of Political Studies Vice President Lin Wei told Legal Weekly that implementation of the "midnight ban" should be based on a series of supporting mechanisms, such as users registration information. Lin said the ban would be less effective if it fails to identify minors from adult users. Parents should also fulfill their duty in addition to technical monitoring, Lin added. Police released this image of the alleged clam bandit. Photo: Stuart Westmorland/Getty Images New Yorkers steal unusual things from their restaurants and grocers: $5,000 of ice cream during a sweltering summer day, whole pizza ovens, and, apparently, a bunch of raw shellfish. In fact, theres a clam bandit, and he or she is still on the loose. While running his daily deliveries for Island Creek Oysters on January 12, Matt Dickhaut discovered that the service elevator at Tribecas Odeon was out of commission. He was forced to deliver the restaurants order the long way, carrying mesh sacks of shellfish through the dining room. But as he frequently did, he left his van unlocked. When he arrived at his next destination, Mercer Kitchen, he discovered that a thief had made off with a hand truck and a box of shellfish worth $350. That day, the clam bandit made off with a bag of 100-count neck clams, two 10-pound bags of mussels plus another loose bag of mussels, five pounds of razor clams, and 100 Wellfleet oysters. The sheer volume of stolen shellfish is surprising, since its not as if these things have a long shelf life. Speaking with the New York Times, Dickhaut got right to the point, asking, Who the hell steal clams? The consensus opinion at Island Creek is that someone just seized the opportunity for a shellfish heist, but Dickhaut is convinced theres a greater conspiracy at foot. As he tells it, a month before the robbery, he remembered a strange afternoon when a couple of dudes driving in a Jeep followed him around for almost three hours. They tailed him as he drove around downtown Manhattan, even as he sped through yellow lights. Noticing his tail, he snapped a photo of them and they drove off, never to be seen again. But the real question on everyones mind is: When and where will the clam bandit strike next? After a decade-long construction nightmare, the recent completion of the first phase of the Second Avenue subway has turned the area along the route, a seeming culinary wasteland of bro bars and Buffalo wings, into something of a gastronomic hot zone. Chalk it up to accessibility. The other night, we hopped on the 1 train at Canal Street, a half-block from our office, transferred to the Q at Times Square, exited the station at Second Avenue and 83rd Street, and sauntered all of 300 feet to a terrific Italian restaurant wed been meaning to try practically door-to-door service. Here, then, a brief guide to where to go and what to eat after riding the Q. Illustration: Jason Lee/Ellaphant in the Room 1. San Matteo Pizza Espresso Bar 1739 Second Ave. The Naples-style pie is great, but go for a panuozzo, a supersize pizza-dough panino of sorts thats like a piadina times ten. (San Matteo Pizzeria e Cucina, a larger spinoff, has opened nine blocks south, at 1559 Second Avenue.) 2. Mughlai 1724 Second Ave. Year-old, pint-size branch of the terrific Kips Bay restaurant with a knockout biryani deluxe and much-talked-about onion bhajjias. 3. Two Little Red Hens 1652 Second Ave. Judging by the line snaking out the door one recent afternoon, youd think they were hawking Black Tap milkshakes. But no, the more sophisticated sweet tooths who crowd this 25-year-old bakeshop are here for Brooklyn blackout cupcakes, New York cheesecake, and Michigan sour-cherry pie. 4. Schallers Stube 1652 Second Ave. Everything at this hot-dog-stand annex to the adjacent Schaller & Weber, the last of Yorkvilles once-ubiquitous schinken shops, is deliriously good, including bauernwurst topped with goulash-spiced chili and chopped raw onion. 5. Heidelberg Restaurant 1648 Second Ave. Serving up schnitzel, schweinshaxe, kartoffelpuffer, and many more delicious, gut-busting, hard-to-pronounce German delicacies since 1939. 6. City Swiggers 320 E. 86th St. Multi-hyphenate beer shopbeer barneighborhood social center. Sample something fresh on tap, and BYO dinner from Schallers Stube around the corner. 7. Bondurants 303 E. 85th St. Everything you could ask for in a craft-beer-bourbon bar and then some: 135 whiskeys, a frequently changing draft list, and housemade tater tots. 8. Budapest Cafe & Restaurant (a.k.a. Andres) 1631 Second Ave. The poppy-seed strudel alone is worth a trip. Good stuffed peppers, too. 9. X Bar Bistro 316 E. 84th St. Does super-soigne bistro cooking stand a chance in the land of pub grub? With the brand-new X, Danny Brown, whose eponymous wine bar had a good run in Forest Hills, aims to find out. 10. 83 345 E. 83rd St. The locals who mob this Sicilian-slanted trattoria would probably like to keep it a secret, but Vincenzo Mangiafriddas eggplant-Parm meatballs, carciofi fritti, and housemade pastas are too good for that. 11. Agora 1565 Second Ave. Solid Turkish-grandma food, with an actual Turkish grandma in the kitchen. 12. Sandros 306 E. 81st St. No one cooks classic Roman like that master of the pasta pot Sandro Fioriti. 13. Orwashers 308 E. 78th St. Interspersed among the pumpernickely old-world repertoire, youll find au courant loaves leavened with starter made from natural yeasts residing on the skins of locally grown grapes. 14. Up Thai 1411 Second Ave. Good Thai food in the crowd-pleasing Spice-chain vein, with over-the-top decor and a litchi martini with a cult following. 15. Bohemian Spirit Restaurant 321 E. 73rd St. There are three takes on schnitzel at this Czech cafe inside the Bohemian National Hall veal, pork, and chicken four if you count the fried, bread-crumbed slab of cheese called smazeny syr. 16. Szechuan Gourmet 1395 Second Ave. The burgeoning Sichuan chainlet has supplanted the former Szechuan Chalet, Chengdu chilled noodles and double-cooked pork in tow. 17. Jean Claude II 1343 Second Ave. Always ahead of the curve, Jean Claude Iacovelli, the poor mans Keith McNally of 90s-era Soho, has brought his budget-bistro concept uptown. *This article appears in the February 6, 2017, issue of New York Magazine. With all the talk of LG being essentially forced by Samsung to use the older Snapdragon 821 chipset for its G6 (since apparently Samsung is keeping all the SD835 units in the initial production run for itself), you'd expect LG to at least scramble to launch its next flagship sooner than its main rival. Given the unveiling of the G6 on February 26 (as opposed to the still-unconfirmed Galaxy S8 outing on March 29), this seemed to be the exact strategy LG was going for. Yet today a new report comes and says that while the G6 will in fact launch significantly earlier than the S8's projected April 21 release date, that will only be true for the South Korean market. Over there, the LG G6 is apparently going to be in stores on March 9, giving it almost six weeks of availability before the Galaxy S8 hits the streets. Alleged design of the LG G6's retail packaging However, in the US the G6 will only arrive on April 7, and that means it will have just two weeks to make a dent over there before the Galaxy S8 eats its lunch. If this pans out, you probably shouldn't expect the G6 to break any sales records in North America on the whole (though it may become LG's best selling smartphone undoubtedly). Since Samsung is clearly going to throw loads of cash at marketing the S8, most people who aren't following the mobile space closely will probably be more inclined to purchase that over the G6. Furthermore, spec junkies probably won't be able to get over the inferior chipset used by LG's latest and greatest, so they may pick Samsung's device as well. Perhaps LG should have just postponed the G6's launch until the summer after the S8 hype will have died down, when it could have had some SD835 units for it too. Anyway, the G6 is once again said to feature IP68 certification for water and dust resistance, along with a full metal body. It's also expected to be slightly cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy S8, so maybe that will help its sales numbers somewhat. Source These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. A train carrying 720 tons of wheat from Kazakhstan arrives in Lianyungang Port in Lianyungang, east China's Jiangsu Province, Feb. 5, 2017. The first batch of wheat from Kazakhstan arrived in Lianyungang port by a cargo train on Sunday and was then shipped to Southeast Asia, opening a new trade route. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Haiti - Diplomacy : Taiwan present at the investiture ceremony David Lee, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan (Republic of China), will be in Haiti from Sunday to Friday, 10 February, at the head of a Taiwan delegation on the occasion of the inauguration of the elected President Jovenel Moise. Lee will represent President Tsai Ing-wen at the inauguration on Tuesday of Jovenel Moise as the 58th President of the Republic of Haiti and related celebrations. He congratulates an important diplomatic ally on behalf of the Government of the Republic of China and the people, according to the Taiwanese Chancellery. During his visit, the minister will meet with President Moise, the outgoing de facto President of Haiti, Jocelerme Privert and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Pierrot Delienne. He will also visit the headquarters of Food For The Poor and a Taiwanese-invested textile factory. According to the Ministry, Taiwan and Haiti have maintained friendly relations over the past 60 years and have pushed bilateral cooperation in many areas. Moise highly welcomes the ties between the two countries and is pleased to continue to promote cooperation on various programs, the ministry said, adding that the two countries will work to deepen diplomatic relations and improve the well-being of people in both country. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Justice : A law proposition to improve the lives of prisoners Through a law proposition , the Office of Citizen Protection (OPC), the Correctional Unit of the Minustah and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) aim to improve life in Haiti's prisons. The idea of this law came from the Directorate of Prison Administration (DAP) with the support of the Correctional Unit of the UN Mission, which convinced UNDP to provide the necessary funding. The text was edited by a group of experts. This text of 136 articles provides for the transformation of the DAP into the "Central Directorate of Penitentiary Administration" (DCAP), which will allow the emergence of five sub-directorates. For Sandra Honore, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Haiti and Civilian Head of the Minustah, this draft law "is intended to create the basis for a reform of the Haitian penitentiary system and should eventually allow the establishment of a secure, humane and modern penitentiary system," and to identify three priority axes in particular putting "an emphasis on human rights." The new law in preparation sets out the destinations of people arrested according to age, sex, and punishment. Thus, the remand centers and central correction centers are intended for defendants and accused and prisoners sentenced to simple penal The new law in preparation sets out the destinations of people arrested according to age, sex, and punishment. Thus, the remand centers and central correction centers are intended for defendants and accused and prisoners sentenced to simple Those sentenced to forced labor and imprisonment will be held in the central houses (Article 10 et seq.). "The people that the society puts in prison have rights," said Sandra Honore, recalling that this law proposition sets out rules of conduct for prison staff, as well as article 61, prohibiting all employees, agents and any person to have access to detention facilities to engage in "physical or verbal abuse of detainees" in return the prisoners "must observe and respect the provisions of the internal rules of the prisons." According to Florence Elie, the Protector of the Citizen the penitentiary law which she proposes to the Haitian legislator was born of the observation of "the overpopulation of the prisons, of damage to illegal pre-trial detention and abuses, among others." See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20013-haiti-flash-nightmare-at-the-national-penitentiary.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19870-haiti-flash-new-wave-of-deaths-at-the-national-penitentiary.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Education : Former President Martelly gave two lectures at the Claflin University As part of the celebration of Black History Month, on Thursday, February 2, former President Michel Joseph Martelly accompanied by his wife Sophia, went to Claflin University in South Carolina (USA) https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-19942-icihaiti-education-michel-martelly-lecturer-to-claflin-university.html This visit was part of the "Visionary Leader in Residence" program of the University of Claflin which allows young students to meet world leaders interested in the issue of access to education for all, through a space of discussion on their respective path and sharing of experience. Michel Martelly gave two lectures, one in front of second year students, the other in front of the faculty of the University, during which he had ample opportunity to discuss issues in Haiti as well as the opportunities offered by his country. During his lecture to the students, he delivered encouraging statments and invited young people to have a positive effect on their immediate environment through action and knowledge sharing. At the same time, former First Lady Sophia Martelly hosted a forum on the issue of women in Haiti. During a reception given in honor of the former President and his wife by the Columbia World Affairs Council in the presence of a few businessmen and local politicians, Michel Martelly received the key to the city of Columbia. See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-19942-icihaiti-education-michel-martelly-lecturer-to-claflin-university.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping politics... Corruption of minors 10 arrests The police arrested a dozen foreigners and Haitians on a beach on the Cote des Arcadins for corruption of minors (detournements de mineurs). Words of sympathy... The Ministry of Tourism learned with pain the departure of Mrs. Ghislaine Paul, former Deputy Director of the Hotel School of Haiti (EHH) and godmother of the last outgoing promotion of the school. "Mrs. Paul was a loyal and devoted collaborator during the 42 years of service with the Ministry through the Ecole Hoteliere. The Minister Guy Didier Hyppolite and all the members of the MDT and the EHH, send their sympathy to the families and friends of the regretted, affected by this mourning." Dinner offered by the de facto President The arrival of the Foreign Delegations began yesterday Sunday at the International Airport Toussaint Louverture and will continue on Monday. At 7:00 pm on Monday, de facto President Jocelerme Privert and his wife and First Lady Ginette will host an official dinner in honor of the Heads of Delegation and their spouses at the El Rancho Hotel. 80 representatives of international media Lucien Jura, spokesman for the Commission of transfer of power, announced that the accreditation cards were very limited for the investiture ceremony of the elected President Jovenel Moise, on February 7, 2017, because the National Palace can contain only 2,200 guests. He said he had already received more than 80 requests from the international press. A Secretary of State to represent France Jean-Marie Le Guen, French Secretary of State for Development and Francophonie, will travel to Haiti from 6 to 8 February. He will attend the investiture ceremony of President-elect Jovenel Moise on February 7, with whom he will discuss bilateral cooperation programs, France's support and the strengthening of the Francophonie and will recall France's support for Haiti. Privert congratulates himself for his modest public spending Jocelerme Privert, de facto President of the Republic, congratulates himself to have "leaned up public finances" during the last 12 months he has been leading the country. According to him, unlike in 2015 public spending was limited... [an evidence to the National Penitentiary among others... https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20013-haiti-flash-nightmare-at-the-national-penitentiary.html ] HL/ HaitiLibre Published on 2017/02/05 | Source The main tower of the Hyundai Global Business Center on the site of the old KEPCO headquarters in southern Seoul will be the tallest building in the country. Advertisement It will stand 569 m tall with 105 floors, according to a draft environmental impact assessment released by the Gangnam District Office on Wednesday. That is 16 m taller than the 105-story structure the automaker originally announced in February last year and 14 m taller than the current tallest building in the country, Lotte World Tower. But Hyundai said the increase is only due to changing the height of the spire. It will be the world's fourth tallest building after the Burj Khalifa (828 m) in the UAE, the Shanghai Tower (632 m) in China, and the Makkah Royal Clock Tower (601 m) in Saudi Arabia. The district office will submit the draft assessment for public review for a month from Thursday. It will also give a briefing to local residents on Feb. 14. Construction is to be complete by 2021. Published on 2017/02/05 | Source Park Bo-gum's Japanese fan meeting was a success. Advertisement Park Bo-gum is currently in the middle of his 2016-2017 Asian Tour Fan Meeting and he had is Tokyo fan meeting on the 4th with 5,000 or so fans. Park Bo-gum played the piano and sang for his fans. He spoke in Japanese himself and communicated with the crowd. He said, "We can't see it but we are connected in this realistic world that is more movie-like than a movie. I want to be a long-serving actor". Meanwhile, Kim Yoo-jung also completed her Taiwan fan meeting on this day. She stood on stage for the first time since the shock she experienced at the end of last year. She met with 600 or so fans in Taipei. In the next few years, the speed of Chinas maglev is expected to increase to 400 km/h, and perhaps as high as 600 km/h, a lab with Chinese Academy of Sciences told CCTV. The lab, which specializes in high-speed train research and is under the Institute of Mechanics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, revealed that the national rail project will focus on developing high-speed trains with a speed of 400 km/h and maglev trains with a speed of 600 km/h in five years, and they may be put into service soon afterward. So far, China has launched a maglev train in Shanghai, and its first commercially operated demonstration line with fully independent intellectual property rights was also put into trial operation in Central China's Changsha in May 2016. The province of Shandong wants to build a high-speed maglev system from Jinan to Qingdao as well. China has included the development of high-speed maglev trains with speeds of 600 km/h into its 13th Five-Year Plan. Harlow is a former New Town in Essex with a population of 86,000. Located in the upper Stort Valley, it was built in the decades after the Second World War to ease overcrowding and London and provide homes for people bombed out during the Blitz. It includes Britain's first pedestrian precinct and first modern residential tower block, The Lawn. Old Harlow, the historic part of the town, was mentioned in the Domesday Book. David and Victoria Beckham's former home, Rowneybury House, nicknamed 'Beckingham Palace', is nearby. 12:22, 4 NOV 2022 The second Chinese New Year Family Day, one of a series of Spring Festival-themed events organized by the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., was held on Feb. 4, at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Chinese artists and craftsmen performed and displayed their talent during the event, with demonstrations of calligraphy, bristle dolls, dough sculpting, and sugar painting. The event has attracted crowds which made for a festive atmosphere. The increasingly popular celebrations of the Spring Festival in Washington is because Chinese culture is proactively walking out and has become more amicable, and because the American people are becoming more enthusiastic about understanding and appreciating Chinese culture, said Cui Jianxin, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Maryland. Held at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington for the first time in 2016, the Chinese New Year Family Day attracted an estimated 6,500 visitors last year. For the coming days, a Spring Festival concert performed by the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, an acrobatic show, and Mongolian music performances will be staged. Hawaii Bills Would Legalize Industrial Hemp; Foundation to Nullify Federal Prohibition From 10th Amendment Center HONOLULU, Hawaii, (Jan. 29, 2017) Bills introduced in the Hawaii legislature would legalize industrial hemp production in the state, setting the stage to nullify federal prohibition of the plant in practice. A coalition of five Democrat senators introduced Senate Bill 163 (SB163) on Jan. 20. The legislation would remove industrial hemp from the states list of controlled substances and specifically exclude the growing, possession, processing and the sale of industrial hemp from civil and criminal penalties. No person shall be subject to any civil or criminal sanctions in this State for planting, growing, harvesting, possessing, processing, selling, or buying industrial hemp, as defined in section 712-1240. Passage of SB163 would open the door for a full-scale commercial hemp market in the state by treating it as any other crop for farming. SB163 would not require any license to grow hemp, and it would create no state regulatory structure. This would have a similar effect as a bill passed in Connecticut in 2015. In short, the state would treat industrial hemp like other plants, such as tomatoes. By ending state prohibition, residents in Hawaii would have an open door to start industrial hemp farming should they be willing to risk violating ongoing federal prohibition. A companion bill (HB773) has been filed in the Hawaii House. A second bill introduced in the Hawaii Senate would also legalize hemp production. Senate Bill 1052 (SB1052) would expand the states existing hemp pilot program. Currently, the state licenses hemp growers in the state for research purposes only. SB1052 would require the state to license growers for commercial purposes as well. Passage of SB1052 would have a similar practical effect as SB163, but it would establish a state licensing program to regulate the states hemp industry. FEDERAL FARM BILL Early in 2014, President Barack Obama signed a new farm bill into law, which included a provision allowing a handful of states to begin limited research programs growing hemp. The hemp amendment allows State Agriculture Departments, colleges and universities to grow hemp, defined as the non-drug oil-seed and fiber varieties of Cannabis, for academic or agricultural research purposes, but it applies only to states where industrial hemp farming is already legal under state law. In short, current federal law authorizes the farming of hemp by research institutions only, for research only. Farming for commercial purposes by individuals and businesses remains prohibited. All three Hawaii bills simply ignore federal prohibition and authorize commercial farming and production in the state anyway. OTHER STATES By rejecting any need for federal approval, state legalization of hemp sets the stage to nullify the federal hemp ban in practice. Hawaii could join other states including Colorado, Oregon, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, California and others that have simply ignored federal prohibition and legalized industrial hemp production within their state borders. While prospective hemp growers still have to take federal law into consideration, by eliminating the state requirement for federal permission, these laws clear away a major obstacle to widespread commercial hemp farming within the borders of the state. As more states simply ignore federal prohibition, the likelihood of federal enforcement diminishes. Farmers in SE Colorado started harvesting the plant in 2013, and farmers in Vermont began harvesting in 2014, effectively nullifying federal restrictions on such agricultural activities. On Feb. 2 of 2015, the Oregon hemp industry officially opened for business and one week later, the first license went to a small non-profit group. As more people engage in hemp production and the market grows within these states, more people will become emboldened creating an exponential wave, ultimately nullifying the federal ban in effect. HUGE MARKET FOR HEMP According to a 2005 Congressional Research Service report, the U.S. is the only developed nation that hasnt developed an industrial hemp crop for economic purposes. Experts suggest that the U.S. market for hemp is around $600 million per year. They count as many as 25,000 uses for industrial hemp, including food, cosmetics, plastics and bio-fuel. The U.S. is currently the worlds #1 importer of hemp fiber for various products, with China and Canada acting as the top two exporters in the world. During World War II, the United States military relied heavily on hemp products, which resulted in the famous campaign and government-produced film, Hemp for Victory!. These Hawaii bills would represent an essential first step toward hemp freedom in the Aloha State. UP NEXT All three bills will need to pass their respective committees by a majority vote before moving forward in the legislative process. SB163 was referred to the Senate Agriculture and Environment Committee the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, and the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor. SB1052 has not received committee assignments as of publication. Employees working more than 39 hours a week are putting their health at risk, according to new research by The Australian National University. This is a problem because about two in three Australians in full-time employment work more than 40 hours a week, according to lead researcher Dr Huong Dinh from the ANU Research School of Population Health. Moreover, long hours are particularly a problem for women who do more unpaid work at home. In particular, working more than 39 hours a week is harmful to a person's mental and physical health, because it leaves less time to eat well and properly look after themselves. The research, published in Social Science & Medicine, flies in the face of the 48-hour-week limit set internationally about 80 years ago. "Long work hours erode a person's mental and physical health, because it leaves less time to eat well and look after themselves properly," Dr Dinh said. Dr Dinh said the healthy work limit for women was 34 hours per week once their other commitments were taken into account. "Despite the fact that women on average are as skilled as men, women on average have lower paid jobs and less autonomy than men, and they spend much more time on care and domestic work," Dr Dinh said. "Given the extra demands placed on women, it's impossible for women to work long hours often expected by employers unless they compromise their health." The study involved data from about 8,000 Australian adults as part of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. HC recently spoke to Renae Smith, director of the PR agency The Atticism, about why she decided to limit her staffs in office hours to just 20 hours per week (Tues-Thurs) and encourage staff to work remotely (and only part-time) on Monday and Friday. She chose the days Tuesday- Thursday to be in the office because they were the busiest days. I thought: Why not concentrate our efforts to the days we know bring the most results? Staff still check their emails on Monday and Friday and anything urgent is always responded to - but you can do this at the beach, at a cafe or even in bed. We have the technology to work so well remotely now - let's use it. Within two weeks I noticed that I was happier and healthier and my staff were incredibly happy so I decided to stick on with it. traditional, expected breaks; unexpected breaks that are distracting; and unexpected breaks during which a person maintains focus. question of how best to structure the work day is important for most organisations and the one thing employers need to take into consideration is the type of breaks employees are taking, according to researchers from Harvard Business School and the University of North Carolina.Breaks are often seen as a necessary evil inevitable but non-productive, but in their paper The Microstructure of Work: How Unexpected Breaks Let You Rest, but Not Lose Focus , researchers Pradeep Pendem, Paul Green, Bradley R. Staats, and Francesca Gino said that they are more than merely a palliative experience but can actually yield post-break improvements in performance.They said that there are three types of breaks at work:Of all three types, it is the last one that has the most positive effect on an employees productivity, they claimed. They defined this type of break as unplanned pauses of unknown length in the work stream during which the employee is not required to attend to anything outside the primary work task.Unexpected work breaks that maintain focus allow an employee to recharge and rejuvenate but without disengaging cognitively, thus removing negative post-break costs to productivity and creating the best organisational value, they said.When taking traditional breaks, employees usually plan to fully disengage from their tasks but this leads to needing a mental reboot when it comes time to get back to work, they explained.To test their hypothesis, more than 300 workers were asked to do 10 rounds of a particular task with expected two-minute breaks scheduled after the fifth round. In the unexpected break portion, participants were told at random to remain ready to continue while looking at a spinning wheel.They found that participants in the unexpected break portion consistently performed better than their expected breaks counterpart.Participants who experienced the unexpected break reported being more alert and engaged in lower levels of mind wandering as compared to participants who experienced the expected break, they noted.These studies suggest that researchers and practitioners should think of breaks as a set of two simultaneous experiences: physical disengagement from the work task and cognitive disengagement from the work task, they added.How can you encourage more unexpected breaks at work? Author Daniel Kleinman at Forbes suggested holding an impromptu brainstorming session or even a short lecture to teach employees a new skill.Your employees might not realise they needed it, but their brains will thank you for the newfound energy, he said.Related stories: Dear Editor, As he was signing edicts hurting one group after another over the past two weeks, it was only a matter of time before Donald Trump got around to hurting animals already the most oppressed sentient beings on earth. The animals turn came yesterday by taking down the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) site that reports on government regulation of roughly 9,000 animal handling facilities. These are laboratories, dog breeders, fur farms, circuses, zoos, and aquariums. The site is used every day by animal protection activists to monitor government enforcement of the 1966 Animal Welfare Act, the only effective federal law protecting animals. Taking down the APHIS inspection site is a huge setback for animal protection. It will almost certainly lead to reduced government inspection of animal facilities and more animal suffering a virtual repeal of the Animal Welfare Act. Ironically, this oppressive act was launched by the same dark-of-night process as that of pulling more than 100,000 visas from thoroughly vetted Muslim immigrants one week earlier no notice, no hearings, no due process, no public announcement. The oppressive mindset doesnt really care who the victims are. Hopefully, the courts will. Sincerely, Howard Capelletti Boone, N.C. Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket Carrying out planned scientific tests in Chinese territory is normal practice, and the tests targeted no specific country, China's Ministry of National Defense said in a written statement to Shenzhen TV following the Washington Free Beacon's report about the DF-5C missile tests. American media has kept hyping up China's normal scientific tests, although the Chinese military has reiterated that China adopts a defensive nuclear strategy and will not change its no first use policy. The Washington Free Beacon report said the U.S. will have to reevaluate China's nuclear arsenal, and a boost in China's nuclear arsenal to 800-1,000 warheads would likely prompt the Pentagon to increase the U.S. arsenal by taking nuclear weapons out of storage. China may be sending a signal to the Trump administration with the test, Rick Fisher said, a senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center. Li Wei, a professor at the People's Liberation Army's National Defence University told Shenzhen TV the U.S. is likely to maintain its dominant position, especially as a nuclear power. The U.S. believes China's possession of DF-5C missiles poses some threat to its dominance. (HedgeCo.NET) The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged an investment adviser representative with stealing approximately $5 million from client accounts by initiating unauthorized wire transfers and issuing checks to third parties to cover personal expenses. The SEC alleges that Barry Connell, who worked in the New Jersey office of a major financial institution, conducted more than 100 unauthorized transactions by using falsified authorization forms misrepresenting that he received verbal requests from the clients. Connell allegedly used money from client accounts to rent a home in suburban Las Vegas and pay for a country club membership and private jet service. As alleged in our complaint, Connell stole funds from clients who entrusted him their finances, choosing to fund his own lavish lifestyle rather than fulfill the fiduciary duty he owed them, said Andrew M. Calamari, Director of the SECs New York Regional Office. The SECs complaint charges Connell with violations of Sections 206(1) and (2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York today filed criminal charges against Connell. The Information Committee on Cost and Income Developments, SAK points out, estimates in a recent report that nominal labour unit costs in the country will decrease by a total of one per cent during the course of this and next year. Elsewhere in the eurozone, on the other hand, nominal unit labour costs are set to increase by 2.5 per cent in 20172018. Finland's competitiveness is set to improve considerably over the next couple of years in comparison to other eurozone countries, reports the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK). [Finland's] competitiveness will improve by up to seven per cent in comparison to Germany in 20132018, Ilkka Kaukoranta, the chief economist at SAK, highlights in a press release. Kaukoranta also underscores that collective bargaining agreements alone will not suffice to compensate for the deterioration of competitiveness brought about by the recent financial crisis. The Finnish Government, he states, would be ill-advised to ignore other factors contributing to national competitiveness. Instead of concentrating only on labour costs, the Government must also look after other competitiveness factors, such as research, product development and expertise, he says. He reminds that despite the budding economic growth the unemployment rate is forecast to remain above eight per cent also in 2018. The number-one priority for the framework session must be to [agree on] positive reforms to promote employment. Developing adult education, overhauling family leaves and increasing the flexibility of unemployment security are steps in the right direction, he lists. Kaukoranta also rejects the criticism that the competitiveness pact will have a detrimental short-term effect on the national economy. Combining the competitiveness pact that spurs exports with tax policy decisions that promote [domestic] demand is an good solution, he views. Without the tax concessions, the pact would have hurt domestic consumption and consequently also employment in the short term. Promoting employment was in the current circumstances a more urgent objective than stabilising public finances. The Information Committee on Cost and Income Developments is a committee established by the Finnish Government to draw up reports and estimates for collective bargaining and decision-making. Its recent report on the development of consumer prices, income levels and purchasing power is based on the latest economic review of the Ministry of Finance. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Heikki Saukkomaa Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Rinne received the simple majority, or 281, of the 495 votes cast in the party conference of the Social Democrats in Lahti on Friday, beating his rival candidates Timo Harakka and Tytti Tuppurainen in the first round of voting. I'm humbled and grateful for the confidence you've placed in me, he stated after securing his second term at the helm of the opposition party. I want to continue working with you to take the welfare state forward. We'll leave [the party conference] as a united group with the aim of winning elections. Rinne promised in his inaugural speech on Sunday that the Social Democratic Party will unveil its proposal for overhauling the social security system before the next parliamentary elections in 2019, according to Helsingin Sanomat. The new social risks, increasingly uncertain nature of working life, despair of the precarity, loneliness and growing care needs of the elderly in the 2000s require us to come up with new solutions, he explained. The proposal will be based on the so-called Yleisturva (Eng. general security), a social security reform proposal presented by the Social Democratic Youth of Finland in 2015. The general security is a three-tier social security system that combines most of the current social security benefits and tax incentives for low-income households. It is different from universal basic income in that it would have certain eligibility conditions, such as the requirement to apply for work. The general security is simply a better way to organise social security than the current model. Our model places an emphasis on supporting the active efforts of citizens: activity is not punished, but the general security rewards people for improving their labour market position, says Mikkel Nakkaljarvi, the chairperson of the Social Democratic Youth of Finland. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Jussi Nukari Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 Trend: The OSCE is expected to monitor the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops Feb. 7, said Azerbaijans Defense Ministry Feb. 6. The monitoring will be held under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative along the line of contact in the direction of Azerbaijans Fuzuli district, said the ministry. On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring will be held by Andrzej Kasprzyk, the personal representative of the OSCE chairperson-in-office and his field assistants Gennady Petrica and Peter Svedberg. On the Azerbaijani territories occupied and controlled by Armenian armed forces, the monitoring will be carried out by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Hristo Hristov, Jiri Aberle and Simon Tiller. 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. A WOMAN has told of her fear after crashing her car on an icy road that hadnt been gritted. Joanna Atkinson skidded down a hill for about 200 metres and then slewed across the road before colliding with a fence. She and her teenage daughter, whom she was taking to school, were both injured in the accident, which was one of five on the same stretch of road within about 90 minutes of each other. It happened at about 8.30am on Wednesday morning last week on Devils Hill, a rural road between Henley and Sonning Common, which is busy on weekday mornings with people driving to work and parents on the school run. Mrs Atkinson, 48, of Pages Orchard, Sonning Common, was taking her 13-year-old daughter Angel to Gillotts School in Henley when he she lost control of the borrowed Nissan Almera. She said: I came round the first bend slowly, as I do. As I came round, the car just drifted sideways. I didnt brake because thats the worst thing to do. I was only going 20mph or 25mph because it was foggy and wet. I was holding my arm over my daughter, saying hold on, hold on, hold on! and she was covering her face. She thought the car was going to flip over. If we had gone any further we would have smacked into a big tree. The car, which she had borrowed from a friend, suffered damage to its lights, bumper and bonnet and was scratched down one side. Mrs Atkinson called the police and was told officers were already on the scene because of three earlier accidents nearby with more officers on their way because of another one. She was talking to an officer who arrived at the scene of her crash when she witnessed a woman driving Peugeot skidding and go into a spin. She just missed the policewoman, said Mrs Atkinson. They then closed a section of the road. The police lady gave us a lift back home. I was quite disappointed they hadnt done something to stop any more traffic coming down the road after the first accident. Mrs Atkinson, a cleaner, and Angel both suffered whiplash and she had to take a week off work to recover. She complained in writing to Oxfordshire County Council, the highways authority, saying the road should have been gritted. She wrote: I am disgusted that nothing was done prior to or after the accidents and even the next day fellow commuters said the road was open again despite still suffering black ice and gritting not having been done. Mrs Atkinson, who went back to work Tuesday despite still suffering back pain when she moves, said: The road wasnt gritted at all. There was no warning sign. Apparently now they have a sign up saying ice on that corner but thats it. It should be on the gritting network because it is a busy road used by a lot of people. A lot of people do that route to Gillotts. A council spokesman said: This road is not on our network for gritting. In common with most councils in England, we grit all A roads, all B roads and some C roads. One daily gritting run in Oxfordshire covers 1,200 miles of road, the equivalent distance of London to Iceland. We send the gritters out when the temperature is forecast to fall below 0C. They have been out across the county on around 30 occasions this year, including three times in the space of 12 hours when snow fell in Oxfordshire earlier in January. Whether on treated or untreated roads, our advice to motorists in winter is always the same: drive to the conditions. Even on treated roads, grit does not turn January conditions into July. On untreated roads drivers should take extreme care. Such advice is also in the Highway Code. David Nimmo Smith, the councils cabinet member for highways and a Henley town and district councillor, said: We grit and salt about 40 per cent of the roads in the county, which is better than surrounding counties to be honest. We have never had the resources to do all the roads so we dont do all the roads. He said the winter maintenance programme was reviewed every year according to what funding was available and some routes would be amended if it was deemed appropriate. Councillor Nimmo Smith added: If there are roads that are not on our gritting round but may have an accident history, theres a facility for parishes to put in salt bins on the hills. A YOUNG theatre producer from Henley will see another of his shows open in the West End on Tuesday (February 7). Jack Maple made headlines in May last year when aged 20 he became the youngest producer in West End history though his involvement in the acclaimed revival of Show Boat at the New London Theatre. Show Boat ran until the end of August, shortly after which Mr Maples next project a production of Mart Crowleys 1968 play The Boys in the Band sold out its entire five-week run at the Park Theatre in Finsbury Park before touring to Salford, Brighton and Leeds. Starring Mark Gatiss of Doctor Who, Sherlock and Wolf Hall fame, the play is now set for a limited two-week season at the Vaudeville Theatre on the Strand. Theres a party tonight. Its 1968 and nine men gather in a New York apartment for a birthday celebration. Harold (Gatiss) receives a surprise gift from his friend, Emory (James Holmes), in the form of a beautiful male hustler. Meanwhile, party host Michael (Ian Hallard) gets an unwanted surprise of his own. As the booze is drunk and the dope smoked, the mood swings from hilarity to heartbreak. Mr Maple, 21, a former pupil of the Oratory School whose parents live in Gravel Hill, Henley, is one of the shows associate producers. The Boys in the Band is playing until Saturday, February 18. For more information and to book, visit www.boysbandplay.com A WOMAN says her disabled daughter is lucky to be alive after her wheelchair was hit by a train. Jane Holmes, from Ruscombe, was with 15-year-old Kitty, who has cerebral palsy, at Twyford station in April last year when a slipstream created by the passing train caused her wheelchair to roll towards the tracks. According to a report into the incident released last week, the force of the slipstream overpowered the brakes on the wheelchair, which then made multiple glancing contacts with the passing freight train. The final impact pushed the chair clear of the platform edge, although Kitty suffered a minor injury to her foot. Mrs Holmes, who co-founded the Henley Regatta for the Disabled seven years ago, and Kitty were travelling to London to see the musical Billy Elliot when the incident happened. She said: Its a miracle that she wasnt killed or seriously hurt. If she had got caught on the train or fallen through the gaps between carriages she would have been killed. I had a big bag full of all our stuff for London, which was on the handle of her wheelchair and caught the brunt of the impact. Everything inside was shattered. If the bag had been on the other handlebar Kitty would have been killed, which doesnt bear thinking about. Mrs Holmes said Kittys wheelchair was parallel with the track and behind the yellow warning line with the brakes on when the freight train passed. She said: I turned to look up the track for our train for a matter of seconds and when I turned back she was gone. My initial reaction was that someone had snatched her but then I saw her further down the platform with people around her. She was hysterical but I checked her over for broken bones and calmed her down. The brakes were still on when I checked. Her weight together with the wheelchair is about 100kg but it still moved. The report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch recommended that the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators including Great Western Railway, should inform members of the public of the hazards of slipstreams and encourage them to both apply brakes and keep hold of wheelchairs and pushchairs when trains are passing through stations. It has also recommended that GWR ensures that warnings of passing trains are timely and effective and that the Rail Safety and Standards Board investigates ideas to improve wheelchair and pushchair safety at stations. Simon French, chief inspector of rail accidents, said: This distressing accident has highlighted the fact that even slow moving trains can cause significant airflows on station platforms. Passengers should be aware that such airflows can move wheeled transport and take particular care when travelling. We have recommended that the rail industry takes steps to promote a greater public awareness of the potential hazards from train slipstreams. We also made a number of recommendations relating to the way the industry manages aerodynamic risk in stations. Mrs Holmes said she had been unable to take the train alone with Kitty since the incident and worried that other people might not be so lucky. She said: Its never going to happen to us again but it could happen to someone else as you see buggies all the time. You put the brakes on and assume theyre safe. In March Mrs Holmes was named joint winner of the achievement in the community award at the Sue Ryder Women of Achievement awards for her charity work. She set up her first charity, Peapods, in 2002 to support children with physical disabilities and in 2010 helped launch the regatta to give disabled people access to the Thames. In 2014, following seven years of fund-raising, she opened Our House, a purpose-designed centre for families with disabled children in Wokingham. The charity now has more than 400 families on its books. l What do you think? Write to: Letters, Henley Standard, Caxton House, 1 Station Road, Henley, RG9 1AD or email letters@henleystandard.co.uk Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict does not have a military solution and needs only political settlement in accordance with international law, said President of the European Council Donald Tusk. He was making joint statement for the press with Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev who is on a visit to Brussels, Belgium on Feb. 6. Tusk pointed out that the status quo in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is unsustainable. The EU continues to fully support the mediation efforts and proposals of the OSCE Minsk Group, he 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. Rape victims who become pregnant should follow "the good life" and give birth, says Dr Donal O'Mathuna. The Dublin City University lecturer in nursing and human sciences made the plea while addressing the Citizens' Assembly in Malahide, Co Dublin. Taking a different stand was pro-choice lecturer Dr Joan McCarthy, who teaches nursing and midwifery at University College Cork. Although she supported abortion, she criticised the term "abortion on demand", stating terminations were not like "choosing from a menu". Poverty Dr McCarthy said: "The phrase 'abortion on demand' is a harsh description of the decision the woman has to make. "She isn't choosing from a menu, she has to take in the constraints, other children, dependants, poverty, her health risks, her life risk. "Contraception, abstinence, are ways of avoiding reproduction, but contraception fails," she told the 99 members of the assembly. "Women can become pregnant from coercion or rape, women and men can make mistakes and there's bad luck. "Women can fall pregnant and they are unduly burdened. Pregnancy disproportionately places responsibility on women and girls. "The psychological impact of a crisis pregnancy is burdensome. "Because of the Eighth Amendment clinical practices have posed serious risks to women, it tramples on their rights. "I suggest we repeal and replace with rights that reconnect women and girls... create rules where children are wanted, cared for and loved. "It places a double burden on women and girls who can't travel, they're forced to continue pregnancies and undergo risks, or try to gain illegal abortions." Dr O'Mathuna gave a very different view to the members, suggesting "institutions and family" should be there to help a woman and child post-crisis pregnancy. He also referred to female victims of rape who find they have become pregnant. "Rape is abhorred," he said. "But the unborn had nothing to do with the harm that was inflicted there. Why should they be the ones who have their chance of life removed because of that terrible situation? "Taking away the life of an innocent because of a man's crime is not going to take away any pain, nor is it going to promote justice. Allowing life to come from a heinous crime can let some good come out of a terrible situation." Decision He also spoke about sexual liberation in Irish society today. "If we get ino bed with someone else, we take on certain responsibilities, whether we acknowledge them or not. "Intended or unintended, a pregnancy may result and that's why becoming sexually active is such a momentous decision in people's lives, whether they think about that or not. Dr McCarthy said she was "concerned" by her counterpart's description of "forgiveness" around women who have crisis pregnancies or abortions. She said the right to bodily autonomy for women was a "human rights issue" and nothing less. Amy Mulcahy said she had offered to pay for the 30 shoes A young mother who walked out of a shop wearing a pair of shoes she had not paid for was distracted by her baby at the time, a court heard. Amy Mulcahy (23) was prosecuted for shoplifting after she discarded her own shoes and left the Dublin city centre shop without paying. She admitted a theft charge, but insisted in court she had forgotten she was wearing the shoes and offered to pay for them when she was stopped. Judge Anthony Halpin applied the Probation Act, leaving her without a criminal record. Mulcahy, of Ardmore Drive, Fortunestown, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to stealing the shoes at Dunnes Stores, Ilac Centre, last December 5. Dublin District Court heard Mulcahy entered Dunnes Stores at 6.45pm and took a pair of shoes worth 30 from a shelf. She discarded her own footwear and put the shoes on. Walked She walked out of the shop without making any attempt to pay, a garda told the court. She was stopped outside the store by security and gardai were called. She had no previous convictions of any kind. Mulcahy had her baby in a buggy with her when she tried on the shoes in the shop, her lawyer told the judge. It was only when she left the shop that she realised they were still on her feet. She was walking back to the store when she was stopped, and offered to pay for the shoes, but staff would not let her because they had called gardai. The accused was distracted by her child at the time of the incident, it was claimed. "The problem is, they hear that every day," Judge Halpin said. "I was only two to three steps outside Dunnes Stores and I said, 'Oh my God', I was walking back in and I saw the two security guards pointing at me," Mulcahy told the court. "I said I realised I forgot to pay for them. I said, 'I will pay for them', and they said, 'No, you won't'." Cyber-attackers are hacking the email accounts of a small number of solicitors acting for home-buyers in a bid to steal tens of thousands of euro, the Law Society has confirmed. The scam, dubbed the "Friday Afternoon Fraud" and known to take several different forms, generally happens when hackers intercept emails between home-buyers or sellers and their solicitors. The practice sees hackers generate lookalike email communications, allowing them to pose as the solicitors involved. During the final stages of a house sale, the hackers send an email to the parties involved telling them that certain bank account details have changed. They try to tell the sellers or buyers to send an amount of funds to a different account as opposed to the solicitor's account, allowing criminals to gain control of the funds. A solicitor may also receive a call from a person claiming to be involved in the bank's anti-fraud team, asking for account details and passwords. They then may be told that the amounts from their clients need to be transferred to another account, thereby allowing criminals access to the funds. The amounts vary - they could be a deposit for a home or perhaps the proceeds of a sale. The Law Society confirmed that a number of Irish-based firms have been targeted. The scam tends to take place on a Friday afternoon, when the hackers believe a large amount of funds are in solicitors' business accounts. Protect The conveyancing scam is currently the number one cyber- crime in the UK legal sector. However, it has now been confirmed that Irish-based legal firms are also being targeted. In a statement, the Law Society said it believed the number of firms targeted here was small, and the prevalence of such activity was not known because "exact statistics are not available". In a bid to "protect solicitors against these frauds", the society has launched a new cyber-security section on its website that advises members on how to protect themselves. Rory O'Neill, an investigating accountant with the society, says the continued integration of technology has "significantly increased the risk" of attacks. He cited cases in which "external emails" between solicitors and their client had been intercepted and read by criminals. "When a genuine email is sent with bank account details enclosed, the fraudster intercepts and amends the details of the bank account," he said. "This amended email is then forwarded to the appropriate recipient from the spoofed email account." If the recipients "act on the emails", the money will be transferred to the fraudulent accounts. A report published last Nov- ember by accountancy and consulting firm Smith & Williamson showed three law firms out of every 10 have been subject to a cyber-attack in the past 12 months. Thirty-eight per cent of the country's top 20 firms have been the target of an attack. The chief executive of the Irish Cancer Society is "truly sorry" for the hurt its recent hard-hitting advertising campaign caused, but said it sparked much-needed debate about the disease. John McCormack said the "I Want To Get Cancer" initiative launched last month on broadcast, print and social media platforms had prompted "a debate on cancer in Ireland that we have not seen for a very long time". Mr McCormack said they had spoken with dozens of cancer patients who had urged them to continue with the campaign. Family members of loved ones who had died from cancer said that if such a campaign had been launched a few years ago, their relatives and friends might still be with them. "My team and I also deal with some very difficult calls," said Mr McCormack. "People reached out to us as they were hurt by our campaign and it reignited a grief that was so very hard to bear. "This was often a direct consequence of the cancer diagnosis that the person, their friend or their family had received. "On behalf of the society, I want to acknowledge the hurt that our campaign may have caused people. That was never our intention . "And to anyone that has lost a loved one to cancer, I am truly sorry. "Cancer takes far too many lives, and being reminded of its destruction can make people feel vulnerable and raw. "But I would like to get one thing absolutely clear, and that is that this campaign was undertaken to save lives. "That was our one and only motivation. "While the merits of our campaign were being debated in the papers and on the airwaves, 150 people a day were hearing the words, 'You have cancer'. "One person every three minutes - that's 40,000 people a year." The society said it had reached 4.5 million people through traditional media and another 700,000 engaged with its video on Facebook. Screening Mr McCormack said he hoped the campaign would prompt more people to avail of screening services, which can detect cancer at an earlier stage, thus increasing a person's odds of successful treatment. "But is everyone taking action? Almost six out of every 10 people eligible for the State's free BowelScreen programme are not engaging with it," he said. "Four out of 10 cancers can be prevented, but these figures would suggest not. "We need to inspire people to take action. We have a duty of care to do so, however difficult that conversation may sometimes be." Junior Minister Finian McGrath has said injection centres for heroin addicts should not just be in Dublin's city centre. A pilot injection centre overseen by nurses and doctors is expected to open in the centre of the capital by October. The minister for disability issues said he welcomed plans for a drug injection clinic, but said there should also be other in several other areas. His reservations about such centres were based on preventing large numbers of addicts being attracted into the city centre, he said. Crime "The drugs issue is an addiction issue and the spin-off in petty crime and violence. We need a medical model, rather than a criminal justice model," he said. "I visited a lot of those injection centres in Lisbon and saw them first-hand. "I do think that every single community - whether it's Kildare, Tipperary, or Swords, or Coolock - should have to deal with its own issues, instead of shoving the problem into the centre of Dublin. "I'm totally supportive of minister Catherine Byrne and the injection centre model she is introducing. "I will be making my strong views known at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. I'm not aware of any Cabinet members being against it." The plan to be brought to Cabinet by Junior Minister Ms Byrne tomorrow proposes that addicts will be shielded from prosecution by gardai while they shoot up heroin and other banned drugs in the country's first medically supervised self-injecting room. They will bring their own drugs and be provided with clean needles, where they can inject in a sterile booth. If anyone overdoses, the doctors and nurses react straight away. Ms Byrne said the target users were around 300 addicts who shoot up on the streets of the capital, leaving them prone to overdose and infection. Health staff will look after their needs and treat infections or other medical conditions, and also refer them for treatment if they want it. There will be consultation done in advance with local businesses and residents, said Ms Byrne. New legislation would allow for more centres to be opened later. "What option have we got? Let them die on the streets?" said Ms Byrne. Representatives of hundreds of city centre businesses hit out at the plans. The Restaurants Association of Ireland claimed the injection centres would bring more addicts to central Dublin and scare off customers. Drugs should be administered in GP surgeries around the country instead of in public injecting centres, said a spokesman. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 By Anakhanum Hidayatova Trend: A meeting of the Azerbaijan-Ukraine intergovernmental commission on military and technical cooperation will be held in Baku in 2017, Ukrainian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Alexander Mishchenko told reporters in Baku. The meeting will be attended by a large delegation from Ukraine, he said, adding that the sides will discuss the state and prospects of military and technical cooperation. The envoy noted that such cooperation is significant in the bilateral relations. Military and technical cooperation has always been one of the main components of our cooperation, he said. If in early 90s Ukraine helped Azerbaijan in the military sphere, now Kiev requests help from Baku in the supplies of certain types of military equipment, according to him. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. Artist John Drury has found a way to bring awareness to animal abuse through art. Drury, 67, and his wife, Cindy, have long been animal advocates. Their Blountville, Tennessee, farm features a hodgepodge of rescue animals, currently two horses, two dogs and five cats. Through the ups and downs of his own personal health challenges, Drury has honed his talents and now creates art that reflects the great compassion he feels for animals. After serving in the U.S. Air Force for 24 years, Drury retired a colonel in 1991. He then obtained a nurse practitioner degree from the University of Tennessee. He practiced as an emergency room nurse and a nurse practitioner at Greene Valley Developmental Center in Greeneville, Tennessee, and later had a private practice. But in 1997, he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, a non-curable form of cancer. Drury held the disease at bay through repeated chemotherapy treatments and an experimental stem cell transplant. Although he credits the experimental procedure with saving his life he is now in remission and has not received any cancer treatment for almost a year some miscalculations during the experimental procedure left him with some side effects, such as the loss of fine motor skills in his hands. In 2001, Drury retired from nursing. The chemotherapy treatments took their toll and he could not continue the work. Furthermore, the damage to the nerves in his hands had affected his art; Drury had been painting and selling watercolor prints, but the nerve damage made it difficult for him to hold a paintbrush. As I lost dexterity in the tips of my fingers, it was easier for me to handle metal, explained Drury. If I could learn to tolerate the burns and smashed hands, I just did better. The metal is a bigger thing to handle. If I make a mistake, I can take the torch and cut it out and start over. Drury converted a small shed in the back yard into a studio and pursued his new medium. Later, he built a larger studio that offered him more room. Meanwhile, he kept trying to find a way to give some-thing back to the world. There comes a time in your life, as you are facing the end of life, when you have to decide what it is you are all about, Drury asserted. In 2007, inspired by a person he met during chemotherapy, Drury conceived the idea of a tricycle ride from the Tri-Cities to Memphis, Tennessee, and back to raise money for St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital. He had a recumbent tricycle made especially for the journey, which took 29 days round trip and raised $13,000, which he donated to the Nicewonger Childrens Hospital in Johnson City, Tennes-see. In spite of his success, Drury was disappointed in the total dollars raised. He retreated into his sanc-tuary at the farm and found himself spending more time with the animals. Drury and his wife have rescued several horses over the years, including Hawkeye, a registered Mor-gan horse who was found neglected and nearly starved to death. In spite of the nurturing care from the Drurys, the horse eventually died as a long-term result of the nutritional deficiencies from his neglect. I spent a lot of time with our horses and became more and more aware of the critical abuse and ne-glect that goes on with animals, Drury recalled. Something happens when you look an animal in the eyes. You connect with them, and you become aware that they need us, and it is our responsibility to take care of them. In 2008, the Drurys rescued a horse that had been abandoned with one ankle chained to a post, out of reach of food and water. Alerted to the situation by the local sheriff, who was familiar with the Drurys rescue efforts, they brought the horse to their home and named him Waverly. Inspired by Waverly, Drury completed a piece called Water Rights, which, like most of his work, is made of forged horse shoes. Water Rights is just over a foot tall, weighs 15 pounds, and portrays a horse drinking from a bucket of water. Drury says the piece commemorates Waverlys recovery on their farm, where he celebrates his new lease on life by routinely playing in his water trough. The piece is so emotional, said friend and fellow horseperson Johnnie Strader. All of his art is just lovely and his emotion comes through in his work. He is so kind-hearted and you can see it. After Drury heats and reshapes horseshoes for his pieces, he sands them and rubs them with his per-sonal wax mix to make the pieces unusually smooth and shiny to encourage people to handle the art. I want people to feel my art, he said. I want them to put their hands on it. So part of my process that I have developed is so you can touch it and it doesnt rust out. It is designed for you to feel and get an emotional connection with that animal. Recently, Drury decided to commit all of the proceeds from his art to helping animals. Though its still a relatively new concept, he has already helped with life-saving medical care for everything from horses to injured cats needing surgery. He and his wife hear about animals in need through local authorities, friends and other people concerned with animal welfare, and he chips in when he can. Currently, Drury has listed Water Rights for sale on eBay with an opening bid of $750. He also cre-ates forged jewelry, and has his work in several galleries across the country as well as locally. All pro-ceeds from any of his pieces will go directly to support animals in need. John is a phenomenal artist, noted Joe Tedder, local farrier and friend of the Drurys. Over the years, I have seen a tremendous amount of horseshoe art, and it is junk in comparison to anything he touches. I am speechless when I see his art. For Drury, the most important thing is to raise awareness for the abuse and neglect of animals, and to create a piece of art with which people can connect on a very visceral level. He hopes his art will help be a voice for animals in need. John has an incredible ability to create a beautiful sculpture, inspired by a painful tragic event, praised longtime friend Scott Fitzgerald. He in some way channels the pain and strife from the rescued animal and transfers the suffering into an inanimate object, which morphs into a stunning piece of art. On the Web Laura J. Mondul is a freelance writer. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and King Philippe of the Belgians have had a one-on-one meeting in Brussels, Belgium. They hailed successful development of bilateral relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Kingdom of Belgium in a variety of fields. They expressed confidence that Ilham Aliyevs visit will contribute to the expansion of Azerbaijan-Belgium bilateral relations, as well as the strengthening of Azerbaijans ties with the European Union. President Ilham Aliyev invited Belgian companies to participate in the development of Azerbaijans economy. During the conversation, Azerbaijans role in ensuring European energy security was emphasized. They also exchanged views on regional, economic and other issues. Washington County football: Wildcats, Warriors open playoffs with victories Williamsport and Boonsboro will play in the second round of the Class 2A-1A West playoffs after victories Friday night. Details added (first version posted on 12:26) Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini had a working breakfast in Brussels Feb. 6. Recalling with pleasure her trip to Azerbaijan last year, Mogherini stressed the importance of the visit of President Aliyev to Brussels in terms of strengthening the bilateral cooperation and expanding the relations. She noted the significance of the Azerbaijani president`s meetings at the European Union in discussing prospects for the cooperation. Saying that the European Union attached great importance to cooperation with Azerbaijan, Mogherini noted that the Southern Gas Corridor project is of great importance to the European Union. Mogherini hailed the role of this project in ensuring Europe's energy security and diversifying gas supplies, adding that the European Union will continue to support the implementation of this project. President Aliyev said bilateral ties between the country and organization had developed since Mogherini`s visit to Azerbaijan. The president noted that the expansion of cooperation with the European Union is a good message both for Azerbaijan and the region, and described the European Union as a reliable friend and partner for Azerbaijan. The sides hailed mutual trust between Azerbaijan and the European Union. The sides also expressed confidence that Azerbaijan-European Union relations will continue to develop successfully, and exchanged views over prospects for Azerbaijan-European Union cooperation and other issues of regional and mutual interest, including energy, transport and security. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 By Anakhanum Hidayatova Trend: The relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan are developing rapidly, the countrys Ambassador to Azerbaijan Saeed Khan Mohmand told reporters in Baku Feb. 6. He made the remarks at a press conference dedicated to the Kashmir Solidarity Day. The ambassador added that Azerbaijani-Pakistani rapidly developing relations are confirmed by the frequent high-level visits from the both sides. The diplomat expressed satisfaction with the good state of relations between the two countries, especially at the political level. He said that Azerbaijan and Pakistan will continue to strengthen cooperation in the military and technical sphere. The diplomat recalled that the Kashmir Solidarity Day is celebrated Feb. 5 in both Azerbaijan and Pakistan. He read out a message by the Pakistani president and prime minister, which contained information about the Kashmir issue, and the thousands of victims of this conflict. The diplomat noted that 120 Kashmiri civilians were killed during the last six months, and a lot of people were seriously injured. Due to the above mentioned facts, the government of Pakistan has appealed to the UN for a fair resolution of the issue. Saeed Khan Mohmand also said that Pakistan will continue to support Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum Details added (first version posted on 14:50) Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has today met with European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic in Brussels, Belgium. During the meeting, they noted that Azerbaijan and the European Union enjoy beneficial cooperation in a variety of fields, including energy, security, environment, transport and other spheres. The sides hailed the bilateral relations. It was noted that President Ilham Aliyevs visit will contribute to the expansion of the relations. European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic said President Ilham Aliyevs visit will be of great importance in terms of preparation, signing and implementation of a new agreement between Azerbaijan and the European Union. During the conversation, they praised Azerbaijans cooperation with the European Unions institutions. They emphasized work carried out under the Southern Gas Corridor project. President Ilham Aliyev highlighted the modernization of energy infrastructure in Azerbaijan, as well as renewable energy production. The head of state noted the expediency of cooperation with the European Union in this regard. They hailed cooperation in the field of banking, and noted that Azerbaijan enjoys good cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as well as the World Bank. The sides also exchanged views on other issues. By Elkhan Alasgarov, for Trend: The attack of the Armenian lobby on the Azerbaijani news agency Trend is not just another act of anti-Azerbaijani hysteria, but the evidence that the lobbys leaders lose their nerve. The thing is that, with election of Donald Trump as the US president, the Armenian diasporas positions have been visibly shaken. The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), an organism parasitizing on the body of the US, made a strategic mistake. Betting on Clinton in the presidential election, Armenian organizations spent huge amounts of money on an uncompromising and aggressive campaign against Trump. Armenian lobbyists, sure of their impunity, used the entire set of available means starting from continuous attacks on the internet to active dissemination of disinformation and lies against Trump. But the scheme of pushing interests forward worked out for many years has malfunctioned the money is gone, funds are empty and the prospect of outcast existence for the next four years is looming ahead. There are already the first signs of this, and first of all, this is connected with the fact that Trump will not focus on such painful issue for Armenians as the so-called genocide. ANCA is putting forward the issue of recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide by the US government to make further territorial claims to Turkey and Azerbaijan and demand reparations, i.e. money, for which ANCA does its utmost, by spreading lie on the so-called genocide all over the world. But ANCA has failed. New President Donald Trump came to power, by speaking honestly with the US people and not deceiving them. Trump did not use cheap political show, like the so-called Armenian genocide comedy, to gain extra votes. In the new conditions ANCA has been defeated not only by losing the leverage over the US foreign policy, but also in many other areas. A prospect of losing the opportunities of money laundry and begging for the US budgetary funds allegedly for the population of Armenia and Karabakh separatists looms up around the Armenian diaspora. Armenian diaspora becomes panic-stricken because all attempts of ANCA leaders to meet with Trump were rejected. The Armenian Diasporas California Courier newspaper testifies to it. The prospect of a financial collapse has appeared for the Armenian diaspora of the United States that mainly consists of Dashnaks nationalist organizations. Money obtained from taxpayers to finance Armenia and separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh was spent to support Clinton. There are no funds for financing the ANCA structures with its numerous offices across the United States, branches in 25 states, representative offices in France, Italy, England and even the European Union. It is unlikely that Trump, who took the course of regulation of financial costs, will agree to support a huge staff of Armenian propagandists that exist at the expense of the US taxpayers and dont serve for US interests. The loss of the Armenian lobby to manipulate the authorities of the new administration is a bad precedent for them and an evidence of weakening leverage over Washington. The myth of the omnipotence of the Armenian lobby in the US has fallen to pieces, especially after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev congratulated the newly elected US President Donald Trump during a phone conversation. The ANCA leaders, as well as the Armenian ruling elite are losing their nerves due to the prospects of increasing cooperation not only between Azerbaijan and the US, but also Israel. Warm Azerbaijani-Israeli relations, Azerbaijans cooperation with the Jewish lobby in the US, as well as increasing awareness of Bakus fair position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are a nightmare for the ANCA. Thanks to the long and painstaking work done by Azerbaijan, it becomes possible to break through the information blockade in the US. Thus, the attacks against the Trend Agency are a sign of weakness, agony of the policy of widespread lies and misinformation, which had been the main weapon of the ANCA against Azerbaijan for a long time until Donald Trump was elected the US president. --- Elkhan Alasgarov, PhD, is the head of the Baku Network's expert council HICKORY On Jan. 5, Sharman Howard Odom, 34, accepted a plea deal in the 2014 slaying of Newton teacher Maggie Daniels and was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Gregory Hayes to life in prison without parole. Odoms case originally held the possibility of the death sentence. Some HDR readers felt that justice was not served to the Daniels family, and that the case should have gone to trial. What is often referred to as a plea deal is more accurately a plea bargain or a negotiated plea. Blacks Law Dictionary explains that these are a negotiated reduction in either sentence or charges between the prosecution and a defendant in exchange for a guilty plea by the defendant. For example, a prosecutor may offer a defendant cited for speeding with a lesser charge of improper equipment in exchange for the defendant pleading guilty. District Attorney David Learner and local defense attorney Lisa Dubs offered their professional opinions on the issue, which often diverged, but shared the view that plea deals are vital to the legal process. Prosecution perspective We handle a huge range of cases, everything from someone rolling through a stop sign to homicides. It is fairly common to offer plea negotiations in cases, Learner said. We are very tight on our plea negotiations. We have to take a lot of factors into account. An example Learner offered was with sexual crimes involving a minor, his office often offers a plea in order to protect the victim from the traumatic experience of court. Learner said the object of offering plea deals is consistency. Every case, every single case, we look at before we offer anything. The more serious the case, the harder we look at it, Learner said. Learner explained that it is hard to talk about the Odom case without also talking about the state of the death penalty in North Carolina. I wish Maggie Daniels had the ability to defend herself with a weapon, regardless of what happened to Mr. Odom, Learner said. It would have been justified. According to the N.C. Department of Public Safety, only 10 people have been put on death row in the past 10 years. The last execution in North Carolina was in 2006. The last time Catawba County sentenced someone to death was in 1993. It is extraordinarily difficult to get the death penalty in North Carolina, Learner said. My office tried Everette Porshau Hewitt last spring. He went into this home to rob people he murdered three of the occupants and shot the fourth occupant through the neck. A jury found Hewitt guilty of three counts of first-degree murder and related charges in the case. The jury sentenced him to life in prison without parole, declining to sentence him to death. Its hard for me to understand what you have to show to get a jury to come up with a death verdict? Learner said. A lot of people think the death penalty is a piece of cake, but its far from it. In regards to the Odom case, which Learner describes as evoking a passionate response in those familiar with the case, Learners office was ready to try the case before the jury. Learner said the family was consistently and overwhelmingly in support of offering a plea deal. We met with the Daniels family numerous, numerous times, Learner said. They wanted (Odom) where he couldnt harm anyone else. They were absolutely in favor of doing this. His office asked the Daniels family three times if they wanted the plea offer to Odom once the night before, once the morning of and one final time in court before the hearing. Learner said the full details of the case were brutal and that the case would have been emotionally tough on the family. The familys input is tremendously important to me, as is the law enforcement input, Learner said. You have to look at the totality of the case. This was a much more sensible and appropriate disposition than going through an entire trial. There are always going to be people with less information than us. There is a lot of stuff that factors into our decisions that isnt going to be discussed. Beyond just the Odom case, Learner said his office has thousands of cases awaiting trial, many of which were inherited from the previous DA. In a perfect year, they might be able to try 100 cases in the 34 trial weeks available. To bring a case to trial requires coordinating the physical space for the trial, judges, clerks, court reporters, bailiffs, assistant district attorneys, the jury pool and the defendant. In an ideal world, if we had a whole bunch more judges, courtrooms, clerks, bailiffs and prosecutors, we would have the ability to try every single case, Learner said. We are balancing seeking justice, treating people consistently, trying to protect the public and bring justice. It is a huge responsibility. I would welcome anyone to ask anyone in law enforcement we are not here giving away the courthouse. Defense perspective After seven years of work, Dubs earned an acquittal for William Bill Eugene Murphy, who was accused of the 1990 double homicide of Mark and Jeanie Seacrest, during a retrial. Dubs said that after the first trial ended in a mistrial, the prosecution offered a plea deal. In exchange for a guilty plea to second-degree murder charges, Murphy would receive only around seven more years in confinement. However, Dubs said Murphy vehemently declined, maintaining his innocence. The one thing that they cant take away from my client is his right to have a jury decide whether or not the state can prove a case or not, Dubs said. With a jury, anything can happen. Dubs described a plea bargain as the defendant giving up that right in exchange for certainty of an outcome in the case. Most defense attorneys do not start out with the idea that there will be a plea bargain at all, Dubs said. It has to be determined by a lot of factors, but mainly if it is in your clients best interest. Dubs warns that plea bargains can be misused, by prosecutors and defense attorneys. For example, some lawyers believe they may win the case, and not offer or take a deal that may be in the clients best interest. Often, Dubs said, prosecutors will send defense attorneys a plea deal with evidence during the discovery phase of a trial. However, the deal may be simply for a defendant to plead guilty as charged. Other times, a deal will be offered right before a trial begins In all cases involving a plea deal, attorneys will discuss the offer with their client in a private setting before accepting or declining. Most clients understand if a plea is in their best interest, Dubs said. Dubs also feels that there needs to be more clarity from prosecutors with the public about why a deal was offered. Defense attorneys cannot be as open about cases due to attorney-client relationship. I think one of the most dishonest things is when the state says there will be no plea deal, or that the offer is just to plead guilty as charged, Dubs said. For all the differences between defenders and prosecutors, Dubs does agree with Learner that there are limitations preventing cases from going to trial in an ideal manner. We dont fund our judicial system enough to try every case, Dubs said. Pleas happen every day, in every courtroom, in every district of this country. It is not a bad thing, and not something to be politicized. Dubs likened the situation to a public school teacher buying supplies for a class out of pocket. Many defendants will wait in jail for years until they can get a trial, due to the limitations of the court system. Some, Dubs said, have unreasonable bonds, and others are even sent to out-of-county jails due to overcrowding. If people truly wanted a system where there are no plea bargains, then they are going to have to pay a lot of money in taxes, Dubs said. Every DA needs to use plea deals. To say otherwise is pandering. A documentary produced and directed by Mark Hager, adjunct history professor at Lenoir-Rhyne University, will air on UNC-TV in February. From B.A.R. to P.O.W., The Harold Frank Story WWII - European Theatre is scheduled to air on Sunday, Feb. 12, at 12:30 p.m. and again on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 4:30 p.m. The documentary features the inspirational story of Harold Frank, who is the last living survivor from CO G 2nd Battalion 357th Infantry that landed at Utah Beach on D-Day, according to 90th Division historians. Pfc. Frank survived several battles in the Cotentin Peninsula. Wounded, he was captured with an estimated 200 other men of the 90th Division and sent to Stalag IV B POW Camp in Dresden, Germany. He was assigned to a work camp at Klotzsche Air Field, a German fighter base roughly 10 miles away, where he remained imprisoned for 10 months. The documentary shares his experiences as a POW, attempted escape, and survival of the 1,000-plane bombing of Dresden (Feb. 12, 1945) and two attacks on the German Air Field (April 17, 1945). Hager serves as board president of the Forks of the Yadkin and Davie County History Museum which filmed the documentary. The film, which first debuted in September 2016, includes rare World War II footage from around the world as well as Hagers personal interviews with Frank who shares his experiences as a BAR rifleman at Utah Beach and subsequent battles. A trailer of the film and program schedule can be viewed on the on UNC-TV website at unctv.org/content/veterans. This is the second documentary Hager has produced. The first documentary, The Border States of America, debuted in October 2014. It focuses on the complex issues of illegal immigration, border enforcement, national security, and specifically the impact of transnational drug cartels. The documentary received a bronze medal at the 36th annual Telly Awards. A United States Army veteran and alumnus of Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hager graduated in 1999 with a degree in history and social studies. He completed his graduate studies in American history with an emphasis in public history, museum studies and historic preservation at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. To purchase a copy or schedule a viewing of From B.A.R. to P.O.W., The Harold Frank Story WWII - European Theatre, email Mark Hager at mark.hager@lr.edu or call Forks of the Yadkin and Davie County History Museum at 336-909-0344. NEWTON The doors may be closed, but it's anything but quiet in the History Museum of Catawba County. Located in the 1924 Courthouse in Newton, the museum is closed until March for its annual maintenance and exhibit installation. Some of the popular exhibits will not be changing while some new ones will highlight even more of the artistic history of the county. The People of the River will be virtually unchanged. We are adding a few items to it, to update it. Well be updating the Catawban Courage exhibit which features our Catawban veteranssome of the things were doing this winter. The Catawba lifestyles where the rooms are set up, thats not changing, Visual Communications Associate Jennifer Toney said. The museum will be replacing the flood exhibit with an exhibit being created in cooperation with Catawba Valley Community College and Richard Ellers African-American History class. The project will focus on the history and contributions made by African-Americans living in Catawba County. His students will be calling for submissions from the area, local African-Americans, any kind of artifacts theyd like to loan, so thats pretty exciting, Toney said. The childrens gallery will be getting an update at the museum as well. Were going to be putting that in a different location in our museum, Toney said. Its just a place for kids to come, and we have some great little Revolutionary War costumes donated by the Hickory Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She mentioned this past year the costumes were popular among students of all ages who tried on the outfits for photo opportunities. The museum will move in a new pottery exhibit, From the Ground Up: Catawba Valley Pottery. Its going to be Catawba Valley pottery and were going to have several old pots that have come from the area, Historical Association Registrar and Membership Coordinator Stacy Ward said. It will be a long term installation at the History Museum of Catawba County. Pottery is a significant part of the Catawba Valleys history because it is a tradition that has been passed down through many different generations to the present day and has seen progression over time in its processes and forms, according to a museum press release. Visitors will experience this local history, from the earliest workings of Daniel Seagle to the elaborate face jugs crafted by potters today such as Charles Lisk. The exhibit will also feature historic artifacts excavated by local archaeologist January W. Costa, Curator of Archaeology and Collections at the Lincoln County Historical Association, according to the release. On display will be several variations of slip decorated and lead glazed earthenware, representative of works produced by Jacob Weaver, a local potter in the early 1800s. We want visitors to learn not only about the history of Catawba Valley Pottery, but also to develop a deeper understanding of its many forms and how the tradition has progressed over time, Ward said. The ultimate goal would be for visitors to develop a greater appreciation for this unique local art form. The exhibit will be opening up at the beginning of March to coincide with the 20th Annual Catawba Valley Pottery & Antiques Festival held the last weekend in March at the Hickory Metro Convention Center, which is one of the Historical Association of Catawba Countys biggest fundraisers. The festival will be March 24, 7-10 p.m. Other related sites closed for maintenance and installations include Harper House / Hickory History Center and Murray's Mill Historic District. For more information about the museum of the Historical Association of Catawba County, visit catawbahistory.org or call 828-465-0383. As the world is preoccupied with the dramatic early days of Donald Trumps presidency there is an article circulating on social media which is shocking readers. Originally published in Zurich-based Das Magazin, the article by Hannes Grassegger and Mikael Krogerus explains how Big Data (our digital footprint) is being used for innovative political marketing and how it may have helped Trump win. This is important because the use of big data is profoundly affecting how election campaigns are run, and may even determine winners including in democracies like India, where parties like the BJP, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress are increasingly relying on digital strategies to influence voters. How Big Data works in politics is fascinatingly relayed in the article. A shorter summary goes like this: Companies that record online behaviour are able to build psychological profiles of users, which are used to display ads that are suited to their audience. Michal Kosinski, now a professor at Stanford, made startling discoveries while doing his PhD at Cambridge University when he and a fellow student designed a Facebook app called MyPersonality that used a psychometric questionnaire to evaluate humans based on five personality traits known by the acronym OCEAN: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion (sociability), agreeableness and neuroticism (degrees of sensitivity). Read: How big data is giving big profits to companies Millions filled out the survey; Kosinski then correlated psychometric results with other data of users including their Facebook behaviour, what they posted or liked, and was able to predict with high-levels of accuracy their sexual orientation, religious affiliation and political preferences. Over time, Kosinki found that he could evaluate a person better than friends, parents and even partners. As Grasseger and Krogerus write, not only could this technique create psychological profiles but that the data could also be used to search for specific profiles, say all anxious fathers, all angry introvertsmaybe even all undecided Democrats. Essentially, what Kosinski had invented was a sort of a people search engine. Over time a company called Cambridge Analytica started using methods similar to the Kosinski model (unbeknownst to him) and deployed targeted ads in Brexits Leave campaign, the US primaries and eventually in Donald Trumps online campaign. Cambridge Analytica maintains that it does not use Facebook data; its spokesperson said psychographics was hardly used at all. But in a 2016 lecture at New York the companys CEO Alexander Nix prominently featured psychographics in his talk (see 5:38 in this video). He said his company has profiled the personality of every adult in the US 220 million people through a combination of demographics and attitudinal factors, revealed in consumer and lifestyle habits. This personality profiling was used for targeted political marketing through ads on social media platforms. Profiling helps with identifying relevant issues and creating specific ads for citizens. A neurotic introvert would, for instance, see an ad on the need for guns with an image of burglar breaking in, while a more well-adjusted individual would view images of a father and son on a shooting trip. Like other marketing entities, the firm thinks running one ad for an entire demographic is pointless since customised ads for individuals were more effective. Cambridge Analytica divided the US population into 32 personality types and focused on 17 states. They ran ads to suppress Democrat voter turnout in Florida, such as highlighting Hillary Clintons comment in 1996 referring to perceptions of black men as super-predators. Trumps team tested 175,000 ad variations for Facebook culling arguments that he used in his debate with Clinton, fine tuning them using different headings, colors, captions, with a photo or video. Read: India is Facebooks top priority, driving engagement to catch up with Google Nix claimed to reach villages, apartment blocks in a targeted way, even individuals. He has said that profiling through online data can be correlated with cable TV viewing habits, so viewers can get tailored ads during television shows. Nix claims that his company played an integral part in Trumps victory although this has been challenged on the grounds that there is no clear evidence of this yet. But there is little doubt that profiling and targeted content can be powerful ways to shape the political imagination of urban audiences as they can be used to lure users towards material that is in line with their own ideological preferences. This possibility is real given the phenomena of fake news sites on Facebook and the proliferation of Facebook groups. Cambridge Analyticas work has, not surprisingly, generated interest in political classes elsewhere, including from Switzerland, Germany and Australia. Countries may even see working with the company as useful for access to the Trump administration. Cambridge Analytica has Trumps senior adviser Steve Bannon on its board and a key investor in the firm is Rebekah Mercer, daughter of Robert Mercer, a hedge-fund manager and supporter of Trump. The company is exploring newer markets and it is unlikely that India is not on their radar. The Echo of India, a newspaper published from Kolkata and Port Blair, interestingly reported that Nix was due to visit India in January and that he has an interest in elections in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab. There is also other reporting that Nix has advised on ways to harvest the Indian American vote for Trump. It is not clear if Nix visited India or if he is working on state elections but if used the effects of his companys methods could be far-reaching for Indias democracy for several reasons: One, neither politicians nor political analysts have a firm handle on what people think about politics. For instance, the commentariat is unsure about popular opinion on demonetisation and the outcome of UP elections. In this scenario, a political partys best bet is in the constant effort to shape the media narrative. The BJP has a fairly favourable mainstream print and TV media environment but their reach is uneven and difficult to quantify. The contest has, hence, shifted to social media where the potential for parties to reach audiences directly is impressive. India had about 350 million smartphone users in 2015; that number is expected to go up to 702 million in 2020. India reportedly had about 195 million users of Facebook in 2016. Also read: Facebook launches tools to encourage voting in India As noted, the BJP, AAP and others, therefore take social media seriously. As is well-known online campaigns played a major role in brand building Modi en route to power. Arvind Gupta, head of the BJPs IT cell during the 2014 elections, said that for a period of 18 months, particularly between December 2012 and February 2014, the partys primary campaign was on digital and social media. The planning included 3-4 years of meticulous data collection. We had data on each of the 543 constituencies. We knew how many mobile and Internet users were present in each constituency we used analytics to understand which polling booths had voted for the BJP in the previous electionsfor each polling booth data analytics was used to segregate voters into blocks to determine who were pro, undecided or against the BJPWe first used deep analytics to understand group communication behaviour and then used appropriate technology to communicate with them. Modis online influence has only grown with time. He now has 26.9 million followers on Twitter (up from 8.5 million in 2014), more than 39 million subscribe to his Facebook page and he has a loyal fan based that aggressively trolls critics. Digital is playing a big part in BJPs campaign in UP, with a team dedicated to data crunching, seat analysis, digital media and operations. Read: As Obama exits White House, PM Narendra Modi now the most followed world leader on Twitter This includes handling a Facebook page that reaches more than 10 million people, and sending out four WhatsApp messages daily to reach 500,000 users in the state. AAP is also a formidable force online. It claims that its Facebook page reaches 150 million users, the biggest social media page in the world in its view. Arvind Kejriwal has seven million followers on Twitter and Facebook and a 2016 speech by him in the Delhi Assembly was reportedly watched by seven million on its various Facebook pages. Winning the influence game online will depend on the quality of data and the amount of resources a party has to create and market tailored content. On both these counts the BJP has advantages. It obviously outspends every other political party in India and is best placed to take advantage of a people search engine, as it develops. Data is in any case widely available and thanks to demonetisation there is now an explosion of privately-controlled data in India owing to the governments nudge to people to use apps for payments. Moreover, India does not have a privacy law, there is in fact a default opt-in principle in place when it comes to data sharing and, on average, each person has 32 apps in a smartphone. All this amounts to a very conducive environment for personality-profiling and ad targeting. We do not know what form online political marketing will take hereon but it will no doubt be innovative and relentless, as it is the one shot political parties have for defining the political debate. This will likely end up polarising society further rather than nudging it in constructive directions since users will be consistently exposed to content that confirms their beliefs. Yes, there will be independent voices (including from mainstream media) that will challenge partisan views but on the whole, citizens will be primed by the content they are most exposed to. The BJP is likely to do better than the others in in this fractured scenario as it has both the polarising messages to keep audiences interested and the resources to reach newer markets. There is a lesson for citizens in all this. If Indians do not take privacy as a right seriously then they will have less of a choice about who influences them. This is because online browsing habits reduce the possibility of one being exposed to knowledge that is not recommended by algorithms. The use of Big Data promises us relevant material but paradoxically limits our vision. It constrains our contact with intellectual and social diversity the building block for empathy on which democratic instincts rest. To put it differently, technology as we use it poses an unyielding threat to the possibility of having an informed citizenry, which is vital for a democracy to thrive. India thus needs a strong legal framework for privacy as a starting point for regulation that addresses these issues. Else content marketing firms and parties using them will be defining the future of Indias democracy. The writer tweets as @SushilAaron SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Contemplating the election just completed in Goa, my mind wandered to a Sunday afternoon a few years ago. At lunch in a friends place near Panjim, I found myself under assault by an activist. He challenged my assessment that the India against Corruption protest, then in full flower, was just another anti-Congress formation. My interlocutor was the well-spoken scion of an influential Goan family and he took umbrage at my assertion that Anna Hazare, the figure head of the protest, was a congenital publicity hound. Sadly, the conversation degenerated into a diatribe with the activist scolding me for my views on politics, economics and society. There was not much subtlety in his charge that people such as I must be held responsible for the state of affairs in India, tainted as it is with political corruption, skewed economic priorities and consumerist societal norms. Fast forward to 2014, post the Hazare protest: A group of activists led by Arvind Kejriwal emerged to form the Aam Aadmi Party. Kejriwals group did surprisingly well in the ensuing elections to the assembly and was able to form a government with support from the Congress. The rest is history. Read | Goa elections: Re-polling at one booth in Margao constituency on Tuesday Last year, when AAP announced it would contest elections in Goa, which is a particularly fecund political environment for activism, I was not surprised. All these years of living in the haven, I was witness to the mindless activism that challenged the long-reigning Congress on any and every development scheme or project. Bringing to bear their networking skills and media clout, activists went hammer and tongs after the Congress on often unsubstantiated charges of corruption. In the event, they did not change the fluid and corrupt politics in the state or root out corruption; they ensured the rise of the BJP. The entry of AAP to Goa politics has been made possible by the cosy fit with local activists. Coasting on word-of-mouth publicity, AAP brought to bear its propaganda skills to project a victory in the just-completed election to the assembly. Many people, with a foot in both places, Delhi and Goa, are understandably appalled. In their view, Goans have regarded them with hostility as outsiders spoiling the Goan environment with their South Delhi ways. But Goans see no contradiction in embracing a Delhi-centric political party with roots in the rough-and-ready exurban areas of the National Capital Region. This election was held against a national backdrop in which there is a massive pushback against the BJP and a growing disenchantment with the politics of AAP. Sensing this, the Congress put in place ambitious revival plans. It opted for a seat-sharing arrangement with: Two seats for Goa Forward, a year-old party pledged to defeat the BJP; one for Atanasio Monserrates United Goan, a party sworn to keep the secular vote from splitting; and it has decided to support an independent candidate. Read | Punjab, Goa polls done, spotlight shifts to Uttar Pradesh Aside of the seat sharing arrangement, the Congress is likely to benefit from a split in the BJP vote. This is because of an alliance between Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, Shiv Sena and Goa Suraksha Manch, a new party floated by a rebel RSS member, Subhash Velingkar, head of the influential Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch. This Right-wing alliance, which had been instrumental in the BJP victory in 2012, threatens to jerk the rug from under the BJP. The Congress sources in Goa and Delhi say they have long believed Kejriwals AAP was a front floated by the saffronistas to divide the Congress vote, especially in two-way contests as in Punjab and Goa. Their response to the split in the BJP vote in Goa is a nudge and a wink to suggest the Congress stands to make a huge gain because this split will take more votes from the BJP than AAP will from the Congress. Though polls predict a hung assembly, the mood in the Congress camp is upbeat. The views expressed are personal Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 Trend: Rector of Baku Higher School (BHOS) Elmar Gasimov met with Ambassador of India to Azerbaijan Sanjay Rana. Gasimov welcomed the honorable guest to the Higher School and wished him successful work in his diplomatic mission in Azerbaijan. Rector provided detailed information about BHOS history, activities, attainments and latest developments as well as about successes achieved by the Higher School students and academic teaching staff. He also said that BHOS management pays special attention to international relations and spoke about cooperation established with leading universities abroad. Speaking about BHOS strong partnership relations with Heriot-Watt University in Great Britain, the rector brought the ambassadors attention to the opportunities of developing cooperation between the Higher School and universities of India. Gasimov came up with a proposal to arrange an event at BHOS to be dedicated to Azerbaijani prominent scientist and specialist on drilling oil and gas wells Eyyub Taghiyev who is also known as Father of Indian oil. The rector also invited Mr Sanjay Rana to visit the Higher School again and make a presentation. Rana expressed his gratitude for the warm reception. He highly appreciated the BHOS rectors proposals and gratefully accepted them. Talking about diversified cooperation between two countries in many spheres, the ambassador informed about Indian oil and gas companies activities in Azerbaijan. He also emphasized importance of forging close bilateral links in the field of education. As Mr Sanjay Rana said, he was very pleased to learn about successes achieved by the Higher School within a short period of time. The ambassador emphasized that he would take all necessary steps to support establishment of cooperation between BHOS and Indian higher education institutions. Other issues related to prospects of such cooperation were also discussed including opportunities to provide fellowship to a number of students from India to arrange their education at BHOS. Indian-origin British sculptor Anish Kapoor was named the winner of a prestigious $1 million Genesis prize by Israel on Monday for his commitment to Jewish values. Kapoor, 62, spoke out against abhorrent government policies towards refugees as he was named the recipient of this years Genesis prize, dubbed Jewish Nobel. The prize committee, headed by Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky, acknowledged Kapoor as one of the most influential and innovative artists of his generation. Kapoor joins Itzhak Perlman, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and actor-director Michael Douglas as recipients. Kapoor said he would use the award money to help alleviate the refugee crisis and try to expand the Jewish communitys engagement in a global effort to aid Syrian refugees. Kapoor spoke out against abhorrent government policies and said he would use the award money to help alleviate the refugee crisis. (In picture) His public sculpture Cloud Gate in Chicago. (Shutterstock) Jewish identity and history have witnessed recurring conditions of indifference, persecution and Holocaust. Repeatedly, we have had to repossess ourselves and re-identify our communities, Kapoor said. As inheritors and carriers of Jewish values, it is unseemly, therefore, for us to ignore the plight of people who are persecuted, who have lost everything and had to flee as refugees in mortal danger, he said. Outsider consciousness resides at the heart of Jewish identity and this is what motivates me, while accepting the honour of the Genesis Prize, to re-gift the proceeds to refugee causes. I am an artist, not a politician, and I feel I must speak out against indifference for the suffering of others. There are over 60 million refugees in the world today whatever the geography of displacement, the refugees crisis is right here on our doorstep, he said. Stan Polovets, chairman and co-founder of the Genesis Prize Foundation, said the profound impact of Kapoors work continues a long history of Jewish contribution to the arts, while his social activism reaffirms the commitment of the Jewish people to humanitarian causes. We particularly admire how, in an age frequently characterised by cynicism and indifference, Anish continually advocates for the worlds disadvantaged , challenging all of us to do more to help wherever and whenever we can, Polovets said. Anishs commitment to alleviate the plight of Syrian refugees will resonate with the Jewish community, especially young Jews, everywhere. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more. Despite steps to keep the politics clean, all is not well in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh. Or what else could explain the emergence of contract killers, weapon suppliers and liquor/narcotic smugglers during the last two months. Sample this: On January 12, when the security guards posted on the gate of Naini central jail in Allahabad were preparing for the shift in duty, a youth riding on a motorcycle stopped there. While the guards remained busy in conversation, the youth went into the office of the jail superintendent and handed him a letter. Without verifying his identity, the officer took him to the cell in which the dreaded gangster of West UP Udham Singh was lodged. Singh scribbled a few names on a slip and handed it back to the youth with the instruction that the work should be done before first phase polling. The visitor was told to collect the money from a toll plaza contractor in Noida after accomplishing the task. Unaware that his movement from Ghaziabad to Allahabad was under electronic surveillance of UP Special Task Force (STF), the youth drove to the railway station but was nabbed near CMP Degree College Bridge in Allahabad. The arrested person was Praveen Kumar Pal, a contract killer wanted by the police in several cases of murders and extortions. Pal told cops that he had been told to collect Rs 40 lakh from two traders in Meerut who are close to a politician. He was also given a contract to kill an influential Muslim trader in Ghaziabad during the election campaign. He also supplied a pistol and revolvers to politicians in Sultanpur and Jaunpur districts in East UP. Political killings and gangster in fray During 2014 Lok Sabha elections, BJP leader Vijay Pandit was killed in the Dadri area of Gautam Buddha Nagar district leading to tension in West UP. In February last year, killing of VHP leader Arun Kumar Mahaur in Agra had led to communal tension. The investigation showed that contract killers belonging to Sundar Bhati and Ravindra Bhura were roped in to execute the murders, said a policeman. Similarly, the role of members of Anil Dujana gang active in west UP came to light in the killing of Pandit. A police officer said Dujana lodged in Banda district jail contested the local body election from behind the bar and secured victory from a ward in Noida last year. On January 10, the STF arrested a contract killer Ashok Pehalwan on Muzzafarnagar- Meerut highway. Ashok was serving life term in jail but managed to escape from police custody in 2011. He was given supari (contract) to kill an influential gram pradhans in Shamli during the election campaign, said a police officer. Notorious gangster of East UP, Chandan Singh who escaped from police custody on June 1 was on extortion spree in Gorakhpur, Allahabad, Lucknow and Sultanpur districts threatening the businessman and builders considered close to politicians. He had made a safe hideout in Gujarat while members of his gang were on move collecting money and arms. STF arrested him in the last week of December in Ahmedabad. Talking to HT, SSP, STF, Amit Pathak said, to check the activities of contract killers, gun suppliers and liquor smugglers during assembly election the STF has increased its vigil across the state. The information about the activities of criminal gangs was being collected through electronic surveillance and informers. The STF has worked out 46 cases in January, busted gangs involved in extortion, murder, arms and liquor supply, he said. Some dreaded gangsters such Mukhtar Ansari, Munna Bajrangi, Brajesh Singh, Sundar Bhati, Anil Dujana, Dharmendra Kirthal, Amit Kasna, Yogesh Bhadaura, Sushil Moonch Mukeem Kala, Babloo Srivastava and Khan Mubarak are running their crime machine from prison. While Mukhtar is contesting election on BSP ticket, the kin of Bajrangi, Brajesh and Bhati are also in fray. The members of their gang who might use muscle power to intimidate the rivals or voters are on the radar of the police. Jails under scanner To keep a check on the activities of jailed criminals the election commission has directed the state government to strictly implement the ban on use of mobile phones by undertrials. While the district administration officers have been directed to conduct surprise raids on jails, the prison department has been told to install jammers there, said ADG (law and order) Daljit Singh Chaudhary. Besides, the prison officers have been told to maintain vigil on the activities of notorious undertrials and visitors meeting them. Keeping in tune with the order, a police team led by Allahabad DM Sanjay Kumar and SP Salabh Mathur raided Naini central jail on Tuesday last. They were surprised to find that jammers were closed and gangster-turned-politician Kapilmuni Karvaria, his brother Udaybhan Karvaria and Surajbhan Karvaria were enjoying all the facilities including that of mobile phone. A family member from Karvariya family, Neelam is contesting election from Meja seat in Allahabad district. The trio had been shifted to Mirzapur district jail. Weapon/liquor smugglers make noise The cops are also worried over the sudden surge in illegal weapon market during election. SSP STF Amit Pathak said the teams have been directed to track down the weapon and liquor smugglers. While a week is left for the first phase polling the police has already seized 10,98,882 bulk litre liquor worth Rs 29 crore. During investigation it was detected that liquor was smuggled from neighbouring states for distribution before poll in various constituencies. On Wednesday, the STF nabbed a gun smuggler Mohar Singh in Bareilly and seized 30 country made pistols. Singh told the police officers that demand of illegal weapon has increased in the poll and to make fast buck he smuggled the weapon from Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. The election commission has directed the licenced firearms owners to deposit their weapons in the police station before poll. Already 8,13,903 weapons have been deposited in various districts and 810 licenses have been cancelled. On January 6, the STF busted an interstate arms smuggler gang and recovered 21 weapons. On January 10, two arms smugglers were arrested in Auraiya district and 13 pistols were seized. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Theres no business like blockade business in Manipur, especially during an election. Periodic economic blockades bring misery to many in the frontier state. But whenever the states lifelines NH 2 and NH37 are choked, the underground economy is thrown a lifeline. The visible faces of this economy are women in traditional attire, spaced out in twos or threes along the roads, selling two shades of golden yellow petrol in one-litre plastic bottles. The lighter shade is smuggled in from Myanmar to the east and the deeper shade from Mizoram in the south. Some trickles down from the north. Everybody knows how the black fuel from dealers gets to the street to be sold at double the price. But, conveniently, nobody knows. Everyone, though, agrees that the blockade during election time provides an issue that relegates everything else to the background. It is an issue that has seemingly driven the wedge deeper into the hills-plains divide. Almost 65% of Manipurs population lives in Imphal Valley dominated by the non-tribal Meiteis. Two tribal groups Naga and Kuki-Zomi, in roughly equal proportion account for the remaining 35% of the population scattered across Manipurs hills that make up 90% of the states geographical area. The plains have 40 of the 60 seats in the state assembly. The tribes, specifically the Nagas, feel the numerical edge gives the non-tribals the political edge. Much of Manipur is convinced that the Isak-Muivah faction of the extremist National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) makes blockades happen. The people know who is behind the blockade. The BJP at the centre is an ally of the Naga Peoples Front (ruling party of Nagaland), which is close to the NSCN-IM that fuels the United Naga Council (UNC) that enforced the blockade. They are one and same, Manipur CM Okram Ibobi Singh told HT. This unholy alliance, Congress leaders feel, will see Singh in power for the fourth term. The Congress and the CM use NSCN-IM to enforce bands and scare the non-Nagas, an electoral majority, into voting for the Congress. Whenever there is an election, the CM strikes a deal with the NSCN-IM but his game is up, Th Biswajit, the lone BJP MLA, said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Punjab has voted already, and the results are a month away, but the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is still on the warpath. The party has launched a statewide AAP protects EVMs drive as part of which 15,000 volunteers of the party will keep a watch on strongrooms where the electronic voting machines (EVMs) have been kept till the counting day, March 11. Party convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has been speaking and tweeting against the Election Commission for the past few days alleging that it is working against the AAP at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Showing little faith in the three-tier security in place outside the 117 strong rooms (one in each constituency), the party will have its workers on duty, day and night, to ensure that no strongroom is breached. EC officials say that they have themselves invited every party to stand guard outside the strongrooms. The AAP has taken to the task seriously. Every strongroom is basically a building a part of which is sealed completely, including its windows, and only a single entry point is left which is also sealed. Hundreds of EVM boxes are kept inside. The first security ring is of the paramilitary forces followed by a middle ring of Punjab armed policemen and the outermost cordon is of the Punjab police. Also, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras cover the area from all angles. The AAP has, however, shown little faith in the Punjab police as well whom Kejriwal has been attacking too through his tweets. We are going to have a team of AAP volunteers outside every strongroom, said AAP state convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich Ghuggi. Volunteers attached with Dev Mann, the AAP candidate from Nabha, have already pitched a tent outside the building of the strongroom. On Twitter, AAP supporters are posting about the move. AAP is changing the way polls are held in India. After the AAP spy army stopping money and liquor distribution, now AAP protests EVMs, reads a tweet. People of Punjab have their future enclosed in theses EVMs that is why we are taking the responsibility of guarding them, states another. Knowing Cong-BJP desperation, AAP protests EVMs, states yet another. Badal/captain will not be able to tamper with the EVMs, says another. The other two main parties in the fray however, seem to have more faith in the system. Only the losers go around blaming the Election Commission and the administration for why they lost. We have complete faith in the paramilitary forces guarding the EVMs, said senior Congress leader and candidate from Baba Bakala, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa. Those who have no faith in our countrys security agencies should shift to a country they feel safe in, he added. AAP is paranoid, which is nothing new with them, said SAD leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa. They think they are fighting a world in which everyone is out to get them. And that, if they even blink for a second, they will be eaten up. We are already busy with the Delhi gurdwara elections. AAP can keep guarding our votes in those EVMs. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The BJP on Monday urged the Election Commission to immediately remove the chief secretary and the director general of police of poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, besides a few other officials, accusing them of partisan conduct. A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation met the Election Commission in New Delhi and submitted a memorandum, alleging that DGP Javeed Ahmed was close to the ruling Samajwadi Party and hence his continued presence as the DGP will seriously jeopardise the conduct of free and fair elections. The memorandum also alleged that certain district electoral officers (DEOs) and returning officers were delaying or denying legitimate permissions to BJP candidates under the influence of chief secretary Rahul Bhatnagar. The party sought the transfer of the district magistrates -- who are also the electoral officers of their districts -- of Rampur, Meerut and Firozbad for being partisan. The BJP demanded the lifting of the bar on the use of motorcycles for campaigning and called for deployment of only central forces in the state. Urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu also accused the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party of misusing the administration and its officers for manipulating the state polls. Naidu and parliamentary affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi were among those who met chief election commissioner Nasim Zaidi. The 403 assembly seats will witness seven-phase polling on February 11, 15, 19, 23, 27 and March 4 and 8. Counting of votes is scheduled for March 11. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is carrying the BJP on his shoulders in Uttarakhand. The hill state votes on February 15 to elect 70 new MLAs and the BJP is trying to recreate what it calls Modi magic that helped it sweep all five parliamentary seats in 2014. Atal ne banaya, Modi sawarenge (Atal created, Modi will improve) scream posters dotting the landscape along the 110-km highway between Dehradun and New Tehri. This is the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, a stronghold that BJP lost to Congress in the 2012 assembly elections. But, BJPs dependence on Modi its most popular leader today is more of a compulsion than choice. Chief minister Harish Rawat is Congress undisputed leader and BJP is a divided house. About half a dozen tainted faces from Rawats government shifted sides to the BJP. There are now murmurs about the partys conviction to fight corruption when all of those who represented the ills of Rawat government are in the saffron stable. Modi as the central figure of the campaign is trying to iron out these creases. Uttarakhand BJP has no face to match Modi stature, says Devendra Belwal, head of Dhanaulti village. He is without any baggage. It has four former chief ministers on its side BC Khanduri, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Vijay Bahuguna. About half a dozen other BJP leaders also nurse chief ministerial ambitions. Khanduri has the reputation of a clean politician, but at 82 he is too old for the post. The two and a half year rule of Modi is an advantage, Tehri Garhwal MP Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah told HT. Modi is popular among people here. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON An elderly person was killed and four others of his family were injured when a swarm of honeybees attacked them in an agricultural field in Madhya Pradeshs Damoh district on Monday afternoon. The injured were immediately rushed to the Damoh district hospital.. Narrating the incident, the injured villagers said their two elderly relatives, 90-year-old Puran Patel and his 85-year-old wife Binia Bai, were working in their field at Hindoriya village, around 250 kms northeast of the state capital Bhopal. In the afternoon around 2:30pm, the duo returned to their dwelling at the field for lunch, they said, adding, as soon as Binia Bai lit a fire to cook food, honeybees, ensconced in a beehive on a nearby tree, stirred by the smoke bellowing out of the hearth, attacked them. Hearing the elderly couples cries, other relatives rushed to help them. But they too were stung by the bees. After sometime when the bees left, they found Puran Patel lying dead on the spot. Binia Bai, Dhaniram (65), Nathuram (45) Nandu (35) and Hallu (28) were injured. Condition of Binia Bai is stated to be grave, hospital sources said. Actor Sonu Sood is happy with the response Kung Fu Yoga is garnering in India. The 43 year-old actor says, it was a huge effort to get superstar Jackie Chan to India for the films promotion. And he is content with the end result. When we were shooting the film, I had discussed with Jackie and Stanley Tong (director) that we must promote the film in India. But when the time came, I realised how tough it was to bring him and his team here in a chartered flight from Beijing. Then, there were events to attend and of course, I had the whole industry waiting to meet Jackie. To do this for a Hindi film, it takes five days but we only had 10 hours, he elucidates. Sonu says, the Chinese actor totally enjoyed his stay here. While, I was driving him to the Film City, every time there was a green signal, he used to get excited and say, Oh finally we have a green signal, lets go. He also kept on telling me that lets leave his whole entourage (that was following him) behind and zoom ahead, Sonu recalls. He says even though Jackie was starving during the promotion but he never complained. Just before flying back, he held my hands and said Sonu we have promoted the film around the globe but India was the most special, he says. The actor, who plays villain, Randall, credits his fitness for being chosen for the film: When I landed on the sets. I asked Jackie why I was chosen for the role. He said that when they were searching for the fittest actors in Bollywood, my name came at the top. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A Jaipur court on Monday summoned actors Akshay Kumar and Annu Kapoor, along with director Subhash Kapoor, for allegedly portraying lawyers in bad light in their upcoming movie Jolly LLB 2. Taking cognisance of a complaint filed by a lawyer, Tikam Chand Sharma, additional chief metropolitan magistrate Ashok Sain on Monday ordered the trio to appear before the court on March 10. In their film Jolly LLB 2, directed by Subhash Kapoor, advocates have been portrayed in a bad light. Junior advocates slapping senior lawyers have been shown in the trailer of the film, which is misleading and offensive to those in legal profession, said Mahaveer Surendra Jain, counsel for the complainant. The complainant felt that several dialogues of the film were offensive, hence the criminal complaint was submitted to the court, Jain said. In one scene in the trailer of the film, it has been said that lawyers never return clients fees. In another scene Akshays character is seen pleading with the judge, which is against decorum. The lawyer community has been hurt by this, said Jain. After listening to the arguments of the complainants counsel, the court issued summons to the two actors and the filmmaker to appear on March 10. The order also said it was the responsibility of the Mumbai police commissioner to ensure their presence in the court. The film is set to release on February 10. Follow @htshowbiz for more Actor Amyra Dastur says Hollywood actor Jackie Chan was pleased when she told him that shes a fan of his comic timing. While working with him in Kung Fu Yoga, Amyra used to watch him shoot. She feels its not just action, but Chans comic timing, that is also commendable. Jackie Chans comic timing is impeccable. If you even forget the fact that he is an action star, he is one of the best comic actors we have. During the making of Kung Fu Yoga, I would observe him not only when he did the stunts, but then I would also sit watching him shoot his proper scenes, says Amyra. Elaborating, the actor says that Jackie noticed her sitting quietly and spoke with her about it one day. He is used to people watching him doing action, so when he saw me watching him shooting other scenes also he was like, how come you are watching me now? And I told him, Sir I just want to see your acting. Then he asked me why and I said, I think you are one of the most interesting comic actors of all times. My reply made him happy and he said, Everybody comes to watch me do stunts, but no one comes to watch me act. Thats so cool, smiles Amyra. A die-hard Jackie Chan fan, the 22-year-old actor is looking forward to working with him again in future. For the first few days, I used to just smile when I would see him on set. It took me a while to get used to him being around. But it was a learning experience shooting the film. Hope I get more opportunities to work with him, she signs off. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 By Maksim Tsurkov Trend: The BP company and the organizing committee of the Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games have signed an agreement on partnership, Trends correspondent reported from the signing ceremony. This partnership is a part of BPs commitment to support the development of sport in Azerbaijan and is based on the companys successful experience and cooperation at the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games and the Baku 2015 European Games. BP will also support the Baku 2017 Volunteer Program, which will involve 6,000 young people. The 4th Islamic Solidarity Games will be held in Baku May 12-22, 2017. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov Reliance Jio has hit out against Airtel complaint to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) against Mukesh Ambanis company, saying that it is latter tactic to divert attention from its own violations of telecom norms. This latest salvo by Airtel is a clear ploy to divert attention from its own violation of licensing conditions by having denied adequate POIs to Jio and the already announced censure proceedings by the TRAI against them.. said a Jio spokesperson. Sunil Bharti Mittals Airtel has complained to the CCI against Reliance Jio for predatory pricing that could lead to anti-competitive behaviour. The move comes around two months after Jio Infocomm moved CCI accusing the three incumbent operators (Vodafone, Idea and Bharti) alleging that they are abusing their dominant market power and formed a cartel to deny it points of interconnect. Bharti Airtels complaint was filed on February 2, the CCI has asked its investigation department to look into the matter and see if theres any merit in the case. This move signals the raging battle between the telecomm operators of India since the entry of Reliance Jio in 2016 disrupted the system with its deep discounts on data use. Bharti and Idea Cellular are already in the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal alleging that sector regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has been a mute spectator to violations of norms by Jio. The next date for hearing on the matter is February 6. In its complaint against Jio in CCI, Bharti has said the company through Mukesh Ambaniss company has created a pan-India telecom network and distribution infrastructure even before its commercial launch and is now providing free voice and data services. Qatar Airways launched the worlds longest scheduled commercial service with its inaugural flight from Doha to Auckland taking off eight minutes early today, a company spokeswoman said. Flight QR920 left the Qatari capital at 05:02 (local time) and is set to land in New Zealand at 07:30 (local time on Monday. The Boeing 777 flight will take 16 hours and 20 minutes, pass over 10 time zones, five countries and travel 14,535 kilometres before reaching Auckland. But even that flying time may be looked on jealously by passengers on the return flight which, due to high-altitude winds, will take 17 hours and 30 minutes, according to the company website. This will make it the worlds longest passenger service in terms of flying time, according to tracking website flightradar24. Qatar Airways did not immediately have a figure for the number of passengers who boarded today, but it is believed there are four pilots and 15 crew on the plane. In March last year, Emirates airline launched what was then thought to be the worlds longest non-stop scheduled commercial flight, with a service from Dubai to Auckland, spanning 14,200 kilometres. Tata Sons said on Monday its shareholders have voted to remove former chairman Cyrus Mistry as a director from its board. The shareholders of Tata Sons Ltd, at the extraordinary general meeting held today, passed, with the requisite majority, a resolution to remove Cyrus P Mistry as a Director of Tata Sons Ltd, the Tata Groups holding firm said in a statement. Tata Sons, the holding company of the $100 billion salt-to-software Tata conglomerate, had called for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) last month to remove Mistry from its board. However, Mistry had legally challenged the move. Last week, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) had dismissed petitions by two investment firms, backed by Mistry family, against holding the EGM. Mistry camp had moved the NCLAT after the Mumbai bench of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had on January 31 refused to grant any relief. Tata Sons had abruptly removed Mistry as its Chairman on October 24 last year and sought his ouster from operating companies like Tata Motors and TCS. Mistry subsequently resigned from the board of six companies but dragged Tata Sons and his interim successor Ratan Tata to the NCLT. After the board meeting of October 24, 2016, Tata Sons had resolved that Mistry shall, notwithstanding his ceasing to be the Chairman, continue as a director of the company. But his conduct thereafter in levelling unsubstantiated allegations and causing enormous harm to Tata Group had made his continuation as a Director of Tata Sons untenable and therefore, he should be removed, Tata Sons had said in a notice seeking Extraordinary General Meeting on February 6. Mistrys family owns an 18.4% stake in Tata Sons, but a majority interest is controlled by a series of Trusts chaired by Tata family patriarch Ratan Tata. The name is Asha Kiran, or ray of hope. But hope is shuttered out of the Delhi governments shelter for women of unsound mind in Rohini, which has recorded 11 deaths in the past two months. The deaths are a reflection of the decadence at the home where about 450 women and children were crammed into a decaying, fetid space having a sanctioned capacity of 350. Read: At Asha Kiran, 228 inmates have died since 2005 Inmates are forced to change clothes in the open, while male staff members monitored surveillance cameras rigged on the walls. At another corner, an ailing inmate force-played a masseuse and massages the legs of a woman employee. These are shocking observations that the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal made after her nightlong inspection of Asha Kiran Home for the Mentally Retarded, run by the Delhi governments social welfare department. Within a span of more than 12 hours from Saturday night to Sunday morning, she witnessed a litany of human rights violations. Her team saw the video of naked women recorded by the CCTV cameras. The inmates were being forced to sweep, wash clothes and look after fellow boarders. A woman was helping other inmates take a bath. An employee named Kanta was getting her legs massaged, Maliwal said. The team visited a dormitory where 153 women were living cheek by jowl. Read: Govt to take NGOs help to manage Asha Kiran home Half of them could not walk or were bedridden. There was only one woman to take care of them. Is it possible for a single person to take that many people to the toilet? Maliwal wondered. The DCW set up an inquiry and issued a notice to the social welfare secretary, asking for a reply within 72 hours. Officials could not be reached for their response, despite repeated attempts. At cottage number 2, the DCW chief saw children sleeping rough in the cold. No mattress was provided because of bed-wetting. There is no psychologist at a home that shelters women with intellectual disabilities, the team found. A psychiatrist visits twice a week for a few hours. Aghast with the appalling situation, the DCW sought details of the 11 deaths along with copies of the autopsy. We were told that before two months, the number of deaths was less. I am shaken after spending the night there. We will ensure that serious action is taken against those responsible for the condition of the home, Maliwal said. The latest deaths were among more than 600 fatalities reported at the home since 2001. According to the 2015 CAG report, about 900 inmates were sometimes kept in that decrepit shelter. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Seventy years ago, as the year turned from 1946 to 1947, we were not yet a free nation but were becoming one. We were not yet a divided nation but were becoming one. We did not have a prime minister but we had someone who was becoming one. Described officially as vice-president of the Governor Generals executive council, Jawaharlal Nehru was PM-designate. But of a nation that he knew, as did Gandhi, was in the throes of a division. In the West, and in the East, of undivided India, freedom and Partition were in the air. With the worst massacres in recent memory having torn human beings apart in the eastern parts of Bengal and in Bihar, Gandhi was where the violence was, where the pain and desolation were. He was in the Noakhali region of Bengal. In the first week of that December 1946, as Gandhi walked across East Bengals shattered villages, Nehru and Jinnah flew to London together, at the invitation of Attlees government, to find a solution to the great discord between the Congress and the Muslim League (ML) on the scope of the new Constitution. The last ditch is a phrase that could be said to have been devised to describe that effort. Can an undivided India be saved? Jinnah was clear. For him saving undivided India from division was not the aim. Creating Pakistan was. Jinnah was as a clenched fist. Tight, firm. The talks, held over December 3 to 6 failed. London said it would not contemplate forcing a constitution upon any unwilling part of the country. There was no chance for the talks to have succeeded. On the 6th, failure was officially announced and the two leaders flew back, Jinnah ebullient, Nehru in deep gloom. Read: BJP attempt to obscure Nehrus contribution to nation-building wont work On the 28th, he did what was the most natural thing for him. With Congress president Acharya Kripalani, he went to Gandhi, carrying with him his great burden of care, of worry. Fear he did not know. But gloom he did. He carried with him all his churning emotions to place them before the Mahatma, and seek from him the gift of some light in the dark, some hope in the hopelessness. He reached Srirampur around midnight and turned in to meet the Mahatma first thing in the morning. But the 77-year-old host was up by 2.30 am to check if the few rudimentary arrangements he had made for Jawaharlal in that little village had worked for the guests comfort. No, he was told. Why? Jawaharlalji refused to have any special comforts made for him. Kripalaniji, likewise. But I had told you to, he up-braided people around him. What could we do, Bapu, when we told Jawaharlalji that Bapu has ordered us to give you these essentials he said: Disobey him! Gandhi smiled at this. That is Jawaharlal, he said so let it be. Read: A contemporary view of Nehru and Patel Over the whole of December 29, Nehru gave Gandhi an account of the MLs obstinacy at the London talks. He pleaded with Gandhi to leave Noakhali and return to Delhi so as to be there for the Congress and the interim cabinet to turn to, to consult. Gandhi was adamant that his work was where suffering was, Noakhali where Hindus had been slaughtered and Bihar, where Muslims were butchered. Nehru tried again, on the 30th. To no avail. He had brought with him for his host, apart from the burden of his gloom and worry, a gift. A gift for the Mahatma? What gift material gift could Nehru possibly give to Gandhi and in that hour of the deepest darkness and sorrow, in the very heart of communal frenzy? And what is that gift that Gandhi would accept, not return or turn over for public use? It was, from the author of The Discovery of India, a pen, a fountain pen. The extraordinary Gandhi chronicler CB Dalal in his re-creation of Gandhis daily chronological sequence has a cryptic entry (in Gujarati) against December 28, 1946, Srirampur: Jawaharlal and others came to meet. Gift of a fountain pen from Jawaharlal. I have tried without success to learn more about that pen, its make, its present lodgement. I have not succeeded. Perhaps a reader of this column, a diligent researcher, archivist or a Gandhi museum conserver, will enlighten us about it. Read: From South Africa to Israel, these roads and statues honour the Mahatma I do not know but would like to believe that the following note to Nehru written at 3 am on December 30, 1946, was written with that new pen: Your affection is extraordinary and so natural! Come again, when you wish, or send someone who understands you and will faithfully interpret my reactionsNor is it seemly that you should often run to me even though I claim to be like a wise father to you, having no less love towards you than Motilalji.(But) somehow I feel that my judgment about the communal problems and the political situation is trueSo, I suggest frequent consultations with an old, tried servant of the nation. On New Years day, as Gandhi left Srirampur he spoke to the villagers about his own shortcomings. Point out my faults to me, he told them. Friends are friends only if they do that. Seventy years on, we have become good at faulting that old, tried servant of the nation. And adept at not consulting him. Gopalkrishna Gandhi is distinguished professor of history and politics, Ashoka University The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Last week there were somewhere between a 100 to over a 1,000 NRIs (Non Resident Indians) all over Punjab trying to persuade their fellow Punjabis to support AAP in the elections. Whether or not their dreams are realised, the Kejriwal disruption looks like it could finally end the rancid politics that has ruled this region for decades. The idea of a glorious Punjab still has a mythical grip over its worldwide diaspora. You can find a Punjabi anywhere and bond with them over the culture, the music, food, language and yes, the homeland. Punjabis are proud. More than that, we are not shy of telling others we are proud to be Punjabis. We wear that badge with a feeling a mother gets when her son is top of his class. But there is another bond that Punjabis share: A deep sense of anguish about the state of their homeland. Punjab has gone from the being the bread-basket of India to being the basket-case of India. It used to be one of the richest states in the country, but it is now a mediocre embarrassment. The Punjab that lives on in the imagination of Punjabis abroad is a far cry from the harsh reality that exists there now. Their pleasant memories now look like absurd fantasies. Read: Some NRI supporters of AAP to stay in Punjab till March 11 for celebrations What is the problem with Punjab? Everyone has their own explanations. Its farmers have been decimated thanks to a mixture of political corruption, lack of reform and innovation, growing debt and exploitation by money-lenders. Plus there is rampant alcoholism and drug abuse - the issues that Punjabs ruling classes are too invested in or too afraid to talk about. It perhaps has more drugs-related crime and addicts than any other state in India. The number of alcohol stores shocks outsiders and the stories of drug abuse can make anyones stomach churn. And then there is the deteriorating treatment of women. Punjab is now the second-worst state for its under-six female to male ratio (846 girls to 1,000 boys). So many girls get aborted or murdered as infants that the state is running out of eligible women. The drugs and alcohol crisis has also led to an increase in violence against women. This isnt a full list of Punjabs problems and neither am I claiming that Punjab is doomed. But it is painful to see that such a promising land is in such dire straits. Read: NRIs hit campaign trail because Punjabis are hurting worldwide Over the years, money has been sent back from Punjabis who had left for Britain, America and (more recently) Canada. In recent years many of them have also come back to invest money, start a business or buy property. So where did that money and those opportunities go? Punjab has been blessed with rich resources, with relatively fertile land and some of the most industrious people in the country. The bigger tragedy is that the spiritual homeland of Sikhs, where 10 Gurus tirelessly led a movement for enlightenment, equality and honesty has long been going in the opposite direction. How has it come to this? There is little point blaming others for this mess. Punjabis arent easily manipulated puppets at the mercy of outside forces. What lies at the heart of its problems is the political establishment that has milked it dry. The stench of corruption is turning everything into dust. Read: In Malwa, its advantage AAP but Congress not far behind If you even mention the Shiromani Akali Dal to a young Punjabi abroad who is interested in politics, you are likely to get a look of disgust. The party that claims to represent Sikhs has done nothing but let them down. Not that the others are better: the Congress has always been a disappointment (when they are not actively persecuting Sikhs) and the BJP will never understand their concerns. This leaves the Aam Aadmi Party, which, after a long time, has brought a glimmer of hope among some Punjabis in Britain. Thats presumably why some have travelled back to volunteer for the party (I should say that I have no affiliation with AAP, nor have I ever volunteered for them). But whether the AAP can fulfil all its promises or not, it is clear that Punjabs political establishment needs shock therapy. Great empires rarely get destroyed from outside; they are first extinguished, through corruption and incompetence, from the inside. Only then is an outsider is able to defeat them. Punjabs slow destruction isnt the work of a central government conspiracy, as much as its politicians like to tell people, it has happened because they care more about lining their own pockets than its people. This is the first in a long time I have seen desis across the world paying some attention to state elections in hope. Many of them hope, like I do, that its youth stand up and make themselves heard. The hopes and dreams of Punjabis everywhere rests on their shoulders. Sunny Hundal is a writer and lecturer on digital journalism based in London The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A convicted paedophile was arrested for kidnapping and sexually abusing a four-year-old girl in Outer Delhis Vijay Vihar area on Monday, his third involvement in such crime over a decade. Naresh, a 40-year-old bootlegger, is suspected by police of sexually abusing many more girls and teams have been formed to identify more victims. Last month, a 38-year-old tailor from Rudrapur in Uttarakhand was arrested for allegedly raping and molesting scores of girls in Delhi and other states. Mostly in the habit of targeting girls returning home from school, Sunil Rastogi was booked in two cases of rape and one case of molestation, and police continue to investigate his other involvements. Police said, with the latest FIR against him, Naresh has three registered cases of sexually abusing children. After his arrest today (Monday), one more woman came forward with a similar complaint, but she does not want to pursue the case, said a senior police officer. The unmarried man would allegedly kidnap the girls most of them in the age group 3 and 10 years and take them to isolated places where he would strip and grope them. His first involvement in kidnapping and sexually abusing a child was in 2007 in Rohini. Police said Nareshs interrogation has suggested that he is undergoing trial in that case and is out on bail. He is also undergoing trial after being arrested under the Excise Act. Since we arrested him just a few hours ago, we still need to verify his claims and know the current status of those two cases against him, said MN Tiwari, DCP (Rohini district). What the DCP claimed to have verified is that Naresh was convicted in another case of kidnapping and molesting a child in 2013. That crime too had happened in Vijay Vihar area and Naresh was arrested in April, 2013. He was convicted and awarded a three-year prison term in that case, but the court reduced the sentence and he was let off after serving about a year in jail, said the DCP based on the initial probe. Nareshs latest victim was the four-year-old daughter of a woman who irons clothes in Vijay Vihar area. The child was playing near her mothers workplace on Monday morning when Naresh allegedly kidnapped her. On finding her daughter missing, the woman launched a frantic search and soon spotted her daughter with Naresh. She raised an alarm and the accused was caught by the public and handed over to the police. He was booked for kidnapping and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Our interrogation so far shows Naresh was constantly on the lookout for unattended children. He appears to be mentally stable, said an investigator. Shared rides through app-based cab aggregators could soon stop as the Delhi government is planning to prohibit such services. This is in line with the Karnataka governments move, which banned shared services provided by Ola and Uber. The car pooling facilities have gained popularity in just a span of 15 months as the rides cost up to 50% less than the usual fares, which are already cheaper than radio taxis. These services are in violation of permit conditions. Cab aggregators are introducing and running these facilities in a very clandestine way. They have been bringing out more variants of shared rides, which is technically illegal. The government was never consulted, an official said, referring to variants such as Ola Share Express which operate on fixed routes at a minimum fare of Rs 30. If a ban is in put in place, implementation is going to be a problem. Estimates with the transport department peg the number of such cabs between 45,000 and 50,000 in Delhi. However, officials said its enforcement team and Delhi Police would work together to impound violating cabs. Sources said the Delhi government will write to the Centre asking it to amend the Motor Vehicles Act at the earliest. Car pooling is a good practice as it curbs pollution and decongests roads. But the fact that it is not within the law raises serious safety concerns. If an unforeseen incident happens during a shared ride, all fingers will be raised at the government, an official working in transport minister Satyendar Jains office said. App-based cab operators are a given contract carriage licence which requires them to pick up passengers from point A and drop them at point B. Nobody else is allowed to board the cab midway. Only an individual or a group can book such cabs. While they have only contract carriage permits, cab aggregators are using liberties of what is entitled under a stage carriage permit which allows the vehicle to pick up and drop passengers along its scheduled route. These are mostly buses and it is mandatory for each individual to buy separate tickets, officials explained. Read | Delhis once omnipresent kaali-peeli cabs are fading away silently Uber said its services are well within the law. We are in talks with the Karnataka government and the issue is going to be resolved soon. Even though we havent heard any such thing from the Delhi government, we would explain our stand to them as well, if required, a spokesperson said. Ola refused to comment. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Eleven women have died over the past two months at Asha Kiran, a shelter for women with mental health disorders, said Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal. The shocking revelations by Maliwal, after inspecting the womens shelter in Rohini, have thrown up several questions about the quality of life led by mentally challenged women and children at the home. The shelter, which has a sanctioned strength of 350, is mostly overcrowded with the head count going up to as high as 900 at times. The number of women living in the home is often three times the capacity. The reason is that there are not enough facilities like this in Delhi, said Dr Nimesh Desai, director, Institute of Human and Behavioural Sciences (IHBAS), a mental health hospital run by the Delhi government. However, Desai also pointed out that the government has recently started two other similar facilities in the city bringing down the number of residents in Asha Kiran. Yet these deaths happened. Why? asked Dr Desai. Doctors say that in the face of rising mortality at the shelter, the first thing is to ascertain the cause of deaths. A regular health check-up might help as people with mental disability are sometimes not able to communicate about their physical problems. Also, the centre needs to examine if there is neglect, such as in personal hygiene, missed meals or medicines, all areas that staff should assist the residents with, said Dr Sameer Malhotra, director of mental health and behavioural sciences at Delhis Max Hospitals. Malhotra said that another factor that needs to be looked into is the poor quality of care provided by the staff . The government needs to improve the attitude of the staff. People living in these homes may not be able to communicate very well if they are feeling cold or are in pain. The staff has to sensitive to these things, he said. Dr Desai explained that a three-tier system has been put in place to improve the health condition of the inmates. The medical and mental health team at the home has been strengthened, if they require hospitalisation they can be referred to nearby Ambedkar hospital and if they need specialised care they can be sent to GB Pant or IHBAS. Even after such steps if the mortality is high it is shocking, said Dr Desai. He also added that the death rate in homes for people with mental disorders is on the higher side because of their weakened immune system, self neglect and social and institutional neglect. However, he added that this issue must be addressed. People with disabilities need a lot of emotional support from the workers at the shelter, their family members or even from NGOs. It is very important to maintain their dignity and keep them gainfully employed in doing some activities to expend their energy, Dr Malhotra said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Two hardened criminals fired gunshots at a police party near Eros Hotel in Nehru Place on Monday and one of them was arrested barely three months after they took on policemen in a similarly brazen manner. The police signalled Akbar and Asif, known dacoits with a R25,000 reward on their arrest, to stop at a barricade around 2.50am on Monday as there was prior information about their arrival. As the criminals sped away, another police team that had taken position in a private car gave chase and intercepted their motorcycle. Read | Delhi: Shootout near Nehru Place metro station, criminal arrested We rammed the motorcycle with our car to stop them. They responded by firing at us, said a member of the team. The duo fired 10 rounds at the policemen who hit back with five. Bullet-proof jackets saved the policemen from serious injury and they managed to nab Akbar while Asif managed to flee. A .32 bore pistol and four cartridges were seized from Akbar. The motorcycle left behind by the accused was found without any number plate, said Romil Baaniya, DCP (South-East). Earlier, the duo was out to commit a dacoity along with five associates in South Delhis Pul Prahladpur area on December 1 when a police team chased them. Finding themselves cornered, the gang opened fire. While their five associates were nabbed from the spot, Akbar and Asif kept firing on the police party until they managed to escape. That forced the then Delhi Police commissioner to announce a reward of Rs 5,000 on their arrest. So, when sub-inspector Yogesh Kumar and assistant sub-inspector Shyamvir Singh walked out with their team to nab the two criminals in Nehru Place in the early hours of Monday, they went prepared for a gunfight. The battle-hardened officers are no strangers to shootouts. Kumar was involved in an encounter near the Modi Mill flyover just two weeks ago. Singh has been part of over half-a-dozen encounters in his 17-year career. In Mondays gunfight, both policemen were hit in their chests but were saved by their bullet-proof jackets. Akbar could also have managed to escape but for the quick response of Kumar and Singh who recovered swiftly after being hit. When I felt the bullet against my chest, my instant reaction was to feel nervous. But that immediately turned into anger and I began shooting at them, not realising that I was safe because of the bullet-proof jacket, Kumar told Hindustan Times. Singh touched his chest twice to check for blood before joining Kumar to pin Akbar down. Barring the first few seconds immediately after being hit, the only thing on our minds was to catch the criminals, Singh said. Like on previous occasions, both officers initially avoided mentioning the encounter to their families. My wife and children got to know from news channels that I was part of the operation, but they dont know I was hit, Kumar said. They will soon get to know about how close we were to death, but by then I will have pacified them, Singh said. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 Trend: Cuba is interested in Azerbaijani investments, said Cubas Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Georgia Alfredo Nieves Portuondo. The ambassador made the remarks during his meeting with a delegation led by President of Caspian Energy International Media Group Natalya Aliyeva. At the same time, Azerbaijan has always been famous for its agricultural development, and the two countries could cooperate in this area, said Alfredo Nieves Portuondo. If we could create a joint Azerbaijani-Cuban company in the field of agricultural production, it would notably promote the development of the bilateral relations, he noted. The healthcare system is a prioritized sector in Azerbaijan, like in Cuba. In this regard, we can also talk about cooperation in the field of medicine, healthcare services and pharmaceutical industry. It is also possible to conduct exchange in the field of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, Cuba already has such experience with other countries. He also touched upon the cooperation in the oil and gas industry. Cuba produces about 4 million tons of heavy oil per year, mainly in the north of Havana. In the Gulf of Mexico there is a triangle which belongs to Cuba. According to the forecasts, large oil reserves are concentrated there. Currently, we are conducting extensive exploration surveys there jointly with the companies from Norway, Russia, Vietnam, France and Brazil, which use the technology for producing oil from deep horizons. The surveys show the presence of oil there, said the ambassador. Azerbaijan has the richest experience in this area, with more than a hundred years of stable oil and gas production. A lot of students from Cuba are getting education in Baku. We could cooperate in these areas. Alfredo Nieves Portuondo noted that the Azerbaijan-Cuba political relations are at the very high level, and diplomatic efforts will focus on boosting the trade and economic cooperation. We have been invited to take part in the tourism exhibition in Baku. If we can confirm our presence and participation in this exhibition, it will be the first ever in the Cuban history participation in a tourism exhibition in Azerbaijan, he said. Tourism is one of the leading industries in Cuba 4 million tourists visited Cuba in 2016. The ambassador highlighted the great potential for the development of tourist exchange between Azerbaijan and Cuba. He also invited Azerbaijani companies to exhibitions dedicated to foreign trade and tourism in Havana. Alfredo Nieves Portuondo noted his intention to take part in business forums to be hosted by the Caspian European Club (Caspian Business Club) and Caspian American Club in February. Powerful themes and energetic performances is what best describes the street plays by students of the Delhi University (DU). Back with its 7th edition, Udghosh 2017, the theatre festival organised by Shivaji College of Delhi University, has received more than 40 entries so far. Udghosh will open from February 10 and will be held at Shivaji College premises. We have been organising the festival for the last six years and we receive tremendous response from not only Delhi University (DU) but from other universities as well. Out of forty entries, we have selected around 10 to 11 street plays. Based on different themes, the plays will highlight issues such as demonetisation, rape, eve-teasing and others, says Shubham Awana, president of the theatre society, Vayam. With thought-provoking themes, the participants are ready to set the stage on fire. Our play highlights apathy. A team of twenty people, we will show how it grows in our society and becomes a part of us. For example, we dont step ahead and help others but choose to talk about the accident. There is a dire need for empathy and we will try to bring about a change through this play, says Nitya Cyriac, from Jesus and Mary College. Inspired by recent events in Kashmir and Manipur, Gargi College will bring the characters of Burhan Wani and Irom Sharmila to the stage. It is about how militancy and AFSPA (Armed Force Special Power Act) prevail in these areas, and why there is an ongoing debate on national integration and self determination. We will also bring the characters of Burhan Wani and Irom Sharmila on stage, to highlight the concept of integration and determination. Its a major issue and we would like to highlight it, says Nimisha Rajendran, president of Shitij, street society of Gargi College. CATCH IT LIVE WHAT: Udghosh 2017 WHERE: Shivaji College, Delhi University WHEN: Feb 10 TIMINGS: 9 am NEAREST METRO STATION: Rajouri Garden on Blue Line SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The last couple of months, we heard multiple solutions for Indias parking mess. In December, Union urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu recommended that no car or two-wheeler be registered till the owner furnished a certificate of adequate parking space available to him. Then, surface transport minister Nitin Gadkari proposed to hike the current penalty of Rs 200 for illegally parking to Rs 1,000 and to build a mechanism so that people can click pictures of illegal parking, send those to regulatory authorities and be rewarded. Last week, Delhis lieutenant governor Anil Baijal sought a doable parking policy for the national capital. With the Supreme Court-approved graded response system mandating Delhi to enforce higher parking rates when pollution levels peak to very poor levels, the national capital cant procrastinate on this issue for long. But given the mess created over the years, Delhis problem is where to start. According to the Centre for Science and Environment, parking already devours 10% of urban land in Delhi, which is 1.7 times higher than the total area of Dwarka. In some neighbourhoods as much as 45% of the circulation area is under parking encroachment. And the number of vehicles in Delhi will soon touch the 10-million mark. There is no stopping the mafia from encroaching on public land to run illegal parking. (Hindustan Times) Those who park in legal parking slots pay a fee, which was raised from a flat Rs 10 to Rs 20-100 three years back. But the limits of many authorised parking spaces are not demarcated. Also, there is no stopping the mafia from encroaching on public land to run illegal parking. If one doesnt mind the risk involved, one can park under flyovers, in parks and alleys or simply on pavements where parking is free unless the space has already been taken over by the parking mafia. In residential neighbourhoods, single or double storey houses that parked a car or two, have now become multi-storey apartments housing six to eight families who own as many cars or more. While housing prices have skyrocketed, the parking space on public land has remained virtually free. Civic agencies charge only a modest single payment at the time of registering a vehicle. Experts say parking fees should be able to recover the cost of the land used. In the National Capital Region, an additional parking space in a gated community costs as much as Rs 3 lakh. In 2011, the unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi made it mandatory for all new constructions in the city to have stilt parking. But there is no enforcement to check spillover on roads. The world over, cities are trying to cut down on their parking spaces. Abundant parking is anyway a misnomer. As the theory of induced demand goes, the more space you provide on road or for parking, the sooner it gets filled. To assess how much parking space a city can keep or do away with, the planners first need to create an inventory. In 2010, San Francisco did that by counting every publicly accessible parking space, including lots, garages, and free and metered street parking. They found that the city had 441,541 slots, more than half of which were free, on-street spaces. With real-time data on availability and dynamic pricing for spaces, the authorities found that the time people spent looking for parking fell by 43%. Although there is no data available on whether this discouraged drives to San Francisco, various other researches showed that a 10% increase in parking cost could reduce demand between 3-10%, The Guardian reported in September 2016. Mexico City, which suffers from similar levels of congestion and air pollution as Delhi, started charging for parking in residential neighbourhoods by installing meters called EcoParq in 2012. Until then, on-street parking was either free or informally controlled by franeleros, unregulated valet attendants who, like the Delhis parking mafia, often resorted to extortion. Now, 30% of EcoParq revenue is reinvested in the same neighbourhoods. Some have used it to build sidewalks, others have installed streetlights. For a long time now, experts have been asking the government to charge residents a monthly parking fee in Delhi. That is a good thought to put in the doable parking policy. It is only fair that we pay for the public space our cars occupy. And perhaps pay incrementally more for our second and third cars parked outside. Anyone? shivani.singh@hindustantimes.com SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON An open drain passing through Mehrauli Archaeological Park poses threat to late Mughal era monument being restored by the state archaeological department. Despite several reminders to Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) by the department, no civic agency is willing to take the onus of this drain. The drain in question is located barely two metres away from the boundary wall of an unknown tomb where the conservation work is going on. It carries sewage from Mehrauli village to the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) located in the vicinity of Mehrauli-Gurgaon (MG) Road. Although a large portion of the drain is covered but around 15 metres near the structure has been left open. Read more: Akbars Delhi: Tracing the Mughal rulers legacy in monuments A senior official of the department said both agencies put the blame on the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and are not coming forward to resolve the issue. Their argument is that because the drain is laid on the DDAs land so the authority should take its responsibility. We had a meeting in Delhi lieutenant governors office earlier but the issue could not be resolved, he said. Large portion of this tomb, another sepulcher with jharokha, and a horse stable were not visible until recently as they were buried under the debris. The department and the conservator were surprised when they discovered the actual height, hidden chambers and graves. Read more: Delhis historic libraries are in a monumental mess The restoration work is being carried out in collaboration with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). When we started scientific digging and cleaning process, we realised that actually this tomb was a two-levelled structure. The lower level is around three metre below the ground level. These are new discoveries, Swapna Liddle, convenor, INTACH Delhi chapter. Read more: Grenade found in old well at Red Fort, fire tenders reach the spot Similarly, ruins of adjoining tomb with jharokha and horse stable were also partially hidden. These monuments are recorded in the heritage listings but less information is available about them. As part of the conservation, 19 buildings in the park are to be restored. All hard work and money will go in vain if the drain is not shifted or covered with immediate effect. In monsoon, it may flood the tomb, she said. Read more: In search of Delhis fabled djinns The issue was also mentioned before the Delhi high court last week, which is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by INTACH seeking preservation and protection of about 80 monuments in the park. A senior official of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) said all stakeholders are likely to meet soon to find out the solution to the problem. Until four years ago, the drain was being maintained by the corporation. But it is now with the DDA. Following the court directions, a meeting is to be convened in which representatives of all agencies will be present. Hopefully, the issue will be resolved, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The British Council has announced the Great Britain ScholarshipsIndia 2017 worth one million pounds as part of campaign to attract Indian students. 198 scholarships in subject areas ranging from art and design to engineering, law and management are on offer for students aspiring to study in the UK, British Council (South India) Director Mei-kwei Barker told reporters in Hyderabad on Monday. A total of 29 under-graduate and 169 post-graduate scholarships will be provided in engineering, law, art and design and management. UK provides the truly international education experience for students and presently five lakh overseas students are studying in the United Kingdom, she said. The British Council will host Study UK: Discover You exhibition in Hyderabad on Tuesday for aspirants wanting to know more about education opportunities in the UK, she said. The visitors will get an opportunity to directly talk to representatives from over 20 UK universities and get all their questions answered on course choices, visas, applications, scholarships and more. The British Council has also launched a mobile app (Study UK Discover You Exhibition 2017) in India which will help students and parents plan their visit to the education exhibitions effectively, she said. Reacting to a query on the issue of recognition of the UKs one-year Masters programme in India, Barker said, In the UK, the courses are more intense. That course is recognised across the world... with the UK universities we are in contact with them to try to work out through with the Indian government. But, it is recognised across the world and it is recognised in private industry. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said the Chief Secretary and DGP will probe the alleged paper leak in the clerk recruitment exam conducted by the Bihar State Staff Selection Commission (BSSC). I have asked Chief Secretary (Anjani Kumar Singh) and DGP (P K Thakur) to probe into reports of alleged leak of question paper in the BSSC exam, Kumar told reporters. The CM, flanked by state Education minister Ashok Choudhary, said he has read newspaper reports about the allegation of leak of question paper on Sunday. TV channels said the cheating was done through WhatsApp. But, the government is not going by any of the versions and has asked CS and DGP to inquire into it, Kumar said taking questions from media after conclusion of a Lok Samvad (public interaction) programme. Media reports had alleged that 28 people reportedly helped BSSC examinees from a house in Nawada district on Sunday through sophisticated electronic devices. The Patna police had arrested five persons during Sundays exam for using unfair means. BSSC officials, however, denied the leak. BSSC conducts the examination for recruitment of clerks. The first phase of examination was held on Sunday for the same. As many as 14 of the countrys 20 Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) dont have a director, the government on Monday informed the Lok Sabha. In a written reply, minister of state for human resource development, Mahendra Nath Pandey, said that the posts of director were lying vacant in the IIMs in Bangalore, Amritsar, Kozhikode, Sirmaur, Rohtak, Bodh Gaya, Ranchi, Sambalpur, Raipur, Nagpur, Udaipur, Visakhapatnam, Tiruchirappalli and the newly set up Jammu. Pandey said seven new IIMs -- Amritsar, Sirmaur, Bodh Gaya, Sambalpur, Nagpur, Visakhapatnam and Jammu are being looked after by directors of the mentor IIMs till the appointment of regular director. For other IIMs, the tenure of the outgoing director has been extended or the senior most professor of the institute has been given additional charge of the post of director, said Pandey. He said that except for IIM Kozhikode and Jammu, the search-cum-selection committee has recommended a panel of names for the post of director, which are under consideration of the government. For IIM Kozhikode and IIM Jammu, advertisement for the posts has been issued, he said. The minister also informed about the governments proposal to upgrade/set up 20 world class teaching and research institutions, to be named as Institutions of Eminence. As per the draft Guidelines, all public educational institutions including IIMs are eligible to apply for Institutions of Eminence. The selection process for Institutions of Eminence shall start only after the Guidelines and Regulations are notified, he added. The 20 world-class universities were proposed in last years Union Budget. Pandey said that 10 of them will be in the public sector. Students at Harvard are working hard to ensure the success of the India Conference, scheduled for February 11 and 12. A team of volunteers has so far raised funds, written to speakers, secured confirmations, and put together panels and themes from which audiences can get valuable takeaways. Speakers will include former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, former CAG Vinod Rai, politician Shashi Tharoor, filmmaker Deepa Mehta, fashion designer Manish Malhotra, Bollywood actors R Madhavan, Viveik Oberoi and actor-politician Pawan Kalyan, the younger brother of Chiranjeevi. The theme of this years conference is India - the Global Growth Engine, where everything from gender equality to demonetisation to Kashmir will be discussed. Rahul Srinivasan, co-chair India Conference at Harvard and master in public administration (MPA) candidate, 2017, at the John F Kennedy School of Government, is excited as its turning out to be a mega event with 1,000 people expected to attend. What support is Harvard extending to the students? Srinivasan says no funding comes from the institute as such events are a crucible for students to develop their leadership skills. All of the challenges we face get converted to opportunities for us. And theres no shortage of helping hands. Srinivasan says he and about 80 volunteers from across campuses, including his institute, the Harvard Law School, Harvard Business School, and Harvard Medical School, are helping put the event together. Hindustan Times is knowledge partner for the event. While there can be no rules in fashion, there are certain things that please the eyes while certain things dont. Its great that fashion has moved towards whats easy, fun and relaxed, but you still need to get a few things right to look your best. You can end up looking weird due to wrong fit, unflattering cuts or hair styled without keeping in mind the feel and beauty of your outfit. These celeb sightings give us a few quick lessons in style. Anushka Sharma Top knot has been trending but it doesnt go with Anushka Sharmas sari-blouse look. The hairstyle looks cute, but it would have worked better with a dress, gown or even pantsuits. We would have preferred something romantic and retro with her sari, like old Hollywood waves, soft curls or fingerwaves. Lesson learnt: Always road test a new hairstyle before you wear it to a special occasion. Team it with what youre going to wear and see how it looks. Vani Kapoor The easiest way to kill a great outfit is to find a poor fit. This is exactly what Vani Kapoor did to this brocade pantsuit. The fit and fall of the pants looks awkward, ruining a stunning outfit. Lesson learnt: Check the fit, fall and length of your pants in the mirror. It doesnt hurt to carry the shoes that you are going to wear with the pants into the fitting room. Raveena Tandon A heavily embellished outfit look can end up looking jarring if you team it with equally elaborate jewellery. Raveena Tandon didnt need the necklace with the outfit. Just a pair of striking earrings would have been enough. Lesson learnt: Forget jewellery when your outfit already has enough bling. If you just cant do without jewellery, limit it to a beautiful ring or striking earrings. Sonam Kapoor Sonam Kapoor didnt need to cinch the jacket at the waist with that oversized belt. Matching your belt with your bag is also an outdated idea. Lesson learnt: Do not accessorize your outfit just for the sake of accessorizing. Also stay away from deliberate matching. Vidya Balan The voluminous salwar doesnt do a thing for Vidya Balans figure, the kurta looks crumpled and the cut makes her look stocky. Also, the chunky golden wedges are a bad pick, not meant to be worn anywhere by anyone, with any outfit. Lesson learnt: Pick up flattering silhouettes that show off your curvy body, not the ones that make your frame seem larger. And dont wear bulky, garish footwear. Kangana Ranaut Kangana rarely gets it wrong when it comes to fashion, but we are unhappy with this pick. Wrapping paper? Curtains? We are clueless what are the inspirations. Bold stripes can be overwhelming when you wear them head-to-toe. In this case, we only get to see the stripes and not the one wearying it. Also, the way the dress folds on both the sides looks odd. Its too broad and too long for the actor. Lesson learnt: Do not get carried away by what you see on the ramp. Try the outfit, stand in front of the mirror, turn left, turn right, turn around before you make up your mind. Katrina Kaif Katrinas satin slip dress looks crumpled and there is nothing great about the design. While the actor looks beautiful, this dress is something she should have restricted to the bedroom. Lesson learnt: While its trendy to wear your nightwear to a party, make sure your pick is gorgeous or else it will look like what it was meant to be sleepwear SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Gurgaon police has identified three men in connection with the murder of Vikrant alias Vicky who lived in Gopal Nagar, Delhi. He was shot dead at Palam Vihar area in Gurgaon on Sunday evening, police said. Vikrant, 25, son of Nepal Singh is originally from Jhajjar district in Haryana. The body was handed over to the family members on Monday after a postmortem examination. He suffered three bullet injuries, including one in the stomach, police said. Police said they suspect personal enmity and inter-gang rivalry as the reasons behind the murder. We have identified three men - Rahul Kumar, Vikas Singh and Anshul. We have formed teams and are conducting raids to arrest the accused, inspector Sandeep Kumar, SHO Palam Vihar, said. Vikas is from Jhajjar, and Rahul Kumar and Anshul are from Najafgarh in Delhi. Palam Vihar and Bajghera are turning into hunting grounds for criminals from Najafgarh and border areas of Delhi. The assailants find it convenient to commit crimes in the desolate areas and slip back to Delhi, where it is easier for them to find shelter and evade from being detected by the Gurgaon police. A number of carjacking, and other crimes have been reported from the area in the last few years because of its closeness to the Delhi border. On Sunday, the four friends came to Bajghera and had several drinks together in a Chevrolet Beat car. After an hour, they drove towards the outlying areas of Bajghera and the trio shot Vicky, police said. The cyber crime cell is also conducting investigation and has took call data records of the Vikrant, leading to the identification of the accused, police said. Vikrant owned a pub/bar in Rajokri and was financially sound, police said. An FIR was registered under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code at the Palam Vihar police station on Sunday. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The city administration has decided to take strict action against schools violating the transport safety norms and putting the lives of children at risk. Gurgaon deputy commissioner(DC) Hardeep Singh on Monday held a meeting with school representatives and asked them to ensure that rules pertaining to school buses are adhered to strictly. It was decided that white coloured private buses, which are often contracted by the schools to ferry children, will not be allowed to ply from April 1. The citys 350 schools have about 1,610 vehicles that are used to transport children across the city. Out of these, about 300 are white coloured private buses. It was decided at the meeting that these private buses will be phased out by the start of the next academic session. Read I Gurgaon school bus fire: Parents to boycott private buses Singh also said that the district administration will act against any school that does not comply with the Surakshit School Vahan policy. He also directed that none of the schools should contract transport companies or vehicles that dont follow the norms strictly. The school managements were also told to install CCTV cameras with adequate backup to store footage for a minimum of six months. The presence of female attendants in buses on which girls travel has also been made mandatory. The Gurgaon regional transport officer(RTO) has also decided to conduct a verification of school bus drivers and made it clear that they must have a minimum 5 years driving experience. It has also devised a 27-point performa that will be used by drivers to check whether the vehicles meet the required norms and standards. We handed copies of Surakshit Vahan policy to representatives of all the schools during the meeting and also gave them forms listing 27 mandatory points that are to be checked out by the drivers. We will conduct surprise checks and penalise drivers who dont obey the rules, Trilok Chand, secretary, RTA, said. The schools requested us to give them a sessions time to implement new rules and promised to ply only yellow coloured buses, Chand said. The RTA officials issued an ultimatum saying the schools have to replace all white coloured buses with yellow coloured ones by the start of the next academic session or else the vehicles would be impounded. The department also promised to organise medical camps from time to time for school bus drivers and staff. Traffic police officers also asked the school authorities to advise the drivers to drive safely and not exceed the speed limit of 50 kmph. We have asked the schools to ensure proper parking and stoppage at designated bus stops. Any driver found parking on the middle of the road will be penalised. We have formed special teams across the city to keep vigil on the school buses, DCP(Traffic), Balbir Singh, said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 By Anakhanum Hidayatova Trend: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is now being developed, can be advantageous for Azerbaijan as well, Pakistans Ambassador Saeed Khan Mohmand told reporters in Baku. He reminded that the corridor will cut the distance of cargo transportation by 14,000 kilometers. It is expected that 300-400 million tons of cargo will be transported via the corridor. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is an infrastructure project funded by China. As part of the project, it is expected to link the Pakistani southwestern port city of Gwadar with China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region through a wide network of roads and railways. The project will become an alternative to transportation via the Strait of Malacca. Amidst rumours that questions of Bihar State Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) intermediate-level (second phase) examination were moving around on the WhatsApp messenger, police on Sunday arrested 28 persons for reportedly helping examinees adopt unfair means through sophisticated electronic devices. The BSSC conducts examination for appointment of clerks in the state government. The first phase examination was held on January 29. Acting on a tip-off, a police team headed by Pakri Barama sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Ram Pukar Singh raided a house on Warsaliganj Bypass road in Nawada district, 84 km from Patna, and arrested 28 people along with electronic devices meant for allegedly helping the examinees in writing papers for BSSC second phase examination. Those arrested had allegedly taken a huge amount of money from aspirants to ensure success in the examination, a police officer said. Warisaliganj station house officer Mritunjay Kumar said: Police are interrogating the arrested persons to elicit more information. All the accused will be sent to jail after necessary formalities. The Patna police also arrested five examinees from different examination centres for using unfair means. Earlier on Saturday, Patna police had arrested three persons, allegedly engaged in planning to help BSSC examinees on January 29. Police also seized electronic gadgets, including 13 Bluetooth devices, 10 batteries, 90 earphones, 10 cell phones, four SIM cards, besides undergarments and shirts fitted with hi-tech gadgets to facilitate cheating in the exam hall. Soon after examination concluded on Sunday, TV channels showed some candidates claiming that 70-80% questions that they had got before the test tallied with the actual question paper. However, BSSC chairman Sudhir Kumar and secretary Parmeshwar Ram outrightly rejected the allegation of question paper leak, dubbing it as just a rumour. Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaaj also refuted the leak reports, saying the ADM (law and order) and DSP (law and order) were directed to compare the questions available in the market with the actual paper and the two did not tally. It means there was no paper leak, he added. Bihar education minister Ashok Choudhary went to the extent of saying it was an attempt to malign the image of the state once again and those responsible would not be spared. The BSSC chairman Kumar said over 4.5 lakh candidates have appeared in the two phases of the clerk grade examination at nearly 750 centres across Bihar. In this examination, every candidate is allowed to take up to three textbooks inside the hall. It means if there are 50 candidates in a hall, 150 textbooks will be available inside, though mobile phones are not allowed, he added. The chairman said he was unable to understand why question papers would be leaked if books were allowed inside the examination hall. But yes, there is always a possibility of some candidates doing mischief or running away with papers. If isolated cases are blown out of all proportion to paint it as a case of question paper leak, not much can be done. The fact is that we have not got any such complaint from anywhere, he added. Union minister Maneka Gandhi has called for punitive action against unscrupulous elements who do not register children born to unwed mothers and undesiring parents, under the legal system of adoption. The women and child development (WCD) minister has written to JP Nadda, asking his health ministry to crack the whip on the unscrupulous nursing homes, hospitals and their agents who do not register such children. Government and NGO sources said that such children often end up becoming victims of trafficking. Under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, the concerned healthcare institutions have to report such children within 24 hours so that they get registered under the legal system of adoption. A healthcare institution faces hefty fine and jail under Section 34 of the JJ Act for not reporting. There are very few children brought into the adoption system of the ministry through this route despite tens of thousands of children who are born under such circumstances..., she said. Currently, 13,000 parents have registered with Central Adoption Resource Authority, a statutory body under WCD ministry for adoption of Indian children. As against this number, only 3,011 children were given up for adoption in 2015-16. Gandhi has said that the main reason for this is that a very large number of children, often born to unwed mothers or parents not desiring a child, are put into illegal system of adoption. The scale of this problem, as per some ground information, is disturbing, she said in her letter and asked Nadda to direct healthcare institutions to comply with the provisions of JJ Act. Besides, state level enforcement agencies should undertake preventive, deterring and sensitisation exercise in this direction. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Banaras Hindu University (BHU) tops the list of Central universities that witnessed caste-based discrimination against Dalits in 2015-16. The university registered 19 such cases, followed by Gujarat University with 18 complaints , according to the University Grants Commission (UGC). Incidentally, JD(U) MP Ali Anwar Ansari on Monday also slammed BHU for trampling the rights of students by imposing restrictions on eating non-vegetarian food for female students, hostel timings and round-the-clock access to internet. The UGCs figures on caste-based discrimination were reported in response to a question in Lok Sabha on Monday. In 2015-16, there were 102 complaints of discrimination against Dalits and 40 against tribals in 18 central universities . The issue of caste discrimination on campuses had come to light after Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula committed suicide at the University of Hyderabad last year. After his death, a number of SC/ST students from across the country had came forward and expressed their insecurity in higher educational institutions. BHU vice-chancellor Prof Girish Chandra Tripathi, however, claimed there was no caste-based discrimination in BHU. No such case came into my knowledge. As I havent seen the report, it is not appropriate to comment, he said. The UGCs figures, as provided by the government in the Lok Sabha, are based on the reports submitted by universities. Both UP and Gujarat have the maximum number of universities that have reported castebased complaints. In Delhi, seven such complaints were received from Indira Gandhi National Open University and three from Jawaharlal Nehru University. JNU registrar Pramod Kumar said, We have a separate equal opportunity cell. Each complaint is thoroughly investigated, he said Total number of caste based complaints against SC (Scheduled Caste) 102 Benares Hindu University- 19 Gujarat University 18 Saurashtra University 9 Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University 8 Karnataka Veterinary Animal and Fisheries Science University - 8 Indira Gandhi National Open University 7 Maharishi Dayanand University (Haryana) 6 Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj, Medical University 5 Jawaharlal Nehru University 3 SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Describing the recent collision of two ships off Chennai coast as an unfortunate incident caused by human error, state fisheries minister D Jayakumar on Monday said all efforts are being made to remove the slick and maintained that the oil spill from the damaged vessel has been arrested. It is an unfortunate incident caused by human error. The government is making all efforts to remove the oil slick from the sea, Jayakumar told reporters in Chennai. The collision took place on January 28 at 4 AM when M T BW Maple, with a flag of Isle of Man, was leaving after emptying Liquefied Petroleum Gas, and MT Dawn Kanchipuram loaded with petroleum oil lubricant (POL) was on its way to berth at the Kamarajar Port, formerly Ennore port. Responding to a query on oil leak from the damaged vessel (Dawn Kanchipuram), Jayakumar said, the leakage from the ship has been totally arrested. Both the vessels (cargo ships) are right now under the custody of Kamarajar Port Ltd. On peoples apprehensions about consuming fish caught by fishermen, Jayakumar reiterated his stand that it was safe to consume as fishermen normally fish in deep sea than in shallow waters. I have been saying this many times. Generally, fishermen undertake deep sea fishing. It is not true that fish are caught from shallow waters, he said. He warned that action would be taken against those spreading rumours on social media like Whatsapp that it was not safe to consume fish. We have been testing the fish. We also have a team from Tamil Nadu Fisheries University which has confirmed that fish is safe to be consumed, he said. At least 59 commandos of the CRPFs elite CoBRA unit are likely to face action for unauthorised absence from duty after they allegedly decided to visit their families midway through a train journey to their place of posting, officials said on Monday. Though individual absence without official approval is common in the forces, such mass bunking is rare. The errant commandos were part of a group of 300 who were returning after a six-month-long training at the CRPFs recruitment training centre in Srinagar, the officials added. They were on their way to Gaya in Bihar, their first place of posting. It is a case of unauthorised absence from duty. We have initiated a court of inquiry into the incidentDisciplinary action will be taken against them as per rules, said a senior CRPF official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The force managed to get in touch with either the commandos or their families. They have promised to return by Tuesday, he added. CRPF issues clarification regarding the 59 trainees of 205CoBRA Bn, who went missing from train sans informing before their first deployment pic.twitter.com/hXTY1XolvF ANI (@ANI_news) February 6, 2017 The CRPF the commonly used acronym for Central Reserve Police Force raised the CoBRA unit in 2009 to tackle Maoist insurgents who are active in several states including Bihar and Jharkhand. The official said the 300-strong was scheduled to board the Sealdah Express from Jammu on Sunday. But due to inclement weather and road blockade these personnel were sent to Jammu four days early on Wednesday (February 1). Since they had reached Jammu early, the batch of around 300 commandos decided against waiting in Jammu and boarded the train for their respective destinations on Thursday, the CRPF said in a statement. But once the train reached Mughalsarai in Uttar Pradesh on Friday, the 59 decided to de-board there. Their native places were nearby so they decided to visit their families on Saturday and Sunday before reporting for duty on February 7 in Gaya, the official added. Though a head constable was accompanying the commandos, they allegedly left for their homes without informing him. He reported the incident (to us) and since then we have been trying to get in touch with them. In many cases, their mobile phones were found switched off but we spoke to their families asking them to return, said the official. Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Jyotiraditya Scindia led the opposition attack on the BJP-led NDA government in the Lok Sabha on Monday, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modis demonetisation move had resulted in massive job losses and did little to meet its declared objectives of abolishing black money and terror funding. While Kharge demanded an apology from the Prime Minister, who was present in the House, for the note ban decision which caused 125 deaths and lot of troubles to the people, Scindia hit out at the government over the issues of foreign policy, internal security, one-rank-one pension, MNREGA, demonetisation and farmers suicides. First this government tried to teach us what to wear and what to speak and now they are telling us how to spend our own money, Scindia said attacking the note ban move. Scindia said the governments foreign policy has been reduced to mere photo op given that it failed to get the membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, and was also unsuccessful in ensuring the mention of terror outfits such as Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba in the Goa declaration of the last years Brics summit. Scindia, who is the Congress partys chief whip in the Lok Sabha, claimed that the highest number of ceasefire violations was witnessed in 2016 and these increased after the September 29 surgical strikes along the Line of Control (LoC). He also lashed out at the Prime Ministers speech at Meerut on Saturday where he is said to have referred to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as Pakistans territory. During his 100-minute speech, Kharge took repeated digs at the Prime Minister and the government, resulting in regular sparring between the BJP and Congress members. You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time, he said, quoting Abraham Lincoln. He claimed that the economists across the world had termed the note ban move as bad. When some BJP members said former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had imposed emergency in the country, Congress president Sonia Gandhi was quick to react. We have an emergency even today, she said. Kharge added: At that time, it was a declared emergency. Under you there is an undeclared emergency. Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said the Congress should be thanked for protecting democracy in the country because of which Narendra Modi, coming from a poor family, could become the Prime Minister of India. Participating in the Motion of Thanks to the President for his address, Kharge said the Congress had protected democracy for 70 years and slammed the BJP for saying repeatedly that the Congress did not do anything for years. During the course of Kharges around one hour-40 minutes long speech, members from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sparred with the Congress members several times, as Kharge launched an attack on the government. The long speech also forced Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to ask him to conclude repeatedly, with one of the ruling party members even quoting a rule urging the Speaker to force him to stop the address. Kharge also took on the government over demonetisation, stating that the Prime Minister should apologise for the deaths that happened due to banning Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. I think you brought Green Revolution. And White Revolution in your Gujarat also came in your time... (Verghese) Kurien was also born in these times -- everything happened in the last two and half years, Kharge said sarcastically. We brought Green Revolution to feed the people, we brought White Revolution... You question what happened in 70 years, if nothing had been done, you would not have been alive, there would not have been democracy, the Constitution would not have been protected, he said. We protected the Constitution. If Modi came from a poor family and became the Prime Minister, the credit goes to the Congress, which kept democracy alive, Kharge added. Prime Minister Modi was present in the Lok Sabha at the time Kharge made the remarks. As members from treasury benches pointed at the Emergency, the Congress leader said: At that time there was declared Emergency, today there is undeclared Emergency. In the name of Sanatan Dharma, you want people to be divided, he added. Talking about demonetisation, the Congress leader said: So many people died, at least the Prime Minister should have apologised to the people. You can apologise even now, he said. Kharge said government should inform the nation how much black money was recovered post demonetisation, and added: PM knew elections were coming, he wanted people to forget the promised Rs 15 lakh. He also alleged that people were selectively informed about demonetisation. Quoting finance minister Arun Jaitley, who said not a single riot or protest against demonetisation had taken place, Kharge said: Did you want a riot to happen? If there was no agitation it does not mean your step was supported. People of this country are so patient; we were ruled by outsiders for 1,000 years, he said. As a member from the treasury benches quipped that Kharge was still being ruled by outsiders, he said: I am a slave. You were slave to the British, I was a slave to you. To accusations by the government over politicising the September 29 cross-border surgical strike, the Congress leader said they did not question the army but the government. Surgical strike did not happen for the first time; it will keep happening as long as our enemies are there. You are not the custodians of patriotism. The whole nation is with the Army... We are questioning you, he said. The speech saw several angry exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches. Members from the BJP and Congress got into a war of words in the Lok Sabha after Kharge claimed people from his party had laid down their lives for the nation, while none from the BJP had done so. Kharge said leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, and former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi had laid down their lives for the country. Kharge said no one from the present ruling party died for the nation and used unparliamentary language. Even as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said she would remove the comment from the records, it created an uproar in the treasury benches. As ruling party members protested, Kharge said: This is history, it is not unparliamentary. Instructing Kharge not to make such comments, Mahajan said: You should not say something like this. Many people have laid down their lives for the nation. An angry Ananth Kumar of the BJP said Jana Sangh leaders like Syama Prasad Mukherjee and Deendayal Upadhyay also died for the country, and demanded that Kharge should apologise. Launching a direct attack on the Prime Minister, Kharge said: You are very smart in speaking and good at mouthing speeches. But speeches do not fill the stomach. He also quoted Abraham Lincoln and said: You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time. Eight crew members on a flooded boat were rescued and another barge having water ingress was escorted to safety from the Arabian Sea off the Jakhau coast in two separate operations by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). An ICG interceptor boat (IB) received an SOS from a salt barge named MV Priya around 6.30pm on February 4, when it was sailing off the coast of Jakhau, seeking assistance due to flooding on board, the Coast Guard said in a press release issued on Monday. ICG IB on routine patrol in the area immediately diverted for the position, and on reaching, noticed that the said barge was flooded up to bridge level and was tilting to one side... only a quarter deck was partly visible and eight crew were stranded on board, the ICG said. All the eight crew members were safely embarked on board Indian Coast Guard IB, provided first aid, and ferried to Jakhau port, it said. The ICG IB received another call around 1.30am on Sunday from salt barge Karishma, which had accumulated sea water in its carriage area due to rough seas. VHF communication was established and the master of the barge was guided to use local sea water system for de-flooding and to seal all watertight compartments to avoid any further ingress of water, it said. On restoring stable conditions, the barge was safely escorted by Indian Coast Guard IB to enter Jakhau harbour, it said in the release. Tamil Nadu governor Vidyasagar Rao on Monday accepted the resignation of chief minister O Panneerselvam, clearing the decks for VK Sasikla to take over the top post. Panneerselvam resigned on Sunday citing personal reasons. His resignation came after AIADMK chief Sasikala was elected the Legislature Party Leader. I hereby accept your resignation and the resignation of your council of ministers tendered vide your letter dated February 5, 2017, Rao told Panneerselvam. Read: VK Sasikala ready to take charge: The many challenges before the next Tamil Nadu CM In a letter addressed to the chief minister and released by the Raj Bhavan, Rao also asked Panneerselvam and his cabinet to function until alternate arrangements are made. In his resignation letter addressed to the governor, he had said, Due to my personal reasons, I am tendering my resignation from the post of chief minister of Tamil Nadu. Kindly accept my resignation and relieve the council of ministers of Tamil Nadu appointed by me on December 6, 2016. Also read: Sasikala to be Tamil Nadu CM: Moment right for her, but she has to prove mettle Panneerselvam was appointed chief minister on the night of December 5 within hours of the death of his predecessor J Jayalalithaa. Incidentally, he had proposed the name of Sasikala for the top post at the AIADMK MLAs meeting held in the party headquarters here on Sunday. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.6 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Turkey is an increasingly important transit hub for oil and natural gas supplies as they move from Central Asia, Russia, and the Middle East to Europe and other Atlantic markets, the US Energy Information Department (EIA) said in its country analysis. More than 2 million barrels per day of crude oil and condensate flowed through the Turkish Straits in 2015 along with several hundred thousand barrels per day of petroleum products, said the report. Turkey is well placed to serve as a hub for oil and natural gas supply headed to Europe and other Atlantic markets from Russia, the Caspian region, and the Middle East, according to the report. The country has been a major transit point for oil and is becoming more important as a transit point for natural gas. Significant volumes of Caspian oil are sent to Black Sea ports (such as Novorossisyk, Russia and Supsa, Georgia) and then to Western markets by tanker via the Turkish Straits (Bosporus and Dardanelles waterways), said the EIA analysis. Caspian oil and oil from northern Iraq also cross Turkey by pipeline, through the Ceyhan oil terminal on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. As of January 1, 2016, the Oil & Gas Journal (US) estimated Turkey's proved oil reserves at 312 million barrels, while its natural gas reserves are estimated at 177 billion cubic feet. Turkey's growing consumption has helped spur development of multiple pipelines to bring natural gas into the country, and while it has left little natural gas available for export, new supplies have been contracted and new pipelines are under construction that will increase Turkey's imports and exports of natural gas, EIA analysts believe. Turkey currently has two crude oil import pipelines: the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline from Azerbaijan and a pipeline from northern Iraq to Ceyhan, Turkey. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Police in Andhra Pradesh have booked a case of assault against the brother of ruling Telugu Desam Party MLA Amanchi Krishna Mohan on Monday for thrashing a journalist in broad daylight in Chirala town. A video clipping of the assault which happened on Sunday, went viral in the social media, evoking angry reactions from journalists across the state. Hundreds of media persons took out a rally in Chirala in Prakasam district on Monday demanding stern action against the MLAs brother and his followers. The video footage shows Amanchi Swamulu, brother of the TDP MLA representing Chirala assembly constituency, chasing and thrashing a journalist Nayudu Nagarjuna Reddy who works as a part-time reporter for a television channel and also runs a local Telugu magazine. Swamulu is seen in the footage thrashing Reddy with a stick, while his aides kicked and punched him at the local Gandhi statue centre. A couple of policemen remained mute spectators, while two other civilians were pushed aside when they tried to rescue the scribe. The reason for the attack appears to be an article written by Reddy in his magazine Matti Chetula Baasa (Language of the Oppressed) in its latest issue that hit the stands on Monday. In the article titled Chiralaku Cheeda Purugu (A pest attacking Chirala), Reddy described how the MLA was allegedly indulging in corrupt practices including illegal sand mining, land encroachments and fraudulently obtaining loans meant for economically backward persons. After the assault stopped, local journalists immediately took him to the Chirala health centre for first aid before shifting him to the Guntur general hospital, about 50 km away. Following a formal complaint from Reddy, the Chirala town police registered a case on Monday against Swamulu and others for assault. But they have not disclosed under what sections of the IPC, the case was registered. When contacted, Prakasam district superintendent of police Dr C M Trivikram Varma told Hindustan Times that no arrests had been made so far. The case is still under investigation, Varma said, refusing to give further details. The Andhra Pradesh Working Journalists Federation has strongly condemned the incident, and is petitioning the local administration and the state government to take immediate action. Federation general secretary G Krishna Anjaneyulu alleged that Reddy, who had suffered serious injuries, was brought back to Chirala by the police under the pretext of questioning. When we staged a dharna in front of the police station, the police said they were only taking a statement from him on the incident, he said. He alleged that the police were trying to file a case against the journalist under SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act for making allegations against the MLA, who is from a Scheduled Caste. He demanded immediate arrest of the MLAs brother and all others involved in the assault. If the news report was wrong, he could have proceeded against the scribe legally, instead of taking the law into his own hands, Anjaneyulu said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh found a place in the Lok Sabha debate on Monday, with culture minister Mahesh Sharma slamming rivals in the state over communal politics. Sharma started the debate amid protests from the Congress and took potshots at Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati. One Netaji (or Mulayam) says Mulsims are with me. Some Behenji (or Mayawati) says they are with us. These people cant let the country grow, he said. He claimed the BJP had never tried to differentiate on the basis of caste or creed. In the seven-phase UP election, the BJP is up against the SP-Congress alliance and a resurgent BSP led by Dalit icon Mayawati. The Congress is looking to turn the tide in its favour after a string of election losses since the 2014 election. The SP, which is hit by a factional feud, is hoping to cash in on the perceived popularity of Akhilesh. Talking about Uttar Pradesh, which has a high Muslim population, Sharma said there was a need to cater to all sections of the society. Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb has to be maintained, he said, using the local term that speaks of the fusion of Hindu and Muslim cultures. Sharma also spoke about the development of UP after the National Democratic Alliance government came to power. From 2012 to 2014, only four villages in UP were covered in the Centres electrification programme. Now (after NDAs election win in 2014) 11,000 villages are electrified. We have set a target of electrifying more villages by 2018. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Fifty years after the Kothari Commission first recommended to raise public spending on education to 6% of Indias GDP and despite repeated mentions in successive National Education Policies and in the poll promises of various governments India is far away from meeting the goal. In a press conference on Sunday, Prakash Javadekar, minister of human resource and development stated that, if you combine the expenditure of both the centre and state governments, India will roughly be spending 4.5% of its GDP on education. But the minister got the numbers wrong. The recently released Economic Survey estimates that India spent just 2.9% of its GDP on education for the year 2016-17, the most recent year for which estimates are available. The budgetary allocation of the Union government for 2017-18 wont change that either. The numbers also contradict the ministers claim that the Modi government is progressing towards the 6% goal: data show that the government has not increased education spending, as a proportion of GDP, in the last two years. From 2001 onwards, government (centre and state together) spending on education has been hovering around 3% of GDP, reaching a low of 2.59% in 2007-08 and a high of 3.1% in 2013-14. Further, Javadekar said that the private investment, and not government spending alone, must also be accounted for when considering the 6% figure. Only then we will have 6% of GDP spent on education, he said. By saying this, the minister is moving away from the promise made by his party (BJP) in its election manifesto of 2014, which said: Public spending on education would be raised to 6% of the GDP, and involving the private sector would further enhance this (emphasis added). Javadekars misinterpretation of the 6% figure is not the first of its kind. In a 2007 paper in Economic & Political Weekly, Dr Jandhyala B G Tilak, professor of educational finance at National University of Educational Planning and Administration, decried attempts to misinterpret the facts, to quantitatively under-define the goals, to cover our dismal failures and to boast of our (pseudo) achievements. There are more problems. Over the last six years, for instance, allocation to Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA), the governments flagship programme for universal elementary education, falls far short of the central share approved by the ministry of human resource development (MHRD), according to an analysis by the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability. In 2017-18, while MHRD estimated a resource demand of Rs 55,000 crores for SSA, only Rs. 23,500 crore was allocated42.7% of the approved outlay. This clearly indicates that the Ministry of Finance has not been able to fulfil the commitments made by the MHRD, the report says. Explaining the gap in SSA funding, an MHRD official told HT that, ever since the recommendations of the Fourteenth Finance Commission (FFC) were accepted in 2015-16, the onus to fulfil the budgetary requirements of SSA now lies with the states, as they are now expected to fund 40% of SSA, when previously they were only expected to fund 25%. Yet even before the FFC recommendations were put in place, the funding targets were not met. An analysis of the budgets of 17 states by PRS Legislative Research found that expenditure by the states on key social and economic sectors, including education, has not changed substantially following the implementation of the FFC recommendations in 2015-16. The actual spending figures for 2015-16, which will provide a clearer picture of the impact of finance commission recommendations on social spending, will start to become available in the coming months as states release their budget documents. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Earlier this month, Rajveer Singh was faced with a choice no parent should have to make. He had to decide between attending the last rites of his five-year-old daughter, Mamta, and taking his second child, Karishma, to Agra for treatment. The labourer from Etah in Uttar Pradesh will always remember the foggy morning of January 19 with dread, because that was when an overcrowded school bus carrying his daughters was hit by a truck. Twelve children aged between five and 15 died in the incident, and Mamta was among them. Their school JS Vidhya Niketan had reportedly violated an order issued by the district magistrate to remain shut on account of the cold weather conditions. Sad as it may be, this incident is no isolated one. Uttar Pradesh tops the countrys charts in terms of children killed in road accidents, and according to statistics presented by the transport research wing, the state witnessed 2,610 such casualties in 2015 alone. The adjoining state of Bihar comes second on the list, with around 1,121 fatalities. School children continue to die every year despite the issuance of strict guidelines by the Supreme Court in the aftermath of a horrific accident in 1997, when a school bus plunged into the Yamuna from a bridge at Wazirabad in Delhi. As many as 28 students of a government-run school at Ludlow Castle were killed in the incident. Twenty years later, not much has changed. Though government data says Delhi has 2,468 school buses and around 500 vans, officials believe the number could be over 3,000 because many schools and private cab owners continue to operate vans and buses without permits. Last year, the Delhi traffic police penalised the owners of as many as 1,160 school buses and vans for not possessing the requisite papers. The transport department for its part levied fines on the owners of 157 buses and 162 vans, and impounded 46 vehicles of the kind. Officials say vehicles with a seating capacity of eight usually transport 16 students to school. Drivers of some school vans even make children sit in the boot, next to highly inflammable CNG cylinders, at great risk to their lives. However, overcrowding is not the only way in which school bus owners endanger childrens lives by violating Supreme Court guidelines across the country. Transport department and traffic police officials in Madhya Pradesh admit that at least 20% school buses operate in violation of Supreme Court guidelines on a daily basis. While as many as 60% of the vehicles dont have speed governors, 30% dont bother to retain a teacher until the last child is dropped off. The schools, instead, palm off the responsibility to senior students who double up as bus monitors. The monitoring mechanism is not up to the mark either. Though traffic police across the country launch drives to check security measures in school vehicles two or three times a year, they dont deter rule-violating bus drivers and owners to a great extent. The Supreme Court stipulation that the vehicles prominently display On school duty signages and list phone numbers for the public to lodge complaints has not produced encouraging results either. Bystanders gather near the scene of a bus crash in Etah in the state of Uttar Pradesh. (AFP Photo) I have received complaints of bus owners refusing to entertain callers who want to report rash driving. We have now decided to print the traffic police departments number too, so quick action can be taken against the bus driver or the school concerned, said Bhopal additional superintendent of traffic police Sameer Yadav. There have also been instances of rash drivers endangering the lives of school children. As many as 26 students of Kakatiya Techno School of Toopran in Telanganas Medak district were killed in July last year, when a speeding school bus rammed into a passenger train at an unmanned railway crossing in Masaipet. A probe revealed that the driver failed to notice the train as well as warning shouts from passersby because he was busy chatting on his mobile phone. P Achyuta Rao of the State Child Rights Committee claimed that safety and security of students dont rank high enough on school agendas. Schools may display their phone numbers on buses for the sake of publicity, but they dont ensure the presence of emergency doors, fire extinguishers and first-air boxes. Some school managements even procure unfit buses from neighbouring states such as Karnataka and Maharashtra and get them re-registered in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, he said. A few states like Punjab and Haryana do better in this regard because their governments have notified schemes for safe transportation, and compliance is monitored by the high court. When it was reported in October 2015 that the traffic police and transport departments were failing to rein in schools, the high court sought the active participation of child rights commissions of both the states and appointed the Chandigarh administration as the nodal agency for effective implementation of the guidelines. On January 20, the high court directed the transport departments of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to inspect buses across their jurisdictions to determine if they had female attendants to ensure the safety of girl students. Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra also need stringent monitoring because many schools in these states have left the onus of arranging transport facilities on parents, forcing them to hire private vans. Students will continue to be vulnerable until the apex courts guidelines are followed in letter and spirit, and nobody can testify to this fact better than Irfan a kindergarten student from Kerala who was involved in a tragic road accident near Thiruvananthapuram in 2011. The boy survived while seven other toddlers didnt, but remained in a coma. When Irfan finally regained consciousness two years later, it was in a vegetative state thats arguably no better than death. Clearly, lessons writ in blood are far from learned. An Indian Union Muslim League member on Monday demanded in the Lok Sabha a probe into the circumstances surrounding the death of his party leader and MP E Ahamed, alleging there was an ulterior motive behind it. Amid objection by treasury benches and repeated warning by the chair, ET Mohammad Basheer suggested that the announcement of his death was deliberately delayed even though he had died between 12 noon and 12.30 pm on the day of the Presidents address to Parliament on January 31 following a cardiac arrest. A special envoy of the Prime Minister had a closed door discussion (with hospital authorities)... There is every reason to believe there was ulterior motive. His body was dramatically taken to trauma ICU and even his son and daughter were not allowed to see him, he said while participating in debate on Motion of Thanks to the Presidents address. As he continued to target the government, the Chair cut him short, but allowed him to finish his speech later on repeated requests by him and a few other opposition members after another member had spoken. I dont want to blame anybody. Unparalleled cruelty was done to him (Ahamed). I demand constitution of a parliamentary panel to look into it, he said. The state governments decision to organise a press conference to dispel rumours surrounding late CM J Jayalalithaas hospitalisation and death raised eyebrows on Monday, as it came a day after VK Sasikala was named the new chief minister. For more than an hour, a team of doctors fielded questions from media on former chief ministers health and treatment. Richard Beale, a London-based medical specialist who supervised Jayas treatment, P Balaji of Madras Medical College and K Babu of Apollo Hospitals told mediapersons that the late chief minister was given the best possible treatment. We are trying to end the rumours surrounding the death of our honourable Puratchi Thalaivi that is all. While the three doctors insisted the conference was called to quell rumours and based on the travel schedule of Beale, others questioned the timing. Theyve understood that there is a deep-rooted resentment for Sasikalas imminent ascension as the chief minister. They want to assuage the feelings of the people with this press conference, DMK party spokesperson Saravanan said. No reasonable man cannot be suspicious with the timing. A senior AIADMK leader, who didnt wish to be named, said the press meet had nothing to do with Sasikalas elevation. We are trying to end the rumours surrounding the death of our honourable Puratchi Thalaivi that is all, the leader said. Several conspiracy theories have been floating around following the death of Jayalalithaa, a popular leader. There are accusations that she wasnt given proper treatment, which was couched in unusual secrecy. The process of treatment was straightforward. There was no conspiracy, Beale said, adding any questions of exhuming the body were ridiculous. Jayalalithaa was admitted to the Apollo Hospitals here on September 22 with sepsis, an inflammatory reaction to an infection, he said. All through her stay in hospital, health updates were sketchy and gave little information on what ailed the chief minister and the treatment she was receiving. The 68-year-old died on December 5 after suffering a cardiac arrest. Sepsis can affect a patient in a matter of hours or even days, said Beale, adding Jayalalithaa was conscious and spoke to him. The AIADMK supremo was put on ventilator support before being sedated for a period of 10 days as her sepsis worsened, Abraham said. We spoke about many things, like what she liked to watch on TV, my children, food, rehabilitation -- albeit with signs and gestures as she recovered from her tracheotomy, said Beale. Balaji confirmed that doctors used to give a daily debriefing to a team including Sasikala, the chief health secretary and AIADMK leader M Thambidurai. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa was given the best possible treatment and was intermittently conscious during her prolonged hospitalisation, a team of doctors said on Monday, seeking to quell swirling rumours surrounding the AIADMK leaders death. The statement by the team of doctors who treated Jayalalithaa came a day after her long-time confidante Sasikala Natarajan was named as the leader of the AIADMK, paving the way for her to become the chief minister. The cloak of secrecy surrounding Jayalalithaas health during the hospitalisation and her death on December 5 had sparked allegations that she wasnt given proper treatment and led to conspiracy theories in the state. London-based specialist Richard Beale told reporters in Chennai that Jayalalithaa had sepsis when she was brought into Apollo Hospital in September in a conscious state the source of infection was unknown. The infection had led to severe organ damage, which combined with her chronic diabetes and hypertension, had caused deterioration in Jayalalithaas health. The process of treatment was straightforward. There was no conspiracy, Beale said, adding that any questions of exhuming the body were ridiculous. Beale said he met Natarajan on a number of occasions. Sasikala was present much of the time and was closely engaged in the care in supportive manner, Beale said. It was a completely unexpected cardiac arrestwhy? We dont know. For someone in their more mature years, hypertension and diabetes, recovering sepsis may have contributed, said Beale, who had been flown in from London for the treatment. Beale was flanked by P Balaji of Madras Medical College and K Babu of Apollo Hospitals, who had signed in election forms on which her thumb impression was taken. Balaji said the former CM was fully conscious when she put her thumb impression on the poll papers. She was talking, eating, interacting with officials for about a week her sepsis made her tired, her breathing was getting worse she was put on a ventilator and sleeping medicinesfor 10 days she wasnt able to communicate continuouslybut she did so by signsafter we conducted a tracheostomy, she was awake for 10-12 days awake and communicating by sign and lip reading, said Balaji. She was completely aware and interacting for days, said Beale. He added that there no questions of releasing photographs of Jayalalithaa arose because it would breach privacy and confidentiality. No CCTV footage existed, he added. The doctors said she intermittently talked to the medical staff about what she liked to watch on TV, food and her rehabilitation. At a personal level, it was clear to me what a most remarkable lady she was. It was a privilege to be involved in her care. I could sense her dedication, said Beale She was eating curd rice and watching television when she suffered the unexpected cardiac arrest which was witnessed, doctors said. She was given CPR for 20 minutes but when it failed, she was put on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for 24 hours. It was then we realised that continuing care was futile. It was relayed to senior government officials and family, Balaji said. (With agency inputs) . (With agency inputs) The Congress-led opposition disrupted the proceedings in the Lok Sabha on Monday, demanding an inquiry into the death of former Union minister and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader E Ahamed. Ahamed died at Delhis Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on February 1 after he suffered a cardiac arrest during the Presidents address to the joint sitting of Parliament on January 31. Some of the opposition MPs alleged there was a deliberate attempt on the part of authorities to delay the announcement of Ahameds death as the Union Budget 2017-18 was to be presented in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the Lok Sabha till 12pm after the opposition members carrying placards trooped into the well of the House. Read | E Ahamed, consummate politician, skilled negotiator and football fan Earlier, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi joined the protests by members of Parliament from Kerala in the Parliament House complex. Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, told reporters that a parliamentary committee should be formed to probe Ahameds death and those who tried to hide it should be punished. Congress leader KC Venugopal and RSP member NK Premachandran had given adjournment notices in the Lok Sabha. They are also protesting over the governments decision not to adjourn the House and postpone the budget on the day of his death. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Protesters on Monday shut down Nagaland government offices and blocked movement of official vehicles demanding the resignation of chief minister TR Zeliang as a crisis deepened in the northeast state over reserving 33% seats for women in local body elections. The chief minister has refused to step down. Two protesters were killed in police firing in Nagalands commercial hub, Dimapur, last week and subsequent violence saw mobs burning down offices and vehicles in capital Kohima. The Kohima Municipal Council office was set ablaze by Naga tribals during their violent protest in Kohima on Friday. (PTI) Organisations representing a majority of the Naga tribes are opposing the quota for women in elections saying the move contravenes customary tribal laws. The protesters are seeking the chief ministers ouster holding him responsible for the decision to hold the elections and the subsequent violence. In Kohima and Dimapur, protesters were out in the streets from early morning to prevent movement of government vehicles and stop work in offices. The gates of the Nagaland civil secretariat in Kohima remained locked and the usually busy complex wore a deserted look. Most other government offices also remained closed. A deserted street during the bandh call in Dimapur on Friday, a day after Naga tribals set ablaze the Kohima Municipal Council office and the office of the district collector during their violent protest. (PTI) Mondays bandh passed (off) peacefully. But we will continue with it till the CM steps down. If that doesnt happen, we might be forced to take other course, said KT Vilie, convenor of the Nagaland Tribes Action Committee (NTAC), an umbrella body of several groups. Kevichata Sechi, vice-president of Angami Youth Organisation, said volunteers were on the streets to stop government vehicles. Requests were also made to government offices to shut down voluntarily, Sechi added. The NTAC had, however, exempted educational institutions, police stations, central government offices, banks, health centres and several other establishments from the shutdown. Police said security personnel were deployed across the state to prevent breakdown of law and order. Since the situation is volatile we wanted to exercise restraint so that there is no further damage to government property and no more lives lost, Nagaland director general police LL Doungel told HT. The state government has called a meet with tribal organisations on February 8 to discuss the various problems and issues arising out of the ULB elections. The Congress blamed the Nagaland Peoples Front-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland government for the crisis and sought imposition of Presidents rule in the state. It is best for Nagaland to have Presidents rule and fresh assembly polls as the state government has completely failed to understand the aspirations of the people, K Therie, state Congress president told journalists in Kohima. Congress, which doesnt have a single MLA in the 60-member assembly, wants the present situation to be resolved through consensus by amending the Nagaland Municipal Act. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON About 60 kilometres before this western UP town, a roadside neon sign flashes NH-91 in fading light. The Delhi-Kanpur highway owes its high recall value to the July 29 shocker last year when a mother and her 14-year-old daughter travelling from Noida to Shahjahanpur were pulled out of their car and gang-raped under Kotwali Dehat police station limits. Now, three UP 100 vehicles, parked within 10 km of each other with their flashers announcing police presence on the dark highway, are proof of UP governments anxiousness to improve its stock on the law and order front ahead of the first round polling on February 11. Nearly 100 days after the incident on the highway, notorious for crime, the Akhilesh Yadav government attempted last minute damage control by rolling out UP 100 project a centralised emergency response system that promises police response within 20 minutes of call in rural areas and 15 minutes in urban. Read | On UP roads, cops little prepared to take on robbers? There are three UP 100 vehicles already on the highway. As night wears on, several more would be there and it isnt easy for anyone to do any mischief, for the system is now designed to respond quickly, says sub inspector Devender Kumar, in-charge from inside a UP 100 vehicle. The BJP has coined a new slogan to hit out at the UP 100 scheme: 100 dabane pe aati hai, do sau le ke jaati hai (It comes on dialling 100 and goes back taking 200. Besides promising an anti-romeo squad along with three separate battalions and three women police stations in each district, the cleverly coined slogan targets SP not just over law and order but on corruption tooissues that Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched upon at his Meerut and Aligarh rallies. The NCRB data for 2015 also showed that the highest number of gangrape cases were reported from Rampur, Bijnor, Amroha, Sambhal and Moradabad followed by Bulandshahr, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Baghpat and Hapur. Read | I want to punish attackers with my own hands: Bulandshahr rape victim BSP chief Mayawati, aware of the popular perception that crime is under control when she is at the helm, has been repeatedly using this plank to woo voters. Thats sheer politics, says Sarla Yadav the women wing chief of SPs Bulandshahr unit. As a woman, I feel that we all have to make an effort to inculcate good values among our children. Its shameful that these parties are trying to cash in on someones pain. UP 100 is proof of our focus on women safety. Mohammad Faisal, a hotel manager in Bulandshahr, stresses that womens security is not an issue at all for these parties. Just see how many women candidates these parties have fielded, he says. A report released by Association for Democratic Reforms has also indicted all the parties for fielding tainted candidates in western UP. The BJP has fielded the most women 42 of the total 371 candidates declared so far. But it has the highest number of candidates with shady background for the first phase, 29, and is followed by 28 of BSP which has fielded just 16 women for the hustings. Read | Let our women shoot Bulandshahr culprits in public: Rape victims family The SP, contesting 51 of the 73 seats in the first phase, has put up 15 candidates with cases against them though it has fielded 36 women in the 298 constituencies it is contesting. Its alliance partner Congress, contesting 24 seats in the Feb 11 polls, has put up 6 dubious candidates and has an equal number of women on the 105 seats it is contesting across UP. About 19 out of 57 candidates contesting on RLD ticket have a shady past. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 By Maksim Tsurkov Trend: The work as part of the second stage of the Shah Deniz gas and condensate fields development has been completed by more than 87 percent, Gordon Birrell, BPs regional president for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, told reporters in Baku Feb. 6. The BP-operated Shah Deniz 2 project, including the construction of new platforms and a network of submarine pipelines, expansion of the Sangachal terminal and the South Caucasus Pipeline are progressing very well and have been completed by more than 87 percent, Birrell said. BP expects that the first gas will be exported to Turkey in 2018 and to Europe in 2020, according to him. Reserves of the Shah Deniz field are estimated at 1.2 trillion cubic meters of gas. Shah Deniz Stage 2 will add a further 16 billion cubic meters per year of gas production to the approximately 9 billion cubic meters per year produced by Shah Deniz Stage 1. The gas will be exported to Georgia, Turkey and European markets through expansion of the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline. The contract for development of the Shah Deniz offshore field was signed on June 4, 1996. PATNA: Amidst allegations of question paper leak, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday ordered a high-level inquiry into the examinations conducted by Bihar State Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) to recruit clerical grade staff in various government offices. Talking on the sidelines of the customary Jan Samvad here, Kumar said the chief secretary (CS) and the director general of police (DGP) had been asked to probe the matter and apprise him of the facts, as soon as possible. The police and administrative machinery are on their toes to foil any attempt to tamper with the examination process. They have been instructed to deal sternly with those allegedly involved in it, he said. Kumar said the CS and DGP had briefed him about findings of preliminary probe into the allegations of question paper leak. I have asked them to inquire and assess it at their level, he added. Newspapers have come out with different versions about the alleged question paper leak. One is related to students charge about circulation of certain questions in market, while the BSSC officials claim that there was no irregularity, said the CM. Regarding arrest of some persons for allegedly facilitating use of unfair means in the examination Nawada and Patna, he said the police had nabbed the suspects and were investigating their complicity. About 4.50 lakh intermediate passed candidates are taking the examination, being conducted by the BSSSC to recruit clerks in various government offices in four phases across Bihar. The first two phases of the recruitment test were conducted on January 29 and February 4. It is alleged that the question papers of the examination were out and in circulation on the social media. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday brushed away political speculations about old partners JD(U) and BJP coming closer after he painted a lotus at Patna Book Fair on February 4. Kumar, who is the JD(U) national president, also avoided any direct answer to questions on the Uttar Pradesh elections. This is just a non-event, why are you asking me?...You should ask the organisers who requested me to fill colour on a painting of lotus drawn by famous Madhubani painter Bahua Devi during inauguration of the Patna Book fair, Kumar told reporters. The organisers took me to the spot and requested to colour a painting drawn by Bahua Devi, which I did and put my signature to it, he said, in the presence of Congress state chief and minister Ashok Choudhary and other ministers of the coalition. Kumar adding colour to a lotus painting drawn by Padma Shree artist Bahua Devi at the Patna Book Fair on Saturday had triggered speculations if JD(U) was inching towards BJP, whose election symbol is lotus. JD(U) and BJP remained partners in Bihar for 17 years and had snapped ties in mid-2013 over elevation of Narendra Modi as BJPs Prime Ministerial candidate at that time. Earlier, Kumars support to demonetisation, Modis praise of the Bihar CM on prohibition, and successful conduct of 350th Prakash Parva on January 5, had also given wings to the speculation. Without directly referring to the alliance between Samajwadi Party and Congress in UP, Kumar told reporters after a Lok Samvad(Public Interaction) programme It cant be called a Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) like in Bihar... Mahagathbandhan could have been achieved in UP only if the SP and the BSP had joined hands. He also sidestepped a question on senior RJD leader Raghubansh Prasad Singh making adverse comments on him. In reply to a question on his Nishchay Yatra, Kumar said it helped in taking feedback from people on prohibition and also plug loopholes in implementation of his seven resolves of good governance. He highlighted fruitfulness of the Public Grievance Redressal Act launched in June last year and said so far 1.13 lakh complaints were registered by citizens under the act out of which 90,000 were redressed. An assistant sub-inspector of Railway Police Force (RPF) lost both his legs after he jumped off a running train to chase a bag snatcher at Odishas Khurda railway station, said JP Mishra, the chief public relations officer of East Coast Railway. The incident occurred around 8.30pm on January 31 when Kishore Kumar Behera was returning on 18464 Prashanti Express to Khurda station, about 35 kms from capital Bhubaneswar, after the days work along with a group of his colleagues. The personnel are associated with the RPFs Crime Intelligence Branch that collects information on crime against railway property, passengers and other petty crimes in passenger areas. Injured Kishore Kumar Behera being taken to hospital in Bhubaneswar. (Facebook) After getting a tip-off about a vanity bag of a woman being snatched when the Prashanti Express was entering the station, Behera started running after the thief on the train. But the tragedy struck when the snatcher jumped off the train and a brave Behera followed him. The thief fled the spot but Beheras legs came under the wheels. The 58-year-old was rushed to a local railway hospital by the station employees and his colleagues. When the condition deteriorated, Behera was taken to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar, said Gagan Kumar Das, the crime inspector in-charge of RPF (Khurda). Both the legs of the patient have been amputated and he has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, said Dr Pritish of the AMRI Hospital, who is aware of the patients condition. The patient is improving, the doctor said. Both the legs of the patient have been amputated and he has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Blood pressure of Behera, a resident of Ganjam districts Chhatrapur area, fluctuates drastically after he finds that he doesnt have his legs and cant work to feed his family of four, said one of his colleagues attending him at the hospital. The grief-stricken family is not willing to talk. The railways is providing medical treatment to Behera and a few department people are taking care of him at the hospital, said Gagan Kumar Das, the crime inspector in-charge of RPF (Khurda). We will ensure Behera gets compensation as per the railways rules, said Mishra. Robberies and other criminal incidents are rampant on trains and at railway stations. But Das claimed the number of cases has dropped to 30 in January against 150/200 in the previous months thanks to massive crackdowns by his Crime Intelligence Branch where Behera was working. Authors twitter handle is @mohapatra_rr Pakistan fired twice on Indian posts in Jammu and Kashmirs Samba sector on Monday morning, in the second ceasefire violation on the 198-km long international border this year. Pakistan Rangers targetted Indian border posts at Chalyari, Khora and Regal in Samba sector. At about 0845 hours, small arm fire of few bursts occurred in Samba sector and thereafter again at 0935 hours small arms and 51 mm mortar fire started from the Pakistani side. Our troops also retaliated suitably, Border Security Force (BSF) Jammu Frontier deputy inspector general D Pareekh said. Read: Pakistan army can give befitting response to any misadventure: Bajwa No loss of life and damage was reported. On February 2, Pakistan Rangers fired with automatic weapons and shot grenades on a BSF post along the international border in Samba sector. Before that, Pakistan had the violated ceasefire in Shahpur Kerni sector of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir on January 1. On January 31, after a lull of nearly a month, Pakistan army had resorted to heavy mortar shelling and firing on forward Indian posts and villages in Shahpur sector of Poonch district. Read: First ceasefire violation in 2017: Pakistan fires at Jammu BSF post along IB On December 30 last year, a civilian was killed as Pakistani army indulged in heavy cross-border firing, targeting Indian positions and civilian areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch sector. Pakistan had violated ceasefire by targeting Indian positions along the LoC in Balakote sector of the same district on December 16. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After a high-pitched campaign in the recently concluded Punjab and Goa elections, the Aam Aadmi Party has turned its focus on Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state of Gujarat where polls are due later this year. The party is planning a show of strength in Gandhinagar on March 26, top party sources told HT on Monday. We have been running a campaign called Gujarat Azadi Andolan in all districts of the state. This campaign will culminate in a massive rally in Gandhinagar. The plan is to gherao chief minister Vijay Rupani, an AAP leader involved with the campaign said. The AAPs volunteers have been identifying issues to corner the ruling BJP government, which has seen two chief ministers in Anandiben Patel and Rupani since Modi moved to Delhi as PM in 2014. Their focus is on farmers issues, healthcare and education, sources revealed. The party has carried out an elaborate exercise in all districts to both raise awareness about the party and identify the weak spots of the ruling party. The AAP has been focusing on states where the BJP and the Congress are a direct fight. The other states where AAP is focusing after the Punjab and Goa elections include Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The results for Goa and Punjab will be declared on March 11. The party is confident of a good showing in Punjab. In Goa, a four-cornered contest and a high voter turnout of 83% has raised its hopes of opening its account in the state assembly. If it is able to trump the Congress and BJP-SAD in Punjab to emerge as the single largest party, AAP believes its efforts in Gujarat will get a fillip. Even a good number of seats will boost its image as a serious political player outside Delhi. .Read| Mission 2017 polls: AAP woos Hardik Patel as Kejriwal begins Gujarat tour SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON At a meeting of the University of Rajasthans syndicate on Saturday, BJP MLA Mohanlal Gupta demanded that a book which argues that Maharana Pratap defeated Akbar in the battle of Haldighati be included in the recommended books for history students. The book titled Maharana Pratap: Kumbalgarh se Chavand by Prof KS Gupta, a retired history professor from Udaipurs Mohanlal Sukhadia University, argues that Maharana Pratap won Haldighati a deviation from the dominant narrative. I have examined contemporary Persian records, near-contemporary Rajasthani sources, and studied the circumstances to arrive at the conclusion. From studying the situation then in Gogunda, in the Mughal capital, and most crucially, Akbars disappointment with his generals Man Singh and Asif Khan, it has emerged that Maharana Pratap dominated the war, said Prof Gupta. University vice chancellor Rajeshwar Singh Gupta said the MLA from Kishanpole constituency also wanted Swami Vivekanandas writing on cultural nationalism and former BJP MP Omkar Singh Lakhawats book Ateet Se Sakshatkar to be made a part of the curriculum. The syndicate has referred the matter to the history departments board of studies (BOS), which will examine the suggestion. If it finds the idea fit, it will put it up before the universitys academic council for ratification. However, in a major embarrassment for the BJP MLA, Lakhawat issued a statement, saying he has neither written nor edited any such book. He also told HT that he was not a student of history and had little to do with the topic in question. Mohanlal Gupta is abroad and could not be reached for comments. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Rajya Sabha on Monday witnessed heated exchanges between the Opposition and Treasury benches after a Congress member demanded dismissal of the Chhattisgarh government over alleged atrocities against tribals and locals, including rape and molestation, committed by security forces. I&B minister M Venkaiah Naidu countered the charges saying Zero Hour cannot be allowed to be used to make sweeping statements and defaming forces who are doing a difficult job by staking their lives. He said Chhattisgarh is one of the best performing states and a forward looking one. Raising the issue of alleged atrocities by security forces in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, BK Hariprasad (Congress) said tribal women are gang-raped and molested but no action is taken against the policemen involved. Cases have been filed against lawyers, NGOs and journalists who were trying to focus on the plight of the victims but the state government is yet to file a case against the police officers and men who were at the centre of the allegations, he alleged. He demanded that the state government be dismissed. This drew a sharp reaction from the Naidu, who said Zero Hour cannot used be for condemning the forces. Police, he said, is undergoing untold miseries and doing a difficult job by staking their lives. Amid counter charges by Hariprasad and some Congress members, he went on to allege that opposition members have sympathies for the naxalities and Maoists and condemnation of the forces will not be allowed. As Left members joined the protest, deputy chairman PJ Kurien said blanket allegations will be expunged. Tapan Sen (CPI-M) said no one was questioning the important role the forces play but atrocities on common persons and rights abuse are concerns which can be raised. Read | Bastars IGP Kalluri: Both lauded as a hero and damned as a villain Nobody including a minister can raise a question over the right to raise such issues during Zero Hour, he asserted. Kurien said for the misdemeanors of some individuals, the entire force cannot be blamed. But as the Congress and Left members continued to raise the issue, commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the killings of her party workers in Kerala should also be discussed. KK Ragesh (CPI-M) blamed the RSS for the killings in the Kerala, with the remarks immediately expunged by Kurien. Naidu also joined the chorus to say Kerala killings should be discussed in Parliament. Kurien said the name of any organisation mentioned will be expunged and went on to state that killings were going on from both sides in Kerala. The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Saradha chit fund scam accused Manoranjana Sinh. A bench comprising justices Arunabh Mishra and Amitava Roy said the application for bail had been allowed but with some conditions. Manoranjana Sinh, lodged in a jail in West Bengal, is the estranged wife of former union minister Matang Sinh. Matang Sinh is also facing trial in connection with its money laundering probe in the Saradha chit fund case. Gullible investors from West Bengal and Assam were allegedly cheated of their hard-earned money worth crores in the chit fund ponzi scam. The prospects of AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikalas immediate swearing-in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister appeared remote on Monday night with Governor C Vidyasagar Rao headed for Mumbai from New Delhi and not to Chennai. The fast-paced developments came on a day the state government organised a press conference by a team of medical experts that had treated the late CM J Jayalalithaa to dispel rumours surrounding her death. Soon after this, reports came in that the AIADMK was busy sprucing up the Madras University centenary hall for Sasikalas swearing-in. While the timing of all this raised eyebrows, there were also the legal challenges confronting the Sasikala succession plan. Amid reports that governor Rao was seeking legal advice before administering the oath of office to Sasikala, Maharashtra Raj Bhavan sources said he was arriving in Mumbai on Monday night. AIADMK spokesperson CR Saraswathi told Hindustan Times that we have not yet heard from the governor about swearing in. The party had submitted the documents to the governor and is yet to get time from him. All that has appeared in media about swearing in Tuesday morning is all speculation, she added. There was, however, no official word on what exactly the governor was planning to do after the Supreme Court on Monday indicated it could deliver a judgment soon in a disproportionate assets case against Sasikala. Late CM Jayalalithaa is also an accused in the case. A conviction after being sworn in would result in Sasikala having to step down as chief minister. A PIL was also filed in the Supreme Court on Monday seeking to restrain Sasikala from being sworn-in as chief minister with the petitioner arguing her resignation in case of a conviction in the DA case could lead to law and order problem in the state. Governor Rao had travelled from Coimbatore to the national capital Sunday night after Sasikala was elected leader of the AIADMK legislature party, clearing the decks for her elevation as the chief minister. Chief minister O Panneerselvam tendered his resignation and those of his ministers to Governor Rao which were accepted. Meanwhile, the timing of Mondays press conference by the team of doctors that treated Jaya, to dispel rumours surrounding her death, has raised eyebrows. The battery of doctors, including London medical specialist Dr Richard Beale, that had treated the late CM from the time she was hospitalised on September 22 last year, answered pointed questions from the media. While the three doctors insisted that the conference was to quell rumours and based on the travel schedule of Dr Beale, others have questioned its timing. Dr Balaji confirmed that the Apollo hospital team gave a daily debriefing to a team including Sasikala, the chief health secretary, and AIADMK leader Thambidurai. Becoming the chief minister, barely over two months after the demise of her mentor may seem easier for Sasikala but stepping into the political shoes of Amma could pose a tough challenge. Read | Not my CM: Chennai rapper Sofias musical protest against Sasikalas elevation (With agency inputs) VK Sasikala, who is to be sworn in as the Tamil Nadu chief minister on February 9, faces her first legal challenge, with the Supreme Court on Monday saying verdict in a corruption case against her would be pronounced next week. The top court is hearing the Karnataka governments plea challenging the high court acquittal of 61-year-old Sasikala and three others in the Rs 63-crore disproportionate assets case. Though late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalaithaa was the main accused, but after her death on December 5, the case against her stands abated. Read: From a shop owner to Tamil Nadu CM, quite a journey for Chinnamma Sasikala The other accused are Sasikalas sister-in-law Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran, Jayalalithaas foster son who she later disowned. Appearing for the Karnataka government, Dushyant Dave on Monday urged a bench headed by justice PC Ghose to deliver the verdict in the case. We are concerned about the Jayalalithaa case, Dave told court. The judgment was almost ready and he should wait for a week, said the court, which had on June 7 reserved the verdict in the high-profile case. Jayalalithaa was alleged to have acquired properties worth Rs 63 crore, way above her known sources of income between 1991 and 1996. Read: After Jayalalithaa, DA case still on against three other accused A trial court in Bengaluru had convicted Jayalalithaa and sentenced all the accused to four years imprisonment in September 2014, following which she was jailed. Jaya, who was also fined Rs 100 crore, had to step down as the CM. It was only after the Karnataka high court reversed the trial court order that she returned as the chief minister. Read: From a shop owner to Tamil Nadu CM, quite a journey for Chinnamma Sasikala Sasikala, who was named the AIADMK general secretary after Jayalaithaas death, was on Sunday elected the legislature party leader by MLAs, clearing the way for her to be the third woman chief minister of the southern state. Several cases of corruption are pending against Sasikala, a close confidante of Jayalaithaa for more than 30 years. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON By using roaming packs of East campaign, Nar customers get an opportunity to constantly stay connected and not to think about roaming charges while travelling to the United Arab Emirates. East-5 pack includes 5 minutes for both incoming and outgoing calls as well 500 MB of internet traffic. Validity period of the package is 3 days from the date of order. 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It is noteworthy that customers may order any number of this advantageous package, which is the first in the roaming service. In this case, preference for use of minutes and internet traffic will be according to date of order. All prepaid and post-paid Nar customers, switching to DU mobile operator, may benefit from the offer. For further information about Nar roaming service, please visit nar.az. An unclaimed bag was on Monday found near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the Parliament House complex, sending security personnel into a tizzy. As soon as it was spotted this morning, security was alerted and the personnel rushed to the spot, Parliament sources said. However, nothing suspicious was found and the securitymen took away the bag. It was being ascertained whose bag it is, the sources said. The Budget Session of Parliament is in progress. The incident happened soon after a protest demonstration by Opposition MPs, mostly from Congress and Trinamool Congress, in front of the Gandhi statue which is located right opposite the main entrance of the Parliament building. Rahul Gandhi was among the Opposition members who were protesting against the manner in which the death of former Union Minister and Lok Sabha MP E Ahamed was handled by the government. The Union home ministry has upgraded the security cover of a BJP poll candidate in Uttar Pradesh, the latest in a growing list of party politicians granted official protection because of a perceived life threat. The ministry elevated the cover given to Brajesh Pathak, a former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) parliamentarian who joined the BJP last August, from the existing Y to Z category. Pathak is contesting the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections from Lucknow (central) seat as a BJP candidate. With the change in category, Pathak will be now entitled to an escort vehicle with at least four security guards. As a Y category protectee, Pathak was already being provided round-the-clock protection by more than a dozen guards from the Central Industrial Security Force, a paramilitary unit under the home ministry. On the directions of the home ministry, more than 450 protectees get security cover, which is often seen as a mark of power and privilege among politicians. During the tenure of the UPA government, Pathak was made a central protectee following a threat assessment by the Intelligence Bureau. He was provided security under the highest Z Plus category wherein the protectee gets around two dozen guards with a pilot as well as an escort vehicle. At that point in time, the BSP was considered close to the ruling UPA dispensation at the centre. But at the fag end of UPA tenure, in February 2014, Pathaks security was downgraded to Y category which now stands upgraded. Yes, we have been asked by the home ministry to upgrade security of Brajesh Pathak, confirmed a CISF officer. Pathak is not the only BJP leader and a party candidate in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections who has got security as a central protectee. The state -- considered a top political prize -- goes to the polls in seven phases opening February 11. Union home ministry also provided SPS Baghel (BJP candidate from Tundla constituency) Y category security. Three more BJP leaders in the state Jaiveer Singh (also party candidate from Sirsaganj constituency) , Subrat Pathak and Sushil Singh -- have been cleared by the home ministry to get CISF security under the lowest X category. They will get round-the-clock protection from one CISF guard. Pathak heads BJPs youth wing, Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha, in Uttar Pradesh, while Sushil Singh is nephew of Brajesh Singh, a criminal-turned-independent member of UP legislative council. Sushil Singh is also a sitting member of UP assembly. Sushil Singhs father Udaynath Chulbul Singh was also a BJP member of the legislative council. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON As the Jat agitation entered eighth day, Bharatiya Janata Partys state unit chief Subhash Barala attacked the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Congress leadership in the state for extending support to the protesters. Some politicians are trying to instigate protests for their political gains, but they will not be allowed disturb the peace and harmony of the state, Barala said, while addressing the gathering in Panipat on Sunday at a function organised to commemorate the 640th birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas. These politicians are using others for your motives as they are worried about the working of the BJP, which started welfare schemes for all 36 communities, he said. They used Scheduled Castes for votes and did nothing for their welfare, he added. Meanwhile, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced setting up of Bhawan Nirman Academy, named after Guru Ravidas, at a cost of Rs 100 crore in Jind. He also announced to enhance financial assistance under Mukhyamanti Vivah Shagun Yojna. The chief minister, who was addressing the public rally said the backlog of vacant posts meant for Scheduled Castes in government jobs will be filled up at the earliest. He added that the process has already started as a committee headed by P Ragvendra Rao, additional chief secretary, finance and planning had been asked to study about the percentage of posts for reserved categories lying vacant in different departments. The government will conduct special recruitment drive to fill up posts for members belonging to the Scheduled Castes, he added. Khattar also promised to enhance the amount of incentive granted for the marriage of daughters belonging to Scheduled Castes under Mukhyamanti Vivah Shagun Yojna from Rs 41,000 to Rs 51,000 and said the shagun will reach the beneficiaries seven days prior to the marriage. Referring to the demand about reservation in promotion, he said the matter is pending in the court, but he asked them to engage a good advocate to plead the case in the high court so as to get the stay vacated. The situation in West Bengal is similar to what Jammu and Kashmir was 20 years ago, BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said in a public rally in Kolkata on Monday, while state president Dilip Ghosh alleged there was a conspiracy to turn the state into Greater Bangladesh. During the three-hour rally BJP leaders made it clear that they are going to play the Hindu card in Bengal at a time when communal clashes and tension are increasingly reported from various districts of the state. The party organised a rally at Shahid Minar at the heart of the city that was attended by thousands. The party put on the dais several Hindu victims of recent communal clashes in Bengal. Since October last year, nearly a dozen low-scale communal clashes were reported. Recently some former army personnel from Bengal met me. They said that the situation in West Bengal is just like J&K 20 years ago. Since the government failed to intervene in Kashmir, there are no Hindus left there. Bengal is facing a similar situation, said Kailash Vijayvargiya addressing the rally. In Bengal, Hindus are driven out from areas bordering Bangladesh where infiltrators are capturing the area. Trinamool Congress is giving protection to such infiltrators. BJP will not allow this, added Vijayvargiya. The BJP national general secretary stressed that in some areas of the state Saraswati Puja is not being allowed and people had to move the court for permission to immerse Durga idol, while clerics issuing fatwas against Prime minister are being spared. Maitreyi Mondol from Dhulagarh, Uluberia, Howrah district leads victim families as she speaks on stage at the BJP rally in Kolkata. (Samir Jana/HT PHOTO) Just before the speech of Ghosh and Vijayvargiya, groups of women who were victims of recent communal tension in Dhulagarh, Howrah and Tehatta, Nadia narrated their plight amidst roar from the crowd. We were not allowed to observe Saraswati Puja in Tehatta high school which was a 65 years old tradition due to Muslim fundamentalists. When we protested, police lathicharged and arrested so many of us, said Archana Majhi of Tehatta. Maitreyi Mondol, a resident of Dhulagarh, also narrated their plight on December last year when their houses were burnt. There is a conspiracy to turn this state into West Bangladesh. Here the ruling party is also trying for Islamisation of education. We will not tolerate this. Those who are day dreaming we will disturb their sleep, said Dilip Ghosh. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),West Bengal organized a rally on recent communal tension across Bengal at Shahid Minar Grounds in Kolkata. (Samir Jana/HT PHOTO) BJP leaders also predicted that after the assembly polls in five states more Trinamool Congress leaders are expected may come under sharper focus of the CBI in connection with the Ponzi scam. After the polls more leaders will be behind bars. If Didimoni (Mamata Banerjee) tries to arrest out leaders in return, she must remember the fate of Jayalalitha (Tamil Nadu CM who was arrested on September 2014 in disproportionate assets case), said Rahul Sinha , BJP national secretary. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Kolkata, which earned the dubious distinction of a city with the highest cigarette consumption in India in 2014, is now planning to shed the tag and become the countrys first smoke free metro-city. The law already exists. We just want to implement it and ban smoking in public places in Kolkata, said Sovan Chatterjee mayor of Kolkata. We have already banned smoking inside the Kolkata Municipal Corporation headquarters in central Kolkata. Several bars and restaurants in the city have also implemented it, he added. Interestingly, Chatterjee, who is now 53, himself is a chain smoker and had unsuccessfully tried to quit the habit more than 100 times. Read: Get paid for cigarette butts by the kilo and save environment at the same time The citys civic body is planning to take the help of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Indian Dental Association. Help would also be sought from the state administration and the Kolkata police. On Saturday, a resolution was passed at the state council meeting of IMA that doctors will lodge FIR with the local police if they find any shops selling cigarettes within 100 metres of schools and hospitals or any juvenile buying cigarette from a shop. The FIR will be lodged against the shopkeeper, said Santanu Sen, secretary of IMA . Smoking in public places was prohibited nationwide from October 2, 2008 under the Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules, 2008 and Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement, Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003 (COTPA, 2003). Read: Trying to kick the cigarette butt? 10 myths about quitting smoking busted As per Section 21 of the COTPA, 2003, whoever contravenes the provisions of Section 4 will be punished with a fine which may extend to 200. An offence under this section is compoundable and will be tried in accordance with the procedure provided for summary trials under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. Also read: Russia to ban cigarette sale to those born after 2015 A national survey done in 2014 on tobacco usage habits in the country found that around 49% of the sample surveyed in Kolkata was smokers, compared to 43% nationally. It covered Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Hyderabad, with a sample size of 1,111 respondents. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have named two doctors including a local BJP leader in the charge sheet in the sensational baby sale racket in Bengal unearthed last year. The charge sheet was submitted to additional chief judicial magistrates court in Basirhat (in North 24 Parganas district) on Saturday. Dilip Ghosh, who was a BJP leader in Salt Lake, is one of the doctors named in the document for his involvement. He was suspended from all party posts following his arrest. The other doctor is Tapan Biswas. Both are behind the bars. One of the IPC sections slapped against the accused lays down punishment that can even lead to life imprisonment. SECTIONS AGAINST THE ACCUSED Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 370: Trafficking of persons Trafficking of persons Section 315: Act done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause it to die after birth Act done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause it to die after birth Section 318: Concealment of birth by secret disposal of dead body Concealment of birth by secret disposal of dead body Section 367: Kidnapping or abducting in order to subject person to grievous hurt, slavery, etc Kidnapping or abducting in order to subject person to grievous hurt, slavery, etc Section 368: Wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement, kidnapped or abducted person Wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement, kidnapped or abducted person Section 304: Culpable homicide not amounting to murder Culpable homicide not amounting to murder Section 120B: Criminal conspiracy Criminal conspiracy Section 34: Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention Section 210: Fraudulently obtaining decree of sum not due Juvenile Justice Act Section 75: Assaults, abandons, abuses, exposes or willful neglect of child resulting in mental or physical suffering. Assaults, abandons, abuses, exposes or willful neglect of child resulting in mental or physical suffering. Section 79: Engaging a child and keeping it in bondage for the purpose of employment Engaging a child and keeping it in bondage for the purpose of employment Section 80: Offering orphan, abandoned or surrendered child, for adoption without following the provisions in this Act. Offering orphan, abandoned or surrendered child, for adoption without following the provisions in this Act. Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act We may file a supplementary charge sheet since investigation is still continuing. We have found out that the racket extended beyond Bengal with babies being sold outside the state. So ongoing investigations may lead to new findings, said a senior CID officer. Though 20 persons were arrested, evidence was found against 19 who were named as key accused. Twenty-six persons have been named as witnesses. No evidence was found against Nityanand Biswas who was the owner of a nursing home near Parnasree in Behala in south Kolkata. The doctors used to enjoy a commission of Rs 60,000 to Rs 80,000 from each sale. Read: How the gang of 13 CID sleuths busted the baby selling racket Read: Boys for Rs 2 lakh, girls Rs 1.5 lakh: How Bengals baby traffickers operated Various sections of the IPC, Juvenile Justice Act and Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act were slapped against the accused. The charge sheet was submitted on the 75th day. The racket was busted by Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on November 21, 2016. It operated primarily in the districts of North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and Kolkata. On November 21, CID rescued three babies kept in paper cartons used for carrying medicines. The investigations that followed busted the racket. The modus operandi was quite innovative. Racketeers often targeted couples -- usually illiterate and poor -- who already have a child and is expecting another. The doctor simply informs the couple that the baby was stillborn or has died within a few minutes after birth due to ailments. If the parents are too shattered they would not be even handed over the body. In some cases bodies of other babies are handed over. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Despite maintaining a distance from politics, shehnai maestro late Ustad Bismillah Khan shared a close bond with countrys first Prime Minister Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru and the Gandhi family. At his house in Harha Sarai area, one can spot Ustads photographs with former PM late Rajiv Gandhi and Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Talking to HT, Ustads youngest son Nazim Hussain, 58, says his father termed his relation with the Gandhi family as personal and never used it for personal gain. He strongly believed politics and music are two different worlds and artistes should not mix the two, said Hussain. Abba often used to praise Nehruji and Indira Gandhi for their generosity. He played shehnai before many foreign delegates on their request, he pointed out. Hussain recalled Ustad visited Russia for a concert in 1987 where the Russian government honoured him. He returned to Banaras and got an invitation from Pakistan for a concert. Ustad, however, refused to visit Pakistan, saying he would go only if the government sends him, he said. When the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi came to know of it, he invited Ustad on tea at his official residence and requested him to accept the offer for the concert in Pakistan. The government also made arrangements for his visit, Hussain said. Read more: Government, parties fail to address spinners plight at Charkha Maidan On his return, Rajiv Gandhi invited him to his official residence where he discussed several issues with Abba. He appealed to the PM to do something for veteran artistes, he added. Hussain said Ustad used to laud Rajiv Gandhi for his vision for development. Abba was in deep sorrow after the assassination of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. He also called on Sonia Gandhi and consoled her. After a few years, he visited Sonia again when she became the Congress president, he said. Hussain said after Ustads death in 2006, his lost touch with the Gandhis. He later wrote a letter to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi but did not get any response. He said if Rahul visits his house, he would welcome him. He also lauded chief minister Akhilesh Yadav for recognising his contribution to music and honouring him with Yash Bharati award. Hussain, who is a tabla player, wants the government to set up an institution in the name of the maestro. Read more| East meets west: Bismillah Khans German fan learns folk tunes SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON 1. HT Exclusive: Iconic Mumbai police commissioners building to undergo major repairs The iconic Mumbai police commissioners building at Crawford Market is all set to undergo major repairs and restorations for the first time in its 120-year history. 2. Thackeray vs Thackeray: Rajs son Amit jumps into the fray, will campaign for MNS Following Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray projecting his son Aaditya as the partys star campaigner, his cousin, Raj Thackerays son, Amit, is set to campaign aggressively for the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for the upcoming civic polls. 3. Cops lathi-charge Nallasopara residents protesting against tempo driver who ran over 2 children The Nallasopara police lathi-charged members of a massive crowd that gathered in protest against a tempo driver who ran over two schoolchildren on Monday at 9.30am. Police said the situation was tense but under control. 4. Maharashtra CM to hold live chat with Mumbaiites to discuss BJP manifesto If you have a suggestion to better the city and would like chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to hear you out, you could go online and interact with him directly. 5. Cyber crime branch arrests Delhi man for duping event manager of 2.49 lakh Officials from the cyber crime branch of the Mumbai police nabbed a man from Delhi for duping an event manager of Rs2.49 lakh. The Nallasopara police lathi-charged members of a massive crowd that gathered in protest against a tempo driver who ran over two schoolchildren on Monday at 9.30am. Police said the situation was tense but under control. The children, Aditya Prajapati, 6, and Aman Zubair, 8, died on the spot after the driver, Shivkumar Kandu, lost control of his vehicle a water tanker and ran over them. Two others were injured in the incident and have been admitted to a local hospital. Kandu fled, but was later arrested . We arrested Kandu under sections 304 (A) (causing death by negligence), 279 (rash driving), 337,338 (causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 184 and 187 of the Motor Vehicles Act , said a police official. Cops lathi-charge one of the protestors at Nallasopara on Monday. (HT Photo) Furious locals staged a three-hour-long rasta roko and pelted stones at the truck. They demanded that action be taken against unfit drivers of trucks and tankers entering the town. The crowd was lathi-charged to avert a law and order situation, said a police official. Around 80 police personnel are at the spot to monitor and control the crowd. Kandu will be produced before the Vasai court on Tuesday, said an official. Officials from the cyber crime branch of the Mumbai police nabbed a man from Delhi for duping an event manager of Rs2.49 lakh. The 25-year-old accused had allegedly transferred the victims bank account from its Mumbai branch to Delhi. He also gave the bank a new mobile number so the victim would not receive text message alerts if money was withdrawn from his account. After each transaction, the bank sent text messages to the new number. The accused used the cash to make online transactions on ccavenue.com, ibibo.com and paytm.com. He paid his mobile bills and purchased goods online on January 18 and 19. The victim discovered that a huge amount had been withdrawn from his account during a routine check. He immediately approached the cyber police, who registered a first information report (FIR). Based on technical evidence, the officials traced the accused to Vasant Kunj in Delhi last week. He was brought back to the city. The police are investigating how he managed to obtain the victims bank details. Read Man-in-the-middle case: Mumbai firm loses Rs10.89 lakh to online fraudster Dont give your credit, debit card details to bank officials: Six people in Mumbai have lost their money to such frauds Cyber criminals using foreign servers to remain undetected: Expert Awareness is best defence against cyber crime: Cops Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Feb. 6 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: The draft law On industrial safety of hazardous production facilities has been adopted in Turkmenistan at a regular meeting of the countrys parliament of the fifth convocation, the Turkmen government said in a message Feb. 6. The document defines the legal, economic and social framework for ensuring safe operation of hazardous production facilities. In particular, the law is aimed at the prevention of accidents, ensuring preparedness of organizations, which operate facilities of such a kind, operative localization and liquidation of consequences of possible incidents. Turkmenistan is one of the rich countries for its natural gas resources. According to BP, the countrys recoverable reserves are estimated at 17.5 trillion cubic meters of gas or nine percent of total global reserves, which puts Turkmenistan on the fourth position in this field after Iran, Russia and Qatar. The country has an opportunity to export its gas to China and Iran. Meanwhile, the economy is being diversified in Turkmenistan the textile industry and the oil and gas processing industry have achieved progress. Privatization is mainly carried out in the spheres of construction, trade, communications and services. The level of tiny particulate matter in the citys air is several times the safe limit, a study of air pollution data between 2000 and 2012 says. Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) a mix of dust, chemicals, soot, pollen and other organic substances can enter the lungs and causes respiratory ailments. The study compared Environment Status Reports (ESR) from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) between 2006 to 2012 and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) data for the city from 2000 to 2006. The analysis showed that SPM concentration increased from 2000, with a significant increase since 2006. As against the safe limit of 140 microgrammes per cubic metre (g/m3), Mumbai recorded SPM levels at 1,056 g/m3 in 2007-08 seven times the safe limit. By 2012, levels increased to 1,853 g/m3, 13 times the safe limit. BMCs pollution data for 2015-16, taken from the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), which collects pollution data from 10 locations in the city, recorded PM10 (pollutants smaller than 10 microns in diameter) and PM2.5 levels were above permissible limits at all locations. The study, Changing Air Quality and its Impact: A case study of Mumbai, was published by the International Journal of Scientific Research last week. Narinder Kaur, assistant professor, Smt MMK College of Commerce and Economics, Bandra, who did the analysis, said,Continuous emissions of harmful pollutants, especially SPM, are responsible for rising discomfort, and increasing airborne diseases in Mumbai, said Kaur. Open burning of municipal solid waste on the streets and landfill sites needs to be stopped immediately to improve the citys air quality. The study said fuel combustion by vehicles, power stations and industries, construction activities, road dust, burning of garbage and use of wood and dung as cooking fuel as the main sources of SPM. The quality of air in an area determines the health of people. It was observed that increased exposure to SPM in Mumbai is resulting in various respiratory diseases such as lung cancer, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and even heart disease, said Kaur. Doctors said there had been a significant rise in patients visiting them, complaining of respiratory infections mostly related to particulate matter. SPM carries virus and bacteria, which infect the lungs and cause infections. Those suffering from these problems rarely respond to common medicines, said Dr Pratit Samdani, physician, Breach Candy Hospital. Sanjeev Mehta, pulmonologist, Lilavati Hospital, Bandra, said the percentage of patients diagnosed with respiratory ailments concerned with SPM has doubled between 2007 and 2017, compared to the earlier decade. We observed a decrease in lung function even when they are healthy or not even smokers, said Mehta. A report by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), cited in the study, found young children to be worst affected by the impact of SPM. Cases of birth defects, lower intelligence quotient and premature deaths have all been identified as a direct impact of exposure to toxic pollutants like SPM in Mumbais air, she said. The personal exposure for Mumbaiites to pollution, especially particulate matter, is very high, which has serious health consequences. Mumbai needs a comprehensive air pollution action plan, and it should be stringently implemented in a time-bound manner, said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, in-charge of clean air and sustainable cities programme, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE Other air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) showed an increase during some years between 2007 and 2012, they did not show a clear rising trend like SPM. The air you breathe: Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) is a mix of dust, chemicals, soot, pollen, water droplets and other organic substances. SPM is released during fuel burning - by vehicles, power stations and industries, construction activities, road dust, burning of garbage and use of wood and dung as cooking fuel. The particles can enter the lungs and get lodged in the tissues, causing respiratory illnesses. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Students from three girls hostels at the University of Mumbais (MU) Kalina campus have raised their voice against what they call discriminatory hostel rules. The girls have objected to the varsitys refusal to allow girl students to venture out of their hostels during nighttime. They have raised this issue with the university authorities and sought the intervention of education minister Vinod Tawde in the matter. As per the rules, all students residing in the universitys six hostels are required to get a late pass or a night-out pass, if they intend to reach the hostel after 10pm or spend the night outside, respectively. However, the girls are not allowed to venture out after 11:30pm even if they have one of these passes. Besides, they are allowed a maximum of two late and five night-out passes every month. However, there are no such rules at boys hostels. The issue came to light after the university agreed to open up the campus library round-the-clock, following a protest by students led by Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). However, owing to the hostel rules, the girls have been prohibited from using the library during night time. The university said that it plans to start a reading room in the girls hostels to facilitate the girls studying at night. It also announced setting up a committee to come up with a solution for the issue. However, many girl students are not satisfied with the varsitys decision, and are demanding that the same rules be same rules be implemented at boys and girls hostels. In a letter to director of Board of College and University Development (BCUD) Anil Patil, they asked that girls be allowed to use the library at night. The universitys decision is discriminatory. Instead of beefing up its security, the officials are prohibiting us from going to the library. Same rules should apply to boys and girls, said a female student, on the condition of anonymity. Patil suggested that allowing girls to venture out late at night will jeopardise their safety. Its not possible for security guards to follow every girl on her way from the hostel to the library, he said. Also read: Mumbai University yet to announce results of 255 exams held in October and November SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The iconic Mumbai police commissioners building at Crawford Market is all set to undergo major repairs and restorations for the first time in its 120-year history. The building, which once symbolised imperial power and continued to evoke awe even after Independence, is badly in need of repairs, to infuse life into the crumbling structure. Top Mumbai police sources told HT that the public works department (PWD) the custodian of the Grade-II (A) heritage structure will soon invite tenders for the restoration project to be carried out at an estimated cost of Rs5.6 crore. Noted conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah has been appointed as project consultant. The estimates have been made and tenders will soon be invited, sources said. Over the years, the yellow basalt stone facade has shown signs of gradual decay, with cracks surfacing on its walls. The police commissioners ante-chamber has to be covered in plastic sheets during the monsoon to prevent the office from being flooded, sources said. A plaque on one of the buildings walls provides details of the Mumbai police headquarters. (HT Photo) Several offices in the double-storied structure, including the main control room, were recently shifted to the newly-constructed annex building in the vicinity, owing to a space crunch and the dilapidated state of the chambers. Sources said there are plans to convert the right flank of the ground floor which used to house the office of three DCPs and the treasury branch into a state-of-the-art museum. The museum will showcase the history of the Mumbai police, along with the several declassified correspondences made during the Raj. It includes several hand-written letters exchanged between Mahatma Gandhi and the Mumbai police commissioners, sources said. The abandoned control room on the right-flank of the first floor will be converted into a conference room, while a guest room will be up in the adjoining chamber, which currently houses the office of the joint commissioner (administration). Lambah said efforts will be made to retain the structures original shape and hue during the restoration works. We will repair the roof, upgrade the electrical wirings, spruce up the corridors, floor and restore the rooms to their original condition, Lambah said. She added that in the first phase, only the ground and first floor will be restored. The second phase will include works on the tiled roof, and the desks on the top floor. Owing to past renovations the buildings Burma teak columns and ceilings are buried under a layer of Plaster of Paris. Similarly, baring the ministerial staff room adjacent to the commissioners chamber, the original Victorian floor tiles have been replaced by glossy tiles or vinyl flooring. There are now plans to source Victorian tiles from local markets or from abroad. We hope the priceless wood used to construct the porches and the second floor roof is brought back to its original lustre, a senior Mumbai police official said. Mumbai police historian Deepak Rao said the building an edifice of power was obsessed over by the imperial police during the Raj, and by Indian police officers in post-Independence India. He cited an interesting anecdote from a book written by a former Mumbai police commissioner. While handing over the keys to the police commissioners building on August 14, 1947, the last British police commissioner of Bombay, AE Caffin reportedly told his Indian successor fellow imperial police officer JH Bharucha to preserve the grace and beauty of the office. A heart-broken Caffin spent that night in a ship at the Bombay harbor, instead of his official residence at Malabar Hill as he no longer belonged to the city. A brief history of the building Work on the two-storied Victorian neo-gothic structure started on November 17, 1894, and was completed on December 24, 1896. It was designed by noted architect John Adams who designed the Royal Yacht Club and built by Harischundra Juggarnath Contractors. Unlike the Maharashtra Police Headquarters originally the Royal Alfred Sailors Home at Colaba, built 20 years prior, yellow basalt was used in lieu of blue basalt. Prior to the construction of the new police headquarters, the Sassoon building at Byculla currently the anti terrorism squads headquarters was used as the commissioners office. R H Vincent, Mumbais third police commissioner, was the first occupant of the building. Police historian Deepak Rao said though the building was completed on December 24, 1896, it was inaugurated on January 1, 1897, and occupied by Vincent. It was in keeping with the typical British tradition of inaugurating a new office in Mumbai on January 1, without exception. Read Mumbai police commissioners new office building inaugurated Fire breaks out at police commissioners office SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Bombay High Court on Monday granted the Maharashtra government a weeks time, by way of last chance, to file a probe report into the allegations of an illegal land deal against senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse. On the last hearing in January this year, a division bench comprising Justices Ranjit More and Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi had pulled up the government for its reluctance in initiating a police inquiry into the allegations. The court had at the time directed the government to file a probe report within four weeks. On Monday however, government counsel Niteen Pradhan sought additional time of two weeks to initiate the probe and further time to file its report, adding that a judicial committee was already looking into the matter and that the government was waiting for the committees report to ascertain whether any corruption charges against Khadse could hold. The court however, said that it could only grant the state a week more and if the latter failed to meet this deadline, the court would be forced to pass orders. The bench was hearing a plea filed by a social activist Hemant Gavande alleging, among other things, that Khadse had purchased a three-acre plot at Bhosri, owned by Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) in name of his kin for Rs 3.75 crore as against the market price of Rs 40 crore. Gavande had first made these allegations in July 2016 and Khadse was forced to resign from his post of the state revenue minister soon after. The judicial committee, headed by retired Bombay HC judge Dinkar Zoting was constituted to conduct an inquiry. Gavande however, approached HC arguing that the state police must act upon the complaint that he had registered against Khadse on the above allegations. He had also urged the court to direct the Central Bureau of Investigation, Central Vigilance Commission, and the Income Tax department to take cognisance of the complaint. Also read: Bombay HC raps state over delay in probe against Eknath Khadse SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus was gutted by fire last month, the BEST administration decided to replace the rupture disk, a key component , in 250 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses by the end of the month. The administration has already inspected a fleet of 2,900 CNG buses in the special drive for gas leak. In addition to this, the administration is also checking the brackets that mount CNG cylinders in all buses. In January, a bus plying in route number 396, between Mulund and Andheri, caught fire near Chakala Church around 1.50pm and was completely charred. The gas leakage was reportedly from the rupture disc, which acts as a safety valve between the cylinder and the gas pipe connecting the engine. Thereby, as a precautionary measure, the administration is also replacing the rupture disk with higher temperature disks. The affected bus suffered damages of Rs12lakh. The incident could have jeopardised passenger safety but they were asked to immediately vacate the bus after the driver detected gas leakage. Around 30lakh suburban commuters use the buses daily and any flaw in them could make it unsafe for them, as the BEST is the second largest public transporter in Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Replacement of higher temperature rupture disks is going on for the last two years. Majority of buses are fitted with the higher temperature rupture disk and about 250 remain to be fitted by February end. This is done as part of regular maintenance so that the operational fleet is not disturbed, said Suresh Pawar, assistant general manager, BEST transport. The administration has also started an awareness campaign in depots, on safety measures for CNG buses. Senior officers have started visiting the depots for this purpose. Disciplinary action has also been initiated against the defaulting staff, says a report presented to the BEST committee on Monday. READ MORE Better road commute on cards for Mumbai? BEST no longer the best for Mumbai? SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON If you have a suggestion to better the city and would like chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to hear you out, you could go online and interact with him directly. Of the citizens who had made suggestions for the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) manifesto for the upcoming Mumbai civic polls, Fadnavis will hold a discussion with 20 shortlisted residents on Monday at 6.15 pm. During the discussion, he will also take questions and suggestions from a live online audience. The live feed will be available at www.ourcityouragenda.com. Citizens can participate by raising questions, offering suggestions and voting on issues by using the hashtag #AskMahaCM. The BJP had launched a campaign aimed at creating a crowd-sourced manifesto. It sought suggestions from citizens on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and through phone calls. The party said it received nearly 7 lakh suggestions. I invite you all to discuss the agenda for your city tomorrow 6.15 pm. Join us live at https://t.co/BTL5ReU5Ui #OurCityOurAgenda pic.twitter.com/EsAs31bqnC Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) February 5, 2017 So far, the BJP is the only party that has not released its manifesto for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls slated for February 21. The party said it hopes to create a citizens charter in its manifesto, as a step towards transparency. This initiative reflects the essence of a true democracy, in which the government represents the thoughts and concerns of its people and tries to address them. We are committed to drafting our manifesto and subsequently, our policies in municipal corporations in the context of the suggestions we received, said Fadnavis. Fadnavis uses Twitter daily to talk about his meetings, policies and decisions. He also interacts with citizens directly through the platform. However, this is the first time he will hold a live discussion with Mumbaiites. Recently, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray went live on Facebook to answer questions about his partys plans for the civic polls. Political parties releasing manifestos ahead of the civic polls is seen as a routine exercise, and politicians are rarely made to account for not fulfilling these promises. It remains to be seen if the BJPs exercise can change this or if it will remain only a gimmick. Read Can CM Fadnavis win them all? Devendra Fadnavis government in overdrive before poll code kicks in SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Minister of state for home Ranjit Patil won the legislative council seat from Amravati, as counting of votes for five seats was carried out on Monday. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress won one seat each, while a Peasants and Workers Party candidate was leading in one seat. Counting of votes in one constituency was put on hold. In Amravati graduates constituency, Patil defeated Congress candidate Sanjay Khodke. Patil polled 78,051 votes, while Khodke polled 34,154 posts. NCPs Vikram Kale won the Aurangabad teachers constituency, while Congress candidate Sudhir Tambe defeated a BJP candidate to win the Nashik graduates constituency. In Konkan teachers constituency, the PWPs Balaram Patil was supported by the Congress and NCP. He was leading till late evening. BJP-supported Ramnath Mote, a two-term MLC, was denied candidature by the party, which fielded Venunath Kadu instead. Mote was contesting as an independent. Patil, Kale and Tambe are the sitting MLCs in the upper house. The elections to the three graduate constituencies and two teachers constituencies were held on February 3. After the voting at a polling booth in Nagpur was declared invalid, the counting of the Nagpur teachers constituency was put on hold. The re-poll was conducted on the polling station on Monday and the counting will take place on Tuesday. Also read: Congress, NCP ally for legislative council elections SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Gurudas Kamat, on Monday, withdrew his decision of not campaigning for the party in the civic polls, saying that he was doing so at the request of party workers. This is the second time that Kamat has done a U-turn about his feud with Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam. Earlier, he had announced his retirement from public life. Unhappy over the selection procedure of candidates, Kamat had announced that he would stay away from the campaign, two weeks back. On Monday, he claimed that party workers from various parts of the city were requesting him to participate in the campaign and so, he had decided to resume campaigning. Meanwhile, Congress general secretary in charge of Maharashtra Mohan Prakash, faced the ire of workers of an organisation led by the partys disgruntled general secretary Vilas Rupawate. He was gheraod by the workers at Vile Parle on Monday. READ MORE Its Aaditya vs Amit: GenNext Thackerays to woo BMC voters New Thackeray on election block: MNS leader Rajs son Amit joins campaigning SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON About 48 candidates from the Shiv Sena will have to contest as independent candidates at the Nagpur and Nashik municipal corporation elections as they did not receive AB forms (an authenticity certificate issued by parties). The party has decided to approach election authorities, saying that it was a conspiracy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that made sure that the forms did not reach about 40 Sena candidates in Nagpur and about eight in Nashik. In Nashik, Shiv Senas AB forms could not reach four candidates; the same number were pronounced invalid because they were photocopies and the wrong ink had been used. Shiv Sena leader Anil Desai, who reached Nashik on Monday, said the party was thinking of moving the election commission. In another case, the Nashik election authorities have ordered a scrutiny into an allegation that a BJP functionary demanded Rs2 lakh to secure candidature. The complaint was lodged after a video of money being demanded from the aspirant for the party ticket in the municipal corporation elections to be held on February 21 went viral on Saturday. Congress lodged a complaint with the authorities. According to officials from the municipal corporation, the authorities on Sunday received a complaint from the Congress for action against BJPs general secretary Nana Shiledar for violation of the code of conduct. The aspirant was asked to pay the amount in cash or by cheque. The partys local MLA Devyani Pharande had claimed that the fund was officially sought for the campaign. We have received the complaint from the Congress and have forwarded it to the branch dealing with the violation of code of conduct for the scrutiny. Necessary action would be taken if the primary scrutiny finds violation, said an official from the election branch of the Nashik Municipal Corporation. Officials from the state Election Commission said that action would be taken at the local level and a report will be submitted to the Commission if action was initiated. READ MORE Shiv Sena uses BJPs advocacy of smaller states as a civic poll issue Mumbai civic polls: Uddhav Thackeray comes out all guns blazing, targets BJP over multiple issues SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A police constable from Mumbai crime branch died after the two-wheeler he and his wife were travelling on was knocked down by a speeding dumper on Sion-Trombay Road at Chunabhati on Sunday night. According to the police, constable Pratap Kisan Chavan, 45, was a resident of Shrimangal society at Bhoiwada in Parel. The incident occurred at 7.30pm at Rahul Nagar. His wife Pranita, who was riding pillion, sustained minor injuries in mishap and was discharged after initial treatment. Cops said the accident occurred after the dumper driver, Shiv Charan Singh, 21, veered towards left without giving indication. Without giving the signal, the dumper driver changed the direction of and rammed it into the motorcycle the victims were travelling on, said Sunil Bhosale, senior inspector from Chunabhatti police station. Chavan sustained grievous injuries to his chest in the mishap. The driver tried to flee the spot, but was nabbed by the passers-by, said Bhosale. Singh was arrested and booked under sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 304A (causing death by negligence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 134 (a) (b) of the Motor Vehicles Act. Though Chavan was rushed to a nearby hospital, he was declared dead on arrival. Investigations revealed that the couple had dropped their children to a relatives place in Wadala and were returning to their home when the accident occurred. Also read: Biker crushed under bus in Thane dies while being rushed to Mumbai hospital SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 By Emil Ilgar Trend: Indian government has set aside a $235 million line of credit for development of Irans Chabahar Port since 2015, but is unable to release the first tranche of $150 million due to Irans delay to submit a proposal for release of the fund despite several reminders, Indian officials said Feb. 6. Iran and India signed a deal in May 2015 on development of the Chabahar Port, aimed at opening of a transit route to Afghanistan and Central Asia for Indian goods and products, avoiding the land route through Pakistan. A year after that, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that his country would invest $500 million to develop the project. The funds cannot be released without paperwork and this has not yet reached the Indian government. Even reminders from EXIM Bank to Iran have not helped, a person familiar with the matter told the Indian Economic Times. There are apparently no reasons behind Irans delay in submitting the proposal for the release of loan, the person alleged. As per the memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed during the visit of Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari to Tehran in May 2015, EXIM Bank is to extend a $150 million line of credit for development of the port complex. Another $85 million was allotted later following a contract between the two sides for supply of equipment to develop two berths in the port complex, persons familiar with the development told Economic Times. They said India had offered to release the first portion of the line of credit within four months of the Iranian proposal on the port expansion and development plan, but the proposal has yet to come. The father of the 25-year-old physiotherapist, who was raped and murdered on December 6 last year in a Vile Parle chawl, demanded a death sentence for the 27-year-old accused, Debasis Dhara. The disconsolate father on Sunday told Hindustan Times how the crime had shattered his dream of giving his elder daughter a better life. We are a poor family. My wife had been asking me to buy a big house. But we sacrificed our comfort and instead took two loans of Rs12 lakh to fulfil her dream of becoming a physiotherapist. She was a brilliant student, he said. The father is the sole bread winner for his family of five and earns Rs20,000 a month. He also shoulders medical expenses of his mentally-challenged brother who stays in his village. I was to take a third loan because my daughter wanted to complete her Masters degree abroad. The degree in India is for three years while in other countries, it is a two-year course. She told me I shouldnt take another loan and that she had saved nearly Rs1 lakh from her salary. All I wanted for her was a better life. But all our dreams were shattered by this incident, he said. The case needs to be fast-tracked in the court and the accused has to be sentenced to death. What was my daughters fault? he added. The mother battled trauma before the December incident owing to the death of her brother. The death of her daughter aggravated her condition. Some media reports unnecessarily defaming my wife only added to our miseries, the father said. On December 6 last year, a neighbour saw smoke from the window of the victims room, on the first floor of the one-storey structure at Leelabai Chawl in Vile Parle (East). She was found dead in the room with a pair of jeans around her neck. The forensic report revealed that the victim was raped and murdered. The accused was brought to the city a few days ago after CCTV camera footage provided a breakthrough to the police. Individual grilling of locals and CCTV footage solved case, says cop Apart from 12 police officers and 25 constables from zone 8 of the Mumbai police, handpicked officers from the west region were roped in to crack the rape and murder of the 25-year-old physiotherapist. Mahadev Nimbalkar, inspector of Vile Parle police station, said, We sent our teams to different states but couldnt get a breakthrough. The officer added how the case was finally solved with a combination of intelligence and technical evidence in the form of CCTV footage. The team arrested the 27-year-old accused, Debasis Dhara, from West Bengal a few days back. The DNA samples of Dhara matched with that of an unidentified person collected from the crime spot, said DCP Virendra Mishra. Not only did the police grill locals, the father of victim was the first one to be taken in for questioning. I had just completed the last rites and came home. The same day, the police took me to police station for questioning. At that time, I wondered why they are grilling my family, but we cooperated fully . But now I know I was wrong. They did a fabulous job, said the father. The teams questioned more than 500 people, including the patients of the victim, but got no leads. They got certain leads when they began individual questioning of locals and learnt about Dharas sudden behavioural change. Nimbalkar added, There is no doubt that the accused will be convicted for his crime. We have a water-tight case against him. We are aiming at filing the charge sheet within 10 days. READ Physiotherapists rape and murder in Mumbai suburb: DNA samples of accused sent to Kalina lab Physio rape and murder in Mumbai: Change in suspects behaviour helped police zero-in on him What do you know about Pakistan? asked a hesitant Sarah Motiwala, facing a classroom of students at the Cathedral and John School in Fort few weeks ago. A Pakistani national, visiting India to get married and settle down with her husband, she was expecting the worst, given the tensions between the countries. Nervous and stealing awkward glances at the teachers, she wondered whether signing up to speak to sixth graders at a South Mumbai school was a wise move. To her surprise, students promptly responded: Its full of valleys. Ive heard that it is a pretty place. The beauty of Pakistan is often not the first thing that comes to a persons mind, let alone to a sixth grader. I was quite surprised by the responses, said Sarah. Schools in Mumbai are experimenting with a new project, where they invite knowledgeable and articulate travellers to their classrooms to share stories about their journeys and their countries. Schools say that the interaction helps students get over stereotypes about other countries, their culture and residents. At the Cathedral and John School programme, teachers were happy with the results of the interaction, which achieved something diplomatic talks have struggled to find: a friendship, a one-hour interaction with the students quizzing Sarah on Pakistani culture, admiring Pakistani truck art, and breaking stereotypes about the country. Young minds are impressionable, and biases developed during childhood often take years to undo. Entrepreneurs Shirin Johari and Aarti Chhabria learnt this lesson in their 20s, when they travelled and found that the world is a lot different than how it is perceived within the closed walls of the school. This realisation led to Clap Talks, an initiative that puts schools in touch with foreign travellers, who come into the classrooms and share the stories of their lives with the children. Clap is a free for all, no-cost platform, said its founders. Travellers are selected on the basis of their profiles. They must log onto the teams website and write a detailed profile- consisting of background, what kind of experiences they will be able to share with students-on the Clap Talk website. The team then gets in touch with the travellers and guides them on how to conduct the talk. Registered schools choose the travellers they want to invite. Travellers have to follow a format for the talk given by the team In school I thought Germany was a bad country because my textbooks only spoke of World War II. I believed white skin was more beautiful than brown. I thought telling your family about your boyfriend was wrong, if you didnt intend to marry him. Till I grew up, I thought cooking was a pretty much a womans job, said Shirin, who started the programme with Aarti Chhabria. Why must children wait to grow up before they question stereotypes and discover new worlds and ways of thinking? A drive to break stereotypes by putting students in touch with travellers spurred the programme. As a child my only exposure to foreigners was my dads Dutch and Swiss business customers. I remember the women being dressed in bold clothes and consuming alcohol. I grew up with the idea that being Western somehow meant being superior, said Aarti. So far, these talks have reached 21 schools in Mumbai, covering travels from 33 cities. Schools are opting for the programme, as it offers a way for the children to see the world, without the risk of travel. It is not the safest time to travel the world right now. So these talks are bringing the world to the students, said Sheila Bhattacharya, IGCSE, coordinator, Gold Crest School, Vashi. In fact, students learn a lot more than what they do on trips, Bhattacharya added. People who come for the talks are backpackers, adventure-seekers, living an alternative lifestyle, far different from the brand and mall-driven culture that students are used to. They also develop a wider understanding of the world through such interactions, Bhattacharya said, It gives students a bit of reality, they learn about the ordinary life of people abroad. Children begin to mature after meeting such a diverse group of people. After slum and wedding tourism, this is becoming a new trend for travellers, going much beyond mere sight seeing. Atthar, a musician from Rasht, Iran, who was in India to study vipassana, spoke to the children at First Steps, a preschool in Chowpatty, about his love for music, and meted out impromptu lessons on how to act in music videos. This is a mandatory experience for any traveller who enjoys sharing culture, tradition and ways of living in different countries, he said. Inspiring young minds At Vishwajyot High School, Navi Mumbai, Tracy Lee Howard, a globe-trotter from Cape Town, South Africa, shattered misconceptions about Africa. I loved the fact that I could represent Africa in a positive way and the kids came away being very enthused and happy, she said. The fundamental message is that all things are possible, even if we live thousands of miles apart. We are all connected, said Tracy Crossing the language barrier Actions spoke louder than words when Alejandra Reich, an environmentalist from Argentina, interacted with Class 7 students from Universal School, Malad, despite language barriers. She communicated with the kids largely through gestures and expressions and taught them to dance the tango. We understand each other very well, beyond words, said Reich. I think it is a very interesting way to educate, generating interest and curiosity in children. How clap works Children get to learn about different cultures through real stories and real people, and gradually develop an understanding of the world that is deeper than popular stereotypes. And travellers get to witness a slice of real life in a foreign land while making an actual difference to the lives of the people they meet. When schools sign up with Clap, they receive a kit complete with conversation aids and guiding flashcards. Similarly, travellers also receive a reference PPT, an uncomplicated presentation template, that helps them plan their talk better. Read Mumbai college students mantra: Go green for a better future SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON As the city, known for its low voter turnout, gears for the polls to elect municipal corporators, students are taking to the digital plane to get more Mumbaiites to come out to vote. A group of students from six colleges in the city are using a digital initiative Vote for Mumbai to get voters to polling stations. This group has been uploading messages and videos encouraging people to take out 15 minutes from their busy schedules and vote this time. In 2012, the voter turnout in Mumbai for the municipal elections was a mere 45%. This does not make a government a representative of the society. With this campaign, we aim to reach out to the other 55% and encourage them to go to polling booths this time, said Huzaifa Khan, a student of HR College, Churchgate, one of the students. Students from the five other colleges Jaihind, KC and Government Law College( all in Churchgate), Swami Vivekanand College, Chembur and Mithibai College (Vile Parle) are taking the campaign to other parts of the city. Their primary target are fellow students. Our aim is to reach out to first-time voters, and eventually to everybody else who does not think voting is important, he added. The project has been incorporated into the semester assignments of students, for the Bachelor of Mass Media programme. Most of us were interning with various digital media houses during the holidays and all we had to do was pool in our knowledge and resources, with no initial cost, said another student. Other student groups are trying to increase the voter turnout by taking the campaign to streets and homes. Students of RA Podar College in Matunga, recently organised a march across Matunga and Kings Circle, urging people to register for the upcoming elections. Our students held a day-long march asking more people to register as well as cast their votes. Many youngsters also had queries about the election procedure, which our students and staff happily solved, said Sobhana Vasudevan, principal. Similarly, the students and management of RD National College in Bandra have been reaching out to societies in and around Bandra and Santacruz, urging people to exercise their electoral rights. We have also approached nearby colleges to help us talk to more families before elections. We have very little time left before the city goes to poll, so more help will be needed to create mass awareness, said Dinesh Panjwani, principal of the college. While awareness about voting is just one part of the campaign, the focus is also on information on Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Indias richest municipal body that manages a city with more than 12 million residents. Complaints related to the citys water supply have increased by 13% and the BMC has a surplus of Rs43,000 crore locked in fixed deposits. Rs130crore was spent on upgrading the BMCs IT infrastructure and the best part is all this information is available on the BMC website. We want to rebuild this connection between the society and BMC, so that people know who to ask questions about what, added Khan. Other than voting, the focus has been on informed voting through the digital initiative. With many people digitally connected, we hope to reach out to a lot of people in the next few weeks, said a student. Use your democratic right *Vote for Mumbai is a digital initiative started by a group of college students from six city colleges *Students are using social media networks like Facebook and Twitter to reach out to voters from across the city and encourage them to go vote this year *These students are also trying to connect with the BMC in order to help facilitate interactive sessions (video or chat) between voters and the electoral candidates *The initiative uses videos using young students and talking to others, which are then shared with students from various colleges Link: www.facebook.com/voteforMumbai READ MORE Campus cocktail: Traditional courses score in Mumbai colleges SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Hundreds of shopkeepers and workers in Noida Sector 18 market had to suffer a 20-hour outage on Monday due to the ongoing redevelopment work of the market by the Noida authority. Sector 18 market is the biggest market place in Noida with hundreds of shops, offices, restaurants and showrooms. The 20-hour outage has left the shopkeepers enraged. They accused the Noida authority of negligence. According to officials, the authority is redeveloping the market and digging work is under way in D1, D2, E, F, K and M blocks of the Sector 18 market. The power supply to the area was snapped on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. There is no supply in our area of the market since 1 am on Sunday and shopkeepers have been making do with generators. There are more than 200 shops and 500 offices in the D1, D2, E, F, K and M blocks and they form almost 50% of the Sector 18 market, said SK Jain, president, Sector 18 Market Association, Noida. The shopkeepers say the reason for the power cut is that earthmovers are being used by the workers. Using earthmovers for digging harms the cable wires. Last year too, the same problem happened and we had asked the authority to use manual labour for digging, Jain said. Jain accused the authority officials of negligence and lack of empathy for the business people in Sector 18. Despite us asking them not to use earthmovers, the authority has ignored our pleas. This is a serious negligence and we ask them again to employ manual labour in the digging process, Jain said. A few residents also expressed discomfort over the power cut that continued into the evening hours. Even though the shops have generators and invertors, ut the streets are in darkness. I believe the Noida authority should be more careful in future, said Sudip Sahoo, a resident of Arun Vihar. The authority said the issue will be resolved at the earliest. We have asked the contractor to be careful in future and use manual labour, said SC Mishra, project engineer, Noida authority. As for the resumption of power supply, Mukul Singhal, superintendenting engineer, Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Ltd, said, We resumed supply by 8 pm in all blocks of Sector 18 Market. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Daily wage workers in Noida, who are yet to recover from the note ban effect, are unhappy over being ignored by political parties. They said that the parties claim to care for the poor but are only interested in them as vote banks. A majority of the workers in Noida are migrants from neighbouring states. They form a vital part of the construction work in the developing cities of Noida and Greater Noida. Fifty-six-year-old Ismail of Aligarh, who has been living in Noida for the last five years, says that despite the election date closing in, no political party has addressed the issues of workers. All parties claim that they care for the poor but in reality, they only milk the poor strata for votes. Since we cant vote, they are not bothered about us. No leader will come forward and say that he/she wants to double the income of daily wagers, Ismail said. VK Seth, a city-based entrepreneur, said, The daily wage contractual labourers form the biggest workforce in three phases of Noida. They have been a part of this city since its inception and yet, no one is bothered about them. Have you seen any political party campaigning for them or raising their issues? This sector faces complete neglect despite being the backbone of industry in Noida. Workers, who are mostly hired in the morning hours, can be seen waiting even in the afternoon at the labour chowk in Sector 60. Forty-eight-year-old Santosh Prasad says the situation has remained the same over the last three months, and his daily earnings still remain below half of what he used to earn before demonetization. Prasad is from Gaya district in Bihar and has been living in Noidas Sector 58 for the last 13 years. We sit here all day, waiting for contractors to hire us but there is no work in the market. The construction business has collapsed post-demonetization and worst, it has not affected the builders but us labourers. We hardly manage to earn 200 per day, said Prasad. I dont have Noida voter card and a majority of the labourers here are migrants who have come from states such as Bihar, Odisha, Haryana and Jharkhand. Why would the political parties care for us? We are not their vote bank, he said. Noida, along with two other constituencies Jewar and Dadri of Gautam Budh Nagar, is set to go to polls on February 11. The candidates from different parties have been heavily campaigning in the city for the last one month. While Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters have been campaigning in the sectors of Noida, propagating the pros of demonetization, the party has ignored the plight of daily wage workers, they claim. BJP has avoided visiting the slums of Noida because they know that their support base lies in the posh sectors. They claim that notebandi has done marvels for the country which is a lie. I request them to visit the labour chowk once, Sunil Singh, a daily wager from Faridabad, said. According to Vipin Malhan, the president of Noida Entrepreneurs Association, the city is home to 40-50,000 daily wage workers, who form the backbone of construction industry. Since demonetization, the sector has taken a hit and it seems unlikely that the situation will improve in the upcoming days. Daily wagers in Noida flock from different parts of India for work and since demonetization, they have been facing difficulties. Unless the turbulent period of economy and confusion over currency ends, it is difficult to predict when their situation will improve, Malhan said. We are not concerned with politics but it is sad to see how politicians alienate us in the city. I have lived and worked for more than a decade in Noida and yet, it seems as if I dont belong here, Prasad said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Uttar Pradesh special task force officials said they will book those who are staging protests in support of Anubhav Mittal, allegedly at the behest of the accused. Hundreds of investors on Sunday gathered at the Delhis Jantar Mantar to express support to Anubhav Mittal and his business model. Investors also gather outside his Sector 63 office in Noida. STF officials said that Mittal has hired a team of investors to provoke others to stage protests in his support so that he can escape the law. Some investors even shout down those who try to protest against Mittal. Read: Rs 3,700-cr ponzi scheme: Investors in Noida firm could get back their money When I went to Sector 63 office of Anubhav Mittal-owned Ablaze Info Solutions Private Limited and shouted against him, many asked me not to do it. I even got involved in arguments with many of them because they were not even letting me speak to the media about my case. I have lodged a complaint with the STF in Surajpur. I invested 57,500 and got only 3,000 so far. Mittal is a cheater and he has hired a team to spread rumours, Prashant Garg, an investor, said. STF said that it has decided to identify those who are supporting the fraudulent business model used by Mittal. Once we identify the persons who are spreading rumours and confusing people, we will book them as letting them have their way will lead to more cases of cheating, Amit Pathak, senior superintendent of police, STF, said. Read: Noida Ponzi scheme: Cop in-charge simplifies case A few videos, seeking the help of Mittals supporters, have also surfaced over the last few days. We will also take action against those who are behind the social media campaigns in support of this fraudster, said Pathak. The police said that investors had also lodged a complaint with Reserve Bank of India, Gautam Budh Nagar district administration and other central agencies in the past but these were ignored. One person had lodged a complaint with RBI on October 3, 2016, but no action was taken. Similarly, the complaint to the district administration also remained unaddressed, a police official said. The STF is analysing 60 terabytes of data seized from Mittal. Even investors are coming to our office daily and providing us data. Along with analysing the data, we are also working to question persons who worked with Mittal. His wife may soon be questioned in connection with the case, said. Read: Noida ponzi kingpin was planning to open e-commerce apparel website SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Four days after the special task force apprehended Anubhav Mittal and his associates for running a Ponzi scheme, investors in the company are still clueless. Many can be seen flocking the companys Sector 63 office for information about their money. On Monday, dozens of anxious investors were seen waiting outside Anubhav Mittals office in F block of Noida Sector 63. However, the building is in lockdown since Mittals arrest. The lack of information has also given an opportunity to rumourmongers to come up with speculations about the investment. Some claim that Mittal has bribed the police and he will eventually fly to Dubai or America with all that money, leaving us, investors, behind. However, I am still waiting for the Enforcement Directorates declaration on our money, Sanjeev Yadav of Dankaur, who had invested 2 lakh, said. Last Thursday, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UP-STF) arrested Anubhav Mittal, the managing director of Ablaze Info Solutions Private Limited, for duping nearly 7 lakh investors of 3,726 crore. STF officials said that Mittal was running an online trading scam under the cover of a social media firm. His investors were paid 5 for every like of the pages of advertisers after they had invested a fixed amount. Along with 26-year-old Mittal, Sreedhar Prasad, the chief executive officer, and Mahesh Dayal, the technical head, were also arrested. Since his arrest, the investors in Mittals scheme are in a frenzy. Despite STF asking the victims to lodge a complaint on reportfraud@utstf.com, the investors are still running from pillar to post for information about their money. Some of them have also come out in support of Mittal and said he should be released. I had invested around 3 lakh in the scheme and everything was going smoothly until the arrest. Now, my money is stuck with the legal procedures and I am sceptical if I will ever get my money back, Arun Srivastava, of Noida Sector 12, said. Some investors who are in support of the entrepreneur said that it was a conspiracy by rivals. I have been associated with Mittals company for the last one year. He grew his company with us and we will stand by him in this hour. It is a conspiracy hatched by rival parties and I am sure that Mittal will emerge victorious and even more confident after the incident, Pankaj Chauhan of Noidas Sector 44 said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The news from Nagaland over the past few days has been unnerving. The violence that swept the state, resulting in several deaths and destruction of property, was terrible. More appalling were the reasons fuelling the street protests. The state was to hold elections to urban local bodies with 33% of seats reserved for women. But influential tribal bodies with men at the helm were opposed to the move and the government relented, agreeing to delay the polls. But the courts decided otherwise and the authorities decided to go ahead with elections in at least some bodies. The flip-flop lit the spark and Nagaland nose-dived into anarchy. As with Jallikattu in Tamil Nadu, tradition and local customs are the ruse in Nagaland. The protesters in Chennai argued that Jallikattu was their proud tradition and wanted the practice to continue. In Kohima, the men say women played no part in the states politics and that it should stay that way. The similarities end here. The protests over Jallikattu triggered heated debates dividing the nation, and for right or wrong, finally forced the government to override an existing law and allow the blood sport. More than mere bulls, nearly a million women are being forcibly shut out of the political sphere in Nagaland, but strangely the rest of India has largely remained nonchalant. This lack of outrage is by itself outrageous. Missing from action are the warriors who normally spit fire and brimstone at the slightest slight to women. Remember the outrage whipped up last month when politician Sharad Yadav said something bad and all the honourable men and women tore him to pieces? Such examples of selective outrage are in plenty. Even the normally belligerent media seems to have lost its will to do battle this time. Having recently gone to war over the alleged mass-molestation of women in Bengaluru, it has been rather subdued in taking up the cause of women in Nagaland. The reasons behind the reticence most probably lie in Nagalands geography and demography. It is distant from Delhi and sparsely populated, electing just one Lok Sabha MP and commanding little influence. For the media, it plays no role in determining TRPs and circulation. The collective indifference has left Naga women hostage to the will of their men. They say they are hurt and want a role in public life as much as women in the rest of the country. But the country continues to fail them. Nagaland has not elected a single woman to the assembly since it was created in 1963. The only woman MP to have been elected from the state was some two decades ago. More injustice is staring at the women. Capitulating to demands of the men, the Nagaland government has decided to petition the Union government for exemption from enforcing reservation for women. In Tamil Nadu, bulls were made to pay the price for populism. In Nagaland, it shouldnt be the turn of women to be sacrificed. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Given the socio-political dynamics of Tamil Nadu, it is hard to dismiss the timing of the two events as coincidence. The day when strapping young men grappled with bulls near Madurai, officially proclaiming the recently regained legitimacy for Jallikattu, the political party that facilitated the resolution of the dispute over the traditional sport chose VK Sasikala as the new chief minister. Even if the unanimous decision of AIADMK legislators was legitimate, it opened a debate in the media, particularly in the social networking sites, landing Sasikala in a situation that former CMs had found themselves in whenever they assumed office. A clever maneuver, otherwise, to keep the party together and also enable it to honour the electoral mandate to rule the state till 2021, was ridiculed with comments like a confidante of the late CM is not competent to become CM, ignoring the fact that the MLAs, who elected J Jayalalithaa as CM in May, 2016, has now chosen Sasikala in the most legitimate fashion. Read: Sasikala as CM might be good for AIADMK, but not necessarily for Tamil Nadu When a leader passes away without nominating a successor, it is within the powers of the partys office bearers and its elected representatives to choose the next leader. And when the party enjoys the peoples mandate, how can anyone say that Sasikala does not have the acceptance of people? After all, she was very much part of Jayalalithaas life and political career: In fact since the 1980s, and the people were very much aware of it when they voted for the AIADMK. Yet the elitist media harangues against her as it did to every CM , starting from CN Annadurai to Jayalalithaa. The mainstream media ran them ---- Annadurai and his successor M Karunanidhi -- down primarily because they came from a movement that changed the socio-political history of the state. Read: From a shop owner to Tamil Nadu CM, quite a journey for Chinnamma Sasikala When the AIADMK split, soon after the death of MG Ramachandran, into two groups, one led by MGRs widow VN Janaki and the other by Jayalalithaa, even the popular journalist Cho Ramasway supported Janaki, leave alone many other publications that wrote disparagingly of Jayalalithaa, who surmounted all the Opposition and emerged as the inheritor of MGRs legacy. The challenge now before Sasikala is to prove that she indeed is the inheritor of that legacy. The elitist media and the intelligentsia, which once trained their guns against the DMK and recently, for over a decade, against Jallikattu, is targeting Sasikala for the same reasons. Read: Setback for AIADMK chief Sasikala as 20-year-old case returns to haunt her So it is for Sasikala to prove her mettle by providing a people-friendly government. Unlike the Jallikattu supporters who fought valiantly for over a decade and showcase their triumph at Avaniapuram, Sasikala has just four years and three months to prove proclaim the legitimacy by leading MGRs party to victory in 2021. G Babu Jayakumar is a Chennai-based senior journalist The views expressed are personal Days after a road construction firm camp office was attacked in Bihars Gaya district, its proprietor hinted that he was contemplating to wind up the job. Bindi Yadav, owner of Ramia Construction Company, said he was facing threat to his life for not paying Rs 50-lakh levy demanded by Maoists. Suspected Maoists had targeted the camp office of his firm at Mahuain village in Barachatti police station when they burnt its machinery last Wednesday. An RJD leader and former chairman of Gaya district board, Yadav is a co-accused in the May 7 Gaya road rage in which a class 12 student, Aditya Sachdeva, was killed for overtaking the SUV of Bindis son Rocky Yadav. I have been receiving calls from Maoists and have provided the phone numbers of callers to the Gaya police. I am actually caught between the devil and the deep sea. If I oblige the Maoists by paying the money, it will be a criminal offence in the eyes of the law. And if I fail to do so, my life and property will be at stake, Yadav said. The RJD leader said the Maoists had earlier attacked the camp office of his firm when it was engaged in construction of the Sobh-Dhangai road in the district on June 17 last year. Suspected Maoists beat up its munshi (accountant) and another employee for levy. The project was completed when I approached the police and senior superintendent of police (SSP) Garima Mallik provided us security, Yadav added. He said extremists targeted his other project, Ghoraghat-Dobhi road construction, on February 9. But the Gaya police ensured completion of the road, Yadav said. The Maoists also torched my petrol station on February 10 for levy. I have no option but to suspend road construction work as all my employees have fled for fear of extremists, he said. Yadav said CPI (Maoist), Tritiya Prastuti Committee and Peoples Liberation Front of India were active in Gaya, which shared borders with Jharkhand. We have been receiving threats from all three Maoist outfits. I have provided the numbers and names of the callers to the Gaya police, he added. The Gaya SSP said the Barachatti police had registered an FIR in connection with the attack on Yadavs company office at Mahuain. We are ready to provide security to firms engaged in construction of roads across district, she said. When asked about Maoists threat to construction firms, the SSP said, If we receive any such complaint, we will immediately take action to ensure security, she added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 By Fatih Karimov Trend: Iran will receive the final batch of a 149-ton yellow cake (natural uranium) shipment from Russia on Feb. 7, Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said. Last week Iran received three consignments and the last batch is expected to be imported on Feb. 7, Kamalvandi said, ISNA news agency reported. He added that Iran has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about the imports, adding that Iran will continue uranium extraction as well. Giving the fact that Irans uranium output is less in comparison to the worlds major uranium producers, the imports will contribute to the Islamic Republics nuclear industry. Iran has imported 359 tons of uranium from Russia and other countries over the last year following the implementation of the nuclear deal. Iran and the P5+1- the United States, France, Britain, Russia, Germany and China - started implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA aka nuclear deal ) on Jan.16, 2016. Under the nuclear deal, Iran can sell its enriched uranium material and buy natural uranium or yellow cake in return. In the five years of the SAD-BJP rule, some places in Punjab shot into media glare and held attention of the state and nation for days and weeks. Does a single incident or achievement of the government change how people of that area vote? HT tries to find out PATHANKOT: TERROR ATTACK Despite a major terror attack on countrys premier airbase on January 2, 2016, here, people voted in large numbers. The poll percentage in this border district jumped from 72% in 2012 assembly elections to nearly 77% this time. The border assembly segment Bhoa, which is believed to be on the route of terrorists who attacked the airbase and the Dinana- gar police station, also saw a big jump from 69% to 77% in 2012. DINANAGAR: MILITANT STRIKE The fear of March 27, 2015 terrorist attack on Dinanagar police station, in which four security personnel one superintendent of police (SP) and three Home Guard Jawans and three civilians were killed, was forgotten by the residents. Over 1.29 lakh voters cast their votes on Saturday against 1.24 lakh in 2012. The turnout, however, marginally decreased from 77.4% to 73.4%. The increase in the total votes polled this time may also be attributed to the over 11,000 new voters enlisted this time. FARIDKOT: BEHBAL KALAN FIRING This district was in news in October 2015 when a series of incidents of desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib culminated in the death of two Sikh protesters in police firing at Behbal Kalan. The three assembly segments in the district witnessed less polling as compared to 2012. Jaitu, which recorded a turnout of 83.9% this time, had witnessed over 85% polling in 2012. Kotakpura saw 80.49% turnout as compared to 83% in 2012 and Faridkot saw 81.53% polling against 84% in 2012. AMRITSAR: MAKEOVER A view of Heritage street in Amritsar. (HT File Photo) The Heritage Street built close to the Golden Temple was deputy CM Sukhbir Badals dream project and he tried his best to publicise it. But not much change in voting pattern was seen in the Amritsar (central) where the area falls. In 2012 assembly polls, it recorded 64.50% polling while this time it was 65% in the segment. If the SAD was expecting the voters to come out and vote in appreciation, it has clearly not happened. MOGA: MOLESTATION, MURDER Orbit Bus, owned by Badal family, at police station Baghapurana near Moga in Ludhiana,. (HT File Photo) Landeke, the village which remained in limelight for the Moga molestation incident in 2015 and badly hit the Akali Dal after an Orbit bus, owned by the Badal family, mowed down a 13-year-old girl at Gill village, witnessed 72.6% polling. Of the 5,633 voters, only 4,090 people cast their votes. Not an encouraging response from the residents who were expected to vent their anger against the Badals. (Compiled by Chitleen K Sethi with inputs from Prabhjit Singh, Aseem Bassi, Vinay Dhingra, Kamaljit Singh Kamal and Parampreet Singh Narula) It all started in his childhood. His parents would give him a mobile phone every time he insisted on playing a game. Gradually, he got so engrossed in his virtual world of gaming that he lost interest in the real world. Now, the 15-year-old is being treated for gadget addiction at the psychiatry department of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER). The youngster used to spend 8-10 hours a day playing video games. He would run away from home, miss classes and even steal things from his home to arrange money to buy games. Lying became a regular affair. When he was forbidden from stepping out, he took to mobile gaming at home. When that too was stopped, he turned into a violent, aggressive and frustrated teenager. Today the family does not have a single gadgetno smart phone, no television, no computer. They own only a basic mobile handset. This is a unique case, which shows how addictive these gadgets can be, says Dr Sandeep Grover, psychiatry department, PGIMER. AT 18, THIS ADDICT EARNS LAKHS This case may be unique, but there are others as well. The department is also treating an 18-year-old from Chandigarh for gadget addiction. He was 6 when his parents bought him a laptop and smart phone; at the age of 16 he gifted himself a car. The money came from legal and illegal means of using internet. At 16, he bought a car worth Rs 5 lakh and now he plans to buy a BMW by 2019, says his father. The parents got worried when they noticed drastic changes in his behavior. He began spending 10-12 hours on the internet; became self-centered, emotionally detached, anti-social, and stopped interacting with the family. After 10th, he decided not to go to school. He feels if he can earn lakhs without a degree, why go to school. He gives me examples of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, whenever I ask him to attend classes, says the father, who finally got him admitted to a dummy school. He has joined some digital forum for digital marketing. He does server hosting in Singapore besides working for DTOS (a management company) and building websites. This is what he tells me whenever I ask him how he earns money online. Rest I do not know, says his father. He laments that lost his son to gadgets by making the mistake of pandering to his whims. I committed this mistake several years ago and lost my child to gadgets. By the time I realised my mistake, it was too late, said the father. Three years ago, the parents approached city based psychologists but got no help. Even doctors do not know how to deal with the addiction. They ask me to take away all the gadgets from him, but when I do that, he becomes aggressive. Besides, he is independent now, says the father. Things changed last year, when the youngster lost his mother. We have started interacting more now, says the father. WHAT IS A GADGET ADDICTION? We consider a person to be a gadget addict when he/she spends much more than the required time on a gadget. Furthermore, its usage compromises other aspects of life, and one cannot tolerate its removal, explains Dr Grover. Gadget addiction is a relatively new concept for psychiatrists as well, who are conducting several studies to understand the disorder better. We have just started to recognise it as a problem and we need to learn how to handle it. At PGIMER, we are conducting some studies on screen exposure and gadget addiction, says Dr Grover. But if I have to advise someone, I would say that they should control gadget use and learn how to interact with others in person, he adds. When asked if children should be given gadgets, the doctor said, It should be supervised and there must be a time-frame. Dr BS Chavan, Head, Psychiatry department, PGIMER, says, I have seen three cases in the recent past, where children almost stopped going to school because of their addiction to internet. They do not listen to parents and become violent when they are stopped by parents. Parents should be careful from the very beginning. ROLE OF PARENTS What is bothering doctors is the fact that parents themselves are giving gadgets to their children to keep them distracted. When you play with friends, you encounter new situations every day. This is how a child learns to deal with defeat. But now, what is happening is that children are not learning to lose, and when they lose, they are completely shattered, says Dr Grover. He adds, Children who remain glued to gadgets are more likely to become aggressive, irritable, emotionally detached and less sensitive. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Superstar Rajinikanth, who is busy shooting for upcoming Tamil science-fiction action thriller 2.o, believes hes a spiritualist more than an actor. He says he will place spiritualism above fame, money and name because spiritual power is unmatchable. I would like to call myself a spiritualist more than an actor. I believe spiritualism is above everything and I would choose it over name, fame and money because spiritualism gives you power and I love power, Rajinikanth said on Saturday on the sidelines of the book launch of Deiveega Kadhal, the Tamil version of The Divine Romance. The book has been written by Paramahansa Yogananda. Talking about the first guru in his life, the 66-year-old actor mentioned the spiritual discourses he attended as a child, courtesy his brother Satyanarayana Gaekwad. My brother was my first guru who introduced me to spiritualism at a very young age. He later even enrolled me into Ramakrishna Mission, he said, and added that his second guru was Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He went on to add that he learnt about social problems through Dayananda Saraswati and about searching oneself via Ramana Maharishi. Known for his regular visits to Himalayas, Rajinikanth said the place is filled with several divine secrets. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Of the many adventures with we want to take on in our lives, scuba diving or feeling being one with the marine species in their natural habitats, features on most to-do lists. From swimming with sharks and dolphins to feeding a jellyfish, most divers dream of exploring the wonders of what lies underwater. Here we look at some of the worlds best destinations for those keen to experience a breathtakingly magical world. Loggerhead sea turtles, Moreton Island, Australia The Pacific coast is a prime destination for rewarding dives. While snorkelers can cruise the Whitsunday Islands and hang out with the famous fish called Elvis, divers can swim among loggerhead sea turtles off the coast of Moreton Island. Together with the neighbouring Fraser Island, Moreton forms the largest sand structure in the world. However, its still a relatively secret destination since neighboring Fraser Island is the main draw for thousands of tourists keen to visit the worlds largest sand island. Sea lions, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador Diving with sea lions in the Galapagos Islands. (Istock) The Ecuadorian archipelago is a paradise for nature-lovers thanks to its extremely rich biodiversity. Some 2,909 marine species have been identified in its waters, of which 18% are endemic. In short, the islands promise divers an unforgettable experience. While marine iguanas are the usual must-see when diving in the Galapagos, sportier types can head off a little further to find sea lions, silky sharks, spotted eagle rays, manta rays and sperm whales. Beluga whales, the White Sea, Russia Beluga whales in Russias White Sea. (Istock) Scuba divers dont need to stick to warm water adventures. Northeast of Saint Petersburg, the White Sea offers a spectacular sight thanks to its population of beluga whales. These intriguing white whales have a distinctive melon-like protuberance on the front of their heads. The curious creatures sometimes even pop their heads up out of the water to see whats going on around them. You wont see belugas in summer, though, as they migrate to warmer waters. Orcas, the Lofoten Islands, Norway Orcas in the Lofoten Islands, Norway. (Istock) Often thought of as dangerous predators, killer whales, or orcas, can be easily approached by divers when at ease in their natural habitat. In the waters surrounding Norways Lofoten Islands, whale-watchers can set off in search of the creatures from November to February, but dont bring any tanks, as bubbles will scare the whales away. Organised night dives (with scuba tanks) are also available for a particularly moving experience. Blue sharks, the Azores, Portugal Diving with the blue shark in the Azores, Portugal. (Istock) Experienced and adventurous divers can head out in search of the blue shark in the waters of Portugals Azores islands. Certain rules must be followed to keep divers safe while observing the sharks under the water, even though this species doesnt instinctively hunt humans. Divers in search of a more laidback experience can still enjoy the Azores, however, since the islands are one of the worlds largest whale sanctuaries. Its relatively easy to catch a glimpse of toothed whales and sei whales, for example. Whale sharks, the Maldives Whale sharks in the Maldives. (Istock) Divers can get up close to the worlds biggest fish, the whale shark, in Zanzibar or the Maldives. This endangered species is harmless to humans and can be observed in the wild, so long as you follow the rules in place to protect it. Divers will need to head to the whale sharks favourite haunts, notably lagoons and estuaries, where it feeds on shrimps, plankton and anchovies. Humpback whales, Zanzibar, Tanzania Divers can catch sight of humpback whales in Zanzibar. (Istock) Tanzania is a well-known destination for divers thanks to its stunning multicolored coral reefs. As well as the dolphins that follow alongside diving boats, visitors can look for humpback whales during the species migration period in August and September. Hammerhead sharks, French Polynesia Hammerhead sharks in French Polynesia. (Istock) French Polynesia is home to various species of shark, such as the blacktip reef shark, the whitetip reef shark, the lemon shark and more. The hammerhead shark is one of the star sights of Polynesian waters, so long as you visit between November and March. A dive of around 15 meters is necessary to catch sight of the species. The shark usually hangs out at depths of around 50 meters, but it can swim up if it spots suitable prey. Note that the species is considered not dangerous to humans, though care should be always taken. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more Book lovers who have dreamt of moving into libraries can now live out their dream, at least in Japan. A hotel in Japan is defying the digital books trend and appealing to guests who prefer to curl up with a traditional paper book. In a move that would make JK Rowlings famous bibliophile Hermione Granger oh-so-proud, Book and Bed Tokyo, a variation of Japans famous capsule hotels, offers guests a closet-sized bunk embedded in rows of bookshelves. The walls, ceiling and most of the decor of the hotel are packed with 3,200 books in different languages. A common room serves as a lounge for day visitors who can also come to share the experience of reading books together. The walls, ceiling and most of the decor of the hotel are packed with 3,200 books in different languages. (REUTERS) There are many visitors staying in one big space, so we can communicate and feel relaxed, said student Natsuki Suno, while taking a break from her studies. The hotel, which opened 18 months ago, has 60 cube rooms equipped with a mattress and reading lamp. Depending on the room, overnight rates range from 3,800 yen (Rs 2,266) to 4,800 yen (Rs 2,863). Daytime visitors can lounge in cushioned corners of the hotel for 500 yen (Rs 300) an hour. Kei Asai, chief executive of Book and Bed, said he wanted to offer something beyond the traditional capsule hotel. The reason why I came up with this concept was that I wanted to stay in this kind of hotel where you can fall asleep while enjoying something fun, he said. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more. Queen Elizabeth, the worlds longest-reigning living monarch, will celebrate her Sapphire Jubilee on Monday, commemorating 65 years since she took the British throne. A 41-gun royal salute will take place in central London to mark the occasion. The queens office released a 2014 portrait showing her wearing a suite of sapphire jewellery she received from King George VI as a wedding gift in 1947. Britains Queen Elizabeth II wearing a suite of sapphire jewellery originally given to her by her father King George VI as a wedding gift in 1947. (AFP photo) The Queen, 90, has cut back on international tours but still regularly performs official duties around Britain. In December, she said she would reduce the number of her patronages, passing on her role at dozens of charities, academic institutions and sporting groups to other members of the royal family. She will spend the day at her residence in Sandringham, eastern England, as is usual, her office said. Afghan officials were working on Monday to reach remote villages after avalanches and heavy snow killed at least 119 people around the country. A storm dumped as much as two metres (6.5 feet) of snow on many areas of Afghanistan over the weekend, according to officials. At least 119 people died and 89 were injured in avalanches and by collapsed roofs and traffic accidents, in 22 of Afghanistans 34 provinces over the past three days, said Wais Ahmad Barmak, minister for disaster management. There is a possibility that some people still could be trapped in some areas and we do not have information yet, he said. Map of Afghanistan showing places where people were killed in extreme weather and avalanches over the weekend. (AFP) Among the hardest hit areas was Nuristan, a mountainous province on the eastern border with Pakistan. An avalanche there on Sunday killed 63 people and injured 27, according to an official in the provincial governors office. Barmaks spokesperson Omer Mohammadi said rescue teams have so far recovered 48 bodies from those villages and that more than 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) of farmland have been destroyed. Mohammadi said it would take some time to establish a clear picture of the full extent of the damage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in Afghanistan avalanches and offered Indias assistance. Heartfelt condolences on the loss of lives in Afghanistan due to avalanches. India stands ready to assist in any way possible, he tweeted. Avalanches, triggered by heavy snowfall across Afghanistan, have killed at least 119 people in recent days. The UN humanitarian coordinator, Mark Bowden, said the Afghan government was leading rescue operations, but the United Nations stands ready to fully support the relief effort. With some areas difficult to access, it may take some time until a clear picture of the full extent of the damage is known, the United Nations said in a statement. Around the country nearly 200 homes were destroyed and 500 head of livestock were killed, Barmak said. Many roads remained blocked, with clearance efforts expected to take many days, he said. Though bringing misery to so many people, snow is vital for Afghanistan, where most farmers rely on snow melting in the mountains to sustain crops in the spring and summer. (With AFP inputs) Chinas newly-formed Rocket Force has held an exercise with advanced DF-16 medium-range ballistic missile with a range of over 1,000 km that could threaten a number countries, including India, Japan and the US. Significantly the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), which is secretive about its weapons systems, has released a video of the recent exercise of its troops employing the advanced DF-16 medium-range ballistic missile. Chinas Rocket Force is a special contingent to handle range of missiles in its militarys arsenal. Several launch vehicles carrying the ballistic missiles were seen in the footage released to show the training of Rocket Force missile brigade soldiers around the Spring Festival holiday. The participating units handled a number of scenarios, including chemical/biological contamination, countering satellite reconnaissance and electronic jamming, state-run China Daily reported on Monday. The crews practised in multiple manoeuvres, such as rapid loading, redeployment and launch sequence, though the video showed no missile actually being launched. Two types of DF-16 appeared in the exercise. The video represents the third time the DF-16 has been shown to the public. The missile made its debut at a military parade in Beijing in September, 2015. In July, a television news programme showed General Fan Changlong, a vice-chairman of the central military commission, inspecting a DF-16 unit of the southern theatre command. Though the PLA has never disclosed its ballistic missiles specifications, experts said the DF-16 poses a challenge to foreign military installations along the first island chain, which is what the Chinese military calls the series of islands that stretch from Japan in the north to Taiwan and the Philippines to the south. Chinas newly formed Rocket Force has showcased an advanced ballistic missile with a range of more than 1,000 km that can hit targets across the neighbourhood, including in India, Japan and Taiwan. A video released by the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) showed its Rocket Force personnel showcasing the DF-16 medium-range ballistic missile at an unknown location. State media reports didnt say when the drill was held but the video was released within a day of James Mattis, US President Donald Trumps new defence secretary, visiting Tokyo. On Monday, Japan said Chinese coast guard vessels sailed inside its territorial waters around the disputed Diaoyu islands (Senkaku in Japanese) in the East China Sea, soon after Mattis said the US would defend Tokyos control over them. Three ships entered the waters surrounding the uninhabited chain, the Japan Coast Guard said in a statement. The islands are controlled by Japan. Chinas state media issued a veiled warning to neighbours, especially Japan, about the capabilities of the DF-16 missile, which was first revealed at a military parade in Beijing in September 2015. Though the PLA has never disclosed its ballistic missiles specifications, experts said the DF-16 poses a challenge to foreign military installations along the first island chain, which is what the Chinese military calls the series of islands that stretch from Japan in the north to Chinas Taiwan and the Philippines to the south, state-run China Daily reported. Quoting Xu Guangyu, a retired major general, the report added that the DF-16 has a strike range of more than 1,000 kilometers, filling the gap that previously existed with the absence of a medium-range ballistic missile in the PLAs arsenal. Xu said the missile is able to reach Okinawa, a Japanese island about 400 km from the Diaoyu Islands. The missile, the report said, has a strike accuracy as good as that of a cruise missile. It is also able to manoeuvre in its final stage to penetrate enemy defensive firepower, the report added. Two types of DF-16 that appeared in the exercise are the bullet-shaped missile that is considered the original DF-16 and a new variant that features a maneuverable warhead and several extra fins. A week earlier, Washington Free Beacon, a US-based news website focussed on militaries across the world, said China had conducted the first flight of the DF-5C intercontinental ballistic missile in January. That missile carries 10 multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles. The DF-5C is the latest variant of the three-decade-old DF-5 family, the report said. The PLA hasnt confirmed or denied the report. China has adopted an aggressive posture since President Trump spoke to his Taiwanese counterpart Tsai Ing-wen. A commentary on the PLAs website on January 20 - the day Trump assumed office said the chances of war had become more real against the backdrop of a complex security situation in Asia Pacific. Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehgan has attended a ceremony in Tehran for unveiling five new home-made weapons. Dehgan has said that the new weapons will improve the capability of Iranian forces concerning air defense and individual combat techniques, Mizan news agency reported. Fajr 5 guided rocket, Misaq 3 shoulder fired missile system, Masaf grenade launcher, a 45-caliber infantry rifle, and a new pistol were unveiled during the ceremony. In the meantime, the country inaugurated the production lines for producing the newly unveiled weapons. The Iranian sources suggest that the country has made great achievements in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems in recent years. Since 1992, Iran has manufactured its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles, radars, boats and submarines. China has been unable to secure the return of one its soldiers stranded in India since 1963 despite relentless efforts to convince India to complete formalities and paperwork, the foreign ministry said on Monday. Wang Qi, a surveyor with the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), was captured in India after he crossed the border in 1963. More than 53 years later, Wang lives in India in Tirodi village, a five-hour drive from Nagpur. After his release from jail in 1969, Wang married an Indian woman and they have three children. Wangs case has been highlighted in the Indian media and most recently, a BBC report brought up his plight again. Subsequently, the Chinese media widely reported the issue and, on Monday, foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang was asked about developments in the case at a regular news conference. Lu said the Chinese embassy in India has made a lot of the efforts to get Wang back. In recent years, Chinese embassy to India had kept in close touch with Wang Qi and made relentless efforts to help him return to China, including pushing the Indian side on exit and entry procedures for him, Lu said. In 2013, the embassy issued a 10-year Chinese passport to him and provided a living allowance for him every year since then. I believe that with the joint efforts of China and India, and respecting the will of Wang Qi himself, the case will be properly solved. He added, The Chinese embassy has not only kept in close touch with Mr Wang Qi and his family, we have also been in close touch with the Indian side on this case. Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui too has spoken to Wang and assured him of all help. I instructed the embassy to keep in touch with you, to know your ideas and provide assistance as much as possible, including the replacement of your passport, Luo said, according to a statement in Chinese posted on the Chinese embassys website. We have been in contact with the government of India regarding your visit to China. We also fully understand that you have relatives in China. In India, you have a wife, children and grandchildren. Both countries have relatives who are part of family, Luo said, adding Wang has to make a thoughtful and appropriate choice. The state-run Global Times said in a report last week: Wang, who is now in his 80s, has been seeking to return for five decades. However, after a local court ordered his release after seven years in different jails in 1969, he was taken to a far-flung village in India's central state of Madhya Pradesh and denied permission to return to China. He was unable to see his mother, who died in 2006, one last time. The tabloid added, The Indian authorities should give their utmost attention to this case, actively communicating with the Chinese embassy and improving administrative efficiency in processing this case, while the Chinese side should cooperate to provide the necessary documents pertaining to Wang that India requires. If properly handled and solved, the case will help enhance mutual understanding of the public of both countries, contributing to further warming bilateral ties. Travellers from the seven predominantly Muslim countries targeted by US President Donald Trump enjoyed tearful reunions with loved ones in the US after a federal judge swept the ban aside. Airlines around the world allowed people to board flights as usual to the United States. One lawyer waiting at New Yorks Kennedy Airport said visa and green-card holders from Iraq and Iran were encountering no problems as they arrived. Its business as usual, said Camille Mackler of the New York Immigration Coalition. Fariba Tajrostami, a 32-year-old painter from Iran, came through the gate at Kennedy with a huge smile and tears in her eyes as her brothers greeted her with joyful hugs. Im very happy. I havent seen my brothers for nine years, she said. Read: Donald Trumps week: Amid name-calling, tweets and bullying, some moments of calm Tajrostami had tried to fly to the US from Turkey over a week ago but was turned away. I was crying and was so disappointed, she said. Everything I had in mind, what I was going to do, I was so disappointed about everything. I thought it was all over. Fariba Tajrostami of Iran is embraced by her brothers at John F Kennedy International Airport after arriving on her flight from Istanbul. . (AP photo) Tajrostami said she hopes to study art in the US and plans to join her husband in Dallas soon. He moved from Iran six months ago, has a green card and is working at a car dealership. Similar scenes played out across the US two days after a federal judge in Seattle suspended the presidents travel ban and just hours after a federal appeals court denied the Trump administrations request to set aside the ruling. The US cancelled the visas of up to 60,000 foreigners in the week after the ban on travel from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen took effect, according to the state department. Trump also suspended nearly all refugee admissions for 120 days and barred Syrian refugees indefinitely. The order triggered protests and a multitude of legal challenges around the country and blocked numerous college students, researchers and others from entering the US. Ali Abdullah Alghazali (R), 13, from Yemen walks with his father Abdullah Alghazali and his uncle after arriving at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York on Sunday. (AP photo) Trump, who said the goal was to keep terrorists from slipping into the country, lashed out against US district judge James Robart for putting the ban on hold. He referred to Robart as a so-called judge and called the ruling ridiculous. Read: Trumps travel ban: All you need to know about US Presidents immigration order On Sunday, the president tweeted: Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! At JFK on Sunday evening, Abdullah Alghazali hugged and kissed his 13-year-old son, Ali Abdullah Alghazali, who he had not seen in six years. That wait was made even longer by Trumps executive order. An Indian-origin woman has been found dead at a home in the Midlands of England after a domestic incident. The body of the woman, identified as 35-year-old Amandeep Kaur, was discovered at the property in the town of Thurmaston in Leicestershire on Friday. Police have named the woman whose body was found in a house in Dovedale Road, Thurmaston, on Friday (February 3) as Amandeep Kaur. She was 35-years-old. Her body was found following a report of a domestic incident at a property in the street, a Leicestershire Police statement said. A 38-year-old man, Baldeep Singh, has been charged with her murder. He appeared at Leicester Magistrates Court on Monday. During the short hearing, no details were given about the case. Singh spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth, which he did through a Punjabi translator. The magistrates sent the case to Leicester Crown Court, with a pre-trial hearing due to take place next month. Police is appealing for anyone who knew Kaur to contact them, as they try to piece together her final movements. Detectives would like to hear from anyone who may have known Amandeep and who may have worked with her as part of their enquiries to trace her movements in the days leading to her death, the statement added. Police have indicated that they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the suspected murder. Neighbours told local media that a family had moved into the rented accommodation only a couple of months ago. One of the residents in the area, who did not want to be named, told Leicester Mercury that she believed a couple live at the house, along with an older man and two young children. I feel sick to hear what has happened. The poor kids.I am a bit shocked really, the neighbour told the newspaper. Fuad Sharef took one of the first planes out of Iraq with a connection to the United States this past weekend, just hours after a judge in Seattle blocked US President Donald Trumps ban on immigrants from seven mainly Muslim countries. Sharef, who worked for a USAID subcontractor in Iraq, was prevented with his wife and three kids from boarding a US-bound flight last week via Cairo after Trump signed a 90-day travel ban on citizens of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The US president also imposed a 120-day ban on all refugees. Sharef said he came out of the tumultuous week with a lesson he wanted his kids to learn as well. Yeah, my life changed dramatically. You know, ups and downs, and I learned a lesson that if you have a right, never surrender, he said before he and his family departed Erbil, the capital of the Kurdish region in northern Iraq, on a Turkish Airlines flight with a connection to New York via Istanbul. Once in the United States, the family will head to Nashville, Tennessee, where the local Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition [TIRRC] is planning to welcome them at the airport. Join us at the Nashville International Airport (BNA) to welcome Fuad Sharef Suleman and his family to their new home in Nashville, the TIRRC said on its Facebook event page. Nashvillians fought to bring them home - and now we can show them the very best of Southern hospitality!, it said. Nael Zaino, a Syrian refugee who worked for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Turkey, also received help from Americans. He was reunited with family in Boston on Saturday after getting a waiver from the State Department, thanks to intervention by US lawmakers who were contacted by Zainos relatives. Zainos arrival was relatively smooth, though he was pulled out of the arrival line, put through secondary screening and asked a long series of questions before a U.S. agent stamped his passport and gave him a friendly send-off. He said, Go on, start your life, and enjoy your time with your son, Zaino said. I didnt believe it until I came out of the airport. At that moment I realized Im not in a dream. Zaino had received a visa to join his wife and U.S.-born infant son in Los Angeles on Jan. 27, but was blocked from travelling after Trump signed his executive order the same day, according to his sister-in-law. Weve been lobbying a lot of senators in the last few days, said Katty al-Hayek, a PhD student in Massachusetts with her own pending asylum claim, who met him at the airport. Its been a long, stressful story but senators ... were able to get him a waiver from the State Department. Valid for travel Fuad Sharef Suleman shows his USA visa to the media after returning to Iraq from Egypt, where he was prevented from boarding a plane to the US. (Reuters Photo) Trump said his executive order, which also barred Syrian refugees indefinitely, was needed to protect the United States from Islamist militants. Religious minorities persecuted by the Islamic State, and other Iraqis fleeing violence, were among those affected. The United Nations said the ban would have prevented a total of 20,000 people in precarious circumstances in the seven countries targeted from resettling in the United States during the period covered by the suspension. A ruling by a federal judge in Seattle, Washington, on Friday was the first move in what could be months of legal challenges. It also opened a window of opportunity for some would-be travellers. We were booked to travel next week but decided to bring it forward after we heard, said a Yemeni woman, recently married to a U.S. citizen, who boarded a plane from Cairo to Turkey on Sunday to connect with a U.S.-bound flight. This is the first time I try to travel to America, she said, declining to be named for fear it could complicate her entry to the United States. In a statement dated Saturday but published on its website on Sunday, the U.S. embassy in Baghdad said visa processing had resumed and appointments would be scheduled for applicants. Visas revoked by the Trump order are now valid for travel to the United States, it added. Two-year wait Father of Fuad Sharef, an Iraqi with an immigration visa who was prevented with his family from boarding a flight to New York a week ago,reacts in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdish region in northern Iraq, before going to the airport to fly, on Turkish Airlines, to Nashville, Tennessee, their new home. (Reuters Photo) Sharef and his family spent two years obtaining US visas. Yeah, we are very excited. We are very happy, Sharef told Reuters TV before he and his family boarded their flight to New York. Finally, we have been cleared. We are allowed to enter the United States. Sharef said he applied to immigrate to the United States under the Special Immigration Visa program, designed for those who worked for US military and civilian state bodies in Iraq. US Representative Jim Cooper of Tennessee helped clear the hurdles to allow the family to try again, Sharef said. Baghdad protested against the US ban, calling it unfair and saying no Iraqi had been involved in attacks on US soil. But it refrained from retaliating as it seeks to maintain U.S. support for Iraqi forces battling Islamic State in Mosul. Late on Saturday, a San Francisco-based U.S. appeals court denied the U.S. governments request for an immediate administrative stay on the Seattle judges decision. Iraqi government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi said: It is a move in the right direction to solve the problems that it caused. The U.S. State Department and Department of HomelandSecurity said many visitors were expected to start arriving on Sunday, while the government said it expects to begin admitting refugees again on Monday. Rana Shamasha, 32, an Iraqi refugee in Lebanon, was due to travel to the United States with her two sisters and mother on Feb. 1 to join relatives in Detroit until their trip was cancelled as a result of the travel ban. She is now waiting to hear from U.N. officials overseeing their case. If they tell me there is a plane tomorrow morning, I will go. If they tell me there is one in an hour, I will go, she told Reuters by telephone in Beirut, saying their bags were still packed. I no longer have a house here, work, or anything. On Sunday, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration, Leonard Doyle, confirmed that about 2,000 refugees are ready to travel to the United States. We expect a small number of refugees to arrive in the US on Monday Feb 6th. They are mainly from Jordan and include people fleeing war and persecution in Syria, he said in an email. An official at the airport in Beirut said three Syrian families had left for the United States via Europe on Sunday morning. In Cairo, airline sources said that since Saturday, 33 people from the seven countries affected by the US ban had been allowed to board US-bound flights. A Buddhist monk in Myanmar has been caught hiding more than four million methamphetamine pills in his monastery, police said on Monday, following a record haul of stimulant seizures last year. The monk, named Arsara, is in custody after police discovered hundreds of thousands of the tablets in his car as he was driving from Shwe Baho village in the town of Maungdaw in Rakhine state bordering Bangladesh. First the police found 400,000 drug pills when they searched his vehicle on Sunday evening, local police chief Kyaw Mya Win told AFP. The police then went to the monks monastery and found another 4.2 million pills. Myanmar is one of the worlds top narcotics-producing nations, churning out huge quantities of methamphetamines as well as opium and cannabis. The meth pills are hugely popular across Asia among everyone from wealthy clubbers to exhausted blue-collar employees working long shifts. Last year police confiscated a record 98 million stimulant tablets, nearly double the 50 million seized in 2015. Drug prosecutions also jumped around 50% from 2015 to 13,500, which police said reflected the growth in the local drug trade. Trafficking has particularly been on the rise in Rakhine state, home to more than a million people from the impoverished Muslim Rohingya minority. In September, state media reported that two men had been arrested after 6.2 million methamphetamine tablets were found in their car in Maungdaw. More than 900 children were killed in Afghanistans conflict last year, the United Nations said on Monday, calling it the most violent year for children since it started keeping records. The UN mission said the nearly 25% increase in child deaths from the previous year was largely caused by mines and munitions left over from decades of conflict. It documented a 66% increase in such deaths in 2016. Conflict-related violence exacted a heavy toll on Afghanistan in 2016, with an overall deterioration in civilian protection and the highest-total civilian casualties recorded since 2009, when UNAMA began systematic documentation of civilian casualties, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said in its annual report. It said 3,498 people were killed in 2016, including 923 children, and that another 7,920 people were wounded. The overall casualty toll was slightly higher than the previous year. Statistics showing civilian deaths in Afghanistan since 2009. (AFP) I am deeply saddened to report, for yet another year, another increase in civilian casualties, another all-time high figure, Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN envoy to Afghanistan, told a press conference. The aid group Save the Children said the latest figures were extremely concerning, and called on all parties to do more to protect civilians. The Taliban, who have been waging an insurgency against the US-backed government in Kabul for more than 15 years, advanced on a number of fronts in 2016. Afghan forces have struggled to combat the militants since the US and NATO formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014. The humanitarian situation across much of Afghanistan has deteriorated significantly in the past 12 months, Save the Childrens country director, Ana Locsin, said in a statement. With the start of the traditional fighting season not far away with the end of winter, it could get even worse in the coming months, she said. Leicestershire Police on Monday identified the body of a woman found in a house last week as that of Amandeep Kaur, 35, with the incident sending shock waves through the peaceful community in the Midlands. Kaur's body was found in the house at Dovedale Road in Thurmaston on Friday following a report of a domestic incident. Baldeep Singh, 38, was arrested in connection with the incident. He has been charged with murder and proceedings against him began at the Leicester Magistrates Court on Monday. The police have issued an appeal for anyone who knew Kaur to contact them as they try to piece together her final movements. A spokesperson for the force said: "Detectives would like to hear from anyone who may have known Amandeep and who may have worked with her as part of their inquiries to trace her movements in the days leading to her death." Police said that after Singhs arrest, they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident. Shocked neighbours told the media that the family had moved into the rented property a couple of months ago. Lorraine Bennett, 65, told the Leicester Mercury: "It is a worry. Nothing like that, as far as I know, has happened around here before. It is just a shock really." Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said she believed the couple lived at the house with an older man and two young children. "I feel sick to hear what has happened. Yesterday I was saying I hope no-one has been hurtthe poor kids. I am a bit shocked really." Yet another resident told the media: "It is a quiet street where everyone knows each other. It is scary. The main reason I moved here was to be in a nice community I am a bit concerned now. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Within days of lifting a self-imposed ban on Indian films, Pakistani exhibitors were informed on Monday that Shah Rukh Khans much-awaited Raees will not be released in the country as it depicts Islam in a negative light. The Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) said the film, which is the Bollywood debut of Pakistani actor Mahira Khan, will not be cleared for release because of its objectionable content, the media reported. An unnamed official was quoted by The Express Tribune as saying: Owing to subtle portrayal of Muslims as criminals, violent and terrorists, the recommendations forwarded by the CBFC panel deemed the film unsuitable for public screening. The official added, We could not issue a certificate because the film portrays Islam and a particular Muslim sect in a negative light. Most members of the censor board of Punjab province objected to the films release, an official of the panel said. The film was reviewed last week by the censor boards of Punjab and Sindh provinces. The ban imposed by Pakistani exhibitors on Bollywood films ended on February 1, when Karachis Atrium Cinemas screened Hrithik Roshans Kaabil. The information ministry and CBFC also cleared Karan Johars Ae Dil Hai Mushkil for screening in the country. The release of Raees and Kaabil had run into rough weather because of India-Pakistan tensions. Pakistani actors and technicians were barred from working in Bollywood productions by the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association after the terror attack on an army camp at Uri in Kashmir last year. Pakistani film distributors retaliated by imposing an informal ban on the screening of Indian movies. Mahira Khan was unable to promote Raees in India. Major technology companies have planned to file an amicus brief with a federal appeals court hearing challenges to US President Donald Trumps controversial travel ban. A spokesperson for Twitter said the final draft of the brief, was being finished with plans to file it by late Sunday night in the 9th US circuit court of appeals in San Francisco. The appeals court earlier on Sunday rejected the Trump administrations request to reinstate the Presidents order restricting entry into the US by travellers from seven majority Muslim countries. A federal district judge in Seattle halted implementation of the order on February 3. Read: Trumps travel ban: All you need to know about US Presidents immigration order Some tech giants, including Amazon.com Inc and Expedia Inc, filed briefs in connection with ban last week, arguing that Trumps order negatively affects their businesses. An estimated 37.4% of Silicon Valley employees are foreign born, according to the 2016 Silicon Valley Index (PDF) released by think tank Joint Venture. President Donald Trump blasted the federal courts for a second day in a row on Sunday after his efforts to implement a travel ban were suspended and warned that the judiciary could be placing Americans in peril. Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! the president tweeted, after uncharacteristically taking a nearly day-long break from Twitter. 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 I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult! I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2017 The saga began on January 27 when Trump issued a blanket ban on all refugees, as well as on travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Read | All you need to know about US Presidents immigration order That sparked a worldwide furor, prompting protest marches and demonstrations in cities and at airports across the United States. On Friday, a federal judge in Seattle, James Robart, blocked the ban nationwide pending a wider legal review. On Saturday, Trump angrily fired off multiple tweets on the matter, stating that the so-called judge was ridiculous -- and drawing criticism from Democrats and others who said the president was dangerously close to interfering with the judicial branch of government. A leading Democratic senator, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, said Trump seemed intent on precipitating a constitutional crisis. Then early Sunday, a US appeals court rejected an urgent government request to reinstate Trumps controversial ban. Tehran, Iran, Feb. 6 By Mehid Sepahvand, Fatih Karimov Trend: Iran will impose sanctions on US individuals and entities which support the Daesh terrorist group (the Islamic State, ISIS aka ISIL), Bahram Qasemi, Irans foreign ministry spokesman said. He made the remarks while commenting about the recent sanctions imposed by US against the Islamic Republic over its missile program during a press conference in Tehran on Feb. 6, Trend's correspondent reported from the event. Iran is preparing the list of US entities to sanctions and will publish it soon, Qasemi said. He further said that the Islamic Republics missile program is about Iran and its people, not others. Qasemi said that Iran does not care about US threats, adding that Irans recent missile tests not meant to test the new US administration. We do our job based on the scheduled plan, he said, adding that there is no need to test the US recent president Donald Trump as Iran has a clear understanding of the counter side. The US has imposed fresh sanctions on Iran as President Trump shows to have been infuriated by Tehrans missile program after warning the Islamic Republic that it is playing with fire. In a statement on Feb. 3, the Treasury Department published a list of 13 individuals and 12 entities facing new restrictions. The entities include companies based in Tehran, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and China. Iran test-fired a ballistic missile on Jan. 29, capable of carrying a 500-kilogram payload with a range of 300 kilometers, according to US officials. Iran has confirmed the test without unveiling further details. Americas best universities and colleges are teaching President Donald Trump a lesson: They wont take his controversial policies lying down. There are two reasons behind the stand: Premier colleges are dominated by liberal thought and are ideologically opposed to an order that is seen to unfairly profile and target Muslims. Secondly, such institutions are highly dependent on foreign talent and stand to lose as much as $700 million in annual revenue if Trumps travel ban on visitors from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen becomes permanent, according to a higher education research website. Over 20,000 faculty members from many universities across the US, 572 members of the US National Academy of Sciences and hundreds of scientists have signed the NoToImmigrationBan petition. The Association of American Universities (AAU) comprising 62 colleges released a statement asking the government to end the travel ban. Universities also uploaded statements on their websites, sent emails to foreign students and held seminars offering support, resources as well as advice. The presidents of 48 American colleges and universities delivered a searing letter to the President. Here is a list of some premier colleges responding to the executive order. California Institute for Human Science Last week, federal agents detained Iranian graduate Sara Yarjani at Los Angeles International Airport after Trump issued his 90-day ban order . Yarjani returned to the US on Sunday after a judge halted the order. She has a valid two-year student visa. We contacted our Congresspeople, legal services and the media. We also reached out to her in Europe, to see whether there was any other way we might be of service. Thankfully, Sara was able to return today and was met by her sister at the airport, Ji Hyang Padma, director of the institutes comparative religion and philosophy program, who taught Yarjani in a 2015 class on mind-body health, told Hindustan Times. Sara Yarjani, an Iranian student who was detained for 23 hours and deported back to Vienna last week, hugs her sister after arriving at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday. (NYT photo) Sara and I spoke today, and I truly look forward to sharing a meal with her and supporting her return to her studies, he added. Padma informed that the college had cautioned its international students from the affected countries to stay in the US until the legality has all been worked out. The ban severely limits the free exchange of ideas. Cultural exchange is at the heart of education. It also affects universities financially, as we have benefitted in every way from these students, he added. Harvard University The universitys daily student newspaper, The Harvard Crimson, reported that the college has joined seven other higher education institutions in filing an amicus brief challenging Trumps order. Harvard and the other universitiesBoston College, Boston University, Brandeis, MIT, Northeastern, Tufts, and Worcester Polytechnic Institutewill file as amici in an existing suit against Trump filed on Saturday by two Iranian engineering professors at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth who were detained at Logan Airport in Boston the weekend after Trumps executive order. Harvard is home to 49 students and 62 scholars who have non-immigrant visas from the seven countries. The Harvard International Office on Saturday advised foreign nationals not to leave the country. University president Drew G Faust, in her email sent to the university, said Harvard Law Schools Immigration and Refugee Clinic had hired a full-time attorney dedicated to representing undocumented students and launched a website providing resources for those students. Nearly half of the deans of Harvards schools are immigrantsfrom India, China, Northern Ireland, Jamaica, and Iran, Faust wrote. Benefiting from the talents and energy, the knowledge and ideas of people from nations around the globe is not just a vital interest of the University; it long has been, and it fully remains, a vital interest of our nation. Boston University The institute has seen protests, a town hall by faculty to address student concerns and questions, heavy critique by academics slamming the order and of course, advice to students asking them not to travel outside the country any time soon as it places one at risk of not being readmitted to the US. In the wake of anxiety, confusion caused by Trump's Travel Ban, we will gather for a town hall at 5:30 pm Tuesday: https://t.co/Q3KqwTzXth pic.twitter.com/YtGTpZCe7l Boston University (@BU_Tweets) January 30, 2017 University of Illinois The university amplified the concerns of the international community and came out in full support saying, We can fight fear with compassion. Time and again our community has summoned compassion for its members in distress, and we trust that it will do so again. It also advised its students not to travel outside the US. "We ask that you join us in standing with those who are affected by the executive order" - Chancellor Jones https://t.co/7ikWuDVzoU pic.twitter.com/0I9JnFymMn Univ. of Illinois (@Illinois_Alma) January 30, 2017 They have also created an Administrative Working Group on Immigration that has membership from key offices across campus. This is one of those times at Illinois when extraordinary effort and extraordinary kindness can combine to make an extraordinary difference. We are counting on itand on you, chancellor Robert J Jones told the students. Massachusetts Institute of Technology According to the institutes website, two MIT undergraduates who were denied re-entry to the United States last weekend landed at Logan Airport on Friday. Both were prevented from boarding flights back to Boston last weekend after spending the winter break with their families. We can all be glad that our affected undergraduates have overcome their immediate immigration difficulties and are back with us, MIT president L Rafael Reif wrote on Friday in an email to the MIT community. Friends of one of the two MIT undergraduates initially denied re-entry to the United States offered a warm welcome on Friday. (MIT photo) More than 100 students and researchers from the seven affected nations are now on campus -- their immigration status is unclear in the wake of the executive order. The institutes governmental affairs teams in Cambridge and Washington have advocated with relevant federal agencies on their behalf, enlisted help from the Massachusetts congressional delegation and pursued exemptions to the executive order for the stranded students and scholars. MIT has also connected the affected people with legal and travel resources and engaged its global alumni network to amplify calls for their return. About 200 MIT students and faculty marched across the Harvard Bridge on January 29 to show solidarity with those affected by the order. MIT letter (MIT website) Stanford University The university told its members who might be impacted by the order to postpone international travel for the time being. One of Stanfords graduate students, returning from a research trip in Sudan, was detained after the order. A statement on the college website said, This graduate student, a legal permanent resident of the United States, was detained for several hours at Kennedy International Airport, and handcuffed briefly, upon trying to return from a research trip. While thankfully she was released, we are enormously concerned about the anguish this episode caused our student and her family, and what it may suggest for others in similar situations. Princeton University The universitys president Christopher L Eisgruber pledged to vigorously support its extraordinary individuals of diverse nationalities and faiths and shared a personal story on the college website. My mother and her family arrived in this country as refugees escaping from a war-torn continent. They would have perished had they been denied visas, he wrote. Its Davis International Center will provide advice and resources to the students. New York University A statement to the campus community included the following promises: Will not permit federal officials on campus to gather information about immigrants in our community absent a subpoena or similar legal orderPublic Safety Officers do not and will not ask about the immigration status of members of the NYU community. Will vigorously uphold the privacy protections of students. The Universitys scholarship assistance to non-US-citizens, which is independent of federal financial aid programs, will carry on. Columbia University President Bollinger writes that we must step forward to object when state policies conflict w/ our values https://t.co/Iz5qYXuHJo #MuslimBan pic.twitter.com/AS7n8Hzj2f Columbia University (@Columbia) January 30, 2017 A section of Indian-origin researchers based in the US have also joined 51 Nobel laureates and over 27,000 academics from across the globe in denouncing Trumps ban. (With inputs from agencies) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The US embassy in Baghdad said on Monday it has limited the movement of its personnel after receiving credible threats of possible attacks on hotels frequented by Westerners. As a reminder, U.S. citizens should maintain a heightened sense of security awareness and take appropriate measures to enhance their personal security at all times when living and working in Iraq, an emergency security message for U.S. citizens on the embassys website said. It did not give details on the nature of threat. U.S. authorities advise citizens to avoid travelling to Iraq citing the risk of being kidnapped by armed political groups or criminal gangs and bombings by the group Islamic State. Three defence contractors kidnapped in January 2016 in Baghdad and released a month later were the first Americans kidnapped in Iraq since U.S. troops pulled out in 2011. Iraq is one of seven majority-Muslim countries that are subject to U.S. President Donald Trumps temporary travel ban, which Baghdad has said is unfair. If Iran were attacked, it would retaliate against the US Navy base in Bahrain as well as Israel, a senior Iranian MP warned. It comes amid an escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran over new anti-Iranian sanctions imposed by the Trump administration. The US Navys Fifth Fleet has occupied a part of Bahrain, and the enemys farthest military base is in the Indian Ocean, but these points are all within the range of Irans missile systems and they will be razed to the ground if the enemy makes a mistake, Mojtaba Zonour, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of Iranian Parliament, was quoted as saying by the semi-state news agency FARS. Zonour, a former senior figure in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, added that Iranian missiles would also attack Israel in case of an open war. Only seven minutes is needed for the Iranian missile to hit Tel Aviv, he said. The belligerent rhetoric comes after a heated exchange of hostile gestures by Washington and Tehran last week. On Friday, the Trump administration slapped sanctions on 25 individuals and entities allegedly involved in Iranian ballistic missile development. The Iranian government responded with defiance, with Foreign Minister Javad Zarif stating that his country was unmoved by threats from Washington. The Iranian military conducted as planned a military exercise in the Semnan province on Saturday, testing its new radar and missile capabilities. On Sunday, Trump upped the ante, calling Iran the number one terrorist state in an interview with Fox News. The designation followed a similar comment by his Pentagon chief James Mattis. The US President also reiterated his criticism of a nuclear deal with Iran, but would not go as far as pledging to scrap it. President Donald Trump agreed to meet alliance leaders in Europe in May in a phone call on Sunday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that also touched on the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine, the White House said. Trump was elected on a pledge to push NATO members to increase their funding to the western alliance to ease the financial burden on the United States. This proposal has drawn opposition from both his fellow Republicans as well as Democrats and the idea has worried European allies who fear Russian President Vladimir Putin might take advantage. A White House statement said Trump and Stoltenberg discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments. President Trump agreed to join in a meeting of NATO leaders in Europe in May, the statement said. Trump and Stoltenberg also discussed the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border. Over the past week a flare-up in hostilities has erupted between the Ukrainian military and Russia-backed separatists, with each accusing the other of a new wave of shelling. More than 40 people have been killed in both government- and rebel-held areas. Trump has drawn fire at home for wanting to warm up ties with Putin. In an interview broadcast on Sunday during Fox Channels Super Bowl pre-game show, Trump waved off concern from interviewer Bill OReilly that Putins a killer. Weve got a lot of killers...You think our countrys so innocent? You think our countrys so innocent? Trump said, citing the 2003 war in Iraq. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who had lost to Trump in the Republican presidential primary battle last year, tweeted that it would be a mistake to lift U.S. sanctions on Russia, a step Trump has been considering. Only reason we should ever lift sanctions on #Putin is if he meets conditions of sanctions & ends violations of #ukraine sovereignty, he said. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, told CNNs State of the Union he was not going to critique everything Trump says but on Russia, I obviously dont see this issue the same way he does. (Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Mary Milliken) The World Bank has stepped up its efforts to arrange a meeting between Indian and Pakistani officials for developing consensus on a mechanism for resolving differences over the Kishenganga and Ratle hydropower projects in Kashmir. The World Bank, which brokered the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, wants both sides to develop consensus on using either a neutral expert or a court of arbitration mentioned in the treaty for resolving issues related to the two projects, The News daily quoted its sources as saying. If there is consensus, a meeting could be held at the level of water secretaries, the report said. If the effort fails, both countries need to develop agreement on the middle way to resolve issues, the report added without giving details. If a meeting of the water secretaries of the two sides is held, representatives of World the Bank would also participate and try to persuade both parties to reach consensus or find out a middle way. On December 12, the World Bank had announced a pause in separate processes initiated by the two countries to settle their differences over the 300MW Kishenganga and 850MW Ratle hydropower projects. India had sought the appointment of a neutral expert to resolve the disputes but Pakistan wanted the World Bank to set up a court of arbitration. Both processes initiated by the respective countries were advancing at the same time, creating a risk of contradictory outcomes that could potentially endanger the treaty, the World Bank said at the time. The report further said the World Bank is also working with both countries to ensure that the Indus Waters Treaty remains an effective tool to manage the use of the Indus river system. India has rejected Pakistans stance that the designs of the Kishenganga and Ratle projects are not in line with the provisions of the treaty and that they were detrimental to Islamabads interests. The Indus Waters Treaty 1960 is widely seen as one of the most successful international pacts and has withstood frequent tensions between India and Pakistan, including conflict. Following a spike in bilateral tensions over a string of terror attacks last year, the Indian government had said it would maximise the use of waters granted to the country under the treaty. Cannons in the 18th century were considered the kings of the battlefield. George Washington knew as did virtually everyone on both sides of the conflictthat without artillery, the American cause would be seriously handicapped. Even before the smoke of Lexington and Concord had cleared, the American forcesat this point, little more than a ragged collection of colonial militias had laid loose siege to Boston, effectively penning up Lieutenant General Thomas Gage and his British troops. The siege line ran around the city from Chelsea to Roxbury, but it left open Boston Harbor. By late May Gages forces had been reinforced through this crucial gateway, until there were some 6,000 redcoats in Boston, including Major Generals John Burgoyne, Henry Clinton, and William Howe. The stalemate at Boston continued for months, with the British numbers swelling, and General Howe replacing Gage as commander. With provisions in ever shorter supply for the British, their breakout began to seem like a possibility. Meanwhile, newly appointed commander in chief George Washingtonfacing the threat of mass desertions as winter approached and the initial wave of patriotic fervor wanedlacked the artillery necessary to drive the British from the city. The inactive state we lie in, he wrote in a letter to his brother, is exceedingly disagreeable. A 25-yearold Boston bookseller named Henry Knox, a veteran militiaman and avid self-taught student of military history and artillery, had attracted Washingtons attention with his work on the siege lines. Knox was a big man with a commanding presence, and in November Washington charged him with a critical mission: to make the 300-some-mile trek to Fort Ticonderoga, New Yorkwhich Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen had captured from the British the previous Mayand haul the dozens of cannons there back to Boston. Knox would prove to be an artillery wizard and a godsend to Washington and the Continental Army. With a harsh New England winter looming, Knoxa man with boundless energy and determinationmade it to the fort at the southern end of Lake Champlain and selected and disassembled 58 of the most serviceable cannons and mortars, ranging from 3-pounders to massive 24-pounders. After procuring 42 exceedingly strong sleds of nearly three tons each, 80 yoke of oxen, and a number of flat-bottom boats, he and his men proceeded to drag, float, and manhandle some 60 tons of artillery down Lake George, over mountains, and through trackless rugged forests. Outside Albany a huge 18-pounder fell through the Hudson River ice, and Knox spent an entire day retrieving it. At the end of Januarytwo and a half months after setting outhe presented Washington with what he referred to as his noble train of artillery. After a diversionary bombardment on the night of March 45, Washington had the guns mounted on Dorchester Heights, where they could command an unimpeded field of fire over the city and the British vessels in the harbor. General Howe and his officers were stunned by the sudden appearance of the artillery, and three days later Howe confirmed that the British would withdraw from Boston. Within the week the British forces, with thousands of loyalists in tow, embarked for Nova Scotia. Boston was back in patriot hands. Heroics aside, the most glaring lesson of Knoxs extraordinary feat was the indispensability of cannons for the patriot war effort. In July 1775 Congress assigned a Commissary of Artillery Stores and authorized the raising of artillery regiments, supplemented by state artillery units. Still, Washington continued to be plagued by the lack of sufficient ordnance, ammunition, and gunpowder. On Christmas Day of the same year, he lamented to his military secretary, Joseph Reed, Our want of powder is inconceivable. So precarious was the situation that Washingtons troops stationed around Boston were issued spears to defend their lines. At the outbreak of hostilities, the Americans had on hand only a small supply of old cannons formerly used by militia companies, in coastal fortifications, and on ships. The patriots toiled desperately to rectify the situation, and throughout the war, acquired artillery from three sources: British captures, foreign countries (mainly France), and colonial ironworks. Initially, Washingtons fledgling force relied largely on what it could wrest from the British. Congress offered bounties for the capture of enemy cannons, on land or at sea. During the siege of Boston, an American privateer seized the British ordnance brig Nancy, carrying small arms, flints, bayonets, shot, cannons, and a 13-inch brass mortar. Other Yankee privateers soon followed suit. Continental Army surgeon Dr. James Thacher commented, Before our privateers had fortunately captured some prizes with cannon and other ordnance, our army before Boston hadonly four small brass cannon, and a few old honey-comb[ed] iron pieces, with their trunnions broken off.Had the enemy been made acquainted with our situation, the consequences might have been exceedingly distressing. Soon after, Commodore Esek Hopkins, commanding a small flotilla of converted American merchantmen, attacked British-held Nassau in the Bahamas, capturing two forts, along with dozens of cannons and mortars and an impressive store of shells, balls, and powder. Besides the guns seized at sea and those hauled out of Ticonderoga, American forces also captured British cannons in the give-and-take of battle. When Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga in 1777, the colonials got a windfall of nearly 50 pieces. But the Americans frequently lost their own guns in the same mannerin retreat or defeat. When Forts Washington and Lee were lost in the battles for New York and New Jersey in 17761777, the patriots left behind almost 150 cannons. As it became apparent to Britains political and maritime rivals in Europe that the American rebellion was more than a brief flare-up, they began to make munitions available to the Continentals. The governing authorities in the various American colonies commissioned private vessels to sail to the French, Spanish, and Dutch Caribbean colonies of Martinique, Santo Domingo, and St. Eustatius, where they purchased European munitions often at usurious markups. By the spring of 1776 FranceBritains greatest rivalwas sending increasing amounts of artillery, muskets, and ammunition to the Americans. Many French guns served well as fieldpieces, while others were found to be so cumbersome that Knoxwho by then had been made a colonel and named the Continental Armys chief of artilleryordered them melted down and recast as lighter ordnance of larger caliber. Still, the importance of French artillery in the American struggle for independence cannot be underestimated. Historian James M. Potts declared: Without help from the French, the colonists could not have stood up to the British army. The continuing and growing need for cannons, however, far outstripped the supply available through either capture or foreign purchases, and the Continental Congress looked to local sources for the casting of Americas engines of war. For centuries cannons had been forged of either bronze or iron. Many of the guns that the British had abandoned at Ticonderoga were bronze, as were nearly all the cannons provided by the French during the war. Bronze cannons failed less frequently than their iron counterparts and when they did fail, they didnt burst into fragments, as did cast-iron guns. However, iron guns could be made heavier and with bigger bores and longer barrels producing greater range. And more to the point, iron ore was more readily available in the colonies and therefore cheaper than copper, the base metal for bronze. Ironworks had constituted one of the first viable types of industry in the colonies, from the early 18th century on, when furnaces began to operate from the New England colonies to the Carolinas and Georgia. By 1775 the American colonies were producing some 15 percent of the worlds iron, exporting about 7,500 tons a year. While Britains foundries had been perfecting the art of gunmaking for centuries, until the Revolution very few American founders had ever cast cannons. And as tensions between the mother country and the colonies had grown, Britain had banned manufacture of artillery in America, declaring it both illegal and disloyal to cast guns. Nonetheless, with the outbreak of hostilities, the Continental Congress and the governing bodies of the colonies called upon Americas ironmasters to manufacture cannonsand to do so with all haste. At the risk of their lives and property, many complied. For an iron furnace to operate successfullythat is, to smelt raw ore into usable metalsfour environmental components were required: a nearby deposit of iron ore, a reliable source of moving water to power the blowing engines, a large forest nearby for the production of charcoal for fuel, and a ready source of lime to act as flux. Iron could be found in either direct deposits or as bog ore, the latter being less pure. Even the best iron ore deposits, however, possessed nonferrous impurities. Iron composition differed from site to site, and with- out the benefit of modern understanding of chemistry and technology, the smelting of raw ore into usable iron was an imprecise science. According to Robert Brooks, editor in chief of Foundry Management and Technology magazine, Any imperfections in the molten iron threatened the finished guns structural integrity, making it susceptible to distortion by force and heat. Thats one of the reasons so many guns shattered and split. Iron cannons were manufactured in four steps: Making a cast, or mold; pouring molten iron into the mold; boring the barrel; and proving, or testing, the cannon. Deceptively simple though this might now appear, it was a highly specialized and complex process, demanding great skill and care at every juncture. Iron-making was then a traditional craft; there were no how-to manuals. And considering that most of the colonial foundries had not turned out a single cannon prior to the war, it was very much a matter of trial and error. There was no prescription at the time for manufacturing cannon, says Edie Shean-Hammond, National Park superintendent at Pennsylvanias historic Hopewell Furnace. They had to experiment. The cannons were generally cast vertically. The mold was lowered into a deep pit, the breech end bottom-most, and packed firmly with wet sand. The pouring of the molten iron had to be performed at the proper speed, to ensure that it filled the cavity evenly and cooled properly. At some foundries, guns were cast solid, to be drilled and bored to the desired caliber after cooling. Other foundries placed a solid core as symmetrically as possible down the center of the mold, to form an undersize bore to be enlarged in a later step. The pouring process was not without its pitfalls. Early in the war, an experienced Pennsylvania foundry man invited several local ironmasters to observe a pouring. Immediately after introducing the molten iron, there came a rumbling from inside the mold, and the solid core suddenly shot upward and through the roof, spilling molten metal onto the floor, where, according to one witness, it slithered aroundlike snakes. The final phase of the cannon manufacture was the proofing stage. It was here that the gun would be tested for serviceability. It was general practice to double-charge and double-shot a piece, to test its strength and stability. Failures were common. In May 1776 ironmaster Daniel Joy, acting as agent for the Board of War, tested nearly 200 guns at two Pennsylvania foundries and reported that none had proved successfully. Four months later, writing from Pennsylvanias Hopewell Furnace, Joy noted that of 41 cannons cast and proved, 28 were shipped to Philadelphia for service while the remaining 13 were rejected. Daniel Hughes, owner of a furnace in what is now Washington County, was commissioned by the Maryland Council of Safety to cast cannons for the army. In a subsequent letter to Congress, the council stated, The cannon of his first casting did not stand proof, but he has his furnace in such order that the cannon they cast are very good. Apparently, this qualified recommendation convinced Congress, which allocated an $8,000 advance for the manufacture of 1,000 tons of cannon for use of the United States. John Cox, owner of New Jerseys Batsto Furnace, complained to his manager in late 1776, Out of the 12 howitzers in the first load three burst in proving and out of the last twelve 5 burst so that there are 8 guns gone out of the 24. Various flaws could render a cannon unacceptable: unwanted inclusions, air pockets or bubbles in the casting, honeycombing (porosity) in the metal, uneven cooling, an improperly aligned core, and off-center or uneven boring. Even proofed guns had their issues. One chronicler of Connecticuts Salisbury Foundry noted, Guns of this period were seldom true. Compounding the problems were the cannonballs themselves; they were sometimes undersize or out of round, often causing slow, erratic flight once theyd skipped and bounded their way down the barrel. It is a credit to the patriot gunners that they achieved effective use of their guns. From almost the beginning of the war, foundries throughout the colonies began to cast guns to meet the patriots demand. Hopewell Furnace produced some 115 cannons for the war effort and helped keep both the army and navy in shot and shell for the duration of the conflict. Just a short distance from Hopewell, other Pennsylvania furnaces at Reading, Warwick, and Cornwall regularly turned out guns and ammunition as well. In 1776 alone the Warwick Furnace shipped 60 guns12- and 18-poundersto the Continental Army. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania furnaces like Berkshire, Oley, Elizabeth, Pine Grove, and Durham focused mainly on casting cannonballs. Before the war New Jerseys Batsto Furnace, like most other colonial-era furnaces, produced pig iron, stoves, water pipes, pots, kettles, salt pans, firedogs, and firebacks. Shortly after the fighting at Lexington and Concord, it began casting cannonballs and hollow shot, and later, howitzers. It transported finished munitions overland to Philadelphia under cover of night through dense woodland rather than risk encountering British patrols along the Mullica or Delaware rivers. In the final year of the war the Springfield Arsenal in western Massachusetts went from making cartridges and accouterments, storing war materiel, and building carriages for imported French 4-pound guns, to casting their own bronze cannons. Initially, we werent very good at it, commented Richard Colton, park ranger and historian at the Springfield Armory National Historic Site. According to the records, 50 percent of the guns we tested failed. But the arsenal went on to refine its casting technique and for the next 20 years served as the only government-owned foundry making guns. Rhode Island was initially more fortunate than most of the colonies, in that its Hope Furnace had been casting ordnance for England since 1739. In early 1775, the colonial government ordered 60 heavy cannons and followed up the next year with a request for six 6-pounders, six 12-pounders, four 8-inch howitzers, four 6-inch howitzers, and six mortars. When the conflict began, the loyalist owner of the Salisbury Furnace in the northwest corner of Connecticut fled to Boston. Connecticut governor Jonathan Trumbull confiscated the works for the patriots. According to some historians, the Salisbury Works supplied a significant percentage of the cannons produced for the Continental forces, including the guns that eventually armed Old Ironsides when it joined the U.S. Navy in 1797. According to foundry historian B. W. Powell, when in full operation, Salisbury employed some 60 men of varying skills and consisted of a blast furnace, molding house, boring mill, furnace barn, and a guard house to maintain order and decorum. The Continental Congress depended on Salisbury for a steady supply of guns. A resolution of the Connecticut State Assembly dated December 18, 1776, stated, Whereas, the article of cannon is of great importanceand much of ours hasfallen into the hands of our enemiesthe Continental Congress [has requested] for a large number to be sent to the northern fronts and for our ships.There appears no way to obtain them but by our foundry at Salisbury. It is impossible to determine the exact number of ironworks in all colonies that produced guns and ammunition for the American cause during the Revolution or to ascertain with precision where the guns were sent when completed. Many of the foundries were working in the shadows, essentially out in the middle of nowhere, as Batsto Furnaces John Morsa puts it. There can be no question, however, of the contribution made by the wartime colonial ironworks. It took incredible courage, says Morsa, for these men to maintain operations in the face of the daily threat of a British or Indian raid. For major ironworks in exposed locations, the dangers were real: Within a matter of months, Pennsylvanias Valley Forge and New Jerseys Mount Holly ironworks were reduced to ashes by the British. Sadly, a number of foundry owners paid a heavy price for their loyalty. Thousands of dollars worth of guns were ordered on credit by state governments and by the Continental Congress, which paid late in depreciating currency or not at all. Without the money to buy supplies or pay their workers, many foundries shut down. Owners such as Hopewells Mark Bird went heavily into debt and eventually lost everything. As Hopewell superintendent Shean-Hammond observes, Confidence in the new nations future led to the ruin of many of those responsible for its independence. Ron Soodalter has written more than 150 articles for publications, including the New York Times, Military History, Wild West, and Smithsonian. His most recent book is The Slave Next Door. Originally published in the January 2015 issue of Military History Quarterly. To subscribe, click here. Early in 1918 the German High Command decided on a plan for a major campaign to win World War I by driving the British Expeditionary Force off the Continent and shattering the Allied coalition before fresh American troops arrived. But the final, ambitious offensive in the campaign, Operation Hagen, was never executed. By the end of 1917 time was not on Germanys side. The Allies had tried and failed for more than three years to defeat the German army on the Western Front. Both sides were exhausted, their resources almost completely expended. The Germans had finally defeated Russia in the east, but the Allies economic blockade was slowly strangling Germany. Even worse, the United States had just entered the war in response to Germanys unrestricted submarine warfare campaign, a ham-fisted attempt to break the Allied blockade. Germany was almost out of manpower, while the United States was gearing up to send some two million freshalbeit inexperienced and marginally trainedtroops into the fight. Time was running out for Germany to seize the strategic initiative. On November 11, 1917exactly one year before Germany would be forced to surrenderthe German High Command convened a planning meeting at Mons, Belgium, chaired by General Erich Ludendorff, first quartermaster general of the army. The chiefs of staff of the various army groups and their operations officers had developed a set of attack options. On January 21, 1918, the German leadership met again, and Ludendorff chose the option called Operation Michael, a massive attack against the southern half of the British sector, designed to separate the British and French and then roll up the British Expeditionary Force from the south. Launched on March 21, 1918, Operation Michael produced stunning battlefield gains, with the Germans taking far more ground than in any prior Western Front battle. The reason for the huge German advances was a combination of new infantry and artillery tactics they had developed earlier against the Russians on the Eastern Front. Their new infantry infiltration tacticsalso known as stormtroop tacticsemphasized reinforcing only success, not failure, and bypassing and isolating enemy defensive strongpoints. New artillery tactics, pioneered by Germanys artillery genius, Colonel Georg Bruchmuller, were designed only to neutralize the enemys defenses rather than completely destroy them, as artillery fire on all sides had attempted to do throughout the war. Working in close coordination with the advancing infantry, the artillery suppressed and neutralized the enemy positions just long enough for the infantry to overwhelm them. It was a devastatingly effective revolution in combined-arms tactics that has influenced the way armies have fought ever since. Despite German tactical virtuosity, Operation Michael was an operational and strategic failure. The British Fifth Army was severely mauled and the Allies suffered high casualties254,740 in slightly less than two weeks of fighting. But the Germans suffered 239,000 casualties, losses they could not replace as easily as could the Allies in the cold-blooded calculus of World War I. The Germans failed to achieve the decisive breakthrough they so desperately sought. Instead, they were left holding a huge salient of territory that required more manpower and resources to secure and defend. As soon as it became obvious that Michael was a failure, Ludendorff concluded that the Germans had to hit the British again, immediately and hard. He resurrected Operation Georg, one of the options developed earlier. But the Germans had expended so many resources in Operation Michael that they could not launch Georg without an extended build-up. Unwilling to wait, Ludendorff ordered an immediate but scaled-down attack dubbed Operation Georgette (perhaps even Ludendorff had a sense of humor). Launched on April 9, 1918, against the north-central sector of the British line just south of Ypres, Georgette was too small to achieve a breakthrough, although it did achieve impressive tactical gains. Again, both sides suffered high casualties, with the Germans losing 86,000 troops and the British and French losing 82,040 and 30,000 respectively. The Germans were now in a worse position than before the attacks. Both Operations Michael and Georgette had failed to push the British Expeditionary Force off the Continent and produce the subsequent collapse of the French army that Ludendorff sought. The German High Command, however, remained convinced that the British had to be eliminated before too many U.S. troops arrived. The key operational problem for the high command at that point was the large contingent of French reserves that had moved north of the Somme River to reinforce the British in case of another German offensive in that sector. The Germans had to plan and prepare a secret build-up for a renewed attack against the British while launching a strong diversionary attack in the French sector. By appearing to threaten Paris or some other vital French position, the Germans hoped to draw the French reserves away from the British rear and back south of Amiens and the Somme River. In mid-April, even before Operation Georgette ended, the planners at Army Group Crown Prince Rupprechtcommanded by the Bavarian prince, Rupprecht II, and positioned north to south as Fourth, Sixth, Seventeenth, and Second Armiesstarted developing options for a renewed offensive against the British. The first option was a resumption of the northern half of Operation Michael, from the Somme to Arras, toward Doullens. Called Neu-Michael (New Michael), it included a supporting attack just to the north called Hubertus. The second major option was a renewed attack in Flanders by elements of the Fourth and Sixth Armies, which had conducted Operation Georgette. Called Neu-Georg, its initial objective would be the line from Strazeele to the northern edge of Ypres; and the final objective would be the line from Godewaersvelde to Poperinghe. Early in May the high command changed the names of the planning operations. Neu-Michael became Wilhelm; Hubertus became Fuchsjagd (Fox Hunt); and Neu-Georg was designated Hagen. The preliminary plans for Hagen and Wilhelm were complete by May 17, with Fuchsjagd as a follow-up to Wilhelm. Three days later Ludendorff made the final decision that Hagen would be the main attack. Open preparations for the Wilhelm attack would continue as a deception operation. But the high command also informed Army Group Crown Prince Rupprecht that the offensive could not be launched before late June. In the meantime, Army Group German Crown Princecommanded by the kaisers son, Crown Prince Wilhelm, and positioned north to south as Eighteenth, Seventh, First, Third Armieswould conduct Operation Blucher in the French sector. That attack would proceed from the Chemin des Dames ridgeline south to the Vesle River, which runs through Reims, with the intent of making the French think Paris was under threat, thus forcing them to redeploy their reserves from the north. Launched on May 27, 1918, the Blucher attack achieved initial overwhelming success. In fact, it was too successful: Ludendorff was seduced by what appeared to be the opportunity for a quick and easy victory. He continued pushing the attack until lead units of the German Seventh Army reached the Marne River. In the process, however, the high command withdrew five of the attack divisions earmarked for Hagen and committed them to the Blucher fight. Operation Blucher resulted in more territorial gains than even Operation Michael, but again tactical success created major operational problems. The Seventh Army now held a huge salient sliced by the Marne with exposed flanks, and its front line had expanded from 37 to 62 miles. Worse, the Germans had no functional rail lines into the new salient, making it difficult to supply their forces. Nor had General Ferdinand Foch, the newly appointed Allied generalissimo, been deceived by the attack. The French reserves north of the Somme remained in position. The Germans, therefore, had no other option than to continue attacking in the south to try to draw away some of the northern French reserves. Yet another German offensive, Operation Gneisenau, followed on June 9, 1918, four days after Blucher ended. But Gneisenau, too, had been cob- bled together too quickly and lacked sufficient combat power. The Germans terminated Gneisenau after only six days, having failed to achieve any operationally significant results. There was also an ominous difference between Gneisenau and its three predecessors: For the first time a Ludendorff offensive had failed to make notable tactical gains. The Allies were beginning to understand the new German offensive tactics and to develop more effective methods of defense. With these failures, the German High Command was forced to postpone Operation Hagen to at least July 20. But even before the end of Gneisenau, Prince Rupprecht wrote in his war diary that he did not believe Hagen would produce the operational results necessary for strategic victory. Everything, he wrote, depends on how many troops the Americans will be able to transport to Europe. The overarching problem for the Germans was still the strong French reserves north of the Somme in the general vicinity of Ypres; it totaled almost 200,000 men in 15 divisions and 12 heavy artillery groups. In Rupprechts army group the immediate challenge was to reconstitute and retrain the attack divisions Ludendorff had squandered during Blucher. Crown Prince Wilhelms army group was in an even more desperate situation, with its forces in the newly acquired Marne salient slowly strangling logistically. The single rail line into that sector was inoperative because the French held the key terminals at either end of the lineReims in the east and Compiegne in the west. With no alternative, the Germans had to attack again in the Marne sector and Operation Hagen was once again postponedthis time until August 1. While Wilhelms army group was planning and executing Operations Blucher and Gneisenau in the south, the staffs at the high command and Rupprechts army group refined the Hagen attack plan, training forces and marshaling ammunition and equipment. The main objective of Hagen was to capture the dominating high ground of the Flanders hills and cut off the Ypres salient, which would be a devastating psychological loss to the British. But during this planning process, Hagen grew from its original 25 divisions on a 25-mile front to 36 divisions on a 30-mile front. The final version of the plan called for an attack by five corps of the Fourth Army on the right, supported by two corps of the Sixth Army on the left. Twenty-six attack divisions and 13 trench divisions, some 350,000 troops, would attack on a 29-mile sector. They would be supported by 2,592 field guns and 1,037 heavy guns, plus 40 ground-attack squadrons and 45 fighter squadrons. Directly opposing them would be 21 front-line divisions and 13 reserve divisions of the Belgian army and Second British Army, which now included two U.S. divisions in training. This correlation of forces was far from optimal for the Germans, and the potential intervention of the French reserve divisions was never factored into any of the calculations. On July 1 Rupprechts army group issued an operations order detailing the missions and objectives of the seven attacking corps. The main effort fell to the III Bavarian Corps on the southern flank of Fourth Army, supported by the Guards Reserve Corps on the Bavarian right. As in all the other 1918 German offensives, artillery support would be a key to the success of Operation Hagen. Ludendorff entrusted his artillery genius, Bruchmuller, with the planning of the Sixth Army artillery preparation. But the German army in 1918 did not have enough artillery, aviation, and engineer units to support simultaneous diversionary attacks in the south and the main attack in the north. After the initial diversionary attack, those assets would have to be shifted rapidly to the north to support Hagen. On July 12 Rupprechts army group issued the plan for the transfer of the critical forces from Wilhelms army group after the start of Operation Marneschutz-Reims, the planned attack in the Marne region. All assets would move under the control of a special system designated Y-Transport. Y-day was the start of the Marneschutz-Reims attack. On order from the high command the transfer would commence on the evening of Y+1 and be completed by Y+12. The Hagen attack would start five days later. On July 15, 1918Y-daythe Germans launched the fifth of their great Ludendorff offensives. Operation Marneschutz-Reims had two objectives: to capture Reims, which would open up the vital rail line into the salient; and by feinting toward Paris to try once more to bluff the French into pulling their reserves out of Flanders. Despite the massive German deception plan and the attack across the Marne River with six divisions in the vicinity of Chateau-Thierry, all the German operations plans and attack orders show that they never intended to attack Paris. The main effort of Marneschutz-Reims was on the left flank of the Seventh Army, which was supposed to envelop Reims from the west, while the First Army attacked to envelop the city from the east. The German deception operation was so effective that to this day far too many history books proclaim that the Germans intended to capture Paris in July 1918. When the Germans attacked on July 15, the French government panicked and began preparations to evacuate the capital. Even the commander in chief of the French army, General Philippe Petain, believed Paris was threatened. But Allied commander Foch immediately recognized Marneschutz-Reims for what it was, a desperate last-ditch bluff. He refused to react and ordered Petain to continue preparations for the counterattack into the German Marne salient that the Allies had long been planning to launch on July 18. Once again, Foch outgeneraled Ludendorff. By the end of the day on July 15 the German High Command realized that Operation Marneschutz-Reims was a complete failure. The French reserve units were not budging from Flanders, and the Germans would not be able to take Reims. For the next two days the German Seventh Army continued the fight, mainly to extricate the forces by then trapped on the south bank of the Marne. Ludendorff, however, was still determined to press ahead with Operation Hagen, despite the fact that the French reserves had not moved and the defenders would outnumber the attackers; it was a disastrous decision. The Y-Transport system of transfers started on schedule, and the heavy artillery units the Germans desperately needed in the Marne fight started to move north. On July 18 Ludendorff went to Rupprechts headquarters in Tournai to oversee the final preparations for Hagen. He opened the planning conference by dismissing the rapidly accumulating intelligence that indicated the French were massing for a counterattack in the south: Before we start our discussions on Operation Hagen, I want to quell any rumors that the French have major reserves in the Villers Cotterets Forest. [The German High Command] has a reliable intelligence system. The enemy cannot possibly have combat-ready reserves available. We know the casualty rates and decreases in strength in the French and British units. [We] can state categorically that any such rumors are unfounded. Almost as soon as he finished those remarks, contrary reports started to come in. At 5:35 a.m. the French Tenth Army under General Charles Mangin launched a surprise attack, without artillery preparation, against the right flank of the German Seventh Army. A few hours later the French Sixth Army joined the attack near the southern extreme of the Marne bulge. The Germans were caught completely by surprise. Ludendorff ended the Hagen meeting and immediately returned to the headquarters of the high command in the greatest state of nervous tension. Arriving about 2 p.m., he was met at the Avesnes station by the chief of the German General Staff, Paul von Hindenburg, who briefed him on the overall situation. At 2:30 the high command ordered Rupprechts army group to deploy immediately two of the Hagen attack divisions to Wilhelms army group. Within minutes the high command issued an order halting most of the Y-transports. Although the high command kept the heavy artillery and the trench mortars moving for the time being, it was clear then that the Allied counterattack would have severe repercussions for Hagen. Crown Prince Rupprecht wrote in his diary: There is no doubt that we have passed the zenith of our success. Even if we take some territory in Flanders, it will be of no significance. But in a phone conversation that night, Ludendorff told Rupprechts chief of staff that the high command hoped to send the Hagen attack divisions back north as soon as the situation stabilized in the Seventh Army sector. Ludendorff was clinging desperately to the belief that the Germans could still launch Hagen. By the morning of July 19 the Seventh Army was fighting for its life in the Marne salient, while the high command was still looking for a way to salvage Hageneven though it had already ordered Rupprechts army group to transfer four of the Hagen attack divisions immediately to Wilhelms army group. Later that day the high command stopped the transfer of the heavy artillery and heavy trench mortars to the north. Ludendorff then asked Rupprechts army group to look at the possibility of reducing the size and scope of the Hagen attack. Rupprechts staff responded that the attack was still possible with the army groups remaining available forces if the operations objective was limited to breaking through toward Poperinghe-Cassel and then pushing back the north wing of the British line south of Dunkirk. The attack in the sector north of Ypres, however, was no longer possible. This revised plan now had 33 divisions attacking on a 25-mile front, but the Germans were grasping at straws. On July 20 the French Fifth and Ninth Armies joined the Allied counteroffensive, attacking the eastern flank of Wilhelms Seventh Armys Marne salient. That same day Rupprechts army group sent the high command a message recommending the postponement of Hagen by a few days. The staff still recommended going ahead with an even more drastically scaleddown version of Hagen. Later that afternoon Ludendorff told Rupprechts army group to transfer two more Hagen attack divisions to the beleaguered Seventh Army. By the end of July 20 seven Hagen attack divisions had been withdrawn from Rupprechts army group to reinforce Wilhelms, which was slowly being pushed back up into the salient it had fought so hard to establish during Operation Blucher. That evening Ludendorff finally canceled Hagen and ordered Rupprechts army group to stand on the defensive. His order did, however, leave an opening to resurrect Hagen if the situation improved. Ludendorff just could not let go of Hagen. Despite the order of July 20, various German headquarters continued to discuss some sort of Klein-Hagen (Small Hagen) option, with the objective being the Flanders hills of Scherpenberg, Mount Rouge, and Mount Noir. Meanwhile in the Marne sector, by August 6 the Allies had methodically pushed the Germans back behind the Chemin des Dames, to their original starting line for Operation Blucher. Two days later the British launched their surprise offensive at Amiens. August 8, 1918, became known as the Black Day of the German Army. World War I had less than 100 days left to run. Could Hagen have succeeded? Any objective analysis of the plan, the forces and resources available, and the terrain can only lead to a resounding No. As Ludendorffs principal operations officer, Lieutenant Colonel Georg Wetzell, accurately pointed out in an operational assessment he wrote on June 12, none of the conditions of the previous tactical successes were then present. Surprise was unlikely. The British, following Operations Michael and Georgette, had almost three months to reconstitute their units and strengthen their defenses. The Allied reserves were well positioned and concentrated. Hagen also would have faced two more difficulties that had contributed to the failure of Operation Marneschutz-Reims: The German army was burned out and stretched to the breaking point by July 1918, and the Allies finally understood and were developing countermeasures for the new German infantry and artillery offensive tactics. Hagen was designed as a force-on-force battle. Its objective was the defeat of the British Second Army and the Belgian army. Beyond that, there was no clearly identified operational end-state. As early as the start of May, Rupprechts planners admitted, It is very probable that Neu-Georg [Hagen] will merely constitute a new blow for the British and will create a salient of greater or lesser dimension in the direction of Poperinghe-Cassel. But then the longer-term results of the operation were couched in vague political and pseudopsychological terms. One of the recurring patterns of the 1918 German offensives was their tendency to expand rather than concentrate as the plans developed. Hagen was no different. The original plan called for an attack by 25 divisions under the control of one army on a 15-mile front. By July 14 the Fourth Armys attack zone had increased from 15 to 23 miles and the entire operation had expanded to 39 divisions controlled by two armies on a 29-mile front. In early May the operations planners at the high command had expressed concern about the ability of the attacking divisions to reach their initial objectives six miles deep in a single bound. But by July 1 the plan required the III Bavarian Corps to reach Cassel also in a single bound, a depth of 10 miles. What was really not necessary in the original plan was the attack north of Ypres. As the Hagen plan was scaled back after July 18 in an attempt to save the operation, that was the first element to drop out. What real alternatives did the Germans have at that point? Many of the German commanders and planners approached the operations following Blucher with a deep sense of foreboding. The two principal army group commanders and their respective chiefs of staff were among the most pessimistic. Crown Prince Rupprecht and his chief of staff Hermann von Kuhl and Crown Prince Wilhelm and his chief of staff Friedrich von der Schulenburg all believed that Hagen was almost impossible. In his memoirs Crown Prince Wilhelm later wrote, In our opinion, the planned Marneschutz-Reims offensive constituted, under compulsion of the dynamic law, the last great offensive effort of which we were capable. Even Ludendorff eventually came to see that Hagen would not be the war-winning silver bullet he so desperately sought. As early as July 2 the high command ordered Wilhelms army group to plan a follow-on operation to be designated Operation Kurfurst. The two planning scenarios to be war-gamed were a renewed attack toward Amiens, or an attack toward Parisa serious thrust this time and not just a feint. The projected date was mid-September and the initial force estimate was 50 divisions. Rupprecht wrote in his diary: There wont be that many forces for that attack. This offensive is only on paper. The staff officers and operations planners at the high command seemed to be living increasingly in a dream world after the failure of Operation Blucher. If the Hagen plan was fundamentally unrealistic, the Kurfurst plan was a pipe dream. Just where would the German army come up with 50 divisions after Marneschutz-Reims, let alone after Hagen? One is tempted here to draw parallels between the state of mind at the high command in July 1918 and the state of mind in Adolf Hitlers bunker in April 1945, with the fuhrer moving phantom divisions around on his map board. Major General David T. Zabecki (U.S. Army, ret.) is the chief military historian for the Weider History Group. He holds a doctorate in military history from Britains Royal Military College of Science and has taught at the U.S. Naval Academy. He is the editor of the encyclopedia Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History, published this year by ABC-CLIO. Originally published in the January 2015 issue of Military History Quarterly. To subscribe, click here. Philip II, in his 20s when he ascended the throne of Macedon in 359 B.C., had ambitious ideas for his backward realm at the edge of the feuding city-states of Greece. Under his rule, Macedonian nobles grew richer and understood that the rewards for loyalty to Philip were very real. But Philip had aspirations that went far beyond Macedon, and he began systematically quelling the fractious city-states to the south. By 338, having defeated Athens and Thebes at Chaeronea, he was the undisputed master of Greece. Philip was not done. To the east lay the Persian Empire, massive in size and fantastically wealthy. Precisely when Philip made the decision to mount an invasion of it is unknown, but the idea for a war with Persia had many proponents in Greece. One of the most articulate was Isocrates of Athens. In 346 he had written his Address to Philip, a tract in which he called on the Macedonian king to lead a pan-Hellenic attack on Persia. The Persians, Isocrates had explained, were womanly, cowardly, and unskilled in war, and Philip should use his military power against them. It is your privilege as one who has been blessed with untrammeled freedoms, to consider all Greece your fatherland. The fact that the Greek cities of Asia Minor were still under the Persian thumb would serve to unite the Greeks, and that in turn would put an end to their infighting. It is much more glorious, Isocrates counseled, to fight against the [Persian] king than to contend against each other. His was just one voice calling for what became a ubiquitous idea among the Greeksthat they make common cause against Persia. Given the immensity of that empire, which stretched from Asia Minor to the frontiers of the Indian subcontinent, an invasion of Persia would be a monumental undertaking. But Philip had the funds to recruit and equip a fine army. He had acquired valuable deposits of gold and silver, and the money from the mines had helped fuel Philips maneuverings, allowing him to buy off invaders and those he wanted to bring under his wing. He was fond of saying that he had enlarged Macedon far more by the use of gold than arms. The time to mount a successful attack on Persia grew more opportune when a young, inexperienced king, Arses, ascended the throne in 338. All that remained for Philip to implement his invasion was to rally the city-states of Greece and their substantial military resources round his banner. In the winter of 338337 Philip called other Greeks to a conference in Corinth. They quickly understood that his invitation was more summons than request. Delegates from every city-state except Sparta, which was implacable in its opposition to Macedonian imperialism, hastened to attend. The topic to be discussed was the creation of a common and lasting peace among all the Greeks that would be upheld by the collected city-states and guaranteed by Macedon. In addition to the prospect of peace, each city-state would receive votes in the General Synod of the Common Peace the number of its votes in proportion to its military contribution. The synod would judge disputes between states, and when required, elect a hegemon to use military force to set matters right. Delegates also pledged that their states would never take hostile action against another member state or against Philip or his descendants. Considering Macedons overweening power, the delegates had little other choice. More a disguised imperial arrangement than a consenting union, the League of Corinth at least left its members with some of their self-respect and made it possible for Philip to control Greece efficiently without having to hold down all of its cities with garrisons. Later in 337, the delegates of the new synod met again to consider an attack on Persia. While the proposed expedition has often been described, inaccurately and anachronistically, as a crusade, there was nonetheless a religious justification for it that helped Philip motivate the Greeks en masse. A century and a half earlier, invading Persians had despoiled Greek temples, including the Athenian temples of the Acropolis. Revenge for that affront was the basis of Philips proposal of war, and the synod approved it. Having already been elected hegemon, Philip was also appointed captain-general of the league, with the authority to raise an army and lead it against the Persians. By early 336 a vanguard of that army had arrived in Asia Minor and taken control of the Hellespont. But Philip did not live to see his campaign come to fruition. Later that year he was assassinated by one of his bodyguards. Yet Philips death was not the end of the pan-Hellenic invasion. His son Alexander quickly took his place and reacted with the speed and determination that characterized all of his later campaigns. When the Thebans rejected him as the new hegemon, Alexander deployed his army before their walls and cowed them into submission. The Athenians, though very hostile to Alexander, got the message and sent envoys to convey apologies for their tardiness in recognizing him. Within weeks of his fathers death, Alexander had reasserted Macedonian dominion over Greece. Once more, league delegates, with the exception of the Spartans, traveled to Corinth, where they renewed their treaty with Macedon and voted to install Alexander as hegemon. The young king took his fathers place as captain-general of the army in the war with Persia, his invasion force swelled by soldiers contributed by the members of the league. Under Alexanders leadership, those troops helped spread Greek dominion far eastward and left the lasting stamp of Hellenism on a vast stretch of the ancient world. Even independent Sparta was brought into the fold in 331, after being defeated by Alexanders Macedonian regent, Antipater. In 323 Alexander died, and a year later the league came to an end when the once more rebellious Greeks were crushed by Antipater. Yet despite its short duration, the League of Corinth marked the first time that Greece was brought together as one political entity. Attorney Marc G. DeSantis is a frequent contributor to MHQs War List and Laws of War. Originally published in the January 2015 issue of Military History Quarterly. To subscribe, click here. John Huston entered the U.S. Army in 1942 with distinctive credentials. In the previous two years, he had directed three hit films, including The Maltese Falcon starring Humphrey Bogart, which garnered an Academy Award nomination for Hustons adapted screenplay. The army put his cinematic talents to good use. Major Huston filmed two ambitious documentaries for the Army Signal Corps in the next three yearsone on army life in the Aleutian Islands, the other about the fighting near San Pietro, Italy. Now, he had a new assignment. As the war in Europe wound down and American forces approached the Japanese home islands, the army wanted to document the medical treatment of battle fatigue casualties evacuated back to the United States. Because the conditionan acute nervous reaction to the stresses of combathad received little publicity during the war, the army feared that those affected would be misunderstood, mistreated, and looked upon with suspicion when they were discharged into the civilian workforce. It wanted to reassure the public, especially employers, that those former servicemen were not dangerous and could function as well as the next man. Acclaimed film director John Huston put his Hollywood career on hold to enlist and make documentaries for the army. After the war, he returned to his old trade: he directed 37 feature films and received 15 Academy Award nominations, winning twice. (National Archives) (National Archives) Huston had filmed the bitter fighting in Italy at perilously close range and understood what battle-fatigued soldiers were going through. For months I had been living in a dead mans world, he said. This was true even after he returned home on leave: Emotionally I was still in Italy in a combat zone. In spring 1945, Huston and a crew of six cameramen, six electricians, and two soundmen began filming at Mason General Hospital, an army psychiatric facility near Brentwood, New York, following a group of 75 combat veterans, all suffering from battle fatigue, as they went through an eight-week treatment program. Huston kept the cameras running continuously throughout treatment sessions to ensure he captured the extraordinary and completely unpredictable exchanges that sometimes occurred, he said. He shot more than 375,000 feet of filmnearly 70 hoursfor a documentary that would run less than an hour. The soldiers took the filming in good spirits, posting a sign in their ward that read: Hollywood and Vine. When the men first entered the program, many showed obvious signs of distress. Some had nervous tics; others had amnesia. Some were immobile; others stuttered so badly they could not communicate. The images Huston captured were jarring. He explained that to see a psyche torn asunder is more frightening than to see people who have physical wounds. The films message was that these were normal men who had cracked under the abnormal stress of combat. Every man has his breaking point, explained narrator Walter Huston, Johns father. And these, in the fulfillment of their duties as soldiers, were forced beyond the limit of human endurance. As an army psychiatrist told the men, If a civilian, the average civilian, were subjected to similar stresses, he undoubtedly would have developed the same type of nervous conditions that most of you fellows developed. They had nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of, he assured them. John Huston was impressed with the treatment the men received. To me it was an extraordinary experience, almost a religious experience, he said, to see men who couldnt speak, or remember anything at the beginning of their treatment, emerge at the end, not completely cured, it is true, but restored to the shape that they were in when they entered the army. Huston spent several months editing the film, which had the working title Returning SoldierThe Psychoneurotic and was eventually renamed Let There Be Light, and hand-delivered the finished product to Washington, D.C., in February 1946. He was proud of the result, later calling it the most hopeful and optimistic and even joyous thing I ever had a hand in. Army brass were set to preview the film next, with a public premiere to follow in April at the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. But the premiere never happenedfor reasons that remain murky and may have had as much to do with stigma surrounding battle fatigue as with the revealing nature of Hustons film. Battle fatiguenow called posttraumatic stress disorderemerged as the most unexpected and difficult medical problem of the war. It blindsided the military and threatened to become an epidemic that drained desperately needed manpower by immobilizing physically healthy soldiers, sailors, and Marines. Doctors quickly came to understand that battle fatigue was as much an injury as a gunshot wound, but old-school officers wrote it off as cowardice. Caught in the middle were the millions of servicemenall potential victims who feared the condition as a reflection on their strength, dedication, and courage. Let There Be Light illuminated that troubling issue. Battle fatigue, then called shell shock, had been a major problem for the Allies in World War I. It was widely reported among British and French troops who had been in combat for four years. And although American doughboys saw hard fighting for less than a year, nearly 12,000 of them were hospitalized for psychiatric reasons. Non-stop fighting and constant artillery barrages attributed to some of the worst cases of PTSD. Soldiers who had been in the field for over 200 days showed the most severe symptoms. (National Archives) (National Archives) In 1940-41, as the United States mobilized for another war, military psychiatrists believed that men with preexisting mental illness were the ones who would later break down. Hoping to remove men they considered vulnerable to battle fatigue, psychiatrists rejected recruits at a rate 15 times greater than they had in World War I. Despite those efforts, the tough fighting in early American campaigns produced an unexpectedly high incidence of battle fatigue among the troops. Navy doctor Lieutenant Commander Edwin R. Smith, who treated Marines evacuated from Guadalcanal, told Time magazine that conditions on the island had produced a disturbance of the whole organism, a disorder of thinking and living, of even wanting to live. Common symptoms were headaches, sensitivity to sharp noises, amnesia, panic, tense muscles, tremors, uncontrollably shaking hands, and weepiness. As the fighting intensified, the number of battle fatigue casualties increased dramatically. Psychiatric admissions to army hospitals jumped from 114,055 in 1942 to 341,087 in 1943 and to 367,815 in 1944. Army discharges for mental health reasons went from 27,086 in 1942 to 140,723 in 1943 and 100,789 in 1944. Battle fatigue was not limited to those new to combat. Author William Manchester, a Marine who served in the Okinawa campaign, recalled a combat-hardened sergeant major breaking down and ordering Manchester and his comrades to launch a suicidal bayonet charge through an artillery barrage. This was trouble, Manchester later wrote. I had seen combat fatigue, and recognized the signs, but couldnt believe they were coming from an Old Corps sergeant major. When the barrage lifted, Manchester found the sergeant major spread-eagled outside his fighting hole, shaking uncontrollably, first shrieking as I once heard a horse shriek, then blubbering and uttering incomprehensible elementary animal sounds. What Manchester described became known as Old Sergeant Syndrome. Old-timers, even those with enviable combat records, could eventually crack under the accumulated strain of long-term fighting. At first, military doctors and line officers were shocked to see good soldiers, often decorated ones, felled by battle fatigue. They came to realize, however, that even the strongest could crack under combat of sufficient intensity or duration. Army psychiatrist William C. Menninger said those men reacted as anybody might have if exposed long enough to combat. The implications were staggering, as psychiatrist John W. Appel observed: every soldier, sailor, or Marineno matter how toughwas a potential battle fatigue casualty. Nevertheless, some old-school officers clung to their belief that the condition was a sign of cowardice or malingering. The most notorious examples occurred in Sicily in 1943. On August 3, Lieutenant General George S. Patton encountered a battle-fatigue casualty, Private Charles H. Kuhl, at an evacuation hospital. Patton cursed Kuhl, called him a coward, slapped him across the face with his glove, and threw him out of the hospital tent. On August 10, Patton encountered another such casualty, Private Paul G. Bennett. Patton cursed him, called him a coward, slapped him, and threatened to shoot him. These incidents reflected Pattons firmly held belief that battle fatigue casualties were cowards [who] bring discredit on the army and disgrace to their comrades by using the hospital as a means to escape. There may, however, have been more to the story. Private Kuhl later said Pattons conduct that day was so extreme, he thought Patton himself was suffering a little battle fatigue. Historian Charles M. Wiltse, author of the army medical service history of the Mediterranean campaigns, agreed with Kuhl, noting that Patton was likely experiencing the accumulated tensions of the preceding weeks of intensive combat. Perhaps, as one editorial writer noted, the difference between the slapper and the slappee was only a matter of rank. George S. Patton (shown in a dramatization)scoffed at the invisible effects of PTSD, accusing soldiers of cowardice. Historians have since speculated that Patton himself suffered from the condition at the time of the infamous slapping incidents. (20th Century Fox/Photofest) (20th Century Fox/Photofest) Doubts about the legitimacy of battle fatigue reached the highest levels of the military. In a memo dated December 30, 1943, U.S. Army Chief of Staff General George C. Marshall equated the condition with malingering and cited discredited claims from World War I that 80 percent of shell-shock victims had experienced an instantaneous cure the moment the armistice was signed. Marshall blamed Americas parents and teachers, accusing them of coddling the men, many of whom had grown up during the Great Depression. While our enemies were teaching their youths to endure hardships, contribute to the national welfare, and to prepare for war, Marshall wrote, our young people were led to expect luxuries, to depend upon a paternal government for assistance in making a livelihood and to look upon soldiers and war as unnecessary and hateful. Of course, malingering may have occurred. Gunshot or shrapnel wounds are visible and diseases can be diagnosed with objective tests, but there was no definitive test for battle fatigue. Its diagnosis depended on a soldiers honesty and the skill of the examining physician. In the entire war, only 47 American soldiers were court-martialed for malingering; it is unknown if any faked their symptoms. Combat troops themselves accepted the reality of the condition as an unfortunate but unavoidable fact of wartime life. A man who is taken out of combat for battle fatigue, explained Marine veteran Fred Balester, is usually no more to blame for his condition than a man who has contracted malaria or been wounded. As one frontline commander wrote on a soldiers evacuation tag, This man now freezes on the trigger and freezes under artillery fire. He is in no way a goldbrick or a coward, but is of no further use as a combat soldier. Doctors worked to return battle fatigue casualties to their units as quickly as possible. There was a war going on, and the services needed every man. Battle fatigue was considered a temporary condition and soldiers were treated as near to the front as possible, with an emphasis on relief of symptoms. Wise commanders learned to intervene when they saw the warning signs. Soldiers were first sent to the battalion aid station, where they got hot food, a shower, new clothing, and a chance to rest. Hot food, hot drink, a chance to warm upthats what [a soldier] needed to keep going, said Major Richard Winters of the 101st Airborne Division. For mild cases, that was sufficient. More serious cases went further back to division clearing stations, also known as exhaustion centers. If that did not work, they went to general hospitals. The most serious cases, like the men shown in Let There Be Light, were evacuated to the United States. Even old-school officers came to grudgingly admit the reality of battle fatigue. Army psychiatrist Edwin A. Weinstein remembered a colonel who encountered such a casualty late in the war. Channeling his inner Patton, the commander drew his .45 pistol, called the trembling soldier a coward, and threatened to shoot him if he did not return to his unit. Well, Colonel, sir, the trembling soldier stammered, I guess youll have to shoot me. The colonel turned to the nearest doctor and ordered: Evacuate him, hes crazy. As doctors treated more and more battle fatigue cases, they began to understand the impact of precipitating events. The more intense the fight, the greater the number of battle fatigue casualties. A leading cause was artillery fire, since it forced a soldier to sit and take it; other triggers included the death of a buddy or bad news from home, like a Dear John breakup letter. But the most significant factor, doctors learned, was the number of days in combat. A man who had served 200 to 240 days in combat was no longer an effective soldier. If he had not yet broken, he was often too jittery or overly cautious. Men with fewer than 200 days were the most likely to respond to short-term treatment and to return to their units. These findings presented a dilemma because the army had no formal rotation policy for transferring combat veterans home. Most soldiers were overseas for the durationuntil they were killed, wounded, or the war ended. Despite a better understanding of the issue and better treatment of afflicted servicemen, battle fatigue remained a problem until the end of the war. In 1945, 280,110 soldiers were hospitalized for battle fatigue, with 120,561 discharged for psychiatric reasons. In the navy, battle fatigue casualties increased late in the war as sailors endured the terror of kamikaze attacks. After V-J Day, the military refocused on treating the affected men and preparing them to re-enter civilian life. That is where it hoped to get a boost from Let There Be Light. In April 1946, critics and filmgoers eagerly an-ticipated the films premiere at the Museum of Modern Art. But at the last minute, the army pulled the film. Huston later claimed army MPs showed up and physically seized the film and classified it restricted, making it unavailable to civilian audiences. Critics who had already seen previews of Let There Be Light were livid. James Agee, writing in The Nation, called the suppressed film an intelligent, noble, fiercely moving short film and lamented that it will probably never be seen by the civilian public for whose need, and on whose money, it was made. He urged public pressure to get the army to change its mind. If dynamite is required, he wrote, then dynamite is indicated. New York Post critic Archer Winsten took solace in his belief that the film would eventually be released. Some future audience is guaranteed not only a beautiful film experience, he wrote, but also the certainty that their generation has better sense than ours. The armys stated reason for suppressing the film was privacy. It did not want to stigmatize any identifiable ex-soldier as a psychiatric casualty. Indeed, an army directive from 1944 prohibited the release of the names or identifiable photographs of neuropsychiatric cases. Huston had anticipated this objection and obtained privacy waivers from those in the film, but officials questioned the ability of psychiatric patients to truly give informed consent. When Huston later went to retrieve the releases from an army file cabinet, he said, they had disappeared. Some believed privacy was not the armys real objection. Agee suggested it was concerned that the film was so powerful that any man who saw it would think twice before enlisting. Huston felt the army wanted to maintain the warrior myth, which said that our soldiers went to war and came back all the stronger for the experience, standing tall and proud for having served their country well. The armys own actions seemed to undermine its stated concern for the soldiers privacy: it had supplied nearly a dozen still photos from Let There Be Light to illustrate an October 29, 1945, Life magazine article on the stateside treatment of battle-fatigue casualties. The photos clearly showed the faces of two men in the film and identified them as psychiatric patients. The army never explained why these photos were acceptable for Lifes civilian readers while the film was not. Although the army cited concerns about the soldiers privacy in its last-minute refusal to release Hustons film, it approved stillsclearly showing the mens facesfor the October 29, 1945, issue of Life magazine. (LIFE Magazine) (LIFE Magazine) Instead, the army commissioned Joseph Henaberya director and actor who, in 1915, had played Abraham Lincoln in D. W. Griffiths Birth of a Nationto produce a new film. Henaberys film, Shades of Gray, was scripted, not spontaneous, and used professional actors instead of actual veterans. The result was what film historian Scott Simmon called less a remake of Let There Be Light than an argument against it. Shades of Gray suggested that preexisting mental illness was the cause of battle fatiguea far different message than delivered in Let There Be Light, and not what military doctors had learned during the war. The narrator contended that one out of every 18 Americans would eventually be treated at a mental hospitaland that an army is no stronger than the population from which it is drawn. Even the title follows this theme, with shades of gray symbolizing the varying degrees of mental illness that, the narrator claims, all civilians and soldiers carry with them. When the army released Shades of Gray to the public in 1948, an army spokesman emphasized that the film was definitely not connected in any way with Let There Be Light. Meanwhile, American servicemen returned home with very real struggles. One such new civilian was William S. Freeman Jr. For many Thanksgivings after the war, Freeman stood in his yard and wept while his family enjoyed turkey dinner. He was haunted by memories of Thanksgiving 1944, when his men, lined up for a turkey meal served in canisters, were decimated by German artillery. Freemans enduring memory, he wrote, was men torn to shreds around busted up turkey canisters. Ira Hayes, one of the famed flag raisers of Iwo Jima, died from overexposure to the cold and alcohol poisoning in January 1955, at age 32. In the decade since the war, he had accumulated more than 50 alcohol-related arrests. Audie Murphy, the most decorated American soldier of World War II, suffered from battle fatigue for the rest of his life. He endured chronic insomnia and recurring nightmares, and kept a loaded pistol under his pillow. He eventually took to sleeping alone in his garage with the lights on. Murphy recalled being terrified while acting in 1951s The Red Badge of Courage, as the films Civil War battle scenes reminded him of his wartime experiences and left him trembling. The director of the film? John Huston. Americas most decorated soldier of the war, Audie Murphy suffered from PTSD. Filming battle scenes in John Hustons 1951 Civil War film, The Red Badge of Courage, left him trembling. (National Archives) Of the soldiers who appeared in Let There Be Light, nothing is known of their postwar lives. As for the men Patton slapped in Sicily, both survived the war. Charles Kuhl worked as a janitor for the Bendix Corporation and died of a heart attack in 1971 at age 55. Paul Bennett later served in the Korean War and died in Georgia in 1973 at age 51. YEARS AFTER THE WAR, Let There Be Light was largely forgotten except by a small group of film aficionados. An unofficial copy circulated among them, reportedly liberated by a sharp-eyed film-buff soldier who had seen it in an army film library at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. In 1980, film historian and reporter Joseph McBride began a campaign for the films release and filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act. He soon gained important allies, including Jack Valenti, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, Vice President Walter F. Mondale, and film producer Ray Stark. While the army continued to voice misgivings about the privacy of the soldiers, army secretary Clifford Alexander Jr. ordered its release in late 1980. The film premiered on January 16, 1981, at the Thalia Theater in Manhattan, nearly 35 years after the army blocked its original premiere. Critics were impressed with the films raw power. Michael Blowen of the Boston Globe called it single-minded in its riveting portrayal of the mental fallout of war, and Michael Kernan of the Washington Post thought it showed just how delicate and yet how resilient the human mind can be. The mens faces haunted David Denby of New York magazine. Seeing them break down is almost unbearable, he wrote. But critics also noted shortcomings that may have escaped notice 35 years earlier. To Vincent Canby of the New York Times, the impression given and even encouraged by the film is of a series of miraculous cures. Indeed, said Andrew Sarris of the Village Voice, the film attributed to army psychiatrists the combined talents and powers of Mandrake the Magician and Bernadette of Lourdes. What was omitted, noted Stanley Kauffmann of the New Republic, was any mention of the possibility of recurrence in these men; and, worse, it says nothing about the sufferers with combat psychoneurosis who took longer to leave or who never got out of hospitals. Perhaps, he suggested, suppression had given the film a better reputation than it deserved. What had been shocking and ground-breaking in 1946 was neither to current audiences who had grown up seeing riots, wars and assassinations live-and-in-color on TV, Canby asserted. Interest in Let There Be Light was revived in 2012, when the National Archives and Records Administration fully restored the film. It is now available online for all to see. While its cinematic techniques seem dated and the treatment methods quaint, the film stands the test of time as a stark reminder of the thousands of soldiers, sailors, and Marines whose wounds were not visible or physicalthe men who were the hidden casualties of the war. Outmoded New Model Jim Lacey and Sharon Tosi Laceys article on Oliver Cromwell [The Curse of Cromwell, Autumn 2014] helped flesh out the man, but King Charles II had other reasons for disbanding the New Model Army than simple personal animosity. While it was victorious in the English Civil War and fought well in the Franco-Spanish War, it was still a rather outmoded affair compared to the better Continental armies, such as those of France or the emerging Prussians. The French respected its tenacity rather than its fighting prowess. It might have been one of the first forces to typify the cannon fodder sobriquet of the gunpowder age. While Charles might have wanted an army to oppose the Dutch, both countries were more focused on naval affairs, and the ensuing Anglo-Dutch naval wars are seen by several historians as the first world wars. Britain itself would not wield a fully professional army until the First World War, thanks to the Haldane Reforms. Nathan Wells Braintree, Massachusetts The Cromwell story in the Autumn issue mentions that Charles I was hanged in January 1649. This is false: The king was beheaded via the ax. I will assume that the authors meant to say the king was beheaded by the Common Hangman, as that was the official title then for an executioner, though the Common Hangman was supposed to be able to wield an ax as well as operate a gallows. Richard Brandon was the Common Hangman at this time, but there is no definite proof that he actually beheaded his king (that would have been a soul-searching issue for a law-abiding subject). Cliff Culpeper San Francisco, California Editors note: The error was introduced in the editing process, not by the authors. Off the mark The caption on page 80 of your Great Guns! story says the cannon featured in the photo is a 12-pounder Napoleon. The photograph in fact shows a 6-pounder field gun, identified by the base ring and astragal behind the muzzle swell. The 12-pounder Napoleon gun made in America had clean lines with no base ring, fillets, or astragals. Otherwise, a good summary article. James D. Taylor Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (ret.) Ponte Vedra, Florida Editors note: We sent the photo (above) to Craig Swain, a Civil War artillery expert who maintains a blog on the subject, To the Sound of the Guns (markerhunter. wordpress.com). His response: The cannons pictured represent the position of Lathams Battery, located next to the Texas Brigade memorial. On the left is a 6-pounder field gun, Model 1841, cast by Cyrus Alger in 1855 (misidentified as a 12-pounder in the Autumn issue of MHQ) and a 12-pounder field howitzer, Model 1841, cast by Cyrus Alger in 1841. I enjoyed Great Guns! very much, but one photo caption needs correction. The caption on page 83 for the M109A6 Paladin in Bosnia identifies it as belonging to the 1st Armored Division. The bumper markings clearly show 1-I-1-7F, indicating that the Paladin was assigned to the 1st Battalion of the Seventh Field Artillery, 1st Infantry Division. The 1-7 Field Artillery has been part of the Big Red One since the division formation during World War I. Gene L. Raymond Lieutenant Colonel, US Army (ret.) Elgin, Arizona Titos Gamble In the Autumn 2014 issue, Douglas Porch [Irregular Warfare] states that Marshal Josip Broz Tito collaborated temporarily with the occupying Germans in Yugoslavia. I have always read that it was the Royalist Cetniks, under General Draza Mihailovic, who did so. Robert Lanier Memphis, Tennessee Douglas Porch responds: My source was Wartime, by Milovan Djilas [a Yugoslav resistance fighter, communist revolutionary, and close confidant of Tito]. The negotiations occurred during Operation Schwarz (MayJune 1943), when Tito was surrounded and had lost about half his force. Tito requested an armistice from the Germans while the two sides carried out negotiations in Zagreb aimed at achieving cooperation to eliminate the Cetniks. Tito even offered to make common cause with the Germans in case Allied armies landed in the Balkans. As a gesture of good faith, he ordered a cessation of attacks on German communications. But negotiations collapsed for a number of reasons: Hitler opposed them; Tito realized that once Schwarz had run its course, he could deal with the Cetniks and the Axis simultaneously; and the British were about to shift support from the Cetniks to him. When the Soviets complained of Titos negotiations with the Germans, Tito insisted they were simply about an exchange of wounded. The reader is correct that the Cetniks did indeed regularly seek to collaborate with the Germans, who were seen as the main anticommunist force. Map mix-up Your inset map on page 56, How to Prepare for a Battle, uses a Soviet union map to show the location of the 1915 Battle of Riga relative to Europe and identifies the island of Russian territory sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania as East Prussia, which no longer exists. East Prussia was much larger than that and was at the time contiguous with Germany. Further, Tannenburg, which you mention as the site of a previous great battle, was in southern East Prussia, which you do not show, and not in Saxony, near the Czech (then Austro-Hungarian) border, as you delineate on your map. Eric Crouch Ames, Iowa Editors note: The maps errors were the responsibility of the editors. Passion for history Your editors letter, Repeat the Question, was just brilliant. Im a young adult about to embark on my masters degree in military history, and sometimes its tough to have such a passion for history and all things historical in this modern age, when people always seem to be focused on other things. But the way you wrote what you wrote is inspiring. This is a piece that, for the first time I can think of, illustrates exactly what Ive tried on numerous occasions to reiterate myself: my passion for history. History is a never-ending story filled with mysteries and epic events. And I wish more people understood how important it is to learn from our past. But then, The past is never dead. Devin Serlin Blacksburg, Virginia There were a lot of A Companies in the 9th Armored Division as they rolled up Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen in March 1945. Most battalions in that 11,000- man division had an A Company, so designating the successful attacking unit as A Company, 9th Armored Division, as you did in your Autumn issue editors letter, wont hack it. The precise designation was A Company, 27th Armored Infantry Battalion. Those civilian soldiers, tired and war weary as they were, had the guts and fortitude to get on with winning the war. Wayne Long Colonel, USA (ret.) Chester, Maryland Originally published in the January 2015 issue of Military History Quarterly. To subscribe, click here. The Hope College Department of Theatre will present Love and Information on Friday-Saturday, Feb. 17-18, and Wednesday-Saturday, Feb. 22-25, at 7:30 p.m. in the DeWitt Center main theatre. Caryl Churchills new thought-churning play mirrors the digital age and the ever-changing attention span. Love and Information is broken down into seven sections, each with a given number of scenes. Each scene, some only lasting a few seconds, touches on the idea of how people process knowledge. Within the production, 11 actors take the stage and portray more 100 characters. The play is ultimately about human interaction and the human need to connect and understand. Information is delivered rapidly to correlate with how information is received in the current world. As Churchill has described her work, In the age of short attention spans, when we whip out our phones at all times to check updates, status, Instagram, Twitter, texts or emails, we still crave human connection. The mystery and challenge is how to achieve it. Director Daina Robins is excited to discover the possibilities within this production. Love and Information is a clever and quirky play about the two subjects included in its title, she said. Playwright Caryl Churchill has written a series of short scenes with open-ended contexts that deals with communication and miscommunication, love and loss or shifts or trouble in love, information and misinformation. We are exploring possible relationships and circumstances for each scene and having a great time brainstorming and playing out different possibilities. We hope our production captures the whimsy, imagination and variety inherent to this script. It should be a fun evening of theatre. In addition to Robins, the production team includes senior Claire Bouwkamp of Jenison as scenic designer, with faculty member Richard Smith as properties designer and scene design mentor; senior Sydney Luse of Elburn, Illinoi, as costume designer, with faculty member Michelle Bombe as costume design mentor; senior Nils Fritjofson of West Granby, Connecticut, as lighting designer; junior Nathan Gingrich of Potsdam, New York, as stage manager; and freshman Gracen Barth of Dallas, Texas, and junior Anna Jones of Ann Arbor as assistant stage managers. Staff members contributing to the project include Ken Chamberlain as sound designer, Paul Anderson as technical director and Darlene Veenstra as costume shop manager. The cast includes sophomore Jose Angulo of San Francisco, California; junior Juliette Collins of Ann Arbor; senior CaliRose DiGiuseppe of Portage; freshman Ben Douma of Crawfordsville, Indiana; junior Alexander Johnson of Plymouth; junior Rachel Kennedy of Naperville, Illinois; senior Sydney Luse of Elburn, Illinois; senior Zach Makowski of Allen Park; sophomore Shanley Smith of Holland; freshman Jacob Starr of Fort Wayne, Indiana; and junior Elijah Yang of Eugene, Oregon. Tickets are $10 for regular admission, $7 for senior citizens, Hope faculty and staff, and free for Hope College students and children 18 and under. Tickets are available at the ticket office in the Events and Conferences Office located downtown in the Anderson-Werkman Financial Center (100 E. Eighth St.). The office is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be called at (616) 395-7890. Tickets are also available online. The DeWitt Center is located at 141 E. 12th St., facing Columbia Avenue between 10th and 13th streets. Hotels are, by nature, service providers that over the years have tended to limit their playing field out of concern for coherence or efficient management, but that was before. before economic models could be overturned by new arrivals on the market, before customer demands began to change along with their behavior. The great strength of new actors, which have no old habits, lies in expanding the range of services while changing perspective. Operational habits no longer dictate services offered, opportunities to satisfy needs do. The new hybrid concepts began this approach, which is a bit surprising at first, by combining accommodations and co-working spaces, theater and local bar, hotel shop and tourism concierge. But why leave them alone to tap into this market full of opportunities? There is nothing to prevent each hotel, depending on its means and ambition, from building an original supply while focusing on strengthening social ties and commercial presence. Hotel businesses have the legitimacy required for occupying and especially for taking advantage of the space around them. This means capitalizing on real local anchoring to make it a place for events, for meeting, a converging point as well as a place for doing business. The movement has been underway for a few years, during the wave of "boutique hotel" growth, which is the first response to the defiance of customers faced with products that are overly formatted. In fact within a context that remains difficult for France's hotel industry, hotel capacity continued to grow, particularly thanks to new, unbranded hotels in the mid and upscale. The quest for authenticity and a personalized human connection are behind these properties' success. AirBnB and similar entities filled the gap by offering a personal touch, favoring local accents and proximity to autochthones at low prices... although experience shows that promises do not always ring true. The warning shot can be beneficial if it makes "traditional" hotel marketing wake up. Economic models are evolving, but the basics remain the same: satisfy a need, arouse desire, justify faithfulness and grow clientele. With or without branding, properties must (re)appropriate their surroundings and question the evolution of their range of current services and those that need to be invented. To paraphrase the slogans of two cornerstones of distribution in the 80s: "There is always something happening ..." or "You can find everything..." in the new hotel industry. Trainees needs to go hand in hand with this new entrepreneurial approach. At the academies, hotel schools and training programs, it is important to revive an entrepreneurial spirit and encourage a break away from a classic approach. The fundamental difference between hotels and the sharing economy is that the former depend on the quality of service, when the idea is instilled in men and women in the field. If the hotel product is innovative, there is every reason to believe in the future. The main thing is to make the difference stand out in a positive way and focus on all that is human, a major asset of our profession within a troubled context. "At night the stars shine bright". Georges Panayotis Chairman & CEO +33 (0) 1 56 56 87 87 Hospitality ON View source Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the world's leading luxury hospitality company, is strengthening its presence in the luxury hotel and residential space, and building on its position as the business partner of choice for luxury hotel, resort and residential projects. With a pipeline of more than 50 projects at various stages of planning and development, the company continues to extend its global portfolio in destinations of importance to luxury travellers. "Our aspiration is not to be the biggest; it's to be the best," says J. Allen Smith, President and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. "We are singularly focused on serving the luxury consumer. Against the current backdrop of industry consolidation and commoditisation, there is tremendous opportunity to extend Four Seasons leadership in the pure luxury space." "But market dynamics alone do not guarantee success," continues Smith. "Our ability to capitalise on these opportunities is directly related to the strength of our leadership team, and the ability of our people the most passionate and talented in the industry to deliver an unparalleled level of personalised service." This commitment to service excellence extends beyond the company's service of its guests, continues Smith, "Extending the custom character of everything we do to help property owners realise the full value of their investment and relationship with Four Seasons is a top priority for us." Business Partner of Choice One way the company is actioning this priority is through the appointment of Michael (Mike) Crawford to the newly created role of President, Portfolio Management and Owner Relations. Crawford, who joined Four Seasons in 2014 as President, Asia Pacific, moved into his new position in late 2016. With global responsibility for design, construction and procurement, Crawford coordinates the intricate process of bringing development projects to fruition, including new builds, strategic conversions and adaptive reuses of historic buildings, working cross-functionally across the organisation and in collaboration with the company's individual hotel owners. Crawford is also responsible for leveraging the company's well-established leadership and expertise in branded residential a key area of growth that includes more than 4,000 residential units in 17 countries around the world. "Long-term partnerships with hotel owners are at the core of our business model, and just as each Four Seasons property is unique, so too is each individual hotel owner," says Crawford. "Having a clear eye on the unique vision and objectives of each hotel owner and applying the same level of customisation to these relationships as we do with our guests continues to be a key competitive advantage for Four Seasons ." Further articulating what it means to be a leader in this regard, Crawford says, "Building strong relationships with hotel owners is fundamentally grounded in trust, the same trust that our guests place in us to deliver the highest standards of product quality, design and service. I look forward to continuing to build on the strong relationships we have with our hotel owners, offering even greater attention and customisation, and putting dedicated resources in place to prioritise this effort." Targeted Growth: 2017 and beyond On 24 January 2017, Four Seasons opened its 9th hotel in China in Tianjin, shortly followed by its second hotel in London at Ten Trinity Square, a Grade-II listed heritage building in the heart of the city on 26 January 2017. Further extending its presence in several key markets in 2017, Four Seasons will add a second hotel in the Seychelles (Desroches Island), as well as a fourth property in Florida (Surfside). The company also plans to open hotels in new destinations including Kuwait, Megeve, and Tunis later this year. Four Seasons has previously announced plans for hotels, resorts and residences in: Montreal, Los Cabos, Bangkok, Madrid, Philadelphia, Sao Paulo, Bengaluru, and Kuala Lumpur, as well as second properties in both Boston and Tokyo. These developments build on 2016's momentum, when Four Seasons added nine properties to its global portfolio: Four Seasons Hotel Dubai International Financial Centre, Four Seasons Hotel Bogota, Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island, Four Seasons Resort O'ahu at Ko Olina, Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta, Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown, Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto, Four Seasons Resort Anguilla, and Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An, Vietnam. Four Seasons also introduced the first private island experience in the company's portfolio - Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah, Baa Atoll - the world's only exclusive-use UNESCO hideaway located in a World Biosphere Reserve. About Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts opened its first hotel in 1961, and since that time has been dedicated to perfecting the travel experience through continual innovation and the highest standards of hospitality. Currently operating 119 hotels and resorts, and 44 residential properties in major city centres and resort destinations in 47 countries, and with more than 50 projects under planning or development, Four Seasons consistently ranks among the world's best hotels and most prestigious brands in reader polls, traveller reviews and industry awards. For more information and reservations, visit fourseasons.com. For the latest news, visit press.fourseasons.com and follow @FourSeasonsPR on Twitter. Farah Ibrahim TRACCS +97150 9448389 Four Seasons It looks like you've reached a page that doesnt exist (anymore). Please use the navigation or search above to find content on Hospitality Net. Go back to home Tehran, Iran, February 6 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: Iran has been denied fiber carbon that it had ordered for use in its nuclear industry, Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi has told Fars news agency February 6. He did not directly comment why the supplier has denied Irans request, but said, We did not accept their conditions. Whenever they give us carbon fibers, we will put aside our own carbon fibers. The Institute for Science and International Security reported last July that the AEOI had made an attempt to purchase tons of controlled carbon fiber from a country. This attempt, the institute said, occurred after Implementation Day of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The attempt to acquire carbon fiber was denied by the supplier and its government. Carbon fiber is usually used in combination with other materials to form a composite. The properties of carbon fiber, such as high stiffness, high tensile strength, low weight, high chemical resistance, high temperature tolerance, and low thermal expansion makes them one of the most popular material in civil engineering possessing strength up to five times that of steel and being one-third its weight. Carbon fibers that are only one-tenth the size of a human hair, but three times stronger than steel, may hold up to the intense heat and radiation of next generation nuclear power generators, providing a safety mechanism. In March 2015, Irans Defense Minister Hossein Dehqn inaugurated a T-300 carbon fiber factory with an annual output of 150 tons. In the military industry, carbon fiber is used for armoring, bullet-proofing, and providing non-flammable roof- or side-protection for land-, air- or sea-systems. It offers protection against heat or open fire less weight in addition with maximum stiffness. Applications also include drones development. To celebrate the Superbowl, President Trump sat down with Bill OReilly in an interview for Fox News. In a believable tangent of the new normal, Trump made some strange statements about Vladimir Putin. The Donald said he respects Putin, and when OReilly rebuked that Putin is a killer, Trump said the following: You got a lot of killers What, you think our countrys so innocent? Hip-hop would be the first to say America aint innocent, but hearing Trump say it sounds a bit like an excuse for the horrors he may be planning to inflict on the world. Check out the interview below, and let us know your thoughts in the comments section. Is Donald Trump going to embody Putins form of governance in time? Donald Trump We saw a lot of crossovers in 2016, into 2017. Donald Trumped crossed over the lines of the celebrity world to step into the political world when he became the 45th President of The United States. Balenciaga crossed over the lines of the fashion world and stepped into the political world when they debuted their Fall 2017 collection inspired by Senator Bernie Sanders at fashion week. Now it looks like Gucci Mane is crossing over the lines of the hip hop world in order to step into the fashion world as he takes over Vogue Magazines Snapchat for Superbowl Sunday. Earlier today Vogue and Gucci Mane shared the news via Twitter. While it may seem a bit peculiar for the fashion giant and Atlanta legend to cross paths in this way, Gucci Mane seems right at home as he takes snaps of his wifes huge ring, his super icy watch and records videos of Lil Wayne playing in the car ride to the stadium, all from Vogues account. Check out some of the videos below and follow Vogue Magazine to see more of Gucci Manes takeover. Gucci Mane Towards the beginning of 2016, Pharrell Williams scored an early W by becoming the co-owner of European denim brand G-Star RAW via a strategic partnership. While Pharrells presence has undoubtedly been felt within the company since then, the fans havent seen any new product as a result. Thats all about to change, because Skateboard P just laced us with a huge collection of pants as part of the G-Star Elwood X25 2017 Spring/Summer collection. For the HNHH user who said he was hoping Pharrell wouldnt go too crazy with the colors, we have some bad news for you. However, if youre into wild patterns and colors youre in luck theres more variety and color here than some raves. The Elwood collection contains 25 pairs of pants. The styles range from horizontal camouflage striping to plaids, pinstripes and even checkerboards. There are plenty of all-over-print styles too, including cherry blossoms, birds flying, and a lot of foliage. While these may not be for everyone, Pharrell has definitely come to the table with some serious heat. In a statement, the producer and business owner explained, the 25 prints are an expression of true creativity. They give the wearer the freedom to choose for themselves, and by doing so, empower them to decided who they want to be and what they want to wear. Everything goes on sale online and in select stores on February 27 for $170 a pair. GstarPharrell June's Kilmainham bill is coming together very nicely... Aphex Twin has been confirmed as the Sunday night headliner at Forbidden Fruit, which returns to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham from June 3-5. The Limerick-born, Cornwall-raised electronica subversive previously played the festival in 2011. As previously revealed, Saturday has Orbital as its Saturday night top draw while Monday finds Bon Iver curating a bill that so far includes Flying Lotus, Lisa Hannigan, The Staves, Gordi and Paul Thomas Saunders. The American indie rock group will perform live in Dublin this September. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is announced to make an appearance in Dublin, after finishing their extensive North American run in March, April and May, playing in Dublins Whelans on September 15, 2017. The Tourist, the forthcoming album of the Pennsylvanian rock band will be released world wide on February 24, 2017. As previous records before, with the new music the bands vocalist Alec Ounsworth nods to his musical heroes, such as Robert Wyatt, Tom Waits and Nick Cave. The Tourist originated from a time where Ounsworth was going through a time of reflection and soul-searching in which he had to process personal events that irrevocably changed his life and future. The outcome of this intense time of self-reflection was a natural development from earlier records and is considered by Ounsworth to be an exhale of sorts. Advertisement The album was recorded at Dt. Dogs Philadelphia based studio and was then mixed by Dave Fridmann, who also worked on the two previous albums, Some Loud Thunder (2007) and Only Run (2014). Former New South Wales drug cop, Pat Paroz, on why the Dublin injecting room objectors are wrong. One of Australias former top cops has reassured local residents and businesses in Dublin that they have nothing to fear from the citys first medically Supervised Injecting Facility. As the ex-Commander of Drug and Alcohol Coordination for New South Wales, Pat Paroz saw first-hand the work being carried out in the Kings Cross area of Sydney by the Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre. The concerns in Dublin are pretty much the same as they were 18 years ago when the Sydney centre was being proposed, Paroz tells Hot Press whilst here for a drug policy think tank. People were worried about the honeypot effect of attracting other people with addiction issues to the area, but nine different studies in eleven years prove that it hasnt happened. These are independent studies done by five or six groups with no vested interest in putting a positive spin on things. Antisocial behaviour, more crime, shoppers being frightened away, commercial and residential property prices being adversely effected; none of what people feared has happened. One of the things I did when I was appointed to the Commanders role in 2010 was ask the police whod been there before me what they thought, and they said the only differences theyd noticed were positive ones. They, along with ambulances services, were regularly getting called to drug overdoses, which often proved to be fatal. That doesnt happen nearly as regularly now. The Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre is policed, says Paroz, like any other Kings Cross business. There was no officer sitting there watching the front-door on CCTV or extra patrols driving by. What was established from the start was a strong relationship between the local police, and the management of the centre, which has its own duty security officer, who normally deals with the handful of problems that arise. Everybody had everybody elses telephone number, so there was no delay in making contact if needed. I used to walk into the clinic for meetings in full uniform, and was greeted warmly by both staff and clients. There was a normalcy about the whole thing. Asked whether there was political opposition to the Uniting centre back in the 90s, Paroz smiles wryly and says: Id definitely have to say yes. There was a ten-year trial period before the centre was made permanent, so no one, least of all government, was rushing into things. Nowadays, though, you have the Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, talking about it being an asset to the community. Indeed, Mayor Clover recently enthused about residents and business operators in Kings Cross no longer seeing people slumped in doorways, streets and parks. Ambulances no longer get the huge number of callouts, and the emergency department sees very few drug overdoses these days. The City has received fewer complaints from Kings Cross residents and businesses about injecting drug activity and/or discarded equipment, and in fact, weve been receiving many letters from residents grateful for its positive effects on local amenity. And if we must reduce this to economic terms, another report found - and I quote - that the centre had an overwhelmingly positive outcome in economic terms. Hot Press understands that the legislation necessary for the piloting of Dublins first medically Supervised Injecting Facility will be introduced by the Minister for Drugs, Catherine Byrne, by mid-February. Acknowledging that concerns still remain, Tony Duffin, the CEO of the Ana Liffey Drug Project, which has vocally campaigned for such services, says: Some people struggle to understand how Supervised Injecting Facilities are policed. Particularly as it will not be a crime to be in possession of drugs at these licensed facilities, but possession of drugs will remain illegal outside of such premises. So how will people walk to and from these facilities whilst being in possession of drugs? he continues. The reality is that the question of how to police Supervised Injecting Facilities has been considered many times over in many different jurisdictions. It is done to good effect in Sydney, in Vancouver, in Paris and in many other cities across Europe. Im sure the situation will be no different here. In my experience, An Garda Siochana is an excellent police service with a genuine understanding of the interaction between health and criminal justice in the context of drugs in modern Ireland. Im sure that the legislation will be considered in detail by senior Gardai when it is enacted, and I have no doubt that following this consideration its members will police Supervised Injecting Facilities both effectively and appropriately in the context of the legislative framework. Pat Paroz admits to feeling left flat after being shown around Dublin city-centre last month by Tony Duffin. I was really taken aback by the amount of discarded needles and other drug paraphernalia, he concludes. Its as least as serious as the heroin problem we have in Sydney. Injecting rooms arent on their own going to solve that, but they will 100% improve the situation and save lives. The rock band from Limerick is coming to Dublin this May. The Cranberries have announced a headline show in Dublins Bord Gais Energy Theatre for this summer. The Irish rock band will make their way to the Dublin stage on May 18, 2017, as announced this morning. They will be performing their greatest hits acoustically with accompaniment from a string quartet. Advertisement Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 By Fatih Karimov Trend: The second phase of Irans National Information Network (National Internet) was launched Feb. 6 during a ceremony attended by the countrys ICT minister, Mahmoud Vaezi, Fars news agency reported. Access to domestic HD video services at low cost in mega-cities, providing cost-effective and high-quality internet access, increasing internet bandwidth are among the announced targets of the National Information Networks second phase(P2). The first phase of the project came into stream in August 2016 and the third phase will become operational by May 2017. The National Information Networks bandwidth currently stands at 4,000 gigabits per second and is planed to reach 10,000 gigabits per second by May 2017, once the third phase of the project becomes operational. Since 2005 Iran has been developing its National Information Network to improve control over its content as well as speed. The project, which is separate from the World Wide Web was scheduled to be completed by the end of the fifth five-year development plan (2011-15). This network will be separated from the rest of the internet and is specifically for domestic use. Authorities claim the national Internet would not lead to a cut in Internet access. But critics warn it could allow the government to cut off access to foreign sites, restricting access to information and preventing users from sharing information online. "Theyve never had a death and have intervened in 4,500 overdoses," he tells Hot Press. "It'd save lives, help get people into treatments, take pressure off A&E departments and benefit the neighbourhoods they're in, because there won't be people shooting up and overdosing down alleyways." Tony Duffin is highlighting the benefits of the heroin consumption rooms that, with government and cross-party opposition support, will likely be piloted in Dublin this year. The Director of Dublins Ana Liffey Drug Project knows what hes talking about. In 2015 he went on a fact-finding mission to the Sydney Medically Supervised Injecting Centre, the facility that has been cited as an example of whats required in Ireland. Its on the main drag directly across the street from Kings Cross Train Station, he resumes. There are strip clubs and prostitution, but essentially its a retail area. The centre has a shop front; you go into reception and, if you havent already, you register your details. Theres a quick assessment and then you can go through to the injection rooms. Its a very clean, clinical space with eight booths that can accommodate up to 16 people. We intervened and saved peoples lives, he adds. If you see someone sitting there whos starting to nod off, you put an oximeter on them and see how much oxygen is in their bloodstream. If it goes below 90, you pump more into them until it returns to normal. Thats all youve to dofor most people, but some drop completely and you have to use naloxone and pump oxygen and literally try to get them back. Those people would have been down alleyways and on their own and possibly couldve died. Advertisement While I was in Sydney I met with police officers, politicians and business owners and without fail everyone said it was better having medically supervised injection centres and even talk about it being their medically supervised injection centre, Duffin resumes. The fear is of a honey pot effect and being overrun by addicts, but theres very strong evidence to prove that isnt the case. In the 15 years the Sydney centres been open, theyve never had a death and have intervened in 4,500 overdoses. One of the stats that stands out is that theyve seen an 80% reduction in ambulance call-outs. Drug abusers are often referred to as super utilisers of A&E theres an average one overdose a day in Ireland which is an expensive service. If there are less intravenous drug users presenting to A&E youre obviously saving money. While clients in Sydney are free to inject and leave with no questions asked, theyre gently encouraged to access the counselling and other free services offered by the centre. If we leave people to inject themselves down the alleyways of Dublin, youre leaving them to their own devices and the risk of overdose and blood borne viruses is increased. Theres a lot of shame attached to injecting in public, which is a barrier in itself. Remove that barrier and people are far more likely to want to go the treatment and rehabilitation route. Theyll talk to you about having had enough and wanting to get off it. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Paul and Nichole Killingsworth built their Missouri City store around two of the couple's passions: music and wine. Along with bottles of merlot, customers at Vino & Vinyl could pick up classic albums or newer records by indie artists like Allen Stone and Empire of the Sun. Their clientele wanted that and more. They wanted to be able to sit inside, have a glass of wine and listen to the tunes spun on the store's turntable. "But we didn't have the right liquor license to actually serve people in our store," said Nichole Killingsworth, 33. The couple heeded their clients, though, and about a year later turned their shop into a combination wine bar and record store. Vino & Vinyl serves wine by the glass and appetizers prepared by a restaurant next door. "The records add a unique twist to a wine bar," longtime customer Bob Broxson said. "My wife and I go almost every Friday night to have a few drinks after work and listen to the music." "We love music, and we try to expose people to stuff they're not hearing on the radio," said Paul Killingsworth, 40. "The medium of vinyl is obviously really popular right now. We just love the way it sounds ... it's a lot warmer." Indeed, Nielsen Soundscan reports that music lovers bought 9.2 million vinyl records in the U.S. in 2014. Houston has welcomed several new record stores in the last few years. The Killingsworths opened Vino & Vinyl in 2015 and will open a second store next month in Sugar Land's Town Square. Some 30 employees will work between the two locations. "We didn't want to have all new employees in Sugar Land, so we'll have people who are already familiar with our concept and can help our customers choose the right wines and music," Paul Killingsworth said. Paul is a former professional bass player who attended Southwest Missouri State University on a piano scholarship. Later, while working as a record producer in Houston, he met Nichole, who danced with a youth group that performed at high schools. By the time the couple married in 2007, Paul had transitioned to working as a wine salesman for an area distributor. He became a sommelier and in 2014 told his wife he wanted to open a wine store. "My sales route was actually the Fort Bend/Sugar Land area," Paul Killings-worth said. "I was frustrated because I had all these great wines and there wasn't a fine wine bar in Fort Bend County. Plus, there was a feeling that there weren't 'real' wine drinkers in the suburbs, which I knew wasn't true." "I told him to go ahead and put together a business plan," Nichole Killingsworth said. "But I only said that because I didn't think he'd actually do it. Paul's the dreamer, and he calls me the dream-crusher. But I like to think I'm just a realist." Nichole, who earned degrees in finance and marketing from the University of Houston, liked what she saw. The couple patched together $120,000 to open that first wine store in Missouri City. "Knowing how we started in wine - pretty ignorant, but curious - we've always tried to have wines for both the high-end collector, and other wines that are more approachable for people who are just curious about it," Nichole Killingsworth said. "At this point, we're rich, but not in the way a lotof people think," her husband said. " We're rich in community. From the beginning, we've always wanted to convert our customers to our friends, and our friends to be like our family. This business has been a labor of love." NEW YORK - A rare double shot of encouraging news on retirement savings: Workers are contributing more to their 401(k) accounts, and they're taking out fewer loans from them. So says Fidelity, which looked at how 14.5 million savers are behaving in retirement plans that it administers. The combination means that the average 401(k) balance was $92,500 at the end of 2016, up nearly 5 percent from a year earlier. "Fewer people have pension plans now, and they're more reliant on a 401(k), so I think people realize the importance of savings," says Jeanne Thompson, senior vice president at Fidelity. Paychecks finally seem to be on the upswing for families outside the top earners, and the median household income climbed 5 percent in 2015 to $56,516. That, plus the strengthening job market, had workers feeling confident enough to set aside 8.4 percent of their paychecks during the last three months of 2016. It's the highest quarterly level for 401(k) contributions since the spring of 2008, just before the worst of the financial crisis. Employers also are playing a role. About 1 in 4 workers last year raised their contribution rate for their 401(k) accounts, and only half of them did so on their own. The other half of the increases were part of automatic programs set up by employers. "Many employers are starting to realize, as they freeze their pension plans, they do want to set people up for success," Thompson says. That has employers not only automatically enrolling their workers into the 401(k) plan but also discouraging loans from them. Only 21 percent of workers have a loan outstanding from their 401(k) accounts, the lowest level in seven years. Having the option to take out a 401(k) loan has some benefits. Employees are more likely to participate in plans that allow them and may even contribute more than they would have otherwise, researchers say. Taking a loan can be a risky move. Most loans get repaid, but defaults do occur when workers leave their jobs. Loans from 401(k) accounts can become due immediately when workers retire, get laid off or quit. Not only that, taking out a 401(k) loan pushes many workers to cut back on their contributions, and many don't get back to their prior levels of savings until after they've repaid the loan. Workers miss out on the returns the forgone contributions, and the cash that was borrowed, would have made had it been invested in the stock market. Of course, the encouraging numbers from Fidelity cover only a slice of the retirement-savings landscape. Not everyone can save in a 401(k), even if they wanted to. Roughly one out of every three workers in the private sector has no access to a 401(k) or similar retirement plan through work. Lower-income workers generally have disproportionately less access to these plans than those with higher incomes. WASHINGTON The Republican-controlled House voted on Friday to overturn an Obama administration rule that sought to reduce harmful methane emissions into the environment, part of the Democratic president's campaign to combat climate change. Lawmakers voted 221-191 to roll back the Interior Department rule that had clamped down on oil companies that burn off natural gas during drilling operations on public lands. Three Democrats voted in favor of repealing the rule, which was finalized in November, while 11 Republicans opposed repeal. Republicans argued that the rule is causing job losses in energy-dependent states across the West and is undercutting domestic energy production. The measure now goes to the Senate. The House vote followed action in the Senate earlier Friday ending an Obama-era regulation that requires oil and gas companies to disclose payments to foreign governments for mining and drilling. The House and Senate also gave final approval this week to a measure that eliminates a rule to prevent coal mining debris from being dumped into nearby streams. The votes are among a series Republicans are taking under GOP control of Congress and the White House to reverse years of what they call excessive regulation during President Barack Obama's tenure. Rules on fracking, federal contracting and other issues also are in the GOP crosshairs. Republicans said the natural gas rule costs energy companies more than $1 billion a year and costs states and the federal government million in lost tax payments. "This rule is a needless burden on American families," said Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., who said the boom in natural gas production in recent years benefits "everyday Americans" by lowering energy costs and reducing air pollution from coal-fired power plants. Energy companies frequently "flare" or burn off vast supplies of natural gas at drilling sites because it earns less money than oil. A government report said about 40 percent of gas being flared or vented could be captured economically and sold. Gas flaring is so prevalent in oil-rich North Dakota that night-time flaring activity on drilling sites is visible in NASA photos from space. Environmental groups and public health organizations opposed the rollback, saying the new rule will reduce the risk of ozone formation in the air and ozone-related health problems, including asthma attacks, hospital admissions and premature deaths. Methane, the primary gas burned off during flaring operations, is strong contributor to climate change. It is about 25 times more potent at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, although it does not stay in the air as long. Methane emissions make up about 9 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to government estimates. The oil industry has argued that new regulations are not needed for methane because the industry already has a financial incentive to capture and sell natural gas. Methane emissions have been reduced by 21 percent since 1990 even as production has boomed, according to the Western Energy Alliance, an industry group. Rep. Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif., challenged those statistics and said Republicans were doing the bidding of wealthy fossil fuel executives at the expense of ordinary Americans. "Two weeks into an all-Republican government, and they are already handing out early Valentine's Day gifts" to the industry, Lowenthal said. "'Instead of chocolates and flowers, they are giving fossil fuel executives the right to pollute our water and our air," he said. The information in this column is intended to provide a general understanding of the law, not as legal advice. Readers with legal problems, including those whose questions are addressed here, should consult attorneys for advice on their particular circumstances. Q. Months ago, I was at fault in a minor accident. Now I'm being sued for several hundred thousand dollars. The plaintiff complained of a headache at the time but now claims expenses for prolonged pain. What retirement investments are safe from a judgment against me? A. All of your individual retirement accounts and qualified plans, plus any annuities and the cash value of any life insurance you own, are exempt from the claims of creditors. In addition, the equity in your home is exempt as well. You should also contact your insurance company, as your liability insurance will cover all or part of this claim. Q. My aunt died without a will and owned a piece of vacant property. Her daughter would like to sell the property to me. How can my cousin get the land in her name? My aunt was not married and had one child. A. Your cousin can probably establish herself as the owner of the property through the use of an Affidavit of Heirship. As the buyer, you need a clear chain of title from your aunt to your cousin to you so that there will be no issues regarding your ownership of the property if you decide to sell. You and your cousin should hire a real estate lawyer to assist with the transfer. Q. I have a nephew who is planning on buying a house. His girlfriend will be moving in with him. If they marry, and later divorce, is she entitled to the house? They live in Texas. A. By purchasing the house before their marriage, your nephew will own the house as his separate property. That means it can't be awarded to her in a divorce. Only community property can be divided up and awarded to her. However, if your nephew has a mortgage, she might have a claim to part of the principal payments that are made while they are married. Q. Is it possible to set up our estate so that all the properties we leave to our children are exempt from any claims by one of their spouses if a divorce takes place? We currently have wills, but there's no mention of this. A. Yes. You can do that by leaving their inheritance to them in trust. Each of your children can have their own separate trust, and each of them can be the sole trustee of their trust. As sole trustee, each child can be in total control of the trust, even though the property in the trust never becomes community property. Writing a will that creates trusts like this is something that estate planning lawyers do all the time, but be aware that it can be expensive to set up. Trusts can also be complicated to administer and maintain. Scott Sonenshein wants us to stop chasing. Chasing after what? A lot of things: More money, a better title, a bigger house, a nicer car. All the stuff our culture tells us we should want. If we gave up all that chasing and comparing ourselves against each other - at work and everywhere else - he believes we'd have happier, more fulfilled lives. The Rice professor's new book, "Stretch," is all about "unlocking the power of less" - using the resources and relationships we already have instead of going after more, more, more. In a way, Sonenshein's book pulls back the curtain on a mentality that has given us the corporate ladder, institutional greed and the ruthless, exhausting pursuit of the American dream. Chasing can make you rich and successful, sure - but "you're going to end up in an endless chase, because there's always going to be someone who has more," Sonenshein said. "That's just really unhealthy." Sonenshein, a social scientist who teaches management courses at Rice's Jones Graduate School of Business, will launch his book Thursday on campus; he'll moderate a panel that includes the founder of Saint Arnold Brewing Company, the co-founder of KIPP charter schools, and Brene Brown, the University of Houston researcher who has become famous for her studies on shame and vulnerability. They'll discuss how they each have learned to "stretch" in their own careers and lives. (The event is sold out, but Rice will offer a livestream.) Stretching - learning to work with what we have - is both a business model and a life strategy, Sonenshein says. More Information Author appearance Scott Sonenshein launches his new book, "Stretch: Unlock the Power of Less - and Achieve More Than You Ever Imagined," by moderating a panel discussion about the science of resourcefulness. Panel includes Brene Brown; former Sunoco CEO Lynn Laverty Elsenhans; KIPP charter schools co-founder Mike Feinberg; CBS News executive producer Mosheh Oinounou; and Saint Arnold Brewing Company founder Brock Wagner. 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Shell Auditorium, McNair Hall at Rice University. The event is sold out, but a livestream will be available at facebook.com/BusinessRice. See More Collapse First, the personal. Stretching makes us better and happier people. When we chase, we're always unsatisfied; we compare ourselves to others and strive constantly to acquire something better. Then, if we do make it to the top, we scramble to maintain the status quo. "We try to rack up all of these things," Sonenshein said. "But we never stop to ask ourselves: What are we really trying to accomplish?" In corporate culture, he says, stretching is just as important. Companies that stretch can thrive; the ones that don't put themselves at risk. Remember the dot-com boom, when all those startup companies spent lavishly, grew quickly and then crashed dramatically? They never learned to stretch and be resourceful, he says, and they didn't survive. "What happens when the resources stop flowing?" Sonenshein said. "You haven't had to adapt. Your inefficiencies are being masked by all the abundance around you." In fact, Sonenshein's own experience at a dot-com played a big role in the development of his "stretching" theory. In 2000, early in his career, he was recruited for a Silicon Valley job. The company was growing fast and spending scads of money on parties and workplace perks. But that lasted just a few months; then, he writes in his book's introduction, "the money train screeched to a halt, venture capital dried up, and we desperately but unsuccessfully tried to adapt to no longer having a blank check." Sonenshein left for Michigan to start a Ph.D., which is where he started to examine what went wrong in Silicon Valley: "Why do some people and organizations succeed with so little, while others fail with so much?" "Stretch" is full of anecdotes from the business world that show Sonenshein's theory in action: The brewery owner who didn't try to make his business too big, too fast - a patience that eventually made him a billionaire. The CEO who keeps his company lean and solvent by being frugal with its resources, even opting for the Red Roof Inn and McDonald's when he travels. The artist who developed nerve damage in his hand, then learned to work with his limitations to find new ways to create. Sonenshein's own study of the Houston food truck scene provides a solid example of creativity and resourcefulness. "I spend a few years gaining a few pounds, visiting all these trucks in town," he said, and he discovered that food truckers have developed a culture of cooperation that helps them all survive. Instead of trying to put each other out of business, Sonenshein realized, gourmet food truck operators get to know their competitors. They visit each other's trucks and exchange food. They help each other out behind the scenes. "They have turned what didn't seem like a resource at all - their competition - into an amazing resource." Learning to stretch, not chase, is a value Sonenshein tries to instill in his own daughters, who are 4 and 9. For his older daughter's birthday party last summer, he and his wife, Randi Sonenshein, came up with a party game that encouraged resourcefulness: Their daughter and her friends - using foam, newspaper and some items they scavenged in the park - made protective containers, then tried to drop an egg from 10 feet without breaking it. With limited time and materials, they worked together and came up with some brilliant solutions. "Children, especially, have a natural curiosity and a gift for using things differently," he said. "We tend to socialize out that natural creativity and different uses of resources as people grow." "Stretch" feels especially relevant in today's economy. Plenty of companies are operating with fewer resources, and those constraints - less money, a smaller staff - are usually viewed as a setback. But that's where stretching comes in, Sonenshein says. When people have abundant resources, they tend to think in conventional ways and use materials for their intended purposes. With scarcity, we give ourselves the freedom to be less conventional in order to come up with solutions. This can be simple - "Have you ever opened a package with your keys instead of a pair of scissors?" Sonenshein asks in Chapter 1 - or it can affect a whole organization. If you ask someone to design or build a project, he writes, you routinely get better results if you impose a budget. Instead of just throwing more resources at a problem, people use what they have to come up with better ideas. "When you work under constraints," Sonenshein said, "it can unleash the best in people." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate This story ran in the Houston Post on January 6, 1963. The headline and words are reprinted as they appeared then. For 48 hours the machine at her bedside recorded simultaneously the beat of her heart and the rhythm and depth of her breathing. Her heart beat 250,000 times in the 48 hours, four minutes, seemingly scattered at random, told the tale. There was no long vigil at her bedside. No one had to examine the yards and yards of graphs. No one had to study the quarter of a million inked scratches that signified heart beats, looking for the few which were irregular. A medical team -doctors, nurses, psychologist, social worker and physical and occupational therapists - gathered in a conference room at the Texas Institute for Rehabilitation in the Texas Medical Center. They were planning the next few days' treatment for the woman, Mrs. Jones, whom they suspected had brain stem damage. They were also participating in a quiet revolution. The revolution was being led by a new member of the medical team. That member could, in a split second, tell the others exactly when and how Mrs. Jones' respiration and heart beat were abnormal. That member could also tell how Mrs. Jones' kidney was functioning at the very moment, how Mr. Jones felt about Mrs. Jones' condition, how much the hospital was spending on Mrs. Jones per day - in short, almost anything that instruments or human beings could find out about Mrs. Jones. The amazing new member of the medical team was a computer. It has a field all its own, which Dr. William A. Spencer, director of the institute, has called "medical humanetics". Computing and data processing have been used in other hospitals, but Dr. Spencer says he knows of no other place where they have been used extensively as at the Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research in Houston. Special tests have been adapted and developed to record the function of almost every part of the body. The respiration and heart beat records of Mrs. Jones, the lady with the brain stem damage, are part of 5,000 to 6,000 bits of data per patient which are recorded at the institute every day. The need for the computer in medicine, as in other fields, has developed because of a data explosion. Man has devised more ways of getting information than the doctor can reasonably manage to study, absorb and integrate into a picture of the total patient whom he must treat. On the basis of the information recorded and processed about Mrs. Jones, the computer can give an inventory of everything that has happened to her. It can give a total of her state at any moment - even as the test are being made - and it can expand any bit of the information which the doctor wants to examine more closely. Mrs. Jones was paralyzed by her injury, but with the computer's help, the medical team has been able to plan her rehabilitation to know, for instance, when it is safe for her to begin exercises, when she should be given certain drugs, or when a wheel chair should be ordered for her. There will come a time when Mrs. Jones will be well enough to leave the hospital. But her story will not end there. One day there will be a Mrs. Smith who has suffered brain stem damage. On the basis of tests, the computer will be able to give the medical planners a total picture of her condition. Then the doctors will ask the computer if it has in its "memory" any cases similar to Mrs. Smith's. Out of thousands of cases, which it has processed, the computer may "remember" 10 cases which are similar to Mrs. Smith's. One of the cases may be that of Mrs. Jones. To most members of the medical team which planned her treatment. Mrs. Jones may be only a vague memory by that time. It might take them months to go through the hospital's case histories to find that Jones case was similar to the Smith case in almost every detail. By that time, who knows what would happen to Mrs. Smith. But that search will not be necessary, because there will still be one member of the medical team who remembers the individuality of Mrs. Jones. The computer will remember every one of those 250,000 heart-beats as though they had been recorded only the moment before. It may recall, for instance, that Mrs. Jones' condition began to deteriorate a few weeks after she sustained her injury. At the time, the doctors were taken by surprise, and they had to make a hasty decision about what to do for her. But that will not happen in Mrs. Smith's case. Because they have Mrs. Jones' and other similar medical histories at hand, the doctors can anticipate the possibility of that deterioration in Mrs. Smith's condition, and they may be able to modify or prevent it. Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Smith are Houstonians. There is a man named Gray who lives in Seattle. And there is a boy in Hong Kong whose name is Ling. Five or 10 years from now, they too may have brain stem damage. By then, Dr. Spencer said it is possible that treatment may be planned on the basis of a medical record which may be conveyed anywhere in the world. If the Ling boy's case is very similar to Mrs. Jones, the Hong Kong doctor will be able to learn about it immediately and to base his decisions on experience acquired on the other side of the world. The computer relieves the doctor of much tedious and time - consuming clerical work. But it does not make him a button-pusher. On the contrary, it heaps upon him more responsibility than he has ever had. The most difficult part of medicine -the making of decisions -is still in his hands. The computer, like any machine, is actually stupid. It must be told everything simply and clearly. The computer forces the doctor to discipline his thinking and to clarify his ideas. The machine has the memory and the ability to correlate facts. But it is the medical expert who decides what the machine should remember and what it should correlate. He must know how to ask the right questions to get the information he wants. No two cases are exactly alike, and as the medical record processed in the computer becomes more thorough, the differences between patients become more obvious. The doctor must take responsibility for more individualized decisions. He must decide whether or not to do something to a particular patient. What? How much? How? For how long? The doctor is concerned with the individuality of a person," Dr. Spencer said. "We have been reluctant to believe that there are cook book descriptions and formulas. "But only now, because of the wealth of information we can acquire about each patient, do we realize the depth of individuality." Individual cases, based on Individual decisions, go into the "memory" of the computer. The computer's vast "experience" will in time become a treasure chest for research. It will probably save years of setting up experiments and trying to maintain proper controls. At the rehabilitation institute; which is staffed by Baylor University College of Medicine, researchers have already been able to go back and ask questions of the machine's experience. They have learned, among other things, that the attitude of a paralyzed patient's family may be a better indication of how he will eventually use his residual muscle strength than is a muscle test. They have learned that the temperature curve of polio patient "is exactly opposite to what they had been assuming it was. The same experience which the computer has stored for doctors and researchers is there for the medical student. There are more individual cases to learn from than he could study in a lifetime of practice. The possibilities of medical humanetics are as great as man's imagination. But, dr. Spencer said, there is a danger at this point that doctors' expectations will rise too high -that they might expect to see results faster than results are possible. The computer is not just another tool, but combined with instrumentation, it becomes a new system. Medical humanetics is a process, a broad way of thinking. It requires new ways of classifying information, standardizing data and approaching problems. UPDATE The hospital changed its name in 1978 to The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, emphasizing its national and international service. In 2006, it became part of the Memorial Hermann Health System and goes by TIRR Memorial Hermann. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Houston Police Department officer accused in August of intoxicated manslaughter has been allowed to remove his ankle monitor, but not to carry weapons, while he remains out on bail. He must also now comply with alcohol monitoring. Authorities arrested James Combs, of Richmond, on Aug. 16 in connection with the death days prior of 36-year-old Brian Manring, a father of an 8-year-old girl. Combs was allegedly driving his Chevrolet Tahoe on Beechnut drunk when he collided with Manring's vehicle. Combs, who was off-duty at the time of the incident, was placed on paid leave. He left jail on a $100,000 bail a day after his arrest. The conditions of his bond initially included having no firearms, surrendering his passport and not communicating with the victim's family, in addition to the satellite monitoring. Martha Montalvo, who was serving as acting police chief at the time, further indicated an intention to fire him. He had previously been suspended for 60 days in 2012 for failing a random drug test. In subsequent court filings, Combs had requested access to a firearm because it was required for his employment. It stated he was still on paid leave and noted that he had no prior arrests. But a judge on Friday in a Fort Bend County state district court allowed his request to remove the monitor, while modifying the conditions to require the alcohol monitoring, online court records show. Combs's case is set for a hearing at 9 a.m. March 20. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN - Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush can recite the ways his predecessors have shaped the office, whether it be through their interest in the environment, in the oil-and-gas industry or in the Second Amendment. Recently, land commissioners have had at least one thing in common: A drive for a higher state office, ambitions they've pursued with varying degrees of success. Despite coming from a political family so prominent that his race for the relatively low-profile office drew national attention, Bush isn't saying whether he has the same fire to move up. He plans to run for re-election in 2018 but isn't talking about anything beyond that. "I want to run for re-election for this office; I've made that clear to my supporters," said Bush, 40, in an interview in his office with a Texas Capitol view. "And that's really all I think about, honestly. I've said there's no shame in returning to the private sector. I don't think enough elected officials leave when they know when the time is right, and I miss a lot of what I did in the private sector." He had co-founded a private equity firm and an investment firm focused on oil-and-gas transactions before running for his first elected office. He put his assets into a blind trust to avoid conflict. Stirring the pot In the meantime, Bush is putting his mark on the oldest state agency, the responsibilities of which include managing state oil and gas leases that benefit education, safekeeping maps, administering veterans' programs, coastal management and overseeing the Alamo. He has driven a modernization of lease sales, moving the program to a digital platform that he said has paid off handsomely. He is carrying through an ambitious effort to restore the Alamo and redesign the area surrounding it, collaborating with the city and private sector. One challenge for him this legislative session will be securing $75 million for the project, the amount he believes is essential to continue momentum on the redesign effort. He also draws from his personal experience. His focus on coastal recovery comes with the memory of going through Hurricane Andrew while growing up in South Florida. He approaches veterans programs after having served in Afghanistan as an officer in the Naval Reserve. Bush hasn't confined himself to matters strictly under his agency's purview, emerging as a champion of a school choice effort that would allow taxpayer money to fund private-school tuition. A former public high school teacher in Florida who was Tarrant County chairman for a public charter school network, Bush supports the idea of allowing the use of public money for private school tuition - although he says, "I prefer the term 'opportunity scholarships.' " Campaign a 'Catch-22' In slimming down his agency, Bush stirred the pot by replacing some longtime hands with personal and political allies he called "top-flight individuals" - though he praised the experienced staffers who stayed. A number of the departing employees got payments for agreeing not to sue the state, a controversial decision he continues to defend as prudent. Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, who served on the committee that looked into the salary issue, said it was a mistake made by various statewide officials but he doesn't fault Bush for following commission practices. "He's minding the store well," Larson said. Bush, whose grandfather and uncle are former presidents, also got attention for hitting the campaign trail for his father, Jeb, when the former Florida governor sought the GOP nod for president in 2016. But even one of Bush's tougher critics, former Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, doesn't fault him for that. "I mean, hell, that's his dad," said Patterson, pointing out that he campaigned for a presidential candidate while in office. Bush said the time spent on political activities while his father ran was no more than 10 percent. "As an elected official, it's a Catch-22 because you have a duty to your political party, to your own political efforts, there's a responsibility to travel the state, to visit all aspects of the agency," Bush said. "I serve as chairman of seven different boards plus, I'm a married man and I have two kids, so I need to devote a certain amount of my time on my schedule to them as well." High praise from peers Bush will be called upon to use his persuasion this legislative session to persuade Senate budget writers to open the state purse strings in a time of tight revenues. Sen. Juan Hinojosa, a McAllen Democrat who is the finance committee vice chairman, said Bush "does a very good job in communicating with legislators. He's a low-key individual but well informed. He pays his proper respects. He's not aggressive." Senate Finance Chairwoman Jane Nelson, RFlower Mound, said it would be good for the GOP to have Bush keep climbing in politics. She's not the first. Besides being young and well-spoken, he is seen as having appeal to the growing Latino population, with a mother, Columba, who was born in Mexico. "It would be good because he's smart and capable and young and energetic and has all the qualities that we need in leaders," Nelson said. Larson said there are expectations for Bush, but that doesn't mean he's anxious to move up. "The Bush name, obviously. Everybody just assumes that he's going to ascend up the ranks," Larson said. "And talking to him, I don't know if that's necessarily the case. He's talked about going back into the business world (after) serving two terms as land commissioner." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Inside a discreet set of buildings, down a Rice Military neighborhood side street, and past a mural of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a weekly early morning pilgrimage of sorts is taking place. It's 6:30 a.m. Tuesday - food distribution day - at Houston's Casa Juan Diego, which since 1980 has quietly provided services and shelter to thousands of the city's most vulnerable residents. Cutting through the cacophony of volunteers, full-time Catholic workers and patrons is the gentle, yet distinctive voice of University of Houston Downtown Professor Dawn McCarty. "Buenos Dias," she says, perched beside a cardboard carton filled with gray-green wool blankets, before excitedly announcing, "It's blanket day!" Some visitors bring grocery-store tote bags, others balance bundled-up toddlers, but almost all recognize the familiar presence of the diminutive 5-foot 4-inch McCarty. Today, and most weeks, the 50-year-old social work professor, with retro tortoise shell glasses and a brunette bob, is in charge of food distribution. But McCarty's dedication to this community runs deeper than a once-a-week commitment or an academic's occasional field research. From Monday to Thursday she lives at Casa Juan Diego, sometimes in a converted garage apartment nearby and at other times in the shelter itself. "Not everybody can live in a homeless shelter. Not everybody is cut out for that," McCarty acknowledged. Still, she revels in the Catholic Worker Movement's philosophy of accommodating anybody who would like to serve. After a morning filled with case work, cooking and counseling, she heads to UH Downtown, where she teaches classes and directs the social work program until late at night. "I feel so much gratitude. It's hard to explain," McCarty said. "People sometimes ask, 'Why do you work 18 hours a day,' and I'm like, 'Why wouldn't you?' "There's so little time and so much to be done," she said. Many in social work academia spend short periods of time immersed in communities like this, typically for research. But McCarty is "exceptional," said Sandra Lopez, a retired clinical professor at the UH Graduate College of Social Work who taught McCarty. "She is going above and beyond what many faculty members would do," Lopez said. "It's not like she does this a couple hours of week. This is so much of her life. This is a part of her world." On the wall behind McCarty, a red bumper sticker with white letters reads: "Si quieres paz, lucha por la justicia." Translated from Pope Paul VI, "If you want peace, fight for justice." The call to action frames the shelter's Catholic Worker Movement philosophy. Refugees, immigrants in the country illegally, and the homeless, among others, flock to the nonprofit for sanctuary and support. Reeling from the inflammatory rhetoric of last year's campaign and gearing up for the changing policies of President Donald Trump, the communities McCarty serves seem to be under more stress than ever. "We try to help people not be afraid, but there's just no way not to," McCarty said. "You know, all we can do is stay doing what we're doing and be supportive to as many people as we can." B B B For all her efforts, McCarty rarely boasts. "She's not looking for any accolades," said Mary Rodriguez, McCarty's friend and mentee. "She doesn't tout into the world the work that she does. She doesn't do it because she wants recognition. She just does it." McCarty's introduction to Casa Juan Diego began over a decade ago. With much of her academic research centered on South America, McCarty noticed a distinct connection between communities in Mexico and Houston. Migrant families straddled the border, with the Bayou City serving as a major destination for settlement. "When I would meet a new family, and they would find out I was from Houston, a sort sadness passed over them for how easy it was for me to go back and forth and how disconnected they were from their family," McCarty said. Upon returning in 2007 from her Mexico-centered research, she began to volunteer once a week at the shelter. In September 2008, her house and nearly of her belongings were destroyed by Hurricane Ike. After much deliberation, and without a house or belongings to maintain, McCarty and her husband decided to move into Casa Juan Diego as full-time Catholic social workers. The couple served for two years before moving out. McCarty now lives there part-time. "It was like an act of nature," McCarty said of the hurricane, pausing, and then adding, "An act of God." B B B With a portrait of the 83-year-old artist activist Sallie Latch propped up on a desk, a green and purple Guatemalan blanket hanging on the wall, and the Harris County District Courthouse dominating the view out her windows, McCarty's UH Downtown office typifies her overlapping life as an advocate and academic. Frequently, McCarty will travel with Casa Juan Diego residents to social service organizations, government buildings, even the courthouse, all the while reminding herself that she is not going "as Dr. McCarty, but instead as an advocate." Though her academic work relies on qualitative interviews and interactions, her service brings her face to face with the challenges of being a neglected community in Houston. Her writing's for Casa Juan Diego's newspaper draw on these experiences. "As Catholic Workers, we see, up close, such joy and such suffering, back to back, with little time to recover," she wrote in one column. "We have the highs of jumping for joy with a woman who barely survived an honor killing in her country receiving her permission to work in the United States, and then the low when we learn that a long-term guest has been electrocuted in an unregulated work environment, and will likely die." Though she tries to shrug off the national political debates, McCarty writes with a dedication to educating the public on the implications of public policy - from NAFTA to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals - on these communities. "We want you to think about these policy issues and the implications of them, but we want you to see it in a real person," McCarty said. "You just can't miss that." Back at the shelter, a quote painted in sweeping blue and yellow colors on a white picket fence on the perimeter reads, "There is only one unhappiness, and that is not to be one of the saints," from Leon Bloy, a French novelist. It is often quoted by the founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, Dorothy Day. Though the notion would surely cause McCarty to blush, Rodriguez said, "If there was an application for sainthood Dawn would be at the top of the list." Hurricane Sandy on Thursday claimed 6 lives in Haiti and 11 lives in Cuba, in addition to causing material losses in the Dominican Republic and Cuba, Xinhua reported. The category 2 hurricane on the five-rung Saffir-Simpson scale killed six people in Haiti's southern and southwestern regions, where torrential rains caused rivers to overflow, flooding nearby homes, local authorities said. Three people, including one adult and two minors, died when they were swept away by a river in Petit-Goave city, 68 km southwest of Port-au-Prince, local administrative chief Samdra Jules said. In addition, Haiti's Civil Protection Office confirmed Thursday that two people, a woman and a man, died in the cities of Torbeck and Coteaux, near Camp-Perrin, 214 km southwest of Port-au-Prince. Haitian President Michel Martelly on Thursday urged residents via Twitter to stay safe and to use a special hotline set up by the government in case of an emergency. In Cuba, the hurricane killed 11 people and caused substantial damage in the southeast city of Santiago, including partially or completely destroying homes, schools and hospitals, knocking down trees, and cutting off electrical power in the country's second-largest city, Santiago de Cuba, located 860 km east of Havana. "Santiago turned into a city without trees," said Cusco Tarradel, a Cuban TV correspondent in Santiago. Cuban leader Raul Castro sent a message of solidarity to Santiago residents, assuring them that he would "soon visit" the area worst hit by the hurricane, national Rebelde Radio said Thursday on its website. "Raul asked local authorities there to keep him informed, and the people to have confidence in the revolution, because no one will be left behind and he will soon visit them," the radio station said. Cuba's National Electoral Committee (NEC) announced it was indefinitely postponing a second round of municipal elections originally scheduled for Sunday in Cuba's eastern provinces due to the hurricane, and would announce new election dates for the provinces of Las Tunas, Holguin, Granma, Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo. Sandy made landfall in Santiago around 1 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) Thursday before heading out five hours later through Cabo Lucrecia, in northeast Cuba. The hurricane was headed towards the Bahamas at 26 km per hour (kph) with maximum sustained winds of 165 kph. Also in the Dominican Republic, which shares the same island with Haiti, 8,755 people had to be evacuated due to the storm, officials said, adding the rains were expected to continue until at least Saturday. Finally given the chance, President Donald Trump's senior adviser Kellyanne Conway might have been expected to rebut reports that her boss had bragged to world leaders about his crowd size, brushed off the Australian prime minister and used the words "bad hombres" while chastising the Mexican president. The president's diplomatic phone calls had caused so much alarm, after all, that Fox News anchor Howard Kurtz suggested whoever leaked the transcripts was "trying to undermine Donald Trump." Officials in two hemispheres had been working damage control after reports about the president's uncomfortable phone calls with world leaders circulated. U.S. senators assured Australia that the countries' alliance is intact, and Mexican officials denied reports Trump had threatened them with war. But Conway didn't deny anything. Appearing on Fox News' "Media Buzz" Sunday, she acknowledged that the leaks looked bad - just not for Trump. "I can't imagine it came from the Australian or Mexican side," Conway said, "because the calls as reported were very unflattering to those two leaders." Conway didn't say exactly which reports she was referring to. Trump's phone calls with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto have generated a lot of speculation - with competing claims about what exactly the president told U.S. allies. Analysts studied the leaked calls for most of a week - with some seeing signs of an historic break in diplomatic tradition, if not U.S. alliances. Conway got her chance to weigh in Sunday, though Fox's Kurtz was more interested in who had done the leaking. Trump's senior adviser ran down the list of suspects. Not Mexico or Australia, of course. Not flattering to them. "It certainly isn't Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his close advisers," Conway said. He was trying to track down the mole. And definitely not the White House itself. "We're duty-bound," Conway said - even if she thought they got the better end of the leaks than their allies. Every two years the Missouri Citizens Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials meets to discuss the compensation of state officials, General Assembly members and judges. This group is made up of 21 citizens: 12 appointed by the governor, seven appointed by the secretary of state, and one appointed by the Supreme Court. The Commission studies other states elected officials compensation plans and uses that information to make their recommendations. In December, the Commission recommended a pay increase for statewide elected officials and members of the General Assembly. In order for the pay increase to be rejected, the Legislature has to vote on the measure or it will go into effect automatically. In my years as your elected official, I have never and will never vote on a pay increase for myself. Many Missourians are living within smaller budgets and it would not be right to give ourselves a pay raise while so many are doing more with less. The increase was rejected by an overwhelming majority of the members of the General Assembly. I am proud to stand up for my constituents by rejecting the pay increase. I would also like to let the constituents of the 33rd Senate District know about Senate Bill 190. This bill would modify provisions relating to ratemaking for public utilities. This bill does not have any effect on the 33rd Senate District. Only Ameren Missouri, KCP&L and Empire customers will be affected by this bill. It has been brought to my attention that AARP has been contacting their members in the 33rd Senate District and informing them their utility bills are going to go up automatically because of Senate Bill 190. This is not accurate and is not going to happen. I find it despicable that they are misleading citizens and frightening them for no good reason. I promise you I will keep you informed on any changes that might be made to your utilities. If you have any questions regarding any proposed legislation, please call my office and I or my staff will be happy to help you. Mike Cunningham is a Republican member of the Missouri State Senate, representing District 33. Contact him at 573-751-1882 or www.senate.mo.gov/cunningham President Trump exercised one of the most significant responsibilities given to him by Article II of the United States Constitution this week when he nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. Filling Justice Scalias shoes will be no easy task, but I have no doubt that a conservative pro-life judge like Gorsuch will be up to the challenge. In the coming months, the Supreme Court will be faced with decisions on legal challenges to the countless executive orders from the previous Administration. These are actions taken by the Obama White House which many view as illegal or unconstitutional and deal with granting mass amnesty, restricting second amendment rights, the costly clean power plan which a southeastern Missouri resident told me will double or triple her monthly utility bills, and attempted federal control over local education policy. With Gorsuch behind the bench, we have a Justice who will always look to promote personal freedom and liberty while viewing our Constitution as a document which enhances the rights of states and individuals, not the federal government. Judge Gorsuch is widely recognized as a fair and principled jurist and is well respected by Republicans and Democrats alike. In fact, when Gorsuch was nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals in 2006, he was confirmed without any votes in opposition, including Democrats. You read that right, contrary to the recent attacks being pushed by Senator Schumer and his liberal allies in the Senate, not a single Democrat previously opposed Gorsuchs confirmation including then Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama. Amazing that so many in the Senate now are putting political interests ahead of our countries and are choosing to oppose Gorsuch purely to be obstructionists. Like Scalia, Judge Gorsuch interprets the Constitution from the perspective of the Founding Fathers and not on a case-by-case basis to serve political needs. Judge Gorsuchs similarities to Justice Scalia are evident in a tribute Gorsuch gave after Justice Scalias death in which he wrote Judges should instead strive (if humanly and so imperfectly) to apply the law as it is, focusing backward, not forward and looking to text, structure, and history to decide what a reasonable reader at the time of the events in question would have understood the law to be not to decide cases based on their own moral convictions or the policy consequences they believe might serve society best. Throughout his career Judge Gorsuch has continually stood on the side of religious freedom and the right to life of the unborn. One of his most notable decisions came in the 2014 Burwell v. Hobby Lobby case, in which Gorsuch upheld that the federal government could not force businesses to offer coverage for prescription drugs related to abortion services. Judge Gorsuch echoes the qualities of Justice Scalia, making him the perfect replacement to restore conservatism and balance back to the Supreme Court. Justice Scalias seat on the court does not belong to any president or any political party, but to the American people. Senate Democrats should remember this important fact and follow in Obama and Clintons footsteps by confirming Judge Gorsuch immediately. Jason Smith represents Missouris 8th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Contact him at 573-335-0101 or visit https://jasonsmith.house.gov An Licking man has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a stabbing death incident last March. According to Texas County Prosecuting attorney Parke Stevens Jr., Nolan Decker, 42, of Licking, pleaded guilty last week for actions that occurred March 11, 2016, on Old Salem Road in Licking. After a street fight that led to the stabbing death of Mark Bryson, 42, of Licking, Decker was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action, and held without bond. The murder charge was later changed to voluntary manslaughter. Decker was on probation in Phelps and Dent counties, and subsequently had his probations revoked. Judge William Hickle presided over the plea proceedings and sentenced Decker to 18 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. After a thorough investigation by the Licking Police Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol and Texas County Sheriffs Department, a probable cause statement and evidence was submitted to the Stevens for review. Based on the evidence, a Texas County grand jury indicted Decker and requested a warrant for his arrest. Ultimately, this individual will be serving consecutive prison time for this heinous act and will be 60 years old before he is released from prison, Stevens said. The evidence proves beyond a reasonable doubt that Nolan Decker was responsible for the death of Mark Bryson. I want to express sorrow for the family and friends of Mark Bryson and hopes their grieving is lessened now that Marks killer has been punished, Stevens said. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. After the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied the Justice Department's request to restore US President Donald Trump's entry suspension order, the American leader vowed very thorough checks of people coming to the country, Sputnik reported. The US Department of Homeland Security was ordered to conduct very thorough checks of the people visiting the United States, US President Donald Trump said. "I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult!" Trump wrote on Twitter on Sunday. On Friday, a federal court in the state of Washington temporarily suspended Trumps immigration ban. The US Department of Justice filed an emergency motion to reverse the courts ruling. On Saturday, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has denied the appeal. On January 27, Trump signed the executive order "Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States". The document blocked refugees coming to the United States for 120 days, indefinitely suspended the entry of Syrian refugees and restricted immigration from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen for 90 days. The order stirred up controversy in America and in other countries, with thousands of people taking the streets around the world. Qatar Airways plane successfully landed in New Zealands Auckland after 16-hours-long non-stop flight, the airline said on Monday, Sputnik reported. According to media reports, the flight lasted 16 hours and 23 minutes, making it the longest commercial non-stop flight in history, with the plane crossing 14,535 kilometers (9,032 miles). The plane took off in Doha on February 5 at 5:10 a.m. local time (2:10 GMT) and landed in Auckland on Monday at 7:25 a.m. local time, (18:25 GMT on Sunday). "Weve officially landed in New Zealand, the Land of the Long White Cloud," the airline wrote on Twitter. In 2016, Russia's MiG-31BM supersonic interceptor spent seven hours and four minutes in the sky, setting the record for the aircraft of that type. It seems if you read anything in the HR field these days, there are two terms you cant avoid: HR metrics and predictive analytics. These two buzz phrases are hot for good reason the business needs them, and in this era of big data the use of metrics and analytics strikes a chord that sounds right. But for all that, amid the noise and fuss, theres one thing thats easy to miss: these are two very different terms, used for two very different reasons. So how do they differ, and why does it matter? The department vs the organization The biggest differences between the two is this: One is HR-specific. The other is business critical. HR metrics are all about reporting information on employees, new hires, candidates, and so on. All organizations need HR metrics, but they are seldom deemed business critical. Predictive analytics, in contrast, give business leaders the insight to make educated business decisions. For instance, your organization has recently seen a growth in clients. Your current employee base cant quite keep up with expansion, and you realize its time to hire more help. Your HR department assesses your current staffs employment history with the company. Using that information, it creates a baseline for your current capabilities. Predictive analytics, however, takes this to the next level by predicting what this continued growth will mean for your... By now, Californias Human Resource Managers are familiar with AB 1522 the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 (AB 1522 or the new law"), which was signed September 10, 2014. AB 1522s sponsors claim that the law alleviates the problem of Californias low-wage workers who lack paid sick leave, which the sponsors cite as a public health hazard. The impact of the law is pervasive. Employers without paid leave, paid time off or paid sick leave policies must institute them consistent with AB 1522. In addition, employers with existing policies may mistakenly believe their policies comply. To comply with the new law, current policies must provide paid leave that may be used for the same purposes and under the same conditions as AB 1522 and must also do one of the following: satisfy the minimum accrual, carry over, and use requirements of AB 1522; or permit employees to take no less than 24 hours or three days of sick leave, or equivalent paid leave or paid time off, over each calendar year or 12-month period. In addition to those basic requirements of AB 1522, there are many aspects of the new law that require additional administrative monitoring and analysis to ensure your policies comply. Of course no new California employment law would be complete without anti- retaliation provisions and the imposition of significant penalties on employers for violations. The practical effect of AB 1522 is that almos... Every time an organizations financial leader makes a decision on where to allocate budget, the head of human resources faces a dilemma: Often, the companys technology for human capital management is complicated and inelegant. The need for something new can be pressing, yet the challenge to build a compelling case for its replacement is tall. Problems with overly integrated, typically premise-based solutions for HCM are clearly evident, yes, and the superiority of modern HCM technology, based in the cloud and delivered via software-as-a-service (SaaS), is readily apparent. But a chief financial officer might see the return on investment as unclear or uncompelling. HR leaders need a better way to build the financial case for investments in HCM technology. Fortunately, theres a methodology for that. A Kaleidescope of Challenges for HCM and its Technology During a recent webinar on this very topic, Ceridian polled attendees to determine which types of HCM technology they were trying to develop a business case for. Nearly 65 percent said Core HR and payroll. Another 41.4 percent pointed to benefits management and enrollment. Almost the same percentage answered with workforce management, and about 23 percent indicated talent management. Their responses represented the three categories of HCMworkforce acquisition, workforce management and workforce optimization. Thats the entire employee lifecycle. An array of challenges bears down on ... Weve spoken a great deal about HR metrics because for most HR teams, metrics and analytics are very new. In reality, having come from engineering and supply chain, we are really extending the same analytics knowledge into an additional functional area. Welcome aboard HR! We are happy to have you on our data-driven team. While HR works to build its analytics capabilities, it is time for other functional areas to combine their analytics talents (with HR) to perform a more holistic assessment of whats being measured. In this case, Im speaking about a cross-functional assessment rather than leaving the assessment to each silo. Are the metrics you have in each area of the company actionable? Do they support your business strategy? This is one of many questions which can be answered when you get all of your Senior Leadership together. Ensuring that your metrics align cross-functionally will have all of your functions pointing in the same direction. This helps to eliminate metrics which may maximize efficiencies in one area while being detrimental to another area. As an example, it is not unusual to judge your supply Chain / Purchasing department by the cost savings they can negotiate with suppliers. But, consider this. Suppose you are a transportation company operating many trucks. Using the cost savings metric, your Supply Chain team will aim to purchase the cheapest maintenance parts possible. That maximizes their performan... Remember your first Swiss Army knife? That world-famous red icon was a remarkable collection of potential solutions to nearly any problem. Consider for a moment which business group within your company shares some of those characteristics. Naturally, that group is HR. In any company, human resources employees are a unique group of individuals with a wide range of skills they tap into on a daily basis to keep the business running smoothly. After all, what other business group might include all these duties in a single job description? Monitors the overall productivity and state of the human functions in the company. Participate with every department across the business in meeting its goals. Manages talent acquisition and termination functions. Mediates disagreements between employees. Administers benefits and maintains records for all employees. Establishes policies and procedures to support the safety of all staff members. The last point is of particular interest in todays world. While other departments support the long-term viability of the business and its growth and assets, HR occasionally finds itself responsible for the very lives of employees. And theres good cause to take this responsibility seriously. Consider the variety of dangerous situations that can come up at any time no matter where the company is located or what its business is. A natural disaster such as an earthquake could strike, o... Five polytechnic universities and the Singapore FinTech Association have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop programmes to cultivate financial technology skills. A survey conducted in 2015 found that Singapore employers believe that by 2018, there will be more than 10,000 job openings in the financial technology (FinTech) sector as well as in data analytics and cybersecurity. In light of this, five polytechnic universities and the Singapore FinTech Association (SFA) have inked a memorandum of understanding to bring together educators and experts in the Fintech industry to develop strong local talent pool. The collaboration is also in response to support PolyFinTech 100, the countrys campaign to become a smart financial centre. The five polytechnics include Nanyang Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic. This MOU kick-starts an enriching partnership with the polytechnics to nurture a pool of skilled manpower for the flourishing FinTech community a critical success factor for FinTech development in Singapore, said SFA president Chia Hock Lai, on the associations website. They plan to roll out three different programmes this year: 1) Innovation lab crawl: Facilitated tours will be conducted in various companies such as KPMG and HSBC to help students better understand the role technology plays in the financial industry. 2) Internships: Students will be given a chance to work with companies within the fintech industry and also be provided industry practitioners as mentors. 3) Workshops: Experts from financial institutions will conduct workshops on technological and regulatory advancements in the industry. Watches are not rocket science Watches are not rocket science Perhaps you dont have a PhD. Well, thats a shame, because with some watches, youll need one to understand how to tell the time. Perhaps you dont have a PhD. Well,... Humane Society International is celebrating the far reaching animal protection language found in Mexico Citys formally enacted new constitution, noting that it is one of the most animal-friendly constitutional texts in the Americas. Article 13-B of the new constitution, which was approved by an 81 to zero vote, recognizes animals as sentient beings whose welfare must be protected. They are accorded moral consideration and their care is considered a common responsibility of citizens and local authorities. It mandates secondary laws to determine penalties for animal abuse and guidelines for wildlife protection and humane farm animal practices. Support HSIs efforts to prevent cruelty and save lives. Anton Aguilar, HSI/Mexico director, said: We applaud Mexico Citys Constitutional Assembly for acknowledging the importance of providing protections to animals as sentient beings in the new constitution. Through proper regulation and implementation, the government and society must work together to continue making the city a model of animal protection in Mexico and throughout the region. HSI worked with legislators in Mexico City throughout the process of creating a new constitution to ensure it enshrined animal welfare. In September last year, HSI, along with constitution-drafting legislators and the citys Environment General Attorney, organized a forum at the House of Representatives to discuss the importance of including language to protect animals in the new constitution. Media contact: Raul Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, +1 301-721-6440 With a 30-second spot reportedly fetching US$5 million during this year's Super Bowl, it's worthy to note so many companies used their pricey airtime to share messages of diversity, love and acceptance. Airbnb's new ad featured faces of people from different backgrounds, ages and religions with the message, "We all belong." The company used the moment to announce plans to provide short-term housing to 100,000 people in need over the next five years. Advertisement "People who've been displaced, whether because of war or conflict or other factors, are acutely vulnerable to not being accepted. They are, quite literally, in need of a place to belong, which is why we've been inspired to take action," AirBnB wrote in a blog post. Budweiser and 84 Lumber both chose to share immigrant's stories in their ads. But it was a theme that riled some viewers. Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration policies threatened to boycott Budweiser in response to the beer company's ad focused on its founder's immigrant story. Advertisement Fox forced Pennsylvania-based building supply company 84 Lumber to air a revised version of its Super Bowl ad, over concerns it was "too controversial." The original shows a Mexican mother and daughter's journey to the United States before being stopped at a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The full version is available to view on the company's website. Google chose to highlight equality and hospitality, showing a home flying a rainbow flag. Later, one person asks, "How do you say nice to meet you in Spanish?" Advertisement It's A 10 Haircare poked fun directly at Trump with an ad warning viewers they were in for "at least four years of awful hair." They asked people to do their part by rocking great hair instead. Audi championed feminism by speaking out in favour of gender pay equality. And Coca-Cola aired an classic showing people singing "America The Beautiful" in different languages. Advertisement But some viewers were upset at what they saw as overtly political messages. @CocaCola This is America, we speak English. Embarrassed I've bought your product for 30+ years #MAGA Roger Carroll (@rogercarroll8) February 6, 2017 @budlight No thanks... it's time to #BoycottBudweiser. We don't need your beer, your opinions, and your illegal immigrants. MAGADauntlessDiamond (@diamondgirl2222) February 2, 2017 Despite some critiques, the feedback was mostly positive. Many praised increased diversity in the catalogue of ads. For some, it was irresistible to draw conclusions about advertisers' stances with or against the new U.S. president. It's only been 20 minutes and we've seen a gay flag, mexico, mixed-race relationships and immigrants. Trump Is being trolled. #SuperBowl Elizabeth Plank (@feministabulous) February 5, 2017 Advertisement I've already seen more diversity in three #SuperBowl ads than Trump's entire cabinet. Peter Daou (@peterdaou) February 5, 2017 kinda wish we ACTUALLY lived in the world of these diverse loving #SuperBowl commercials... JaiRich (@JaiRich) February 6, 2017 Follow The Huffington Post Canada on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Also on HuffPost A Conservative leadership hopeful is asking supporters if they think the most pressing issue in Canada is the decline of traditional values or out of control political correctness. Advertisement The campaign team of Andrew Scheer sent out a survey Sunday to test opinions on different topics from whether a carbon tax can really help fight climate change to the Saskatchewan MPs push to see property rights added to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I'd like your feedback! Take a few moments and fill out this short survey. https://t.co/851yFhFhbu Andrew Scheer (@andrewscheer) February 5, 2017 Perhaps the most intriguing question asks supporters to choose what they see as the most important issue facing Canada today. Ten other issues are listed in addition to the ones dealing with traditional values and political correctness, including: Advertisement Immigration Environment and climate change Terrorism Health care funding Carbon taxes "Weak economy Crime and safety The notion that taxes are too high "Lack of leadership" Trade Later, the survey asks if supporters consider social issues as more significant or equally as important as those dealing with the economy or foreign affairs. The Huffington Post Canada reached out to Scheers campaign to explain what it means by the decline of traditional values and out of control political correctness. Nancy Bishay, a spokesperson for Scheer's campaign, says the topics came from conversations the MP has been having with Canadians. Advertisement "We just chose the top few and put them out there for others to give their opinions," Bishay told HuffPost in an email. Scheer, 37, is known as a social conservative and has won the support of many like-minded MPs. Yet he pledged at the start of his bid that he will not reopen debates on abortion or same-sex marriage if he becomes prime minister. Scheer told AM980 in December that, under his leadership, social conservatives will be permitted to vote their conscience on moral issues but should not expect to get every policy wish that theyd like. I have always voted pro-life, and that is a core conviction that I have, Scheer said. Our policy also says that a Conservative government will not introduce legislation on that issue, so I respect that. Advertisement Though Scheer voted against gay marriage, he did not vote on a contentious motion in 2012 asking to study when life begins largely seen as an attempt to revive the abortion debate because he was serving as House Speaker at the time. Voted against transgender rights bill Scheer voted against the Liberal governments doctor-assisted dying legislation last year, as did leadership rivals Lisa Raitt, Maxime Bernier, Steven Blaney, Erin OToole and Brad Trost. But Scheer and Trost were the only two Tory leadership candidates to vote against the Liberals transgender rights bill last October, which seeks to make it illegal under the Canadian Human Rights Act to discriminate on the basis of gender identity or expression. Chong, Bernier, Raitt, Blaney and Deepak Obhrai supported the legislation, which easily passed second reading by a vote of 248 to 40. All 40 votes against came from the Tory bench. Thirteen of the MPs who voted against the transgender rights bill have already endorsed Scheer. Advertisement Conservatives will pick their next leader on May 27 using a ranked-ballot system. Also on HuffPost There's no question women are expected to live up to unrealistic beauty standards. Each culture has a different view of what constitutes as beautiful, and those expectations can be harmful. Women tend to put an unhealthy pressure on themselves to match these hard-to-reach ideals, and this means never fully accepting who they are. Many women often find themselves looking in the mirror and pinpointing something wrong with their looks and features. They're left wondering what they might look like if certain parts of them just looked a little different. Advertisement In the video above, the ladies of Buzzfeed's Ladylike tackle the idea of cultural beauty standards and the promotion of the idea of the "perfect" body. Kristin Chirico, Freddie Ransome, Safiya Nygaard and Jen Ruggirello each get their body photoshopped to fit their respective cultural beauty standards, and the results are shocking. Ladylove A photo posted by Jen Ruggirello (@jenrigatoni) on Aug 12, 2016 at 1:02pm PDT The four women explore Indian, Italian, Japanese and African-American beauty ideals and the qualities most desired in those cultures. Japanese women are supposed to be seen as feminine with pale skin and a youthful appearance; Italian woman are supposed to be thin with a bigger bust; African-American women desire a "Coke bottle shape;" and Indian women are often told they should possess big doe eyes and fair skin. Advertisement With these qualities taken into play, each woman then had her image photoshopped to fit what their culture thinks is the ideal woman physically, that is. After the results were shown to the women, their underwhelmed reaction said it all. Using the words "terrifying" and "creepy" to describe their new appearances, the women quickly realized these ideals were not who they were. "The Photoshop made me realize that I dont really need to or want to change my body to look more like it," Nygaard confessed. "This is me, with all the me sucked out of it," Chirico said. For Ransome, the process gave her a sense of closure. After lusting over lighter skin and curvier features since she was a young girl, her photoshopped image with these qualities didn't give her a sense of confidence and they sure didn't make her feel beautiful. Advertisement "It makes me sad that I was so insecure with the way that I looked growing up. But it makes me happy because I'm very satisfied with the way that I look. I've grown into my beauty, I've grown into accepting the way I look. I wouldn't want to look any other way." "I realize I'm full of imperfections and things that people don't like, and things that I don't like, but I'm greater than the sum of my parts," Chirico said. "Nitpicking yourself doesn't necessarily make you more beautiful, it just makes you different." Today's lesson: Embrace yourself as you are. Also on HuffPost Men And Women Who Inspire Positive Body Image See Gallery A new beauty challenge is tackling the stigma around mental health. Vancouver beauty blogger and mental health advocate Yasaman Gheidi started the #InsideOutChallenge last month. Posting on YouTube and Instagram, she challenged people to use makeup to create an outward expression of what you or others feel on the inside. A photo posted by YASAMAN GHEIDI (@lilmoonchildd) on Jan 10, 2017 at 5:47pm PST Advertisement On Instagram, Gheidi explained that it was her battle with anxiety that inspired her to create this challenge and get people talking about mental health. At a staff Christmas party last year, Gheidi experienced an anxiety attack and decided to leave quietly with her partner. Not knowing what to tell her coworkers the next day, she asked her partner what she should tell them. Without much thought she said to say that I had a headache. I agreed but quickly questioned my decision, the 27-year-old explained. Why did I have to be ashamed and lie about my anxiety attack? So many wonderful and amazing people suffer from the same mental illnesses that I do on a daily basis. Why can't we just talk about it openly? Mental illness shouldn't have to be hidden away, let's start to talk about it. After Gheidi came up with her challenge, she then decided to name it after the Disney-Pixar film Inside Out. Advertisement [Inside Out] was one of the first movies that I have seen that was able to visually illustrate feelings and emotions, she told Revelist. I find that many times people with mental illnesses are not taken seriously because there are not always physical symptoms that can be easily seen. Pretty soon, the beauty bloggers makeup challenge took off on social media, with many people bravely sharing their mental health stories to raise awareness. Advertisement While Gheidi admitted on Instagram that she initially had anxiety sharing her Inside Out Challenge, she knew she had to. This video is about much more than makeup, its about starting a campaign to spread awareness of mental health illnesses via art, she wrote. Since sharing her inner self with the world, the blogger has received a ton of positive feedback. Its amazing to know you're not alone. There's a lot of comfort in that unity, Gheidi told CTV. I created this challenge to start a conversation so that I could start chipping away at mental health. Executive producer/actor Kevin Spacey and actress Robin Wright arrived at the special screening of Netflix's House of Cards Season 2 at the Directors Guild Of America on Feb. 13, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo : Getty Images/Kevin Winter) "House of Cards" Season 5 will premiere on May 30 on Netflix. Claire Underwood may end up becoming the first female President of the United States in the upcoming season. The words "We make the terror" can be heard ominously in the trailer. Also, the American flag is shown upside down and voices of children are heard pledging allegiance to the United States. Advertisement In this season, the Underwoods are expected to become the most powerful couple. The First Lady may also be sworn as the President, but it could be a tough road with the entry of so many new faces in "House of Cards" Season 5. Campbell Scott and Patricia Clarkson are joining the show and are expected to shake up the dynamics of the plot. However, Scott and Clarkson are not the only new faces joining the "House of Cards" team, as Frank Pugliese and Melissa James Gibson will be the new showrunners of the show, according to E! News. Beau Willimon, the previous showrunner quit the show after the fourth season. Other cast members of "House of Cards" Season 5 include Kim Dickens, Neve Campbell, Michael Kelly, Nathan Darrow, Joel Kinnaman, Jayne Atkinson, Derek Cecil, Paul Sparks, Elizabeth Marvel, Cicely Tyson and Ellen Burstyn. Other "House of Cards" Season 5 spoilers indicate that the plot will revolve around the First Lady (Robin Wright) for most of the episodes. She may end up eventually becoming the President after getting rid of her husband with the aid of Campbell. The President is already in poor health, hence it will be easy for the usurpers to plot his demise. Earlier in 2016, Wright demanded equal pay as the male lead of the show, while addressing philanthropists, activists and the media at the Rockefeller Foundation. She had a substanial role like Kevin Spacey, so she should also be paid the same amount, Huffington Post quoted her as saying. The producers eventually agreed to her request and she now gets the same pay as Spacey. Watch the video to see the trailer of "House of Cards" Season 5 here: Canadians are opposed to the federal Liberals instituting a new tax on Internet and mobile services to pay for Canadian content, but a plurality would be okay with paying sales tax on their Netflix service, a new poll finds. The poll from IRG, carried out for consumer advocacy group OpenMedia, found 70 per cent of respondents were opposed to a new tax on internet and cellphone bills, with 51 per cent strongly opposed. Only 14 per cent backed it. Advertisement During consultations last fall, Heritage Minister Melanie Joly heard from media industry representatives who argued for a tax on the Internet to cover the cost of funding Canadian content. Revenue for CanCon is drying up in an era when traditional Canadian media is competing in a global Internet. A majority of Canadians back the idea that the federal government should create a new source of revenue to pay for CanCon, the IRG poll found. Fifty-three per cent agreed, with 20 per cent opposed. Canadians are more responsive to the idea of extending GST/PST or HST sales taxes to streaming services such as Netflix. Forty-seven per cent say they would agree to this, with 29 per cent opposed. Advertisement Foreign-based streaming services are technically subject to sales tax on their Canadian sales, but no system has ever been established to collect the tax. A briefing prepared for Heritage Minister Melanie Joly last month suggested expanding the sales tax to cover Netflix. It argued that not charging a sales tax on foreign content services like U.S.-based Netflix is unfair because it places domestic competitors at a disadvantage. It also represents a significant loss of potential tax revenue for government, the briefing stated. Advertisement Joly held consultations last fall where she heard from media industry representatives who argued, among other things, for an Internet tax or at least a sales tax on streaming. But the Department of Finance has been adamant that no such taxes are in the works. A spokesperson for Finance Minister Bill Morneau told HuffPost Canada last month that expanding the GST to Netflix is not part of our plan. Speaking before the Canadian Media Producers Association last week, Joly said she heard from Canadians that they want all media providers to be treated equally, but they dont want to see their Internet bills go up. "We have to bear in mind that Canadians are anxious about their cost of living," Joly said, as quoted by the CBC. Follow The Huffington Post Canada on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Also on HuffPost CanCon Icons: Then and Now (Part II) See Gallery New Democrats are asking how Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can walk away from electoral reform when, mere weeks ago, he said that abandoning such a promise wouldnt reflect how he was raised. In question period Monday, NDP democratic reform critic Nathan Cullen and MP Alexandre Boulerice got personal with the prime minister while hammering his about-face on the thorny matter of changing Canadas voting system. Advertisement Both Cullen and Boulerice noted how, on Dec. 2, Trudeau told the Toronto Star he was committed to his campaign pledge that 2015 would be the last election under the first-past-the-post system, saying then: I make promises because I believe in them. Trudeau told the Star at the time that Canadians want a better system of voting and elected his party to do the hard things, not to throw their hands up when the going gets tough. No, Im sorry, thats not the way I was raised, thats not the way Im going to move forward on a broad range of issues, the prime minister said at the time. Advertisement Cullen, who angrily blasted the prime minister as a liar last week, told the House of Commons that Trudeau once looked longingly into the eyes of Canadians and pledged he wouldnt be the type of leader who would say anything to get elected. Whatever happened to that guy? We hardly even got to know him, Cullen said. "Youd think the prime minister would at least have the decency to blush when he's breaking his promise to Canadians so blatantly, and he could at least take that slightly smug look off his face." The NDP critic noted how the electoral reform committee recommended a proportional system something for which New Democrats have long pined and Cullen believes leads to parties working together. Liberal insiders have told The Huffington Post Canada that Trudeau feared a system of proportional representation would elevate more regional parties or so-called alt-right groups to the House. Cullen accused Trudeau of fear-mongering and walking away from reform simply because it wouldnt benefit Liberals. Advertisement Trudeau said his government took the issue seriously but concluded there were too many strongly held, divergent views on the issue. With no consensus, Trudeau said, there was no responsible path forward. Youd think the prime minister would at least have the decency to blush whens breaking his promise to Canadians so blatantly and he could at least take that slightly smug look off his face, Cullen said. The veteran MP said he was raised to believe one should apologize when breaking their word. He read back Trudeaus remarks to the Star from two months ago and asked why Canadians should believe him again. The prime minister said Canadians do want a better democracy, which is why his government is moving forward on such steps as repealing aspects of the previous governments so-called Fair Elections Act. Advertisement Boulerice also recounted Trudeaus earlier remarks about keeping his word. Has he forgotten about the way he was raised? Boulerice asked. The prime minister, who famously invoked his relationship with his father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, during a foreign policy debate in 2015, appeared unrattled. I was raised to keep in mind the best interests of this country, to serve them well the way they deserve to be served, Trudeau responded. A little later, Boulerice said his colleagues shouldnt be alarmed if they smell smoke. The pants of the prime minister are on fire, he said. The remark didnt sit well with Liberals. Its considered unparliamentary language to suggest another member is lying. Boulerice was admonished by the House Speaker last week for saying Liberals lied to Canadians. The Quebec MP later withdrew the remarks. Advertisement New minister not given marching orders to work on pledge HuffPost has also learned that Trudeau did not give Karina Gould, his new democratic institutions minister, marching orders to follow through on the Liberals' campaign pledge after she was appointed in early January. Though Gould did not receive her formal mandate letter until last week, the prime minister sought her opinion on the file. She was opposed to holding a referendum and gave that advice to cabinet. Trudeau's spokesperson, Kate Purchase, told HuffPost that Gould's mandate letter was "reflective" of the discussion with cabinet. With files from Althia Raj Also on HuffPost A group of New York City subway commuters joined forces over the weekend to scrub a subway car clean of anti-Semitic graffiti. Gregory Locke was one of the passengers on the train Saturday evening, and described his disbelief at finding swastikas and other hateful language scrawled on "every advertisement and every window" of the car. Advertisement In a Facebook post, Locke said he noticed the graffiti after he boarded the train. "The train was silent as everyone stared at each other, uncomfortable and unsure what to do," he wrote. "Nazi symbolism. On a public train. In New York City. In 2017." Finally, one man stood up and announced that they could probably erase the markings with the right supplies. A number of people began rifling through their bags, searching for hand sanitizer and tissues, and "within about two minutes, all the Nazi symbolism was gone." Advertisement The New York Police Department told Reuters it is investigating a possible hate crime after the subway graffiti was reported on Sunday. Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton was among thousands online who applauded the quick-thinking commuters. "We will not let hate win," she tweeted early Sunday, with a screengrab of Locke's Facebook post. "And, another reason to carry hand sanitizer." We will not let hate win. And, another reason to carry hand sanitizer. pic.twitter.com/bgrAJf7SCv Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) February 5, 2017 Advertisement New York Governor Andrew Cuomo also condemned the markings, and shared a photo of a graffiti swastika that someone had drawn over to form a box with the letters L-O-V-E. "This is what New Yorkers do - we turn hate into love. And we wont back down - not now, not ever," he tweeted. This is what New Yorkers do - we turn hate into love. And we wont back down -not now, not ever. #TurnHateIntoLovepic.twitter.com/yVEsTY2aGc Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) February 5, 2017 Follow The Huffington Post Canada on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Also on HuffPost It's been quite the 65 years. On Monday, Queen Elizabeth II became the first monarch to celebrate a sapphire jubilee, after 65 years on the throne. The 90-year-old British monarch is also the U.K.'s longest-reigning royal, BBC notes, and to mark the occasion, the Queen had a portrait done by British photographer David Bailey. Advertisement "On 6 February 1952, King George VI sadly died following a prolonged illness. Princess Elizabeth immediately acceded to the throne, becoming Queen Elizabeth II and taking on all of the responsibilities which came with her new title," the Royal Family wrote on their Facebook page. "In the photograph, The Queen is wearing a suite of sapphire jewellery given to her by King George VI as a wedding gift in 1947." The BBC adds Bailey took the photos in 2014 as part of a series to mark the Queen's 88th birthday. He has also taken photos of Princess Diana in the past. Advertisement Members of the Honourable Artillery Company fire a 62 round royal gun salute from the Gun Wharf outside the Tower of London with Tower Bridge seen in the background to mark the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne in London on February 6, 2017. On Monday, members of the Honourable Artillery Company fired a 62-round royal gun salute in London to mark the day. Gun salutes were also seen in Cardiff, Edinburgh and York, the BBC reports. Queen Elizabeth II visits Canterbury Cathedral where she unveiled a statue of herself and one of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh to mark her Diamond Jubilee on March 26, 2015 in Canterbury, England. Advertisement "I think I speak for my generation when I say that the example and continuity provided by The Queen is not only very rare among leaders but a great source of pride and reassurance," Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge, said about his grandmother in a statement. Buckingham Palace also released photos and videos of the Queen over the last few years, marking her 65-year reign. "The Queen carries out all of her duties against the backdrop of a full personal life which has seen her raise four children and welcome grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren to the Royal Family. The Duke of Edinburgh has been in her own words her strength and stay during her reign, whilst other members of the Royal Family continue to offer vital support through their work in the UK and overseas." Now that's badass. Queen Elizabeth II visits Canterbury Cathedral where she unveiled a statue of herself and one of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh to mark her Diamond Jubilee on March 26, 2015 in Canterbury, England. Advertisement Also on HuffPost Sophie Gregoire Trudeau has opened up about her former struggle with bulimia. Speaking at an event on Parliament Hill in Ottawa for Eating Disorder Awareness Week on Feb. 2, the prime minister's wife discussed how she used to ask herself why she used to suffer from the eating disorder, Global News reports. "I remember feeling ashamed, thinking, 'Why am I suffering from this?' On the surface I had it all," she told the audience. "I kept reading about what it was to be a bulimic and saying, 'This is the last time Im doing this to myself.' I started to tremble because of too much binging and purging and thinking, 'What is this?'" Advertisement Fortunately for the mom of three, Gregoire Trudeau said she had a lot of support from family and friends, and she revealed that talking about her experience one that is all too common among young women led to other sufferers of the eating disorder to open up about their health. "The moment I started sharing my story, obviously I had begun on my road to recovery, the response and the people who were opening up towards their own struggles to me and to other people around them was the most beautiful gift Ive ever received," the 41-year-old said. The mental health advocate also noted that more work on combating eating disorders needs to happen. "We know what weve got to do. Now we really have to start taking it even more seriously and doing it." Advertisement She also shared a message about the importance of talking about eating disorders on her Facebook page. "Eating disorders are not a choice. They are not capricious episodes. They are so real, and they take away lives," she wrote. "This Eating Disorders Awareness Week, lets share our stories, our struggles, and our truths. Only then can we break the silence, solitude, and isolation that takes away too many of our sisters, our daughters, and our friends. I was honoured to join NIED today to share my own story & support those who are working hard to fight these disorders. #EDAW2017" According to Statistics Canada, bulimia nervosa predominantly affects females about 90 per cent of cases. Approximately one to three per cent of young women develop bulimia in their lifetime. Bulimia is characterized by cycles of binge eating followed by purging. To watch Sophie's full speech, check out the video above. Also on HuffPost Stars Who've Battled Eating Disorders See Gallery A Texas towns name may now seem especially resonant after its mayor went public about a big personal change. Jess Herbst leads the town of New Hope, a small town north of Dallas. But up until recently, residents knew her as Jeff. In an open letter, she came out as transgender. "As your mayor I must tell you about something that has been with me since my earliest memories," she said. Advertisement Two years ago, with her wife and children's support, she started hormone replacement therapy, she wrote on the towns website. As far as I know, I am the first openly transgender mayor on record in the state of Texas; there could be others who never came out, the 58-year-old told The New York Times on Wednesday. The Texas Observer confirmed that not only is she the state's first openly transgender mayor, but the first elected official. Advertisement She wrote on New Hopes website that she expects it will take some time for people to adjust to calling her Jess instead of Jeff, and isnt particular about the pronoun they use. After posting the statement Jan. 23, she attended her first town council meeting dressed as a woman, and everyone was supportive, she told the newspaper. She's also started a blog to chronicle her journey. Herbst has been involved in town politics for years, according to her statement, but planned to step down from her position as elected alderman when her transition became visible, she told Fortune. But then the mayor died, and she was appointed as a replacement last May. "At that point I realized I couldnt be mayor of this town and have a secret," she told Fortune. She said that even as a small child, she felt different from her peers. She would wear her mothers clothes in a locked bedroom, not knowing exactly why. Advertisement Caitlyn Jenner, the Olympic gold medallist who came out on national TV in 2015, was part of her inspiration. Jenner released a statement to Fortune in support of Herbst, saying she was "so happy" for her. "I realized I couldnt be mayor of this town and have a secret." "Everyone's journey is unique and different, Jenner said. Texas still isn't the safest place to be openly transgender. In most parts of the state, its legal to discriminate against people on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, and 90 per cent of transgender Texans say theyve been mistreated at work. But two-thirds of the states residents would support an anti-discrimination law, according to the Texas ACLU. Governing Republicans also put forward a bill in January that would force transgender people to use bathrooms and change rooms in public schools and government buildings that correspond to the sex on their birth certificate. Advertisement Herbst, for her part, has also received a lot of support from the public. She wrote on Facebook Saturday that she cant respond to all the messages shes received. "Your comments have humbled me, your high praise is undeserved. I am just another human being, and not particularly unique," she wrote. Canada is far and away the most preferred destination for high-skilled workers in the U.S. looking for alternatives in the age of Trump, research from job search site Indeed suggests. And that means Canadas talent-starved tech industry could find a much-needed injection of new blood, if President Donald Trump goes ahead with a plan to limit the number of H1-B visas or possibly even without the move. Advertisement In the quarter before Trump became president, Indeed noted a 40-per-cent spike in the number of searches for jobs abroad linked to foreign worker visas in other words, people in the U.S. looking for work abroad. Of those searches, 42.7 per cent were directed at Canada. The next most popular destination was Australia, with 11.9 per cent of searches. The data confirms that Canada may benefit the most if the U.S. curbs its H-1B visa program, Indeed said in a statement emailed to media. Advertisement A report last year from the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) estimated Canada will create at least 218,000 new high-tech jobs by 2020, but isnt graduating enough skilled tech workers to fill them. Canada would need to increase the number of tech graduates by 50 per cent or admit more foreign workers to fill the gap. But what could be a boost to Canadas tech sector could do serious damage to the U.S.s tech sector, which relies heavily on foreign talent. Two-thirds of the U.S.'s H1-B visas go to computer-related jobs, according to data from the Department of Homeland Security. A 2016 study from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) found that more than half of the U.S.s tech unicorns meaning startups that come to be worth more than US$1 billion have at least one immigrant founder. Each, on average, created 760 jobs. U.S. tech companies are reportedly already working on contingency plans to set up offices in Canada if they are unable to bring foreign workers into the U.S. under the H1-B visa. Advertisement A draft executive order obtained by several news sources last week indicates the Trump administration is planning to limit the number of new H1-B visas. The U.S. limits them to 85,000 per year, but also runs a lottery that hands out additional visas. The U.S. admitted 172,000 people on an H1-B visa in 2015, according to data from the State Department. High-skilled Canadian workers come to the U.S. under a NAFTA visa, the TN-1, rather than the H1-B. But Trumps order would also limit the issuance of L-1, E-2 and B1 work visas. That could affect thousands of Canadians, including those in the U.S. under an intra-company transfer. U.S. State Department data shows more than 2,900 potentially affected work visas were issued to Canadians in 2015. U.S. tech giants, already upset by having some of their employees stranded by Trumps travel ban on refugees and citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, are rallying against the new executive order. The Trump administration, and many other critics, say the H1-B visa program is being abused. Outsourcing firms often grab large chunks of the available visas, then sell them off to tech companies, keeping a sizable cut of the salary, CNN reports. Advertisement Follow The Huffington Post Canada on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Also on HuffPost Victoria's Secret may have found themselves in some hot water again after one woman says she was discriminated in one of their stores for her body size. Twenty-year-old Abbie Walsh-Greenfield of Wales recalled the incident in an open letter on her personal blog last Wednesday. Advertisement "In all honesty, having not even looked at the VS website before, let alone going to the actual store, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect," she wrote. "I'd definitely seen 'plus size' Victoria's Secret hauls on YouTube, but had never actually clicked on a video. Tempted by a friend, we walked in." "The sales assistant, a very important looking and tall lady, walked straight past my friend and stood a metre or two away from me," the young woman continued. The associate then asked Walsh-Greenfield, "Hi... Are you aware of the sizing in this store?" Understandably, the comment left her stunned. Victoria's Secret responded to the blog shortly after it was published, writing, "We sincerely apologize for your experience in our Cardiff store," and then asked for the U.K. native to contact their customer care department. Advertisement In a later statement, a VS spokesperson said the store "will take the appropriate actions as we're committed to ensuring that everyone feels welcome in our stores." As of press time, there has been no update on whether or not Walsh-Greenfield's distasteful incident has been fully resolved. But this isn't the first time the lingerie giant has gotten in trouble for discrimination. Last December, Victoria's Secret customer Kimberly Houzah and another black woman from Alabama claimed they were kicked out of the store after being wrongfully accused of shoplifting. The company later apologized, and the employee who profiled the women is reportedly no longer working for VS. Advertisement Watch the full video of the racist encounter below. Also on HuffPost Let's face it, we live in a Wi-Fi world. While phone plans provide us with gigabytes of data to blow through each month, it's always better to login to a free Wi-Fi zone to send that Snapchat. Business owners know this well, with free internet being a standard offering in most enterprises (thank you, Starbucks). But if you havent bought into the fad just yet, its maybe time you make the switch. Here are just five reasons how Wi-Fi can help your workplace, presented in partnership with Cisco. 1. It could increase foot traffic With people carrying their smartphones with them all the time, the need for secure Wi-Fi spot has become all the more imperative. Whether it's a vacationer looking to tap into a travel app or an office worker looking to load e-mail, advertising that you have a public wireless network can attract new customers. Don't underestimate the value of offering your potential customers something for free. Advertisement 2. They'll spend a longer time inside Once someone is logged into a Wi-Fi network, they're more than likely to stick around and use it for a while. And while they're thumbing through their favourite sites or connecting with friends on social media, they'll be more inclined to spend a little cash while they're there. For bars, restaurants and coffee shops, letting your customers latch onto your password could be the difference between someone coming in for a quick cup and sitting down at a table with their tablet for another round. 3. Customize your customer's online experience Offering a free network can also help advertise the best parts of your business. You could set it up so that your website is homepage after logging into the system, letting visitors discover all that you have to offer at a quick glance. Whether its setting up a mobile retail experience to help guide a shopping session, or letting visitors learn more about a company's philosophy and goals, an open Wi-Fi connection can help inspire brand recognition and customer loyalty. 4. Understanding your customers better One of the many benefits of the Cisco network experience is that you can accumulate customer data by letting them tap into your network. Ciscos solution allows you to collect real-time data that tracks repeat visitors, the amount of time they spend on your sites and how often they visit it. By analyzing the behaviours of your visitors, you can further tailor ads and services to your clientele. 5. You increase productivity Your customers arent the only ones who benefit from Wi-Fi technology, your employees do as well. A reliable wireless network not only helps everyone work more efficiently, it allows your staff to have secure service wherever they are in your enterprise, creating an open workspace that is conducive to creative thinking and collaboration. Advertisement Mainland travelers made 6.15 million overseas trips during this year's Chinese New Year holidays. (Photo : Getty Images) Mainland tourists made 6.15 million overseas trips during the Chinese New Year holiday, which lasted throughout a seven-day period that ended last Thursday. The China National Tourism Administration reported that this years figures comprise a 7 percent increase to last years. The Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, annually features the world's largest human migration since many mainlanders see the long holiday as their only opportunity to visit their hometowns or spend vacation outside the country. Advertisement This year's figures for overseas travels have exceeded that of last year's Chunyun migration, with travel agencies having organized a total of 374,000 trips, increasing by 2.5 percent compared to last year's figures. With the Chinese middle class growing from strength to strength, the Spring Festival has become an important holiday for mainlanders to spend their hard-earned money both for shopping and cultural experiences. Larger incomes meant greater choices for holiday destinations for mainland tourists, who initially spent Chinese New Year in domestic destinations. For instance, Japan has become a highly-popular destination for Chinese travelers with a penchant for shopping, with the Japanese term "bakugai" having become popular to describe mainlanders who splurge money on buying sprees in the country's large shopping centers. Chinese tourists in Japan, however, have slowed down on shopping as of late, with many of them switching their preferences towards experiencing authentic Japanese culture. The same trend in diversifying preferences among Chinese travelers have spread to other foreign destinations besides Japan, indicating that mainlanders are starting to exhibit more seasoned choices, in turn benefiting more sectors within the global tourism industry. The Philippines, for instance, now benefits from mainland tourists looking to relax and enjoy in the archipelago's famous beaches--a far cry from their shopaholic tendencies prevalent not too long ago. Kenya in Africa is a far more distant but exotic destination, with its biodiversity fast becoming a draw among tourists coming from the mainland. Watch CGTN's report on Chinese travelers in Japan during the Chinese New Year below: The community of La Loche, Sask. offered a prayer for the nation; a prayer for those who provided support, for those who sent cards and letters of condolences, for those who sent donations, for those who reached out and for those who listened. This particular prayer hit me especially hard -- in the midst of their own grief, they offered prayers to a nation that has largely forgotten them. Advertisement I lost my older brother, Adam Wood, in the shooting in La Loche. Recently my family and I travelled to the remote community to remember him, the other victims whose lives were so tragically taken, and so many who still bear the wounds from that day. On Jan. 22, 2016, a school shooting occurred at a high school in the village of La Loche. Four people were killed: brothers Dayne and Drayden Fontaine; teacher assistant Marie Janvier; and my brother, Adam Wood, at the beginning his teaching career. Adam had an adventurous spirit, an infectious joy and laughter, loved the north, and was taken from us far too early. My first experience in the community was a few weeks ago when my family and I attended the memorial service on the first anniversary. In my short experience in La Loche, two things were easily recognizable: first, the tremendous beauty, strength and resilience of the people; and second, our tremendous failing as a nation to provide its members with the supports necessary for healing and growth. Advertisement Recently leaders from the village of La Loche led a press conference. They spoke with passion, with conviction and with desperation. They spoke about the necessity of services and funds to help community members, students and teachers heal, find hope and become stronger. They named meal programs, counselling, arts programs, long-term planning and block funding as their main priorities. Sadly, the Minister of First Nations, Metis and Northern Affairs sidestepped many of their concerns the next day. Rather than acknowledging the need for systemic change in La Loche, Donna Harpauer dismissed the community's plea for social services as unrealistic, justifying the failure of her office to perform its duty on the grounds of the village's geographic location. This is a national shame. It is not enough to simply throw our hands up in the air and claim that it's just too hard to get lasting supports to the community of La Loche because of its place on the map. It is not enough for us to once again look past the many systemic issues present in the community today (many of which acted as the very catalyst which caused this tragedy a year ago). Advertisement It is not enough for the prime minister to state to the country that he provides his unwavering support, yet only support short-term projects such as Project Venture, and create so little sustainable change in the community. It is not enough to continuously look past the effects of colonialism, racism and regionalism that so strongly colours our interpretation of this event and aids in determining what can and cannot be offered. This community is strong, they have endured so much and they deserve so much more. We attended the memorial in La Loche, Sask. as guests and fellow mourners, but we left the community of La Loche feeling much more like family. Advertisement Please write to your member of Parliament, contact Donna Harpauer and demand more for our country. As a nation, we all shared in the experience of loss as we listened, now let us share in the experience of hope as we respond. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Also on HuffPost: By Geoff Norquay In the wake of Donald Trump's election as president, the mainstream U.S. media are engaged in a frantic self-analysis. Journalists are asking how they could have so totally misjudged the outcome of the horserace, whether they created Trump in the first place and if they gave him too much unfiltered airtime. U.S. President Donald Trump, then a Republican presidential candidate, speaks to the media in Nashville, Tennessee Aug. 29, 2015. (Photo: Harrison McClary/Reuters) Advertisement When one looks at the specific elements that created Trump's victory, it's clear that the mainstream media's "epic fail" missed several key pieces of the emerging story. So, how did Trump win, and what did the media miss in his path to victory? He won as the agent of change, even though he was a poster child for privilege, by running against the oligarchs of American society -- the Democrats and his own GOP, Congress, big business, offshoring multi-national companies and Hollywood; He won by exploiting the resentments and fears of those whose jobs had been displaced by technology, globalization and environmentalism, notwithstanding his stated target was trade; He won by appealing to the alienated, the angry and the disaffected -- many of whom felt patronized and disparaged by the affluent, the educated and the journalistic elites -- for their "ignorant" beliefs, attitudes and prejudices; And he won by running against the media, by making them a part of the establishment he was seeking to overthrow, and by generating so much earned media that it became impossible for them not to cover him. The mainstream media were unprepared for much of this because the language and images Trump used to deliver his messages broke all the rules of traditional political communication -- that set of widely accepted norms and cues that enable public discussion and establish the boundaries of political speech. Advertisement Trump blew all of this up. He personally insulted and belittled people by name, told huge and demonstrable lies about public policy issues, incited hate against identifiable racial groups, engaged in late-night Twitter rants against women and claimed that Hillary Clinton had "invented ISIS." ISIS gained tremendous strength during Hillary Clinton's term as Secretary of State. When will the dishonest media report the facts! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2016 The mainstream media's first big mistake was to underestimate Trump. Because of his personal attacks and outlandish claims, many in the media seemed to consider him a target made in heaven: "Americans could never elect such an individual," they might have thought, and of course, "they didn't know anyone who was planning to vote for Trump." The media also forgot that they, themselves, had served up Donald Trump in the first place. As purveyors of celebrity for its own sake, their years of breathless coverage had made him a reality TV star, embellished him during his "birther" phase, and ultimately launched him as a national political figure. The mainstream media were also blind to the disaffection and anger of the people that supported both Trump and Bernie Sanders -- the people who believed that free trade had cost them their jobs, that immigration threatened the national fabric and American security, and that the one per cent (aided and abetted by Washington) were scamming the system and stealing from the middle class. Advertisement Media owners recognized Trump had become a "yuge" ratings and income cash cow. These people and their concerns were not on the media's agenda because they lived in "flyover country," the terra incognita between the media centres of the east coast, Chicago and the west coast, the places where national journalists rarely ventured. As Trump's celebrity transferred to the political realm, media owners recognized Trump had become a "yuge" ratings and income cash cow. To quote CBS Chairman Les Moonves in March 2016 on Trump's candidacy, "It may not be good for America, but it's damn good for CBS. The money's rolling in and this is fun." Trump's ability to make news and Moonves' preoccupation with the bottom line drove coverage. A September 2016 Data Face analysis of campaign print coverage found Trump's name mentioned in a total of 14,924 article headlines during the previous year, with Clinton mentioned less than half that amount. There was also the question of media bias. As James Poniewozik, the New York Times' chief TV critic admitted on Nov. 8, 2016, "The press covered Hillary Clinton like the next president of the United States. The press covered Donald Trump like a future trivia question." Advertisement There was also more than enough evidence to support Trump's media bias allegation. On election night as Trump support flooded in, who can forget CNN's Wolf Blitzer virtually shouting at John King to return again and again to the detailed results in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin to "find a path to victory for Hillary Clinton"? The final element in the mainstream media's epic fail was their inability to recognize the difference between earned and paid media, and to understand why the Trump and Clinton campaigns diverged in their media strategies. They missed the biggest political upheaval in several generations. The greenest of political operatives knows that earned media -- getting coverage by actually making news, is always better than paid media -- getting coverage by buying advertising. Trump had understood this for years. As early as 2012, he tweeted, "I love Twitter... It's like owning your own newspaper -- without the losses." Not surprising then that he told Bloomberg in 2016 he didn't need to raise a billion dollars to campaign because he was getting so much television and reaching 20 million people via social media. While Clinton spent heavily on TV ads in the final month ($108 million), Trump spent a paltry $4.8 million. With his social media presence and his earned media, he simply didn't need paid advertising. One estimate suggests that by the end of the campaign, Trump had generated the equivalent of $5 billion in free media coverage. Time after time in the 2016 campaign, the mainstream U.S. media underestimated Donald Trump. They dismissed his approach, deplored his tactics, could not understand his narrative and were confounded by his base of support. As a result, they missed the biggest political upheaval in several generations. Advertisement The U.S. media's autopsy on its performance last year will continue, and they have some big questions to consider: Is the basic model of media "speaking at" readers, viewers and listeners still relevant when social media have democratized the making and dissemination of news, opinion and commentary? How does journalism continue to fulfill its civic and democratic roles when so many people are predisposed against it? When they do not believe provable facts? And when they can choose to consume alternate sources of information unconstrained by normal journalistic conventions? As the White House ramps up its attacks on journalistic bias, the media are not making it easier for themselves with breathless headlines about Trump firing all U.S. ambassadors to other countries, as well as the top four public servants at the Department of State. Any first-year political science student knows that in the American system, these are all political appointees, that they serve at the pleasure of the president, and that they all submitted their resignations either before or after the November election. Those stories were bereft of context, and the media outrage that accompanied them was either manufactured or borne of ignorance. Trump's people were right to call them on it. Advertisement The way forward is not clear. What is, though, is that America needs a functioning, ethical and credible media. The media are not alone in adjusting to new realities. Trump pointedly reminded GOP congressional leaders in his inaugural address that he won the presidency at least partly by running successfully against them. Company CEOs and boards of directors are now adjusting to the realization that the president can and will knock a billion dollars off their share value with an angry Tweet, or tell them where and how they can or cannot do business. For the U.S. media and for others, the next four years are going to be a different kind of ride. Geoff Norquay is a former speech writer and policy adviser to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Director of Communications to Leader of the Opposition Stephen Harper. He is a Principal at the Earnscliffe Strategy Group. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Also on HuffPost: Clerkenwell via Getty Images I experienced a very uncomfortable moment with a class of mine, just a few weeks ago. We were discussing race and ethnicity, and I began - as I often do with topics like this - by exploring my students' existing opinions. My classroom contains people from all over the world, so I tend to get a variety of viewpoints. One thing stood out, though: when I asked for the stereotypes of 'a Muslim' (whatever that might mean) I received a depressing and familiar litany of adjectives: iolent. Selfish. Arrogant. Scheming. Extreme. Old-fashioned. Arcane. This isn't the first time I've heard these words used to describe Muslims. However we may feel about this stereotyping (personally, it boils my blood) our society has crafted and perpetuated myths about Islam which present a badly skewed, dangerously myopic view of a complex and ultimately peaceful faith. "With anti-Islamic sentiment trending in recent months, and a new administration setting out an immigration and security agenda which portrays Muslims as a threat, it's the perfect moment to undermine these irresponsible views and present your students with a more balanced assessment" - says Andrei Zakhareuski from Busy Teacher. Advertisement What's the Problem, and Where has it Come From? We can delve back into history and discuss the ups-and-downs of the relationship between Islam and the Judeo-Christian traditions, but it's probably more informative (and relevant to our students) to begin in the period around September 11th, 2001. No discussion of Islamophobia, in the US or elsewhere, can omit this tragic and seminal event. I'm writing at the beginning of December, exactly seventy-five years after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, so I've been using that historical watershed my jumping-off point. What happens, in the psyche of a nation, when they are attacked in an unforeseen way by an unexpected foe? In both cases, we found that there had been a good deal of national humiliation and navel-searching - How the hell did we let this happen? - but in both cases, the overwhelming desire, once the initial shock wore off, was for revenge. My students could well understand the need to act, but they were concerned that such a 'knee-jerk' response might result in acting prematurely. An angry populace and an enraged, vengeful media gave the government its cue: We expect a response, and we expect it immediately. The result was the invasion of Afghanistan, and for the first time since 1990, US forces were battling a foe which had a very distinct 'look', an image which became inextricably linked with terrorism, extremism and murder. The Taliban were promptly portrayed as conniving, willing to die for their beliefs, and even to carry out suicide attacks. Their brand of Medieval governance had brought Afghanistan's promising post-Soviet progress to a grinding halt, and their treatment of women was rightly condemned around the world. These enemies, we could reassure ourselves, were undeserving of quarter or remorse. Advertisement Take a look at news reports from 2001, using online clips or transcripts, and try to give your students a flavor of the reporting. The US view of the Taliban seemed unconcerned with why they believed as they do, and instead, we branded anyone related to the organization a 'terrorist', whether they'd yet committed an atrocity or not. The media's deliberate categorization of all the enemies of America under a single, easily identifiable banner led in large part to the perception that the US was now fighting Islam itself, and that all Muslims could be regarded as potentially dangerous. Suddenly, in the minds of far too many Americans, Al-Qaeda, the Taliban and regular, everyday Islam became rolled into one. A focus for the hatred and revenge had been found, and it continues to this day. Is Islam a Threat? Mary Walton, author and educator from Simple Grad shares her opinion: "Invite your students to look at the statistics for recent terrorist attacks. Where were the attackers from? What might have inspired them to perpetrate such carnage? What did they hope to gain?". I repeated the salient point - that it's dangerous and illogical to tar others with the same brush without evidence - so often, and with such passion, that my students began to do impressions of me, complete with my British accent. Here's a genuine exchange from this section of my class on Islamophobia; for some, these notions were rather mind-blowing, but for others, the point had already sunk in: Teacher:So, this guy goes running around Paris with a gun, shooting people. Student 1:[Watching the news clip]. He died in the end, right? Student 2:They all did. Student 1:A waste, no? Teacher:I would say so. They were all quite young and had their whole lives ahead of them. Student 3:But, why would someone with a family and friends do ... this? Student 2:He doesn't care about people. Doesn't care if they live. Student 1:'Psychopath'... right, teacher? Teacher:Well, we're not psychologists, but I think that's a reasonable guess. Student 4:Not psycho, no. Just a crazy Muslim. Teacher:[Pauses.] Tell us more about that. What do you mean? Student 4:Muslims always do this. [Others:Mumbles of dissent and concern.] Teacher:Hang on a second... Go on, tell us what you think. Student 4:[Shrugs]. Always the same. Crazy Muslims with guns. Teacher:OK, I understand what you're saying, but there's more to it than that, surely. Student 1:Doesn't matter if he's... Student 3:Anyone could do those terrible things. From any religion. Student 1:Yeah, he could be Christian and lose his mind and go shooting. Teacher:Well done for clarifying that. I'd say that his faith was part of his inspiration for murder, but that he's misinterpreted that faith. Everyone know this word? [Writes it on the board] Advertisement Student 4:Like a... bad understanding? Teacher:You've got it. Let's think about this some more together.... *** We carried out some research which tried to identify whether Islam is an 'inherently violent religion'. My students used this experience to take their first look (in most cases) at the right-wing media. When reading in our first languages, we often find it difficult to judge real news from fake - especially now that a massive industry has emerged to create irresponsible and misleading content - but for my students, in their second language, judging fact from fiction was a huge challenge. I helped them by reinforcing a common classroom tool of mine which has proved indispensable when trying to figure out if we're being lied to: Occam's Razor. If the story sounds like vapid fakery, it probably is, and we plump for the most likely explanation (that Sharia law actually isn't taking over a little town in Missouri, and that a local Muslim politician in Chicago isn't planning to make the hijab compulsory). What helps much more is to look at the real news reports from Syria and elsewhere, and try to tease out why extremists have sprouted up in such numbers, and what they hope to achieve. I taught my students (or, more properly, encouraged them to find our for themselves) about the idea of a Caliphate. This, at the very least, provided a philosophical basis for the behavior of ISIS, even if their version of government and progress runs completely counter to our own. A Philosophical Trap If my students walk out of this class with one idea firmly in their minds, it should be this: It is unscientific and dangerous to generalize about a billion people. I showed my students that the very notion of beginning a sentence with, 'Muslims think...' or 'Muslims hate...' is just as ridiculous as trying to sum up the views of everyone from China or India in a single utterance. No group behaves monolithically. I then applied that same thought process to other forms of generalization in a bid to caution my students as to its inherent dangers. Drawing a circle around everyone who behaves a certain way is evidence of unsubtle thinking, and is tantamount to a racist, prejudicial attitude, one which assumes that we already understand how someone thinks, and can judge this based purely on how they look. The nonsense of this is something I bring strenuously to my students. Advertisement *** There aren't many affordable island paradises left in the world that have been minimally impacted by tourism while maintaining the original mystique that led travellers there in the first place. I've been fortunate to experience a few: Malaysia's Perhentian Islands, Nicaragua's Corn Islands and Bali in the 90s pre-Eat Pray Love and expat overload. In some cases, it's happenstance or a lucky accident. A missed flight, washed-out road or recommendation from a local. Sometimes it's the difficulty in which to reach these places that deters the crowds, for a while anyway. But as digital media continues to blow open visual access to the world's hidden gems, it's only a matter of time before they land among a list of most instagrammable places in a dust-covered coffee table book. So, the trick is to get there first. Advertisement I'm not suggesting you spin your desk globe and pinpoint the most obscure, desolate place you can find. Instead, point your compass towards Colombia and spend some time on Isla Coralina. Representing a tiny piece of an expansive puzzle of islands, Coralina is part of the Islas del Rosario archipelago, 100 kilometers from Cartagena. Made up entirely of coral and mangroves, its delicate appearance compelled me to tiptoe gently upon it, as if to prevent a piece of this paradise from breaking away and slipping into the sea. A living and breathing land mass with a flurry of birds, butterflies and sea life to engage and entertain its guests. While you can arrange to visit Isla Coralina for the day, you'll wish you had booked to stay longer. Hotel Coralina, the island's sole accommodation, has well appointed thatched roof huts that feel more like a modern hotel room from the inside. All your meals and private boat ride from Cartagena are included (alcoholic beverages are extra). If you're not a fan of seafood, you can stop reading right here. Each morning, I would watch young fisherman haul thirty-pound fish out of their boats and gut the beasts in the lagoon out back. Massive Caribbean lobster pulled from the water mere moments before being cooked and aesthetically arranged on my plate. Each meal is elevated with fresh fruit, local ingredients and traditional Colombian cooking techniques. I could literally eat like this for the rest of my days. Advertisement There's plenty of ways to stay active on the island, if that's your jam. Scuba diving can easily be arranged through the hotel and snorkelling around the island is excellent. Kayaks are available for exploring nearby shores and the warm Caribbean water is perfect for swimming or floating listlessly atop a pool noodle. If you'd prefer to remain horizontal and completely unwind, lounge on one of the private docks or sway the day away in a hammock. I tried my best to meditate each morning on our little dock over hanging the sea, but was so distracted by the island's natural beauty I couldn't stand to keep my eyes shut. Watching schools of fish sparkle like hundreds of tiny diamonds, I couldn't help but wonder what life is like among the lowest link of the oceanic food chain. These little wonders must have inspired the saying "safety in numbers." Given its west-facing locale, sunsets are superb and the stargazing is comparable to a California desert night. The only disturbances, if you could call them that, are the nocturnal noises from the species that call the mangroves home. Service is what I would call island white glove and guests dine in a candlelit, jungle-like setting. On our last night, my husband and I asked if we could have dinner on one of the more secluded docks. The attentive staff quickly set up our table for two beneath a million brilliant stars -- Venus and Mars aptly visible -- the warm breeze off the ocean and gentle sounds from the surrounding jungle our soundtrack. As we savoured those final fleeting moments, we agreed -- it doesn't get more idyllic than this. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Also on HuffPost: On February 4, 2017, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security ("DHS") formally announced that it had temporarily suspended all enforcement activities relating to the 90 day travel ban, which was imposed by President Trump's Executive Order, "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States" (the "Executive Order"). DHS personnel are to resume their inspection of travellers in accordance with "standard policy and procedure." This means that inspections should, in theory, be as they were before the Executive Order came into effect. The U.S. Department of State ("DOS") also announced that it had reversed the cancellation of all visas that were affected by the travel ban. Foreign nationals covered by the travel ban who hold a valid U.S. visa are now free to travel to the United States. DOS has previously stated that fewer than 60,000 visas had been provisionally cancelled in order to comply with the travel ban. Advertisement The DHS and DOS announcements are in response to a federal court judge's recent decision to grant a temporary restraining order against the travel ban. Federal court judge James Robart issued a temporary restraining order on February 3, 2017, which halted enforcement of the travel ban nationwide. The federal lawsuit had been brought by the Attorneys General for the State of Washington and the State of Minnesota. So problem solved right? Well, not quite. President Trump has publicly denounced the decision and vowed to reinstate the travel ban. So while it is not being enforced at the present time, if the U.S. Department of Justice is able to overturn the temporary restraining order, the travel ban could be reinstated. Given this uncertainty, it is still advisable to read the Frequently Asked Questions ("FAQ") page on the United States Customs and Border Protection ("USCBP") website, which was added last week. The FAQ finally provides some useful guidance regarding the travel ban: It clarifies the meaning of "from one of the seven countries," which is used in the Executive Order. As written, this phrase could include someone who was born in one of the restricted countries but who no longer holds the citizenship of that country. It could also include a dual national who holds citizenship from a non-restricted country and citizenship from one of the restricted countries. According to the FAQ, travellers will be treated according to the travel document they present. So a dual national of a restricted country (i.e. Iran) and a non-restricted country (i.e. Canada) is not covered by the travel ban if he or she presents a passport from the non-restricted country. It clarifies that dual nationals holding a valid immigrant or non-immigrant visa in a passport issued by any country not restricted under the Executive Order will be permitted to apply for admission to the United States. It clarifies that, in accordance with the most recent guidance from the White House, the Executive Order does not apply to U.S. lawful permanent residents seeking entry/re-entry to the United States. Of course, the White House initially took the position that they were included in the Executive Order. However, shortly after the Executive Order came into effect, DHS announced a national interest exemption for U.S. lawful permanent residents. It now appears as though U.S. lawful permanent residents no longer need to rely on this national interest exemption. It confirms that permanent residents of Canada (not including refugees) who hold passports from a restricted country can still apply for admission to the United States, if the individual presents their passport with a valid immigrant or non-immigrant visa along with proof of their Canadian permanent resident status. However, the FAQ also states that travel must originate in Canada and be made through a Canada-U.S. land port of entry or a preclearance office at a Canadian Airport. So a Canadian permanent resident who flies through Billy Bishop Airport on Toronto Island (which does not have U.S. preclearance) could be subject to the travel ban upon arrival in the United States. In addition, a Canadian permanent resident departing from Toronto Pearson Airport on a private jet (private jets do not use U.S. preclearance) could be subject to the travel ban upon arrival. Finally, a Canadian permanent resident travelling to the United States directly from a third country (for example, Mexico) could be subject to the travel ban upon arrival. Although visa processing is not within USCBP's jurisdiction, the FAQ states that Canadian permanent residents (not including refugees) holding passports from a restricted country may still apply for U.S. immigrant or non-immigrant visas, if they present their passport and their Canadian permanent resident card to the consular officer. It clarifies that the entry of Iraqi nationals holding a valid Special Immigrant Visa to the United States are deemed to be in the national interest and such individuals may still apply for admission to the United States. Iraqi nationals may also still apply to a consular officer for a Special Immigrant Visa at a U.S. consular post. Individuals who are subject to the Executive Order should familiarize themselves with the above FAQ, in the event that President Trump's efforts to reinstate the travel ban are successful. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook The horrific massacre at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City in St. Foy, Quebec was an act of terror. The suspect, Alexandre Bissonnette, has been linked to hateful ideologies, including anti-immigrant and anti-feminist comments. However, in Canada, when we speak of the threat posed by terrorism, we are inevitably speaking of young black and brown Muslim men. When disaster strikes and the suspect is depicted as being either Arab or Muslim, the reflexive response is to assume that this was an act of terror driven by radical forms of Islam. But when a white person engages in a terror-plot or act of mass-violence, there is often official reluctance to identify it for what it is: terrorism. In my own research, I have found that the threat of terrorist violence by white supremacists receives only passing mention in official policy documents and does not receive the same level of media coverage as acts of terrorism associated with radical forms of Islam. Advertisement The stated focus of post-9/11 Canadian counter-terrorism policy has been the threat posed by "Sunni Islamic-inspired" violent extremism. In particular, the government, law-enforcement and intelligence agencies have been concerned with domestic or "homegrown" radicalization, whereby Canadians are converted to extreme social, political and religious beliefs that justify and compel violence. While other terror threats are acknowledged, the radicalization of young Muslim males is continually identified as the central security threat facing Canadian interests. This concern has resulted in Muslim Canadians being subjected to excessive surveillance and preventative arrests. Canada has a long history with right-wing extremist groups and mass-violence perpetrated by white, Christian Canadians. Furthermore, since 9/11, white supremacist terrorists have conducted the majority of fatal domestic attacks in the U.S. By not giving sufficient credence to the threat of terrorist violence posed by these groups, the Canadian government risks neglecting one of our primary domestic security concerns. Advertisement In the cases where the government has identified the threat posed by white supremacist and extreme right-wing ideological violence, it has largely been in relation to so-called "lone-wolf" attackers who act without direct operational links to established terror groups. This belies the complexity of the threat and ignores long-standing connections between Canadian right-wing extremists and those abroad, and the growing strength of white supremacist and right-wing extremist groups in the U.S. and Europe. Canada has also focused on countering violent extremism by attempting to counter radical narratives. To this end, the RCMP and other law-enforcement agencies have expended considerable resources in developing programs and initiatives designed to not only counter the immediate threat posed by terrorism, but also to build engagement with 'diverse ethnic, cultural and religious communities' and resilience and resistance to violent ideologies. The RCMP recently released the Terrorism and Violent Extremism Guide, which identifies extremist right-wing ideology as one of the three main types of extremism. However, these initiatives remain focused on "Islamic-inspired" threats and Canadian Muslims. Following the Quebec attack, U.S. President Donald Trump offered Prime Minister Trudeau his full support, including military and intelligence resources. White House press secretary Sean Spicer would also use the attack to further justify Trump's anti-immigrant policies, describing them as a progressive approach to national security. However, it is unclear how an attack on Muslims by a person professing extreme right-wing views could be used to justify policies designed to restrict the citizenship and movement of Muslims. Advertisement Furthermore, The Trump administration would days later announce that the U.S. "Counter Violent Extremism" (CVE) policy, intended to counter violent ideologies, would now solely be focused on Islamic-inspired extremism. This move serves to effectively ignore a primary source of domestic terror violence, while potentially further alienating American Muslims. The apparent unwillingness of the U.S. to give even the appearance of combating white supremacists and right-wing extremism has the potential to embolden these groups and to further exacerbate the dangers they pose, including potential risks to Canada. As Canadians, we must acknowledge our long history with white supremacy and right-wing extremism and the continued prevalence of these groups. Programs and policies that primarily focus on Muslim Canadians as being the most "at-risk" for radicalization and extremist violence will do nothing to prevent further violence against Muslim Canadians. Additional resources must be allocated to countering the threat posed by ideologically driven violence associated with white supremacy and right-wing extremism, including security focused counter-terrorism initiatives and efforts to monitor and counter the spread of these hateful ideologies. Given the growing influence of white supremacist and extreme right-wing groups in the U.S. and Europe, and the changing focus of U.S. CVE policy, Canada must be resolved to identify and counter these threats. Advertisement Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Yoga for disabled students in Ottawa, ethnic food served in western restaurants, or Caucasian writers who write books with non-Caucasian characters, have all recently garnered outraged accusations of cultural appropriation. University of Toronto professor Jordan Peterson was informed he would face sanctions for refusing to use non-gender-specific pronouns, and in the United Kingdom, students at the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) recently called for white philosophers to be removed from their curriculum. Identity politics, long well entrenched in the liberal arts circles of academia, have seemingly broken out of the confines of campus debates and critical theory textbooks, and emerged into the mainstream, suddenly becoming a heated theme in the media. Some of the discussion, on the tails of Trump's election, has come from dissident leftists' reflections on what has gone wrong in the left, such that the American electorate could become so polarized. While I'm not sure that even the worst excesses of left's currently in vogue tactics could push fence-sitters into the arms of Trump, certainly extreme political correctness has contributed to a politics of divisiveness. Yet ironically, elements of the right too - elements once on the outer fringes but now invited to the inner hearth with Trump's election - are also embracing identity politics to their own ends. Shuja Haider makes a compelling case in Jacobin that the tactics of the so-called "alt-right" and those of the far left are increasingly hard to distinguish. Haider points out: "It should go without saying that left-liberal identity politics and alt-right white nationalism are not comparable. The problem is that they are compatible." Advertisement Both demand an appeal to difference, hard lines around separate distinct identities, and both say: you are allowed to speak on these matters only after you've shown your race card. As Haider refers to it: "Your right to political agency is determined by your description." This tactic is also in use in how many self-described feminists are choosing to respond to questions of gender and rights in cultures outside their own. A disturbing case study of this can be found in the vitriolic response to a 2012 article by Adele Wilde-Blavatsky, who called the Islamic hijab "discriminatory and rooted in men's desire to control women's appearance and sexuality." Besides being kicked out of the editorial collective of the magazine she wrote the article for, a seething open letter by 77 (North American) "feminists," Wilde-Blavatsky was called a "racist," "white imperialist" and accused of obfuscating her whiteness, in her response to the attacks. In other words, being white, she was made aware she had no right to engage in a discussion on social justice that concerns non-white women (notwithstanding that there are in fact white Muslims too). If we accept and expect certain things for ourselves, but not for others -- justifying this on the basis of identity -- we're advocating a double standard, and actually falling prey to what philosopher Pascal Bruckner called the racism of the anti-racists. Advertisement And while those advocating that a white person can never escape their whiteness, can only ever speak from a position of privilege, likely think of themselves as radically progressive, they're using the same tactic as the "alt-right": reducing people to the ethnically identifiable threads of their DNA. And the truth is, we humans -- whether we come from from a historically repressed race or a historically privileged one -- are more complicated than that. At the most superficial level is Kimberle Williams Crenshaw's notion of intersectionality -- the many threads that compose our identity like sex, gender, religion, culture, class and others -- but deeper than that, and arguably more importantly, is the stuff of our inner selves, our thoughts, feelings, ideas, what we put out into the world -- is this not more who we really are than the labels one can assign us from what they see from the outside? The identity politics espoused by a growing faction of the left is carving up what was once a "we" into fragmented fiefdoms. As Haider points out, racists are effectively using the currently prevailing discourse of antiracism, found in identity politics, to their own ends. What is it about this discourse that lends itself so well to both the far right and the far left? To me, it's the emphasis on difference rather than on equity, equality and on what unites us. And I may be old fashioned, but my left -- the one I want some day to be "the" left again -- is the Left of George Orwell, of when people of one race or nation or ethnicity took up the causes of people of another's when their rights were threatened. This happened when droves of people from around the world, of all sorts of nationalities, showed up in Spain to fight in defence of the democracy under assault by a fascist military dictator. The left I want back is the one where trade union activists worked across borders, and in indifference to skin colour, because they had common cause in protecting the rights of workers. The left I dream of is one where feminists earn back the name by standing against egregious human rights violations to women where ever they occur, irrespective of cultural sanction, and in indisputable opposition to cultural relativism. As Haider writes, if the alt-right "were confronted by a unified 'we' -- a subject that refused to recognize the borders, divisions, and hierarchies that are regulated by the logic of identity -- the alt-right would be left with nowhere to plant its flag." For those who really want social justice for everyone, and a robust liberal left capable of confronting and dismantling the bigotry of the alt-right, the question of whether to harden the lines of identity politics, and make everyone stake their racial bona fides as a determinant of what they can say and do on the matter, is actually very important. It's about whether you want the world to be perpetually hyper in tune to race -- the position identity politics advocates -- or whether you want the world to eventually be blind to race. Shutterstock profile of a young woman... "When you grow up, get married and have kids, you'll be able to..." Ah yes, the words I heard many times growing up when I did something that seemed inappropriate because of my age. It was used as a way to remind me that I wasn't yet an adult and I couldn't yet make the decisions an adult could. Of course, to my young, spongy brain this meant I would be an adult with the right to succeed only once a man found me and thought I was good enough to love and impregnate. Of course, I don't think my family meant for it to come off that way, but still, I had this weird cloud following me around, making my primary focus: find a boy, make him love me, get married and have his babies. Advertisement It should come as no surprise that when I was in elementary school, and then high school, I was slightly boy crazy with very little self-esteem and absolutely no knowledge of what it meant to love myself regardless of who loved me. I woke up every morning with the goal of hiding or changing a certain part of me so I would be liked. It also didn't help that I was bullied to the point where I developed insomnia, a very unhealthy relationship with my body weight (get skinnier! Someone has to like you if you're skinny!) and severe anxiety (the latter I still have today, though it's getting better). I cried every time I got home from school and would manage the mental unrest I experienced by stress-eating and zoning in on a male figure to try and get them to appreciate me, because I felt if I succeeded in getting male attention, I would finally be good at something! At the time, I did not know this was anxiety nor that I was striving for male acceptance. I thought this was normal (and I also watched too many romantic comedies). My lack of self-confidence and my inability to practice self-love and self-care were keeping me far away from developing my independence and learning how to rely on my own definitions of success and happiness as measurements of accomplishment and approval. Advertisement I had to teach myself to look my lack of self-confidence in the eye and instead of blame previous experiences for my battle with learning to love myself, I had to work on accepting what had happened and use it as a driving force to move forward and make change. Today, I've become even more passionate about the importance of self-love and self-care because of the struggle I've had with accepting who I am and developing who I want to be based on my own standards. And this, this ability to even search for positivity, hope, confidence, comfort and love, all without fear, is a privilege. North America's culture of fear and hate has again been unmasked and there are people of all ages, both near and far, being discriminated against because of who they love, what they look like, the type of reproductive organs they were born with and the god to which they pray. These people are being told they are undeserving of basic human needs. There are children being denied safety, shelter and food. There are people hoping to visit their loved ones one last time before they die, only to be denied the chance. There are Canadian children with brown skin coming home from school asking their moms and dads if what the white kids say is true - will they be deported because of how they look? Advertisement We need to unite and take action against this culture of hate, a culture in which so many marginalized groups have been living for centuries. We need to be strong. We need to be confident. In a world filled with darkness, we, people with privilege, must remember that small changes within ourselves and our own lives have the power to leave long-lasting impact for generations now and in the future, especially those who do not have the same resources we do. Learning how to love myself and find confidence in my own definitions of success and accomplishment have drastically improved my ability to focus and my understanding of what is important. These lessons have also shown me it's key to reinforce and teach self-love and self-care, while celebrating, encouraging and honouring these practices. #SelfLoveSymphony is a campaign that promotes happiness and brings opportunities to use privilege for positive power. Advertisement The goal is to get people talking about what makes them feel good, what keeps them motivated, what they practice in times of distress and how they continue to work towards making health and wellness the forefront of their success, strength and sovereignty. My hope is to flood the social media waves with positive messaging so collectively, we can challenge adult bullies dictating how to live, dress and pray. OpenRangeStock via Getty Images Over flowing marijuana buds in glass jar close up with a blurry background It's Canada's biggest guessing game. At least that's the case for about eight million Canucks. Which is how many of us are expected to embrace a looming recreational market for cannabis. Everybody wants to know when the federal government will finally make this election promise a reality. Advertisement Will it be next year? Or could it still be a couple of years away? I want to know as much as anyone else. And fortunately, I don't have to resort to asking for guesstimates from eternally-optimistic pot aficionados or tipsy businessmen in the bar. Instead, I'm fortunate enough to have access to the hotshots who run Canada's publicly-traded, industrial-scale growers. These are the guys whose handful of companies have been entrusted by the federal government with the responsibility of owning a market that will be worth up to $10 billion a year. It will be their job to mass-produce an estimated 600 tonnes of cannabis - every gram of which must meet stringent government standards for quality control and consumer safety. Advertisement Not only will they be mandated to produce the highest-quality cannabis in the world, but they'll also have to be ready to cater to millions of consumers at the stroke of Prime Minister Trudeau's pen. What amazes me the most is that they will have to do this almost from a standing start. Currently, they can only legally service a fast-growing but still relatively tiny market of about 110,000 federal-government-approved medical marijuana patients. Ironically, this nascent industrial-scale cannabis growing industry is struggling even to keep up with demand from Canada's medical patients -- at least for now. The challenges of ramping-up production won't be an industry-wide problem for long. To this point, a couple of dozen publicly-traded companies raised around half a billion dollars in Canada's capital markets last year. Most of that money will be used to build growing facilities as big as one million square feet - and in a hurry. That's so that these companies can hit the ground running when the government finally gives them the nod to usher-in a business opportunity of a lifetime -- the mainstreaming of pot for pleasure. Advertisement These CEOs therefore have a lot of pressure on their shoulders to get their timing just right. Otherwise, their companies could end up with a lot of surplus growing capacity that will hurt both their financials and share prices (at least in the short-term). Nonetheless, each of them is betting big that their gambles are going to pay off. I quizzed several of the industry's more high-profile CEOs about their theories as to when a recreational market will kick-in. So what do they have to say? The biggest player in Canada's cannabis industry is Canopy Growth. With a market capitalization of about $1.6 billion dollars, this company is expected to own the lion's share of the looming recreational cannabis market. Its CEO, Bruce Linton, tells me: "Trudeau should get the system implemented with enough time to work out any kinks and prove it works before he has to face the electorate again. Early 2018 leaves a full fiscal year, much later than that it could become a distraction during the next election." Advertisement More specifically, he means that the Liberal government will want to demonstrate to the electorate the positive impact of bringing an end to Canada's black market for pot. In particular, this will include the generation of significant tax revenues, he says. It will also ease the burden on Canada's judicial system (especially considering that around 50,000 people are criminally charged with cannabis possession each year). Denis Arsenault is the CEO of Canada's only industrial-scale grower of certified organic medical marijuana cannabis, Organigram. His company has a market capitalization of about $278 million. He believes that the Liberal government is working on an expedited timeline to make good on a key election promise. Advertisement "I think legalization will happen sooner, rather than later. We're comfortable (at Organigram) that this will happen in 2018." "The government doesn't want to do this during the 2019 election cycle." And though federal and provincial governments may not want to admit it, they can't wait to get their hands on a juicy new stream of tax revenues, he adds. What he's alluding to is that a precedent has already been set south of the border. That's where the recreational cannabis industry is taxed at a significant premium to other businesses in the states where it's legalized. And Canada is likely to follow suit with a similar "sin tax". "Around $4-5 billion dollars in taxes can be generated by provincial and federal governments," he says. What does Terry Booth think? He's the boss of Aurora Cannabis. At around $700 million, his company has the second biggest market capitalization of all of Canada's big-league, publicly-traded marijuana growers/sellers. Advertisement Aurora is just completing the largest-ever equity financing in Canada's cannabis industry - $75 million. Which means it's ready to build the first phase of a massive new facility. I'm talking about a building that will grow to be as large as 800,000 square feet of indoor cultivation capacity. Boost predicts, "We expect the recreational adult-usage market will begin in the spring of 2018." His reasoning is that Canada will need to withdraw from three international drug control treaties. And that involves notifying the Secretary-General of the United Nations a full year before Canada can opt-out. So Prime Minister Trudeau is likely to do this sooner, rather than later, he suggests. In which case, Canada's big producers are going to have to scramble to scale-up in time to satisfy a huge pent-up demand - whether this happens within the next 15 months or later. Otherwise, we could end up with a huge irony: there might not be enough pot to go around. So Canada's big growers -- who can't wait for 2018 to arrive -- would be wise to remember the old adage, 'Be careful of what you ask for. You just might get it.' Advertisement Follow these and other cannabis stocks at http://www.cannabiscapitalist.ca/ Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Photo by Oxfam America Recently we revealed that eight billionaires -- all of them men -- own as much wealth as the bottom half of humanity. It is clear that people around the world are angry and disillusioned with the global economy. Growing inequality has left much of humanity struggling to make ends meet while the richest one per cent continues to profit. This rampant inequality is a sure sign our economic model is broken. Advertisement So what exactly has gone wrong? Our economy is built on six false assumptions that continue to be sold to us as truths. #1Our profit-driven capital growth model is gender-neutral The World Economic Forum predicts that it would take 170 years to close the gender pay gap at current levels of progress. Women are subsidizing the economy with free and cheap labour while facing violence and exploitation. It is predominantly women who are working for poverty wages in export processing and special economic zones. They are the ones fueling GDP growth but can't access the benefits. Women are also responsible for countless hours of unpaid work in the home -- the cooking, cleaning, childcare and eldercare that enables our economy to function. All combined, this unpaid care work is actually worth trillions of dollars -- but it never actually gets accounted for. Every day, women face the challenge of balancing unpaid care work with the need to earn a living. To build a human economy, we need to invest in services like health care, childcare and eldercare, and make economic decisions that take into account the needs and challenges women face. We need to take deliberate action to ensure that growth fairly benefits women. #2The market is always right and the role of government in the economy should be minimized The firm belief in the power of markets, combined with a negative view of government intervention, is fundamental to neoliberal economics. While the market is an incredibly powerful engine for growth, it does not lead to inclusive growth if left unchecked. And a runaway market certainly won't ensure shared prosperity and a sustainable future. Advertisement Public ownership and market regulation is necessary to ensure everyone can access essential services such as healthcare and education. Governments can and should intervene in the economy to protect citizens from shocks, such as the financial crisis of 2008, and to prevent private monopoly control of services that the poorest rely on, like transportation or water. #2Corporations must maximize profits and returns for shareholders at all costs Shareholder-driven profit-maximization is seen as the gold standard for economic growth. But this means that businesses look for ways to pay ever-less tax and squeeze workers out of a fair pay to maximize profits. This has resulted in massive conglomerates and extreme profit margins that disproportionately boost the incomes of already rich shareholders, while shortchanging workers, farmers, consumers, and the planet. While investors are satisfied, society hurts. But it doesn't have to be this way. Business can thrive with adequate returns, as opposed to maximum profits on the backs of the poor and the planet. This model already exists. Some corporations have already chosen to prioritize a social mission over profit maximization, or to share ownership with community stakeholders, including workers. They have chosen to give workers and farmers a fair deal and are willing to cover the cost of more sustainable resource use. #4Extreme individual wealth is not the problem -- it's a sign of success Contrary to public belief, research shows that many of those at the top do not owe their fortunes to hard work. Fifty percent of those on the Forbes billionaires list owe their wealth to inheritance or a high level of cronyism. The inequality gap is also extremely relevant to economic growth. Countries that are more equal do economically better, for longer. Having more billionaires actually slows down a country's growth. The super-rich too often use their wealth to gain political advantages -- tilting a country's policies in favour of the few over the many. Less inequality helps create more democracy -- and vice versa. Advertisement #5GDP growth should be the overriding goal of policy making GDP is hailed as the measure for how a nation, and its leaders, are performing. But GDP doesn't tell us how citizens are faring. While Zambia's GDP rose and it transitioned from a low to middle income country, the number of people living in poverty in the country actually increased. Tracking GDP doesn't tell us who actually profits from growth. GDP also doesn't account for women's unpaid care work, which is subsidizing the global economy at an estimated value of $10 trillion USD a year. #6The planet provides endless resources for the economy Our economic growth relies on natural resources or on natural systems to process waste. These environmental inputs and outputs are not accounted for and therefore ignored. A focus on short-term returns has blinded us to the negative long-term consequences of our economic model. Our planet can no longer keep up with this rate of depletion, and the consequences fall disproportionately to the poor. The richest 10 per cent of humanity is responsible for half of all total emissions leading to climate change, yet it is the poorest communities that face the most severe consequences. Women in rural communities are particularly affected as they often depend on agriculture for a living. People's well-being and the survival of the planet require a different kind of economy -- an economy that does not stand on the shaky ground of these six myths. In a human economy, national governments are accountable to the 99 per cent. They intervene when needed and cooperate with other governments to fix global problems such as tax dodging, climate change and environmental harm. In a human economy, businesses seek to increase prosperity for all, and ensure that women's work is fairly paid and equally valued. Technology is steered to the benefit of everyone and to create an environmentally sustainable future. And governments measure what actually matters: people's wellbeing, not just GDP. Advertisement We think a more human economy is possible. We have a blueprint for it. If you want to know more, join us on February 9th to explore how Canada can take the first steps to building a more human economy with its next federal budget. Diana Sarosi is a Women's Rights Policy and Advocacy Specialist at Oxfam Canada Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Wang Qi, an ex-Chinese Army surveyor who got stuck in India for 54 years, is still longing for home. (Photo : Twitter) A sad story of separation and yearning for home defines the life of Chinese Army surveyor Wang Qi, whose peculiar circumstances involved being trapped inside India for five decades, amid a web of diplomatic and bureaucratic hurdles involving both China and India. The end of the Sino-Indian War in 1963 saw Wang's life turned for the worse--he has since been held by Indian authorities after losing his way over India's border. For 54 years, he has not lost his yearning to return to his family in China's Shaanxi Province. Advertisement Mired in poverty, Wang's decision to join the People's Liberation Army in 1960 was borne out of his education in surveying, for which he was tasked to build roads during the border conflict that spurred the Sino-Indian War in 1962. Yet, as the war between China and India ended, Wang found himself entangled in both countries' diplomatic mess, as Indian officials accused him of intrusion into India's borders as well as providing them with a wrongful account as to why he ended up crossing the Indian border in the first place. But Wang, who is now over 80 years old, only has a simple story to tell about his unfortunate situation: "I had gone out of my camp for a stroll but lost my way. I was tired and hungry. I saw a Red Cross vehicle and asked them to help me. They handed me over to the Indian army," he said in a BBC interview. Nonetheless, Wang sought to make the most out of his life in India. He became known by his Indian name Raj Bahadur, married a local named Sushila and formed his own family with her, and sought for various ways of livelihood. Locals describe Wang as an honest and hardworking man, although his desire to achieve a good life in India has always been hampered by his complicated status. At one point, he was beaten up by the police for not giving in to bribery while running his own business. Wang, however, remains eager to come back home to China. As the years kept him rooted in India, he wrote several letters back home, getting pictures in return alongside letters from his mother, who passed away in 2006 waiting for him. Numerous attempts to procure official papers from both Chinese and Indian authorities, made possible through the help of relatives and friends, have yet to result to Wang's homecoming, what with the complexities involving the bureaucratic side of his situation. Whether Wang's return to China is forthcoming remains a question unanswered by the current circumstances, although the old man remains hopeful that he'll get to see the remaining members of his family, without leaving his own in India. Watch BBC's feature on Wang's life as uploaded by user Huh Bub on YouTube below: For a brief moment I was actually starting to feel sorry for Sean Spicer, President Donald Trump's White House Press Secretary. Not only had he gotten off to the worst start as a press secretary in recorded history, but his most staunch defender, Trump White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway, quickly anointed him as a purveyor of "alternative facts". Thank you, Kellyanne! To top it all off, comic actor Melissa McCarthy did a withering (and hilarious) impersonation of Spicer on Saturday Night Live. Advertisement As a former press secretary myself, I actually felt a momentary pang of sympathy. But then I got a grip. Spicer, at 45 years of age, is no neophyte. He has served as press secretary to four Republican Congressmen. He served in the U.S. Trade Representative's office during the Bush administration. He was the Communications Director for the Republican National Committee. He also once served as the Easter Bunny during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll (surely the most relevant qualification for his current role). In short, he should know better. At a minimum, he should have known that he'd have about as much chance controlling his own destiny in a twitter-mad Trump White House as did those monkeys the Americans used to send into space to test the Mercury space capsules. Meaning none. Advertisement One of the very first people I contacted upon immigrating to Canada in 1986 was Patrick Gossage, former press secretary to Pierre Elliott Trudeau. We had actually met earlier, in 1984, when I was serving in the Reagan Administration and he was an attache at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. As former press secretaries we hit it off immediately. Gossage, with typical candor, told me that when he was initially hired by Trudeau, his boss had exclaimed, "But you're so green!" I countered with my own story. A week or so after I was hired by U.S. Senator Edward W. Brooke of Massachusetts, a liberal Republican (there were such things back then), we were stuck in an airport, killing time. He suddenly turned to me. "Bob, how old are you, anyway?" This seemed an odd question -- it wasn't my birthday -- but I answered. "I am twenty-eight, Senator." Brooke froze. Then he rose up in the crowded waiting area and bellowed, "Twenty-eight! Twenty-eight! If I had known you were twenty-eight... I never would have hired you." "By all rational measures, Sean Spicer has taken on an impossible mission." Both Gossage and I survived these initial moments of doubt, Patrick to become perhaps the most esteemed (and certainly the most quick-witted) Canadian press secretary in memory. I, on the other hand, survived my tenure with Senator Brooke and went on to be Senator Bob Dole's Press Secretary before entering Canada via the private sector and, ultimately, teaching public relations to Canadian graduate students. Advertisement Patrick Gossage wrote a very good book chronicling his experience as Trudeau's press secretary called "Close To the Charisma." It's subtitle is particularly relevant to today and Mr. Spicer: "My Years Between the Press and Pierre Elliott Trudeau." Patrick's operative word is "between". Being a press secretary is a balancing act. It is also, when the role is properly constituted, a two-way communications channel. You don't need to be friends with the media (although some, like Jack Kennedy's Pierre Salinger and Ronald Reagan's Jim Brady, did have journalists as friends); but you do need the media's trust and to establish at least a modicum of mutual respect. The media understand that a press secretary is doing his or her best to represent the views and positions of their boss. In some ways they are similar to a lawyer -- an advocate acting on behalf of a client. Advertisement Veteran Washington reporter Cheryl Arvidson once said of me that, "He tells the best truth possible under the circumstances." I did not take offense, because I knew the corollary to that statement was that I did not tell untruths. Somehow, in the 2010's, the ability to tell untruths has become acceptable. All press secretaries -- and all public relations practitioners -- to one degree or another have to subjugate at least a few of their own personal beliefs or opinions to those of their boss or the institution they serve. Indeed, a press secretary who has identical views on every issue or situation would not be of much use -- people in leadership positions need to hear differing views, including those emanating from contact with the media. And if those views are irreconcilable, you quit -- as my friend and mentor, the late Jerry terHorst did when his boss, President Gerald Ford, pardoned Richard Nixon. By all rational measures, Sean Spicer has taken on an impossible mission. He is, in the immortal words of a long-standing Japanese public relations colleague of mine, "Like a kamikaze pilot with a two ship quota." Will Sean Spicer bail out? Will he quit before the tweets overwhelm him? Time will tell. But he operates in a completely different universe from Mr. terHorst - or from that once inhabited by Pat Gossage or me. PR thought leader Richard Edelman recently posted a very instructive post-election survey that showed that only 15 percent of Trump voters trust in media. Advertisement If Spicer's primary mission is to appeal to that base, he might argue he's doing one heck of a job and isn't going anywhere. Expect to see a lot more of Melissa McCarthy on SNL. (Robert Waite teaches graduate courses in public relations at Seneca College and is Managing Director of Waite + Co, a communications consulting firm) marekuliasz via Getty Images business ethics word cloud - handwriting on a napkin with cup of coffee Fiduciary is a slippery concept, often misused, that can confuse laypeople and lawyers alike. Fiduciary can refer to a person acting in a position of trust or a particular kind of obligation. Both fiduciary relationships and fiduciary obligations are based in trust. When someone acts as a fiduciary, he or she has an obligation to act in utmost good faith for the benefit of the person or people with whose interests he or she is entrusted. These concepts are further complicated by the fact that not all obligations of a fiduciary are fiduciary obligations and not all people who owe fiduciary obligations to others are properly described as fiduciaries. Fiduciaries cannot use their position to gain a personal advantage, profit, or opportunity. Because trust is integral to fiduciary relationships, a fiduciary must not put themselves in a position in which his or her own interests might conflict with the interests of the person to whom they owe fiduciary obligations. Where a fiduciary breaches a fiduciary obligation, there may be significant consequences. Advertisement The law recognizes some special relationships in which one individual, the fiduciary, is required to put the interests of another party or parties above his or her own. Examples of fiduciary relationships include parents and children, lawyers and clients, and trustees and beneficiaries. Within these relationships, there is a strong presumption that a fiduciary obligation exists. Not all duties or obligations within even these well-recognized categories of fiduciary relationship will be fiduciary in nature. In Norberg v Wynrib, [1992] 2 SCR 226, the Supreme Court of Canada explained that although the relationship between doctor and patient is fiduciary in nature, some duties owed to the patient are not fiduciary, but are instead based in contract or tort. Fiduciary obligations may also be found outside of fiduciary relationships. In Lac Minerals Ltd. v International Corona Resources Ltd, [1989] 2 SCR 574, the Court held that fiduciary obligations can be found in the specific facts and circumstances of a particular relationship, even if the relationship does not fall into a class of recognized fiduciary relationships. If a fiduciary obligation is found to exist, a breach can give rise to severe equitable remedies, notwithstanding the fact there was no ongoing or typical fiduciary relationship. In the estate administration context, there is an established fiduciary relationship between the estate trustee and the beneficiaries of an estate. An estate trustee who misappropriates funds will be required to pay back, or disgorge, the money, including any interest or profit the trustee made from the use of the funds inconsistent with the trustees fiduciary obligations. Similarly, if an estate trustee pursues or defends an action inappropriately (in any way that is not in the best interests of the estate and its beneficiaries), a court may order the trustee to pay costs personally rather than out of the estate. Estate administration is also a good example of a situation where a fiduciary relationship includes non-fiduciary duties. Frequently estate trustees are lawyers and may do tasks as a lawyer for the estate. For example, clerical duties or real estate transactions might be completed by the lawyer, but not as an estate trustee. If the estate trustee does not complete these tasks properly, he or she may be liable for negligence with respect to work as a lawyer, but not be found to have breached a fiduciary duty as estate trustee. Advertisement It is important that fiduciaries understand their obligations before taking on a fiduciary role with corresponding obligations. Estate trustees are often not legal professionals and may not understand the scope of the duties and exposure to personal liability that come with the role. Newly appointed fiduciaries may wish to consult a lawyer with a background in equity or trust law, who can ensure that they fully understand and act in accordance with their fiduciary obligations. Ian Hull and Suzana Popovic-Montag are partners at Hull & Hull LLP, an innovative law firm that practices exclusively in estate, trust and capacity litigation. To watch more Hull & Hull TV episodes, please visit our Hull & Hull TV page. By Brigette DePape, Prairies Regional Organizer for the Council of Canadians This week, the Trudeau government broke its promise that 2019 would be the last election with a first-past-the-post system. This was a mistake - and many of us are losing hope about the Trudeau government responding to the concerns of the millennial generation. In some ways, I am so grateful to have a government that believes in the ideals of inclusion, feminism, and public service. We can celebrate the great things this government has done like funding Freedom Road for Shoal Lake First Nation. What a gift to have a government that is a force of positive energy globally and locally, to have a government that has been providing public consultations and space for people to share their thoughts and concerns. Advertisement However, while they are providing this space for us to speak, they are not listening to us. Many young people voted for the first time last election, feeling hopeful about a change in government. Many are feeling let down. With the consultations on electoral reform, it was clear that the majority of people favoured a proportional representation system. Fair Vote Canada notes that "During national consultations on electoral reform, 80% of citizens and 88% of experts expressed a very clear preference for proportional representation (PR)". While proportional representation may not seem to be in the immediate best interest of the Liberal Party, it could be in their long-term best interest. Many of the young people who are actively mobilizing our generation, and who are reflecting and shaping public opinion, are actively campaigning for proportional representation. It was not smart to break a promise to this group. Advertisement We saw the devastating impact the Harper government had with 39% of the popular vote - which we are still recovering from - and we thought this government would change this so that we could see a more equitable distribution of power that better reflected the people's wishes. This adds to a series of disappointments, on things like the approval of the Kinder Morgan pipeline, the Petronas LNG terminal, the Line 3 pipeline that runs through Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and the Site C Dam. By agreeing to the Truth and Reconciliation principles, the government agreed to respecting the free, prior, informed consent of Indigenous communities. Approving these projects violated that. I'm disappointed about proportional representation and these industrial projects that contribute to climate change. "We are showing now that when governments go against our will, we won't let this go unnoticed." Everyone makes mistakes. What distinguishes us is how we respond to those mistakes and whether we learn from them. It is absolutely not too late for the government to fulfill its promise of proportional representation. It is not too late to show leadership on climate change - and invest in renewable energies. It is not too late to respect Indigenous knowledge and rights and say no to pipelines. How else can you regain our trust? Keep the promises you have made. For example, you have promised to restore water legislation, such as the Navigable Waters and Fisheries Acts, gutted by the Harper government. Let's see the legislation to restore those bills. Advertisement In the midst of Trump's recent immigration ban, the terrorist attack in Quebec City, climate change, and following nine years of Stephen Harper rule, many of us we want to feel a sense of trust and hope in the people we elect. But we need the government to give us a reason to hope. Still, I am hopeful things will progress. Why? Because our generation -- along with that of our parents and grandparents -- are responding and standing up for what we believe in. I have hope because our generation has shown that we have the power to mobilize, as we did with the recent federal election, to see a change in government. And we can use the skills we have gained to keep the government accountable now. In the context of Trump's election, I have seen friends - both those who are active in social movements and people who are engaging for the first time -- mobilized to protest against his inauguration, against the wall, and against the ban on Muslims and refugees. 36,000 people have signed a petition calling on Trudeau to reverse his decision on electoral reform. All of this gives me hope. We are showing now that when governments go against our will, we won't let this go unnoticed. We are writing letters, posting on social media, making phone calls, signing petitions, attending protests and more. When governments are headed in a direction not desired by the people, we are coming together and having the courage to take a stand. Advertisement Now it's the government's turn to listen. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook "He's doing what he said he was going to do. Let them protest." The unlikely scene: a drinking establishment somewhere in the Dominican Republic. Two American men are perched on stools at the bar, watching a satellite TV report -- from Long Island, New York, of all places -- showing footage of multiple American protests about Donald Trump's Muslim ban. Everybody is arguing whether or not it is a BAN. Call it what you want, it is about keeping bad people (with bad intentions) out of country! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2017 One of the American men had said: "He sure is stirring up a lot of shit." His drinking buddy, as noted, is undaunted. (I, meanwhile, am listening in, pretending to be waiting for a drink for my wife that has already been delivered.) Advertisement The indifferent one shrugs and pulls on his beer. He grunts. "I don't have a problem with it." Neither, as it turns out, do the majority of Americans. Anti-immigrant and anti-refugee sentiment isn't just popular: it's sweeping the planet. When I returned to my thirsty spouse, I checked the Internet. You can do likewise, and this is what you'll find. Reuters/Ipsos: The two firms polled a bunch of Americans right after the Unpresident attached his signature to the now-infamous executive order banning travel from seven Muslim countries. Half -- 49 per cent -- agreed or strongly agreed with what Trump had done. Only 41 per cent disagreed. A third said it actually made them feel "more safe." And get this: 52 per cent of self-identified Democrats agreed with Trump's move. Quinnipiac University: There, the same sort of depressing results: 48 per cent with Trump, 42 per cent against. Said the pollsters: "American voters support suspending immigration from 'terror prone' regions, even if it means turning away refugees from those regions." Rasmussen: In this one, Trump did even better. In the wake of the decision, Rasmussen found that a whopping 57 per cent of Americans agreed, some strongly, with what the Groper-in-Chief had done. Only 33 per cent were against it. The Daily and Sunday Express in Britain headlined that the Rasmussen results were "a shock." Advertisement But they're not. Not to anyone who has been paying attention, anyway. Anti-immigrant and anti-refugee sentiment isn't just popular: it's sweeping the planet. It's why Brexit happened last June. It's why Donald Trump happened last November. And it's why up here in little old Canada -- the now-aptly-monikered Great White North -- that the likes of Kellie Leitch and Kevin O'Leary have stubbornly stuck to their Trump-Lite guns. As Leitch's former campaign manager kept telling everyone before resigning late last week -- and said former campaign manager has multiple members of his immediate family who are practicing Muslims, is married to an immigrant, is the son of immigrants and belongs to a family that is working to sponsor Syrian refugees, by the by -- two-thirds of Canadians are onside. No less than the Toronto Star, never a paragon of conservative ideals, says so: "Two-thirds of Canadians want prospective immigrants to be screened for 'anti-Canadian' values, a new poll reveals, lending support to an idea that is stirring controversy in political circles," The Star reported in September. "Sixty-seven per cent [say] immigrants should indeed be screened for 'anti-Canadian values.'" Advertisement Oh, and Liberals and New Democrats? Among them, 57 and 59 per cent, respectively, agreed with what Leitch has been saying about screening immigrants and refugees. Apologies, here, for the myriad numbers. Apologies, too, for thoroughly depressing my already-discouraged progressive friends. But the facts are becoming undeniable, folks. Sure, Donald Trump is a racist, sexist, fascistic creep. But the fact is that he won the election precisely by being the anti-immigrant candidate. Fact two: it is not necessarily racist to want a debate about immigration and refugee policy. It isn't. That's what I wrote more than 20 years ago in my book about racism, Web of Hate. It's not wrong to have an objective, fact-based debate about how to deal with a massive influx of dispossessed people in the West. Advertisement What's wrong, however, is to do it as Trump has done in the space of just a few days: by pledging to put up walls, and by dislocating tax-paying, law-abiding American citizens who happen to have been born somewhere else. It's wrong, too, to play dog-whistle politics, promising to keep out those with "values" we dislike. And it's wrong, of course, to pepper a pro-refugee Facebook page with racist bile -- and, then, when that isn't enough, to go pick up a semi-automatic and gun down six innocent people at prayer in Quebec City. Citizens everywhere clearly want to have a debate about immigrants and refugees. Some are worried, some are scared. Some are racists, but some actually aren't. We in Canada can certainly have such a debate, but not in the way Trump is doing it, of course, or the way in which Kellie Leitch and Kevin O'Leary want to do it, and not, particularly, because we in any way agree with the Brexit and Trump cabal. Advertisement Because we want to keep them from taking over here, too. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Also on HuffPost: "My feeling for the land is something that only farmers could understand. I'm dreaming of the day I can return. I wouldn't trade this land for its weight in gold." Haaretz 80-year-old Maryam Hamad hasn't set foot on her land since Israeli settlers set up their trailers and built on the West Bank hilltop almost 20 years ago. After two years of legal wrangling by the Israeli Government to circumvent a Supreme Court ruling that it must be demolished, the Amona outpost was finally evacuated this week. Built on private Palestinian land, Amona was illegal not only under international law - as are all Israeli settlements in the West Bank - but also under Israel's own law. Maryam is one of a number of Palestinians who, supported by Oxfam's Israeli partner Yesh Din, successfully petitioned the High Court to evacuate Amona. But even the victory of this evacuation is limited, as the government has since reached agreement with the settlers to move them to adjacent land - which is also Palestinian private land. If this happens, the Palestinian land owners like Maryam will most likely be unable to go near their land because it will be declared a security zone due its proximity to the new settlements. Israel's history on Amona has been an astonishing example of the government's willingness to appease a small group of settlers at the expense of human rights and justice, even as decreed by its own High Court. Advertisement Amona is one of 97 similar unauthorised outposts strategically scattered across the Occupied Palestinian Territory. These outposts, along with the constant expansion of settlements considered lawful by the Government of Israel but illegal under international law, have thrived to now accommodate more than half a million Israelis, including settlements in East Jerusalem. If this expansion continues at the current rate, any prospect for a Palestinian state will become increasingly difficult, even impossible, to realize. Alarmingly, and seemingly emboldened by the change in US administration, a senior member of the Israeli cabinet has recently announced he will put forward a plan to formally annex almost all illegal settlements on Palestinian land surrounding Jerusalem. After the largest settlement plan since 2013 was approved by the Israeli government last week, 3000 more settlement homes were approved on the eve of the Amona evacuation. These would accelerate the illegal but practically effective absorption of Palestinian territory into Israel, unilaterally shifting the borders and furthering the process of steady de facto annexation of Palestinian territory. This continued expansion across the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the confiscation of Palestinian land and resources is not only an obstacle to peace, it keeps vulnerable Palestinians poor. Illegal settlements have fuelled poverty across the West Bank and the Jordan Valley, with both the World Bank and United Nations concluding restrictions on Palestinian access to Area C - the 61 percent of the West Bank under full Israeli government control and where most settlements are located - cost the Palestinian economy about 2.7 billion/$3.4 billion a year. Despite its reluctance to evacuate illegal Israeli settlers, the government has proved itself both willing and exceedingly effective in demolishing Palestinian homes. Last year, a record number of demolitions took place, over 1000 structures, with thousands of Palestinians forced from their homes as bulldozers arrived to destroy them. In the first week of 2017, the number of Palestinian buildings demolished was four times the weekly average compared to last year. In just four days, 74 structures were destroyed and 151 Palestinians were left without homes. It's an alarming forewarning of what may come in this 50th year of occupation. Advertisement The Israeli authorities, which systematically carry out these demolitions, justify them by claiming the Palestinian structures are 'illegal' and built without permits. However, Israel's permit and planning regime - which is discriminatory and illegal under international law - makes it almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain such permits. Despite the Government of Israel's actions being widely condemned, including by the donor governments whose humanitarian aid it also destroys, it enjoys similar levels of impunity in the international community as do the settlers of Amona within Israel. While the EU, UK and US are increasingly willing to issue well-rehearsed denunciations about settlements and demolitions, they are far less forthcoming in pressing Israel for any real accountability, including by demanding compensation for demolished humanitarian structures they have funded. Instead, the Government of Israel has allocated 40 million shekels - approximately 8.8 million - in compensation to be shared between the settlers of Amona as well as others in the adjacent Ofra settlement, which has also been ordered by the Supreme Court to evacuate. And despite the unprecedented scale of demolitions of EU-funded structures, the EU has signalled it is willing to consider upgrading bilateral relations with Israel. On its current trajectory, Israel's occupation of the Palestinian Territory could persist indefinitely with continued impunity, perpetuating the range of human rights abuses and violations of international law that have been committed under its auspices for decades. Enough is enough. The international community must hold Israel to account for its ongoing and systematic violations of international law. In order to preserve any chance for a just and lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis, Israel's ongoing de facto annexation of Palestinian territory must be halted and reversed before it is too late. Advertisement Lettuce rationing probably wasn't in most pundits' predictions for 2017. But this winter our supermarket shelves have been emptying of the green vegetables we take for granted. An extreme weather cocktail of drought, flooding and freezing conditions has wiped out crops in Southern Spain, while Italy, Turkey and Greece are struggling with poor conditions. Lettuce is currently the main casualty, with spinach, aubergines and broccoli also under threat. Everyone's having great fun tweeting about the #lettucecrisis and the earlier #courgettecrisis. Complaining about price rises, sharing photos of shortage signs, listing all the supermarkets they've trekked to, searching for a humble aubergine. Advertisement The UK has been forced to import lettuce from Egypt and the US West Coast, more than 5,300 miles from Britain. It's a monumental waste of energy and merely exacerbates the original problem - climate change. Before becoming Deputy Leader of the Greens, I wrote a report for a company on the potential effects of climate change on lettuce stocks as a result of flooding in Spain some years back. The issue of a vegetable shortage has been in the pipeline for years - and not enough BigFarma corporations are addressing the incoming threats to food security fast enough. In fact, the report I wrote alongside colleagues highlighted key climate change mitigation actions that would protect crops for decades to come. But what the business actually wanted to know was whether its farms should be moved to Scotland or Scandinavia from Spain and Italy - rather than improving its supply chain to create a net benefit by improving ethical, environmental and economic outcomes to their work through policy, communication and supply chain changes. Advertisement The lettuce crisis isn't a one off, this is the stark reality we now face. Year on year, severe weather is impacting our way of life - from devastating floods to the annual record-breaking summer heats. These changes in our climate will have a lasting impact on our food security, with many of our staple foods dependent on specific weather conditions. This is affecting what we see on the shelves by destroying entire fields of crops as well as reducing overall yields. The official warnings have already been issued by organisations such as the IPCC and UNFCCC. The solutions aren't always simple - but they will be fundamental to future food security, and the protection of livelihoods here in the UK and around the world. Our Government is not doing enough to address the causes of climate change. Maybe our leaders don't realise the effects won't just be felt overseas, but will increasingly affect the livelihoods and wellbeing of people in the UK. What starts with limited food rationing by our supermarkets could lead to the rationing by our Government if the warning signs aren't heeded. And if big tariffs are slapped on food from Europe following Theresa May's hard Brexit, the situation will only get worse. No one will be laughing then. Advertisement We can support stronger supply chains with a few simple actions. To begin with, businesses and governments need to acknowledge that fighting climate change will reduce the risk to their own nations and business. Tax breaks can be put on locally-supplied, in-season vegetables to incentivise people to purchase foods that we're currently producing at a high volume. Most importantly, we need to stop the fossil fuel consumption that is driving these severe weather events, by funding publicly-owned green transport and kick-starting a local renewable energy revolution. After decades of work by feminist activists, including the late Efua Dorkenoo, female genital mutilation (FGM) is finally a priority issue on the international policy agenda. It is no longer considered a supposedly cultural practice, which certain girls should endure, but is correctly understood as a human rights violation and an extreme form of violence against women and girls. International awareness of the issue has increased in recent years too, with much increased media attention. FGM is the partial or complete removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. It has no health benefits, but carries plenty of health risks, including lifelong complications and death. FGM is usually carried out on girls under the age of 15 and increasingly on babies and very young girls. According to UNICEF, it has affected over 200 million women and girls globally, but this survey is limited to certain countries, so the real global number is likely to be substantially higher. Advertisement African women activists have been spearheading efforts to end FGM in their own localities. In Kenya, Agnes Pareyio travelled throughout Maasai territory with a wooden vagina, showing Kenyans the harmful physical effects of this abuse of girls. In 1999, she set up the Tasaru Ntomonok Initiative (TNI), a rescue centre for girls running away from FGM. Since then, she and her team have broken the cycle of abuse. They have held over two dozen reconciliation ceremonies, where girls who were previously at risk of FGM are reunited with their families, after they agree that she will be protected from it. Thanks in large part to the work of TNI and other local organisations, Kenya is now leading the way globally in terms of ending this abuse. Prevalence has fallen to 11% for teenage girls significantly lower than for middle aged adult women, where the figure is closer to 50%. A lot of progress has been made at national policy level in recent years in several countries. FGM has been outlawed in both Nigeria and The Gambia, but others such as Sudan, Mali, Liberia and Sierra Leone have yet to ban it. Advertisement When you delve a little deeper into UNICEFs 2016 statistics, its clear that some countries are finding it more difficult than others to reduce FGM prevalence. While Kenya and Burkina Faso are reducing it relatively quickly, Egypt, Guinea, The Gambia, Sudan, Mali and Sierra Leone continue to struggle with high percentages and have failed to seriously address the issue. For girls under 14, West Africa has the three worst places in the world for FGM prevalence, with Mali (where FGM is legal) by far the highest at 74. In terms of the overall levels of FGM at national level, Somalia is worst at 98%, but even in this country, some womens groups are having profound impact. In Puntland, Somalia, Hawa Aden Mohamed founded the Galkayo Education Center for Peace and Development in 1999 to protect girls from FGM, with a keen focus on education. It provides free schooling to more than 800 poor, orphaned, and displaced girls at primary level, and to 1,600 girls over age 13 in "non-formal" education. Jane Fonda recently published a video, which highlighted the incredible work of the Galkayo Center one of many examples of front-line groups who are protecting girls from FGM every single day. Although major progress is being made by groups such as the Galkayo Center in Somalia and TNI in Kenya, funding for anti-FGM activists doing this hazardous work in their localities is still at extremely low levels. International awareness has been raised, but funding has not been significantly increased to front-line organisations, where it can be used most effectively. In response to this trend, two years ago today, Donor Direct Action launched the Efua Dorkenoo Fund, which, as with all of the organisations sub-grants, has flipped the donor equation. As well as providing ongoing support and facilitating opportunities, it re-grants at least 90% of raised funds directly to front-line partners around the world, so money gets to where it is most needed. Unless we manage to dramatically increase funding to local anti-FGM groups, we may miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to make a truly lasting difference in the lives of women and girls. Rather than financing management consultants in London or New York, it is time to ensure that those leading the change are provided with the finance they need to continue the amazing work that they already know how to do. Advertisement Please make a donation today, International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, and help these amazing African groups continue to protect every single girl at risk. MarkRubens via Getty Images Today we bid farewell to the first month of 2017, during which many of us have made and sought to maintain our New Year's resolutions. Mine, perhaps predictably for the Chairman of a charity, was to make sure that my organisation intensified its work supporting Iraqi IDPs who are in more dire need than ever before. But resolutions are hard to keep when global affairs intervene. My charity, the AMAR Foundation, prides itself on employing only national professionals in our 1,500-strong field team. We believe strongly that a wholly indigenous work force is the only way to build local capacity and reduce dependence on international aid. On my visits to Iraq, I am always deeply inspired by our Iraqi staff. Many are IDPs themselves who have often overcome unimaginable hardship to rebuild their own lives, only to dedicate them to helping their fellow citizens. Advertisement Dr. Ali Muthanna, Engineer Dunya Abdulamir, and Teacher Muneera Lazim are three shining examples of Iraqi people's determination to rebuild their own country. These outstanding members of our team were due to visit the United States in April this year for our Annual Gala Dinners in Washington D.C. and Salt Lake City. They were scheduled to talk about AMAR's humanitarian work in Iraq, particularly with the thousands of men, women, and children who have suffered at the hands of Daesh terrorists. After these events, they were scheduled to give talks at leading American universities and to meet with senior U.S. medical experts. What better way, I had thought, to further my New Year's resolution than by giving our trans-Atlantic friends the chance to hear first-hand the exceptional humanitarian work done by Iraqis, for Iraqis? But recent developments have meant that Dr. Ali, Dunya, and Muneera are temporarily unable to travel to America. Advertisement It's a great pity that those who planned to attend the meetings in the United States will now not be able to learn from these highly-qualified and inspiring Iraqis who have so much valuable professional experience to share when it comes to humanitarian aid and peacebuilding. All three have CVs that any Western professional would envy. As a former refugee himself, Dr. Ali, our Regional Manager in Iraq since 2003, understands all too well the harrowing experiences of the country's increasing IDP population. He has built an illustrious career. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Medicine and General Surgery from Basra University, he is a member of the Iraqi Medical Association and the administrative committee of the 'Marsh Bulletin' scientific journal. He also organises numerous scientific conferences for his alma mater. Dunya has worked as a Project Administrator for AMAR since 2010. An Engineering graduate from Basra University, she has managed many of our Emergency Assistance and Health programmes such as the Abu Sakir Health Post and Community Education project, working tirelessly to ensure their success. Muneera joined AMAR as a Project Manager and Administrator in 2007. Leading programmes promoting women's empowerment, human rights, and democracy, she has dedicated herself to strengthening Iraqi communities. I sincerely hope that the US border opens again as soon as possible to allow these wonderful people to visit. Advertisement Over three million Iraqis have been displaced by Daesh's barbaric war. With article upon article, and video upon video, emerging from Iraq showing the horrific impact of conflict, it is obvious that the country's innocent population deserve the full support of the international community. But what is too often forgotten in heated political debate on refugees and immigration is this: Iraqis deserve our help, but most of all they want to help themselves. The many thousands of IDPs and refugees that I have met over the years have made it abundantly clear that they do not want to leave their homes or cast their fate into the hands of distant foreign politicians. All they want is something to which every human being should have the right: A peaceful and stable country in which they and their families can lead happy and fulfilling lives. The comedic potential of blackface was realized by vice chairman of Belford Parish Council in Northumberland, Councillor Ian Carruthers. In an innovative and inspiring costume choice, the councillor decided to dress as a Golliwog for a costume party and post a picture on his social media. The golliwog is an icon now soaked with racist connotations towards black people. It's not 'political correctness gone mad' to hope that Carruthers would be reprimanded in some way. However, Northumberland County Council said that the costume was related to "the councillor's private life and not to his role as a parish councillor" and therefore there would be no punishment. The decision is an unsurprising one, and in a way to be expected. Whilst it might not seem explicitly racist to Carruthers and co to dress up as a golliwog, the history of blackface shows that it is intended to make people of colour feel subordinate. Advertisement I'm the son of a black father and a white mother living in North Lincolnshire which is hardly a multi-cultural hot spot of the UK. Seeing blackface on Facebook is an issue that comes up time and time again. Recently, I saw somebody share a picture of a relative blacked up as the rapper Ice Cube with the caption stating how funny it was. The white man in question was coated in dark paint, wearing a tracksuit, and even had to accessorise with a name tag that said 'Ice Cube'. The easiest solution to avoid the potential mix up (and the racism) would have been for him to ditch the exaggerated use of fake tan and go as the white rapper Eminem. Some people do not seem to understand is how offensive blacking up actually is. We should all feel bored of some white people using different skin colours as a comedic device - it's hurtful rather than humorous. It is 2017; Isn't it time to put black face to bed and leave casual racism firmly in the past? In a worldwide political climate dominated by divide through Trump, Brexit and rising nationalism, we have to embrace diversity more than ever. The UK is a multi-cultural society and one that I am proud to be a part of, but I don't want to see people getting away with racist acts like blackface all in the name of humour. It's neither funny, nor shocking. It is an act directly linked with racism of the past and one that should not be passively condoned in the 21st Century. On Saturday evening, I went to see the new film Denial, the true story of Holocaust denier David Irving and his defeat in a libel case that he himself brought against Holocaust researcher Deborah Lipstadt. It is a powerful, challenging and ultimately inspiring film, with superb performances by Rachel Weisz (playing Lipstadt), Timothy Spall (Irving) and Tom Wilkinson, who plays the brilliant barrister Richard Rampton, QC. It is a film which anyone with a conscience should watch. The Holocaust was a uniquely horrific tragedy and one must be sensitive to respecting that. Comparisons with other crimes against humanity should be made with caution. Yet watching Denial made me so conscious of some parallels between what Lipstadt fought for, and my own work addressing contemporary human rights issues, including mass atrocities and crimes against humanity. Advertisement The evening before seeing Denial, I sat up late reading the United Nation's harrowing and horrifying new report on the plight of the Rohingyas in Burma. It describes mass gang-rape, killings - including of babies and young children, brutal beatings, disappearances and other grave human rights violations by Burma's military in northern Rakhine State, against ordinary civilians. An eight-month old baby was killed while his mother was gang-raped. A man slit a five year-old girl's throat as she tried to protect her mother from rape. As the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said, "the devastating cruelty to which these children have been subjected is unbearable. What kind of hatred could make a man stab a baby crying out for his mother's milk? And for the mother to witness this murder while she is being gang-raped by the very security forces who should be protecting her - what kind of 'clearance operation' is this? What national security goals could possibly be served by this? ... The killing of people as they prayed, fished to feed their families, the brutal beating of children as young as two and an elderly woman aged 80 - the perpetrators of these violations, and those who ordered them, must be held accountable". Just before the New Year, 23 international figures, including 11 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates and several former prime ministers, warned that the situation "has all the hallmarks of recent past tragedies - Rwanda, Darfur, Bosnia, Kosovo." They called for an independent United Nations inquiry to establish the truth. Last month, Members of Parliament made the same call. The report released on Friday is a welcome step forward and might pave the way for a full Commission of Inquiry, or perhaps an investigation by the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, to ensure that, as the UN High Commissioner put it, "victims have access to justice, reparations and safety." On Friday, and earlier in the week as well, I met with North Korean refugees who had escaped from the world's most brutal regime, a dictatorship by a ruling dynasty that crushes anyone who refuses to worship them as a deity. Three years ago, a Commission of Inquiry established by the UN published a report which concluded that "the gravity, scale and nature" of the human rights violations in North Korea "reveal a State that does not have any parallel in the contemporary world". A catalogue of crimes against humanity, including "extermination, murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortions", as well as severe religious persecution, enforced disappearances, and starvation, should lead, the inquiry recommended, to a referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Commission of Inquiry's chair, Australian judge Michael Kirby, said that the evidence he heard "was very similar to the testimony one sees on visiting a Holocaust Museum by those who were the victims of Nazi oppression in the last century". Advertisement I had campaigned for the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry on North Korea for several years, and helped found a global movement, the International Coalition to Stop Crimes Against Humanity in North Korea (ICNK), to do so. And earlier in the week I was working on trying to raise awareness about a devastating 798-page report on forced organ harvesting. Titled Bloody Harvest/The Slaughter: An Update and written by former Canadian Member of Parliament and government minister David Kilgour, human rights lawyer David Matas and American journalist Ethan Gutmann, the report provides a detailed argument, on the basis of forensic research into the public records of 712 hospitals in China carrying out liver and kidney transplants, that the scale of organ harvesting is far bigger than previously imagined - and that it is continuing, despite China's promises to the contrary. All three have previously published reports on the topic, but they now conclude that between 60,000 to 100,000 organs are transplanted each year in Chinese hospitals. The numbers and the extraordinarily short waiting times for transplant patients suggest that prisoners of conscience, primarily practitioners of the Buddha-school spiritual belief known as Falun Gong but also Uyghur Muslims, Tibetans, and possibly house church Christians, may be the primary victims. They find that one hospital alone, the Oriental Organ Transplant Center at the Tianjin First Center Hospital, is potentially doing more than 5,000 transplants a year. "The end of this crime against humanity is not in sight," the authors claim. "The ultimate conclusion is that the Communist Party of China has engaged the State in the mass killings of innocents ... in order to obtain organs for transplants." While China officially claims 10,000 organ transplants a year, the authors argue that this is "easily surpassed by just a few hospitals." Denial, rather like other films focused on campaigns for justice and freedom such as the story of William Wilberforce's struggle to end the slave trade told in Amazing Grace, combines many of the themes I encounter in my daily advocacy. Firstly, in all of the examples above, I face those with a form of 'denial' - both the regimes in Burma, China and North Korea of course, but also in the international community. Among policy-makers in denial they are not usually of the racist David Irving variety, but more of the 'realpolitik', 'not politically convenient' variety. Or, if they don't deny the abuses are happening, they find reasons why they can't, or won't act. This leads therefore to the second theme - the hunt for evidence. All my advocacy is grounded in well-researched first-hand evidence, my own or that conducted by reliable colleagues and sources. The scene in Denial when Rampton and Lipstadt travel to Auschwitz resonated with me as I recalled the times I have walked through burned out villages in Burma, met with refugees and displaced people, heard first-hand testimonies of torture, rape and killing. The power of first-hand evidence is vital in countering the deniers. Thirdly, the importance of strategy. One has to think not only of what is the right thing to do, but also what is the most effective thing to do. Denial shows Lipstadt's legal team adopting tactics with which she, initially, disagreed but were designed to work. Knowing your enemy and how they operate is essential. Like her legal team, human rights advocacy cannot be governed purely by one's emotional desire to do something, to follow one's conscience, powerful though that is. We always need to think: what will work? Advertisement Although Lipstadt's lawyers deliberately chose to deny the victims of the Holocaust the opportunity to testify, whereas my work relies on victim testimony, in common is the desire to protect victims. Rampton and the solicitor, Anthony Julius, ruled out putting victims on the witness stand because they knew how Irving would treat them and wanted to protect them from that indignity. Similarly, although my work involves giving voice to the victims, we always protect their identity unless they themselves wish to go public. We sometimes provide platforms for them to tell their story, but would always try to protect them from being subjected to insulting and traumatic questioning of the kind Irving would have loved to have unleashed. Lastly, the importance of teamwork. Lipstadt makes a point of this in her remarks at her press conference at the end of the film. The combination of Rampton's brilliant performances in court and his immersion in preparing the case thoroughly, along with Julius' preparation of the brief and the contribution of researchers, together with Lipstadt's own historical research and fundraising efforts, and the contribution of experts such as historian Richard Evans, made Irving's opponents a winning team. The same is true of the campaign to end the slave trade, told in Amazing Grace. Wilberforce could not have succeeded in Parliament without the grassroots campaigning, involving petitions and boycotts and townhall meetings organised by Thomas Clarkson, the testimony of Olaudah Equiano, the encouragement of John Newton and the participation of many others. That is all true in my work too. I could not do my job if I didn't have colleagues conducting research, coalitions pooling their influence, Parliamentarians, journalists and lawyers willing to help, and supporters who sign petitions, write letters, donate funds and pray. And we have our very own Richard Rampton in the form of Sir Geoffrey Nice QC, the barrister who prosecuted Slobodan Milosevic and who so generously supports our efforts on North Korea and Burma. Cadillac's long heritage and pedigree has made it popular among Chinese consumers. (Photo : Getty Images) Cadillac is among the biggest names to come out of the U.S. automotive industry, but it doesnt bode well to domestic clients. But thankfully, the brand, iconic for its tailfins and all-American brashness, has found a market where it can sell well--China. The Chinese's love affair for western consumer affinities (think of Starbucks and Microsoft, for instance) has extended to Cadillac--a brand that's widely seen as one that has an entirely different flavor for luxury and a reputation for "long heritage and pedigree," said the brand's president, Johan de Nysschen. Advertisement Such was the positive reputation Cadillac has set for itself among Chinese buyers, that it went on to surpass Japanese premium carmaker Lexus to become China's fourth best-selling luxury car brand in 2016, having recorded an impressive 46 percent growth in sales at 116,000 units sold. What's more, Cadillac's China sales does not seem to show any sign of slowing down this year, as Jan. 2017 sales in the mainland (18,011) surpassed that of the brand's sales in the U.S. (10,398) by 73 percent--the first time a foreign unit of the brand outperformed its home unit. Although German luxury brands continue to be the main bestsellers in China, the mainland has also saw continued preference over Cadillac, largely because of its assertive advertising strategies banking on the brand's fresh image, particularly through the "Dare Greatly" campaign. With that, parent company GM has found an even greater incentive to maximize its popularity in China, what with the opening of a new $1.2 billion manufacturing plant in Shanghai that produces two of the brand's hottest releases for the Chinese market: the CT6 sedan and the XT5 SUV. Domestic manufacturing meant more discounts across Cadillac dealerships in China, enabling the brand to achieve greater growth in the Chinese market through trade-ins and price cuts--schemes that would not have been possible in the presence of import tariffs. In contrast, Cadillac's fortunes in the U.S. are unsurprisingly lackluster--one that's a product of both disjoints in its communications campaign and a lineup that fails to keep in touch with the needs of the American market, compared to Lexus and its German rivals BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. Jonathan Ernst / Reuters In the aftermath of President Trump's Executive Order restricting any form of Immigration from seven targeted mainly Muslim countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen), the fractures that were in America over Trump's election have gone truly global. Here in Britain, there is an online petition with over one million signatures calling for the Prime Minister to withdraw her invitation to President Trump for a State Visit later this year. Notwithstanding the double standards on President Trump versus let us say the Chinese or the Saudis who have had state visits (yet have regimes whose human right's records are somewhat questionable to put it mildly), I thought it was worth cutting through the hyperbole and rhetoric. First, the rationale for excluding nationals of these seven countries is that is impossible to screen such people for extremist ties - as acknowledged to by both Obama's Director of the FBI and Secretary of Homeland Security. This is because either the host government will not cooperate with USCIS investigators (Iran), or the country lacks a functioning government capable of providing such information. Every other country from which anyone emigrates from, provides this information to USCIS. If an individual from say Sweden must undergo a background check to come to the US, it's absurd to argue that someone from, Somalia, for example, can come to the US without a similar background check. Advertisement Secondly, individuals who are not citizens have no constitutional right to enter the United States. Indeed, according to the US Constitution non-citizens have no rights beyond the border of the United States. Thirdly, the President has broad authority to bar any non-citizen from entering the US for any reason or no reason at all (Immigration & Nationality Act of 1965, section 212(f)). This includes country of origin and even religion. As the Constitution does not apply, the 1st Amendment's Freedom of Religion does not either. Fourthly, the Directive prioritising admitting refugees who are "religious minorities" is neither unconstitutional nor unprecedented. The Lautenberg Amendment passed in 1990 granted special refugee status to persecuted religious minorities of the Soviet Union, primarily Jews. This law allowed nearly 400,000 Jews to emigrate to the US, while keeping in place restrictions for Christian-majority Russians, who were also suffering amidst the collapse of the Soviet Union. This distinction was perfectly constitutional. Fifthly, it is worth noting that President Obama also suspended processing visa applications for Iraqi refugees for six months in 2013. President Carter did the same for Iranians in 1979, and President Roosevelt banned all Japanese entry during World War II. All were deemed legal and constitutional exercises of presidential power. Advertisement All that being said, the Executive Order was without doubt poorly executed. The Trump Administration should have followed President Obama's 2013 policy on immigration from Iraq, and simply suspended the issuance of new visas until proper vetting could be implemented in those countries. This would have left alone permanent residents, Green Card holders, who have already been thoroughly vetted (and were subsequently excluded from the Executive Order after the initial furore), and more importantly, not left hundreds of people stranded in legal-limbo in airports. One couple I heard about had left their two young children with the neighbour's in the US while they travelled to Iran for a family event but were stranded in Dubai unable to return home. The recent Interim Report on Suicide Prevention, just published by the House of Commons Health Select Committee, discusses whether antidepressants are beneficial in preventing deaths by suicide. Every year, there is approximately 1 death by suicide for every 10,000 individuals in England. Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 49 years of age, of all people aged 15-24, and of mothers in the year after they give birth. Suicide is raising in prisons, and disproportionately affects people in the lowest socio-economic groups and living in the most deprived areas. The report offers clear recommendations for ameliorate this situation, from supporting public mental health and the ongoing efforts to reduce stigma, to accelerating the establishment of dedicated mental health services in every hospital. And it discusses antidepressants. Reassuringly for both professionals and patients, the report states: Advertisement Whilst we heard concerns in some written submissions about the role of drug treatments and suicide, the evidence we heard from Professor Louis Appleby, Chair of the Government's suicide prevention advisory group, and Professor Carmine Pariante of the Institute of Psychiatry, was that there is greater risk from not using medication where appropriate, provided that this is following evidence-based guidelines. I was indeed called by the Health Select Committee to present evidence on this issue, in representation of the British Association for Psychopharmacology, a learned society that promotes research and education. In front of the Health Select Committee to present the evidence on antidepressants and suicide, on 29 November 2016. I am the guy with glasses at the bottom right corner; sitting next to me is Professor Louis Appleby. Advertisement I was asked to clarify how we can reconcile two contrasting lines of evidence: on the one hand, there have been reports that antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts and behaviours, especially in children and adolescents; on the other hand, antidepressants are effective drugs for the treatment of depression, and depression is one of the leading causes of suicide. This contrast partly comes from the confusion between suicide and suicidality. Suicide is the act of purposely ending one's life. Suicidality is a set of thoughts and behaviours that are related to suicide but are less likely to be lethal; it includes thoughts and preoccupations about suicide as well as acts of self-harm such as cutting. Suicide and suicidality are distinct mental health problems. For example, suicide is three times more frequent in men than women, yet suicidality is three times more frequent in women than in men. Suicidality is frequent: around 5% of the population; suicide is 500-time less frequent. There is of course an association between suicidality and suicide: half of all suicides have previously harmed themselves. However, these numbers also indicate that literally millions of people in England experience suicidality but (fortunately) do not end their lives. Indeed, suicide and suicidality tap into different dimensions of emotional processes and mental suffering. Suicide is often the tragic consequence of a persistent state of hopelessness and helplessness in the context of a severe mental illness, and it usually entails some planning and preparation as well as a choice of violent means of harm that are unmistakably lethal, such as jumping from a height or an overdose with poisons or large quantities of a medication. Suicidality, instead, is often an expression of distress, inner tension and acute despair, and the associated self-harm acts are usually impulsive and pursued to find some relieve. So, what do the experts say about antidepressants and suicide? What did I tell the Committee? In a nutshell, there is evidence that some antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidality, especially in children and adolescents, but there is no evidence that antidepressants increase the risk of suicide, neither in adults nor in children and adolescents. In fact, studies have shown that suicide rates decrease as antidepressant prescriptions increase. Indeed, and most worryingly, the recent decrease in the rates of antidepressant prescriptions in children and adolescents (since warnings about antidepressants and suicidality have been issued) has led to more suicides in these groups, not less. Overall, following antidepressant treatment it is 10 times more likely to experience an improvement in the depressive symptoms than to experience an increase in suicidality. Advertisement But how do we address this potentially increased risk of suicidality by antidepressants? We need to maximize the beneficial effects of antidepressants while minimizing their possible negative effects. We, doctors and mental health professionals, should prescribe antidepressants only to individuals that are most likely to benefit from these medications, so that these benefits outweigh the risks. Evidence-based clinical guidelines clearly state that antidepressants should be considered as a first-line treatment only for adults with moderate or severe major depression, that is, when the emotional suffering and the functional impairment reaches significant levels, and should not be used for transient or mild states of emotional distress. In children and adolescents, the bar for using antidepressants is even higher: only in case of severe depression, thus reaching emotionally and functionally incapacitating levels, or when other treatment strategies do not work. When possible, antidepressant medications should be complemented with psychotherapy. For those patients who have emotional difficulties but who are not severe enough to require antidepressants, we can support them with our presence and we can help them mobilizing the healing power of their inner resources and of their family and social networks. We can reassure them that life brings suffering at times of changes and losses, and that this is ok. We can tell them that they do not need antidepressants: they only need time to recover. At the same time, we must make sure that patients who need antidepressants are recognized by health professionals, are not prevented from accessing help because of stigma, and do embrace our advice when we prescribe the antidepressants that they need. Advertisement This way, antidepressants will continue to save lives. I recently commented that the last time I felt such a divergence between the two Americas - liberal and conservative - was during the Vietnam War. On Wednesday night, this polarisation manifested itself in the riots at UC Berkeley. Berkeley saw the birth of a wave of anti-establishment protests in the Sixties, culminating in shootings by the National Guard of four innocent students at Kent State University, Ohio. At the time, I was a busy 24-year-old, touring the States to promote my developing rock groups. It affected me deeply. Nowadays, social media plays an integral role in amplifying the anger felt by those horrified by the first steps taken by the Trump Administration, and allows vast swathes of protestors - radical or otherwise - to organise in no time at all. Heaven knows what would have happened had Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp existed at the height of antipathy towards US foreign policy in south-east Asia. Advertisement We are once again living in a deeply divided world. Polarisation over President Trump in the US, and Brexit in the UK, is intensifying rather than abating. Whatever Theresa May might say, this country is far from "coming together". Despite a petition calling on the Prime Minister to cancel Trump's proposed state visit attracting over one million signatures, a YouGov poll found that 49 per cent of Brits are in favour of the President making this trip. A very similar percentage of Americans - 45 per cent, according to CBS - approve of the controversial 'travel ban' which will temporarily bar citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries entering the United States. Everywhere we look, on almost every conceivable issue, the public are split almost exactly down the middle. But unlike the Sixties, where the diametrically opposed left and right clashed so dramatically, today the battle lines are drawn between reactionary extremes at either end of the ideological spectrum, and the moderate centre ground. Brexit was backed by both right-wing Conservatives and traditional, working class Labour voters. Trump was elected by a similar coalition. Concerns over issues as diverse as immigration, the pace of technological change, economic liberalisation and climate change, have served to unite these two hitherto opposed groups. At the highest level of politics, we have seen the once-prevailing liberal elite repudiated by electorates in several western democracies. An era which saw the moderate, pro-European John Major replaced by successive moderate, pro-Europeans in Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron, is well and truly over. Gone are the days when would-be election winners had no choice but to appeal to the centre. Advertisement Darwel via Getty Images Business leaders, charity bosses, council leaders and chief executives want to understand where the government of the day is heading. For some, knowing this is of profound importance in terms of investment decisions. For others, it is an important input as they think through not only their strategy but also their lobbying activities. And for those trying to deliver good services for their locality it gives some clue as to where the national agenda is going. Advertisement It has not been easy to know what Theresa May's government is all about, especially in terms of domestic policy. Of course, Brexit has shrouded everything else in uncertainty, and the row following May's offer of a state visit to the US President trumped even that for several days. But Mrs May came to office as a largely unknown character who had not had to spell out what she was all about either in a General Election or a Tory leadership election. Like eager dogs to a bone we have had to pore over whatever thin scraps we have been thrown. For a while it was the speech Mrs May made outside 10 Downing Street when she first got the job. We learned the JAMs (just about managing) would now matter more than anything else but not much beyond that. The infamous 'Brexit means Brexit' line did not advance us much and her recent speech on the topic left us unclear if we were heading for a low tax, low public services Britain or something less radical. The vote to trigger Article 50 and the newly published white paper take us a step further but beyond the clear priority of getting control over immigration it's hard to know exactly where the other red lines might be. Advertisement But then, excitingly, we got a major speech, as Mrs May set out her domestic policy. A lot of it was about mental health. Nice, but it does not tell us much about her approach. A little was even about charities, which caused some excitement in the sector (just grateful to be mentioned nicely by anyone these days), but did not say very much about her attitude toward them. Then, to a muted drum roll, we learned she really stands for the 'Sharing Society'. This might be a great slogan or maybe one that will be quickly forgotten. The speech does not reveal much of what it means except her brand of Conservatism looks to be more partial to those above the very poor (so above where charities tend to focus). It is also keener, at least rhetorically, on government acting to help these people than a typical liberal Conservative would be (think Cameron and Osborne - if you can remember them). May's talk of a new industrial strategy potentially returns us to this theme as well. Advertisement It isn't much to go on. Nor does a frantic search for her 'favourite' think-tank get us very far. I have been told that Reform is her favourite, but others say she quite likes the Centre for Social Justice, despite its close connections to Iain Duncan Smith. Others have told me Mrs May wants to neutralise any possible emerging centre left agenda, so keeps an eye on IPPR, RSA and other such organisations. I suspect May's team would tell people to stop trying to work out what she is all about and just get on with it. Perhaps they would even say 'Theresa is Theresa'. But in my experience, both working in Whitehall and outside, these things have real effects which go beyond interesting gossip topics. Even when there was the long-signalled transition from Tony Blair to Gordon Brown as PM, Whitehall stumbled for a bit until it got a feel for what the prime minister's instincts on issues were going to be. Different public services froze for a while, trying to work out which of the Blair interests, and even phrases, Brown shared and which he did not. And local authorities, who have in some ways seen little of Mrs May up to now, are trying to work out how best to interact with her. Advertisement So Mrs May, I would suggest once you know what you really think, don't keep it to yourself, but rather, share more widely. Such sharing would indeed help your Sharing Society aims. sabine bernert/500px A secret network of wildlife traffickers selling baby chimpanzees has been exposed by a year-long BBC World News investigation for flagship documentary strand, Our World. The tiny animals are seized from the wild and sold as pets. The BBC's research uncovered a notorious West African hub for wildlife trafficking, known as the "blue room", and led to the rescue of a baby chimp. In a dusty back street of Abidjan, Ivory Coast's largest city, a tiny chimpanzee cries out for comfort. Advertisement His black hair is ruffled and his dirty nappy scrapes the concrete floor as he crawls towards the familiar figures of the men who have been holding him captive. The baby chimp, ripped away from his family in the wild, is the victim of a lucrative and brutal smuggling operation, exposed by a 12-month-long BBC World News investigation spanning half a dozen countries. In demand as pets in wealthy homes or as performers in commercial zoos, baby chimpanzees command a price tag of $12,500, a little under 10,000, but sometimes more. Up to ten adults are typically slaughtered to obtain one infant alive. Poachers often shoot as many of the adults in a family as possible, preventing them from resisting the capture of the baby. Advertisement Once captured, the baby chimps then enter a sophisticated chain that stretches from the poachers in the jungles to the middlemen, who arrange false export permits and transport, and ultimately to the buyers. The trading of endangered wild animals and plants is tightly controlled under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) agreement. Despite this, the determination of the smugglers and the ease with which international laws on buying and selling endangered species can be evaded, makes the illegal trade in great apes possible. Posing as an Indonesian pet shop acting for wealthy clients, the BBC team made contact with a young dealer in Guinea called Ibrahima Traore. Communicating over a secure messaging service, the team built up a relationship with Traore, aged just 22, who began to send us videos of chimpanzees - in the setting of a small room decorated in distinctive blue tiles. It became clear that the room was being constantly re-stocked. Traore said he could sell us one or two baby chimps as well as a Cites permit. The document the BBC team received looked genuine, though it was falsely filled in, and was signed and stamped by the national parks of Liberia. Traore sent a video of the baby chimp and himself inside the room holding a piece of paper showing the date at the time of the deal - to show that the footage was genuine and that the animal had previously been captured and was ready for sale. His face was clearly visible and he seemed not to worry about incriminating himself. Advertisement Days later our undercover reporter visited the property - purportedly to discuss arrangements for buying the chimpanzee - where they confirmed its presence and tipped off police. This resulted in the exposure of a major trafficking ring. And during the police operation, they discovered the small blue room where the baby chimp was hidden in a wooden crate. This turned out to be a notorious holding centre for trafficked chimpanzees which wildlife investigators had called "the blue room" and for years had never been able to find - until now. Ibrahima Traore was arrested and, along with his uncle Mohamed, is facing charges related to wildlife trafficking. The data captured from Traore's phones and laptops revealed a goldmine of information about a sprawling international network of great ape traffickers, working across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Cites certificates found on Traore's computer documented the possible illegal movement of dozens of different primates, as well as other endangered species. Advertisement The detective in charge in Ivory Coast, Colonel Assoumou Assoumou, pledged to delve into the entire illegal supply chain - from the hunters to the traffickers to the buyers. The baby male chimp discovered in the blue room, was initially taken to the Interpol building in Abidjan, before being handed over to wildlife officials from the Ministry of Water and Forests. He was named "Nemley Junior" after his rescue and is now safe and said to be thriving. Image: Pixabay Another day, another raft of headlines and protests over Trump and Brexit. Meanwhile, away from the cameras, another bit of Britain quietly shuts down. A swimming pool closes in Leeds. A library shuts in Swindon. Essex cuts its 'meals-on-wheels' for old people. Children are put at risk in Birmingham as a specialist team is axed. A 'lollipop lady' who helps kids across a road in Staffordshire loses her job. Advertisement Piece by painful piece, familiar things are disappearing. Things have been part of our social fabric for decades. And it's happening by stealth - a silent scandal attracting few protests and placards. Billions cut Over the last six years, the spending power of the councils that run local services has been cut by nearly 25% in real terms. Britain's biggest council, Birmingham, for example, has made nearly 800 million of cuts. Its youth service has almost disappeared, 12,000 council workers have been laid off and rough sleeping has quadrupled. Councils are now looking at a 5.8 billion gap between what they can spend in 2020 and what they need. The Local Government Association's Chairman, Lord Porter - a Conservative - has said: "If councils stopped filling in potholes, maintaining parks and open spaces, closed all children's centres, libraries, museums, leisure centres, turned off every street light and shut all discretionary bus routes they would not have saved enough money to plug this gap by the end of the decade." That is from a press release which barely got noticed. To a news editor, council cuts stories are about faceless organisations and meaningless numbers. Advertisement Human and painful But for individuals, it's human and painful. It's the old woman whose cherished trip to the local library has gone. It's the children whose swimming club has closed. It's the old man who is left to cope at home when he can't, the teenager with mental health issues who isn't being properly monitored. Image: Pixabay Social care is the big-ticket item for local councils. It's the biggest budget line and the most crucial service - protecting children-at-risk, pensioners, and vulnerable adults. And because they've fought to maintain their care budgets, councils have had to cut other stuff big-time - culture by over 40% for example. Nearly 500 libraries have gone. Swimming pools and museums are in the crosshairs. And even then, nine in ten county directors of adult social care still believe their budgets to be either 'severe' or 'critical'. Meanwhile central government depicts the councils as a bunch of wasters making a fuss about nothing. When he was Prime Minister, David Cameron said Tory-run Oxfordshire should find 'back-office' savings instead of cutting children's centres, when the council's grants from government, excluding ring-fenced schools money, had been cut by a third, or 72 million. After government cuts led councils to close 67 libraries in 2016, the minister Rob Wilson threatened them with action under a 1964 Act of Parliament for not providing a comprehensive service. Council cuts pay for tax cuts The cuts might be understandable if the country was undergoing a war or a full-on financial crisis. But it's not. Even if you accept that the budget deficit can only be cut by raising taxes or cutting spending - which I don't because investment for growth is an alternative - then these cuts are far from inevitable. The ghastly truth is they are happening to pay for tax cuts. Advertisement In the 2016 Autumn Statement, another 3.5 billion of cuts to spending were confirmed - but also 6.7 billion of cuts to business taxes. And the last Budget also gave a 400 tax cut for anyone earning between 45,000 and 100,000. Translate these numbers into words, and it's the poor, the young, the old, the sick and the vulnerable who are suffering to finance handouts for the healthy and wealthy. And it will get worse. The government is cutting its grants to councils from nearly 50% of their income in 2010 to less than 10% in 2020, leaving them to fund services by raising council taxes and business rates. See the plan? The government gets the credit for tax cuts and the council gets the blame for service cuts. Private opulence, public squalor Areas with big houses and successful businesses will be able to raise decent sums while those with poor people living in poor housing and struggling businesses will have even less than now. As individuals, we get richer. As a society, we get poorer. It's nothing new. In his 1958 book The Affluent Society, the economist JK Galbraith talked of the "private opulence and public squalor" that characterises "a community where public services have failed to keep abreast of private consumption." Advertisement The Britain many of us grew up in - a land of busy day centres, noisy swimming pools, quiet libraries and cheerful lollipop ladies - is being systematically stripped away, simply to put more money into voters' pockets. Elections this May So, can those of us who oppose this scandal do anything about it? Yes, we can. We can probably do more about this than we can about Trump and Brexit - at least here and now. There are elections this May in many of the cities, county councils and unitary authorities that are responsible for these services. It's a chance to campaign for good councillors who can provide services on a shoestring, stand up to ministers and fight their corner. It's a chance to tell people that services are not being cut because of migrants or Brussels, but by Westminster and Whitehall. And yes, it's also a chance to talk to people on the doorstep about Trump and Brexit and win back a majority for progressive politics. Sala Lewis/Irish Aid/PA Archive Since my earliest childhood memories I have heard my mother saying, "To know where you are going you have to know where you came from". As a young African girl from the diaspora, born in Ethiopia to Senegalese parents, and who grew up in Belgium with annual summers in the Southern Senegalese province of Casamance, I was always very conscious of my privileged status. I knew I was privileged because my parents believed in girls' education, modern conservatism and monogamy. My dad was also a salaried professional translator who could afford my siblings and my fees to a semi-private school in Belgium. Privileged I was again because I was raised to be humble, generous, respect my elders and listen to their wisdom, but also to construct and voice my own opinions, be truthful and worship knowledge, Pan-Africanism, solidarity and freedom. Privileged finally, because both my parents were children of much respected Muslim leaders, and as expatriates had a certain status within the community and the family back home. Advertisement So when I chose to study human rights law and later decided to work specifically on gender justice and women's rights, I felt like this was a natural calling. I did not realise when becoming a very young focal point for women's rights at the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa that this would change my life. Indeed, working daily to end violence against women in all its forms in Africa, I started thinking about the fact that what I had never really questioned for 26 years and accepted as one unpleasant episode of my childhood was actually far more than that: I was a survivor of FGM with a master's degree. At that time I convinced myself that my narrative did not have its place next to the terrible stories I was hearing from young girls and women of the continent so I did not come forward. It took me four years to confide in fellow regional and global activists and four more to state it publicly. I came forward for a broad range of reasons. But one important one was that I felt that the response being given to FGM in the interventions of the INGOs, UN agencies and others was based on an incomplete picture: the idea that the practice of FGM happened in communities where poor illiterate parents caving to their patriarchal views willingly send their daughters to get mutilated or die. Advertisement I wanted fellow activists and the world to understand that the difficulty with ending FGM is that it has as many narratives as survivors and victims. The only common element to our stories is the fact that this is an unjustifiable horrendous practice which violates everything we stand for as humans, wherever we find ourselves, whatever our culture or religion. This is why I have always been very vocal against attempts to romanticise the nature of FGM for political correctness, or some misplaced attachment to Africa as the motherland. Just last week, I heard in a meeting here in Dakar a well-meaning African American journalist talking about FGM as FGC (female genital cutting) and I cringed. We were not cut, we were mutilated. No one dies of a cut but girls die because of the mutilation to their body. Thinking that next year we will celebrate 15 years since the day when the first lady of Nigeria, Stella Obasanjo first declared "zero tolerance to FGM" and launched what is now a global campaign, I am disappointed both as a survivor and as an activist. I am outraged and appalled that every year three million girls in Africa are at risk of undergoing FGM, that very few perpetrators and accomplices are prosecuted under the laws that criminalize the practice, and that success stories are celebrated without the allocation of proper resources to sustain them and replicate them. Thankfully, individual activists and NGOs like Equality Now, the IAC-HP, FORWARD, ActionAid and others have been working tirelessly to support local and community based efforts to end FGM. In Senegal, ActionAid for instance has supported the establishment of 17 Women's Watch Committees, collaborating with local authorities to report cases of FGM and early forced marriage. They also train women, girls, local partners and engaged leaders to become paralegals to fight against abuse and harmful traditional practices including FGM. The fact that ActionAid shares our quest for the end of impunity by supporting our National Women's Lawyers Association to advocate for the Senegalese Government to better address the issue of gender-based violence by criminalizing acts and overseeing the implementations of laws and policies, is crucial. Advertisement These achievements are not easily maintained and my most sincere hope at the moment is that the reinstatement of the global gag rule and more generally, the rise of conservative leaders in major donor countries will not impact negatively the scaling up of such valid programmes and efforts to accelerate actions towards ending FGM. To eradicate FGM and other harmful traditional practices we will have to be able to provide and access comprehensive sexuality education, interventions which are among the primary targets of what the Trump administration is proposing. When it comes to traditional cultural practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM) it's clear that most people view grandmothers and elderly female family members as being part of the problem and not the solution. Today (Monday 6th February), on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, we are again reminded of these acts of violence against women and girls, which often to lead to death or a lifetime of health complications, are viewed as being cultural traditions which will eventually 'die out' with elder family members. But is this really true, and are grassroots projects failing because they ignore the very people who have the strongest capacity to discourage the practice? Recently the Department for International Development announced that they are going to give 3 million to AmplifyChange, a fund which supports 40 small grassroots groups working to address FGM. But what makes a good grassroots project, and are they really engaging the very people they need to, in order to make change happen? Advertisement FGM programmes are often designed by people external to the practicing community, or the project must conform to certain principles that are stipulated by funders who are external to the practicing communities. Although many FGM programmes have identified key individuals who have an influence, often these people have been religious leaders, men and women who perform the procedure - not grandmothers. However my research shows that this approach is not based on a careful analysis of social roles and influence within communities who continue to practice FGM. What is becoming more and more clear, especially through my work as an anthropologist at the University of Sussex, is that to change social norms it is essential to work directly with the groups of people who have the most authority to modify those traditions. This is why an organisation in Senegal called The Grandmother Project - Change through Culture (GMP) - has been so successful. In 2008 GMP's Girls' Holistic Development programme was initiated, which aims to improve community attitudes and socio-cultural norms relating to FGM, early marriage and teenage pregnancy. It works with families and communities to identify and reinforce beneficial cultural roles, values and practices which support girls' development and well-being. It involves Intergenerational Forums which bring together groups of peers of both sexes of different ages to discuss delicate topics in a culturally-sensitive manner. The programme also runs training sessions that involve grandmothers, women of reproductive age, and community health workers; and Days in Praise of Grandmothers to celebrate their role as educators, carers and decision-makers in the sphere of maternal and child health. The real success of the project is that The Grandmother Project realised quickly that although many people in patriarchal societies claim that 'men make all the decisions' this is not entirely true. In many contexts where FGM is carried out on infants, the practice is often conducted by senior women without ever consulting or informing their sons, who may be totally opposed to the practice. When it is time for a man to marry, he may prefer a woman who has not undergone FGM. Although men will publicly negotiate the marriage - behind the scenes it is the older women in the family (the husband-to-be's mother, his grandmother, and aunties) who are involved in identifying a suitable match for him. In these situations, older women can play a crucial role, alongside men, to cause a shift in preference towards un-circumcised wives. Advertisement By understanding these social structures and involving grandmothers as allies, the programme has not only succeeded in reducing FGM, but has also increased older women's sense of self-confidence, and their feeling of being respected and useful in their own community. During a 2015 study, 340 community members from Velingara, Senegal, where the project is carried out, were asked "is FGM a cultural duty which should be followed?" The results showed that of those who gave their opinion, a staggering 83 percent of grandmothers were convinced that there is no cultural support for the practice - compared to 75 percent of men and women of reproductive age, and 69 percent of adolescent girls. This is all the more interesting because before the programme started a similar poll showed grandmothers were among the staunchest supporters of the practice, with 86 per cent declaring that FGM was a duty within the culture. As one grandmother, Coumba Balde, testified, "Before we practised FGM, but today this is no longer the case. We teach our children beneficial cultural values, and we have abandoned the harmful practices." In a focus group with women of reproductive age, they agreed that "the grandmothers are now more aware of the dangers linked to FGM". What is becoming abundantly clear is that with the right approach - including humility on the part of staff in involved, respect for the local culture, appreciation of the elders' role, and adult education techniques which use people's own experiences as a foundation for learning - grassroots programmes can encourage grandmothers to change their minds on ancient practices like FGM. Advertisement Rosemary Calvert via Getty Images In tough times you turn to your friends and discover who your real friends are. As the UK spins a new web of alliances and trade deals after Brexit, one old friend could prove especially valuable to British interests. When Theresa May and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet today for the first time they will signal that an already close partnership is about to get closer. For many years the Britain-Israel alliance has been built on a solid foundation of defence and intelligence cooperation. Israel is tragically the market leader in counter-terrorism, aviation security and cyber security. We have benefited from Israeli expertise preventing and detecting terror attacks and British soldiers have been protected by Israeli battlefield surveillance systems, most recently in Afghanistan. But as Britain seeks to sharpen its defensive edge and make its military capability a key bargaining chip in exit talks with the EU, defence cooperation with Israel, and access to its highly advanced weapons systems and cyber security technology, will intensify. Advertisement Bilateral trade is booming, in 2016 it reached a record high of 6billion. Every Government minister who visits Israel returns to Britain energised by the increasingly exciting joint ventures in science and hi-tech that bring a slice of Israeli innovation back home. Hundreds of Israeli tech companies have set up in the UK and they are continuing to expand. For these global entrepreneurs Brexit is an opportunity, not an obstacle. The single market doesn't include digital services so a UK withdrawal is no big loss to them. One item on today's agenda will be the likely contents of a bilateral trade deal and UK ministers have already indicated that Israel will be close to the front of the queue. If we needed inspiration for how to thrive after leaving the EU then Israel is a shining example. A tiny country with a population of just eight million people meagre natural resources and commodities, shunned for many years by a hostile region - it relied on a highly educated workforce and an obsessive drive to innovate. With a highly competitive but small domestic market, Israeli companies have always had to export to survive and expand. British ministers have been examining every piece of the Israeli success story for some time but now with greater urgency. There are few better models to emulate to solve our productivity puzzle and develop new strategies to encourage more British companies to go global and increase exports. Much of today's meeting will focus on the diplomatic track and the Prime Minister appears to have moved closer to the Israeli position. The UK supported UN resolution 2334 last December that condemned Israeli settlement expansion but the PM criticised John Kerry's December speech for focusing too much on settlements. In January, the UK snubbed the Paris Peace conference choosing to observe, not participate. At a later meeting of EU foreign ministers Boris Johnson blocked the adoption of the Paris Conference communique to the fury of his EU counterparts. These moves were driven by a firm British belief that direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians are the only way to make progress, Prime Minister Netanyahu agrees and that is why he opposes Palestinian initiatives to isolate and pressure Israel at the UN. Advertisement The British Government took a tough line against recent Israeli announcements to build thousands of new housing units in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. May will tell Netanyahu that this undermines trust and push him for a clear statement of intent on the two state solution. Netanyahu will explain the political pressure in his governing coalition and that building in the West Bank is red meat for his right flank that he is forced to serve up to survive. He'll expect some sympathy from a British Prime Minister often in a similar position. Theresa May is seeking to deepen relations and expand trade with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States. In the past this might have been a fault line for relations with Israel, it is now a fertile area for mutual cooperation because of Israel's close ties with the same Arab countries who share the same fears - jihadi terrorism, US withdrawal and Iranian regional expansion. This revolution in regional diplomacy is a significant opportunity for Britain as it becomes more impatient with Iranian military activity, particularly if there is a repeat of the kind of atrocities committed in Aleppo by Hezbollah and other Shia militias. The US will tighten implementation of the Iranian nuclear deal and has imposed new sanctions for ballistic missile development. Netanyahu will ask the PM to support that initiative as soon as possible. Those who suggest that the UK's increasing closeness to Israel is driven by a desire to win favour with the US are wide of the mark. the Israel-Britain alliance is a boost for the British economy and carries sizeable strategic advantages for both countries. The reality is that a strong partnership with Israel is an asset that will become increasingly valuable for the UK as it resets relations after leaving the EU. Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/groundhog-woodchuck-whistlepig-1170875/ For an industry that thrives on change, technology can be frustratingly stuck in a 'Groundhog Day'-style loop, where the same weaknesses seem to leave vendors, service providers (and their customers) repeatedly damaged and powerless. A recurring range of issues grab the headlines, and with Groundhog Day just past, it's a good time to explore where some of the most stubborn issues lie, and how they could - perhaps - be tackled. Advertisement Security - IT's recurring bad dream The regularity of security breaches and cyber attacks is becoming so extreme that we are fast becoming desensitised to their impact. Yet, the scale of the problem is immense. The IT Governance Blog has, for example, been analysing the trends and keeping a running total of how many data records are being leaked for several years. Back in 2015, the annual total was 480 million - an enormous figure, greater than the population of the USA. Yet, despite security being a well-understood issue, recognised at government level and with many organisations competing to offer remedies, 12 months later the figure soared to 3.1 billion records leaked. A further twist is that these numbers only count reported data leaks - who truly knows what the actual total might be? And don't forget, that's just one way of measuring the scale of IT security challenges. Part of the solution certainly lies in treating IT security differently. Governments can't legislate us out of the problem, any more than they can legislate away any type of crime. No single security software vendor can offer 100% protection, and no organisation is prepared to go public and claim they are totally secure. So, taking greater responsibility for being secure is arguably at the heart of the solution. For some, more investment is needed. Businesses spend around 5% of their overall IT budgets on security, according to research house Gartner, despite it being among the top three concerns for IT executives. The logical conclusion is that spending priorities need to change dramatically to address the issue. Advertisement Consumers also need to be more rigorous in their choice of products and services, and seek out specialists who can prove they are as good as they claim. The days of treating security seriously only when there has been a problem need to end. Service - the poor relation in a 'service provider' world The service provider market makes up a huge part of the entire global technology industry - the hosting and infrastructure segments alone could be worth up to $140bn globally by 2019, according to 451 Research. But as an industry, tech businesses in general and service providers in particular need to get much better at customer service. At best, poor service is a perennial source of frustration for customers. At worst, it has cost people their livelihoods. Some of the worst offenders are 'service providers' themselves. Whether it's lack of proactive communication, customer case or responsiveness, the social media feeds of many in the sector are alive with justifiably angry customers. Ultimately, some tech businesses choose not to emphasise service as a strategic part of their business model, so customers need to consider balancing cost against proven service levels and agreements that work for all. Advertisement Some of these businesses are very young, some have grown very quickly, and this undoubtedly can have an impact on service levels. But there's no doubt that great customer service is a win-win, especially in an era of savvy consumers who are increasingly focused on reputation. Reliability - (down)time is money Whether it's providing more reliable products and services that are less vulnerable to security threats, failures or human error, reducing downtime would address one of technology's consistently high cost weaknesses. It's been making big headlines for years. Back in 2013, Amazon was reported to have suffered a 30 minute outage, estimated to have cost $66,240 per minute. A year later, Gartner carried out a study which estimated network downtime, "typically costs $5,600 p/minute, which extrapolates to well over $300K p/hour". The problem remains reliably alarming - last year, the annual cost of IT downtime to companies in the US alone was estimated at $700bn. As an industry, IT could hardly be accused of not responding to the issue - an entire section of the market is dedicated to preventing, identifying and mitigating downtime. But, while it's unrealistic to imagine a world where businesses and service providers never have problems, the frequency with which these issues impact employees and customers remains far too high, and the response too weak. Chinese animal rights activists stage a march with posters calling for people to refrain from eating cats and dogs, in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. (Photo : Getty Images) The China Youth Animal Protection Alliance and Dongbaowang.org teamed up with Animals Asia in organizing a poster tour that enabled over 160,000 people to see students' artworks about cat and dog welfare. Advertisement The tour visited a total of 78 universities, schools and shopping malls across China. Hundreds of those who attended the tour wrote their own opinions and responses regarding their close relationship with companion animals. A student from Hubei University of Science and Technology wrote: "Animals are forever our friends. To protect animals is to protect ourselves." "Your loving heart disappears the moment you swallow cat or dog meat," a student from the Central University of Finance and Economics wrote, urging others not to eat cats and dogs. Other students who participated in the project focused on the nationwide scourge of dog thieves. A student from the Jiangxi Agricultural University feared for her dog, Ziyang, writing, "Ziyang, be careful and stay away from bad guys--dont get nabbed." "I miss my two dogs Huihui and Barton very much! I hope everyone loves animals. Please do not raise them without learning how to be a responsible guardian." This is written by another student from the Central University of Finance and Economics, urging more responsible dog guardianship. The majority of the written notes shows details of how people feel toward animals, and how they should be living in harmony to enrich human lives. It is reported that about 10 million dogs are slaughtered in China every year for meat trade. Animals Asia released a series of in-depth reports in June 2015 regarding the rampant illegality of this trade. This report took four years to compile. It showed that the country contained no large-scale dog breeding facilities despite the huge number of dogs slaughtered for consumption annually. Irene Feng, the director of Animals Asia's Cat and Dog Welfare, said: "The written responses to the poster tour really touched us. We read as many as we could and were blown away by the strength of emotion--both in the importance of animal protection and the aversion to the cat and dog meat trades." Eight months after the referendum, we have finally received the Government's white paper, although a 'whitewash paper' would be a more appropriate title. We now know that the Tories are steering the whole of the British State towards an extreme Brexit - abandoning our economic links with the continent as well as pulling out of the European Union. My Plaid Cymru colleagues and I have repeatedly stressed since the result of the referendum that while the people of Wales and England voted to leave the European Union, they have had no say on how the future relationship with the EU should look. Advertisement Despite the rhetoric of the Brexiteers now, a significant number of high-profile Brexit campaigners advocated remaining within the European Economic Area and the Single Market. Daniel Hannan, Vote Leave: "Absolutely nobody is threatening our place in the Single Market" Owen Paterson, Vote Leave: "Only a mad man would actually leave the market." Arron Banks, Leave.EU "Increasingly, the Norway option looks best for the UK" (Norway is in the Single Market) Luke Johnson, Vote Leave "We have great independent future just like countries like Norway and Switzerland enjoy" Nigel Farage, UKIP: "Wouldn't it be terrible if we were like Norway and Switzerland? Really? They're rich. They're happy. They're self-governing." (Both participate in the Single Market) "The Norwegians have no ties in terms of foreign policy with the European Union. They have no ties in terms of their fishing industry, where they have a 200 mile limit. They are opted out and exempted from all the things that really make the British mad." "We'll find ourselves part of the European Economic Area, and with a free-trade deal." And yet, Theresa May and the Brexiteers are telling us that to argue that we should remain in the Single Market would be to "thwart the will of the people". I do not accept that. With big right-wing media outlets backing the Brexiteers' spin against a soft-Brexit we face an uphill task in winning this argument but as people whose job it is to represent the interests of our constituents and compatriots, it is our duty to fight this battle. Advertisement The vote last week was not about whether the referendum result should be accepted. It was about endorsing the Tories' extreme form of Brexit. Nobody voted to give themselves a pay cut in June, or make themselves redundant. They were convinced by the likes of Farage and Daniel Hannan that leaving the EU would improve their quality of life. They were convinced by those people who, during the campaign, were arguing that "nobody is threatening our place in the Single Market" and are now winning a battle to do just that. While my constituency voted to Remain, my county - the level at which results were declared - voted to Leave, which prompted many right-wing commentators to call me an "enemy of the people". The fact that terms such as this are being used by Brexiteers underlines how dangerous political discourse has become since the referendum. Those sorts of terms to label elected representatives within a democracy are highly irresponsible but perhaps highlight the deep anxieties amongst Brexiteers about how they will achieve their wild promises. The vote last week was the beginning of a long journey out of the European Union and the next stint of that journey is happening today. My Plaid Cymru colleagues and I have tabled 25 amendments based on the promises the Leave campaign made during the referendum campaign. Whilst the promise of continued membership of the Single Market was particularly damaging for Wales, it was just one of many false promises. Advertisement From cutting VAT on fuel, to increasing wages for junior doctors to the infamous pledge to spend 350 million a week extra on the NHS - the Vote Leave campaign made a lot of promises that have now taken the form of amendments to the Article 50 Bill. Some of those promises were made by senior government figures who will be forced to vote this week on these amendments. One amendment in particular is of particular importance to Wales - what happens to the net 245 million in EU funding we get every year? We were told that we wouldn't lose a penny of it if we left the European Union. Today, I will be forcing the Commons to vote on it. Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Chris Grayling, Theresa Villiers, Priti Patel... they all signed a letter last June promising that this money will continue after we leave. In fact it was signed by thirteen Brexit MPs who will have the opportunity tonight to put their money where their mouth is. Our amendment has the backing of the SNP in Scotland, the Green Party in England and the SDLP in Northern Ireland. I very much hope that the Labour Party will find a backbone from somewhere and join us in standing up for Wales' interests - it is, after all, a country run by their own party in the Welsh Government. Advertisement It is absolutely right that those people who made such promises, including senior government ministers, should be held to account over what they said during the campaign. A couple of weeks ago, it was reported in the national media that, early in her career, Education Secretary Justine Greening had been turned down for a job in finance after leaving university because she hadn't taken a gap year and as such didn't have enough 'world experience'. She recalled that she was "too embarrassed to admit that I simply couldn't afford one". In the UK the phenomenon of taking time out, to travel or experience life outside of the classroom or existing workplace, is so heavily associated with privilege that the term 'gap yah' was coined to mock it. But gaining new experience, building new skills, broadening one's understanding of the world and our individual and collective responsibility to help make it a better place are important skills for young people everywhere, from whatever background they come. Advertisement VSO ICS volunteers Senara Anstey and Harry Wilson in Nepal Before Senara applied to volunteer through International Citizen Service (ICS), the UK Government funded programme that VSO leads, she was working in a school as an apprentice teaching assistant. When her apprenticeship ended and the school couldn't find her a job, she considered international volunteering. Having travelled little in the past, Senara, who's from Cornwall, wasn't immediately sure that ICS was for her. "Coming from a working class background, I had only been abroad three times and had never travelled outside of Europe. Even the thought of going up to London, by myself, on the train terrified me! That's why I took the chance to go to the pre-assessment workshop." Senara attended one of our especially designed workshops that seek to help young people from less privileged backgrounds feel confident and prepared for their ICS selection days, which all our volunteers attend. The workshop was part of the International Volunteering Opportunities for All (IVO4all) project, through which VSO is working with government agencies and organisations across Europe, to make international volunteering opportunities more accessible for young people who wouldn't normally have that opportunity. At VSO we think long and hard about how we reach out to young people and how we support them before they travel overseas. This means we can reach a more diverse group of young people and remove the barriers they face to participation. As part of IVO4all, we've made further changes to how we work in order to broaden our reach. Right now, Senara is in Nepal, working on a project to improve education and sanitation for children in rural areas - and building her skills, experience and confidence. "Before I even stepped foot in Nepal I had gotten over certain fears and anxieties, and had had experienced things that would never have been possible if it weren't for ICS." In 2017 we'll be working closely with our IVO4all partners to influence policy across Europe. The aim is to create a better environment for all young people to take part in international volunteering and in doing so, to make a bigger contribution to their own societies. We're also continuing to work with the UK Government, to further reduce the barriers facing young people from less affluent backgrounds taking part in ICS. IVO4all is just one of the ways we're working to make ICS accessible for as many young people as possible. We're committed to ensuring that our young volunteers who travel overseas are a true reflection of the UK population. This is further reinforced by diversity targets we monitor ourselves against - not just for socio-economic background, but gender, ethnicity, disability and geographically across the regions of the UK. Deafway ICS volunteer Levi Choutan teaching parents of deaf children Kenyan Sign Language in Nandi county, Kenya Last year, for example, we worked with Deafway to send a group of Deaf British volunteers to Kenya, where they worked alongside young Deaf Kenyan counterparts to increase social, education and economic opportunities for Deaf Kenyans. Advertisement Through an ICS Access Fund, we provide extra funding to make adjustments for volunteers whose needs might not otherwise be met on placement. We also provide assistance to those experiencing considerable financial hardship that would prevent them for accessing the scheme. We support young people from all over the UK, from diverse backgrounds, to share their experiences through the media, at meetings with MPs and ministers, and at global youth events. We do this because we believe different people offer different skills and perspectives, and different solutions to problems. We believe that including people in this way also helps equip young people from across the UK to make a stronger contribution at home. To make our projects, and the ICS programme as a whole, as impactful as possible, we need this diversity. We're committed to the double benefit of the ICS programme. The communities our volunteers work with benefit from their passion, insight and their ability to drive social change, and our volunteers benefit from the chance to learn about international development, the wider world and to hone much sought after skills that will help to set them up for life. Nobody from a less privileged background should find themselves in the same situation as Ms Greening did. ICS applicants are judged on their suitability to take part and contribute to the projects they work on, not their ability to pay. Advertisement Theresa May should put Britain's opposition to settlement building in the West Bank centre-stage when she meets Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu at Downing Street on Monday. The UK's credibility can ill-afford a repeat of her recent visit to President Trump in the United States. If Theresa May says she will stand up to her allies when they are wrong, that must include standing up to Israel over settlements too - in line with international law, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2334 which the UK supported as recently as December, and in line with longstanding UK Government policy. In the last two weeks, Israel has announced the construction of thousands of new buildings in the West Bank and hundreds in East Jerusalem. As both the West Bank and East Jerusalem are occupied territory, all settlement building by the occupying power in either is illegal under international law. Just as important, by confiscating more and more of the West Bank for settlements, Israel is physically undermining the viability of any Palestinian state being established alongside Israel. UK Foreign Office Ministers - along with those of many other countries - have condemned Israel's latest announcement of a settlement building spree and that is to be welcomed. The reality is, however, that governments in Israel have for too long displayed a culture of impunity - safely assuming that while their breaches of international law will incur the disapproval of the international community, very little in practice will be done to stop it. Emboldened by some of the noises coming from the White House under President Trump, that culture of impunity has reached new levels under Mr Netanyahu's government. Advertisement All this is why Theresa May must put the UK's opposition to settlement building centre stage when she meets Mr Netanyahu. It cannot be treated as a kind of side issue to be politely mentioned amid the photo calls and glad-handing that accompanies visits of this kind. Indeed she should make clear to Mr Netanyahu that the preferential trade and other relationships which the UK has with Israel will not be allowed to be used for the benefit of illegal settlements in the West Bank. Existing Foreign Office Guidelines already warn of the dangers of trading financial and investment links with illegal settlements. But the UK Government should strengthen the message that UK business should not collude in the illegality of settlements and that the products of those settlements are not welcome in the UK. Mrs May should underline Britain's belief that a lasting peace between Israel and Palestine can only be based on equality and security for both peoples. She can do that by acting on the overwhelming recommendation of the House of Commons in October 2014 and recognising the state of Palestine alongside the State of Israel. Members of Parliament will have the opportunity to reinforce these messages this Thursday 9th February, when the House of Commons holds a special debate on settlement building, negotiations and the Two State Solution. Taking up many of the themes covered by Resolution 2334 passed by the UN Security Council in December, the motion to be debated in the Commons on Thursday calls for an immediate halt to settlement building and for talks to achieve peace between two sovereign states of Israel and Palestine. The October 2014 call by the House of Commons for the recognition of the State of Palestine was a powerful symbol of how international support for recognition has been growing in recent years. By passing the motion to be debated this week, the House of Commons can underline the message that Israel must stop flouting international law and that settlement building must stop. And it can also send a signal that whatever the twists and turns that occur in the USA's policy towards Israel and Palestine under President Trump, there remains an understanding in the broader international community that a lasting peace can only be built if there is equal commitment to the rights of the peoples of both countries. Advertisement Of all the great phrases I've heard, I think 'mombie' sums it up. The perfect term for an exhausted mum, stumbling through parenthood in a zombie like manner! But what makes 'mombiehood' even harder is holding down a job at the same time. Toddler in one hand, iPhone in the other, cornflakes all over my hair and dried fruit crusted in to my trousers, is my typical morning. Returning to work from maternity leave was the final boost I needed to start putting myself first again. Inspired to make more of an effort during nine-to-five, I started to research and test products that would revive or disguise the daily grind of being a parent. Along the way I discovered hot new beauty must-have's, and realised there were some interesting trends emerging. Here's the top five to look out for: Advertisement CLEAN SLEEPING The world can thank Gwyneth Paltrow for championing this new trend, which translated means 'good quality sleep'. While there are many ways to tackle this, magnesium supplements are one of the 'IT' vitamins this year, offering a natural way to relax muscles and aid sleep. This goes hand-in-hand with another hot trend - vitamin sprays. According to one of the leading brands 'BetterYou', vitamin sprays have been "scientifically proven to deliver the nutrients at least 50% faster than traditional tablets of capsules." This bodes well for tired parents, who are time strapped and in need of maximum benefits from their beauty regime. (C) Pexels LOOK EAST Japan is the top country in the world for 'longevity' according to the World Health Organisation, so it's no surprise that modern beauty is turning east to see what we can learn. In the world of cosmetics, we can look forward to cult Japanese cosmetic brand 'DHC' now in the UK, while Lancome's new 'Energise de Vie' range incorporates exotic eastern ingredients 'goji berries and gentian root extract' to help revitalise skin. While the benefits of green tea on wellbeing have long been documented, China is taking this to the next level with 'concept tea'. This involves the mixing of blends such as 'green and oolong' tea, and is one to watch according to the experts at World Of Tea. Advertisement (C) Pexels CASH RICH, TIME POOR In a world which is 'cash rich, time poor', we are ever seeking products to make our lives easier and give us time back. This is something the beauty industry has wisely tapped in to, with a plethora of products aimed at 'overnight restoration' - ideal for those of us that don't have time for spa days and lengthy beautifying regimes. Clinique's Repairwear is one such range that helps restore skin performance overnight, while the trend for coconut based products is not stopping with either, with 'Yes to Coconut' introducing an overnight creme. It's not just cosmetic companies either - Dyson have joined the market with their new 'supersonic' hairdryer, that claims to be eight times faster than any other hair dryer. Doesn't it just blow you away! (C) Pexels WAVES Speaking of hair, you'll be pleased to know that 2017 is all about the wave. Note - not the perfect curl, or the poker straight - but the wave. And as any mum knows, the wave is our saviour, because messy hair, bed head and un-brushed hair can all gloriously pass as 'wavy'. We have LA stylist Anh Co Tran to thank for heralding this, she's worth following on Instagram for daily inspiration on how to style it out @anhcotran Advertisement (C) Pexels CONSCIOUS COSMETICS And finally, if there's one movement we're pleased to see more of, it's 'conscious cosmetics' - that is beauty products that tap in to lifestyle damage . The most recent of these is Dermalogia's 'Daily Superfoliant' which detoxifies skin to help prevent the harmful effects of pollution. For anyone like myself that works in a city, and ends their night wiping grime off their skin, this will be a welcome treat. Similary, Clarins have just launched 'Muti Active Eye Yeux' to "Counteract the effects of a stressful lifestyle" - which I think it's a nice way of saying 'people who work too hard'! In any case, it's good to see a shift from anti-ageing products to pro-lifestyle products. Hurrah! Martin Harvey / WWF Elephants have roamed the African wilderness for an estimated 55 million years. But over the past century around 90% of Africa's elephants have been wiped out, mainly due to poaching driven by the global demand for elephant ivory. Tragically this senseless slaughter continues. On average one African elephant is killed every 25 minutes for its precious tusks, with most ivory being smuggled to Asia, by ruthless criminal syndicates. China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Vietnam all have large legal and illegal ivory markets, where ivory is seen as a luxury status symbol. Advertisement Although Asian countries are the greatest drivers of the poaching crisis we're seeing now, the UK has a long and brutal history of ivory trade. According to TRAFFIC, an estimated 30,000 tonnes of ivory moved out of Africa into the UK between 1860-1920 and the tusks from at least 1.1 million elephants became household products for a rapidly expanding middle class. Tusks were carved into everything from musical instruments and cutlery to napkin rings and bangles. Alarmingly the UK still allows some legal ivory trade, and recent evidence has shown that UK ivory markets are being used to launder illegal ivory, with some shipments destined for Asia. In the last few months, we've seen monumental steps in the battle against elephant poaching. In a much-heralded move for elephants, China announced they will ban all domestic ivory trade by the end of 2017. The US has also introduced a near-total ban and Hong Kong has committed to closing its domestic market. The UK must also do everything possible to help protect the world's elephants. I've just returned from an inspirational trip to Kenya and Tanzania, where I saw first-hand the complex - and often dangerous - work it takes to keep wildlife safe. The illegal wildlife trade is now the fourth largest illegal trade in the world. The perpetrators use sophisticated means and they are determined. Advertisement Masaai Mara is a vast reserve, covering 1,510 km of pristine habitat. Rangers work tirelessly to safeguard the wildlife here, with daily patrols to prevent poaching. Talking with rangers who have worked here for 20 years their eyes lower with sadness when they describe the senseless death of an elephant for 'its teeth' or a rhino for its horn; and yet they have made significant progress in the Mara reserve, poaching here has plummeted. Kenya has taken recent steps to tackle the illegal ivory trade. In April last year President, Uhuru Kenyatta sent a clear message that Kenya would not tolerate the illegal wildlife trade, by burning 105 tonnes of ivory and 1.5 tonnes of rhino horn in the world's largest ivory destruction. In neighbouring Tanzania, similar commitment has followed from President John Magufuli, where in the Selous-Mikumi region over 60% of its elephant population has been lost to poaching over the last decade. With support from WWF they are now deploying drones and tracking technology alongside game wardens to monitor wildlife and importantly to detect and catch poachers. It is, however, an overwhelming task and cannot be tackled by any one nation alone. Back home, MPs will today debate the future of the UK's elephant ivory trade, ahead of a public consultation on the issue. The government has already announced plans to ban sales of 'modern' day ivory, but I urge it to go much further. WWF is calling for an urgent ban on the legal ivory trade in the UK, including antique ivory pre 1947, to ensure the UK plays no part in the global illegal ivory trade which is driving the poaching of elephants. The Conservative Party pledged a ban on ivory sales in the UK in its 2010 and 2015 manifestoes; but it has failed to deliver so far, despite intense public pressure. I hope the government will use the upcoming ivory consultation as an opportunity to uphold its promise and enact an ivory ban without delay. Advertisement Our government has taken commendable steps to tackle illegal wildlife trade overseas, providing funding for vital projects and hosting the 2014 London Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade. All eyes will be on London when the UK hosts the next conference in 2018, so it's essential that we have our own house in order, as we urge other key nations such as Vietnam and Thailand to close their domestic ivory markets. The clock is ticking for elephants. In the time it takes MPs to debate the issue in Westminster Hall, we could have lost another six elephants to poaching. Now is the time for bold and decisive action to close down the UK ivory market and ensure other nations make similar commitments. We need a future where ivory stays in its rightful place - with an elephant. shakzu via Getty Images On 29th January, less than one day after his first phone conversation with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin put the newly inaugurated president's soft-spoken words on the future of Russian-American affairs to the test. This test has been uttered in a rain of shelling and an upsurge in fighting of an intensity not seen since the battle of Debaltsave. In five days more than 5000 artillery shells were fired. This escalation is twenty times higher than the average monthly figure that Russian-backed separatists fire at Ukrainian forces. More than ten casualties in such a short time is also well above the norm, but more dramatically, the attack in Avdiikva has triggered a humanitarian crisis the like of which Ukraine has not forced endured since the peak of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict in 2015. More than 17000 people are now without water, electricity or heating, in a Ukrainian winter temperatures hovering below -20 Celsius. Bread queues and even evacuations have had to be organised under the most dire circumstances, reminiscent of scenes in Aleppo. These are tragedies that we do not associate with Europe. The escalation is so fast and severe that President Poroshenko was forced to break off his national state visit to Germany, Ukraine's most important (and reliable ally). Advertisement How have the leaders of the US and the UK reacted? The answer is with almost complete Silence. With President Trump having taken office less than two weeks ago, it has become very clear that the international community has entered unchartered waters. Increasingly it looks as though the world order is broken. Now nativist, protectionist voices are in the ascendancy and Eastern European nations are alarmed and baffled that their most fundamental security concerns are barely acknowledged by the new US government. They look for some small comfort in the fact Trump is scaling back his anti-NATO rhetoric. Ukraine is not that fortunate. Still fighting Europe's 'Forgotten War' with the Russian-backed separatists, Ukrainians view the double shock of Trump and Brexit with consternation and rapidly growing concern. Ukraine's best hopes for a satisfactory peace with Russia rested on a united Europe at its western borders and the United States as a strong guarantor. Now Ukraine is being confronted with the reality that the two Western nations who gave it significant and specific security assurances are currently treating this pledge as an inconvenient chore. As they turn inward to focus on their domestic reinvention they offer little more than symbolic support. President Trump, in particular, undermines previous assurances voiced by the American congress when he speaks of 'partnership' with Russia over Syria, Iran and Ukraine. However, as yet we have no idea what the word 'partnership' means in the Ukrainian context. While his own prospective cabinet members and some of his presidential staff acknowledge the threat coming from Russia under a Putin presidency, none of this seems to matter to the new American president and it does not seem that Ukrainian affairs have even appeared on his radar. Moreover, since his election, there has been no communication whatsoever between the Ukrainian government and the Trump White House. Advertisement Since the Brexit, referendum Britain has been completely mesmerised by the decision to leave the EU. Brexit haunts every conversation in Britain. The country is seeking to reinvent itself and has only two years to do so. One of the main (if not the only) trump cards Theresa May thinks she can play is that of defence. Britain remains the most powerful military power in Western Europe and this power is likely to feature in the negotiations with the EU. The argument runs that Britain will continue to provide the bulwark of European defence commitment if the EU agrees to a favourable deal with regard to market access etc. Unlike America, Britain cannot afford to keep up its introspection for long. Unlike Trump, Theresa May cannot afford to utter isolationist sentiments. Britain needs friends and it needs to show that it has a role in the world. We were shown a glimpse of this recently. Theresa May was the first international leader to visit Trump. She then flew straight to Turkey to meet President Erdogan. Two strong men in two days. Britain's relationship with Russia remains poisonous. But in her latest foreign visits Theresa May has shown she favours dialogue with controversial figures. She did hold fast to the continuing sanctions against Russia, and in doing so within earshot of Trump she might have done some good. That being said, as the May administration tries to prepare the United Kingdom for the most dramatic restructuring since the Second World War, little time will be left to address Ukrainian affairs unless the military conflict escalates beyond the Donbass. Britain's Ukrainian engagement will remain reactive and the battle of Adviikva shows us how weak these reflexes are. Even five days after beginning of the most intense fighting in the Donbass, neither the British nor the American head of state managed a personal statement on the matter; something that Chancellor Merkel did already four days ago. Our over-exuberant Tweeter-in-Chief who finds time to comment on even the most fatuous of subjects has nothing to say on one of the most sensitive matters that has haunted him since the beginning of his campaign. Even in the face of the most blatant Russian human rights violations he cannot bring himself to acknowledge the new reality. Among Russia-experts all over the world full panic broke out on January 31st, when the State Department issued an irritatingly toned down statement on the latest ceasefire plans. Nowhere was Russia even mentioned, let alone condemned. It took three days before someone in the Trump administration, realising how unacceptable this position was, gave a stronger response on the situation on Adliivka via Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN. Haley is the most remote US foreign policy communicator in relation to the White House. To make matters even more surreal, there has been confirmation that Haley did not receive any briefings from the White House. Much to the relief of the international intelligence community, Haley fully condemned Russia's role in the conflict and called out the Putin administration to actively contribute to the de-escalation of the military conflict in the the Donbass. On the British side, the government took four days to issue a thirty second statement via Boris Johnson. That is simply too little, too late. British leadership in international affairs must not be reduced to a soundbite. Britain shows again and again that it is not able to handle global affairs properly in parallel to Brexit, especially when it seems to be willing to sacrifice British principles over trade deals; as displayed by May's hand holding and cosying up to Trump on her state visit to the US. Russian officials accuse Ukraine of having activated the military conflict to keep Ukrainian affairs in the international agenda. Ironically, it probably will be these kinds of escalations that will make President Trump & Prime Minister May understand that they will have to take a more firm stand against Russia, independently of commercial or domestic considerations. It's dark and glossy, with a rich, fragrant flavour. It's roasted locally by small, artisanal workshops. It comes with a distinguished history and enough retro-styled equipment to delight any hipster barista. And it's made in a sock (yes, you did read that correctly the first time). Kopi, the local coffee of Singapore and Malaysia, is probably the best-kept secret outside its home region. But it deserves a much wider fan base. Those of you who, like us, have had the pleasure of travelling in Southeast Asia may also have had the unique experience of visiting a kopitiam, the place where kopi is served. Although the word kopitiam means 'coffee shop' in a characteristic diaspora fusion of Malay and Hokkien, the kopitiam is far more than just a cafe: it's the nexus of kopi culture. The kopitiam was the neighbourhood 'third place' throughout Singapore and Malaysia well before Starbucks laid claim to the term. Advertisement Overseen by a staff member traditionally clad in blue-and-white striped pyjama bottoms and a white singlet, the kopitiam is where you go to meet friends or read the newspaper over light bites, breakfast, and of course, kopi. Visitors are spoilt for choice, because even the humblest kopitiam serves more variants than the average Shoreditch roastery. Want your brew with condensed milk? Just ask for kopi. Fancy it black, no sugar? Make it a kopi o kosong. And if your preferred beverage is the zeitgeisty bullet-proof coffee, you're in luck: these guys have been stirring butter in their brew for generations. If you find yourself in the right sort of establishment, you'll even get to drink from the time-honoured, floral-patterned kopitiam crockery. As for the coffee itself, it's the result of a process developed in the late 19th century. Kopi is made from robusta, a coffee species too often scorned for its lack of finesse. This is unfair: while robusta isn't exactly the subtlest of coffees (the clue is in the name), when handled right its low acidity and full flavour make for a delicious result. Robusta is especially well suited to the treatment which transforms the green coffee beans into kopi. Grown in Indonesia and roasted locally in small batches, the kopi-to-be is naturally high in fat, sugar, and caffeine. The first two compounds play an important part when the beans are roasted, imparting a caramel-like richness which holds its own even when the final brew is mixed with condensed milk or butter. Advertisement Even more significant than the coffee's natural qualities are the additions made by the roaster. Mid-way through the roasting process, the beans are coated in varying proportions of raw sugar and margarine or butter, before being given a further roasting at around 180 degrees C. It's a similar process to the one used in the production of Spanish torrefacto coffee. If you're lucky enough to visit a kopitiam, make sure you get your hands on some kopi coffee. But if kopi doesn't float your boat, there are plenty of other gourmet coffees to choose from - from Colombia to Honduras, Peru to Nicaragua, there's something for everyone. And not all coffee in Singapore and Malaysia becomes kopi. Beans which have been roasted normally, without added ingredients, are known as 'white coffee', a term sure to confuse many an unsuspecting traveller. But if you compare the appearance of kopi beans to that of their white coffee counterparts, it makes sense: the former are shiny and black, in a carapace of caramelised sugar, whereas the latter look, if not white, then comparatively pale. This post was submitted by AAA Past President James Peacock. The place is Indonesia, the fourth largest nation in the world and the one with the largest Muslim population. The time is 1962-3 on the eve of "The year of living dangerously. Recently married, my wife, Florence, and I were living in Surabaya, Indonesia. She was bitten by a rabid dog. No serum was available, it seemed, at this time of economic crisis. A Muslim woman appealed to friends on behalf of Florence and in the nick of time one Indonesian doctor found serum for injections, which saved her life. Note this point: this Indonesian Muslim secured a scarce serum for a foreigner, an American. This life-saving gift was given not to an Indonesian but to an immigrant, deemed by President Sukarno an enemy, a neocolonialist at this time of the cold war when Indonesia had the third largest Communist party in the world. Before the mad dog incident we had lived with an Indonesian family in a slum, together with their many children. One of them lives near us today. His son, a graduate of Brown University is a close friend to our middle daughter. Advertisement In 1970 I returned to Indonesia to live with and learn about Muhammadiyah, a Muslim organization of 30 million members. They accepted me as a participant observer and during the next 8 months I travelled to their branches and participated in their training camps. Participants in the last training camp, for branch leaders, asked me to speak to their branches, critiquing them. I did so, throughout Java, criticizing their scapegoating Christians. I told a joke: four cars crash, who is at fault? Answer: The Christians. While we sometimes disagreed, I and the Muhammadijans remained friends. In 1998, Amien Rais, a friend from the camps, became head of Muhammadiyah. He achieved an important life saving act. He persuaded General Suharto, then President of Indonesia, to step down. This act headed off an Arab spring like that stimulated by Mubarak's refusal to step down in Egypt. Rais became a major candidate for President of Indonesia and he championed the election of a woman as President, Megawati, who served during 9-11 and offered the USA mediation with Muslilms. Today, Muhammadiyah is a positive force. While adhering to the pillars of Islam, it has built many universities, schools, hospitals, and its women's branch Aisjijah is one of the most active in the world. These Muslims are not terrorists; they are more like the "good Samaritan" who helps the foreign stranger. I am not a diplomat. I am an anthropologist. My work is not to make friends or combat foes but to do research, in this case, research on Muslims and Islam. A byproduct of this work is friendship with those with whom I have lived and worked. Many other anthropologists have done such work and made such friends. One is the mother of President Obama, who also lived in Indonesia as did Obama, from age six to ten. Advertisement On Thursday, California resident and retiree Diane Gandee Sorbi was charged with larceny, theft, and criminal mischief. Her alleged crime? Removing an injured hen from a cage-free egg farm and bringing her for veterinary care before placing her in a sanctuary to live out her life. Hens inside the cage-free egg farm from where Diane removed one injured bird for vet care The hen -- Ella -- at the centre of the controversy was removed from a cage-free egg farm and Costco supplier where activists reportedly found: Extreme filth, crowding, trampling and fighting. Feces-covered, featherless, ill, and injured hens. Some had bloodied, dragging reproductive organs. Dead and rotting chickens' bodies on the floor among the living hens. In addition to the obvious animal welfare concerns, cage-free marketing raises consumer protection issues. In this case, eggs from the farm where animals never saw the light of day were sold in packages depicting rolling pasture and wide-open sky. Many cage-free retailers, including Costco, state they're committed to protecting animals from fear, discomfort, and suffering, and to ensuring animals can exhibit normal behavior. Despite these assurances to consumers, however, a surreptitious look inside cage-free farms shows something else altogether. See the conditions for yourself, including the moment Diane rescued Ella: The charges against Diane highlight intrinsic flaws with our animal welfare system. Animals used for food are commodities--the property of their owners. The relatively trivial property rights of owners are privileged over the fundamental rights of animals to be free from suffering and death. Advertisement In this case, the corporate entity that subjected animals to severe suffering and then misled consumers about it went unpunished, while the person who rescued an animal from the brink of death and brought her for veterinary care is considered a criminal. Ella is handed to Diane Carol: I read just recently that Family Leave in the workplace has decreased 8% from the years '07 to 2011. I'm curious to know why companies are cutting back in offering elder care referral services and paid family leave. Anthony: Yes they are. And they are also cutting voluntary benefits, like offering long-term care insurance, that impact caregiving issues as well. Part of it is pure finances. Let's face it, companies are trying to get out of the healthcare business because the current model, started after the Second World War, was used to attract people to the workplace. Now employers are grappling with increasing healthcare costs and trying to see if they can give employees a stipend and then send them to the healthcare exchanges for insurance, if they continue to exist. Advertisement If you are a self-insured company the exposure is huge. They have a lots of upfront costs. I think while part of it is finances, part of it is culture. I don't think employers realize the bigger picture. When you retain a caregiver who is productive, even though they may have a crazy schedule or not be at work all the time, the cost of replacing a good employee is high. We still have that stigma in the workforce around caregivers. Yet, Millennials make up 25% of those caregivers who are in the workforce. I would point to a group called REACT. It stands for "respect a caregivers' time". There are companies like the Cleveland Clinic, Pfizer and others who are members and basically said, "We're going to recognize the caregiver in the workforce." It's not going to be something where if you come forth, come out of the closet so-to-speak, you're going to be stigmatized. We're going to work with you. We're seeing some companies get a lot more generous in family leave. But we're also seeing a culture shift. Family leave has been talked about more in the context of somebody having a baby and going on leave. It's less about elder issues. But we find with companies in REACT that they're starting to support family caregivers in the workforce - even if it's small things like offering space for employees to meet or giving them access to copiers to print materials. They're starting to recognize that this is one of the biggest societal issues we face and will be facing for a long time to come. Carol: That's very true. I was a family caregiver and working full time. So, I know some of the issues that unfortunately family members face. It's very difficult, I know, to focus at work when you know that your parent is at home needing care. With that in mind, what do you recommend to the caregivers who do work full time and also have the responsibility of caring or overseeing the care of aging relative? What can they do to remain productive at work and also support an aging parent? Advertisement Anthony: Obviously, to be productive at work and stay at work longer, they need to get help. Some of that help comes in pre-planning. How do you prepare for your aging sooner? For example, consider buying long term care insurance when you're younger, when the premiums are cheaper so that when the time comes and maybe you need a home health aide, you can afford it. It's still fairly affordable to do that versus paying for assisted living or going to a nursing home. But if you pre-plan some of these things and have conversations around them, I think it makes it a lot easier. I do believe that caregivers really need to find the other family caregivers in the workplace and form an informal support group, which can call more attention to this issue with the employer, showing how pervasive it is in the workplace than they realized. You need to have family conversations sooner. My kids spent the longest time trying to get in-home health care for their grandmother. She was not interested. It was more of a mindset. She didn't want somebody coming into her house, invading her space. I think the more you have these 'what if' conversations the better. It is not just about help for the loved one. It's help for the caregiver. I always encourage people to reach out to their own communities and use tools like Lotsa Helping Hands, where you form a care community around a loved one. I did this with my mother when she was in Florida after my sister became ill. We basically put a call out. "Here's mom's schedule. We can't be here all the time because we live far away." Within half a day, her whole schedule was filled with people who would reach out and take her to the appointments she needed. Actors Dominic Purcell and Wentworth Miller of the television show Prison Break spoke onstage during the FOX portion of the 2017 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at Langham Hotel on Jan. 11 in Pasadena, California. (Photo : Getty Images/Frederick M. Brown) "Legends of Tomorrow" actor Dominic Purcell has a surprising explanation for the revival of "Prison Break" Season 5. Premiere dates for Fox's spring shows have been set, including an escape plan for the show. Purcell was asked in an interview with TV Guide at the Television Critics Association winter previews how the "Prison Break" revival got approved. He said that he and "Underworld" actor Wentworth Miller were working on "The Flash" when they started to talk about revisiting the show at Fox, which paved the way to greenlit the show pretty fast. He also added that Netflix had something to do with the regenerated interest for the show. Advertisement According to Deadline, the conversation for the "Prison Break" revival carried over to creator Paul T Scheuring. Scheuring not only took inspiration from Homer's Odyssey but was also attracted to the idea of doing a limited series, given the current vogue in TV for tight, storytelling. He did not experience during the initial series runs of "Prison Break," which gives him a plus. "Prison Break" Season 5 is set in Yemen with ISIS and ISA in the mix. While Michael Scofield (Miller) is presumably dead, he really is not and winds up working for an organization. He is thrown in a Yemen jail and realizes that he has been set-up and tries to stage a prison break. Scheuring expounded on the serendipity that ensued in regards to bringing together the cast for a nine-episode "Prison Break" Season 5. The show was shot simultaneously in Morocco and Vancouver over 13 to 15 weeks. It is expected to reunite Scofield with the love of his life and his wife Dr. Sara Tancredi ("The Other Side of the Door" actress Sarah Wayne). "Prison Break" series originally ran from 2005 to 2009. Season 5 all started when Heat Wave and Captain Cold met on the set of CW/DC's "Legends of Tomorrow." Among the stars returning to the series include Purcell (Lincoln Burrows), "Transformers" actor Amaury Nolasco (Fernando Sucre), "Hitman" actor Robert Knepper (Theodore 'T-Bag' Bagwell), "Soul Food" actor Rockmond Dunbar (Benjamin Miles 'C-Note' Franklin), and "Private Practice" actor Paul Adelstein (Paul Kellerman). "Prison Break" returns to Fox on April 4 at 9/8c. Watch the video about Wentworth Miller, Sarah Wayne Callies, and Dominic Purcell talking "Prison Break" sequel: It's staggering to recall that one of Donald Trump's main appeals to many of his voters was a pledge to "drain the swamp" and rid Washington of corruption. In only two weeks he has, instead, begun stocking the swamp with new and poisonous creatures, making it yet more deadly, much as sugar planters did in the Caribbean importing fleur-de-lance and other poisonous snakes to discourage slaves from making new lives for themselves by escaping into the jungle. Trump's cabinet, of course, may contain as many irreconcilable conflicts of interest as all the cabinets of the 20th century combined. Secretary of State Tillerson cannot do his job without becoming deeply enmeshed in the interest of Exxon-Mobil. Education Secretary DeVos, HHS Secretary Price, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Ross are ensnared with layers of inappropriate investments; Labor Secretary Puzder has made it clear that he wants to use his new position to reduce wages paid by his fast-food companies, and only conceded on February 1 that he might have to divest much of his investment portfolio to avoid future conflicts. Trump's case for himself was "set a thief to catch a thief." He argued that he alone of recent Presidential candidates had been so deeply engaged in manipulating the federal tax code, that he alone knew how to fix it. Well. If only. It's not surprising that Trump has gone after Dodd-Frank financial regulations. There are features of those regulation that can honestly be argued to limit the ability of banks to provide useful services. So looking at Dodd-Frank, with the intent to give Americans access to better credit, isn't outrageous, per se. But the first target of the Trump Administration is a Dodd-Frank regulation which has absolutely nothing to do with financing average American citizens or businesses -- it simply protects American oil companies when they bribe corrupt oiligarchies in places like Africa. Following Trump's lead, the Congressional assault on Dodd-Frank began by rolling back regulations requiring American oil companies to disclose the terms of their leases with foreign governments. If Exxon-Mobil signs leases with Kazakhstan, (as Rex Tillerson did), why should Trump object if Exxon has to tell the people of Kazakhstan the terms of the lease? More broadly, why should any American -- other than those interested in Exxon -- object? We wouldn't allow our own government to sign a secret lease with, say, Rosneft, to develop oil off the coast of North Carolina. Why should the people of Kazakhstan be kept in the dark? Advertisement The answer, of course, is that if lease terms are public, it's harder for corrupt officials to steal, and if Russian oil companies, but not Exxon, can offer secret terms, corrupt governments may prefer to deal with Rosneft. And, if U.S. companies choose to skirt American law against bribery, they are less likely to face prosecution if the evidence is kept secret. So, for investigators of the massive oil and gas corruption that curses the world, the swamp just got more dangerous, because the sunlight was just snuffed out. Or look at the source of the rot in the D.C. swamp -- campaign bribery. Trump was correct in his Inaugural speech -- sitting behind him on both sides of the partisan aisle were a number of elected officials who in common English parlance had been bribed -- making policy choices influenced by financial gain, albeit almost always for their campaigns, not their retirement accounts. This is a long-standing abuse and problem. But it got much worse when the Supreme Court perfected, in its Citizens United ruling, the legal doctrine that not only wealthy individuals, but corporations, could play this influence game, because corporations were, after all, a funny kind of person -- endowed with freedom of speech even though they are not citizens and cannot vote. In Citizens United, the Supreme Court ruled this included the right to bribe real life, flesh and blood elected officials by financially supporting their campaigns, a doctrine that even a conservative Chief Justice like William Rehnquist had found repugnant. So, given Supreme Court rulings, how do we drain the campaign finance swamp? You couldn't realistically expect President Trump to have done this in his first two weeks. But you might be surprised to know that he has brought the architect of Citizens United, David Bossie, to help run Trump's own "America First" Superpac. America First? Citizens United enabled foreign interests, using corporate laundering loopholes, to intervene in U.S. political campaigns legally. Bossie's job is to make sure that Trump benefits maximally from that loophole. Bossie role's makes entirely clear that Trump sees no problem with bribery -- it's business. He just wants his share. Trump's real message is, "to steal the most, hire a thief." This should not be surprising. During the Progressive era, repeated efforts to clean up corruption by electing business leaders failed - because as Lincoln Steffens pointed out, the ethics of business success and those of clean politics are utterly different. Honest government is infused with an ethic openness and public service and depends on collaboration on behalf of "the general welfare." Business jealously guards trade secrets, sees competitors as rivals, and practices, in Donald's immortal words, the zero-sum "art of the deal". Previous efforts to clean up corrupt city and state government by electing business reformers mostly went on the rocks as a result. But previous business reformers mostly started out making a serious effort to drive out the grafters. Trump has started out making them his inner-circle -- after all, he has no intention of solving his own conflicts of interest, and, indeed, has thus far quite openly used the White House to fatten the coffers of the Trump Tower. (Foreign governments understand this. Many are already taking care that Trump properties are fully occupied, that labor disputes or environmental requirements don't slow them down, and that the president is sufficiently happy with the treatment his businesses get that he would never add them to a list of, say, risky terrorist countries. None of those listed in the ban last week had Trump properties within their borders.) So it seems likely that the Trump White House will be more scandal-ridden than any since Ulysses Grant -- with the difference that Grant himself never feathered his own nest, and Trump already is auditioning for "grafter in chief." Investigators and prosecutors will do well out of the next four years -- although Las Vegas is giving even odds that Trump doesn't survive that long. Many of us went to bed on November 8th feeling defeated, but we woke up on the 9th ready to fight. Millions of people took to the streets the day after the inauguration to express their opposition to Trump's racist and authoritarian agenda. We're activated. Now it's time to get organized. Some of us have never been involved in our democracy, besides going into the voting booth every two or four years. The last civics lesson we got was back in seventh grade so we're not exactly sure how all of this works. While social media is a great tool for disseminating information, it can be difficult to separate what's useful from the hype. The following online resources will help you get informed, get organized, and get to work. Check them out, see how they work, and bookmark your favorite one. You may want to poke around for local resources such as newsletters, websites, and Facebook groups that focus on issues in your state and district. Advertisement Also, while we want to fight the good fight eight days a week, being politically active can be draining. So pick an afternoon or two a week that you dedicate to the cause. This list provides you with powerful resources that will help you use your time and energy wisely. 1. Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda - A comprehensive document with important information about how to make the most impact. Written by insightful former congressional staffers who witnessed (and learned from) the Tea Party's successful grassroots movement. They also have a locator to connect you with activist groups in your area. 2. TheSixtyFive - Our Congressmen and women work for us, and calling them is a great way to make our voices heard. The65 organizes weekly calls to action to influential leaders and provides a bank of phone scripts about important issues. 3. SwingLeft - The control of the House in 2018 will be decided by a handful of Swing Districts. This site connects you to your closest Swing District in order to learn about actionable opportunities to support progressives and defeat Republicans. Advertisement 4. 2 Hours a Week - An easy-to-use website providing a wide variety of tangible actions you can take on important issues. 5. Track Trump - This website focuses on tracking the specific policy pledges from Trump's "Contract with the American Voter" during the first 100 days. Each policy change is color-coded depending on its progress: grey for no action, yellow for steps taken, and green for policy implemented. They also provided a daily roundup about the actual decisions, proposals, and executive orders made by Trump's administration - without any of the distractions. 6. MoveOn's Resist Trump Tuesdays - An effective way to resist on a local level and voice opposition to Trump's administration. You can choose to receive text message updates, which I find very helpful. 8. Countable - A website (and app!) to help you understand what Congress is debating and share your opinion with your lawmakers. Advertisement 9. 5calls - This user-friendly website provides phone scripts for important issues, connects you to the right people (Senators, Army Corps of Engineers, etc), and allows you to track the calls you make each week. 10. The Madison Project - This online platform allows civically-minded citizens to participate in crafting laws and legislation by leaving comments, annotating content, and interacting with a wider community. 11. Democracy OS - The Net Democracy Foundation created this platform to enable citizens to debate specific proposals when their representatives are voting on them. Use this platform to gather information, engage in public debate, and vote on proposals. I'm trying to take my own advice, about the importance of learning from history -- even from recent history. In the terrible divisiveness and anger that are part of our times, I am among the many who cringe at the ever more dramatic and contradictory decisions of Donald Trump. I am one of those people who reflect ponder with pain: How did we get here? I am also a person who didn't think things would be so extreme if Trump became the President. I have been pushing myself to slow down and ask questions as I struggle with the depressive anxiety floating in the air. What will happen to the environment, to racism, to immigration, to wars that might or not be fought at the flick of an impulse? At the same time, a message is coming up from within me, and it has to do with the times before Trump. It is really a question about our maturity when it comes to more thorough evaluation of anyone who would be President. I have felt during this transition time, the nostalgia for Obama as President and also for the couple, Barack and Michelle, as a class act full of kindness, passion and humor. But then I wonder about what really happened during Obama's tenure; I find myself questioning whether he contributed to our growth as a country. When I say "growth", I mean our growing up into the kinds of voters and citizens who become increasingly able to discuss and decide on things. Advertisement We live in a celebrity-dominated culture and we have bought into the President as either hero or anti-hero. The President promises everything, and we the public wait to see whether there is a Congress that will allow him (for now) to get his agenda through. In many situations, this does not seem a matter for public discourse but rather on for elected officials often immune to what people other than lobbyists are expecting. There were two major issues during the Obama years that stand out to me as needing public debate that they didn't get. One had to do with the banks and the financial crisis of 2008 and the other with health care reform. I have watched Italian and English leaders stand before their public ready to resign if their agenda isn't chosen after they have campaigned for it. That would never happen here, because Presidents don't quit by choice and when they have an agenda, their pushing can be relentless. Did this country as a whole want to bail out the banks that screwed the American workers and middle class and seduced them into a buying frenzy, giving them fake loans that could never be paid back? I'm still not sure, and I didn't know why we weren't debating this as a country, not just within the higher reaches of one political party or another. When one Republican leader says from the start of Obama's Administration, that his main task is to obstruct any bill suggested by Obama and to make sure his was a one-term Presidency, I ask how could Obama possibly function under those terms. And why didn't he get in front of the American people and say that he could only function as President if there was support for compromise, debate, discussion, support? I see us sinking into expecting a President to do the impossible, rallying for him when we are leaning into loving him, and then burying him alive if he betrays the supernatural powers he bestows on himself and we bestow on him. And in the midst of the aura of wellbeing the show business appearances give us, I confess to having joined in the worship of Obama; I find his charm convincing, even if he is not a late-night entertainer. We needed his leadership in devising ways to discuss and empathize and stop watching and accepting the spite of the leaders we supposedly are choosing. Advertisement To those who would say Obama did the best he could I would say I wonder what would have happened if he had told the country he could not function with all this egregiousness of defiance and opposition. What would happen if a President explains to the people of the country that their tasks continue till way after the election, and that we the people have an obligation to become informed, to speak and listen among ourselves, and to be part of task forces devoted to cooperation, and really listening to each other's fears and pain? Obama may have left us with more jobs, but he left Americans with the disappointment of "yes we can," not saying out loud that we were in danger of looking for magicians. Perhaps he too had tried to be one, having at all costs to put through a health program that has helped many, confused many, and caused many to pay fines rather than pay insurance costs they could not afford. I was watching Italian television many months ago when the then-Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on television, saying that if he could not accomplish one particular thing (what it was I don't recall) he would go home after six months. I was transfixed, since I'd never heard an American President say, "If you guys don't want my agenda and we can't work together, it's okay I can go home." No, the desperation of staying in power seems too great, and too embedded. And perhaps we are used to the voyeurism and the adrenaline of watching catfights among the knights and the warriors of Cabinet and Congress. They become the worst of us with none of them leading us to a place where different voices can be heard and understood. I see this as part of Presidential responsibility: when there is chaos among people, there is a place for implementing contexts where supports and civility and cooperation can occur. I am running for Oak Park and River Forest District 200 School Board. You can join my campaign on Facebook here. When I first began to formulate my views on the issue of student achievement gaps and equity (or lack thereof) as a candidate rather than a concerned citizen, activist, and father, I knew immediately that what I would have to propose would be difficult, controversial, and perhaps even unpopular, especially among the parents of the white, financially well-off students our education system is designed to benefit. I was a student at Oak Park and River Forest High School from 2006 to 2010, and from my freshman year, "the achievement gap" was a topic of discussion that virtually all students and teachers were aware of. Research on the topic as a nationwide issue dates back to the 1960's, and Oak Parkers have been struggling with it since at least the 90's. Advertisement These facts alone should make it clear to all community members, and especially would-be leaders (like myself), that the solutions we've been trying for decades simply do not work. Demonstrably, a serious attempt to strive for increased equity requires solutions that are, as Michael Romain said of my response in the January 18th Wednesday Journal article "School Board Candidates Riff on Equity," radical. During the Suburban Unity Alliance's candidate forum about which that article was written, I mentioned that using a word like "equity" is unhelpful because it obscures the causes of the issue. I would much prefer the word justice. Equity is a banal, opaque word meant to make privileged white people feel comfortable. It implies that this system of inequity has occurred naturally, that it is something to be combated without anybody taking responsibility for it. Justice, on the other hand, is frightening. If we strive for justice, we are admitting that our current system is unjust, and injustice comes from people. Advertisement When I proposed talking about equity as a "debt of education" owed to students of color and other marginalized groups, I was aping a term I heard from Gilman Whiting, a professor at Vanderbilt University and founding chair of the Achievement Gap Institute for the George W. Peabody College of Education. Speaking about a conference his institute held, Professor Whiting readily acknowledged how dangerous it is to use such language: "We use the term achievement gap, and I used it in this conference, for one purpose only. If I called it 'a debt owed to low-income, minority, and other [students] who haven't had opportunity,' no one would show up." So when a woman named Barbara Bodner replied to my comments in a letter to the editor of the Wednesday Journal, questioning my stance and wondering in a tone of cautious indignation what such an approach would look like in practical terms, I can't say I was surprised. Bodner offered as an example a marvelous New York Times article by Nikole Hannah-Jones, a middle-class African-American woman who struggled with the decision of whether or not to send her daughter to a low-income, predominantly black public school in Brooklyn even though she and her husband certainly could have afforded "better" options. Hannah-Jones's article concluded that "true integration, true equality, requires a surrendering of advantage," and this phrase provided Bodner with the title of her letter. She finished with the question, asked in earnest I am sure, "How do we 'surrender advantage'?" The indignation I sensed when reading Bodner's letter stems, I would stake my life on it, from the implication that white students (or, if you prefer, 'more privileged' students) will have to suffer in order to make up for racial inequity (injustice). It is the old conservative fear that liberals and leftists (like me) want to achieve equality not by raising the lowly, but by striking down the proud. Advertisement And unfortunately, I cannot say unequivocally that this idea is unfair. Most liberals would, I imagine. It would be very easy for me to mirror other candidates and politicians both past and present by reassuring Oak Park's white residents with vague platitudes like "a rising tide lifts all ships." The problem with that metaphor is that it isn't true. A rising tide does not lift sunken ships. This one's going down no matter what the tide does. Any political strategist would tell me that it's electoral suicide to speak so strongly and decisively against the "white moderates" that Martin Luther King Jr. castigated in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail as "the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom." But Oak Park is a progressive town, a town whose white residents love to pride themselves on "diversity." A town that, I hope, will prove unafraid to come together in solidarity and radicality to become a leader, not just in Illinois but nationwide, in educational justice. Here is how we can do that. As I said before, it begins with changing how we discuss the issue. It is an issue of justice, not equity. As Dr. King said of those aforementioned white moderates, they prefer: "a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice." We must reject moderation and fully embrace a stride towards justice. With this change comes the recognition that our unjust system is a result of policies put in place by people and that people have the power to reverse those policies. We must recognize that the privilege enjoyed by whites in our society can only exist at the expense of people of color. Advertisement That does not mean "blaming" white people individually. White students and parents had no part in creating the institutions of white supremacy; they have existed for centuries. Regardless, white people must recognize that they benefit from white supremacy whether they are personally culpable for its persistence or not. For example, the United States spends over $300 more per year on white students than students of color. Educational injustice is the result of resources being allocated disproportionately towards white students, and the only way to rectify that is to distribute resources more evenly. This new approach to talking about equity has implications far beyond just the high school. Research shows that developmental disparities leading to gaps in achievement are evident between racial groups by the age of two. Clearly this means that secondary education can only address the problem so much within the halls of the school itself. Becoming the leader in a new way of facing the issue will help to effect change on all levels. Granted that a single school cannot hope to accuse the entire system on its own, there are still actions that a high school like OPRF can take to combat injustice at the secondary level, and by working with districts 90 and 97, throughout our community. One way that I would ask community members to 'surrender advantage' is by refocusing the school's ongoing facilities debate around the need for more academic spaces, especially classrooms. This would be part of a larger agenda of putting academics first when it comes to all spending decisions, something the current board has not always done. Advertisement H. Richard Milner, in his book Rac(e)ing to Class, stresses the importance of reducing class sizes for combating the achievement gap, especially for "school-dependent" students (students who rely on school to provide needs that are typically thought of as the domain of home or family life, such as breakfast or access to museums). So a great example of 'surrendering advantage' would be giving up on an expensive aquatic center that would benefit a small minority of (mostly-white) students in order to spend the money to build new classrooms and hire new teachers in order to reduce class sizes for under-achieving students. The last facilities plan, which was narrowly defeated in November's referendum, only allocated around 17% of its funds towards new educational space. Another important move that must be undertaken is an effort to "de-track" our school. Tracking is the practice of grouping students into courses of study based on almost totally non-holistic measures of academic ability, such as test scores and grades that focus on benchmarks rather than progression. When I was a student, I was in advanced placement classes for English and History, and lower-level courses for Math and Science. Even as a teenager with no understanding of educational policy, the racial and economic makeup between these classes (not to mention between all academic classes and Physical Education) were stark and stood out to me as odd and unfair. Tracking, whether or not it is well-intentioned, is a method of intra-school segregation that harms all students. The fact that when school integration reached its peak in 1988 the achievement gap was at its lowest point since data has been collected (see the New York Times story) is no coincidence. Advertisement The negative reaction that some white parents have to the idea of putting their high-achieving students in the same classes as disadvantaged students of color evidences again the passive racism of the white moderate. All good educators know that students learn from each other, both by example and collaboration, as much as from their teachers, and academic tracks deprive disadvantaged students of the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with their more privileged classmates. It also reinforces negative self-imaging, which has been shown to be detrimental to student achievement (Milner). Worst of all is the implicit (and subconscious) supposition that these privileged white students have themselves nothing to learn from poor students or students of color. This course of action, coupled with a move towards more teacher and student autonomy, will lead to a more flexible curriculum and more holistic learning. In the long run, our school will be stronger and our students more prepared for college and adulthood, and we will pave the way for nationwide education reform. Increasing the influence teachers hold is a crucial step towards educational justice. Nationwide education reform will become very necessary in the coming years under Betsy DeVos, a billionaire with nothing but disdain for (and a total lack of experience with) public education. Neoliberal education policies enacted under the last two presidential administrations (No Child Left Behind under Bush and Race to the Top under Obama) have turned education into a numbers game and forced schools to compete for federal money, almost always to the detriment of underprivileged students. This has paved the way for mass school closings like we've seen in Chicago and a rush towards privatization that will further stratify our children along racial and economic lines. Advertisement We are also about two decades away from people of color making up the majority of Americans. To allow the majority of Americans to be inadequately educated goes beyond morally disgraceful and spiritually profane to economically idiotic. As anti-racism activist Tim Wise put it, "It's equity or destruction. Those are the two choices." All of these factors mean that closing the achievement gap must become a priority at all levels of government. Because our president and his education secretary care so little for public education, local schools like Oak Park must take the lead. The only solution is a radical move towards holistic learning and educational justice. As I have stressed throughout this diatribe, doing this will not be easy. Many potential voters were turned off at the word "radical," and many others at the phrase "white privilege." But the point I led with still very much stands: the approaches we've been trying for decades do not work. Mentorship, while great for some individual students, does very little on its own to address systemic injustice; its main purpose is to make white politicians and administrators feel good about themselves. If you are tired of having the same conversations year after year and decade after decade; if you are tired of tiny, incremental change that leaves thousands of black and brown students behind; if you are scared of the direction public education is taking and believe that Oak Park should forge a new path that the rest of the country can follow, I urge you to put aside your natural fear of change and join me. Together we can end educational injustice once and for all. Advertisement A federal appeals court has overruled a lower court decision that rejected a lawsuit filed by detainees in a Missouri county jail attacking a policy as unconstitutional. The policy forced them to remain naked for about seven hours at least one or two times a week while their only clothing was being laundered. In July 2015, groups of current and former prisoners held at the Cole County jail in Jefferson City sued the county and the jail warden and deputy, claiming the jail's laundry and related policies combined to deprive them of constitutional rights. The trial record established jail rules required male prisoners' clothing to be laundered every two or three days, and female prisoners' clothing after four days' use. Jail residents were given only a single set of clothes and not permitted to clean their own clothing or to wear other clothes of their own while their jail-issued clothing was being washed overnight. Advertisement As a result, while deprived of their clothing, they could cover themselves with bedsheets or blankets, but might otherwise be visible to other prisoners or guards who delivered washed clothing to cells. The record also noted opposite-sex guards sometimes deliver the clothing, and another prison rule forbade covering or blocking cell windows allowing occupants to be viewed. Two months after the lawsuit was filed, the trial court dismissed the case, accepting the county's arguments the prisoners had not made out a constitutional claim. In throwing out the case, the trial court noted that for most of the time the prisoners would be naked, they would be in bed in their cells. Echoing county arguments that the laundry rules served hygienic and cleanliness purposes, the trial court found the jail rules being attacked amounted to no more than "minimal deprivations," well short of violating constitutional rights. It further held, since no constitutional rights had been denied, jail officials had limited immunity to being sued. But on Jan. 17 of this year, a three-judge panel of the St. Louis-based 8th Circuit unanimously decided, in Ingram et al v. Cole County et al, that the trial court had erred. Because the prisoners bringing suit were pretrial detainees rather than convicted inmates, both courts analyzed the constitutionality of jail practices under the 14th Amendment's requirement of due process, rather than under the 8th Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Advertisement For the appeals court, this distinction was significant, because the 14th Amendment forbids punishment of pretrial detainees, since they have not yet been convicted. So the key test, the appeals court said, was whether policies attacked in the lawsuit were so arbitrary or purposeless as to constitute punishment without a valid correction purpose. The appeals court stopped short of deciding that question, but did rule there was enough evidence in the record to form the basis of a claim on which the detainees should be heard. One appellate judge, for example, noted the absence of any official explanation of why the jail couldn't stock or wash enough clothes to prevent frequent, recurring periods that detainees would be left without clothing. The case is now scheduled to return to the lower court to examine the purposes and justification for the jail's practices. In his first three days in office, President Trump cut off funding to all international health care groups that provide or even refer or counsel women on abortion. The impact of reinstating and expanding the Global Gag Rule will be to deny some of the worlds poorest women the health care they need. The presidents action will result in suffering and will have terrible consequences for women and children. That he was surrounded by a group of white men when he took this action only added insult to injury. Without question, the optics were horrible. But this is about much more than optics. Its about the Trump administrations agenda about a president who has appointed the least diverse cabinet the whitest and most male cabinet and the most anti-woman cabinet in a generation. From gutting the Affordable Care Act to undermining reproductive health care to weakening workplace protections to opposing measures to stop sexual violence, Trumps nominees have stood outside the mainstream and against the interests of women. Women must be vigilant and we must resist. Affordable Care Act Lets start with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which has made a tremendous difference in womens lives by providing health coverage to millions and requiring insurance plans to cover services such as gynecological checkups and birth control without co-pays. The ACA also outlawed gender discrimination in pricing and discriminatory policies such as denying coverage simply because a woman had survived breast cancer or given birth by cesarean section. Advertisement Despite its effectiveness in improving womens health and economic security, two of Trumps nominees, Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Rep. Tom Price and Attorney General nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions, have stubbornly opposed the ACA and repeatedly tried to repeal the law. Rep. Price also wants to eliminate provisions that guarantee maternity care and contraception without co-pays. Trumps nominees for budget director, CIA director and interior secretary all voted for repeal and to defund Planned Parenthood. Even Trumps nominees who never served in Congress have been enemies of womens health. Trumps nominee for labor secretary, Andrew Puzder, has been an outspoken critic of the ACA and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley refused Medicaid funds that would have helped more women in her state afford coverage. Reproductive Rights Trumps nominees have been unrelenting in working to undermine womens constitutional right to abortion. Sessions called Roe v. Wade one of the most erroneous decisions of all time and even opposed legislation to protect the safety of abortion providers and patients. Price co-sponsored legislation that would outlaw abortion, stem cell research, some forms of contraception and in vitro fertilization; he also voted to ban abortion care as early as 20 weeks and to deny coverage to low-income women. Puzder was the architect of a Missouri law designed to dismantle Roe v. Wade. Haley signed South Carolinas 20-week abortion ban. Trumps education secretary nominee, Betsy DeVos, has donated millions to anti-choice causes and his HUD secretary, Ben Carson, ran for president on an anti-abortion platform. Advertisement Workplace Fairness Trumps cabinet nominees are also deeply hostile to womens rights in the workplace. When they served in Congress, Sessions and Price voted against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which helps women who discover they are being paid less than their male counterparts challenge the discrimination in court. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, a former secretary of labor, has opposed raising the minimum wage and the Paycheck Fairness Act. And since Puzder became CEO of their parent company, Carls Jr. and Hardees have been sued for employment discrimination under federal law more than any other major burger chain. Women employees at the chain, which notoriously uses sexualized images of scantily clad women in its ads, have testified about unwanted sexual behavior while on the job. Some 60 percent of Wage and Hour Division investigations of Carls Jr. and Hardees restaurants found at least one violation of wage and hour rules and Puzder has spoken out against fair overtime pay, a higher minimum wage and ensuring universal access to paid family and medical leave. Sexual Violence Fighting sexual violence has long been a nonpartisan issue. The Violence Against Women Act, which protects women from domestic and sexual violence, passed with bipartisan support in 1994 and was reauthorized with bipartisan support several times since. Yet four Trump nominees who served in Congress when it was reauthorized in 2013 voted against it. Several of these men are slated to lead agencies charged with helping enforce or implement this essential law. These are just a few examples of the disturbing positions Trump nominees hold on issues vital to women and the Global Gag Rule is a harbinger of the kinds of policies they will surely try to advance. As Congress completes the confirmation process, and more and more of these nominees take their posts, we all have a responsibility to keep our eyes on all the ways agency actions can diminish womens equal rights, health and economic security. We will need to make our voices heard through calls and letters to our elected officials, protests in Washington and across the country and standing in solidarity with other groups that advocate for the values we believe in. We cannot allow the priorities of an anti-woman cabal to prevail. Now more than ever, each of us must be vigilant and active. It is arguably the case that any sweeping ban on entry to the U.S., or any other country, of refugees from one particular background is reprehensible, whether temporary or not, whether enacted by President Trump, or former President Obama. Some linguistic textual interpretations cannot dispel the bad smell which is in the air right now, and bad smell takes time to disappear. That said, there is no need to exaggerate, and compare the current American ban relating to seven Muslim states, to anything connected with the Jewish Holocaust in Europe. The ban is bad enough, so just describing the truth about it will do. Exaggerations just turn it into another political hard ball, and that is unhelpful, as there is so much hypocrisy and double standards involved in the debate. For example, many of those who condemn and rightly so, this shameful ban, openly laud the sweeping ban on entry of Israelis into many Arab and Muslim states. Another such point is the support given by many of the opponents of the current President Trump ban to the Palestinian demand to return Palestinian refugees from the First Arab-Israeli war of 1948 to Israel, while they demand, that current Syrian refugees will ALL be admitted to the U.S. as well as other Western countries. Here is where the reality of the Middle East problems is of such importance, but alas, THIS element of the situation is completely missing from the public discourse. Regarding Syria, the problem of refugees as unfolding to us right now is not nearer to an end, simply because there is a distinct reason as to why we are grappling with this issue in the first place. This is the intentional genocidal policy of the Assad regime in Syria, deliberately creating ethnic cleansing on a huge, unprecedented scale, designed to dramatically change the demographic balance in Syria against the Sunni Muslim majority and in favor of the Alawite minority, the sect which Assad is a member of. The situation already is horrific, nearly beyond belief. Almost a half of Syria's population are refugees, in their own country and outside of it. Turkey alone has almost three million Syrians, and altogether we can define the problem being in the stage of the end of the beginning, not the beginning of the end. Syria is currently the most dramatic example of the Arab predicament, but millions more, many millions from other Arab countries are in line to become refugees. The numbers of today will be dwarfed in the not too distant future by the considerably larger numbers of refugees. With that in mind, the problem of refugees requires solutions which will address the fundamentals of the tragedy, and will go beyond the need to oppose and change bans of all kinds. We talk here about a lot of money, about international cooperation, about resettlement's and rehabilitation on a grand scale. Advertisement The UN is the most likely organization which is mandated to deal with these issues, at least if it was to do its job properly, and live up to its charter, both in letter and in spirit. In fact, there are two agencies which are supposed to do exactly that. One is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency For Palestine Refugees In The Near East (UNRWA), of course nothing about the LARGER number of Jewish refugees from Arab countries, who were absorbed in Israel without the UN], the other is United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees. Let us dwell a little about UNRWA-an agency of the UN, which has become a hotbed of hatred towards Israel, an agency which constantly inflates the number of people under its care, whose many installations in Gaza , for example, serves in times of hostilities with Israel as a military outpost of Hamas, an agency whose entire mandate is bogus. It deals with "refugees," from 70 years back, and in actual terms, it perpetuates the problem,rather than removes it. The idea is to perpetuate its own existence, and thus provide the Palestinians with another propaganda weapon against Israel. Here is a practical suggestion to people of goodwill in the international community. Scrap the outdated UNRWA, amalgamate it with UNHCR, arrange a world refugees relief fund of 50-100 BN dollars, and invest the money in resettlement in the affected countries of the Middle East, in other Arab countries of the Middle East, as well as in countries where there already are sizable communities of Middle Easterners, mainly Syrians, such as in South America, and first and foremost, stop immediately the ethnic cleansing in Syria. That means an international force of substantial size to be stationed in Syria. The genuine needs of those Palestinians who still use the services of UNRWA can be taken care of by the new united UN refugees agency. I am an immigrant. I came to this country as a young man from Pakistan and was able to build an incredible life for myself and my family because of the opportunities living in the United States afforded me. I wish for as many people as possible to experience this as well. If you know me, are familiar with my story at all, or have read my writings, then none of this is news to you. But one thing you may not know about me is that my mother was a Jewish woman that originally lived in Syria. That's why, more so than most, my heart truly goes out to the refugees in Syria, especially those who are persecuted religious minorities. These refugees have found themselves living in a nightmare through no fault of their own. I do not think we should outright ban these refugees from coming into our country forever. However, just saying "let's let them all in" is not the answer, either. Advertisement If we are being truthful here, even if we say the danger of the refugees as a terroristic threat is somewhat overblown (indeed it is the asylees that have caused most of the carnage), there are still very real costs involved. Whenever you take a large amount of people from a completely different region and entirely different culture and import them, it costs a lot of money and it becomes a challenge for them all to assimilate. This isn't their fault, it is just reality. So while we can certainly take some of the refugees, it makes very little sense that we are being relied on so heavily to take hundreds of thousands more. That's why we need help from some countries in the region who have not done their fair share to kick in and help their suffering neighbors. Namely, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia, in particular, could be a gigantic help on this issue. As noted Middle Eastern scholar Daniel Pipes explains, "Saudi Arabia has many unique attractions for Sunni Muslims. To begin with, it has 100,000 high-quality, empty fiberglass tents that can house about 3 million people in Mina, just east of Mecca. Fireproof and air-conditioned, complete with toilets and kitchens, this unique resource is occupied a mere five days a year by pilgrims on the hajj." Advertisement In demonstrating how little the Saudis have contributed here, Pipes notes that the amount of Syrians in that country is shockingly low: "One study, by Lori Plotkin Boghardt of the Washington Institute for Near Eastern Policy, estimates the number in the 'low hundreds of thousands,' say 150,000. That's a small fraction of the over 4 million in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan -- and just 5 percent of the migrants who could be housed just in Mina's splendid tents." Love across racial lines, especially when it involves British aristocracy, is a theme that's been close to director Amma Asante's heart. She tackled the subject gracefully in her romantic period piece Belle. With that same artistry, sensitivity and flair, she delves into another regal mixed-relations love story that's based on fact. You can throw out conventional wisdom and characters and embrace this very unique tale. (Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures) Rosamund Pike and David Oyelowo in A United Kingdom. According to the book Colour Bar: The Triumph of Seretse Khama and His Nation, by Susan Williams, the facts, romance, drama and intrigue play out this way: In the late 1940s, Seretse Khama (David Oyelowo, Selma), the Prince of Bechuanaland (a British protectorate that became Botswana), is studying law at Oxford. He goes to a mixer where he meets a beguiling white office clerk, Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl). Something clicks. A mutual love of jazz heats things up. A strong attraction blinds them to the naysayers who show disdain. Advertisement In 1948 they marry, an event that her closed-minded dad (Nicholas Lyndhurst) vehemently opposes. Headlines in the papers that year in post-World War II London read, "Black King, White Queen." And that is not a compliment. The British government is outraged, but only half as much as the South African government, which is just beginning to shepherd in apartheid, legal segregation of the races, as their neighboring country is flaunting interracial marriage. The couple flies back to Bechuanaland and neither are well received. Khama is in line to become the next king of his tribe, but that's in jeopardy now, thanks to a scheming Uncle Tshekedi (Vusi Kunene) and a community that is in shock. The British government gives the lovers a hard time too, figuring out elaborate ways to keep them apart, even as Ruth becomes pregnant. It's a war of wills. The world is against the black prince and his white wife. Antagonism from governments, families and Khama's own people takes its toll. Who will win? The dramatic elements in this unique story are strong: Groundbreaking history. Social and racial issues boil over. Political implications are on an international level. European countries, like Britain, salivate over the gemstones and precious metals that are ripe in Africa, and their colonialism gets exposed. Both blacks and whites act with narrow-minded rancor. Family members turn against each other. As this firestorm of strife plays out, an intriguing, forbidden love story develops. It worked for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It works here. Guy Hibbert's (Eye in the Sky) approach to the script is low-key. He lets the romance prevail, prejudice of historical proportions becomes a weapon and those who use it become the villains. The sincerity of this love story is never in question. The characters just play out their parts, face insurmountable odds, and as they do the audience becomes engaged. Credit goes to director Assante for showing great reserve and style while letting the story unfold. She also finds a way to provoke earnest performances from the entire cast. Every incident, from love at first sight to power play meetings with British officials, is engineered aptly. Advertisement Assante's efforts get a great assist from: The alluring cinematography by Sam McCurdy (Game of Thrones) that makes the African plains and British streets equally evocative. Keen production design by Simon Bowles (Belle) fits the time and places. Stately period costumes by Jenny Beavan (The King's Speech) and Anushia Nieradzik (Belle), give Oyelowo's suits a regal look and Pike's flowing dresses a mid-century ladylike appeal. Editors Jonathan Amos (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World) and Jon Gregory (Mr. Turner) endow the film with a rhythm that makes sense in bustling London and quiet Bechuanaland too. The musical score, by Patrick Doyle (Sense And Sensibility), remains exquisite throughout. David Oyelowo produced this noble film and it's easy to see why he was attracted to the story. He has portrayed stately men in so many roles (Selma, Queen of Katwe) that his sensibility is ideal for that of a prince being denied his rightful ascension to the throne. The character and the actor mesh perfectly. Through the worst, Khama exhibits a dignity that is both believable and unshakeable. Pike as the woman determined to make her new community her new family, regardless of the challenges, maintains a stoic majesty. On the other hand, Vusi Kunene as the devious uncle and Jack Davenport as British diplomat Alistair Canning, who kowtows to South Africa's determination to thwart the romance, are fitting adversaries who must get their due. This film eschews histrionics. In doing so, the filmmakers let the audience form their own opinions without browbeating them. And for those who think interracial romance is hardly controversial these days, ask white Prince Harry of Britain if he's having an easy time romancing his black girlfriend while in the public eye. A United Kingdom is fascinating. It's a love story that was way ahead of its time. In Chuck Wolfe's absorbing new book, Seeing the Better City, he encourages readers to think with our eyes and communicate with visual imagery in order to improve our cities. With the proliferation of smartphone cameras and an endless array of easily accessible, web-based platforms on which to display them, virtually everyone is now a photographer. And, with cities on the ascendance, many of them confronting both excitement and worries about growth and development, more people than ever want to make them as hospitable as possible. It's time to put those trends together, argues Wolfe, and use our eyes and our cameras "to explore, observe, and improve urban space," to quote the book's subtitle. He makes a good case, and provides an engaging guidebook for going about it, with examples. I have long admired Wolfe's evocative and skilled photography, and the book includes seventy of his photographs. While waiting for my review copy of Seeing the Better City, two potential antecedents already on my bookshelves came to mind: The first was Frederick Franck's short 1970s classic, The Zen of Seeing. It is about seeing - and drawing - as an act of meditation, and it is not particularly urban. It is also very intuitive and right-brain in its approach, and does not attempt the formidable intellectual underpinning found in Wolfe's book (which includes 26 pages of endnotes), but I like it a lot. And it has something important in common with Seeing the Better City, which is its instruction that seeing - really seeing - asks us to pay attention to our surroundings, to be mindful. Advertisement The second potential antecedent that I thought of was Tony Hiss's 1990 book The Experience of Place, which provided my first memorable introduction to serious thinking about how we humans interact with our built environment, including urban places. Its intricate descriptions of how Hiss personally experienced such city locales as Brooklyn's Prospect Park and Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal made me think about cities in a new way; the book was one of a small number of early-1990s works by various urban thinkers that gradually inspired me to change my career. Hiss, too, was admonishing us to pay attention, but he added an important purpose to the endeavor: "Make sure that when we change a place, the change agreed upon nurtures our growth as capable and responsible people while also protecting the natural environment and developing jobs and homes enough for all." That pretty well summarizes the intent of the last twenty years of my career and that of many fellow travelers, including Wolfe. Indeed, Hiss must have made an impact on Wolfe as well as on me: The Experience of Place is among the many erudite works cited in Seeing the Better City. But Hiss primarily used words, not images, to make his case. As a writer and practicing attorney, Wolfe understands well the world of verbal communication. But Seeing the Better City argues that words are not sufficient if we really want to capture the essence of places and especially if we want to advocate their betterment. Advertisement In particular, the book suggests that we compile visual "urban diaries" of the cities we inhabit and visit as we look for and document aspects of those cities, capturing pictures of things we like (and don't like) and supplementing them with contextual annotation. We can then use those diaries as compendia of lessons learned, to argue for improvement. I take a lot of photos myself, and consider myself an enthusiastic if (very) amateur maker of images. But I am mostly seeking beauty and mood in my photography; I am feeling and sensing more than thinking. Wolfe, however, is arguing for something else. In a passage about documenting cities while traveling, he stresses that those seeking to see the better city must go beyond mere enjoyment and dig deeper: "Beware of nostalgia when observing historic landmarks and places. It is not surprising to be motivated or awestruck; the challenge is to think about why. What is it about seeing such a place, or otherwise sensing it, that causes any particular reaction?" Later on the same page, we are reminded that improving places is not just about physical urban form, but fundamentally about people: "Follow basic human needs as starting urban diary themes. They will define what you see along the way. They may be as simple as the characteristics of where people live, or where the less fortunate find a place to sleep, or the locations available for a trip to a store, restaurant, or cafe . . . "Center on people and, as already noted, attempt to include them in photographs, even from afar. How we see people interacting with the physical environment, in combination with other factors, will influence what we take away from exploration and observation." The book is peppered with examples from Wolfe's own extensive travels and explorations, many of them from abroad. It suggests, for instance, that we can draw useful observations about such modern hot-button issues as urban density, building height, and use of alleys among the centuries-old World Heritage Sites in Edinburgh, Scotland. Closer to Wolfe's home in Seattle, he notes that photographs of older residential buildings in his neighborhood can be used to show that neighborhood character can be preserved when multi-unit and single-family residences sit next door to each other, so long as the buildings are harmoniously scaled and similarly oriented to the street. And that kind of advocacy is the ultimate aim of Seeing the Better City. Wolfe is a land-use lawyer and urbanist, and he believes his causes can be assisted by photographs and other urban-diary tools. He stresses that the book is not about observation for observation's sake but about applying positively the best of what we see. By so doing, Wolfe hopes we can get past what he characterizes as "NIMBY-driven, protectionist discussion" and move forward with growth and development of a type and in a way that people can embrace. To that end, the book's penultimate chapter is devoted to putting visual urban diaries to use in "policies, plans, and politics." Wolfe presents six examples where approaches similar to those he advocates have already been encouraged by municipal planners in the US, Canada, and Australia as part of their public engagement processes, to help inform their decisions. And he further suggests that, beyond planners, developers too can encourage residents to use an urban-diary approach to help developers tailor their plans and make them more likely to gain acceptance. Wolfe believes that, using urban diaries, citizens who might otherwise feel that they have no choice but to say "no" to neighborhood change can discover and indicate what they would say "yes" to. Now that is a laudable objective. I might go even further and urge that neighborhood groups and environmentalists seize the initiative and use photographs and diaries to come up with their own proposals, well before planners or developers begin considering their options. Wolfe gets close to this possibility with references to crowd-sourcing and citizen empowerment but does not fully develop it. I think the idea may hold promise. The simple truth is that, in most if not all places, change is going to occur. And most every place could use some improvement. While putting together a bottom-up neighborhood vision without prompting from above requires a degree of organization and leadership, most communities have natural organizers and leaders among their residents, and just about everyone is interested in achieving the best for their neighborhoods. Advertisement To be effective, resident-initiated visions eventually would have to be refined by professionals, of course, and translated into a vocabulary that public officials can work with. But I think Wolfe's ideas, as articulated in Seeing the Better City, could help get the process started. By so doing, they also just might help us get ever closer to Tony Hiss's elusive goal of assuring that change "nurtures our growth as capable and responsible people" while protecting the environment and providing jobs and homes for all. Sounds good to me. Move your cursor over the images for credit information. In over nine years, Shannon Harris was the first representative of Barbados in the Miss Universe beauty pageant. Rihanna's fellow Barbadian shares the same name with a New Zealand beauty vlogger, who was recently nominated for Shorty Awards. "It is such a huge honor to be nominated for a Shorty Awards, especially because I feel that my YouTube channel is so different to the other nominees, who are amazing people with super-interesting lives," the New Zealand beauty vlogger told New Zealand Herald. "My channel seems quite down-to-earth and small by comparison, but I wouldn't have it any other way." Advertisement On the other hand, Miss Universe 2016 apparently helped Barbados to catch the attention of other countries. On Feb. 3, Friday, Miss Universe Barbados director of media relations Gaynelle Marshall talked about this during a press conference at the Bougainvillea Hotel in Maxwell, Christ Church. The government of Barbados should use this international exposure to boost tourist sector, Nation News quoted Marshall as saying. According to her, Google search for Barbados had increased by almost 300 percent when Barbados was represented at Miss Universe 2016. As for the current Miss Universe Barbados title holder, her charity work has started even before joining Miss Universe 2016 in the Philippines. Having worked with several charities in Barbados, she apparently would still pursue her advocacies even without becoming Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach's successor. Wurtzbach crowned Miss France Iris Mittenaere as her successor on Jan. 30, Monday, at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines. Miss Haiti Raquel Pelissier was first runner-up while Miss Colombia Andrea Tovar was second runner-up. On Jan. 18, Wurtzbach participated in a dinner program in Baguio City, Philippines, which was hosted by Miss Universe 2011 third runner-up Shamcey Supsup. Distinguished people of the city welcomed them along with Miss Universe Organization president Paula Shugart, Miss Universe 2016 host committee chairman Chavit Singson, and some Miss Universe 2016 candidates including Mittenaere, Pelissier, Tovar and Miss Barbados. Have a glimpse of the Miss Universe 2016 event in Baguio here: Our next stop in Panama took us to the mountain highlands of El Valle de Anton. Highlights include a small town vibe with ample hiking trails to waterfalls and a hot springs within walking distance of the town's small central area. El Valle's energetic marching band rehearsed in the evenings, adding a touch of culture and pep to the sleepy town ambiance. In the morning we hiked toward La India Dormida, passing a few cascading waterfalls amidst a tranquil natural setting. The trail was well-marked but slippery in steeper sections. The day hike was pleasant, but nothing exceptional. At the hot springs we applied a mud mask exfoliate that dried as our feet dangled in a thermal heated tub. Once the mud hardened, we rinsed off in a shower and submerged ourselves in the warm springs. Later that evening, I strolled to the base of the mountains where the square-trunked trees are situated; unfortunately, I did not find them as night fell upon the area. Our stay in El Valle was pleasant. We enjoyed tasty Panamanian food at Don Penas and watched the marching band practice for the upcoming festivals in November. Even though El Valle was a decent stop outside of Panama City, we found the small town noisy, as substantial traffic passed through the main street during all hours, making it unpleasant to walk along the road. Our conclusion is that El Valle is not a must-see destination and definitely not a place to retire abroad. We continued our search as we traveled onward within the Peninsula de Azuero toward a small colonial town situated near the coast called Pedasi. Advertisement Our first impression of Pedasi was that of disappointment; after noticing that for the most part, Panamanians maintain their country free of rubbish, we noticed that the central petite colonial square was trash-laden. I left Lisa in the square as dusk turned to night. I located higher and lower end accommodations in our guidebook and entered the latter. The room was small and musty but after the proprietor dropped the price I was lured into staying there. After settling in we roamed the small town, enjoying the laid back ambience and the colonial architecture as well as the amiable locals. We ate dinner at an Italian pizzeria just on the square and consumed $1.00 tacos. After dinner we roamed around, but had already exhausted the town's central area. The following morning, we noticed that the streets of the main square were cleaner. Evidently, a recent festival had been held. We headed straight out of town towards Playa Toro, the nearest beach to Pedasi proper. Once out of the town, the paved highway curved amidst green fields and lush farmlands. After a few kilometers, we reached the end of the road where Playa Toro was situated. The tan sand burned hot with little to shade beach-goers except a manmade tarp that was strewn over erect poles. Entering the sea, modest waves pummeled large stones over and onto my feet, leading me to exit the waters. Despite the evident drawbacks, the beach was attractive, especially the far end with greenery penetrating the coastline. Returning towards town, we attempted to reach another local beach that was regrettably out of reach on foot. A moped would be a more appropriate means to get around Pedasi and the surrounding beaches. Once back in town, we were not sure what to do, having already strolled around town. The heat was punishing with little in the way of breeze, as Pedasi is located far enough inland to escape the ocean winds. We departed that afternoon toward Chitre and then onward to Santiago. Pedasi was pleasant enough with a small colonial core and outlining wild rocky beaches strewn with driftwood. However, as we were uninterested after a brief visit, we wondered what retirees would do with their spare time. We certainly feel that Pedasi has merit but we were not yet prepared to unload our Los Angeles condo to relocate to Pedasi. Advertisement GEORGIANNE NIENABER (2015) On November 20, 2016 representatives from the National Lawyers Guild-International Association of Democratic Lawyers, (NLG-IADL) sent a delegation to Haiti to observe the vote. I have had the unformatted report in my hands for a few days, but it has been embargoed until today. I wish I could have written about this on Friday. Here is the complete report. The report shows Haiti's President-elect Jovenel Moise (who is under investigation for money laundering and drug smuggling-my emphasis) received votes from only 9.6% of registered voters and that there is a completely messed up civil registry (ONI). In addition, according to the report, Haitians stayed away from the polls. "Official voter turnout was 21percent (and as low as 17 percent according to some calculations), a disturbingly low figure that indicates the poor health of Haiti's democracy today." Were voters unable, unwilling or afraid to participate? The fear factor is seldom mentioned, but an analysis of the 2015 election by NLG-IADL revealed "Incidents of violence, fraud and voter intimidation at 40 to 67.8 percent of voting centers, with 196 of 1508 centers (13 percent) forced to suspend voting due to such incidents." Advertisement This was the election that in a 'normal" cycle was scheduled to replace puppet Michel Martelly, who had refused throughout his term to seat a legitimate Parliament and basically ruled by fiat. Supported by the Clinton Foundation and taking office through vote-switching engineered by then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Martelly's regime was one marked by fraud and association with the notorious thug and drug smuggler Guy Philippe, who is now being held in Miami on a drug warrant that is over ten years old. An interim government annulled the 2015 election. Although Jovenel Moise increased his votes from 2015, "the main reason why he was able to win in the first round was that all three other candidates lost significant numbers of votes." Jude Celestin received 185,000 fewer votes, and Moise Jean-Charles 104,000. "If these candidates had simply received the same number of votes as last year, Jovenel Moise would not have been able to win in the first round." Moise is on very shaky ground with the courts, the electorate, and the Haiti Diaspora. Haiti's Central Unit of Financial Intelligence (UCREF) concluded in a report there were indications Moise had laundered money through a personal account. Moise denies the allegations. It takes a lot of money to run a long campaign and Martelly's PHTK (Bald-Headed) Party had plenty of it. Where they got it is anyone's guess, but fingers point at "private sector donations." Drug money? Funding sent for Hurricane Matthew that never reached the ground? U.S. interests? Advertisement In Haiti the swamp is teeming with possibilities. Moise Jean Charles and Jude Celestin (candidates in the run-off) issued a joint press release rejecting the Jovenel Moise installation, which they term an "Electoral Coup." As I mentioned earlier the report also cites disarray in the ONI. What is the ONI? Haiti's civil registry is maintained by the Office National de l'Identification (ONI). ONI's records are essential to identify eligible voters and to assign them to a voting center. "Since its creation in 2005, the ONI has struggled to produce accurate, up-to-date lists of eligible voters, despite significant technical support from the OAS and financial backing from the major donor nations," says the new NLG-IADL report. Inaccurate and incomplete electoral lists were noted as far back as 2006. Fast-forward to the 2010 earthquake when over 300,000 (the report says 220,000) died and over a million lost their homes. Hundreds of thousands are still living in makeshift camps, some still in plastic tents, shockingly seven years post earthquake. Then Hurricane Matthew hit, displacing more and destroying more records. The dead have never been taken off the rolls and the living have no records. "ONI director Wilson Fievre admitted that his institution's records were unreliable. 'Our civil registry system is defective,' Fievre told journalists. The ONI database had not been updated to de-activate the National Identification Cards (CINs) of deceased individuals or those with criminal convictions since 2005, Fievre said, recognizing the risk of CIN fraud that this situation presented. The Independent Commission for Electoral Evaluation and Verification (CIEVE) revealed that during the 2015 elections deceased people's CINs had been used to cast fraudulent votes, hence the term "zombie votes" coined by CIEVE president Francois Benoit." (I do not like the term "zombie votes," since it shows disrespect for Vodun, but that is what Benoit said) Advertisement See this for more background. The NLG-IADL offers many solid recommendations to fix these problems, but it is too late for the Haitian people. A new President is scheduled to be sworn in tomorrow, February 7. Haiti faces another cycle of narco-state domination and those drugs will continue to flow into another swamp--the swamp of southern Florida. Divine intervention is the only hope, unless President Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson can pull a rabbit out of the hat of Haiti's misery in the next 24 hours. UPDATE: Voice of America posted a piece indicating that Trump is sending a delegation to Haiti that includes members of the old electoral swamp. President Trump is sending a U.S. delegation to Haiti to attend the inauguration of President-elect Jovenel Moise tomorow. "A White House statement says Under Secretary for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon will lead the Presidential delegation that also incudes the U.S. Ambassador to Haiti, Peter Mulrean, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Kenneth Merten and Omarosa Manigault, the Assistant to the President and Director of Communications for the Office of Public Liaison." Advertisement Unfortunately, this group includes members of the old vote-fixing swamp that many Haitians were hoping President Trump would help them drain after the promises he made to the diaspora in Little Haiti in November. Manigault was a contestant on the reality television show "The Celebrity Apprentice" when it was hosted by Trump. Defense Intelligence Agency director U.S. Army Lt. General Michael Flynn testifies before the House Intelligence Committee on "Worldwide Threats" in Washington February 4, 2014. REUTERS/Gary Cameron (UNITED STATES - Tags: CRIME LAW POLITICS MILITARY) Field of Fright Cross-posted with TomDispatch.com What kind of national security policy will the Trump administration pursue globally? On this issue, as on so many others, the incoming president has offered enough contradictory clues, tweets, and comments that the only definitive answer right now is: Who knows? During his presidential campaign he more or less promised a non-interventionist foreign policy, even as he offered hints that his might be anything but. There was, of course, ISIS to destroy and he swore he would bomb the shit out of them. He would, he suggested, even consider using nuclear weapons in the Middle East. And as Dr. Seuss might have said, that was not all, oh no, that was not all. He has often warned of the dangers of a vague but fearsome radical Islam and insisted that terrorists and their regional and worldwide networks must be eradicated from the face of the Earth, a mission we will carry out. (And hes already ordered his first special ops raid in Yemen, resulting in one dead American and evidently many dead civilians.) Advertisement And when it comes to enemies to smite, hes hardly willing to stop there, not when, as he told CNN, I think Islam hates us." He then refused to confine that hatred to radical Islam, given that, on the subject of the adherents of that religion, "it's very hard to define, it's very hard to separate. Because you don't know who's who." And when it comes to enemies, why stop with Islam? Though President Trump has garnered endless headlines for touting a possible rapprochement with Vladimir Putins Russia, he also suggested during the election campaign that he would be tougher on the Russian president than Hillary Clinton, might have a horrible relationship with him, and might even consider using nukes in Europe, presumably against the Russians. His apparent eagerness to ramp up the American nuclear arsenal in a major way certainly presents another kind of challenge to Russia. And then, of course, theres China. After all, in addition to his own belligerent comments on that country, his prospective secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, and his press secretary, Sean Spicer, have both recently suggested that the U.S. should prevent China from accessing artificial islands that country has created and fortified in the South China Sea -- which would be an obvious American act of war. In sum, dont take the promise of non-intervention too seriously from a man intent, above all else, on pouring money into the further rebuilding of a depleted U.S. military. Just who might be the focus of future Trumpian interventions is, at best, foggy, since his vision of The Enemy -- ISIS aside -- remains an ever-moving target. Advertisement Suppose, though, we judge the new president not by his own statements alone, but by the company he keeps -- in this case, those he chooses to advise him on national security. Do that and a strange picture emerges. On one thing all of Trumps major national security appointees seem crystal clear. We are, each one of them insists, in nothing less than a world war in which non-intervention simply isnt an option. And in that they are hardly kowtowing to the president. Each of them took such a position before anyone knew that there would be a Donald Trump administration. Theres only one small catch: none of them can quite agree on just whom were fighting in this twenty-first-century global war of ours. So lets take a look at this crew, one by one, and see what their records might tell us about intervention, Trump-style. Michael Flynns Field of Fright The most influential military voice should be that of retired Lieutenant General and National Security Adviser Michael Flynn (though his position is already evidently weakening). He will lead the National Security Council (NSC), which historian David Rothkopf calls the brain and nerve center of the White House. Flynn laid out his views in detail in the 2014 book he co-authored with neocon Michael Ledeen, The Field of Fight: How We Can Win the Global War Against Radical Islam and Its Allies (a volume that Trump, notorious for not reading books, highly recommended). To call Flynns views frightening would be an understatement. America, Flynn flatly asserts, is in a world war and it could well be a hundred-year war. Worse yet, if we lose this war, [we would live] in a totalitarian state... a Russian KGB or Nazi SS-like state. So we will do whatever it takes to win... If you are victorious, the people will judge whatever means you used to have been appropriate. But whom exactly must we defeat? It turns out, according to him, that we face an extraordinary network of enemies that extends from North Korea and China to Russia, Iran, Syria, Cuba, Bolivia, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. And thats not all, not by a long shot. Theres also al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, ISIS, and countless other terrorist groups. And dont forget the merging of narcotics traffickers, organized criminals, and terrorists. (Flynn has claimed that Mexican drug cartels actually post signs at the U.S.-Mexican border -- in Arabic, no less -- marking lanes of entry for Islamic terrorists.) Advertisement Now, thats quite a list! Still, radical Islam seems to be Americas number one enemy on most pages of the book and Flynn puts the spotlight of fear squarely on one nation-state: Iran is the linchpin of the alliance, its centerpiece. How Shiite Iran can be the linchpin in what turns out to be a worldwide insurgency of the Sunni Islamic State (aka ISIS) is something of a mystery. Perhaps its not any single version of Islam that threatens us, but the religion in all its many forms, or so Flynn seems to have decided after he published his book. In this spirit, in February 2016 he infamously tweeted Fear of Islam is RATIONAL as an endorsement of a video that indicted and vilified that religion of 1.6 billion people. And to this day he evidently remains unsure whether radical Islam -- or maybe even Islam as a whole -- is a religion or a political ideology that we must fight to the death. In our present world, all of this highlights another glaring contradiction: Why would Vladimir Putins Russia, for so long fiercely resisting Muslim insurgencies within its own borders and now fighting in Syria, ally with global radical Islam? In his book, Flynn offers this facile (and farfetched) explanation meant to clarify everything that otherwise makes no sense whatsoever: all the forces arrayed against us around the world are united in their hatred of the democratic West and their conviction that dictatorship is superior. Anti-democratic ideology, if youll excuse the choice of words, trumps all. Our enemies are waging war against the entire Western enterprise. In response, in his book Flynn ups the ante on the religious nature of our global war, calling on all Americans to accept what we were founded upon, a Judeo-Christian ideology built on a moral set of rules and ties... The West, and especially America, is far more civilized, far more ethical and moral, than the system our main enemies want to impose on us. As it happens, though, Flynn seems to have come to a somewhat different conclusion since his book was published. We cant do what we want to do unless we work with Russia, period," he's told the New York Times. "What we both have is a common enemy... radical Islam. The Russians, it turns out, may be part of that Christian well, why not use the word crusade against Islam. And among other things, Russia might even be able to help get Iran to back out of the proxy wars they are involved in. (One of which, however, is against ISIS, a reality Flynn simply ducks.) Advertisement Of course, Russia has not significantly changed its policies in this period. Its Flynn, at a moment when geopolitical strategy trumps (that word again!) ideology, who has apparently changed his tune on just who our enemy is. I would want this enemy to be clearly defined by this president, Flynn said when talking about President Obama. Now that Donald Trump is president, Flynns the one who has to do the defining, and what hes got on his hands is a long list of enemies, some of whom are visibly at each others throats, a list evidently open to radical revision at any moment. All we can say for sure is that Michael Flynn doesnt like Islam and wants us to be afraid, very afraid, as we wage that world war of his. When he chose a title for his book he seems to have forgotten one letter. It should have been The Field of Fright. And his present job title deserves a slight alteration as well: national insecurity adviser. An Uncertain (In)Security Team On the national insecurity team Flynn heads, everyone seems to share a single conviction: that we are indeed already in a global war, which we just might lose. But each of them has his or her own favorites among Flynns vast array of proffered enemies. Take his top assistant at the NSC, K.T. McFarland. For her, the enemy is neither a nation nor a political unit, but a vaguely defined apocalyptic death cult... the most virulent and lethal in history called radical Islam. She adds, If we do not destroy the scourge of radical Islam, it will ultimately destroy Western civilization... and the values we hold dear. For her, its an old story: civilization against the savages. Advertisement Theres no way to know whether McFarland will have real influence on decision-making in the Oval Office, but her view of the enemy has been voiced in much the same language by someone who already does have such influence, white nationalist Steve Bannon, whom the president has just given a seat on the National Security Council. (He reportedly even had a major hand in writing the new presidents Inaugural Address.) Trumps senior counselor and key adviser on long-term foreign policy strategy offered rare insight into his national insecurity views in a talk he gave at, of all places, the Vatican. Were in a war thats already global, Bannon declared, an outright war against jihadist Islamic fascism. However, we also face an equally dangerous threat: an immense secularization of the West, which converges with radical Islam in a way he didnt bother to explain. He did, however, make it very clear that the fight against the new barbarity of radical Islam is a crisis of our faith, a struggle to save the very ideals of the Judeo-Christian West ... a church and a civilization that really is the flower of mankind. New CIA Director Mike Pompeo seems to agree wholeheartedly with Bannon that were in a global religious war, the kind of struggle this country has not faced since its great wars. Part of the key to survival, as he sees it, is for more politicians of faith to infuse the government with their beliefs and get the nation back on track, instead of bowing to secularism. In this battle of churches and mosques, he also claims that the line has been drawn between those who accept modernity and those who are barbarians, by which he means the Islamic east. In such a grandiose tangle, who exactly is who among our enemies remains up for grabs. All Pompeo seems to knows for sure is that evil is all around us. Retired General and Secretary of Defense James Mattis admits forthrightly just how confusing this all is, but he, too, insists that we have to take a firm, strategic stance in defense of our values. And who exactly is threatening those values? Political Islam? he asked an audience rhetorically. On that subject, he answered himself this way: We need to have the discussion. After all, he went on, If we won't even ask the question, how do we even recognize which is our side in a fight?" Several years ago, however, when Barack Obama asked him to spell out his top priorities as CENTCOM commander in the Greater Middle East, Mattis was crystal clear. He bluntly replied that he had three priorities: Number one: Iran. Number two: Iran. Number three: Iran. Moreover, in his confirmation hearings, he suddenly proclaimed Russia a "principal threat... an adversary in key areas. Advertisement Still another view comes from retired General and Secretary of Homeland Security James Kelly. He, too, is sure that our country today is in a life-and-death struggle against an evil enemy that exists around the globe. But for him that evil enemy is, above all, the drug cartels and the undocumented immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexican border. They pose the true existential threat to the United States. Everyone on Trumps national insecurity team seems to agree on one thing: the United States is in a global war to the death, which we could lose, bringing some quite literal version of apocalyptic ruin down on our nation. Yet there is no consensus on whom or what exactly we are fighting. Flynn, presumably the key voice on the national insecurity team, offers a vast and shifting array of enemies milling around pugnaciously on Trumpworlds field of fright. The others each highlight and emphasize one or more groups, movements, or nations in that utterly confused crew of potential adversaries. We Need an Enemy, Any Enemy This could, of course, lead to bruising disagreements and a struggle for control over the presidents foreign and military policies. Its more likely, though, that Trump and his team dont see these differences as crucial, as long as they all agree that the threat of destruction really is at our doorstep, whoever the designated deliverer of our apocalyptic fate may be. Starting out with such a terrifying assumption about how our present world works as their unquestioned premise, they then can play fill-in-the-blank, naming a new enemy as often as they wish. For the last near-century, after all, Americans have been filling in that blank fairly regularly, starting with the Nazis and fascists of World War II, then the Soviet Union and other members of the communist bloc (until, like China and Yugoslavia, they werent), then Vietnamese, Cubans, Grenadians, Panamanians, so-called narco-terrorists, al-Qaeda (of course!), and more recently ISIS, among others. Trump reminds us of this history when he says things like: In the twentieth century, the United States defeated Fascism, Nazism, and Communism. We will defeat Radical Islamic Terrorism, just as we have defeated every threat we have faced in every age before. Advertisement The field of fright that Trump and his team are bringing to the White House is, by now, an extreme version of a familiar feature of American life. The specter of apocalypse (in the modern American meaning of the word), the idea that we face some enemy dedicated above all else to destroying us utterly and totally, is buried so deep in our political discourse that we rarely take the time to think about it. One question: Why is such an apocalyptic approach -- even when, as at present, so ludicrously confused and unsupported by basic facts, not to say confusing to its own proponents -- convincing for so many Americans? One answer seems clear enough: its hard to rally the public behind interventions and wars explicitly aimed at expanding American power and control (which is why the top officials of the Bush administration worked so hard to locate fantasy weapons of mass destruction in Saddam Husseins Iraq and bogusly link him to the 9/11 attacks before invading his country in 2003). Americans have assured pollsters for years that they dont want to be the cops of the world. So, as successful leaders since President Franklin Roosevelt have recognized, any wars or steps toward war must be clothed in the word defense, and if you can add a sense of apocalyptic menace to the package, all the better. Defense is little short of a sacred term in the American lexicon (right down to the Defense Department, once upon a time known far more accurately as the War Department). It bestows an aura of moral justification on even the most violent and aggressive acts. As long as the public is convinced that we must defend ourselves at all costs against an enemy that threatens our very world, anything is possible. Trump and his national insecurity team are blessed with an added benefit in this process: the coming of all-news, all-the-time media, which has a tendency to inflate even the relatively modest (if bloody) acts of lone wolf terrorists until they seem to engulf our lives, 24/7, threatening everything we hold dear. Images of terror that might once have been glimpsed for a few minutes on the nightly news are now featured, as with the San Bernardino or the Pulse night club killings, for days, even weeks, at a time. Advertisement Certainly, when so many news consumers in the worlds most powerful nation accept such fearsome imagery, and their own supposed vulnerability to it, as reality itself (as pollsters tell us so many Americans indeed do), they do so in part because it makes whatever violence our government inflicts on others seem regrettable, but necessary and therefore moral; it absolves us, that is, of responsibility. In part, too, such collective apocalyptic anxiety gives Americans a perverse common bond in a world in which -- as the recent presidential campaign showed -- its increasingly hard to find a common denominator that defines American identity for all of us. The closest we can come is a shared determination to defend our nation against those who would destroy it. In 2017, if we didnt have such enemies, would we have any shared idea of what it means to be an American? Since weve been sharing that sense of identity for three-quarters of a century now, its become, for most of us, a matter of unquestioned habit, offering the peculiar comfort that familiarity typically brings. At this point, beyond upping the ante against ISIS, no one can predict just what force, set of groups, nation or nations, or even religion the Trump administration might choose as the next great threat to national security. However, as long as the government, the media, and so much of the public agree that staving off doom is Americas preeminent mission, the administration will have something close to a blank check to do whatever it likes. When it comes to defending the nation, what other choice is there? Ira Chernus, a TomDispatch regular, is professor emeritus of religious studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder and author of the online MythicAmerica: Essays. As the Internet and mobile technologies have grown in importance, so has the concept of the business or product revenue model. Quite simply, a business, revenue, or product model delineates how a company will make money from its products. While most business models involve making money in traditional ways (selling your goods and services from stores, offices, and factories) and through your Web site, there are some inventive product strategies that you can use to make more money. Lettuce Strategy Once upon a time, if someone wanted to buy lettuce, they would go to the grocery store and select a head of lettuce that did not have any brown spots or wilted leaves. Lettuce that had defects did not sell and was thrown away. Then someone got the idea to salvage the lettuce by cutting away the bad parts, triple washing and drying it, and putting the leaves in sealed plastic bags. The resultant new product sells for more than a head of lettuce because many are willing to pay for the convenience and time saved. Therefore, the Lettuce Strategy gives us at least three additional ways to make more money. Add value to the product by building in convenience, Salvage products that were formerly thrown away, Find buyers for the discarded parts. For food items, the parts that are thrown away have value to others for making mulch, fuel, and other products. Therefore they can be sold or at least picked up and hauled away at no charge. This has environmental as well as economical benefits to both business and society. Lettuce Strategy applied to a non-food client One of my Fortune 500 clients invented a new transparent material that was much stronger than glass. In the manufacturing process, a significant amount of the material was wasted because it was not "perfectly" transparent. When I asked client personnel what they did with the scrap, they said, "We throw it away." Even worse, they paid someone to dispose of the waste. In the marketing plan I created for them, I recommended the Lettuce Strategy and found a buyer that did not need transparent material for the scrap. The buyer, a former designer for another Fortune 500 company, was happy to create new products from the material that was discarded. Not only was this win-win for my client and the buyer, it also saved the cost of disposal and avoided having to dump the material in landfills. Jukebox Strategy For many years, jukebox and game device companies identified restaurants, bars, and other places of business that had unused space where they could place their machines so patrons can put money into them and play music or games while eating, drinking, or engaging in other activities. In exchange for using the available space, these companies split the revenue generated with the owner of the space. Google adapted this strategy to the Internet. For Web site owners that agreed to put a Google-branded search bar on their Web sites, Google split any ad revenue generated via searches that originate from owner-hosted search bars. Web site owners could earn additional money in exchange for giving up a little amount of their Web space. Google gained in at least two ways - it (1) generated more searches and sales for its advertisers and (2) promoted the Google brand to whoever visited those Web sites. Advertisement Gillette strategy King Camp Gillette is credited with inventing the "razor and blade" business model that many refer to as the "Gillette product strategy." There are many stories and myths around how this strategy was invented. In all of them, Gillette created a safety razor that used disposable blades. Initially, the razor was expensive, and after some years when the patent on the razor expired, Gillette realized that the more Gillette razors that were in the hands of potential buyers, the more blades he would sell. Therefore, Gillette started selling the razors at a lower price to increase the demand for blades, which carried a much higher gross profit margin than the razors. His product model became (1) give away the razor (or sell it at a lower price) to get it into the hands of as many people as possible and (2) make the "big money" from selling high-margin replacement blades. Many companies have adapted this strategy to their businesses with great success. Low-end inkjet and laser printer manufacturers sell their printers for a price that is at (or near) their cost, and make money from selling ink and toner cartridges. Amazon sells the Kindle Fire at or below cost with the objective of facilitating sales of products from Amazon's online store. Arthur Andersen (which morphed into Accenture) used a similar strategy when it won the bid for the air traffic control system at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. It bid $0 for doing the job, but proposed charging the airport a penny for every takeoff and landing in perpetuity. What do all three strategies have in common? The Lettuce, Jukebox, and Gillette strategies have something in common. They provide inventive ways to create win-win opportunities for buyers and sellers. Customers can "buy" without significant risk as sellers can make more money. Lettuce Strategy. New products are created by adding value, such as customer convenience, while minimizing product defects. Customers are willing to pay more for these products because the added-value and lower risk of defects more than compensates for the higher price. The seller can also make money from the parts typically discarded or, at the very least, trade them for free pick up and disposal. Jukebox Strategy. There is little or no cost to the owner of the space, but there is considerable money that can be made from a split in revenue with the owner of the jukebox. Gillette Strategy. The initial investment is minimal, and the buyer buys and uses the consumables as needed without having to maintain them. The seller generates more revenue and profit as more of the consumable components of the product are purchased and used. How you might benefit Patheos is an interfaith media platform that hosts hundreds of blogs on different faith channels. I have been writing on the Pagan channel of Patheos for about four years now, that is, until this past Monday. A few months ago Patheos was purchased by Beliefnet, which is owned by an evangelical organization. There were concerns among many of the Pagan writers over what this would mean for them. At least one Pagan blogger, Gus DiZerega, said he had been censored by Beliefnet when he wrote for them. In that instance, Beliefnet summarily deleted a conversation on his blog criticizing a Christian who had condoned the abuse of African witches by African Christians. When DiZerega complained, he was told it was their site not his, so he left. The Patheos Pagan editor, Jason Mankey, assured the Pagan writers that nothing would change because of Beliefnet's acquisition of Patheos. But on January 30th, the writers at Patheos suddenly received new contracts their mailboxes. This was not a contract renewal; it was Patheos unilaterally changing the terms of the existing contracts. The contract was due by February 1st, less than 48 hours later, giving writers little time to consider the contract or consult legal counsel. (You can read the contract here: pages 1, 2, 3, 4.) Advertisement The most problematic part of the contact had to do with new editorial controls. The new contract allowed Patheos to edit any of posts "without limitation." Writers were explicitly prohibited from using profanity (with some exceptions). The contract required that the "tone" (a very subjective term) resemble that of other online media with which Patheos compared itself, like Slate and Huffington Post. The contract also prohibited advertising or "self-promotion" (another vague term). And Patheos could delete any post it deemed, in its sole discretion, to be "offensive" (yet another ambiguous term). The contract also prohibited "disparaging" of Patheos or any "related" company. A little online research revealed that Patheos is one of three companies owned by BN Media, LLC. One of the other companies is Affinity4, which is associated number of right-wing organizations, including the NRA, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Focus on the Family, Concerned Women for America, the American Family Association, and the American Center of Law and Justice. Under the new contract, ACLJ and the other organizations listed above could be considered "related" companies that Patheos Pagan writers not permitted to "disparage." Concern over these terms spread to other Patheos channels, including the Progressive Christian channel. Advertisement When writers appealed to the Patheos Pagan editor, he said there was nothing he could do. So, the following morning, I wrote a post on my blog on the Patheos Pagan channel entitled, "Read This Before Patheos Delete It." (You can read it here, where it has been reposted.) The post reviewed the terms of the contract and set forth my criticism of Patheos for sending the contract, knowing that many of the writers would sign it without reading or understanding it. The post also put these events in the context of the recent election, after which we have seen many right-wing organizations growing bolder. After posting the article, I was contacted by the editor. I reiterated that I wanted him to renegotiate the contract for us. I also told him that I did not intend to sign the contract as written, but that neither was I voluntarily leaving Patheos. I told him I would await Patheos' response. An hour later, the post was summarily taken down and my access to my entire blog (almost 1000 posts) was blocked. This was done without any further notice from my editor or Patheos. All this was done before the new contract period began, which means that the terms of my original 2013 contract were still in effect when Patheos blocked my access. The 2013 contract (which you can read here) had no editorial limitations. Pat Mosley, another Patheos Pagan writer, also wrote a critical analysis of the new contract, entitled "What the Fuck Just Happened at Patheos?" Mosley's post focused on the relationship of Patheos, via Beliefnet, to the above-mentioned right-wing organizations. Pat posted this on this personal blog, not on the Patheos site. Nevertheless, he was also banned from Patheos without notice. Subsequently, I and another Patheos writer contacted Jeremy McGee, the President and COO of Patheos, to attempt to renegotiate the contract on behalf of the Patheos Pagan writers. McGee had initially said that changing the "no limitations" clause was a non-starter, but he agreed to look at the alternative contract which we had drafted. The next day, Patheos sent out a new contract to all of its writers, which had incorporated some, but not all, of the changes we had requested. In the new contract, Patheos still retained considerable editorial control, but the disparagement clause was limited to Patheos and Beliefnet. Advertisement Ultimately, in spite of the changes to the contract, over a dozen Pagan writers left Patheos, representing approximately a third of the active blogs at Patheos Pagan. For some who left, it was the relationship between Patheos and right-wing groups that was the most problematic. Others who left were most bothered by the contract terms or Patheos' censorship or a combination of all of the above. Some who have chosen to stay have adopted a "wait and see" approach, to see what Patheos does in the coming months. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has taken full advantage of what he views as a more propitious climate in Washington, DC under the Trump administration to embark on a massive expansion of Israel's illegal settlement drive in the Palestinian West Bank. Since President Trump's inauguration, Israel has announced plans to build 5,500 additional housing units in the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem. Netanyahu has even announced his intention to construct the first new Israeli settlement to be established since the 1990's. Up until now, Netanyahu had every reason to believe that his agenda to colonize Palestinian land would meet with unhesitating approval from the Trump administration, whose core team on Israel--senior adviser and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, Trump's designee to lead international negotiations Jason Greenblatt, and Trump's nominee to be ambassador to Israel David Friedman--are all staunch backers of Israeli settlements. Advertisement And after Israel's first announcement of settlement expansion elicited no comment from the Trump White House, Netanyahu appeared vindicated in his views. But after Israel's most recent statement, an unnamed senior White House official urged "all parties to refrain from taking unilateral actions that could undermine our ability to make progress, including settlement announcements." While this leak was widely interpreted as a signal that Trump is intent on putting an unexpected brake on Israel's settlement activity, a self-contradicting statement released by the White House last Friday casts doubt on this explanation. According to White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, "the American desire for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians has remained unchanged for 50 years," presumably referencing the historically bipartisan US support for UN Security Council Resolution 242, which established the "land-for-peace" paradigm undergirding all Arab-Israeli negotiations since 1967. Since the Clinton administration, this has also included backing for the establishment of a Palestinian state. However, the White House immediately undercut its claims to continuity in policy by rejecting a half-century of bipartisan positions on Israeli settlements. "We don't believe the existence of settlements is an impediment to peace," Spicer stated definitively. Not only has the United States traditionally viewed Israeli settlements as a barrier to peace; it has also deemed them to be illegal, a position most succinctly encapsulated by the State Department's legal adviser, who concluded in a 1978 letter to Congress that the establishment of Israeli settlements is "inconsistent with international law." Advertisement Indeed, the illegality of Israeli settlements is an open-and-shut case under international law. The Geneva Conventions prohibit a country from transferring its citizens into territory held under its military occupation, and the International Criminal Court makes it a war crime to do so. Making matters worse, Spicer added a feeble acknowledgment that building new settlements or expanding existing ones "may not be helpful" in achieving Israeli-Palestinian peace. As if there were any doubt that Israel's ongoing expropriation of Palestinian land is designed to fragment Palestinians into ever-shrinking enclaves to preclude the establishment of a viable state. At least under the Obama administration, after nearly eight years of feckless pronouncements during which Israel's settler population grew by more than 100,000, the United States belatedly recognized that milquetoast words would not suffice to curb Israel's colonization of Palestinian land. Only last December did the Obama administration finally take action by deciding to abstain on a UN Security Council reiterating the illegality of Israeli settlements. It also toughened its warning that Israel's colonization of Palestinian land was "cementing an irreversible one-state reality" and creating a permanent "separate and unequal" status for Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation, in the words of former Secretary of State John Kerry. The Trump administration's statement is not only a repudiation of these eleventh-hour realizations by an outgoing administration; it is also a radical upending of US policy opposing Israeli settlements dating back to the Johnson administration. Spicer tried unconvincingly to make the case that despite this fundamental break with fifty years of US policy, the "Trump administration has not taken an official position on settlement activity." However, by staking out the claim that Israeli settlements are not an obstacle to peace and that continued settlement expansion only "may not be helpful" to advance Israeli-Palestinian talks, the Trump administration has made its official position on Israel's colonization of Palestinian land quite clear: future Israeli announcements of settlement expansion will not only be tolerated but endorsed by the Trump administration as long as they are coordinated with the White House, and US support for Israel's vision of a unitary state with apartheid rule over Palestinians will be assured. Society views a courtroom as a place where justice is administered by agents of our criminal justice system. Since 1989, there have been almost 2000 exonerations and counting. In 2014, a record-setting 137 exonerations took place--only to be outdone in 2015 with 149. The statistics for 2016 will be coming out any day. Should society view exonerations as mistakes that were corrected? In 75% of these exonerations, prosecution misconduct was the cause of the wrongful conviction. Considering wrongful convictions as mistakes is like saying that fish don't live in water. You don't get large numbers of wrongful convictions without significant misconduct by prosecutors. California has recently started taking this problem seriously. California Assemblywoman Patty Lopez (D) introduced bill (AB 1909) which makes the withholding or falsifying of evidence by prosecutors a felony in the state. Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed it into law late last year. This law came about because of the corruption scandals that rocked Orange County. These scandals consisted of numerous cases of corruption by the prosecution office using tainted and false evidence to convict people. In one case, Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals found the Orange County District Attorney's conduct so bad that he barred their entire office from the case. When you have California making it a felony for prosecutors who intentionally withhold evidence of innocence or favorable to a defendant, that's when you know this misconduct is a serious problem. Advertisement I'm one of many innocent prisoners who commend California for not only recognizing this epidemic, but doing something about it. Are the rest of our states ready to follow California? When special bills have to be implemented to keep prosecutors honest in their work, we have to ask: how did we get here? Like the record numbers of exonerations, laws like California's affirm the misconduct that has been taking place for a long time in the prosecutor's office. Are all prosecutors guilty of misconduct? No, not at all. But when other prosecutors have knowledge of these "bad apples" and do nothing about it, what does this say about their integrity? Which brings us to this fact: Having prosecutors police themselves is like having a hungry fox guard the henhouse. In almost all of the cases of exoneration in recent years, prosecutors have fought tooth and nail to maintain these false convictions knowingly and intentionally. Advertisement The average exoneree spends between 13 and 15 years in prison. Why? Because as we fight year after year to show our innocence, these prosecutors use their unlimited resources to maintain our convictions by any means necessary. Without criminal repercussions, misconduct by our government agents will continue, unfortunately. The prosecutors I speak of have no one to answer to, giving them free rein over anybody they choose to violate repeatedly. I've been a victim of continued misconduct while my appeal process has been "slow walked" by prosecutors who have known I was innocent from day one. I will close by saying that when a police officer is found guilty of misconduct they are immediately labeled a disgrace to our country. This is not the case at all with prosecutors. All we ask as innocent prisoners is to have fair criminal proceedings from start to finish. We shouldn't have to spend decades in prison for crimes we never committed, while the people responsible continue to represent our criminal justice system. Remember what excited you when you were a child, and carry that enthusiasm onwards. Award-winning writer Sjon here advises young writers not to be embarrassed by what initially inspired them: "All of us come to culture through trash." "Very few of us grow up in a castle, and have private tutors who teach us Greek before noon and Latin in the afternoon, and then we take piano classes and learn about classical painting." Don't spend too much time worrying about living up to certain cultural standards, and accept that culture exists on many levels, Sjon argues: "In my case, the impression that the Icelandic folk stories had on me, and at the same time I was highly impressed by the Belgian boy detective novels about Bob Morane. These two elements informed me as a reader. They excited me as a reader. And it's that excitement that I would like to return." Advertisement Sjon (b. 1962 as Sigurjon Birgir Sigurosson) is an Icelandic writer, poet, playwright and lyricist. He received the Nordic Council's Literature Prize in 2005 for his novel 'The Blue Fox' ('Skugga-Baldur', 2003). Sjon has been active on the Icelandic music scene since the early 1980s and is also known for his collaborations with legendary Icelandic musician Bjork and was nominated for an Academy Award as well as a Golden Globe for the song 'I've Seen It All' from the film 'Dancer in the Dark'. He currently resides in Reykjavik, Iceland with his wife and children. Sjon was interviewed by Bjrn Bredal in connection to the Louisiana Literature festival at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark in August 2014. Camera: Jakob Solbakken Edited by: Sonja Strange Produced by: Marc-Christoph Wagner Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2016 These are tumultuous days in the nation's capital and there is much going on to disturb the equanimity of responsible citizens who care about our country, but among these should not be the brouhaha about the nomination of Betsy Devos to be Secretary of Education. Her nomination is on the edge because two Republican Senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, have said they will not vote to confirm her. One more defection from the Republican ranks could sink her nomination. The primary gripe about Devos - aside from the fact that she is, like most Trump nominees, very wealthy - is that she has no background in the public school system, and is in fact an outspoken champion of charter schools. It is that last item that kicked over the education establishment beehive. Charter schools are a very real threat to the education status quo and as Secretary of Education, Devos would presumably continue her advocacy of the private sector challenge to the public school establishment. I do not know Mrs. Devos but I assume from the record that she is a woman of some accomplishment and a laudable interest in public affairs. Her advocacy of charter schools should not be held against her. Over the past 20 years or so, charter schools have emerged as a viable alternative to public schools that have a dismal record of achievement. In fact, the failure of our public schools has been well documented since publication of "A Nation At Risk" in 1983 and since then student test scores continue to decline despite infusion of vast sums of money. As for the U.S. Department of Education, it has evolved into a massive bureaucracy that serves primarily to consume taxpayer dollars and empower teachers' unions. Created in 1979, the Education Department has almost 5,000 employees and a budget of $73 billion. I do not believe if it ceased to exist tomorrow there would be any negative impact on the nation beyond the sudden unemployment of some bureaucrats. Simply stated, the U.S. Department of Education is not a key element of our nation's schools which get less than 10 percent of their funding from Washington. Nor does it set education policy which authority belongs among the almost 14,000 boards of education around the country. Indeed, as far as I can discern, the Feds are regarded as a nuisance among the nation's educators as they issue a plethora of rules and mandates that make little or no sense to local school administrators. I believe it is fair to say that the primary impediment to improving our schools is the education establishment as embodied by the teachers' unions wedded to the status quo and the U.S. Department of Education which is captive of the unions. If the Department of Education ceased to exist tomorrow it would be of little consequence and I would think it unlikely in the extreme if Mrs. Devos could make the current situation any worse. Lt. Gen. Clarence E. "Mac" McKnight, Jr., (USA-Ret) is the author of "From Pigeons to Tweets: A General Who Led Dramatic Change in Military Communications," published by The History Publishing Company. Donald Trump's flurry of executive orders attempting to make good on the worst of his campaign promises left many feeling overwhelmed. But the chief executive has neither the powers of a dictator nor those of the head of a family-owned corporation. Trump is attempting a "shock and awe" campaign. It will work only if the 2.7 million civil servants employed by the United States actually allow themselves to be cowed. This is directed at you: please don't! And to the rest of us: we need to support them! There are two paths here. One is marked by Sally Yates; employees of the Park Service, EPA, NOAA, NASA, and other agencies who are using Twitter to defy gag orders; and those at the Department of Human Services who repeatedly used its official Twitter account to urge people to sign up under the Affordable Care Act after the Administration ordered ads for the program pulled. There is another path, trailblazed by those at the Centers for Disease Control who canceled a conference on climate change and health in an act of self-censorship just before Trump's inauguration. Even more ominously, Customs and Border Patrol agents continued to turn away refugees and visa holders after being ordered not to by the federal courts. In Los Angeles, at least, the U.S. Marshal's office, a Department of Justice agency which is the enforcement arm of those courts, has for days avoided its routine duty to serve those orders on the CBP, even though one of them explicitly directs the Marshal's Service to "take those actions deemed necessary to enforce" the order. (Los Angeles Marshals' refusal to even receive copies of that order has been reported elsewhere. I found it so surprising and alarming that I verified it, in detail, with one of the attorneys who is trying to obtain CBP compliance at Los Angeles International.) Advertisement If you follow the path of doing your jobs and following the law regardless of what higher-ups order, we are in for a rocky time but will be spared what would in effect be a dictatorship. If you follow the path of caving in to illegality and gag orders, you are giving a dangerous clique power to which no presidency is entitled. A Government of Laws? As a lawyer, I find misleading the catechism that "we have a government of laws, not of men (and women)." The claim leaves out the enormous power officials have in interpreting what laws mean and deciding which to enforce, and against whom to enforce them. And yet it expresses an important truth: Trump's authority is far from unlimited. The president certainly has the power to issue executive orders. Some are simply statements of policy, such as the priorities of the administration. The Supreme Court has consistently held, however, that more substantive orders must be pursuant to a specific power given to the president in the Constitution or delegated by Congress. Advertisement Congress appropriates funds, under authorization laws which state where and how they are to be spent. Every agency's mission is set out in these and other statutes. Their implementation is spelled out in regulations, adopted according to the Administrative Procedure Act, after formal publication and receipt of public comments. Changes in the regulations require a similar process. Much government action must also accord with contracts the U.S. has made with civil servants and outside entities. Parties aggrieved by actions which violate these strictures can and do appeal, within the agencies and in the courts. Moreover, every department has its own legal staff, which generally vets significant changes in advance. Don't Follow Orders to Break the Law In this light, if you work in an agency affected by the papers Trump has been signing, we need you to ask, "Can he really have us do that?" The answer is often "no." Federal district judges in New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington, and California all issued emergency orders blocking removal of people affected by Trump's immigration ban. Each judge had to make a quick finding of a high probability that full litigation would prove that people were being denied liberty without due process or equal protection of the laws. Translation: the illegality of excluding people with an already-established legal right to enter (or return to their homes here) was practically a no-brainer. Trump was less brazen with the Dakota Access and Keystone XL Pipelines, though many thought he gave them the go-ahead. The DAPL order directs the Army to reconsider its prior orders, in an expedited manner, "to the extent permitted by law and as warranted." Similar language is in the Keystone XL order. Both obvious unconstitutionality (the travel ban) and orders to "try to do what I want but follow the law" (the pipelines) leave room for appropriate choices by those of you whom the man relies on to carry out his will. Remember, even those serving in the military are obliged to disobey unlawful orders, although following that duty entails obvious and serious risks. Advertisement Perhaps you have a clear notion of what legal authority governs your work, or maybe you simply follow established routines. In either case, integrity, patriotism, and a human regard for the consequences of one's actions on other beings require everyone who is directed to make a significant change from undersecretaries to outsourced janitorial staff to do three things. First, recognize that DJT has always been a man who will sometimes do what he can get away with, which means that the legality of his orders cannot be taken for granted. Second, learn what makes what you have been doing in your job lawful, and find out if the change the president (or those implementing his edicts) seeks is equally lawful. Finally, reach deep inside yourself and decide whether you need to take a stand. If you have a religious or spiritual practice, now is a good time to seek guidance from whatever you understand the Divine to be. If it is time to stand up, it is unlikely you will need to do so alone; talk to your colleagues and/or your union or professional organization. If you need to tip off the press, get a guarantee of anonymity and do it. This is already happening in the agencies mentioned above and others. Few will have to pay the price Sally Yates did, and she and any like her will no doubt be welcomed elsewhere. We Will Back You Up In a way, though, it is unfair to ask this of you without a movement in civil society to back you up. If I had my way, we would, by now, have a non-corporate-funded, membership-based political party, focused not on elections, but on building a massive movement for policies which effectuate the values and needs of a majority of Americans, and of the planet. Its members and allies would certainly shield you in whatever way you needed. But even today, a virtually-unknown Obama-prosecuted whistleblower's family can reach out and receive $99,000 in support online. In a single weekend after the travel ban was announced, donors gave the ACLU six times its usual annual online contribution total, and you can bet they will use some of it to support federal workers who are retaliated against for following the law. We will be there for you, too. Spring Festival 2017 has proven yet again how colorful Chinese culture is, and how devoted the Chinese people are to their own culture. Here are the various events that took place across the country during the Lunar New Year holiday. The aroma of Turkish coffee and ocean air mingle in the streets of Tel Aviv. As residents go about their daily rituals and tourists bask on warm beaches, there is a group of people who are unable to fit into either of these categories. They are forgotten and deserted; lost souls who sought asylum only to find more plight. These people are sub-Saharan Africans who escaped to Israel from the brutality of their homelands. Most have fled from Eritrea and Sudan across the Sinai Peninsula, hoping to find safety behind Israel's serpentine metal fences. While their fight to survive has ended, their fight to live continues. Refugee migration is one of the defining global controversies of our time. Filmmaker and lawyer Beth Toni Kruvant explores the complexities of this dilemma through her film Levinksy Park, which will make its U.S. premiere at Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose on Thursday, March 2nd. The film's namesake is a small park in southern Tel Aviv where African refugees live and congregate. Advertisement Kruvant interviews various refugees, activists and Israelis who share their perspectives about this crisis. There is a mixed opinion amid residents about these refugees; Some believe they are a burden and want them deported while others empathize with them. "The refugees in Levinsky Park are experiencing hardships every day that keep them fearful of being rounded up," Kruvant explains. "Confusion abounds because the law is unclear." Mutasim Ali speaking at a rally Most of Levinsky Park is told from the perspective of Mutasim Ali, an activist and Sudanese asylum seeker who has organized a rebellion against the treatment of the refugees. Many who crossed the border are given paperwork stating that they are allowed to live, but not to work, in Israel. This conundrum forces them into under-the-table work or no work at all. Others are detained in the Holot Detention Center in the Negev Desert with no prospects of release. Some have even been paid by the Israeli government to relocate, once again, to a third country. Artist Yigal Shtayim, a first generation Israeli who is also featured in the documentary, believes they have as much of a right to live there as the millions of Jews who have fled persecution to Israel since the days of Moses. Through Facebook, Shtayim took action and co-founded Soup Levinksy, an organization that donates food, clothes, shoes and blankets to the African refugees at Levinsky Park. They provide between 500 and 700 meals a day to these people in need while also forging connections with them. Soup Levinksy is empowering these refugees and inspiring the residents to put humanity first. "After being embroiled in filming refugees and asylum seekers in south Tel Aviv for five years, I feel directly tied to the global refugee crisis," states Kruvant. "The fight in Levinsky Park is an example of the global fight for and against refugees all over the world." Advertisement There is no easy solution to the refugee problem but Kruvant's documentary is a call to action on the issue. "There's a global crisis right now [and] instead of feeling distraught and helpless we have turned our camera directly on the asylum seekers and denizens living in south Tel Aviv to provoke constructive dialogue," Kruvant states in a press release. "People who have nothing at all facing elemental struggles in a land fraught with conflict and founded by refugees proves to be fascinating viewing." How important is a college degree to success in the workforce of the future? originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.. Answer by David Autor, Ford Professor of Economics and Associate Head at MIT, on Quora: A college degree is extremely important. It's not the only route to the middle-class, but it's the most surefire route. For example, see this figure from today's WSJ on unemployment rates by education. The unemployment rate is three times as high among less-than-high-school adults as among college-grads, and twice as high among high-school-only adults. Advertisement The earnings differential between college and high school has doubled since 1980. And the lifetime value of a college degree net of tuition has increased by roughly a $300K since the 1960s. There's every reason to think that highly educated workers will continue to be in high demand for decades to come. Prospects are much weaker for workers without specialized skills. But it's worth noting that there are good non-college jobs that will be around for quite some time: Skilled trades (plumbing, electrical, etc.) Many medical technical jobs (require vocational training not a college degree necessarily). Skilled repair. Note that all of these jobs require specialized post-high-school skills, but not necessarily in a college setting. Image Courtesy of Pied Parker With more than 38 million people living in California, a surprisingly low number of on-street public parking spaces are made available. As a result, commuters waste time and experience frustration as they endlessly search to find parking. What we don't know, however, is that this greatly impacts ALL of us, especially homeowners. The lack of parking spots creates significant traffic in the community. A distinguished research professor in the Department of Urban Planning at UCLA, Donald Shoup, estimates that searching for parking spaces is responsible for 30 percent or more of traffic congestion in cities. This added congestion also creates about 366,000 excess vehicle miles traveled and produces 325 tons of CO2 per year. If the parking problem continues at its current level, mobility will become less efficient and more costly for everyone involved. Advertisement Fortunately, A solution is Coming To Our Cities . . . Pied Parker, an intelligent parking company in Palo Alto, California, is launching a new technology in the San Francisco Bay Area and Long Beach that will benefit homeowners and drivers. This company is focused on helping homeowners earn extra money (Currently, small driveways are looking at $3,000 a year on average - not too shabby for a slab of asphalt!), while reducing the local traffic around them. Pied Parker's technology leverages big data to create a stress-free parking experience, allowing homeowners and organizations to rent out their parking spaces, whether those spaces are driveways or parking lots. This new company's mission is to drastically reduce traffic congestion in major cities, while saving drivers time and adding passive income for homeowners. "Parking accounts for 30 to 60 percent of all traffic in major cities across the U.S. This is one of the first instances that people are very accepting of technology, where we see homeowners saving time, as well as commuters," said Gianni Maxemin, President of Pied Parker. "Parking space listers will have more time due to the decrease in overall traffic, while drivers will be able to easily find parking before leaving their homes. Pied Parker also creates an ecosystem that separates out parking spaces in dense cities to redirect traffic." Smart Cities Becoming Smarter Pied Parker will be accessible in San Francisco, Palo Alto, Berkeley and Long Beach for a special selection of parking space owners. The app is sure to become a much-needed addition to developing smart cities that are taking a more optimized, data-driven approach to urban planning. After all, the future of transportation will not necessarily be about how to ease congestion, but rather about how to effectively price and manage the load we expect to see now and in the future. For instance, a study recently noted that parking is actually oversupplied by 65 percent on average and by 45 percent in areas where the study was to ease a parking shortage. This should lead commuters and city officials to wonder if parking problems are actually due to a lack of information. Regardless, our cities need shared help from homeowners and Pied Parker is looking to carry that massive weight with them. Consequently, municipalities are taking aim at re-examining parking design and administration. Smart cities across America are now coming up with integrated, smart transportation systems that use data and technology to help people solve mobility issues. The concept behind Pied Parker seamlessly integrates with smart cities. "PiedParker is a perfect example of technology that city leaders can harness when the status quo just isn't moving fast enough," said Long Beach Councilwoman, Jeannine Pearce. "We needed more parking, so we brought together residents, business owners, an innovative tech startup to get the job done. Now we will be rolling out 300 spots here in Long Beach, which will transform mobility in our city and create a better future for my constituents from traffic relief to building community. The first part of this app that caught my eye, was the human element. They canvass neighborhoods and have neighbors talking to neighbors to get the word out, investing in civic engagement while finding tangible solutions to issues like parking will always have a lasting affecting beyond technology in building community. Pied-Parker is innovative and inspiring." Advertisement On the other side of the spectrum, homeowners and organizations benefit by renting out their extra parking spaces, allowing them to earn passive income. Homeowners also have easy access their earnings and can see when renters come and go. Ah, the wonders of the world we live in and integrated smart cities! More Parking for Self-Driving Cars and EV Pied Parker is also focused on creating more parking spaces for self-driving cars and electric vehicles (EV), both of which have become increasingly popular. The timing for this couldn't be better, considering the recent complaints about the lack of available electric vehicle infrastructure at Tesla supercharger slots. Drivers have been using Tesla's superchargers as free parking spots, leaving their cars on the chargers even after they are fully charged. Advertisement As a result, Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, announced that Tesla was going to charge $0.40 per minute for a Tesla left standing at a charging station after a five-minute grace period. Pied Parker users, however, will also have the option to park their electric vehicles. They plan to help electric vehicle drivers later this year by increasing the inventory infrastructure for these car owners. "Park Intelligently" The ability for commuters to park intelligently is sure to create change in the transportation industry. CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 31: Nearly 800 crosses, each bearing the name of a murder victim, sit on the sidewalk along Michigan Avenue before the start of a march on December 31, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. Residents, activists and family members of victims of gun violence marched down Michigan Avenue carrying the crosses to draw attention to the city's rising murder rate. Nearly 800 people have been murdered in the city this year and more than 4000 shot as the city copes with its most violent year in two decades. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Donald Trump recently met with some supporters and appointees who he misled the press into believing was a meeting with African-American leaders, ostensibly as a form of outreach to our community. During this gathering, one of the participants informed Trump that he talked to gang leaders in Chicago, that they liked and trusted him and wanted to sit down with him. After mistakenly acting like Frederick Douglass was alive and well, Trump continued to depict Black neighborhoods as nothing but crime-ridden and desperate. Aside from this one-dimensional portrayal of Black America, and the inexcusable thought that the sitting president didn't know who Frederick Douglass was (or whether he was living or deceased), it is abundantly clear that Trump is not reaching out to us appropriately, nor getting the correct input on our concerns. We need a real commitment -- not a passing presidential tweet. Advertisement Through the years, I've worked with activists, church leaders, filmmakers like Spike Lee (who even did the movie Chi-Raq), and I took an apartment on the west side of Chicago myself to get a genuine sense of the issues on the ground. I made monthly visits to the windy city, hosted a special on MSNBC about this very subject and have a real familiarity with Chicago and its epidemic of violence. One thing I discovered when I got an apartment in the city was that the Chicago we knew in the '80s, when I would go as a youth organizer, and the Chicago of today are vastly different. There are no Larry Hoovers or Jeff Forts; it's kids on the corner like a posse who shoot over any kind of disrespect they feel was sent their way. The problem with Chicago violence is not organized, and whoever told the president that he talked to gang leaders is either deceptive or being deceived himself. People often say guns don't kill people, people kill people. The reality is, people can't shoot if they don't have guns. The New York Times recently had a front page story titled "Bored, Broke and Armed: Clues to Chicago's Gang Violence." As the piece rightfully highlighted, a lack of jobs, training programs and opportunities overall must be addressed if we are to get to the core of the problem. There is no other way to resolve the issue of violence. Sending in feds is more of a soundbite than a strategy. Just last month, the Justice Department announced that it found a pattern of civil rights violations by the Chicago police department. So how can you send in the feds to work with local police who were just cited? Where does Chicago authority end and federal begin? How do you deal with police that may exacerbate the problem? Advertisement If the president wants to genuinely resolve the difficulties in Chicago and wants to bring in federal assistance, then he must work to repair weak gun laws that allow guns from surrounding states and areas to be brought back into Chicago. He must use the Department of Labor resources to find and provide training and jobs, use the Department of Education to deal with the school crisis (50 public schools closed at one time just a few years back), and more. Given the cabinet nominations, it's unlikely that these solutions will be discussed. One can only conclude that the participant who said gang leaders would speak with the president is not really dealing with the problem and neither is Trump himself. U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with JPMorgan Chase & Co CEO Jamie Dimon (L) as he hosts a strategy and policy forum with chief executives of major U.S. companies at the White House in Washington February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque The best way to spot a con artist is by paying attention to what you don't see, as well as to what you see. Donald Trump says he represents working people, but he has already moved aggressively to tilt the scales in favor of Wall Street's criminal elite. As Trump moved to rob Americans of some basic financial protections, his choice of companions only added insult to injury. Advertisement Now You See It, Now You Don't Last year Wells Fargo became enmeshed in scandal when it was learned that 2 million false accounts were opened in its customers' names without their knowledge. It turned out that the bank's employees, many of whom are poorly paid and dependent on bonuses and commissions, were being threatened with loss of income or termination if they fell behind on production. Those who complained to higher-ups or authorities risked retaliation. There were reports of other unfair labor practices as well. The bank paid a fine. In a rare moment of executive accountability, its CEO resigned and was forced to forgo some deferred income. The Department of Labor set up a special page to register employee complaints and protect whistleblowers. The "Resources for Current and Former Wells Fargo Employees" page included links to resources for whistleblowers. It offered guidance as well as for employees who felt they had not been properly paid, had concerns about their retirement benefits or believed they had faced discrimination for race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability or veteran status. Shortly after Trump took office, Sen. Elizabeth Warren noticed that visitors to that webpage now encountered a very different message: Advertisement Page Not Found The page you requested wasn't found on our website. If you followed the link from another website, the link they provided may be outdated. Please check our Topics area or our A-Z Index to find what you are looking for. In response, Sen. Warren wrote a letter to the acting Secretary of Labor that documented past Wells Fargo offenses. She added, I am concerned that the Department of Labor has removed the website where Wells Fargo's employees who were victims of the company's fraudulent actions could file labor complaints or report illegal activity. Taking down this website enables Wells Fargo to escape full responsibility for its fraudulent actions and the Department to shirk its outstanding obligations to American workers. The Trump Administration has attempted to shift the blame by claiming that the page was taken down before the inauguration. That claim has been challenged. But the fact that the website has not been restored as of this writing suggests that the Trump team was more than happy to see it disappear. But this vanishing act pales in comparison to those that would soon follow. Unleashing the Fraudsters On February 3, President Trump signed executive actions rolling back financial regulations that were put into place after Congress passed the Dodd-Frank banking reform bill in 2010. Advertisement That bill didn't include all of the measures some believe are needed to rein in bank fraud and mismanagement. But, as Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen notes, it represents an improvement over the status quo that led to the 2007-08 financial crisis. The Dodd-Frank provisions endangered by Trump's announcement are designed to increase financial stability, reduce risky bank behavior and limit predatory mortgage lending. Trump also moved to end something called the "fiduciary rule," a technical-sounding name for something that serves a relatively simple goal: to prevent people who give advice about retirement accounts from having hidden financial incentives that conflict with their clients' interests. Bad Company Trump didn't just declare war on these fundamental financial protections. He also showed the public where his loyalties lay. As he announced the gutting of controls on big bankers, Trump gave a special shout-out to one of the worst of them: Jamie Dimon. As CEO of JPMorgan Chase, Dimon has led one of the most criminally inclined institutions on Wall Street. The long list of documented crimes committed under Dimon's leadership includes money laundering for drug cartels, foreclosure fraud, and violation of sanctions against Cuba, Iran and Sudan. Trump chose Gary Cohn, the new head of his Council of Economic Advisors, to announce the change in the fiduciary rule. Cohn is the former COO of Goldman Sachs, and one of many Trump appointees from that Wall Street powerhouse. When it comes to criminal behavior, Goldman is arguably JP Morgan's only challenger for the title of "most corrupt" investment bank. With these actions, Trump has let the American people know whose side he's on, and it's not theirs. Millions of people are now more likely to be robbed of their savings, their homes and their retirement security. "Reality has a way of catching up with you," President Barack Obama counseled the incoming administration in his farewell address, and so it did on January 28 as tens of thousands showed up at dozens of US and international airports to protest an executive order barring entry to all immigrants and visa holders from seven majority-Muslim countries for 90 days, and all refugees for 120 days (refugees from Syria are now banned indefinitely). The rapid mobilization of so many impromptu allies on behalf of tens of thousands of legal immigrants and visitors to the United States served notice to the president and his allies in Congress that similar efforts to deport undocumented immigrants and their children, numbering in the millions, would be met by fierce resistance. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) As remarkable as the diligence of the gathered crowds were the circumstances of those being detained by Customs and Border Protection officials, a scientist bound for Harvard to study cardiovascular medicine, a former interpreter for the US Army during the Iraq war returning home with his family, a grandmother rising from a wheelchair to embrace her grandson after spending more than seven hours in detention. Footage of a 5-year-old reunited with his mother after being held alone and in handcuffs crippled the imagination and effectively undermined the notion that any of this was about national security. Defenders of the President's travel ban have pointed to supposedly equivalent policies under the Obama administration. Although the specific comparisons are laughable, the fact that Donald Trump's actions are part of a larger context of American foreign policy in the Muslim Middle East and Africa is not. Critics of the president rightfully point out that since 1975 there has never been an American killed in an act of terror by a foreign national from one of the embargoed countries, yet three---Syria, Sudan, and Iran---have been designated by the State Department as "state sponsors of terrorism" since at least the 1990s, an incongruence that, because it is largely ignored by Trump's opponents, only enables him to pursue his current policies. Advertisement Out of all the countries affected by the travel ban, it is the country at the top of the terror list, Iran, that sends by far the largest number of its citizens to the United States, more than 35,000, a figure that does not include the 40 percent of applicants rejected outright by the State Department, or the many more deterred from applying (with no American embassy in Iran, Iranians must travel to Turkey, Tajikistan or to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, to apply for a visa). When Iran sends its people, it sends its best. The New York Times reports that colleges and universities in the U.S. hosted about 17,000 students from the seven banned countries last year. Of those who came here last year, more than 12,000 were Iranian nationals. Many of these same Iranians featured prominently in the coverage this past week, their stories a roll call of accomplishment. Mixed in with the many grandparents, parents, and retirees who make the long and melancholy journey from Iran to be with their family here in the States, is the story of Ali Abdi, an Iranian PhD student in anthropology at Yale and green card holder, now in limbo between Afghanistan, where he planned to do his fieldwork, Iran, where he was born but cannot return to because of his outspokenness about human rights violations there, and the United States, where he lives as a student and permanent resident. There is the case of Samira Asgari, a molecular biologist who, on her way to Boston from Switzerland in order to start a postdoc research project on genomics of infectious disorders at the Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Woman's Hospital, found out that she was barred from entry despite having a valid visa. Nima Enyati, an Iranian-born bioengineer, was due to begin research at Stanford University on robotic surgery. He too was refused entry, turned away at check-in at a Milan airport. Advertisement Given that female students dominate Iranian universities, many of those barred entry have been women, including Niki Mossafer Rahmati, a gifted mechanical engineering student at MIT, Amene and Marzieh Asgari, two sisters from Iran, both on their way to Harvard University, one a visiting scholar in philosophy and the other starting a postdoc at the medical school. The contrast between these individuals and an official policy that classifies all Iranians as potential terrorists represents an unsustainable contradiction, one left unresolved by U.S. District Judge James Robart's decision on Friday night to block Donald Trump's ban in its entirety. For Iranian-Americans watching events unfold at home, many of whom are old enough to remember when being from Iran carried an aura of glamour and prestige, only to be lost completely in revolution and an American embassy held hostage, the sight of so many "real Americans," amrikaiha ye asil, rushing to the defense of Iranians and other Muslims has been dizzying, to say the least. Not since the protests of the 2009 Green Movement have Iranians been so visible, or taken so seriously as individuals with ambitions that lie beyond the usual narrative threads of the veil, the pursuit of jihad, or the destruction of Israel. It is a peculiar and particularly satisfying twist of fate that authoritarians in the US and Iran have managed to restore the reputation of millions. By their actions, they have made ordinary Iranians great again. That the airport is the locus of this transformation is somehow fitting. The long drive out to Imam Khomeini Airport to see off a green card holder or the university student who has secured a visa and a scholarship, is an exceptional experience, a cause for gathering and celebration, and a major part of contemporary Iranian culture. The ordinary traveler could be certain that she would be made extraordinary upon her return to Iran, forced to endure a loving if chaotic and crowded embrace by family and friends. It is at the airport that that same traveller begins the process of assimilation, the point at which the immigrant begins to become someone else, less Iranian, more American. So it goes with countries. The airport has provided some of the most visible measures of how we've changed as Americans since 9/11. Who we are, what we've lost, is right there, in the mechanism of boarding a flight, in how we are treated, and treat others, upon arrival. An entire generation of citizens knows only the spectacle of removed shoes and full body scans, cossetted in a theater of security - nothing of the joyous grief of walking the length of terminals to see a loved one off at the gate. Advertisement There came word this past week that US border officials are now checking the social media accounts of visa and green card holders before allowing them entry into the United States. There is precedent for this. Dual-nationals and foreign visitors to Iran anticipated the same treatment entering and leaving the Islamic Republic of Iran during the 2009 protests. Evidence that it was happening to travelers who fit "the profile" was mostly anecdotal and hearsay, but hardly incredible or surprising given the nature of the regime. That it's now happening here in the United States, as part of a crisis self-inflicted by incompetents and promptly endorsed by Republican members of Congress at the highest levels, reveals its own set of uncomfortable and ugly truths. We have, it would seem, begun to become someone else, if not more Iranian, then less American. It is, for many new Americans, the loss of hope beyond despair. Your book "When Crime Pays: Money and Muscle in Indian Politics" has just been published. Would you tell us a little bit about it? The book attempts to address a puzzling question about democratic functioning: how can free elections and criminal politics coexist? After all, voters in democracies are supposed to be empowered to punish elected representatives who seemingly betray the public trust. Yet, in so many countries, individuals tied to corruption and criminality are regularly elected and re-elected. The book tries to answer this question by drawing on evidence from India -- the world's largest democracy. In India, one-third of politicians elected to Parliament assume office while under criminal indictment. One-fifth of Members of Parliament (MPs) are implicated in serious crimes -- crimes that, if a conviction were obtained, would merit real jail time. The book unpacks this marketplace, by exploring the supply and demand factors that make this market thrive. The book, while focused largely on India, has lessons for democratic practice far beyond any one country's borders. What sort of feedback have you gotten thus far? The feedback has been very positive so far. The nexus between crime and politics is not India-specific so people who live in or work on a range of countries have told me that the book has resonated with their own experience. Having said that, the biggest interest has obviously come from India. Most people in India have some familiarity with the subject at hand, but like so many things that stare you in the face each and every day, you never stop to question them. Most readers have really appreciated, I think, the attempt to create a framework for understanding an issue that seems so deeply ingrained in democratic politics. How long did it take to write? Do you have a writing routine? As with most first books, this one began its life as a PhD dissertation. After I completed my graduate work, I literally could not look at the dissertation for almost a year. After some time away and some fresh perspective, I came back to the material and rewrote the whole thing from scratch. It was important to me to write the book in a way that would appeal beyond academia, which meant I had to assume readers would have very little baseline knowledge about democracy, governance, India, etc. I also carried out additional field research, collected new data, and did some historical analysis to round out the material I began with. That process began in 2013 and I handed in the first draft of my manuscript at the end of 2014. The writing, in the end, did not take very long. But peer reviews, edits, legal reviews, production and design added almost two years. In the beginning, I did not have a writing routine and this really slowed me down. Finally, one day a colleague who just completed her book pulled me aside and told me I had to drop everything else and focus on the book if I wanted to get it in done. That was a wake-up call. The next day, I went through my calendar and began blocking at least 3-4 days a week for book writing. Once I did that, things started to gel. I realized that an hour here or a few hours there was not really cutting it. A book requires immersion. What advice would you give to aspiring authors? I think people are really intimidated by the prospect of writing a book; I know I was. It's a bit of an obvious piece of advice, but it truly helps to break things down into bite-size chunks. When I outlined the book, I had eight chapters divided up into three parts. Thinking about the whole manuscript was terrifying so breaking this down into constituent pieces really helped. I spent a lot of time making fairly detailed outlines and then adjusting/revising them as I went. This up-front investment ended up saving me. The second piece of advice, especially for people in the research community, is: pick a big question. There is a trade-off between going deep and going broad, but I think authors who are researchers need to push themselves to look for questions that stretch the boundaries of what we know. A book, as opposed to a research paper, gives you the flexibility to expand beyond the narrow topics we often focus on in our day-to-day research. What do you read for fun? My family constantly mocks me for reading books that seem like work-related books "for fun." The truth is: I am a news junkie so I find myself spending too much time on short-form stuff and then I catch up on books related to work (social science, India, and South Asia) in my free time. But the truth is I enjoy that material a great deal, so it usually does not feel like work. Be that as it may, I started a new resolution last year that I would strike a better balance between fiction and non-fiction, so my current rule is to alternate between the two. What's the best book you read in 2016? I was very, very late to this, but I finally read Vikram Chandra's caper, "Sacred Games," in 2016 and thought it was marvelous. It's seemingly the story of a cop trying to nab a major player in the Mumbai underworld, but it's much more than that. It is really a kind of sociology of big-city India. Despite its massive length, it's a fast read. A member of Border Guard Bangladesh stands guard on a watchtower near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border to prevent Rohingya refugees from illegal border crossing. Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters Violence against the Rohingyas, an ethnic Muslim minority in Myanmar, has reached a new high according to a report published by the United Nations. Its release followed an investigation that took place on the Bangladeshi border with Myanmar in January, after the UN Human Rights Office team was denied access to the worst-affected areas of northern Rakhine State in Myanmar. Horrific testimonies of brutal killings of adults and children, including babies, as well as gang-rapes and disappearances have been detailed in the document. Advertisement Concern about Muslim minorities has been rising in this country since U Ko Ni, a prominent human rights lawyer close to Aung Saan Suu Kyi's party, and a Muslim, was shot dead on January 29. As of February 2014, there were 1.33 million Rohingyas in Myanmar, and more than one million living overseas. They are mainly in Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, India and Pakistan. At least 87,000 Rohingyas have been displaced since the military launched a crackdown in western Rakhine state in early October 2016. In Myanmar, most Rohingyas have been stripped of citizenship, and face serious violations of human rights including restriction of freedom of movement, marriage restriction, exclusion from education and health care, enforced birth control, arbitrary taxation and forced labour. Advertisement Rohingyas need to apply for travel pass to even visit a neighbouring village and are required to obtain permission for marriage by paying high fees and bribes which can take several years to get. Worse, they are beaten, tortured, killed and raped; their houses are burnt, and the survivors are forced to leave ancestral home for an uncertain future. It's no surprise the Rohingyas are often called the most persecuted people on earth. Several academic studies have established that the persecution on the Rohingyas amounts to genocide. But the Myanmar government keeps denying these claims. Why are Rohingyas forced out of Myanmar? The government actually denies the existence of any ethnic group named "Rohingya". It often considers this group to be "Bengali", formed of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, despite the fact that Rohingya have lived in the Rakhine State for generations. Under the 1982 Citizenship Law of Myanmar, the government created three classes of citizens: full, associate and naturalised, and subsequently provided colour-coded "scrutiny cards". Pink cards were provided to full citizens, blue for associate citizens and green for naturalised. Most of Rohingyas were not provided a card at all. They are rather considered "Myanmar residents", which means neither citizen nor foreigner. In 1993, Rohingyas were given "white cards" which allowed them to vote. However, these cards were revoked because of protests by Buddhist nationalist and monks. This meant Rohingyas could not vote in the landmark 2015 general election which paved the way for Aung San Suu Kyi and her party to come to power. Advertisement Many candidates, even sitting MPs, from Rohingya and other Muslim groups were banned from participating by all major political parties and the election commission. Discrimination and violence against Rohingyas mainly lie in a false fear of Muslim power generated by Buddhist nationalists led by radical monks under the 969 movement and Ma Ba Tha (the Organisation for the Protection of Race and Religion). Although Buddhist monks are usually portrayed as peace-preachers globally, many in Myanmar are involved in political activism. Ashin Wirathu, the charismatic leader of some of these radical movements, often called "Burmese bin Laden", openly spreads anti-Muslim rumours and hatred. No one dares to challenge Wirathu in fear of retaliation, and major political parties have designed policies considering the likely reaction from Ma Ba Tha. Therefore, not only stateless Rohingyas but also non-Rohingya Muslim groups with Burmese citizenship such as the Kaman people, as well as Muslims in Meiktila and Mandalay, have all faced religious violence. Yanghee Lee, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights for Myanmar was herself labelled as a "whore" by Wirathu when she advocated for human rights of Rohingya in 2015. Advertisement Although the Ma Ba Tha has become weaker in recent months following a dispute with the Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein, state councillor Aung San Suu Kyi and her party do not dare to challenge the already strong public sentiment against Muslims. The celebrated transition to democracy in Myanmar has only increased populist pressure and majoritarian autocracy, ironically shutting up the voices of previously active human rights advocates. Bangladesh's defensive position Dealing with the waves of Rohingya refugees has always been a dilemma for the bordering host community and the government of Bangladesh. Recently the government has even proposed to relocated the Rohingyas on a flood prone island off the Bangladesh coast. While there is a desire to help the refugees on humanitarian and religious grounds for Rohingyas, which I witnessed during my fieldwork, population pressure and security concerns have put the government in a defensive position. In 1978, during a major influx of Rohingyas, Bangladesh hosted approximately 222,000 refugees who were mostly repatriated soon after. In 1991-92, another major flow of around 250,000 refugees entered Bangladesh. They have been repatriated, except for about 32,000 who are still staying in two registered camps in Cox's Bazar district in Chittagong. However, many Rohingyas, including some repatriated ones, continued to cross the porous borders into Bangladesh. These post-1992 arrivals have not been registered officially, and they are living in unregistered camps and along with local communities near the border areas. The similarity in religion and language (Rohingya and Chittagonian dialect are largely similar) has allowed some to become informally integrated into the South-Eastern areas of Bangladesh. Advertisement During the fresh arrivals in 2012 after a communal riot in the Rakhine State, the government of Bangladesh took a tougher stance; border guards refused entry to the refugees, pushing them back to Myanmar. This violates the principle of non-refoulment which prohibits the return of refugees to persecution. Since last October, the government has refused to offer any asylum to the refugees. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the Bangladeshi parliament, "We cannot just open our doors to people coming in waves". Political pressure The government's position can be explained by increasing economic growth of Bangladesh and subsequently less dependence on international aid. This has allowed the government to brush aside international diplomatic pressure. But Bangladesh is far from alone in trying to avoid responsibility amid a global refugee crisis. Still, many refugees do manage to enter Bangladeshi territory. According to a UN estimate, 66,000 new refugees have taken shelter in Bangladesh in recent months. Before this, as per 2015, the number of unregistered Rohingyas in Bangladesh was estimated to be between 200,000 and 500,000. Recent government actions seem to follow the directions of a strategy paper designed in 2014. Based on its recommendations, the government has conducted the first-ever census to count "undocumented Myanmar nationals" in Bangladesh. The census result has not been made public so far. Advertisement Rohingya policy is also dictated by diplomatic relations with Myanmar. The current government of Bangladesh has shown its serious willingness to improve relations with its neighbour. Dhaka wants to eventually repatriate Rohingyas to Myanmar, but it is happy to increase engagement on other issues such as business in the meantime. Bangladesh is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol and does not have any national legislation to deal with the refugees. In the absence of any legal standard, a former UN representative in Bangladesh notes, the refugees are administered through an "ad hoc, arbitrary and discretionary system". Although some Rohingyas have found a safer place to stay in Bangladesh, they are still suffering from fear and insecurity. According to the Foreigners Act 1946 of Bangladesh, the large number of unregistered Rohingyas are considered "illegal foreigners". Police may arrest them anytime if they wish. Though the police rarely do that, the possibility of arrest and indefinite detention keeps them in constant fear. Advertisement They are also not allowed to seek employment, register marriage, move freely and get higher education. Many of them live in overcrowded, unhygienic makeshift camps. In 2010, Physicians for Human Rights reported that the camps are like an "open air prison". The solution starts with Myanmar The Rohingya crisis is, first of all, a political issue in Myanmar. The ultimate solution lies in the granting citizenship and ensuring equal rights in their ancestral home. Unfortunately, the United Nations and influential states have done nothing more than criticise. For powerful neighbours such as India or China, but also for many global players, Myanmar is an untapped resource and investment hub waiting to be explored. It has become evident that the humanitarian intervention is reserved for strategic and business usefulness, not to protect the most vulnerable. Until a permanent solution is found in Myanmar, it is the responsibility of refugee hosting countries, including Bangladesh, to ensure that Rohingya people can live with basic human rights and dignity. Rather than making administrative interventions, granting proper legal standards would serve both refugees and the national interest of Bangladesh. This is the first of a two-part series on the plight of Rohingyas in Myanmar and Bangladesh. Donald Trump proclaimed during his inaugural address, "When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice." Opening our hearts to patriotism will not solve the problem of racist ideas. Some of the nation's proudest patriots have also been the nation's most virulent racists. The organizing principle of the Ku Klux Klan has always been allegiance to the red, white and blue flag. Lacking patriotism is not the root of racist ideas. But neither is ignorance and hate, as Americans are taught so often during Black History Month. Advertisement Contrary to popular conceptions, ignorant and hateful people have not been behind the production and reproduction of racist ideas in America. Instead, racist ideas have usually been produced by some of the most brilliant and cunning minds of each era. And these women and men generally did not produce these ideas because they hated black people. In my new book, "Stamped from the Beginning," I chronicle the entire history of racist ideas, from their origins in 15th-century Europe, through colonial times when early British settlers carried racist ideas to America, all the way to their emergence in the United States and persistence into 21st century. I distinguish between the influential producers of racist ideas, and the consumers of them. And I study the motives - and historical circumstances - behind the production of racist ideas. My persisting research question was not merely what racist ideas influential Americans produced, but why they produced those racist ideas at a particular time and how those ideas impacted America. Little Rock protest, 1959. Wikimedia/John T. Bledsoe What caused Thomas Jefferson to decry "Amalgamation with the other color" in 1814 after he had fathered several biracial children with Sally Hemings? What caused U.S. Sen. John C. Calhoun of South Carolina in 1837 to produce the racist idea of slavery as a "positive good" when he knew slavery's torturous horrors? Advertisement What caused President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 to affirm that "the greatest existing cause of lynching is the perpetration ... of the hideous crime of rape" when he probably saw the data that showed that rape was not the greatest existing cause? What caused think tankers and journalists after the presidential election of Barack Obama in 2008 to produce the racist idea of a post-racial society during all that post-election violence against black bodies? Time and again, racist ideas have not been born and bred in the cradle of ignorant, hateful or unpatriotic minds. Time and again, powerful and brilliant men and women have produced racist ideas in order to justify the racist policies of their era, in order to redirect the blame for their era's racial disparities away from those policies and onto black people. The common conception that ignorance and hate lead to racist ideas, and that racist ideas initiate racist policies, is largely ahistorical. It has actually been the inverse relationship - racial discrimination has led to racist ideas which has led to ignorance and hate. "Stamped from the Beginning" shows that the principal function of racist ideas in American history has been to suppress resistance to racial discrimination and its resulting racial disparities. The beneficiaries of slavery, segregation and mass incarceration have produced racist ideas of black people being best suited for or deserving of the confines of slavery, segregation or the jail cell. Consumers of these racist ideas have been led to believe there is something wrong with black people, and not the policies that have enslaved, oppressed and confined so many black people. Advertisement From the beginning, Americans have been trying to explain the existence and persistence of racial inequities. Racist ideas considering racial inequality to be normal due to black pathology have locked heads with anti-racist ideas that consider racial inequality to be abnormal and the effect of racial discrimination. Anti-racist ideas have called for the justice of equity, while racist ideas have called for the law and order of inequality. A year after young black men were nine times more likely than other Americans to be killed by the police, President Trump has not said anything about protecting black lives from police violence. He is not issuing any executive orders banning racist cops or armed white supremacists from black communities. He made abundantly clear what lives matter to him on his new White House website. "The Trump administration will be a law and order administration," reads the page, "Standing Up for Our Law Enforcement Community." It adds: "President Trump will honor our men and women in uniform and will support their mission of protecting the public. The dangerous anti-police atmosphere in America is wrong. The Trump administration will end it." In his inaugural, Trump suggested there can be racial unity in his law-and-order America. He quoted the Bible. "'How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity.'" One thing from my research is clear: Racial unity is impossible when racial inequalities are created and maintained by racist policies that are justified by racist ideas. Racist ideas have always been like walls built by powerful Americans to keep us divided, and these walls have always normalized our racial divisions and inequities. Advertisement Americans no longer need the law and order of inequality, poverty and black death. Americans no longer need walls of racist ideas. Americans need the ordering justice that honors and protects the women and men in that unfailingly imperiled uniform - the uniform of blackness. Only then, I believe, will God's people have a chance to live together in unity. I've just sent this letter to my Senator, Cory Booker (D, NJ), insisting that he join me in demanding the resignation of the racist extremist, Stephen Bannon. I'll send the same letter to Senator Robert Menendez (D, NJ), every Democratic Senator, the DNC, and every state Democratic Party Office. Senator Cory Booker Newark Office One Gateway Center 23rd Floor Newark, NJ 07102 Dear Senator Booker, I am a resident of New Jersey, a progressive, and I vote. I am writing to express my alarm and dismay that Stephen Bannon occupies the role of President Trump's "Chief Strategist." Bannon is a racist, a white supremacist, and an extremist. As the Executive Chairman at Breitbart - and now, in the White House - Bannon has proudly and aggressively championed the racist, anti-Semitic, Islamophobic agenda of the so-called "Alt-right." Advertisement The Southern Poverty Law Center reminds us that "Under Bannon, Breitbart published a call to 'hoist [the Confederate flag] high and fly it with pride' only two weeks after the Charleston massacre when the country was still reeling from the horrors of the murders. Under Bannon, Breitbart published an extremist anti-Muslim tract where the author wrote that 'rape culture' is 'integral' to Islam." Glenn Beck has called Bannon "a nightmare." We all know that this is true of Bannon. His fans and his critics agree. Steve Bannon does not belong in the White House. He does not belong on the National Security Council. And he most certainly does not belong in the role of "Chief Strategist" for the President of the United States. Indeed, the President should be ashamed to take a phone call from someone with Bannon's appalling political history. Bannon should be seen as a "radioactive" - too extreme for any mainstream politician. I understand that a US Senator is not formally empowered to remove a member of the President's staff. But you and I - and all Democrats, all progressives, and all of us who reject the toxicity of Bannon's racism - are empowered to speak up. Indeed, we are compelled, morally and politically, to demand Bannon's resignation. We are compelled, morally and politically, to shame the Trump Administration for employing such a revolting character. And we are compelled, morally and politically, to shame any Republican who acts as if Bannon's presence in the White House is "normal" or acceptable. Recall that, in 2008, the Republican's faux-shame-machine forced then-candidate Barack Obama to renounce his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright - a decent man who played no role in Obama's campaign, and had no influence over Mr. Obama's policy agenda. Later, President Obama was forced to fire the talented activist Van Jones, an adviser on "Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation," because the GOP and right-wing talk radio managed to brand him a radical. And this strategy is not new: in 1993 Bill Clinton was forced to withdraw the nomination of the brilliant Lani Guinier, whom he'd nominated for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. The Right labeled Ms. Guinier "the Quota Queen." In each of these cases, a Democrat was forced to cut ties with an ally because of an aggressive and effective PR campaign orchestrated by the GOP and the Right. Advertisement We cannot act as if this - the central role of Bannon in Trump's White House - is normal or acceptable. A President is entitled to choose his advisers, we're told. Perhaps. Either way, it is undoubtedly true that The Opposition is entitled - compelled! - to call the President out when he invites a revolting, hateful demagogue to be his Chief Strategist - his right-hand man in charting the political future of the United States. We should, every single day, bellow at the top of our lungs: "Steve Bannon is a racist and a white nationalist. He is not acceptable. He should resign! He should be fired! And President Trump, and all of his GOP enablers should be ashamed." This is not acceptable. This is not normal. Sincerely, The Bachelor Season 21 (2017) episode 6 spoilers: What happens in Week 6, who gets eliminated after second two-on-one date Nick Viall attends the Pitchfork after-party at Virgin Hotels Chicago with a performance by Vic Mensa at The Virgin Hotel on July 17, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo : Jeff Schear/Getty Images) "The Bachelor" Season 21 (2017) episode 6 features what happens in Nick Viall's Week 6 of the journey to find true love. The 36-year-old software sales executive from Wisconsin reportedly hits the lowest point of his journey this week. Here are a few spoilers for the next chapter of the series. Read on to find out what happens next. Advertisement [Spoiler alert! This article contains spoilers for "The Bachelor" Season 21 (2017) episode 6. Do not read further if you don't wish to know more about it.] The drama continues as Nick Viall eliminates Taylor Nolan during his disastrous two-on-one date. According to the network's official website, Taylor is determined to ruin it for her arch-enemy, Corinne. She returns with juicy details about Corinne to reveal. In addition, the press release for "The Bachelor" Season 21 (2017) episode 6, Nick Viall and his remaining bachelorettes will explore sandy beaches and romantic sunsets of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. For the group date, six bachelorettes head to a beach. Here, Nick attempts to focus on his relationships. However, things don't go as planned. There is a battle of sorts as all the ladies vie for Nick's attention. One of the bachelorettes' takes things too far. According to Reality Steve's episode-by-episode spoilers for Nick Viall's "The Bachelor" Season 21 (2017), the group date involves six girls playing volleyball match for time with the bachelor. Rachel, Corinne and Raven's team defeated Jasmine, Danielle Maltby, and Vanessa Grimaldi's team. Jasmine is eliminated during the group date. "The Bachelor" Season 21 (2017) episode 6/ Week 6 will give Nick Viall the opportunity to go on a second one-on-one date with Danielle Lombard and Whitney Fransway. However, before heading to the destination, Nick Viall leaves Whitney stranded on an island and takes Danielle Lombard for the date in a helicopter. Danielle Lombard's confession about falling in love with Nick Viall forces him to eliminate her. He realizes he doesn't feel the same for the bachelorette. Following Jasmine, Whitney and Danielle Lombard's elimination during the dates, "The Bachelor" Season 21 (2017) Week 6 rose ceremony is canceled. The remaining six ladies head to the Bahamas with the bachelor in Week 7. "The Bachelor" Season 21 (2017) episode 6/ week 6 airs Feb. 6 on ABC. Fans can also watch the episode online via live stream on abc.go.com. Stay tuned for more spoilers and updates. Women's March Washington, D.C. photo credit: Caitlin Scanlon The ingenious framers of the American constitution more than two centuries ago got most things right. It's amazing that a document crafted in the 18th century can be largely intact now in a very different world than the one in which it was conceived. Their unique plan to structure a government system that would check the power of the executive -- wisely called "checks and balances" -- has allowed us to succeed and make progress even when our President is misguided or has made a mistake. We saw a great illustration this past weekend after the President decided to ban travelers from seven Muslim nations from entering our country. In dictatorships or monarchies no one would been able to overrule this pernicious attempt at excluding people for their religion. In America, within a few hours of this Executive Action, a Federal Court Judge in Brooklyn was able to "stay" this action and temporarily right a potential wrong. I live across the street from the Federal Courthouse in Brooklyn and it was amazing to watch the lights flick on Saturday night for an ACLU injunction that led to a hearing and a stunning rebuke to Trump. Wow. That's a real democracy in action and it heartened millions of Americans who worry that we are going off a cliff with this new administration. I'm sure this "stay" is just the beginning of a long battle, but Round One ended encouragingly and it reminded everyone that in America citizens have lots of power and legal mechanisms to fight the White House. No other country in the world has such a robust and resilient form of government. Advertisement In addition to the "checks and balances" in our three branches of government -- executive (President), legislative (Congress) and judicial (the courts) -- we have a First Amendment that is also one of the more stunning pieces of forward thinking in governance. It alone is another bulwark against an out of control executive branch. The First Amendment has never felt more important in my lifetime than it has these past few weeks. And I'm a child of the 1960s. The peaceable protests that went on around the country the day after the inauguration -- engineered and mostly populated by women -- were beautiful evidence of the strength of our democracy and our unparalleled tradition of free speech. It showed our fellow citizens, the rest of the world and hopefully the incoming administration that the power to peaceably assemble and protest is one of the most powerful rights Americans retain as citizens of this republic. More than two million protesters around the country -- a sum that dwarfed the attendance for the swearing in near the Capitol -- sent a message to the incoming administration that there is a movement brewing that will resist this administration's attempts to trample on minority, women, immigrants, LGBT and other oppressed groups rights. Advertisement Like its predecessors in the anti-war movement in the 1960s and more recently Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter, the Women's March will undoubtedly be a thorn in this government's regressive side and one hopes that it will also translate into efficient political organizing and encourage more women to run for national office in 2018 and beyond. This past weekend, a pop-up demonstration at Kennedy Airport and many other airports around the country, illustrated the passion and solidarity of those who were appalled by the anti-immigration actions of the new president. "If you build a wall, we will tear it down," they chanted over and over again. A quick mobilization at airports around the country, within hours, is an astounding modern development that is possible through the powers of social media (largely Facebook). Like the "Arab Spring" of a few years ago that toppled dictators in Egypt and Yemen, the power of viral protests should never be underestimated. And now a word about another vital piece of the First Amendment: the right of free speech that gives power to the media. The press has often been endearingly called "The Fourth Estate" of government because it, too, belongs in our system of checks and balances. As a graduate student at the Columbia School of Journalism in the mid-1980s I remember the first thing we were taught there: good journalism comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. Truer words could not be spoken about the role of the media in America in this scary moment. We need a strong, independent and fair press to question, probe and expose any instances of misuse of power or corruption or bullying of the oppressed. We need the media to have the full support of the citizenry against any bullying or manipulating by the government so we don't degenerate like other countries have in history when the government made the media the enemy. Steve Bannon's chilling words last week that the "media is the opposition party" and "should shut up" are not too far removed from the bullying tactics in Nazi Germany in the mid-20th century. And we know where that went. So, as New Yorkers and citizens of the most democratic country in history, we must exercise our power to assemble, protest, organize and support our free press. Advertisement The resistance has just begun. Today, in recognition of the UN's International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, we reflect upon female genital mutilation (FGM), defining this cultural practice, addressing its harmful implications, and seeking resolution on this dangerous, damaging and sadly all too prevalent issue. FGM, also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision, is the ritual removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. The practice is common across much of Africa and the Middle East, and is practiced in some parts of Asia, and among diaspora populations in Western countries. Somalia is thought to have the highest prevalence of FGM in the world, with 98% of girls affected. In my homeland of Nigeria, it is believed around 20 million girls and women have undergone the procedure. Globally this figure rises to 200 million. FGM as a cultural practice, is often perceived as a rite of passage into the maturity of womanhood, but evidently conceived to contain and control a young woman, or even a girl's sexuality, to ensure virginity before marriage and fidelity after, by the brutal method of limiting a woman's sexual pleasure. This is a blatant violation of a female's rights, and the embodiment of female subordination, as FGM quite unusually, is visited upon the female gender, by the female gender, towards a misguided but sadly reinforced sense of community affirmation. Advertisement In addition to the enduring psychological effects of the practice, FGM presents severe medical risks to its victims. In the short-term, excruciating pain, excessive bleeding and shock are commonplace. Anesthetics are rarely used, and many women recall the procedure as an enduring trauma. Infection is also common, as FGM often takes place in un-sterile environments. This prolongs the suffering of the procedure, and can be fatal if left untreated. The long-term complications are extensive; chronic infection, menstrual problems, painful urination, obstetric complications and peri-natal risks all arise as a direct result of FGM. It must be stopped. As the founder and CEO of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, a maternal health charity based in Nigeria, I have seen with my own eyes the harm caused by this archaic practice. Women who have undergone the procedure commonly experience complications during birth, and are at a greater risk of caesarian section, hemorrhage, obstetric lacerations and prolonged labour. In low and middle income economic regions with poor coverage of quality maternal healthcare such as Nigeria, the heightened risk that FGM imposes on expectant mothers presents an added danger to childbirth. Last year I participated in a United National Population Fund conference in Nigeria that called for collective action to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation by 2030. FGM is a dangerous, harmful and unnecessary cultural practice, a physical assault that causes grievous bodily harm - it is therefore the responsibility of the international community, domestic governments and civil society to work together in fighting to protect girls of the future from such inhumane practice. The UN estimates that if current trends continue, 15 million more girls between 15 and 19 will be cut within the next 14 years. It is our job as international citizens to prevent this from happening. Advertisement FGM was criminalised in Nigeria in 2015, signifying a historic step towards outlawing the practice globally. However, FGM remains legal in Mali, Sudan, Sierra Leone and Liberia, among others, and continues to be practiced in other countries despite it being outlawed. At the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, we train midwives on the safe delivery of babies and best perinatal care practices. It is my belief that it is through midwives and maternal care that FGM can be overturned in Nigeria. Midwives are best placed to detect FGM, and to urge mothers not to subject their daughters to this harmful practice. The right legislation is in place. Now what is needed is a mentality of change and a greater understanding of the risks to eliminate the practice completely. There's an outpouring of anger and mistrust about the U.S. Department of Agriculture's abrupt decision late last week to delete from its website inspection reports on some 9,000 licensed facilities that use animals, including commercial dog breeding operators, Tennessee walking horse show participants, roadside zoos, animal research labs, and other operations regulated under the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and Horse Protection Act (HPA). Today, The HSUS took the first step to initiate legal action to challenge this outrageous action that undermines longstanding consensus about public access to information concerning these laws, and frustrates state, local, and industry efforts to help enforce them. The HSUS sued the USDA in 2005 over public access to AWA reports concerning animal use in university and other laboratories. That case was settled in 2009 in exchange for the USDA's agreement to post certain data on its website concerning research on animals. The agency's precipitous decision to purge virtually all AWA and HPA enforcement documentation - just two weeks after President Trump assumed office -- violates the plain terms of the settlement and a federal court order. It also runs contrary to Congressional provisions in 1996 and 2016 designed to increase transparency and electronic access to information. Under the order, once we file a notice of a violation, the parties must consult for 30 days to try to resolve the dispute. If that is not successful, the agency can be ordered to comply or be held in contempt. The prior lawsuit only covers some of the vast corpus of important enforcement data the USDA has scrubbed from its website. We hope this mandatory consultation period will give the USDA a chance to reconsider this ill-advised and precipitous maneuver across the board. Advertisement There is more than just a principle of transparency and good government at stake here. These documents are essential to a wide range of matters of direct interest to The HSUS, dozens of other animal welfare groups, state and federal lawmakers and regulators, regulated businesses, and many other stakeholders who rely upon the records of a public agency. Like every federal agency, the USDA operates thanks to the generosity of taxpayers, and it must be accountable to them. The USDA is changing the equation for the worse for animals and the public with this action. Let me break that down in very practical terms. Puppy mills: In a piece published last month in Rolling Stone titled "The Dog Factory: Inside the Sickening World of Puppy Mills," writer Paul Solotaroff described horrific violations at puppy mills, many of which are licensed and inspected by the USDA, but still violate the Animal Welfare Act repeatedly. One Iowa breeder threw a bag containing dead puppies at his USDA inspector. Another Iowa breeder threatened to stab his inspector with a syringe, after the inspector cited him for shooting and killing one of his dogs. These violations only came to light due to the USDA's online database of puppy mill inspection reports. Last year, the USDA revoked the licenses of nine horrific puppy mills, most of which The HSUS had identified repeatedly in our annual Horrible Hundred reports. They include Jinson Kennels in Missouri (owned by Wilma Jinson), which was repeatedly found with dead dogs or puppies on its property; Rabbit Ridge Kennel in Missouri (owned by Donald Schrage), which failed to get proper care for more than 90 dogs and puppies over a period of many years; and the facility of Dwayne Hurliman in Oklahoma, one of the largest puppy mills in the country, which once had more than 1,000 dogs. Without the availability of public inspection records, The HSUS would have had great difficulty obtaining the information we needed to press the agency on these cases. Thanks to The HSUS's efforts, and the work of thousands of grassroots advocates, seven states bar the sale of puppies from mills with a history of gross violations of the Act. The USDA's decision to wipe its website clean of inspection reports leaves regulated dog sellers in those states with no practical way to comply with those laws, and state and local law enforcement with almost no ability to enforce them. Without ready access to information, it will be nearly impossible for consumers, law enforcement agencies, policymakers, and pet stores to know which breeders had violations. Animal research: Advertisement Tens of millions of animals are used in research, testing, and education every year in the United States. The public will no longer have ready access to information about hundreds of animal research institutions, including universities, pharmaceutical companies, and federal laboratories using animals regulated under the AWA. This includes information on the number and type of animals (such as dogs, cats, primates, and other species) used as well as how many are subjected to unrelieved pain and distress and the corresponding justification -- information that each facility is required to report annually. Instead, The USDA says the information must be obtained via submission of written FOIA requests which usually take many months or even years to process, and often at a substantial cost to the requester. Horse soring: This is a second punch in the gut by the Trump administration to horse protection advocates fighting the criminal behavior of the pain-based Big Lick segment of the walking horse industry. The new administration earlier froze a near-finalized USDA rule to crack down on the abusers (there's a major movement in Congress to turn that around). The denial of real-time access to information about offenses committed under the HPA will frustrate efforts to show the extraordinary violation rates for horse show participants - a data set that has made it clear that this segment of the industry is openly, routinely defying federal law. What's more, the wiping away of these records from the Internet will hurt the effort by legitimate horse owners to shun the abusers. Many walking horse enthusiasts and newcomers who do not sore their horses or approve of soring use this information as a resource to see who they should select or not select as a trainer, as a breeder, or as a co-owner of a horse, or while purchasing a horse. During The HSUS's investigation into soring at Thorsport stables in Murfreesboro, Tenn., we discovered that Vida Blue - one of the horses trained and sored at Thorsport - was owned by Gayle Holcomb, who had a minimum of 10 HPA violations from 2010 to 2015. We found Holcomb's soring history on the publicly-available USDA database that the new administration has now made disappear. Exotic animals and roadside zoos: The HSUS has tracked violations from inspections of roadside zoos, and has put that information in a form that gives state and federal lawmakers and regulators a broad picture of how this industry is complying with the AWA. Officials in a Tennessee county, for example, halted plans for a new drive-thru safari park after discovering the exhibitor had many AWA violations at another location. Our petition to the USDA to prohibit public contact with bears, big cats, and primates relied on historical abuses documented by federal inspectors of exhibitors engaged in these harmful practices. This morning, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which has a rigorous accreditation program and which shares our concerns about roadside zoos, called on the USDA to restore the inspection reports on its website. "When the Department of Agriculture decided to take all animal welfare inspection reports offline, there is no doubt some APHIS licensees were very happy: Those who have no desire for the public to know about their animal welfare record," said the Honorable Dan Ashe, President and CEO of the AZA. Advertisement Brian Klippenstein, the director of Protect the Harvest - an explicitly anti-animal welfare group formed specifically to fight The HSUS - is leading the transition team at the USDA. Shielding animal abuse records from public view is a long-held ambition of that organization which defends puppy mills, roadside zoos, horse sorers, animal fighters, and others with something to hide when it comes to animal cruelty and suffering. Forrest Lucas, the founder and financier of Protect the Harvest, donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight Prop B in Missouri - an anti-puppy-mill ballot measure - and worked to finance a repeal effort when Missouri voters approved it. Last year, Klippenstein was up in Massachusetts, campaigning against Question 3 in Massachuetts - to no avail, with voters approving the measure by an overwhelming 78 percent. Lucas donated a quarter million dollars to fight Question 3. This withholding of information that the American public has a right to see appears to be an inside job at the USDA - with the head of the Trump transition team probably directing the show. You'd think that USDA would want the work of its field personnel to be examined and used by the public. But this action suggests a deliberate effort to bury its work and impede efforts to ensure the well-being of animals in numerous sectors. The HSUS will continue to pursue this matter until public access is fully restored. Please sign our petition urging the USDA to stop hiding animal welfare records and covering for abusers. Bill Self, Kurtis Townsend won't be on sidelines for KU's first four games Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 renders (Photo : Twitter / SlashGear) The Microsoft Surface Pro 5 will reportedly meet an unlikely competition in Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Tab S3. Ahead of its rumored release via the MWC 2017 this February, the Android tablet is said to come out bundled with S Pen stylus and an OS function that is similar to Windows 10's Continuum. Advertisement To be clear, Continuum ending up as part of the Galaxy Tab S3 package is still a moonshot as the feature is rumored to be one of the banner additions to the Samsung 2017 flagship phone that is expected to be Galaxy S8 (and S8 Plus). Continuum will allow the use of a mobile device as a desktop machine when hooked up on a compatible monitor or television. The feature already exists in Windows 10 but speculations are rife that following the Windows 10 Creators Update rollout this coming March, Continuum will be further optimized in preparation for the Surface Pro 5 and Surface Phone releases in the months ahead. But apparently, selling 2-in-1 or hybrid devices is a monopoly that Samsung will not allow Microsoft to enjoy. According to MSPowerUser.com, it's nearly confirmed that when Galaxy S8 is unboxed the handset will offer Samsung's own take of desktop experience in a mobile device. The feature has been discussed in a recently discovered Samsung patent application before the USPTO. True, there was no mention that Samsung intends to extend its Continuum-like feature beyond the GS8 but the Galaxy Tab S3 delivering the same productivity function to tablet is not an entire remote possibility. After all, it is to the advantage of the South Korean tech giant if the flagship Galaxy devices will get the same Continuum treatment. In the same way, another rumor is suggesting that the Tab S3 is indeed being set up for increased productivity use, making the new tablet line a direct rival of the Surface Pro 5 from Microsoft and the iPad Pro 2 from Apple. This year, the Android flagship tablet from Samsung is getting a stylus or the same S Pen that is the signature accessory of the Galaxy Note phablet series. SamMobile reported that the tablet will ship out with pencil-like input instrument but "the tablet itself won't have a place for the stylus like we've seen on the Note series. Samsung will ship the S Pen as part of a bundle with the tablet." And to complete the re-imagining of the Tab S3 as the latest challenger to the Surface Pro line, the device will be likewise offered with optional accessories such as Keyboard Folio and Book Cover case, the report added. Inside, the Tab S3 will be powered by the tandem of Android 7.0 Nougat and Snapdragon 820 chip, the latter tapped into 4GB of RAM for smooth and fast multi-tasking experience. The same report indicated that initially the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 release date will happen in South Korea, likely by early March 2017 or days following its MWC 2017 unveiling that could be as early as February 26. In a continuation of the "address unknown" issue whereby streaming services where able to exploit songs for free. Here Chris Castle speaks with Rightscorp CEO Christopher Sabec, about how his company is working to sort this royalty mess out through the implementation of a proprietary database. _____________________________ Guest Post by Chris Castle on Music Tech Solutions Were going to assume that readers know the general background on the millions of address unknown NOIs filed with the Copyright Office under a loophole in the Copyright Act (Sec. 115(c)(1)). The nutshell summary: Starting April of last year, Google, Amazon, Pandora and other on-demand digital services using compulsory licenses began filing very large numbers of address unknown NOIs for compulsory mechanical licenses with the Copyright Office. These filings were implemented through a taxpayer funded customized electronic filing process that allows services to exploit songs for freeno royalty is payable. The Copyright Office created this customized platform for these services about the time that the Copyright Office announced a reduced fee structure for this customized electronic filing process that increases the burden on songwriters. (Even though Pandora has yet to launch its on-demand music service, Pandora appears to have served the Copyright Office with well over 1,000,000 address unknown NOIs. Since its early days, we can probably expect that number to increase, perhaps dramatically.) The Copyright Office then posts these address unknown filings one-by-one as part of the public record of the Copyright Office, apparently so that songwriters can find out if their songs are being used. There are no reciprocal countermeasures provided by either the Library of Congress or the Copyright Office. Weve posted about this process before and Billboard reported on Music Reports, Inc.s involvement in supporting the entire filing but has yet to report on the scope of the problem. The two key differences between serving an address unknown NOI and serving a regular NOI is that the address unknown NOI is served on the Copyright Office instead of the copyright owner and the digital music service never sends an accounting or a royalty payment. At such time-if ever-that the song copyright owner identifies themselves in the Copyright Office, which the copyright owner is not obligated to do under US law or the Berne Convention, statutory royalties will be payable thereafternot retroactively. That mess is unlikely to ever get sorted. Id sum it up by saying that in my view anyone who participates in this mass NOI filing is manipulating a loophole in the law as a way of forcing copyright owners to let their songs be used for free. Rightscorp has developed a proprietary database to assist songwriters with sorting out this mess and we interviewed Rightscorp CEO Christopher Sabec about the process for Music Tech Solutions. Chris Castle: Thanks for participating in our interview today on the mass NOI filing. Why dont you start by telling readers the 10,000 foot view of your resume and what Rightscorp does, especially in the landmark BMG v. Cox case, currently on appeal. Christopher Sabec: I am the co-founder and CEO of Rightscorp, Inc, which is a leading provider of data and analytic services to support artists, songwriters and owners of intellectual property. We assist rights holders by monitoring and monetizing their copyrights on peer-to-peer networks such as BitTorrent. We also provide data and support for DMCA litigation, most recently supporting BMG with gathering evidence, assisting with e-discovery and providing testimony in their groundbreaking litigation against Cox Communications. [BMG won a $25 million damages award against Cox that is currently on appeal.] I am an attorney by training and in the past, I have served as CEO of the Jerry Garcia Estate LLC, discovered and managed the rock band Hanson, and represented Dave Matthews in the early years. Castle: So youre coming at this from the artist/songwriter/copyright owner side of the desk? Sabec: Correct. We are dedicated to the vision that creative works should be protected economically on the Internet so that the next generation of great music, movies, and other content can be made and creators can prosper. Castle: Youve had a chance to look at some of these mass NOI filings and thats what were going to focus on today. Lets start by giving readers an idea of the scope of these filings. How many songs have you identified so far that have been filed with address unknown NOIs? Sabec: As of January 18, we have identified more than 25.6 million address unknown NOIs that have been filed with the Copyright Office. Castle: That is a mind-numbing number. How easy is it for any songwriter to search for themselves in these address unknown filings to see if the NOIs were even filed correctly since the Copyright Office does nothing? Sabec: It would be a huge manual process. It would require downloading all the individual mass filings, sorting through them to look for particular copyrights, and creating reports that would makes sense of the volume of data. We dont see this as an easily achieved manual process. Castle: So the Copyright Office has not set up a searchable database for these filings? Sabec: No. The Copyright Office just publishes the filings as they are received, placing the burden of sorting the information on the songwriters and rights holders. Castle: That sounds like the songwriter is effectively not able to find themselves in the Copyright Office filings? Sabec: Its a true needle-in-a-haystack situation. Castle: When I looked through these filings, I found a number of songs that I recognized that were clearly identifiable and were registered for copyright long ago. Did you find any songs like that when you sampled the NOI filings? Insurance powerhouse Generali is making moves aimed at fending off a planned takeover by major Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo, which confirmed last month that it was reviewing a potential deal with the insurer.Citing a source familiar with the matter, Reuters reported on Sunday that Generali will hold a meeting today to discuss the 3% stake it bought in Intesa Sanpaolo in January to repel unwanted interest from the bank.Italian business newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore also reported that the Generali management and board members might also discuss plans of getting a second adviser to strengthen its defence against any move by Intesa.On January 24, Intesa Sanpaolo said it was interested in growing business in insurance and that it was examining possible opportunities to strengthen its competitive positioning and financial performance.These opportunities, including possible industrial combinations with Assicurazioni Generali, are currently being examined by the banks management, the company said in a previous statement.In a new statement on Friday, the Italian lender said that the possible industrial combinations with Generali are still only subject of a case study, in the context of multiple assessments that the management of the Bank regularly carries out.Bloomberg previously reported that, according to analysts, the Generali-Intesa deal is unlikely to happen due to its complexity and competition concerns. Meanwhile, over 100 Italian senators had reportedly asked their government to protect the insurance giant from any foreign takeover. Just days after the Quebec City Mosque shooting, being treated as a terrorist attack by police, the Canadian Catastrophe Conference held a panel on terrorism coverage where a critical question was addressed.Does terrorism coverage actually indemnify victims for the majority of what they lose?Its an issue Mazdak Moini, VP of Commercial Lines and Reinsurance at Aviva raised as a moderator on the terrorism insurance panel at CatIQs three-day event.The answer to Moinis question came from Aon s business development director and is as much about the history of terrorism coverage as it is about the policys future.When were talking about a terrorism insurance program, were talking about a property damage and business interruption policy, full stop, Scott Bolton , director of business development and network relations at Aon Risk Solutions said.A terrorism insurance policy, its hard to say, but it doesnt care about the deaths that might result from a terrorism attack.Attacks like the one in Quebec City, like the Nice Bastille Day massacre or the Orlando night club shooting all incurred significant loss of human life but relatively low levels of property damage or business interruption.Terrorism coverages focus on property damage and business interruption is almost to a shameful degree, Bolton said, and Aon is now looking how attacks effect people and whether its something a model is capable of determining.When you start seeing deaths and injuries to people, from an insurance perspective you start hitting on the lifelines of business: medical, benefits, potential liability, Bolton said.If they plan poorly, if they could have planned better, in order to limit the duration of the attack, or if their response was poorly managed and they made the issue worse by their actions, that raises liability issues.The genesis of the (terrorism) insurance program comes from the 1990s IRA terrorism bombs in central London, the IRA would call in the bomb location and there would be an evacuation, he added.Lots of property damage, lots of business interruption, very few casualties.Bolton acknowledged the outdated nature of the program certainly in the last 24 months.Theres a lot of appetite for terrorism and sabotage among underwriters, its been a while since there was a significant loss event for a property damage or business interruption perspective, Bolton said.Moini made the point that though new classes of businesses werent flocking to buy terrorism coverage, there was more demand.In the corporate space, you have clients who werent necessarily paying attention to terrorism coverage under a policy who have begun to pay attention to it and are asking for it, Moini said. The UKs impending withdrawal from the European Union may pose a more direct threat to the industry, and yet insurance brokers there are more worried over the governance of US President Donald Trump.New research from specialist insurer Ecclesiastical shows that 30% of brokers are concerned about the Brexit impact, ranking it bottom in the list of new and emerging risks that are currently worrying them.In comparison, 35% of brokers view Trumps policies as a concern. Topping their list of business risks was the acceleration in cyber and internet crime, with 84% rating it as the biggest threat to their companies.By business type, cybercrime was a concern for 82% of national brokers, 80% of super regional brokers and 86% of provincial brokers.While uncertainty surrounds the potential long-term impact of Brexit and global political instability, brokers are understandably more concerned about the risks they are facing right now, like cyber and internet security, profitability and business continuity, said Chris Withers, head of broker distribution at Ecclesiastical Insurance.Thats why having an insurance partner thats financially secure and has the ability to understand and act on brokers needs is more important now than ever before, Withers added.The new study from Ecclesiastical was conducted in December 2016 by FWD Research in behalf of the insurer. It polled 49 national brokers, 39 super regional brokers and 112 provincial brokers. The only community meeting held so far was well attended, so much that people were being turned away at the door because of crowding. Community Meeting Set on Pittsfield Refugee Resettlement Program PITTSFIELD, Mass. The organization heading the refugee resettlement program in Pittsfield will hold its second community meeting on the topic on Monday, Feb. 13. Jewish Family Services of Western Massachusetts is looking to resettle 50 refugees from Iraq and Syria in Pittsfield. The group announced its intentions in September and held a community meeting later that month. That meeting was so well attended that people were being turned away at the door. In January, the U.S. State Department approved Pittsfield as being a site for resettlement and the group announced it will have another round of community meetings. One was scheduled for Monday at Morningside School but that has since been canceled. The second is still scheduled for Feb. 13 at Herberg Middle School at 6 p.m. "Jewish Family Service has been helping refugees to build new lives in Western Massachusetts for more than 40 years. We have been incredibly fortunate to have the strong support of the community in this work," said Maxine Stein, CEO of Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts, said in a statement. "Each year, we resettle more than 240 refugees through our Springfield office. Last year alone, we helped more than 80 families begin new lives in safety and freedom in the Springfield area. By expanding to Pittsfield, we will be able to help welcome an additional 50 refugees this year." However, an executive order signed by President Trump put halt on resettlement programs. The impact of that order is expected to be discussed at the meeting on Feb. 13. Jewish Family Services previously said Pittsfield is a particularly good place for a resettlement program because it had taken in hundreds from the former Soviet Union throughout the 1970s, '80s, and '90s, has low housing costs to help refugees who feel heavy burdens of rent, an array of job opportunities, and leaders and people willing to help out. "Newly arrived refugees need a safe, welcoming community in which they can rebuild their lives and contribute to the local economy. Pittsfield is an ideal location for resettlement because of its strong local industries, employment opportunities and low housing costs, all of which will make it easier for refugees to quickly attain self-sufficiency," Stein said in a statement. And many city leaders are behind it, including Mayor Linda Tyer and state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier. "Acts of violence perpetrated on the Syrian people are incomprehensible to those of us who live in a protected and secure nation," Tyer said in a statement. "I believe strongly, both personally and professionally, in our obligation to respond to this humanitarian crisis. And, I am committed to ensuring that the citizens of Pittsfield have ample opportunity to learn more about this endeavor and to providing a welcoming environment to those from Syria who we may someday call friend and neighbor." Farley-Bouvier said, "I'm pleased to see that this process is moving forward. The people of Pittsfield have made it clear that they are eager to open their hearts and welcome new neighbors to our community. I'm particularly pleased that we are partnering with Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts who has many years of professional experience in refugee resettlement." Berkshire Regional Planning Commission representative Patricia Mullins sits in front of Community Development Strategy Plan Commission members Eileen Quinn, Edmund St. John IV and Peter Traub. Cheshire Sees Draft Community Development Strategy Plan CHESHIRE, Mass. The Selectmen have seen a draft of a Community Development Strategy Plan that is needed for the town to participate in the state's Housing Rehab Program. Berkshire Regional Planning Commission representative Patricia Mullins asked the board on Tuesday to review a draft copy of the plan that was created by a committee of residents. The plan outlines community goals and strategies. "They tried to sort of summarize with the other planning that has taken place, the past plan," she said. "They pointed out work the town would like to do going forwards and after naming those goals, prioritized them in a community development point of view." Late last year, the board agreed to apply to the state Department of Housing and Community Development for grants that will allow residents to make improvements to their homes. The plan needs to be part of the application due March 10. Mullins said the process needs to show that the town has thought through goals and strategies and has allowed public input. She said this is why the commissioners who were chosen to create the plan also serve on the Master Plan Committee. "They ask the communities to do one of these to demonstrate that there has been thought put into the town's development goals and priorities and that there has been public input," she said. "They want to make sure it hasn't just been this thing that town leaders made up themselves." She added by having a three-member committee of Master Plan Committee members, it ensures the plan will be consistent with the master plan Mullins said the policy can also be part of future grant applications. "In the future, there may be a lot of activities that the town can do with CDBG and we want to make sure you are well covered in this document and it will support those next priorities," she said. She said the plan opens up with an overview of the town and some of the planning initiatives the town is currently undergoing, such as the Master Plan, Water System Master Plan and the Cheshire Community Association. The document then lists some community development goals the working group had come up with. First off was to expand on housing opportunities with a stress on senior and more affordable housing. This goal included the rehabilitation of existing properties and using grant funds to achieve this. Another goal listed in the document is to support the redevelopment of public works projects and focus on reinvigorating the downtown area. That includes attracting new business, fostering new businesses and making the downtown a more comfortable space. The third major goal in the document is to implement quality-of-life improvements, to promote and enhance cultural and recreation attractions and to leverage existing town assets. Mullins said this could be done by increasing signage, capitalizing on historic and recreational assets and possibly create a town beach. The document then prioritizes the goals and lists strategies to complete them with CDBG and non-CDBG funds over the next one to five years. The Selectmen agreed to read over the plan and make a ruling on it next week. In other business, the board reported it had interviewed three applicants for Department of Public Works director and will make a decision once reference checks are conducted. The Selectmen also approved the Age-Friendly Community Resolution after town counsel explained the resolution would not bind the town to anything. Xavier Jones grills up Philly cheese steaks in his new eatery on Commercial Street in Adams. ADAMS, Mass. Bigg Daddy's Philly Steak House brings a little piece of Philadelphia to Berkshire County with a list of inspired steaks, hoagies, burgers and wings. Philadelphia native Xavier Jones said he wanted to bring something special to the area, something natives may have never really experienced in its true form. "You go to Subway and they put this precooked processed meat on and they toast the bun and there are other places that are just steak and cheese," Jones said. "People travel from all over the world to go get a Philly cheese steak, why not bring Philly cheese steak to the mecca of New England." The chef has been in the area for some time, involved in restaurants up and down the county as well as other parts of Western Massachusetts. He moved back to the Berkshires to help open the former Spice in Pittsfield but over time has been involved in The Press Box and most recently Paddy's Bistro in Dalton, among others. He said he also was going to be involved in an expansion of On A Roll Cafe, but Le Cordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts graduate knew it wasn't for him. Jones was driving through Adams and couldn't find a place to eat and felt a Philly cheese steak restaurant was just what the town needed. Once he found the 85 Commercial St. location next to the Viking Pub, he realized it was the perfect fit for what he wanted to do. "I looked at a bunch of places but this right here seemed perfect. I came up and looked at it and studied it and found that this was the perfect spot to do take out delivery," he said. "Plus it was a triple threat: take out, delivery and the Viking Pub our food is served right in the pub." The eatery opened earlier in January and Jones said all his ingredients are fresh and made in house. Currently, he offers 13 different cheese steaks that range from a BBQ bacon to a pizza. He said he also serves specialties inspired by his hometown such as the Rocky, the Philadelphia and the Broad Street Bully. He added that there is nothing ordinary about his menu. "It is not just your normal sandwich and there is some history behind everything I make," Jones said. "I use Cajun spices from the Mediterranean on my chicken breast that gets dressed in South African fruit. So you aren't just going to come in here and get a plain chicken sandwich." "I want to mix some flavors and give Adams something that they never had before," he said. Jones also has visions of teaming up with local businesses to have them create their own sandwiches. "I blow that business up on Facebook and that business does the same for me so we build the economy together," Jones said. "That is what it is all about in the Berkshires. Let's help the next man." The eatery is open Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 3 to 10 p.m. Jones said he urges people to stop down and try something different. "The thing is a lot of people open up pizza places and whatnot because they inherit it or they know that pizza is a good money," Jones said. "The thing for me is it is a passion, and it is something that I grew up eating and it is something that I love." Miss Universe Iris Mittenaere, who represented France at the 65th installment of the beauty pageant held in the Philippines, has promised to visit Tel Aviv, Israel. This is according to Miss Universe Israel 2016 Yam Kaspers Anshel. "She promised me she'll come to Tel Aviv," Anshel told ABS-CBN News referring to Mittenaere. "I'm holding her on that promise." Advertisement Anshel told the publication that she will still stay longer in the Philippines to further explore Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach's home country after Miss Universe 2016. She said she is going to Boracay, which is the host of the 23rd Meeting of Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights from Feb. 13-15 and the Asean Ministerial Meeting Retreat from Feb. 19-21, Inquirer reported. According to Anshel, who loves horseback riding, scuba diving and boating, she and Mittenaere are really good friends. The former said she was very happy for the latter. Wurtzbach crowned Mittenaere as her successor on Jan. 30, Monday, at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines, with Steve Harvey returning as the host of the coronation night joined by "America's Next Top Model" judge Ashley Graham as the backstage host. Miss Haiti Raquel Pelissier was first runner-up while Miss Colombia Andrea Tovar was second runner-up. Among the prizes of the new Miss Universe are luxury accommodations in a New York City apartment and a year's supply of hair care products and tools from Farouk Systems, the makers of CHI Haircare. She will also have extensive travel representing sponsors and charitable partners. On Jan. 18, Wurtzbach participated in a dinner program in Baguio City, Philippines, which was hosted by Miss Universe 2011 third runner-up Shamcey Supsup. Distinguished people of the city welcomed them along with Miss Universe Organization president Paula Shugart, Miss Universe 2016 host committee chairman Chavit Singson, and some Miss Universe 2016 candidates including Mittenaere, Pelissier, Tovar and Anshel. Have a glimpse of the Miss Universe 2016 event in Baguio here: The Community Association has received grant funding for a piece of public art likely to be installed near a local ice cream shop on the rail trail. Cheshire Receives Cultural Grants for Trail Art, Block Parties CHESHIRE, Mass. The Cheshire Community Association has joined the Adams Arts Advisory Group's efforts to install public art along the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. John Tremblay of the association said the Massachusetts Cultural Council has granted the group funds to install a piece of art. "We want to put up some art along the trail that people can look at, experience and interact with," he told the Selectmen last week. The Adams Arts Advisory Council spearheaded this program and currently has installed two murals created by local artists, one along the rail trail and one near the Berkshire Scenic Railway. Trembley said the association walked the Cheshire portion of the trail and determined that the area near Diane's Twist on Main Street would be most appropriate for some art because it runs through the downtown but is also where the Appalachian Trail hits Cheshire. "The art would be adjacent to the trail and you could see it form the trail," he said. "That is where people congregate and is an intersection where cyclists, runners, hikers, through hikers [pass] or a place where people just might sit down and have some ice cream." Tremblay said the association has been working closely with the owners of Dian's Twist and hopes the art installation will help stimulate their business. It isn't clear what the art will entail but the group will look to local artists. "I think it is going to be important to put the message out there because this is a pretty unique spot and we want to connect all of these things," he said. Tremblay said the Cultural Council also awarded the town funds to continue to hold its popular summer block parties. This year they will be on July 12 and Aug. 9. We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector Matt Lucas, Peter Capaldi, Jo Whiley, Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin attend the Doctor Who 2016 Christmas special screening at BFI Southbank on December 14, 2016 in London, England. (Photo : Getty Images/Stuart C. Wilson / Stringer) Confirming last year's speculations, Peter Capaldi is confirmed to leave BBC's "Doctor Who" at the end of this year. After over 3 years of playing the titular role, Capaldi is ready to pass the baton to his successor. Capaldi, who has played the Doctor since 2013, revealed his decision to retire from the show in an interview with a BBC radio program. He said, as quoted by The New York Times, he felt that it was time "to move on to different challenges." Advertisement "Doctor Who" Season 10, which will premiere on BBC this April, will be Capaldi's last outing as the Doctor. He is the 12th actor to play the role, succeeding Matt Smith who took on the character from 2010 to 2013. "I feel sad, I love 'Doctor Who,' it is a fantastic program to work on," Capaldi said. "But I don't know how long I can give it my best, and if I'm not giving it my best, I don't want to do it." "Doctor Who" is one of BBC's most popular shows of all time. The first season went into broadcast in 1963 and ran until 1989. The show was then resurrected in 2005. Several renowned actors have taken on the Doctor Who mantle, including the late John Hurt. So far, there has been no confirmation as to who would replace Capaldi as the Doctor. BBC reports that among the bookmakers' favorites includes Ben Whishaw. He plays Q in the more recent "James Bond" movies. Whishaw's geekiness and eccentricity is said to be a winning formula for him to play the character. Another popular choice is "The IT Crowd" star Richard Ayoade. The role of the Doctor is, by tradition, played by male characters. In more recent times, there has been a call to have an actress play the time-travelling character. "The Night Manager" actress Billie Piper is a favorite for the role. To express her interest she has commeted that it would "feel like a snub" if another male star were to portray the 13th doctor. "Doctor Who" Season 10 will premiere on April 15, 2017. The final episode, and Capaldi's last check in as the Doctor, will be on Christmas Day. A concept phone from Samsung has flexible body features that make it capable of being folded. (Photo : YouTube/Overclocked HD) Samsung flexible phones could be underway with the filing of a patent by the company. It is to be expected by Samsung smartphone enthusiasts that the company might release two flexible phones this year. The race towards the production and release of bendable or flexible mobile devices has excited the interest of tech savvy worldwide. With Samsung currently boasting its lead, fans are expecting a release of the flexi-device this year after the company filed a patent on June 9, 2015, under the patent number US 9,557,771 B2, according to Phone Arena. Advertisement The anticipated flexi-phone from Samsung may not have the iconic Galaxy S name attached to it, according to Digital Trends. Based on the leaked information about the plans of the company with their patented device, a cosmetic compact like design is to be expected by consumers. The said description obtained from the leaks somehow coincides with the device feature patented by Samsung. The patent report indicates that the "electronic device with flexible display" will come with a hinge to help the device unfold itself. Moreover, this would not be the first time that the flexible smartphone from Samsung has been discussed. On a separate report, it was mentioned that the technology is ripe for harvest, and the upcoming Samsung Note 8 has been highly associated with such device advancement. It was pointed out that Note 8 may assume a flexible or bendable display come its release. Although the speculation lacks sufficient backing, many individuals still believed that the prototype for flexible screen technology that was unveiled in 2013 is ready to be incorporated into Samsung's mobile devices. Granting that such feature and futuristic improvement will be integrated into the upcoming Note 8 or other Samsung devices, an expected high value would go along with it. The usual $800 price of the Note series will likely be increased a little bit higher considering the technological leap that Samsung flexible phones will be offering. Watch here below Samsung bendable phone announcement: The content you are trying to view is exclusive to our subscribers. To unlock this article: Imperial Valley News Center President Donald J. Trump Proclaims February As National African American History Month Washington, DC - Wednesday, the President signed a Proclamation honoring February 2017 as National African American History Month. NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH, 2017 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION As we celebrate National African American History Month, we recognize the heritage and achievements of African Americans. The contributions African Americans have made and continue to make are an integral part of our society, and the history of African Americans exemplifies the resilience and innovative spirit that continue to make our Nation great. For generations, African Americans have embodied the shared progress of our Nation. Through toil and struggle and with courageous actions that have broken barriers, they have made America a better place to live and work for everybody. Women like Katherine Johnson, a pioneer in space history whose work helped America win the Space Race, and Madam C.J. Walker, who became one of the most successful female entrepreneurs of her time, paved the way for both women and African Americans in their respective fields. Robert Smalls, a man born into slavery, founded our Nation's first free and compulsory public school system. Later in life, he served as a lawmaker in South Carolina's State legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives. The strength and determination of men and women like these remind us that our Nation brims with people whose contributions continue to make it stronger and better. This year, African American History Month calls upon us to reflect on the crucial role of education in the history of African Americans. It reminds us of the importance of teaching and reflecting upon the many roles African Americans have played in building this Nation and driving it forward. This year's theme also calls upon us to rededicate ourselves to the work of ensuring that all children in this Nation have access to quality educational opportunities that give them the skills, experiences, relationships, and credentials that can empower them to follow in the footsteps of people like Katherine Johnson, Madam C.J. Walker, and Robert Smalls. As we journey toward a stronger, more united Nation, let us use this commemoration of African American History Month to serve as a reminder of the need for meaningful dialogue and shared commitment to collective action that uplifts and empowers, as well as of the strength, ingenuity, and perseverance required of us in the years to come. NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim February 2017 as National African American History Month. I call upon public officials, educators, librarians, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-first. DONALD J. TRUMP Bipartisan Praise For The Impossible To Oppose Judge Neil Gorsuch Washington, DC - Bipartisan Praise For The Impossible To Oppose Judge Neil Gorsuch: Above The Laws David Lat On Judge Gorsuch: Stellar Credentials In my view, the choice between Judge Gorsuch and Judge Hardiman comes down to how Establishment and elitist the president wants to be. Both judges have stellar credentials, but Judge Gorsuchs shine just a little more brightly. (David Lat, Supreme Court Update: And Then There Were Four, Above The Law, 1/24/17) Lat: Hes Brilliant, Conservative And Impossible To Oppose. (Mark K. Matthews And Kirk Mitchell, What You Need To Know About Colorado Judge Neil Gorsuch, Donald Trumps Rumored Top Pick For The Supreme Court, Denver Post, 1/30/17) SCOTUSBlogs Eric Citron: [Gorsuchs] Background Is Filled With Sterling Legal And Academic Credentials. Neil Gorsuch was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit by President George W. Bush on May 10, 2006, and confirmed shortly thereafter. He is relatively young (turning 50 this year), and his background is filled with sterling legal and academic credentials. (Eric Citron, Potential Nominee Profile: Neil Gorsuch, SCOTUSBlog, 1/13/17) Constitutional Expert Jonathan Turley On Judge Gorsuch: A Very Intelligent Person (Has A) Coherent And Consistent View Of The Constitution Constitutional expert Jonathan Turley told ABC News that Gorsuch is a very intelligent person who would not be that different from Scalia, the justice he would be replacing. He has a coherent and consistent view of the constitution, Turley said. (Audrey Taylor And Geneva Sands, Judge Neil Gorsuch: What You Need To Know About The Possible SCOTUS Nominee, ABC News, 1/31/17) Melissa Hart, University Of Colorado Law Professor And Former Clerk To Justice Stevens: Gorsuch Just Treats People Well In Every Context. He has very strong opinions, but he just treats people well in every context, said Melissa Hart, a University of Colorado law professor. She is a Democrat who clerked for Justice John Paul Stevens, who retired in 2010. (Robert Barnes, Neil Gorsuch Naturally Equipped For His Spot On Trumps Supreme Court Shortlist, The Washington Post, 1/28/17) Tom Fitton, President Of Judicial Watch: An Exciting Pick A Strong Voice On The Court For His Constitutional Approach To Decision Making Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, tells Newsweek that Gorsuch fits the Scalia mold, which Trump has promised to adhere to in his replacement nominee. I think conservatives would consider him to be an exciting pick. I think its fair to say hes a leader in terms of conservative jurisprudence and I think he quickly would become a strong voice on the court for his constitutional approach to decision making, he says. (Michele Gorman, A Look At Neil Gorsuch, Possible Trump Scotus Nominee, Newsweek, 1/27/17) Leonard Leo, Executive Vice President Of The Federalist Society For Law And Public Policy Studies On Judge Gorsuch: An Exceptional Jurist And if it is Gorsuch, Leo went on, The story will be Neil Gorsuch is an exceptional jurist whose work substantially reflects the jurisprudence, quality and style of Justice Scalia. (Shane Goldmacher And Eliana Johnson, Trumps Supreme Court Pick Gets Personal, Politico, 1/30/17) Leo: He Has Very, Very Distinguished Background. (Jennifer Hansler, Trump Supreme Court Adviser Praises Judge Neil Gorsuch As Potential Heir To Scalia's Legacy, ABC News, 1/25/17) Denver Post Editorial Board: A Brilliant Legal Mind Applied The Law Fairly And Consistently Neil Gorsuch is a federal judge in Denver with Western roots and a reputation for being a brilliant legal mind and talented writer. Those who have followed Gorsuchs career say that from his bench in the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals he has applied the law fairly and consistently, even issuing provocative challenges to the Supreme Court to consider his rulings. (Editorial, Trump Would Do Well To Consider Neil Gorsuch For Supreme Court, Denver Post, 1/26/17) In Considering Gorsuchs Body Of Work And Reputation And Yes, We Like His Ties To Colorado As Well We Hope Trump Gives Him The Nod. (Editorial, Trump Would Do Well To Consider Neil Gorsuch For Supreme Court, Denver Post, 1/26/17) Democrat Boulder County (CO) District Attorney Stan Garnett On Judge Gorsuch: Very Ethical Very Smart Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett, a Democrat, called Gorsuch very ethical and very smart. (Alex Burness, Boulder's Neil Gorsuch Candidate For Supreme Court Vacancy?, Boulder Daily Camera, 1/30/17) Norm Eisen, President Obamas Former Ethics Czar On Judge Gorsuch: A Great Guy! On Tuesday, Obama's former ethics czar, Norm Eisen, another classmate, tweeted: Hearing rumors Trump's likely Supreme Court pick is Neil Gorsuch, my (and President Obama's!) 1991 Harvard Law classmate. If so, a great guy! (Josh Gerstein, Neil Gorsuch: Who Is He? Bio, Facts, Background And Political Views, Politico, 1/31/17) Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO): A Very Impressive Legal Career Very Intelligent, Thoughtful SALAZAR: At the young age of 38, Mr. Gorsuch has already had a very impressive legal career. During our meeting, I found him to be very intelligent, thoughtful, and appreciative of the great honor it is to be nominated to the Federal bench. (Committee On The Judiciary, U.S. Senate, 6/21/06) John G. Malcolm, Heritage Foundation On Judge Gorsuch: He Is Very Bright, Well-Respected And Quite Personable. (David G. Savage, Conservative Colorado Judge Emerges As A Top Contender To Fill Scalia's Supreme Court Seat, Los Angeles Times, 1/24/17) National Reviews Ramesh Ponnuru On Judge Gorsuch: Reputation For Legal Excellence What recommended Gorsuch was his reputation for legal excellence and his relative lack of controversy. (Ramesh Ponnuru, Neil Gorsuch: A Worthy Heir To Scalia, National Review, 1/31/17) Vice President Mike Pence's Meeting with German Vice Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigmar Gabriel Washington, DC - Vice President Mike Pence and German Vice Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigmar Gabriel met Thursday in the Vice President's West Wing Office to discuss a range of issues. Both leaders affirmed the importance of close German-American cooperation and expressed their desire to strengthen already close German-American ties in the coming years. The Vice President and Minister Gabriel also agreed on NATO's centrality in ensuring the security and stability of North America and Europe. Both leaders reaffirmed that all NATO allies must meet their obligations and contribute their fair share to our collective security. They also underscored that NATO must adapt to confront threats to our countries such as violent extremism and terrorism. The Vice President informed Minister Gabriel that he plans to attend the Munich Security Conference and visit Brussels later this month, where he will engage with European Allies and partners about how to deepen and strengthen the Transatlantic alliance. National Security Advisor Michael T. Flynn on Iran Washington, DC - Thursday, the United States sanctioned twenty-five individuals and entities that provide support to Irans ballistic missile program and to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the worlds leading state sponsor of terrorism and engages in and supports violent activities that destabilize the Middle East. This behavior seems continuous despite the very favorable deal given to Iran by the Obama Administration. These sanctions target these behaviors. Irans senior leadership continues to threaten the United States and our allies. Since the Obama Administration agreed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran in 2015, Irans belligerent and lawless behavior has only increased. Examples include the abduction of ten of our sailors and two patrol boats in January 2016, unwarranted harassment of vessel traffic and repeated weapons tests. Just this week, Iran tested a ballistic missile, and one of its proxy terrorist groups attacked a Saudi vessel in the Red Sea. The international community has been too tolerant of Irans bad behavior. The ritual of convening a United Nations Security Council in an emergency meeting and issuing a strong statement is not enough. The Trump Administration will no longer tolerate Irans provocations that threaten our interests. The days of turning a blind eye to Irans hostile and belligerent actions toward the United States and the world community are over. Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X (Photo : Twitter / TheAndroidSoul) Xiaomi seems to be preparing the launch of Snapdragon version of Redmi Note 4 for the Chinese markets. Speculations suggest that Redmi Note 4X will be unveiled next week. Xiaomi has released a teaser of a new smartphone on its Weibo account. The text on the teaser suggest that the Redmi Note 4X will be unveiled on Feb. 14. However, the teaser also includes an enlarged number 16 which suggests that the smartphone may get announced on Feb. 16, Gizmo China reported. Advertisement According to GSM Arena, the smartphone is likely to get announced as early as Feb. 8. All these rumors suggest that the Redmi Note 4 that has been in the rumors since December 2016 is slated to get announced soon. In August 2016, Xiaomi had released the Helio X20 version of Redmi Note 4 for Chinese audience. In the previous month, it released the Snapdragon 625 variant of the smartphone for Indian markets. Speculations are rife that Xiaomi is working on the release of a Snapdragon version of Redmi Note 4X in the home country. Earlier rumors had hinted that the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X would be coming with a Snapdragon 653 chipset. However, its appearance on Xiaomi has revealed that like the Indian version of Redmi Note 4, the Note 4X may be packed with a Snapdragon 625 SoC. The Snapdragon 653 chipset is a more potent processor that is present under the hood of some smartphones like Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro and the Oppo R9s Plus. The probable reason why Xiaomi may not opt for Snapdragon 653 is that it may use the SoC for a future phone. The Galaxy C9 Pro and R9s Plus are both equipped with 6 GB of RAM. It indicates that Xiaomi will release a powerful mid-range smartphone with Snapdragon 653 chip with higher capacity RAM in the near future. According to TENAA listing, the Snapdragon chip present inside the Redmi Note 4X features an octa-core processor that clocks at 2.0 GHz and it is coupled with 4 GB of RAM. Previous rumors suggest that the smartphone would include a 5.5-inch full HD display, a 13-megapixel rear camera, Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS, a fingerprint reader and a 4,000 mAh battery. Here is a review of Xiaomi Redmi Note 4: This Isnt Our Last Love Letter Dear Don Don, Way back in 92 I walked into the room and knew Never felt this way before I shook your hand while gazing into your eyes And the feeling grew As I took a seat I knew A love that would have my heart Forever I knew Way back in 92 They say love at first sight doesnt always last or isnt true We were the exception to that rule Our love had no where to hide A spark set fire As if this is how the universe started I never doubted our love or what we could do Together we grew Forming a bond everlasting That became our glue My euphoria was YOU Im eternally grateful for the love and life we shared For how fortunate we were : to have and to hold through sickness and in health Til death do us part Until we are together again This isnt our last love letter I love you with all my heart and soul Yours forever, Deirdre (Mrs. Hank Snow) Im fortunate to have fallen in love with, marry and make a life with the sharpest, coolest, funniest, most rare, bad ass, tender loving, loyal man on the planet, my husband Don Imus. A True American Hero I dont know why it has been so hard for me to write about my dear friend Don Imus. I certainly know what he meant to me, my family, my charity, my hospital and the millions of fans that listened and loved him for so many years. I keep reading all the beautiful condolences that people are writing about how much a part of their lives were effected by listening to him over the years. But what most people dont talk enough about is what he did for all of us. In every sense of the word, he was an American Hero. His work with children with so many different illnesses and his dedication to their future was unmatched by anyone I have ever known or heard about. Besides raising over $100,000,000 for so many causes, he took care of young people for over 20 years in a state where he could not breathe. Along with his incredible wife Deirdre, he created a world where children were not defined by their disease. That was a miracle! He was a miracle. I will miss him ever day for the rest of my life. I was blessed to be a part of his and Deirdes life. No one will ever do what he did. I love you Don Imus - A TRUE AMERICAN HERO David Jurist IMUS IN THE MORNING FIRST DAY BACK! Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Roisin OConnors email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Kanye West deleted a number of tweets about his meeting with Donald Trump late last year. West met with then President-elect Trump amid significant criticism for the photo op and an earlier admission that he would have likely voted for the polarising businessman. TMZ reported that West has been unhappy with Mr Trump's first two weeks in office. In particular, he is displeased with the President's executive order to temporarily ban immigration and travel from seven majority Muslim countries. In their December meeting, West said that the two discussed "multicultural" issues in a series of tweets released after the visit. "I wanted to meet with Trump today to discuss multicultural issues," he wrote in the now-deleted tweets. "These issues included bullying, supporting teachers, modernising curriculums, and violence in Chicago. "I feel it is important to have a direct line of communication with our future President if we truly want change." The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters The rapper stirred controversy before a high profile public meltdown when he voiced support for Mr Trump during a lengthy rant at a November concert. "I said something that was kind of politically correct," he told San Jose, California, concert-goers. "I told y'all I didn't vote, right? "What I didn't tell you ... If I were to have voted, I would have voted for Trump." Kanye West meets with President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower West was hospitalised following the rant, suffering from exhaustion. He was released after a week. West has voiced interest in running for president in 2020, first during an extended monologue at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2015, then again at a concert in November. But as West is a cult of personality who often speaks off the cuff, it remains unclear whether he actually intends to run for office in the future. Early speculation about West's meeting with Trump focused on a possible position within the administration for the Chicago rapper, but such rumours never came to fruition. Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Roisin OConnors email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} David Axelrod, the legendary composer and producer who inspired generations of hip hop artists, has reportedly died aged 83. DJ Shadow, a friend of Axelrod who sampled his work, confirmed his death on Twitter on Sunday evening. No cause of death was given. Axelrod's music was sampled by giants of hip hop through generations - from Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg's 'The Next Episode' to Ghostface Killah's 'Stay True' and UNKLE's 'Rabbit in Your Headlights' - and had a profound effect on artists of all genres. Born in Los Angeles in 1933, he produced his first album in '59 and went on to work in production and A&R at Capitol Records in the 1960s, producing several of his own records. He was praised for his innovative fusion of elements of jazz, rock and R&B, and for encouraging Capitol to develop their black artists. He collaborated with the Electric Prunes on their '68 album Mass in #F Minor in '68, then resurfaced during the 90s when the likes of DJ Shadow, Lil Wayne, Dr Dre, Lauryn Hill and Wu-Tang Clan sampled his work. Members of the hip hop community have paid tribute to Axelrod on social media. DJ Shadow tweeted: "I'll never forget meeting him for the first time in 1998. We asked him to do a remix for 'Rabbit In Your Headlights' off the UNKLE album. "David could be incredibly intimidating and he did not suffer fools... but if he liked and respected you, he was the most loyal friend on Earth. So honoured to have known you David, you are a bonafide hero to an entire generation of hip hop kids and musical dreamers." Questlove wrote on Instagram: "So sad to hear about the passing of musician/composer #DavidAxelrod. He was so immersed in creativity and so pure with his arrangements he WAS hip hop. Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up "And [he] understood and appreciated hip hop culture (most cats would get guarded about time moving on and easily take the 'NO!!!!!!!' disposition if they aren't informed. David embraced and often reached out to producers and beatmakers for cool callabos). "[His] appreciation for music and his ability to recognise musicianship is what I'll take from him." Axelrod's final studio album was a self-titled LP of decades-old, unheard Axelrod tracks, released on the Mo'Wax label in 2001. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The son of an 89-year-old woman who spent six months in a hospital ward despite being medically fit to leave has called the situation ridiculous. Iris Sibley was admitted to Bristol Royal Infirmary hospital in June after she fell and fractured her leg at her residential home. While in hospital, Ms Sibley was assessed by a local healthcare body, who said she needed to live with round-the-clock care due to her dementia and other complex needs. However, she was still waiting for a place in a suitable nursing home in January, reported The Guardian. John Sibley told The Independent a total shortage of places in nursing homes had left his mother and several other patients stuck in the ward for months. When Ms Sibley was told she could be discharged around a month after she had first arrived at the hospital, her mental condition had deteriorated, he said. While in hospital, she was kept isolated in a side room because it was found she was carrying a bacteria that can cause diarrhoea. She was physically able to be discharged, but not mentally. She wasnt eating, because she was somewhere different. She couldnt go back home; she was technically homeless, said Mr Sibley. Because its a hospital, [the staff] dont have time to sit and talk to her on an individual basis. They looked after her brilliantly, but they didnt have time to stimulate her mentally. She needed to be in a dementia-specialist care home. Jeremy Corbyn confronts Theresa May on how much social care budget has been cut Budget cuts, staff shortages and an ageing population have placed immense pressure on the social care system. The knock-on effect is overstretched A&E and hospital wards, with thousands of elderly people at risk of being forced into hospital beds by 2020, at a cost of billions to the NHS. Mr Sibley said he had to chase the healthcare team responsible for finding a care home place for his mother. Recommended The moment of truth for our beloved NHS has arrived There wasnt much communication coming. A month goes by, and you think, thats funny, I havent heard anything, and they say, were trying, doing our best. Its not until you get involved in the system that you realise how bad it is. Its ridiculous; it costs the NHS 90,000 to look after my mum all that time. Shes in a nursing home now, its fantastic, he said. Shes so much happier. Shes laughing, smiling, she was even knitting the other day, which she hasnt done in years. Ms Sibley was offered places in two different nursing homes in September and October, but these were too far for her husband, 90-year-old former actor Arthur Sibley, to visit, according to The Guardian. The first home the family visited smelt of urine, the paper was peeling off the wall it was disgusting, Mr Sibley told the newspaper. South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group and Bristol Community Health said both care homes had been rated 'good' by independent regulator the Care Quality Commission. Six ways to help reduce the risk of dementia Show all 6 1 /6 Six ways to help reduce the risk of dementia Six ways to help reduce the risk of dementia Moderate, regular exercise Last year, a study found that walking briskly for 30 to 40 minutes a day, three times a week, was all it took to re-grow structures of the brain linked with cognitive decline in later life. Researchers have also said statins, designed to help those with heart conditions, may play an additional role in protecting the brain from dementia. Getty Images Six ways to help reduce the risk of dementia Quit smoking A review of studies relating smoking and dementia found that (when you remove studies funded by the tobacco industry) smokers have a significantly greater risk of dementia. Getty Six ways to help reduce the risk of dementia Protect your head A variety of observational studies have shown that professional boxers and war veterans are at greater risk of dementia due to repeated concussion and traumatic head injuries. Rex Six ways to help reduce the risk of dementia Puzzles and crosswords In 2010, studies suggested people who do puzzles and crosswords may stave off dementia for longer. However, the same study also found they may experience a more rapid decline once the disease sets in. Crosswords and Puzzles from The Independent can be solved here Getty Images Six ways to help reduce the risk of dementia A healthy lifestyle Dr Laura Phillips of Alzheimers Research UK says a healthy lifestyle is best for preventing dementia: Eating a balanced, healthy diet, exercising regularly, not smoking, and keeping blood pressure and weight in check. Getty Six ways to help reduce the risk of dementia A Mediterranean diet Research has suggested that a Mediterranean diet rich in fish, fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds may reduce the risks of dementia. However NHS Choices has rpeviously warned some of the media coverage of this diet may overstate its benefits. Rex Bristol Community Health, which assessed Ms Sibley, contacted 24 care homes to try and find her a place, of which 11 had no vacancies and 11 were unable to meet her needs, according to the BBC. Somebody has to have the guts to admit the system is broken. Until they do that, nothing will change, said Mr Sibley. Visiting my mum stuck in hospital all that time, there were other old people stuck in the ward; not quite as long, but for three or four months. Its not uncommon. "Its dreadful," he said. "My mum worked all her life. When me and my sister were born, she didnt stop working. She was a legal cleric, he added. We havent got the money to pay privately, youre talking 1,500, 2,000 a week. Thats absolutely crazy." Ms Sibleys nursing home place is currently being funded by the NHS, but Mr Sibley said if the funding was taken up by the local authority instead, the family may have to make top-up payments. Bristol Community Health, who assessed Ms Sibley, said she should have been discharged from hospital much sooner in a joint statement with the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group. We understand how frustrating and upsetting it can be for patients and their families when their discharge is delayed and are extremely sorry when any patient is kept in hospital any longer than they need to be, they said. Although a local nursing home has now been found for Mrs Sibley, she should have been discharged from hospital much sooner and we are working together to review her case and understand the reasons for the delay. They added: Like many areas of the country we have a growing population of older people with multiple, complex health and social care needs and at times finding a suitable placement that provides both the appropriate level of care and is within acceptable distance of the family home, can be a challenge. There is no easy short-term solution to this, but we are working together to shift more resources into community health and social care in order to support people when they are ready to leave hospital and to help avoid the crises and injuries that can lead to emergency hospital admissions in the first place. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr is engaged to Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel, but she has just revealed the couple are waiting before consummating the relationship. In an incredibly honest interview with The Times, Kerr, 33, explains that her 26-year-old fiance - and the worlds youngest self-made billionaire - is very traditional, and implies they are yet to have sex. Whilst sipping a sugar-free cocktail in a Hollywood bar, Kerr gives a refreshingly open interview: she implies Kate Moss party lifestyle is taking its toll on her looks, discusses her 27-hour labour and proclaims herself a nerd. Kerr, who was previously married to Orlando Bloom (with whom she has a six-year-old son, Flynn), met Spiegel in 2014 and they are planning to tie the knot later this year. Upon being asked whether she wants another baby, Kerr replies: Not yet. Not until after we get married. My partner is very traditional. After this implication that she and Spiegel are abstaining from sex, she continues, adding that We cant... I mean were just... waiting. Kerr has her own cosmetics line, Kora Organics, and has modeled for big name brands from H&M to Wonderbra. And despite Spiegels success, she has previously admitted she didnt know who he was when they first met at an LA dinner hosted by Louis Vuitton. In Pictures: Miranda Kerr's sexy campaign for 7 For All Mankind Show all 5 1 /5 In Pictures: Miranda Kerr's sexy campaign for 7 For All Mankind In Pictures: Miranda Kerr's sexy campaign for 7 For All Mankind 7 For All Mankind autumn/winter campaign Miranda Kerr for 7 For All Mankind shot by Sebastian Faena 7 For All Mankind In Pictures: Miranda Kerr's sexy campaign for 7 For All Mankind 7 For All Mankind autumn/winter campaign Miranda Kerr for 7 For All Mankind shot by Sebastian Faena 7 For All Mankind In Pictures: Miranda Kerr's sexy campaign for 7 For All Mankind 7 For All Mankind autumn/winter campaign Miranda Kerr and Jon Kortajarena for 7 For All Mankind shot by Sebastian Faena 7 For All Mankind In Pictures: Miranda Kerr's sexy campaign for 7 For All Mankind 7 For All Mankind autumn/winter campaign Miranda Kerr for 7 For All Mankind shot by Sebastian Faena 7 For All Mankind In Pictures: Miranda Kerr's sexy campaign for 7 For All Mankind 7 For All Mankind autumn/winter campaign Miranda Kerr for 7 For All Mankind shot by Sebastian Faena 7 For All Mankind I was, like, Hes cute but hes way too young to take anything too seriously, she reveals. Now, however, the couple Snapchat each other a lot - whether they ever descend into sexting is understandably kept private. Im obsessed with Snapchat, she says, adding that she would be whether Spiegel was her fiance or not: Its the closest thing to having a conversation with someone in the moment... It feels more connected. And people want to connect now more than ever. Facebook, however, Kerr cannot STAND. And whilst she is on Instagram (which is owned by Facebook), she hates the fact that the photo-sharing social network has introduced more Snapchat-esque features: Can they not be innovative? Do they have to steal all of my partners ideas? Im so appalled by that... When you directly copy someone, thats not innovation. Shes clearly an incredibly proud fiancee. Pacific Rim: Uprising updates: Scott Eastwood shares photo from the set; Charlie Hunnams character will still be seen in future Pacific Rim films? Star Wars fame John Boyega to play Pacific Rim 2's lead actor. (Photo : YouTube/Pacific Rim) "Pacific Rim: Uprising" is definitely shaping up, and star Scott Eastwood shared a first look on the set of the sci-fi sequel. This week, Eastwood shared a photo from the "Pacific Rim: Uprising" set at Fox Studios Australia. In the photo, Eastwood appears to be standing outside of what seems to be a Jaeger station. Advertisement So far, not a lot has been revealed about Eastwood's role in the "Pacific Rim" sequel, except for the fact that he has a "key role" in the movie as Lambert, ComicBook reported. The nature of the role is unspecified, although it is speculated that his character will work closely with John Boyega's character. Boyega is taking on the lead role in "Pacific Rim: Uprising," Deadline reported. The 24-year-old "Star Wars" actor is playing the son of Idris Elba's character, Stacker Pentecost. "The 'Pacific Rim' universe will be reinforced with him as a leading man as it continues to be a multicultural, multi-layered world," Guillermo del Toro said about Boyega's casting. In recall, Stacker Pentecost sacrificed his life in the first "Pacific Rim" movie. Thus, as his son Boyega's character would have a deeper motive to get on a Jaeger and fight the Kaiju species. Among the newcomers to the movie include Jing Tiang, Cailee Spaeny, Levi Meaden, Adria Arjona. Some of the original cast members are returning to reprise their roles in "Pacific Rim: Uprising" such as Rinko Kikuchi, Max Martini and Ron Pearlman. However, Charlie Hunnam, the male lead in the 2013 "Pacific Rim" movie, will not be back to play Raleigh Becket. He explained that what prevented him from reprising his role is a conflict in his filming schedule. Interestingly, he revealed that an early draft of the "Pacific Rim" sequel heavily involved Raleigh. He also hinted that the "politics and business surrounding filmmaking" arranged a filming schedule that was impossible for him to commit to. Since Hunnam's Raleigh was not killed off from the franchise, some fans are still hopeful to see him in future movies. The actor still also supports the "Pacific Rim" franchise, saying the sequel will be very exciting to see. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} When it comes to public displays of affection, everyones different - whilst some couples happily make out when surrounded by lots of people, others feeling uncomfortable simply holding hands with their significant other. Recent developments show that the new President of the US may be in the latter camp, but according to a body language expert, this could suggest more than just an uneasiness with public intimacy. Body language expert Patti Wood believes Trumps reluctance to hold his wifes hand could be because he wants to be seen as a presidential alpha. After arriving at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida on Friday, Donald and Melania Trump had a brief and awkward-looking hand-hold before he quickly let go of her hand to clap along with the supporters whod turned out to greet the couple. Even more awkwardly, when Melania took her husbands hand again, POTUS then gave it a quick couple of pats before letting go again. Typically a hand-hold shows a couple as a unit, body language expert Patti Wood told the Mail Online. But to me, I think he's been saying, I want to be seen as the president on my own, which is very much alpha. I want to be just the powerful me. And it's clear that that's his choice. The outing was Melanias first public appearance since the new Presidents inauguration two weeks ago. Michelle Obama over the years Show all 12 1 /12 Michelle Obama over the years Michelle Obama over the years Appearing at a 'Let's Move' event in 2014 Getty Michelle Obama over the years Speaking at a Clinton campaign rally Getty Michelle Obama over the years August 2016 State Dinner Getty Michelle Obama over the years The Obamas waiting for the 2004 Senate election results Getty Michelle Obama over the years Michelle Obama hula-hooping at a health fair at the White House Getty Michelle Obama over the years Michelle Obama speaks at the 2016 DNC Getty Michelle Obama over the years Barack Obama being sworn in to the 109th Congress Getty Michelle Obama over the years Getty Michelle Obama over the years Getty Michelle Obama over the years Getty Michelle Obama over the years In London at a Let Girls Learn event Getty Michelle Obama over the years State Dinner October 2016 Getty Its a stark contrast from the public appearance of former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelles relationship - we frequently saw the couple hugging, putting their arms around one another and kissing. And theres a lot that can be inferred from how a presidential couple acts in public. Holding hands can communicate so much about an individual and a couple, depending on the position of the hands, who reaches in first, who breaks it first, explains Wood, whos fascinated that the Trumps are holding hands at all. They hold hands in private, so we know that there's a coupleness that we weren't seeing in public or at the inauguration, she added. Wood believes the way Donald patted Melanias hand - using his flat palm with his fingers separated - was not an affectionate gesture. It could have been affection if he'd cupped his hand, if he'd done it with sweetness, or if he had kissed her and done it, she said, but Wood believes the gesture reveals the power Donald has over Melania. He pulls it up towards him, it has some admonishing to it, some power, and then he has that flat hand to say, No no. He's smiling as he does it. He's not mad. He's fully in control of what's happening, she explained. Wood points out that before becoming president, Trump showed more affection to Melania in public - now, however, she believes he doesnt want to be seen as a unit, all to seem more alpha. Who knows how far he'll go to reinforce that image. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Around 7.8 million UK adults used online dating sites in 2016, up from just 100,000 in 2000. But just as dating app users are at an all-time high, so is the number of people becoming victims of online dating fraud. A new report by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau has found that last year, singles were conned out of 39 million by fraudsters theyd met on dating sites and apps. Con artists are increasingly creating fake online profiles and tricking people on dating sites into handing over often large sums of money. One of the most common techniques is to build up trust with the person by messaging for weeks or even months before suddenly having an emergency - the fake person being mugged but their daughter needing urgent surgery, for example - and asking for money. Recommended I had an online dating photoshoot and this is what I learned But then they suddenly need money for rent too, then food, then medical fees, and it can quickly escalate. Nancy*, a 47-year-old single mother from North Yorkshire was conned out of over 350,000 that way: I wasn't comfortable, and then I got so far in I couldn't get myself out, and I didn't want to walk away having lost 50,000 or what-have-you, so you keep going in the hope that you're wrong and this person is genuine, she explained to the BBC. Nancy is now facing bankruptcy, and although her case is extreme, the average victim of online dating fraud loses 10,000 according to Action Fraud. A lot of the online dating fraudsters we know are abroad. They're in West Africa, Eastern Europe and it's very difficult for British law enforcement to take action against them in those jurisdictions, Steve Profitt, Deputy Head of Action Fraud explains. And a lot of the time, youre not just talking to one person behind each profile - you could be exchanging messages with a circle of fraudsters acting together, according to KIS Finance. Serious fraudsters sometimes even create further fake profiles and use them to be rude to you, all to make the main fake profile seem more desirable. UK is the least attractive country in the world according to international dating website - for beautiful people only Show all 10 1 /10 UK is the least attractive country in the world according to international dating website - for beautiful people only UK is the least attractive country in the world according to international dating website - for beautiful people only ClaireTravis-Punter.jpg BeautifulPeople.com UK is the least attractive country in the world according to international dating website - for beautiful people only bp-LA_USA_Sal-Vance_29.jpg BeautifulPeople.com UK is the least attractive country in the world according to international dating website - for beautiful people only bp-Serbia_Bojana_Raonic_20_.jpg BeautifulPeople.com UK is the least attractive country in the world according to international dating website - for beautiful people only bp-LA_USA_Timothy-Quinn_23_.jpg BeautifulPeople.com UK is the least attractive country in the world according to international dating website - for beautiful people only bp-Kazakhstan_Zhibek-Sarbas.jpg BeautifulPeople.com UK is the least attractive country in the world according to international dating website - for beautiful people only bp-Lorenzo-C_France.jpg BeautifulPeople.com UK is the least attractive country in the world according to international dating website - for beautiful people only bp-Bulgaria_Teodora-Burgazl.jpg BeautifulPeople.com UK is the least attractive country in the world according to international dating website - for beautiful people only bp-Rio-de-Janeiro_Brasil_Ju.jpg BeautifulPeople.com UK is the least attractive country in the world according to international dating website - for beautiful people only Satine-la.jpg BeautifulPeople.com UK is the least attractive country in the world according to international dating website - for beautiful people only bp-Virginia-Beach_VA_USA_Ja.jpg BeautifulPeople.com And its not just particularly vulnerable people who fall victim either. [Its] not the case that stupid people fall for romance scams - they can be very clever, Professor Monica Whitty, a cyber-psychologist, explains. So how can you spot an online fraudster? Scamalytics, a company which runs anti-scammer software for a number of the major dating sites, are trying to reduce online dating fraud by creating profiles of the average male and female con artist. By analysing the top 3,000 scammer profiles (that is, those theyve come across most frequently in profiles blocked by their software in the last year) theyve discovered what constitutes the most attractive female and male propositions to those targeted by romance scammers. The male profile is in his late 40s (48 is the most common age) with a high income. He presents himself as a widower, with a degree and of average height (510). He is most likely to have a career in engineering, has no interest in politics, a full head of light brown hair, and the photos are often taken at a slight distance. The female profile is in her 20s (29 was the most common age), and also has a high income. She presents herself as a student, also with a degree and no interest in politics. She is 56, has never been married, and has long brown hair and blue eyes. Photos used are often selfies of her wearing skimpy vest tops showing lots of cleavage. Jane*, a middle-aged woman from Warwickshire, had a lucky escape a few years ago when she very nearly handed over a sizeable sum of money to an online scammer who did in fact claim to be an engineer. Her interest was initially piqued when he seemed to have a similar background and heritage to her and they chatted for almost two months, often exchanging messages for at least two hours an evening. There was only one thing that seemed a little odd to Jane: his syntax occasionally seemed a little unnatural for a native English-speaker, and when they spoke on the phone, something about his voice didnt seem to match his pictures. Recommended Police issue warning after victims fall for devious phone call scam Jane Googled him and found what looked like an authentic LinkedIn page and social media profiles as well as information on the projects he claimed to be working on, which seemed legitimate. After a couple of months, he said he had to go to the Middle East for an oil rig refurbishment and even sent Jane pictures of him in his hardhat on the rig. She was all set to meet him at the airport when he suddenly messaged saying his funds had dried up and he needed 5,000. I just couldnt believe that was what he was saying, Jane told The Independent. But she was feeling vulnerable after the breakdown of her marriage and agreed to transfer him a smaller amount, despite admitting it sounded crazy. It was only when her money transfer was blocked due to a security alert around the mans name that she realised something was wrong. Not long after, Jane discovered an ex-colleague nearby had been scammed by the same man at the same time and shed had a very lucky escape. So what can you do to avoid being a victim of an online dating scam? Recommended The 6 travel scams that can outsmart the savviest tourist Jane advises meeting up with someone sooner rather than later - more often than not, scammers are based abroad and wont be able to meet you. If youre suspicious, turn to Google: search their name and dating scam or do a Google image search to see whether theyve taken someone elses picture or one thats easily available online. If you find the picture is a fake, report the profile to the dating site immediately. Watch out for inconsistencies and repetition too - if youre talking to a team of scammers, theyre bound to forget whats previously been said and slip-up occasionally. After reporting the profile to the dating site, stop all contact and get in touch with Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040. *Names have been changed For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Ninety-seven companies, from Apple to Zynga, filed an impassioned legal brief condemning President Donald Trumps executive order on immigration, stepping up the industrys growing opposition to the policy. The amicus brief was filed late Sunday in the ninth circuit court of appeals and emphasises the importance of immigrants in the economy and society. The companies originally planned to file the brief later this coming week, but accelerated efforts over the weekend after other legal challenges to the order, according to people familiar with the matter. President Donald Trump lashes out at US judge on Twitter The participating technology companies include Airbnb, Facebook, Google, Intel, Netflix, Snap and Uber Technologies. Companies beyond technology signed on as well, including Levi Strauss & Co and yoghurt maker Chobani. Immigrants make many of the Nations greatest discoveries, and create some of the countrys most innovative and iconic companies, the brief states. America has long recognized the importance of protecting ourselves against those who would do us harm. But it has done so while maintaining our fundamental commitment to welcoming immigrantsthrough increased background checks and other controls on people seeking to enter our country. Late Friday, a US district judge temporarily lifted the Trump administrations ban, freeing refugees and visa holders from seven Muslim-majority countries to enter the US. An appeals court declined to immediately reinstate the immigration restrictions over the weekend. The technology industry has been among the most vocal in opposition to Trumps immigration policies. Bloomberg News reported earlier that several large tech companies, including Microsoft and Alphabet, are planning to sign an open letter to President Trump expressing concern about the immigration order and offering help fixing it and other policies. We share your goal of ensuring that our immigration system meets todays security needs and keeps our country safe, said a draft of the letter obtained by Bloomberg News. We are concerned, however, that your recent Executive Order will affect many visa holders who work hard here in the United States and contribute to our countrys success. Travis Kalanick, Uber's chief executive officer, stepped down from President Trumps business advisory council last week after criticism from customers and drivers. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters His participation in the council, along with more than a dozen other US executives, prompted blow-back on social media after the controversial executive order on immigration. It snowballed into a #DeleteUber campaign that benefited rival Lyft. Immigration and openness to refugees is an important part of our countrys success and quite honestly to Ubers, Kalanick wrote in an email to employees obtained by Bloomberg. There are many ways we will continue to advocate for just change on immigration but staying on the council was going to get in the way of that. The executive order is hurting many people in communities all across America. Bloomberg For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} National Sickie Day, the first Monday in February, is the day in the year which has supposedly seen the highest number of employees phoning in sick. According to the Employment Law Advisory Service, a nationwide business support company, its estimated that approximately 350,000 people will have called in sick on Monday 6 February, costing the UK economy around 45m. So what can employers do to pull the duvet off malingering staff? Recommended The cost of losing your job is at its highest for 20 years CLEARING THINGS UP If an absent employee doesnt phone in sick until late morning, it could be difficult for the rest of a team to pick up the slack and manage additional responsibilities. Its really important that employers have a sickness absence policy, and that they communicate absence reporting procedures clearly to staff. Employees are usually required to telephone their manager as early as possible on the day of the absence and explain the nature of the illness, the likely length of absence and any work that needs urgent attention. For absences up to seven days, employees may be required to complete self-certification forms. For longer absences, employees may be required to obtain a statement from their doctor stating that they arent fit to work and the reasons why. SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY If an employee is dishonest about not being able to work, this could amount to gross misconduct. In certain circumstances, this may entitle the employer to dismiss them. Its worth checking the absent colleagues social media pages to see if they are really bedbound. Supposing that an employee puts a call in to their manager, saying they cant come to work because theyve got a serious stomach infection, but later that day they check into a restaurant on Facebook, yhe employer could argue that either their illness was feigned or, if the employee did have an infection and were able to tuck into the meal, they could still come into work. SECOND JOBS Doing a second job while on sick leave could also be considered gross misconduct. It would probably be more serious if the other job was being done at a time when the employee should have been in the office, because the employee may be being paid by two different employers for the same hours. But even if they were working their second job out of office hours, the fact that the employee feels well enough to work elsewhere could be used as evidence to indicate that their illness was not genuine. DISCIPLINARY ACTION If you do uncover evidence of dishonesty, it may be appropriate to take disciplinary action. There would need to be a thorough investigation, and there are a set of rules which must be followed. If there was then a case to answer, the employee should be provided with any evidence and invited to a disciplinary hearing. They must also be allowed to be accompanied by a fellow staff member or trade union representative. If the employer concludes that they havent told the truth about their illness, a sanction could be imposed. It depends on the circumstances, but this could mean a written warning or possibly dismissal. Should the employee be dismissed, they must be given a right of appeal. Its crucial that the employer follows a proper process. Otherwise, the employee may have grounds to bring an unfair dismissal claim against them. Generally, however, employees need to have at least two years service before they can bring unfair dismissal claims against their company. Matt Gingell is a partner at Gannons Solicitors, and specialises in employment law. Read all of his articles at www.mattgingell.com For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Not only are lettuces becoming an increasingly rare commodity in supermarkets, but prices for the leafy vegetables seem to be rising too. According to the weekly report from the Governments Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, a pair of Little Gem lettuces had an average market price of 0.86 in the week that ended on Friday, up from an average of 0.56 in the previous week thats an almost 54 per cent increase. The cost of Butterhead Indoor lettuce, meanwhile, rose from 0.47 per head to 0.54. Recommended Britain is running out of lettuce The figures are national averages of the most usual prices charged by wholesalers at whole sale markets in Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool and New Spitalfields in east London. Stocks of lettuce have reportedly been running low in UK super markets for some weeks as a result of poor weather conditions in Southern Europe. Some retailers have implemented caps on how many lettuces customers can buy in one go. Earlier this month, poor harvests of courgettes and aubergines lead to a squeeze on supply in the UK too. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} MPs have urged Lloyds Banking Group, the owner of HBOS, to compensate the victims of a 245m loans fraud orchestrated by two former employees jailed last week for their crimes. In an open letter to Lloyds chief executive, Antonio Horta-Osorio, on Monday, MPs pressed the bank to properly redress hundreds of businesses who were duped by former HBOS manager Lynden Scourfield into using a turnaround consultancy run by his friends David Mills and Michael Bancroft. The men then fleeced businesses with high fees, saddled them with excessive debt and stripped them of assets, driving many into bankruptcy. In return for his services, Mr Mills and Mr Bancroft arranged sex parties for Mr Scourfield and showered him with exotic foreign holidays and cash bribes. Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Committee on Fair Business Banking, George Kerevan, wrote in the letter: We are at a point where, once again, there are a large group of aggrieved business people who have lost their livelihoods. Critically, many have endured years of financial duress and personal stress. Kerevan added that the complaints of the criminal activity were raised with senior HBOS management at board level and as early as 2007 and were repeated to senior Lloyds management after the takeover. In both instances, there was an internal failure to adequately investigate these complaints. Further, police investigations were delayed because both HBOS and subsequently Lloyds informed the authorities that it was the bank that was the wronged party rather than small business customers but that the bank had no wish to pursue a prosecution. Lloyds, which did not own HBOS at the time of the fraud between 2003 and 2007, maintains it was a victim in the case. Confidential documents seen by the Sunday Times reportedly show that assets of customers who were victims of the fraud are still being held on trust for the bank. The assets are held through a company nominally run by Mr Mills but the documents reveal senior bank staff regarded them as belonging to the bank, the newspaper reported. Biggest business scandals in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Biggest business scandals in pictures Biggest business scandals in pictures Volkswagen emissions scandal VW admitted to rigging its US emission tests so that diesel-powered cars would looks like they were emitting less nitrous oxide, which can damage the ozone layer and contribute to respiratory diseases. Around 11 million cars worldwide were affected. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Martin Shkreli and Turing Pharmaceuticals Martin Shkreli became known as the most hated man in the world after his drug company, Turing, increased the price of a 62-year-old drug that treated HIV patients by 5,000% to $750 a pill. He was charged with illegally taking stock from Retrophin, a biotechnology firm he started in 2011, and using it pay off debts from unrelated business dealings. Shkreli, who maintains he is innocent, and says there is little evidence of fraud because his investors didn't lose money. Biggest business scandals in pictures Panama Papers: Millions of leaked documents expose how worlds rich and powerful hid money - April 2016 Millions of confidential documents have been leaked from one of the worlds most secretive law firms, exposing how the rich and powerful have hidden their money. Dictators and other heads of state have been accused of laundering money, avoiding sanctions and evading tax, according to the unprecedented cache of papers that show the inner workings of the law firm Mossack Fonseca, which is based in Panama. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Google's tax avoidance Google reached a deal with the HM Revenue and Customs to pay back 130 million in so-called back-taxes that have been due since 2005. George Osborne championed the deal as a major success. But European MEPs have since called for the Chancellor to appear in front of the committee on tax rulings to explain the tax deal. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Rogue trader A French court cut the damages owed by rogue trader Jerome Kerviel from 4.9bn (4.2bn) to just 1m (860,000). The court ruled on that Kerviel was partly responsible for massive losses suffered in 2008 by his former employer Societe Generale through his reckless trades. Kerviel has consistently maintained that bosses at the French bank knew what he was doing all along. AP Biggest business scandals in pictures Barclays CEO under investigation for trying to identify whistleblower - Monday Paril 10 Authorities have launched an investigation into Barclays chief executive officer Jes Staley for trying to identify a whistleblower, the bank said on Monday. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) are both investigating Mr Staley after the bank notified them that Mr Staley had tried to identify the author of two anonymous letters, which were sent to the board and a senior executive in June 2016. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures UK to crack down on bank money laundering after reports of 65bn Russian scam, City minister says - March 2017 The Economic Secretary to the Treasury has vowed that the Government will crack down on money laundering practices, after several of the UK's biggest banks were accused of processing money from a Russian scam, believed to involve up to $80bn (65bn). Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Former HBOS bankers convicted of bribery and fraud over 245m loan scam - February 2017 Two former HBOS bankers were among six people found guilty of bribery and fraud that cost customers and shareholders hundreds of millions of pounds, the BBC reports. Lynden Scourfield, 54, a manager at HBOS, forced struggling clients to use the services of his friends David Mills, 60, and Michael Bancroft, 73. In return, the two businessmen arranged sex parties, cash and lavish gifts. On Monday, the three were convicted at Southwark Crown Court on accounts including bribery, fraud and money laundering. Mark Dobson, another manager at HBOS, Alison Mills, and John Cartwright were also convicted. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Lloyds chief apologises for damage caused by affair allegations - August 2016 Antonio Horta-Osorio, the chief executive of Lloyds Bank, has broken his silence over allegations about his private life admitting he regrets any "damage done to the group's reputation". In a message sent to the bank's 75,000 employees, the banker said that anyone can make mistakes while insisting that staff had to maintain the highest professional standards. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Christine Lagarde faces court over 340m Bernard Tapie payment - July 2016 The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, must stand trial in France over a payment of 403 million (now 340m, then 290m) to tycoon Bernard Tapie, a France's highest appeals court has ruled. The court rejected Ms Lagarde's appeal against a judge's order in December for her to stand trial over allegations of negligence in her handling of the affair. Ms Lagarde could risk a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of 15,000 euros if convicted. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures HSBC senior manager arrested in FX rigging investigation at JFK airport in New York - July 2016 A senior executive at HSBC has been arrested at New York's JFK airport for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to rig currency benchmarks, according to reports. Mark Johnson, global head of foreign exchange cash trading in London, was reportedly arrested on Tuesday. He will appear before a federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Bloomberg said. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Former PwC employees found guilty in 'Luxleaks' tax scandal - June 2016 Two ex- PricewaterhouseCoopers staffers were found guilty in Luxembourg of stealing confidential tax files that helped unleash a global scandal over generous fiscal deals for hundreds of international companies. Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet face suspended sentences of 12 months and 9 months and were ordered to pay fines of 1,500 (1,230) and 1,000 (822) for their role in the so-called LuxLeaks scandal. Despite the minimal sentences, the ruling was described by Deltours lawyer as shocking and a terrible anomaly. The ruling puts on guard future whistle-blowers, Deltour told reporters.The LuxLeaks revelations sped beyond Luxembourg, causing European Union regulators to expand a tax-subsidy probe and propose new laws to fight corporate tax dodging, while EU lawmakers created a special committee to probe fiscal deals across the 28-nation bloc. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Goldman Sachs dealmakers lavished Libyan officials with prostitutes to win contract - June 2016 A former Goldman Sachs dealmaker trying to persuade Gadaffi-era Libya to invest $1 billion with the investment bank procured prostitutes and invited Libyan officials to lavish parties in the hope of winning the business, the High Court heard on Monday June 13.The Libyan Investment Authority sovereign wealth fund is suing Goldman Sachs for inappropriately coercing its naive staff into giving its sovereign wealth fund cash to the bank to invest in products they did not understand. The products were designed to generate big profits for Goldman, the LIA claims.Goldman denies wrongdoing and says the LIA was treated as an arms-length customer Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Former boss of BHS said his life was threatened - June 2016 Darren Topp, the former boss of BHS, has said former owner Dominic Chappell threatened to kill him when he challenged him over a 1.5 million transfer out of the business. MPs on the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee asked Mr Topp about a 1.5 million transfer Mr Chappell made from BHS to a company called BHS Sweden. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley admits paying workers below the minimum wage - June 2016 Mike Ashley admitted paying Sports Direct employees below the minimum wage at a hearing in front of MPs. The company founder said that workers were paid less than the statutory minimum because of bottlenecks at security in an admission that could result in sanctions from HMRC. Reuters Biggest business scandals in pictures Mitsubishi admits improper fuel tests - April 2016 Mitsubishi has admitted to using false fuel methods dating back to 1991. The scale of the scandal is only just coming to light after it was revealed in April that data was falsified in the testing of four types of cars, including two Nissan cars. AP Biggest business scandals in pictures Quindell, the scandal-ridden insurance firm Quindell was once a darling of AIM but its share price fell in April 2014 when its accounting practices were attacked in a stinging research note by US short seller Gotham City. In August the group was forced to disclose that the 107 million pre-tax profit it had reported for 2013 was incorrect, and it had in fact suffered a 64million loss. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Toshiba Accounting Scandal The boss of Toshiba, the Japanese technology giant, resigned in disgrace in the wake of one of the countrys biggest ever accounting scandals. His exit came two months after the company revealed that it was investigating accounting irregularities. An independent investigatory panel said that Toshibas management had inflated its reported profits by up to 152 billion yen (780m) between 2008 and 2014. Biggest business scandals in pictures FIFA Corruption Scandal Fifa, football's world governing body, has been engulfed by claims of widespread corruption since the summer of 2015, when the US Department of Justice indicted several top executives. It has now claimed the careers of two of the most powerful men in football, Fifa President Sepp Blatter and Uefa President Michel Platini, after they were banned for eight years from all football-related activities by Fifa's ethics committee. A Swiss criminal investigation into the pair is ongoing. Getty Biggest business scandals in pictures Libor fraudster City trader Tom Hayes, 35, has become the first person to be convicted of rigging Libor rates following a trial at London's Southwark Crown Court. Hayes worked as a trader in yen derivatives at UBS before joining the American bank Citigroup in Tokyo. He was fired from Citigroup following an investigation into his trading methods. He returned to the UK in December 2012 and was arrested following a two-and-a-half year criminal investigation by the SFO. Getty Sentencing Mr Scourfield to 11 years and three months in prison last week, Judge Beddoe described him as an utterly corrupt bank manager driven by rapacious greed. He had got his tentacles into the businesses of ordinary and honest people and ripped them apart without a thought for those affected, the judge said. David Mills, described as evil by Judge Beddoe was given fifteen years, while his wife, Alison Mills, 51, and accomplice John Cartwright, 72, were given three and a half year sentences for money laundering. Michael Bancroft, 73, was jailed for 10 years; Mark Dobson, 56, another former HBOS manager, was sentenced to four and a half years for their part in the scheme. One other defendant, Jonathan Cohen, was acquitted at the trial. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Campaign groups and representatives of the UKs leading political parties have renewed a call for an end to the sales of British arms to Saudi Arabia, in the wake of ongoing human rights abuses and damning evidence on the use of banned British-made cluster bombs. Since evidence was revealed in mid-December, that now-banned British-manufactured cluster bombs sold to Saudi Arabia decades ago have almost certainly been used in the conflict, MPs from the UKs three leading political parties and other campaign groups, are asking again for a ban on sales of British arms to the Saudi regime that is leading an intervention of nine middle eastern countries in the Yemeni civil war. Since Saudi Arabia began bombing Yemen in March 2015, the UK has licensed 3.3bn worth of arms to the regime, including aircraft and drones, grenades and missiles, vehicles and armoured tanks. The UN estimates more than 4,000 civilians have been killed by Saudi air strikes in the conflict. Saudi Arabia says it is investigating claims that human rights abuses have been committed. The shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry said: The Government says they will back an independent inquiry into alleged violations of international humanitarian law but we must wait until the Saudis have given their own verdict. Weddings are bombed and we wait, vital agricultural infrastructure is bombed and we wait, British cluster bombs are used and we wait, millions stand on the brink of famine and we wait. The waiting needs to stop. We must suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia until there is a ceasefire in Yemen and all alleged violations of international humanitarian law have been fully and independently investigated. MP Chris White, who is chair of the parliamentary committee on arms sales, told The Independent: We have been playing catch up on this issue, reviewing events that have led to civilian casualties after they occur. The loss of life and deep humanitarian crisis in Yemen require an unequivocal response from the international community. Our diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia are important, but I maintain the view of the joint report of the Business, Innovation and Skills and International Development select committees that arms sales to Saudi Arabia should be suspended, pending the results of a UN-led investigation. British arms manufacturers have signed at least 5.6bn worth of contracts with the Saudi Arabian government since the 2010 election. The conservative Muslim nation has long been a key strategic ally of the UK in the Middle East, with arms contracts totalling tens of billions over the last three decades. In 2007, the then acting Liberal Democrat leader, Vince Cable, refused to attend a state dinner at Buckingham Palace for the previous Saudi King, King Abdullah. The Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson Tom Brake said: The UK Government has defended Saudis violent targeting of civilians in Yemen time and time again, even giving incorrect information to Parliament in defence of the brutal regime for a six-month period. British foreign policy must be open and tolerant. It should show its commitment to international humanitarian law by immediately suspending all arms contracts with Saudi Arabia. The Government conducted an internal review into its sale of arms to Saudi Arabia last year, which concluded with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, International Development Secretary Priti Patel and Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon issuing a joint statement vowing to continue granting licences for arms exports to the Middle Eastern country. But since then Mr Johnson has publicly accused Saudi Arabia of acting as a puppeteer in proxy wars in the Middle East. Labours Yemeni born MP Keith Vaz said that the comments, given the UKs close links with Saudi Arabia, undermined Britains global reputation. It also emerged in December that the Sir Michael has seen Government analysis which indicates that the banned UK-made cluster bombs have been used by the Saudis, in the conflict in which Britain is training Saudi forces. This week, the High Court will hear a judicial review over the legality of UK arms exports to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen, following an application made by pressure group the Campaign Against Arms Trade. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Rights Watch (UK) and Oxfam will make submissions to the Court. The UK governments repeated refusal to halt arms transfers beggars belief, given the extensive and credible reporting showing the Saudi Arabia-led coalitions ongoing serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, including possible war crimes, said James Lynch, head of arms control and human rights at Amnesty International. It is a sad state of affairs that NGOs have to go to court in an effort to force the UK government to do the right thing for the people of Yemen, he said. How many civilians need to be killed, maimed, rendered homeless, and have their hopes and dreams shattered by Saudi Arabia-led forces that the UK government, among others, continues to recklessly arm? Andrew Smith, a spokesman for Campaign Against Arms Trade, described the UKs provision of arms to Saudi Arabia as a slap in the face for the victims of the Saudi-led attacks on Yemen. The UK public is rightly appalled by arms exports to abusive dictatorships like the one in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi regime has a dire human rights record at home and has used UK arms to create a humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen, said Mr Smith. For decades now, the UK has given uncritical political and military support to the Saudi Royal family. The message it sends is an endorsement of the repression taking place, and a slap in the face for those they are brutalising at home and bombing in Yemen. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The lawyer who started a petition calling on the UK Government to cancel Donald Trump's planned state visit could be disciplined by the Crown Prosecution Service. Graham Guest, who works as a solicitor at the crown prosecutors' West Yorkshire office in Leeds, claimed the US President should not be invited to make an official state visit because "it would cause embarrassment" to the Queen. Mr Guest's petition has been signed by 1.8m people and will be debated in Parliament on 20 February. However, the CPS has suggested he could face disciplinary action. Thousands march in protest over Theresa May's Donald Trump invitation A spokesman told The Times: This issue will be considered in accordance with our human resources procedures and the CPS code of conduct." Recommended Petition to cancel Trump state visit reaches 1m signatures The code of conduct states prosecutors must be "fair, independent and objective" and must not let the "political views" of suspects, witnesses or victims influence their decisions. The spokesman refused to specify what the potential charges against Mr Guest would be, or comment on the available sanctions if he were found to have breached its code. As his petition gained momentum last month, Mr Guest told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "He [Mr Trump] is a misogynist racist and he just seems to be completely incapable of running the richest, most powerful, country and it is a worry for everyone. "I thought a state visit would legitimise his presidency in a way that it shouldn't be." The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Downing Street confirmed Mr Trump's state visit will go ahead, despite the widespread outrage over his travel ban on seven predominately Muslim countries. An invitation has been extended and accepted, a No 10 spokesman said, stressing the Government's position had not changed. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Around 80 protesters blockaded the entrance to a central London hotel that was due to host a meeting of prominent far-right voices. On Saturday, The Kensington Holiday Inn was due to host a meeting of The London Forum, which London Anti-Fascists describe as a neo Nazi, white supremacist organisation. Their previous meetingshosted notorious historian and Holocaust denier David Irving. An expose of one of their previous meetings reported speakers urging the audience to identify, counter and break Jewish-Zionist domination". When asked to respond to these allegations of anti-Semitism, the London Forum told The Independent, "We abhor the criminalisation of opinions and defend the right of anyone to question the conventional narrative concerning any events that took place in any period of history; and we regard the nature of Zionism, the role of Israel in international affairs and the influence of the Jewish Diaspora upon culture and politics as being legitimate subjects for discussion. " The group was due to hear from keynote speaker Jason Reza Jorjani, close associate of American white supremacist Richard Spencer, who shot to prominence when footage of his colleagues giving Nazi salutes following a speech went viral. Also on the bill was Ian Millard, a former barrister who was barred from practising after expressing his admiration for Adolf Hitler. However, activists told The Independent the meeting was cut short after they stopped attendees entering and leaving the building. Police were called to the Holiday Inn, but there was no confrontation between protesters and London Forum members. A spokesperson for London Anti-Fascists told The Independent: These meetings are a recruiting ground for organised fascists - the kind who are happy to make Nazi salutes in public as well as the more insidious. "Nearly every neo-Nazi protest held in London over the past few years can be linked back to this series of meetings. The London Forum has been running since 2012 and has expanded across the country/There are regular meetings linked to it in the South West, Wales, Yorkshire and New York. The YouTube channel which they use to promote these events has clocked up more than 500,000 views." We need to take direct action to shut these meetings down and prevent a fascist movement from emerging. Stead Steadman, a member of London Forum, said, "The London Forum is a forum not a credally defined group. I would however say that an opposition to globalism, cultural and non-cultural Marxism, and a support for white ethnicity and its civilization, liberty of expression, and religious tradition, dominate its centre." "We think it is time the tyranny of Orwellian political correctness were deposed by classically rooted yet progressive European values." The Kensington Holiday Inn declined to comment on the incident. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Republicans are calling for the Queen to abdicate as she becomes the first British monarch to celebrate 65 years on the throne. Elizabeth II's Sapphire Jubilee is being marked with cannon salutes in London's Green Park and at the Tower of London. But having celebrated her 90th birthday last year and suffered a heavy cold over Christmas that caused her to miss church, questions are being raised as to how long she can continue in her role as head of state. New portrait of the Queen unveiled for her Sapphire Jubilee "It would be unsurprising if someone at her age wouldn't be able to do a full time job of being head of state," Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, told The Independent. "So it's very reasonable to expect her to step down and retire an then let the people decide who was going to replace her." However, Mr Smith said it was unlikely the Queen would choose to abdicate. "It would completely go against everybody's understanding of her view of the role," he said. "She takes the notion she has some kind of divine right quite seriously. "It's been reported throughout her reign that she's opposed to abdication." Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Show all 62 1 /62 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II on a walk-about in Portsmouth during her Silver Jubilee tour of Great Britain, 1977 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The future Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (R) pictured with her younger sister Princess Margaret (L) in 1933 AFP/Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The 9-year-old Elizabeth attends an aristocratic wedding with her mother and younger sister. Later in that year with the death of her Grandfather and the Abdication of her Uncle Edward VIII she became first in line to the throne, 1936 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The coronation of King George VI in 1937, Elizabeth aged 10 became the heir apparent to the throne Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth and her sister arrive at Waterloo station to say goodbye to their parents as they leave to tour Canada. Elizabeth was thought too young to escort her parents on the tour and was described as "tearful" as they departed. She and her parents made the first ever transatlantic telephone call during their time away, 1939 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The 13-year-old Elizabeth and her sister Margret address children who have been evacuated from the cities on BBC's 'The Chilrens Hour' She said "We are trying to do all we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers and airmen, and we are trying, too, to bear our share of the danger and sadness of war. We know, every one of us, that in the end all will be well", 1940 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Just before the end of the war Elizabeth took part in training to become an ATS officer. She is pictured learning to change a tire, 1945 AFP/Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The official announcement of Princess Elizabeth and Phillip Mountbatten's engagement. The pairing was incredibly controversial as Prince Phillip had no financial standing and he was foreign born, the prince of Denmark and Greece (though he served Britain in the war and was given British Citizenship), 1947 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II (in coach) and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh are cheered by the crowd after their wedding ceremony, on 20 November 1947, on their road to Buckingham Palace, London Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth smiles at her first child, a month old Prince Charles. Charles was born on 14 November 1948 Corbis Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The couples second child Princess Anne was born in 1950 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Arriving back in England upon hearing the death of her father King George VI. The Kings health had been in decline for a number of years and Elizabeth had been filling in for him on an official visit to Australia by way of Kenya. As his heir Elizabeth became Queen aged 26 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth's coronation took place on 2 June 1953. It was the first ever coronation to be aired live on television, being one of the most watched events in history with millions gathering around their TV sets to see the new monarch Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II standing next to her daughter Princess Anne, 1960 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II President Eisenhower (centre) with the British Royal family (L-R) Prince Philip, Princess Anne, HM Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Captain John Eisenhower, at Balmoral Castle, Scotland, 1959 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II as she turns to smile and talk to an unidentified officer, during the Trooping of the Colour by the First Battalion of the Jamaica Regiment at Up-Park Camp, Kingston, Jamaica, 1966 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II walking cross country at the North of Scotland Gun Dog Association Open Stake Retreiver Trials in the grounds of Balmoral Castle in 1967 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to the Chelsea Flower Show in London, a regular fixture in the royal calendar, 1971 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh during their traditional summer break at Balmoral Castle. The highland retreat is one of the Queen's favourite places, each year, she heads off to Scotland for the summer. "It is rather nice to hibernate for a bit when one leads such a moveable life," she once said, 1976 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II during a walkabout in Muscat while visiting Oman, 1979 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II with some of her corgis walking the Cross Country course during the second day of the Windsor Horse Trials. The monarch is responsible for introducing a new breed of dog known as the "dorgi" when her corgi Tiny was mated with a dachshund "sausage dog" called Pipkin which belonged to Princess Margaret, 1980 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II (L-R) the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, Prince Harry and the Prince and Princess of Wales after the christening ceremony of Prince Harry, 1984 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II taking the salute of the Household Guards regiments during the Trooping of the Colour ceremony in London, 1985 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Diana, Princess of Wales and Queen Elizabeth II as they smile to well-wishers outside Clarence House in London, 1987 AP Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II, with Chief Instructor, Small Arms Corp LT Col George Harvey, firing the last shot on a standard SA 80 rifle when she attended the centenary of the Army Rifle Association at Bisley, 1993 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II South Africa's President Nelson Mandela greets Queen Elizabeth II as she steps from the royal yacht Britannia in Cape Town at the 1995's official start of the her first visit to the country since 1947 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she visits Bowring Park in St. John's, Newfoundland, on the third day of a 10-day official visit to Canada, 1997 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh make their way into St. George's Chapel at Windsor for the annual Garter ceremony, 1999 AFP/Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and Pope John Paul II as they meet at the Vatican, 2000 AP Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother leaving church by horse drawn carriage on the Sandringham Estate, Norfolk, 2000 PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth rides her horse in the grounds of Windsor Castle, 2002 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth arrives for the world premiere of James Bond movie "Casino Royale" at the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square in London, 2006 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth boards a scheduled train at Kings Cross station in London, 2009 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II planting a tree at Newmarket Animal Health Trust, during a royal visit which marked her 50th year as the charity's patron, 2009 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II talking with Pope Benedict XVI during an audience in the Morning Drawing Room at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh during a four day visit by the Pope to the UK, 2010 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II visiting the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 2010 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II receives flowers from the crowd during her visit to Federation Square in downtown Melbourne, 2011 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth watches a preview of her Christmas message wearing a pair of 3D glasses, studded with Swarovski crystals in the form of a "Q", at Buckingham Palace in central London, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Members of Britain's royal family (front L to R) Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles cheer as competitors participate in a sack race at the Braemar Gathering in Braemar, Scotland, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Britain's Prince Charles kisses the hand of his mother Queen Elizabeth at the end of her Diamond Jubilee concert in front of Buckingham Palace in London, 2012 Reuters Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge laughs as Queen Elizabeth gestures during a visit to Vernon Park in Nottingham, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip attend a service for the Order of the British Empire at St Paul's Cathedral in London, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II meets young people during an official visit to The Shard building in central London, 2013 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Actress Angelina Jolie is presented with the Insignia of an Honorary Dame Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George by Queen Elizabeth II in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace, London, 2014 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visit the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red evolving art installation at the Tower of London, 2014 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the State Opening of Parliament, 2015 AFP/Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II (L-R) Britain's Princess Anne, Princess Royal, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge holding his son Prince George of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Harry (back), Prince Andrew, Duke of York (back), James, Viscount Severn (front), Princess Beatrice of York (back), Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Eugenie of York (back) stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace waiting to view the fly-past during the Queen's Birthday Parade, 'Trooping the Colour,' in London, 2015 Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The Trooping of the Colour is an annual celebration marking the Queen's birthday, 2015 Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Britain's Queen Elizabeth II stands with Kate the Duchess of Cambridge whilst pushing Princess Charlotte in a pram as they leave after attending the Christening of Britain's Princess Charlotte at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, 2015 AP Photo/Matt Dunham, Pool Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II arrives at the Broadway Theatre in Barking, 2015 Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II greets wellwishers during a 'walkabout' on her 90th birthday in Windsor in 2016 AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Members of the Royal Family during trooping of the colour in 2017 AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The Queen waves at Prince Harry and Meghan after their wedding in 2018 POOL/AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex gesture during their visit to the Storyhouse in Chester, Cheshire in 2018 AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Prince Charles reacts as he sits with his mother Britain's Queen Elizabeth II during an event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, in Portsmouth in 2019 AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are joined by her mother, Doria Ragland, as they show their new son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, to the Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle Chris Allerton/Sussex Royal/PA Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II reacts as she visits the Haig Housing Trust in Morden in 2019 POOL/AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II takes her seat on the The Sovereign's Throne in the House of Lords next to Prince Charles, before reading the Queen's Speech during the State Opening of Parliament in 2019 POOL/AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II looks at the coffin of Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh during his funeral service at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle POOL/AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II and Britain's Prince Charles, Prince of Wales pose alongside the tree which they planted to mark the start of the official planting season for the Queen's Green Canopy (QGC) at the Balmoral Cricket Pavilion, Balmoral Estate in Scotland POOL/AFP via Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Britain's Queen Elizabeth II cuts a cake to celebrate the start of the Platinum Jubilee during a reception in the Ballroom of Sandringham House, the Queen's Norfolk residence on February 5, 2022. - Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday will became the first British monarch to reign for seven decades, in a bittersweet landmark as she also marked the 70th anniversary of her father's death AFP/Getty Queen Elizabeth II: Life in pictures Queen Elizabeth II Queen Elizabeth II arrives in Westminster Abbey accompanied by Prince Andrew, Duke of York for the Service Of Thanksgiving For The Duke Of Edinburgh on March 29, 2022 in London Getty In 2015, when she overtook Queen Victoria to become the longest-reigning monarch in British history, the Queen admitted bluntly that the royal record was "not one to which I have ever aspired". She added: "Inevitably, a long life can pass by many milestones. My own is no exception." When asked who would take over the role of monarch, Mr Smith said: "It would have to be Charles. The moment she's gone, Charles will be King. "But obviously it needs to be up to the people to choose someone. You can imagine any number of people being chosen. People who have got experience in public life, whether it be academia, or law, or politics." He added: "There would be plenty of people that could do an intelligent and sober job of being head of state, and who can maintain their impartiality and independence from the prime minister." However, he said he expects the accession of Prince Charles to the throne will "change the nature of the debate." He explained: "Charles will not be the same monarch as his mother. He will want to intervene in politics and raise questions about what's going on in world affairs. "That's going to put him on a collision course with public opinion and the elected government in Parliament. That's going to cause a very serious crisis." Uncertainty surrounds the future of Egypts troubled Dostour Party as internal conflict erupted after party co-founder Khaled Dawoud was elected as its new president last week. The liberal party announced last week that Dawoud, a well-known journalist and leftist activist, was elected as its new president after running uncontested, as other potential candidates did not meet the requirements necessary to run for the leadership position. On Saturday, however, the partys Council of Aldermen announced that it was annulling the result of the election where Dawoud and other party leaders won top posts following complaints by several party members over Dawouds win. The committee announced that new elections will be held on 17 March, with the final announcement of a new chairman on 20 March. Party spokesman and aldermens council member Mohamed Youssef said that the electoral committee, which organised the elections last month, had no right to hold elections since it was formed by the partys High Committee without the approval of the aldermens council as stipulated by the party bylaws. The aldermens council issued a media statement on 31 January saying that the election of Dawoud and his electoral lists Together We Can and Constitution First would be voided since the electoral committee which oversaw the vote on 25 January had been dismantled by the aldermens council on 6 January. The aldermens council has also decided to refer Dawoud and the newly-elected general secretariat to internal investigations over alleged violation of the partys bylaws. Dawoud said in media statements that the aldermens council, which he says has no real authority, aims to obstruct his path. He explained that the partys only authority, the High Board, decided to form an electoral committee after the party was left leaderless for six months, with no party chairman or an administrative structure. I was hopeful that the [aldermens council] would be wise enough to avoid conflicts, Dawoud said, adding that the council is damaging the party's reputation with its actions. Former party leader Hala Shukrallah, who was celebrated as the first Copt and woman elected to head a political party in Egypt, resigned as party head in June 2015, followed by acting president Tamer Gomaa's resignation in July this year, which left the post vacant. Moataz Mohamed Ali, a member of the high committee and the Together We Can list told Ahram Online that they had no explanation for the actions of the aldermens council. He said that the council was a temporary committee chosen during the partys General Conference in 2014 for the electoral procedures, but they have no authority over the elections. We will not discuss anything with them anymore. We will submit our case to the High Council of Justices Party Affairs Committee, Ali said. This is not the first time that discord has plagued the party, whose disputes over the few years have led to a paralysis in its political activities. In November, the party failed to form a quorum to discuss the election of new leadership. At least three electoral committees have been formed and disbanded during the past two years due to administrative and procedural obstacles. The party, which was founded in 2012 by former interim vice president Mohamed ElBaradei, boycotted the countrys 2015 parliamentary elections, citing an unfavourable atmosphere for competetive polls. Search Keywords: Short link: Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Cannibal killer Stefano Brizzi, who was jailed for the murder of 59-year-old police officer Gordon Semple, has died in prison, the Ministry of Justice has said. Brizzi, 50, was convicted last November after admitting to strangling the officer to death during a bondage sex session and then trying to dispose of the body in an acid bath. Following an Old Bailey trial, the former Morgan Stanley IT developer was found guilty of murder and was sentenced in December to life in prison, with a minimum term of 24 years.. Stefano Brizzi in the dock at the Old bailey (PA) Brizzi died at HMP Belmarsh, the high security jail in Woolwich, south east London. A Prison Service spokeswoman said in a statement: "HMP Belmarsh prisoner Stefano Brizzi died in custody on Sunday. "As with all deaths in custody there will be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman." The cause of the death has not been released. Breaking Bad fan Stefano Brizzi found guilty of murder of Pc Gordon Semple During the trial last year the court heard how the defendant met his victim on gay dating app Grindr and arranged a sleazy session at his flat near Londons Tate Modern art gallery on 1 April. Mr Semple died when a dog leash he had been wearing as part of a sex game slipped, Brizzi, who was a crystal meth addict, claimed. CCTV footage showed him buying buckets, a perforated metal sheet and cleaning products from a DIY store. The crime scene near the Tate Modern on London's Southbank (PA) The court heard how neighbours had complained about the smell coming from Brizzis flat and the police were eventually called. They found globules of flesh floating in his bath, bags containing bones and a part of Mr Semples head, and pools of human fat in the oven. A rib discarded in the kitchen bin was found with a bite mark that matched the defendant's lower teeth. Mr Semples long-term partner Gary Meeks raised the alarm and reported him missing when he failed to return to their home in Dartford, Kent. Following his arrest, Brizzi admitted trying to dissolve the body of a policeman because Satan told me to. The killing was said to have been inspired by the TV series Breaking Bad. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An unseasonably warm February across the UK so far is expected to come to a halt as much colder weather from Scandinavia brings snow to some parts of the country. The Met Office has warned temperatures are set to plummet, with some flurries of snow along the east coast. While Tuesday will see temperatures remain fairly steady and mild in most regions, it will become colder moving into Wednesday, dropping by around five degrees in just two days. Oli Claydon, spokesman for the Met Office, told The Independent: Weve had a few days of a more mobile and low pressure set-up over the last few days, but high pressure influence from Scandinavia will bring temperatures back down during the course of the week. There is a chance of some snow flurries before the end of the week in some areas across the east coast, where temperatures are likely to drop to minus five degrees overnight in rural areas. "The light precipitation is in a band all the way across the east coast of the UK, although the further north you go the higher the chances of snow are. At the moment were forecasting small flurries, but as we get closer this could change. Mr Claydon said Glasgow and other parts of Scotland were likely to see a drop of around three degrees, paving the way for a frosty weekend in the North, while London was likely to see an even bigger drop of five degrees in the space of just two days. In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Show all 17 1 /17 In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK A man works in the snow in the Yorkshire Dales near Hawes In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK A man jogs past the partially frozen Sefton Park Lake in Liverpool PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK A jogger runs through the snow under the Angel of the North in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK A man walks through the snow close to the Angel of the North in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Temperatures drop as night time falls and snow blankets moors in the Peak District near Buxton Getty Images In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Temperatures drop, as night time falls, and snow enhances the complex pattern of fields on the moors in the Peak District near Buxton Getty Images In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK A van waits to be recovered after sliding into a ditch on an icy road in the Peak District near Buxton Getty Images In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Snow blankets the countryside in the Peak District near Buxton Getty Images In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Farmers on the Richmondshire and Cumbria border take feed for the sheep on the Pennine tops with the A66 trans Pennine route in the background as snow falls across many parts of the UK PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK A tractor with a snow plough parked outside the Tan Hill Inn in Swaledale, North Yorkshire as snow falls in the Pennines PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Cars make their way through the snow on the A1 northbound in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, as the UK braced for a new wave of bad weather after forecasters issued warnings of heavy snow in parts of England and Scotland PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Snowfalls over high ground of the Pennines at Tan Hill PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Sue and Chris Betts take their dog for a walk in the snow near Beamish, Tyne and Wear after heavy snow in the area PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Clyde Wind Farm near Abington in Scotland PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Sheep near Abington in Scotland PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Snow in Abington in Scotland as the cold weather hits parts of the UK PA In pictures: Winter weather hits the UK Snow blankets the countryside in the Peak District near Buxton Getty Images Glasgow and much of Scotland is forecast to be seven degrees tomorrow (Tuesday) and down to four or five degrees on Thursday, Mr Claydon added. London is likely to be 10C on Tuesday, but by the time we get to Wednesday temperatures will have dropped to six degrees and five degrees on Thursday. So you can see that change happening there. And this will continue into the weekend, dropping to around four degrees. Overnight will be even chillier, and by the end of the week we are expecting some widespread frost. There is already a yellow warning for ice for this evening in Scotland. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Angela Merkels CDU political party has fallen into second place behind Germanys centre-left opposition for the first time in a decade, according to a new poll. The survey, carried out by pollsters INSA for Germanys Bild newspaper, found Ms Merkels Christian democrats on 30 per cent, down three from the previous poll. The German Social Democratic Party (SPD), which is the junior partner in the ruling CDU-SPD coalition government but which has trailed Ms Merkels party in the polls for years, was meanwhile up four points to 31 per cent putting it just slightly ahead. A German election polling average maintained by German newspaper Der Spiegel has not had the SPD ahead on average since late 2006. Though only the findings of a single poll, the latest results appear to be a symbolic watershed moment in Germany politics, which Ms Merkel has dominated for over a decade. The findings of a significant boost for the SPD are also corroborated by another poll conducted by Emnid for Bild am Sonntag. That survey recorded a six-point jump for the SPD, reportedly the biggest ever for the party in a single poll by that firm. The shifting electoral landscape comes just months ahead of crunch German Federal elections in September of this year raising the possibility that Ms Merkel could be ousted as Chancellor after six months of Brexit negotiations. The boost to the SPDs fortunes appears to have been prompted by the appointment of Martin Schulz, former European Parliament President, to the partys leadership. Mr Schulz has publicly presented a more hard-line approach again Britain and Brexit than Ms Merkel, having accused top Tories of having left rubble behind them in a bid to fuel their personal ambitions. He has also said that Brussels would need to defend the interests of its citizens, just as the UK will do. The Chancellor Ms Merkel has survived in part by adopting the policies of her opponents whenever they appear to be on the verge of finding a chink in her armour posing the possibility that she might adopt Mr Schulzs more hardline anti-Brexit approach. The iron Frau: Angela Merkel Show all 11 1 /11 The iron Frau: Angela Merkel The iron Frau: Angela Merkel 351161.bin EPA / WOLFGANG KUMM The iron Frau: Angela Merkel 351162.bin GETTY IMAGES / REUTERS The iron Frau: Angela Merkel 351163.bin AFP The iron Frau: Angela Merkel 351164.bin The iron Frau: Angela Merkel 351165.bin REUTERS The iron Frau: Angela Merkel 351166.bin AFP The iron Frau: Angela Merkel 351167.bin AFP / GETTY IMAGES The iron Frau: Angela Merkel 351168.bin The iron Frau: Angela Merkel 351169.bin AP The iron Frau: Angela Merkel 351170.bin EPA The iron Frau: Angela Merkel 351171.bin REUTERS The German federal elections come five months after France picks its new President. The final round of that contest is likely to be between a centre-right candidate and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Government does not make judgments over whether countries like Saudi Arabia have violated international humanitarian laws in specific cases before granting arms exports to them. Ministers have admitted they do not reach any conclusion on whether there have been violations in particular cases, because they say it would not be possible in conflicts the UK is not involved in. Ministers instead try to come to an overall judgement that arms sold to a country will not be used to violate international humanitarian laws (IHL), a government spokesman has told The Independent. The revelation comes ahead of a landmark judicial review case this week in the High Court, which will determine the legality of the arms transfers to Saudi Arabia. Campaigners have demanded to know how it is possible to reach an overall judgement without determining whether violations have occurred in individual instances and accused the Government of burying its head in the sand. It follows the publication of a report from two committees of MPs which said it had been presented with evidence of clear violations of international humanitarian law in the war being waged in part by a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, including an air strike on a wedding party which killed 47 civilians and injured 58 more. It has also emerged that Saudi Arabia recently used British-made cluster bombs in the ongoing conflict that the UN believes has led to 10,000 deaths. There has been outrage that the Government is continuing to allow arms sales to Saudi Arabia despite many claims of violations of IHL in Yemen. Angus Robertson questions Theresa May over arms sales to Saudi Arabia at PMQs But when Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake called on the Government to publish the findings on which its assessment of alleged violations of international humanitarian law in Yemen is based, he was told that while some incidents were monitored and analysed, no conclusions on individual cases are reached. Instead, information is used to form an overall view on the approach and attitude of Saudi Arabia to IHL. Tobias Ellwood, minister for the Middle East and Africa, said in a written answer: It is important to make clear that neither the [Ministry of Defence] nor the [Foreign Office] reaches a conclusion as to whether or not an IHL violation has taken place in relation to each and every incident of potential concern that comes to its attention. This would simply not be possible in conflicts to which the UK is not a party, as is the case in Yemen. Yemen's prime minister accuses UK of war crimes The response comes despite a joint report by MPs on the House of Commons business and international development committees calling for sales of UK weapons which could be used in Saudi Arabias military action in Yemen to be halted until the completion of an independent inquiry into allegations, for which it had seen clear evidence. Mr Brake told The Independent: Yet again the Government is tying itself up in knots to defend their continued sale of arms to Saudi. Instead of fully assessing the significant evidence of horrific attacks by Saudi on civilians in Yemen, they are burying their heads in the sand and allowing British-made weapons to be complicit in these attacks. This is the dark side of a Tory-Brexit government who are desperate to pursue trade, no matter the human cost. 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 Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) said the UK regime for granting licences should be reformed. He said: How can the Government reach an overall judgement without making judgements on specific allegations? How can they possibly form an overall picture without determining whether or not allegations are true? If arms export controls mean anything then all allegations of human rights breaches must be thoroughly investigated. It was confirmed last month that Britain exported 500 cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia in an arms deal dating back to when Margaret Thatcher was in power. Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon revealed the official figures, which relate to exports signed off by the Government between 1986 to 1989, after it emerged that a limited number of the weapons sold to the autocracy are still in its stockpile. theresa May can't give assurances that no civilians have been killed by British arms in Yemen The weapons are now banned after Britain signed a treaty in 2010, but Sir Michael has said he was satisfied the bombs had not been used to breach IHL. Saudi Arabia in December admitted using the weapons in Yemen. It has now told the British government it will no longer use them, but has not confirmed it has destroyed them. It is also investigating itself over alleged violations of international human rights law in Yemen. On 7, 8 and 10 February, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Oxfam will make submissions to the High Court, in a legal challenge brought by CAAT, over the selling of arms by the UK to the Saudis. James Lynch, head of Human Rights at Amnesty, said the governments repeated refusal to halt arms transfers beggars belief, given the extensive and credible reporting showing the Saudi Arabia-led coalitions ongoing serious violations of international human rights. A poll by CAAT has revealed that two-thirds of British people think selling arms to the Saudis is unacceptable. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: The UK Government operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. We do not make assessments in each and every alleged case of a breach of IHL, as we are not in a position to do so. However, the Ministry of Defence monitors alleged IHL violations using all available information, such as media and other reports, and this wider picture is used to form an overall judgement of the risk that any exported items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of IHL. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May has hinted she will move to head off a revolt by Conservative MPs who are demanding the right to stop Britain crashing out of the EU without a fresh trade deal. The Commons will be given more detail tomorrow about the status and timing of a vote on the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, the Prime Minister said. Until now, the Government has refused to say exactly when the vote will be held or to guarantee a vote if Ms May is unable to reach any agreement with the remaining EU states. Instead, she has threatened to withdraw with no deal at all, if necessary, which would force businesses to trade on punishing World Trade Organisation (WTO) tariffs and risk an economic slump. Some Tory MPs have threatened to side with the Opposition parties by backing a proposed amendment to the Article 50 Bill to guarantee a meaningful vote on the outcome of the negotiations. The Independent revealed last week that Neil Carmichael, the Education Select Committee chairman, is set to rebel, with others expected to follow. In the Commons, Ms May was asked to confirm that Parliament must give its consent in advance to whatever the new proposed relationship will be deal or no deal. In reply, she said: I have been very clear that Parliament will have a vote on the deal. This is a matter that is going to be discussed in some detail tomorrow and the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union will be able to set out in more detail, than in response to a single question, what the situation will be. Although the Prime Minister did not reveal what if any concessions will be made, her comments were in sharp contrast to her earlier refusals to engage with MPs about the issue. Earlier, Nicky Morgan, the former Education Secretary, urged her to give MPs a decisive role even if it appears no deal is likely to be agreed. What if there is no deal? What if there is no agreement to put to either the British or the European parliaments for approval? Ms Morgan wrote in an article for The Times. The absence of a final deal does not mean the absence of a relationship with the EU. Parliament is asking for a say on that relationship. However, the Prime Ministers official spokeswoman risked fanning the flames of the revolt, by insisting Ms May had the authority to leave the EU with no deal, if necessary. Asked if she had a mandate for WTO tariffs, she said: There was a decision put to the British people, do you want to stay in the EU or do you want to leave. And it came back very clearly that people wanted to leave the EU so, yes, the PM has a mandate to deliver on the decision of the British people. Delivering a statement on last weeks Malta summit, the Prime Minister also warned Tory rebels against obstructing the will of the people by voting with Labour and the SNP to change the Bill. She said: The message is clear to all this House has spoken and now is not the time to obstruct the democratically expressed wishes of the British people. It is time to get on with leaving the European Union and building an independent, self-governing, global Britain. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} MPs from across the political divide have voiced their support for Speaker John Bercow after he spoke out against Donald Trump addressing Parliament. In an extraordinary piece of political rhetoric in the Commons, Mr Bercow said he would not be inviting the US President to speak to the House because of its opposition to "racism and sexism". Before the imposition of the migrant ban I would myself have been strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall, Mr Bercow said. After the imposition of the migrant ban by President Trump I am even more strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall. The remarks are unprecedented for a Speaker as parliamentary rules state the role must remain politically impartial. But MPs from across the House added their voices to his call for the Republican billionaire to be blocked from speaking. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted: Well said John Bercow. We must stand up for our country's values. Trump's State Visit should not go ahead. Former deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman said it was a proud moment for Commons. Racism and sexism not welcome here. Rosena Allin-Khan, who replaced London Mayor Sadiq Khan in his Tooting seat, called it a bold and brave move. Thousands march in protest over Theresa May's Donald Trump invitation Tory MP Sarah Wollaston also said Mr Bercow was quite right to express his views on a ban. Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron responded: "This is the right decision by The Speaker. "The Prime Minister might wish to kowtow to the nasty misogynist that now sits in the Oval Office but no-one else does. We do not want him to speak to us. He is not welcome. In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President-elect Donald Trump acknowledges guests as he arrives on the platform at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Melania Trump looks on during the 58th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington AP In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump shakes hands with Justice John Roberts after taking the oath at inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as the 45th president of the United States Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump President Donald Trump raises his fists after his inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President-elect Donald Trump greets outgoing President Barack Obama before Trump is inaugurated during ceremonies on the Capitol in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump resident-elect Donald Trump arrives on the platform of the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Attendees partake in the inauguration ceremonies to swear in Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump US President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address during ceremonies at the US Capitol in Washington DC Getty In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. President Donald Trump waves with wife Melania during the Inaugural Parade in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters registered their rage against the new president Friday in a chaotic confrontation with police who used pepper spray and stun grenades in a melee just blocks from Donald Trump's inaugural parade route. Scores were arrested for trashing property and attacking officers AP In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators protest against US President Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A woman holds a sign before the start of the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump at Freedom Plaza in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Anti-Trump protesters prepare banners for a protest against the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, in Berlin REUTERS In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators shout slogans against US President-elect Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators march, block foot traffic and clash with U.S. Capitol Police at the entry checkpoints for the Inauguration of Donald Trump Alamy Live News In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators display a banner as people arrive for US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A man displays a placard as people lineup to get into the National Mall for the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in Washington DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump raise their hands as they are surrounded by police on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A demonstrator wearing a mask depicting Donald Trump protests outside the US Embassy in London Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Demonstrators hold placards as they protest outside the US Embassy in London Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Former US President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush arrive for the Presidential Inauguration at the US Capitol Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden share an umbrella as President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address at the inauguration in Washington DC Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton arrive on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump U.S. Vice President Mike Pence takes the oath of office on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC Getty Images In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Advisors to President-elect Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway and Steve Bannon depart from services at St. John's Church during the Presidential Inauguration in Washington Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump take cover as they are hit by pepper spray by police on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump An activist demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump is helped after being hit by pepper spray on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A police officer tries to tackle a protester demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump Reuters/Adrees Latif In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump Police arrest and detain a protester in the street in Washington DC Rex In pictures: Protests, pomp and Donald Trump A police officer falls to the ground as another shoots pepper spray at protesters demonstrating against U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the inauguration in Washington DC Reuters The SNPs Tasmina Sheikh said Mr Bercow had demonstrated much needed leadership, where the UK Government have been so woefully lacking. Veteran MP Dennis Skinner speaking after Mr Bercows statement said: Further to that point of order: two words: well done. But Ukips former leader Nigel Farage was less enthusiastic about Mr Bercow's remarks. For Speaker Bercow to uphold our finest parliamentary traditions, he should be neutral, the avowed Trump supporter said. A Downing Street spokesperson said: "We look forward to welcoming the President to the UK later this year. The dates and arrangements for the state visit will be worked out in due course." Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump will not be welcome to address Parliament on his state visit to the UK because of its opposition to racism and to sexism, the Speaker of the House of Commons has said in a major snub to the American President. In a dramatic intervention, John Bercow, the Speaker, said he was strongly opposed to Mr Trump speaking in the Commons as he stressed that being invited to address Parliament was not an automatic right but an earned honour. Recommended Corbyn calls for Trump UK ban until Muslim country travel ban lifted Before the imposition of the migrant ban I would myself have been strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall," Mr Bercow told MPs. After the imposition of the migrant ban by President Trump I am even more strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall. Parts of the Commons erupted into rare spontaneous applause in support of Mr Bercows statement. The intervention will cause headaches in Downing Street, where Theresa May has bent over backwards to rekindle the so-called special relationship with the US. Veteran Labour MP Dennis Skinner, speaking after Mr Bercows statement said: Further to that point of order: two words: well done. The Speaker said: We value our relationship with the United States. If a state visit takes place, that is way beyond and above the pay grade of the Speaker. However, as far as this place is concerned I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the House of Commons. Theresa May invited Mr Trump to make a state visit to the UK on her recent trip to the United States. She said he would fly to Britain before the end of the year. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and others have said that the visit should be cancelled until Mr Trump rescinds his Muslim ban on travellers from some countries. Whether the controversial president would address Parliament has been a particular source of contention. Foreign leaders on state visits sometimes address Westminster Hall, which lies in the House of Commons, or Royal Gallery in the House of Lords. Mr Trumps visit is fast emerging as a political minefield. His team are reportedly hoping avoid any meeting with Prince Charles, whose environmental campaigning might put him at odds with the president. Speaker John Bercow in the House of Commons (House of Commons) Mr Bercow said he was one of the three keyholders to Westminster Hall and also said he would not permit an invitation to the Royal Gallery in the House of Commons to be made in his name. He admitted that he would perhaps have a strong a say in that matter but said that customarily an invitation to a visiting leader to deliver an address there would be issued in the names of the two speakers. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters I would not wish to issue an invitation to President Trump to speak in the Royal Gallery, he concluded. The Speakers intervention is a particularly stunning development because the post is politically neutral. Mr Bercow was previously a Conservative MP before he was elected to the role; following convention he then gave up any party affiliation. Nearly two million people signed a petition calling for Mr Trump's state visit to be cancelled in just days after it was announced. MPs are to debate the issue in Westminster Hall. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Jeremy Corbyn is braced for a fresh rebellion this week over the partys stance on invoking Article 50 as the historic Article 50 bill reaches its final stages in the Commons. On a day in which one of his key allies, Diane Abbott, came under mounting pressure to quit after she abstained on the first vote last week due to a migraine, the Labour leader also refused to be drawn on whether he would discipline those who voted against triggering the mechanism for exiting the EU. The Independent understands Mr Corbyn is not likely to replace those who resigned from the shadow Cabinet after the leadership imposed a three-line whip until after the final reading and vote on Wednesday evening. It is expected that more MPs could join those who rebelled last week, if the party fails to secure some of its key amendments to the Governments EU withdrawal bill. One of the key demands includes securing the rights of EU citizens in the UK before Theresa May serves notice of Article 50 on her self-imposed March deadline. Recommended Corbyn refuses to say whether rebel frontbench members will keep jobs Clive Lewis, the shadow Business Secretary, who is tipped by some on the left of the party as a future leader, has indicated he could quit the front bench if Labours amendments in the Commons fall flat. But in an interview with The Independent Mr Corbyns closest ally in Westminster, the Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, remained optimistic and insisted the parliamentary party would unite once the bill cleared the Commons. Within 12 months, he suggested, Labour would close the poll gap and reverse the political situation in Britain as the Conservatives begin ripping themselves apart over Brexit. On Sunday it was suggested Ms Abbott, the shadow Home Secretary, who abstained on the vote last week due to illness, should resign from her high-profile post if she fails to back the leader in the coming days. There has been no suggestion from her aides that she intends to do so but Caroline Flint, a former shadow frontbencher, mocked Ms Abbott for having Brexit flu. If she cant support the leader on this then she should go, Ms Flint added on ITVs Peston on Sunday. Another Labour MP John Mann suggested she had bottled it and called for her to apologise. Harriet Harman, the former deputy leader of the party, however, defended Ms Abbott. She said she was ill and unable to vote and I think you just have to accept that, she added. It comes after yet another torrid week for the party, in which 47 MPs defied the leaderships three-line whip the strictest possible instruction in order to vote against the Governments EU withdrawal bill. The legislation, once it passes its hurdles in the Commons and the Lords, provides Theresa May with the power to serve notice of Article 50 the mechanism to trigger the Brexit negotiations to the 27 other EU leaders. Among those who rebelled against Mr Corbyns instruction were three shadow Cabinet members Jo Stevens, Rachael Maskell and Dawn Butler. All of have since resigned from their posts. A further 10 junior frontbenchers voted against the Governments bill and three party whips. No decision has yet been made on the fate of the rebels but the Labour leader has hinted they would retain their roles, adding he is a lenient person. Recommended Corbyn calls for Trump UK ban until Muslim country travel ban lifted Im talking to all of them, Mr Corbyn told BBC Radio 4s The World This Weekend before he visited a mosque in in the capital on Sunday. We will be announcing changes in the shadow Cabinet in the coming few days. Im a very lenient person, he added. Asked whether rebels would keep their jobs at the upcoming third reading, he replied: You are asking me a very hypothetical question here. I will be making an announcement during the week. Speaking to The Independent, Mr McDonnell added that the party abides by the parliamentary convention whereby if someone is in the shadow Cabinet and voted against it they resign. On the other ranks within the Parliamentary Labour Party, he added: The chief whip will report after the Commons stages of the bill itself and well take into account what his recommendations are. On Sunday, Emily Thonberry, the shadow Foreign Secretary, also hinted Labour would not attempt to block Article 50,even if the partys amendments did not get accepted in the Commons. Speaking on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show, Ms Thornberry said: We have said that we will not frustrate Brexit. We have got our instructions from the British people. We are democrats and the public have voted to leave the European Union. There are going to be negotiations happening in the next week. There are many ways in which the Government may be able to react to this that will be positive. On one of the amendments we have put down they may say: Were not going to support this amendment but during a speech we can give an assurance, we can speak in back channels, we can say you will get this. There will need to be back channels, private conversations. There are many conversations going on now. We are speaking to Government, we are speaking to Tory backbenchers and we are trying to get a compromise that will work. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images 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 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 MPs will have the chance to debate individual amendments in the coming days before a final seven-hour debate on Wednesday. It will end in a vote before the legislation is then passed to the House of Lords. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Nigel Farage admitted his marriage is going through "ups and downs" as he broke his silence over speculation about his private life. The former Ukip leader said he had been aware of recent press coverage about "a few personal difficulties that I've had with my marriage and my family and my relationships". Speaking on his LBC Radio show, Mr Farage said: "All of us in our lives go through ups and downs and I regret the down that I am in at the moment." His comments followed, his wife Kirsten Farage's admission that the couple had been living "separate lives" for some years after unconfirmed press reports that her husband was sharing a house in London with a female French politician. Laure Ferrari - who runs the Institute for Direct Democracy in Europe (IDDE) - has been living in the former Ukip leader's house in Chelsea for the past week, The Mail on Sunday reported at the weekend. Mr Farage told the newspaper he was helping her because she needed accommodation and had nowhere else to stay. "She is someone I have worked with and known well for a long time who wanted somewhere to stay for a week that wouldn't cost her any money. It's a working relationship," he was quoted as saying. The newspaper said Mr Farage told its reporters last month that he spent most weeknights at a "bachelor pad" and denied that he had split from his wife. Ms Ferrari, who became involved in politics as a result of a chance meeting with Mr Farage 10 years ago while she was working as a waitress in Strasbourg, said she had been forced to move out of her flat after the European Parliament stopped IDDE's funding. Key Faces of UKIP Show all 11 1 /11 Key Faces of UKIP Key Faces of UKIP Nigel Farage Getty Key Faces of UKIP United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) Migration spokesman Steven Woolfe addresses supporters and media personnel in central London Getty Key Faces of UKIP Robert Kilroy-Silk, former television presenter and newly elected member of the European Parliament for the UK Independence Party (UKIP), shows a placard against the European Constitution in front of the Houses of Parliament Getty Key Faces of UKIP Mark Reckless, Director of Policy Development addresses party members during the UK Independence Party annual conference at Doncaster Racecourse Getty Key Faces of UKIP Gerard Batten MEP poses with protesters outside parliament Creative Commons Key Faces of UKIP Diane James gives an address at the UKIP Autumn Conference in Bournemouth Getty Key Faces of UKIP Douglas Carswell MP speaks to party members and supporters during the UK Independence Party annual conference Getty Key Faces of UKIP Suzanne Evans, Deputy Party Chairman of UK Independence Party (UKIP) speaks during the launch of UKIP's election manifesto Getty Key Faces of UKIP Peter Whittle, the UK Independence Party Member of the London Assembly, is interviewed in central London Getty Key Faces of UKIP MEP Mike Hookem during a visit to Concept Metal Products & Co Ltd Getty Key Faces of UKIP Paul Nuttall, Deputy Leader of the UK Independence Party speaks at a Say NO, Believe in Britain debate at Carn Brea Leisure Centre in Pool near Redruthon Getty "I have no trustworthy friends in London who could have hosted me. I asked and he accepted. He is just trying to be helpful," she told the Mail on Sunday. German-born Ms Farage said the former Ukip leader had moved out of the family home in Kent "a while ago". "This is a situation that suits everyone and is not news to any of the people involved," she said in a statement. Before his radio appearance, Mr Farage was showered with eggs as he greeted Ukip leader Paul Nuttall near his campaign office in Stoke-on-Trent, where he is standing in the by-election this month. In November, the Electoral Commission announced it was opening an investigation into whether Ukip accepted "impermissible donations" from IDDE and the Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe (ADDE), the political party it is affiliated to. It followed an audit by the European Parliament which concluded that ADDE and IDDE used EU grant funding for the benefit of Ukip in breach of its rules. The claims have been strongly contested by Ukip. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Scottish Labour is to vote against invoking Article 50 in a symbolic vote, the partys leader has announced. In the non-binding vote on Britains withdrawal from the European Union on Tuesday at Holyrood the party, led by Kezia Dugdale, will go against the orders of Jeremy Corbyn. Writing for the website LabourList Ms Dugdale said while Scottish Labour accepted the result of referendum in June last year, we also know the people of Scotland did not vote for Theresa Mays hard Brexit and that no-one voted to become poorer. Recommended Corbyn braced for fresh Brexit rebellion A UK Labour Party spokesperson added: This is a matter for the Scottish Labour Party. The UK Labour Party has been clear that it will not frustrate Article 50. Labours amendments put jobs, living standards and the economy front and centre and are the real agenda now. On Tuesday, MSPs will vote on a Scottish Government motion arguing that the UK Government's European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) bill currently making its way through the Commons should not proceed. The move puts Ms Dugdale at odds with UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is facing a revolt by pro-Remain MPs - including the party's only Scottish MP Ian Murray - who are defying his leadership to vote against the bill at Westminster. As a result of the Supreme Court ruling last month, however, the debate in Holyrood is not legally binding. In her article Ms Dugdale continued: "While the Bill to leave the EU is still progressing through the House of Commons, Labour in Holyrood will send a clear message that we do not support a hard Brexit. The UK is leaving the European Union, but there is no reason why Scottish Labour and the Scottish Parliament should not give a voice to the wishes of the vast majority of Scottish people." Tomorrow there will be a non-binding vote in the Scottish Parliament on article 50, and we will vote to send a clear message to Theresa May. So Scottish Labour MSPs will vote against the triggering of article 50. The motion argues that UK ministers have "set out no provision for effective consultation with the devolved administrations on reaching an agreed UK approach to the negotiations on implementing Article 50". It adds that the UK Government "has refused to give a guarantee on the position of EU nationals in the UK, has left unanswered a range of detailed questions covering many policy areas regarding the full implications of withdrawal from the single market, and has provided no assurance that a future parliamentary vote on the outcome of the negotiations will be anything other than irrelevant". The death sentence is pending the non-binding consultative opinion of the countrys grand mufti Related Suspected killer of Alexandria liquor store owner detained 15 days pending investigation Police arrest man suspected of slaughtering Alexandria liquor store owner The Alexandria Criminal Court issued on Sunday a preliminary death sentence for the murderer of local liquore store owner Youssef Lamei. The death sentence is pending the non-binding consultative opinion of the countrys grand mufti, as per Egypt's penal code. Once the court issues the final verdict in the case, set for March 11, the defendant can appeal the verdict. Earlier last month, a 48 year-old suspect was arrested in the case, two days after a video of the attack went viral on social media in January. The video showed a bearded man slashing the storeowner's throat twice with a knife from behind while the victim was smoking a hookah in front of his store. Investigators said the suspect confessed to killing Lamei after viewing surveillance footage from the crime scene. The suspect said he had warned Lamei against selling alcohol multiple times, but that the victim had continued to do so, Al-Ahram Arabic website reported. Search Keywords: Short link: Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May has been urged by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pledge her support for renewed sanctions against Iran after the country test-fired a ballistic missile. Mr Netanyahs comments that Irans aggression cannot go unanswered came before he entered Downing Street for his first bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister. Last week Iran confirmed it carried out the ballistic test but insisted it did not violate the landmark nuclear deal reached with world powers. Hossein Dehghan, the Iranian defence minister, said at the time: The recent test was in line with our plans and we will not allow foreigners to interfere in our defence affairs." Mr Netanyahu took the unusual step of using the so-called "warm words" in front of the cameras, ahead of the formal discussions, to make clear he wants to see Britain take action against Iran. "We face challenges, that's very clear, from militant Islam and especially from Iran, he said. "Iran seeks to annihilate Israel, it seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the West, it threatens the world. And it offers provocation after provocation. "That's why I welcome (US) President Trump's assistance of new sanctions against Iran, I think other nations should follow suit, certainly responsible nations. "And I'd like to talk to you about how we can ensure that Iran's aggression does not go unanswered." Before the meeting between the two Prime Ministers began, however, there was an awkward moment due to the early arrival of Mr Netanyahu at Downing Street. He arrived two minutes before schedule and Ms May failed to meet him outside the door of Number 10, leaving him in the street for around 15 seconds before he entered alone. But the pair emerged around two minutes later to shake hands in front of the assembled media from Britain and Israel. Downing Street said Ms May had planned to meet him outside but his slightly early arrival and a mix-up inside Number 10 meant the photo opportunity did not progress as planned. The Prime Minister is also under pressure to raise the issue of Israeli settlement building on occupied Palestinian land something Britain has long opposed. However Jeremy Corbyn said that was "simply not good enough" and called on the Prime Minister to stand up for Palestinian rights in her meeting with Mr Netanyahu. Speaking ahead of the visit the Labour leader said: "When Theresa May meets the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tomorrow, she has let it be known she will tell him that building settlements on occupied Palestinian land undermines trust. "That is simply not good enough. The Israeli governments decision to build 3,000 new settlement homes in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem is illegal under international law and a threat to peace and international security. "It undermines still further the prospect of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, about which the Netanyahu government is increasingly contemptuous. "Fifty years after the United Nations demanded Israeli withdrawal from the territories occupied in the 1967 war and 70 years after the UN voted for the creation of a Palestinian state, the British government must act in support of peace and justice in the Middle East conflict. "Theresa May must make clear to the Israeli Prime Minister that the British government will stand unequivocally behind the rights of the Palestinian people, along with the many who support them in Israel, as well as human rights and justice across the region. "She must also demand an assurance from the Israeli Prime Minister that the improper interference by the Israeli embassy in British democratic politics exposed last month will not be repeated." Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May has stood firm in her commitment to the Iranian nuclear deal despite pressure from the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for fresh sanctions on Tehran. In a visit to Downing Street just days after Iran test-fired a ballistic missile Mr Netanyahu said responsible nations should follow Donald Trumps lead to head of Iranian aggression. The President has recently described the deal brokered by his predecessor Barack Obama as the worst deal ever negotiated. But speaking in the Commons shortly after the two leaders met at Number 10 for their first bilateral meeting, Ms May made no mention of further sanctions against Tehran. We continue to believe the Iran nuclear deal was an important step forward and important contribution to stability in the region and we continue to support it, she said. Recommended May urged to back fresh sanctions against Iran by Netanyahu In a briefing of the meeting a Downing Street spokesperson added: On Iran, the Prime Minister was clear that the nuclear deal is vital and must be properly enforced and policed, while recognising concerns about Irans pattern of destabilising activity in the region. Speaking in front of TV cameras as they began talks at Number 10, the Israeli PM - who is due to meet Mr Trump in Washington next week - told Mrs May: "Iran seeks to annihilate Israel, it seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the West, it threatens the world. And it offers provocation after provocation. "That's why I welcome President Trump's insistence on new sanctions against Iran. I think other nations should follow suit, certainly responsible nations. "And I'd like to talk to you about how we can ensure that Iran's aggression does not go unanswered." Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu meets Theresa May The international nuclear deal, under which sanctions were lifted in return for Tehran giving up its military nuclear ambitions, had "neutralised the possibility of the Iranians acquiring nuclear weapons for more than a decade", added the PM's spokeswoman. Ms May made clear that her top priority for the talks was strengthening trade and investment links ahead of Brexit as well as exploring the potential for a deeper commercial relationship after the UK has left the EU. She said she believed there was "much more we can do" and it was important to look at how "we can build that relationship". They agreed to set up a new UK-Israel trade working group, with trade minister Lord Price to visit Israel soon to take discussions forward. And the PM invited Mr Netanyahu to return to Britain later this year for events to mark the 100th anniversary of Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour's 1917 declaration of UK support for the establishment of a Jewish homeland. Last week Iran confirmed it carried out the ballistic test but insisted it did not violate the landmark nuclear deal reached with world powers. Hossein Dehghan, the Iranian defence minister, said at the time: The recent test was in line with our plans and we will not allow foreigners to interfere in our defence affairs. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May has insisted she has a mandate to impose the hardest possible Brexit, potentially imposing huge tariffs on businesses trying to sell in the EU. Ahead of further debate on the Article 50 Bill, the Prime Minister said she had the authority to pull out with no fresh trade deal, if necessary forcing Britain onto World Trade Organisation (WTO) tariffs. Before the referendum, the Treasury warned that falling back on those tariffs would trigger an economic slump, forecasting a 7.5 per cent hit to GDP by 2030. For that reason, some alarmed Conservative MPs will vote with Labour tomorrow to try to force a meaningful vote on the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, in 2019. They want it to be early enough for the Prime Minister to be required to go back and seek better terms from the EU if there is no agreement, or if MPs reject the terms she has reached. It has been suggested that, if defeated in Parliament on her exit terms, Ms May would call a snap general election to win a mandate directly from voters. But, asked if she had a mandate for WTO tariffs, the Prime Ministers official spokeswoman said: There was a decision put to the British people, do you want to stay in the EU or do you want to leave. And it came back very clearly that people wanted to leave the EU so, yes, the PM has a mandate to deliver on the decision of the British people. However, the spokeswoman suggested WTO tariffs would not be necessary, adding: We are approaching this with a view that we are going to make as success of this and that we can achieve the right deal for Britain in the negotiations. She also refused to give ground on Opposition demands for the final vote to be before any agreement is debated and voted upon by the European Parliament. It was expected to be at the outcome of the negotiations, as the process is being taken forward both here and in the EU, she said. Asked in what way no deal could be better than a bad deal, Ms Mays spokeswoman pointed to the central aims of regaining control of immigration and law-making, while getting the best possible comprehensive trading deal. The spokeswoman also hinted that the Prime Minister was unlikely to accept any of the amendments that will be tabled to the Article 50 Bill over the next two days. She said: We've been very clear, we think this should be a straightforward bill about giving the Government the power to deliver on the decision of the British people. MPs will debate the Article 50 Bill at its detailed committee stage for the next two days, before a vote on its third and final reading at 7pm on Wednesday. Flashpoints will come tonight over whether the Government must report back regularly to Parliament on the status of the negotiations and over Brexits impact on the devolved nations. Tomorrow, Labour and the Tory rebels will attempt to force an early meaningful vote on the outcome and the Liberal Democrats will push for a further referendum on the exit terms before Brexit is completed. On Wednesday, Ms May will come under pressure to guarantee the rights of 3m EU citizens in Britain - before the negotiations get underway. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May must match her promise to end the stigma around mental health problems with tangible action, the head of Labours mental health campaign has said. Calls for the Government to honour its pledges came as it emerged the number of unexpected patient deaths reported by mental health trusts in England has risen by 50 per cent in three years. Luciana Berger called the figures, obtained by the BBC through Freedom of Information requests, tragic and unacceptable. We have a mental health crisis in our country and we need tangible action from the government, at the very least to deliver on the promises theyve made thus far, she told The Independent. Weve seen a measurable reduction around the stigma, taboo around mental health. That is an important goal, but its not going to solve our nations mental health crisis. There were 3,160 deaths by suicide, neglect and misadventure reported by trusts in 2015-16, up from 2,067 in 2012-13, according to the BBCs Panorama programme. Theresa May dodges question on 'theft' of child mental health funding More than half of Englands mental health trusts provided the data to the broadcaster, which also revealed funding to the trusts has been cut by 150m over the past four years. The Department of Health attributed the increase in unexpected mental health deaths to improvements in the way they are reported. This increase in the number of deaths is to be expected because the NHS is very deliberately improving the way such events are recorded and investigated following past failings from April all NHS Trusts will be required to publish both numbers of avoidable deaths and how they are improving care, said a department spokesperson. But in response to this, Ms Berger said: I dont think you can account for a 50 per cent increase by way of a change in reporting, citing the high number of deaths reported by Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust, which campaigners have attributed to budget cuts. There needs to be a shift in how we look after people to how we keep people well; to how we prevent mental ill health, she said. All the focus, attention and resource goes into what we do when individuals are in a crisis. That doesnt help them, its incredibly expensive, and its one of the reasons I believe were seeing people taking their own lives. William Doan's art tackling mental health Show all 13 1 /13 William Doan's art tackling mental health William Doan's art tackling mental health William Doan's art tackling mental health William Doan's art tackling mental health William Doan's art tackling mental health William Doan's art tackling mental health William Doan's art tackling mental health William Doan's art tackling mental health William Doan's art tackling mental health William Doan's art tackling mental health William Doan's art tackling mental health William Doan's art tackling mental health William Doan's art tackling mental health William Doan's art tackling mental health The Prime Minister has pledged new initiatives for schools and employers to provide mental health support, as well as plans for new alternatives to hospital treatment. But barely any extra funding was promised to improve mental health services, with an extra 15m, around 23,000 per parliamentary constituency, dedicated to creating places of safety. Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of mental health charity Sane, said a lack of hospital beds and pressures facing community mental health teams may have led to an increase in unexpected mental health deaths. The Government has claimed it is spending more money on mental health than ever before, but according to professionals, little of this is reaching the frontline as it is not ring-fenced and instead seeps into other areas of the general health budget, she said. We also believe that while mentally ill people are turned away from A&E, have to be sectioned for treatment, or shunted around the country like unwanted parcels in order to find an available bed, the number of unexplained deaths will continue to rise. According to think tank the Health Foundation, funding to mental health trusts has fallen despite a rise in national health spending of 8m, reported the BBC, although these figures were also disputed by the Department of Health. "We also dispute the funding figures used in this programme just this year, mental health spending by CCGs has gone up by 342m, which is on top of an extra 1.4bn allocated in this Parliament, they said. Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb, who served as care minister in the last coalition government, said hundreds of millions of pounds earmarked for childrens mental health care but spent on plugging gaps left by cuts amounted to theft. Much of the additional 1.4bn of funding secured for child mental health care is being diverted to prop up other services. This amounts to theft of money intended to improve the lives of vulnerable young people, he said following Ms Mays speech. Sadly, mental health is often the first area which loses out when budgets are tight. Unless the government addresses the funding crisis facing the NHS and ensures extra investment gets through to where it's needed, we will not see the improvements in mental health care that are so badly needed. NHS England said since 2004 the rate of suicide among people in mental health services had fallen by more than 30 per cent. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The owner of a popular restaurant destroyed by fire vowed to continue his charitable work of serving 2,000 free meals a day to needy children. Nobody was hurt in the blaze early Saturday that gutted the Anaheim White House in California's Orange County, an ornate Italian establishment that's been home to white tablecloth celebrations for decades. Owner and philanthropist Bruno Serato fought back tears as he surveyed the destruction at the restaurant he took over in 1987. "This is the saddest day of my life," he told the Orange County Register. "It's just like the death of my mom. I'm heartbroken." Mr Serato used the White House kitchen to prepare hot pasta lunches and dinners for underprivileged kids, as part of his charity, Caterina's Club, named for his late mother. The charity, which earned him a Papal blessing, feeds 2,000 children a day across 15 cities and 35 locations nationwide. Mr Serato, who came to the US from Italy and started out as a busboy, said he's had calls from local kitchens offering their facilities to continue the charitable work. The cause of the fire was under investigation. Investigators estimated more than a $1 million (803,000) in damage, but the century-old structure appears to be salvageable, Anaheim Police spokesman Daron Wyatt said. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trumps team cannot find the light switches to the cabinet room in which they conduct their meetings, and have to speak in the dark and feel their way out of the room, according to a report that sheds interesting detail on life inside the White House. The claim has, inevitably, provoked mockery from those close to the previous administration. Pete Souza, photographer to Barack Obama, said on Twitter: The light switch is on the wall right by the door. And Ronald Klain, aide to former Vice President Joe Biden, tweeted: Remember the memes about VP Biden leaving a stumper for Trump? Well, light switch for the cabinet room was by the door last time I saw it. The unusual way of working was reported by the New York Times, which has spoken to dozens of White House insiders to paint a picture of a President who has apparently shown little change in behaviour since his campaign. Aside from difficulties with the electrics, Mr Trump is apparently missing the validation from his cheering supporters on the campaign trail and has become disappointed with a tide of bad publicity following the implementation of his travel ban. The Super Bowl ad that was censored because of Trump The Presidents consumption of TV news in his dressing gown or over dinner - also emerged as a key trait of Mr Trump. He also routinely goes through new clips about himself with his Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, outlining in marker pen stories he doesnt like. As his immediate family remain in New York, Mr Trump is often by himself when not working and the only family photo on his desk is reportedly a portrait of his venerated father, Frederick Christ Trump. He is also reputed to have little patience for detailed policy documents. Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Show all 28 1 /28 Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Dave Brown Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Brian Adcock Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Christian Adams for Daily Telegraph Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Martin Rowson for The Guardian Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Christian Adams for Daily Telegraph Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Morten Morland for The Times Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Bob Moran for Daily Telegraph Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Christian Adams for Daily Telegraph Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Morten Morland for The Times Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' KAL for The Economist Trumped! The best cartoons on 'The Donald' Martin Rowson for The Guardian This lack of interest in legislation cost him after the bitter blowback from the travel ban interpreted by many people to be a Muslim ban which he was not involved in drafting. He also seemingly wasn't fully briefed on the executive order he signed that elevated Steve Bannon to the National Security Council. Mr Trump has now ordered that he should be involved in developing executive orders earlier in the process. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Before taking office, President Trump promised to place his assets in a trust designed to erect a wall between him and the businesses that made him wealthy. But newly released documents show that Trump himself is the sole beneficiary of the trust and that it is legally controlled by his oldest son and a longtime employee. The documents, obtained through a public records request by the investigative news service ProPublica and first reported by the New York Times, also show that Trump retains the legal power to revoke the trust at any time. The documents were filed to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board in Washington to alert the board that oversees liquor licenses at Trumps DC hotel of the change in the business. The documents show that Donald Trump Jr, the presidents eldest son, and Allen Weisselberg, the Trump Organizations chief financial officer, were placed in legal control of the trust on 19 January, one day before Trump took office. But they outline that the trusts purpose is to hold assets for the exclusive benefit of Donald J Trump, who has the power to revoke the Trust. The records provide documentary evidence of what ethics experts have been warning about since before Trump took office. While Trump has promised he will observe a separation between his business and the presidency, he retains ownership of the business and will personally benefit if the business profits from decisions made by his government. Further, the business will be run by family members who remain the most trusted members of Trumps inner circle, raising questions about whether Trumps promises to limit communication about the businesss fate are realistic. What Im going to be doing is my two sons, who are right here, Don and Eric, are going to be running the company, Trump had said at a news conference shortly before taking office. They are going to be running it in a very professional manner. Theyre not going to discuss it with me. Less than two weeks after returning to their New York City home following their fathers inauguration, Donald Trump Jr and his brother Eric Trump, also assigned to run the business, were back in Washington this week to attend the announcement of Trumps nominee to the Supreme Court. Trump Organization representatives did not respond for comment about the documents Saturday. The trust also does not dissolve other potential conflicts, including his title as executive producer of the NBC competition reality show Celebrity Apprentice. He recently made headlines for criticizing the shows new host, former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, at the National Prayer Breakfast. NBC representatives have not said whether Trump will be compensated for that role, or how much. But executive producers are traditionally paid, even when only retaining a passive credit. The trust document obtained by ProPublica is attached to license filings tied to Trumps Washington hotel, and it remains unclear whether other Trump businesses are governed under the same trust. The company has declined multiple requests to provide company trust agreements that could provide more clarity. In recent weeks, corporate filings have documented that the Trump Organization has been removing the president as an officer or director of the more than 400 entities registered across the country associated with the organization. The Trump Organization also provided a list, signed by Trump on the day before his inauguration, of more than 400 companies from which he had agreed to resign. Other companies have been dissolved in recent months, the company said. Those resignations provide evidence the president no longer has official management responsibilities in the businesses, as he and his attorney pledged during a news conference last month. Still, Trump will continue to profit from their success. The company has also named Bobby Burchfield, a veteran Republican lawyer who has advised both Bush presidential teams, to serve as an outside ethics adviser, indicating that some corporate transactions would not be undertaken without his sign-off. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters The question of Trumps continued ownership stake has been particularly nettlesome at his Washington hotel, which is located in the Old Post Office building and is owned by the federal government. The terms of the 2013 lease agreement with the General Services Administration prohibit any elected official from benefiting from the property. It is not yet clear whether placing his shares in the hotel under the control of the trust will provide sufficient legal separation to satisfy the terms of the lease. The GSA, which controls the lease, indicated on Jan. 27 that it had received new information from the Trump Organization and was reviewing and evaluating this information to assess its compliance with the terms and conditions of the Old Post Office lease. Congressional Democrats, including Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (Md.), have been pressing the GSA to conclude that the Trump Organization is out of compliance with the lease. This legal concoction from President Trumps lawyers does nothing to address his conflicts of interest or the breach of the lease for his hotel, Cummings said in a statement. (C) Washington Post Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} In his ongoing quest to delegitimise the news media, President Donald Trump incorrectly claimed that the press is somehow involved in covering up terrorist attacks. Speaking to military leaders at US Central Command, Mr Trump defended his executive order to ban immigration and travel from seven majority-Muslim countries which was blocked by a federal judge late last week. But Mr Trump insists the ban is meant to protect the country from terrorist attacks, despite an already exhaustive vetting process for immigrants and refugees entering the US. Youve seen what happened in Paris and Nice. All over Europe its happening, he said. Its gotten to a point where its not even being reported. And in many cases, the very, very dishonest press doesnt want to report it. They have their reasons, and you understand that. Mr Trumps boastful lie that the US press failed to cover terrorist attacks ignores the hours and days of wall-to-wall coverage of both of the attacks he cited. The false remark follows comments from senior adviser Kellyanne Conway, who made a similar fake claim that the press ignored the so-called Bowling Green massacre an attack which never occurred. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters I bet its brand-new information to people that President Obama had a six-month ban on the Iraqi refugee programme after two Iraqis came here to this country, were radicalised, and were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre, she told MSNBC. Most people dont know that because it didnt get covered. What actually happened was two Iraqi nationals living in Bowling Green, Kentucky, were arrested by federal officials in 2011. They were accused of sending materials for explosives to Al-Qaeda operatives overseas. There was never an attack on US soil. As a result, Mr Obama issued a temporary delay not a ban on processing of Iraqi refugees for six months. Iraqi refugees were still admitted to the US during that six-month period. Ms Conway who had referenced the fictional attack once before said she misspoke. But Mr Trump the President of the United States is not likely to issue even a perfunctory correction. Over the weekend, Mr Trump doubled down on his attack of US judge James Robert, after he issued the temporary block of the travel ban. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril," he wrote, tweeting while on vacation at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. "If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" As he continues to earn criticism from the press, the judiciary, and the American people, it appears he will continue to resort to using unsubstantiated claims or lies as his first line of defence. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Alleged human rights abuses by Donald Trump's new administration are being recorded in detail by a new internet tool created one of America's most prestigious universities. The "Trump Human Rights Tracker" was designed by the Human Rights Law Review (HRLR), a journal produced by Columbia University, which sits among most highly respected legal institutions in the world. After it launched last week, global interest in in the tool was so great that its server crashed. "As soon as Trump became President, his administration immediately threatened womens rights, immigrants rights, and indigenous rights, and so many more, Julia Sherman, HRLR editor, told The Independent. Judge James Robart blocks Trump's travel ban We felt that we were being blindsided. So we designed the Trump Human Rights Tracker to monitor the full scope of human rights being attacked in a way that would be easy for everyone to understand. While many of the events it records have been well covered by the media, the tracker is focused on clearly documenting of the Trump administrations actions from a human rights angle, she said. Ms Sherman added: With each day bringing fresh news of a damaging initiative by the President of the United States, it is difficult to keep up with all that the new administration is doing that threatens human rights. By bringing together all the potential violations in one place, we hope to document and monitor the wide range of human rights being undermined by this administration at home and abroad. The tracker is being produced in collaboration with faculty and students at the universitys specialist human rights bodies. Sarah Knuckey, director of Columbias Human Rights Clinic, said the huge interest showed just how widespread the concerns are about what Trump is doing. She added it demonstrated peoples motivation to stay informed and fight to protect our rights. The tracker also explains why the actions are allegedly a breach of human rights and which particular rights have been violated.Links to further reading on the topic are also included. Regularly updated, the tracker can be found here. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters It's first entry was recorded three days after Mr Trumps inauguration on 23 January, when he signed a Presidential Memorandum reinstating and expanding the global gag rule. Also known as the Mexico City Policy, the action blocks US federal funding for non-governmental organisations that provide abortion counselling or referrals, advocate to decriminalise abortion or expand abortion services. The tracker outlines the three rights issues the HRLR claims the global gag rule affects: Undermining womens rights. Risking womens right to health. Risking womens right to life. The Presidents travel ban on citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries - an issue which is still being fought by the judiciary - is also documented by the tracker. According to the HRLR, the travel ban: Violates the right to non-discrimination. Threatens the right to freedom of religion. Undermines the right to education. Undermines the right to a family life. A legal battle over the travel ban is still ongoing. Over the weekend, a federal judge in Washington State issued an order halting the implementation of Mr Trump's executive order. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} President Donald Trump criticised the federal judge who halted his executive order that temporarily banned travel and immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The signing of the order more than a week ago resulted in global confusion as hundreds of travellers and visa-holding immigrants were detained in airports across the US. It sparked massive protests and several lawsuits against the Trump administration. His first major defeat as president, Mr Trump did not take news of the restraining order against his action well, and wrongly suggested that any future attack on the US would be the result of the court's action. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril," he wrote, tweeting while on vacation at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. "If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" He added that the courts were making the Department of Homeland Security's job "very difficult". Mr Trump's Twitter attack follows Judge James Robart's blocking of the executive order, plunging the new administration into a crisis and challenging the President's authority which is not immune to the Judicial Branch of the government. However, the Trump administration argued to the contrary in their appeal over the weekend. Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban Show all 11 1 /11 Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Activists protest Donald Trump's proposed Muslim ban People listen to speakers at a demonstration against racism and conservative presidential candidate Donald Trump's recent remarks concerning Muslims on December 10, 2015 in New York City. Dozens or demonstrators and activists converged at Columbus Circle to denounce the politics of Trump and the treatment of Muslim refugees both in America and Europe. Spencer Platt/Getty Acting Solicitor General Noel Francisco argued that presidential authority is "largely immune from judicial control" regarding immigration to the US. But the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco did not agree with that assessment and denied the Justice Department's request to stay the Mr Robart's decision. The state of Washington was the first to file a lawsuit against the executive order, over which Mr Robart a George W Bush appointee presided. In his order, Mr Robart said the states "have met their burden of demonstrating that they face immediate and irreparable injury as a result of the signing and implementation of the Executive Order". Mr Robart added it is not the court's job to "create policy or judge the wisdom of any particular policy promoted by the other two branches," but rather to make sure that an action taken by the government "comports with our country's laws". Donald Trump fights back after judge blocks his travel ban The President was quick to condemn the judge's decision on Twitter. "The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!" he said. The President's executive order sought to ban all travel from Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Sudan, and Somalia for 90 days. It placed a 120-day ban on refugee admittance from six of those countries, while placing an indefinite halt to acceptance of Syrian refugees. It also resulted in the revocation of at least 60,000 visas, according to the State Department. The Department of Justice, however, had said that as many as 100,000 had been revoked. Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson celebrated the judge's decision on Friday. "The Constitution prevailed today," he told reporters. "No one is above the law not even the President." A Cairo court for urgent matters designated on Monday a group calling itself the Popular Resistance a terrorist organisation. In May 2016, the group claimed responsibility for the killing of eight policemen in the Cairo suburb of Helwan. The same attack was later claimed by the Islamic State militant group. The Popular Resistance, which was formed in 2014, first gained widespread attention in June 2015 when it claimed responsibility for the murder of the country's chief prosecutor Hisham Barakat in Cairo. Since 2013, the Egyptian government has linked most of the militant groups in the country to the banned Muslim Brotherhood organisation. Egypt's government declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organisation in late 2013 following a number of deadly attacks on security forces the government blamed on the group in the aftermath of the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. Search Keywords: Short link: Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has declared his strong support for Nato in his most forceful backing yet for an organisation he once branded obsolete. It comes as the US President is set for a showdown in Brussels in the spring when he meets other Nato leaders, many of whom he has lambasted for not spending enough on defence. Speaking during his first visit to the headquarters of US Central Command in Tampa, Florida, Mr Trump said he now strongly supported the bloc. The US President, who once dismissed the trans-Atlantic alliance as irrelevant and out of date, said he would decide whether to protect Nato countries against Russian aggression based on whether those countries "have fulfilled their obligations to us". The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters But in an apparent U-turn, Mr Trump gave his full backing for the bloc. It followed a claim by Theresa May during her visit to Washington in January that Mr Trump had pledged his 100 per cent backing for the alliance. Earlier, it emerged that the former reality TV host would be attending a Nato summit in Brussels in May. Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke with Mr Trump by phone to confirm the visit the second conversation between the two men since the 20 January inauguration. A statement said: Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had a phone conversation with US President Donald J Trump on Sunday evening, where they reconfirmed the importance of the alliance in troubled times. They reviewed progress on the fight against terrorism and on Nato defence spending, and stressed the need for continued efforts to ensure fair burden-sharing among all Nato Allies. They also discussed the uptick in violence in eastern Ukraine, and prospects for a peaceful settlement. The Secretary General recalled Nato's consistent policy of strong defence and dialogue with Russia." The issue of defence spending among Nato allies has taken on a renewed importance since the election of Mr Trump. He has railed against Nato allies who fail to spend two per cent of their GDP on defence. Theresa May used a recent EU summit to press Nato members to meet the target, presumably in a bid to maintain US support for the alliance. Five countries spend at least two per cent: the US, the UK, Greece, Poland and Estonia. James Mattis says Putin's threat to Nato is biggest threat since WWII Mr Trump said as recently as January that Nato was obsolete. "I said a long time ago that NATO had problems," he said. "Number one, it was obsolete, because it was designed many, many years ago. "Number two, the countries weren't paying what they're supposed to be paying. That approach put him on a collision course with his defence secretary pick, James Mattis, who is a vocal supporter of Nato. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has hit out at recent polls suggesting he has one of the worst early approval ratings in US history, saying that "any negative polls are fake news". A CNN/ORC International poll released on Friday found Mr Trump had the lowest approval rating of any new President, at 44 per cent. Mr Trump wrote on Twitter: "Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting." In a second tweet he continued to rail against the "FAKE NEWS media" which he accused of spreading "lies". "I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it," he wrote. Another survey carried out over the weekend by Gallup, which has polled for every US president since Dwight D Eisenhower, put his approval rating even lower, at 42 per cent. His disapproval rating also jumped from 50 to 53 per cent. Gallup said it was a record low for a president just two weeks into office. By comparison, Barack Obama polled around 76 per cent after his first 14 days in charge the highest of any recent president while George W Bush was on 58 per cent and Bill Clinton achieved 59 per cent. Mr Trump faced an angry backlash to a string of executive orders he signed in the first days of his presidency, with opposition to his travel ban on seven majority-Muslim countries and the promise to build a wall between the US and Mexico triggering the fiercest public outrage. The CNN poll also found that the number of people who disagreed strongly with the new Presidents actions was almost as large as the total number who approved. However, the survey did show a slight improvement on polling carried out before his inauguration in mid-January, when he was on a 40 per cent approval rating. On the economy and national security, a majority of those polled said they approved of Mr Trumps policies. President Donald Trump lashes out at US judge on Twitter But on each of the other questions put to the sample, from terrorism and immigration to health care and foreign affairs, a majority said they disapproved of his administrations policies. Around a third of those asked said they would like to see the so-called Muslim ban expanded, but 53 per cent opposed it entirely. And almost half of respondents said it harmed American values and would make the country less safe from terrorism. The President regularly cited polling by all the major stations during his election campaign, and once claimed to have "won" a CBS post-debate poll when no such poll had taken place. And he has previously admitted to being selective about his faith in political surveys. In October last year he said: "When we do badly, I don't talk about the polls. When we're doing well, I talk about the polls." Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Several senior Republicans have condemned Donald Trump after he mounted a defence of "killer" Vladimir Putin and publicly attacked judges who blocked his "Muslim travel ban". In an interview with Fox News broadcast before the Super Bowl, Mr Trump suggested he thinks the US and Russia are morally equivalent. When asked by host Bill O'Reilly if he respects Mr Putin, Mr Trump replied: "I do respect him." He said he thought it was better to get along with Russia because they could help in the fight against Isis. But "Putin's a killer," Mr O'Reilly said. Mr Trump replied: "There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. "What do you think, our country's so innocent?" His comments were quickly attacked by Republicans. "He's a thug," Senata majority leader Mitch McConnell told CNN's State of the Union. "The Russians annexed Crimea, invaded Ukraine and messed around in our elections. "No, I don't think there's any equivalency between the way Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does." Senator Mark Rubio tweeted: "When has a Democrat political activists [sic] been poisoned by the GOP, or vice versa? We are not the same as Putin." He added: "Only reason we should ever lift sanctions on Putin is if he meets conditions of sanctions and ends violations of Ukraine sovereignty." Representative Liz Cheney tweeted to say Mr Trump's statement was "deeply troubling and wrong." However, Vice President Mike Pence defended the president on NBC's Meet the Press. When asked whether Mr Trump was creating a "moral equivalency" between the US and Russia, he replied: "No, not in the least. President Trump has been willing to be critical of our countrys actions in the past." Mr Pence added: "But what youre hearing there is a determination by the president of the United States to not let semantics or the arguments of the past get in the way of exploring the ability to work together with Russia and with President Putin in the days ahead. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters When asked to elaborate about his respect for Mr Putin in his interview with Fox News, Mr Trump said: "Well, I respect a lot of people but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with him. He's a leader of his country. I say it's better to get along with Russia than not. "And if Russia helps us in the fight against Isis, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world, that's a good thing. "Will I get along with him? I have no idea." On Sunday, Mr Trump criticised the federal judge who halted his executive order that temporarily banned travel and immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The signing of the order more than a week ago resulted in global confusion as hundreds of travellers and visa-holding immigrants were detained in airports across the US. It sparked massive protests and several lawsuits against the Trump administration. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril," he wrote, tweeting from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. "If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" He added that the courts were making the Department of Homeland Security's job "very difficult". It follows a similar attack against another judge, James Robart, who initially blocked the executive order. Mr Trump's outburst against the judiciary have brought a stinging rebuke from Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader. 'I think it is best not to single out judges for criticism,' he told CNN's Jake Tapper on State of the Union. 'We all get disappointed from time to time at the outcome in courts on things that we care about. But I think it is best to avoid criticising judges individually.' Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Amid signs that Donald Trump began his presidency with the same chaotic operation that marked his campaign, a report has claimed he was not even aware he was elevating Steve Bannon to a senior security post when he signed one of several executive orders. Since Mr Trumps inauguration on January 20, reports have emerged of a White House West Wing marked by confusion and unpreparedness - alongside intense turf battles being fought by his top officials. One of the results of this has been a number of leaks from the White House, about the various maneuverings of such top officials, and their varying ascendance and descent. A report in in the New York Times, which paints a picture of chief-of-staff Reince Priebus trying to assert greater control, says he has set in place a set of checks and processes before new policies and Executive Orders are issued. This was done following the backlash over the haphazard and chaotic rollout of the order halting the refugee programme and suspending travel for people from seven Middle Eastern and North African countries. Donald Trump's closest advisor Steve Bannon thinks there will be war with China in the next few years It said Mr Trump would be looped in on the drafting of orders much earlier in the process. Remarkably, the report says, Mr Trump was not fully briefed on details of the order he signed giving his chief strategist, Mr Bannon, a seat on the National Security Council. Mr Bannon, the former editor of Breitbart News, is a white nationalist who has pushed Mr Trump to take up such issues - both during the presidential campaign and since entering the White House. Mr Bannon has no experience in government or in foreign policy. As a result, many were startled when Mr Bannon was elevated to the National Security Councils principals committee, the top interagency group for discussing national security. The order, issued last month, also appeared to demote the director of National Intelligence and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in regard to their position on the NSC. The order said that the two officials will attend the principals committee meetings only when issues pertaining to their responsibilities and expertise are to be discussed. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A flight attendant rescued a victim of human trafficking after she spotted the girl looking dishevelled on a plane accompanied by a well-dressed man. Sheila Frederick, 49, was working on an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to San Francisco when she noticed the girl, who looked around 14 or 15 years old, and immediately knew something was wrong, according to 10 News. Something in the back of my mind said something was not right. He was well-dressed. Thats what got me because I thought why is he well-dressed and she is looking all dishevelled and out of sorts? Ms Frederick told the programme. When she tried to speak with the two passengers, the man reportedly became defensive and the girl wouldn't engage in conversation. Ms Frederick said she subsequently left a note for the teenager in the plane's toilet, which she later responded to with the message: I need help. The flight attendant informed pilots who were then able to communicate the message to police in San Francisco, and the man was arrested when the flight landed. It comes amid increased efforts since 2009 to train American flight staff to recognise signs of human trafficking and flag them up. Common signs include someone who appears to be being controlled, is battered or wont answer questions or make eye contact. Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder Show all 6 1 /6 Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder A fake Tinder profile The initial picture looks like a typical Tinder profile picture Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder A fake Tinder profile Another "normal" Tinder profile picture Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder A fake Tinder profile As users swipe through, suddenly the woman in the picture looks much younger Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder A fake Tinder profile The woman in the profile picture looks unhappy and child-like and become less like typical Tinder profiles Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder A fake Tinder profile As users continue to swipe through they will reach the message of the campaign Anti-sex trafficking campaign on Tinder A fake Tinder profile The fake profile ends with this image Emphasising the importance of such training, Ms Frederick added: I've been a flight attendant for 10 years and it's like I am going all the way back to when I was in training and I was like, I could have seen these young girls and young boys and didn't even know. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement are reported to have arrested 2,000 human traffickers and identified 400 victims last year. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Israeli company that built Israels border fence wit Gaza is now seeking to build Donald Trumps planned wall between the US and Mexico. Magal Security Systems presented its Fiber Patrol product at a conference on border security, attended by officials from the US Department of Homeland Security, Bloomberg reported. The company, which previously built Israels West Bank security wall, showed US officials its fibre-optic sensor fencing, which it says is already used at airports and seaports around the world. The barrier-building business has seen its shares soar by nearly 50 per cent since Mr Trumps election, Bloomberg reports. We have the right product and we have the experience in Israel that helps in showcasing our product, the companys chief executive Saar Koursh told the news agency. Magal Security Systems also helped build a fence along Israels border with Egypt and in Somalia and other countries in Africa. President of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu previously tweeted about his support for Mr Trumps wall on the border with Mexico. President Trump is right. I built a wall along Israel's southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea, he tweeted. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said there might not be a physical structure all along the border but surveillance technology, including sensor products, will be used in some places. The President has repeatedly said he would build a "big, beautiful wall" all the way across the US-Mexico border, and force the latter country to pay for it. But Mexico has said that it will refuse to pay for any wall the costs of which are expected to be in the tens of billions. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters The barrier between the US and Mexico already relies heavily on sensor technology and cameras that are watched by the US Border Patrol to identify anyone attempting to cross. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Kellyanne Conway has spoken out clarify her notorious Bowling Green Massacre comments and called her critics haters. Ms Conway, President Trump's former campaign manager and now political adviser, was widely derided last week after she referred to a terrorist attack that never happened. She told MSNBC that Iraqi refugees committed a massacre within the United States but most people didnt know about it because it didnt get covered by the media. Kellyanne Conway refers to fictitious 'Bowling Green massacre' to justify refugee ban This non-event was cited as a justification for Mr Trump's controversial travel ban, intended to bar US entry to the citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries. In fact, there was never a terrorist attack in Bowling Green, Kentucky. However, there was a plot by two Iraqis living in the town to supply al-Qaeda with guns and money. Speaking to Fox about the remarks, Ms Conway said she made a mistake: There was a plot. Theyre masterminds. I should have said 'plot,' and I should have said terrorists. "I clarified immediately, I should have said 'terrorists' and not 'massacre'. I misspoke one word. The corrections in the newspapers that are attacking me are three paragraphs long every day. On Twitter, she referred to the remark as an "honest mistake". However, Ms Conway has made the same error before, according to Cosmopolitan. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The magazine reported Ms Conway used the same phrase during an interview in January. In previously unpublished quotes, she said: "Two Iraqi nationals came to this country, joined ISIS, travelled back to the Middle East to get trained and refine their terrorism skills, and come back here, and were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre of taking innocent soldiers' lives away." However, the Iraq men behind the incident Ms Conway was referring to, Mohanad Shareef Hammadi and Waad Ramadan Alwan, did not kill anyone in the US. Also, they did not return to train in the Middle East after entering the US as refugees in 2009. They were arrested in 2011 and did admit to bombing American forces while in Iraq, and funding to al Qaeda. Both were given extensive prison sentences. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} New Yorks prestigious Museum of Modern Art is taking a stand against President Donald Trumps travel ban by replacing pieces by Picasso and Matisse in favour of artists who originate from seven Muslim-majority countries affected by the executive order. Mr Trump instated a temporary travel ban on refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. A Seattle federal judge on Friday blocked the ban, which the President has called ridiculous. The New York Times reports that the day before the travel ban was blocked, curators at MoMA began replacing works by Picasso, Matisse and Picabia in the fifth-floor gallery with pieces by Iraqi-born British architect Zaha Hadid, Sudanese painter Ibrahim el-Salahi and Iranian video artist Tala Madani. Each new piece has been taken from the museums permanent collection. Next to each work appears a piece of wall text, stating: This work is by an artist from a nation whose citizens are being denied entry to the United States, according to a presidential executive order issued on Jan 27, 2017. This is one of several such artworks from the Museums collection installed throughout the fifth floor galleries to affirm the ideals of welcome and freedom as vital to this Museum as they are to the United States. The fifth floor galleries traditionally document Western modernism until the 1940s, but now they will include works by several Iranian artists alongside Hadid and el-Salahi, such as sculptor Parviz Tanavoli and photographer Shirana Shahbazi, the newspaper reports. Speaking to Quartz, Christophe Cherix, the museums chief curator of drawings and prints, said there will be more works by artists from the seven countries displayed over the ensuing months. President Donald Trump lashes out at US judge on Twitter A number of artists in our collection suddenly couldnt travel the way they used to and share their work and ideas. We wanted to reaffirm that belief that art [museums] should be a place where people from all over the world can gather, he said. Other major artists being reshuffled from the fifth floor galleries to make way for the works include Kokoschka, Ensor and Boccioni, while a large steel sculpture by Iranian artist Siah Armajani has been set in the lobby. Mr Cherix assured people that paintings such as Van Goghs Starry night and Matisses Red Studio, which are hugely popular, will remain on display. He said the idea behind the change in the permanent collection on display was to find an inclusive gesture. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A woman police officer has claimed she was harassed and bullied by fellow members of New York Police Department because of her decision to wear a hijab. Danielle Alamrani, 38, said in a lawsuit that officers posted images of her at a gun range and even beat her, as part of a torrent of discrimination that also included calling her names as much as terrorist and Taliban. She has been severely impacted. She had to take a leave of absence, Ms Alamranis lawyer, Jesse Rose, told The Independent. You cannot treat people like this in New York City. You cannot treat people like this in the United States. The lawsuit says Ms Alamrani converted to Islam in 2007 In a lawsuit, Ms Alamrani says the abuse started when she began wearing a hijab in 2008, having converted to Islam the year before. Fellow officers, including an equal employment opportunity liaison official, screamed Muslim b**ch as they attacked her. Danielle Alamrani said the abuse started in 2008 (AP) Things escalated when Ms Alamrani complained to internal affairs about the Facebook posts, the lawsuit says. Rather than punish the offending officers, the officer who investigated her complaint retaliated against her by filing a complaint with child services, the lawsuit adds. In addition to be called names, Ms Alamrani says was assigned to positions that did not allow her to earn overtime. Also, on a daily basis, she would be told that she should not be a police officer, that she should not allowed to wear the hijab, that nobody wanted to work with her, that she was a disgrace to the NYPD and that nobody liked her, it says. NBC News said that New Yorks legal department, which handles lawsuits against the city, has not yet responded to requests for comment. The police department has referred inquiries to the legal department. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} State-owned newspaper China Daily has featured a cartoon of Steve Bannon in a Nazi armband standing beside Donald Trump. The cartoon depicts the pair re-enacting the famous Im the King of the World scene from 1997 movie Titanic. In the scene, Leonardo Di Caprio, playing Jack Dawson, is seen with Danny Nucci, playing Fabrizio De Rossi, Jacks best friend, shouting the iconic phrase while at the front of the ship. The cartoon mimics this, showing Mr Trump with his arms aloft and Mr Bannon next to him. The former executive chair of Breitbart News is shown with a red armband and a green jacket - synonymous with Nazi uniform. The cartoon appeared in the print edition of the state-owned English-language daily newspaper. Mr Bannon had previously warned that war would erupt in the South China Sea between the United States and China in five to 10 years. The Counsellor to the President of the United States said: "Theyre taking their sandbars and making basically stationary aircraft carriers and putting missiles on those. They come here to the United States in front of our faceand you understand how important face isand say its an ancient territorial sea." World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The Independent has contacted China Daily for a comment. The Egyptian Dar Al Iftas Islamophobia Watch warned on Monday of the negative impact of political Islam, specifically the Muslim brotherhood group, on Muslims in Germany. Islamophobia Watch said in a statement posted on Facebook that political Islam would create panic and fear of Muslims in German society, in light of press reports saying that political Islam and Muslim Brotherhood affiliates are moving to Germany as one of the safe havens for the group. The Muslim Brotherhood was designated a terrorist organisation by the Egyptian government in December 2013 after the ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi earlier that year. The new US administration has been pushing brotherhood members to leave the US and search for other alternatives, with some attempting to move to Canada and others to Germany, as [the group] owns one of the oldest Islamic centres there, established in 1960 with a [current] membership of 13,000, the statement read. The observatory said that far-right religious groups use [political Islam] to distort the image of Islam, and [they pose a danger] to the future of Western societies, calling on German Muslims to not fall for the propaganda of political Islam. Islamophobia Watch was established in 2015 with the aim combating Islamophobia in the West, according to the organisations Facebook page. Germany, which has an open-door policy for refugees, receiving almost half-a-million asylum seekers in 2016 alone, had between 4.4 million and 4.7 million Muslims living in Germany as of 2015, according to a report by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) in December 2016. US President Donald Trump issued an executive order last week temporarily banning citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US for three months, though the order was struck down by a federal court this week. The executive order, which has been widely referred to as a Muslim ban, has stirred a backlash domestically and globally. Search Keywords: Short link: Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A tiny American liberal arts college has created a refugee scholarship in response to Donald Trump's immigration and refugee orders. Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, announced the offer after the US President issued his executive order, suspending America's refugee program and halting immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries in late January. The US government suspended enforcement of the ban a day after a federal judge in Washington state temporarily blocked it. College President Dennis Hanno said the scholarship is meant to demonstrate that Wheaton embraces its foreign-born community, even as the White House moves in the opposite direction. "We value the different perspectives people from all around the world bring to Wheaton," he said, noting that about 18 per cent of the college's 1,650 students hail from more than 70 different foreign nations. "It's about wanting to take immediate action to preserve that environment we've created here." Mr Hanno stressed the college has no intention of breaking any laws. The scholarship is open to any refugee student fleeing conflict, but applicants from the seven countries specifically targeted by Trump's order Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen would be given special preference. Judge James Robart blocks Trump's travel ban "We're not trying to do anything illegal," Mr Hanno said. "It's really about trying to send a message to students who would normally be interested in Wheaton College that we're still interested in them, and hope they're still interested in us." A spokesman for the US Department of Education declined to comment on the scholarship, but reaction on Wheaton's social media accounts from alumni and parents has been generally supportive. However, some Facebook and Twitter users have questioned why the college has chosen to prioritise foreigners over US citizens. Mr Hanno argued that the scholarship, which is for a single student, is over and above the $41 million (33 million) in total student aid Wheaton provides annually, of which more than 90 per cent goes to American students. He said the response from applicants has been strong, but that no other college has so far stepped up to offer a similar scholarship, as Hanno urged others to do when he announced the initiative. The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Nationwide, there are already a number of scholarships and fellowships geared to refugees and immigrants, but Wheaton's appears to be the first created in direct response to Trump's order, said Lynn Pasquerella, president of the nearly 1,400-member Association of American Colleges and Universities. Many American colleges and universities, she added, have issued statements expressing concern about the impact on their campus communities, as well as on the ability to recruit the best talent. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Women and girls as young as 13 have been raped and sexually assaulted by soldiers and police officers in Burma, according to an alarming report. In the latest development on alleged attacks on the Rohingya minority in the country, Human Rights Watch has warned that members of the army and border guard police took part in rape, gang rape, invasive body searches and sexual assaults against women and girls in at least nine villages in the Rohingya-dominated Maungdaw district in the final months of last year. The attacks, described by Human Rights Watch as sickening, were reportedly often carried out in groups, with women being held down or threatened at gunpoint by some men while others raped them. Many survivors reported being insulted and threatened on an ethnic or religious basis during the assaults. It comes three days after a flash report released by the United Nations Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR) gave chilling accounts of Rohingya babies and children being slaughtered with knives while their mothers were raped. The report stated that more than half of the 101 women UN investigators interviewed said they were raped or suffered other forms of sexual violence at the hands of Burmese security forces. The Burmese Government has repeatedly denied allegations of persecution against the Rohingya minority in the country, rejecting any evidence as propaganda and arguing that police beatings were ordinary in many countries. Researchers at Human Rights Watch carried out interviews with 18 women who had fled to Bangladesh from the Rhakine State between December 2016 and January 2017. Of these, 11 had experienced sexual assault, while 17 men and women meanwhile reported having witnessed sexual violence, including against their wives, sisters, or daughters. One Rohingya woman, said to be in her twenties, told Human Rights Watch how she was "beaten" along with other women, and then raped by soldiers "one by one" as they tore off her clothes. [The soldiers] gathered all the women and started beating us with bamboo sticks and kicking us with their boots," the woman said. A Rohingya couple, whose two elder sons were taken by the Burmese military, in a refugee camp in Teknaf, Bangladesh (UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images) After beating us, the military took [me and] 15 women about my age and separated us. They raped me one by one, tearing my clothes. Another woman, in her forties, said 20 soldiers had stormed her home and then killed her husband before raping her at gunpoint. They took me in the yard of the home. Another two put a rifle to my head, tore off my clothes, and raped me. They slaughtered [my husband] in front of me with a machete, the woman told Human Rights Watch researchers. Then three more men raped me [.] After some time, I had severe bleeding. I had severe pain in my lower abdomen and pain in my whole body. Others told of how they had seen security forces raping or sexually assaulting girls as young as 13, or saw girls taken away, heard their screams, and learned soon afterward that they had been raped. Many women reported that soldiers had threatened or insulted them with language discriminating their status as Rohingya Muslims, calling them you Bengali bitch or you Muslim bitch while beating or raping them. We will kill you because you are Muslim, one woman said soldiers threatened, while others said security forces asked if they were harbouring terrorists, before proceeding to beat and rape them when they said no. Another woman in her twenties who said soldiers attempted to rape her in her home added that they told her: You are just raising your kids to kill us, so we will kill your kids. The so-called "security operation" in the Rohingya-dominated northern Rakhine State was triggered last October when nine police officers were shot dead on posts along the border with Bangladesh, prompting the security services to launch an intense crackdown on the Rohingya population to track down the insurgents behind the incident. During the operation in Rakhine, armed members of Burmas security services are said to have summarily executed men, women and children, looted property and burned down at least 1,500 homes and other buildings. More than 69,000 Rohingya have since fled to Bangladesh, while another 23,000 have become internally displaced in Maungdaw district. The violence follows a long-standing pattern of violations and abuses, systematic discrimination and policies of exclusion and marginalisation against the Rohingya that has been in place for decades in northern Rakhine. Video shows Burmese police beating Rohingya muslims Following the findings, Human Rights Watch urged the Burmese government to urgently endorse an independent, international investigation into alleged abuses in the region, including into possible systematic rape against Rohingya women and girls. Burmese authorities have repeatedly denied the claims, saying they had carried out investigations into the allegations and found "insufficient evidence" to take legal action. In January, a national-level government investigation into the situation in Maungdaw district where many of the alleged attacks took place claimed to have interviewed local villagers and women using various methods," but concluded that it found "insufficient evidence to take legal action up to this date, contrary to the findings of human rights groups who have interviewed the Rohingya community. The report added that Rohingya victims of sexual assault face limited access to emergency health care including preventing unwanted pregnancy from rape and infection with HIV, and to treat other sexually transmitted infections. None of the women Human Rights Watch interviewed had access to medical facilities until they reached Bangladesh, it said, and many reported that even once they has reached Bangladesh, they lacked information about services available or could not arrange child care or pay transportation costs to clinics. In light of the recent findings, Priyanka Motaparthy, senior emergencies researcher at Human Rights Watch, said: These horrific attacks on Rohingya women and girls by security forces add a new and brutal chapter to the Burmese militarys long and sickening history of sexual violence against women. Military and police commanders should be held responsible for these crimes if they did not do everything in their power to stop them or punish those involved. The Governments failure to investigate rape and other crimes against the Rohingya should make it clear to Burmas friends and donors that an independent, international inquiry is desperately needed to get to the bottom of these appalling abuses." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The President of Russias semi-autonomous Chechen Republic took to Instagram last week to make one of the most understated announcements of Russias ruthless military intervention in the Syrias war. President Ramzan Kadyrov, famed for his nearly decade-long tyrannical rule over Chechnya, confirmed to his 2.3 million followers what many already suspected: feared battalions of Chechen special forces had been deployed to northern Syrian in an effort to protect peace and public order. The announcement came after the deputy speaker of the Chechen parliament, Adam Delimkhanov, travelled to Syria alongside Mufti Salakh-Hadzhi Mezhiyev where they met Maher Al Assad, the brother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and visited a Russian military police battalion, where young Chechens are serving. The soldiers said with pride that they have been given the honour of serving to protect peace and public order in Aleppo, defending the civilian population from terrorist attacks, Kadyrov wrote alongside a video which has been viewed nearly 100,000 times. Russias intervention in the war in Syria on the side of President Assad began in September 2015. The Kremlin vowed to stabilise the legitimate power in Syria and create the conditions for political compromise. Instead, Moscow has been accused of bombing civilian infrastructures and UN aid convoys. Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov at the Kremlin in March 2016 (Getty) Russias intervention in Syria shaped the conflict from an impending defeat for Assads forces to what is de facto a victory, destroying or radicalising would be alternatives, and recapturing key areas, says Michael Kofman, a security analyst at the Centre for Naval Analyses and a fellow at the Wilson Centre. Russia has secured not just its interests, but more importantly demonstrated itself to be a power broker in this intractable conflict, which may lead to other political aspirations for an influential role in the Middle East, Kofman told The Independent. Although details of the deployment are still under wraps, unconfirmed reports that Chechen battalions were preparing to deploy to Syria began to surface in December 2016. Their mission was reportedly to guard Russia's Hmeimim air base, near the coastal city of Latakia. Russian media said booklets that included basic phrases in Arabic and insignia of armed factions in Aleppo were being distributed to troops at a base near the Chechen capital Grozny. These initial reports were first denied by Kadyrov. The President turned to his infamous Instagram account to announce that the battalions supposedly being deployed didnt even exist. The Chechen strongman did, however, assert that armed forces in his republic were eager to fight scum in Syria if they were given the green light from the Kremlin. Shortly after the Chechen Presidents announcement on Instagram, pro-Kremlin media outlets began posting footage of the feared Chechen battalions patrolling the battle scarred streets of Aleppo and handing out food to smiling civilians. Another report shows an ethnic-Russian member of the deployment converting to Islam in a pompous ceremony conducted by a Chechen mufti. Then, a foundation established in memory of Kadyrovs father, which is run by his mother, announced it would fund the construction of the Unesco protected Umayyad Mosque, destroyed in fighting between rebel factions and regime forces in 2013. Additional reports surfaced that Kadyrovs government would fund the construction of an orphanage in Aleppo. According to Katya Sokirianskaia, a Russia analyst at the International Crisis Group, there is little political appetite within Moscow for sending regular rank and file Russian troops to Syria. Apart from the political, human and military cost a of major deployment, Sokirianskaia says this reluctance is a hangover from the Soviet Unions occupation of Afghanistan, when the USSR suffered staggering losses at the hands of Taliban fighters. Memories of the 1979 war are still fresh among Russians who fear a repeat of a protracted war with major fatalities. Chechen special forces from Vostok army unit outside the Georgian village of Zemo Nikozi in 2008 (Reuters) For the Kremlin, sending Chechens is a very good solution strategically because the deployment isnt going to resonate in Russian society that much, Sokirianskaia told The Independent. Sending Chechen forces, who are under the Kremlins control and battle-hardened and trained in counter-insurgency, maximises the efficiency of Russias presence in Syria and minimises the costs of this presence. Maxim Suchkov, a Russian International Affairs Council analyst, explained that Moscow had deployed Chechen special forces as military police, in part to gain influence on the ground in Aleppo and to keep competing armed forces in check. Now that Syrian government forces control Aleppo, Moscow has sought to control part of it to create its own leverage on the ground, Suchkov told The Independent. The deployment is also to balance the influence of Iranian backed militia in Syria, he added. Ever since the recapturing of Aleppo, there have been reports of some Iran-backed Shia militias troubling the local Sunni population. Sending the Sunni Chechen forces is a way for the Russians to shield the population from these acts and score some reputation points among the locals, Suchkov added. Contrary to President Kadyrovs Instagram post, which claimed young Chechen men were serving in Syria, footage of the troops patrolling Aleppo show battle-hardened foot soldiers. According to the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation, the East and West special forces battalions deployed to Syria are less police forces comprised of young Chechens as they are two infamous special battalions formed in 2003, manned by former Chechen separatists, who switched sides to fight under the Russian flag. Battalion East in August 2008 spearheaded the Russian military invasion of Georgia. The infamous battalions, which are routinely drawn up and then disbanded by Kadyrov in an effort to cloak their existence, specialise in mountain and urban warfare and have a reputation for brutality and human rights violations, according to Strategic Forecasting, a geopolitical analysis firm. These Kadyrov loyalists, experienced in guerrilla warfare and counter-terrorism operations against insurgents at home, are well placed to assert control over retaken Aleppo. By the middle of 2015, 4,700 jihadists from Russia and Central Asia had travelled to Iraq and Syria to join the Isis. The Soufan Group (TSG) estimated that the flow of fighters from Russia and the former Soviet Union had increased 300 per cent from June 2014. The majority of those, TGS estimated, hailed from Chechnya and the North Caucasus. Maxim Suchkov told The Independent that part of the impetus to deploy predominantly Chechen battalions to Aleppo was an effort to reclaim the reputation of Chechens, who were otherwise thought of as being effective Isis fighters. Soviet soldiers stand in front of their tanks as they take one final look at local scenery in Afghanistan in 1986 (Reuters) Tasking the battalions with police functions guarding the population is an attempt to rebrand the image of Chechens, Suchkov says. Another prominent analyst, speaking to The Independent on the condition of anonymity because of his work on Syria, says the battalions deployed to Syria had in fact been instructed by Kadyrovs regime to hunt down anti-Russian insurgents who had travelled to Syria to join the ranks of opposition groups. In the predominantly Sunni Chechen Republic, which has sent hundreds of fighters to join opposition groups in the fight against Bashar Al Assad, the deployment of Chechen troops is unpopular, says Katya Sokirianskaia. Alongside the initial deployment reports that surfaced in December last year, a dozen Chechen soldiers in the federal army were dismissed after refusing to deploy to Syria. Fighting on the side of Assad is something that Chechens are reluctant to do as a whole, Sokirianskaia says. But in Kadyrovs Chechnya, there is little incentive to protest the move. Before last years elections in Russia, which saw Kadyrov retain his title with 97 per cent of the ballot, Human Rights Watch described Chechyna as a place where even the mildest expressions of dissent about the situation in Chechnya or comments contradicting official policies or paradigms, whether expressed openly or in closed groups on social media, or through off-hand comments to a journalist or in a public place, can trigger ruthless reprisals. If it werent for such a repressive regime in Chechnya, there would be major protests against the deployment, Sokirianskaia says. Chechens are Sunni Muslims and they dont want to fight against other Muslims, especially alongside Assads Shia regime. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A French police officer has been accused of anally raping a young black man with a police baton during a violent arrest in a Parisian suburb. Three other officers were charged with assault, after a 22-year-old youth worker with no criminal record was allegedly beaten and raped with a police baton on a housing estate in Aulnay-sous-Bois. The prosecutors office said the police had stopped a group of about a dozen people after hearing calls of drug dealing sites in the area. During the operation the officers attempted to arrest a 22-year-old man, and when he resisted, used tear gas and one of them used an expandable baton, it added. But the man, known only as Theo, suffered such serious injuries to his rectum that he needed major emergency surgery, and remains in hospital. In a recording of his account of events to his lawyer, Theo said that during violent identity checks a policeman tore his bag, and then proceeded to beat him. I didnt try to run away. I told the officers: Youve torn my bag, to which they replied that they didnt give a damn," he said. They all tried to grab me. I asked them why they were doing this, but they just continued to throw insults at me." People hold a sign reading "Justice for Theo" during a protest in Aulnay-sous-Bois on Monday, a day after a French police officer was charged with the rape of a young man (AFP/Getty Images) He added: He told me to put my hands behind my back. They put handcuffs on me and then they told me to sit down. They sprayed tear gas in my face and then I had a pain in my buttocks. My trousers were lowered. I was in serious pain. The charges prompted a wave of protests in Aulnay-sous-Bois, with crowds coming out on Monday holding banners and T-shirts bearing the message: "Justice for Theo". French police are regularly accused of using excessive force in poor areas, particularly against ethnic minorities. The death in police custody of a young black man, Adama Traore, in another suburb of Paris last summer and the slow reaction of authorities sparked accusations of police violence and a state cover-up. Riots also erupted in 2005 when two teenagers were electrocuted while being chased by police. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Thousands of people have taken to Viennas streets to protest new legislation that seeks to ban full-face veils in public. Accusing the Government of perpetuating Islamophobia and sexism, the demonstrators in Austria's capital also spoke out against increased surveillance powers for police and sustained discrimination against minority groups. The rally, which was attended by around 3,000 women, was organised by Muslim groups. "Every woman must be able to move freely in public without harassment and discrimination - no matter what she does or does not wear," one Muslim youth organisation that took part in the protest said in a statement on Facebook. A new Integration Law announced last week will also make a German language and values course compulsory for refugees and migrants. It is expected to be introduced in the next 18 months. Law enforcement officials, including those working for the police and the courts, will also be banned from wearing head scarves. Politicians said the new measure would make them seem more ideologically and religiously neutral. The new law said: 'Those who are not prepared to accept Enlightenment values will have to leave our country and society. France passed similar measures more than six years ago, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also called for a ban on the full-face veil to combat the forming of parallel societies. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Civilian casualties in Afghanistan rose to new highs in 2016, driven by more Islamic State attacks, the most deaths and injuries from air strikes since 2009 and a rising toll of child victims of unexploded ordnance, the United Nations said. A total of 3,498 civilians were killed in the conflict and 7,920 were wounded in 2016, a combined increase of 3 percent over the previous year, U.N. investigators said in an annual summary issued on Monday. "Against a backdrop of protracted ground fighting, the battlefield permeated civilian sanctuaries that should be spared from harm, with suicide attacks in mosques; targeted attacks against district centres, bazaars and residential homes; and the use of schools and hospitals for military purposes," the United Nations said. About 61 percent of all civilian casualties were caused by anti-government groups like the Taliban and Islamic State, it said. Recommended At least 50 killed in an avalanche in eastern Afghanistan The United Nations attributed at least 4,953 deaths and injuries to the Taliban, but in a shift in 2016, investigators documented a 10-fold increase in casualties caused by Islamic State militants, who often target members of the Shiite Muslim minority. At least 899 deaths and injuries were attributed to Islamic State, which has been a relatively minor faction in Afghanistan, but last year launched an increasing number of suicide attacks. Last year saw the highest number of civilian casualties from suicide attacks since the United Nations began tracking such numbers in 2009. Afghan security forces caused about 20 percent of the overall casualties, while pro-government militias and international forces caused 2 percent each. Among the deadliest tactic used by government forces was the indiscriminate use of heavy weapons like mortars in populated areas, the United Nations said. As the Afghan air force got more attack aircraft and the United States ramped up its air campaign against both Islamic State and the Taliban, casualties caused by air strikes increased 99 percent compared with 2015, hitting levels not seen since 2009. Air strikes by international warplanes resulted in at least 127 civilian deaths and 108 injuries in 2016, while the Afghan air force accounted for at least 85 deaths and 167 injuries, the United Nations said. Investigators were not able to attribute responsibility for 38 deaths and 65 injuries from air strikes. U.S. officials have only acknowledged possible civilian casualties in one incident in Kunduz province in November, when the United Nations said as many as 32 noncombatants were killed and 26 wounded in a joint U.S.-Afghan raid. Casualties among children spiked by 24 percent in 2016, with 923 dead and 2,589 wounded, largely as a result of a major increase in casualties from unexploded ordnance. Reuters For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The top Islamic authority in Egypt, which must be consulted on all constitutional matters, has unanimously rejected a proposed reform to end Muslim mens ability to divorce their wives without going through a court of law. On Sunday, the Council of Senior Clerics in Al-Azhar the highest authority in Sunni Islam rejected President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi's suggestion that Egypt should end the practice in a rare rebuttal of the goverment. While the Egyptian constitution guarantees both genders face equal treatment before the law, contradictory personal status legislation means that women are still severely discriminated against in courtrooms and Egyptian society more generally. Under the current law, Muslim men can divorce their wives without having to resort to legal justification or consult a court or cleric. Muslim women can only seek divorces in a court of law and with the consent of their husband, which in practice makes it very difficult to obtain. In a statement on Sunday, the council said that the practice has been undisputed since the seventh century, and men who are not of sound mind cannot divorce their wives. Al-Azhars clerics also expressed concern over Egypts high divorce rate. According to the president, 40 per cent of marriages end within the first five years. Mr Sisi, himself devoutly Muslim, has repeatedly suggested that religious discourse in his country be moderated in order to counter extremism. The Associated Press reports that he recently instructed authorities to standardise Friday sermons in mosques across Egypt, a move which was viewed by critics as further curtailing freedom of speech. Egypt jail routinely torturing prisoners, rights group warns The statement was a cautious pushback against Mr Sisi and asserted a measure of independence for Al-Azhar in the face of a president who seeks to rally everyone and every institution behind him, according to author and columnist Basma Abdel-Aziz. But it also reflects the influence wielded by senior conservative clerics in an institution that prides itself on being the chief propagator of moderate Islam while remaining a bastion of religious conservatism, she told the AP. Rights groups note that Egypts personal status laws discriminate heavily against women, and aggression and violence towards women has been on the up since the political upheavals that removed President Hosni Mubarak in 2011 and President Mohamed Morsi in 2013. In a 2013 survey, the Thomson Reuters Foundation ranked Egypt as the worst of 22 Arab states with regards to womens rights. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Iran has held military exercises and said it will test more missiles in what the countrys Revolutionary Guard said is a direct response to US threats and sanctions. Revolutionary Guard Air Force commander, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, told a state-run news agency over that the drills held over the weekend were designed to showcase the power of the Iranian revolution. Should the enemy make a mistake, our roaring missiles will rain down on them, he added. US President Donald Trump ordered his Treasury Department to publish a list of 13 Iranian individuals and 12 entities facing new sanctions last week, after it emerged that Iran had tested what it said was a non-nuclear ballistic missile. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the world's leading sponsor of terrorism and engages in, and supports, violent activities that destabilise the Middle East, US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said. That behaviour seems continuous despite the very favourable [nuclear] deal given to Iran by the Obama administration. These sanctions target those behaviours. In response, several military drills and rocket tests were conducted over the weekend by Iranian forces. In a statement, the countrys foreign ministry said Iran would not allow its domestic security to become the focus of international debate. The amateur and irrational policies of the new US administration will change nothing about the principles of Iranian politics, it read. Reporter corrects Sean Spicer when he falsely accuses Iran of attacking an American vessel The sanctions decision comes on top of a far-reaching executive order temporarily banning citizens of Iran and six other Muslim countries - even those with green cards or residency visas - from entering the US. It has since been successfully challenged by several courts across the US. In retaliation, Iran curtailed all travel visas for Americans for an indefinite amount of time, and the Central Bank announced the country will no longer use the US dollar for official statistics or financial reporting. The timing of last weeks missile test - which enraged Iranian foe and US ally Israel, although the UN has not yet determined if it broke 2015s nuclear accord - was also thought to be related to Mr Trumps Muslim ban. The move to renew sanctions reflects Mr Trumps desire to fulfil his campaign promise about being tough on Iran. Under President Barack Obama the US imposed sanctions on two dozen Iranian individuals, companies and government agencies related to terror rather than nuclear issues, which Mr Trump criticised for being weak. CIA director warns Donald Trump over the worst mistakes he could make with Iran, Syria and Russia Both Democrat and Republican politicians on the Senates Foreign Relations Committee urged that the US should not let Irans missile test - one of several in the last 18 months - go unpunished. International sanctions which have crippled Irans economy for decades were lifted as part of the historic 2015 nuclear agreement, in which Tehran agreed to curbs on its nuclear weapons programme. On Friday, US National Security Adviser Michael Flynn said the missile test was a violation of a United Nations resolution that prohibits Iran from participating in any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering a nuclear weapon. Iran, which maintains that the missile could carry a nuclear warhead, subsequently imposed its own set of counter-sanctions targeting the US. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Scores of China social media postings about a well-connected billionaire who went missing from a Hong Kong hotel have been deleted. Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of Xiao Jianhua, one of China's richest men who has close ties to some of its leaders and their relatives. He was last seen at Hong Kong's Four Seasons hotel in late January and some media have suggested that he was abducted and taken to the mainland. The case has echoes of the disappearance of five Hong Kong booksellers more than a year ago who had published books critical of China's leaders. The booksellers' case raised concern about interference by Beijing in Hong Kong and the erosion of its freedoms, guaranteed under a 1997 deal that returned the former British colony to Chinese rule. Authorities in Beijing have declined to comment on Mr Xiao's case. Hong Kong's government has also not commented while the city's police have said they are investigating and have approached Chinese authorities to ascertain his "situation in mainland China". Mr Xiao's disappearance has sparked widespread media speculation that he has been drawn into Chinese President Xi Jinping's crackdown on corruption, which has ensnared a string of Chinese executives. After his disappearance, a statement from him appeared on his company's verified WeChat account saying he had not been abducted and had not been taken to mainland China. The dragon awakens: China, how did it happen? Show all 2 1 /2 The dragon awakens: China, how did it happen? The dragon awakens: China, how did it happen? 27137.bin The dragon awakens: China, how did it happen? 27095.bin EPA The statement added he was "currently abroad being medically treated". Hong Kong police say Mr Xiao crossed the border to mainland China. When news of his disappearance in Hong Kong began breaking early last week, searches on Chinese search engines and social media for him generated many results, mostly links to reports related to statements he had issued via his company, Tomorrow Holdings, a financial group headquartered in Beijing. But those posts and most reports related to Mr Xiao have disappeared, with search results only bringing up reports about him from several weeks earlier. According to Freewechat.com, which tracks censored or deleted posts on China's biggest social network, WeChat, more than 40 articles with the keyword Xiao Jianhua had been censored since 30 January. A similar number of reports with the word "Mingtianxi", which refers to Tomorrow Group and its subsidiaries, were also deleted. Tencent Holdings Ltd, which operates WeChat, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 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 A spokesman for Sina, which runs China's Twitter-like microblogging service Sina Weibo, said it censors and deletes posts according to its code of conduct. But the spokesman declined to comment on any deleted posts related to Xiao and his business ties. More social media posts purportedly detailing Mr Xiao's business links with high-profile companies and senior leaders were also deleted over the weekend. The Chinese government routinely censors the internet, blocking many sites it deems could challenge the rule of the Communist Party or threaten stability. China's internet regulator did not respond to a request for comment. Shares in firms directly or indirectly controlled by Tomorrow Group slumped late last week, with Baotou Huazi Industry and Xishui Strong Year Co Ltd Inner Mongolia both down the maximum 10 per cent. Xiao was ranked 32nd on the 2016 Hurun China rich list, China's equivalent of the Forbes list, with an estimated net worth of $5.97 billion (4.8 billion). For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Government has begun controversial plans to sell off billions of pounds worth of student debt to private companies, a move experts warn could come at a cost to students and taxpayers as the industry falls victim to "marketisation". Graduates who took out loans before the 2012 academic year could find themselves making repayments to private lenders buying up contracts from the Student Loans Company (SLC) a move the Treasury expects to make 12bn from in return. Universities Minister Jo Johnson said there would be no impact on graduates with loans, but union leaders have attacked the decision - with the National Union of Students (NUS) accusing the Government of pulling an ugly move on students. Recommended Student Loans Company forced to repay millions in overcharges Sorana Vieru, NUS Vice President of Higher Education, said: Selling the loan book to investors is privatisation through the back door. It is outrageous that bankers will profit off the backs of graduates who took out loans because they had no other option. First to be sold will be the 2002/06 student loan book, which had a face value of 4bn the end of the 2014/15 financial year. A string of factors - including the likelihood that some student loans will not be repaid in full - means the money recouped from the sales will be lower than the face value, however. Plans to privatise the debt pile were previously called off by former business secretary Vince Cable in 2014, after deciding that it would not reduce public sector debt by as much as originally thought. Over the next four years, the Government aims to sell off debt from loans taken out before 2012, when tuition fees in England were trebled to 9,000 per year. Former City lawyer and Advisory Board member for the Intergenerational Foundation think-tank, Estelle Clarke, said selling student loans was a bizarre step for the government to take as well as a bad idea for students and taxpayers. Cheapest universities for undergraduate cost of living Show all 3 1 /3 Cheapest universities for undergraduate cost of living Cheapest universities for undergraduate cost of living The average additional loan taken out by students at Liverpool Hope was 3,972 Cheapest universities for undergraduate cost of living Cardiff University students took out an average loan of 4,057 on top of their government allocated loans Wikimedia Commons/Stan Zurek Cheapest universities for undergraduate cost of living Students at the University of Gloucestershire took out an average of 4,175 in additional funding Gloucestershire University She told The Independent: Students and graduate borrowers will be right to be alarmed by this announcement: their loans will be controlled by private purchasers whose legitimate intention is to extract as much money as possible from graduate borrowers. The Sale of Student Loans Act 2008 allows student loans to be made worse for borrowers and there is a serious risk this will happen. "The loans in question already charge expensive monthly compounding interest and purchasers may well seek to receive more money from borrowers. While the Government insists there will be no changes made to the terms and conditions of loans undertaken, Ms Clarke warned: "The government has a track record of breaking its promises; its press position cannot be relied upon. "The loan sales smack of short-term desperation paid for by the educational and economic wellbeing of a nation." Universities and College Union said: This is a government that has already moved the goalposts on loan repayment to sting graduates with higher charges, so you can forgive our scepticism when the minister says people with student debts have nothing to fear. Johnson risks row with Prime Minister over dropping students from migration statistics Nick Hillman, Director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, has previously argued, however, that by selling off loans, the Government will be forced to set clearer repayment agreements and the move could therefore make the borrowing system more secure. Announcing the decision, a Department for Education (DfE) spokeswoman said an initial value for money assessment had been carried out and that it had been deemed a good time to go through with the sales. Chief Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke said: The Autumn Statement reaffirmed our commitment to the sale of the student loan book if market conditions were favourable and I'm pleased the timing is now right to start the process. This sale makes sense for taxpayers and will play an important contribution in our work to repair the public finances. Universities Minister Jo Johnson said: This Government is committed to bringing public finances under control. As part of this we will look to sell assets where value for money to the UK taxpayer is assured. This sale will have no impact on people with student loans and will only proceed once we are satisfied that it represents value for money for the taxpayer. But Sorana Vieru, vice president for higher education at the National Union of Students (NUS), argued: The Government are pulling yet another ugly move on students. The selling off of tranches of the student loan book to the highest bidder for less than it's worth is economic illiteracy. It doesn't just penalise students and graduates, it is taking money from the public purse which could and should be spent on services over the long term. Recent UCAS figures have fuelled concerns students are becoming increasingly put-off the prospect of going to university due to financial pressures. The application rate for student nurses fell by almost a quarter this year, following the government's move to scrap NHS bursaries. "As students and their parents begin to understand the impact of this, more and more people will shy away from university at a time when receipts from EU students are less because of Brexit," Ms Clarke added. "The government is shooting itself in its economic foot with these loan sales and taxpayers and borrowers will end up picking up the governments medical bill." University and College Union general secretary Sally Hunt, added: The Government has tried to sell off parts of the student loan book before, but not gone through with it because it didn't feel the taxpayer would get a good deal. We don't believe another attempt to bring private companies into the higher education sector can represent a better deal for students or the taxpayer. UK Government Investments has begun searching for buyers to snap up the pre-2012 English student loan book through a series of sales before the end of the 2020/21 financial year. Chancellor Philip Hammond is searching for ways to shore up the public finances in the face of ballooning public sector debt, which reached 86.2% of gross domestic product in December. Sale of the student loan book would be structured through a securitisation to attract an array of different investor groups, including pension funds, insurers and asset managers. It is expected to take several months to complete and would depend on market conditions, the Government added. Additional reporting by PA Egyptian MP Tarek El-Khouly, a member of the Presidential Pardon Committee, said that he has received a declaration of repentance from a number of imprisoned members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood organization, which he will forward to the presidency. Speaking to Al-Ahram Arabic website, MP El-Khouly said that these messages from the Brotherhood prisoners were sent to him "in his personal capacity," explaining that the pardon committee has clear criteria for considering cases for pardon which exclude those affiliated with the banned group. In December 2013, the Egyptian government designated the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organisation as the government blamed the group for a number of deadly attacks on security forces in the aftermath of the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July of that year. In the last three years, many Brotherhood members have received various prison sentences on charges that range from breaking the protest law to incitement against the government and carrying out terrorist attacks. El-Khouly said that the Brotherhood prisoners confess to being members of the Brotherhood, but they have renounced these ideas as well as the Brotherhood itself, expressing remorse and requesting pardon. The MP stressed that the presidency is the authority responsible for issuing pardons, and that the prisoners repentance may be a ruse to get out of prison. The committee to review the cases of imprisoned Egyptian youths was formed by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi out of the National Youth Conference held in Sharm El-Sheikh in late October. The five-member committee comprises prominent politician and member of the Free Egyptians Party Osama El-Ghazaly Harb, writer Nashwa El-Houfy, National Council for Human Rights member Mohamed Abdel-Aziz, along with MP El-Khouly and El-Sakka, a former member of El-Sisi's electoral campaign. In November, El-Sisi pardoned all 82 prisoners included on the first list of those recommended for pardon by the committee. The second list of those recommended for pardon was recently submitted to the presidency but is still awaiting approval. Members of the committee have recently told Ahram Online it is preparing a third list. Search Keywords: Short link: Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} If we meet anything big, wait for my instructions, says Allon. Some people say, Oh, Ive been coming to Africa for decades. Well, youve never been to Congo, and if I say that buffalo is going to charge, its going to charge. Its early in the day. The temperature hangs in the languid mid-20s, intensely humid. In the rainforest of Congos Odzala-Kokoua National Park, the silent struggle between life and death is in earnest. Fallen trees are overcome by bracket fungi and picked over by termites. Vigorous, spindly saplings shoot arrow-straight for the light. To stand still too long risks being composted. Bordered by the Central African Republic, Cameroon and Gabon to the north, the Angolan enclave of Cabinda to the south, and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the east, there are easier neighbourhoods in West Africa. The Republic of Congo has a population of less than five million, most concentrated in the capital, Brazzaville, and second city Pointe Noir. Limited infrastructure has ensured vast tracts of its equatorial rainforest remain pristine. These steamy repositories of biodiversity are tough places to get to and even tougher places to be. In north-west Congo, Odzala-Kokoua National Parks 13,400 square kilometres lie at the farthest fringe of wildlife tourism, accessible only to a determined few. The dense forest eventually gives way to bright sunlight and a cloud of orange butterflies at a riverbank clearing. We can all swim, cant we? asks Allon. Lifejackets on, electronics stowed in dry bags, we haul kayaks to the water and enter the Lekoli Rivers fast-flowing current. Nick's group prepares to trek through the river to Lango Camp (Nick Redmayne) Our destination is Lango Camp, a luxury campsite, and our plan is to kayak down the river as far as we can, then hike the final few kilometres across the bai, a local term for a clearing, to the camp itself. This is nothing like an east African walking safari, scout with elephant gun out front and deferential tea boy trailing behind. Ive been in the country less than 72 hours and its clear that Congo doesnt do Out Of Africa-style safari fantasy. Here, we have to work for our luxury. We make quiet progress down the river, allowing the current free rein, paddling only when low-lying branches reach out to block our way. A pied kingfisher dives in and reappears, gripping a fish Id be proud to have caught. Allon spots a troop of putty-nosed monkeys, and we paddle back for a closer look. Theyre dark shapes high in the trees, making the branches shake with acrobatic leaps from one to another. The animals here havent had much experience of people. They keep their distance, says Allon. There arent many tourists. Lango Camp and a bottle of gin are the reward at the end of the trek (Nick Redmayne) Fighting the current, we make landfall to pick some wild limes a request from the cook at Lango Camp. The fruits are in a prickly thicket but soon weve collected two fragrant bags to show for our scratches. Back on the water, the river relaxes into a wider, gentler flow. A pair of hornbills make a low pass, left to right. Its a chimp! calls Allon. A single ape a lookout for a foraging group has seen us too as he makes his way deftly through the treetops. From the main channel we paddle into an expanse of slacker water, the beginnings of the Lango bai. Soon, its too shallow to kayak. We step into warm black mud, tie up the kayaks and squelch slowly across the bai, easier to follow a watery channel than to keep to dry land. A rumble resembling distant artillery fills the air. Green pigeons, says Allon. Ahead several hundred birds have taken to the air. They circle, land, and then explode into flight again. We climb onto an island where shards of pottery, some blackened by fire, litter the ground. This place was inhabited once, says Allon. By whom, he never tells us. Through binoculars I survey the way ahead. Our route to the camp is blocked by a chestnut-brown herd of grazing buffalo. Well go a little to the right. Carry your paddle low, keep a constant pace and dont stop, says Allon. We strike out, trying to keep a steady pace while knee-deep in stinking black mud. Two buffalo trot out from some long grass, looking a little too lively. Come on, you know us, Allon tells them. They hesitate, then canter off in the direction of the others. Squaring off against local buffalos (Nick Redmayne) Finally heres Lango Camp, at the edge of the clearing. A pontoon lies at the end of a two-plank boardwalk. Theres a table and a cool box. On the table sits a bottle of gin. We have, of course, brought our own limes. Congos wildlife headlines, if theyre written at all, focus on gorillas in the northern forests, theyre more prevalent than people. The natural history of Odzala-Kokouas rivers, dense rainforests and open riverine bais, however, cannot be told by any one species. The accumulation of unpackaged wildness is remarkable. Its an experience worth getting your feet wet for. Worth the trek: the view from Lango Camp (Jonaston Boe/Odzala Discovery Camps Facebook) Travel essentials Getting there Ethiopian Airlines (ethiopianairlines.com) flies six times a week from London Heathrow to Brazzaville via Addis Ababa from 712. Staying there The writer travelled as a guest of Farside Africa (farsideafrica.com) which has an eight-day Congo itinerary taking in Lango as well as two other Odzala Discovery Camps, from 3,550 per person. This includes full-board accommodation, domestic flights, walking and boat safaris, kayaking and two gorilla treks. More information Keep up to date with the latest FCO advice for the Republic of Congo here Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Sleeping with customers, taking drugs on the job and making friends in the onboard sex dungeon. Just regular cruise ship life, according to Paul Hyatt*. And he should know the 26-year-old from the American Midwest spent two years on the open seas, working as "fitness and recreational staff" for a major Caribbean cruise line. It was his first job, and it was a baptism of fire. I only slept with five passengers, but everyone else slept with loads, he told The Independent. Guests, he says, would regularly come onto him, sometimes admiring his tattoos, sometimes stalking him on Facebook and often outright propositioning him. It happened all the time, he says. One day I'd be the young personal trainer giving yoga classes to a rich middle-aged woman, the next I'd be the guy with tattoos on the activities deck. I got a lot of attention. It was all hands on deck when it came to squabbling, says our source (who didn't work on this ship) (Getty) He had no qualms about getting involved with passengers, despite sleeping with guests being a sackable offence. I was there for the experience, not to make a career of it, so any chance I got to test what I could get away with, I did, he says and adds that its exactly the same for any cruise worker who doesnt want to be there for life. Those who do make a career of cruising tend to play it safer, he adds. Recommended Confessions of an airport baggage handler Hyatt didnt half test the limits. Not only did he have sex with guests (staff quarters or on unpopulated decks are best for this, he says), but he also took drugs, buying cannabis and LSD in ports (theyre easily got hold of) and bringing them back to the ship. Crew search the bags of everyone coming onboard, but Hyatt says LSD was simple to disguise. As for the cannabis: I used to put bags of weed down my pants. Hed get high in his cabin windowless, below sea level, sharing with a stranger who always bagged the prized bottom bunk (more space, and easier to have sex in) to while away the hours at sea, even when he was on duty. I used to take loads of drugs while at work, he says. Not everyone did this, hes at pains to point out. Everyone else on the ship was just focused on who was sleeping with who and getting drunk on the back deck. I had no interest in that, so I just got high and let them squabble among themselves. Cruises can be magical - but not always for the staff (ship pictured is not mentioned in the article) (Skeeze/Pixabay (CC02)) Alarmingly, Hyatt was one of the staff supposed to man emergency evacuations. But having your lifeboat operator high on drugs is the least of your worries if you run into danger, he says, claiming it used to take about an hour to lower the lifeboats in their weekly drills. And thats not factoring in time to load people on and stop them panicking, he notes. If it was a real emergency off-shore, itd be game over. Death is something cruise staff have to deal with regularly, he says, as its common for people to die onboard. Accidents like falling overboard are rare it never happened on his boat, or those of any of his friends but he says that lots of people go on the ship pretty much expecting to die would they rather die home alone by themselves or in a place where theyre cared for and get everything they need? Ship bars are a magnet for trouble, according to this ex-staffer (who never worked on this ship) (NIGEL TREBLIN/AFP/Getty Images) All ships have a morgue, where bodies are kept until theyre offloaded at the next port. But thats not the only special room below decks. Theres also a detention room, or ship jail, right at the very bottom of the boat. Passengers get arrested [by the ship's security team] all the time, they get wasted and start fighting, just as you have fights outside clubs at home, he says. Some of the big ships have 4,000 guests on them you cant have that many people in one confined space, mixed with alcohol, and not expect fireworks. Surprisingly, Hyatt says he was one of the tamer staff members on his boats he talks of orgies below decks, and staff getting drunk most nights. One even got arrested, at a Central American port, when he was caught in a police sting trying to buy cocaine. Stephen Hawking plans space travel on Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic In contrast, Hyatt mainly kept himself to himself. He interacted more with guests whether that was sleeping with VIPs, smoking weed with his favourite pupils when the ship docked in Jamaica, or making friends with people on a swingers charter cruise, for which the bar was turned into a makeshift sex dungeon. I didnt join in, but I was one of the youngest guys on the ship so everyone was asking me, he says. But they were cool people. There was a brain surgeon and a hospital director onboard they embarked in a dominatrix suit and gimp slave outfit. * Names and identifying details have been changed Click here for the latest cruises from Independent Holidays Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Irish airline currently links Stansted with Edinburgh and Glasgow, Gatwick with Belfast International and City of Derry with Stansted, Glasgow and Liverpool. Under European Union rules, any EU airline can fly between any two airports in Europe including domestic flights in a foreign country. Ryanair and easyJet both have large portfolios of domestic flights in countries such as Spain, Italy and Poland. But when the UK leaves the EU, it is uncertain whether that freedom will continue; easyJet has already indicated that it will set up a European subsidiary to allow it to maintain and expand its current network. As an Irish airline, Ryanair may be excluded from UK domestic routes. Neil Sorahan, the airlines Chief Financial Officer, said: With 1,800 routes in the network, three of which are domestic UK, we have to keep this under review as we move towards exit from the EU. We may decide not to fly those routes any more or we may apply for a UK AOC [Air Operator Certificate]. Well have a better view in 18-24 months where the UK is going. Ryanair's Neil Sorahan says domestic routes will be reviewed after Brexit negotiations Between Edinburgh and Stansted, Ryanair competes directly with easyJet, with both airlines operating four flights a day. Booking a week ahead, the two airlines have very similar fares for the first flight to London, returning on the last departure, allowing a full day in the English capital. At present easyJet is priced at 68 return, while Ryanair is at 74. But on the Belfast-Stansted route, on which easyJet has no competition, the corresponding fare is 95. The only domestic routes currently operated from City of Derry airport, in the west of Northern Ireland, are on Ryanair. Click here for the latest tours, holidays and cruises from Independent Holidays Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The worlds longest non-stop commercial flight has touched down in New Zealand after leaving Qatar 16 hours and 23 minutes earlier. The Qatar Airways flight QR920 from Doha to Auckland covered a total distance of 14,535 kilometres (9,032 miles) and is the furthest distance between any two cities linked by direct flights. The Boeing 777 landed at 7.25am local time on Monday, slightly ahead of schedule, and was showered by water cannons when it landed in Auckland as is traditional for welcoming inaugural flights on new routes. The flight soared across 10 time zones with the help of four pilots, while 15 crew members served 1,100 cups of tea and coffee, 2,000 cold drinks and 1,036 meals on board, according to Qatar Airways. The airlines Group CEO Akbar Al Baker travelled on the flight, which landed on New Zealands Waitangi Day. Once the airline completes its return trip to Doha it will set a final record for the worlds longest non-stop commercial flight, as the journey takes an hour longer due to headwinds. The return flight is expected to take 17 hours and 30 minutes. Prior to this new route, rival airline Emirates is understood to have held the record for the longest commercial flight for its route between Dubai and Auckland, which is around 300 kilometres shorter than Qatar Airways new offer. Additional reporting by Associated Press Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave Theresa May a frightening account during their meeting of the threat posed by Iranian aggression to Israel and everybody else. In Mr Netanyahus eyes, Iran is a much more dangerous enemy than Isis or al-Qaeda, seeking to annihilate Israel, it seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the West, it threatens the world. Even by Mr Netanyahus standards the rhetoric sounds excessive and is probably motivated by a wish to divert attention from Israeli settlement building on the West Bank. Within a few days of Donald Trumps inauguration as President, Israel announced the construction of a further 2,500 housing units on the West Bank. Though the Trump administration expressed mild discontent, Israel will probably be spared more vigorous protests by Washington. Mr Netanyahu knows that senior members of the new administration have themselves been denouncing Iran in similarly apocalyptic terms as himself. On Saturday, the US Defence Secretary James Mattis called Iran the single biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, though he added that it was not necessary for the US to deploy more military forces to counter Iran. On the previous day, the US had imposed new though limited sanctions over an Iranian ballistic missile test. Fresh Israeli settlement building on the West Bank usually provokes cries internationally that the prospect of a two-state solution to establish peace between Israel and the Palestinians is being eroded or destroyed. But in reality such a solution has long been dead and buried because of the disparity in political, diplomatic and military strength between the two sides. Israel has no reason to compromise and the Palestinian Authority leadership, decrepit and authoritarian, has virtually no leverage or alternative options because of its long-standing dependence on Israeli security backing. Israel and the Sunni Arab states of the Gulf led by Saudi Arabia are relieved to have a more sympathetic president in the White House and glad that Mr Obama has gone. The administration has adopted a much more belligerent anti-Iranian tone, but is evidently not going to tear up the deal on Irans nuclear programme agreed by President Obama. US policy in Iraq and Syria is directed primarily towards eliminating Isis and al-Qaeda-type groups using US and allied air power in support of local allies on the ground, notably the Iraqi armed forces in Iraq and the Syrian Kurds in Syria. Iranian influence in the region is increasing simply because it leads what is essentially a Shia coalition of states and movements Iraq, Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon that is winning the war in Syria in alliance with Russia. In Iraq, the US and Iran have long had a strange relationship which is a mixture of cooperation and rivalry. The assent of Washington and Tehran is in practice required before there is a new Iraqi prime minister. Both Mr Netanyahu and Ms May are somewhat isolated internationally and want to take advantage of a more fluid situation in Washington under Mr Trump, but they do not know quite what direction it will take. The most important US policy decisions in Iraq and Syria are unlikely to be unstitched because they are working well and Isis is under strong pressure. 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 More Israeli settlement building around Jerusalem and on the West Bank undermines the idea that a two-state solution is feasible, but it has long been nothing more than a convenient fig leaf. A more sympathetic administration in Washington will increase pressure from the far-right inside Israel to move towards annexation of all or part of the West Bank, but real change is unlikely. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The desperate story of Iris Sibley, an 89-year-old woman who was trapped on hospital ward in Bristol for six months despite being medically fit enough to leave, due to the lack of social care available to support her and her 90-year-old husband, is no longer an aberration. Cases like hers are symptomatic of the crisis that has engulfed the NHS and social care system, and which is now increasingly seeping into the daily business of British politics. A month after the Red Cross let off a distress flare, warning of humanitarian crisis in our health service, the fight to save the NHS has turned into a battleground. Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, remains in post despite an eye-wateringly long list of tactical transgressions that would have seen any other previous minister off months ago, but the crises within the service mount up without a solution. A&E departments are full, leaving ambulances lined up outside, some forced to close due to midwinter pressure; hospital bed space is at a premium as cuts to local government budgets play out in reduced availability of social care for older or infirm patients; doctors are quitting the business or moving abroad; and, now, the recipients of the service are losing their patience. As the NHS creaks under the triple pressures of rising demand for instant services, a growing population living longer with chronic health conditions, and falling investment in real terms, the appetite for supporting a free at the point of access service available to all is waning. As we report today, a new survey has found that an almost equal percentage of Britons would be happy to pay upfront charges for some NHS care as would be willing to pay more income tax to sure the long-term future of the health service in its current form. Various bogeymen identified by politicians such as Mr Hunt this week, for example, it is the negligible burden that so-called health tourism places on our doctors no doubt account for this change in mood. Nevertheless the NHS is still perceived as the ultimate national treasure, and its commitment to universality now the core value under question is the primary reason for that. The most sensible response to the dual crises emerging in both the health and care sectors, as posited by a number of politicians, including most recently Labours Andy Burnham, is the creation of a single system of care and support that embraces both medical and other health and wellbeing services. This would also have the beneficial effect of tackling such issues as mental health at the same time as physical health an important factor in making savings for the service and preventing future, costly health conditions from occurring. The medical cost of loneliness is, in itself, remarkable. If social care worked effectively, how much might that save clinicians over, say, a 50-year time period. Ironically for those who wish to preserve the founding ideals of the NHS as a service free at the point of use and that includes this title the integration of health with care might be achieved more easily if charges were levied on health services, as the two sectors would begin to work in a more similar economy. Nevertheless, that is neither an argument in favour of capitulation on the concept of universality, nor an indication that the era of free healthcare for Britons is over. The NHS does need reform; without it, it simply will not be able to cope with the pressures put upon it. The education of patients and when and, more importantly, when not to use specific services is one important step. Another is the greater use of pharmacists and medical assistants in roles that were once reserved for fully trained doctors, but which do not require such a level of expertise. Finally, the removal of the artificial, politically created boundaries between health and care is long overdue and the single biggest barrier to preserving the NHS that British voters still, in the majority, will fight to preserve. A politician bold enough to manage such a transition would be healthily rewarded for their courage and foresight. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} It was an unfortunate photograph. Marine Le Pen with her right arm outstretched, palm flat in a very familiar salutation from the 1930s. It wasnt her fault, as she really isnt a fascist just another unpleasant European right winger whose political life has been spent playing anti-immigration, anti-European and anti-Muslim tunes. But she will not become president of France and she is not Donald Trump. If anything she is Frances Hilary Clinton a competent female politician who has been around a long time but has little fresh appeal to enthuse voters beyond the party faithful. Marine Le Pen faces the same problem her father did, and her niece Marion will when she takes over the leadership of the Front National at some future date. They have a core electorate of around 25 per cent of the French population, but it comes to a dead stop there. It is roughly identical to the loyal electorate the Parti communiste francais (PCF) could count on for the first 25 years after the end of World War Two. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images 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 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 In fact, with the collapse of communism, it appears at times that the PCF vote of unhappy workers bitter, unemployed, poorly paid public sector or agricultural workers and a number of the ideologically driven nation-first bourgeoisie have moved lock, stock and barrel from Communism to Frontism. The French Communist Party was racist and hostile to European workers coming into France, fanatically anti-Brussels, and blamed all of Frances ills on US-led western capitalism which today we call globalisation. It was able to win town halls, have a solid block of deputies in the French National Assembly, just as the Front does, and even some ministers after 1945 and briefly after 1981 but the Elysee never came within its grasp. So it will be with Marine. She has flipped-flopped on so many issues that she makes Jeremy Corbyn look like a model of consistency. She was for the restoration of the death penalty now she is against. She was strongly anti-gay but her chief lieutenant is gay so that has gone. She wanted the immediate restoration of the French franc but every opinion polls shows the French are attached to the Euro and know the Euro makes cross-frontier business with all Frances neighbours much easier so she has gone soft on that too. Marine Le Pen launches presidential campaign with hardline speech She has African and Muslim candidates on her candidates list, so cannot be as overtly racist as her father was. Nigel Farage, in his charming manner, reportedly said that while he thought Marine Le Pen wanted to sleep with him, he could never associate UKIP with her party because anti-Semitism was too deeply embedded in it. She exploded in a fit of anti-Nigel anger and there is no doubt she has tried to purge anti-Semitism from the Front. But the sulphur on the question of anti-Semitism still emerges from time to time from her fathers nostrils when he gets carried away. Journalists and researchers in France who have dug deep into Front membership report that the old prejudices lie not far below the smoother surface Marine has tried to polish to appear more acceptable amongst voters. She does share with Trump an admiration for Putin but the Kremlin knows she will not become president and Putin has cut her funding from Russian banks. She is no longer the new kid on the presidential block: that title belongs to Emmanuel Macron. Either Macron, or if the French centre-right, Les Republicains, finds an adequate replacement for the Francois Fillon (stand by for tomorrows Canard Enchaine) the new centre-right candidate will go into the second round with Marine and then win the presidency. The only way this will change is if the left candidates the Socialist Partys Benoit Hamon and the independent leftist Jean-Luc Melanchon unite, with one dropping out before the first round. A hard-left candidate against Marine Le Pen in the second round gives her a much better chance. Donald Trumps statements and acts since entering the White House have done serious damage to Europes alt-right nationalists like Marine Le Pen. They are undoubtedly fascinating and exotic for journalists from outside France but Marine will now keep her right arm firmly glued to her side. The second Le Pen to aim for the Elysee wont get there. Denis MacShane is the UKs former minister for Europe. He has written a biography of Francois Mitterrand and appears regularly on French radio and TV commenting on European politics. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Theresa May welcomes Benjamin Netanyahu to Downing Street today, just days after the Israeli Prime Minister announced plans for thousands of new illegal settlement units in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The UK Governments contempt for the rights of Palestinians is clear. The meeting raises serious questions about the UK Governments commitment to its obligations under international law, and its willingness to promote and enforce even its own policies regarding Israel and the Palestinians. If May followed the rules of her own government, she would slap an arms embargo on Israel, not roll out the red carpet for its leader. The expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem has now become the topic of an Israeli government announcement every few months. It was the intensification of settlement expansion that led the UN Security Council, including the UK, to vote for a resolution condemning settlements in December 2016. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images 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 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 Settlement expansion, considered a war crime under international law, is not only about building houses for Israelis. It is accompanied by land seizures and demolition of Palestinian homes, making way for settlement and security infrastructure. In 2016, the United Nations reported that Israel demolished or seized some 1,089 Palestinian-owned structures throughout the West Bank and East Jerusalem, displacing 1,593 Palestinians and affecting the livelihoods of another 7,101, the highest number since 2009. Land seizures and demolitions affect Palestinian citizens of Israel also. Just a few weeks ago, Israeli authorities demolished homes in the Palestinian Bedouin village of Umm al-Hiran, in southern Israel, to make way for a new Jewish village. When Palestinian residents protested the bulldozers pummeling through their homes, a local teacher was shot dead by Israeli police, who then branded him a terrorist amidst disputed claims he had deliberately driven his car at officers, killing one. The cycle is clear. Palestinians homes and livelihoods are destroyed to make way for settlements. When Palestinians protest, they are met with violence at the hands of the state. And what about those around the world who are standing up for Palestinian human rights? Boycotts and divestment campaigns are vital to ending government and corporate material support for these crimes, yet because of the growing strength of the movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), it has been singled out as enemy number one by the Israeli government. Israeli ambassador apologises after plot to 'take down' minister The Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs has set up a special task force to combat BDS activities around the world. Shai Masot, who was caught on camera calling for a take down of UK MPs critical of Israel, was said to be working for the ministry although that claim was flatly denied by the minister. And right now a new anti-BDS bill pending approval in the Israeli parliament will mean anyone associated with the movement can be banned from the country. Will these be the topics of discussion between May and Netanyahu? We dont know. What we do know is that while the UK Government has expressed concern about Israels violations of human rights, it continues to approve millions of pounds worth of arms and weapons technology exports to Israel each year. Government rhetoric once again masks a more sinister reality. The UKs own procedure for determining the legality of exports has identified Israel as a country of concern, with it violating numerous points on the criteria for receiving arms exports. Yet still, over 100m arms exports were approved in 2016 alone. The armed drones, military aircrafts, assault rifles, grenade launchers and more continue to leave British ports destined for use in the repression and killing of Palestinians, whether citizens of Israel or occupied subjects. Rather than deepening the UK's relationship with Israels human rights abusing government, its time Theresa May reminded herself of the UKs obligations under international law, which if enforced, would block her Government from approving arms exports and other trade that lends material support to Israeli violations. Ryvka Barnard is War on Wants senior militarism and security campaigner Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Prime Minister Theresa May in London on Monday for talks he hopes will focus on Iranian weapons, and not Israeli settlements. Britain, meanwhile, wants the talks at 10 Downing St. to discuss boosting trade ties between the two countries. Netanyahu told reporters in Jerusalem on Sunday that he would "emphasize the need for a common front against Iran's defiant aggression which has raised its head in recent days." Iran fired a ballistic missile last week. Iran and Israel are bitter enemies. Netanyahu vehemently opposes the 2015 international agreement that imposed curbs on Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. Britain backs the deal, which May has called "vital." President Donald Trump, with whom May's government wants close ties, is also a critic of the Iran deal. The Trump administration is also perceived as sympathetic to Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land, an issue that caused friction between Netanyahu and former President Barack Obama. The Palestinians claim the West Bank and east Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as parts of a future state. They say the settlements, home to 600,000 Israelis, are making it increasingly impossible to partition the land into two states a position that has wide international backing. May is under pressure to condemn Israeli settlement-building. The prime minister's office said May would raise Britain's longstanding concerns that the settlements undermine the peace process, although it is expected to form only a small part of the meeting. Britain wants the talks to focus on trade. The U.K. is seeking to bolster trade relations outside the European Union once it leaves the 28-nation bloc. Search Keywords: Short link: This is the killer dog that has evaded gun-parties in the southeast for the last three weeks. The large hunting hound - believed to be a Belgian Shepherd - is being blamed for savaging over 40 sheep in weekly attacks, despite being wounded by farmers attempting to defend their flocks. "We went out with the gun after the first attack and got a shot at him," explained Patrick Lacey whose flock has been attacked several times by the vicious hound. "He went down in a field of fodder-beet but by the time we'd made it over to finish him off he was gone," said Mr Lacey, who runs a sheep, beef and tillage operation in partnership with his brothers Lorcan and Kieran and father Laurance just outside New Ross in Wexford. Expand Close Picture of the wanted dog. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Picture of the wanted dog. The first attack happened in the second week of January when 12 of Lacey's 350 store hoggets were killed, with 15 more killed during another attack a week later. The latest attack happened at the weekend with another 20 sheep found dead. The brothers estimate that they have lost at least 40 sheep so far, worth 4,000, but with many more "half-dead" from the terror of the episode. Local horse-breeders are equally worried that their valuable stock might be next to be attacked. A party of up to eight locals armed with shotguns have failed to catch the dog during weekly searches of the locality. "He's a very elusive and clever animal. Any sound at all and he's gone. He evaded the hunting crew by circling about 2-3 miles back behind them," said local farmer Billy Moroney. "He's also figured out how to navigate his way into fields with four strands of electric wire." It is believed that the dog was lost by 'lampers' out hunting wildlife at night using headlights to startle animals. Mr Moroney has called for a ban on lamping to prevent this and related problems. "I've have my cattle terrified into running through fences because of lampers. It has to stop," he said. Patrick Lacey claimed that his flock had been subjected to regular dog attacks over the years. "Every couple of years we get another attack. It was one of the reasons we got out of keeping pregnant ewes because lambing them down after an attack is no fun. But this fella will be got. We've a specialist hunter coming down over the coming days to take him out," he said. The IFA has said a farmer is within their rights to shoot any dog worrying sheep on their land, but that it's not a policy they promote. There are over 300 attacks by dogs on sheep reported annually. Calls have been made for openness and transparency around which meat factories are importing live sheep or sheepmeat carcasses from the UK at a time when Irish sheepmeat price is on the floor. ICSA sheep chairman John Brooks says we know that big numbers of live sheep come in from Northern Ireland all the time but ICSA has reason to believe that the boot is really being put in by factories bringing additional sheep from Scotland, England or Wales. ICSA is calling on all factories to confirm or deny whether they use sheep from outside the island of Ireland. ICSA also wants the Department to provide precise breakdowns on how many sheep come from Scotland, England and Wales. Brooks says farmers will be furious if lamb price is being suppressed by unnecessary imports. This really exposes the risks attached to Meat Industry Irelands proposals that farmers should produce one million extra lambs. How could farmers possibly agree with any increase in production here when it is clear that surplus lambs are depressing prices by some 80c/kg compared to this time last year? Brooks went on to call on farmers to monitor whats going on in factories. Farmers should look at whats in the lairage. If you look at the EID tags, lambs from Northern Ireland have tags beginning with the digits 826-1 or UK 1 for non-EID whereas mainland UK lambs have tags beginning with the digits 826-0 or UK 0. ICSA would be very interested to hear from farmers who have seen these tags and what factories they have seen them in, he said. Brooks said that farmers were sick of excessively tight weight limits, clipping charges and penalties for non-quality assured lambs. What really gets farmers annoyed is that the stock being brought in are heavier live lambs, the very same product that Irish producers would get penalised for. We have no openness over the standards applied to imports, and what markets these sheep are destined for. Far from expanding production, the current state of the sheep trade means we could only encourage farmers to think about cutting back, he said. The High Court has approved the sale of the loan book and offices of bust Rush Credit Union to a neighbouring lender. Fast-expanding Progressive Credit Union will now take over the 9m-worth of loans which are owed by around 1,600 people in the North County Dublin villages of Rush and Lusk. Progressive has already received approval to do business in Rush and Lusk following the appointment last November of a provisional liquidator to Rush. Now the High Court has given it the go-ahead to take over the loan book, after liquidators McStay Luby put its sale out to tender. Progressive has also bought the premises in Rush and the one in Lusk. No sales price for the offices has been disclosed, but the two offices were on the market for around 1m. The sale of the loan book comes after people paying off loans to Rush Credit Union complained to the Central Bank over what they claim are threats from the liquidators. The former members claim they were threatened with poor credit ratings unless they signed up to make repayments through a standing order. McStay Luby said it was investigating the claims, but denied threats to report people to the Irish Credit Bureau (ICB) for not setting up standing orders. The securing of the loan book by Progressive will further widen its presence in North Dublin. Already one of the largest credit unions in the country, it grew out of a number of mergers. It is made up of former stand-alone credit unions in Balbriggan, Baldoyle-Portmarnock, Donabate, Glasnevin, Howth-Sutton, Skerries, and Swords-Rivervalley, and Victory in Ballymun and Glasnevin. Progressive Credit Union reported a surplus for last year of 1.7m, and has total assets of 150m. It has reserves of close to 19.6m - well in excess of the minimum regulatory requirement. The credit union has total membership of 45,416. Rush Credit Union was placed into liquidation by the Central Bank and the High Court following the emergence of a 4.7m hole in its reserves, and allegations of financial mismanagement emerged. Gardai are expected to press charges in relation to the allegation of fraud at the credit union. Meanwhile, a number of credit unions has been criticised by regulator, the Central Bank, as they have a minimalist approach to compliance. In a review of the fitness and probity of credit union staff, the Central Bank questioned the governance in some of them. Credit unions found to have low-levels of compliance are understood to be mainly smaller ones. An inspection by the Central Bank raised issues around not keeping due diligence records on file, which resulted in a lack of evidence to support compliance with the fitness and probity regime. Credit unions were also identified as having a lack of meaningful succession planning, and there was a failure to document processes and to maintain due diligence records on file, resulting in a lack of evidence to support compliance. Kevin Johnson of the Credit Union Development Association said the probe highlighted the need for tiered regulation will allow some credit unions to continue offering basic savings and loans only, while allowing other credit unions to provide more of their existing services, in particular long term loans. Management at KBC Group in Brussels has said it will formally communicate a decision on the future of its Irish operations at the same time they publish financial results for 2016. Photo: AFP KBC Bank Ireland is expected to announce its plans here when it publishes results on Thursday. Management at KBC Group in Brussels has said it will formally communicate a decision on the future of its Irish operations at the same time they publish financial results for 2016. Elsewhere, a delegation from the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs will visit Brussels this week to hold talks on a range of issues under the committee's remit, including the Irish impact of the UK's decision to withdraw from the European Union. During the visit, committee members will meet with Michel Barnier, EU Commission chief negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt, European Parliament representative on Brexit, Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan, Emily O'Reilly, European Ombudsman, and Ireland's ambassador to the EU Declan Kelleher. Elsewhere, two further sectoral Brexit events will be held by the Government today, including one on energy led by Communications Minister Denis Naughten, in Roscommon, and a second one by Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Heather Humphreys in Cavan. The creation of over 200 jobs in Waterford and Kilkenny have been announced. Canadian studio Mercury Filmworks is set to team up with Cartoon Saloon at the Lighthouse Studio in Kilkenny, while software company Red Hat is to announce plans for an expansion of its facilities in Waterford. The ventures are to be supported by the IDA and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The Mercury-Cartoon Saloon partnership will see 140 new jobs added over the next three years. "We have enormous respect for Cartoon Saloon and could not be happier to announce this collaboration. They are one of todays most creative and well respected animation companies with goals, perspectives, and philosophies that complement our own, said Mercury Filmworks ceo Clint Eland. Cartoon Saloon ceo Paul Young said the announcement was a significant boon for the animation industry in Ireland and was keen to underline the strength of the offering here: "Ireland enjoys a number of advantages when it comes to animation. The industry is supported by a growing number of educational programs and draws talent from all over Europe due to the quality of projects being produced here. The Irish talent pool has been spilling over into other parts of Europe and North America for years and we look forward to welcoming a lot of that talent home, Mr Young said. Speaking on the announcement, Minister for Jobs, Mary Mitchell O' Connor said: "This is terrific news and I warmly welcome the additional 140 jobs which will be created in Kilkenny. This launch today shows that we have the creative talent to attract companies like Mercury Filmworks to Ireland. Ireland has a strong record in film making, including animation, and I have no doubt that this partnership between Mercury Filmworks and Cartoon Saloon will go from strength to strength". Red Hat purchased Waterford-based Feeding Henry in 2015 for a fee of 63m. It is expected that 60 jobs will be provided in a 12.7m investment over the next four years. First-time buyers Aoife Manahan and Andrew Caulfield bought a three-bedroom semi in the first phase of Seagreen, Greystones, with Sherry FitzGerald, which at the time was priced from 395,000. 'We were living in Australia, and we came back in May 2015. We had been out of Ireland for a year-and-a-half. We were horrified at the rent prices. We had thought we'd come back, rent, and then save and buy. When we saw the rental prices we thought, we'll be renting for 10 years by the time we can afford to save a deposit. "Luckily we have very patient and supportive parents so we both moved home. We thought, whatever we were going to put into rent, let's save it. So we met with a financial adviser. We thought if we want to move forward with this, we want to be in the best financial position possible. The financial adviser was able to say to us, 'Okay you need to do X, Y and Z.' "You might think you're in great financial standing but there might be just one little thing that you're doing that needs to be tweaked. And if you can do that six to 12 months in advance of going for the mortgage, it just makes the process much smoother. "In March last year, we had the deposit behind us, so we thought now is the time to look. And within the same week, the Seagreen development launched. I'm from Greystones, but we never thought we'd be able to live there from the start. We were really lucky. We met with the banks a week before it launched. We had our approval in principle sorted from a couple of lenders. I actually grew up in a Wood Group home myself - I had confidence in them. We ideally wanted something that was ready for us to move in to; we both have demanding jobs, we didn't want to have to put a lot of time into renovating the home. "There is one thing I would advise any couple going through this to do: we opened a Dropbox folder online that we both had access to and we put all of our documents, like payslips, bank statements, proof of address, in there. So if a bank came back looking for things, we both had access to that. It just sped up everything from our side. Update it monthly with payslips and statements. "On the day of the launch, I think it was starting at 1pm but we went up at 7am and there was already a queue at that point." A security guard shot and killed an Afghan diplomat inside the Afghan consulate in the Pakistani city of Karachi on Monday, officials said. Mohammad Zaki Abdu the consulate's third secretary died of his wounds shortly after the shooting, a spokesman for the Afghan consulate in Karachi, Haris Khan, said. "We were working at our office when we heard gunshots," he said. "Everybody was running in panic when I got out." The guard, identified only as an Afghan national named Rahatullah, was taken into custody, said police official Azad Khan. Both officials said the motive behind the killing was not yet known. The Afghan embassy in Islamabad said it was awaiting further details. In Pakistan, which has long been a hotbed of Islamic militancy, foreign missions are afforded extra security and also frequently hire their own private guards. Rahatullah was Abdu's personal bodyguard, and it wasn't clear whether the Afghan consulate had hired him officially, said Khan, the police official. Search Keywords: Short link: Samantha Barrys obsession with news and the way that information was translated to the masses was evident at an early age as she listened to RTE radio from her home in Ballincollig, Co Cork. After a degree in English and a Masters in Journalism, Barry joined that team of reporters with a late-night internship at 2FM followed by roles as a reporter and a producer on Morning Ireland. I was always fascinated by radio. When I became a lunchtime reporter with Newstalk, I got to report on breaking news so I needed to learn how to turn news around really fast, she told independent.ie. Even at that stage, we were getting text messages from listeners wanting to offer information or respond. But it was only while working abroad, particularly in her 18 months spent in Papua New Guinea with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), that Barry began to make the shift towards the technology and social media scene. As technology has developed, in line with different platforms, we now have real-time interaction with stories. Social networks like Facebook have become not just about whats happening in the lives of our friends and colleagues but its about whats happening in the world, a hyper global setting at the forefront. After joining BBC World News, Barry then travelled and worked in many different countries as a social media producer and a journalist using platforms as a tool for news gathering and audience building. Hitting all social platforms 24/7 When Barry moved to CNN in September 2014, the timing was particularly exciting as the US election frenzy was really beginning to ramp up. And that had a positive impact for the growth of the social media scene. I have been very lucky with great timing so, from the outset, I have had amazing buy in from the very top. They realised that social was something that we needed to really focus on. Experimentation and collaboration was an opportunity that went hand in hand with the elections run-up for the CNN bosses. The group partnered with Facebook for one of the political debates, they were the first organisation to go Live on Facebook and, after launching on Snapchat one of three messaging apps they launched on in the last year - CNN held interviews on the channel. This move helped reach an even younger but nonetheless eager audience. Ive always been passionate about people; how they were consuming news on social media and the way that we reached out to each other, she said. But its essential that we take each of the different social platforms and we look at them separately. The story is the same but how we news gather or deliver from these platforms will be targeted as they all have different demographics and they ingest and react to the news in different ways. From influencers on Twitter to the visually focussed Instagram followers to the slightly older but strong audience on Facebook to getting news bites on Snapchat Barry believes they all have an interest and all have a voice. We know our audience across some platforms is younger but they have an appetite for news that is sometime overlooked. You adapt and tailor your storytelling to meet their needs. Not one size fits all. Like most media agencies globally that use digital as an output method, the recognition of mobile as a key driver and being able to reach people anywhere at any time has become essential in a competitive market. CNN was always about innovation: 24 hours a day on TV, on apps and on mobile web I just wanted to make sure that this was sustained on social. Now we have 24/7 global publishing around the clock, manning and news gathering from social. How CNN social team tackle a big news story A perfect example of how the CNN social media team react to a global event is when Donald Trumps immigration ban became the leading news piece across every continent. When the travel ban came into effect, as is the case with a terrorist attack or a natural disaster, the key people get aligned from the get go. From the news gathering team to the editor in chief...asking what are the stories we have, what do we need to get out and push in. We work closely with the bureaus about getting the stories out. CNN set up a voicemail project so that those affected by the travel ban could leave a message that could then be reviewed and made available for listeners to tap in to. Feeds coming in via Facebook Live were monitored and desked as good place for viewers to watch unnarrated streams of live feeds. We were in constant contact with our international colleagues to discuss how were dividing the different stories and how we could output the one story across all of the different platforms, she said. In the last two and a half years at CNN, Barry has shown her ambition to bringing her team to the forefront globally and realises that its not something she can become complacent about. I wanted us to be number 1 on the platform that we played on. Were competing for time and attention whether its watching a satirical show on Netflix or reading a newspaper column. The competitors of the past are not the same on social. We are always watching what other people/news agencies are doing. Dermot and Enda and a sea of Brussels sprouts Enda and Dermot Bannon get to work. Pic: Room to Improve / RTE Enda and Mags' new home. Pic: Room to Improve / RTE Dermot Bannon, Enda and Mags on Room to Improve Viewers were completely charmed with the home owners on Sunday night's Room to Improve. On last night's episode Dermot Bannon travelled to North County Dublin, to help Mags and Enda realise their dream of building a town house. Expand Close Mags and Enda. Pic: Room to Improve / RTE / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mags and Enda. Pic: Room to Improve / RTE Farmer and boatbuilder Enda and his wife Mags lived on a 55-acre brussel sprout farm at Balheary near Swords in North Dublin. The couple were selling their family house in the countryside on the edge of the capital and making the move to Rush so that they could be closer to more amenities, mainly pints. Expand Close Dermot and Enda and a sea of Brussels sprouts / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dermot and Enda and a sea of Brussels sprouts "I'd like the privilege of walking for a pint," said Enda when Dermot asked him what inspired him to move to Dublin. After three decades of life in the country, they moved back to Endas home town the picturesque seaside village of Rush. Their new home, formerly owned by Endas aunt is an old fishermans house near the harbour. With big plans for a large extension and a viewing turret, Enda took control of the project himself as a self-build. Expand Close Enda and Dermot. Pic: Room to Improve / RTE / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Enda and Dermot. Pic: Room to Improve / RTE Impressed by an initial plan drawn up by Enda and Mags' son David, an architecture student, Dermot first had to convince his clients not to create a tunnel through the house, for cars to park out the back. It was the first of many challenges for the architect, who struggles to adapt the design as Enda, and his crew of family and farmhands plough ahead with the build, seemingly making it up as they go along. Expand Close Enda and Dermot Bannon get to work. Pic: Room to Improve / RTE / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Enda and Dermot Bannon get to work. Pic: Room to Improve / RTE The Brussels sprout farmer was passionate about the project and wasn't going to be swayed by any doubtful comments from Dermot. Viewers loved his 'can-do' attitude and were really impressed by how fast he got through the work. Expand Close Enda and Mags' new home. Pic: Room to Improve / RTE / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Enda and Mags' new home. Pic: Room to Improve / RTE Video of the Day Poor Dermot struggled to keep up with him and his crew, muttering a few "Ah Jesus Enda" comments under his breath. "There's just no stopping Enda," his wife Mags said. Expand Close Enda and Dermot have their first pint. Pic: Room to Improve / RTE / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Enda and Dermot have their first pint. Pic: Room to Improve / RTE Of course, everything worked out in the end and all the hard work paid off as Enda and Mags eventually moved into the home they'd built from scratch. And Enda walked to the local pub, bringing Dermot with him for a drink. 'There's only one way to do something and that's do it, isn't it' Brilliant! Good man Enda!#roomtoimprove Liam Na mBad (@Liam_Na_mBad) February 5, 2017 This is the Enda that should be running the country! There's efficient and then there's Enda. On time&within budget I reckon #roomtoimprove Leanne (@leanne_oc81) February 5, 2017 Cracking episode of Room to Improve, the finished house was top notch, and Enda seems like a gem #roomtoimprove Lyn Byrne (@Claddagh123) February 5, 2017 That's the Enda we want in charge of our country! #roomtoimprove Robbie Mulcaire (@RobbieMul95_IRL) February 5, 2017 Now there's an Enda that could build a better Ireland #roomtoimprove Sharon Creedon (@SharonCreedon) February 5, 2017 If I win the Lotto I'm going to get Enda to build me a house. #RoomToImprove Snuggeldy (@Snuggeldy) February 5, 2017 Fair play to Enda and Mags. #roomtoimprove Sinead nolan (@kcocdoow) February 6, 2017 #roomtoimprove enda come build me a house, bring some of your sprouts too Karen O'Flynn (@Mollzer) February 6, 2017 Enda in his 'hillfigers' has to be the king of Rush! #roomtoimprove pic.twitter.com/2800b3SePX Ailish O'Hora (@ailishohora) February 5, 2017 More than 13,000 civil servants would pay nothing towards their own pensions if unions get their way at new talks. Unions will demand the pension levy, brought in during the financial crisis, be abolished at negotiations expected to start in May on a deal to succeed the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA). Figures released by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform reveal that 13,853 long-serving civil servants made no contribution towards their personal pension fund before the levy was brought in. However, it said they do pay 1.5pc towards a survivors' scheme that could provide benefits to their families when they die. Public servants have paid the levy - worth 4.5pc of their pay - since it was introduced during the recession in 2009, on top of their existing contributions. It was reduced under the LRA. Although most public servants would make a contribution to their pension if the levy was axed, sources said the Government was likely to table proposals to keep it in place to cover the soaring cost of retirement benefits. A Government source said there was a feeling that private sector workers could not be asked to contribute to a mandatory scheme - being championed by Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar - while some public servants made little or no contribution. Chairman of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions' (Ictu) Public Services Committee Tom Geraghty, who will be a key figure at talks, said although civil servants who were hired before April 6, 1995, did not make an "explicit" contribution, there was an "implicit" one. He said this was because civil servants who joined after this date got a pay rise when contributions were introduced for them. Mr Geraghty also noted that a discount of 5pc to wages to take account of the fact they did not make a pension contribution has been used at talks on pay. He said it would be extremely unfair for the vast bulk of civil servants, who earn around 40,000 and whose pensions are integrated with the State pension, to continue to pay 13.5pc between their contributions and the levy. But actuary and director of Technical Guidance Tony Gilhawley described the pre-1995 civil servants' retirement arrangements as a "golden package". "In addition, the post-1995 civil servants got a salary increase to compensate them for their pension contribution so it is arguable that these civil servants are not paying anything towards it, similar to their colleagues," he said. But he said the pre-1995 civil servants are a small group and the bigger question will be the cost of all public sector pensions. He said a new scheme with lower benefits that was introduced in 2013 would not impact on costs for about 40 years. He said the Comptroller and Auditor General estimated the cash flow from the pension levy would amount to 132bn between 2009 and 2058. "So abolishing the pension-related deduction entirely would be giving up about 132bn of funds, which would then fall on taxpayers generally, mainly private sector," he said. "It's a very big call to make, on a scale like the bank guarantee." A recent submission by employer group Ibec to the Public Service Pay Commission said it was "imperative" that the pension levy should become a permanent fixture. It argued that while many public service workers make significant contributions if the levy was included, they were modest compared with the benefits. It estimates that the employer contribution is almost 14pc higher than its private sector counterparts. "Current contributions, inclusive of the pension-related deduction, amount to around 70pc of pension outgoings with the State in effect funding the remainder," it said, adding that, discounting the pension levy, that figure falls to 29pc and by 2058 those figures will stand at 50pc and 18pc "leaving an unsustainable bill for the State". The submission said the most recent estimate dating from 2009 puts the total liability in respect of public service pensions at 98bn, but estimates that changes in market conditions since then mean it may have hit 130bn. Ian Bailey will be tried in absentia in Paris. Photo: Courts Collins Freelance journalist Ian Bailey will face a murder trial in France later this year over the 1996 death of mother-of-one Sophie Toscan du Plantier (39) in west Cork. Mr Bailey (59) has now been indicted for the murder of the film executive by the French authorities and formal court papers were served on Mr Bailey at his Schull home last Thursday by gardai acting on behalf of the Paris authorities. He now faces two charges in France - one of which is murder. Mr Bailey and his legal team have repeatedly predicted that the French will attempt to stage "a show trial" in Paris. His solicitor, Frank Buttimer, described the French legal move as "outrageous" and "unbelievable". Mr Bailey will now be tried in absentia, which is permitted under French law, after the Irish authorities refused to extradite him to France almost five years ago. The Supreme Court rejected a French extradition bid lodged under a European Arrest Warrant (EAW). The French confirmation that a murder trial will proceed is understood to be the first formal communication Mr Bailey has had with the Paris prosecutors. Expand Close Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sophie Toscan du Plantier. Photo: PA Last month, members of Ms Toscan du Plantier's family attended a special memorial Mass in west Cork to mark the 20th anniversary of her brutal killing. Sophie's son and brother vowed that their fight for justice will never stop. Now, the French authorities will consider allowing elderly or infirm Irish witnesses to offer evidence in the murder trial via video-link. Prosecutors want the Paris Criminal Court trial, now expected in late 2017, to involve as many witnesses as possible from the original Garda investigation into her murder on December 23, 1996. CHRISTIAN CARTER and 85-year-old Richard Stanley, the joint landlords of a Co Dublin house which at one point had been used to house up to 70 South American and east European tenants, were told by a judge today to pay a local authoritys legal costs that could run close to 60,000. Judge Jacqueline Linnane directed the costs order be made jointly and severally against both Carter and Stanley which means either of them could be sued for the full amount following taxation or they could agree to equally share the load. Expand Expand Previous Next Close The house where up to 70 tenants were living Inset: Christian Carter The house where up to 70 people were living / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The house where up to 70 tenants were living Inset: Christian Carter The Circuit Civil Court heard that Carter, of Dunedin Drive, Monkstown, Co Dublin, had been paying Richard Stanleys son, Dermot, 2,000 a month by bankers order and 2,000 in cash for the five-bedroom house, The Pines, Lehaunstown, Cabinteely, Co Dublin. Judge Linnane heard that in turn Dermot Stanley, who lives in London, was paying his father Richard, who owns the house, 2,000 a month. In an email to Carter in August 2015, Dermot Stanley stated his father had noticed some mattresses out the back of the house last time he collected rent. Dermot Stanley added in the email: If you can make sure your guy keeps it looking ok for rent day then at least youll save me the grief. Thanks. Barrister Fran Rooney, counsel for Carter, told the court his client had sublet the property with the consent and knowledge of the Stanleys after the son, Dermot, had agreed to the deletion of a clause in the Lease prohibiting sub-letting. Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close A dormitory in The Pines in Cabinteely, where up to 70 people were reported to be living Photo: Tony Gavin A room full of bunk beds at The Pines, Lehaunstown. Photo: Independent.ie The balcony of the house in Cabinteely which has 70 people living in it / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A dormitory in The Pines in Cabinteely, where up to 70 people were reported to be living Photo: Tony Gavin In another Dermot Stanley to Christian Carter email, opened by Mr Rooney to the court, Stanley the younger had given his consent to the sub-division of the house into 15 bedrooms. In the second email of October 2015, he told Carter he was set for another year..providing you keep my father happy every time he comes over to collect the rent. The living conditions in the 'unauthorised hostel' were first reported on by Independent.ie earlier this year. Barrister Liam OConnell, counsel for Dunlaoghaire-Rathdown County Council, which had sought injunctions restraining the continued use of the house as a multi-occupancy dormitory property, told Judge Linnane today that her order to clear the house of tenants by Saturday last had been fully complied with. Its now just a matter of legal and administrative costs that has to be decided by the court, he said. Michael Binchy, who appeared with solicitor Kevin OHiggins for Richard Stanley, asked the court to award costs against Mr Carter as Mr Stanley senior had moved at all times to bring an end to the unauthorised development at the property. He said Mr Stanley had not known what Mr Carter had been doing at the property and if the court held against him on awarding full costs against Mr Carter he said a 25-75 per cent costs order in favour of Mr Stanley would reflect blame worthiness of the parties. Judge Linnane said that if 50 people had been paying 50 a week each to Mr Carter he would have been receiving 10,000 a month. Sixty tenants would have been paying him more than 12,000 a month. At an earlier hearing it was estimated Carter had been collecting up to 16,000 a month in rent. Mr Rooney, who appeared with OBrien Redmond Solicitors for Carter, said the sewage problems at the house had been fully cleared up by an environmental company employed by his client. Judge Linnane struck out the local authoritys application and awarded legal costs jointly and severally against Carter and Stanley senior, to be taxed in default of agreement. She directed that the local authority be paid 2,810 for administrative expenses. Mr Carter confirmed that all tenants have now been re-housed. Speaking to Independent.ie after the court case, he said: "People are my age that I'm renting to. I know what it's like to have a landlord mess you around. I'm not like other landlords. I've never increased rent on anybody, ever." The court also heard how Mr Carter had employed a man by the name of Dillon De Brun to collect the rent cash-in-hand on his behalf. Independent.ie broke the story in January through an undercover investigation and revealed how a man using the name 'Dyl O'Reilly' was advertising The Pines on Facebook. This was in fact Mr Dillon De Brun, who Mr Carter confirmed was employed directly by him. None of the tenants had leases and were each paying 200 per month to live there. The court also heard how 15 rooms in the house were being used as bedrooms, in what was meant to be a five-bedroom house. Each of the bedrooms had been subdivided and up to 36 people were sleeping in the basement, with up to eight people sleeping in the attic. Politician Mick Wallace has been accused of evading a summons server in court proceedings that could see him barred from acting as a company director. The liquidator of his M&J Wallace construction firm has applied to the High Court for an order disqualifying the Wexford TD from being a director, or failing that, restricting him for a number of years. The application is also being made in respect of his son Sasha, who was also a director of the building firm. However, Mr Justice Robert Haughton heard today that a summons server had been unable to serve court papers on either man at the addresses given to the liquidator, Micheal Leydon. Barrister Stephen Brady submitted an affidavit to the court in which the summons server said he had been unable to serve papers at Mr Wallaces home in Clontarf despite several attempts. It appears he is evading service as he is not answering my calls, the affidavit said. Mr Brady said several attempts had been made to give the papers to Mr Wallace at his home, but the gates were locked and the intercom appeared to be broken. He said the summons server had hooted his horn and called into neighbours, but there was no sign of Mr Wallace. Mr Justice Haughton asked on what basis the evading claim was made. Mr Brady clarified that there hadnt been any telephone calls to Mr Wallace, but it had not been possible for the summons server to see him face to face despite several visits to his home. He outlined seven separate occasions the summons server visited the house. The court was also told that Sasha Brady was not living at an address he provided in Dublin. The apartment is being rented to an Eastern European man. Mr Justice Haughton said he would allow the TD to be served at his home address and by email to his Oireachtas email account. He said he would also allow service by post and email to Sasha Wallace. The moves to disqualify the Independents4Change TD from being a company director come just over a month after he was declared bankrupt following a petition from Promontoria Aran, a subsidiary of US vulture fund Cerberus. It sought the declaration after the TD was unable to repay a 2m loan his firm had taken out with Ulster Bank. That debt was bought by Promontoria Aran, as part of a wider loans portfolio, in a deal agreed in 2014. M&J Wallace Ltds liquidator, Mr Leydon, began the disqualification proceedings at the beginning of January. Mr Leydon was appointed liquidator early last year following a petition from Promontoria Aran. The proceedings were brought under sections 819 and 842 of the Companies Act, which allows liquidators to restrict or disqualify individuals from acting as company directors. Under Section 819 a person who was a director of an insolvent company can be restricted from being a company director or secretary for five years. Section 842 allows the High Court to disqualify someone from acting as a director or secretary for whatever period the court sees fit. However, Mr Wallace rejected the allegation when contacted by Independent.ie. "I got no notice of any hearing and I have not seen anyone try to serve papers," he said. "I have not been hiding. I've been in the Dail five days every week since the Dail reopened." Mr Wallace has been a staunch critic of Cerberus purchase of Namas Northern loans portfolio, Project Eagle. The 1.6bn sale has been mired in controversy for the past year-and-a-half after Mr Wallace made allegations about a Stg7m payment linked to the deal, which ended up in an Isle of Man bank account. Mr Wallace told the Dail the money was reportedly earmarked for a Northern Ireland politician or party. The claims sparked an investigation by UKs National Crime Agency, which is ongoing. Following his bankruptcy Mr Wallace claimed Cerberus was settling a score with him. Cerberus has never responded to this claim. Troops from five Sahel countries plan to set up a new counter-terror force in the region, where alarm over the jihadist threat is mounting, leaders said Monday in Mali's capital. The announcement came as leaders of the Sahel G5 states -- Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger -- that describe themselves as "in the frontline against terrorism", met to discuss the desert zone's perilous security situation. The gathering took place barely three weeks after the worst attack in the region for years, the January 18 suicide bombing in the northern Malian city of Gao that left almost 80 people dead. "To better combat terrorism in G5 countries, we have decided to implement the creation of a G5 force," President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger told a press conference. There was no word on the number of troops the force would have or where they would be stationed. Issoufou said a United Nations resolution and Security Council approval would be requested before the force could be formed. Chad's President Idriss Deby said European nations would be asked for aid for the transnational project. "What we want is for European countries to give us the means. We are going to be on the front line ourselves in the fight against terrorism," said Deby, speaking as current G5 chief. Some 3,500 French troops are already stationed in the Sahel region as part of counter-terror efforts against an increasingly nimble array of Islamist groups, some of which are aligned with Al-Qaeda. Hundreds of Europeans too are serving with the 12,000-strong UN peacekeeper force stationed in Mali, which has become the UN's most dangerous operation in two decades with 70 lives lost. The new G5 deployment would "save the lives of (European) soldiers", Deby added. The Chadian leader said earlier in the day that the Sahel region risked becoming "a space for terrorists" unless immediate, co-ordinated action was taken. "The multiplication of terrorist attacks in the Sahel" shows the threat "has new proportions", Deby warned. Chad and Niger are currently battling Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram, while jihadists in late 2015 and early 2016 struck tourist spots in Mali, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast. Experts say attacks mounted by jihadists and armed groups are on the rise and are increasingly targeting civilians in the largely desert zone. January's deadly attack in the northern Malian city of Gao was claimed by Algerian jihadist and Al-Qaeda ally Mokhtar Belmokhtar. Northern Mali was described as a "known hideout for terrorists" in an internal G5 document seen by AFP. "It is also a launchpad for attacks against other countries," the document said. "We need to co-ordinate our efforts to rise up to the challenge," said Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, whose nation is struggling with jihadists who use its vast northern stretches as a launchpad for attacks. Mauritania was once plagued by Islamist attacks within its borders, but has made significant security gains. Search Keywords: Short link: A Belfast father has 'absolutely' refuted any suggestion he was responsible for the death of the infant daughter he "just loved to bits". Giving evidence on the eve of the third anniversary of baby Caragh Walsh's death, 26-year-old Christopher O'Neill, his voice at times cracking, told his Craigavon Crown Court trial in Armagh that he would "never" have done anything to harm her. O'Neill from Whiterock Road in west Belfast, denies the murder of three-month-old baby Caragh who died on February 7, 2014, two days after being rushed to hospital from her Glasvey Park home in Twinbrook. He began his evidence by describing his relationship with the child's mother as having grown stronger and more serious at the news of her pregnancy, and of how both of them looked forward to the birth. Asked by defence QC Patrick Lyttle how he felt when Carragh was born in October 2013, O'Neill replied: "I was happy ... proud", adding later; "I loved her to bits, I didn't want to leave her, I just wanted to be with her all of the time". O'Neill said in the month and a half of paternity leave, and after they'd moved into their own flat in Twinbrook, he "did most of the looking after of baby Caragh", and later would rush home from work to be with her. Expand Close Christopher ONeill is on trial for murder of his baby daughter Caragh Walsh / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Christopher ONeill is on trial for murder of his baby daughter Caragh Walsh Then taking him to the events of that "fateful day ... that terrible day" Mr Lyttle asked him how he felt when baby Caragh suddendly awoke in her bouncer, with a "painful cry", and later rushed to hospital in an amblance after he'd shaken her and given her mouth to mouth in an effort to revive her. Initially he told the court that he "was scared ... because I knew something was wrong" thinking, "that she was dying", and that "I just wanted her not to die. I just wanted to help her". Although he accepted that at one stage he lifted her up in front of him and "shook her" he did not know how many times he did so. O'Neill also told the jury of ten men and one woman; "I felt helpless and scared ... completely scared of Caragh dying... I knew something wrong was happening", then later added: "It was a strange feeling.. you could find a word for it, but I couldn't". The defence lawyer then put the Crown case to him, saying: "Mr O'Neill the prosecution case, in a nutshell, is that you deliberately hurt your daughter, that you lost control, that you swung her by the arms and limbs". "I would never hurt my daughter," said O'Neill, "that's completely wrong. I was trying to help her". "Why shake her?" asked Mr Lyttle. "Because I thought she was dying and to this day I have had to live with the fact that I didn't help her enough," replied O'Neill who was then asked: "Do you still think about your daughter?"..... "Every single day," he said. Under cross-examination O'Neill accepted the youngster was healthy and well, when left in his care, and that after she had unexpectedly taken ill, "in a very bad way", he thought, "I will help her by picking her up and shake her with all the risks attached to that". "Yes," said O'Neill, to which Mr Toby Hedworth put it to him: "Instead of picking up your phone and dialing 999 to get help as soon as humanly possible". O'Neill also accepted that all his attempts to resusitate baby Caragh before calling for help,"made no difference", but maintained he, "wasn't thinking in a normal way at all ... I was trying to help her". "Why were you so reluctant, Christopher O'Neill, to dial 999 from the outset?" asked the prosecutor, before suggesting; "you were thinking you didn't want to ring 999 because you would be found out". "No," said O'Neill. "Because unfortunately on that late morning when left alone, it all got a bit too much for you .... on this occasion she wouldn't stop crying and you couldn't get her to stop". "That wasn't the case, no," replied baby Caragh's father. Mr Hedworth suggested further that in the weeks before his daughter's death, he had been her main carer, but that morning he became "frustrated ... exasperated at having to look after her". "No - Never," came the reply. Mr Hedworth returned to the question, several times, suggesting at one stage: "Unfortunately Mr O'Neill that late morning you were no longer a caring man, you became an angry man", before putting it to him that that in his "anger ... you became very rough indeed with her, did you not". "Never," maintained O'Neill. The defendant also rejected claims that from the very moment of making the 999 call, throughout his police interviews, and over the past years, or even in court, he has never been able to accept the "unpalatable reality" that it was he who caused the injuies which caused his daughter's death. Those injuries, said Mr Hedworth, were caused "after you had lost it", to which he replied: "No I would never hurt my daughter, thats completely wrong". In a re-examination by his own counsel, O'Neill miantained that he "did the best thing I thought of when she was loosing consciouness", and complained about people talking about him having shaken "my baby" .... I never lost it with my daughter ... I just loved her to bits". The case continues on Tuesday when the jury will again be hearing evidence from medial experts. A DUBLIN man who was arrested trying to transport 1.6 kilos of high grade explosives and three detonators on the Bus Eireann bus to Derry has been jailed for seven years by the Special Criminal Court. The court heard that Busaras had to be evacuated after Special Branch detectives intercepted Patrick Brennan on board the bus. Brennan (53) was arrested last June by officers from the Special Detective Unit (SDU) at Busaras, in Store Street, in central Dublin, following a tip-off. Brennan, of Lindisfarne Avenue, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, pleaded guilty to possessing four 400-gramme blocks of TNT and three electric explosive detonators on June 16, 2016. Detective Sergeant Padraig Boyce, SDU, told the court that Brennan had been under surveillance as part of an on-going investigation into the activities of IRA members in the Dublin area. Det Sgt Boyce said that on the day of the arrest, the married father of six was observed leaving his house at around 4.50am before immediately getting into a taxi. The taxi took the accused to the bus station in Dublins city centre, where he waited for around 50 minutes before boarding the Bus Eireann 5.55am service to Derry, the three-judge court was told. At all times, Brennan had a blue canvas bag in his possession and this bag was placed in the seat next to him when he was arrested aboard the bus by three SDU officers. Det Sgt Boyce told prosecution counsel Ronan Kennedy that gardai had made a significant discovery after Brennan was detained. He said: In the base of the bag there was four blocks of Trinitrotoluene, commonly known as TNT and three electronic detonators in good condition strapped to the TNT. On discovery of the explosives, the surrounding area was evacuated and the army was called, Det Sgt Boyce said. Brennan, who had been jailed for four years in 2005 for IRA membership, was the sole passenger on the bus at the time of his arrest, Det Sg Boyce added. He said that he believed the quantity of explosives could have been used in the construction of six to eight separate car bombs. He said; From devices that have been recovered intact, 200 grammes (of explosives) have been used. And although the explosives werent armed, Det Sgt Boyce said the TNT had been lethally packaged and could have been detonated by a static charge whilst being moved. Sentencing him to seven years imprisonment backdated to last June, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, said that while Brennans role was confined to transportation, acting as a willing courier was the same as taking part in terrorist activities. The judge said that the court was prepared to suspend the final two years of the sentence if Brennan gave an undertaking not associate with members of unlawful organisations. However, after a brief consultation Brennans counsel, Mr Diarmaid Mac Guinness SC said that his client was not in a position to give such an undertaking and the court imposed the full seven years prison sentence. A man who as a 12-year-old consistently raped his sister has been jailed for a year because the law at the time states that a child under 14 years old cannot be guilty of rape. Michael Hughes (57) of Cluain Beag, Nobber, Co Meath had pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court last December to four counts of rape and four counts of indecent assault on dates between December 1971 and October 1973 at the family home they shared in Dublin. His sister, Anne Marie Powney, who waived her right to anonymity, was aged between four and six at the time. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy said at a hearing last January that the legislation that existed at the time of the offence meant that Hughes could not be convicted of rape as he was under the age of 14. He allowed for the rape pleas to be set aside and sentenced him today on the four remaining indecent assault charges. Mr Justice McCarthy said it was one of the most harrowing victim impact reports he had ever read. Sadly up to now she has not managed to recover from what happened her as a child and she still suffers, the judge said before he added that the woman lives in constant fear everyday that Hughes would get her. The judge said that the court could also only impose a maximum sentence of two years for the offences of indecent assault. He took into account Hughes' admissions of guilt and the fact that he was a child at the time before he jailed him for a year. I don't think he was not so young as to appreciate the seriousness of what he was doing, Mr Justice McCarthy added. The now 49-year-old woman read from her victim impact report at the sentence hearing last December, that she didn't feel like she had her own identity because the abuse is so ingrained in me. I've been in prison in my own body and mind. I can never get those years back, the woman continued after commenting that her brother walks around free. She said that as a child she was full of fear, afraid to go out and afraid to stay in. She felt school was the only safe place she could go to. She described wearing loads of clothes and hiding under beds, but he always got to me. It became a waiting game. There was no escaping. She said she would never be able to forget the horrors of the abuse and she lived in constant fear every day that Hughes would get her. I've never know what a normal life is and never will, the woman said before she added that the chances of that ended the first day he raped me. Tara Burns SC, prosecuting, told the court that the man had pleaded guilty to sample counts and said the abuse occurred at least two or three times per week. Garda Ciaran Campbell said that Hughes was a father of seven children and had no other convictions. He agreed with Hugh Hartnett SC, defending, that the abuse came to the attention of the health authorities in 1994 when the Hughes made full admissions. At that stage the abuse had also been disclosed to their father. The abuse was reported to the gardai but Gda Campbell agreed Hughes was never interviewed because gardai believed that the family didn't want to pursue it any further. Mr Hartnett handed in two medical reports which stated that his client suffered from depression and had attempted suicide twice. Counsel said that the abuse occurred 45 years ago and his client had never denied his involvement. He asked the judge to take into account the fact that Hughes was a juvenile at the time and had indicated his remorse and regret. Evidence The woman told gardai that she remembered Hughes raping her while she was watching television at home and her mother was speaking to a neighbour across the street. He sexually assaulted her first after lifting her skirt before taking off her underwear and raping her. The man told his then five-year-old sister that their father would kill her for not wearing her underwear before he put them in his pocket. She recalled another incident when the family were celebrating another brother's wedding and Hughes forced her to perform oral sex on him. She vomited afterwards and was screaming for quite some time afterwards. Ms Burns told the court the girl's mother slapped her afterwards for acting up. She said Hughes would rape her while babysitting her and her other siblings, telling her sisters to remain downstairs while he took her up to his bedroom. She said in the room he would often sexually assault her and rape her. The woman told gardai that their mother would encourage her brother to help her with her homework. He would regularly sit her on his lap, move her underwear aside and rape her. A MAN who drugged his heavily-pregnant girlfriend and filmed himself sexually assaulting her has been described by a judge as a danger to society and to women. Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy sentenced the Dublin man (53), who can't be named for legal reasons, to seven and half years in prison. The judge said it was shocking that the man felt himself entitled to abuse anyone in this way, noting that the victim was his partner, the mother of his child and eight months pregnant with their second child together. She described his actions as sneaky, underhand and clandestine and said the 40-year-old woman felt humiliated, embarrassed and degraded particularly as the videos of the assault were played in court. She suspended unconditionally the final six months of his sentence but said she would suspended a further two years on the strict condition that the man engage with a sexual offenders treatment programme. He was also registered a sex offender. Any person who is willing to drug another person for his own sexual needs, is a danger to society, Ms Justice Murphy said before she later added or any woman unfortunate enough to be his next partner. She said it was ironic that the man's arrogance, vanity and perverse behaviour in creating videos of the abuse was the compelling evidence which led to his conviction and justice being served. The man, who still maintains his innocence, was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury last month of three counts of sexually assaulting his partner on three occasions in November 2014. The jury of six men and six women was unable to reach a verdict on two further allegations that the man raped his partner in December 2014, days before she was due to give birth to their second child. The man pleaded not guilty to all charges. He faces a retrial on the rape charges at a later date. Ms Justice Murphy said the jury rejected the man's evidence during the trial that his partner was a willing participant and wide awake at the time of the assaults. The judge said, however, that the videos clearly indicated that the woman was not merely asleep but in fact insensate . She noted that the woman told gardai that after waking up sore some mornings, her boyfriend told her that she had fallen asleep so I helped myself. A NUMBER of tugs are assisting a tanker in Cork harbour which has apparently dragged its anchor in heavy seas near a sand bank. The tanker, which is understood to be carrying a load of gas, is being assisted by a number of Cork harbour tugs in a bid to help it maintain its position in the challenging weather conditions. Initial indications are that while the tanker has drifted from its original position, it has not run aground. However, there is concern that it is very close to a sank bank in Cork harbour off the main channel near Whitegate. The tanker is currently understood to be near shallow water off the main channel. Two tugs are currently working with the captain of the tanker. It is understood a Naval Service vessel is also monitoring the situation and is ready to lend assistance if required. Weather conditions off the Cork coast have been extremely difficult over the past 36 hours with a yellow weather warning in place for gusting winds. Exceptionally high spring tides last week also brought treacherous currents off the south coast. Harbour sources stressed that the operation with the tanker is routine given the challenging weather conditions and that there is no public safety or environmental issues arising. It was once unthinkable that addicts would be allowed to legally shoot up heroin and other banned drugs in an injecting room while shielded from prosecution by gardai. But the first such supervised injection centre should be open in Dublin city by October, according to Minister for Communities and National Drugs Strategy Catherine Byrne. The Dublin South Central TD is facing months of acrimonious opposition to the first HSE-funded self-injecting room, set up as a pilot, which some critics have described as giving "an amnesty for addicts". "What option have we got? Let them die on the streets?" she told the Irish Independent. She says it is a compassionate and practical response to the chilling reality of addicts injecting and overdosing in public. The room is a safe place where addicts can inject under the careful watch of nurses and doctors. Under the plans, the centre will allow addicts to bring their own drugs and they will be provided with clean needles where they can inject in a sterile booth. The addicts, who must be registered as "authorised users", can then move to relax in another room after they get their fix. The memo which will allow publication of the legislation to make the controversial drug-use rooms legal, will be brought to Cabinet tomorrow. Gardai could enter the premises, which would have private security, if needed without a warrant in the event of any violence or drug dealing. But they could not arrest any of the addicts for possession, although they would be openly taking illicit substances, she added. However, already an unpublished report from gardai has been leaked claiming they have deep reservations about how to police the area around the centre. The minister said freedom from prosecution only applied within its confines. She has not seen the report but gardai are part of a steering group which has been in place in preparation for the legislation. Disability Minister Finian McGrath is also questioning why another drugs facility is being located in the city centre rather than spread out in different locations. The minister pointed out it was necessary to establish it on a pilot basis first to learn lessons before expanding to other areas. Her own constituency has areas which have been ravaged by generations of drug use. She has already visited an injecting room in Copenhagen. It left her more convinced of how they can reduce deaths from overdose and also cut down on injecting in alleyways with dirty needles strewn around. "I was very moved by it. The centre was very well run. The drug user comes to the reception and says what drug they are using. "The majority looked very ill and were there to get their fix. If anyone overdoses the doctors and nurses react straight away with the antidote. Nobody has died there. There are 90 across the world." The target users are around 300 addicts who shoot up on the streets of the capital, leaving them prone to overdose and infection. Health staff will look after their needs and treat infections or other medical conditions and also make efforts to refer them for treatment to try to stop the habit, if they want it. The Dublin drug room is to go out to tender and is likely to be run by one of the voluntary organisations involved with addicts which will have to provide the premises and staff. The other option is to have it run by the HSE. The Temple Bar Company, representing businesses in Dublin 2, has described the facility as "ill conceived" and criticised the lack of debate around it. "We will have widespread consultation in advance with local businesses. I have seen myself in the past how a drug treatment clinic was opened in my own community with no consultation and it was wrong," said the minister. It costs around 1.7m a year to run one of these centres on a seven-day basis. The money will come from 3m allocated to support drugs and social inclusion measures. The minister said the Misuse of Drugs (Supervised Injecting Facilities) Bill 2017 - which she hopes will be passed by the end of February - allows for more centres to be opened and other cities could see one in place in time. Current problem areas for open injecting are alleys off Grafton Street, Temple Bar, near Dublin Castle and close to the Department of Health itself, Hawkins House. "I can understand people's concerns. The centre must be monitored by a strong group of people. Gardai are key to making it all work." The injecting centre may grab the headlines but the destructive grip of drug abuse is spreading across the country. Illegal drug use has risen with cannabis the most commonly used substance. Increasingly people are taking a mixture of drugs, including tranquillisers, and two people a day die from drug poisoning. Prescription drugs like benzodiazepines are increasingly abused, often mixed with alcohol. There are currently around 10,000 former heroin addicts stabilised on the substitute methadone. However, she pointed out about 3,500 of these were on it for more than 10 years. "Some say it is as addictive as any drug, but there are people stabilised on it and rearing families. But I think efforts need to be made to try to wean more people off it." There are only about 100 former opiate addicts on the other substitute suboxone, which doctors want extended as it is taken in tablet form. It will be more widely available this year but it is three to four times more expensive than methadone. Then there was the sinister threat of synthetic drugs such as N-bomb, which were supplied through the "dark net" and smuggling, she said. Combating this peril will be a key part of the new national strategy on drugs policy which must always try to be one step ahead. Egyptian construction companies will be tasked with building the ministerial district in the New Administrative Capital (NAC), since no final agreement was reached with the China Construction company, Ahram Arabic news website reported on Monday. An Egyptian joint stock company has been tasked with building the NAC since May 2016, according to the chairman of the New Administrative Capital for Urban Development. The Egyptian contractors had offered better prices than the Chinese company, Al-Ahram reported. In September 2015, Egypt signed an agreement with the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), also known as China Construction, to build and finance part of the NAC. The ministerial district will include ministries, government agencies and the president's office. The mega project aims to revive the ailing economy and reduce unemployment. Search Keywords: Short link: Abbie Finn recovering at her home in Ballyfermot with a photo of her father Martin, who was knocked down and killed. Photo: Mark Condren A young mother, who was left with a broken neck in a road accident that claimed the life of her father, has called for footpaths and street lighting to be fast-tracked at the tragic site to prevent further fatal accidents. Abbie Finn (18) was walking with her dad Martin (60) on the dark Newcastle to Lucan Road in west Dublin when they were hit by an SUV on the night of January 17. There is no footpath or street lights on that stretch of road at present. At her father's funeral in Ballyfermot, brave Ms Finn, who now wears a heavy head brace, spoke of her love for her "hero" father. She said his last act was to push her to one side just before they were hit, saving her life in the process. Ms Finn, whose baby son Arthur turned three months old last week, also sent a message of comfort from the altar of St Matthew's Church to the driver of the SUV, reassuring him that what happened was a tragic accident. "We would like you to know we are praying for you and your family. We wish we could ease your pain," she said. "We do not want my dad's legacy to be your suffering, as that is the last thing he would want." Now, as she continues her recovery at home with her mother Carol, Ms Finn says she will have to wear her metal-framed head brace for 10 more weeks. "It is screwed into my head in seven places. It weighs 10 pounds and it means I can hardly do anything for myself," she told the Irish Independent. Read more: 'We want him to know that it was an accident' - Family of fatal accident dad to driver of SUV The injury has made it difficult for her to care for her son. "I have no power in my left arm and I can't hold Arthur up, hug him or feed him. I have to try to sleep on my back, which is very uncomfortable," she said. "Nothing will bring dad back, but if there was a footpath and lights on that road it would mean this might not happen again. "There needs to be a path there with lighting, and until then there should be temporary lights to make it safer," she urged. Accident Despite the injuries she received, Ms Finn still remembers everything about the accident. "I remember feeling my dad's hand on my face and then flying through the air like doing a flip on a trampoline, and when I landed I thought I was beside dad because I could still feel his hand under my face. "But he was on the other side of the road," she said. "But I could feel him touching my face. I don't know what it was." Ms Finn asked a motorist who had stopped to get her mother Carol who was parked up the road waiting for her daughter and husband to return after feeding their horses. Read more: 'Im only here because of my dad, my hero' - Road victim Abbie's final message to much-loved father Ms Finn was lying face down in the grass and wanted to be turned over onto her back, but her mother had the presence of mind to keep her still. "I told her we couldn't move her. I did first aid training years ago and something must have clicked but I just knew we couldn't move her," her mother said. Ms Finn said: "The doctors told us that if I had been moved my spinal cord could have been affected and I could have been paralysed or died." SOCIAL Protection Minister Leo Varadkar has said he's against inviting US President Donal Trump to visit Ireland. The Minister was responding to reports that Taoiseach Enda Kenny was considering extending an invite to the President during his White House visit next month. Speaking to Sean O'Rourke on RTE Radio One, the Dublin TD said he wasn't sure "what purpose it would serve". He said that during Barack Obama's visit here in 2011 tens of thousands of people crammed into College Green to cheer him. "You wouldn't necessarily assume that's the kind of visit it would be", he said. Enda Kenny said last week he is not concerned about a potential backlash that could result from a decision to invite Donald Trump to Ireland. After describing Mr Trump's Twitter activity as "unusual to put it mildly", Mr Kenny said he is looking forward to some "direct speaking" with him during his visit to the White House to mark St Patrick's Day. "I've already made my peace in not agreeing with the policy of the Trump administration. "I actually look forward to having direct engagement with the president and indeed the vice president and the speaker of the House, we have lots of things to talk about," the Taoiseach said. But pressed on the prospect of a return visit, Mr Kenny said it will something he will consider. "Well I'll consider that when I go to Washington. Sinn Feins new northern leader Michelle ONeill said she would not issue an invitation to Mr Trump. Photo: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images Sinn Fein has been accused of "riding two horses" when it comes to the new US president, as Gerry Adams says he will go to the White House if invited, days after Michelle O'Neill said she would not invite Donald Trump to Northern Ireland. It emerged last week that Northern Ireland's former deputy first minister Martin McGuinness had - alongside former first minister Arlene Foster - sent the new president an invitation to visit Northern Ireland. But Sinn Fein's new northern leader MS O'Neill said she would not issue an invitation to Mr Trump if she was in that role. "Since taking office, President Trump has pursued policies on immigration and the banning of refugees that runs counter to international standards and decency. If I was in the executive office at this time I wouldn't issue an invitation." Just three days later Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams announced he would travel to the US for St Patrick's Day - and would attend the White House if he was invited. "At this critical time in the Irish peace process it does not make sense for Irish leaders to exclude ourselves from an opportunity to engage on critical issues," he said. Read more: 'A warm welcome' - Donald Trump invited to Northern Ireland by Foster and McGuinness The SDLP's South Belfast Assembly election candidate Claire Hanna accused Sinn Fein of being a party that "routinely rides two horse simultaneously". Meanwhile, Fianna Fail finance spokesman Michael McGrath said Taoiseach Enda Kenny should visit Mr Trump but not invite him to come to Ireland. Mr Trump's executive order banning refugees "has flouted Geneva Convention commitments", Deputy McGrath said on RTE's 'Week In Politics' programme. "Let's see how the visit in March goes. Nobody knows how that's going to go. I think the Taoiseach is right to go. The ties we have with the United States are deep rooted...so he has to go but I wouldn't be going with an invitation in the pocket for a return visit," he said. Design Days Dubai, the only fair in the Middle East and South Asias dedicated to collectible modern and contemporary design works, returns on 14 March with its largest edition yet featuring 50 designers. The fairs unique format provides an international platform for the regions emerging design studios and solo designers to debut their furniture, lightings and design objects, featuring them alongside a diverse mix of the worlds design galleries, reads a press release. Diversity is at the center of this edition, showcasing experimental works by solo designers and independent studios that are otherwise little represented on an international level. For design enthusiasts, Design Days Dubai is an annual fixture to meet designers from all over the world and acquire collectible design not seen anywhere else, said Rawan Kashkoush, the head of programming. Design Days will host a number of first-time exhibitors from the region, including UAE designers Ayah Al Bitar, AYKA Design, CarpertsCC by Cecilia Setterdahl, Jafar Dajani, Michael Rice and Nader Gammas. The Days will also feature international designers including Apical Reform from India, Apercu Designs from Jordan, Marie Munier from Lebanon, and Dahr Design from Saudi Arabia, Todd Merrill Studio from New York, Paris- and Los Angeles-based concept store|gallery LEclaireur; and Territoire(s) from Paris. A testimony to its previous success, the 6th Design Days also sees a high number of returning exhibitors, Coletivo Amor de Madre (Brazil) with the award-winning multidisciplinary Atelier Marko Brajovic; The Crafts Council (UK), and Dutch Creative Industry from the Netherlands. The fair also functions as a launch pad for nascent designers who have gone on to international acclaim. In 2015, Aljoud Lootah had two items from her debut collection acquired for the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Victoria (Melbourne); and, in 2016, two of Amar Kalos pieces were acquired by the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York. This years newest addition to the fair is a section for vintage design, presented by specialists in mid-century modern, MCML Studio (UAE): Our objective is to become a must in the GCC region for any 1950s to 1970s design amateurs and collectors. All our pieces have been carefully selected, are unique or exceptional and represent great names of this creative post-war period. said its founder, Patrick Rochette. Design Days Dubai, along with Art Dubai, is part of Art Week, an umbrella initiative of arts and culture events in March, with the aim of promoting the cultural activities of the region to both residents and visitors. 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 Search Keywords: Short link: DUTCH police have arrested four men, including a key associate of the Kinahan crime cartel, after an attempted shooting in a pub in the centre of Amsterdam. Armed police officers seized three firearms including the weapon to have been used in the shooting after storming a premises. Two of the four men detained are from Dublin, a third is an UK national and the identity of the fourth has not been established. Initial inquiries suggest that the incident may not have been linked to the Kinahan-Hutch feud. The Kinahan associate is regarded as a "second tier" member of the organisation's major players and a close friend of David Byrne, who was murdered at the Regency hotel on the northside of Dublin a year ago yesterday. He is a convicted cocaine dealer from the Drimnagh area on the southside of Dublin. The second Irishman is from the Inchicore area. Police sources said the incident did not appear to have been part of an organised hit. A police patrol was passing by the pub at around 9.45pm yesterday when a man ran out and alerted the officers to the presence of at least one armed man in the premises. Police said the gunman appeared to have attempted to shoot another customer but his weapon jammed. The intended target has not yet been identified but was said to be either Asian or African. Armed back up arrived at the pub and the three guns were seized following a search. The four detained men were in police custody in Amsterdam this afternoon. Gardai said they were in constant touch with the Dutch police through their liaison officer as well as representatives at the Europol headquarters in The Hague. The Drimnagh man is well known to gardai and his home has been raided several times as part of the feud investigation. A hospital inspection has found patient equipment which was not properly cleaned and syringes that were past their expiration date. The findings emerged in an inspection of Ennis Hospital in September by Hiqa. An inspection report said the high risk findings showed that cleaning processes had not been effectively resourced, managed or overseen in the surgical day ward. Hiqa also found deficiencies in relation to the management of sterile equipment. A re-inspection was required to follow up on these high-risk findings. Inspectors found significant improvement in relation to environmental and patient equipment hygiene during re-inspection on November 2016. The Hospital was working towards addressing all the findings identified on the September inspection. Local management of sterile medical devices had been revised and improved in the wards visited by inspectors. However, HIQA was not assured that environmental hygiene was being appropriately resourced or managed. Inspectors found good evidence of hand hygiene training and compliance in the hospital. Furthermore, inspectors commended the implementation of peripheral vascular catheter and urinary catheter care bundles in both in-patient wards. During an unannounced inspection in Roscommon University Hospital September 28 inspectors also found high-risk in relation to poor environmental and patient equipment hygiene. There was no one designated person in charge of hospital hygiene. Inspectors also found that the arrangements for surgical instrument decontamination within the Theatre Department did not meet the requirements of national guidelines or national standards. A re-inspection was required to follow up on these immediate high-risk findings. Some improvement was evident in relation to the standards of environmental and patient equipment hygiene on re-inspection in November 2016. Resources allocated for patient equipment cleaning in the ward visited by inspectors had been increased slightly but not to the extent required to meet minimum cleaning frequencies for higher risk areas. However, environmental hygiene audits continued to show deficiencies in relation to cleaning, indicating that fundamental issues in relation to environmental hygiene service delivery had not been effectively addressed. Hospitals must now revise and amend their quality improvement plan to prioritise the improvements necessary to fully comply with the standards, according to Hiqa. Drug smuggler Michaella McCollum has broken her recent silence after returning home to Ireland from prison in Peru last year. The 24-year-old model, Tyrone, Northern Ireland, was jailed in south America in 2013 after she was caught with a pal concealing cocaine worth more than 1.5m in their luggage. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Now back at home, she posted a message on Facebook thanking "everyone who has supported myself and family through these past few years". "It has been a long ride to get where i am today," she wrote, adding: "but it just shows that when we fight hard enough for something we can achive [sic] it. Something to have in mind When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us. "Have a great weekend everyone. Lots of love." McCollum and Scottish woman Melissa Reid were arrested in August 2013 at Lima Airport with 11KG of cocaine hidden in food packets. McCollum was released on parole in March of last year after serving less than half her six-year, eight-month sentence. In an interview with RTE shortly after her release she admitted her decision to take part in smuggling was a moment of madness. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Michaella McCollum Connolly, left, and Melissa Reid are escorted from a prison truck by police at Sarita Colonia prison in Lima, Peru / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp She said: I made a decision in a moment of madness.Im not a bad person.. I want to demonstrate that Im a good person. I potentially could have hurt a lot of people. I potentially could have filled Europe full of a lot of drugs, she said. She had been staying in Peru awaiting a judicial hearing to decide when she could return home. She arrived back in Ireland in August of last year. Melissa Reid arrived back to Scotland in June. The pair were dubbed the 'Peru Two'. Today's my mum's birthday. She doesn't know it of course. And she would hate for me to tell you how old she is - even though she doesn't know what age she is herself. She is, despite being 91 and fiercely proud, in advanced dementia now. She struggles to find simple words in conversation, often substituting random or sort of 'linked' words when she talks, which means only those of us who are close to her really know what she's talking about. But we gathered as a family in her nursing home to mark the occasion and celebrate a life well lived. She loves music still, so we had a little sing-song and played some of her favourite tunes in the background. Funnily enough, she knows all the lyrics to everything still - that hasn't slipped away with so much else. So she still gave Annie Get Your Gun a whirl, though her voice is very frail now and she can no longer wave a sweeping brush in the chorus like she once did. She rarely knows who I am. Although she knows the name. Ciara means something to her. And sometimes she even knows she has a daughter Ciara. She just doesn't know it's me. But she likes to see me and tells me I have a kind face and wonders if I'm a friend of hers. She definitely treats me differently to some of the residents she has taken against and sends packing if they enter her room unannounced. But I got a slight fright when I saw her today. Usually I see her in the daytime around lunch or maybe in the afternoon, and she is often quite engaged and engaging. Today we saw her in the early evening. It was only six o'clock but she looked exhausted. Sitting half slumped to one side in her chair and appearing for the first time to my eyes as really properly old. Oh, I know that probably sounds stupid. My mum is very elderly. She is clearly old. But that is not how you see your own mum. That's how you see other old ladies. It doesn't matter that she is 91 and I am 45. She is still my mum. She is still the person who put on your shoes and socks when your little fingers couldn't manage it as your feet dangled from a chair. She is still the person who brought you the basin and an old towel with a beaker of flat 7up in the middle of the night when you had a sick tummy. She is still the person who tucked you in and told you she loved "every hair on your head" and was your whole world - when you were small and couldn't imagine a life without her in it. That is the person you are losing to dementia. And that is the person you will lose finally when dementia gives her up and she slips away altogether. You aren't losing the mam you have at 45 who is 91. You are losing the mam you had at four and 11 and 16 and 26. The one who made you wear an awful beret you were mortified about at your confirmation. The one who sent food parcels to you in college so you'd "eat right". The one who practically moved in after the birth of your first child because you were so afraid of being alone with him because you didn't know what you were doing. The one who was funny and feisty and fierce and strong. That is who is leaving. And the rational part of your head knows it's nearly time. It knows this can only end one way and thinks occasionally about arrangements - what mum might like for her funeral; what we might do for her as a family. But the rational part of your brain is only a small bit of you. The other bit is the bit that still misses the mum who wiped your forehead with a damp facecloth when you had a temperature and she was the only person who could make you feel better. The bit that still can't really imagine a life without her in it. I've already lost one parent, and soon I know I will have to say goodbye to another one. And so many of my peers I know are doing that too. But it's not easy and it's only very slightly better for us all being older. Hold them close while you can. Happy birthday Julie Curran. Night, night. I love you. @ciarakellydoc Donna Taggart met her husband Colm McCaughey 10 years ago when she was working as a cleaner in Omagh County Hospital to help pay for college. Colm was working in IT there, and he introduced himself rather cheekily on a Christmas night out. "He said, 'Oh you can give my shoes a polish'," laughs Donna, adding that the bold Colm also pretended he was a doctor. "I was definitely a bit cheeky, but I wanted to wind her up a bit because I really fancied her," says Colm. "I was lucky that it worked. I liked Donna because she was a lady with a lot of class. She was ordinary, but in an extraordinary way, and she was very caring and had good empathy." With almost 80 million views on Facebook for her single Jealous of the Angels, and her album Celtic Lady Vol.2 going straight to No. 1 in the Billboard World Music chart and remaining there for three weeks, Donna has become a global sensation. She was pursuing a different path when she first met Colm, as she went to Liverpool University shortly afterwards to study early years in education. There were a lot of phone calls back and forth, but they got to know each other quite well. When she came back, the relationship progressed from there. Donna (31) is from the small village of Clanabogan in Omagh, and is the oldest of Martin and Mark's five girls. Her dad was a touring musician and they had a quiet life growing up in the countryside. After her degree in Liverpool, she worked for five years with children in the field of domestic violence, and was co-ordinator of services for a refuge in Omagh. She was working on the children's autism team in the health service, doing behavioural support and direct intervention with children and families. However, with the sudden huge demand for her music, she is taking a step away from her health service work this year. "It felt like I was doing two full-time jobs for the past year," she explains. Expand Close Donna Taggart and Colm McAughey met while working in the hospital in Omagh. Photo: Gerry Mooney / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Donna Taggart and Colm McAughey met while working in the hospital in Omagh. Photo: Gerry Mooney Colm (37) is from the village of Augher in Omagh and is the youngest of Maureen and Sean's nine children. He was hugely into GAA and played for his local club until he got injured in his late twenties and then managed Augher GFC, a very successful team. "I liked Colm as he was honest and grounded," says Donna. "He was handsome, but we don't tell each other those things after 10 years." Donna and Colm were married in 2011 and their first child, Grace, was born in November 2013. "Colm was managing the GAA team and their last match was on the day I went into labour," Donna recalls. "It was Sunday at 11am and he asked the nurse what the chances were of the baby coming between then and 6pm? She said 'slim' so I told him to go off to the match. Luckily Grace didn't arrive until well into the next day." Donna and Colm also had a little boy, Micheal, who was sadly born sleeping in August 2014. He was due to be born in December, and when Donna went for a scan, she was given the devastating news that there was no heartbeat. "It was very tough and Micheal has a very special place within our family," she says. Their third child, Matthew, is now 14 months old, so Donna and Colm have their hands full. Even more so now that her music career has taken off so dramatically. Donna began singing at 22 but was very shy. Her confidence grew gradually as people asked her to sing at things. She recorded an album in 2011, which did quite well, and on her second album, she recorded the track Jealous of the Angels, written by Jenn Bostic, and put the video up on Facebook. Within three days, there were 12 million hits on it, much to her astonishment. "I think that the song has particular resonance for people who have lost someone," she says, "Grief hits everyone at some point, and we saw lots of people tagging or sharing it in memory of their loved ones. The song had a big effect on me and on Colm personally, and I thought there was something very raw, emotional and honest about the lyrics. It also had a gentle and sweet melody so that combination was special, but I never anticipated that it would be so successful. I felt so overwhelmed at the start. People were messaging me who had lost loved ones in 9/11 and the Paris and Nice attacks. I had loss in my life prior to recording the song, but nothing has come close to the pain of losing my child so it really resonates now." Donna was on maternity leave at the time, and read Mary Black's autobiography, in which Mary talks about how her career in music really only began in earnest when she had children, This inspired Donna to take a career break, and she began performing and supporting people like Phil Coulter. She is now thrilled to be embarking on her first tour of Ireland, beginning next week in Cork and ending in Dublin. Jenn Bostic is also coming here to be part of it. Donna says that Colm has been an amazing support to her through it all and has always encouraged her. "I am so proud of Donna, as to me she has it all and she is so special," he says. "The world is her oyster now with her music." Donna Taggart embarks on her first solo tour this month, which includes the Cork Opera House on February 9 and National Concert Hall on February 26. A full list of dates is on her website: www.donnataggart.com The period armchairs are from RJ Keighery in Waterford; Orna felt the house needed some contrast. Like the rest of the house, art abounds on the walls. 'We're always buying art, we buy lots from The Cross Gallery,' Clifden says Clifden and Orna in their more formal living room, where paintings by lots of Waterford artists including Mick Mulcahy and Mary Tritschler are displayed. Clifden paints, and some of his work also hangs in the house The bed in the master bedroom is a modern four-poster on a platform. 'I saw a bed like it in a magazine, but it was 18,000. I said, "Things are not that good", and I got someone to make this,' says Clifden In the kitchen, which has doors opening onto the courtyard, Clifden and Orna opted for white units in the kitchen with an unusual L-shaped, two-tier island; the lower tier doubles as storage Clifden Foyle and Orna Holland in their informal living area off the kitchen. Colour is added by means of art and the seating unit, which is from Arnotts. Photo: Tony Gavin As well as big, bold art statements, young entrepreneurs have a fondness for hanging motivational sayings on their walls. Power couple Clifden Foyle and Orna Holland are no different. This dynamic duo have a sublime home on the south-east coast, and not only is it furnished with edgy, modern pieces and great art, but tucked away in their elegant office at the top of the house can be found framed mantras. In their case, the mantras were given to Orna by former employer Facebook, and bear the legends: "Work it harder" and "What would you do if you weren't afraid?" Worthy statements indeed, but it's obvious this couple don't need any such advice about working harder; nor are they fearful. Clifden and Orna embrace work and life with an enthusiasm and zest that is at once admirable and energising, both doing several jobs as well as raising their two gorgeous daughters, Farrah (10) and Riley (eight). Orna, who hails originally from Dublin, says goodbye to the family on Monday morning and commutes weekly from their base in Dunmore East to her job in Stripe, the international tech company based in Grand Canal Dock, which deals with integrated payment solutions. Expand Close Architect Pat Halley transformed the house from a bunglaow to a two-storey house and created a double hallway with double glass doors to all the rooms off it / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Architect Pat Halley transformed the house from a bunglaow to a two-storey house and created a double hallway with double glass doors to all the rooms off it Not one to put her feet up in her base in Dublin 4, she also has a new business, a blow-dry bar called Roller in Grand Canal Dock, which she started with a pal. While she's away Monday to Friday, Clifden holds the fort back in Dunmore, which includes working in the family businesses. These comprise The Strand Inn Hotel; The Cliff, which is a shop, art gallery and restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch during the summer season; a guest house; a mobile-home park; and, more recently, the River Cottage gastro pub in Waterford, which they bought last year. Of course, regular visitors to this charming part of the sunny south-east will know the Foyle family; they've been part of the fabric of Dunmore for 50 years, ever since Clifden's grandmother, a hotelier in Connemara, decided to spread her empire back in the 1960s. "My grandmother came down to buy The Haven Hotel, but actually ended up buying The Strand. But when she bought it, she couldn't make it work. She sent one of her sons, my uncle, down, but then she dragged him home. Then she sent another son, and he was dragged home as well," Clifden says with a laugh, adding, "then my father got involved." As it happens, Clifden's father - Mike was his name - who was single at the time, worked in the bank in the West Indies and was thinking of coming home. "Granny rang him and said, 'I have this place, I'm going to sell it, but it could be a real humdinger if run properly," Clifden recalls. That decided Mike; he came home and took over, and, in his first year, he had extraordinary luck that established the hotel as a place to go. "That winter, the herring fishing was phenomenal. Into the bargain, The Strand had a special licence that enabled them to serve drink until 4am," says Clifden. "In those days, they were heavy on licensing, not on drink-driving, so people used to drive for miles for the fishing and drinking. Herrings are winter fish, so his winters were busier than his summers." Mike's other great bit of luck was meeting Edwina Halley. "Mum is a Halley from Tramore," Clifden says. "Her father used to come to the Strand for drinks and he'd bring his adult children. My dad was 41 and Mum was 20 when they got married, but it really worked." Expand Close In the kitchen, which has doors opening onto the courtyard, Clifden and Orna opted for white units in the kitchen with an unusual L-shaped, two-tier island; the lower tier doubles as storage / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp In the kitchen, which has doors opening onto the courtyard, Clifden and Orna opted for white units in the kitchen with an unusual L-shaped, two-tier island; the lower tier doubles as storage It sounds as if they had a great marriage as well as the perfect business partnership. Clifden's mum Edwina had been to Cathal Brugha Street and knew the hotel business inside out, while Mike was a larger-than-life personality beloved of locals and tourists alike. "My dad was great fun, very charismatic and charming," Clifden says. "People who came to Dunmore loved to see him and have a jar with him, while Mum kept everything running smoothly. She's a tiger, a great lady." While his dad died some years ago, Edwina, Clifden says, is still a force to be reckoned with. She is heavily involved in every aspect of the business with Clifden and his sister, Louise, who makes up the third member of the Foyle team. Clifden says he didn't consciously decide from an early age that he too would end up in the business, but in many ways, even though he did go off and do his own thing for several years, it was almost inevitable; he was learning about the business by osmosis all his life, and from the age of 10, he was working in the business, picking up bottles in the yard, sorting crates. "After Clongowes, I did trainee manager in Jurys in London, then I went to San Francisco and worked in restaurants for a while. After that, I did a marketing course in Dublin and while I was doing that, I worked in the Trocadero under Robert Doggett. Did I envisage coming back to Dunmore? I don't know, but then Mum rang and asked me to come back and do a summer, and I'm still here," Clifden says. "A family business is hard on one arm, but it's kinda nice. We can kill each other, but there are great moments when everything goes right. It can be very hard work, but then it's your own business, you can put your own stamp on it," Clifden says. He adds that it's full-on in the summer, but less so in winter, which gives him plenty of time to devote to the girls. "A lot of people ask me, 'How can you live in such a small village?', but I have a real love for life here," says Clifden, who's called after the seaside village in Connemara which was his father's home. Of course he and his family are constantly updating, with the result that The Strand is highly sought after for accommodation during the summer season, while its restaurant is a favourite among Waterford people looking for a fun night out. "People come to Dunmore East to switch off. There's a lot to do here, but people come here to do very little - to put the feet up and look out to sea, to swim, go for nice walk, eat nice food. A lot of people come from Dublin. Of course, it's only two hours by car now. When Orna and I started dating, it was three-and-a-half hours," Clifden marvels. Expand Close Clifden and Orna in their more formal living room, where paintings by lots of Waterford artists including Mick Mulcahy and Mary Tritschler are displayed. Clifden paints, and some of his work also hangs in the house / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Clifden and Orna in their more formal living room, where paintings by lots of Waterford artists including Mick Mulcahy and Mary Tritschler are displayed. Clifden paints, and some of his work also hangs in the house The couple met in September 2003, at the first ever Electric Picnic. Both remember it well. "It was 27 degrees and we met on a waltzer," says Orna, while Clifden elaborates. "I was there with my sister and some friends. Orna was quite vocal and we really connected. I said, 'Come on, we'll rock around for a while', and we did. I was dating somebody else; nothing happened, we were just hanging out. A month later, I rang Orna and said, 'I'm single now, maybe we should go out for dinner?'" Orna remembers the date well; he brought her to Shanahan's. Not too shabby! "On our first date, he said, 'I'm going to marry you'," the bubbly blonde recalls with a laugh. She adds, "I said, 'Yeah, yeah'. He told me he was from Dunmore East; I didn't even know where that was. I thought it was Wicklow. I was always a total Dub." Born and reared in Mount Merrion, Orna did business and human resources in college. Her first job after college was in Microsoft, and, ever since, she's worked in tech companies, rising further up the ranks with each job. She did five years in Microsoft, then six in Google, followed by four years in Facebook, and for much of that time - since 2003 - she's been commuting from Waterford to Dublin. "I like it here, but there are no tech companies," she says. "After Riley was born, I worked one day in Waterford and four in Dublin, and it's been like that ever since." Apart, that is, from a two-year stint with King.com, commuting from Waterford to London. "I wanted a role where I ran things globally, and sometimes it's difficult to get those opportunities in Ireland. That was the draw in moving to the UK. Be careful what you wish for," Orna says, admitting that that particular commute was exhausting. However, she then got the call from Stripe back in Ireland and she returned to her comfort zone, a zone which to the rest of us would seem like an impossible challenge. "I've got a lot of energy and I don't find it difficult. I'm used to it, and I love my job, and honestly it doesn't feel like work," she insists. Last year, she even found time to set up Roller with her friend Sonia Flynn. "There were no blow-dries in the area. I used to say to my regular hairdresser: 'You should open a blow-dry bar. She didn't, so myself and Sonia did it," Orna says. Sonia and Orna worked in Facebook together; they both work full-time, they both commute - Sonia works in Brussels; they are both mothers, so they have a lot in common. "We have a great relationship, so we decided to go into business together. There are a lot of tech companies in the area and we thought they'd be our clients, but it's been the Marker and the lawyers in the law firms; they've been great," Orna enthuses. "It's my first business. I wanted to see if I could do it. I didn't realise how much hard work it would be, dealing with builders, signage, hiring staff, branding, deciding which products to use, payroll etc, but it's been a great learning curve and it's going well." Given that Orna discovered she has an entrepreneurial streak, it's a wonder the bubbly blonde didn't get involved in working in the Foyle family business. "They tried to get me involved many times over the years, but I just laughed every time," she says. "It's nice we have our separate things, we bounce ideas off each other. We're lucky - we have a great relationship, we make things work, and we manage to get everything to gel." The interior of Roller was designed by Clifden's uncle, Pat Halley, an architect from Tramore, the same man who designed the renovation of their gorgeous home. "The house was single storey and was owned by a doctor when we bought it. It had been built in the 1970s and had won a design award at the time, so it was quite modern anyway," Clifden recalls. Expand Close The period armchairs are from RJ Keighery in Waterford; Orna felt the house needed some contrast. Like the rest of the house, art abounds on the walls. 'We're always buying art, we buy lots from The Cross Gallery,' Clifden says / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The period armchairs are from RJ Keighery in Waterford; Orna felt the house needed some contrast. Like the rest of the house, art abounds on the walls. 'We're always buying art, we buy lots from The Cross Gallery,' Clifden says "We bought it 10 years ago and lived in it for four years. When Riley came along, we felt we needed more space. Pat designed it for us. We had a good idea what we wanted - we wanted open plan; we wanted lots more light; we wanted sea views, with views of Hook Lighthouse; we wanted it to feel like a home you'd see in Australia. Light was really important to us, and Pat was amazing at getting it into the house," Clifden marvels. "It took a year, but sometimes, even in winter, I feel like I'm living in LA or Ibiza." Pat had the house practically levelled, with the exception of one wall. He created a ground floor with large spaces leading from one to the other through double doors, with extra high ceilings and massive expanses of glass. The ground floor consists of a hall with double-height ceilings, a large living room and a huge open-plan space that comprises kitchen, dining and playroom. From the kitchen window, Hook Lighthouse and the sea are visible. A concealed door in the island leads down to the basement, which has a utility area and a shower room. Upstairs, there are four bedrooms and an office, and, above that, a superb terrace with stupendous sea views. The floors are lime-washed throughout, and the walls are all white, while the furnishings make simple, strong statements. "Clifden and I both get involved in the interior design. We have very similar style and taste, and we argue and argue until we agree," says Orna. Two of the bedrooms are guest bedrooms to welcome friends and their kids. "We love our friends to come and stay," says Orna. "We've had loads of parties - we've had 140 people in the house for 18 hours. We started at 2pm and went on til 7am," Orna laughs. Who'd have thought these floors and walls could take such a battering but they do, according to Orna who, despite her Dub-ness, adores her home. "We moved back in five years ago on Christmas Eve, and every single day, no matter what mood I'm in, every single day, I walk in and I love this place just as much every time," she says. So lots of special things to look forward to after the work week - two gorgeous daughters, a loving partner and a wonderful home. See thestrandinn.com See roller.ie Edited by Mary O'Sullivan. Photograply by Tony Gavin Derry Clarke should be giving cookery lessons to the parents of Ireland, because if he could teach them all to prepare broccoli the way that he does at L'Ecrivain, there would be no problem getting children to eat their vegetables. In among all the delights of a recent meal at the Michelin-starred restaurant, it was the broccoli that we were still talking about days later. I'm guessing that it was just blanched, and then tossed in brown butter and served with toasted almonds; I don't think that there was anything more complicated to it than that, but boy was it good. And the luscious butter did a fine job of escorting all those fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K from Leaving Cert biology memory) to where they were needed. Eat your greens? Yes please. But I'm getting ahead of myself. The broccoli was just one of many high points in an exemplary meal. Derry and Sallyanne Clarke opened L'Ecrivain in 1989, and the fact that it is still going from strength to strength 27 years later is testament to the innate skill, charm and hard work of one of Ireland's great restaurant couples. Clarke may have trained in the classical French tradition, but his food continues to demonstrate a willingness to learn and adapt, to move with the times without forsaking his roots. And whereas in the past I might have quibbled with over-formal service at L'Ecrivain, that too has softened, in keeping with contemporary preference. It's still impeccable, still polished, but more friendly, and the ambience of the room is more relaxed than I remember it. On the Friday night of our visit, L'Ecrivain is busy with family tables and couples on date nights. It is - particularly at weekends - a restaurant in which to celebrate a special occasion. There's a happy buzz in the room that feels convivial without being shouty and, despite having booked 10 days or so in advance and this being the middle of January, the bleakest of months for restaurants, our table is up a flight of stairs to a mezzanine that overlooks the main room, opposite the enormous Knuttel artwork. It turns out to be a good spot from which to watch the comings and goings in the main dining room below, but I think that I'll request a table in the thick of things on my next visit. At dinner, there's a choice between the 90 eight-course tasting menu, and a three-course dinner menu priced at 75. Difficult customers that we are, we choose the three-course option and then ask if it's possible to swap dishes between the two. It's not a problem. In the end, this being a Michelin-starred establishment and one that likes to treat its customers well, there are a few extra bits and bobs as well. First up is an amuse bouche of salmon, offered as a dark-hued ballotine (beetroot-dyed perhaps?) alongside a tartare, flavoured with radish, citrus and dill. It's more than a throwaway mouthful, and a very good beginning. A starter of roast scallops with Jerusalem artichoke in the form of puree and crisps, surrounded by a smoked butter dashi is lush in its umami-ness, while Flaggy Shore Oyster (the oysters come from where the hills of the Burren slope down to meet Galway Bay) combines a plump bivalve with smoked eel, celeriac, walnut and caviar in a dish that's light, sophisticated and full of flavour. A delicate quenelle of foie gras parfait is accompanied by fermented plum and pain d'epices; a mouthful of chilled Recioto della Valpolicella, Classico, 2010, from Zenato by way of pairing is inspired and innovative compared to the usual white dessert wine. Generally, palate cleansers don't do much for me, but the combination of juniper, camomile, lime and tonic in a little glass of sorbet is like a G&T without the G, and it's rather lovely. Main courses of Sika deer with juniper ash, gnocchi, chanterelles and navet (baby turnip), and wild Wicklow wood pigeon with beetroot puree and blackberry are gamey, earthy, and perfectly executed. A pre-dessert of whipped goat's cheese with pear, candied walnuts and thyme is simple and simply lovely, while a chocolate mille feuille with blood orange puree and sorbet looks like a Salvador Dali painting and bears no resemblance to a Terry's Chocolate Orange. Cheeses in prime condition - Fourme d'Ambert, Pont L'Eveque, Cais na Tire and Durrus - are served with gooseberry chutney and a sharp piccalilli. Our bill, with two bottles of water, two glasses of white wine to accompany the starters (the Assyrtiko Gaia 2015 from Santorini was smokily perfect with the Flaggy Shore oyster dish) and a bottle of Pinot Noir Eradus (60) (one of L'Ecrivain's 'house' wines available also by the glass), came to 244.50 to which a discretionary service charge of 12.5pc was added. I wish more restaurants would do this (so long as it does go to the staff) as many Irish diners are still either clueless or mean when it comes to proper tipping. Building a service charge into the cost of the meal is a way to ensure decent wages for restaurant staff and do away with the daily lottery that goes hand in hand with working front of house in so many Irish restaurants. THE RATING 9/10 food 9/10 ambience 9/10 value for money 27/30 ON A BUDGET As with many Michelin-starred restaurants, lunch at L'Ecrivain is something of a bargain, coming in at 35 for two courses and 45 for three. Expect some crossover between dishes on the lunch and dinner menus. ON A BLOW OUT The dinner tasting menu with matching wines is 150 per head. Add service and you're looking at a bill for two of just under 340 including service. Of course, there is also a very grown-up wine list to explore. THE HIGH POINT The broccoli in brown butter. THE LOW POINT I'm not sure about the Knuttel. The Shnit International Shortfilmfestival was held in Cairo and other cities around the world last October The Netherlands Flemish Institute in Cairo (NVIC) will screen five short films that were awarded at Cairo's Shnit International Shortfilmfestival in 2016. The fourteen-year-old Shnit festival was launched in 2003 in Switzerland and went international in 2008. The festival aims to highlight short film productions as an independent art form across the globe. Shnit was held in Cairo and other cities around the world last October. The last edition marked Cairo's fifth year of participation in the festival, and was held for five days across several screening venues -- The AUC Greek Campus, The Swiss Club, Zawya cinema, IRC of the US Embassy, The Netherland-Flemish Institute in Cairo (NVIC), CSA in Maadi, and ZigZag. The screening at NVIC will be followed by a Q&A session with filmmaker Wael Omar, who directed the short film Cairo Playground. Programme: A Reasonable Request Directed by Andrew Laurich, USA (2015 ) A desperate son reconnects with his estranged father over an absurd request. 9 Days From My Window in Aleppo Directed by Thomas Vroege, Floor van der Meulen & Issa Tourma, Netherlands/Syria (2015) The first nine days of the rapidly changing uprising in Aleppo; observations recorded by the renowned Syrian photographer Issa Touma from his window in the old city. Ameryka (America) Directed by Aleksandra Terpinska, Poland (2015) Once upon a time in America... Two friends Anka and Dzastina dream of a better life. When they decide to hitch-hike, an innocent adventure irreversibly changes their relationship. Balcony Directed by Toby Fell-Holden, United Kingdom (2015) Tina, a troubled teenage girl, is attracted to Dana, an Afghani girl, who, as Tina tells us, is oppressively victimised by her substance abusing father, Karim. Initially, we trust Tina and admire her protectiveness of Dana from the kids at school and on the violent council estate, but as we watch their friendship blossom we come to suspect that something is off. Ellis Directed by Nolan Cubero, USA (2016) A young father is forced to share custody of his daughters with his ex-wife, whose new boyfriend has a history of sexual assault. Sunday 12 February, 7.30pm Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo, 1, Dr. Mahmoud Azmi Street, Zamalek, Cairo 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 Search Keywords: Short link: Age, I always say, is a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't matter. It doesn't matter either that Yvonne Connolly is turning 43 on Wednesday, or that she doesn't remotely look her age. What matters is that the blonde will be having a soiree with her gal pals in the Seabank Bistro on the coast road in Malahide next Wednesday. They are having cocktails beforehand in the village where Yvonne calls home. Yvonne's other half John Conroy won't be able to make the girl-friendly beano as he will be away shooting his latest opus. In any event, he and Yvonne won't have to wait long to be back in each other's arms. Someone shoot me before I turn into Barbara Cartland! She is jetting over to see him first in London, next month, and then, hopefully, Jamaica, where he is filming a movie with Idris Elba. Much-feted cameraman Conroy has also been nominated for an American Cinematographer Award for his shooting of Penny Dreadful. Clearly, the pennies are not a problem, because a trip to Los Angeles would well be on the cards if the dates work out for Yvonne. Panti's sex life is healthy, his love life anaemic Expand Close Rory O'Neill. Photo: Tony Gavin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rory O'Neill. Photo: Tony Gavin For most of us, life is sometimes a drag. This is, however, never the case for Ireland's most fabulous drag queen, Panti, and indeed, his alter-ego Rory O'Neill. Currently on a sold-out whirlwind tour of Australia until March 8 when he returns to these shores, Rory is going on his holidays to Byron Bay for a quick break from his shows. "Hey all," he posted on his Facebook page, "especially Aussies. Any of you got a gorgeous villa on the beach you want to lend me?" It was far from villas on the beach in Australia that Rory from Ballinrobe, Co Mayo, was reared, but I digress. Indeed your diarist digressed long enough to ask Rory, Down Under, what was the current state of play of his love life. "My sex life is healthy," he said. "My love life is anaemic." Morah, proud Queen of the Castle Expand Close Morah Ryan enjoyed an enjoyable break at Dromoland Castle / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Morah Ryan enjoyed an enjoyable break at Dromoland Castle Bumped into Morah Ryan the other day in Clontarf. Like fellow northside beauty Yvonne Connolly, Gerry Ryan's widow defies age. The glamorous Ms Ryan told me that she had no immediate plans to go anywhere and as such was happy to stay put "for now" at home in Clontarf. This was because, she explained, that she and her brood had spent a highly enjoyable break recently at Dromoland Castle in County Clare. "It was heaven. We have been every New Year since Lottie was a baby. It is a second home for us." The Gate Theatre, of course, has been a second home for the last 30-something years for the almost as svelte-as-Morah, Mr Michael Colgan. Last Wednesday night he greeted the great and the good (and me) at the top of the Gate stairs for the second last time. The occasion? The opening night of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. An emotional Mr Colgan told me that Brel was among those favourites he needed to get in before his departure on April Fools' Day - "if you're writing this put the apostrophe after the S," Colgan said somewhat quizzically. In truth, I am used at this stage to Colgan's somewhat quizzical, if entertaining, remarks. And now to his last offering which will be a salute to his heroes Beckett, Friel and Pinter. Expect the Gate's grand guru to be joined by long-time friends Fiennes, Gambon etc. His parting words to me were nothing if not truly sad: "Johnny Hurt said he'd come for it, what a pity..." Alas, John Hurt is not alive and well and living in Norfolk any more. Pat's Rasam bash is talk of the town It was all happening last weekend in Dublin. And, it appears, all on Saturday night, too... Claire Byrne was spotted having dinner with her husband Gerry Scollan on Saturday night in Pearl Brasserie on Merrion Street Upper. The RTE presenter was wearing a poncho-style black dress (to disguise her baby bump?), while her other-half wore a suit. (I bumped into Claire the following morning in children's cool play space Funky Monkeys in Dundrum town centre.) Meanwhile, Pat Kenny celebrated his birthday a day early last Saturday in Rasam in Glasthule with his wife Kathy and family. My spies in Glasthule tell me that they all had the famous restaurant's silver platter house special, washed down genteelly by Champagne and then some fine Portuguese wine. A cake was ceremoniously cut, and everyone in the restaurant joined in to wish the Newstalk superstar a very happy birthday. Ex-Minister David Andrews and his wife were in Rasam that night too, dining with another couple. Rosanna Davison and husband Wes were in Rasam the Friday before. Rosanna was also in there the week before that with her parents, Diane and Chris de Burgh, and her brother Hubie and his girlfriend. Where, I ask you, does Rosanna put all this food? Ireland's biggest fashion show Expand Close Lucy Nagle / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lucy Nagle Fashion goes in one year and out the other, don't you know? That maxim won't stop, however, the RDS Main Hall from being packed to the glamorous gills with fashionistas on March 2 for the ARC Fashion Show. It's for a great cause too - all funds raised go to ARC Cancer Support Centres. Goddess of the gansey Lucy Nagle, pictured above, will be showcasing her latest cashmere collection on the catwalk. Those expected include broadcaster Marian Finucane, Shelly Corkery, fashion director at Brown Thomas, and designer Helen Cody. Twenty-six designers will help make it the biggest show of its kind in the country. Tickets cost 50 and can be purchased by calling 01 830 7333. Aisling O'Loughlin who has launched her own website, Exquisite.ie. Photo: Steve Humphreys Exquisite.ie website founer Aisling O'Loughlin tells how her three boys are the loves of her life, while admitting a regret over her request for a kiss from George Clooney. The person There are three. Patrick, Louis and Joseph, my sons, are the greatest loves of my life The memory Asking George Clooney for a kiss on the red carpet and instantly regretting it! He reluctantly obliged, but I really wish I hadn't been so silly - he hates being objectified. I don't know what came over me. So, ultimately, I regret getting kissed by George Clooney The moment of the day When I finally get the boys down to bed and savour the sound of silence. Bliss The song Hurricane by Bob Dylan. I could put it on repeat all day. It was the only song that helped me run when I was going through a running phase, which lasted all of two weeks The movie Singing in the Rain. I could watch Gene Kelly forever - such a beautiful dancer. I love that he choreographed all the routines, and broke the rules of film-making by being so extravagant and by putting on the ultimate show The hero Author Louise O'Neill, for blazing a trail about rape culture, and for her perseverance, wit and intelligence The book Asking for It by Louise O'Neill, for all that it has achieved in starting a conversation internationally about rape culture. That, and anything by the master of words himself - John Banville. The outfit My jimmy jams. They're the only things that fit at the minute. Getting back in shape after C-section number three is harder than I imagined. A bit of exercise wouldn't go astray The accessory My Little Bar of Strength 'Success' necklace by Irish designer Melissa Curry The gadget My new Canon camera. I bought it for the website, and I love the results - there's no comparison with a phone. I just have to read the manual. Any day now The pet hate: People covering their asses at all costs. Very weak The friend The fabulous Hilda O'Connor. No matter what is going on in our lives, we always have a giggle The beauty product I'm a beauty-product fiend. The one perennial is baby oil to get my mascara off. Nothing else works as well. I'm also having a love affair with Hungarian brand Eminence The holiday A trip to Rome, Naples and the Amalfi Coast with my college buddy, Aideen McGrath, many moons ago. Despite one bust-up over hair straighteners, it was one of my favourite holidays. I fell madly in love with Italy The piece of advice Jog on. I was a bit shook after a nasty break-up years ago, and this very cool, handsome cameraman from Fashion TV told me to 'jog on'. Those words really registered, and I jogged straight into his arms The drink It has to be a glass of cold Champagne with a good friend. It doesn't get any better than that The hotel The welcome in The Powerscourt Hotel in Enniskerry is always so warm. A stunning location and a beautiful hotel The bar Durty Nelly's. I grew up down the road in Shannon, so Durty Nelly's was part of my weekends in the days when I used to go out and consume more units than recommended. I have great memories of sing-songs around the piano and meeting up with friends The hobby I'd love to bring my piano up from Co Clare and learn a few new tunes, and paint some pictures again. It has been so many years The part of my body: My hands. They're not manicured or bejewelled, but I like how practical they are: typing, changing nappies, wiping faces, chopping food and putting on make-up The celebrity Joanna Lumley, truly Ab Fab! She was one celebrity who really stood out during all my years on Xpose, as she seemed to be interested in meeting me, too! She was genuinely engaged and so naturally funny. Such a star The virtue Believing in the old-school principles of honour, loyalty and respect The vice Getting up on my high horse about honour, loyalty and respect, considering I'm no saint The smell Fig. Whether it be wafting in the breeze in the summer in France, or in my perfume, fig is my favourite scent: soft, understated and deep The taste All the things that make me bloat: bread, coffee, dairy. Yum! After 16 years with TV3, Aisling has just set up her own website, exquisite.ie, covering fashion, beauty, lifestyle and culture You might hate Monday, but you'll love our selection of the week's best travel offers... 89: Plain sailing with Irish Ferries Irish Ferries has a special 'Everybody Free' offer on bookings made to February 21. It sees charges only for the car involved on sailings from Dublin to Holyhead and Rosslare to Pembroke, with up to six people included. That means sailings for six from as little as 89. Travel is to May 26. 0818 300 400; irishferries.com. 299pp: Kusadasi Flash Sale Sunway has Kusadasi packages on special to midnight tonight. The seven-night holidays start at 299pp for 3-star breaks in May and 399pp in August, with 4-star breaks from 349pp (May) and 449pp (August). 01 231-1800; sunway.ie. 299pp: Snow wonder in Andorra Topflight has a seven-day ski holiday reduced from 545pp to 299pp. Departing February 12, it includes flights, transfers and accommodation at the 3-star Apartments Crest in Andorra. 01 240 1700; topflight.ie. 345: 5-star fun in Dublin Fancy splashing out on a mid-term treat? The InterContinental Dublin has one night's B&B, a family pass to Dublin zoo and 10pc off food and spa treatments at 345 per room for a family of two adults and two children (under 12). The offer is available over February mid-term. 01 665-4000; intercontinentaldublin.ie. 1,099pp: 10 nights in the Dominican Republic Classic Resorts has 10 nights all-inclusive in the Dominican Republic from 1,099pps including flights and the 4-star Riu Naiboa for travel between May 1 and June 24. 0818 332 515; classicresorts.ie. NB: All travel deals subject to availability/change. Just a couple of weeks ago, critics of post-inaugural protesters argued the anti-President Donald Trump movement lacked coherence. Too many small, identity-politics issues, the marcher-watching pundits sniffed. Well, as we imagined, Mr Trump has provided the unifying theme and emotional inspiration, one that can galvanise Americans from many walks of life and political persuasions. Mr Trump's poorly executed and monumentally counterproductive refugee freeze and travel ban demonstrated just how many aspects of American society are connected and dependent upon people outside the United States. The Hill reports: "A coalition of 598 college and university presidents has released a letter voicing 'concerns' with Mr Trump's temporary ban on travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations. "In the letter, the presidents say they are concerned about how the order will affect international students, faculty, researchers and staffers." Academics ordinarily might not have much in common with the business community, but in this case they see eye to eye. Walt Disney Company chief executive Bob Iger didn't attend Mr Trump's Friday business forum. Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick abandoned the group altogether after his urban customer base vilified the ban, criticised Mr Kalanick for cooperating with Mr Trump and in many cases deactivated the Uber app on their phones. A slew of CEOs in the new and old economy have lashed out at the Mr Trump, making clear a discriminatory ban on Muslims from certain countries is bad business. Silicon Valley, traditionally reluctant to mix it up in electoral politics, now is fully engaged. Politico reports: "A collection of Silicon Valley executives, engineers and activists are quietly plotting a progressive counterattack against Mr Trump, a sign of the industry's growing anger at his election victory and actions on immigration. Expand Close A demonstrator against the Trump immigration rules protests at Los Angeles international airport. Photo: REUTERS/Ringo Chiu / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A demonstrator against the Trump immigration rules protests at Los Angeles international airport. Photo: REUTERS/Ringo Chiu "Through a new organisation tentatively called Win the Future, or WTF, the likes of LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Zynga founder Mark Pincus are teaming up with former Sierra Club president Adam Werbach to connect political organisers and shore up progressive candidates and causes ahead of the 2018 midterm and 2020 presidential elections, according to three sources familiar with the plan." Employees in retail, manufacturing and financial services have exactly the same reason to get on board the anti-Trump train. Their employers cannot pull up the drawbridge, and if Mr Trump continues down this protectionist, xenophobic path they, not foreign countries, will bear the economic brunt. On the political front, Democrats instantly seized the opportunity to attack the White House as did some free-market conservatives and many libertarians. City and state governments, particularly in border states, are up in arms as well, seeing the threat to their local economy and the humanitarian harm Mr Trump is causing in their communities. Massachusetts, New York, Virginia and Washington state this week joined litigants in challenging both the travel ban and the sanctuary cities executive order. Just as Mr Trump forged his coalition with a nationalist, xenophobic message, opponents have now found their common cause: protecting America as a tolerant, dynamic place that derives real benefits from international talent, markets and travel. Productive, innovative and modern Americans now have a common cause. Regardless of ideological differences on a host of issues, they now see defence of the international liberal (small "l") ideal as critical to the country's economic, political and psychological health. They do not want to be dragged back to the 1950s. The vain attempt to make America "great", Mr Trump's critics now see, would destroy the environment in which a diverse populace can cross-pollinate and collaborate. That understanding - a defence of modernism itself - requires that we stay engaged in the world, defend democratic norms and vital institutions and eschew the image of the 'Ugly American'. We already see some political push-back against Mr Trump's travel ban, and also against the wall on our southern border. A wide and deep coalition of students, teachers, scientists, high-tech and industrial workers and CEOs, state and local leaders, religious leaders and Americans of all political stripes now has its message and calling: America is great because it is free, welcoming, dynamic, generous, exerts leadership in the world and has institutions that promote inclusion and success (however we define it). If anti-Trump Americans aim to reinforce those qualities and the institutions that promote them, then the know-nothing populists and xenophobic characters who occupy the White House will not destroy what makes America great. The article by David Quinn with the rather rigorous headline 'Trump would be irresponsible to ignore the danger of migrants' (Irish Independent, February 3) reflects the chaos of the present situation of migrants and the accompanying chaos of the politics of migration. Most commentators on the subject today have one characteristic in common: notably hindsight. Unfortunately, migration policy tends to follow the crisis as the crisis can seldom be anticipated. This a particularly tragic situation for those who are forced to migrate and less tragic for those who ponder the consequences of said migrations. Akin to a sinking boat, hindsight can outline how lives could have been saved, but this is of little use to those who have drowned. Furthermore, one would be a tad foolish to underestimate the ability of Germany to deal with chaos. When the Berlin Wall came down there was much jubilation, but Germany was left to deal with the subsequent fallout, which it did admirably. As a resident of former East Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel is one well placed to see the tension between chaos and opportunity. The matter raised in the article regarding "the number of jihadists" who managed to get into America disguised as refugees begs a question regarding the source of this fact as refugees, unlike businesspeople, students and shoppers are the most highly vetted groups entering the United States. In actual fact, since September 11, 2001, out of 784,000 refugees admitted to the US, only three have been arrested for terrorist offences. Two of these were not planning attacks in the United States and the third registered as "barely credible" with the authorities. More than ever a sensible framework is required when discussing migration policy. One such framework that is well researched and has stood the test of time is that provided by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Frs Bobby Gilmore and Alan Hilliard Former directors of Irish Immigrant Chaplaincies Navan, Co Meath Ballymun Road, Dublin Rare show of common sense David Quinn's article on a sensible refugee policy (Irish Independent, February 3) was intelligent, balanced, well thought out and sensible. Sadly, that also makes it very rare these days. Gerry Kelly Rathgar, Dublin 6 Jewish life in Dublin With the passing of another Holocaust Memorial Day, my memory goes back to my childhood. At that time, there were several Jewish families living on my road from many parts of Europe, some having fled because of World War II. One family were German Jews who were gracious people and always gave me gifts at Christmas. The husband told my father that he and his family were literally on their way to a gas chamber when British troops arrived in the concentration camp and saved their lives. He told my father that if he had witnessed what he had seen in the concentration camp he would not believe in any god. When the Jewish man passed away, my father and a neighbour attended the funeral service at the synagogue. At that time, Catholics were forbidden from attending Protestant funerals, never mind Jewish ones. When my father and our neighbour entered the synagogue, they were handed yarmulkes (skullcaps) and as they put them on our neighbour turned to my father and said with a smile, "That's blown it, we will never get into heaven now!" Tony Moriarty Harold's Cross, Dublin 6 Walls for squirrels? That's nuts I have read in recent news reports that Howth's indigenous red squirrel population is in danger of being displaced by aggressive grey squirrels. Come on, you Reds - you guys have a legitimate case to build a wall around your trees to retain your nuts and introduce a climbing ban to prevent foreign squirrels stealing them. David O'Reilly Galway city Nap time for The Donald We should all just chill out a little when it comes to US President Donald Trump. He has started off his (presidential) race a little too fast as he shows off to the gallery. He is thinking like a very young buck who can go all day. But he is 70 years of age and pretty soon he's going to get tired and sleep all night. When the great Donald starts snoring, we will all sleep soundly again. Damien Carroll Kingswood, Dublin 24 Border poll in light of Brexit The British government's intention to extricate itself from the EU, despite the majority in Northern Ireland voting to stay in, and its assurances of no 'hard' borders between Northern Ireland and the Republic after Brexit are not worth a penny candle. As the impact of the UK's departure will fundamentally change international arrangements implemented by the Good Friday Agreement, the Irish Government as co-guarantor should now consider a Border poll. This would give our brethren on the island of Ireland the opportunity to have their say within the spirit of self-determination post-Brexit. Peter Mulvany Clontarf, Dublin 3 Praying for your five-a-day In light of your story about how European shortages have led to a reduced supply of lettuce and other vegetables to Ireland (Irish Independent, February 4), will the priests at Mass say, "lettuce pray for more vegetables?" John Williams Clonmel, Co Tipperary Donnelly betraying principles In the past, I have been an admirer of Stephen Donnelly, a founder member of the Social Democrats. He made a lot of sense in the articles he wrote in the press. I was therefore surprised and disappointed by his decision to join Fianna Fail. Does he not remember this was the party that sold out this country to the bond holders at the behest of the ECB? Surely this is a betrayal of his social principles, joining a right-wing party that supports the bankers, developers and the elite. Indeed, we had got rid of Fianna Fail in Dublin and I had hoped the rest of the country would follow the good example. We have very short memories, do we want to return to the era of Haugheyism? Mike Mahon Templeogue, Dublin Stephen Donnelly's recent well-publicised transfer of allegiance to Fianna Fail for some reason reminds me of a quip from the late, great comic actor Groucho Marx: "I would never join any club that would have me as a member." Tom Gilsenan Beaumont, Dublin 9 WIN: Two match tickets, airfare & accommodation to watch Ireland take on Italy in Rome this weekend! In the second of our RBS Six Nations competition we have partnered with Aer Lingus on their Home Advantage campaign to give one lucky rugby lover and their guest of choice a chance to watch Ireland face Italy in Rome this weekend! This fantastic prize includes match tickets, airfare, two nights accommodation and airport transfers in Rome to your hotel for two guests. Winners must be over the age of 18 years to enter and be available to fly at anytime from Dublin airport to Rome on Friday 10th February until your return flight on Sunday, February 12th. Terms and conditions apply, these are available within the rules section of the below form. To be in with a chance of winning this incredible prize, simply enter your details and answer the following question in the below form. Sponsored by: There aren't many people who can count themselves in the Kardashians inner circle and there's only one from Ireland. 29-year-old hairdresser Andrew Fitzsimons, from Ballinteer in Dublin, has landed a coveted spot as the go-to hair guy in one of the most influential families in the world. Fresh from Costa Rica, where he joined the family on their much-publicised trip to tend to Kourtney's tresses, we spoke to Andrew about moving from a salon on South William Street to working with the most famous women in the world. While you may not recognise his name, there's no doubt that you will recognise his work. Andrew lists Ashley Graham, Joan Smalls, Kendall Jenner, Irina Shayk and Bella Hadid among his ever-growing list of celebrity clients and he is the magic hands behind countless iconic Kardashian hairstyles, with the most recent being Kourtney's undone, beachy waves that sashay beyond her waist. Expand Close Andrew Fitzsimons and Kourtney Kardashian. Image: Andrew Fitzsimons/Instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Andrew Fitzsimons and Kourtney Kardashian. Image: Andrew Fitzsimons/Instagram And nowadays he works with the mother-of-three almost every day. In short, if you're looking for an 'it' boy in the beauty industry, it's him. Before he was mingling with Hollywood elite, he was honing his craft at home in Dublin and fighting standard expectations for him to stay in school and play rugby. "When I was younger, Dublin was not the place for a young, sensitive, gay boy. I know its changed a lot now and Ireland was one of the first countries to pass the gay marriage vote, and Im very proud of that," he told Independent.ie Style. Expand Close Kourtney Kardashian. Image: Andrew Fitzsimons/Instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kourtney Kardashian. Image: Andrew Fitzsimons/Instagram When Andrew was 13, his mother got him a summer job in a salon, which went on to be the foundation of his career in hairstyling. "After working in the salon for the summer, in September of second year I went back to school and I realised it was the wrong place for me. I wanted to be out working and give myself the education I wasnt getting. I was happy to leave and be good at something. Two weeks later, at 14 years-old, I made the executive decision to leave school, much to my mums dismay." Video of the Day "She made me make an agreement to take my job seriously, be responsible, work full time and get to the top of my field. Its been 16 years since then and I havent taken one sick day, and Im still trying to reach the top of my field," he said earnestly. "I knew leaving school so early would affect the rest of my life. The structure of life and education did not cater to me. I was told: 'You need to change, to play rugby.' But I chose to create my own reality. I was determined." Expand Close Kendall Jenner's infamous rose picture. Image: Andrew Fitzsimons/Instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kendall Jenner's infamous rose picture. Image: Andrew Fitzsimons/Instagram After leaving school, Andrew spent a couple of years working as an apprentice and soon became popular with celebrities on home soil including Grainne Seoige and Miriam O'Callaghan. "I was doing small jobs for advertisements and editorial work as a hair stylist when I did Grainnes hair for a day time talk show on RTE. We got on really well and I learned a lot from her." "I really respected her hustle and drive and she taught me a lot about professionalism and taking a job seriously. In Paris, New York and Los Angeles thats the attitude that successful people have. Shes the first person I learned it from first hand, and Im really glad I did." Despite having built up his experience as a hairstylist and forming a steady clientele in Ireland, Andrew felt that Dublin "wasn't the place" for him and dabbled in Paris before eventually taking the leap the Big Apple at the age of 29. Expand Close Ashley Graham and Andrew Fitzsimons. Image: Andrew Fitzsimons/Instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ashley Graham and Andrew Fitzsimons. Image: Andrew Fitzsimons/Instagram "I wanted to be around people who lifted me up, so I changed location and moved to Paris when I was 17 or 18." "I didnt love fashion enough to be miserable in Paris with no money, so I moved to New York; the holy grail of every industry." "When I moved to New York, I had to start all over again. I had to start hustling. I had no money. I had my suitcase and my kit but I didnt have $2. I started doing test shoots. If I had an ego when I was working, it would have ended my career," he explained. "I used to walk for two hours, rain or snow, to go to a job because I couldnt afford the subway. I was sleeping on couches, doing anything I could to put myself out there and learn. I was getting everything I needed from work it fulfilled me that way." Clearly, Andrew's hustle and dedication to his work paid off when he landed the job of working with the one of the biggest artists to come out of the 21st century - Adele. "She was promoting her album 21, and we got on so much. We p***ed our pants laughing together. It was great to talk to someone from the UK. We talked about how much we loved Cheryl Cole because thats when she was trying to break America for the X Factor." Expand Close Karlie Kloss and Andrew Fitzsimons. Image: Andrew Fitzsimons/Instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Karlie Kloss and Andrew Fitzsimons. Image: Andrew Fitzsimons/Instagram Nonchalantly, Andrew adds: "That was my first stepping stone. Then I worked with Mariah Carey for a few years and it all stemmed from there." It was by sheer coincidence that Andrew began working with the Kardashians, which went on to be a defining moment in his career and led him to Instagram stardom. "I was working on an advertisement and I was asked if I wanted to stay around to do the hair of a new face that was coming in after," he said. The new face? Kendall Jenner. "She was very quiet, sitting on her phone. This was when she was trying to make it as a model in New York. She was amazing for the whole shoot. She was transforming into a celebrity in her own right," he said of their introduction. Staying around to do Kendall's hair opened up a treasure chest of clients for Andrew, who has landed an exclusive gig as Kourtney's personal hair stylist. Expand Close Kourtney Kardashian in Costa Rica. Image: Andrew Fitzsimons/Instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kourtney Kardashian in Costa Rica. Image: Andrew Fitzsimons/Instagram "I worked with the family in New York two years ago for Fashion Week. I think it was Kanyes first season for Yeezy. I did Kourtneys hair and when she walked in we were both wearing the same outfit; a band tee, ripped skinny jeans and boots. We got on really well. "Kourtney is a great friend. I see her almost every day. Kim is amazing too." "Kourtney, Khloe and Kim are the most down-to-earth, sweetest people Ive ever met. Theyre always on time. Theyre so professional, friendly and work so hard. They remember the details you told them the last time you were working with them. Im blessed to be working with them." "I have great self belief and I knew if I applied myself and believed in myself I could go where I needed to go." Never one to settle too long in one spot, he has upped sticks once again and lives in Los Angeles, the City of Angels. "My boyfriend (Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman) is an actor and he shoots in Vancouver, so it suits us both well. Its so weird to see palm trees and blue skies after coming from Ireland." Expand Close Andrew Fitzsimons and Joan Smalls. Image: Andrew Fitzsimons/Instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Andrew Fitzsimons and Joan Smalls. Image: Andrew Fitzsimons/Instagram Despite his nomadic lifestyle, Andrew's heart remains firmly in Ireland. "Irish people love to look good. They love their hair and makeup. Irish people are starting to look after their skin, which is great. I think theres less fake tan and backcombing too." "Id love to bring out my own extensions or own a collection of products in the future, maybe start a few salons," he drifted off, with the cogs turning in his head almost audible. One thing is for certain - the future looks very bright for Andrew Fitzsimons. Millie Bobby Brown with the award for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series for Stranger Things at the Screen Actors Guild Awards (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP) Netflix has revealed the second series of its hit show Stranger Things will be released on Halloween. The air date was confirmed in a trailer shown during television coverage of the Super Bowl in the US. Nine new episodes of the award-winning programme will debut on the streaming service. Starring Winona Ryder and Matthew Modine, the first eight instalments follow the search for a young boy who vanishes in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana in 1983. The investigation into his disappearance unravels a series of mysteries involving secret government experiments, supernatural forces and a strange little girl, played by 12-year-old British actress Millie Bobby Brown. The trailer for the second series continues the show's 80s theme, with some of the young characters dressed in Ghostbusters outfits, and provides a glimpse of Brown's character Eleven and a huge monster lurking in the sky. The cast of Stranger Things recently won the Screen Actors Guild Award for best ensemble in a drama series. Brown was also nominated for best actress in a television drama series at the ceremony. The ensemble's two concerts in Egypt fall within their Arab World tour As part of their Arab World tour, Jacaranda Ensemble will give two concerts in Egypt, on Sunday 12 February at the Cairo Opera House and on Wednesday 15 February at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Jacaranda Ensemble, which consists of five principal players from the Brandenburg Symphony Orchestra, creates a unique sound through an original blend of instruments. The ensemble features Richard Mosthaf on didgeridoo and alpenhorn (alpine horn), Thomas Hoffmann on alpenhorn and French Horn, Sebastian Pietsch on saxophone, Thomas Ringleb on percussion and Matthias Dressler on marimba and percussion. The ensemble notes on their website that the origins of the instruments they use are "often thousands of miles apart," yet "through a mixture of composed and improvised music [they manage to interweave them] into a musical tapestry. Prior to their Egypt performances the ensemble will play in Muscat, Oman. They will complete their tour in Beirut, Lebanon. Programme: Sunday 12 February, 8pm Cairo Opera House, main hall, Zamalek, Cairo Wednesday 15 February, 7pm Bibliotheca Alexandrina, great hall, Alexandria 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 Search Keywords: Short link: Jarlath Regan flew to the US to donate a kidney to his brother Adrian Irish comedian Jarlath Regan has said he is "over the moon" after successfully donating a kidney to his older brother Adrian in the US. The London-based comedian (36) flew over to Minnesota to undergo surgery, which could extend his brother's life expectancy by more than 25 years. Expand Close Jarlath Regan Photo: Twitter / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jarlath Regan Photo: Twitter "We're both over the moon with the results. So far so good," Jarlath tweeted. "Operation was a huge success on both sides." Thanks for all the messages guys. We're both over the moon with the results. So far so good. #KidneyDonation #BeastMode #IrishBrothersAbroad pic.twitter.com/xqKaBu8qc8 Jarlath Regan (@Jarlath) February 3, 2017 The Kildare comedian, who presents podcast An Irishman Abroad, learned he was a near perfect match to donate an organ to his older brother, who has suffered from a rare condition for most of his life. Speaking on the Eoghan McDermott Show on RTE 2fm last month, Jarlath (36) said the decision to donate a kidney to his brother was made "in a heart beat". Jarlath, who has a six-year-old son, said that while it was an easy decision to make, the stress of the upcoming surgery has fallen on the shoulders of his wife Tina. "He had the option of dialysis but that would be so difficult. I knew that I wanted to be it. If my brother said to me 'My left foot is ruined and I need you to amputate yours', I probably would think about it. Expand Close Comedian Jarlath Regan is set to donate a kidney to his brother Photo: Steve Ullathorne / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Comedian Jarlath Regan is set to donate a kidney to his brother Photo: Steve Ullathorne "My wife is an amazing woman. She is an incredible human being. I asked the doctors was it normal for people to be so blase about it, as I was, and they said it was. Whats also known is that the person closest to the donor can take on the stress. I really feel that Tina has had to endure a lot of the stress that I havent because hes my brother. She does get that if it was her sister or brother, shed do it in a heartbeat," said Jarlath. The comedian said Irish people need to be more open about organ donation, which is an potion often skirted around. Video of the Day "If the organ fails, he won't be stuck. In the States there is an organ donor network over there. Even though his wife isn't a proper match for him, her plan should this not work, her plan is to donate her kidney to someone on the network who needs it, and in exchange find someone who suits him. There are people walking in off the streets in the States who are saying 'I am a healthy human being, I hear you need kidneys, have mine'. Those people have the true hearts of gold. "Its a discussion that needs to be had in Ireland. I know that people are dying as a result of the shortage of organs available." The comedian will be exploring his experience with organ donation on his podcast The Irishman Abroad in coming weeks. For more information visit www.jigser.com There has been recent snow in Afghanistan Avalanches triggered by heavy snowfall across Afghanistan have killed at least 119 people in recent days. Wais Ahmad Barmak, the state minister for disaster management and humanitarian affairs, said at least 89 other people have been injured and 190 homes destroyed by avalanches in multiple provinces. Those figures are expected to rise as rescue teams make their way through snow-blocked roads to afflicted areas. Many of the most recent fatalities come from Nuristan province, near the Pakistani border, where two villages were buried in snow. Mr Barmak's spokesman Omer Mohammadi said rescue teams have so far recovered 48 bodies from those villages and that more than 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) of farmland have been destroyed. Mr Mohammadi said it would take some time to establish the full extent of the damage. "This will take days for us to clean up all roads covered with snow in different provinces," he said. On Sunday, Afghanistan's government declared a public holiday due to the heavy snowfall across the country. The United Nations has offered its assistance. UN humanitarian coordinator for Afghanistan Mark Bowden said: "I commend the efforts of the Afghan government that has quickly mobilised to respond to the disaster. "The UN system stands ready to fully support the Afghan government in responding." Stefano Brizzi, who was jailed for the murder of 59-year-old police officer Gordon Semple in London has died in prison, Cannibal killer Stefano Brizzi, who strangled a police officer during a bondage sex session and then cooked and tried to eat him, has died in prison. Brizzi, 50, was jailed at the Old Bailey for a minimum of 24 years in December for the murder of 59-year-old Gordon Semple at his flat in south London. He died at HMP Belmarsh, the high security jail in Woolwich, south east London. A Prison Service spokeswoman said in a statement: "HMP Belmarsh prisoner Stefano Brizzi died in custody on Sunday. "As with all deaths in custody there will be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman." Brizzi was arrested after police called to his flat to investigate a foul stench discovered the gruesome scene. During his trial, the Italian admitted he was inspired by his favourite TV series Breaking Bad as he tried to get away with the killing by dissolving his victim's flesh in an acid bath. But the crystal meth addicted former Morgan Stanley IT developer denied he had cooked and tried to eat parts of the body with chopsticks, saying he had no memory of it. Brizzi was found guilty of murder and sentenced by Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC to life with a minimum of 24 years, with seven years concurrent for disposing of the body. The court heard evidence from an odontologist settled the matter of whether Brizzi had in fact cannibalised part of his victim. On examining a rib discarded in the kitchen bin, the expert found that a bite mark did in fact match the defendant's lower teeth. Brizzi, who met his victim on gay dating app Grindr, reportedly took his own life. Figures released last month showed that suicides, assaults and self-harm behind bars have all surged to record levels, with 354 deaths in prisons in England and Wales last year, including 119 which were apparently self-inflicted. Self-harm incidents jumped by nearly a quarter, while there were more than 25,000 assaults in the 12 months to September - equivalent to nearly 70 attacks every day. The figures triggered new calls for reform of the prison system amid claims that jails are dangerously over-crowded. Nigel Farage's wife has said she and her husband have been living "separate lives" for some years. Kirsten Farage said that the former Ukip leader moved out of their family home in Kent "a while ago". German-born Kirsten's announcement came in the wake of unconfirmed press reports that Mr Farage was sharing a house in London with a French woman politician. Contacted by the Press Association, Mr Farage declined to make any response to his wife's comments. The couple married in 1999, after Mr Farage's divorce from his first wife, and have two children. In a statement released to the Press Association, Mrs Farage said: "My husband and I have lived separate lives for some years and he moved out of the family home a while ago. "This is a situation that suits everyone and is not news to any of the people involved." She urged reporters not to "doorstep" her family home, saying: "Having press camped out in front of my house is extremely distressing, especially for my children. Please let us get on with our lives." The Mail on Sunday reported at the weekend that Laure Ferrari - who runs the Institute for Direct Democracy in Europe (IDDE) - has been living in the former Ukip leader's house in Chelsea for the past week. Mr Farage told the newspaper that he was helping her out because she needed accommodation and had nowhere else to stay. "She is someone I have worked with and known well for a long time who wanted somewhere to stay for a week that wouldn't cost her any money. It's a working relationship," he was quoted as saying. The MoS said that Mr Farage had told its reporters last month that he spent most week nights at a "bachelor pad" and denied that he had split from his wife. Last November the Electoral Commission announced it was opening an investigation into whether Ukip had accepted "impermissible donations" from IDDE and the Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe (ADDE), the political party it is affiliated to. It followed an audit by the European Parliament which concluded that ADDE and IDDE used EU grant funding for the benefit of Ukip in breach of its rules. The claims have been strongly contested by Ukip. Ms Ferrari, who first became involved in politics as a result of a chance meeting with Mr Farage 10 years ago while she was working as a waitress in Strasbourg, said she had been forced to move out of her own flat after the European Parliament stopped IDDE's funding. "I have no trustworthy friends in London who could have hosted me. I asked and he accepted. He is just trying to be helpful," she told The Mail on Sunday. The fish wholesaler is alleging malicious deceit on the part of the car giant (AP) A fish wholesaler has become the first major Volkswagen customer in Germany to sue the car giant for selling diesel vehicles rigged to cheat on emissions tests. Deutsche See GmbH filed a lawsuit with a court in Braunschweig on Friday, alleging "malicious deceit" on the part of Volkswagen, after failing to reach an out-of-court settlement. Deutsche See says it wants Volkswagen to repay about 11.9 million euro (10.2 million) in leasing fees paid for its fleet of 500 Volkswagen diesel vehicles since 2009. Volkswagen said it had not yet received official notification of the lawsuit and therefore could not comment on the case. Volkswagen has agreed to buy back up to 500,000 cars in the US under a 15 billion dollar (12 billion) settlement agreed with US authorities and car owners. Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has been sitting since 2013 Thousands of children reported sexual abuse at more than 1,000 Catholic institutions across Australia, an inquiry has been told. It was revealed that 7% of priests in Australia's Catholic Church were accused of sexually abusing children over the past few decades. Officials investigating institutional abuse across Australia revealed for the first time the extent of the crisis at a hearing of Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The royal commission - which is Australia's highest form of inquiry - has been investigating since 2013 how the Catholic Church and other institutions responded to the sexual abuse of children over decades. The commission has previously heard harrowing testimony from scores of people who suffered abuse at the hands of clergy. But the full scale of the problem was never clear until Monday, when the commission released the statistics it has gathered. Commissioners surveyed Catholic Church authorities and found that between 1980 and 2015, 4,444 people reported they had been abused at Catholic institutions, said Gail Furness, the lead lawyer assisting the commission. The average age of the victims was 10.5 for girls and 11.5 for boys. Overall, 7% of priests in Australia between 1950 and 2010 were accused of sexually abusing children, Ms Furness said. Francis Sullivan, chief executive of the Truth Justice and Healing Council, which is co-ordinating the Catholic Church's response to the inquiry, said the data reflected "a massive failure" by the church to protect children. "These numbers are shocking, they are tragic and they are indefensible," he told the commission. "As Catholics, we hang our heads in shame." The Vatican has watched the proceedings closely. Cardinal George Pell, who was Australia's most senior Catholic before becoming Pope Francis' top financial adviser, has testified at previous hearings about how church authorities responded to allegations of child sex abuse during his time in Australia. Several senior Australian Catholics will be testifying over the next few weeks. The commission's final report is due by the end of this year. AP A man rides a horse cart along the beach as rainy and heavy winds prevail on the Mediterranean Sea, at beach road of Shati refugee camp in Gaza City (AP) Israel's military has fired on Hamas installations in Gaza after a rocket launched from the territory exploded inside Israel. Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, has largely adhered to a ceasefire which ended a 50-day war with Israel in 2014, but other militant groups occasionally fire rockets or mortar rounds over the frontier. Israel holds Hamas responsible for all incoming fire. There were no reports of casualties on either side. Sirens wailed in parts of southern Israel warning of incoming rockets, with one said to have exploded in an open field. Soon afterwards, an Israeli tank fired at a Hamas position near the frontier. Hours later, Gaza residents said Israeli air strikes targeted three Hamas-run militant training sites. Israeli military spokesman Lt Col Peter Lerner said the military "will not tolerate rocket fire toward civilians and will continue to ensure security and stability in the region". There was no immediate claim of responsibility in Gaza for the rocket attack. Jihadists who support Islamic State have said they were behind similar attacks in the past. Unama's Danielle Bell holds a copy of the UN 2016 Annual Report on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict in Afghanistan (AP) More than 900 children were killed in Afghanistan's conflict last year, the United Nations said, in the most violent year for children since it started keeping records. The UN mission said the near-25% increase in child deaths from the previous year was largely caused by mines and munitions left over from decades of conflict. It documented a 66% increase in such deaths in 2016. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (Unama) said in its annual report: "Conflict-related violence exacted a heavy toll on Afghanistan in 2016, with an overall deterioration in civilian protection and the highest-total civilian casualties recorded since 2009, when Unama began systematic documentation of civilian casualties." It said 3,498 people were killed in 2016, including 923 children, and that another 7,920 people were wounded. The overall casualty toll was slightly higher than the previous year. "I am deeply saddened to report, for yet another year, another increase in civilian casualties, another all-time high figure," Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN envoy to Afghanistan, told a press conference. Save the Children said the latest figures were "extremely concerning," and called on all parties to do more to protect civilians. The Taliban, who have been waging an insurgency against the US-backed government in Kabul for more than 15 years, advanced on a number of fronts in 2016. Afghan forces have struggled to tackle the militants since the US and Nato formally concluded their combat mission at the end of 2014. Save the Children's country director, Ana Locsin said: "The humanitarian situation across much of Afghanistan has deteriorated significantly in the past 12 months. "With the start of the traditional fighting season not far away with the end of winter, it could get even worse in the coming months." AP A flight attendant rescued a victim of human trafficking after she spotted the girl looking dishevelled on a plane accompanied by a well-dressed man. Sheila Frederick, 49, was working on an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to San Francisco when she noticed the girl, who looked around 14 or 15 years old, and immediately knew something was wrong, according to 10 News. Something in the back of my mind said something was not right. He was well-dressed. Thats what got me because I thought why is he well-dressed and she is looking all dishevelled and out of sorts? Ms Frederick told the programme. When she tried to speak with the two passengers, the man reportedly became defensive and the girl wouldn't engage in conversation. Ms Frederick said she subsequently left a note for the teenager in the plane's toilet, which she later responded to with the message: I need help. The flight attendant informed pilots who were then able to communicate the message to police in San Francisco, and the man was arrested when the flight landed. It comes amid increased efforts since 2009 to train American flight staff to recognise signs of human trafficking and flag them up. Common signs include someone who appears to be being controlled, is battered or wont answer questions or make eye contact. Emphasising the importance of such training, Ms Frederick added: I've been a flight attendant for 10 years and it's like I am going all the way back to when I was in training and I was like, I could have seen these young girls and young boys and didn't even know. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement are reported to have arrested 2,000 human traffickers and identified 400 victims last year. US President Donald Trump has repeated that he respects Vladimir Putin , and defended the Russian president in a new interview. Speaking during an interview ahead of the Super Bowl with broadcaster Fox News, Trump said he thought it was better to get a long with Russia than not. I respect a lot of people, but that doesnt mean Im going to get along with them. He is a leader of his country. I say its better to get along with Russia than not and if Russia helps us in the fight against Isis which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world, major fight, thats a good thing," he told Bill O'Reilly. Will I get along with him? I have no idea. Its very possible I wont. When O'Reilly put it to Trump that Putin was a "killer" Trump replied: There are a lot of killers. Weve got a lot of killers. What, do you think our countrys so innocent? Challenged again by O'Reilly who said he didn't know of any world leader who were killers, Trump referred to the Iraq war. Take a look at what weve done too. Weve made a lot of mistakes, he said. George W Bush was US president at the time of the Iraq qar, leading some commentators to speculate if Trump was equating Bush and Putin. The former businessman also said he was against the invasion from the beginning. However, he has made public remarks in the past which showed support for the war. On Monday the Kremlin said it wants an apology for the remarks. "We consider such words from the Fox TV company to be unacceptable and insulting, and honestly speaking, we would prefer to get an apology from such a respected TV company," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call. CNN may have banned one of US President Donald Trump's top advisors from its programmes. Bosses at the network reportedly told the New York Times they were considering never interviewing Kellyanne Conway again. The CNN chief, who was not named in the piece, said the decision may be made because of "serious questions about her credibility". Since Trump's inauguration, Conway told NBC that press officer Sean Spicer's claim that Trump had the largest-ever inauguration audience by any president wasn't a lie, but 'alternative facts'. She also hit headlines for her reference to the fictional 'Bowling Green Massacre'. Now, CNN called the advisor out on Twitter about her lack of appearances on the network over the weekend. False. I could do no live Sunday shows this week BC of family. Plus, I was invited onto CNN today & tomorrow. CNN Brass on those emails https://t.co/LVOUWIytLK Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) February 6, 2017 . @KellyannePolls was offered to SOTU on Sunday by the White House. We passed. Those are the facts. CNN Communications (@CNNPR) February 6, 2017 Conway disputed an article saying she was banned from CNN, tweeting; "False. I could do no live Sunday shows this week BC of family. Plus, I was invited onto CNN today & tomorrow. CNN Brass on those emails." CNN Communications team replied; "@KellyannePolls was offered to SOTU on Sunday by the White House. We passed. Those are the facts." Expand Close Kellyanne Conway. Photo: Reuters / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kellyanne Conway. Photo: Reuters The network's tweet has been liked and retweeted more than 20,000 times online. Nahashon Mureithi, 89, recalls his time as a porter and guide for the Queen (AP) An 89-year-old Kenyan man who was the Queen's porter 65 years ago when she was informed of her father's death has revealed how he had a good opinion of the young royal, but later joined the Mau Mau revolt against British colonial rule. Nahashon Mureithi said the young Elizabeth was "very beautiful" and was impressed by the elephants she saw while staying at the Treetops Hotel. Mr Mureithi said: "Sh e was not wearing very expensive clothes... When we met her, we carried her bags and followed her and, as she stepped onto the staircase to go up to the hotel, she saw an elephant." Despite his positive impression of the Queen, within a few years Mr Mureithi joined the Mau Mau rebellion because "we were being oppressed by the white man". He said that when he decided to join the revolt "people were very happy" and he was promoted within the rebels because of his experience working at the safari lodge. "My role was to cook for them and to look for weapons for them," he said. Within the rebel cells he became known as Nyawira, or "hard worker" in the Kikuyu language. He said he worked with three older women who were not suspected of being rebels and who would communicate with other members of the resistance. Eventually, Mr Mureithi took the government's amnesty offer and admitted he was in the Mau Mau. He spent time in jail. Since then, Mr Mureithi has worked as a small-scale farmer on his plot in central Kenya, about 90 miles north of Nairobi. Today he looks after his grandchildren and lives in a small house with no electricity that is relatively close to the now grand Treetops Safari Lodge. AP Romania's prime minister said the ruling coalition will not resign despite mass demonstrations against a measure which would ease up on corruption. There are signs, however, that the centre-left government may not push ahead immediately with its attempt to decriminalise official misconduct, which ignited the protests. Prime minister Sorin Grindeanu acknowledged that "the act had led to division", and suggested he may sack the justice minister later this week. Unrest is continuing, with hundreds of government supporters massing outside the presidential palace in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, blaming president Klaus Iohannis for the crisis. The president has strongly opposed the measure. Elsewhere, protesters began gathering outside the government offices for the seventh consecutive evening in Victory Square, the site of the biggest protests Romania has had since communism was overthrown in 1989. Social Democratic chairman Liviu Dragnea emerged from a meeting with governing partners saying that "we unreservedly expressed our support for the government ... and the prime minister". On Sunday, the government backed down following six days of street protests over an emergency ordinance that would decriminalise abuse in office by officials if the amount involved was less than about 48,500 dollars (38,865). It plans to introduce another version of the law in parliament, where it has a majority. However, in a sign of second thoughts, justice minister Florin Iordache later said in a statement he was "not preoccupied" with drawing up a draft law. "Currently, the justice minister is focusing on the decisions published by the Constitutional Court ... which will be analysed in the near future," the statement said. The Constitutional Court is expected to rule on the constitutionality of the decriminalising proposal later this week. Mr Dragnea, the major power broker in the government, is banned from being prime minister because of his conviction in April 2016 for vote rigging. RALEIGH A Charlotte tax preparer was sentenced on Friday, after pleading guilty Wednesday in Wake County Superior Court to tax charges filed by the North Carolina Department of Revenue. Ronald McIlwain, 66, of 10310 Creswell Ct., Charlotte, pleaded guilty to 18 counts of Aid or Assist in the Preparation of Fraudulent Tax Returns. Superior Court Judge Donald W. Stephens consolidated the charges into two judgments and imposed a maximum seven year, two-month prison term. McIlwain was ordered to be imprisoned for 5686 months with the North Carolina Division of Adult Corrections. McIlwain was taken into custody by the Wake County Sheriffs Office. Information presented in court showed that McIlwain, manager of Overnight Tax Services located in Charlotte, was a preparer of clients tax returns for the tax years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 that contained fraudulent personal and business deductions. Evidence discussed in court demonstrated McIlwain created fake businesses, false business expenses, and false or inflated personal expenses and deductions on the clients tax returns. McIlwain was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $21,205.43, which represents refunds received by McIlwains clients based on the fraudulently prepared returns. The charges against McIlwain resulted from an investigation by a special agent with the Departments Criminal Investigations Section in Raleigh. General Electric and Boeing are girding for a showdown with corporate giants including Wal-Mart Stores over a proposed U.S. tax on imports, setting up a battle across industries that could be one of the most fractious in recent corporate history. GE and Boeing are among about two dozen companies that have formed the "American Made Coalition," a group representing makers of domestic goods that will promote efforts to overhaul the U.S. tax code. They say the so-called border-adjusted tax would help U.S. manufacturers compete with products made overseas, giving a boost to President Donald Trump's goal of increasing factory jobs. The battle is opening up a fault line in corporate America, with net importers mostly on one side and exporters on the other. Billions of dollars are at stake: The proposed overhaul of the corporate tax code, supported by House Speaker Paul Ryan, would reward companies that sell products outside the U.S. while punishing ones that rely on low-cost overseas suppliers. "I respect Wal-Mart, but we're going to have a different perspective on tax reform as Wal-Mart," Jeffrey Immelt, GE's chief executive officer, said in an interview this week in Boston. "I think all of our voices need to be heard." Opponents of the border-adjusted tax say it would force companies to pass the increases to customers -- boosting prices for everything from food and clothing to gasoline and auto parts -- without sparking a resurgence of domestic manufacturing. On Wednesday, more than 120 trade groups representing the auto industry and retailers such as Wal-Mart backed a campaign, called "Americans for Affordable Products," which focuses on the impact of a border tax on consumers. "This ultimately comes down to a decision of whether or not policy makers are willing to heap a tax onto consumers so that some corporations can never pay taxes again," said Brian Dodge, a spokesman for Retail Industry Leaders Association, which is overseeing the effort to derail the proposal. Part of the opponents' message is that export-focused companies may get their federal taxes drastically cut, maybe even to zero. Behind the scenes, their campaign will rely in part on lobbying by industry executives. Republicans in the House of Representatives backing an overhaul have to win support from the Republican-controlled Senate and the White House to succeed. The border-adjusted tariff is key to the Republicans' proposal because it would help pay for a reduction in the corporate income tax rate. Trump is warming to the idea after previously criticizing it, a senior administration official told Bloomberg News last week. Besides GE and Boeing, the group in favor of the tax includes Dow Chemical Co., Eli Lilly and Pfizer. Immelt said the proposed tax changes would help domestic manufacturers and contribute to Trump's goal of boosting jobs in the U.S. GE, he noted, exports more than $20 billion of products a year from the U.S., while importing just a quarter of that. Still, he acknowledged that there will be "different camps" in the business community. Several Senate Republicans have raised doubts about a border-adjusted tax, including Georgia's David Perdue and Utah's Mike Lee, who said in an editorial in the Federalist magazine that it "could ravage huge swaths of our economy." Democrats on the Senate finance committee have blasted the proposal, saying in a December memo that it was "risky, untested and especially vulnerable to unforeseen consequences" like soaring consumer prices. CONCORD- Cabarrus County Schools had 104 reportable crimes occur in last year according to the N.C. Department of Public Instructions Consolidated Data Report. The report was released to the General Assembly last week and includes information on suspensions and dropout rates. According to the report, Cabarrus County Schools reportable crime rate is 10.59 percent. The report also says Kannapolis City Schools had eight reportable crimes putting its rate at 5.57 percent. The data used in this annual report were largely collected in the PowerSchool Incident Management Module. Schools initially entered their data in PowerSchool, and it was extracted to a state discipline dataset at years end. Data consolidation and verification procedures were handled by DPI with assistance from the Technical Outreach to Public Schools (TOPS) at NC State University. The Safe and Healthy Schools Support Division of NCDPI authored the general findings and compiled the report. The number of reportable crimes in the state decreased by 3.2 percent in 2015-16 and the rate decreased by 3.9 percent. Elementary, middle and high schools differ in the types of crimes most frequently reported. Crimes most frequently reported in elementary school were 1) possession of a weapon excluding firearms, 2) possession of a controlled substance and 3) assault on school personnel. In middle school the order was 1) possession of a controlled substance, 2) possession of a weapon excluding firearms and 3) assault on school personnel. In high school the order was 1) possession of a controlled substance, 2) possession of a weapon excluding firearms and 3) possession of an alcoholic beverage. Suspensions and discipline In Cabarrus County Schools, African American males received the most short-term suspensions with 1,025. White males received 994 short-term suspensions; Hispanic males were given 358; multiracial males had 123 Asian, Pacific Islander and American Indian male students all had less than 10 short-term suspensions. For the females African Americans also received the most short-term suspensions with 387 and white females came in next with 2014. Hispanic females had 101 and multiracial females received 37 short-term suspensions. American Indian, Asian and Pacific Islander each had less than 10. This means that CCS had 3,248 short-term suspensions throughout the year. The study shows that 1,399 of those were given to high school students. Officials said this is a slight decline in the number of short-term suspensions per 100 students, with rates decreasing from 14.42 in 2014-15 to 14.24 in 2015-116. However, the number of long-term suspensions increased. We know that there is more we can do to continue to provide the safest possible learning environment for our students, Cabarrus County Schools Deputy Superintendent Lynn Rhymer said. Cabarrus County Schools will continue to follow the policies and laws governing student discipline and school safety. And we will continue to work with staff, parents, communities and other agencies in researching and implementing measures and methods designed to ensure safety. Suspensions in Kannapolis City Schools saw the same trend with 256 African American males and 106 females receiving short-term suspensions. White males were given 187 suspensions and white females had 61. Hispanic males came in at 139 short-term suspensions and Hispanic females had 20. Multiracial males were given 54 and females had 10. Asian and American Indian male and female categories had less than 10. In total, Kannapolis City Schools had 836 short-term suspensions and 210 of those were in high school. Dropout rates The dropout rate for Cabarrus County Schools stayed steady for the 2015-16 year at 1.78 percent. The report says 172 students dropped out in 2014-15 and 181 dropped out in 2015-16. For Kannapolis City Schools, the dropout rate decreased by 18.5 percent, moving from 3.53 percent in 2014-15 to 2.93 percent in 2015-16. Dr. Jessica Grant, director of student services for Kannapolis City Schools, said the school system has put a lot of effort into promoting good behavior and strong character along with academics. She believes this had a big impact on the dropout rate. The discipline and dropout numbers show our programs are working, and were pleased with the results, Grant said. Last year, Kannapolis began using the Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS) in all of its schools and also developed a partnership with the Cabarrus Health Alliance to get grants for training staff that work with students that face difficult situations in their lives. And we started a new program at the high school to support students at high risk for dropping out, Grant said. All of these efforts are helping our students, and were continuing to look for even more ways to keep our students in school and be successful. State dropout rate improves in 2014-16 North Carolinas public high school dropout rate improved slightly in 2015-16. As reported in the 2015-16 Consolidated Data Report, the states dropout rate ticked down to 2.29 percent from 2.39 percent the previous year. In 2015-16, 10,889 students dropped out, compared to 11,190 students the previous year. State Board of Education Chairman Bill Cobey said he was pleased the states dropout rate improved, continuing a long-term trend of gains. Every initiative we pursue as a board has the ultimate goal of graduating all students career and college ready, Cobey said. It is critical that we continue to make our public schools relevant to students so that they will see the value of staying the course and graduating with a high school diploma- an important predictor for future success. Except for the 2014-15 school year, when the high school dropout rate edged by 0.11 percentage points, the states dropout rate has declined every year since 2006-07 and has improved by more than half since that year, when the rate was measured at 5.24 percent. The annual dropout rate measures the number and percentage of students who drop out during a single school year. Other key findings of the 2015-16 Consolidated Data Report show that: Students dropped out most frequently at 10th grade (30.2 percent), followed by 9th grade (28.3 percent). The number of high school students dropping out decreased at all grade levels. Dropout rates for Hispanic and Pacific Islander increased while all other racial subgroups decreased. Males accounted for 61.6 percent of reported dropouts, which was down slightly from the 62 percent reported last year. Attendance was again the reason most often cited for dropping out, accounting for 46.5 percent of all dropouts. Leaving to enroll in a community college came in second at 11.1 percent, which was down from 15.8 percent in 2014-15. That decrease is attributable in part to a policy change by the State Board in 2015 to exclude from dropout counts those students who leave high school to enroll in adult high school programs at community colleges. As a result, 307 students from 40 school districts were not included in the Enrollment in a Community College dropout count. If such students should drop out of the adult high school program, their former school district must count them in the next dropout count. To view the full report visit www.ncpublicschools.org. LUMBERTON- A UNC Charlotte student and her boyfriend were killed in a crash in Lumberton over the weekend. Our news partner WSOC-TV reported that Dana Michelle Wilson, 18, and Ryan Michael Menke, 18, were killed in a crash on U.S. Route 74 West in Lumberton on Sunday, Feb. 5. Channel 9 reported that an Oldsmobile driven by Broderick Jones, 38, was driving east in the west-bound lane of the highway and rammed into Wilsons vehicle. Jones suffered life-threatening injuries and the teenagers, both from Wilmington, were killed. Officials told Channel 9 both vehicles were destroyed in the crash and alcohol is suspected to be a factor. JMC Projects India secures new orders of Rs2,277 crore; Stock gains 2.6% JMC Projects (India) Limited (JMC), a leading Civil Engineering and EPC Company has secured new orders of Rs2,277 crores. The details are as follows: Water Projects in India of... November 04, 2022 | 04-11-2022 2:08 pm Lupin receives USFDA tentative approval for Drospirenone Tablets Global pharma major Lupin Limited (Lupin) has announced that it has received tentative approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Abbreviated New Drug ... November 04, 2022 | 04-11-2022 1:26 pm Bloomberg Report: Pegatron Corp starts production of iPhone 14 in India Pegatron Corp., a Taiwanese contract manufacturer for Apple Inc., has begun producing the most recent iPhone 14 model in India. Pegatron is now the second Apple supplier to manufacture th... November 04, 2022 | 04-11-2022 12:48 pm JMC Projects India allots NCDs for Rs100 crore; Stock rallies over 3.5% The Management Committee of the Board of Directors of JMC Projects (India) Limited at its meeting held on November 04, 2022 has allotted 1000 Repo Rate, Unsecured, Rated, Listed, Rede... November 04, 2022 | 04-11-2022 12:34 pm Nykaa receives shareholders' approval for bonus issue and ESOP; Stock down 1% The Board of the lifestyle retailer FSN E-Commerce Ventures Limited (Nykaa), on October 3, 2022, approved Bonus Issue of Equity Shares in the proportion of 5 (Five) fully paid-up Equity Sh... November 04, 2022 | 04-11-2022 12:03 pm Ujjivan Financial Services Ltd, one of the leading microfinance companies in the country, today, announced its transformation to a Small Finance Bank. Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus, as the chief guest, ceremonially launched the 5 pilot branches of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (Ujjivan SFB) in Bengaluru today. Ujjivan Financial Services Ltd, one of the leading microfinance companies in the country, today, announced its transformation to a Small Finance Bank. Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus, as the chief guest, ceremonially launched the 5 pilot branches of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (Ujjivan SFB) in Bengaluru today. These five pilot branches of Ujjivan SFB will provide full service offerings. In the next one month, the bank will comprehensively test its technology, channels, people and processes as part of its roll-out. Ujjivan SFB plans to extend these services across 457 branches in 24 states in a planned and phased manner over the next few months.Commenting on the launch,said, The launch of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank is a significant milestone. We started our journey as an NBFC in 2005 with a mission to empower the economically active low income group by providing them with a full range of financial services, which the SFB platform now enables us to do so. Ujjivan SFB would offer a no minimum balance savings bank account with the full range of banking services & benefits using the latest technology to the unserved and underserved customers. We will provide a whole host of benefits such as door-step & paperless banking, mobile, internet and phone banking, access to biometric ATMs and Aadhar enabled debit cards. These benefits are normally available only to premier customers of commercial banks.The deposit and savings products of Ujjivan SFB have been designed and developed based on comprehensive research and in-depth understanding and so also to fulfill comprehensive financial inclusion objectives amongst the segments we aim to serve.said.Ujjivan SFB would offer competitive and attractive rates of interest on Fixed Deposit and Recurring Deposit products in the range of 5.5% to 8% which is higher than the average rate of interest offered by most banks. The savings bank account is being offered with full range of benefits like accessing multiple channels such as Biometric ATMs, RuPay Debit Card, Phone, Internet & Mobile Banking at the market rate interest of 4%.added, As an NBFC-MFI, we have always taken pride in being a customer centric organization with a high customer touch-point backed by state-of-the art technology and infrastructure. The 3.5 million customer base and industry high customer retention rate of Ujjivan reiterates the success of our decade long commitment and validates our approach to serve un-served and underserved across the country. Our primary goal is to reach out to the larger un-served & underserved populace through our unique bank, and provide them with easy-to-use and access banking services where they are treated as valued customers.The customers of Ujjivan SFB will have unlimited access to ATM transactions on Ujjivans ATM network and a total of six free transactions on other banks ATM networks, making this one of the highest free transactions offered by any bank, currently.Ujjivan SFB will also offer remittance services enabling customers to transfer money within Ujjivan and other bank accounts in a very reasonable and affordable manner. This has always been a key requirement of customers from this segment. Customers can also visit branches to avail this facility.Ujjivan SFB has invested significantly on technology and digitization. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank will bring in this service in a seamless manner through the internet and mobile banking option. Aadhar enabled KYC and the simplified process will enable account opening in 5-7 minutes using biometric authentication on a hand-held device.Ujjivan SFB has significantly focused on training and reskilling the existing workforce to take up new, diverse and strategic roles in the bank. Of the current employee strength of approximately 10,000, close to 2,000 employees are new entrants with banking backgrounds.Ujjivan SFBs goal is to build a leading state of the art mass market retail bank in five years to serve the vast un-served and underserved customer base who currently are outside the formal banking system.Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ujjivan Financial Services Ltd. The bank commenced operations as a Small Finance Bank with effect from February 1, 2017 post transfer of business undertaking by Ujjivan Financial Services Ltd. The Reserve Bank has issued a licence to the bank under Section 22 (1) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 to carry on the business of small finance bank in India. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is one actor who's career has had a major transformation. From a mere 2-minute role as a pick-pocketer in Munna Bhai MBBS to playing the lead in critically acclaimed film Haraamkhor, Siddiqui has definitely come a long way. However, he still abides by his roots which lie in theatre. Talking about his alma mater, Nawazuddin Siddiqui feels National School of Drama (NSD) gave him everything that people in Bollywood haven't. Speaking here at NSD during Bharat Rang Mahotsav, the college's annual theatre festival, Siddiqui said, "The confidence that helped me to keep fighting came from the fact that NSD gives you what Bollywood people don't have." AFP "When I left NSD I was full of confidence that I will show the world, but then I realised it was not that easy. However, after failing for a couple of times instead of taking the blame on myself I would ask myself 'who are these people that are taking my audition, are they even capable of understanding my acting?'," he added. After leaving the drama school in 1996, the 42-year-old actor first appeared on the screen in the movie Sarfarosh in 1999, in which he had a one-minute role. The next 10 years saw him doing similar kinds of roles until he bagged Anurag Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur. It turned out to be a turning point for Nawaz. The actor said that Kashyap's films keep his connection with theatre alive. "Anurag Kashyap's style of work is similar to how we do it here at NSD. It is majorly based on improvisation. He gives you a situation and at times we don't even have dialogues. As an actor I get to try what I learned here by working in Anurag Kashyap's films," Siddiqui said. BCCL Talking about his days of struggle the actor said that "despite the struggle they should always stay positive". He also advised the students to "read books and watch world cinema". "I could have never left the field, because it was the only thing that I was good at. Not getting a job frustrated me since I was a trained actor and was proud of my NSD past. "But you should always stay positive, I gave myself 25 years that I will keep myself fit for 25 years, physically and mentally," he said. Food brings us happiness, and, umm...makes us better human beings. Because HANGRY is a real emotion! And considering the crazy amount of hours we spend on picking restaurants, making reservations and arguing over whos picking up the chequeits safe to say that (good) food brings us closer. Great Indian Restaurant Festival 2017 presents the FACE & PLATE projecta gathering of some sorts, an event if you maywhere we invited 13 Internet-obsessed millennials (Instagramers, models, writers, bloggers et al) to showcase emotions that only a well-presented hot-plate can bring us. Not hungry yet? These set of images will surely inspire you to go out and get yourself a plate of the best Nihari you can find, or the juiciest lamb shanks money can buy, or just a really meaty burger...You get the drill! 1. Blogger Dolly Singh, from Spill The Sass, ate (rather stylishly) an ENTIRE plate of Burnt Chilly Crispy Chicken from Cafe Dalal. Because why not? (She never seems to put on one kilo, either!) 2. Model Paramvir Singhs exotic plate of The Indonesian Nasi Goreng from The Flying Saucer QBA was the best, fried rice hed eaten, EVER! 3. Actor and writer, Shibani Bedi loves gravyespecially when served with a pair of way-too-yummy Australian Lamb Shanks from The California Boulevard. 4. Yogini Prachi Gangwani literally inhaled a plate of Burmese Bhel from Junkyard. In 10 minutes flat! 5. Menswear blogger, Sahil Nandal (from Frankly Street) declared his love for The Patiala Sword Kebab from NH44 by calling it, simply kickass! 6. Akshay Sharma, from the, Never Stay Sober blog, described the BW Special Crispy Prawns (from Big Wong) as, spicy, delicious and drool-worthy! 7. Personal style blogger, Apurva Lama, of Appycat, thought the Double Fish Tikkas from Zabardast were indeed "Zabardast!" 8. Menswear blogger and designer, Nitish Arora almost got zen about the luscious Nihari From Coriander Leaf. 9. Blogger Tejeshwar Sandhoo, from Blueberry Blackout, may have enjoyed his Filetti Di Sogliola Al Forno from 56 Ristorante Italiano a tad too much. 10. Fashion and travel blogger, Monalisha Mahapatra (from The Grey Halfway blog) really loved her Jardaloo Ma Gos, from Soda Bottle Openerwala. 11. "This Butter Chicken from The The Punjab is the ultimate anti-depressant!" said actor and writer, Ankush Bahugana. 12. Blogger and DIY-enthusiast, Charuta Arvind Yadav was obsessed with her Goan Prawn Fettuccine from Cafe Southall. All the dishes featured and hundreds more are a part of Dineouts Great Indian Restaurant Festival (GIRF), which is Indias first restaurant festival, starting from the 1 February to 10 February, where over 1,000 restaurants are offering amazing discounts. You can avail offers from five categories of discounts - 50% off Food, 50% off Buffets, Special Deals (specially curated menus), 50% off Alcoholic Beverages and 50% Off Valentines Day Packages. In a damning report, against the city government's social welfare department, Delhi Commission for Women has said 11 patients died at the Asha Kiran home for the mentally challenged in the past two months. A sudden midnight inspection of the home by DCW Chairman Swati Maliwal revealed many instances of gross negligence. 1. Nudity During an inspection, DCW said it found women inmates walking about naked in the corridors. Women were being made to remove their clothes in the open while lining up to take a bath," Maliwal added. Nudity, even amidst CCTV cameras being monitored by male staff, was rampant. "Shockingly, nude women were roaming around in the corridors even as there are CCTV cameras installed there which are being monitored by male staff," she said. 2. Overcrowding "Among other things, we found the home was overcrowded, with up to four persons occupying one bed", Maliwal said. BCCL 3. Patients used as labour Patients were being used as labour, and staffers here had forced them to do their personal work. The mentally challenged residents were sweeping, cleaning clothes, and helping in daily chores. Maliwal even saw a staffer getting her legs pressed by a mentally challenged resident. 4. Lack of clean toilets Toilets were found to be stinking, filthy, and it seems patients had taken to relieve themselves in the corridors and even their own rooms. BCCL 5. Lack of staff These conditions could not only be attributed to callousness, but also to lack of staff. One 'house aunty' was deputed to look after 153 residents in one dormitory. 6. No wheelchairs "We saw no wheelchairs were being used", Maliwal reported. Instead, women and children inmates were crawling on the floor, unattended, while going to the toilets.7. "We saw no wheelchairs were being used", Maliwal reported. Instead, women and children inmates were crawling on the floor, unattended, while going to the toilets. 7. No trained doctors on the premises Despite severe need for psychological support, the home did not have a clinical psychologist on staff. Instead, a psychiatrist would visit the place twice a week for a few hours. Doctors were also missing. Metrovaartha.com/Representational image 8. No security "There was also no guard stationed at the entrance of the women's wing and we were able to walk inside unchecked," she added. The BJP held the AAP government responsible for the death of the inmates at the home. Delhi BJP chief, Manoj Tiwari, alleged that the Delhi government evading responsibility, and hadnt even appointed a social welfare minister after Sandeep Kumar was sacked in 2016. When the US President Donald Trump banned 'Muslims' from entering the US, well, at least most of them, little did he know that this may not fetch him desired results. District judge James Robart granted a temporary restraining order on Friday after hearing arguments from Washington state and Minnesota that the presidents order had unlawfully discriminated against Muslims and caused unreasonable harm. Rebuffed in its bid for a quick reversal, on Sunday, the White House expressed that it expected the courts to reaffirm President Donald Trump's executive power and reinstate a ban on refugees and travellers from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Remember. Trump fired Sally Yates for telling him the Muslim Ban was unconstitutional. Something 27 other judges have now decreed. Lucas Neff (@RealLucasNeff) February 5, 2017 reuters Travellers from the seven predominantly Muslim countries targeted by President Donald Trump then enjoyed tearful reunions with loved ones in the US on Sunday after a federal judge swept the ban aside. (Also read: More People Are Going To Canada Through US Border After President Trump's Travel Ban) Airlines around the world allowed people to board flights as usual to the United States. One lawyer waiting at New York's Kennedy Airport said visa and green-card holders from Iraq and Iran were encountering no problems as they arrived. Few days ago I wrote how Trump knew #MuslimBan was unconstitutional, but would use it to discredit judicial system. Today, he did just that. pic.twitter.com/bRQN6FYNJx Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) February 5, 2017 A family reuniting at Dulles today after Trump's Muslim ban was lifted! #WelcomeThemHome pic.twitter.com/Sh1gkkTAXG Our Revolution (@OurRevolution) February 5, 2017 "It's business as usual," said Camille Mackler, of the New York Immigration Coalition. Fariba Tajrostami, a 32-year-old painter from Iran, came through the gate at Kennedy with a huge smile and tears in her eyes as her brothers greeted her with joyful hugs. "I'm very happy. I haven't seen my brothers for nine years," she said. Tajrostami had tried to fly to the US from Turkey over a week ago but was turned away. reuters "I was crying and was so disappointed," she said. "Everything I had in mind, what I was going to do, I was so disappointed about everything. I thought it was all over." Tajrostami said she hopes to study art in the US and plans to join her husband in Dallas soon. He moved from Iran six months ago, has a green card and is working at a car dealership. Similar scenes played out across the US two days after a federal judge in Seattle suspended the president's travel ban and just hours after a federal appeals court denied the Trump administration's request to set aside the ruling. The US cancelled the visas of up to 60,000 foreigners in the week after the ban on travel from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen took effect, according to the State Department. Trump also suspended nearly all refugee admissions for 120 days and barred Syrian refugees indefinitely. The order triggered protests and a multitude of legal challenges around the country and blocked numerous college students, researchers and others from entering the US Trump, who said the goal was to keep terrorists from slipping into the country, lashed out against US District Judge James Robart for putting the ban on hold. He referred to Robart as a "so-called judge" and called the ruling "ridiculous." On Sunday, the president tweeted: 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 The judge opens up our country to potential terrorists and others that do not have our best interests at heart. Bad people are very happy! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2017 Mahsa Azabadi, 29, an Iranian-American who lives in Denver, was forced to put her wedding plans on hold after her fiance, Sorena Behzadfar, was turned away when he tried to board a plane to travel from Iran to the US on Jan. 28. (Also read: After Banning Seven Muslim-Majority Countries, US Now Hints At Visa Ban On Pakistani Citizens) Over the weekend, though, Behzadfar was cleared for travel and was expected to arrive at Boston's Logan Airport on Sunday afternoon. "It's been a really tough week to figure out what will happen to us," said Azabadi, who has lived in the US for 11 years and is now a US citizen. reuters The couple is hoping to keep their wedding date of May 12. "Seeing the support from the lawyers and different people trying to help, it was really nice," she said. "We want to be the best and do the best for the people and for this country. We would love to have the opportunity." Judges will Sack Trump more times than his favorite quarterback in the #SuperBowl. Muslim Ban is Immoral and unconstitutional. #Resist Paul Ybarra (@ybarrap) February 6, 2017 Iranian researcher Nima Enayati, a PhD candidate at a university in Milan, was prevented from boarding a flight to the US on Jan. 30. He had a visa to conduct research on robotic surgery at Stanford University in California. On Sunday, he said, his check-in went smoothly, and he was on his way to New York, where he was expected to arrive in the evening. At Cairo Airport on Sunday, officials said a total of 33 US-bound migrants from Yemen, Syria and Iraq boarded flights. Lebanon's National News Agency said airlines operating out of Beirut also began allowing Syrian families and others affected by the ban to fly. Beirut has no direct flights to the US; travellers have to go through Europe. reuters At Kennedy, a team of volunteer lawyers that had set up operations in a diner to help to arrive passengers during the height of the crisis packed up computer equipment and paperwork. A few volunteers and interpreters will stay behind just in case. "This is what it should be. You sit in an airport day in and day out, and you see all these moments of great joy and unification," she said. "It was so sad to see that and know some people weren't having that. Now it feels good." (Also read: Iranians With US Visa Won't Be Sold US-Bound Flight Tickets, Travel Agencies Have Been Told) The landscape of the $150 billion Indian IT industry is changing, perhaps more quickly than ever, as companies hire fewer freshers due to automation of entry-level jobs. The Outsource blog Most large IT services companies have been investing in automation of processes in their traditional businesses like business process outsourcing (BPO) and application and infrastructure management, which means fewer engineers will be required at the lower end of the pyramid. And with US President Donald Trump insisting that IT service providers to hire more US citizens at home, the need to send Indian experts abroad may reduce. At the turn of the century, a boom in the IT sector led by companies such as TCS, Infosys and Wipro translated into the creation of thousands of white collar jobs in the country, and a relatively easy opportunity to work onsite in the mature markets of US and Europe. Since these companies were involved in mundane jobs such as infrastructure management, server maintenance and client support, they hired in huge numbers from engineering colleges across the country. Not anymore, perhaps. Peter Bendor-Samuel of consulting firm Everest Group estimates that 80% of offshore IT jobs and 30%-40% of finance and accounting jobs in India will be eliminated by robotic process automation, which is the application of technology to process a transaction and carry out other tasks. "Across almost every service, we see the impact as eliminating between 30% and 80% of the full time equivalent working in the Indian services industry. We believe that it will take at least 10 years for the industry to reach the upper bounds of this range, and this adoption will shrink existing legacy book of business 3% or more this year," said Bendor-Samuel. According to a recent World Bank report, automation threatens seven out of 10 jobs in India. IT biggies are open about the fact that recruitment of the hundreds of graduates from Indian engineering colleges has reduced as they automate. "The focus the industry had on hiring will shift into re-skilling. The entire industry is hiring fewer freshers. Given the macro environment, people are hiring more onsite. Jobs at the bottom of the pyramid are getting automated," Wipro HR head Saurabh Govil said. Automation has been changing every sector and putting the squeeze on people, and it's now the turn of IT. "If you consider the various jobs that any industry has, it is likely that repetitive tasks that can be performed better by systems with artificial intelligence are the jobs that will go away," said Richard Lobo, executive vice-president and head of HR at Infosys. Infosys, India's second-largest software services exporter by revenue, hired 5,719 people in the first nine months of this fiscal, down from 17,196 in the same period a year earlier. "We continue our relentless focus on introducing automation across our projects in the backdrop of pricing pressure in traditional services and we expect this to reflect in our future hiring," Infosys chief executive Vishal Sikka said in a recent conference call with analysts. Automation will help companies improve operating margins. In the third quarter, Infosys 'released' about 2,650 full-time employees' worth of effort in application maintenance, package system maintenance, BPO, and infrastructure management, taking the total number to 9,000 in a year. Wipro's target is about 4,500 by April. The employees, who are released, are trained to work on more advanced projects. "Now every position that is flagged off for hiring, we first look internally. We try to re-skill and help people move into newer areas rather than hiring externally," said Wipro's Govil. It's not an entirely gloomy picture, but it will force the employee to adapt. "Automation will not eliminate jobs. It will bring people to focus their attention on different kinds of jobs, those that are high on thinking, creativity and require human interaction. So while some jobs get eliminated, many more will be created," said Infosys' Lobo. Infosys recently trained about 490 people in machine learning and artificial intelligence. "Re-skilling is a challenge. People who cannot re-skill will be under personal pressure and it will be a matter of survival for them," said Wipro's Govil. President Donald Trump on Sunday ramped up his criticism of a federal judge who blocked a travel ban on seven mainly Muslim nations and said courts were making US border security harder, intensifying the first major legal battle of his presidency. BCCL Trump did not elaborate on what threats the country potentially faced. He added that he had told the Department of Homeland Security to "check people coming into our country very carefully. The courts are making the job very difficult!" The judge opens up our country to potential terrorists and others that do not have our best interests at heart. Bad people are very happy! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2017 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 BCCL The Republican president labeled Robart a "so-called judge" on Saturday, a day after the Seattle jurist issued a temporary restraining order that prevented enforcement of a 90-day ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen and a 120-day bar on all refugees. Vice President Mike Pence defended Trump earlier on Sunday, even as some Republicans encouraged the businessman-turned-politician to tone down his broadsides against the judicial branch of government. "The president of the United States has every right to criticise the other two branches of government," Pence said on NBC's "Meet the Press" program. It is unusual for a sitting president to attack a member of the judiciary, which the U.S. Constitution designates as a check on the power of the executive branch and Congress. U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Trump seems intent on precipitating a constitutional crisis. Some Republicans also expressed discomfort with the situation. "I think it is best not to single out judges for criticism," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on CNN's "State of the Union" program. "We all get disappointed from time to time at the outcome in courts on things that we care about. But I think it is best to avoid criticising judges individually." Republican Senator Ben Sasse, a vocal critic of Trump, was less restrained. "We don't have so-called judges ... we don't have so-called presidents, we have people from three different branches of government who take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution," he said on the ABC News program "This Week." BCCL Legal Limbo The ruling by Robart, appointed by former Republican President George W. Bush, coupled with the decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to deny the government's request for an immediate stay of the ruling dealt a blow to Trump barely two weeks into his presidency. It could also be the precursor to months of legal challenges to his push to clamp down on immigration, including through the construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border, and complicate the confirmation battle of his U.S. Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. The Senate's top Democrat, Chuck Schumer, said on Saturday that Gorsuch, a conservative federal appeals court judge from Colorado, must meet a higher bar to show his independence from the president. The legal limbo will prevail at least until the federal appeals court rules on the government's application for an emergency stay of Robart's ruling. The court was awaiting further submissions from the states of Washington and Minnesota on Sunday, and from the federal government on Monday. The final filing was due at 5 p.m. PST on Monday (0100 GMT on Tuesday). The uncertainty has created what may be a short-lived opportunity for travelers from the seven affected countries as well as refugees to get into the United States. Sara Yarjani, an Iranian student with a U.S. visa who was attempting to return to Los Angeles to visit her parents, was among those who boarded flights to the United States after learning that Trump's travel ban had been blocked. Her visa had been stamped "revoked" and she was sent back to Vienna last week. She was slated to arrive in Los Angeles on Sunday, according to her sister, Sahara Muranovic. "This is our only window," Muranovic said. "Maybe they'll blow it again by Monday." BCCL Fact And Fiction Trump's Jan. 27 travel restrictions have drawn protests in the United States, provoked criticism from U.S. allies and created chaos for thousands of people who have, in some cases, spent years seeking asylum. Reacting to the latest court ruling, Iraqi government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi said: "It is a move in the right direction to solve the problems that it caused." In his ruling on Friday, Robart questioned the use of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States as a justification for the ban, saying no attacks had been carried out on U.S. soil by individuals from the seven affected countries since then. For Trump's order to be constitutional, Robart said, it had to be "based in fact, as opposed to fiction". In a series of tweets on Saturday, Trump attacked Hobart's opinion as ridiculous. "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.?" he asked. I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2017 BCCL Trump told reporters at his private Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida late on Saturday: "We'll win. For the safety of the country we'll win." The Justice Department's appeal criticized Robart's reasoning, saying the ruling violated the separation of powers and stepped on the president's authority as commander-in-chief. It said the state of Washington lacked standing to challenge Trump's order and denied it "favors Christians at the expense of Muslims. A spokesman for the International Organization for Migration, Leonard Doyle, confirmed on Sunday that about 2,000 refugees were ready to travel to the United States. "We expect a small number of refugees to arrive in the U.S. on Monday, Feb. 6th. They are mainly from Jordan and include people fleeing war and persecution in Syria," he said in an email. Iraqi Fuad Sharef, his wife and three children spent two years obtaining U.S. visas. They had packed up to move to America last week, but were turned back to Iraq after a failed attempt to board a U.S.-bound flight from Cairo. On Sunday, the family checked in for a Turkish Airlines flight to New York from Istanbul. "Yeah, we are very excited. We are very happy," Sharef told Reuters TV. "Finally, we have been cleared. We are allowed to enter the United States." One of the most gender unequal countries, Saudi Arabia, has for the first time celebrated its own version of Womens Day. Reuters A three-day event was held at the King Fahd Cultural Centre in the capital of Riyadh. There were talks where speakers discussed that womens should be given the right to drive and also called for the end of male guardianship. Princess Al-Jawhara bint Fahd Al-Saud of the Saudi Royal Family also attended the event where she spoke about womens role in education. Reuters Saudi Arabia is one of the worst places to be a woman as day-to-day life for women is heavily dependent on men. The World Economic Forums 2015 Global Gender Gap report ranked Saudi Arabia 134 out of 145 countries for gender equality. Also read: This Video By Human Rights Watch Shows You Just How Unsafe Saudi Arabia Is For Women It remains the only country in the world where women do not have the right to drive. Also, women need either their fathers or husbands permission to study, travel abroad, and marry. Reuters In 2015, women were allowed to vote in the elections for the first time. Turkish police on Sunday detained hundreds of suspected members of the Islamic State extremist group in nationwide raids, just over a month after an attack on an Istanbul nightclub claimed by the jihadists. Over 400 suspects were rounded up in Turkey's biggest police operation so far against IS since the New Year attack on the Reina nightclub just 75 minutes into 2017 that killed 39. AFP Those detained included foreigners and those suspected of planning attacks in Turkey, the Dogan and Anadolu news agencies reported. Anadolu said according to the latest figure, 423 suspects were detained so far. The operation around the country saw 150 suspects rounded up in Sanliurfa in the southeast and 47 in the nearby city of Gaziantep close to the Syrian border which has a known jihadist presence, Dogan said. Sixty suspects, mostly foreigners, were detained in four districts in the capital Ankara. Dozens more arrests were made in provinces ranging from Bursa in the west to Bingol in the east. In the usually peaceful Aegean city of Izmir, nine people suspected of travelling to and from Syria and planning attacks in the city were detained, Anadolu said. AFP One of the suspects detained in Izmir, a Syrian identified only as E.A., is said to have been in touch with people smugglers in a bid to help the IS members escape to Europe, Anadolu said. Eighteen people were detained in Istanbul and the neighbouring province of Kocaeli on suspicion of planning attacks. Another 14 foreigners were due to be deported, including 10 children. Thirty-nine people, mainly foreigners, were killed on New Year's night when a gunman went on the rampage inside a plush Istanbul night club. IS claimed the massacre, its first clear claim for a major attack in Turkey although it had been blamed for several bombings in 2016. Reuters Police detained the suspected attacker, Abdulgadir Masharipov, an Uzbek national, on January 16 after over two weeks on the run and authorities say he has confessed to the massacre. The Hurriyet daily reported after the attack that IS also planned a simultaneous New Year's strike in Ankara but dropped the plot after arrests by the Turkish authorities. An Istanbul court on Friday placed a dozen people under arrest ahead of trial over the nightclub plot, including Masharipov's wife Zarina Nurullayeva. In her statement to investigators published in Turkish media, she said that she had "no idea" what her husband was planning and "most of the accusations against me are false". AP Turkey was in 2016 shaken by a string of attacks blamed on IS and Kurdish militants that left hundreds dead. It is also engaged in a battle with IS to take the Syrian town of Al-Bab, in the fiercest fighting yet of the Turkish military's campaign inside Syria that started in August. At least 48 Turkish soldiers have been killed in the incursion so far, according to an AFP tally, the vast majority in the battle for Al-Bab since the fight for the town began in December. Turkey was long accused by its Western allies of not doing enough to stop the flow of jihadists across its borders and emergence of IS cells in its own cities. Ankara denies the charges, saying it listed IS as a terror group since 2013. However observers say Turkey has markedly stepped up its actions against IS in the last months and note that the capture of Masharipov alive may provide it with valuable intelligence. Appeals Court Rejects Trump Bid to Reinstate Travel Ban By Michael A. Memoli, Jaweed Kaleem and Lisa Mascaro February 05, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " LA Times " - President Trump grappled Saturday with the first major setback to his young administration, appearing to question the constitutional checks on his power after a judges order reopened the flow of travelers from seven mostly Muslim nations covered by his controversial travel ban. The Department of Homeland Security said Saturday that it had suspended any and all actions related to Trumps executive action after federal Judge James Robart issued a temporary restraining order, effective nationwide, in response to a lawsuit filed by the states of Washington and Minnesota. The suit argued that the presidents moves had amounted to religious discrimination against Muslims in violation of the U.S. Constitution. On Saturday night, the Justice Department said it would appeal the order by Robart, an appointee of President George W. Bush who is now senior judge of the U.S. District for the Western District of Washington. Early Sunday, the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit denied the request to immediately reinstate Trumps travel ban, asking both sides to file arguments by Monday. The issue may eventually end up at the Supreme Court. Several other federal courts have also issued emergency stays against portions of the executive order as dozens of lawsuits proceed against it. In response to Robarts restraining order, the State Department, which had provisionally revoked 60,000 visas since the president signed his Jan. 27 order, said Saturday that it had started reaccepting those visas from people in the countries affected. Some travelers in countries affected by the suspension already were being allowed to board planes headed to the U.S., as foreign airlines started telling passengers Saturday that the immigration ban had been lifted. Many rushed to catch flights, worried that the window to travel might soon be closed again by courts. At the airport in Boston, crowds had gathered at international arrivals to welcome those from the restricted countries. They held signs saying, Refugees are welcome in the U.S.A, Christians build bridges, not walls and I am home and so are you. We had more than 40 mostly Iranian nationals land and clear customs today. Weve had Tunisians and Syrians too, all flying from Germany on Lufthansa, said Kerry Doyle, an attorney with the American Immigration Lawyers Assn. who was posted at the airport. Many visa holders had changed their plans to fly to Massachusetts even if it wasnt their final destination because of an earlier Boston federal judges temporary order against Trumps ban that was being applied locally when the national order came down from Seattle. Its a whole different feeling at the airport than last week, Doyle said. Trumps executive order, which also includes a temporary ban on most refugee admissions and indefinitely for Syrians, was one of several the president has signed since taking office as part of a White House strategy designed to begin implementing his governing vision with maximum impact. But the torrid pace of action sparked an equally fierce public response that continued Saturday, including protests in Los Angeles and other cities. One march neared the gates of the Palm Beach, Fla., estate being branded as the Winter White House where Trump was spending the third weekend of his presidency. Trump and his advisors had largely downplayed the confusion his order sparked and insisted it was on solid legal ground, even though on Monday he dismissed the acting attorney general who had told Justice Department attorneys to cease defending it in court. Trump began Saturday with a series of tweets against Robart in which he blasted the so-called judge for a ridiculous opinion. 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.? he asked later in another Twitter message. Activists and state officials opposed to Trumps order celebrated. The law is a powerful thing. It has the ability to hold everyone accountable to it, and that includes the president of the United States, Washington state Atty. Gen. Bob Ferguson said at a news conference after the court decision. Democrats seized on Trumps criticism of the judge as an opening in the emerging Senate confirmation battle over the presidents Supreme Court nominee. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York said Trumps attack shows a disdain for an independent judiciary that doesn't always bend to his wishes. With every outburst, Schumer said, Trump just "raises the bar even higher" for federal Judge Neil Gorsuch's nomination. Democrats were quick to remind that this was not the first time Trump has singled out a judge, comparing it to his attacks during the campaign on American-born Judge Gonzalo Curiel of San Diego, who Trump said could not be impartial because of his Mexican heritage. Now he is attempting to bully and disparage yet another federal judge this one appointed by a Republican president and confirmed by a Republican Senate for having the audacity to do his job and apply the rule of the law, said Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, a Democrat and former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The presidents hostility toward the rule of law is not just embarrassing, it is dangerous. Trumps Republican allies in Congress remained largely silent over the courts stay, and GOP leaders declined to respond to the presidents attacks on the judge. Congressional leaders have been furious after being cut out of the White House's planning and execution of the travel ban, and they continued Saturday scrambling to repair the chaotic rollout. Many lawmakers have been fielding frantic requests from constituents calling their offices and pleading for help for family members, students and others ensnared in the travel ban. Some of the confusion surrounding Trumps early moves has been attributed to a tight circle of decision-making in the White House, centered around senior policy advisor Stephen Miller and chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon. But James Carafano, who oversaw national security planning during Trumps transition, described a more deliberate approach that flowed from Trumps own view of a security threat. People are kind of in shock and awe of the phenomenon so theyre running around coming up for explanations for it, said Carafano, a national security and foreign policy analyst for the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. The notion that somehow they could have waited and done more vetting and talked to more people and what? It would have been less controversial? Give me a break. They understood there was going to be some friction, but those things could be worked through, he said. And as a matter of fact, youve seen them working through this pretty quickly. After civil rights groups filed lawsuits on behalf of those who had green cards designating them as permanent legal residents, the Trump administration clarified that green-card holders would be exempt from the travel ban. Government officials also reversed a prior position this week and said that dual citizens who held citizenship from one nation that was not on the restricted list would be exempt, even if they also were citizens of a country on the list. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. A heartbreaking story: Tears of joy as Syrian family is reunited despite Trump travel ban Trump is targeting up to 8 million people for deportation ; People could be booked into custody for using food stamps or if their child receives free school lunches. U.S. Should Ship Statue of Liberty Back to France By Eric Zuesse February 05, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " SCF " - Todays America is a mockery of it. Lady Liberty weeps now. So, lets ship her back from whence she came, and maybe Europeans will like the symbolism of it. After all: we got it from Europe, just like we got the immigrants from there. Donald Trump might not be able to get Mexicans to pay for his wall that the U.S. is building to keep Mexicans out, but would Europeans pay to receive back this symbolic statue, which France gave to an America that deserved it, but that no longer does? This monument for compassion, and against bigotry, is now merely a metaphorical sore thumb here, but maybe France would be happy to receive her back, and perhaps millions of Europeans will proudly pay to see her, touch her, and stand at her base, to welcome her back to Europe, which ironically consists of the same countries from which almost all of Americas immigrants used to come, before France had gifted the U.S. with Lady Liberty, back on 28 October 1886. Americas Department of Homeland Security reports that, for the latest available data-year, 2015, the U.S. granted asylum to 69,920 people. By law since 2012, an annual limit had been established for refugees into the U.S.: 70,000. During that same year in Europe, there were 1,322,825 applicants for asylum, and 69% of them were granted asylum. Eurostats asylum statistics display vastly bigger figures than Americas, for the vast majority of the vastly smaller countries of Europe, as Eurostat described: For first instance decisions, some 75% of all positive decisions in the EU-28 in 2015 resulted in grants of refugee status, while for final decisions the share was somewhat lower, at 69%. The highest share of positive first instance asylum decisions in 2015 was recorded in Bulgaria (91%), followed by Malta, Denmark and the Netherlands. Conversely, Latvia, Hungary and Poland recorded first instance rejection rates above 80%. The highest shares of final rejections were recorded in Estonia, Lithuania and Portugal where all final decisions were negative The number of first time asylum applicants in Germany increased from 173 thousand in 2014 to 442 thousand in 2015 Hungary, Sweden and Austria also reported very large increases (all in excess of 50 thousand more first time asylum applicants) between 2014 and 2015. In relative terms, the largest increases in the number of first time applicants were recorded in Finland (over nine times as high), Hungary (over four times) and Austria (over three times), while Belgium, Spain, Germany, Luxembourg, Ireland and Sweden all reported that their number of first time asylum applicants more than doubled. By contrast, Romania, Croatia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Latvia reported fewer first time asylum applicants in 2015 than in 2014. Germanys share of the EU-28 total rose from 31% in 2014, to 35% in 2015, while other EU Member States that recorded a notable increase in their share of the EU-28 total included Hungary (up 6.6 percentage points to 13.9%), Austria (up 2.2 percentage points to 6.8%), and Finland (up 1.9 percentage points to 2.6%). Conversely, France and Italys shares of the EU-28 total each fell nearly 5 percentage points between 2014 and 2015, to 5.6% and 6.6% respectively. Syrians accounted for the largest number of applicants in 12 of the 28 EU Member States, including 159 thousand applicants in Germany (the highest number of applicants from a single country to one of the EU Member States in 2015), 64 thousand applicants in Hungary and 51 thousand in Sweden. Some 46 thousand Afghan applicants were recorded in Hungary, 41 thousand in Sweden and 31 thousand in Germany. A further 54 thousand Albanians, 33 thousand Kosovans and 30 thousand Iraqis also applied for asylum in Germany; no other EU Member State received 30 thousand or more asylum applicants in 2015 of a single citizenship. In 2015, there were 593 thousand first instance decisions in all EU Member States. By far the largest number of decisions was taken in Germany, constituting more than 40% of the total first instance decisions in the EU-28 in 2015. In addition, there were 183 thousand final decisions, with again the far largest share (51%) in Germany. The much larger country, United States, under its new President Donald Trump, is promising to cut sharply the number of annually admitted refugees, downward from its present meager 70,000. On a per-capita basis, Europe is taking in seven times as many refugees as the U.S. does. Both America and Europe are widely expected to reduce, not to increase, the acceptance of refugees. So: Does the Statue of Liberty still represent America or does it instead represent only an America that once was, but no longer is? When considering this question, one might also consider what precisely caused the refugees to become refugees. Syria was the largest source of 2015s refugees into Europe. What have they been fleeing from? According to Western-sponsored polls of Syrians throughout that country, they have been fleeing mainly from U.S. bombs and bombers, which were supporting Al-Qaeda-backed jihadist groups that have been trying to take over their country. Of course, as was being reported in the Western press, they were fleeing mainly from Syrian government and its allied bombs and bombers that have been trying to kill moderate rebels against that government. Those were figures from 2015, when the U.S. was bombing throughout the year in Syria (where it was, in fact, an invader), and when Russia (which was no invader, but instead was invited in by Syrias government, to help it prevent an overthrow by that U.S.-Saudi alliance) started bombing there only late, on September 30th of 2015. Mainly, Syrians were fleeing both from jihadists who were trying to take over their country, and from American bombs that were supporting those Saudi-financed jihadists. (And, overwhelmingly, the residents there were fleeing from what Obama euphemistically called rebel controlled areas, to the areas that were still under the Syrian governments control.) The second and third largest sources of refugees into Europe during that year were Iraq and Afghanistan , two countries that America started bombing in 2001 in retaliation for the Saudi royal familys 9/11 attacks inside America. The new Trump Administration is retaliating against refugees from seven countries, on account of the 9/11, and also other, jihadist attacks, which likewise werent perpetrated by people from any of these seven: Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. In fact, at the very moment of that U.S. announcement about those seven countries, the Saud family were not only supporting both Al Qaeda and ISIS in Syria, but were dropping American-made bombs onto Shiites in Yemen. And Trump was terminating refugees both from Syria and from Yemen, thus cutting off any escape to the U.S. for those victims of U.S. aggression against those two countries that the Saud family and the U.S. aristocracy want to conquer. Will Europe take these refugees in? U.S. aggression combines now with a tightening closed-door policy, and neither reality fits the Western myth. So, might Lady Liberty be crying also because of Western lying? She has become alien to this country as a misfit here, as being both a refuge and a model for the world. She no longer belongs in this country, in spirit. She might as well be officially included on President Trumps banned list, a resident alien thats being returned to sender. Maybe if Trump sends her back to France, hell try to negotiate with Frances leaders, some sort of price that they will be billed not, of course for creating the statue (since it was created by the French), but, like he plans to get Mexicans to pay for building his wall to keep them out. How far will Trump go in his politically incorrect new form of Americanism? Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author, most recently, of Theyre Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010, and of CHRISTS VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity . Palestinians Sue Trump Adviser, Netanyahu for Terrorism By Charlotte Silver February 05, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " EI " - A group of US citizens and Palestinian nationals is suing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and key members of US President Donald Trumps administration for perpetrating and enabling war crimes. Their lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, alleges a money laundering scheme that involves the US defendants raising charitable donations to send to Israeli government leaders. Based on the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Alien Torts Statute, the complaint alleges that the Israeli officials use the money to fund settlements and violent extremism in the occupied West Bank, which the complaint identifies as international terrorism. It comes as Netanyahu vowed that Israel would soon build an entirely new settlement in the occupied West Bank. Since Trump took office last month, Israel has announced plans for 6,000 additional settler housing units. Israels current and former defense ministers Avigdor Lieberman and Ehud Barak are named as defendants, as is former foreign minister Tzipi Livni, who recently evaded a war crimes summons from Belgian prosecutors. The lawsuit also names the family foundation of Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and now his adviser on the Middle East and Israel. Other defendants are David Friedman and his charity, American Friends of Beit El Yeshiva Center. Friedman, Trumps ambassador-designate to Israel, is a major fundraiser for Israeli settlements. Pandering to Christian Zionist leaders The lawsuit aims to use anti-terrorism statutes and laws governing tax-deductible charities to hold accountable those sending huge sums to fund Israeli colonization. It was filed just one day before Trump told a group of religious leaders that he would totally destroy the amendment to the US tax code that prohibits tax-exempt organizations, including churches, from engaging in direct political activity to influence elections. Trump made the repeal of the Johnson Amendment a tenet of the Republican Party platform during his presidential campaign, drawing the support of right-wing Christian Zionist leaders, including John Hagee, head of Christians United for Israel. Hagee is a defendant in another pending lawsuit filed last year over the funding of settlements and occupation. Real-estate fraud The several dozen plaintiffs include residents of the US, the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip. They say they have been directly injured by the alleged war crimes enabled by the defendants. For example, Palestinian Americans Linda Kateeb and Ali Ali claim to have lost from $2 to $3 million worth of real estate in the occupied West Bank due settlement activity the complaint describes as real-estate fraud. According to the lawsuit, tax-exempt organizations currently raise $2 billion dollars to fund Israeli colonization of the occupied West Bank. Courtesy of the $2 billion in laundered funds that they receive every year, Israeli-based beneficiaries are able to inflict wholesale violence on their Palestinian neighbors and steal more of their real property, the complaint alleges. While Jared Kushner was a director of the Kushner Family Foundation, the group sent nearly $60,000 to West Bank settlements between 2011 and 2013 and more than $315,000 to Friends of the IDF, a group the Israeli newspaper Haaretz describes as the armys US fundraising arm. The foundation sent a small amount to the Yitzhar settlement, home to some of the most violent settlers in the West Bank. Yitzhars rabbi, Yosef Elitzur, has advocated for settlers to commit so-called price tag attacks on Palestinians and co-authored a book justifying the killing of non-Jewish babies. Until recently, Kushner also sat on the board of the New York-based Friends of the IDF, which holds gala fundraisers to support Israeli soldiers. On 25 January, The Forward reported that Kushners name was removed from the website. David Friedmans Americans Friends of Beit El Yeshiva Center raises about $2 million a year that mostly goes to the Beit El settlement, near Ramallah. The seventh defendant is the accounting firm Billet, Feit, & Prince, P.C., which the complaint claims knowingly concealed the nature of the charities on documents filed with the US Internal Revenue Service, therefore committing tax fraud. Follow the money The complaint was prepared by attorney Martin McMahon, who has filed three other lawsuits that are currently before the courts, targeting the stream of funding from the US to Israeli colonialism. Theyre designed to cut off the money thats going to the settlements, McMahon told The Electronic Intifada. If you cut off the money going to the settlements, theyre dead. One of his lawsuits already accuses American Friends of Beit El Yeshiva Center along with other individuals and companies of profiting from Israels settlements in the occupied West Bank. Another charges the US Treasury Department with failing to enforce the laws on charitable contributions. Our tax code is being abused, and the Treasury is not doing its job, McMahon said. The latest lawsuit argues that for the last 20 years, settlements in the occupied West Bank have been fueled by the personal agenda of the defendants, in contravention to Israels sovereign interests. When financing, encouraging, or engaging in acts of international terrorism the Israeli defendants were not implementing Israeli official government policies but pursuing their own personal agenda, the complaint states. Like previous attempts to invoke US laws in favor of Palestinians, this lawsuit must argue that the settlement activity and violence is distinct from state violence. I dont want Netanyahu or the Ministry of Defense to claim immunity, McMahon explained, citing past cases in which lawsuits against Israeli military commanders have been thrown out on the grounds that they were acting as agents of the state. All defendants have been violating US and Israeli criminal statutes for at least twenty years, the complaint claims, by engaging in money laundering and funding settlement expansion, arms trafficking, ethnic cleansing and genocide. Controversial law The complaint invokes, but is not based on, the recently passed Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which allows victims to sue state actors for knowingly contributing material support to people or organizations that pose a significant risk of committing acts of terror. Until now another law, the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act has protected states and their agents from civil claims in US courts. This law has repeatedly shielded Israeli leaders. The Senate unanimously passed the controversial JASTA statute last May, with the specific intention of allowing families of victims of the 9/11 attacks to seek damages from the state they believe bore responsibility: Saudi Arabia. The Saudis reportedly lobbied heavily against the bill. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill, only to see Congress override his veto for the first and only time during his eight-year presidency. The bill was strongly supported by Senator Jeff Sessions, Donald Trumps nominee for attorney-general. While arguing against the bill, Obama warned it threatens to create complications in our relationships with even our closest partners. McMahon intends to use it to do just that. The lawsuit argues that by funding belligerent settlements and the Israeli army through Netanyahu and Israels defense ministers, Kushner, Friedman and other donors are violating JASTA. Past attempts to claim Israeli leaders and military officials violate the Anti-Terrorism Act have failed to overcome the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, while US courts have accepted numerous lawsuits against Palestinian groups. This lawsuit stops short of accusing President Trump, but suggests he could be found to be violating federal criminal statutes if his tax returns are released. How Corporate Dark Money is Taking Power on Both Sides of the Atlantic By George Monbiot February 05, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " The Guardian " - I t took corporate America a while to warm to Donald Trump. Some of his positions, especially on trade, horrified business leaders. Many of them favoured Ted Cruz or Scott Walker. But once Trump had secured the nomination, the big money began to recognise an unprecedented opportunity. Trump was prepared not only to promote the cause of corporations in government, but to turn government into a kind of corporation, staffed and run by executives and lobbyists. His incoherence was not a liability, but an opening: his agenda could be shaped. And the dark money network already developed by some American corporations was perfectly positioned to shape it. Dark money is the term used in the US for the funding of organisations involved in political advocacy that are not obliged to disclose where the money comes from. Few people would see a tobacco company as a credible source on public health, or a coal company as a neutral commentator on climate change. In order to advance their political interests, such companies must pay others to speak on their behalf. Soon after the second world war, some of Americas richest people began setting up a network of thinktanks to promote their interests. These purport to offer dispassionate opinions on public affairs. But they are more like corporate lobbyists, working on behalf of those who fund them. We have no hope of understanding what is coming until we understand how the dark money network operates. The remarkable story of a British member of parliament provides a unique insight into this network, on both sides of the Atlantic. His name is Liam Fox. Six years ago, his political career seemed to be over when he resigned as defence secretary after being caught mixing his private and official interests. But today he is back on the front bench, and with a crucial portfolio: secretary of state for international trade. In 1997, the year the Conservatives lost office to Tony Blair, Fox, who is on the hard right of the Conservative party, founded an organisation called The Atlantic Bridge. Its patron was Margaret Thatcher. On its advisory council sat future cabinet ministers Michael Gove, George Osborne, William Hague and Chris Grayling. Fox, a leading campaigner for Brexit, described the mission of Atlantic Bridge as to bring people together who have common interests. It would defend these interests from European integrationists who would like to pull Britain away from its relationship with the United States. Atlantic Bridge was later registered as a charity. In fact it was part of the UKs own dark money network: only after it collapsed did we discover the full story of who had funded it. Its main sponsor was the immensely rich Michael Hintze, who worked at Goldman Sachs before setting up the hedge fund CQS. Hintze is one of the Conservative partys biggest donors. In 2012 he was revealed as a funder of the Global Warming Policy Foundation, which casts doubt on the science of climate change. As well as making cash grants and loans to Atlantic Bridge, he lent Fox his private jet to fly to and from Washington. Another funder was the pharmaceutical company Pfizer. It paid for a researcher at Atlantic Bridge called Gabby Bertin. She went on to become David Camerons press secretary, and now sits in the House of Lords: Cameron gave her a life peerage in his resignation honours list. In 2007, a group called the American Legislative Exchange Council (Alec) set up a sister organisation, the Atlantic Bridge Project. Alec is perhaps the most controversial corporate-funded thinktank in the US. It specialises in bringing together corporate lobbyists with state and federal legislators to develop model bills. The legislators and their families enjoy lavish hospitality from the group, then take the model bills home with them, to promote as if they were their own initiatives. Alec has claimed that more than 1,000 of its bills are introduced by legislators every year, and one in five of them becomes law. It has been heavily funded by tobacco companies, the oil company Exxon, drug companies and Charles and David Koch the billionaires who founded the first Tea Party organisations. Pfizer, which funded Bertins post at Atlantic Bridge, sits on Alecs corporate board. Some of the most contentious legislation in recent years, such as state bills lowering the minimum wage, bills granting corporations immunity from prosecution and the ag-gag laws forbidding people to investigate factory farming practices were developed by Alec. To run the US arm of Atlantic Bridge, Alec brought in its director of international relations, Catherine Bray. She is a British woman who had previously worked for the Conservative MEP Richard Ashworth and the Ukip MEP Roger Helmer. Bray has subsequently worked for Conservative MEP and Brexit campaigner Daniel Hannan. Her husband is Wells Griffith, the battleground states director for Trumps presidential campaign. Among the members of Atlantic Bridges US advisory council were the ultra-conservative senators James Inhofe, Jon Kyl and Jim DeMint. Inhofe is reported to have received over $2m in campaign finance from coal and oil companies. Both Koch Industries and ExxonMobil have been major donors. Kyl, now retired, is currently acting as the sherpa guiding Jeff Sessionss nomination as Trumps attorney general through the Senate. Jim DeMint resigned his seat in the Senate to become president of the Heritage Foundation the thinktank founded with a grant from Joseph Coors of the Coors brewing empire, and built up with money from the banking and oil billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife. Like Alec, it has been richly funded by the Koch brothers. Heritage, under DeMints presidency, drove the attempt to ensure that Congress blocked the federal budget, temporarily shutting down the government in 2013. Foxs former special adviser at the Ministry of Defence, an American called Luke Coffey, now works for the foundation. The Heritage Foundation is now at the heart of Trumps administration. Its board members, fellows and staff comprise a large part of his transition team. Among them are Rebekah Mercer, who sits on Trumps executive committee; Steven Groves and Jim Carafano (State Department); Curtis Dubay (Treasury); and Ed Meese, Paul Winfree, Russ Vought and John Gray (management and budget). CNN reports that no other Washington institution has that kind of footprint in the transition. Trumps extraordinary plan to cut federal spending by $10.5tn was drafted by the Heritage Foundation, which called it a blueprint for a new administration. Vought and Gray, who moved on to Trumps team from Heritage, are now turning this blueprint into his first budget. This will, if passed, inflict devastating cuts on healthcare, social security, legal aid, financial regulation and environmental protections; eliminate programmes to prevent violence against women, defend civil rights and fund the arts; and will privatise the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Trump, as you follow this story, begins to look less like a president and more like an intermediary, implementing an agenda that has been handed down to him. In July last year, soon after he became trade secretary, Liam Fox flew to Washington. One of his first stops was a place he has visited often over the past 15 years: the office of the Heritage Foundation, where he spoke to, among others, Jim DeMint. A freedom of information request reveals that one of the topics raised at the meeting was the European ban on American chicken washed in chlorine: a ban that producers hope the UK will lift under a new trade agreement. Afterwards, Fox wrote to DeMint, looking forward to working with you as the new UK government develops its trade policy priorities, including in high value areas that we discussed such as defence. How did Fox get to be in this position, after the scandal that brought him down in 2011? The scandal itself provides a clue: it involved a crossing of the boundaries between public and private interests. The man who ran the UK branch of Atlantic Bridge was his friend Adam Werritty, who operated out of Michael Hintzes office building. Werrittys work became entangled with Foxs official business as defence secretary. Werritty, who carried a business card naming him as Foxs adviser but was never employed by the Ministry of Defence, joined the secretary of state on numerous ministerial visits overseas, and made frequent visits to Foxs office. By the time details of this relationship began to leak, the charity commission had investigated Atlantic Bridge and determined that its work didnt look very charitable. It had to pay back the tax from which it had been exempted (Hintze picked up the bill). In response, the trustees shut the organisation down. As the story about Werrittys unauthorised involvement in government business began to grow, Fox made a number of misleading statements. He was left with no choice but to resign. hen Theresa May brought Fox back into government, it was as strong a signal as we might receive about the intentions of her government. The trade treaties that Fox is charged with developing set the limits of sovereignty. US food and environmental standards tend to be lower than Britains, and will become lower still if Trump gets his way. Any trade treaty we strike will create a common set of standards for products and services. Trumps administration will demand that ours are adjusted downwards, so that US corporations can penetrate our markets without having to modify their practices. All the cards, post-Brexit vote, are in US hands: if the UK doesnt cooperate, there will be no trade deal. May needed someone who is unlikely to resist. She chose Fox, who has become an indispensable member of her team. The shadow diplomatic mission he developed through Atlantic Bridge plugs him straight into the Trump administration. Long before Trump won, campaign funding in the US had systematically corrupted the political system. A new analysis by US political scientists finds an almost perfect linear relationship, across 32 years, between the money gathered by the two parties for congressional elections and their share of the vote. But there has also been a shift over these years: corporate donors have come to dominate this funding. By tying our fortunes to those of the United States, the UK government binds us into this system. This is part of what Brexit was about: European laws protecting the public interest were portrayed by Conservative Eurosceptics as intolerable intrusions on corporate freedom. Taking back control from Europe means closer integration with the US. The transatlantic special relationship is a special relationship between political and corporate power. That power is cemented by the networks Liam Fox helped to develop. In April 1938, President Franklin Roosevelt sent the US Congress the following warning: The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism. It is a warning we would do well to remember. Trump or Putin? EU Loses Plot on Biggest Threat By Finian Cunningham If ever an image captured the dysfunctional nature of the European Union it was the assembled leaders of the 28 member states photographed at an ancient fortress on the Maltese island this week. February 05, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " Sputnik " - Talk about "fortress mentality"! The European presidents and prime ministers were scheduled to deal with migration from North Africa as a threat to the bloc's stability. But instead, their summit was dominated by the issue of US President Donald Trump and the shared perception that the new occupant of the White House poses an urgent challenge to the EU. "Prime ministers and presidents at Malta summit line up to scorn Trump's conduct, accusing him of lack of respect," reported the Guardian. French President Francois Hollande even said that if the EU did not unite to oppose Trump's populist nationalism, then the bloc was doomed to collapse. The irony of the European leaders' existential apprehensions about the new American president is laughable. For months, these same European politicians have been led by the nose by Western state propaganda alleging it was Russian President Vladimir Putin who is the top threat to EU stability. European news media like their US counterparts have pushed sensationalist claims that the Kremlin is out to subvert EU democracies, undermine "European values", promote Eurosceptic political parties and smash the union. German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned only a few weeks ago that putative Russian state hackers would now turn their attention to forthcoming elections in Netherlands, France and Germany as they had allegedly done in the US to help Donald Trump get elected. Amazingly with this backdrop of anti-Russia fear-mongering, the EU leaders in Malta this week made not a single mention of "Russian threat". All the angst of Europe's supposed leaders was devoted to Donald Trump undermining their institutional existence. What does that say about the credibility of EU politicians? When they flip from making hysterical allegations against Russia to huddling around like frightened children fretting about how a new American president might induce their demise. It is consummate proof that the present array of incumbent EU leaders are completely out of touch with reality. No wonder they are quaking in their boots about forthcoming elections. Because one suspects that they fear a day of reckoning with angry electorates who are sick of the incompetence at the helm of government. Another staggering example of disconnect among the EU cabal was the appalling violence in Ukraine this week. While the dithering politicians were fretting about Donald Trump, they were apparently oblivious to the war raging in Europe. The Kiev regime which the EU brought to power in a coup d'etat in 2014, along with the Americans this week unleashed a full-on offensive against the breakaway self-declared republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. Thousands of rockets, mortars and tank artillery rounds rained down on civilian areas of Donetsk city and suburbs in some of the worse violence seen since the Minsk peace accord was signed in February 2015. Kiev officials openly admitted that their military forces were "advancing" on the rebel-held territories. The unilateral violation of the Minsk ceasefire was also confirmed by the ineffective monitors belonging to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, as well as BBC media footage showing tanks sheltering among apartment blocks in the town of Avdiivka. Several civilian deaths were reported from the artillery barrages by the Kiev regime's military, which Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denounced as "barbaric violations of the Geneva Convention" the international law forbidding the targeting of non-combatants. Yet while these war crimes were carried out on the people of eastern Ukraine, the Kiev regime's president, Petro Poroshenko, was being entertained in Berlin. Which is rather fitting, given the despicable history of Berlin using Ukrainian proxies to carry out extermination programs against ethnic Russian people. None of this criminal war in Europe made it on to the agenda of the EU leaders holding their summit in Malta, purportedly convened to discuss future threats to the bloc. Unbelievably, top German news publication Deutsche Welle in its weekly round-up of global events did not have a single article on the criminal depredations of the Kiev regime and their Neo-Nazi brigades. The BBC, the British state broadcaster, defied its own video evidence of Kiev's tanks violating the ceasefire, by venting unfounded claims that Russia was fueling "aggression against Ukraine". Apart from the incriminating evidence of aggression by the US and EU-backed Kiev regime, the other key factor here is timing. The renewed escalation in violence occurred one day after US President Trump held a phone call with Russia's Vladimir Putin. That phone call last Saturday was reportedly cordial and underscored the leaders' commitment to end the conflict in Ukraine. No doubt that is why the Kiev regime launched its offensive the very next day in a brazen attempt to try to blame Moscow for initiating the violence despite all evidence to the contrary and hence to solicit American military support. The Kiev regime is petrified that Trump might actually make a deal with Putin, which would leave it stewing its own corruption and bankruptcy. Of course, reliable Western mouthpieces like US Senator John McCain, suitably amplified by media outlets, gave cover to the Kiev regime's ploy by claiming that "Putin was testing Trump's resolve". Shamefully, Trump's new ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, embarrassed herself by peddling the arrant nonsense of "Russian aggression" in Ukraine. Western politicians and media are, as usual, dealing in falsehood and fantasy over Ukraine's conflict. They cannot face the facts that a horrible regime was violently installed in Kiev against an elected government, under the auspices of Washington and the EU. Worse still, the West is complicit in the ongoing war crimes through omission or willful distortion about the suffering being inflicted on the people of eastern Ukraine. Blaming Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin for the demise of the EU is the ultimate form of scapegoating by a bunch of incompetent leaders. They are so incompetent that they can't even decide on who is the supposed threat to their existence. A criminal war is raging in Europe, with civilians being blown to pieces in apartment blocks in Donetsk, and at the very same time, the so-called EU leaders don't even see fit to talk about that during their summit in Malta this week. At this rate, the European Union, as we know it, is doomed. The disconnect between rulers and the reality of ordinary citizens is so vast that implosion seems inevitable. The ultimate in unaccountability is the way the EU has created the appalling crisis in Ukraine, and yet doesn't even discuss the manifest suffering of people there. No, the EU "leaders" are too busy discussing overblown or imaginary dangers posed by Trump or Putin. Getting its own house in order by being accountable and responsive to the democratic needs of citizens is evidently not on the agenda. One final note is that Francois Hollande, the most unpopular French leader since the Second World War, is in the running to become the next president of the European Council. Enough said. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House. Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the President of the United States of America (USA), Donald Trump, to attach and release to Nigeria, some $500 million worth of US-based proceeds of corruption traced to former Nigerian dictator, late General Sani Abacha. SERAP, which made this request in an open letter it send to the US President, also urged President Trump to initiate discussions with the Nigerian government to fulfill these objectives within an agreed framework and timeline. The organisation in the letter dated 3 February 2017 and signed by the organizations US Volunteer Counsel Professor Alexander W. Sierck and executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni, also wants the Trumps Administration to instruct the Justice Department to initiate civil asset forfeiture proceedings in regard to the $500 million in assets. SERAP further stated, these proceeds are separate from the $480 million of Abacha-origin funds that have been forfeited to the US under an August 2014 US federal district court order. SERAPs request is fully consistent with the UN Convention Against Corruption, which both the US and Nigeria have ratified. The US Department of Justice must promptly initiate civil asset forfeiture proceedings against these proceeds so as to fulfill several non-controversial commitments by the US to assist Nigeria in recovering assets looted by former Nigerian government officials, the organisation. The letter, a copy of which was sent to the US ambassador to Nigeria Stuart Symington, and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, reads in part, Any bilateral discussions between the US and Nigeria concerning these assets should include clear acknowledgement of the significant role that civil society plays in asset recovery matters. To that end, the respective governments ought to commit to promptly sharing information with relevant civil society organizations on stolen assets of Nigerian origin located in the US or otherwise subject to US jurisdiction. This proposed commitment is similar to one between the US and Kenya as well as consistent with Articles 46(4) and 56 of the UN Convention Against Corruption. SERAP notes that Article 51 of the UN Convention against Corruption provides for the return of corrupt assets to countries of origin as a fundamental principle. Article 43 provides likewise. Similarly, under Articles 47(3)(a) and (b) states parties have an obligation to return forfeited or confiscated assets in cases of public corruption, as here, or when the requesting party reasonably establishes either prior ownership or damages to the states. In SERAPs judgment, some or all of these requirements have been met with respect to the $500 million in proceeds described above. A resolution adopted by the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention Against Corruption in Panama in November 2013 reaffirms this obligation, by requiring state to make every effort to return such proceeds. to the victim state. Nigerias Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption has recently informed SERAP that the US Government has identified another $500 million or so proceeds of Nigerian corruption subject to US jurisdiction, SERAP stressed. It would be recalled that last month the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay had raised the alarm that Nigeria risked losing another $550m recovered from the Abacha family to the government of United The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday, disagreed with the Bayelsa State government following its denial of any involvement in the purported N3billion loan approval by the state government for the acquisition of cars for state legislators, political appointees and the state, saying the claims of the state government is a sign of double speak. The Bayelsa State government had through a statement issued by the chief press secretary to the governor, Mr. Daniel Markson-Iworiso, dismissed the claim of House of Assembly loan approval as untrue, The state government noted that, though there was an undisclosed arrangement to procure vehicles for the legislators, the arrangement is based on hire purchase and the payment for the vehicles will spread over a long period of time with monthly deductions from beneficiarys allowances. The purchase of said vehicles only covered the State owned security outfit Operation Doo Akpo to rejuvenate and boost its functions and improve security in the State, especially within Yenagoa and its environs. The payment for the vehicles, which has been spread over a long period of time will be deducted monthly from the beneficiaries, as against the widely spread notion that, the Government has dished out N3billion to buy official cars for assembly members and political appointees. The Government is not in a good financial standing to buy cars for the use of its functionaries. Even the state Governor has remained with the same set of vehicles that were procured in 2012/13, and no arrangement has been made to buy new cars, in view of the state of the finances of the Government. As lawmakers and like their counterparts at the Federal level and other States, they need cars to function and perform their duties as representatives of the people, stressing that, it has always been the practice and not new to Bayelsa. Governor Seriake Dickson is commited to running a transparent system, where the welfare of workers and the citizenry remains top most priority. It is therefore not true that government is owing six months salary of workers, as alleged in some of the media reports, rather government is making conscious efforts to clear all outstanding salaries and has even gone ahead to pay in full the salary for the month of January. The statement advised the media and persons spreading the unfounded rumour to cross-check their facts for the overall interest of the government, the workers and the entire people of the State. Sagay said that the amount represented a separate tranche from the earlier $480m forfeited to the US following a court judgment. According to him, Nigeria presently stands to lose another $550m recovered from the Abacha family to the US, contrary to the earlier promise by the US to return same to Nigeria. Source: Leadership The management of Dangote Group of Companies owned by Africas richest man, Aliko Dangote has declared hundreds of its drivers wanted for stealing from the company. The Dangote Group of Companies Plc has declared 285 truck drivers wanted over theft of about 3.5 million customised tyres of the company. The Coordinator of the companys National Patrol Unit, Abdullahi Magaji, a retired commissioner of police, disclosed this while addressing journalists on Sunday in Lokoja. Mr. Magaji said each tyre of the company had an identification number and the number was registered against the drivers name at collection point. Already, 285 drivers identified to have collected 285 tyres have been declared wanted while a number of others are on the run. Already, we have stopped their salaries and we are looking for them. So far, about 3.5 million tyres are missing from the company and we believe they are in circulation within and outside the country. We are determined to recover them. We are appealing to those patronising the drivers and who encouraged them to steal our tyres to stop forthwith. Dangote tyres are customised and marked. Dealers and vulcanisers should please beware. People should ensure that the tyres they buy either as new or second hand are not customised Dangote tyres. We have arraigned some drivers and dealers caught with tyres and efforts are being made to arrest vulcanisers involved, he said. According to Mr. Magaji, security agents are presently on the trail of an identified kinpin who comes to Obajana and Kano to buy the tyres of the drivers. Our appeal to vulcanisers is to always look out for our logo on the tyres and report accordingly, the coordinator said. He said that the president of the group of companies, Aliko Dangote, had expressed concern over the incident, adding that the company was trying by all means to stop the ugly development. The former commissioner of police appealed to those in custody of the tyres to return them quietly, either to the company or to the nearest police station to avoid unpleasant consequences, if caught. He expressed his firms gratitude to the media for sensitising Nigerians on the zero-tolerance disposition of the management of the company for reckless driving and illegal haulage. Mr. Magaji noted that while illegal haulage had dropped by about 85 per cent, accidents involving Dangote vehicles had reduced drastically, adding that a silent revolution was going on in the companys transport section to sanitise it. Source: Naija loaded A young American father did something quite strange during a road rage. In a bid to protect his family he parked his pickup truck on top of the confronting drivers car, according to the Ocala Police Department. Adalberto Aponte, 53, was driving his Toyota Camry recklessly Wednesday afternoon, nearly causing several accidents and trailing closely behind a Ford F150 with an 18-year-old man, his girlfriend and their baby inside, police said. The truck driver stopped at a red light and Aponte got out of his car, approached the vehicle and began punching the drivers face through the window, according to an arrest affidavit. The victims girlfriend screamed that there was a gun in the truck in an attempt to stop the attack when her boyfriend was unable to grab Apontes hand. The girlfriend did not actually have a gun, police said. Aponte told the family, Ill show you a real gun, and then started to walk toward his vehicle. Traffic prevented the truck driver from moving forward, so instead, he backed up his truck and parked it on top of the Camry, so Aponte wouldnt get the gun and cause further harm to his family, police said. Witnesses were able to confirm the victims versions of events. Aponte was arrested at the scene and charged with burglary, battery, criminal mischief and driving with a suspended license. The truck driver was not arrested. Nigerian newspaper headlines February 6, 2017. Punch President Muhammadu Buhari is sick, but not terminally ill, The PUNCH gathered on Sunday. Guardian The police on Monday took over strategic locations in Lagos metropolis in readiness for the anti-government protest initially planned by popular musician Tuface Idibia alias 2baba. Vanguard Desirous of a seamless transition on November 24, the Ondo State governor-elect, Rotimi. Akeredolu, SAN, has led some chieftains of his All Progressives Congress, APC to meet with Governor Olusegun Mimiko on the protracted crisis in the House of Assembly. The Nation The West African Examinations Council, WAEC on Friday commended the government of Osun for boosting education system through the introduction of an innovative technological device. Thisday A new phase of politics in Delta State and the Niger Delta region as whole may be unfolding as the former governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori yesterday held closed-door meetings with several politicians from within and outside Delta State. Premium Times A protest to demand good governance and an urgent explanation for the countrys economic downturn kicks off today simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and other major cities across the country. The Sun Nine persons have been reportedly killed in a renewed violence between Azuofida-Edda and Ogurude communities of Ebonyi and Cross River states respectively. Leadership The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammed Saad Abubakar III, has called for the regulation of social media usage by the youths, saying the medium was being used to fuel conflicts around the world. There are indications that no fewer than two of the prophecies of the Senior Pastor of Champions Royal Assembly, Kubwa, Abuja, Joshua Iginla, are coming to pass. One of which is evident in the current state of President Muhammadu Biuharis health that has become a thing of debate in the country. Iginla, in his 72 prophetic insights for the year, had said that the President would travel out for an unscheduled health checkup, but this time, it will be more serious. True to his words, the 9th and 10th prophecy out of his 72-point 2017 predictions seem to be coming true. Below are the specific prophecies by Pastor Iginla. 8) His Excellency, Mr. President should pray for his health, I see him traveling out for an unscheduled health checkup. But this time, it will be more serious. He should pray for his health, God will keep him. Recall that Buhari has been on a 10-day vacation in the United Kingdom, UK, but his stay has been extended indefinitely due to health issues. Also, the Pastor predicted: 9) There will be serious attempt to frustrate the Vice President. This attempt will be so strong. There are some cabals that will want him out of the seat. This attempt would not just be by political measures but an attempt through striking of his life as well. He should pray and be careful but the Lord will keep him. Recall also that last week, reports made the rounds on the social media that Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo was currently under pressure to resign. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, had, however, debunked the claim. Source: Dailypost There is a red alert that malaria is becoming untreatable with the drug of choice, Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT), and the vector, mosquitoes, is becoming resistant to the recommended insecticide, pyrethroids, in more parts of the world. According to a study published yesterday in the journal, The Lancet Infectious Diseases, a lineage of multidrug resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites (superbugs), has widely spread and is now established in parts of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, causing high treatment failure rates for the main falciparum malaria medicines, ACTs. Also, United Kingdom (UK) doctors reported last week Thursday that a key malaria treatment has failed for the first time in patients being treated in the region. The clinical reports detailed in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy showed the therapy failed in four patients between October 2015 and February 2016. The drug combination was unable to cure four patients, who had all visited Africa, in early signs the parasite is evolving resistance. A team at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said it was too early to panic. But it warned things could suddenly get worse and demanded an urgent appraisal of drug-resistance levels in Africa. However, according to the report, most of the patients were treated with the combination drug: artemether-lumefantrine.In Nigeria, although there are reported cases of treatment failures with ACTs, the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) insisted that the country has not confirmed any case of malaria resistant to the drug-of-choice, ACTs. According to The Lancet Infectious Diseases, the emergence and spread of artemisinin drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum lineage represents a serious threat to global malaria control and eradication efforts. The authors warned that malaria parasites resistant to both artemisinin and its widely used partner drug, Piperaquine, are now spreading quickly throughout Cambodia, with fitter multidrug resistant parasites spreading throughout western Cambodia, southern Laos and northeastern Thailand. Worried that the further spread of these multidrug resistant parasites through India to sub-Saharan Africa would be a global public health disaster, the study authors called for accelerated efforts in the Greater Mekong Sub-region and closer collaboration to monitor any further spread in neighbouring regions. Also, a genetic analysis of mosquito populations in Africa showed that recent successes in controlling malaria through treated bednets has led to widespread insecticide resistance in mosquitoes. Source: Guardian A female member of the National Youth Service Corps has suffered a really horrific tragedy while still in the orientation camp. A female member of the National Youth Service Corps, identified only as Jumoke, has reportedly died in Bayelsa State, The Punch reports. Jumoke was said to have died on Friday at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Kaiama, Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area of the state. The deceased corps member was in Platoon 8 at Kaiama Grammar School in Kaiama. According to The Punch, the state camp director, identified only as Mrs. Loto, officially broke the sad news to other corps members at the camp. She was said to have pleaded with corps members not to always hide their health challenges, noting that only the living could serve the nation. About four months ago, a corps member, Ogundare Opeyemi, slumped and died in Nembe area of the state. Opeyemi was said to have died a day after he had a party with his colleagues in his area of primary assignment. Also in December 2016, a 27-year-old female corps member, Miss Elechi Chiyerom, died after she allegedly bled and vomited on arrival at the Kaiama camp. Jumoke, a 2017 Batch B Stream II corps member, was said to have died after an asthmatic attack. The deceased, undergoing her orientation at the camp, was said to have died at the camps clinic. Though her colleagues said Jumoke arrived in the camp with her inhaler to prevent any crisis, it was unclear whether she used it when the asthma attack started. A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, however, said the victim suffered her first attack a week after she arrived in the camp, but was assisted by her colleagues. When the deceased suffered her first attack in camp, she was helped by fellow corps members to overcome it. But we dont know what happened when a similar attack that took her life happened, she said. Some persons also claimed that the deceased was both asthmatic and epileptic, saying she was not supposed to be in camp because of her health condition. Jumokes remains were said to have been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa. The Director-General, NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Sule Kauzure, was said to have sent a delegation of senior NYSC officials from the headquarters in Abuja to Kaiama in Bayelsa State. It was learnt that the officials arrived on Friday evening and immediately commenced investigations to ascertain the circumstances that led to her death. The NYSC officials in Bayelsa refused to comment on the matter when contacted. They said the headquarters had taken over the matter. African men of God are truly living a life to envy, here are a list of top African pastors who made the ranking. In this compilation, we present to you some of Africas richest pastors who have luxury cars, private jets and live in mansions while enjoying a lavish and extraordinary lifestyle. These men of God are known both local and international and are revered by their millions of church members. Here are the top 10 African pastors living the dream life. ******** 1. Bishop David Oyedepo is a Nigerian preacher. He is the founder of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota; Living Faith Church Worldwide A.K.A Winners Chapel International World Headquarter. Oyedepo has two universities Landmark and Convenant University. He is reportedly worth $150 million. He is the richest pastor in Nigeria and Africa. 2. Pastor E.A Adeboye is the General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God in Nigeria. He has exotic lifestyle like many other rich Nigerian pastors. His net worth is $130 million 3. Bishop Ayodele Oritsejafor is one of the richest pastors in Nigeria. He is also worth $120 million. He has investment in banking, real estate, transportation and also media. 4. Prophet Uebert Angel is the founder of the Spirit Embassy Church, Zimbabwe. He is very popular and associates with both the less privilege and widows in his country. He is rumored to be worth $60 million. 5. Chris Oyakhilome is the founder of Christ Embassy and his church boasts of up to 40,000 membership. He is worth up to $50 million. Many of his church members are politicians and top entrepreneurs. 6. Pastor Tshifinwa Irene is head of Divine Truth World Restoration Services for World Peace by Jesus Christ. Tshifinwa is a pastor from Lusaka area of Zambia. She is a televangelist and her church is situated in Venda. 7. Pastor Ray Macaulay is based in South Africa. The name of his church is Rhema Bible Church. He received his training in 1979 and he started his church afterwards with his family. 8. Prophet T.B. Joshua is among the most controversial pastors in Nigeria and he is a philanthropist. The name of his church is Synagogue Church of All Nations. He is worth up to $15 million. 9. Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo is the founder of Kingsway International Christian Center located in the United Kingdom. He is worth over $10 million. 10. Chris Okotie was a pop star before switching to preaching as a pastor. His hit song Show Me Your Backside was popular in the 80s. The name of his church is Household of God Church. He is worth $10 million. Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the President of the United States of America (USA), Donald Trump, to attach and release to Nigeria, some $500 million worth of US-based proceeds of corruption traced to former Nigerian dictator, late General Sani Abacha. SERAP, which made this request in an open letter it send to the US President, also urged President Trump to initiate discussions with the Nigerian government to fulfill these objectives within an agreed framework and timeline. The organisation in the letter dated 3 February 2017 and signed by the organizations US Volunteer Counsel Professor Alexander W. Sierck and executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni, also wants the Trumps Administration to instruct the Justice Department to initiate civil asset forfeiture proceedings in regard to the $500 million in assets. SERAP further stated, these proceeds are separate from the $480 million of Abacha-origin funds that have been forfeited to the US under an August 2014 US federal district court order. SERAPs request is fully consistent with the UN Convention Against Corruption, which both the US and Nigeria have ratified. The US Department of Justice must promptly initiate civil asset forfeiture proceedings against these proceeds so as to fulfill several non-controversial commitments by the US to assist Nigeria in recovering assets looted by former Nigerian government officials, the organisation. The letter, a copy of which was sent to the US ambassador to Nigeria Stuart Symington, and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, reads in part, Any bilateral discussions between the US and Nigeria concerning these assets should include clear acknowledgement of the significant role that civil society plays in asset recovery matters. To that end, the respective governments ought to commit to promptly sharing information with relevant civil society organizations on stolen assets of Nigerian origin located in the US or otherwise subject to US jurisdiction. This proposed commitment is similar to one between the US and Kenya as well as consistent with Articles 46(4) and 56 of the UN Convention Against Corruption. SERAP notes that Article 51 of the UN Convention against Corruption provides for the return of corrupt assets to countries of origin as a fundamental principle. Article 43 provides likewise. Similarly, under Articles 47(3)(a) and (b) states parties have an obligation to return forfeited or confiscated assets in cases of public corruption, as here, or when the requesting party reasonably establishes either prior ownership or damages to the states. In SERAPs judgment, some or all of these requirements have been met with respect to the $500 million in proceeds described above. A resolution adopted by the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention Against Corruption in Panama in November 2013 reaffirms this obligation, by requiring state to make every effort to return such proceeds. to the victim state. Nigerias Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption has recently informed SERAP that the US Government has identified another $500 million or so proceeds of Nigerian corruption subject to US jurisdiction, SERAP stressed. It would be recalled that last month the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay had raised the alarm that Nigeria risked losing another $550m recovered from the Abacha family to the government of United The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday, disagreed with the Bayelsa State government following its denial of any involvement in the purported N3billion loan approval by the state government for the acquisition of cars for state legislators, political appointees and the state, saying the claims of the state government is a sign of double speak. The Bayelsa State government had through a statement issued by the chief press secretary to the governor, Mr. Daniel Markson-Iworiso, dismissed the claim of House of Assembly loan approval as untrue, The state government noted that, though there was an undisclosed arrangement to procure vehicles for the legislators, the arrangement is based on hire purchase and the payment for the vehicles will spread over a long period of time with monthly deductions from beneficiarys allowances. The purchase of said vehicles only covered the State owned security outfit Operation Doo Akpo to rejuvenate and boost its functions and improve security in the State, especially within Yenagoa and its environs. The payment for the vehicles, which has been spread over a long period of time will be deducted monthly from the beneficiaries, as against the widely spread notion that, the Government has dished out N3billion to buy official cars for assembly members and political appointees. The Government is not in a good financial standing to buy cars for the use of its functionaries. Even the state Governor has remained with the same set of vehicles that were procured in 2012/13, and no arrangement has been made to buy new cars, in view of the state of the finances of the Government. As lawmakers and like their counterparts at the Federal level and other States, they need cars to function and perform their duties as representatives of the people, stressing that, it has always been the practice and not new to Bayelsa. Governor Seriake Dickson is commited to running a transparent system, where the welfare of workers and the citizenry remains top most priority. It is therefore not true that government is owing six months salary of workers, as alleged in some of the media reports, rather government is making conscious efforts to clear all outstanding salaries and has even gone ahead to pay in full the salary for the month of January. The statement advised the media and persons spreading the unfounded rumour to cross-check their facts for the overall interest of the government, the workers and the entire people of the SThe Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Command, said it had seized a 2016 Toyota Prado, worth N15 million, in enforcing Federal Governments ban on vehicle importation through the land border. Fedilis Nwaeze, who led the customs patrol team, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that two suspects were arrested when trying to smuggle the vehicle through Seme border. Nwaeze, a chief superintendent, said that the suspects refused to stop for a routine check at the customs checkpoint. We spotted the car from afar and flagged it down to stop for routine check but the driver didnt stop, but sped off. They were caught before they could go far away and on inspection, we found that the car doesnt have duty papers and that it was brought in through the border. Proper investigation shall be carried out and the suspects would be handed over to the appropriate authorities, the customs official said. NAN recalled that the federal government banned the importation of used and new vehicles through the land border with effect from Jan. 1, 2017. Sagay said that the amount represented a separate tranche from the earlier $480m forfeited to the US following a court judgment. According to him, Nigeria presently stands to lose another $550m recovered from the Abacha family to the US, contrary to the earlier promise by the US to return same to Nigeria. Source: Leadership Following recent research that showed many printer models are vulnerable to attacks, a hacker decided to prove the point and forced thousands of publicly exposed printers to spew out rogue messages. The messages included ASCII art depicting robots and warned that the printers had been compromised and they were part of a botnet. The hacker, who uses the online alias Stackoverflowin, later said that the botnet claim was not true and that his efforts served only to raise awareness about the risks of leaving printers exposed to the internet. [ Expand your security career horizons with these essential certifications for smart security pros. | Discover how to secure your systems with InfoWorld's Security Report newsletter. ] Stackoverflowin claims to be a high school student from the United Kingdom who is interested in security research. He said that for the most part he simply sent print jobs using the Line Printer Daemon (LPD), the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP), and the RAW protocol on communications port 9100 to printers that didn't require authentication. However, he also claims to have exploited an undisclosed remote command execution (RCE) vulnerability in the web management interface of Xerox printers. The hacker estimates that up to 150,000 printers were affected by his effort, but claims to have access to more RCE flaws that he didn't use and which would have allowed him to print to over 300,000 printers. As printers around the world started printing the hacker's rogue messages on Friday, affected users took to Twitter to report the problem. From the photos they posted, it appears that many of the printers were part of point-of-sale systems. The issue of publicly exposed printers is not new and has been exploited before to print rogue and sometimes offensive messages. However, the issue was renewed last week when researchers from Ruhr-University Bochum in Germany published a paper on different attacks against network printers and an assessment of 20 printer models. The researchers also released a Printer Exploitation Toolkit and published a printer hacking wiki. Users should make sure that their printers can't be accessed through a public Internet Protocol address at all, Stackoverflowin said. However, if they need to do this, they should enforce access rules in their routers and only whitelist certain IP addresses, or set up a virtual private network, he said. Google has been ordered by a federal court in Pennsylvania to comply with search warrants and produce customer emails stored abroad, in a decision that is in sharp contrast to that of an appeals court in a similar case involving Microsoft. Magistrate Judge Thomas J. Rueter of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ruled Friday that the two warrants under the Stored Communications Act (SCA) for emails required by the government in two criminal investigations constituted neither a seizure nor a search of the targets' data in a foreign country. Transferring data electronically from a server in a foreign country to Google's data center in California does not amount to a seizure because there is no meaningful interference with the account holder's possessory interest in the user data, and Googles algorithm in any case regularly transfers user data from one data center to another without the customer's knowledge, Judge Rueter wrote. He added that when Google produces the electronic data in accordance with the search warrants, and the government views it, the invasion of the account holder's privacy -- the searches -- will take place in the United States. In the Microsoft case, which was cited by Google, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York quashed a warrant that would have required the company to disclose contents of emails stored on a server in Ireland. The court said in its opinion that the SCA under which the warrant was served does not authorize courts to issue and enforce against U.S.based service providers warrants for the seizure of customer email content that is stored exclusively on foreign servers." The architecture of Googles system that partitions user data into shards does not let the company establish with any certainty which foreign countrys sovereignty would be implicated when the company accesses the communications to produce it in response to a legal process, making it difficult for law enforcement to look for other means such as Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) between countries to get access to the data. Google admits that the location of the data could change from the time the Government applies for legal process to the time when the process is served upon Google, the Judge wrote. Microsoft had argued in court that nowhere did the U.S. Congress say that the Electronics Communications Privacy Act, of which the SCA is a part, "should reach private emails stored on provider's computers in foreign countries." The company provided non-content information held on its U.S. servers in response to the search warrant, but tried to quash the warrant when it concluded that the account and the content of the mails were hosted in Dublin. Microsoft instead favored an inter-governmental resolution to the United States demand for access to the emails in Dublin, through the use of MLATs the United States has with other countries including Ireland. In the Microsoft case, unlike that of Google, all the relevant user data of a presumably Irish citizen was located exclusively in one data center in Ireland and remained stable there for a significant period, Judge Rueter wrote. The assumption made by the majority in the decision of the Second Circuit was that messages stored in the cloud have a discernible physical location, which could not be made in the Google case. The judge held that under the warrants against Google, the invasions of privacy will occur in the United States; the searches of the electronic data disclosed by Google pursuant to the warrants will occur in the United States when the FBI reviews the copies of the requested data in Pennsylvania. He described the cases against Google as involving a permissible domestic application of the SCA, even if other conduct (the electronic transfer of data) occurs abroad. Google said in a statement that the magistrate in the case had departed from precedent, and it planned to appeal the decision. "We will continue to push back on overbroad warrants," it added. French Nationalist Marine Le Pen vowed to put "France First" as she launched her presidential bid Sunday, speaking out against globalization. "The primaries have shown that the debates on secularism or on immigration, as well as on globalization or generalized deregulation do constitute now a fundamental and cross-cutting division," she told crowds in the central city of Lyon. "The division is not between right and left anymore, but between patriots and pro-globalization." Le Pen has been a vocal representative of the National Front (FN) party for years, and continues to gain popularity as France falls victim to more terrorist attacks, prompting voters to shift toward nationalist and populist policies. Le Pen in recent months has called to ban the Muslim veil and Jewish kippah on streets. In the wake of the Note 7 debacle, South Korea is introducing new tests and regulations to ensure battery and smartphone safety, the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy said. The new measures will include requiring manufacturers to certify the safety of lithium-ion batteries based on new technologies in the process of production. The announcement Monday by MOTIE also agrees with the analysis by Samsung Electronics and some experts on the cause of the overheating and even explosions of some Galaxy Note 7 smartphones. Samsung, backed by experts from Exponent, TUV Rheinland, and UL, said in January that the overheating of some Note 7 phones was likely caused by the faulty design and manufacturing of batteries by two suppliers, rather than by the design of the smartphone itself. An investigation by MOTIE affiliate Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) also found that a combination of flaws in battery design and manufacturing processes were highly likely to cause fires, as no particular abnormalities were observed in the smartphone devices, MOTIE said in a statement. KATS, for example, found damages by fire in the negative electrode close to the positive tab in a considerable number of batteries, according to the ministry. Following reports of overheating of the phones, Samsung announced a recall of the Note 7 in early September. But the replacement phones, which had batteries from another supplier, were also found to show the same problems, prompting the company to expand the recall to all the Note 7 devices and to kill the product. The recall involved about 3 million phones, Samsung said. The South Korean government is now planning to introduce more types of tests and request sample products from manufacturers when needed. By October of this year it plans to modify the enforcement part of a local rule, the Electrical Appliances and Consumer Products Safety Control Act. It will be consulting with industry and consumer groups to reduce the impact of the new regulations on market competition. November Rain Sidwell Strategies - 37 minutes ago US elections Tuesday; USDA reports Wednesday Power blackouts across Ukraine amid Russian shelling AP - Sat Nov 5, 8:06AM CDT Ukraines state electricity operator has announced regular scheduled blackouts in Kyiv and seven other regions of the country in the aftermath of Russias devastating strikes on energy infrastructure... $SPX : 3,770.55 (+1.36%) $DOWI : 32,403.22 (+1.26%) $IUXX : 10,857.03 (+1.56%) Climate activists block private jets at Amsterdam airport AP - Sat Nov 5, 7:48AM CDT Hundreds of climate protesters have blocked private jets from leaving Amsterdams Schiphol Airport in a demonstration on the eve of the COP27 United Nations climate meeting in Egypt $SPX : 3,770.55 (+1.36%) $DOWI : 32,403.22 (+1.26%) $IUXX : 10,857.03 (+1.56%) Should Investors Sweat the 2022 Midterm Elections? Young & The Invested - Sat Nov 5, 6:00AM CDT Election Day is right around the corner. And while there's plenty to be anxious about, Wall Street strategists say your portfolio shouldn't be one of them. Cotton Closes with another Triple Digit Gain Barchart - Fri Nov 4, 4:46PM CDT Front month cotton futures added triple digits to the climb on Friday. Dec cotton closed up by another 4.73%, for a weekly gain of 20.5%. The December to December spread is now an 8.56 cent premium for... CTZ22 : 86.93s (+4.73%) CTH23 : 85.67s (+4.26%) CTK23 : 84.63s (+3.21%) @MotoramaShow TORONTO, ON // FEBRUARY 6, 2017 The third annual Motorama Custom Car & Motorsports Expo presented by Mothers will fill more than 300,000 square feet of Torontos International Centre. Once again, one of the main focal points of the show will be The Johnsonville Stage. The show takes place March 10, 11 & 12, and for the third consecutive year, valued show sponsor Johnsonville Sausage will have its logo on the stage, which plays host to majority of the shows awards presentations, autograph sessions, discussion panels, media announcements and more. Were very proud to be a part of the Motorama show, and were excited to be, again this year, sponsoring The Johnsonville Stage at Motorama, proclaimed Brad Martin, Managing Director for the Canadian branch of Johnsonville Sausage. There will be lots of excitement in the air as everyone prepares for the upcoming season, and were very pleased to be given the opportunity to share in that excitement. Johnsonville Sausage, the most popular brand of sausage in the United States, and available in 30 countries including Canada is a perfect fit for the motorsports fan. Johnsonville products make the ideal complement for any tailgate or backyard party. Weve identified motorsports fans as one of our core target consumer groups, continued Martin. Our products fit well with the experience of getting outdoors at the race track and enjoying good food and good times with friends and other race fans. Mere steps from The Johnsonville Stage youll find the Johnsonville Sausage display, fronted this year by Adam Martins No. 9 Johnsonville-sponsored Ford. Immediately adjacent to Martins NASCAR mount, Johnsonville representatives will once again be distributing discount coupons for their sausage products and offering snack-sized samples of their newest offerings. As a supporter of the Motorama show, we always like to offer a special reward for show visitors, said Martin. Again this year, Motorama showgoers will be the first in Canada to have the opportunity to taste a brand new Johnsonville product. Speaking on behalf of Motorama, show co-promoter Greg MacPherson said, Johnsonville Sausage are amazing supporters of Canadian motorsports and were honoured that theyve taken such a high-profile role at Motorama. We appreciate their participation at the show and we encourage everyone to enjoy the action on The Johnsonville Stage and the samples in the Johnsonville Sausage booth. The schedule of events for The Johnsonville Stage, including times and participants for the Q&As, autographs sessions, media announcements, discussion panels and awards presentations will be published in the weeks leading up to the show and can be found by visiting the show website, www.MotoramaShow.com. ABOUT JOHNSONVILLE SAUSAGE: Founded in 1945 by Ralph F. and Alice Stayer, Johnsonville is the most popular brand of sausage in the United States and is available in 30 other countries around the world, including Canada. With corporate headquarters in Sheboygan Falls, WI, their award winning product lines include Brats, Italian, Smoked, Breakfast and Snack Sausages. More information about Johnsonville products and recipes featuring their products can be found at www.johnsonville.com. ABOUT THE MOTORAMA CUSTOM CAR & MOTORSPORTS EXPO: The third annual Motorama Custom Car & Motorsports Expo Presented by Mothers takes place March 10, 11 & 12, 2017 at The International Centre, across from Torontos Pearson International Airport. The show features more than 300,000 square feet of custom cars, hot rods, racing vehicles of all kinds, tuners, displays and exhibitors. Motorama is Canadas biggest late-winter celebration of automobiles and motorsports. For information about the show, including tickets, sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, and more, call (416) 962-7223, email info@MotoramaShow.com or visit www.MotoramaShow.com. As covers go, this one is unremarkable. A youngish man stands in the middle of a teeming trading pit, arm outstretched, mouth mid-sentence. Boards the type that displayed the latest quotes and trades in the age before personal computers tower behind him. Yet the picture speaks of action, of money, of youth and vitality all things that Institutional Investor, with its first cover in the spring of 1967, was hoping to convey. Nearly fifty years later, this cover, and the pages inside, sits in the Institutional Investor house library a dark closet at 225 Park Avenue South in New York City. Upon its discovery, an obvious question swirled around the newsroom: Who was this man? The edition was less than helpful. Its table of contents lists only the mans location the floor of the Montreal Stock Exchange with the photo credited, oddly, to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (Montreal, of course, is in the neighboring province of Quebec). The mystery trader was unnamed. For an answer, Institutional Investor took to social media a tool that would have astounded George Goodman (pen name: Adam Smith), the magazines legendary first editor. From both personal and professional accounts, the Institutional Investor team swamped the Twitter feeds of followers worldwide, asking for help in identifying the trader. The response was rapid and robust. We contacted friends north of the U.S. border, who contacted the exchange on our behalf. As of press time there are two possibilities, both backed by people certain that Institutional Investors first cover boy is their man. First, the late Don Bainbridge: a man who was so compelling that there was only one omnipotent being on the trading floor, and that was Don Bainbridge. All my memories of Bainey on the floor are a pleasure, and watching him do a slow dance with a stripper with the same grace he used dealing with the best of the business establishment was part of his charm. (The editors of Institutional Investor feel that we would have liked Don Bainbridge.) Second, it could be James Douglas Sloan. Less is known about Jimmy. Whereas memories of Bainbridge litter the Internet, Sloan seems to have faded from public memory. Still, the majority of those who got in touch with Institutional Investor say the picture is most certainly of him. One thing is certain, however: Neither man worked the floor of the Montreal Stock Exchange, which didnt have trading boards as seen in the photograph. In what will go down as perhaps the tardiest correction in magazine any magazine history, the earliest edition of Institutional Investor (Spring 1967) mistakenly cited the Montreal Stock Exchange as the location depicted on the cover. We can confirm that this was, in fact, the floor of the Toronto Stock Exchange. We regret the error. It wasnt called Institutional Investor at first. Kaplan the 26-year-old leader of what would become a global events, research, and media brand made the same mistake that Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg would make 37 years later: He put a The in front. The The didnt stop The Institutional Investor from early success. With backing from Seagram heir Gerald Bronfman, Kaplans magazine regaled those on Wall Street with the inside story of Wall Street. The best stories, one of his earliest editorial hires tells me, werent just about what happened behind the mahogany doors of the days reigning power brokers. The best stories, in Kaplans eyes, told the people behind those doors information they didnt know about those very meetings: what the other side was thinking, who was influencing them, what was likely to happen. Kaplan originally tasked George Goodman, the magazines first editor, with securing this access. (Goodman often wrote under the pen name Adam Smith and would gain fame as a pioneer of New Journalism alongside Hunter S. Thompson, Tom Wolfe, Gay Talese, and others.) Goodmans resources were thin and his standards high. Fred Bleakley, who was hired in 1970, remembers one senior editor (himself) and three staff writers. On one of my first stories, Goodman read it and said, If you say this, they will hoot at us. It was his way of telling a writer that what hed submitted wasnt Institutional Investor quality. The best brands are early to their field, and Institutional Investor was that. The magazine quickly started rating sell-side analysts, producing data that would come to determine compensation packages for analysts the world over. To be a member of Kaplans All-America Equity Research Team meant youd made it on Wall Street, and despite skeptics of the industrys future, these rankings continue to be an annual obsession of analysts across the globe. Within six years of founding the magazine, Kaplan purchased his first newsletter (The Wall Street Letter) and then, in the words of veteran newsletter leader Tom Lamont, started expanding into the trust business, corporate finance, options. Wed be adding a newsletter every year for five or six years. The culture was totally different from the magazine. These were the kids, the great unwashed down at the end of the hall, writing all this scandalous stuff, as opposed to the highbrow magazine people writing intelligent stuff on flashy paper for sophisticated people. From the moment we started, right up until the late 1980s or early 1990s, we were unique. The advent of the Internet inevitably depressed the newsletter and print business but Institutional Investor (which long ago had dropped the The), early as always, had an answer: events. Eventually led by Diane Alfano and reaching its apogee in the form of the Institutional Investor Roundtables, the group still dominates the global market for bringing asset managers and allocators together. How was Kaplan always early? Because the guy had 20/20 foresight for what was going to be important, Lamont says. He had an uncanny knack for ideas that worked. Take, for example, something as simple as 401(k)s. People were vaguely aware of them when they started, but Gil knew we could do something. We started a newsletter on it, and the magazine covered them, well before many of our competitors. Yet time like the media business waits for no man. As Institutional Investor enters its 50th year, we are faced with the pressuring confluence of two trends. The first, in my view, is cyclical, the second universally accepted as secular: a shift toward passive investing, and a move away from simple branding ads that for so long perpetuated this great media brand. It is with this in mind that we are continuing what Gil Kaplan started in 1967: perpetual change and disruption, starting with this magazine. Ill leave the business-side changes aside they are, after all, our competitive advantage! but the editorial changes we are making will, with this redesigned issue, become clear. Start with our logo. For longtime readers, the two large words dominating the top of our cover will remind you of the heyday of Institutional Investor. That is intentional. For readers in the 1980s and into the 1990s, Institutional Investor was an essential read. (As Michael Bloomberg once told employee Heidi Fiske, It was the only magazine really covering what was going on.) By echoing the logo of that era as we look forward, we aim to once again become essential to our audience. But as with books and people, its whats inside a magazine that really counts. I believe people open Institutional Investor in print or online for three reasons: to help grow their portfolios, to help build their businesses and teams, and to expand their social currency applying the idea that sharing interesting information has value. Thus we have reorganized the front of the magazine, which well mirror online shortly, into three sections: Social Currency, Corner Office, and Portfolio. The stories within those sections, as well as within our features and research (now Masters) sections, will adhere to two broad rules: They will be written, laserlike, for institutional investors and the people who service them, and they will aim to provide the reader with four elements the access Gil Kaplan so valued, the disclosure essential to original journalism, quality writing, and the exposure of conflict. These, according to Graydon Carter of Vanity Fair, are essential for the production of good journalism. Institutional Investors goal is to be 75 percent respected and 25 percent feared. These changes will spill over, intentionally, into other Institutional Investor realms, including our events and video content. But make no mistake: At the base of this transformation remains a commitment to the high-quality written word. Kaplan would have accepted nothing less. I asked Tom Lamont recently if Kaplan appreciated quality content. He absolutely did and he wanted to provoke people, Tom said. Not unfairly, but he loved sticking it to people and it had never been done before. He would get calls from people who were screaming about stories in a newsletter. Gil and I would get on the phone with the person who was complaining. Hed be incredibly empathetic, but when wed hang up hed slap me a high five. Bring on the high fives. Kip McDaniel is the Editorial Director and Chief Content Officer of Institutional Investor. It was results day for specialist insurer and underwriter, Beazley and one that it has been able to celebrate with a good performance across the board. The company, which has an arm in Australia but undertakes the majority of its underwriting in London, reported profits before tax of US$293.2 million in 2016. This represented an increase from $284.0 million during the previous year. Its gross written premiums also climbed reaching $2,195.6 million, up from $2,080.9 million. Our strong broker relationships and established position in a diverse range of business lines and geographies enable us to pivot toward more profitable opportunities as margins come under pressure in certain areas, explained chief executive Andrew Horton. The pattern we have seen in recent years continued in 2016: large risk, catastrophe exposed business, which we mainly underwrite out of London, saw further rate declines, whereas rates for smaller liability business held firm. Our locally underwritten US business - mainly comprising small professional liability, management liability and cyber risks - accordingly grew strongly, by 20% to $695.7 million. Its combined ratio did slip from 87% to 89%, but chairman Dennis Holt was pleased to remain below 90% given the market turmoil of the last year. Beazley has weathered multiple underwriting cycles in three decades and, at this juncture, our focus is on maintaining underwriting discipline across the business classes that have seen rates continue to fall, he said in a statement. We have accordingly further trimmed our exposures to energy risks, large scale commercial property, and reinsurance. Going forward, Holt believes there are many opportunities for Beazley amid the challenges, highlighting that the companys specialty lines has grown strongly with gross premiums $1,159.8m in 2016 (2015: $1,015.2m), 14% up on the previous year. This business, he said, was buoyed by the relatively attractive premium rates for small scale risks that our mature US operations are now well equipped to handle. In addition, he pointed to a willingness to partner with other insurers or reinsurers to exploit attractive growth opportunities as an area of potential growth, pointing to the partnership forged in 2016 with Munich Re to underwrite large scale cyber risks. Indeed the cyber market itself is also seen as an opportunity. Thousands of Aussie travellers are anticipated to contact their travel insurance providers soon - if they havent already - after a Singapore-based budget airline was forced to cancel all its Australian flights to Bali. Tigerair Australia said Indonesian authorities required an alternative regulatory solution from the company for it to be able to continue its operations in Bali - a new operating model that would take it at least six months to comply with and would compromise its ability to offer passengers low-cost airfares to Bali. As a result of this development, Tigerair Australia has today made the difficult decision to withdraw from flying between Australia and Bali permanently, effective immediately [February 03, 2017], Tigerair CEO Rob Sharp said to news.com.au. We sincerely apologise to customers for the inconvenience caused by this situation and we will continue to work around the clock to support customers during this time. Tigerair said it will contact and fully refund customers who were booked to travel from Australia to Bali with Tigerair from February 03 onwards. Customers already in Bali, on the other hand, will be contacted and offered re-accommodation options on Virgin Australia and other airlines, the report said. Finder.com.aus Bessie Hassan said Tigerairs troubles demonstrate the importance of travel insurance, and knowing what consumers are covered for. As this is an airline issue, travel insurance wont cover the cancelled flights. However, your insurance policy may cover your cancelled accommodation and tour costs, provided you purchased travel insurance before flights were suspended, she told the publication. If you are planning on booking a trip, its best to book in your travel insurance sooner rather than later. Travel insurance will only help if youve purchased it before an incident or issue crops up. Airline operating disputes are often contentious but there are a few areas where insurers may cover some expenses as a result of cancellations, delays or scheduling issues. Related stories: Australian holidaymakers urged to prepare for the unexpected Virgin Australia, Jetstar drop opt-out travel insurance The company considered to be the largest reinsurer in the world may purchase big businesses outside its sector if prices go down, a top executive has hinted. Munich Re CFO Jorg Schneider told German newspaper Handelsblatt that the industry giant is interested in making large acquisitions in the primary insurance sector. However, the company is being held back by potential costs. Schneider said acquisitions are too expensive and do not reflect the increasing global uncertainty. He doubted that prices may come down soon. We are open to large acquisitions but the prices simply havent been right in recent years, Handelsblatt quoted Schneider as saying. If we were to make an acquisition, however, then it wouldnt be in traditional reinsurance, he added. Schneider said the ideal acquisition partners would be the primary insurance companies with specialisations that can grow Munich Res expertise. The report on Munich Res acquisitions comes amid the continuing saga on the possible merger or sale of Generali to other insurance giants, including Germanys Allianz and Frances AXA. Last week, Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo, another company circling Generali, confirmed that it was examining potential industrial combinations with the insurer. Related stories: Munich Re breaks up health insurance business Munich Re optimistic over 2016 earnings after Q3 profit leap The move comes months after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's government sealed a peace deal with Hekmatyar's Hizb-e-Islami, or HIG, an insurgent faction. "Therefore, the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo... no longer apply to him," the UN Security Council's Sanctions Committee said in a statement issued in New York Friday. The United Nations has removed notorious Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar from its list of designated terrorists following his recent peace agreement with the Kabul government. The Truce The truce required Hekmatyar to cease fighting against the Afghan government in return for his removal from the UN blacklist, along with other leaders of his faction, and allowing his group to resume political activities in Afghanistan. Friday's announcement has set the stage for the notorious fugitive warlord, a designated "global terrorist," to return to Afghan politics after years in hiding, allegedly in neighboring Pakistan, though his aides insist he is present somewhere in the country. A member of Hekmatyar's peace negotiating team, Atiqullah Safi, confirmed to VOA Saturday that the group has formally been informed about the removal of their leader's name from the UN terrorist list. "The world body has taken this step at the request of the Afghan government and we welcome it," senior government official Akram Khpalwak told VOA. He heads a joint committee of government and officials from Hekmatyar's group, which is tasked to oversee implementation of the peace deal. "It will boost efforts the government has been making to promote peace in the country," Khpalwak said. Reaction Local and international human rights groups have been critical of the peace deal from the outset and called for Hekmatyar be held accountable for his alleged crimes. "His return will compound the culture of impunity that the Afghan government and its foreign donors have fostered by not pursuing accountability for the many victims of forces commanded by Hekmatyar and other warlords that laid waste to much of the country in the 1990s," Human Rights Watch said in a recent statement. Hekmatyar's group has been fighting the U.S.-backed Afghan government alongside the Taliban for the past 15 years. He was designated a terrorist in 2003 for his association with al-Qaeda. A longtime guerilla commander with a history of war crimes and rights abuses, Hekmatyar's forces fought against the former Soviet Union in the 1980s. Later, his militias battled the Taliban for control of Afghanistan during the brutal civil war of the 1990s. The United States has also designated him a terrorist and offered millions of dollars for information leading to his arrest. But Washington has welcomed Kabul's peace deal and promised to take steps to support efforts aimed at ending years of conflict in Afghanistan. However, the Taliban has refused to engage in peace talks with the Afghan government and instead intensified insurgent activities across the country. Paramedics fight for better insurance payouts could soon come to a satisfying conclusion as the New South Wales premier commits to providing them with better insurance cover. NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would provide increased death and disability cover for paramedics, in response to a state-wide push for the previous scheme to be reinstated. Paramedics have staged ongoing protests against a new insurance scheme launched August last year which leaves them with the equivalent of two years protection as compared to the seven years offered to police officers. It is the NSW Governments responsibility to ensure our paramedics, who work so hard to support all of us during our toughest times, get the protection and support they need in their workplace, Berejiklian said in a statement reported on by ABC. We remain committed to providing increased death and disability cover to paramedics and I have spoken to the HSU (Health Services Union) to reassure them of this commitment. Discussions are continuing but it is expected that we will be able to present options to paramedics in the near future. State secretary Gerard Hayes welcomed the NSW premiers statement, calling it a great outcome. The Premier has assured us she will honour the commitment of her predecessor to restore a full and fair injury insurance scheme for paramedics, he told ABC. We are taking the Premier at her word and look forward to the schemes implementation. Related stories: ICA welcomes new Premier NDIS to create 1,300 jobs in NT by 2020 It takes a lot of capital for an insurance agency to grow, acquire, merge or partner with another agency, and increasingly, private equity firms are stepping up to the plate to supply that funding. Although the number of reported mergers and acquisitions in the insurance distribution system in the U.S. and Canada fell slightly last year from 456 in 2015 to 449 in 2016 both years represent an increase from 2014 when 359 agency/brokerage M&As were reported, according to Chicago-based Optis Partners, which specializes in investment banking and financial services. A report issued in January by Optis Partners, its December 2016 Agent/Broker Merger & Acquisition Update, shows that more than half of the transactions in both 2015 and 2016 involved private equity investment. The report covers only agent/broker M&As that were publicly reported and recognizes that not all such transactions are reported. This widespread investment activity by PE firms has driven up both demand for agency acquisitions and the amount being paid for them. Whether or not thats a good thing depends on whom you ask. Recently private equity firms have driven the demand in the marketplace, which has had a positive effect on the multiples in the industry. Their involvement has contributed to the increase in the average multiple paid on deals over the last five years, said Phil Trem, senior vice president at the Ohio-based consulting firm, MarshBerry. However, the higher multiples, which may run as high as three times revenue, can make it tough for agencies to compete if they are looking to expand through acquisitions and dont opt for the private equity route, said Chris Burand, principal at Burand & Associates in Pueblo, Colo., and a faculty member of the Academy of Insurance, an Insurance Journal affiliate. The amount that private equity is paying is so much higher than what a regular agency can cash flow if they were to buy an agency that its created a very disparate marketplace. And thats really an issue in the industry on many levels, Burand said. Lets say the agency down the street wants to do a merger with a friendly competitor. They cannot cash flow three times, so a dilemma is created there. Does somebody sell to private equity for three times or do they keep things friendly and local, and take care of all their employees and clients, but for a much, much lower price tag? MarshBerrys Trem also acknowledged the competitive stress that PE investment has placed on independent agencies. Agencies are in a very tough spot right now. They cannot compete on price in the M&A environment and they are in the midst of a softening property and casualty rate environment, he said. Still, private equity firms bring a lot to the table. Some of the equity players really do invest quality money in agencies that they buy in the sense that they invest in IT and they invest in high quality people and they invest in higher quality of services to the clients, Burand said. The model works especially well for agencies seeking to expand through acquisitions or consolidation. Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Acrisure is one such company that has benefited from PE-backed funding. Genstar Capital acquired the firm in 2013 and worked with Acrisures management to expand the agencys geographic footprint, along with its product and service offerings. Announcing a management-led buyout of the company from Genstar last year, Acrisure reported that under Genstars ownership, it acquired more than 138 retail insurance brokerages and generated industry-leading organic growth. Confie Seguros, a large, national personal lines and commercial insurance broker based in Huntington Beach, Calif., has worked with two private equity partners since its inception in 2008 and has completed more than 120 acquisitions so far. Co-Founder and Chairman Mordy Rothberg said Confie currently is partnering with Abry Partners in Boston, and has set the goal of completing 35 more acquisitions in 2017. When a company is looking to raise capital there are various different forms of capital and the reason why we prefer private equity over going public, as an example, is that when you partner with private equity, instead of managing the business quarter to quarter they have a longer term approach to the business, Rothberg said. Typically, private equity investors are not interested in operationally managing the business. Instead they partner with the agencys senior management to add value, he said. With the right partner, the private equity model works really well. Ryan Clark, president and managing director of the private equity firm, San Francisco-based Genstar Capital, said the insurance distribution sector is attractive to private equity investors for a couple of reasons. Insurance agencies and brokerages are fundamentally good businesses. By that, I mean they have high levels of recurring revenue. They have strong profitability and good cash flow characteristics. The credit markets like insurance brokerages as well, so there is ample debt available for growth. Another thing that makes the market attractive is that its so fragmented. Private equity firms seek out fragmented markets where there are consolidators, he said. With our capital and with a strong management team we can act as one of the consolidators or aggregators in the marketplace to build a market-leading business. Private equity builds the financial relationships and capital structures that allow the firms in which they invest to make acquisitions they might not otherwise do if the money were to come out of the owners pockets, Clark said. Not for Everybody While PE investment in insurance distribution channels can result in a great outcome for many agency owners who want to grow their firm quickly or just cash out, its not appropriate in all cases, some say. Private equity has its place but its certainly not for everybody, said David Macknin, president and CEO of the Chicago-based brokerage Alper Services. It makes sense in a lot of situations those being if the agency principals are looking to generate the highest return on the investment they made in the business regardless if theyre a founder or a PE buyer whos now a seller, or a consolidator whos now a seller. If the motivation is maximizing return for whomever, the PE play makes perfect sense, Macknin said. It works well for agencies like Confie Seguros that want to grow through consolidation, Rothberg said. But an agency thats doing two to three million dollars of EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization), that might not be somebody that wants to start a private equity backed company, he added. Macknin said there are agency operators, and he counts Alper Services management as one of them, who have no interest in having outside money impact how we conduct our business. He said an agency that seeks to grow without using private equity dollars should should look at the medium and long term, not just at the short and medium term. One needs to have a focused strategy for your growth, and then explain it and live it. A profitable agency would presumably have retained earnings that could be clearly deployed and reinvested into the agency and the existing personnel, and to bring in new people, he said. When it comes to mergers and acquisitions between agencies, I would say you absolutely need to have a strategic plan as to what youre trying to do, who youre trying to bring in. The characteristic that I believe should drive it is culture. Culture, culture, culture. It cannot be overstated. Its got to be something you live. Your culture should be defining you, how you carry yourself as an individual as part of a firm, Macknin said. For Burand, its not clear that private equity is the solution for achieving organic growth. In the majority of cases that Ive seen I dont think private equity achieves organic growth, he said. If an agency wants to achieve organic growth it has to invest in a growth strategy. Theres a number of those out there. But they involve hiring quality people that can make sales and making those people accountable for that. Thats the real key. Youve got to invest in people that can actually get out there and make sales. And hold them accountable for doing so. Both Macknin and Burand advocate internal perpetuation plans for agencies that want to grow organically. If they plan it out, if they use foresight, the owners can still make a lot of money upon retirement. And they can do so with the knowledge that their people and their clients and their legacy will live on, Burand said. However, it takes a considerable amount of planning operationally and strategically to make it happen. What I see occur way to often is that planning doesnt happen until its way too late, Burand said. Likewise, MarshBerrys Trem said agencies should relentlessly focus on predictable, profitable, organic growth. That strategy will not only enhance the firms valuation, it will position them to have a choice for their long-term perpetuation. Topics Agencies Human Resources A doctor has been indicted on charges accusing him of getting kickbacks on prescriptions of a highly addictive painkiller written for patients who didnt need the drug. Jerrold Rosenberg, a pain specialist and clinical assistant professor at Brown University, pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence on Thursday. Hes the latest person to be caught up in a federal investigation in multiple states surrounding Arizona-based drug manufacturer Insys Therapeutics. Former Insys executives are accused of leading a nationwide conspiracy to bribe doctors to prescribe large amounts of the companys fentanyl spray and defraud insurers. Theyve pleaded not guilty in Massachusetts. Insys couldnt immediately be reached for comment. The spray, called Subsys, is a potent opioid used to manage flares of severe pain in adults with cancer. Prosecutors say Rosenberg prescribed the spray to patients who didnt have cancer, increased the dosage, refused patients requests to switch drugs when they suffered debilitating side effects and submitted fraudulent requests for the spray, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses to Medicare and private insurers. Rosenberg was one of the top prescribers of the spray in the nation, the indictment says. In turn, it says, the company paid Rosenberg about $180,000 in fees to speak about the spray. Many of the speaking events were sham programs held at expensive restaurants with no other medical professionals in attendance, according to the indictment. His son earned commissions from the prescriptions as an Insys sales representative, the indictment says. Rosenberg is charged with health care fraud, conspiracy and receiving kickbacks. He was released on a $100,000 unsecured bond, and his attorney declined to comment after the arraignment. Rosenberg had a practice in Providence, which he moved to North Providence in 2015. The court didnt restrict Rosenbergs medical license. The state Department of Health says its looking into the matter and will ensure it goes through the normal process for determining whether an investigation will be opened. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Drugs Authorities say a fast-moving fire has destroyed most of a luxury apartment complex that was about to open to residents. But its not yet clear what caused the fire at the Avalon apartments in Maplewood, N.J. The construction site blaze was reported around 1:30 a.m. Saturday. Town officials say 235 units were planned for the complex overall, and roughly 30 of them were due to be ready for occupancy in about six weeks. Authorities say more than two-thirds of the complex was destroyed by the blaze. More than 120 firefighters battled the fire at its peak. One was injured when he slipped on ice. AvalonBay, which owns the complex, faced a similar situation two years ago when a 240-unit apartment complex it operated in Edgewater was gutted by a massive blaze. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics New Jersey A Kansas Insurance Department staff member will be visiting with business majors at Kansas universities during February to promote insurance courses as part of a statewide education initiative to attract more employees to the insurance industry. The initiative, sponsored by the Kansas Insurance Department and the Kansas Insurance Education Foundation, has so far attracted more than 80 students to take courses toward completion of an insurance certificate. That certificate would serve as an incentive for Kansas insurance companies to hire those students following their graduation from college. Daniel Rineberg, department community outreach specialist, will be at the business schools or departments of the following universities: Feb. 10, Fort Hays State University; Feb. 13, Washburn University; and Feb. 14, Emporia State University. An additional visit will be scheduled for Johnson County Community College. All visits will be from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the commons areas of each business school or department. Additional visits will be scheduled later for the business schools at the University of Kansas Edwards Campus and Kansas State University. Rineberg, a recent Fort Hays State University graduate, will explain to students about the four classes they can take from any of the participating schools. Those courses fulfill the requirement for the insurance certificate. Insurance industry executives have expressed the need for new hires to have basic insurance knowledge in hand as they step in to fill jobs previously occupied by long-time industry employees. Source: Kansas Insurance Department Topics Education Kansas Universities A Springfield, Mo., man who has been accused of a spree of fires in cars and trash containers near a low-income housing complex told police he cant stop himself from setting the blazes, at times just to watch the flames, according to court documents. Prosecutors in southwestern Missouris Greene County charged 56-year-old Ned Zitting on Feb. 3 with six felony counts of knowingly burning related to the blazes at or near the Franciscan Villa apartment complex, where he lived. He was jailed Saturday on $75,000 bond. The Springfield Fire Department said in a statement that the suspicious fires date to the fall of 2015. According to a probable-cause statement filed along with the criminal complaint, Zitting told police he has started eight car fires and has lit the same trash container ablaze as many times, the Springfield News-Leader reported. Zitting allegedly told police he often went back to his apartment to watch the flames. According to the statement, Zitting said he would fill a cardboard box with paper or toilet paper and put it inside a car, then light the fire. Police said Zitting acknowledged that if the car was locked, he might fill a plastic bag with Styrofoam or toilet paper and use that to set the front tires on fire. Online court records dont show whether Zitting has an attorney to speak on his behalf. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Missouri President Donald Trump said the process for coming up with a replacement for the Affordable Care Act could stretch into 2018, a longer time frame than he previously indicated. Trumps comments came in an interview with Fox News Bill OReilly that aired on Sunday during the Super Bowl pre-game show. OReilly asked the president whether he would introduce a health plan this year to replace Obamacare, which Trump has vowed to repeal. Maybe itll take till some time into next year, but we are certainly going to be in the process, Trump said in the interview. I would like to say by the end of the year, at least the rudiments, but we should have something within the year and the following year. Trump said in January that hed put forward his plans for replacing the law, also called Obamacare, once Tom Price, his pick to run the Department of Health and Human Services, is confirmed. Were going to be submitting, as soon as our secretary is approved, almost simultaneously, shortly thereafter, a plan, Trump said at a Jan. 11 press conference. Itll be repeal and replace. It will be essentially simultaneously. Republican lawmakers are working to figure out how to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, after seven years of calling for Barack Obamas health law to be scuttled. Congress held several hearings last week on aspects of the law, while insurers have pressed for certainty so they can draw up business plans for next year. Bill Drafts The House Energy and Commerce Committees health panel examined drafts of four bills on Thursday that could serve as a basis for some of the earliest moves by Republicans to replace pieces of the law. Meanwhile, insurance industry representatives told a Senate panel that they need to know the rules for 2018 during the next few months or they may not be able to offer Obamacare plans for 2018. In the interview with OReilly that aired Sunday, Trump said little about his plans to replace Obamacare. He said though that the health law is a disaster and doesnt work. We are putting in a wonderful plan, Trump said. Related: Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. President Donald Trump will order a sweeping review of the Dodd-Frank Act rules enacted in response to the 2008 financial crisis, a White House official said, signing an executive action Friday designed to significantly scale back the regulatory system put in place in 2010. Trump also will halt another of former President Barack Obamas regulations, hated by the financial industry, that requires advisers on retirement accounts to work in the best interests of their clients. Trumps order will give the new administration time to review the change, known as the fiduciary rule. Taken together, the actions are designed to lay down the Trump administrations approach to financial markets, with an emphasis on removing regulatory burdens and opening up investor options, said the White House official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity. The orders are the most aggressive steps yet by Trump to loosen regulations in the financial services industry and come after he has sought to stock his administration with veterans of the industry in key positions. His plans are sure to face fierce criticism by Democrats who charge that Trump is intent on undoing changes designed to protect everything from average investors to the global banking system. He also could face a backlash from some of his own supporters, whose distrust of big banks and the financial industry helped fuel the populist anger that propelled Trump to the White House. Banks Shackled Trump is scheduled to issue the directives at a signing ceremony around noon following a meeting of more than a dozen top corporate executives led by Blackstone Group LP Chief Executive Officer Steve Schwarzman. Gary Cohn, director of Trumps National Economic Council, is meeting with House Financial Services Committee members Friday morning, said two people familiar with his schedule. Cohn said Friday on Fox Business that the executive orders are intended to relieve restrictions and scrutiny that post-crisis regulations have put on banks, and that firms have been forced to hoard capital rather than lend it out to their clients. All banks have been shackled, Cohn said. We need to get banks back in the lending business. On Monday, Trump promised to do a big number on the Dodd-Frank Act during a meeting with small business owners. He said the law had damaged the countrys entrepreneurial spirit and limited access to needed credit. Regulation has actually been horrible for big business, but its been worse for small business, the president said. Dodd-Frank is a disaster. Trumps Treasury secretary nominee, Steven Mnuchin, will meet with members of the Financial Stability Oversight Council and report back on what changes the administration should take to alter Dodd-Frank, the official said. Particular attention will be paid to the Volcker Rule limits on banks making speculative bets with their own funds, a restriction promoted by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker. Immediate Impact The official wouldnt say how long the Treasury Department would have to complete its review, but did say that the administration would be looking for ways to make an immediate impact, including through administrative changes and personnel decisions. Trumps directive also starts the process of stalling the so-called fiduciary rule set to take effect in April that the Obama administration said would protect millions of retirees from being steered into inappropriate high-cost or high-risk investments that generate bigger profits for brokers. The review will include examining making personnel changes at financial regulators as a way of accomplishing the administrations objectives, the official said. They declined to answer a question on whether Trump would try to fire Richard Cordray, the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The official did say the administration believed that some of the rules created under Dodd-Frank may have been unconstitutional, including the creation of new agencies, an apparent reference to the bureau. Asked Monday about whether Trump would retain Cordray in his position, White House press secretary Sean Spicer declined to answer. Mnuchin said during his congressional testimony that he believed the CFPB as a whole should be preserved but that Congress should take more direct control of its budget. The Trump administration doesnt believe Dodd-Frank measures, including the Volcker Rule, addressed real issues in the financial system, the official said. The presidents team also believes the Labor Department fiduciary rule was unnecessarily restricting investor choice without providing necessary consumer protection, the official said. Republican lawmakers and some financial firms say the fiduciary rule is deeply flawed, arguing that it will restrict options for consumers and result in some savers being denied advice on their retirements. Trump will call for the Labor Department to stop and review the regulation in its entirety. While the review will be undertaken independently by the Labor Department, the White House aide signaled that the president was expecting significant change. Broader Overhaul Delaying implementation of the Labor Department rule is the first step Republicans and the finance industry are eyeing as part of a broader overhaul of the measure. GOP Lawmakers have argued that the Securities and Exchange Commission, not the Labor Department, should oversee and regulate any changes related to financial firms. Banks, asset managers and insurers have been fighting the fiduciary rule ever since the Labor Department approved it last year, saying the regulation could raise the costs of providing advice and make it harder to serve lower-income clients. Business groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and American Council of Life Insurers have sued to try to block it. Still, representatives of some financial services companies said they planned to change practices to meet the regulations standard even if it is halted. We plan to go forward with the majority of the work weve done, Bill Morrissey, managing director of business development at LPL Financial Holdings Inc., said in an interview before Trumps order was disclosed. What investors want is more transparency and lower fees. Morgan Stanley, one of the biggest U.S. brokerages, said on Jan. 26 it plans to move ahead with changes designed to comply with the rule, despite uncertainty over whether the regulation will be implemented. Insurers including American International Group Inc. and Principal Financial Group Inc. stressed after Trumps victory that they would continue to forge ahead as though the rules would be carried out. My expectation is that a lot of firms are going to continue installing a best-interest standard, regardless, said Brian Graff, chief executive officer of the American Retirement Association, a group that represents pension administrators and plan advisers. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics Legislation Express Scripts Holding Co., the largest pharmacy benefit manager in the United States, said prescription drug spending for its members slowed to less than 4 percent in 2016, at a time when scrutiny of drug price hikes has intensified. Prescription benefit managers (PBMs) negotiate drug benefits for health plans and employers, and have in recent years taken an increasingly aggressive stance in price negotiations with drugmakers. They often extract discounts and after-market rebates from drugmakers in exchange for including their medicines in their formularies with low co-payments. Per-person spending on prescription drugs increased 3.8 percent in 2016, compared with the 5.2 percent increase in 2015, according to Express Scripts drug trend report on Monday. Brand-name list prices increased nearly 11 percent in 2016, the company said. Drug pricing has become a lightening rod for criticism with several drugmakers under federal investigations for sharp price increases. U.S. President Donald Trump in a meeting with pharmaceutical executives last week urged them to manufacture more of their drugs in the United States and cut prices. Express Scripts, which is also the target of short-seller Citron Researchs Andrew Left, said on Monday it saved its members $1.3 billion in 2016. Left in December called Express Scripts the culprit behind pharmaceutical price gouging, and added that the company benefited from the opaqueness of drug pricing. (Reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila) Related: Topics USA Commercial Lines Drugs Philadelphia Insurance Companies has promoted James Decker from vice president to senior vice president of Underwriting. Decker will continue to oversee the Sports, Recreation, and Public Service Underwriting divisions in his new role. Decker has worked in the insurance industry for 18 years. He joined Philadelphia Insurance in 2006 as an underwriter, after seven years of holding various claims, subrogation and underwriting positions in the industry. Most recently, he led the integration of the Allen J. Flood managing general agency following the companys acquisition of that business in 2015. Decker is currently playing a role in synergy efforts with both Tokio Marine HCC and Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. in Canada. Philadelphia Insurance Companies writes commercial property/casualty and professional liability insurance company for niche markets. It is based in Bala Cynwyd, Penn. Source: Philadelphia Insurance Companies Topics Underwriting President Donald Trump is telling the American people that if "something happens," blame the judge who blocked his ban on immigration from seven Muslim majority countries. In one of his trademark tweets Sunday, the president said he "just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril." Late last week, U.S. District Court Judge James Robart of Washington state temporarily blocked Trump's executive order halting travel to the U.S. by refugees and others from seven Muslim majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Then on Sunday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco rejected the Trump administration's demand to reinstate the travel ban. In his Sunday tweets, Trump said he has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to check people entering the U.S. "very carefully," adding that the courts have made the job "very difficult." He also singled out Judge Robart again, saying, "The judge opens our country to potential terrorists and others that do not have our best interests at heart. Bad people are very happy!" The appeals court has given federal officials and states until Monday to file more arguments on whether the ban should be declared unconstitutional or reinstated. The case likely will wind up in the Supreme Court. The Justice Department's appeal said the judge's decision "second guesses the president's national security judgment" and harms the public by "thwarting enforcement" of Trump's executive order. JLT Specialty USA, a U.S. subsidiary of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc. (JLT), has appointed Robert Moussaid as senior vice president focused on the power sector. He is based in Dallas. Moussaid comes to JLT with more than 23 years experience in the insurance industry as a broker, consultant and risk manager. Moussaids primary focus will be on assisting JLTs power sector clients and prospects assess and manage risk. He most recently was with Energy Future Holdings (formerly TXU) and previously worked with industry mutuals including AEGIS, FM Global NEIL and EMANI. Moussaid was the director, Risk & Insurance, at Energy Future Holdings Corp. He started his insurance career with insurance brokers Johnson & Higgins in their Cleveland office, and was transferred to Saudi Arabia a few years later where he helped develop the regions emerging practice. Moussaid also served in various positions for American Electric Power Co. (AEP) where his responsibilities included management of the global liability and property, executive liability, builders risk and captive programs. Moussaid holds the Certified Risk Manager International (CRM) professional designation. Jardine Lloyd Thompson provides insurance, reinsurance and employee benefits related advice, brokerage and associated services. Source: JLT Specialty USA A powerful explosion destroyed a home in Georgia on Friday, killing one person inside and shattering windows of neighboring houses as the blasts shockwave was felt by people living miles away. Investigators were unable to quickly determine what triggered the blast about 10:30 a.m. Friday. Television news stations broadcast footage showing bits of wood, concrete blocks and other debris strewn over a large area. The house was just blown all to pieces, White County Sheriff Neal Walden told The Associated Press by telephone. There was nothing but the foundation there. The sheriff confirmed the explosion killed one person inside the home, but said there were no other injuries. The blast left three or four homes nearby with broken windows and other damage, the sheriff said, and residents of neighboring counties several miles away reported feeling the shockwave. The explosion happened in the mountainous northeast corner of Georgia, about 90 miles from Atlanta and roughly 30 miles from the Tennessee state line. Woods surrounding the home were set ablaze, but firefighters were quickly able to contain the flames, Walden said. The woods were on fire and what was left of the house was on fire, Walden said. It looked like a war zone. The sheriff said his investigators were working with state and local fire marshals to determine what caused the explosion. The name of the person killed in the blast was not immediately released. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Georgia Cape joins the firm from the tax team at Dentons in London. With a background advising politicians, both in the UK and abroad, on tax policy matters, Cape advises on a wide range of tax-related issues covering cross-border transactions including M&A, finance, restructuring and insolvency, funds and outsourcing. His global work focuses on Africa and emerging markets, where he advises both governments as well as corporate entities. In his Africa-related work, Cape has advised an energy company on outsourcing certain operations to South Africa, as well as a Texas-based oil and gas services provider on structuring services for a Nigerian client. In addition, he has also advised several African governments on the tax issues regarding the development of their mining sector, a Middle Eastern client on the structuring of a luxury hotel development on an African island jurisdiction, and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) on the establishment of a pan-African infrastructure fund. Capes industry experience also includes the financial services, aviation, manufacturing, energy and resources, hospitality and media sectors. He acts for clients on both UK and international tax matters. The TaxChambers LLP team is led by partners Sunita Doobay and Vitaly Timokhov and its Toronto location extends the firms growing presence in Canada. TaxChambers LLP advises in all areas of tax including international taxation, commodity taxation, tax controversy and litigation, transfer pricing, corporate taxation for both public and private companies and tax planning for high net worth families. With the addition of TaxChambers LLP, Andersen Global has a presence in 57 locations worldwide. President Park Geun-hye in a statement to the Constitutional Court denied all charges against her in the National Assembly's impeachment motion. Park's lawyer Lee Joong-hwan in a text message to reporters confirmed that he has finally submitted the statement, for which the court had set a Friday deadline. Sources quoted Park as claiming she merely "listened to the opinions" of her longtime confidante Choi Soon-sil "regarding some expressions" in her notoriously opaque speeches, but "never the leak of confidential documents." Park also claimed that two dodgy nonprofits Choi established under the Cheong Wa Dae aegis to enrich herself were set up with the bona fide aim of promoting Korean culture. Park has still not complied with a court demand to explain in detail where she was in the notorious "missing seven hours" on April 16, 2014, when she was nowhere to be found while the ferry Sewol sank off the southwest coast killing over 300 people. Google Voice is a free service that lets you make phone calls and send text messages tied from your Google account. It uses Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology just like Skype and hooks you up with your own new phone number. The perk of this is being able to easily share your Google Voice number with strangers or in a workplace environment while keeping your personal number tied to your wireless carrier just for yourself. The service is also useful for people who switch between devices a lot and want a log of calls and messages synced on all of them. You can access Google Voice on iOS, Android and on the web too, so all of your data is on several platforms. Being its own app, Google Voice has its own interface for handling calls and messages plus some clever features you cant get by default on iPhone. Plus, it very recently got a terrific redesign after going stale for several years. Setting up an account is easy, so lets get into creating one and getting started with the basics. Sign in with Google and Get Your Phone Number Download the free Google Voice app to your iPhone or iPad. Launch it and sign in with your Google account. Youll need one to proceed, so create a Google account ahead of time if you dont have one. Additionally, if youre attempting to use a G Suite account, check with your administrator to see if your plan allows for Google services like Voice. Once youre signed in, now you have to pick a phone number. Google Voice lets you search by city to determine where you want this phone number to operate out of. You dont need to pick your own, but you can if you want. Select one of the available numbers from the search results and youre done. You can also set up Google Voice to essentially take over your phone, letting you receive calls sent to your Voice number on your personal line. The opposite is also available you can place calls in app using your regular phone number too. Linking accounts is as easy as following the steps to put in your personal phone number, entering in the verification code sent to you, and thats it. Skip this entire section entirely if you dont want these linked account features. RELATED :Telegram Premium Brings a Better Messaging Experience to Paying Users Using Google Voice Once the setup process is complete, you can get on with using the service for call and messages. In almost any view of the Google Voice app, you can tap the + icon at the bottom right to either make a call or send a message. Tapping Make a call lets you either search for a contact or dial the number on the keypad. Calls are free nationwide in United States and Canada and one cent from everywhere else. Calling has low rates internationally too as little as one cent per minute. To find rates for the country youre trying to call, tap the Menu icon at the top left and tap Settings. Then scroll to Payments and tap Call rates. This is also where you can add credit to your account. Google Voice comes with 10 cents to boot. Messages are free and unlimited. Google Voice is not a social network, therefore your contacts dont need to use Google Voice to get your messages. Your messages appear exactly as SMS text messages would. The last feature is Voicemail, which lets you access your messages from anywhere and even includes pretty solid transcriptions of the recorded messages. It works the same way as any other voicemail, except again its multi-platform you can listen to your messages from iOS or Android and even online at the Google Voice website. Customize Google Voice Options Tap the Menu icon at the top left, then Settings to access all of Google Voices customization options. At the top youll find the area where you can get your phone number and link it to your phone as discussed earlier. Underneath, you have additional options for call and message forwarding. If you link your primary phone number and enable these settings, all calls and messages sent to your Google Voice number will arrive on your regular number too. Voicemail has several additional features worth exploring in Settings too. You can enable getting all your voicemails sent as text messages, emails, or both. The last option enabling Google to analyze voicemail transcripts is just for the sake of improvement. Lastly, you can turn on an automatic spam filter as well as enable Do Not Disturb, which behaves much like the feature on iOS. When you dont feel like socializing, flick this switch to send all your calls directly to voicemail. Google Voice overall is a versatile VoIP service with terrific multi-platform support and of course your very own, free phone number. Enjoy. Activists who allege a British undercover police officer operated in Ireland have branded a Garda inquiry into his activity a whitewash. Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan was tasked late last year with a second internal probe into the activities of a spy from London's Metropolitan Police after an original inquiry in 2011 found no evidence of criminality. Campaigners wrote to Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald demanding she seek Ireland's inclusion in a public inquiry in England and Wales over undercover policing. Activist Kim Bryan, who claims she was targeted by Met spy Mark Kennedy in England and in Ireland, criticised the minister's response. "I am bitterly disappointed by the closed process Frances Fitzgerald has established, with an internal garda report into undercover policing," she said. "It makes a mockery of the justice process if this review examining undercover policing in Ireland does not take into account the evidence of those that were spied on, and as such I would seriously question its legitimacy." The Shell to Sea campaign, which opposes the Shell Corrib gas project in Mayo, and Shannonwatch, which opposes the use of Irish airports by US military also claim to have come in contact with Mr Kennedy. Ed Horgan, Shannonwatch spokesman and a United Nations elections' inspector, said: "We would be very supportive of a proper investigation into this guy's actions. Who paid? Why? Were the gardai using such an agent provocateur?" Mr Kennedy is believed to have been in Ireland between 2004 and 2006. Anti-globalisation campaigner Jason Kirkpatrick, who says he was a victim of abuses by the Met's undercover unit, is taking a High Court challenge in Belfast this week to force the public inquiry in England and Wales to be extended to the North. The inquiry was announced by then home secretary Theresa May in March 2015 under the leadership of Christopher Pitchford, following revelations about the activities of Mr Kennedy, who admitted having "intimate relationships with a number of people while undercover". Mr Kirkpatrick and Ms Bryan are among 200 core participants in the Pitchford inquiry. Forty-two cases have been found where dead children's names were used to provide cover identities for officers by the inquiry and there have been calls to extend the Pitchford inquiry to cover actions of officers in Germany and Scotland. In a reply to a series of parliamentary questions on the issue of British undercover police in Ireland, Ms Fitzgerald has repeatedly said that see would "fully consider" any findings that relate to Ireland. The Department of Justice defended its request for a second internal inquiry on the issue. "The Garda authorities are in ongoing contact with their counterparts in the London Metropolitan Police Service in the context of co-operation across a full range of policing issues," a spokesman said. "It should be noted that there is no question of a police officer from outside the jurisdiction exercising police powers here in Ireland. Any such person is subject fully to our laws and any evidence of breach of our criminal law would be fully pursued." US citizen Sarah Hampton said she has received an apology from the Met after having a year-long relationship with Mr Kennedy while in Ireland in 2005. She said she knew him as Mark Stone and that she suffered deep depression after discovering the truth. "No-one should ever be under any circumstance coerced, invaded, violated and deceived by an undercover police officer through sexual relationships," she said. "Despite the apology I have many unanswered questions. I have not received the files the police have on me. I want to know to what extent my private life has been invaded by the UK police force and what justification is there for it." A man in his 40s is in a serious condition following an alleged assault in county Roscommon overnight. It happened in Erris Bay, Boyle at around 4.30am. Kim Jong-un unprecedentedly admitted "shortcomings" as a leader in his New Year's address last month. This appears to have been a prod to other officials to make similar confessions, which could be used to justify a widespread purge. Several vice ministers appear to have been executed. Unification Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee said Kim is still under "intense" investigation. The Unification Ministry on Friday said the North's State Security Minister Kim Won-hong was dismissed in mid-January on charges of corruption and abuse of power. He was demoted from a four-star to a one-star general. Choe Kyong-hui, a researcher at Hanyang University and North Korean defector, said, "Since Kim Jong-un rose to power, the Workers Party, military and cabinet have all experienced purges, but the state security apparatus had been left untouched. As Kim marks his sixth year in power, he seems to be turning to secret service and law enforcement agencies to complete his overhaul of the system." Other pundits say the sacking of Kim Won-hong is a precursor to a nationwide purge. In his New Year's address, Kim ordered the mobilization of all North Koreans, which could mean not only press-ganging ordinary people into major construction projects but also a purge of officials who fail to meet deadlines or cut corners. The North Korean elite is already on edge, and they are likely to get more jittery. One source said one director in the Workers Party died during interrogation by the State Security Ministry even though he had been praised by Kim Jong-un for his good work. "There is a chance of an intensifying power struggle as senior party officials seek to settle vendettas," the source added. Kim has carried out several brutal purges since he came to power in late 2011 to strengthen his grip among entrenched privilege. The Institute for National Security Strategy here said in a recent white paper that the North Korean regime has executed 340 officials and ordinary people, including Kim Jong-un's uncle Jang Song-taek, who had arrogated most of the trade with China to himself. Mohamed El Erian has carved out a considerable reputation having served for many years as chief economist at the leading US fund manager Pimco. Today he is the chief economic advisor of its parent Allianz. Mr El Erian is not, it has to be said, the most cheery of souls. These days, he is particularly gloomy, obsessed by what he views as the retreat of advanced economies from the global economy, as well as Britain, which is quitting regional trading arrangements. Ireland has, rather like a small bird perched on the back of a large mammal, managed to do rather well out of globalisation. Now, the fear is that this process will go into reverse as international trading arrangements are threatened, perhaps sundered. Small open economies like Ireland could find themselves in the eye of a storm over which they have little control. Mr El Erians core argument is that the traditional advanced western economies will end up shooting themselves in the foot if they embark on a retreat from global commitments particularly in the area of trade. But he goes further in warning that small trading nations with little clout could lose out should the world break up into competing, perhaps hostile, regional or national entities. Renationalisation spells deep trouble for countries with open economies. As Mr El Erian points out, enormous privileges have been conferred on advanced nations, and on the US, in particular, under the deal forged at Bretton Woods in 1944. By virtue of its status as the issuer of a reserve currency, the US has been able to finance large deficits at favourable rates. The IMF and World Bank have been largely dominated by western nations, its leadership drawn in large part from the US, Britain, France and Australia. While Chinas president Xi Jinping, presents himself as a defender of globalisation, his country is developing a parallel strategy, building up bilateral ties with nations such as Pakistan. The breakdown in relations between the US and longtime partners such as its neighbour Mexico looks set to serve the interests of China, assuming its economy does not itself implode as some have been forecasting for some years now. Chinas creation, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, looks set to rival the World Bank in terms of influence, having attracted several allies of the US into its ranks. China, of course, faces its own acute challenges. The country is clamping down on capital outflows as it tries to cope with the consequences of a debt-financed boom. The country is, however, a big beast which should be well equipped to survive in a jungle like new order. But for smaller trading nations, the future will be challenging, to say the least, with established trading relationships under a set of dark clouds. In recent weeks, the TCD professor Alan Matthews has written in some detail about the likely consequences of Brexit - the renationalisation process on our doorstep for the Irish food industry. Much ink has been spilled on this subject, but Matthews is particularly well informed. Last Spring, Teagasc researchers Trevor Donnellan and Kevin Hanrahan produced a study containing estimates of the likely impact of Brexit on the food sector, one that is especially exposed to a break down in free flows of trade between this country and Britain. They concluded that a reduction in exports was all but certain and could range anywhere from 150m to 800m. Professor Matthews pays due respect to the report but goes on to suggest the above predictions are gross underestimates of the adverse impact of a British departure from the customs union, an event which he now considers to be highly likely. He warns that a substantial fall in both the volume of Irish food exports and in their profitability is on the cards in a situation where further downward pressure on prices, in euro terms, achieved in the British market appears on the cards. Irish food and drink exports rose by over 40% in value between 2010 and 2016 - a jump which benefited many communities which had borne the brunt of the downturn. But this performance is now under threat as a result of the increased likelihood of a painful divorce between Britain and the rest of the EU. Professor Matthews points out that producers of fresh vegetables, chocolate, meat and fish preparations and animal feed-stuffs are particularly dependent on the UK market which last year accounted for 43% of Irish food and drink exports in total. Suppliers of fish, cereal preparations, infant formula, beverages and spirits would be much less hard hit. Some 833n out of 1.82bn of dairy exports went to Britain last year, whereas the UK accounted for 460m out of 1.92bn in exports in the cereal category. Ireland would be particularly hard hit if the UK and the rest of the EU cannot negotiate a free trade agreement, though if Britain opts for low levels of tariff protection, this would become less important. The other great fear is that Britain could enter into trade agreements with competing agri-exporters including the US, Brazil and Australia. The Tory government appears keen to complete a bilateral deal with the US, in particular, though this wont be possible until the exit negotiations have been completed, a process likely to be fraught with danger, given EU demands for outstanding payments amounting to in excess of 50bn. Prime minister Theresa May acknowledged Irish concerns while making soothing noises about the strength of our two countries relationships. Similar soothing noises have emanated from the EUs top negotiator, Michel Barnier. The Trump administration has to date not bothered too much with the diplomatic niceties. Already, countries as diverse as Mexico, China and Germany have felt the lash of president Trumps lip as old fashioned 1930s-style mercantilism is dusted off, threatening supply chains and trading arrangements. In such a febrile environment, where bigger countries bump up against each other like hard lads in a concrete school play ground, smaller players like Ireland will need to use their brains as never before. EU leaders at the summit in Malta to discuss the future of the Union were quick to attack the Trump administration, but held back on the more pressing issue of how to balance the books after the UK exits. The summit, held at the Grand Masters Palace in Valletta, was the British prime ministers first encounter with the other EU leaders since a meeting in Bratislava in December where she was somewhat isolated. This time, Chancellor Angela Merkel talked at length with Theresa May as they walked together through Valletta during a mid-morning tour of the city. There was much to discuss, as Germany and the UK account for over half of the EU budget surplus that is used to support development across other member states. Ms Merkel will be keenly aware that UK exiting will either lead to Germany paying more, or the EU Budget being cut. That means a reduction in supports for Ireland and other member states. The summit was officially focused on the Mediterranean migration crisis. Later, with Ms May absent, the remaining 27 EU leaders began their critical discussions on how Brexit should be handled. In the week that the UK government published its Brexit white paper, Taoiseach Enda Kenny and other EU leaders faced the reality of Brexit, as they planned next month to mark the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which founded the community. The 27 leaders discussed both budget shortfalls and how the EU should move forward without the UK in the next phase of integration. The potentially explosive issue of the bill that the UK should be asked to pay for leaving, estimated by some at 50bn was discussed. That included commitments the UK made, before the Brexit vote, to pay into the EU budget until 2020. In effect, the sum is its advance EU subscription, as agreed in the last round of budget talks. Maltese prime minister Joseph Muscat was unequivocal, saying there would be no special favours for the UK. After Germany, the UK is the highest contributor to the EUs net income stream. Official EU releases show that 26% of the EU budget surplus came from the UK. This surplus was then distributed amongst other less developed member states. Finding a way to balance the EU Budget after the UKs exit will be difficult and is likely to create hardship for many farmers and disadvantaged regions that rely on EU grants to survive. There are many in the EU who believe that extracting a continued contribution from the UK close to its existing net contribution of 11.5bn a year, will only come if access to the single market is agreed. Non-EU countries, who currently have access to the EUs single market, pay sizeable net contributions to the EU budget. In relative terms, Norway pays similar amounts to those of the UK. Switzerland and Liechtenstein pay surprisingly small amounts. Of course, immigration is likely to be a major stumbling block for the UK government, and if conceded by the EU, it will come at a price. The Taoiseach will have to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds, to secure Irelands best interests. John Whelan is a leading consultant on Irish and international trade. Multiple outbreaks have been reported in poultry farms and wild flocks across Europe, Africa, and Asia in the past three months. While most involve strains that are low risk for human health, the sheer number of different types, and their presence in so many parts of the world at the same time, increases the risk of viruses mixing and mutating and possibly jumping to people. This is a fundamental change in the natural history of influenza viruses, said Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease specialist at University of Minnesota, of the proliferation of bird flu in terms of geography and strains a situation he described as unprecedented. Global health officials are worried another strain could make a jump into humans, like H5N1 did in the late 1990s. It has since caused hundreds of human infections and deaths, but has not acquired the ability to transmit easily from person to person. The greatest fear is that a deadly strain of avian flu could then mutate into a pandemic form that can be passed easily between people something not as yet seen. While avian flu has been a prominent public health issue since the 1990s, ongoing outbreaks have never been so widely spread around the world something infectious disease experts put down to greater resilience of strains currently circulating, rather than improved detection or reporting. While there would normally be around two or three bird flu strains recorded in birds at any one time, now there are at least half a dozen, including H5N1, H5N2, H5N8, and H7N8. The Organisation for Animal Health says the recent outbreaks in birds are a global public health concern, and the World Health Organisations director-general warned this week the world cannot afford to miss the early signals of a possible human flu pandemic. The precise reasons for the unusually large number and sustained nature of bird outbreaks in recent months, and the proliferation of strains, is unclear although such developments compound the global spreading process. Bird flu is usually spread through flocks by direct contact with an infected bird. However, Dr Osterholm said wild birds may be shedding more of the virus in droppings and other secretions, increasing infection risks. He said there now appears to be aerosol transmission from one infected barn to others, in some cases many miles away. Ian MacKay, a virologist at Australias University of Queensland, said that the current rise of strains means that by definition, there is an increased risk to humans. Youve got more exposures, to more farmers, more often, and in greater numbers, in more parts of the world so there has to be an increased risk of spillover human cases, said Dr McKay. OF ALL the potential gin joints in all the world, drinks industry veteran Pat Rigney chose Drumshambo when he decided to create a new drinks brand. Despite being told he was crazy to opt for a small remote Leitrim town, Mr Rigney chose it because he believed the name and the place was exactly right for the super premium quality drinks brand he wanted to create. Many of the main drinks brands have become predictable and homogenised. I wanted to create something different. I wanted to find a place with a storysomewhere that was remote and wild, he says. Now his companys story involves the establishment of the first distillery in Connacht in 100 years. And as he targets international markets, the company tells of drinks distilled in the wild rugged unspoiled countryside of Drumshambo. Part of the story is also the fact that the venture is called , although its not in a shed but housed in a 10,000 sq ft facility following a 2.5m investment. Two years after setting up, the company is laying down 700 casks of whiskey a year and waiting for it to mature. Since December 2015, Mr Rigney has also been distilling and selling Drumshambo Gunpower Gin. Our largest market is Ireland and we have sales in the UK, Benelux, France, Denmark, Switzerland the US and Denmark and are about to start selling to Israel, he says. Mr Rigney, who worked for Baileys, Gilbeys, C&C and Grants and previously launched Boru Vodka, spent several years germinating an idea for a new drinks brand to satisfy the growing international demand for Irish whiskey. He spent a year searching for the right location. When I visited the old jam factory in Drumshambo in December 2013 the locals showed up. I was impressed with them and with the place, he says. A year later, The Shed Distillery began producing grand cru pot still and single malt whiskey. Using a specially designed copper still, it recruited a craft distiller from the US and trained four locals as assistant distillers. While waiting for the whiskey to mature, Mr Rigney focused his attention on gin, aiming to produce a slow, hand-distilled gin with oriental botanicals and gunpowder tea--to surprise and excite customers in a busy market category. For its Drumshambo Gunpowder Irish Gin, which retails at 49, the company chose blue apothecary style bottles which feature a drawing of an antlered rabbit (the mythical Jackanory) and carry the wording from the curious mind of PJ Rigney. It was designed to stand out from the ordinary. Now employing a staff of 12, the company secured 275,000 in High Potential Start Up funding from Enterprise Ireland, as well as 250,000 in EIIS funding. Drumshambo Gin is being distributed in Ireland by Dalcassian Wines & Spirits, a company which is part-owned by Mr Rigney. Building up exports, in a highly competitive market, has according to its managing director, been a slow and difficult process. We sent out our first export in July 2016. Its going well. We are getting good revenue but its very early days it can take four or five years to successfully launch a new drink, he says. He believes that the key to achieving success is in creating a drink thats special, exclusive and collectible with an authentic point of difference and says the company has achieved this with Drumshambo gin. We have designed it to be a world leader. It is special because of the distillation, the taste, the quality and its authentic story, he says. The first Drumshambo whiskey will be ready for tasking by the Winter Solstice. Meanwhile, he is focusing on gin sales and has applied for planning permission for a new visitor centre at Drumshambo, which will cost 1m, and could employ an additional 10 staff. By 2021, Mr Rigney expects Drumshambo distillery to be generating a turnover of in excess of 5m. Company: The Shed Distillery Location: Drumshambo, Co Leitrim Managing Director: Pat Rigney. Business: Distillery. Staff: 12. Website: www.thesheddistillery.com Customs legal experts Michael Lux and Eric Pickett, writing in todays Irish Examiner, deliver a gloomy new analysis of British prime minister Theresa Mays Brexit white paper. Their conclusions are far more grave than what was feared initially and undermine Mr Kennys hope that there will be no return to the borders of the past. Expanding on their evidence to the UKs House of Commons committee last week, they found profound consequences await those seeking to travel between the Republic and the North . The white paper announced that the UK is aiming to conclude a new comprehensive, bold, and ambitious free trade agreement with the EU. They say this could be misunderstood in the sense that trade between Ireland and the North would be free. Unfortunately, this is not true, they wrote. A free trade agreement only means that goods made entirely or substantially in the partner country are free from import duty. Import Vat and excise duty are still due and will be collected in the context of an importation. While a special deal just between Northern Ireland and Ireland isnt legally possible and special EU customs rules for the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland are unlikely, the main goal now is to ensure that the customs procedures and formalities will be as seamless and frictionless as possible for private persons and businesses. When the UK exits the customs union of the EU, the border between Ireland and the North will become an external customs border. The customs legislation of the EU will apply to movements of goods between the North and Ireland, they write. EU rules on Vat and excise duties (e.g. on alcohol and tobacco) on importation will also apply when goods are brought from the North to Ireland. It will not be possible to see the trade and everyday movements we have seen up to now, they said. Travellers can import goods from Northern Ireland duty and tax free only up to a certain amount [300 with limitations for alcohol and tobacco] and will have to declare goods with a value above the threshold when entering Ireland. Irish traders will have to declare to customs goods to be exported to, or imported from, the North. In order to ensure customs, Vat, and excise rules are complied with, Irish customs will perform risk-based and random checks of private persons and lorries crossing the border. This may lead to queues and delays, they said. This would be disastrous for Ireland, a former justice minister claimed yesterday. Former Louth Fianna Fail TD Dermot Ahern Former Louth Fianna Fail TD Dermot Ahern said: There will be a hard border of some sort and there will have to be checks, particularly on the southern side. Despite assurances last week from the British prime minister that both governments want a seamless, frictionless border, Mr Ahern was critical of the British governments failure to think of the impact on the island of Ireland. Whoever decided to put that referendum before the people in Britain didnt think out the implications for Ireland, both north and south, he added. Echoing his concerns, Verona Murphy, president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, said 95% of goods in Ireland transfer over the border by road and that the introduction of a hard border would have significant implications. Time is money and if you have a return of borders you will destabilise the peace process, she said. When the border was there you never had foreign drivers willing to cross. Also, it is massively unproductive and drivers will not be willing to sit for four hours to do the run between Dublin and Belfast. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in early 2015 shunted his uncle Kim Pyong-il from his perennial post as ambassador to Poland to the Czech Republic to weaken his position, sources say. Kim Pyong-il (63), a half-brother of Kim Jong-il, had been ambassador to Poland for 16 years and had an entrenched network of connections there. The source said Kim Pyong-il was poised to become dean of the diplomatic corps in Warsaw when the incumbent left in late 2014. The position, which is customarily held by the longest-serving envoy, would have meant hosting various diplomatic events and cementing his status as an influential player on the international stage. Kim Jong-un apparently wanted to avoid this and decided to shunt his uncle abruptly to the Czech Republic. Kim Pyong-il was born to regime founder Kim Il-sung and his second wife Kim Song-ae. He was at one point involved in a power struggle with his half-brother but was then sent into cushioned exile, spending altogether 38 years abroad, first as a military attache in the embassy in Yugoslavia in 1979. "The presence of Kim Pyong-il, who resembles Kim Il-sung, must be a threat to Kim Jong-un, who is trying to win people's hearts by imitating his grandfather," speculated a researcher at a government-funded think tank here. "It seems the regime has sent a senior officer from the State Security Department to Prague to watch him." Hong Kong media last year reported that there was a movement among senior defectors to form a government-in-exile with Kim Pyong-il as its head. More than 100 people from around East Cork lodged objections to the proposed plant, with many citing the location of the wastewater pipe at Rathcoursey as being of particular concern. However, engineers for Dairygold said wastewater from the Midleton municipal area and nearby industry containing fats, oils and grease (known in the industry as FOG) was already entering this section of the harbour. In a six-page submission on behalf of Dairygold Co Op, Malachy Walsh Engineers moved to refute many of the concerns of local residents. The residual concentration of Fats Oil Grease (FOG) in the the final treated wastewater at 15mg/l is the emission limit value determined by the EPA in respect of discharge from other industry into the same outfall, it said. The presence of FOG in treated wastewater is not unique to cheese manufacturing but a characteristic of all domestic and municipal wastewaters as well as many industrial discharges. They also said Irish Water had recommended Rathcoursey as the site of the discharge pipe after Dairygold held consultations with them. Dairygold repeated that the new plant would not cause a deterioration in water quality and that this conclusion had been reached in its models without ever looking at the beneficial role of tidal exchange in the area. It added that the pipe at Rathcoursey would only be pumping 2,700 of treated water into the waters per day even though its new wastewater treatment plant at Mogeely is designed for 4,000 per day. Earlier this week, it was revealed that an expert report on Cork Harbour has contradicted claims made by Dairygold that waste from a planned new cheese plant will be safely carried out to sea on outgoing tides. Hydrodynamic studies from NUI Galway showed the North Channel waters at Rathcoursey, where Dairygold wants to dump waste from its Mogeely plant, taking in excess of 70 days to flush out. David Hugh-Jones from Atlantic Shellfish, who once ran a seafood business in this section of the harbour, sent the 2011 reports to Cork County Council as part of his objection. Dairygold Co-op is seeking to build a cheese processing plant in Mogeely, about 15km inland. Under the plans, waste from the plant will be pumped into East Ferry channel waters, having travelled from Mogeely via a 14km pipe through the townland of Rathcoursey. The outfall pipe where the waste will enter the water is 8km from open sea. The waste will have undergone treatment at a new wastewater treatment plant at Mogeely and will contain fats, oil and grease. That call came after hundreds of people formed a human chain in Cork City over the weekend and boats gathered on the River Lee in protest against the Office of Public Works (OPW) anti-flooding plans for the city. Councillor Tim Brosnan, who is not associated with the Save Cork City campaign, expressed concerns that the OPW is in a mad rush to pour concrete everywhere and that the plans could be too short-term in outlook. While conceding that the OPW has devised quality flooding defences in places such as Clonmel, he said the Dutch are world leaders in this area, while Irish engineers had a history of building on sections of the city that were known flood plains. The Cork North Central councillor said flood scheme designers should note that an 18in wall with railings on top, running on both sides of the Lee from Parliament Bridge to Parnell Bridge, had successfully stopped flooding in the city centre until a flat pedestrian bridge to Morrisons Island was built in the 1970s. He also cited the Inniscarra dam as the biggest risk to the city. Save Cork City is arguing that the scheme will result in a loss of character to the city, causing irreparable damage to the historic built environment. It is calling for a design review of the OPW scheme by an independent, multi-disciplinary design team. A gathering of boats by Naomhoga Chorcai at the Port of Cork as part of the protest on Saturday. Picture: Dan Linehan On Wednesday, heritage, environmental, economic, and archaeological experts with concerns about the OPW plans will speak at a Save Cork City seminar at UCC. Under the scheme, walls and embankments will be built on sections of the river from the Lee Fields to the city centre, while quay walls will be raised on the north and south channels. The OPW has held public awareness events and briefings for city and county councillors. However, Save Cork City criticised the level of public consultation and said most people dont realise the extent or impact of the proposed works. Last week, the OPW issued a statement in response to the campaign and said most of the options mooted had been examined by its team but were ruled out as they were not effective enough, would cause environmental damage, or cost too much. Taxback.com has said that, for most students, the average refund is in the region of $800 (740), which can help pay off loans that allowed them to travel to the US in the first place. An estimated 10,000 students are expected to take part in the 2017 J1 visa programme. In 2015, 1,319 Irish people availed of the 12-month J1 visa, and around 7,000 took part in the four-month J1 Summer Work Travel Programme. Recent reports suggest the scheme may be scrapped by US President Donald Trump. In December, Ireland and the US signed an agreement extending the 12-month J1 visa for three years. Most Irish students avail of the four-month visa to travel to the US for the summer. However, Mr Trump has spoken of his desire to end the programme and he could scrap it using an executive order. Eileen Devereux of Taxback.com said students who have taken part in the scheme in the past few years need to be aware of the possibility of a tax refund. We process thousands of J1 tax refunds for Irish students every year and the feedback we invariably receive is that this windfall, while often unexpected, is very much needed, said Ms Devereux. Many students struggle with the financial burden of loans, rent, tuition fees; and a three-figure sum like this can often go a long way to easing some of this burden. That said, some students often find the purchase of flights to another country or insurance for a car an equally appealing use of the funds. She said the process of getting the refund is simple and can be wrapped up in weeks, but that students have four years to avail of the claim. It is believed that approximately 10,000 Irish people will take part in the 2017 programme. In 2016, approximately 300,000 foreign visitors from 200 countries and territoriestravelled to various destinations across the US to have their J1 experience. Anecdotal evidence suggests to us that a sizeable portion, probably about 20% of those students, have yet to reclaim their tax, which typically amounts to about $800 each. We are urging these students to take action before its too late the right to claim becomes null and void after four years. Paddy Prendergast is also under fire over a plan to offer jobs to the spouses of world-class researchers in order to attract top-tier talent to the college. The plan, being driven by John Boland, Trinity dean of research, has left fellows agog and aghast, with crunch meetings taking place last week in order to calm the unrest. It is believed Prof Boland has sought a blank cheque in order to attract international candidates, but that move would see the college fall foul of set public-sector pay grades. The Irish Examiner has learnt that fellows at the college, or senior academics, are outraged at what they see as a radical change to the workings of the college, which under its rules, can only have exams in the summer time. They have been called on to vote on the controversial proposal, spearheaded by Dr Prendergast, amid the colleges falling rankings in international league tables. According to sources at the institution, the semesterisation plan has drawn the ire of academics who feel extra exams would significantly add to their workloads and interfere with their research duties. This is awful, the provost is seeking turn Trinity into a second-rate polytechnic, said one cource. This is a very radical plan and the fellows are incensed. However, those in the college who believe reform is needed have put the opposition down to low morale caused by an absence of pay increases since the financial crash in 2008. They are against it because Oxford and Cambridge dont have it, which is true, said another source. Academics dont like correcting two sets of exams, it is more work. For people who dont like change and what you can put it down to is that nobody has had a pay rise in eight years. Morale is low all around and people are angry. Ballot papers went out to fellows last week and they have another two weeks to return them, but there is a growing sense the provost will be defeated as some fellows will use it as a means to protest against wider reform plans, known as the Trinity Education Project. Responding to queries, a spokesman for Trinity College Dublin confirmed the process of radical change is under way. Trinity is looking at introducing exams at Christmas time to enable semesterisation, said the spokesman. The provost is hopeful this is won as are the students, 90% of whom in a ballot have called for this change. This is perfectly normal practice in many leading universities across the world. On Prof Bolands spouse plan, the spokesman said the idea has been mooted and is in the context of trying to attract talent to Ireland in a post-Brexit world. MEETING Hugh OConor is a good way to chase away those January blues. The actor, who is now, shockingly, in his 40s, radiates enthusiasm, inquisitiveness and boyish charm. As well as acting, OConor is also an accomplished photographer. You can see his work in the National Gallery, or in the first edition of literary journal Winter Pages, where OConor contributed a photo essay of intimate shots of his fellow thespians in those liminal moments after the curtain comes down. Hes also directed numerous short films, and his first feature, scripted by Paul Murray, is due to shoot this summer. Also in the pipeline is 26-minute Estonian-Irish animated adaptation of Gogols The Overcoat, with Cillian Murphy and Alfred Molina. OConors latest acting gig, in fact, came via his work as a photographer, on Enda Walshs 2015 opera The Last Hotel, after which Walsh asked OConor to take a part in Arlington, which opens at the Abbey on February 13 after its run at the Galway Arts Festival last year. When he asked, I was like, no matter what this is, of course Im going to do it. Its a really rich, full-on piece. It will totally divide people, and thats a good thing. I remember walking around Galway and hearing people saying What was that about? or That was amazing. Visually and from an audio point of view, its stunning too. OConor plays a character called Young Man, which he says he takes as a compliment at the age of 41. My character is a nervous sweet kind of put-upon character. We talked about Harold Lloyd or Woody Allen. Hes a cleaner in these towers that are everywhere in this world. He becomes a confidante of Charlie Murphys character, he can see her on these monitors. In the third part of the play Im subjected to an interrogation kind of thing, a complete breakdown by Olwen Foueres voice Shes perfect for that, he adds with a laugh. OConor might be best known for his screen work which stretches back to Lamb, in 1985, with Liam Neeson, and playing a young Christy Brown in My Left Foot but as a stage performer he has not been afraid to stretch himself. He won an Irish Theatre Award in 2013 for a portrayal of the Fool in King Lear that was in nobodys comfort zone. She was really physical as well, he says of the director on that show, Selina Cartmell. I would never have thought of [her approach]. Its great to get pushed by someone. Staging-wise that was really an interesting one to do. She had it in her head that I should be shaven-headed, in callipers we kind of took it from there. It all could have turned out very differently for OConor, who as a youngster had several Hollywood deals offered him. My folks were great, he says. They said, No. Youre going to school. And Im really glad they did! OConors father is the acclaimed pianist John OConor, and he jokes that this might explain why he wasnt pushed headlong into an artistic career. Yet he pursued one nonetheless. Yeah. Its funny how it works out. I started so young that I dont know if it was a plan or not. The directing thing is great though. Its an itch I wanted to scratch. And I do enjoy it a lot. Theres photos of me on set as a child looking through the camera, so I suppose if youre around it you get interested in it. I wouldnt say yet Im a director, you have to have done a lot, I think, to call yourself that. But I think the photography and the acting come together in a really nice way in directing. Its interesting. Irelands newest family, the Al Hariris, fled Syria to a hostile Turkey in 2015, before making the last-resort decision in March 2016, to take a 7m inflatable raft carrying 47 passengers, across the Mediterranean. They ended up living in tents in a Greek refugee camp for approximately nine months and, on December 16, arrived in Mosney, Co Meath, with the hope of reclaiming their lives and starting over. Now, after years of unthinkable hardship, they want neither pity nor handouts. Instead what they want is to contribute to and be part of Irish society. All we need is a normal life where we can go between people without those strange eyes that look at us and make us feel like we are different, says Maisa, 19. We want to continue our life here where we can study, work, help people around us, thats the most important thing. Maisa, who, like her two other sisters, Taqwa, 25, and Sarra, 17, speaks fluent English, wants to study business. We all had different goals but because of the situation, none of us could continue, she explains. For me personally, I wanted to study business and go out to the world and help my family but everything stopped because of the harsh situation of the country. Maisa has completed her second-level education. The Al Hariri family (made up of mum Fatima and daughters Taqwa, Maisa, and Sarra) is from the city of Daraa in Syria, which is about one hour south of Damascus, and 1km from the border with Jordan. Our journey started once we entered Turkey and from Turkey, because of the harsh situation over there, we couldnt stay, says Maisa. We had to leave. We stayed one year in Turkey (2015) because we were told we would get access to education in Turkey, that we could easily get jobs but it was all false. Theyd say one day that your certificate was accepted in the university, the other day theyd say no, this is not acceptable. It went like that. We wasted one year of our life the tension, it was very hard. The Turkish people, I am so sad to say this, but they treated us very badly. That was the reason we had to leave, we couldnt continue our life over there. Fatima Al Hariri, from Syria with two of her daughters, Sarra, 17, left and Taqwa, 25 in the familys temporary accommodation in Mosney, Co Meath. Picture: Moya Nolan Maisas older sister, Taqwa, who hopes to study journalism, describes the familys experience of travelling from Turkey to Greece on an inflatable raft, where she believed she was going to die. Even from the beginning, we were worried about how we would travel because it was by way of a small boat, two-and-a-half hours on a small boat, says Taqwa. I thought I was going to die there, I was so sick. We left after one year and one month in Turkey. There were around 47 people on the small boat, it was seven metres long, it was an inflatable. The smugglers, we were saying to them that maybe Europe will be closed, they said no dont listen to the news, no, listen to people, its all open, you can go, its OK. We went and it was horrible, it was at 12 oclock at night when we arrived, it was cold. Kids were crying and because of the cold, they couldnt move. I was looking at them, their hands and legs were frozen. However, once they came off the raft, despite their mother, Fatima, needing urgent medical help, the family ended up being detained for almost 12 weeks. When we reached Greece, because of the water that was in the raft, my mum had problems with her knees, Maisa explains. They carried her when we reached Greece, she couldnt walk, says Taqwa. We saw lots of people, they helped us. They took us, with mum, to a hospital. We didnt know that this would be a prison. They just took us inside, we didnt know anything. They brought us everything, food, water, and after one month we wanted to go out but it was closed, we knew that it was a prison [a detention centre for undocumented immigrants]. The young women explain how Greek citizens would regularly protest outside the detention centre in support of the refugees who were being detained inside. They spent one month here, before being moved to another camp for a period of about eight weeks, still without any knowledge of their legal status as people seeking refuge and relocation. Eventually, everything changed after two months and they opened the gates for us but we werent allowed to leave the island because they didnt give us papers for leaving, says Maisa. They told us that we had to take asylum in Greece so we can continue our journey through to relocation. From there, we started my whole family preparing our papers and many other refugees like us. Sometimes cases were stopped or people were refused and many people were deported back to Turkey, which was really horrible. People were suiciding, they were taking pills just to finish from this life, from the horror life of theirs. While life was not easy for the Al Hariri family in Greece, with harsh living conditions, the young women sought work as translators in the camp helping fellow refugees. We tried working and helping the volunteers and helping the refugees with translating and many other things, but it was very hectic, says Maisa. The family continued to support one another and friends they made in the camp while waiting patiently for news of their application for relocation and resettlement to another country. We didnt have anything in our mind but all we wanted was that we go to a country where we can continue our education, continue our future, because we are still young in age, says Maisa. Taqwa Al Hariri,25, from Syria, right, with her sister Maisa, 19, left, and Zarra, 17, in their apartment in Mosney, Co Meath. Picture: Moya Nolan Then finally, one day when Maisa was out working, her phone rang. It was October 1, when we heard we were coming to Ireland and we couldnt believe it, she says. They called me, the embassy, and I was so happy, I couldnt believe it. I texted my sister to say I had a call from the embassy; it was a miracle, what happened with us. We were so happy because of the country, its far away from other countries like Germany or Belgium, its a totally different country. If we got relocated to any other country we would have had to start from zero, starting a new language, starting everything new, and it would be very hard for us to go around. Entering here, wherever they put us its easy to find a way because of the language. Since childhood, weve learned English. Sometimes we talk in the house with my sisters, whenever we dont want my mother to understand, Taqwa says, adding: For me, Ive been dreaming of studying journalism since I think I was about six years old, but I couldnt complete my studies. I had many problems. I had to leave everything [her university studies] after two months. Their younger sister Sarra, who had her secondary school education interrupted as a result of having to flee the conflict, also has dreams she hopes to pursue here. In secondary school, English and geography were my favourite subjects, says Sarra. I wanted to do nursing actually. Ill try to do it if I have a chance. The family took a chartered flight, with other refugees, on December 16 from Athens to Dublin, where, upon landing, they were transferred to the former holiday camp Mosney, now an accommodation centre within the direct provision system. Here they live in a small apartment and await news of their future. At the moment, its an incomplete independence because we dont have our papers yet, but hopefully once we get them, it will help us with many other things, says Maisa. That would be the moment when I would really feel independent and I will feel happy being part of the country. While they are extremely grateful for shelter in Mosney, they desperately want to receive their documents from the Government and move on to independent living where they have access to education and employment opportunities. Without studying and without school life, life is totally different, especially as we are ladies alone, without our own certificates, but with our own goals for this life, says Maisa. Without being able to help ourselves, we will be lost. Its very hard for people to help us as much as we could help ourselves. Asked, after everything her family have been through, if she still felt hopeful about life, she says that the four women would not be in Ireland today were it not for hope. We do, otherwise we wouldnt have reached over here, says Maisa. Even in Greece, with the tensions over there, it was very hard. People kept on losing hope, I saw it in their eyes, them losing hope. Their mother, Fatima, with an optimistic and playful disposition, also has hope, and not only for her children but for every parents child. What I want for my family, I want for every family, says Fatima. I hope I see my family with a good education and a good life, and every human, everybody, we will try. Alone in a foreign state, Reem is in need of urgent medical care - Joyce Fegan Reem Eid Alhamoud Alali , 41, fled Syria. She now lives at Mosney Accommodation Centre. Picture: Moya Nolan Reem Eid Alhamoud Alali is a 41-year-old Syrian woman who, like many others, fled her country for the safety of Europe. She is currently being housed in the Mosney Accommodation Centre in Co Meath, without any family or friends from home. She arrived here on December 16, 2016. Reem needs urgent gynaecological care as she has a benign tumour on her womb, which had been treated unsuccessfully throughout her journey from Syria to Ireland. Life back in Syria is very hard to describe in words, she says. It was very nice living there until the war started. We studied there and worked and had everything we needed but after the war we lost everything. I worked in a beauticians and unfortunately lost everything. Everything started becoming expensive and it was very hard for us to get the things we needed and at times, there were almost 10 people living in my house and we had to eat very simply to just feed our hunger. The killing spread everywhere and I thought it was the end of the world. That was the moment when I decided to run away from death. Reem left Syria for Turkey in 2015. I met the vampires who sucked our blood just to smuggle us to Turkey, because all that was important to those smugglers was the money and we Syrians were business to them, she says. I crossed the borders of Syria after such a hard time. It was a time of fear and nervousness because it was not so easy, at any moment anyone could die. It took me two months to reach The City of Smuggle, Izmir a period of time which was full of horror, suffering and hunger. Upon reaching Izmir, she took a raft to Greece, where she ended up living not in a refugee camp but in a forest with other fleeing migrants. We then rode the raft of death through the sea in search of a safe and peaceful place to live, says Reem. We reached one of the islands of Greece, took our papers and straightaway went to the mainlands to get on our way to the borders but unfortunately the borders were closed and there we spent four months in the forest with many other people. Good news followed, however, when she learned of the European Relocation and Resettlement Programmes, which Ireland has signed up to, committing to take 4,000 refugees. We heard about the procedure of the relocation and there we all applied but never knew I would reach such a safe and far away country from the horror life of the borders of this world, says Reem. And here I am now in Ireland safe and happy, settled after a complete year in Greece. Hopefully, I will complete all my dreams here after they were broken in my past. Reem explains that she has several scars across her lower abdomen from unsuccessful treatment on the benign tumour in her womb. Reem has visited a hospital here and is awaiting treatment. The Abdi family lost a sister to drowning as they fled Turkey on a small raft for the unknown shores of Greece. This tragedy came after years of hardship, from abandoning an under-siege Aleppo to sleeping rough on the streets of Turkey, before fleeing to Kurdistan. During this time, Fatima Abdi, 24, became pregnant with her now 14-month-old daughter Vian. Vian was just eight weeks old when she took the voyage across the Mediterranean, the Syrians hoping to find refuge in a welcoming, peaceful Europe. Fatimas family, completed by sister Amina Adbi, 21, brother Edrees Abdi, 31, and her husband Nidar Abdi, 25, arrived in Ireland on December 16, 2016. They are currently being housed in the Mosney Accommodation Centre, Co Meath, where they all live in a unit while waiting on word for their future here. Their five-year journey to Ireland began in July 2012, when their mother (their father died when they were children) had to leave their home in Aleppo in order to get cancer treatment. It started when we were in Aleppo, my mother got cancer, and she had to get surgery so we left Aleppo for a village, where they could help her, says Fatima. Then, after having the surgery, the doctors said that unfortunately the disease had spread all over her body but they didnt know in time and after one year she passed away and we were alone with our brother. After the tragedy of losing their mother to cancer and with no remaining parents alive, they returned to their family home in Aleppo in 2013. However, their stay there was short-lived due to the ceaseless fighting in the Syrian city. After the death of my mother, I stayed for a period of time but then Daesh [the Arabic name for Islamic State] entered our place and our house got burnt in Aleppo, says Fatima. It was very hard for us. That was the moment when we decided to leave for Turkey with our brother. We had an older sister already living in Turkey. However, life in Turkey was unbearable for the Abdi family, as they met hostility wherever they went. While they had planned to reunite with their older sister there and start life over, the harsh reception Syrians were receiving made this impossible. When we entered Turkey, we stayed for two months and because of the situation, it was very hard. We were sleeping in the streets no one was there to help us, says Fatima. Next, they travelled to relatives in Iraqi Kurdistan, which is officially called the Kurdistan region in the Iraqi constitution and is located in northern Iraq. We left for Kurdistan of Iraq and over there, we had relatives and friends we knew, says Fatima. We stayed for two years over there but again we planned to leave for Turkey to reunite with our sister. Their return to Turkey at the end of 2015 was not a positive one, however, and they ended up staying for just two months. We were put in jail for two weeks for entering Turkey from Iraq, says Fatimas younger sister, Amina. The struggle for family reunification continued and their older sister urged them to travel from Istanbul to Izmir, where they could meet her and leave together for Greece. We were in contact with our sister and she told us once we reached Izmir to inform her and wed leave together for Greece, says Fatima. Our older sister had tried many times to smuggle from Turkey to Greece but never completed the journey until this last time. We went in a boat, which was from wood, and the accident happened and she passed away. The identification and burial of their sisters body became the familys next challenge. They were based in Athens but her body was on a nearby island, which was expensive to get to, as they had no money and were unable to get help from any agencies working in the area. The family, now with Vian to take care of, remained adamant they wanted to see their sisters body. Everyone washed their hands and said: We are unable to help you. We needed money for tickets to get onto the island to see the dead body of our sister, says Fatima. None of the organisations on the island would help us until an Egyptian guy said hed pay, paying for four peoples tickets, 200 for the four of us. Refugees occupy a disused warehouse on the Greek island of Lesbos, where there are warnings that the refugee crisis is far from over. Picture: Owen Humphreys Arriving in Greece on March 12, 2016, the family received word that they would be relocated to Ireland on September 6. When their flight finally took off on December 16, for Dublin, it was not great joy and relief they felt but instead a deep sadness for the sister who was not making the final leg of this five-year journey with them. Asked how they felt, after years of adversity, when the plane finally lifted off the tarmac in Athens airport for Ireland, the two sisters Amina and Fatima begin to quietly cry. We were happy, but I remember my sister, my sister in the grave on the island, says Amina. I felt like I was leaving her. I feel this because we planned this together, we left Turkey for her, but we continued and she died. The sisters now ask themselves why they are alive and their sister isnt. Its very hard. It is a trial of life, says Fatima. Now living in Mosney, the family hope to receive their official documents from the Government sooner rather than later so that they begin to rebuild their lives with dignity and independence. Give them chances so that theyre welcomed in schools and colleges and in workplaces thats what Irish people can do, says Shaykh Umar al-Qadri, head imam of the Islamic Centre Ireland. The head imam of the Islamic Centre Ireland, Shaykh Umar al-Qadri, who has been visiting Syrian families at the accommodation centre, which is in the direct provision system, says this family want nothing more than to help themselves. They want to help themselves, says Dr Al-Qadri. They have gone through the past two, three years where they have been helped, and they appreciate it but they want independence, dignity. While baby Vian and her family wait for their official documents from the State, the imam says the best thing Irish people can do is to welcome them. Give them chances so that theyre welcomed in schools and colleges and in workplaces thats what Irish people can do. Syrians arrival In September 2015, the Government committed to offering protection to 4,000 people under the EU Resettlement and Relocation Programmes. We took in 40 Syrian refugees in November 2016 and a further 132 in mid-December. The refugees live in temporary accommodation before moving on to independent living. Accommodation centres include the former Hazel Hotel in Monasterevin, Co Kildare, and the Clonea Strand Hotel in Dungarvan, Co Waterford. Some have been moved to houses in Cork, Kerry, Limerick, and Clare. Ballaghaderreen, in Co Roscommon, will receive 80 refugees, mostly Syrians, next month. Last September, Irish people were ranked as the most sympathetic towards Syrian refugees arriving in their country in a poll of 12 European nations. Stem the tide of prejudice and invite a Syrian family to dinner - Joyce Fegan Shaykh Umar Al- Quadri, leader of the Muslim community in Ireland, with the Abdi family who fled from Aleppo, Syria, and are now housed in temporary accommodation in Mosney. Baby Vian Abdi is in her aunt Aminas arms with her mother Fatima, father Nidri, and uncle Edrees, all seated. Picture: Moya Nolan Invite Syrian refugees into your home, listen to their extraordinary stories at your dinner table, and help combat the spread of prejudice against them, urges the head imam of the Islamic Centre Ireland. Shaykh Umar al-Qadri, who is also chair of the Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council, has established contact with many of the Syrian families who have been relocated to Ireland. From the temporary accommodation centres they currently live in, the families have little contact with the outside world. When Syrian families arrive in Ireland, they spend some time in temporary accommodation to get used to their new life and also to finalise their documentation and permanent housing, says Dr al-Qadri. This time can vary from a few weeks to a couple of months. Most families would love to be in touch with the Irish people and appreciate when they make new Irish friends. There are currently a limited number of Church groups, mosque groups, and other organisations that are in contact with Syrian families. He says that a programme has already been set up to become a host family for these new arrivals. The Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council has established contacts with many Syrian families, regularly organises meetings with the families, and has already connected a number of Syrian families with the locals and many new friendships have started, says Dr al-Qadri. We have an initiative called Become a Host Family for a Syrian Family. The idea is that you, as a host family, get connected with one Syrian family. You establish a friendship with them and visit them a couple of times in the month. As the host family, you can invite the Syrian family to your home for dinner or organise an outing with them to the shopping centre or the beach, etc. Dr al-Qadri is currently in America where he is taking part in a US State Department programme whereby he engages in dialogue about how to counter violent extremism. He says that inviting a Syrian family to your home is not only appreciated by them, but it helps the process of integration and reduces the risk of misunderstanding cultures. Not only is this much appreciated by the Syrian families, as they spend most of their time within the accommodation centres without contact with the outer world, but it also helps the process of integration, says Dr al-Qadri. He details some of the friendships that have already blossomed as a result of the programme. We have an Irish family who took a Syrian family to Bray for a day out, he says. Another Irish family hosted a Syrian family for dinner at their home and the Syrian lady was delighted to be able to cook a Syrian dish in the kitchen of the host family. The lady had not cooked for the past two years. It was an amazing experience. Her children had not eaten food cooked by their mother for two years. The Irish host family was also introduced to the amazing mouth- watering Syrian cuisine. But aside from the simple gesture of breaking bread, this invitation into an Irish home will help foster understanding in Irish society and serve stem the rising tide of prejudice in the wider world. Each Syrian family has an extraordinary story, says Dr al-Qadri. These stories must be shared so people can understand why its important to embrace and welcome them. Also by doing so, we can combat the spread of misunderstandings and prejudice of Muslim refugees. People will understand that they are just like us, human beings with families who just want a peaceful life. Also, I would urge people to write into papers and continue to highlight the generosity of the Irish nation. Dr al-Qadri was motivated to start this integration process because of his own experiences as a migrant in Europe. He knows, first-hand, how a lack of communication and dialogue can lead to misunderstandings. The reason I decided to be involved is because I have seen from my experience in the Netherlands as a second generation Muslim migrant that often people create misunderstandings and prejudice about the other because they do not communicate and build contact with them, says Dr al-Qadri. I realised that not only do many non-Muslims have misunderstandings about Islam, but many Muslims also have misunderstandings about non-Muslims. And this is all due to no communication and the lack of proper integration. We live in a diverse world and the diversity among people is a beautiful reality and not one to fear. I would recommend those interested in becoming a host family to contact Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council. NOW that the 24-hour news cycle has hastened its pace to the point that British Iranian comedian Omid Djalili is complaining that material he writes in the morning has become obsolete by the afternoon, its very possible that we are all suffering from PTSD. Thats T for Trump. Its only been a fortnight and we are all basket cases. And yet turning off the news feeds is no longer an option. To do that is an ostrich response to the crazed tangerine velociraptor unleashed on the human savannah, all claws and teeth and a brain the size of a peanut. We can no longer look away. Pretending it doesnt concern us is at best self delusion, at worst, complicity. Equally, we cant spend the next four years in a state of sustained freak out. (Unless we are women, Muslims, gays, refugees, foreigners oh wait). Four years of daily raging would decimate our adrenal glands, etch our faces with horrid frown lines, and make for dull, dull dinner conversation yet four years of humming la la la with our fingers in our ears would make us appeasers, colluders, collaborators. Just like inviting a fascist to a royal dinner, or scurrying to fascist HQ clutching shamrock. No thank you. Theres got to be a middle ground between state-sponsored suck-uppery and hurling bricks through irrelevant windows. We can manage our horror with humour. Remain alert to the unfolding nightmare, but laugh in its face while remaining doggedly resistant. Like those home-made protest signs picture of Princess Leia, with the words, A womans place is in the resistance. The more straightforward Get fucked, Wotsit Hitler, and the classic, We shall overcomb. Protesting might not immediately change anything, but it makes us feel better. It comforts us to know that there are tons of others who feel the same, and are not at home slumped in front of the news feeling hopeless. The sound of 1,500 people singing in perfect harmony a very rude song about the American president as they gathered outside Brighton town hall, my adopted home town, was enough to raise even the bleakest spirits. Small children carrying signs Love Trumps Hate. All those people around the world, in their hundreds of thousands. Its just the beginning. Life has gone Star Wars, and we are all in the resistance. Its not dystopian science fiction anymore Canada is offering asylum to US green card holders. Asylum seekers from America. In real life. Cynics always say that if protest marches changed anything theyd be banned, but apart from presenting a targeted visual message we dont like you, please go away its free therapy. Feeling helpless, isolated, despairing? Get out there, connect with others. Make some noise. Shout things, wave things. Maybe dont throw things, as this is counterproductive, but if you want to feel less impotent, more active, more resistant, hit the streets. It takes a special kind of awful to unite us. And that awful has finally arrived. Business New Investment Law Rules to be Announced in March Workers ride in a truck to the site of the Thilawa Special Economic Zone (SEZ), May 8, 2015. / Reuters RANGOON Burmas Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) will announce new regulations for the national investment law in early March, in time for the start of the 2016-2017 fiscal year, according do a senior DICA official. The current Foreign Investment Law and Citizen Investment Lawknown together as the Myanmar Investment Lawwere enacted in October by President U Htin Kyaw. The law created incentives for investors to get involved in certain business sectors that the government had targeted for development. We have established a timeline for finishing up the bylaws, the DICA official said. And we expect that more outside investors will come once these rules are approved. DICA, which operates under the Ministry of National Planning and Finance, is responsible for drawing up many of the basic rules and regulations that will dictate how the investment law functions. The ministry expects these regulations will be completed in late February. We will be finishing at the end of this month, the DICA official said. Then we will announce the rules to the public as soon as early March. The business community anticipates that the new regulations will include information on which industries to invest in, on the amount of government incentives, and on how the government will provide oversight. The government has accepted suggestions on the new rules and regulations from the private sector, according to Dr. Maung Maung Lay, vice chairman of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI). The bylaws are important for attracting investment, said Dr. Maung Maung Lay. Many foreign business delegations have come here to UMFCCI, and theyve asked us about the situation with power supplies, water, land, and transportation development. Thats why we need the bylaws at the same time that we work on infrastructure development. Dr. Maung Maung Lay said that Burma is working to attract more foreign investors by offering incentives. The government must also cut some of the red tape that applies to foreign investors, he said, if it hopes to become competitive with other nations in Southeast Asia. We will have to look at how other countries are making themselves attractive to foreign direct investment, he said. We need to do more of that. Finance minister U Kyaw Win announced in 2016 that the government would promote the agriculture, banking, small-business, health care, and infrastructure sectors when seeking outside investment. The Myanmar Investment Commission, a government-appointed body, expected about US$6 billion to enter the country through foreign investment in the 2016-17 fiscal year. DICA estimates that it approved $3.52 billion in foreign direct investment between April and December 2016. Burma Analysis: What Role Will China Play in Burmas Peace Process? The signing ceremony of the NCA was held in Naypyidaw in October 2015. It was attended by government and army representatives, as well as those from eight of Burmas more than 20 ethnic armed organizations. / The Irrawaddy China wants ethnic armed groups in northern Burma to sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) in order to ease fighting near the Sino-Burma border, Chinas ambassador to Burma said in an interview with the state-run New Light of Myanmar on Sunday. By signing the NCA, battles can be avoided and there can be guarantees for peace and stability along the China-Myanmar border, said Ambassador Hong Liang, adding that in order to stop the conflict, respective parties need to be well convinced of each other. The ambassador said they encouraged the respective groups remain in close contact for discussions and urged them to overcome misunderstandings, which he blamed as the main cause of ethnic armed organizations reluctance to sign the NCA. Only eight out of the countrys more than 20 armed groups signed the pact in 2015. Fighting is ongoing the northern Shan and Kachin states, between the Burma Army and the Northern Alliance, which is comprised of the Taang Nationalities Liberation Army (TNLA), the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Arakan Army (AA). China has pledged its support to Burmas peace process under the civilian-led National League for Democracy government, and has been attempting to facilitate talks between the government and active ethnic armed groups in the northeast of the country. In January, Chinas Special Envoy of Asian Affairs Sun Guoxiang met with both Tatmadaw and Northern Alliance representatives separately, and requested that fighting near the Sino-Burma border be halted during the Chinese Lunar New Year. Has the Tatmadaw Accepted All-Inclusivity? Chinas goodwill to help with negotiation meetings is a good thing, as their pressure to lessen conflict has a huge impact, said Nai Hong Sar, vice chairman of the ethnic armed alliance the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), whose members have not signed the NCA. The UNFC maintains that in order for its members to sign the NCA, all ethnic armed groups must be included in the peace process, Nai Hong Sar reiterated, a reference to the organizations previously excludedthe TNLA, MNDAA and AA. We need a good platform for us to sign it, he said. The UNFC has been negotiating with the governments peace commission regarding concise guarantees on both military and political issues, including the terms of the ceasefires Joint Monitoring Committee and the necessity of a tripartite political dialogue. It is easier to negotiate with the government than the Tatmadaw, Nai Hong Sar said, as they [Tatmadaw] hold onto their position strongly and thus make us hard to negotiate. We want to know clearly whether the Tatmadaw has accepted all-inclusivity, Nai Hong Sar added. If the Tatmadaw has changed their attitudes towards the excluded groups, insiders say it would do well to make such a shift known, as the armys attitude remains key in moving forward with the peace process. As China is in a position to influence the Burmese government, Arakanese lawmaker U Ba Shein favors Chinese involvement, saying that he feels that it could make the peace process better and stronger. Dr. Emma Leslie, director of the Cambodia-based Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, said, What will make a positive impact is the political will of all parties to address the fundamental issues and grievances of ethnic groups in Myanmar. Peace processes success depends on the political will of the parties to come to a just agreement and then implement it in a timely manner, she said, adding, That will end the conflict. State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has said that ending armed conflict in Burma is a top priority of her administration. She created a peace fund, which receives donations from Burmese nationals, while international donations go through the Joint Coordination Body for the Peace Process. Presidents Office spokesperson U Zaw Htay recently told The Irrawaddy that the government has been cautious in accepting international aid concerning the peace process, in an effort to be seen as free from a donor-driven agenda. In early January, China contributed US$1 million to Burmas peace process through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, out of a total pledge of $3 million by 2020. Economic Investments Arakanese lawmaker U Ba Shein said Chinas support would be helpful in fostering a smooth relationship with the government, concerning existing economic investments in the country and further investments in areas including Arakan State. China wants to implement a One Belt, One road Asian cooperation strategy, to promote its agenda of economic and social developments. Burma plays an integral role in linking China to India in connection with the scheme. To meet energy needs, China has constructed a gas and oil pipeline across Burma, from Kyaukphyu deep seaport to Kunming in Yunnan Province. However, the pipeline runs through conflict zones, including those in Arakan and Shan States. However, despite winning a tender to implement a special economic zone (SEZ) in Kyaukphyu, Arakan State, the project has yet to start. Another SEZ in Muse, on the Shan-China border, has been postponed due to fighting in the area. Ambassador Hong Liang emphasized the countrys desire for those projects to begin as soon as possible, adding that he believes they will benefit both Burma and China. When fighting intensified following the Northern Alliances initial offensive on Nov. 20, carried out to draw attention to the Tatmadaws long-running operations in the region, border trade in Muse was brought to a halt for 10 days; trade value has also dropped in the last year. According to the Ministry of Commerce, quoted in the New Light of Myanmar on Feb. 4, the value of trade between the two countries for the 2016-2017 fiscal year had decreased nearly US$28 million from the previous year. Trade totalled $4.84 billion for the last 10 months of the fiscal yearit was $4.87 billion during the same period one year earlier. Arakan State remains afflicted by extreme poverty, U Ba Shein said, explaining why he welcomes any investment that would bring socially responsible job opportunities. We hope that the current NLD government, which is the civilians government, would consider helping the locals more than the previous military governments did, he added. At E-Mart, sales of American and Australian beef rose to 54.8 percent last year, from just 41.4 percent in 2013, beating domestic beef for the first time. Beef imports from the U.S. also exceeded those from Australia for the first time in eight years after the mad cow disease scare. Demand for imported food is growing significantly in Korea. In the markets for beef, grapes, squid and nuts, imports accounted for 55 percent, 71 percent, 91 percent and 93 percent of sales in superstores last year. Demand for imported seafood is even higher. Squid from Mauritania accounted for 88 percent of the local market, and sales of Norwegian and British mackerel rose from five percent in 2014 to 15 percent last year. Sales of Senegalese and Indonesian hairtail grew from 14 percent to 19 percent during the same period. The number of seafood exporters to E-Mart increased from four countries in 2008 to 17 in 2015. Imported grapes, mostly from Chile, accounted for 71.7 percent of the grape sales at Lotte Mart, and 92.5 percent of nuts sold at E-Mart were imported. But demand grew mainly because local products are in short supply and therefore expensive. "In the case of seafood such as hairtail and octopus, it became hard to meet demand as local catches declined because of global warming," said a staffer at E-Mart. "But food imports are also increasing because they cater to more variegated tastes and prices have fallen due to free trade agreements." Burma Breaking Tradition, House Speakers Daughter Asks for No Wedding Gifts A bridal couple walks past as people pass their time on the wooden bridge at Kandawgyi Lake in Rangoon, Nov. 18, 2013. / Reuters RANGOON It is tradition in Burma to give gifts at wedding ceremonies, to provide the newlyweds with the necessities to start a life together. Generally, friends and relatives give generously and the new couples accept with gratitude. But this is not the case at the wedding of Burmas Lower House Speaker U Win Myints daughter, which is scheduled to be held on Feb. 11 in Naypyidaw. Her invitation clearly states No Wedding Gifts, Please. The statement is original in a country where newlyweds are gifted cars and substantial checks at their weddings, especially if their parents hold powerful government positions, in hopes of gaining favor with the family. The groom U Soe Moe, an Upper House lawmaker, told local media that both families agreed to the decision. Its not a big deal, he said. Despite a lack of elaboration on the no gift statement, it may be partly because of guidelines set by State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi limiting the types of gifts that civil servants may accept in order to curtail corruption. The guidelines dictate the government employees may not accept any gift worth more than 25,000 kyats (US$21), an amount more than 10 times lower than the threshold allowed by the previous government. One thing is certain for the bride and groom. The after-wedding hours may be a bit more dull without the excitement of opening cards and gift boxes while guessing what may be inside. Burma Human Rights Watch Calls for Burma Army Commanders to be Punished A soldier stands guard near Sittwe, Arakan State, June 16, 2012. / Reuters RANGOON Human Rights Watch on Monday called for Burma to punish army and police commanders if they allowed troops to rape and sexually assault women and girls of the Muslim minority in Arakan State. The New York-based campaign group said it had documented rape, gang rape, and other sexual violence against girls as young as 13 in interviews with some of the 69,000 minority Muslims who have fled to Bangladesh since Burma security forces responded to attacks on border posts four months ago. The sexual violence did not appear to be random or opportunistic, but part of a coordinated and systematic attack against Rohingya, in part because of their ethnicity and religion, a Human Rights Watch (HRW) news release said. Reuters was unable to contact a Burma government spokesman to respond to the allegations from Human Rights Watch. On Friday, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi promised an investigation into similar allegations made by the UN human rights office, according to the top United Nations human rights official. I did speak to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi about an hour and a half ago. I called upon her to use every means available to exert pressure on the military and the security services to end this operation, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al-Hussein said in an interview with Reuters in Geneva. She informed me that an investigation will be launched. She said that they would require further information. In Rangoon, presidential spokesman U Zaw Htay said: These are extremely serious allegations, and we are deeply concerned. We will be immediately investigating these allegations through the investigation commission led by Vice-President U Myint Swe. Where there is clear evidence of abuses and violations, we will take all necessary action. Independent journalists and observers have been barred from visiting the armys operation zone in northern Arakan since the Oct. 9 attacks that killed nine border police. The government has so far dismissed most claims that soldiers raped, beat, killed and arbitrarily detained civilians while burning down villages, insisting instead that a lawful operation is underway against a group of armed Rohingya insurgents. The HRW report comes just days after United Nations investigators said Burmas security forces had very likely committed crimes against humanity, posing a dilemma for de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The Nobel Peace Prize winner took charge of most civilian affairs in April after a historic transition from full military rule, but soldiers retain a quarter of seats in parliament and control ministries related to security. HRW said it had gathered evidence on 28 separate sexual assaults, including interviews with nine women who said they were raped or gang raped at gunpoint by security forces during the armys so-called clearance operations in northern Arakan. The women and other witnesses said the perpetrators were Burma army troops or border police, who they identified by their uniforms, kerchiefs, arm bands, and patches, HRW said. These horrific attacks on Rohingya women and girls by security forces add a new and brutal chapter to the Burmese militarys long and sickening history of sexual violence against women, said HRW senior emergencies researcher Priyanka Motaparthy. Military and police commanders should be held responsible for these crimes if they did not do everything in their power to stop them or punish those involved. Burma Hundreds March With the Popular Movement for Peace People take part in the Popular Movement for Peace march in Rangoon. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy RANGOON Civil society organizations, activists, students and tourists joined a demonstration on Saturday to demand an end to the fighting between the Burma Army and ethnic armed groups in the north and northeastern areas of the country. In Rangoon, the Popular Movement for Peace was joined by more than 500 participants who marched across the city before ending in front of City Hall. They shouted anti-war slogans while holding placards that said Stop War. The same event was also held in Mon States capital Mawlamyein, and Bago, Pyay and Nattalin towns in Bago Division. Demonstrators in Rangoon demanded four points including an end to the fighting, access to aid war victims, a reduction in military expenditure, and an army announcement of a nationwide ceasefire. Until recently, Burma has seen fighting in Kachin and northeastern Shan states, where ethnic armed groups in the areas have long been fighting for equality, self determination and federalism while government troops claim they are fighting to protect regional stability. Burma MIC Recommends Constructing Garment Factories in Sittwe Workers iron and arrange clothing at a garment factory at Hlaing Taryar Industrial Zone in Rangoon, March 10, 2010. / Reuters RANGOON The Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) recommended constructing garment factories in Sittwe Townships Ponnakyun town, according to a statement released last week. The statement was a response to the Central Committee for Implementation of Peace and Development in Arakan Stateformed last year and led by State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyithat asked the MIC for recommendations to create local job opportunities to prevent internal migration from the region. Ponnakyun lawmaker U Aung Than Tin said the suggested area where the factory would be located is 1,800 acres, beside the Rangoon-Sittwe Highway. He said garment factories would be a welcome addition to the area. It would provide job opportunities for tens of thousands of locals so they dont have to migrant to other places, he said. The statement said that garment factories should be a priority because of the available land and large female workforce in Ponnakyun town. The MIC stated that because infrastructure in the region was underdeveloped, the state government should allow investors to use the land free of charge in order to attract investors. The MIC suggested that a public company cooperate with a currently operating garment factory to construct a new facility in the region. If the pilot project is implemented, it will be the first garment factory in Ponnakyun town. Locals will agree to the project because it will provide job opportunities for themselves and their children, said U Aung Than Tin. The MIC stated that investment in the area would receive an income tax exemption for seven years under section 75(a) of the Investment Law, in order to encourage investment in a less developed region of the country. It continued that investors would enjoy exemptions or relief from customs duties and other internal taxes on the importation of raw materials and partially manufactured goods conducted by an export-oriented investment business for the purposes of the manufacture of products for export, according to the laws section 77(b). Burma Police Seize 4.6 Million Methamphetamine Pills From Monk Methamphetamine pills seized from Abbot Asara in Maungdaw on Sunday. / RPL / Facebook RANGOON The head of the Maungdaw Township police confirmed that an anti-narcotics task force confiscated more than 4.6 million methamphetamine pills from a Buddhist monk on Sunday. At around 6 p.m., U Arsaraan abbotand a novice monk drove U Arsaras Toyota Kluger from Shwe Baho village in southern Maungdaw to a downtown area known by locals as Na Ta La village. They were arrested by the Mayu Operation, an anti-narcotics task force, at Bawdhikone checkpoint on the outskirts of Maungdaw. Police said they initially discovered 400,000 meth pills and some ammunition in abbot U Arsaras vehicle. They then searched the Shwe Baho monastery and discovered 4.6 million stimulant tablets, said Maungdaw Township police head Police Major Kyaw Mya Win. The anti-narcotics team is currently detaining monk U Arsara and the novice in border police custody. As the Mayu Operationformed in early Februaryis directly supervised by officials in Naypyidaw, Police Major Kyaw Mya Win said that local police could not provide further information. This methamphetamine seizure reportedly marks the first time in Maungdaw police records that a monk has been apprehended for drug dealing. Police Major Kyaw Mya Win said he was shocked by the incident. Maungdaw resident U Khin Maung said monk U Arsara is well known among Buddhist locals and was a former leading monk in the downtown Baho monastery in Maungdaw. But later, U Arsara moved to Shwe Baho village, and began living in his own compound. It causes us to lose respect from other religions, and [causes] embarrassment, said U Khin Maung of the incident. According to local reports, in late September 2016, Maungdaw police completed two massive drug hauls, totaling over 15 million amphetamine tablets. The pills were discovered in the compound of a construction company, hidden under brick piles and in a truck which was covered with sand. The suspects in the case have yet to be apprehended. Burma Police Still Search for Mastermind Behind Lawyers Assassination Police seal the crime scene at Rangoon International Airport where U Ko Ni was murdered. / Lawi Weng / The Irrawaddy RANGOON Despite a second arrest related to the assassination of National League for Democracy legal advisor U Ko Ni, police are still hunting for Myint Swe, who allegedly hired the gunman Kyi Lin to shoot the lawyer. The Presidents Office announced on Friday that police apprehended Aung Win Zaw, another conspirator, in Hpa-an in Karen State on Monday after he fled from Rangoon. The gunman Kyi Lin was arrested immediately after the assassination that took place at Rangoon International Airport on Jan 29. But the statement did not clearly mention if Aung Win Zaw and Myint Swe were the same person, causing confusion among the public who have been following the investigation. The announcement also did not mention the relation between the gunman and Aung Win Zaw. Myint Swe and Aung Win Zaw are not the same person. In order to avoid information leaks, senior officers are only now talking about the case, said a police officer to The Irrawaddy on Monday. According to a police account of assassin Kyi Lin aka Ko Htoo that was leaked and went viral on the social media on Jan. 30, Myint Swe asked him to kill a Kalar for a car, using a derogatory term describing people of South Asian descent in Burma, many of whom are Muslim. The gunman described Myint Swe as over 50, 5 feet 4 inches tall, round-faced, neither fat nor thin, with curly hair. He added that he spoke slowly and previously worked in sculpting and bronze-casting businesses in Mandalay. Myanmar Now reported on Sunday that Aung Win Zaw is a former military officer who was kicked out of the army for breaking martial laws. He was also involved in smuggling Buddha statues and spent a prison term with Kyi Lin in Obo Prison in Mandalay. Burma Uncharacteristic Clashes Break Out Between Taang and Shan Allied Armed Groups TNLA soldiers march in Mongton Township, Shan State, in January 2014. / Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy RANGOON Clashes broke out twice between the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) in Kyaukme Township on Sunday, according to local sources. Col Tar Phone Kyaw, a TNLA spokesperson, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that fighting occurred after negotiations failed to yield an agreement regarding the crossing of territory. They [the SSA-N troops] wanted to travel to other areas, and told us that they needed to cross our army bases area. We requested that they not cross our areas, as the situation is quite complex and fighting often breaks out between the RCSS [Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-South] or the Burmese army and the TNLA, Col Tar Phone Kyaw said. Officers from the TNLA and SSA-N first held talks at a village where permission to cross had reportedly been requested by the SSA-N. The first bout of fightingat noonreportedly began with a landmine blast, triggered as SSA-N troops ascended a mountain. It re-started hours later, at 4 p.m., once the Shan soldiers continued their route up the mountain. Our members thought that [the SSA-N soldiers] had gone back after first clash broke out. But, the second clash broke out when our troops found that they had continued to the top of the mountain, Col Tar Phone Kyaw said. The TNLA and SSA-N are known to be allies, and the incident marks some of the first known clashes to break out between the two groups. The SSA-N and TNLA have long claimed territories near one another in the northern Shan State townships of Kyaukme, Namtu, Mantong, and Mong Mit townships. However, the SSA-N left posts in Mantong and Mong Mit after fighting intensified between the TNLA and RCSS/SSA-S. TNLA leaders have said that the contested areas area not yet stable. As of Monday, both TNLA and SSA-N leaders agreed to maintain their troop positions and to avoid a repeat of Sundays clashes. We have already ordered our ground troops not to fight anymore. We are an alliance, and we can negotiate, said Col Tar Phone Kyaw. The Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN) also reported on the clashes between the two groups. Col Sai Su from the SSA-N told SHAN that TNLA members had attacked his troops while they stayed in a village. He also added that his party would negotiate with TNLA leaders to stop future episodes of fighting. Burma USDP By-Election Candidate Dies of Heart Attack USDP campaigns on March 23, 2012 in Rangoon. / The Irrawaddy RANGOON A 51-year-old Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) candidate in Shan State passed away on Friday after suffering a heart attack. Sai San Nyunt was contesting a regional seat in Mong Hsu Township in the April 1 by-election, but died at around 6:15 p.m. at his home on Friday. Sai Htoo Lin Kyaw, a secretary of the election sub-commission in Mong Hsu Township, told The Irrawaddy that U Sai San Nyunt was preparing to campaign in the constituency starting from Tuesday. Its too late to replace the candidate in the election, Sai Htoo Lin Kyaw said. The Union Election Commission (UEC) has already announced the final 95 candidates88 from 24 political parties, as well as seven individualswho are contesting seats in the upcoming by-election. The death of U Sai San Nyunt removes the USDPs opportunity to compete for the regional seat in Shan State. Voters in Mong Hsu will instead choose between candidates from the National League for Democracy, Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, Shan Nationalities Democratic Party and the Wa Liberal Democratic Development Party. The election campaign period is scheduled from Jan. 30 until March 30. Sai Htoo Lin Kyaw said the ballot papers for the constituency had already been printed and included the deceased USDP candidates name. In the 2015 general election, U Soe Myint, who was a regional candidate for the National League for Democracy in Sagaing Division, suddenly passed away on the campaign trail. Post-mortem, he got more votes than the competing USDP candidate, but the victory was rejected by the UEC and the USDP candidate was awarded the seat. SHAIT YANG VILLAGE, Kachin State Nearly 2,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) arrived at Shait Yang village in Laiza District, an area controlled by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), on Jan. 21. These IDPs came from the Zai Awng and Hkau Shau camps in Waingmaw Township. They had to flee the camps in darkness on Jan. 19 when artillery shellsfired in a battle between the Burma Army and KIArained down around their camps. These civilians rushed into Shait Yang village, which is situated on the Burma-China border. They expected that Shait Yang would be safe because there were no soldiers there, and because the Chinese and KIA had an agreement not to deploy soldiers too close to the frontier. An IDP and refugee relief committee struggled to assist the new arrivals. The weather offered no helpthe area is one of the few in Burma with snowfall. At night, the temperatures dropped to -4 degrees Celsius (25 degrees Fahrenheit). On Jan. 25, when The Irrawaddy visited, some residents in the camp lacked clothes warm enough to protect them from the bitter cold. Some built fires to stay warm. My legs are killing me. They are numb due to the cold, said 60-year-old Laphai Zau Ra, who wore only a worn-out blue sweater. He said that hed had no time to grab other clothes when he ran for his life, away from the artillery shells at Zai Awng. Another IDP, Kawt Mai, said she was afraid of the nighttime because the temperatures were becoming extreme. I have never experienced this kind of cold in my life, she said. It seems very long when I wait for the day to break. A Japanese documentary released Saturday depicts the life of a Korean student who sacrificed himself to rescue a Japanese man in a subway station in Tokyo in 2001. Lee Soo-hyun died aged 26 while trying to rescue the man, who had fallen onto the track at Shin-Okubo Station in downtown Shinjuku while drunk. The film comes out at a tense time in Korean-Japanese relations after official protests from Tokyo over statues set up in Korea to honor the victims of the Japanese Imperial Army's drafting of Asian sex slaves in World War II. Following the continuous success of the 2017 Ford F-150 as America's number one pickup, the American automaker is ready to conquer other markets as it ships the Raptors to China. This will be the first time that the Ford Raptor will venture into new a new territory such as China and it will certainly be interesting to see how things go from here. 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor: Venturing Into New Territories According to report, one of the reasons why the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor is being shipped to China is because the Asian country has taken an interest in American products such as the Raptor. Given this fact, it appears that the American automaker is looking to capitalize on the opportunity of being able to bring its products to China. Accordingly, the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptors are the first pickup trucks from the automaker that will be sold in China. Thanks to this move by Ford, the American automaker may just get into the good side of the new President of the United States of America. 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor: Impeccable Timing For Shipping President Trump has recently been grilling American automakers including Ford for building its products in Mexico and shipping in back to the U.S. Apparently, the mere thought of the U.S. importing its own products to its country does not sit well with the U.S. President. The timing of Ford's decision to export its products to China instead is certainly impeccable given the delicate situation the new administration and American automakers are facing. 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor: What The Future Looks Like The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor will surely be one of the standout vehicles when it arrives in China as the country is known to have congestion and pollution problems that make small cars top choices when buying vehicles. However, it was also mentioned that the Chinese market will not be able to get the 2017 Ford Raptor cheap as its price tag is at $48,860 excluding delivery charges. In any case, if the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor can capture the Chinese market, the future would certainly look brighter for the American automaker. A disturbing email conveyed by Telus started creating chaos online. The said email was sent to some of its clients asserting that Google had stopped production on the Google Pixel phones. The smartphones were launched less than four months ago. "Please be advised that we have received notice today that Google will be ceasing production of their Google Pixel line and we will not be receiving further inventory of this phone," the email via screenshot posted on Reddit. Google rapidly rebuked the email as inaccurate, along with Telus, and claimed that creation of the Pixel smartphones is still going on. The email originated from Telus, and it was immediately given an account on sites like Reddit, as clients were informed that they would not have the capacity to get their Pixel since Google had chosen to quit the phone's production. Google official released a statement saying that the company is excited by the demand for the Pixel in Canada. The giant tech company added that Telus is currently out of stock, however, the company is working with its partners to restock. Google confirmed that the production of the smartphone has not stopped, as noted by 9 to 5 Google. The company further explained that they are still working to restock retailer channels, which means carriers like Telus will soon receive new Pixel and Pixel XL. This clarification was posted after Mobileaxs sent an email to its consumers. Mobileaxs is a corporate dealer of Telus products and services who had pre-ordered the Google Pixel XL, which has shown three locations in Toronto, Ontario. Google brisk check confirms that only the Really Blue version of the 32GB Pixel XL is currently in stock, while the 128GB are recorded as out of stock. The email sent was inaccurate and it was noted that a more extended investigation would take place. Xiaomi is one of the well-known Chinese smartphone makers in the whole world. Just recently, Xiaomi's Redmi Note 4 went on sale last Friday via Mi.com at exactly 12:00 PM. Surprisingly, just within few moments, all units of the smartphone device has gone out-of-stock. Xiaomi Wants To Become The Countrys Largest Smartphone Firm According to The Economic Times, Xiaomi targets to become the countrys biggest smartphone firm within the range of five years. As reported, the Chinese smartphone maker doubled its sales in India last year to surpass the $1 billion target or approximately 6,700 crore in revenues. I would want Xiaomi to become number one in overall smartphone sales volume perspective in India in 3-5 years, said Xiaomi India head Manu Jain in an interview. Currently, Xiaomi has a manufacturing plant along with Foxconn Technology Group at Sri City in Andhra Pradesh. We are looking to open one or two new factories with similar capacities to double or triple our capacities either at Sri City itself or elsewhere in the country with Foxconn, Jain said. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has become one of the best-selling smartphones online in the country with a total of 3.6 million units sold in just 10 months. And now, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 is taking its time to shine. Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Goes Out-Of-Stock Jain also said Xiaomi hopes that the sales volume of the Redmi Note 4 this year will be double that of Redmi Note 3 last year. This means that the sales of the Redmi Note 4 units should be at least 7 million. Within just two and a half years of its India foray, the firm has become the leader in the online smartphone industry in the country with 30 percent market share in the quarter ended December. Xiaomi has revealed the Redmi Note 4 this year with variants of Gold, Grey and Silver color. The new Matte Black color variant for the smartphone is said to come very soon. The Redmi Note 4 model was launched in China back in August 2016 and according to The TeCake, Xiaomi device went on its first-ever sale on Friday via Mi.com at 12:00 pm. Just a few moments later, all the units of the handset have gone out-of-stock, as reported by the online store. The unique selling point of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 is its metal build case with deca-core system-on-a-chip (SoC), though the company has also started another variant in the country. It bears a fingerprint scanner on the rear panel. The Indian version is also expected to be in the designs. Aside from that, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 has also acquired a 13-megapixel rear camera with phase detection autofocus (PDAF), a f/2.0 aperture and dual-tone LED flash. The 5-megapixel front camera of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 has an 85-degree wide-angle lens. It also supports storage via microSD card up to 128GB in a hybrid dual-SIM card configuration. Apart from the fingerprint scanner, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 has also housed an infrared sensor. Where To Buy Xiaomi Redmi Note 4? As far as statistics is a concern, Xiaomi is not yet unveiling all the units according to their target sales. Therefore, there is still a big possibility that the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 will be on sale again in Mi.com. We just have to be patient for its release and let's wait for the upcoming announcement regarding the restocking of the smartphone units. On Friday, Feb. 3, occurred a potentially major challenge for privacy advocates, when a U.S. judge ordered Google to cooperate with FBI search warrants and provide access to user emails stored on servers outside of the U.S. US Judge Orders Google To Collaborate With FBI According to Gizmodo, in a similar case recently, an appeals court ruled in favor of Microsoft, so this new case is certain to spark a fight. U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Rueter in Philadelphia ruled that Google should transfer emails from a foreign server in order to make it possible for FBI agents to review them locally. The case involves a domestic fraud probe The judge said that this is not qualifying as a seizure because there is no interference with the "possessory interest" of the account holder in the data in question. Google was counting on a Jan. 24 ruling by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, expecting that it would not rehear the Justice Department's arguments for why it needed access to user data from foreign servers. Many believed that decision in the case of Microsoft servers located in Ireland might create some legal guidance for similar cases. With the current legal system, isn't easy attempting to determine ownership over abstract property in the form of data. According to CNET, Judge Rueter is arguing in the ruling against Google that even though the actual infringement of privacy would occur only at the time of disclosure in the U.S. However, it is not clear if that decision means evidence retrieved from a foreign server disclosed in a U.S. court of law would be a violation of privacy. Judge's Decision Is Controversial Privacy advocates and tech companies have been pushing for more clarity over the years. The public opinion has been outraged when it was previously revealed that Yahoo has helped an American intelligence agency to spy on its customers' emails. In October 2016, a Reuters report claimed that Yahoo agreed to secretly search all its users' incoming emails on behalf of either the National Security Agency or the FBI. Even if Yahoo stated that it did not break any law, the disclosure set off shockwaves in the tech sector. Then, in January, in another controversial case, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Justice Department's arguments in asking access to user data from foreign servers. Both Google and the Microsoft cases relied on warrants issued under the 1986 Stored Communications Act. But since then, a lot has changed about the flow of information. Tech giants have to work in a globalized world with competing for international privacy laws. In case that Judge Rueter's opinion stands, it could mean a violation of international treaties by the United States. On its turn, Google argued that it might not even know where it stores the information that's being requested because pieces of emails are stored on different servers in order to streamline its network performance. In a statement released by the search giant, it is stated that the company plans to appeal the decision. Congress would have to act in these types of cases if they do not make their way to the Supreme Court. It is difficult to predict what option might work out, with the chaotic state of the U.S. government at the moment. This is one of the most awaited events for "Naruto Shippuden" fans. Creator Masashi Kishimoto tells the possibilities of two major characters to get married. Could it be Hinata Hyuga and Naruto Uzumaki marriage? Bells Are Ringing In 'Naruto Shippuden' In the 2015 novel "Konoha Hiden: The Perfect Day for a Wedding", there was an episode wherein Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga got married. This February, it might be the scene that "Naruto Shippuden" will adapt. Awaiting fans wanted to know if is true since it is one of the events they are looking forward to. ComicBook says that this part of the series will be in the anime's latest 494th episode in February. 16. In the same part of the novel, it mentions that this wedding will have a correlation with the J-World amusement park event. Naruto Shippuden' Update J-World shared a "Naruto Shippuden" artwork showcasing the cast in wedding attire. Naruto and Hinata are seen wearing the Japanese traditional wedding clothing. Their friends Sakura Haruno, Sai, Shikamaru Nara, and Kiba are also in the poster with their corresponding outfits. They are seen looking good and snappy in their post-marriage getup. Fans of the anime franchise would already know about the Hinata and Naruto wedding long before as they start to like each other and some episodes encircle them with love stories. The manga itself confirmed and completed the episodes that the pair were happily married when Kishimoto ended it. Also, the film "Naruto: The Last" teased the wedding of the couple. The creator promises fans that when the anime ends, the franchise will still live long with the spin-off series based on Naruto's son, Boruto. He is optimistic for the upcoming series, which will be an original story too. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in South Korea has on Monday confirmed the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among cows on a dairy farm 180 km southeast of capital Seoul. According to an official statement released by the agriculture department, the foot-and-mouth disease hit a farm containing 195 cows in Boeun, North Chungcheong Province, where all the animals tested positive to the disease. Foot-and-Mouth Disease Does Not Affect Humans To better contain the disease outbreak, all the animals on the farm have been culled. And the government has issued a warning that people should not come within 3 km radius of the affected farm or any other farms quarantined because of the disease; and no animals from these farms must be moved from one place to the other, Reuters reported. Foot-and-mouth disease does not affect humans, but it can be very fatal for domestic animals such as pigs, sheep and cows among other cloven-hoofed animals. Meanwhile, the chances of the disease spreading are very slim or minimal considering that South Korea inoculates against the infection. South Korea, the fourth largest economy in Asia suffered a previous foot-and-mouth disease on March 29, 2016; and considering the fact that the country had been hit with a very severe case of avian influenza in recent months, about 33 million chickens, ducks, turkeys and other farm birds had to be culled to contain the spread of the disease. Causes, Symptoms and Vaccinations of Animals Against Foot-and-Mouth Disease According to The Cattle Site, foot-and-mouth disease is caused by seven strains of the same virus - making the disease highly contagious and fatal among swine and cattle. Its symptoms include mouth and feet blisters, fever, weight loss, frothing in mouth and lip quivers, blisters on teats of cows, lameness, and reduction in amount of milk produced among others. Although animals can be vaccinated against the disease, no treatment is available and affected animals get to recover after some time; but to ward off outbreak to other farms, affected animals are often culled. While it has been established that humans cannot be affected by the disease, they can transmit it from one farm to the other. A related case is propecia, which is hair loss caused that is not communicable in men but requiring drugs to treat. Nvidia has launched six new pro-grade graphics cards within the Quadro lineup based on the Pascal architecture. Nvidia's New Professional Quadro Graphics Cards According to Digital Arts Online, computer users who wanted to get a workstation-class graphics card based on Nvidia's latest Pascal architecture had only the expensive options of choosing between the Quadro P5000 and the P6000. Nvidia's less expensive graphics cards used the older Maxwell architecture or the previous Keplar architecture. On Sunday, Feb. 5, Nvidia has launched a full set of new Quadro graphics cards based on Pascal architecture that offers up to twice the performance of previous cards. They are the GP100 for rendering, two boards aimed at mainstream users of tools such as Illustrator and Photoshop, the Quadro P400 and P600, plus the Quadro P1000, P2000 and P4000. The P1000 and P2000 cater to entry-level users of video or animation software such as Premier Pro, After Effects, 3ds Max, Nuke or Maya. With performance above this level comes the P4000 graphics card that is certified as VR Ready for powering the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. Specs And Features Of New Quadro GPUs According to Hot Hardware, the Pascal architecture is a game-changing technology that made possible playing titles at a 4K resolution on a single graphics card. A boost in performance in several categories could be achieved by having access to Pascal on the engineering side. Trending fields in the professional arena such as deep learning technologies, photo-realism and VR are more complex than ever and feature bigger data sets. Nvidia explains that its new Quadro graphics cards based on Pascal architecture will help streamline simulation workflows and design. As stated by Bob Pette, vice president of Professional Visualization at Nvidia, professional workflows are now infused with photo-realism, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence. This creates new challenges for the most demanding users of company's devices. Pette also said that the Quadro GP100 provides the power of a supercomputer to the average desktop workstation by unifying compute and design. The GP100 is the top-end card in the updated Quadro family and is specifically aimed at 3D or VFX rendering as well as other applications that don't require the display of 3D graphics on the screen. The card provides over 20 TFLOPS of 16-bit floating point precision computing and comes with 16 GB of second generation high bandwidth memory (HBM2). Customers can scale to 3 2GB of HBM2 by combining two cards with NVLink in order to create a massive visual computing solution on a single platform. This new Nvidia graphics card could also be used for deep learning tasks in Linux and Windows and in VR applications. The other desktop Nvidia Quadro graphics cards powered by Pascal architecture complete the entire Pascal-based Quadro lineup. Several hardware partners have shown already commitment to support the new Nvidia cards, including Fujitsu, Lenovo, HP, and Dell. According to the company's announcement, the newest Quadro graphics cards will be available starting in March. The first shipments will be made to workstation OEMs and authorized distribution partners. Among them are included Leadtek in Asia Pacific, ELSA/Ryoyo in Japan and PNY in North America and Europe. As the future becomes at hand and a number of developments are being made, Artificial Intelligence becomes increasingly more prevalent. Thus, a significant number of experts say that it is just but humanity's responsibility to ensure it is developed ethically without undermining humane values. In line with this, renowned physicist Stephen Hawking and famed Tesla CEO Elon Musk, along with hundreds of other academics and researchers, have recently endorsed a set of principles designed to guide AI development. Why Should There Be Principles For Artificial Intelligence? According to reports revealed by Computer Business Review, Prof. Hawking and Musk have both agreed with the fact that machines are becoming more prevalent and more intelligent, and could eventually parallel human intelligence. Last 2014, Professor Hawking has already revealed and warned that AI has the potential to threaten humanity and Musk has said that AI could potentially be more dangerous than nukes. Consequently, that idea led them to come up to their support behind the 23 Asimolar AI Principles, which has been drawn up by the Future of Life Institute, that are known to have been designed in order to ensure that machines exist to serve man, and never to rule over him. The Principles For Artificial Intelligence Meanwhile, as per Inverse, it was found that some of the known principles, such as transparency and open research sharing among competitive companies, were noted to be less likely than others. However, the experts have noted that even if they're not fully implemented, the 23 principles could go a long way towards improving A.I. development and ensuring that it's ethical and prevent the rise of Skynet. Furthermore, it was found that the goal of Artificial Intelligence research should be to create not un-directed intelligence, but rather beneficial intelligence for the entire humanity. Ultimately, the principles include: Research Goal, Research Funding, Science-policy link, Research Culture, Race Avoidance, Safety, Failure Transparency, Judicial Transparency, Responsibility, Value Alignment, Human Values, Personal Privacy, Liberty and Privacy, Shared Benefit, Shared Prosperity, Human Control, Non-subversion, A.I. Arms Race, Capability Caution, Importance, Risks, Recursive Self-Improvement and last but not the least, Common Good. The Samsung Galaxy S8 launch is drawing near and it's pretty much the most talked-about smartphone in the past weeks. This new Samsung flagship is quite popular for a few reasons. For one, it is the first flagship phone to follow the controversial Note 7. Second, and probably the most exciting reason, the Galaxy S8 will supposedly bring in quite a number of special changes to the series. It was said that the company will be ditching the flat model and just release two curved variants this year. Rumors say that the two phones will instead have different sizes to set them apart. Samsung Galaxy S8 Sales Predictions As per a recent report from SamMobile, Samsung will be producing the Galaxy S8 in favor of the S8 Plus. Meaning, the company could be producing more S8 Plus models than regular S8 devices. This is because the company allegedly believes that there will be more people opting for the S8 Plus than the regular Galaxy S8. Apparently, when the S6 and S6 Edge were released, the company did some miscalculation as they thought that the regular S6 variant will be far more favored than the S6 Edge considering the price difference. Apparently, the company was wrong. People wanted the more premium variant more than the regular variant and this resulted to Samsung not being able to meet the demands for the Edge smartphone. With that said, when the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge were produced, the company made sure to manufacture more S7 Edge devices than the regular S7. Reports said that about 70 percent of the sales were accounted for the edge variant. Needless to say, Samsung has pretty much learned enough to know that the Galaxy S8 Plus could outnumber the Galaxy S8 when it comes to demand. Although the two phones no longer differ in shapes, for good reasons, Samsung is still placing its bets on the bigger and more premium variant. Samsung Galaxy S8 And S8 Plus Release Date For people awaiting the launch of the new Samsung phones, the wait is almost over. According to recent reports, the Galaxy S8 phones will be revealed March of 2017 and they will be released April. It's worth noting though that Samsung may be showing these two off by means of a teaser in the company's MWC 2017 conference. A new concept supercar that goes by Quant 48Volt also goes from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in just under 3 seconds. It does so by using environment-friendly electrolyte fuel. Impressed? While still a concept, NanoFlowcell's Quant 48Volt is already turning heads in the auto world. NanoFlowcell, a German startup, is expected to showcase the Quant 48Volt at the Geneva Auto Show which will be held in March. The concept supercar, meanwhile, will showcase its impressive features that already look good on the spec sheets. According to Digitial Trends, the Quant 48Volt will utilize the company's next-generation zero-emissions drivetrain technology. This means the Quant 48Volt will use salt to generate electricity which will power four electric motors that provide 760 horsepower to all its wheels. The electrolyte fuel-powered vehicle is reportedly capable of reaching 100 kilometers per hour or 62 miles in just 2.4 seconds which will beat the claim of China's Nio EP9 as the fastest electric car ever by 0.3 seconds. The Quant 48Volt can also reach a top speed of 186 mph which is the limit for electronic cars. There is no definite date yet as to when the Quant 48Volt will be officially released since it is still a concept. Engadget expects the company to experience some difficulty before the supercar finally hits the market. First, NanoFlowcell must convince prospective buyers that it can get the job done. In 2015, the NanoFlowcell unveiled the 1,000HP Quant F but nothing has since materialized of its impressive plan. And now that the company has plans for another concept supercar in the Quant 49Volt, some are having doubts whether NanoFlowcell can push through with its promise. The company did say that it will release something in 2018 though it is not clear which concept car it is talking about. Another potential drawback with the Quant 48Volt is the possible lack of gas stations that will provide pumps for electrolyte fluids. NanoFlowcell stressed that existing gas stations are capable of providing the fuel but admits that there may be a lot of convincing involved since the Quant 48Volt will be the only vehicle that would require the electrolyte fuel. Of every single Chinese smartphone that is about to be released, theres no doubt that the Huawei P10 and P10 Plus are probably the most important, given the fact that these are the flagships of the most powerful Chinese tech company in the world, and because both will be the weapons with which this brand will try to make the major hit in the U.S. market. Fortunately, the prices of these mobile devices have just been revealed, and this is something that will definitely surprise the customers that expected a Huaweis price. The Huawei P10 And P10 Plus Would Be Released In Different Cheap Versions This surprising news is because unlike in previous rumors, the Huawei P10 would be priced at $680 in his greater version while the P10 Plus best model would be at $830, which is quite cheaper than it was previously said, being something that Huawei fans would definitely love, given the fact that everyone thought that these mobile devices would be expensive enough so the price it wouldn't be one of its main virtues. However, even when these are practically Huaweis most expensive handsets ever, the price is quite affordable for flagships that offer such an incredible quality that would definitely compete against major players as Samsung and its Galaxy S8, and Apple with its almighty iPhone 8. This greater version of the Huawei P10 is the one that comes with 6GB of RAM with 128GB ROM, while the P10 Plus best model is the one that comes with the same capacity. The cheaper version of the Huawei P10 offers 4GB of RAM and 32GB ROM, priced at $510, while theres the one with the storage capacity of 4GB of RAM and 64GB ROM that only costs $595. On the other hand, the cheaper version of the P10 Plus is priced at $725, and it comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB ROM. Both Flagships Would Be Available For Pre-Order In March Naturally, this information came from leaked documents, so you might take it with a pinch of salt instead of taking it as the maximum truth, considering that even when everything suggests that the data is legit, we should wait until the Huawei P10 and P10 Plus are finally revealed. Of course, if it ends up being the truth, these flagships would be easily considered as the cheaper powerhouse handsets, which would be appealing enough for customers to turn these mobile devices into the major players in the smartphone business this year. Although both flagships are expected to be unveiled on February 26 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, they will be available for pre-order sometime in March, which seem as a clever move from the Chinese company in order to start selling the handsets as soon as possible, considering that it needs to take advantage of Samsung and Apples temporary absence with its flagships. In addition to the price, the leaked documents also revealed that the Huawei P10 and P10 Plus will be quite similar since both handsets would carry a 5.5-inch QHD screen, the Kirin 965 chipset, and an outstanding 12MP camera. Nevertheless, the main difference with these flagships is that the P10 Plus would have a curved screen, while the Huawei P10 would probably use the traditional flat display. All-in-all, the phones are otherwise expected to be very similar. Both handsets are rumored to carry a 5.5-inch QHD screen, Huawei's custom-built Kirin 965 chipset, and a 12-megapixel camera. The key difference, it's said, is that the Plus model will have a curved screen while the Huawei P10 proper will use a traditional flat display - it's the same model Samsung used for the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. The rumored Samsung J7 2017 has been spotted at the GFXBench database. According to the database, it was listed as model number SM-J727A. This device is also said to be the sequel to the Samsung Galaxy J7 2016 that was released last year of April. The Display The Samsung J7 2017 is said have a 5.5-inch display with a screen resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. This is quite interesting, because in the previous reports it was said to have a 1920 x 1080 screen resolution and an AMOLED screen. The Platform The Samsung J7 2017 will run on Android 7.0 Nougat and will be powered by an Octa-core Exynos 7080 processor clocked at 1.5 GHz. It will also sport an ARM Mali-T830 for its GPU. The Internal Memory The Samsung J7 2017 is expected to have an internal memory storage capacity of 16 GB with 2 GB of RAM. There was no mention at the GFXBench data base if it will have an expandable memory option or not, but recent reports claim that it won't have. The Camera The Samsung J7 2017 is said to come with an 8 MP rear camera that shoots 1920 x 1080 resolution at full HD video recording. Its features are face detection, autofocus and flash. As for its front-facing camera, it is 5 MP. Regarding its 8 MP rear camera, previous reports claim that it is said to be 13 MP. Aside from that, there is nothing else. The Launch Date On the previous reports, the Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 is expected to be released at the first quarter of the year. However this time, reports suggest that it may be launched at the company's press event at the MWC 2017, which is slated for Feb. 26. The Retail Price There was no mention in the GFXBench database on what price tag the Samsung J7 2017 will have. However, previous reports claim that in India it is expected to be at around Rs. 15,999 ($238), while some say it could be $250-300 in the U.S. Perhaps the most positive technical theme of 2016 was the long-delayed triumph of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and in particular deep learning. In this article we'll discuss what that means and how you might make use of deep learning yourself. Perhaps you noticed in the fall of 2016 that Google Translate suddenly went from producing, on the average, word salad with a vague connection to the original language to emitting polished, coherent sentences more often than not -- at least for supported language pairs, such as English-French, English-Chinese, and English-Japanese. That dramatic improvement was the result of a nine-month concerted effort by the Google Brain and Google Translate teams to revamp Translate from using its old phrase-based statistical machine translation algorithms to working with a neural network trained with deep learning and word embeddings employing Google's TensorFlow framework. Was that magic? No, not at all: It wasn't even easy. The researchers working on the conversion had access to a huge corpus of translations from which to train their networks, but they soon discovered that they needed thousands of GPUs for training and would have to create a new kind of chip, a Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), to run Translate on their trained neural networks at scale. They also had to refine their networks hundreds of times as they tried to train a system that would be nearly as good as human translators. Do you need to be Google scale to take advantage of deep learning? Thanks to cloud offerings, the answer is an emphatic no. Not only can you run cloud VM and container instances with many CPU cores and large amounts of RAM, you can get access to GPUs, as well as prebuilt images that include deep learning software. Conventional programming To grasp how deep learning works, youll need to understand a bit about machine learning and neural networks, which in effect are themselves defined by how they differ from conventional programming. Conventional programming involves writing specific instructions for the computer to execute. For example, take the classic "Hello, World" program in the C programming language: /* Hello World program */ #include main() { printf("Hello, World"); } This program, when compiled and linked, does one thing: It prints the string "Hello, World" on the standard output port. It does only what the programmer told it to do, and it does the same thing every time it runs. You may wonder how game programs sometimes give different outputs from the same inputs, such as swinging your character's ax at a dragon. That requires the use of a random number generator and a program that performs different actions based on the number returned by the generator: BOOL Swing_ax_at_dragon() { BOOL retval = rand()>SOME_THRESHOLD; if (retval) printf("Your ax hits. Dragon dies."); else printf("Your ax misses. Dragon spits flames."); return retval; } In other words, if we want a conventional program to vary statistically instead of behaving consistently, we have to program the variation. Machine learning turns that idea on its head. Machine learning In machine learning (ML), the essential task is to create a predictor of future outputs from some set of inputs. This is accomplished by training the predictor statistically from historical data. If the value predicted is a real number, then you are solving a regression problem, such as "What will the price of MSFT stock be on Tuesday at noon?" The complete history of MSFT stock transactions is available for training, as are all the related stocks, news, and economic data that might correlate to the stock price. If you are predicting a yes or no response, then you are solving a binary or two-class classification problem, such as "Will the price of MSFT stock go up between now and Tuesday at noon?" The corpus of data is the same as the regression problem, but the algorithms for optimizing the predictor will be different. If you are predicting more than two classes, then you are solving a multiclass classification problem, such as "What's the best action for MSFT stock? Buy, sell, or hold?" Again, the corpus of data is the same, but the algorithms might be different. In general, when you do ML you first prepare the historical data (see my tutorial on Azure ML for an example), then split it randomly into two groups: one for training and one for testing. When you process the data for training, you use the known target value; when you process the data for testing, you predict the target value from the other data (no peeking!) and compute the error rates by comparing the prediction to the known target value. Microsoft's Machine Learning Algorithm Cheat Sheet shown above is a good resource for picking algorithms, especially if you're using Azure ML or another general-purpose ML library or service. For the case of stock market data, Decision Forest (known for accuracy and fast training) might be a good first algorithm for regression, Logistic Regression (fast training, linear model) might be a good first algorithm for two-class classification, and Decision Jungle (accuracy, small memory footprint) might be a good first algorithm for multiclass classification. By the way, the only way to find the best algorithm is to try them all. Some ML packages and services, such as Spark.ML, can parallelize that for you and help pick the best result. Note that neural networks are an option for any of the three kinds of prediction problems. Also note that neural networks are known both for accuracy and long training times. So what are neural networks, other than one of the more time-consuming but accurate approaches to machine learning? Neural networks The ideas for neural networks go back to the 1940s. The essential concept is that a network of artificial neurons built out of interconnected threshold switches can learn to recognize patterns in the same way that an animal brain and nervous system (including the retina) does. The learning occurs basically by strengthening the connection between two neurons when both are active at the same time during training; in modern neural network software this is most commonly a matter of increasing the weight values for the connections between neurons using a rule called back propagation of error, backprop, or BP. How are the neurons modeled? Each has a propagation function that transforms the outputs of the connected neurons, often with a weighted sum. The output of the propagation function passes to an activation function, which fires when its input exceeds a threshold value. In the 1940s and '50s artificial neurons used a step activation function and were called perceptrons. Modern neural networks may reference perceptrons, but actually have smooth activation functions, such as the logistic or sigmoid function, the hyperbolic tangent, and the Rectified Linear Unit (ReLU). ReLU is usually the best choice for fast convergence, although it has an issue of neurons "dying" during training if the learning rate is set too high. The output of the activation function can pass to an output function for additional shaping. Often, however, the output function is the identity function, meaning that the output of the activation function is passed to the downstream connected neurons. Now that we know about the neurons, we need to learn about the common neural network topologies. In a feed-forward network, the neurons are organized into distinct layers: one input layer, N hidden processing layers, and one output layer, and the outputs from each layer go only to the next layer. In a feed-forward network with shortcut connections, some connections can jump over one or more intermediate layers. In recurrent neural networks, neurons can influence themselves, either directly, or indirectly through the next layer. Supervised learning of a neural network is done exactly like any other machine learning: You present the network with groups of training data, compare the network output with the desired output, generate an error vector, and apply corrections to the network based on the error vector. Batches of training data that are run together before applying corrections are called epochs. For those interested in the details, back propagation uses the gradient of the error (or cost) function with respect to the weights and biases of the model to discover the correct direction to minimize the error. Two things control the application of corrections: the optimization algorithm and the learning rate variable, which usually needs to be small to guarantee convergence and avoid causing dead ReLU neurons. Optimizers for neural networks typically use some form of gradient descent algorithm to drive the back propagation, often with a mechanism to help avoid becoming stuck in local minima, such as optimizing randomly selected minibatches (Stochastic Gradient Descent) and applying momentum corrections to the gradient. Some optimization algorithms also adapt the learning rates of the model parameters by looking at the gradient history (AdaGrad, RMSProp, and Adam). As with all machine learning, you need to check the predictions of the neural network against a separate test data set. Without doing that, you risk creating neural networks that only memorize their inputs instead of learning to be generalized predictors. Deep learning Now that you know something about machine learning and neural networks, it's only a small step to understanding the nature of deep learning algorithms. The dominant deep learning algorithms are deep neural networks (DNNs), which are neural networks constructed from many layers (hence the term "deep") of alternating linear and nonlinear processing units, and are trained using large-scale algorithms and massive amounts of training data. A deep neural network might have 10 to 20 hidden layers, whereas a typical neural network may have only a few. The more layers in the network, the more characteristics it can recognize. Unfortunately, the more layers in the network, the longer it will take to calculate, and the harder it will be to train. Another kind of deep learning algorithm is Random Decision Forests (RDFs). Again, they are constructed from many layers, but instead of neurons the RDF is constructed from decision trees and outputs a statistical average (mode or mean) of the predictions of the individual trees. The randomized aspects of RDFs are the use of bootstrap aggregation (bagging) for individual trees and taking random subsets of the features. Understanding why deep learning algorithms work is nontrivial. I won't say that nobody knows why they work, since there have been papers on the subject, but I will say there doesn't seem to be widespread consensus about why they work or how best to construct them. The Google Brain people creating the deep neural network for the new Google Translate didn't know ahead of time what algorithms would work. They had to iterate and run many weeklong experiments to make their network better, but sometimes hit dead ends and had to backtrack. (According to the New York Times article cited earlier, "One day a model, for no apparent reason, started taking all the numbers it came across in a sentence and discarding them." Oops.) There are many ways to approach deep learning, but none are perfect, at least not yet. There are only better and worse strategies for each application. Deep learning strategies, tactics, and applications For an example of an application of deep learning, let's take image recognition. Since living organisms process images with their visual cortex, many researchers have taken the architecture of the visual cortex as a model for neural networks designed to perform image recognition. The biological research goes back to the 1950s. The breakthrough in the neural network field for vision was Yann LeCun's 1998 LeNet-5, a seven-level convolutional neural network (CNN) for recognition of handwritten digits digitized in 32-by-32-pixel images. To analyze higher-resolution images, the network would need more neurons and more layers. Since then, packages for creating CNNs and other deep neural networks have proliferated. These include Caffe, Microsoft Cognitive Toolkit, MXNet, Neon, TensorFlow, Theano, and Torch. Convolutional neural networks typically use convolutional, pooling, ReLU, fully connected, and loss layers to simulate a visual cortex. The convolutional layer basically takes the integrals of many small overlapping regions. The pooling layer performs a form of nonlinear down-sampling. ReLU layers, which we mentioned earlier, apply the nonsaturating activation function f(x) = max(0,x). In a fully connected layer, the neurons have full connections to all activations in the previous layer. A loss layer computes how the network training penalizes the deviation between the predicted and true labels, using a Softmax or cross-entropy loss for classification or an Euclidean loss for regression. EACH week we look back at Isle of Wight history and heritage, using the Isle of Wight County Press Archive.For more, please see the Isle of Wight County Press newspaper, every Friday.Search for your own stories by accessing our archive here. 25 years ago: The IW Steam Railway, Havenstreet, was voted the best independent railway in the country. Presented by the Association of Railway Preservation Societies, the award recognised only the most outstanding contributions to railway preservation in the UK. 100 Years Ago February 3, 1917 DESPITE the end of the war being nowhere in sight, the IW County Teachers Association was planning to prepare future generations for what would be a more competitive post-war society. Mr Hallas, headmaster at Grange Road Council School, East Cowes, said a "serious blow had been struck at educational efficiency" by the war the government would need to reinvest and reinvent the school system. 75 Years Ago February 7, 1942 The number of entries for Ryde Warship Week slogan competition was sarcastically deemed "satisfactory" and a winner was announced. Mr Richards, of Haylands, won the prize of a savings certificate for his catchy, if a little baffling, slogan, "More warships, less hardships". In a close second place was "One mite given, one rivet driven", from Mr Keeling, of Ryde. 50 Years Ago January 28, 1967 Countless sea birds died as the result of a 15-mile long oil slick in The English Channel. The slick drifted on to the north-east coast of the Island, wreaking havoc with wildlife. Worst hit was Ryde and around 50 to 60 lorry loads of oil and sand were carted away in the clean-up operation. The oil was thought to have come from the 2,155-ton East German freighter which beached on the Mother Bank three weeks earlier. 25 Years Ago January 31, 1992 A Ryde man turned midwife as he delivered his baby son in the front seat of a car on the way to hospital. With freezing temperatures outside, Mr Steven Rock kept his cool when wife Susan decided there was no way they would arrive at St Marys Hospital in time. Sidney Rock, 7lbs 11oz was born at the deserted roadside of Lushington Hill, Wootton, at 4am. 10 Years Ago February 2, 2007 Shop and office workers were evacuated when a woman in her 80s took a live hand grenade out of her bag and handed it to an officer at Newport Police Station. The pensioner was apparently oblivious to the nature of the First World War explosive. An army bomb disposal unit was called and the grenade was destroyed in a controlled explosion. Search for stories using our Online Archive Have you ever seen a Disney movie and wondered what it would be like to be part of the team that made it happen? Do you look at a Disney theme park and wish you can work at a magical place? Here are some programs that allow you to work at Disney. Disney Cultural Representative Program This is a 12-month paid program at three of Disney's theme parks namely Epcot, Disney's Animal Kingdom, and Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. There is also a Guest Relations Cultural Ambassador Program, as well as International Parks & Resorts Greeters. Participants get to experience the magic at Disney, interact with guests, whilst sharing their own heritage and culture. Disney takes care of your lodging and you can even explore the parks during your free time or when your role allows it. Disney College Internship This program gives students the opportunity to get a learning experience like no other. It touches on communications, teamwork, guest service, as well as problem-solving areas. Furthermore, students can meet cast members and connect with leaders. This is the necessary step towards working professionally with Disney. As an alumni of this internship, you will be eligible for the Disney Professional Internship. Assistant Video Editor at Marvel Don't forget that Disney owns Marvel too, and they are searching for someone who can be an Assistant Video Editor for their Video Comics production team. The description found here states that the editor will work on post-production, editing and animating assets and making them engaging and entertaining for viewers. Applicants must have a BFA in Film/Video to apply. The job is based in New York. There are a lot more job opportunities to be found in Disney be it through Marvel or Lucasfilm. Just head on over to their careers page to get started. Entercom Communications Corp. is one step closer to being the largest radio company in the United States, although it might take a while to get there. The potential merger between Entercom and CBS' radio division is expected to create the second-largest radio company in the country, with iHeartMedia Inc. still holding on to the top spot. As reported by Fortune, Entercom will be acquiring the radio division of CBS. The deal will be tax-free since the companies opted to execute the combination through a Reverse Morris Trust transaction. With the merger, the radio division of CBS will no longer use the media company's brand and will instead transition to using Entercom. The combined company will be owned largely by CBS Radio shareholders, who will have 72% stake in it. Chicago Tribune reported that CBS was initially planning to initiate a public offering of the radio division. The IPO plans had been cooking for months, but the media company decided to abandon it in favor of the combination with Entercom. After the transaction has been completed, Entercom will be running several stations in 23 of the 25 markets. The deal will add 117 radio stations to Entercom's portfolio, according to reports. By revenue, the combined company will be the second-largest as it would have $1.7 billion. The companies did not disclose how much Entercom will pay for the radio division of CBS. Executives of both CBS and Entercom expressed optimism that the combination will be good for the two companies' shareholders as it would give them significant value. In addition, the combination is expected to result in a combined company whose operations fit well. Entercom President and CEO David Field will continue to lead the company, while CBS Radio President and CEO Andre Fernandez will resign. Jobs & Hire previously reported that CBS' "60 Minutes" hired media mogul Oprah Winfrey as a special contributor. British firm Reckitt Benckiser is planning to expand its business with the addition of a global baby food-maker. Reckitt Benckiser apparently is willing to pay about $16.7 billion just to get its hands on Mead Johnson Nutrition, which is widely known as the maker of Enfamil infant formula. Chicago Tribune reported that Reckitt Benckiser confirmed speculations that it was trying to convince Mead Johnson Nutrition to agree to a transaction pursuant to which the British firm will acquire the global baby food-maker. There has been no update as to whether the two companies have reached an agreement, but Reckitt Benckiser seems confident that it would be able to buy Mead Johnson Nutrition. Reckitt Benckiser is widely known for distributing different types of household products. It distributions products under several brands, including Dettol, Durex, Air Wick, Scholl, Nurofen, Vanish, Harpic, Lysol, Veet, Finish, Strepsils, Cillit Bang, Mucinex, Gaviscon, Mortein, Clearasil and Woolite, around the globe. Reckitt Benckiser is willing to pay investors who hold Mead Johnson Nutrition shares $90 a piece. The supplier of baby food would not be such an unusual addition to Reckitt Benckiser's brand. The British firm has slowly expanded into drugs and other consumer goods throughout the years. However, as with most acquisitions, it is not clear whether Reckitt Benckiser plans to execute several changes that could impact Mead Johnson Nutrition's branding, operations and workforce. Mead Johnson Nutrition refused to comment on how the transaction will affect its workers. Susquehanna International Group Analyst Pablo Zuanic believes that the companies have already worked out some of the nuanced parts of the transaction. Mead Johnson Nutrition and Reckitt Benckiser will now just have to formally announce the transaction. Reuters reported that industry experts have long been speculating about the company that will successfully snap up Mead Johnson Nutrition. The baby food supplier has long been seen as an attractive takeover target because of its accomplishment in penetrating China, Latin America and the United States. Jobs & Hire previously reported that increased number of company mergers is expected under President Donald Trump. United States President Donald Trump has been promising jobs to Americans all throughout his campaign. Now that he secured the presidency, he appears to be keen on keeping that promise. As reported by New York Daily News, Trump and his business adviser will be meeting with 15 CEOs of U.S. companies to discuss how they can better create jobs for Americans. The president's business adviser and Blackstone's co-founder, chairman and CEO, Stephen Schwarzman, will be the one leading the discussion. Members of Trump's economic advisory council were also among the CEOs that were invited to the meeting, including JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon, Walt Disney's Bob Iger, Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon and General Motors' Mary Barra. Iger reportedly failed to attend the meeting because it was rescheduled on the same day that Walt Disney's board is due to attend. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick was also not attending the meeting after leaving Trump's economic advisory council. Consumers lashed back on Uber after it allegedly tried to break a drivers' protest against the travel ban. Uber has since declared that it was against Trump's travel ban order, but consumers have already made up their mind and declared the #DeleteUber campaign. The CEOs attending the meeting with Trump and Schwarzman are expected to ask him about his executive order prohibiting the influx of immigrants and tourists from several Muslim-majority countries, Venture Beat reported. The Trump administration has been trying to sell the idea that the travel ban will keep terrorists away from the U.S., but the blanket ban affected several green card holders as well as executives and employees of several U.S. companies. CEOs might not be able to criticize Trump for his executive orders. Several companies, particularly car makers, folded when the president called them out for their lack of expansion plans in the U.S. Jobs & Hire previously reported that majority of companies does not believe that Trump's presidency can affect hiring. People look at successful entrepreneurs such as Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Travis Kalanick and wonder if theres a certain formula that has led to the success of these billion-dollar company founders. While some may say that it may have something to do with their attitude, a new research shows that part of their success may be due to where they went to school. According to CNBC, cloud accounting software company Sage has compiled data from TechCrunch, Crunchbase, CB Insights, and VB Profiles and found that some institutions have produced graduates who founded unicorn companies. In this case, a unicorn is defined as a private start-up worth in excess of $1 billion. Based on the study, it was revealed that Stanford University counts 51 unicorn founders as alumni, which include Allen Blue, Eric Ly, and Konstantin Guericke of LinkedIn; Avery Wang and Dhiraj Mukherjee of Shazam; and Brian Acton of WhatsApp. The next institution with the most unicorn company founders is Harvard, with 37 unicorn alumni including Facebooks Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, Andrew McCollum, Chris Hughes and Eduardo Saverin. Jason Kilar of Hulu, Marc Pincus of Zinga, and Nathan Blecharczyk of Airbnb also came from Harvard. The University of California has 18 unicorn founders, including Uber founder Kalanick, Nicholas Woodman of GoPro, and Logan Green of Lyft. So why does Stanford have the most unicorn company founders among all the universities in the whole world? According to Independent, Stanford Easley, who teaches a course in technology entrepreneurship at the universitys School of Engineering, said that the entrepreneurial spirit started with the schools founders. Stanford was created by people who came to the Western Frontier, said Easley. The settlers were community builders. They took risks by coming west and starting from scratch. It was reported that apart from the aforementioned Stanford alumni who went on to become unicorn company founders, subsequent alumni include the founders or co-founders of Yahoo!, Netflix, Paypal, Netflix, YouTube, and Mozilla Firefox, among others. Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page also graduated from Stanford, and it was said that one in 20 Google employees is a graduate of the prestigious university. Raymond Braun, who is a graduate of Stanford and is now part of the marketing team of YouTube, explains why most graduates prefer to work at Google. There are a lot of similarities between the Stanford culture and the Google culture, said Braun. Stanford is always looking towards the future, and it pushes students to take an entrepreneurial attitude to their own education. For more, check out Jobs & Hires report about the Manhattan etiquette school that is attracting young professionals. Email Links to our top local news stories of the day, Monday through Saturday. GREENSBORO They were the lucky ones. If President Donald Trumps executive order stands, Mamoun Sakka and his wife, Raveen Mustafa, now in a neat and clean apartment with 18-month-old son Mohamad bouncing between them, would be among the last refugees to get into the United States. Just days after their arrival here, Trump had barred travelers, including refugees and immigrants, of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. That included Syria, where the couple and more than 10 million people have been displaced and 400,000 killed since the countrys civil war began in 2011. Late Friday, a judge blocked the ban. U.S. District Judge James Robart in Seattle ruled against government lawyers claims that the states did not have the standing to challenge Trumps order. As of late Saturday the Department of Homeland Security was said to be honoring the judges ruling. Also Saturday, Trump administration lawyers filed a notice to appeal which could reinstate the ban. Thats not lost on Sakka and Mustafa, who arrived in Greensboro on Jan. 19 and talk about their dream come true and sadness over other refugees who were being shut out. It feels like hope, Sakka said through an interpreter. For communities like Greensboro, the issue of barring refugees has become a rallying point. Myriad faiths and ethnicities have taken hold here, a tapestry that includes Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists along with Asians, Africans and Hispanics. More than 100 countries are represented in the Guilford County school system. The history reaches at least as far back as the Quakers, who gathered in 1816 at Centre Friends Meeting in southern Guilford to organize the North Carolina Manumission Society, an anti-slavery movement before and during the Civil War. Quakers organized stops here for the Underground Railroad as well. Greensboro also has one of the largest resettlements of Montagnards, the indigenous mountain people who worked alongside U.S. Special Forces during the Vietnam War. We want to just be allowed to be Muslims and American at the same time, said Moussa Issifou, who immigrated from Togo 15 years ago, at a #WeAreAllAmerica show of solidarity Friday at the Islamic Center of Greensboro as hundreds of followers of Islam gathered inside for midday prayers. The people are with us, Issifou said. The problem is the politicians. Many in the hundred or so people who stood outside held signs saying just that. Islamophobia is not a Greensboro value, read one. The gathering drew people of various faiths, community leaders and immigration and civil rights workers. While the days prayers inside the mosque could be heard over a loudspeaker, many of those representing the various ethnicities and lots in life spoke in poignant terms of why they had to step forward. My ancestors had numbers tattooed on their arms, and they were shipped off to be murdered, said Meredith Luby, a Guilford College adjunct professor, in describing the plight of Jews during the Holocaust. We say never again, and Im here to make sure those words still mean something. When the midday prayers were over, those who gathered greeted those who came outside with conversation and smiles. Those greetings were returned with Thank yous. It was with similar emotions that Sakka and Mustafa welcomed members of College Park Baptist Church into their home earlier in the week. The Syrian couple was brought here by the North Carolina African Services Coalition, a resettlement agency. College Park had earlier reached out to the agency for a way to help with Syrian refugees. With Sakka and Mustafa, that meant setting up an apartment and providing household and hygiene products, but also conversation as they learn English and get used to their new environment. A number of faith groups and others across the Triad are doing the same. At the moment, though, helping future refugees resettle is uncertain. A federal judges ruling places a hold on the ban for now, but if it later goes forward, a lot will depend on what the new vetting process will look like. I am incredibly sad about what has happened and that (Sakka and Mustafa) may be our last refugees (for a while) and it hurts deep down, said College Park church member Karlan Barker, who had stopped by to check on the family. (But) to have them here, I want to stand up and shout. They make my heart full. Before the familys arrival, the congregation spent days scrubbing the rented townhouse and carting in new beds and linen. Michael Usey, the pastor at College Park, can point to dozens of Bible scriptures that he says tells him this is what Christians are supposed to be doing even as others of his faith approve of closing the borders. The nations security is important, but the two that security and welcoming the stranger do not have to be mutually exclusive, he said. Drafts of other orders being considered by Trump are said to include provisions that would weaken community support for refugees and immigrants, including stripping federal funding from sanctuary cities Greensboro isnt one of them that dont prosecute undocumented immigrants. At Fridays #WeAreAllAmerica rally, an announcement was made about upcoming meetings for those congregations and individuals that want to position themselves as potential sanctuaries for immigrants. Other announcements were made about other upcoming rallies. I said to my congregation on Sunday that we Christians should raise holy hell until this is reversed, said Usey, who didnt attend Fridays event. Sakka and Mustafa have compassion for other refugees and immigrants fleeing violence in search for a better life because thats what happened to them. At first, the family maintained a stable life in the capital of Damascus, even as war raged in other parts of Syria. Sakka, the husband, worked at a dealership distributing vehicles. Mustafa, the wife, was a manager at a childrens clothing store. And then it got worse. Twice, bombs went off around them. Two years into the countrys civil war, Sakka said, the police mistakenly picked him up for protesting. He spent the next 10 months in prison. Alone, Mustafa fled to Turkey, where a relative helped her sign up for refugee status with the United Nations. When Sakka was released from prison, he joined her there and was added to the application, which included interviews, numerous background checks and having their names run through terrorist watch lists. As they waited, and with the help of people they met, they were able to get an apartment and Sakka found work. As refugees, they were at the mercy of landlords who charged them more than the usual rate and employers who sometimes refused to pay for work. Sometimes they had no food. A woman they met, Mariam, always made sure Mohamad had milk and shared what she had. It still brings Mustafa to tears. Mariam told her that she had once been in need of help, Mustafa recalled. I cant imagine the courage its taken them to survive, College Park church member Lisa OConnor said as she listened to Mustafas story. And then, the couple got paperwork that they had been approved to come to America. A spot of light, Mustafa said of actually getting here. Over the next few months, the resettlement agency has English classes planned and will help them look for jobs. The congregation, which has already provided winter clothing and stocked the kitchen cabinets with culturally-appropriate food, will now be that neighbor that the city has a reputation for being. Mohamad, who instantly takes a liking to the strangers, creates lots of laughter in the room. His parents look at the smiling faces around them. The two speak in Arabic, and the volunteer interpreter, UNC-Greensboro graduate student Ossama Hassanin, repeats it in English. They say, We are grateful. Reddit Email 0 Shares By Barbara Elias | (Informed Comment) | For the moment, federal courts have interrupted the presidents immigration order. Judge Robart remarked in his Temporary Restraining Order that there is no support for the assertion that banning Syrian refugees and individuals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen is likely to protect U.S. national security. On Sunday the Ninth District Court of Appeals declined to set aside his TRO while it considered the Justice Departments appeal. Commentary across the foreign policy community has similarly rejected the measure, flatly asserting that it needlessly risks U.S. national security and fundamental American principles. Note that this is not an inherently partisan debate at least not yet. Robart is a George W. Bush appointee, and both liberal and conservative foreign policy intellectuals have detailed the dangers. So why did Trump do it? And why will he adamantly defend this downright terrible idea? Because while the immigration order will likely prove costly for the rest of us, the ban will benefit the political career of Donald Trump. We have seen the dynamic that Trump is attempting to unleash elsewhere, and it is not a pretty picture. Emma Sky, a longstanding advisor in Iraq and Afghanistan noted, Corrupt regimes and terrorists keep each other in business. Its a symbiotic relationship. Syria, for example, has been devoured by the mutually sustaining relationship between Bashar al-Assad and ISIS. Without ISIS, Assad would have been the foremost international target in Syria, likely deposed of years ago instead of resurgent today. Similarly, without Assad, ISIS wouldnt have so readily garnered critical Sunni support that allowed the terrorist group to wrap itself around Syria. Insecurity does not necessarily lead to political downfall. On the contrary, instability often rationalizes increasingly extraordinary measures. For Trump, the Jan 27 order may reap political benefits, not in spite of, but precisely because it jeopardizes U.S. national security. Consider Trumps likely response to an ISIS strike against the U.S. If the past is any indication, he will likely impulsively declare action without consulting the relevant bureaucracies and claim the restrictions on Muslims in the U.S. and abroad are not tough enough. Many Americans will believe him. He will not admit that he played into terrorist narratives that the U.S. is against Islam, or that he cornered Muslim Americans into choosing between being American and being Muslim, when the political space to be both has been a critical moral and national security victory for the U.S. Restricting Muslim immigration fosters ever-increasing division and subsequent restrictions. This desperate process increases the likelihood of terrorism. ISIS supporters have called Trumps order a blessed ban since it legitimizes their claims of a clash of civilizations. Indeed, by banning individuals based on their (Muslim only) `country of origin because they might be terrorists, President Trump is acting as if ISIS has poisoned entire populations, punishing victims for the crimes of their attackers. Regrettably, for many Americans, terrorist attacks against the U.S. during his presidency will only confirm the presidents fearful rhetoric, and military action to campaign against terrorism is likely to bolster, not weaken Trumps hold on executive power. There is no evidence that Trump is intentionally designing such a violently destructive strategy to perpetuate his hold on the executive. Whats more probable, but nevertheless still distressing, is he is subverting national security interests in order to appeal to his supporters. His national approval ratings are abysmal, and he lost the popular vote (no matter what drivel he tweets, that pesky fact is really real.) He has likely abandoned any thought of reconciling with liberals, minorities groups or Democrats. He is now doubling down on his base Americans attracted to his message of radical change. The president is gambling that by singling out certain Muslim populations for immigration restrictions he will be viewed as tough on terrorism, even if the policy increases the likelihood of terrorism. To Trump, providing the perception that Americans are safer due to this order is more politically useful than dealing responsibly with the reality that the policy is unwise ethically and strategically and ought to be abandoned. Donald Trump gained power by vociferously disregarding established institutions. Why would the norm of prioritizing national security above political interests be any different? Using foreign enemies as a means consolidate political control is a tried and true strategy for populists. Trump repeatedly promised America First. America. First. We may now be realizing that he did not mean Americans first. Because U.S. safety and identity, two of our most cherished possessions are being set aside as secondary to America, a profitable firm he directs, sharing dividends with shareholders and supporters, but not so much with the general public. It is doubtful that he would even recognize the difference between these two notions, but those that do will find it impossible to remain idle while our values and security are detained and deported. Barbara Elias is Assistant Professor in the Department of Government and Legal Studies at Bowdoin College specializing in U.S. Foreign Policy, International Relations and Counterinsurgency. belias@bowdoin.edu Related video added by Juan Cole: PBS Newshour: Trumps immigrant ban could lead to U.S. Supreme Court Reddit Email 143 Shares By Allison Beth Hodgkins | (Informed Comment) | You have to hand to the civil society groups pushing back on the Trump administrations recent executive orders banning the entry of Syrian refugees and all other types of visa holders from Syria, Iran and five other majority Muslim countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Through protests and well coordinated, volunteer lawfare, a temporary stay on deportation was issued within the first 24 hours, green-card holders were exempted almost as quickly, and, as of February 4, 2017, a Federal judge in Seattle issued a restraining order blocking the implementation of the executive order nation wide. This show of civil force is impressive. It will also be for naught if those opposing the assault on our civil liberties and national character are not ready for the next terrorist attack. As public intellectuals, we must encourage our elected officials to come clean about the limits of fighting terrorism, and equip them with the talking points, datasets and cold hard facts they will need to pull back the curtain on whatever brand of national security snake oil the White House will be peddling. Otherwise, it will be too late. Since 9/11, the competition between our national values has been tilted in favor of security. There are piles of reports and articles spelling out the steady erosion of values like privacy, due process, and respect for national sovereignty. This administration is prepared to trigger a landslide capable of sweeping away the protections that are left. If democratic leaders and public intellectuals arent willing to come clean on the limits of national security before the next attack, it might be too late. If you are reading this, you probably know that the tenor the communiques and social media posts on these measures by the so-called Islamic State group (ISIL) has been wholly predictable: the US has declared war on Islam, we told you they would, its time to act. There is every reason to believe they will and soon. These groups arent just evil; we know they are cold, calculating opportunists with the demonstrated capacity to strike anywhere, at anytime, and with readily available means. We know they have done their homework, assessed our weaknesses and recognized it only takes a pressure cooker, a moving van or a Wal-Mart procured assault rifle to wreak havoc on our nation. But thats not the danger, thats just a given. The danger is how the national security charlatans in the White House will react when the next attack happens. Consider President Trumps chief strategist, Steve Bannon for a minute. We know he is a very smart guy, who is loath to take any step he hasnt calibrated against the assumed reaction and in preparation of the next ten steps he intends to make. The hullabaloo around him suddenly replacing the joint chiefs on the National Security Council confirms this. Do we really think he hadnt expected the backlash this first set of executive orders would generate? You dont think he knew there would be questions about the absence Egypt and Saudi Arabia, countries whose nationals comprised the bulk of the 9/11 hijackers, from the no-entry list? You dont think he was anticipating the outpouring of liberal angst and moral indignation over the treatment of foreigners would have such prominence on the national airwaves? You see, not only is it probable Mr. Bannon knows the next attack is coming, it is highly likely he already knows how President Trump will respond. Perhaps a speech that goes something like this: How sad! The dishonest media gave all that time to those politically correct protestors, liberal judges and congressional appeasers. They said my executive orders went too far! Well I said they didnt go far enough! And who was right? Cue the applause. And the next round of executive orders. In this highly polarized political climate, the next attack will clear the way for a set of executive orders even more extreme than the last. The moderate republicans and swing state democrats have been reading the polls showing how the 50/50 split on the current set of executive orders breaks down in their districts. They know their base supports these bans and dont want to be labeled as weak or tarred as traitors. Another attack and they will scramble to shore up their national security credentials by chugging down any type of snake oil the White House sends their way. With the next attack, all the momentum opposing these measures will fold like a house of cards. Other than a few diehards and easily discountable liberals from deep-blue states, there will be no one willing to stick their neck out over refugees, or businessmen and college students from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, or other allies in the Middle East. Depending on the scale of the attack, or frequency, we might not see much of a fuss if the White House proposes measures to expedite stripping the citizenship from naturalized or first generation Americans who might, just might present a security risk. Dont forget candidate Trump suggested as much after the Orlando shooting, or that such decisions are within the purview of the National Security Council on which Mr. Bannon now sits. Given the almost certainty of another attack, the only way to avert this all too plausible scenario from coming to fruition is for someone, anyone with national security heft and a podium to come right out and say the national security emperor has no clothes. Someone has to say what terrorism scholars, security analysts, intelligence officials, covert operatives all know to be a basic fact: there is no way to defeat ISIL or eradicate terrorism. The draconian measures being dreamed up by this administration are no more likely to win the war on terror than drone strikes, surveillance schemes, or killing Osama Bin Laden. Absolute security is a chimera. It has never existed and it never will. We know this and we have to be courageous enough to say it. Such truths are horrible politics. But that doesnt make them any less true. Someone needs to fall on their sword and admit terrorism is just like the flu: there are common sense measures in place that will limit our exposure but even if we completely upend our way of life will cannot eliminate the risk. Failure to accept this will exact an immeasurable price on our national ideals. And we still wont be safe. And there will still be terrorism. The only real choice Americans have about terrorism is how to live with it. If no one says this, Steve Bannon will decide. Allison Beth Hodgkins is an Assistant Professor of Security Studies and Conflict Management at the American University in Cairo and a graduate of the Fletcher School, Tufts University. Related video added by Juan Cole: Democracy Now!: Former Watergate Prosecutor: We Need Officials Who Will Stand Up to Trump [JURIST] Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] called Monday for the government of Myanmar to urgently endorse [HRW report] an independent, international investigation into alleged abuses against the Rohingya Muslim population, including sexual violence against Rohingya women and girls. According to survivor testimony, the Myanmar army and members of the Border Guard Police took part in rape, gang rape, invasive body searches, and sexual assaults in at least nine Rohingya villages between October and December. HRW documented 28 incidences of sexual assault after interviewing survivors and witnesses. HRW states that the attacks are likely part of systematic violence against the Rohingya, based in part on survivors testifying that they were called ethnic and religious slurs as they were attacked. The Myanmar government stated [press release] in a January press release that the reports of rape were fake. Piryanka Motaparthy [official profile], a researcher with HRW, said The government should stop contesting these rape allegations and instead provide survivors with access to necessary support, health care, and other services. Reports of human rights violations in Myanmar have prompted international concern. Last week the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said that Myanmars campaign against the Rohingya likely constituted crimes against humanity [JURIST report]. In November a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concern [JURIST report] about possible crimes against humanity committed against the Rohingya Muslim minority. The Myanmar militarys campaign of violence against Rohingya people constitutes crimes against humanity [JURIST report], according to an Amnesty International report in December. Last week the Myanmar police arrested [JURIST report] suspects in connection with the murder of a Muslim human rights lawyer. Saudi Arabia has intensified its arrests and convictions of human rights advocates and dissenting writers in 2017, Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] reported [HRW report] on Monday. In January a Saudi court sentenced two human rights activists to long prison terms following allegations of contact with international human rights organizations and media. Two other men, Ahmed al-Musheikhis and Essam Koshak, were questioned and arrested in Mecca and Qatif. Although officials have not disclosed [BBC report] the reasons for their detentions, HRW speculates it is due to their peaceful activism. HRW notes that many of these activists are charged for participating in protests and breaking allegiance with the ruler, neither of which constitute a crime under Saudi law. Saudi Arabia has denied all allegations of arbitrary arrest, unfair detention, egregious prison conditions, and other human rights violations and has cited Article 26 of the Kingdoms Basic Law of Governance [text] as the sole legal recourse of the human rights prisoners. Saudi Arabias justice system has drawn international criticism for perceived human rights abuses in recent years. In January 2015 a Saudi judge sentenced prominent human rights lawyer Walid Abu al-Khair to an additional five years in jail [JURIST report] after he refused to show remorse for showing disrespect to authorities and creating an unauthorized association. In December 2014 a Saudi Arabia court ordered [JURIST report] the criminal cases against two womens rights activists be transferred to a special tribunal for terrorism. The women were arrested for attempting to drive into the country from the UAE. In October 2014 a Saudi Arabia Court sentenced three lawyers to between five and eight years in prison for criticizing the justice system [JURIST report] on Twitter by accusing authorities of carrying out arbitrary detentions. Earlier that month Amnesty International issued a report claiming that Saudi Arabia persecutes rights activists and silences government critics [JURIST report], especially in the years since the Arab Spring in 2011. In July 2014 then-UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navy Pillay, expressed deep concern over the harsh sentences and detention of peaceful human rights advocates [JURIST report] in Saudi Arabia in recent months. In February 2014 JURIST Guest Columnist Adam Coogle of Human Rights Watch argued that a new Saudi Arabian terrorism law was a vague, catch-all document [JURIST op-ed] that canand probably willbe used to prosecute or jail anyone who criticizes the Saudi government and to violate their due process rights along the way. [JURIST] According to the annual UN report [report, PDF], civilian casualties in Afghanistan for 2016 were at a record high. A total of 3,498 civilians were killed and 7,920 were wounded. Of the dead, 923 were children [UN report], as were 2,589 of the injured. The report also documents that the Taliban caused almost two-thirds of the casualties and pro-government forces caused almost one-quarter. Tadamichi Yamamoto [official profile], the Special Representative of the Secretary General, said, All parties to the conflict must take immediate concrete measures to protect the ordinary Afghan men, women and children whose lives are being shattered. The current conflict in Afghanistan is one of a long line of conflicts in the country, which continue to expose its citizens to rigorous living conditions and exposes them to harm. In November the International Criminal Court stated that during the war in 2001, the US may have been guilty of committing war crimes [JURIST report] against the Afghan people. In October the UN released a report finding that an attack by Islamic State militants [JURIST report] on a peaceful demonstration may have been a war crime. Also in October a German court ruled [JURIST report] that there would be no compensation to Afghan families that were victims of a 2009 airstrike, due to no compensation for violation of international humanitarian law. In September the UN called for an investigation [JURIST report] into a US airstrike that killed 15 people in Afghanistan, which was intended to target Islamic State (IS) militants. NEWSLETTER Sign up Tick the boxes of the newsletters you would like to receive. Just Drinks Daily News The top stories of the day delivered to you every weekday. Just Drinks Weekly News A weekly roundup of the latest news and analysis, sent every Monday. Just Drinks Magazine The industry's most comprehensive news and information delivered every quarter New Year Wishes 2017 from Portugal Source:english.eastday.com Date:2017-01-23 "Happy Chinese New Year" Photo of the Consulate General of Portugal in Shanghai with the Chinese New Year message. "Here are our planned major events in the coming year: 1. Opening ceremony marking the first direct flight between China and Portugal 2. A monumental public sculpture of Pop Rooster (Pop Gallo) will travel to China. Beijing will host the sculpture at the beginning of 2017 to celebrate the Year of the Rooster according to the Chinese calendar. This will also mark the first direct flight between China and Portugal. The official Chinese website of the Pop Gallo: http://popgalo.com/cn/lisboa/ 3. Several concerts showcasing Portuguese traditional music and dance are also planned. 4. Documentary exhibitions about Portuguese film and paintings are also planned. Rapunzel Naturkost, the German natural and organic foods firm, is to acquire local organic spreads, jams and sauces producer Zwergenwiese for an undisclosed sum. Bavaria-based Rapunzel said under the terms of the deal, which both companies described as a marriage of natural food firms, Zwergenwiese will continue to operate as an independent company at its location in Silberstedt, northern Germany. Zwergenwieses brands and its existing products supply structure will also remain unchanged. Rapunzel, which producers a range of products including snacks, sauces, soups and spreads, said it expected to maintain and expand both firms existing regional procurement synergies. According to Rapunzel, Zwergenwiese owner Susanne Schoning, who founded the company 37 years ago, chose to sell the company to Rapunzel for its common corporate philosophy and commitment to the principles of organic food production. Schoning said she will remain with the merged companies until the end of April, when she reportedly plans to retire from active business life. She said: Zwergenwiese stands as a strong, competent brand with employees who are committed to its success. I am pleased that I have now found a desired partner for the company within the natural food industry and to be able to offer my employees a good future. New Year Wishes 2017 from Poland Source:english.eastday.com Date:2017-01-29 Piotr Nowotriak, Consul General of Poland in Shanghai wrote New Year messages in Chinese and English. Happy New Year of the Rooster! There are many major projects and events the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Shanghai has planned for the coming New Year. Firstly, we are expecting the state visit of the Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydo to China. One of the most important projects this year is the opening of the Polish Language and Culture Major at the Shanghai International Studies University to present Shanghainese friends with the opportunity to learn in depth about Polish culture and to study the Polish language. In March people of Shanghai will have an opportunity to get a glimpse of modern Polish architecture and UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Poland. This will be possible during the exhibition POLSKA. ARCHITECTURE at the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center. During the Year of the Rooster we would like to continue to present and promote the variety of the Polish food industry during the SIAL China 2017 exhibition. In recent years the Belt and Road initiative has brought Poland and China even closer together and has become an opportunity for cooperation in many fields, including business, education and tourism. Shanghai harbor serves as the oldest joint venture in China the Chinese-Polish Shipping Company CHIPOLBROK as well as for many Polish businessmen, tourists, scholars and artists. Following the visit of the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda to China, including Shanghai, and the visit of the President of China, Xi Jinping to Poland, a growing number of Chinese and Shanghainese have decided to travel to Poland and establish their business relations there. We hope the Year of the Rooster will bring many new examples of the cooperation between China and Poland as well as between Shanghai and Poland. Dallas, TX, USA, 02/06/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/ I am a criminal defense attorney. I am not an immigration lawyer, but I often handle criminal immigration cases. Confusing? It is for many people who contact me. This paper explains the differences. A criminal defense lawyer like me defends people who are accused of a crime. A crime is usually something that can result in jail time, or at least a fine. In order to prove someone guilty of a crime the government has to prove that they are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. There are special rules and procedures for criminal cases. A criminal defense lawyer needs to know them in order to defend an accused person. On the other hand, an immigration lawyer helps people with immigration issues, which usually involve a persons citizenship status, whether a person can legally enter the country, for what purposes, and for how long. So, for example, if you want to become a U.S. citizen, or if you are not a citizen and want to be able to work in the U.S., or if you are seeking asylum in the U.S., you need an immigration lawyer. A violation of the U.S. immigration laws can result in deportation, which means that the government removes you from the U.S. and sends you back to your home country. If you are trying to avoid being deported, you need an immigration lawyer. Here is the confusing part: There are also immigration crimes. These are violations of laws relating to immigration that can result in jail time. Someone who is convicted of an immigration crime, and who is not a U.S. citizen, can be sentenced to jail first and then deported after serving their sentence. In these situations, a criminal defense lawyer tries to help the accused avoid a conviction for the crime or minimize the jail time after a conviction. Here are some examples of immigration crimes that I have handled: -Illegal re-entry. It is a crime to come back to the United States after being deported. If you come back and are found in the United States, you can be sent to prison and then deported. -Alien smuggling. It is a crime to take payment to help others get into the United States illegally. It does not matter whether the smuggler is a U.S. citizen or not. -Passport fraud. It is a crime to apply for a U.S. passport using false information designed to trick the government into issuing a passport. It does not matter whether the person actually gets a passport or not. -Visa fraud. It is a crime to apply for a visa to come to the United States or to bring someone to the United States using false information designed to trick the government. Recently, there have been criminal prosecutions of U.S. companies that apply for work visas to bring foreign workers to the U.S. for improper purposes, such as to pay them less than what U.S. citizens would receive. -Harboring or employing undocumented workers. It is a crime for a person or company to employ undocumented workers knowing that they are not in the United States legally. Usually, it is U.S. citizens or companies who hire undocumented workers in order to pay them less and therefore reduce costs. There are also sometimes immigration consequences for a crime. In many cases, a conviction for a crime can result in a person being deported and never being allowed to return to the United States. This can be true even if the person was in the U.S. legally, such as on a visa or because the person had become a lawful permanent resident (green card holder). As a criminal defense lawyer, I have to find out my clients citizenship status in order to advise them of the possible immigration consequences if they are convicted of a particular crime. Sometimes, I know the answer, but sometimes I have to talk to colleagues who are immigration lawyers in order to be sure. The basic rules of thumb are: -If you are trying to adjust your citizenship status, get into or stay in the United States, or avoid deportation, you need an immigration lawyer. -If you are accused of a crime that involves a fine or jail time, you need a criminal defense lawyer. -If you are accused of a crime, and if you want to fight the effect of a criminal conviction on your citizenship status or fight being deported after serving your sentence, you need both. Immigration crimes are serious business. No one wants to serve a long prison sentence IN ADDITION to being deported. If you or your loved one is accused of an immigration crime, you need to hire an experienced criminal defense lawyer. Contact John Helms at 214-666-8010 Picture courtesy of Tomas Castelazo, www.tomascastelazo.com / Wikimedia Commons source: http://johnhelms.attorney/dallas-criminal-lawyer-answers-question-kind-lawyer-need/ Newsroom powered by Online Press Release Distribution SubmitMyPressRelease.com Like Us on Facebook It's only fair to share... Pinterest Linkedin email Print Protecting migrant workers legal rights, one of the Premier Li Keqiang s top concerns, is beneficial for social employment and the economy, a Chinese business media said on Feb 4. According to a comment by China Business Network, wage arrears is one of the top factors that hinder migrant workers from hunting for jobs. So solving this problem will help create a fair job market in which farmers feel safe to leave their homes and work in cities. To achieve full employment, labor should flow freely and fairly, Premier said at the State Council executive meeting on Feb 3, the first working day after the Spring Festival holiday. It is an established phenomenon in China that the peak time migrant workers leave home for work comes after Spring Festival. Premier Li said the government should put forward a long-term solution to protect the rights of migrant workers, and ensure they are paid on time. It is a significant measure in the governments proactive employment policy, he said. During Premiers visit to Southwest Chinas Yunnan province on Jan 23, several migrant workers complained to him about back pay they were owed. He was angry and immediately urged authorities to get the workers the money they deserved. Just 48 hours later, these workers got their wages back. According to data by the National Bureau of Statistics in 2015, the number of migrant workers in China is as large as 270 million, accounting for nearly 20 percent of the population. Migrant workers whove left the farm now can freely choose jobs in the labor market. They have made great contributions to Chinas development and reform, the Premier said, adding that the demographic dividend created by such a labor flow was a crucial factor in the success of Chinas economy in the past decades. Although there is debate on whether the dividend has vanished, the benefit that rural labor brings to the economy will continue if the government protects the labor market well. Thats because a large amount of labor has yet to leave farmland. In addition, protecting migrant workers rights concerns social justice. Every migrant worker is the breadwinner of a family. So withholding back pay not only hurts the worker, but also hurts everyone in the family. It is the bottom line of social justice, the Premier said. Since taking office, Premier Li Keqiang has been urging related departments to solve every unpaid salary case for migrant workers and make every effort to show them love and care because they are the backbone of the family and the country. Yunnan: Jan 23, 2017 Upon learning of an unpaid salary case from a local migrant worker, Premier Li ordered authorities to crack down on back pay for migrant workers when he visited Ludian county, Southwest Chinas Yunnan province. Withheld pay not only violates market rules, but also offends the conscience, Premier Li said. Yunnan: Jan 23, 2017 Premier Li asked local citizens if there were migrant workers who did not get their pay, when inspecting Ludian county, Southwest Chinas Yunnan province. After seeing some of them raise their hands, the Premier said every case of withheld pay should be solved and such problems should be handled with permanent efforts and strong determination. It is governments responsibility to fight against it, he said. Hainan: March 25, 2016 At a construction site in South Chinas Hainan province, Premier Li hailed a worker who sends 8,000 yuan of his 9,000 yuan monthly salary home to support his family. The premier praised him for his contribution to the country during a visit to a construction site at the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone. Many workers like you save money for your family. The projects you build will help more people live a healthier life, the Premier told the worker. Jilin: April 9, 2015 Premier Li Keqiang visited a wire harness manufacturing company located in Changchun city in Jilin province. The corporation, formerly a state-owned enterprise, has a total of 7,500 employees and most of them come from nearby rural areas. Premier Li is highly concerned about these migrant workers and asked a series of questions concerning their working conditions, including whether they have adapted to urban life and their incomes and living conditions compared to that back at home. The Premier also encouraged migrant workers to learn more skills. Being equipped with more skills means higher incomes, Premier Li told them. Jilin: April 9, 2015 Premier Li visited a comprehensive transportation hub construction site in the south part of Changchun city in Jilin province. After learning that the construction company worked with a labor service firm in Chongqing and paid the migrant workers every month through wage cards, Premier Li said it is a good idea for companies that have a great demand for workers to cooperate with labor service companies in places that have a redundant labor force. It is not easy for migrant workers to travel thousands of miles to find a job; efforts must be made to ensure that they get paid in a timely manner, he said. Guizhou: Feb 14, 2015 Premier Li prepared instant noodles at a highway service station for migrant workers who were heading home for Spring Festival during his inspection tour to southwest Chinas Guizhou province. The Premier poured hot water from a thermos flask into a bowl of instant noodles and handed the food to Wu Qi, one of the thousands of local migrant workers returning to Liping county to spend Chinese New Year with their families. The noodle dish, which was cooked with pickled Chinese cabbage flavor, is a local delicacy with distinctive Guizhou characteristics, Premier Li said. Local flavor is calling you back, and the government will work out policies to offer financial and technical support to migrant workers who are willing to move back and start their life in their hometown, he said as he handed the bowl to Wu. Guizhou: Feb 14, 2015 The service station has not only represented service offered by government to migrant workers but delivered loving care, Premier Li said after paying a visit to a station which provided services, such as food, drinks, legal consulting services and recruitment info, for migrant workers. Inner Mongolia autonomous region: May 22, 2014 During his inspection tour to north Chinas Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Premier Li talked with migrant workers at Derun Drainage Co., Ltd. in Chifeng city. The Premier visited a local sewage disposal plant and spoke highly of the contribution made by migrant workers, adding that better city views are only the appearance while the core work of urban development is still weak in infrastructure like sewage disposal. He also encouraged them to advance their skills to prepare for future job opportunities. Chongqing: April 27, 2014 Premier Li praised the Chongqing Bang Bang as the symbol of hard-working Chinese people when he visited a harbor in northeast Chongqings Wanzhou district. Bang Bang, literally means stick. It is the nickname used for the farmers turned porters in this hilly city, who use poles to carry things about. Chinas economy relies on the spirit of the Bang Bang. They can carry heavy luggage and do the hardest jobs. The most important aspect of Chinas development is the diligence of its people. You have done a great job, and every penny you earn comes from your hard work. Premier Li said. Shaanxi: Jan 27, 2014 Premier Li talked with the father of Yang Kang, a 12-year-old girl, over the phone during a visit to her home in Xunyang county, Northwest Chinas Shaanxi province. Over the phone, the Premier asked the father whether he could back for the festival and then told him not to worry about his family. Yang Kangs father worked in the city and told the Premier he will return home in time for Spring Festival. LINCOLN Robert Clements of Elmwood will replace former Sen. Bill Kintner of Papillion in the Nebraska Legislature. Gov. Pete Ricketts announced his selection at a press conference Monday afternoon. Clements was sworn in immediately by Chief Justice Mike Heavican. Clements is executive vice president of American Exchange Bank in Elmwood. Hes a numbers guy, Ricketts said. Kintner resigned last month following controversies involving his using a state laptop to engage in cybersex with a woman he met online and retweeting a Twitter post that appeared to make light of sexual assault. Ricketts worked quickly to name a replacement to represent District 2, which includes Cass County and parts of Sarpy and Otoe Counties. The governor interviewed several finalists last week. Clements was not among the list of 35 people who applied for the seat. He said Monday he was honored to have the opportunity to represent the people in District 2. I know the state is facing difficult budget decisions, and I believe my background and experience will be of service during this process, he said. Clements, 66, and his wife, Peggy, have been married for 44 years and were high school sweethearts, both graduating from Elmwood High School. Clements graduated in 1973 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as a math major, with minors in economics and actuarial science. After graduation, he worked an actuary at Business Mens Assurance Co. in Kansas City. In 1978, he returned to Elmwood to work at the American Exchange Bank, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather who also ran the bank. Clements twin brother, Rick, is the president of American Exchange Bank and his son, Andy, is a bank officer. The governor said he doesnt believe Clements has served in elected office, but is a former Cass County GOP chair. Robs significant background in economics and actuarial science will bring additional fiscal expertise to the Unicameral, Ricketts said. His perspective on the ag economy and rural vitality, as well as his conservative principles, will represent the values of his district well. Rob and Peggy Clements have five grown children and 10 grandchildren. Clements great-great grandfather John Clements homesteaded in Elmwood in 1868 and was one of the founders of the community when it was incorporated in 1886. Clements will finish out Kintners term, serving until January 2019. He will be eligible to run for another four-year term after that. Kintners exit from the Legislature left open a seat on the powerful budget-crafting Appropriations Committee. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Nazanin Zinouri, 29, is greeted at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, S.C., with kisses from her dog Dexter and well-wishers holding signs reading "Welcome Home" on Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. Zinouri, an Iranian engineer and Clemson University graduate, had been unable to return to the United States because of the executive order President Donald Trump signed that limited travel to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz) CORRECTS AGE - In this photo taken Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017, Sabrina Feldman, 19, looks out the window and thinks about her future in California. AP Tampa correspondent Tamara Lush spent 15 days traveling via train across the U.S. as part of Amtrak's residency program, designed for creative professionals to spend time writing on the rails. She spoke with dozens of people _ fellow travelers, friends and family waiting for loved one at stations, train workers _ and filed occasional dispatches for the Tales on a Train project. (AP Photo/Tamara Lush) 28 Shares Share An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field. Niels Bohr Five experienced, well-published, and widely respected head and neck cancer surgeons are sharing the dais at the national medical meeting to explore the topic Can We Be Better? The panel represents a spectrum of experts from around North America, and they have served as program leaders, department chairs, and deans. Those of us in the audience know that these people collectively have seen everything. They are smart, compassionate, and gifted. We would trust any one of them to care for a family member. So, intones the moderator as he displays a PET/CT scan with a massive cancer of the throat, You did well on that last case. Let me make this even more difficult. Each case is complex. The panelists work through discussions of patients who have undergone extensive surgical procedures and have received radiation therapy and chemotherapy, only to have the cancer return. Oh, boy. Thats a recurrence after treatment? Wow. I wouldnt have much to offer that one, says one of the experts. How about some chemotherapy? asks the moderator. I have had a few patients do surprisingly well when they were placed on long-term anti-cancer antibodies, says one of the others. The data are not very supportive of that approach, says the moderator. The research says it extends life by only a few weeks and the drugs cost about $10,000 per month. About one-quarter of lifetime medical expenses occur in the final year of life, notes another. I would have the patient and family work with the palliative care team. There was a Boston study demonstrating that people receiving no treatment actually lived longer than people receiving chemotherapy near the end of life, says another. And so it goes. Back and forth with no textbook answers. The panelists gamely quote research and recall patients who have done well and have done poorly. They suggest palliative care, hospice referrals, and comfort measures. They discuss costs. They review the principles of shared decision making. They acknowledge that, at some point, further active treatment is always futile. And what if he was in his eighties instead of being in his fifties? asks the moderator. Would you change your mind based on his age? The panelists glance at each other and smile. It depends, they say. Those of us in the audience understand that the requisite skills to care for these difficult patients do not come easily, even to these world-class experts. Their abilities and judgment have accumulated slowly in layers over the course of long and thoughtful careers. I look around the room and nod to one of my East Coast colleagues who does what I do. Other surgeons shake their heads and whisper to each other. I suspect they are all remembering patients and situations that were equally vexing. Then one of the surgeons on the panel says this: My worst nightmare is having all of my head and neck cancer patients come back from the grave to visit me. It is a shock to hear him say this, but I know what he means. When things go well, our patients can live long and functional lives. When things go badly, though, the final weeks and months can be horrible for both patient and family. As surgeons, we grieve as well, although we realize our suffering pales when compared to what the family experiences. The memories of those patients remain. Even when we have established solid relationships and have compassionately helped patients transition through the stages that approach the end of life, we still feel as though we have failed them. I glance over my shoulder to check the reactions from the back of the auditorium. The rows are filled with young men and women the medical students and residents who are at the meeting to present their research and discuss their posters. They are just beginning their journeys as physicians, filled with anticipation while they decide on their potential careers paths. I wonder: What must they be thinking, watching these senior surgeons appear to struggle with patient care decisions? If these chairs, deans, and surgeon-leaders nearing the ends of their clinical careers are still anxious and uncertain about caring for these patients, why would these young physicians ever want to select this field of practice? It wasnt all that long ago when I was sitting in those seats and wondering the same thing. A few patient encounters, welcoming families, and serendipitous moments directed my footsteps. I still experience anxiety at times, although those anxious moments sometimes let me know I am still alive. Building a career and a life around the difficult moments has rewards. Some of our students and residents will, in fact, be drawn to the flame. I try to share the rewards with them and encourage them to be reflective. My task is to help provide them the tools to find meaning and peace that will carry them deep into careers that will never, ever offer certainty. Bruce Campbell is an otolaryngologist who blogs at Reflections in a Head Mirror. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 32 Shares Share As a physician with a strong sense of calling, I always see myself working for each patient, regardless of who pays the bill. Following in the footsteps of role models like Hippocrates and Osler, how could I do anything else? Ted has been my patient for decades. He cant seem to lose weight. John has admitted he doesnt know how long he can keep doing the kind of work that has supported his family until now. Ted is a long distance truck driver. He needs a DOT physical. Because of the new requirements, he will probably need a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea. If he fails, he could lose his job, because we all want to feel safe on our highways. John came in with back pain the other day. As I filled out the Workers Comp M-1 form, he sighed, This may be it for me. John told me his back started hurting when he lifted a washing machine at work. As long as his employers workers compensation carrier doesnt challenge the claim, hes covered for medical costs, rehabilitation and disability income possibly even for life. If it had happened at home, on his own time, he would not be entitled to anywhere near the same benefits. Medicine is a very personal business. A trusted provider hears more than a stranger, and his or her words have more impact. Our patients assume we are there to help them. But sometimes we are put in a position of working for someone else, against our patients. In Teds case, I wont be the one to tell him that his job is on the line because of his obesity. When the new requirements and certifications for performing physicals for the Department of Transportation went into effect, I simply didnt pursue them. In Johns case, as the treating physician, I have to file regular reports with his employers insurance company, and every test or referral I want to make has to be approved by them. If I keep him out of work longer than they expect or prescribe more pain medication than the average situation requires, I get a call from an insurance company nurse whose job it is to bring my treatment in line with their expectations. It is impossible to overlook the fact that his employers compensation carrier is trying to direct Johns care; they are the ones who pay me for each of his visits. If other life circumstances happen while I am treating him for his back injury, I have to be very careful not to spend too much time talking about them. I certainly cant put any of it in his record, since every comp visit goes to the insurance company for review. I have to constantly remind patients that a comp visit is a legal document, to be used in what amounts to a case of litigation. If I could help it, I wouldnt treat workers compensation cases for the same reason I dont do DOT physicals: I never want to represent an authority or institution that can be seen as the opponent of patients I need to have a therapeutic relationship with. If Johns comp carrier were to claim that since he went to the hospital emergency room with lower-back pain after a minor car accident ten years ago, he had a pre-existing back problem, his medical expenses could bankrupt him. He has a high-deductible health insurance. If he cant go back to work, he will have 26 weeks of reduced-pay short-term disability benefits. After that, hed have to apply for Social Security Disability, which could take several years. If Ted loses his DOT certificate, how can I be effective as his personal physician with my signature on the document that cost him his career? And if he were to commit suicide, like some middle-aged men who lose their jobs do, could I counsel and care for his wife and daughter? I often think about my native Sweden in cases like these. I saw many things that frustrated me when I worked there after graduating from medical school, but they didnt have one level of health and disability benefits for injured workers and little or no help for people who got hurt on their own time. That is a pretty arbitrary and inhumane way of stratifying health care. If youre hurt, youre hurt, regardless of whose fault it is. (Ill tell you about Swedens no-fault medical malpractice payments some other time.) And if you seek help from a doctor, you expect the doctor to be working with your best interest in mind. And if the society you live in doesnt take good care of people who are sick or injured, you may have trouble accepting that your doctor is putting the good of society or the system before your most urgent needs to put food on your familys table. A Country Doctor is a family physician who blogs at A Country Doctor Writes:. Image credit: Shutterstock.com A 93-year-old man has appeared at Kilkenny District Court charged with 24 counts of sexual assault. A 93-year-old man has appeared at Kilkenny District Court charged with 24 counts of sexual assault. Michael Butler, 60 Maudlin Street is charged with 24 counts of alleged sexual assault which are alleged to have taken place at locations in the city on dates between 1989 and 1994. Garda Pat Prendergast told the court that he arrested the defendant on Saturday and brought him to Kilkenny Garda Station where he was charged with the offences which date back to the 1980s and 1990s. Butler was charged with the offences at Kilkenny Garda Station. Garda Prendergast outlined how the defendant made no reply after caution. Inspector Liam Connolly told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that the case proceed on indictment. The alleged offences took place on dates between 1989 and 1995 in locations in the city. Garda Prendergast told the court that there was no garda objection to bail. Solicitor Con McDonnell made an application for free legal aid. He told the court that his client is in receipt of the old age pension and is of little means. Judge DenisMcLaughlin granted the defendant bail on his own bond of 500, with no cash lodgement required. The case was adjourned to March 10 to allow for the preparation of a book of evidence. Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. SYDNEY, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Australian job advertisements bounced back in January from a fall in December, suggesting that the soft run seen in 2016 may be reversing. A monthly survey by Australia and New Zealand Banking Group showed total job advertisements jumped 4 percent in January from December when they fell 2.2 percent. That saw the annual pace of job ads growth rise to 7.1 percent, from 3.7 percent in December. ANZ no longer provides a breakdown between internet job ads and newspaper spots which take a tiny share of total vacancy ads. "The bounce in ANZ job ads, along with modest increases in other leading indicators, lends support to our view that although momentum in the labour market has slowed, it remains strong enough to underpin a gradual decline in the unemployment rate this year," said ANZ senior economist Felicity Emmett. A measure of Australian business conditions recovered strongly in December, a survey found last month, as firms reported a marked pick up in sales and profits. Figures out last week showed Australia posted a record trade surplus in almost three years in December as surging commodity prices boosted export earnings, and likely economic growth as well. Still, there is considerable slack in Australia's labour market, with the jobless rate at 5.8 percent and employment increasingly skewed toward part-time work. (Reporting by Swati Pandey; Editing by Eric Meijer) HANOI, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official and unofficial markets, indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi and interbank offered rates at 0410 GMT. Feb 6 Feb 3 USD/VND mid-point 22,197 22,198 USD/VND interbank 22,595/22,600 22,625/22,630 USD/VND unofficial 22,850/22,900 23,080/23,180 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.60/37.42 37.45/37.87 Interbank offered rates Overnight 3.5-4.6 4.3-4.7 1 week 4.2-4.8 4.4-5.0 1 month 4.6-5.0 4.7-5.2 3 months 4.7-5.5 4.8-5.5 NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016 the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank offered rates are the latest indicative bid/ask prices, quoted from market sources. One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co. For more interbank rate fixings released at 0400 GMT, click on . For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom) PARIS, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Ditching the euro to return to the franc would increase French borrowing costs, European Central Bank policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau warned in a column for Le Figaro published on Monday. "The idea of leaving the euro and devaluing our currency to run up bigger deficits overlooks the fact that financing French debt would cost significantly more," Villeroy said, predicting that borrowing costs could exceed 30 billion euros. Villeroy, who also heads the Bank of France, defended the single currency's deficit rules against those who blame them for weak French economic growth. "If France lags (its peers) in terms of growth, it's not because of excessive budget discipline ... but because of insufficient domestic reforms," he said. Villeroy's comments come after far-right leader Marine Le Pen unveiled her manifesto over the weekend, calling for France to leave the euro. (Reporting by Michel Rose; Editing by Laurence Frost) By Alice Gledhill LONDON, Feb 6 (IFR) - Anne Gebuhrer has been appointed as head of European financial institutions debt capital markets at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, according to a company statement. Gebuhrer, who begins her role as executive director with immediate effect, is based in London and reports to Anthony Barklam, head of debt capital markets. She previously worked at RBS as head of financial institutions debt capital markets origination, with primary responsibility for French, Belgian and Luxembourg banking and insurance groups. She has also worked at Natixis, Credit Suisse First Boston and BNP Capital Markets. Gebuhrer's appointment follows a string of recent senior hires at MUFG Securities, including Paul Lavelle as international head of institutional client group and Sarwat Faruqui as head of EMEA syndicate and co-head of international syndicate. (Reporting by Alice Gledhill, editing by Helene Durand, Julian Baker) INTL FCStone remains bullish on gold and silver and suspects that each will continue to move higher during February. In a monthly commodity outlook, analysts say this is due to two variables -- the continued weakness the firm expects in the U.S. dollar, coupled with geopolitical developments involving Iran and Ukraine. The standoff with Iran is the most problematic, since if tensions continued to escalate, it is quite possible that one side or the other could pull out of the nuclear accords, in which case we could see an immediate spike in gold, INTL FCStone says. In addition, approaching French elections in April/May should also provide gold with a measure of support given that the leading center-right candidate has faded in the polls, opening up a slightly clearer path for Marine LePen, who just this weekend said she would pull out of the EU and NATO if she gets in. Analysts say they are less upbeat on platinum and palladium. Although we think each could move somewhat higher over the course of February, the slight deceleration we see in the most recent U.S. auto sales data, coupled with a sharper-than-expected slowdown in Chinese auto sales this year, could cause problems for both metals going forward, INTL FCStone says. Platinum purchases in the European auto-catalyst industry are expected to dip as lower platinum-loaded catalyst systems are introduced in increasing numbers. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com Citi: Precious-Metals Prices Lift Commodity ETF Market Cap Market capitalization in global commodity exchange-traded funds increased by some $5 billion during January to around $137 billion largely due to higher prices for gold, silver and platinum group metals, says Citi Research. Notably, precious metals represent some 80% of the commodity-linked ETF space and monthly gains for the product group were price-driven since physically backed tickers actually saw modest outflows in the latter part of January, Citi says. Meanwhile, assets under management for all retail and institutional commodity investments during January surged 7% month-on-month and 53% year-on-year to $391 billion as positive price momentum and passive investor inflows continued apace following the strong commodities reflation trade in 2016, Citi says. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com MKS: Commerzbank: ETF Gold Holdings Increase Holdings of gold by physically backed exchange-traded funds rose at the end of last week, report MKS (Switzerland) S.A. and Commerzbank. MKS lists inflows Friday of some 150,000 ounces. Adds Commerzbank: The gold ETFs tracked by Bloomberg saw inflows of 4.5 tonnes on Friday and of 18.4 tonnes in the past four days of trading. Meanwhile, in one other research report on precious-metals ETFs, Citi Research says that physical silver ETF holdings have declined by some 195 tonnes for the year to date to around 20,100 tonnes, with a sizeable portion of the retrenchment occurring within the last few weeks as investors accelerated the unwind. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com By Davide Barbuscia DUBAI, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Kuwait's Equate Petrochemical will issue a $750 million, seven-year sukuk early next week, company representatives told investors on Sunday during the first of a series of fixed income meetings ahead of the debt sale, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Monday. With the planned sukuk sale, Equate - a joint venture involving Kuwait's Petrochemical Industries Co and Dow Chemical Co - would be the first Gulf Cooperation Council corporate to tap the international debt capital markets this year, after a slow start dominated by issuers in the banking sector. The new paper, part of a $2 billion sukuk programme, is likely to offer about 180 basis points over midswaps, the sources said, adding that the pricing would be very much in line with the company's existing debt curve. Telephone calls to Equate's headquarters in Kuwait seeking comment were not answered. Equate presented a "good story" to investors in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on Feb. 5, fund managers said. Roadshow meetings will continue in London on Feb. 6 and 7, Hong Kong on Feb. 9, Singapore on Feb. 10 and Kuwait City on Feb. 12. "Generally in the sukuk space having a corporate coming up with a sizeable deal is quite rare, so it's a deal which is going to gather significant attention," said one fixed income portfolio manager. "It's a company with a good rating and existing debt which is trading well. So you're basically dealing almost with a high- grade sukuk." Equate is rated Baa2 by Moody's and BBB+ by Standard & Poor's. The sukuk proceeds will be used to refinance existing debt as the company aims to maintain its net debt to EBITDA ratio, which is currently 2.9 times, said the sources. The fact that the proceeds will not be used for additional leverage gives further support to Equate's story, they added. A single, seven-year tranche looks likely to sit well with sukuk investors, who are normally cautious when it comes to longer maturities. Equate issued its debut conventional bonds in November last year, raising a total of $2.25 billion split into a long five-year bond maturing in March 2022 and a 10-year tranche. The 2022s were trading at 169.4 basis points over midswaps on Monday while the 2026s were trading at around 210 bps over, Thomson Reuters data showed. The planned sukuk will be arranged by Citi, HSBC, JP Morgan, KFH Capital and NBK Capital as global coordinators and bookrunners, with Mizuho, MUFG, National Bank of Abu Dhabi and SMBC Nikko joining as joint bookrunners. (Editing by Andrew Torchia) Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that may affect Poland's financial markets on Monday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 1 hour): T-BILLS Poland's finance ministry to hold a 29-week T-Bill tender at 1030 GMT. BANK POCZTOWY Poland's state-run small lender Bank Pocztowy is still considering debut on the Warsaw Stock Exchange after it failed to float in 2015 due to weak market conditions, it's chief executive was quoted as saying by Parkiet daily. JSW Supervisory board of coking coal producer, state-run JSW, may dismiss company's chief executive due to frictions within the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna daily said. ELECTION Ruling PiS party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski told Do Rzeczy weekly that he would like to change the constitution if his party gains enough support in election in a future. ****Reuters has not verified stories reported by Polish media and does not vouch for their accuracy.**** For other related news, double click on: Polish equities E.Europe equities Polish money Polish debt Eastern Europe All emerging markets Hot stocks Stock markets Market debt news Forex news For real-time index quotes, double click on: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX (Reporting by Warsaw Bureau) UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Feb 6 Feb 6 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening down 1 point at 7,187 points on Monday, according to financial bookmakers. * The UK blue chip index closed 0.7 percent higher at 7,188.30 points on Friday, the biggest one-day percentage gain so far this year, with a rally in energy and banking stocks eclipsing weaker miners. * BARCLAYS: Barclays Plc is about to overhaul its back office operations under a restructuring to help it comply with new post-crisis rules forcing British banks to ring-fence their retail operations from their riskier business. * IHG: InterContinental Hotels Group Plc on Friday confirmed a data breach from payment cards used at 12 of its hotels in the United States, a little over a month after it said it was investigating claims of a possible breach. * LIBERTY HOUSE/IPO: Liberty House Group, an industrial and commodities group, which has been buying up British steel assets, could list parts of the company in London by 2018, its executive chairman told Reuters on Friday. * LSE/DEUTSCHE BOERSE: Deutsche Boerse and the London Stock Exchange should have their combined headquarters in Frankfurt not London because of Brexit, an influential German minister told Reuters in the clearest public demand for control of the group in Germany. * BRITAIN HOUSING: Britain's housing market is too dependent on large homebuilders, housing minister Gavin Barwell said on Sunday, speaking ahead of the launch of the government's latest attempt to fix a chronic shortage of new homes. * BRITAIN TRADE: Sterling's sharp fall against the U.S. dollar and euro since June's Brexit vote has so far hurt almost as many exporters as it has aided, the British Chambers of Commerce said on Monday. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets * UK CORPORATE DIARY: Randgold Resources Ltd Q4 Earnings Release TODAY'S UK PAPERS > Financial Times > Other business headlines Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for: * 3000 Xtra : visit * For Top News : (Reporting by Rahul B in Bengaluru; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri) Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in precious metal products, commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication. kitco news (Adds detail, background) OSLO, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Tanker firm DHT Holdings unanimously rejected late on Sunday the proposed deal by rival Frontline , controlled by shipping tycoon John Fredriksen. Last week Frontline made a non-binding offer to acquire all DHT's outstanding shares to create the largest private tanker firm in the world. {nFWN1FK06Q] The "Frontline proposal is wholly inadequate and not in the best interests of DHT or its shareholders," DHT Chairman Erik Lind said in a statement. "We believe that Frontline's proposal substantially undervalues our company and represents an opportunistic attempt to acquire DHT at a low point in the cycle." Frontline, itself valued at $1.1 billion, proposed an all-share deal valuing the equity in DHT at around $475 million. DHT also has interest bearing debt of some $685 million. Frontline already owns 16 percent of DHT's shares. "The Frontline proposal would not properly value DHT's contribution to a combined company and would result in unacceptable dilution to DHT's shareholders," said Lind. "The execution of DHT's strategic plan will continue to drive significant and sustainable value for DHT shareholders." (Reporting by Gwladys Fouche, editing by Terje Solsvik) (Adds context, quotes) DOHA, Feb 6 (Reuters) - State-owned energy giant Qatar Petroleum (QP) is exploring oil and gas in Morocco and Cyprus as it aims to expand its liquefied natural gas (LNG) assets abroad while trimming costs at home, chief executive Saad al-Kaabi said on Monday. "You will see us going internationally with some of the partners we have in Qatar, this year and next year... We are in growth mode," Kaabi told reporters at the company's headquarters in Doha. QP, the world's largest LNG producer, has been pursuing deals in Cyprus where it "won a bid for 40 percent of a plot for exploration" and recently "went into Morocco for exploration", Kaabi said. QP is merging two liquefied natural gas divisions, Qatargas and RasGas Co Ltd, to save hundreds of millions of dollars following a more-than-two-year slump in oil prices that has forced Gulf countries to reduce state spending. The economy of the tiny Gulf monarchy, which has a population of 2.6 million, has been strained by the oil slump and QP has fired thousands of staff and earmarked a number of assets for divestment. To maintain dominance over key competitors the United States and Australia, QP is reducing costs at its domestic operations and looking to expand overseas through joint ventures with international oil companies, Kaabi said. He added that supplies of LNG from the United States were not a threat to business. "I'm not worried at all about a gas glut. Gas is going to be needed for a very long time," Kaabi said. Qatar, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), shipped 76.4 million tonnes of LNG in 2014, or 32 percent of global supply, according to the International Group of Liquefied Natural Gas Importers. A moratorium on new Qatari gas production since 2005 has hobbled domestic expansion opportunities as domestic crude output declines. In November, QP received U.S. regulatory approval to build a $10 billion LNG plant with partner Exxon Mobil. The company is also interested in the Mozambique gas business of Italian energy group Eni and could opt to join Exxon in buying a multibillion-dollar stake, Reuters reported in September. (Reporting by Tom Finn and Rania El Gamal; Editing by Pritha Sarkar) The Herald reports: Today the family and friends of Rhys Middleton will mark the anniversary of his death by paying tribute to the Tauranga man with a private gathering. Its going to be a tough day, his mother Judy Richards said. Middleton was killed when the motorcycle he was riding was struck by a Chinese woman who pulled out onto State Highway 5 north of Hawkes Bay. Jieling Xiao, 27, was convicted of dangerous driving and sent home leaving Middletons grief-stricken family to pick up the pieces. No one knows what its like until you walk in those shoes, Richards said. But what is helping her through is the fight she has started to call for change to the New Zealand legal system. On February 14, Richards will present a petition to New Zealand First leader Winston Peters on Parliaments steps. She will be flanked by the many people who have supported her call for tighter rules on foreign drivers on New Zealand roads since the petition began in August. The petition calls for foreign drivers spending at least three months in New Zealand to sit a drivers test before they are issued a licence and already has more than 5300 signatures. The Herald reports: If Australias Malcolm Turnbull got Grumpy Trump, English got friendly, warm, thoughtful Trump and even an invite to the White House if youre passing by. English has given more detail on his phone call with the US President Donald Trump, describing Trump as warm, civil and very thoughtful during a call which ranged from immigration bans to the Super Bowl. He said the call, which he took from the roadside on Aucklands waterfront in between Waitangi Day fixtures, was a warm and friendly conversation. English said Trump had even extended an invitation to the White House although it was not in the usual diplomatic fashion. He has a more casual attitude to diplomatic relationships than is usual, but he conveyed his enthusiasm for meeting at some stage in the White House well, if youre passing by. Despite the warm offer, English said he was unlikely to get there before the September election. Id imagine it will take some time for the new administration to bed in, and then weve got the election campaign. I wouldnt anticipate getting there this side of the election. He said Trump appeared to be positive about the relationship with New Zealand. He thinks its a fantastic place. He likes the idea we are a long way away so therefore we arent under the same pressures as everybody else. They talked about Trumps attempt to ban citizens from seven countries entering the US an Executive Order which has been suspended by the US courts. English told Trump he disagreed with the action and it was not something New Zealand had done. He just noted our views. I dont think that he was surprised by people having a different view. The pair also discussed the different ways they dealt with border security. The discussion focussed on what steps we take and the US takes to as a way of protecting our citizens from high-risk people coming in, which is clearly at the top of his agenda. A protest has been planned in Sharm el-Sheikh, the venue of the summit. TBI investigating officer-involved shooting in Cocke County FEBRUARY 6, 2017 at 12:27 p.m. NASHVILLE -- The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is investigating an office involved shooting in Cocke County. Preliminary information indicates that around 11:15 EST on Sunday, Feb. 5, a National Park Service Ranger observed a vehicle speeding along Highway 441 in Gatlinburg. The Ranger initiated a traffic stop. As he approached the vehicle, the female driver, identified as Chelsey Dunbar (DOB 9/19/88), turned the vehicle around and fled in the opposite direction, running over the Rangers foot in the process. The Ranger, as well as officers with the Gatlinburg Police Department, pursued the vehicle onto Highway 321 until they reached Cocke County. At that point, deputies with the Cocke County Sheriffs Office became involved. The pursuit continued onto Highway 32 in Cosby, where Dunbar turned into Smoky Mountain Elementary School. Deputies attempted to block the vehicle, at which point Dunbar rammed the front of a cruiser and drove over a curb in an attempt to flee. She then proceeded to travel a short distance before turning off the roadway and driving into a field. Deputies again tried to block Dunbars vehicle. During this attempt, Dunbar struck a deputy who had exited his vehicle. Dunbars vehicle continued to move toward the injured deputy, resulting in shots being fired at her. Dunbar was airlifted to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for treatment. The injured Cocke County Deputy was also transported to the hospital. He was treated and has since been released. The TBI Violent Crime Response Team from Knoxville with Forensic Scientists responded to the scene. Agents worked throughout the night to gather evidence and conduct interviews. Per our policy, the TBI does not identify the officers involved in officer-involved shootings. We refer questions of that nature to their respective agencies. As with any case the TBI investigates, our investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General throughout the process for his review and consideration. The investigation remains active and ongoing. Published February 6, 2017 Seoul needs bigger role in China-led trade initiative By Kim Jae-kyoung Korea faces mounting challenges in retooling its economy as U.S. President Donald Trump's footloose protectionism is set to change the dynamics of the global economy and business landscape. At a time of the highest-ever uncertainty in the global environment, it is urgent for the country to take its economy in fresh directions by opening new markets and renewing its global strategy. It has been only two weeks since the businessman was sworn in as the 45th president but he has made controversial policy moves, jeopardizing alliances with key allies and heightening uncertainty in the global economy. So far Trump has sent two clear messages to the world from an economic perspective. First, his administration will not budge on his "America first" policy on trade, being tough and demanding of allies. Second, he will deploy all possible tools to reverse trade deficits regardless of the effects on other nations. This means that in the coming years America-led globalization will wane, forcing countries to seek new trade partners. Also, with growing protectionism, strong domestic demand will be a must to cushion the blow from external shocks. Against this backdrop, Korea must quicken its efforts to diversify its export markets for new sources of trade and investment. In particular, smaller firms relying heavily on a few major markets need to find new destinations. "I doubt Korea will be the key target for Trump as the U.S. also needs allies. The focus of the U.S. administration will no doubt be China," Alicia Garcia-Herrero, chief Asia-Pacific economist at Natixis, told The Korea Times. "However, if I were Korea, I would not lean toward the U.S. only since it could be dangerous now more than ever," she added. Antonio Fatas, professor of economics at INSEAD, echoed the view, saying, "In the long run you want to diversify your exports not to be dependent too much on a specific market." "But in the short run there is very little you can do," he added. "Korea needs to be ready to use domestic spending as a way to handle a potential economic crisis." Renewing global strategy More importantly, Korea needs to re-chart its long-term global strategy to tip the balance of its trade policy in favor of China and Southeast Asian countries over the U.S. Trump's protectionist measures are expected to cause trade friction with China and other Asian countries, which many believe will make the U.S. surrender its global leadership, increasing Beijing's clout in the global economy. To capitalize on upcoming changes, Seoul should make efforts not only to build a harmonious relations with Beijing but also to secure its role in the China-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). "If China continues to push for RCEP under the ASEAN+3 setup, Korea should try its best to be in the group and negotiate the best possible conditions," Garcia-Herrero said. "It will be hard since China knows there is no substitute as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is dead." On his inauguration, Trump signed an executive order for the U.S. to withdraw from the 12-country TPP, one of the largest free-trade agreements in history. Disappointed at Trump's nationalistic approach, some of the key allies of the U.S., including Europe, are already mulling shifting focus to China. "America is our best friend. If that's no longer the case, if that's what we need to understand from Donald Trump, then of course Europe will look for new friends," Jeroen Disselbloem, president of the Eurogroup told the media in late January. "China is a very strong candidate for that," he added. Bolstering domestic demand Another important implication is that domestic demand should be a new engine for Korea's economy because protectionism will hamper the growth of global trade. Therefore, while exploring new markets abroad, ING Asia-Pacific chief economist Tim Condon said the country should boost domestic demand by fostering the services industry. "Countries that used export-led growth such as Korea need to find other routes (to stimulate growth)," Condon said. "Korea needs to come up with new measures to bolster domestic demand other than just boosting the real estate sector." In order to boost the services industry, analysts said that politicians and policymakers should reform their mindset because shifting focus to services from manufacturing means more competition and fewer regulations. "Politicians know what to do but they don't do it because it is a question of political and economic power," Fatas of INSEAD said. "Changing competition, changing regulations, changing labor markets typically would leave someone worse off. That person has some power," he added. "It is not lack of knowledge." Bills to revitalize the services industry and reform the labor market have long been pending at the National Assembly due to the resistance from opposition parties. Local authorities in Gwangju spray disinfectants at a cattle farm in Boeun, North Chungcheong Province, Monday, after a case of foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed there earlier that day. / Yonhap By Kim Se-jeong The first case of foot-and-mouth disease here since March 2016 was confirmed Monday, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA). The ministry placed an immediate transport ban Monday on all live cattle and pigs across the country for 30 hours. For North Chungcheong and North Jeolla provinces hit directly by the animal disease, the ban will stay until next Monday. The ministry said five cows at a dairy farm in Boeun County, North Chungcheong Province, tested positive for the disease. Another suspected case was reported at a farm in Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province, Monday with the test result expected by today. The authorities in Boeun culled all 195 cattle at the first farm as a preventive measure Sunday. Milk from the virus-infected cows could have already been sold to consumers but the ministry said it would not harm any people drinking it because the virus is killed by heat and stomach acid. Foot-and-mouth disease is an infectious disease that affects animals with cloven hooves, such as cattle, pigs and goats. South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung, a liberal presidential contender, takes a photograph with part-time workers during a meeting at the provincial government building in Hongseong County, Monday. / Yonhap Governor's pledge to share power triggers controversy By Yi Whan-woo Controversy is growing over liberal presidential contender An Hee-jung's pledge to share power with conservative politicians if he is elected as the president. Other opposition contenders are stepping up criticism of An for "attempting to join hands" with President Park Geun-hye's followers despite his explanations that he meant to unite the country suffering from ideological division and his idea is being wrongly interpreted. The criticism is expected to put An's presidential bid to the test after he has soared in the latest popularity polls, according to experts, Monday. An, who declared his bid for the presidency Jan. 22 with the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), ranked second in two surveys released by Research Plus and Realmeter, Monday. An's surge is attributed to absorbing former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's supporters, including centrists, moderate conservatives and natives of South and North Chungcheong provinces, after Ban dropped his presidential bid, Feb. 1. An is still believed to be capable of expanding his support base, thanks to his politically-neutral view on thorny issues, such as the planned deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery in South Korea and possible arrests of Samsung Group's heir-apparent Lee Jae-yong. Against this backdrop, Moon Jae-in, a former DPK chairman who has a firm lead among the presidential favorites, has refrained from criticizing An after he showed skepticism on Feb. 3, over the idea of cooperative governance. Moon's move is seen as a bid not to anger An's supporters but absorb them if An drops out of the presidential race. Both Moon and An have maintained relatively amicable relations as they were regarded as "political inheritors" of President Roh Moo-hyun, who is still revered among the liberal-minded voters even after his death in 2009. But lawmakers from the two minor opposition parties the People's Party and Justice Party asked An to apologize, Monday. Their call was in line with Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung's demand, Sunday, that An's presidential pledge is a "betrayal" of a public call to hold those who are responsible for the influence-peddling scandal surrounding Park and her confidant Choi Soon-sil, accountable. Lee had been a distant runner-up behind Moon in several polls but was overtaken by An. An responded to Lee that he did not mean to forgive Park, Choi, the ruling Saenuri Party and the conservatives who have "ruined" the country. "An needs to say he is sorry for his pledge to join hands with the Saenuri Party," People's Party chairman Rep. Park Jie-won posted on his Facebook page. Claiming he thinks of An positively, Park also wrote, "Everyone makes mistakes and giving a mere excuse is not like the An I know." In a radio interview, Justice Party floor leader Rep. Roh Hoe-chan said An's pledge would be repeating history. "An's idea is interpreted as joining forces with the conservative parties despite the impeachment of Park," Roh said. Meanwhile, a few lawmakers welcomed An's idea, claiming "It should not be downplayed." "Whoever becomes the next president will need inter-party cooperation considering there are multiple parties," former DPK interim leader Rep. Kim Chong-in said. "In that sense, we can't simply denounce An." Former Saenuri Party floor leader Rep. Chung Jin-suk called An's pledge "impressive." "It is an open and practical idea, considering political reform can't be made without cooperative governance," he posted on his Facebook. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has claimed Pyongyang is ready to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), but military experts say the test is highly likely to fail as the country's progress in key technologies remains dubious. They say Kim's ICBM threat is an apparent effort to send a message to the new U.S. administration of President Donald Trump. / Graphic by Cho Sang-won By Jun Ji-hye North Korea still has a lot of work to do in developing an operational intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), so the test it threatened to do will almost certainly end in failure, according to military experts. They said the North seems to have made progress in some technologies related to the intermediate- and long-range missile, such as stage separation, clustering of engines and guidance and control systems, but its progress in reentry vehicle capability and engine performance remain dubious. The analysis came as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un claimed, in his New Year's Day address, that Pyongyang has entered the final stage of preparations to test-fire an ICBM, in an apparent threat that the North is close to making a nuclear-tipped missile capable of striking targets on the U.S. mainland. Pyongyang has never flight-tested road-mobile KN-08 or KN-14 ICBMs. On Jan. 19, the reclusive state reportedly has built two missiles, presumed to be the new ICBMs, and placed them on transport erector launchers (TELs) for the North's first test-firing of ICBMs. However, Leon Sigal, director of the Northeast Asia Cooperative Security Project at the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) in New York, downplayed the young leader's claim, saying "in the final stages of preparation" may mean the state is not quite ready yet. "There is no sign yet that it has perfected a reentry vehicle robust enough to resist the heat and pressure of penetrating the atmosphere," he said. Securing missile reentry technology is the toughest challenge in developing operational middle- and long-range ballistic missiles. As missiles reenter the Earth's atmosphere at Mach 24, the warhead needs to be capable of withstanding temperatures of around 7,000 to 8,000 degrees Celsius. In March last year, after its simulation test, the reclusive state claimed that it has secured the heat-resistant capability of the long-range missiles. But a South Korean military expert said, asking not to be named, the test environment was far different from that in real ICBM test-firing, given that the test temperature was only about 1,500 degrees Celsius. "I don't assess that the North has secured reentry vehicle technology," he said. Terence Roehrig, a professor at the U.S. Naval War College, said it was difficult to know for sure how reliable Kim's claim was, albeit it could be a reliable claim for a future test. But he noted that being willing and able to conduct a test does not mean the test will be successful. "The record would suggest that an ICBM test will likely have problems," he said. "Though North Korea has improved its missile capabilities through its satellite launches, these have had difficulties." Referring to last year's tests of the Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBM), he said, "The tests had numerous failures before one that showed some degree of success and the likely ICBMs to be tested, the KN-08 or KN-14 have yet to be flight-tested so that the likelihood of failure in the short-term seems high." Pyongyang fired a total of eight Musudan missiles between April and October last year, with only one flying some 400 kilometers. Most of the other missiles exploded right after takeoff. According to military officials in Seoul, the North's ICBM uses engines in the same series as those of the Musudan. They said the fact the only one of the eight tests was successful showed that the North has failed to correct faults in the missile's engines. Engine performance is essential in boosting the missiles, they added. "Each time North Korea tests, they learn from the attempt and their program continues to move forward," Professor Roehrig said. "But there remain some important question marks for making the entire system operational. North Korea still has a good deal of work to do in developing an ICBM capability, but they are making progress and they will continue trying." Taking into consideration the North's dubious ICBM capability, military authorities here see the greater possibility for Pyongyang to launch the Musudan instead of the ICBM if it does decide to conduct any provocations in the near future. They said any launch will probably be aimed at mastering know-how linked to the Musudan, including the stability of its engine, as part of efforts to advance its ICBM capability. "We are closely monitoring any new military activities in North Korea, as it could launch an IRBM at any time if leader Kim Jong-un gives the order," a military official said, asking not to be named. During a phone call with U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford last week, Seoul's JCS Chairman Gen. Lee Sun-jin cited the North Korean leader's birthday on Feb. 16, Seoul-Washington's joint Key Resolve exercise in March and the North's late founder Kim Il-sung's birthday on April 15 as possible days for the North's provocations. Message to Trump The Ministry of National Defense interpreted Kim's ICBM threat as part of the North's efforts to send a message to the new administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who was inaugurated on Jan. 20. Referring to the two suspected new ICBMs reported a day before his inauguration, officials raised the possibility that the North intentionally revealed the existence of the new missiles to send a strategic message to the new U.S. administration, which has hinted at carrying out a hard-line policy against the North. U.S. experts agreed with this view. "Kim's announcement could have been an effort to see how the Trump administration would respond," Professor Roehrig said. According to Sigal, it is noteworthy that in the past, after each United Nations Security Council sanctions resolution was passed, the North responded with test-launches and nuclear tests, but it did not do so this time. "This could be a sign that it is waiting to see whether President Trump meant what he said during his campaign about wanting to negotiate with Pyongyang, as well as the regime change in Seoul," he said. "The statements by Kim Jong-un and the foreign ministry are a reminder of what is at stake if there are no talks." By Lee Kyung-min The independent counsel team investigating the influence-peddling scandal involving President Park Geun-hye said Monday it will seek to extend its mandate scheduled to expire Feb. 28. "We believe our investigation has not produced enough results. Given the current circumstances, we will consider asking for an extension of our mandate," team spokesman Lee Kyu-chul said during a regular briefing at the team's office in Daechi, southern Seoul. The one-time 30-day extension is possible only with approval from acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, due to Park's suspension of duty following the passage of an impeachment motion against her. The team must submit the extension request by Feb 25. If the mandate expires as scheduled, the team's probe thus far is rendered useless without anyone including the President, her former chief of staff Kim Ki-choon, former presidential secretary for civil affairs Woo Byung-woo and Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong being held accountable for their alleged crimes. The team's decision came shortly after Rep. Park Joo-min of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea submitted a revision bill seeking to bypass Hwang's approval in extending the mandate. The current mandate allows the team to have a 20-day preparation and 70-day investigation period, but it must seek approval of the President (acting President Hwang) to extend this by 30 days. However, the revision stipulates that the total investigation period be 120 days without any additional approval allowed. The revision came amid growing speculation that Hwang will not approve the extension request out of loyalty to President Park and for other political reasons. Hwang is a possible presidential candidate with increasing support from conservative voters. "While the public sentiment is increasingly tilting toward extending the mandate and bringing justice to all figures involved, we fear Hwang could make a choice betraying such expectations," Rep. Park said. While the revision is likely to swiftly pass the opposition-majority National Assembly after undergoing a review by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, it is rendered in vain if Hwang vetoes it. The importance of the extension is increasing as President Park is set to undergo face-to-face questioning, Thursday or Friday, inside Cheong Wa Dae over the scandal. The team earlier said it will dispatch a team of investigators to the presidential office as President Park strongly opposes appearing at the team's office, a stance to avoid humiliation and disgrace in what is the unprecedented summons of a sitting President being questioned as part of a criminal investigation. Meanwhile, key witnesses are scheduled to appear before the Constitutional Court this week in Park's impeachment trial. Ko Young-tae, a former associate of Choi Soon-sil, the shady confidant of President Park, and former Health Minister Moon Hyung-pyo are to attend the hearing Thursday to testify over Cheong Wa Dae's alleged involvement in helping Choi further her financial interests. Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn leaves the National Assembly, Monday. / Yonhap By Kim Rahn Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn is drawing criticism for refusing to cooperate with the independent counsel's move to search Cheong Wa Dae in its investigation of President Park Geun-hye's influence-peddling scandal. The counsel's investigators failed to search the presidential office after officials there refused to allow them access to the premises citing security reasons. Right after this, the special prosecutor's team sent a letter to Hwang to explain that Cheong Wa Dae's refusal of the search was improper and ask for his cooperation with the search. Hwang, however, said it is Cheong Wa Dae, not him, who decides whether to allow a search, virtually refusing the counsel's request for help. "He understands Cheong Wa Dae officials refused the search according to related laws," Hwang's office said in a statement. "It is the head of the facility meaning the presidential chief of staff and the head of the Presidential Security Service who should make the legal decision on whether the search is proper," an official at the Prime Minister's Office said. "Not exactly knowing what kind of state secrets Cheong Wa Dae keeps, Hwang has no authority to accept or refuse the search. Even though he is superior to the chief of staff, he cannot order him to accept the search." Despite his claim that he has no authority to decide, Hwang's stance is seen as a protective move of the impeached leader. This could have a negative influence on his presidential bid by fostering an image of himself as President Park's "bodyguard," as pointed out by Rep. Choo Mi-ae, chairwoman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). "If he (a former prosecutor) acts like a prosecutor who suppresses democracy under the name of security by refusing the Cheong Wa Dae search and holding the lid of Pandora's box closed, he should never become a presidential candidate, let alone a president," Choo said in a party meeting Monday. "He should not abandon the law and the principle, to which he himself adheres to strictly, while assuming the title of Park's bodyguard. The court-issued search warrant itself is the law and the principle, and Hwang should tell Cheong Wa Dae to cooperate with the search to end the current political crisis resulting from the scandal." She stressed that Cheong Wa Dae is no longer a holy place but the starting point of the scandal. "If Hwang keeps opposing the search, it will be regarded as standing by the suspect and allowing the destruction of evidence. And he will have to take political responsibility." The minor opposition People's Party also criticized Hwang, saying he was avoiding his responsibilities as acting President by stressing his role and responsibilities as prime minister. Party spokesman Rep. Kim Kyung-jin said, "Hwang's refusal to cooperate with the Cheong Wa Dae search shows he is a Park collaborator." Rep. Sim Sang-jung, chairwoman of the minor opposition Justice Party, called for Hwang's impeachment for "obstructing the independent counsel's investigation by siding with the suspect (President Park)." By Kim Rahn Without an outstanding presidential candidate, the ruling Saenuri Party is seeing a number of minor hopefuls springing up. The lesser-known names include Rep. Won Yoo-chul, a five-term lawmaker, and Ahn Sang-soo, the former mayor of Incheon. Won, who officially announced his presidential bid Monday, called for a two-stage constitutional revision, demanding a change of the governance structure to decentralize power to take place before the presidential election as the first stage. "A change in the governance structure is the most urgent issue for constitutional revision, so the rest of the issues can be dealt with after the election," Won said in a press briefing at the National Assembly in Seoul. "Through repeated history, we know a campaign pledge for constitutional revision after an election is hardly kept." He said South Korea needs to arm itself with nuclear weapons if it fails to deter North Korea from having such weapons. Won also pledged power sharing between the president and the prime minister; a power transfer from the central government to local governments; and more independence for the judiciary. In his book publication party in Seoul, Ahn said he could create 3 million jobs, a de facto announcement of his bid for the presidential race. "During my eight years as Incheon mayor, I achieved practical results in job creation, such as establishing the Songdo International Business District," Ahn said. Besides the two, Rep. Rhee In-je had declared his bid for the presidency last month. Reps. Cho Kyoung-tae and Chung Woo-taik as well as former Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo and South Gyeongsang Province Governor Hong Joon-pyo are also considering joining the race. By Choi Ha-young The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is pushing for the passage of a special bill aimed at confiscating the hidden wealth of Choi Soon-sil, a confidant of President Park Geun-hye, as early as in February. "The National Assembly should pass the bill as quickly as possible because Choi can destroy evidence and make it impossible for investigators to trace her illegally-accumulated assets," DPK lawmaker An Min-suk said during a hearing on the bill he co-organized with another DPK member, Lee Sang-min. The lawmakers have drafted the bill to target the assets owned by not only Choi but also her associates and heirs. The draft bill calls for the creation of a special committee to confiscate their assets with the authority to investigate and request court warrants for confiscation. They are discussing whether to include President Park among those who are subject to the investigation, and investigate financial activities conducted under Park's father, Park Chung-hee, in the 1970s. The envisioned special committee will include certified accountants and taxmen with more than 10 years of experience as well as lawyers with over 15 years of experiences, according to the lawmakers. Oil Stain on Amazon (1) US oil giant says it's not responsible The Ecuadorian government invited The Korea Times earlier this month to take a look at what it claims is extensive environment damage in the Amazon rainforest caused by Chevron-Texaco's years of irresponsible oil extraction. This is the first in a three-part series by two Times reporters ED. By Yoon Sung-won QUITO, Ecuador The government of Ecuador invited international journalists to the South American country during the first week of December to show the seriousness of environmental damage in Lago Agrio, an oil-rich area in Ecuador's northeastern Sucumbios Province. Ecuador claims the damage was caused decades ago by the irresponsible oil extraction practices of Texaco Petroleum, a U.S. oil company that merged with the second-largest U.S. oil company Chevron in 2001. The Ecuadorian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Integration Ricardo Patino said that the invitation was arranged as part of President Rafael Correa's campaign titled, "The Dirty Hand of Chevron" with the ultimate goal of preventing a repetition of similar environmental damage, caused by irresponsibility, in other parts of the world. On Dec. 3 and 4, the invited journalists from Korea, Germany, France, Venezuela, El Salvador, Honduras and Cuba met with Paola Carrera, director general of Ecuador's Ministry of Environment in Nueva Loja, a city near the Lago Agrio oilfield, and went into the oil extraction sites where Texaco used to operate. In an oil-contaminated rainforest near the Aguarico 4 oil well, Carrera showed darkened soil, water and plants heavily affected by oil waste in the ground. Carrera said that Texaco had left behind almost one thousand of these pits over three decades of oil extraction in the Amazon rainforest between 1964 and 1992, leaving an estimated 18 billion gallons of water contaminated with oil. She said the polluted water has continued to seep from unprotected pits and has contaminated streams and rivers that the indigenous people use for drinking water, and destroyed wildlife and negatively affected agriculture and stock-farming. According to the Ecuadorian government, Texaco failed to use adequate technology to seal the pits, even though this was not complicated, and to clean up another 17 million gallons of direct oil spills to save money, thus increasing company profits. Carrera said the Ecuadorian authorities have conducted a diagnosis of the environmental damage in the affected regions and a total of 54 oil production sites inspected by the trial court of Lago Agrio all showed levels of oil contamination that violate international standards. At the time of the Texaco operation, the Ecuadors standard for total petroleum hydrocarbons in soil and water was 10 times lower than that of the U.S., but even so, average contamination was 20 times the Ecuadorian standard, and in some extreme cases, up to 900 times. In a briefing session on the legal procedure with Chevron-Texaco on Dec. 5, Patino denounced Chevron's attempt to avoid its responsibility to pay for the environmental damage it caused in the past. "Ecuador has continued to respond to Chevron's threats to clearly show the truth to the world what happened in Ecuador, the contamination it has caused and its argument that we Ecuadorians have to remedidate the contamination is not fair," he said. "I'm glad to show international journalists the affected regions and directly verify that the environmental damage there is real." In 1993, a group of local Ecuadorians called the Amazon Defense Coalition sued Texaco in the place of the Ecuadorian government, which lost its right to file claims against the company under a prior agreement. They have claimed that the company left the country without properly restoring the environment and compensating for health damages it caused during 25 years of oil extraction. The Ecuadorian court in Lago Agrio ruled in favor of the Ecuadorians in 2011 and ordered the transnational company to pay a total of $19 billion for cleanup operations. However, Chevron protested against the verdict and filed another suit with the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, saying that it was the government of Ecuador's responsibility to clean up the mess according to the bilateral investment treaty between the U.S. and Ecuador. Morgan Crinklaw, a public affairs manager at Chevron, told The Korea Times that it was regrettable that the Ecuadorian government "attempts to evade its own responsibility for addressing the environmental, social and economic needs of the people of that region." He said Texaco already remediated its share of oil fields, which are now fully taken over by Ecuador's state-run PetroEcuador, and the remediation was certified by the Ecuadorian government, with a full release from further environmental liability. "Chevron has discovered evidence that shows the judgment of the Lago Agrio court in 2011 is illegitimate because of documented evidence of fraud and unethical action by the plaintiffs lawyers, as well as the Ecuadorian government and judiciary," he added. Oil stain on Amazon (2) This is the second in a three-part series about damage caused by years of irresponsible oil extraction in the Ecuadorian Amazon. ED. By Yoon Sung-won LAGO AGRIO, Ecuador Big tall broad-leaf tropical trees stand close to each other in all directions for miles. The vast green mass is only disrupted by a meandering river of brown water. Sounds are plentiful: birds, insects, plants and the river. All indicate it is the Amazon rainforest the lungs of the earth. Well, except for the foul smell from decaying pools of oil that have seeped deeper into the earth. The stench near the Aguarico 4 oil well captures a snapshot of history about the fight between environmental protection and development. In this case, as with many others, the latter not just won but left an indelible mark of its victory a damaged environment. Illusanguil Flores, a 70-year-old resident who has farmed and lived in the region for the last 30 years, told The Korea Times that the disastrous water contamination has destroyed every aspect of his life. "As a farmer, water was everything to me. My family and I used to bathe in the river near the forest, cooked with the water and used it for my plants and livestock," he said. "First, the plants turned purple and withered and then cows, pigs and chickens died after their bellies bloated, all because of the contaminated water. Now I cannot do anything even though I have land." Jose Merdado Shingre, a resident of Lago Agrio whose family suffered from the aftermath of the oil waste, called for justice and a conscience in this matter. "Texaco officials didn't drink water from the region while they worked here because they knew it was not safe," he said. "What we want is clean water and the truth to be told." A group of journalists from Korea, Germany, France, Venezuela, El Salvador, Honduras and Cuba went into the rainforest of Lago Agrio, an oil-rich region in Ecuador's northeastern Sucumbios Province. Their trip earlier this month was aimed at verifying the damage, which environmentalists and residents claim was caused by decades of destructive oil extraction methods used by Texaco Petroleum, a U.S. oil company that merged with the second-largest U.S. energy giant Chevron in 2001. Large pits filled with a mixture of oil waste, rotten water and dead plants are scattered on the site. Because of the enormous state of the toxic contamination at the site, protective gear including helmets and long rubber boots has to be worn to enter the forest. Beside the largest oil pit near Aguarico 4, whose diameter is 15 meters and is at least three meters deep, Paola Carrera, director general of Ecuador's Ministry of Environment, said that the oil waste Texaco dumped in these pits has leaked from the ground and serves as evidence of how irresponsible Texaco has been. "At first, Texaco insisted that the soil in the Amazon rainforest was very solid and thus was capable of blocking everything, even oil waste," she said. "But as you can see, it was simply not true. "Texaco should have covered the ground with plastic sheeting before dumping the waste. Even three decades ago, it was not difficult, nor expensive. But they just didn't do so." Though the environmental damage itself is a grave problem, the pain of indigenous people living near the extraction sites in Lago Agrio is beyond words. Indigenous people residing near the sites have started to suffer from cancer, brain damage and all kinds of unknown skin diseases caused by heavy metal poisoning from the food and water they have consumed, which were contaminated by the oil waste. Paola said that such ailments were rarely reported in the region before the arrival of Texaco. Morgan Crinklaw, a representative of Chevron, said that Texaco at that time had already cleared its share of the oil fields. He said the company no longer has a responsibility as this was already certified by the Ecuadorian government with a full release from further environmental liability within Ecuador. Chevron claims that PetroEcuador, the state-run oil company of the South American country, should pay for the environmental recovery because PetroEcuador has fully taken over oil extraction in the region from Chevron-Texaco. Kim Sung-yoon, 96, the oldest in a group of 82 elderly South Koreans, meets her younger sister during the first part of cross-border family reunions at the Mt. Geumgang Resort in North Korea, Thursday. The elderly South Koreans, accompanied by 58 family members, began long-awaited meetings with 180 North Korean relatives during the three-day event. / Yonhap Separated family members from 2 Koreas have emotional reunions By Chung Min-uck and Joint Press Corps A kaleidoscope of scenes unfurled at the Geumgangsan Hotel in North Korea where 82 South Koreans in their 60s to 90s met their long-separated siblings, aunts, nephews and other relatives. At one table, two sisters couldn't speak for a full minute before embracing each other and crying. Not far away, a brother and sister were standing, embracing each other also crying. At another table, two sisters checked old photos, probably of their parents. It was a dream-come-true event for all the members and especially so for Kim Young-hwan, 90, who met his 87-year-old former wife and 65-year-old son for the first time in 60 years they parted during the Korean War (1950-53) after Kim fled to the South. Unable to suppress his sorrow, a tearful Kim repeatedly told them, "I'm so sorry..." After tying the knot again in the South, Kim had five children here. "My father has always felt sorry for his wife and son in North Korea. He used to say that he wanted to give them a big hug if he had a chance to meet them," said Se-jin, one of Kim's sons who accompanied his father for the event. Next to the couple, Lee Young-sil, 88, was meeting her 67-year-old daughter from the North. But Lee could not even recognize the girl she left six decades ago with her husband, since she suffers from severe Alzheimer's disease. Park Woon-hyung, 93, met his 68-year-old daughter Myung-ok and two other sisters in their 70s. Myung-okis the daughter he left in the North when he was 25. "I have never forgotten you and my hometown even for a second. Let's live healthily until unification and meet again," Park told his daughter and sisters. Resicoa Roblez, a 71-year-old inhabitant near Coca, the capital city of Orellana Province, Ecuador, prays for her three children who died two decades ago from drinking water contaminated by toxic oil waste in the Amazon rainforest, at her wooden shanty. Seen Behind her is a poster of Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa who launched an international campaign against Chevron last year. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul Oil Stain on Amazon (3) Roblez blames Chevron for fatal environmental tragedy in Ecuador This is the last in a three-part series about damage caused by years of irresponsible oil extraction in the Ecuadorian Amazon. ED. By Yoon Sung-won COCA, Ecuador For the last two decades since the start of litigation, the victims of toxic oil waste in the Ecuadorian Amazon region have received little support. Their own government and Chevron have continuously shifted responsibility to each other. Standing barefoot on the wooden floor of her tumbledown shanty on Dec. 4, Resicoa Roblez, a 71-year-old Ecuadorian residing in the outskirts of the capital city of Orellana Province, recalls how it all started more than two decades ago. Her family used to live close to the Yuca Oil Field operated by Texaco; later merged with Chevron in 2001. "One of my neighbors was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Not long after my closest friend, Roman, also died of cancer after drinking contaminated water," she said between sobs. "My family fled the region. But it didn't work and years later, three of my children also died from diseases." By Andrew Wolman The United States has always had a complex relationship with international refugee norms. At times, the US has shut its doors to deserving refugees from Haiti, Central America and elsewhere. On the other hand, in recent years it has consistently resettled vastly more refugees than any other country in the world. In 2015, out of 81,893 UNHCR refugee resettlement departures, 52,583 people were destined for the United States. Many of them were particularly vulnerable women and children, and religious minorities Christian, Muslim and Buddhist. This openness has been consistent with America's history as an immigrant haven. The only time that American's commitment to refugee resettlement was previously drawn into question was in the period after the 9/11 attack. At this time, there was a three month suspension of refugee resettlement, but it resumed promptly, and by 2009 the program was larger in scope than it had been prior to 2001. And it is hard to argue with the fact that resettlement has worked well for the United States and for the refugees themselves. Resettled refugees have by and large achieved economic self-sufficiency, created thousands of new jobs with their entrepreneurialism, and infused much needed energy into cities like Detroit and Cleveland. Terrorism has not been a problem, in part because the refugees are already subject to an exhaustive pre-resettlement security check, and in part because they tend to treasure the country which has given them protection. The U.S. until recently also tried to persuade other countries to open their gates to refugees from the Middle East as well, and with some success. Last September, President Obama convened a conference of world leaders in New York, with participation contingent on making new commitments to assist refugees. Cumulatively, states committed to double the number of refugees resettled or offered other legal admission channels at the conference (which seems so long ago now). Many hoped that 2017 would be the year that the US and other countries truly committed to a large scale resettlement program that could begin to ease the burden on Turkey, Lebanon and other developing countries currently sheltering the great majority of the world's refugees. This hopefulness is now a thing of the past, as indeed is the entire tradition of the U.S. leadership in refugee resettlement. With President Donald Trump's executive order banning entry to residents of seven majority Muslim countries, putting a 120-day moratorium on refugee resettlement (including North Koreans), and indefinitely barring Syrian refugees, he wipes away some of America's most important humanitarian legacy. He imposes a solution on what is not a problem. Instead, he puts into place a regime of hate, discrimination, and fear. There is no conceivable way this will make America safer. From the perspective of international law, it would be quite easy to point out the violations in Trump's order. The 1951 Refugee Convention states, very clearly, that it shall be applied "to refugees without discrimination as to race, religion or country of origin." But it would be naive to think that Trump cares about flouting international law. It is going to be a long four years, and so far the greatest Trump-era losers are not the Democrats. Rather, they are the thousands of refugees around the world who are seeing their hopes for a new life dashed. Andrew Wolman is a professor at the Graduate School of International and Area Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, where he teaches international migration law and international human rights law. Write to Wolman at amw247@yahoo.com. By James M. Dorsey The Trump administration risks fuelling sectarianism across the Muslim world and exacerbating multiple conflicts that are ripping the Middle East and North Africa apart by singling out Iran rather than tackling root causes. Iran moved into President Donald J. Trump's firing line when his national security advisor, Michael Flynn, an anti-Iran hawk, put the Islamic republic "on notice" for testing a ballistic missile. The test was likely a provocative probing of US policy towards Iran, one of seven countries whose nationals are temporarily banned from travel to the United States. Mr. Trump has repeatedly denounced the nuclear agreement concluded by the United States and other world powers with Iran as a bad deal. It remains unclear what Mr. Flynn's notification entails. A resolution circulated in the House of Representatives before Mr. Trump's inauguration would authorize US military action against Iran if the president believes it is necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Most analysts, including supporters of Mr. Trump, believe that Iran has largely honoured the international agreement curbing the Islamic republic's nuclear program, making an immediate military response to the missile test unlikely. Gulf states alongside Israel have moreover urged Mr. Trump to adopt a tough approach towards what they see as belligerent Iranian interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries and support for terrorism, but to stop short of annulling the agreement. Mr. Trump is expected to move away from his campaign pledges to tear up the agreement, but with Mr. Flynn's warning appears to be adopting the advice of US allies. A Saudi read out of a phone conversation last weekend between King Salman and Mr. Trump said the two leaders agreed to counter "those who seek to undermine security and stability in the region and interfere in the affairs of other states." The White House said the they also had a meeting of the minds on the "importance of rigorously enforcing" the nuclear deal. The consensus notwithstanding, Mr. Trump's travel ban, despite including Iran, puts King Salman in a bind, as he balances the kingdom's foreign policy objectives with its self-proclaimed leadership of the Muslim world. Saudi Arabia has so far refrained from commenting on the ban despite pressure from some of its allies to do so. Saudi Arabia's predicament and it's welcoming of the rise of Mr. Trump in the expectation that he will fight some of the kingdom's battles creates the opportunity for the new president to put disruption to constructive use. It could allow Mr. Trump to tackle not only Iran but also Saudi Arabia on a fundamental issue that drives volatility, sectarianism and political violence in the Muslim world in general and Iranian and Saudi policies specifically: the rise of supremacist, intolerant, anti-pluralistic ultra-conservatism. Supporters of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani have already hinted at the opportunity. "Iran has every interest in reducing tension with Saudi Arabia at a time when the Trump presidency in the United States is creating new uncertainties," said an editorial in the pro-Rouhani Entekhab daily. The opportunity that arises is not limited to Iran and Saudi Arabia. Leaving aside the ethics of banning travel on the basis of religion or nationality, Mr. Trump's ban as well as his intention to focus US counter-terrorism exclusively on Islam rather than on all forms of political extremism, including far-right supremacism, would also allow him to pressure other countries where divisive ultra-conservatism has been allowed to fester. That is evident in efforts by the governments of Malaysia and Indonesia to stay out of Mr. Trump's firing line by refraining from criticizing the ban. Both Malaysia and Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, have witnessed the rise of ultra-conservative intolerance towards non-Muslim and Muslim minorities such as Shiites and Ahmadis, a sect widely viewed by conservative followers of the faith as heretics, that are informed by Saudi-backed puritan interpretations of Islam There is little to suggest that Mr. Trump recognizes the opportunity. A failure to exploit the opportunity and exclusively target Iran is however likely to backfire, embolden Saudi policies that create problems rather than offer solutions, and fuel sectarian and other cycles of violence. While Iran has refrained from promoting a supremacist world view of its own, there is little doubt that it implements its ultra-conservatism with the application of medieval, punitive measures of Islamic law, including amputation and stoning. It has also reshaped the politics as well as the very integrity of Arab countries like Lebanon where it supports Shiite militia Hezbollah, Syria that has been torn apart by a vicious civil war, the creation of Shiite militias in Iraq, and Yemen where Iran has come to the aid of the Houthis. The problem is that so have Saudi Arabia and its allies or in other words: there are no nice guys in this fight. A four-decade long, $100 billion global Saudi effort to box in, if not undermine, a post-1979 revolution Iranian system of government that it sees as an existential threat to the autocratic rule of the Al Saud family by funding ultra-conservative political and religious groups has contributed to the rise of supremacism, intolerance and anti-pluralism across the Muslim world and created potential breeding grounds of extremism. The rise of ultra-conservatism has fuelled sectarianism and violence against Shiites and Ahmadis; hardened attitudes towards women and alternative lifestyles; and curbed fundamental freedoms under the guise of blasphemy. Iranian interference in the affairs of other countries stems as much from long-fading revolutionary zeal in the wake of the 1979 revolution as it constitutes a response to the Saudi-led Sunni campaign that involved not only support for non-violent, ultra-conservative groups, but also the funding of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's devastating eight-year long war against Iran in the 1980s as well as virulently anti-Shiite and anti-Ahmadi forces in Pakistan that are responsible for the deaths of thousands, and militant groups in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa. At the bottom line, Iran and Saudi Arabia have long been locked into a struggle for dominance in the Muslim world that has fuelled violence, created breeding grounds for extremism, and brought the Middle East and North Africa to the edge of an abyss. Tackling symptoms or only specific players rather than root causes threatens to fuel the fire rather than extinguish it. Dr. James M. Dorsey is a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, co-director of the University of Wurzburg's Institute for Fan Culture. By Michael Breen For some time now since the victory of the Republican candidate Donald J. Trump in the U.S. presidential election, Korean government leaders have been nervously trying to assess what might change. And so when the new U.S. defense secretary James Mattis came to Seoul last week and warned North Korea that the United States would retaliate vigorously to any use of nuclear weapons, there was an almost audible sigh of relief. "Any attack on the United States, or our allies, will be defeated, and any use of nuclear weapons would be met with a response that would be effective and overwhelming," he said. In threatening a vigorous response to serious North Korean aggression (as opposed to localized "provocation" which is up to South Korea to handle), Secretary Mattis was reaffirming longstanding U.S. policy. Nevertheless, that the Trump administration has sought to put North Korea on notice in case future possible U.S.-South Korea disputes related to trade and payment for American troops are misinterpreted as wavering commitment, goes a long way to reassure South Koreans. But reconfirmation of the willingness to retaliate to the unthinkable is just step one. Step two of U.S. security policy in this part of the world is the harder question of what to do about North Korea's nuclear weapons development. Will Mr. Trump continue the policy of the Obama administration and its predecessors through a combination of "strategic patience" and sanctions? Or, will it try something different? There are two ways to figure that question. One is to look at the broader vision the U.S. under President Trump might have for the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia. A change of vision could lead to a change of strategy and tactics. For example, if the American government were to introduce a long-term vision of a free market, democratic Northeast Asia, it would naturally opt for policies and propose Helsinki-type agreements intended, if not to nudge China along that path, to at least support it when it faces the inevitable demands from the middle class for democratic freedoms. The North Korean question could be approached in that same context, and the resolution of the nuclear question put to one side to be dealt with later when North Korea develops and begins to see eye-to-eye with other players in the region. But, until now, the U.S. has had no such vision and nobody is currently talking about it. The Obama vision for the region was a growing business partnership with China and for a North Korea with no nuclear weapons. That is why his administration was so timid about aggressive Chinese hacking of U.S. targets and the bullying of Southeast Asian states, for example, while not holding back on its criticism of North Korea. My bet is that the new administration will change the China part of this vision and challenge Beijing more vigorously on security and trade matters. But that the North Korea part will remain the same. So, if there's no new vision regarding North Korea, the second way into the question is to consider what new factors may be motivating U.S. foreign policy formation that may influence the tactical approach to the nuclear question. Right now, the main factor coloring policy is the viewpoint that Obama was weak in projecting American power. The new administration, for example, believes the Iran nuclear deal to be shabby and Obama's unwillingness to address the ideological element driving Islamic terrorism as the main reason it remains such a global concern. This view, which is shared by many security experts, may lead to an ABO (anything but Obama) foreign policy. With North Korea, that either means aggressive threats or creative engagement. Muscularity has, of course, been tried before. As President, Bill Clinton considered bombing North Korean facilities but pulled back from that option after thinking through the possible impact on 50 million South Koreans and a bunch of random foreigners, including your columnist, just across the border. His successor, George W. Bush, rattled the leadership cage by going after the ruling Kim family's money and interests overseas, but backed off from a more vigorous regime change policy. These measures were as useless as the standard soft approaches regional talks, UN resolutions and sanctions and each failure led to the same conclusion that the only viable strategy is to wait. We get on with our lives and wait until the North Koreans remove the current leadership and replace it with one that refocuses the national priority from security to the economic welfare of the populace. Let's just hope that, as the new U.S. administration rumbles toward that station, the train does not jump the tracks. Michael Breen is the CEO of Insight Communications Consultants, a public relations company, and author of "The Koreans" and "Kim Jong-il: North Korea's Dear Leader." By Kang Seung-woo Samsung Electronics announced Monday that it will withdraw its membership from the embattled Federation of Korean Industries (FKI). The tech giant's decision could be the precursor for a chain of departures by other units of the Samsung Group from the beleaguered business lobby group. The FKI faces growing calls for its dissolution over its role in the corruption and influence-peddling scandal that brought about the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. According to Samsung, it officially delivered by e-mail and phone its decision to break away from the FKI that mainly speaks for the interests of the nation's family-controlled conglomerates. The withdrawal came two months after Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong pledged to do so during a Dec. 6 National Assembly hearing into the nation's biggest political scandal. Lee's grandfather and Samsung founder Lee Byung-chul was one of the main architects of the business lobby in the early 1960s following the military coup by former President Park Chung-hee, the father of the incumbent President. Samsung is also the biggest contributor to the FKI in terms of its annual budget. Lee is alleged to have offered bribes to President Park's close aide Choi Soon-sil jailed since late October and on trial since last month in return for the government's support of a controversial merger between two Samsung affiliates that enabled a smooth takeover of management rights from his bed-ridden father Lee Kun-hee. Lee Jae-yong avoided arrest in the massive bribery scandal, but the company remains on high alert as the independent counsel team investigating the case is once again seeking to request an arrest warrant for Lee for bribery and embezzlement among other charges. Samsung Electronics is the nation's second among four major business groups to pull out of the FKI following LG Group, Dec. 27. The other two are SK Group and Hyundai Motor Group, both of whom are considering following in their footsteps. Along with them, state-run companies and financial institutions have jumped on the bandwagon, leaving the fate of the FKI hanging by a thread. Additionally, Samsung Electronics is set to disband its corporate strategy office, the powerful control tower of the Samsung Group, as soon as the independent counsel team's investigation is over. The vice chairman also promised this during the parliamentary hearing. By Yoon Sung-won Samsung faces troubles including overdue dismissal of executives and recruitment amid a months-long delay in a regular personnel reshuffle, according to an industry source, Monday. The nation's top conglomerate usually has a regular executive reshuffle at the end of every year. But with the group and its chief, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, dealing with the special investigation regarding his alleged involvement in the presidential corruption scandal, the reshuffle has been postponed indefinitely. As a breakthrough, the group said Sunday its affiliates including Samsung Electronics will have the reshuffle for working-level personnel in March. But the schedule of its executive shakeup, which used to be the first step of personnel transfers, remains in a fog, escalating group-wide concerns. "Like in the military, all organizations with hierarchy need proper personnel changes through promotion, retirement and recruitment in time," an industry source said. "With stagnation in the top-tier personnel shakeup, working-level employees may fear a vacuum in manpower." Samsung Group affiliates start recruiting new employees in March every year. Last year, the conglomerate hired some 4,000 in the first half and an additional 10,000 in the latter half. In previous years, the group's Corporate Strategy Office has worked with each affiliate to decide upon the scale of recruitment. But this may also change after Lee's remark to "disband the Corporate Strategy Office" during a parliamentary hearing last year. But another industry source said, "Samsung is not likely to postpone the regular recruitment schedule because it may lose talented human resources to other companies." The group said it has not confirmed its recruitment plan. Yet another problem is delaying the change of top executives. Besides the cost of pay for overdue dismissal of executives whose contracts have already expired as of the end of last year, the delay in the top executives reshuffle may lead to problems in timely investment and restructuring, according to the industry. "Such delays will increase uncertainties while undermining competitiveness as a business," the source said. Samsung Group is expected to make an executive reshuffle after the investigation by the special prosecutor, which currently is scheduled to be concluded by the end of this month. But the prospect is dire for the group as the special prosecution team said Monday it is "positively considering extending the investigation." The Democratic Party of Korea also said it will push to extend the special investigation by 30 days. By Jhoo Dong-chan Hyundai Rotem has inked a deal with Egypt to supply a total of 256 train cars for the Cairo Metro, the company said Monday. The contract is expected to reach a total of 433 billion won ($380.7 million), the largest deal since Hyundai Motor Group's rolling stock manufacturing affiliate entered the African market. Under the deal, Hyundai Rotem will supply 256 subway cars for the Cairo Metro's Line No. 3, and carry out their maintenance for eight years after completing the delivery. The 256 cars are expected to connect the 45.5-kilometer east-west subway route between Cairo International Airport and Ataba Station. The scheduled delivery starts next year and will be completed by 2020. A Hyundai Rotem official said the government played an important role in winning the bid. "The finance ministry and the Export-Import Bank of Korea supported a financial package, helping the company take an advantageous position in the bid," he said. Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kang Ho-in also visited Egypt last November to meet President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. During the meeting, Kang strongly emphasized Hyundai Rotem's advantages for the Cairo Metro Line No. 3 project. "Some 80 Korean subcontractors are also expected to enter the African market through this project," said the official. "It will give a huge boost to the nation's train industry for their future overseas operations." Hyundai Rotem also confirmed last week that it had clinched another train supply deal for the Jakarta LRT project in Indonesia. Under the deal, it is expected to build 82 subway cars, and the volume could reach about 220 billion won ($200 million) if options for up to 55 additional cars are exercised. E-cigarettes are on display at a store in Seoul in this file photo. Tobacco firms are expected to release various vaping products soon. / Yonhap By Park Jae-hyuk Philip Morris International (PMI) Korea is considering releasing its signature iQOS smokeless e-cigarette in Korea this year at the earliest, according to industry officials, Monday. The international tobacco company's move seems to intensify competition among tobacco makers here British American Tobacco (BAT) Korea, Japan Tobacco International (JTI) Korea and KT&G. Although PMI Korea said it has yet to determine the specific schedule for the release, industry observers expect the company's global headquarters will soon approve the release of the iQOS, which has already met huge success in Japan. When the iQOS was first released in Japan last April, Japanese smokers lined up to buy the product. The company has posted more than 90 percent of its worldwide iQOS sales in Korea's neighbor, so it is reportedly seeking to repeat history here. In addition, PMI CEO Andre Calantzopoulos said during a BBC Radio interview last November the company will soon phase out of the ordinary cigarette business. JTI has been severely threatened by iQOS in Japan along with a 25 percent decrease in its stock prices, so the global tobacco firms have begun to take countermeasures against PMI earlier here. KT&G and BAT Korea said they have been preparing for the e-cigarette market in Korea and JTI has already launched its business here. KT&G said it reformed its e-cigarette division last year. Police arrest four suspects at Clear Water Bay Road. Officers mounted a raid after the gang was spotted trying to enter a home in Tseung Kwan O By Christy Leung, Clifford Lo Four men from Guangxi, thought to be behind a series of burglaries in the city, were arrested by Hong Kong police in a raid on Friday night. It marked the second series of theft-related arrests by the force in the past two months, amid a 70 per cent surge in the number of high-end household burglaries in the city last year. The men, aged between 24 and 37, arrived in the city with two-way permits and were intercepted after they attempted to rob a Royal Castel house on Pik Sha Road in Tseung Kwan O. On Saturday afternoon, officers took one of the suspects back to a building in Yau Ma Tei, where he had been staying, for a house search. The men were said to belong to a notorious village gang in southern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, where most of the villagers have the surname Wei and two of the arrested suspects have the name. Police also believed they were linked to a series of burglaries that involved upscale houses in Sai Kung and Tseung Kwan O in the New Territories. Burglaries in Hong Kong totalling more than HK$500,000 per case climbed from 31 cases in 2015 to 54 last year. Police Commissioner Stephen Lo Wai-chung stressed on Saturday morning that the force would work closely with its mainland counterparts and said there were no signs suggesting crime syndicates were behind the recent burglaries. On Friday afternoon, the force mounted an anti-burglary operation along Clear Water Bay Road when officers saw four men looking suspicious and fleeing into a bush after getting off a bus at Hung Uk on the same road. They then received a report at 8.30pm from a female security guard at the home who claimed that a group of four attempted to burgle the residence but ran away when they saw her. An hour later, officers discovered the group in Hung Uk where they were earlier seen by police in the afternoon. "We suspect that the group is linked to the attempted burglary in Royal Castel," said Leung Chun-chung, senior inspector from the Kowloon East Regional Intelligence Unit. He said that one officer sustained minor injuries in the raid as one suspect resisted arrest. Police seized a stun gun and a large number of burglary tools. The force had been investigating the suspects for more than a month and placed them under surveillance when they recently re-entered Hong Kong from the mainland. It is understood that the men came to the city at different times to avoid raising suspicion. Clear Water Bay has been a recent target for robberies. In mid-December, three men from southwestern Guizhou province came to the city and were involved in a high-profile break-in and kidnapping . The force arrested one of them on the same night, whereas the remaining two suspects were arrested by provincial public security agents on the mainland last month. President Muhammadu Buhari is sick, but not terminally ill, The Punch gathered on Sunday. A top government official, who spoke to one of their correspondents on condition of anonymity, said this shortly after the Presidency announced Buharis decision to extend his two-week vacation. Before now, the Presidency had insisted that the President was not sick, saying he would only use the opportunity of his short vacation to undergo check-ups. But the government official admitted on Sunday that Buhari was sick. He, however, insisted that the President was not ill. The President is sick. But it will not be correct to say he is terminally ill. Illness has more to do with terminal disease. The President is only under the weather; he is not terminally ill, he explained. Before the announcement, however, arrangements were on to receive Buhari in Abuja, on Sunday, in preparation for his resumption on Monday. Officials were put on the alert pending the confirmation from the Protocol Unit on the time the President would arrive. The National Youth Council of Nigeria had also said it had mobilised 15,000 youths across the country to join in receiving Buhari at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. As of the time the statement on the extension was released, State House correspondents were on standby to join the delegation that would receive the President. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, had, penultimate week, in an interview with CNBC Africa, monitored in Abuja insisted that Buhari was not ill. Adesina had insisted that Buhari was only in London for vacation and was not in any hospital. He had said, The President is in London on vacation. He is not in any hospital and he is not ill. When he was travelling last week, the statement we put out was that he was going on vacation and during the vacation, he would do routine medical check-up and nothing has changed from what we pushed out last week. PDP, APC clash over Presidents health status Meanwhile, the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party called on Buhari to tell Nigerians the true state of his health. The main opposition party was reacting to the inability of the President to return to Nigeria from the UK, where he had been on holiday for more than 10 days. The PDP said it was wrong for the President to also send letter to the National Assembly, extending his leave, without telling Nigerians when he would resume. Spokesperson for the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee, Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, stated this in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents. But the ruling All Progressives Congress berated the PDP, saying the opposition party should pray for the President instead of spreading rumours. The PDP spokesman, who was a former Minister of State for Works, however, said it was wrong for the President and his handlers to be trivialising the health of the President. He said the President had chosen a wrong approach to address the issue of his health since he assumed office. He said, The President should know he is not a private citizen. He should know that Nigerians are the ones paying his health bills and therefore, he should tell them the true state of his health. He should not treat Nigerians with levity and he should also know what is obtainable in civilised countries. Nigeria is not a jungle. Imagine the President talking about a leave extension but not saying when he would resume? Adeyeye stated that there was no way the President could claim to be awaiting the outcome of medical tests without definite dates. Medical tests have dates of collection of results. It cant be open-ended without dates, he said. But the APC urged the PDP to join other well-meaning Nigerians to pray for the President instead of sensing an opportunity to get even. The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said this in a telephone interview with one of Punchs correspondents on Sunday. Abdullahi stated, This is the President of the country. The elections are over; he is our President, he is the President of Nigeria not that of the APC or the PDP. If the President has told us that he needs to stay back to do some other medical things, it behoves us, as responsible citizens, to pray for him and stop sensing an opportunity to retaliate. Does the PDP know more than what we have been told? What we know is what we have been told. We believe that the President has demonstrated an acute sense of responsibility. We are all living witnesses to our recent history where a President travelled and did not even communicate to the National Assembly the appropriate document to make the then Vice-President act in his stead. But this is a President that, on every occasion that he has to travel, he not only communicate to the National Assembly, but creates the enabling environment and the space for the Vice-President to act as President in his absence. I dont know why people will start going green in the eyes as if we are actually hoping that tragedy befalls this country. The PDP should not behave in a way that will make Nigerians begin to think that it is actually spreading the rumour that the President is dead. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Despite Tuface who started the movement decided to call it off after security reports revealed that hoodlums had planned to hijack the peaceful procession, comedian Seyi Law is taking the lead right now as Protests have embarked in Lagos and Abuja with protesters carrying placards and asking for a better Nigeria. One of the protesters say the protest is to express the anger of Nigerians and the hardship being faced by them. It is also said that protest will also begin any moment from now in Port-Harcourt and Enugu. More photos Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Historic ties of north Meck span throughout region Though the north Mecklenburg area didnt see significant population growth until a few decades ago, its rich history dates back to the Revolutionary War. That was the basis of... An easier-than-expected first mammogram experience HUNTERSVILLE Scheduling a cancer screening probably ranks somewhere on your to-do list between "clean out the garage" and "donate those clothes that don't fit." Sure, you'll get to it at... older | Main Largehearted Boy Page | newer February 6, 2017 In the Book Notes series, authors create and discuss a music playlist that relates in some way to their recently published book. Previous contributors include Bret Easton Ellis, Kate Christensen, Lauren Groff, T.C. Boyle, Dana Spiotta, Amy Bloom, Aimee Bender, Jesmyn Ward, Heidi Julavits, Hari Kunzru, and many others. Kelcey Parker Ervick's The Bitter Life of Bozena Nemcova is an innovative and unique insight into the Czech author's life told through postcards, snippets of interviews and essays, and collage. Danielle Dutton wrote of the book: "Kelcey Parker Ervick's The Bitter Life of Bozena Nemcova is a singular compendiuma handbook, a digest, an offering, a constellation in orbit around the strange bright star of nineteenth-century Czech writer Nemcova. Via a series of carefully curated letters, excerpts, images, and documents, Nemcova is brought to life in curious gasps. But the book is also a vivid and gripping portrait of another artist, Kelcey Parker Ervick, who, in searching for the other finds something of herself." In his own words, here is Kelcey Parker Ervick's Book Notes music playlist for her book The Bitter Life of Bozena Nemcova: One of my favorite activities when I travel to Prague is going to concerts, often by myself, and finding someone to sell me a cheap ticket. I write about two of the concerts in the book: Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen. Bozena Nemcova loved music and dancing. She was a Czech fairy tale writer, and the first part of the book is a collage of her life, which had all sorts of reasons to be bitter, but which was also an amazing triumph of resistance to the literary and patriarchal status quo. She published the first Czech novel in 1855. Her writing celebrated Czech culture and traditions even as it exposed the small-mindedness of townspeople and their beliefs about women and work and marriage. Nemcova understood these problems first-hand, having been forced into an unhappy marriage at a young age and struggling financially throughout her life. The second part of the book is a series of postcards, written from me to her, about my language study failures, my love of Franz Kafka and Bohumil Hrabal, my divorce, and about falling in love. I recently had coffee with a Polish woman who read the book and said that in my story I become like one of Nemcova's fairy tale heroines as I fall in love, in search of a happy ending. Maybe so. "Crazy Mary," Pearl Jam One of Bozena Nemcova's most famous characters is "crazy" Viktorka, a beautiful young girl who ran off with a soldier only to return to her village alone and pregnant. Later, one of the villagers sees her throw her newborn baby into the water, and for the rest of the book Viktorka wanders the woods and sings late-night lullabies at the water's edge. Nemcova's portrayal of her is sympathetic and generous. Pearl Jam's song is about a similar crazy lady, and in the gorgeous crescendo, the song's speaker imagines Mary "rising up above it all." There's also the strange coincidence that both Viktorka and Mary (if I understand the lyrics right) die in a lightning storm. Another reason for this song choice: I've been pretty obsessed with Pearl Jam since the early nineties. I write in the book about arriving in Prague for my first day of Czech language school and seeing a picture of Pearl Jam on the (now defunct) Prague Post. They were playing in concert that night. Jet-lagged and far too old for such things, I screamed and cheered throughout the whole concert. They played, as they often do, a long and awesome jam of "Crazy Mary." "Toxika," The Plastic People of the Universe Bozena Nemcova didn't have any relationships that weren't toxic, is one way to think of this song. The other is the way that The Plastic People of the Universe, a dissident Czech punk band, shaped the twentieth century revolution with their music the way Nemcova shaped the 19th century revolution with writing. Inspired by Frank Zappa and the Velvet Underground, the band formed shortly after the Prague Spring of 1968 came to an abrupt end with the arrival of Soviet tanks. The Plastic People were deemed a threat by Communist authorities and regularly detained, questioned, and arrested (like Nemcova), inspiring Vaclav Havel and others to compose the protest document, Charter 77. "Cloudy Shoes," Damien Jurado In the early months of the new relationship that I write about, Damien Jurado played a "living room show" in my town of South Bend, Indiana. The living room in question was in an old high school converted into apartments, and we were sitting on a couch in the former deep end of the pool just a few feet from Damien Jurado. I lead an overseas study class to Prague and Berlin, and the next summer, in 2014, Jurado had a show the week we were in Prague at Klub 007, a small underground venue that's been around since The Plastic People of the Universe formed. My colleague, a German historian, came with me to the show, and at one point she said, "I can see why you would like this." Which was a way of saying she didn't like it at all. She thought the lyrics were too weird and nonsensical, but she could see that they were a collage of sorts. After the concert, I got to talk to Jurado and told him of the South Bend concert, and he totally remembered playing in the deep end of a pool. I still have a video recording of him playing this song. "Pulchritude," Thee More Shallows This is the song on the book's trailer. It's also the main song for a weird German film called "The Strange Little Cat," which has very little plot, and which my partner and I watched one night. When it came time to make the book trailer, I wanted to commission someone to compose a song like this one, with the haunting strings and repetitions, so I Googled the song for reference. When the commission fell through, I decided to email the record company of the actual song. And they wrote back! And I asked to use the song, and they said yes! "One Sunday Morning," Wilco This song. For hours and hours as I revised and proofed this manuscript, my partner, the new love who shows up in the book, taught himself to play this song on guitar. The tone of this song is exactly how I want this book to feel. "Born in the USA," Bruce Springsteen You've never heard "Born in the USA" until you've heard it played by Bruce in a foreign country and sung passionately by a crowd of people who were NOT born in the USA. Kelcey Parker Ervick and The Bitter Life of Bozena Nemcova links: excerpt from the book (PDF link) video trailer for the book TNBBC's The Next Best Book Blog post by the author also at Largehearted Boy: Support the Largehearted Boy website List of Online "Best Books of 2016" Lists Book Notes (2015 - ) (authors create music playlists for their book) Book Notes (2012 - 2014) (authors create music playlists for their book) Book Notes (2005 - 2011) (authors create music playlists for their book) my 11 favorite Book Notes playlist essays 100 Online Sources for Free and Legal Music Downloads Antiheroines (interviews with up and coming female comics artists) Atomic Books Comics Preview (weekly comics highlights) guest book reviews Librairie Drawn & Quarterly Books of the Week (recommended new books, magazines, and comics) musician/author interviews Note Books (musicians discuss literature) Short Cuts (writers pair a song with their short story or essay) Shorties (daily music, literature, and pop culture links) Soundtracked (composers and directors discuss their film's soundtracks) weekly music release lists permalink PRESS RELEASE Russian and U.S. Ambassadors to the UN Meet Privately, Agree To Work Together Feb. 4, 2017 (EIRNS)Addressing the United Nations Security Council for the first time since her appointment as U.S. UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley said the United States wants to improve relations with Russia. In response, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said he would do his best to establish a "good working relationships" with the United States. Both countries are permanent members of the UN Security Council. After the UNSC meeting, Churkin noted a "change of tone" by the U.S. envoy to the UN, and later in the day he met with Haley at his residence in New York, according to Churkins spokesman. "Both sides expressed the intention to closely cooperate at the UN in accordance with the intentions of their respective capitals," the spokesman told journalists yesterday. PRESS RELEASE Russia Warns Seoul Against THAAD Feb. 4, 2017 (EIRNS)Russian Ambassador to South Korea Alexander Timonin told South Korean reporters yesterday that deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missiles as planned at this point would mean that Russia would have no choice but to take steps to ensure its security. UPI reported from Maeil Business that Timonin said: "A THAAD deployment may have a dangerous impact on the situation on the peninsula.... We regard it as part of the U.S. global missile defense program, which is stationed along the Russian borders and therefore poses a threat to our security." The statement was issued on the same day that Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who was in Seoul, announced that the U.S. would proceed with the THAAD deployment this year, as planned under the Obama Administration. This is leaving out the very real possibility that the THAAD will be scrapped by the new South Korean government, which will be elected sometime between now and December. In Beijing, during a regular press briefing on Feb. 3, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Chinas position on THAAD has not changed. "The U.S.-South Korea pursuit of THAAD deployment can undermine Chinas national strategy and prosperity, and also undermines regional strategic balance," Lu said, according to Yonhap. "It does not help solve the problems on the Korean Peninsula." He said THAAD deployment was the "wrong path." It took Donald Trump 71 days after winning the presidency to settle on an Agriculture secretary. It took him four more days to unsettle much of the agriculture industry. First, the freshly inaugurated president withdrew on Jan. 23 from the Trans-Pacific Partnership treaty, a 12-nation pact that was expected to boost U.S. agricultural exports by more than $7 billion annually over the coming decades, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For the record: A previous version of this story gave an incorrect interval between Donald Trumps selection of his secretary of Agriculture and his withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Trump selected his secretary of Agriculture on Jan. 19. He withdrew from the treaty four days later, on Jan. 23. Then, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the president was thinking about financing his long-promised southern border wall with a 20% tax on imports from deficit countries, like Mexico. Advertisement That announcement, followed by a flurry of clarifications and caveats, appears to be part of a plan for a massive tax overhaul aimed at altering the trade balance country by country. U.S. farmers, who get about 20% of their annual revenue from trade, could be hit especially hard if countries choose to retaliate. Consumers, too, would suffer if a border tax increases the price of foreign food. U.S. agricultural and related products including dairy, meat, forestry products and fish amass a $5-billion trade surplus with the world, according to the Department of Agriculture. Among the biggest sellers are soy beans, grains, dairy products, meat, nuts, hay, wine, fruit and vegetables. Farmers and ranchers from Florida to Washington have experienced double-digit growth in many of these commodities since the mid-1990s, according to the USDA. For example, exports of corn from Iowa to trade-agreement countries more than doubled in the past decade, with more than 60% of the states shipments going to Mexico, a partner in the North American Free Trade Agreement. Louisianas exports of soybeans to trade-agreement partners rose 15% in the same period, driven largely by trade with Latin American trade pact countries. But no state has more at stake than California. It leads the country in agricultural revenue, and its farmers and ranchers are twice as dependent on foreign trade as the country as a whole. Last year, growers in the state earned $21 billion from trade about 44% of their total revenue, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Without California, the U.S. would not have exported a single tree nut, table grape, raisin, olive oil drum, garlic clove, artichoke, fig, date, kiwi or dried plum. The Golden State last year also exported more than 90% of the wine, processing tomatoes, avocados, carrots, broccoli and celery in the U.S. Californias berries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, melons, oranges, lemons, tangerines, mandarins, spinach, lettuce, seasonal vegetables and rice constituted more than half the U.S. exports of those commodities. Some of the countries most responsible for the United States overall trade deficit are California agricultures best customers China and Mexico among them. As recently as Jan. 28, Trump accused China of protecting its exports by depressing the value of its currency, the yuan. He has called the North American Free Trade Agreement, which links the U.S. with Canada and Mexico, the worst trade deal ever and threatened to tear it up. The comments drew quick reaction from California officials, even as they scratched their collective heads over what Trump actually intended to do. Altering NAFTA starts to create some market turmoil, which ripples out through the supply chain not just the farmer but the transporter, the processor, the ports, longshoremen. It affects a lot of jobs, said Josh Rolph, manager of federal policy for the California Farm Bureau Federation. The U.S.-Mexico trade relationship is very important. We would be concerned to see that relationship negatively affected, said Ken Barbic, senior director of federal government affairs for Western Growers Assn., an agricultural industry group. Mexico supplied the U.S. with more than $5 billion in fresh vegetables, $1.4 billion in processed fruits and vegetables, $4.5 billion in fruit and $2.8 billion in beer and wine last year, according to the USDA. All could be targets of a tax. Californias top exports to Mexico dairy, forestry products, prepared foods and fresh fruit could find themselves in the political crosshairs. Likewise, taxes could be imposed on Canadas imports of wood products, processed foods and fish, and the country potentially could retaliate against the fruits and vegetables, wine and beer, nuts and processed foods that California exports north. Even a small alteration in trade a strike, slowdown or other protest in Mexico, for example could hit consumers, who expect fruits and vegetables in the produce aisles year-round, regardless of growing seasons. Consider the avocado: Last year, prices skyrocketed when Mexico could not harvest them during a few weeks when there was a gap in U.S. supply, itself beset by drought. Restaurants and sandwich shops began charging extra, guacamole disappeared from cafe plates and consumers griped. A similar weather problem in Mexico lately has driven up the price of asparagus, a crop that has shifted to Mexico since the passage of NAFTA. Unable to compete, California growers have cut production of the crop by 70% since the mid-1990s, according to the state Department of Food and Agriculture. The last time the U.S.-Mexico relationship got rocky, it cost U.S. growers close to $1 billion in lost sales from 2009 to 2011, according to USDA economist Steven Zahniser. Thats when Mexico launched retaliatory tariffs against dozens of U.S. agricultural products, over U.S. reluctance to comply with NAFTA provisions to allow Mexican trucks into the States. Resolving a tiff in one economic sector by using food as a pawn is not an unusual tactic. Food frequently bears a steeper penalty in trade wars because it carries a lot of political clout. It doesnt last as long as politicians can argue, for one. And few people riot over the price of a smartphone, laptop or car, but theyve been known to overthrow governments over a spike in the price of food or shortages of staples. Russia continues to ban food imports from the European Union, after those countries sanctioned Russia over its annexation of Ukraines Crimea region. In 2015, Canada and Mexico were set to retaliate against U.S. wine, fruits, meat, cheese and dozens of other items over a dispute involving meat labeling. Ill tell you where Im most worried about: Its not between-country negotiations; its when we get a mercantilist, deal-by-deal kind of mentality, said Daniel Sumner, a resource economist who heads UC Davis Agricultural Issues Center. You dont want your president telling businesses how to run their business. So far, though, cajoling businesses appears to be Trumps approach. Last month, he threatened to tax General Motors over its manufacture of the Chevrolet Cruze hatchback in Mexico. GM countered that all of the Cruze sedans are built in Ohio, although several thousand Cruze hatchbacks from Mexican factories are sold here. Trump also threatened a 35% tax on Fords if more of its vehicles were made in Mexico. He has yet to mention taxing avocados. geoffrey.mohan@latimes.com Follow me: @LATgeoffmohan ALSO How a 20% border tax could set off an international food fight Interactive graphic: How Californias runaway energy industry came to be Obama saw low-wage workers as struggling moms. Trump may see them as suburban teens Tech giants join fight against President Trumps travel ban Democrats are preparing for a battle over President Trumps push to dismantle the Dodd-Frank financial reform law, which analysts said will be difficult to accomplish without bipartisan support. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi vowed Monday to take the case to the public to try to build opposition to any effort to eliminate or water down protections designed to prevent a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis. The president has moved to expose hardworking Americans to unfair, deceptive and predatory practices, perpetuating a massive con on those who thought he would stand up for them against the powerful interests, Pelosi told reporters. Advertisement Dodd-Frank, which was passed with almost no Republican support in the wake of the financial crisis, toughened capital requirements for financial firms, set up a powerful panel of regulators to watch for threats and created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to oversee credit cards, mortgages and other financial products. Trump signed an executive order Friday ordering a review of Dodd-Frank, which he has vowed to dismantle. Republicans and businesses say the law has restricted bank lending and consumer choices. After the signing, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) said the move represented the beginning of the end of the Dodd-Frank mistake. Although some of the laws rules can be weakened by regulators appointed by Trump, key provisions cannot be eliminated without legislation. That sets up a looming political battle between the administration and congressional Democrats. To get legislation through the Senate, Republicans would need the support of at least eight Democrats to break an expected filibuster. The chances of that dont look good right now, said Jaret Seiberg, an analyst with brokerage and investment bank Cowen & Co. Democrats have promised to defend the 2010 law, one of former President Obamas signature accomplishments. The lesson of history is that when faced with a danger like Donald Trump, opposition needs to grow. Most of all, opposition needs to be willing to fight, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), an ardent supporter of Dodd-Frank, told the Progressive Congress Strategy Summit in Baltimore on Saturday. Giveaways to giant banks so they can cheat people and blow up our economy again? said Warren, who came up with the idea for the consumer bureau. We will fight back. Seiberg noted in a report Monday that even moderate Democrats boycotted last weeks Senate Finance Committee vote to advance the nomination of Steven Mnuchin to be Treasury secretary. Mnuchin, a wealthy Wall Street executive, would help lead the effort on an overhaul of financial rules. If these trends continue, it will be hard to see the president driving legislation forward, particularly as it relates to reforming Dodd-Frank and providing banks with regulatory relief, Seiberg said. Republicans could try to use the budget reconciliation process, which requires only a simply majority in the Senate, to make changes to Dodd-Frank regulations that affect federal spending and taxes. But that would limit how much of Dodd-Frank could be changed, Seiberg said. For example, a reconciliation provision could eliminate the independent funding stream for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and subject it to the congressional appropriations process. But reconciliation couldnt be used to replace the bureaus single director with a bipartisan commission, which Republicans have advocated. Likewise, Trump could not repeal the Volcker Rule, which prohibits federally insured banks from trading for their own profit and limits their ownership of risky investments. Instead, Trump would have to try to change the rules provisions through the five regulatory agencies that are in charge of it. Strong Democratic opposition to Trump so far means there are substantial obstacles to bipartisan legislation overhauling financial, health and energy regulations, Goldman Sachs analysts wrote in a report Monday. While we have not expected a sweeping overhaul of regulation in any of these areas to become law, recent developments lower the probability somewhat that even incremental changes could pass in the Senate, the report said. On Friday, at a White House meeting with top corporate chief executives including Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase & Co., Trump signaled his intention to rely on Wall Street for advice on reducing financial regulations. Theres nobody better to tell me about Dodd-Frank than Jamie, Trump said before the meeting began, adding that we expect to be cutting a lot out of Dodd-Frank. One of the administration officials helping to direct the overhaul of Dodd-Frank is National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, who recently stepped down as chief operating officer at Goldman Sachs. Mnuchin also used to work at the Wall Street investment bank. Rep. Maxine Waters of Los Angeles, the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, said Monday that Trumps campaign rhetoric about being tough on Wall Street amounted to a pack of lies. Waters said Democrats on the Financial Services Committee have been willing to make minor modifications to the law. But she said they would not allow its key provisions, such as creation of the consumer bureau, to be demolished. We listen very carefully to any concerns that are identified by community banks, even by the big banks, she said. But, she added, Were not going to destroy Dodd-Frank. jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com Follow @JimPuzzanghera on Twitter ALSO Californians are paying billions for power they dont need Obama saw low-wage workers as struggling moms. Trump may see them as suburban teens This $94,000-a-year cancer drug caused rashes and rarely worked. Now Trump could make FDA approvals even easier UPDATES: 2:20 p.m.: This article was updated with information from Jaret Seiberg of Cowen & Co., and analysts at Goldman Sachs about the likelihood of changes to Dodd-Frank. This article originally was published at 10:05 a.m. In a decade as a federal appeals court judge, Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has criticized courts for giving too much power to government agencies that enforce the nations labor and employment laws. As a lawyer in private practice, he also backed curbs on some class-action lawsuits. His conservative approach could tip the balance in labor rights cases and other clashes that have split the high court. I think employers have a supporter with this particular nominee who is unwilling to go along with agencies just because they interpret the law in a certain way, said Gerald Maatman, a labor lawyer based in Chicago who represents employers. Advertisement In a closely watched case the Supreme Court is expected to hear later this year, the justices will decide whether companies can require workers to sign away their right to pursue class-action lawsuits. The National Labor Relations Board says such waiver agreements violate the rights of millions of workers who want to sue over wage disputes and other workplace clashes. Labor union critics also hope the court will revisit a case that could threaten the financial viability of unions that represent government workers. The Supreme Court split 4-4 on the issue after Justice Antonin Scalias death. And the justices may eventually take up a dispute working its way through lower courts over whether federal law banning sex discrimination in the workplace also covers bias against gay people. The legal and public policy worlds are scouring Gorsuchs writings and record for clues to his posture toward these and other issues. What theyre finding is a lawyer, and then a judge, who has lashed out against securities class-action lawsuits and frowned on agencies that, in his opinion, overreach. In a 2005 article written when he was in private practice, Gorsuch urged the Supreme Court to curb frivolous class-action securities lawsuits. He called such cases a free ride to fast riches for plaintiff lawyers. On the appeals court in Colorado, Gorsuchs opinions have taken aim at federal labor and employment agencies for going beyond their congressionally mandated missions. He has suggested that the Supreme Court should overturn a 1984 ruling that says courts must defer to government agencies when it comes to interpreting laws that define their mission. Gorsuch dissented in a 2011 case in which Department of Labor officials wanted to fine an excavating company for violating federal standards after one of its workers died in a Colorado electrocution accident. The federal appeals court upheld the $5,500 penalty, but Gorsuch wrote that the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission did not interpret the rules correctly. Administrative agencies enjoy remarkable powers in our legal order, Gorsuch wrote in dissent. Still, there remains one thing even federal administrative agencies cannot do. Even they cannot penalize private persons and companies without some evidence the law has been violated. He also chastised his fellow judges for siding with the Labor Department in a 2016 case in which a driver for TransAm Trucking Co. left his broken-down trailer on the side of the road. The company fired the driver for defying a supervisors orders to stay with the vehicle despite freezing temperatures. The Labor Department ruled that the drivers actions were protected under federal law and he was to be reinstated, and the appeals court concurred. But Gorsuch wrote in his dissent: It might be fair to ask whether TransAms decision was a wise or kind one. But its not our job to answer questions like that. Our only task is to decide whether the decision was an illegal one. In another case last year, Gorsuch said in a dissent that the National Labor Relations Board had overreached when it ordered back pay for hospital employees whose hours had been unlawfully reduced. Some labor leaders have held their fire on Gorsuchs nomination. But AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said Gorsuch doesnt seem like a friend to employees. Hes been a very, very strong advocate for corporations at the expense of working people, Trumka said in an interview. You think corporations need more help? And that theyre not strong enough and that they should be stronger, then hes probably your guy. If you think that workers need more protection and corporations need less protection, then hes probably not your guy. Gorsuchs conservative legal philosophy has won praise from business groups that want to rein in government regulation and limit the rights of labor unions. Judge Gorsuch has been very firm on confining regulatory agencies to the text of the law, said Juanita Duggan, president of the National Federation of Independent Business. ALSO: Californians are paying billions for power they dont need Pelosi calls Trumps plan to dismantle financial regulations a massive con Trump and Congress may make it easier to get drugs approved even if they dont work Last week, they took to social media. This week, theyre going to court. More than 100 technology companies including industry big guns Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft, and newcomers such as Snap, Lyft and Scopely joined forces Sunday to file a friend-of-the-court brief, arguing against President Trumps ban on refugees and travel from seven predominantly Muslim nations. The joint brief, filed in the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in support of a Washington judges move to halt enforcement of the executive order, contends the ban is unconstitutional, unfair and, above all else, bad for business. Advertisement The order makes it more difficult and expensive for U.S. companies to recruit, hire, and retain some of the worlds best employees, the companies said in the filing. It disrupts ongoing business operations, and it threatens companies ability to attract talent, business, and investment in the United States. The filing comes after a week of activism from tech firms, whose industry emerged as the first and loudest corporate opponent of Trumps executive order. It marks a noticeable departure from the sectors long-held desire to appear apolitical for fear of alienating customers. For years, the tech industry tried to stay outside of politics, said Eden Gillott Bowe, president of crisis and reputation management firm Gillott Communications. Many tech chief executives stayed quiet in the days after Trumps election victory. Leaders in the industry gathered at Trump Tower in December for a meeting with the then-president-elect, but no one confronted him about his campaign rhetoric, including a hard-line stance on immigration. Even those known for being outspoken on issues such as sexism and discrimination such as Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg were reticent on the new president and his policy proposals. But its gotten to the point where they no longer can remain silent, Gillott Bowe said. Part of it is optics, according to public relations experts, who cited mounting pressure internally from employees and externally from customers as a reason for firms jumping on the bandwagon. Its similar to saying, No comment, Gillott Bowe said. When someone makes a crazy allegation and you say, No comment, you look guilty. When bad things are happening and you dont speak up, it looks like youre silently agreeing. In this highly politicized era, public relations are especially important, as ride-hailing company Uber learned the hard way last week when a poorly timed tweet during a taxi strike over the immigration ban led to a customer revolt in which some 200,000 people deleted the Uber app from their phones. Uber whose chief executive, Travis Kalanick, served on a panel advising Trump about economic issues before stepping down last week was among the companies that signed the brief. SpaceX and Tesla were added Monday. Elon Musk, who is CEO of both companies and also serves on Trumps business panel, had been less critical of the order than many in the industry. As soon as we saw the brief this morning, we insisted on being added, a Tesla spokeswoman said. Amazon.com, which has not signed the brief, plans to file its own declaration of support for a lawsuit filed by Washington states attorney general against Trump and his administration regarding the ban. Other high-profile companies that havent signed the brief include IBM and Oracle, both of which have executives on Trumps panel, and Palantir Technologies, whose co-founder, Peter Thiel, served as an advisor on Trumps transition team and remains a supporter of the president. Optics aside, business experts see the friend-of-the-court filing as a way for tech companies to stand up for their own business interests. After all, if the immigration ban were to expand, it could hit businesses where it really hurts: their bottom line. The order has had immediate, adverse effects on the employees of American businesses, the companies said in the filing. Several major companies reported substantial disruptions from the order because their employees were ensnared in the orders travel restrictions. In an internal memo to employees, Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai said that about 100 employees were directly affected by the ban. At Microsoft, 76 employees were identified as being citizens of the countries listed as part of the travel ban. If the order stands, it is impossible for individuals and businesses to anticipate which countries may be affected next, the brief states. The companies warned that the instability and uncertainty the travel ban has created may incentivize immigration and foreign investment to countries other than the U.S. They also warned that multinational companies may decide to move their operations abroad, which would probably have adverse effects on the U.S. economy. The technology industry relies heavily on foreign talent, particularly in light of the domestic talent shortage in fields such as science, engineering and mathematics. For all the industrys talk about doing things differently, immigration and staffing difficulties are among the great unifiers. Although the industry has rallied in the past in support of immigration reform that would make it easier for U.S. firms to hire talent from abroad most notably with the creation of FWD.US, an immigration lobbying group founded by executives such as Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg, Yahoos Marissa Mayer, and former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates legal experts were struck by how quickly the industry galvanized around the friend-of-the-court brief. Whats so unusual here is the urgency with which they came together, said Davis Bae, an immigration attorney at Fisher & Phillips, who represents both large tech firms and individuals. It doesnt happen often. The tech industry previously had success combating policies it has opposed, such as in 2012 when Google and other Internet giants led a successful campaign to scuttle legislation in Congress called the Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect IP Act. The bills aimed to crack down on websites that traffic in pirated goods but were viewed by critics as an unwarranted intrusion on Internet freedom. That was five years ago, back when some of Americas most powerful start-ups were still just ideas. With the technology industry now bigger, bolder and more ubiquitous than it was during the days of the Stop Online Piracy Act, legal experts believe the friend-of-the-court brief could have significant influence in court. At the very least, it marks the industrys most vocal foray into politics yet. Read more: Tech industry reacts to Trumps executive order on immigration with fear and frustration campaign to scuttle legislation ALSO Obama saw low-wage workers as struggling moms. Trump may see them as suburban teens Super Bowl LI ads gave fans politics with their pigskin As Trumps business advisory council meets, CEOs in tricky situation UPDATES: 4:05 p.m.: This article was updated to include additional companies that have signed the brief and commentary from outside experts. 8:40 a.m: This article was updated throughout with Times staff reporting. This article was originally published at 1:25 a.m. Since it debuted on HBO in 2014, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver has stood out in a crowded late night field by largely eschewing the 24-7 news cycle in favor of deep-dive reports on un-glamorous and under-reported subjects (Think: infrastructure spending or chicken farming). Dont expect that to change when the show returns for a much-anticipated fourth season on Sunday, the first since Donald Trump was inaugurated Jan. 20. Even though the presidents still-very-young administration has created a nearly nonstop flow of headlines and controversies in the course of a few weeks, creating a veritable cornucopia of topical comedy, Oliver plans to continue looking past the dominant stories of the day. Advertisement Were very anxious not to make it all Trump all the time, the British comedian told reporters at a breakfast Monday in Manhattan, just on both a level of interest and on the level of what the human soul can sustain. Still, the early days of the Trump presidency have felt strangely personal for Oliver, who has lived in the United States since joining The Daily Show in 2006. With a grim sense of irony, he noted that many of the executive orders issued by Trump were directly tied in one way or another to a segment from Last Week Tonight. For example, the travel ban affecting people from seven majority-Muslim nations directly related to a powerful 2014 piece on the plight of Iraqi translators, and Trumps order potentially rescinding the fiduciary rule brings up issues covered in a report on retirement savings from last year. This is becoming a depressing pattern, he said. By pure chance, or by the fact that we might be diametrically opposed to the presidents instincts, lots of our stories in the last three years have become very relevant. Olivers press breakfast has become something of an annual tradition, and each year the host nimbly deflects questions about the increasingly blurry lines between journalism, comedy and fake news. This time around, Oliver spoke about the rigorous fact-checking that goes into each episode of Last Week Tonight, but also looked puzzled when asked if hed ever been asked about taking on a more traditionally journalistic role, like Jon Stewart, who was approached by NBC regarding Meet the Press. Im unqualified, and unlike Betsy DeVos, Im not afraid to say it, he quipped, referring to Trumps nominee for Education secretary. For now, Oliver remains focused on comedy. Many observers have wondered about the nature of political satire under the new president, whose administration continues to generate headlines seemingly ripped from the Onion (see: the Bowling Green massacre). Some see Trump as a gift to comedians hes certainly been a boon to Saturday Night Live -- but Oliver thinks the new political landscape makes his job harder. Theres a lot of low-hanging fruit with administrations like this, he said, and you kind of need to reach past that. Despite the turbulence Trump has created in a few weeks in office, Oliver said he has no plans to move to Canada, and especially not back home to the United Kingdom, which is gripped by uncertainty as it prepares to exit the European Union. Oliver, who argued strongly against Brexit in a Last Week Tonight segment last year, said the ripple effects of the vote to leave may be impossible to overstate, he said, noting the upcoming election in France. Asked about which he thought was worse -- Trump or Brexit -- Oliver suggested that was like a choice between horse and donkey excrement. Theres an aesthetic similarity, but theyre bad for you in different ways. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour meredith.blake@latimes.com Follow me @MeredithBlake ALSO Melissa McCarthy is scathing as Sean Spicer on Saturday Night Live Watch Jon Stewarts brutal anti-Trump screed alongside Stephen Colbert Samantha Bee on the Full Frontal move to Wednesdays and why she has no fear in the Trump age See Stephen Colbert and Stephen Colbert bid Barack Obama farewell The Kremlin said Monday that it wants Fox News to apologize for the insulting comment its host made about Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him a killer. In an interview broadcast Sunday, President Trump told the networks Bill OReilly that he respected Putin. Hes a killer though, OReilly interjected. Putins a killer. Advertisement In the 16 years that Putin has been either president or prime minister, several Russian opposition leaders, human rights activists, journalists and whistle-blowers were assassinated or died under suspicious circumstances. The Kremlin, which has always denied involvement in any of those deaths, lashed out at the network. We think that such words from a correspondent of the Fox News network are unacceptable, insulting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov told journalists in a conference call. And we would, honestly, prefer to receive apologies. In the interview, Trump also appeared to defend Putin. There are a lot of killers, he said in response to OReillys accusation. Weve got a lot of killers. What, you think our countrys so innocent? You think our countrys so innocent? I dont know of any government leaders that are killers, the news host said. Well, take a look at what weve done too. Weve made a lot of mistakes, Trump said. ... A lot of killers around, believe me. Trump cited the U.S. invasion of Iraq. He could have also been referring to drone strikes that have killed civilians or assassinations sponsored by the CIA. Still, Andrew Kuchins, a senior fellow at Georgetown University and an expert on Russia, called Trumps remarks inappropriate. Though the U.S. Army and intelligence services, as well as those of most other world powers, have conducted targeted killings abroad, he said, the deaths of high-profile members of Russias domestic political opposition are a different matter. There the position of moral equivalence gets a lot less defensible, Kuchins said. He said Trumps comments could also cost him political support, because the public is unlikely to accept the idea that the U.S. is on par with an authoritarian regime, and Congress has widely regarded Russia as an adversary. Democrats and some Republicans quickly attacked Trump for his remarks. When has a Democratic political activists [sic] been poisoned by the GOP, or vice versa? We are not the same as #Putin, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio said on Twitter. Russias best known political killing is that of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian intelligence officer who called Putins Russia a mafia state and fled to England. In 2006, he was poisoned with radioactive polonium probably under orders from Putin, a British judge ruled last year. His symptoms resembled those of Yuri Shchekochikhin, who died in 2003 of what also appeared to be a poisoning. A lawmaker and investigative reporter, he had looked at the suspected role of the FSB, the Russian intelligence agency, in a series of 1999 apartment bombings that Putin blamed on Chechen terrorists. Other critics have been shot to death. They include Boris Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister who had lambasted Putins policies and published several reports detailing corruption allegations against him; Natalya Estemirova, an activist who investigated hundreds of cases of human rights violations committed by Ramzan Kadyrov, a pro-Kremlin leader of Chechnya; and Anna Politkovskaya, an investigative journalist who uncovered war crimes committed by the Russian military in Chechnya. Boris Berezovsky, a powerful oligarch who claimed to have installed Putin as prime minister in 1999 but later fell out with him and fled the country, was found dead in his London apartment in 2013. The cause was hanging, and a British coroner expressed doubts that it was a suicide. The OReilly interview with Trump was not big news in Russia. Kremlin-controlled media reported on it with the headlines Trump snubs a reporter and The deaths of many people are the fault of the U.S. Russian politicians, public figures and state media have lauded Trump for months while lambasting his predecessor, President Obama. The embrace of Trump follows decades of antagonism between the two countries, with a brief respite during the 1990s. Trump for his part has praised Putins leadership qualities and pledged to restore ties with Moscow. After a telephone conversation last month, Putin and Trump agreed to join forces to fight Islamic State and help resolve crises in the Middle East and North Korea. Trump told OReilly he welcomed cooperation with Russia. I say its better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world, a major fight thats a good thing. By the end of the Obama presidency, the relationship between the two countries had hit its lowest point since the Cold War as Moscow had annexed Crimea, supported separatists in eastern Ukraine and helped save Syrian President Bashar Assads government from crumbling. Russia accused the U.S. of ignoring its interests in Eastern Europe by pushing for NATO expansion and installing an antimissile defense shield. It also claims that Washington organized nonviolent color revolutions in the former Soviet republics of Georgia and Ukraine and financed political opposition in Russia aimed at seizing power and deposing Putin. Mirovalev is a special correspondent. Staff writer Nina Agrawal contributed from Los Angeles. ALSO President Trump wants other members of NATO to pay their fair share. Heres what that would look like Families torn apart, business disrupted, national security at stake: Heres what opponents of Trumps travel ban are arguing Trump vowed to end catch and release, but on the border, its business as usual UPDATES: 2:30 p.m.: This article has been updated with analysis from Russia expert Andrew Kuchins. This article was originally published at 11:50 a.m. A Downey high school student who posted an image of an airsoft gun on social media and said he was headed to school has been arrested, police said. The 16-year-old boy posted the message to Twitter over the weekend and the post was forwarded to a Downey Unified School District administrator, who alerted police, said district spokeswoman Ashley Greaney. The threat implied violence at the school towards students and staff, Downey police said in statement on Facebook. Through our investigation with the assistance of Warren High School Administration, the suspectwas identified and arrested. Advertisement The threat was ultimately deemed not credible by police, Greaney said. The boys tweet showed an airsoft gun, which looked similar to a real firearm, and said he was going to go to school, she said. It was just a bad prank on his end, she said. Its unclear what discipline the student could face from the district, she said. Warren High School had extra staffing in place on Monday out of an abundance of caution, Greaney added. joseph.serna@latimes.com For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter. ALSO Armed man dies after breaking into estranged wifes house, police say For Iranian Americans, Trump has complicated an already tricky trip to motherland LAPD to detail arrests in horrific 1993 fire that killed 10 people A Santa Monica middle school reopened Monday after being ordered closed late last week after a potential norovirus outbreak, officials said. John Adams Middle School officials on Friday canceled classes and closed the campus for cleaning after dozens of students came down with symptoms akin to norovirus, which typically include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, aches and fever, after a recent science trip to Yosemite National Park. Principal Steve Richardson wrote in a letter to parents Sunday that the breakout has been addressed with an abundance of caution and the interest of community safety in mind. Advertisement Classrooms, restrooms and locker rooms were cleaned Friday with special products recommended by public health officials that are known to kill the virus, Richardson said. This method, called terminal cleaning, is in an attempt to decrease the amount of the virus, he wrote. Based on consultation and guidance from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, we expect that these actions will significantly limit potential exposure from the school facilities. Richardson stressed frequent hand washing is critical to preventing the spread of the illness. He also wrote that anyone with symptoms of the virus must stay home for 72 hours after all symptoms are gone. We understand this can put a lot of stress on a family when kids are home from school, however it is so important to not come back early and expose others to the virus while still contagious, he wrote. County health officials and school administrators traced the outbreak of the illness to a five-day trip to Yosemite attended by about 190 seventh-graders, parents and teachers in late January. Some travelers began showing symptoms of the illness during the trip. Officials say infected students may have spread the sickness to classmates and to siblings who attend other schools within the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District when they returned to campus. It is not clear how many students have been affected. On the trip, students rode by bus to Yosemite and slept in tents in Curry Village and dormitories in Crane Flat. The trip was billed as a way to stay far away from any shiny screens and electronics, according to the schools website. Norovirus is a contagious organism that can be spread through contaminated food or water and human interaction, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Between 19 million and 21 million illnesses are caused by norovirus each year, and it is considered the most common cause of food-borne disease outbreaks in the United States. hannah.fry@latimes.com For breaking California news, follow @HannahFryTCN on Twitter. ALSO UC Berkeley blames violent black bloc protesters for unprecedented invasion After 24 years, arrests made in horrific L.A. fire that killed 10, including 7 children For Iranian Americans, Trump has complicated an already tricky trip to motherland An armed man died Saturday amid a struggle with family members after breaking into his estranged wifes home in Modesto, police said. Modesto police were called around 4 p.m. to the 4100 block of Alexandra Court following reports of shots fired in the area, said police spokeswoman Heather Graves. Police said Rick Foreman, 53, forced his way into his estranged wifes home and headed up the stairs to a room where she was hiding. A family member, who was not identified by police, confronted Foreman and the two began arguing, Graves said. Advertisement Graves said Foreman fired a gun he was holding, but did not hit anyone. The family member attempted to grab the firearm and the two struggled. The gun was fired multiple times, but no one was struck. Foreman lost consciousness during the struggle. Authorities were unable to resuscitate him and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not released Foremans cause of death. Detectives are continuing to piece together the events surrounding the incident. No arrests have been made. hannah.fry@latimes.com For breaking California news, follow @HannahFryTCN on Twitter. ALSO Downey high school teen arrested after tweeting image of airsoft gun and making threat, police say Kobe Bryant memorabilia stolen from the Lakers legends alma mater Man walking on freeway with a knife in Santa Monica fatally shot by CHP officers The storms didnt pack the punch of the atmospheric rivers that swept across California in January. But the first of two storms that arrived before sunrise Monday dropped much welcomed rain and snow from the Sacramento Valley and Sierra Nevada down to San Diego County. After years of sustained drought, Californias landscape has been inundated with storm after storm since the beginning of the water year in October. Advertisement The Sierra Nevada snowpack which provides a third of the states water in the warmer months when it melts is at 173% of its historical average, and the ranges foothills are saturated with water. The bulk of the state is on pace for its wettest year on record and reservoirs are at or above historical averages for this time of year. Its a very beneficial type of rain. With any luck it doesnt get any heavier, said National Weather Service meteorologist Dave Bruno. Foothill residents along the northern Sierra Nevada and the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County were warned Monday that mud and debris flows were possible in the short-term. The city of Duarte issued a yellow alert Sunday night for residents in the impact area around last years Fish fire, limiting where residents could park their vehicles and place their trash cans. Animated infographic shows how debris flows and deep-seated landslides happen The National Weather Service issued a flood advisory for Ventura County through Monday morning that cautioned water could pond on roads, highways and other low lying areas. But Southern Californias rain was only a sprinkling of what the Bay Area and beyond experienced, said Steve Anderson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The storm that soaked the Southland was expected to drop up to 2 inches of rain around downtown San Francisco and up to 5 inches in the coastal hills of central and Northern California by Tuesday afternoon, Anderson said. Though the storm is a warm atmospheric river, meaning it flows east from warm waters in the Pacific and brings more rain than snow, it is still expected to add up to 3 feet to the Sierra snowpack, Anderson said. The storm is expected to stretch across most of the state and could trigger floods in streams and rivers up north, the weather service said. The storm, followed by another one on Thursday and Friday, could overwhelm the Sacramento River in some areas and cause flooding in Susanville, according to the California Nevada River Forecast Center. A winter storm warning was issued for the Northern Sierra Nevada, where wind gusts up to 120 mph could blast across mountain peaks, the weather service warned. Mountain passes could be snowed out and drivers were urged to bring chains. According to the latest U.S. Drought Report, this winters rains have alleviated drought conditions for most of Northern California and made a significant dent in the southern half. joseph.serna@latimes.com For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter. ALSO Rapper the Game receives probation, community service and anger management in two assault cases Decades after deadly Westlake apartment complex fire, LAPD announces 3 arrests Santa Monica middle school reopens after possible norovirus exposure UPDATES: 1:20 p.m.: This article was updated with Northern Californias forecast. This article was originally published at 6:55 a.m. A man was shot and killed by a California Highway Patrol officer responding to a report of a pedestrian on the freeway in Santa Monica early Monday, authorities said. The CHP received a report of a man walking on the 10 Freeway near the Centinela Avenue offramp about 12:20 a.m., said Officer Alex Rubio. When officers arrived, they found the pedestrian walking along the center median with a knife in his hand, Los Angeles County sheriffs Lt. Joe Mendoza told reporters at the scene. Advertisement The man then ran off the freeway and south toward Pico Boulevard, Mendoza said. When officers closed in, the man ran at them still holding the knife and they opened fire, Mendoza said. The man was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. At least two officers fired their weapons and another used a Taser, KABC-TV reported. The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department is investigating the shooting. joseph.serna@latimes.com For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter. MORE LOCAL NEWS California student, who was detained 23 hours at LAX and then deported, returns to U.S. Philanthropist and owner of landmark Anaheim White House Restaurant mourns in wake of fire Two killed when van plunges off 101 Freeway overpass in Hollywood Rain in Southern California triggers flood advisory, concerns of mud flows in foothills Sahar Muranovics hands trembled as she waited for her sister. The 27-year-old scanned the crowd Sunday morning at Los Angeles International Airport, hoping that her familys anxious, weeklong ordeal which began when her older sister was detained, then deported would soon come to an end. Television cameras crowded around Muranovic. Her sisters friend fiddled with Facebook Live, ready to broadcast the reunion to friends and family scattered across the globe. Muranovic stood silently as she clutched a bouquet of flowers. Advertisement Oh my God, she said suddenly, her hand covering her mouth. Is that her? Muranovic ran down the terminal, wrapping her sister in a hug. Eight days after she was barred from entering the U.S. and forced back to Vienna, Sara Yarjani had returned. Yarjani, an Iranian graduate student, was among those caught in a confusing legal limbo after President Trump signed an executive order temporarily banning people from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. He signed the order Jan. 27, about seven hours before Yarjani landed in Los Angeles on a flight from Oslo. Yarjani who arrived with a valid two-year student visa was detained for 23 hours as her family frantically sought help from the American Civil Liberties Union and attorneys stationed at the airport. Calls and emails to customs officers got nowhere, even after a federal judge in New York issued a stay on deportations of those detained. Armed customs agents ultimately escorted Yarjani to a plane bound for Vienna, where she had been visiting family. The days since have become a legal flurry, as attorneys across the country petitioned various federal judges to intervene. Perhaps the most significant ruling came Friday, when Judge James L. Robart issued a temporary restraining order against Trumps travel ban, effective nationwide. As soon as the ruling came down, Muranovic said, her phone began buzzing with messages. Have you seen this? friends wrote. Get her on a flight right now. Yarjanis family scrambled to find her a flight back, her sister said, worried that the window that was temporarily opened by the judges order would soon be shut. Yarjani, 35, came to the U.S. in September 2015 to study holistic health at the California Institute for Human Science in Encinitas. Although her family is Iranian, Yarjani said in an interview last week that she is a permanent resident of Austria and has lived outside Iran for most of the last two decades. She returned to Vienna over winter break to visit her family. The days after Yarjanis deportation were stressful and scary for her family, her sister said. Muranovic, who lives in Vancouver, Wash., said she hasnt been able to sleep or eat, unsure whether her sister would be able to return. Muranovic caught an early-morning flight from Portland, Ore., to Los Angeles for her sisters arrival, just to make sure shes OK. Im still nervous, she said before the flight landed shortly after noon. I dont know if theyll change the rules suddenly, if customs doesnt comply. Muranovic, who is married to a U.S. citizen and holds a green card, said the entire episode has made her rethink her own plans to travel outside the country. She wont do it, she said. Shes too afraid that she wouldnt be allowed to return. When asked if that fear spread beyond traveling, Muranovic quickly listed why she loves her life in America: an amazing support system of friends and her husband, their two dogs and cat, their city. But she also described a scene from just a few days ago, when a Lyft driver asked her where she was from. I was too scared to say Iran, so I said Austria, Muranovic said. I dont want to tell anyone Im from Iran. As Muranovic hugged her sister Sunday, reporters crowded around them, peppering Yarjani with questions. Yarjani said she passed through customs without any issues this time, adding that she recognized some of the same officials who detained and deported her eight days before. The sisters kept their arms wrapped around each other as a tearful Yarjani thanked the lawyers, her friends and her school for their help. Whenever I was in Europe ... if ever anybody criticized America, I would be the one defending it and saying, You know, whatever you say, I feel that some of the greatest, most beautiful, most accomplished people also live in that land, she said. From everything Ive seen with the love and support from last week, thats even more true. As Yarjani and her sister slowly moved toward the airports doors, pushing their luggage through a swarm of television cameras, someone cheered from a nearby restaurant. The din of the terminal was quickly replaced by applause, welcoming Yarjani home. kate.mather@latimes.com Times staff writer Teresa Watanabe contributed to this story. ALSO Tech giants join fight against President Trumps travel ban Legal battle over travel ban looms as Trump continues attacks on judge Ninth Circuit turns down Trumps request to immediately reinstate his travel ban Iran changes its mind, says it will allow U.S. wrestlers after judge blocks Trump travel ban Jason Farned set down a clear container in the middle of a table. The people gathered around leaned forward to peer at the tiny, zooming blurs trapped inside. The deadliest creature in the world is the mosquito, said Farned, who works for the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District, a government agency that manages insect populations. By some estimates, mosquitoes transmit diseases that kill more people each year than any other creature. The ones Farned brought to this recent meeting in El Monte were Aedes mosquitoes the kind that spread Zika virus, the disease discovered last year to cause birth defects. Advertisement Though no one has contracted Zika virus from a mosquito in California, hundreds of residents have been infected in other countries and then returned to the state. All it would take for the disease to start spreading here is for an Aedes mosquito to bite an infected traveler and then another person, experts say. Its been a year since the World Health Organization declared Zika an international public health emergency, but officials are still far from eliminating the virus. Winter has slowed its worldwide spread, but rising temperatures in the spring are bound to bring more cases. And because a vaccine wont be ready for years, California mosquito-control and health officials are making plans to battle Zika every summer for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, were able to adjust to the new normal that now includes Zika, but we have to remember that there are people behind the statistics babies, pregnant women, said Dr. Edward McCabe, chief medical officer for the March of Dimes. We cannot let down our guard. The first line of defense against Zika is mosquito control, officials say. The disease is transmitted only by Aedes mosquitoes, which arent native to the Americas. But the insects showed up in El Monte in shipments of bamboo from Southeast Asia about 15 years ago. The local vector control agency assigned seven people to work full time to try to get rid of the incredibly resilient bugs, Farned said. No community anywhere on the planet has successfully been able to eradicate them. We were really trying to be the first, he said. Theyre pretty much here to stay. No community anywhere on the planet has successfully been able to eradicate them. We were really trying to be the first. Theyre pretty much here to stay. Jason Farned, San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District The mosquitoes are now found in 12 counties in California, with particularly dense infestations in the San Gabriel Valley. Farned has enlisted the help of the Buddhist organization Tzu Chi to try to spread the word about Aedes mosquitoes in the region. The recent meeting included a dozen volunteers who collectively spoke Mandarin, Cantonese, Malay and Vietnamese in addition to English. Part of the reason Aedes mosquitoes are so intractable is because spraying pesticides doesnt work on them as well as it does on the Culex mosquitoes that Californians are more familiar with, officials say. The only tactic thats proved successful in curbing Aedes populations is sending workers door-to-door to check every home for standing water. Its a tedious task because Aedes mosquitoes can breed in anything from a bottlecap to a jacuzzi, said Gimena Ruedas, an assistant vector ecologist with the San Gabriel Valley vector agency. The insects need only a few drops of water to reproduce, and can even survive inside peoples homes. Their eggs can tolerate months of drought, waiting for rain to hatch. On a recent morning, Ruedas and her colleague Javier Romo scoured backyards in East Pasadena searching for the mosquitoes and their eggs, which are barely visible to the human eye. Ruedas and Romo get called when homeowners notice the small mosquitoes, usually because they were bitten in the daytime, characteristic of Aedes. The two looked inside storm drains and fountains and shined flashlights on the lips of upturned pots. Any pool of water as big as a teaspoon could be a danger. Ruedas said she once saw mosquitoes breeding in water droplets collected in a dried-up leaf. We cannot go to every single house and look for every single bottle cap, Ruedas said. Pilot projects in El Monte and the Central Valley have tried to curb mosquito populations by releasing male Aedes aegypti that are infected with a bacteria that prevents their eggs from hatching. The efforts had positive results, but these new methods will likely require federal approval and take several months before theyre widespread. Officials say that at the very least, the attention around Zika virus has made people more aware of the invasive mosquitoes, which can also transmit deadly diseases such as dengue and chikungunya. Vector control agencies had been sounding the alarm about Aedes mosquitoes since they arrived in California, but didnt get much traction until Zika came on the scene. The Zika outbreak began in Brazil last year but then spread to dozens of countries, including the United States. Mosquitoes in parts of Florida and Texas began transmitting the virus. That has yet to happen in California, which doesnt have such high mosquito populations. But there is a lot of travel between California and countries with outbreaks, such as Mexico and Guatemala, which increases the risk; 479 Californians have contracted Zika elsewhere, and three babies in California whose mothers were infected with the virus have been born with birth defects. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is setting up surveillance sites at clinics in areas that could be susceptible to a local outbreak, including the San Gabriel Valley and East L.A., said the departments Dr. Rachel Civen. If patients show up with Zika symptoms, they would be encouraged to get tested, she said. Still, it would probably take a while for officials to find out if there were an outbreak in California. Zika symptoms are usually too mild to make someone seek out medical treatment, and only 20% of those infected have symptoms at all. Many people would have to get Zika before one of them was sick enough to go to a doctor to be tested, she said. Zika virus has kept health officials on their toes across the country. Most doctors had never heard of the virus before last year, and information about the virus rapidly evolves. Since the early reports linked Zika to microcephaly, scientists have discovered the primarily mosquito-borne virus can also be sexually transmitted, cause the neurological disorder Guillan-Barre and also damage adult brains. Its pretty stressful things are not ideal, Civen said. But the constant stream of new findings means health officials are able to provide up-to-date recommendations to help keep people safe, she said. Civen said its too early to know whether there will eventually be a case of Zika in L.A. It depends on the weather and how big outbreaks in other countries will be this year. Regardless, a different threat could be around the corner, she said, especially considering how much people travel between different parts of the world. It may not be Zika, it may be some other virus, she said. soumya.karlamangla@latimes.com Twitter: @skarlamangla ALSO Obamacare repeal would also affect your employer health insurance Trumps Health secretary pick fought to limit coverage in one of Americas neediest states Measles outbreak grows in L.A.'s Orthodox Jewish community despite Californias strict new vaccination law Traveling back to Iran was never uncomplicated for Arian Edalat. Each visit after immigrating to the United States six years ago was a gantlet of frustrations a reminder that the country he used to explore as a boy in the backseat of his fathers white 1976 Buick, with its turquoise blue interior, was in the grips of theocratic and severe rulers. But trips to Iran, like the one he took in December, were the only way he could see his mother, now widowed, and help her secure a visa to the U.S. Ill see what I missed in the face of my mother and my grandmother. How old theyve gotten, and how I missed those creases and the layers of skin over skin on their faces, Edalat, 42, said. It bombards you on a daily basis when youre there. For many Iranian immigrants and their families, the 7,500-mile journey between Tehran and California is an emotionally fraught necessity. Most Iranians in the U.S. oppose the hard-line regime in Tehran. Many fled for political freedoms or opportunities for professional growth. Others moved here for a Western education and planned to go back, but found themselves tethered to America after the Islamic Revolution in 1979. The Casablanca that is "Tehrangeles" has long been a hotbed of political intrigue, turning heavily Iranian neighborhoods such as Westwood and Beverly Hills into key locations for gathering intelligence on Tehran. Both the CIA and the FBI have spent decades recruiting informants and sources among Iranian expatriates and businessmen who travel to Iran. Still, the communitys roots, culture and family are in Iran, and the tug of the motherland, steeped in memories, pulls hard. Although it has never been easy or inexpensive to make the journey, until last week, it was manageable. Now, on the heels of President Trump s executive order, many Iranian immigrants are wondering how feasible it will be to continue the tradition. Trumps action blocks citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from coming to the U.S. for at least 90 days. It also imposes a ban for 120 days on refugees from any country entering the U.S. and bars refugees from Syria indefinitely, in a move the president has said will better protect the country against terrorist attacks. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against Trumps immigration restrictions on Friday, and signaled that the order applies to cases across the country. The Department of Homeland Security suspended "any and all actions" related to the ban in response, but the White House has said it will ask for an emergency stay of the judge's order. Also Friday, Trump imposed sanctions on Iran, delivering on his promise to take a harder line with the volatile U.S. foe. The sanctions, on 13 people and 12 companies, came a day after he put Iran on notice for testing a medium-range ballistic missile and for attacks by Iran-funded Houthi militants on a Saudi frigate. Iran has instituted a tit-for-tat policy in response to Trumps ban, barring Americans from receiving visas. Although dual nationals can still fly to Tehran, they wonder whether they will be caught in a political tug-of-war, harassed because they came from the U.S. Edalat worries he wont see his family for months. His mother had planned to visit the family in West Hills this month. The chemical engineer doesnt know whether he should tell her to stay in Iran, or ask her to try her luck and fly out next weekend. She is devastated, he said. The damage is already done...youre accusing a 65-year-old woman who hasnt hurt an insect in her life of being a threat to the national security of this country. The ban is particularly dispiriting because it comes just one year after the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal, said Saman Djabbari, a first-generation American whose parents moved to Los Angeles from Iran. There was such hope with that. It seems like there was one giant step forward and two giant steps backward, Djabbari, 30, said. There was all this progress made. That thaw, who knows what happens with it now? Is it just frozen over again? His uncle still lives in Iran, he said, and the only chance the family has of seeing him now is flying there. Even that has its difficulties, Djabbari said. Last time I went there I was 15 years old and the Iranian government for some reason had this idea that I never left the country, he said. So that entire trip, my mom and her brother had to produce all this evidence that I was living in the States the whole time. I could have gotten stuck over there. Experts note that existing vetting policies were already rigorous. Could we do more? Yeah, we could send out FBI agents, said Niels Frenzen, an expert in immigration and refugee law at USC. When money isnt an issue, one can always do more. Still, the ban is illogical and confusing, Frenzen added. It is stopping people who have been vetted, he said. The country selection process is a political decision and has nothing to do as far as I can tell with national security. Mahsa Pashaei left Iran about five years ago after her family won the green-card lottery. She admits the immigration process was easier for them because of that, but the ban ruined her familys future plans. Pashaei, a student at UCLA, said her mother planned to travel to Iran for Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in March. All these decisions are on hold, Pashaei said in Farsi. My family is worried we will never see each other again. The 25-year-old said she feels caught between two countries. Neither accepts you, she said. Each moment, you wonder If something happens, which country would want to help me? Which way do I reach out? Thats its own horror. It took 14 months for Edalats mother to get through the vetting process, which included criminal background checks, flights to the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, presenting original copies of Iranian birth certificates and showing proof of income, among other steps. His wife Samahs aunt received a visa and planned to visit in March. The aunt, 70, traveled twice to the embassy in Austria for her visa. Ive been on the phone with my mother, and she says my aunt has been crying over this, Samah Edalat said as she fed their daughter, Nava, in the kitchen. You want to revoke this privilege -- and I agree it is a privilege for noncitizens -- at least be accountable, her husband added. People spent money, they invested their emotions and their time. Edalats mother paid for the familys plane tickets during their December visit. With two children, he and his wife couldnt spare $5,000 to fly to Tehran. It was money they could use for preschool. With the ban in place, he doesnt know when he will see his loved ones, or visit a country where a song or bite of food can cause a flood of memories. I met my nephew for the first time this trip. Im not going to be there when hes 10, or 5, or 6, Edalat said. Year after year, my mothers birthday, my brothers birthday, my nephews birthday. All of these things are missing. They come back haunting you, all of these sacrifices youre making. sarah.parvini@latimes.com For more California news follow me on Twitter: @sarahparvini When President Trump signed his executive order on border security and immigration, Jesly Bardales, a 22-year-old mother from Honduras, had already trekked 1,000 miles toward the United States. After making it through Guatemala and much of Mexico, the heavily pregnant waitress was not ready to turn around. She and her 2-year-old daughter, Veyla, had slept in dense forests, squeezed into dark trucks with strangers and paid smugglers thousands of dollars. She pressed on, eventually crossing the Rio Grande River. After two days of processing by customs and immigration officials, she finally stood in a Greyhound station in the Texas border town of McAllen, cradling her swollen belly as she queued up for a bus ticket to join her sister in Atlanta. Advertisement Im worried they might not give me the opportunity to stay, she admitted. The new president, he wants to deport the ones already living here, so I dont know what to expect. After crossing the Rio Grande River at night with the help of smugglers, group of mainly women and children from Central America are detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents before being taken into detention. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) President Trump has vowed to overhaul the immigration system, but for now its almost business as usual on the border. A slow stream of Central American families, fleeing poverty and violence in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, has continued to trickle into McAllen, one of the busiest ports of entry on the Southwest border. Although Trump has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to end catch and release, the unofficial name for a policy in which U.S. immigration enforcement agencies allow migrants they deem low risk to remain at large pending a hearing, there are not enough detention centers to hold the thousands of families crossing over. A few times a day, a white bus drops off a fresh batch of immigrant families in downtown McAllen. Mothers and fathers stumble out many wearing thick, black electronic ankle monitors cradling small children with disheveled hair and clutching legal notices to appear in court within days. Worn out, they line up to pick up tickets to join family in cities as far away as Tallahassee and Los Angeles. Across the border, anxiety is rife as immigrants, attorneys and officials struggle to interpret the frenzy of announcements from Washington. Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, runs a shelter for immigrants at Sacred Heart Church in McAllen, Texas. Lately, I feel like every day is a Jack in the box: Turn the handle and see what pops out, said Jodi Goodwin, a longtime immigration attorney in Harlingen, a Texas border city about 30 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Theyve get instructions to detain everyone. Okay, how in the world are they supposed to do that? Everyone is scratching their heads. Trumps executive order instructs the Department of Homeland Security to immediately establish contracts to construct, operate, or control immigrant detention facilities at or near the border, but many experts warn that ramping up the immigrant detention system will be costly and fraught with legal challenges. Even before Trump took office, the numbers of immigrants in detention reached historic levels under the Obama administration. In November, then-Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson announced that 41,000 people were being held in Immigrations and Customs Enforcement detention. The number usually is 31,000 to 34,000. In 2014, ICE built two facilities in Texas the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley and the Karnes County Residential Center in Karnes City to accommodate the surge of Central American women and children arriving on the U.S. border seeking asylum. Activists say they are already close to capacity. As part of the catch and release of immigrants, each man and woman is fit with a tracking ankle cuff to ensure they show up for their immigration hearings in coming months. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Mandating detention at the border could cost an additional $9 billion over the next decade, the Center for American Progress, a Washington-based think tank, has estimated. Trumps executive order is more show, more salesmanship, than anything else, said U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Democrat who represents the Laredo area of the Texas border and is on the Homeland Security Subcommittee. Trump, he said, would need congressional approval to fund detention centers. If you look at the executive order, it all goes back to appropriations; it all goes back to Congress. We have a minimum of beds. Although Cuellar supports the idea of more detention centers across the border, he emphasized that they should be accompanied by more immigration judges. Right now, the nations 292 immigrant judges have a backlog of more than half a million pending cases. Attorneys warn that speeding up the immigration process could exacerbate immigrants struggle to find legal representation and raise problems of due process. With many detention centers in remote areas, detainees already struggle to secure legal advice, a critical factor in having a successful asylum claim. If the asylum process moves more quickly, are they going to have enough time to find attorneys to represent them? said Melissa Lopez, an immigration attorney in El Paso. Chris Cabrera, vice president of the Rio Grande Valleys chapter of the National Border Patrol Council, the union that represents agents, welcomed Trumps plan to end catch and release, saying he hoped it would stem the flow of migrants. The week after Trump signed his executive order, Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley apprehended 300 to 400 migrants a day, he said, and many were released after processing by ICE officials. Miguel Rodas. center, and his son, Samuel, right, of El Salvador, listen to information about their court hearings, that will occurring in coming months. At left are Faviola, the mother of 2-month-old Kimberly, and Genesis, 3. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Catch and release hasnt ended yet, but weve heard a one-word answer: soon, Cabrera said. We dont know how soon. There are logistics to settle. From his vantage point, the current system is broken: Migrants know they can claim asylum, be released and given notices to appear in immigration court for cases that often take years due to a backlog. These people are turning themselves in south of the wall because they know were going to release them, he said. They know theres this loophole. Yet advocates for immigrants say that many who make the arduous journey to the United States are fleeing persecution and deserve to be treated humanely while they wait for their cases to be heard. Last year, a Homeland Security advisory committee urged the Obama administration to stop the widespread practice of family detention, reserving it only for rare cases when release might pose a danger or flight risk. Detention centers are not a place for families and children, said Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, which runs a shelter for immigrants at McAllens Sacred Heart Church. Rushing to bolster the massive immigration detention system that thrived under Obamas administration is likely to exacerbate poor conditions at detention centers, said Carl Takei, a staff attorney at the ACLUs National Prison Project who authored a 2016 report on detainee deaths, suicides, and substandard medical care at ICE detention facilities. The immigrant detention system already lacks rigorous oversight and transparency, Takei said. If the agencys priority is to rapidly sign contracts to expand detention space, then its fair to predict the situation is going to get even worse. Supporters of more stringent border controls argue that detention centers do not necessarily have to be a long-term solution: News of a crackdown on illegal immigration would spread fast across Mexico and Central America, scaring off other undocumented immigrants from making the trek, they say. Weve seen this happen before, Cabrera said. Once the word gets out that were detaining everyone and sending them home, it will stop. At the Sacred Heart Church in Mc Allen, Texas, immigrants who have been released from detention until their court hearings can get food, clothing and a place to rest before they get on buses to their final destinations around the country. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Advocates for asylum seekers, however, point out that building family detention centers in 2014 did not quell the flow of families seeking entry. Detaining immigrants is not going to make them go away, Lopez said. As he waited for a bus to Los Angeles, Miguel Rodas, a 42-year-old policeman who fled his town in central El Salvador after gang members threatened to kill him, admitted he was plagued by doubts throughout his journey with his 13-year-old son, Samuel. Catching flickers of news of Trumps presidency, he couldnt help wondering if he was just squandering the $6,000 he had saved to pay smugglers. A lot of people from my country are scared, he said. They say it will be very difficult to get legal status. Rodas was relieved he had been released, even if he had a notice to appear in court in 11 days and an electronic monitor attached to his ankle. But he worried about his wife and two daughters, who he left in hiding in San Salvador. I want to be with them, but the road to America is very difficult, he said. I dont want them to go through that. I want to find a way to bring them here legally. To read the article in Spanish, clic here Jarvie is a special correspondent. Times staff writer Molly Hennessy-Fiske in Houston contributed to this report. ALSO Legal fight over immigration order focuses on appeals court as states argue against reinstating the ban For Iranian Americans, Trump has complicated an already tricky trip to motherland Theres a long history of presidential prevarication. Heres why Donald Trump is in a class by himself A federal appeals court is considering whether to lift a hold on President Trump s moratorium on travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries, and it has already received a flurry of written arguments on how the case should be decided. A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to reach a decision after the Trump administration files further arguments by 3 p.m. Monday. The case stems from a temporary restraining order issued Friday by U.S. District Judge James L. Robart in Seattle. The judge, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, blocked the government from enforcing President Trumps Jan. 27 executive order. The ruling came in response to a challenge from the states of Washington and Minnesota. The Trump administration has argued the states lack standing to challenge the travel ban because they cannot show the executive order has directly harmed them. The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned some major 9th Circuit rulings in the past after concluding that those who sued lacked standing. Interestingly, the Obama administration was unsuccessful in trying to argue that states that challenged its executive order shielding a number of so-called Dreamer immigrants from deportation lacked standing to challenge the order. In that case, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked Obamas order, and the Supreme Court tied 4-4 over the issue. It was that case that Robart cited in ruling against the Trump administration on the current moratorium. Whatever decision the 9th Circuit reaches on the travel ban could be the final word for some time, if the Supreme Court does not agree to review it, or cant muster a majority. Keep in mind, though, that the appeals court on Monday is deciding only whether to stay the order until the legal merits can be reviewed. Below are key arguments opposing parties have made on the travel ban hold. Trump administration The states claim that they are harmed by virtue of the damage that implementation of the order has inflicted upon the operations and missions of their public universities and other institutions of higher learning, as well as injury to the states operations, tax bases, and public funds. These attenuated and speculative alleged harms are neither concrete nor particularized. The administration also argued that the hold on Trumps order harmed the government by infringing on the presidents power over foreign affairs. The states maintain the government has not suffered any real harm. The injunction contravenes the constitutional separation of powers; harms the public by thwarting enforcement of an Executive Order issued by the nations elected representative responsible for immigration matters and foreign affairs; and second-guesses the Presidents national security judgment about the quantum of risk posed by the admission of certain classes of aliens and the best means of minimizing that risk. States of Washington and Minnesota The states argued the ban violates constitutional guarantees of due process and equal protection and religious freedom. In the following section, the states, citing a precedent from a key same-sex marriage case, contend that the mere scope of the order shows it was intended to discriminate. Even if the Order did not make suspect classifications, it would be illegal because its sheer breadth is so discontinuous with the reasons offered for it that the [Order] seems inexplicable by anything but animus toward the class it affects. Romer v. Evans, 517 U.S. 620, 632 (1996). For several months it bans all travelers from the listed countries and all refugees, whether they be infants, schoolchildren, or grandparents. And though it cites the attacks of September 11, 2001, as a rationale, it imposes no restrictions on people from the countries whose nationals carried out those attacks. It is at once too narrow and too broad, id. at 633, and cannot withstand any level of scrutiny. See, e.g., United States v. Windsor, 133 S. Ct. 2675, 2693 (2013) (The Constitutions guarantee of equality must at the very least mean that a bare [legislative] desire to harm a politically unpopular group cannot justify disparate treatment of that group.). The states also contrasted Trumps action with previous cases involving presidential actions on immigration. Second, Defendants cite Kleindienst v. Mandel, 408 U.S. 753 (1972), and Kerry v. Din, 135 S. Ct. 2128 (2015), for the proposition that so long as the President gives a facially legitimate reason for excluding an alien, the courts will not look behind that reason. But those cases dealt with the Presidents power to exclude an unadmitted and nonresident alien, i.e., someone who had no legal right to be here. Mandel, 408 U.S. at 762; Din, 135 S. Ct. at 2131. This case, by contrast, involves longtime residents who are here and have constitutional rights. Moreover, Justice Kennedys controlling opinion in Din held that courts should look behind the stated motives for exclusion even as to a nonresident alien if the plaintiff plausibly alleged with sufficient particularity an affirmative showing of bad faith. Id. at 2141. See also Cardenas v. United States, 826 F.3d 1164, 1171 (9th Cir. 2016) (same). Here, the State has plausibly alleged with sufficient particularity that the President acted in bad faith in an effort to target Muslims. ECF 18 42-61. Thus, courts have both the right and the duty to examine Defendants true motives. 97 companies tell the court how the travel ban harms them The companies, including Microsoft , Twitter, Google and Apple, are making an economic argument on why the hold should stay in place. The companies cited the outsized role that immigrants have played in the United States in obtaining patents and winning Nobel prizes and argued that the ban could force industry to relocate overseas to ensure availability of talent from around the world. Trump campaigned on keeping jobs in the United States, and the tech companies argued that his executive order will have the opposite effect. The Order effects a sudden shift in the rules governing entry into the United States, and is inflicting substantial harm on U.S. companies. It hinders the ability of American companies to attract great talent; increases costs imposed on business; makes it more difficult for American firms to compete in the international marketplace; and gives global enterprises a new, significant incentive to build operations and hire new employees outside the United States. The Order violates the immigration laws and the Constitution. In 1965, Congress prohibited discrimination on the basis of national origin precisely so that the Nation could not shut its doors to immigrants based on where they come from. Moreover, any discretion under the immigration laws must be exercised reasonably, and subject to meaningful constraints. Former national security and intelligence officials Ten former national security, foreign policy and intelligence officials argued the travel ban was threatening the safety of Americans. Most of the officials served solely in Democratic administrations. The Order will endanger U.S. troops in the field. Every day, American soldiers work and fight alongside allies in some of the named countries who put their lives on the line to protect Americans. For example, allies who would be barred by the Order work alongside our men and women in Iraq fighting against ISIL , [the militant group Islamic State]. To the extent that the Order bans travel by individuals cooperating against ISIL, we risk placing our military efforts at risk by sending an insulting message to those citizens and all Muslims. The Order will disrupt key counterterrorism, foreign policy, and national security partnerships that are critical to our obtaining the necessary information sharing and collaboration in intelligence, law enforcement, military, and diplomatic channels to address the threat posed by terrorist groups such as ISIL. The international criticism of the Order has been intense, and it has alienated U.S. allies. It will strain our relationships with partner countries in Europe and the Middle East, on whom we rely for vital counterterrorism cooperation, undermining years of effort to bring them closer. By alienating these partners, we could lose access to the intelligence and resources necessary to fight the root causes of terror or disrupt attacks launched from abroad, before an attack occurs within our borders. maura.dolan@latimes.com Twitter: @mauradolan ALSO Legal battle over Trump's travel ban could rest on Supreme Court's view of the limits of presidential power A flurry of legal arguments as appeals court decides whether Trump's immigration ban will be enforced California joins 15 other states going to court to challenge Trump's immigration orders As a federal appeals court prepared to hear arguments Tuesday on whether to continue blocking enforcement of President Trumps moratorium on admissions from seven countries in the Middle East and Africa, a broad coalition of states, business leaders and former cabinet members joined Monday in urging the judges to keep the ban on hold. In a torrent of court filings over the last 48 hours, representatives of 15 states and the District of Columbia, law professors, civil rights groups and industry leaders implored a three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to continue blocking the ban until the constitutional issues can be resolved. At the heart of the case are questions of whether the suspension of admissions from the seven predominantly Muslim countries amount to religious discrimination, and what limits exist to the presidents broad authority to protect the country from terrorism. Advertisement None of those issues will be resolved this week by the court, which is merely ruling on whether the controversial ban can continue to be applied while the legal issues are decided. The case landed before the courts motions panel whose membership changes monthly after Trump challenged a temporary restraining order issued Friday by a district judge in Washington state. Trumps Jan. 27 executive order suspends entry to immigrants from Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Iran, Yemen, Somalia and Libya, and also suspends resettlement of refugees in the U.S. U.S. District Judge James L. Robart, an appointee of President George W. Bush, acted in response to a lawsuit filed by the states of Washington and Minnesota. This months three-member motions panel, which is likely to decide the case within the next few days, consists of appointees of Presidents Carter, Bush and Obama. The panel will hear an hour of telephone arguments at 3 p.m. Tuesday. The case, State of Washington vs. Trump, is being closely watched because the 9th Circuit could have the final word on the travel ban, at least for a while. If the Supreme Court decides not to review the 9th Circuit ruling or splits 4 to 4, the case would then go back before Robart in Seattle to decide the constitutional issues, probably on an accelerated schedule. The 9th Circuits decision on the hold would stand until the lower court ruled on the constitutional issues. The Trump administration argued Monday that the challengers lacked standing to bring the case because the two states that originally sued could not show their residents face immediate harm as a result of the travel ban. The Supreme Court has overturned key 9th Circuit rulings in the past on standing grounds. The administration contends that the hold on the bans enforcement is excessively broad because it doesnt even allow the government to exclude citizens of foreign countries who have never been in the United States. At most, the injunction should be limited to the class of individuals on whom the states claims rest previously admitted aliens who are temporarily abroad or who wish to travel and return to the United States in the near future, the Justice Department said in its brief, appearing to repeat its earlier concession that green card holders are not among those to be included in the travel exclusions. Government lawyers also argued that any president has wide authority over immigration matters, especially when the chief executive is trying to protect Americans from terrorist attacks. In rebuttal, groups opposed to the ban observed that citizens of the countries affected by it have not committed terrorism in the U.S., and many attacks have been committed by U.S. citizens. A number of former national security, foreign policy and intelligence officials including former secretaries of State John F. Kerry and Madeleine Albright, former defense secretary and CIA director Leon E. Panetta, and ex-national security advisor Susan Rice argued that the moratorium was making the country less safe because it affected groups fighting alongside the U.S. in the Middle East and alienated American allies. By attacking Muslim-majority countries, the ban was inflaming anti-Americanism and helping terrorist groups recruit new members, the former officials said. Nearly 100 companies, including well-known technology firms such as Apple, Google, Twitter and Uber, argued the executive order would spur companies to move overseas to ensure they had a steady supply of talent from around the world. The companies said the ban had already disrupted their businesses and would make it more difficult to recruit workers from overseas in the future. Although presidents enjoy wide power over matters of immigration, opponents of the ban told the court that Trumps order differed from the action of previous presidents in its scope and focus on countries that appeared to be chosen because of the religion of their citizens. California joined Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont and the District of Columbia in written arguments against the travel ban. The brief filed by attorneys general from these states, co-written by the office of California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra and its counterparts in New York, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, argued Trumps order had created unbridled chaos. If the 9th Circuit lifted the hold, It would resurrect the chaos experienced in our airports beginning on the weekend of January 28 and 29, and cause harm to the States including to state institutions such as public universities, to the businesses that sustain our economies, and to our residents, the 23-page brief said. Becerra told reporters that medical school programs would risk being without a sufficient number of medical residents to meet staffing needs and the process of admitting students to state colleges and universities would be disrupted. More than 2,000 California students are affected by Trumps order, he said. Trump did receive some support Monday from a conservative group called the American Center for Law & Justice, which filed a brief in support of the governments position, arguing against claims that the order discriminates on the basis of religion. Importantly, the group wrote, nothing in the Executive Order bans the entry of Muslims because they are Muslims or even identifies any particular religion or faith. The organization said that judicial intervention without a full trial can be dangerous when it comes to a presidents national security decisions. Legal experts said the issues and the breadth of Trumps order made it difficult to predict how the 9th Circuit would rule, though most expected at least a partial victory for the challengers of the travel ban. The hearing Tuesday is likely to reveal the issues that most concern the judges and possibly how they are leaning. If Trump loses before the 9th Circuit, he could immediately ask the Supreme Court to remove the courts injunction. Times staff writer Patrick McGreevy in Sacramento contributed to this report. maura.dolan@latimes.com Twitter: @mauradolan ALSO Trump vowed to end catch and release, but on the border, its business as usual For Iranian Americans, Trump has complicated an already tricky trip to motherland Theres a long history of presidential prevarication. Heres why Donald Trump is in a class by himself UPDATES: 7:45 p.m.: This story was updated throughout with additional background and analysis. 4:25 p.m.: This story was updated with news of additional briefs filed by government attorneys. This story was originally published at 2:40 a.m. President Trump has talked a lot about getting other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to pay their fair share when it comes to defending one another. Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty the 1949 pact that established the NATO alliance says that an attack against one ally is considered an attack against all allies and that member states are committed to come to one anothers defense. To ensure that allies are equipped to do that, NATO recommends that member states spend the equivalent of at least 2% of their gross domestic product annually on defense, including personnel, military equipment and research. Advertisement Besides the U.S., only four of the 28 NATO members meet that threshold: Estonia, Greece, Poland and the United Kingdom. None of them spend more than 2.38%. At 3.61%, the U.S. spends more than any other country an estimated $664 billion last year, or more than double the rest of all NATO countries combined. (NATO uses 2010 prices to track spending as a share of GDP over time. By that measure, the U.S. spent an estimated $608 billion on defense last year.) Even if all NATO countries met the guideline, together theyd only be spending about two-thirds of what the U.S. spends. By comparison, in 2015 non-NATO countries China and Russia spent 1.9% and 5.4% of GDP, respectively, or $215 billion and $66 billion, on defense, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. On the campaign trail in 2016 and since his election, Trump argued that the U.S. shoulders an unfair share of the military burden when it comes to collective defense. He also called NATO obsolete because it was old and wasnt taking care of terror. I said a long time ago that NATO had problems, Trump said last month in an interview with the Times of London and the German publication Bild. No. 1 it was obsolete, because it was, you know, designed many, many years ago. No. 2 the countries arent paying what theyre supposed to pay. Such remarks have worried European leaders, who have begun to take measures to make their nations more self-reliant in their defense. Theyre worried about the mood in Washington, said Nick Witney, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. In November, the European Union proposed a plan, yet to be considered by member states, to start spending approximately half a billion dollars out of the E.U. budget on defense each year after 2020. The money would support research on defense technologies, such as encrypted software and robotics. A second component of the plan would raise $5.4 billion annually from member countries to develop and buy hardware. At a December meeting in Brussels, the European Council which includes the heads of state of each E.U. member country concluded that Europeans must take greater responsibility for their security and comply with NATO spending guidelines. Total military spending by Western Europe last year grew for the first time since 2009, according to Janes Defence Budgets Report, an industry publication. Baltic States upped their defense budgets faster than any other region in the world. Latvia and Lithuania were poised to join Estonia in surpassing the 2% mark by 2018. If every NATO country, including non-European Union countries, were to increase its defense spending to the recommended level, total defense spending by the alliance would go up from $890 billion to just over $1 trillion. But experts say they dont expect that to happen anytime soon, if ever. I dont think theres an appetite to go to 2%, said Dan Jenkins, a defense and security researcher at Rand Corp. Europe. Theres so much pressure on the whole of budgets across Europe. Many European Union countries face a competing mandate to reduce their budget deficits a goal that would be difficult to reach while also significantly increasing military spending. Take Italy, for example. It has the eighth-biggest economy in the world, but is still recovering from the 2008 recession and only spends 1.1% of its GDP on defense. Spain, too, has suffered from a sluggish economy and a budget deficit well above the limit set by the European Commission. And although the German economy is stronger, going up from 1.2% to 2% of GDP would entail a $30-billion jump. Still, NATO countries are expected to increase their spending gradually in the next five to 10 years, having signed a declaration at a 2014 summit in Wales that they would do so. Once the spending levels do go up, a good chunk of the money will go toward personnel a category that eats up more than half of each countrys military budget, on average. NATO guidelines also recommend that member countries spend 20% of their defense budgets on major equipment including items like Lockheed Martins F-35 fighter jet. But how much of that money Lockheed or other U.S. companies are likely to get remains unclear. Two-thirds of European defense budgets are so small that theyre never going to be able to procure the high-end equipment thats for sale in the U.S., said Jenkins. And those that do have the resources, mostly in Western Europe, will probably buy local, said N.R. Jenzen-Jones, director of Armament Research Services, a consultancy. nina.agrawal@latimes.com Twitter: @AgrawalNina ALSO Ninth Circuit turns down Trumps request to immediately reinstate his travel ban Trump imposes sanctions on people and companies in Iran Trump vowed to end catch and release, but on the border, its business as usual How Trumps policies and rhetoric are forging alliances between U.S. Jews and Muslims A journalist arrested in a broad sweep of a rogue protest camp near the Standing Rock reservation is facing criminal charges from North Dakota authorities. Jenni Monet, 40, on assignment for Indian Country Today and the Center for Investigative Reporting, has been arrested and charged with criminal trespass and engaging in a riot by Morton County prosecutors. She was arrested Wednesday and released on bond late Thursday. Monet was arrested as authorities rounded up about 75 water protectors attempting to set up a new protest camp on private land near the Cannonball River. Police moved in Wednesday afternoon to prevent the establishment of the Last Child Camp, locking down the area with highway barricades. Advertisement Monet said she was there to document the story. She said she scaled a hill above the river, where dozens of opponents of the Dakota Access pipeline had erected tepees and stood, arms locked, facing police. Police asked me to leave, and she attempted to do so, Monet said in an interview Friday. I was walking away, I was halfway down the hill, and they still arrested me, she said. She added that she had been observing the protesters from a distance, clearly removed from the arrests, and had already identified herself as a journalist on assignment. As the arresting officer fumbled with the zip ties on Monets hands, she recalls telling him, Well, you could just not arrest me, because Im a journalist. The arresting officer did not read Monet her Miranda rights, she said. She was loaded onto a school bus and held for seven hours with other women, stripped down to our long johns, in metal cages in a Morton County jail parking garage. Late Wednesday evening, Monet was transferred to an indoor cell with five other women. Rob Keller, a spokesman for the Morton County Sheriffs Department, said the department respects the important role journalists play in our democracy and in the coverage of the Dakota Access Pipeline protest. He said he could not comment on the circumstances of Monets arrest. I have not seen the reports or video of the event, and it is still under investigation, so I cant comment, he said. However, he added, If journalists dont leave after repeated requests by law enforcement to do so, they are subject to being arrested. Morton County has acknowledged the use of the cage-like holding pens. An officer at the Morton County Jail refused to comment Sunday on Monets complaints about the way she was treated after her arrest. Monet, a member of the Laguna Pueblo tribe with a masters degree in international politics from Columbia University, also contributes regularly to PBS NewsHour. She is not the first journalist charged in the 10-month fight over the $3.8-billion, 1,172-mile pipeline. In September, Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now!, was charged with engaging in a riot after her crew filmed dogs from a private pipeline security firm biting protesters. The charges were later dropped. In October, documentary producer Deia Schlosberg was charged with felony conspiracy after filming another pipeline protest. Those charges were also dropped. Its incomprehensible, Mark Trahant, a professor of journalism at the University of North Dakota and former president of the Native American Journalists Assn., said of Monets detention. The arrest was particularly disturbing, Trahant said, given Monets reputation for covering all sides of the bitter dispute, including interviews with police, the Morton County sheriff, and North Dakotas new governor, Doug Burgum. Her commitment to the story is extraordinary, Trahant said. Of the authorities, he said: Once they knew who she was, they didnt have to go through that. They could have interrupted the process and just released her. But Morton County just doesnt do that. Theyve been very aggressive. Tolan is a special correspondent. ALSO In North Dakota, it could become legal to hit a protester with your car How much will really change for the Wests oil and gas industry under Trump? Utah is the land of ski runs, pristine parks and a really bad smog problem Since President Trump signed a sweeping executive order that temporarily banned entry for refugees, as well as other immigrants from seven mostly Muslim countries, dozens of lawsuits have been filed amid widespread confusion over the new immigration rules. On Monday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco was considering new legal briefs on both sides after initially denying a request to reinstate the travel ban, whose enforcement was temporarily blocked by a federal judge in Seattle on Friday. Appeals court judges in San Francisco scheduled a telephone hearing on the case for Tuesday afternoon. Advertisement The circuit court set a rapid schedule for briefs on the case filed by the states of Washington and Minnesota, with major tech companies and former national security officials entering filings in support. The White House argues that presidential power over national security and immigration puts the law on its side. The states say Trumps order harms the economy and local residents who are from the listed countries, and also discriminates against Muslims. The fight over whether Trumps travel ban should be left in place as lawsuits proceed is likely to end up in the U.S. Supreme Court, as is the broader challenge to the order. In the meantime, flights carrying passengers from the banned countries and refugees were landing at U.S. international airports. Whats at stake? The Jan. 27 executive order included a 90-day ban on admission of nearly all citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. It also halted all refugee admissions for 120 days, indefinitely suspended admission of Syrian refugees and said the U.S. would give preference to refugees who are members of religious minorities. Immediately after that, hundreds of refugees, green card holders and visitors with valid visas were either detained at U.S. airports, deported upon landing or not allowed to board flights to the country. The Department of Justice later told a judge that Trumps move had resulted in 100,000 visas that were canceled around the world. The Department of State clarified the number to be less than 60,000. Whos fighting the president? The Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse at the University of Michigan has counted dozens of lawsuits against the Trump administration in connection with the executive order. Most were filed by legal permanent residents who were detained, deported or blocked from boarding flights to the the U.S. They were filed in federal district courts in Virginia, Massachusetts, California, the District of Columbia and elsewhere. Several states have also taken the administration to court, saying the immigration order harms their economies and residents. They include Virginia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota and Washington, and they have either joined onto already existing suits or launched their own. Whos winning? For the most part, its not Trump. But all wins have been temporary, and final results could change as lawsuits proceed. One of the first legal wins was in a case by the American Civil Liberties Union, which requested an emergency halt to deportations of visa holders and won a stay from a federal judge in Brooklyn the night after the presidents order was signed. Another challenge was won that evening in Virginia, where a federal judge issued an order to block deportations of immigrants detained at Dulles International Airport. A Massachusetts judge followed with a similar temporary order Jan. 29. Although civil rights groups viewed many of these as applying nationally, they werent followed uniformly. In Los Angeles, a major national order came Wednesday when a federal judge said that any immigrant with a valid visa had to be let into the country. The suit, still proceeding, was filed on behalf of 28 Yemenis with visas who had been unable to travel to the U.S. But the biggest win for opponents of the order came Friday, when U.S. District Judge James L. Robart in Seattle ordered that Trumps ban be lifted nationwide while a suit by the states of Washington and Minnesota was litigated. Notably, Robarts action applied not only to immigrants with visas but also to refugees. He also ordered a stop to any religious preference on admissions. Robart said he thought the states had a good chance of winning the case. In all of the above cases, judges said keeping Trumps order intact would cause irreparable harm, a legal bar for immediately suspending it. What is Trumps case and what are the arguments against him? The White House says the presidents order stems from his responsibility to protect national security and is based on a 65-year-old part of the of the federal Immigration and Nationality Act. It says that whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or non-immigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate. On the other hand, another part of the act says there cannot be discrimination in regard to the persons race, sex, nationality, place of birth or place of residence when it comes to the issuance of an immigrant visa. The arguments against the executive order have been multi-pronged, most alleging a violation of the due process and equal protection clauses of the Constitution, as well as the Constitutions ban on government religion. The religion argument stems from the orders preference for admission of religious minorities, and also a TV interview Trump gave in which he said Christians would get preference. Lawyers have also cited Trump associate and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who said the order was a version of Trumps campaign promise to ban Muslims from entering the country. In the 9th Circuit proceedings, major officials from the Obama and George W. Bush administrations filed a declaration Sunday night saying they see Trumps order as harmful to national security. Major tech companies, including Twitter and Google, argued in a brief that the immigration order hurts the economy because of the number of skilled immigrants those companies employ. Who has supported the president? One small win for the president came in Boston on Friday, when a federal judge refused to extend a temporary order blocking parts of Trumps travel ban. The restraining order was initially put in place after the plaintiffs, who included two Iranian college professors with valid visas, were prevented from coming back to the U.S. to go to work. The rich immigrant history of the United States has long been a source of strength and pride in this country, Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton wrote in his decision. Conversely, the public interest in safety and security in this ever-more dangerous world is strong as well. The judge said he would not extend the order because of a Homeland Security directive that had come out ensuring that people with green cards were exempt from the new immigration rules. The refusal from the court was largely moot because of the decision that came down in Seattle that lifted all major parts of the travel ban nationwide. But legal experts say its important that its on the record. Many briefs in the flurry of filings to the 9th Circuit on Sunday and Monday were opposed to Trumps travel ban. One exception was the American Center for Law and Justice, a conservative Christian activist organization, which supported the governments argument that the president has the legal power to restrict who comes into the country. Whats next? The fight against the travel ban will be a long one, said Margo Schlanger, a law professor at the University of Michigan who was the head of civil rights for the Department of Homeland Security under President Obama. Schlanger and other legal experts believe the Seattle case currently before the 9th Circuit could be the one to go to the Supreme Court because it has moved the fastest and is the most expansive. If the Supreme Courts ruling on the stay were to split 4 to 4, then the 9th Circuits decision would be kept intact. jaweed.kaleem@latimes.com Jaweed Kaleem is The Times national race and justice correspondent. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. More national headlines Good morning. Its Monday, Feb. 6, and heres whats happening across California: TOP STORIES Sticker shock California has a big and growing glut of electric power, an investigation by the Los Angeles Times has found. The states power plants are on track to be able to produce at least 21% more electricity than it needs by 2020, based on official estimates. And that doesnt even count the soaring production of electricity by rooftop solar panels that has added to the surplus. To cover the expense of new plants whose power isnt needed Colusa, for example, has operated far below capacity since opening Californians are paying a higher premium to switch on lights or turn on electric stoves. In recent years, the gap between what Californians pay versus the rest of the country has nearly doubled to about 50%. Los Angeles Times Advertisement Ghost of a horrific fire It was one of the worst arson fires in L.A. history, killing 10 in an aging Westlake District apartment building filled with immigrants from Latin America. Now, 24 years later, there is a break in the case. Several suspects have been arrested, and sources point to a shocking motive: The suspects were allegedly angry because the apartment manager had ordered them to take their drug dealing elsewhere. They sought revenge by lighting the building on fire, the sources said. Los Angeles Times Deportation shocker Up to 8 million people in the country illegally could be considered priorities for deportation under President Trump, according to calculations by the Los Angeles Times. The calculations were based on interviews with experts who studied the order and two internal documents that signal immigration officials are taking an expansive view of Trumps directive. Los Angeles Times L.A. STORIES One city: Steve Lopez goes to the diverse neighborhood of Koreatown and the Mid-Wilshire District to find that finding common ground is winning out over division in the Trump era. Said one resident: All our neighbors, our friends in Southern California, are immigrants. I learned from them and I grow from them, and theyre part of Los Angeles. Theyre Angelenos. Los Angeles Times Mood music: In the shadow of a downtown L.A. jail, day laborers serenade the city and try to make a point. The California Sunday Magazine Victory: Before a cheering throng at a campus gymnasium, a team from Marshall High School on Saturday won the Super Quiz portion of the Academic Decathlon for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Los Angeles Times Comeback kid: Inglewood, once the city of Magic, Kareem and Showtime, is looking forward to being back in the national spotlight with the NFLs return. The Super Bowl could end up being the citys coming out party. Daily News POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT Defunding threat: Calling California out of control, President Trump threatened to withhold federal funding to the state if it votes to declare itself a sanctuary state. Trumps comment came during an interview with Bill OReilly on Foxs Super Bowl pregame show. Los Angeles Times In hiding: Some Bay Area conservatives said the anti-Trump mood has become so emotional that they are meeting in private. CBS SF Bay Area Plus: In the Central Valley town of Visalia, many residents want to give Trump a chance. San Francisco Chronicle Protest pattern: There has been no shortage of opportunities for the anti-Trump left to vent its angst since the president took office. People in California have also begun showing up at less likely venues: strip malls and business parks that house the offices of their Congress members. Over the weekend, hundreds of people showed up to an overflowing town hall meeting being held by Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove) in his Northern California district, which ended with McClintock being escorted out of the packed event by police while hundreds of people demonstrated outside. Los Angeles Times Breaking up is hard to do: The Calexit movement having California secede from the U.S. has become a popular conversation topic. But consider: California voters seem pretty dubious, but there does seem room for growth, at least according to backers. Sacramento Bee Based on our mail, some of those most excited about the movement seem to be conservatives who dont live in California. Los Angeles Times CalExit is not just a reaction to Trump. Its also about some fundamental issues with being the biggest state in the union. Sacramento Bee CRIME AND COURTS Left versus left in Berkeley: So-called black bloc agitators have become a fixture of Bay Area demonstrations in the last decade, but their appearance at UC Berkeley on Wednesday and at other otherwise peaceful demonstrations threatens to inflame tensions in an already polarized nation. We have never seen this on the Berkeley campus, one UC Berkeley official said. This was an unprecedented invasion. Los Angeles Times Durst mystery: The long wait for answers for one person connected to the Robert Durst saga. New York Times On leave: The police chief of Torrance was placed on leave as the city investigated allegations that he made inappropriate sexual and racial comments. Daily Breeze DROUGHT AND CLIMATE Big bloom: All our rain could make for a historic poppy bloom this spring across California. LAist Feast or famine: With more rain expected across California this week, one weather expert tries to understand why the state has experienced such extremes. NBC Bay Area CALIFORNIA CULTURE On the border: It might be a case of cause and effect. As Donald Trump bashes Mexico, a surge of Mexican nationalism is taking shape on the border. We feel aggrieved, and we feel offended, said Gilberto Leyva Camacho, president of the Tijuana Chamber of Commerce. There is no need for so much aggression toward a neighboring country when weve been brothers all our lives. San Diego Union-Tribune How much? Disneyland thinks having a restaurant that offers a dinner party for $15,000 makes financial sense. For the rich, that singular experience is worth the money, even at the Magic Kingdom. Orange County Register A second chance: The Fulton Street pedestrian mall in downtown Fresno has long been a symbol of urban renewal that could not compete with suburbanization. But now, the city has new plans for Fulton that officials hope will revive downtown. Fresno Bee Cultural clash: In Koreatown, an art installation about loss. Los Angeles Times Saving Chinatown: Inside the effort to preserve San Franciscos Chinatown amid the citys development boom. Leaders say theyve been here before. Chinatown sits on valuable land and its been under constant financial pressure throughout its history, one said. San Francisco Chronicle CALIFORNIA ALMANAC Los Angeles area: Rain with highs in the low 60s. San Diego: Showers with highs in the low 60s. San Francisco area: Rain with highs in the upper 50s. Sacramento: Rain with highs in the mid- to upper 50s. More weather is here. AND FINALLY This weeks birthdays for notable Californians: L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl (Feb. 9, 1941) and Disney CEO Bob Iger (Feb. 10, 1951). If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.) Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Shelby Grad. Los Angeles is at a developmental crossroads, growing out of its callow youth as the capital of car culture and suburban sprawl and coming into its maturity as well, as something else. What exactly that will be depends in large part on who guides its development. Will it be a place with more crippling congestion, or will it have fewer cars, cleaner air and safer streets? Will its densifying neighborhoods retain their economic and cultural diversity, or will the city continue down the road of ad hoc development until it resembles an urban nightmare with miles of high rises surrounded by traffic-clogged roads and shantytowns? Its impossible to know for sure, of course. But theres a way to hedge our bets by electing city leaders who believe wholeheartedly in a more sustainable type of growth. For Council District 1 voters, that means picking Joe Bray-Ali for City Council on March 7. Developers and investment are already transforming some of the districts river- and downtown-adjacent neighborhoods (Highland Park has become something of a poster child for gentrification), and to a lesser extent the communities of MacArthur Park and Pico-Union. Of the four candidates, including incumbent Councilman Gil Cedillo, we think Bray-Ali, a small business owner and community activist who lives in Lincoln Heights, would best lead this district and the city into a better future. Many people in the district think of Bray-Ali, 37, as just a bike-shop owner and bike activist. Frustration over Cedillos part in stalling bike lanes on Figueroa Street propelled Bray-Ali into this race. But though he may be campaigning atop two wheels, he has educated himself way beyond bike and transit issues. In fact, his understanding of land-use policy is impressive for someone who has never worked in City Hall, and his experience running a small business in the city will make him a rare and important voice on the council. Advertisement Bray-Ali, a small business owner and community activist who lives in Lincoln Heights, would best lead this district and the city into a better future. It is no small thing to depose a sitting councilman, and Cedillo has a big fundraising advantage due in part to support from developers. But the personable Bray-Ali, whose father was an aide to a number of local Latino officials, is not a neophyte to City Hall or local politics. He has been involved in community issues for more than a decade since serving on the Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council in 2005 and 2006. Indeed, Bray-Alis first job out of college was as a field deputy for a Latino state legislator, then-Assemblyman Rudy Bermudez (D-Norwalk). Cedillo has a reputation among community activists as someone hell-bent on helping developers build market-rate housing while paying little regard for the more prosaic concerns of the neighborhoods. This disinterest in the community is troubling; even more so is his indifference to the displacement of low-income constituents. (He called displacement in his district an urban myth in a meeting with the editorial board. The citys own data show it is not.) Building more housing is a virtue the city is in a housing crunch, and more market-rate housing means more housing, period. But it shouldnt come at the expense of a neighborhoods affordability and quality of life. A councilmans job is to balance the interests of neighborhoods with those of the population as a whole, and Cedillo doesnt seem to be interested in that task. There are two other candidates in the race: Jesse Rosas, a small businessman with deep community connections but no clear plan, and Giovany Hernandez, a young charter school parent organizer from Westlake who grew up in Pico-Union. Hernandez is someone worth watching in future races. He has an impressive grasp of local policy and politics for someone who hasnt served on a city board or commission, but he needs more experience before taking on a council seat. Cedillo hasnt been a bad councilman, nor a particularly good one. Had he done more on the councils housing and land use committees to build affordable housing, expedite new community plans and close loopholes used to evict low-income tenants, its possible that anger over development in Los Angeles wouldnt have boiled over and produced Measure S, an initiative on the March ballot to slow the pace of growth. (Bray-Ali opposes the measure.) Theres a deep-seated frustration in this city about how development decisions are made, and Cedillos attitude toward his constituents only bolsters that discontent. The winner of this race will have an extra long term (the recent change in city elections means the winner will hold office for 5 years) during a building boom that could fundamentally change the district. It is imperative that the person making the decisions focus on the needs of the community, not just a personal vision. The candidate who is best prepared to do that for Council District 1 is Bray-Ali. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook UPDATES: 4/27: Due to new information, The Times has rescinded this endorsement of Joe Bray-Ali. Once again, President Trump has come to Russian President Vladimir Putins defense by throwing America under the bus. In a pre-taped interview with Fox News Bill OReilly, aired on Super Bowl Sunday, Trump was asked to explain his respect for Putin. He is the leader of his country, Trump said, adding the usual boilerplate about wanting to have good relations and help fighting Islamic State. Advertisement OReilly interjected, Putins a killer. And a vexed Trump replied, There are a lot of killers. Weve got a lot of killers. What, do you think our country is so innocent? This was no gaffe. A similar conversation played out between MSNBCs Joe Scarborough and Trump in December 2015. Scarborough asked about Trumps bromance with Putin and Trump responded, When people call you brilliant, its always good. Especially when the person heads up Russia. Trump could rebuff criticism of Russia without impugning the United States or compromising his apparent desire for a rapprochement. Putin kills journalists, political opponents, and invades countries, objected Scarborough. Obviously that would be a concern, would it not? Hes running his country, and at least hes a leader, you know, unlike what we have in this country, Trump said, referring to then-President Obama. But, again, he kills journalists that dont agree with him, protested Scarborough. Well, I think our country does plenty of killing also, Joe, Trump said. In July, Trump said something similar in response to questions from the New York Times about the bloody repressions and mass arrests by Turkeys Recep Tayyip Erdogan. When the world looks at how bad the United States is, and then we go and talk about civil liberties, I dont think were a very good messenger. One might expect to hear that kind of logic from a dorm room full of Marxists. And if Obama had ever suggested the same, conservatives would have pounced. Of course America isnt without sin. But ethically speaking, America has towered above Russia including Russia under Putin. Why does Trump insist on such absurd moral equivalency? Setting aside the lefts Manchurian candidate theory, one distressing possibility: Trump doesnt recognize the difference between U.S. and Russian or Turkish governance. Another: Trump thinks that autocratic behavior is absolutely fine. In the summer of 2015, Trump explained to a tea party audience that he doesnt like talk of American exceptionalism in part because he finds it insulting to other countries, but also because it encourages them to eat our lunch. As Stephen Wertheim put it in Foreign Policy, Trump rejects American exceptionalism mainly because he thinks it paralyzes the United States: It prevents the country from playing to win. But lets give Trump the benefit of the doubt and assume that all he really wants is to repair relations with Russia. Well then, he should find a new way to talk about, and defend, his policy. The remarkable thing is that there are plenty of ways Trump could rebuff criticism of Russia without impugning the United States or compromising his apparent desire for a rapprochement. He could say, for instance, Look, during World War II we allied ourselves with Joseph Stalin, who did far worse things than Putin has been accused of. He could mention George W. Bushs with or against us approach to the war on terror and say hed rather have Russia with us. He could even note that Obama and many of his intellectual supporters have been calling for more realism in foreign policy, taking the world as we find it etc. Its the presidents job to help shape public rhetoric, because how we talk about our ideals determines whether we sustain or erode them. Or, as the late literary critic Wayne Booth put it, rhetoric is the art of probing what men believe they ought to believe. To listen to Trump, Americans should believe a number of dismaying things: our public institutions cannot be trusted; he alone can fix our problems; absent him, our best days are behind us; and, most worrisome, Americas ideals have been part of the problem, not the solution. I dont care if Trump thinks weve fallen short of ideals of course we have, thats why we call them ideals. What bothers me is that he often sounds like he has contempt for those ideals in the first place. jgoldberg@latimescolumnists.com Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook Will issue-oriented movies trump eye candy at this years Oscars as Hollywood seeks to send a message that it wont stand for fear-driven legislation meant to rob minorities of their rights? Following that embarrassing #OscarsSoWhite campaign, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last year expanded its membership with a healthy infusion of younger, more diverse talent. And unlike the Academys Old Guard (white, male, over 50), these new members Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), Carmen Ejogo (Selma), Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation), Byung-Hun Lee (The Magnificent Seven), and America Ferrera (End of Watch), among them may well prefer real-life issues over sentiment or institutionalized nostalgia. In the current volatile political climate, they wont want to appear self-congratulatory or out of touch. Theyll want their votes to matter. If the above scenario plays out, the presumptive best picture winner, La La Land, will be the biggest casualty, as Academy voters shunt aside the popular throwback musical starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling for something less frothy. Advertisement By attacking Streep, Trump may well have helped Streep to a record 20th Oscar nomination. Im ordinarily not a gambling man, but Id take the long odds on Moonlight or Fences to win in the best picture category, with the edge going to Barry Jenkins Moonlight because the Miami-set drama tackles both racism and homophobia and Fences, as good as it is, is a more traditional stage-to-screen transfer. What about Hidden Figures or Lion or Manchester by the Sea, all critically acclaimed best picture nominees? The first, about African American mathematicians standing up to NASAs segregationist practices during the space race, is worthwhile if conventional; the second, about a lost boy finally finding his way home, is too baldly manipulative; the third, starring best actor front-runner Casey Affleck as a brooding New England handyman, is intense but mostly lily white. La La Land, like The Artist, the best picture winner in 2012, is show biz honoring show biz and, therefore, more than a little narcissistic. Which is why it leads the pack with 14 nominations. But as things heat up politically and each day brings a more alarming executive order it will look more and more inconsequential. And this will spell its undoing in the top category. It should do fine in the production design, cinematography, song and score categories. Another sign that La La Land is no longer a lock for best picture: Meryl Streeps nomination in the best actress category for her portrayal of a tone-deaf philanthropist in the indifferently received Florence Foster Jenkins. This is the spot that was reserved for either Amy Adams in Arrival or Annette Bening in 20th Century Women. My guess is that Streep edged out both actresses after her anti-Trump speech at the Golden Globes. Suddenly, the actress morphed into Delacroixs barricade-storming Liberty Leading the People. The following morning, then-President-elect Trump lashed out via Twitter, calling her a Hillary flunky and one of the most overrated actresses in Hollywood. By attacking Streep, Trump may well have helped Streep to a record 20th Oscar nomination. (Nomination voting closed five days after the Golden Globes.) The presidents subsequent attacks on everything the movie industry holds dear could have a similar call-to-arms effect, mobilizing Academy membership. This years final Oscar vote (Feb. 13-21) will be a referendum of sorts on Trump. Too bad for La La Land. Glenn Lovell is the author of Escape Artist: The Life and Films of John Sturges. He teaches film studies at De Anza College and other Bay Area universities. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of the trajectory of history as an arc. The actions of a handful of people at UC Berkeley in reaction to a planned speech by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos raise grave doubts in my mind. (The No Free Speech Movement at Berkeley, editorial, Feb. 3) History is not an arc. Its a pendulum. The political ideology of those kept silent has changed, but the evil of oppression has once again become the same. I was a sophomore at UC Berkeley during the Free Speech Movement. I was proud to be a member of a community that insisted all voices be heard. I held my head high as I argued with my conservative father about the principles that made our country great. Advertisement Today, as an alumna, I bow my head in shame. The Free Speech Movement has become a Freedom From Speech Movement. Protection of the constitutional right to speak has been thrown aside, sacrificed to a new modern ideal: protection from hearing speech that runs contrary to the closely held views of those who are certainly entitled to their opinions, but are not entitled to restrict the free speech of others. Janet Weaver, Huntington Beach .. To the editor: White supremacist Yiannopoulos argues, The left is terrified of free speech. Quite the contrary. The left has embraced free speech in protesting racist, bigoted, fascist and misogynistic views. It is not only our 1st Amendment right, but our patriotic duty. Imagine inviting a hooded Ku Klux Klan member to address a publicly funded institution like UC Berkeley. Yiannopoulos, sans hood, is just that. Judith Barden, Long Beach .. To the editor: Almost everybody already knows that free speech is not debatable. The only slow learners appear to be the professors at UC Berkeley who wanted to prohibit Yiannopoulos from speaking. Is this what they are teaching at Berkeley? Arthur Armstrong, Manhattan Beach Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: Hal Houser, a supporter of President Trump, states, I dont know why he has rushed so quickly to implement this policy when it needed so much careful consideration. What in the world made him think Trump was going to be a president who practiced careful consideration? (For victims of San Bernardino terrorist attack, conflicting views about Trump policy in their name, Feb. 1) Was he not following the words and actions of Trump over the many months leading up to the election? The candidate and the president are one and the same, and careful consideration has never been one of his traits. The era of U.S. presidents making careful, considerate decisions ended on Jan. 20, 2017. Its only a matter of time before Trump supporters will feel the brunt of one of his rash decisions. When that day comes, they will have to reckon with what they have done by electing this man to the presidency. Advertisement Gina Ortiz, Claremont .. To the editor: Im a Jew. While its a relief not to be the scapegoat this time, I worry how long that will be true. Although it is only a temporary travel ban right now, what will happen when that doesnt fix everything? Who will be the next group blamed and excluded? Will they make them wear ID tags? Will they freeze their bank accounts? Will they confiscate their possessions? Will they be driven from their homes? And how many minorities will they go through until they get around to me? Right now, we are all Muslims. Nancy Garf Moses, Irvine .. To the editor: Absent from the presidents anti-immigrant policy is any hint of compassion for displaced persons in need of help. His recent rebuff to Australia talking as if he would have liked to renege on a promise by the Obama administration to relocate fewer than 2,000 migrants stranded on Manus and Nauru islands only reinforces the impression that the poor have little to expect from the allegedly Christian leader of the United States. Perhaps our president, so late of the National Prayer Breakfast, should reacquaint himself with Scripture, namely Leviticus Chapter 19: The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. Philip Baer, North Hollywood Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Former President George W. Bush says his recent remarks have been misconstrued as criticism of Trump (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Former President George W. Bush on Wednesday pushed back at the notion that his recent remarks about the media were criticisms of President Trump. Im asked the question, Do I believe in free press? and the answer is absolutely, I believe in free press because the press holds people to account, he said. Power is very addictive and its corrosive if it becomes central to your life and therefore there needs to be an independent group of people who hold you to account. And so I answered that question and of course the headlines were, Bush criticizes Trump. And so therefore I needed to say, There should be a free and independent press, but it ought to be accurate. Bush made the remarks at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley during an hourlong question-and-answer session promoting Portraits of Courage, his new book that features his paintings of veterans. While doing media interviews about the book in recent days, he has raised eyebrows by making comments about the media, immigrants and allegations of Russian interference in the November presidential election that were widely viewed as criticisms of the new president. He said that he decided once he left the office not to second-guess his successor, former President Obama, and that the same holds true for Trump. Doing so would undermine the office, Bush said, adding that he wants all of his successors to succeed because it is good for the nation. I dont want to make the presidents job worse, no matter what political party it is. Its a hard job, Bush said. Sometimes my remarks can be construed as criticism. Theyre certainly not meant to be, and after I finish this book tour you probably wont hear from me for a while. But he was willing to offer advice to those who follow him. Know what you dont know and find people who do know what you dont know and listen to them, he said. My advice is that the job is different once you get in. It looks one way and then you get in the Oval Office and it looks different. Trust me. Bush also made an implicit criticism of Obamas foreign policy when asked whether the world is more dangerous than it was four years ago. This may be taken as criticism of one of my successors and I dont really mean it to be. There is a lesson however when the United States decides not to take the lead and withdraw, he said. Vacuums can be created when U.S. presence recedes and that vacuum is generally filed with people who dont share the ideology, the same sense of human rights and human dignity and freedom that we do. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Aside from a handful of serious moments, Bush was jovial and self-effacing as he described how he became an oil painter after leaving the White House. Seeking ways to fill his time, he said he read an essay by Winston Churchill about painting. I basically said, What the hell, this guy can paint, I can paint, Bush said. He hired an instructor and started painting a cube and a watermelon before moving on to portraits. Former First Lady Laura Bush was not pleased with his depiction of her, so when he painted his mother, former First Lady Barbara Bush, he decided to depict her from behind. Barbara Bush and former President George H.W. Bush are doing well despite their recent hospitalizations, the younger Bush said. Theyre both great given their limitations. Dad cant walk, hes confined to a wheelchair and yet his spirit is joyful, Bush said. Moms doing fine. Shes shrinking, and as she does, her voice gets louder. But shes a, shes a piece of work is what she is. Bush has been reclusive since leaving office, but said he wrote the book and is publicizing it to raise money for veterans and to draw attention to the invisible wounds many of them suffer. I think when you read [their stories] youll be moved by stories of courage, injury, recovery willingness to help others, he said. Ive got a platform its not as big as it once was and I intend to use it to help our veterans for the rest of my life, and this is one way to do so. Before taking office, Donald Trump repeatedly questioned the role of the NATO military alliance, a bedrock of European stability and transatlantic relations since 1949, calling the security pact obsolete as recently as last month. On Monday he dialed back, adopting the far milder critique that President Obama and other presidents have used. We strongly support NATO, President Trump said at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla. We only ask that all of the NATO members make their full and proper financial contributions to the NATO alliance, which many of them have not been doing. Many of them have not been even close. Advertisement President Trump wants other members of NATO to pay their fair share. Heres what that would look like Previous presidents had lamented the failure of many in the alliance to provide for joint defense. Only five of the 28 members the United States, Greece, Poland, the United Kingdom and Estonia meet the alliances target of spending at least 2% of their gross domestic product on defense. On Sunday, Trump spoke with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg by phone and agreed to attend the annual NATO summit in Brussels in May, according to a NATO statement. The White House confirmed the plan. Trump disclosed his shift on the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance in brief comments to about 300 soldiers at MacDill. He also attended briefings there by U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command, which are conducting military operations against Islamic State in half a dozen countries. Radical Islamic terrorists are determined to strike our homeland as they did on 9/11, as they did from Boston to Orlando to San Bernardino, and all across Europe, Trump told the troops. You have seen what happened in Paris and Nice. All over Europe its happening. Days after a senior White House aide complained that news media had failed to report a nonexistent massacre in Kentucky, Trump suggested that journalists deliberately ignore terrorist attacks. Its gotten to a point where its not even being reported, he said. And in many cases, the very, very dishonest press doesnt want to report it. They have their reasons and you understand that. Its unclear which attacks he had in mind because news media have devoted extensive resources to covering both terrorist plots and counter-terrorism operations since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. The administration has disputed critical coverage of last weeks special operations raid at an Al Qaeda compound in Yemen, insisting it was a success despite the death of a U.S. Navy SEAL and the reported deaths of up to a dozen women and children. Without citing Yemen, Trump told the troops that today we deliver a message in one very unified voice to these forces of death and destruction: America and its allies will defeat you. Trump also defended his executive order blocking U.S. entry to migrants or other visitors from seven majority-Muslim countries, a move that the White House said was aimed at preventing terrorism. The travel ban was in legal limbo Monday after a federal judge in Seattle blocked it. We need a strong program so that people that love us and want to love our country and will end up loving our country will be allowed in, Trump said. Not people that want to destroy us and want to destroy our country. Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Michael Flynn, Trumps national security advisor, joined the president at the base, a crucial node in the war against Islamic State. U.S.-backed Iraqi forces are preparing to expand their operation in Mosul by crossing the Tigris River to assault west Mosul, an Islamic State bastion in the sprawling city. U.S. commanders say the attack will be difficult because west Mosul is more densely populated and more heavily defended than the citys eastern half. The effort to retake the city began in mid-October but has repeatedly stalled. Trump may seek to increase U.S. involvement, but that would be counterproductive, said Michael Knights, Iraq fellow at the nonpartisan Washington Institute for Near East Policy. There are no more actions that the Iraqi government will allow, he said. U.S. and coalition assistance is maxed out: This is an Iraqi fight and the pace will be limited by their energy levels. In Syria, a loose alliance of fighters dominated by ethnic Syrian Kurds are pushing toward Raqqah, Islamic States self-declared capital. Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by U.S. airstrikes, have retaken several nearby towns and have cut some supply routes. Although the Pentagon has given rebel forces armored vehicles and other equipment, Obama did not send weapons to the Kurds, who are seeking a breakaway Kurdish state, to avoid further inflaming relations with Turkey, a NATO ally. Trump may decide to arm the group to increase the pace of operations against Islamic State, but officials said no decision has been made. Times staff writer Brian Bennett contributed to this report. 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 The fight over the future of the Democratic Party has been decided in the streets. The swelling crowds at womens marches and the chanting airport cadres who protested President Trumps new immigration plan have pushed the party to the left after years of halting steps in that direction. The protesters have quickened the outrage metabolism among members of Congress, encouraged disruptive tactics like the boycotts of hearings for Trumps cabinet nominees and largely ended the debate over whether Democrats should work with Trump on occasion rather than universally oppose him. Advertisement Democratic senators took the rare step of filibustering Monday night against Education secretary nominee Betsy DeVos. Their unified opposition and Republican defections ultimately forced Vice President Mike Pence to cast the deciding vote Tuesday for her the first time that has ever been necessary to confirm a Cabinet nominee. Another fight blossomed Tuesday night over the nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions as attorney general. Later in the week, protests moved from airports and congressional offices to town halls as Republican incumbents home from Washington found themselves beset by resistance. For Democrats, the weeks since Trumps inauguration have defined the party as more liberal and more activist than it was even months ago. It is a both an ideological and generational upending similar to the one decades ago that gave many sitting party leaders power that they have been reluctant to cede. While the new unity and intensity has brought energy to the party, it is also a shift that some Democrats fear is too radical for the party as it looks toward 2018 Senate contests in swing states. Trump has electrified the Democratic progressive base like nothing that has happened in the last 25 years. Ace Smith, San Francisco-based Democratic strategist Howard Dean, the former party chairman, said Democrats must embrace the priorities of the street or risk demise. This is their Edmund Pettus Bridge, their Kent State, he said, referring to sites of civil rights and antiwar struggles that propelled earlier activists into Democratic politics. A party composed of all of the activists in the 60s and 70s they changed the world, but they cant figure out how to hand this off to the next generation. The time for that is at hand. The risk, however, is that the fiery passions of the protesters might end up consuming Democrats, much as a grass-roots rebellion on the right, which started a decade ago, has caused warfare within the Republican party. The radical nature of this government is radicalizing Democrats, and thats going to pose a real challenge to the Democratic Party, said Rep. Adam B. Schiff, the Democrat from Burbank. The more radical the administration is, the more radicalized our base becomes and who knows where that ends. Evidence of the potential for difficulty appeared recently on the website of MoveOn, a liberal activist group. The public which voted decisively against Trump is demanding clear, principled, and total opposition to the Trump administrations extreme and unprecedented agenda, wrote Anna Galland and Ilya Sheyman, the groups executive directors. We hope Senate Democrats will hear that message and quickly. Protesters angry that Democrats were voting for some of Trumps Cabinet nominees gathered at the homes of several party leaders, including Sens. Dianne Feinstein of California and minority leader Charles E. Schumer of New York. At a CNN town hall last week, a student identified as Trevor Hill asked a polite but pointed question of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat from San Francisco. Even as Hill praised the partys leftward moves on social issues, he noted that a poll last spring had found a slim majority of millennials opposed capitalism. I wonder if theres anywhere you feel the Democrats could move farther left to a populist message? he asked. I thank you for your question, but I have to say were capitalists, Pelosi replied. She continued with a longer explanation of the nature of income inequality, but it was her somewhat dismissive opening remark that ricocheted across the Internet. How far the party goes to satisfy its newly vocal activists is particularly important to Democrats up for reelection in 2018 in states won by Trump, including Missouri, West Virginia, North Dakota and Montana. Each has a Democratic senator facing a potentially hostile electorate next year. If the election focuses on national issues and positioning a safe bet, given Trumps dominance of American politics the leftward pull could hurt in those states, risking a Senate with fewer Democrats than the 48-seat minority the party has now. Party leaders in the past have given red-state Democrats some license to move to the center in order to strengthen their standing at home. But with protesters demanding liberal purity, those officeholders are caught between activists who, if displeased, can hurt a candidates support among the party faithful and more moderate voters who are needed to put them over the top. A similar tension helped cripple Hillary Clinton, as a not-insignificant chunk of Democrats last year found her too centrist and too tied to Wall Street elites to support. Barbara Boxer, the liberal Democrat who retired from the Senate in January, suggested the lowered turnout for Clinton among some groups should be a warning sign for todays protesters. I think the marching is good. I think the activism is great, she said. But, she added, what people havent seen is that what happens when you demand perfection is that you get a disaster, she said. My view is that people should see the price that they have to pay and that the country has to pay if you all demand perfection and marching to a particular ideal. To many Democrats, however, the desire for more vocal, passionate and leftward voices trumps that concern. Some of the partys potential 2020 presidential candidates have rushed to airports to protest the Trump immigration ban and to the stages of the womens march to rally supporters. Trumps nomination last week of federal appeals court Judge Neil M. Gorsuch to the open Supreme Court seat was barely official before Democratic emails flaying him appeared in inboxes. The fervor at the protest rallies contrasts sharply with the reaction to Clinton through much of the 2016 campaign. She tabled blunt passion most of the time in favor of an approach more carefully calibrated to appeal to a wide range of voters, and her support was, in turn, more measured. We didnt have a message in 2016; we had a slogan, said Ace Smith, the San Francisco-based Democratic strategist. Politics is never about how people are; its about how people feel. The Hillary Clinton campaign was run by a bunch of people executing a paint-by-numbers strategy, and at the end, they didnt realize you dont win campaigns with an algorithm, but rather you win with passion and positions. Clinton did move incrementally to the left during the presidential contest as she adopted some policies of her challenger, Sen. Bernie Sanders. But her long political and financial associations left her suspect among many who had been drawn to Sanders. One problem for Clinton and other Democrats of her generation and ideology is that the issues important to many Democrats have shifted. She was in line with them on social issues that used to define the partys ideology, but was playing catch-up on income equity, worry over the high cost of education and distrust of corporations and Wall Street. Not by coincidence, the biggest roars at Sanders events followed his criticism of her ties to Goldman Sachs, the giant financial firm. Concern about those issues and a surge in liberal views had been growing for years, but debate over them was masked under President Obama. For more on politics In 2000, a Pew Research survey found that 27% of Democrats called themselves liberal. By 2015, the percentage of self-described liberals had risen by 15 points. The biggest leap 8 points occurred between 2010 and 2015. (At the same time, Republicans have grown more conservative and the once-vibrant center has nearly vanished.) Since the election, Democrats have tussled over how to rebuild from Novembers stunning defeat. The options were to carve a path toward the white working class and suburban residents of middle America or toward the Obama coalition of urban, young and minority votersor to sharpen a message that appealed to both. But Trumps presidency has shunted that debate aside at least for the moment in favor of a unified front against the new president. Trump has electrified the Democratic progressive base like nothing that has happened in the last 25 years, said Smith, the San Francisco-based strategist. As depressing as what hes doing is, hes building an army thats going to fight him. cathleen.decker@latimes.com Twitter: @cathleendecker ALSO Trumps early steps threaten impression of presidential competence What every member of Congress from California says about Trumps immigration order Updates on California politics Live coverage of the Trump transition There is a long history of presidents misleading the public, sometimes unwittingly and other times on purpose. Here are six occasions in recent history when occupants of the Oval Office proved less than truthful. Lyndon B. Johnson and the Gulf of Tonkin incident Late on the night of Aug. 4, 1964, President Johnson delivered a nationally televised address announcing what he described as an attack by North Vietnam on the Navy warships Maddox and Turner Joy. Advertisement The episode was used as justification to escalate the U.S. military involvement in Vietnam; Congress essentially gave Johnson a free hand to wage war as he saw fit. While details surrounding the purported attack remain disputed to this day, it was widely believed that Johnson was less than forthcoming about the circumstances that plunged the U.S. into the deeply unpopular conflict. Richard M. Nixon and Watergate The events that forced the only presidential resignation in U.S. history were encased in a catacomb of lies, starting with Nixons categorical denial of any connection to the June 1972 break-in at Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washingtons Watergate office complex. While it remains unclear whether Nixon knew of the burglary in advance, tape recordings of private conversations showed the length to which he and top aides went in trying to cover up the crime. The president appealed to the Supreme Court, seeking to block release of the tapes. Nixon announced his resignation on Aug. 8, 1974, rather than face near-certain impeachment and removal from office. Ronald Reagan and the Iran-Contra affair Despite repeated public denials, the Reagan administration sold arms to the hostile Iranian government and used the proceeds to fund anti-communist rebels in Nicaragua ignoring a congressional ban. We did not repeat, did not trade weapons or anything else for hostages, Reagan said. Nor will we. Months later, after an independent inquiry detailed the transaction, the president said he was mistaken. My heart and my best intentions still tell me thats true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not, he said in a speech from the Oval Office. What began as a strategic opening to Iran deteriorated, in its implementation, into trading arms for hostages. Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky In 1995 and 1996, Clinton conducted an extramarital affair with Monica Lewinsky, a 22-year-old White House intern. When details of the affair surfaced in January 1998, Clinton flatly insisted he did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky, a lie that he repeated to his wife, Hillary; his staff; his Cabinet, and in repeated media interviews. The matter spilled into a pending investigation of a failed real estate investment during Clintons days as Arkansas governor, leading to an unprecedented grand jury appearance by a sitting president. After testifying, Clinton delivered a national address in which he admitted lying about his relationship with Lewinsky and expressed his regrets. George W. Bush and the weapons of mass destruction The Bush administration offered several reasons for the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the toppling of dictator Saddam Hussein. Chief among them was the threat of an attack on the U.S. or its allies using weapons of mass destruction. We found the weapons of mass destruction, Bush said two months into the invasion, in an interview on Polish television. For those who say we havent found the banned manufacturing devices or banned weapons, theyre wrong; we found them. In fact, hundreds of experts from the U.S., Australia and Britain, tasked with locating WMD stockpiles, failed to document any existing biological or nuclear weapons in Iraq a fact Bush later conceded. Barack Obama and the Affordable Care Act As part of his effort promoting a sweeping healthcare overhaul, Obama sought to assuage concerns by promising Americans if you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it. According to the watchdogs at PolitiFact.com, the president repeated the assertion more than three dozen times, even though it proved false for millions of Americans. At first, Obama tried to revise his claim by asserting, What we said was you can keep it if it hasnt changed since the law passed. After an outcry, however, Obama conceded that he had misled the public and apologized. We werent as clear as we needed to be in terms of the changes taking place, the president said in an NBC interview. mark.barabak@latimes.com @markzbarabak People from all around California are heading to the Central Valley to defend Obamacare. Heres why For victims of San Bernardino terrorist attack, conflicting views about Trump policy in their name As president, Ronald Reagan spoke movingly of the shock and horror he felt as part of a military film crew documenting firsthand the atrocities of the Nazi death camps. The story wasnt true. Years later, an adamant, finger-wagging Bill Clinton looked straight into a live TV camera and told the American people he never had sex with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. He was lying. Presidents of all stripes and both major political parties have bent, massaged or shaded the truth, elided uncomfortable facts or otherwise misled the public unwittingly or, sometimes, very purposefully. Advertisement Trump and Congress may make it easier to get drugs approved even if they dont work Its not surprising, said Charles Lewis, a journalism professor at American University who wrote a book chronicling presidential deceptions. Its as old as time itself. But White House scholars and other students of government agree there has never been a president like Donald Trump, whose volume of falsehoods, misstatements and serial exaggerations on matters large and wincingly small place him in a class by himself, as Texas A&Ms George Edwards put it. He is by far the most mendacious president in American history, said Edwards, a political scientist who edits the scholarly journal Presidential Studies Quarterly. (His assessment takes in the whole of Trumps hyperbolic history, as the former real estate developer and reality TV personality has only been in office since Jan. 20.) Edwards then amended his assertion. I say mendacious, which implies that hes knowingly lying. That may be unfair, Edwards said. He tells more untruths than any president in American history. The caveat underscores the fraught use of the L-word, requiring, as it does, the certainty that someone is consciously presenting something as true that they know to be false. While there may be plenty of circumstantial evidence to suggest a person is lying, short of crawling inside their head it is difficult to say with absolutely certainty. When Trump incessantly talks of rampant voter fraud, boasts about the size of his inaugural audience or claims to have seen thousands of people on rooftops in New Jersey celebrating the Sept. 11 attacks, all are demonstrably false. But who can say if he actually believes it, asked Lewis, or whether hes gotten the information from some less-than-reliable news site? He tells more untruths than any president in American history. George Edwards, editor of Presidential Studies Quarterly Reagan, who is now among the most beloved of former presidents, was famous for embroidering the truth, especially in the homespun anecdotes he loved to share. In the case of the Nazi death camps, there was some basis for his claim to be an eyewitness to history: Serving stateside in Culver City during World War II, Reagan was among those who processed raw footage from the camps. In the sympathetic telling, the barbarity struck so deeply that Reagan years later assumed he had been present for the liberation. Even when he admitted wrongdoing in the Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages scandal, which cast a dark stain on his administration, Reagan did so in a way that suggested he never meant to deceive. A few months ago I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages, Reagan said in a prime-time address from the Oval Office. My heart and my best intentions still tell me thats true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not. Clinton, who famously parsed and tweezed the English language with surgical precision, offered a straight-up confession when admitting he lied about his extramarital affair with Lewinsky, which helped lead to his impeachment. I misled people, including even my wife, Clinton said, a slight quaver in his voice as he delivered a nationwide address. I deeply regret that. President Obama took his turn apologizing for promising if you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it under the Affordable Care Act; millions of Americans found that not to be true, and PolitiFact, the nonpartisan truth-squad organization, bestowed the dubious 2013 Lie of the Year honor for Obamas repeated falsehood. We werent as clear as we needed to be in terms of the changes that were taking place, Obama said in an NBC interview. I am sorry that so many are finding themselves in this situation based on assurances they got from me. Speaking at CIA headquarters, President Trump falsely accused the media of creating a feud between himself and the intelligence community. (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press) Trump, by contrast, has steadfastly refused to back down, much less apologize, for his copious misstatements. Rather, he typically repeats his claims, often more strenuously, and lashes out at those who point out contrary evidence. Theres a degree of shamelessness Ive never seen before, said Lewis, the American University professor, echoing a consensus among other presidential scholars. Theres not a whole lot of contrition there. Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, has suggested Trump is unfairly being held to a more skeptical standard by a hostile press corps. Ive never seen it like this, he said at one of his earliest briefings. The default narrative is always negative, and its demoralizing. Gil Troy, a historian at Montreals McGill University, agreed the relationship between the president and those taking down his words has changed from the days when a new occupant of the White House enjoyed a more lenient standard at least at the start of an administration which allowed for the benefit of the doubt. That, Troy said, is both Trumps fault he brings a shamelessness and blatancy to his prevarications that is without precedent and the result of a press corps that feels much more emboldened, much more bruised, much angrier after the antagonism of his presidential campaign. Since taking office, there has been no less hostility from on high; rather, echoing his pugnacious political strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, Trump has declared the media to be the opposition party. Were watching the birth pangs of a new press corps and a new series of protocols for covering the president, Troy said. It is sure to be painful all around. mark.barabak@latimes.com @markzbarabak ALSO How the Senates once-revered traditions are falling victim to partisan divide How a top conservative radio host took on Trump, lost his audience and faith, but gained a new perspective President Trumps controversial travel ban was put on hold over the weekend after a federal judge issued a nationwide temporary order that reopened the flow of travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The order came in response to a lawsuit filed by Washington and Minnesota arguing that the ban amounts to religious discrimination against Muslims in violation of the U.S. Constitution. The Justice Department appealed the order, saying the judge second guessed the president on national security, but early Sunday the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denied the administrations request to immediately reinstate Trumps travel ban, instead asking both sides to file arguments by Monday. Maura Dolan explores how the court, which is seated in San Francisco and viewed as the most liberal federal appeals court, will approach the case. Advertisement Im Sarah Wire. Welcome to the Monday edition of Essential Politics. Michael A. Memoli, Jaweed Kaleem and Lisa Mascaro have the story on what this first challenge to the Trump administration means. Trump continued to criticize the judge on Twitter on Sunday, saying he and the court system are to blame if something happens. The ban drew protests around the world over the weekend, and a new poll found that two-thirds of Californians disapprove of the ban. In an interview aired Sunday, Trump declared California to be out of control and threatened to withhold federal funding to the Golden State if it declares itself a sanctuary state for immigrants. Get the latest about the Trump transition on Essential Washington and follow @latimespolitics and keep an eye on our Essential Politics news feed PROTESTS AT CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES Demonstrations by anti-Trump groups have escalated in the last week in California, Christine Mai-Duc reports, with protesters popping up at the offices of several Republican members of Congress. Many are part of a national network of protesters calling themselves Indivisible that is copying tactics from the anti-Obama tea party. The situation got so tense at Rep. Tom McClintocks town hall Saturday that the Elk Grove Republican had to be escorted out by police. Hundreds showed up at Rep. Steve Knights office and handed over hundreds of letters urging him not to repeal the Affordable Care Act. CALIFORNIAS $368 BILLION IN FEDERAL CASH Anxiety among Democrats and some activist groups over the presidents early actions is high, and talk in California has turned to how much money the state receives from the federal government and what might happen to it. How much money is it? A lot. In his Sunday column, John Myers offers a sketch of some $368 billion in federal dollars that flow into the Golden State every year and why very little of it could be subject to political punishment by Washington. WHY CALIFORNIA LAWMAKERS CANT FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH AIRBNB Battles over Airbnb and other short-term rentals are ongoing in city halls across California. But despite their efforts, state lawmakers have failed to pass legislation either to crack down on short-term rentals or make it easier for the industry to operate. The reason, Liam Dillon reports: Neither Airbnb nor their opponents, chiefly those in the labor movement, have been able to out-muscle each other politically, nor have legislators figured out how to address sticky tax issues between cities and the state. THE HEART OF THE OBAMACARE DEBATE IN CALIFORNIA IS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY Valley residents wont hesitate to tell you they often feel overlooked by Californias coastal cities. But the spotlight is now on the region for one of the fiercest political battles brewing in the Trump era: the future of the Affordable Care Act. Melanie Mason explains why the laws defenders are focusing on the Valley. Its one of the regions with the most at stake if the law is repealed, and, as a rare Republican enclave, its represented in Congress by those who will determine the laws fate, including House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. GRADING THE PRESIDENT Are you keeping up with Trumps first 100 days in office? Week by week, were tracking his major moves and asking readers to grade his performance on a scale of A to F. Thousands responded and judged his leadership during week one. TODAYS ESSENTIALS On this weeks California Politics Podcast, the panel looks at how state Democrats are scrambling to keep up with Trumps actions, and discusses the latest campaign finance reports filed by 2018 gubernatorial hopefuls. Speaking of campaign money: None of his would-be replacements has as much cash on hand as Gov. Jerry Brown. So how will he spend it? After retiring from the Senate, Barbara Boxer will be raising money through a newly formed super PAC based in Los Angeles. Donations will go to candidates, particularly for the U.S. Senate, and to issues of importance to Boxer and her fellow liberal Democrats. A Los Angeles lawmaker wants to stop cities from imposing taxes on watching Netflix and other streaming video services. Assemblyman Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg) has introduced a measure that would prohibit the use of coupons for medications when there are cheaper drug options available. Trump imposed sanctions on Iran on Friday, delivering on his promise to take a harder line with the volatile U.S. foe. LOGISTICS Essential Politics is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday.You can keep up with breaking news on our politics page throughout the day for the latest and greatest. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics? Miss Fridays newsletter? Here you go. Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com. Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox. As the healthcare vote looms, Trump sees opposition from conservatives, both on Capitol Hill and in the media By Kurtis Lee Its a really important vote in President Trumps fledgling first term. Will House Republicans pass a bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act a promise from Trump on the campaign trail or reject it? (House Speaker Paul D. Ryan rushed to the White House on Friday morning for a last-minute meeting with Trump as both attempted to corral enough votes.) Trump spent much of the week trying to win support from members of the Freedom Caucus, among the most conservative lawmakers, some of whom are holdouts because they believe the bill does not go far enough. After seven horrible years of ObamaCare (skyrocketing premiums & deductibles, bad healthcare), this is finally your chance for a great plan! Trump tweeted Friday. But even some in conservative media arent all that thrilled about the bill. Here are some of Fridays headlines: Polls: Ryancare even more unpopular than Obamacare and Hillarycare (Breitbart) So, its been clear in recent weeks that the right-wing website Breitbart does not like the new healthcare proposal. The news site has dubbed the current bill Obamacare-lite or Ryancare an homage of sorts to Ryan, who helped craft the legislation and argued it does not go far enough in its overhaul. Most conservatives want to repeal the Affordable Care Act, nicknamed Obamacare, they just differ on what the replacement should look like. For example, some on the far right want to see so-called essential health benefits, such as maternity and newborn care, stripped from the bill.) This piece highlights several of the dismal polls the legislation has received. Among them: A recent Fox News survey that showed 54% oppose the bill, compared with 34% who support it. The article also references an analysis of polling and data by FiveThirtyEight.com, which shows the GOP legislation is more unpopular than Obamacare and President Bill Clintons healthcare reform bill were when they were first introduced. A modest immigration proposal (Weekly Standard) Trumps recent immigration orders have left many immigrants on edge. Through social media and pop-up legal clinics, immigrant rights groups have doled out around-the-clock assistance, as families fear being separated. In this piece, Irwin Stelzer notes that at some point, our border will be secure, resistance to deporting felons will collapse, and we will have accepted the fact that Dreamers will be allowed to stay in this country, probably on a path to citizenship. He lays out his views of immigration reform, citing, among other things, setting an annual immigration limit and adopting a system that has the effect of enriching our citizens by filling that annual quota with immigrants who are likely to increase the well-being of the existing citizenry. Jeff Sessions is Rip Van Winkle on drug policy (American Conservative) Its clear from polls that most Republicans oppose marijuana legalization, while Democrats support it. However, libertarian-leaning Republicans often tend to support legalization. This piece highlights Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions recent comments in opposition to states legalizing pot. The attorney general regurgitates simplistic cliches right out of the 1970s and 1980s about marijuana use. I dont think America is going to be a better place when people of all ages, and particularly young people, are smoking pot, Sessions told reporters on February 26, the author, Ted Galen Carpenter, writes. He adds, Such comments confirm that critics may be right when they label him a drug war dinosaur. He seems either oblivious or scornful about the trend in public opinion regarding marijuana. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print FCC Chairman Pai wants to halt Internet privacy rules before they begin taking effect this week By Jim Puzzanghera (Nicholas Kamm / AFP/Getty Images) The nations new top telecommunications regulator wants to halt tough Internet privacy rules before they begin taking effect this week, arguing they would unfairly impose tougher requirements on broadband providers than on websites and social networks. Privacy advocates and a key Senate Democrat vowed Monday to fight the move as well as a separate effort in Congress to overturn the regulations, which were approved in October on a party-line vote by the Federal Communications Commission when it was controlled by Democrats under President Obama. Following President Trumps inauguration, control of the commission passed to Republicans and Ajit Pai took over as chairman. All actors in the online space should be subject to the same rules, and the federal government shouldnt favor one set of companies over another, a spokesman for Pai said Friday. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump says Hollywoods obsession with him led to best picture Oscar gaffe By Michael A. Memoli (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) President Trump is often loath to accept responsibility when things go wrong, but in the case of Sundays Oscars broadcast, he made an exception. As he explained it Monday, it was Hollywoods obsession with attacking him that contributed to the botched best picture announcement, calling the embarrassing episode sad, of course. Accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has apologized for the mix-up that led Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway to announce La La Land as the winner of the top Academy Award prize, instead of Moonlight. But in Trumps eyes, the blame falls more broadly on an entertainment industry so preoccupied with politics that they didnt get the act together, he told Breitbart News. It took away from the glamour of the Oscars, Trump told a reporter from the website, which was once led by his chief White House strategist, Stephen K. Bannon. It didnt feel like a very glamorous evening. Ive been to the Oscars. There was something very special missing, and then to end that way was sad, he added. The ceremony did contain a number of slights at Trump during its telecast, some more subtle than others. Host Jimmy Kimmel openly at one point begged the president to weigh in by tweeting at him. Trump spent part of Sunday night hosting a black-tie dinner at the White House honoring the nations governors, who were visiting Washington for their annual winter meeting. But it appears from excerpts of the Breitbart interview that he may have spent at least part of the evening watching. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Justice Department shifts course in closely watched Texas voter ID case By Del Quentin Wilber The Trump administration has scaled back its assault on a strict Texas voter identification law that federal courts have ruled discriminated against minorities, portending a shift in how the Justice Department plans to pursue allegations of voter suppression. The government revealed its decision in court papers filed in federal court Monday, dealing a blow to civil rights advocates who have relied on federal support to help them knock down the controversial Texas statute. Its a very concerning signal to American voters about the Department of Justices commitment to enforcing the Voting Rights Act, said Danielle Lang, deputy director of the voting rights unit of the Campaign Legal Center, which is suing Texas in the case. The administrations partial retreat in the dispute highlights how Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, a conservative Republican who has championed voter identification measures, is expected to handle such cases. The Obama administration had joined civil rights groups in aggressively challenging the Texas law and other such measures around the country. At issue in the case was how the Justice Department would proceed in a federal lawsuit that alleged the Texas legislature discriminated against minority voters when it enacted the strict voter identification law in 2011. Known as SB 14, the measure requires voters to present a specific form of government-issued photo identification - such as a drivers license, military ID card, U.S. passport or citizenship certificate - to be permitted to cast a ballot. The Obama administration and civil rights groups argued the state pushed the law, in part, to suppress the power of the states minority voters, who frequently dont drive or have a passport. State officials and lawmakers countered that the law was aimed at preventing voter fraud, though there is scant evidence that the problem exists. The law was challenged in court by civil rights groups and the Justice Department under provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which was intended to help overcome legal barriers erected at the local and state level to keep African-Americans from the polls. Last July, a federal appeals court ruled that the Texas law had a discriminatory impact on minority voters. It told U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos to craft a temporary remedy in time for the November elections. Ramos subsequently ordered Texas to permit voters to present other forms of documentation to verify their identities. The judges order is expected to remain in force until she imposes a permanent remedy or Texas addresses the judges concerns. According to the court papers filed Monday, the Justice Department will continue to work with civil rights groups to address those issues but will seek to withdraw from another important aspect of the suit. In the same decision that found the Texas law had a discriminatory impact, the appeals court reversed Ramos finding that Texas legislators had intended to harm minority voters. It ordered Ramos to reconsider the evidence of that finding. If the judge determines discriminatory intent in crafting the voter ID requirements, she could throw out the entire law. Civil rights groups will continue to press that claim. In its court filing, the Justice Department asked Ramos to permit it to withdraw its claim that Texas acted with intent, arguing that it is best to give the Texas legislature time to address the matter. With the loss of their key ally in court, civil rights groups will argue on their own in an effort to prove that Texas acted with a discriminatory purpose in passing the law. A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. Voting advocates complained that the Trump administration was backing away from a key safeguard of voting rights. The Justice Department decision defies rationality and stands diametrically opposed to positions they have taken at every stage of this litigation, Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a statement. This reversal of position was taken despite years of work and effort that the government has invested in fighting the Texas Voter ID law, one of the most discriminatory voting restriction of its kind. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement House Intelligence Chair Devin Nunes warns against witch hunt over Trump-Russia ties By Sarah D. Wire House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Tulare) talks to reporters about his committees Russia investigation. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes said on Monday he has seen no evidence from the intelligence community that there was contact between Russia and the Trump campaign. I want to be very careful, we cant just go on a witch hunt against Americans because they appear in a news story, said Nunes (R-Tulare). We still dont have any evidence of them talking to Russia. He said the committee has been briefed on the highlights of what the intelligence community has found, but is still collecting evidence. The committees ranking Democrat, Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), quickly responded, saying the committees investigation is in its infancy and its too soon to reach conclusions about the evidence. We havent obtained any of the evidence yet, so its premature for us to be saying weve reached any conclusion about the issue of collusion, Schiff said. The most that weve had are private conversations, the chair and I with intelligence officials. Thats not a substitute for an investigation. The House and Senate Select Intelligence Committees are conducting separate investigations into Russias reported attempts to influence voters in 2016 in an effort to curtail Hillary Clintons chances and boost Donald Trumps. A leaked U.S. intelligence report on the attempts did not look at whether the effort succeeded. The House committee has expanded a previous ongoing investigation of Russia cyberhacking to include a look at efforts to interfere in the 2016 election, Nunes told reporters Monday. Though it is still in its early stages the leaders of the committee are still discussing the investigations scope Nunes said he expects the findings to be made public. Schiff and Nunes spoke separately to reporters Monday. Schiff said the two agreed privately that they would jointly address reporters about the investigation going forward. Nunes, who served as a member of Trumps transition team, said he continues to be concerned about leaks of classified and sensitive information from the White House and intelligence communities. The leaks one of which resulted in a report about the FBI investigating Trump campaign officials will be part of the committees investigation. A government cant function with massive leaks at the highest level, Nunes said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Appeals court denies Justice Department request to put appeal of travel ban on hold By Jaweed Kaleem (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has denied the Justice Departments request to pause proceedings in an appeal of President Trumps travel ban. The court in a filing Monday said its schedule for the governments appeal of a lower courts halt on the travel ban will proceed, with the first brief due to the appeals court on March 10. In early February, the Justice Department appealed a Seattle-based federal district judges order blocking enforcement of Trumps executive action. which established a series of immigration and refugee restrictions aimed at preventing potential terrorists from entering the country. Last week, government lawyers asked the appeals court to stop proceedings in the case because the president planned to issue a new executive order and rescind the original one. A three-judge panel of the court previously denied a request from the government to reverse a nationwide stay on the travel ban. The same panel on Monday ruled that the appeal will proceed. Trump has said he will sign a new executive order tailored to deal with court decisions that have largely gone against him. On Monday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said he expected the order to be issued mid-week. Spicer has said Trump wants to fight for the current order while also issuing a new one, but the Justice Department has said in multiple court filings that the the current order will be undone after a new one is issued. The states of Washington and Minnesota, which brought the case in Seattle now under review, have pushed for courts to move forward on a review of the constitutional issues. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print No random ICE stops on streets of America, Homeland Security chief tells governor By Lisa Mascaro Gov holds closing media briefing on Capitol Hill to wrap up @NatlGovsAssoc Winter Meeting. pic.twitter.com/3mZMBA4S0o Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) February 27, 2017 President Trump received some unsolicited advice at dinner with the nations governors when Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe told him he needs to do a better job explaining his policies regarding deportations. McAuliffe, a Democrat and chairman of the National Governors Assn., told the president that there has been a chilling effect going on as businesses stay away from his state and as immigrants fear being rounded up. If theyre not going to be deported, we need to hear that from the president, McAuliffe said, recounting his conversation from the governors Sunday night dinner with Trump. What I told the president is these actions are hurting us. McAuliffe, a longtime ally of Hillary Clinton, said Trump agreed in large part. McAuliffe also met privately with Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, and said the secretary assured him during an hourlong talk that Trumps enforcement actions were only targeting criminals -- despite widespread reports of otherwise law-abiding immigrants being detained for being in the U.S. illegally. He assured me there will be no random ICE stops on the streets of the United States of America, McAuliffe said, referring to the raids being conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. If thats the case, McAuliffe said, Trumps policy does not sound much different than the operations under former President Obama, whose administration deported more immigrants than its predecessors. Obama, however, explicitly put a priority on deportations of criminals, a distinction the Trump administration has done away with as part of the presidents executive action. My advice to him was he needs to let the American public know what theyre doing, McAuliffe said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump: I havent called Russia in 10 years By Brian Bennett President Trump rejected calls for an independent investigation of his ties to Russia, telling a group of business leaders Monday that he hasnt called Russia in a decade. At the start of a White House meeting with healthcare executives, a reporter asked Trump whether a special prosecutor should be assigned to investigate allegations of Russian meddling during the election. In response, Trump mouthed the word no to the executives. As reporters were led out of the room, Trump said: I havent called Russia in 10 years. Democratic lawmakers have ramped up their calls for additional investigations into allegations that Trump allies had been in contact with Russian officials during the election and inappropriately discussed U.S. sanctions against the Moscow regime during the transition. White House officials have denied reports that Trump associates were frequently in touch with senior Russian intelligence officials during the election. U.S. intelligence agencies concluded last year that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had authorized an operation to damage Hillary Clintons campaign and tilt the 2016 election in Trumps favor. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump: Nobody knew that healthcare could be so complicated By Michael A. Memoli View Twitter post President Trump promised the nations governors Monday that his yet-to-be-revealed replacement plan for the Affordable Care Act would give states greater flexibility and thanked some Republicans in the room who advised him on healthcare. Its an unbelievably complex subject, he said. Nobody knew that healthcare could be so complicated. The remark likely surprised state leaders; spending on Medicaid alone was the second-biggest driver of increased state general fund spending, according to the 2016 Fiscal Survey of States conducted by the National Assn. of State Budget Officers. And it was just eight years ago that Washington dove head-first into a raging debate over healthcare reform under President Obama, which simmered long after his signature health law was enacted. But the finer points of healthcare policy are likely new to Trump, who is immersed in discussions with Republican leaders and his senior staff on that and other subjects ahead of his high-profile address Tuesday to a joint session of Congress. Trump offered no hint as to the details. Republicans have vowed to repeal and replace Obamacare, but their effort has stalled as they debate how to do so and await word from the White House on what Trump wants to do. The president seemed keenly aware of the political ramifications of whatever steps he takes. As soon as we touch it, if we do the most minute thing, just a tiny little change, whats going to happen? Theyre going to say its the Republicans problem, Trump said after telling the governors the easiest thing for him to do would be nothing, and, in his view, watch Obamacare collapse. But we have to do whats right because Obamacare is a failed disaster. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump wants to add $54 billion to defense budget while slashing domestic spending and foreign aid By Brian Bennett President Trump is proposing a massive increase in defense spending of $54 billion while cutting domestic spending and foreign aid by the same amount, the White House said Monday. Trumps spending blueprint previewed a major address that he will give Tuesday night to a joint session of Congress, laying out his vision for what he called a public safety and national security budget with a nearly 10% increase in defense spending. We never win a war. We never win. And we dont fight to win. We dont fight to win, Trump said Monday in remarks to the nations governors. So we either got to win or dont fight it at all. Trump noted that the U.S. has spent nearly $6 trillion on fighting wars since the Sept. 11 attacks but said that cutting military spending was not the answer. Instead, the increase he is proposing would be offset by cuts to unspecified domestic programs and to foreign aid, which would in turn be made up for in part by demanding that other countries pay more for security alliances that have historically been underwritten by the U.S. This budget expects the rest of the world to step up in some of the programs that this country has been so generous in funding in the past, an official from the Office of Management and Budget said, demanding anonymity to discuss the presidents spending plans. Foreign aid makes up about 1% of the budget. This budget speaks for itself, the official said. I dont think this budget has anything to do other than putting Americans first. Trumps call for deep cuts to spending at home is likely to set up major battles on Capitol Hill, where Democrats and even House Republicans will likely be reluctant to pass a spending bill that includes such major reductions in programs for their constituents. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump says businesses cant borrow because of Dodd-Frank. The numbers tell another story By Jim Puzzanghera President Trump was preparing the first step in a key campaign promise dismantling the 2010 DoddFrank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act when he repeated a frequent criticism of the law. We expect to be cutting a lot out of Dodd-Frank because, frankly, I have so many people, friends of mine that had nice businesses, they cant borrow money, Trump told leading corporate chief executives, including Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Larry Fink of money management giant BlackRock Inc., meeting at the White House earlier this month They just cant get any money because the banks just wont let them borrow it because of the rules and regulations in Dodd-Frank, Trump said. Shortly afterward, he ordered a wholesale review of the landmark act, which was passed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. But a main reason for dismantling Dodd-Frank often cited by Trump and critics of the law that its slew of tougher financial regulations have significantly restricted bank lending isnt borne out by the data. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Another Trump nominee withdraws nomination to top national security post due to business interests By W.J. Hennigan Philip M. Bilden, President Trumps pick for Navy secretary, withdrew from consideration late Sunday, becoming the second White House nominee to bail on a top Pentagon position due to problems untangling his financial investments. After an extensive review process, I have determined that I will not be able to satisfy the Office of Government Ethics requirements without undue disruption and materially adverse divestment of my familys private financial interests, Bilden said in a statement. He did not detail the issues but he said he fully supported the presidents agenda to modernize and rebuild our Navy and Marine Corps. Bildens withdrawal comes after billionaire investor Vincent Viola dropped out from becoming Army secretary after he decided his extensive financial holdings would hamper his ability to win Senate confirmation. The White House shot down reports that surfaced two weeks ago that Bilden was considering stepping down. Just spoke with him and he is 100% commited [sic] to being the next SECNAV pending Senate confirm, White House spokesman Sean Spicer tweeted on Feb. 18. Bilden, a venture capitalist and Army veteran, was a surprise selection from Trump but had the backing of Defense Secretary James N. Mattis. This was a personal decision driven by privacy concerns and significant challenges he faced in separating himself from his business interests, Mattis said in a statement. While I am disappointed, I understand and his respect his decision, and know that he will continue to support our nation in other ways. Bilden served ten years in the U.S. Army Reserve as a military intelligence officer from 1986 to 1996. He then co-founded private equity firm HarbourVest Partners LLC and spent 25 years there, mainly in the companys Hong Kong headquarters. He also serves on the board of directors of the United States Naval Academy Foundation and the board of trustees of the Naval War College Foundation. Mattis said he intends on recommending a replacement nominee to Trump in the coming days. The withdrawal marks another setback for Trumps national security team, which has struggled to find its footing since the fledgling administration began. Earlier this month, National Security Advisor Michael Flynn was forced to resign after it became public that he held secret talks with a Russian ambassador and then misled Vice President Mike Pence about it. Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster took the job last week after Trumps first choice to replace Flynn, retired Navy Vice Adm. Robert Harward, passed on the opportunity. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement New DNC chairman Tom Perez ridicules Trump tweet over rigged vote By Laura King Former Labor Secretary Tom Perez was chosen to lead the Democratic Party over a congressman backed by the progressive wing. (Branden Camp / Associated Press) President Trump claimed Sunday that the race for Democratic National Committee chairman had been rigged -- drawing a quick riposte from Tom Perez, who narrowly won the partys leadership race. Trump insinuated that Perezs DNC victory on the second ballot at a party conference in Atlanta on Saturday was because Hillary Clinton had backed Perez, a former Labor secretary in the Obama administration who was seen as representing the partys establishment forces. Clinton did not make a formal endorsement, but Perezs rival, Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, was backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and the partys more liberal wing. Bernies guy, like Bernie himself, never had a chance, Trump tweeted early Sunday morning. Clinton demanded Perez! Perez, appearing on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, told host Jake Tapper that he and Ellison got a good kick out of that, adding: Donald Trump, up in the morning tweeting about us. Sanders, appearing on the same show, said Trump doesnt have a point about the DNC vote. Moments after Perez beat Ellison by 35 votes out of 435 cast, he named Ellison as the deputy chairman of the party, leading to widespread applause. Perez is the first Latino to lead the Democratic Party, and he faces the challenge of trying to rebuild a party that suffered devastating losses in the 2016 election. Republicans now control not only the White House and Congress, but 33 governorships and dozens of state legislatures. In his CNN interview, Perez sarcastically suggested that Trump should address questions about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign rather than concerning himself with the DNC leadership battle. Frankly, what we need to be looking at is whether this election was rigged by Donald Trump and his buddy Vladimir Putin, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print White House again bats away call for special prosecutor on Russia By Laura King A White House spokeswoman said Sunday that it was too soon to say whether a special prosecutor should look into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign, while President Trump again inveighed against coverage of Russia-related queries as FAKE NEWS. Calls have grown louder from Democrats in Congress for U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from the issue because of his role as a prominent Trump supporter during the campaign, and to appoint an independent special prosecutor to carry out a Russia probe. A few Republicans have joined in that chorus some reluctantly. Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista, appearing on HBOs Real Time with Bill Maher, voiced support Friday for naming of a special prosecutor to probe the Russian connection, though he also said congressional intelligence committees should continue their work. He also said he considered Sessions a friend, but pointed to his role as a political appointee who had worked on the Trump campaign. Issa, who narrowly won reelection, was a vociferous critic of the Obama administration during his former tenure as head of the House Oversight Committee. In that post, he spearheaded an array of investigations on topics from Benghazi to bank bailouts. Some Republicans pushed back against the notion of Sessions needing to recuse himself. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said on NBCs Meet the Press that he had seen no credible information about contacts between the Trump campaign and Russians and no allegations that rose to the level of criminal activity. If we get down that road, thats a decision that Attorney General Sessions can make at the time, said Cotton, who is a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian intelligence agencies hacked Democratic Party computers and used other tactics last year to interfere with the election. The FBI is separately investigating whether anyone on Trumps campaign had improper contacts with Russian authorities during the campaign. On Sunday, White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said congressional investigations on Russia and the campaign should be allowed to go forward before a special prosecutor appointment was considered. I dont think were there yet, Sanders said on ABCs This Week. Lets work through this process. Echoing the previously stated White House stance, Sanders said the Trump campaign had not colluded in any Russian meddling. We had no involvement in this, she said. The president is known to keep a close eye on surrogates performances on the talk shows, and Sanders repeated a prime administration talking point: that questions about possible Trump campaign contacts with Russia amounted to Democratic excuses for losing the election. If Democrats want to continue to relive their loss every single day, by doing an investigation or review after review, thats fine by us, she said. We know why we won this race. Its because we had the better candidate with the better message. Trump himself underscored that notion with an afternoon tweet denouncing media coverage of the ongoing Russia investigations as FAKE NEWS put out by the Dems, and played up by the media, in order to mask the big election defeat and the illegal leaks! Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Whose news is fake? Heres the latest in Trumps war with the press By Kurtis Lee Every president since 1981 has attended the annual White House Correspondents Assn. dinner. That year, President Reagan missed out. The reason? He needed to recover after a would-be assassin fired a bullet into his chest a few weeks earlier. On Saturday, President Trump announced he will not be attending the annual dinner in April, long considered the premier social event of the Washington press corps and typically an evening of good-natured bantering between presidents and the Fourth Estate. Trumps announcement added to the ratcheting tensions between his administration and the media. Almost daily, in speeches or on Twitter, he calls particular news outlets fake, disgusting or dishonest and news organizations have responded by digging in, standing united and devoting more resources to covering a president who has branded the press the enemy. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Crucial group of Americans like Trumps stands, not him, poll finds By David Lauter Trump still gets dismal ratings on temperament but is above water on economy, decision-making, promises of change. pic.twitter.com/Md0H096n9m Carrie Dann (@CarrieNBCNews) February 26, 2017 With the public deeply split in its views of President Trump, one potentially key group stands out -- those who dislike the man, but approve of the direction in which hes moving. Thats a central finding of a new nationwide survey by NBC News and the Wall St. Journal. The new poll confirms what other major surveys have shown: Trump starts his administration with less support than any president in the seven decades of presidential polling. Asked if they approve or disapprove of the job Trump is doing, 44% approve, 48% disapprove. No previous president has begun his tenure with a net negative job approval. Trump has held onto the support of his ardent backers. At the other end of the spectrum, he gets almost no approval from Democrats. In the middle, the poll found, are many Americans -- just over a third of those polled -- who either voted for Trump with reservations, voted for a third party candidate or did not vote at all in 2016. Just over half of that group gives Trump positive marks, the poll found. Their support is enough, currently, to keep Trumps standing from collapsing, and holding them is likely key to his future. Just under one third of Americans say they like Trump and approve of his policies, the poll found. Another one in six approve of most of his policies even though they dislike him. Well over half, 59%, said they did not like him personally. On a separate question, only 43% of those surveyed have a positive view of Trump -- up from the low points of the campaign, but still far below the standing of most new presidents. By contrast, 86% agreed with one of the central lines of Trumps inaugural speech, that government insiders had reaped the rewards of government, while the people have borne the cost. On other issues, the public is more closely divided. The public splits evenly, for example, on Trumps proposed temporary ban on travel from seven mostly Muslim countries. Just over half of those surveyed, 52%, said that the problems Trump has encountered in his first month were unique to this administration and suggest real problems; 43% said they were growing pains similar to those other administrations have had. And by 51%-41%, the public thinks the press has been too hard on the new administration. The NBC/WSJ poll, run by a bipartisan team of two polling firms, was taken by phone, using cell phones and landlines, Feb. 18-22 among 1,000 American adults. It has a margin of error for the full sample of 3.1 percentage points in either direction. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump appears to think Perez at head of Democratic National Committee is good news for Republicans By Evan Halper Congratulations to Thomas Perez, who has just been named Chairman of the DNC. I could not be happier for him, or for the Republican Party! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017 The Democratic Party put its faith in its old guard Saturday to guide it out of the political wilderness, choosing as its new leader an Obama-era Cabinet secretary over the charismatic congressman backed by the progressive wing of the party. Tom Perez, a former secretary of Labor with strong ties to unions, persuaded the spirited assembly of party delegates in Atlanta that he can best help harness a grass-roots outpouring of anti-Trump protest and anger into a Democratic resurgence at the ballot box. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump to Washington reporters: Not going to your dinner By Kurtis Lee I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017 The annual White House Correspondents Assn. dinner will be missing a key guest this year: President Trump. On Saturday, Trump tweeted he will not attend the April 29 dinner, considered the premier social event of the Washington press corps -- and typically an evening of good-natured bantering between presidents and reporters with a mix of celebrities watching. His announcement comes amid growing tensions between his administration and the media. Trump has decried stories he doesnt like as fake news, and described unnamed news groups as an enemy of the people. A day earlier, the White House barred reporters from several major news organizations, including the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, CNN and Politico, from attending an off-camera press briefing. In a sign of the growing rift, several media organizations that traditionally sponsor lavish parties around the black-tie dinner had announced they would not do so this year. At the annual dinner, the president usually delivers self-deprecating jokes and often is roasted by a high-profile comedian. The president also greets students who win journalism scholarships and awards, a major part of the evening. Trump has been a frequent guest of media organizations at the dinner in the past, but he always sat at a table in the crowded ballroom, not up at the front dias. President Obama singled Trump out during the dinner several years ago, mocking Trump for raising doubts about whether Obama was born in the United States. This year, as we do every year, we will celebrate the First Amendment and the role an independent press plays in a healthy republic, the White House Correspondents Assn. said in a statement earlier this month about the upcoming dinner. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former Labor Secretary Tom Perez named Democratic Party leader By Evan Halper Newly elected Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez (Branden Camp/Associated Press) The Democratic Party put its faith in its old guard Saturday to guide it out of the political wilderness, choosing as its new leader an Obama-era Cabinet secretary over the charismatic congressman backed by the progressive wing of the party. Tom Perez, a former secretary of Labor with strong ties to labor unions, persuaded the spirited assembly of party delegates in Atlanta that he can best help harness a grass-roots outpouring of anti-Trump protest and anger into a Democratic resurgence at the ballot box. We are suffering from a crisis of confidence, a crisis of relevance, Perez told delegates before they chose him in a down-to-the-wire contest with Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, whom the Bernie Sanders wing of the party had rallied round. We need a chair who can not only take the fight to Donald Trump. We also need a chair who can lead a turnaround and change the culture of the Democratic Party, Perez said. The ascendance of an establishment liberal is certain to renew tension between veteran party stalwarts and the unruly progressive movement aligned with Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, both of whom backed Ellison. Some Ellison supporters erupted in protest as the final vote was announced. Perez quickly sought to unite the party by naming Ellison his deputy chair, a move unanimously approved by the 435 assembled delegates, who had supported Perez 235-200. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump chastises media for not reporting minor dip in national debt By Del Quentin Wilber President Trump took to Twitter on Saturday morning to blast the news media for not highlighting a minor dip in the national debt. The media has not reported that the National Debt in my first month went down by $12 billion vs a $200 billion increase in Obama first mo., he tweeted at 8:19 a.m. The media has not reported that the National Debt in my first month went down by $12 billion vs a $200 billion increase in Obama first mo. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017 Trumps tweet came shortly after Herman Cain, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, made a similar comment on Fox News. While the numbers are accurate, Trumps tweet suggests he deserves credit for something that is largely beyond his control, especially since he hasnt yet given Congress any proposals to change tax laws or the financial industry. Considering that Trump hasnt enacted any fiscal legislation, its a bit of a stretch for him to take credit for any changes in debt levels, Dan Mitchell, a libertarian economist at the Cato Institute, told the fact-checking website Politifact. President Obamas first month in office in 2009 was largely taken up with spending bills aimed at easing the massive recession that he had inherited. Trump inherited an economy with low inflation, low unemployment and a booming stock market. The national debt, which stands at just under $20 trillion, is expected to rise by more than $500 billion in the fiscal year ending in September. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Mexico rejects U.S. plan to deport Central Americans to Mexico By Patrick J. McDonnell Mexico has informed the Trump administration that it cannot accept non-Mexican nationals whom U.S. authorities arrest along the border and seek to remove from U.S. territory, the nations internal security chief said Friday. Earlier this week, the Trump administration rolled out a broad immigration crackdown that included a proposal to send non-Mexican detainees apprehended along the U.S.-Mexico border back to Mexico while their immigration cases were pending in the United States. The vast majority of non-Mexican nationals detained along the U.S.-Mexico border are Central Americans. They often travel overland through Mexico to reach the United States. In a fact sheet released Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security said that releasing detained, third-country nationals to the foreign contiguous territory from which they arrived would save on detention and adjudication resources. The idea would be to keep them out pending their hearings on deportation, the fact sheet said. However, Mexican authorities have reacted coolly from the outset to the notion. Now, they appear to have formally nixed the idea. On Friday, Mexicos interior secretary, Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, told a radio interviewer than Mexican authorities had informed a pair of visiting U.S. Cabinet officers Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly that Mexico could not oblige the U.S. request. We told them that our legal framework doesnt allow this, Osorio Chong told Radio Formula, referring to the visit this week of the two Trump Cabinet officials. We told them it is impossible. There is no way, legally, nor is there capacity. In recent years, non-Mexicans, mostly Central Americans, have become a larger proportion of illegal immigrants apprehended along the Southwest border as the relative number of Mexican nationals has declined. In fiscal year 2016, according to U.S. Border Patrol statistics, agents recorded apprehensions of almost 191,000 undocumented Mexican citizens along the Southwest frontier. In the same fiscal year, the Border Patrol said it registered 218,000 detentions of non-Mexican nationals, most of them Central Americans. Cecilia Sanchez of The Times Mexico City bureau contributed to this report. An earlier version of this blog post misspelled Miguel Angel Osorio Chongs name as Osorio Chung. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump blasts FBI over Russia leaks after a brief Twitter hiatus By Kurtis Lee (Alex Wong / Getty Images ) After several days of relative silence on Twitter, President Trumps feed came alive Friday with a direct attack on the FBI. Yes, hes done this before. But recent news reports that suggest his administration pressed the FBI to quell claims that members of his campaign had contact with Russians throughout the 2016 election appear to have inspired a response. The FBI is totally unable to stop the national security leakers that have permeated our government for a long time, he tweeted. And conservative news was all over it. Here are some of todays headlines: Trump blasts FBI leakers (Fox News) Trump has assailed everyone from Democrats to intelligence officials for the leaks which he often refers to as fake news about his ties to Russia. Reports from several news outlets this week, citing anonymous sources, claim Trumps chief of staff, Reince Priebus, asked FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe to publicly dispute media reports that Trumps campaign advisors frequently were in touch with Russian intelligence agents during the election. While some reports made it appear Priebus had contacted McCabe, this piece disputes that. Fox News has learned that McCabe indeed had initiated the conversation, asking to speak with Priebus for a few minutes at the end of an intelligence meeting last week, their article reports. Ed Schultz at CPAC: Trump promised Americas heartland a deal (Daily Caller) He was once among the top liberal voices in the country. Now, Ed Schultz, the former MSNBC anchor, is speaking glowingly about President Trump. Between covering high-profile speeches at the Conservative Political Action Conference from Trump and his aides, the Daily Caller popped into a panel at which Schultz provided commentary. Shultz, who now works with the Russian government-funded RT television network, blasted the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, asserting that Trumps claim that it would cost U.S. jobs was a game changer in the 2016 election. Trump went into Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin and he took down the progressive firewall, because he talked to the American people about a deal, Schultz said. It was a Wall Street deal, it was not a Main Street deal, he said, referring to the TPP. Trump is about blowing up Washington as it exists (Rush Limbaugh) Remember when Trump talked about draining the swamp? Since he entered the White House, some conservatives have wondered if Trump means business. Many members of his cabinet including Priebus and Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions are the ultimate Washington insiders. Still, Rush Limbaugh, one of the firebrand conservatives out there, is certain the president will blow up traditional Washington. Whats Trumps No. 1 obstacle? I have concluded that the media is the No. 1 obstacle because of the success they have, he said on his radio show this week. The people in Washington, media is every bit as big a part of the establishment as anybody else is. He added: The media is creating this narrative, if you will, and this picture this series of pictures, this overall image that Trump is stalled, that everybodys opposing him, that his agenda is backlogged. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print After Trump calls media an enemy of the people, White House bars many news outlets from briefing By Noah Bierman Fridays White House press briefing, normally an on-camera affair open to all reporters with press credentials, was turned into an exclusive event for certain outlets hand-picked by the administration. The action came after President Trump on Friday described the media and what he terms fake news as the enemy of the people."On the list were Trump-friendly outlets such as Breitbart News, the Washington Times and OANN, a conservative television network that employs former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski as a commentator. Off the list were some of Trumps favorite targets, including the New York Times and CNN. The Los Angeles Times was also excluded. The off-camera briefing with Sean Spicer, the press secretary, was not solely for conservative outlets. Several mainstream reporters were also allowed in, including the three major broadcast networks and wire services, such as Bloomberg News. Also allowed in were pool representatives who transmit news events to a far larger group of reporters. The Associated Press and Time magazine were also invited but declined to participate in solidarity with other news organizations that were denied entry. The White House Correspondents Assn. protested, as did editors at several of the organizations that were excluded. In a statement, Times editor Davan Maharaj said that it was unfortunate that the Los Angeles Times has been excluded from a White House press briefing today. The public has a right to know, and that means being informed by a variety of news sources, not just those filtered by the White House press office in hopes of getting friendly coverage, Maharaj said. Regardless of access, The Times will continue to report on the Trump administration without fear or favor, he added. 12:30 p.m.: This post was updated with a statement from Times editor Davan Maharaj. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Its a Russian flag! Trickster strikes CPAC before Trumps speech By Matt Pearce Crowd at CPAC waving these little pro-Trump flags that look exactly like the Russian flag. Staffers quickly come around to confiscate them. pic.twitter.com/YhPpkwFCNc Peter Hamby (@PeterHamby) February 24, 2017 As the crowd waited to hear President Trump speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference, little red-white-and-blue flags appeared without warning, handed down the aisles by a man with a green bag, according to a witness. The flags said Trump. They also happened to be the flag of the Russian Federation. He was dressed like any one of us, said Tyler Dever, 20, a student at the University of South Florida in Tampa, who was wearing a suit. He passed them to me and was like, Pass them down, pass them down. Dever, caught up in the moment, passed them down, before someone sitting next to him said, Oh, its a Russian flag! CPAC staff quickly recollected the flags. If it was just a red-white-and-blue flag, I would have picked it out, Dever said. He said it was his first time attending an event like CPAC and was surprised to see a provocateur in the audience, especially beyond the cordon set up by the Secret Service. Someone tried to victimize me, Dever said. You have Secret Service out here, and Id expect it to be fully screened. ... Thank God someone noticed. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump still loves the USC/L.A. Times poll: What it got right and what it got wrong By David Lauter Throughout the fall campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump and his allies loved the USC/L.A. Times Daybreak poll -- the only major survey that consistently showed him winning. A couple polls got it right. I must say Los Angeles Times did a great job, shocking because, you know, they did a great job, Trump declared in his speech this morning at CPAC, the annual gathering of conservative activists. But did the poll get it right? In the simplest terms, no, and after considerble analysis, we know why. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print A celebration, and wake, for a campaign legend and a Republican Party that is no more By Mark Z. Barabak (Steve Lopez/Los Angeles Times) It was a cool and rainy day when elders of the Republican tribe recently gathered to honor one of their own. The honoree, Stuart K. Spencer, was unmistakable in his white duck pants and a lime-green sport coat so bright it almost hurt to see. A reformed chain-smoker, he snapped merrily away on a wad of chewing gum. The event marked Spencers 90th birthday, but the mood beneath the surface conviviality was unsettled and gray, like the clouds fringing the mountains outside. If the occasion was intended as a personal celebration, it also had the feel of a wake for a time in politics long passed. Along with former Vice President Dick Cheney and former California Gov. Pete Wilson, veterans of the Reagan years turned out in force. It was Spencer, more than anyone, who took a political long shot and washed-up B-movie actor and helped transform him into the Reagan of legend. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print CPACs reaction to President Trumps speech: Two thumbs up By Matt Pearce Supporters cheer President Trump as he speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., on Friday. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump loves CPAC, and CPAC loves Trump. As hundreds of Conservative Political Action Conference attendees spilled out into the hallways Friday after Trumps speech to the group, they had glowing reviews of the man who has been tormenting Democrats and the media and transforming the Republican Party. It was fantastic, unbelievable, absolute truth, said Shia L. Lome, 84, a retired Air Force colonel from Deerfield Beach, Fla., appraising Trumps remarks. If he carries through [his promises], this will be the greatest country ever. Lome added that there is no question about it, Trump is his own type of Republican. Whether its conservative or whatever you want to call it, Lome said he is happy as long as [Trump] causes the Democrats heartaches. Kayne Robinson, 73, a former chairman of the Iowa Republican Party, said Trump was simply taking the party in the direction that people want it to go. I think the party is every bit as united behind him as it was behind either of the Bushes, Robinson said. Trump led a revolution in the party, very much like Reagan. ... I think Trump is doing just fine. Frank March, a 50-year-old Army retiree from Fairfax County, Va., emerged from the ballroom at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center wearing a red Make America Great Again cap, which carried Trumps jagged signature on the bill. Marchs daughter had gotten the hat signed when she previously met Trump, and he proudly showed off photos of that event. I recognize the signature! a woman exclaimed as she saw the hat. March praised Trumps follow-through and his commitment to workers as incredible. Hes bringing in new people to the party, March said. The hope is, by his follow-through, doing what he said he was going to do, then the non-Republicans who voted for Trump will stick. Helping workers will be one of the ways Trump can make that happen, he said. In politics, youre supposed to help people, March said. Workers are the people. Theyre people who earn money to take care of their families. Republicans should support those people because theyre the ones who make America run. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Donald Trump shows up at conservatives most prominent gathering and defines a new GOP By Noah Bierman President Trump shows up at conservatives most prominent gathering and defines a new GOP. President Trump made one of his strongest pitches Friday to unite the Republican Party and the conservative movement behind a nationalist, anti-globalist ideology that until recently would have been unthinkable for many Republicans. There is no such thing as a global anthem, a global currency or a global flag, Trump said to great applause from thousands of conservatives. Im not representing the globe. Im representing your country. He echoed ideas he has espoused in the past -- denouncing trade deals as the antithesis of economic freedom, warning that the great cities of Europe have been ruined by mass immigration, denouncing intervention in the Middle East by both parties. But while many of the words were familiar, the venue and the passion made Fridays speech remarkable. The comments came at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, just outside of Washington, D.C., the most prominent gathering of right-leaning groups and activists in the country. Such a speech would have been shocking from a conservative, much less the president, at almost any other time in the conferences history. Trump has been popular at CPAC in the past. He credits a speech there with launching his political career. But he snubbed last years event amid a heated primary in which many conservatives rejected his tone and the direction he was trying to move the GOP. I would have come last year, but I was worried that I would be at that time too controversial, Trump said in his speech, which lasted nearly an hour. Trump, the first president since Ronald Reagan to address the group during his first year in office, made clear that he is moving those once controversial ideas to the movements center. In addition to his usual critiques of the media and frequent references to his electoral success, Trump spoke directly of his ambition for reshaping the Republican Party to attract blue-collar voters, the forgotten men and women who helped propel his electoral victory. Im here today to tell you what this movement means for the future of the Republican Party and for the future of America, Trump said. The core conviction of our movement is that we are a nation that [must] put and will put its own citizens first. Later, he added that the GOP will be from now on also the party of the American worker. While Trump tried to unite conservatives, the speech made little effort to bridge the countrys larger political divide. For example, Trump dismissed people who have shown up at town halls around the country to protest reversal of Obamacare. Theyre not you, he said. Theyre the side that lost. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Justice Department rescinds order phasing out use of private prisons By Del Quentin Wilber Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions has jettisoned an Obama administration order to phase out the use of private prisons to hold federal inmates. The new order reverses one issued by former Deputy Atty. Gen. Sally Yates in August that sought to eliminate the departments use of private for-profit prisons, which hold just over 10% of the current prison population. The Obama administration order changed long-standing policy and practice, and impaired the bureaus ability to meet the future needs of the federal correctional system, Sessions wrote Thursday to announce the reversal. Civil rights and prisoner rights groups decried the Sessions decision, saying private prisons are not as cost-effective or as safe as government-run facilities, citing numerous abuses in the past. The Bureau of Prisons houses about 21,000 of its 190,000 inmates in a dozen private prisons, including one near Bakersfield. Atty. Gen. Sessions has shown that he is not taking the mass incarceration crisis seriously, said Wade Henderson, who heads the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Continuing to rely on private prisons for federal inmates is neither humane nor budget conscious, Henderson added. We need a justice system that can work better for all people. Yates order did not affect facilities used to detain people in the country illegally. The use of private prisons is expected to surge under President Trumps promised crackdown on illegal immigration. Trump has signed an executive order calling for expansion of immigrant detention facilities and authorized the use of private contractors to construct, operate, or control facilities. Stocks in private prison companies have jumped on Wall Street since Trump won the presidential election, and they continued their rise on news of Sessions order. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print CPAC and conservative media prepare for Trump By Kurtis Lee The future path of the Republican Party is being debated in the halls of the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland this week. Will it be the party of Donald Trump, an outsider of the GOP establishment, or House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, the definition of establishment? Or, perhaps, of Richard Spencer, a white nationalist leader of the so-called alt-right movement? (Spencer was kicked out of CPAC on Thursday.) Trump is set to address the conference on Friday, and the conservative media are ready for the much-anticipated address. Tomorrow it will be TPAC when hes here, Kellyanne Conway, a senior advisor to Trump told reporters Thursday. Here are some of todays headlines: Go Big, Go Bold: Walker, at CPAC, pushes GOP to carry out agenda as party controls Congress, White House (Fox News) Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, once a Trump foe, is urging conservatives to use the November election as a mandate. Do what you said you were going to do, Walker said to attendees. In the Fox News piece, which leads its website, it notes that leaders at the conference are hoping to use it to strategize about what they can accomplish and to better articulate their values at a time when the very definition of conservatism has seemed to waver. Sweden Democrats: Trump was right (Fox News) Remember last weekend when everyone including many Swedish politicians were really confused about Trumps comments at a recent rally? You look at whats happening last night in Sweden, Trump, at a rally in Florida on Saturday, said about the Scandinavian country that has accepted large numbers of refugees. Sweden. They took in large numbers. Theyre having problems like they never thought possible. Actually, not much happened in Sweden on Friday night. Trump said later that he had been referring to a broadcast on Fox News on that night. Still, recent riots in the country were covered extensively by conservative media. This post notes a recent op-ed penned by Jimmie Akesson and Mattias Karlsson, both leaders of the Sweden Democrats, in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday supporting Trumps characterization of a Muslim immigrant-led crime crisis in Sweden. In it they write, Trump did not exaggerate Swedens current problems. If anything, he understated them. Trump Is Letting DREAMers Stay, And Rush Is Fine With That (Daily Caller) Hes an immigration hard liner, and, apparently, hes OK with Trump allowing DREAMERs to remain in the country. This piece highlights comments by Rush Limbaugh this week. A lot of people think that Trumps caving because if you allow the DREAMers to stay, were talking 750,000 DREAMers, kids, who each have two parents who could come in. Look, this is a-no-win, Limbaugh said this week. Nobodys gonna win anything by deporting a bunch of kids that we let in. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump advisor Steve Bannon rails at corporatist, globalist media By Noah Bierman Steve Bannon to the #CPAC crowd: "If you think they're going to give you your country back without a fight, you're sadly mistaken" pic.twitter.com/ryw7iO0Snr POLITICO (@politico) February 23, 2017 The two men with the most heavily dissected relationship in President Trumps White House held a rare public appearance together Thursday and agreed on one common enemy: the media. Reince Priebus, the chief of staff who is often described as embattled, said he has grown conditioned to the media counting Trump out: during the presidential campaign, the transition and the first month of the presidency. The biggest misconception is everything that youre reading, Priebus said. Steve Bannon, Trumps chief strategist, framed his complaint as an ideological war. He consistently called the media the opposition party throughout a 20-minute joint interview on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference just outside of Washington. Its not only not going to get better, it gets worse every day, Bannon said. Theyre corporatist, globalist media that are adamantly opposed to an economic nationalist agenda like Donald Trump has. If you think theyre going to give you your country back without a fight, he added. You are sadly mistaken. Bannon, former executive chairman of the far-right Breitbart News, seldom speaks in public. His nationalist rendering of Republican ideology is often seen in contrast to Priebus, the former chairman of the GOP, who is viewed as the more mainstream conservative advocate within the White House. The two men said the tension between them portrayed in the media is inaccurate. But as they praised each other, the men made clear that Bannon sees his role as dominant in shaping Trumps policy. Bannon praised Priebus for doggedly keeping the trains running -- one of the toughest jobs Ive ever seen in my life. Bannon talked about being in the first inning of shaping a new political order and beginning the deconstruction of the administrative state. Priebus used more prosaic language and spoke of Bannon as the one who pushes Trump to maintain his bold vision. He is very dogged in making sure that every day the promises that President Trump made are the promises were working on, Priebus said of Bannon. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print In Mexico, Homeland Security chief says there will be no mass deportations of people in U.S. illegally By Patrick J. McDonnell Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, left, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Mexico City on Thursday. (Ronaldo Schemidt / AFP/Getty Images) Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, on a visit to Mexico, said Thursday that there will be no mass deportations of people living in the U.S. illegally. Kelly also said U.S. military forces would not be used in deportation efforts and that any deportation cases would go through the U.S. legal system. No. Repeat, no use of military force in immigration operations, Kelly said at a news conference at the Foreign Relations Ministry in Mexico City. None. Well approach this operation systematically, in an organized way, in a results-oriented way, in an operation and and in a human dignity way. Kelly and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are in Mexico City to discuss a wide variety of issues, including immigration and security, with Mexican government officials. Kellys remarks came the same day President Trump called recent raids in the U.S. an unprecedented enforcement effort. You see whats happening at the border. All of a sudden for the first time, were getting gang members out, he said. Were getting really bad dudes out of this country, and at a rate that nobodys ever seen before. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Mexico bracing for long battle with Trump administration, foreign minister tells lawmakers By Patrick J. McDonnell Mexico Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray (Brian Smialowski / AFP/Getty Images) Mexico is preparing for a long battle with the administration of President Trump, its foreign minister reportedly told lawmakers in private comments, adding that the country was prepared to retaliate with new tariffs if necessary. We are here preparing for a battle that is going to be long, Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray told federal deputies Wednesday, according to the newspaper La Jornada, which said it had obtained a copy of the comments. This is not going to be resolved in three days. In the reported remarks, Videgaray said Mexico was prepared to retaliate with new tariffs on U.S.-made goods should the Trump administration follow up on its threats to slap an export tax of 20% or more of goods imported from Mexico to the United States. There was no official response from the Mexican Foreign Ministry on Videgarays reported remarks. Videgaray was among the Mexican officials, including President Enrique Pena Nieto, who met this week with a pair of visiting White House Cabinet members, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly. The private remarks were apparently made on Wednesday, when the two Trump envoys were scheduled to arrive in Mexico City. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Homeland Security tried to downplay immigration raids as routine. Now Trump says theyre unprecedented By Michael A. Memoli (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) After nationwide immigration raids this month in which more than 680 people were arrested, the Department of Homeland Security issued a nothing-to-see-here statement downplaying the sweeps as strictly ordinary. ICE conducts these kind of targeted enforcement operations regularly and has for many years, the agency said last week, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But President Trump had a different take Thursday, labeling the raids an unprecedented enforcement effort. You see whats happening at the border. All of a sudden for the first time, were getting gang members out, he said before a roundtable on manufacturing. Were getting really bad dudes out of this country, and at a rate that nobodys ever seen before. Under President Obama, deportations peaked at 400,000 people in 2012, touching off widespread criticism from immigration advocates, which prompted Homeland Security to scale back deportations. Last year, deportations fell to 240,000 as the Obama administration focused on targets similar to what Trump described in the raids conducted under his authority: criminals, repeat immigration violators and recent arrivals. Trump also called the sweeps this month a military operation, even though no military resources were involved and the White House has pushed back aggressively on reports that the administration was considering seeking National Guard forces to assist in deportations. Homeland Security said the raids were conducted by ICE agents, U.S. marshals and state and local law enforcement agencies. What has been allowed to come into our country, when you see gang violence that youve read about like never before, and all of the things much of that is people that are here illegally, Trump said. Theyre rough and theyre tough, but theyre not tough like our people. So were getting them out. Of the 680 arrests last week, 161 occurred in Los Angeles and surrounding counties. Three-quarters of those detained in the Los Angeles-area sweeps were from Mexico. Trump noted that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly traveled to Mexico this week on a tough trip. We have to be treated fairly by Mexico, Trump said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print White nationalist leader Richard Spencer booted from Conservative Political Action Conference By Matt Pearce Reporters surround white supremacist Richard Spencer during the first day of the Conservative Political Action Conference on February 23, 2017. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) One of Americas most prominent white nationalists, Richard Spencer, was kicked out of the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday after conference organizers gave him credentials to attend and then wavered on whether to let him stay. Spencer, who coined the term alternative right to describe his far-right views on separating the races, came to CPAC to attend a speech that was critical of the alt-right. CPAC organizer Matt Schlapp took pains to distance CPAC from the fringe Spencer represents. The alt-right does not have a legitimate voice in the conservative movement, said Schlapp, adding that nobody from that movement is speaking at CPAC. Read More Just talked to CPAC organizer Matt Schlapp. Said he didn't endorse Richard Spencer's ideas but won't kick him out of the conference. Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) February 23, 2017 Basically their line on this is, if they actually agreed with his ideas, they'd put him on stage, but they don't, and it's a free country. Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) February 23, 2017 Change of plans. Richard Spencer just got kicked out of CPAC. Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) February 23, 2017 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Obamacare 101: Are health insurance marketplaces in a death spiral? By Noam N. Levey (Don Ryan / Associated Press) Its been a rocky few months for the health insurance marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. Even if youre not one of the roughly 11 million Americans who rely on these online markets to get your health insurance, youve probably seen the headlines about rising premiums and insurance companies pulling out of the system. Last week, national insurance giant Humana announced it would stop selling plans on the marketplace. Aetnas chief executive claimed the marketplaces are in a death spiral. Republicans say the marketplaces are Exhibit A that Obamacare is collapsing. So whats the real story? Are these things really kaput or can they be fixed? Heres a rundown of where things stand. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump administration wants tax reform done by August, Mnuchin says By Jim Puzzanghera The Trump administration wants to overhaul the tax code by August, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday, laying out an aggressive timetable in his first significant public comments since taking office last week. Our economic agenda, the No. 1 issue is growth, and the first most important thing that will impact growth is a tax plan, Mnuchin said in an interview with CNBC. So we are committed to pass tax reform, he said. We want to get this done by the August recess. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Loud and angry, protesters turn congressional town halls into must-see political TV By Mark Z. Barabak (Bill Pugliano / Getty Images) They came by the hundreds, in big cities and rural hamlets, to heckle, plead, badger and, in some instances, to protest the protests themselves. Congress is in recess this week, and a citizenry suddenly spurred to action used the opportunity to let their returning lawmakers know just how they feel about the tempestuous last month in Washington. Winners make policy and losers go home, a taunting Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate leader, told an invitation-only gathering in his home state of Kentucky, as about 1,000 protesters gathered outside. Not exactly. The town hall meeting, a throwback to a time of more intimate connection, has become a political organizing tool in the social media age a piece of performance theater and a worldwide stage. Obamacare, immigration, environmental regulation, Social Security, Russian meddling in the 2016 election and Trump, Trump, Trump all poured forth this week in the form of questions, loudly and heatedly. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump administration rescinds guidelines on protections for transgender students By Michael A. Memoli The Trump administration rescinded an Obama-era directive Wednesday aimed at protecting transgender students rights, questioning its legal grounding. Under the guidelines, schools had been required to treat transgender students according to their stated gender identity, and either allow access to restrooms and locker rooms for the gender they identify with or provide private facilities if requested. The Obama administration had said that students gender identities were protected under Title IX requirements, which prohibit federally funded schools from discriminating on the basis of sex. But officials in the Education and Justice departments said that their predecessors failed to make their case, citing significant litigation spurred by the policy. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Americans in Mexico protest Trumps inflammatory rhetoric during Tillerson visit By Kate Linthicum A group of Americans living in Mexico is planning a protest Thursday to send a message to visiting U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Their gripe? President Trumps inflammatory rhetoric. Thats according to a draft of a letter that several groups organizing the protest hope to deliver to Tillerson, who is in town along with Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly for talks with top Mexican officials. The letter, which will be cosigned by the Mexican chapter of Democrats Abroad, as well as other groups, complains about Trumps hostile attitude toward Mexico, which it says is engendering nationalistic sentiments in Mexico. Among Trumps hostile acts, the letter says, is Trumps vow to build a border wall and force Mexico to pay for it. The idea of building a wall ... frames Mexico and Mexicans as foreign invaders, the letter says. It also criticizes Trump for pledging to renegotiate NAFTA, saying, The U.S. and Mexico are deeply connected economies and it is in the interest of the United States to strengthen the regional production network to boost manufacturing employment in the U.S. and ensure the long-run competitiveness of manufacturing in the region. There are more than a million U.S. citizens living in Mexico, and many have been vocal since Trumps election. Last month, thousands turned out for a womens march outside the American Embassy that saw crowds chanting anti-Trump slogans. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Mexico will never accept unilateral American immigration rules, foreign secretary says By Patrick McDonnell Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray said defending the rights of Mexican immigrants is the first point in the agenda for talks with U.S. officials. (Christian Palma / Associated Press) Mexico will reject any unilateral effort from the United States to impose immigration or other policies on the Mexican government, the countrys foreign secretary said Wednesday. I want to make clear, in the most emphatic way, that the government of Mexico and the Mexican people do not have to accept measures that, in a unilateral way, one government wants to impose on another, Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray said in public comments. That we are not going to accept. He spoke a day after the Trump administration unveiled tough new measures to enforce immigration laws and deport people who are in the country illegally proposals that were widely portrayed in the Mexican media as a prelude to massive deportations. On Wednesday, two top Trump administration cabinet members Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly were arriving in Mexico for talks with that nations officials, including Videgaray. Immigration, trade and law enforcement issues were expected to be discussed at a tense moment in U.S.-Mexican relations. In his reported comments, the Mexican secretary did not single out any specific U.S. proposal as objectionable. Mexican officials have acknowledged there is little they can do to counter U.S. immigration policies. Among other things, the Trump administration has proposed sending non-Mexican citizens detained along the U.S.-Mexico border back to Mexico. Mexican officials would presumably have to sign off on such a plan. Mexico already detains and deports thousands of Central Americans annually who cross Mexican territory with the hope of entering the United States illegally via the U.S.-Mexico border. U.S. authorities have worked with their Mexican counterparts to halt the Central American influx. The Mexican foreign secretary made it clear that immigration would be at the top of the list of items to be discussed during meetings with the U.S. Cabinet secretaries. Defending the rights of Mexican immigrants is the first point in the agenda, said Videgaray. He also said Mexico could take the issue of the rights of Mexican immigrants to the United Nations and other international agencies. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Both in power and in turmoil, conservatives head to Conservative Political Action Conference to see whats next By Matt Pearce Josh Platillero (Matt Pearce / Los Angeles Times) The eyes of men in crisp blazers darted toward passing faces and identification badges, looking for a familiar face, a famous name. As Fox News host Sean Hannity prepared to broadcast a live show from a ballroom, a brief chant burst out from the audience: U-S-A! U-S-A! Its that time of year again: Hundreds of Republicans began arriving Wednesday at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Md., just south of Washington, for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. CPAC, as its best known, is a place for conservative political figures and activists to gather, schmooze, hammer out new ideas and audition for starring roles in the Republican Party. And this year, CPAC attendees have a lot to talk about. Their party is in control of Congress, the White House and dozens of state governments across America, and yet not at all at peace with itself. President Trump is expected to address the conference later in the week after winning on a platform of populist nationalism that some conservatives have accused of not being conservative at all. Breitbart News, the brash rising star of right-wing media, is one of the conferences top promoters, but one of its staffers, Milo Yiannopoulos, lost his speaking slot at CPAC and resigned from the news organization after video circulated showing him appearing to promote pedophilia. Some conservatives had backed Yiannopoulos and cried censorship when the provocateur offended liberals at college speaking events, but now they had become offended themselves. Still, as CPAC began on Wednesday, the mood was upbeat. This was a victorious movement, after all. Many new guests were greeted by the sight of Josh Platillero, 23, wearing a cartoonishly large stovepipe hat and a suit the colors of the American flag. I love networking, said Platillero, who recently lived in Knoxville, Tenn., before moving to the D.C. area to work with a conservative nonprofit, the Leadership Institute. Its his second year attending CPAC, and he was excited about the lineup of speakers, which include some of the White House staff. I think our new president is not perfect, but I think hes doing good things, he said. Ariel Kohane, 45, who came from the Upper West Side in Manhattan, stood in the lobby holding signs that read, Jews for Trump, in both English and Hebrew. I love the fact that I can get together with many of my fellow conservative friends and colleagues and we can all be very proud of ourselves with all our accomplishments and the fact that we get to strategize and plan ways to further expand conservatism across America and across the whole world, Kohane said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Pence condemns Jewish center bomb threats and visits desecrated cemetery in Missouri By Jaweed Kaleem (Michael Conroy / Associated Press) Visiting Fenton, Mo., on Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence condemned a string of bomb threats against Jewish community centers around the nation and the desecration of a St. Louis-area Jewish cemetery over the weekend. Speaking just yesterday, President Trump called this a horrible and painful act. And so it was. That along with other recent threats to the Jewish community centers around the country, said Pence, who was visiting the headquarters of the Fabick Cat machinery company. He declared it all a sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil. We condemn this vile act of vandalism and those who perpetuate it in the strongest possible terms. The vice president said it was inspiring how the people of Missouri have rallied around the Jewish community with compassion and support. Among those showing solidarity with the Jewish community is a group of Muslims who launched an online fundraising campaign to help repair the cemetery. Donors had pledged more than $90,000 by Wednesday afternoon. Pence later visited the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery in University City, Mo., where nearly 200 tombstones had been toppled over the weekend. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trumps move on transgender bathroom access sparks interest By Kurtis Lee (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) For President Trump, commenting on social issues such as same-sex marriage and abortion has never seemed much of a priority. Indeed, throughout the campaign, Trump hardly discussed the topics. When asked about transgender bathroom access at a town hall in April 2016, Trump said people should be able to use whichever bathroom they choose. He then moved on from the question, offering little else. Now it appears his administration is set to wade into the controversy. Its a topic the conservative media loves to explore. Here are some of todays headlines: Return to normalcy: Trump readies reversal of transgender bathroom lunacy in public schools (Daily Caller) What will the Trump administration do about transgender bathroom access? The Caller highlights White House Press Secretary Sean Spicers pronouncement on the issue: This is a states rights issue and not one for the federal government, Spicer told reporters. The lunacy referred to is the federal guidance President Obama issued prior to leaving office directing schools that receive federal funding to allow transgender students to use restrooms and other facilities that match their gender identities. Several states filed suit to overturn the directive, and a federal judge issued a temporary injunction barring its enforcement, which remains in place. Several states, following the lead of North Carolina, are seeking to implement legislation that bans transgender people from using the bathrooms of the gender with which they identify. 66 percent of Trump voters change the channel when awards shows get too political (Daily Caller) When Meryl Streep criticized President Trump last month in her Golden Globes speech, he replied quickly. Meryl Streep, one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood, doesnt know me but attacked last night at the Golden Globes, Trump tweeted. Well, Trump can probably expect more barbs as actors (in overwhelmingly liberal Hollywood) take the stage at the Oscars on Sunday. Lots of Trump voters can be expected to change the channel, according to this piece, which highlights a new poll on the subject. The Hollywood Reporter says that 66% of Trump voters said they have stopped watching an awards show because a celebrity started talking about politics while accepting an award. By contrast, only 19% of Hillary Clintons supporters have done so. Trump talks tolerance, decries anti-Semitism, but media remain skeptical (Fox News) Well, Trump finally did say something to condemn the anti-Semitic vandalism and threats that have taken place since his presidential victory. Anti-Semitism is horrible, Trump said in an interview with MSNBC on Tuesday. In the Fox News piece, Howard Kurtz argues the media should give the president more credit for speaking out. I always think its unfair to blame a political leader for violence or vandalism carried out by people who support him, he writes. I felt the same way about critics who blamed Barack Obama for urban riots or shootings of police officers. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Among Republicans, Trump is more popular than congressional leaders By David Lauter Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) walk together. (Matt Rourke / Associated Press) Amid strain between the Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress, the White House holds the high ground, a new survey indicates. Among Republicans, President Trump has greater popularity than the partys congressional leaders. Asked specifically who they would trust if the two sides disagreed, most Republicans chose Trump over their partys leadership. The findings, from a new survey by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center underscore Trumps continued sway with the Republican congressional majority. Although the president has historically low job approval ratings among the public at large, he remains highly popular among Republican partisans and in Republican districts. As for Democrats, theyre strongly in an oppositional mood. Asked if they were more worried that Democrats in Congress would go too far in opposing Trump or not go far enough, more than 70% of Democrats said they feared their party would not go far enough. Only 20% said they worried the party would go too far. Republicans in Congress have eyed Trump warily on several fronts. His positions on trade and entitlement reform break with years of the partys positions. His reluctance to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin has generated tension. And the administrations lack of clarity on healthcare and tax policy have Republican leaders guessing which way to turn on major issues. But Republican partisans have fewer reservations than their elected representatives. Eighty-six percent to 13%, those who identify as Republicans or as independents who lean Republican have a favorable view of Trump, the Pew survey found. By comparison, 57% have a favorable view of Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, with 22% unfavorable and 21% having no opinion. House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin is slightly better known, with 65% of Republicans holding a favorable view, 23% an unfavorable view and 13% having no opinion. Asked who they would trust if the two sides disagreed, 52% of Republicans said they would side with Trump and 34% with the Republicans in Congress. Republicans younger than 40 were the only major exception; 52% to 36%, they said they would side with Congress. At the same time, Republican partisans now have a warmer opinion of their party leadership than they had during most of President Obamas tenure. Republicans' approval of their congressional leaders has more than doubled since 2015 https://t.co/KSo1hRMhJj pic.twitter.com/WHTHxCNEFq Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) February 22, 2017 During the Obama years, GOP partisans tended to be frustrated that their side could not reverse the presidents initiatives, even with a majority in the House, starting in 2010, and then in the Senate for Obamas last two years. Their view of the GOP leadership has rebounded strongly since the election. Democrats view of their congressional leadership has been more stable. And both sides widely dislike the other partys leaders. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Supreme Court rejects use of racial stereotypes in death penalty cases By David Savage The Supreme Court rejected the use of racial stereotypes in death penalty cases Wednesday, reopening the case of a black man in Texas who was sentenced to die after his jury was told African Americans are more likely than whites to commit crimes. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said this testimony had no place in a sentencing hearing and appealed to the racial stereotype that black men are prone to violence. Our laws punish people for what they do, not for who they are, the chief justice said in the courtroom. The 6-2 decision faults Texas authorities for refusing to give a new sentencing hearing to Duane Buck, a Houston man who was convicted of shooting and killing his ex-girlfriend and seriously injuring her new boyfriend in 1995. Buck was found guilty of murder, but when his jury was debating his fate, his court-appointed defense attorney put on the witness stand an expert who cited statistics showing blacks are more likely to commit future crimes than whites. After hearing this testimony, the jury decided to sentence Buck to death. Years later, Texas state attorneys set aside the death sentences for six other black defendants whose juries heard similar testimony, but they refused to reopen Bucks case. In Buck vs. Davis, the high court said that was a mistake. The jury was deciding the question of life or death, and this is no place for the introduction of a particularly noxious strain of racial prejudice, Roberts said. The court sent the case back to judges in Texas to reconsider the death sentence. Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, along with Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. Thomas said Buck was properly sentenced to die for a brutal murder, and he insisted the court should not have heard the case for procedural reasons. Having settled on a desired outcome, the court bulldozes procedural obstacles and misapplies settled law to justify it, he wrote. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print At Rep. Tony Cardenas town hall, Democrats worry about what Donald Trump may do By Kurtis Lee (Kurtis Lee/Los Angeles Times ) They arrived with soggy jackets, hats and umbrellas. The topic was supposed to be the Affordable Care Act. But many who attended Democratic Rep. Tony Cardenas town hall meeting Tuesday night in a crammed auditorium at the Cesar E. Chavez Learning Academies came with a question: What can we -- as Democrats -- do to help you? Show up and vote, said Cardenas, who represents a slice of the staunchly liberal San Fernando Valley. (Hillary Clinton defeated Donald Trump in this district by nearly 60-percentage points in the fall election.) Sign people up, get people involved, he said. At times the meeting had the feel of a therapy session for Democrats, wondering aloud how to function under a Trump administration. Where is the anger among Democrats? asked one man. I want to see more anger. Cardenas, standing at a lectern on an elevated stage, offered a stern look and nodded in agreement as rain could be heard splattering on the roof above. The complaints included Republicans efforts to repeal Obamacare and Trumps new immigration mandates. Trust me, Im pissed. Im upset, Cardenas said. But we have to act constructively. We have to be responsible. Last month, Trump signed executive orders directing the Department of Homeland Security to prioritize the removal of people in the U.S. illegally who have criminal convictions. In addition to speeding up the deportation of convicts, Trumps orders also call for quick removal of people in the country illegally who are charged with crimes and waiting for adjudication. And in recent days, a handful of people who have received protection under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) have been arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents nationwide. Cardenas said that for him, the issue is personal. His parents were immigrants from Mexico, who lived in the San Fernando Valley for decades, raising 11 children, he said. Today his district is nearly 70% Latino. Im going to fight for you, he said. Im going to fight for the people who are my immigrant father. When a young man, a DACA recipient, asked him, via Twitter, if hell be safe in the weeks ahead, Cardenas seemed at a loss. I pray that [Trump] doesnt go after you, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Killing with kindness, GOPs McClintock faces down hostile questioners as town hall goes into overti Two years after he nearly lost his right leg in a car accident that almost killed him, Hamilton Blake will run in his first-ever Ironman Triathlon. It was about 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 10, 2013. Blake, 51, had just finished a 14-hour work day managing Roys restaurant in Newport Beach and was headed home to Mission Viejo. His future changed in an instant when he fell asleep at the wheel and plowed into a tree. The airbag deployed, smoke billowed out of the engine and the drivers side door wouldnt open. The married father of two children ages 6 and 8 was trapped. He managed to punch through a car window and pivot out, but cut his head and arm on broken glass. When he went to stand up, he collapsed in pain. Passersby called paramedics, and Blake was rushed to Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo. What followed was a series of grueling surgeries and treatments. He faced a seven-hour operation to fix a break in the leg that doctors originally thought hed lose. It also needed two screws and more than 50 stitches, while an arm required 200 stitches. For three weeks, he had to sit in a device that would hold his leg still. The next month, he sat in a wheelchair. By January 2014, he was able to put weight on his leg when he began using a walker. He completed rehabilitation later that year. He still feels pinches of pain in his leg, yet doesnt let any problem stop him from in getting back in shape. His competitive spirit and feeling of loss, he said, made him decide to run the Ironman Triathlon in Tempe, Ariz., on Nov. 15. The Ironman is considered one of the most difficult one-day sporting events in the world. The series of long-distance races tests an athletes physical endurance. Only competitors in great health have a shot at completing the race which entails swimming, biking and running and any participant who completes the triathlon within a strict time limit of 17 hours becomes an Ironman. Blake said he doesnt mind the pain of the 26.2-mile run, 2.4-mile swim and 112-mile bike ride. Pain is not foreign to him. He has had more than his share over the past two years. Nobody bet I lived, Blake said, tears forming. Being in a wheelchair was a frightening experience. Not knowing whether I was going to walk again that was motivating for me. Beginning last November, Blake, who continues to work at Roys and has managed the restaurant for 14 years, began training with Todd Smiley and Jeff Cyr, friends who have run triathlons. Smiley loaned his bike and shoes to Blake, and Cyr sent text messages to Blake every day supporting him in his practice. Im so blessed to have so many people help me out, Blake said. I thought Id be limping for the rest of my life. It gets hard to talk about it sometimes. On a typical day, Blake will drop off his kids at school and then head to the waters off Corona del Mar State Beach, where he will swim two miles, sometimes encountering aggressive sea lions. Then hell change out of his wetsuit, put on biking gear and peddle trails for 66 miles. Later in the week, hell run about 20 miles or more. Jim Gianulias, a Newport Beach resident who has dined at Roys since its opening in 1999 and has known Blake for three years, said Blake exhibits great inner strength. Downturns are difficult and hes taken a serious situation, turned it around and put a positive spin on it, Gianulias said. Its so special to watch him make that turn. What hes doing is a toast to life. Blake said he finds inspiration on the official Ironman website, which offers training articles and features on racers, including the father who pushed his disabled son in a wheelchair during one competition. But the main support comes from his family and friends. Im not trying to be the fastest guy. My goal is just to finish, Blake said. I feel blessed to have come this far. . An employee has sued the Irvine Ranch Water District and her boss, claiming that she was harassed and discriminated against based on her race and gender. Karen Bonecki, an analyst with the district, alleged in a court filing last week that she was forced to do menial and sexist tasks such as cleaning her supervisors desk that were not required of white male employees. Bonecki is Asian American. Boneckis lawsuit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, accuses Patrick Sheilds, the districts executive director of operations, of repeatedly disrespecting her and treating her like his own personal servant. Sheilds and a spokesman for the district which provides water to Irvine and portions of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa declined to comment. Both said they were unaware of the lawsuit. According to the court filing, the district hired Bonecki in 2007 as an engineering technician. She was promoted to executive secretary four months later and to analyst in 2008, the filing states. Sheilds was hired in 2013 and became Boneckis supervisor, according to the lawsuit. Ms. Bonecki was one of only two women in her entire office department of 150 employees, the lawsuit states. Mr. Sheilds treated Ms. Bonecki with extreme disrespect because she is a woman and because she is Asian-American. The lawsuit claims Bonecki was forced into demeaning assignments outside the scope of her job, including entering contacts in Sheilds personal cellphone and reminding him to buy gifts for people. IRWD and Mr. Sheilds also unreasonably and relentlessly required Ms. Bonecki to provide Mr. Sheilds with electronic reminders of his appointments, and because he consistently disregarded those reminders, IRWD and Mr. Sheilds required Ms. Bonecki to provide him reminders of the reminders, the lawsuit states. None of Mr. Sheilds male subordinates had such meaningless, insulting tasks imposed on them. The lawsuit also claims that Bonecki was denied a promotion in 2013 as retaliation for complaining to human resources about Sheilds behavior. The only other female employee in the same department, who is also a woman of color, also made complaints about Mr. Sheilds behavior and actions toward her, according to the lawsuit. The same year, Bonecki took a medical leave of absence because the stress of her work environment was affecting her health, according to the filing. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. Costa Mesa Councilwoman Katrina Foley, a lawyer who specializes in employment litigation, is representing Bonecki. Prodded by wanderlust, I moved a few years ago from Miami to Medellin, Colombia, and settled into an apartment not far from the spot where Pablo Escobar, the infamous drug kingpin, was gunned down. Although I lived in Medellin, I continued to work as a flight attendant at my airlines base of operations in Miami. As is the case with thousands of commercial flight attendants and pilots, I had become an airline commuter. I lived in one city, worked flight sequences that originated and terminated in a different base city, and relied on employee travel privileges for free unlimited air travel. Advertisement Some crew members commute because their families live in cities that have no airline base. Others do so because company seniority rankings allow them to work coveted European flights out of the New York base, for example, while a reasonable cost of living keeps them rooted in, say, Cleveland. My reasons for commuting from Medellin were as much about adventure as economics. At the time, the exchange rate topped off around 2,500 Colombian pesos to the U.S. dollar. This allowed me, on a mediocre flight attendant salary, to live like a king. For less than $500 a month, I rented a furnished penthouse apartment in a sleek new building in the middle-class barrio of Velodromo. A conscientious maid cleaned two days a week. First-run movies at cineplex theaters cost $3. My dating life flourished; I could wine and dine at elegant restaurants that would have cost three times as much in the States. But for all the financial advantages, commuting from Medellin to Miami could be arduous. To get to Miami in time for a 10 p.m. work trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil, I would crawl out of bed at 5 a.m., meet my driver (yes, I employed a part-time chauffeur) at the guard station and make the 45-minute drive through the lush Aburra Valley and up a winding mountain road to Jose Maria Cordova International Airport. When I hear passengers complaining about long lines and random pat-downs at Transportation Security Administration airline screening checkpoints in the United States, I resist the urge to roll my eyes and chuckle. Security screenings at Colombias second-largest airport are capital-I invasive. After each carry-on passes through the X-ray machine, uniformed military personnel open the bag and search extensively. (On one occasion, officers disassembled the handle of my roll-aboard, no doubt looking for the ubiquitous white powder Colombia has been known to produce.) After the bag search, every passenger is thoroughly frisked. Before you can board the aircraft, all carry-ons are searched again, this time by airline security personnel. After the three-hour flight, I would clear Immigration and Customs in Miami. U.S. Customs inspectors took a special interest in passengers arriving from Colombia, so on several occasions I was sent to secondary screening where my unusual travel habits were called into question and my bags searched yet again. At a nearby La Quinta Inns & Suites, I paid a monthly fee to share a two-room crash pad (topic of future column) with 13 commuting flight attendants who jetted in from as far away as Melbourne, Australia. I would nap in one of five beds and wake up in time to work the eight-hour flight to Sao Paulo. After a 35-hour layover there, I would work the return flight to Miami. Upon landing I would clear U.S. Customs, nap in the crash pad, hop on the flight to Medellin, drive down the mountain, through the Aburra Valley and stumble into the penthouse where the whole commuting process would begin anew after three off-duty days. I lasted nearly two years as an airline commuter. The constant flying finally wore me out. But some flight attendants have thicker skin. My buddy Todd has been commuting from Miami to Bangkok, Thailand, for more than a decade. After working back-to-back all-nighters to South America followed by 24 hours of flying to the other side of the world, he boards a bus in Bangkok for a five-hour ride to the village he calls home. The next time youre stuck in traffic, consider this: L.A. County has nearly 4.7 million workers who are 16 or older, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics from 2015. More than 83% drive to work by car, truck or van, and nearly three-quarters drive alone, spending an average of 30 minutes on their commute. For an unlucky 13%, commute time was more than 60 minutes. When you consider the rewards of where I lived, whose commute was (or is) worse? travel@latimes.com @latimestravel The practice of female genital mutilation appears to be on the decline in a number of countries, according to recent surveys, a sign that years of advocacy work may be paying off. But while the percentage of girls being cut is lower than in previous generations significantly so in some countries the overall number subjected to the ritual is higher because of population growth, a new study found. Analysts at the Population Reference Bureau, a nonprofit research organization in Washington, studied the results of health and demographic surveys carried out in 29 of the 30 countries where the practice is most common. Advertisement The surveys arent done every year. But of the 16 countries that reported new data since 2014, 12 said that the percentage of women and girls between the ages of 15 and 49 who were forced to undergo the procedure had declined since surveys carried out between 2003 and 2011. This is a tremendously harmful practice, so the fact that were seeing declines in prevalence in three-quarters of the countries where we have updated data available is a really, really promising sign, said Elizabeth Leahy Madsen, who co-authored the study. In 2014, the share of countries reporting declines stood at 58%. Researchers attribute the progress to the concerted efforts of governments and aid groups to combat the risky practice. Most of the countries studied had enacted laws or decrees prohibiting the cutting of a girls genitalia for non-medical reasons. Urbanization and the increasing rates of education among women could also be factors. Girls who lived in urban areas and whose mothers received even small amounts of schooling were less likely to be cut, Madsen said. The familys wealth or religion did not appear to have a bearing on these decisions. Female genital mutilation which supporters call female circumcision remains a deeply embedded practice in some cultures, where it is seen as an important coming-of-age ritual that ensures a womans purity. Without it, a woman may not be able to marry. The World Health Organization estimates that at least 200 million women and girls have had their external genitalia partially or fully removed in parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The procedure can cause severe bleeding, problems urinating and recurring cysts and infections. It also increases the risk of complications in childbirth, and in the most extreme form may create a need for later surgeries to allow for sexual intercourse and childbirth. The prevalence of female genital mutilation varies significantly both between and within countries. In parts of Yemen and Chad, for example, the rate exceeds 75% but is below 25% elsewhere in the countries. Some of the most notable change was observed in countries where the practice is most widespread. In Burkina Faso, nearly 90% of women in their 40s were forced to undergo the procedure, typically before they turned 5, the study found. But just 14% of girls aged between 5 and 9 had been cut. Girls in that age group are not likely to experience cutting moving forward, Madsen said. That means that that really low prevalence rate is likely to stay, even as they age up. In other countries, however, change has been slower. In Mali, 77% of girls aged between 5 and 9 had been cut, compared with more than 90% of women in their 40s. Despite changing opinions about the practice in many countries, the number of women and girls who undergo ritual cutting continues to grow because populations are growing, Madsen said. In Ethiopia, the number of women aged 15 to 49 who were cut increased from 12.7 million in 2005 to 16.3 million in 2016, even though the prevalence rate of the practice declined from 74% to 65%. alexandra.zavis@latimes.com Twitter: @alexzavis Seven percent of priests in Australias Catholic Church were accused of sexually abusing children over the last several decades, a lawyer said Monday as officials investigating institutional abuse across Australia revealed for the first time the extent of the crisis. The statistics were released during the opening address of a hearing of Australias Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The royal commission which is Australias highest form of inquiry has been investigating since 2013 how the Catholic Church and other institutions responded to the sexual abuse of children over decades. The commission has previously heard harrowing testimony from scores of people who suffered abuse at the hands of clergy. But the full scale of the problem was never clear until Monday, when the commission released the statistics it has gathered. Advertisement Commissioners surveyed Catholic Church authorities and found that between 1980 and 2015, 4,444 people reported they had been abused at more than 1,000 Catholic institutions across Australia, said Gail Furness, the lead lawyer assisting the commission. The average age of the victims was 10 1/2 for girls and 11 1/2 for boys. Overall, 7% of priests in Australia between 1950 and 2010 were accused of sexually abusing children, Furness said. In the United States, where the clergy abuse scandal erupted into public view, 5.6% of clergy were accused of molesting children between 1950 and 2015, according to reports by U.S. bishops that were analyzed by BishopAccountability.org, which tracks data on abusive priests. Francis Sullivan, CEO of the Truth Justice and Healing Council, which is coordinating the Catholic Churchs response to the inquiry, said the data reflected a massive failure by the church to protect children. These numbers are shocking, they are tragic and they are indefensible, a tearful Sullivan told the commission. As Catholics, we hang our heads in shame. The Vatican has watched the proceedings closely. Cardinal George Pell, who was Australias most senior Catholic before becoming Pope Francis top financial advisor, has testified at previous hearings about how church authorities responded to allegations of child sexual abuse during his time in Australia. Several senior Australian Catholics will testify over the next few weeks. The commissions final report is due by the end of this year. ALSO The practice of female genital mutilation appears to be on the decline in many countries, surveys show It was one of the most beautiful cities in the world. That Aleppo is gone, but its residents remember On Protest Saturday, more demonstrations against Trumps policies are rolled out around the world Scientists have found a meteorite from Africa that denotes the evidence of volcanoes on Mars. Two billion years ago from today Mars was the home of active volcanoes. A Recent study on the meteorite confirms that Mars has the oldest volcano in the solar system. A joint research team from the University of Houston and the Purdue University started researching on the meteorite sample which was found from Algeria, Africa in 2012. Researchers labeled the specimen as Northwest Africa(NWA) 7635 and it was almost 6.9 ounces (~196 grams) in weight. Scientists wrote about their findings in the journal of Science Advances. University of Houstons geology professor Tom Lapen, the lead researcher of this study, said in a statement,the findings offer new clues to how the planet evolved and insight into the history of volcanic activity on Mars. At the previous studies, scientists found that the Mars accommodates the largest Volcano in the solar system, but the new findings are quite different. According to the report by Mail Online, The largest volcano on Mars is Olympus Mons that is nearly 17 miles high. While the largest volcano of Earth Mauna Kea is just one-third of this (6.25miles). even the largest mountain of Earth [Mount Everest] is small enough to fit inside the volcano. Just like the Hawaiian Islands, Shield Volcanoes and lava plains of Mars were formed by the long distance lava flowing. Researchers came to a decision that about one million years ago a large sized cosmic object banged into mars and hit volcano. During this impact, volcanic rocks were thrown into space. Later, when those rocky fragments came into the Earths gravity then those rocks rained into the planet as a meteorite. Researchers found total 11 martian meteorites. All of them including the Algerian specimen have a similar chemical structure that indicates they came from the same source and those volcanic rocks are called Shergottites. Most interesting thing about NWA 7635 is, it is something different from those other 10 meteorites. Although, they contains same chemical components but those meteorites are about 327 million to 600 million years old. While the NWA 7635 is more than 2.4 billion years old. This thing suggests it was ejected from one of the oldest volcanoes of Solar System. For almost two years of existence, Samsung's NFC-based payments solution, the Samsung Pay is finally achieving India with Mashable recommendation that will be presented by American Express as a partner. Samsung Pay is currently supposed to be launched in the first half of 2017, which American Express will be its first time to be a partner with Mastercard and Visa as well. According to Techi.e. reports, Samsung has begun testing the feature in India starting December 2016, with the most recent update of Galaxy Note 5, which brings the Samsung Pay application to the system. The company has likewise been teasing Galaxy S7 and S7 edge users with an information said "The future of payments is coming soon" when the updated gadgets to run Android 7.0 Nougat. The feature permits Samsung cell phones with NFC capacities to make payments by essentially waving the gadgets close to a cash register rather than swiping a credit card or by hitting in details. Samsung Pay is aiming at offering more secure and contactless payment arrangement, which is already accessible in regions including the US and South Korea. BGR explains that Samsung Pay application permits clients to store a range of credit cards for use, however, the actual information is neither stored on gadgets nor sent during the transaction. One of the issues with the NFC-based arrangement is that it requires points-of-sales machines to be outfitted with the innovation for specific components. According to Mashable notes, Samsung Pay could be a difficult offer in India where a large portion of PoS devices is not supported with NFC. In any case, Samsung's payments solutions additionally support MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission). While Samsung Pay may help in encouraging cashless payments, it is probably going to have a limited use at first. For now, Samsung Pay is restricted to just premium Samsung handsets and in India, the majority of the Android clients own affordable smartphones. President Donald Trump has said a lot of things about North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) leaders. But despite calling NATO as "obsolete" for several times and his objections to its relevancy and its funding, the newly elected president of the United States committed to attend a meeting of NATO leaders which will be held in Brussels on May. According to CNN, President Donald Trump has spoken with the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg about the U.S and its "strong support for NATO." The White House press also confirmed that Trump had discussed the agenda on how to encourage all NATO allies in meeting their defense spending commitments. During the campaign, President Donald Trump mentioned that the United States of America pays much of the cost for the alliance and with that, he is planning to encourage some NATO members to contribute more money and defend those who have fulfilled their obligations. In his recent interview with Germany's Bild newspaper, President Donald Trump repeatedly called NATO as obsolete. "I said a long time ago - that NATO had problems. Number one it was obsolete because it was, you know, designed many, many years ago," Trump said in the interview. "Number two - the countries aren't paying what they're supposed to pay. I took such heat when I said NATO was obsolete. It's outdated because it wasn't taking care of terror," Trump said during his interview. President Donald Trump's secretary, James Mattis have also sent a strong signal to support NATO while reaching out to the three critical alliance partners saying that the US had an unshakeable commitment to NATO. According to the NBC News, the British Prime Minister Theresa May said that President Donald Trump assures that the United States is a hundred percent behind NATO. Stoltenberg also ensures that Trump would remain committed to the institution after his phone call with the president on the day that he was elected. The Lehigh Valley family whose six Syrian relatives were denied entry to the United States more than a week ago were reunited Monday in a joyous scene at their Allentown home. Gov. Tom Wolf greeted the Asali families with flowers as they arrived at the home in the 900 block of North 38th Street shortly after noon. The family flew into JFK Airport in New York City on Monday morning, having left from Syria on Sunday. Seconds after getting out of a white van, family members told reporters they were "tired" and it was a "long trip." "We're very happy and grateful a lot of people are supporting us," said Sarmad Assali, who with her husband Dr. Ghassan Assali had been awaiting their relatives' arrival for years. Ghassan Assali's two brothers and their families had made international headlines when they were denied entry into the U.S. at Philadelphia International Airport in late January. The family was forced to return to Syria as a result of a temporary travel ban from seven nations enacted by President Donald Trump's executive order. They returned to Syria and their visas that officials said they worked years to obtain were canceled. The travel ban has since been placed on hold due to a temporary restraining order issued by a U.S. District court judge. Sarmad Assali called the ordeal a "nightmare" and on Monday, she said, the family "woke up to a dream." "Last week, I was angry. I was depressed," she said. "It took a lot of hard work. I kept looking around (when they arrived in the U.S.) and this is a dream. And you know what? Today, the dream came true." The family was assisted the past week through the efforts of immigration lawyers, U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa., and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf. Dent accompanied the family to JFK on Monday and Wolf was in Allentown to greet them outside Ghassan and Sarmad Assali's home. "This is who we are," Wolf said of Americans. "Think of what they've been through ... they have gone through an amazing journey to get here. This has been a long, long trip. This family is finally united after a long, long time." Wolf said Americans' ancestors came from other areas, making the U.S. what it is today. "That's who we are," Wolf said, calling Trump's travel ban in the seven Muslim-majority nations "wrong. "This is who we are as the people. We should welcome that." Mathyo Asali, a high school senior, said he looked forward to finishing school. He said if he couldn't come to the U.S. he feared being enlisted in the Syrian military because he is "of age." He called the ban "stressful." "I'm very happy to see my brother and be reunited with my family," he said. "Going back to Syria, my life (would be) ruined." The family gained support from various organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, which hailed their arrival in the States. Neighbors also turned out to witness the neighborhood spectacle. "All's well that ends well," said a male neighbor who declined to give his name. Ingrid Moore, who has lived next-door to the Assalis -- they spell their name differently than the Syrian family, which spells their surname with one "s" -- for more than six years. She said she was thrilled for the couple. "I'm just happy for them," she said. "They have a great family. It's so wonderful that they're finally here. It's a happy ending." After talking to a crush of reporters, the Asalis said they couldn't wait to catch up inside the home. "We're going to have a nice lunch," Sarmad Assali said. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A Florida woman was injured when she lost control of her SUV along Cedar Hill Drive and crashed into a Hanover Township, Lehigh County, apartment building, Pennsylvania State Police said. State police at Bethlehem said the crash occurred at 12:04 p.m. Sunday when Heather Ann Stirewalt, 43, of Naples, Fla., was driving along Cedar Hill Drive in a 2002 Chevrolet and attempted to turn around. Stirewalt lost control and crashed into a building in the Allendale Apartments complex, 642 Cedar Hill Drive. Police said Stirewalt sustained moderate injuries in the crash. Police said Stirewalt was not wearing a seat belt. The accident is being investigated by state police at Bethlehem. Also responding were firefighters from departments in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, and Hanover Township, Northampton County. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A second car is being sought after a crash that killed two people early Saturday morning in Montgomery County as the cars raced on a highway, authorities say. West Pottsgrove Township police responded at 12:02 a.m. to a crash that sent a 2007 BMW, which was going more than 100 mph on Route 422 East, through a guardrail then airborne into several trees before ending up on its roof down a 30-foot embankment, the county district attorney's office reported on Facebook. Driver Shone Santiago, 22, of New York City but who is a student in Exton, Pennsylvania, survived the wreck and was flown to Reading Hospital, the district attorney's office said. He was in critical condition on Sunday evening, authorities said. Two passengers were cut from the car and declared dead at the scene, the district attorney's office said. Autopsies were performed Sunday and identifications were pending their families being informed about the deaths. Witnesses told police that a black, newer model Dodge Challenger with dark tinted windows, bright headlights and yellow fog lights was racing the BMW and initially stopped after the crash, the district attorney's office said. The car had a Delaware license plate and fled, authorities said. Anyone with information is asked to call Montgomery County detectives at 610-278-3368 or police at 610-323-2090. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Dent wants answers on Syrians blocked from Allentown visit Sarmad Assali, left, accompanied by her son Joseph Assali and Farzaneh Ahmadi Darani, center left, and her sister Shadi Ahmadi Darani, speaks during a news conference Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, at City Hall in Philadelphia. Family members of both the Ahmadi Darani's and Assali's were denied entry into the United States at the Philadelphia airport more than a week ago due to President Donald Trump's temporary ban on immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations. (AP Photo | For lehighvalleylive.com) Attorneys for an Allentown family whose six Syrian relatives were denied entry to the United States at Philadelphia International Airport more than a week ago say the relatives are expected to arrive Monday in New York. Immigration attorney Jonathan Grode said Sunday night that the two Syrian families have already been admitted to the country at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance center in Abu Dhabi. "They're over the moon. We had a conference call with them, and they say 'We can't wait to come to America,'" Grode said. He said their Allentown relatives, Dr. Ghassan Assali and his wife, Sarmad, are "ecstatic" and plan to be on hand to meet them when they arrive Monday morning at John F. Kennedy International Airport. "Everyone's happy. It's been a really long week," Grode said. That was echoed by U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent, who plans to be among the people welcoming the families at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City on Monday. U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent speaks in November 2015 in Allentown. (Lehighvalleylive.com file photo) "Charlie's been working the entire entire week with the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department, so he's absolutely delighted," a spokesman said. Attorneys said Dr. Assali's brothers, their wives and their two teenage children returned to Syria after they were denied entrance to the United States on Jan. 28 although they had visas in hand after a 13-year effort. Large demonstrations across the country followed President Trump's executive order to suspend America's refugee program and halt immigration to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries that the U.S. says raise terrorism concerns. The U.S. government on Saturday suspended enforcement of the ban a day after a federal judge in Washington state temporarily blocked it. Dr. Assali and his brothers started the process for federal approval for entry in 2003 for Basam and Hassan Assali, their wives, Jozfin and Jurfeet, and Hassan's two children, and they received final clearance on December 19, 2016. Grode and the American Civil Liberties Union officials credited the assistance of Rep. Dent, R-Pa., and he also cited other Pennsylvania officials who he said acted in a bipartisan manner in their efforts to help the family. Grode said he also wanted to give credit to the many people who protested and to the Trump administration for complying with the orders from the federal courts "which is really important to the health and long-term stability of the country in a time of tumult." "This is actually democracy," he said. "Although it's a scary and troubling time for immigrants and the clients that I represent, it's good to see that the foundations of freedom of speech and the rule of law are intact," he said. Gov. Tom Wolf, who met with the Assali family a week ago, said he and his wife were "thrilled and relieved" by the news, calling the action that denied the families entry "short-sighted and unfair." Sarmad Assali thanked supporters for their help "during this difficult and uncertain time." "Words cannot express our gratitude," she said in the ACLU statement. ACLU attorneys said they are continuing to represent Fatemeh Sheikhi, who returned to Iran after she also was denied entry Jan. 28 in Philadelphia. The retired teacher had planned to visit her two daughters, who are doctoral students studying in the United States on single-entry visas that don't allow back-and-forth trips between the U.S. and Iran. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook. An Amber Alert that blew up cellphones during the Super Bowl was canceled later Sunday night when it turned out a missing 2-year-old was never really far from home, reports say. Alexis Weber, who lives in the 2200 block of West Front Street in Berwick, Pennsylvania, was inside a car her mom failed to put in park when they arrived home about 7 p.m. Sunday, WNEP said. The mom then unloaded groceries, the Associated Press reported. The yellow 2005 Mustang rolled over a curb, down a hill and into a wooden area, the northeastern Pennsylvania television station said. Pennsylvania State Police initially said the vehicle was stolen and headed toward Laporte, according to the Amber Alert. The child was not hurt, reports said. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Rebecca Hollidge is a sixteen year old girl from Annaduff, in Co. Leitrim who has suffered very severe ill-health following the 'HPV anti-cervical vaccine Gardasil' . She now needs to travel abroad to get treatment which, hopefully, will improve her condition. In the last three years her health has deteriorated to the extent that she has to spend up to 22 hours a day in bed with chronic pain, she suffers temporary limb paralysis, heart palpitations, confusion, nausea and memory loss (to name a few) and has been unable to go to school since she was found collapsed in a bathroom. She also suffers from brain fog which has meant she has lost contact with most of her friends. Rebecca cannot receive treatment in Ireland and she is not covered by any state schemes. A Medical Fund has now been set up to raise much needed funds to help get treatments for Rebecca. Church gate collections were held in Aughnasheelin and Ballinamore on the week-end of 4th and 5th. Further Church gate collections will be held this coming week-end ,11th. and 12th. The collections will be held as follow - Fearglass, Fenagh, Drumcong, Gortletteragh, Rantogue, Annaduff, Drumsna, Bornacoola, Cloonturk, Aughawillian, Coraleehan, Cloone, Aughavas ,Mohill, Eslin. Collections will be held on the 18th & 19th March in Gowel, Leitrim Village, Jamestown . Monster Auction - A monster auction will be held in March to help with this fundraising drive. We would ask for your support by donating gifts, vouchers, services in fact everything, no matter how small, will be greatly recieved and appreciated. Dates and times will be publishes in the coming weeks. Donations, gifts and pledges can be made to Collette on 085 1715646 or 086 1723178. A bank account has also been established for donations, details are Rebecca Hollidge Medical Fund Sort code = 98-60-30 A/C = 12736637 IBAN = IE44 ULSB 9860 3012736637 BIC = ULSBIE2D Sinn Fein Leader Gerry Adams TD has paid tribute to Sinn Fein Councillor and former party Chairperson Sean MacManus who recently announced his retirement from Sligo County Council. MacManus had been a member of Sligo's local authority for almost 23 years. Gerry Adams said, On behalf of Sinn Fein I wish to pay tribute to the contribution of Sean MacManus to the party over many years. I also want to thank Helen and the family for the support they have provided him. Sean is a former party chairperson and was a member of Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle for many years. He was involved in Irish republican politics from the early 1970s and was secretary of the County Sligo Anti-H-Block Committee which campaigned in support of the republican prisoners hunger strikes of 1980/81. Sean became a member of the Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle in 1982 and remained on that body for over twenty years. He was Sinn Fein National Chairperson from 1984 until 1990, was a member of the partys delegations during the Peace process and involved in the negotiations which eventually led to the Good Friday Agreement. 25 years ago this month the MacManus family suffered a deep and personal loss when their son, Volunteer Joe MacManus, was killed in 1992 while on active service with the IRA. Twice a Mayor of Sligo, Sean contested the Sligo/Leitrim Dail constituency on several occasions and was a Sinn Fein candidate for the Connacht/Ulster constituency in in the European elections. I want to extend best wishes to Sean on his retirement from Sligo County Council, and to wish his wife Helen and son Chris all the very best in the future. Over the weekend, Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton went to his second protest of the week against Donald Trumps travel ban in Edinburgh. This time, he spoke to the 1500 strong crowd. Heres what he said: Edinburgh Im proud to know you. Youre in great voice and that matters because we are here, we are unified and we are part of a global resistance to the biggest threat to humanity since the Second World War. Now I dont know about you but I settled down to watch the US election results with hope in my heart. Hope that I could look my two year old daughter Darcy, whos here today, that I could look her square in the eye and say Darcy, let there be no limit to your ambition, let there be no limit to your feeling or self worth or your position and safety in our new society. (At this point Darcy clambered on stage and into his arms) But as the night wore on, I had to drastically rethink what I would say to her. A cold misogyny, a new paradigm of racism and homophobia was taking hold of a country that I have long admired and I couldnt believe it. I still cant. So, I got out of my chair and I stood up. Like all of you here, I stood up. In the months before Inauguration when Trump took shots at the freedom of the press, I stood up. When he started to fill his White House with white male bigots I stood up and when he closed the border to families from Syria on their knees in search of sanctuary, I stood up. Im proud to stand with you today Edinburgh, we are part of a global movement and we will not sit down, let me hear you! We will not, we utterly refuse to sit down, because apathy and fatigue is what he wants thats what they want. They want to test us now and tire us out so that ultimately well go back to what we were doing, buckle in and accept what ever comes next. Instead, today we follow the example of those lawyers hunkered down in JFK international airport filing Habeas Corpus petitions for travellers affected by the Muslim ban last weekend. In the shadow of the Statue of Liberty- mother of exiles they turned the weight of the law against Trump so that the US could fulfil the pledge made to refugees etched I stone at her feet: Give me your weak and your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free Today we march for our brothers and sisters of Islam, but tomorrow it could be the gay community, or rape survivors; the African American community or climate change scientists, whatever the frontier we will hold the line and show Trump, his puppet masters and the watching world that we will not tire we will not sit down we will only resist. Now Im a Liberal Democrat, but that doesnt matter today, Im proud to stand with people of all parties and of none, but Im going to finish with a message for the prime minister. Theresa May when you clasp hands with this man and offer him the full pomp and majesty of a state visit, you diminish yourself, you diminish the office you hold and you diminish our nation. Rescind the invitation today, remind yourself that no trade deal is worth a fire sale of our values or our respect for human rights and the rule of law. Send him a message that ours is a decent, open tolerant country, our nation, like his is a tapestry of immigrants. Keep fighting Edinburgh we have a long road to travel, but we will prevail. On Wednesday, February 1st, people from D66, myself included, attended a medium-sized (2.500 people for an event organized in 3 days) demonstration in The Hague about Trumps policies (immigration ban; Muslims; Disabled; Women) and style of politics and government. This being an election campaign season, it was also attended by party leaders of PvdA (Labour), D66 (Dutch LibDems) and the Greens; and NGOs like Amnesty and Oxfam NOVIB (=Dutch branch Oxfam) sent speakers. So far nothing remarkable. But it was exceptional that the PvdA party leader, Asscher, is also vice prime minister and minister on Immigrants Integration, and that the PvdA minister on Education and Emancipation (including LGTB and disabled) filled the PvdA speakers slot. I started following Dutch politics in gymnasium (Dutch type of Grammar school) around 1970; this was the second time in that era that Dutch Cabinet ministers attended demonstrations against policies of foreign governments. The first time was when PvdA prime minister Joop den Uyl (leading a mostly progressive coalition that included D66) spoke on a demonstration against the garroting of Basque ETA activists by the Spanish Franco (fascist) government in 1974. This makes it all the more significant that Dutch Cabinet ministers spoke at a demonstration against an elected, democratic American government. Remember that the Dutch supported the American revolution, recogniaed George Washingtons leadership and harboured the admiral of his nascent navy against the hunting Royal Navy (see Barbara Tuchmans book The First Salute. Our Surinam bauxite was necessary, and freely offered, for the wartime American aircraft production in 1941-5; and the Dutch joined American (and British) forces in Korea (1950), Afghanistan (2011-present) and even in governing a province, Al Muthanna, in Iraq with a UN Mandate, 2003-05. In TV news interviews, D66 party leader Alexander Pechtold MP stressed the mind-boggling, disturbing changes in the relations of Trumps America with China, Putins Russia, the EU (see Mr Tusk; and mind the Putin-Le Pen Axis), and on the rights of women (an old issue of all Social Liberals), LGTBI (ditto), free trade and the free movement of people (ditto). The rightwing-Liberal VVD leader, prime minister Rutte, didnt attend, but both he and Asscher confirmed in parliament that worries about discrimination with Trump are government policy. What a difference with the self-seeking, grovelling May government attempt to get a British exemption on the Trumps immigration ban; Brexiteers solo appeasement instead of European solidarity! The curious thing about Ruttes condemnation of Trump is that the New York Times quoted an array of Dutch media attacking Rutte for using populist, Wilders-like frames and wording during the present election campaign. And he and Wilders, in a joint statement, threaten to boycott the very customary opening TV debate (of a series by diverse broadcasters) if more (=leftist) party leaders are allowed to join beside CDA and D66. * Dr. Bernard Aris is a historian, a D66 parliamentary researcher and a LibDem supporting member. District Council leaders met in Lichfield late last week for the District Council Network conference. The DCN is part of the Local Government Association which comprises most English and Welsh councils and is a group set up to concentrate specifically on issues affecting district councils. There are similar groups for counties, metropolitan authorities and London boroughs. Representatives in Kenilworth were clearly bruised by the decision of ministers to plug some of the adult care services funding gap facing county councils by transferring funds directly from districts. Phrases like robbing Peter to pay Paul were used more than once at the conference, with some justification: council tax increases and transfers between local authorities are no way to manage a national funding crisis which too few people, including the Liberal Democrats, took seriously even after the point at which the warning signs were unmistakable. Apart from money it was largely, for Districts, housing and planning. There is clear nervousness about the impending new ministerial power to direct authorities to produce a joint local plan (hardly surprising given the careless abolition of structure planning by the Coalition) or by inviting county councils to take over the planning powers of laggardly districts: relations between districts and counties are always tense at best but red rags were clearly being spotted. The Housing Minister, unusually delivering a speech with content, warned district councils that they must not be afraid to take tough decisions on housing numbers and that new powers to get a step change in housebuilding are on the way. The housing White Paper is due tomorrow. Weekend kite-flying is suggesting that the Government has recognised that home ownership is no longer a realistic ideal for many and that attention should be paid instead to the rented sector. There are also continuing reassurances about the Green Belt, which will as ever be difficult to square with higher building targets. Finally there was Brexit (my own speaking slot!) To date, most districts have not responded to the LGAs survey about the potential impacts of leaving the EU and, of course, with the Government in continuing disarray, it is possibly too soon really to tell. There are three key issues for councils: first protecting and replacing EU funding beyond 2020, second dealing with the labour shortage caused by crude controls over migration and third devolving repatriated EU powers. In the last case, the likelihood, as ever with the UK, is that Brussels will simply be replaced by Whitehall. My fear is that a typical district council might, by 2021, have less money to play with, fewer people wanting to empty the bins and no more say in local government rules than it has now. Thats something the LGA and the Liberal Democrats will have to try and prevent. * Chris White is a member of the Liberal Democrat Voice Editorial Team, a Liberal Democrat Councillor from St Albans and Deputy Leader of the LGA Liberal Democrat Group. Dont make scapegoats out of foreigners for the crisis facing the NHS. Thats Tim Farrons message to Jeremy Hunt as the Government says it is going to get hospitals to check upfront whether people are eligible for free NHS treatment and charge them before treatment Because NHS staff dont have enough to do already. Tim said: We all want to see the NHS recover money owed it to it, but this is a completely disproportionate response to what is a fairly minor problem. The Health Secretary is turning NHS staff into the Border Force, its unacceptable. Asking people to show their ID before receiving treatment will mean longer waits for treatments and heap more pressure on already overstretched NHS staff. The government must explain how much it expects the new system will cost to administer and what the impact on patients will be. Instead of trying to blame foreigners for the crisis facing the NHS, Jeremy Hunt should take responsibility and give our health service the extra investment it needs. If I were Tim, I would have taken an even stronger line. You know what annoys me a whole lot more than a few people getting treatment that they need but technically should pay for? Them not getting the treatment they need at all. Thats what it boils down to. I dont want us to end up like America where they want your credit card number before theyll do anything. Doctors and nurses are there to treat people not act as quasi tax collectors or immigration officials. Making scapegoats out of sick and vulnerable people is not a very nice thing to do. What the government needs to do is to give the NHS the resources it needs to function at its best. The Tories simply want to undermine it as they always have done. What they are egging on the media to do is a bit like criticising someone for not hanging a picture straight as the house burns down around you. The NHS has bigger problems. And, you know what, if some of the tax I pay goes to treat people from abroad who desperately need medical help, then I am absolutely comfortable with it. I was struck by an article on this written by Richard Flowers a few months ago when the Tories first mooted it on the Tower Hamlets Lib Dems website. He said: This is an attack on two fundamental freedoms at once: the NHS must be free at the point of need, without needing to prove entitlement; and making people produce their papers is a step towards ID cards by the back door. And we fear that this is yet another excuse for racial profiling just who is more likely to be asked for their passports giving more encouragement to those committing hate-crimes and making the post-Brexit fractures in our society even worse. We all benefit from people in the UK residents or visitors being in good health. And everyones good health benefits from us working together to support the NHS. Anecdotes, scaremongering and labelling people health tourists are not a basis of evidence-led policy making. The NHS is in crisis because of Tory cuts not some unmeasurably tiny cost of visitors needing treatment, but this shambolic government once again is trying to put the blame on foreigners. * Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings Well, well! The Observer has started agreeing with us again. Heres what it had to say on this coming weeks Article 50 Bill amendments: Any MP planning to vote against the amendments to the bill that seek to ensure this whether or not they supported Brexit should reflect long and hard on precisely what they think parliament is for, if not to scrutinise the government on this most momentous of decisions. Second, the British people must have the opportunity to accept or reject the deal negotiated by the government. The referendum result provided a democratic mandate for Britain to leave the EU; it did not give permission to the prime minister to negotiate any deal she sees fit. Voters may choose to ratify the governments deal in a second referendum or, faced with a concrete set of terms for Britains exit, they may choose to reject the deal and deliver a mandate for the government to seek to try to remain in the EU. But the final say should rest with them. As the Brexit secretary, David Davis, has so eloquently argued in the past, leaving the EU is a process that requires two referendums. There are no legitimate grounds on which to oppose this additional layer of democracy. If parliament passes the bill without democratic safeguards, it would effectively be writing the prime minister, who has not even won an election, a blank cheque. Last September an all too rare event could be seen at the exits of some Moscow metro stations: young people were dishing out leaflets in a campaign for candidates in the municipal elections of that year. They stood before stalls and banners emblazoned with a green circle intersected by a red wedge: the emblem of the Russian United Democratic Party Yabloko. Whilst ever more stereotyped as a `centre of illiberalism`, the Russian Federation can boast its own liberal heritage and one that culminated in the short-lived provisional government of early 1917. Yabloko might be viewed as the contemporary legal and constitutional heir to that facet of Russian history. Yabloko (`apple`) emerged in 1993 and became an official political party eight years later. They adopted a unique stance of supporting the post-Soviet democratic reforms yet criticising Yeltsins authoritarianism and his so called `shock therapy` privatisation drive. Without doubt, they are something of a voice in the wilderness in the climate of sociocultural conservatism in Russian society. Observers of the Liberal International, Yabloko have argued for the entry of Russia into the European Union and taken a stand against what they call `corruption, oligarchy, Stalinism and nationalism` and wish to combat these with `deep evolutionary changes` to Russian politics. (An English translation of their programme is provided by the School of Russian and Asian Studies at www.sras.org) Often critical of American foreign policy, they have also expressed reservations about the dismantling of the Soviet Union and espouse an `Alternative Patriotism` centred around `security, prosperity and respect for its [Russias] citizens`(Russia Today, 27/7/16). Their belief in a regulated economy places them in the social liberal camp and one broadcast, by Russia Today, placed them alongside the Western Greens (R.T, 15/9/16). Emilia Slabunova is their leader, a former school governor in her late fifties and one of Russias few female party leaders. Grigory Yavlinsky, however, is one of Yablokos main figureheads. A founder of the party, this 67-year-old economics professor is a former Deputy of the Council of Ministers who worked with Gorbachev in laying down the transition to a market economy. Their grassroots backing, meanwhile, comes in no small part from undergraduates. As they now have no seats in the Moscow State Duma they constitute an extra parliamentary opposition force. Nevertheless, Slabunova has made clear in a radio interview that her nation has `had enough of revolution`. They remain committed to contesting elections, and have even spurned a proposed alliance with the more centre right PARNAS (the Peoples Freedom Party). Alone they get over 3% of the vote and this entitles them to a simplified registration system. They have won seats in regional governments in St Petersburg and Karelia, run a headquarter in the salubrious Zamoskvorechye district in central Moscow and even offer an English language website (eng.Yabloko.ru). Moreover, Yavlinsky has been put forward by his party to stand as a candidate in the 2018 presidential elections. On April 12th 2011 in Moscow, Yabloko hosted an international conference on `The Threat of Extremism and Xenophobia Among Youth`. Indeed, we live in a period when all the talk is of `deglobalisation` and a new rift has opened up between Western Europe and the Russian Federation. In such an atmosphere, liberals and social democrats need to keep the channels of communication open with their cousins across the divide in the way which that meeting exemplified and with an attitude of mutual solidarity. * Edward Crabtree is a Lib Dem member who lives and works in Russia. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. 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"The Astronaut," the first official single by Jin of the K-pop supergroup BTS, has landed at No. 61 on the British Official Singles Chart Top 100. According to the latest chart ... The mysteriously rich diversity of life on the isle of Madagascar might have arrived there in part on 'floating islands' carried by ocean currents, researchers now say. Madagascar, the world's fourth largest island, is the sole home to a wide variety of animal species, most of which are thought to have reached Madagascar after plate tectonics separated it from Africa and other continents. "The island has been fully isolated for more than 80 million years, which is well before the time period most of its animals are thought to have evolved, meaning many groups could not have been stranded there before the continents broke apart," said researcher Karen Samonds, a paleontologist at the University of Queensland in Australia. How some of the island's more land-bound creatures arrived there is an enigma, given how Africa, the closest landmass to Madagascar, is now about 250 miles (400 kilometers) away. To figure out how the ancestors of Madagascar's animals reached the island, researchers sought to decipher the patterns of arrival of the more than 80 groups of species that exist there. Floating islands To start, the investigators compiled a database detailing relationships between animals on Madagascar with their nearest living and extinct relatives outside the island. The similarities and differences seen on a genetic and anatomical level between the Madagascar animals and their kin helped the scientists estimate when they must have separated and arrived on the island. After thus seeing when these animals might have reached Madagascar and from where, the researchers then determined what the geography and ocean characteristics were like at the time and looked at how the creatures might have reached the island by swimming, flying or rafting. "Rafting has long been hinted at as the explanation for much of Madagascar's fauna," Samonds told OurAmazingPlanet. "Those in favor of the rafting theory point out that there are some tantalizing historic sightings of animals on floating clumps of vegetation, usually produced after major storm events. These 'floating islands,' up to 100 meters [330 feet] across, have been reported at sea more than 200 kilometers [125 miles] from their places of origination, some housing large, food-bearing trees and pockets of freshwater, as well as large terrestrial mammals, including a jaguar, puma, deer, monkeys and even a human infant." But not all scientists have been convinced by this theory. "There has been a great debate about rafting over at least the past 50 years," Samonds said. "While many authors have argued that dispersal events by terrestrial, land-dwelling animals across great distances of water are virtually impossible, others have argued that even unlikely events are certain to occur if the time elapsed is long enough, and that prevailing ocean currents could have aided these journeys." "When you consider the very long time-frame we're talking about tens of millions of years even rare events have a chance to occur and be successful. In fact, for most groups, only one rare event explains the presence of the modern forms for example, DNA evidence indicates that just one primate species made it across, probably 40 or 50 million years ago, and that ancestral form gave rise to the 101 descendent species you can find in Madagascar today." Rafting rates After Madagascar separated from the continents more than 80 million years ago, more animals came to the island from Africa than Asia, as expected, given how much closer the former remained to Madagascar than the latter. In addition, after the divide from the continents, animals that could fly or swim arrived at Madagascar at more than three times the rates seen with creatures that could not, as expected, given how the ocean would serve as an insurmountable barrier for land dwellers. Ancient changes in ocean current patterns also suggest that rafting was key to introducing land-dwelling animals to Madagascar. The scientists noted that until 15 million to 20 million years ago, ocean currents between Madagascar and Africa flowed largely eastward, making it easier for rafters to reach the island from the continent. However, through slow tectonic drift, Madagascar's northern tip started impinging on the southern equatorial ocean current, triggering a reversal in how the ocean currents flowed and making it harder for rafters from Africa to reach Madagascar. During that period, arrival rates of terrestrial animals to Madagascar began dropping significantly, researchers found. "Our results strongly suggest rafting did happen, mainly because the probability of successfully rafting changes predictably according to prevailing conditions," Samonds said. "There's no reason to believe it has stopped it is conceivable that rafting events on floating masses of vegetation detached by large tropical storms may still occur to Madagascar, especially through severe cyclones, some of which pass between Africa and Madagascar within a matter of days." Samonds and her colleagues detailed their findings online today (March 19) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This story was provided by OurAmazingPlanet, a sister site to LiveScience. The Temple Scroll consists of 18 sheets of parchment, each of which has three or four columns of text; the lengthy scroll, spanning 26.74 feet (8.15 meters) and considered the largest scroll ever discovered in the Qumran caves, is now digitized online with English translations. The site of Khirbet Qumran (a modern Arabic name) is located in the West Bank, near the northern edge of the Dead Sea, and is the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 11 nearby caves 70 years ago. Though it has been decades since any scrolls were discovered, researchers announced in February 2017 that they had found a 12th cave near Qumran. The first settlement was created during the Iron Age, but was abandoned about 2,600 years ago, long before the scrolls were made. Archaeological work indicates that a second settlement existed between roughly 100 B.C. and A.D. 68, when it was captured by the Roman army and destroyed in a fire. The heat was so intense that modern-day archaeologists have found glass vessels melted down by it. It is in this settlement that many scholars believe at least some of the Dead Sea Scrolls were written before being hidden away. Discovery of the scrolls Explorers first came across Qumran in the 19th century, and the site took on new importance with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The scrolls were first found in 1946 or 1947 (accounts of the exact date vary) when a young shepherd by the name of Muhammed Edh-Dhib was looking for a stray goat. At one point he was amusing himself by throwing stones. One of these fell into a small hole in the rock and was followed by the sound of the breaking of pottery, writes researcher Geza Vermes in his book "The Story of the Scrolls" (Penguin Books, 2010). Muhammed climbed in and found several ancient manuscripts in a jar. Altogether seven scrolls were subsequently removed from the cave. Over the next decade, local Bedouin and scientific researchers would discover the remains of more than 900 manuscripts in 11 caves. Each cave is located near Qumran, the farthest one being just over one mile (1.6 km) to the north of the site. The newly discovered 12th cave contained a blank scroll along with the remains of jars, cloth and a leather strap. The researchers said they believe these items were used to bind, wrap and hold the scrolls. The scrolls found include copies of Genesis, Exodus, Isaiah, Kings and Deuteronomy, among other canonical works from the Hebrew Bible. They also include calendars, hymns, psalms, apocryphal (non-canonical) biblical works and community rules. One scroll is made of copper and describes the location of buried treasure. There were no New Testament gospels found in the caves. [Gallery of Dead Sea Scrolls: A Glimpse of the Past] The Temple scroll is the thinnest of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Discovered in 1956, it contains God's instructions on how to run the Temple. (Image credit: The Israel Museum, Jerusalum) Study of the letter styles of the scrolls, along with carbon-14 dating, indicates that they were penned between roughly 200 B.C. and A.D. 70, the copper scroll being written perhaps a few decades later. Vermes writes that the vast majority of the scrolls are written in Hebrew with a smaller number in Aramaic and only a few in Greek (although Greek was a popular language at the time). Most of the scrolls were composed on leather (sheep and goat skin in particular). Recent analysis of textiles found with the scrolls shows that the textiles were originally used as clothing. They are all made of linen (even though wool was the more popular garment at the time) with most of them undecorated. The researchers argue that according to historical accounts these textiles are similar to what people belonging to an ancient sect called the Essenes wore. A virtual view of the northeast corner of the reconstructed Khirbet Qumran fortress, facing southwest towards the caves. (Image credit: Robert R. Cargill and Jennifer Dillon / Copyright 2007-2009 UCLA Qumran Visualization Project) Qumran The settlement of Qumran is very small and never grew much larger than one acre. Its population may have been no higher than a few dozen people. Recent archaeological work by Yitzhak Magen and Yuval Peleg of the Israel Antiquities Authority indicates that around 100 B.C. a Hasmonean military outpost with a watchtower and stables was constructed at Qumran. The Hasmoneans were a dynasty of Jewish rulers that controlled a state centered in modern-day Israel. In an interview with the website Heritage Key, Peleg stressed that this outpost was a modest structure. Its a small site with small units. All its purpose was was to see that no enemy army was coming to the Dead Sea shores, climbing the cliffs towards Jerusalem. In 63 B.C., the Romans took control of the Hasmonean Kingdom, and archaeological work indicates that Qumran transitioned to civilian use. Magen and Peleg write that around this time the sites water supply was tripled with the construction of an aqueduct and additional pools. Altogether, Qumran had eight stepped pools that some researchers believe to be ritual baths known as mikveh. Why the water supply was increased is a matter of debate. A priest named Roland de Vaux, who excavated at Qumran about 50 years ago and first noted the stepped water pools, argued that the sites population was increasing and the water system expansion was needed for drinking and baths. Magen and Peleg argue that this is unlikely. Their excavations show that residential space at Qumran did not increase and that only two or three of the stepped pools were ritually suited to be used as mikveh. The researchers argue that pottery production was the reason for Qumrans water system expansion. They point out that tens of thousands of pottery fragments were found at Qumran and their excavations reveal that at least one large pool had a thick layer of potters clay. The people at Qumran apparently engaged in writing. De Vauxs excavations revealed a room that he called the scriptorium, which had two inkwells along with plastered benches or tables. It could have been used for writing scrolls and/or business records, depending on how the site is interpreted. Qumrans cemeteries Qumran has three cemeteries, the main burial ground located just to the east of the site. Its estimated that 1,000 tombs are located in them, some dating to the time of Qumran but others (such as those made by local Bedouin) dating to much later. Dating the burials at the cemetery is a difficult problem, writes Brian Schultz, of Bar Ilan University, in a 2006 article in the journal "Dead Sea Discoveries." Researchers have to rely on artifacts found in the tombs, the orientation of the burials (the Jewish burials are more likely to face north-south) and radiocarbon dating. So far, 46 tombs have been excavated and published says Schultz, out of which 32 can be dated to the time of Qumran, most of them adult men. Schultz writes that the complete lack of children and the presence of (at most) only five women suggest that a monastic group composed mainly of men lived at Qumran. Qumran and the scrolls The relationship between the scrolls and Qumran is a source of great scholarly debate. Some researchers, such as de Vaux, have argued that the scrolls were deposited in the caves by the Essenes, who in turn lived at Qumran. On the other hand, some scholars, such as Magen and Peleg, argue that the site itself has no relationship to the scrolls, the manuscripts being deposited by refugees, likely from Jerusalem, fleeing the Roman army. Robert Cargill, now a professor at the University of Iowa, has created a virtual model of Qumran, giving researchers a tool to help reconstruct its architecture. He argues that multiple groups (including people from Qumran) could have been putting scrolls into the caves. This theory offers an explanation as to why there are scrolls written in three languages and why the copper scroll (discussing treasure) may date to after Qumrans destruction. The remains of a couple were found 1,500 years after being buried in China. The tomb of a general and his princess wife buried on March 18, in the year 564, has been discovered in China. The ancient tomb, which contained the couple's skeletons, was also filled with figurines, said the archaeologists who described the findings recently in the journal Chinese Cultural Relics. "The grave goods in this tomb are comprised of a total of 105 items, mostly pottery figurines," the archaeologists wrote. The figurines, whose colors are preserved, include representations of warriors, camels, oxcarts and drummers, with the tallest standing at about 22 inches (56 centimeters). [See Photos of the Ancient Tomb and Figurines] Inscription in sandstone A sandstone inscription found in the tomb describes the life of the couple Zhao Xin and his wife, Princess Nee Liu. The inscription says (in translation), "On the 20th day of the second moon of the third year of the Heqing period [a date researchers said corresponds to March 18, 564], they were buried together." Archaeologists say that 105 items were discovered in the tomb and that most of them were figurines. (Image credit: Photo courtesy Chinese Cultural Relics) Zhao Xin served the rulers of the Northern Qi dynasty, which controlled part of northern China from 550 to 577. He held posts as a general and at times a governor in different areas of China, the inscription said. At his final post, Zhao Xin served as the general of a garrison of soldiers at a place called Huangniu Town and led the garrison to victory in battle. "A thousand men lost their souls; he disposed of the Yi barbarians and exterminated the enemy, and the public flocked to him," the translated inscription says. Of Princess Nee Liu, the inscription says that "by nature, she was modest and humble, and sincerity and filial piety were her roots. Her accommodating nature was clear, her behavior respectful and chaste." Zhao Xin died at the age of 67 while still general of the garrison, according to the inscription, which does not indicate why he and his wife were buried at the same time. A detailed analysis of the bones hasn't been published yet. Mountain roots Archaeologists said in the journal article that the tomb is located near modern-day Taiyuan city on the "eastern foothills of the Xishan Mountains, on the west bank of the Fenhe River." The mountain location could have had some symbolic value, because the inscription also says, "If the mountain peak's roots are firm, it can contend in height with Heaven and Earth; deep and brilliant, solid and bright, it speeds far away along with the Sun and Moon; civil and martial seek each other, and so men are naturally there" The cemetery was excavated by archaeologists between August 2012 and June 2013. The archaeologists are from the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, Shanxi University's School of History and Culture, Taiyuan Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, and the Agency of Cultural Relics and Tourism of Jinyuan District, Taiyuan city. An article describing the discovery was published, in Chinese, in the journal Wenwu, in 2015. The article was recently translated into English and published in the journal Chinese Cultural Relics. In the journal article, the archaeologists also discussed the other tombs they found in the cemetery, noting that they excavated 69 tombs in total. Original article on Live Science This model, made out of clay, shows the 478-million-year-old armored worm. Notice the black hat-like shell on its head. Spikes covered the top of its body (A and C), and a muscle helped it move around (B), the researchers said. A tiny, hat-like shell that adorns a 478-million-year-old spiky slug is helping scientists figure out how mollusks evolved over the ages, according to a new study. The newly identified species solves a decades-old puzzle. Mollusks are a diverse group of invertebrates that includes both water and land animals, from the clever octopus to the slow snail. However, it's unclear whether mollusks evolved from an ancestor with no shell, one shell or two shells, the researchers said. Now, the scientists can confidently say that the ancestor of all mollusks likely had one shell, just like the newfound species, they said. [See images of the ancient "hat"-wearing slug] The specimens seven in all were discovered in the late 2000s by Mohamed 'Ou Said' Ben Moula, a self-taught fossil collector who has uncovered hundreds, if not thousands, of specimens with fossilized soft tissues in Morocco's Fezouata Biota. Ben Moula has a working relationship with paleontologists at Yale University, and shipped the fossils to Yale, in Connecticut, so they could be studied. Two of the specimens one adult and one juvenile were complete, allowing the researchers to examine their anatomy in detail. "I describe them as an armored, spiny slug with one single shell at the head end," said the study's co-lead researcher, Luke Parry, a doctoral student in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol in England. A detailed fossil of the newfound species, Calvapilosa kroegeri, next to an illustration of the creature. Notice the imprint of the radula a conveyor-belt-like structure with teeth at the top of the fossil. (Image credit: Peter Van Roy; Luke Parry) The researchers named the newfound mollusk Calvapilosa kroegeri. The creature's head plate was densely covered with spikes, which inspired its genus name, because "calva" and "pilosus" are Latin for "scalp" and "hairy," respectively, the researchers said.The species name honors Bjorn Kroger, a paleontologist who discovered the first C. kroegeri specimen in the material that Ben Moula sent to the Yale collections. Tiny teeth Amazingly, some of the roughly 4-inch-long (10 centimeters) C. kroegeri specimens had preserved radula "this conveyor belt of rasping teeth that's in the pharynx," Parry told Live Science. "It's underneath the shell, but because the shell has been dissolved away [in the fossil], you can see all of these hundreds and hundreds of tiny teeth pressed up against the shell." Some mollusks, including snails, use the radula to rake up food, such as algae off of rocks, Parry added. Because no other group of animals has a radula, its presence indicated that the newfound species was a mollusk, he said. An isolated shell of a Calvapilosa kroegeri specimen. Mohamed Ou Said Ben Moula, a fossil collector in Morocco, discovered these fossils in the Fezouata Biota in the late 2000s. (Image credit: Peter Van Roy) Researchers have found other fossils of animals that look like mollusks. However, they haven't been able to definitively label them as such, because these fossils don't have preserved characteristics that are as unique as a radula, Parry said. The radula finding is extraordinary, as it helps researchers label similar fossil animals as mollusks, said study senior researcher Peter Van Roy, a paleontologist at Yale University. "Calvapilosa, in possessing a radula, unequivocally shows that other fossils like Halkieria [an ancient slug-like creature with two shell 'hats' found in Greenland] and Orthrozanclus [a spiny critter found in Canada's Burgess Shale deposit] belong to the molluskan group," Van Roy told Live Science in an email. "The affinities of these animals were previously debated." After studying C. kroegeri's features, the researchers did an analysis to decipher the mollusk family tree. The newfound mollusk was the most primitive member of the lineage leading to chitons, modern-day marine mollusks that sport eight shell plates as well as spines that are similar to those found on C. kroegeri, the researchers said. [Photos: Trove of Marine Fossils Discovered in Morocco] Interestingly, whereas some mollusks, such as chitons, evolved to have more shells, others, such as aplacophorans (a group of modern worm-like animals), evolved to have no shells at all, the researchers said. "If we trace back the evolution of chitons, we can see that the number of their shells has increased with time," study co-lead researcher Jakob Vinther, a senior lecturer of macroevolution at the University of Bristol, said in a statement. "It is therefore likely that the ancestor to all mollusks was single-shelled and covered in bristle-like spines, not dissimilar to Calvapilosa kroegeri." The study was published online today (Feb. 6) in the journal Nature. Original article on Live Science. Diamond in the Rough (Image credit: Diego Gurgel) The Brazilian state of Acre is home to more than 450 mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs, most built sometime between 2,000 and 650 years ago. Archaeologists have found that these sites weren't villages and probably weren't fortifications; more likely, they were ritual sites where people gathered temporarily, perhaps during harvest times. New research reveals that humans built these geoglyphs in forests that they had already been altering for hundreds or thousands of years. [Read full story about the mysterious Amazonian geoglyphs] Earthworks revealed (Image credit: Diego Gurgel) Acre's geolgyphs were hidden by forest until ranching and other activities led to massive deforestation in the 1980s. An analysis of the ancient vegetation at two sites, Jaco Sa and Fazenda Colorada, found that humans started clearing the forests by burning at least 4,000 years ago. The sites were dominated by bamboo forest for at least 6,000 years, but humans encouraged useful species like palms to grow in cleared areas. The geoglyphs were likely constructed in small temporarily cleared areas, University of Sao Paulo archaeologist Jenny Watling and colleagues reported Feb. 6 in the journal PNAS. Hidden shapes (Image credit: Diego Gurgel) Circular geoglyphs are visible from the air in deforested areas of Acre state in western Brazil. Researchers were surprised to find that when the geoglyphs were built around 2,000 years ago, the forest canopy was present, meaning that there had not been widespread deforestation by ancient people. Instead, people seem to have cleared small areas to encourage colonization by useful species like palm trees, which provided food and building material. Digging ditches (Image credit: Diego Gurgel) The Brazilian geoglyphs are huge. Many of the ditches are as wide as 36 feet (11 meters) and as deep as 13 feet (4 m). They can be between 330 and 980 feet (100 to 300 meters) in diameter. There are few artifacts found within the geoglyphs, but archaeologists have discovered decorated pots, smashed in place, near some entrances to the earthworks. These discoveries suggest that offerings were made or rituals conducted within and around the geoglyphs, the University of Sao Paulo's Watling told Live Science. Double Circle (Image credit: Edison Caetano) In the new PNAS study, researchers took soil samples from holes 5 feet (1.5 m) deep and analyzed chemical traces of the ancient vegetation that once grew near two geoglyph sites. They found that the sites had been dominated by bamboo forest for 6,000 years at minimum, and that humans began clearing areas of forest with fire 4,000 years ago. Palm trees moved into the cleared areas, and persisted for thousands of years, suggesting that humans were clearing away the slower-growing trees that typically take over from palms in a natural forest progression. Ancient remnants (Image credit: Edison Caetano) Little is known about the people who built these impressive earthen designs. Archaeologists believe that networks of loosely affiliated peoples gathered at these sites sporadically. The new research on forest clearing suggests that the Amazon has been altered by humans for thousands of years and that the forests are not pristine. (Though modern deforestation dwarfs what ancient people did with stone axes and fire.) Fazenda Atlantica (Image credit: Diego Gurgel) Geoglyphs at a site known as Fazenda Atlantica in Acre state, western Brazil. Ancient people may have practiced "agroforestry" here, a method of encouraging useful species to colonize cleared areas while removing less-useful plants that compete with those species. These findings should "serve to highlight the ingenuity of past subsistence regimes that did not lead to forest degradation, and the importance of indigenous knowledge for finding more sustainable land-use alternatives," to modern-day clear-cutting, the University of Sao Paulo's Watling said in a statement. Dots mark the spot (Image credit: Edison Caetano) Archaeologists found that after humans abandoned the geoglyphs around 650 years ago, palm species declined and a more natural forest ecology returned. However, there are still signs of human management echoing in the forests. The forest near the Jaco Sa geoglyph has a higher-than-average proportion of species useful to humans today, Watling and her colleagues found nine out of its 10 most abundant species are used by people. This may be the ecological remnant of thousands of years of human forest management. The shape of Earth's magnetic field is the result of both the planet's north and south magnetic poles as well as the stream of particles coming from the sun. This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. The Earth is blanketed by a magnetic field. It's what makes compasses point north, and protects our atmosphere from continual bombardment from space by charged particles such as protons. Without a magnetic field, our atmosphere would slowly be stripped away by harmful radiation, and life would almost certainly not exist as it does today. You might imagine the magnetic field is a timeless, constant aspect of life on Earth, and to some extent you would be right. But Earth's magnetic field actually does change. Every so often on the order of several hundred thousand years or so the magnetic field has flipped. North has pointed south, and vice versa. And when the field flips it also tends to become very weak. What currently has geophysicists like us abuzz is the realization that the strength of Earth's magnetic field has been decreasing for the last 160 years at an alarming rate. This collapse is centered in a huge expanse of the Southern Hemisphere, extending from Zimbabwe to Chile, known as the South Atlantic Anomaly. The magnetic field strength is so weak there that it's a hazard for satellites that orbit above the region the field no longer protects them from radiation which interferes with satellite electronics. And the field is continuing to grow weaker, potentially portending even more dramatic events, including a global reversal of the magnetic poles. Such a major change would affect our navigation systems, as well as the transmission of electricity. The spectacle of the northern lights might appear at different latitudes. And because more radiation would reach Earth's surface under very low field strengths during a global reversal, it also might affect rates of cancer. We still don't fully understand what the extent of these effects would be, adding urgency to our investigation. We're turning to some perhaps unexpected data sources, including 700-year-old African archaeological records, to puzzle it out. Genesis of the geomagnetic field Earth's magnetic field is created by convecting iron in our planet's liquid outer core. From the wealth of observatory and satellite data that document the magnetic field of recent times, we can model what the field would look like if we had a compass immediately above the Earth's swirling liquid iron core. These analyses reveal an astounding feature: There's a patch of reversed polarity beneath southern Africa at the core-mantle boundary where the liquid iron outer core meets the slightly stiffer part of the Earth's interior. In this area, the polarity of the field is opposite to the average global magnetic field. If we were able to use a compass deep under southern Africa, we would see that in this unusual patch north actually points south. This patch is the main culprit creating the South Atlantic Anomaly. In numerical simulations, unusual patches similar to the one beneath southern Africa appear immediately prior to geomagnetic reversals. The poles have reversed frequently over the history of the planet, but the last reversal is in the distant past, some 780,000 years ago. The rapid decay of the recent magnetic field, and its pattern of decay, naturally raises the question of what was happening prior to the last 160 years. Archaeomagnetism takes us further back in time In archaeomagnetic studies, geophysicists team with archaeologists to learn about the past magnetic field. For example, clay used to make pottery contains small amounts of magnetic minerals, such as magnetite. When the clay is heated to make a pot, its magnetic minerals lose any magnetism they may have held. Upon cooling, the magnetic minerals record the direction and intensity of the magnetic field at that time. If one can determine the age of the pot, or the archaeological site from which it came (using radiocarbon dating, for instance), then an archaeomagnetic history can be recovered. Using this kind of data, we have a partial history of archaeomagnetism for the Northern Hemisphere. In contrast, the Southern Hemisphere archaeomagnetic record is scant. In particular, there have been virtually no data from southern Africa and that's the region, along with South America, that might provide the most insight into the history of the reversed core patch creating today's South Atlantic Anomaly. But the ancestors of today's southern Africans, Bantu-speaking metallurgists and farmers who began to migrate into the region between 2,000 and 1,500 years ago, unintentionally left us some clues. These Iron Age people lived in huts built of clay, and stored their grain in hardened clay bins. As the first agriculturists of the Iron Age of southern Africa, they relied heavily on rainfall. The communities often responded to times of drought with rituals of cleansing that involved burning mud granaries. This somewhat tragic series of events for these people was ultimately a boon many hundreds of years later for archaeomagnetism. Just as in the case of the firing and cooling of a pot, the clay in these structures recorded Earth's magnetic field as they cooled. Because the floors of these ancient huts and grain bins can sometimes be found intact, we can sample them to obtain a record of both the direction and strength of their contemporary magnetic field. Each floor is a small magnetic observatory, with its compass frozen in time immediately after burning. With our colleagues, we've focused our sampling on Iron Age village sites that dot the Limpopo River Valley, bordered today by Zimbabwe to the north, Botswana to the west and South Africa to the south. Magnetic field in flux Sampling at Limpopo River Valley locations has yielded the first archaeomagnetic history for southern Africa between A.D. 1000 and 1600. What we found reveals a period in the past, near A.D. 1300, when the field in that area was decreasing as rapidly as it is today. Then the intensity increased, albeit at a much slower rate. The occurrence of two intervals of rapid field decay one 700 years ago and one today suggests a recurrent phenomenon. Could the reversed flux patch presently under South Africa have happened regularly, further back in time than our records have shown? If so, why would it occur again in this location? Over the last decade, researchers have accumulated images from the analyses of earthquakes' seismic waves. As seismic shear waves move through the Earth's layers, the speed with which they travel is an indication of the density of the layer. Now we know that a large area of slow seismic shear waves characterizes the core mantle boundary beneath southern Africa. This particular region underneath southern Africa has the somewhat wordy title of the African Large Low Shear Velocity Province. While many wince at the descriptive but jargon-rich name, it is a profound feature that must be tens of millions of years old. While thousands of kilometers across, its boundaries are sharp. Interestingly, the reversed core flux patch is nearly coincident with its eastern edge. The fact that the present-day reversed core patch and the edge of the African Large Low Shear Velocity Province are physically so close got us thinking. We've come up with a model linking the two phenomena. We suggest that the unusual African mantle changes the flow of iron in the core underneath, which in turn changes the way the magnetic field behaves at the edge of the seismic province, and leads to the reversed flux patches. We speculate that these reversed core patches grow rapidly and then wane more slowly. Occasionally one patch may grow large enough to dominate the magnetic field of the Southern Hemisphere and the poles reverse. The conventional idea of reversals is that they can start anywhere in the core. Our conceptual model suggests there may be special places at the core-mantle boundary that promote reversals. We do not yet know if the current field is going to reverse in the next few thousand years, or simply continue to weaken over the next couple of centuries. But the clues provided by the ancestors of modern-day southern Africans will undoubtedly help us to further develop our proposed mechanism for reversals. If correct, pole reversals may be Out of Africa. John Tarduno, Professor of Geophysics, University of Rochester and Vincent Hare, Postdoctoral Associate in Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Rochester This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. A sheriff's deputy in Augusta, Georgia, recently died after inhaling liquid nitrogen while trying to save an employee inside a sperm bank. Sgt. Greg Meagher, 57, died Feb. 5 and several other officers from the Richmond County Sheriff's Department were injured, the Augusta Chronicle reported. Two liquid nitrogen tanks, which are used to preserve sperm samples, were somehow opened in the sperm bank. The injured deputies were treated for shortness of breath and released, according to news reports. But why is inhaling liquid nitrogen so deadly, given that nearly 80 percent of the air people breathe is made up of nitrogen? [The 27 Oddest Medical Cases] It turns out that the liquid nitrogen's danger lies in its rapid transformation into a gas, which can cause asphyxiation, said Peter Barham, a physicist at the H H Wills Physics Laboratory in Bristol, England, and author of "The Science of Cooking" (Springer, 2001). "I assume from the brief facts in the article that the officer was suffocated," Barham told Live Science. Dangerous ingredient Nitrogen is typically a gas at room temperature, and transforms into its liquid state at minus 321 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 196 degrees Celsius). Directly submerging a limb or a finger in liquid nitrogen is dangerous because it can freeze tissue almost instantaneously. (It's theoretically possible to quickly submerge a hand without any damage, thanks to the Leidenfrost effect, where a protective gas barrier forms around the object, preventing heat transfer, but please do NOT try that at home.) Liquid nitrogen's properties are useful in multiple medical procedures, such as wart removal, as well as in sperm and egg preservation. Liquid nitrogens primary danger, however, is that it doesn't remain a liquid for long once it is exposed to ambient temperatures. "If there is a spill of liquid nitrogen in a confined space then, as it evaporates to nitrogen gas, the gas (which occupies about 700 times the volume of the liquid) will expand to occupy the room," Barham said. It then displaces all the oxygen in the room, he said. People need to breathe oxygen to live, but because about 78 percent of the air humans breathe is nitrogen anyway, most people don't notice it until they pass out, Barham added. "If not rescued within a few minutes, then death from suffocation is inevitable," Barham said. There are strict guidelines for the handling of liquid nitrogen, but not everyone follows them. "There are typically several cases around the world each year of laboratory technicians dying this way almost always because they fail to follow the safety regulations," Barham said. One common scenario is that technicians are transporting nitrogen in an elevator gets stuck, and as the liquid nitrogen evaporates, it slowly replaces the air in the elevator, Barham added. Originally published on Live Science. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Police in West Texas arrested the 25-year-old boyfriend of Sul Ross State University student Zuzu Verk in connection with the 22-year-old woman's disappearance in October, police said Saturday. RELATED: Human remains found in West Texas where 22-year-old college student went missing Alpine police officers arrested Robert Fabian at around 9 a.m. Saturday and charged him with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence by concealing a human corpse, a second-degree felony punishable by a maximum 20 year sentence upon conviction, the Alpine Police Department said in a news release Saturday. Police were investigating human remains found Friday during a routine border patrol operation northwest of Alpine in Sunny Glen. According to police, information in the arrest affidavit for Fabian showed evidence at the scene, including human remains, had features consistent with Verk, a separate news release reported Saturday. Investigators believe the remains found Friday are that of Verk, but won't be certain until positive identification is made by forensic examiners. The complete arrest affidavit will be available Monday, police said. Verk was last seen Oct. 11 with Fabian, who reported her missing three days later, according to police. Authorities named Fabian a suspect in October, but he was being uncooperative with authorities. According to police, Fabian made two phone calls to Christopher Estrada after she disappeared. Police arrested Estrada in January and charged him with driving while intoxicated and evading arrest. At the time of his arrest, Estrada was driving the same white Ford Mustang that Fabian borrowed on Oct. 12, the day after Verk was last seen. Estrada cleaned the vehicle three times in the days following Verk's disappearance, police said. jfechter@express-news.net Twitter: @JFreports For over 100 years, Lockheed Martin has been at the forefront of innovation. From the space race to missions to Mars, the birth of aviation to hypersonic and stealth technology, Rosie the Riveter to advanced manufacturing, our stories are the stories of historyand the future. Read our feature stories to find out how we ensure those we serve are always ahead of ready. Local News, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: February 06 2017 Arson Bomb Squad detectives report the details of a fatal house fire that occurred on Saturday, February 4, 2017 at 12:10 am in Elmont. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, but has been deemed to be non-suspicious in nature. Elmont, NY - February 4, 2017 - Arson Bomb Squad detectives report the details of a fatal house fire that occurred on Saturday, February 4, 2017 at 12:10 am in Elmont. According to detectives, Fifth Precinct officers, along with the Elmont Fire Department were dispatched to 1560 Dutch Broadway for a house fire. Inside the home at the time of the fire was a 31 year old male, who was able to escape the home after unsuccessfully attempting to reach his father, a 70 year old male, who was trapped by the fire while in an upstairs bedroom. Firefighters, after subduing the flames, were able to reach the upstairs bedroom, locate the unconscious male and bring him outside where CPR was initiated. He was then transported to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased by a staff physician. Firefighting operations continued with the assistance of the Lakeview, Franklin Square, Valley Stream and West Hempstead Fire Departments until the fire was extinguished. One firefighter from the Elmont Fire Department was transported to an area hospital for treatment of minor burns to his upper legs. The 31 year old resident was also transported to an area hospital suffering from minor smoke inhalation. The name of the deceased is being withheld at this time. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, but has been deemed to be non-suspicious in nature. So Ive just experienced the fear for the first time. In just over four short months time Ill be marrying the love of my life, which is obviously great, but for the very first time in our loooonngg engagement, I suddenly feel like time is moving at scary warp speed. How will we get everything done in time? What if it rains on our al fresco plans? Why havent I nailed down the sweet personal details that I love so much about the weddings I see featured here on this blog? Why are we getting married in another country!? Im the worst bride in the world! Ive had my head so wrapped up in paperwork and logistics and the boring legal and transport stuff that I really havent yet made time for the things Im most looking forward to writing our vows, practising not knocking my fiance out during our first dance (Im majorly clumsy), deciding what to say in my speech. A speech Ive only just decided to do by the way; a speech that simultaneously terrifies and empowers me. Any tips ladies? But there is a light at the end of the tunnel and reminding me of that glorious married glow is the wedding Im about to share with you all. Allow me to introduce you to the sunny, joyful, family-focussed union of eCommerce Solutions Manager, Francesca, and Carlos, a Senior Portfolio Manager. The lovebirds wed on 4th June 2016 at Dolce Sitges Hotel near Barcelona and wove their youngest daughters baptism into their celebrations. We chose the Dolce Sitges Hotel in Stiges, Barcelona to hold our wedding. Carlos, my husband, is from Barcelona and he knew the place. I liked it from the first moment I saw it. I wanted to have an elegant but simple wedding and I like white so I requested to have most of the decorations in this one plain colour. Photography by Matt Penberthy The idea of getting ready on the terrace overlooking a beautiful city, in the balmy summer air, just sounds like heaven doesnt it? Francesca did exactly that, preparing for the day ahead with her gorgeous little girls by her side. Our bride wore a divine Pronovias dress and veil, both bought from the Pronovias store on Londons Bond Street. Pronovias brides are just so blooming elegant and Francesca is no exception. I initially wanted a Vera Wang dress but it was too expensive, so I opted for Pronovias because they are known for their quality and stylish dresses. I picked it also because its from Barcelona.Carlos and I met six years ago in a bar in Milan. I was coming back from work and just passing by to say hello to my brother (who was bar tendering there). My cousin was sat at a table with Carlos and he introduced us to each other using the excuse that I was just returning from Spain (where I lived for a while) and since Carlos was Spanish, we could be friends. From that day we started seeing each other every day. Francesca accessorised with metallic shoes from Jimmy Choo and I was delighted to discover while oggling these images, that her gorgeous gown was comprised of a fitted, figure-hugging dress and a glamorous voluminous skirt, which she removed for the evening celebrations. The hairdresser picked fresh white roses to put in my hair and I wore my usual perfume, Jo Malones Mimosa & Cardamom. I accessorised with diamond earrings that my in-laws gifted me for the day and my makeup was done by Dino Del Corso and hair by LEO Estilista Sitges. Francescas maids picked their own dresses and shoes; it was essential to our bride that her best ladies were comfortable. Francesca bought her daughters adorable dresses in a boutique in Milan and Carlos wore a sharp suit from Alessandro Martorana. Francesca walked down the outdoor aisle at Dolce Sitges Hotel on the arm of her father to Tom Odells Grow Old With Me. After discussing their options for vows with their priest, they selected the most simple option to pledge their forever to one another, and also incorporated a baptism for their little girl into the ceremony. Travel-loving photographer Matt Penberthy was on hand to capture every moment of the sun-drenched celebrations. Matt aims to capture emotions and tell the story of a couple in a creative and unique way and hes done a sterling job of documenting the couples love story alongside the gorgeous textures of the Spanish surroundings. I loved each and every picture from my wedding day. Matt Penberthy framed every detail in such a special way. I wanted a modern but elegant photography style and Matt nailed it. Everything was included in his images; our guests, the atmosphere, the ceremony, peoples smiles and emotions. I got compliments from all of my friends who saw the pictures and loved them. Matt was very professional; I wish I could get married again! I would totally recommend his photography to anyone wanting to frame their special day in the most amazing way. After the ceremony, the couple floated away on a cloud of just married bliss for some couple portraits with photographer Matt Penberthy. Opting to forgo a traditional first dance, Francesca and Carlos put a great deal of thought into sweet favours tailored for their male and female guests. For the ladies we gifted small wooden boxes with a little stone heart inside bought from Sass & Belle and for the gents we purchased crystal globes from Not On The High Street, all packaged up in gift bags with individual name tags from Amazon. The newlyweds and their guests sat down to an al fresco feast catered by Dolce Sitges Hotel, including a scrumptious looking collection of cakes, which are quite frankly making me ravenous. The catering and the cake was provided by the hotel chef. We had a triple chocolate cake I love chocolate! Words of Wedded Wisdom Simplicity is the most elegant touch. \ Thank you Francesca for those very concise and often very true words of advice. Were all so very grateful to Francesca and Carlos, and of course to Matt Penberthy Photography, for allowing us to share this wonderful day. Matt has captured a whole host of gorgeous weddings which have graced the pages of Love My Dress by the way enjoy a good scroll! Head over to Instagram and tap in #LaDolceBoda for a few more personal wedding snaps and if youre planning your own Spanish fiesta take a look right here. Please do let us know in the comments box below if youre having a destination wedding we love a sunny celebration here at Love My Dress and it would also make me feel immeasurably better to know that I have some sisters in arms. With love, a slightly panicked and stressed out Em x New Delhi : The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were adjourned for nearly 50 minutes today after an uproar by Congress and Left members over the handling of the death of IUML leader and MP E Ahamed. Amid noisy scenes, an apparently upset Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House till noon. As soon as the House took up the Question Hour, Congress and Left members, mainly from Kerala raked up the issue of Ahamed's death at RML hospital here following a cardiac arrest. The Opposition members have been demanding a probe into the manner in which the death of Ahamed was "handled" by the government, alleging that he had died soon after being rushed to the hospital but it was announced much later. When the Speaker disallowed the issue from being raised during Question Hour, the protestors said it was against democratic norms. The members then rushed to the Well holding placards which read 'Parliamentarians for dignified life and death' and 'We are Ahamed Sahib'. As the slogan shouting continued for a while, an upset Mahajan rose to say that such talk should not take place. She then adjourned the proceedings till noon. Treasury and Opposition benches were largely empty today with most members apparently concentrating on electioneering in Uttar Pradesh.Trinamool Congress members were present in the House, but unlike on Friday, did not protest the arrest of their MPs in a chit fund scam by the CBI. The members of the AIADMK, which is witnessing transition of absolute power to V K Sasikala, were also conspicuous by their absence. Earlier as soon as the House met, Mahajan made obituary references on the killing of 8 Odisha Armed Police personnel in a landmine blast allegedly by Left-wing extremists and the death of 17 miners in a cave-in at a Jharkhand open cast mine. PTI 20 PHOTOS click for more In todays edition of What to Wear This Week, Katharine Kjerland, floral designer and New York resident, breaks down the mechanics of what she wears and why. What do you think about when you get dressed in the morning? The weather! Im always cold so I like to layer. The first thing I do in the a.m. is check the tempertaure to see just how many layers I need. Do you start from the shoes and then work your way up, or clothes and then down? Pants first, then I figure out the rest. How does living in N.Y.C. influence your style? What about where youre from or where you grew up? I grew up in Yonkers so Im a New Yorker through and through. Back then, Yonkers was still woods. I wasnt very fashion conscious. I started working in the Garment District modeling for Priscilla of Boston bridal gowns when I was 19. From there, I followed the birds (and my career) to Miami, modeling for photography and runway shows. My first was Emilio Pucci. He came from Italy and touched everyones asses. He wouldnt let us wear girdles or bras, both of which were staples in 50s fashion. His silks were some of the softest I ever felt. I moved to D.C. for my first husband. D.C. style was bleak. Their idea of fashion was navy suits and sheer stockings with a sensible heel. I used to come back to New York for trunk shows and stand on the corner of Madison Ave and just watch people walk by to get my fashion fix. Eventually the pull of N.Y.C. brought me back and I never left. New York style is inspiring (but lets be honest, I still wear all black). Depending on where you live you dress accordingly: street style varies from the Upper East Side to downtown, east side vs. west side, Bowery vs. Hudson. You pick up ideas just being on the street and looking at people. I am constantly asking whose boots are you wearing, where did you get your coat, etc. Its all-around inspiring. Help! One getting-dressed-in-the-winter tip: Layers! And cashmere. What do you like your outfits to say about you? Theyre very reflective of my life experience. On any given day, I combine old with new Halston cashmere with AYR denim, Tse tees with a contemporary pant, a vintage sweater or jacket with my favorite leggings. My outfits fit my personality (and lifestyle). That being said, I am usually in some sort of gym shoe and legging. On any given day I can be found in the flower market or the gym my clothes have to suit my lifestyle and work as hard as I do. Whats your foolproof styling trick? Simplicity. And know what looks good on you. The one garment that never lets you down? My Norma Kamali coat. It feels good, its versatile and its a showstopper which is funny, because you can literally hide in that coat. What item of clothing makes you feel most like yourself? Why? My leather moto jacket. I always wanted a motorcycle. I grew up with two younger brothers who always had bikes and still ride to this day. It makes me feel close to them. At what point in your life did you really start to come into your own in terms of personal style? In my 40s. I was working for Halston in his New York atelier and his style of dressing women was flattering in a way that I saw fitting for my own style. He was all about clean lines; his use of the bias made women look sexy and classy all at the same time. I still remember the day he brought out a custom hammered satin dress that was the most beautiful single piece of fabric I had ever seen. Its still sitting in my closet and is coveted by my granddaughters. I think it would be a great wedding dress, actually (hint, hint)! What are your favorite three places on the Internet to get inspired? I look at street style. To be honest, the internet is not a hub for me the way it is for young folks. All you have to do is look around you. Sit on a park bench, peek around your neighborhood restaurant, observe real life as it happens. Thats where I find inspiration. What about three favorite places in the city (or the world) to get inspired? I live in the West Village, so thats one. The Upper East Side gives me a different sense of inspiration young people on the Bowery or in the East Village or Soho. There are fashionistas, bohemians and chic ladies who lunch all mulling around the same city. Outside of New York, Italy and France host some of the most stylish women in the world. All you have to do is sit outside at a street cafe and observe the buzz of beauty around you. Egypt and India were extraordinarily inspiring for flavor as well. Whats the coolest thing youve learned in the last week? That Im going to miss the Obama family so much its hitting me hard. Best song to get dressed to? Pretty Woman. I went to Cherry Lane Theater the other night to see a one-woman show that was fantastic. It was all about her life story and it reminded me of how much I love that song. Photos by Krista Anna Lewis. Absolution, Deceit and Renewables Its been a while since the Automatic Earth featured an article from Energy Matters, the site run by our longtime friend Euan Mearns, Honorary Research Fellow at The University of Aberdeen, and his co-conspirator Roger Andrews, a British engineer/geophysicist, semi-retired in Mexico. But I read a piece by Roger yesterday that I like, because it allows me to rant against all the false claims emanating from countries and companies about the share of renewable power in their total energy consumption. Roger focuses on the railway system in the Netherlands, run by NS, which recently claimed that it operates on 100% wind power. This is of course, if you know anything about electricity generation and the grid, a preposterous claim, and that the company has the guts to make such a claim can only serve to prove how little the general public knows about the topic. Or they wouldnt dare. Green is still so sexy in certain circles, and actual knowledge so poor, that companies like the NS feel no scruples about stretching their greenness into absurd theater territory. Google does something similar. And you might be inclined to think that the topic is so important for both the companies and the people they seek to please with their claims that grossly exaggerating the numbers would be out of the question, but not so. Instead, Google announced that it will purchase enough renewable energy to match 100% of its operations in 2017. And that is not the same as running on renewables, which is what is being suggested (in carefully cherry-picked terms). I like this assessment by electronicdesign.com: Is Googles Renewable Energy Plan What It Seems? Essentially, Google is contracting for green energy from places that can never reach its data centers. If it were as simple as Google claims, it would be easy to build a renewable power sector. New York City could execute a massive number of contracts with wind farms in upstate New York because they are on the same grid. [..] Google is promising to buyon an annual basisthe same amount of megawatt-hours (MWh) of renewable energy as the amount of megawatt-hours of electricity that it consumes for its worldwide operations. This approach will benefit the renewable energy market even though it is still generating the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions with or without its 100% renewable energy purchasing plan. Google buys renewable energy in various places around the world, but its servers dont run on it. Its exactly like companies buying carbon permits from poorer nations; an excuse to keep polluting. As both the permits and the renewables are traded in markets where prices are low and/or heavily subsidized. As for the scale involved, In 2015, Google consumed 5.7 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity, which is nearly as much electricity as the city of San Francisco. And dont forget it keeps consuming ever more as the company grows. Thats a lot of fossil fuels. The medieval principle of absolution inevitably comes to mind. As for the Netherlands railways, Roger concludes below, after explaining why, that the Netherlands electrified railways continue to be powered dominantly by fossil fuel electricity. The Harried Dutch commuters who are travelling on one of the most environmentally friendly rail networks in the whole of Europe, if not the world are being sold a bill of goods. I would like to add that because of continuing issues related to intermittency and baseload, which are nowhere near being solved, the very grid itself that is used to deliver the renewable electricity couldnt exist without fossil fuels. Or, in other words, if there were only green sources of electricity, there would be no grid. How much can be moved towards green sources is still somewhat debatable, but just like solar panels and wind turbines cannot build themselves but need fossil fuels to be produced, there is a limit far far below the 100% both Google and the Dutch railways are (deceitfully?) toying around with. Heres Roger: Do The Netherlands Trains Really Run On 100% Wind Power? This question generated a number of comments in the last Blowout so I thought I would take a quick look at it. I find that the electrified portion of the Dutch railway network (Nederlandse Spoorwegen, or NS) runs on grid electricity that comes dominantly from fossil fuel generation (natural gas and coal). NS claims 100% wind power because it has a contract with various wind farms to produce enough energy to power its rail system, but this is just an accounting transaction. Only a small fraction of the power delivered to its trains actually comes from wind. First some details on the Netherlands electricity sector. As shown in the table below installed capacity is dominantly fossil fuel, with natural gas making up 61% of total installed capacity and coal 15%. Wind contributes 4,117MW, representing 13% of the capacity mix. (Data from ENTSO-E ): No details on the current generation mix are readily available, but as shown in Figure 1 gas and coal supplied around 80% of the Netherlands electricity between 2000 and 2013 and its likely that this percentage still applies. Figure 1: The Netherlands generation mix 2000-2013. Data from Frontier Economics How much of the Netherlands electricity is supplied by wind? According to Cleantechnica wind power in the Netherlands generates 7.4 billion kWh (7.4TWh) of electricity annually, and according to BP the Netherlands total electricity generation in 2015 was 109.6TWh. However, wind power consumption in the Netherlands in 2015 was 12.5TWh, indicating that about 5TWh of wind power was imported during the year. So while wind contributes about 7% to the Netherlands electricity generation it contributes about 11% to the countrys electricity consumption. Either figure comfortably exceeds the amount of electricity NS uses to power its electric trains, which is variously quoted as either 1.2 or 1.4TWh/year. The Netherlands imports wind power basically because its falling behind its EU renewable energy targets. But how does NS know the power it imports is wind? Because Eneco, which contracts to supply NS with wind power, gets a Guarantee of Origin from the exporter under which the exporter confirms that the power came from wind and assigns the rights to it to NS. As Cleantechnica puts it: the GoO system allows for the transfer of the rights to call electricity green from those who actually generate renewable energy to those who dont but want to classify their power as such. The actual amount of green energy produced is unaffected. There is, however, a problem. For NS to use only wind power from wind farms to power its rail system the wind farms must be connected directly to NSs railways. (Figure 2: Note the dotted lines showing non-electrified track. According to LJ Electrical only 2,231km of NSs total 3,223km of track is electrified): Figure 2: The Netherlands railway network. And of course no such connections exist. The two Dutch wind farms that have contracted to sell power to NS (Noordoostpolder and Luchterduinen) are both connected directly to the Dutch grid, along with all the other power plants in the country, and NS draws its power from the grid: Figure 3: The Netherlands electricity grid. Grid connections for the Luchterduinen and Nordpoostpolder wind farms (locations approximate) are shown in black. When wind power is fed into a grid it becomes inextricably mixed with all the vibrating electrons from other generation sources to the point where there is no way of knowing where any power taken from the grid came from. Grid power in fact reflects the overall generation mix, which in the case of the Netherlands is dominantly gas and coal with only a small contribution from wind. How much wind? Over the course of this year the average will be around 11%, equal to wind powers share of the Netherlands annual grid electricity consumption. And only half of the wind power NS has contracted for comes from the Netherlands. The other half comes from newly built wind farms in . Belgium and Finland. Wind power now supplies about 10% of Belgiums electricity, so power imported from the Belgian grid will be about 10% wind. Wind power from Finland can be discounted. Only about 2% of Finlands generation mix is wind, and by the time it passes through the Finnish, Swedish and German grids on its way to the Netherlands it will effectively have disappeared. Imports from the German grid, however, will contain about 14% wind power, although not wind power that NS has contracted for. Putting these numbers together indicates that only 10-15% of the electricity consumed annually by NSs electric trains will come from wind, with the rest a mixture that includes mostly Dutch gas and coal plus a small amount of Belgian and German coal, nuclear and lignite and maybe even a little German solar. The supply of wind power to the Dutch grid will also not be constant. I have no wind records for the Netherlands but P.F. Bach supplies data for Belgium, which should be a close analogy, and Figure 4 shows Belgian wind generation for September 2014: Figure 4: Belgian wind generation, September 2014 With an installed capacity of around 1850MW in this month the overall wind capacity factor was 11% and there were a number of occasions on which wind generation fell effectively to zero for hours on end. During these periods wind generation in the neighboring Netherlands would also have fallen to low levels. Were these conditions to repeat themselves now, and if NSs trains were powered exclusively by wind, they would almost certainly come to a halt. (Although Eneco, NSs wind power procurer, claims that its wind farm portfolio guarantees sufficient capacity to cover such eventualities . Apparently Eneco can make the wind blow to order.) So how does NS justify the claim that all Dutch trains run on 100% wind power? Well, it actually claims that only the electrified portion runs on 100% wind. Only the Guardian has seen fit to publish a correction: An earlier version said all Dutch trains were now 100% powered by wind-generated electricity, according to the national railway company NS. The company said all electric trains were now powered by wind energy. (my emphasis) And how does NS justify this lesser claim? According to Railway Technology because it has a: green energy contract thought to be among the largest yet signed in Europe between power supplier Eneco and VIVENS, an energy procurement joint venture comprising Netherlands Railways (NS), Veolia, Arriva, Connexxion and rail freight firms, and because NS and Eneco have carefully selected a list of wind farms that fulfil their criteria of being traceable, sustainable or renewable and additional, or new, and because This partnership ensures that new investments can be made in even newer wind farms, which will increase the share of renewable energy. In this way, the Dutch railways aim to reduce the greatest negative environmental impact caused by CO2 in such a way that its demand actually contributes to the sustainable power generation in the Netherlands and Europe. The first two are feel good justifications that have no practical impact. The third that by purchasing wind power that would otherwise have gone elsewhere NS is leaving the door open for more wind projects and more CO2 reductions is the only one that offers any tangible benefits. But there is no guarantee that the unfilled demand will be met by renewables, and in any event the 1.2-1.4TWh/year consumed by NS represents barely more than 1% of the Netherlands annual electricity consumption and a totally negligible fraction of European consumption. This is hardly enough to make a big deal about. And meanwhile the Netherlands electrified railways continue to be powered dominantly by fossil fuel electricity. The Harried Dutch commuters who are travelling on one of the most environmentally friendly rail networks in the whole of Europe, if not the world are being sold a bill of goods. By Raul Ilargi Meijer Website: http://theautomaticearth.com (provides unique analysis of economics, finance, politics and social dynamics in the context of Complexity Theory) 2017 Copyright Raul I Meijer - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. Raul Ilargi Meijer Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. The General Assemblys budget committees agree that more pay for public employees is their top priority, but they take much different paths on providing raises for teachers, college and university faculty, and the Virginia Capitol Police. The Senate Finance Committee adopted a proposed budget on Sunday that would include a 2 percent pay increase for teachers in K-12 and higher education faculty, while the spending plan the House Appropriations Committee approved provides more money to local school divisions and colleges and universities to spend as they want, but not necessarily on raises. The House budget also includes $2.4 million for Capitol police to boost officer starting salaries and pay, while filling vacancies and hiring up to 15 new officers. The Senate plan does not address compensation for Capitol Police beyond a 3 percent raise that both committees would restore for all state employees, who lost the pay increase when state revenues fell short at the end of last June. And the Senate also tried to position itself as more fiscally cautious than the House by proposing a $40 million revenue reserve, based primarily on an additional $30 million it expects to collect from a tax amnesty program Gov. Terry McAuliffe proposed that both chambers have endorsed. We believe this is the most fiscally prudent use of these resources, and a conservative way to address the volatility in revenue forecasting in light of the unknown direction of the federal budget, Senate Finance Co-Chairman Thomas Norment , R-James City, said in introducing the budget proposal. House Appropriations Chairman S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, said the House budget is actually more conservative than the Senates because we just dont recognize revenue we dont know is going to be there. The different spending plans if adopted by the full bodies on Thursday set the stage for spirited negotiations in conference committee in the second half of the legislative session, with McAuliffe waiting in the wings with his veto pen to push his spending priorities. However, both budget proposals rejected the governors proposal of a one-time, 1.5-percent bonus next year for public employees, and instead used the money he planned to pay for it to provide salary increases to state classified employees, boost the starting salary and pay of state police, give raises and other salary relief to sheriffs deputies, and provide additional compensation to low-paid, high-turnover jobs in state behavioral health facilities. There was almost uniform rejection by state employees of the bonus, Norment said in an interview. We did not feel that was an appropriate message to send. McAuliffe issued a statement on Sunday afternoon that said he shares the General Assemblys desire to increase the compensation our hard-working state employees receive, particularly our Virginia State Police troopers and sheriffs deputies. However, the governor reminded legislators not to forget about compensation of teachers, whose average annual pay lags the national average by $7,200. Retaining and recruiting the best teachers is essential to building a new economy, he said. House Democratic Leader David Toscano, D-Charlottesville, and Caucus Chair Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, said in a joint statement that they are pleased House Republicans have recommended pay raises for state employees, but we are concerned that teachers have generally been left out and are troubled by the proposed cuts in the areas of law enforcement and reproductive health. The Senate budget includes $83 million for the states share of a 2 percent pay increase for teachers, regardless of whether their local school division gave the raises in December out of their own funds. All but 12 of the 135 school divisions gave the raise last year after the state backed out of its share. The Senate took a more direct approach, Norment said, noting concern about treating teachers differently than other public employees. The House chose to use the governors bonus funds and other revenues to add $61 million to the $157 million already budgeted to free up Virginia Lottery funds for local school divisions to use as they wish, without a requirement that they match the grants with local funds. It took a while for the visitors in the packed committee room to understand that the meeting was over and lawmakers were leaving. When they realized, they started shouting. Shame! the crowd yelled as officials filed out of the room Friday at the Virginia General Assembly Building. Many of the politicians already had left, which meant the House of Delegates election committee staff took most of the heat. The outburst came in reaction to the Republican-controlled committee snuffing out a last-ditch effort to revive a GOP-sponsored redistricting reform measure that advocates saw as their best shot to scale back partisan gerrymandering and create fair-fight districts. A Democratic lawmaker had planned a motion to bring back a redistricting measure patroned by Del. Steve Landes, R-Augusta. But the panels Republicans abruptly adjourned the 9 a.m. meeting before anything could happen. We came all the way from Falls Church, said Geri Falek, one of several redistricting reform advocates frustrated over the sequence of events. Woke up at 5:30 in the morning, walked in the door and they shut us out. Despite Fridays fuming, Republican leaders have shown little desire to change the system that elected GOP majorities in the House and Senate despite the party being shut out of statewide offices and Virginias Democratic voting streak in presidential races. Though the governors race this year gives Republicans a chance to break their statewide slump, several GOP proposals to expand the General Assemblys power seem to anticipate a future in which the legislature remains the center of Republican power in Virginia. Nearing the midway point of the 2017 legislative session, Republicans have advanced a constitutional amendment that would give the General Assembly power to overrule any administrative rule or regulation adopted by the executive branch; and a bill to tilt the State Board of Elections to GOP control. The legislation would give the General Assembly prerogative over important areas of state government, Chris West, a spokesman for House Speaker Bill Howell, R-Stafford, said in a statement. It would allow the citizens of Virginia a chance to weigh in through their elected representatives, Republican or Democrat. Another bill would strip away a governors power to fill U.S. Senate vacancies. It would require a special election instead of a temporary gubernatorial appointment. Republicans argue theyre simply bringing more balance to Virginias system, in which governors have unusually strong authority over state affairs but must leave office after one four-year term. That hasnt stopped Democrats from making multiple comparisons to the power struggle in North Carolina, where the Republican legislature moved to weaken its governors office after losing it to Democrats. The majority party thinks theyre never going to win another statewide election in Virginia, said Del. Mark Sickles, D-Fairfax, who opposed the measure on regulatory overrides, on Friday before trying to bring back the redistricting amendment. There are numerous bills in this session on every topic chipping away at the governors powers. The constitutional change giving the General Assembly more control over the administrative rules, which has House and Senate versions, would give the legislature a hand in the finer details of how state agencies interpret and enforce the law. Much of the regulatory rule-making process focuses on dense, technical issues of interest to certain industries. The governors office called the proposed amendment ill-advised. It would basically mean that lobbyists and influence peddlers can interfere with the regulatory process in the same way that many Virginians feel they interfere with the legislative process, Gov. Terry McAuliffes spokesman Brian Coy said. Other regulations have dealt with more political issues where a Republican legislature could be expected to differ sharply with a Democratic governor and vice versa. McAuliffe can veto the bills that shrink the power of his office, but he cant block constitutional amendments, which require General Assembly approval in two consecutive years before being put on the ballot for voters to decide. The legislation that could help Republicans win control of the Board of Elections even if they dont win the Executive Mansion passed the House last week. The complaint about it is that the governor is too powerful, said Del. Mark Cole, R-Fredericksburg, the bills patron. Virginia is the only state that bars its governor from serving consecutive terms. Cole, the chairman of the House elections committee, said he favors allowing longer tenures for governors. And he needs to give up some of his authority before we go to a two-term governor, Cole said. This is just a small step in that direction. The editorial board of the IMTs Arabic website, marxy.com, is very proud to announce the publication of the Arabic translation of Bolshevism: The Road to Revolution, by Alan Woods, editor of marxist.com. The book is a masterful account of the history of the Bolshevik Party, rich with lessons about how, over years of patient work, it came to lead the Russian masses to power in 1917. Read on for information about an Arabic-language launch event this Sunday, and the authors preface (in English), which discusses the legacy of the 2011 Arab Revolution. The midterms used to be a banal affair that received little attention and voter turnout, in which the opposition party would typically retake control of Congress without much uproar. But the traditional dynamics of US bourgeois politics have been entirely upended in the last period, as the systematic crisis of world capitalism wreaks havoc on political stability across the globe. This years midterms will provide a partial snapshot of the political mood in American society at the halfway point of Bidens presidential term. Details Esquerda Marxista 05 October 2022 The first round of the Brazilian elections are over. Our priority and central struggle now is to help the working class defeat Bolsonaro at the polls on 30 October. For this, first of all, it is necessary to understand the... This summer, the world has been struck by calamitous weather events, including immense droughts across multiple continents. Satellite pictures show vast areas, completely desiccated by the heat. Europe experienced its worst drought in 500 years. Meanwhile, China was hit by its most severe heatwave in 60 years, causing a drought whose impact continues to ripple through agriculture and industry. Child labour a horror described by Charles Dickens in Oliver Twist, which is still rampant in countries ravaged by imperialism to this day is returning to the advanced capitalist countries, where it had been regarded as a scourge of the past. As capitalism continues to rot, it is taking the youngest all over the world with it. In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. This Privacy Policy (Policy) sets out our data collection and processing practices and your options regarding the ways in which your personal information is used. This Policy contains important information about your personal rights to privacy. Please read it carefully to understand how we use your personal data. We may update this Policy from time to time without notice to you, so please check it regularly. The provision of your personal data to us is voluntary. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com Jennifer Koh and Shai Wosner.jpg Jennifer Koh and Shai Wosner NORTHAMPTON - Valley Classical Concerts, formerly Music in Deerfield, presented a fascinating concert entitled "A Bridge to Beethoven," Sunday at 3 p.m. in Smith College's Sweeney Concert Hall. The concert featured violinist Jennifer Koh and pianist Shai Wosner, playing a sort of Beethoven sandwich. The two slices of bread were Beethoven's Sonata in D Major, Op. 12, No. 1 and the famous "Kreutzer" Sonata, Op. 47. The filling was Vijay Iyer's "Bridgetower Fantasy," commissioned and premiered in 2015, as part of Koh's "Bridge to Beethoven" project. George Bridgetower, a Polish-born violin virtuoso whose father claimed to be an African prince, premiered the "Kreutzer" Sonata with Beethoven in 1803. In fact, Beethoven originally dedicated the sonata to Bridgetower, but withdrew it after the violinist insulted a female friend of the composer, and rededicated it to Rudolphe Kreutzer, who never played it. Iyer described his Fantasy in a program note as "a collection of imaginings about George Bridgetower." The piece was certainly a collection of imaginings. Iyer imagined himself as John Cage for a while, requiring the pianist to knock on the wood of the keyboard cover, tap on the bottom of the case, and actually slam the keyboard cover against the body of the piano to articulate sections of his fantasy. From these dated effects and some atmospheric harmonics from the violin emerged manic cyclic figures executed in complex rhythmic unisons (more of a tribute to the players than the composer). A possible second part of the piece began in vague, veiled lines in the piano, clouded with pedal, and draped with lazy glissandi from the violin. A possible third part began in chorale-like textures, repeating 10-12-note phrases supported by Hindemithian harmonies, accelerating to an eventual insectile pulsing, out of which burst occasional unexpected triads (A-flat major, etc.) The entire piece ended in a blistering inferno of B Major, as if to say it was about to recapitulate the first movement of the Kreutzer Sonata, but couldn't figure out how to get there. Koh's "Bridge to Beethoven" project, pairing Beethoven's ten sonatas with works by contemporary composers, (Jorg Widmann, Andrew Norman, and Anthony Cheung join Vijay Iyer in this endeavor) is a superb idea, and deserves a lot of credit. It may succeed in enlarging the repertoire for the violin, or it may simply highlight Beethoven's enduring genius, but it ultimately draws deserved attention to art music. The two Beethoven Sonatas surrounding the Bridgetower Fantasy were played exquisitely by both artists. Wosner's fleet fingers were undaunted by the passagework in either Op. 12 or Op. 47, and his effort to keep the massive sound of the wide-open 9-foot Steinway under control in the dense accompaniment of the later piece was heroically successful. Koh's command of color and character painted vivid drama personas through both sonatas - one moment anxious and agitated, the next coy and secretive. Some of the more outrageous ornamental excesses of the Kreutzer Sonata seemed almost too elegantly finessed - too perfect for how over-the-top they were compositionally. But that is far more a testament to Koh's virtuosity than a criticism of interpretation. When Valley Classical Concerts Artistic Director John Montanari concluded his welcome to the audience, he quipped that "...the Super Bowl has Lady Gaga, but WE have Jennifer Koh." Pioneer Valley music fans have known and loved Koh for a long time. She came to the Musicorda Summer String Program at Mt. Holyoke College as an 11-year-old prodigy in 1987 and 1988 (and there were some Musicorda folks in the audience on Sunday to welcome her back). Around that time she also made her debut with the Chicago Symphony playing Paganini. A little more than ten years later, Koh was engaged by the Springfield Symphony (then under the direction of Mark Russell Smith) as soloist in the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, which she played masterfully on her Stradivarius violin. CHICOPEE -- Laughing Latinos Comedy is offering couples a night of painting, good food and laughter. "We start with painting and wine followed by dinner and a show with a great lineup of comedians, all for a reasonable price," said Phillip Anthony, founder of Laughing Latinos Comedy, which has moved its shows from Springfield to Chicopee's Cabot Comedy Club. "While we loved being in Springfield and had a lot of support for the shows, the Cabot is just a better venue for comedy," Phillip Anthony explained. "The acoustics at the International Biergarten were great for singing, but that echo is not conducive to telling a joke. We had a lot of issues with sound." He said the Cabot is still catering to people from Springfield and all of Western Massachusetts and is one of only several clubs in New England that is a free-standing club dedicated to comedy. He credits Cabot Club owner Paul Moreira and comedians Marty Caproni and Jeremy Goff for making comedy a priority in Western Massachusetts. "Most are part of a restaurant or bar, or they are located within a mall. This is our own hometown club intended to feature great comedy acts Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday nights," he said. Cabot Comedy Club in Chicopee. The upcoming show will be held Saturday, Feb. 18 at 66 Cabot St. in Chicopee. Tickets are $50 per person. Price will include a two-hour painting session provided by Wine & Canvas, dinner featuring Latin cuisine and comedians Aldo Marachilian, Jenny Saldana and Christina Galstone. "Aldo is back by request because people loved his show," Phillip Anthony said. "Christina and Jenny are both excellent comedians. Jenny is a breast cancer survivor and she uses that as part of her material. She managed to take the most difficult experience in her life and turn it into something positive. She turned her pain into humor. " To make the event truly special Phillip Anthony wanted couples to be able to take a memory of the evening with them. That's where Keely Malone and Wine & Canvas come in. Starting at 6 p.m., before the comedy show, couples will be able to work on a painting together. Wine will be available for purchase. "Phillip Anthony wanted us to come up with a custom piece so that one person will paint an image and the other person will paint another. When you put them together you make a complete painting," she said. Wine and painting socials have become a popular activity recently, but when Malone launched her company three years ago there was only one other company in Western Massachusetts offering the service. "I had an interest in learning to paint and this company based in Indianapolis offered me the opportunity to learn the basics as well as partner with wonderful artists who come up with all of paintings," she said. Malone started the company as a hobby, but has turned it into a full-time business with employees, five local artists who create the painting samples and events that can accommodate hundreds of people at one time. They now offer Campus & Canvas, sober painting socials for college students at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, American International College and other schools, as well as Cookies & Canvas, geared towards children. "I know nothing about art and painting, but I have partnered with some truly talented artists that come up with ideas that make it possible for anyone to paint," she said. For the Laughing Latinos show Malone has called on Chicopee-based artist Johnny Miranda. "He is an amazing artist and is really comfortable doing step-by-step instruction. He is also bilingual, so he will be able to instruct couples in Spanish if that makes them feel more comfortable," she said. "I wanted to partner with Keely and Wine & Canvas because she has experiences working in all four counties in Western Massachusetts and with large groups of people," Phillip Anthony said. "We were also able to customize a painting that I think couples will really enjoy creating." Tickets can be purchased here or by calling 917-716-9333. For more information on the Cabot Comedy Club visit www.cabotcomedy.com. To book a Wine & Canvas event click here. BOSTON Two men were shot as they walked on Ames Street in the Dorchester section of Boston Saturday evening. Both men were transported to a local hospital where 28-year-old Dantley Leonard was pronounced dead. Police said they have little information to go on. They responded to a report of shots fired in the area to find Leonard and another man lying on the ground both with gunshot wounds. Police said the second victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Te Boston Herald reported that Leonard is a father and had just started a union job, Police said they have no suspects at this time. HOLYOKE -- By the end of this month, shares of a $100,000 fund will be given to families of the three people killed and the two dozen families who lost homes in a New Year's Day fire at 106 North East St., officials said Monday. Another $10,000 collected in that fund will be donated to a separate effort to help 36 tenants displaced by a fire on Jan. 17 at 395 Main St., they said. Mayor Alex B. Morse established the Holyoke Mayor's Fire Relief Fund the day of the fire that destroyed a five-story apartment building at North East and East Dwight streets. More than half the money was collected in a gofundme.com campaign and the rest through in-person and mailed-in donations. Over 1,100 individuals, businesses, and organizations have made contributions, Morse said. The Greater Holyoke Chamber Centennial Foundation Inc. is managing the disbursement of money collected in the Holyoke Mayor's Fire Relief Fund at no cost to the city. Enlace de Familias, a nonprofit family services provider at 299-301 Main St., is managing a fund for the victims of the 395 Main St. fire. "We are the fiscal conduit," chamber President Kathleen G. Anderson said. "We won't be keeping any of the funds. One hundred percent of the funds will be going to the people from the fire." Salvation Army staff and staff in the mayor's office interviewed families related to the 106 North East St. fire Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of last week. At least 27 different checks from the $100,000 will be provided but details are still being worked out in terms of check amounts and when disbursement will happen during this month, officials said. All those who receive such payments also will get a letter signed by Anderson stating that the money is a donation from the community to replace items lost in a fire, a step intended to protect people from losing welfare benefits from the state Department of Transitional Assistance, she said. Anderson said she contacted the Department of Transitional Assistance and was told such a letter would address concerns about the receipt of relief funds possibly triggering loss of benefits. Three people were killed in the 106 North East St. fire to which firefighters were called just before 9 a.m. on Jan. 1: Maria Cartagena, 48, and Jorge Munoz, 55, both of Holyoke, and Trevor R. Wadleigh, 34, of Easthampton. Electrical malfunctions caused both fires, officials said. State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey said that investigators had determined the cause of the fire at 106 North East St. was an electrical problem in a wall outlet in the living room of a third-floor apartment. The property at 106 North East St. that included the five-story building, now demolished, is owned by Irshad Sideeka of Naviah Investments of Brookline, Massachusetts. At 395 Main St., the cause of the fire was that a bedroom wall outlet on the second floor overheated, said Capt. Anthony Cerruti of the Holyoke Fire Depaprtment. The property at 393-399 Main St. is owned by Ernst Pierre-Louis, of Berlin, Massachusetts, according to city records. HOLYOKE -- The second floor of a factory building at 28 Appleton St. would house the city's first medical marijuana dispensary under a proposal the City Council will receive Tuesday from a company opening such a facility in Amherst. The council meeting is at 7 p.m. at City Hall. GTI Massachusetts NP Corp. has filed the application for a special permit to open a medical pot facility that would occupy the second floor of a building in a general industry zoning district. C&D Electronics fills the first floor, said Marcos A. Marrero, director of the city Department of Planning and Economic Development. GTI Massachusetts also had proposed a medical pot facility in Springfield and is connected with such companies in Maryland and Illinois. The City Council invariably ships special permit requests to the Ordinance Committee for debate and a recommendation vote at a later meeting. The medical marijuana facility would be the city's first, though proposals have surfaced over the past few years. The GTI Massachusetts facility would be an "economic driver" that provides 25 to 30 full-time jobs with benefits in its first year of operation and tax revenue. That's according to a Feb. 3 letter from local lawyer John J. Ferriter on behalf of GTI Massachusetts to City Clerk Brenna Murphy McGee accompanying the special permit application (see below). Peter Kadens, chief executive officer of GTI Massachusetts, told The Republican in September the company was eyeing Holyoke for a medical marijuana dispensary. On Friday, Kadens said in an email, "Why we chose Holyoke? Easy answers. Great access to a quality labor force. Close to our other dispensary location in Amherst. Lots of quality and affordable industrial space. A supportive mayor." The proposal sparked a multi-authored discussion on Facebook Friday. GTI plans to open a medical marijuana dispensary this year in Amherst in the former Kimballs Auction Gallery on Meadow Street. The company has a 72-page management and operations profile on file with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. GTI Massachusetts registered as a nonprofit corporation with the state on July 2, 2015, according to records online at the state secretary of state's office. Those records show Kadens, with a Chicago, Illinois address, listed as president and a director; Benjamin Kovler of Chicago as treasurer, clerk and a director; Anthony Georgiadis of Tampa, Florida, Jessica Crispo of Northborough, Massachusetts, Donna Levin of Newton, Massachusetts, Matthew Levine of Chicago and David Gerzof Richard of Brookline, Massachusetts also listed as directors. The letter from Ferriter assured the city that GTI Massachusetts would comply with all Department of Public Health regulations regarding medical marijuana facilities. These include security, storage, record keeping, waste disposal, delivery and transportation and dispensing of marijuana for medical use, the letter said. "To that end GTI is committed to a mutually beneficial, symbiotic community partnership and relationship with the city, along with complete transparency of its operations with those essential city departments," the letter said. The property at 28 Appleton St. is owned by W.B.C. Realty Trust, which has the same address. The contact name listed on the special permit application is Mark Cutting. The red-brick building was built around 1890 and the property has an assessed value of $426,700, according to city records Massachusetts voters in 2012 permitted medical marijuana facilities by approving a statewide ballot question, and state law prohibits a city or town from banning such facilities. But the city can regulate where such a facility can be located and require that the permit-holder disclose security measures and discuss issues like hours of operation. Marijuana can be prescribed medically to treat cancer, glaucoma, HIV-AIDS and other illnesses. GTI Massachusetts NP Corp.: by Mike Plaisance on Scribd SPRINGFIELD -- Merriam-Webster, the Springfield-based dictionary company, has been around for nearly 200 years and in that time has been lauded in all sorts of ways. Here's a new one: social media darling. The dictionary, formed Springfield in 1828, has had an online presence since 1996, when the decision was made to put the entire contents of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Edition -- its best seller -- on its website for free. Over time website traffic has grown to the point where it garners 100 million page views a month. But it is in the last year or so that Merriam-Webster has gained a devoted following on social media -- Twitter and Facebook -- for its sometimes cheeky, always knowledgeable responses to the ways celebrities, public figures and politicians use and abuse the English language. The official Merriam-Webster twitter feed, @MerriamWebster, has 297,000 followers, an increase from around 80,000 a year ago. Lauren Naturale, the social media manager for Merriam-Webster who handles the company's Twitter account from its New York office, said people seem to appreciate its presence on social media as a definitive source of information. "The response has been overwhelmingly positive," she said. Editor-at-Large Peter Sokolowski said the response is perhaps new to the dictionary -- but in a sense what they are doing is not really new at all. "We've always done what we're doing," he said. "We've just changed some of the forms." Through one of those forms, Twitter, the dictionary is able to respond almost immediately when people raise questions about word usage or grammar from a public figure. In one example, shortly after Hillary Clinton famously said on the campaign trail that half of now-President Donald Trump's supporters belonged in a "basket of deplorables," Merriam-Webster tweeted out that she was using the word incorrectly. Deplorable is an adjective, and simply adding an 's' to the end of it does not make it a noun. In another example, when Trump in one of the debates appeared to use the word "bigly," the dictionary was quick to tweet out that it is indeed a word, albeit an archaic one meaning "haughtily" or "pompously." More recently, a short time after Trump spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway in a TV interview spoke of "alternative facts," Merriam-Webster tweeted a response that "a fact is a piece of information that is presented as having objective reality." This social media strategy has not gone unnoticed by the media, including NBC News, The Washington Post and USA Today. The internet-based publication Vox published a piece recently calling Merriam-Webster the "sassiest Twitter account of the Trump era." National Public Radio did a segment that suggested the dictionary has for months been "trolling" the Trump administration. Trolling is a term for intentionally antagonizing someone, particularly over the internet, in hopes of provoking a response. Sokolowski said the dictionary is not trolling anyone. It is merely following its original mission of being an independent and objective arbiter of English grammar and usage. "We never comment on policy or politics. We're commenting on vocabulary," he said. Social media values both wit and speed, and Merriam-Webster tries to employ both, he said. "But we've stuck with our topic, which is language. We're not adopting any political stance." The company's social media presence is built upon the decision made 20 years ago for Merriam-Webster to enter the digital age by placing the contents of the dictionary online, he said. In 1996, there were no business models for such a thing, but he said the feeling was at the time that the move was needed for Merriam-Webster to stay relevant. "Our feeling was if we didn't put up the full dictionary with all the etymologies and all the words, someone else would," Sokolowski said. Top 5 lookups right now, in order: 1. fascism 2. sex (this is always in the top 10) 3. anathema 4. Svengali 5. bigot Good night! Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) January 31, 2017 'Anathema' is trending as religious leaders respond to Trump's order on refugees. https://t.co/icQCfRzPLC Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) January 30, 2017 The biggest lookup spike from today's inaugural address? 'Carnage'. https://t.co/YC7vLyMMQS Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) January 20, 2017 Almost immediately after creating a web portal, Merriam-Webster for the first time had information about how people were using the dictionary, what words they were looking up and when. It didn't take long to notice that lookups for certain words began spiking at the times of important news events. This was first noticed in 1997 when Princess Diana died in a Paris car crash as her driver tried to outrun pursuing photographers. Within hours, lookups for the word "paparazzi" grew exponentially. The same pattern continued through subsequent major news events, like the impeachment hearings of Bill Clinton, the 9/11 terror attacks, and more recently through the presidential election. Sokolowski said people would hear a word on the news or read it in a newspaper, wonder what it means and look around for an answer. Many of those people would find their way to Merriam-Webster.com. Since 2010, Merriam-Webster has been posting its trending words on its website. For over a year, trending words have tended to have some political connection. "Whatever the culture is interested in all at once, that's what we see online," he said. "And that's been all political in the last few months." Searches for "fascism" have been popular over the past year, joining "socialism," which has been a commonly searched word since midway through the Obama presidency. More recently, the most popular lookups according to the dictionary's homepage were "calamity, "betray" and "Svengali," and each ties in with news stories from the past week. Trending words are linked to short articles prepared by Merriam-Webster writers that explain why the word is trending and then briefly discuss the origin of the word based on the dictionary's files. Sokolowski said the biggest change in Merriam-Webster's Twitter presence over the past year has been hiring Naturale to operate it. He said she has a knack for communicating over the internet in a limited format like Twitter, and under her, @MerriamWebster has become much more lively, engaging, informative and fun. "If that means we can be presented as less stuffy, great," he said. Naturale said there is nothing new or novel about Merriam-Webster demonstrating its sass. "Dictionaries have been sassy since the 18th century," she said, "so we're very comfortable with that." Sokoloski makes the same point, and as he is wont to do, backed it up with some evidence. Reaching into a floor-to-ceiling bookcase of dictionaries, he pulled out a copy of "A Dictionary of the English Language," which was published by Samuel Johnson in 1775. Johnson is remembered today as a poet, essayist, biographer and literary critic. In his day he also was somewhat of a sassy lexicographer, Sokolowski said. To demonstrate his point, he flips the pages and stops on "oats," which is defined as "a grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people." Flipping next to the word "lexicographer," Sokolowski reads the definition: "A writer of dictionaries; a harmless drudge." Sokolowski said that, ultimately, Merriam-Webster's foray into social media gives it an opportunity to showcase what a former editor used to call the "Merriam voice." The Merriam voice is not some smart alecky know-it-all, he said, but representative of someone who values language, has a knowledge of it, and a confidence that comes from spending a career working with it. "That voice translates pretty well to the internet," he said. "A social media presence should have personalities. Dictionaries have a lot of personality," he said. Bear Paw Development Corporation is a private non-profit organization created for the purpose of administering programs to help improve regional economic conditions in Hill, Blaine, Liberty, Chouteau and Phillips Counties and the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy's Indian Reservations. West Marion Elementary fourth-graders learned about the responsibilities of taking care of pets and the importance of spaying and neutering. The Pet Education Responsibility Program is offered by the McDowell Animal Welfare Alliance and the Animal Hospital of Marion. Joy Harklerode and Paullette Morrill visit schools to talk to students about taking care of their pets. We are trying to educate the children to take care of their pets and spay and neuter them. The first step to no kill is no birth. The students at West Marion Elementary are very smart kids, said Harklerode. We teach the fourth grade because they are old enough to know the difference between right and wrong, and good and bad. Its right to take care of your pets, and its wrong just to let them have too many babies, said Morrill. On Wednesday, Jan. 25, students gathered in the gym of the school to hold a ceremony for completing the program. During their lessons, they were given an essay topic to write about: Explain why it is important that youre pet be spayed or neutered, or if the students pet was already spayed or neutered they wrote about why it is important for pet owners. The prize for winning the essay contest was a free spay or neuter for the winners pet. However, Lily Combs, who won the contest, handed her prize over to runner-up Brooklyn Davis, whose pet was not fixed. Levi Wyatt won third place. All of the students were treated with ice cream and a bracelet. Dr. Judy Rozzell, of the Animal Hospital of Marion, spoke to the students at the ceremony. I talked to them about careers in working with animals, board and grooming, and signs your pet needs to see a vet, she told the McDowell News. The students also decorated bags for the Animal Hospital of Marion that will be used to distribute medicine for customers of the vets office. The Animal Hospital makes this possible. Dr. John and Dr. Jennifer are really up on education, said Harklerode. Principal Nakia Carson said he was appreciative of the program coming into the school for the students. Essay first place winner Lily Combs: Owning a pet comes with many responsibilities including spaying or neutering your pet. Getting your pet spayed or neutered is important because of overpopulation. Overpopulation means too many animals and not enough homes. According to the ASPCA, in America about 1.2 million dogs and 1.4 million cats are euthanized each year. Spaying and neutering are operations that dont allow animals to have babies. Female animals get spayed, and male animals get neutered. If almost everybody got their animals spayed and neutered, we might not have the overpopulation problem, and no more animals would have to come into the world just to die months or even weeks later. Essay runner up Brooklyn Davis: I think it is important for cats and or dogs to be spayed or neutered because animals deserved to live as long as humans and animals are humans best friend. I love dogs, but I would still save a cat if I could. We should all get an animal spayed or neutered so people dont have to kill animals. My dogs are my best friends. Every boy or girl should get a best friend, so go get an animal spayed or neutered. Essay third place winner Levi Wyatt: I think it is very important to spay or neuter your animal so it cannot overpopulate the animal kingdom. If there are too many animals, they will have to be put down. So please, instead of killing an animal, not make it be in the world so we will not have to watch them suffer. So please spay and neuter. In 2011, an average year, the McDowell County Animal Shelter took in 2,380 dogs and cats, adopted out 285 dogs and cats and returned 70 pets to their owners. They have an excess of 1,200 dogs and 825 cats. Neutering makes pets less like to roam the neighborhood, run away, get into fights or bite. One female dog can have up to two litters per year. Each litter averages 4-10 puppies. One female cat can have up to four litters in one year. Each litter averages 3-6 kittens. Error 404 Not Found You may have mis-typed the URL. Or the page has been removed. Actually, there is nothing to see here... Click on the links below to do something, Thanks! Take Me our of here by Tobi Elkin @tobielkin, February 6, 2017 Real-Time Daily spoke to Tim Webster, chief strategy officer of The Exchange Lab, a programmatic agency whose proprietary technology dubbed Proteus unifies multiple demand-side platforms (DSPs) into one platform. RTD asked Webster about what lies ahead for programmatic TV, programmatic's relationship to artificial intelligence (AI), and the potential for dynamic, real-time creative, among other things. Real-Time Daily:With programmatic TV (PTV) ad spending in the U.S. forecast to grow to 6% of total TV ad spending by 2018, how likely is it that PTV and radio will come to fruition this year? Tim Webster: Smart boxes and smart TVs enable data to be collected easily from households, which means if youre an advertiser you dont have to evaluate a radio or TV program individually, you can pick and choose your audience based on real interests. advertisement advertisement By 2019, its estimated that more than 50% of households will have a smart TV in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, and Japan, and the momentum will pick up this year. Its the same for radio where more stations are going programmatic. Through data, advertisers have the chance to engage one-to-one with their customers. Traditional TV is still incredibly manual when it comes to the distribution of advertising, so the efficiencies of programmatic from a transactional point of view should be a welcome solution, [though] this is a little further off. Whats really interesting is the ability to offer a single buying point across TV, desktop, and mobile. This will allow marketers to get a holistic view of all channels when it comes to their media buying, which in turn will enable them to be more strategic and ensure cross-channel communication with their customers. RTD:How is this going to happen? Webster: Its already beginning to happen in some areas of the TV industry, such as over-the-top services (companies delivering TV or film over the Internet). Some media owners are already set up to use data and are executing programmatic ad campaigns for advertisers. National TV stations, on the other hand, still have a way to go to be able to advertise programmatically. There isnt enough data available yet to gain the type of efficiencies seen in programmatic through other channels. As we have seen with programmatic video, to take advantage of the real efficiencies, more [premium] inventory needs to become available. The demand is there from advertisers. According to The Trade Desk, 48.0% of advertisers and agencies plan to use it within the next two years. Radio currently provides more opportunities for scale than programmatic TV as there are no set-top boxes for users to sign into. If youre a radio station looking to execute advertising, all you need is a device ID or cookie. RTD: How do OTT services enable this process? Webster: OTT services offer an easy way for viewers to access TV content via the Internet; as with online publishers, interests, web history, and log-in information are all used to create a picture of the user at the other end. That means relevant messages can be served to the user through programmatic means. RTD:What are you seeing now in the market? Webster: For programmatic TV, Skys AdSmart is the holy grail because it offers an integrated, end-to-end solution. Sky owns the box, the data, the delivery system, and account details, as well as being the largest provider in the U.K. for paid content. Skys able to take the demographic data from each box in a household and serve different ads to each individual box. Many of Skys customers use their broadband, phone line, and TV. This means that Sky has all the information from a users internet service provider on which sites theyve visited, as well as billing and TV viewing history mixed with all sorts of information from the owners set-top box and any other Sky set-top box in the house. There are others developing this technology, including Facebook. Its creating a solution through its Facebook Audience Network that uses video apps on set-top boxes such as Apple TV and Roku, targeting users with ads based on their interests. RTD:How does AI tie into programmatic? Webster: To be considered AI, a machine needs to exhibit intelligent behavior. Programmatic clearly isnt there yet. Some methods are more advanced than others. For example, there are "dumb" bidders with no algorithm at all, and advanced bidders, which have algorithms that look at historical data to make buying decisions. While algorithms learn, AI can do it faster. This means AI will succeed and fail faster, increasing the speed of learning. While AI is unlikely to replace the work of humans in advertising in the near future, deep-learning and connected-learning technologies will begin to replace "traditional" programmatic methodologies and algorithms. AI will help programmatic campaigns succeed faster, increasing performance so campaign optimizations can be made far more quickly. RTD:Programmatic creative is a key area for growth and specifically dynamic creative or real-time creative. What is the promise and where is it falling short? Webster: There has been a clear lack of synergy to date between programmatic and creative. The promise of programmatic has always been to deliver the right ad, to the right user, at the right time but unfortunately creative is still often an after-thought. The exception is where a dynamic creative optimization engine is used to deliver customized ads to a user. More often than not, this is limited to product information based on browsing history and not driven by other data known about the audience. More thought needs to be given to the ads created and the environment theyre going to be delivered in. A creative story that is told in a 30- second TV ad isnt going to translate to a video ad with an average run time of five to 10 seconds. RTD:How can this become a more seamless scenario? Webster: Creative and execution discussions need to happen much earlier in the campaign lifecycle, bringing data and audience into the conversation earlier. All agencies and partners need to work on a strategy together. This is still something that doesnt happen enough. by Sara Guaglione , February 6, 2017 Michael Luo has been named editor of The New Yorker.com, succeeding Nicholas Thompson, who left at the end of last month to become editor of Wiredmagazine. New Yorker editor-in-chief David Remnick wrote in an e-mail to staff that Luo would maintain the standards of accuracy, fairness, and rigor that have made newyorker.com what it is. Luo, who has served as the pub's senior editor-investigations editor since November, will continue to be involved in discussing and planning investigative work at The New Yorker. He will also work with Remnick, deputy editor Pam McCarthy and chief business officer Lisa Hughe on overall digital strategy. advertisement advertisement Before he joined The New Yorker, Luo spent 13 years at The New York Times, most recently as a deputy editor on the metro desk. Thompson was a Wired editor for five years before joining The New Yorker in 2010. Under his tenure as digital editor, the site's monthly readers increased nearly eight-fold. He oversaw the sites redesign, the launch of its app and introduced a metered paywall. In the most recent Magazine Media 360 Brand Audience Report from MPA, based on November 2016 data, The New Yorker had the most percentage growth in total audience compared to a year ago, beating New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, Harpers Bazaar and Marie Claire. Separately, Vanity Fair will join The New Yorker in pulling out of hosting the correspondents dinner parties around the annual White House Correspondents Dinner event. According to The New York Times, The New Yorker is canceling the kickoff party it typically holds at the W Hotel, and Vanity Fair is pulling out of co-sponsoring the dinners most exclusive after-party, most recently hosted at the French ambassadors residence. Trump has openly criticized Vanity Fair, tweeting in December: Has anyone looked at the really poor numbers of @VanityFair Magazine. Way down, big trouble, dead! Graydon Carter, no talent, will be out! This weeks cover of The New Yorker, features an illustration entitled Libertys Flameout, and shows the Statue of Libertys torch raised and burned out. This year, as a response to the opening weeks of the Trump Administration, particularly the executive order on immigration, we feature John W. Tomacs dark, unwelcoming image, 'Libertys Flameout'," the magazines culture desk editor Francoise Mully explained. The publications likely felt it was inappropriate to throw flashy parties around a White House event, while covering an administration that has been openly hostile to the media. by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, February 6, 2017 GroupM has released its annual Interaction report that outlines what the firm sees at the state of digital marketing and key issues and trends facing marketers during the coming year. The report, authored by Global Chief Digital Officer Rob Norman, touches on numerous topics, including the impact of artificial intelligence, virtual reality technology, marketplace integrity and the tumultuous geopolitical scene and its implications. Its impossible to ignore the political events of 2016, per the report. The U.S. presidential election, the Brexit vote in Europe, the Italian referendum, the failed coup in Turkey and the tragic events in Syria touch lives and by extension economies, markets and marketing. advertisement advertisement "2017 promises to be as tumultuous. Elections in France and Germany and other events may affect the European Union at its core. The big message from the electorate, the report surmises, is that the uneven distribution of wealth is simply unfair and that for many opportunity is fantasy. Some 70% of the worlds population live on less than $10 per day. 38% of all Americans eligible to vote live on less than $55 per day "More innovation should produce different innovation. Innovation for the less advantaged in terms of function and value of products and services is every bit as important as VR headsets and the world of wonders. Artificial intelligence is becoming inextricably entwined in brand storytelling, per the report. "As [AI] becomes part of the taxonomy of the structured and unstructured story around the brand, its purpose, origin and the conversation it creates will become part of the consumer experience. It had better be a good one. Citing an example of what may come to be a typical part of the everyday shopping routine, the report notes the growing impact of devices like Amazons Echo and Googles Google Home. Imagine this: Alexa, whats the most recommended anti-dandruff shampoo? Or this: You ordered Brand A, Brand B has a higher average recommendation, which one would you like? The report surmises theres been meaningful progress in the battle against ad fraud. Instances of ad fraud have not gone away, but we believe it is significantly contained, it states. The report notes that 2% of impressions purchased by the biggest advertisers in Western markets remain non-human. Thats not zero, which would be ideal, but its much better than the 30% that was estimated just three years ago. The speed of detection and countermeasures seem to have caught and outpace the development of new fraud strategies. Ad blocking, however, remains an issue. In part, the phenomenon is due to invasive ad units and careless use of data, although the report concludes that surprisingly, the practice appears to have peaked. There are two key reasons for that, per the report, including better advertising and the increased percentage of ads that are delivered in app environments that are closed to ad-blocking technology. While thats good news, a piece of analysis remains undone. What is the immediate and longer term economic value of the ad blockers that do persist, and how does that translate into lost opportunity for the advertiser? GroupM describes this version of the report as a preview edition, written from a largely Western perspective. A comprehensive global version of the report is scheduled for release in April. by Jess Nelson , February 6, 2017 The largest health and beauty retailer in Asia and Europe has partnered with Rubikloud to leverage the companys data enterprise platform, pledging to invest $70 million in big data with Rubikloud as the primary recipient. Headquartered in Hong Kong, A.S. Watson Group (ASW) manages over 13,300 stores in 25 Asian and European markets -- a seeming haven of retail data spread across 14 brands. The company has signed a multi-year agreement with Rubikloud to integrate its siloed, legacy databases into a single cloud-based repository of data. ASW will work with Rubikloud to improve operational efficiency and customer experience by building out its Big Data capabilities. The company will deploy Rubicore, Rubiklouds data enterprise platform, as well as two of its machine-learning applications -- Promotions Manager and Lifecycle Manager -- across its entire ecosystem of retail stores. By streamlining siloed corporate databases into a single cloud-based data architecture, ASW aims to provide more personalized customer experiences and marketing promotions. advertisement advertisement We are investing in Big Data amid global economic uncertainties because we believe that technology is a critical enabler for successful retailing in today's world, states Malina Ngai, JP, chief operating officer of A.S. Watson Group. With the right technology, we will be able to focus our resources, from the back-end support to shop floor, on building better customer experience The partnership announced Monday is an expansion of a business relationship that began in 2015 when ASW utilized Rubiklouds machine-learning application, Lifecycle Manager, at one of its European operations. Sales from CRM campaigns jumped more than 8% in ten months, a result that drove ASW to also partner with Rubikloud to work with one of its UK-based brands. For many years, research on neurodegenerative diseases and spinal cord and brain injury has focused on damage to nerve cells, or neurons. Now, a new study of astrocytes a type of cell that surrounds and supports neurons finds that there is a subtype that can turn rogue and kill neurons, instead of helping to repair them during injury or disease. Share on Pinterest The researchers found a subtype of astrocyte that kills neurons and is abundant in various human neurodegenerative diseases. Image credit: Shane Liddelow The international study conducted by a team that includes researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine in California, and the University of Melbourne in Australia is published in the journal Nature. The researchers suggest that the findings could lead to new treatments for brain injuries and major neurological disorders such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease. Lead author Dr. Shane Liddelow, of the department of pharmacology and therapeutics at Melbourne, and the department of neurobiology at Stanford, says that while astrocytes have often been described as helper cells, it has also been shown that they can become toxic and contribute to the damage caused by brain injury and disease by killing other brain cells. These apparently opposing effects have been a puzzle for some time. By characterizing two types of astrocytes this paper provides some answers to the puzzle, he adds. A study has demonstrated 'unacceptably high' rates of hospital-acquired infections among children in the UK and Europe. The report, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, found that one in six children in paediatric intensive care units, and one in ten babies in neonatal intensive care units had developed hospital infections while being treated. The study found that the pattern of hospital-acquired infections is different in babies and children compared to adults, with more serious infections such as blood poisoning/bloodstream infections being commonly seen (45%) followed by respiratory tract infections/pneumonia (22%). Many of these hospital-related infections are also multi-drug resistant, making their treatment more complicated. The study was led by the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC). The authors, from St George's University of London and Imperial College London, are calling for continued action to prevent and reduce infection rates in children in hospital with a focus on neonatal and paediatric intensive care units. Mike Sharland, Professor of Paediatric Infections at St George's, University of London, commented: "These rates of hospital acquired infections are unacceptably high both in the UK and Europe, with worrying implications for babies, children and their families." Alison Holmes, Professor of Infectious Diseases at Imperial College London added: "We urgently need focus and investment on reducing the risk of bloodstream infections in babies and children in intensive care units across Europe." Public Health England, the Department of Health and NHS England have now launched a national Infection in Critical Care Quality Improvement Programme (ICCQIP) working with Adult, Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care societies and providers. This programme has the capacity to reduce these potentially avoidable infections, where hospitals collect data, develop and implement evidence-based interventions. Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria are a significant health concern for hospitalized infants, children and anyone with implanted medical devices. The bacteria - typically skin dwellers - can infect the bloodstream and cause a life-threatening condition known as sepsis. Between 1 and 3 million people a year in the United States are diagnosed with sepsis, and between 15 and 30 percent of them die. Severe bacterial sepsis is characterized by an extreme immune response, inflammation, reduced blood flow, clotting, and organ failure. Methicillin-resistant strains of S. epidermidis (MRSE) cause most sepsis cases. Notably, methicillin resistance rates in S. epidermidis exceed those in the more-familiar S. aureus (MRSA), and methicillin resistance makes MRSE infections difficult to treat. For decades scientists have thought that S. epidermidis sepsis resulted from an overwhelming immune response to unchanging surface structures on the invading bacteria. Now, National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists have identified an S. epidermidis toxin (PSM-mec) that is released into the bloodstream and contributes to sepsis. The investigators say this is the first time a toxin from S. epidermidis or closely related bacteria has been linked to sepsis. In tissue studies using S. epidermidis strains, the group found that the PSM-mec toxin helped the bacteria survive in human blood and resist attack by neutrophils, important immune system fighters. In a mouse model, the toxin significantly increased disease and stimulated the immune response, which worsened the septic infection. The researchers say clinical studies are needed to assess whether PSM-mec affects sepsis in people and thus can be a target for therapeutics. They also are investigating whether related toxins found in methicillin-susceptible S. epidermidis and S. aureus have a similar function. Article: Toxin Mediates Sepsis Caused by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis, Li Qin, Fei Da, Emilie L. Fisher, Daniel C. S. Tan, Thuan H. Nguyen, Chih-Lung Fu, Vee Y. Tan, Joshua W. McCausland, Daniel E. Sturdevant, Hwang-Soo Joo, Shu Y. Queck, Gordon Y. C. Cheung, Michael Otto, PLOS Pathogens, doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006153, published 2 February 2017. SAN DIEGO Feb. 6, 2017 the United States George E. Anastassov Lekhram Changoer the Netherlands Stuart Titus the United States Non-habit forming No prescription needed Available in all 50 states Great-tasting mint gum has no artificial sweeteners or preservatives Non-GMO, gluten free, vegan and kosher Andrew Hard /PRNewswire/ -- Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC:MJNA), the first-ever publicly traded cannabis company in, announced today that its major investment AXIMBiotechnologies, Inc. (OTC: AXIM) was featured on a CBS New York News segment about the Company's clinical trials for its CanChew Plus cannabidiol (CBD) chewing gum for the treatment of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a disease that affects up to 15% of the world population.The segment includes an in-depth interview with CEO of AXIMBiotechnologies Dr., MD, DDS, MBA about the functionality of CanChew Plus and AXIMCTOabout how the double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is being conducted at Wageningen University in. In addition, the report interviews a CanChew customer who gives testimony to the product's positive effects for gout and IBS."It's motivating to see national news coverage on AXIM, a company that is making an impact on the well-being of individuals through products that treat conditions for which there is currently no effective remedy," said CEO of Medical Marijuana, Inc. Dr.. "This trial is definitely newsworthy, as it's the first advancement in cannabinoid research for treatment of IBS in medical history. We're excited to see AXIM continually reaching milestones in its clinical development program."IBS is the most common disorder diagnosed by gastroenterologists and accounts for up to 12% of total visits to primary care providers, accounting for between 2.4 3.5 million annual physician visits inalone.Our mission is to be the premier cannabis and hemp industry innovators, leveraging our team of professionals to source, evaluate and purchase value-added companies and products, while allowing them to keep their integrity and entrepreneurial spirit. We strive to create awareness within our industry, develop environmentally-friendly, economically sustainable businesses, while increasing shareholder value. For details on Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s portfolio and investment companies, visit www.medicalmarijuanainc.com.To see Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s video statement, click here. Shareholders are also encouraged to visit the Medical Marijuana, Inc. Shop for discounted products.AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. (OTC: AXIM) focuses on the research, development and production of cannabis-based pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic products. Our flagship products include CanChew, a CBD-based controlled release chewing gum, and MedChew Rx, a combination CBD/THC gum that is undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of pain and spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis. We prioritize the well-being of our customers while embracing a solid fiscal strategy. Medical Marijuana, Inc. is a major investor in AXIM. For more information, visit www.AXIMBiotech.com.CanChew is a unique hemp-derived CBD functional chewing gum that is distinctly different than any other brands of gum on the market. Features listed on the CanChew website include:CanChew Plus is a vastly improved delivery system than the alpha version of CanChew Gum. It is produced by a leading European functional gum manufacturer.Featured in Healthy Living Magazine, CanChew was also recognized by the HealthyLiving Foundation and honored with its Triple Leaf Award.Chief Executive OfficerCMW MediaP. 888-829- 0070andrew.hard@cmwmedia.comwww.cmwmedia.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cbs-new-york-features-medical-marijuana-inc-investment-axim-biotechs-flagship-cbd-chewing-gum-ibs-clinical-trial-300402380.html SOURCE Medical Marijuana, Inc. Advertisement The study was carried out by researchers at City University of New York at Hunter College (CUNY), Boston Medical Center, and Harvard Medical School. Four of the authors are academic physicians who have cared for patients at multiple hospitals included in the study.Other study findings include the following:Even after controlling for their lower-quality insurance, Black New Yorkers were still only half as likely as whites to get their care in AMCs. The Index of Dissimilarity (a measure of system-wide segregation) for Black patients was 0.52 for NYC hospitals, indicating moderately high segregation. That figure means that 52 percent of Black patients in NYC would have to switch to hospitals that now serve predominantly white patients to achieve the full integration of the system. In Boston's system, the Index of Dissimilarity figure was 0.33.Compared to privately insured patients, Medicaid patients were three times less likely, and uninsured patients five times less likely, to be treated at New York City's major academic hospitals. While Medicaid and uninsured patients accounted for nearly half (46 percent) of all patients at non-AMC hospitals in NYC, they made up less than one-quarter of inpatients at NYC's AMCs overall, and less than 10 percent at one-third of the AMCs. Conversely, privately insured New Yorkers were more than twice as likely to get care at AMCs compared to other NYC hospitals. In Boston, Medicaid enrollees and uninsured patients were just as likely to be treated at an AMC as at a non-AMC hospital (14 percent and 1 percent for both).The authors state: "Academic medical centers play a unique role. They provide specialized expertise across a range of clinical services. Many AMCs are ranked among the top hospitals in the country, and patients treated at AMCs are more likely than other patients to receive treatments using the latest technologies and care adhering to current clinical guidelines."They note that while good non-AMC hospitals can provide excellent care for many illnesses, the specialized care available at AMCs is especially important for patients with very complex and rare conditions.The authors posit that "the extensive network of public hospitals in NYC relieves pressure on that city's AMCs to care for disadvantaged patients." But they note that the public hospitals face a financial crisis and are often under-resourced, while several of the AMCs regularly generate multimillion-dollar surpluses on their balance sheets.All of the AMCs in Boston and NYC are nonprofit hospitals and enjoy tax exemptions worth tens of millions of dollars. In exchange, they are expected to provide community benefits, including caring for Medicaid and uninsured patients.Roosa Tikkanen, lead author of the study who is currently a policy analyst at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, said: "All of New York's academic medical centers receive millions of dollars from the state's 'Indigent Care Pool,' but many of them provide little care to uninsured or Medicaid patients. Some of them are specialty hospitals that receive their patients mainly through referrals from private doctors, and these patients tend to be privately insured. This contributes to the low volume of Medicaid and uninsured patients at AMCs. However, even these specialty hospitals could do more to meet their community benefit expectation and earn their tax breaks, especially since they already have greater financial resources than the city's public hospitals do."Study co-author Dr. David Himmelstein, an internist, distinguished professor at CUNY's Hunter College, and lecturer at Harvard Medical School who has practiced at public and AMC hospitals in New York and Boston, said: "Stark racial segregation persists to this day in New York's hospitals. Our most prestigious institutions find ways to avoid Black and poor patients. And they maintain separate and unequal clinic systems. Privately insured patients get business-class care; those with Medicaid are mostly treated by interns and residents in rundown facilities and face long waits for appointments; while the uninsured are usually turned away from the elite hospitals' clinics altogether."Senior author Dr. Karen E. Lasser, an internist at Boston Medical Center and associate professor of medicine and public health at Boston University Schools of Medicine (BUSM) and Public Health (BUSPH), said, "This study highlights the issues that academic health centers need to address in order to provide the highest level of care to all patients, regardless of race, ethnicity, or health insurance coverage."Source: Eurekalert Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends. Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice. PINK1 and PARIS The function of the protein PINK1 was by adding a phosphate group to a particular site on the PARIS protein as a chemical tag. PINK1 protein that was altered, and which was associated with Parkinson's disease, could not add this chemical tag. The addition of the chemical tag, phosphate, was necessary as it signaled a chain of events that ultimately lead to the dismantling of the PARIS protein. 3-fold increase in the amount of PARIS Doubling of the amount of PARIS present Increase in PINK1 was associated with lowering cells death due to increased amounts of PARIS. When PINK1 was altered to remove the sites at which the phosphate group was added by PARIS, there was no reduction in cell death Advertisement Parkinson's Disease Yunjong Lee, Daniel A. Stevens, Sung-Ung Kang, Haisong Jiang, Yun-Il Lee, Han Seok Ko, Leslie A. Scarffe, George E. Umanah, Hojin Kang, Sangwoo Ham, Tae-In Kam, Kathleen Allen, Saurav Brahmachari, Jungwoo Wren Kim, Stewart Neifert, Seung Pil Yun, Fabienne C. Fiesel, Wolfdieter Springer, Valina L. Dawson, Joo-Ho Shin, Ted M. Dawson. PINK1 Primes Parkin-Mediated Ubiquitination of PARIS in Dopaminergic Neuronal Survival. Cell Reports, 2017; 18 (4): 918 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.12.090 What is Parkinson's Disease? - (http://www.pdf.org/about_pd) Parkinson's Disease - (https://medlineplus.gov/parkinsonsdisease.html) The research team carried out experiments on mice to identify if the two proteins implicated in Parkinson's were acting through PARIS, as a single intermediary. In an earlier study conducted by the scientists in the year 2011, it was found that the protein Parkin, present in the human and mice brain tissue, added ubiquitin as a chemical tag to PARIS, which leads to the breakdown of other proteins.The research team conducted biochemical tests to determine if there was a relationship between PINK1 and PARIS. The findings of the study wereThe research team then studied a cause-effect relationship by lowering the levels of PINK 1 protein in the lab-grown human cells and foundWhen the amount of PINK1 protein was reduced by 80% in living mice, it was found that there wasWhen the concentration of PINK1 was increased in human lab-grown cells, it was found thatThe roles played by Parkin and PINK1 aided in safeguarding the brain cells by resulting in the breakdown of PARIS. The defects associated with any one of the proteins can be set right by treating for the levels of PARIS.The mutations that were associated with PINK1 and Parkin are associated with Parkinson's disease. Altered Parkin was found to be associated with many inherited cases of the disease. The research team stated that a drug that targeted Parkin could aid in treating the neurological condition. Parkinson's disease is a chronic disorder that affects movement and can worsen over a period of time. Around 1 million people suffer from this condition in the US and the disease is characterized by lowering motor abilities like gait, rigidity of limbs, tremors of the limbs with a lack of balance and co-ordination.The symptoms associated with Parkinson's are due to the destruction of vital neurons in the brain. The major area of the brain that is affected is the substantia nigra. Dopamine-producing neurons are reduced significantly, affecting movement.The exact causes of the disease are not known, but studies such as this aids in understanding the effects of various proteins levels in the progression of the disease. The therapy afforded to patients with Parkinson's involves deep brain stimulation and medication which neither delay the disease progression nor treat the condition. This makes it necessary to find effective treatment strategies which will aid in reducing symptoms.Though there are further studies that are required to validate the current discovery of the role of the proteins PINK1 and Parkin in Parkinson's disease, the development of a drug that targets these proteins could mean a more effective treatment strategy for the disease.Source: Medindia Advertisement In fact, when McCarter, first author Kim Jordan, PhD, and colleagues examined the spleens of 26 patients with a variety of cancers, they found important differences between human and mouse splenocytes. First, whereas mouse splenocytes are plentiful, human splenocytes are less abundant. Second, while mouse splenocytes are easy to isolate, human splenocytes may include a complex mix of markers, making them more difficult to separate from the many other kinds of cells found in the spleen."Basically, this means that it's really easy to find and study these splenocytes in mice and really hard to get your hands on enough human splenocytes to study," says Jordan, who is assistant director of the CU Cancer Center Human Immune Monitoring Shared Resource and assistant research professor in the CU School of Medicine Department of Immunology and Microbiology. "Now with this paper we show how future researchers can isolate these human splenocytes, hopefully leading to more work in this area."However, when the team compared these spleens from cancer patients to spleens from patients with benign pancreatic cysts, they found an important similarity with existing mouse models: Splenocytes were indeed more prevalent in cancer patients than in the non-cancer control group.The team went an important step beyond characterizing and isolating these cells: "It's one thing to identify these cells and another to show their function," McCarter says. "We show that these cells are functionally immunosuppressive in humans, working to block T-cell responses."When increased splenocytes blocked T-cell responses, patients suffered - in this study, higher splenocyte counts were "associated with a significantly increased risk of death and decreased overall survival," the authors discovered.Many successful anti-cancer immunotherapies direct T cells to target tumors. For example, PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors prevent tumor cells from holding up a sort of biological "white flag" that disarms T cells that would otherwise target them. Another immunologic strategy called CAR-T cell therapy seeks to genetically equip T cells to recognize proteins specific to tumor tissue. Both therapies depend on T cell responses. And in both cases, a tumor's ability to spur the growth of myeloid-derived suppressor cells may blunt this response."In recent years, we've started to crack open the shell of the immune response to tumors. Still, there are many elements of the immune system we don't understand, for example how tumors manipulate or utilize a patient's own immune system to block the immune response against their own tissue. Now we are taking steps to understand this process, and understanding the basic science allows us the opportunity to intervene with therapies to stop it," McCarter says.The group has already taken the obvious next step, running an investigator-initiated human clinical trial targeting myeloid-derived suppressor cells in combination with existing immunotherapies in a way that could allow immune response to go forward. McCarter, Jordan and colleagues are excited to report the results of this small trial in a forthcoming publication."Currently only about 20-40 percent of melanoma patients respond to these immune therapy checkpoint inhibitors for a variable amount of time," McCarter says. "By blocking or knocking down the myeloid-derived suppressor cells, we hope to improve this response rate."Source: Eurekalert You dont need to be a superhero to bring a change in the world, nor do you need wings, cape or super powers to help someone. All you need is a strong will and courage to face difficult circumstances and 11-year-old Hamdu Sena Bilgin proved the same when she fought tough weather conditions to save a mother goat and her new born baby. Hamdu Sena Bilgin Hamdu lives in a small village outside Rize, Turkey where her family manages a small farm and raise goats and she is the goatherd. Well, she is not alone; she has found a great companion in Tomi, her dog, who never leaves her side even during the cold winter season. This duo is really strong and youll now know why. Hamdu Sena Bilgin Recently, Hamdu and Tomi were looking after the goats grazing on a snowy hillside, when one of the goats went into labour. Hamdu told The Dodo, After the goat gave birth, I led the rest of the herd back to their shelter. Then I grabbed two backpacks from the house and went back to the goat and her baby with Tomi, she further added. In such a situation anyone can freak out and her feelings werent any different, but what she did was really inspiring. Hamdu Sena Bilgin She went back to the goat, carried her in her backpack, and put the baby into another backpack that was carried by Tomi. Hes a good dog. Very smart, Hamdu said. Well, we cant agree any less, nor can we get over the brave attitude of this duo. Hamdu Sena Bilgin Taking the goat and her baby back wasnt a cake walk at all. The pictures show how thick the snow was and how difficult it must have been to carry them carefully in this wintery and slippery terrain. Being as modest as she can, Hamdu said, The snow was so thick, I was exhausted. But it was worth it. Hamdu Sena Bilgin In times, when people are more concerned about clicking pictures instead of helping and some are inflicting pain on the animal (remember the incident where a dog was murdered and raped ), this act of selfless love and gratitude towards animals should be enough to open eyes that have been shut for some time now. Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. NAVEED BUTT ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved as many as four development projects at the cost of Rs16.112 billion and recommended two projects valued at Rs44.172 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for consideration. During the CDWP meeting, which was chaired by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, projects related to energy, culture, sports and tourism, transport and communication, food and agriculture, and governance were discussed. Planning and Developments Additional Secretary Humair Karem, senior officials from the Planning Commission and federal ministries/divisions were also present on the occasion, while representatives from the provincial governments participated via video link. An energy project, Establishment of 48.0 MW Jagran Hydropower Station Phase-11 District Neelum, AJK worth Rs11.372 billion was referred to the ECNEC for further approval. The proposed project envisages construction of 48MW Jagran Hydro Power Station. The project is a run-off river type and located in District Neelum. A project related to culture, sports and tourism namely Heritage and Urban Regeneration in Lahore Tourism Development in Lahore Fort and its Buffer zone at the cost of Rs3.66 billion was approved in the meeting. The project envisages restoration and preservation of various components of the Lahore Fort along with rehabilitation, reconnection of fort with the walled city and up-gradation of outskirts. Three projects related to transport and communications were presented in the meeting. First project, Rehabilitation of Pasni Fish Harbor Project at the cost of Rs1,454.987 million, second project, Infrastructure up-gradation of Karachi shipyard and Engineering works Ltd worth Rs7.789 billion, and third project, Construction of Road from Zeyara to Dabori, District Orakzai worth Rs3,213. 217 million were approved in the meeting. A project related to food and agriculture namely, Locust Emergency and Food Security Project worth Rs32.8 billion was referred to the ECNEC. This project will be carried out in 18 districts of four provinces. The project aims to enhance food security and growth of the sector through control over locust outbreak, strengthening the national food security system, and mitigate negative social and economic impact associated with locust attack. Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias made the following statements to the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) after today's meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council: JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister, what items were on the agenda of today's Council meeting? N. KOTZIAS: Today we talked in great detail about many regions that are in a state of conflict. This morning, we started with Ukraine. We ascertained the need for the reforms and the Minsk agreement to be implemented. We continued with a discussion of Libya. Here I made the observation that a lot of things would be better if the destabilising interventions hadn't been carried out. We argued that the EU needs to do everything it can to help the forces of western Libya reach an understanding with those of eastern Libya -- that is, the government of Tripoli, where we will be reopening our Embassy -- with the forces led by secular marshal Haftar. Additionally, in the afternoon we continued -- for the first time, I would say -- with a very, very creative discussion on Egypt. We decided to invite the Egyptian Foreign Minister to our meeting on 6 March, here in Brussels again, and to change the decision of 2013 -- which was hostile to Egypt -- and open up a process of reassociation between the EU and Egypt. Finally, we talked about the Middle East and the need to stabilise the region, as well as about the need for there to be security for all sides and for us to support the creation of two states. JOURNALIST: This issue brings us closer to the Aegean, where we have had tensions of late. And I don't know whether those tensions have subsided or if there are ... N. KOTZIAS: We didn't talk here today about Turkey or the Aegean. It is well known that, for a year and a half now, I have characterized Turkey as a restless power, and that is how it should be confronted. We should neither ignore or fail to take measures to hinder the manifestation of this restlessness, but nor should we overreact, due to the fact that many of Turkey's restless actions have to do with its domestic affairs and domestic controversy. JOURNALIST: The issue of the Cyprus talks is still pending. You met with Mr. Eide last Friday, and it is rumoured that we may have a continuation of the Conference within March. N. KOTZIAS: Yes, in the second half of March we will probably have a meeting among the Foreign Ministers of the guarantor powers, the President of the Republic of Cyprus and the representative of the Turkish Cypriot community. JOURNALIST: Your meetings with the UN and Mr. Eide? N. KOTZIAS: They are always very interesting and last many hours. Here are five noteworthy stories and events to start your week. Army Secretary Nominee Bows Out Vincent "Vinnie" Viola, the billionaire West Point graduate and former Army officer nominated by President Donald Trump to become Army secretary, withdrew his candidacy late Friday amid difficulties severing ties to his business interests. "I appreciate the confidence President Trump showed in me," he said in a statement obtained by Military Times. "I offer my continued support for President Trump and his administration, and look forward to redoubling my efforts to support the Army and its veterans as private citizens." The news came days after The New York Times reported Viola was in talks to "swap his majority interest in Eastern Air Lines for a smaller stake in Swift Air, a charter company with millions of dollars in hard-to-track government subcontracts." F-35A to Cost Less Than $100 Million Per Plane The U.S. Air Force's F-35A Joint Strike Fighter is set to cost less than $100 million per plane under the latest deal between the Pentagon and Lockheed Martin Corp., Military.com reported Friday. The agreement for production Lot 10 calls for the conventional variant of the single-engine stealth fighter to have a price tag of about $95 million. Unit costs for Marine Corps F-35B and Navy F-3C models are also expected fall by several percentage points to $123 million and $122 million, respectively, as production volume increases. Lockheed spokesman Bill Phelps said President Donald Trump's "personal involvement in the F-35 program accelerated the negotiations and sharpened our focus on driving down the price." SpecOps Troops Make Up Majority of Recent Casualties Two-thirds of the U.S. service members killed in action in the past year served in Special Operations units, the New York Times reported Sunday. Of the 18 troops who have died since the start of 2016, 12 were elite trainers and commandos serving with Army Special Forces or Navy SEALs, according to the newspaper. Most recently, Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens, 36, of Peoria, Illinois, was killed Jan. 29 during an information-gathering raid in Yemen that left six more troops killed or injured. Meanwhile, the president is making his first visit Monday to U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa to receive a briefing on U.S. operations against militants affiliated with the Islamic State, the Associated Press reported. Top US Commander in Afghanistan to Testify Before Senators Army Gen. John W. Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, is scheduled to testify 9:30 a.m. Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee, headed by Sen. John McCain, a Republican from Arizona. The comments from Nicholson, whose official title is Resolute Support Commander of U.S. Forces -- Afghanistan, may shed light onto what kind of military and financial support the Trump administration plans to provide the mission in the country, where about 8,400 American troops are serving and where the U.S. has been at war for 15 years. While the conflict in Afghanistan didn't get much attention during the presidential campaign, a total of 14 American service members were killed in the country in 2016. New Dental Provider Coming This Spring The Tricare dental contract for active-duty family members, Guard and Reserve members and their families will switch from MetLife to United Concordia on May 1, Military.com reported. Military retirees and their families are covered by a separate contract with Delta Dental, which is not affected. No dental benefits or coverages are being dialed back by the switch. Instead, some coverages are expanding while children will be automatically enrolled in the system as beneficiaries starting at one year old rather than four years old. Among the expansions is an increase to the annual maximum benefit from $1,300 to $1,500 and a change that makes sealants free instead of carrying a 20 percent co-pay. -- Oriana Pawlyk, Hope Hodge Seck and Amy Bushatz contributed to this report. -- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry. 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... Rep. Duncan Hunter is hoping that the fourth time's the charm for fallen Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta. The lawmaker, a California Republican and veteran Marine officer, sent a letter Monday petitioning Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to review Peralta's nomination for the Medal of Honor -- a nomination that three previous defense secretaries have opted not to approve. Unlike his predecessors, however, Mattis has additional reason to be familiar with Peralta's case, having commanded troops as a Marine general in Fallujah, Iraq, during the same time period in which Peralta was killed in action. Peralta was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for pulling a live enemy grenade under his body to save fellow Marines during a 2004 house-clearing mission in Fallujah, according to his official medal citation. Such an act would typically merit the Medal of Honor, and it did in the case of Cpl. Kyle Carpenter, who absorbed much of a grenade blast in Afghanistan in 2010 to save a fellow Marine. But experts consulted on Peralta's nomination have said the physical evidence of his heroism does not meet the stringent standards for the military's highest valor award. Peralta was wounded by a bullet ricochet to the back of the head immediately before his death, and some investigators have questioned whether he could have been conscious and able to grab the grenade after sustaining that wound. "The benefit of Secretary Mattis [reviewing Peralta's case] is that he's commanded Marines in Iraq and he knows better than anyone in government right now -- along with [Homeland Security] Secretary [John] Kelly -- how politics can be infused in a valor award case and how the bureaucracy if left unchallenged will win every time," Hunter spokesman Joe Kasper said in a statement provided to Military.com. "Mattis is still at heart a U.S. Marine and he's well aware that the Marine Corps, as an organization, fully endorsed Peralta's Medal of Honor," the statement said. "Names like Mattis, Kelly and Dunford regularly came up as supporters of the award, but now it's a new administration and there's new hope for the Marine Corps, the Peralta family and anyone else who's been passionate about Peralta's legacy." Mattis commanded 1st Marine Division during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent operations early in the war, playing key leadership roles during the first and second battles of Fallujah in the spring and fall of 2004. Peralta was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, part of 3rd Marine Division, at the time of his death. A spokeswoman for the office of the secretary of defense, Laura Seal, said the office would not comment on the letter, as is policy with congressional correspondence, but would respond directly to its author. Hunter's letter comes days after the Navy took ownership of the USS Rafael Peralta, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer named in honor of the fallen Marine. In light of the ship's delivery, Hunter asked Mattis to re-examine the case that has troubled Peralta's family members and fellow Marines for more than a decade. "Multiple eyewitnesses conveyed that from their respective fields of view, Peralta initiated several movements toward the grenade and pulled it into his body," Hunter wrote. "In the spirit and tradition of the Medal of Honor, these eyewitness accounts are exceedingly sufficient, but they were overridden based on questionable forensic evidence assembled by Pentagon bureaucrats." The decision to downgrade Peralta's award, Hunter continued, "still stands in direct contradiction" to evidence unearthed in the Marine Corps official investigation into his death and other evidence, including an independent pathology report. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who first reviewed Peralta's case in 2008, wrote in his 2014 memoir "Duty" that he had initially approved the Medal of Honor for Peralta, but reversed his decision after a team of pathologists concluded the Marine could not have acted consciously to stifle the grenade after sustaining his head wound. His successors Leon Panetta and Chuck Hagel both re-examined Peralta's case at Hunter's request in 2012 and 2013, but each ultimately determined that the margin of doubt remained too great to approve the award. Eyewitness accounts remain a sticky point in the Peralta case. Hunter notes that three Marines who were there in Fallujah during the firefight credit the sergeant with saving their lives. But a 2014 Washington Post report quoted two Marines who alleged the account of Peralta's heroism had been made up in the minutes after his death, likely out of fear that he had died as a result of a friendly fire incident. Hunter, who points to evidence including Peralta's shrapnel-scarred rifle, which was underneath him at the time of the blast, and the grenade fuse, recovered from the center of Peralta's body armor, wrote that the grenade could not have detonated six to 10 feet from Peralta's right leg, as Pentagon officials have stated. "According to the Pentagon's previous logic, the grenade fuse would have needed to travel under and through the concrete floor, as well as the fragments of shrapnel that damaged his weapon," Hunter wrote. "You and I are both well aware that this is impossible and such logic equates to nothing more than a convenient excuse not to award Peralta the Medal of Honor." The Pentagon is completing a review of valor medals awarded to troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan launched last year to ensure that those who deserve upgraded awards receive them. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus has said he's recommended two troops for upgrade to the Medal of Honor, though it remains unclear whether Peralta is one of those two. Peralta's immediate family long refused to accept Peralta's Navy Cross, maintaining he deserved the higher award. But in 2015, they accepted the medal in a special ceremony, saying they planned to donate it to the destroyer Peralta in tribute. But Peralta's sister, Icela Peralta Donald, told Military.com last year that she held out hope that her brother would receive the honor she believes he is due. "My whole entire family knows that one day, Rafa, my brother, is going to get the Medal of Honor," she said. "Hopefully, not only my brother, but all the people who deserve to be awarded will get it." -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at@HopeSeck. President Donald Trump renewed campaign pledges Monday to keep radical Muslims out of the U.S., rebuild the military and press NATO members to pay their fair share for defense. In a brief address to troops from U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, Trump did not refer directly to his executive order travel ban on seven predominantly Muslim countries, now the subject of court challenges. However, the president said he wants a strong program of border controls to ensure that those who are admitted to the U.S. are "people that love us and want to love our country -- not people that want to destroy us and destroy our country." His remarks were greeted by hoots and applause from the audience. The president also said that the threat from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, and other proponents of "radical Islamic terrorism" is being distorted by the media. "It's gotten to a point where a very dishonest press doesn't want to report it. They have their reasons, and you understand that," he told the troops. Recalling one of his campaign themes, Trump said defending the U.S. also entails "getting our allies to pay their fair share" and "make their full and proper contributions to the NATO alliance, which many of them have not been doing -- not even close." Trump was introduced by Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, who told the troops they were "incredibly fortunate to have him [Trump] with us today" on his 18th day in office. "I cannot overstate this; this is a very big deal," Votel said. Despite a brief misstep -- Trump called Votel "Gen. Vogel," the president's remarks on rebuilding the military with major increases in defense spending were well received. "We will make sure you have the tools," he said. "You've seen me say we're depleted. It's not gonna happen anymore, folks. Not gonna happen -- not with me." Aboard Air Force One on the trip back to Washington, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer could not immediately cite examples of the media ignoring terrorist attacks, as Trump had asserted. "We'll provide a list later," Spicer said, but he insisted that there were "several instances" of the media either ignoring a terrorist attack or failing to give it adequate coverage. "There's a lot of instances that have occurred where I don't think they've gotten the coverage it deserved," he said. In assailing the media again on its coverage of terrorism, Trump "felt members of the media don't always cover some of those events to the extent that other events might get covered," Spicer said. "Protests will get blown out of the water, and yet an attack or a foiled attack doesn't necessarily get the same coverage. He's doing what he can to protect this nation and protect our people," he said. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. LONDON Queen Elizabeth II has become the first British monarch to reach the milestone of 65 years on the throne. Queen Elizabeth II is seen in this handout photo taken by David Bailey in 2014, and reissued by Buckingham Palace to mark the Sapphire Jubilee of her 65th anniversary of her accession to the throne. Queen Elizabeth is wearing a suite of sapphire jewellery given to her by King George VI as a wedding gift in 1947. [Photo/Agencies] Monday's Sapphire Jubilee is being marked with cannon salutes in London's Green Park and at the Tower of London. Buckingham Palace also released a photo of the queen by David Bailey to mark the occasion. In the picture, taken in 2014, the monarch wears a suite of sapphire jewelry given to her by her father as a wedding gift in 1947. The palace says the 90-year-old queen will spend the day quietly at her Sandringham estate in eastern England. She became monarch on the death of her father, King George VI, from lung cancer at age 56 on Feb. 6, 1952. Elizabeth surpassed Queen Victoria as Britain's longest-serving monarch in 2015. Figures of Britain's Queen Elizabeth are displayed for sale in a shop in central London, Britain, February, 6 2017. [Photo/Agencies] Sat., Nov. 5, 7-8:30 p.m. Mason City Limits Comedy Club 114 E. Chestnut St., Mason City Central Illinois Theater & Comedy He Has The Right to Remain Silly. Mike Armstrong was the type of cop most people wouldn't mind seeing in their rearview mirror. He liked to stop drivers to warn them of the speed traps ahead, just to see their reaction. "I really wasn't into writing tickets or anything like that," he said. "I think that when I quit the police department three other cops lost their jobs. They simply didn't need that many internal affairs officers anymore!" Mike has appeared on Comedy Central, TNN and NBC and was featured on The Friends of Bob and Tom tour 217-482-5233 you are here: business SBI-led consortium defers stake sale in Adhunik Power: Sources A consortium of banks led by State Bank of India have postponed the sale of stake they hold in Adhunik Power and Natural Resources in spite of receiving multiple offers, people aware of the developments told CNBC-TV18. business Tata Motors to redesignate 1,000 execs under operational rejig As part of restructuring of operations to increase efficiency, Tata Motors is likely to redesignate about 1,000 executives, people privy to the developments at the carmaker told CNBC-TV18. business Zydus Cadila eyes big bucks in fatty liver disease treatment Drug-maker Zydus Cadila may soon enter and corner a large chunk of a multi-billion dollar drug opportunity in the treatment of fatty liver disease. business Can universal basic income be rolled out in India? FM answers Finance Minister Arun Jaitley thinks universal basic income is a good tool to help alleviate poverty in India, but is apprehensive whether states and the Centre will come on board over the radical idea if it is taken up for consideration. business Bull's Eye: Buy Petronet, Century Textiles, BEML, NCC, NHPC Rakesh Bansal of RK Global is of the view that one may buy BEML with a target of Rs 1313 and NCC with a target of Rs 91. Ex-choir director in Bucks County pleads no contest to molesting two students, secretly filming another Famously, Sir Isaac Newton lost nearly his entire net worth, 20,000 pounds, equivalent to about 3 million in todays money, investing in one of the earliest stocks available. The South Sea Company was granted a monopoly by the British Crown in trade with Spanish South America in exchange for assuming the countrys war debt. Newton profited initially but kept buying on the way up, as the stock appreciated sharply, which cost him dearly when the shares collapsed to their original price. Newtons response, I can calculate the motions of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of men, tells half the story. Yes, investor irrationality does not lend itself to mathematics. Newton could not measure the temporary sanity of those who bought South Seas shares. But his maths challenge went deeper than that. He also had no tools with which to gauge South Seas business prospects. The calculus solves many problems, but not that of estimating how much trade will be generated with the colonies of an opposing superpower. Thus, he could just as well have said, I can calculate the motions of heavenly bodies, but not the profits of emerging ventures. In other words, Newton would have been no better than the rest of us at understanding how Apple will fare under Tim Cook. When Maths Matters To be sure, being very good at maths is required for several investment fields. One is arbitrage; judging if a cheaper alternative can be substituted for an existing investment. Because the latter is a precisely known quantity, it is a matter of calculation to determine if the substitute is a better bargain. The computations can get complex indeed for derivatives, which is why Nobel Prizes were awarded to those who solved the code for options pricing and why the big banks hire bushels of quantitative Ph.D.s each year, but maths it is. Another field is trading. This subject, admittedly, I know very little about, as the mutual funds and exchange-traded funds that comprise my field hire few such experts. But I have met those who work at firms that buy and sell securities, and the first thing those companies do when hiring is test their prospective traders on a series of mathematical puzzles. The maths is not of a high level, but getting correct answers requires an agile mind. Those who are not unusually adept with numeric patterns are rejected. Finally, there is the growing field of data mining, or, as those practitioners would have it, evidence-based research. As each year passes, investment databases and computational powers grow larger, which permits deeper, more-complex searches through the historical records, seeking investment factors that appear to have been successful. This is the hunting ground of finance and economics Ph.D.s. The math required to sift through these reams of data is not novel, but it is a specialised skill. Ordinary mortals need not apply. And Where It Doesnt But none of these endeavours would seem to matter to us, the long-term investor. We neither arbitrage nor day-trade, and while we might very well purchase the outputs of the evidence-based researchers, in the form of strategic beta ETFs, we dont create those funds ourselves. Maths does little good in judging the claims of ETF providers. The critical item is judgment, understanding when the reputed investment factors might be economically grounded and thus sustainable, as opposed to when they were accidental and do not figure to repeat. For us, too much maths can be a drawback. It can mislead. Sir Isaac Newtons South Seas debacle is typically told as a parable of the dangers of market manias, which can consume even the brightest of investors. That is true. However, Newtons South Seas adventure also illustrates another, less commonly acknowledged point: Many critical investment questions cannot be solved by maths. And devoting too much attention to matters quantitative, while giving insufficient attention to issues such as judgment and data quality, can be outright harmful to portfolio results. Maintaining independence and editorial freedom is essential to our mission of empowering investor success. We provide a platform for our authors to report on investments fairly, accurately, and from the investors point of view. We also respect individual opinionsthey represent the unvarnished thinking of our people and exacting analysis of our research processes. Our authors can publish views that we may or may not agree with, but they show their work, distinguish facts from opinions, and make sure their analysis is clear and in no way misleading or deceptive. To further protect the integrity of our editorial content, we keep a strict separation between our sales teams and authors to remove any pressure or influence on our analyses and research. Read our editorial policy to learn more about our process. A Vancouver real estate developer spent nearly $75,000 of an investors money on his personal mortgage payments and his property management business, a British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC) panel found.The panel found that in November 2009, Brendan Schouw convinced one investor to spend $1 million in Hornby Residences for a Vancouver real estate project. Schouw is the sole director of Hornby, a B.C. company.The investor received an investment certificate promising 18% simple interest per year. After depositing the $1m into Hornbys bank account, Schouw redirected approximately $75,000 for his own use, the panel said.Schouw would have known that these payments were made and that they were being made in a manner that was not consistent with what had been promised to [the investor] about the use of his funds.Schouw initially promised the investor that all of the funds would be used for the real estate project.As Hornbys sole director and officer, Schouw is liable for the companys fraud. Schouw admitted that he made all of the relevant decisions in issue regarding Hornbys actions. There is no doubt that Schouw permitted or acquiesced to Hornbys misconduct in this case, the findings said.Schouw was initially accused by the BCSC executive director of diverting the $440,000 of the investors funds, but the panel dismissed the allegations. Mount Pleasant, SC (29464) Today Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 69F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 69F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Mount Pleasant, SC (29464) Today Sun and clouds mixed. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 82F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low near 70F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. President Donald Trump moved Friday to roll back the controversial Dodd-Frank Act. But how will the rollback work? Trump announced several steps Friday to undo rules enacted under Dodd-Frank. After a meeting with business executives, he signed a directive calling for the rewriting of major provisions in the act, according to a New York Times report. Another directive he signed is expected to roll back a Labor Department rule that required financial advisors to act in their clients best interests. Trump said the directives were intended to ease the regulatory burdens on banks and enable them to lend money more freely. We expect to be cutting a lot out of Dodd-Frank because frankly, I have so many people, friends of mine that had nice businesses, they cant borrow money, Trump said during his meeting with business leaders. They just cant get any money because the banks just wont let them borrow it because of the rules and regulations in Dodd-Frank. Democrats and consumer groups were quick to blast the orders as love letters to Wall Street. :The administration apparently plans to turn over financial regulation to Wall Street titan Goldman Sachs, and make it easier for them and other big banks like Wells Fargo to steal from their customers and destabilize the economy, Lisa Donner, executive director for Americans for Financial Reform, said in a statement. That betrays the promises Trump made to stand up to Wall Street, and it will have dire consequences if hes successful. Trump doesnt actually have the authority to roll back Dodd-Frank by executive order, the Times reported. However, his executive orders can set the tone for how zealously federal agencies enforce existing rules. Its not anti-abortion; its pro-life There has been a lot of talk lately about fake news. Well it has hit the Permian Basin. Saturday morning, Jan. 28, I get a glance at the front page of the Midland Reporter-Telegram and see the words Anti-Abortion Group. This story was about the Right to Life March Friday in Washington DC. Now, the story was an AP story but still . If that group that marched (peacefully I add) was anti-abortion then the other side is anti-life. But no! We are labeled anti-abortion while the other side is given the name Pro-choice. Fake news! Shame on the MRT for running the story with this headline! Shame on the AP too! And I have used social media to share my disgust directly with them. From the womb to the tomb Gods precious gift is life are the words on the signs on my congregations south lawn. We are unashamedly pro-life. And we continue to pray for all life for it Is Gods precious gift. Pastor Robert Pase Grace Lutheran Church --- Help of airport staff, board is appreciated I want to express my appreciation to the Midland Air & Space Port staff and all board members for providing me emergency assistance during one of the recent board meetings. I especially want to thank Director Justine Ruff and the airport emergency staff for their care and consideration during this trying period. I have been a member of the airport board for many years. I am thankful than I can still serve the board in my limited capacity. Harry Spannus --- Think outside the box to solve age-old issues Im glad to hear that President Trump has signed the executive order to start building the wall on our southern border, and I would like to offer a suggestion to him for the Texas/Mexico border that will make more sense than erecting steel bars in a river -- in the middle of a pristine national park (like Big Bend). I would like to propose that the U.S. government make the Rio Grande into a constant level river with substantial water levels from the Mesilla Valley in New Mexico all the way to the Gulf. But please dont do it just to control illegal immigration. Do it to improve the economy of the hundreds of thousands of people who depend upon that region of the U.S. for commerce. Helping to curb the illegal immigration and drug problem would be a natural byproduct of the barrier that would be created. It sounds crazy, but backfilling the river would create jobs and improve the economy of both the USA and Mexico, and since Mexico owns roughly 50 percent of the water (by treaty) they would more than likely be willing to help share in the cost of such a project. Farming, ranching and industry along with infrastructure items such as better roads would slowly make their way into an area that has been economically depressed for centuries. In order to hold back the water, baffles would have to be strategically placed in the river. These barriers would be great places to put Border Patrol stations where immigrants could cross the river and request asylum under the most humane of conditions that we, as Americans, can create with medical facilities and abodados (lawyers) at the ready. A letter such as this is limited in size, so I cant go into much detail but Id be willing to sit down with any state or federal official who would like to know more about this big idea. Its time we thought outside of the box to solve these age-old issues. John Mark Mason --- Conaway is example of why term limits needed I called Rep. Mike Conaways office to find out how he stood on a couple of issues. His staff didnt seem to know his stance on things like: -- Mexico is going to pay for the wall, believe me. -- Government hiring freeze that will affect veteran services -- Reinstating torture and black sites -- Voter fraud - 3 million to 5 million fraudulent votes -- Repealing Affordable Care Act without a replacement -- President Trumps many conflicts of interest (Its called ethics) On his website it states: As a CPA and fiscal conservative, I am committed to working with my colleagues to cut spending and put our fiscal house in order... Since he is OK with Mexico reimbursing the U.S. taxpayers, he must be OK with me going to Rogers Ford in Midland, buying a car with his good credit and letting me reimburse him. Trust me. Rep. Conaway clearly demonstrates why we need term limits. Felix Laughlin Proctor --- Thanks to parks department for job well-done A great big thank you goes out to David Sanchez and his crew at Midlands Parks and Recreation Department Several years ago, based on a phone call from the Midland Volkssport Walkabout Club, the city agreed to look into getting a display case put up at the entrance of Windlands Park on Wadley Avenue. Soon that was done and the keys were handed to the club, which also partners with Keep Midland Beautiful to keep the park clear of trash. Over the years, water has seeped into the display case and the pictures, etc. became drippy and wet. Another call was made to the parks department after the first of this year and the response from our plea as to what to do was, We have found a case that will keep the water out and we will order you one. Yesterday, I received a call to say the case was up and ready. What a nice surprise and speedy at that. We truly want to say thank you to those who saw our need, met our need, and now it is up to us to keep not only the park clean but the display case attractive and interesting. Please stop by, see what the walking club can do for your health (fun, fitness and friends) and join us if you so desire. You are not too old or too young. Thanks, David, and thank your crew for a job well-done. We appreciate you. Alex Rose Midland Walkabout Volkssport Club San Andreas, CA Local healthcare for large exotic animals is looking up to say the least at a wildlife refuge nestled right here in the Mother Lode. Located minutes from Calaveras Countys quiet county seat, Ark 2000, the 2,300-acre Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) sanctuary, has debuted an impressive new $1 million-plus onsite medical facility that spent nearly two years in the making, due to more than a few unforeseen delays (further described here). Invited to see it up close, Clarke Broadcasting shares a look behind the scenes (through rich content video links provided throughout this article) with Ed Stewart and Dr. Jackie Gai, respectively PAWS co-founder and director of veterinary services. Among the finally realized dreams of PAWS co-founder and former Hollywood animal trainer Pat Derby, who sadly succumbed to cancer four years ago, the new center is named in her memory. Funded in part by an anonymous $1 million donation, it is impressively versatile in design; also offering state-of-the-art equipment that enables PAWS dozens of denizens to receive onsite the same quality care they would at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Gai adds that plans are underway for the center to host ongoing veterinary exchange program opportunities with UC Davis, along with other organizations and practices. As to how that might add to the present onsite level of activities, Stewart wryly notes that Ark 2000 is more busy behind the gates already than most people might imagine. Currently running with about a 20-person staff, he points out that, given Calaveras Countys size and rural remote nature, PAWS is a relatively large local enterprise employer. One-stop Wellness For Large Local Exotic Wildlife Except for MRI scans and other procedures requiring certain other larger-scale resources, Dr. Gai says that PAWS is now able to effectively provide much more in the way of medical and dental care onsite, including certain x-rays and surgeries. These resources will largely spare the sanctuarys exotic menagerie of elephants, tigers, bears and other species from needing to undergo the stresses of trailer transport to treatment locations hours away. Among its features the Pat Derby Animal Wellness Center is equipped with an onsite drug dispensary, as shown here by Dr. Gai, who provides more details on her patients common ailments and treatments. A lab, x-ray area and surgery suite are all located adjacent to an enormous intake bay and treatment area accessible to animal transport via roll-up door. Situated high on the sanctuary property, the facility overlooks a rolling foothills vista with views of the Ark 2000 solar-panel topped elephant barns some distance below. While PAWS actual cost comes out to be under a million dollars, Stewart explains here how they avoided winding up with a price tag for five times that amount. Gai takes equal pride in pointing out s few breaks from the sterile surroundings that she incorporated into her floor and interior design plan. This includes a live oak conference room table in the meeting space and library chosen from Derbys favorite furniture store, Sutter Creeks Water Street Antiques. These warm touches provide a physical sense of Derbys ongoing presence. Next Rescue In The Works: 8 Tigers Currently, PAWS is in the process of acquiring eight rescue tigers from a Colorado cub mill, where babies were being bred to provide cubs briefly used for photo opportunities after which they were set aside in cages. Stewart says he anticipates the process to be complete within the next two or so weeks, providing more details here. Since some of the newbies will need to be spayed or neutered shortly after arrival, since PAWS does not breed animals, Dr. Gai anticipates those procedures will be among the first ones booked for the new surgery suite. Located downhill from the centers parking lot, the nearest of the sanctuarys sizable enclosures contains a trio of sibling Siberian tigers, Roy, Kim and Claire. Just four months old when PAWS rescued them from a long-defunct roadside zoo back in 2003, the three were originally residents of PAWS Galt sanctuary now within the long slow process of winding down. Relocated to Ark 2000 last March, they look to be clearly thriving and apparently enjoying an even more expanded habitat. (To view photos of Roy and Kim, click into the slideshow in the upper left image box.) Tireless advocates for wildlife, PAWS was chief among the organizations behind legislation recently signed that bans the use of bullhooks on elephants, as reported here. Stewart and Gai point out that PAWS current tiger adoption provides a perfect opportunity to highlight current legislation in the works to outlaw tiger breeding often a highly profitable cash industry that operates more rampantly than people realize, as they share here. Due to its emphasis on being a true sanctuary, Ark 2000, which is located off Pool Station Road near Highway 49 in San Andreas, is not generally open to the public aside from occasional fundraising events (such as its winter Holiday Open House, as reported here with elephant barn tour photos). The next one however is coming up shortly on March 11. For more details on PAWS efforts and activities, click here. Angels Camp, CA The fate of a conditional use permit for a medical marijuana dispensary near the historic Altaville Schoolhouse sits atop this weeks Angels Camp City Council agenda. Tuesday the council is expected to either deny or uphold the planning commission citys decision not to approve a conditional use permit submitted by Catherine Hancock of Calaveras Health Nexus for a dispensary at 206 N. Main St., Suite B. The business would be located in a complex next to Angels Mexican Kitchen and the Sierra Tattoo parlor. While Hancocks proposal for a retail storefront was determined to be consistent with the citys general plan and zoning requirements, the commission has twice denied the application on the grounds that the business is located within 1,000 feet of the school and public park area; also that both are predominately youth-oriented establishments. Also on the regular agenda are two action items involving approval of two agreements with Caltrans. One is for a cooperative project identification and study/report relating to improvements in the works at the intersection of Highways 4 and 49. The other is a relinquishment agreement to Caltrans for the intersection as well as the Angels Creek Bridge and a 90-meter section east of the bridge along Vallecito Road. The council is also likely to send out a new request for proposal relating to Greenhorn Creek Landscape & Lighting District maintenance services. Probing Planning Commissioner Prospects In other business, council members will potentially fill the seat on the city planning commission that became vacant upon Commissioner Susan Rudolphs resignation, effective Jan. 1. Two candidates were forwarded by staff for the members to interview at the meeting. They are Randy Davis, a general building contractor, and Rayleane Dias, who has a background in real estate. The council also anticipates approving letters of support to state legislators, as recommended by the League of California Cities, regarding AB 1. Described as a comprehensive state and local transportation network funding proposal, the bill seeks to make efficiency reforms and raise revenues through various means that include a 12 cent increase in the gas tax and a $38 increase to vehicle registration fee. Ahead of the public meeting, which begins at 6 p.m., the council will, in a 4:30 closed session, discuss a handful of potentially pending legal matters and a liability claim filed against the city by former City Administrator Michael McHatten. The meeting is scheduled to take place at Angels Fire House (1401 Vallecito Road) in Angels Camp. President Donald Trump made his first visit to the headquarters Monday for U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. A room full of troops in fatigues from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines sat down to eat with the president, as well as senior members of his White House staff. At MacDill, the president was briefed by CENTCOM and SOCOM leaders. The president also met with Gov. Rick Scott. "To these forces of death and destruction, American and its allies will defeat you. We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism," Trump said. "Those at CENTCOM .... have bravely battled a vicious enemy that has no respect for life," he said. Air Force One landed about 11:30 a.m. Monday. Trump made small talk with some of the soldiers, discussing everything from football to military careers. "Gonna make it a career?" Trump asked one person. "C'mon, you have to stay," he urged another. President Trump spent about 15 minutes addressing commanders and coalition forces. During his remarks, he thanked many in the audience, including Gov. Scott. "We had a wonderful election didn't we?" Trump said. "I saw those numbers. You liked me and I liked you." The president said he'd do everything he could to make sure forces defending the United States had the most and best equipment possible. "Our administration is at your service. We stand with you 100%. We will protect those who protect us and we will never, ever let you down," Trump said. "As your president, I have no higher duty than to protect the American people. We have to defend our nation, and we will do that, believe me." In the background of the president's visit was the legal challenge to his executive order that put a hold on people entering the U.S. from seven countries he deemed hotbeds for terrorists. It was overturned by a federal district judge in Washington state on Friday. The president briefly touched on these developments, as well as his controversial stance on refugees. "We need strong programs so that people that love us and want to love our country and will end up loving our country are allowed in, not people that want to destoy us and destroy our country," said Trump. Over the weekend, Vice President Mike Pence seemed confident the White House would get the travel restrictions back in place. "As your president, I have no higher duty than to protect the American people. We have to defend our nation, and we will do that, believe me." - President Donald Trump during Monday's remarks "President Trump has made it clear he is going to put safety and security of the American people first, and the executive order he signed suspending travel from countries that have been compromised by terrorists is consistent with that objective," Pence said. "It is quite clear that the president has the ability to determine who has access to this country when it comes to national security." The Justice Department filed an emergency motion in federal court just after midnight Sunday, but the appeals court decided not to hear the case on an emergency basis. It said it needed more time to review the issue. The Associated Press contributed to this story. There are heroes who walk among us who quietly work to make Central Florida a better place but they don't wear a cape. Help us choose our Everyday Hero of the Year for 2016 Watch segments, vote in our poll RELATED: More Everyday Heroes making a difference in Central Florida These heroes selflessly donate their time, money or expertise to lift others in our community with no expectation of anything in return. In a special segment on News 13 and MyNews13.com each Monday, we shine a light on these Everyday Heroes who are making a difference with their actions, words or beliefs. Then, as a way of saying "thank you," we recognize these Central Floridians and present a Viewers' Choice Hero of the Year at an annual Salute to Everyday Heroes luncheon. This is where you come in. This year, we have four nominees for Viewers' Choice Hero of the Year, and we need your help choosing the winner. The nominees come from all walks of life a salon owner, a teenager, a home improvement store employee and retiree. Read and watch our past segments on our 2016 Hero of the Year nominees: Michael Collins : To honor fallen police officers, Eagle Scout Michael Collins decided to raise money to erect a statue at the new Orlando Police Department headquarters on Orange Blossom Trail. The statue would cost $45,000. In the first month, he'd already raised $3,000. Gail Benson : Oviedo salon owner Gail Benson has given hundreds of women battling cancer a few moments of joy by providing free beauty treatments at one point covering much of the costs out of her own pocket. She also held a benefit fundraiser for the national nonprofit Wigs and Wishes. Chris Lopez : When a West Melbourne family bought a faulty go-kart for their autistic teen, Chris Lopez and his coworkers at a local Home Depot stepped up, going above and beyond just a quick tune-up. Barbara Mandigo : The days aren't long enough for all the things on 101-year-old Barbara Mandigo's plate. At her Altoona retirement community, among other things, she cuts apart old coats, shoes and discarded clothing and sews them into teddy bears for kids with serious illnesses at Camp Boggy Creek in Eustis. Other awards we'll present at the luncheon include: Young Hero of the Year Volunteer Hero of the Year Education Hero of the Year Public Service Hero of the Year Health Advocate Hero of the Year Tell us which Everyday Hero you think deserves the Hero of the Year by voting in our poll.* The poll is open for voting until March 3. Then, tune to News 13 on April 1 to watch our Salute to Everyday Heroes special. *News 13 reserves the right to make the final selection in Viewers' Choice voting. A 12-year-old Yemeni girl who was barred from boarding an airplane last week to join her family in the United States arrived at San Francisco International on Sunday and left the airport a U.S. citizen. It took six years for the United States to approve a visa for Eman Ali to move to the United States to join her parents and two sisters. The reunion almost didnt happen because of President Trumps executive order banning people from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Yemen, for 90 days. Over the weekend, Eman and her father took advantage of a federal judges Friday ruling halting enforcement of Trumps executive order and flew to the U.S. without any delay or problems from U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. Last week was a bad dream for me, said Emans father, Ahmed Ali, a U.S. citizen who traveled to Yemen to help his daughter obtain a visa and bring her home. After seven years, finally we are home. ... Finally I have all my family here. The status of Trumps executive order has been in flux ever since he signed it Jan. 27. First, a federal judge in New York barred enforcement of a provision that prohibited green-card holders from entering the United States. Other court rulings followed but none as sweeping as Fridays ruling from a federal judge in Seattle halting enforcement of the entire order. When that decision came down, immigration attorneys immediately reached out to stranded travelers from affected countries and urged them to get on flights to the U.S. as soon as they could, said Julia Wilson, CEO of OneJustice, a nonprofit that has been coordinating an initiative to provide free legal counsel at the San Francisco airport. Emans case drew wide attention because of the circumstances. Her mom was a U.S. citizen when she traveled to Yemen 12 years ago to care for Emans ailing grandmother. She ended up there longer than expected and gave birth to Eman while in Yemen. Because of the technicalities in immigration law Emans mother had not lived for five years in the U.S. and her father wasnt yet a U.S. citizen Eman did not quality for automatic citizenship through her mother. Instead, her parents had to apply for a visa for Eman, a six-year process that became especially difficult when the embassy in Yemen closed in January 2015. Emans mom and sister returned to Yemen to live with Eman, leaving behind their father in Los Gatos. Three years ago, Emans mom and sister returned to Los Gatos and left Eman with her grandparents. The U.S. Embassy approved Eman for a visa on Jan. 25. She met her father in Jordan, where they traveled to Djibouti to take a flight to the U.S. They went to board their flight on the morning after Trump signed his order canceling the visas of travelers from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen. They were barred from boarding. Shortly after the federal judges ruling Friday blocking the order, Eman and her father tried again, this time successfully. Because Eman is a minor and will live with her parents, who are U.S. citizens, she automatically acquired U.S. citizenship the minute she passed through immigration inspection, said her attorney, Katy Lewis. Like Eman and her father, most travelers from the seven affected countries got through immigration without being detained, Wilson said. Thats a major change from last week, she said, when travelers were being detained for questioning for two to three hours on average. Its clear that in SFO, the Customs and Border Protection have shown a commitment to understanding what Friday nights order meant, Wilson said. But its anyones guess what comes next. Government lawyers appealed and sought an emergency stay of the Seattle judges ruling. But so far the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has declined to disturb the lower court ruling. The appeals court requested more briefs from the parties by Monday afternoon, and a decision is expected to follow soon. The case is widely expected to reach the U.S. Supreme Court. The law is constantly in flux, said Lisa Weissman-Ward, supervising attorney with Stanford Law Schools Immigrant Rights Clinic, who was at SFO on Sunday to provide legal assistance as needed. Weissman-Ward was among a dozen volunteer lawyers and translators gathered at the airport for the eighth day in a row Sunday as they prepared for the arrival of travelers from the seven affected countries. She said she and other attorneys knew of about a dozen travelers from the affected countries who arrived Sunday, and added that there were probably many more who were not in contact with attorneys. Among them was Mosen Nazari, who calmly waited at the airport for his wife to arrive from Iran. He didnt let his 13-year-old son, Poria, play with the iPhone. His daughter, Khorshid, 8, sat on his lap. But when his wife, Soghra, emerged to the waiting area, he couldnt hold back the tears. The words that had flowed so freely an hour earlier barely took form. All he could do was embrace her. Soghra Nazari traveled to Iran a month ago to visit her ill mother. Then, Trump issued his order. My wife called me and said, I cannot come back, Mosen Nazari recalled. While he is a U.S. citizen, his wife only has a green card and is not eligible to become a citizen for three years. He moved to the United States when he was 24 and spent 22 years in Redding and Santa Barbara before returning to Iran 16 years ago. Five months ago, he and his family moved to Chico to provide his children with a better education. When his wife was barred from traveling back to California, he found himself contemplating once again returning to Iran. I told my children well go back there so they would not be separated from their mother, he said. On Sunday, with Soghra Nazari by his side, he was exhausted by the anxiety and relieved. But not entirely. We still dont know whats going to happen, he said. Emily Green is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: egreen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @emilytgreen The opening of Midlands fourth Chick-fil-A will be homecoming of sorts for franchisee Alejandra Solis and another chapter in a 17-year career with the fast-food company. My journey started with Chick-fil-A as a team member at the drive-thru-only store in San Angelo in June 2000, Solis told the Reporter-Telegram on Friday. What started as a high school job became more than just a means to make money as a business management student at Angelo state. In 2005, I went to a team leader summit in Atlanta, where the corporate office is held, and I just fell in love with the company, she said. I went back to my store and talked to my operator at the time and asked what was needed to become an operator/owner. He said, I see it in you, I think youd be great at it, so lets get started on it now. After graduation in 2008, Solis continued with the company, rising in the ranks with the ultimate intention of owning her own franchise. She got her chance in 2013, 14 months after applying to operate a store at the Mesilla Valley Mall in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Moving to Midland means being closer to her family and to that of her husband, who is originally from Big Spring. But the new venture is more than tying family ties tighter. Solis wants to be able to influence a younger generation. To be able to create and build jobs where they can really just learn basic business skills all the way up to running a high-level organization. Thats ultimately what drove me to do what I do. I love it, she said. Solis enjoys seeing people, into whom she has invested years of time and effort, grow. Joining her in Midland will be a trio of young employees from her Las Cruces store -- which she had to sell to get the Midland store -- and a duo from Houston that she met while working at another unit. They will cover operations, maintenance, the drive-thru, the back of the store and the front of the store. Theyll walk footsteps similar to those that Solis trod in her career. For me, once we got selected for Midland back in August 2016, (my family was) beyond excited because we got to be closer to home. But for the team, I told them this was a great opportunity for them, especially the two who want to be operators/owners, as well, she said. Solis said she will be sentimental when leaving Las Cruces. I love this town. Its going to be hard to say good-bye to my team, especially those I spent three or four years with. But I cant wait to get to Midland and develop more people, to give them experience they can use for years to come. But with new journeys come new opportunities. Im looking forward to the new adventure and this unique opportunity because it is definitely a unique store. The layout even inside the kitchen is going to be different than most other Chick-fil-A (stores), she said. The company put a lot of thought into making it as easy as possible for the guest to get traffic in and out. Solis said the new Midland location wont mean other stores, particularly the location nearby at the north-side Wal-Mart, will close. Theyre doing phenomenally well, she said. The reason the new store is coming is because of the hard work and dedication theyve put into the brand and building sales. Chick-fil-A sees the need to build another location, just like they have in Las Cruces. In talking with other local operators, she said chicken nuggets are the top menu item here. She sees that as a trend. When Im doing interviews, one of my questions for team members is if they eat at Chick-fil-A and what they get. With the younger generation, you actually see the nuggets more, she said. With Midland, from what Ive heard from the other operators, its a nugget community. Solis said the one item on the menu that doesnt get enough recognition are grilled chicken nuggets. I love the grilled nuggets. Its one of my favorite menu items that you dont hear about. But no matter the dining choice, Solis is excited to be part of her new community. Solis was in Midland Monday to host the groundbreaking of the new store location. Like Trevor on Facebook and follow him on Twitter at @HowdyHawes. Customers at an Italian restaurant near one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in San Antonio allegedly left a racist message for the restaurants owner Friday, vowing not to return because he is Mexican. The food was tasty and the service was attentive, the customers reportedly wrote on a receipt left at Di Frabo Ristorante Italiano near the Dominion development on Friday. However, the owner is Mexican. We will not return. America First, the note concluded. The customers racked up a $53 tab before leaving the racist message. The phrase America First has risen to prominence under President Donald Trump, who repeatedly used the phrase since he first launched his presidential bid in 2015. Owner Fernando Franco is from Mexico City but now lives in San Antonio. Franco said he and his wife were dining in the restaurant Friday afternoon, but he was also speaking to his manager in Spanish. Once the lunch crowd cleared out, the manager approached him with the receipt, Franco said. I hope this is not going to get worse, that my familys not going to be at risk in any way, Franco said. The restaurant took to Facebook to address an outpouring of support after a photo of the receipt circulated on social media over the weekend. One tweet has received almost 12,000 retweets as of Monday morning. Thank you to everyone who has been showing us so much love and support today, the restaurant wrote in a Facebook post Saturday, using the hashtag #strongertogether. One commenter wrote, God bless you, sir. Keep up the good work. You are employing people that otherwise would not have a job. And you are contributing to this state and nations economy by paying your taxes. That customer was an idiot and is setting a terrible example to his children. For more, go to ExpressNews.com or read Tuesdays edition of the Express-News. jfechter@express-news.net Twitter: @JFreports This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate California artist Nathan Mabry has created a modernistic owl-themed sculpture as the latest public art installation in Rice Village. A blue origami-like aluminum owl, along with four smaller lifelike owls, are a nod to Rice University, which has been transforming the shopping district with the help of Trademark Property Co. The sculpture is on Kelvin Drive, just north of University Boulevard. "While researching Rice Village, I became interested in the vibrant history of the neighborhood and proximity to Rice University. I find myself particularly engaged with the mascot of Rice University, the Owl," Mabry said in an announcement. "It's a powerful symbol in both antiquity and contemporary life. My work has long explored the depiction of birds from all facets of art history." RELATED: 'Tree of Life' mural helps dress up center of city Other Rice Village art elements, being managed by MKG Art Management, include a mural by Houston artist Gonzo247/Mario Enrique Figueroa Jr. on Morningside Drive. The Rice Village garage will be the canvas for the next project. "We want Rice Village to be a place people love to visit for reasons other than just shopping," Terry Montesi, CEO, Trademark Property Co., said in an announcement. "We believe enhancing the visual environment improves the experience and makes visitors to Rice Village feel cared about." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Ernestina Rivera and her husband, Luis, were putting groceries, including fresh avocados from Mexico, in their car on Friday after shopping at H-E-B on College Street. The Trump administration recently proposed a 20 percent import tax on Mexican products to pay for a border wall, which some estimates have put between $12 billion and $15 billion to construct. The prospect of higher food prices doesn't appeal to the Riveras, but they have a greater concern. "My son drives a truck - an 18-wheeler - that brings food in from Mexico," she said. "That could affect his job." At El Mercado Familia, another supermarket on College Street, Rahshaad Nobles said the proposed import tax brings with it a lot of uncertainty. "How do you know what the effect would be?" Nobles said. "I don't know." M. Ray Perryman, a Waco-based economist, said Texas exports more to Mexico than any state. It flows both ways, he said. "Clearly, there is a lot at stake on both sides of the border," he said. One category of imports that will hit home for American household budgets is food, Perryman said. Mexico is the United States' second-largest supplier of agricultural imports, with a 2015 total of $21 billion, he said. Leading categories include fresh vegetables and fruit, wine and beer, snack foods and processed fruits and vegetables. "Adding 20 percent to the cost of these items will be felt in many a pocketbook," Perryman said. The U.S. and Mexico conduct about $1.6 billion a day in cross-border trade, which includes food, clothing, vehicles, electrical machinery, fuels, and medical instruments, according to The Associated Press. Sajjad Alam, a mechanical engineering student at Lamar University who is from Bangladesh, walked out of El Mercado Familia on Friday with a fresh papaya from Mexico among other grocery items. Alam said if the proposed tax is passed, "Mexico will not pay." "The people of the U.S. will have to pay," he said. John McCollough, an associate professor of economics at Lamar University, said American consumers would feel the 20 percent pinch almost immediately if the tax were to take effect. "The price of all imports would go up," he said. "A T-shirt at Walmart that costs $10 would cost $12. That's a direct impact." Dan Wallach Such a tariff on imports could stimulate manufacturing and production within the United States, he said. "We were the country that produced everything," he said. "That could be a way to bring it back. The cost, though, would be a huge disruption." McCollough said other countries would impose tariffs on us. "There would be huge disruption in other countries, too," he said. "Food prices would go up. The government would collect the import tax, but it is people who would be paying for it." Tahir Javed, chief executive of Starco Impex in Beaumont, a company that imports manufactured goods from at least five countries, said his company wholesales those goods to convenience stores around the United States. An import tax would be paid by everyone who buys convenience goods or products like cell phones and accessories, none of which are made in the United States, he said. "It's bad if it's across the board," Javed said of the proposed import tax. "I don't think it's the right move. I'm not against taxes on imports. But would it impact food, things that people can't live without?" Javed, who hosted a Beaumont fundraiser for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in January 2016, competes with other companies that import goods, so he said the impact on him is minimal. It's passed directly to the consumer, he said. "It directly affects people who can't afford it," according to Javed. DWallach@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/dwallach This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A soon-to-be married San Antonio couple are showing their pure Texas roots as the two chose a local icon to take their engagement photos Whataburger. "It is their favorite place," said Nicole Conrad, a local photographer who shot the photos and posted them to her business Facebook page. Conrad owns Nicole C Photography and Itsy Bitsy Photography & Gifts. She said she is an acquaintance of the couple, Luis Limon and Denise Gomez, who hired her to do the photography for their March 11 wedding. RELATED: San Antonio honor student uses Whataburger as backdrop for graduation photos Conrad said Limon and Gomez were not fans of doing the traditional outdoor engagement photos and wanted to try something fun and new. Since the couple are such huge fans of the burger restaurant, they suggested it, and Conrad was happy to oblige. "It all came out really cute," Conrad said of the session. "And I will be shooting their wedding too, but it will not be at a Whataburger." Though bride to be Gomez did joke that the couple thought about having the reception catered by Whataburger. Both Limon and Gomez say choosing Whataburger as the spot for the photo shoot was not hard at all. "It's our go to," said Limon. RELATED: Central Texas H-E-B convenience store to get Whataburger drive-thru "Yeah, it's where we go," Gomez agreed. "We're there a couple times a week, we love it," she said. The photos are a series of playful poses involving the two sharing drinks and feeding each other fries. There is even a couple of photos where Limon proposes to Gomez with an onion ring. Some of the photos show them sporting their other love the San Antonio Spurs. Whataburger and the Spurs -- How S.A. is that? "I bought that shirt brand new that day for the photos," Limon joked. Conrad said she has been contacted by Good Morning America about the photos, but said as of yet, neither she nor the couple know whether they will appear on the show. Whataburger has even contacted Conrad, though she said she has not gotten back to them. As for the happy couple, they, like hundreds of thousands of Texans, probably are at Whataburger right now. Washington, D.C. The nation's capital may be convulsed in controversy over Iran, immigration, walls and massacres that never happened, but U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, appears to float serenely above it all for now. As the curtain rises on the 115th Congress, Stefanik is more and more at stage center as something of a rising star in the constellation of Republicans controlling Capitol Hill which includes House Speaker Paul Ryan, her mentor whom she helped on debate prep in 2012 when he was the GOP's vice-presidential nominee. She is conservative by inclination but willing to diverge from GOP orthodoxy when it conflicts with her view of her North Country district's interests. At age 32, she has been named chair of the House Armed Services subcommittee on emerging threats and capabilities an unusual honor for a sophomore lawmaker. The subcommittee is focused on cyber threats, counterterrorism and controlling proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. And she won appointment to the House Select Committee on Intelligence, which oversees the U.S. intelligence community and receives classified briefings on the most sensitive intelligence matters facing the nation. All in all, not bad for a 2002 graduate of the Albany Academy for Girls whose family operates Premium Plywood Products in an industrial park in Guilderland Center. In normal times, a Republican in the White House would make Stefanik's job easier. But if there is one thing all sides of the partisan divide can agree on, it is that these are not normal times. Analyzing the quirks and contradictions of President Donald Trump "is not what I spend my time doing,'' Stefanik said in an interview before Trump took the oath of office. "My job is to be an effective member of Congress and focus on these new leadership opportunities that I am honored to have earned.'' Rather than shunning Trump in the campaign, Stefanik offered lukewarm support. Arguably it was a wise move since Trump beat Hillary Clinton in New York's 21st Congressional District by 14 percentage points a marked contrast to 2012 when then President Obama bested Mitt Romney by six percentage points. "Stefanik has proven very adept at dealing with first candidate and now President Donald Trump, selectively backing him and distancing herself from him and his policies,'' said Harvey Schantz, chair of the political science department at SUNY Plattsburgh. "True, there is an expectation that members of Congress will support a president of their own party, but there is also a recognition that representatives have to adapt their voting record to please their own particular districts.'' Stefanik already has put herself at odds with Trump's travel ban imposed on seven majority-Muslim nations, calling his executive order "rushed and overly broad.'' But her voting record suggests she is generally a Republican loyalist, supporting GOP efforts to build the Keystone XL pipeline, defund Planned Parenthood and repeal Obamacare. "The only way to judge a moderate is if they vote against the party on a reasonable number of occasions,'' said her predecessor, former Rep. Bill Owens, a Democrat who is now a lawyer in Plattsburgh. "Her record does not show that.'' But Stefanik also has bucked the conservative party line on issues where she feels North Country interests come into play. Among them, she favored reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank as a valuable asset in helping U.S. exports, and opposed GOP efforts to dilute air-quality standards and cut funding for the Environmental Protection Agency, and she sided with Democrats against Republicans who opposed a measure to bar federal money to contractors who discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. Stefanik also is distancing herself from Trump's climate-change-denier position by joining the Bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, which says it wants to "explore bipartisan policy options that address the impacts, causes, and challenges of our changing climate.'' And she opposes dumping Obamacare until there's a replacement ready to go. Hearst intern Laura Castro Lindarte contributed reporting. dan@hearstdc.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Two former officers of Minnesota Medical Solutions, an affiliate of Vireo Health of New York, have been charged with illegally transporting medical marijuana products with an estimated value of $500,000 from Minnesota to Vireo's Fulton County facility in December 2015. According to complaints filed in a Minnesota court on Friday, MMS Chief Medical Officer Laura Lynn Bultman and Chief Security Officer Ronald Dale Owens transported cannabis oils from Minnesota to New York because marijuana plants grown at the Fulton County facility were inadequate to make medicine. New York regulators expected the five medical marijuana companies selected to participate in its then-nascent program to have products available for sale to qualifying New Yorkers by January 2016. Charges are expected to be filed against a third employee, Chief Operating Officer Robert Allan Shimpa, who was also allegedly involved in the scheme, according to Brian Lutes, chief of the criminal division in the Wright County, Minn., Attorney's Office. The county attorney does not plan to charge the company with any criminal wrongdoing, Lutes said. It is not clear whether the charges against the former officers will result in action against MMS or Vireo Health of New York by regulators in either state. The New York state Department of Health is continuing to investigate the matter, according to a spokesperson. The Minnesota Department of Health released a statement saying it will not comment on a legal proceeding, but emphasized that the charges do not affect medication safety, one of the state's priorities for its medical marijuana program. Because the federal government considers the drug illegal even for medicinal purposes it is unlawful to transport medical marijuana products across state lines. New York required companies to conduct all parts of their operations, from growing the plants to selling the medicines, within the state. A spokesman for Vireo Health said the company has cooperated with the investigation and will continue to do so. "When we became aware of the possibility that one or more individuals may have acted in ways contrary to the laws of the state and to our own policies and procedures, we acted immediately to investigate the allegations, communicate with our regulators and take appropriate action," the spokesman said. According to an investigation by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, former MMS Chief Scientific Officer Daniel Pella visited Vireo Health's Fulton County facility in December 2015 to oversee the cultivation of marijuana plants. Pella, who provided information to investigators and has not been charged, concluded then that three out of five plant strains in New York could not produce the correct amount of THC or CBD, the active ingredients in medical marijuana. He specifically noted a lack of "red" strains, the company's label for those that are THC-dominant. Bultman and Shimpa directed Pella to identify THC oils in jars that would "rescue New York," according to court filings. Pella told investigators that he believed the jars, estimated to be worth $500,000, made it to New York, where they were converted to capsules and vaporizers to be sold as medicine. Pella was fired in April. When the investigation became public last June, Vireo said it was based on the false claims of a disgruntled employee. Vireo Health of New York grows marijuana and produces medicine at a manufacturing plant in Perth and sells its products from four locations statewide, including one in Colonie. chughes@timesunion.com 518-454-5417 @hughesclaire This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD Bringing in speakers to discuss a variety of environmental and cultural topics in an informal setting is a natural fit for the Stamford Museum & Nature Center, according to its executive director and CEO, Melissa Mulrooney. The museum has begun in earnest, a Salon Series of adult programming that picks up from a group of talks last spring with David Sibley, a bird expert, and in the fall featured actress and activist Jane Alexander, who discussed her new book Wild Things, Wild Places. Each session begins with wine and small bites inside the museums Bendel Mansion before moving into the informal discussions with the speakers. Mulrooney said she is pleased the museum fulfills the needs and interests of a bulls-eye audience of families with young children, but she saw active adults and senior citizens as segments of the community the organization needed to attract. I want this institution connected to the broad community, she said. The series emerged through a study of adults, who were asked what kind of programs they wanted at the museum. More Information What's next Feb. 15, 6 p.m. "An Evening with Ingrid C. "Indy" Burke, dean of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. March 8, 6 p.m. "Passion to Profits - Photography Discussion with Julie Avellino" March 26, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. "Workshop: Everyday Photos to Professional Photos with Heather Liebensohn" See More Collapse The overarching thing you hear in the community is, We love the Stamford Museum and Nature Center and used to bring my kids there all the time. It has driven me crazy, Mulrooney said. We need to find a way to connect this adult audience back to this institution I really believe that museums are places of social engagement. The next event on Feb. 15 will feature Ingrid "Indy" Burke, dean of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. Burke, an ecosystem ecologist who joined the university in July, is the first female dean in the school's 116-year history. The discussion, co-sponsored by the Stamford Land Conservation Trust, is free but donations will be accepted to support future Salon Series programming. The Salon Series is offered in conjunction with the museums successful Farm to Table Supper, which was introduced three years ago and is held twice a year. The dining experience on Feb. 25 will feature the cuisine of Carlos Baez, executive chef of The Spread in South Norwalk. The evening will begin with cocktails and hors doeuvres and a tour of the exhibition Powerful Yet Fragile: Connecticut Waterways featuring images by Women Photographers of Connecticut. We are really wishing to set up a calendar in which the farm-to-table suppers are bookends and have six to eight programs a year to really cultivate this adult audience, Mulrooney said. We wish to be a social and cultural center of the community, which is exactly what we should be as Stamfords museum and Stamfords largest nature-based organization. Three additional guest speakers are scheduled so far. We are trying different things and seeing what has resonance, Mulrooney said. This is our first year of testing waters, trying different ideas, and we are feeling terrific about it. Patricia Hines is a freelance writer; patricia8236@att.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 AL DRAGO/NYT Show More Show Less 2 of 3 J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press Show More Show Less 3 of 3 WASHINGTON Republicans and conservative groups stepped up their campaign to secure confirmation of President Trumps Supreme Court nominee as the federal judge courted two Senate Democrats crucial to his winning a seat on the high court. Judge Neil Gorsuch met Monday with California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Montana Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat running for re-election in a state that Trump won handily. Unlike some Senate Democrats who have already said they will oppose Trumps nominee, both have said they will wait to decide. FBC ESD No. 2 Fort Bend County Emergency Services District No. 2 and the Willowfork Fire Department announce the start of the construction phase of the district's third fire station at 2700 Spring Green Blvd., Katy, Texas. The new facility will be approximately 13,000 square feet, containing three apparatus bays, firefighter sleeping quarters, an exercise gym and office space for administrative matters of the district and department. A third station is necessary for the district in order to keep pace with growth in the northern part of the district's service area and due to the increase in the number of service calls throughout the district's entire territory. Station No. 3 will primarily serve the surrounding subdivisions of Cardiff Ranch, Cinco Ranch Northwest, Grayson Lakes, Hawk's Landing, Pinemill Ranch, Silver Ranch and Westlake. Fort Bend County Emergency Services District No. 2, which operates the Willowfork Fire Department, recently solicited sealed competitive proposals for the construction project. On Sept. 28, 2016, the district's board approved a $3.9 million construction contract with Teal Construction Co. as the general contractor for the project. Construction funding is being managed through the district's cash reserves and no borrowed funds will be necessary to complete this project which will save the taxpayers having to incur additional interest expense. A Houston man is facing up to 10 years in prison for allegedly stalking his ex-girlfriend. Roy West, 49, was indicted on a third-degree felony stalking charge Thursday. Investigators allege West would incessantly threaten his ex-girlfriend online and in person following a short relationship. The two began dating in June 2016, court documents state, and the woman was helping West get back on his feet. She bought him a laptop and a truck for a roofing business West was hoping to start. The apparent troubles began Aug. 25 when West gambled away about $1,000. West allegedly became enraged and began making threats to the woman when she asked him to leave, including that he was going to kill her, himself and burn her house down. ANIMAL CRUELTY: Accused ranchers' trial to move forward in Montgomery County The woman spent the night at a friend's house but came back the next morning, and the two made amends, investigators said. About two weeks later, West allegedly began drinking heavily and arguing with the woman about her not opening a line of credit for him. He again allegedly threatened to kill her, himself and damage her home. She again spent the night at a friend's house, but came home the next day not to make amends with West but to find her home trashed and damaged to the tune of $10,000, court documents state. After that, she began receiving harassing texts and Facebook messages, investigators said. Deputies allege West posted the woman's number to multiple sexual hook-up sites and even threatened to post nude photographs of the woman if she didn't give him the laptop and truck. West will be back in Judge Patty Maginnis's 435th state District Court for an information hearing Tuesday. He is being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $100,000 worth of bonds. Montgomery County grand jury indictments for Feb. 2: Daniel Guevara Jr., assault causing bodily injury family enhanced and possession of controlled substance Thomas Weathers, aggravated sexual assault of a child Lazabion Gaines, DWO with a child Ashlee Gonzales, theft Maurice McAuthur, possession with intent to deliver/manufacture controlled substance Nasier Cutler, possession of controlled substance Raela Hawkins, fraudulent possession of identifying items Dillen Day, aggravated robbery Roslin Hanna, aggravated robbery Donnie Dricker III, aggravated robbery Manuel Marin, assault causing bodily injury family enhanced COLLEGE STATION The new Texas 4-H Water Ambassador Program kicks off this summer providing youth a wealth of experience about water resources and infrastructure while touring the Lone Star State. The program is geared towards high school students seeking leadership skills and career preparedness, said David Smith, 4-H20 program coordinator with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, College Station. Ambassadors will gain insight into water law, policy, planning and management as they interact with representatives from state water agencies, educators, policy-makers and water resource managers. Water Ambassadors will also gain an appreciation for the complexity of managing Texas surface and groundwater resources, its importance to local, regional and state economies, and the responsibility we all have to protect this valuable resource for generations, Smith said. The first part of the program will be a training component held in mid-July. The goal, contingent on funding, is to have a 10-day tour of Texas, he said. After that, there will be a service component where the participants will go out in their communities, go back to their 4-H clubs and provide education, and also go to schools, Rotary clubs and host educational booths at fairs. Smith said one of the objectives of the program is to get the participants acquainted with water leaders in their communities and water conservation district officials. This program is a great opportunity for participants to become engaged in water issue discussions on local and larger scales, said Dr. Dana Porter, AgriLife Extension program leader for engineering in Lubbock. They will gain valuable knowledge and skills they can use to develop solutions to water needs in the future. Smith said Ambassador service credits can also be earned by participating in regular webinars and assignments such as interviewing local water officials in their communities. To help fund the program and educational tours, Smith said they are seeking sponsorships. We are hoping to get support from the industry, and we have received a few commitments already, he said. We are seeking these sponsorships to help fund travel throughout Texas and other learning opportunities as part of the summer program. Our goal is to get representation statewide in the 16 water planning areas. Wed like to see two representatives from each of these areas. Smith said he would like to see the initial 32 participants engaged for about two to three years, and provide opportunities for advanced training beyond year one. Funding for this program will go through the 4-H Foundation, he said. Sponsorship levels are signature, $5,000 and over, Legacy $2,500-$4,999, Advocate $1,000-$2,499, and Stewardship $500-$999. For more information, contact Smith at 979-862-1989 or email davidsmith@tamu.edu. After speaking out against President Donald Trumps travel ban, members of the tech community are now seeking to take the administration to court. On Jan. 27, Trump issued an executive order, Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States, which suspended refugee admission to the U.S. and banned citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from traveling to the United for the next three months. Last Monday, Washington was the first state to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration to stop the enforcement of the order. Minnesota, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia and Hawaii soon followed in launching similar legal actions. Related: 40 Reactions (and Counting) to Trump's Travel Ban From Richard Branson to Sheryl Sandberg On Friday, U.S. District Judge James Robart, a federal judge in Washington State, ruled to temporarily halt the order nationally. On Sunday, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied the Justice Departments request to reinstate the order. Ninety-seven tech companies filed an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief in Washington supporting the states attorney general Bob Ferguson in the suit. The list of businesses attached to the brief is a whos who of Silicon Valley. The list includes Airbnb, Apple, eBay, Etsy, Facebook, Google, Lyft, Microsoft, Netflix, Reddit, Snap, Uber -- whose CEO Travis Kalanick recently left the Presidents Strategic & Policy Forum -- and Twitter, on whose platform the president used to denigrate Judge Robarts credentials. Related: Elon Musk Defends Role on Trump Advisory Board. Read His Full Text Explanation. The brief, made available in full by The Washington Post, argues that the order not only inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, but that through its arbitrary and discretionary restrictions on entry, the Order makes it far more difficult and expensive for U.S. companies to recruit, hire, and retain the worlds best employees. By imposing sweeping restrictions on travel, the Order prevents countless employees, clients, and business partners from entering or leaving the country. The Orders discriminatory bans based on nationality and religion present America as a country inhospitable to outsiders, deterring the best and brightest from joining its workforce. And because of all this, the Order will inevitably lead to the flight of talent, business, and investment from the United States and overseas, sapping the country of the driver of so much of its success. Though Judge Robart ruled in favor of the state, in Boston , U.S. district judge Nathaniel Gorton ruled not to extend extend a temporary restraining order against the ban. The contradictory rulings appear to signal that the legal fight will continue. Related: A Quick Explainer of Those Politically Charged Business Boycotts 97 Tech Companies Including Apple and Google File Brief Against Trump Travel Ban The Immigrant Entrepreneurs Behind Major American Companies (Infographic) Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Albany News that judicial rulings have indefinitely suspended President Donald Trump's ban on certain travelers and all refugees to the U.S has been met with relief and a sense of urgency to gear up for new arrivals. "It's great news," said Jill Peckenpaugh, director of Albany's office of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. "We're very thrilled for families that were worried they'd have to wait longer to be reunited." She was speaking Saturday after a federal judge on Friday blocked Trump's executive order banning citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries Iran, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Libya, Sudan and Yemen for 90 days from entering the U.S. It also imposes a 120-day ban on all refugees from anywhere, and indefinitely halts the arrival of Syrian refugees. On Sunday, a federal appeals court denied the Justice Department's request for an immediate reinstatement of the Trump order. Peckenpaugh said USCRI Albany was already anticipating the arrival this week of eight people from Afghanistan who were no longer affected by the ban because they are traveling with special immigrant visas, granted to those employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government. An exemption for those with SIV's was given even before the weekend's developments, Peckenpaugh said. Now she's also scrambling to get ready for the arrival of more than 20 other people from countries including Iraq, Syria, Burma and Uganda whose plans to arrive in the Capital Region this month were initially canceled when the ban was instated without notice on Jan. 27. Those plans are back on as of Sunday and Peckenpaugh said she needs to secure affordable apartments quickly. She said her office typically aids about 50 newly arriving people monthly. In fiscal year 2016, which ended Sept. 30, 580 people were settled in the Capital Region through USCRI. For 2017, she said the group is still on track, bringing in 223 people so far. The Capital Region community, Peckenpaugh said, has always been very supportive of USCRI's work, but her office is always looking for volunteers to help with everything from front desk work to cleaning apartments to organizing the warehouse to mentoring new arrivals. "Mentoring is the biggest thing," she said. She says the past week has caused some confusion and uncertainty, but she's hopeful. "My fingers are crossed," she said. "People always want to know when (the refugees) are coming and I always say I'll know when they're coming when I can see their eyes." Rebuffed in its bid for a quick reversal, the White House said Sunday it expected the courts to reaffirm Trump's executive power and reinstate the ban. The case promised to extend into Monday at least, when fresh legal filings were due, and observers had no doubt the Supreme Court ultimately will have a say. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied the administration's request to set aside a Seattle judge's ruling that put a temporary hold on the ban nationwide. The lawsuit by Washington state and Minnesota said Trump's order harmed residents and effectively mandated discrimination. Their lawyers had until 2:59 a.m. EST Monday to submit briefs opposing the government's request. The Justice Department then had a 6 p.m. EST deadline to respond. But members of Trump's administration remain strong in their resolve that the immigration restrictions will be kept in place. "We'll accomplish the stay and will win the case on the merits," Vice President Mike Pence said. Members of Trump's Republican Party scolded him for Twitter attacks on U.S. District Court Judge James Robart, appointed by President George W. Bush, and accused Trump of stepping over the line that separates the executive from the judiciary. To Trump, Robart is a "so-called judge" whose "ridiculous" ruling "will be overturned." Trump renewed his Twitter attacks against Robart on Sunday. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" He followed with another tweet saying he had instructed the Homeland Security Department to check people coming into the country but that "the courts are making the job very difficult!" Pence defended Trump, saying "the president can criticize anybody he wants." Pence added that he believes the American people "find it very refreshing that they not only understand this president's mind, but they understand how he feels about things." At issue is the legality of a presidential action undertaken in the name of national security. "The president is not a dictator," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. "He is the chief executive of our country. And there is a tension between the branches of government." The government had told the appeals court that the president alone has the power to decide who can enter or stay in the United States, an assertion that appeared to invoke the wider battle to come over illegal immigration. Congress "vests complete discretion" in the president to impose conditions on entry of foreigners to the United States, and that power is "largely immune from judicial control," according to the court filing. "We don't appoint judges to our district courts to conduct foreign policy or to make decisions about the national security," Pence said. Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, predicted the appeals court would not have the last word. "I have no doubt that it will go to the Supreme Court, and probably some judgments will be made whether this president has exceed his authority or not," she said. In his ruling, Robart said it was not the court's job to "create policy or judge the wisdom of any particular policy promoted by the other two branches," but to make sure that an action taken by the government "comports with our country's laws." Trump's order caused unending confusion for many foreigners trying to reach the United States, prompted protests across the United States and led to multiple court challenges. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Lyon, France French far-right candidate Marine Le Pen blasted the "two totalitarianisms" of globalization and Islamic fundamentalism Sunday in a speech formally launching her presidential campaign that hit all the right chords for her National Front party followers. Looking to translate her high early poll numbers into votes, Le Pen evoked a frightening image of France's future during her much-anticipated speech. The country, enslaved to the European Union and unrecognizable as French, risks losing its identity if the political status quo endures, she said. "We are at a crossroad .... This election is a choice of civilization," she said, asking whether her three children and other young citizens would have the rights and cultural signposts of the current generation. "Will they even speak our French language?" She issued a call for French voters on the left and right to join her, saying "You have a place at our side." The speech recalled the thundering and previously unpalatable pronouncements of her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, the National Front's hard-liner founder. Marine Le Pen banished him from the party in an effort to clean up its image. But her remarks made clear the elder Le Pen's anti-immigration message, targeting Muslims, remains a selling point in party ranks. "We do not want to live under the rule or threat of Islamic fundamentalism. They are looking to impose on us gender discrimination in public places, full body veils or not, prayer rooms in the workplace, prayers in the streets, huge mosques ... or the submission of women," she said. The estimated 5,000 people in the amphitheater and watching on big screens cheered and chanted "On est chez nous" ("We are in our land.") Le Pen reiterated some of the 144 "commitments" she has pledged to fulfill, if elected. It is a nationalist agenda laying out plans for France to leave the European Union, control its borders and readopt the old French franc as the national currency. Running under the slogan, "In the Name of the People," her platform also would create popular referendums on any issue that gathered at least 500,000 signatures. And it would put French people first, with "national preference" enshrined in the Constitution. Louvre attack suspect questioned An Egyptian man suspected of charging soldiers at Paris' Louvre museum with a machete was questioned by French investigators Sunday for the first time since the attack. The Paris prosecutor's office said the suspect, who allegedly shouted "Allahu akbar!" while rushing toward the soldiers and was shot four times after slightly injuring one, remained silent during the interview and will remain in custody. The Louvre was closed immediately following the Friday attack, but reopened for the weekend. French authorities so far have not named the suspect, but confirmed they thought he was Egyptian. They are being more cautious than their Egyptian counterparts, who have identified the attacker as 28-year-old Abdullah Reda Refaie al-Hamahmy. Hamahmy's father spoke out Saturday to say that his son is not a terrorist, but a family man who led a normal life with his wife and infant son. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SOUTHEAST TEXAS TALES A "worse than usual" flu outbreak in February 1977 spread across the region, making locals feverish and achy and forcing at least two Southeast Texas school districts to close for a week. Citing absence rates close to 25 percent, school officials in Bridge City and Lumberton closed campuses on Feb. 8, 1977 and told students and staff to return on Valentine's Day. School leaders thought the long absence would keep the virus from claiming more victims. Orangefield ISD shut down classes for three days the week before when schools reached an absence level of 27 percent, according to archive stories. "The illness in this community is higher than normal, but it's not significant," Port Arthur Assistant Superintendent for Administration Charles McBee told The Port Arthur News, adding PAISD schools had an 11 percent absence rate and would not be closing. Nederland Assistant Superintendent Charles Thomas said his district's attendance figures were about the same as Port Arthur's but said he thought the 1977 cold and flu season was "worse than usual." While not mentioned in the school closure stories, other articles from February 1977 point out a shortage of flu shots that year. The government shut down its flu shot program in December 1976 after some of the vaccines were linked to Guillain-Barre syndrome, which attacks healthy nerves and eventually leads to paralysis. The moratorium on vaccines was lifted on Feb. 7, 1977 after four patients in a Florida nursing home died from flu-related symptoms and another 57 were sickened, according to the Associated Press. The nursing home patients had the A-Victoria strain of the flu, which was blamed for 11,000 deaths in the U.S. in 1976, the AP reported. Most of the Southeast Texas kids who were home sick with the flu in February 1977 likely had the B-Hong Kong flu, which was a milder strain working its way around the country at the time. That strain "usually strikes children and young adults," according to the AP. Doctors found "hardly any takers" for the vaccines when they became available again, according to AP stories. It seemed Americans would rather have the flu than risk paralysis. Southeast Texas Tales is a weekly Enterprise feature that revisits regional history. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Jerusalem Israel's prime minister is moving ahead with a contentious law that would legalize dozens of settlement outposts in the West Bank, despite claims by experts that the bill itself is illegal and a warning from the White House that settlement construction "may not be helpful." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under intense pressure from members of his coalition to bring the bill to a vote in parliament following last week's court-ordered demolition of an illegally built settlement outpost. But he risks drawing angry international condemnations, possibly even from the ostensibly friendly Trump administration, if he pushes forward. Netanyahu's nationalist coalition is dominated by West Bank settlers and their supporters. The Jewish Home, a powerful coalition ally, has been leading the calls to vote on the outpost law this week, perhaps as soon as Monday. The Jewish Home believes that with a friendly president in office, it is time for Netanyahu to lay out a clear policy for the West Bank, including the possible annexation of parts of the occupied territory. Netanyahu has sent mixed signals about the legislation, publicly voicing support for it while also reportedly expressing private misgivings. On Sunday, he indicated that he might once again delay the vote in a possible sign he is rethinking his support. Jewish Home lawmaker Shuli Moalem-Refaeli, one of the bill's sponsors, said that the West Bank is dotted with outposts that she claimed had been built over the years in "good faith" and should now be legalized. Israel's powerful settler lobby was jolted last week by the court-ordered demolition of Amona, an outpost found to have been built on private Palestinian land. Over 40 families were forced from their homes, putting pressure on the government to respond. Proponents of the new legislation are bent on passing it to prevent similar scenes from taking place. The bill would retroactively legalize several thousand homes built illegally on private Palestinian land. The original landowners would be compensated either with money or alternative land, even if they do not agree to give up their property. Albany This week in New York state government, lawmakers plan to introduce a new plan to modernize the state's restrictive voting rules, the third of four new upstate casinos is poised to open and lawmakers take a look at taxes. A guide to what's coming up in the Capitol: Voting reforms Democrats in the state Senate plan to unveil sweeping changes to election rules intended to make it easier to cast a ballot. New York is one of a minority of states that doesn't allow early voting, and the state has some of the most restrictive registration rules in the country. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, both Democrats, have already unveiled their proposals, which include automatic voter through the state's motor vehicle system and early voting. Schneiderman's office received 1,500 voter complaints about the April presidential primary, about 10 times more than any previous election. Many of the calls concerned mistakes in registration rolls or a deadline that required voters seeking to change their party affiliation to do so more than six months before the primary. "Protecting voting rights is crucial to protecting democracy," said Senate Minority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers. "After the last elections it should be clear voting matters." Democratic discord The biggest challenge facing the new voting reform plan from Senate Democrats may be the Senate Democrats themselves, thanks to the schism within their party that has empowered Republicans. Democrats technically have a one-seat majority in the 63-member Senate an advantage that should ease the way for Democratic proposals. But Republicans lead the chamber thanks to the eight-member Independent Democratic Conference, whose members have broken with mainline Democrats to give control of the Senate to Republicans. The long-simmering tensions between the two factions were on full display last week when Stewart-Cousins referred to the IDC as "rogue" Democrats. A spokeswoman for the IDC then accused mainline Democrats of "grandstanding" and called them a "failing conference." Tax time Scrutiny of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's $152 billion state budget proposal continue, with three days of hearings this week focused on taxes, human services and housing. Cuomo is proposing no big tax changes this year, though he's touting a middle class tax cut that was actually approved last year. That reduction is now being phased in and will lower income taxes for New Yorkers with annual incomes between $40,000 and $300,000. Cuomo opted to renew the current tax rates on high-end earners, rates that were set to expire at the end of the year. The move has been criticized by Republicans who had hoped the so-called "millionaire's tax" rate would go away. Some Democrats, however, are pushing for higher taxes on those who earn $1 million or more a year. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie put out his plan to tax the state's richest residents late last month. "By ensuring that tax rates are tailored to expect more from those who can most afford it, we can make sure our communities have better schools, New Yorkers have better access to health care and that tax burdens do not crush those who are struggling to make ends meet," he said. New casino The state's third new upstate casino plans to open its doors Tuesday in Schenectady. The opening of the $330 million Rivers Casino & Resort comes just days after del Lago Resort & Casino opened in the Finger Lakes. Tioga Downs was the first of the new casinos to open back in December. A fourth upstate gambling facility, Montreign Resort Casino in the Catskills, is set to open next year. AUSTIN -- A bill that would require students at public schools to use the bathroom designated to their birth certificate sex is likely to receive approval in the Senate, according to its author and co-sponsors at a Monday press conference. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Brenham Sen. Lois Kolkhorst said SB 6, called the Texas Privacy Act, has broad support from not only the Senate but the public as well. Citing strong public support for the measure, Patrick said the issue isn't a controversial one. "The bill is about public safety," he said. "It's about the privacy of teenagers who don't want to shower together in the 10th grade." Senate Bill 6 would require people in public buildings, including schools, to use the bathroom designated by the sex listed on their birth certificate, but administrators could find ways to make alternate accommodations, such as a private changing room, on a case-by-case basis. It would prohibit local governments from dictating bathroom polices to private businesses, and it would prohibit cities from considering such policies when awarding private contracts. It also enhances penalties for crimes that occur in private changing rooms or bathrooms. Kolkhorst said polling on the issue remains consistent, with almost two-thirds of Texans backing the measure. Patrick also used the press conference to fire back at arguments predicting economic backlash for the state if it passes the bill. The Texas Association of Businesses put out a letter last year warning that the bill could lead to up to $8.5 billion in economic losses and nearly 200,000 lost jobs. A prominent political fact checker called those predictions "mostly false" over the weekend, determining that they relied on unrelated or shaky studies from other states. Patrick called the TAB report "totally bogus" and pointed to Houston's defeat of a proposed ordinance that would've made it illegal to prohibit people from using a bathroom contrary to the sex listed on their birth certificate. "I don't know of any business that hasn't moved to Houston because the voters stood up for the issues involved in Senate Bill 6," he said. "No economic impact." SB 6 has 15 co-authors in the Senate and has been referred to the Senate State Affairs Committee, but a hearing date hasn't yet been scheduled. The Senate will reconvene Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. NEW YORK A man has been arrested in the strangulation of a New York City woman who had gone out for a run last summer and was found dead in a secluded marsh, authorities said Sunday. Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said Chanel Lewis, 20, of Brooklyn, was taken into custody Saturday night. Formal charges and an arraignment were pending; it wasn't clear if Lewis had an attorney. Lewis has no prior arrest record, police said. Karina Vetrano was killed Aug. 2 after going for a run not far from her Queens home. Her father, a retired firefighter who usually went running with her but hadn't on that day, later discovered her badly beaten body. Boyce said the encounter that led to 30-year-old Vetrano's death apparently was a chance one, and authorities didn't believe she and Lewis knew each other. The chief detective said the investigation led to Lewis after police went back through 911 calls and found one reporting a suspicious person. Investigators interviewed Lewis on Thursday and obtained a DNA sample from him, which Boyce said was tested and linked to DNA found at the scene and on the victim. "You gotta remember Karina helped us identify this person," Boyce said. "She had the DNA under her nails. She had touch DNA on her back and there was more DNA on her cellphone. So three incidents. That's how we were able to bring this profile up. And that's how we made the link." Boyce said investigators returned to the home where Lewis lives with his mother. The detective said that after Lewis was arrested he gave incriminating statements on "each step of the assault." Asked for a more detailed description of Lewis, Boyce declined to comment on the suspect's mental state or social behavior. Westport Police / Contributed Photo WESTPORT A New York man allegedly stole more than $500 of hair care products from a Westport pharmacy in December. The 25-year-old man previously arrested for a similar theft in Darien stuffed 20 hair-care products into his pockets Dec. 26 at a CVS Pharmacy, located at 397 Post Road East, police said. Store employees called the police department several days after $583 in items went missing, according to police, and officers then identified Luis Medina on surveillance video. Children with special needs are invited to participate in a day full of free family-friendly rodeo fun. The Montgomery County 4-H Horsemanship Club will host the Special Angels Rodeo from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 12 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds Equestrian Center. There is a need for volunteers, who can sign up now, and will meet at 1 p.m. the day of the event. All school-aged children with special needs and their families are invited to participate in the activities, which will include carnival games, fun jumps, a stick horse race, a petting zoo, adapted roping, adapted saddle bronc, adapted bull riding, adapted bucking barrel, a hay ride, and a fishing game. This year, the event will also feature a donated tractor, wagon and horse for children to ride on. Candy, snacks, water, soft drinks, cotton candy and popcorn will be available at the event. All food and activities will be available for free thanks to sponsors and donations, according to Special Angels Rodeo Coordinator Lauren Holtkamp. Holtkamp, 17, started the rodeo-themed event to provide a unique and joyful experience for the children outside the home and school. The idea stemmed from the memory of her late cousin, Ryan Winfree, who participated in the Orange County Sheriff's Posse's similar Special Angels Rodeo in Texas before he died in 2002. "The Special Angels Rodeo is to pay tribute to him and to give others like him a chance to have fun like he did with his family," said Holtkamp who is also the 2016 Montgomery County Fair Queen first runner up and a senior at Conroe High School. Last year about 30 children with special needs attended the rodeo as contestants. More than 50 volunteers helped serve as a "buddy" to accompany each rodeo contestant. They also taught the children how to rope, balance on bucking equipment and some volunteers supervised the petting zoo. "Tell us where you want to go and we will put you there," Holtkamp said. "Each volunteer is important and plays an important role. Last year they were so excited and happy they were making children smile. For me, seeing the children and volunteers happy really is a blessing. I'm really looking forward to next week." While Holtkamp is a senior who plans to attend Sam Houston State University, she hopes to see the Special Angels Rodeo continue to be held every year in Montgomery County for the children with the help of her family and the club. "My brother is going to help continue to put on the event," she said. "We have done this as a family and it has really brought us together. We are all really working hard for it. When I went up to Orange and saw those kids happy and volunteers enjoying themselves, I really wanted to bring it to Montgomery County and continue it as long as possible." For more information or to volunteer email Lauren Holtkamp at holtklau@gmail.com or call 936-539-7823 ext. 3. Entry forms are available at http://agrilife.org/montgomery4h. Mail entries to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Attn: 4-H Special Angels Rodeo, 9020 Airport Road, Conroe, Texas 77303. Beaumont residents who want to serve on the school district's Board of Managers may apply for a position on the Texas Education Agency and Beaumont ISD websites Feb.-7 20, a TEA spokesman said Monday. The board of managers must consist of members of the Beaumont ISD community "who are committed to service on behalf of the students of the district," said TEA spokesman Gene Acuna in a statement. NEW CANAAN A 46-year-old man from Virginia turned himself in to police after allegedly fleeing the scene of a domestic dispute. On Dec. 25, 2016 around 10:30 p.m., New Canaan police responded to a Maple Street home on a report of a domestic dispute between Gregory Partch and another person. When officers arrived, they found Partch had fled the scene. As a result, police issued a warrant for Partch for third-degree assault charges, disorderly conduct and unlawful restraint in the second degree. You may have heard that Texas lawmakers currently are considering creating a K-12 educational choice program that would empower families to access private and other schooling types using state funding already set aside for the education of their children. The proposal that lawmakers will likely consider would set up education savings accounts or ESAs, which function like debit cards that allow families to customize schooling options for their students. ESAs can be used to pay for private school tuition and fees, online learning programs, private tutoring and educational therapies. Students also can carry over unused funding to pay for community college or higher education expenses. ESAs are widely viewed as the most innovative form of educational choice because families are not limited solely to using their funding for private school tuition. Six states currently have ESA programs, and many more are considering enacting ESAs this session. It is against this exciting backdrop of potential choice in Texas that we recently released a survey of more than 300 private school leaders to find out their capacity to accept new students and their familiarity with educational choice programs such as ESAs. The results in Texas fell in line with our findings in other states that have recently enacted or are considering educational choice programs: only 27 percent of Texas private schools reported familiarity with ESAs, but 63 percent said they would be interested in participating in an ESA program once they learned more about it. Thats encouraging news, especially coupled with the fact that the Texas private schools we surveyed reported having at least 31,000 available seats, with our projected estimate closer to 127,000 open seats. That means if lawmakers expand educational choice this session, theres immediate room for students to enroll in a school of their choice. According to our annual national polling, 83 percent of American students attend public district schools, but only 28 percent of parents told us thats their preference. When asked where theyd rather send their kids, 41 percent of parents would pick a private school with 17 percent choosing a charter school and 11 percent engaging in home schooling. Texas public schools served roughly 5.3 million students last year; private school enrollment is around 246,000 students statewide. In addition to probing their capacity to expand and their knowledge of school choice programs, we also asked the schools about tuition, testing, regulatory concerns and whether they serve special need students. Nearly three-fourths of schools reported serving special needs students, and 95 percent reported administering at least one nationally norm-referenced test. This is noteworthy because critics often allege that private schools dont serve all students and are unaccountable because they dont always use the same standardized tests that public schools are forced to administer. The truth is that private schools test students and hold them accountable to make sure they are learning and that the school itself is successful. They just want to have the flexibility to measure that performance and growth in a way that most helps their students, not just because some bureaucrat in a state or federal government office told them to do it a certain way. Overall, were encouraged that Texas has a lot of room to grow when it comes to providing choices to families, and we look forward to assisting that effort in any way we can as lawmakers continue listening to families across the Lone Star State who want to make sure their kids have the best schooling options available. If youre interested in the survey findings or learning more about the private school leaders we surveyed, please check out the research section of our website at echoice.org. An impressive amount of drugs were recently busted in Sherman County, Texas, an area in the panhandle close to the Oklahoma border. According to News Channel 10, deputies found close to 200 pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A witness in the murder trial of Dustin Lee Osborne, one of two defendants accused in the 2014 shooting death of a San Antonio man on the South Side, testified Monday that he heard arguing the night of the shooting but ran from the scene. It wasnt any of my business and I didnt want for it to be my business, said Noe Quintanilla, the victims cousin. Quintanilla was among the witnesses Monday as testimony continued in the murder trial of Dustin Lee Osborne, accused of killing Ralph Michael Lopez, 34. Osborne, now 22, and his uncle and co-defendant, Gabriel Aguilar, now 42, went to Lopezs home to pick up some friends. After an altercation, Lopez, was shot multiple times in his driveway Aug. 11, 2014, and later was pronounced dead at San Antonio Military Medical Center. Quintanilla said he was at Lopezs home in the 9200 block of Lytle Avenue the night of the shooting. He said he heard arguing in the front yard, and went to the back. He said after the arguing stopped, he went back to the front yard and when the shooting started, he ducked and ran to the back again. He said before he left the scene, he saw his cousin on the driveway. Quintanilla was asked numerous times by both prosecutors and defense attorneys whether he saw Lopez with a gun, and he said, "No." He said he ran from the scene without calling 911 or checking on his cousin because he was afraid. I called my wife, he said. If convicted of murder, Osborne faces a maximum of life in prison. The Bexar County jury that will decide the case also heard from San Antonio Police Department crime scene investigators who recovered shell casings from a .45-caliber automatic handgun, the handgun and two magazines. The case is being heard before Judge Jefferson Moore who presides over the 186th state District Court. ezavala@express-news.net Twitter: @elizabeth2863 Come March, those looking to float the Guadalupe River will have a new outlet to fill their floating needs Seguin Tubes. The tubing outfitter, owned by Kris Bolstad and located at 2006 Stockdale Highway, is slated to open next month, just in time for Spring Break around March 16. This will be Bolstad's second tubing outlet, his first is Comal Tubes in New Braunfels, which he's owned for six years, he told mySA.com. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Six people on Monday morning escaped a fire at a Northeast Side home that began when a refrigerator malfunctioned. Firefighters responded to the fire around 4:20 a.m. in the 200 block of Bee Street. According to authorities, residents inside the home were watching TV when they noticed sparks shooting out of their refrigerator. RELATED: Counterfeit cash, ID lead to capital murder charge for man All residents were able to escape before the fire engulfed the front section of the home. No one was hospitalized, but a woman in her 70s was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene. San Antonio emergency responders and police assisted firefighters at the scene. Text "Breaking" to 48421 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com cdowns@mysa.com Twitter: @calebjdowns SAN ANTONIO A man shot Monday afternoon in a parking lot of a restaurant on the West Side ran across four lanes of traffic to a gas station before collapsing, police said at the scene. Sgt. Daniel Gonzalez said officers responded to gunfire around 1:50 p.m. in the 1500 block of Castroville Road. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN ANTONIO A man is recovering at San Antonio Military Medical Center after being shot in the shoulder Sunday night outside a motel on the Northeast Side, according to police. The incident occurred shortly before 9 p.m. Sunday outside the Travel Inn at 5710 Industry Park Drive. RELATED: Police: 6 children injured after woman crashes SUV into Cibolo day care Police learned a man confronted a group of men who were causing a disturbance and told them to leave the location. An altercation ensued and three other men came to assist the man. As the suspects started running from the incident, they began shooting at the complainants, hitting one of the men in the left shoulder, according to a preliminary police report. The suspects then fled in a red Chevrolet Camaro, which was found a short time later by officers. The suspects and the complainants were transported to a police station for interviews. Investigators later learned that one of the complainants had returned gunfire at the suspects, striking the vehicle the suspects fled in, the report said. No arrests have been made at this time. RELATED: 15-year-old 'beloved daughter' from S.A. who went missing last month found safe The gunshot victim was transported with non-life-threatening injuries to SAMMC, the report said. Text "Breaking" to 48421 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com twhite@mysa.com Twitter: @tylerlwhite West Texas law enforcement are one step closer to finding out what happened to Zuzu Verk, a 22-year-old college student who disappeared in October. After months with no leads, human remains belonging to Verk were found near Alpine during a routine border patrol operation Friday. Alpine Police Chief Russell Scown and Brewster County Sheriff Ronny Dodson confirmed Monday the remains, which were identified through dental records, were indeed Verk's. So far two people have been arrested in relation to Verks death Robert Fabian and Christopher Estrada. RELATED: Human remains found in West Texas where 22-year-old college student went missing Scown said Estrada was arrested in Pheonix, Arizona Monday and was charged with tampering with physical evidence by concealing a human corpse, a second-degree felony punishable by a maximum 20 year sentence upon conviction. He said Estrada will be brought back to Texas to face charges. Fabian was arrested Saturday and was also charged with tampering with physical evidence by concealing a human corpse, according to an Alpine Police Department news release. His bail is set at $500,000. Verk, who attended Sul Ross State University, went on a date with Fabian, her boyfriend, on Oct. 11, 2016 and wasnt heard from again. Three days later, Fabian made a call to police-- Verk was missing. In the days before making his police report, Fabian made two calls to Estrada, and borrowed his white Ford Mustang. Estrada had his mustang cleaned three times in the days following Verks disappearance. RELATED: West Texas police arrest 25-year-old boyfriend in Zuzu Verk case Fabians family, including his mother, brother and sister, are considered persons of interest in the case, Scown said. He could not provide additional information as the case is ongoing. Scown said additional arrests would be made eventually. Sul Ross State University President William Kibler released a statement Monday saying Verk would be remembered for her smiles, energy and zest for life. She embodied characteristics that represent the best in all of us, Kobler said. Verks family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Zuzu Verk Memorial Scholarship Fund in Natural Resource Management. Additionally, a memorial service for Verk will be held at the university Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in one of the universitys amphitheaters. Staff writer Joshua Fechter contributed to this report. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN ANTONIO A former Austin-area teacher will not have to register as a sex offender after pleading guilty last week to two counts of improper relationship between an educator and a student, officials said. Haeli Wey, 29, agreed to a plea bargain Friday where she will serve 10 years of deferred adjudication probation and must complete 200 hours of community service. She must also have no contact with the two 17-year-old victims, said Nancy Williams with the Travis County District Attorneys Office. The probation office is conducting a pre-sentencing investigation to verify she qualifies for probation. Her official sentencing is set for March 10, Williams said. RELATED: Police: High school teacher had sex with 2 students she met on missionary trip, Austin summer camp Williams said the defendant will not have to register as a sex offender. According to previous reports, one of the victims told police he had sex with Wey about 10 times, with the encounters occurring after the two met in a ministry program in Africa. When they returned from the trip, the student would sneak out of his house to go to Weys home, where they would have sex. The two would also have sex in her car. She also sent him nude and suggestive photos of herself in her underwear, according to previous reports. This relationship ended after the student learned Wey went on a hike with another student she had met at summer camp. She allegedly had sexual contact with the second student during that hike, the previous reports said. RELATED: Gov. Abbott, new bill target growing teacher-student sex trend in Texas The second student did not know Wey was a teacher until he saw her at Westlake High School. Rumors of the two began swirling around Westlake High School that they had been having sex, the report said. She also allegedly told the student to delete messages on his phone and to not let anyone take his phone, according to the arrest affidavit. A spokesperson for Eanes Independent School District in Austin confirmed that Wey surrendered her teaching certification following her arrest. Text "Breaking" to 48421 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com twhite@mysa.com Twitter: @tylerlwhite Antonio Tafolla Jr., 27, was held in Hale County jail Monday on a third degree felony charge of assault on a public servant in a connection with a disturbance in the 2100 block of East Fifth Street about 10:15 p.m. Sunday. Bond on that charge had not been set Monday morning, although he was facing $2,500 bond on the charge of evading arrest/detention/resisting arrest which is a Class A misdemeanor. Other possible charges are resisting arrest search or transport, also a Class A misdemeanor, and assault causing bodily injury family violence, a Class A misdemeanor. The same individual was arrested about 5:10 p.m. Saturday in the 200 block of East Fifth Street for driving while license invalid with previous conviction/suspension without financial responsibility. He was being held in Hale County jail Sunday on $1,500 bond on that charge. --A 49-year-old woman was arrested about 11:45 p.m. Saturday in the 1600 block of Fresno for terroristic threat of family/household member. She was held in Hale County jail Monday on $2,500 bond. As President Donald Trump casts his election victory as a rebuke against career politicians, the idea of imposing term limits on Congress has drawn renewed attention. Two Texas Republican leaders are pushing different approaches on how to get there. Last month, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, proposed a constitutional amendment with U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., that would limit members of Congress to serving a maximum of three terms in the House and two in the Senate. In one word, [the amendment] is excellent, said Philip Blumel, president of U.S. Term Limits, an organization that advocates for limiting the time elected officials serve at all levels of government. Its simple, straightforward, and its exactly the type of term limits amendment that polls show Americans are clamoring for. In a December Washington Post op-ed, Cruz and DeSantis wrote that imposing term limits would put an end to the cronyism that has transformed Washington into a graveyard of good intentions, something Trump previously said he supported as part of his anti-establishment bid for the White House. The American people have offered Republicans an opportunity to enact meaningful change, Cruz and DeSantis wrote. They have rejected the status quo and put the Washington elites on notice that they will no longer accept the old way of doing business. There are 88 current members of Congress who have served in their seats for 20 years or more, according to research from U.S. Term Limits. However, the average congressman only serves nine years in the U.S. House of Representatives and 10 years in the U.S. Senate. Cruz previously backed a constitutional amendment that would place limits for both members of Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court, another move supported by Trump. However, legislation to enact term limits typically faces an uphill battle in Congress with members wary of limiting the amount of time theyre allowed to serve. The U.S. House of Representatives took up a measure to impose term limits on Congress in 1997, but it fell short of the support needed for passage. In 2012, the U.S. Senate also rejected a congressional term limits measure. Gov. Greg Abbott wants to circumvent Congress altogether by invoking the other method for amending the U.S. Constitution: assembling a convention of states. By law, if 34 states ask for a constitutional convention, they may meet to consider changes. Any amendment would require the support of at least 38 states to become law. What we need is states to lead the way in proposing constitutional amendments because you know that the president-elect himself has called for one of the constitutional amendments that we are calling for, which is to put term limits on members of the United States Congress, Abbott said in December at a convention of states gathering. Although his own party controls both the White House and both houses of Congress, Abbott has made assembling a convention of states to amend the U.S. Constitution one of the top priorities of his governorship, with the goal of limiting the power and reach of the federal government. In early December, a convention-of-states resolution was filed in the Texas House by state Rep. Rick Miller, R-Sugar Land, and in the Senate by Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury. Abbott has declared the issue one of four emergency items for the session. However, not everyone supports limiting how long members of Congress can serve. Democrat Ted Kaufman, who served only two years in the U.S. Senate representing Delaware, told the Tribune that he thinks term limits will do more harm than good. When you come in brand new, it's like that high school student that comes to college and wants to talk about how great they were in high school. That's the way most of the new members who spout term limits sound like, Kaufman said. If the whole Congress was made up of people like this, nothing would get done. Kaufman added that term limits weaken Congress because they take power away from senior legislators. He adds he doesn't think there's any chance the constitutional amendment proposed by Cruz and DeSantis will ever pass. Do you really want to put someone in charge of the tax code who's been there for six years? Kaufman said. The senior members usually make the most sense, because they have a deeper understanding of what the policy considerations are. If a term limits measure were ever passed, DeSantis said he'd prefer it went through Congress, which is how the 27 existing amendments to the U.S. Constitution were all approved, rather than Abbott's convention-of-states approach. The benefit of doing [the amendment] through the Congress is that this is the traditional route that has been used through the years, DeSantis told the Texas Tribune. The drawback is that doing an Article V amendment-convention has never been done before and there would be some apprehension about how it would work in practice. However, Tamara Colbert, the co-director of Texas Convention of States Project, believes amending the constitution to enact term limits through a convention of states has the better chance of success. She described Cruz's and DeSantis proposed amendment as pushing a big, fat rock uphill. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A 14-year-old Mexican boy was attacked, beaten and had several fingers severed this weekend after he was allegedly caught stealing, according to local media. Blog del Narco reported the young boy was found Sunday near the Texas-Mexico border in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, with severe injuries and missing multiple fingers. The publication reported that he was allegedly caught stealing and the angry victims attacked him. Severing limbs is a common form of street justice in parts of Mexico, where cartels, law enforcement and vigilant groups are in a constant struggle for power. Several recent cases have served as a shocking reminder of how quick that justice is handed down. RELATED: 'Anti-thieves' group leaves sign after severing 6 people's hands in Mexico In October, six people were found with severed hands in the western state of Jalisco in Mexico. State Prosecutor Eduardo Almaguer said the victims were discovered outside an event hall in Tlaquepaque, which is on the southern outskirts of Guadalajara. The sign left by the victims accused them of stealing cars, motorbikes, cellphones, and money. It also accused them of not respecting women or children. RELATED: Report: Human heads found in ice coolers, limbs strewn along roads in Juarez, Mexico "This happened to us for being thieves," was written in large letters across the top of the poster. El Blog del Narco reported that the victims had their severed hands wrapped in plastic bags. Investigators believe the mutilations and the killing were revenge for an unpaid drug payment involving members of the same cell of a criminal group. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Staff writer Jason Buch contributed to this report. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 Like many Americans, I am deeply concerned by the presidents lying and lack of accountability for his language. It is disturbing to hear President Donald Trump continue to offer false claims about the size of his inaugural audience in the face of overwhelming, incontrovertible data while, at the same time, his chief spokespersons defense is the absurd claim that there are alternative facts. And it is especially troublesome that the president repeatedly asserts the existence of widespread election fraud without offering a shred of credible evidence. In response to these lies or at least untruthful statements the refrain of many is that we as American citizens and the media should practice vigilance, constantly being on guard against Trumps pattern of lying and exposing without hesitation or fear of retribution each and every lie. Vigilance, to be sure, is a noble democratic exercise and perhaps is even required. But, as a professor of communication for nearly 40 years, I believe that effective vigilance is an enormous rhetorical challenge one that may be difficult to meet. How would that occur? What would effective vigilance look like? The problem is that when the press continues to expose Trumps lying, it seems to have little impact. There are several reasons for this. First, Trump has tapped into the publics lack of trust in the believability of the media; it is easy, therefore, to dismiss charges of lying as proof of media bias and distortion. Second, we know from research in communication that the constant barrage of these charges may produce desensitization, inoculating the public and making lying seem ordinary and normal and hence not a problem. In addition, when Democrats and Trump detractors uncover additional instances of lying, too often it is portrayed as an unthoughtful, knee-jerk partisan attack, one that directly feeds into Trumps narrative about the unwillingness of those who lost the election to accept the outcome. This allows the president to deflect attention from the act of lying and its unacceptability. Third, there are many who willingly acknowledge that Trump is indeed lying but say they dont care and appreciate his penchant for speaking boldly and decisively. That, after all, is one of the reasons some voted for him. What can be done in the face of these challenges? As a teacher and scholar of communication, I am at a loss to detail specific messages and techniques that might enable vigilance to be more productive. However, I do know that perhaps the only way Trumps lying will resonate is if it can be demonstrated to those who support him and those open to persuasion that his lying has real consequences that it negatively impacts their lives in particular and concrete ways. Several pundits recently have argued that the 2016 election was a game changer and Trumps words dont matter. While I cannot accept such a strong assertion, one that ignores and contradicts what we know historically about communication and politics, sadly I am convinced Trumps words may never matter until people feel the tangible and painful results of those words. Richard Cherwitz is the Ernest S. Sharpe Centennial Professor in the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas at Austin. The people who want to build a wall between the United States and Mexico can't figure out how to turn on the lights at the White House, according to the New York Times. "Aides confer in the dark because they cannot figure out how to operate the light switches in the cabinet room," the Times reported Sunday. "Visitors conclude their meetings and then wander around, testing doorknobs until finding one that leads to an exit." While some might consider "wandering around in the dark" an apt metaphor for the new administration, the inability of President Donald J. Trump's team to operate light switches strains belief. What, they can't ask the White House staff how they work?! This morning the president denied the report in a tweet and said the "failing" Times is now "making up stories & sources." Among some of the other nuggets, so far not disputed by Trump, in the New York Times report: Chief adviser Steve Bannon spends 16 hours a day devising new strategies in the darkened, mostly empty West Wing. Trump was not fully briefed on details of the executive order he signed giving Bannon a seat on the National Security Council. The backlash left him angry and frustrated, but not enough to change his decision. Bannon has mended relations with House Speaker Paul Ryan, despite having once targeted Ryan on his website, Breitbart, as "the enemy." Pablo Martinez Monsivais Former Trump adviser New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie had planned an orderly transition similar to previous Republican presidents, but the plan was literally thrown in a garbage pail by a senior Trump aide. Instead, a strategy of releasing executive orders almost daily was adopted. The only family photo that Trump placed in the Oval Office is a picture of his father, real estate developer Frederick Christ Trump. These unidentified ladies attracted attention from people who gathered at the Rotten Row courts yesterday after they were barred from entering the building due to their dressing, which violates the dress code expected in the building and court rooms. HMetro Breaking News via Email Hear me out. 401(k)s may well be playing a role in the enthusiasm in executive suites for thinning the ranks of employees by either turning them into contractors or moving activities over to outsourcers. Weve regularly pointed out that the economic case for outsourcing is often weak to non-existent, and in practice, outsourcing often merely serves to transfer income from lower-level workers to managers and the top brass. As we discussed long-form last week, in The End of Employees, corporate claims that outsourcing made them more agile didnt hold up to scrutiny. A reader mentioned a few additional factors he had seen play into decisions to outsource jobs. One, surprisingly is 401(k)s. He didnt unpack the reasons but a tax maven gave a high level overview, and I hope any experts in the readership will provide further details. 401(k)s were never designed to be a substitute for pensions. They were intended to serve as a supplemental retirement savings plan. However, now that the gap between top executives and rank and file pay has grown enormously, the members of the C suite can and do sock away huge amounts of money in their 401(k) plans. By contrast, lower level workers may not put away very much, particularly since 63% of Americans dont have the cash on hand to manage a $1000 unexpected expense. If a 401(k) plan becomes top heavy, as its benefits are unduly skewed towards towards top executives or owners, it will fail, meaning no longer be qualified as a 401(k) plan, unless stipulated corrective measures are taken. Details from the IRS website: The top-heavy rules generally ensure that the lower paid employees receive a minimum benefit if the plan is top-heavy. A plan is top-heavy when, as of the last day of the prior plan year, the total value of the plan accounts of key employees is more than 60% of the total value of the plan assets. If a 401(k) plan is top-heavy, the employer must contribute up to 3% of compensation for all non-key employees still employed on the last day of the plan year. This contribution is subject to a vesting schedule requiring participants to be 100% vested after three years; or 20% after 2 years, 40% after 3, 60% after 4, 80% after 5 and 100% after 6 years Its common for a 401(k) plan to be top-heavy, especially for smaller plans and plans with high turnover. The same page defines key employee. As the tax maven explained, The usual way to deal with this problem is to bribe employees to pay in with employer matches. But that gets expensive. So another way is to really thin the ranks of lower level employees, so you have to have somewhat fewer execs, and the remainder of employees on average higher paid (they have to manage all those outsourcers!) so they are more likely to pay into a 401(k). Mind you, the math doesnt necessarily work (in fact it could easily become worse if the guys at the top pay put the same amount into their 401(k)s as before and the cutting and reworking of lower level positions results in lower 401(k) contributions). But the key issue is that the source and the tax maven both indicated that there is a belief in Corporate America that getting rid of bottom-of-the-food-chain workers can be done in such a way as to ameliorate incipient or actual 401(k) top heavy problems. The reader pointed out two other seldom-mentioned-in-public issues that contributed to more and more temp and outsourced work. One was class, that upper/upper middle class people increasingly see it as beneath them to manage employees from blue collar backgrounds. Our source had been in a senior role at a small money management firm. Its main outside law firm was Simpson Thatcher. Their partner had Blackstone as his major client. One day, the Simpson Thatcher partner suggested that the money management firm might want to consider outsourcing its back office, as most of his clients did. The head of the firm was skeptical and said he doubted that it would save any money. The Simpson Thatcher partner not only agreed, but he said that in most cases that wasnt what was motivating them. They find it easier to manage a business where everyone is from the same socio-economic background. A final not-officially mentioned contributor is employee stock grants. Unlike 401(k)s, there are no complicated government rules, plus they are a staple only in the tech industry. However, careful students of the Wall Street Journal story that gave rise to our post would have noticed that Google and Amazon were particularly keen about using contract workers and outsourcers. Microsoft has also long used contractors. At least one of the reasons is that public shareholders arent terribly keen about their positions being diluted by grants to employees. Or to put it anther way, the capitalists arent too keen about sharing with ordinary workers, even when the point is to motivate better results. Im told that the coders at Microsoft, who are employees, sit in close proximity to the quality assurance types, meaning the staff that checks for bugs, who arent. Is it any wonder why Microsofts software is so crash prone? Yves here. As reader John Z pointed out, the policy program described in this post is very much in synch with the recommendations Lambert has been making. One small point of divergence is that Leopold reinforces the idea that taxes fund Federal spending. Taxes serve to create incentives, and since income inequality is highly correlated with many bad social outcomes, including more violence and shorter lifespans even for the rich, progressive taxation is key to having a society function well. However, he does get right (as very few do) that the purpose of a transaction tax is to discourage the activity being taxed, rather than raise money (aside from the MMT issue, the tax would shrink the level of transactions in question, making it not very productive in apparent revenue terms). By Les Leopold, the director of the Labor Institute, who is currently working with unions and community organizations to build the educational infrastructure for a new anti-Wall Street movement. His new book Runaway Inequality: An Activists Guide to Economic Justice serves as a text for this campaign. All proceeds go to support these educational efforts. Originally published at Alternet During the Bernie Sanders campaign I heard a high-level official give a powerful speech blasting the Trans-Pacific Partnership Act for the harm it would bring to workers, environmentalists and to all who cared about protecting democracy. Donald Trump now has signed an executive order pulling out of the TPP negotiations. Is this a victory or a defeat for the tens of thousands of progressives who campaigned to kill the TPP? On the same day Trump killed the TPP, he met with corporate executives saying he would cut taxes and regulations to spur business development. But he also warned that a company that wants to fire all of the people in the United States and build some factories someplace else and think the product is going to flow across the border, that is not going to happen. He said he would use a substantial border tax to stop those practices. Is this a victory or a defeat for workers and unions who for three decades have been begging politicians to stop the outsourcing of decent middle-class jobs? Breaking the Spell of Neoliberalism Our answers may be clouded by four decades of the neoliberal catechismtax cuts on the wealthy, Wall Street deregulation, privatization of public services and free trade. Politicians, pundits and overpaid economists long ago concluded that such policies will encourage a better business climate, which in turn will lead to all boats rising. Instead those very same policies led to a massive financial crash, runaway inequality and a revolt against neoliberalism which fueled both the Sanders and Trump insurgencies. (See enough facts to make you nauseous.) This ideology is so pervasive that today no one is shocked or surprised to see Democratic governors on TV ads trying to lure business to their states by promising decades of tax holidays. No one gags when politicians lavish enormous tax gifts on corporationseven hedge fundsin order to keep jobs from leaving their states. Similarly, we have grown accustomed to the neoliberal notion that we should go deeply into debt in order to gain access to higher education. Free higher education, which was the norm in New York and California until the 1970s, was unrealistic until Sanders rekindled the idea. More troubling still, elites propagated the idea that public goods should not be free and available to all via progressive taxation. Rather public goods were denigrated and then offered up for privatization. Even civil rights icon Representative John Lewis used the neoliberal framework to attack Bernie Sanders call for free higher education and universal health care: I think its the wrong message to send to any group. Theres not anything free in America. We all have to pay for something. Education is not free. Health care is not free. Food is not free. Water is not free. I think its very misleading to say to the American people, were going to give you something free. Obama/Clinton Didnt, Trump did Ironically, while Lewis is defending neoliberalism, Trump actually is attacking two of its foundational elementsfree trade and unlimited capital mobility. Not only is Trump violating neoliberal theory, he also is clashing with the most basic way Wall Street cannibalizes us. Without the free movement of capital, assisted by trade deals, financial elites and their corporate partners would not be able to slash labor costs, destroy unions and siphon off wealth into their own pockets. In particular, we should be extremely worried about how Trump is approaching the loss of manufacturing jobs. The neoliberal fog should not cause us to miss the obvious: presidents Obama and Clinton did absolutely nothing to stop the hemorrhaging of middle-class manufacturing jobs to low-wage countries. (U.S. manufacturing fell from 20.1 percent of all jobs in 1980 to only 8.8 percent by 2013.) Not only did Obama and Clinton fail to stop even one factory from moving away, but they truly believed that capital mobility and free trade were good for America and the world. In other words they had sipped plenty of the neoliberal Kool-Aid. Meanwhile, Trump is all in. He is saying that jobs in the U.S. are more important than the long-run benefits of capital mobility and TPP/NAFTA agreements. If he keeps bashing corporations for moving jobs abroad and if he manages to ignite even a mini U.S. manufacturing jobs boom, Trump could be with us for eight long years. But What About the Poor in Other Countries? To many progressives, saving American jobs sounds jingoistic and protectionism is a bad word. Isnt global trade helping the poor become less so around the world? Isnt it selfish only to protect American jobs? Isnt it more moral to share scarce manufacturing jobs with the poor in Mexico and Asia? After all, even if a plant closes in the Rust Belt, service sector jobs can be found at wages that still are far higher than what the poor can hope for in low-wage countries. You can be sure corporations will be playing this tune if Trump tightens the screws on capital mobility. These arguments however have little to do with how the world actually functions. First, the big winners in the outsourcing game are the corporations and their top Wall Street investors. (In fact Wall Street is driving the process by endless pressure for stock buybacks.) Its hard to make the case that the poor in Mexico have been the beneficiaries of NAFTA. Second, it is morally suspect to argue that someone else should give up his or her standard of living so that the product made here can be produced abroad by the same company and imported back into the U.S. No worker can afford to donate his or her job to developing nations. Third, outsourcing to low wage areas always involves increasing health, safety and environmental hazards. In almost every case production moves from more stringent standards to weaker standards. Plus, the increased distances the products must travel mean there will be more carbon emissions than if production remained here. No, its not possible to make a credible progressive case for outsourcing your neighbors job What Do We Do? The progressive instinct, and rightfully so, is to trash Trump. If hes for it, we must be against it. When it comes to immigration, civil rights, abortion, freedom of the press and many, many other issues, thats a sound strategy. But trashing Trump for saving jobs in the U.S. is suicidal. In opposing Trump, we must not slip into defending neoliberalism. Its not okay for corporations to pack up and leave. We should have some control over our economic lives and not leave all the crucial decisions to Wall Street and their corporate puppets. Trade deals are bad deals unless they enforce the highest health, safety, environmental and labor standards. And those measures must be enforceable by all the parties. The race to the bottom is real and must stop. In the U.S. We Should Be Mobilizing the Following Areas: 1. Organize the outsourced: We should identify and organize all those at risk from off-shoring. We need to make sure Trump and Congress hear from these actual and potential victims. Trump needs to be reminded each and every day that there are millions of jobs he must protect. At the same time we should be rounding up support for the Sanders bill to stop off-shoring. 2. Resist:Trump has made it clear to corporate America that in exchange for job creation in the U.S. he will cut their taxes and regulations. We should demand that all tax reforms include a new financial speculation tax (Robin Hood Tax) on Wall Street to slow down their insatiable greed. Also, we need to fight tooth and nail against any weakening of workplace health, safety and environmental regulations. We have to destroy the Faustian bargain where jobs are protected but the workers and the communities are poisoned. 3. Connect: More than 3 million people protested against Trump. But it is doubtful that dislocated workers and those facing outsourcing were involved in these marches. Thats because the progressive movement has gotten too comfortable with issue silos that often exclude these kinds of working-class issues. That has to change in a hurry. We need to reach out to all workers in danger of off-shoringblue and white collar alike. 4. Expand: Many key issuesfrom having the largest prison population in the world to having one the lowest life-spansare connected through runaway inequality. Outsourcing is deeply connected to the driving force behind runaway inequalitya rapacious Wall Street and its constant pressure for higher returns. We need to broaden the outsourcing issue to include stock buybacks and the other techniques used by Wall Street to strip-mine our jobs and our communities. Its time for a broad-based common agenda that includes a Robin Hood Tax on Wall Street, free higher education, Medicare for All, an end to outsourcing, fair trade and a guaranteed job at a living wage for all those willing and able. 5. Educate: In order to build a sustained progressive movement we will need to develop a systematic educational campaign to counter neoliberal ideology. We need reading groups, study groups, formal classes, conferences, articles and more to undermine this pernicious ideology. Some of us are fortunate to be part of new train-the-trainer programs all over the country. We need to expand them so that we can field thousands of educators to carry this message. Yes, all of this is very difficult, especially when it seems like a madman is running the country. It is far easier to resist than to tear apart neoliberalism. But we have to try. We need to recapture the job outsourcing issue and rekindle the flames that ignited Occupy Wall Street and the Sanders campaign. Posted on by Lambert here: If Trump did, in fact, hang up the phone on Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, he expressed the power relationships involved with bracing clarity. This post works through the implications. By David Llewellyn-Smith, a regular contributor at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Drum. He is also the co-author of The Great Crash of 2008 with Ross Garnaut. He edits MacroBusiness. Originally published at Macrobusiness. From The Lowy Institutes Sam Roggeveen: The alliance has been through worse moments than last weekends already infamous phone call between Prime Minister Turnbull and President Trump. Clearly, this was an extremely tense discussion perhaps no Australian leader has ever had such a hostile encounter with a US president. But although it sounds cold to say it about the 1250 poor souls trapped in the middle of this argument, the stakes were not particularly high. So its tempting to think that this will pass, and that an alliance as deep as that between the US and Australia can survive such spats. But there are three reasons we should be reluctant to be too reassured by history. The first is that those reassurances about the stability and strength of the alliance are made in a political environment in which no alternative to Australias present alliance arrangements has really been contemplated. So Australias political class has no conception of what a more self-reliant Australian foreign policy might look like, and no language in which to describe it. No wonder they think (hope) the current arrangement will endure. The second reason to think that the Trump-Turnbull call represents more than a passing tiff is that the political systems of both countries are presently weaker than they have been since the alliance was signed, and more vulnerable to forces which have little regard for political-class shibboleths such as the alliance and the rules-based global order. The third reason to suppose that the alliance is more vulnerable than it looks is that it has never before faced the international challenge it faces today. The Cold War was no cakewalk, but compared to China, the Soviet Union was a small economic power which could not come close to matching the US and its allies militarily in the Pacific. And when the USSR collapsed, supporting the alliance became even easier, requiring Australia mainly to make tokenistic military commitments to the Middle East. But in China, the US now faces a true economic peer competitor with a military home-ground advantage. Now we have to seriously contemplate the idea of taking sides in a war between two nuclear-armed powers, one our ally and the other our biggest trading partner. So yes, it was just a phone call, and the storm will pass. But in the background, history is moving against the US-Australia alliance. All fair points. But the problem is deeper and older than Roggeveen conceives and this goes to the heart of his failure to frame the question in the light of reality. Australia has never run a self-reliant foreign policy not out of choice. Our first one hundred and fifty years of foreign policy was as a British Colony. Foreign policy was simply an extension of legal, cultural, military and economic dependence. Soft and hard power were in alignment. The next seventy years we relied upon a different liberal imperial overlord, the United States. Again soft and hard power were in alignment. There was no choice other than to embrace it just as most other Asian nations did. We were advantaged at least by the new order being liberal, favouring democracy and multi-lateralism but that was not not some natural order of things. It was the predilections of the imperial centre. So, what happens if we give away membership of that liberal empire? Weve already done it in some large part by selling everything not bolted down to an autocratic China, taking for granted that benevolent US overlordship would be there forever. We can try to generate some new liberal order by ourselves. Australias greatest strategic thinker, Coral Bell, wrote a decade ago that Australia should aim for a Concert of Powers structure to manage the emerging giants of the region. That would have been a system in which many middle powers entangled the giants in a rules based regime that shared power. That would have offered independence. We could still aim for some loose web of democracies in Europe, India, Japan, Indonesia and Brazil. Thats what Lowys chief Michael Fullilove reckons we should do, via the FT: Australia will also need to prosecute a larger foreign policy. It cannot look at everything through an alliance prism. It needs to strengthen relations with Asian powers such as India, Japan and South Korea and do more with like-minded European partners such as the UK and France, which will supply the next generation of Australian submarines. Australia also needs to defend international institutions, such as the United Nations, towards which Mr Trump is ill-disposed. And I agree. But lets face it, weve ignored this option for a long time and the world is not going that way. Rather, it is going the other way, with strongman regimes spouting sovereignty popping up in China, Russia, the US and SE Asia. In that environment, without hard power to back up our soft power effort, itll be very difficult. Perhaps, we could build an enormous military of our own to generate hard power independence. Perhaps a nuclear capability. To be honest, given our size, its not very likely! In the absence of that countervailing force, then, if we elect to turn away from the US and ANZUS then what we are most likely going to achieve is to accelerate the rise of a new imperial order. The economic dependence at the heart of Chinese soft power will engulf the country. We wont be independent or self-reliant, our foreign policy will be set in Beijing. And it will go further. Client states tend to take on the political economy trappings of their imperial betters. We can already see this in parts of SE Asia and Africa where Chinese power is reshaping the political economy in its image. That means Australian democracy would be in severe jeopardy (unless Beijing decided to let us keep it but why would it given its plan is clearly to keep it away from home?) Just imagine for a moment if in ten years an independently-minded political party ran for office with popular support but Beijing disapproved so it parked an aircraft carrier in Sydney harbour for a friendly visit as it made it gently plain that the offending policy platform might result in Chinese investment finding NZ more attractive. Is that election going to be free? It wouldnt even get that far. Chinese soft power would have already derailed such a party via its plentiful local stooges. We can already see this at work among the grasping mavens of the political class. Lets not kid ourselves here. We can do our best to find a multilateral solution that preserves an independent outlook but it is basically a figment of the USs liberal empire. Without ANZUS, a new and different empire will rise in its place and occupy our choices. So, what to do? Play the Trump game. Japan is well ahead already, via Reuters: Japan is putting together a package it says could generate 700,000 U.S. jobs and help create a $450-billion market, to present to U.S. President Donald Trump next week, government sources familiar with the plans said. The five-part package, to be unveiled when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visits Trump on Feb. 10 in Washington, envisage investments in infrastructure projects such as high-speed trains and cybersecurity, said the sources, who declined to be identified as they were not authorized to speak to the media. Investing in overseas infrastructure projects dovetails with a key plank in Abes growth strategy, which is to export high-quality infrastructure technology. Japan will invest 17 trillion yen ($150 billion) in public and private funds over 10 years, the sources said. That would include helping develop high-speed railways in the northeastern United States, and the states of Texas and California, and renovating subway and train cars. The package also includes cooperation in global infrastructure investment, joint development of robots and artificial intelligence, and cooperation in cybersecurity and space exploration, among others. The government may tap its foreign exchange reserves account to fund part of the package, the sources said. It may also get funding from megabanks and government-affiliated financial institutions, as well as the Government Pension Investment Fund, the Asahi and other newspapers reported. America First, peeps, cough up. Renovate America, one of the largest providers of Property Assessed Clean Energy Loans, is expanding into unsecured lending. Since 2011, the company has financed more than $2 billion in energy efficiency upgrades through programs that are repaid through a new line item on homeowners' property tax bills. In October, it launched a product that can be used to finance many kinds of home improvement even cosmetic upgrades such as kitchens or baths. The new product, called Benji, is currently available in four states, California, Florida, Kansas and Missouri, where Renovate America has existing relationships with contractors through different PACE programs. Contractors can download a Benji app on their mobile phones or tablets, allowing them to offer financing in the home, where most improvement and replacement projects are proposed and accepted. Last week, the company obtained a $100 million credit facility with Credit Suisse that will allow it to expand the offering to all 50 states. Later this year, Benji will be available on Renovate America's website, allowing homeowners to arrange financing themselves before they evaluate project proposals. This puts the San Diego-based company more squarely in competition with other kinds of unsecured lenders as well as with banks offering home equity loans or lines of credit. While unsecured debt is generally more expensive than a home equity loan, Renovate America is banking on its relationships with contractors as an advantage. Contractors offering the financing must agree to be paid only when homeowners have agreed that the project is complete. Renovate America will also provide support in any post-funding disputes. "Benji helps expand our network of vetted contractors, and is a natural extension of our commitment to make home improvement more efficient," Patrick Moore, Renovate America's senior vice president of consumer lending, said in a press release. The average Benji loan is around $13,000, according to a company spokesman. The loans pay fixed rates of interest that range between 6% and 10%. Terms range from five to 12 years. Renovate America is not the only lender offering loans via an app on contractor cell phone. In January, EnerBank, an industrial loan company with $1.25 billion in assets, rolled out a mobile app that allows home contractors to offer home improvement financing on the spot. Enerbank has also rolled out a web-based version of the product. So far about 2,000 of its customers have downloaded the app, and it expects that eventually half of its loans will be originated this way. Both Renovate America and EnerBank developed their respective apps in-house. Renovate America started development in late July using an agile software development process that allows it to release new features and functionality in two-week cycles. The Benji app has GPS functionality that locates the home and prepopulates an application with the address. It features a calculator that allows homeowners and contractors to estimate the monthly payment, allowing homeowners to select the term that works for them Approval decisions are made within seconds of submission of application via the mobile app. NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Rose Gottemoeller, will meet with the President of the Republic of Moldova, H.E. M. Igor Dodon, at NATO Headquarters on Tuesday, 7 February 2017. Media Advisory 17:45 Deputy Secretary General joint press point with President of Republic of Moldova Main entrance The press point will be streamed live on the NATO website and available on satellite on demand via Eurovision Geneva. Still and video imagery of the meeting will be available after the event on the NATO website. Follow the Deputy Secretary General on Twitter (@Gottemoeller). Also follow us at @NATOPress. (Natural News) City lawyers in Everett, Washington are preparing to sue the makers of OxyContin, a leading opioid painkiller, blaming it for its role in the United States opioid and heroin epidemic. The city filed a lawsuit against Purdue Pharma claiming they knew the drug was being illegally trafficked to residents and did not act to stop it. From 2011 through 2013, Snohomish County experienced unusually high numbers of deaths (six to eight deaths per 100,000 people) related to opioid analgesics (particularly oxycodone and hydrocodone) and heroin, according to a report by the Snohomish Health District. Washington states average was between three and five deaths. Heroin is a cheap drug that has recently replaced opioid painkillers as the primary agent in overdose deaths and addiction treatments. Opioid addicts often turn to heroin once they are addicted to more expensive prescription painkillers like OxyContin, a patented form of oxycodone. (RELATED: See more news about Big Pharmas toxic drugs at BigPharmaNews.com) Combating the epidemic About a third of the Snohomish County deaths occurred in a town called Everett, which has a total population of just over 105,000. Everetts mayor, Ray Stephanson, will do everything in his power to combat the growing issue of opioid abuse. Recently, he announced plans to sue Purdue Pharmaceuticals because they knowingly turned a blind eye to illegal sales of the addictive drug. In 2016, a Los Angeles Times investigation uncovered a massive network of doctors and pharmacists handing out thousands of these highly addictive pills which were then sold illegally on the black market. According to the investigation, Purdue was well aware of these massive orders and illegal trafficking but failed to report them to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). As reported by Natural Blaze, these disturbing revelations come on top of a prior investigation that found Purdue maintained a secret database of 1,800 doctors suspected to systematically over-prescribe opioid painkillers which flooded the black market across America, giving rise to the current heroin and opioid epidemic. Of these suspicious cases, only about 10 percent were reported to law enforcement. Placing profits over the welfare Until 2010, 160 mg OxyContin tablets were wildly popular as users could sniff or inject the crushed pills for a powerful, long-lasting high. When OxyContin was reformulated to prevent abuse, addicts switched to heroin. Purdue has claimed for years that the potential for OxyCotin addiction was very small or less than one percent. In 2007, however, the company pleaded guilty to charges that it misled doctors and patients about the addictive properties and misbranded the product as abuse resistant. Purdues improper actions of placing profits over the welfare of the citizens of Everett have caused and will continue to cause substantial damages to Everett, lawyers from Everett wrote in a complaint filed in the state Superior Court. Purdue is liable for its intentional, reckless, and/or negligent misconduct and should not be allowed to evade responsibility for its callous and unconscionable practices. Therefore, Stephanson and the town are suing Purdue for negligence, blaming the pharmaceutical company for the high rates of heroin addictions and overdoses. After the disturbing revelations of the Los Angeles Times, they hold Purdue accountable for allowing criminal trafficking of a dangerous opioid prescription drug which has resulted in millions of dollars in city costs and countless ruined lives. Thanks to OxyContin trafficking, heroin is now an enormous problem in Snohomish County. Jails are packed with detoxing addicts, city blocks turned into drug markets, crimes involving OxyContin or heroin dramatically went up, and countless of people have lost their homes. While Purdue has been sued numerous times before for promoting OxyContin to doctors and masking the addiction risk, the Everett lawsuit is the first to focus on the companys knowledge of illegal trafficking. Stay informed about the criminal practices of modern medicine at Medicine.news and DrugCartels.news. Sources: NaturalBlaze.com LATimes.com LATimes.com SNOHD.orgPDF (Natural News) Even though you, the health-conscious parent, steer your children toward fresh, organic fruits and vegetables and limit their time in front of the TV, junk food ads are still having a tremendous impact on their life. While your kids surf the Internet, chat with their friends on Facebook, play an online game, or download an app for their mobile phone, they get bombarded by millions of unhealthy food ads. Over 90 percent of food and beverage ads viewed by kids and teens are for fast food, energy drinks, sugary snacks, and other unhealthy food or drink options. A recent report from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada has urged the food industry to stop targeting advertisements for unhealthy products to our kids. As declared by the Heart and Stroke Foundation, these commercials are significantly influencing the food choices of our children and teens, setting them up for unhealthy eating habits for the rest of their lives. (RELATED: See more news about junk food propaganda at Propaganda.news) Kids see 25 million unhealthy food ads a year For their study, the researchers used comScore data to determine the top 10 websites visited by children and teens. Focusing on the number of banners and pop-up ads on these sites, the researchers calculated that children see around 25 million ads for unhealthy foods and drinks a year, while teens view about 2.5 million ads. The authors of the report said that this enormous difference is because teens visit a much wider array of websites, resulting in fewer visitors to the top ten sites compared to younger kids. While this study is a good indicator, Monique Potvin Kent, who led the research and is an assistant professor at the University of Ottawas School of Epidemiology, Public Health, and Preventive Medicine, said that the actual number of ads children are exposed to is much higher. Next to online advertisements, the report also noted that an average child watches about two hours of TV each day and sees up to five food and beverage commercials an hour. Do the math, and thats an additional 3,600 plus views on top of the millions of online ads kids see every year. Given the severe impact these commercials have on our childrens behavior and health, the Heart and Stroke Foundation group has called for strong restrictions on the marketing of food and drinks to our younger generation. (Check out Ingredients.news for news coverage of food ingredients and their impacts on your health.) Big Food isnt going to stop Last year, Senator Nancy Greene Raine introduced an act to restrict unhealthy food marketing to young children. In the past, voluntary commitments by the food industry to limit unhealthy food marketing to youth has resulted in one big failure. The food companies that voluntarily signed the national pledge not to market unhealthy foods to kids under 12 are found to be the heaviest advertisers of products high in fat, sugar, and salt. Some of these companies include Coca-Cola, Kraft, PepsiCo, Hershey, and McDonalds Monique Potvin Kent noted that there are several flaws in the current commitment that allow these big food corporations to continue to market their unhealthy food and drinks. Nearly all 18 companies that signed the agreement only restrict unhealthy food advertising when the audience consists of 35 percent, or more, children under 12, thus allowing them to proceed with most of their marketing campaigns. Furthermore, it is the companies themselves that set the nutrition criteria for their products. As reported by The Globe and Mail, food items such as chocolate Lucky Charms, Fruit Roll-Ups, Froot Loops, and a Happy Meal from McDonalds fall under the healthier options which can be marketed to kids. (RELATED: Learn more about health foods at Fresh.News) Sasha McNicoll, Coalition for Healthy School Food coordinator at Food Secure Canada, said that the evidence presented in the report clearly shows a new law regarding advertising restrictions is urgently needed to protect kids and support parents. If we dont need legislation, why are a third of Canadian children overweight or obese? she said. [Voluntary responses] dont work. We need to legislate this in order to see results. Sources: TheGlobeAndMail.com CBC.ca HeartandStroke.ca Tensions in the global political atmosphere are starting to raise concerns about the possibility of cyberwarfare in multiple countries. This is pushing Southeast Asia and countries such as India to amp up their cybersecurity game. In a report from Hindustan Times, Tarun Wig of Innefu said that while artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to "look for patterns to predict future behaviour," it can also be used to help against cyber threats. "Cyber warfare isn't a movie, it's happening right now. We [India] lost out on the industrial revolution, we lost out on the defence revolution -- let's not lose out in the cyber revolution," he said. This is of particular importance to India, who has been in three wars with its neighbors since its independence and the target of cross-border attacks, one of which was back in 2008 when Pakistan-based extremists killed more than 160 people in Mumbai. Now, India wants to make sure it's prepared for attacks in cyberspace. According to Phys.org, recent developments in the news could raise concern for cyberspace attacks. For instance, 22,000 pages of data about submarines that a French government-owned company was building for the Indian navy were leaked to the media. The Twitter account of the opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was also hacked, and the elite National Security Guard's website has been defaced with messages just last month. Innefu started to come into the picture when the company resolved a test case for a law enforcement agency that wanted to determine the background of an incident involving Indian borders. Innefu trained their machine to read a particular agency's language including abbreviations and tried to make a background on what happened, who were the main players, and how they interacted. Innefu's newest offering, Prophecy, is modeled on products made by Palantir Technologies. The latter is a private security firm whose founders included PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel and with clients that included the CIA and FBI. Although Innefu is so far the only Indian company known to specialize in national security, companies such as Arya.ai and Haptik are also tapping into what appears to be a potential market. Soft tissues do not usually survive hundreds of millions of years on Earth. That's why the recent discovery of preserved protein being found inside the fossilized rib of a 195-million-year-old Lufengosaurus sauropodomorph dinosaur was such a groundbreaking event. According to a report from the University of Toronto Mississauga, a group from the university teamed up with fellow scientists from China and Taiwan to analyze the fossil samples. Their findings were recently published in the journal Nature Communications. The team was able to identify what's known as collagen type I in the vascular canals of the rib. It was found along with hematite particles, which are minerals created from the iron in the oxygen-transport protein (hemoglobin) in the blood. The recent study suggested that the newly discovered particles helped preserve the collagen, which are likely what's left of the blood vessels of the long-dead dinosaur. "Interestingly, there was no evidence of preservation of organic remains in the main mass of the bone, only in the small vascular canals that ran along the length of the rib, where hematite was also present," Professor Robert Reisz, lead of the study who specializes in vertebrate paleontology in the Department of Biology at the University of Toronto Mississauga, explained. He added, "Our localized search, in areas of the bone that are likely to preserve remnants of the original soft tissues, is more likely to succeed than previously used methods. This approach has great future potential, because localized searches will yield important results even when the amount of organic remains is miniscule." This isn't the first time preserved collagen has been unearthed from millions of years ago, but previous ones were significantly younger. Furthermore, the new approach of avoiding getting the rest of the fossil dissolved will likely open the door to discovering even older preserved proteins in the future. "These dinosaur proteins are more than 100 million years older than anything previously discovered," Reisz said. "These proteins are the building blocks of animal soft tissues, and it's exciting to understand how they have been preserved." Ninety-four patients with mental illness died in South Africa fiasco, according to a health report recently released. In September, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi asked health ombudsman Malegapuru Makgoba to investigate after 36 patients who died following their transfer from the licensed home to various NGOs. As the investigation progressed, the report revealed that a total of 94 patients under the same condition died. One of the 94 died from mental illness while the others died of medical negligence. Their death comes after the South African government transferred them from Life Healthcare Esidimeni in Gauteng province last year to under-licensed health facilities. The transfer was done allegedly to cut cost. Most of the patients who were distributed across the 27 unlicensed and poor health facilities were left with not enough food and water. They eventually died of dehydration, diarrhea and pneumonia, health ombudsman report from the investigation revealed. The report also added that the patients were transferred using open trucks and that relatives do not know where exactly they were transferred. "The decision was unwise and flawed, with inadequate planning and a chaotic and rushed or hurried implementation process," Makgoba said in his report, as quoted by Reuters. Makgoba said the numbers of death are likely to increase as the investigations push through. According to The Guardian, a day before the scandal broke out, the provincial health minister, Qedani Mahlangu, resigned over the findings, which directly implicated her in the move. Meanwhile, Premier David Makhura released a statement saying he recognizes the report and that he is in deep regret over the incidence. "It is clear from the Report that there has been both improper and negligent conduct on the part of officials in the Department of Health in the implementation of the policy de-institutionalisation of mental health," he said. "I deeply regret the tragic loss of so many lives under the care of our provincial government as a result of the action taken by officials in the Gauteng Department of Health to transfer patients from Life Esidimeni to NGOs that were not ready," he added. Following the outcome of the report, Makgoba forwarded recommendations to Makhura, saying that patients who are at the under-licensed facilities be relocated in a proper hospital. Reports say a government task team lead by the Gauteng Director-General in the Office of the Premier, Phindile Baleni together with the national health department director general Precious Matsoso has started working already. A hidden camera planted in one of the most remote regions of the world has captured Dryas monkeys (Cercopithecus dryas), which was long thought to be extinct. Researchers working on the Lukuru Foundation Tshuapa-Lomani-Lualaba (TL2) Project are the first to capture a rare video footage taken at the Lomami National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Africa. They collaborated with experts from the Florida Atlantic University (FAU). "This was an opportunity of a lifetime," said Daniel Alempijevic, who assisted in placing the camera traps, in a press release. "It was an incredible experience to work in the canopy of such a remote site, and to get the first camera-trap videos of an extremely rare and elusive species." The camera traps in the area were set up after recent reports of a dead monkey by a local hunter in the national park. Dryas monkeys are elusive cat-sized monkeys that are thought to live only in one part of the Congo basin, which is why the researchers were totally caught by surprise when they saw them in a different area. SciNews said they were first seen in 1932. Because of their small population and humans' uncontrolled hunting, they are thought to be extinct a long time ago. "The Congo Basin rainforest is the second-largest rainforest in the world, and contains some of the least known species on the planet, many of which are threatened from hunting pressure and deforestation," said Kate Detwiler, Ph.D., a primatologist and one of those who worked on the footage. "Our goal is to document where new Dryas populations live and develop effective methods to monitor population size over time to ensure their protection. Understanding where they reside is important, because the animals living inside the Lomami National Park are protected, as it is illegal to hunt." Fewer than 200 Dryas monkeys are believed to survive in the wild today. The cameras also caught bonobos, African palm civets and pottos. Los Angeles County officials are seeking to become the guardians of a 76-year-old man from Southern California with a history of Alzheimer's after he was abandoned in a small English village two years ago by family members, court records state. The Los Angeles County Office of the Public Guardian has filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court seeking to become the permanent guardian for Earl Roger Curry. Curry, who is living at an assisted-living home in the LA area, can't provide for himself, is unable to manage his finances, and family members have not assumed responsibility for his care, the documents said. Curry's attorney declined to comment. Curry's son and wife, who do not face criminal charges, could not be reached for comment. Curry's son has denied the allegation. Curry, a retired registered nurse, was found disoriented and alone in 2015 in England where he remained in a nursing home until he could be identified and returned to Los Angeles after eight months. His story is the subject of a BBC documentary that alleges Curry's family abandoned him. Curry was found wandering the small village of Credenhill in Herefordshire, England on Nov. 7, 2015, according to a news release from the West Mercia Police Department. He had an American or Canadian accent, appeared to show signs of dementia, and could only give authorities his name, police said. He was taken to a hospital and ultimately placed into a nursing home in central England while police put out an international appeal for help using the hashtag #RogersLostIdentity on social media. Police said he was in the care of the Herefordshire Council and was "safe and well." "This is an unusual situation and we are desperately hoping that we can reunite Roger with his family, wherever they may be," West Mercia police said in a news release last March. Police arrested a 51-year-old man from Taunton, a town in southwest England, on kidnapping charges in the case, according to Helen Blake, a spokeswoman for the local police department. She declined to elaborate further, citing English law. LA County court records mention a man who initially told police he found Curry but later confessed that he lied, saying Roger Curry's son and wife brought him to England so he could be hospitalized there. It is not clear whether the documents are referring to the same person police arrested on the kidnap charge. Authorities eventually learned that Curry lived in Whittier and flew him back to LA last summer, court documents said. Once here, Curry was hospitalized and officials with the LA County guardian's office began looking into his case. They have been trying to locate family members who can take care of him. The guardian's office was granted last fall a temporary conservatorship to care for Curry. A hearing is scheduled in April to make the guardianship permanent, a department spokesman said. Without a family member making a claim in court, Curry "has no other resource available to him other than the Los Angeles County Office for the Public Guardian," court records state. Curry may have retirement benefits from Kaiser Permanente, where he worked, and possibly the U.S. Air Force, records show. But Social Security benefits have been suspended "due to allegations of elder abuse and abandonment," according to the Order Appointing Temporary Conservator filed last September. He has a home in Whittier, but it is uninhabitable after it was destroyed in a suspected arson in 2014, according to the incident report from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Curry, his wife and son were not home at the time of the fire, the report said. Investigators found a gas can and a lighter in a hallway, the fire department report said. The arson remained an open investigation as of Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017, according to Jose Marron, of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. College campuses are hotbeds of political discussion and disagreement but the latest debate spreading through University of California Riverside has a surprising source: hummus. On Wednesday, the Associated Students of UC Riverside voted 13-0 in favor of a resolution which calls for the removal of Sabra hummus from all campus dining services. One senator abstained. Despite the vote, the UC Riverside administration said it has no plans to remove Sabra hummus from shelves. In a statement to the UC Riverside student newspaper, The Highlander, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Campus Spokesman James E. Grant said the administration was aware of the resolution but, the University has no plans to change brands offered for sale or consumption in its stores and dining facilities. The resolution came about in response to media reports that Strauss Group, joint owner of the Sabra Company, provides financial support to the Israeli military. Sabra is a U.S. based company with offices and facilities in New York, California and Virginia. "Sabra Dipping Company is owned by two independent global food companies- PepsiCo, based in the U.S. and Strauss Group, which is headquartered in Israel," Sabra Spokeswoman Ilya Welfeld said in a statement to NBC4. "Each company is a separate entity and independent company," she said, adding that Sabra has "no political positions or affiliations." The resolution at UC Riverside said that by serving Sabra the university was prioritizing loyalty and obedience to pro-Israel interests rather than the interests of their students, faculty, and overall campus community, especially when involved in pro-Palestine activism. UC Riverside briefly decided to stop selling Sabra in 2015, but later reversed course. The product was changed due to consideration for student preferences without consideration of the political issues raised, the university said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times at the time. However, we made a mistake in agreeing to replace one brand with another. UC Riverside could not be reached for comment. The new resolution says criticism of Israeli policy should not be conflated with anti-Semitism but leaders of the Jewish community on campus felt the message was clear. Jewish students are afraid; they are disturbed, Chabad on Campus director Rabbi Matisyahu Devlin told The Algemeiner Jewish newspaper prior to the vote last week. If the motion passes, the message is clear: We dont want you here, even your hummus. Julia Schemmer, the UC Riverside National Affairs Director told The Highlander she was, thrilled to see the UCR administrations support for the livelihood and wellbeing of both current and future Jewish Highlanders. But students who supported the resolution are unhappy with the administration's response and have vowed to continue fighting. "Its unfortunate that the UCR administration has decided to turn its back on its students once more," ASUCRs Vice President of External Affairs Oscar Loera Gonzalez, who sponsored the resolution, told The Highlander. It is clear that the UCR student representatives want Sabra hummus off the shelves. The UCR administration has been failing our community, our faculty, and our students for a very long time, Gonzalez added. In recent years, students at DePaul and Princeton University made similar but ultimately unsuccessful efforts to boycott Sabra hummus. Student government officials at other UC schools have made efforts to encourage boycotting and divestment in companies that they say enable Israels mistreatment of Palestinians. Witnesses willing to come forward after more than two decades provided authorities with what they needed to make arrests in an arson case that haunted a community for nearly 25 years. The witnesses, initially fearful of gang retribution, offered key evidence in the 1993 Westlake District apartment building fire that killed seven children and three women, two of whom were pregnant, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said at a Monday news conference. The suspects were identified as Ramiro Alberto Valerio, 43, Joseph Alberto Monge, 41, and Johanna Lopez, 51. Lacey said Monday that her office plans to file capital murder charges against Valerio and Monge, who were arrested Friday. Lopez, charged in 2011 with murder in the arson, was already in custody on related charges. The murder charge will be re-filed against Lopez, Lacey said. "The tragic deaths... weighed on the minds of prosecutors," Lacey said. "It is a crime that resonates with every parent. These mothers were trapped on the third floor of the apartment building and, sadly, could not save themselves or the lives of their young children." The charges, 12 capital murder counts, are expected to be filed Tuesday, Lacey added. A fourth suspect, who police declined to name, is out of LAPD jurisdiction, according to the police chief. The LAPD was coordinating with other agencies to make an arrest, he said. The three-story building in the Westlake district caught fire on May 3, 1993. The residents, most of them poor immigrants from Central America, tried to escape by jumping from windows or balconies or climbing down bedsheets. Two pregnant women were among those killed in what LAPD Chief Charlie Beck called the "most horrific case of arson" in Los Angeles history. The case haunted his department for two decades, Beck said. Police long suspected the fire was set by gang members who'd been kicked off the property for drug dealing. The suspects were angry because the apartment manager had ordered them to take their drug dealing elsewhere, Beck said. "The criminal street gang in the neighborhood was engaged in large-scale narcotics sales," Beck said. "The manager tried to do the right thing and stop the narcotics sales. We believe these horrible murders were done to facilitate the narcotics operation." Charges were filed earlier in the case, but dropped due to lack of evidence. Witnesses in the neighborhood worried about retribution by the gang did not want to speak with investigators until recently, Lacey said. "In most cases, time can hinder a prosecution," Lacey said. "But in this case, time was actually on our side. Witnesses who were living in fear, initially, were not willing to cooperate. I'm very grateful to those witnesses. "This case is a reminder of what it was like to live in Los Angeles in the 1990s, when drug-fueled violence was at its height." Authorities did not provide details about the information that led to the arrests. Nearly 100 companies, from Airbnb to Zynga, filed a friend of the court brief on Monday with a San Francisco appeals court, saying that the United States and their businesses are comprised of, and better off with, a welcoming atmosphere to immigrants. Seventy one of the 99 companies appearing on the brief are headquartered in Silicon Valley, a review of the list shows. The legal filing follows on the heels of other actions, including a massive employee rally at Google and $4 million donation to immigration groups; Lyft's donation of $1 million to the Amercian Civil Liberties Union; and Airbnb's creation of a #WeAccept message during the Super Bowl. Immigrants are among our leading entrepreneurs, politicians, artists, and philanthropists, the 53-page amicus brief, filed with the U.S. District Court of Appeals, states. The experience and energy of people who come to our country to seek a better life for themselves and their childrento pursue the American Dreamare woven throughout the social, political, and economic fabric of the nation. Plus, the motion states: People who choose to leave everything that is familiar and journey to an unknown land to make a new life necessarily are endowed with drive, creativity, determinationand just plain guts. The energy they bring to America is a key reason why the American economy has been the greatest engine of prosperity and innovation in history. The motion was filed to help Washington state and the state of Minnesota persuade a three-judge appeals panel with the 9th Circuit in San Francisco that President Donald Trumps executive order against allowing travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries is unconstitutional. On Friday, federal Judge James Robart, based in Seattle, temporarily blocked the immigration order. That was followed by the Trump administration on Saturday arguing that Robart overreached by "second-guessing" the president on a matter of national security. Acting Solicitor General Noel Francisco said the president alone has the power to decide who can enter or stay in the United States. "The power to expel or exclude aliens is a fundamental sovereign attribute, delegated by Congress to the executive branch of government and largely immune from judicial control," the White House brief states. The White House had until 3:01 p.m. PST Monday to file rebuttal papers. The historically liberal court could rule on the matter in a few days. The tech companies argued if that if the president indeed wants to Make America Great Again, his executive order makes it more difficult and expensive for U.S. companies to "recruit, hire, and retain some of the worlds best employees." It threatens companies ability to attract talent, business and investment to the United States. That shift deprives employees and businesses of the predictability they require, the motion states. Hundreds of Google employees on Monday converged at the center of the companys headquarters, also known as the Googleplex for a rally denouncing President Donald Trumps temporary immigration ban. The great American companies wouldnt be where they are without immigrants, the motions points out. Immigrants or their children founded more than 200 of the companies on the Fortune 500 list, including Apple, Kraft, Ford, General Electric, AT&T, Google, McDonalds, Boeing and Disney, according to the brief. Collectively, these companies generate annual revenue of $4.2 trillion, and employ millions of Americans, the motions states. That doesnt mean that the United States shouldnt worry about terrorism or vet people trying to enter the country, the tech leaders say. America has long recognized the importance of protecting ourselves against those who would do us harm, the motion states. But, the argument continues, it has done so while maintaining our fundamental commitment to welcoming immigrantsthrough increased background checks and other controls on people seeking to enter our country. Tesla Motors, based in Palo Alto, and Space X were last-minute adds to the list Monday. Both companies are headed by Elon Musk, who is a South African native and is a member of Trump's business advisory council. The list of the 99 companies: 1. AdRoll, Inc. 2. Aeris Communications, Inc. 3. Airbnb, Inc. 4. AltSchool, PBC 5. Ancestry.com, LLC 6. Appboy, Inc. 7. Apple Inc. 8. AppNexus Inc. 9. Asana, Inc. 10. Atlassian Corp Plc 11. Autodesk, Inc. 12. Automattic Inc. 13. Box, Inc. 14. Brightcove Inc. 15. Brit + Co 16. CareZone Inc. 17. Castlight Health 18. Checkr, Inc. 19. Chobani, LLC 20. Citrix Systems, Inc. 21. Cloudera, Inc. 22. Cloudflare, Inc. 23. Copia Institute 24. DocuSign, Inc. 25. DoorDash, Inc. 26. Dropbox, Inc. 27. Dynatrace LLC 28. eBay Inc. 29. Engine Advocacy 30. Etsy Inc. 31. Facebook, Inc. 32. Fastly, Inc. 33. Flipboard, Inc. 34. Foursquare Labs, Inc. 35. Fuze, Inc. 36. General Assembly 37. GitHub 38. Glassdoor, Inc. 39. Google Inc. 40. GoPro, Inc. 41. Harmonic Inc. 42. Hipmunk, Inc. 43. Indiegogo, Inc. 44. Intel Corporation 45. JAND, Inc. d/b/a Warby Parker 46. Kargo Global, Inc. 47. Kickstarter, PBC 48. KIND, LLC 49. Knotel 50. Levi Strauss & Co. 51. LinkedIn Corporation 52. Lithium Technologies, Inc. 53. Lyft, Inc. 54. Mapbox, Inc. 55. Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart 56. Marin Software Incorporated 57. Medallia, Inc. 58. A Medium Corporation 59. Meetup, Inc. 60. Microsoft Corporation 61. Motivate International Inc. 62. Mozilla Corporation 63. Netflix, Inc. 64. NETGEAR, Inc. 65. NewsCred, Inc. 66. Patreon, Inc. 67. PayPal Holdings, Inc. 68. Pinterest, Inc. 69. Quora, Inc. 70. Reddit, Inc. 71. Rocket Fuel Inc. 72. SaaStr Inc. 73. Salesforce.com, Inc. 74. Scopely, Inc. 75. Shutterstock, Inc. 76. Snap Inc. 77. Spokeo, Inc. 78. Spotify USA Inc. 79. Square, Inc. 80. Squarespace, Inc. 81. Strava, Inc. 82. Stripe, Inc. 83. SurveyMonkey Inc. 84. TaskRabbit, Inc 85. Tech:NYC 86. Thumbtack, Inc. 87. Turn Inc. 88. Twilio Inc. 89. Twitter Inc. 90. Turn Inc. 91. Uber Technologies, Inc. 92. Via 93. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 94. Workday 95. Y Combinator Management, LLC 96. Yelp Inc. 97. Zynga Inc. 98. Tesla Motors Inc. 99. SpaceX Eric Tucker from the Associated Press contributed to this report. Police had an armed robbery in custody Sunday night after a search for near the BART Montgomery station caused a major delay in the transit system, according to BART and the San Francisco Police Department. The delay was first reported about 4:40 p.m. at the SFO and Millbrae stations in the East Bay directions because of the police activity. BART police said someone jumped onto the tracks near the Montgomery station, and they were searching for that person. Later, San Francisco police confirmed a robbery suspect entered the Montgomery station about 4 p.m., and police had one person in custody. No further details were available. Its not every day that Spider-Man shows up at your classroom, but thats exactly what happened Monday at Foothill Elementary School in Pittsburg. First- and second-graders at the school were treated to a visit from Heart of a Hero founder Ricky Mena, who usually reserves his superhero suit for visiting sick children in hospitals. This time, however, he donned the Marvel costume to teach young students an evergreen lesson: Be kind and appreciate each others differences. The anti-bullying message is hardly novel; its one that is drilled into students repeatedly through public service announcements and online campaigns, but it bears repeating, Mena said. Many of the sick children he visits return to school and are teased for their changed appearance a cruel burden overshadowing what should be a celebratory return to the classroom. I wanted to get to the root of the problem, Mena said. For a lot of the kids, when they do go back to school, theyre made fun of for having no hair or being in a wheelchair or for looking different. It can be really hard for themIt makes them less excited about school. Mena, who left a rap career to devote his time to the nonprofit, talked to the classes about the children he meets, the added obstacles they face and the ways in which students can create welcoming environments. Its basically about giving each other respect and treating each other with kindness, he said. Data from the United States Department of Education shows that bullying has been on a decline since 2005, but it continues to be an issue affecting millions of children each year. A nationwide study found that bullying impacts about 20 percent of students a rate far lower than Californias 33 percent and Contra Costa Countys 35 percent. Although students from all backgrounds and ethnicities report being bullied, LGBT youth, people of color and people with disabilities are the most likely to be targeted. [39135961, C]] Mena keeps statistics like those in mind when visiting children at hospitals and, now, at schools. As NBC Bay Area previously reported, it was a dream about performing meaningful work with children in his community that led him to create Heart of a Hero in 2014. Since then, hes donned the Spidey suit for more than 7,000 children in various states.The nascent nonprofit is funded mostly through donations, so Mena works odd jobs in between to make ends meet. Paying the bills isn't always easy, he said. Sony Pictures I do it because I love it, he said. Just to see the look on their faces. On Monday, he appeared at the Pittsburg elementary school at the request of Principal Nina Crossland. She said the school hasnt seen a surge in bullying cases, but one recent incident motivated her to reach out to Heart of a Hero. A boy with autism spectrum disorder got into an argument with a group of his fellow students, and the fight briefly turned physical, she said. We had a couple students that retaliated against a student with disabilities. Nina said. I just decided that I wanted them to hear from a speaker about bullying, that even if someone is hitting you, you dont have to hit them back. Everybodys different, and our student who was hitting them doesnt know and doesnt realize how to make friends. So it was really important for them to think about that. The Interactive Autism Network, one of the largest research centers studying the disorder, found that 63 percent of children with autism have been bullied in school. "Children with ASD are already vulnerable, Paul Law, director of the network, said of the statistic. "To experience teasing, taunts, ostracism or other forms of spite may make a child who was already struggling to cope become completely unable to function. Crossland cautioned that physical confrontations between students are rare at the school. She said the ultimate goal of Menas visit was to continue making the school an inclusive environment for all who attend. We want them to feel safe, Crossland said. We want them to be protected. Any uplifting message they can get is a bonus. While visiting, Mena also spoke to classes of third graders a speaking engagement for which he took off the Spidey suit. Hes found that older students typically respond better to when he talks to them person-to-person as opposed to superhero-to-student. Hell be returning to the school on Friday to speak with fourth and fifth grade classes. I hope I can keep doing this forever, he said. It gives me joy to know that Im hopefully making a difference with what Im doing. Thats the best part of it for me. Police in San Jose on Sunday temporarily blocked off a section of roadway on the border of San Jose and Santa Clara while they combed the area for an armed suspect, according to police. The police activity originally began around 1 p.m. when a male driver, who was believed to have flashed a gun at some point earlier in the day, was spotted by police. Officers tried to make a traffic stop, but the suspect sped away from the scene, according to police. The driver led police on a chase to the area around Walnut Grove Avenue and Bascom Avenue when he ditched the car and bolted on foot, police said. Police, with guns drawn, set up a perimeter around 1260 North Bascom Avenue. The male suspect was later found and taken into custody, police said. A gun was present during the arrest. The suspect faces multiple charges, including a brandishing violation, according to police. Super Bowl advertisements are typically designed to promote a company's brand or its products, but Airbnb joining a handful of other companies appeared to take a different approach this go around. Flashing the faces of people representing all walks of life, the San Francisco-based company was all about celebrating inclusion, a timely plug amid President Trump's travel ban. "We believe no matter who you are, where you're from, who you love or who you worship, we all belong," the advertisement's text read. "The world is more beautiful the more you accept. #weaccept." The apparent politically-inspired ad was created just four days before the big game and depicted the faces of Airbnb employees, CEO and co-founder Brian Chesky tweeted Sunday. Hours after airing, the ad checked in as YouTube's No. 5 trending video as of Monday morning with just over 450,000 views and counting. Airbnb's ad was one of many to dabble in the political atmosphere. As for whether or not that type of message is effective for a brand's image is up to debate. Kelly O'Keefe, a marketing professor at Virginia Commonwealth University applauded the company for "making a strong statement." Villanova University marketing professor Charles Taylor reasoned that the ad didn't actually make a connection to the company's home-sharing services. It appeared to be a "purely political statement," Taylor said. The Associated Press' Mae Anderson contributed to this report. The parade of storms dumping water on California has been a welcome sight to most everyone the Bay Area at least almost everyone. Swollen, rampaging creeks in West Marin have hampered the nesting of critically endangered coho salmon returning to their native streams to spawn. After years of devastating impacts by drought it seems the spigot has turned the other direction. I guess I would say its almost too much of a good thing, said Gregory Andrew, Fishery Program Manager for the Marin Municipal Water District. The Lagunitas Creek Watershed represents one of the states most important spawning grounds for coho salmon. But the storm-fueled creeks are gushing at such a pace theyre blowing out the salmon nests, or reds, further placing their numbers in peril. Fish come in and lay their eggs in the gravel, Andrew said, and that gravel can be washed away by the high flows. Ecologists from the water district walk the creeks on weekly patrols counting the number of fish and nests in the creeks. But the early January storms made it impossible for the observers to see anything in the murky, fast-flowing water. Last week, Ettlinger waded through the San Geronimo Creek near Woodacre, looking for any signs of the gravel nests. If fish did spawn theres no evidence of it, said water district ecologist Eric Ettlinger during a recent observation outing, so we seem to have missed a big chunk of the salmon run. Before the series of storms in early January, biologists with the Turtle Island Restoration Network counted about 360 returning coho salmon in the area. The number is steady compared to recent years but far below the areas once historic high of around 5000 fish. Turtle Island director Todd Steiner said the weather hasnt created ideal nesting conditions in many years. Coming out of several years of drought now were having several years of flood, Steiner said. Every one of those diminishes the numbers a little bit more and it pushes them to the edge where they can disappear forever from this eco-system. Steiner peered across the raging creek which backs up to his organizations offices in Tocoloma. He said the creek is normally 15-foot wide creek but now spanned across 120 feet, swallowing a marker that peaked above the flowing current. He blamed development along the creek banks for erasing gentler washouts where salmon could once escape the heavier parts of the river to lay their eggs. Now, he said, retaining walls had concentrated the storm waters into gushing torrents, leaving the fish with no place to spawn in heavier rain years. It doesnt allow the water to spill over, to flood over, Steiner said. And so the fish lose that critical flood plain habitat to survive the storm events. Steiner pointed to nearby piles of rubble where the National Parks department recently tore down homes sitting along the creek. Steiner said his groups offices would also eventually be removed, along with tens of thousands of yards of landfill. Turtle Island Restoration Network is currently involved in litigation against Marin County to create a moratorium on new development along the watershed. Steiner peered out across the raging creek as a new round of rain drops began to tumble from above the canopy of trees. He said coho from the watershed have been used to help establish new populations across the state. If we lose this population, Steiner said, the chances are they will be gone forever from California. A 12-year-old Yemeni girl was reunited with her family Sunday afternoon at San Francisco International Airport after being stranded for the past week in the eastern African country of Djibouti due to President Donald Trump's travel ban. Eman Ali was greeted by several family members at SFO's international terminal, where she hugged her 14-year-old sister Sarah and other relatives, cried tears of joy and smiled almost incessantly. She saw her mother for the first time in four years and was able to hug her 2-year-old sister for the first time in her life. Eman then was escorted through the terminal by family members and attorney Katy Lewis, surrounded by a throng of media and curious onlookers. "It's been a long, long journey for them, so you can understand that they're exhausted," Lewis said during a news conference at the airport. Eman's father, Ahmed Ali, also spoke briefly, thanking all those who supported his daughter's arrival in America. "Well, I'm really happy because finally we are finished with that process," he said. "I really appreciate everyone's support. A lot of people have been helping me and they don't even know us. "After seven years, she's finally home. That's the best we need," he added. Eman, whose parents are American citizens and live in Los Banos, initially was due to arrive in San Francisco on Jan. 28, but she and her father were not allowed on their flight from Djibouti because of Trump's executive order banning people from Yemen and six other nations from traveling to the U.S. On Friday, Seattle-based U.S. District Judge James Robart put a temporary restraining order on Trump's ban, which allowed Eman and Ahmed Ali to board a flight to SFO, according to Lewis. On Sunday, the father and daughter were on American soil, and Eman became a citizen when her passport was stamped at SFO, Lewis said. Eman was born in Yemen and has been trying to move to the U.S. for six years, the attorney said. "Her mother was a citizen at birth, but she lived in Yemen most of her life until recently," Lewis said. "And her father naturalized in 2010." One of the lawyers who helped get Eman home said the girl is one of the few Yemenis who were able to get out of the Djibouti airport. "There are about 240 people still trapped, who can't board airplanes," attorney Stacey Gartland told NBC Bay Area. "Eman was able to only because of some heroic efforts." Gartland credited her colleague Lewis for those heroics. The Trump administration has appealed the temporary restraining order and submitted a request to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to immediately stay Robart's order. But the court denied the stay request early Sunday, and the appeal process will continue Monday, with the earliest ruling coming after 3 p.m. Pacific time. Lewis said Eman and Ahmed were thankful and tired and anxious to get home to Los Banos. It might be called the art of the drug deal: Florida authorities seized scores of individually wrapped heroin packets stamped with the image of President Donald Trump. As Tampa news station WFLA reports, law enforcement officers seized 5,550 packages of heroin Jan. 27 in Hernando County, culminating a months-long investigation into heroin distribution in the area. Some of the packets bore the names or likenesses of other notorious figures, such as Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and Colombian cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar. Authorities couldn't explain the markings' purpose. Dealers often stamp heroin bags with street "brand names." [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More Police arrested 46-year-old Kelvin Scott Johnson on suspicion of heroin trafficking and other charges. His bail is set at $75,000. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi said the dealer "made a big mistake" using Trump's picture. As Seen On A 12-year-old boy was in a coma over the weekend after being severely beaten by another student at a northwest suburban middle school Friday. Kenyon Woods Middle School Principal Lisa Olsem said the young boy was assaulted by another student just before noon. He suffered severe injuries and was taken to Presence St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin before being transferred to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. I spent time with the family of the injured student at the hospital this afternoon and will remain in close contact with them, Olsem wrote in a letter to parents Friday. The alleged attacker, [sic] was arrested and transported to South Elgin Police Department. The boy, identified by family as Henry Sembdner, remained in the intensive care unit Sunday. According to a Caring Bridge account created by the family to update on his progress, Sembdner woke from his coma Sunday. They just removed the intubation and guess what he said, his mother Karen DeWilde Sembdner wrote. Im Hungry! At the Elgin school district meeting Monday night, the student board member wore green, a symbol officials say is meant to represent hope. Others throughout the district wore the color in support after the brutal beating. That support, the districts CEO says, is not one-sided. Not only do we support Henry, but we also support the student who allegedly caused thiswe support him through counseling, Tony Sanders said. A school official also touched on what might have caused the incident The student was bumped, or somehow bumped into the other student, that student then became aggressive in a very short couple of seconds and injured the young man, said John Heiderscheidt, the districts director of safety. While police and the school have released few details on what happened, a GoFundMe page created by Sembdners aunt claims the young boy was going into a crowded hallway at school and bumped into someone. The kid grabbed him and slammed him into the ground, wrote Crystal Sembdner Mims. A wonderful child is in the hospital for no reason. South Elgin police said an investigation remained ongoing. Police said the investigation would be turned over to the Kane County State's Attorney's office when it has been completed, noting that it is a priority for the department. Chief Jerry Krawczyk said the alleged suspect is in middle school but did not give an age. "This case makes me sad as a dad," he said. "I've never seen a case like this involving children resulting in such severe injuries." Two GoFundMe pages have been set up to help the Sembdner family with medical costs. As of Money, one page had raised more than $17,500 and the other had raised $7,400. Chicago Cubs star Anthony Rizzo took to Twitter Monday to lend Henry some support and make him an offer. Two people were found fatally shot inside a home on Chicago's Southwest Side Monday morning, according to police. Around 7:36 a.m., officers responded to a call of a person shot inside a residence in the 2500 block of W. 46th St. in the city's Brighton Park neighborhood, authorities said. There they discovered a man and woman who had been had been shot to death in the basement apartment of a building. The woman was 33 years old and had been shot in the torso, according to police. Officials said the man, a documented gang member whose age was unknown, was shot in the head. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. The Cook County Medical Examiner's office did not immediately confirm the fatality, and further information about the victims' identities was not immediately available. Residents were uneasy on Monday, saying this kind of violence is not common in the area. "It's kinda awkward that it did happen over in this neighborhood. I mean, in the Back of the Yards, I know there is gang shooting and stuff. So I didn't think anything like that would happen over here," said David Brosman, who lives across the street. Brosman said he was watching the Super Bowl at the time police told him the shooting occurred. "I really didn't hear nothing," he said. "No gunfire or nothing." Other neighbors said they saw at least one suspicious person in the area before the shooting, and late Monday afternoon, police removed a car parked in front of the building, though its connection to the crime was unclear. No one is in custody in connection with the shooting, and authorities continue to investigate. A Chicago bar and restaurant owned by the InterContinental Hotels Group are among a list of establishments affected by a credit card processing security breach, the company announced Monday. Michael Jordans Steak House and Bar and Eno are among a dozen establishments an investigation revealed to have been compromised after malware was installed on the servers that process payment, IHG announced in its news release. The company said the malware searched for information such as cardholder name, card number, expiration date and internal verification code. Cards used at the front desk of these properties were not affected, the company said. The two Chicago locations were impacted between Aug. 1 and Dec. 15 of 2016, the release says. Those who may have been impacted by the breach should report unauthorized charges to the card issuer. We have been working with the security firms to review our security measures, confirm that this issue has been remediated, and evaluate ways to enhance our security measures, IHG said. We have also notified law enforcement and are working with the payment card networks so that the banks that issue payment cards can be made aware and initiate heightened monitoring on the affected cards. IHG said it announced an investigation on Dec. 28 of 2016 after receiving a report of unauthorized charges and some of its properties and hired leading cyber security firms to examine the payment card processing systems for the hotels that it manages in the Americas region. The investigation is ongoing, IHG said. The family of 3-, 5- and 6-year-old children are accused of extreme neglect after the children were found malnourished, dehydrated, in diapers and unable to speak, according to Connecticut state police. The children's mother, 32-year-old Donna Rodeheffer, was previously arrested in November. The childrens father, 24-year-old Nicolas Emory and his two brothers, James Emory, 33, and Jason Emory, 38, were arrested Monday. According to an arrest warrant application, James and Jason are accused of physically and emotionally neglecting the children. Nicolas Emory stands accused of neglect and cruelty, and in the arrest warrant application investigators also noted that DCF investigation showed reasonable cause to think that Nicolas Emory may have sexually abused his daughters. Nicolas Emory was previously being held in Arizona, where he now lives, as a fugitive from justice on child pornography charges. State police started investigating the case on July 21 when the state Department of Children and Families reported Rodeheffer and Nicolas Emory were suspected of neglecting the three children in Danielson. Emorys mother and two brothers also lived in the home. According to the arrest warrant application, both Nicolas and Jason Emory admitted to looking at child pornography in the home but denied anyone in the house had sexual contact with any of the children. Nicolas Emory told investigators during one interview that he sometimes watched pornography while his two daughters were in the room. Emory also told police there were times when he and Rodeheffer would have sex while the two children were in the same bed. Documents state that Rodeheffer told investigators that Nicolas Emory admitted to her that he felt something when the two female victims would crawl across his lap. At the time the investigation began, all three children were severely underweight, had never had regular check-ups with a pediatrician or dentist, and had never attended school. According to the documents Nicolass mother told police she tried to tell Nicolas and Rodeheffer to take the children to the doctor but they ignored her. She also told police she realized she should have done more to get the children help. James Emory also told police he did not agree with some of the ways the pair parented the children. All the adults in the home admitted the conditions were not ideal for the children. James Emory is accused of risk of injury/impairing the morals of children and was issued a $50,000 bond. Jason Emory was also charged with risk of injury/impairing the morals of children and issued a $75,000 bond. Nicolas Emory is charged with negligent cruelty to persons and risk of injury/impairing the morals of children and was held on a $150,000 bond. Lebanon Middle School is dismissing early Monday because of a hazmat situation, according to the superintendent. Superintendent Robert Angeli said that over the weekend a solvent in a container rusted through in a custodial closet. When administrators and students arrived at the school, located at 891 Exeter Road Monday, they noticed an odor. Students were moved to the high school on the same campus so officials could investigate. Angeli said the solvent is not toxic but can cause eye and respiratory irritation with prolonged exposure. School is being dismissed for the day so crews can clean up. There's going to be a lot going on over the next 3 days. Tomorrow's weather concern is ice, Wednesday's excitement is warmth, and Thursday's trouble is snow. Let's take it one day at a time. The storm that is moving in tomorrow is only a shell of its former self. Sort of. Last week our computer models showed a powerful storm tracking near Toronto with all sorts of heavy precipitation moving into New England. That's no longer going to happen. Lighter amounts of rain will move in Tuesday morning but the problem remains that temperatures will be near 32 degrees as the rain begins. Temperatures above our heads will be well above freezing tomorrow - but at the ground a stale layer of cold air will be tenacious. There's a lot of inertia when it comes to dislodging cold and tomorrow won't be any different. As rain falls temperatures near the ground will be at or just below 32 degrees. For many areas just away from the Sound this could be an issue around daybreak with a few light showers. All it takes is a tiny bit of precipitation to ice up untreated surfaces! While temperatures in the valley locations will warm above 32 degrees by midday the temperatures in the hills will not. In fact, it looks like a prolonged period of icing will occur in the Northwest and Northeast Hills where 0.1 to 0.25" of ice accretion is possible. Even by 7 p.m. tomorrow the NCAR ensemble model shows a >50% chance of temperatures below freezing for many places over 500 feet of elevation. This is not enough ice to cause power outages but is enough to make any untreated walkway or driveway really slick. Brief period of icing possible in many areas around the morning commute. Treated roads will generally be OK but any untreated areas will be slippery. By mid-late morning most valley and shoreline locations will be above freezing. Prolonged freezing rain is expected in the hills tomorrow - and temperatures in some areas may never climb above 32 degrees. Thankfully ice accretion amounts should not be enough to cause tree or power line issues. As for Wednesday - the cold at the surface will mix out allowing temperatures to spike. 60 degrees is not out of the question in some areas but right now we're predicting highs in the 50s. I mentioned above that Tuesday's storm has become much less impressive over the last several days. One consequence of that is that a second piece of energy is able to swing far enough north to clip us with snow. Had the Tuesday storm been stronger the storm track would have been hundreds of miles farther south. Unfortunately, there's not much we can say about the Thursday storm other than accumulating snow is a possibility AND the storm as a reasonable shot of being decent (i.e. more than 4"). This storm is producing an unusually large spread of possible outcomes on our computer models. Take for instance the GFS ensembles (the GFS model run with slight tweaks 20 different times to show a range of possible solutions) which show a HUGE spread. Anywhere from 0" to 10" of snow for Hartford. That's about as detailed as we can get about this one - there's the potential for snow but I have no idea if it will be a big storm or we get brushed by with a few flurries or period of light snow. Small tweaks and changes in the jet stream pattern will mean a lot here. I get that a forecast of "we don't know yet" is annoying but as a scientist there's really not much more I can do at this point. This storm is showing a really unusual amount of spread in possible solutions. As we like to say in TV... stay tuned! A North Texas couple separated by President Donald Trumps executive order restricting travel from seven countries was reunited Sunday evening. Neil and Roslyn Sinha were married in August, and she is in the process of obtaining her green card. But while it was processing, Roslyns mother had a series of strokes back in Dubai, and she was granted permission to go back to visit in late January. While she was overseas, Trumps executive order was signed, and Roslyn was stuck in limbo. Airlines would not let her board a plane back home. Roslyn was born and raised in Dubai, but because of the unique way the United Arab Emirates issues passports, Roslyns is from Iraq-a country she has never been to--but one that is on the travel ban list. "The possibility of her never coming back or having to wait 90 days, that was scary," Neil said. A North Texas couple separated by President Donald Trumps executive order was reunited Sunday evening. But the couple kept pushing for ways to bring her back home, crediting our NBC5 story last week and the work of volunteer immigration attorneys to help pave the way. After 12 days of uncertainty, Sunday brought an emotional reunion for the young couple. Roslyn landed back at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on a flight connecting in Washington, D.C., where she met her volunteer immigration attorney Elinor Plenovo. "It was very smooth at the airport, way smoother than I thought," Roslyn said. As soon as she heard that the rules had changed on the executive order, the attorney got to work, and Roslyn ran to pack her bags and jumped on the first Emirates flight back to the United States. "I got lucky," she said. "Im one of the lucky ones." Roslyn currently has a work permit, she's starting a new job next week, and is in the process of getting her green card. She said she owes her mom, who is improving, a less chaotic visit back home. A filmmaker from The Colony returned from Libya this weekend after a photojournalist was killed. Mickey Grant, who was shooting a documentary, captured the violence between Moammar Gadhafi's troops and the people rising up against them. He had planned to stay in Libya longer, but but he left in a hurry Friday after a photojournalist working for Qatar-based television network Al-Jazeera was killed. Gadhafi's forces are suspected in the journalist's death. "I was having acid reflux left and right," Grant said. "I was thinking to myself, 'I'm a little bit too old for this kind of stuff.'" He has visited Libya three times, capturing on video the instability of a war-torn country. "Gadhafi has treated his people probably worse than any dictator, maybe any dictator in history," Grant said. "It's horrific. It's very common to see people bandaged up everywhere, all day long, or someone who's just lost an arm." The documentary maker said he wants to show North Texas and the rest of the world what's happening under Gadhafi's regime. "They assassinate people," Grant said. "They are recording what's happening, who's doing what. They are attempting to find out as many names of people who have protested." He said he sees the violence ending sooner rather than later as the protesters figure out how to form a democracy. "They want to come to terms in an organized manner of who they are, how they're to be governed, and most of all, how to have a great future," Grant said. Grant's first documentary about Libya, "Injection," has been released three times with updated footage shot since 2004. The film is about the reuse of syringes in African clinics and the resulting spread of HIV because of it. Trophy Club police say a Byron Nelson High School student is in custody following a bomb threat that forced a lockdown at the school. The student is charged with making a false alarm or report involving a school, a state felony, police said. Police are also pursuing the arrest of a second person, they said Monday. The person, they believe, is 18 years old and is not a student at Byron Nelson. The school was placed on lockdown for several hours on Jan. 30. In addition, students at Medlin Middle School, Beck Elementary School and Lake Elementary School were placed on lockdown for a short time while police investigated the alleged threat. A police statement Monday said they received six calls from the same person who made the alleged threats, and during the sixth call the caller admitted that it had been a hoax. "The individual in the school was coordinating and sending information to another individual and utilized that information to make a number of calls to police dispatch, which dragged out this process," said Trophy Club Police Chief Patrick Arata. "Then, eventually, they called back saying it's a hoax, we can't believe you guys showed up, what kind of police response it is, it's just a hoax." Law enforcement, including SWAT officers and the FBI, did not find any suspicious items on the Byron Nelson campus, and no injuries were reported. The student remains in police custody and faces up to two years in jail if convicted. Police said they arrested two people suspected of shooting at a Dallas restaurant after being forced to leave early Monday morning. [[412875593,C]] Dallas police said they responded to an active shooter call at Micheladas restaurant in the 2800 block of Webb Chapel Extension at about 1:30 a.m. Witnesses told police a disturbance broke out inside the restaurant that led to two men being forced to leave by security. The two men opened fire at the building afterward, according to police. The security guard fired back multiple rounds at the men's truck. Police said they detained two men driving a similar truck a few blocks away near the intersection of Larga Drive and Webb Chapel Road. No injuries were reported. Update: Asali family shares emotional reunion, plans in United States. A Syrian family denied entry into Philadelphia hours after President Donald Trumps executive order suspending Americas refugee program and halting immigration to the U.S. from seven countries has made the journey to the United States, after a federal judge temporarily blocked Trumps executive order. [[412889853, C]] Six members of the Asali family left Syria and passed through preclearance in Abu Dhabi Sunday, arriving at JFK International Airport in New York Monday ahead of a 9:25 a.m. arrival time, their attorneys said. They arrived to hugs from family and supporters. [[412889713, C]] "I'm very happy to help," said U.S. Rep Charlie Dent, R-Pa, as he greeted the Asalis Monday. "We have a very large Syrian community in the Allentown area, I've gotten to know many of them over the years." Dent helped with the negotiations that allowed the family to leave, according to a spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). "We are grateful for Congressman Dents leadership and his efforts to right this wrong for the Asalis," said Reggie Shuford, executive director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania. "The executive order is illegal, and its implementation was botched from the start. The ACLU will continue to challenge this order until it is ultimately overturned." The Asalis, a Christian family with relatives in Allentown, waited more than a week to leave Damascus for Pennsylvania. Despite having obtained visas and passports prior to their departure, the six relatives were deported upon arriving in Philadelphia International Airport just hours after Trump issued the travel ban. [[412840633, C]] Almost immediately, the Asalis became entangled in a messy legal battle between the White House and its opponents. On Saturday, the government officially suspended the ban's enforcement in compliance with the order of U.S. District Judge James Robart. After the temporary block was issued, visa holders from the countries impacted by Trumps order hurried to board U.S.-bound flights, fearing they might have only a slim window through which to enter the country. "I thought at first, not realizing what was happening at that moment, that it was just people delayed and they would be detained and we could just sort through it," Dent said. "By the time we finally started figured things out the family had already been returned... so we've been working on it ever since." The legal battle continues as the Department of Justice filed a notice of appeal in an attempt to immediately reinstate Trumps order. Despite the legal quagmire, lawyers for the Asali family do not anticipate the appeal will directly impact travel arrangements. You never want to say for sure, but I think we should be fine, Hohenstein said. Despite the legal quagmire, lawyers for the Asali family did not anticipate the appeal will directly impact travel arrangements. You never want to say for sure, but I think we should be fine, said Joseph Hohenstein, an attorney for the Asali family A federal appeals court denied a request to reinstate Trumps order early Sunday. The Asalis' relatives in Allentown described long days filled with uncertainty, confusion and heartache. We are very excited, but very nervous at the same time, Sarmad Assali said before they arrived. Until we have them in our arms, Im a little on edge. [NATL] Trump Immigration Order Triggers Protests Across US She added, "We can hear it in their voice that they're so afraid that something might go wrong." The last names of the family members living in Allentown are spelled differently due to a name change at the time of their immigration into the U.S., a spokesman for the ACLU said. The relatives four adults and two children planned to settle in Allentown, 60 miles outside of Philadelphia, where family members who are U.S. citizens had purchased a home for them. It took the family 13 years to secure visas and passports to relocate to the U.S. After arriving at the Philadelphia International Airport last Saturday, the Asali family was met by two U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. The six were removed from the plane, detained and told they could either leave the U.S. on the same plane or stay and be arrested, according to court documents. Their legal paperwork was physically revoked, they were denied phone calls and they were prevented from speaking to relatives waiting at the airport. They were sent back to Syria that same day. Immigration lawyers representing the family filed a lawsuit in federal court Tuesday, accusing the Trump administration of violating several constitutional guarantees, including those belonging to members of a protected class and the right to due process. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said he and his wife are "thrilled and relieved" the family will be able to return to the United States. "The federal government barring these legal immigrants from living in Pennsylvania, despite doing everything the right way, was short-sighted and unfair," he wrote. "We look forward to welcoming these families back to Pennsylvania. Our commonwealth, which was founded by immigrants escaping persecution, has always welcomed people from all over the world to share in realizing the American dream. Taco Tuesday just received a spicy twist. President Donald Trump's travel ban has sparked Comal, a Berkeley restaurant, to sell taco bowls in exchange for money that will be used to support immigrants and refugees from the seven Muslim-majority countries impacted by the executive order. The eatery's head chef, whose ancestors migrated to the United States from the former Soviet Union, spearheaded the idea. Andrew Hoffman, the restaurant's co-owner, helped put the plan into action. "It's really about our staff," Hoffman said. "Half of the 70 people who work here are immigrants, and we want them to know that we are standing with them, and this is a small way that we can use our influence as a restaurant to bring some money and attention to a good cause." Comal plans to dish out the plates every Monday and Tuesday. The proceeds from each sale will specifically benefit the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, a nonprofit group that issues legal guidance and supportive services to immigrant and refugee communities. Aside from tackling Trump's executive order, the campaign also appears to take a slight jab at the president directly. During his campaign, the Republican candidate on Cinco de Mayo tweeted a picture of him enjoying a taco bowl. The status of Trump's travel ban remains in limbo as of Saturday. A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the order, allowing visa holders from the seven majority-Muslim nations to cross the United States' borders without trouble, but the Justice Department on Saturday filed an appeal to that ruling. For the last seven years, Amir Bahdors dream has been to live in the United States. Five years ago, his mother, a green card holder who lives in Atlanta, petitioned to bring him here. After finally obtaining an immigrant visa, Bahdor went to the airport Monday, only to be turned away because of President Trumps executive order, banning travel from seven predominately Muslim countries. We tried to get him on British Airways and they wouldn't let him on the plane, Bahdors lawyer Carl Balediata tells NBC 7. He was vetted by Department of State. They issued him the visa before the ban started. Balediata says they called the airline again. "This time they said [the Border Patrol] wouldn't let him on the plane because the ban was still in effect." His lawyer says the main problem was confusion. This time they said CBP wouldn't let him on the plane because the ban was still in effect.This time they said CBP wouldn't let him on the plane because the ban was still in effect. but the main problem was confusion. But once they found out a federal judge in Washington state had temporarily suspended the ban, their next plan was the fly from Iran to Munich to Boston and finally to San Diego. When he told me he landed we both shed a tear. We were crying you know, it was amazing, Balediata said emotionally. After seven years of hope was realized when Bahdor landed at Lindbergh Field, he says there's one thing he wants Americans to understand about Iranians. We have a very good culture, he says. We are not terrorists. We are good person. Its called Operation Homeless Cookie and its mission is to collect 30 boxes of Girl Scout cookies for local homeless people. Demirae Humphries, the seven-year-old Girl Scout who started the initiative, is collecting donations for the charity cookies. Donations for a box of Smores or Toffee-tastic cookies are $6, and every other kind is $5. Humphries, who lives in Chula Vista, says while her goal is 30 boxes, she hopes she can raise enough for more, proving, as the Girl Scouts slogan reminds, what a girl can do. San Diego Girl Scouts have been donating cookies to troops deployed overseas with Operation Thin Mint since 2002. The San Ysidro Port of Entry has reopened after closing due to protests, the California Highway Patrol confirmed. This is the 5th consecutive weekend that the Port of Entry has been closed. WB 905 to SB 805 is closed, WB 905 to SB 5 is closed. Due to police activity.#SDCaltransAlert Caltrans San Diego (@SDCaltrans) February 5, 2017 CalTrans announced other road closures in the area, including westbound State Route 905 to southbound Interstate 805, and westbound SR 905 to southbound Interstate 5. Residents of Tijuana and other cities in Mexico called for a "border boycott", and said they would not cross the border into the United States from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The boycott was scheduled for today, Sunday, Feb. 5, due to its significance in Mexico. It commemorates the promulgation of the Mexican Constitution on Feb. 5, 1917, which is currently in place. Participants in the boycott are also trying to emphasize the impact they have on San Diego-area economy. Protesters continue to voice their objections to a sudden hike in gas prices in Mexico: 20 percent in one day, as well as recent executive actions signed by President Trump regarding border security. Hundreds of girls across Los Angeles are hard at work on documentary projects they hope will transform their communities. The projects are part of a competition organized by Girls Build LA, an initiative that seeks to empower young women across the country to use STEM subjects as a means for solving social challenges in their communities. Girls from winning teams will get $2,000 each in college scholarships. "We're promoting this message of girls building themselves and empowering themselves, but also promoting organizations who already do this for us," said student Somkene Okwuego. She attends the LAUSD/USC Media Arts and Engineering Magnet, one of 50 schools taking part in the Girls Build LA program. Each team works with a classroom teacher and a volunteer mentor to help guide their documentary projects. Margaret Chernin, a mentor who works as the Senior Vice President of Development at Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's Pearl Street Films production company, said she wants girls to have the same sense of belonging that she feels in her workplace. "I've always felt empowered to speak up and make my decisions and voice known and I think I'd like them to feel similarly empowered and supported," said Chernin. She said she continues to be impressed by the girls' creative drive. "it's been very rewarding but also incredibly inspiring to see what the next generation of girls is like because they are a force," said Chernin. Nonprofit organization LA Promise Fund started Girls Build LA two years ago. The initiative was born out of LA Promise Fund's desire to get more women involved in science, technology, engineering and math. "Women are in less than 25% of STEM related positions in this country," said Chief Strategy Officer Claudia Keller. The numbers are even lower for women of color. Only three percent of STEM positions are held by African American women, and only one percent by Latinas. In addition to increasing the number of women in STEM related fields, the initiative also aims to provide a comfortable environment where girls can identify challenges in their communities and be part of the solution. "This environment of having it be a female only project, really encourages girls to come out of their shell, very importantly, to support each other, in these different endeavors," said Claudia Keller. Student Iris Portillo said the support Girls Build LA offers makes her feel like she's capable of doing great things. Like several of her classmates, she wants to become a doctor while also continuing to give back to her community. Portillo said, "I don't want to be someone who will grow up and forget what they left from. I want to be able to come back to that and give them what they gave me." Each team will present their community solutions to a group of judges in May. Six winning teams will split $50,000 in college scholarship funds. Hundreds of girls across Los Angeles are hard at work on documentaries they hope will transform their communities. The projects are part of a competition organized by Girls Build LA, an initiative that seeks to empower young women to use STEM subjects as a means for solving social challenges in their communities. Girls from winning teams will get $2,000 each in college scholarships. "We're promoting this message of girls building themselves and empowering themselves, but also promoting organizations who already do this for us," said student Somkene Okwuego. She attends the LAUSD/USC Media Arts and Engineering Magnet, one of 50 schools taking part in the Girls Build LA program. Each team works with a classroom teacher and a volunteer mentor to help guide their documentary projects. Margaret Chernin, a mentor who works as the Senior Vice President of Development at Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's Pearl Street Films production company, said she wants girls to have the same sense of belonging that she feels in her workplace. "I've always felt empowered to speak up and make my decisions and voice known and I think I'd like them to feel similarly empowered and supported," said Chernin. She said she continues to be impressed by the girls' creative drive. "It's been very rewarding but also incredibly inspiring to see what the next generation of girls is like because they are a force," said Chernin. Nonprofit organization LA Promise Fund started Girls Build LA two years ago. The initiative was born out of a desire to get more women involved in science, technology, engineering and math. "Women are in less than 25 percent of STEM related positions in this country," said Chief Strategy Officer Claudia Keller. The numbers are even lower for women of color. Only three percent of STEM positions are held by African American women, and only one percent by Latinas. In addition to increasing the number of women in STEM related fields, the initiative also aims to provide a comfortable environment where girls can identify challenges in their communities and be part of the solution. "This environment of having it be a female only project, really encourages girls to come out of their shell, very importantly, to support each other, in these different endeavors," said Claudia Keller. Student Iris Portillo said the support Girls Build LA offers makes her feel like she's capable of doing great things. Like several of her classmates, she wants to become a doctor while also continuing to give back to her community. "I don't want to be someone who will grow up and forget what they left from. I want to be able to come back to that and give them what they gave me," said Portillo. Each team will present their community solutions to a group of judges in May. Six winning teams will split $50,000 in college scholarship funds. Princess Elizabeth was never meant to become queen, let alone the longest-serving monarch in the storied history of British royalty. Her father, in fact, was never meant to become king. [NATL] Queen Elizabeth II: A Royal Life in Pictures But on Monday, after nearly a lifetime of service to country and crown, Elizabeth II will commemorate her 65th anniversary as queen. She will become the only British monarch ever to celebrate her Sapphire Jubilee, NBC News reported. It is a role that most Britons whether royalist or republican would agree that she has fulfilled with caution, dignity and an unending sense of duty. [NATL-ARCHIVED] Royal Family Photos Since President Donald Trump opened the gold-infused ballroom at his Mar-a-Lago resort almost 12 years ago, it has been a popular rental for the American Red Cross, hospitals, medical researchers and other charities for fundraising galas where the wealthiest donors are wined and dined, often netting $1 million or more. But Trump's election puts charities in an awkward position over choosing the resort recently dubbed the president's Winter White House for events they may have planned more than a year in advance. With Trump placing a moratorium on refugees and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries and his promises to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, activists are pressuring charities such as the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Cleveland Clinic to move or cancel their galas this month. As the American Red Cross held a gala fundraiser Saturday at Mar-a-Lago, about three thousand demonstrators marched nearby to protest Trump's now-blocked executive order temporarily limiting immigration. The event ended peacefully, and there were no arrests. So far, no known Mar-a-Lago charity events have been moved or canceled. More than 2,000 people, including faculty and students from Harvard Medical School, have signed an online petition demanding that Boston-based Dana-Farber move or cancel its Feb. 18 ``Discovery Celebration,'' featuring a performance by Grammy Award winner David Foster. The cheapest ticket is $1,250. Petition organizer George Karandinos, a 30-year-old Harvard medical student from Houston, said he understands that canceling or moving the Dana-Farber event would be difficult, ``but they can make a public moral stand that is in line with their stated values'' of diversity and supporting scientific exchanges across borders. Plus, he said, a cancellation might attract additional donors. A similar open letter, signed by more than 1,100 including doctors and medical students, demands that Cleveland Clinic move its Feb. 25 ``Reflections of Versailles: A Night in the Hall of Mirrors'' gala. Its cheapest ticket also is $1,250. Both Dana-Farber and the Cleveland Clinic said they won't move or cancel their events, but added that it doesn't mean they support the president's policies. Applications filed with the town of Palm Beach show Dana-Farber expects to raise $1.25 million after paying expenses of $250,000. The Red Cross says it will make $950,000 after spending $400,000. A portion of those expenses would go to Mar-a-Lago. The town did not immediately release Cleveland Clinic's application. Dana-Farber President Dr. Laurie H. Glimcher issued a statement saying she shares the protesters' concerns about the immigration moratorium and what it will mean for doctors, scientists, students and patients from the affected countries, but that the protesters are unrealistic. ``The forthcoming fundraiser in Palm Beach is planned many months in advance, and raises critical funds to support this lifesaving work. Contracts have been signed, and a large number of people have committed to attend. Cancelling the event outright would only deny much-needed resources for research and care,'' she said. The Cleveland Clinic issued a similar statement. ``The sole purpose of our event in Florida is to raise funds for important research to advance cardiovascular medicine that improves patient care,'' spokeswoman Eileen Sheil said. ``In no way is this connected to anything else but helping patients. The event has been held there for years, well before the election.'' Mar-a-Lago director Bernd Lembcke didn't return a call seeking comment. The Trump Organization didn't respond to an emailed request for comment. Photos of the ballroom complex, including the Donald J. Trump Grand Ballroom, show large open spaces lighted by chandeliers and surrounded by massive archways and columns. Bathroom fixtures are gold-plated. The walls, ceiling and columns have intricate decorations gilded with gold leaf. Many organizations have been using the venue for years to host their wealthiest donors. Trump opened the 20,000 square-foot ballroom complex in late 2005 _ the inaugural event was the reception for his wedding to Melania Trump. He told reporters the complex cost $35 million, but Palm Beach building records indicate the cost was lower, likely no more than $15 million. Mary Simboski, who teaches in Boston University's fundraising management program, said that while she could not speak to any specific event, major galas like the ones the Cleveland Clinic, Red Cross and Dana-Farber are throwing take a year to plan and are a major part of an organization's fundraising operation. Picking a site like Mar-a-Lago often comes down to location, size, cost and availability, she said, and has nothing to do with politics. Projecting that the groups could perhaps garner more financial support by canceling the event is wishful thinking, she said. ``Hope is not a strategy,'' Simboski said. School police are talking to three students after threats were made on social media to shoot up Driftwood Middle School in Hollywood. The school at 2751 N. 70th Avenue was on "code yellow" Monday morning after threats were posted to Twitter, Hollywood Police officials said. Police later said the "code yellow" was lifted and school was back to normal. Broward County Public School officials said all students are safe and that they're working with police in the investigation. Police said the students who are responsible for the threats won't face criminal charges but will be reprimanded by the school. Parents said they received multiple texts and calls warning about a Twitter post. "I was afraid and scared, you don't want anyone coming and shoot up your child's school," parent Tiffany Thomas said. "You never know, you have to be careful nowadays." A three car accident Sunday morning in North Florida claimed the lives of five people from Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Florida Highway Patrol officers say the accident took place off U.S. 1 in Flagler County, near the city of Bunnell, shortly before 11:30AM. According to their report, deputies say a 2008 Mazda Tribute turned in front of a 2000 Ford F-250 Truck at the intersection. The truck hit the drivers side of the vehicle, killing all five people inside. Their ages ranged from 53 to 74 and the victims were from Miami, Miramar and Pembroke Pines. The driver of the truck was not injured, however both passengers inside including a four year old girl were taken to an area hospital. The driver a third car, a 72-year-old man who was hit when the initial crash slid into his vehicle, was also taken to the hospital. Nearly five years after his death sparked national protests and a controversial trial for the man who pulled the trigger, the parents of Trayvon martin are releasing a book this month and will be at Miami-Dade Colleges Wolfson campus to discuss it. Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin will present "Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin" tonight at 6:30 PM. The event is free and open to the public. While in Sanford, the Miami teen had a fatal encounter with neighborhood security person George Zimmerman. Trayvons story spawned the black lives matter movement, further amplified when Zimmerman was found not guilty of the shooting. The book discusses how Trayvon became a symbol of social justice activism - as told by narratives from his parents. Both Fulton and Martin have discussed the possibility of running for political office recently. President Donald Trump on Monday accused the media of deliberately minimizing coverage of the threat posed by the Islamic State group, saying news outlets "have their reasons" for not reporting what he described as a "genocide" underway at the hands of the group. The president did not immediately offer evidence to support his claim, made during the new commander in chief's first visit to the headquarters for U.S. Central Command. Later, the White House released a list of 78 attacks it described as "executed or inspired by" the Islamic State group since September 2014. The White House said "most" on the list did not get sufficient media attention, although it did not explain how it defined the term. Some of the incidents on the list received widespread attention and deep reporting. "You've seen what happened in Paris and Nice. All over Europe it's happening. It's gotten to a point where it's not even being reported," Trump told a group of military leaders and troops during the visit. "And in many cases, the very, very dishonest press doesn't want to report it. They have their reasons and you understand that." Trump, who has made relentless criticism of the media a hallmark of his presidency, did not explain why he thinks news outlets minimize attention on such attacks. Later, White House spokesman Sean Spicer tried to tone down the president's remarks, saying it was a question of balance: "Like a protest gets blown out of the water, and yet an attack or a foiled attack doesn't necessarily get the same coverage." The list released late Monday included incidents like a truck massacre in Nice, France, that killed dozens and received widespread attention, as well as less high-profile incidents in which nobody was killed. The AP could not verify that each of the incidents had connections to the Islamic State group. The list appeared to be hastily assembled, including several misspellings of the word "attacker." Trump also used the visit to CENTCOM to defend his immigration and refugee restrictions and reaffirm his support for NATO. He laced his speech with references to homeland security amid a court battle over his travel ban on people from seven majority-Muslim countries. He did not directly mention the case now before a federal appeals court after a lower court temporarily suspended the ban. "We need strong programs" so that "people that love us and want to love our country and will end up loving our country are allowed in" and those who "want to destroy us and destroy our country" are kept out, Trump said. "Freedom, security and justice will prevail," Trump added. "We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism and we will not allow it to take root in our country. We're not going to allow it." Trump touched upon various alliances in his remarks, noting, "we strongly support NATO." He spoke Sunday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. A White House statement said the two "discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments," and also talked about the crisis in Ukraine and security challenges facing NATO countries. Trump once dismissed the trans-Atlantic military alliance as "obsolete," and said he would decide whether to protect NATO countries against Russian aggression based on whether those countries "have fulfilled their obligations to us." Speaking as commander in chief, Trump repeated his promises to defeat "radical Islamic terrorists" but provided no specifics on any policy changes he wants in the fight against the Islamic State. Before his remarks, Trump sat down for lunch with a room full of troops in fatigues from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, as well as senior members of his White House staff. Trump made small talk with some of the soldiers, discussing everything from football to military careers. "Gonna make it a career?" Trump asked one person. "C'mon, you have to stay," he urged another. Trump also hailed New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, saying he "cemented his place" in football history after his fifth Super Bowl win Sunday. Trump stopped at the base on the way back to Washington after his first weekend away from the White House. Trump spent the weekend at his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, with first lady Melania Trump, who had not appeared in public since shortly after her husband took office. At MacDill, the president was briefed by CENTCOM and SOCOM leaders. A number of his advisers, including Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Michael Flynn, Trump's national security adviser, also attended. Trump met with Florida Gov. Rick Scott before delivering his remarks, telling the crowd at CENTCOM that Scott's endorsement of his candidacy for president "makes him a better friend of mine," adding that with those who don't offer their endorsement, "it's never quite the same." CENTCOM oversaw a recent raid by U.S. special operations forces on an al-Qaida compound in Yemen, the first military operation authorized by Trump. A Navy SEAL, Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens, 36, of Peoria, Illinois, was killed, making him the first known U.S. combat casualty under Trump. Three other U.S. service members were wounded in the operation. More than half a dozen suspected militants and more than a dozen civilians were also killed, including the 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical cleric and U.S. citizen who was targeted and killed in 2011 by a U.S. drone strike. Trump made no mention of Owens or the raid in Yemen during his remarks Monday, but he paid recognition to the sacrifices of American military families and the spouses of American soldiers, vowing his support to those who risk their lives for the country. "We protect those who protect us, and we will never, ever let you down," he said. What to Know Catherine Johannet, of Scarsdale, was reported missing by her hostel when she didn't return from a day trip The 23-year-old Scarsdale woman had traveled to Bastimentos Island, a tourist spot known for its beaches, hiking trails and wildlife Her body was found on a wooded trail near the beach; authorities haven't released a cause of death A 23-year-old tourist from Westchester County has been found dead in Panama, three days after she went missing there, authorities say. Panama's Civil Defense said the body of Catherine Johannet, of Scarsdale, was found Sunday on a trail in a wooded area not far from a beach on Bastimentos Island. The U.S. Embassy in Panama City confirmed her death. No cause of death was provided, and it wasn't clear if authorities had any reason to believe it may have been suspicious. Johannet had been staying in a hostel on Colon Island, part of the same archipelago popular for its clear water and coral reefs. According to Lohud.com, she went to Bastimentos Island, where she was last seen Thursday. She had been planning a day trip to the island, which is known for its beaches and hiking trails, and the hostel where she had been staying reported her missing when she didn't come back, Lohud said. The U.S. Embassy says that Panamanian authorities and the FBI had searched for Johannet throughout the weekend and will continue investigating the case. In a Facebook post Sunday, Johannet's sister Laura thanked everyone for their support. "My family is thinking of all our beautiful memories with our laughing, adventurous, warm little girl," Laura Johannet wrote. "She was always there to listen to you and just enjoy life with her loved ones." According to her LinkedIn profile, Johannet earned her bachelor's degree from Columbia. She was a teacher in Vietnam from July 2015 until October 2016 and graduated from Edgemont High School in 2011, the profile says. What to Know Karina Vetrano's beaten body was found Aug. 2 in a marshy park in Queens. Prosecutors say Chanel Lewis confronted, attacked and strangled Vetrano while she was jogging. Lewis is charged with second-degree murder. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years to life in prison. New details are emerging about how police tracked down the 20-year-old suspect accused of murdering a young runner in Queens last summer, abandoning her strangled, beaten body in a marsh in what became one of the city's highest profile crimes in recent years. One of the lieutenants investigating the August death of 30-year-old Karina Vetrano remembered reports of a strange man skulking around Howard Beach, where the young woman often went running, and asked an anti-crime detective from the 106th Precinct to review his notes, authorities said Monday. The detective came up with a name: Chanel Lewis. In Photos: The Investigation of Karina Vetrano's Death On Thursday, detectives went to the Brooklyn home where Lewis lives with his mother and asked for a DNA sample to rule him out. Lewis complied. Two days later, on Saturday, forensic results showed Lewis' DNA matched some of the samples taken from various investigative points on Vetrano's body. The 20-year-old man was taken into custody that evening. Law enforcement sources say they also clothing collected from Lewis' home in East New York, including a hat that may have been worn during the attack. He initially didn't speak with detectives, nor did he ask for an attorney, law enforcement sources tell NBC 4 New York. Around 5 a.m. the next morning, the sources say Lewis told one of the detectives, "I want to make things right." And, according to police sources, Lewis twice confessed on video, once with the NYPD and the other time during an interview with the Queens district attorney's office. "The defendant admitted to attacking the victim, admitted to beating her, to strangling her and dragging her body in the weeds," Queens District Attorney Michael Curtis said Sunday. [[393168581, C]] Lewis did not, however, confess to sexually assaulting Vetrano, according to police. Vetrano's body was found Aug. 2 in Howard Beach. Detectives secured more than 600 DNA samples and sifted through over 250 leads from the public and 1,700 investigative reports over the course of their six-month investigation. At a news briefing on crime stats Monday, Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said finding her alleged killer was like looking for "a needle in a haystack." Lewis had no prior criminal record -- only a series of summonses, including for urinating in public and being in the park after dark in Brooklyn. None of the summonses were received in Howard Beach, sources said. The lack of criminal history made it particularly difficult for investigators to zero in on Lewis, Boyce said. "Difficult cases take time but you don't stop," he said. Mayor de Blasio praised the NYPD's diligence. Lewis, meanwhile, is being held without bail after his arraignment Sunday on a charge of second-degree murder in Vetrano's death. Lewis has two attorneys through Legal Aid. His father described him as a "humble kid" who was a good student and wanted to go into social work. Vetrano's mother, Cathie, had harsh words for the suspect at his court appearance Sunday, nearly six months to the day her daughter's body was found. "He's a demon! He's a demon, he can burn in hell," Cathie Vetrano said. The young runner's father, Phil Vetrano, who spearheaded a grassroots social media effort to keep her name in the media, was among the search crews who found Vetrano's body. He said Sunday he was at a loss for words, but thanked police for their investigative efforts in solving his daughter's case. "We hoped to get to this point, one day," he said. "I am not going to say it's good, but we can move forward now. We are in a place we were never at, we know who did this." Lewis faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted. Authorities believe he snatched Vetrano near an area connecting the remote Howard Beach route she jogged to an East New York bicycle path that runs along the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn. Police said they don't believe he and Vetrano knew each other prior to the crime. Top Tri-State News Photos What to Know Wait staff says the message at the bottom of the bill was the idea of the chef, a New Zealand native The chef is Mark Zimmons, a New Zealand native who honed his culinary skills by traveling all over the world Hundreds of thousands of people across the country continue to protest President Trump's order, which courts have temporarily blocked If you head to Kiwiana restaurant in Brooklyn for some Yuca tater tots, classic Pavlova or rack of lamb New Zealand-style, the chef wants to make sure you know who to thank for the deliciousness. NBC News contributor Mary Emily O'Hara stopped by the Union Street spot on Sunday and tweeted a now-viral photo of her bill. Below an accounting of mimosas, french toast and coffee was a typed message: "Immigrants make America great (they also cooked your food and served you today)." Breakfast in Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/JHEtfJhqPO Mary Emily O'Hara (@MaryEmilyOHara) February 5, 2017 According to O'Hara, the serving staff said the message was the chef's idea. The chef is Mark Zimmons, a New Zealand native who developed a passion for the culinary arts as a teenager and honed his interest by traveling abroad, according to the restaurant's website. The tweet has more than 62,000 retweets and 167,000 likes since it was posted Sunday afternoon. The restaurant's message comes as hundreds of thousands of people across the country continue to protest President Donald Trump's executive order restricting immigration from seven Muslim-majority nations. Courts have temporarily blocked the order, but the White House has said it expects the ban to be quickly reinstated. In Pictures: Thousands Attend Women's March on NYC Day After Trump Inauguration A proposed law in the New Jersey state assembly would require pedestrians to cross at marked crosswalks and require drivers to yield but not necessarily stop. Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) hopes the controversial bill won't make it out of the Transportation Committee, which he chairs. "This would have pedestrians engage in a game of chicken, to see if the cars will actually stop," he said. "If motorists are not willing to stop for pedestrians currently, making it optional as this bill would do, is going to make the situation worse." But the bill's authors say pedestrians need to use common sense and can't just step off the curb wherever they feel like it. The proposed bill still holds that pedestrians have the right of way if they are crossing with the light in the crosswalk. But it also says that drivers aren't necessarily liable if they hit someone who has stepped out so quickly that the driver can't stop. In New Jersey, pedestrian deaths account for almost a third of all traffic deaths. "Technology is a blessing and a curse," said Bergenfield Police Captain Mustafa Rabbah. "People take their eyes off the roads, and that could be the difference between life and death for a pedestrian." There has been a big safety campaign in the state to cut down on distracted walking, where people are using their phones and not looking before they cross the street. Charter school advocate Betsy DeVos won confirmation as education secretary Tuesday by the slimmest of margins, pushed to approval only by the historic tie-breaking vote of Vice President Mike Pence. Two Republicans, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, joined Democrats in a marathon effort to derail the nomination of the wealthy Republican donor. The Senate historian said Pence's vote was the first by a vice president to break a 50-50 tie on a Cabinet nomination. Despite the win, DeVos emerged bruised from the highly divisive nomination fight. Opposed by half the Senate, she faced criticism, even ridicule for lack of experience and confusion during her confirmation hearing. At one point, she said some schools should have guns because of the threat of grizzly bears. And there has been scathing opposition from teachers unions and civil rights activists over her support of charter schools and her conservative religious ideology. President Donald Trump accused Democrats of seeking to torpedo education progress. In a tweet before the vote, he wrote, "Betsy DeVos is a reformer, and she is going to be a great Education Sec. for our kids!" DeVos was sworn in hours after the Senate vote by Pence, who told the new Cabinet member: "I wasn't just voting for you. Having seen your devotion to improving the quality of education for some of our most vulnerable children across the nation for so many years, I was also casting a vote for America's children." "I can tell you, my vote for Betsy DeVos was the easiest vote I ever cast," Pence said. She now takes the helm of a department charged with implementing laws affecting the nation's public schools with no direct experience with traditional public schools. Her opponents noted that she has no experience running public schools, nor has she attended one or sent her children to one She also will have to address several hot-button issues in higher education, such as rising tuition costs, growing student debt and the troubled for-profit colleges, many of which have closed down, leaving students with huge loans and without a good education or job prospects. Close attention also will be paid to how DeVos deals with sexual assault and freedom of speech on campuses. Ahead of Tuesday's vote, emotions ran high as constituents jammed senators' phone lines. Protesters gathered outside the Capitol, including one person in a grizzly bear costume to ridicule DeVos. Democrats and labor unions vigorously fought the nomination, suggesting that DeVos would defund traditional public schools by diverting taxpayers' money to charter and private institutions. They cited her financial interest in organizations pushing for charter schools, though she has said she will divest those interests. Collins and Murkowski said they feared her focus on charter schools will undermine remote public schools in their states. "President Trump's swamp got a new billionaire today," the Democratic National Committee said in a statement. "Millions of teachers, parents and students could not have made their opposition to Betsy DeVos' confirmation any clearer they do not want someone whose only education experience is dismantling public schools." DeVos supporters, however, saw her confirmation as an occasion to breathe new life into a troubled American school system and a chance to shift power from Washington to the local level. "She has been a leader in the movement for public charter schools the most successful reform of public education during the last 30 years," said Sen. Lamar Alexander, the chairman of the Education Committee. "And she has worked tirelessly to help low-income children have more choices of better schools." DeVos has her work cut out. "She will have to make it a priority to reach out to educators and education policy makers to reassure them that she is committed to working to improve education for all students including the vast majority who attend and will continue to attend traditional public schools," said Martin West, associate professor of education at Harvard University. "My view is that she is committed to doing that." In addition to DeVos, Republicans hope to confirm a series of other divisive nominees this week: Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions as attorney general, GOP Rep. Tom Price of Georgia as health secretary and financier Steven Mnuchin as treasury secretary. Editor's note: This story contains graphic details. A suspected child rapist in Bucks County has victims dating back decades, authorities said Monday, and a written confession about a Christmas 2014 assault led investigators to him. Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub joined members of the Falls Township Police Department Monday morning to announce child rape allegations dating back as far as 40 years against William "Bill" Charles Thomas of Morrisville, Pennsylvania. "The human race hasn't come up for words to describe what we came up with in that trailer," said Lt. Hank Ward. "this is a parent's worst nightmare... it was horrific." Falls Township Police first zeroed in on Thomas in November after receiving a call about sexually explicit writings found on a piece of plywood at the Midway Village mobile home park, said a criminal complaint obtained by NBC10 that contains graphic details of alleged assaults. Thomas had worked as a handyman on a vacant trailer and a new owner found the words describing the sexual assault of two young girls, including names, physical descriptions, parents' names and a date of an alleged assault Christmas 2014 police said. The writer referred to his penis as "one-eyed Willie," police said. Police compared the writing on the wood to numerous work orders written by Thomas to find that the writing matches, according to police. Police interviewed the alleged victims but due to the trauma of their assaults, they didn't name Thomas directly by name, police said. Investigators described a lot of the victims as "broken people." Investigators searched Thomas' home at Midway Village on Thursday and found more than 1,000 prominently displayed photographs and pictures that "depicted naked children, the majority of which were prepubescent" and some that chronicled "molesting," according to the criminal complaint. Investigators also found writings dating back to the 1970s that documented molestation of children as young as 3 years old, police said. They also found 500 to 1,000 pairs of prepubescent girls' underwear, some hanging above Thomas' bed, police said. They also uncovered toys and dolls, some with "aftermarket genitals which Thomas created." "We don't know whether or not he was distributing it," said Weintraub at Monday's news conference. The search also uncovered drug paraphernalia and baggies that tested positive for marijuana and methamphetamine. Police interviewed Thomas, 58, Thursday and he admitted to having sexual attraction to children dating back to his adolescence. He admitted to pleasuring himself to the child pornography that he has gathered over the decades, police said. He also admitted to sexually assaulting a family member and a couple children he babysat and also exposing himself to another child, according to police. Thomas -- who grew up in the area -- remained jailed Monday on dozens of charges including child rape, according to court records. He couldn't be reached for comment. Police looked into Thomas' past and discovered other allegations of sexual assault dating back to the the 1970s, when a man said Thomas sexually assaulted him when he was just 8 to 11 years old, police said. Thomas would have been 5 1/2 to 6 years older. In 2010, police investigated Thomas' former Levittown home after a homeowner looking to flip it found "some disturbing items" including handmade "a child-size sex doll," Polaroids of naked children and graphic handwritten notes about performing sexual acts on young girls, according to the criminal complaint. No charges came from that early police report and some of the discoveries were made after police were alerted. Back in 2000, Thomas was indicted for child abuse after he admitted to writing a graphic note and giving it to a child in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, police said. He told investigators he was taking drugs and on pills at the time and didn't mean to write the note. No word yet what came of that allegation. Authorities said some of Thomas' past residences in Bucks County include a home on Pleasant Line in the Pinewood section of Levittown; Pennsbury Woods apartments on New Falls Road in Levittown; Midway Village mobile home park on Bristol Pike in Morrisville. He worked as a handyman and subcontractor while owing his own home improvement business called Thomas Construction. Authorities urged anyone with information about other possible victims to contact Falls Township Sgt. Christopher Clark at 215-302-3315 and/or Bucks County Detective Lt. Robert Gorman at 215-340-8141. [[412906593, C]] Funeral services have been set for the Delaware prison guard killed last week during an inmate uprising. According to Evan W. Smith Funeral Services , a first visitation for Lt. Steven Floyd will be held Friday evening at Delaware State University Memorial Hall. A second visitation will take place Saturday morning at the same location, followed by a funeral service and interment at a cemetery in Frederica. Floyd, 47, was found dead early Thursday after a hostage standoff at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna. A medical examiner ruled his death a homicide by trauma. No further details were released. The president of the prison guards union called Floyd a dedicated officer with a wife, children and grandchildren who worked overtime to help put his children through college. Police in New Jersey said a distracted driver crashed into a utility police, splitting his car in half and causing a fire that threatened a nearby horse farm. The crash occurred Sunday afternoon near Davidson Mill Road and Gregory Court in South Brunswick. It appeared the 23-year-old driver was trying to prevent an object -- NBC New York reported it was loose paper -- from blowing out his car window when he lost control of the vehicle, left the road and hit the pole, said police. Downed wires started a brush fire, which firefighters extinguished before it spread to a nearby horse farm. The man did not sustain serious injuries but was taken to a nearby hospital, said police. His name was not released. [[238427591, C]] SEPTA will be short 110 cars on its Market Frankford Line due to cracks in the support-beams of two rail cars meaning that commuters could face slower commutes Monday. SEPTA officials said they discovered a crack in the body bolsters -- the main load carrying structural beam -- of two Market Frankford Line cars during inspections over the weekend. As a result, SEPTA temporarily pulled some of its rail cars from service that have indications of a crack. All Market Frankford Line trains currently in service as well as those that will operate Monday were inspected, said SEPTA. Another 58 trains have vent box cracks, which can spread to the bolster beam. On Monday afternoon, SEPTA said that only 108 of its 218 rail cars will be running. While Market Frankford Line service will continue between the 69th Street Transportation Center and Frankford Transportation Center, they will short of the 144 needed to run regular, weekday peak hour service. Customers could experience delays and crowded conditions Monday along the Market-Frankford Line during peak hours, said SEPTA. [[412871393, C]] Officials said trains and platforms could be extremely crowded during the peak morning and night travel hours. As a result, they will supplement Market Frankford service with shuttle buses at select stations between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. during the week. [[412873043, C]] CLICK HERE for more information on travel service this week. The Market Frankford Line operates through 28 stations and over 12.8 miles between the Frankford Transportation Center in Philadelphia and the 69th Street Transportation Center in Upper Darby. The Line ranks number one among all SEPTA routes in daily average weekday ridership with 187,449. Cracked rail cars are nothing new for SEPTA. The agency had to take about one-third of its Regional Rail fleet out of service because of a structural defect last summer. After a grueling 16-hour trip that took them by land from Damascus to Beirut and then onto a flight bound for Abu Dhabi, the Asali family finally reunited with relatives at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York Monday morning. Im so excited to see my brother again, said 17-year-old Matthew Asali after landing at JFK. It was unhuman (sic) what happened to us. The tearful reunion came after more than a week of legal wrangling between immigration officials following President Donald Trumps executive order that restricted travel into the U.S. from majority-Muslim countries and immigration lawyers who said the Asalis were denied due process after being turned away from Philadelphia last week. [[412899113, C]] Some family members hadn't seen each other in three years and wept as they embraced following the ordeal. "It was still a dream, then I just woke up and it became real," Sarmad Assali said at the airport. A Lehigh Valley family reunited at the JFK Airport on Monday morning. President Trumps executive order on immigration forced members of the Asali family to go back to Syria for more than a week. NBC10s Cydney Long was the only local television reporter in New York for the emotional reunion. It took about 13 years for the Asalis to obtain visas, passports and security clearances. The legal documentation was in place by December 2016, and the only thing left to do was board a flight bound for Pennsylvania. Extended family already living in a predominately Christian-Syrian part of Allentown anxiously awaited the Asalis arrival. They purchased a home for the newcomers and prepared to welcome their relatives into a new life. [[412891483, C]] But the Asalis in Syria decided to postpone their move until January because they wanted to spend the holidays with loved ones abroad. Unbeknownst to them, they booked a flight that would land just hours after Trump issued a travel ban on travelers from Syria and six other majority-Muslim countries. Instead of seeing loved ones when they arrived in Philadelphia, the family was greeted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials. They were given two options: either leave on the same plane as they arrived or stay and be arrested. The Assali family had a touching reunion with Syrian members of their family that is finally back on U.S. soil after travel ban. Their deportation came as a shock to relatives in Allentown, who are American citizens and have lived in the country for more than 20 years. It was a nightmare come true," Joseph Assali said last week. "They're all Christian citizens and the executive order was supposed to protect Christians fleeing persecution. Rep. Charlie Dent (R-15) worked closely with immigration attorneys in Philadelphia to secure proper documentation for the six family members. The congressman first heard about their plight from his own son, who urged him via text to jump into action after hearing news that the family had been denied entry into the United States. By the time I called the White House and we started figuring things out, the family had already been returned, he said. Weve been working on it ever since. Despite this, the family became embroiled in a messy legal battle that will continue to play out in court after the Department of Justice filed a notice of appeal in an attempt to immediately reinstate Trumps order. This family did it the right way, Dent said. They played by the rules. Dent has been critical of Trump's executive order. He told reporters last week that it "appears to have been rushed through without full consideration to the wide-ranging impacts it will have." Early Sunday morning, a federal appeals court further challenged the executive order and denied a request to reinstate the travel ban. Exclusive video: Lawyers present Asalis with a liberty bell to welcome their new lives in PA. @NBCPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/4uJPWhx9kT Alicia Victoria Lozano (@aliciavlozano) February 6, 2017 But Mondays reunion was filled with hugs, tears and even a small Liberty Bell. The token was presented to the Asalis by head legal counsel Joseph Hohenstein and immigration attorney Jonathan Grode. This is a symbol of liberty in the United States, Hohenstein said. If you just ring the bell, we will come, Grode said with a smile. The family boarded a private bus to Allentown where they joined Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf for lunch. [[412919803, C]] Note: The family members' last names are spelled differently due to a name change during immigration into the U.S. Making higher education more affordable and eliminating student debt could cost $3.3 billion annually, according to a report released last week by the nonpartisan Legislative Analysts Office (LAO). State lawmakers asked the LAO to look at what was needed to build a new state financial aid program that would keep students from taking on college debt. A Debt Free College program for resident full-time college students would require additional funding to the California Community Colleges (CCC), University of California and California State University systems to pay for both tuition and living expenses. The study focused on public schools since they enroll 85 percent of the states undergrads. It would be a pathway to debt-free students, not a full ride. The concept centers on shared responsibility. Think of it as total college costs covered by the state after youve deducted parent contribution, student contribution and federal gift aid. The state then provides last dollar gift aid to meet any remaining unmet financial need, the proposed program suggests. Under the program, $2.2 billion would be allotted to CCC students, $800 million to CSU students and $300 million to University of California students, according to the LOAs report. This would be in addition to existing financial aid gifted to students. How much families contribute to their childs college education would be calculated the same way as federal financial aid programs. Additionally, financial aid experts working on the program estimate if a student works 15 hours a week during the academic year, and 40 hours during the summer, it would allow them to contribute $7,300, after deducting living expenses. Maddie Padilla is an English major at San Diego State University, graduating this spring with the help of financial aid. She likes the job portion of the program. People use financial aid for different things besides rent and stuff, and I think being required to have a job while youre in school is a good idea. It kind of helps you balance your life and school together, she said. I kind of dont understand the kids who go to college and dont work." The same can't be said for fellow SDSU English major Lily Staples who uses her part-time job income to help support her family. In the past year Ive had to cut down on job hours so I can balance my school, job and family, Staples said. My money that I earn for my job goes to paying for my grandpas housing, and Im not able to save it for school." The actual program costs to the state could turn out higher or lower than estimated, but if the program were to add eligibility requirements, such as requiring a certain grade point average or 12 unit minimum, it would significantly reduce those costs, according to the LAO report. For 2015 2016, average tuition for a UC school was $13,451 for a resident student taking 30 units. CSU students paid on average $6,815 in tuition while community college students paid on average $1,380, according to the study. For living expenses, the study looked at a UC students expenses for the 2015-2016 year. Living on campus cost an estimated $18,716 while living off campus cost $14,691, according to the study. Those students who could live with family spent an estimated $10,209 (the study estimated $4,700 spent in rent and food). Principal Fiscal & Policy Analyst Paul Steenhausen, who prepared the report, said the program would reduce student loan debt but would not totally eliminate it. There could be significant behavioral changes regarding students attending colleges and which colleges they go to, so that could affect the cost, Steenhausen said. He also said the state could not require students to work. There may be some students who choose to work fewer hours, or not work at all, he said For those students they may choose to take out student loans. The LAO also suggested taking all of the state financial aid programs available for students and families and creating just one program to help alleviate the confusion for new students and their parents. Oregon and Minnesota currently have similar programs in place according to the study. Click here to learn more. As President Donald Trump was considering an executive order to renegotiate the free trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, mayors of San Diego and Tijuana appeared together to send a message that trade agreement has helped grow the CaliBaja MegaRegion. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Tijuana Mayor Juan Manuel Gastelum met Monday along with business leaders from both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. "We have a relationship that works," Faulconer said. "We have two cities that work together that cooperate, that know how to grow good, quality jobs." President Trump has vowed to follow through with a campaign promise of stopping the movement of U.S. factories and jobs to Mexico. He's said he wants to repeal NAFTA, a 1994 trade agreement that eliminated most trade tariffs between the three countries. Gastelum, who's been in office for two months, agreed with Faulconer's assessment that the binational partnership should be nurtured. When jobs are created in Tijuana, jobs are created in San Diego and vice versa, said Gastelum. It's more important now than ever before that the border region leaders work together, according to several business leaders who joined the mayor's news conference. "Our Cali-Baja region has a thriving $230 billion economy thanks to NAFTA, a talented work force and strong bilateral cross collaboration, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Jerry Sanders said. Recent federal efforts to enhance infrastructure and reduce border wait times has also led to significant growth, San Diego's mayor added. Forty percent of what we import from Mexico each year is actually American-made in the first place, said World Trade Center San Diego Executive Director Nikia Clarke. She described how a single component in an automotive or medical device may cross the border multiple times before moving on to a customer. In the current, uncertain climate, leadership at the city and regional level has never been more important. What this country needs right now is people who know and understand our regional reality, she said. The regional reality of trade, of immigration, of co-production. Gastelum briefly addressed the border protests that have been occurring on weekends since the beginning of the year. Over the weekend, traffic was blocked at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The disruption in travel has happened each week for five weeks since Mexico's gas prices jumped 15 to 20 percent. The government is moving forward with deregulating the oil industry, including removing some oil subsidies. Gastelum said there's not much he could do about the issue because it's a federal matter. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was enacted in 1994 by then-President Bill Clinton. Emails between San Diego County Association of Governments employees contain comments like Omg and WTF in regards to the agencys taxable retail sales estimates. Those estimates were ultimately used to promote the proposed Measure A. Newly uncovered emails show that SANDAG staffers knew the $18 billion was unrealistic a year ago, Voice of San Diego reports Monday. See the full report here. On November 8, voters rejected Measure A, the proposed half-cent tax for a period of 40 years. A portion of the funds raised by the measure wouldve gone to specific San Diego County transit projects. Several times, officials told voters Measure A was expected to generate about $18B over 40 years. It was included in a commercial that urged voters to approve Measure A. Collecting 23 cents a day from each person in the region could make a big difference. These pennies add up to $18 billion over 40 years. That is local money, that leveraged with federal and state dollars, could fund hundreds of projects to keep San Diego Moving forward, the commercial touted as reported in NBC 7s Fact Check three months ago. However, Voice of San Diego began questioning the estimated revenue based on the funds earned by the 2004 TransNet Half-Cent Sales Tax. That tax was estimated to create $14 billion over 40 years. According to Voice of San Diego, the tax was on track to generate just $9 billion. The recent recession and residents simply choosing to shop online were among the reasons. Voice of San Diego's Andrew Keatts has been following the issue and in December, SANDAGs chief economist addressed the questions raised over the forecasting model. In light of recent news reports that raised concerns that our revenue forecasts were possibly too optimistic, we took a closer look at the forecast methodology that was being used in the plan of finance. And what we found is that there were some aspects of SANDAGs demographic and economic forecasting model that were overestimating taxable retail sales, Ray Major said at a SANDAG board meeting. Asked when the error became apparent, SANDAG Board Chair Ron Roberts told Voice of San Diego it wasn't before the election. Before the election, technical staff had not discovered how, or if, the models over-estimates could have affected the Measure A revenue forecast, Roberts said according to an NBC 7 Fact Check in January. However, Keatts reported the emails suggest SANDAG "continued to rely on numbers they'd been told were faulty." Read the full report here. Monday afternoon, SANDAG sent a statement in response to the issue: "SANDAG staff had not concluded that revenue estimates for Measure A were high before voters went to the polls in November. In fact, SANDAG to this day has not concluded that that is the case. Revenue forecasts by their very nature are an educated guess of what might happen in the future. What the agency did become aware of in December 2015 was that its computer model was producing aggressive forecasts for taxable retail sales. Taxable retail sales estimates are one of a large number of factors that went into revenue forecasting for Measure A. SANDAG has since put more structural oversight in place for its modeling process, developed an independent revenue forecasting methodology, and is moving forward with the revamp of its forecasting model." A program dubbed "SD United" launched in San Diego Monday to create one of the region's first technology support platforms for military service members, veterans and their families. The telephone resource center, 2-1-1 San Diego, launched the program at 10 a.m. in the Connections Center, with the Vets Care Coordination Committee, according to 2-1-1 San Diego. That's located on the 3800 block of Calle Fortunada near Kearny Mesa. The San Diego Veterans Coalition and the region's Peer to Peer hub at Courage to Call will work together to form a care coordination network, according to 2-1-1 San Diego. The program will aim to improve access for the military and veteran families to all of their resources. Through enhanced community collaboration, they hope to ensure that nobody who served the country gets left behind. At the conference, there was a demonstration of the SD United technology system. On the website sandiegounited.org, veterans can enter their name and information, and then the information is forwarded to someone working at the center. Then the center contacts the military member and shares their information with other service providers, so they will be prepared to efficiently handle their case. "This is specifically set up to make sure the onus on getting the veteran or family member the service is on us as a service provider, so taking that burden off those in need and making sure we're helping them all the way through their connection to get their needs met," said Gabriel Kendall, Associate Director of programs at the center. SD United will be built across 13 key areas of community service that affect our military and veteran community, according to the center. The goal is to build a trusted Care Coordination system that provides long-lasting support for San Diego's military, veterans and their families. If someone is interested is using the services, visit their website or just call 2-1-1 on the phone. San Diego police and Escondido police are working on two early morning robberies that may be connected. The first robbery was at a Circle K gas station convenience store on Rancho Bernardo Road at 2:20 a.m. Investigators say one man had a sawed off shotgun, and the other man had a handgun. They were wearing dark clothes, but no masks. Police say the gunmen told the clerk to give them money. After the clerk handed over the money, the gunmen left. The clerk was the only person inside the store at the time. Police are not sure how they got away because the vehicle they left in was not seen on the surveillance video. Then 20 minutes later, at 2:40 a.m., Escondido police say two men wearing all black clothing robbed an AM/PM gas station convenience store on Valley Parkway and La Terrazo. Investigators say the robbers possibly stole $300 to $400, and about 40 cartons of cigarettes. One man had a shotgun and the other man had a pistol. The two men left in a black sedan. No one was injured. Detectives from the San Diego Police Department and the Escondido Police Department are working together to solve the robberies. No other information was immediately available. A teenager was struck and killed by a car Saturday night in Calvert County Maryland. The victim, identified as Anthony G. Vidal, 15, of Saint Leonard, Maryland, was allegedly kneeling or lying in the road, wearing dark clothing, when the driver of a Jeep Wrangler struck him, Maryland State Police said. The crash happened about 9 p.m. around Flag Harbor and Calvert boulevards in Saint Leonard. According to a preliminary investigation, the driver, a 37-year-old Maryland woman, saw something in the road and tried to avoid it but was unable to, police said. Vidal was airlifted by a Maryland State Police helicopter to Children's Hospital, where he later died. The driver was not injured. Police said Vidal had been attending a party in the area, where attendees, including minors, were reportedly drinking alcohol. No charges have been filed. When the investigation is complete, it will be forwarded to the Calvert County State's Attorneys Office for review to determine whether charges will be placed, police said. Anyone who saw the crash or who has information about underage drinking in the area are asked to call the Prince Frederick Barrack at 410-535-1400 and speak to to TFC Davis. More than 3,000 people in Northern Virginia were briefly without power on Super Bowl Sunday, and some residents also had trouble with their cable service. About 4 p.m., part of a power pole broke in Arlington, Dominion Virginia Power said. At about 5:15 p.m., 3,128 people didn't have power. An hour later, the outages were down to 964. More than 60 customers still were without power in Arlington about 8:30 p.m. and 35 didn't have power in Alexandria. Power was fully restored about 9:45 p.m. Some residents in the Arlington and Alexandria areas complained on social media that they could not watch the Super Bowl because their Comcast service was not working. In a statement to News4, a spokesperson for Comcast said a generator fire at the Ballston mall impacted some customers in Arlington. "Our teams are engaged and responded immediately with back-up generators and other supplies to work to restore services as the power company continues working to fully restore the power grid," the spokesperson said. Comcast customers have been affected in Alexandria because of a burned fiber, the spokesperson said, and multiple crews are on site to "repair services as quickly and safely as possible." Arlington County police tweeted earlier that lights were not working at some intersections in the Ballston-Virginia Square area and officers were helping with traffic control in the 4200 block of Wilson Blvd. Drivers should treat all intersections affected by the power outage as a four-way stop. A small plane crashed in Prince George's County, Maryland, on Monday and the man piloting it used his cellphone to help rescuers find him. Gerald Kempen, 64, had just taken off from Potomac Airfield in Fort Washington, Maryland. The weather was perfect for flying, with good visibility. But shortly after takeoff, something went wrong. A witness said he heard the engine apparently cut out. Kempen's plane, a fixed-wing single-engine Piper PA-32R-301, crashed into a wooded area near the 11700 block of Gallahan Road. The plane lopped off the tops of small trees and then crashed into a large tree. Kempen used his cellphone to call his wife, she told News4 by phone. He sounded dazed and unsure of what had happened, she said. He called 911, and rescuers stayed on the phone with him until they found him -- walking through the woods. "He was trying to give us the best location he could," Prince George's County fire department battalion chief Steve Kling said. "The problem was, he was flying I think probably by instruments. He couldn't really give us much on landmarks. He gave us, I believe it was a house in the distance and a barn and some power lines." Kempen was flown to a hospital for evaluation. His wife said he was disoriented and having memory issues, but was OK. The pilot's wife had planned to travel with him from their home in Rhode Island to Maryland and back, to visit their children and grandchildren, but she decided to stay home with a sick grandchild there. Kempen had his plane for five years and had flown for years, his wife said. Prince George's County Fire & EMS spokesman Mark Brady said the small plane did not pose a fire or hazardous materials risk. State and federal authorities are investigating. Mike Tyson singing the Michael & Son Services jingle was perhaps the most memorable moment in a D.C.-area Super Bowl ad last year. This year, the President Donald Trump impression in the Cyprus Air, Heating & Cooling ad may be what sticks with us. An ad for the Alexandria company featured Trump impersonator John Di Domenico and former offensive lineman Joe Jacoby, who won three Super Bowls with the Washington Redkins. Cyprus Air general manager Peter Demetri said Monday that the company had been looking for a "current" way to advertise. The company had previously worked with Jacoby, and they found Di Domenico through a talent agency. "He doesn't sway one way or another as far as being political," Demetri said about the impersonator. "It's just good, innocent humor. We're not trying to poke the bear." The ad, which aired only in the D.C. area, begins with "Trump" standing outside one of the business' locations. "Washington is so cold. I thought Russia was cold," he says, shivering. He goes inside and finds Jacoby sitting near a fire. The two talk about a "yuge" sale. "You want to see yuge?" Jacoby asks as he holds up his right hand, which is adorned with three Super Bowl rings. "Trump" scrutinizes his own hand and then pushes Jacoby's hand down. "You know, Joe -- you're a winner, I'm a winner, everyone's a winner with Cyprus Air's gas fireplaces," he concludes. Di Domenico has played Trump on "Conan," "Inside Edition" and NBC News. The impressionist -- who also plays Dr. Evil, Jay Leno and Guy Fieri -- told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he watched the entire first season of "Celebrity Apprentice" to learn Trump's mannerisms. "I picked up his throat placement, nasal placement, cadence," Di Domenico told the paper. "He's even more exaggerated today." Demetri, of Cyprus Air, said Di Domenico was more realistic as Trump than Alec Baldwin is on "Saturday Night Live." "He's absolutely, 100 percent better," he said. "His mannerisms are very, very good." Members of a Syrian refugee family that recently resettled in Prince Georges County, Maryland, hoped to find peace in their new home. But they said they fear the immigration order President Donald Trump signed last week will threaten their ability to rebuild their lives. The Hassin family arrived in Hyattsville on Nov. 10, the day after Trump declared victory. The family of five moved into a small apartment in a complex where nonprofit organizations have helped resettle many people. A sign that reads We welcome refugees hangs on the front gate. Mr. Hassin, 48, is anxiously applying for dozens of jobs per week. Mrs. Hassin, 37, is learning English. And their three children -- a 17-year-old boy, 16-year-old girl and 12-year-old boy -- are trying to adjust to new schools. As the refugees work to adapt, the executive order Trump signed Jan. 27 shook their confidence, they said in an interview. We were very scared. We fled Syria to come to a safe land, and now we feel scared again, Mrs. Hassin said via an interpreter. Her husband asked that News4 withhold the familys first names for the safety of relatives still trying to flee Syria. When Trump signed the executive order, Mr. Hassins sister, her husband and their four children were in the midst of the lengthy process of seeking refugee status. The two families hoped they could reunite in the U.S. Last week, they were told that was no longer an option. Sitting in their new living room with their children nearby, Mr. and Mrs. Hassin said they fear what the new president will do. Were afraid that he will deport us, Mrs. Hassin said. She and her husband said they also worry that Trump will spark violence against immigrants and Muslims. The same day they spoke, they heard that a neighbor who wears a hijab was accosted on board a bus. NBC Washington Trumps executive order suspends all refugee admissions for 120 days while officials review security procedures. Separately, Syrian refugees were barred from entering the country indefinitely until Trump determines that their admission is consistent with the national interest. Trump said the measures were designed to keep "radical Islamic terrorists" out of the country. The family fled terror in their home city of Daraa in 2013. Men had broken into their home at least four times. We didnt know if they were rebels or if they were with the regime, Mr. Hassin said. They break into houses, they abuse women, they ask men to strip down. I didnt want this to happen to my family. Then, a bomb hit their house. They left two days later, carrying only clothing. That is all we could take, said Mr. Hassin, who worked at a poultry farm and at a factory that made cleaning products. The family took a bus to the Jordanian border, paying five times the usual fare. There, they slept on the ground in a tent with hundreds of other people. The next day, members of the Jordanian army took them to the Zaatari refugee camp, where nearly 80,000 people live. Getty Images The Hassins stayed there about two weeks before they paid someone to take them to Amman, Jordan. They lived there until finally, last March, they learned they would receive visas to go to the U.S. They had never heard of Maryland. Still, getting the news was a dream come true. We knew there werent going to be a lot of opportunities for us. But for our kids, were going to have a lot of opportunities, Mr. Hassin said as his three children fiddled with their smartphones. Mr. Hassin said he wants his new neighbors to know that Syrians are hard-working and kind. They would do any job offered to them. They would do anything rather than ask people and beg for help, he said. In 2016, the U.S. admitted nearly 97,000 refugees, according to U.S. State Department data. More than 1,900 of these people went to Maryland, more than 1,600 went to Virginia and just eight went to D.C., where few refugees are resettled because of the high cost of living. Under Trumps plan, the maximum number of refugees allowed into the country in fiscal year 2017 likely will decline from 110,000 to 50,000. That number will remain the limit until such time as I determine that additional admissions would be in the national interest, Trumps order said. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted Jan. 30-31 found that 49 percent of Americans agreed with the order and 41 percent disagreed. Less than one-third of people polled said they believe the move makes them more safe. The International Rescue Committee, which helped resettle the Hassins, expected to welcome about 200 additional people this year through their office in Silver Spring, Maryland, alone. Some apartments already were stocked with furniture and food. When Trump issued the executive order, plans years in the making were canceled. [NATL] Trump Immigration Order Triggers Protests Across US Two Yemeni brothers denied entry into the U.S. under President Donald Trump's immigration order have been reunited with their family at Dulles International Airport. Ammar Aqel Mohammed Aziz and Tareq Aqel Mohammed Aziz are green-card holders who were traveling through Dulles on their way to Flint, Michigan, when the ban took effect. A federal lawsuit alleges they were coerced into signing away their status and sent to Ethiopia. The brothers arrived at Dulles Monday morning. Attorney Paul Hughes said an agreement was reached with the government to allow their re-entry, as well as that of another Yemeni family under similar circumstances. That family also arrived Monday. Without the agreement, Hughes says they may not have been allowed entry since their visas were marked by prominent "canceled" stamps. Motley Fool The share price of the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Nio (NYSE: NIO) was soaring today after The Wall Street Journal reported that China might start easing its strict zero-COVID policies. The restrictions have resulted in many companies, including Nio, having to temporarily close factories or stop production when a COVID-19 outbreak occurs. The Journal also reported that U.S. inspectors are finishing up their audit of some U.S.-listed Chinese companies, and investors are hoping that the potential for some Chinese companies to be delisted from U.S. exchanges could soon be eliminated. A Massachusetts man is facing charges after allegedly stealing five pieces of art from an art gallery around midnight on Monday. Twenty-nine-year-old Jordan Russel Leishman of Chelsea was arrested by officers shortly after breaking and entering Gallerie D'Orsay on Newbury Street, according to police. The art gallery's store manager said he stole five pieces of art; however, the art has since been returned. It's not clear if Leishman has an attorney. He was ordered to be held without bail during his arraignment at Boston Municipal Court Monday morning. His next court date is Feb. 15. After getting stopped by President Trumps travel ban, an Iranian father is finally able to enter the country and see his dying daughter. When Nasrollah Shirazi found out his daughter was dying from cancer, he decided to move from Iran to the United States to help care for her. He had the proper documents to enter, but not a single airline would allow him to board a flight out of his country. With time running out, and the health of his daughter deteriorating, Shirazi worried his family was walking down an uncertain path. But today, he was finally able to enter America. I thank God for this I am so happy, Shirazi says. Its a huge relief. Its been a tough week obviously, for the whole family. Now Shirazi is traveling to West Virginia to start caring for his daughter. He says hes grateful he made it in time to be with her in what may be her last days. Police in Worcester, Massachusetts have arrested two people they say robbed a man who had arranged to meet a woman through a dating app. The suspects are scheduled to appear in court on Monday to face charges of marked armed robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon. Police say the 27-year-old victim met the woman on Jan. 23 after arranging a date on the Meet Me app. After he picked her up, she asked him to pull over. When the man pulled over, a masked man with a knife robbed the victim of his cellphone and some marijuana. The woman took $300 from the victim. Police determined the woman and the alleged robber were working together and on Friday arrested 23-year-old Erin Gonzalez, of Spencer, and 29-year-old David Perez, of Worcester. A crash involving an oil truck is causing significant delays along I-295 in Maine, according to state police. The driver of a truck that had just left its South Portland fuel depot lost control Monday morning and hit a guardrail before overturning, spilling all 2,900 gallons of home heating oil onto the road, the median and into a drain pipe that flows into the Fore River. State police say they believe the truck's driver, identified as 58-year-old Dale Brown of Topsham, had a medical issue prior to the crash. Brown is being treated at Maine Medical Center for a head injury from the crash and the medical issues, which investigators say may be heart-related. His conditions are not considered life threatening. Sand is being used in the clean up effort, which is being led by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Meanwhile, traffic has been reduced to one lane for both northbound and southbound drivers and is expected to last for the rest of Monday afternoon. First we warm-up then we cool off, then we snow, then we ice, then we rain. On this Super Bowl Sunday, also the anniversary of The Blizzard of 1978, we are fairly quiet in New England. Low pressure to our north is creating gusty wind from the southwest, warming us back up to the 40s in southern New England, 30s in northern New England. Wind is gusting past 25 miles per hour through sunset. A storm is forming to the east of New England tonight, that storm merges with the low pressure system in Quebec and pushes a new batch of Canadian cold air into New England for our Monday. Wind shifts to northwest, increasing to 20-30 mph overnight and early Monday morning. With a return to sunshine, we get to the low 30s south, and 20s north tomorrow afternoon, with wind diminishing to near calm by sunset. After a brief lull, the west coast of the United States is once again enduring an onslaught of one storm after another from the Pacific ocean. At the same time, we have the coldest air in southern Canada that we have seen in nearly a month. The combination of the cold in Canada and the storms off the Pacific mean we are in for a busy period of weather the next couple of weeks here in New England. The action begins tomorrow night with a warm front bringing a period of snow to Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, leading to a slippery Tuesday morning commute for northern New England. TELEMUNDO 40 At the same time low pressure over Illinois has another warm front getting into Pennsylvania, with an area of snow, ice, and rain moving into New England from the Southwest. By noon time the northern system and the southern system begin to merge and we have a widespread wintry mix across New England Tuesday afternoon and night. It looks like the rain snow line will be north of the Massachusetts Turnpike for the evening commute Tuesday, but it's going to be close. North of the rain/snow line we expect moderate to heavy snow, sleet, and perhaps freezing rain. Along and south of the Massachusetts Turnpike it should be mostly wet by sunset, but the temperature is still close to 32. The boundary between rain south, and snow and ice north, will slowly move toward Canada Tuesday night into early Wednesday. Wednesday morning should be OK for most of southern New England with temperatures in the 40s and just wet roads. But from the Berkshires to the Merrimack Valley New Hampshire and points north through most of Vermont, New Hampshire, and much of the state of Maine - Wednesday morning could be an icy mess. It now looks like somewhat dryer air should come in during the day Wednesday, with temperatures just warm enough that we see some melting. Highs Wednesday afternoon in the 30s north, 40s south. A cold front races by on Wednesday evening with much colder air coming in at night, and a rapid refreeze leading to icy roads again on Thursday morning. In addition, another low pressure system may form south of New England and race along the front just off our south coast, with the period of snow and ice for southern New England early Thursday. A net gain of 5-10" of snow, coated with sleet, an perhaps significant freezing rain, is likely in the north. A coating to 4 inches of snow and ice, with more than one inch of liquid equivalent/melted/rain is likely south. By Thursday afternoon we should all be windy, colder, and drying. High temperature mostly in the 20s to low 30s Thursday afternoon. Friday looks cold and dry. Next weekend we have a similar situation, with warmer air trying to come north, meeting resistance by the cold air in Canada. That means another wintry mix is possible before next weekend is over. The very early outlook for the time around Valentine's Day is for another powerful East Coast storm, with a mix of snow, ice, and rain for the Northeast. So far we don't see anything close to resembling the blizzard of 1978, but there are a lot of players on the field that we have to keep a close eye on. You know we love that job! More updates soon. Queen marks 65 years on throne at Norfolk home Queen marks 65 years on throne at Norfolk home Queen Elizabeth II makes history today as the first-ever British monarch to mark her Sapphire Jubilee, at Sandringham in Norfolk, the same place where her reign began 65 years ago after her father King George VI died in his sleep. Apple, Facebook, GitHub, Google, Microsoft, Mozilla, Netflix, PayPal and the Wikimedia Foundation were among 97 companies that filed an amicus brief late Sunday opposing President Donald Trumps executive order on immigration on the grounds that it harms competitiveness and is discriminatory. The brief was filed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals late last night, a bump up in the timetable, as Bloomberg reported the companies had originally planned to file later this week. U.S. District Judge James L. Robart ruled against Trumps order on Friday. That was followed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejecting the Department of Justices request to stay Judge Robarts temporary restraining order and immediately reinstate Trumps order restricting refugees and travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The companies wrote in the brief, Immigrants make many of the Nations greatest discoveries and create some of the countrys most innovative and iconic companies. The companies argue that Trumps executive order represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system of the United States for more than 50 yearsand the Order inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation and growth as a result. It goes on to argue that the order makes it more difficult and expensive for U.S. companies to recruit, hire and retain some of the worlds best employees. America, the companies argue, has long recognized the importance of protecting ourselves against those who would do us harm. But it has done so while maintaining our fundamental commitment to welcoming immigrants, through increased background checks and other controls on people seeking to enter our country. Trumps travel ban introduced sudden changes without notice, unclear standards for implementation, and no standards for the exercise of waiver authority. That shift deprives employees and businesses of the predictability they require. In short, the companies argue Trumps order will make it far more difficult and expensive for U.S. companies to hire some of the worlds best talentand impeded them from competing in the global marketplace. Businesses and employees have little incentive to go through the laborious process of sponsoring or obtaining a visa and relocating to the United States, if an employee may be unexpectedly halted at the border. Skilled individuals will not want to immigrate to the country if they may be cut off without warning from their spouses, grandparents, relatives and friendsthey will not pull up roots, incur significant economic risk and subject their family to considerable uncertainty to immigrate to the United States in the face of this instability. The 97 companies behind the brief are: AdRoll, Aeris Communications, Airbnb, AltSchool, Ancestry.com, Appboy, Apple, AppNexus, Asana, Atlassian, Autodesk, Automattic, Box, Brightcove, Brit Media, CareZone, Castlight Health, Checkr, Chobani Global Holdings, Citrix, Cloudera, Cloudflare, Copia Institute, DocuSign, DoorDash, Dropbox, Dynatrace, eBay, Engine Advocacy, Etsy, Facebook, Fastly, Flipboard, Foursquare, Fuze, General Assembly, GitHub, Glassdoor, Google, GoPro, Harmonic, Hipmunk, Indiegogo, Intel, JAND, Kargo, Kickstarter, KIND, Knotel, Levi Strauss & Co., LinkedIn, Lithium Technologies, Lyft, Mapbox, Maplebear, Marin Software, Medallia, Medium, Meetup, Microsoft, Motivate International, Mozilla, Netflix, Netgear, NewsCred, Patreon, PayPal, Pinterest, Quora, Reddit, Rocket Fuel, SaaStr, Salesforce, Scopely, Shutterstock, Snap, Spokeo, Spotify, Square, Squarespace, Strava, Stripe, SurveyMonkey, TaskRabbit, Tech:NYC, Thumbtack, Turn, Twilio, Twitter, Turn Inc (listed twice), Uber, Via Transportation, Wikimedia Foundation, Workday, Y Combinator, Yelp and Zynga. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Feb 6, 2017) - Highlights: Mining operations at Esaase and overland conveyor fully permitted, following receipt of both the environmental permit and the mine operating permit Asanko Gold Mine technical report currently being updated with revised 2016 year-end Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources; global Mineral Reserve inventory not expected to materially change. Independent mining industry consultant, CSA Global, engaged to review the Asanko Gold Mine Mineral Resource inventory Expansion Definitive Feasibility Study remains on track for publication in Q1 2017 Front End Engineering and Design for the overland conveyor as well as the plant upgrade to 5Mtpa underway and on track for completion in Q2 2017 Asanko Gold Inc. ("Asanko" or the "Company") (AKG.TO) (NYSE MKT:AKG) is pleased to provide an update on the progress of the expansion of the Asanko Gold Mine ("AGM"), located in Ghana, West Africa. The expansion of the AGM consists of two discrete phases; an expansion of mining operations to integrate Esaase including the construction of an overland conveyor and an upgrade of the existing processing facilities from 3.6 million tonnes per annum ("Mtpa") to 5Mtpa ("Project 5M"). The second phase is the construction of an additional carbon-in-leach ("CIL") plant to double throughput from 5Mtpa to 10Mtpa ("Project 10M"). Once completed, the AGM is targeting production in excess of 450,000 ounces of gold per annum from 2020 onwards. The permitting process for the first phase of the expansion has now been completed. The Ghanaian Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") has issued its environmental permit for mining operations at Esaase and the overland conveyor to the AGM processing facility. This critical step was achieved following the EPA's approval of the Environmental Impact Statement. The Minerals Commission has also issued the mine operating permit for the Esaase pits. The Company expects to publish the results of the Expansion Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") in Q1 2017. This will now incorporate revised global Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates, which are being updated for depletion (including nine months of tonnage and grade reconciliations) and changes in modifying factors, based on latest economic inputs, infill drilling at Dynamite Hill as well as the addition of three new pits discovered during the 2016 exploration program. Story continues In addition, a globally recognized independent mining industry consultancy, CSA Global, has been engaged as an independent party to review the global Mineral Resource inventory using information from the outcomes of a Resource Reconciliation Study, which has been informed by over 4Mt of ore mining and nine months of steady-state operations. Despite individual variances on a pit-by-pit basis, no material change to the global AGM Mineral Reserves is expected. In line with best practice, the AGM resources are being updated from previously unconstrained Mineral Resources to now include the effects of constraining parameters. The constraining parameters being used are an economic cut-off grade of 0.5g/t gold within a US$2,000 per ounce gold pit shell. Relevant material disclosure via an updated NI 43-101 Technical Report for the AGM is expected to be published in Q1 2017. Commenting on today's announcement, Peter Breese, President and CEO, said "Receipt of the environmental and mining permits marks the final permitting step for the development of one of our major deposits, Esaase. We are extremely appreciative of the constructive support we have received from the Ghanaian authorities through the permitting process for Esaase and pay tribute to all our in-country stakeholders for their contribution to this process. The Asanko Gold Mine expansion projects will boost production to over 450,000 ounces a year by 2020, making it one of the largest gold mines in Ghana. The Expansion DFS is nearing completion and will include an updated Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimate. As we now have sufficient quantitative data from nine months of grade control drilling and 4Mt of ore mined, we have engaged CSA Global as an additional independent party to review our mineral inventory, particularly given the complex nature of the structural controls associated with the Nkran mineralization. Whilst we expect some variances on a pit by pit basis, overall we are not anticipating a material change to the Asanko Gold Mine's global Mineral Reserves, upon which the current expansion projects are based." Pursuant to Board approval in Q4 2016 of the Project 5M expansion (see press release dated November 3, 2016), Front End Engineering and Design ("FEED") has commenced and is on track for completion in Q2 2017. The plant upgrades are expected to be completed by Q4 2017. Construction of the conveyor is expected to begin in Q2 2017 and be completed in Q4 2018. Pre-stripping and mine infrastructure development at Esaase is expected to start in H2 2018. Qualified Person Statements Phil Bentley, Asanko Executive: Geology and Resources (Pr.Sci.Nat.) is the Qualified Person under NI 43-101 guidelines who assumes technical responsibility for Mineral Resource contents of this news release, and Frederik Fourie, Asanko Senior Mine Engineer (Pr.Eng.) is the Qualified Person under NI 43-101 who assumes responsibility for the Mineral Reserve contents of this news release. Enquiries: For further information, please visit: www.asanko.com, email: info@asanko.com. About Asanko Gold Inc. Asanko's vision is to become a mid-tier gold mining company that maximizes value for all its stakeholders. The Company's flagship project is the multi-million ounce Asanko Gold Mine located in Ghana, West Africa. Asanko is managed by highly skilled and successful technical, operational and financial professionals. The Company is strongly committed to the highest standards for environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighbouring communities. Forward-Looking and other Cautionary Information 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 estimated resource quantities, grades and contained metals, possible future mining, exploration and development activities, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements should not be in any way construed as 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 for metals, the conclusions of detailed feasibility and technical analyses, the timely renewal of key permits, lower than expected grades and quantities of resources, mining rates and recovery rates and the lack of availability of necessary capital, which may not be available to the Company on terms acceptable to it or at all. The Company is subject to the specific risks inherent in the mining business as well as general economic and business conditions. For more information on the Company, Investors should review the Company's annual Form 20-F filing with the United States Securities Commission and its home jurisdiction filings that are available at www.sedar.com. Neither Toronto Stock Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note to US Investors Regarding Mineral Reporting Standards: Asanko has prepared its disclosure in accordance with the requirements of securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of US securities laws. Terms relating to Mineral Resources in this press release are defined in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects under the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. The Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") permits mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. Asanko uses certain terms, such as, "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources", "Inferred Mineral Resources" and "Probable Mineral Reserves", that the SEC does not recognize (these terms may be used in this press release and are included in the public filings of Asanko which have been filed with securities commissions or similar authorities in Canada). By PTI NEW DELHI: The government has not taken a final decision yet on the concessions being sought by US iPhone maker Apple for setting up a manufacturing unit in India, a top official said today. Secretary in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ramesh Abhishek said that Apple has submitted certain demands for the government's consideration. "We had a meeting of all the concerned ministries and departments (on those demands) and we have asked them to look at those issues and take a view. No ministry has yet taken a final decision on any of those. But we are in touch with them," Abhishek told reporters here. He said the government supports all manufacturing, including value manufacturing, in the country by companies. "So we would definitely like to promote this. So we are coordinating response from all the concerned ministries but no final view has been taken yet on any of those," he said. The secretary also clarified that the government does not take any policy decision for a particular company. "Decision is taken for everyone. So no company specific decision can be taken," he said, adding that DIPP has forwarded the requests of Apple to the Department of Revenue also. On January 25, Apple Inc indicated to the government that it is ready with a blueprint to begin manufacturing iPhones in India, but wants fiscal concessions, including Customs duty waiver on import of components. Apple executives made a detailed presentation on its road map for setting up a manufacturing unit in India to an inter-ministerial group headed by Abhishek. With sales tapering in the US and China, Apple is eyeing India -- the fastest growing smartphone market in the world -- and looking to set up a local manufacturing unit to cut costs. It makes devices through contract manufacturers. Besides exemption from the Customs duty on imports of components and equipment for 15 years, Apple wants relaxation in the mandated 30 per cent local sourcing of components. In a communication to the government, the Cupertino-based technology major has asked for several tax and other incentives, including long-term duty exemptions, to enter the manufacturing sector in India. Currently, the government provides support by way of benefits under the Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme (MSIPS) to boost electronic manufacturing. The company sells its products through Apple-owned retail stores in countries like China, Germany, the US, the UK and France, among others. It has no wholly-owned store in India and sells its products through distributors such as Redington and Ingram Micro. NEW DELHI: The government has not taken a final decision yet on the concessions being sought by US iPhone maker Apple for setting up a manufacturing unit in India, a top official said today. Secretary in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ramesh Abhishek said that Apple has submitted certain demands for the government's consideration. "We had a meeting of all the concerned ministries and departments (on those demands) and we have asked them to look at those issues and take a view. No ministry has yet taken a final decision on any of those. But we are in touch with them," Abhishek told reporters here. He said the government supports all manufacturing, including value manufacturing, in the country by companies. "So we would definitely like to promote this. So we are coordinating response from all the concerned ministries but no final view has been taken yet on any of those," he said. The secretary also clarified that the government does not take any policy decision for a particular company. "Decision is taken for everyone. So no company specific decision can be taken," he said, adding that DIPP has forwarded the requests of Apple to the Department of Revenue also. On January 25, Apple Inc indicated to the government that it is ready with a blueprint to begin manufacturing iPhones in India, but wants fiscal concessions, including Customs duty waiver on import of components. Apple executives made a detailed presentation on its road map for setting up a manufacturing unit in India to an inter-ministerial group headed by Abhishek. With sales tapering in the US and China, Apple is eyeing India -- the fastest growing smartphone market in the world -- and looking to set up a local manufacturing unit to cut costs. It makes devices through contract manufacturers. Besides exemption from the Customs duty on imports of components and equipment for 15 years, Apple wants relaxation in the mandated 30 per cent local sourcing of components. In a communication to the government, the Cupertino-based technology major has asked for several tax and other incentives, including long-term duty exemptions, to enter the manufacturing sector in India. Currently, the government provides support by way of benefits under the Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme (MSIPS) to boost electronic manufacturing. The company sells its products through Apple-owned retail stores in countries like China, Germany, the US, the UK and France, among others. It has no wholly-owned store in India and sells its products through distributors such as Redington and Ingram Micro. By Reuters SEOUL: Samsung Group said it will disband its corporate strategy office after a special prosecution probe ends, setting a timeline on a pledge to wind up a power centre that has been criticised for its role in South Korea's graft scandal. The strategy office, comprised of some 200 elite staff hand-picked from affiliates of the nation's top conglomerate, is the vehicle through which the founding Lee family makes key decisions such as restructuring and investments for new businesses, insiders and analysts say. It has been under intense scrutiny as the South Korean special prosecutor's office probed the smartphones-to-biopharmaceuticals business empire as part of a wider investigation into the scandal that threatens to permanently unseat President Park Geun-hye. Special prosecution has classified Jay Y. Lee, third-generation leader of Samsung Group, and head of the corporate strategy office Choi Gee-sung as suspects in its bribery investigation on suspicions that Samsung paid money to organisations linked to Park's confidant, Choi Soon-sil, to pave the way for a 2015 merger of two affiliates. Other executives from the strategy office have also been questioned by investigators on suspicions the office was involved in the lobbying process on the merger deal, heaping pressure for its closure. "Action will be taken following the conclusion of the special prosecutor's investigation," Samsung said in a brief statement, adding that preparations are already underway. Lee, who assumed leadership of Samsung after his father Lee Kun-hee was incapacitated by a May 2014 heart attack, said in a December parliament hearing over the graft scandal that he plans to disband the office but did not give a specific timeline. The special prosecution's investigation is currently set to conclude by Feb. 28 but it said separately on Monday it is considering seeking a 30-day extension. NERVE CENTER Known informally as the "control tower", Samsung's corporate strategy office is the nerve center of the $239 billion business empire since the office was created in December 2010. The office does not exist as a legal entity and its executives and employees are technically on the payroll of affiliates such as flagship Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. The corporate strategy office is the latest iteration of a Samsung control tower. Its predecessor, the strategic planning office, was dismantled in 2008 after executives at the office were investigated on allegations of helping Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Kun-hee set up slush funds by using fake accounts. Samsung on Monday declined to comment on how the conglomerate plans to perform the functions of the strategy office after it is disbanded. Park Ju-gun, head of corporate analysis firm CEO Score, said the conglomerate still needs a way to coordinate group-level affairs and maximize synergies among Samsung companies. He said Samsung will likely re-create an office similar to the corporate strategy office in the future, albeit with reduced responsibilities in terms of protecting the Lee family's interests. "The control tower can exist if it can operate in a transparent an open manner," he said. ($1 = 1,136.9000 won) SEOUL: Samsung Group said it will disband its corporate strategy office after a special prosecution probe ends, setting a timeline on a pledge to wind up a power centre that has been criticised for its role in South Korea's graft scandal. The strategy office, comprised of some 200 elite staff hand-picked from affiliates of the nation's top conglomerate, is the vehicle through which the founding Lee family makes key decisions such as restructuring and investments for new businesses, insiders and analysts say. It has been under intense scrutiny as the South Korean special prosecutor's office probed the smartphones-to-biopharmaceuticals business empire as part of a wider investigation into the scandal that threatens to permanently unseat President Park Geun-hye. Special prosecution has classified Jay Y. Lee, third-generation leader of Samsung Group, and head of the corporate strategy office Choi Gee-sung as suspects in its bribery investigation on suspicions that Samsung paid money to organisations linked to Park's confidant, Choi Soon-sil, to pave the way for a 2015 merger of two affiliates. Other executives from the strategy office have also been questioned by investigators on suspicions the office was involved in the lobbying process on the merger deal, heaping pressure for its closure. "Action will be taken following the conclusion of the special prosecutor's investigation," Samsung said in a brief statement, adding that preparations are already underway. Lee, who assumed leadership of Samsung after his father Lee Kun-hee was incapacitated by a May 2014 heart attack, said in a December parliament hearing over the graft scandal that he plans to disband the office but did not give a specific timeline. The special prosecution's investigation is currently set to conclude by Feb. 28 but it said separately on Monday it is considering seeking a 30-day extension. NERVE CENTER Known informally as the "control tower", Samsung's corporate strategy office is the nerve center of the $239 billion business empire since the office was created in December 2010. The office does not exist as a legal entity and its executives and employees are technically on the payroll of affiliates such as flagship Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. The corporate strategy office is the latest iteration of a Samsung control tower. Its predecessor, the strategic planning office, was dismantled in 2008 after executives at the office were investigated on allegations of helping Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Kun-hee set up slush funds by using fake accounts. Samsung on Monday declined to comment on how the conglomerate plans to perform the functions of the strategy office after it is disbanded. Park Ju-gun, head of corporate analysis firm CEO Score, said the conglomerate still needs a way to coordinate group-level affairs and maximize synergies among Samsung companies. He said Samsung will likely re-create an office similar to the corporate strategy office in the future, albeit with reduced responsibilities in terms of protecting the Lee family's interests. "The control tower can exist if it can operate in a transparent an open manner," he said. ($1 = 1,136.9000 won) Pramod Thomas By Express News Service KOCHI: Theres some good news for south India, which has hitherto been left out from the natural gas network for want of pipelines. Petronet LNG, which owns the only LNG terminal in south India, will soon start transporting LNG to Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals (MRPL) via road. This is for the first time such massive offloading of LNG through trucks happens in this part of the country. We will start supplying LNG using trucks with cryogenic cylinder to MRPL starting June this year. Since the LNG pipeline connecting Kochi terminal with Mangaluru and Bengaluru will be ready only by the second half of 2018, this is the only available option. Till then we will be able to provide gas via road, said a Kochi Petronet LNG official. This will benefit chemical and fertiliser companies including Kudremukh Iron Ore Company, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals , BASF, Total Oil India, the proposed Cheemeni power project in Kasargod district of Kerala, and the industrial clusters in Coimbatore. The major benefit offered by switching to LNG is that the fuel is about 40 per cent cheaper than the existing ones such as diesel, naphtha and furnace and it is cleaner, too. With the customs duty cut by half to 2.5 per cent in the Budget, the rate is likely to fall further. Once the pipeline is ready, these companies will be able to get cheaper domestic gas. The initial deadline for completion of the project was June 2015. Recently, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board revised the deadline for laying Kochi-Koottanad-Bengaluru-Mangaluru natural gas pipeline network to February 2019. Transporting the fuel through road is a welcome step. As of now, only 0.25 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of the 5 mtpa capacity LNG terminal is being utilised. When the transportation using trucks starts, the capacity utilisation will be increased to 1.25 mtpa. This mode can be used till the LNG pipeline is in place to supply the fuel to companies in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, A V Ramana, chairman in-charge, Cochin Port Trust told Express. More capacity utilisation means more revenue for the port as well, he said. Currently, Petronet LNG is supplying natural gas under the brand name Taral Gas to Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited and Hindustan Latex Limited using trucks. Transportation of LNG using trucks can be a viable option in areas where natural gas infrastructure is not in place. Another advantage is that fertiliser companies and power plants en-route to MRPL can also utilise the fuel. They only need to construct a storage and gasification facility, said Tony Mathew, chief manager and project coordinator at GAIL. KOCHI: Theres some good news for south India, which has hitherto been left out from the natural gas network for want of pipelines. Petronet LNG, which owns the only LNG terminal in south India, will soon start transporting LNG to Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals (MRPL) via road. This is for the first time such massive offloading of LNG through trucks happens in this part of the country. We will start supplying LNG using trucks with cryogenic cylinder to MRPL starting June this year. Since the LNG pipeline connecting Kochi terminal with Mangaluru and Bengaluru will be ready only by the second half of 2018, this is the only available option. Till then we will be able to provide gas via road, said a Kochi Petronet LNG official. This will benefit chemical and fertiliser companies including Kudremukh Iron Ore Company, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals , BASF, Total Oil India, the proposed Cheemeni power project in Kasargod district of Kerala, and the industrial clusters in Coimbatore. The major benefit offered by switching to LNG is that the fuel is about 40 per cent cheaper than the existing ones such as diesel, naphtha and furnace and it is cleaner, too. With the customs duty cut by half to 2.5 per cent in the Budget, the rate is likely to fall further. Once the pipeline is ready, these companies will be able to get cheaper domestic gas. The initial deadline for completion of the project was June 2015. Recently, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board revised the deadline for laying Kochi-Koottanad-Bengaluru-Mangaluru natural gas pipeline network to February 2019. Transporting the fuel through road is a welcome step. As of now, only 0.25 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of the 5 mtpa capacity LNG terminal is being utilised. When the transportation using trucks starts, the capacity utilisation will be increased to 1.25 mtpa. This mode can be used till the LNG pipeline is in place to supply the fuel to companies in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, A V Ramana, chairman in-charge, Cochin Port Trust told Express. More capacity utilisation means more revenue for the port as well, he said. Currently, Petronet LNG is supplying natural gas under the brand name Taral Gas to Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited and Hindustan Latex Limited using trucks. Transportation of LNG using trucks can be a viable option in areas where natural gas infrastructure is not in place. Another advantage is that fertiliser companies and power plants en-route to MRPL can also utilise the fuel. They only need to construct a storage and gasification facility, said Tony Mathew, chief manager and project coordinator at GAIL. Jonathan Ananda By Express News Service CHENNAI: The automobile sector might not have had much to cheer about in the Union Budget, but auto makers say there are silver linings. The boost to the rural economy through sharper focus on rural infrastructure and the indirect boost to consumption would in turn benefit the auto sector, they say. The Budget will give a boost to the economy, especially rural, with focus on infrastructure creating a robust business environment thus helping auto industry and positively contribute to the national GDP, observes Rakesh Srivastava, senior vice-president sales and marketing at Hyundai Motor India. This is the line most automakers have taken. The rural economy accounts for a significant percentage of sales, especially in two-wheelers, tractors and other commercial vehicles. With almost 50 per cent of two-wheeler demand coming from rural and semi-urban India, the Budget should have a positive impact for the industry going forward, says Yadvinder Singh Guleria, senior vice-president for sales & marketing at Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India. Auto components players see the Budget to be positive for the sector. Rohit Saboo, president and CEO, National Engineering Industries, says the focus on connectivity will have a natural impact on sector growth and sales. Increased allocation of funds for roads and highways will bring positive sentiments by increasing demand for transport. Infrastructure has always been prerequisite for growth, which has been taken well into consideration in this years budget. Increase of credit to the farm segment will also impact the auto segment due to the trickle-down effect. Pravin Shah, president and CEO (automotive), at Mahindra & Mahindra, concurs. We are confident that this will lead to a spur in demand.This boost is vital to get a sector that has been pushed to the ground by the liquidity crunch following note ban. Toyota Kirloskar Motors vice-chairman and whole-time director, Shekar Viswanathan, says the rationalisation of customs duties could minimise the impact of inverted duty structures. Other measures that are positive include the tax rate reduction for income less than Rs 5 lakh. This will certainly boost consumer spend The increased outlay on highway sector at Rs 64,000 crore, coastal connectivity and rail are other steps to bolster last-mile connectivity for manufacturing sector and to aid exports. Such synergistic investments will ease supply chain operations and will benefit logistic segment in terms of reduced cost, he adds. The automotive industry, however, is not entirely happy as its request for incentive-based fleet modernisation and incentives for electric and hybrid vehicles did not find mention in the Budget. While hailing the increase in infrastructure investment, boost to consumption and other measures, Vinod K Dasari, president of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, points out that fleet modernisation incentives were highly expected. There was also a genuine case for continuation of the 200 per cent weighted deduction on research and development expenses..., which remained unacknowledged. The Rs 10,000 crore allotted to bank recapitalisation is also insufficient, he points out. Automobile sale depends on bank finance and there is an urgent need for recapitalisation of banks, which cannot be adequately addressed with only Rs 10,000 budgetary support. He has expressed satisfaction that as suggested by SIAM, the R&D cess on import of technology has been abolished and the scope of domestic transfer pricing provisions has been restricted to reduce compliance burden. CHENNAI: The automobile sector might not have had much to cheer about in the Union Budget, but auto makers say there are silver linings. The boost to the rural economy through sharper focus on rural infrastructure and the indirect boost to consumption would in turn benefit the auto sector, they say. The Budget will give a boost to the economy, especially rural, with focus on infrastructure creating a robust business environment thus helping auto industry and positively contribute to the national GDP, observes Rakesh Srivastava, senior vice-president sales and marketing at Hyundai Motor India. This is the line most automakers have taken. The rural economy accounts for a significant percentage of sales, especially in two-wheelers, tractors and other commercial vehicles. With almost 50 per cent of two-wheeler demand coming from rural and semi-urban India, the Budget should have a positive impact for the industry going forward, says Yadvinder Singh Guleria, senior vice-president for sales & marketing at Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India. Auto components players see the Budget to be positive for the sector. Rohit Saboo, president and CEO, National Engineering Industries, says the focus on connectivity will have a natural impact on sector growth and sales. Increased allocation of funds for roads and highways will bring positive sentiments by increasing demand for transport. Infrastructure has always been prerequisite for growth, which has been taken well into consideration in this years budget. Increase of credit to the farm segment will also impact the auto segment due to the trickle-down effect. Pravin Shah, president and CEO (automotive), at Mahindra & Mahindra, concurs. We are confident that this will lead to a spur in demand.This boost is vital to get a sector that has been pushed to the ground by the liquidity crunch following note ban. Toyota Kirloskar Motors vice-chairman and whole-time director, Shekar Viswanathan, says the rationalisation of customs duties could minimise the impact of inverted duty structures. Other measures that are positive include the tax rate reduction for income less than Rs 5 lakh. This will certainly boost consumer spend The increased outlay on highway sector at Rs 64,000 crore, coastal connectivity and rail are other steps to bolster last-mile connectivity for manufacturing sector and to aid exports. Such synergistic investments will ease supply chain operations and will benefit logistic segment in terms of reduced cost, he adds. The automotive industry, however, is not entirely happy as its request for incentive-based fleet modernisation and incentives for electric and hybrid vehicles did not find mention in the Budget. While hailing the increase in infrastructure investment, boost to consumption and other measures, Vinod K Dasari, president of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, points out that fleet modernisation incentives were highly expected. There was also a genuine case for continuation of the 200 per cent weighted deduction on research and development expenses..., which remained unacknowledged. The Rs 10,000 crore allotted to bank recapitalisation is also insufficient, he points out. Automobile sale depends on bank finance and there is an urgent need for recapitalisation of banks, which cannot be adequately addressed with only Rs 10,000 budgetary support. He has expressed satisfaction that as suggested by SIAM, the R&D cess on import of technology has been abolished and the scope of domestic transfer pricing provisions has been restricted to reduce compliance burden. Rishika Pardikar By Express News Service A Belgian company opened a project office (permanent establishment or PE) in India for the purpose of construction of fuel jetty. The firm did not have any other business activity except the Indian project office. The total paid-up capital of the company was Rs 38 lakh. The PE, however, had borrowed Rs 94 crore directly from the shareholders of the Belgian firm. Effectively, the debt to equity stood at 248:1. In this backdrop, the PE claimed deduction of interest on such borrowings against its income in India for the assessment year 2002-03. The assessing officer disallowed the interest on the grounds that they were from self to self. He also referred to the OECD Model Convention Commentary, which called for a ban on deductions for internal debts and receivables. In this case of Besix Kier Dabhol, SA versus DDIT [131 ITD 299], the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) allowed the deduction of interest and held that thin capitalisation rules have not yet been introduced in India and that it is not open to tax authorities to re-characterise debt capital as equity capital and make the interest non-deductible. Considering the recent developments, it is clear that the assessing officer was ahead of his times. Equity and debt are the two ways through which a company can source its funding. Thin capitalisation refers to a situation where a company is financed through a substantially higher amount of debt than equity. The capital structure of a company has consequential effects on the amount of profit it reports for tax purposes the Income Tax Act allows a deduction on interest paid or payable for arriving at taxable profit while dividend paid on equity is not deductible. Therefore, a higher level of debt entails lower levels of taxable profit, thereby providing an incentive to finance operations with debt rather than equity. Companies (multinational ones, especially) structure their mix of finance in such a way that they maximise the benefit of claims of deduction of interest. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in its Base Erosion and Profit Shifting project had taken up the issue of base erosion and profit shifting by way of excess interest deductions by the Multi-National Enterprises (MNEs). Base erosion refers to reducing (eroding) taxable income (tax base) by claiming deductible expenses, tax treaty benefits, etc. Debt levels of multinationals are particularly sensitive to jurisdictional tax rates MNEs reduce their worldwide tax liability by concentrating debt in countries with relatively high tax rates. Then, since money is mobile, they use intra-group loans to transfer the finance. This creates problems for shareholders and creditors who have to bear solvency risks and revenue authorities who have to deal with abuses of tax laws. To counter this base erosion, many countries have introduced thin capitalisation norms to restrict deductibility of interest from business income. Continuing in the same vein, the Union Budget 2017-18 proposed to restrict interest expenses claimed by an Indian company or a permanent establishment of a foreign company on payments to its non-resident associated enterprises (or a permanent establishment thereof) to 30 per cent of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation With a view to targeting only large interest payments, this provision would be applicable only in cases where the interest expense exceeds Rs 1 crore. Banks and insurances companies have been exempted from these provisions. Rishika Pardikar is a chartered accountant A Belgian company opened a project office (permanent establishment or PE) in India for the purpose of construction of fuel jetty. The firm did not have any other business activity except the Indian project office. The total paid-up capital of the company was Rs 38 lakh. The PE, however, had borrowed Rs 94 crore directly from the shareholders of the Belgian firm. Effectively, the debt to equity stood at 248:1. In this backdrop, the PE claimed deduction of interest on such borrowings against its income in India for the assessment year 2002-03. The assessing officer disallowed the interest on the grounds that they were from self to self. He also referred to the OECD Model Convention Commentary, which called for a ban on deductions for internal debts and receivables. In this case of Besix Kier Dabhol, SA versus DDIT [131 ITD 299], the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) allowed the deduction of interest and held that thin capitalisation rules have not yet been introduced in India and that it is not open to tax authorities to re-characterise debt capital as equity capital and make the interest non-deductible. Considering the recent developments, it is clear that the assessing officer was ahead of his times. Equity and debt are the two ways through which a company can source its funding. Thin capitalisation refers to a situation where a company is financed through a substantially higher amount of debt than equity. The capital structure of a company has consequential effects on the amount of profit it reports for tax purposes the Income Tax Act allows a deduction on interest paid or payable for arriving at taxable profit while dividend paid on equity is not deductible. Therefore, a higher level of debt entails lower levels of taxable profit, thereby providing an incentive to finance operations with debt rather than equity. Companies (multinational ones, especially) structure their mix of finance in such a way that they maximise the benefit of claims of deduction of interest. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in its Base Erosion and Profit Shifting project had taken up the issue of base erosion and profit shifting by way of excess interest deductions by the Multi-National Enterprises (MNEs). Base erosion refers to reducing (eroding) taxable income (tax base) by claiming deductible expenses, tax treaty benefits, etc. Debt levels of multinationals are particularly sensitive to jurisdictional tax rates MNEs reduce their worldwide tax liability by concentrating debt in countries with relatively high tax rates. Then, since money is mobile, they use intra-group loans to transfer the finance. This creates problems for shareholders and creditors who have to bear solvency risks and revenue authorities who have to deal with abuses of tax laws. To counter this base erosion, many countries have introduced thin capitalisation norms to restrict deductibility of interest from business income. Continuing in the same vein, the Union Budget 2017-18 proposed to restrict interest expenses claimed by an Indian company or a permanent establishment of a foreign company on payments to its non-resident associated enterprises (or a permanent establishment thereof) to 30 per cent of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation With a view to targeting only large interest payments, this provision would be applicable only in cases where the interest expense exceeds Rs 1 crore. Banks and insurances companies have been exempted from these provisions. Rishika Pardikar is a chartered accountant S Lalitha By Express News Service BENGALURU: Nearly five lakh people in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, 60 percent of them women, are now hoping against hope that they get back the money they have invested since April 2016 in a social trade scheme. They are among the 7.5 lakh people across the country who are on the verge of losing their savings to an online portal, which is turning out to be a ponzi scam. The companys owner and two accomplices were arrested three days ago by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force in Noida in connection with the Rs 3,726-crore scam. Two years ago, 26-year-old engineering graduate Abhinav Mittal started Ablaze Info Solutions Pvt. Ltd in Sector 63 in Noida. It launched the online portal socialtrade.biz. While its progress was sluggish in North India, its popularity and membership zoomed after it set foot in South India in April 2016. With the initial depositors raking in money, word spread around through family, friends, online discussion forums and WhatsApp messages that money could be minted through this platform. How the scheme tempted people It was based on pyramid style earning method. To become an associate, one needed to invest any of these specified amounts: Rs 5,750, Rs 11,500, Rs 28, 750 or Rs 57, 750. The only work involved: clicking on links provided to ones Facebook account. With `5 paid per click and the assurance that the invested money could be earned within three to five months, many were tempted to invest the maximum sum to make more money.The STF have sealed the company, frozen its accounts the website is temporarily not supplying links to anyone. Victims did not see it coming Senior citizen and homemaker R Visalakshi, who invested Rs 57, 750 in it, said: I joined it in November-end and earned Rs 13,000 by January. Another Rs 19,000 was to be deposited in my account in the first week of February when the arrest happened. You needed to recruit two more under you within 21 days to avail the bonus, she added. Visalakshi even made her husband, daughter and her daughters friend invest in it with each of them paying Rs 57, 750. Her daughter, S Malathy, a top management professional told Express, I knew it would go bust some day but thought it would happen in six months or one year. I just did it to ensure my mother gets a bonus and her chain of depositors is sustained. Saranya P, who runs her own small business at Saidapet in Chennai invested Rs 28,750 in it a month ago only because she trusted her friends judgment. I earned Rs 2,500 by clicking links but the money was only shown online and not transferred to my account. I do not think I will get back my money now, she said. The list of such stories runs endless. All of them now want PM Modi to intervene and help them get money back. BENGALURU: Nearly five lakh people in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, 60 percent of them women, are now hoping against hope that they get back the money they have invested since April 2016 in a social trade scheme. They are among the 7.5 lakh people across the country who are on the verge of losing their savings to an online portal, which is turning out to be a ponzi scam. The companys owner and two accomplices were arrested three days ago by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force in Noida in connection with the Rs 3,726-crore scam. Two years ago, 26-year-old engineering graduate Abhinav Mittal started Ablaze Info Solutions Pvt. Ltd in Sector 63 in Noida. It launched the online portal socialtrade.biz. While its progress was sluggish in North India, its popularity and membership zoomed after it set foot in South India in April 2016. With the initial depositors raking in money, word spread around through family, friends, online discussion forums and WhatsApp messages that money could be minted through this platform. How the scheme tempted people It was based on pyramid style earning method. To become an associate, one needed to invest any of these specified amounts: Rs 5,750, Rs 11,500, Rs 28, 750 or Rs 57, 750. The only work involved: clicking on links provided to ones Facebook account. With `5 paid per click and the assurance that the invested money could be earned within three to five months, many were tempted to invest the maximum sum to make more money.The STF have sealed the company, frozen its accounts the website is temporarily not supplying links to anyone. Victims did not see it coming Senior citizen and homemaker R Visalakshi, who invested Rs 57, 750 in it, said: I joined it in November-end and earned Rs 13,000 by January. Another Rs 19,000 was to be deposited in my account in the first week of February when the arrest happened. You needed to recruit two more under you within 21 days to avail the bonus, she added. Visalakshi even made her husband, daughter and her daughters friend invest in it with each of them paying Rs 57, 750. Her daughter, S Malathy, a top management professional told Express, I knew it would go bust some day but thought it would happen in six months or one year. I just did it to ensure my mother gets a bonus and her chain of depositors is sustained. Saranya P, who runs her own small business at Saidapet in Chennai invested Rs 28,750 in it a month ago only because she trusted her friends judgment. I earned Rs 2,500 by clicking links but the money was only shown online and not transferred to my account. I do not think I will get back my money now, she said. The list of such stories runs endless. All of them now want PM Modi to intervene and help them get money back. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Following the death of four women at Hyderabad's premier children's hospital, the Niloufer hospital, after delivering babies, in the past one month, the hospital authorities on Monday formed a three-member committee to look into the reasons for the death of the women. The hospital authorities have also shut down the Operation Theatres citing periodic sanitation work'. However, according to sources, the authorities shut it down in a bid avoid surgeries until the committee files the report. Stating that the reasons for the deaths have to be found out, Telangana State director of Medical Education Dr M Ramani said the women were high risk patients. The babies of the deceased women are alive and are said to be in good health. Niloufer hospital superintendent Suresh Kumar said the heads of Anasthesia and Gynecology department from Osmania General Hospital were appointed to find out the reasons for the deaths. The committee is expected to table their report by Monday evening. It is learnt that cesarean operations have been halted at the hospital and only natural deliveries are being taken up. HYDERABAD: Following the death of four women at Hyderabad's premier children's hospital, the Niloufer hospital, after delivering babies, in the past one month, the hospital authorities on Monday formed a three-member committee to look into the reasons for the death of the women. The hospital authorities have also shut down the Operation Theatres citing periodic sanitation work'. However, according to sources, the authorities shut it down in a bid avoid surgeries until the committee files the report. Stating that the reasons for the deaths have to be found out, Telangana State director of Medical Education Dr M Ramani said the women were high risk patients. The babies of the deceased women are alive and are said to be in good health. Niloufer hospital superintendent Suresh Kumar said the heads of Anasthesia and Gynecology department from Osmania General Hospital were appointed to find out the reasons for the deaths. The committee is expected to table their report by Monday evening. It is learnt that cesarean operations have been halted at the hospital and only natural deliveries are being taken up. By Express News Service Great Lakes Institute of Management, a B-School in India announced the launch of MBA in Technopreneurship in association with Illinois Institute of Technologys Stuart School of Business, Chicago, USA. Launching the new programme, Dr Bala said, Great Lakes is the first B-School in India to have come up with an exclusive programme for Technopreneurship. The programme will have three modules - the first one at Great Lakes, the next being a blended module and the last one at IIT Chicago. At the end of the programme, the participants will receive an IIT Chicago MBA along with a Great Lakes certificate. With disruptive technologies, machine learning and digital advancements in the entrepreneurship space today, programmes such as these are going to have an edge and Great Lakes constantly strives to provide its students a global competitive edge. Associating with IIT Stuart Business School will ensure design thinking that is critical for entrepreneurship and a global outlook of the curriculum, he added. Dr John F O Bilson, Dean, IIT Stuart Business School says, Illinois Institute of Technology has always been the first to provide the US and other countries many innovations. This programme with Great Lakes will be yet another innovative programme that integrates design thinking and technology. I see in this synergy between GLIM and IIT as an opportunity to co-create innovation and entrepreneurship in technology space thus being called as Technopreneurship. Great Lakes Institute of Management, a B-School in India announced the launch of MBA in Technopreneurship in association with Illinois Institute of Technologys Stuart School of Business, Chicago, USA. Launching the new programme, Dr Bala said, Great Lakes is the first B-School in India to have come up with an exclusive programme for Technopreneurship. The programme will have three modules - the first one at Great Lakes, the next being a blended module and the last one at IIT Chicago. At the end of the programme, the participants will receive an IIT Chicago MBA along with a Great Lakes certificate. With disruptive technologies, machine learning and digital advancements in the entrepreneurship space today, programmes such as these are going to have an edge and Great Lakes constantly strives to provide its students a global competitive edge. Associating with IIT Stuart Business School will ensure design thinking that is critical for entrepreneurship and a global outlook of the curriculum, he added. Dr John F O Bilson, Dean, IIT Stuart Business School says, Illinois Institute of Technology has always been the first to provide the US and other countries many innovations. This programme with Great Lakes will be yet another innovative programme that integrates design thinking and technology. I see in this synergy between GLIM and IIT as an opportunity to co-create innovation and entrepreneurship in technology space thus being called as Technopreneurship. Parvathi Benu By Express News Service Sonam Wangchuk? Wait, isnt he the guy who inspired Rajkumar Hirani to create the character Phunsukh Wangdu in 3 Idiots? Plenty of people are struck by that thought when they hear about the reticent innovator, but that is what worries this education-reformer from Ladakh. Wangchuk did play a big role in changing the face of Ladakh, a cold desert otherwiseacknowledged only by adventure junkies. But everyone still asks about the movie first. An engineering degree was not a ticket for Wangchuk to migrate to the West, but instead, he chose to stay back in his homeland and work for the people. He founded the Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) in 1988. This is a place where students are taught to make use of the available technology for sustainability. Get ready for a surprise here. In a place like Ladakh, SECMOL runs completely on solar power and is built with mud! (Yes, it is much better than the school you saw in 3 Idiots). Ladakh has its own set of problems, water shortage being one of them, especially during April and May. Blame it on global warming and the shrinking glaciers for making the problem worse. But Wangchuk had the ideal solution in the form of ice stupas. Along with his team, he managed to freeze glaciers as ice stupas, where meltwater solved the crisis for farmers. This invention is what won him the Rolex Award last year and much more. But if you thought that this innovator would stop there, youre wrong. He is currently campaigning for something that hed call his ambitious project an alternative university. Named the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), he calls it the university of the future, which would help in solving the problems of the mountain people. Curious to know about the university and more about his project, we caught up with this trailblazer on a busy evening. Excerpts: You must be tired of being called the real life Phunsukh Wangdu. More than tired, Im worried. Indians are too obsessed with films. Unless somebody is somehow linked with a film, they arent given due importance. There are many innovators and talented young people who do not need a film to be recognised. I happened to meet Rajkumar Hirani and Aamir Khan at an award function and that is how they adopted my story as a part of the film. What made you stay back in Ladakh and not migrate to a bigger city? Well... I stay here because this is my home. It should not be unusual for a person to want to stay in his own place. I became involved in education reforms here as I saw young Ladakhis facing problems in education. I wanted to bring reform and hence I stayed. What inspired you to become an education reformer? Id say that it was not the pull of any great person, but the push of a miserable system. Things werent working well and this made my people look like failures, when in reality they are not. When your house is on fire, you throw water. One wouldnt ask what inspired you to throw water. Thats natural. Educationally speaking, my house was on fire. One shouldnt need an inspiration to put it out. You need empathy. I often say instead of asking people why they are doing something to solve a big problem, one should be asking the others why they dont. How can they just ignore it and move to more comfortable places? What was the first thing you did after you got your BTech degree? Not after, but even before completing my course, I was helping students. I continued with that later on. I became interested in education while I was an engineering student. At that time, I was teaching a few students to earn for my expenses. It was more like continuing what I had started. What do you think should be the primary step to change the education system? Each place should have its own education system, instead of the country having a common one. Education is the solution. Solutions are specific to the problem and problems are never the same. Therefore, education cannot and should not be the same. So are you saying that something like the CBSE syllabus doesnt make sense? No, it doesnt make sense. Each state should have their own syllabus, according to their problems and conditions. What could the solutions for this be? You should be able to innovate with the resources around you. Why should you burn resources when you can very well use natural sources like the sun? Mountains receive ample sunlight. Also, traditional technology like building with mud can be improved on. In our campus, for the past 20 years, the sun has been our only source of heat and the buildings are built with mud. Our toilets and showers work throughout. Such things need to be studied and taught. But no ones doing that. What they are learning is not even relevant to Delhi. When you say CBSE, which place are you concentrating on? Because Delhi and the mountains each have their own issues. We cannot expect solutions for climate change from New Delhi or New York. Could you elucidate a few problems that the mountain people face? No one knows how to carry tourism forward in this high altitude. Things are mismanaged and Im surprised that tourists still come. One needs to study how tourism should be managed in a place that has extreme weather conditions and that is very sensitive, ecologically. Different mountain ranges will have different conditions and someone from Mumbai or Delhi will not be used to it. Why is HIAL called the university of the future? I hope that one day all the universities will be like this, where young people are engaged in real life things rather than mock things and case studies that arent real. There are enough problems in the real world. This university will be run by the students on self-generated funds rather than on the high fees that students generally pay. There will be hotels and tourism development projects that the university will be engaged in. Your crowdfunding campaign for the university hasnt earned much funds. Do you have a plan B? The initial aim was to make it a peoples university by collecting funds from the people. Plan B was to approach the corporates. Well try to make it a peoples university and approach corporates too. Discussions are going on. Hopefully, some of them will cooperate. We have an investment that has returns. Part of it will be charitable and part of it will be enterprise. Reach Out: secmol.org Sonam Wangchuk? Wait, isnt he the guy who inspired Rajkumar Hirani to create the character Phunsukh Wangdu in 3 Idiots? Plenty of people are struck by that thought when they hear about the reticent innovator, but that is what worries this education-reformer from Ladakh. Wangchuk did play a big role in changing the face of Ladakh, a cold desert otherwiseacknowledged only by adventure junkies. But everyone still asks about the movie first. An engineering degree was not a ticket for Wangchuk to migrate to the West, but instead, he chose to stay back in his homeland and work for the people. He founded the Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) in 1988. This is a place where students are taught to make use of the available technology for sustainability. Get ready for a surprise here. In a place like Ladakh, SECMOL runs completely on solar power and is built with mud! (Yes, it is much better than the school you saw in 3 Idiots). Ladakh has its own set of problems, water shortage being one of them, especially during April and May. Blame it on global warming and the shrinking glaciers for making the problem worse. But Wangchuk had the ideal solution in the form of ice stupas. Along with his team, he managed to freeze glaciers as ice stupas, where meltwater solved the crisis for farmers. This invention is what won him the Rolex Award last year and much more. But if you thought that this innovator would stop there, youre wrong. He is currently campaigning for something that hed call his ambitious project an alternative university. Named the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), he calls it the university of the future, which would help in solving the problems of the mountain people. Curious to know about the university and more about his project, we caught up with this trailblazer on a busy evening. Excerpts: You must be tired of being called the real life Phunsukh Wangdu. More than tired, Im worried. Indians are too obsessed with films. Unless somebody is somehow linked with a film, they arent given due importance. There are many innovators and talented young people who do not need a film to be recognised. I happened to meet Rajkumar Hirani and Aamir Khan at an award function and that is how they adopted my story as a part of the film. What made you stay back in Ladakh and not migrate to a bigger city? Well... I stay here because this is my home. It should not be unusual for a person to want to stay in his own place. I became involved in education reforms here as I saw young Ladakhis facing problems in education. I wanted to bring reform and hence I stayed. What inspired you to become an education reformer? Id say that it was not the pull of any great person, but the push of a miserable system. Things werent working well and this made my people look like failures, when in reality they are not. When your house is on fire, you throw water. One wouldnt ask what inspired you to throw water. Thats natural. Educationally speaking, my house was on fire. One shouldnt need an inspiration to put it out. You need empathy. I often say instead of asking people why they are doing something to solve a big problem, one should be asking the others why they dont. How can they just ignore it and move to more comfortable places? What was the first thing you did after you got your BTech degree? Not after, but even before completing my course, I was helping students. I continued with that later on. I became interested in education while I was an engineering student. At that time, I was teaching a few students to earn for my expenses. It was more like continuing what I had started. What do you think should be the primary step to change the education system? Each place should have its own education system, instead of the country having a common one. Education is the solution. Solutions are specific to the problem and problems are never the same. Therefore, education cannot and should not be the same. So are you saying that something like the CBSE syllabus doesnt make sense? No, it doesnt make sense. Each state should have their own syllabus, according to their problems and conditions. What could the solutions for this be? You should be able to innovate with the resources around you. Why should you burn resources when you can very well use natural sources like the sun? Mountains receive ample sunlight. Also, traditional technology like building with mud can be improved on. In our campus, for the past 20 years, the sun has been our only source of heat and the buildings are built with mud. Our toilets and showers work throughout. Such things need to be studied and taught. But no ones doing that. What they are learning is not even relevant to Delhi. When you say CBSE, which place are you concentrating on? Because Delhi and the mountains each have their own issues. We cannot expect solutions for climate change from New Delhi or New York. Could you elucidate a few problems that the mountain people face? No one knows how to carry tourism forward in this high altitude. Things are mismanaged and Im surprised that tourists still come. One needs to study how tourism should be managed in a place that has extreme weather conditions and that is very sensitive, ecologically. Different mountain ranges will have different conditions and someone from Mumbai or Delhi will not be used to it. Why is HIAL called the university of the future? I hope that one day all the universities will be like this, where young people are engaged in real life things rather than mock things and case studies that arent real. There are enough problems in the real world. This university will be run by the students on self-generated funds rather than on the high fees that students generally pay. There will be hotels and tourism development projects that the university will be engaged in. Your crowdfunding campaign for the university hasnt earned much funds. Do you have a plan B? The initial aim was to make it a peoples university by collecting funds from the people. Plan B was to approach the corporates. Well try to make it a peoples university and approach corporates too. Discussions are going on. Hopefully, some of them will cooperate. We have an investment that has returns. Part of it will be charitable and part of it will be enterprise. Reach Out: secmol.org By IANS ISLAMABAD: The release of the Indian movie "Raees", which was scheduled to hit Pakistani cinemas on Sunday, was on Monday banned for its "inappropriate" portrayal of Muslims. Rumours about the Mahira Khan and Shah Rukh Khan starrer releasing in Pakistan were ripe for the past one week. However, according to Dawn News, the Central Censor Board decided not to release the film in Pakistan. Sources in the know of the development told Dawn the reason behind it was that "the content undermines Islam, and a specific religious sect, (It also) portrays Muslims as criminals, wanted persons and terrorists". Earlier, the film was in turbulent waters owing to the sour relations between Pakistan and India. Pakistani artistes were banned by certain outfits in India, due to which Mahira was not able to promote the film in India. Last week, Bollywood film "Kaabil" released in Pakistan after a months-long self-imposed ban by exhibitors was lifted. ISLAMABAD: The release of the Indian movie "Raees", which was scheduled to hit Pakistani cinemas on Sunday, was on Monday banned for its "inappropriate" portrayal of Muslims. Rumours about the Mahira Khan and Shah Rukh Khan starrer releasing in Pakistan were ripe for the past one week. However, according to Dawn News, the Central Censor Board decided not to release the film in Pakistan. Sources in the know of the development told Dawn the reason behind it was that "the content undermines Islam, and a specific religious sect, (It also) portrays Muslims as criminals, wanted persons and terrorists". Earlier, the film was in turbulent waters owing to the sour relations between Pakistan and India. Pakistani artistes were banned by certain outfits in India, due to which Mahira was not able to promote the film in India. Last week, Bollywood film "Kaabil" released in Pakistan after a months-long self-imposed ban by exhibitors was lifted. By Express News Service Shivarajkumar loves working with different directors, provided, the story and his characters fit the bill. The actor, who is busy with hands full of films has apparently shown interest in working with the senior director, Nagathihalli Chandrashekar in a project, which is to be produced by K Manju. Popularly known as Meshtru to Sandalwood, he will be helming a film for Shivarajkumar for the first time. Though no official confirmation has been made, it is said that the director has already given a reading to the actor. The movie will go on floors once Shivarajkumar decides on his dates for the project. The director, who is currently in the US, reveals to City Express that the movie was a long time pending commitment between the two. I have narrated the story and he has liked it. I will get a clear picture by March, only then I can come out with more details, the director stated, and added, I would not like to talk about it until everything is finalised. The director apparently is on tour of US and UK to meet up with Hollywood technicians. I am simultaneously working on a fresh subject for which I will be casting some new faces. For this I am in discussion with some Hollywood technicians. But it all depends on when I start Shivannas film. If he is ready, I can start immediately. If not then I would like to finish the other film, he said. Having known for his films like America America, Amrutha Dhaare, Hoomale, Maathad Maathad Mallige, it is definitely interesting to find out what this writer and director has in his kitty for the Century Star. Meanwhile, Shivanna, who has completed dubbing for Bangara S/o Bangarada Manushya directed by Yogi G Raj is presently shooting for Leader He is simultaneously working in Suris Tagaru and has agreed to be a part of Oppam remake. Shivarajkumar loves working with different directors, provided, the story and his characters fit the bill. The actor, who is busy with hands full of films has apparently shown interest in working with the senior director, Nagathihalli Chandrashekar in a project, which is to be produced by K Manju. Popularly known as Meshtru to Sandalwood, he will be helming a film for Shivarajkumar for the first time. Though no official confirmation has been made, it is said that the director has already given a reading to the actor. The movie will go on floors once Shivarajkumar decides on his dates for the project. The director, who is currently in the US, reveals to City Express that the movie was a long time pending commitment between the two. I have narrated the story and he has liked it. I will get a clear picture by March, only then I can come out with more details, the director stated, and added, I would not like to talk about it until everything is finalised. The director apparently is on tour of US and UK to meet up with Hollywood technicians. I am simultaneously working on a fresh subject for which I will be casting some new faces. For this I am in discussion with some Hollywood technicians. But it all depends on when I start Shivannas film. If he is ready, I can start immediately. If not then I would like to finish the other film, he said. Having known for his films like America America, Amrutha Dhaare, Hoomale, Maathad Maathad Mallige, it is definitely interesting to find out what this writer and director has in his kitty for the Century Star. Meanwhile, Shivanna, who has completed dubbing for Bangara S/o Bangarada Manushya directed by Yogi G Raj is presently shooting for Leader He is simultaneously working in Suris Tagaru and has agreed to be a part of Oppam remake. Fayaz Wani By Express News Service SRINAGAR: At least 26 civilians were killed and 158 injured and 216 structures damaged in Pakistani troops firing and shelling along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir in last two years. BSF, meanwhile, foiled second militant attack along IB in Samba sector today. A security official said 12 civilians were killed and 79 injured in Pakistani troops firing along the IB and LoC in the State last year. Five civilian killings were killed in Pakistani troops firing in Vijaypur sector of Samba district. Two civilians each were killed in Rajouri and Mendhar sectors while a civilian each was killed in Haveli in Poonch and Marh and Chhamb in Jammu district, he said. According to the official of the 79 civilians injured in Pakistani troops firing and shelling last year, 25 were injured in Suchetgarh sector, 13 in Mendhar, 10 in Bishnah, 9 in Vijaypur, 8 in Karnah, 4 each in Chhamb and Hira Nagar, and 3 each in Nowshera and Haveli sector. There were over 450 border ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops last year, he said. He said the Pakistani troops escalated the tension and resorted to firing and shelling on daily basis on civilian areas and security forces posts in the State after armys September 28 surgical strikes on militant launch pads across the LoC. The security official said in 2015, 14 civilians were killed and 79 injured in Pakistani troops firing and shelling in the State. The highest number of 6 civilian casualties took place in Mendhar sector, followed by 3 deaths of civilians in Suchetgarh, 2 in Chhamb and one each in Samba, Vijaypur and Hira Nagar sector, he said. He further said of the79 civilians injured in Pakistani troops firing and shelling in 2015, 51 were injured in Bishnah sector followed by 10 in Haveli, 9 in Hira Nagar, 5 in Mendhar, 3 in Vijaypur and 1 in Chhamb sector. According to the official at least 216 structures were also damaged in the Pakistani troops firing and shelling on this side. 115 structures were damaged in Jammu district, 46 in Kathua district, 30 in Poonch district, 21 in Sambha district and 4 in Rajouri district, he said. Underground Bunkers Jammu and Kashmir government has submitted a proposal of construction of 20125 community concrete bunkers for border people at various places along the IB and LoC in Jammu province at an estimated cost of Rs 1006.25 crores, a government official said. He said the proposal was submitted to Union Ministry of Home Affairs in February 2015. The official said the MHA has approved construction of only 60 bunkers as a pilot project in the border block of Jammu district for an amount of Rs 300 lakhs. The construction work on 60 bunkers is under progress, he said. The residents of border area have been urging the State government to construct community underground bunkers for them so that they can take refuge in these bunkers when there is firing or shelling by Pakistani troops. BSF foils 2nd militant attack in Samba A BSF spokesman said the border guards today foiled a stand-off attack on duty mound at IB in Samba sector of Jammu region. At about 08.45 am, a group of heavily armed militants reached close to IB on Pakistani side taking advantage of undulating ground. Militants resorted to heavy fire on forward BSF troops deployed on duty mound from automatic weapons. They were fully supported by heavy fire from Pakistan posts. The BSF men effectively returned the fire and forced the militants to retreat, he said. The spokesman said it was the second militant attack foiled by BSF in Samba sector in last couple of day. SRINAGAR: At least 26 civilians were killed and 158 injured and 216 structures damaged in Pakistani troops firing and shelling along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir in last two years. BSF, meanwhile, foiled second militant attack along IB in Samba sector today. A security official said 12 civilians were killed and 79 injured in Pakistani troops firing along the IB and LoC in the State last year. Five civilian killings were killed in Pakistani troops firing in Vijaypur sector of Samba district. Two civilians each were killed in Rajouri and Mendhar sectors while a civilian each was killed in Haveli in Poonch and Marh and Chhamb in Jammu district, he said. According to the official of the 79 civilians injured in Pakistani troops firing and shelling last year, 25 were injured in Suchetgarh sector, 13 in Mendhar, 10 in Bishnah, 9 in Vijaypur, 8 in Karnah, 4 each in Chhamb and Hira Nagar, and 3 each in Nowshera and Haveli sector. There were over 450 border ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops last year, he said. He said the Pakistani troops escalated the tension and resorted to firing and shelling on daily basis on civilian areas and security forces posts in the State after armys September 28 surgical strikes on militant launch pads across the LoC. The security official said in 2015, 14 civilians were killed and 79 injured in Pakistani troops firing and shelling in the State. The highest number of 6 civilian casualties took place in Mendhar sector, followed by 3 deaths of civilians in Suchetgarh, 2 in Chhamb and one each in Samba, Vijaypur and Hira Nagar sector, he said. He further said of the79 civilians injured in Pakistani troops firing and shelling in 2015, 51 were injured in Bishnah sector followed by 10 in Haveli, 9 in Hira Nagar, 5 in Mendhar, 3 in Vijaypur and 1 in Chhamb sector. According to the official at least 216 structures were also damaged in the Pakistani troops firing and shelling on this side. 115 structures were damaged in Jammu district, 46 in Kathua district, 30 in Poonch district, 21 in Sambha district and 4 in Rajouri district, he said. Underground Bunkers Jammu and Kashmir government has submitted a proposal of construction of 20125 community concrete bunkers for border people at various places along the IB and LoC in Jammu province at an estimated cost of Rs 1006.25 crores, a government official said. He said the proposal was submitted to Union Ministry of Home Affairs in February 2015. The official said the MHA has approved construction of only 60 bunkers as a pilot project in the border block of Jammu district for an amount of Rs 300 lakhs. The construction work on 60 bunkers is under progress, he said. The residents of border area have been urging the State government to construct community underground bunkers for them so that they can take refuge in these bunkers when there is firing or shelling by Pakistani troops. BSF foils 2nd militant attack in Samba A BSF spokesman said the border guards today foiled a stand-off attack on duty mound at IB in Samba sector of Jammu region. At about 08.45 am, a group of heavily armed militants reached close to IB on Pakistani side taking advantage of undulating ground. Militants resorted to heavy fire on forward BSF troops deployed on duty mound from automatic weapons. They were fully supported by heavy fire from Pakistan posts. The BSF men effectively returned the fire and forced the militants to retreat, he said. The spokesman said it was the second militant attack foiled by BSF in Samba sector in last couple of day. By Online Desk NEW DELHI: The CBI has initiated a probe into an alleged cheating case wherein the Army was being made to pay rent for land situated in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. As per the FIR registered by the agency, the criminal conspiracy was allegedly hatched in 2000 by the then Sub-Divisional Defence Estate Officer, Patwari, Nowshera along with several private persons. "It has been learnt that as per 'Jamabandhi' register for the year 1969-70 of the land in question, Khasra no...it is under the occupation of Maqbooza Pakistan but rents are being paid by Defence Estate to the alleged owner," CBI alleged. It has surfaced that then Sub-Divisional Defence Estate Officer R S Chanderwanshi, Patwari, Nowshera Darshan Kumar along with several private persons including one Rajesh Kumar, allegedly showed the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) land as "on rent to Army." The board comprising an Army officer, estate officer and other officials kept disbursing rental worth Rs 4.99 lakh for the land measuring over 122 karnals because of forged documents submitted to them, the FIR said, adding that a loss of Rs 6 lakh has been caused to the exchequer in the case. "It has been further learnt that the Army acquired the land on rent from civilians. A board comprising Army officer, defence estate and revenue department approved the rent after physically verifying the land, but in this matter the Board of Officers, in criminal conspiracy with each other wrongly verified that the land was acquired by the Army, whereas the same is situated in PoK," the FIR alleged. CBI claimed that the board proceedings were convened in 2000, wherein Chanderwanshi and Darshan Kumar were declared to be under the occupation of defence forces, and the rental compensation to the tune of Rs 4.99 lakh was disbursed to Rajesh Kumar. (With inputs from PTI) NEW DELHI: The CBI has initiated a probe into an alleged cheating case wherein the Army was being made to pay rent for land situated in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. As per the FIR registered by the agency, the criminal conspiracy was allegedly hatched in 2000 by the then Sub-Divisional Defence Estate Officer, Patwari, Nowshera along with several private persons. "It has been learnt that as per 'Jamabandhi' register for the year 1969-70 of the land in question, Khasra no...it is under the occupation of Maqbooza Pakistan but rents are being paid by Defence Estate to the alleged owner," CBI alleged. It has surfaced that then Sub-Divisional Defence Estate Officer R S Chanderwanshi, Patwari, Nowshera Darshan Kumar along with several private persons including one Rajesh Kumar, allegedly showed the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) land as "on rent to Army." The board comprising an Army officer, estate officer and other officials kept disbursing rental worth Rs 4.99 lakh for the land measuring over 122 karnals because of forged documents submitted to them, the FIR said, adding that a loss of Rs 6 lakh has been caused to the exchequer in the case. "It has been further learnt that the Army acquired the land on rent from civilians. A board comprising Army officer, defence estate and revenue department approved the rent after physically verifying the land, but in this matter the Board of Officers, in criminal conspiracy with each other wrongly verified that the land was acquired by the Army, whereas the same is situated in PoK," the FIR alleged. CBI claimed that the board proceedings were convened in 2000, wherein Chanderwanshi and Darshan Kumar were declared to be under the occupation of defence forces, and the rental compensation to the tune of Rs 4.99 lakh was disbursed to Rajesh Kumar. (With inputs from PTI) Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: An Assam MLA has been suspended from the State Assembly for three days with effect from Monday by Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami for going live on Facebook from the House. Aminul Islam, an All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) legislator and spokesperson, used his mobile phone to record and broadcast live his speech during the Assembly proceedings on February 3. Islam admitted having flouted rules to help people know about critical issues discussed in the Assembly, but highlighted the amendment to the rules for live telecast of proceedings in the interest of people. I accept the Speakers ruling, for it was within his powers. It was an inadvertent error on my part. But I feel there should be live telecast of Assembly proceedings. People also want this, Islam told the media on Monday. Earlier, parliamentary affairs minister Chandra Mohan Patowary had lodged a complaint after Islams video went viral on social media. Subsequently, the Speaker asked the Ethics Committee of the House to submit a report. The committee recommended the MLAs suspension for the gross misconduct. Tanka Bahadur Rai, the Speaker of the Assam House during the Congress regime, had given a ruling against the use of mobile phones in the Assembly. In July last year, AAP MP Bhagwant Mann had live-streamed his arrival in Parliament on Facebook and posted a video of his experience, raising serious security concerns. The locations he filmed included the gate through which terrorists had entered the seat of power in 2001. The video clip included access to a room where questions are picked for the Zero Hour. He apparently continued filming despite a security guard asking him not to do so. Watch video: GUWAHATI: An Assam MLA has been suspended from the State Assembly for three days with effect from Monday by Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami for going live on Facebook from the House. Aminul Islam, an All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) legislator and spokesperson, used his mobile phone to record and broadcast live his speech during the Assembly proceedings on February 3. Islam admitted having flouted rules to help people know about critical issues discussed in the Assembly, but highlighted the amendment to the rules for live telecast of proceedings in the interest of people. I accept the Speakers ruling, for it was within his powers. It was an inadvertent error on my part. But I feel there should be live telecast of Assembly proceedings. People also want this, Islam told the media on Monday. Earlier, parliamentary affairs minister Chandra Mohan Patowary had lodged a complaint after Islams video went viral on social media. Subsequently, the Speaker asked the Ethics Committee of the House to submit a report. The committee recommended the MLAs suspension for the gross misconduct. Tanka Bahadur Rai, the Speaker of the Assam House during the Congress regime, had given a ruling against the use of mobile phones in the Assembly. In July last year, AAP MP Bhagwant Mann had live-streamed his arrival in Parliament on Facebook and posted a video of his experience, raising serious security concerns. The locations he filmed included the gate through which terrorists had entered the seat of power in 2001. The video clip included access to a room where questions are picked for the Zero Hour. He apparently continued filming despite a security guard asking him not to do so. Watch video: Anand ST Das By Express News Service PATNA: Angry about the alleged leak of question papers of an examination conducted by Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) on Sunday, nearly 100 students staged violent demonstrations in front of the commissions office in Patna and beat up BSSC secretary Parameshwar Ram. Even as police struggled to control the situation outside the BSSC headquarters, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said he has ordered a probe into the allegations that question papers were leaked during the second phase of the combined recruitment examinations conducted by BSSC. I have spoken on this matter with the chief secretary and the DGP. I have asked them to conduct a thorough probe and, if the allegations are found true, to ensure that the guilty are booked. So a probe is on, said Kumar to journalists after the Lok Samvad programme at his residence. BSSC secretary Parameshwar Ram and at least two other officials of BSSC were beaten up by a group of 100 college students, who had gathered outside the BSSC headquarters under the aegis of All India Students Federation. With the demonstration turning violent, police called in a riot-control vehicle and rounded up about 20 agitating students. Leak of question papers for BSSC combined recruitment examinations two consecutive times is really reprehensible. We demand that the examinations conducted on January 29 and February 5 be cancelled and the next two examinations be delayed till foolproof arrangements are made for fair examinations, said Sourabh Kumar, one of the agitating students. Interestingly, both BSSC authorities and police have claimed that there was no leak of question papers on Sunday despite reports that question papers were sold in the market and circulated by WhatsApp. After receiving leak reports, we had got the series of question papers available in the market with the actual question papers and they had not matched. There were some cases of cheating by some candidates in the examination halls, said Patna senior superintendent of police Manu Maharaaj. Both BSSC chairman Sudhir Kumar and secretary Parameshwar Ram had refuted claims of the leak of question papers, terming them as rumours. Meanwhile, the ruling JD(U) accused the main Opposition BJP of fomenting trouble in the name of raising the issue of leaks of question papers. All this is being orchestrated by BJP. There is a distinct plan to defame Bihar and the state government, said JD(U) spokesperson and MLC Sanjay Kumar. PATNA: Angry about the alleged leak of question papers of an examination conducted by Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) on Sunday, nearly 100 students staged violent demonstrations in front of the commissions office in Patna and beat up BSSC secretary Parameshwar Ram. Even as police struggled to control the situation outside the BSSC headquarters, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said he has ordered a probe into the allegations that question papers were leaked during the second phase of the combined recruitment examinations conducted by BSSC. I have spoken on this matter with the chief secretary and the DGP. I have asked them to conduct a thorough probe and, if the allegations are found true, to ensure that the guilty are booked. So a probe is on, said Kumar to journalists after the Lok Samvad programme at his residence. BSSC secretary Parameshwar Ram and at least two other officials of BSSC were beaten up by a group of 100 college students, who had gathered outside the BSSC headquarters under the aegis of All India Students Federation. With the demonstration turning violent, police called in a riot-control vehicle and rounded up about 20 agitating students. Leak of question papers for BSSC combined recruitment examinations two consecutive times is really reprehensible. We demand that the examinations conducted on January 29 and February 5 be cancelled and the next two examinations be delayed till foolproof arrangements are made for fair examinations, said Sourabh Kumar, one of the agitating students. Interestingly, both BSSC authorities and police have claimed that there was no leak of question papers on Sunday despite reports that question papers were sold in the market and circulated by WhatsApp. After receiving leak reports, we had got the series of question papers available in the market with the actual question papers and they had not matched. There were some cases of cheating by some candidates in the examination halls, said Patna senior superintendent of police Manu Maharaaj. Both BSSC chairman Sudhir Kumar and secretary Parameshwar Ram had refuted claims of the leak of question papers, terming them as rumours. Meanwhile, the ruling JD(U) accused the main Opposition BJP of fomenting trouble in the name of raising the issue of leaks of question papers. All this is being orchestrated by BJP. There is a distinct plan to defame Bihar and the state government, said JD(U) spokesperson and MLC Sanjay Kumar. By PTI AHMEDABAD: Eight crew members on a flooded boat were rescued and another barge having water ingress was escorted to safety from Arabian sea off Jakhau coast in two separate operations by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). An ICG interceptor boat (IB) received an SOS from a salt barge named 'MV Priya' at around 6.30 PM on Saturday last week when it was sailing off the coast of Jakhau seeking assistance due to flooding on board, the Coast Guard said in a press release issued today. "ICG IB on routine patrol in the area immediately diverted for the position, and on reaching, noticed that the said barge was flooded up to bridge level and was tilting to one side...only a quarter deck was partly visible and eight crew were stranded on board," ICG said. "All the eight crew members were safely embarked on board Indian Coast Guard IB, provided first aid, and ferried to Jakhau port," it said. The ICG IB received another call at around 1.30 AM yesterday from salt barge Karishma, which had accumulated sea water in its carriage area due to rough seas. "VHF communication was established and the master of the barge was guided to use local sea water system for de-flooding and to seal all watertight compartments to avoid any further ingress of water," it said. "On restoring stable conditions, the barge was safely escorted by Indian Coast Guard IB to enter Jakhau harbour," it further said in the release. AHMEDABAD: Eight crew members on a flooded boat were rescued and another barge having water ingress was escorted to safety from Arabian sea off Jakhau coast in two separate operations by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). An ICG interceptor boat (IB) received an SOS from a salt barge named 'MV Priya' at around 6.30 PM on Saturday last week when it was sailing off the coast of Jakhau seeking assistance due to flooding on board, the Coast Guard said in a press release issued today. "ICG IB on routine patrol in the area immediately diverted for the position, and on reaching, noticed that the said barge was flooded up to bridge level and was tilting to one side...only a quarter deck was partly visible and eight crew were stranded on board," ICG said. "All the eight crew members were safely embarked on board Indian Coast Guard IB, provided first aid, and ferried to Jakhau port," it said. The ICG IB received another call at around 1.30 AM yesterday from salt barge Karishma, which had accumulated sea water in its carriage area due to rough seas. "VHF communication was established and the master of the barge was guided to use local sea water system for de-flooding and to seal all watertight compartments to avoid any further ingress of water," it said. "On restoring stable conditions, the barge was safely escorted by Indian Coast Guard IB to enter Jakhau harbour," it further said in the release. By Express News Service MUMBAI: As the poll campaign for Zilla Parishad and Municipal Corporations is gearing up in Maharashtra, a video of senior Congress leaders being served food in golden plates at the residence of a local party worker at Osmanabad has gone viral across the state. Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Ashok Chavan, leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patik, former Union home ministers Sushil Kumar Shinde and Shuvraj Patil were some of the prominent leaders who were at Yengur in Osmanabad to kickstart poll campaign for ZP elections on Friday. Reportedly, some local party workers had thrown a royal fest in honour of the leaders, where they were served in golden plates. According to reports, the arrangements for the event were made by a tainted contractor and the golden plates were specially brought in from Nanded. The propriety of such royal feast is being questioned especially at the backdrop of former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan turning down a similar extravaganza by party workers in neighboring Beed a few days back. Interestingly, the leaders who participated in the function at Osmanabad had raised issues like drought condition hitting the part of the state for past few years, farmers' suicides, ill effects of demonetisation etc at the poll campaign. MPCC president Chavan, however, denied reports that party leaders were served the food in golden plates. "I do not know whose imagination it was," he said. However, he declined to comment on the video. MUMBAI: As the poll campaign for Zilla Parishad and Municipal Corporations is gearing up in Maharashtra, a video of senior Congress leaders being served food in golden plates at the residence of a local party worker at Osmanabad has gone viral across the state. Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Ashok Chavan, leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patik, former Union home ministers Sushil Kumar Shinde and Shuvraj Patil were some of the prominent leaders who were at Yengur in Osmanabad to kickstart poll campaign for ZP elections on Friday. Reportedly, some local party workers had thrown a royal fest in honour of the leaders, where they were served in golden plates. According to reports, the arrangements for the event were made by a tainted contractor and the golden plates were specially brought in from Nanded. The propriety of such royal feast is being questioned especially at the backdrop of former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan turning down a similar extravaganza by party workers in neighboring Beed a few days back. Interestingly, the leaders who participated in the function at Osmanabad had raised issues like drought condition hitting the part of the state for past few years, farmers' suicides, ill effects of demonetisation etc at the poll campaign. MPCC president Chavan, however, denied reports that party leaders were served the food in golden plates. "I do not know whose imagination it was," he said. However, he declined to comment on the video. Sajjan Kumar By Express News Service Ajit Singh ko beizzat kia hai har party ne. Jat samaj is se aahat hai (Jats are offended by the humiliation of Ajit Singh by all political parties). This remark by a group of villagers at Iglas village in Aligarh encapsulates the prevailing sentiment in Jat-dominated western UP. The Jats rose to economic and political ascendency in the 1960s reaping dividends from land reforms and the Green Revolution. During those decades, it pinned its faith in Chaudhry Charan Singh and then his successor Ajit Singh, even tolerating the latters political opportunism. However, that allegiance ended with the Muzaffarnagar 2013 Jat-Muslim riots when the Jats deserted Ajit Singh and his RLD for maintaining political neutrality rather than supporting them against the Muslims. They shifted en masse to the BJP and humbled Ajit Singh, his son Jayant Chaudhary and other RLD candidates in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. A community that had blindly supported Charan Singh turned its back on his son because it expected unconditional support from him in their fight against the Muslims. However, with the perceived humiliation of Ajit Singh by his political contemporaries, the wheel has come a full circle. In western UP, comprising the Braj and Upper Doab regions and districts like Agra, Mathura, Aligarh, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Baghpat, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, there is a clear pattern of Jats articulating an enthusiastic case for the RLD. The enthusiasm informs elders and youths alike. In 2014, the Jats had privileged their Hinduness over their trademark peasant identity and flirted with the BJP. Now their accent is back on peasantness again. This makes them hostile not only to the SP-Congress alliance but the BJP too. In fact, a group of Jats I met at Lilon village in riot-affected Shamli district took exception to me comparing the BJPs Sanjeev Baliyan, a Jat, with Ajit Singh. Their enchantment with Narendra Modi has significantly dissipated and they are vocal in blaming the BJP for selling them false dreams. This Jats reassertion of their caste-based peasant identity was revealed in the cliched remark by a father-son duo at Timakhiya village in Shival Assembly constituency in Meerut district: BJP kisaan virodhi hai kyunki ye baniyo ki party hai (BJP is an anti-farmer party and a party of the Baniyas). This sense of alienation from the BJP is manifesting in the emergence of the Jat demand for reservation. Jats, who have OBC status in Delhi, Rajasthan and UP, want to be included in the central OBC list and have been agitating under the banner of the Akhil Bharatiya Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti led by its national president Yashpal Malik, who has unfolded a vicious anti-BJP campaign in western UP. Ironically, the humiliation of Ajit Singh by not including the RLD in the SP-Congress alliance is hurting BJP the most. The Jats shift to the RLD in significant numbers will have a negative bearing upon the electoral prospects of the saffron party: its core support base is narrow, and the loss of Jat support makes a repeat of the 2014 success improbable. This seemingly sudden shift of the Jats from the BJP to the RLD and the internal bickerings within the BJP support base was evident in the response of a Baniya voter in Muzaffarnagar: The Jats supported the BJP in 2014 out of compulsion rather than love as no other party was supporting them in riot-related cases. They were about to desert the BJP in the February 2016 Muzaffarnagar byelection itself, but Sanjeev Baliyan somehow persuaded them to stay, he said. (The authour is a Ph.D from Centre for Political Studies, JNU. He is associated with Peoples Pulse, a Hyderabad-based research organisation in field-work based political and electoral studies). Ajit Singh ko beizzat kia hai har party ne. Jat samaj is se aahat hai (Jats are offended by the humiliation of Ajit Singh by all political parties). This remark by a group of villagers at Iglas village in Aligarh encapsulates the prevailing sentiment in Jat-dominated western UP. The Jats rose to economic and political ascendency in the 1960s reaping dividends from land reforms and the Green Revolution. During those decades, it pinned its faith in Chaudhry Charan Singh and then his successor Ajit Singh, even tolerating the latters political opportunism. However, that allegiance ended with the Muzaffarnagar 2013 Jat-Muslim riots when the Jats deserted Ajit Singh and his RLD for maintaining political neutrality rather than supporting them against the Muslims. They shifted en masse to the BJP and humbled Ajit Singh, his son Jayant Chaudhary and other RLD candidates in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. A community that had blindly supported Charan Singh turned its back on his son because it expected unconditional support from him in their fight against the Muslims. However, with the perceived humiliation of Ajit Singh by his political contemporaries, the wheel has come a full circle. In western UP, comprising the Braj and Upper Doab regions and districts like Agra, Mathura, Aligarh, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Baghpat, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, there is a clear pattern of Jats articulating an enthusiastic case for the RLD. The enthusiasm informs elders and youths alike. In 2014, the Jats had privileged their Hinduness over their trademark peasant identity and flirted with the BJP. Now their accent is back on peasantness again. This makes them hostile not only to the SP-Congress alliance but the BJP too. In fact, a group of Jats I met at Lilon village in riot-affected Shamli district took exception to me comparing the BJPs Sanjeev Baliyan, a Jat, with Ajit Singh. Their enchantment with Narendra Modi has significantly dissipated and they are vocal in blaming the BJP for selling them false dreams. This Jats reassertion of their caste-based peasant identity was revealed in the cliched remark by a father-son duo at Timakhiya village in Shival Assembly constituency in Meerut district: BJP kisaan virodhi hai kyunki ye baniyo ki party hai (BJP is an anti-farmer party and a party of the Baniyas). This sense of alienation from the BJP is manifesting in the emergence of the Jat demand for reservation. Jats, who have OBC status in Delhi, Rajasthan and UP, want to be included in the central OBC list and have been agitating under the banner of the Akhil Bharatiya Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti led by its national president Yashpal Malik, who has unfolded a vicious anti-BJP campaign in western UP. Ironically, the humiliation of Ajit Singh by not including the RLD in the SP-Congress alliance is hurting BJP the most. The Jats shift to the RLD in significant numbers will have a negative bearing upon the electoral prospects of the saffron party: its core support base is narrow, and the loss of Jat support makes a repeat of the 2014 success improbable. This seemingly sudden shift of the Jats from the BJP to the RLD and the internal bickerings within the BJP support base was evident in the response of a Baniya voter in Muzaffarnagar: The Jats supported the BJP in 2014 out of compulsion rather than love as no other party was supporting them in riot-related cases. They were about to desert the BJP in the February 2016 Muzaffarnagar byelection itself, but Sanjeev Baliyan somehow persuaded them to stay, he said. (The authour is a Ph.D from Centre for Political Studies, JNU. He is associated with Peoples Pulse, a Hyderabad-based research organisation in field-work based political and electoral studies). Anand ST Das By Express News Service PATNA: A student of class XII at a well-known school in Ranchi and allegedly upset with his principals unjust behaviour set himself ablaze in his classroom before running to his principals office, mildly singing him in the process. The boy, who sustained 60 per cent burns was rushed to the hospital and is critical, said police. Ashutosh Kumar, a student of Lala Lajpat Rai Senior Secondary School in Ranchis Pundag area doused himself with petrol in a classroom and struck a match. Engulfed in flames, he then ran to the chambers of principal PK Thakur, who suffered minor burns on his hands while trying to douse the flames. Doctors at Dev Kamal Hospital and Research Centre said Ashutoshs condition remains critical but he has communicated with police officials and is able to speak. Police officials said the boy admitted that he was under depression and did not hold anybody responsible for his actions. But his elder brother, Abhishek said frequent insensitive behaviour by the principal had pushed him to take the drastic step. He (Ashutosh) has been consistently securing 80 per cent marks in all his examinations. He was recently removed from the post of a class monitor by the principal. He was badly hurt by the principals frequent insensitive behaviour, Abhishek told journalists. Mohammad Farooq, SHO of Pundag police station said the boy, who lost his father a few years ago, had said he had been depressed for the past few days. There is no question of any rude behaviour with him, said school principal PK Thakur, denying the allegations against him. The boys action left all of us shocked. He did this when his practical examinations were on. I had earlier rebuked him during Diwali for bursting fire crackers on the school premises. He has been an average student and often very undisciplined, he added. PATNA: A student of class XII at a well-known school in Ranchi and allegedly upset with his principals unjust behaviour set himself ablaze in his classroom before running to his principals office, mildly singing him in the process. The boy, who sustained 60 per cent burns was rushed to the hospital and is critical, said police. Ashutosh Kumar, a student of Lala Lajpat Rai Senior Secondary School in Ranchis Pundag area doused himself with petrol in a classroom and struck a match. Engulfed in flames, he then ran to the chambers of principal PK Thakur, who suffered minor burns on his hands while trying to douse the flames. Doctors at Dev Kamal Hospital and Research Centre said Ashutoshs condition remains critical but he has communicated with police officials and is able to speak. Police officials said the boy admitted that he was under depression and did not hold anybody responsible for his actions. But his elder brother, Abhishek said frequent insensitive behaviour by the principal had pushed him to take the drastic step. He (Ashutosh) has been consistently securing 80 per cent marks in all his examinations. He was recently removed from the post of a class monitor by the principal. He was badly hurt by the principals frequent insensitive behaviour, Abhishek told journalists. Mohammad Farooq, SHO of Pundag police station said the boy, who lost his father a few years ago, had said he had been depressed for the past few days. There is no question of any rude behaviour with him, said school principal PK Thakur, denying the allegations against him. The boys action left all of us shocked. He did this when his practical examinations were on. I had earlier rebuked him during Diwali for bursting fire crackers on the school premises. He has been an average student and often very undisciplined, he added. Pradip R Sagar By Express News Service NEW DELHI: In a probable setback to the Make in India initiative, the Indian Air force has declined the India-United Kingdom jointly developed upgraded advanced Hawk trainer jets. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in collaboration with the United Kingdoms BAE systems jointly developed a combat ready aircraft which will be launched in the upcoming 11th edition of Aero India to be held in Bengaluru from February 14. While the advanced dual version of the Hawk trainer jet will debut in next weeks air show, sources in the Indian Air force (IAF) claim that it has shown no interest in the combat variant of the aircraft. So far, we have no intensions to place any order for the upgraded version of Hawk trainers, said a senior IAF officer. IAF operates around 123 Hawk Mk.132 jets that provide Stage-III training before pilots progress to operational fighters like the Mirage 2000, Su-30MKI, MiG-29 or Jaguar. Indian air force and Indian navy are flying Hawk Mk 132 variants for training with over 100,000 flying hours. Besides the IAF, even the Navy has not yet worked out a plan to place an order for the upgraded combat ready variant of Hawk. If no orders are placed, it may be manufactured and exported to neighboring countries, according to a HAL source. The Advanced Hawk has been in the works for two years under a unique model with Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and BAE, as both entities signed a Memorandum of Understand (MoU) in 2015 during the Aero India show. Sources said that the advanced Hawk will reduce training demands on more expensive frontline aircrafts creating additional capacity for operational tasks. The Hawk jet will include air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, rockets and bombs to transform it into a combat platform. Sources in HAL and BAE systems revealed that advanced training comprises several latest features to give the aircraft additional agility, extra power and the ability to carry a range of conventional and precision weapons for an operational role. Stephen Timms, Managing Director - Defence Information, Training & Services said The Advanced Hawk is a testimonial of our commitment to sharing technology, capability and knowledge to build advanced systems in India, for India, and from India. Together with HAL, we are looking forward to show this industry-funded demonstrator to the Indian and other Air Forces and seeking their feedback on the combination of features that will better prepare student combat pilots for the demands of frontline aircrafts. NEW DELHI: In a probable setback to the Make in India initiative, the Indian Air force has declined the India-United Kingdom jointly developed upgraded advanced Hawk trainer jets. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in collaboration with the United Kingdoms BAE systems jointly developed a combat ready aircraft which will be launched in the upcoming 11th edition of Aero India to be held in Bengaluru from February 14. While the advanced dual version of the Hawk trainer jet will debut in next weeks air show, sources in the Indian Air force (IAF) claim that it has shown no interest in the combat variant of the aircraft. So far, we have no intensions to place any order for the upgraded version of Hawk trainers, said a senior IAF officer. IAF operates around 123 Hawk Mk.132 jets that provide Stage-III training before pilots progress to operational fighters like the Mirage 2000, Su-30MKI, MiG-29 or Jaguar. Indian air force and Indian navy are flying Hawk Mk 132 variants for training with over 100,000 flying hours. Besides the IAF, even the Navy has not yet worked out a plan to place an order for the upgraded combat ready variant of Hawk. If no orders are placed, it may be manufactured and exported to neighboring countries, according to a HAL source. The Advanced Hawk has been in the works for two years under a unique model with Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and BAE, as both entities signed a Memorandum of Understand (MoU) in 2015 during the Aero India show. Sources said that the advanced Hawk will reduce training demands on more expensive frontline aircrafts creating additional capacity for operational tasks. The Hawk jet will include air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, rockets and bombs to transform it into a combat platform. Sources in HAL and BAE systems revealed that advanced training comprises several latest features to give the aircraft additional agility, extra power and the ability to carry a range of conventional and precision weapons for an operational role. Stephen Timms, Managing Director - Defence Information, Training & Services said The Advanced Hawk is a testimonial of our commitment to sharing technology, capability and knowledge to build advanced systems in India, for India, and from India. Together with HAL, we are looking forward to show this industry-funded demonstrator to the Indian and other Air Forces and seeking their feedback on the combination of features that will better prepare student combat pilots for the demands of frontline aircrafts. By Express News Service BENGALURU: A week ahead of the air show in Bengaluru, Yelahanka police on Monday arrested a 24-year-old daily wage worker of the Indian Air Force (IAF) he trespassed a restricted zone and was found with call logs. Mamnoon, who hails from Uttar Pradesh and has been working as a welder in the IAF premises for the past few days had taken pictures of the prohibited tower area. Officials later recovered nine sim cards from him, and also noted that he had made several calls to Saudi Arabia. Later on Monday night, City Police Commissioner Praveen Sood said the man was released after interrogation as they found no terror links. An investigating officer said, "Mamnoon had come a few days ago to the air force base to build some temporary sheds for the air show. His background check was not done by the air force officials and he was staying at the shed in the same premises." Police said that an IAF officer, Subendu Mishra, had filed a case with Yelahanka police and alleged that on Sunday night Mamnoon was behaving suspiciously after entering the tower 9 premise which is a prohibited area, and was talking on the phone. After examining his call records and questioning him, security personnel learnt that he was speaking to a person from Saudi Arabia and found many photos of prohibited areas of the air force premises. He was later handed over to Yelahanka police. BENGALURU: A week ahead of the air show in Bengaluru, Yelahanka police on Monday arrested a 24-year-old daily wage worker of the Indian Air Force (IAF) he trespassed a restricted zone and was found with call logs. Mamnoon, who hails from Uttar Pradesh and has been working as a welder in the IAF premises for the past few days had taken pictures of the prohibited tower area. Officials later recovered nine sim cards from him, and also noted that he had made several calls to Saudi Arabia. Later on Monday night, City Police Commissioner Praveen Sood said the man was released after interrogation as they found no terror links. An investigating officer said, "Mamnoon had come a few days ago to the air force base to build some temporary sheds for the air show. His background check was not done by the air force officials and he was staying at the shed in the same premises." Police said that an IAF officer, Subendu Mishra, had filed a case with Yelahanka police and alleged that on Sunday night Mamnoon was behaving suspiciously after entering the tower 9 premise which is a prohibited area, and was talking on the phone. After examining his call records and questioning him, security personnel learnt that he was speaking to a person from Saudi Arabia and found many photos of prohibited areas of the air force premises. He was later handed over to Yelahanka police. By PTI MUMBAI: Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving "false" assurances, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray today said he was waiting for his rally to be held in the city ahead of the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. "I want to see Narendra Modi coming to Mumbai and campaign for BMC polls. I want to see Sena's win after his rally here," Thackeray said while addressing a rally for the February 21 Mumbai civic body polls here. "In spite of his (PM Modi's) assurances ahead of Bihar polls to release large amount of money for the development of the state, they (BJP) were wiped out... similar will be the case here (in Mumbai) after his false assurances (if he comes to campaign in city)," said Thackeray. Taking a jibe at BJP's transparency poll plank, Thackeray asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to explain to people how he occupied the Constitutional post when he did not have sufficient numbers post 2014 Maharashtra Assembly polls. Invoking Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's contribution to the city, he said his late father was the first one to fight for the cause of Mumbai and that the current generation is only continuing the battle. "All we demand from them (the Centre) is to give us 25 percent of the money we pay to the Centre as taxes. According to estimates, we have paid around Rs 2 lakh crore as taxes in the last fiscal year. If this money is given to us for 2-3 years, all of the state's debts will be cleared," he said. The Sena President further said that the BJP only indulges in bhoomipujans and Jal pujans for memorials of stalwarts but nothing happens to the project after elections. Thackeray said that during the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) polls held last year, Fadnavis had assured to allocate Rs 6,500 crore for its development but not a single rupee has been released as yet. "I have not seen the people of the country getting tired of the government (referring to the BJP government) so soon in the last 65 years," Thackeray said. MUMBAI: Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving "false" assurances, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray today said he was waiting for his rally to be held in the city ahead of the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. "I want to see Narendra Modi coming to Mumbai and campaign for BMC polls. I want to see Sena's win after his rally here," Thackeray said while addressing a rally for the February 21 Mumbai civic body polls here. "In spite of his (PM Modi's) assurances ahead of Bihar polls to release large amount of money for the development of the state, they (BJP) were wiped out... similar will be the case here (in Mumbai) after his false assurances (if he comes to campaign in city)," said Thackeray. Taking a jibe at BJP's transparency poll plank, Thackeray asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to explain to people how he occupied the Constitutional post when he did not have sufficient numbers post 2014 Maharashtra Assembly polls. Invoking Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's contribution to the city, he said his late father was the first one to fight for the cause of Mumbai and that the current generation is only continuing the battle. "All we demand from them (the Centre) is to give us 25 percent of the money we pay to the Centre as taxes. According to estimates, we have paid around Rs 2 lakh crore as taxes in the last fiscal year. If this money is given to us for 2-3 years, all of the state's debts will be cleared," he said. The Sena President further said that the BJP only indulges in bhoomipujans and Jal pujans for memorials of stalwarts but nothing happens to the project after elections. Thackeray said that during the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) polls held last year, Fadnavis had assured to allocate Rs 6,500 crore for its development but not a single rupee has been released as yet. "I have not seen the people of the country getting tired of the government (referring to the BJP government) so soon in the last 65 years," Thackeray said. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLOMBIA--(Marketwired - Feb 6, 2017) - Black Springs Capital Inc. (NEX:BSG.H) (the "Corporation" or "BSC") is pleased to provide the following update on its previously announced qualifying transaction (see press release dated December 9, 2016) whereby the Corporation will acquire all of the issued and outstanding securities (the "Geomines Shares") of Groupe Ressources Geomines Inc. ("Geomines") in exchange for the issuance of common shares to the shareholders of Geomines. The acquisition of the Geomines Shares will constitute the qualifying transaction of the Corporation (the "Qualifying Transaction") as such term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). The acquisition of the Geomines Shares will be effected through the amalgamation of the Corporation and Geomines under the Business Corporations Act (Quebec) ("QBCA"), pursuant to a binding amalgamation agreement dated January, 3 2017. Terms of Qualifying Transaction Under the terms of the Qualifying Transaction, the Corporation will amalgamate with Geomines to form amalco under the name Kintavar Exploration Inc. ("Kintavar") and the shareholders of Geomines will receive common shares in the capital of Kintavar (the "Kintavar Shares") in exchange for their Geomines Shares (the "Amalgamation"). The Qualifying Transaction is an arm's length transaction. No insiders of the Corporation own securities in Geomines and no insiders of Geomines own securities in the Corporation. Pro forma Capital Structure The Corporation currently has 8,250,000 common shares issued and outstanding, following the completion of its previously announced bridge financing (see press release dated December 9, 2016), completed on December 29, 2016 for gross proceeds of $110,250 through the issuance of 2,100,000 common shares of the Corporation at a price of $0.0525 per share, which are subject to a hold period ending April 30, 2017. In connection with the Qualifying Transaction such common shares will be exchanged on a two to one basis pursuant to the Amalgamation, resulting in 4,125,000 Kintavar Shares after the Amalgamation. Story continues Geomines currently has 17,168,885 common shares issued and outstanding, following the completion of a first tranche of the previously announced financing (see press release dated December 9, 2016), completed on December 30, 2016 for gross proceeds of $1,181,710 through the issuance of 2,002,500 units at a price of $0.14 per unit, each comprised of one (1) common share and one half of one (1/2) common share purchase warrants exercisable at a price of $0.18 until December 30, 2018, and 4,452,000 common shares on a flow-through basis at a price of $0.18 per share. Pursuant to an acquisition agreement dated December 8, 2016, Geomega Resources Inc. ("GeoMega") will receive 17,857,143 common shares of Geomines concurrently with the closing of the Qualifying Transaction. Therefore, pursuant to the Qualifying Transaction current Geomines shareholders and GeoMega, will be issued an aggregate of 35,025,929 Kintavar Shares. In connection with the completion of the Qualifying Transaction, Kintavar will complete the concurrent financing (the "Concurrent Financing") to raise a minimum of $500,000 and a maximum of $3,108,000, resulting in the issuance of a minimum of 3,571,429 (and maximum 8,700,000) units (the "Units") at a price of $0.14 per and a maximum 10,500,000 flow-through common shares (the "FT Shares") at a price of $0.18 per FT Share. Each Unit being comprised of one (1) Kintavar Share and one half of one (1/2) Kintavar Share purchase warrant exercisable at a price of $0.18 for a period of 24 months from its issuance. The proceeds from the Concurrent Financing will be used for general working capital purposes and exploration work. All securities issued in connection with the Concurrent Financing will be subject to a four month hold period. Following completion of the Amalgamation, (i) current shareholders of the Corporation will hold approximately 9.7% of the outstanding Kintavar Shares (or 7.1% assuming completion of the maximum Concurrent Financing), (ii) current Geomines shareholders and Geomega will hold approximately 82.0% of the outstanding Kintavar Shares (or 60.0% assuming completion of the maximum Concurrent Financing), (iii) investors in the Concurrent Financing will hold approximately 8.4% of the outstanding Kintavar Shares (or 32.9% assuming completion of the maximum Concurrent Financing), and (iv) Ressources Amixam Inc. (the only 10% or more shareholder of Geomines) will hold approximately 10.3% of the Kintavar Shares (or 7.5% assuming completion of the maximum Concurrent Financing). In accordance with Exchange policy, the Corporation's shares are currently halted from trading and will remain so until the completion of the Qualifying Transaction. Geomines Financial Information During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 and the interim period ended September 30, 2016, Geomines had respectively total assets of $853,386 and $798,553, total liabilities of $162,043 and $150,00, total equity of $691,343 and $648,553, expenses of $544,629 and $43,057, and a net loss of $538,772 and $42,8890. The foregoing financial information is unaudited. Financial information for Geomines will be provided in the filing statement of BSC to be prepared in connection with the Qualifying Transaction. BSC Shareholders Meeting On February 1, 2017, the Corporation held an annual and special meeting of its shareholders. In addition to the normal annual business, at such meeting shareholders approved (i) the proposed continuation of the Corporation from the Business Corporations Act (British Colombia) to the QBCA prior to completing the Amalgamation, (ii) Amalgamation and filings with applicable regulatory authorities, and (iii) the ratification of the Corporation's new stock option plan,. Upon completion of the Qualifying Transaction, Kintavar will be engaged in the business of Geomines. For a full description of Geomines and its business please see the Corporation's press release dated December 9, 2016. Management and Board of Directors of the Resulting Issuer Upon completion of the Qualifying Transaction, the resulting issuer's Board of Directors will consist of Kiril Mugerman, David Charles, Mark Billings and Maxime Lemieux. The following is biographical information on each of these individuals. Kiril Mugerman is the President and CEO of GeoMega Resources Inc. since September 2015. He is an up and coming junior mining executive who possesses both solid technical and financial experience. Prior to joining GeoMega, he worked at Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. ("IAS") as a mining specialist. He also worked on advanced stage exploration projects internationally with Gold Fields Ltd. in West Africa, central Asia and Latin America. At IAS, he served as a mining analyst in the industrial minerals sector focusing in the rare earth elements, graphite and potash sectors. He holds a bachelor degree with Honors (earth and planetary sciences) from McGill University. David Charles is a seasoned veteran with over 28 years of experience including managing director and head of mining research at Dundee Capital Markets and partner & senior mining analyst metals and mining with GMP Securities. Mr. Charles is Director of Odyssey Resources and President of Kilganor Inc. He holds a M.Sc (Applied) in Mineral Exploration from McGill University and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Mark Billings is the Chairman and CEO of Canamex Resources Corp. He recently served from 2007 to 2014 as a Director, Senior VP of Corporate Development and CFO of Argex Titanium Inc., a company he co-founded. Previously, Mr. Billings served as CFO for private and public Internet companies from 2000 to 2004. From 2004 to 2006, he was VP of Corporate Finance with Desjardins Securities Inc., where he led a number of public and private financings and took companies public on the Canadian exchanges. Mark also served as a director or officer with other junior resource companies in Canada. He has a Bachelor of Arts (Highest Honours) in Political Science from Carleton University, an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Mr. Lemieux, LL.B., LL.L. and MBA, is a lawyer in McMillan LLP's National Capital Markets and M&A Group, where his practice is focused on securities, corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions matters. Representing both issuers and investment dealers, Mr. Lemieux has experience in private and public debt and equity offerings. He has also acted as lead counsel in a number of private and public merger and acquisition transactions and corporate reorganization, as well as a variety of negotiated transactions, including reverse take-over, exempt take-over bids and proxy contests. He also sits on the board of several public companies. Background information regarding the officers, other than Mr. Mugerman, proposed President and CEO, is set forth below. Ingrid Martin - Proposed Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Martin has been providing financial reporting services for a number of public companies for several years. She is currently the CFO of GeoMega, Midland Exploration and Hinterland Resources. Previously, Ms. Martin also served as CFO of Melkior Resources, Strateco Resources, Stakeholder Gold and Maudore Minerals. She holds a B.Sc. in accounting from HEC. Alain Cayer - Proposed VP Exploration. Mr. Cayer has over 15 years of experience in mineral exploration on several advanced projects, most notably the Eleonor gold deposit. Mr. Cayer is currently the VP Exploration of GeoMega. Prior to joining GeoMegA, he was Senior Project Geologist at Virginia Mines, which he joined in 2002. In 2003, he was part of the team that discovered the Eleonore gold deposit in James Bay, which he worked on until it was sold to Goldcorp. In 2005, Mr. Cayer and the Virginia Mines team received the Prospectors and Developers association of Canada's Bill Denis award, which is awarded to the prospector of the year in Canada, for the Eleonore discovery. Mr. Cayer started his career at Soquem in 1998 where he was exploring for rare earth and base metal ore bodies in Quebec's Cote Nord region. He has a bachelor's degree in geology and a master's degree in mineral resources from Universite du Quebec a Montreal. Sponsorship of Qualifying Transaction Sponsorship of a qualifying transaction of a capital pool company is required by the Exchange unless exempt in accordance with Exchange policies. BSC has applied for an exemption from the sponsorship requirements. There is no assurance that BSC will ultimately obtain an exemption from sponsorship. Description of Significant Conditions to Closing Completion of the Qualifying Transaction is subject to a number of conditions including but not limited to, the completion of the Continuation, the closing of the minimum Concurrent Financing, and Exchange acceptance. There can be no assurance that the Qualifying Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Qualifying Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Qualifying Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative. The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. About Black Springs Capital Corp. Black Springs Capital Corp is a capital pool company. The Company is engaged in identification and evaluation of assets or business with a view of completing a qualifying transaction. Cautionary Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the proposal to complete the Qualifying Transaction and associated transactions, including statements regarding the terms and conditions of the Qualifying Transaction and associated transactions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, the risks that the parties will not proceed with the Qualifying Transaction and associated transactions, that the ultimate terms of the Qualifying Transaction and associated transactions will differ from those that currently are contemplated, and that the Qualifying Transaction and associated transactions will not be successfully completed for any reason (including the failure to obtain the required approvals or clearances from regulatory authorities). The statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Corporation, Geomines, or their respective financial or operating results or (as applicable), their securities. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Arpan Shah By The Silicon Valley area see more technology investment than the next seven global cities combined, capturing over 25 per cent of global venture capital investment. India has only two cities that have made it into the top 20, seeing just 2 per cent of the VC investment in the world. This article explores just a few of the higher-level insights that contribute to the success of the Valley. The Indian technology ecosystem has some unique advantages and these can be leveraged incredibly over the next decade. To realise this potential though, we must learn from the more mature markets of the world. Across the Valley, the ties between industry and academia are extremely strong. A little known fact about the origin of Silicon Valley is that it emerged largely due to this connection. Frederick Terman is regarded as the father of Silicon Valley due to his contribution whilst part of the faculty at Stanford to the formation of companies such as GE, HP and Lockheed. Emergence of companies like Google, VMWare and technologies such as Spark and Mesos are examples of the continuing tradition of technology companies coming from academia. India currently has a very low participation of research and academia involved directly in industry. This is concerning especially since even long term incumbents such as Flipkart continue to avoid drawing from academia. For a stable long-term growth of the technology sector, experienced professors, PhD students and postdocs who lend their expertise are needed. Fundamental technology is always more defensible. Once such people get involved in founding start-ups, they would find that fund raising is far easier for them. Venture Capital firms are always on the lookout for defensible companies, and technology that is patentable or verified by years of research meets this high bar. Understandably, a large number of Indian technology companies have sought to leverage the relatively cheaper labour in India to build a competitive advantage. Many start-ups that seek to emulate companies from the Valley have followed the more labour-heavy start-ups such as Uber and Foodpanda and emulate the service-driven model of older Indian companies such as Infosys. In most of these businesses, the core human contribution is largely replaceable; drivers, delivery folks and even software developers tend to be hired in abundance with each individual contributor responsible for relatively little. The objective of these companies seems to be to execute as quickly as possible to gain advantages in the market they are in. This goal is a noble one but the path is far from ideal. In scaling an organisation to such large numbers quickly, companies compromise on some issues vital for their long-term health. Hiring too quickly leads to a relaxation of standards to meet large quotas. The employees are not given significant responsibility leading to even senior employees often not being able to contribute in proportion to their time spent in the company. The culture of the company is the next to suffer. The culture is what enables organisations to survive the inevitable dips in morale and outlook for the firm. The culture is a product of the people. When hiring is done too quickly, it is impossible for a company to maintain a coherent culture. In contrast, in the Valley, a large segment of a companys focus is on growing the talent of existing employees and investing in their success so as to retain them. Companies scale very slowly initially, making sure that a very clear product market fit and company culture is established before substantial growth. Because the ask is so high of these initial employees, firms maintain a very high bar throughout the hiring process. Keeping the smartest people around leads to a cascading effect where more high-quality people are attracted to the company. Indeed, making this investment has often helped the engineers, product thinkers and executives in these places to become much better over time. Companies have, as a result, remained leaner, more effective and quicker to produce products compared to their Indian counterparts. Flipkart for example has 35,000 employees, around the same as Alibaba and more than 2.5 times the number of employees of Facebook but is valued at over 15 times less than either company. The alignment of employee incentives is essential in any industry where the core value is derived from the human capital. Indian companies tend to be cautious in giving equity or options to their employees; many large start-ups avoid doing so completely. Even the ones that do, only offer it to very senior employees. In Silicon Valley however, students right out of college are granted equity in even the largest companies such as Google and Facebook. This binding of interests leads to a much higher employee retention even as competitive pressures grow. Often Indian start-ups we have worked with complain of a high degree of churn in their employees. A start-ups success often depends on sheer willpower and determination of the team to execute the shared vision. Not aligning the teams interests financially to the success makes the task of creating a technology firm tougher than it already is. Attrition rates in India tend to be almost 30 per cent higher than the rate for start-ups in America. As a relatively nascent market with incredible potential, India will continue to grow and develop unique frameworks for success. As the number of internet users in India grows exponentially, new, innovative companies would come to serve these users with uniquely Indian products; there are many models we can borrow from the places that have passed through these stages already. Arpan Shah (A technology professional who has been in Silicon Valley for the last 7 years. email: arpanshah29@gmail.com) The Silicon Valley area see more technology investment than the next seven global cities combined, capturing over 25 per cent of global venture capital investment. India has only two cities that have made it into the top 20, seeing just 2 per cent of the VC investment in the world. This article explores just a few of the higher-level insights that contribute to the success of the Valley. The Indian technology ecosystem has some unique advantages and these can be leveraged incredibly over the next decade. To realise this potential though, we must learn from the more mature markets of the world. Across the Valley, the ties between industry and academia are extremely strong. A little known fact about the origin of Silicon Valley is that it emerged largely due to this connection. Frederick Terman is regarded as the father of Silicon Valley due to his contribution whilst part of the faculty at Stanford to the formation of companies such as GE, HP and Lockheed. Emergence of companies like Google, VMWare and technologies such as Spark and Mesos are examples of the continuing tradition of technology companies coming from academia. India currently has a very low participation of research and academia involved directly in industry. This is concerning especially since even long term incumbents such as Flipkart continue to avoid drawing from academia. For a stable long-term growth of the technology sector, experienced professors, PhD students and postdocs who lend their expertise are needed. Fundamental technology is always more defensible. Once such people get involved in founding start-ups, they would find that fund raising is far easier for them. Venture Capital firms are always on the lookout for defensible companies, and technology that is patentable or verified by years of research meets this high bar. Understandably, a large number of Indian technology companies have sought to leverage the relatively cheaper labour in India to build a competitive advantage. Many start-ups that seek to emulate companies from the Valley have followed the more labour-heavy start-ups such as Uber and Foodpanda and emulate the service-driven model of older Indian companies such as Infosys. In most of these businesses, the core human contribution is largely replaceable; drivers, delivery folks and even software developers tend to be hired in abundance with each individual contributor responsible for relatively little. The objective of these companies seems to be to execute as quickly as possible to gain advantages in the market they are in. This goal is a noble one but the path is far from ideal. In scaling an organisation to such large numbers quickly, companies compromise on some issues vital for their long-term health. Hiring too quickly leads to a relaxation of standards to meet large quotas. The employees are not given significant responsibility leading to even senior employees often not being able to contribute in proportion to their time spent in the company. The culture of the company is the next to suffer. The culture is what enables organisations to survive the inevitable dips in morale and outlook for the firm. The culture is a product of the people. When hiring is done too quickly, it is impossible for a company to maintain a coherent culture. In contrast, in the Valley, a large segment of a companys focus is on growing the talent of existing employees and investing in their success so as to retain them. Companies scale very slowly initially, making sure that a very clear product market fit and company culture is established before substantial growth. Because the ask is so high of these initial employees, firms maintain a very high bar throughout the hiring process. Keeping the smartest people around leads to a cascading effect where more high-quality people are attracted to the company. Indeed, making this investment has often helped the engineers, product thinkers and executives in these places to become much better over time. Companies have, as a result, remained leaner, more effective and quicker to produce products compared to their Indian counterparts. Flipkart for example has 35,000 employees, around the same as Alibaba and more than 2.5 times the number of employees of Facebook but is valued at over 15 times less than either company. The alignment of employee incentives is essential in any industry where the core value is derived from the human capital. Indian companies tend to be cautious in giving equity or options to their employees; many large start-ups avoid doing so completely. Even the ones that do, only offer it to very senior employees. In Silicon Valley however, students right out of college are granted equity in even the largest companies such as Google and Facebook. This binding of interests leads to a much higher employee retention even as competitive pressures grow. Often Indian start-ups we have worked with complain of a high degree of churn in their employees. A start-ups success often depends on sheer willpower and determination of the team to execute the shared vision. Not aligning the teams interests financially to the success makes the task of creating a technology firm tougher than it already is. Attrition rates in India tend to be almost 30 per cent higher than the rate for start-ups in America. As a relatively nascent market with incredible potential, India will continue to grow and develop unique frameworks for success. As the number of internet users in India grows exponentially, new, innovative companies would come to serve these users with uniquely Indian products; there are many models we can borrow from the places that have passed through these stages already. Arpan Shah(A technology professional who has been in Silicon Valley for the last 7 years. email: arpanshah29@gmail.com) Kiran Prakash M S By S M Krishna is 84, but not too old to be in politics in India. And then no one is. Keralas V S Achuthanandan and Tamil Nadus M Karunanidhi, both in their 90s, still contest and win elections. But theres a difference. Karunanidhi and Achuthanandan are still valued in their parties and relevant in respective State politics. Krishna had almost disappeared from public memory, till he made his presence felt recently with a surprise exit from the Congress, a party which has been his identity for 46 years in a political career spanning 55 years. So, what made Krishna leave the Congress? The veteran said he was sidelined due to his age and the party had no regard for senior leaders. Strangely, this realisation came more than two years after the Congress brought down curtains on his active politics days by denying him a Rajya Sabha seat, and four years after he was made to quit the Union Cabinet. To be fair to the Congress, while the party cashed in on his modern, development-friendly image to win votes in Karnataka, it has also been generous with rewards. Krishna has served in almost all imaginable capacities for a politician. He has been an MLA, MP, deputy chief minister, chief minister, Assembly speaker, governor, Union minister and president of the Congress in Karnataka. Yes, it did dump him finally, but only long after he ceased to be the force he was. Krishna, who studied in the US as a Fulbright scholar, started his political career as a socialist in the early 1960s. He joined the Congress later and was considered close to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. In 1999, he led the party to an impressive election victory and became CM. It was during his tenure that Bengalurus IT credentials assumed global proportions, and he was rightly given the credit. His pro-development agenda and tech-savvy image made him a darling of urban Karnataka. But the Assembly elections five years down the line changed all that. The Congress finished second in a hung verdict and was forced to share power with the JD(S). Krishna made way for Dharam Singh as part of a deal dictated by JD(S) boss Deve Gowda. It was Krishnas image that worked against him. A few months later, the Manmohan government sent him to Maharashtra as governor, considered a retirement job in Indian politics. It was an early indication that the Congress no longer found him useful in Karnataka. He was uncomfortable in the plush Mumbai Raj Bhavan and was allowed to quit in 2008. In 2009, he was accommodated in the Central Cabinet. But as external affairs minister, he was less than impressive. He was asked to quit and sent back to Karnataka politics in 2012 to work for the party and help it win the next Assembly elections. Win it did, but it was a Siddaramaiah show all the way. On his return, Krishna found himself not in sync with the local Congress unit. Siddaramaiah was now the most prominent face, and Krishnas one-time loyalists like D K Shivakumar, Ramalinga Reddy and G Parameshwara had become leaders in their own right. Isolated within the party, Krishnas humiliation was complete when the party nominated a relatively young Rajeev Gowda to the Rajya Sabha in his place in 2014. What next? A politician never retires he just fades away, Krishna said while announcing his exit from the Congress. The BJP wants him, but wont be looking for electoral gains through him. Krishna was not known to be a mass leader, and his sphere of influence has shrunk considerably. He is a Vokkaliga, but was never a rallying point for the community thats a dominating force in Karnataka politics. That space is occupied by H D Deve Gowda. And the elitist Krishna, who has always carefully protected his cultivated urbane image, holds little appeal among farmers, though he hails from the agrarian Mandya-Mysore region. The BJP could, at best, use him to embarrass the Congress. It has already netted Srinivasa Prasad, another disgruntled leader from the Congress, and Krishnas entry could help showcase the Congress as a party where loyalty counts for nothing. But what will Krishna gain in the BJP? Though theres talk of him being an aspirant for the post of either the vice president or president, both of which will fall vacant mid-2017, the quid pro quo is likely to be much less glamorous. Whether he stays in the Congress or joins the BJP, Krishna will have a limited role to play when the parties square off again in the next Assembly elections in 2018. Krishna has earned a place in Karnatakas political history. His last gamble could end up denting his legacy. In the Mahabharata of Karnataka politics, this ageing Krishna has little power to influence events. KIRAN PRAKASH M S Deputy Resident Editor, Karnataka Email: kiranprakash@newindianexpress.com S M Krishna is 84, but not too old to be in politics in India. And then no one is. Keralas V S Achuthanandan and Tamil Nadus M Karunanidhi, both in their 90s, still contest and win elections. But theres a difference. Karunanidhi and Achuthanandan are still valued in their parties and relevant in respective State politics. Krishna had almost disappeared from public memory, till he made his presence felt recently with a surprise exit from the Congress, a party which has been his identity for 46 years in a political career spanning 55 years. So, what made Krishna leave the Congress? The veteran said he was sidelined due to his age and the party had no regard for senior leaders. Strangely, this realisation came more than two years after the Congress brought down curtains on his active politics days by denying him a Rajya Sabha seat, and four years after he was made to quit the Union Cabinet. To be fair to the Congress, while the party cashed in on his modern, development-friendly image to win votes in Karnataka, it has also been generous with rewards. Krishna has served in almost all imaginable capacities for a politician. He has been an MLA, MP, deputy chief minister, chief minister, Assembly speaker, governor, Union minister and president of the Congress in Karnataka. Yes, it did dump him finally, but only long after he ceased to be the force he was. Krishna, who studied in the US as a Fulbright scholar, started his political career as a socialist in the early 1960s. He joined the Congress later and was considered close to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. In 1999, he led the party to an impressive election victory and became CM. It was during his tenure that Bengalurus IT credentials assumed global proportions, and he was rightly given the credit. His pro-development agenda and tech-savvy image made him a darling of urban Karnataka. But the Assembly elections five years down the line changed all that. The Congress finished second in a hung verdict and was forced to share power with the JD(S). Krishna made way for Dharam Singh as part of a deal dictated by JD(S) boss Deve Gowda. It was Krishnas image that worked against him. A few months later, the Manmohan government sent him to Maharashtra as governor, considered a retirement job in Indian politics. It was an early indication that the Congress no longer found him useful in Karnataka. He was uncomfortable in the plush Mumbai Raj Bhavan and was allowed to quit in 2008. In 2009, he was accommodated in the Central Cabinet. But as external affairs minister, he was less than impressive. He was asked to quit and sent back to Karnataka politics in 2012 to work for the party and help it win the next Assembly elections. Win it did, but it was a Siddaramaiah show all the way. On his return, Krishna found himself not in sync with the local Congress unit. Siddaramaiah was now the most prominent face, and Krishnas one-time loyalists like D K Shivakumar, Ramalinga Reddy and G Parameshwara had become leaders in their own right. Isolated within the party, Krishnas humiliation was complete when the party nominated a relatively young Rajeev Gowda to the Rajya Sabha in his place in 2014. What next? A politician never retires he just fades away, Krishna said while announcing his exit from the Congress. The BJP wants him, but wont be looking for electoral gains through him. Krishna was not known to be a mass leader, and his sphere of influence has shrunk considerably. He is a Vokkaliga, but was never a rallying point for the community thats a dominating force in Karnataka politics. That space is occupied by H D Deve Gowda. And the elitist Krishna, who has always carefully protected his cultivated urbane image, holds little appeal among farmers, though he hails from the agrarian Mandya-Mysore region. The BJP could, at best, use him to embarrass the Congress. It has already netted Srinivasa Prasad, another disgruntled leader from the Congress, and Krishnas entry could help showcase the Congress as a party where loyalty counts for nothing. But what will Krishna gain in the BJP? Though theres talk of him being an aspirant for the post of either the vice president or president, both of which will fall vacant mid-2017, the quid pro quo is likely to be much less glamorous. Whether he stays in the Congress or joins the BJP, Krishna will have a limited role to play when the parties square off again in the next Assembly elections in 2018. Krishna has earned a place in Karnatakas political history. His last gamble could end up denting his legacy. In the Mahabharata of Karnataka politics, this ageing Krishna has little power to influence events. KIRAN PRAKASH M SDeputy Resident Editor, Karnataka Email: kiranprakash@newindianexpress.com In 1944, a Nazi commandant raided the village of Izieu and sent 44 Jewish kids hidden at an orphanage there to Auschwitz. Was the person in the dock at a French court 39 years later the same man? This Barbie aint no doll Klaus Barbie joined the Nazi SS in 1935 and was later held responsible for the torture or death of nearly 25,000 people. He fled France after World War II and escaped the justice delivered to his comrades at Nuremberg. The Americans shielded Barbie at the end of the war in return for information about the Soviets. He was able to flee to South America with temporary travel documents provided by the CIA, according to the BBC Caught at last in La Paz In the 1970s, he was discovered living in the Bolivian capital La Paz by French Nazi hunter Beate Klarsfeld. But it took a decade to extradite Barbie from Bolivia and he finally arrived in France to stand trial on February 6, 1983 Unrepentant till the end Leon Reifmann was the only one at Izieu who escaped the raid. Confronted with Barbie at the trial, he said the resemblance was striking, The Guardian reported. Barbie remained a proud Nazi and said, When I stand before the throne of God, I shall be judged innocent. He was given a life sentence after being found guilty of 341 crimes against humanity He (Klaus Barbie) was caressing a cat. And me,a kid 13 years old, I could not imagine that he could be evil because he loved animals ... I was tortured by him for eight days In 1944, a Nazi commandant raided the village of Izieu and sent 44 Jewish kids hidden at an orphanage there to Auschwitz. Was the person in the dock at a French court 39 years later the same man? This Barbie aint no doll Klaus Barbie joined the Nazi SS in 1935 and was later held responsible for the torture or death of nearly 25,000 people. He fled France after World War II and escaped the justice delivered to his comrades at Nuremberg. The Americans shielded Barbie at the end of the war in return for information about the Soviets. He was able to flee to South America with temporary travel documents provided by the CIA, according to the BBC Caught at last in La Paz In the 1970s, he was discovered living in the Bolivian capital La Paz by French Nazi hunter Beate Klarsfeld. But it took a decade to extradite Barbie from Bolivia and he finally arrived in France to stand trial on February 6, 1983 Unrepentant till the end Leon Reifmann was the only one at Izieu who escaped the raid. Confronted with Barbie at the trial, he said the resemblance was striking, The Guardian reported. Barbie remained a proud Nazi and said, When I stand before the throne of God, I shall be judged innocent. He was given a life sentence after being found guilty of 341 crimes against humanity He (Klaus Barbie) was caressing a cat. And me,a kid 13 years old, I could not imagine that he could be evil because he loved animals ... I was tortured by him for eight days By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday minced no words in airing his opinion on US President Donald Trump. Citing the unconventional US President as an example, he said placing power in the hands of people like Trump was like handing a stone to a mad man. Addressing a conference of mandal education officers, headmasters and principals at the Loyola College Grounds here, the Chief Minister, in between his lengthy speech elaborating on what his government was doing for the state and its people, veered to the topic of elections, albeit indirectly. With elections for MLC teacher and MLC graduate constituencies ahead, Naidu reminded the teachers that they had two votes and sought their cooperation. He said though he had strived for the development of the State in 2004, he lost as teachers turned against him. Now, I am trying to take teachers along with every development activity in the State, he added. Without naming Leader of the Opposition YS Jaganmohan Reddy, the Chief Minister likened him to Donald Trump and said the US President was showing the world how power could be misused if placed in the hands of the wrong man. Though he blamed Trump, he praised practical education like in USA, saying it will help students acquire job-oriented skills. The Chief Minister also explained his governments accomplishments and the priority being given to the education sector. He further clarified that he had agreed to the special package in lieu of special status, keeping in mind the development of the State. He reminded the teachers about his government's decision to increase their retirement age to 60 years, and said steps were being taken to fill up vacant MEO posts at the earliest. He also said his government had resolved the issue of municipal teachers, which had been pending for 30 years. The meeting was also attended by higher officials of the education department, ministers Ganta Srinivasa Rao, P Narayana, Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, Ravela Kishore Babu, MLCs and MLAs among others. VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday minced no words in airing his opinion on US President Donald Trump. Citing the unconventional US President as an example, he said placing power in the hands of people like Trump was like handing a stone to a mad man. Addressing a conference of mandal education officers, headmasters and principals at the Loyola College Grounds here, the Chief Minister, in between his lengthy speech elaborating on what his government was doing for the state and its people, veered to the topic of elections, albeit indirectly. With elections for MLC teacher and MLC graduate constituencies ahead, Naidu reminded the teachers that they had two votes and sought their cooperation. He said though he had strived for the development of the State in 2004, he lost as teachers turned against him. Now, I am trying to take teachers along with every development activity in the State, he added. Without naming Leader of the Opposition YS Jaganmohan Reddy, the Chief Minister likened him to Donald Trump and said the US President was showing the world how power could be misused if placed in the hands of the wrong man. Though he blamed Trump, he praised practical education like in USA, saying it will help students acquire job-oriented skills. The Chief Minister also explained his governments accomplishments and the priority being given to the education sector. He further clarified that he had agreed to the special package in lieu of special status, keeping in mind the development of the State. He reminded the teachers about his government's decision to increase their retirement age to 60 years, and said steps were being taken to fill up vacant MEO posts at the earliest. He also said his government had resolved the issue of municipal teachers, which had been pending for 30 years. The meeting was also attended by higher officials of the education department, ministers Ganta Srinivasa Rao, P Narayana, Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, Ravela Kishore Babu, MLCs and MLAs among others. By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Sunday placed under suspension an Assistant Commandant of the Odisha State Armed Police (OSAP) for dereliction of duty in connection with the Sunki landmine blast. Special Secretary of Home Department Lalit Das informed that Gopabandhu Tripathy, Assistant Commandant with the 4th SS Battalion, Malkangiri, headquartered at Koraput, has been suspended over the incident in which eight security personnel were killed on February 1. Though the exact reason behind the suspension was yet to be ascertained, sources said, Tripathy was apparently responsible for arranging conveyance of the unit that was headed to Angul from Koraput for training purposes. Instead of travelling by a private vehicle, which goes unmarked, the 13 security personnel were given a police van. The injured five are receiving treatment at Seven Hills Hospital in Visakhapatnam. The State Police Headquarters on Sunday announced that the injured would get `10 lakh from the Central Police Welfare Fund towards treatment. The `10 lakh would not be an assistance but a loan which has to be repaid in easy interest-free instalments. The Central Police Welfare Fund is a fund pool to which every police personnel from DGP to the constable levels contribute. The contribution is made annually by way of one-day salary which is paid in two instalments. The Fund is managed by a Central Welfare Fund Committee of which ADG (Headquarters) Satyajit Mohanty is the convener. The Sunki landmine blast is currently being investigated by the Crime Branch's Left Wing Extremist Section. BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Sunday placed under suspension an Assistant Commandant of the Odisha State Armed Police (OSAP) for dereliction of duty in connection with the Sunki landmine blast. Special Secretary of Home Department Lalit Das informed that Gopabandhu Tripathy, Assistant Commandant with the 4th SS Battalion, Malkangiri, headquartered at Koraput, has been suspended over the incident in which eight security personnel were killed on February 1. Though the exact reason behind the suspension was yet to be ascertained, sources said, Tripathy was apparently responsible for arranging conveyance of the unit that was headed to Angul from Koraput for training purposes. Instead of travelling by a private vehicle, which goes unmarked, the 13 security personnel were given a police van. The injured five are receiving treatment at Seven Hills Hospital in Visakhapatnam. The State Police Headquarters on Sunday announced that the injured would get `10 lakh from the Central Police Welfare Fund towards treatment. The `10 lakh would not be an assistance but a loan which has to be repaid in easy interest-free instalments. The Central Police Welfare Fund is a fund pool to which every police personnel from DGP to the constable levels contribute. The contribution is made annually by way of one-day salary which is paid in two instalments. The Fund is managed by a Central Welfare Fund Committee of which ADG (Headquarters) Satyajit Mohanty is the convener. The Sunki landmine blast is currently being investigated by the Crime Branch's Left Wing Extremist Section. By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: The CBI on Sunday took chit fund scamster Mir Shahiruddin on a six-day custodial remand. Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of Green Ray International Limited, Shahiruddin, who was on the run ever since his name figured in the multi-crore chit fund scam, was arrested from Kolkata on Friday. The CBI had moved the court of Special Chief Judicial Magistrate (CBI) seeking 10-day remand for the ponzi firm CMD. The national probing agency was, however, granted six-day remand. The Green Ray Group had allegedly duped more than `600 crore from over 1.5 lakh depositors in the State. As per reports, the tainted ponzi firm operative was caught by the investigative sleuths from Rajarhat after he landed in Kolkata from Nigeria. In October 2014, Chhattisgarh police had arrested Ayub Shah, another director of the firm from Ajmer. About 13 different cases have been registered against the MD and other directors of the ponzi firm. BHUBANESWAR: The CBI on Sunday took chit fund scamster Mir Shahiruddin on a six-day custodial remand. Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of Green Ray International Limited, Shahiruddin, who was on the run ever since his name figured in the multi-crore chit fund scam, was arrested from Kolkata on Friday. The CBI had moved the court of Special Chief Judicial Magistrate (CBI) seeking 10-day remand for the ponzi firm CMD. The national probing agency was, however, granted six-day remand. The Green Ray Group had allegedly duped more than `600 crore from over 1.5 lakh depositors in the State. As per reports, the tainted ponzi firm operative was caught by the investigative sleuths from Rajarhat after he landed in Kolkata from Nigeria. In October 2014, Chhattisgarh police had arrested Ayub Shah, another director of the firm from Ajmer. About 13 different cases have been registered against the MD and other directors of the ponzi firm. By Express News Service DHENKANAL: Violence erupted on Sunday in Tarabha village of Dhenkanal district where a BJP supporter was allegedly shot dead by a group of BJD workers over a panchayat election-related dispute on Saturday. Even as tension prevailed in the village amid heavy deployment of police force, the BJP has called dawn-to-dusk Dhenkanal bandh on Monday. A group of BJD supporters led by one Byomkesh Biswal opened fire at Salman Rout in the presence of Sadar block vice-chairman on Saturday evening. Salman was rushed to district headquarters hospital where he was declared brought dead. Following the incident, hundreds of people along with BJP activists staged a demonstration with the body on Dhenkanal-Angul road demanding arrest of the accused. Sources said Byomkesh is a police personnel. The road blockade was lifted after District Collector Rupa Roshan Sahu and SP Basant Kumar Panigrahi promised action against the accused. The body was sent to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack for post-mortem. Before the body came to Salmans house in the evening, the agitated villagers ransacked the house of Byomkesh before setting it on fire. However, police managed to rescue family members of the accused from the villagers. Four platoons of police were deployed in the village to prevent futher escalation of violence. Though Section 144 was clamped in the village, hundreds of villagers took the body of Salman in a procession to cremation ground amid chanting of slogans like Salman amar rahe. Former Rajya Sabha member Rudra Narayan Pany, State BJP leaders Sajjan Sharma and Samir Mohanty visited the village and consoled family members of the deceased. Additional District Magistrate Jyotiranjan Pradhan, SP, Sub-Collector Abanikant Patnaik, Additional Tehsildar Saroj Panda and other officials were camping at the village to pacify the agitated people. District Collector Sahoo and SP Panigrahi are monitoring the situation. Panigrahi said Byomkesh has been arrested while two others are detained for questioning. Further investigation is on, he said adding that more arrests are likely to be made in the case. Meanwhile, the BJP has called dawn-to-dusk Dhenkanal bandh on Monday. BJP district president Bibhuti Bhusan Pradhan, former MLA Krushna Chandra Patra and Pany told media persons that BJD supporters on the instigation of Sadar block vice-chairman had murdered Salman over election issue. The BJP leaders have demanded Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the victims family and arrest of all the accused. DHENKANAL: Violence erupted on Sunday in Tarabha village of Dhenkanal district where a BJP supporter was allegedly shot dead by a group of BJD workers over a panchayat election-related dispute on Saturday. Even as tension prevailed in the village amid heavy deployment of police force, the BJP has called dawn-to-dusk Dhenkanal bandh on Monday. A group of BJD supporters led by one Byomkesh Biswal opened fire at Salman Rout in the presence of Sadar block vice-chairman on Saturday evening. Salman was rushed to district headquarters hospital where he was declared brought dead. Following the incident, hundreds of people along with BJP activists staged a demonstration with the body on Dhenkanal-Angul road demanding arrest of the accused. Sources said Byomkesh is a police personnel. The road blockade was lifted after District Collector Rupa Roshan Sahu and SP Basant Kumar Panigrahi promised action against the accused. The body was sent to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack for post-mortem. Before the body came to Salmans house in the evening, the agitated villagers ransacked the house of Byomkesh before setting it on fire. However, police managed to rescue family members of the accused from the villagers. Four platoons of police were deployed in the village to prevent futher escalation of violence. Though Section 144 was clamped in the village, hundreds of villagers took the body of Salman in a procession to cremation ground amid chanting of slogans like Salman amar rahe. Former Rajya Sabha member Rudra Narayan Pany, State BJP leaders Sajjan Sharma and Samir Mohanty visited the village and consoled family members of the deceased. Additional District Magistrate Jyotiranjan Pradhan, SP, Sub-Collector Abanikant Patnaik, Additional Tehsildar Saroj Panda and other officials were camping at the village to pacify the agitated people. District Collector Sahoo and SP Panigrahi are monitoring the situation. Panigrahi said Byomkesh has been arrested while two others are detained for questioning. Further investigation is on, he said adding that more arrests are likely to be made in the case. Meanwhile, the BJP has called dawn-to-dusk Dhenkanal bandh on Monday. BJP district president Bibhuti Bhusan Pradhan, former MLA Krushna Chandra Patra and Pany told media persons that BJD supporters on the instigation of Sadar block vice-chairman had murdered Salman over election issue. The BJP leaders have demanded Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the victims family and arrest of all the accused. Prabhakar T By Express News Service COIMBATORE: The very word predator sounds scary. But nothing could be more appropriate to describe the situation faced by some helpless tribal girl students who manage to overcome predators in the wild, only to be victims of a predator at school in the form of a male school teacher, who sexually abused them at school. Overcoming hurdles like crossing lakes and ponds in boats, and evading threat of attack by wild animals like elephants, tigers and panthers, tribal girls from various settlements near Karamadai on the outskirts of the city, reach the nearest Government High School at Barali Power House, to pursue their education. But, the human predator at school is someone whom the students couldnt escape. They had only one option to safeguard themselves, which is drop out of school. The incident came to light only when a senior staff associated with the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) visited the school for an inspection, around two months back. During inspection, they found that more number of girls from various settlements had dropped out. To ascertain the reason, we met the parents and the students. They revealed that a science teacher from the school, R Ravichandran, who is at the verge of retirement, misbehaved with these girls. We had filed a report in this regard, and action is yet to be initiated by top officials in the school education department, a SSA staff told Express. Now, there are about 47 students studying between Class-VI to Class-X in the school, located in the hills of the Western Ghats. Students from villages around Pillur Dam, Varakkad, Jabaikadu, Nellithurai and nearby tribal settlements, are studying here. As most of these settlements are in the hills and inside reserve forests, students have to cross dangerous situations, including crossing a river in Vellikadu by sailing in a coracle on their own, and carefully cross the jungles, keeping themselves safe from elephants, tigers and panthers, a teacher said. Both teachers and students orally lodged a complaint to the Coimbatore District Educational Officer (DEO) K Thenmozhi, and on February 2, the teachers had filed a written complaint on the issue. When contacted, Coimbatore DEO K Thenmozhi, said, We received a complaint in this regard and an inquiry was initiated and after completion of inquiry, action will be taken. COIMBATORE: The very word predator sounds scary. But nothing could be more appropriate to describe the situation faced by some helpless tribal girl students who manage to overcome predators in the wild, only to be victims of a predator at school in the form of a male school teacher, who sexually abused them at school. Overcoming hurdles like crossing lakes and ponds in boats, and evading threat of attack by wild animals like elephants, tigers and panthers, tribal girls from various settlements near Karamadai on the outskirts of the city, reach the nearest Government High School at Barali Power House, to pursue their education. But, the human predator at school is someone whom the students couldnt escape. They had only one option to safeguard themselves, which is drop out of school. The incident came to light only when a senior staff associated with the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) visited the school for an inspection, around two months back. During inspection, they found that more number of girls from various settlements had dropped out. To ascertain the reason, we met the parents and the students. They revealed that a science teacher from the school, R Ravichandran, who is at the verge of retirement, misbehaved with these girls. We had filed a report in this regard, and action is yet to be initiated by top officials in the school education department, a SSA staff told Express. Now, there are about 47 students studying between Class-VI to Class-X in the school, located in the hills of the Western Ghats. Students from villages around Pillur Dam, Varakkad, Jabaikadu, Nellithurai and nearby tribal settlements, are studying here. As most of these settlements are in the hills and inside reserve forests, students have to cross dangerous situations, including crossing a river in Vellikadu by sailing in a coracle on their own, and carefully cross the jungles, keeping themselves safe from elephants, tigers and panthers, a teacher said. Both teachers and students orally lodged a complaint to the Coimbatore District Educational Officer (DEO) K Thenmozhi, and on February 2, the teachers had filed a written complaint on the issue. When contacted, Coimbatore DEO K Thenmozhi, said, We received a complaint in this regard and an inquiry was initiated and after completion of inquiry, action will be taken. Kaushik Kannan By Express News Service MADURAI: Avaniyapuram, Madurais one of the three famous venues for jallikattu, hosted the pastoral sport after a gap of two years on Sunday. With hundreds of bulls and players coming face to face for a game that tests their agility, the sporting arena bounced back bringing its past glory to the present. As is the ritual, at about 7.30 am, four temple bulls were taken on a procession and brought through the vaadivasal after poojas were performed at the local temple. The players waiting with all enthusiasm to play the sport touched the temple bulls in all reverence and offered prayers. Of the 1,257 players registered for the event, 717 turned up to undergo medical examination. As regards bulls, 919 were registered of which 626 showed up. As many as 52 bulls were rejected on medical grounds. For the first time ever, Collector K Veera Raghava Rao administered oath to the players who vowed to play the sport safe without harming themselves and the bulls. Then, State revenue minister R B Udayakumar flagged off the event in the presence of Commissioner of Police Shailesh Kumar Yadav and Corporation Commissioner Sandeep Nanduri at 8 am. With the massive agitations held across State recently to lift the ban on jallikattu triggering the interest in common public to watch the sport, a large number of people from across the state gathered in Avaniyapuram amid tight police security. As players, clad in uniform with registration number imprinted on the back of their yellow tee, rolled up their sleeves to embrace the hump of the first bull let through the vaadivasal, the crowd welcomed it with loud cheers. To give opportunity for all eligible players, they were let into the arena in batches. Every single batch comprising 150 men was given a duration of one and a half hours to stay in the field. Among the many bulls, a large white bull was the cynosure of all eyes. It stayed on the ground for nearly 10 minutes as if asking the players to dare to touch it. The sport drew to a close at 4 pm, even as several bulls were waiting to enter vaadivasal. Official sources put the number of people hurt at 74 of which 18 were grievously injured and are undergoing treatment at Government Rajaji Hospital and a private hospital. The condition of three men is said to be critical. One bull sustained minor injuries when it dashed against another while being released through the vaadivasal. MADURAI: Avaniyapuram, Madurais one of the three famous venues for jallikattu, hosted the pastoral sport after a gap of two years on Sunday. With hundreds of bulls and players coming face to face for a game that tests their agility, the sporting arena bounced back bringing its past glory to the present. As is the ritual, at about 7.30 am, four temple bulls were taken on a procession and brought through the vaadivasal after poojas were performed at the local temple. The players waiting with all enthusiasm to play the sport touched the temple bulls in all reverence and offered prayers. Of the 1,257 players registered for the event, 717 turned up to undergo medical examination. As regards bulls, 919 were registered of which 626 showed up. As many as 52 bulls were rejected on medical grounds. For the first time ever, Collector K Veera Raghava Rao administered oath to the players who vowed to play the sport safe without harming themselves and the bulls. Then, State revenue minister R B Udayakumar flagged off the event in the presence of Commissioner of Police Shailesh Kumar Yadav and Corporation Commissioner Sandeep Nanduri at 8 am. With the massive agitations held across State recently to lift the ban on jallikattu triggering the interest in common public to watch the sport, a large number of people from across the state gathered in Avaniyapuram amid tight police security. As players, clad in uniform with registration number imprinted on the back of their yellow tee, rolled up their sleeves to embrace the hump of the first bull let through the vaadivasal, the crowd welcomed it with loud cheers. To give opportunity for all eligible players, they were let into the arena in batches. Every single batch comprising 150 men was given a duration of one and a half hours to stay in the field. Among the many bulls, a large white bull was the cynosure of all eyes. It stayed on the ground for nearly 10 minutes as if asking the players to dare to touch it. The sport drew to a close at 4 pm, even as several bulls were waiting to enter vaadivasal. Official sources put the number of people hurt at 74 of which 18 were grievously injured and are undergoing treatment at Government Rajaji Hospital and a private hospital. The condition of three men is said to be critical. One bull sustained minor injuries when it dashed against another while being released through the vaadivasal. T Jayendra Chaithanya By Express News Service HYDERABAD: In a major blow to India's premier security agencies, nine persons -- eight from Tamil Nadu and one from Telangana -- are believed to have joined the Islamic State in 2016. The National Investigation Agency booked a fresh case to probe the matter on January 26, 2017. The NIA learnt about the module of nine that was based in Chennai from central security agency inputs. The central agencies had interrogated three persons deported from Abu Dhabi for recruiting Indian youngsters for ISIS. According to the NIA's FIR registered this Republic Day in Delhi and then Chennai, in January 2016, the agency took custody of Sheikh Azhar Al Islam Abdul Sattar Sheikh, Mohammed Farhan Mohammed Rafiq Shaikh and Adnan Hussain Mohammed Hussain, who were working in Abu Dhabi on behalf of ISIS "to identify, motivate, radicalise, recruit and train Indian citizens located both in India and other countries for planning and executing terrorist attacks in India and in other friendly countries". The agency's probe had recently revealed that the Chennai-based module of nine persons, including one from Telangana and eight from Tamil Nadu, all reportedly under the age of 30 had managed to join IS in Syria. It has been revealed that a group of nine persons - eight hailing from Tamil Nadu and one from Telangana -- and some other unknown persons, with the intention to further the activities of Daesh/ISIS, hatched a criminal conspiracy in Chennai and other parts of the country by forming a terrorist gang which raised and received funds, organized training camps, recruited and trained some persons, and facilitated their travel to Syria, to join ISIS, said the NIA. The NIA has registered a fresh case (Suo moto) following the directions of Ministry of Home Affairs under sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC, sections 17 (Punishment for raising funds for terrorist acts), 18 (punishment for conspiracy), 18 B (punishment for recruiting for terrorist act), 20 (for being member of terrorist gang), 38 (for associating with the terrorist gang), 39 (supporting terrorist organisation) and 40 (raising funds) of the UA (P) Act (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967). HYDERABAD: In a major blow to India's premier security agencies, nine persons -- eight from Tamil Nadu and one from Telangana -- are believed to have joined the Islamic State in 2016. The National Investigation Agency booked a fresh case to probe the matter on January 26, 2017. The NIA learnt about the module of nine that was based in Chennai from central security agency inputs. The central agencies had interrogated three persons deported from Abu Dhabi for recruiting Indian youngsters for ISIS. According to the NIA's FIR registered this Republic Day in Delhi and then Chennai, in January 2016, the agency took custody of Sheikh Azhar Al Islam Abdul Sattar Sheikh, Mohammed Farhan Mohammed Rafiq Shaikh and Adnan Hussain Mohammed Hussain, who were working in Abu Dhabi on behalf of ISIS "to identify, motivate, radicalise, recruit and train Indian citizens located both in India and other countries for planning and executing terrorist attacks in India and in other friendly countries". The agency's probe had recently revealed that the Chennai-based module of nine persons, including one from Telangana and eight from Tamil Nadu, all reportedly under the age of 30 had managed to join IS in Syria. It has been revealed that a group of nine persons - eight hailing from Tamil Nadu and one from Telangana -- and some other unknown persons, with the intention to further the activities of Daesh/ISIS, hatched a criminal conspiracy in Chennai and other parts of the country by forming a terrorist gang which raised and received funds, organized training camps, recruited and trained some persons, and facilitated their travel to Syria, to join ISIS, said the NIA. The NIA has registered a fresh case (Suo moto) following the directions of Ministry of Home Affairs under sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC, sections 17 (Punishment for raising funds for terrorist acts), 18 (punishment for conspiracy), 18 B (punishment for recruiting for terrorist act), 20 (for being member of terrorist gang), 38 (for associating with the terrorist gang), 39 (supporting terrorist organisation) and 40 (raising funds) of the UA (P) Act (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967). Snapchat co-founder and CTO Bobby Murphy. Source: REUTERS/Lucas Jackson When it comes to Snapchats parent company Snap, which filed for a $3 billion IPO last week, youre likely more familiar with the companys CEO Evan Spiegel than its co-founder, Bobby Murphy. But as Snaps chief technical officer, Murphy remains no less integral to Snaps ongoing success than its better-known chief executive is. Born and raised in Berkeley, Calif., the 28-year-old Filipino American co-founder met Spiegel at Stanford University while studying for a degree in mathematics and computational science. Now, with Snap gearing up to go public in March, Murphy is poised to have a whopping $4 billion net worth, according to Forbes. Here are 4 things you might not know about soon-to-be billionaire: He makes half of what Spiegel does Evan Spiegel. Getty/Michael Kovac According to Snaps S-1 statement filed last week, Murphy earns $250,000 a year just half of what Spiegel makes. From the statement: In October 2016, we entered into an amended and restated offer letter agreement with Robert Murphy, our co-founder and Chief Technology Officer with respect to his continuing employment with us. Mr. Murphys annual base salary as of December 31, 2016 was $250,000. Although Spiegels cash salary will technically be reduced to just $1 when Snap debuts on the New York Stock Exchange in March upon which both co-founders will reportedly have a net worth of $4 billion each its worth noting the huge difference in pay. Hes the technical whiz. Murphy, who originally met Spiegel in 2010 when both belonged to the Stanford fraternity Kappa Sigma, was brought onto Snapchat early on to code the app after another project an online social network inspired by Google Circles failed to catch on. The notion is to change the notion of what a photograph is and use it as a means of communication and just recognizing that photos and videos are extremely expressive, Murphy attempted to explain to Stephen Colbert during a rare TV appearance in 2013 with Spiegel. You have a camera on your smartphone always with you. Why not use that as a way to communicate with friends and family? The disappearing aspect is an effort to bring the service back to normal human communication, which is ephemeral and transient and fluid. Story continues It was Murphy who led Snaps expansion on the technical side. As the app evolved to include new features such as payments, content distribution, even hardware, Murphy oversaw the smooth expansion of Snaps back-end architecture, which included storing and crunching Snapchat data on Google Cloud. Hes even-keeled. If Spiegel is historically known for having somewhat of a temper, Murphy has a reputation for being even-keeled. Not only is he extremely measured in the few interviews hes done with the media, Snapchats first employee, David Kravitz, told Forbes in January 2014, he cant remember ever seeing Murphy upset. Id describe him almost like a monk, Kravitz told the publication. He lives 11 blocks from Snapchat headquarters In late 2013, Murphy splurged on a new $2.1 million home in Venice, Calif., just 11 blocks from Snaps headquarters. Designed by architect Larry Scarpa and artist Randy West, Murphys chic abode is reportedly a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom home with patios, balconies and roof deck. Not too shabby, given Murphy graduated from Stanford just under seven years ago. JP Mangalindan is a senior correspondent covering the intersection of business and technology. More from JP: The day Lyft was bigger than Uber. Surprise and disgust: What 6 Silicon Valley CEOs said about Trumps ban Qualcomm president: Apple is behind regulatory attacks Amazon is now worth more than the 8 largest retailers combined How Silicon Valley reacted to Trumps inauguration AMD CEO: Why its good to be the smaller guy Nick Jonas explains why you should buy his new headphones Ashmita Gupta By Express News Service CHENNAI: With the Vice-Chancellors post vacant in Anna University for months now, students who got job offers fear they may lose them if they cannot submit the degree certificate signed by the vice-chancellor on the joining date. Students get provisional certificates valid for six months. Some students who got job offers abroad are worried as the companies would insist on the original degree certificates and may not accept provisional certificates. A woman PhD student from the varsity said she finished her PhD in August last year. She had applied for a job in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Two months ago she got an offer letter from a company. After getting the offer, I kept asking the university about the convocation and the original degree certificate. They had given the provisional certificate. The company would not accept it, she said worried, adding that her joining date was in March. If there is no Vice Chancellor appointed before March, I will lose this job, she said. Another postgraduate student said she passed the UPSC examination and got a government job. She had to join the post by April. She was worried that so far the convocation had not been organised and if she didnt get the degree certificate, she might lose the job. They will try to verify with the university to check whether there was a convocation. I completed in May. I dont know how much the provisional certificate will really help but its validity will expire after six months. Even in a Government job it will be difficult without a degree certificate. I hope by April we will have a VC and get the degree certificate, she said, adding that the other candidates who got this Government job from other parts of the country had all submitted their degree certificate except her. Without the degree certificate nothing else will be considered valid, said a professor from the varsity. Provisional certificate or a letter from the Governor who is the Chancellor of the university will also not help in replacing the degree certificates. Everywhere degree certificate is mandatory, he said. Citing an example he said just as Anna University would not accept a student for a PG course without their BE certificate, same was elsewhere. But some degree certificates were issued in June last year, with the signature of the Higher Education Secretary in place of the vice-chancellor, he said. I dont know how much that is valid and later if they inquire and find out that the signature was of the Higher Education secretary, the student might be in trouble, he said. The university registrar, S Ganesan said the course completion certificate and provisional certificate would be provided. It will not be affected and we will conduct the convocation soon and convocation date will be announced, he said. CHENNAI: With the Vice-Chancellors post vacant in Anna University for months now, students who got job offers fear they may lose them if they cannot submit the degree certificate signed by the vice-chancellor on the joining date. Students get provisional certificates valid for six months. Some students who got job offers abroad are worried as the companies would insist on the original degree certificates and may not accept provisional certificates. A woman PhD student from the varsity said she finished her PhD in August last year. She had applied for a job in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Two months ago she got an offer letter from a company. After getting the offer, I kept asking the university about the convocation and the original degree certificate. They had given the provisional certificate. The company would not accept it, she said worried, adding that her joining date was in March. If there is no Vice Chancellor appointed before March, I will lose this job, she said. Another postgraduate student said she passed the UPSC examination and got a government job. She had to join the post by April. She was worried that so far the convocation had not been organised and if she didnt get the degree certificate, she might lose the job. They will try to verify with the university to check whether there was a convocation. I completed in May. I dont know how much the provisional certificate will really help but its validity will expire after six months. Even in a Government job it will be difficult without a degree certificate. I hope by April we will have a VC and get the degree certificate, she said, adding that the other candidates who got this Government job from other parts of the country had all submitted their degree certificate except her. Without the degree certificate nothing else will be considered valid, said a professor from the varsity. Provisional certificate or a letter from the Governor who is the Chancellor of the university will also not help in replacing the degree certificates. Everywhere degree certificate is mandatory, he said. Citing an example he said just as Anna University would not accept a student for a PG course without their BE certificate, same was elsewhere. But some degree certificates were issued in June last year, with the signature of the Higher Education Secretary in place of the vice-chancellor, he said. I dont know how much that is valid and later if they inquire and find out that the signature was of the Higher Education secretary, the student might be in trouble, he said. The university registrar, S Ganesan said the course completion certificate and provisional certificate would be provided. It will not be affected and we will conduct the convocation soon and convocation date will be announced, he said. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: The sudden cancellation of Prime Minister Narendra Modis scheduled appointment to the all-party delegation which was to be led by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao over SC categorisation issue has led to much brouhaha in political circles. While some opposition parties such as Congress and the Left saw this as a step taken by the BJP leadership to checkmate the plans of CM Rao to derive political mileage by leading an all-party delegation to the PM over SC categorisation issue, ruling TRS leaders said as PM was busy with elections in five states, the proposed meeting was postponed. Congress and Communist Party of India (CPI) criticised the PMOs decision to cancel Modis scheduled appointment for the all-party delegation. It is nothing but discrimination against Telangana. By resorting to this step, the Centre has insulted the people of Telangana, CPI state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy and party senior leader K Narayana said. Joining chorus with them, Congress veteran V Hanumantha Rao too wondered how the PMO could cancel the appointment fixed for the meeting of the all-party delegation with the Prime Minister on Monday. CM to meet Prez, ministers Chief Minister Rao on Sunday night left for New Delhi to attend the marriage reception of Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekars son, to be organised on Monday in Delhi. According to sources, the State government once again sought appointment with PM Modi on Monday or Tuesday. If the he gets PMs appointment, CM Rao will meet the PM and seek more funds to the State in the Union budget, besides requesting Modi to take steps to give Presidents nod for the new land bill, passed by the Assembly, sources said. The CM, during his stay in the national capital, is expected to call on President Pranab Mukherjee to invite him to kick off the Osmania University Centenary Celebrations to begin in April. Besides, this, KCR is likely to meet Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and other important ministers to seek funds for the State HYDERABAD: The sudden cancellation of Prime Minister Narendra Modis scheduled appointment to the all-party delegation which was to be led by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao over SC categorisation issue has led to much brouhaha in political circles. While some opposition parties such as Congress and the Left saw this as a step taken by the BJP leadership to checkmate the plans of CM Rao to derive political mileage by leading an all-party delegation to the PM over SC categorisation issue, ruling TRS leaders said as PM was busy with elections in five states, the proposed meeting was postponed. Congress and Communist Party of India (CPI) criticised the PMOs decision to cancel Modis scheduled appointment for the all-party delegation. It is nothing but discrimination against Telangana. By resorting to this step, the Centre has insulted the people of Telangana, CPI state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy and party senior leader K Narayana said. Joining chorus with them, Congress veteran V Hanumantha Rao too wondered how the PMO could cancel the appointment fixed for the meeting of the all-party delegation with the Prime Minister on Monday. CM to meet Prez, ministers Chief Minister Rao on Sunday night left for New Delhi to attend the marriage reception of Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekars son, to be organised on Monday in Delhi. According to sources, the State government once again sought appointment with PM Modi on Monday or Tuesday. If the he gets PMs appointment, CM Rao will meet the PM and seek more funds to the State in the Union budget, besides requesting Modi to take steps to give Presidents nod for the new land bill, passed by the Assembly, sources said. The CM, during his stay in the national capital, is expected to call on President Pranab Mukherjee to invite him to kick off the Osmania University Centenary Celebrations to begin in April. Besides, this, KCR is likely to meet Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and other important ministers to seek funds for the State By Express News Service HYDERABAD: The exit of United Kingdom from the European Union, popularly known as Brexit, had created a global chaos. The students fraternity in India too has not been untouched by this confusion, their primary concerns being hike in fees and a cut in funding, with UK losing out on benefits of being part of the EU. However, deputy British High Commissioner in Hyderabad, Andrew McAllister, has a different opinion. According to McAllister, Indian students need not worry about the political upheaval. Indian students are hardly making use of the many opportunities that Great Britain has to offer, opines McAllister. Andrew McAllister, deputy British High Commissioner in Hyderabad speaking at great scholarships India announcement in Hyderabad on Monday | sathya keerthi As part of the GREAT Britain campaign being promoted with the proposition, Study UK: Discover You, McAllister and Mei-kwei Barker, director British Council, South India, spoke about the funding opportunities that Indian students can avail. While there are 198 GREAT Britain Scholarships - India 2017 worth one million pounds, from over a thousand applicants, six scholars from Hyderabad received the scholarship last year. Also, 130 Chevening scholarships funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other partner organisations are available for students. The highest number of scholarships in the world are offered to Indian students. The Chevening Gurukul Leadership Programme fellowships are open from February 1 to March 27. These fellowships are for young and mid-career professionals. Not many people apply for this and we encourage them to do so, urged McAllister. Myth-buster session McAllister, along with Barker, busted several myths revolving around education in the UK. Lack of a fixed post-study work permit, unlike countries like Australia that has revised its stay back permit to two years, has been cited as a reason for the fall in the number of students aspiring to study in the UK. However, Barker denied this. Clarifying the issue, she said: Thats not entirely true because we have seen a six per cent rise in the number of applications from India in the last year. Moreover, we had stricter rules to weed out bogus students and those living illegally. Now, students have a four-month window period when they can scout for jobs and they can also look at internships and jobs while studying. McAllister also said that students need not fear rejection of visas. As long as their documents are in place, there is no problem with students receiving visas to study in the UK. Last year, 88 per cent of the visas were successfully processed, he added. HYDERABAD: The exit of United Kingdom from the European Union, popularly known as Brexit, had created a global chaos. The students fraternity in India too has not been untouched by this confusion, their primary concerns being hike in fees and a cut in funding, with UK losing out on benefits of being part of the EU. However, deputy British High Commissioner in Hyderabad, Andrew McAllister, has a different opinion. According to McAllister, Indian students need not worry about the political upheaval. Indian students are hardly making use of the many opportunities that Great Britain has to offer, opines McAllister. Andrew McAllister, deputy British High Commissioner in Hyderabad speaking at great scholarships India announcement in Hyderabad on Monday | sathya keerthi As part of the GREAT Britain campaign being promoted with the proposition, Study UK: Discover You, McAllister and Mei-kwei Barker, director British Council, South India, spoke about the funding opportunities that Indian students can avail. While there are 198 GREAT Britain Scholarships - India 2017 worth one million pounds, from over a thousand applicants, six scholars from Hyderabad received the scholarship last year. Also, 130 Chevening scholarships funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other partner organisations are available for students. The highest number of scholarships in the world are offered to Indian students. The Chevening Gurukul Leadership Programme fellowships are open from February 1 to March 27. These fellowships are for young and mid-career professionals. Not many people apply for this and we encourage them to do so, urged McAllister. Myth-buster session McAllister, along with Barker, busted several myths revolving around education in the UK. Lack of a fixed post-study work permit, unlike countries like Australia that has revised its stay back permit to two years, has been cited as a reason for the fall in the number of students aspiring to study in the UK. However, Barker denied this. Clarifying the issue, she said: Thats not entirely true because we have seen a six per cent rise in the number of applications from India in the last year. Moreover, we had stricter rules to weed out bogus students and those living illegally. Now, students have a four-month window period when they can scout for jobs and they can also look at internships and jobs while studying. McAllister also said that students need not fear rejection of visas. As long as their documents are in place, there is no problem with students receiving visas to study in the UK. Last year, 88 per cent of the visas were successfully processed, he added. By PTI KARACHI: An Afghan diplomat was today shot dead by a security guard following an altercation between the two inside the Afghan Consulate in this Pakistani port city. Private security guard Hayatullah Khan opened fire on the third secretary, Zaki Adu, in the lobby of the Consulate in the high-security Clifton area after a personal disagreement between the two, according to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Azad Khan. "There is no terrorism element in this sad incident," DIG Khan told PTI. "This is not a premeditated act neither a terrorist act. The guard opened fire on the spur of the moment after he lost his temper following an argument with the deceased over timings," the police official said. "We have checked the CCTV cameras and recorded eyewitness statements," he said. The diplomat killed was the brother of Mohammad Abdul, an MP from northern Balkh province, Afghanistan's Tolo News reported. The Afghan Consulate is located in the heavily secured and posh area of Clifton and the provincial government has deputed security outside the building. There are a number of other foreign consulates in the area and also the Bhutto family's residence is situated in the locality. Khan said Hayatullah has been taken into custody and investigations have begun. The guard was an Afghan national employed by the Consulate. Police cleared the Consulate building for resumption of work after a thorough search. Security of the area has been increased after the incident, a Sindh government official said. Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal was quoted by The Express Tribune as saying that it was not an act of terrorism. "It seems to be a personal dispute related criminal act," Zakhilwal said. The Afghan envoy said the firing inside the Afghan Consulate in Karachi at around 12:30 PM was carried out by an Afghan guard inside the compound resulting in the fatality of one of the diplomats. KARACHI: An Afghan diplomat was today shot dead by a security guard following an altercation between the two inside the Afghan Consulate in this Pakistani port city. Private security guard Hayatullah Khan opened fire on the third secretary, Zaki Adu, in the lobby of the Consulate in the high-security Clifton area after a personal disagreement between the two, according to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Azad Khan. "There is no terrorism element in this sad incident," DIG Khan told PTI. "This is not a premeditated act neither a terrorist act. The guard opened fire on the spur of the moment after he lost his temper following an argument with the deceased over timings," the police official said. "We have checked the CCTV cameras and recorded eyewitness statements," he said. The diplomat killed was the brother of Mohammad Abdul, an MP from northern Balkh province, Afghanistan's Tolo News reported. The Afghan Consulate is located in the heavily secured and posh area of Clifton and the provincial government has deputed security outside the building. There are a number of other foreign consulates in the area and also the Bhutto family's residence is situated in the locality. Khan said Hayatullah has been taken into custody and investigations have begun. The guard was an Afghan national employed by the Consulate. Police cleared the Consulate building for resumption of work after a thorough search. Security of the area has been increased after the incident, a Sindh government official said. Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal was quoted by The Express Tribune as saying that it was not an act of terrorism. "It seems to be a personal dispute related criminal act," Zakhilwal said. The Afghan envoy said the firing inside the Afghan Consulate in Karachi at around 12:30 PM was carried out by an Afghan guard inside the compound resulting in the fatality of one of the diplomats. By AFP LOS ANGELES: An Iranian student deported in the wake of Donald Trump's travel ban was back in the United States on Sunday, one of thousands of travelers rushing to enter the country after a judge temporarily blocked the ban. Sara Yarjani was met at Los Angeles airport by her sister -- who flew in from nearby Washington state -- and several attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union who fought for her return. Several people clapped and one woman shouted "welcome to the United States" as the visibly shaken 35-year-old made her way through a throng of reporters and cameramen. "I am so grateful to all the lawyers and others that helped me ... because to me that is America and I am very grateful," she said tearfully. Ironically, many of the same customs and border patrol agents who had been involved in her deportation the previous week were on hand Sunday to greet her and rush her through immigration. "They came and they said we're just gonna get you through so you get out faster," she said. "I knew a lot of them because I was here, detained for 23 hours last time" before being deported. Yarjani, a graduate student in holistic health at the California Institute for Human Science, near San Diego, had her student visa revoked and was sternly put on a plane back to Vienna last week after Trump's executive order blocking citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, went into effect. The controversial order, which prompted an uproar and caused travel chaos, was temporarily blocked by a federal judge on Friday. However, Trump's administration scurried over the weekend to get an emergency freeze of the judge's order, prompting visa holders to rush to board US-bound flights before yet another legal ruling comes down in what is shaping up to be a fierce legal battle between immigration advocacy groups and the government. "The legal landscape has been shifting and we are hopeful that the courts will continue to challenge this unconstitutional order," said Ian Kysel, an ACLU attorney who worked on Yarjani's case and who was at the airport to greet her Sunday. - 'Somebody's got your back' - "I think this moment has shown the strength of our constitution and our institutions," he added. "There are so many cases pending across the country and we are going to fight for all of them." As for Yarjani, she said although she had been traumatized by her ordeal, she was happy to be back on US soil to finish her studies. "Whenever I was in Europe, where I have lived for the last 20 years, if ever anybody criticized America or Americans I would be the one defending them," she said. "And from everything I've seen in the last week, that's even more true than ever." Pontea Dianati, 30, a fellow student who was at the airport to greet Yarjani and herself an Iranian-American, said she was horrified by the travel ban but hopeful that it would be overturned. She said she planned to pamper her best friend before they head back to the classroom. "I want to tell her 'I knew you'd come back, you're good people, Somebody's got your back'," she said. LOS ANGELES: An Iranian student deported in the wake of Donald Trump's travel ban was back in the United States on Sunday, one of thousands of travelers rushing to enter the country after a judge temporarily blocked the ban. Sara Yarjani was met at Los Angeles airport by her sister -- who flew in from nearby Washington state -- and several attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union who fought for her return. Several people clapped and one woman shouted "welcome to the United States" as the visibly shaken 35-year-old made her way through a throng of reporters and cameramen. "I am so grateful to all the lawyers and others that helped me ... because to me that is America and I am very grateful," she said tearfully. Ironically, many of the same customs and border patrol agents who had been involved in her deportation the previous week were on hand Sunday to greet her and rush her through immigration. "They came and they said we're just gonna get you through so you get out faster," she said. "I knew a lot of them because I was here, detained for 23 hours last time" before being deported. Yarjani, a graduate student in holistic health at the California Institute for Human Science, near San Diego, had her student visa revoked and was sternly put on a plane back to Vienna last week after Trump's executive order blocking citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, went into effect. The controversial order, which prompted an uproar and caused travel chaos, was temporarily blocked by a federal judge on Friday. However, Trump's administration scurried over the weekend to get an emergency freeze of the judge's order, prompting visa holders to rush to board US-bound flights before yet another legal ruling comes down in what is shaping up to be a fierce legal battle between immigration advocacy groups and the government. "The legal landscape has been shifting and we are hopeful that the courts will continue to challenge this unconstitutional order," said Ian Kysel, an ACLU attorney who worked on Yarjani's case and who was at the airport to greet her Sunday. - 'Somebody's got your back' - "I think this moment has shown the strength of our constitution and our institutions," he added. "There are so many cases pending across the country and we are going to fight for all of them." As for Yarjani, she said although she had been traumatized by her ordeal, she was happy to be back on US soil to finish her studies. "Whenever I was in Europe, where I have lived for the last 20 years, if ever anybody criticized America or Americans I would be the one defending them," she said. "And from everything I've seen in the last week, that's even more true than ever." Pontea Dianati, 30, a fellow student who was at the airport to greet Yarjani and herself an Iranian-American, said she was horrified by the travel ban but hopeful that it would be overturned. She said she planned to pamper her best friend before they head back to the classroom. "I want to tell her 'I knew you'd come back, you're good people, Somebody's got your back'," she said. By Associated Press MOSCOW: The Kremlin is indignant over the comments of a Fox News host who called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "killer" in an interview with President Donald Trump. In the interview broadcast over the weekend, Bill O'Reilly called the Russian leader "a killer." Trump replied that the U.S. has killers, too. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment Monday on Trump's reply, but lashed out at Fox News, calling O'Reilly's remarks "unacceptable and offensive." "We would like to receive an apology from the president from this respected organization," Peskov told reporters on Monday, referring to Fox News. A British judge concluded last year that two Russians, acting at the behest of Moscow's security services and probably with approval from Putin, poisoned ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko at a London hotel in 2006. Litvinenko died after drinking tea spiked with a fatal dose of radioactive polonium-210. The Kremlin angrily dismissed the inquiry as a "quasi-investigation." Putin's critics in Russia and abroad also held him politically responsible for the 2006 killing of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya and the 2015 slaying of leading Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov. The critics said the atmosphere of intolerance to dissent under his watch contributed to the two killings. In 2014, a court in Moscow convicted the gunman and three other Chechens involved in Politkovskaya's killing along with a former Moscow policeman who was their accomplice. Investigators have failed to track down the mastermind. Five suspects, all of them Chechens, went on trial in the fall for their alleged roles in Nemtsov's murder. The suspected triggerman served as an officer in the security forces of the Moscow-backed Chechen regional leader, Ramzan Kadyrov. Trump has praised Putin and signaled that U.S.-Russia relations could be in for a makeover under his leadership. Putin in his turn spoke warmly of Trump. MOSCOW: The Kremlin is indignant over the comments of a Fox News host who called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "killer" in an interview with President Donald Trump. In the interview broadcast over the weekend, Bill O'Reilly called the Russian leader "a killer." Trump replied that the U.S. has killers, too. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment Monday on Trump's reply, but lashed out at Fox News, calling O'Reilly's remarks "unacceptable and offensive." "We would like to receive an apology from the president from this respected organization," Peskov told reporters on Monday, referring to Fox News. A British judge concluded last year that two Russians, acting at the behest of Moscow's security services and probably with approval from Putin, poisoned ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko at a London hotel in 2006. Litvinenko died after drinking tea spiked with a fatal dose of radioactive polonium-210. The Kremlin angrily dismissed the inquiry as a "quasi-investigation." Putin's critics in Russia and abroad also held him politically responsible for the 2006 killing of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya and the 2015 slaying of leading Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov. The critics said the atmosphere of intolerance to dissent under his watch contributed to the two killings. In 2014, a court in Moscow convicted the gunman and three other Chechens involved in Politkovskaya's killing along with a former Moscow policeman who was their accomplice. Investigators have failed to track down the mastermind. Five suspects, all of them Chechens, went on trial in the fall for their alleged roles in Nemtsov's murder. The suspected triggerman served as an officer in the security forces of the Moscow-backed Chechen regional leader, Ramzan Kadyrov. Trump has praised Putin and signaled that U.S.-Russia relations could be in for a makeover under his leadership. Putin in his turn spoke warmly of Trump. By AFP PARIS: The suspected Louvre Museum attacker refused to talk to French police during two rounds of questioning on Sunday, a judicial source said. The man, believed to be an Egyptian national, was shot in the stomach and seriously wounded after lunging at soldiers with two machetes on Friday. The attack was the latest in a string of assaults in France and thrust the issue of security back into the headlines three months ahead of the presidential election. Investigators questioned him twice at his hospital bed where he is receiving treatment after his condition improved but he "still refuses to speak", the judicial source said. The suspect has been held at a Paris hospital since the attack near the museum on Friday morning. Based on his phone and visa records, he is thought to be Abdallah El-Hamahmy, a 29-year-old Egyptian living in the United Arab Emirates, who entered France legally on a flight from Dubai on January 26. Investigators believe Hamahmy rented an expensive apartment near the Champs Elysees avenue. DNA testing Investigators say the attacker, who was carrying two machetes and wearing a black T-shirt with a skull design, lunged at four soldiers shouting "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest"). President Francois Hollande said that "there is little doubt as to the terrorist nature of this act". French investigators have contacted Egyptian officials in hopes of confirming the suspect's identity through DNA testing, a source close to the inquiry said. They also plan to contact officials in the UAE and in Turkey, since Hamahmy's passport had two visas from Turkey, in 2015 and 2016. Police are also examining Hamahmy's Twitter account after around a dozen messages were posted in Arabic just minutes before the attack. "In the name of Allah... for our brothers in Syria and fighters across the world," he wrote, before referring to the Islamic State jihadist group in another tweet a minute later. Speaking to AFP in Cairo on Saturday, a retired police general, Reda El-Hamahmy, said he believed the wounded suspect was his son, Abdallah, who had been in Paris on a business trip. But he said there were no signs his son had been radicalised. "He went on a company trip and when it was over visited the museum. He was supposed to leave on Saturday," he told AFP, saying his son was married and his pregnant wife was currently staying in Saudi Arabia with their seven-month-old son. "He is a simple guy," he said. "I can show you pictures where he has no beard," he said. Beards are often grown by devout Muslims. Over the past two years, France has suffered a string of bloody attacks by Islamic extremists and has been under a state of emergency since November 2015. Security, immigration and the economy are all major issues for voters ahead of this year's presidential and parliamentary elections which are expected to confirm the country's shift to the right after five years of Socialist rule. Formally launching her presidential campaign, far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Sunday promised a massive increase in spending on law and order. "We will not expect the French people to get used to living with terrorism," she said in the central city of Lyon, where she had once compared the sight of Muslims praying in the street to the Nazi occupation. Worries over security have taken a toll on the Louvre, a former palace in the heart of Paris, which has seen annual visitor numbers fall to 7.3 million since the November 2015 attacks, a drop of around two million. After being closed immediately after the attack, the museum reopened Saturday under a heavy presence of police and soldiers. PARIS: The suspected Louvre Museum attacker refused to talk to French police during two rounds of questioning on Sunday, a judicial source said. The man, believed to be an Egyptian national, was shot in the stomach and seriously wounded after lunging at soldiers with two machetes on Friday. The attack was the latest in a string of assaults in France and thrust the issue of security back into the headlines three months ahead of the presidential election. Investigators questioned him twice at his hospital bed where he is receiving treatment after his condition improved but he "still refuses to speak", the judicial source said. The suspect has been held at a Paris hospital since the attack near the museum on Friday morning. Based on his phone and visa records, he is thought to be Abdallah El-Hamahmy, a 29-year-old Egyptian living in the United Arab Emirates, who entered France legally on a flight from Dubai on January 26. Investigators believe Hamahmy rented an expensive apartment near the Champs Elysees avenue. DNA testing Investigators say the attacker, who was carrying two machetes and wearing a black T-shirt with a skull design, lunged at four soldiers shouting "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest"). President Francois Hollande said that "there is little doubt as to the terrorist nature of this act". French investigators have contacted Egyptian officials in hopes of confirming the suspect's identity through DNA testing, a source close to the inquiry said. They also plan to contact officials in the UAE and in Turkey, since Hamahmy's passport had two visas from Turkey, in 2015 and 2016. Police are also examining Hamahmy's Twitter account after around a dozen messages were posted in Arabic just minutes before the attack. "In the name of Allah... for our brothers in Syria and fighters across the world," he wrote, before referring to the Islamic State jihadist group in another tweet a minute later. Speaking to AFP in Cairo on Saturday, a retired police general, Reda El-Hamahmy, said he believed the wounded suspect was his son, Abdallah, who had been in Paris on a business trip. But he said there were no signs his son had been radicalised. "He went on a company trip and when it was over visited the museum. He was supposed to leave on Saturday," he told AFP, saying his son was married and his pregnant wife was currently staying in Saudi Arabia with their seven-month-old son. "He is a simple guy," he said. "I can show you pictures where he has no beard," he said. Beards are often grown by devout Muslims. Over the past two years, France has suffered a string of bloody attacks by Islamic extremists and has been under a state of emergency since November 2015. Security, immigration and the economy are all major issues for voters ahead of this year's presidential and parliamentary elections which are expected to confirm the country's shift to the right after five years of Socialist rule. Formally launching her presidential campaign, far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Sunday promised a massive increase in spending on law and order. "We will not expect the French people to get used to living with terrorism," she said in the central city of Lyon, where she had once compared the sight of Muslims praying in the street to the Nazi occupation. Worries over security have taken a toll on the Louvre, a former palace in the heart of Paris, which has seen annual visitor numbers fall to 7.3 million since the November 2015 attacks, a drop of around two million. After being closed immediately after the attack, the museum reopened Saturday under a heavy presence of police and soldiers. By Associated Press BOSTON: A tiny liberal arts college in Massachusetts has created a refugee scholarship in response to President Donald Trump's order on immigration and refugees and is calling on other colleges to do the same. Wheaton College in Norton announced the offer after the Republican billionaire issued his Jan. 27 executive order, suspending America's refugee program and halting immigration to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries. On Saturday, the U.S. government suspended enforcement of the ban a day after a federal judge in Washington state temporarily blocked it. College President Dennis Hanno said the scholarship is meant to demonstrate that Wheaton embraces its foreign-born community, even as the White House moves in the opposite direction. "We value the different perspectives people from all around the world bring to Wheaton," he said, noting that about 18 percent of the college's 1,650 students hail from more than 70 different foreign nations. "It's about wanting to take immediate action to preserve that environment we've created here." Hanno stressed the college has no intention of violating any federal mandates. Wheaton's Refugee Scholarship is open to any refugee student fleeing conflict, but applicants from the seven countries specifically targeted by Trump's order Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen would be given special preference. "We're not trying to do anything illegal," Hanno said. "It's really about trying to send a message to students who would normally be interested in Wheaton College that we're still interested in them, and hope they're still interested in us." A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Education declined to comment Friday. Reaction on Wheaton's social media accounts from alumni and parents has been generally supportive. But some Facebook and Twitter users have questioned why the college has chosen to prioritize foreigners over U.S. citizens. Hanno argued that the scholarship, which is for a single student, is over and above the $41 million in total student aid Wheaton provides annually, of which more than 90 percent goes to American students. Hanno said the response from applicants has been strong, but that no other college has so far stepped up to offer a similar scholarship, as Hanno urged others to do when he announced the initiative. Nationwide, there are already a number of scholarships and fellowships geared to refugees and immigrants, but Wheaton's appears to be the first created in direct response to Trump's order, said Lynn Pasquerella, president of the nearly 1,400-member Association of American Colleges and Universities. Many American colleges and universities, she added, have issued statements expressing concern about the impact on their campus communities, as well as on the ability to recruit the best talent. BOSTON: A tiny liberal arts college in Massachusetts has created a refugee scholarship in response to President Donald Trump's order on immigration and refugees and is calling on other colleges to do the same. Wheaton College in Norton announced the offer after the Republican billionaire issued his Jan. 27 executive order, suspending America's refugee program and halting immigration to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries. On Saturday, the U.S. government suspended enforcement of the ban a day after a federal judge in Washington state temporarily blocked it. College President Dennis Hanno said the scholarship is meant to demonstrate that Wheaton embraces its foreign-born community, even as the White House moves in the opposite direction. "We value the different perspectives people from all around the world bring to Wheaton," he said, noting that about 18 percent of the college's 1,650 students hail from more than 70 different foreign nations. "It's about wanting to take immediate action to preserve that environment we've created here." Hanno stressed the college has no intention of violating any federal mandates. Wheaton's Refugee Scholarship is open to any refugee student fleeing conflict, but applicants from the seven countries specifically targeted by Trump's order Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen would be given special preference. "We're not trying to do anything illegal," Hanno said. "It's really about trying to send a message to students who would normally be interested in Wheaton College that we're still interested in them, and hope they're still interested in us." A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Education declined to comment Friday. Reaction on Wheaton's social media accounts from alumni and parents has been generally supportive. But some Facebook and Twitter users have questioned why the college has chosen to prioritize foreigners over U.S. citizens. Hanno argued that the scholarship, which is for a single student, is over and above the $41 million in total student aid Wheaton provides annually, of which more than 90 percent goes to American students. Hanno said the response from applicants has been strong, but that no other college has so far stepped up to offer a similar scholarship, as Hanno urged others to do when he announced the initiative. Nationwide, there are already a number of scholarships and fellowships geared to refugees and immigrants, but Wheaton's appears to be the first created in direct response to Trump's order, said Lynn Pasquerella, president of the nearly 1,400-member Association of American Colleges and Universities. Many American colleges and universities, she added, have issued statements expressing concern about the impact on their campus communities, as well as on the ability to recruit the best talent. By Associated Press BERLIN: Germany will seek common ground "wherever possible" with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday, despite differences over Trump's entry ban for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. Germany has Europe's biggest economy. The United States was its largest single trading partner in 2015, with German exports significantly outweighing imports from America, and there's concern in Berlin over the possibility of a more protectionist approach in Washington. "We will try to find common ground wherever possible," Merkel told reporters in Munich. She stressed the importance of NATO, and acknowledged the need for Germany to "do more in the area of defense." President Barack Obama also pressed European NATO allies to boost their defense spending, "but it is now gaining yet more significance," Merkel said. "We will see, issue by issue, where we can cooperate and where we have different opinions," she added of the Trump administration. "But it's in Germany's interest to strengthen the common ground there is, where possible, on our part from the cooperation of intelligence services to defense questions and, of course, the fact that the United States is the biggest trading partner for Germany." Trump has in the past called NATO "obsolete." However, the White House said after the two leaders spoke a week ago that he and Merkel agree on the "fundamental importance" of NATO to trans-Atlantic relations. Merkel has criticized the immigration restrictions imposed by Trump, but otherwise has been restrained in commenting on the new U.S. administration. Asked Monday whether German companies and banks need to be shielded from possible U.S. protectionist measures, she replied, "I have no reason to speculate." "We must see what the American administration does, and then will have to consider whether we react or don't react," she said. Merkel underlined her commitment to multilateralism and trade agreements. BERLIN: Germany will seek common ground "wherever possible" with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday, despite differences over Trump's entry ban for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. Germany has Europe's biggest economy. The United States was its largest single trading partner in 2015, with German exports significantly outweighing imports from America, and there's concern in Berlin over the possibility of a more protectionist approach in Washington. "We will try to find common ground wherever possible," Merkel told reporters in Munich. She stressed the importance of NATO, and acknowledged the need for Germany to "do more in the area of defense." President Barack Obama also pressed European NATO allies to boost their defense spending, "but it is now gaining yet more significance," Merkel said. "We will see, issue by issue, where we can cooperate and where we have different opinions," she added of the Trump administration. "But it's in Germany's interest to strengthen the common ground there is, where possible, on our part from the cooperation of intelligence services to defense questions and, of course, the fact that the United States is the biggest trading partner for Germany." Trump has in the past called NATO "obsolete." However, the White House said after the two leaders spoke a week ago that he and Merkel agree on the "fundamental importance" of NATO to trans-Atlantic relations. Merkel has criticized the immigration restrictions imposed by Trump, but otherwise has been restrained in commenting on the new U.S. administration. Asked Monday whether German companies and banks need to be shielded from possible U.S. protectionist measures, she replied, "I have no reason to speculate." "We must see what the American administration does, and then will have to consider whether we react or don't react," she said. Merkel underlined her commitment to multilateralism and trade agreements. By ANI ROME: Posters critical of Pope Francis appeared on walls around Rome on Saturday, condemning his actions against some conservative Catholics. Written in local Roman dialect, the posters lamented that the Pope had "removed priests; decapitated the Knights of Malta" and "ignored Cardinals," echoing some of the major complaints some conservative Catholics have about Pope Francis' recent decisions, reports the Guardian. The poster, showing a stern-looking Pope Francis, reads, "You've put congregations under supervision, removed priests, decapitated the Maltese and Franciscan orders and ignored cardinals... But where is your compassion?" On the day the posters appeared, the Pope finalised a month-long battle with the Knights of Malta, an ancient Catholic order by appointing a Special Delegate from the Vatican and giving him "all necessary powers" to help renew the traditional order. The Knights of Malta have a unique "sovereign" standing within the Catholic Church, similar to that of a separate country, and they had contested the legality of the Pope's intervention into their order. Last month, the Pope forced the resignation of the head of the Knights of Malta, former Grand Master Matthew Festing. Within few hours of their appearance, the posters were taken down. Conservative criticism of Pope Francis has intensified since November, when he refused to answer an official letter sent to him by four cardinals. The letter criticized his move to allow divorced and remarried Catholics to receive communion. That issue has divided many in the Catholic Church and has left bishops around the world arguing about the Pope's intentions and how to implement the directive. The defenders of Pope Francis claim that the posters are a sign that the latter is doing something right. Some Catholic traditionalists are opposed to the Popes papacy as they view him as too progressive on issues involving social doctrine. ROME: Posters critical of Pope Francis appeared on walls around Rome on Saturday, condemning his actions against some conservative Catholics. Written in local Roman dialect, the posters lamented that the Pope had "removed priests; decapitated the Knights of Malta" and "ignored Cardinals," echoing some of the major complaints some conservative Catholics have about Pope Francis' recent decisions, reports the Guardian. The poster, showing a stern-looking Pope Francis, reads, "You've put congregations under supervision, removed priests, decapitated the Maltese and Franciscan orders and ignored cardinals... But where is your compassion?" On the day the posters appeared, the Pope finalised a month-long battle with the Knights of Malta, an ancient Catholic order by appointing a Special Delegate from the Vatican and giving him "all necessary powers" to help renew the traditional order. The Knights of Malta have a unique "sovereign" standing within the Catholic Church, similar to that of a separate country, and they had contested the legality of the Pope's intervention into their order. Last month, the Pope forced the resignation of the head of the Knights of Malta, former Grand Master Matthew Festing. Within few hours of their appearance, the posters were taken down. Conservative criticism of Pope Francis has intensified since November, when he refused to answer an official letter sent to him by four cardinals. The letter criticized his move to allow divorced and remarried Catholics to receive communion. That issue has divided many in the Catholic Church and has left bishops around the world arguing about the Pope's intentions and how to implement the directive. The defenders of Pope Francis claim that the posters are a sign that the latter is doing something right. Some Catholic traditionalists are opposed to the Popes papacy as they view him as too progressive on issues involving social doctrine. GABORONE (Reuters) - Botswana's economy will grow by nearly double in 2017 compared to the previous year as Africa's largest exporter of diamonds shakes off a slump in global commodity prices and electricity shortages. In a budget speech to parliament on Monday, Finance Minister Kenneth Matambo said the economy would grow by an estimated 4.2 percent in 2017 compared with 2.9 percent growth in 2016. However, the minister said the budget deficit would widen, to 1.43 percent of GDP from 0.7 previously, as government spent more on electricity and water infrastructure following a severe drought in the region. "The optimistic outlook is based on the anticipated slight improvement in the mining sector and positive growth prospects for the non-mining sectors," Matambo said. The minister said revenues for the 2017/18 financial year were estimated at 57.2 billion pula ($5.5 billion), with customs collections accounting for 29.8 percent of revenues followed by minerals at 28.6 percent. Matambo warned that slow recovery in the global economy and low commodity prices posed risks to the growth forecast. An analyst at First National Bank Botswana, Moatlhodi Sebabole, said the investments in water and energy infrastructure were a positive step. "The rise in expenditure is enough to support the growth projections but the key will be implementation of these projects," Sebabole said. Botswana, which celebrated 50 years of independence in 2016, is considered one of the continent's most stable nations and boasts one of the highest rates of income per capita in the world. The land-locked state has, however, struggled with weaker growth in recent times as mineral sales slowed, while electricity shortages have hurt mining. ($1 = 10.5042 pulas) (Reporting by Johannesburg newsroom; Editing by James Macharia) By PTI WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump today hit out at several American media outlets, including The New York Times, for allegedly running inaccurate stories. "The failing New York Times writes total fiction concerning me," Trump alleged in a tweet. "They have gotten it wrong for two years, and now are making up stories & sources!" he told his 24 million followers on Twitter. The failing @nytimes writes total fiction concerning me. They have gotten it wrong for two years, and now are making up stories & sources! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017 Trump was apparently responding to an insight into his working inside the White House by The Times. "During his first two dizzying weeks in office, Trump, an outsider president working with a surprisingly small crew of no more than a half-dozen empowered aides with virtually no familiarity with the workings of the White House or federal government, sent shockwaves at home and overseas with a succession of executive orders designed to fulfill campaign promises and taunt foreign leaders," the daily said. In other tweets, Trump lashed out at other media outlets for running polls in which his popularity is low. "Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting," he said. Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017 "I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it. Some FAKE NEWS media, in order to marginalize, lies!" Trump said. As per latest CNN/ORC poll, Trump has an approval rating of 44 per cent and a disapproval rating of 53 per cent. WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump today hit out at several American media outlets, including The New York Times, for allegedly running inaccurate stories. "The failing New York Times writes total fiction concerning me," Trump alleged in a tweet. "They have gotten it wrong for two years, and now are making up stories & sources!" he told his 24 million followers on Twitter. The failing @nytimes writes total fiction concerning me. They have gotten it wrong for two years, and now are making up stories & sources! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017 Trump was apparently responding to an insight into his working inside the White House by The Times. "During his first two dizzying weeks in office, Trump, an outsider president working with a surprisingly small crew of no more than a half-dozen empowered aides with virtually no familiarity with the workings of the White House or federal government, sent shockwaves at home and overseas with a succession of executive orders designed to fulfill campaign promises and taunt foreign leaders," the daily said. In other tweets, Trump lashed out at other media outlets for running polls in which his popularity is low. "Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting," he said. Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017 "I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it. Some FAKE NEWS media, in order to marginalize, lies!" Trump said. As per latest CNN/ORC poll, Trump has an approval rating of 44 per cent and a disapproval rating of 53 per cent. By PTI WASHINGTON: A large number of people worldwide have lost their lives because of America's mistakes, President Donald Trump has said as he defended his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin by equating his actions with those of the US government. "Well, take a look at what we've done too. We've made a lot of mistakes. I've been against the war in Iraq from the beginning," Trump said during an interview with Fox News. "A lot of mistakes, OK, but a lot of people were killed. So a lot of killers around, believe me," said the US President when told that the Russian President Vladimir Putin is a "killer". "There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. What, you think our country's so innocent? You think our country's so innocent?" Trump asked. Trump said he would like to co-operate with the Russians in the fight against ISIS. He also said that he respects Putin, but this does not mean that the two would get along. "Well, I respect a lot of people but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with them. He's a leader of his country. I say it's better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world...," Trump said. "Will I get along with him? I have no idea," he said in response to a question. The comment drew criticism from his political opponents, who see it as him comparing the US with Russia. "Equating our country with an authoritarian, murderous regime is outrageous and reprehensible, even for Mr Trump. All elected officials in the United States have a responsibility to speak up against the Presidents dangerous rhetoric," said Senator Ben Cardin, Ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Cardin said Trump made clear he does not believe in America's exceptionalism when he equated the United States to Vladimir Putin and his murderous regime. "Such a ridiculous statement sends a signal that this White House does not in fact prioritise the United States but increasingly champions a Russia First Policy. It is offensive to the American people, veterans, and brave servicemen and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our principles, liberties, and way of life," Cardin said. Political opponents and independent journalists in Russia have been attacked, jailed, and killed under Putin's regime, he said. Democratic Leader in the House Nancy Pelosi also accused Trump for being soft on Russia. "I want to know what the Russians have on Donald Trump," Pelosi told NBC News in an interview. "I think we have to have that investigation by the FBI into his financial, personal and political connections to Russia, and we want to see his tax returns so we can have a truth in the relationship between Putin whom he admires..., she said. Trump's respect for Putin was a familiar trope during presidential election which the major US intelligence agencies believe Russian intelligence sought to influence on Trumps behalf. Such beliefs prompted a fierce split between Trump and the intelligence community that has not yet healed. WASHINGTON: A large number of people worldwide have lost their lives because of America's mistakes, President Donald Trump has said as he defended his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin by equating his actions with those of the US government. "Well, take a look at what we've done too. We've made a lot of mistakes. I've been against the war in Iraq from the beginning," Trump said during an interview with Fox News. "A lot of mistakes, OK, but a lot of people were killed. So a lot of killers around, believe me," said the US President when told that the Russian President Vladimir Putin is a "killer". "There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. What, you think our country's so innocent? You think our country's so innocent?" Trump asked. Trump said he would like to co-operate with the Russians in the fight against ISIS. He also said that he respects Putin, but this does not mean that the two would get along. "Well, I respect a lot of people but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with them. He's a leader of his country. I say it's better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world...," Trump said. "Will I get along with him? I have no idea," he said in response to a question. The comment drew criticism from his political opponents, who see it as him comparing the US with Russia. "Equating our country with an authoritarian, murderous regime is outrageous and reprehensible, even for Mr Trump. All elected officials in the United States have a responsibility to speak up against the Presidents dangerous rhetoric," said Senator Ben Cardin, Ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Cardin said Trump made clear he does not believe in America's exceptionalism when he equated the United States to Vladimir Putin and his murderous regime. "Such a ridiculous statement sends a signal that this White House does not in fact prioritise the United States but increasingly champions a Russia First Policy. It is offensive to the American people, veterans, and brave servicemen and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our principles, liberties, and way of life," Cardin said. Political opponents and independent journalists in Russia have been attacked, jailed, and killed under Putin's regime, he said. Democratic Leader in the House Nancy Pelosi also accused Trump for being soft on Russia. "I want to know what the Russians have on Donald Trump," Pelosi told NBC News in an interview. "I think we have to have that investigation by the FBI into his financial, personal and political connections to Russia, and we want to see his tax returns so we can have a truth in the relationship between Putin whom he admires..., she said. Trump's respect for Putin was a familiar trope during presidential election which the major US intelligence agencies believe Russian intelligence sought to influence on Trumps behalf. Such beliefs prompted a fierce split between Trump and the intelligence community that has not yet healed. By AFP PALM BEACH: President Donald Trump is drawing fire from Republicans and Democrats alike after playing down political assassinations in Russia and Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Trump -- now two weeks into his four-year term -- showed no signs of yielding to demands from within his own Republican Party to distance himself from President Vladimir Putin's regime, instead plunging himself into a fresh political firestorm. "I do respect him. Well, I respect a lot of people, but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with them," Trump said in an excerpt of an interview with Fox News's Bill O'Reilly that aired before the Super Bowl on Sunday. When pressed in relation to Putin's alleged links to the extrajudicial killing of journalists and dissidents, Trump said, "we've got a lot of killers. You think our country's so innocent?" "Take a look at what we've done too. We've made a lot of mistakes." Trump's fellow Republicans, including Senate leader Mitch McConnell, were quick to criticize the president's remarks. "I don't think there is any equivalency with the way the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does," McConnell said. "He is a former KGB agent, a thug, not elected in a way that most people consider a credible election," he told CNN. That criticism was echoed by Michael McFaul, a former ambassador to Russia and advisor to president Barack Obama, who described Trump's comments as "disgusting." "This moral equivalency that Trumps continues to draw between the USA and Russia is disgusting (and inaccurate)," he said on Twitter. 'Major fight' against IS Mainstream Republicans have repeatedly called on Trump to distance himself from Putin, with little impact. Throughout the election campaign, Trump refused to criticize the Russian leader, saying better relations with the Kremlin would be in the US national interest. The new president has advocated working with Russia to combat the Islamic State group in Syria. "If Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all around the world, major fight. That's a good thing," Trump told Fox. Moscow has deployed aircraft, naval assets and troops to Syria, but has so far trained its fire on rebels with the aim of propping up President Bashar al-Assad's regime. In December, US intelligence agencies went public with their view that Russia conducted a hack-and-release campaign aimed at swinging the US election in Trump's favor. Trump's repeated criticism of NATO -- a common target for Putin -- has only fueled suspicions that Trump is ready to side with Moscow over allies in Europe. Across Europe, there are growing concerns that the continent might be wedged between a hostile Russia and a hostile United States. Trump's stance on Ukraine has also raised eyebrows. After a call with Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko on Saturday, the White House said the pair addressed "Ukraine's long-running conflict with Russia." Russia annexed the Ukrainian region of Crimea in March 2014 and has supported separatists in the east of the country. Former national security advisor Susan Rice publicly criticized Trump's framing of the situation. "This distortion of even recent history is deeply troubling," she tweeted. 'We're watching' Trump's Vice President Mike Pence tried to explain the administration's approach to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which had flared after Trump and Putin spoke by telephone a week ago. "We're watching, and (we're) very troubled by the increased hostilities over the past week in eastern Ukraine," Pence told ABC's "This Week" news program. The Kremlin said that during the Trump-Putin call the two men had discussed improving economic relations, a potential signal of Trump's willingness to lift sanctions on Russia. Asked whether the administration would be willing to ease sanctions while Russia is violating ceasefire agreements, Pence demurred. "I think that's a question that will be answered in the months ahead. And it just simply all depends," he said. "If we have opportunities to work together, I think the president is looking for an opportunity to begin that relationship anew. "But make no mistake about it -- those decisions will await action. And they'll be very dependent on how the Russians respond in the days ahead." PALM BEACH: President Donald Trump is drawing fire from Republicans and Democrats alike after playing down political assassinations in Russia and Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Trump -- now two weeks into his four-year term -- showed no signs of yielding to demands from within his own Republican Party to distance himself from President Vladimir Putin's regime, instead plunging himself into a fresh political firestorm. "I do respect him. Well, I respect a lot of people, but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with them," Trump said in an excerpt of an interview with Fox News's Bill O'Reilly that aired before the Super Bowl on Sunday. When pressed in relation to Putin's alleged links to the extrajudicial killing of journalists and dissidents, Trump said, "we've got a lot of killers. You think our country's so innocent?" "Take a look at what we've done too. We've made a lot of mistakes." Trump's fellow Republicans, including Senate leader Mitch McConnell, were quick to criticize the president's remarks. "I don't think there is any equivalency with the way the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does," McConnell said. "He is a former KGB agent, a thug, not elected in a way that most people consider a credible election," he told CNN. That criticism was echoed by Michael McFaul, a former ambassador to Russia and advisor to president Barack Obama, who described Trump's comments as "disgusting." "This moral equivalency that Trumps continues to draw between the USA and Russia is disgusting (and inaccurate)," he said on Twitter. 'Major fight' against IS Mainstream Republicans have repeatedly called on Trump to distance himself from Putin, with little impact. Throughout the election campaign, Trump refused to criticize the Russian leader, saying better relations with the Kremlin would be in the US national interest. The new president has advocated working with Russia to combat the Islamic State group in Syria. "If Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all around the world, major fight. That's a good thing," Trump told Fox. Moscow has deployed aircraft, naval assets and troops to Syria, but has so far trained its fire on rebels with the aim of propping up President Bashar al-Assad's regime. In December, US intelligence agencies went public with their view that Russia conducted a hack-and-release campaign aimed at swinging the US election in Trump's favor. Trump's repeated criticism of NATO -- a common target for Putin -- has only fueled suspicions that Trump is ready to side with Moscow over allies in Europe. Across Europe, there are growing concerns that the continent might be wedged between a hostile Russia and a hostile United States. Trump's stance on Ukraine has also raised eyebrows. After a call with Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko on Saturday, the White House said the pair addressed "Ukraine's long-running conflict with Russia." Russia annexed the Ukrainian region of Crimea in March 2014 and has supported separatists in the east of the country. Former national security advisor Susan Rice publicly criticized Trump's framing of the situation. "This distortion of even recent history is deeply troubling," she tweeted. 'We're watching' Trump's Vice President Mike Pence tried to explain the administration's approach to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which had flared after Trump and Putin spoke by telephone a week ago. "We're watching, and (we're) very troubled by the increased hostilities over the past week in eastern Ukraine," Pence told ABC's "This Week" news program. The Kremlin said that during the Trump-Putin call the two men had discussed improving economic relations, a potential signal of Trump's willingness to lift sanctions on Russia. Asked whether the administration would be willing to ease sanctions while Russia is violating ceasefire agreements, Pence demurred. "I think that's a question that will be answered in the months ahead. And it just simply all depends," he said. "If we have opportunities to work together, I think the president is looking for an opportunity to begin that relationship anew. "But make no mistake about it -- those decisions will await action. And they'll be very dependent on how the Russians respond in the days ahead." By PTI SAN FRANCISCO: Silicon Valley's top firms, including Microsoft, Apple and Google, are among 97 technology giants that have filed a motion in a US court against President Donald Trump's controversial immigration order calling it "violation" of the laws and the Constitution. The ban represents "a sudden shift in the rules governing entry into the US, and is inflicting substantial harm on US companies," says the court document filed yesterday, which was also backed by Twitter, Netflix and Uber. The motion was filed with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which yesterday denied the US government's emergency request to resume Trump's travel ban, CNNmoney reported. Other companies that have filed included other top tech firms including Facebook, eBay and Intel, as well as non-tech companies such as Levi Strauss and Chobani. This is the latest move by the tech industry to oppose Trump's controversial order, which has run into hurdles in the US court system. The temporary travel ban which affects seven Muslim-majority countries that include Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen has been a highly controversial move by the new Republican President causing widespread protests around the world. The appeals court has asked for both sides to file legal briefs before the court makes its final decision after a federal judge halted the programme on Friday. The lawsuit in question was filed by the attorneys general of Washington state and Minnesota. The motion from the 97 companies seeks permission to file what is known as an amicus brief in the case. Tech companies have been at the vanguard of businesses opposing the ban. Their court motion filed yesterday emphasizes the important role of immigration in the US economy. "Immigrants make many of the Nation's greatest discoveries, and create some of the country's most innovative and iconic companies," it says. "The Order represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system of the US for more than fifty years. The Order inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth as a result," the brief stated. The legal briefing argues that immigration and economic growth are "intimately tied," and that the order would damage the US's ability to attract the world's talent. It is not the first legal move by tech firms over Trump's ban. Amazon and Expedia filed motions last week in the Washington attorney general's lawsuit. They argued the immigration order will hurt their employees and their businesses. An estimated 37 per cent of the workforce in Silicon Valley is foreign born, according to a report by the think tank Joint Venture. SAN FRANCISCO: Silicon Valley's top firms, including Microsoft, Apple and Google, are among 97 technology giants that have filed a motion in a US court against President Donald Trump's controversial immigration order calling it "violation" of the laws and the Constitution. The ban represents "a sudden shift in the rules governing entry into the US, and is inflicting substantial harm on US companies," says the court document filed yesterday, which was also backed by Twitter, Netflix and Uber. The motion was filed with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which yesterday denied the US government's emergency request to resume Trump's travel ban, CNNmoney reported. Other companies that have filed included other top tech firms including Facebook, eBay and Intel, as well as non-tech companies such as Levi Strauss and Chobani. This is the latest move by the tech industry to oppose Trump's controversial order, which has run into hurdles in the US court system. The temporary travel ban which affects seven Muslim-majority countries that include Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen has been a highly controversial move by the new Republican President causing widespread protests around the world. The appeals court has asked for both sides to file legal briefs before the court makes its final decision after a federal judge halted the programme on Friday. The lawsuit in question was filed by the attorneys general of Washington state and Minnesota. The motion from the 97 companies seeks permission to file what is known as an amicus brief in the case. Tech companies have been at the vanguard of businesses opposing the ban. Their court motion filed yesterday emphasizes the important role of immigration in the US economy. "Immigrants make many of the Nation's greatest discoveries, and create some of the country's most innovative and iconic companies," it says. "The Order represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system of the US for more than fifty years. The Order inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth as a result," the brief stated. The legal briefing argues that immigration and economic growth are "intimately tied," and that the order would damage the US's ability to attract the world's talent. It is not the first legal move by tech firms over Trump's ban. Amazon and Expedia filed motions last week in the Washington attorney general's lawsuit. They argued the immigration order will hurt their employees and their businesses. An estimated 37 per cent of the workforce in Silicon Valley is foreign born, according to a report by the think tank Joint Venture. PK Balachandran By Express News Service COLOMBO: The Chief Minister of the Tamil-majority Northern Province of Sri Lanka, C.V.Wigneswaran, brazenly skirted the issue of the LTTEs atrocities against the Tamil-speaking Muslims of the Northern and Eastern Provinces in 1990, in his appeal to the Muslims to join the Eluga Tamil rally which his organization, the Tamil Peoples Council (TPC), is to hold in Batticaloa on February 10. The LTTE had driven out, giving just a days notice, nearly 75,000 Muslims from the Northern Province in October 1990 and had, earlier in August, massacred 142 Muslims praying in the main mosque at Kattankudy, charging the Muslims of spying for the Sri Lankan state when fellow Tamil speakers were involved in an armed struggle to set up an independent Tamil Eelam for Tamil-speakers of the island. Projecting the Eluga Tamil rally in Batticaloa as a movement to protect the Tamil-speakers of the province from being ousted by Sinhalese speakers from outside, Wigneswaran said that Tamil-speakers, whether Hindu, Christian or Muslim, have to come under one banner to resist the Pongu Sinhagham (Effervescent Sinhalese) movement being furthered by successive Sinhalese-dominated Sri Lankan governments. He pointed out that already, the proportion of Sinhalese speakers in Eastern Province has gone up from 15 % at independence in 1948 to 33 % now. According to Wigneswaran, Tamil-speakers across religions in the Eastern Province have lost their lands and language rights and suffered cultural erosion as a result of systematic Sinhalese colonization. The only way to stop this is for the Tamil-speakers to unite and form a united Northern and Eastern province where they can all live in peace, he said. He appealed to the Muslims not to be swayed by the Sinhalese governments contention that the Muslims will be safer under them than under a Tamil-majority. He admitted that the Muslims have doubts and apprehensions about their safety in a Tamil-majority united North and East in view of some past happenings and other reasons. But he refrained from mentioning and apologising for the en masse expulsion of the Muslims of the north and the massacre in the East. However, assuring the Muslims of safety, he said that both the TPC and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) have promised that the Muslims will have their own separate unit within a united North and East. Even the Tamil demand for federalism should not divide the Muslims from the Tamils because whenever the issue of a political settlement of the ethnic question is discussed, the Muslims, like the Tamils, cite a federal constitution as the solution, Wigneswaran pointed out. He further said that it is in unity that the Tamil-speakers strength lies. He pointed out that whenever somebody seeks justice for the Tamil-speaking minority, the State and its fellow travellers accuse him of promoting disintegration to frighten them into silence. The Chief Minister characterised the current peace in Sri Lanka as an artificial one and not a natural one. The stationing of a large number of troops in the North and East is testimony for this, he said. Muslims Unlikely to Join While some of the issues highlighted by Wigneswaran are valid, his manifest failure to acknowledge the atrocities committed against Muslims by the LTTE and tender an apology is bound to be resented by the Muslims who now form a third of the population in the Eastern Province, Eastern Muslim sources told Express. The appeal to them to join the Eluga Tamil rally for Tamil speakers unity and for the unification of the North and East is likely to be scoffed at by the Muslim masses, they said. Some pointed out that the Chief Minister might have refrained from mentioning the Muslim ethnic cleansing issue because the Tamils, especially in the Diaspora, could react unfavourably if he had. The TNA MP for Jaffna, M.A.Sumanthiran, was roundly condemned by the Tamil radicals for publicly apologising for the LTTEs atrocities. COLOMBO: The Chief Minister of the Tamil-majority Northern Province of Sri Lanka, C.V.Wigneswaran, brazenly skirted the issue of the LTTEs atrocities against the Tamil-speaking Muslims of the Northern and Eastern Provinces in 1990, in his appeal to the Muslims to join the Eluga Tamil rally which his organization, the Tamil Peoples Council (TPC), is to hold in Batticaloa on February 10. The LTTE had driven out, giving just a days notice, nearly 75,000 Muslims from the Northern Province in October 1990 and had, earlier in August, massacred 142 Muslims praying in the main mosque at Kattankudy, charging the Muslims of spying for the Sri Lankan state when fellow Tamil speakers were involved in an armed struggle to set up an independent Tamil Eelam for Tamil-speakers of the island. Projecting the Eluga Tamil rally in Batticaloa as a movement to protect the Tamil-speakers of the province from being ousted by Sinhalese speakers from outside, Wigneswaran said that Tamil-speakers, whether Hindu, Christian or Muslim, have to come under one banner to resist the Pongu Sinhagham (Effervescent Sinhalese) movement being furthered by successive Sinhalese-dominated Sri Lankan governments. He pointed out that already, the proportion of Sinhalese speakers in Eastern Province has gone up from 15 % at independence in 1948 to 33 % now. According to Wigneswaran, Tamil-speakers across religions in the Eastern Province have lost their lands and language rights and suffered cultural erosion as a result of systematic Sinhalese colonization. The only way to stop this is for the Tamil-speakers to unite and form a united Northern and Eastern province where they can all live in peace, he said. He appealed to the Muslims not to be swayed by the Sinhalese governments contention that the Muslims will be safer under them than under a Tamil-majority. He admitted that the Muslims have doubts and apprehensions about their safety in a Tamil-majority united North and East in view of some past happenings and other reasons. But he refrained from mentioning and apologising for the en masse expulsion of the Muslims of the north and the massacre in the East. However, assuring the Muslims of safety, he said that both the TPC and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) have promised that the Muslims will have their own separate unit within a united North and East. Even the Tamil demand for federalism should not divide the Muslims from the Tamils because whenever the issue of a political settlement of the ethnic question is discussed, the Muslims, like the Tamils, cite a federal constitution as the solution, Wigneswaran pointed out. He further said that it is in unity that the Tamil-speakers strength lies. He pointed out that whenever somebody seeks justice for the Tamil-speaking minority, the State and its fellow travellers accuse him of promoting disintegration to frighten them into silence. The Chief Minister characterised the current peace in Sri Lanka as an artificial one and not a natural one. The stationing of a large number of troops in the North and East is testimony for this, he said. Muslims Unlikely to Join While some of the issues highlighted by Wigneswaran are valid, his manifest failure to acknowledge the atrocities committed against Muslims by the LTTE and tender an apology is bound to be resented by the Muslims who now form a third of the population in the Eastern Province, Eastern Muslim sources told Express. The appeal to them to join the Eluga Tamil rally for Tamil speakers unity and for the unification of the North and East is likely to be scoffed at by the Muslim masses, they said. Some pointed out that the Chief Minister might have refrained from mentioning the Muslim ethnic cleansing issue because the Tamils, especially in the Diaspora, could react unfavourably if he had. The TNA MP for Jaffna, M.A.Sumanthiran, was roundly condemned by the Tamil radicals for publicly apologising for the LTTEs atrocities. By AFP RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil's government authorized deployment of troops Monday to the coastal city of Vitoria, which has been left at the mercy of criminals following a police strike. Soldiers were being sent "due to the serious public safety situation" at the request of the state of Espirito Santo, the defense ministry said in a statement. Troops will deploy mostly to the state capital Vitoria, northeast of Rio de Janeiro. Defense Minister Raul Jungmann was also due in Vitoria later Monday. Police, aided by relatives and sympathizers blockading police stations, have been protesting against unpaid salaries in Vitoria since early Saturday. With no patrols on the streets over the weekend, assaults and other crime have multiplied, Brazilian media reported. Globo television on Monday broadcast cellphone footage of burned and smashed buses, looted shops, carjackings and a crowd running in panic from what appeared to be gunshots. Students meant to be heading to their first day of school stayed at home and classrooms will remain shuttered "depending on the security situation," a spokesman for the mayor's office in Vitoria said. State security chief Andre Garcia said on his Facebook page that the police chief had been replaced and that the new commander was tasked with "restoring order and discipline." Talks would take place with the disgruntled officers "but with the fundamental condition that police are put on the streets," he said. "All possible means will be used to police the streets." Greater Vitoria has a population of more than 1.8 million people, while a total of 3.9 million live in Espirito Santo state. RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil's government authorized deployment of troops Monday to the coastal city of Vitoria, which has been left at the mercy of criminals following a police strike. Soldiers were being sent "due to the serious public safety situation" at the request of the state of Espirito Santo, the defense ministry said in a statement. Troops will deploy mostly to the state capital Vitoria, northeast of Rio de Janeiro. Defense Minister Raul Jungmann was also due in Vitoria later Monday. Police, aided by relatives and sympathizers blockading police stations, have been protesting against unpaid salaries in Vitoria since early Saturday. With no patrols on the streets over the weekend, assaults and other crime have multiplied, Brazilian media reported. Globo television on Monday broadcast cellphone footage of burned and smashed buses, looted shops, carjackings and a crowd running in panic from what appeared to be gunshots. Students meant to be heading to their first day of school stayed at home and classrooms will remain shuttered "depending on the security situation," a spokesman for the mayor's office in Vitoria said. State security chief Andre Garcia said on his Facebook page that the police chief had been replaced and that the new commander was tasked with "restoring order and discipline." Talks would take place with the disgruntled officers "but with the fundamental condition that police are put on the streets," he said. "All possible means will be used to police the streets." Greater Vitoria has a population of more than 1.8 million people, while a total of 3.9 million live in Espirito Santo state. By AFP PARIS: French rightwing presidential candidate Francois Fillon on Monday apologised for hiring his wife as his parliamentary aide, admitting he made an "error" as he sought to draw a line under a damaging scandal. Fillon's presidential bid has been in turmoil since it emerged that his British-born spouse was paid over 800,000 euros ($860,000) over three periods between 1988 and 2013 for a suspected fake job as his assistant. Fillon also used funds available to lawmakers to hire two of his children, paying them 84,000 euros ($91,000) pre-tax between 2005 and 2007. "It was an error, I profoundly regret it and I apologise to the French people," Fillon told a press conference while insisting he had done nothing illegal and that his wife Penelope's earnings were justified. The former prime minister, 62, said he had hired family members -- as allowed in France -- out of "trust" but recognised that such practises "create distrust nowadays". Rejecting calls from some within his camp to step aside, he declared: "From tonight, I announce here that it's a new campaign that's starting." "I am a candidate for the presidency to win it," he added. Fillon's press conference was seen as crucial to his campaign after a flurry of allegations that have tarnished his sleaze-free image and triggered a preliminary probe into possible misuse of public funds. France goes to the polls in April and May for a two-round presidential election. Fillon, a devout Catholic who won the nomination of the Republicans party in November on a pledge to slash public spending, had been the frontrunner until two weeks ago. Polls now show him possibly crashing out of the first round in April, likely leaving far-right candidate Marine Le Pen and rising star Emmanuel Macron, a centrist, to battle it out in May's runoff vote. - 'Perfectly justified' - Fillon again presented himself as the victim of dirty tricks on Monday, claiming "32 years of irreproachable ethics" in politics. Addressing allegations that Penelope did not actually perform the duties for which she was paid, he said: "No one has the right to judge what a parliamentary assistant's job consists of, except the MP himself." In an interview in 2007, which was unearthed by French reporters last week, Penelope said she had "never been actually his assistant or anything like that." Fillon said this was "taken out of context" and that his wife had worked constantly in his central Sarthe constituency managing his mail and local meetings. Her average monthly salary of 3,677 euros (around $4,000) was "perfectly justified", he said. Both Fillon and his wife were questioned last week over the affair. Penelope told investigators her parliamentary work had been mainly informal, Le Monde reported Monday. When working between 2002 and 2005 for Fillon's replacement in parliament she had "never taken notes", the paper quoted her as saying. The investigation is also looking into payments she received from a literary magazine owned by a friend of her husband. Le Monde said investigators were looking at whether she was paid around 5,000 euros a month pre-tax between May 2012 and December 2013 in return for the magazine's editor being recommended by Fillon for France's highest honour, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, in 2010. In a statement to AFP, the magazine's owner Marc Ladreit de Lacharriere denied any link and said Penelope's work "was in no way fictious". - 'No means No' - The scandal risks adding to the anti-establishment sentiment that fuelled Brexit and Donald Trump's rise to the White House. Fillon's listing poll numbers had created alarm in his camp, leading some members of his party to call for a replacement candidate. Republicans lawmaker Jacques-Alain Benisti said Monday said he believed Fillon's explanations would mend the rift. "The dissenters will now fall in line," he said. Mael Pouliquen, an 18-year-old economy student who has campaigned for Fillon before the scandal, said he found the politician "very frank and very clear." "He has my support again, for now anyway," he told AFP. Some of Fillon's party critics had suggested 71-year-old Alain Juppe, the runner-up in the Republicans primary, should take over. He ruled this out again on Monday. PARIS: French rightwing presidential candidate Francois Fillon on Monday apologised for hiring his wife as his parliamentary aide, admitting he made an "error" as he sought to draw a line under a damaging scandal. Fillon's presidential bid has been in turmoil since it emerged that his British-born spouse was paid over 800,000 euros ($860,000) over three periods between 1988 and 2013 for a suspected fake job as his assistant. Fillon also used funds available to lawmakers to hire two of his children, paying them 84,000 euros ($91,000) pre-tax between 2005 and 2007. "It was an error, I profoundly regret it and I apologise to the French people," Fillon told a press conference while insisting he had done nothing illegal and that his wife Penelope's earnings were justified. The former prime minister, 62, said he had hired family members -- as allowed in France -- out of "trust" but recognised that such practises "create distrust nowadays". Rejecting calls from some within his camp to step aside, he declared: "From tonight, I announce here that it's a new campaign that's starting." "I am a candidate for the presidency to win it," he added. Fillon's press conference was seen as crucial to his campaign after a flurry of allegations that have tarnished his sleaze-free image and triggered a preliminary probe into possible misuse of public funds. France goes to the polls in April and May for a two-round presidential election. Fillon, a devout Catholic who won the nomination of the Republicans party in November on a pledge to slash public spending, had been the frontrunner until two weeks ago. Polls now show him possibly crashing out of the first round in April, likely leaving far-right candidate Marine Le Pen and rising star Emmanuel Macron, a centrist, to battle it out in May's runoff vote. - 'Perfectly justified' - Fillon again presented himself as the victim of dirty tricks on Monday, claiming "32 years of irreproachable ethics" in politics. Addressing allegations that Penelope did not actually perform the duties for which she was paid, he said: "No one has the right to judge what a parliamentary assistant's job consists of, except the MP himself." In an interview in 2007, which was unearthed by French reporters last week, Penelope said she had "never been actually his assistant or anything like that." Fillon said this was "taken out of context" and that his wife had worked constantly in his central Sarthe constituency managing his mail and local meetings. Her average monthly salary of 3,677 euros (around $4,000) was "perfectly justified", he said. Both Fillon and his wife were questioned last week over the affair. Penelope told investigators her parliamentary work had been mainly informal, Le Monde reported Monday. When working between 2002 and 2005 for Fillon's replacement in parliament she had "never taken notes", the paper quoted her as saying. The investigation is also looking into payments she received from a literary magazine owned by a friend of her husband. Le Monde said investigators were looking at whether she was paid around 5,000 euros a month pre-tax between May 2012 and December 2013 in return for the magazine's editor being recommended by Fillon for France's highest honour, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, in 2010. In a statement to AFP, the magazine's owner Marc Ladreit de Lacharriere denied any link and said Penelope's work "was in no way fictious". - 'No means No' - The scandal risks adding to the anti-establishment sentiment that fuelled Brexit and Donald Trump's rise to the White House. Fillon's listing poll numbers had created alarm in his camp, leading some members of his party to call for a replacement candidate. Republicans lawmaker Jacques-Alain Benisti said Monday said he believed Fillon's explanations would mend the rift. "The dissenters will now fall in line," he said. Mael Pouliquen, an 18-year-old economy student who has campaigned for Fillon before the scandal, said he found the politician "very frank and very clear." "He has my support again, for now anyway," he told AFP. Some of Fillon's party critics had suggested 71-year-old Alain Juppe, the runner-up in the Republicans primary, should take over. He ruled this out again on Monday. By Associated Press GAZA CITY: Israel's military fired on Hamas installations in Gaza after a rocket launched from the territory exploded inside Israel on Monday, with no reports of casualties on either side. Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, has largely adhered to a cease-fire that ended a 50-day war with Israel in 2014, but other militant groups occasionally fire rockets or mortar rounds over the frontier. Israel holds Hamas responsible for all incoming fire. Sirens wailed in parts of southern Israel warning of incoming rockets early Monday. The military said one exploded in an open field. Soon after the attack, it said a tank fired at a Hamas position near the frontier. The uptick in violence continued throughout the day. Gaza residents, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, said Israeli airstrikes targeted three Hamas-run militant training sites. The military confirmed those as well as a series of additional airstrikes during the evening, saying they were in response to the rocket and to shots fired at troops operating near the frontier. Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said the military "will not tolerate rocket fire toward civilians and will continue to ensure security and stability in the region." Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem blamed Israel for the escalation. There was no immediate claim of responsibility in Gaza for the rocket attack. Jihadists who support the Islamic State group have taken responsibility for similar attacks in the past. GAZA CITY: Israel's military fired on Hamas installations in Gaza after a rocket launched from the territory exploded inside Israel on Monday, with no reports of casualties on either side. Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, has largely adhered to a cease-fire that ended a 50-day war with Israel in 2014, but other militant groups occasionally fire rockets or mortar rounds over the frontier. Israel holds Hamas responsible for all incoming fire. Sirens wailed in parts of southern Israel warning of incoming rockets early Monday. The military said one exploded in an open field. Soon after the attack, it said a tank fired at a Hamas position near the frontier. The uptick in violence continued throughout the day. Gaza residents, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, said Israeli airstrikes targeted three Hamas-run militant training sites. The military confirmed those as well as a series of additional airstrikes during the evening, saying they were in response to the rocket and to shots fired at troops operating near the frontier. Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said the military "will not tolerate rocket fire toward civilians and will continue to ensure security and stability in the region." Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem blamed Israel for the escalation. There was no immediate claim of responsibility in Gaza for the rocket attack. Jihadists who support the Islamic State group have taken responsibility for similar attacks in the past. Who are Newport's top taxpayers? Take a look at the top 50. Champaign, IL (61820) Today A mix of clouds and sun with gusty winds. High 57F. Winds SW at 25 to 35 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 50 mph.. Tonight A clear sky. Low 42F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. An interview with Alastair Ward conducted by April Cashin-Garbutt, MA (Cantab) How do microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees differ from traditional prosthetic knees? These prosthetics are a big change from traditional models. The knees are designed with a programmable computer that is built in to the joint. This battery powered technology continuously controls both the swing and the stance phase of the prosthetic through real time data that the computer receives from its built-in sensors. This means that the knee can actively think for itself and adapt based on the information it is receiving. Orion3 - Technical Overview Play In what ways do patients benefit from microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees? Using current systems available on the NHS, amputees often struggle when walking on different surfaces, particularly on slopes and uneven terrain. With microprocessor-controlled knees, amputees benefit from stability on different terrains, slopes and steps, as well as being able to walk more naturally and efficiently at either single or varying speeds. This means that users can walk without the fear of stumbling or falling, as their prosthesis will continuously adapt to the terrain around them. Are there any downsides or limitations to this new technology at the moment? There are always downsides and limitations to any technology. In general, however, these devices are very good. Lifelike cosmetic appearance can still present an issue for some amputees but these days many choose to wear custom covers or display the technology itself. As manufacturers, there is a lot more work goes into making the knees look less medical in nature than was perhaps previously the case. How does the technology work? Prosthetics devices such as Blatchfords Orion 3 adapt hydraulic resistance in real time, to provide the wearer with support when moving in any environment or standing still. This model also has stumble recovery technology, ensuring that the knee remains stable should the user falter. As well as this, knee flexion during the swing of the leg forward varies according to walking speed. With microprocessor pneumatic swing control, the limb controls heel rise across a range of walking speeds for a more natural swing. A pneumatic system allows for a spring that can be varied by electronically adjusting a valve in real-time. This allows it to walk as naturally at low speeds as it can at higher speeds. At the same time, the on-board computer is also tasked with switching off the hydraulic standing resistance at just the right time, making it easy to initiate swing phase whilst being as safe as possible for the user. Basically, the computer cant be tricked into switching off the stability as easily as a purely mechanical system can. In combination, all of this helps to save energy whilst remaining as safe as possible at all times. In what countries are microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees currently available? Microprocessor-controlled knees are readily available in many countries including Germany, the US, Scandinavia and Italy for example. Strictly they are available nearly anywhere, but it is mainly insurance based systems where they are routinely supplied. In the UK, the technology was previously only available as part of specific trials, to military amputees from recent and historical conflicts, through private clinics or in Scotland, where they have approached provision differently. Can you please give an overview of the recent announcement from NHS England on the funding available? NHS England recently announced the decision to routinely commission ten new specialised treatments based on advice from the services clinical priorities advisory group, which assessed the relative priority of investing in a new range of specialised treatments and interventions. This took into account revised prices submitted by some manufacturers since the provisional investment decision were published in July. One of the ten items approved for funding, a decision that was made following consideration by NHS Englands Specialised Services Commissioning Committee, is microprocessor-controlled knees. What will the NHS funding mean for the development of this technology? The decision to make microprocessor knees readily available to NHS patients will act as a catalyst to accelerate the development of even more advanced technologies, improving patients lives further. Previously, the technology was only accessible to a small market, hindering developers potential to grow and expand. Now that the treatment will be available on the Health Service, the number of people who require these devices has suddenly become far broader. This will provide a much larger user group who can shape the future of the devices. To ensure developers of prosthetic devices stand out to the NHS as a natural choice, companies will need to make sure that the product on offer provides users with the best functionality possible, whilst also proving to be the best value for money. This battle within the prosthesis market is only going to increase the pace of development of these limbs, helping create better devices that will benefit all in the future. There are already some highly advanced prosthesis available, and the industry will continue to search for ways to create even more advanced microprocessor-controlled knees in the future. How will this technology add value to both the NHS and patients? For patients, the technology eliminates the risk of amputees falling or injuring themselves when walking or changing environments, providing users with the confidence and stability needed to move without fear. Such benefits not only make a huge difference to patient safety and quality of life; they also reduce the lifelong care needs of amputees. Patients wearing microprocessor-controlled limbs are less likely to injure themselves thanks to the advanced technology and this has the potential to reduce costs associated with patient care and waiting times at clinics. If fewer amputees have to visit GPs or hospital wards due to prosthetic issues or injuries, NHS time and money can be spent on other areas, while patients will spend less time and money going to and from hospitals to treat any issues they may have. What do you think the future holds for prosthetic knee technology? What advances are in the pipeline? The next generation of devices will aim to also provide muscle like power back to the patient. There are devices that aim to do this currently but control system limitations, cost and current battery technology limit their usefulness. Further advances in materials, battery technology, manufacturing techniques, and things like implanted sensor control technology will all contribute to limbs that may not necessarily get lighter, but will be more intelligent with more complexity whilst keeping them at a weight that is practical. Where can readers find more information? Further information is available including what designs are available and the benefits of the technology, as well as the NHSs decision to fund the technology, in the document prepared by the health service. Information around specific models available, such as Orion 3, is usually best found on company websites, where you can find some added context on the benefits of the technology can be seen. About Alastair Ward Alastair Ward graduated from Salford University in 2000 with a first-class BSc (Hons) degree in Prosthetics & Orthotics. Having worked as a Prosthetist in Sheffields Northern General Hospital for six years, he joined Blatchfords Products division in 2006. Over the last ten years he has been actively involved in new product development, as well as his education and training role and has accrued a vast wealth of experience of the fitting of Endolite devices to the end users. In particular, this has allowed him to develop expertise in the understanding, fitting, and setup Biomimetic Hydraulic Ankle and Microprocessor technologies such as Echelon, Elan, Linx and Orion 3. A new study, presented this week at the Association of Academic Physiatrists Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, shows college students take significantly more time to recover from a concussion than the general national average of seven to 14 days. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a concussion is a "type of traumatic brain injury or TBI caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, stretching and damaging the brain cells and creating chemical changes in the brain." The CDC also estimates 1.6-3.8 million concussions occur in the United States each year. On average, a person takes seven to 14 days to recover from a concussion, and researchers recently questioned if recovery takes longer in college students who might find it difficult to give themselves time to recover. "Recovering from a concussion requires active rest and refraining from excessive physical and cognitive stimuli, such as contact sports, reading, writing and even the need for limitation of watching television and online activities, says Prakash Jayabalan, MD, PhD who is lead investigator on the study and is an attending physician at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) and assistant professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "These are all things that the average college student encounters on a daily basis and will find challenging to limit. Therefore, our research team wanted to determine if recovery time for patients in a college setting is different from those people outside of that setting." To assess this, Dr. Jayabalan and the research team at Northwestern University Student Health Center in Evanston, Ill., reviewed the medical charts of 128 students who were seen for concussion during the 2014-2015 academic year. On average, the students were 20 years old and predominately female (53.1 percent). Forty-four students were varsity athletes, 33 played club sports, 34 played recreational sports, and 17 did not engage in regular physical activity or did not report their activity level when seen. Dr. Jayabalan's team found that varsity athletes experienced a shorter duration of concussion symptoms (11.5 days, on average) when compared to club (nearly 19 days) and recreational athletes (nearly 23 days). This, according to Dr. Jayabalan, could be due to the higher amount of medical support student athletes receive. Female students took longer to recover in comparison to men (nearly 21 days vs. nearly 15 days). People with seizure disorders or prior concussions were more likely to have symptoms that last longer than 28 days. Finally, graduate students took two weeks longer to recover when compared to undergraduates (31 days vs. 16), although the number of graduate students who sustained a concussion was relatively small in this study. "This is the first cross-sectional study reporting the outcome of concussions at a collegiate institution," says Dr. Jayabalan, who also notes the need for improved resources for university students who suffer a concussion. "The findings in our study highlight the difficulty in treating collegiate students with concussions, due to both the academic rigors of institutions and the differing needs of student populations. The study also provides insight into at-risk subsets of the student population. Factors such as level of sport, year in school, athlete vs. non-athlete, pre-morbid conditions and gender may affect outcome, and this needs to be an important consideration for the physician managing concussed college students." As a next step, the research team plans to implement resources for students with concussion and assess the effect of them on the concussion recovery. Many herbal supplements contain hidden pharmaceutical ingredients that could be causing serious health risks, according to a team of experts from Queen's University Belfast, Kingston University London and LGC. Emeritus Professor Duncan Burns, a forensically experienced analytical chemist from the Queen's University Belfast's Institute for Global Food Security, has been working with a team of specialists on a peer-reviewed paper to examine the detection of illegal ingredients in the supplements. The experts included Dr Michael Walker from the Government Chemist Programme at LGC and Professor Declan Naughton from Kingston University. The research found that over-the-counter supplements - commonly advertised to treat obesity and erectile dysfunction problems - are labelled as fully herbal but often include potentially dangerous pharmaceutical ingredients, which are not listed on the label. Professor Burns from Queen's University, who is working to advance knowledge in this area, explained: "Our review looked at research from right across the globe and questioned the purity of herbal food supplements. We have found that these supplements are often not what customers think they are - they are being deceived into thinking they are getting health benefits from a natural product when actually they are taking a hidden drug. "These products are unlicensed medicines and many people are consuming large quantities without knowing the interactions with other supplements or medicines they may be taking. This is very dangerous and there can be severe side effects." The survey raises serious questions about the safety of slimming supplements containing Sibutramine. Sibutramine was licensed as the medicine Reductil until 2010, when it was withdrawn across Europe and the US due to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes associated with the use of the drug. Tadalfil and sulfoaildenafil were among the most frequently undeclared ingredients in products for erectile dysfunction. When taken with other medicines containing nitrates, they can lower blood pressure drastically and cause serious health problems. Professor Burns noted: "This is a real issue as people suffering from conditions like diabetes, hyperlipidemia and hypertension are frequently prescribed nitrate containing medicines. If they are also taking a herbal supplement to treat erectile dysfunction, they could become very ill. "People who take these products will not be aware they have taken these substances and so when they visit their doctor they may not declare this and it can be difficult to determine what is causing the side effects. It is a very dangerous situation." Professor Declan Naughton explained: "This work highlights the vital role research and, in particular, techniques like datamining, can play in informing regulators about current trends in supplement contamination. This is very important to ensure effective testing strategies and, ultimately, to help keep the public safe." Dr Michael Walker commented: "The laboratory tests we describe in our paper will assist regulators to tackle this problem proactively to protect consumers and responsible businesses." Starting in 2017, researchers will commence their study in Eindhoven on the effects of days with high air pollution on respiratory complaints, medication use and lung function of children suffering from chronic respiratory complaints such as wheezing or asthma. Vera van Zoest, doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) at the University of Twente is one of the researchers in the project. "We use the information of a high resolution network of air quality sensors in order to map air quality in space and time. By linking this information to the daily variation of asthma symptoms and lung function of children, we gain insight into the effect of air quality on the health of children suffering from asthma." The study employs the Innovative Air Measurement System (Innovatief Lucht Meetsysteem, ILM), a sensor network that has been used to measure the air quality in Eindhoven since 2013 on a much more detailed level than currently possible in other cities. The ILM allows for much more accurate recording of the health impacts of air pollution in Eindhoven specifically. The ILM was created by AiREAS, a unique civil initiative in which the local citizens, the municipality of Eindhoven, the province of Noord-Brabant and scientific institutions, including the University of Twente and Utrecht University, all collaborate. Scientists of these universities will conduct the study under the supervision of Professor Alfred Stein. Reason for the study Previous studies have shown us that children with chronic respiratory complaints experience more severe complaints on days with increased air pollution. The extent of this effect, as well as the substances that cause these health effects, are not very well known. Research in various countries has demonstrated that the actual effects are not the same everywhere. This is why it is important for a Dutch city like Eindhoven to establish the nature of the health effects, and which substances are most influential. The ILM provides us with accurate information about air quality, which allows us to estimate the level of air pollution exposure for every child much better than we could previously. Research method For this particular study, children between the ages of 7 and 11 suffering from chronic respiratory complaints like asthma, frequent wheezing and/or using respiratory medicines (bronchodilators) are asked to answer questions about their medication use and their respiratory complaints daily for a period of four months. They will keep a digital journal to document this. For two months, their lung function is measured twice a day by breathing onto a device as hard as they can. The air quality sensor network in Eindhoven consists of 35 sensor boxes which give a good overview of the air quality on a daily basis. By using the information of the sensor box closest to the child's home or school, we know the quality of the air children are breathing in on any given day. This allows us to study whether children experience more severe respiratory complaints, use more medication, or have reduced lung function on days with increased air pollution. In what will be a transformative approach to women's health care in South Florida, the University of Miami Health System and VitalMD Group Holdings LLC, and its wholly owned medical practices LLCs ("VitalMD"), one of the largest private physician group practices in Florida, have agreed to establish a strategic collaboration to advance the missions of both entities, improving access to high-quality medical care by creating a broader network of providers in the South Florida region. VitalMD's more than 500 private affiliated physicians focus on women's health, both primary care and obstetrics and gynecology, as well as primary care and pediatrics, among other specialties. The University and VitalMD's collaboration will enable patients to have seamless access to cancer services provided by physician experts at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center -- part of UHealth -- and any of the health system's other specialists. Similarly, working with VitalMD's network will enable expansion of UHealth's mission to deliver premium academic health care and access to OB/GYN and other women's health services in the community. The collaboration creates a synergistic platform for both health care providers to build on their own strengths, sharing best practices to more efficiently and effectively serve patients; maintaining the convenience of primary care across the community combined with seamless access to specialty care when needed. "This initiative is a natural fit for the University of Miami Health System as we expand our care into more communities," said Steven M. Altschuler, M.D., senior vice president for health affairs at the University of Miami and CEO of UHealth. "Women's health often translates to the health of the entire family. Bringing academic specialty care and research to VitalMD affiliate practices' patients will create a network of services that run the continuum of care and further enhance our mission to improve access for more patients." Among the expected benefits is increased value through clinical program collaboration, improved efficiencies, coordination of care, creation of evidence-based care models, and expanded resident/fellow teaching opportunities. Glenn Salkind, M.D., president of VitalMD, describes the alliance as a "bold step" for South Florida health care. "Working with the University of Miami Health System, we dramatically expand our network of physicians. We are better able to meet our community's needs by offering this seamless connection to academic medical care for specialty services." The alliance will start with select VitalMD physicians providing care in Sylvester multi-disciplinary breast cancer clinics in Miami-Dade -- at The Lennar Foundation Medical Center on the University's Coral Gables campus -- and in Broward, seeing patients at Sylvester at Deerfield Beach and Sylvester at Plantation. By clicking "Allow All" you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyse site usage and support us in providing free open access scientific content. More info. Priyanka Chopra made her debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert where she touched upon various subjects, which includes her soon to be released Hollywood debut 'Baywatch' and her ticket to stardom in the west 'Quantico', among other things.During the nine-minute conversation, Chopra and Colbert spoke about the former's popularity in India, her films, her high school life in the US, her confused 'global accent' and of course Quantico and Baywatch.Chopra, who never minces her words, expressed objection to the Hindi film industry being called 'Bollywood'. She said, "I don't (like the term Bollywood). I don't think a lot of Indian actors like the term Bollywood also because I think around the world the word Bollywood has been reduced to like a Zumba class."Chopra also took the opportunity to point out to Colbert and everyone else that Indian cinema wasn't only about Bollywood but it comprised of regional films as well. And when she said that the Indian film industry was one of the biggest film producing industries in the world, with 4,000-5,000 films being produced each year, Colbert jokingly suggested that Hollywood should be named after the Indian film industry and not vice versa.During the chat, Chopra who admitted that she kept getting into trouble for speaking her mind, took a sly jibe at US President Donald Trump when she said, "I have to be careful of what I say on TV these days." "I'm here on a visa so, I should be careful," she added.Priyanka Chopra has already appeared on a host of talk shows including an appearance each on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Live With Kelly and Late Night With Seth Meyers and twice on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live. If you are social media savvy you surely must have heard of Sofia Ashraf. In case you haven't, that's reason enough to believe that you are living under a rock.The Chennai-born artist is known for speaking her mind not through words, but raps songs. Ashraf has created rap videos on issues like Bhopal gas tragedy, reworked Nicki Minaj's Anaconda to give us Kodaikanal Won't which talks about the corporate abuse (Kodaikanal's pollution caused by Dow chemicals) done on yet another innocent town called Kodaikanal.The lyrics were were a huge hit with social media users and it gave Unilever sleepless nights. It was a massive hit and people liked it so much that the video went viral. The video talks about the liabilities of Polman's thermometer factory and how the toxic mercury waste affected the lives of the locals.In the Bhopal gas tragedy video which is titled DOW Vs. Bhopal | A Toxic Rap Battle, Ashraf personifies the victims and DOW as two different rappers battling it out. And she gets the desired effect. The rap battle breaks down the whole issue and pinpoints every time the US Department of Justice has let this atrocity slide.Both the videos received a lot of love online. And one thing became certain with time that Ashraf wasn't someone to mince her words. If she believed in something, she would surely express it, even if it is by means of rap videos.So now, with Sasikala Natarajan's elevation as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the artist star has once again taken to took raps songs to express her dissent. CRPF issues clarification regarding the 59 trainees of 205CoBRA Bn, who went missing from train sans informing before their first deployment pic.twitter.com/hXTY1XolvF ANI (@ANI_news) February 6, 2017 : A group of 59 commandos of the elite anti-Naxal Force Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) force allegedly deserted the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) en masse earlier this month.The jungle warfare and counter-Naxal squad went missing from their train, just before they were to report for duty in Naxal-hit areas of Bihar as part of their first deployment.The incident had set off a scare of mass desertion but subsequent inquiry by the paramilitary force has established this as an alleged case of 'mass bunking'.A group of 600 commandos had finished the first part of their training and these 59 jawans were going to Gaya to finish 24 weeks of further training in anti-Naxal operations, said a source. At Mugalsarai the group headed by a head constable was supposed to get off Jammu-Sealdah Express and take another train to Gaya. It is here that they reportedly told the Head Constable that they were going home for the weekend. "The head constable tried to dissuade them but the group left. The head constable then informed the headquarters," a top officer of the CRPF said."These boys were supposed to join work in Gaya battalion on 7th February. They were travelling on 4th and since a weekend fell in between, they decided to go home for 2-3 days without informing the battalion headquarters," DG CRPF K Durga Prasad told CNN-News18."This is a serious matter. We have managed to establish contact. The group is joining back on 7th February. A DIG level officer is conducting inquiry into the incident. Strict action will be taken," IG Cobra Raju Bharghava told CNN-News18.However, the CRPF on Monday told CNN-News18, "The jawans were returning to their unit after completion of their 6 months training at Recruitment Training Centre, Srinagar, and had their return tickets from Jammu to Gaya on February 5, 2017 in Shealdah Express. Due to inclement weather and road blockade, these personnel were sent to Jammu on February 1, 2017 and decided to board an early train on 2nd February. Since, they were early as per their scheduled programme, they decided on their own to avail on Saturday and Sunday to visit their home without prior permission from competent authority. These personnel have committed a misconduct for which they will be dealt departmentally." New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal on Monday sought the response of the Centre, the Tamil Nadu government and others by Tuesday on pleas seeking compensation to people affected by the recent oil spill off the coast of Tamil Nadu and seizure of the vessels involved. A bench headed by NGT chairperson Swatantar Kumar issued notice to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), the central and state pollution control boards, the Ministry of Shipping and the Tamil Nadu government through its chief secretary. The bench asked the respondents to appear before it Tuesday and give their response. The petitions have also sought constitution of an expert committee to oversee and monitor the entire clean up process and assess the damage caused to the environment. "The fish and all the other aquatic animals have become victims to the widespread disaster caused by the two vessels as a result of their negligence," the plea filed by one petitioner Ashwini Kumar through advocate Sumeer Sodhi said. In another plea filed on Monday, the counsel sought a direction to the authorities to follow national and international protocol in dealing with the disaster. The petitions have also made parties the owners of the offending ships, including Gurgaon-based Tokio Marine Holdings Inc. On January 28, 2017, two merchant vessels -- MV Maple Galaxy, owned by Tokio Marine Holding Inc. and under charter party contract with Indian Oil Corporation, collided with vessel MT Dawn Kanchipuram, operated by unknown persons near the Port of Kamarajar in Ennore, Tamil Nadu. The collision led to a massive spill of hazardous oil and LPG near the shoreline "causing severe damage to the ecosystem in the area and which will eventually become toxic for marine life in and around the place of incident and further result in health and other damage to the residents of the vicinity," one of the pleas said. The petitioners have sought seizure of both the offending merchant vessels until their owners pay adequate compensation for the damage to the environment caused by them, and that a panel be constituted to oversee and monitor the entire clean up process and assess the damage caused to the environment. New Delhi: A special court on granted two weeks time to CBI for filing in a proper format the final report in a coal block allocation scam case against Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal, ex-Minister of State for Coal Dasari Narayan Rao and others. Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar allowed the investigating officers (IO) plea seeking time on the ground that he has finalised the report, forwarded it to senior authorities and awaiting approval. "IO submits that the new director of the CBI has recently taken over and his approval is not obtained so far. He says that he needs some time to file the report. Put up the matter for further hearing on February 20," the court said. The court had earlier rapped the CBI for not filing the final report in a proper format. Later, the court had accepted the final report noting that sufficient time has already lapsed in the matter and asked the agency to file the documents in a "proper format". While filing the report, which contains CFSL report, list of documents, list of witnesses and their statements, the agency had told the court that the probe was complete in the case. The court had earlier pulled up the CBI for delay in filing the report, saying it was affecting the progress of trial. CBI had alleged that former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda, also accused in the case, had favoured Jindal group firms -- Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and Gagan Sponge Iron Private Ltd (GSIPL) -- in allocation of Amarkonda Murgadangal coal block in Jharkhand. Opposing CBIs contention, all the accused had said there was no evidence to show that there was any conspiracy during the coal block allocation process. They had also denied the allegations levelled against them by CBI in its charge sheet. The Karnataka High Court on Monday dismissed the petition of a former rowdy sheeter and BJP leader M Muniraju, who had pleaded with the court to grant him permission to use chopper for showering flowers on his newly constructed house.Dismissing the petition, Justice Bopanna, who had earlier criticised the splurge, questioned the petitioner Muniraju saying since when did showering flowers on the house become a ritual."If this continues new rituals will take birth for birthdays and Satyanarayana pooja," the judge observed."There is no provision under law, hence the petition is dismissed, said Justice Bopanna even after Munirajus counsel Shivaramu argued that it would be a violation of fundamental right of his client under article 14 of the constitution."How is it that his neighbour is given the permission whereas my client is being denied" argued Shivaramu.Speaking to CNN News 18, Shivaramu said, The case has been disposed off as police did not give its permission.The city commissioner's office informed the court on Monday that permission cannot be granted to Muniraju as the roof of his neighbour's house is made of tin sheets.Justice AS Bopanna in his concluding remarks observed that if given permission it would set a bad precedent.Expressing his dissatisfaction with the verdict, Muniraju said he has no option but to bow to the courts verdict.When asked if he would go for an appeal, Muniraju said,I would have gone for an appeal but hardly three days are left for the house inauguration. Hence there is no time. I will have to satisfy with the normal way.Muniraju had approached the police on December 30th after Deccan Charters, the helicopter hiring company, asked him to get clearance from the Bangalore city commissioner.When the authorities denied him permission, Muniraju filed a writ with the Karnataka high court on February 2nd. Karnataka: A man has approached the Karnataka High court seeking permission to use helicopter to shower his newly constructed house with flowers on February 9. In his unusual PIL, M Muniraju, who has constructed a new house at Mullur village of Bangalore east taluk, has said that even though his neighbour had done the same, a permission request to the Bangalore Commissioner was rejected. Muniraju said he has approached the court as invitation cards have already been printed and distributed for the house shower ceremony. On December 29, 2016 Muniraju had approached Deccan Charters to hire a helicopter for the one and half hour event but the aviation company asked him to get permission from the city commissioner. Arguing the case before Justice AS Bopanna, Muniaraj's counsel HC Shivaramu asked the judge to consider his application under article 14 of the constitution. The counsel also assured court that the event wont create any law and order issue. Justice Bopanna who later adjourned the hearing to February 6 came down heavily on the petitioner for his lavish spending. What was the need for providing such details in the invitation? Are you competing with your neighbour? Is this competition a violation of your equality? asked Justice Bopanna. Bopanna cited the example of a bride in Maharashtra who had refused to marry when she came to know that her parents were planning to spend Rs 80 lakhs on her marriage. The bride wanted houses to be built for poor instead. Government, however, has cited Munirajus past criminal record and land where the house has been built, under dispute as reason for not giving him permission. Muniraju needs clearance from the civil aviation ministry before commissioner can grant permission, the government counsel clarified. The court has issued notice to the city commissioner. The government counsel informed the court that the petitioner's name was on the list of rowdy-sheeters till recently, and said the man had to get no-objection certificates from the civil aviation ministry and send it to the police commissioner to get the required permission. Delhi: After shootout near Nehru Place Metro Station, Police nabbed criminal Akbar, carrying a reward of Rs25k on his head.His aide escaped. pic.twitter.com/ZVyxhFOBwO ANI (@ANI_news) February 6, 2017 A wanted criminal was apprehended by the police after an encounter near Nehru Place metro station here on Monday.Akbar was arrested after fire fight between him along with an accomplice with a police team.He was carrying a reward of Rs 25,000 on his head for an arrest.Over 13 rounds of bullets have been said to have been exchanged between the police and Akbar.Sources said Akbars accomplice managed to flee after the gun fight.Two Delhi Police personnel were injured in the shootout with a gang of alleged criminals, that led to the arrest of the wanted gangsters who carried a reward of Rs 25,000.A police spokesperson said that a police team tried to stop the criminals, whose exact number was not known, near Eros Hotel in south Delhi's Nehru Place when one of them opened fire, injuring two cops.(With inputs from IANS) New Delhi: The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has come down harshly on the Delhi governments home for the mentally challenged, Asha Kiran, after a surprise visit revealed that 11 inmates have died in the past two months. Swati Maliwal, DCW chairperson along with DCW member Promila Gupta and other staff members, spent the night on Saturday at the shelter home and found gross violations of human rights, extremely unhygienic toilets and shortage of staff. "Women were being made to remove their clothes in the open while being lined up for taking a bath. Shockingly, completely nude women were roaming around in the corridors, Maliwal said. Moreover, the corridors of the dormitory had CCTV cameras installed which are being monitored by male staffers. The Commission saw the CCTV footage which captured mentally- challenged women roaming around nude," Maliwal said in a statement. The inmates were being forced to sweep, wash clothes and look after fellow boarders. At another corner, an ailing inmate force-played a masseuse and massages the legs of a woman employee, DCW noted. The commission has issued a notice to the social welfare department secretary and asked them to respond within 72 hours as the "matter is extremely serious and concerns the life and liberty of the residents". DCW has set up a separate inquiry committee to look into complaints against the home. Meanwhile, a report will be submitted to the government. The deaths are a reflection of the decadence at the home where about 450 women and children were crammed into a decaying, fetid space having a sanctioned capacity of 350. During her visit to the home, Maliwal found it extremely crowded as four persons were sharing each mattress and toilets were extremely unhygienic and shortage of staff. It said there were no adequate blankets for the inmates in the winter season and even wheel chairs were not being used as women and children in need were crawling on the floor unattended to reach the toilets. It found home short of doctors as only one psychiatrist visits the home and several posts of doctors were vacant. "There was no guard stationed at the entrance of female wing," it said. Meanwhile, BJP has demanded the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who is responsible for social welfare department which looks after the home, located in Rohini. The BJP also demanded that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should own moral responsibility of the death of the 11 children and set up a high power committee to improve the living condition at Asha Kiran Homes. "The Delhi government is responsible for the death of 11 innocent children inmates of Asha Kiran Homes and it is now trying to evade responsibility and mislead the people," Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said. "Sisodia, who is looking after the Social Welfare Department should own responsibility for the death of 11 children at Asha Kiran Homes and resign," he added. "Had Sisodia acted fast after the first death was reported may be other children could have been saved," Tiwari alleged. (With Agency Inputs) For two days in a tiny Spanish village, the devil ceases to be enemy No. 1 for a few devout Catholics.Since medieval times, the 400 residents of Almonacid del Marquesado have celebrated the "Endiablada" (Brotherhood of the Devils) festival each February.Members of the town's all-male religious brotherhood dress up in what they consider devil-type characters, donning colorful jumpsuits and red miter hats. Almost every male in the village, from boys up to the elderly, then take part in processions through the twisting village streets.They each carry heavy copper cowbells around their waist, which they clang incessantly, and some run and jump to make as much noise as possible. Each man in the brotherhood also has his own wooden staff that they have inherited or carved, some of which include images of a devil.The procession,"Candelaria" represents the Virgin Mary presenting the baby Jesus to authorities in the temple 40 days after Christmas. The protocol is believed to have caused her some embarrassment, and the bell-clanging is thought to be a way of diverting the public's attention. On this day, the brotherhood also visits the local cemetery to pay respects to its members who have passed away that year.Starting in the morning, the brotherhood parades to the town's church, where the clamor of the bells is amplified to a deafening din inside its old stone walls.Aniceto Rodrigo, 80, presides over the celebrations. He's the Diablo Mayor, or "great devil," because he's the person who has the longest streak of participating in the celebrations without missing a single year.Although the processions are similar, the two holidays have different origins.The next day procession commemorates the day of Saint Blas. According to a local legend, town shepherds found a statue of the saint and then won a competition with a nearby town to keep the effigy, ringing the bells of their animals in celebration. This bit of lore is said to have inspired the walking sticks the men carry, harking back to shepherds' crooks.While some of the village's women join the spectators who have come from other towns to enjoy the parades, others are busy cooking traditional "rosquillas" treats. President Donald Trump 's tough stance against Mexico could make it easier for China to become the country's and Latin America's top trade partner. "The U.S. trade tensions with Mexico are putting the Mexican government on overdrive trying to find new export markets," said Sean Miner, fellow at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank, who noted that 80 percent of Mexican exports go to the U.S. "Recently, China and Mexico have become closer. Clearly this is a consequence of the rising tensions." On Jan. 27, Trump threatened to send U.S. troops into Mexico, accusing Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto of not doing enough to " a bunch of bad hombres down there ." He did not identify the hombres or why they are bad. Earlier that week, Trump appeared to have warmed up to the idea of a border-adjusted tax plan proposed by House Republicans . Such a plan would tax imports into the United States, and exclude exports from taxes. Fearing that trade with the U.S. may be restricted by policies implemented by the Trump administration, Mexico has been looking to lessen its economic dependence on its big neighbor to the north. Chinese and Mexican officials met on Dec. 12, pledging to deepen ties between the two countries. In fact, Mexico's Giant Motors, which is partly owned by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim's Grupo Financiero Inbursa, and Chinese auto maker JAC Motor will invest more than $200 million to manufacture SUVs in Mexico, Hidalgo State Governor Omar Fayad told reporters at a news conference last week. "This automobile will proudly carry a label that will say 'Made in Mexico,'" Fayad said, according to The New York Times. "And that should be a cause for great pride for the people of Hidalgo." Trump has slammed U.S. automakers for so much as planning to manufacture cars south of the border. Ford Motor said Jan. 3 it will invest $700 million in its Flat Rock, Michigan, plant and add 700 new jobs rather than build a $1.6 billion plant in Mexico . The announcement came after Trump bashed the company for shipping jobs outside the U.S., though CEO Mark Fields said the decision to cancel the Mexican facility was made because of low market demand . Story continues But it is not just Mexico looking to strengthen economic ties with China. Other Latin American nations may give China a bigger economic beachhead in the Western Hemisphere. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in October that China wants a feasibility study for a free trade agreement with Colombia. If the two countries agree on a deal, Colombia would join Peru, Chile and Costa Rica among Latin American countries that have bilateral trade agreements with China. "What is happening is because of the death of the [ Trans-Pacific Partnership ] countries want to strengthen regional trade agreements" and "they're going to look at many other avenues that exclude the U.S." said Atlantic Council's Miner. The Trans-Pacific Partnership was a multination trade deal spearheaded by the United States and excluding China but which was canceled by Trump after he assumed office. The end of the TPP has prompted China to try to seize advantage of the vaccuum left by a retrenching United States, according to economists. China had already been quietly increasing its economic influence in Latin America well before the TPP's demise and Trump's shocking election win. According to Americas Society/Council of the Americas, a New York Citybased nonprofit organization, trade between China and Latin American countries rose 24-fold between 2000 and 2013. Trade between the United States and Latin America roughly tripled between 1996 and 2016, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Mexico makes 'a lot of the stuff that China makes' However, increased trade between China and Latin America faces limitations for now. "If China wants to take the lead in Latin America that's good. Now, the question is: Are there complementarities between Latin America and China? Right now, the U.S. and Latin America have more than China and Latin America," said Alberto Ramos, head of Latin American Economics at Goldman Sachs. "Why doesn't Mexico trade with China? Because they make a lot of the stuff China makes." Ramos added that trading between Latin America and China is more difficult logistically, given the distance between the two regions. As for China, "I don't think the Latin America option is a very strong one," said Nick Lardy, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Lardy noted that the U.S. alone accounts for 20 percent of Chinese exports, while the entire Latin America region takes in just 6 percent. China "can always seek out other options, but I don't think Latin America is a very good one," he said, adding that if a trade war between the U.S. and China erupts, it would adversely affect China and would make it harder for the country to expand into other markets. There is also another problem, said Atlantic Council's Miner: "China sells a lot more than it buys." China remains a net exporter of goods despite its efforts to pivot its economy to a more consumer-driven one. "The Chinese are in a transition, but this shift from an export-based economy into a more consumer-driven economy is taking quite a long time," Miner said. Reuters contributed to this report. WATCH: Why Trump's foreign policy is on a collision course in the South China Sea More From CNBC Islamabad: The release of much-anticipated Bollywood film "Raees" starring Shah Rukh Khan and Pakistani actress Mahira Khan, was on Monday banned in Pakistan due to its "objectionable" content. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) said the Rahul Dholakia directorial, which marks Mahira Khan's Bollywood debut, will not release in the country. The film was scheduled to hit Pakistani cinemas on Sunday. Sources in the know said the reason behind the ban was that "the content undermines Islam, and a specific religious sect, (It also) portrays Muslims as criminals, wanted persons and terrorists". Most members objected to the film's release, an official of the Punjab censor board said, adding that they will follow the decision of the central censor board. The self-imposed ban on Bollywood films ended on February 1 as Karachi's Atrium Cinemas screened Hrithik Roshan starrer "Kaabil". The information ministry and CBFC also cleared Karan Johar's "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" for screening in the country. Last week, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif gave the thumbs up to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to lift the "ban" by issuing No Objection Certificate to Indian films, subject to clearance by the Censor Board. According to an official handout issued by the Information Ministry, the government was "pleased to continue the existing open policy to display all international movies (including Indian films) in Pakistani cinemas". The statement, however, pointed out that the cinema houses would be allowed to screen movies only after approval from relevant censor boards. Following the tensions over an attack on an Indian army base in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, and surgical strikes across the Line of Control in September last year, Pakistani cinema owners had decided not to screen Indian movies until the atmosphere became better. They took the decision after the Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association banned all Pakistani artists from working in film projects in India. New Delhi: The Election Commission has issued a notice to Suresh Rana, BJP candidate from Thanabhawan in Western Uttar Pradesh, over an alleged hate speech he made recently. Rana, also a BJP state vice-president, is one among the accused in the Muzaffarnagar riots case of 2013. On January 31, Rana was booked for making the statement which allegedly targeted minorities. The EC notice also asks Shamli district magistrate to ensure that Rana files a reply by Wednesday. The two-page notice, a copy of which is with News 18, reads: The Commission is prima facie of the opinion that you (Rana) have violated the MCC (moral code of conduct) and also willfully disobeyed the aforesaid order of the Honble Supreme Court by making the impugned statement. Now, therefore, the Election Commission hereby, gives you a notice why actions should not be taken against you for violating the aforesaid provisions of the MCC, failing which the Commission will be deciding the case without any further reference. Shamli district magistrate Sujeet Kumar confirmed to News 18 that they had received a copy of the notice. On Monday morning, I received a copy of the letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner of Uttar Pradesh. The letter has an enclosed copy of the notice against the MLA of Thanabhawan for violating the MCC and Supreme Court verdict. The district administration has been directed to ensure that Rana replies to the notice by Wednesday. In case the EC finds his reply unsatisfactory, the Commission will take whatever action it deems necessary, he said. Rana made headlines last month after a video of him making an alleged hate speech had gone viral. If Suresh Rana wins the election again, curfew will be imposed in Kairana, Deoband and Moradabad. March 11 will be the date and a procession will move from Shamli to Thanabhawan with slogans of Bharat Mata ki Jai, Rana could be seen saying in the video. On January 30, an FIR was filed against him for making an alleged hate speech. The BJP lawmaker, however, continued to insist he said nothing wrong. I respect the Election Commission and I will make my case in front of it. I will file my reply on time. My statement was not a reference to any particular community. I only meant to say that there will be a curfew in UP for criminals because we will take a strict view over law and order. There are many cities in western UP like Kairana, Moradabad and Meerut where people have fled due to crime. Criminals are celebrating on the streets and they rule the streets. If nationalist forces come to power then crime will come under control. There is no place in UP where our sisters feel safe. I only meant to say that when BJP comes to power, it will be a curfew-like situation for criminals, he said in defence. Thanabhawan is seeing a heated contest where Rana is pitted against SP candidate Dr Sudhir Panwar and BSPs Abdul Waris Ali. New Delhi: The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were adjourned for nearly 50 minutes Monday after an uproar by Congress and Left members over the handling of the death of IUML leader and MP E Ahamed. Amid noisy scenes, an apparently upset Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House till noon. As soon as the House took up the Question Hour, Congress and Left members, mainly from Kerala raked up the issue of Ahamed's death at RML hospital here following a cardiac arrest. The Opposition members have been demanding a probe into the manner in which the death of Ahamed was "handled" by the government, alleging that he had died soon after being rushed to the hospital but it was announced much later. When the Speaker disallowed the issue from being raised during Question Hour, the protestors said it was against democratic norms. The members then rushed to the Well holding placards which read 'Parliamentarians for dignified life and death' and 'We are Ahamed Sahib'. As the slogan shouting continued for a while, an upset Mahajan rose to say that such talk should not take place. She then adjourned the proceedings till noon. Treasury and Opposition benches were largely empty on Monday with most members apparently concentrating on electioneering in Uttar Pradesh. Trinamool Congress members were present in the House, but unlike on Friday, did not protest the arrest of their MPs in a chit fund scam by the CBI. The members of the AIADMK, which is witnessing transition of absolute power to V K Sasikala, were also conspicuous by their absence. Earlier as soon as the House met, Mahajan made obituary references on the killing of 8 Odisha Armed Police personnel in a landmine blast allegedly by Left-wing extremists and the death of 17 miners in a cave-in at a Jharkhand open cast mine. New Delhi: Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav has dispelled rumours that he is upset with his partys alliance with Congress and said he will start campaigning the alliance in Uttar Pradesh from Tuesday. I am confident the alliance will win UP assembly polls. Akhilesh will be the chief minister if the alliance wins, he told reporters in Parliament on Monday. Mulayam also brushed aside statements by his brother Shivpal Yadav that he will breakaway from SP and form a new party. How will he form a new party? He must have said that in anger, Mulayam said. Lucknow has been agog with rumours for a while that Mulayam is against the SP-Congress alliance brokered by his son and CM Akhilesh. There were reports that Mulayam may even in fact join the Lok Dal and campaign against the alliance. Samajwadi Party, which recently celebrated its silver jubilee, has been in the news for two months now after a bitter family feud saw Akhilesh pitted against Mulayam and Shivpal. After a series of expulsions and counter expulsions, Akhilesh managed to capture the party lock, stock and barrel after the Election Commission gave its stamp of approval to the Akhilesh faction that enjoyed brute majority both in the legilstaive party and the party organisation. After taking complete control of the party, Akhilesh had announced the alliance with Congress, which was once its arch-rival. Mulayam was against the alliance, but his latest statements indicate he is fully on board. New Delhi: Opposition in Rajya Sabha on Monday took the government to task for ignoring the woes of the common man hit hard by demonetisation and attacked the BJP members for only painting a "rosy picture" to the Prime Minister as they were "scared". Congress leader Rajeev Shukla, participating in a debate on the Motion of Thanks for President's address, said it was a "disappointment" as there was nothing new in it. He said every speaker from the ruling BJP was "only painting a rosy" picture to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the demonetisation move as "everyone is scared". While speaker after speaker from the government side have spoken about how people were happy with the note ban, "the same leaders when they met privately over a cup of tea in Parliament's Central Hall spoke about the problems being faced by the people". "I can understand when people are scared of losing their jobs. But it is the responsibility of the MPs to tell the Prime Minister the truth," he said. Maintaining that small traders, farmers and unorganised sector workers have been hit very hard, he pointed out that despite there being no religious festival, trains to Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal were crowded as people were going back after losing their jobs in cities and rural areas of North India. Noting that the manufacturing sector has also been hit hard, he said alluded to 'inspector raj' and said "on top of it, the government has ensured that one "inspector is put behind each manufacturer. If they (manufacturers) are running away, how will you provide jobs." Observing that the President's address had referred to the cross-border surgical strike, he said three such operations were carried out during the Congress-led rule which were spoken about only by a former Army chief and the Foreign Office. Given the level of publicity, "I thought it was like they had reached Islamabad," Shukla said. "Even when Indira Gandhi fought the 1971 war, there was no such publicity," he said, adding that the Modi government was interested only in publicity and does it so much that it becomes over-publicity. Shukla's contentions received support from other Opposition members, including Sanjay Seth (SP) and Sharad Yadav (JD-U). New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has joined the protest at Parliament complex over the controversy surrounding IUML MP E Ahameds death. Meanwhile, Congress MPs have moved an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha over the issue. Ahamed had collapsed in parliament a day before the budget was present and subsequently died in hospital. Protestors alleged that the government kept the circumstances around his death and time of death secret. Stay tuned for live updates: Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here. : AIADMK General Secretary Sasikala Natarajan will be sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Tuesday, a source in AIADMK told CNN-News18 on Monday. Sasikala was elected by AIADMK MLAs as the Legislature Party Leader on Sunday, following which O Panneerselvam stepped down as the CM.However, sources said that they were still uncertain about the timing of the ceremony and the governor's schedule. "O. Panneerselvam could be the state deputy CM," a source said, "he will also hold finance portfolio."The swearing-in ceremony is likely to be held at Madras University and the party is waiting for the Governor's response.Earlier in the day, amid a storm of criticism of Sasikala's ascension to the chief ministerial post, British doctor Richard Beale sought to dissipate all the rumours surrounding the late CM J Jayalalithaa's death.Addressing an hour-long press conference, Baele said: "Nothing strange happened during the course of the treatment and it was a witnessed cardiac arrest and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation was started immediately for 20 minutes."The doctor also said that the press conference was being "facilitated by the government" and there was "no political pressure" on them to hold this meeting.A petition on online platform Change.org against Sasikala's elevation as CM had garnered nearly 19,000 signatures. Suspense over the swearing-in ceremony of VK Sasikala on Tuesday continued as Governor Vidyasagar Rao reportedly cancelled his programmes and returned to Mumbai.Top sources told CNN-News18 that there was a good chance he would seek legal opinion on the AIADMK general secretarys elevation as Tamil Nadu CM before he returns to Chennai.Sources in the AIADMK told CNN-News18 that the swearing-in ceremony, which was to be held on Tuesday at the Madras University hall, may now take place on February 9.Raj Bhavan sources said that the Governor was concerned about the stability of the new government as the disproportionate assets case against Sasikala was pending in the Supreme Court, with a verdict likely to be delivered next week. If convicted, Sasikala will lose the CMs chair and will be barred from electoral politics. The Governor has sought an opinion from Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, sources said.Satta Panchayat Iyakkam, a social organisation from Tamil Nadu, has also approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the swearing-in ceremony till a verdict is delivered in the disproportionate assets case.AIADMK MLAs elected Sasikala, a close aide of the late CM J Jayalalithaa for nearly three decades, as the legislature party leader on Sunday.Earlier, she was elected as the AIADMK general secretary, a few days after Jayalalithaas death. Things have been moving at a fast clip in Chennai since last Friday when chief minister O Pannerselvam removed three top bureaucrats who had worked closely with Jayalalithaa.The move was seen as part of efforts to help Sasikala bring in her own team, and fuelling the rumours further, Panneerselvam gave his resignation as CM on Sunday. Haridwar: Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank feels that a strong chief ministerial candidate could have benefited the BJP in the upcoming assembly polls. The main opposition party in the hill state is contesting this election against Harish Rawat led Congress government without projecting a CM face. Four former CMs and a slew of aspiring candidates now form the party panel campaigning for the elections in the hill state where voting will take place on the 15th of February. "Our leadership would have taken the decision in the interest of the party. But when we have a strong name, and not merely someone for the sake of it, it helps" said Nishank. "Yadi aisa koi hota to party ko shayad iska laabh hota.... Chote mote gadde bhar jate hein... Fir junoon ki tarah teem kaam karti hein" Nishank told CNN News18 while campaigning in Haridwar, his Lok Sabha constituency. In contrast to the BJP, Congress' has unambiguously projected Harish Rawat as its face for the elections. And the entire Congress campaign is knit around the CM who has been extensively touring the state. BJP as it takes on the Congress also faces rebellion in at least 18 seats. Party has given ticket to more than a dozen imports from the Congress, including 10 MLAs who rebelled against the Rawat Government last year. Internal dissent is something party is closely watching out for. BJP lost the last elections by just one seat when the then CM Maj Gen B C Khanduri lost from Kotdwar amid allegations of internal sabotage. Nishank however feels that rather than blaming others for the debacle in Uttarakhand, BJP should instead hold leadership accountable for the outcome. "When we loose the elections we blame internal problems for that. I don't agree with that. It is the responsibility of the local leadership to put things in order inside the party", he said while adding, "Jo parivaar ka Mukhiya ho usme itni taakat honi chahiye ki sabko saanth leke chal sake". DailyFX.com - Talking Points: - Significantly lighter calendar for the week ahead; only eight 'high' rated events this week compared to 27 last week. - Risks rising to the Euro again as Greece is back in the news. - See the DailyFX Webinar Calendar for coverage of live events and strategy sessions over the coming days. "Greece is back" - aren't those everyone's favorite three words? In what is a tiresome redux of 2010 to 2015, Greek bond yields are rising once again, reflecting the increasing risk that the country is headed for more financial calamity. Building on a report from the end of January that suggested the IMF believed that Greece's debt was reaching "explosive" territory, today's commentary from the German Finance Minister has done little to calm nerves. German FinMin Wolfgang Schaeuble's spokesman Juerg Weissgerber made clear that if the IMF were to pullout of the Greek bailout, "then the program is over," an ominous sign that Greece may be left to the wolves. While early, this is a significant storyline that should be monitored given the tail risk it presents to the Euro. Put in context of what some policymakers have said in recent days - particularly the incoming US ambassador to the EU, Ted Malloch - it appears that Grexit risk is seeping back into the picture. Elsewhere, in France, bond yields are rising - the French-German 10-year yield spread hit its highest level since early-2014 today - reflecting the increasing risk that the National Front's Marine Le Pen poses to the European political establishment. Italian-German yield spreads are widening out as well. While these may appear to be relics of a market in time's past, they certainly carry weight as we head into election season: Dutch elections in March; French in April and May; German in September; and an increasing likelihood that Italian elections could be held at the end of this year. Necessarily, despite the fact that the "Trump reflation trade" is still vulnerable - thereby depriving the US Dollar of a significant fundamental driver, higher US yields - rising political risk for the Euro, if it weighs further on the currency, will only serve to the DXY Index's benefit: the Euro constitutes 57.6% of the weighting, after all. Story continues The most obvious sign of rising risk in the market has been the performance of Gold in recent days. With equity market gauges of volatility significantly depressed and US yields starting to pull back in, the continued rise of bullion serves as a warning. Recent price action dictates that we may be on the way to 1276 over the coming session. Chart 1: Gold Daily Timeframe (May 2016 to February 2017) DXY Trying to Stabilize as French, Greek Risks Rise for Euro See the above video for a technical review of the DXY Index, EUR/USD, GBP/USD, AUD/USD, USD/JPY, Gold, AUD/JPY, and NZD/JPY. Webinar Schedule for Week of February 5 to 10, 2017 Monday, 7:30 EST/12:30 GMT: FX Week Ahead: Strategy for Major Event Risk Wednesday, 7:30 EST/12:30 GMT: Trading Q&A Thursday, 7:30 EST/12:30 GMT: Central Bank Weekly Read more: Quiet Calendar Leaves Euro at Whims of External Influences --- Written by Christopher Vecchio, Senior Currency Strategist To contact Christopher Vecchio, e-mail cvecchio@dailyfx.com Follow him on Twitter at @CVecchioFX To be added to Christopher's e-mail distribution list, please fill out this form original source DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets. Learn forex trading with a free practice account and trading charts from IG. Nokia announced its comeback in the global smartphone market in 2017 with the launch of its Nokia 6 in China. Of course, Nokia will make its entry in the Indian market as well. If you are planning to get a new smartphone, then you might want to wait for these five Nokia Android Nougat smartphones to launch in the country.Under Rs 20,000The Nokia N6 smartphone features a unibody metal body along with fingerprint scanner. It runs Android 7.0 Nougat operating system and comes with a 5.5-inch Full HD 2.5D Gorilla Glass display. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal memory.It is a dual-SIM smartphone powered by a 3,000mAh battery, which is non-removable. On the camera front, there is a 16MP f/2.0 camera with PDAF along with dual-LED Flash. On the front, there is an 8MP f/2.0 selfie camera. Nokia has paid attention to the audio as well and has provided Dolby Atmos-powered dual amplifier speakers.Under Rs 30,000While Nokia has been tight-lipped about the Nokia 8, reports suggest that the flagship Nokia 8 smartphone will be introduced at the upcoming MWC event later in February.The Nokia 8 has another name called Nokia Supreme and might come in two hardware options- Snapdragon 835/6GB of RAM and Snapdragon 821/4GB of RAM. The Nokia 8 will reportedly house a 24MP rear camera with Carl Zeiss lens, OIS and EIS along with a 12MP front camera. While the size is not known, the phone offers a Super AMOLED QHD display.Under Rs 15,000Another Nokia smartphone called Nokia P1 has appeared in several reports. While very little is known about the device, Nokia is expected to reveal more details about it at MWC.The smartphone will reportedly be powered by a Snapdragon 835 chipset and will sport 6GB RAM.Nokia P1 is rumoured to have a Carl Zeiss Lens mounted on a 23-megapixel camera. Nokia had a long-term partnership with Zeiss when it used to manufacture phones previously.Under Rs 10,000While the name hasnt been confirmed, Nokia is already working on a budget Android smartphone called Nokia DC 1. As far as the specifications are concerned, the Nokia D1C Android phone will be powered by a Snapdragon 430 processor. The device will reportedly run the latest Android 7.0 Nougat operating system.On the camera front, the Nokia D1C will house a 13MP rear camera along with an 8MP front camera. The bigger 5.5-inch of the phone might come with a 16MP rear camera.Under Rs 12,000Soon after the launch of the Nokia 6, the company was reportedly preparing with the Nokia E1. The Nokia E1 is speculated to be powered by a 1.4GHz quad-core Snapdragon 425 processor with 2GB of RAM. There will be a 13MP rear camera along with a 5MP front camera.The device is expected to target the affordable smartphone market and might sport a display size of between 5-inch and 5.5-inch with 720p resolution. Telecom regulator Trai has said that 'operator-assisted' drive tests, which measure call drops and service quality, would start across various locations soon.Read more: Asus Zenfone 3S Max Review: Battery Powerhouse With Stylish Looks These tests would be conducted around each of Trai's five regional offices including Jaipur, Hyderabad and Bangalore, by March.Read more: Moto M Grey Colour to Go on Sale From Monday, to be Available for Rs 2,999 on Flipkart "The operator-assisted drive tests where operators do their own drive tests and Trai participates and monitors... They are going to start very soon at various places," Trai Chairman RS Sharma told .The operator-assisted tests - a new concept by Trai - involves operators' equipment and costs, with the regulator monitoring and supervising the entire process.Read more: Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Vs ZTE Blade A2 Plus: Which One Should You Buy "Trai is partnering with the operators to do the drive tests to measure quality of service... We have five regional offices and we have requested the operators to conduct drive tests and our regional officers...they tell the time and place in terms of which city, which road, place, route...," Sharma said."They are saying, by March we will conduct 4 drive tests in each of the five regions," he said, adding that these locations include Bhopal, Jaipur, Hyderabad, and Bangalore.The 'operator-assisted' drive tests will most likely precede the independent drive tests conducted by the regulator."As far as our drive tests are concerned...I had earlier mentioned that there were some issues with our agency...they are being sorted out and those tests should start soon...within a couple of weeks," Sharma said.Asked if transparency will be an issue, when drive tests to assess call drops and service quality are conducted by the operators, Sharma said, "I am sure it will be transparent and the operators will collaborate"."Quality of service is certainly a consumer (centric) problem but it is also an operator problem...customer care and quality of service is good for the service providers too," he said.Last year, independent drive tests were conducted by Trai in Amritsar in August-September, and in Delhi, Hyderabad, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Lucknow, Kanpur, Ahmedabad, Ranchi, Darjeeling, Sikkim and Trivandrum in May-June.Typically, drive tests assess the performance of networks on various quality benchmarks, includingcall set-up success rate, call drop rate, blocked calls and Radio Frequency (RF) coverage. Close to fifteen Android smartphones have been already launched in 2017 and with more handsets launching soon, it might get difficult for you to track them when you actually want to buy one. Here are top 5 Android smartphones under Rs 15,000 that we reviewed recently.Starts at Rs 12,999Huawei's sub-brand Honor recently launched its Honor 6X in India. The phone comes in two variants in India, a 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM version for Rs 12,999 and Rs 15,999 for 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM.One of the key USP's of the Honor 6X is its dual-cameras. The device comes with two primary cameras, one is a 12-megapixel sensor for capturing images and there is another 2-megapixel sensor for adding depth effect to the images. This helps the Honor 6X to click images with a bokeh effect something similar to what you get on the Honor 8 and the Huawei P9.Starts at Rs 13,999The Lenovo K6 Note retails for Rs 13,999 and Rs 15,499 for 3GB RAM and 4GB RAM variants respectively. You can also get an Ant-VR headset bundle at an additional cost of Rs 1,299 for enjoying TheatreMax.Lenovo has passed on the signature Lenovo K series features such as Dolby Atmos, Secure Zone for dual Apps, and TheaterMax to the Note K6, which is something to look forward too.The device is promising when it comes to surviving heavy usage. Gamers should, however, consider buying the 4GB RAM variant. With the K6 Note, Lenovo has pitched in a worthy contender in the sub-Rs 16,000 segment.Starts at Rs 9,999Xiaomi's started the year on a high note with its Redmi Note 4. This phone has all that takes to be the affordable phone king in 2017. If you are looking to buy a complete budget smartphone then the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 just cannot be missed.Rs 9,999The Coolpad Note 3S is a very pleasant-looking smartphone in the sub-Rs 10,000 segment that ticks all the right boxes. Also, the Note 3S gives a stock Android experience with a neat and fast interface. Those looking to invest in a good-looking phone in the sub-10K segment should definitely consider the Coolpad Note 3S.Under Rs 15,000Asus Zenfone 3S Max is phone with the powerhouse of a battery, elegant design and doesnt disappoint in the camera department too.If you want to do away with carrying power banks and looking for a compact and sturdy phone within the sub-Rs 15K segment then consider the Asus Zenfone 3s Max. Washington: US President Donald Trump on Monday hit out at several American media outlets, including The New York Times, for allegedly running inaccurate stories. "The failing New York Times writes total fiction concerning me," Trump alleged in a tweet. "They have gotten it wrong for two years, and now are making up stories & sources!" he told his 24 million followers on Twitter. Trump was apparently responding to an insight into his working inside the White House by The Times. "During his first two dizzying weeks in office, Trump, an outsider president working with a surprisingly small crew of no more than a half-dozen empowered aides with virtually no familiarity with the workings of the White House or federal government, sent shockwaves at home and overseas with a succession of executive orders designed to fulfill campaign promises and taunt foreign leaders," the daily said. In other tweets, Trump lashed out at other media outlets for running polls in which his popularity is low. "Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting," he said. "I call my own shots, largely based on an accumulation of data, and everyone knows it. Some FAKE NEWS media, in order to marginalize, lies!" Trump said. As per latest CNN/ORC poll, Trump has an approval rating of 44 per cent and a disapproval rating of 53 per cent. In a series of tweets that broadened his attack on the country's judiciary, Trump said Americans should blame U.S. District Judge James Robart and the court system if anything happened. The judge opens up our country to potential terrorists and others that do not have our best interests at heart. Bad people are very happy! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2017 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 A U.S. appeals court later on Saturday denied the government's request for an immediate stay of the ruling. Trump, who during his presidential campaign called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States, has vowed to reinstate his controversial travel ban. He says the measures are needed to protect the United States from Islamist militants. Critics say they are unjustified and discriminatory. The 9/11 attacks were carried out by hijackers from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Lebanon, whose nationals were not affected by the order. I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2017 President Donald Trump on Sunday ramped up his criticism of a federal judge who blocked a travel ban on seven mainly Muslim nations and said courts were making U.S. border security harder, intensifying the first major legal battle of his presidency.Trump did not elaborate on what threats the country potentially faced. He added that he had told the Department of Homeland Security to "check people coming into our country very carefully. The courts are making the job very difficult!"The Republican president labeled Robart a "so-called judge" on Saturday, a day after the Seattle jurist issued a temporary restraining order that prevented enforcement of a 90-day ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen and a 120-day bar on all refugees.Vice President Mike Pence defended Trump earlier on Sunday, even as some Republicans encouraged the businessman-turned-politician to tone down his broadsides against the judicial branch of government."The president of the United States has every right to criticize the other two branches of government," Pence said on NBC's "Meet the Press" program.It is unusual for a sitting president to attack a member of the judiciary, which the U.S. Constitution designates as a check on the power of the executive branch and Congress.U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Trump seems intent on precipitating a constitutional crisis.Some Republicans also expressed discomfort with the situation."I think it is best not to single out judges for criticism," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on CNN's "State of the Union" program. "We all get disappointed from time to time at the outcome in courts on things that we care about. But I think it is best to avoid criticizing judges individually."Republican Senator Ben Sasse, a vocal critic of Trump, was less restrained."We don't have so-called judges ... we don't have so-called presidents, we have people from three different branches of government who take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution," he said on the ABC News program "This Week."The ruling by Robart, appointed by former Republican President George W. Bush, coupled with the decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to deny the government's request for an immediate stay of the ruling dealt a blow to Trump barely two weeks into his presidency.It could also be the precursor to months of legal challenges to his push to clamp down on immigration, including through the construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border, and complicate the confirmation battle of his U.S. Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.The Senate's top Democrat, Chuck Schumer, said on Saturday that Gorsuch, a conservative federal appeals court judge from Colorado, must meet a higher bar to show his independence from the president.The legal limbo will prevail at least until the federal appeals court rules on the government's application for an emergency stay of Robart's ruling. The court was awaiting further submissions from the states of Washington and Minnesota on Sunday, and from the federal government on Monday. The final filing was due at 5 p.m. PST on Monday (0100 GMT on Tuesday).The uncertainty has created what may be a short-lived opportunity for travelers from the seven affected countries as well as refugees to get into the United States.Sara Yarjani, an Iranian student with a U.S. visa who was attempting to return to Los Angeles to visit her parents, was among those who boarded flights to the United States after learning that Trump's travel ban had been blocked.Her visa had been stamped "revoked" and she was sent back to Vienna last week. She was slated to arrive in Los Angeles on Sunday, according to her sister, Sahara Muranovic."This is our only window," Muranovic said. "Maybe they'll blow it again by Monday."Trump's Jan. 27 travel restrictions have drawn protests in the United States, provoked criticism from U.S. allies and created chaos for thousands of people who have, in some cases, spent years seeking asylum.Reacting to the latest court ruling, Iraqi government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi said: "It is a move in the right direction to solve the problems that it caused."In his ruling on Friday, Robart questioned the use of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States as a justification for the ban, saying no attacks had been carried out on U.S. soil by individuals from the seven affected countries since then.For Trump's order to be constitutional, Robart said, it had to be "based in fact, as opposed to fiction".In a series of tweets on Saturday, Trump attacked Hobart's opinion as ridiculous."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.?" he asked.Trump told reporters at his private Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida late on Saturday: "We'll win. For the safety of the country we'll win."The Justice Department's appeal criticized Robart's reasoning, saying the ruling violated the separation of powers and stepped on the president's authority as commander-in-chief. It said the state of Washington lacked standing to challenge Trump's order and denied it "favors Christians at the expense of Muslims.The U.S. State Department and Department of Homeland Security said they were complying with Robart's ruling and many visitors were expected to start arriving on Sunday, while the government said it expected to begin admitting refugees again onMonday.A spokesman for the International Organization for Migration, Leonard Doyle, confirmed on Sunday that about 2,000 refugees were ready to travel to the United States. "We expect a small number of refugees to arrive in the U.S. on Monday, Feb. 6th. They are mainly from Jordan and include people fleeing war and persecution in Syria," he said in an email.Iraqi Fuad Sharef, his wife and three children spent two years obtaining U.S. visas. They had packed up to move to America last week, but were turned back to Iraq after a failed attempt to board a U.S.-bound flight from Cairo.On Sunday, the family checked in for a Turkish Airlines flight to New York from Istanbul."Yeah, we are very excited. We are very happy," Sharef told Reuters TV. "Finally, we have been cleared. We are allowed to enter the United States." Washington: The Trump administration should "levy costs on Pakistan" for perpetuating terrorism, top US think tanks on Monday recommended, asserting America should no longer sacrifice its anti-terrorism principles in the region for the sake of pursuing an "even-handed" South Asia policy. "For too long, the US has given Pakistan a pass on its support for some terrorist groups based in Pakistan, including those used against India. The US squandered a valuable opportunity in the aftermath of 9/11 and the 2001-2002 India-Pakistani military crisis to alter the Pakistani military's fundamental calculations on the use of terrorism for foreign policy ends," said the report prepared by eminent South Asia experts from nearly 10 top American think tanks. "The objective of the Trump administration's policy toward Pakistan must be to make it more and more costly for Pakistani leaders to employ a strategy of supporting terrorist proxies to achieve regional strategic goals," said the report, which would be formally released on Friday. "There should be no ambiguity that the US considers Pakistan's strategy of supporting terrorist proxies to achieve regional strategic advantage as a threat to US interests. US policy must also pay attention to non-proliferation goals while dealing with Pakistan," it said. The report, which is believed to have become part of the internal deliberations of Donald Trump's administration, on what to do with Pakistan says as a first step, the US must warn Pakistan that its status as a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) is in serious jeopardy. "Unless Pakistan takes immediate steps to demonstrate that it fully shares US counterterrorism objectives, the US will revoke its MNNA status within six months," it said. "Present to Pakistan a list of calibrated actions for ending its support to the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network, and make clear that failure to make substantial progress on these steps could eventually result in Pakistans designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism," it recommends. "If Pakistan does not make progress on the above steps, the US should consider compiling a list of Pakistani military and Inter-Services Intelligence officials, current and former, who are known to have facilitated acts of terrorism including supporting the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network and barring them from travel to the US," the report said. With India-Pakistan tensions on the rise, the report recommends that the Trump administration must formulate a new policy approach toward Pakistan quickly. Both Indian and Pakistani officials have ratcheted up their rhetoric toward the other in recent weeks, and neither shows much interest in reviving dialogue. Running into 18-pages and titled 'A New US Approach to Pakistan: Enforcing Aid Conditions without Cutting Ties,' thereport was prepared by Lisa Curtis (The Heritage Foundation), Christine Fair (Georgetown University) Col (retd) John Gill (National Defense University), Anish Goel (New America), and Husain Haqqani (Hudson Institute). And Polly Nayak (Independent Consultant), Aparna Pande Hudson Institute), Bruce Riedel (Brookings Institution), David S Sedney (Center for Strategic and International Studies) and Marvin Weinbaum (Middle East Institute). Washington: President Donald Trump has brushed off his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin's description as a "killer", saying the US has "a lot of killers" and suggested that America was not so "innocent". In an excerpt of an interview yet to be aired, Trump said he "respects" Putin, but that does not mean they will get along. "I respect a lot of people, but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with him. He's a leader of his country. I say it's better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world that's a good thing," Trump told Fox News' Bill O'Reilly. When the interviewer called the Russian leader "a killer" over allegations of murders carried out by the Russian state, Trump said, "There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country's so innocent?" Trump and Putin agreed to establish "real coordination" against the ISIS during an hourlong discussion last week, which the White House hailed as a "significant start" to improving the strained ties between the two nations. Just ahead of demitting office, Barack Obama had ordered sanctions on Russian spy agencies, closed two Russian compounds in the US and expelled 35 Russian diplomats that he claimed were really spies amid US intelligence reports that Moscow meddled in the 2016 election to help Trump become president. : The Afghan envoy to India on Monday said that US President Donald Trump's way to fight radicalisation and global terrorism was the only way to combat it."The greatest challenge for the region and the world is terrorism and radicalism, And he (Donald Trump) has said that it has to be eradicated," Shaida Mohammad Abdali, the Afghan Ambassador to India, said at a seminar in New Delhi."We hope that the policy of the new US administration will be such that engages the countries in the region around Afghanistan and the countries that are sincerely fighting terrorism. India has always been at the forefront of that," he added.Terming Afghanistan as a linchpin to regional stability owing to its geographic location, Abdali said that Afghanistan should be mainstreamed into regional economic cooperation to bring peace and security.Speaking on the role of China in the stability of Afghanistan, the envoy said: "We would like to utilise their resources and their potential. When it comes to their relationship with Pakistan, we hope they will be able to influence for productive engagement for peace."Talking on the peace deal with militant Hezb-i-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hikmatyar, Abdali said: "It's a good beginning for us when it comes to peace process. We hope that this will be used as a positive step towards engaging the Taliban and our neighbour Pakistan for successful peace process."In September last year, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani signed a peace accord with Hezb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. The United Nations at the request of the Afghan government dropped sanctions against Hekmatyar on February 4. Thanks to a grant of almost $880,000, about a dozen Appomattox County homeowners may be able to rebuild or repair their houses damaged by a tornado in 2016. I think [the grant money] is absolutely welcome. A lot of prayers were answered. We had a lot of people that were uninsured, and it will really help those folks out, said Sam Carter, chairman of the Appomattox County Board of Supervisors. The grant money will go directly to the tornado recovery fund, managed by the Appomattox County Long-Term Recovery Group, according to Carter. The money is part of more than $4 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) being distributed among 10 projects in nine Virginia localities, according to a news release by Gov. Terry McAuliffes office Monday. Now we can really, really move forward with helping more folks and those that had to put up [recovery costs] with their own money, Carter said. This right here is a pure blessing. Nearly four dozen Appomattox County homes suffered major damage Feb. 24, 2016, when a tornado packing winds of up to 165 mph left a path of destruction 13 miles long and 400 yards wide through the community of Evergreen. According to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, 30 houses were destroyed, and 12 houses sustained major damage. Shelia McCoy was in Lynchburg planning for her mothers funeral when the tornado destroyed her mobile home on Berry Lane behind Central Baptist Church, which also was leveled by the tornado. I feel very lost my kids have kept me going, theyve been by me, said McCoy, who has been living with her daughter for almost a year, by phone Monday afternoon. She said she hopes to rebuild her house but on a new piece of property on Red House Road and has been in contact with the Appomattox County Long-Term Recovery Group through Lynchburg Community Action Group, which is handling the case management for the recovery group. The group, a coalition of volunteers from churches and area nonprofits as well as county government officials, collaborated with the Region 2000 Local Government Council in seeking the grant. The application for $973,265 was earmarked for six houses that need to be rebuilt and to repair another 10 damaged houses. A portion of that money also will go to community cleanup like stump removal. First priority for the funding would be uninsured and underinsured families, with eligibility determined on a case-by-case basis and evaluated by Region 2000. The CDBG program provides funding to plan and implement projects that address critical community development needs, including housing, infrastructure and economic development, according to the news release. Other localities to receive grant funding include Wythe County, the town of Waverly, Buchanan County, the town of Exmore, Floyd County, the town of Dungannon, Wise County and Essex County. Sweet Briar College was built to weather storms. During the Spanish Flu Pandemic, not a single life was lost on campus. And as school officials prepare to start classes Aug. 11, they're working to make the 3,250-acre campus safe for students to return. AMHERST Meredith Woo, a former University of Virginia dean, will be the next president of Sweet Briar College, the school announced Monday. She will serve as the colleges 13th president and will succeed Phillip C. Stone, who will retire in May after stepping in to lead the college out of a near-shutdown in 2015. Teresa Tomlinson, chairwoman of Sweet Briar CollegesBoard of Directors and a member of the colleges presidential search committee, said when Stone quietly approached her and asked her to begin the process of looking for a new president, she said she politely ignored him. If I didnt acknowledge his suggestions, it would not be, she said. He insisted his role had been to right this ship and to undo what had been and to chart a course to calm water, which he did. Though Stone said he loved Sweet Briar, it was not his role to lead it where it should go in the future, Tomlinson said. He is a wise and selfless man, and we owe him our deepest gratitude, she said. Tomlinson introduced Woo to a full Murchison Lane Auditorium in the Babcock Fine Arts Center on campus, calling her strong and bold. She gets Sweet Briar in a profound way, she said. She has a Vixen spirit. Woo served as the Buckner W. Clay Dean of the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Virginia from 2008 until 2014. As dean, she oversaw 11,000 undergraduate students, 1,600 graduate students and 800 full-time faculty and was a noted innovator and reformer of its graduate programs, international partnerships and fundraising operations, according to Tomlinson. Most recently, Woo has been in London working as director of the Higher Education Support Program for the Open Society Foundations, a program that fosters innovation in educational technologies and supports institutions in extending access to marginalized populations, particularly refugees. A native of Seoul, South Korea, Woo speaks Korean and Japanese and is proficient in Chinese, Spanish and Portuguese. She has authored or edited six books and numerous scholarly articles, and is the executive producer of an award-winning film, Koryosaram, The Unreliable People, which premiered at the Smithsonian Institution in 2006. Woo holds a doctorate in political science as well as a masters degree in international affairs, both from Columbia University; she has a bachelors degree from Bowdoin College in Maine. Her specialty is international and comparative politics with a focus on East Asia. Her annual salary at Sweet Briar will be $375,000, according to college officials. The school would not release Stones compensation or his retirement package. Woo said she is aware Sweet Briar is no ordinary community; the college, she said, is well poised for a bright future despite its past challenges. She said she is eager to get to know the students. The world ahead of you is more fragmented, more competitive, more transitory, faster-paced, more global. You will need to be nimble, adaptable, quick on your feet, she told students. She pointed out Sweet Briar alumnae have been an important chapter in the history of American higher education. In times of crisis, you asked, How could a college that left such an indelible imprint on our lives not continue and flourish, to give the next generation of young women their chance at the same transformative experience that we enjoyed? In coming together to support the college and remaining involved right down to this minute, you may have redefined the role of stakeholders in American colleges, she said. In March 2015, previous leadership at the college announced its intent to close the school, citing financial challenges and other issues. The Saving Sweet Briar group led a fierce challenge and ultimately prevailed. In a settlement agreement worked out between the college and the legal challengers through Virginias Office of the Attorney General, Sweet Briar got new leadership and a new board of directors. Saving Sweet Briar contributed more than $12 million split across budgets for the fiscal years 2015 and 2016. The endowment at the end of the 2015-16 fiscal year is $73 million. Woo said she saw those challenges as an attractive opportunity, referring to the schools near closure. I knew that the fundamentals were strong here, and to be part of the future moving forward was very interesting, she said. She said Sweet Briar is a close-knit community but not a closed community. Among you today are students from distant lands, as I was when I first arrived on the shores of this country as a foreign student, she said. The genius of this country is its recognition that the best way to protect our values and way of life is by opening ourselves to the world, rather than closing ourselves off. The schools total enrollment for this year is 376. As she begins her job in the spring, she said her role will be to promote the colleges excellence even further. I will help balance the budget, I will help raise the resources for the college and I will help the college be a really good citizen in Amherst County and in the commonwealth, she said. Moving forward, Woo said the most immediate need for the school is to give students the best liberal arts education possible, raising money and making sure the curriculum is relevant. Tony Lilly, associate professor of English and member of the search committee, said the committee first met about a year ago, and though everyone had a different unique relationship to the college, members unanimously agreed Woo was perfect for the role. I have a powerful and renewed confidence in Sweet Briars future, he said. [Woo] wants the institution of Sweet Briar to not only survive but to thrive. She knows of the challenges in enrollment and development. Stone said when he saw Woos credentials, he was amazed. Today we celebrate a great success in the history of Sweet Briar College, he said. Meredith will be a fabulous president. It is clear that she is falling in love with Sweet Briar. It is clear to me that she also is as good as the credentials. Ultimately were family, were a community here so we want someone who loves Sweet Briar and someone who is willing to be loved in return. He promised her she would be welcomed, loved, embraced and supported as the new president. You will find friends here, and they will trust you, they will follow your leadership, they will help you, they will do heroic things, things that are not possible, he said. They will do it all. I promise you, Ive seen it; Ive watched it. Jessica Lusby, a senior serving on the Student Government Associations executive board, had the opportunity to have lunch with Woo before the announcement Monday and said Woo seems excited and up for the challenge. I hope she can revitalize this campus, Lusby said. Its been a rough few years, but she seems to understand what this campus wants and needs and understands what this school is more than just a place to get an education. She seems to understand that this [is] a place you come to learn and grow, and I hope she can really carry that forward while also changing what needs to be changed to help this school last another 100-plus years and really grow and thrive. Lusby said she will miss Stone as he is a wonderful human. He came in with the same kind of idea, she said. He knew there were problems and things that needed to be changed, but he was ready to tackle them but also keeping the important things the same. Olivia Myers, a senior at Sweet Briar, serves as the student representative for the colleges presidential search committee and said it was a challenging and exciting process. Im thrilled to share this passion with the other members of [the] committee, she said. Working alongside them has taught me even more about the strength of the love and support there is for Sweet Briar College. To officially welcome Woo to their campus and home, students sang their Holla Holla cheer an ubiquitous and well-worn chant at Sweet Briar, used whenever someone on campus has done something noteworthy. On April 3, Woo will begin a transition period at the college, working closely with Stone. On May 15, she will assume full responsibilities as the next president of Sweet Briar College. When retirees flocked to Smith Mountain Lake in the early 2000s, Franklin County experienced both a population surge and an economic boost. But since 2010, growth in the region has slowed, and so too has its financial impact. A nonprofit group working to bring a community center to Smith Mountain Lake commissioned a study to measure the effect of retiree in-migration on Franklin County. The study makes the case for recruitment of retirees as a key aspect of the countys economic development strategy by comparing the benefits, largely financial, the county reaped from 2000 to 2010 to the period after when growth decelerated. The study, done by Mangum Economics, provides numerous data points: Between 2000 and 2010, Franklin Countys population grew by 18.8 percent, outpacing the states 13 percent. Since then, Franklin Countys population growth has slowed. From 2010 to 2014, it increased only 0.4 percent, while the states population rose 2.3 percent. In Franklin County, 91 percent of the growth from 2000 to 2010 could be attributed to net migration, and the rest to natural growth, which is births minus deaths. Individuals 65 and over were responsible for 35 percent of the overall population increase. From 2010 to 2014, all of the countys growth was thanks to net migration and individuals 65 and over. Without those newcomers, the county actually would have experienced a decline in population. Real property tax revenue increased by an average of 10.7 percent annually in Franklin County from 2000 to 2010, compared to the average across all counties in the state of 8.6 percent. From 2010 to 2015, real property taxes in Franklin County increased by only 1 percent annually, which is less than the average across Virginia counties of 2.4 percent. The study also highlighted the effect that residents without school-age children can have on the county. Such individuals, on average, contribute $1.40 in revenue for every $1 in services they use. Residents with children, on average, supply approximately $0.50 in revenue for every $1 in services consumed. In its conclusion, the study states that the trends outlined in the report all point to the demonstrated success and continuing potential of actively pursuing retiree in-migration as part of Franklin Countys overall economic development strategy. Jim Laseter, president of nonprofit The Smith Mountain Lake Center Inc., said his board wanted to get this issue on the table, and shared the report with county staff. As the baby-boomer generation retires, Laseter said, it seems a good time for the county to focus its attention on attracting them to the lake and reaping the economic benefits. The individuals who retired to the lake during the late 1990s and early 2000s seemed to fit what was a national trend at the time of moving to rural areas for the lower cost of living and natural beauty, Laseter said. That was enough for them. But todays retirees are looking for more. Specifically, more amenities. They want access to education, they want access to cultural opportunities they want many of the same things they had access to in more urban environments, Laseter said. A community center at the lake could help with amenities, particularly cultural and educational offerings. Laseter said the organization has talked with Virginia Western Community College about bringing programs to the center. Laseter said he also believes promoting and raising awareness of the lake region in traditional feeder markets, many of them to the North, is essential, along with ensuring tourism remains strong. Michael Burnette, Franklin Countys economic development director, said growing the countys population is a priority. Were working to try to do more attraction of potential retirees to that area but then also looking at population from all ages in other parts of the county as well, he said. Tourism is key to the countys strategy, Burnette said, as many lake residents started out as tourists who fell in love with the area and decided to relocate there upon retirement. The tourism department is exploring advertising and outreach opportunities in targeted geographic areas, he said. Population growth is definitely something that has driven Franklin County for a while and something that will help us propel ourselves into the future, he said. Gills Creek District Supervisor Bob Camicia said hes concerned about the lakes slowed growth. He said more people need to be made aware of the effect it has on the county as a whole. The lake region has had a significant economic impact the two magisterial districts that include Franklin Countys portion of the lake bring in nearly 60 percent of the countys real estate tax revenue which benefits all of Franklin County, Camicia said, funding projects and helping to keep tax rates low. After years of continued growth, the supervisor said he believes everybody got comfortable, and expected it would continue. Now that growth has slowed, theres a renewed focus by county staff and the board of supervisors to develop a strategy to bring more retirees into the county, Camicia said. We have been getting more and more cognizant of the impact of retirees since it slowed down very much, he said. He agreed that todays retirees are looking for more amenities. With its beauty and opportunities for recreation, the lake itself is a draw, Camicia said, but people, especially ones who come from more urban areas, expect things like broadband and a community gathering place where numerous events and activities could be hosted. In terms of boosting growth in the county, Camicia said retirees are one of two key groups the county needs to recruit, the other being the people who come to work in the countys new 550-acre business park. The county wants to see those people choose to live in Franklin County, too. To Laseter, attracting retirees seems to be the most efficient way of growing the countys population. The business park is a bold move by the board of supervisors, he said, but it will be years before any benefits can be realized. The in-migration retiree market can have a much faster return on investment and just really get things moving again, Laseter said. A Virginia pastor who is running for a City Council seat is being investigated by local authorities for allegedly campaigning and soliciting donations during church services. Willard Maxwell Jr. is the pastor of New Beech Grove Baptist Church and a candidate for the North District Seat B on the Newport News City Council. A video surfaced recently showing him asking for donations and encouraging audience members during a church service to put up signs on his behalf. According to the IRS, religious organizations are prohibited from campaigning on behalf of or in opposition to any political candidate for elective public office. Churches that violate this provision are at risk of losing tax-exempt status. The Trump White House is engulfed in a firestorm of its own ignition. The Democrats and the media were only too happy to pour on more gasoline. I am increasingly confident that Ill be able to begin a lot of columns that way over the next four years. Thats because the one clear takeaway from his the first days of this presidency is that the Trump we saw during the campaign is the Trump we got. He may move to the center on this policy or that indeed, I expect he will but there was never going to be a lasting pivot. Trump spent his first weekend burning through political capital arguing about crowd sizes. It was foolish but relatively harmless. Trumps actions his second weekend were more worrisome. Its not just the substance of Trumps Muslim ban executive order that bothers me Im using scare quotes because its not really a ban on Muslims but his process, or lack thereof. If Trump had given agency professionals 30 days to review his order on refugees, he could have avoided the confusion at airports, not to mention the media hysteria and the protests. And if his communications team had been given time, they could have pre-empted some of the wild claims made by Democratic detractors. They went another way: The Bannon Way. According to CNN, when lawyers at the Department of Homeland Security concluded that the executive order banning travelers from seven countries did not include legal permanent residents aka green card holders senior strategist Steven Bannon led the charge to countermand the ruling. Hence the airport mess. Last weekend, Bannon also succeeded in getting himself put on the National Security Councils principals committee. This would not be unlike a President Hillary Clinton putting David Brock on the NSC. This is not to say Bannon is to blame for all this. The buck stops with the president. But Bannon leads the let Trump be Trump wing of the White House, which relishes sowing chaos and demonizing the press. Actually, wing might be the wrong word, given that evidence of a countervailing faction is in short supply. (On Fox News Sunday, Kellyanne Conway, widely seen as a voice of reason in Trumps inner circle, argued that journalists who didnt show sufficient respect to the president should be fired.) Bannon has said hes a Leninist but hes really more of a Trotskyist because he fancies himself the leader of an international populist-nationalist right-wing movement, exporting anti-globalist revolution. In that role, his status as an enabler of Trumps instinct to shoot or tweet from the hip seems especially ominous. Presumably at Bannons insistence, Trump didnt even consult his secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security, on the grounds that this was a need-to-know operation requiring secrecy, lest the bad dudes Trumps term find out and rush into the U.S. In other words, two decorated retired generals couldnt be trusted with the information. The Bannon Way might work on the campaign trail, but it doesnt translate into good governance. Its possible and one must hope that Trump can learn this fact on the job. But what if he doesnt? He could put the country in serious peril. Consider Russia. In a normal time, the signals being sent by the Trump team would be interpreted as an invitation to Russian aggression. The president waves off concerns about Russias annexation of Crimea, talks of NATOs obsolescence and hails Vladimir Putins heroic leadership. During the campaign, Trump surrogate Newt Gingrich belittled Estonia a NATO ally as being in the suburbs of St. Petersburg. (At its closest point, its 85 miles away, the same distance as Finland.) Putin might well decide to act on Trumps hints. But I dont think Trump would actually welcome an attack on Estonia or another NATO ally. Indeed, I suspect he would feel betrayed by such a move. Then what? Who backs down? Do we abandon Estonia, or do we go to war? In normal times, the essence of statecraft is to avoid getting into such predicaments in the first place by working carefully and deliberately and consulting with such institutions as the National Security Council. Which is where Trump will find Bannon. Goldberg is an editor-at-large of National Review Online and a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Email him at JonahsColumn@aol.com. Angelos final goodbye Today I do believe that Angelo lives on through all the works that he did, she said, recommending that his books be used in schools throughout the country. In that way we can continue to enjoy and we can continue to learn more about ourselves and our history, she said at Bissessarsinghs funeral service at Belgroves Crematorium, Coffee Street, San Fernando, yesterday. Bissessarsingh was her nephew-in-law. Also speaking at the funeral service, where hundreds turned out to say their final goodbyes, was Rural Development and Local Government Minister, Kazim Hosein, who noted that Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley, has spoken to Bissessarsinghs father, Rudolph and given him the assurance that the government would do what is necessary to ensure his sons legacy continued long after his death. Hosein said if he was still San Fernando Mayor, he would rename the San Fernando Library after the late historian. Bissessarsingh died of terminal pancreatic cancer at the age of 34 on February 2. Also eulogising Bissessarsingh, President Anthony Carmona described him as a burning bright light in our national darkness. For the past few weeks, it has been a rough time for us in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago... The human tragedies that have occurred of mans inhumanity to man...From the murder of young student Rachel Ramkissoon, to Keston Collins, of the Coast Guard, losing everyone, two young sons and his living wife, and now Angelo, a burning bright light in our national darkness, he said. He was a national treasure, a searching intellect, touching the hearts of this Republic and the wider world. We are gathering here to mourn, to grieve, because to grieve and mourn we must, but Angelo left us something, that someone can make a real difference, Carmona added. That cherub smile of his that would warm up and light up a room, we will never forget, he taught us all that in an exceptional short life that you can do exceptional things, to make that difference, Carmona said, adding, Life is not about the quantity of years one lives but of the quality of life you live in those years. He said the Office of the President bought scores of Bissessarsinghs books to present as gifts to foreign diplomats and schoolchildren. We have quietly bought scores and scores of his books and I have been presenting those books for the last year and a half to diplomats and to school children, he said. Bissessarsinghs father, Rudolph said his viewed his sons funeral as very solemn and historic. I do not share laughter at this point in my heart, for which of you have asked of the Father a bread and have been given a stone, I have been given a stone, he said. Tobago fisherman missing at sea Reports are that two men left the Scarborough Port in Tobago on a pirogue around midday Saturday, when they encountered some difficulties at about 3 pm in the waters off Rockley Vale. The men have been identified as Onesha Haye and Marvin Taylor. Taylor was able to make it to shore, but Haye remains missing. A statement from the TT Coast Guard yesterday said a joint search operation between the TTCG, the Air Guard and the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) was underway for Haynes. Public Affairs officer for the TTCG, Lieutenant Sherron Manswell said Haye reportedly abandoned his vessel and he and Taylor attempted to swim to shore on a cooler after their pirogue lost its engine. The Tobago seafearing public is being asked to be on the look out for Haye and to contact TTCG Operations at the following numbers 634-1476, 634-8824, the TTPS at 639-2512 or TEMA at 660-7489 if he is located. Local Muslims: AG threading on dangerous ground Al Rawi made this announcement at last Thursdays post Cabinet briefing. He said this was all part of Governments thrust to combat terrorism inside and outside of this countrys borders. The organisations public relations officer, Imtiaz Mohammed, yesterday said by passing such a bill the AG was labelling all Muslims as terrorists. He said the proposed bill was draconian and questioned who or which countries were influencing him and the Government to introduce and implement such laws. The bill would place restrictions on Muslims travelling to certain countries which which were viewed as being terrorist countries, where one would require to have a travel permit from the National Security Ministry. During a meeting, yesterday, at the Islamic Centre, Kelly Village, Caroni, Mohammed questioned what was the process, how long the process would take, the cost, and whether persons would be monitored upon receiving a permit. There is always a chance that people can get this permit and join ISIS and still return to TT. Muslims who wish to join ISIS can do so without applying for a permit, so why inconvenience 120,000 Muslims because 130 Muslims joined ISIS? Mohammed asked. Install the Newser News app in two easy steps: 1. Tap in your navigation bar. 2. Tap to Add to Home Screen. The Pentagon's transparency in its fight against overseas extremists is being questioned after a Military Times investigation revealed perhaps thousands of secret airstrikes in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria were never publicly disclosed. The US Air Force has an open-source database tapped by Congress, analysts, and others to figure out how costly war is, both on the financial and human fronts. But, per the Times investigation, nearly 460 Afghanistan airstrikes were carried out in 2016 by US combat aircraft, strikes that weren't included in the database. Another major discrepancy, among others: A public Pentagon report on Iraq and Syria strikes has apparently left out 6,000 or so strikes since 2014. US Central Command, which supervises engagement in those three countries, isn't sure yet how long these omissions have occurred and couldn't give the Times a full accounting of all airstrikes. These findings have critics worrying the military either hasn't been forthcoming or has been sloppy on other data as well, including how many service members have been lost; what the fight against ISIS, the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and related offshoots is costing US taxpayers; and what our real progress against these groups is. But one US military official tells the Times that while some of the tracking omissions are "really weird," it's "unequivocally" not an attempt at subterfuge. "That is just the way it has been tracked in the past," the official says. And another Army official at the senior level notes some close-to-ground maneuvers shouldn't really be classified as airstrikes. Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, says, security reasons aside, "facts regarding the number of airstrikes and their civilian toll should always be disclosed promptly and faithfully." (Read more airstrikes stories.) Queen Elizabeth II shattered yet another royal record Monday when she became the first British monarch to have a Sapphire Jubilee marking a 65-year reign. Elizabethhead of state of Australia, Canada, and more than a dozen other countries besides the UKbecame queen on Feb. 6, 1952 after her father, King George VI, died while she was on an official visit to Kenya with her husband, Prince Philip, NBC News reports in a look at her long career. The queen is expected to celebrate the milestone privately at her Sandringham estate as she has done on "Accession Day" in previous years, the Telegraph reports. Royal gun salutes will be fired elsewhere, including a 41-gun salute from the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery in London. The queen broke Queen Victoria's record for longest-serving British monarch in 2015 and became the world's longest-serving living monarch with the death of Thailand's king last year. ITV reports that the palace has reissued a 2014 photo of the queen by David Bailey to mark the occasion. In the photo, Elizabeth wears sapphire jewelry she was given by her father as a wedding gift in 1947. BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt notes that the day is a "moment for contemplation rather than celebration" for the queen because it marks the anniversary of her father's death as well as her ascension to the throne. She turned 90 last year and Hunt predicts that she will cut back her duties further in the months and years ahead, with grandson Prince William expected to take on more. (Read more Queen Elizabeth II stories.) President Trump started off his Saturday by calling US District Judge James Robart a "so-called judge" in a tweet, and Trump is closing out the weekend with more tweeted slams against the Seattle judge who has, for now, blocked the president's travel ban on people from seven countries. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" he tweeted Sunday afternoon. That was followed with this: "I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult!" Trump then tweeted a plug for his pre-Super Bowl interview. As for the big game, the AP reports Trump predicts the New England Patriots will win by 8. For more on Robart, who is a "mainstream" Republican, read this. (Read more President Trump stories.) An Idaho judge has ordered a 19-year-old man not to have sex with anyone before he marries as part of his sentencing for the statutory rape of a 14-year-old girl. Judge Randy Stoker sentenced Cody Duane Scott Herrera of Twin Falls to five to 15 years in prison, but he suspended the sentence for a one-year rider program. If the unmarried Herrera completes the program, he'll be released on probation, which requires celibacy unless he weds, the AP reports. Herrera, who pleaded guilty in March to statutory rape of the 14-year-old girl, received the sentence in 5th District Court. "It was his intent from the beginning to take what he wanted from my 14-year-old child: her virginity," the victim's mother told the court. Stoker said the probation condition is needed because Herrera told investigators he's had 34 sexual partners. "If you're ever on probation with this court, a condition of that will be you will not have sexual relations with anyone except who you're married to, if you're married," Stoker told Herrera. Shaakirrah R. Sanders, an associate professor at the University of Idaho College of Law, says the probation condition might be illegal or unenforceable. "I think it infringes on his constitutional rights," she says. Sanders says judges have discretion in creating special probation terms, but they can't violate the federal or state constitution. "I think if he appealed, he would win," Sanders said. (Read more premarital sex stories.) The day after 19-year-old Sarah Stern went missing in December, hundreds of volunteers fanned out across the New Jersey shore searching for her. Among them were two childhood friends now charged in her murder, Liam McAtasney and Preston Taylor, both 19. McAtasney was charged with first-degree murder and is accused of robbing and strangling Stern. Taylor, Stern's date for the junior prom, was charged with helping throw her body into the Shark River in Belmar, the Asbury Park Press reports. Stern's car was found early on Dec. 3 parked on a bridge, the keys still in the ignition. Her body has not been found. Stern's family and friends are struggling to understand how the teen's one-time best friends could have turned against her. Growing up, the trio, who graduated from Neptune High School in 2015, was "literally inseparable," a classmate says. "If you had a model of a best friend group, then that was them." Stern's heartbroken father, Michael Stern, thought his only child was still part of "one big, happy group." He adds, "I guess people change." Authorities have identified robbery as a possible motive behind the killing. Sources told News 12 that authorities found two safe deposit boxes stuffed with valuables taken from the Stern home. Two days after Stern disappeared on Dec. 2, McAtasney abruptly quit his longtime job as a waiter. Hours later, he was among the masses searching for her. "I can't believe the deceit and lies," Michael Stern says. "It takes your breath away." (Read more sarah stern stories.) Some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley have lined up against President Trump's travel ban. Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and 94 other tech companies have filed a legal brief with a federal appeals court opposing the ban, reports the Washington Post. The president's executive order banning travelers from seven countries "represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system," says the amicus brief filed with the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. It also hurts business by making it difficult and expensive to recruit and hire employees, says the brief. Meanwhile, two former secretaries of stateJohn Kerry and Madeline Albrightalso registered their opposition with the court, joined by other former Democratic officials, reports the New York Times. "The order will likely feed the recruitment narrative of (ISIS) and other extremists that portray the United States as at war with Islam," says the legal brief. The states of Washington and Minnesota, which are challenging the ban, also filed a brief Monday arguing that putting it back in place would "unleash chaos again," reports the AP. The appeals court, which rejected a White House bid for an immediate reinstatement over the weekend, has given the Justice Department until 6pm Monday to respond. After that, it will rule on whether the ban should remain on hold. Either way, the case is expected to wind up in the Supreme Court. Trump, meanwhile, kept up his criticism of the Seattle judge who ruled against the ban with more tweets on Sunday. (Read more President Trump stories.) In a Sunday interview that aired before the Super Bowl, President Trump told Bill O'Reilly he had "no idea" if he would get along with Russian President Vladimir Putinbut Putin apparently has an idea on his own relationship with O'Reilly, and he already wants an apology. USA Today reports on the Fox News host calling the Russian leader a "killer" during his sit-down with Trump, to which the president replied, "We've got a lot of killers. You think our country's so innocent?" The Kremlin latched onto O'Reilly's initial prompt, with a Putin spokesman telling reporters Monday that O'Reilly's descriptor of Russia's president was "insulting" and "impermissible." "We would prefer to hear apologies addressed to the president from such a respectable television network," the spokesman added. This development comes against the backdrop of allegations that Russia hacked the US election to help sway it in Trump's direction, as well as Trump noting he wants to forge stronger ties with the US' traditional foe, per Reuters. Putin has long been suspected in the deaths of journalists, political opponents, and others he may have found threatening, including ex-KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko, but Trump has stood up for Putin on the Litvinenko charge in the past. "First of all, he says he didn't do it," Trump said last year, per the Telegraph. "Many people say it wasn't him. So who knows who did it?" So far, no word out of Fox's or O'Reilly's camps on whether an apology will be forthcoming, Reuters notes. (Read more Russia stories.) Kellyanne Conway took flak last week when she justified President Trump's travel ban with a reference to the "Bowling Green massacre." When critics pointed out that no such massacre ever occurred, she acknowledged that she misspoke in the MSNBC interview. But now the story is again in the news: Cosmopolitan reports she used the same phrase in an interview days before her appearance on MSNBC. In the Cosmo quote, she says President Obama called for a temporary ban on Iraqi refugees in 2011. He did that because two Iraqi nationals came to this country, joined ISIS, traveled back to the Middle East to get trained and refine their terrorism skills and come back here, and were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre of taking innocent soldiers' lives away. Conway is referring to the arrest of two men from Iraq in Bowling Green who were convicted of trying to send weapons and money to al-Qaeda to be used against US soldiers. "It was a plot to massacre and they were Bowling Green terrorists," Conway tells Cosmopolitan in a followup text. "That's what I should have said. She added that she's happy her comments have drawn attention to the fact "that these two Iraqi nationals came to the US with a plan of death and destruction." A blogger at the Washington Post points out that Trump's travel ban is meant to stop domestic terrorism, while Conway's example is about an overseas plot. "Yet Conway cited it twice as justification and seemed to believe a massacre occurred there." But a post at the Washington Times thinks her larger point is valid and sees the criticism as a "liberal pile-on." (Read more Kellyanne Conway stories.) A closely watched trial about the modern West and the freedom of ranchers to use federal land begins Monday in Las Vegas. The big name involved is rancher Cliven Bundy, who led an armed standoff in Nevada against federal agents in 2014 over unpaid grazing fees. His adult sons also face charges. Some coverage: Seventeen men are charged, and three separate trials are planned. Jury selection for the first six begins Monday. The Bundys themselves will be in the second round. Courthouse News has details on the legal process. The AP has background on Bundy's standoff, explaining how it has its roots in a decades-long dispute between Western ranchers and the feds over land rights. Read it here. This previous story in the Atlantic lays out the beliefs of Bundy, who doesn't recognize federal authority over the land in question. These trials are about far more than just one family; they're about a movement, one sure to be emboldened if the men are acquitted, writes a columnist at the Las Vegas Sun. In fact, two of Bundy's sons were acquitted in October after another standoff at a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon. Prosecutors have a big potential problem: An unrelated ethics investigation into a federal agent who plays a key role in the Bundy case could upend the prosecution, reports the Arizona Republic. Juror identities are secret, but the Las Vegas Review-Journal is trying to change that. High Country News has a primer on the Bundy case, including links to background pieces here. After the standoff ended, Bundy came under fire for his comment that African-Americans might be better off as slaves . (Read more Cliven Bundy stories.) In 1957, Illinois 7-year-old Maria Ridulph was abducted and murdered. In 2011, a suspect was arrested and convicted the following year. Then, in 2016, he was set free after a prosecutor and a judge determined he could not have committed the crime. Now, the investigation into that man, Jack Daniel McCullough, is itself under investigation, reports the Daily Chronicle. While testifying against McCullough in 2012, Seattle detective Irene Lau said that when questioned about Ridulphwho had been McCullough's neighbor in 1957, before he moved to SeattleMcCullough answered as if he were "deeply, deeply in love" with the little girl, calling her "stunningly beautiful" and "lovely, lovely, lovely," per CNN. A special prosecutor has now been appointed to investigate whether she committed perjury when she said that. The inquiry will focus on Lau and on how the state's attorney handled evidence and witnesses, but it could expand to address other allegations, such as whether police and prosecutors purposely hid a 78-minute video of McCullough's questioning. In her report summarizing the questioning, which includes the "lovely, lovely, lovely" line and others that later appeared in her testimony, Lau wrote that the conversation was recorded, but a year later, an Illinois prosecutor appeared to say that it had not been recorded. No recording was turned over to McCullough's defense team, as is required if a tape exists. But a recording has since been discovered; in it, McCullough is never heard to utter the "lovely, lovely, lovely" line. He also denied killing her, saying, "I loved that little girl, like the whole neighborhood loved that little girl." (The family of a girl murdered in 1984 is hoping for justice at last.) Researchers reveal that that the "cave squeaker" frog has been discovered again after several decades. The frog was last seen in 1962. According to a report, the "cave squeaker" frog has been the rarest of all amphibians' right after it was spotted the lasr time. For five decades there have been less sightings of the frog and it had been placed in an international red list for threatened animals and has been thought to be extinct. In the meantime, a new research from the Natural Museum in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe which is led by Robert Hopkins confirms that there are four sightings of the "cave squeaker" frog. These frogs have been sighted at the Chimanimani Mountains. This has been the same place where the original sighting of the frog took place decades ago. A report indicates that Hopkins found a male "cave squeaker" frog in the same area in Dec. 3. Later on two male frogs were again sighted and a female right after. Hopkins shares that he had been searching for the frog for eight years now. Hopkins' team plan to breed the cave squeaker frog based on the ones that had been discovered. Hopkins also notes that there will be more scientists looking for the same frog a it has been undiscovered for some time. However, he made sure that they will see to it that these newly discovered ones will be preserved. Meanwhile, it has been reported that six years ago, researchers had been looking for frogs that are already extinct. One of the amphibians that are being searched is the "cave squeaker." This has a scientific name of Arthroleptis troglodytes. The latest discovery of the "cave squeaker" frog only means that they still exist. This is also a first for more studies and research on the amphibian in the future. Researchers are looking at preserving the animal. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. New Delhi: Canadian smartphone firm BlackBerry on Monday said it has signed a pact with Optiemus Infracom for manufacturing BlackBerry handsets in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. The exclusive, long-term licensing agreement with the Indian telecom enterprise follows BlackBerry's recent global licensing agreement with TCL Communication and PT BlackBerry Merah Putih in Indonesia. BlackBerry has an existing partnership with Optiemus since November last year for distribution and sale of its DTEK50 and DTEK60 handsets. These devices continue to be available through the company's distribution network. "With this latest regional deal, BlackBerry has now achieved full global coverage for licensees in all markets to manufacture BlackBerry-branded devices, proving the company is delivering on its licensing strategy and?accelerating its transition to be a leading security software and services company," BlackBerry said in a statement. The agreement between BlackBerry and Optiemus Infracom also supports the Indian government's 'Make in India' initiative, it said. Under the terms of the agreement, BlackBerry will license its security software and services suite, as well as related brand assets to Optiemus Infracom, it added. Optiemus will design, manufacture, sell, promote and provide customer support for BlackBerry-branded mobile devices that offer the full BlackBerry experience, including the BlackBerry for Android secure software,in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. BlackBerry will continue to control and develop security and software solutions and maintain the BlackBerry security software, including regular Android security updates, it said. Once a dominant player in the smartphone category, BlackBerry has been struggling in recent years against global competitors like Samsung and Apple. The company has taken a number of steps, including adopting the Android platform for powering its phones in attempts to re-capture its position. BlackBerry is transitioning its handheld devices strategy to focus on software innovation, while leveraging third parties to develop hardware and distribute and market the BlackBerry handset brand. "India is a very important market for BlackBerry, so we are delighted our latest licensing partnership will extend the BlackBerry software experience to more customers and support the Indian government's Make In India' agenda," BlackBerry Senior Vice President, General Manager, Mobility Solutions, Alex Thurber said. This is an important milestone in our strategy to put the smart in the phone, providing state-of-the-art security and device software on a platform relevant to mobile customers, with more localisation, he added. Ashok Gupta, Chairman of Optiemus Infracom, said that with the company's strong end-to-end play in the mobile ecosystem in manufacturing, retail, distribution and support, it is confident that the journey with BlackBerry will be a long and successful one. New Delhi: The Finance Ministry has warned employees of disciplinary action if they criticise the government or its policies. The directive assumes significance as associations representing employees of Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) are protesting against certain decisions taken by the GST Council led by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Goods and Services Tax. Instructions have been issued in the past wherein it has been impressed upon all concerned to refrain from commenting adversely on the government and its policies, said the Ministry in a recent order. It said failing to comply with its instructions may lead to appropriate action (including disciplinary action). The instructions cite service rules that bar any government servant from making any adverse criticism of any policy or action of the government. No government servant shall, in any radio broadcast, telecast through any electronic media or in any document published in his own name or anonymously, pseudonymously or in the name of any other person or in any communication to the press or in any public utterance, make any statement of fact or opinion which has the effect of an adverse criticism of any current or recent policy or action of the central government or state government, reads the service rules. Certain members of Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), All India Association of Central Excise Gazetted Executive Officers, All India Central Excise Inspectors Association and All India Central Excise and Service Tax Ministerial Officers Association had recently participated in a symbolic protest to oppose some decisions taken by the GST Council. When contacted President of IRS (Customs and Central Excise) officers association, Anup Srivastava, said their members are not adversely commenting on the States policies by any way. For all the Latest Business News, Economy News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A man, wanted in connection with several cases of robbery, snatching and attempt to murder, was arrested in the wee hours on Monday near Nehru Place in south-east Delhi following a shootout, police said. The accused, Akbar alias Danish who was carrying a reward of Rs 25,000, and his accomplice Asif, allegedly opened fire at a police party around 2.30 AM, a senior police officer said. While his accomplice managed to flee, Danish was nabbed, he said. Danish is wanted in many cases of robbery, theft, snatching and attempt to murder. He carries a reward of Rs 25,000 in connection with a shootout case at Pul Prahaladpur, the official said. Two policemen escaped without injuries as the bullets hit their bulletproof jackets, he added. Aurangabad: The Bombay High Court on Monday ruled out decision that Akshay Kumar-starrer Jolly LLB 2 can be screened only after four controversial shots in the movie are removed. Justices S S Shinde and K K Sonawane of a bench in Mumbai passed the order after going through a report presented by a committee headed by Justice Prakash Kanade and two others after watching the movie. Advocate Ajay Kumar Waghmare had filed a petition before the bench in Mumbai and demanded removal of the word LLB from the film and cut certain shots which portrayed lawyers in bad light. Following Mondays decision, a fresh certificate would be issued to the film by the CBFC. Waghmare through his lawyer Pandit Anerao had contended that whatever is shown in the trailer of the film or released on social media seems to be an attempt to mock at the existing judicial system of India. He argued that this may lower the dignity of the professionals practicing law. The Supreme Court had on February 3 kept the plea, filed by the film producer, pending and asked them to go to the Bombay High Court for relief. Also read: Akshay Kumar summoned by Jaipur court for his role in Jolly LLB 2 For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A bomb blast reportedly took place on a railway track near Buxar station in Mughalsarai-Patna section in Bihar on Monday.A According to reports, the blast took place at 12:10PM. However, according to sources, no damage to property or life was reported.A According to an eyewitness, a passenger travelling from Down Upper India train threw the bomb on the tracks, which caused an explosion loud enough to be heard till GolambarA in Buxar. However, the railwayA track remained intact. Railways has ordered an enquiry into the matter. "PWI/Buxar informed at about 12.10 hrs that a bomb blast occurred between Buxar-Baruna near Down line at about 12.05 PM," Anil Saxena, Indian Railways Spokesperson said.A He added, "Down movement on the route has been blocked. Up movement will be done by issuing caution order to 12487 ex Buxar. As a result of blast, three express trains 12141, 12402, 14004 have been detained." Local thana, GRP, RPF informed, Saxena said.A Bomb blast B/W Buxar-Baruna Dn line at km 659/08 @12.05 hrs below Train 13134 Varanasi-Sealdah Ex,because of Low intensity every thing safe pic.twitter.com/Eo0yEV6wHw a Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) February 6, 2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Centre to explain its stand with regard to the neighbourhood criteria to admit students in nursery in private schools in the national capital and other parts of the country. Justice Manmohan sought the response of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) in the backdrop of the Delhi government's recent directive to private unaided schools to accept nursery admission forms based only on the neighbourhood or distance criteria. "See, your (Centre's) policy has to be implemented all over India. These are questions you will have to answer to me.How you are going to implement the neighbourhood criteria must be clear to me. This kind of a policy has an all India impact," the judge said to the counsel for the ministry. Advocate Amit Mahajan, appearing for MHRD, submitted that there is "no compulsion for the child's parents to seek admission only in a school in his/her neighbourhood". This prompted the judge to ask Mahajan if it is not so, then the parents in Delhi can also apply in schools of their choice. The court, however, asked the counsel to take instructions on this aspect and inform it on Tuesday. It, meanwhile, also directed the Delhi government to show it the copy of allotment letters to schools on the basis of which neighbourhood criteria was imposed. The court was hearing pleas by parents and two school groups challenging the Delhi government's December 19, 2016 and January 7 notifications that made 298 private schools, built on Delhi Development Authority land, to accept nursery admission forms based only on the neighbourhood criteria. The two school groups -- Action Committee of Unaided Recognised Private Schools and Forum for Promotion of Quality Education -- and parents have contended that these circulars are bad in law and have curtailed their fundamental rights. The court, however, by way of an interim order had allowed the parents to fill up the application forms for the various schools based on the criteria set by them as well as the Delhi government. Later, it had also stayed the government's notification asking private minority unaided schools to accept nursery admission forms using neighbourhood criteria. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday set aside the Gauhati High Court order asking CBI to probe corruption allegations against former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki and ordered a fresh hearing on the PIL. A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice N V Ramana said the former CM was not granted an adequate hearing in the high court. It disposed of the plea with the direction that the High Court will hear afresh the PIL on which CBI probe was ordered.The court, however, made it clear that FIRs, registered by CBI so far, will remain. Earlier, the apex court had stayed the High Court order for a CBI probe into corruption allegations related to Tukis tenure as PWD Minister in 2006. Tuki is alleged to have influenced the Arunachal Pradesh government to give some contractual works to his relatives as PWD minister in 2006. From Archives | Tuki's exit proves our stand; Governor's actions right: BJP For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In an unusual case of mass bunking being confronted by the CRPF, 59 trainee commandos of its elite jungle warfare and counter-Naxal squad CoBRA have gone missing from a train just before they were to report for duty in the Left Wing Extremism-hit theatre of Bihar as part of their first deployment. The incident occurred on Sunday at the Mughalsarai Station when the commandos, on way from their training centre in Jammu and Kashmirs Srinagar after their 5-week basic training, apparently decided to abandon their forward journey and leave en masse to go to their homes or some undisclosed location. Officials said the jawans also did not inform their contingent commander on board the train as they made their daring escape bid in the night. Shocked by the utter disregard to rules by these constable-rank jawans recruited in the countrys largest paramilitary in 2011, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has ordered for a Court of Inquiry into the incident, termed as a case of unauthorised absence by the force. Senior officials of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) and CRPF said the jawans were scheduled to report at the headquarters of the 205th CoBRA unit in Gaya in Bihar today for their onward deployment for conducting special anti-Naxal operations in Bihar. A full Inquiry has been ordered by the force headquarters in Delhi. The trainers and the havildar who was accompanying these commandos have got in touch with some of those who vanished from the train without informing seniors. Some have promised to report by tomorrow, senior officials told PTI. It is to be ascertained as to how all of the men decided to make the slip en masse, they said, adding the jawans were not armed. They added that maximum of the commandos who undertook this mass bunk hail from the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The CoBRA was raised in 2009 by the central government under CRPF to act as a special guerrilla combat wing for tackling violence perpetrated by naxalites as well as insurgents in the northeast with the aid of specific intelligence inputs. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were adjourned for nearly 50 minutes on Monday after an uproar by Congress and Left members over the handling of the death of IUML leader and MP E Ahamed. Amid noisy scenes, an apparently upset Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the House till noon. As soon as the House took up the Question Hour, Congress and Left members, mainly from Kerala raked up the issue of Ahameds death at RML hospital here following a cardiac arrest. The Opposition members have been demanding a probe into the manner in which the death of Ahamed was handled by the government, alleging that he had died soon after being rushed to the hospital but it was announced much later. Read | Union Budget 2017: Complete list of bills to be taken up in budget session Here are the live updates: #3:20PM: Credit for surgical strikes is not owned by PM Modi, whole country is with Army: Cong's Mallikarjun Kharge in LS #3:12PM: If PM talks about any weakness than its message travels to entire nation; he should not say such things to garner votes: Congress' M Kharge in LS #2:40PM: 125 people died; PM Modi should've at least apologised: Cong's Mallikarjun Kharge in LS on demonetisation #2:20PM: Speaker Sumitra Mahajan expunges Mallikarjun Kharge's controversial remark against BJP #2:19PM: Anant Kumar demands an apology from Mallikarjun Kharge #2:15PM: Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge in Lok Sabha: -You are good at talking and speeches, but speeches do not feed stomachs -Rural Minister will now go to Jaitley to beg with a bag. You have failed in NREGA, you have failed in rail - In name of sanatan dharm you want people to be divided. You emotionally blackmail people in the name of God #1:10PM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends Lok Sabha proceedings #1:05PM: Disruptions in LS as Oppn protests over Ahamed's death; RS adjourned till 2PM #11:21AM: How and when, time will tell, but Ram Mandir will not be built in India or in Ayodhya then will it be built in Pakistan: Giriraj Singh #11:15AM: Lok Sabha adjourned till 12 noon #11:14AM: Will take up the matter of Ram Mandir and resolve this issue in a constitutional manner. If needed, will take further steps: Vinay Katiyar #11:09: Parliamentary committee should be constituted & those found guilty after inquiry should be punished: Mallikarjun Kharge on E Ahamed's death Rahul Gandhi joins protest over issue of #EAhamed's death by MPs from Kerala inside Parliament complex pic.twitter.com/DqwncAJRp8 ANI (@ANI_news) February 6, 2017 #10:356AM: Delhi: TMC stages protest against government in front of Gandhi statue inside Parliament complex #10:35AM: Rahul Gandhi joins protest over issue of #EAhamed's death by MPs from Kerala inside Parliament complex #BJP MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe to raise issue of violence against RSS and BJP workers in Kerala during Zero Hour of Rajya Sabha #Gave adjournment motion in LS. Hospital staff showed grave disrespect & announcement of his death was delayed: NK Premachandran, RSP The budget session started on January 31. On day 1, President Mukherjee opened the session with ceremonial speech defining the Modi Govts achievements during the term, while Finance Minister presented Economic survey. On Day 2 February 1, Jaitley presented the Union Budget 2017-18. Although the day started at an unfortunate note, as sitting MP E Ahamed passed away that day early in morning, casting a cloud of confusion over the postponement of the budget. However, the budget was presented after two minutes silence. February 2, Day 3 of the budget session in Lok Sabha was however suspended as a homage to the deceased MP. Day 4 of the budget session remained in limbo as it was marked with several adjournments. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. London: Swirling spirals on the red planet have been spotted by European Space Agencys Mars Express. The orbiter has sent back images revealing distinctive dark spiralling troughs on the north polar ice cap of Mars. A mosaic has been created using 32 individual orbit strips that were clicked between 2004 and 2010. The strips cover an area of around a million square kilometres. Though the ice cap on Mars is a permanent fixture, but during winters, the temperatures are cold enough are cold enough for around 30 per cent of the carbon dioxide in the planets atmosphere to precipitate onto the cap. This adds a seasonal layer up to a metre thick. In summers, however, most of the carbon dioxide ice turns directly into gas. It then leaves behind the water-ice layers and escaped into the atmosphere. It has been believed that strong winds have played an important role in shaping up the ice cap over time. They blew from the elevated centre towards its lower edges and twisted by the same Coriolis force that causes hurricanes to spiral on Earth. One particularly prominent feature is a 500 kilometre-long, two kilometre-deep trench that almost cuts the cap in two. The plunging canyon is also known as Chasma Boreale. It is thought to be a relatively old feature, forming before the ice dust spiral features, and seemingly growing deeper as new ice deposits built up around it. Radar instruments onboard Mars Express and NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter conducted subsurface investigations. They revealed that many individual layers of ice and dust extending to a depth of around two kilometres formed the ice cap. This presents a valuable record for the nature of how the planets climate has changed as its tilt and orbit varied over hundreds of thousands of years. (With inputs from PTI) For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: Pakistans parliament on Monday passed a unanimous resolution extending solidarity with the Kashmiris and rejecting as ridiculous the Indian stand that Kashmir is an integral part of India. The resolution moved by Minister for Kashmir Affair Barjees Tahir in the National Assembly extended political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris in the just struggle for their right to self-determination in lines with the UN resolutions, Radio Pakistan reported. The resolution rejected the ridiculous Indian claim that Kashmir is an integral part of India as it itself took the issue to the UN as a dispute between the two sovereign states, it said. ALSO READ | Army made to pay rent for PoK land; CBI lodges FIR It condemned the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir and deplored continuous silence of the international community on the issue. The resolution came a day after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif described Kashmir issue as the unfinished agenda of partition and the oldest disputes in the UN Security Council. Jammu & Kashmir is the core dispute between Pakistan and India. The dream of peace and prosperity of the people of this region will remain elusive without resolving this dispute in accordance with the UNSC resolutions, Sharif said yesterday on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day. The resolution called upon the UN Security Council to take concrete steps for implementation of its resolutions for granting right to self-determination to the Kashmiris. ALSO READ | SC imposes Rs 30,000 fine on Centre for not replying to PIL on Minority status in J&K It called upon the international community to take notice of the gravity of the situation and urge India to respect human rights and right to self-determination. The resolution called upon the UN Military Observer Group in Pakistan and India to fulfill its mandated task. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Pakistan on Monday accused India of not fulfilling its responsibilities under the Indus Waters Treaty. Voicing concerns over India's construction of new dams, Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, in his written reply submitted in the National Assembly, said Pakistan has expressed concerns over the construction of new dams by India along the Indus river system. Geo News of Pakistan quoted Aziz as saying that India has not been fulfilling its responsibilities under the Indus Waters Treaty. Last week Sharif had spoken to CEO World Bank Kristalina Georgieva in Islamabad on the issue and had urged him to play a lead role in resolving the water disputes between Pakistan and India by establishing a Court of Arbitration. World Bank in 1960 had brokered the famous Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) apportioning the several rivers and utilisation of their waters between Pakistan and India. ALSO READ | Gathering more evidence from alleged Indian spy, says Pakistan Being the guarantor of the IWT it adjudicates any dispute between the two countries. Recently, its role has been under scanner due to the dispute over two hydropower projects by India to which Pakistan has objected. Pakistan in October had approached the World Bank, seeking appointment of Chairman of Court of Arbitration to resolve the dispute over construction of two mega projects. ALSO READ | Punjab assembly polls 2017: PM Narendra Modi says will take India's share of Indus water and give it to Punjab Last week, a UN report had said the 40-year-old Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan has been an outstanding example of conflict resolution but scarcity of water in the basin states since the early 1990s has brought the agreement under strain and its survival appears weak. With PTI Inputs For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Lahore : Jamaat-ud-Dawah and Falah-e-Insaniyat, recently placed under watch-list and against whom Pakistan government launched a crackdown, on Sunday held rallies in parts of the country under the banner of Tehreek Azadi Jammu Kashmir (TAJK). The rallies were organised just days after the JuDs chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed was put under house arrest in Lahore under the Fourth Schedule of Anti-Terrorism Act by Pakistan government. Saeed had indicated a week before his house arrest that he might launch TAJK to expedite the freedom of Kashmir. The Interior Ministry had also placed Saeed and 37 other JuD and FIF members on Exit Control List, barring them from leaving Pakistan. At the rallies in several parts of Pakistan on Sunday, the participants demanded the immediate release of Saeed. In Lahore, Yakjahtee (solidarity) Kashmir Conference was held at Nasser Bagh in which a large number of activists of JuD and FIF participated. They shouted slogans against Pakistan, Indian and the US governments for detaining Saeed, and said the Nawaz Sharif government was damaging the countrys image by maintaining a friendship with the Narendra Modi government. Pakistani nation is united for Hafiz Saeeds release, said JuD central leader Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, who is also the brother-in-law of Saeed. He said unfortunately due to Saeeds detention our message of solidarity to Kashmiris is not that powerful and encouraging this year. The Sharif government, he said, should make its stance clear on Kashmir and tell the people of Pakistan that it is loyal to Kashmiris, and not India. Makki said a trade of potato and onion with India is not right. Treacherous plot of giving India the Most Favoured Nation status will not be successful, he said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. kellyanne conway After fielding days of criticism and mockery, White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway on Sunday clarified remarks on MSNBC's "Hardball," where she cited a nonexistent "massacre" as justification for President Donald Trump's temporary immigration ban. Conway had said that "two Iraqis came here to this country, were radicalized, and they were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre," further saying the attack was unknown to many because it "didn't get covered." However, such an attack never happened. She later tweeted a clarification that she meant to say "Bowling Green terrorists." But Conway received widespread mockery from the likes of "SNL," and even a fake vigil for the victims of the fake massacre popped up. In an interview with Fox News' Howard Kurtz on Sunday, Conway struck back at her critics, some of whom she called "haters." "I should have said plot or I should have just called them terrorists. I clarified immediately. I should have said terrorists and not massacre," Conway said. "I'm sure it will live on for a week." "I misspoke one word. The corrections in the newspapers that are attacking me are three paragraphs long every day," she added. When asked if the White House, which has often criticized media outlets as spreading "fake news," should forgive the press when they inadvertently spread false information, Conway said: "That is not what the president means when he says fake news on his Twitter. He is talking about things that are invented and just inaccurate." NOW WATCH: Watch President Obama surprise a tearful Joe Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom More From Business Insider * Brazil's Vale draws a crowd in US$1bn tap of 2026 * Investors await coupon news on Venezuela 2031 bond * Brazil's Intermedica hires banks for IPO (Adds bullets) By Mike Gambale NEW YORK, Feb 6 (IFR) - Below is a recap of primary issuance activity from Latin America on Monday. Number of deals priced: 2 Total issuance volume: US$1.1bn CLISA Compania Latinoamericana de Infraestructura y Servicios (CLISA) announced a US$100m tap of its 9.5% 2023 bonds. Bookrunners BCP Securities and Santander. The company issued US$200m of the notes in July last year, pricing them at 98.753 to yield 9.75%. Ratings are B-/B-. IPTs: high 9% GUIDANCE: 9.80% area LAUNCH: US$100m tap of 9.5% 2023s at 9.80% PRICED: US$100m tap of 9.5% 2023: 98.58; 9.80%Y VALE OVERSEAS Vale Overseas Limited, Ba2/BBB-/BBB, announced a US$ benchmark SEC registered tap of the 6.25% 8/10/26 (US$1bn outstanding) senior unsecured notes. Joint Bookrunners: BB Securities/Bradesco BBI/J.P.Morgan/MUFG/Santander. The notes are guaranteed by Vale S.A. Use of Proceeds: Refinance 4.375% EUR-denominated notes due 2018 and GCP. IPT: 5.45% area GUIDANCE: 5.20%-5.25% LAUNCH: US$1bn at 5.20% yield PRICED: US$1bn tap 6.25% 8/10/26. At 107.793, yld 5.20%. Spread: T+278.3bp. BOOK: US$5bn NIC: 4bp (vs. 6.25% '26s at 5.158%) COMPS: VALEBZ 6.250% August 10, 2026 at 5.158% YTM (US$108.125) PIPELINE The Province of Buenos Aires is readying fixed-income investors meetings as it prepares to market a US dollar bond sale. The borrower was in New York and London on February 6 and will head to New York and Boston on February 7. Ratings are B3/B-. BBVA, BNP Paribas and JP Morgan have been mandated to coordinate the meetings. Stoneway Capital Corporation, a private company with equity contributed by Siemens AG, formed for the purpose of constructing, owning, and operating four simple-cycle power generating plants in the Buenos Aires region of Argentina, has secured four Power Purchase Agreements through CAMMESA for a 10-year period on each. The company mandated Jefferies as sole global coordinator and Jefferies and Seaport Global as joint-bookrunners to arrange meetings with fixed income investors starting on January 31 for a US$500m US dollar-denominated 144A/Reg S senior secured offering of 10-year maturity. Story continues The roadshow schedule is as follows: Wed Feb 1: New York, Thu Feb 2: New York, Fri Feb 3: Los Angeles, Mon Feb 6: Boston, Tue Feb 7: London, Wed Feb 8: London, Thu Feb 9: Frankfurt/Munich. Peruvian mortgage bank Fondo Mivivienda has announced a tap of its US dollar 3.5% 2023s and the issue of a new 7-year sol-denominated global depositary note, with pricing expected as soon as Tuesday. Expected ratings on the 144A/RegS tap are BBB+/BBB+, while GDN will be rated BBB+/A-. Both tranches will be governed by New York law. Citibank is acting as custodian and depositary on the GDN, which is clearable through DTC/Euroclear and Clearstream. Morgan Stanley and Scotiabank are leads on the deal. IPTs - tap of the 2023s at T+180bp - 7-year GDN at low 7% Uruguay will sell US$2.05bn in debt in 2017, up from US$1.7bn last year, the Economy Ministry said in a report, as the country aims to balance its books after posting its sharpest fiscal deficit in years. The South American country's financing needs will total US$2.97bn, the report said. The country plans to receive US$550m from multilateral lenders and will tap reserves for US$200m, with the remaining US$170m coming from other sources. Argentina plans to issue US$1.5bn-$2bn of Swiss franc bonds in two to three issuances this year, one of which will be in the first quarter, Reuters quoted Finance Minister Luis Caputo saying. Caputo has previously said a total of US$3bn in non-dollar bonds will be issued this year, following the sale of US$7bn in dollar bonds last month. Brazilian power company Neoenergia is considering a possible US dollar bond debut this year after sending out requests for proposals in late 2016, two market sources told IFR. Neoenergia Group's principal shareholders are Banco do Brasil's pension fund Previ, with a 49.01% stake, and Spain's Iberdrola with a 39% stake, according to the company's website. Paraguay is considering raising up to US$550m in the bond market in March, Reuters quoted Finance Minister Santiago Pena saying. Inversiones Atlantida, the largest financial group in Honduras, has finished roadshows to market a potential debut US dollar bond through Oppenheimer. Expected ratings are B/B by S&P and Fitch. (Reporting by Mike Gambale and Paul Kilby; Editing by Shankar Ramakrishnan) BROOKFIELD - After an emotional week informing parents that struggling Catholic elementary schools would be consolidated in Stamford and Shelton, Bridgeport Bishop Frank Caggiano came back to greater Danbury to announce his decision about Saint Joseph School. To the delight of 100 parents assembled at the parochial school on Saturday morning, the bishop said Saint Joseph would stay open. Caggianos message was similar to the one he delivered at the start of last week to 150 parents and children in downtown Danbury that the citys three Catholic elementary schools would stay open, with the expectation that parents would work with him to increase enrollment. It was very positive and well-attended and the bishop delivered the message that there were challenges, but also a lot of potential and opportunity to grow, diocesan spokesman Brian Wallace said of Caggianos Saturday visit to Brookfield. They will launch a planning process this year to help them do that, and he invited the parents and the school office and the school board to play an active role. Saint Joseph, along with elementary schools in Danbury, Stamford, Shelton and Monroe, have concerned the diocese because they are under-enrolled and losing money. The enrollment at Saint Joseph has dropped from 205 students in 2012 to 179 today. It is expected to lose $137,000 this year - a deficit that the diocese will cover. The challenge in Brookfield and elsewhere for Catholic elementary schools in Fairfield County is threefold: parochial schools are competing against quality public schools, the average $6,400 Catholic school tuition is too much for some working families in todays economy; and churches are seeing a decline of young families with active faith lives. The solution in Stamford and in the Shelton-Monroe area was to consolidate multiple schools into a single academy, following successful models in Greenwich, Norwalk and Bridgeport. But in Danbury and Brookfield, the bishop believes all four Catholic elementary schools can rebound and reach full enrollment with the right combination of strategic planning and financial support. Caggiano earlier this month launched a philanthropic initiative called Foundations in Education to raise money for scholarships, teacher training and classroom innovation. The initiative is meant to support all Catholic elementary schools in the diocese, especially those struggling to recover. The bishop has put a lot in place, and what he is saying is, We are not going to leave you alone on this, Wallace said. rryser@newstimes.com; 203-731-3342 WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on the lawsuit involving President Donald Trump's executive order restraining immigration (all times EST): 6:35 p.m. A federal appellate court has scheduled telephone oral arguments for Tuesday afternoon in a lawsuit over President Trump's travel and refugee ban. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear from lawyers from the federal government and states suing Trump. Washington state and Minnesota sued Trump last week, saying the ban harmed residents and effectively mandated discrimination. The Justice Department says the issue is a matter of national security and Trump's executive order affecting seven predominantly Muslim countries was well within his authority. The appellate court this weekend denied the Trump administration's request to immediately set aside a Seattle judge's ruling that put a hold on the ban nationwide. ___ 6:15 p.m. The Justice Department has filed a brief with a federal appeals court in support of President Donald Trump's travel and refugee ban. The document was filed Monday with the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The filing says the Trump administration executive order that bans travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations is a "lawful exercise" of presidential authority. A federal judge in Washington state put the order on hold Friday. Federal government lawyers say the ruling by the judge, James Robart, was overly broad and should be overruled. It was not immediately clear when the 9th Circuit might rule, but the legal fight may ultimately reach the U.S. Supreme Court. ___ 4:35 p.m. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer says the Trump administration is not rethinking its strategy over the president's ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. He says the administration remains confident it will prevail in the lawsuit. Spicer tells reporters traveling aboard Air Force One the president has "huge discretion" to protect the safety of Americans. He says "clearly the law is on the president's side, the Constitution's on the president's side." Story continues An appellate court this weekend denied the Trump administration's request to immediately set aside a Seattle judge's ruling that put a hold on the ban nationwide. Both sides face a Monday afternoon deadline to file court motions. ___ 4:10 p.m. Attorneys general from 15 states and the District of Columbia are urging a federal appeals court to uphold a lower court judge's stay on President Donald Trump's immigration order. The friend of the court brief was filed Monday with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. The 23-page filing was signed by AGs from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia. The officials say Trump's executive order targeting refugees and nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries hurts their states' economies. They say it also disrupts education and medical services and violates First Amendment-protected religious liberties. Trump has argued the U.S. must protect its borders from would-be foreign terrorists. Government lawyers are expected to file court papers later Monday. ___ 2:40 p.m. Two Democrat-appointed judges and one Republican appointee will weigh the appeal involving President Donald Trump's recent immigration order. David Madden, a spokesman for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, says the court's randomly assigned motions panel for this month will rule on the federal government's appeal of a Seattle judge's order temporarily blocking the travel ban. The judges on the panel are Senior Judge William C. Canby Jr., appointed by President Jimmy Carter in 1980; Senior Judge Richard Clifton, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002; and Michelle T. Friedland, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014. Washington state, Minnesota and Hawaii are arguing that the San Francisco-based court should allow a temporary restraining order blocking the travel ban to stand. The Justice Department was expected to file its brief Monday afternoon. ___ 10:35 a.m. Two Yemeni brothers denied entry into the U.S. under President Donald Trump's travel ban have been reunited with their family at Dulles International Airport. Ammar Aqel Mohammed Aziz and Tareq Aqel Mohammed Aziz are green-card holders who were traveling through Dulles on their way to Flint, Michigan, when the ban took effect. A federal lawsuit alleges they were coerced into signing away their status and sent to Ethiopia. The brothers arrived at the airport Monday morning. Attorney Paul Hughes says an agreement was reached with the government to allow their re-entry, as well as that of another Yemeni family under similar circumstances. That family also arrived Monday. Without the agreement, Hughes says they may not have been allowed entry since their visas were marked by prominent "canceled" stamps. __ 10 a.m. An Iraqi couple whose plans to resettle in the U.S. were dashed by President Donald Trump's travel ban are now on their way to New York. Mariam Ali Hussein waited months for a visa in order to be reunited with her husband, Samah Yousef, who has a U.S. passport. The visa finally came through just days before Trump ordered a ban on travelers from Iraq and six other Muslim-majority nations. Hussein said she had resigned her job, expecting to move, but then "suddenly our lives turned upside down" after the surprise ban. She was overjoyed when she received word that a U.S. judge had suspended the order. She and her husband flew out of Baghdad on Monday, with plans to transit in Cairo. There are no direct flights from Baghdad to the United States, but flights to the usual transit hubs of Cairo, Amman and Istanbul are booked solid. __ 9:55 a.m. Jordan's national airline is drumming up business for U.S.-bound flights in a light-hearted advertisement. It follows a U.S. judge's temporary suspension of President Donald Trump's travel ban targeting those from seven Muslim-majority countries. Airline spokesman Basel Kilani said Monday that Royal Jordanian is offering discounts of up to 20 percent for flights to Chicago, New York and Detroit. The ad reads: "Fly to the U.S. now that you're allowed to" and had the word "ban" edited graphically to read "bon" in "bon voyage." Jordan is not one of the black-listed countries, but serves as a regional travel hub. Kilani says RJ blocked four passengers from boarding after Trump's initial Jan. 29 ban, and that there were also some cancellations. He did not provide figures. The spokesman says the ban was bad for business. __ 8:45 a.m. John Kerry and Madeleine Albright, both former secretaries of state, are joining former top U.S. national security officials in asking the courts to continue blocking President Donald Trump's recent immigration order. Most of the former officials served under President Barack Obama. They said travel restrictions on seven Muslim-majority nations would disrupt "thousands" of lives," while likely "endangering U.S. troops in the field" and hurting partnerships with other countries to combat terrorism. The group wrote that the order will aid the Islamic State group's "propaganda effort and serve its recruitment message by feeding into the narrative that the United States is at war with Islam." They add: "Blanket bans of certain countries or classes of people are beneath the dignity of the nation and Constitution that we each took oaths to protect." The six-page document was provided to the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. The San Francisco-based appeals court has already turned down a Justice Department request to set aside immediately a Seattle judge's ruling that put a temporary hold on the ban nationwide. ___ 4:30 a.m. Lawyers for Washington state and Minnesota have told a federal appellate court it would "unleash chaos again" if it lifted an order temporarily halting President Donald Trump's ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. In briefs filed early Monday morning with the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Washington state and Minnesota said Trump's travel ban harmed residents, businesses and universities and was unconstitutional. The appellate court this weekend denied the Trump administration's request to immediately set aside a Seattle judge's ruling that put a hold on the ban nationwide but sought briefs from both Washington state and the federal government. The Justice Department has until Monday afternoon to file its court motion. Trump's order a caused confusion for many foreigners trying to reach the United States, prompted nationwide airport protests and led to multiple court challenges. The federal government has until later today to respond to the state's briefs. ___ 3:32 a.m. Dozens of tech companies, including giants like Apple, Google, and Uber, are siding with Washington state as it fights President Donald Trump's ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. The companies filed briefs late Sunday with a federal appellate court saying the Trump executive order hurts their businesses by making it harder to recruit employees. The companies also said the travel ban would prompt businesses to build operations outside the United States. Washington state is suing Trump, saying the ban harmed residents and effectively mandated discrimination. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this weekend denied the administration's request to immediately set aside a Seattle judge's ruling that put a hold on the ban nationwide. ___ 3:15 a.m. The White House says it expects the courts to restore President Donald Trump's ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries, an executive order founded on a claim of national security. The next opportunity for the president's team to argue in favor of the ban will come in the form of a response to a lawsuit by Washington state and Minnesota contending that Trump's order harms residents and effectively mandates discrimination. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal has ordered the Justice Department to file its briefs by 6 p.m. EST Monday. The San Francisco-based appeals court has already turned down a Justice Department request to set aside immediately a Seattle judge's ruling that put a temporary hold on the ban nationwide. That ruling last Friday prompted an ongoing Twitter rant by Trump, who dismissed U.S. District Court Judge James Robart as a "so-called judge" and his decision as "ridiculous." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DANBURY - Major crime in the city dropped 9.6 percent in 2016 over the previous year, according to police department records. The statistics reinforced Danburys reputation for low crime rates, which have helped it win the ranking as safest city in Connecticut three times since 2009. We are a safe city, and we are very pleased with these kinds of metrics, said Mayor Mark Boughton. The men and women in our police department work hard. The major crime statistics are subject to adjustment when open cases are closed, for example and are therefore not official until they are audited and sent the FBI. The mayor and city lawmakers will officially receive the 2016 crime report at the City Council meeting on Tuesday. It shows a reduction in seven of eight major crime categories from 2015 to 2016, or an overall drop of 129 major crimes last year. For the second year in a row, there were no homicides in the Hat City. Forcible rape in 2016 was down by 41 percent, from 34 cases in 2015 to 20 cases last year. The only increase was in motor vehicle thefts, which rose 19 percent in 2016. The overall decrease comes at a time of declining major crime across the state and the nation. The reasons for the larger trend vary; some obserers say education and an improving economy are having a stabilizing effect, while others tout larger police forces with better enforcement tools. Boughton said Danburys drop in crime is the result of a low unemployment rate, an increase in the number of officers on patrol and a community policing philosophy that emphasizes officer interaction with neighborhoods before problems start. In 2015, the city consolidated its 911 dispatching operations and manned it with civilians, freeing up firefighters and police officers who had been tied up answering telephones. No question - the dispatch system has put more officers on the street, Boughton said on Monday. He added that the citys blight-fighting squad known as the Unified Neighborhood Inspection Team - or UNIT - sends an important message by fighting low-level offenses such as graffiti and illegal dumping. If someone sees the city cares enough to hold people accountable for a broken window, that person will say, I better not think about committing a burglary, Boughton said. The police department is also under new leadership. Chief Patrick Ridenhour took over the 155-member department in the summer, replacing longtime Chief Al Baker, who retired. Recently, the department has been short-handed because of retirements and injuries. The city plans to hire new officers each quarter in 2017 to get back up to full strength, Boughton said. Crime is down, but we have more work to do, he said. rryser@newstimes.com; 203-731-3342 MONTREAL, Feb. 6, 2017 /CNW/ - Maybelline New York is pleased to announce its expanded partnership with The Girl Project, Glamour's philanthropic initiative dedicated to providing girls with access to a quality education. In 2017, Maybelline New York Canada is committed to supporting educational programming to Girls Inc Canada, reaching over 160 girls with the critical support they need to succeed in school. Maybelline New York and Girls Inc. Canada hosted an event on Saturday, January 28th to celebrate the kickoff of this partnership where 60 Girls Inc. girls from the Toronto area were invited to celebrate the start of their journey. Cammie Guest, Maybelline New York Canada's brand director said: "Maybelline is proud to be working with Girls Inc Canada, inspiring girls to make it happen in their lives. Maybelline New York is a brand that strives to empower all girls and women. By giving girls tools to grow strong in their lives, they become more confident which then gives them the potential to make things happen in their lives. We want to be there to support them in every way possible" Maybelline New York Canada's lead makeup artist Grace Lee was there to also share her "Make it Happen" life journey with the girls: "I loved encouraging these young women to follow their dreams and how important an education is now matter what they decide to achieve in life. I 100 percent believe in the values that Girls Inc Canada stands for. Strong, smart and bold. " Maybelline New York will also sponsor the Girl Zone afterschool program where girls from the Durham & Ajax area will be able to meet with four speakers including successful figures from the science, sport, business and creative world, inspiring them to be bold and make it happen in their lives. At the end of the Girl Zone program in May, Maybelline New York will put on a fabulous event to celebrate the girls' progress in their education and lives. Maybelline New York will also have some special in store displays in April 2017 to give consumers the chance to help give back to Girls Inc. Today, girls are continuously confronted with messages in media and culture that promote negative stereotypes and images," said Judy Vredenburgh, President and CEO of Girls Inc. "This partnership will strengthen our work in Canada to inspire girls to rise above limiting messages and set and achieve their goals. We are thankful for Maybelline New York's leadership in supporting our mission." Through Girls Inc. Canada Leadership and Community Action, girls build leadership skills and create lasting social change through community action projects. With support from women in their communities, girls celebrate the heritage of girls and women as leaders and social change agents and realize their own power as community resources and trustees of the common good. Maybelline's association with Girls Inc Canada through its partnership with The Girl Project matches perfectly the brand's values by encouraging Canadian girls to Make it Happen in their lives. About Maybelline New York Maybelline New York is the number one cosmetic brand in the world, available in over 120 countries. By combining technologically advanced formulations with on-trend expertise and New York City edge, Maybelline New York's mission is to offer innovative, accessible and effortless cosmetics for every woman. The brand is currently the official makeup sponsor of New York Fashion Week and eight other fashion weeks worldwide. For more information, log on to www.maybelline.ca. About Girls Inc Girls Inc. inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Our comprehensive approach to whole girl development equips girls to navigate gender, economic, and social barriers and grow up healthy, educated, and independent. These positive outcomes are achieved through three core elements: people - trained staff and volunteers who build lasting, mentoring relationships; environment - girls-only, physically and emotionally safe, where there is a sisterhood of support, high expectations, and mutual respect; and programming - research-based, hands-on and minds-on, age-appropriate, meeting the needs of today's girls. Informed by girls and their families, we also advocate for legislation and policies to increase opportunities for all girls. Join us at www.girlsinc.org. About The Girl Project The Girl Project is Glamour's philanthropic initiative dedicated to providing access and tools to the more than 50 million girls around the world who aren't getting a quality secondary education. The Girl Project helps girls in and out of classrooms, by supporting scholarships, safe transportation to school, mentorship and confidence--building programs, as well as training for the professional world. Join Glamour and our partners CARE, Girls Inc., Communities in Schools, Plan International USA, She's the First, and The Lower Eastside Girls Club as we unlock the incredible potential of girls everywhere. Because educating a girl doesn't just transform her life, it changes the world. For more information, visit www.TheGirlProject.com. SOURCE Maybelline New York For further information: Sarah Micak, ROI Relations, Maybelline, [email protected], 647.725.1644 TORONTO, Feb. 6, 2017 /CNW/ - NRStor Inc., a Toronto-based energy storage project developer, is pleased to announce it has received an $11 million equity financing commitment as well as access to $200 million in additional capital in support of its project pipeline as part of a strategic partnership with the Labourers' Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada (LiUNA), a major pension fund with $5.7 billion in assets under management. Fengate Real Asset Investments will manage LiUNA's investment in NRStor. LiUNA led the equity round with participation from NRStor founder, Chair and CEO Annette Verschuren. The unique financing agreement exemplifies growing institutional interest in energy storage projects that will scale renewable capacity and maximize the effectiveness of our electricity system. "LiUNA sees immense opportunity in financing energy storage infrastructure. We believe energy storage is a key enabler of our future energy system, and welcome the opportunity to invest capital into low carbon assets on behalf of our pension fund," explained Joe Mancinelli, LiUNA International Vice President and Regional Manager for Central and Eastern Canada. "NRStor has developed an innovative model to finance, own and operate energy storage projects that aligns with our union's priorities of creating economic, social and environmental value." NRStor is opening the door to an extensive pipeline of energy storage projects across Canada and around the world. NRStor is pleased to have LiUNA as a long-term partner in future low carbon sustainable infrastructure projects. The investment was welcomed by the Government of Canada. "The significant investment in NRStor demonstrates that Canadians are global leaders in energy innovation," said The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. "It demonstrates how innovation can create entirely new markets, or give existing industries a new lease on life by making them more productive and efficient. These opportunities create better jobs for Canadians well-paying, middle-class jobs. The technologies behind NRStor can result in greater energy efficiency and a cleaner environment. That's how innovation leads to a better Canada." The ability to store electricity from the grid and dispatch it when needed provides tremendous benefits for all participants across the electricity supply chain -- from system operators and utilities to commercial and industrial businesses, residential customers and remote indigenous communities. "Our vision at NRStor is a future with clean and reliable energy," explained Verschuren. "We are working to inspire the grid. The development of energy storage technologies represents an exciting opportunity for innovation. Our partnership with LiUNA shows that pension funds and infrastructure investors also understand the importance of financing clean energy infrastructure, and the business case around the industry." Founded in 2012, NRStor has secured multiple contracts with Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator for utility-scale energy storage projects and is working with Ontario-based companies Hydrostor and Temporal Power to deploy their innovative technologies. NRStor built Canada's first commercial grid-connected flywheel facility, and is developing Canada's first commercial compressed air energy storage facility. In the residential space, NRStor has partnered with Opus One Solutions to launch a new company, MPower, which is bringing the Tesla Powerwall to Canada. NRStor's third business line, NRStor C&I, is providing commercial and industrial customers solutions to lower their energy bills. Lastly, NRStor is working in partnership with remote indigenous communities to develop sustainable energy solutions that will reduce their dependence on diesel fuel. NRStor recently moved its headquarters to Toronto's MaRS Discovery District, a world-class innovation hub that is helping to support Temporal Power, Hydrostor and MPower as they build their businesses. This funding round builds upon seed capital invested by Northwater Capital Management in 2012. The majority investor is Lake Bridge Capital, is a Toronto based investor with a broad ranging portfolio of growth companies About NRStor Inc. NRStor Inc. is a privately held Toronto-based energy storage project developer focused on developing, owning and operating industry-leading energy storage projects in partnership with progressive stakeholders and leading technology providers. About LiUNA The Labourers' Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada is a Multi-Employer Pension Plan (MEPP) established on February 23, 1972. In a MEPP, both the benefits and the contributions are defined. Since its inception, the Fund has grown to almost $6 billion in assets, almost 100,000 members and over 18,000 pensioners and beneficiaries. The Plan is registered under the Ontario Pension Benefits Act and the Income Tax Act. About Fengate Real Asset Investments Fengate Real Asset Investments is a real asset investment firm that specializes in investment funds with a strategic focus on infrastructure, real estate and private equity. The firm has approximately $3 billion in assets under management with significant experience in Public-Private Partnerships, independent power projects, operating infrastructure and real estate assets, and real estate developments. Fengate targets high quality investments across North America, Europe and Australia. Since 2007, the firm has been recognized as one of "Canada's Best Managed Companies". SOURCE NRStor For further information: Media Inquiries: Lauren Gross, [email protected], 416-967-8895 Related Links www.nrstor.com The Presidents wife, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has left Nigeria for Saudi Arabia to perform the Lesser hajj. She earlier deferred the trip to Saudi Arabia to visit London to see her husband last week.A source in the Presidency said: The First Lady has gone for lesser hajj to pray. She initially deferred her trip to see the President in London. Having been satisfied with the state of the health of the President, she opted to perform the lesser hajj to pray.This should prove to Nigerians that Buharis health is not as critical as being portrayed. If he has a major health problem, the family will not hide it at all.Another top government official said: The vacation is now open-ended because all he is doing is to run some tests which only doctors can determine their timelines. Instead of asking for one or two more weeks, he left it open-ended because he can come back sooner than expected.I think Nigerians should appreciate that President Buhari is a honest and committed leader, who believes in the constitution, which he has sworn to uphold. There is no cause for anxiety at all. Chidi Odinkalu, a lawyer and human rights activists, says President Muhammadu Buhari has not done enough in terms of communicating with Ni... Chidi Odinkalu, a lawyer and human rights activists, says President Muhammadu Buhari has not done enough in terms of communicating with Nigerians.Speaking when he led protesters to the presidential villa in Abuja on Monday, Odinkalu said: When he wants to talk about Nigeria, he gets on a plane and goes outside Nigeria and he starts gossiping about us.Odinkalu rated the current administration low, saying the All Progressives Congress (APC) government has not been able to fulfil its electoral promises.We thumbed Buhari into office in 2015, then he got into power and what happened? he asked.Our president has never ever spoken to Nigerians. When he wants to talk, he goes abroad. Are we so useless that our president cannot address us? Are we so idiotic that our president cannot tell us that things are hard and these are my plans?Are we so useless that our president cannot invite us and tell us, look, we need your help to get this? We dont get compassion, we dont get empathy, we dont get thoughtfulness, and there is no plan, and then we are told we cannot protest too? What kind of country is that? What kind of citizens are we?He also spoke on the absence of the president, saying there were inconsistencies in the presidents camp.On this Monday morning, we dont know where our president is. On January 18, we were told that our president was going on a 10-day vacation. Yesterday, we were told that he was waiting for his medical test before he will return, he said.Last week, fake pictures of the president meeting people in London emerged. Last night, Femi Adesina said people can get sick; people can even die, and Shehu Garba said he spoke with the presidents doctor and was told he is well. Now think about it, if the president is well, who is Shehu to speak to his doctor?If the president is not ill, why should people be circulating fake pictures?He told the protesters that they did not need to obtain a license from the police before expressing their rights.Odinkalu also taunted the pro-government group, which held a simultaneous rally, saying if they had food on their table, they would not be hired for a counter protest.Nothing is bigger than trying to rescue our country. We are trying to make sure that Nigeria works for everybody. We came here as poor ordinary Nigerians armed with our national plan, he said.President Muhammadu Buharis government is one that intimidates people. It is a government that just intimidated 2face. I told the security agencies that were here, we saw this under Jonathan, now we are seeing worse.Look at the crowd they are renting across there. Does this show a government that thinks, the things people complain Jonathan is the same thing happening now, even worse.Under Jonathan many people were stealing, now under this government a few people are stealing. One person took money for IDP and government has cleared the person. Its a shame, is it not a shame? Shehu President Muhammadu Buhari is not in any serious condition to worry about, his media aide, Garba Shehu stated on Sunday. Shehu President Muhammadu Buhari is not in any serious condition to worry about, his media aide, Garba Shehu stated on Sunday.The explanation came hours after the president wrote to the National Assembly to inform lawmakers of his intention to extend his medical vacation in London.President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the National Assembly today, February 5, 2017, informing of his desire to extend his leave in order to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors, presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, said in a statementon Sunday.The president had planned to return to Abuja this evening but was advised to complete the test cycle before returning. The notice has since been dispatched to the Senate President, and Speaker, House of Representatives.Mr. President expresses his sincere gratitude to Nigerians for their concern, prayers and kind wishes, Mr. Adesina further stated.The news sent Nigerians speculating that the president was gravely ill and may not return anytime soon.But Mr. Shehu, while explaining todays development to NE, said the president is not in a hospital but in his residence at the Nigerian High Commission in England.I just spoke to the presidents personal doctor, and he told me President Buhari is not in any serious condition to worry about, Mr. Shehu said. He is not in hospital. He is in the residence at the Nigerian High Commission.Mr. Shehu further stated that the president was ready to return home with his delegation but for the arrival of some test results which indicated he needed further tests.He and his delegation were ready to come home today but for the delayed test result which came in today which necessitated that he delays his return.There is nothing to worry about as far as his condition is concerned, Mr. Shehu said.Mr. Buhari departed Nigeria on January 19 on a 10-day vacation and handed over to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.The latest is the third time he would embark on vacation since assuming office two years ago. Martins Uzoukwu, Catholic bishop of Minna diocese, has urged Nigerians irrespective of tribe, religion, or political differences, to pray ... Martins Uzoukwu, Catholic bishop of Minna diocese, has urged Nigerians irrespective of tribe, religion, or political differences, to pray for the safe return of President Muhammadu Buhari.In an interview with NAN, Uzoukwu said praying for the president was necessary in view of the myriads of problems in the country.I specifically pray for our president to return back home safely to administer the affairs of our great country, we should all seek divine intervention in our nations socioeconomic and political activities.The bishop said Nigerians must shun sentiments and support the government to move Nigeria out of its present predicament, adding that the prayers of all Nigerians is necessary in this respect.He also called on Nigerians to always wish their leaders well, to enable them implement policies that would be beneficial to all.Uzoukwu commended President Buhari for demonstrating the political will in ending the senseless killings of Nigerians by the insurgents in the north-east.He appealed to Nigerians to assist the government and security agencies to tackle other crisis situations in Nigeria, in order to ensure peace, progress and political stability of the nation. The National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party called on Buhari to tell Nigerians the true state of his health. The main opposition party was reacting to the inability of the President to return to Nigeria from the UK, where he had been on holiday for more than 10 days.The PDP said it was wrong for the President to also send letter to the National Assembly, extending his leave, without telling Nigerians when he would resume.Spokesperson for the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee, Mr. Dayo Adeyeye, stated this in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents.But the ruling All Progressives Congress berated the PDP, saying the opposition party should pray for the President instead of spreading rumours.The PDP spokesman, who was a former Minister of State for Works, however, said it was wrong for the President and his handlers to be trivialising the health of the President.He said the President had chosen a wrong approach to address the issue of his health since he assumed office.He said, The President should know he is not a private citizen.He should know that Nigerians are the ones paying his health bills and therefore, he should tell them the true state of his health.He should not treat Nigerians with levity and he should also know what is obtainable in civilised countries. Nigeria is not a jungle.Imagine the President talking about a leave extension but not saying when he would resume?Adeyeye stated that there was no way the President could claim to be awaiting the outcome of medical tests without definite dates.Medical tests have dates of collection of results. It cant be open-ended without dates, he said.But the APC urged the PDP to join other well-meaning Nigerians to pray for the President instead of sensing an opportunity to get even.The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said this in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Sunday.Abdullahi stated, This is the President of the country. The elections are over; he is our President, he is the President of Nigeria not that of the APC or the PDP. If the President has told us that he needs to stay back to do some other medical things, it behoves us, as responsible citizens, to pray for him and stop sensing an opportunity to retaliate.Does the PDP know more than what we have been told? What we know is what we have been told.We believe that the President has demonstrated an acute sense of responsibility. We are all living witnesses to our recent history where a President travelled and did not even communicate to the National Assembly the appropriate document to make the then Vice-President act in his stead.But this is a President that, on every occasion that he has to travel, he not only communicate to the National Assembly, but creates the enabling environment and the space for the Vice-President to act as President in his absence.I dont know why people will start going green in the eyes as if we are actually hoping that tragedy befalls this country.The PDP should not behave in a way that will make Nigerians begin to think that it is actually spreading the rumour that the President is dead.Also, the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese in Anambra State, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, on Sunday, asked Buhari to show himself to Nigerians to douse the tension in the land.Ezeokafor, who spoke to journalists at the annual meeting with the Religious Council in the diocese at St. Patricks Cathedral, Awka, said it was normal that people asked questions about the health of their President as he was not a private citizen.The cleric added, We pray that he comes back in good health, those asking about his state of health have the right to know where their President is and how he is doing.It is normal to be sick because he is a human being like any other person.The interest in Buharis state of health is like the way people, all over the world, were worried when the late Pope John Paul 11 and Nelson Mandela were sick in hospital.It is high time he said something so that the suspicion and guessing will die down. The Economic and Financial Crimes commission, EFCC, has vowed to arraign the former Delta governor, James Ibori on a 170 count charges. The Economic and Financial Crimes commission, EFCC, has vowed to arraign the former Delta governor, James Ibori on a 170 count charges.Prior to his conviction on the United Kingdom, UK, EFCC had dragged Ibori before an Asaba High Court on a 170 count charge.This followed allegations against the former governor bordering on diverting N40bn belonging to the state.Ibori was also accused of trying to bribe ex-Chairman of the anti-graft agency, Nuhu Ribadu with $15m cash.The court, however, struck out the 170 charges levelled against Ibori.But, the anti-graft agency contested the Asaba High Courts ruling at the Appeal Court, Benin Division.A three-man panel of justices on May 15, 2014, at the Benin Division of the Court of Appeal, held that the corruption matter against the ex-governor will be reopened upon completion of his jail term in the UK.The Justice Ibrahim Saulawa-led panel ruled that the matter be reassigned to another judge of the Federal High Court for continuation of trial and ordered that Ibori be re-arrested on completion of his prison sentence.Against the backdrop of the ruling, the report quoted the EFCC, in a statement as saying, With this judgment, the coast is clear for Ibori to face trial in Nigeria upon the completion of his jail term in London.Speaking with newsmen, a source said the commission would soon invite Ibori for questioning.According to the source, Ibori still has 170 charges pending against him. Also, the Appeal Court has given us the go-ahead to prosecute him and this ruling has not been upturned by the Supreme Court.As things stand, the EFCC has the right to arrest him at anytime. Ibori, among other allegations, was accused of embezzling N40bn which belonged to the state. Also, a former Chairman of the EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, alleged that the former governor attempted to bribe him with $15m cash.Ibori had on Saturday returned to Nigeria, after completing his jail term in the United Kingdom.The Oghara-born politician was, however, picked up by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, upon his arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.Explaining the rationale behind the agancys action, Director General of DSS, Lawal Daura told newsmen that Ibori was addressed on issues bordering on national interest.Ibori has since arrived his hometown of Oghara, Delta State. 97 Companies including Facebook, Twitter, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix and Uber have filed a court motion Sunday night declaring that Donald ... 97 Companies including Facebook, Twitter, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix and Uber have filed a court motion Sunday night declaring that Donald Trump's executive order on immigration "violates the immigration laws and the Constitution."CNN reports that the motion was filed with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which on Sunday morning denied the U.S. government's emergency request to resume Trump's travel ban.It's not the first legal move by tech firms over Trump's ban. Amazon (AMZN, Tech30) and Expedia (EXPE) filed motions last week in the Washington attorney general's lawsuit. Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has said that the country is in trouble, after news broke out that President Muhammadu ... Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has said that the country is in trouble, after news broke out that President Muhammadu Buhari has extended his vacation indefinitelyThis was contained in a statement signed by the Presidents Special Adviser on Media, Femi Adesina, who said his principal has written to the National Assembly to notify them of his desire to extend his leave in order to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors.The President had planned to return to Abuja this evening, but was advised to complete the test cycle before returning. The notice has since been dispatched to the Senate President, and Speaker, House of Representatives.Mr. President expresses his sincere gratitude to Nigerians for their concern, prayers and kind wishes.Tweeting moments after the news, Fani-Kayode stated that it is now obvious that Buhari is sick and Nigeria is in trouble.Buhari has finally acknowledged that he is sick and has extended his stay abroad indefinately. It is now clear that Nigeria is in trouble, he wrote.The President left the country on a 10-day vacation on January 19 . The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, on Monday said Federal Government has secured $7. 5 billion loan for the constructio... The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, on Monday said Federal Government has secured $7. 5 billion loan for the construction of standard rail gauge from Lagos to Kano.Amaechi stated this during the North Central Town Hall meeting held in Ilorin for the people of Kogi, Niger and Kwara States, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.The minister said the loan was secured from a Chinese bank and the ministry is waiting for the National Assembly approval to access the loan.He said $1. 4 billion was for the construction of the rail gauge from Lagos to Ibadan, while $6. 1 billion would be used on IbadanIlorinMinna-Kaduna Kano line.The minister added that Kaura NamodaFuntua rail line would be revived.He urged Nigerians to impress it on the National Assembly to approve the loan for work on the project to commence.He added that the central rail project from Itakpe to Warri would be completed before the end of 2017, while narrow gauge line from IlorinMinna would also commence during the year.Amaechi said plans were underway to connect Abuja to other parts of the country through the central line at Warri, while the Jos Inland Port would be completed in June this year. Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State has announced that he will someday be elected as President of Nigeria. Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State has announced that he will someday be elected as President of Nigeria.Fayose made the declaration on Saturday in Ado Ekiti while hosting journalists to a dinner.According to reports, the Governor said the prophesy was from God and it was very clear that he would govern the country, the issue needed not to be debated as he was only waiting for its manifestation.It was the same prophesy that said I would return as governor of Ekiti when I was in the trenches that predicted that I will govern the whole country. Many did not believe the first one but it happened just as we are waiting for the manifestation of the second one.Do not bother to ask me questions as to how this will materialise, I also do not know how it will happen but all I know is that I shall one day occupy the presidential villa, not as a visitor but as president, Fayose said. Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, who is facing trial over alleged N26million fraud, has said that under no circumstances wi... Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, who is facing trial over alleged N26million fraud, has said that under no circumstances will he pay back any money to the EFCC or government.Fani-Kayode was reacting to reports that he has begged the Federal High Court in Abuja to allow him to return the money to the Federal Government said Reports that are coming out that Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has agreed to return 26 million naira to the EFCC in an attempt to settle his case at the Abuja Federal High Court out of court with them are false.The matter was adjourned in the Abuja Federal High Court today primarily because a new lawyer in the person of Mr. Ahmed Raji SAN was now handling the case and he needed time to be properly briefed on the matter and to go through the file. Under no circumstances will Chief Fani-Kayode pay any money back to EFCC or any other government agency because he never collected any money from any government agency in the first place. The reports are false, embarrasing and mischevous.- Jude Ndukwe, spokesman to Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. The reports had it that Former Minister of Aviation had begged the Federal High Court in Abuja to allow him to return the sum of N26 million he was accused of illegally receiving from the detained former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd, before the election to organise media campaign for Jonathan. Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says the Islamisation of Nigeria is improbable. Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says the Islamisation of Nigeria is improbable.Speaking at a town-hall meeting in Kwara state on Monday, the minister said the Nigerian constitution makes the dominance of one religion impossible.He said those accusing the government of Islamising the country were trying to divert attention away from its anti-corruption war.Mohammed was reacting to reports that Nigeria had become the most dangerous place for Christians to live in.Without equivocating, let me say that a lot has been achieved by this administration, despite the challenges that we have faced since assuming office, he said.But whatever has been achieved in all spheres will pale into insignificance if there is no peace in the country. And there is no bigger threat to the peace and unity of our country today than religion-coated incendiary messages, which are being carelessly sent out there by some religious, political and opinion leaders.In recent times, the media has been increasingly awash with incendiary statements that seem designed to pitch the adherents of the two prominent religions in the country, Christians and Muslims against one another. Such fallacies like the Islamisation of Nigeria, the killing of Christians by Muslims, the labelling of Nigeria as the most dangerous place for Christians in the world can only serve one purpose: trigger a religious war.Needless to say that no nation ever survives a religious war. Those who are making these allegations know that they are not true, but they have found in religion another tool to demonise the government of the day, divert attention from the governments anti-corruption stance and create undue tension in the polity.Make no mistake about it, there have been conflicts between adherents of the two major religions in certain parts of the country. To now extrapolate from that to say Nigeria is the most dangerous place for Christians in the world is a disservice to Nigeria and an overkill. What those who are pushing this negative narrative about Nigeria do not know is that if they succeed in giving Nigeria a bad name in the comity of nations, they too will not escape the consequences that will result therefrom.The alleged Islamisation of Nigeria under the current administration is totally false and should be perceived in its entirety as a campaign of calumny. The secular nature of Nigerias constitution makes the issue of religious dominance and impunity improbable.Mohammed said some religious conflicts had political and ethnic connotations, and should not be seen as purely religious.It is also important to note that the underlying principle of religious conflict may not be purely religious, but more often than not coloured with political connotations as vividly depicted in the case of the terrorist group Boko Haram. And more often than not, conflicts between Muslims and Christians are fuelled by political motivations, ethnic differences, extremism, intolerance and terrorism, he said.Before I end my speech, let me appeal to the media to desist from providing a platform for exponents of incendiary statements, those who will latch on to religion and ethnicity to divide us, and those who have no qualms about leveraging their privileged positions to give Nigeria a bad name in the international community. The Jan Egerton and Don Smitley Mesothelioma Scholarship will Provide Four Scholarships for Students in Colleges and Universities throughout the United States LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / February 6, 2017 / The founders of Mesothelioma Help, https://www.mesotheliomahelp.org/mesothelioma/, a leading online resource about mesothelioma, are pleased to announce the launch of their 2017 scholarship program that honors two mesothelioma warriors who ultimately lost their battles with the disease. To learn more about Mesothelioma Help and read some of the many in-depth and educational articles about mesothelioma, please visit https://www.mesotheliomahelp.org/mesothelioma/. As a spokesperson for Mesothelioma Help noted, the Jan Egerton and Don Smitley Mesothelioma Scholarship program will offer four scholarships to college and university students who are 18 years and older and attend school in the United States. Scholarship amounts range from $500 to $2,500. Those who wish to apply can do so directly through the Mesothelioma Help website. "Our goal is to help the educational efforts of students while raising awareness of mesothelioma, provide information about its prognosis and the dangers of being exposed to asbestos," noted the spokesperson, adding that essay submissions open on March 7, 2017 and close on March 25, 2017. The winners will be announced on May 10, 2017. To apply for the scholarship, students must submit an essay that either tells their own personal story about how they have dealt with asbestos disease or cancer, and/or how they hope to use their education to help those diagnosed with cancer. Students may also discuss why raising awareness about the dangers of asbestos is so crucial, and what they would say to someone who is currently battling mesothelioma. Egerton, who was one of the judges for the 2016 scholarship program, battled mesothelioma for over 10 years. During that time, she dedicated herself to raising awareness of the dangers of asbestos, along with inspiring researchers to focus on finding new treatments and ultimately, a cure. Story continues Smitley spent his days with his family, his beloved dog Charley and playing in The Dunbar Boys, his bluegrass band. "No one ever heard Don complain or wonder, 'Why me?' while he fought mesothelioma. But everyone that knew him would say that faith and a positive attitude carried him through each day," the spokesperson noted. About Mesothelioma Help: Mesothelioma Help, America's Mesothelioma Resource, is one of the web's primary resources for information on malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. The team of writers, supporters and sponsors of this site are dedicated to bringing the latest, most comprehensive mesothelioma information to patients, families and caregivers. For more information, please visit https://www.mesotheliomahelp.org/. Contact: Robert Padgett admin@rocketfactor.com (949) 555-2861 SOURCE: Mesothelioma Help Movie Producer, Seun Egbegbe who was last week apprehended while attempting to dupe a mallam of N10 million in Gbagada General hospital, is still in the custody of the police at Area H command, Ogudu in Lagos state.According to the Lagos state Police command's spokesperson, Dolapo Badmus who spoke to LIB today, the police is currently conducting a detailed investigation into his case since it appears he is a habitual suspect.Recall that last year, Seun was also apprehended in Computer village Ikeja while trying to steal brand new iPhones."He's still in custody. We are doing extensive investigation. This is looking like a habitual suspect. We're giving this one an extensive investigation. Yes, he's still in custody," she saidShe added that he will not be charged to court soon because of the extended investigations."Yes, until the investigation is over. We have sought the court's consent to extend his detention".Meanwhile the case against him for stealing the iPhone comes up on Wednesday February 8th. A man, Benjamin Archibong, has been charged to court with wounding a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) official, Olumide ... A man, Benjamin Archibong, has been charged to court with wounding a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) official, Olumide Omomoyesan.The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) arrested Archibong last Tuesday in Lekki-Ajah.A statement by the task force Public Relations Officer, Taofiq Adebayo, said the suspect obstructed a LASTMA team from impounding a commercial Volkswagen bus marked FKJ 688 XV. The driver was said to have resisted arrest for picking and dropping passengers at an unauthorised place around Lekki-Ajah area.Archibong, 20, was charged with assault, obstruction and conduct likely to cause breach of peace before Magistrate Adepeju Odusanya in Ogba, Lagos last Thursday.Prosecuting counsel Adedoyin Odukoya said Archibong pleaded not guilty and was granted N100,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum. The sureties must be residents of Lagos State.The matter was adjourned till February 28.Task Force Chairman Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said Archibongs arrest would deter others from obstructing security or government officials from discharging their duties.The agency, he said, has started enforcing Governor Akinwunmi Ambodes directive to arrest council officials who undertake traffic duties. As Amnesty Office, Innoson Motors and Bayelsa State Government, Partner to Kick Start the Process As Amnesty Office, Innoson Motors and Bayelsa State Government, Partner to Kick Start the ProcessThe Niger Delta Region has in recent times been in the news for the wrong reasons; but after a meeting of the Bayelsa State Government, Presidential Amnesty Office and Innoson Motors, in Bayelsa State over the weekend, it seems this trend is about to change said Wabiye Idoniboyeobu, the media consultant to Gen. Boroh .Wabiye in a statement today said last Friday, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Coordinator of the Niger Delta Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brigadier General Paul Boroh(Rtd), led a high powered delegation, to the Bayelsa State Government House which included the following dignitaries; the Chairman, Innoson Group of Companies, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Economic Council, Mr Donald Benibo Wokoma,and the CEO JUMAB Global Services, Prince Jacob Momoh.The aim of the visit according the media consultant to Gen. Boroh was to seek the support of the Bayelsa State Government in the establishment of a world class Automobile Assembly Plant in the state.The statement noted that the management of Innoson Motors who had trained and graduated over 100 Niger Delta Ex Agitators, in Automobile repairs and manufacturing; on the request of Gen. Boroh, have accepted to build a world class Assembly plant in the region, the plant will first of all absorb all the Ex Agitators, recently trained under Innoson Motors and also create job opportunities for other Niger Delta sons and daughters.The statement reads: The delegation recieved a warm reception by the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon Seriake Dickson, who on receiving the proposal, instructed the Commissioner of Trade and Investment, to allocate whatever space needed for the project, immediately all paper work is concluded. He also highlighted that the Bayelsa State Government is creating a massive Industrial Park for prospective investors to take advantage of. He expressed his delight for the initiative of the Amnesty office and Innoson Group, and promised to give his full support to the project.The Amnesty Coordinator, who facilitated this process, said, one of the strategies of the Buhari led Federal Government; to stabilizing the region is to make the Niger Delta the Industrial hub of the Nation.He also added that Oil is fast loosing relevance and pointed out that now is the time to look into other avenues of generating revenue. Gen. Boroh highlighted the new Agriculture drive; the Amnesty office is pushing forward, and encouraged all, to have little farms in their surroundings.The Chairman of Innoson Group, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, expressed his delight, stating that, after training and studying the Amnesty beneficiaries sent to his school, he can confidently say "The people of the Niger Delta are good people". He indicated his readiness to move to site once the site has been allocated, adding that the Ex Agitators who successfully graduated at his academy will form the work foundation of the plant, once completed. The Federal Government says the alleged Islamisation of Nigeria under the current administration is totally false and should be perceive... The Federal Government says the alleged Islamisation of Nigeria under the current administration is totally false and should be perceived in its entirety as a campaign of calumny.The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed stated this on Monday in Ilorin at the Federal Government Town Hall meeting for the North Central zone.He noted that in recent times, the media had been increasingly awash with incendiary statements designed to pitch the adherents of the two prominent religions Christians and Muslims against one another.The minister said the secular nature of Nigerias Constitution makes the issue of religious dominance and impunity improbable.Such fallacies like the Islamisation of Nigeria, the killing of Christians by Muslims, the labeling of Nigeria as the most dangerous place for Christians in the world can only serve one purpose: trigger a religious war.Needless to say that no nation ever survives a religious war, he said.The minister said those making the allegations were using religion as tool to demonise the government and divert attention from the governments anti-corruption stance.He said that more often than not, conflicts between Muslims and Christians were fuelled by political motivations, ethnic differences, extremism, intolerance and terrorism.Make no mistake about it, there have been conflicts between adherents of the two major religions in certain parts of the country.To now extrapolate from that to say Nigeria is the most dangerous place for Christians in the world is a disservice to Nigeria and an overkill.He appealed to the media to desist from providing a platform for exponents of incendiary statements.The minister also appealed to Christian and Muslim leaders to emulate Catholic Cardinal John Onaiyekan and Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar who formed the Inter-faith Initiative for Peace to promote inter-faith dialogue.Mohammed said the North-Central edition is the eighth in the series of the Town Hall Meetings, which started in Lagos on April 25, 2016.He said the intention was to bridge the communication gap between the government and the people, carrying the people along in the process of governance and also getting the much-needed feedback from the citizenry.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Ministers of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu attended the event .Others are Ministers of State for Mines and Steel, Bawa Bwari, Budget and National Planting, Zainab Ahmed and Industry, Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar.The ministers gave accounts of their stewardship and fielded questions from the audience on critical national issues. (NAN) My cousin who is a neighbour and close friend to 2face has confirmed he is alive but pretty shaken up after taken by the DSS last night. My cousin also went on to say Tuface has refused to reveal what he was subjected to while been held but from his looks and how jumpy he has been, his life and that of his family members have been threatened. Tuface says this never happened. Read his tweet below. National leader of the All Progressives Congress Party, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has told protesting Nigerians to hang on to the APC par... National leader of the All Progressives Congress Party, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has told protesting Nigerians to hang on to the APC party they sold to them and endure a little longer for the promised change to arrive.Tinubu assured the protesters that the Buhari-led government which the people voted into power is not running away from the change it promised Nigerians during campaigns.Tinubu gave the comment on Monday while addressing the protesters in Lagos. Recall that thousands of Nigerians took to the streets to protest the unfavourable situation in the country especially the economy.The protest which was to be initially led by popular musician, 2face Idibia later saw a last minute withdrawal by 2face citing plots by hoodlums to hijack the whole process and cause mayhem. This was equally as pressure mounted on 2face from both the presidential spokespersons, Femi adesina and Lauretta Onochie on one hand and from the Lagos state commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni who even threatened to arrest 2face should he continue with the protest.2face however, chickened-out and called for the cancellation of the protest. But, concerned Nigerians under the banners, #OnevoiceNigeria and #IsatandwithNigeria went ahead with the protest with big and popular personalities such as Charly Boy, sheyi Law, activist, Deji Adeyanju, Saharareporterspublisher, Omoyele Sowore among so many others joining the protest.However, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu made out time to meet some of the protesting groups from where he told them the mind of the government concerning the predicaments faced by the people under the Buhari-led administration. He said, What we are going through now will be resolved. We are going through a historical phase of a country that is promising and holding the promise for you. There is a leadership on the line.And you have to live with that for now. Protest wont solve the problem, will it, he asked rhetorically. He said re-planning is the solution to the problem. Being responsive, being able to get engaged with you so that you will see the problems that we are facing. You are right when you say there is a lot of unemployment in the country, epileptic power supply and series of other un-commendable developments in the country.In every political situation, we have the twist and turn. It cannot be straight all the time. We are the same victims. You carry a placard, i have been a placard carrier since when? This government is a product of a protest. If you didnt have a bad administration then, you wont vote for us. You voted on our promises. We are just two years into that promise compared to sixteen (16) years that they took over that they could have made the changes.Yes, we are working on the electricity. Without electricity, there could be no industrialization and explosion of employment opportunities for our people. That is in our head. But, it cannot grow like the mushroom. To fetch water out of the rock, you have to endure some blisters. Be patient. Lets have faith in our leaders. Weve continued to manage Lagos, youve seen progress. Its because of the consistent application of our programmes.A time started in 1998, 1999 it was a terrible situation here in Lagos. Dead body on the street, no ambulances, LASU was completely disintegrated, extremely dangerous mortuaries. What do you have today? Because you endured then. Just go and endure again. We sold APC to you, please hang on to it.You have your rights to vote against us during election if you want. But, i remain in the party because we will retool this party. We will retool this government. The damage of over sixty years and sixty years of miss-governance cannot be turned around overnight. Lets be patient.Lets have the understanding. Lets hang on to hope. There is nothing more effective that can drive you better than hope and belief in a positive turn of this situation. We understand. We are not saying you are not suffering. We are not saying unemployment has not increased. I have no argument. But, economy cannot collapse one day. Systemic problem had occurred before now. Fine! We are not running away from that responsibility, we are going to face it squarely and we are going to bring prosperity back to the country.The protesters who wrote down their demands that included that the salaries of public office holders like the legislatures be slashed, provision of employment opportunities, involvement of more youths in the government, review of some outrageous allocations in the 2017 budget among others handed their request to the National ruling party leader who said, You are making sense, we will do that. Tinubu also said to the protesters, Its your right to protest.Any misgovernance, any perceived bad treatment, no one should stop you. No one, Ok? However, if you get engaged, you dont have to suffer the burning sun. I have given you the respect that you deserve. Please, go back, calm down, hang on to hope, visit me whenever its necessary, the job will be available, Tinubu said. HACKENSACK -- An alleged gang member was sentenced to 20 years in prison for shooting at a cop, a report says. Robert Leonardis, 25, was sentenced in Bergen County Superior Court Friday in the 2013 incident, according to NorthJersey.com. Leonardis, believed to be a member of the Bloods, pleaded guilty in June to attempted murder and three charges of aggravated assault in a wild 2013 shootout that left four officers injured. In July 2013, Leonardis shot at two police cruisers that chased him near a housing project on First Street. One of the bullets narrowly missed an officer's head as it flew through a windshield, officials said at the time. The shots then caused a collision when the second cruiser crashed into the rear of the first. Police eventually caught up with Leonardis and shot him 15 times, injuring his leg and abdomen and confining him to a wheelchair. Leonardis, who also plead guilty to two other incidents, was sentenced to concurrent terms of 10 years for an unrelated stabbing and five years for a burglary. Five people were also arrested in connection to the illegal gun Leonardis used in the shooting. Fausto Giovanny Pinto may be reached at fpinto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @FGPreporting. Find NJ.com on Facebook. WILLINGBORO TWP. -- A 10-year-old township girl inspired to create more colorful hijab for preteens like herself is launching a business with her mother's help, Philly.com reported. Amaya Diggins told the website that she had always worn the one-piece hoods made for children, but her mother, Ameenah Muhammad-Diggins, bought her a set of adult-size headscarves last year. They were as big as a bed sheet, she told the website, and were only in drab colors. Diggins, who is homeschooled, lamented that there were no smaller, brighter hijabs for girls her age. She and her mother commissioned their first order of hijabs that come in colors including cotton candy, bubble gum and sea green, according to Philly.com. They're calling the business Hijabi Fit and they plan to sell the headscarves online. They told Philly.com that if this first venture goes well, they may create long-sleeve, tunic tops for preteen girls as well. Now, many people have to order those garments from Britain or Turkey, Muhammad-Diggins told the website. Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEW BRUNSWICK -- Rutgers University wants to rename parts of its campus after former slaves and a library after the school's first African-American graduate in an acknowledgement of the university's historic ties to slavery, school officials said. The Rutgers Board of Governors will vote Wednesday on the new names for the two buildings and a walkway in the heart of the historic New Brunswick campus, according to the board agenda. The proposed changes are: Renaming the Old Queens Walkway near the main administration building "Will's Walkway" after Changing the name of the College Avenue Apartments to the Sojourner Truth Apartments after the former slave and famed abolitionist who was originally owned by the brother of Rutgers' first president. The 14-story building, which opened last fall in the new complex known as The Yard, Renaming Kilmer Library on the Piscataway campus to the James Dickson Carr Library after Rutgers' first African-American graduate. Carr, who also has a Rutgers scholarship named after him, graduated from the university in 1892. He went on to earn a law degree from Columbia University and get a top job in the New York City Law Department. A Rutgers spokeswoman declined to comment on the proposal until after Wednesday's vote. Rutgers published a book, titled "Scarlet and Black", in November detailing how the university's 250-year history is intertwined with the history of slavery and racism. The research was compiled to address the concerns of African American students who pressed university officials about racism on campus. "Like most early American colleges, Rutgers depended on slaves to build its campuses and serve its students and faculty," the book said. "It depended on the sale of black people to fund its very existence." Other universities around the nation, including Princeton, Yale and Columbia, have also confronted their ties to slavery and segregation in recent months amid controversy. Some students have called for buildings bearing the names of former slave owners and known racists to be changed. The Rutgers committee of professors and students that compiled the research in the book released last fall recommended placing historical markers on campus to recognize how slaves and Native Americans contributed to the school's history since its founding in 1766. The group also called for renaming the area near Old Queens "Will's Way" and placing the names of prominent African Americans and Native Americans on other buildings. Little is known about Will, the slave who documents show helped do masonry work on the foundation of Old Queens in 1808, researchers said. The last record of him was in 1823, when he may have run away or been sold to another owner. Other slaves probably contributed to the construction of the Rutgers campus, though no records of their names or work have been found, researchers said. "I want our African-American students to be proud of Will and to understand that their ancestry helped build the university,'' Deborah Gray White, the history professor who chaired the research committee, said in November. "I want New Jerseyans and Americans to understand that African-Americans were integral to this nation even though we came here in chains." Staff writer Adam Clark contributed to this report. Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook. slras_rooftop_3_by_kisha_bari.jpg Sierra Leone's Refugee All-Stars play in South Orange and Toms River (Kisha Bari) Sierra Leone's Refugee All-Stars When: Feb 13th at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 15th at 7:30 p.m. Where: Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts, 1 College Drive, Toms River South Orange Performing Arts Center, One SOPAC Way, South Orange How much: Grunin: $25, for more information, go to www.grunincenter.org or call (732) 255-0500 SOPAC: $30-35, for more information, go to www.sopacnow.org or call (973) 313-2787 By Marty Lipp As he fled his war-torn homeland of Sierra Leone, Ruben Koroma could never have imagined that he would be heading toward international fame. During a bloody civil war in Sierra Leone, Koroma and his wife, Grace, left his home and homeland, staying in a large refugee camp in neighboring Guinea to the northeast. To cheer himself and fellow refugees up, he began to play music with guitarist Francis Langba and a few others, initially just using their voices and some makeshift instruments. Eventually they received some beat-up instruments from a Canadian relief organization. Two American documentary filmmakers, Zach Niles and Banker White, who were touring the Guinean refugee camps happened upon Koroma and the other musicians and decided to tell their story as they travelled from camp to camp and eventually returned home to their devastated country to record an album. The resulting documentary brought the band to worldwide attention, garnering praise for conveying both the pain and horror of the war and the tenacious hope and warmth of the musicians. The documentary helped eventually pave the way for the success of their debut album "Living Like a Refugee" in 2006. The album mixed some original recordings from the refugee camps along with electric songs recorded back in Freetown, Sierra Leone, once the war was over. The upbeat music and the goodwill garnered by their unusual origin story has led to several world tours, including the latest, which brings the band to its first New Jersey shows. Asked about the current tour, Koroma said, "It's going to be a mix of everything...We are also going to introduce our new songs," though their next album is still in the planning stage. Over the years, the band has performed on the Oprah Winfrey Show, opened for Aerosmith, and played Bonnaroo and Central Park Summerstage. After a 2014 world tour, Koroma and his bandmates decided not return to Sierra Leone because of the ebola outbreak. Instead they are now based in the U.S. Across their four albums, the band has branched out into playing a variety of styles. Their sound is often a Sierra Leonean style called baskeda that is a close cousin to classic roots reggae. They also have several songs in the acoustic-guitar-based Sierra Leone style called palm wine and spice things up with the fast-paced Congolese dance style called soukous. The group's latest album is from 2014 and is called Libation after the ceremony where people set out an offering of liquor to the ancestors, such as those that were lost in the civil war and several band members who passed away. "So they can be with us whatever we do," said Koroma. More humanitarian than political, the band has always tried to remind audiences to be empathetic to the plight of refugees. "They cannot understand the language so before the song I will briefly explain," Koroma said, adding "I always speak about refugees: remind them to be strong and law abiding." "As always we have been raising awareness all over the world," Koroma said. "We have been cooperating with [non-government organizations], always open to help. We are like ambassadors for the refugees. A refugee is someone who needs help. We know how it feels to be a refugee. Our contribution should be helping to advocate for them." While Guinea was helpful to Koroma and his fellow refugees initially, he said that as the violence spilled over the border, the goodwill soured. Koroma said that many Guineans felt "'We're keeping you here and your brothers come and kill us?' That was when we really had a hard time surviving as refugees." "To be candid I see changes in how people are treating refugees," Koroma observed, adding "I don't blame them. If you are refugee you should learn to abide by the laws of the land in which you sought refuge." "They should be good to their neighbors," Koroma said of refugees. "If people are good to their neighbors, then the world will be happy." Here in the United States the issue has erupted because of President Donald Trump's targeting of immigrants from several Muslim countries. Interviewed before the executive order, Koroma said he was withholding judgement on Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric and waiting to see what his actions would be as President. "America is the place where people love us the most," Koroma said. "[Trump] will learn to treat refugees well. I'm hopeful - he is a family man...I believe he will have a second thought." Looking back on their journey, Koroma said, "It was really a surprise. We never would have imagined that our playing in a refugee camp would have landed us in great America. When you believe in something you are doing and just focus on it, you will reap the reward. And we have been rewarded." Iron Hill Brewery Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant plans to open in Philadelphia in spring 2018. (File photo) (File photo) Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant announced today that it will be the newest tenant in Center City Philadelphia's East Market project. Iron Hill, which calls itself the Mid-Atlantic region's fastest growing brew pub, has leased an 8,450-square-foot space that is scheduled to open in spring 2018. The chain is known for brewing its own beer at each of its locations. Its beers have won more than 40 medals at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival. The 1150 Market Street location will put Iron Hill in the shadows of iconic Philly hot spots like the Pennsylvania Convention Center and Reading Terminal Market. Iron Hill Brewery President Kevin Finn, who founded the restaurant with Mark Edelson and Kevin Davies in 1996, said in a statement he and his partners have wanted to be a part of Center City's "exciting and diverse restaurant scene" for a long time. "There has been tremendous population growth as places like East Market draw new residents to Center City," the statement read. "We take great pride in embracing the communities we serve, and that is especially true in Philadelphia." East Market is located from Market to Chestnut streets, between 11th and 12th streets in Philadelphia. The pedestrian mall features dining, shopping, contemporary work and living spaces. Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant currently has 12 locations, including two in New Jersey, in Maple Shade and Voorhees. The other locations are in Delaware and and Pennsylvania. Kelly Roncace may be reached at kroncace@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @kellyroncace. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. trevor-noah-njpac-adds-second-show.jpg Trevor Noah, host of 'The Daily Show,' comes to Newark on March 31. (Brad Barket/Getty Images) "Daily Show" host Trevor Noah is scheduled to come to Newark in March, but now, thanks to heavy demand, NJPAC has made his appearance a double header. Organizers say people were so interested in seeing Noah, who is making his NJPAC debut, that they added a second show. The Comedy Central host will now appear at both 8 and 10 p.m. on March 31. Noah, 32, a South African comedian who became a "Daily Show" contributor in 2014, took over for Jon Stewart, 54, in September 2015. The longtime "Daily Show" host, who grew up in Lawrenceville and owns a farm with his wife in Middletown, decided to leave the show after 16 years at the helm. Since then, Stewart has made several appearances alongside former "Daily Show" colleague and "Colbert Report" host Stephen Colbert on "The Late Show," most recently this week. While tickets are still available for the 8 p.m. show, a Ticketmaster American Express pre-sale for the 10 p.m. show starts at 10 a.m. on Feb. 8 and tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. on Feb. 10. Admission $39 to $69; call 888-466-5722, 800-745-3000 or 866-448-7849 or visit njpac.org or ticketmaster.com Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook. FILE - In this Nov. 14, 2011 file photo, visitors walk up stairs to inspect a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft in Qatar Airways livery at the Dubai Airshow in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Qatar Airways has launched the world's longest scheduled commercial airline route with the arrival of its flight from Doha to Aukland, New Zealand. The Gulf carrier said flight QR920 touched down in Aukland early on Monday, Feb. 6, 2017, after covering a distance of 14,535 kilometers (9,032 miles). (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Qatar Airways has launched the world's longest scheduled commercial airline route with the arrival of its flight from Doha to Auckland, New Zealand. The Gulf carrier said flight QR920 touched down in Auckland early on Monday after covering a distance of 14,535 kilometers, or 9,032 miles. That is the furthest distance between any two cities linked by direct flights. The outbound journey is scheduled to take 16 hours and 20 minutes on the Boeing 777-200LR. That's relatively short compared to the return trip of 17 hours and 30 minutes, which is slower because of headwinds. Qatar Airways' rival Emirates previously held the record for its route between Dubai and Auckland. That route is more than 300 kilometers shorter. ___ This story has been corrected to fix the spelling of the New Zealand city of Auckland. Gov. John Bel Edwards, shown in this file photo, and the Louisiana Public Defenders Board were named in a class-action lawsuit filed Monday (Feb. 6, 2017) on behalf of a group of indigent criminal court defendants who allege that they have been denied their constitutional right to adequate counsel because of an underfunded state public defense system.(G. Andrew Boyd, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune) The federal government plans to pour $125 million into the fight against a mysterious disease that has ravaged corals in Florida and much of the Caribbean, and now poses a dire threat to the treasured reefs off the Louisiana and Texas coasts. WASHINGTON (AP) The House 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. queen crown Queen Elizabeth, the world's longest-reigning living monarch, is celebrating her Sapphire Jubilee on Monday, commemorating 65 years since she took the British throne. The public will be able to witness a 41-gun royal salute that will take place in central London to mark the occasion. There will also be 89 horses to pull six First World War-era 13-pounder field guns in a nearby park. Meanwhile, the public will be able to hear the Band of the Royal Artillery, which will be close to the firing positionof the guns. Furthermore, at 1 p.m. GMT (8 a.m. ET) the Honourable Artillery Company at the Tower of London will fire a 62-gun salute. However, she will not be having a public celebration herself. The Queen, 90, has cut back on international tours but still regularly performs official duties around Britain. In December she said she would reduce the number of her patronages, passing on her role at dozens of charities, academic institutions and sporting groups to other members of the royal family. Her office said she will spend the day privately at her residence in Sandringham, eastern England, as usual. The Queen has previously been very humble about the length of her reign. In 2015, when she became the longest-reigning monarch in British history, she said the royal record was "not one to which I have ever aspired." "Inevitably, a long life can pass by many milestones. My own is no exception." The queen's office released a 2014 portrait showing her wearing a suite of sapphire jewelry she received from King George VI as a wedding gift in 1947: Today marks 65 years since Her Majesty The Queen acceded to the throne #SapphireJubilee pic.twitter.com/jTxFLeLdq9 The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) February 6, 2017 More From Business Insider Welcome to non league daily news now - your number one spot for all things relating to the National League System. Our dedicated reporters have come straight from the sidelines to bring you news fresh from the dugout - but not before theyve stopped off at the burger van first! We know that non league football fans are full of heart, passion, and belief. You trust the manager, you believe in the team, and, for some strange reason, you trust those rickety stands, too! Here at Non League Daily, we hope we can become your trusted non league news resource - a platform thats just as passionate about non league daily news now as you. Come rain or shine, well be out reporting on the latest non league fixtures. Well also be scouring the news, refreshing social media, and sourcing information from team websites in the hopes of finding the latest breaking non league daily news for our readers. As youll soon see, weve got exclusive match reports on the Vanarama National League, weve got transfer speculation thatll affect the National League South, weve found great stories thatll spice up the National League North, and weve even got news on the latest giant killers of the FA Cup. We may not be able to agree on who is going up this year, but we can all agree that any news on the NLS worth knowing will be published here, at Non League Daily. Austin Clark got hooked on nursing while working as a certified nursing assistant at a nursing home in his hometown of Blair, Nebraska, where he cared for several Alzheimers patients. Working with them, being able to be that person who could bring that calm, meant a lot to me, he said. But Clark, 22, also knows the opportunities nursing offers. His goal, after graduating from the University of Nebraska Medical Centers College of Nursing in May 2018, is to continue his studies and become a nurse anesthetist. I can go anywhere in the world to work as a nurse, he said. Its just such a broad field. Thats one lure nursing school administrators hope will continue to draw new nurses into the field. After a slight reprieve during the Great Recession, Nebraska and Iowa, like the rest of the nation, are back to a chronic shortage of nurses registered nurses in particular. We see severe need throughout Nebraska for registered nurses, said Juliann Sebastian, dean of UNMCs nursing college and chairwoman of the American Association of Colleges of Nursings board of directors. During the economic downturn, older nurses delayed retirement and some part-time nurses added hours, Sebastian said. Now those older nurses are poised to begin retiring. At the same time, demand for health care and nurses services is increasing with expanded coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Efforts to reduce costly hospitalizations also have shifted more care into community and home settings. Thats increased the need for nurses there and left sicker patients in hospitals, where they may need more intense oversight. Local hospital expansions also are adding to the current and future demand. Among them: the new Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center set to open this spring, new Nebraska Medicine outpatient centers at Village Pointe and 41st and Leavenworth Streets, Creighton University Medical Centers upcoming relocation to an expanded Bergan Mercy Medical Center location, the newly opened Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Omaha and the new hospital tower planned for Childrens Hospital & Medical Center. Nationally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor projects 1.09 million registered nurse job openings, through both growth and replacements, by 2024. The Nebraska Center for Nursing, which the Nebraska Legislature established in 2000 specifically to address nursing supply and demand, projects a shortage of nearly 4,000 nurses by 2020, based on a 2006 study, the latest available. However, Sebastian noted that its easier to predict supply than demand, and theres no end in sight. No matter what happens with the Affordable Care Act, which the Republican-led Congress and President Donald Trump have vowed to repeal and replace, changes in the health care system already are off and running, she said, with a focus on increasing efficiency, reducing costs and bolstering quality and safety. Part of that effort includes a growing focus on deploying health care professionals in communities to help people get healthy and stay healthy. Catherine Todero, dean of Creighton Universitys College of Nursing, said cycles in supply and demand are not new in the nursing field. While nursing generally is considered recession-proof, the last downturn was so deep in some parts of the country that it did have an impact on nursing jobs. Graduates in some places had trouble finding jobs. Now the tide has turned again. Were starting to see the numbers tick back up again, she said. The word is out: Nurses are getting jobs, theyre getting good jobs, theyre being recruited. Aubray Orduna, dean of nursing at Clarkson College, said the schools graduates typically have quite a few job opportunities. The Nebraska Hospital Associations 2016 workforce report noted a 10.6 percent vacancy rate for registered nurses at hospitals statewide in 2015, an uptick from 5 percent or less the preceding six years. Sebastian said the shortage is particularly hard on rural areas. Of Nebraskas 93 counties, 71 have fewer than the national average of 9.2 registered nurses for each 1,000 people. In the Omaha metropolitan area, registered nurse openings vary by organization. Nebraska Medicine had 300 openings for registered nurses in mid-December and CHI Health approximately 250, while Methodist Health System reported 60 nursing openings. Kathy Bressler, senior vice president and chief nursing officer for CHI Health, said the 15-hospital system has had high retention in its rural hospitals, contrary to the difficulty some rural hospitals face. Where the shortage hits the system hardest, she said, is in specialty areas such as critical care and the operating room that require more training than nurses typically have straight out of school. CHIs goal is to avoid using traveling nurses from outside nursing services, which tend to be more costly. The hospitals instead provide incentives to fill holes in schedules from within, she said. CHI also has created an internal pool of staff members who agree to go to different locations each day, similar to the substitute teacher pools created by some school districts. Last week the system expanded the pool to cover hospitals as far west as Kearney. Such efforts, however, dont appear to have slowed demand at Fusion Medical Staffing in Omaha. While the bulk of the companys placements are in Nebraska and Iowa, it fills openings in all 50 states. Theres a huge demand no matter where you go, said Meghan Patton, nursing recruiter team lead. Established in 2009, the company has grown about 300 percent in the past two years, she said. The company connects nurses many of them younger nurses a few years out of school and empty nesters interested in travel with hospitals and a few long-term-care facilities under short-term contracts. Though the nurses are provided at a premium, the hospitals dont have to pay benefits, Patton said. And the company makes sure the nurses are ready to go right to work without a lengthy orientation. To help fill positions, most large hospitals and health systems in the area are offering referral bonuses for current employees who successfully recruit nurses who meet their criteria. Some also extend sign-on bonuses to new nurse hires. Childrens Hospital & Medical Center last year started paying up to $3,000 to employees who make referrals for most nursing positions; Bryan Medical Center in Lincoln, Nebraska Medicine and Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals also offer referral bonuses. Methodist and CHI offer both types of bonuses, with CHI paying a $5,000 sign-on bonus over two years. Several organizations have extended sign-on bonuses just for hard-to-fill positions. At Madonna, its the night shift. Childrens has used them for specialties such as pediatric and neonatal intensive care and home care. Its definitely a tough market right now for getting RNs, said Jennifer Howard, director of nurse staffing and development for Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals. And its only going to get tougher. Because of its growth, the market is more competitive in Omaha than in Lincoln, said Howard, who recruits in both. The shortage, however, hasnt slowed Madonnas efforts to scale up operations at its Omaha facility, which opened in October. Though pay for nurses varies with experience, degrees earned and shifts worked, wages generally are good, said UNMCs Sebastian. Theyre similar across Nebraska and equivalent across the country, when adjusted for cost of living. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean wage for registered nurses in May 2015 was almost $59,000 in Nebraska and $55,000 in Iowa, compared with median pay of $67,490 nationally. Hospital officials also have focused on keeping nurses once theyre hired. Many local organizations now offer nurse residency programs to support new graduates and nurses switching to new areas. New graduates, no matter how well prepared, dont come out of nursing school 100 percent ready to practice independently, said CHIs Bressler. This helps them transition from a student role to a professional role, she said. Suzanne Nocita, Childrens director of recruitment, workforce planning and employee health, said many nursing schools dont focus specifically on pediatric care. Recent graduates participate in a two-year residency program, beginning with a structured seven-week rotation that ends with a match day. During the two-year program they also complete an evidence-based project. The hospital has adopted many of the ideas it has developed, and some have been accepted for presentation at national conferences. Childrens also has a transition program to help experienced nurses coming from the adult world make the switch to pediatrics. Most hospitals also offer professional development programs, including tuition reimbursement or scholarships for those who want to return to school. And the field does have built-in appeal. UNMC nursing student Renee Gernandt, 41, decided to change careers after 10 years as a corporate accountant. Shed eventually like to work in the neonatal intensive care unit. I would find it very rewarding to know I had helped a baby get to his first birthday, she said. To help meet demand, nursing schools have significantly expanded their programs in recent years. The number of registered nurse graduates, according to a state report, increased about 40 percent, from 832 in 2002 to 1,167 in 2014, the most recent year for which figures were available. The UNMC College of Nursing, which has five locations statewide, started a division in Norfolk in 2010 and has expanded its Kearney operations. Work began in December on a new building for the Lincoln division. UNMCs Sebastian said schools also are working to address faculty shortages one factor limiting further expansion and help develop new care delivery methods such as telehealth systems that could help ease the crunch. donald trump bill o'reilly Retired US Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey slammed President Donald Trump's defense of Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, calling it "the most anti-American statement ever made by the president of the United States." In an interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, Trump seemed to defend Putin when O'Reilly called him a "killer" by saying that the US has "made a lot of mistakes" as well. "We've got a lot of killers," Trump said. "Boy, you think our country's so innocent? You think our country's so innocent?" McCaffrey blasted Trump's statement. "I'm actually incredulous that the president would make a statement like that," McCaffrey told MSNBC on Monday. "One could argue that's the most anti-American statement ever made by the president of the United States." He continued: "To confuse American values with Putin, who's running a criminal oligarchy, who kills people abroad and at home, who imprisons journalists and takes away business property, who shares it with his former KGB agents, who invades and seizes Crimea and eastern Ukraine this is an astonishing state of affairs." Trump has often been criticized for his praise of Putin. He told O'Reilly that he respects Putin, but also said that doesn't mean he'll get along with the Russian leader. But he said "it's better to get along with Russia than not." Watch McCaffrey's statement below: WATCH: Gen. McCaffrey: "One can argue that's the most anti-American statement ever made by the president of the United States." pic.twitter.com/JFpdncvsVV NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) February 6, 2017 Related Video: For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android. NOW WATCH: Here's how President Obama starts every morning More From Business Insider The shareholders of Nordea Bank AB (publ) are hereby summoned to the Annual General Meeting on Thursday 16 March 2017 The annual general meeting will be held at 13.00 in City Conference Centre, Folkets Hus, Barnhusgatan 12-14, Stockholm. Registration of participation at the annual general meeting will be terminated at the opening of the annual general meeting. The premises will open at 11.30. Requirements for the right to participate in the annual general meeting and instructions for notification Shareholders who wish to participate in the annual general meeting shall be entered in the share register maintained by the Swedish Securities Register Center (Euroclear Sweden AB) on 10 March 2017 and notify Nordea Bank AB (publ) (the Company) thereof according to the instructions set out below. Shareholders whose shares are held in trust therefore must temporarily re-register their shares in their own names in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB in Sweden to be entitled to participate at the annual general meeting. This applies to for example shareholders who are holders of Finnish Depository Receipts in Finland and shareholders who are holders of shares registered in VP Securities in Denmark. Such re-registration must be completed at Euroclear Sweden AB in Sweden by 10 March 2017. This means that the shareholder shall, in good time prior to this date, inform the trustee about this. Holders of shares registered with Euroclear Sweden AB in Sweden Notification of participation in the annual general meeting shall be made at the latest on 10 March 2017 preferably before 13.00 Swedish time by post under address Nordea Bank AB (publ), c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, SE-101 23 Stockholm, Sweden, or by telephone +46 8 402 90 64, or at the Companys web site www.nordea.com. Holders of Finnish Depository Receipts (FDRs) in Finland Request for re-registration in ones own name and notification of participation in the annual general meeting shall be made at the latest on 9 March 2017 at 12.00 noon Finnish time by post under address Nordea Bank AB (publ), c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, SE-101 23 Stockholm, Sweden, or by telephone +46 8 402 90 64, or at the Companys web site www.nordea.com. Shareholders whose shares are registered in the shareholders own names in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB in Sweden may also notify their participation in the annual general meeting later, however not later than 10 March 2017 preferably before 14.00 Finnish time in the above-mentioned manner. Holders of shares registered with VP Securities in Denmark Request for re-registration in ones own name and notification of participation in the annual general meeting shall be made at the latest on 9 March 2017 at 12.00 noon Danish time by post under address Nordea Bank AB (publ), c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, SE-101 23 Stockholm, Sweden, or by telephone +46 8 402 90 64, or at the Companys web site www.nordea.com. Shareholders whose shares are registered in the shareholders own names in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB in Sweden may also notify their participation in the annual general meeting later, however not later than 10 March 2017 preferably before 13.00 Danish time in the above-mentioned manner. Number of shares and votes etc. The total number of shares and votes in the Company amounts to 4,049,951,919. The Companys holding of own shares amounts to 10,922,702. The board of directors and the CEOs duty to provide information Upon request by any shareholder and where the board of directors believes that such may take place without significant harm to the Company, the board of directors and the CEO shall provide information at the annual general meeting in respect of any circumstances which may affect the assessment of a matter on the agenda, and any circumstances which may affect the assessment of the Companys financial position. The duty to provide information also applies to the Companys relationship to other group companies as well as the group accounts and subsidiaries circumstances. Other information Representation by proxy Shareholders who are represented by proxy shall issue a written, dated proxy for the representative. The proxy is valid for maximum five years after its execution. Such proxy form can be obtained from the Company by telephone +46 8 402 90 64 or at Smalandsgatan 15, Stockholm and is also available at the Companys web site www.nordea.com. The proxy in original should be presented to the Company at the above-mentioned address for notification in good time prior to the annual general meeting. If the proxy is issued by a legal entity, a certified copy of the registration certificate or an equivalent certificate of authority shall be submitted. It should be noted that shareholders that are present through a representative by proxy must notify the Company of their participation according to the instructions set out above and also be entered in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB in Sweden on 10 March 2017. Advisers Shareholders or their proxies may bring at most two advisers to the annual general meeting. An adviser to a shareholder may be brought to the annual general meeting only if the shareholder gives notice to the Company of the number of advisers in the manner mentioned above in connection with the shareholders notification of participation. ______________________ Proposed agenda Election of a chairman for the general meeting Preparation and approval of the voting list Approval of the agenda Election of at least one minutes checker Determination whether the general meeting has been duly convened Submission of the annual report and consolidated accounts, and of the audit report and the group audit report In connection herewith: speech by the Group CEO Adoption of the income statement and the consolidated income statement, and the balance sheet and the consolidated balance sheet Decision on dispositions of the Companys profit according to the adopted balance sheet Decision regarding discharge from liability for the members of the board of directors and the CEO (The auditor recommends discharge from liability) Determination of the number of board members Determination of the number of auditors Determination of fees for board members and auditors Election of board members and chairman of the board Election of auditors Resolution on establishment of a nomination committee Resolution on authorization for the board of directors to decide on issue of convertible instruments in the Company Resolution on purchase of own shares according to chapter 7 section 6 of the Swedish Securities Market Act (Sw. lagen (2007:528) om vardepappersmarknaden) Resolution on guidelines for remuneration for executive officers Appointment of auditor in a foundation managed by the Company Resolutions on the following matters initiated by the shareholder Thorwald Arvidsson: That the annual general meeting decides a) to adopt a vision on absolute equality between men and women on all levels in the Company b) to instruct the board of directors of the Company to set up a working group with the task of realizing this vision on the long term and monitoring closely the development in both the equality and the ethnicity area, c) to annually submit a written report to the annual general meeting, as a suggestion by including the report in the printed annual report, d) to instruct the board of directors to take necessary measures in order to create a shareholders association in the Company, e) that the board directors shall not be allowed to invoice their board fees through a legal person, Swedish or foreign, f) that the nomination committee when performing its tasks shall pay specific attention to questions related to ethics, gender and ethnicity, g) to instruct to the board of directors to submit a proposal for decision on representation in the board of directors as well as in the nomination committee for the small and medium sized shareholders to the annual general meeting 2018 (or any extraordinary shareholders meeting held before that), h) in relation to item e) above, instruct the board of directors to write to the appropriate authority in the first place the Swedish Government or the tax authorities to bring about a changed regulation in this area, i) to instruct the board of directors to write to the Swedish Government and draw its attention to the desirability of amending the law meaning that the possibility to have shares with different voting rights shall be abolished in Swedish limited liability companies, and j) to amend article 7 of the articles of association ______________________ Decision proposals etc 1. Election of a chairman for the general meeting The nomination committees proposal: Eva Hagg, member of the Swedish Bar Association. 8. Dispositions of the Companys profit according to the adopted balance sheet The board of directors and the CEO propose a dividend of 0.65 euro per share, and further, that the record date for dividend should be 20 March 2017. With this record date, the dividend is scheduled to be sent out by Euroclear Sweden AB on 27 March 2017. 10. Determination of the number of board members The nomination committees proposal: The number of board members shall, for the period until the end of the next annual general meeting, be ten. 11. Determination of the number of auditors The nomination committees proposal: The number of auditors shall, for the period until the end of the next annual general meeting, be one. 12. Determination of fees for board members and auditors The nomination committees proposal: The fees for the board of directors shall amount to 294,600 euro for the chairman, 141,300 euro for the vice chairman and 91,950 euro per member for the other members. In addition, fees shall be payable for committee work in the compliance committee, the audit committee and the risk committee amounting to 48,650 euro for the committee chairman and 29,600 euro for the other members and for committee work in the remuneration committee amounting to 36,050 euro for the committee chairman and 25,750 euro for the other members. Remuneration is not paid to members who are employees of the Nordea Group. The nomination committees proposal: Fees to the auditors shall be payable as per approved invoice. 13. Election of board members and the chairman of the board The nomination committees proposal: For the period until the end of the next annual general meeting Bjorn Wahlroos, Robin Lawther, Lars G Nordstrom, Sarah Russell, Silvija Seres, Kari Stadigh and Birger Steen shall be re-elected as board members and Pernille Erenbjerg, Maria Varsellona and Lars Wollung shall be elected as board members. For the period until the end of the next annual general meeting Bjorn Wahlroos shall be re-elected as chairman. 14. Election of auditors The nomination committees proposal: For the period until the end of the next annual general meeting Ohrlings PricewaterhouseCoopers AB shall be re-elected as auditor. 15. Establishment of a nomination committee The nomination committees proposal: The annual general meeting resolves to establish a nomination committee with the task to present proposal for the chair for the annual general meeting and to present at general meetings where election shall take place of board member and chairman of the board and auditor, and decision shall be made regarding fees for board members and auditor, proposals to the general meeting for such decisions. The nomination committee shall consist of the chairman of the board of directors and four other members. The committee shall elect its chairman among themselves. The chairman of the board may not serve as chairman of the nomination committee. Shareholders with the four largest shareholdings in terms of voting right in the Company shall be entitled to appoint one member each. Changes in the composition of the committee may take place owing to shareholders, which have appointed a member to the committee, selling all or parts of their shareholdings in Nordea. The nomination committee is entitled to co-opt members to the committee, who are appointed by shareholders that, after the constituting of the committee, have come to be among the shareholders with the four largest shareholdings in terms of voting rights in the Company and that have not already appointed a member to the committee. Such co-opted members do not participate in the nomination committees decisions. The nomination committee is moreover entitled to co-opt a maximum of three persons who in respect of the work of the committee possess the required knowledge and experience of the social, business and cultural conditions that prevail in the regions and market areas in which the Groups main business operations are conducted. Such co-opted members do not participate in the nomination committees decisions. Such co-opted members are entitled to remuneration from the Company for work carried out as well as compensation for costs incurred, as decided by the committee. The nomination committee will be constituted on the basis of the known shareholding in the Company as per 31 August 2017. 16. Authorization for the board of directors to decide on issue of convertible instruments in the Company Background: New rules on capital requirements consisting of an EU Regulation and an EU Directive, the so-called CRD IV package, entered into force in 2014. Within the framework of the capital requirements rules, loss absorbing capital instruments can be used to meet parts of the capital requirements. The board of directors proposes that the annual general meeting authorizes the board of directors to issues such capital instruments. The board of directors proposal: The annual general meeting resolves to authorize the board of directors for the period until the next annual general meeting, on one or several occasions, with or without preferential rights for existing shareholders, to decide on issue of convertible instruments, and then the amount that the share capital may be increased with at full exercise of the convertible instruments shall be maximum ten per cent of the Companys share capital, which would correspond to issuance of 404,995,191 new ordinary shares calculated on the current amount of ordinary shares issued in the Company. Issue of convertible instruments by virtue of the authorization shall be done on market conditions. The purpose of the authorization is to facilitate a flexible and efficient adjustment of the companys capital structure to the capital requirements. The authorization means that the board of directors will be able to swiftly carry out issues without firstly holding an extraordinary general meeting, which the board of directors considers appropriate with regard to that these capital instruments principally are intended to be issued in the international debt market. The board of directors intends to use the authorization if the board of directors judges that the capital trigger level at which conversion shall take place is at such a level that gives the shareholders and the board of directors the possibility to act in good time and propose alternatives to conversion. 17. Purchase of own shares according to chapter 7 section 6 of the Swedish Securities Market Act (Sw. lagen (2007:528) om vardepappersmarknaden) The board of directors proposal: The annual general meeting resolves that the Company, in order to facilitate its securities business, up until the next annual general meeting, may purchase own ordinary shares according to chapter 7 section 6 of the Swedish Securities Market Act (Sw. lagen (2007:528) om vardepappersmarknaden). However, with the limitation that the Companys holding of such shares in the trading book must never exceed the lower of 0.1 per cent of the total number of shares in the Company or 10 per cent of the Companys exceeding Common Equity Tier 1 capital. The price for the ordinary shares shall equal the market price prevailing at the time of the acquisition. 18. Guidelines for remuneration for executive officers The board of directors proposal: Nordea shall maintain remuneration levels and other employment conditions needed to recruit and retain executive officers with competence and capacity to deliver on the strategy and targets thus enabling Nordea to become a Great European bank. The term executive officers shall in this context mean the CEO and deputy CEO of Nordea Bank AB (publ) and the executives who are members of Group Executive Management (GEM). Remuneration for executive officers will be decided by the board of directors in accordance with Nordeas internal policies and procedures, which are based on the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authoritys (SFSA) regulations on remuneration systems, the Swedish Corporate Governance Code, national implementation of the EUs directive on capital requirements for banks as well as international sound compensation practices. Salaries and other remuneration in line with market levels constitute the overriding principle for compensation for executive officers at Nordea. Compensation for the executive officers shall be consistent with and promote sound and effective risk management and not encourage excessive risk-taking or counteract Nordeas long-term interests. Annual remuneration consists of fixed salary and variable salary. Variable salary to the executive officers will be offered as an Executive Incentive Programme 2017 (GEM EIP 2017) with predetermined targets at Group, business area/group function and individual level. The effect on the long-term result is to be considered when determining the targets. The outcome of GEM EIP 2017 will be based on the board of directors assessment of performance of the predetermined targets. The outcome of GEM EIP 2017 will be paid over a five-year period in cash and be subject to forfeiture clauses, Total Shareholder Return indexation (dividend factor to be excluded during the referral period) and retention based on the SFSAs regulations on remuneration systems, taking account of domestic rules and practices where relevant. GEM EIP 2017 has a one year performance period and the outcome shall not exceed the fixed salary. The executive officers have been offered similar programmes since 2013. In accordance with SFSAs remuneration regulations guaranteed variable salary is to be exceptional and may only occur in the context of hiring a new executive officer and then be limited to the first year of employment. Non-monetary benefits are given as a means to facilitate executive officers performance. The levels of these benefits are determined by what is considered fair in relation to general market practice. The executive officers shall be offered retirement benefits in accordance with market practice in the country of which they are permanent residents. Fixed salary during the period of notice and severance pay shall in total not exceed 24 months of fixed salary for executive officers. The board of directors may deviate from these guidelines if required due to new remuneration regulations or if there are other special reasons for this in a certain case. 20 j) Amendment to article 7 of the articles of association The shareholder Thorwald Arvidsson proposes to amend article 7 of the articles of association by inserting the following two paragraphs: A former Government minister may not be appointed as a board director until two years have passed from the date when such person resigned as a Government minister. Other politicians on full time pay from the public may not be appointed as board directors until one year has passed from the date when such persons left office, unless there are extraordinary reasons for it. ______________________ The nomination committee comprises Torbjorn Magnusson, chairman of the committee, appointed by Sampo Plc as a shareholder, Mogens Hugo, appointed by Nordea-fonden as a shareholder, Katarina Thorslund, appointed by Alecta as a shareholder, Anders Oscarssson, appointed by AMF and AMF Funds as a shareholder, and Bjorn Wahlroos, chairman of the board of directors. The nomination committee has submitted proposals according to items 1 and 10-15 on the proposed agenda. A statement on the proposal regarding the board of directors is available on the Companys web site www.nordea.com as from today and will be forwarded free of charge to shareholders requesting this report and stating their postal address. ______________________ The accounts, the auditors report, the complete decision proposals regarding items 8, 15-19 and 20 j) as well as documents pursuant to chapter 8 section 54 and chapter 18 section 4 of the Swedish Companies Act are made available at the Company, address Smalandsgatan 15, Stockholm from 23 February 2017 and will be sent free of charge to shareholders requesting such information and stating their postal address. The documents will also be available on the Companys web site www.nordea.com from the same date. Stockholm, February 2017 Nordea Bank AB (publ) The Board of Directors The notice is published in the Swedish official gazette and at nordea.com. An announcement that notice has been given will be published in Dagens Nyheter and Svenska Dagladet on 9 February 2017. For further information: Rodney Alfven, Head of Investor Relations, +46 72 235 05 15 Claes Eliasson, Acting Head of Group External Communications, +46 72 141 67 12 Documents A Shell logo is seen reflected in a car's side mirror at a petrol station in west London, Britain, January 29, 2015. Picture taken January 29, 2015. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo By Ron Bousso and Clara Denina LONDON (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell is seeking to sell its stake in the Danish Underground Consortium (DUC), an offshore oil and gas joint venture, in what would mark the company's effective exit from Denmark, three banking sources said. The stake is valued at up to $1 billion, according to two sources. Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML) is running the sale process, the sources said. Shell owns a 36.8 percent stake in DUC alongside operator A.P. Moller-Maersk, which has 31.2 percent, Chevron which holds 12 percent, and Danish state-run Nordsfonden which has a 20 percent stake. Shell declined to comment. BAML was not available for immediate comment. The consortium, which started production in 1972, currently operates 16 fields, In 2014 it produced 51 million barrels of oil, roughly 140,000 barrels per day, and 4 billion cubic metres of gas, according to Maersk's website. Shell said last week it was close to selling assets totalling $5 billion to cut debt following its $54 billion acquisition of BG Group a year ago. The Anglo-Dutch company has sold around $12.5 billion in assets since mid-2015 as it tries to reach its target of $30 billion in disposals by 2018. It has said it plans to exit five to 10 countries in the process. Last September, Shell agreed an $80 million sale of its remaining Danish downstream business, including its Fredericia refinery, to Denmark's Dansk Olieselskab. In March 2015, Shell agreed to sell its retail and commercial fuel marketing operations in Denmark to Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard. (Editing by Jason Neely and Susan Thomas) * Charter will seek to address racial inequality * Industry concerned about impact on profitability * ANC under pressure to retain black support base * Separate minerals, petroleum law ready by June (Adds Chamber of Mines, analyst) By Wendell Roelf CAPE TOWN, Feb 6 (Reuters) - South Africa will publish its revised Mining Charter by next month, a minister said on Monday, bringing closer legislation meant to redress racial economic inequality but which has concerned companies struggling with lower commodity prices. A separate Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act will be finalised by June, proposing to give the state a 20 percent free stake in new energy projects and the ability to buy further shares. The Mining Charter was introduced in 2002 to increase black ownership of the mining industry, which accounts for around 7 percent of South Africa's economic output. However, industry body the Chamber of Mines, has taken the government to court over ownership interpretations in the latest draft, which requires companies to keep black ownership at 26 percent even if black shareholders sell their stakes. "We are not challenging the charter. We are fully supportive of the entire transformation journey, but we just need the rules to be absolutely clear to make sure we don't end up making targets that are unobtainable but are pragmatic and realistic," said Roger Baxter, chief executive of the Chamber of Mines. In a separate court case, a local law firm is challenging the entire Mining Charter, arguing it is unconstitutional. The new charter, which was revised in 2010 as part of a consultative approach to regulations, also requires companies to provide housing and other amenities in mining communities, many of which are mired in poverty and neglect. "If government goes ahead and implements the charter in its current form it will be very unfortunate, because it would have a pretty dramatic effect on investment in mining in South Africa," said Peter Leon, a partner at law firm Herbert Smith Freehills African practice. Story continues South Africa is the world's top platinum producer and has a significant gold industry but firms are struggling with depressed prices, rising costs and bouts of labour unrest. "For investors, it goes without saying that regulatory certainty and the sanctity of private ownership under the constitution is paramount," Anglo American Chief Executive Mark Cutifani told delegates at a mining summit in Cape Town. Mining companies say they were not consulted in the latest draft but Minister of Mineral Resources Mosebenzi Zwane denied this and sought to reassure investors. "We have consulted extensively with stakeholders," Zwane said in a speech at the opening of the summit. "We call upon investors to come to South Africa and engage us frankly as we move towards transformation of our economy. We will continue to have an open door policy." With rising unemployment, the ruling African National Congress is under increasing pressure to address gaping inequality that persists 23 years after the end of apartheid. Black South Africans make up 80 percent of the 54 million population, yet most of the economy in terms of ownership of land and companies remains in the hands of white people, who account for around 8 percent of the population. (Additional reporting by Zandi Shabalala, Ed Stoddard and Barbara Lewis; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by James Macharia and Susan Thomas) Ahead of his debut in the annual NRL All Stars match, Warriors prop Sam Lisone admitted he is unsure of what to expect when he runs out onto Hunter Stadium on Friday night. The 22-year-old has been named on the bench for Mal Meninga's World All Stars and is the sole Warriors representative named to play in the fixture. While he has previously represented Toa Samoa at international level, Lisone said the All Stars would be the biggest stage he has played on to date in his three-year NRL Telstra Premiership career. "I have got the All Stars game coming up and I am looking forward to that... I don't really know what to expect," Lisone said. "It's my first big [representative game], but I am just keen to get out there. "It does mean a lot to the Indigenous side and I expect them to stand up." Lisone played 21 of the Warriors' 24 games last year, averaging 81.7 metres and 16 tackles per match. He was included in the train-on squad for the Kiwis' 2016 Four Nations squad, but after missing out chose to play for Samoa in the end-of-year Pacific Test against Fiji in Apia. Veteran Cowboys back-rower Gavin Cooper, who will also be making his World All Stars debut, said Lisone was among the players he was most excited to play alongside. "I have played against Sam a few times when we have played the Warriors, he is a very hard man to tackle and hopefully he is going to bring that to Newcastle," Cooper said. "It's going to be good to play with the next generation of forwards in the NRL, and it's always good to see the boys from the other clubs. "I'm very much looking forward to it, I haven't experienced it before but from speaking with the boys who have played in previous years it's going to be a fun week." The Indigenous All Stars v World All Stars match kicks off at 8pm AEDT on February 10 at Hunter Stadium, following the Women's All Stars fixture which runs from 5.30pm. INDIANAPOLIS Hoosier voters in November may have cast the last ballots ever for state superintendent of public instruction. The Senate Elections Committee voted 6-3 Monday for Senate Bill 179 to replace the independently elected Indiana schools chief with a state education leader appointed by the governor. State Sen. Jim Buck, R-Kokomo, the sponsor, said because education outcomes are integral to Indiana's economic growth and development, the state's chief executive officer should get to devise and implement education policy without any external impediments. "I'm just looking forward to a period where if there's blame to be had, it's going to be in one place," Buck said. "There can't be somebody blaming the superintendent's office and another group blaming the governor." His plan calls for the governor to appoint the state superintendent starting in 2025. However, Buck said he expects the full Senate will revise the start date to 2021, after the term of the current elected superintendent, Republican Jennifer McCormick, expires. Hoosier lawmakers have long debated whether to have an elected or appointed superintendent. The question arose again due to Republican former Gov. Mike Pence and Democratic former Supt. Glenda Ritz clashing repeatedly over education policy between 2013-16. Current GOP Gov. Eric Holcomb favors an appointed schools chief. The Indiana Constitution only requires there be a state superintendent. The method of selection is left to the General Assembly. CHICAGO A Chicago woman imprisoned in Indonesia for the 2014 killing of her mother says in videos posted on YouTube that she acted alone and her boyfriend at the time only helped her cover it up because she threatened him. In a series of three videos that were posted last week, 21-year-old Heather Mack says that her then-boyfriend Tommy Schaefer falsely confessed to striking her 62-year-old mother, Sheila von Weise-Mack, in the head with a metal fruit bowl during their trip to Bali. She says he only helped her stuff the body in a suitcase and clean up because she threatened to tell police that he committed the crime. Authorities have said that the two discussed killing von Weise-Mack in text messages, but in the videos Mack said that she took his phone when he was asleep and exchanged text messages with herself to make it appear the two were texting each other when they weren't. She said when she asked Schaefer to help her find someone who would kill her mother for $50,000 he refused. "Tommy's an innocent man," said Mack, who has cellphone and internet access in prison. She said one reason she framed Schaefer was because she knew there was a chance she would be arrested after she killed her mother and "I didn't want to get arrested by myself in a different country." The two were convicted in 2015. Schaefer was sentenced to 18 years in prison and Mack received a 10-year prison sentence. At the time, the three-judge panel said it decided to be lenient toward the then-19-year-old Mack because she had recently given birth. Schaefer's mother does not have a listed phone number and phone calls to Mack's Chicago-based attorney were not immediately returned. CEDAR LAKE The town and the Fire Department are celebrating important anniversaries this year and both are preparing for them. Cedar Lake will celebrate its 50th anniversary as an incorporated town in November while the Cedar Lake Fire Department will celebrate its 75th, town officials said. Fire Chief Todd Wilkening said his department has begun to organize a Firemans Ball to commemorate its anniversary in August. Wilkening said he will provide more information on the event when it is available. GARY Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson gives her State of the City address at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 24 at the Genesis Convention Center, 1 Genesis Center Plaza. Registration is from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. The cost is $25 per person or $250 for a reserved table of 10. There are two sponsorship opportunities. A Title Sponsor costs $5,000 and includes two tables with prominent seating. A Table Sponsor is available for $1,000 with one table with prominent seating. Reservations must be made by Feb. 17. Go online at cityofgaryeventsrsvp@ci.gary.in.us or call 219- 881-1314. ISTANBUL Turkey's anti-terrorism police have detained over 440 people for alleged links to the Islamic State group, the state-run news agency reported Sunday. The Anadolu Agency said 60 suspects, the vast majority of them foreigners, were taken into custody early Sunday in the capital, Ankara. It said a total of 445 people were detained in simultaneous pre-dawn police operations that spanned several cities, including Istanbul and Gaziantep, near the border with Syria. The largest operation was in the southeast province of Sanliurfa, where police took into custody more than 100 suspects from multiple addresses and found materials relating to Islamic State militants. Security forces also apprehended nine suspects who were allegedly preparing an attack in the northwestern city of Izmir. Anadolu did not give the nationalities of all those detained but there were 10 minors among the foreigners detained in Istanbul and the northwestern province of Kocaeli. Turkey, which last year endured a failed coup attempt and dozens of bloody attacks linked to IS or Kurdish militants, has been stepping up its anti-terrorism efforts. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for a New Year Eve mass shooting at an Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people. It claims to have multiple cells in Turkey. Turkey is a member of the NATO alliance and the U.S-led coalition against IS. It shares borders with Syria and Iraq, two war-torn nations at the heart of the fight against IS militants. Turkish forces have been deployed in Syria since August with the aim of clearing a border patch of IS militants and Syrian Kurdish fighters that Ankara considers related to its own Kurdish insurgency. Some of those taken into custody Sunday allegedly were active in conflict zones and others allegedly engaged in recruitment efforts for IS by relaying its propaganda over social media. A Syrian family denied entry to the United States and then deported because of President Donald Trump's executive order halting immigration from seven largely Muslim countries has finally been admitted. NY1's Michael Herzenberg filed the following report. Fear and frustration turned into joy, relief and a tearful family reunion for six Syrians who landed at JFK Airport on Monday. "I'm so excited to see my brother again. I'm so grateful," said Matthew Assali, a Syrian immigrant. It was the second time in nine days the six Syrians landed in the United States. The first time was a week ago Saturday. "Unjustable [sic], unhuman what happened to us," Assali said. They had valid visas to become permanent residents, but when they landed in Philadelphia on January 28, President Donald Trump had just signed his executive order temporarily banning immigrants from seven Muslim majority nations. Immigration officers cancelled their visas and sent them back overseas. "So stressful, and the most hardest part when we get back because on the plane, all of us were very scared, and we don't know what happened," Assali said. "We played by the rules. We don't do anything wrong." The two couples with two children started the process of legal immigration more than a decade ago, well before the outbreak of civil war in Syria triggered a massive refugee crisis. Their relatives in Pennsylvania sponsored them to come here. "That's the constitutional right for us, to bring immigrants. They are immigrants. They are legal here. This is our rights," said Sarmad Assali, a sponsoring relative. The sponsors quickly contacted their congressman. Pennsylvania Rep. Charles Dent says he called the White House and immigration lawyers, but it took a ruling by federal judge in Washington State temporarily suspending the president's immigration order to clear the way for their passage. "We were trying to get the visas reissued, but then, when the judge's ruling came down on Friday, it was determined that we could use the existing visas," Dent said. This arrival and the stamp on their visas means these are now Green Card holders, free to make a better lives for themselves in America. "They're going to settle in the house that we purchased for them, and hopefully, tomorrow's a new day where we start with school registration and we build our future," Sarmad Assali said. An immigration attorney helping the family says the Trump administration should be applauded for following the federal judge's ruling and then appealing it in court, saying that's the way democracy should work. TALLINN, Estonia, May 24 When Estonian authorities began removing a bronze statue of a World War II-era Soviet soldier from a park in this bustling Baltic seaport last month, they expected violent street protests by Estonians of Russian descent. They also knew from experience that if there are fights on the street, there are going to be fights on the Internet, said Hillar Aarelaid, the director of Estonias Computer Emergency Response Team. After all, for people here the Internet is almost as vital as running water; it is used routinely to vote, file their taxes, and, with their cellphones, to shop or pay for parking. What followed was what some here describe as the first war in cyberspace, a monthlong campaign that has forced Estonian authorities to defend their pint-size Baltic nation from a data flood that they say was set off by orders from Russia or ethnic Russian sources in retaliation for the removal of the statue. The Estonians assert that an Internet address involved in the attacks belonged to an official who works in the administration of Russias president, Vladimir V. Putin. * Donald Tusk branded Donald Trump a "threat" to EU * Not all EU leaders shared summit chair's view * French-led push for "strategic autonomy" from U.S. * Merkel, others anxious not to alienate Washington By Alastair Macdonald VALLETTA, Feb 5 (Reuters) - "Our Donald", or "the other Donald"? European Union leaders meeting in Malta found themselves taking sides, between their summit chairman, "our Donald" Tusk, and the new U.S. president, Donald Trump. But despite declarations of unity, EU states are split on how to respond to policies from a man who has reversed staunch postwar U.S. support for European integration and suggested others follow Britain out of a bloc he has called "a vehicle for Germany". Tusk, a former Polish prime minister, said EU leaders gave him the "our Donald" nickname in Malta. He presented it as a sign of their support, saying before the summit that Trump posed a "threat" to the bloc, alongside Russia, China and violent Islam. "The mood in the room was 'our Donald' and 'the other Donald'," said one person present at the talks, where Tusk also felt confident enough in his support to confirm he wants a second term as president of the European Council. His political enemies in the Warsaw government publicly disavowed any sense of unanimity behind Tusk, however, calling his criticism of Trump a "gross abuse" and accusing him of "sowing fear" and "seeking confrontation". Others, less publicly, said there was wider disquiet that the EU could turn its back on its Transatlantic relationship. Such internal arguments pit historic unease, especially in France, over U.S. influence against fears of weakening a Western front against Russia and, increasingly, China. How they play out will help shape Trump's hopes, for example, of saving U.S. money spent on NATO and shifting world trade in Americans' favour. They will also flavour the EU's Brexit talks with London - where Prime Minister Theresa May sees Britain being a bridge between Washington and Brussels - as well as efforts by some states to tighten cooperation on euro zone economic policies and other areas, notably an independent EU military capability. Story continues "STRATEGIC AUTONOMY" As a Pole well aware it is U.S. forces that underpin NATO's security guarantees in eastern Europe, Tusk nuanced his call to Europeans to pull together to defend their independent interests against the "superpowers, the United States, Russia and China" with an appeal to Americans to preserve "the Transatlantic bond without which global order and peace cannot survive". But some leaders worry Trump's coolness toward NATO and the exit of well-armed Britain will fuel ambitions for Europeans to loosen that bond - notably in Paris, which has often chafed at "Anglo-American" influence and where officials say Trump shows France has been right to seek "strategic autonomy" for the EU. "The French ... are as usual saying 'It's just the European Union now; there's no such thing as the West'," said a senior eastern European diplomat, criticising Paris's view. "The Germans are much more cautious. There is a clear issue to be decided on whether we should seek a common ground to engage with the United States, or turn our backs." As EU leaders prepare to map out a post-Brexit strategy at a 60th anniversary summit in Rome next month, French President Francois Hollande criticised Trump and eastern European governments he accused of raking in EU subsidies but then breaking ranks and undermining the bloc by seeking special favour from Washington. Many in the east are especially alarmed by Trump's warmer tone toward Russia but some back his entry ban on Muslims, which echoes their own criticisms of EU refugee policies. German Chancellor Angela Merkel took a less confrontational tone but stressed the need for "multilateralism" - a prod to Trump not to try and circumvent the EU by talking only to national leaders, and to Europeans to speak with a single voice. Whether "the other Donald" gets that message is another matter, given a seemingly hazy grasp on who is who in Brussels. The tycoon-turned-president told an interviewer last month he had spoken to "the head of the European Union" and named his interlocutor as Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU chief executive. In fact, however, he had spoken to "our Donald", Tusk. "Sometimes I have an impression that the new administration does not know the EU in detail," Juncker said drily on Friday. "But, in Europe, details matter." (Additional reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Louise Ireland) Starting this month, Buganda Land Board (BLB) has resumed collection of annual ground rent fees, locally known as busuulu, from all tenants on Kabakas land. Speaking at the exercise launch at Jevine hotel in Kampala last week, BLB managing director David Kyewalabye Male noted that this move is derived from the harmonization of payable fees by the lands ministry. Collection of busuulu had earlier been halted following disagreements on how much people should pay. The Land Act, 1998, had set a standard fee of Shs 1,000 per annum for ground rent irrespective of where the land is located or the economic activities being conducted on the same. This did not go well with some landlords who argued that ground rent should at least be set in relation to location and value. This inspired the 2010 amendment to the Act that revised amounts in accordance with location of the land. The 2010 amendment also empowered district land boards to set new ground rent fees in relation to land in villages, towns, municipalities, town councils and town boards. The lands ministry would also set general fees in relation to the same specifications. At the launch, Male said they will implement the collection of fees levied by district land boards and those by the ministry of lands, housing and urban development. We are going to strictly use the charges set by government in relation to land in villages, towns, municipalities, town councils and town boards without making any amendments, Male told the gathering, including Buganda county (Masaza) chiefs and BLB officials. Under sections 31 and 93 of the Land Act (cap 227), tenants must pay annual nominal ground rent to the landlord as assessed by district land boards and approved by the minister for lands. This applies to all bibanja owners too. In the new arrangement, the ministry of lands set Shs 50,000 per annumfor tenants in the city, Shs 40,000 for those in municipalities, Shs 30,000 for town boards, Shs 20,000 for town councils and Shs 5,000 for rural areas. According to Male, five Buganda districts of Masaka, Rakai, Sembabule, Luweero and Nakaseke will follow the rates as assessed by their land boards (see table), but the rest of the districts in the kingdom will pay rates assessed by the ministry. The busuulu collection will be coordinated by county chiefs and their respective gombolola chiefs. Male, however, warned chiefs to desist from accepting cash payments and advised all tenants to pay through Stanbic bank or use PayWay, Pebuu and mobile money to ensure transparency and avoid misappropriation of land fees. According to the act, three years of non-payment can lead to reclamation of land by the landlord. BUSUULU RATES SET BY DISTRICT LAND BOARDS District Municipality Town Council Town Board Rural areas Masaka 12,000 10,000 2,500 Luweero 20,000 5,000 Nakaseke 30,000 5,000 Rakai 30,000 20,000 5,000 Sembabule 20,000 15,000 5,000 nangonzi@observer.ug CHICAGO Hundreds of current and former employees of the Environmental Protection Agency are speaking out against President Donald Trumps pick to head the department. About 300 people, including scores of EPA employees, rallied Monday across the street from the agencys regional headquarters in downtown Chicago to oppose Scott Pruitts nomination. Nearly 450 former EPA officials also signed a letter sent to the U.S. Senate saying that Pruitt is the wrong man for the job. It said Pruitts record raises serious questions about whose interests he has served to date and whether he agrees with the longstanding tenets of U.S. environmental law. Senate Democrats boycotted a committee vote on Pruitts nomination last week, citing the 14 lawsuits he filed as Oklahomas attorney general to overturn air and water regulations issued by the very agency he now hopes to lead. Pruitt, who raised campaign money from the oil and gas industry, has also questioned the validity of climate science showing carbon emissions are the primary cause of climate change. Despite the no-show by Democrats, committee Republicans voted unanimously to send Pruitts nomination to a likely vote before the full Senate in the coming days. He is expected to be confirmed along largely party lines. Sen. John Barrasso, chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said through his spokesman on Monday that he continues to believe Pruitt is highly qualified to lead EPA and that he is confident in his commitment to help the EPA better meet its mission to protect the environment ensuring clean water, air, and land while also pursuing policies that will enable our economy to grow. Neither the EPA nor the White House responded to requests for comment on Monday. At the rally in Chicago, EPA employees and their supporters waved signs that read Stop Pruitt and Save EPA. I think Pruitt will shackle us, said Sherry Estes, an EPA enforcement attorney. She said employee morale within the agency has plummeted since the election of Trump, who campaigned on pledges to eliminate the agency and roll back environmental protections. Its horrible. People are scared. People are depressed. People who were recently hired and have babies or just bought a house are scared theyll be laid off, said Estes, who said she was unafraid to speak out because she is close to retirement. Though the White House has not yet revealed the presidents plans for EPA, the former leader of Trumps transition team at the agency told The Associated Press he would like to see the workforce cut in half. Jeff Ruch, executive director of the advocacy group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said to his knowledge it was the first time current EPA employees had publicly criticized Pruitt or the Trump administrations approach toward the agency. Between Scott Pruitt and the EPA workforce, you have a mutual lack-of-admiration society, Ruch said. Associated Press reporter John Flesher contributed from Traverse City, Mich. BUENA PARK A liquor store that had closed early on Sunday afternoon for the Super Bowl was damaged by a fire that broke out in a storage area, authorities said. The fire at First Stop Liquor Store, 6090 Orangethorpe Ave., began at around 7:30 p.m.. About 30 firefighters had it under control by 7:55 p.m., said Capt. Stephen Horner of the Orange County Fire Authority. Firefighters from Anaheim Fire Department assisted OCFA. The damage was believed to be minor, but firefighters had to break into the building since the business was closed, Horner said. There was also smoke damage to a Thai restaurant next door that also was closed. An Ly, owner of the liquor store, told OCFA that he had closed in the afternoon to watch the Super Bowl, as business was slow. There was no dollar estimate of the damage. The cause was under investigation. Contact the writer: fswegles@scng.com or 949-492-5127 LYON, France Far-right leader Marine Le Pen delivered a grim populist kickoff to her presidential campaign Sunday, warning thousands of flag-waving supporters of two totalitarianisms, globalization and Islamism, that want to subjugate France. Le Pens dark picture of a weakened France troubled by bureaucrats and burqas was a striking echo of themes sounded across the Atlantic. France, a prosperous country with the worlds sixth-largest economy, was depicted as a besieged wreck. In a packed hall here, she made a point, in a speech brimming with nationalist fervor, of praising President Donald Trump and the Americans who elected him. Americans, she said, had kept faith with their national interest, even as she promised to do the same for France, saying Frenchmen had been dispossessed of their patriotism. Whether it will sell in a country frightened by terrorism and weary of unemployment hovering around 10 percent is unclear, but it is certain that her National Front party is closer than it has ever been to gaining power in France after more than 40 years of existence. Polls show her very likely to reach at least a second round of voting in Frances two-stage electoral process this spring. Le Pens likely runoff opponent Emmanuel Macron, 39, the centrist former economy minister drew thousands to a rally across town Saturday. The weekend campaigning in this prosperous southeastern metropolis offered a taste of the electoral battle to come and a rerun of some of the U.S. elections dynamic. Le Pen, 48, offered a forbidding dystopia in urgent need of radical upheaval, much like Trump did. Macron, who has created a nonparty political movement that has caught fire, spoke of reconciling France and of working together, and he repeatedly addressed more than 10,000 supporters in a giant stadium as my friends. France would certainly stay in the European Union, in his view, and there would be none of Le Pens war on globalization. In contrast to Le Pen, he took a backhanded slap at Trump, promising refuge in enlightened France to American scientists, academics and companies fighting obscurantism at home. They would have a homeland, and that will be France, Macron promised. IRVINE The city gave the green light to build 734 homes in the developing Orchard Hills neighborhood tucked in the citys northern foothills. The citys Planning Commission on Feb. 2 voted 4-0 in favor of Irvine Co.s single-family and condo development, Orchard Hills Reserve. Vice Chairman John Duong was absent for the vote. The master plan of Orchard Hills, north of Portola Parkway and east of the 261 toll road and featuring 4,088 homes, had already been approved. Thus, the approval of specific home plans there typically would have been a routine item for the commission. But on Thursday, the project faced opposition from those fighting Southern California Edisons plan to build an electrical substation in the middle of a research and industrial park on the east end of Irvine. Edison has stated that its main Santiago Substation in Irvine is reaching capacity, the opponents pointed out. They stated in their letter to the city: It is irresponsible for the city to continue approving any more development projects until a new master plan review of electrical energy consumption is developed. Edison assured the Irvine Co. in a Jan. 5 letter that theres enough electricity to serve the Orchard Hills development. Theres a potential based on projections that future is going to be an issue, that doesnt mean this project specifically cant be serviced today or that this project specifically doesnt have sufficient power, Planning Commission Chairwoman Patty Bartlett said. I dont think that its appropriate to hold up the Irvine Co.s project when theyve done everything they need to do and have this letter from Edison. One resident told the commission shes worried the new development may exacerbate traffic congestion in the city. Orchard Hills Reserve is the third phase of the Orchard Hills development. The Irvine Co. is currently building the previously approved 1,448 homes of the first two phases. Construction of Orchard Hills Reserve is scheduled to start in June, Irvine Co. spokesman Bill Lobdell wrote in an email. Completion depends on market conditions, he said. Here are more items from Thursdays Planning Commission meeting: Auto Center sign: The commission tabled its discussion on a request by Irvine Auto Center dealerships to allow off-premise advertising on its electronic freeway sign until the first meeting in March. The auto center association has sold airtime on the sign to businesses that are not part of the center. The city notified the association that its violating the sign ordinance. At its next meeting, on Feb. 16, the Planning Commission is slated to discuss two freeway signs at Irvine Spectrum Center that some commissioners also believe are violating the citys ordinance. New hotel: The commission unanimously approved a new six-story, Marriott-brand extended stay hotel at its gateway to the city near the 405s Jamboree Road exit. TownePlace Suites would feature 165 rooms on a 1.6-acre site in the Irvine Business Complex, a job-rich district near John Wayne Airport. Reorganization: The commission selected Bartlett as its chairwoman for 2017 and Duong as vice chairman. Contact the writer: tshimura@scng.com Heres a roundup of restaurant and retail news from across Orange County. Take a look at the slideshow for more details on each. In-N-Out Burger: Nearly six years after entering Texas, Irvine-based In-N-Out Burger has 32 restaurants in three big Lone Star markets: Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin. Now the Southern California burger institution has its eye on Houston. Citing a local real estate firm, the Houston Chronicle said In-N-Out is exploring a Houston location. No other details were offered. Smashburger: The restaurant in Buena Park is the latest to close. The better burger chain out of Denver entered the Orange County market in 2012. Last year, a Smashburger in Irvine closed. It is being replaced by The Cut, a gourmet burger eatery that started out as a food truck. Cinnamon Productions: Locations in Rancho Santa Margarita and San Clemente closed over the past two weeks. Owner Randy Farah said in a statement on Facebook that the bakery cafe was unable to negotiate a new lease in Rancho Santa Margarita. He recently closed a Ladera Ranch cafe. A location in Foothill Ranch closed last year. Attempts to reach Farah have been unsuccessful. Cafe Lucca: The boutique bakery is known for its elegant freshly baked pastries and all-day breakfast. Its unclear when Pandor will open. Stay tuned. Mrs Beas Louisiana Chicken and Waffles: The La Habra eatery, around since 2012, closed its La Habra location. We are currently looking for another, smaller location, a representative for the restaurant told the Register in an email. The Harbor Boulevard eatery sold 15 different infused waffle flavors, as well as waffle burgers and waffle sandwiches. Bistro Bleu: The owner of Bistro Bleu in Anaheim closed the French bistro in December after nearly five years in business. Owner David Kesler said he is only pausing the business as he needs to take a break to have back surgery. Once hes recovered, he said he plans to find a new home for Bistro Blue. I will be focusing mainly on the North Orange County area, he said. Chew Noodle Bar, an Asian fusion restaurant, took over the Anaheim location. Wild Birds Unlimited: The store, which carries a variety of bird-related food and accessories, has opened a location in Huntington Beach. Address: 7171 Warner Ave. #H Huntington Learning Center: Owner Bill Hamm has opened the Huntington Learning Center, a tutoring center, at Plaza Antonio, 22411 Antonio Parkway in Rancho Santa Margarita. San Diego County Credit Union: The credit union celebrated its grand opening at 27280 Alicia Parkway in Laguna Niguel with a ribbon cutting by the Aliso Viejo and Laguna Niguel chambers of commerce on Jan. 18. The credit union is a not-for-profit financial institution owned and operated by its members. If offers free checking with eStatements, direct deposit, credit and free debit cards, certificate and money market accounts, auto and home mortgage loans. Pinos Cucina: The traditional Italian restaurant has opened at the Mercantile East shopping center, 27522 Antonio Parkway in Ladera Ranch. It replaces Loving Hut. The menu features a variety of appetizers, including bruschetta al pomodoro and calamari fritti, and over a dozen pasta dishes including ravioli di casa, fettuccine alla primavera, linguini mare, gnocchi, lasagna casalinga and linguini con vongole ocozze. Haagen-Dazs: The ice cream shops location at The Shops at Mission Viejo held a grand reopening this month after a complete remodel of its store. The shop, owned by Nawied and Sousan Eshaqzai, got a facelift with new exterior features and improvements. Marie Ekberg Padilla contributed to this report. Send any retail updates to hmadans@ocregister.com and any restaurant news to nluna@ocregister.com. By Fumbuka Ng'wanakilala DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - Tanzania said on Monday it needs $46.2 billion in investment over the next 20 years to revamp ageing energy infrastructure and meet soaring demand for electricity. Investors have long complained that a lack of reliable power is an obstacle to doing business in east Africa's second biggest economy. A power system master plan released on Monday by the country's energy ministry said 70 per cent of capital spending would be financed by debt and the rest by the government's own resources. "The financing requirement to implement the Power System Master Plan (PSMP 2016 2040) is about $46.2 billion for capital cost," the updated plan said. "The cost includes investment on generation, transmission and sub-stations. Generation accounts for almost 80 percent of the total investment cost." Tanzania aims to boost power generation capacity to 10,000 megawatts over the next decade from around 1,500MW now by using some of its vast natural gas and coal reserves to end chronic energy shortages and boost industrial growth. Tanzania said in January it was seeking a loan of $200 million from the World Bank for its debt-ridden state power supplier Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) after the country's president refused to allow the utility to raise prices to cover costs. President John Magufuli wants cheap electricity to drive industrialisation, but the World Bank is likely to insist the loss-making utility increases prices so it can cover the cost of producing power and begin much-needed reforms. TANESCO has debts of $363 million, up from $250 million at the end of 2015. Tanzania's energy regulator approved on Dec. 31 a tariff hike of 8.53 percent, less than half of what the utility said it needed to cover the losses. But the next day, Magufuli sacked the head of TANESCO and blocked the rise, saying the price increase would stymie his plans to ramp up industrial output. Decades of mismanagement and political meddling means the utility sells electricity below cost. It also struggles to cope with transmission leaks and power theft. The power system master plan said around 40 per cent of Tanzania's estimated population of 50 million currently has access to electricity. The government wants to boost the electrification rate to 90 per cent by 2035. (Editing by George Obulutsa and Adrian Croft) Segerstrom Center for the Arts International Dance Series includes ballet companies from Russia and Italy, but tucked in among the pointe shoes, classical lines and familiar stories is a bonus engagement by Israels Batsheva Dance Company. The company, helmed by artistic director Ohad Naharin, will make its Orange County debut Wednesday, bringing a repertoire show of contemporary modern dance. The performance, surrounded by buzz for the soon-to-be-released feature-length film about Naharin called Mr. Gaga, will introduce Naharins famed Gaga technique to a new audience. I have always wanted them to come to Orange County, so I couldnt be happier, said Segerstrom Executive Vice President Judy Morr, who said she has tried for years to get Batsheva on the program. (Naharin) is one of the great choreographers of today, and if people dont see his work, I think there would be something missing from their lives. Batsheva Dance Company was founded in 1964 by Baroness Batsheva de Rothschild after she spent time working with and supporting the Martha Graham Dance Company. Rothschild even invited Graham to act as an artistic consultant when Batsheva began. A decade later, Naharin joined the company with no dance experience, and Graham, who was visiting as a guest choreographer, recognized Naharins raw talent and invited him to join her company in New York. Since then, a lot has changed for the company, and those changes are due in large part to Naharins appointment as Batshevas artistic director in 1990. Over 27 years, Naharin has infused Batsheva dancers with a distinctive aesthetic that has propelled the company to the peak of contemporary dance. I encourage dancers to go beyond their familiar limits on a daily basis, Naharin said. It becomes multidimensional movement. You start to feel the flow of texture and pleasure and effort. Gravity becomes your friend. You feel more delicate and more sensitive and you can just explore. These ideas from Naharin come from the movement philosophy of Gaga, a technique, or rather a language, developed by Naharin that is based on instinctive movement. Batsheva dancers practice Gaga every day, and Naharin believes this helps them take ownership of the movement he choreographs. My dancers interpret my choreography and when they do, I see how they write a narrative that sometimes I didnt write, said Naharin. Theyre not just my tools, I want them to be active and I create for them a safety net for change. When the company performs at Segerstrom this week in Decadance 2017, it will present nine works from the Batsheva repertory. Although some of the pieces were created more than 10 years ago, Naharin stands by the notion that a work is never really finished. He considers the premiere of a work the beginning of a process, one that is like a game that allows dancers to find new solutions and better ways to play. We can reach magnificent moments although we are far from perfect, said Naharin. We dont always succeed, but we aspire to do it, and thats what the audience can feel. I want audiences to see the subtlety, the ability to laugh at ourselves as we explore small gestures, explosive form, order, chaos and volume. Segerstroms presentation of Batsheva may elicit some hesitancy from regular dance patrons because, as Naharin describes, the company presents work that doesnt follow the conventions of other genres. Dance in America comes from the ballet world which has to obey certain codes in order to exist, said Naharin. Were doing something that doesnt obey, but we have a different agreement with our audience, a different kind of contract. Morr doesnt deny that for Segerstrom patrons, Batsheva is a departure from the style of the other companies in this seasons lineup. I think it will take a person that is adventuresome, who is willing to try new things, Morr said. Those that know the work will just revel in it, but if its new, I dont think you could not like it. In Decadance 2017 Naharin hopes to offer the audience a new perspective. Said Naharin: For us, sharing what we do is our contract with the world. Its about creating something that goes beyond what is inside the box; its about creating a moment that becomes sublime. Contact the writer: 714-796-6026 or kwright@scng.com A federal appeals court on Sunday ruled that President Donald Trumps controversial immigration order will remain suspended for the time being, allowing those previously banned from coming to the U.S. at least another day to get here. The decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit preserves a lower judges order to temporarily halt the ban and, based on a schedule the court outlined, the stop will remain in place at least until today. The Justice Department said it would not elevate the dispute to the Supreme Court before that. Trump responded to the development Sunday by writing on Twitter that he had instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. A Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman did not immediately return messages seeking comment on how, practically, that screening would be implemented. Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril, Trump wrote. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! The next few days will be telling for the future of the presidents executive order. The appeals court asked those challenging the ban to file written arguments by 3 a.m. Eastern time today and Justice Department lawyers to reply by 6 p.m. ET. They could then schedule a hearing or rule whether the ban should remain on hold. In the meantime, people who had been stranded in legal limbo rushed to fly back to the United States. Some successfully reunited with family members, while others particularly those whose visas were physically taken or marked as invalid ran into roadblocks trying to board planes overseas. At Dulles International Airport in Virginia on Sunday, immigration lawyers could be heard on phones, arguing with airline representatives to let their passengers board as some seemed confused over the various court rulings and what they meant. What ultimately lies ahead likely is a weekslong legal battle that will be waged in various courtrooms across the country over whether Trumps ban can pass legal muster. Federal courts in New York, California and elsewhere have blocked aspects of the ban from being implemented, though one federal judge in Massachusetts declared he did not think challengers had demonstrated they had a high likelihood of success. The lawsuits now stretch from D.C. to Hawaii, and the number seems to grow regularly. The Trump administration has been steadfast in its support of the executive order, which it says is necessary for national security reasons, and the president himself tweeted repeatedly his disdain for the judge in Washington state who put a stop to it. The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned! Trump wrote Saturday. Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday on Meet The Press that White House officials felt Trump was operating within his authority as president, both under the constitution, and under clear statutory law. Legal analysts have said the president does have broad authority to set immigration policy, though civil liberties advocates have countered that the order essentially amounts to a discriminatory ban on Muslims with no real national security purpose. Were very confident that were going to prevail, Pence said. Well accomplish the stay and will win the case on the merits. But again, the focus here is on the safety and security of the American people. On Sunday morning television talk shows, some Republicans in Congress took issue with comments by the president, particularly his description of U.S. District Judge James L. Robart as a so-called judge. Ill be honest, I dont understand language like that, said Sen. Ben Sasse. R-Neb. We dont have so-called judges, we dont have so-called senators, we dont have so-called presidents. We have people from three different branches of government who take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution So, we dont have any so-called judges, we have real judges. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said, We all get disappointed from time to time at the outcome in courts on things that we care about. But I think it is best to avoid criticizing judges individually. McConnell went on to offer a broader critique of Trumps executive order than he had previously: We all want to try to keep terrorists out of the United States. But we cant shut down travel. We certainly dont want Muslim allies who have fought with us in countries overseas to not be able to travel to the United States. We need to be careful about this. Several federal judges have ruled against the administration on its implementation of the ban, though the case now before the 9th Circuit is perhaps the most significant one. It stems from a lawsuit brought by the states of Washington and Minnesota, which alleged the immigration order was separating families, harming thousands of the States residents, damaging the States economies, hurting State-based companies, and undermining both States sovereign interest in remaining a welcoming place for immigrants and refugees. Responding to those arguments, Robart temporarily halted the ban Friday. Then 9th Circuit Judges William C. Canby Jr., who was appointed by Jimmy Carter, and Michelle Taryn Friedland, who was appointed by Barack Obama, denied the Justice Departments request on Sunday to immediately restore it. Trumps order, which barred from traveling to the U.S. refugees and citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, was temporary. Refugees were banned for 120 days, the others for 90 days, save those from Syria, whose travel to the U.S. was blocked indefinitely. The order was purportedly designed to give the administration time to formulate a plan on how to vet those emanating from countries with terrorist activity. Indeed, if Trumps ban were to be immediately reinstated, that might spark chaos similar to that which occurred when it was rolled out Jan. 27. To implement the order then, the State Department provisionally revoked tens of thousands of visas. When people first began landing at U.S. airports, Customs and Border Protection officers detained more than 100 people and deported some, sparking protests and lawsuits across the country. It was unclear Sunday whether U.S. officials had a plan in place to avoid a repeat of that scenario, though much would depend on specifically what was ordered by a court, and when. State Department and Customs and Border Protection spokesmen declined to comment on the question. The Department of Homeland Security said Saturday that because of Robarts ruling it was suspending enforcement of the executive order entirely, and the State Department restored those visas that had been provisionally revoked. Advocates encouraged travelers from the affected countries who qualified for entry to get on planes as soon as possible because of the unpredictable legal terrain. It is somewhat unusual for a district judge to issue an order that affects the entire country, but Robart, who was nominated by President George W. Bush and has been on the bench since 2004, said it was necessary to follow Congresss intention that the immigration laws of the United States should be enforced vigorously and uniformly. An Iranian graduate student expelled shortly after President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily banning people from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. has returned to America after a judge halted the order, the Los Angeles Times reported. Sara Yarjani was among those caught in a confusing legal limbo after Trump the order on Jan. 27, about seven hours before Yarjani landed in Los Angeles on a flight from Oslo, the Times reported. Yarjani arrived Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport. She has a valid two-year student visa, the newspaper reports. On Jan. 27, armed customs agents ultimately escorted Yarjani to a plane bound for Vienna, where she had been visiting family, the Times reported. Her sister, Sahar Muranovic hugged her when she arrived at LAX. Yarjani thanked Americans for their support. Whenever I was in Europe if ever anybody criticized America, I would be the one defending it and saying, You know, whatever you say, I feel that some of the greatest, most beautiful, most accomplished people also live in that land, she told the Times. From everything Ive seen with the love and support from last week, thats even more true. In San Francisco A 12-year-old girl who was stranded in an African country after President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily banning people from seven predominantly Muslim nations from entering the U.S. has reunited with her family in San Francisco. Eman Ali and her father, Ahmed, arrived together Sunday at the airport, where they were greeted by her older sister and other relatives as well as many reporters. She ran to embrace her older sister, Salma, and the two hugged and cried. Eman and her father had been stuck in the east African nation of Dijbouti since Monday, when authorities refused to let Eman board a plane with him to the United States because she is from Yemen. The Middle Eastern nation is one of the seven predominantly Muslim nations listed in Trumps order. That order was halted by a federal judge in Seattle on Friday. Emans father, mother and older sister are U.S. citizens, but Eman, who was born in Yemen, had not yet received citizenship when Trump issued his order. Her lawyer says she became a citizen upon entry. Her father a 38-year-old grocery store manager from Los Banos said he spent five years trying to get Eman a visa. Ahmed Ali said hes now happy to be home with all his family and adds its the best feeling. Ahmed Ali criticized Trumps order. Its not fair. I mean some people they are bad, but that doesnt make everybody bad, he said. Through her father, Eman Ali said shes excited to see her mother and her younger sister. SANTA ANA Former NBA star Dennis Rodman was sentenced Monday to three years of probation for misdemeanor charges stemming from going the wrong way onto I-5 in Santa Ana and, authorities said, prompting a crash. On July 20 at about 12:30 a.m., Rodman drove an SUV onto an exit ramp for a carpool lane for I-5 at Main Street, Deputy District Attorney Gautam Sood said. Another driver had to swerve to avoid hitting him and crashed into a center divider, authorities said, with that motorist calling 911 and telling officers that Rodman got back into his SUV and left without exchanging information. Rodman, a 55-year-old Newport Beach resident, was charged with one misdemeanor count each of hit-and-run, driving the wrong way on a divided highway, providing false information to an officer, and driving without a valid drivers license. Sood said Rodman did not have a valid license at the time and gave inaccurate statements to police. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors on Monday dropped the hit-and-run charge and Rodman agreed to plead guilty to the remaining charges. In addition to probation, he was ordered to provide 30 hours of community service. We feel it was a fair conclusion under the circumstance, Sood said. Rodmans attorney, Paul Meyer, said he has received calls from people noting that the freeway entrance area at Main Street is confusing and poorly marked. We appreciate the careful review of the district attorney to make the right call in settlement, Meyer said in a statement. The driving error at night was due to poor sign placement. The sign is set far back from the road-entry point, the lawyer said. Dennis appreciates the helpful input from the public about the sign problems. Rodman, known for his tattoos, bright hair, and outlandish behavior on and off the court, played for 14 years in the NBA for several teams, including the Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls and Lakers. He retired from the league in 2000. Contact the writer: kpuente@ocregister.com Soon after Bruno Serato and Carlo Ponti Jr. first met in Las Vegas, Serato found he had something special in common with the famed Italian orchestra conductor. Serato fed needy children from his Anaheim White House restaurant. Ponti has been honored for his work educating young, talented musicians. He does amazing things for kids, Serato said Sunday. Over the past year, the two have become good friends. After a raging fire severely damaged his restaurant on Saturday, Serato received thousands of calls, emails and texts. One call came as Serato lay in a sleepless daze at his Huntington Beach home. It was from Ponti Jr., who wanted to console him. Then, the musician said: My mamma wants to talk to you. And suddenly, Sophia Loren was on the line. Speaking in Italian, she offered Serato kind, encouraging words. The actress told him she felt his pain. She recalled fleeing her home in Italy during World War II as a child. She gave him hope, he said. I want to give you a big hug, she told Serato, because you give so much love. In better times, Tanya James would pay an accountant $250 to $350 to do her income taxes. As a successful small-business owner, she needed that expertise. But seven years ago, her youngest childs disability forced James, a single mother of three, to scale back her working hours and drastically downsize financially. She went from an upper-middle-class lifestyle in Playa Vista, an area on the west side of Los Angeles dubbed Silicon Beach, to living elsewhere in the county at the poverty level with a disabled adult child. So the $325 in extra money that went to James in 2016 from the new California Earned Income Tax Credit was no small change. It helped cover household and educational costs and eased her mind in case of emergency expenses. Just to know if I needed a new tire for the car or new brake pads, at least I had the $325 I could put toward something major, James said. In addition to a similar federal tax credit she received, James said the state money was like a double sundae with cherries and nuts and whipped cream on top. When the so-called CalEITC was introduced last year to boost extremely low-income wage earners filing 2015 tax returns, about 385,000 out of an estimated 600,000 eligible statewide applied for the credit. By the end of November, that level of claims put more than $199 million back in the pockets of people making less than $14,000 a year, according to a snapshot from the state Franchise Tax Board. The average credit: $519. CalEITC advocates consider the inaugural year a huge success. Eager to build on that momentum, outreach for this years tax season got underway Tuesday with publicity campaigns and free tax-preparation services planned into April. Its got to be easier than last year, because we have all the people we served, said Joseph Sanberg, founder and chair of the Cal-EITC4Me awareness campaign. While Sanberg would love to see all eligible wage earners apply for the tax credit, CalEITC4Me has set a goal of at least a 10 percent bump from 2016. The double benefit of being eligible for both the state and federal tax credits which is typically the case translates to a huge pot of money for poor families across the U.S., he said. California is one of 25 states, along with the District of Columbia, with an earned income tax credit in addition to the federal credit. Sanberg said a potential $80 billion goes unclaimed, largely because the working poor dont know to apply. The EITC is among several tax credits available, including those related to education, retirement and child care that arent just for the poor. The monies at stake are huge, he said. Think about that $80 billion. Thats life-changing. The federal tax credit was introduced in the mid-1970s and has had broad bipartisan support as an effective anti-poverty measure. But it is not without controversy. The Libertarian think tank Cato Institute, among other conservative groups, calls the credit a spending program and says its costs outweigh the benefits. Sanberg unsuccessfully lobbied in Sacramento to raise Californias tax credit income threshold so a full-time worker making the $10-an-hour minimum wage $20,800 annually could apply. A twin bid to expand the credit to the self-employed, as in the other states and with the federal government, also failed. Were discriminating between the kinds of wages people are making, Sanberg said of his home state, vowing to continue button-holing legislators. Sanberg, 37, is a self-made millionaire whose family struggled financially in his youth. After finding success a decade ago on Wall Street, he returned to his native Orange County to pursue philanthropy and business ventures focused on income equity. He lives in Los Angeles. Sanberg has traveled all over California to promote the earned income tax credit, pouring $3 million of his own money into the launch of CalEITC4Me last year. So far this year, Sanberg says, he has committed at least $1 million. This year the state is helping promote the tax credit, kicking in $2 million in grants to assist in grass-roots awareness and outreach. Free tax-preparation services for people generally earning less than $54,000 (whether or not eligible for the tax credit) are available from community-based organizations through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program offered by the Internal Revenue Service. Locations and schedules can be found at caleitc4me.org. The inaugural year challenge for CalEITC4Me was identifying and engaging people who typically didnt even file tax returns because their income is so low. Its not all that different this time, Sanberg said, but with a solid base to build on. The money we are spending this year is all about reaching new people, he said. Extra attention is being paid to Riverside and San Bernardino counties, two areas in which the tax credit claims fell well below the statewide rate, said Sanberg, who views economic progress in the Inland region as key to Californias future. CalEITC4Mes beefed-up effort there includes hiring full-time organizers to canvass poor communities. These two counties just dont get the attention they need from the state and from the federal government, Sanberg said. They are the two fastest-growing counties in the state, but what they give to Sacramento doesnt match what they get back. Another overlooked group might be people who were once solidly middle class, like Tanya James in Los Angeles, but now find themselves among the working poor because of circumstances beyond their control job loss or downsizing during the Great Recession, a health crisis, family issues. Those folks need to know there is no stigma in coming forward to apply for the earned income tax credit, said James, 55, who stumbled upon free tax-prep help at the Korean Youth Community Center. She was attending a networking event at the Koreatown center related to her work in the area of health and wellness management. Many times for people such as myself, who at one time had a very enjoyable middle-class lifestyle, then took a huge pay cut, there is the embarrassment and shame, or not knowing you are eligible for such a discount, James said. For her, there was no loss of dignity: You can go to a place thats reputable, and it wont make you feel less than the tax-paying citizen that you are. In Orange County, the local United Way spearheads the OC Free Tax Prep Campaign. Orange County United Way oversees a coalition of 30 public and private partners working to raise awareness and access to the earned income tax credit, said Livi Kerszenbaum, OC United Ways project manager for community impact. The big push with free tax-prep sessions, manned by trained volunteers, started Saturday in Orange County and will wrap up the weekend before the April 18 filing deadline. (The traditional April 15 deadline is a Saturday, and the following Monday is a holiday, hence the filing extension.) Sessions take place Tuesdays and Thursday to Saturday. Kerszenbaum said about 300,000 people in Orange County live at or below the federal poverty level and are at risk of financial instability. The VITA program in Orange County is available to those making up to $60,000. Separately, AARP also does free tax prep for older people filing taxes. But United Ways main focus is in low-income communities, Kerszenbaum said. State grant money will be used for more intensive outreach in Westminster, Anaheim and Santa Ana, by partnering with grass-roots organizations rooted in the poorer neighborhoods of those communities, Kerszenbaum said. United Way is also helping to promote myfreetaxes.com, an easy, do-it-yourself program built by H&R Block for people who earn less than $64,000 to file their federal and state taxes electronically at no cost. Said Kerszenbaum: We say do your taxes in your pajamas. Contact the writer: 714-796-7793 or twalker@ocregister.com Twitter: @TellTheresa WASHINGTON President Donald Trump offered a fulsome defense of Russian President Vladimir Putin over the weekend, leaving Republican lawmakers frustrated and flummoxed yet again by the presidents warm feelings toward the rival nation. In a Fox News interview, Trump, who during the campaign repeatedly praised Putin, again said he respected the Russian leader and hoped to get along with Moscow, and he seemed to equate the United States with its adversary when pressed by host Bill OReilly, who said, But hes a killer though. Putins a killer. There are a lot of killers, Trump said, in an interview that aired Sunday before the Super Bowl. Weve got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our countrys so innocent? Trumps comments came even as his United Nations envoy, Nikki Haley, on Thursday condemned Russias aggressive actions in eastern Ukraine and as both the Senate and House intelligence committees launched investigations into alleged hacking by Russia of the U.S. election that the intelligence community believes was intended to benefit Trump. The issue of Russia dogged Trumps presidential campaign including after a news conference where he suggested that Russia hack Hillary Clintons emails and his latest comments left Capitol Hill Republicans scrambling to distance themselves from the president and his unusually friendly stance toward Putin, who has praised the president as a smart man. In an interview with CNNs State of the Union on Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called Putin a former KGB agent and a thug, and he rejected any comparison between the two nations, citing Russias annexation of Crimea, its incursions into Ukraine and its interference in the U.S. presidential election. I dont think theres any equivalency between the way that the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does, McConnell said. The senator added that while he hoped not to critique the presidents every utterance, he found significant differences between the two nations. I do think America is exceptional. America is different, McConnell said. We dont operate in any way the way the Russians do. I think theres a clear distinction here that all Americans understand, and no, I would not have characterized it that way. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., was similarly wary. Speaker Ryan has consistently and frequently spoken out on Russia and Putin and made his opinions well known, including the need for continued sanctions, spokeswoman AshLee Strong said Sunday. Congressional Republicans have broken with Trump over dozens of controversial statements he has made during his campaign, his transition and now his presidency. But few issues appear to have confounded lawmakers as much as his consistent defense of Putin. Trumps coziness is at odds with years of Republican foreign policy orthodoxy calling for a more aggressive stance toward Putins regime. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., weighed in on Twitter with two missives that he personally penned. When has a Democratic political activists ever been poisoned by the GOP or vice versa? We are not the same as #Putin, he wrote. In a second tweet, he said the United States should lift sanctions on Russia only if it ends its violations in Ukraine. And Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wy., the daughter of former Vice President Richard Cheney, also took to Twitter to say that Trumps statement suggesting moral equivalence between Putins Russia and the United States of America is deeply troubling and wrong. Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, who ran against Trump during the 2016 Republican primaries, issued a sharp rebuke on Twitter. America has been a beacon of light and freedom, he wrote. There is no equivalence with the brutal regime of Vladimir Putin. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., even called for an investigation by the FBI into Trumps financial, personal and political connections to Russia. I want to know what the Russians have on Donald Trump, she said on NBCs Meet the Press. We want to see his tax returns so we can have truth in the relationship between Putin, whom he admires, and Donald Trump. Virginia-based brewery the Veil Brewing Company has taken the dessert beer category to a whole new level with its innovative Hornswoggler brew, a a chocolate milk stout aged on hundreds of pounds of Oreo cookies that even has icing chunks in it. They say Oreos go best with milk, but the guys at the Veil Brewing Company apparently decided prove that beer works too. And they hit it out of the park. After launching the Oreo-flavored brew on January 24, the 64 cases available sold out almost instantly. The company then sold what little they had left as on-draft at the brewery, in Scotts Addition, Richmond. That didnt last very long either, and now the brewery is getting bombarded with questions about the next batch. We took our 7% robust chocolate milk stout Hornswoggler and conditioned it on hundreds of pounds of Oreo cookies. If you like Oreo cookies, this is a must try, the Veil Brewing Company announced on Instagram. People obviously lost their minds, especially after seeing the bits of white Oreo icing floating in the glass of cookie-flavored milk stout. Due to the residual fermentable sugars from the cookies , Veil Brewing Company head brewer and co-founder Matt Tarpey recommends keeping the cans of Hornswoggler Oreo beer as cold as possible, and consuming it as fresh as possible for the most intense Oreo character possible. If youre not one of the lucky few who got to try the first batch of this unique beer, its unclear if youll ever get the chance to follow Tarpeys instructions, because the brewery has yet to announce a second batch. In the meantime, can I tempt you with some garlic-flavored beer, or some beer-flavored jam? Indonesian cinema chain CGV has been forced to shut down their Velvet Class venue in the city of Palembang because the ultra-comfortable seats made local authorities uncomfortable. CGV Velvet Class cinemas are awesome! Instead of regular seats, or even reclining ones, they feature leather beds complete with pillows and blankets, for a ridiculously comfortable movie experience. They have been operating in Jakarta and around Indonesia for years now, with no problems, but recently a deputy mayor South Sumatran capital of Palembang decided that switching regular movie theater seats with comfortable beds was a very a bad idea. Deputy mayor Fitrianti Agustinda visited the CGV Velvet Class cinema in Palembang, last week, after reportedly receiving complaints about it from the public. The local official was apparently scandalized upon seeing the beds, arguing that they could promote adultery and sexual misconduct. Photo: Cinta Fitri/Facebook I want an explanation, Fitrianti told journalists present at the cinema. If its like this, those that dont want to watch the movie can still use it for something else. The CGV manager tried his best to convince the deputy mayor that there was no reason for concern, telling her that Velvet Class cinemas were not only meant for couples, but also families who wanted to watch a movie together in a more comfortable setting. The man added that his cinema had video surveillance to monitor the activities of movie-goers, but the official would not budge. Photo: Cinta Fitri/Facebook Fitrianti Agustinda ordered that the Velvet Class theater be shut down until they changed the sin-promoting beds with regular seats, and warned management that if they disobeyed her order and continue to operate this way, their business license would be revoked. The cinema manager told local reporters that the company had already obtained permission from the Government to operate in Palembang, and that CVG had been running Velvet Class theaters around Indonesia for years, without any problems. However, he agreed to shut down the place and make the necessary changes. The audacity of these people! Dont they know that comfy beds and low light conditions always result in hot steamyactivities? APCO Reps Leader of Democratic Opposition in Belarus Wed., Sep. 28, 2022 APCO Worldwide is providing media relations services for Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the democratic opposition to Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko. She stepped in for her husband and ran for president in 2020 but lost in the rigged election. Google Protest March 14, also known as Pi Day, is a special day for techies and math nerds. (3/14, or 3.14... get it?) This year, a group of Bay Area tech workers organizing on Facebook plans to turn the annual geek holiday into one of protest against President Donald Trump. The group Tech Stands Up To Trump, which was spotted by Axios and other outlets, plans to walk out of their jobs on March 14 and protest at Palo Alto's city hall. The group's Facebook page says over 1,000 people plan to attend. Brad Taylor, an engineer at Opitimizely who organized the event, told Business Insider that 389 people have signed up to help with the logistics of the protests through a public Google Doc. The group's description says it wants to influence tech leaders to stand up to Trump, something that we're already starting to see. On Sunday, 97 tech companies filed an amicus brief against Trump's immigration ban, for example. The movement also echoes other walkouts we've seen in response to Trump's immigration ban over the last week or so. Last week, about 2,000 Google employees walked out of their jobs in protests against Trump, and executives like CEO Sundar Pichai and co-founder Sergey Brin spoke against the ban. Comcast employees also walked out in protest last week in Philadelphia. NOW WATCH: People are boycotting Budweiser because of this immigration-themed Super Bowl ad More From Business Insider Simpli Baked, the flatbread company based in Tullamore, could go all the way in this years SFA National Small Business Awards. The company was among the finalists in this years awards who attended the recent SFA National Small Business Showcase event last week. The five finalists in the manufacturing category, sponsored by competitive energy provider Energia, of this years Small Firms Association Awards include: Briody Bedding from Oldcastle, Co Meath JPK Fencing Systems from Claregalway in Co Galway Kellys of Newport Artisan Butchers from Newport, Co Mayo Simply Baked from Tullamore, Co Offaly Ventac, the noise specialists, from Blessington, Co Wicklow The annual SFA National Small Business Showcase event provided an opportunity for the 35 finalists in this years awards to market their products and services. The finalists are from a variety of sectors and 15 different counties (further details on www.sfa.ie/awards). The awards profile entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity at its best. Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell OConnor TD, officially opened the event. The awards will be presented at a Gala Awards Ceremony in the RDS in March. A generous prize package of 50,000 is awarded to all shortlisted finalists with additional prizes for the overall winner. Michelle Kells, Key Account Manager, Energia commented: Every year the quality of entries rises, so Simpli Baked is to be warmly congratulated for making it to the finals in this years manufacturing category. As one of the leading electricity and gas suppliers to Irish small businesses, we appreciate the work these companies are doing in powering the Irish economy and are delighted to be supporting the SFA Awards. Energia has a 26% market share of the Irish business electricity and gas market supplying the energy needs of almost 60,000 business customers. In addition to over 800MW of renewable assets, the company also operates a 750MW gas fired power station in north Dublin and has great offers for domestic electricity and gas customers across the island. Energia has offices in Dublin, Galway, Cork and Belfast. Agricultural News High Fire Danger Likely to Return This Week Across Oklahoma Oklahomans are urged to use extreme caution as wildfire conditions continue to worsen across the state. Oklahoma Forestry Services (OFS) has worked with volunteer fire departments to battle multiple large wildfires over the past week and is seeing increased suppression difficulty despite the lack of critical fire weather. Conditions for high fire danger are increasing early this week. "Our firefighters and local fire departments are seeing the normal fighting tactics are becoming increasingly less effective and more time consuming, especially in areas where brush, timber and storm debris are present," said Mark Goeller, Fire Management Chief, Oklahoma Forestry Services. "This is concerning to us as we see the potential for near-critical fire weather conditions developing early this week." Most of the state is under a Fuels and Fire Behavior Advisory, which was issued by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) on February 1 and continues through February 14. The advisory warned of critically dry large fuel moisture, including dead and downed trees and above normal loading of dormant grass fuels in many areas of the state. The National Interagency Fire Center monitors wildfire conditions across the nation and makes plans for the use of national resources where they are most needed. Oklahoma Forestry Services, working with the National Weather Service, Southern Area Coordination Center and with input from interagency and local fire resources, monitors fire conditions daily for the state and informs the firefighting community with its Fire Situation Report. Due to current conditions, Oklahoma Forestry Services is urging firefighters and the public to prepare for the possibility of an increase in the number and severity of wildfires. The public is asked to avoid doing anything that can cause a spark. Also, to report any wildfires immediately through 911, avoid the vicinity of wildfires to enable firefighters faster access to fires and to heed all evacuation notices. Families are advised to have a plan for wildfire incidents. The National Interagency Fire Center and Oklahoma Forestry Services will continue to monitor the situation and coordinate state and national resources as needed. WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady NSI Top Agricultural News Agricultural News Tennessee's Jennifer Houston Brings a Woman's Perspective to the Table as NCBA's Vice President Taking on an officer position for an industrywide organization such as the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, is by no means a small undertaking. By agreeing to accept the position, the nominee is committing to sacrificing an enormous amount of personal time and effort to serve their fellow cattlemen across the country, especially when it comes to being president of the association. Generally speaking, NCBA has more often then not, operated with a man at the helm of the organization. Historically though, there have been three determined women that have risen to hold this office. Accepting the office of NCBA Vice President last week at the NCBA and Cattle Industry Convention, Jennifer Houston, may well be on her way to being counted among the ranks of those women that have reached the top. She talked with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays about this exciting moment in her career of involvement with the association. "It's just something I've been passionate about ever since college," Houston remarked. "I grew up in a family of folks that believe you got to help yourself. We've always believed and talked about that we've got to do something and just believe in giving back to the industry, so that we have something for our children and our friends' children and our neighbor's children to come back to." Owning and operating both a cattle herd and a sale barn in Tennessee, along with her husband and their families, Houston has grown up in the business with a unique perspective. Although she advocates for all producers to join the ranks of a cattlemen's association, be it on the county, state, national level or a combination, she still recognizes those that prefer to remain independent of affiliation as contributing members of the industry as a whole. "They're still part of our industry. As a Checkoff person, they pay their Checkoff so it does give me a unique viewpoint that when we're talking about policies that affect our members, which is obviously number one with NCBA, they're industrywide policies - we have to think about how they affect everybody else. Even the smallest producer." Her breadth of knowledge and background about the industry and the association truly reflects a certain level of commitment and understanding of what the organization is about and is sure to contribute to its ongoing function with a high degree of practicality. As vice president, coupled with these attributes, Houston will be able to bridge both sides of the association, and unite policy and Checkoff and assist in leading the organization's business as a well-oiled machine. "We're really running on all cylinders, and really seeing the benefits of why NCBA is uniquely suited to do the job by having the two divisions," she said. "We speak with one voice." Listen to the complete exchange between Hays and Houston about her new role within NCBA as vice president and her the goals she has set for this year, by clicking or tapping the LISTEN BAR below. Listen to Hays and Houston speak about her new role within NCBA as its new vice president WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady NSI Top Agricultural News Yahoo Finance is tracking Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) after the retailer announced it is changing up its store concept for the first time in 15 years. The company is looking to combat slowing mall traffic by providing a unique and personal shopping experience for its customers. The updated stores will feature innovative fitting rooms and omni-channel capabilities. There will also be a big emphasis on convenience. Associates will help shoppers place and pickup online orders. It is important that our stores reflect what the Abercrombie & Fitch brand is today, so weve created a new space for our customers that is warm, inviting, inclusive and open. We are excited for customers old and new to rediscover what is at the core of this American heritage brand: timeless, high-quality clothing that you want to live in, noted Stacia Andersen, brand president of Abercrombie & Fitch and abercrombie kids, in the retailers announcement. The revamp comes as shares have been struggling to get a boost. The stock is down more than 50% over the past year, and sales have been falling. Same-store sales dropped 14% in the third quarter following declines in its previous two quarters. Earlier this month, Abercrombie & Fitch names Fran Horowitz, who had been serving at its CMO since December 2015, as its chief executive officer effective immediately. Horowitz replaced Michael Jeffries, who stepped down in 2014 after more than 20 years at the company. The revamped store will open on Friday, February 17, at the Polaris Fashion Mall in Columbus, Ohio. Its the first of seven stores that Abercrombie plans to build this year. For more on Abercrombie & Fitchs new store concept, check out the Final Round, live today at 4 p.m. EST, right here on Yahoo Finance. FILE PHOTO - Toyota Motor Corp's logo is pictured on a car in Tokyo, Japan, November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo (Reuters) - Japan's Toyota Motor Corp and Suzuki Motor Corp are nearing a partnership agreement to develop technology, including self-driving, the Nikkei business daily reported on Saturday. The two Japanese automakers could announce a deal as soon as Monday, the Nikkei reported. (http://s.nikkei.com/2k4mRt1) The partnership will also cover areas such as development and procurement, which includes applications for information technology and sharing sources for parts in Japan and abroad, the Nikkei said. Suzuki and Toyota's unit Daihatsu Motor will continue to sell automobiles under their separate brands to avoid risks related to antitrust laws. The companies will collaborate in ways that steer clear of antitrust risk, the business daily reported. Toyota and Suzuki said in October that they plan to explore a possible partnership, citing technological challenges and the need to keep up with consolidation in the global auto industry. Suzuki and Toyota did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside regular business hours. (Reporting by Arunima Banerjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta) In the 1980s, Herman Ostry of Bruno, Nebraska, struggled with his barn flooding after road construction diverted water his way. So his son, Mike, measured the barns boards and ran some calculations. Mike Ostry discovered that, theoretically, a group of people could pick up the 16,000-pound barn and take it to higher ground. With 344 people lifting at once, each person would be responsible for carrying only about 58 pounds. So on July 30, 1988, hundreds of people grasped onto a steel frame fitted into the barn and pulled up. Not only did the barn come off the ground, but volunteers moved it more than 100 feet up an incline. Everyone was kind of in awe because no one knew what to expect, said Chris Dvorak, Herman Ostrys daughter. Now that story has been reimagined in a childrens book benefiting foster care initiatives. The Bruno story resonated with Jason Weber, the national director of Foster Care Initiatives for the Christian Alliance for Orphans. The Texan doesnt remember where he heard the tale, but it stuck with him. Hed been looking for ways to unify people in tackling issues with foster care. It will take many people banding together to address the problems of the roughly 400,000 children in the U.S. foster care system, he said. Just as it took all those people to move the barn. Weber wrote out the text for Farmer Herman and the Flooding Barn in a day. The next step was visiting Herman Ostry and his wife, Donna. While at a conference in Lincoln, Weber made the hourlong drive to Bruno and pitched his story to the couple. They were on board. But Weber had one more idea. The best way to tell a story about 344 people working together is getting 344 people together to illustrate it, he said. From the Ostrys, he was hoping for a drawing of a sun. Donna Ostrys face lit up when Weber suggested this. Decades ago shed drawn a sun that became a sort of logo for the barn move. It was even on the side of the barn. I felt good about that, Donna Ostry said. He needed a sun, and I could draw it. I wanted to represent in this book this constant presence of God, he said. We dont always see it, but His presence is always there. Dvorak and her two daughters pitched in images of a cat, a boot and a light bulb. Other drawings came from children, foster parents, the Christian band Jars of Clay and John Luke Robertson from Duck Dynasty. It took several years and some convincing, but the book was eventually completed with images from 344 people and the help of illustrator Kaylinn Strock. The books royalties benefit the National Foster Care Initiative, an advocacy group within the Christian Alliance for Orphans. The Ostrys arent sure what to make of the continued interest in their story. The barn moving was conceived to fix a problem, not to start a legacy, Herman Ostry said. I probably wouldve torn it down, but we came up with this idea, and thats where its still going, I guess, he said. Religious groups and companies have reached out throughout the years for permission to use the story to inspire their congregations and staffs. But the childrens book is something different. And the Ostrys said theyre just happy that people are still benefiting from their story. Dvorak said the book, and the Bruno barn move story, touches on a universal message. When people can come together to accomplish a goal, it really appeals to people, she said. BEIJING Americas best-selling vehicle for more than 35 years, Fords F-150, is officially hitting the streets of China. And drivers in the worlds largest car market arent quite sure what to think. He Zongyuan, the manager of Chinese car club Being Rich AAA Auto Beauty Center, sees that the pickups are masculine, even macho. But trucks here are regarded as country cars for country people a lifestyle hundreds of millions want to leave behind. The Detroit automaker is nevertheless betting that the allure of Americana will outweigh Chinas many roadblocks choked highways, soaring taxes and social stigmas, not to mention pickup bans on city streets. After 100-plus years of the auto industry, the U.S. is just not the big dog anymore. It certainly doesnt have the growth potential that China does, said Karl Brauer, the executive publisher of Kelley Blue Book. For the auto industry, Brauer added, the sentiment is we have to be a global participant in the economy and in commerce, or well suffer. Many U.S. automakers have refocused from traditional domestic sales to the potential gold mine of China the worlds most populous country, with fast-growing wealth and a burgeoning middle class. The country is a ripe market for Ford, which last month saw its U.S. sales of new cars slump even as sales of F-series trucks climbed. Volkswagen, battered in the United States by its emissions-cheating scandal, has nevertheless become the worlds largest automaker, partly due to its roaring Chinese success. Ford now offers a smattering of compact and luxury cars to Chinese buyers, built in Chinese factories. But it has no such Chinese production lines capable of building its big pickups, meaning the first Ford trucks to officially land in the communist superpower will all be American-made. The model Ford will offer in China, the F-150 Raptor, is the truck at its most supersized. The first trucks left U.S. shores last weekend. The F-150 has already carved out a niche in some Chinese dealerships, imported unofficially (and, sometimes, illegally) through gray-market trading routes. Mo Fei, a salesperson at a trading company in Tianjin, said her company sells the truck for between 450,000 and 580,000 RMB, or about $65,000 to $84,000, shipped from Canada. The most popular colors are red and blue, she said. Truck sellers have often met stiff resistance in the Chinese market. Pickups cannot enter Chinese cities without a special license, which can be tough to get, and state regulators have offered tax benefits to encourage the sale of smaller, more fuel-efficient cars. The question for Ford is whether enough Chinese drivers will think the hassle is worth it. Zhao Yan, who sells F-150s at a car dealership in Dalian, in northeast China, said the vehicle would likely not appeal to most Chinese urbanites. The problem with selling this car in China is that F-150 does not show status, he said. It does not make you look rich, so it may not be popular among business people. He, the car-club manager, said the F-150 could have niche appeal among the growing number of city slickers with an interest in road trips. It could be popular with people interested in driving through towns with muddy roads, through mountains and on country roads in China, he said. But not highways. Ford will have competition, including from American automakers General Motors and Chrysler, which are planning to start selling trucks across China this year. U.S. imports into China are also hit with steep fees and taxes, including a 25 percent tariff on all cars and light trucks, meaning the F-150s will likely hit Chinese car lots bearing luxury price tags. The truck, which sells at a premium over other full-size models, starts at about $50,000 in the United States. Lingering questions over President Donald Trumps trade policy have left some industry leaders on edge over the possibility of new U.S. tariffs or trade retaliation from other countries that could send costly shock waves through the supply chain. Industry groups oppose any import taxes. The Japanese automaker Toyota has urged its American dealers to tell elected officials that an import tax would jack up prices and potentially threaten American jobs. This is very much a global industry, and the supply base is very global, said Michelle Krebs, a senior analyst at Autotrader. Authorities say a work release inmate has been listed as escaped from a state facility in Council Bluffs. The Iowa Corrections Department said Colton Benson-Blaine, 26, didnt return as scheduled from his job Sunday. Benson-Blaine was transferred to the facility Jan. 24. Hes been imprisoned since Aug. 5, 2011, following his convictions for voluntary manslaughter and other crimes. Copyright 2017, the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A Douglas County District Court judge has ordered Brix, the wine lounge and store that abruptly closed last month, to turn over equipment and inventory at its Village Pointe location to Mutual of Omaha Bank. In a lawsuit filed in January, the bank said Brixco Inc. is in default on a $1 million loan made in 2010. The suit said Brix owed at least $429,941 in principal, interest and fees as of Jan. 12. The assets at the Village Pointe location, including beer, wine, liquor, non-alcoholic beverages, specialty foods and accessories, were collateral on the loan, the banks lawsuit said. On Monday, Judge Marlon Polk signed an order directing Brix to turn the assets over to the bank. Attorneys for Brix and the bank declined to comment further. Brix is also facing another lawsuit filed by its landlord at the Midtown Crossing location. The lawsuit says Brix owes East Campus Realty $112,811 for past due rent from the months of October 2016 through January 2017. The Nebraska Liquor Control Commission will hold hearings Wednesday to determine whether both Brix locations should lose their liquor licenses after liquor distributor Johnson Brothers filed a complaint saying Brix has $90,000 worth of products it hasnt paid for. In January, Brix CEO Dan Matuszek told vendors Brix would close, saying both stores had seen declining sales and rising expenses. They closed Jan. 12. In December a former Brix employee was charged in connection with the loss of more than $100,000 in what Omaha police say was a gift card scheme. A man was injured when he was struck Sunday night by a car intentionally, police say in the parking lot of the McDonalds at 30th Street and Ames Avenue. Officers responded to the call just after 9 p.m. The victim, Ray Fannan, 47, had injuries to his hands, head and legs. Fannan told officers that he had been in an argument with an Omaha man. Police said Fannan had been riding in a car with the man when the argument began. Fannan got out of the 1995 Oldsmobile 88 and began to walk away with another person when the driver turned the car around and drove at Fannan and the other person, police said. The car hit Fannan. Medics took Fannan to the Nebraska Medical Center in serious condition. He no longer was at the hospital Monday morning. Officers found the 52-year-old driver near 42nd Street and Camden Avenue. He was booked into jail on suspicion of felony assault and attempted felony assault. Travelers arrive in US to hugs and tears after ban is lifted BOSTON (AP) -- Travelers from the seven predominantly Muslim countries targeted by President Donald Trump enjoyed tearful reunions with loved ones in the U.S. on Sunday after a federal judge swept the ban aside. Airlines around the world allowed people to board flights as usual to the United States. One lawyer waiting at New York's Kennedy Airport said visa and green-card holders from Iraq and Iran were encountering no problems as they arrived. "It's business as usual," said Camille Mackler, of the New York Immigration Coalition. Fariba Tajrostami, a 32-year-old painter from Iran, came through the gate at Kennedy with a huge smile and tears in her eyes as her brothers greeted her with joyful hugs. "I'm very happy. I haven't seen my brothers for nine years," she said. Tajrostami had tried to fly to the U.S. from Turkey over a week ago but was turned away. "I was crying and was so disappointed," she said. "Everything I had in mind, what I was going to do, I was so disappointed about everything. I thought it was all over." Tajrostami said she hopes to study art in the U.S. and plans to join her husband in Dallas soon. He moved from Iran six months ago, has a green card and is working at a car dealership. Similar scenes played out across the U.S. two days after a federal judge in Seattle suspended the president's travel ban and just hours after a federal appeals court denied the Trump administration's request to set aside the ruling. The U.S. canceled the visas of up to 60,000 foreigners in the week after the ban on travel from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen took effect, according to the State Department. Trump also suspended nearly all refugee admissions for 120 days and barred Syrian refugees indefinitely. The order triggered protests and a multitude of legal challenges around the country and blocked numerous college students, researchers and others from entering the U.S. Trump, who said the goal was to keep terrorists from slipping into the country, lashed out against U.S. District Judge James Robart for putting the ban on hold. He referred to Robart as a "so-called judge" and called the ruling "ridiculous." Story continues On Sunday, the president tweeted: "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" At JFK on Sunday evening, Abdullah Alghazali hugged and kissed his 13-year-old son, Ali Abdullah Alghazali, who he had not seen in six years. That wait was made even longer by Trump's executive order. Ali and his mother, Musarlah Alghazali, had left Yemen a year and a half ago to Egypt because of the war at home. Musarlah came to the U.S. two and a half months ago, but Ali stayed behind in Egypt with cousins while he waited for his visa to be approved. The boy was not able to leave until last Saturday, after the executive order was in effect. "When he went to the airport to come over here they stopped him last week, Saturday. I tried again the next week, Thursday, but they put him back again," Abdullah said. "They said they had an order from the US government to not allow anybody with a visa or green card to come to the United States." Mahsa Azabadi, 29, an Iranian-American who lives in Denver, was forced to put her wedding plans on hold after her fiance, Sorena Behzadfar, was turned away when he tried to board a plane to travel from Iran to the U.S. on Jan. 28. Over the weekend, though, Behzadfar was cleared for travel and was expected to arrive at Boston's Logan Airport on Sunday afternoon. "It's been a really tough week to figure out what will happen to us," said Azabadi, who has lived in the U.S. for 11 years and is now a U.S. citizen. The couple is hoping to keep their wedding date of May 12. "Seeing the support from the lawyers and different people trying to help, it was really nice," she said. "We want to be the best and do the best for the people and for this country. We would love to have the opportunity." An Iranian woman attempting to return home from Iran after initially being blocked from entry cleared through an immigration check in Boston and was expected to return home to Clemson, South Carolina, on Monday. Nazanin Zinouri was taken off a plane in Dubai days after the travel ban went into effect. Zinouri, a legal U.S. resident, had traveled to Iran last month to visit family. Eric Martinez, the founder of the startup technology firm where Zinouri works, said she planned to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday in Boston. Iranian researcher Nima Enayati, a Ph.D. candidate at a university in Milan, was prevented from boarding a flight to the U.S. on Jan. 30. He had a visa to conduct research on robotic surgery at Stanford University in California. On Sunday night, he arrived in New York. "It feels great finally I'm here," Enayati said at JFK. "Considering the last 10 days we had no idea if we'll be able to make it or not." Enayati said he feels safe for now, but worries that the travel ban could inhibit research in the future. "We always had this open collaboration around the world," he said. "We never had concerns about whether we would be able to go somewhere physically or not." At Cairo Airport on Sunday, officials said a total of 33 U.S.-bound migrants from Yemen, Syria and Iraq boarded flights. Lebanon's National News Agency said airlines operating out of Beirut also began allowing Syrian families and others affected by the ban to fly. Beirut has no direct flights to the U.S.; travelers have to go through Europe. At Kennedy, a team of volunteer lawyers that had set up operations in a diner to help arriving passengers during the height of the crisis packed up computer equipment and paperwork. A few volunteers and interpreters will stay behind just in case. ___ Associated Press writer Emery Dalesio contributed to this report from Raleigh, North Carolina. Mathis contributed from New York City. LINCOLN With Nebraska staring down a $900 million budget hole, $200,000 seems like just a few scoops of dirt. But the eventual fate of a proposed $200,000 transfer from one state fund just might result in a lawsuit against the Nebraska Legislature. The stakes are greater than dollars. They involve the fundamental tenet that state government consists of three separate, independent branches. The state constitution prohibits one branch from infringing upon the powers of another. If lawmakers take money from whats called the attorney services fund to help plug the budget gap, it would represent just such a constitutional infringement, said Thomas Maul, immediate past president of the Nebraska State Bar Association. The inherent authority to regulate the practice of law lies with the judicial branch, said Maul, who lives in Columbus. This violates the separation of powers doctrine. State Sen. John Stinner of Gering did not blink last week when asked about the prospect of a constitutional brawl with the lawyers guild. Stinner is leading the Legislatures Appropriations Committee as it tries to come up with a budget through the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019. In Stinners view, the Legislature clearly has authority over the money in the attorney services fund, along with more than two dozen cash funds associated with other state agencies. A banker by profession, Stinner said he understands the concerns expressed by the bar association. And he pointed out that the recent objections by judicial leaders over a proposed $8 million cut to the courts prompted lawmakers to reduce the cut by half. As for the $200,000 targeted for transfer from the attorney services fund, Stinner said its too early to predict what the Appropriations Committee will do. But the lines of communication remain open, he added. Were playing ball with them, he said. Lawmakers arent the only ones with an eye on cash funds. Gov. Pete Ricketts has proposed transferring money from more than 30 state agency cash funds to help narrow the budget shortfall. The amounts targeted from the funds range from about $13,000 to $7 million and would total about $21.5 million. The attorney services fund is used by the Supreme Court to admit those who qualify to the practice of law. The fund also pays court staff members to maintain the records of bar admissions and track continuing education of lawyers, which is required for attorneys to remain in good standing. The fund is built entirely of the mandatory fees collected from lawyers and contains no tax dollars, Maul said. The attorney services fund is essential to the Supreme Courts inherent authority to regulate attorneys, Maul said. For that reason, it should remain untouched by lawmakers, he added. Maul said hes hopeful that senators will leave the fund intact so that a showdown can be avoided. Certainly filing a lawsuit would be one of our options, and I will tell you its something we are strongly considering, he said. Certain current and former military law enforcement personnel now may carry their personal firearms onto Offutt Air Force Base under a new 55th Wing policy. The rule took effect Jan. 11 after nearly a year of planning and consideration and was not tied to any specific security threat against the base, said Lt. Col. Ian Dinesen, commander of the 55th Security Forces Squadron. We wanted to make sure it was very well-thought-out, Dinesen said. The new rules are allowed because of the 2014 expansion of a then-10-year-old federal law, the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, to allow military police with special permits to carry concealed weapons. A post on Offutts Facebook page said the purpose was to enhance existing force protection measures and potentially mitigate active-shooter or workplace violence events. In recent years, military posts have been the site of several mass shootings, including a 2009 terrorist attack by Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, at Fort Hood, Texas, that killed 13 soldiers and wounded more than 30; a spree at the Washington Navy Yard in 2013 in which a gunman killed 12 people and wounded four; and a second Fort Hood shooting in 2014 in which a distraught soldier killed three and wounded 16. It may be counterintuitive to civilians, but military bases including Offutt have strict rules against carrying weapons. Only on-duty security officers may bring them on base. No one, not even someone with a concealed-carry permit, is allowed to bring personal weapons onto base, Dinesen said, except to carry them to and from an on-base residence, or to a firing range. In those cases, they must be carried unloaded, inside a locked case. The federal law originally was passed in 2004, in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, to create a sort of auxiliary force of highly trained weapons specialists who could respond quickly in such emergencies, said James Baranowski, manager of external and international affairs for the National Rifle Association. The law, widely known by the acronym LEOSA, allows qualifying law enforcement officers to carry permitted weapons across state and other jurisdictional lines. It created a sort of back-door form of reciprocity, an NRA-backed concept that allows holders of concealed-carry permits in one state to legally carry their weapons in every state. Its certainly helped a lot of law enforcement officers, especially in states that are more restrictive of civilian carriers, Baranowski said. But the law was poorly drafted, he said. Some language in the law appeared to exclude military security officers. Congress amended the law in 2010 and again in 2014, the latter time specifically allowing military police and law enforcement officers to qualify to receive the special LEOSA identification cards. Since then, the Army and Air Force have issued guidelines to allow their current and former security officers to qualify for the ID cards. The Navy, which also has administrative authority over the Marine Corps, has not. Just over a year ago, the Air Force also gave base commanders authority to allow military LEOSA cardholders to carry their weapons onto bases. Baranowski said he thinks Offutt is among the first bases to do so. The cards still arent easy to get. Only airmen or veterans with more than 10 years of experience as military security officers may qualify. They must go through stringent recertification training each year and pay a fee of up to several hundred dollars a year. Youre talking about people with quite a bit of service under their belt, even to be considered, Dinesen said. Cardholders also must secure their weapons and declare them at the gate before their vehicle is screened. Even with the rules change, many major buildings and offices at Offutt will remain off-limits. I cant carry it right now, sitting in my office as the squadron commander, said Dinesen, who has one of the permits. Nationwide, about 1,180 current and former Air Force security officers have qualified for LEOSA permits. Another 200 have applied and are waiting for certification. Dinesen said about two dozen have filed permits with his security office. Theres really not a whole lot of people carrying, Baranowski said. LINCOLN The barn cat that rode a glider to the ground from a Holt County haymow could be more than a footnote in Nebraska history. So could the forgotten instructor at Luther College in Wahoo who introduced eventual Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Howard Hanson to the piano at age 7. And so, too, the architectural splendor that sprang from Thomas R. Kimballs drafting table. His designs became St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha, the Hall County Courthouse in Grand Island, the Hastings railroad depot and the Paddock Hotel in Beatrice. Tales, yarns and facts buttressed the nominations of 10 men and two women the famous and the nearly forgotten as potential inductees into the Nebraska Hall of Fame last week. Sponsors for the nominees made their pitches to three hall of fame commissioners meeting at the State Historical Society. The seven-member commission was one member short of a quorum and took no action on trimming the slate of nominees. Public hearings on the nominees are tentatively scheduled to be held in Holdrege, Norfolk and Omaha in July. Everybody goes forward, said Ron Naugle of Lincoln, commission chairman. This years list includes pioneer aviator Matthew Savidge, who built gliders and eventually a self-powered airplane with his six brothers near Ewing. He is thought to have made the states first successful airplane flight in 1911. The brothers studied the flight of hawks and started by building gliders, gradually increasing the size to carry a cat safely from their large barn to the ground, said Judy Eggerling of Neligh. Savidge was her great-uncle. He died at age 29 when his plane failed to pull out of a spiral dive in 1916. Hanson, the son of Swedish immigrants, became a performing musician who played the piano and cello before he completed high school in Wahoo, said Larry Erickson of Manhattan, Kansas, who spoke in support of the nominee from his hometown. Hanson was director of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, from 1924 to 1964. He composed Dies Natalis for the 100th anniversary of Nebraska statehood in 1967. It was performed at Omahas Joslyn Art Museum. Hansons Pulitzer Prize was for his Symphony No. 4 in 1944. Robert C. Ripley, administrator of the State Capitol, and Gary Bowen, an Omaha architect, spoke for Kimball, the Omaha architect who was instrumental in setting up the unique selection process for the designer of Nebraskas skyscraper statehouse. Nebraska has probably never had a more stellar member of our profession in the 150 years of state history, Ripley said. Even though he died in 1934, his surviving works are the landmarks of our state. Kimball developed a double-blind competition process that kept anonymous the names of the jurors and competing architectural firms. The process encouraged the nations top architects to participate because it avoided the corruption, deceit and cronyism typically involved in the process, Ripley said. Centura High School freshmen Nicholas Kortz and Trey Schultz spoke for Solon Hannibal de la Mothe Borglum, a sculptor known for his works featuring cowboys, Native Americans and others on the frontier. Borglum grew up in Fremont and Omaha and is the younger brother of Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor of Mount Rushmore. Centura is a Hall County school serving the communities of Boelus, Cairo and Dannebrog. Kortz and Schultz were accompanied by their teacher, Beth Gross. Kay Albrecht of Kearney sponsored her great-grandfather, Thomas Vincent Golden, a newspaper publisher and mayor of ONeill, who was instrumental in bringing Irish immigrants to Nebraska. He also built the historic Golden Hotel in ONeill. Betty Stevens of Lincoln touted state legislator and publisher Charles Gere, who helped push for the founding of the University of Nebraska and organized the Nebraska Press Association. A Lincoln city library was named for him. Im in love with Charles Gere, Stevens said. Stevens role in establishing NU should be enough for a place in the hall, she said. Theres not a person in this room whose life hasnt been touched by that university, Stevens said. Other nominees: Calvin Chapman, a barrel maker born in Ohio who moved to Nebraska City in 1859. He is said to have secretly helped with the Nebraska City branch of the Underground Railroad, and served as the citys mayor. George E. Johnson, chief engineer and general manager of the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District. He helped lay out the chain of lakes fed by water diverted from the Platte River, including Johnson Lake near Lexington, which was named for him. As state engineer, he also helped lay out the state highway system. Omer Madison Kem, a Populist Party leader who represented Nebraska in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1891 to 1897. Rachel Abbie Holloway Lloyd, a professor of analytic chemistry at the University of Nebraska. She was the first American woman to earn a doctorate in chemistry when she graduated from the University of Zurich in 1887. Omaha lawyer Francis Patrick Matthews, who was secretary of the Navy from 1949 to 1952 and later served as U.S. ambassador to Ireland. He was also a founding director of the USO during World War II. Anna Sadilek Pavelka, the real-life prototype for the character Antonia Shimerda in Willa Cathers 1918 novel, My Antonia. Nominees must be Nebraska-born or had either gained prominence while in Nebraska or been influenced by their time in the state. A person must have been deceased for at least 35 years to be eligible. State law limits the commission to considering the induction of a new member once every five years. If one is selected later this year, a bronze bust would be produced in 2018 and the new inductee will join the hall of fame in 2019. The last inductee, in 2013, was Alvin Saunders Johnson, an economic theorist, historian and professor at several American universities. He co-founded and led the New School in New York City for several years. In addition to Naugle, commissioners at the meeting were Tim Heller of Omaha and Ron Hull of Lincoln. Commissioners Rod Bates of Lincoln, Sara Crook of Peru and JoAnn Smith of Gering were absent. Smith listened in via telephone, but state law doesnt permit such an arrangement for creating a quorum at an official meeting. The World-Herald's Nebraska history book for sale The World-Heralds David Hendee brings the states history to life in the book Nebraska: 150 Years Told Through 93 Counties. The counties have served as the building blocks for Nebraska, and Hendee weaves their stories into a tapestry of Nebraskas people, places and events. Order the 196-page hardcover book at OWHstore.com or by phone at 402-444-1014. It also is available in The World-Heralds lobby and at local bookstores. The cost is $29.95. ARNOLD, Neb. (AP) Authorities say an infant has died after a crash on a state highway in central Nebraskas Logan County. The accident was reported around 7:15 a.m. Friday on Nebraska Highway 92, six miles west of Arnold. The Logan County Sheriffs Office said an eastbound car went out of control after it struck a deer and was struck by a westbound vehicle. Sheriff Sean Carson said the infant was ejected out the cars back window. She was pronounced dead later at a hospital. He identified her as Isabella Plunk, who lived in North Platte. Carson said the car driver, Matthew Plunk of North Platte, another passenger, Stacy Shannon, and the driver of the other vehicle, Allison Rosentrater of Arnold, also were hospitalized. Copyright 2017, the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Vice President Mike Pence will lead a commission to investigate voter registration issues, President Trump said Sunday. In an interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly before Super Bowl LI, Trump - who shortly after taking office told congressional lawmakers that 3 to 5 million illegal votes had cost him the popular vote against Hillary Clinton - reiterated his concerns about voter irregularities, saying he planned to task his vice president with looking into concerns over voter registration. "I'm going to set up a commission ... headed by Vice President Mike Pence, and we're going to look at it very, very carefully," Trump said. Despite no credible evidence that any massive voter fraud occurred, especially on the scale Trump suggested, during the 2016 presidential race, the president has continued to push the theory, much to the chagrin of some of his aides and many congressional leaders. His press secretary promised an investigation into the issue, although a rumored executive order to launch an inquiry has so far been postponed. On Sunday, O'Reilly pressed Trump on his penchant for making dubious claims without having "the data to back it up," and the president seemed to narrow his focus from large-scale voter fraud to irregularities with voter registration. "It has to do with the registration, and when you look at the registration and you see dead people that have voted," Trump said. "When you see people that are registered in two states, that have voted in two states, when you see other things, when you see illegals, people that are not citizens, and they are on the registration roles." Indeed, it can be common for voters to be on the rolls in multiple states, something Trump has cited as evidence of intentional voter fraud. The Washington Post has found at least five Trump family members or top administration appointees who were registered in two states during the 2016 election, including Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, and Stephen Bannon, his chief strategist. "Look, Bill, we can be babies, but you take a look at the registration, you have illegals, you have dead people you have this, it's really a bad situation, it's really bad," Trump concluded. The University of Nebraska has managed through rough budget periods in years past. Now the latest fiscal challenge has arisen in the wake of the nearly $900 million revenue shortfall projected for the states next two-year budget. NU needs to find about $58 million in budget tightening for that two-year period, to be divided between budget cuts and tuition increases. NU President Hank Bounds is approaching the challenge in a responsible way. He has been upfront in saying cuts on that scale cant be achieved without reductions in personnel and programs. NU has limited ability to avoid significant cuts, for several reasons. Salaries and benefits make up 81 percent of the university systems budget. Trying to cover the $58 million through tuition increases alone would undercut NUs efforts to preserve affordability for students and to boost enrollment. A 7 percent tuition increase, Bounds says, would still leave about $27 million in cuts to be made over two years. Other complications: Most university funds cant be transferred from one use to another (from research grants to housing needs, for example). The same goes for University of Nebraska Foundation funds about 99 percent of the donations are designated for specific uses. NU has rightly avoided making across-the-board cuts during recent recessions, choosing instead to protect priority academic programs in order to maintain major university initiatives. Bounds advocates the same course now. The question, then, becomes how to decide on cuts and efficiencies in a responsible way. NUs approach, as developed by Bounds, is an appropriate one. Its a collaborative process that aims to generate creative efficiency ideas and build consensus on where cuts should fall. To that end, Bounds has assembled a budget response team consisting of 10 committees with expertise in areas such as human resources, information technology and financial operations. About 100 people will participate, including administrators, faculty, staff and students. The committees will hone their recommendations over the next couple of months, with final proposals forwarded to Bounds on April 10. Bounds held public forums last week at NU campuses to get input from students, faculty and staff. While NU is pursuing this challenging work, state leaders in Nebraska have an important role to play, too. While NU needs to accept cuts along with other educational institutions, Gov. Pete Ricketts and the Legislature should avoid making the mistake made by states that have taken a hatchet to university budgets during tough fiscal times. NU stands as one of the central institutions in Nebraska. It is crucial in creating a 21st-century workforce and makes major contributions in terms of economic development, agricultural innovation and environmental understanding. NU has a national and in some cases international reputation for excellence in academic specializations including water and food science, medical research, biomechanics and early childhood studies. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is now competing in the Big Ten Conference, known for its high academic standards. Its crucial that the governor and lawmakers proceed carefully in deciding the funding level for NU, especially since the university has put forward a sensible strategy to manage the fiscal challenges that lie ahead. About 50 protesters, most wearing black and covering their faces, gathered at Gene Leahy Mall on Saturday before marching through the Old Market yelling No Trump, no KKK, no Fascist USA! The rally, organized by the groups La Alianza, Antifa Nebraska and Nebraska Left Coalition, was to show resistance against President Donald Trumps immigration and refugee policies. Most of the protesters described themselves as anarchists. The protest stayed mostly peaceful, dispersing shortly after a passer-by walked through the protesters and allegedly pushed one of them. More than 20 Omaha police officers moved in to separate the passer-by and the protesters. No arrests were made. Earlier, a driver in a passing car threw a cup of coffee at the group. Wearing all black and concealing their faces are tactics called black bloc, meant to give the protesters anonymity. The tactic has been around for decades but has made headlines recently as black-clad groups in other cities have provoked police and started fires at otherwise peaceful protests of Trumps election and inauguration. On Wednesday, protesters in black broke windows and set fires at the University of California Berkeley, to protest a planned speech by conservative Breitbart writer Milo Yiannopoulos at the campus. The speech was called off. Many people have misconceptions about groups that align with anarchistic ideas, said one protester, who declined to give his name. We want to be peaceful we arent here to smash windows or hurt anyone, he said. But we will promote militant self-defense for ourselves and our communities. The rally was monitored by police officers, several on horseback or on bicycles. When a police helicopter circled the area and an armored vehicle drove by, the protesters waved. As the protesters arrived at the Old Market, Lisa Melton who said she disagrees with their tactics confronted them. This is disruptive and inappropriate, she said, complaining about the profanities in the chants and on many of the protesters signs. Theres a right way to do this, and this isnt it. For Nick Koehler, 17, participating was his way to protest a president he wasnt old enough to vote against. He plans to go into politics, but said he wants his voice heard now. This is about fighting for our right to disagree, he said. Im really happy to see people that arent willing to sit back and take it. We are making progress by showing up and doing this. Afghan envoy lauds Trump's vision to eradicate terrorism India oi-IANS By Ians English N0ew Delhi, Feb 6: The Afghan envoy to India on Monday said that US President Donald Trump's way to fight radicalisation and global terrorism was the only way to combat it. "The greatest challenge for the region and the world is terrorism and radicalism, And he (Donald Trump) has said that it has to be eradicated," Shaida Mohammad Abdali, the Afghan Ambassador to India, said at a seminar in the national capital. "We hope that the policy of the new US administration will be such that engages the countries in the region around Afghanistan and the countries that are sincerely fighting terrorism. India has always been at the forefront of that," he added. Terming Afghanistan as a linchpin to regional stability owing to its geographic location, Abdali said that Afghanistan should be mainstreamed into regional economic cooperation to bring peace and security. Speaking on the role of China in the stability of Afghanistan, the envoy said: "We would like to utilise their resources and their potential. When it comes to their relationship with Pakistan, we hope they will be able to influence for productive engagement for peace." Talking on the peace deal with militant Hezb-i-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hikmatyar, Abdali said: "It's a good beginning for us when it comes to peace process. We hope that this will be used as a positive step towards engaging the Taliban and our neighbour Pakistan for successful peace process." In September last year, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani signed a peace accord with Hezb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. The United Nations at the request of the Afghan government dropped sanctions against Hekmatyar on February 4. IANS Congress will bring back old pension scheme in Gujarat, if voted to power: Rahul Gandhi Ready, get set, go: Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo speeds up in Telangana Ahamed's death: Protest rocks Parliament; Rahul leads agitators India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer New Delhi, Feb 6: On Monday, the Opposition staged a protest inside Parliament complex over the alleged 'secrecy' maintained by the Union Government over the death of former union minister E Ahamed. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi was a part of the protest attended by several members of parliament. Rahul Gandhi joins protest over issue of #EAhamed's death by MPs from Kerala inside Parliament complex pic.twitter.com/XE4q8inLe1 ANI (@ANI_news) February 6, 2017 The Opposition says the family of Ahamed was insulted and the news of his death was kept as a 'secret' for hours by the government. Ahamed suffered a cardiac arrest during the Lok Sabha session on January 31, a day before the Union Budget 2017 was presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 1. He was declared dead on February 1. The Opposition demanded to postpone the tabulation of budget in the wake of Ahamed's--a sitting MP--demise. However, the Centre went ahead and presented the budget. In response to the Opposition's allegations, union minister Venkaiah Naidu told ANI, "The government will answer if issue (Ahamed's death) is raised in Parliament. They (opposition leaders) are trying to politicise the issue. Doctors did their best. I don't understand, what's the issue?" One more protest was staged by the members of Trinamool Congress inside Parliament complex against the Centre's policies on Monday. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 11:31 [IST] In India terror down by 34%, civilian deaths by 90% since Art 370 scrapped: Shah Only those from political families can eye a CMs post in Congress: Amit Shah Amit Shah attacks SP govt in UP; calls Rahul, Akhilesh 'princes' India oi-PTI Noida (UP), Feb 6: Launching a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party, Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on Sunday said that the Uttar Pradesh government has failed on all fronts and alleged there are "gundaraj and jungleraj" in the state and now corruption-ridden Congress has joined hands with the ruling party. Voters will give a befitting reply to two "yuvrajs" (princes) who looted the state and the Centre, he said, referring to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi. Now both the "yuvrajs" are planning to loot the state, he said during a rally here for Noida candidate Pankaj Singh. Shah alleged that the "present state government is all failure and there are gundaraj and jungleraj in the state. "Now, corruption-ridden Congress has joined hands with the ruling SP. Under the SP rule, everyday 1,500 dacoity, kidnapping, loot and other crimes take place in the state. People live under fear and terror," Shah alleged. "In two-and-half-year of Prime Minister Narendra Modi rule, not a single corruption complaint has been made against any minister," he added. PTI Arvind Kejriwal returns to Bengaluru for treatment India oi-Anusha After weeks of hectic travel, campaigning and rallies for the Punjab and Goa assembly elections, Arvind Kejriwal is expected to head to Bengaluru on Tuesday for treatment. The Delhi Chief Minister will visit a naturopathy institute on the outskirts of Bengaluru for the treatment of high blood sugar. Kejriwal is expected to spend 10 to 12 days for treatment after which he will return to Delhi. The hectic schedule during the assembly polls seems to have taken a toll on the Delhi Chief Minister's health who had previously visited Bengaluru for the treatment for chronic cough. In 2015, he was admitted to the same institute for 12 days. An official who announced about Kejriwal's visit to Bengaluru also added that he had been on three doses of insulin a day while campaigning for the polls. OneIndia News Assam MLA telecasts speech on Facebook Live India oi-PTI Guwahati, Feb 6: Assam Assembly Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami today suspended AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam for three days for using Facebook Live to telecast his speech from inside the House. "Aminul Islam is suspended till February 8. I request Islam to leave the House immediately," Goswami said in presence of the AIUDF member. "It is a matter of great regret. The Ethics Committee recommended suspension of the member for a specific period during the current session. I have accepted its recommendation," he said. Islam, who left the House after the ruling, had used the social media platform on Friday during post-lunch session while the House was discussing a private member's resolution over timely solution to the illegal immigration problem. The AIUDF member later told the media outside that he had committed a mistake and accepted the verdict. "(But) At the same time, I also demand that entire proceedings of the Assembly be telecast live. People are demanding that as we are their representatives, they should see our all activities inside the House," Islam said. Earlier while pronouncing the verdict, Goswami said he had received complaints from several members, including the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, about the incident on February 3 during the ongoing Budget Session. "After that, my office submitted a video footage to me. It was a clear case of breach of Modal Code of Conduct. I requested the Ethics Committee to inquire into it and submit a report to me by February 6," he added. He informed the House that Islam had submitted a written apology for his conduct. "It is not a minor action. He (Islam) is a senior member and it was not expected of him," the Speaker said. Goswami said the Committee found that a similar incident had taken place inside Lok Sabha on July 26, 2016 and the Speaker had taken a strong action against the member concerned. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 16:56 [IST] 'Severe' yet again: Delhi air continues to remain toxic with AQI at 431 Anand Mahindra's tweet about UPI at country's 'last tea shop' is every Indian's emotion DCW chief Swati Maliwal gets bail from Delhi court India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, Feb 6: A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal in a case of alleged irregularities in appointments to the women's rights panel. Special Judge Hemani Malhotra granted the bail to the DCW chief after asking her to furnish a personal and surety bond of Rs 20,000. While granting bail, the court observed that the case was based on documentary evidence. Maliwal appeared before the court in pursuance of summons issued in January. The court has listed the matter for April 6 for further hearing. Taking cognizance of the chargesheet filed by the Anti-Corruption Branch, Malhotra on January 18 issued the summons to Maliwal. Maliwal was charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The ACB action followed a complaint filed by Maliwal's predecessor Barkha Singh Shukla of the Congress. Shukla alleged that Aam Aadmi Party workers were appointed in the DCW to fetch them financial gains. The ACB investigated 85 appointments. Maliwal denied the charges and said the action was taken to put pressure on her not to investigate cases against leaders of a political party. IANS For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 18:08 [IST] Corn farmer Illinois By the time President Donald Trump took office, he had already gotten involved in one of the worlds biggest mergers. In mid-January, the CEOs of Bayer and Monsanto, Werner Baumann and Hugh Grant, reported in a joint statement that they had a "very productive meeting" with the incoming president about their potential $66 billion merger. The deal, which the two companies announced in September, would combine the German pharmaceutical and chemical group with the US seed giant a move they say would boost agriculture research and innovation. "By the time 2050 rolls around, the world will have 10 billion people, and the demand for food will double," Robb Fraley, Monsanto's chief technology officer, tells Business Insider. "The whole point here is that the business combination between Monsanto and Bayer will allow the companies to invest in and create more innovation, and it's going to take a huge amount of innovation in order to double the world's food supply." Farmers arent so sure. From my perspective, they're saying the exact opposite of what most people in the industry actually believe," Clay Govier, a farmer in central Nebraska, tells Business Insider. Govier is the fifth generation to work on his family farm of 3,000 acres, which primarily grows corn and soybeans. The farm has used Monsanto products for at least 12 years, and if this merger goes through, Govier's family expects seed and chemical prices to increase. With both corn and soybean commodity prices at some of their lowest levels since 2012, that could put many small family farms in tough positions. "I just sat down to chat with my banker the other day, and fortunately we're in a position that I don't think we're going to have to have a hard conversation when it comes to loans for next year," Govier says. "But he said there are a lot of guys out there that are going to have a really hard conversation." Story continues With the increasing consolidation of the agriculture supply industry (Monsanto-Bayer is one of three major mergers on the table, along with Dow-DuPont and Syngenta-ChemChina), Govier doesn't expect things to get easier anytime soon. "They're locking in their profit and they're cornering the market by getting bigger, not by creating new products," he says of Bayer and Monsanto. "They're just choking out the rest of the competition." Hugh Grant Monsanto The size of the Bayer-Monsanto deal it was the biggest merger announced in 2016 after AT&T and Time Warner means the companies have to seek approval from regulators in 30 countries. The recent Trump Tower get-together, which occurred before the president nominated a secretary of agriculture, signaled that the deal has a good chance of getting Trump's approval. In a statement, Baumann and Grant suggested that the new president shared their view of the agriculture industry's need for innovation. To that end, the companies highlighted their plan to spend $16 billion on research and development worldwide over six years an average of $2.67 billion a year. But a look at their current R&D budgets reveals that added up, the two companies already spend approximately $2.59 billion a year, so the combined increase in funds amounts to less than $500 million over six years. "Let's just cut to the chase: These companies want to make more money, they want to raise prices," says Mark Connelly, an agriculture analyst at the brokerage and investment group CLSA Americas. "No company in this industry needs these deals in order to innovate." Data compiled by the Farmers Business Network, a data-distribution network that collects crowd-sourced information from members, backs up Connelly's concern. FBN analyzed corn-seed yield (the number of bushels farmers can produce per acre) in relation to the seed brands' market share, based on data from 5.75 million acres of corn. It found that while greater market share was correlated with higher yield a primary goal of agricultural innovation the rise wasn't proportional. "After you got to a few percent market share, it really tapered off quite quickly," FBN cofounder Charles Baron says. "So going from 5 or 10 percent to 20 or 30 percent market share didn't lead to a massive yield increase." Corn seed price vs market share Farmers Business Network When plotting seed prices in relation to market share, FBN data also showed that greater market dominance was correlated with higher corn seed and chemical prices. That doesn't bode well for farmers, since several of the agricultural companies with proposed mergers already make up a significant portion of the market, according to Connelly's analysis. "If you look at how much of the farmers' seed and pesticide dollars are going to these companies, Monsanto-Bayer if it were one company today would be getting $1 out of every $3," Connelly says. "Dow-Dupont would be taking one out of every $4. Think that's a problem? Holy crap, right?" Bayer representatives acknowledged in a statement to Business Insider that they were often confronted with the allegation that the merger would raise prices and reduce innovation and competition. Werner Baumann Bayer "We disagree with this and are convinced the opposite is true," the company wrote. "We are competing with other very strong companies that offer similar products and have strong R&D capabilities. We will only succeed with pricing and selling our products if our value proposition to our customers is better than that of our competitors and if we continue to innovate. We are also convinced that in a competitive business such as the agriculture industry, the efficiency gains generated by innovation will increase returns for farmers." Monsanto's Fraley estimates that, under the current system, it takes about a decade for a company to develop and get approval for a new herbicide. Then if that product is popular, it'll take the company another 10 years to make a seed trait that responds to the new chemical. But since Bayer and Monsanto's combined resources might allow them to develop paired products in tandem, they could halve the time it takes to bring those new products to farmers, he says. Connelly has a different hypothesis. Monsanto has historically sought out partnerships and joint ventures with other companies that have innovative products. But that means dividing up profits. So Connelly predicts the size of a combined Monsanto-Bayer will lead the new company to favor a mediocre product or solution that it can develop in-house over a more promising one that would require a revenue-sharing partnership. "We're not going to be chasing the best solution anymore we're going to be chasing the good-enough solution," Connelly says. Soybean farmer Illinois Todd Eney, a fourth-generation farmer in central Montana, says that as suppliers of seeds and chemicals have become more consolidated, he hasn't seen many benefits. "These corporate bigwigs, are they really going to do what they say?" he asks. "Our farm has been out here since 1935, and I'm 40 years old and I've watched a lot of small family farms in our area go under. They can't compete because they can't pay the price of input because of what these companies are wanting to charge for input now." Eney's farm grows wheat, malt barley, and field peas, and it uses Roundup, Monsanto's popular weed killer. This year, he says, he and his father decided to use 50% less fertilizer to cut costs. The possibility of further consolidation has him on edge. Clay Govier has a similar feeling. "You know, it's almost like you shrug your shoulders and cross your fingers that your regulators are going to have a backbone and not let it happen, he says. NOW WATCH: Watch this Italian artist use a tractor to make a giant portrait of Donald Trump More From Business Insider 'Jaya's death was unexpected, exhuming her body is ridiculous' India oi-Anusha Dr Richard Beale who treated Jayalalithaa at Chennai's Apollo hospital met the media in Chennai to speak about the circumstances that led to her death on Monday. Beale, who was brought in to treat Jayalalithaa on September 30 to Apollo Hospital, along with MMC coordinator Dr Balaji addressed the conference where reporters were told that the former chief minister suffered from a condition of a blood infection that led to organ failure. The doctors said that Jayalalithaa suffered a cardiac arrest while a medical personnel was in the room. "We started CPR immediately and it went on for about 20 minutes. She was not responding and we failed to get a heart rhythm. She was then put on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation," Dr Beale said. He also added that Jayalalithaa herself did not want to be transferred to London. "We did review the option of transferring her to London but there are risks while transporting critical case patients. Facilities at Apollo are first grade. In later stages, she herself did not want to be transferred," he said. 'Bacterial infection the underlying problem' The doctors said that Jayalalithaa was communicating through sign language and the doctors attempted lip reading to understand but as her condition improve initially she was aware and able to interact more. "We tried to start the improvement process as soon as we could. Physiotherapist, dieticians worked together. We meticulously planned the way treatment was provided to her," he said adding that sleeping medicines had to be given to her to ensure that she rested. A day after Sasikala Natarajan was elected as the AIADMK's legislative party leader, the Tamil Nadu government arranged for this press conference to dispel rumours and allegations surrounding Jayalalithaa's death. "Sepsis can affect quickly and a person can fall sick within hours. Bacterial infection was the underlying problem," Beale said. 'She was fully interactive' The doctor duo said that while she was admitted for dehydration and fever, her condition worsened. "Infection spread to organs and led to shortness of breath," he said.When asked about her state of alertness when she gave her accent to election commission papers, Beale said that her condition improved initially and she was fully interactive. "For a period of time, she was treated with non-invasive ventilation, and initial condition improved but sepsis progressed. It was necessary for her to go on a ventilator. She was fully interactive," he said. The doctors said that it was not regular practice to click pictures or publish private details of patients and hence none was made public. Beale called in an intrusion on her privacy. 'Treatment cost between Rs 5 and Rs 5.5 crore' During her hospitalisation, very limited people had access to Jayalalithaa. Beale on Tuesday said that Jayalalithaa took a call on who she would meet. "The chief minister would be personally asked if she would like to meet someone who was waiting. We would allow the person based on whether she wanted to or not," said Babu. The team of doctors said that the entire cost of treatment provided to Jayalalithaa was between Rs 5 and Rs 5.5 crore. "The bill has been handed over to the family and they will make the payment," Balaji said. Beale on being asked about interactions with Sasikala said, "I met Sasikala on a number of occasions. She was present much of the time. She was both, a close friend and confidante Jayalalithaa. She was caring and supportive." He added that sedation did not prevent her from interacting to some extent and sedation was given to her only to relieve pain but was gradually reduced. Jaya passed away on December 5, not before Beale said it was ridiculous to exhume Jayalalithaa's body when told that a section of the public wanted tests conducted to verify chances of poisoning. "There is no question here about poisoning. Anyone who goes through medical history will realise how silly this question is. It is clear what. There was nothing mysterious. We have given her the best treatment," he said. The doctors reiterated that Jayalalithaa passed away on December 5 and not earlier as rumours suggest. Dr Sudha, director of anatomy at Madras Medical college gave out details of embalming procedure carried out on Jayalalithaa. "Embalming was done post-midnight after her death was announced. In cases of VIP death, the body is generally placed for public viewing and hence embalming is done. There were only ecchymotic spots when embalming was done," she said. She also said that had there been abnormal marks or pokes on her face, oozing would have taken place. Beale further added that Jayalalithaa did not undergo any amputation or transplant. On concerns raised over marks on her face, he said, "Critically ill patients can have some marks on their cheeks." Balaji, who addressed the media alongside Beale, added that he had read out the Election Commission letter to her while she was conscious, and had attested her thumb impression. While maintaining that the press meet was organised by the government, the doctors maintained that there was no political pressure to dispel rumours but thought it best to address the issues. Balaji claimed that regular updates were given to AIADMK general secretary Sasikala Natarajan, Deputy Speaker Tambidurai and the then chief secretary. 'It was out of the blue' "They were given updates on her health on a daily basis," they said. They added that she was with 'family' when undergoing treatment but refused to name who the family was. Beale had released a press statement after Jayalalithaa's health condition deteriorated. He had called it a 'grave condition'. Recalling the day he said, " When this event (cardiac arrest) happened, I was informed. I was participating remotely. Could not join because of realities of travelling. I was surprised because it was out of the blue. The collapse especially when she was on road to recovery was shocking." He also added that Jayalalithaa was given the care that could have been given in any hospital in the world. "When patients have a cardiac arrest, an ECMO is done but the outcome is mostly very poor," he said. He said that after a period the team of doctors treating her accepted the futility of the exercise. "It was a medical decision to take her off ECMO," he said while also adding that the government was informed of the same. OneIndia News UGC-NET 2022 results to be declared today; check steps to download scorecard 'Severe' yet again: Delhi air continues to remain toxic with AQI at 431 Anand Mahindra's tweet about UPI at country's 'last tea shop' is every Indian's emotion Manish Sisodiya claims his PA 'arrested' by ED after conducting raids Dreaded criminal arrested; 2 policemen injured in Delhi shootout India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, Feb 6: Two Delhi Police personnel were injured on Monday in a shootout in Delhi with a gang of alleged criminals, that led to the arrest of one of the wanted gangsters who carried a reward of Rs 25,000. Delhi: After shootout near Nehru Place Metro Station, Police nabbed criminal Akbar, carrying a reward of Rs25k on his head.His aide escaped. pic.twitter.com/ZVyxhFOBwO ANI (@ANI_news) February 6, 2017 Delhi:Police nabbed criminal Akbar,carrying a reward of Rs25k on his head,aftr firing frm both sides near Nehru Place metro.His aide escaped ANI (@ANI_news) February 6, 2017 A police spokesperson said that a police team tried to stop the criminals, whose exact number was not known, near Eros Hotel in south Delhi's Nehru Place when one of them opened fire. Two cops were left injured in the incident, informed police. The captured was identified as Akbar, while most of the criminals fled the scene, the spokesperson added. IANS Fans want superstar Rajinikanth to join politics to save TN from Sasikala India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Chennai, Feb 6: Going by social media posts, there seems to be an extensive 'unhappiness' among many about All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary VK Sasikala becoming the next chief minister of Tamil Nadu. Thus, Rajinikanth fans want him to join mainstream politics to provide a better political alternative after the demise of late CM Jayalaithaa last year. On social media, fans of Rajinikanth appealed to their 'hero' to join politics to stop Sasikala becoming the next CM of the state. @superstarrajini thalaiva we need you to come and help us to avoid this situation. Sasikala should not become CM #voteagainstsasikala UdayaKumar Shanmugam (@calludaya4500) February 5, 2017 On Sunday, Sasikala was elected as legislature party leader by members of legislative assembly during a party meeting, paving way for her to become the next CM of the state. Afterwards, O Panneerselvam gave his resignation as the state's CM. Panneerselvam's resignation was accepted by TN governor Vidhyasagar Rao on Monday. Moreover, on Sunday, Rajinikanth attended a book launch function in Chennai, where he spoke about 'spiritualism' and 'power'. "If anyone asks me to choose between fame, money, and spiritualism, I will choose spiritualism as it gives you a lot of power and I always love power," said Rajinikanth. Many 'mistook' his liking for 'power' as an indication from the veteran actor that he desires to join 'politics'. However, Rajinikanth quickly clarified that 'power' has nothing to do with 'politics'. OneIndia News Truth has come out, says Sasikala in reaction to OPS's remark before panel Jaya's DA case to be pronounced this week India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Supreme Court is likely to deliver its verdict in the Jayalalithaa Disproportionate assets case by the end of this week. Sources say that the verdict to be pronounced by a division bench comprising Justices P C Ghose and Amitava Roy is ready. Senior Counsel Dushyant Dave who argued for Karnataka made a mention before the court on Monday that it was his unpleasant duty to remind the bench about the verdict. He sought to know when the verdict that was reserved over three months back would be pronounced. Verdict assumes importance in the wake of Sasikala Natarajan likely to assume office as chief minister of Tamil Nadu. Sasikala was the accused number 2 in the case. She, along with Jayalalithaa, Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran were acquitted in the case by the Karnataka High Court. The trial court had sentenced all four to 4 years of imprisonment. After the acquittal by the high court, Karnataka the prosecuting state had preferred an appeal in the Supreme Court. OneIndia News Link all mobile numbers to Aadhar within 1 year: SC tells Centre India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to ensure that the Aadhar number of every phone subscriber should be registered within a year. The SC set an outer limit of 1 year for the Centre to register details of each mobile phone subscriber including those with pre-paid connections. The court said that there are over 100 crore mobile subscribers. The court made it mandatory that all the customers' Aadhar numbers be registered without fail within one year. The court also directed the Centre to device a way so that each person with a pre-paid sim would have to fill and deposit a form whenever he or she recharges. The court asked the Central government to make policies within a year regarding framing of rules and regulations so that SIM cards are not misused. The court said that the verification has become important in the view of mobile phones being used for banking purposes. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 12:34 [IST] Missing JNU student, father Tom Uzhunnalil's issue raised in RS India oi-PTI New Delhi, Feb 6: Alleging political vendetta behind the disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, Rajya Sabha TMC member Vivek Gupta Monday demanded a CBI probe into the matter. Najeeb had gone missing on October 15 following an on-campus scuffle allegedly with ABVP members the night before. Raising the issue during the zero hour in the house, Gupta asked the government whether any special measures have been initiated to trace the missing student. Alleging that the JNU officials were insensitive in the matter, he wondered whether Najeeb will end up just as statistics about missing persons. Gupta said the ABVP students allegedly involved in the incident have not yet been questioned. He also claimed that the vice chancellor of the University had even refused to meet the mother of the missing student. "This a clear case of political vendetta. We are witnessing that political vendetta is spreading like a cancer in the country," he said and asked the Centre to order a CBI probe or any other appropriate enquiry to trace Najeeb. He further said political vendetta is a 'serious' matter and demanded a statement from the government on the issue. Joy Abraham (KC-M) raised the issue of Father Tom Uzhunnalil, a priest from Kerala abducted by a terror group in war-torn Yemen last year, and sought the help of the entire house for his early release. "It seems his life is in danger...It seems his health is deteriorating," he said and sought speedy intervention by the government in the matter. Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had earlier spoken on the issue and the matter is being 'definitely' being taken up. "Since he is an Indian citizen, we all have to be concerned about this," she added. Deputy chairman P J Kurien asked Minister of State for parliamentary affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to convey the members' concerns to the external Affairs minister. In his Zero Hour mention, TMC's Nadimul Haque highlighted the poor financial condition of several ex-sportspersons who have made the country proud. He said many of them have to take up petty jobs to earn their livelihood. RJD's Prem Chand Gupta sought a discussion on the issue. Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairman said the business in the House was 'productive and fruitful' compared to the days of disruption, in an apparent reference to the nearly washed out Winter Session. "Let's do like this. It will be good for us," he said. Rajya Sabha has not witnessed any adjournment in the ongoing Budget Session so far. PTI Why is the DMK continuing to oppose the imposition of Hindi? - 50 years of struggle and the truth! Officer who spearheaded operation to kill Veerappan recounts outlaws strange sixth sense India oi-IANS By Ians English New Delhi, Feb 6: Almost 13 years after his elimination, the senior police officer who spearheaded the Tamil Nadu Special Task Force that planned and executed bandit Veerappan's killing during Operation Cocoon, has said that the dreaded outlaw had a strange "sixth sense". "On one occasion, a lizard fell on his left shoulder from a tree and this man believed it was a sign of bad luck. So he turned around and left immediately, avoiding a reception team waiting with a light machine gun. "He had also rolled cowrie shells while the fate of his victim hung in balance. He even killed a person as a police informer as the number on cowrie shells was odd," K. Vijay Kumar told IANS in an interview. Kumar's upcoming book, "Veerappan: Chasing the Brigand", is a lucid and incisive account of the rise and fall of India's most dreaded forest brigand. It will be released on Wednesday by Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The decorated retired IPS officer further said that Veerapan's lucky escapes and 11th hour U-turns are a galore. Citing one example, he said a barber who gave Veerapan a close shave had an equally close save with the STF. "He threw away his kit and the two young officers could not identify him. Only if they had smelt his hands, which was smelling of soap, the bandit's CV would have been shorter," said Kumar. Kumar, a 1975 batch IPS officer from the Tamil Nadu cadre, headed the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad in 2008 and served as the Director General of Central Reserve Police Force from 2010 to 2012. He is currently Senior Security Adviser in the Home Ministry. Revealing more about Operation Cocoon, Kumar said the STF was tipped off by an influential businessman who had links with the radicals in Sri Lanka. This businessman was helping Veerapan with information and other logistical support. "He was worried about his image. His crime was not exactly sedition, but came within a whisker. Such fringe elements fluently inhabit the underground. The axiom is 'a third class guy with first class intel is higher up in protocol than a first class guy with a third class intel'. So our doing business with him was fine," Kumar contended. Veerapan's eyesight was failing and the businessman was supposed to arrange for a cataract operation. The STF then tutored the businessman about the plan, which led to the final encounter with Veerapan. The details of this encounter are set to be unveiled in "Veerappan: Chasing the Brigand". The book traces his dramatic rise from a small-time poacher and sandalwood smuggler to a brutal fugitive who held three states to ransom for two decades. But how does Kumar look at Veerapan? "Not contemptuously. There was no animus. I had a job to do: to fix him. I tried to be as detached as is practically possible but this does not mean I ever erased from my mind the toxicity of his presence and heavy attrition he caused. "I never diminished him -- except for the morale of my force, just so he was not seen as '10-feet tall'. There's nothing STF can't do, such good men it had, but deep down I worried about his next darshan and Houdini trick," he shared. The ruthless killings and high-profile kidnappings masterminded by Veerappan, including the 108-day ordeal involving Kannada cinema superstar Rajkumar, are described in fascinating detail in Kumar's book. "As a standard practice, his caricature adorned our shooting targets. I can't say if it improved our marksmanship or was just cathartic. Secretly, I kept a picture of him in my table drawer -- probably mimicking General (later Field Marshal Bernard Law) Montgomery who kept on his table a picture of his adversary (German Field Marshal Ervin) Rommel, the Desert Fox -- till he defeated him," added Kumar. One question remains: What took Kumar 13 long years to pen this book? "Why not? I got stuck with things. If I had wanted to stir up a sensation, the very next year would have been the best. But I guess time and distance also lend objectivity, clarity and hopefully, enchantment," he said. Despite the time lag, there are a lot of insights into the encounter that only a handful can share. IANS For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 16:35 [IST] OP Chautala granted parole on health grounds India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer The Delhi High Court on Friday granted parole to former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, who is serving a 10-year jail term in teachers' recruitment scam case, on health grounds. The INLD leader had sought six months parole citing his poor health, said reports. In January, the HC had granted the former Haryana chief minister a day's parole to attend his grandson and MP Dushyant Chautala's engagement on January 3. Justice Vipin Sanghi had then ordered Chautala's release for a day on his furnishing a bond of Rs 50,000 and directed the INLD leader to surrender on January 4 at 11 am. In his main plea last year, Chautala has contended that the Delhi government's December 14 decision was passed in 'an extremely unfair manner upon flimsy grounds'. 82-year-old Chautala also said that he is 'polio-affected since his birth and has permanent disability of 60 per cent'. He said he was on bail during the trial and was released on parole, but he has never misused the same. Chautala, his son Ajay and three others are serving 10-years jail term in the case. The Supreme Court on August 3 last year had dismissed the Chautalas' appeals against the high court's verdict upholding their conviction and sentence of 10 years awarded by a trial court in the junior basic trained (JBT) teachers recruitment scam case. (OneIndia News with agency inputs) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 20:03 [IST] Pakistani troops violate ceasefire twice in Samba sector India oi-PTI New Delhi, Feb 6: Pakistani troops on Monday targeted forward Indian positions twice by using small arms and mortar bombs along the International Border in Samba sector of Jammu and Kashmir. No one was injured in the ceasefire violation, the first by Pakistani troops this year. "At about 08:45 hours, Pakistani troops resorted to small arms firing in Samba sector along the IB", a senior BSF officer said. It was followed by small arms firing and also shelling of 51 MM mortar bombs from 09:35 hours from the Pakistani side, he said. "Our troops also retaliated. No loss of life or damage to property has been reported from the area", he said. It may be recalled that Indian troops had foiled an attack by heavily armed terrorists on troops deployed on forward areas along the IB in Samba sector on February 2. The terrorists entered Indian territory and targeted troops by opening fire from automatic weapons and also firing of Under Barrel Grenades, forcing them to retreat. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 12:57 [IST] PoK land on rent by Indian Army? CBI smells a rat India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Central Bureau of Investigation is probing a scam in which officials have drawn money out of the exchequer to pay rent to land located in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Rent was being drawn out from the exchequer and through forged documents it is being shown as rent was paid by army personnel. CBI sources say that they are probing to find out who exactly the rent was being paid to. It was made to appear as though the rent was paid towards army land, but investigations have shown that the land in question belongs to an individual. PoK land on rent: Documents registered in 1970 show that the land in question is under the occupation by one Maqbooza in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. The land documents are numbered as 3000, 3035, 3041 and 3045 and measures 122 kanals (61714.6 square meters) and 18 marlas (455.2 square meters). This is clearly not defence land and neither has the army rented it out. However, it was noticed that rent was bring drawn out since 2000 and paid as though it was being transacted by army personnel. Forged documents prepared by an officer show that the land was occupied by army officials towards which the rent was being paid. While the CBI has managed to ascertain the culprits behind this scam, the agency is probing if there this land does really have an owner. We are unable to tell if the land really exists or not. If there is such land, then we are probing to find out if the owner as shown in the document is real or fake, CBI officials also informed. Investigations have revealed that some officers from Rajouri and Patwari Nowshera areas had entered into a conspiracy in 2000. They had prepared forged documents and were drawing rent from the exchequer on the pretext of paying it for army land, the probe further revealed. The land shown by the officers is in PoK and this is what set the doubt in the first place, CBI officials add. The CBI has also learnt that there was a board meeting in 2000 which was also attended by one Army officer. During this meeting it was declared that the land in question was under the occupation of the defence forces. It was on the basis of this declaration that the rent was released from the exchequer, CBI sources informed. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 14:10 [IST] Punjab may have a clear winner, Goa a split verdict: Expert India oi-Vicky By Vicky Goa and Punjab have polled and in a month's time the winner would be clear. Both states saw a very high voter turn out and some pollsters say that this signals a change in the ruling government. Sandeep Shastri, one of the country's leading psephologists (a branch of political science which deals with election analysis) says that there is no evidence to show that when a voter turn out is higher the ruling party will lose. Evidence only shows that a high voter turn out only means the people are keen on casting their mandate says Shastri in this conversation with OneIndia. Who is winning Punjab: "In Punjab the Shiromani Akali Dal seemed to be unpopular. However, that cannot be said about the BJP. Is the BJP going to be impacted by this factor or now? Time would tell," says Shastri. "The keenness of a high turnout of voters is largely because of the presence of an alternative party in the elections. In Punjab, there is a good chance of a Delhi scenario repeating. There could have been a frustration towards conventional politics like was seen in Delhi when the people voted for AAP," he says. "I, however feel that there are certain factors that may have hurt the AAP in Punjab. The one major issue is that there is no credible face for the party in Punjab who could lead the party. This could have led to the voter believing that the government may be remote controlled from Delhi, he adds. "With regard to the chances of the Congress, yes it had its best chance in Punjab. However, the few factors that I see going against the party is in terms of its national image. It has taken a strong beating since 2014, and the party has not won a single election since then. The Congress has not pushed itself the extra mile and even if it wins, it would be a default win. However, one thing I would say is that Punjab would have a clear winner," Shashtri says. Who is winning Goa: "I feel that the party that has managed to beat the factionalism the most is the winner here. All parties have had its share of troubles. The party that has beaten factionalism is the winner here," he points out. "The BJP has had its share of troubles. The key to the BJP's chances in Goa depends on how well it has handled these problems in the state. I feel that there is a good chance that Goa will see a split verdict. For the BJP the absence of (Defence Minister) Manohar Parrikar has hurt it the most. The BJP is likely to lose this state because of its strengthening of Delhi. Parrikar is returning to Delhi and there is no doubt about that. He is basically caught in a bind," Shastri signs off. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 16:23 [IST] Lack of development in J&K for decades was one of the reasons behind rise of terrorism: Rajnath Singh Rajnath Singh challenges Pakistan to conduct referendum; rubbishes Kashmir plebiscite India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer New Delhi, Feb 6: During an election rally on Sunday, Home Minister Rajnath Singh challenged Pakistan to conduct a referendum to check if its citizens want to be part of India. The HM's remark is seen by security experts as a smart way to bury the demand of Pakistan to conduct a plebiscite in Kashmir, to which the neighbouring country stakes a claim. "Now Pakistan wants referendum on Kashmir but one thing is clear that Kashmir was with India and will be with India and no power can change that. There should instead be a referendum in Pakistan, asking whether its people want to remain in the same country or want to merge with India," Singh said during a rally at Haridwar in the poll-bound Uttarakhand on Sunday. The relationship between India and Pakistan soured to a great extent last year in the aftermath of Uri attack. Since then, the two countries are locked in an unprecedented diplomatic acrimony and border tension after the September 18 terror attack on a military base in Kashmir's border town of Uri that killed 19 soldiers. "I want to tell this to Pakistan that India always wants to establish peaceful relations, but it was only Islamabad which has tried to disrupt the relationship. They need to stop these terrorists and those who are asking for referendum on Kashmir," Singh said. "We want peaceful relations with Pakistan, but time and again Pakistan is responsible for notorious activities," he added. Last year, India carried out surgical strikes against terror launch pads and killed an unspecified number of terrorists in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. "Through surgical strikes, we have showed the world that even we can take strong action. India is a peace loving country but, however, it is no longer a soft nation," the HM said. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 14:50 [IST] Man rapes 8-year-old to use her blood for removing obstacles to his marriage Saradha scam accused Manoranjana Sinh gets SC bail India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Supreme Court granted bail to Manoranjana Sinh, an accused in the Saradha chit fund scam on Monday. Manoranjana, the estranged wife of former union minister Matang Sinh moved the Supreme Court after the Calcutta high court had rejected her bail plea. The CBI had arrested her for allegedly taking money from Saradha group chairman Sudipto Sen by threatening him. The CBI had said she has been accused of misappropriation of funds, cheating and criminal conspiracy. It was also alleged that she had taken Rs 25 crore from Saradha Group boss and main accused Sudipto Sen for selling off his channel. She was the managing director of NE Tv that was involved in a financial transaction with ponzi Saradha Group. Sen had named Manoranjana saying she was responsible for siphoning off a huge amount while settling a deal between Saradha Group and her firm Positive Group. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 11:37 [IST] Stall Sasikala from taking over as TN CM till DA case is decided: Petition in SC India oi-Vicky A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court to put on hold the swearing in ceromony of V Sasikala until the verdict in the Disproportionate Assets case is decided. The plea states that Sasikala should not take over as chief minister of Tamil Nadu until the DA case verdict is pronounced. The SC is likely to take up the matter for hearing on Tuesday. The plea comes a few hours after the Supreme Court had indicated that it would pronounce the verdict by next week. On Monday the stage was set for the swearing in of Sasikala as the new CM of Tamil Nadu. [Sasikala Natarajan to take oath as CM on Tuesday] Sasikala was the accused 2 in the DA case. She along with the late Jayalalithaa and two others convicted by the trial court at Bengaluru. The Supreme Court was moved in appeal after the Karnataka High Court had acquitted all four accused in the case. OneIndia News Suspicious object found at Red Fort, triggers panic India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer New Delhi, Feb 6: A suspicious object was found inside the Red Fort on Monday that set alarm bells ringing. However, upon inspection it was found that the object was an unused explosive material. The maintainance staff at the Red Fort contacted the local police after detecting the explosives following which NSG bomb disposal teams were rushed to the spot. Officials said that the explosives appeared to be old army ammunition and was being inspected. Meanwhile, the area around the Red Fort has been cordoned off and officials have been deployed to prevent any untoward incident from taking place. Police officials have asked the people not to panic. Apart from this unused explosives and mortar shells were also found inside the fort. This comes after there was an alert issued that terrorists may target the Red Fort during the Republic Day celebrations. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 12:06 [IST] Truth has come out, says Sasikala in reaction to OPS's remark before panel Never interfered in medical treatment of Jayalalithaa: Sasikala denies all allegations levelled by panel TN Governor not likely to administer oath to Sasikala: Sources India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Tamil Nadu Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao is not likely to administer oath to AIADMK's legislative party leader Sasikala as the state's chief minister on Tuesday, said sources. The Governor is said to be examining the legal implications as Sasikala's name features in the disproportionate assets case. Sources: TN governor unlikely to administer oath of Sasikala, Guv examining legal implication as there is hearing in a case against Sasikala ANI (@ANI_news) February 6, 2017 Sources also say that the Governor has cancelled all his engagements for Tuesday ahead of the crucial matter. Earlier, a plea was filed in the Supreme Court to put on hold the swearing in ceromony of Sasikala until the verdict in the Disproportionate Assets case is decided. The plea states that Sasikala should not take over as chief minister of Tamil Nadu until the DA case verdict is pronounced. On the other hand, senior Congress leader and former union minister P. Chidambaram earlier on Monday said that the Tamil Nadu Governor can use his discretionary powers to decline to swear in Sasikala as the chief minister in the backdrop of cases against her by the ED and pending Supreme Court verdict in the disproportionate assets case. [Stall Sasikala from taking over as TN CM till DA case is decided: petition in SC] Sasikala was one of the accused in the DA case. She along with the late Jayalalithaa and two others were convicted by the trial court at Bengaluru. The Supreme Court was moved in appeal after the Karnataka High Court had acquitted all four accused in the case. [Chidambaram says Governor can stop Sasikala from being sworn-in as CM] OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, February 7, 2017, 0:00 [IST] Unclaimed bag found inside Parliament complex India oi-PTI New Delhi, Feb 6: An unclaimed bag was found near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the Parliament House complex on Monday, sending security personnel into a tizzy. As soon as it was spotted on Monday morning, security was alerted and the personnel rushed to the spot, Parliament sources said. However, nothing suspicious was found and the security officials took away the bag. It was being ascertained whose bag it is, the sources said. The Budget Session of Parliament is in progress. The incident happened soon after a protest demonstration by Opposition MPs, mostly from Congress and Trinamool Congress, in front of the Gandhi statue which is located right opposite the main entrance of the Parliament building. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi was among the Opposition members who were protesting against the manner in which the death of former Union Minister and Lok Sabha MP E Ahamed was handled by the government. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 12:31 [IST] US visa issue: Nirmala to hold meeting with industry soon India oi-PTI New Delhi, Feb 6 : Amid concerns being raised by India Inc on the US visa regime, the Commerce and Industry Ministry on Monday said it will soon hold a meeting with the industry including Nasscom to discuss the issue. Commerce and industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that India is closely monitoring the developments and is constantly in touch with the councillor office in the US. "There are several nuances to that...So I would not rush to give a view on it, yes there is going to be an impact...We will be holding a meeting with Nasscom, industries which have significant presence in the US, talking to them about how they are working out in this environment, what are there strategies," she told reporters. She said the meeting would be convened soon after the parliament go for recess. "We are going to have a clear exchange and discussions with them and after that, I will be able to have a clearer picture of where the industry is...," she added. Industry body Nasscom has said that it will take a delegation of senior executives to Washington DC later this month to reach out to the new US administration as well as senators on concerns around clampdown on visas and flow of skilled manpower between the two nations. The delegation will highlight and share information with the new US administration on direct jobs being created by Indian IT companies in the US, and contribution of Indian IT firms in making the US economy competitive. The proposed overhaul of popular H-1B visa regime by American President Donald Trump has raised concerns among the Indian IT firms, as any changes in the visa regime may result in higher operational costs and shortage of skilled workers for the USD 110 billion Indian outsourcing industry. Indian IT sector, which contributes 9.3 per cent of the country's GDP, is one of the largest private sector employer at 3.7 million people. The US contributes nearly 62 per cent of the exports, while EU is the second largest market for the Indian IT services exporters contributing approximately 28 per cent. Recently, a US legislation has been introduced that proposes doubling of the minimum wages of H-1B visa holders to USD 130,000. The current H-1B minimum wage of USD 60,000 was fixed in 1989 and has since remained unchanged. Such protectionist stance by the US could also spell more trouble for IT firms that are already facing strong headwinds from currency fluctuation and cautious client spending. The Ministry of External Affairs has said India's interest and concerns on the issue have been conveyed both to the US administration and the US Congress at senior levels. PTI 2016 recorded highest civilian casualties in Afghanistan International oi-PTI Kabul, Feb 6: Civilian casualties in Afghanistan in 2016 hit their highest recorded level, the UN said today, with nearly 11,500 non-combatants -- one third of them children -- killed or wounded. Fighting between Afghan security forces and militants, especially in populated areas, remained "the leading cause of civilian casualties" more than two years after NATO's combat mission ended, said the UN, which began documenting civilian casualties in 2009. More than 3,500 children were among the victims, a "disproportionate" increase of 24 percent in one year, its report said. This was mainly due to a 66 per cent increase in casualties, most of whom were children, from unexploded ordnance. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said there were 11,418 civilian casualties (3,498 deaths and 7,920 injured), an increase of three per cent over 2015, With insecurity spiralling as fighting spreads to all 34 provinces, "UNAMA documented record numbers of civilian casualties from ground engagements, suicide and complex attacks and explosive remnants of war", said the mission's human rights director Danielle Bell. 2016 also saw the highest number yet of civilian casualties caused by air strikes -- 590, of whom 250 were killed, the report said. That is nearly double the number of 2015, with women and children in populated areas often the victims, such as near the northern provincial capital of Kunduz in October. In the eight years since the United Nations launched the annual report, the conflict has claimed 24,841 civilian lives with 45,347 injuries, the report said. The vast majority (61 percent) of the casualties were attributed to "anti-government elements", mainly the Taliban, but also to the Islamic State group, while 24 percent were attributed to pro-government forces. PTI Adamant Israel goes ahead with settlement bill, risks irking White House International oi-PTI Jerusalem, Feb 5: Israel's prime minister is moving ahead with a contentious law that would legalise dozens of settlement outposts in the West Bank, despite claims by experts that the bill itself is illegal and a warning from the White House that settlement construction "may not be helpful". Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under intense pressure from members of his coalition to bring the bill to a vote in parliament following last week's court-ordered demolition of an illegally built settlement outpost. But he risks drawing angry international condemnations, possibly even from the ostensibly friendly Trump administration, if he pushes forward. Netanyahu's nationalist coalition is dominated by West Bank settlers and their supporters. The Jewish Home, a powerful coalition ally, has been leading the calls to vote on the outpost law this week, perhaps as soon as tomorrow. The Jewish Home believes that with a friendly president in office, it is time for Netanyahu to lay out a clear policy for the West Bank, including the possible annexation of parts of the occupied territory. Netanyahu has sent mixed signals about the legislation, publicly voicing support for it while also reportedly expressing private misgivings. Today, he indicated that he might once again delay the vote in a possible sign he is rethinking his support. Jewish Home lawmaker Shuli Moalem-Refaeli, one of the bill's sponsors, said that the West Bank is dotted with outposts that she claimed had been built over the years in "good faith" and should now be legalised. "What has been established cannot be destroyed," she told Israel Radio. Israel's powerful settler lobby was jolted last week by the court-ordered demolition of Amona, an outpost found to have been built on private Palestinian land. Over 40 families were forced from their homes, putting pressure on the government to respond. Proponents of the new legislation are bent on passing it to prevent similar scenes from taking place. The bill would retroactively legalise several thousand homes built illegally on private Palestinian land. The original landowners would be compensated either with money or alternative land, even if they do not agree to give up their property. Critics have said the bill will not pass legal muster. Netanyahu's own attorney general has said he will not defend the bill before the country's Supreme Court, and Netanyahu has reportedly expressed concerns that the legislation could strengthen a case against Israel in the International Criminal Court. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 12:19 [IST] Escalating violence in eastern Ukraine in recent weeks has underlined the importance that Donald Trump now plays in the region, with the U.S. president promising to restore peace after a phone call with the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Trump has signaled his intent to have a closer relationship with Russia and its President Vladimir Putin. And with an open line of communication with Poroshenko, Trump could well prove to be instrumental. The Ukrainian conflict "has never been at the forefront" for Western leaders and with the raft of elections across the European Union in 2017, the issue is unlikely to be a priority, Andrius Tursa, an advisor on central and eastern European issues at analysis firm Teneo Intelligence told CNBC. This is likely to leave the Ukrainian war even more in the hands of the U.S. The war in eastern Ukraine has seen an increase in fighting since last week, particularly in the cities of Donbass and Avdiivka. Russia still denies involvement in the conflict despite evidence to suggest that the country has supplied arms and even troops to pro-Russian separatists in the region. "A recent outburst in fighting in the Donbass, observed since January 28, follows a cyclical pattern of intensification and de-escalation, characteristic to this conflict," Tursa said in a note out last Friday. The number of shelling attacks has surged in recent weeks and the number of causalities has grown as a result of the usage of heavier weapons, according to EU officials. "A frozen-conflict in the Donbass serves Russia's goals of preventing Ukraine from joining the EU and NATO. A more sustainable settlement would likely entail a wider agreement between Russia and Western powers, including the U.S.," Tursa said. He added that Russia has offered help to the U.S. in fighting terrorism, "potentially seeking concessions on sanctions or its actions in central and eastern Europe." For now, the U.S. seems unwilling to ease sanctions on Russia for its activities in Ukraine. However, there are contradictory signs from the new U.S. administration on how it wants its ties with Russia to develop. Last week, the U.S. United Nations envoy Nikki Haley condemned Russia's "aggressive actions" in Ukraine, but over the weekend Trump seemed to defend President Putin in an interview with Fox News. Meanwhile, European foreign ministers are gathering in Brussels Monday where they are expected to call on Moscow once again to restrict the capacities of the Russian-backed separatists. Are you awake?: EAM Jaishankar recalls when he got a call from PM Modi at midnight Afghanistan Consulate in Karachi attacked, one diplomat killed International oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Karachi, Feb 6: An Afghan diplomat was killed on Monday after The Afghanistan Consulate in Karachi was attacked. According to initial reports, one person was killed and three others were injured. One security guard has been arrested so far. Firing took place near Consulate General of Afghanistan in Clifton area of Karachi. According to police, the deceased has been identified as Zaki Addu, an official of the consulate. The DIG South said the guard, Rahataullah, who opened fire was also an Afghan national and had used a sub-machine gun The area around the Consulate has been cordoned off. OneIndia News After criticism, Donald Trump to meet NATO leaders in May International oi-PTI Palm Beach, (US) Feb 6: Donald Trump will meet fellow NATO leaders in May, the White House said after the president's call with the alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Trump expressed "strong support for NATO" but called on European members to pitch in more, the White House said in a statement on Sunday, adding that Trump "agreed to join in a meeting of NATO leaders in Europe in late May." "The parties agreed to continue close coordination and cooperation to address the full range of security challenges facing NATO," the White House statement said. The United States provides significant funding to NATO, and Trump has previously urged other member nations to step up their contributions. "The leaders discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments," Sunday's statement added. European leaders are concerned about Trump's virulent criticism of NATO -- he has dubbed the transatlantic military alliance "obsolete" -- at a time when it stands as the main defense against Russia's President Vladimir Putin. According to the White House statement, the parties also discussed "the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border." Kiev and the West have accused Russia of supporting eastern Ukrainian rebels and deploying troops across the border, claims that Moscow refutes. Trump's friendly stance toward Putin has been under scrutiny since he won the US election in November. Trump took office with US-Russian ties at new lows amid accusations by American intelligence agencies that the Kremlin hacked Democratic Party emails as part of a pro-Trump campaign to influence the election. PTI In Pics: Protests erupt globally against Donald Trump International oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Washington, Feb 6: After US President Donald Trump signed an executive order barring Syrian refugees indefinitely, and refugees from other countries from entering into the US for 120 days, protests erupted not just in the US but in other places as well. Several people protested in London against Trump's ban as well as Theresa May's invitation to the US President. Protesters also raised slogans n Hong Kong and Paris against Donald Trump. Here are some images of the protests that were held: People protest in Hong Kong against Trump Members of International Migrants Alliance in Hong Kong hold placards during a protest against Donald Trump's selective country travel ban outside of the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong. Trump's travel ban angers people People hold a banner reading "Make America hate again" during a gathering to protest US President Donald Trump's recent travel ban to the U.S. at Trocadero Plaza next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Hundreds protest against Trump in Washington Protesters march along Pennsylvania Avenue past the Trump International Hotel during a rally protesting the immigration policies near the White House in Washington. Protesters raise slogans against Theresa May, Donald Trump Thousands of protesters marched to the Parliament in London to demand that the British government withdraw its invitation to U.S. President Donald Trump. Yemeni supporters protests against Donald Trump Muslims and Yemenis gather with their supporters on the steps of Brooklyn's Borough Hall, during a protest against President Donald Trump's temporary travel ban on citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 10:42 [IST] In Putin's defence, Trump calls US rulers 'killers' International oi-PTI Washington, Feb 6: A large number of people worldwide have lost their lives because of America's mistakes, President Donald Trump has said as he defended his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin by equating his actions with those of the US government. "Well, take a look at what we've done too. We've made a lot of mistakes. I've been against the war in Iraq from the beginning," Trump said during an interview with Fox News. "A lot of mistakes, OK, but a lot of people were killed. So a lot of killers around, believe me," said the US President when told that the Russian President Vladimir Putin is a "killer". "There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. What, you think our country's so innocent? You think our country's so innocent?" Trump asked. Trump said he would like to co-operate with the Russians in the fight against Islamic State. He also said that he respects Putin, but this does not mean that the two would get along. "Well, I respect a lot of people but that doesn't mean I'm going to get along with them. He's a leader of his country. I say it's better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against the IS, which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world...," Trump said. "Will I get along with him? I have no idea," he said in response to a question. The comment has drew criticism from his political opponents, who see it as him comparing the US with Russia. "Equating our country with an authoritarian, murderous regime is outrageous and reprehensible, even for Trump. All elected officials in the US have a responsibility to speak up against the President's dangerous rhetoric," said Senator Ben Cardin, Ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Cardin said Trump made clear he does not believe in America's exceptionalism when he equated the US to Putin and his murderous regime. "Such a ridiculous statement sends a signal that this White House does not in fact prioritise the US, but increasingly champions a Russia First Policy. It is offensive to the American people, veterans, and brave servicemen and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our principles, liberties, and way of life," Cardin said. Political opponents and independent journalists in Russia have been attacked, jailed, and killed under Putin's regime, he said. Democratic Leader in the House Nancy Pelosi also accused Trump for being soft on Russia. "I want to know what the Russians have on Donald Trump," Pelosi told NBC News in an interview. "I think we have to have that investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation into his financial, personal and political connections to Russia, and we want to see his tax returns so we can have a truth in the relationship between Putin whom he admires...," she said. Trump's respect for Putin was a familiar trope during presidential election which the major US intelligence agencies believe Russian intelligence sought to influence on Trumps behalf. Such beliefs prompted a fierce split between Trump and the intelligence community that has not yet healed. PTI Iran getting 149-tonne uranium from Russia International oi-PTI Tehran, Feb 6: Iran will receive the final part of a 149-tonne shipment of uranium from Russia as part of its nuclear deal with world powers, it was announced today. "The first shipment arrived on January 26 by plane and the last will arrive tomorrow, Tuesday," said. Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, according to Fars news agency. Under the nuclear deal signed with world powers in July 2015, Iran has the right to enrich uranium to a level of 3.5 percent and sell it abroad, as part of efforts to develop its civilian nuclear programme. Nuclear weapons require uranium enriched to around 80 percent. With the latest shipment, which was authorised by the United States and the other five signatories to the deal, Salehi said Iran has imported 359 tonnes of concentrated uranium, also known as yellow cake, since the nuclear deal came into effect in January 2016. Under the deal, Iran is allowed to run around 5,000 "IR-1" centrifuges and has been testing more advanced models that can produce greater quantities of enriched uranium -- all under the strict supervision of the UN atomic agency. Last month, Iranian officials said they had successfully tested the latest-generation IR-8 centrifuge, which has a capacity 20 times the IR-1, with uranium gas. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 17:44 [IST] Israel to legalise export of cannabis for medical use International oi-PTI Jerusalem, Feb 5: Israeli ministers today endorsed a draft bill to legalise export of cannabis for approved medical use, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked's office said, without elaborating. Adoption by the ministerial committee on legislation, which meets outside the full cabinet, means that the draft will now move forward as a government bill. No date was set for a first reading. Shaked's office said that a scheduled debate on decriminalising marijuana use in favour of fines and treatment was put back until next Sunday. Although the recreational use of cannabis is currently illegal in the Jewish state, for the past 10 years its therapeutic use has not only been permitted but encouraged. In 2015, doctors prescribed the herb to about 25,000 patients suffering from cancer, epilepsy, post-traumatic stress and degenerative diseases. The purpose is not to cure them but to alleviate their symptoms. In January, the agriculture ministry said it planned to invest eight million shekels (USD 2 million, 1.98 million euros) into medical cannabis research projects. In January last year, US tobacco giant Philip Morris ploughed USD 20 million into Israeli company Syke, which produces precision inhalers for medical cannabis. Last month, Israeli public security minister Gilad Erdan announced his support for decriminalising recreational use. He said that he had adopted the conclusions of a commission created to study the issue and which recommended the move. Shaked has reportedly indicated she will support it. PTI Julian Assange appeals to UK and Sweden, says 'restore my liberty' International oi-IANS By Ians English London, Feb 6: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has made a fresh plea to the UK and Swedish authorities to "restore" his liberty, the media reported on Monday. Assange, who has been questioned about a sex allegation in Sweden, spoke out on Sunday, a year after a UN legal panel ruled he should be allowed to walk free, the BBC reported. "I call on the UK and Sweden to do the right thing and restore my liberty," he said. "These two states signed treaties to recognise the UN and its human rights mechanisms." Assange said a year on the two governments had failed to comply with the ruling by the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention which found thathe was being "arbitrarily detained". The WikiLeaks founder has been living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since June 19, 2012 after he sought asylum following the rejection of his appeal against being extradited to Sweden to face sex assault allegations. He reportedly lives in a small room with a bed, sun lamp, computer, shower, treadmill and cooking facilities, the BBC said. Assange has refused to travel to Sweden for questioning because he fears he will then be handed over to the US over Wikileaks' release of 500,000 secret military files. WikiLeaks previously said its founder would agree to be extradited if clemency was granted to Chelsea Manning - who leaked documents to the website. The transgender US Army private, born Bradley Manning, will be freed on May 17 after former US President Barack Obama commuted her sentence. Assange has said he would stand by his offer as long as his rights were protected. IANS Trump lashes out at judge, court after suspension on immigration ban International oi-IANS By Ians English Washington, Feb 6: US President Donald Trump said that the country's court system will be to blame if "something bad" happens after his temporary immigration ban was suspended, media reports said. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" Trump posted on his official Twitter account on Sunday. "I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country very carefully. The courts are making the job very difficult!" EFE news cited a subsequent tweet by him. The Trump administration on Saturday launched an appeal of the decision by federal Judge James Robart to issue a temporary restraining order blocking the immigration ban that for more than a week had impeded entry into the country for citizens of Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Yemen. On Saturday night, however, a federal appeals court denied the administration's request to have the restraining order lifted, thus preventing the immigration ban from being reinstated. Judge Robart "made the wrong decision," said Vice President Mike Pence in a Sunday interview with Fox News, asserting that "under statutory law and under the Constitution, that authority belongs to the President". Trump railed at Robart on Twitter on Saturday, calling him a "so-called judge" and accusing him of taking "law-enforcement away from our country," adding that his ruling "is ridiculous and will be overturned!" Meanwhile, many immigrants are trying to take advantage of the suspension of Trump's travel ban to get into the US, after the State Department reactivated the validity of the 60,000 visas that had been revoked as per the ban and immigration authorities stopped enforcing it. IANS Turkey: Over 750 detained in anti-IS raid International oi-PTI Istanbul, Feb 6: Turkish security forces have detained over 750 people suspected of links to the Islamic State extremist group in country's biggest ever crackdown against the organisation, state media said on Monday. Some 450 suspects were picked up in the initial phase of the nationwide operation on Sunday but the number held has now risen to 763, the Anadolu news agency said. It said raids took place in 29 of Turkey's 81 provinces and documents, weapons and ammunition were also seized. The operation came just over a month after 39 people, mainly foreigners, were killed on New Year's night when a gunman went on the rampage inside a plush Istanbul nightclub. The IS jihadist group claimed the massacre, its first clear claim for a major attack in Turkey although it had been blamed for several bombings in 2016. Turkish police have over the last few years launched numerous raids against IS suspects but a nationwide operation on this scale against the group is unprecedented. Anadolu quoted Turkey's police directorate as saying that IS was looking to stage a 'sensational action' inside the country for propaganda purposes, with media organisations seen as a possible target. No further details were given. Turkey was long accused by its Western allies of not doing enough to stop the flow of jihadists across its borders and emergence of IS cells in its own cities. Ankara denies the charges, saying it listed IS as a terror group since 2013. However, observers say Turkey has markedly stepped up its actions against the group in the last few months. Police captured alive the suspected Reina nightclub attacker, Abdulgadir Masharipov, an Uzbek national, on January 16 after more than two weeks on the run and observers believe he may provide crucial intelligence. According to media reports, Masharipov had also considered attacking Istanbul's main Taksim Square as well as the offices of the opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper. PTI What happens when opponents and supporters of Trump meets International oi-PTI New York, Feb 6: On one side, a few dozen diehard supporters of Donald Trump. On the other, a dozen or so equally passionate counter-demonstrators. They faced off outside Trump Tower -- proof positive of how entrenched the divide has become. The pro-Trump protest on Sunday, on a bitingly cold Manhattan day, was one of the first in the president's largely Democratic hometown since he took office on January 20. Demonstrators urged their fellow Americans to give the new president a chance, and they backed his controversial travel ban on people from seven predominantly Muslim countries. A big white banner they unfurled read, "Welcome the Trump Era!" The crowd stood outside designer boutiques Dolce & Gabbana and Armani on Fifth Avenue near the president's New York home and business headquarters in Trump Tower. But such is the antipathy that the Republican president can arouse in New York -- he won only 18 percent of the city's votes -- that soon a dozen or so counter-demonstrators descended on the scene. Police kept the two groups apart. The pro-Trump group wore his red "Make America Great Again" campaign hats, carried US flags and chanted "USA! USA!" Some wore Star of David buttons and carried signs in Hebrew and in English, one of which said: "President Trump Mazel Tov You're Doing It Your Way." Demonstrators on both sides competed to make their message heard. "No ban, no wall, refugees are welcome here," his opponents shouted in a sing-song chant. But Cindy Grosz, a Trump supporter and rally co-organiser, said Americans should give the new president a chance. "He's been in office less than three weeks. He's entitled to have a fair shot and to run the government the way he wants to," she said. Sunday's rally paled next to the huge anti-Trump marches and rallies that have sprung up almost spontaneously across the country. But the president's New York supporters were uncowed. Adela Pisarevsky, a Manhattan retiree who emigrated from Argentina decades ago, said the rally had a point to make in a city that overwhelmingly preferred Trump's Democratic Party rival Hillary Clinton. "It's important to show that we want to get rid of the illegals and we want to get rid especially of the Middle Eastern illegals, the terrorists," Pisarevsky told AFP. "For the first time we have a president doing exactly what he wanted to do and instead of waiting to see if it works, they're harassing him. They want him to fail. I'm very much afraid," she said. Greg Drapkin, 28, from Brooklyn, told AFP that he had been "really excited" to find out about the rare pro-Trump rally in the city, even knowing it might well be outnumbered by Trump critics. PTI President Donald Trump has made bold-faced headlines with his hotly contested immigration ban and other controversial executive orders. But Trumps economic plan which resonated most with voters and arguably won him the election is fading as a priority amid the usual infighting in Washington. Trumps agenda for his first 100 days includes new legislation to cut taxes, repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and fund a big infrastructure program, plus a reworking of the North American Free Trade Agreement. But all of those plans are hitting hurdles, in Congress and elsewhere, and it could take much longer to enact them than Trump has promised. Some may never go into effect. Trump has been in office for less than a month, and nobody expected him to pass complicated legislation in a matter of days. But after Trump won last November, stocks surged on the expectation of quick action, especially with regard to tax cuts. Now, as Congressional Republicans try to turn Trumps campaign promises into actual laws, disagreement among GOP factions and obstruction by Democrats augur a much slower pace of action than markets may have anticipated. Some investors are now lowering their expectations for business-friendly new policies that will goose the economy, and exiting the so-called Trump trade. The promise of tax cuts, friendlier regulation and stimulus spending on infrastructure sent stocks soaring after the election, and if those measures dont materialize in 2017, markets may give back the gains. Heres the outlook for Trumps four biggest economic initiatives: Tax cuts With Republicans controlling the White House and both chambers of Congress, the stars seem to have aligned in favor of tax reform that lowers rates, closes loopholes and makes the US economy more competitive. Theres one pitfall, however: If lost revenue from tax cuts isnt offset by spending cuts, annual deficits will soar, something Republican budget hawks arent willing to allow. One prominent plan would offset lost revenue through new taxes on imports, but that has already triggered opposition from big US companies like Wal-Mart (WMT) and Target (TGT), along with consumer groups that say ordinary Americans will bear the cost of import taxes. Story continues Trump said in a recent interview that tax cuts might pass Congress by the end of the year. But that may be optimistic. The big story here is the glacial Senate, already bogged down in bitter infighting, Greg Valliere, chief global strategist for Horizon Investments, wrote recently to clients. The economic impact of tax reform may not hit until well into 2018. Tax cuts might also be more modest than Trump would like, if Republicans cant agree on how to make up for lost revenue. ACA repeal Congress has made this a legislative priority, but after six years of trying to kill the ACA, Republicans still havent unveiled a plan to replace it. And some key Republicans, such as Senators Orrin Hatch of Utah and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, now say repairing Obamacare, as the ACA is known, might be better than repealing it. Before taking office, Trump said hed have a replacement plan ready as soon as his nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Price, was confirmed for the job. But now Trump says the rudiments of a replacement plan wont be ready until the end of the year, with legislation unlikely before 2018. The fate of the ACA probably wont impact financial markets broadly, but it will directly affect healthcare sectors such as the pharmaceutical industry, hospitals, insurers and medical device makers. Theres also the nagging question of how to provide health care coverage for the 20 million people covered under Obamacare, without costing the government more or forcing more of a financial burden onto patients. If you had to solve this riddle, youd get bogged down, too. Infrastructure spending Trump wants to spend an astounding $1 trillion on new roads, bridges and the like, but his plan would rely primarily on private funding which would only materialize for projects funded by tolls or other user fees. Thats a non-starter for most roads and bridges. And theres very little appetite in Congress for spending billions of taxpayer dollars on new projects, which would drive the national debt even higher. A robust infrastructure plan would help economic growth, but this is another policy thats easy to prescribe and devilishly hard to fulfill. NAFTA revocation This is one thing Trump could do relatively quickly, on his own if hes willing to risk the possible economic damage. But undoing NAFTA would throw the auto industry into turmoil, while possibly raising the price of cars, appliances, toys, produce and many other things millions of Americans buy every month. Trump says higher prices for imports would eventually create more US manufacturing jobs. But many economists disagree, and even if Trump is right, it would take years for new jobs to arrive. Meanwhile, Trump may be bluffing on his threat to withdraw from NAFTA, as a negotiating tactic. We ought to know within a couple of months, as top trade advisors such as Wilbur Ross, Trumps nominee for Commerce Secretary, assume their posts and begin to show their hand. Trump is making better progress on a few more targeted initiatives, most notably his plan to ease restrictions on banks. That has already fueled a pop in financial-industry stocks such as Goldman Sachs (GS) and Morgan Stanley (MS). And Trump has cleared the way for a couple of oil pipelines his predecessor, President Barack Obama, had squashed. When it comes to legislation, though, it turns out even united government cant escape gridlock. For the overall economy, the Trump bump is still a theory. Confidential Newman tip line: rickjnewman@yahoo.com Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman. Mike Pence confident of reversing judge's decision on travel ban International oi-IANS By Ians English Washington, Feb 6: US Vice President Mike Pence said that the Trump administration will use "all legal means at our disposal" to reverse the federal judge's decision on the President's travel ban, media reports said. "We are going to win this argument," Pence on Sunday said in an interview on Fox News. "From the outset of his campaign and administration, the President of the United States has made it clear to put the safety of the American people first," he said. The Trump administration on Saturday launched an appeal of the Friday decision by federal Judge James Robart to issue a temporary restraining order blocking the immigration ban that for more than a week had impeded entry into the country for citizens of Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Iran, Iraq and Yemen, Efe news reported. On Saturday night, however, a federal appeals court denied the administration's request to have the restraining order lifted, thus preventing the immigration ban from being reinstated. Judge Robart "made the wrong decision," said Pence in the Sunday interview, asserting that "under statutory law and under the Constitution, that authority belongs to the President. Trump railed at Robart on Twitter on Saturday, calling him a "so-called judge" and accusing him of taking "law-enforcement away from our country," adding that his ruling "is ridiculous and will be overturned!" IANS 'Severe' yet again: Delhi air continues to remain toxic with AQI at 431 Anand Mahindra's tweet about UPI at country's 'last tea shop' is every Indian's emotion Arvind Kejriwal to arrive in Bengaluru for diabetes treatment New Delhi oi-PTI New Delhi, Feb 6: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will leave for Bengaluru on February 7 where he will undergo naturopathy treatment for high blood sugar. He returned to the national capital on Sunday after spearheading AAP's aggressive campaign for Punjab Assembly polls. "The chief minister's blood sugar level has shot up. He is taking insulin thrice a day to keep it under control. "He will leave for Bengaluru on February 7 to undergo naturopathy treatment. Also, he has fever. He will be there for 12-14 days," said a senior Delhi government official. In January last year, Kejriwal had undergone 12 days of naturopathy treatment at the same institute for chronic cough and diabetes. The chief minister had also undergone a throat surgery at Narayana Hospital in Bengaluru in September last year. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, February 6, 2017, 8:29 [IST] 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. MOSCOW, Feb 6 (Reuters) - One of Russia's top diplomats said on Monday that government ministries in the United States and Russia should restore direct communications channels with each other as part of a first step to rebuild bilateral ties. U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have both said they would like to try to mend U.S.-Russia relations that slid to a post-Cold War low after Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea. Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's deputy foreign minister, told the Moscow-based Security Index Journal in an interview published on Monday that restoring inter-ministerial and inter-agency ties between the two countries was now essential. "A reset in contacts between ministries and agencies in one form or another has long been needed," said Ryabkov, saying contacts had been frozen since 2014. Ryabkov, in the same interview, said a Russian proposal to discuss cyber security issues at an inter-agency level with the United States was still on the table. U.S. intelligence agencies accused Moscow of sponsoring computer hackers to try to influence last year's U.S. election in Trump's favour, allegations Russia denies. Ryabkov said Moscow had many questions on cyber security for U.S. officials, citing hacker attacks on Russian web sites. He also dismissed the idea of Moscow agreeing to make nuclear arms cuts in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump, in a newspaper interview last month, floated the possibility that U.S. sanctions on Russia imposed over Crimea could be lifted as part of a deal involving nuclear cuts. Ryabkov said the idea was "a non-starter." "We don't discuss the sanctions and won't discuss them," said Ryabkov. (Reporting by Denis Pinchuk; Editing by Andrew Osborn) NaturalNews.com 14 Oct 2022 (Natural News) A former candidate for president in France says he had to undergo four heart operations to fix the damage caused by.. There are new calls to reopen the case of Chanel Lewis, the man convicted of murdering Queens jogger Karina Vetrano. CBS 2 New York 14 Jul 2021 Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia: George Soros' $2.7bn family office Soros Fund Management has invested around $238m in 11 oil and gas companies in 2016, The Daily Caller News reported, citing federal financial filing records. Soros' largest energy position is the 3.7 million shares in oil and gas pipeline firm Columbia Pipeline which was bought for $54m last year. In June 2016, Columbia Pipeline finalized its merger with TransAmerica, the mother unit of the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline. The Keystone XP Pipeline was rejected by the Obama administration but it has since received approval from President Donald Trump. Soros is expected to generate an estimated $8.9m in profits if he will keep his position at Columbia Pipeline until 2017. Ironically, Soros is a staunch supporter of environmental causes. He is one of the biggest donors to former Vice President Al Gore's environmental group called Climate Reality which advocates education on climate change. Soros has donated $30m to Climate Reality. Aside from his $54m investments at Columbia Pipeline, Soros bought another 3.1 million shares at fossil fuel firm William Company for $93m. His investments in Williams, a Tulsa, Oklahoma-based company, is his biggest energy position last year. Williams is involved in constructing large-scale pipelines to link-up new shale gas supply regions f...................... To view our full article Click here From Paul Craig Roberts Website Hopes for the Trump administration are not burning brightly. Trump's military chief, Gen. Mattis, is turning out to be true to his "mad dog" nickname. He has just declared that Iran "is the single biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world." He has declared Russia to be the number one threat to the US. He has threatened intervention in China's territorial affairs. I was wrong. I thought Gen. Mattis was a reasonable choice as he rejects the efficacy of torture, and, according to Trump, convinced Trump that "torture doesn't work." Apparently Mattis cannot reach beyond this realization to higher geo-political realizations. Trump needs to fire Mattis, who has placed the Pentagon in the way of normal relations with Russia. There is no evidence in the behavior of Iran, Russia, and China to support Gen. Mattis' views. His definition of threat is the neoconservative one -- a country capable of resisting US hegemony. This is a convenient threat for the military/security complex as it justifies an unlimited budget in order to prevail over such "threats." It is this hegemonic impulse that is the source of terrorism. If truth can be spoken, there are only two countries in the world with hegemonic aspirations -- Israel and the US -- and they are the sources of terrorism. Israel terrorizes Palestinians and has done so for about 70 years. The US terrorizes the rest of the world. All known Muslim terrorists are creations of the US government. Al Qaeda was created by the Carter administration in order to confront the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan with jihadism. ISIS was created by the Obama/Hillary regime in order to overthrow Gaddafi in Libya and then was sent by the Obama/Hillary regime to overthrow Assad in Syria, as Trump's national security adviser, Gen. Flynn, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency revealed on TV. The Ukrainian neo-nazis assaulting the republics of Donetsk and Luhansk were also unleashed by the Obama/Hillary overthrow of the democratically elected government of Ukraine. All terror is associated with Washington and Israel. The fact of Washington's overthrow of Ukraine's government is incontestable; yet large numbers of brainwashed Americans think Russia invaded Ukraine, just as they believe the fake news that Iran is a terrorist state. The last time Iran initiated a war of aggression was in the last decade of the 18th century when Iran reconquered the Caucasus and Georgia, which Iran soon lost to Russia. Iran in our time has done no offense except to refuse to submit to being a Washington vassal state. Additionally, Iran, and Syria rescued by the Russians, are the only states in the Muslim world that are not US puppet states and mere vassals that are nothing in themselves, no independent foreign policy, no independent economic policy. Only Iran and Syria have independent policies. Iran is a large country endowed with substantial energy resources. Iran has a long history going back to ancient times of independence and military prowess. Today Iran is essential to Russia as a buffer to the US created jihadism that neoconservatives plan to export to the Muslim areas of the Russian Federation. Consequently, Iran is the most inopportune of targets for Trump if he wishes to restore normal, non-threatening relations with Russia. Yet his mad dog Pentagon chief recklessly makes threatening statements alleging Iran to be a "terrorist state." Do we see Israel's hand at work in the threats against Iran? Iran and Syria are the only countries in the Middle East that are not American puppet states. Syria's army has been hardened by combat, which is what Syria's army needs in order to stand up to US-backed Israel. Both Syria and Iran are in the way of Israel's Zionist policy of Greater Israel -- from the Nile to the Euphrates. For the Zionists, Palestine and Southern Lebanon are merely the beginning. Israel has successfully used the corrupt British and now the corrupt Americans to reestablish themselves on lands from which God evicted them. This doesn't speak well of the intelligence and morality of the British and US governments. But what does? Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Drumroll, Please: Announcing Progressive or Bust In a highly popular, two-part OpEdNews article (see here and here), I argued that the real path forward for political revolution is to correctly identify progressives' real political enemies--neoliberals of both parties--and form a movement hunting them to political extinction. Progressive or Bust Facebook group banner (Image by progressiveorbust.com) Details DMCA Luckily, there was no need to launch our new progressive movement from scratch. The Bernie or Bust movement, which Victor Tiffany and I co-founded, has name recognition, having drawn the (not necessarily favorable) attention of celebrities like Bill Maher, Paul Krugman, Susan Sarandon, and Lee Camp. What's more, Progressive or Bust can build on a network of contacts (over 100,000 Bernie or Bust pledge-takers and countless more sympathizers) most young movements would sacrifice limbs for. But above all, Progressive or Bust has the political logic-- the same stance on political revolution--that garnered such passionate support for Bernie or Bust. Once BoB supporters grasp how consistently and rigorously we apply the political logic of Bernie or Bust, they're likely to view Progressive or Bust as their beloved movement's rightful successor. The last thing we wish is for them to view our use of "Progressive or Bust" as a conscious link to the former movement as a sacrilege. That BoB co-founders Victor Tiffany and I are firm supporters of Progressive or Bust (even if Victor's personal circumstances now limit his active involvement) should assure "Busters" that Progressive or Bust is the real deal. We've compromised on nothing; we've simply generalized our strategy from Bernie vs. Hillary to progressives vs. neoliberals--the same neoliberals who brought themselves out of the political closest by knifing Bernie. We refuse to let them crawl back in: by hammering the message that we, and not they, are the only movement principled enough to form the legitimate resistance to Trump. A certainly revolutionary named Jesus memorably argued that you can't cast out demons by invoking Beelzebub; neoliberal Democrats are simply possessed by too many of the same demons as Trump Republicans--political money, and corporate and Deep State agendas--to offer anything but token resistance to the orange-skinned monster. As progressives who define "progressive" in its historically correct way--as staunch opposition to corrupting money, plutocratic agendas, and sinister entrenched bureaucrats--we have the needed political purity to "fight the good fight." In building on Bernie or Bust's solid foundations, we feel we are, in Sir Isaac Newton's iconic phrase, "standing on the shoulders of giants." But we have an additional advantage--a potential strong appeal to third-party leftists and political independents who, utterly repudiating Democrats, had seen nothing "colossal" in our strategic support for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Well, we feel that in crushing Bernie's candidacy, the Democratic Party exposed its true neoliberal character and, with no Democrat Bernie to strategically support, we can reveal ourselves from the get-go as a transpartisan movement deeply skeptical of all inside attempts to reform such a starkly neoliberal party. With all the advantages our Bernie or Bust roots give us --plus the additional "trump card" of an open skepticism toward Democrats far more attractive to the harder left--we feel fully justified in describing the Progressive or Bust movement as "Bernie or Bust on steroids." That phrase is blazoned in our Facebook group's self-description; expect to hear it frequently as we promote our new movement. Our Revolutionary Take on Trump's "Swamp Metaphor" Now, given the overwhelming, toxic grip of corporatist neoliberals on U.S. politics, any movement describing its mission as "hunting neoliberals to political extinction" is obviously a movement of vast and vaulting ambition. Well, Progressive or Bust simply responds, "Guilty as charged," only adding in our defense that the mammoth scope of our ambitions is perfectly suited to what are, in reality, these apocalyptic times. While it's likely a myth that Mandarin Chinese speakers and writers express "crisis" by combining the symbols for "danger" and "opportunity" (see here and here, for example), it's not a myth if we forgot the superficial popular meaning of "myth" as an outright lie and embrace the deeper literary and psychological sense in which a myth is a story that, while not literally true, conveys important human truth. Whatever the linguistic verdict of Mandarin experts, the reign of Trump is certainly a crisis that bears seeds of almost unprecedented danger and opportunity. For sure, independent journalist Caitlin Johnstone has rightly pointed how panic fear of Trump is daily exploited by establishment Democrats, with Trump's most insubstantial recent Tweet cited as occasion for mass hysteria. Being so naturally on Johnstone's page (she was a huge Bernie or Bust fan), I feel uniquely qualified to elaborate on the establishment--a.k.a. neoliberal -- Democrat agenda underpinning this deliberate incitement of mass anti-Trump hysteria. As Johnstone insightfully stresses, the effect of mass hysteria, as opposed to healthy fear, is to shut down reason and induce paralysis; in Johnstone's own words, "It makes us stupid, irrational and forgetful, which are also the first three adjectives I'd use to describe the current state of the political left in its response to Donald J. Trump." Now, it should be obvious to Johnstone's fans, and to Bernie or Bust fans too, that what she stigmatizes here as "the political left" has nothing to do with our real political left. And likewise, that their frenzied "chicken with its head cut off" reaction to Trump has nothing to do with our sober assessment that we're now living in apocalyptic times--times of unprecedented danger and opportunity. Rather, Johnstone is referring to the liberal noise machine that passes for the political left in corporate-controlled mainstream media, the same liberal noise machine that provides constant propaganda cover for the neoliberal policies of supposedly "liberal" Democrat politicians. (See my own scathing analysis in the "Scratch a Liberal, Find a Neoliberal" section of the OpEdNews essay earlier cited.) It's actually quite easy to grasp the motives neoliberal Democrat politicians have for inducing rationality-killing, paralysis-inducing hysteria in blind, tribally loyal rank-and-file Democrats: as beneficiaries of a lethal status quo, they in fact want nothing analyzed and nothing changed. No one does a better job than Johnstone of arguing a point numerous real leftists, myself included, have made: that there's nothing centrist about "centrist" Democrats, whose sole interest lies in perpetuating a form of normalized extremism. An extremism whereby the voting public, like the proverbial boiled frog, slowly, insidiously grows accustomed to abnormally extreme temperatures that spell its own death. For those who grasp the reality of climate science--and the phony climate response of neoliberal Democrats--the boiled-frog metaphor couldn't possibly have greater point. Our boiled-frog image brings us back, appropriately enough, to Progressive or Bust's revolutionary twist on Trump's dismally trite metaphor of "draining the political swamp." As Naomi Klein forcefully argued in This Changes Everything, the last thing we need now is incremental tinkering with an extremist, anti-climate status quo. Rather, we need a political revolution against a toxic form of global neoliberal capitalism--practiced by both major U.S. parties--that's diametrically opposed to the vastly more peaceful, democratic, egalitarian, and climate-conscious policies needed to stave off climate Armageddon. The required revolution will much more closely resemble evolving from a swamp--as a new, dramatically improved human species--than it will merely draining it. One crucial feature of progressives who evolve from that swamp will be our astonishing transformation from spineless liberal invertebrates to upright progressives with spines. Both toxic neoliberals and their spineless liberals abettors approach Trump with mere opportunism, simply seeking to restore their own regressive way of living in the swamp. Real progressives, by contrast, view his blatant misrule as a unique historic opportunity: we can rapidly evolve into a dramatically improved species by principled resistance to Trump. If you believe real progressives hold the keys to both staving off climate apocalypse and creating a new, improved breed of humanity--evolved beyond the swamp and possessing robust political spines--come join Progressive or Bust. (Article changed on February 6, 2017 at 02:44) (Article changed on February 6, 2017 at 03:15) From Truthdig Donald Trump's regime is rapidly reconfiguring the United States into an authoritarian state. All forms of dissent will soon be criminalized. Civil liberties will no longer exist. Corporate exploitation, through the abolition of regulations and laws, will be unimpeded. Global warming will accelerate. A repugnant nationalism, amplified by government propaganda, will promote bigotry and racism. Hate crimes will explode. New wars will be launched or expanded. And, as this happens, those Americans who remain passive will be complicit. "We don't have much time," Kali Akuno, the co-director of Cooperation Jackson and an organizer with the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, told me when I reached him by phone in Jackson, Miss., "We are talking two to three months before this whole [reactionary] initiative is firmly consolidated. And that's with massive resistance." Flurries of executive orders and memorandums are being issued to demolish the anemic remnants of our bankrupt democracy. Those being placed in power -- such as Betsy DeVos, who if confirmed as secretary of education will defund our system of public education and expand schools run by the Christian right, and Scott Pruitt, who if confirmed as head of the Environmental Protection Agency will dismantle it -- are agents of destruction. In the eyes of the Christian fascists, generals, billionaires and conspiracy theorists around Trump, the laws, the courts and legislative bodies exist only to silence opponents and swell corporate profits. It is impossible to know how long this transformation will take -- it may be longer than the two or three months Akuno fears -- but unless we mobilize quickly to stop the Trump regime the end result is certain. "The forces around Trump have a plan to roll this [attack on democracy] out," said Akuno, who was the coordinator of special projects and external funding for the late Mayor Chokwe Lumumba in Jackson. "They have a strategy. They have a timeline. They know whom they need to divide and whom they need to recruit. They are consolidating their base. Those who try and chalk this up to Trump's pathology miss the intentionality, the strategic aims and the objectives. We will do ourselves a great disservice if we underestimate this regime and where it is going." Stephen Bannon, the president's chief counselor, was behind the ban on Muslims entering the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries -- a ban you can expect to see extended if the Trump administration is successful in removing a stay issued by a district court. He was behind the order to the Department of Homeland Security to draw up lists of Muslim organizations and individuals in the United States that, in the language of the executive action, have been "radicalized" and have "provided material support to terrorism-related organizations in countries that pose a threat to the United States." Such lists will be used to criminalize Muslim leaders and the institutions and organizations they built. Then, once the Muslims are dealt with domestically, there will be new Homeland Security lists that will allow the government to target the press, activists, labor leaders, dissident intellectuals and the left. It is the beginning of a fascist version of Leon Trotsky's "permanent revolution." "Lenin wanted to destroy the state, and that's my goal too," Bannon told writer Ronald Radosh in 2013. "I want to bring everything crashing down, and destroy all of today's establishment." The Trump regime's demented project of social engineering, which will come wrapped in a Christianized fascism, can be implemented only if it quickly seizes control of the bureaucratic mechanisms, an action that Max Weber pointed out is the prerequisite for exercising power in industrial and technocratic societies. Once what the historian Guglielmo Ferrero calls the "silken threads" of habit, tradition and legality are gone, the "iron chains" of dictatorship will impose social cohesion. "This problem is not going to be solved in the 2018 elections," warned Akuno, the author of the organizing handbook "Let Your Motto Be Resistance" and the former executive director of the New Orleans-based People's Hurricane Relief Fund. "That hope is an illusion. The democratic apparatus will be completely gutted by then. We have to look beyond Trump. We have to look at the consolidation on the state level of these reactionary forces. They are near the threshold of being able to call for a constitutional convention because of the number of governorships and state legislatures where they hold both chambers. They can totally reorder the Constitution, if they even continue to abide by it, which they may not. We are facing a serious crisis. I don't think people grasp the depth of this because they are focused on the president and not the broader strategy of these reactionary forces." "We have to encourage a broad noncompliance strategy of ungovernablity," Akuno said. "Not complying. Not consenting. We have to struggle on every front. We have to expect that the courts will not protect us. We are going to get less and less protection from the police. The slightest act of civil disobedience will mean jail. We have to mentally prepare for that. We have to build serious organizations, drawing upon the examples of forces that fought authoritarian regimes in Latin America and Europe. Either we submit to not having any protection as workers, women, queers, blacks, Latinos or indigenous or we fight back. These forces [arrayed against us] are not willing to compromise. I hope it does not come to violence, but we know the proclivities of the society and the forces that run it." If nonviolent protest is met with violence, we must never respond with violence. The use of violence, including property destruction, and taunting the police are gifts to the security and surveillance state. It allows the state to demonize and isolate a mass movement. It drives away the bulk of the population. Violence against the state is used by the authorities to justify greater forms of control and repression. The corporate state understands and welcomes the language of force. This is a game the government will always win and we will always lose. If we are perceived as a flag-burning, rock-throwing, angry mob that embraces violence, we will be easily crushed. We can succeed only if we win the hearts and minds of the wider public and ultimately many of those within the structures of power, including the police. When violence is used against nonviolent protesters demanding basic forms of justice it exposes the weakness of the state. It delegitimizes those in power. It prompts a passive population to respond with active support for the protesters. It creates internal divisions within the structures of power that, as I witnessed during the revolutions in Eastern Europe, paralyze and defeat those in authority. Martin Luther King Jr. held marches in Birmingham, Ala., rather than Albany, Ga., because he knew Birmingham Public Safety Commissioner "Bull" Connor would overreact and discredit the city's racist structures. The Trump regime is populated with blind fanatics. They believe in one truth, which is whatever they proclaim at the moment (any such declaration may contradict what they said a few hours before). They are possessed with one idea -- conflict. They venerate a demented hyper-masculinity that includes a sacralization of violence, misogyny, a disdain for empathy, and the self-appointed right to engage in bouts of frenzied rage. These characteristics, they believe, are a sign of masculinity. The highest aesthetic is militarism, violence and war. Without conflict, without enemies real or imagined, their ideological structures and racism collapse into a heap of contradictions and absurdities. They will attempt to thwart nonviolent, nationwide resistance with force. And they will attempt to stoke counter-violence, including through the use of agents provocateurs, as a response. If we speak it back, we will fail. We will be transformed into the monsters we seek to defeat. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Democratic Donkey Down (Image by DonkeyHotey) Details DMCA The Democratic party is at a dangerous low point. The 2016 elections were a horrendous disaster for the Democrats, the United States and the whole world. This disaster was caused by a series of policies and decisions that the Democratic party leadership must fully own, take responsibility for and apologize for. It is essential that the Democratic party literally go through the process of truth and reconciliation. Here's how Wikipedia describes Truth and reconciliation : "A truth commission or truth and reconciliation commission is a commission tasked with discovering and revealing past wrongdoing by a government (or, depending on the circumstances, non-state actors also), in the hope of resolving conflict left over from the past." South Africa created the most famous example of a truth and reconciliation (T&R) commission. Here's what South Africa says about its T&R commission: The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was set up by the Government of National Unity to help deal with what happened under apartheid. The conflict during this period resulted in violence and human rights abuses from all sides. No section of society escaped these abuses. The South Afrcian TRC was based on the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act, No 34 of 1995(pdf) The South African T&R act states: "it is deemed necessary to establish the truth in relation to past events as well as the motives for and circumstances in which gross violations of human rights have occurred, and to make the findings known in order to prevent a repetition of such acts in future;" Betraying constituents by protecting the interests of corporations over people Top down directing and influencing primary elections at all levels, instead of allowing the people, the constituents to choose candidates Abandonment of Democratic principles of fairness, social and ecological justice, peace Abandonment of the middle class, of workers, of the 99%, instead favoring transnational corporations and trade deals like TPP, NAFTA, CAFTA, etc. Abandonment and votes for policies which adversely affect consumers and workers, while favoring corporations and their lobbyists closing primary elections to independents, rigging the system so weaker, but more loyal candidates would be elected intentionally interfering with and rigging the 2016 Democratic primary election-- via: top down backing and inflicting upon Democratic voters the most disliked and mistrusted presidential primary candidate in modern Democratic party history use of super delegates to skew results of delegate counts more than one year out from the election DNC coordination and collaboration with the Clinton campaign knowingly allowing the Clinton campaign to collaborate with mainstream media networks allowing, even encouraging and failing to address election irregularities at the state level Please help me expand this list with your comments Those are the truths the Democratic party and leaders must confess to and acknowledge. That doesn't mean they get to keep their jobs. It means they tell the truth to save the Democratic party, to regain the trust of the millions of Americans who are disgusted by the Democratic party, including Bernie Sanders Supporters and independents and recent Republican converts who voted for Trump as a way to repudiate Hillary Clinton and the Democratic party's betrayals and misconducts, as described above. Many of these leaders must step down from their leadership positions as part of the healing process. This Democratic Party Truth and Reconciliation process offers the best way for the Democrats to win again in 2018 and 2020. It is highly unlikely that the current leaders of the Democratic party will willingly engage in the above described truth and reconciliation process. The only way it will happen is if we the people, the bottom up grass roots constituents take back the Democratic party. This has begun. Bernie Sanders reported, at the SisterGiant conference this past weekend, that progressives have already taken control of the California and Washington state democratic parties. And there is a powerful surge of organization and activism working on taking back the Democratic party. Cenk Uygur, of the Young Turks TV network, which now exceeds the reach of CNN, told an audience of 1800 at the SisterGiant conference that there are two new projects aimed at taking back and taking over the Democratic party: First, there's Wolf-pac , which aims to take money out of politics. Their stated goal is to get money out of elections and 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 Common Dreams On January 27, 2017, President Trump made good on his campaign promise to institute a ban on Muslims entering the US. Trump's executive order(EO) is titled "Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States." The EO bars nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from the US for at least 90 days. They include Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, and Sudan. The EO also indefinitely prevents Syrian refugees, even those granted visas, from entering the US. And it suspends the resettlement of all refugees for 120 days. None of the 9/11 hijackers came from the seven countries covered by the EO; 15 of the 19 men hailed from Saudi Arabia, which is not on the list. No one from the seven listed countries has mounted a fatal terrorist attack in the United States. Countries exempted from the EO include Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates -- countries where Trump apparently has business ties. Trump's EO violates the Establishment Clause, the Due Process Clause, the Equal Protection Clause, and the Take Care Clause of the Constitution. It also violates the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR); both are treaties the United States has ratified, making them part of US law under the Constitution's Supremacy Clause. The EO violates the Immigration and Nationality Act as well. Six Federal Courts Stay Trump's EO In the face of legal challenges, six federal courts have temporarily stayed implementation of parts of the EO, indicating that petitioners have a strong likelihood of prevailing on the merits. On January 28, US District Judge Ann Donnelly of the Eastern District of New York concluded that the petitioners "have a strong likelihood of success in establishing that the removal of the petitioner and others similarly situated violates Due Process and Equal Protection." She also found "imminent danger ... [of] substantial and irreparable injury to refugees, visa-holders, and other individuals from nations subject to the [EO]." Donnelly thus enjoined respondents Trump, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), et al, from removing anyone with refugee applications approved by US Citizenship and Immigration Services as part of the US Refugee Admissions Program. Holders of valid immigrant and non-immigrant visas, and other individuals from the seven listed countries who are legally authorized to enter the US, are also protected from removal by Donnelly's order. In spite of Donnelly's order, CBP agents continued to detain immigrants at airports across the country and send them back, even though some could face persecution in their countries of origin. On January 28, US District Judge Leonie Brinkema of the Eastern District of Virginia forbade respondents Trump et al, from removing the three Yemeni petitioners, who were lawful permanent residents being held at Dulles International Airport, for seven days from the issuance of her order. Brinkema further ordered CBP agents to permit attorneys access to all lawful permanent residents (green card holders) detained pursuant to the EO at Dulles International Airport pursuant. Nevertheless, CBP agents refused to allow detained lawful permanent residents to consult with lawyers. On February 1, the Commonwealth of Virginia asked a federal judge to force Trump, CBP and other high government officials to show cause why they should not be held in contempt for refusing to obey a lawful court order. On January 28, US District Judge Thomas Zilly of the Western District of Washington granted a stay of removal and enjoined respondents Trump et al, from removing John Does I and I from the US pending a hearing on February 3. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Nearly 100 tech companies filed an amicus brief on Sunday opposing President Donald Trumps refugee and immigrant travel ban, including Apple (AAPL), Facebook (FB), eBay (EBAY), Google (GOOG, GOOGL) and Twitter (TWTR). However, take a closer look at the long-running list of names on the joint brief, and youll notice several notable companies missing. Amazon (AMZN) was one major company that didnt join with the brief, which supported a case brought by Minnesota and the state of Washington opposing the temporary ban on refugees and temporary ban on immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries. Thats because Seattle-based Amazon had already filed a declaration in the same case explaining how the ban negatively affects the e-commerce giant. Washingtons attorney general advised Amazon not to join the amicus brief since its a witness in the original lawsuit, according to a source familiar with the matter. Oracle co-CEO Safra Catz Also missing from the list of 97 tech companies on the amicus brief? Oracle (ORCL) and IBM. While its a stretch to assume the businesses support Trumps travel ban, its worth noting the companies have ties to the current administration. Oracle co-CEO Safra Catz, for example, belongs to Trumps transition team a controversial move that caused some dissent among the ranks at Oracle, including the resignation of an executive this December in protest. For her part, IBM CEO Ginni Rometty belongs to Trumps business advisory group and met with the president just last week. When asked why IBM didnt participate in the amicus brief, a company spokesman issued the following response: IBMs CEO conveyed the companys views directly to the President and the Secretary of Homeland Security in person on Friday, including suggestions for how technology can help to promote both national security and lawful immigration. Another tech giant that didnt join the amicus briefing, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE), told Yahoo Finance it planned on filing a statement of support later Monday and chalked up its omission from the initial roster to a tight timeframe for participation. The company, however, did issue a statement last week in response to Trumps executive order stating it does not support measures that discriminate against any group. Story continues UPDATE: In a previous version of this story, Yahoo Finance wrote Tesla (TSLA) had not joined the amicus brief. Indeed, Tesla was not one of the original 97 companies to participate the company joined the brief Monday afternoon. This post has been updated to reflect that. JP Mangalindan is a senior correspondent covering the intersection of business and technology. More from JP: Meet the 28-year-old whiz whos making $4 billion from Snapchat The day Lyft was bigger than Uber. Surprise and disgust: What 6 Silicon Valley CEOs said about Trumps ban Qualcomm president: Apple is behind regulatory attacks Amazon is now worth more than the 8 largest retailers combined How Silicon Valley reacted to Trumps inauguration AMD CEO: Why its good to be the smaller guy Nick Jonas explains why you should buy his new headphones From Sputnik EU leaders gather for a family photo in Valletta, Malta at the summit hosted by Joseph Muscat (center). (Image by Photo: Jeremy Wonnacott/DOI) Details DMCA Talk about "fortress mentality"! The European presidents and prime ministers were scheduled to deal with migration from North Africa as a threat to the bloc's stability. But instead, their summit was dominated by the issue of US President Donald Trump and the shared perception that the new occupant of the White House poses an urgent challenge to the EU. "Prime ministers and presidents at Malta summit line up to scorn Trump's conduct, accusing him of lack of respect," reported the Guardian. French President Francois Hollande even said that if the EU did not unite to oppose Trump's populist nationalism, then the bloc was doomed to collapse. The irony of the European leaders' existential apprehensions about the new American president is laughable. For months, these same European politicians have been led by the nose by Western state propaganda alleging it was Russian President Vladimir Putin who is the top threat to EU stability. European news media -- like their US counterparts -- have pushed sensationalist claims that the Kremlin is out to subvert EU democracies, undermine "European values," promote Eurosceptic political parties and smash the union. German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned only a few weeks ago that putative Russian state hackers would now turn their attention to forthcoming elections in Netherlands, France and Germany as they had allegedly done in the US to help Donald Trump get elected. Amazingly with this backdrop of anti-Russia fear-mongering, the EU leaders in Malta this week made not a single mention of "Russian threat." All the angst of Europe's supposed leaders was devoted to Donald Trump undermining their institutional existence. What does that say about the credibility of EU politicians? When they flip from making hysterical allegations against Russia to huddling around like frightened children fretting about how a new American president might induce their demise. It is consummate proof that the present array of incumbent EU leaders are completely out of touch with reality. No wonder they are quaking in their boots about forthcoming elections. Because one suspects that they fear a day of reckoning with angry electorates who are sick of the incompetence at the helm of government. Another staggering example of disconnect among the EU cabal was the appalling violence in Ukraine this week. While the dithering politicians were fretting about Donald Trump, they were apparently oblivious to the war raging in Europe. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Progressive Content Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing. To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here. (Image by Nick Anderson/Houston Chronicle) Details DMCA In a previous essay , I stated that Russian military help to the Syrian State was a response to a direct threat from the United States to attack Syrian armed forces, that I understood the Syrian uprising since 2011 as an instance of the ongoing program of regime change via jihiadi forces driven by the United States and its allies, and that, as a result, the Syria-Russia alliance was a necessary, legal, and legitimate defense of state sovereignty and independence that averted an impending victory of those foreign-sponsored jihadi forces. I found this interruption of imperialist chaos state destruction to be a net positive for the world, and a result I welcomed as a leftist. I'll call this the "anti-imperialist" position. I also said that I recognized there are leftists out there committed to democracy, social justice, and anti-imperialism (excluding here obvious partisans of American exceptionalism, Zionism, and Euro-American capitalist globalism) who can disagree with my position as a matter of political analysis and judgement, but that--as I would explain in a later post--I disagreed vigorously with some of the spurious rhetorical tactics used to attack positions like mine and defend the alternative. Here's that explanation. It's important to note that advocates of either of the opposed positions on Syria are not likely to persuade advocates of the other. Nor are the passionately-argued analyses of Americans on the internet, Twitter, and in in bookstores going to matter a whit to any of the combatants in Syria. The real point of this debate is to encourage people either to support or reject further American military intervention in Syria by their own country. (This creates a problem for the left anti-Assadist position that I'll discuss below.) This is of pressing importance again because in an announcement that should surprise absolutely no one, President The Donald now says he "will absolutely do safe zones in Syria" just like Hillary. That didn't take long. In doubleplusgood Americanese, of course, "Safe Zones" means American-protected safe havens for jihadi combat forces in Syrian territory, where they can regroup and re-arm, and from which they can launch new offensives to overthrow the Syrian government. Safe Zones for Syrians are those areas not occupied or under attack by jihadi fanatics--- i.e. Syria uninvaded. As Joint Chiefs' chairman Gen. Joseph F. Dunford said back in September: enforcing "safe zones [likely] would require us to go to war against Syria and Russia," and are, as the Commander of NATO said back in 2013, "quite frankly an act of war." As Reuters reports, establishing and maintaining them "would require thousands of troops." Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). From Consortium News King Salman of Saudi Arabia and his entourage arrive to greet President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 27, 2015. (Image by (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)) Details DMCA The long-running U.S.-backed Saudi war against a Yemeni rebel group has led to mass hunger and civilian slaughter -- suffering comparable to the humanitarian crisis of Aleppo in Syria though treated very differently by the U.S. establishment, according to investigative journalist and historian Gareth Porter. I spoke with Porter, who has written extensively about U.S. policies toward Iran and is the author of Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare, on Jan. 31. Dennis Bernstein: You said today -- if I have this right -- the U.S. media covered Russian/Syrian air-strikes in Aleppo were reported as the worst air campaign in an urban area in modern post-World War II history, highlighting the suffering of civilians, and especially, of children. Then you go on to say, "Now it has been revealed that millions of Yemenis are suffering starvation because of the almost complete disruption of Yemenis society from Saudi-led coalition air strikes." You say, "Children are suffering the most horrible starvation." So, this needs to be a bit of a primer, Gareth. Please start by outlining the situation on the ground in Yemen. And then please explain what exactly does the United States have to do with what is being reported as a wide ranging Saudi bloodbath? GP: Well, those are two very big questions. Each of which requires a bit of explanation. Let's start with the situation on the ground. That is that there are millions of Yemenis in areas of the country which have been under bombardment by the Saudi led coalition. And as a result of that bombing, which has been going on now since March of 2015, there has been a huge and very deep disruption of normal life, throughout a huge part of Yemen, the part of Yemen that was under the control of the Houthis, as well as their allies, coming from the old... the military that was associated with the previous regime -- the Saleh regime -- which the United States had been supporting for many years. So, this is a large part of the territory of Yemen. And what we know is that some millions of people have been, to some extent, suffering from lack of adequate food. And particularly, of course as is usually the case, children are the ones who are suffering the most. The stories that I ... sighted and tweeted yesterday [January 30], had figures that showed that 31% of children under the age of five are now suffering from acute malnutrition. And, of course, that's the category that includes people who are really starving to death, or close to death, as well as those people who are in the process of moving towards that condition. So those are the worst hits. At one point, that would be -- according to my estimate looking at the age distribution of Yemen -- that would be about 1.7 million children under the age of five in Yemen who are either ... in an advanced stage of malnutrition, or who are headed very far, and have gone very far in that direction. And the same article used the figure of 7 million people who are in what they call "severely food insecure areas" of the country. Meaning that these are areas that have been bombed severely, and where the food production has been, virtually, brought to a halt. It's been extremely limited, and therefore, access to food has been very limited. So, that's an extremely serious situation. It's a humanitarian catastrophe, there's no doubt about that. And, it is certainly on a scale similar to Syria, and in many ways, maybe worse than the catastrophe that has occurred... humanitarian catastrophe that has occurred in Syria. And I say that because, as I go back and look at the coverage of starvation, malnutrition in Syria, the only place where it has been reported that there were cases of such severe malnutrition that people were starving to death, was in a town called Madaya, which was subject to being besieged by the Assad government troops. And now there may be other places, but there certainly has not been other widespread coverage of this kind of severe malnutrition in Syria over the last couple of years. So that is a picture of, you know, a real catastrophe which, I must say, has not been covered by the U.S. press... DB: Okay, now let's talk about... you say the United States is complicit in this crime. I guess you mean war crime. Explain the U.S. role, and why the U.S. is involved. GP: Well, first of all, the complicity begins with the fact that the Saudi government, which, of course, is the primary national entity behind ... carrying out this bombing campaign against the Yemeni people, approached the Obama administration before it went to war. Before it started the bombing campaign, it went to the Obama administration, told the administration what it wanted to do, and that administration said, "Okay, yes, we'll support you." Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). The Trump Administration's rhetoric and actions have alarmed the world. The protests in response to his visa ban have overshadowed and distracted from a darker threat: war with Iran. Is the fear of the threat greater than the threat itself? The answer is not clear. Certainly Americans and non-Americans who took comfort in the fact that we would have a more peaceful world believing that 'Trump would not start a nuclear war with Russia must now have reason to pause. The sad and stark reality is that US foreign policy is continuous. An important part of this continuity is a war that has been waged against Iran for the past 38 years unabated. The character of this war has changed over time. From a failed coup which attempted to destroy the Islamic Republic in its early days (the Nojeh Coup), to aiding Saddam Hossein with intelligence and weapons of mass destruction to kill Iranians during the 8-year Iran-Iraq war, helping and promoting the terrorist MEK group, the training and recruiting of the Jundallah terrorist group to launch attacks in Iran, putting Special Forces on the ground in Iran, the imposition of sanctioned terrorism, the lethal Stuxnet cyberattack, and the list goes on and on, as does the continuity of it. While President Jimmy Carter initiated the Rapid Deployment Force and put boots on the Ground in the Persian Gulf, virtually every U.S. president since has threatened Iran with military action. It is hard to remember when the option was not on the table. However, thus far, every U.S. administration has wisely avoided a head on military confrontation with Iran. To his credit, although George W. Bush was egged on to engage militarily with Iran, , the 2002 Millennium Challenge, exercises which simulated war, demonstrated America's inability to win a war with Iran. The challenge was too daunting. It is not just Iran's formidable defense forces that have to be reckoned with; but the fact that one of Iran's strengths and deterrents has been its ability to retaliate to any attack by closing down the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passageway off the coast of Iran. Given that 17 million barrels of oil a day, or 35% of the world's seaborne oil exports go through the Strait of Hormuz, incidents in the Strait would be fatal for the world economy. Faced with this reality, over the years, the United States has taken a multi-prong approach to prepare for an eventual/potential military confrontation with Iran. These plans have included promoting the false narrative of an imaginary threat from a non-existent nuclear weapon and the falsehood of Iran being engaged in terrorism (when in fact Iran has been subjected to terrorism for decades as illustrated above). These 'alternate facts' have enabled the United States to rally friend and foe against Iran, and to buy itself time to seek alternative routes to the Strait of Hormuz. Plan B: West Africa and Yemen In early 2000s, the renowned British think tank Chatham House issued one of the first publications that determined African oil would be a good alternate to Persian Gulf oil in case of oil disruption. This followed an earlier strategy paper for the U.S. to move toward African oil The African White Paper that was on the desk May 31, 2000 of then U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, a former CEO of energy giant Halliburton. In 2002, the Israeli-based think tank, IASPS, suggested America push toward African oil. In an interesting coincidence, in the same year, the Nigerian terror group, Boko Haram, was "founded". Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source. TurkeyMan Part 4 (Image by Wa Post) Details DMCA Just when things seem safe, and I am hoping for a post facto presidential pardon (a turkey favor served at Thanksgiving) all hell breaks loose at the National Zoo. Bobcats are on the run, pandas are going postal; and a postpartum psychosis is inflicted on America by our-very-own Rosemary-Baby-birthed Donald Trump. Sometimes, it seems, the stars, and maybe the animals, are aligned against us. I am not sure if Doctor Doolittle has risen from the grave, or an Orwellian version of Animal Farm has manifested. Crazy critters cry out everywhere. Obviously, my mind is not what it was. Yet I remain steeled. If it were not for Indian Butch by my side--his constant mentoring and guidance in the Alaskan gulag--in search of a turkey totem--where we find grouse and a partridge or two for a bit of spiritual counseling--I would be lost. Butch's persuasive polemic on the power of the turkey foot gave me hope. But it was his keen eye that probably kept us alive. "What the hell is that?" he peered at an obscure scrapbook and yanked out a photo." The cover said Citizenship Merit Badge. Fleeing Ketchikan, we had just broken into a rickety outbuilding on the outskirts of Tok Junction, a small Alaskan town, near the Yukon border, where there really are no outskirts. In fact, it was hard to see anything that resembled a town. Mostly, Husky dogs hunkered in the woods, tethered to spruce trees along a never-ending gravel road. Apparently, the shack was some kind of Boy Scout clubhouse. A few deer antlers, one with a broken prong, hung above the doorway. It was cold so I wrapped myself in a giant Boy Scout flag with Tok Junction, Alaska on it. It was nylon and shiny. I would have preferred wool. "It's Kennedy, man," I observed the photo. "Just an obscure shot. You obviously have a knack for them. The TV behind the desk is not impressive." Del Vecchio John John Dance (Image by White House) Details DMCA Butch held up the photo. People were dancing around a desk in the White House. He gave me a knowing look and pasted his finger on the man to the left. "Devil is in the details," he warned. "Looks like a fox trot," I said. "Little John John is kicking up his heels." "Charles Del Vecchio!" he proclaimed. "The Devil, I said!" "What?" I looked closer. "The Del Vecchio who tagged our turkey in the Washington Post? How can you tell? The philodendron on the desk?" "Italian mustache!" Butch was shaking. "Ferragamo shoes! The swagger!" "You've got a good eye. And good taste. But isn't devil a little severe? "In Vecchio's world," Butch's voice hoarsened. "Eye-for-an-Eye-talian! Everyone dies." Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Image by or Rob Bogaerts/Fotocollectie Anefo To properly honor your cultural role models, dont try to do what they did, or even to think what they thought, but to think how they thought. This goes at least double for John Cage, the experimental composer whose innovative works can be, and often are, re-staged (go on, have four minutes and 33 seconds of silence to yourself), but it takes a different kind of effort altogether to cultivate the kind of mind that would come up with them in the first place. As a means of activating your own inner Cageness, you could do much worse than read through his personal library, a list of whose books youll find at johncage.org. The volumes number 1126 in total, and if you load the librarys main page, it will present you with a list of ten randomly selected books. (You can get a list of all of them by selecting the See Entire Library option on the left sidebar.) Hitting refresh a few times will give you a sense of the breadth of Cages reading: Emma Goldman on anarchism, Chinese poetry gathered by Kenneth Rexroth, M. Conrad Hyers Zen and the Comic Spirit (two of Cages driving forces if ever Ive heard them), How to Play Backgammon, essays on Ulysses (an interest shared with Marilyn Monroe), and even essays on John Cage. Here weve assembled a list of ten books from Cages library of particular interest to the Open Culture reader: To those who know anything of Cages life and interests, his shelves on healthy eatingon which Dining Naturally in Japan: A Restaurant Guide to Wholesome Food also appears, as, naturally given the era and Cages acquired northern-Californianness, The Tassajara Bread Bookand especially the eating of mushrooms, come as no surprise, nor might his inclination toward philosophy. But we should note what looks like a particular fascination with the work of Ludwig Wittgenstein, evidenced by 22 of the books in his library: his best-known works like the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, but also his letters, lectures, and notebooks, as well as biographies, commentaries, and Wittgenstein and Buddhism, which Cage must have considered an exciting find indeed. In one of his most quotable quotes, Cage describes college as two hundred people reading the same book. An obvious mistake. Two hundred people can read two hundred books. And indeed, 1126 people can read 1126 booksor many more people can each read a different subset of those books. While you could methodically read your way through Cages entire library, and would surely learn a great deal in the process, wouldnt making use of the unthinking guidance of the ten-random-books function, surrendering the direction of this informal education to the kind of chance that places Paul Bowles next to the common fungi of North American and Charles Ives next to Italian futurism, be a much more Cagean way of going about it? (h/t @lrlarson) Related Content: Avant-Garde Composer John Cages Surprising Mushroom Obsession (Which Began with His Poverty in the Depression) The Music of Avant-Garde Composer John Cage Now Available in a Free Online Archive John Cage Unbound: A New Digital Archive Presented by The New York Public Library Jorge Luis Borges Selects 74 Books for Your Personal Library The 321 Books in David Foster Wallaces Personal Library: From Blood Meridian to Confessions of an Unlikely Bodybuilder A Look Inside Hannah Arendts Personal Library: Download Marginalia from 90 Books (Heidegger, Kant, Marx & More) The 430 Books in Marilyn Monroes Library: How Many Have You Read? Darwins Personal Library Goes Digital: 330 Books Online Based in Seoul, Colin Marshall writes and broadcasts on cities and culture. Hes at work on a book about Los Angeles, A Los Angeles Primer, the video series The City in Cinema, the crowdfunded journalism project Where Is the City of the Future?, and the Los Angeles Review of Books Korea Blog. Follow him on Twitter at @colinmarshall or on Facebook. SONGWON appoints Azelis as exclusive distributor for Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia www.songwon.com www.songwon.com www.azelis.com Ulsan, Korea February 2, 2017 SONGWON Industrial Co., Ltd. () today announced that it has signed an agreement with Azelis Morocco for the distribution of SONGWONs extensive range of products.Based in Casablanca, Azelis Morocco will be responsible for distributing SONGWONs polymer stabilizers, tin intermediates, PVC stabilizers and polymers, and specialty chemicals products, effective 1st January 2016.SONGWON sees the agreement as an important step to expanding both its presence and relationships with customers in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, by combining SONGWONs long-standing reputation for providing high-performance solutions with Azelis experience and knowledge of the market.At SONGWON, were committed to continually enhancing high quality service and security of supply for our customers. Partnering with such an experienced leader as Azelis will make our comprehensive product portfolio more readily available to our customers in the Maghreb region, says Peter Fleming, Regional Director, Middle East & Africa, SONGWON Industrial Group.We are delighted to expand our partnership with SONGWON in the Maghreb region. Their product offering brings reliable and innovative solutions which perfectly meet the local market needs, adds Benoit Fritz, Regional Managing Director at Azelis France & Africa.About SONGWON Industrial Co., Ltd.SONGWON, which was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Ulsan, South Korea, is a leader in the development, production and supply of specialty chemicals. The second largest manufacturer of polymer stabilizers worldwide, SONGWON operates group companies all over the world, offering the combined benefits of a global framework and readily accessible local organizations. Dedicated experts work closely together with customers to develop tailor-made solutions that meet individual requirements.For further information, please go to:About AzelisAzelis is the leading global specialty chemicals distributor providing a diverse range of innovative products and services. Dedicated teams serve customers in the following industries: Personal Care, Pharma, Food & Health, Animal Nutrition, Specialty Agri/Horti, Homecare & Industrial Cleaning, CASE (coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers) Chemicals, Lubricants & Metal Working Fluids and Rubber & Plastic Additives. Through sourcing and distribution channels in every major market around the world, Azelis with its corporate service centre in Antwerp, Belgium, offers chemical producers market penetration, in-depth local knowledge, value-added services and tailored multi-territory solutions. Azelis has a turnover of ca. 1.5 billion and employs around 1,500 knowledgeable people located in more than 45 facilities in over 35 countries across the EMEA, Asia Pacific and Americas regions.For more information, please visit:Kevin NoelsMarketing SolutionsBox 62950 KapellenBelgiumTel: +31 164 317 011E-Mail: info@marketingsolutions.be United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Invisible Orthodontics Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021 http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=897450&type=E http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/united-states-eu-japan-china-india-and-southeast-asia-invisible-orthodontics-market-size-status-and-forecast-2021.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/press-releases.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com/press-releases.htm This report on United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Invisible Orthodontics market is a research study that is meant to armor existing and emerging players to gain shares. It does so by presenting a comprehensive analysis of the market in terms of revenue (US$ Mn), and also includes a figurative forecast estimation, both for the United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia as well as regional markets. The report contains an elaborate executive summary, which includes a snapshot that provides information about various segments and sub-segments of the market. Estimated and expected valuation of each of these segments has been included to highlight the opportunity available.The study includes factors that are primed to drive and hinder the growth rate of the United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Invisible Orthodontics market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. Additionally, the study identifies emerging trends and includes various opportunities available in the field. Detailed value chain analysis has been included to provide a comprehensive view of the Invisible Orthodontics market. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-users and countries are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @One of several key aspects of this report on United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Invisible Orthodontics market is the section on company profiles. Here, major business strategies adopted by key players and future roadmap, key developments, their market positioning, competitors, and product offerings, and revenue have been identified in the research report.This market study is a combination of primary and secondary research, built on proven methodologies. Primary research formed the bulk of research efforts along with information collected from interactions via e-mails and telephonic interviews. Secondary research involved study of company websites, stock analysis presentations, annual reports, press releases, and various international and national databases.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Invisible Orthodontics1.1 Invisible Orthodontics Market Overview1.1.1 Invisible Orthodontics Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Invisible Orthodontics Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Invisible Orthodontics Market by End Users/Application1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.3.3 Application 32 Global Invisible Orthodontics Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Invisible Orthodontics Market Size (Value) by Players (2015-2016)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 3M3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Invisible Orthodontics Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Align Technology3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Invisible Orthodontics Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 ClearCorrect3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Invisible Orthodontics Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Dentsply Sirona3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Invisible Orthodontics Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Ormco3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Invisible Orthodontics Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 American Orthodontics3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Invisible Orthodontics Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 BioMers3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Invisible Orthodontics Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 ClearPath Orthodontics3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Invisible Orthodontics Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 DB Orthodontics3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Invisible Orthodontics Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 G&H Orthodontics3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Invisible Orthodontics Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Great Lakes Orthodontics3.12 Henry Schein Dental3.13 Ortho Organizers3.14 Orthocaps3.15 Rocky Mountain Orthodontics3.16 Rxaligners3.17 Sensu3.18 TP OrthodonticsFor Latest QYResearchreports Press Release Visit @QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.QYResearchreportsContact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States+1-518-621-2074866-997-4948USA-Canada Toll freesales@qyresearchreports.comFor Latest Press Release Visit @ Bone Cancer Market : An Insight On The Important Factors And Trends Influencing The Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=14948 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/bone-cancer-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Bone cancer market: Types of therapiesthe market is also segmented on the basis of therapies and treatments available, such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, cryosurgery and surgical treatments. Limb amputation surgery, limb salvage surgery or limb sparing surgery are the major surgical practices used to treat bone cancer. Whereas, in radiation therapy, high energy X-rays or gamma-rays are used to destroy the tumors. Chemotherapy is a pharmacological treatment by using anti-cancer drugs either orally or parenterally. Major drugs include strontium-89 chloride, bisphosphonates, methotrexate, denosumab, doxorubicin and many others. Cryosurgery is also sometimes used to treat the bone cancer. In addition, the market is segmented on the basis of geography, such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW). The North American region is the most dominating market in the world, owing to rapidly growing incidences of bone cancers and rising focus towards R&D for bone tumor treatments. On the other hand, Asia-Pacific and RoW regions are the most promising markets in the upcoming period, owing to rise in awareness of bone cancer, its chronic impacts and its treatments.For Any Queries Get Solutions With A PDF Sample :Bone cancer market growthAlthough it accounts for much less than one percent of all cancers, the market of bone cancer is expected to grow at a steady rate during the forecast period from 2016 2024. This growth is anticipated to be driven by various factors, such as, R&D practices running across the globe, rising awareness amongst the population for bone cancer and other bone diseases, increasing medical infrastructure and technological advancements. Owing to R&D practices, a number of drugs and formulations are under pipeline studies and are expected to enter in the market during forecast period. However, low prevalence of the disease is the major hurdle in the market growth, followed by high cost of R&D, diagnosis and treatment.According to American Cancer Society estimates, approximately 3,300 new cases of bone cancer are expected to diagnose in 2016, out of which, around 1490 deaths are expected due to bone cancer. Hence, this very low prevalence is the major hurdle in the market growth.Bone cancer market: SegmentationThe market of bone cancer is segmented on the basis of types of bone cancer, such as, primary bone cancer and secondary bone cancer. Primary bone cancer is the type of cancer that originates from rapid and uncontrollable growth of the bone and related tissues. Whereas, secondary cancer is a type of bone cancer, in which, the cancer is originated to some other site of the body and metastasize to the bone structure. The bone cancer is also classified as, osteosarcoma, Ewings sarcoma, chondrosarcoma, chordomas, fibrosarcoma, and admantinomas.One of the most fatal and chronic disorder now a day is Cancer. It is a highly hazardous disease with an extremely high mortality rate due to its highly invasive nature and prolonged duration of disease. Bone cancer is one the types of cancer in which the tissues of bone start growing in uncontrollable manner. This growth can be benign or malignant. In most of the cases, the bone cancer is a result from other cancers.The major and primary symptom of the bone cancer is severe and intolerable bone pain. This pain increases over the period of time. In addition to pain, symptoms like weight loss, fatigue, bone crack, fever, muscle pain, osteoporosis, and osteopenia are also identified. The diagnostic tests may preliminary include deep study of patients history and reasons of pain. Afterwards, the diagnosis of the bone cancer is carried out by using some imaging studies, such as, CT scan, MRI, bone scanning, and PET scanning. Biopsy test is also used for the diagnosis and confirmation of the disease.View exclusive Global strategic Business report :The major players operating in this market include Amgen, Inc., Actavis plc, Novartis International AG, Debiopharm Group, Pfizer, Inc., and Eli Lilly and Company amongst others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: United States Cosmetic contact lenses Market Analysis and Forecasts 2017 to 2021 Cosmetic contact lenses https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/928083-united-states-cosmetic-contact-lenses-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/928083-united-states-cosmetic-contact-lenses-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=928083 www.wiseguyreports.com Cosmetic contact lenses Market ReportThis report studies sales (consumption) of Cosmetic contact lenses in United States market, focuses on the top players, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player, coveringJohnson and JohnsonBausch + LombHorienHydronBESCONCLBNEOWeiconHyper SizeColor FirstC&CGEOTry Sample Report @Market Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisSplit by product types, with sales, revenue, price, and market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoRigid lensesSoft lensesHybridSplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Cosmetic contact lenses in each application, can be divided intoMenWomenSome Major Points from Table of content:United States Cosmetic contact lenses Market Report 20171 Cosmetic contact lenses Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Cosmetic contact lenses1.2 Classification of Cosmetic contact lenses1.2.1 Rigid lenses1.2.2 Soft lenses1.2.3 Hybrid1.3 Application of Cosmetic contact lenses1.3.1 Men1.3.2 Women1.4 United States Market Size Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) of Cosmetic contact lenses (2012-2022)1.4.1 United States Cosmetic contact lenses Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Cosmetic contact lenses Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)For Detailed Reading Please visit at @2 United States Cosmetic contact lenses Competition by Manufacturers2.1 United States Cosmetic contact lenses Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 United States Cosmetic contact lenses Revenue and Share by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.3 United States Cosmetic contact lenses Average Price by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.4 Cosmetic contact lenses Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 Cosmetic contact lenses Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 Cosmetic contact lenses Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion......6 United States Cosmetic contact lenses Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis6.1 Johnson and Johnson6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Cosmetic contact lenses Product Type, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 Rigid lenses6.1.2.2 Soft lenses6.1.3 Johnson and Johnson Cosmetic contact lenses Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Bausch + Lomb6.2.2 Cosmetic contact lenses Product Type, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 Rigid lenses6.2.2.2 Soft lenses6.2.3 Bausch + Lomb Cosmetic contact lenses Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 Horien6.3.2 Cosmetic contact lenses Product Type, Application and Specification6.3.2.1 Rigid lenses6.3.2.2 Soft lenses6.3.3 Horien Cosmetic contact lenses Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.4 Hydron6.4.2 Cosmetic contact lenses Product Type, Application and Specification6.4.2.1 Rigid lenses6.4.2.2 Soft lenses6.4.3 Hydron Cosmetic contact lenses Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.5 BESCON6.5.2 Cosmetic contact lenses Product Type, Application and Specification6.5.2.1 Rigid lenses6.5.2.2 Soft lenses6.5.3 BESCON Cosmetic contact lenses Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.6 CLB6.6.2 Cosmetic contact lenses Product Type, Application and Specification6.6.2.1 Rigid lenses6.6.2.2 Soft lenses6.6.3 CLB Cosmetic contact lenses Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.7 NEO6.7.2 Cosmetic contact lenses Product Type, Application and Specification6.7.2.1 Rigid lenses6.7.2.2 Soft lenses6.7.3 NEO Cosmetic contact lenses Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.7.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinuedBuy now @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPh: +91 841 198 5042info@wiseguyreports.com Adiponitrile Expected to Be Biggest Emerging Market by 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4242 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/4242 Adiponitrile or hexanedinitrile is a colorless organic liquid compound. It finds its major application as a precursor for polymer nylon 6-6 which is known for its high mechanical strength and hence finds an array of applications including conveyor belts, carpet fibers, and electro-insulating elements amongst others. Adiponitrile also finds its application, though to a much smaller extent as an intermediate for synthesis of corrosion inhibitors and rubber accelerators. The major market for adiponitrile is governed by its application in Nylon6-6 whose demand continues to sore across North America and Europe primarily due to automotive applications. Also the market for adiponitrile finds upward trend in Asia pacific countries like China, Malaysia and other south-east Asian countries chiefly due to availability of cheaper production facilities.A sample of this report is available upon request @Adiponitrile is largely prepared by most common industrial route which was revealed by Dupont involving nickel-catalyzed hydrocyanation of butadiene. This process involves series of sub-products to finally produce adiponitrile as the outcome. Adiponitrile is then hydrogenated to produce hexamethylenediamine which is a vital component of Nylon6-6. Nylon 6-6 is prime substitute for Nylon 6 which finds applications requiring fittings in automotive applications, strings for musical instruments, ropes and tire cords. However Nylon 6-6 has better properties in high temperature applications and hence makes in suitable over nylon 6 in various applications. The major applications which necessitate high temperature and strength include that of carpet manufacturing, hosiery and knitted garments (textile sector), tire ropes, gear wheels, plug parts, hydraulic brake lines and radiator housings for automotive industry. As Nylon 6-6 is light in weight and waterproof in nature it makes it appropriate for swim-wear. Adiponitrile is also used in production of adipic acid which is used in polyurethane applications like auto seating, footwear, thermal insulation amongst others. However adipic acid can be cheaply manufactured by other ways making adiponitrile a weaker option for this segment.Almost all the adiponitrile goes into production of Nylon 6-6 fiber and hence requirement of Nylon 6-6 drives the market. As Nylon 6-6 finds wide array of applications in manufacturing and automotive sector, growth of these sectors would fuel the need of adiponitrile. The requirement in this sector is largely dominated by the U.S., followed by developing countries like China and Malaysia. The requirement of Nylon 6-6 resin grows wider across Europe and the U.S. as a major engineering resin; this would enhance market for adiponitrile. The tyre-cord requirement would continue to grow as the automotive segment seems to grow at steady pace across Asia-pacific countries and developed countries. This makes the market for adiponitrile even more lucrative. Application for carpets, rugs and clothing fibers which belong to textile sector are likely to continue the growth owing to strengthening in textile industry. This will certainly act as a major driver in the requirement for adiponitrile in near future. However this market faces a stiff price competition due to cut-throat price rivalry and hence the major players in this segment are shifting their production sites to Asia-pacific countries. This has propelled to a large extent demand in China which would even advance further with tyre-cord requirement.Request to view Table of content @Some of the key participants in the adiponitrile market include Dupont, Solvay, Rhodia group, Invista,BASF, Lyondellbasell Industries, LG Chem, Ineos, China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, Braskem, Evonik Industries, The dow chemical company, JSR Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell and Saudi Basic Industries Corporation amongst others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com United States Small Hydropower Industry Analysis 2016 Market Size(Value, Volume) Market Shares, Growth Rate, Trends, Forecast http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/719102 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/pressreleases http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketresearchreports-biz The United States Small Hydropower Industry 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Small Hydropower industry.The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Small Hydropower market analysis is provided for the United States markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and Bill of Materials cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins.The report focuses on United States major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The Small Hydropower industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered.Download Sample Copy Of This Report:With 157 tables and figures the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Table of Contents1 Industry Overview1.1 Definition and Specifications of Small Hydropower1.1.1 Definition of Small Hydropower1.1.2 Specifications of Small Hydropower1.2 Classification of Small Hydropower1.3 Applications of Small Hydropower1.4 Industry Chain Structure of Small Hydropower1.5 Industry Overview of Small Hydropower1.6 Industry Policy Analysis of Small Hydropower1.7 Industry News Analysis of Small Hydropower2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Small Hydropower2.1 Bill of Materials (BOM) of Small Hydropower2.2 BOM Price Analysis of Small Hydropower2.3 Labor Cost Analysis of Small Hydropower2.4 Depreciation Cost Analysis of Small Hydropower2.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Small Hydropower2.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Small Hydropower2.7 United States Price, Cost and Gross of Small Hydropower 2011-20163 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of United States Key Manufacturers in 20153.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of United States Key Small Hydropower Manufacturers in 20153.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of United States Small Hydropower Key Manufacturers in 20153.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of United States Small Hydropower Key Manufacturers in 20154 Production Analysis of Small Hydropower by Regions, Type, and Applications4.1 United States Production of Small Hydropower by Regions 2011-20164.2 United States Production of Small Hydropower by Type 2011-20164.3 United States Sales of Small Hydropower by Applications 2011-20164.4 Price Analysis of United States Small Hydropower Key Manufacturers in 20154.5 United States Capacity, Production, Import, Export, Sales, Price, Cost and Revenue of Small Hydropower 2011-20165 Consumption Volume and Consumption Value Analysis of Small Hydropower by Regions5.1 United States Consumption Volume of Small Hydropower by Regions 2011-20165.2 United States Consumption Value of Small Hydropower by Regions 2011-20165.3 United States Consumption Price Analysis of Small Hydropower by Regions 2011-20166 Analysis of Small Hydropower Production, Supply, Sales and Market Status 2011-20166.1 Capacity, Production, Sales, and Revenue of Small Hydropower 2011-20166.2 Production Market Share and Sales Market Share Analysis of Small Hydropower 2014-20156.3 Sales Overview of Small Hydropower 2011-20166.4 Supply, Consumption and Gap of Small Hydropower 2011-20166.5 Import, Export and Consumption of Small Hydropower 2011-20166.6 Cost, Price, Revenue and Gross Margin of Small Hydropower 2011-2016About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.To View The Latest Industry Press Releases:ContactMr. Nachiket90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E-Mail: sales@marketresearchreports.bizFollow us on LinkedIn:Thanks..!!!!!!!!!!!MarketResearchReports.biz supports your business intelligence needs with over 100,000 market research reports, company profiles, data books, and regional market data sheets in its repository. Our document database is updated by the hour, which means that you always have access to fresh data spanning over 300 industries and their sub-segments.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Silver Nanoparticles Market 2025 : Analysis and Information for Every Aspact of the Industry https://goo.gl/ey7Qmx https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=53 https://www.tmrresearch.com/silver-nanoparticles-market Global Silver Nanoparticles Market: Inclusive InsightSilver nanoparticles are among the most common commercialized nanoparticles, which account for more than half of the global nanomaterial consumer products. Optic and processing advanced catalytic features makes them ideally suitable for electronic products and hence, silver nanoparticles have grown into an essential material in various applications such as food packaging, wound healing, weakening the cell membrane, and plastic bags owing to its ability to damage bacteria cells.This report on global silver nanoparticles market expects the demand to surge in near future due to its rising application scope in healthcare and food and beverage industry because of its antimicrobial properties, which helps in improving product shelf life and prevents it from pathogens. The report segments the market by application into electronics and electrical, healthcare, food and beverages, and textiles. One of the key feature of the report is the section on company profiles wherein several major players have been analyzed for their product portfolio, market share, and development strategies.Request a Brochure of the Report @Global Silver Nanoparticles Market: Trends and ProspectsMiniaturization of devices, antimicrobial applications of silver, rising demand from developing countries and the growing awareness for eco-friendly products are the primary driver of the global market for silver nanoparticles. The report observes that the increasing application of silver nanoparticles in transparent conductors, which are now frequently used in LED, OLED, touch screens, and other lighting devices. The scope of silver nanoparticles in childrens toys, which helps in reducing the spread of diseases by minimizing surface antimicrobial activities, is another factors noted by the report that will favor the future prospects. Emergence of nanofinished textiles for odor control and curtail growth of bacteria that cause infection along with stringent regulatory framework across several developed and emerging economies will further boost the growth rate. However, high cost of nanoparticles, fluctuating silver prices, and its toxic effects are noted as the factors that will hinder the growth rate to a certain extend during the forecast period.Global Silver Nanoparticles Market: Geographical OutlookBased on region, the report segments the global nanoparticles market into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and rest of the world. Currently, North America contributes the maximum demand, owing to factors such as increasing food safety standard, and growing popularity of clothes sterilization due to rising health safety concerns among the workers. Europe is the second most lucrative region because of high consumer spending on medical services along with regulatory compliance. However, Asia Pacific too is expected to extend the demand at a healthy rate during the forecast period, which is a reflection of manufacturing hubs set up by several leading players in this region. China and South Korea silver nanoparticles market share are key contributing countries in Asia Pacific.Request for TOC of the Report @Global Silver Nanoparticles Market: Key PlayersEmfutur Technologies, Nanocs, NanoHorizons, Nanoshel, Cline Scientific, Cima Nanotech, American Elements, and Applied Nanotech are identified by the report as some of the leading industry participants. Research and development investments and mergers & acquisitions across the value chain is expected to build strong distribution channel by these players in the global silver nanoparticles market. Other notable companies include Bayer, Meliorum Technologies, Ames Goldsmith, and Advanced Nano products.Read Complete Report @About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact :Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@tmrresearch.com The research study on the Over-the-Counter Diagnostics Market offers a comprehensive analysis, presenting insights into the key factors https://goo.gl/Js8TNF https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=54 https://www.tmrresearch.com/over-the-counter-diagnostics-market Global Over-the-Counter Diagnostics Market: OverviewOver-the-counter diagnostics comprises different types of medical kits that are being used widely to diagnose medical conditions and disorders. The easy availability of these medical kits in pharmaceutical shops is one of the important factors projected to supplement the growth of the market in the forecast period.The research study on the global over-the-counter diagnostics market offers a comprehensive analysis, presenting insights into the key factors that are likely to impact the growth of the market in the near future. The key segmentation provided in the research study helps the readers and players to attain a strong understanding of the global market and make effective business decisions in the near future. The leading regional segments have been highlighted in the study, along with the anticipated growth rate have been mentioned in the study. In addition, an in-depth analysis of the competitive landscape of the market has been discussed at length in the study.Request a Brochure of the Report @Global Over-the-Counter Diagnostics Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe rising geriatric population worldwide and the growing prevalence of several disorders are some of the important factors that are projected to fuel the growth of the global over-the-counter diagnostics market in the forecast period. In addition, the growing number of women of reproductive age is another factor likely to boost the demand for over-the-counter diagnostics, including pregnancy kits, which will accelerate the market growth.Furthermore, the tremendously rising number of blood pressure and diabetes cases across the globe is one of the vital factors estimated to encourage the growth of the global over-the-counter diagnostics market in the near future. The high rise in the demand for blood pressure devices and blood glucose meters is the major factor fuelling the growth of the market.Request for TOC of the Report @Global Over-the-Counter Diagnostics Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global over-the-counter diagnostics market can be categorized in terms of geography into Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and the Rest of the World. Among the key geographical segments, North America is estimated to lead the global over-the-counter diagnostics market in the next few years and hold a massive share. The high growth of this region can be attributed to the presence of a large number of players, who are focusing on the expansion of their product portfolio. In addition, the increasing adoption rate, owing to the rising population are some of the other factors anticipated to accelerate the growth of the North America market in the near future.Furthermore, Europe is projected to remain on the second position in the global over-the-counter diagnostics market in terms so revenue. Asia Pacific is expected to follow Europe and witness a significant growth in the next few years. The growth rate and market size of each region have been included in the scope of the research study.Read Complete Report @Key Players Mentioned in the Research Report are:Some of the prominent players operating in the over-the-counter diagnostics market across the globe are Bio-Med USA, Inc. Johnson & Johnson, GE Healthcare, Omron Healthcare, 3M Healthcare, Medtronic, Inc., Hoffmann-La Roche, Philips Healthcare, Piramal Healthcare, Abbott Laboratories, and ResMed, Inc. A significant spike in the number of players entering the market is expected to toughen the competitive landscape throughout the forecast period.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact :Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@tmrresearch.com The report provides a comprehensive overview of the Radiology Information Systems Market covering the growth drivers and major restraints https://goo.gl/3IpvjD https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=58 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=59 Global Radiology Information Systems Market: OverviewRadiology information system (RIS) is an advanced software tool developed to manage radiological data generated in hospitals around the world. The software majorly caters to digital data collection, thereby assisting the overall healthcare information systems. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the global radiological information systems market covering the growth drivers, major restraints, segmentation based on various parameters, and the impact of the latest technological advancements. It also covers outcomes of various analyses, intended to help the readers gain a better perspective of the global radiology information systems market.Global Radiology Information Systems Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe increasing costs and demand for more effective healthcare services have compelled hospitals to integrate advanced technologies for managing work force better and simultaneously delivering quicker and better patient care. Spurred by these factors, the uptake of radio information systems has significantly increased across hospitals and radiology departments. Besides this, enterprises operating in the global radiology information systems market are also gaining from the increasing incidence of chronic ailments such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and others. In addition, the rising aging population will prove a boon as geriatric population is more prone to developing terminal illnesses.Request a Brochure of the Report @As per the findings of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, nearly 400 million medical imaging procedure are conducted annually in the U.S. A comprehensive and integrated system is thus required to manage such staggering volume of patient-related data generated yearly. Moreover, with the decentralization of hospital processes, incomplete data storage has emerged as a major concern. In order to address these concerns, the deployment of radiology information systems is expected to rise significantly.Global Radiology Information Systems Market: Regional OutlookRegionally, North America holds position as the most lucrative market for radiology information systems. Europe comes second to it in terms of exhibiting opportunities for radiology information systems sales. Besides this, Asia Pacific has been exhibiting attractive prospects as a result of the rising demand from countries such as China, Korea, Japan, and Malaysia. Due to the excessively high cost of medical services in the U.S., hospitals are losing businesses to their counterparts in Asia Pacific, with Malaysia, Singapore, China, India, and other countries emerging as popular destinations for medical tourism.Request for TOC of the Report @Moreover, the prevalence of cancer across emerging nations is considerably high. According to the WHO, over 60% of new cancer cases are reported from Asia, South America, and Africa. Furthermore, these regions also show a high incidence of cardiovascular disease mortalities among the low and middle-income countries, which is a chief driver of the demand for radiology information systems.Global Radiology Information Systems Market: Vendor LandscapeTo study the prevailing vendor landscape, the report also profiles a few of the most prominent enterprises operating in the global radiology information system market. Using SWOT analysis, the report determines the strengths and weaknesses of the companies profiled. The analysis also helps the companies identify the opportunities and threats that they might witness over the course of the forecast period.Read Complete Report @Some of the leading enterprises operating in the global radiology information systems market are CoActiv Medical, AGFA Healthcare, FUJIFILM, Carestream Health, MERGE Healthcare, Cyglera Health Systems, Comrad, Novarad Corporation, Siemens Healthcare, and Infinitt Healthcare Co., Ltd.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact :Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-518-618-1030Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Dimer Acid Market Expected to be Worth US$ 705.8 Million by 2021 www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4371 www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/dimer-a www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/4371 According to a new market report published by Persistence Market Research Global Market Study on Dimer Acid: Distilled and Hydrogenated Segment to Witness High Growth by 2021, the global market for dimer acids valued at an estimated US$ 494.1 million in 2015, and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.1% from 2015 to 2021, to reach a market value of US$ 705.8 Mn by 2021.A sample of this report is available upon request:The growth of end use industries is expected to emerge as a major factor driving the global dimer acid market during the forecast period. Moreover, steady economic growth in regions across the globe, especially in Asia Pacific is also likely to indirectly drive the growth of the global dimer acid market between 2015 and 2021.Additionally, increasing demand for bio-based, green products, is expected to positively impact the global dimer acid market during the forecast period.However, volatility in prices of dimer acids, primarily due to fluctuation in vegetable oil prices is likely to act as an impediment to the growth of the global dimer acid market between 2015 and 2021. The global dimer acid market is expected to grow from an estimated value of US$ 494.1 million in 2015to US$ 705.8 million by 2021, registering a CAGR of 6.2% during the forecast period.Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the global dimer acid market during the forecast period. It is slated to register CAGR of nearly 7.3% between 2015 and 2021.A relatively slower pace of growth is forecast to be exhibited by Europe and North Americas dimer acid markets during the forecast period.On the basis of applications, reactive polyamides segment is expected to witness growth at a faster pace, compared to other application based segments. In terms of product types, standard dimer acid segment accounts for a major share of the overall dimer acid market and is expected to dominate the market throughout the forecast period.Request to view Table of Content:...BASF SE, Arizona Chemical Company LLC, Oleon NV are the foremost players of global dimer acid market. Other noteworthy players of the global dimer acid market are all China-based companies, including: Shandong Huijin Chemical Co. Ltd., Liancheng Baixin Science and Technology Co. Ltd., and Jiangsu Yonglin Oleochemical Co. Ltd., among the others.To Buy Full Report for a Single User:About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Spark Plugs Market is Expected to Grow at a CAGR of 5.5% by 2022 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1931 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/spark-plugs-market Market Research Future published a half-cooked research report on global spark plugs market. The global market spark plugs is expected to grow at a CAGR of about 5.5% during the forecast period, 2016 to 2022.Market Highlights:Spark Plugs are the device to transfer the electric current from ignition system to combustion chamber of a vehicle. Stringent regulations & norms by government regarding emissions & fuel efficiency and growth of automotive industries are driving the market for spark plugs. Advanced spark plugs improves cold starting and generates efficient combustion which in turn increases the fuel efficiency and performance of the vehicles. Hot spark plugs by product type contributes the largest share of the global spark plugs market. Also, shift towards electric vehicles is restraining the growth of global market for spark plug. The global Spark Plugs market is expected to show a growth at CAGR of about 5.5% from 2016 to 2022.Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the spark plugs market in the forecast period. Asia-Pacific holds the largest market for the automotive industries. Asia-Pacific region is dominated by spark plugged petrol engine vehicles which in turn is expected to drive the market for spark plug.Request a Sample Copy @Key Players of Spark Plugs Market: NGK Spark Plug Co. Ltd. Federal-Mogul Corporation Borgwarner Inc. Denso Corporation, Robert Bosch Gmbh General Motors (Acdelco Corporation) Delphi Automotive Valeo Weichai Power Co. Ltd. UCI-Fram Autobrands (Autolite)Scope of the report:This study provides an overview of the global spark plugs industry, tracking market segments across the categorized four geographic regions. The report provides a five-year forecast for the market size in terms of value for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the world. The scope of the study segments the global spark plugs market based on product type, material type, market, and vehicle type.Access Report Details @Brief TOC for Spark Plugs:1. Report Prologue2. Introduction2.1. Definition2.2. Scope of the Study2.2.1. Research Objective2.2.2. Assumptions2.2.3. Limitations2.3. Market Structure2.4. Market Segmentation3. Research Methodology3.1. Research Process3.2. Primary Research3.3. Secondary Research3.4. Market Size Estimation3.5. Forecast Model4. Market Dynamics4.1. Drivers & Opportunities4.2. Challenges & Restraints4.3. Value Chain Analysis4.4. Porters Five Forces Analysis5. Spark Plugs Market, By Product Type5.1. Introduction5.2. Hot Spark Plug5.3. Cold Spark PlugsContinueTarget Audience: Manufacturers of Spark Plugs Raw material suppliers for Spark Plugs Automotive OEMs and Aftermarkets Government and research organization Investment bankers and M&A ConsultantsAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash AnandMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Global Disposable Flame Retardant Fabric Market Research Forecast Report 2016-2020 Disposable Flame Retardant Fabric Market http://www.9dresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/global-disposable-flame-retardant-fabric-market-2016-industry.html http://www.9dresearchgroup.com/report/104640/request-sample The report titled Disposable Flame Retardant Fabric Market is an in-depth and a professional document that provides a comprehensive overview of the global Disposable Flame Retardant Fabric market.Read Complete Report @The report provides an executive-level blueprint of the Disposable Flame Retardant Fabric market beginning with the definition of the market dynamics. The analysis classifies the Disposable Flame Retardant Fabric market in terms of products, application, and key geographic regions. With focus on presenting a detailed value chain analysis, the study evaluates the set of region-specific approaches forged by the industry. To determine the market potential for Disposable Flame Retardant Fabric in the international scenario, the study delves into the competitive landscape and development landscape exhibited by the key geographic regions.Development plans and policies significantly impact the market dynamic. The report therefore studies in detail the impact of the strategies, plans, and policies adopted by leading vendors of the Disposable Flame Retardant Fabric market. Manufacturing cost of products and the pricing structure adopted by the market is also evaluated in the report. Other parameters crucial in determining trends in the market such as consumption demand and supply figures, cost of production, gross profit margins, and selling price of product and services is also included within the ambit of the report.To provide a detailed analysis on the competitive landscape, the report profiles the key players in the Disposable Flame Retardant Fabric industry. Information present in these chapters includes details of products manufactured by the leading companies, product specification and price, and production capacity. Using reliable analytical tools, the report evaluates the information sourced from both primary and secondary research. Results obtained through the detailed analysis helps in presenting refined forecasts regarding growth prospects of the Disposable Flame Retardant Fabric market. Apart from this, the analysts have also conducted upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis to compile and present an exhaustive study on the Disposable Flame Retardant Fabric market.Request for Sample Report @A detailed segmentation evaluation of the Disposable Flame Retardant Fabric market has been provided in the report. Detailed information about the key segments of the market and their growth prospects are available in the report. The detailed analysis of their sub-segments is also available in the report. The revenue forecasts and volume shares along with market estimates are available in the report.9D Research Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442, USA Aesthetic Equipment Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2337 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/aesthetic-equipment-market.html Global Aesthetic Equipment Market: Brief DescriptionAesthetic is term which is used in reference with beauty or a rather pleasing appearance and is also derived from the aisthetikos, which is a Greek word. This word means sentient, sense, and esthetic. Increasing aesthetic awareness among consumers, especially among the aged population, is triggering the demand for several devices which are utilized in aesthetic procedures. Chin surgery, brow lifts, face lift surgery, eyelid surgery, breast augmentation, thigh lift, tummy tuck, bra line back lift, skin rejuvenation, liposuction, and hair replacement are some of the primary aesthetic procedures that are being carried out across the globe. Aesthetic procedures are carried out to improve the self-esteem and appearance of individuals with a positive attitude, thus garnering extreme confidence in people. Energy based devices, intense pulsed light devices, microdermal abraders, dermal lasers, light emitting diodes, and dermal fillers are some of the commonly used equipment in aesthetic procedures.Download Research Brochure PDF@This industry study is an evaluation of the growth prospects and historical tract of the global aesthetic equipment market. It deals with the assessment of the facets that are projected to sway the expansion of the market both negatively and positively. Further, the key trends have also been indicated in the publication. The research study further presents a wide outlook on the seller landscape of the market with reference to Porters five forces analysis. The research report deals with the R&D activities, mergers, acquisitions, and particulars on certifications and partnerships. The report reviews the approaches related to shares, publicity, and product range of the key accomplices in the global aesthetic equipment market.Global Aesthetic Equipment Market: Drivers and InhibitorsThe global aesthetic equipment market is expected to expand extensively owing to the growing aesthetic consciousness among consumers, evolving procedures which are minimally invasive, rising number of incidences of obesity, and budding technological advances which ultimately leads to device innovation. These aspects are also likely to lift the number of aesthetic procedures being performed across the globe. Although the demand for aesthetic procedures is basically from the geriatric population, the young population is also preferring the use of aesthetic procedures, thus triggering the demand for aesthetic equipment. However, the market is likely to be negatively impacted by the high cost of the aesthetic procedures and the exclusion of these procedures from reimbursement policies. As a result of these factors, people are likely to be hesitant towards the adoption of these procedures.Global Aesthetic Equipment Market: Regional OverviewRegion-wise, the global aesthetic equipment market is dominated by North America followed by Europe in the second place. The main reason behind the extensive growth of the North America aesthetic equipment market is the growing number of elderly population demanding aesthetic procedures for appearance enhancement. The top surgical procedures that the region witnessed are face lift, liposuction, eyelid surgery, nose reshaping, and breast augmentation. Manufacturers of aesthetic equipment can also capitalize on the opportunities arising from emerging economies such as Mexico, Brazil, India, and China. The market in Asia Pacific is expected to register strong growth.Global Aesthetic Equipment Market: Competitive LandscapeThe leading companies engaged in the production and distribution of aesthetic equipment are Medicis Pharmaceutical, Light BioScience LLC, Dornier MedTech, Genzyme Corporation, Focus Medical, Alcon Inc., PhotoMedex Inc., Miramar Labs, Inc., Solta Medical, Syneron Medical Ltd., Johnson & Johnson, Lumenis, Inc., and Allergen Inc. among others.Browse Full Report@About Us:-Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact Us:-Transparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Enterprise Asset Management Market to Reach US$ 4,032.3 Mn by 2026 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-193 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-193 www.futuremarketinsights.com Future Market Insights delivers key insights on the global enterprise asset management market in a new report titled, Enterprise Asset Management Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 20162026. The global enterprise asset management market was valued at US$ 1,877.4 Mn in 2015 and is estimated to increase to US$ 2,005.8 Mn by the end of 2016, reflecting a Y-o-Y growth rate of 6.8%. In this report, Future Market Insights analyses the factors and trends impacting the growth and performance of the global enterprise asset management market between 2016 and 2026.A marked shift towards cloud services, improved ROI with the aid of enterprise asset management solutions, and the emergence of the Internet of Things are factors expected to drive the growth of the global enterprise asset management market over the forecast period. Factors expected to hamper overall market growth to a certain extent include high costs associated with designing and implementing enterprise asset management solutions, lack of strategic planning post installation of enterprise asset management solutions, and lack of skilled personnel to manage the enterprise asset management process.Request Free Report Sample@Major enterprise asset management solution providers are laying emphasis on introducing cloud-based enterprise asset management solutions to cater to the growing demand across various verticals, especially small and medium enterprises. Providers are also looking to integrate predictive analytics and ERP with their enterprise asset management solution offerings. --- Analyst Electronics & ICT, Future Market InsightsSegmentation highlightsThe global enterprise asset management market is segmented on the basis of Solution (Database Solution, Analytics Solution, Mobile Solution, Cloud-based Solution); Service (Consulting Service, Implementation Service, Training and Support Service, Outsourcing Service); and Vertical (Public Sector, Manufacturing, Oil and Gas, Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Industry, Energy and Utility, Transportation, Wholesale and Distribution, Food & Beverages, Paper and Packaging, Chemical and Process Industry (Including Steel Industry), Mining, Service Industry).The Cloud-based Solution segment of the global enterprise asset management market is anticipated to reach a market valuation of US$ 1,243.8 Mn by 2026, registering a high CAGR of 9.8% during the forecast period, owing to greater adoption backed by lower cost of maintenance and support post installation. The Mobile Solution segment is anticipated to create incremental $ opportunity of US$ 265.3 Mn between 2016 and 2026The Implementation Service segment is expected to be the most dominant segment in the global enterprise asset management market in terms of revenue share and is estimated to account for 46.6% market share by the end of 2016. The Training and Support Service segment is estimated to register a CAGR of 4.3% during the forecast periodThe Manufacturing vertical segment was valued at US$ 274.9 Mn in 2015 and is estimated to reach US$ 306.8 Mn by the end of 2016, reflecting a Y-o-Y growth rate of 8.6%. The Public Sector vertical segment is estimated to create incremental $ opportunity of US$ 168.0 Mn between 2016 and 2026Regional forecastThe global enterprise asset management market is segmented on the basis of region into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Middle East & Africa (MEA), and Japan. North America is expected to dominate the global enterprise asset management market by the end of 2016 and is likely to continue its dominance throughout the forecast period, registering a CAGR of 8.3% between 2016 and 2026. Europe is expected to be the second largest market in terms of revenue in the global enterprise asset management market over the next 10 years, and is expected to regist>Am CAGR of 7.7% during the forecast period.Send An Enquiry@Vendor insightsIBM Corporation, SAP SE, Oracle Corporation, ABB Ltd., IFS AB, Infor Inc., Ultimo Software Solutions bv, CARL International SA, eMaint Enterprises, LLC, Mainsaver Inc., MEX Pty Ltd., and AssetWorks LLC are some of the leading companies operating in the global enterprise asset management market. Key market players are focussing on deploying enterprise asset management solutions primarily for large enterprises and asset intensive industries such as public sector, transportation, and energy & utilities.About Us Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.Contact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: North America Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market to reach US$ 150.36 Bn by 2026 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-na-2158 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-na-2158 www.futuremarketinsights.com According to a new report published by Future Market Insights titled Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market: North America Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 20162026, the North America outbound medical tourism services market is expected to reach a market valuation of US$ 15.53 Bn by 2016 end and this is likely to increase to US$ 150.36 Bn by 2026.According to Future Market Insights, factors such as a large ageing baby boomer population, large uninsured population, and better technology and wider treatment options are expected to drive the revenue growth of the North America outbound medical tourism services market over the forecast period. Economic factors such as rising rate of health insurance premiums, high cost of medical treatments in the U.S., and parallel tourism with medical treatment are expected to boost the growth of the North America outbound medical tourism services market between 2016 and 2026. The other factors impacting the North America outbound medical tourism services market are long waiting time for specialist appointments in the U.S. and increasing preference for non-conventional treatment options. The demand for cosmetic correction procedures and dental treatments has been significantly high in the U.S. market in recent years, making North America the most lucrative regional market for outbound medical tourism services. According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the U.S. was the largest market for cosmetic procedures in 2015.Request Free Report Sample@Lack of effective follow-up care on returning home, rampant medical malpractices in medical tourism destinations, proliferation of superbugs in medical tourism destinations, problems associated with language barriers, and privacy concerns are some of the challenges anticipated to restrict revenue growth of the North America outbound medical tourism services market over the forecast period.Segmentation highlightsThe North America outbound medical tourism services market is segmented into the following therapeutic applications Cosmetic Surgery Treatment, Dental Treatment, Cardiovascular Treatment, Orthopaedic Treatment, Cancer Treatment, Fertility Treatment, Weight Loss Treatment, Spinal Surgery Treatment, Neurology Treatment, and Other General Treatment.The Cosmetic Surgery Treatment segment is estimated to be valued at US$ 3,760.9 Mn by 2016 endThe Cancer Treatment segment is anticipated to register a CAGR of 22.0% over the forecast periodThe Orthopaedic Treatment segment is estimated to create absolute $ opportunity of US$ 1,658.9 Mn in 2017 over 2016Regional forecastThe North America outbound medical tourism services market is segmented into the two top countries of U.S and Canada. U.S. is projected to occupy a major share in the North America outbound medical tourism services market in terms of value. The U.S market is anticipated to be valued at US$ 14.98 Bn by the end of 2016. In terms of value, U.S. is expected to be the dominant regional market by 2026 end and is expected to register a CAGR of 25.7% over the forecast period. Canada is expected to have comparatively less market potential for outbound medical tourism services, registering a CAGR of 18.1% over the forecast period.Send An Enquiry@Vendor insightsThe report profiles some of the top companies operating in the North America outbound medical tourism services market. Leading market players featured in the report are Apollo Hospital Enterprise Limited, Bumrungrad International Hospital, KPJ Healthcare Berhad, Christus Muguerza Hospital, WorldMed Assist, Mednamaste, and Global Medical Tourism Inc. Major market players are adopting strategies such as market expansion and strategic alliances to maintain their market share. Some of these companies are also adopting strategies such as backward integration to support their core business of medical tourism. Companies are offering services such as insurance and financing for medical tourism and are looking to expand their global footprint by enhancing their foreign customer base.About Us Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and IndiaContact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Advanced Technology For Global Hearing Aids Market During The Forecast Period 2017 - 2020 Market Research Report http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=892961 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=892961 http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG ResearchMoz presents this most up-to-date research on "Advanced Technology For Global Hearing Aids Market During The Forecast Period 2017 - 2020".Technological advancements have led to the introduction of certain innovative products in the market. Battery-operated conventional devices have been replaced with advanced wireless hearing aid devices. The rise in prevalent cases of hearing loss and the transition in demographics have contributed to the increased use of hearing aids.Technavios analysts forecast the global hearing aids market to grow at a CAGR of 5.50% during the period 2016-2020.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global hearing aids market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales hearing aids that are used to provide assistance with hearing and other related problems.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEATechnavio's report, Global Hearing Aids Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsWilliam DemantSonovaCochlearMED-ELTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Other prominent vendorsBeltoneEartoneGN ReSoundMedtechnica OrthophoneMiracle Hearing Aid ClinicPersonaShenzhen Sunsky TechnologySiemens HealthcareStarkey Hearing AidsUnion Hearing Aid CentreMarket driverRising incidence rate of hearing lossFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeBattery challenges and decibel adjustments hindering adoptionFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendIT application enabled devices are the next big trendFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Wireless Semiconductor Industry: United states Capacity, Production, Sales, and Revenue Wireless Semiconductor https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/930202-united-states-wireless-semiconductor-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/930202-united-states-wireless-semiconductor-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=930202 www.wiseguyreports.com Notes:Sales, means the sales volume of Wireless SemiconductorRevenue, means the sales value of Wireless SemiconductorGet Sample Report @This report studies sales (consumption) of Wireless Semiconductor in United States market, focuses on the top players, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player, coveringBroadcomQualcommTexas InstrumentsSTMicroelectronicsInfineonNXP SemiconductorsFreescale SemiconductorRF Micro DevicesMarket Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisSplit by product types, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoType IType IISplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Wireless Semiconductor in each application, can be divided intoApplication 1Application 2Leave a Query @Table of ContentsUnited States Wireless Semiconductor Market Report 20171 Wireless Semiconductor Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Wireless Semiconductor1.2 Classification of Wireless Semiconductor1.2.1 Type I1.2.2 Type II1.3 Application of Wireless Semiconductor1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.4 United States Market Size Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) of Wireless Semiconductor (2012-2022)1.4.1 United States Wireless Semiconductor Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Wireless Semiconductor Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)6 United States Wireless Semiconductor Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis6.1 Broadcom6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Wireless Semiconductor Product Type, Application and Specification6.1.2.16.1.2.26.1.3 Broadcom Wireless Semiconductor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Qualcomm6.2.2 Wireless Semiconductor Product Type, Application and Specification6.2.2.16.2.2.26.2.3 Qualcomm Wireless Semiconductor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 Texas Instruments6.3.2 Wireless Semiconductor Product Type, Application and Specification6.3.2.16.3.2.26.3.3 Texas Instruments Wireless Semiconductor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.4 STMicroelectronics6.4.2 Wireless Semiconductor Product Type, Application and Specification6.4.2.16.4.2.26.4.3 STMicroelectronics Wireless Semiconductor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.5 Infineon6.5.2 Wireless Semiconductor Product Type, Application and Specification6.5.2.16.5.2.26.5.3 Infineon Wireless Semiconductor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.6 NXP Semiconductors6.6.2 Wireless Semiconductor Product Type, Application and Specification6.6.2.16.6.2.26.6.3 NXP Semiconductors Wireless Semiconductor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.7 Freescale Semiconductor6.7.2 Wireless Semiconductor Product Type, Application and Specification6.7.2.16.7.2.26.7.3 Freescale Semiconductor Wireless Semiconductor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.8 RF Micro Devices6.8.2 Wireless Semiconductor Product Type, Application and Specification6.8.2.16.8.2.26.8.3 RF Micro Devices Wireless Semiconductor Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.8.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinuedBuy Now@CONTACT US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Pune, India Global Polishing Mixed Bed Market Research Report 2017:CAGR Growth, Industry Size, Share, Trends Analysis Forecast To 2021 POLISHING MIXED BED https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/929747-united-states-polishing-mixed-bed-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/929747-united-states-polishing-mixed-bed-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=929747 https://www.linkedin.com/company/wise-guy-research-consultants-pvt-ltd-?trk=biz-companies-cym https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEGrh5nnB7C6Vg4CgpuzBPw POLISHING MIXED BEDRead Sample Report@This report studies sales (consumption) of Polishing Mixed Bed in United States market, focuses on the top players, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player, coveringCompany 1Company 2Company 3Company 4Company 5Company 6Company 7Company 8Company 9Company 10Market Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisComplete Report Details @Split by product types, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoType IType IISplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Polishing Mixed Bed in each application, can be divided intoApplication 1Application 2Table of contentUnited States Polishing Mixed Bed Market Report 20171 Polishing Mixed Bed Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Polishing Mixed Bed1.2 Classification of Polishing Mixed Bed1.2.1 Type I1.2.2 Type II1.3 Application of Polishing Mixed Bed1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.4 United States Market Size Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) of Polishing Mixed Bed (2012-2022)1.4.1 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Competition by Manufacturers2.1 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Revenue and Share by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.3 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Average Price by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.4 Polishing Mixed Bed Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 Polishing Mixed Bed Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 Polishing Mixed Bed Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by States (2012-2017)3.1 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Sales and Market Share by States (2012-2017)3.2 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Revenue and Market Share by States (2012-2017)3.3 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Price by States (2012-2017)4 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) by Type (2012-2017)4.1 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)4.2 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)4.3 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Price by Type (2012-2017)4.4 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Sales Growth Rate by Type (2012-2017)5 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Sales (Volume) by Application (2012-2017)5.1 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Sales and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)5.2 United States Polishing Mixed Bed Sales Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)5.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities.....Purchase Report @Contact Us:Norah TrentPartner Relations & Marketing ManagerSales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Follow on LinkedIn:Please Subscribe Our YouTube Channel @Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India United states Teeth Whitening Products 2016 - Market Size, Analysis, Share, Research, Growth United states Teeth Whitening Products https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/930339-united-states-teeth-whitening-products-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/930339-united-states-teeth-whitening-products-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=930339 www.wiseguyreports.com Notes:Sales, means the sales volume of Teeth Whitening ProductsRevenue, means the sales value of Teeth Whitening ProductsGet Sample Report @This report studies sales (consumption) of Teeth Whitening Products in United States market, focuses on the top players, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player, coveringP&GColgate PalmoliveUnileverJohnson & JohnsonGSKChurch&DwightHenkelLionUltradent ProductsTrident GumWrigleyPeeluKOR WhiteningHawley & Hazel ChemicalYUNAN BAIYAOBeyondMarket Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisSplit by product types, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoSurface WhitenersBleachesSplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Teeth Whitening Products in each application, can be divided intoProfessionally AppliedConsumer AppliedLeave a Query @Table of ContentsUnited States Teeth Whitening Products Market Report 20171 Teeth Whitening Products Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Teeth Whitening Products1.2 Classification of Teeth Whitening Products1.2.1 Surface Whiteners1.2.2 Bleaches1.3 Application of Teeth Whitening Products1.3.1 Professionally Applied1.3.2 Consumer Applied1.4 United States Market Size Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) of Teeth Whitening Products (2012-2022)1.4.1 United States Teeth Whitening Products Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Teeth Whitening Products Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)6 United States Teeth Whitening Products Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis6.1 P&G6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Teeth Whitening Products Product Type, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 Product A6.1.2.2 Product B6.1.3 P&G Teeth Whitening Products Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Colgate Palmolive6.2.2 Teeth Whitening Products Product Type, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 Product A6.2.2.2 Product B6.2.3 Colgate Palmolive Teeth Whitening Products Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 Unilever6.3.2 Teeth Whitening Products Product Type, Application and Specification6.3.2.1 Product A6.3.2.2 Product B6.3.3 Unilever Teeth Whitening Products Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.4 Johnson & Johnson6.4.2 Teeth Whitening Products Product Type, Application and Specification6.4.2.1 Product A6.4.2.2 Product B6.4.3 Johnson & Johnson Teeth Whitening Products Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.5 GSK6.5.2 Teeth Whitening Products Product Type, Application and Specification6.5.2.1 Product A6.5.2.2 Product B6.5.3 GSK Teeth Whitening Products Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.6 Church&Dwight6.6.2 Teeth Whitening Products Product Type, Application and Specification6.6.2.1 Product A6.6.2.2 Product B6.6.3 Church&Dwight Teeth Whitening Products Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.7 Henkel6.7.2 Teeth Whitening Products Product Type, Application and Specification6.7.2.1 Product A6.7.2.2 Product B6.7.3 Henkel Teeth Whitening Products Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.8 Lion6.8.2 Teeth Whitening Products Product Type, Application and Specification6.8.2.1 Product A6.8.2.2 Product B6.8.3 Lion Teeth Whitening Products Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.9 Ultradent Products6.9.2 Teeth Whitening Products Product Type, Application and Specification6.9.2.1 Product A6.9.2.2 Product B6.9.3 Ultradent Products Teeth Whitening Products Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.10 Trident Gum6.10.2 Teeth Whitening Products Product Type, Application and Specification6.10.2.1 Product A6.10.2.2 Product B6.10.3 Trident Gum Teeth Whitening Products Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.10.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.11 Wrigley6.12 Peelu6.13 KOR Whitening6.14 Hawley & Hazel Chemical6.15 YUNAN BAIYAO6.16 BeyondContinuedBuy Now@CONTACT US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Pune, India United States Valsartan Market Research Key Players, Industry Overview, Supply and Analysis to 2017 2022 Valsartan https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/930288-united-states-valsartan-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/930288-united-states-valsartan-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/930288-united-states-valsartan-market-report-2017 www.wiseguyreports.com Valsartan ManufacturersWiseGuyReports Publish a New Market Research Report On United States Valsartan Market Report 2017 Industry Research, Sales, Price, Revenue, Size, Share, Demand, Growth, Segmentation, Parameters, Manufacturers, Forecasts to 2022.Description:This report studies sales (consumption) of Valsartan in United States market, focuses on the top players, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player, coveringBASFDowArkemaNippon ShokubaiMitsubishi ChemicalEvonikJiangsu JurongComplete Report Details @Market Segment by States, coveringCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaIllinoisSplit by product types, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoType IType IISplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Valsartan in each application, can be divided intoApplication 1Application 2Request Sample Copy of this Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comTable of ContentsUnited States Valsartan Market Report 20171 Valsartan Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Valsartan1.2 Classification of Valsartan1.2.1 Type I1.2.2 Type II1.3 Application of Valsartan1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.4 United States Market Size Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) of Valsartan (2012-2022)1.4.1 United States Valsartan Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Valsartan Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 United States Valsartan Competition by Manufacturers2.1 United States Valsartan Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 United States Valsartan Revenue and Share by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.3 United States Valsartan Average Price by Manufactures (2015 and 2016)2.4 Valsartan Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.4.1 Valsartan Market Concentration Rate2.4.2 Valsartan Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion6 United States Valsartan Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis6.1 BASF6.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors6.1.2 Valsartan Product Type, Application and Specification6.1.2.1 Product A6.1.2.2 Product B6.1.3 BASF Valsartan Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.2 Dow6.2.2 Valsartan Product Type, Application and Specification6.2.2.1 Product A6.2.2.2 Product B6.2.3 Dow Valsartan Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.3 Arkema6.3.2 Valsartan Product Type, Application and Specification6.3.2.1 Product A6.3.2.2 Product B6.3.3 Arkema Valsartan Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.4 Nippon Shokubai6.4.2 Valsartan Product Type, Application and Specification6.4.2.1 Product A6.4.2.2 Product B6.4.3 Nippon Shokubai Valsartan Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.5 Mitsubishi Chemical6.5.2 Valsartan Product Type, Application and Specification6.5.2.1 Product A6.5.2.2 Product B6.5.3 Mitsubishi Chemical Valsartan Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.6 Evonik6.6.2 Valsartan Product Type, Application and Specification6.6.2.1 Product A6.6.2.2 Product B6.6.3 Evonik Valsartan Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview6.7 Jiangsu Jurong6.7.2 Valsartan Product Type, Application and Specification6.7.2.1 Product A6.7.2.2 Product B6.7.3 Jiangsu Jurong Valsartan Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)6.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview..CONTINUEDMake an Enquiry @CONTACT US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Pune, India Human Biobanking Ownership Market Trends and Forecast to 2024 https://goo.gl/uGvKrT https://goo.gl/5AcceA www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Human Biobanking Ownership Market: OverviewBiobanks play a pivotal role in the field of biomedical research. A wide range of biospecimens including plasma, saliva, blood, and purified DNA are maintained by biobanks. These biospecimens are compiled to study the unique and general features of the continuous cell line and determine the presence or absence of contaminants. Biobanks usually compile the specimens on the basis of various genetic and other traits such as ethnicity, gender, age, and blood type. To understand the impact of environmental factors on the human genes, some of the samples are also collected depending upon whether the donor has been exposed to radiation and other substances.The human biobanking ownership market can be segmented into private banks, public banks, hospitals, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, diagnostics, transplantation, and biobank storage companies, and medical institutions, research, and forensics. The private and public banks can be further classified into disease-based banks, population-based banks, and academics.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:Global Human Biobanking Ownership Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe genetic data compiled by human biobanks helps scientists to understand hereditary diseases and the interaction of environmental and genetic factors. Studying the correlation between environmental and genetic factors is crucial to understand the mutations caused in the genes. Furthermore, these biobanks offer researchers an extensive pool of samples on the basis of age, gender, education, and lifestyle. All these factors have contributed toward the growth of the global human biobanking ownership market.Cost is one of the primary factors inhibiting the growth of the global human biobanking ownership market. The process of sequencing genome is both tedious and expensive. As a result, government-owned biobanks usually outsource this process to research organizations. Compared to sequencing of genomes, genotyping is cheaper and about 10 times faster than harvesting the entire genetic code. Furthermore, concerns regarding the security of the genetic data across human biobanks have also hampered the growth of the market. In the U.S., 23andMe, a California-based personal genomics and biotechnology company has been accused of selling the genetic data of over one million customers for profit.In the near future, the global human biobanking ownership market is expected to be governed by laws to protect the privacy of gene donors and establish their rights. For example, in Estonia, the Human Genes Research Act passed in 1999 provides donors full authority over who can access their data and establishes anonymity in clinical research. Such laws will help in the growth of the global human biobanking ownership market.Global Human Biobanking Ownership Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global human biobanking ownership market can be segmented into four key regions: Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and Rest of the World. Among these, Asia Pacific has been driving the global market growth owing to the rapid growth of the private biobanks and clinical research organizations in the region. Demand witnessed in North America and Europe is also significantly aiding the growth of the market.In Europe, countries such as Estonia are focusing on collecting the DNA of every citizen in order to enrich their national biobank. In Estonia, the national biobank program started in 2000 by collecting DNA samples from a quarter of the countrys population. While these DNA samples are mostly used for clinical research, the government is planning to use this data to build a robust health care infrastructure by offering personalized care. The Government of Estonia has already started developing a system to make this genetic data available to citizens and doctors.Global Human Biobanking Ownership Market: Vendor OutlookSome of the key players in the global human biobanking ownership market are Affymetrix Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Acorda Therapeutics, Alpha Cord Inc., Autogen Inc., Biobank Ireland Trust, BioCision, Biokryo GmbH, BioLife Solutions Inc., Biomatrica Inc., BioStorage Technologies Inc., Cells4Life Ltd., Cesca Therapeutics Inc., China Cord Blood Corporation, Core Dynamics Inc., and Cryo Bio System.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.Download Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Technology Spending on Core Administration in Healthcare: Rising Investments in Administrative Systems Slated to Reduce Healthcare Delivery Costs, predicts TMR https://goo.gl/6dYlgo www.transparencymarketresearch.com The field of core administration solutions for the healthcare industry is highly fragmented owing to the presence of a large number of established players offering hardware, software, and services, says Transparency Market Research in a recent report. Considering the vast growth opportunities in developing regions such as India, Brazil, and China, players are focusing on diversification opportunities across these countries through mergers, acquisitions, and consolidation practices. To encash the vast growth opportunities in the core administration segment in the healthcare industry, owing to various government norms like Obamacare or Affordable Care Act (ACA), competitors are also focusing on extensive product development to offer differentiated services.According to Transparency Market Research, the global technology spending on core administration in healthcare market sector will exhibit a 5.7% CAGR over the period between 2016 and 2024, rising from US$25,900 mn in 2015 to US$42,317 mn by 2024.Of the key end users of core administration solutions in the healthcare industry, the payers segment accounted for over 88% of the overall market in 2015 and is expected to remain the key driver of technology spending on core administration in the healthcare industry throughout the forecast period. Geographically, North America dominated, accounted for over 50% of the overall funds spent on enabling technologically advanced core administration solutions in the healthcare industry in 2015. The trend is expected to remain strong over the forecast period as well.Rising Demand for Value-based Reimbursement Modules to Drive adoption of IT Solutions in HealthcareRising convergence of a variety of digital platforms for managing and processing the ever-expanding healthcare data, continuously changing healthcare reimbursement reforms and regulations, and digitally empowered consumers are collectively making the healthcare administration space increasingly complex. While at one point cost competition is at the peak in the healthcare industry, payers (insurance agencies) are pressing healthcare providers to switch from a volume-based (payment for service) to a value-based reimbursement module (payment for value).By requiring that healthcare providers deliver services at lowest costs to patients, value-based reimbursement modules entail more financial risks for providers and critically necessitate the effective management of core administrative processes to cut costs. The situation demands a robust IT infrastructure and an integrated platform wherein the payers can streamline workflows for provider contracting and engagement. In the next few years, the increased need for such platforms will emerge as one of the key drivers of technology spending on core administration in the healthcare sector.Outdated Technology and Applications Discourage Technological Advancements in Healthcare IT InfrastructureHowever, the overall global spending on technology for core administration in the healthcare sector is expected to be negatively impacted due to factors such as the presence of outdated technology and applications across several data collection and delivery nodes, continuously changing healthcare reforms, and ever-changing ways of financial transactions.The inability of healthcare professionals in using complex or time-consuming features in technologically advanced digital healthcare applications is another key factor deterring the adoption of IT solutions for managing core administrative processes in the healthcare sector. The use of IT solutions by health professionals is growing at a steady pace globally, but it is not uniform. A substantial gap exists between the numbers of providers, which is relatively small presently, the number of consumers who actively use the Internet for any purpose, which is on rise at a rapid pace, and the much larger group of patients and healthcare providers that has not used it or cannot use it.This review of the present and future scope of technology spending on core administration in healthcare is based on a recent report by Transparency Market Research, titled Technology Spending on Core Administration in Healthcare Market - Global Industry, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024.Global Technology Spending on Core Administration in Healthcare By SolutionIn-HouseHardwareSoftwareServicesOutsourceGlobal Technology Spending on Core Administration in Healthcare By DeploymentCloud-BasedOn-PremiseGlobal Technology Spending on Core Administration in Healthcare By End UsersPayersInsurance CompaniesGovernmentOthersProvidersHospitalsOthersGlobal Technology Spending on Core Administration in Healthcare By RegionNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeGermanyU.KFranceItalySpainRest of EuropeAsia Pacific (APAC)ChinaIndiaJapanAustraliaNew ZealandRest of Asia PacificLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoRest of Latin AmericaMiddle East & Africa (MEA)Saudi ArabiaUAERSARest of Middle East & AfricaDownload Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: U.S. Uterine Fibroids Market: Rising Prevalence of Fibroid to Ensure Uptake, Says TMR https://goo.gl/3dkamW www.transparencymarketresearch.com The U.S. uterine fibroids market shows a strong presence of players. The top three players in the market are Boston Scientific Corporation, Smith & Nephew, and Hologic, Inc., who hold a share of nearly 50% in the overall market. The players are focused mergers and acquisitions to broaden their product portfolio and integration of knowledge base. To remain dominant players are anticipated to lay emphasis on product differentiation. The report published by Transparency Market Research states that the U.S. uterine fibroid treatment market was valued at US$211.6 mn in 2015 and is expected to be worth US$273.6 mn by the end of 2024. During the forecast years of 2016 and 2024, the overall market is anticipated to progress at a CAGR of 2.9%.Hysterectomy Segment to Lead Global MarketOut of all the procedures, the hysterectomy segment is showing a promise of good growth rate in the near future. This segment is projected to account for a share of 79.6% by the end of 2016. The benefits of hysterectomy such as alleviation of pelvic pain, excessive menstrual bleeding, and physical morbidity are driving this segment. Furthermore, hospitals will emerge as the leading end users of uterine fibroid treatment options in the coming years. By the end of 2016, the hospitals segment is projected to account for a share of 67.1% in the U.S. uterine fibroids treatment market.Technological Advancements in Minimally Invasive Surgeries Augurs Well for MarketThe introduction of a minimally invasive surgeries to treat the excruciatingly painful uterine fibroids is expected boost the markets growth in the coming years. Advantages of such procedures such as minimal recovery time, reduced chances of infections, and shorter hospital stays are also encouraging patients and hospitals to choose these treatments, states the lead author of this research report. The market is also benefitting from the regulatory approvals being granted to newer types of treatment and surgeries. Thus, the introduction of newer technologies that offer efficient results is creating a positive influence on the U.S. uterine fibroids market. The remarkable changes in technology have also played their supportive part in the growth of the market over the past few years. For instance, Halt Medical, Inc. introduced Acessa Guidance System in 2016. This technology enhances the radiofrequency ablation and electromagnetic tracking technology to treat uterine myomas laparoscopically.The supportive reimbursement policies are also expected to augment the demand for uterine fibroids treatment in the near future. Favorable policies are helping the patients to cover their expenses in hospitals as well the ones incurred in ambulatory surgical centers. Statistics state that there are 20% to 40% chances of development of uterine fibroids in women around the age of 35. Thus, the high prevalence of uterine fibroids amongst women in the reproductive age bracket has become the very basis of the growth of this market. Furthermore, African American women are more likely to develop fibroids, which is also a key population base contributing to the steady rise in the revenue of the U.S. uterine fibroids market.Possibility of Complications due to Procedures Tugs at Market in Opposite DirectionThe uterine fibroids treatment market is likely to be hampered by the announcement made by the FDA that power morcellators can lead to complications such as spreading metastatic leiomyosarcoma cancer tissue. Availability of wide range of alternative treatments is also anticipated to hinder the markets growth in the near future. The market is also being restrained by the possibility of urinary tract injury while performing minimally invasive procedures.The review is based on Transparency Market Researchs report, titled Uterine Fibroids Treatment Market - U.S. Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2016 - 2024.The orthopedic braces & supports, casting and splints market has been segmented as follows:Procedure TypeEndometrial AblationMRI Guided ProceduresHysterectomyMyomectomyUterine Artery EmbolizationRadiofrequency AblationOthersProcedure Sub TypeMRI Guided ProceduresMRI-guided Percutaneous Laser AblationMRI Guided Transcutaneous Focused UltrasoundHysterectomyAbdominal HysterectomyVaginal HysterectomyLaparoscopic HysterectomyRobotic HysterectomyHysteroscopic MorcellationMyomectomyOpen MyomectomyLaparoscopic MyomectomyRobotic MyomectomyU.S. Uterine Fibroid Treatment Market, by End UserHospitalsAmbulatory Surgical CentersU.S. Uterine Fibroid Treatment Market, by GeographyU.S.Download Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Electrosurgical Devices Market: Favorable Reimbursement Policies in Developed Economies to Continue to Fuel Adoption, says TMR https://goo.gl/TBDTWC www.transparencymarketresearch.com The global market for electrosurgical devices is highly fragmented and features a less intense level of competition owing to the presence of a large number of global as well as domestic players across key regional markets, observes a recent report by Transparency Market Research. Although entry barriers are low for new players, factors such as high level of fragmentation, intense price competition, rising R&D costs are factors that can impede growth prospects for new players.To capitalize the growth opportunities and strengthen their hold on the global market, leading players are focusing on development of new products and accessories with multimodality application and improved coagulation and cutting properties. A recent instance of this is the 2016 launch of APCapplicator electrosurgical handpiece by ERBE Elektromedizin GmbH. The device works for both vessel cutting and coagulation purposes and shows applications in open surgery and laparoscopy. Development of innovative multimodality systems such as robotic surgical systems, to make surgical procedures more precise and easy, is also a trending strategy in the market.North America to Remain Dominant Contributor to Global RevenueTransparency Market Research estimates that the global electrosurgery devices market will exhibit a 6.7% CAGR over the period between 2016 and 2024. As a result, the market, valuing at US$4,480.8 mn in 2015, is expected to rise to US$7,963.2 mn in 2024. In terms of product type, the segment of electrosurgical accessories accounts for the dominant share. Geographically, North America leads and is expected to remain the dominant contributor of revenue to the global market over the forecast period as well.Government Investments to Improve Growth ProspectsAcross key end-use areas including hospitals, surgical ambulatory units, and specialized clinics, the adoption of electrosurgical devices has increased at a significant pace owing to encouraging reimbursement policies and coverage of medical bills under medical insurance policies in a vast number of developed and developing countries. Provision of medical insurance enables those covered to adopt the best surgical options available without having to consider cost of surgery as a constraint. This is one of the key factor fueling the global demand for electrosurgical devices across the globe in the past few years.The global market for electrosurgical devices is also chiefly driven by the rising focus on the improvement of health care systems in several developed countries. Government bodies are increasing funds invested towards the research and development of advanced medical treatments and target-specific surgical devices, projected to drive the global electrosurgical devices market.Complications Associated with Electrosurgery to Hamper Market GrowthThe possibility of occurrence of several electro-thermal injuries and post-operative complications owing to factors such as improper application of electrosurgery devices, failure of insulation, capacitive coupling, and direct coupling is one of the core challenges faced by the global electrosurgical devices market. More than half of these complications are associated with the entry technique of devices. According to a study conducted by the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, the rate of occurrence of electrosurgical complications during delivery of energy to living tissue is nearly as high as 27%.Moreover, growth of the market is also hampered owing to stringent quality and safety regulations governing the overall adoption and usage of these devices and the longwinded approval processes, which have discouraged electrosurgical devices manufacturers in developed countries. These market players, as a result, are focusing on growth opportunities across regions such as Asia Pacific and Latin America for new product launches.Download Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Photopheresis Products Market: Rising Prevalence of Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTL) to Boost Adoption, says TMR https://goo.gl/Mrl0o3 www.transparencymarketresearch.com The global market for photopheresis products features an exceedingly consolidated competitive landscape, with the top three players accounting for over 95% of the market in 2015, observes Transparency Market Research in a recent report. These three companies, namely Mallinckrodt, Macopharma, and Med Tech solutions GmbH, stay competitive by investing in the development of new kits/devices capable of overcoming issues in existing products. Development of smaller, lighter, and faster devices tops the list of priority of these companies.Companies are also attempting to educate and train healthcare practitioners and the masses with the view of spreading awareness about ECP therapy and its benefits. A recent instance of this is Mallinckrodts Therakos Institute. The company is educating patients, nurses, and technicians through clinical education and training related to the photopheresis operating modules and their benefits.North America to Continue to Gain Massive Portion of the PieTransparency Market Research (TMR) states that the market will exhibit a 5.9% CAGR from 2016 through 2024. As a result, the market will rise to US$371.1 mn by 2024 from US$223.1 mn in 2015. In terms of product type, the segment of closed system photopheresis products accounted for over 80% of the overall market in 2015 and is expected to remain the dominant segment over the forecast period as well. North America, with over 52% of the global photopheresis products market in 2015, will continue to command a prominent position in the global market over the forecast period as well.Government Reimbursements to Act as Strong Driving ForceSafer and effective treatment by using photopheresis technique is expected to be one of the potential drivers of the photopheresis products market during the forecast period. Most of the methods currently used for treating conditions such as graft-versus-host and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma lead to certain side effects. The promise of better safety and efficacy of the extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) therapy has led to the rising preference of healthcare practitioners to this technique over other drug treatments.Government bodies are also increasingly encouraging patients to undergo ECP therapy to treat a variety of diseases in the form of reimbursements for the therapy. The favorable reimbursement policies and the resultant coverage of medical expenses under government-supported refunds is encouraging patients to undergo ECP therapy to treat various disease conditions.Furthermore, there has been a significant rise in the global population with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTL), a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that affects the skin. According to the Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation, the rate of incidence of CTL is nearly 1500 new cases per year in the U.S. and prevalence of continues to rise in the country as well as across the globe. Although several types of therapies are used to treat CTL, ECP is being increasingly considered the first line of therapy for treating CTL.High Costs and Lengthy Treatments to Limit AdoptionDespite being reimbursed by the government in several regions across the globe, the cost of ECP therapy is significantly high. Moreover, the therapy takes longer time to perform and treat than many other popular treatments. It is estimated that on an average, the ECP therapy requires nearly two to three hours at a stretch for the treatment to complete for various disease. Also, the patient is required to undergo the treatment once every two weeks for a year. The cost of per treatment is around US$8000 per treatment.On a whole, the time and money invested to complete the treatment is immense. This factor may make the treatment less attractive for many patients and may compel healthcare practitioners to switch to other low-cost and less time consuming treatments, restraining the overall growth prospects of the global photopheresis products market. The lack of enough ECP therapy centers across many developed and developing countries is also a key challenge for the market.Download Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Adenovirus Diagnostic Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019 https://goo.gl/7riwzM https://goo.gl/gN2YWP www.transparencymarketresearch.com Adenoviruses are major causes of febrile illness among children. They can infect the membranes of respiratory tract, intestines, eyes and urinary tract causing pharyngitis, pneumonia and gastroenteritis, bronchiolitis, hemorrhagic cystitis and conjunctivitis. There are 57 types of adenoviruses known to infect human beings, classified into seven categories from A to G on the basis of genome size and composition. Human Adenovirus A, B and C cause respiratory infection while HAdV B & D cause conjunctivitis. Children are more susceptible to adenovirus infections than adults and aging population. Late winter, early summer and spring are the most common time for this infection to occur. Adenoviruses are one of the major causes of respiratory infections among children and cause of diarrhea. As these infections are not specific, so they cannot be diagnosed on the basis of clinical symptoms only. A number of diagnostic methods used to confirm the presence of adenovirus infection include viral culture, polymerase chain reaction assays and antigen based assays. Others emerging technologies such as monoclonal antibodies, liposomes, flow cytometry, chromatography and gel microdroplets are of vital use in diagnosis of adenovirus infection.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:The diagnostic tests for adenovirus infections are generally conducted at hospitals, private diagnostic laboratories, small clinics and public health laboratories. A study conducted by Barcelona Center for International Health Research and University of Bacelona on children suffering from pneumonia suggests that adenovirus is the second most respiratory virus causing pneumonia. Although the market for adenovirus diagnostics is considered to be mature, it may grow in emerging markets where a large number of children infected with adenovirus are under served. Geographically, North America represents the largest market as hospitals and private diagnostics laboratories in United States and Canada offer a broad portfolio of tests to determine the presence of adenovirus and due to reimbursement policy covering adenovirus diagnostics.Some of the key players operating in this market are Affymetrix, Becton Dickinson, Roche, Bio-Rad, Gen-Probe, Novartis AG, Qiagen, Diasorin, Abbott and bioMerieux.This research report analyzes this market depending on its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. Geographies analyzed under this research report includeNorth AmericaAsia PacificEuropeRest of the WorldThis report provides comprehensive analysis ofMarket growth driversFactors limiting market growthCurrent market trendsMarket structureMarket projections for upcoming yearsDownload Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: New Market Research Report on GST Implementation in India and Its Impact on Various Industries https://www.reportsworldwide.com/report/market-research-report-on-gst-implementation-in-india-and-its-impact-on-various-industries https://www.reportsworldwide.com/enquiry?report_id=4567 ReportsWorldwide has announced the addition of a new report title Market Research Report on GST Implementation in India and Its Impact on Various Industries to its growing collection of premium market research reports.The Government of India is planning to implement GST from 2017.India is gearing up for an event which is hailed as the biggest tax reform in modern India which will bring about one tax regime by eliminating national and state value added taxes, central excise taxes and a number of other state level taxes.Economies like US, UK, China and Japan continue to adopt VAT, the other economies like Australia, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand have already adopted GST.This report studies effect of GST in various sectors like - logistics, ecommerce, petroleum, pharmaceutical, solar energy, real estate, automotive, information technology, telecom, banking, travel, tourism & hospitality, agriculture, FMCG.This report also talks about the effect of demonetization, Model GST Law, GSTN and also includes proposed GST rates and slabs proposed by Finance Department.To view a detailed description and Table of Contents please visit:Key topics covered in this report include:Executive SummaryChapter 1 Goods and Service Tax in India1.1 About GST1.2 Expected Benefits of GST1.3 Highlights of GST1.4 Impact of GST on Make-in-India1.5 GST Rate under finalization by the GovernmentChapter 2 Countries which have adopted GST2.1 Australia2.2 Canada2.3 Malaysia2.4 New Zealand2.5 SingaporeChapter 3 Goods and Service Tax Council of India3.1 About GST Council3.2 Goods and Service Tax Network (GSTN)3.3 Role of Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC)Chapter 4 Key Features of the Revised Model GST LawChapter 5 GST Impact on Various Industries5.1 Logistics5.2 Real Estate5.3 Automotive5.4 Information Technology5.5 Telecom5.6 Pharmaceutical5.7 Banking5.8 Travel, Tourism & Hospitality5.9 Agriculture5.10 FMCG5.11 Petroleum5.12 Solar Energy5.13 E-CommerceChapter 6 Demonetization effect on GSTANNEXURE A Proposed GST rates & slabs for Goods by finance departmentTo Get Sample Copy of Report please visit @About ReportsWorldwide.comReportsWorldwide.com is a leading provider of global market intelligence reports and services. With research reports from top publishers, consulting and advisory firms, ReportsWorldwide.com offers instant online access to a growing database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, geographies and trends.Press Contact:Abigail CrastoSenior Vice President101, Arch StreetBoston, MA 02110USPhone +1 (617) 398-4994Fax +1 (617) 398-4995abigail@reportsworldwide.com High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) System Market by Manufacturers, Research Sites, Clinical Trials, Deals Type, Key Trends & Opportunities to 2022 https://www.reportsworldwide.com/report/high-intensity-focused-ultrasound-hifu-system-market-by-manufacturers-research-sites-clinical-trials-deals-type-key-trends--opportunities-to-2022 https://www.reportsworldwide.com/enquiry?report_id=4568 ReportsWorldwide has announced the addition of a new report title High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) System Market by Manufacturers, Research Sites, Clinical Trials, Deals Type, Key Trends & Opportunities to 2022 to its growing collection of premium market research reports.High Intensity Focused Ultrasound(HIFU) is a modality of therapeutic ultrasound and is a noninvasive method to deposit acoustic energy into tissue. In HIFU therapy, ultrasound beams are focused on diseased tissue, and due to the significant energy deposition at the focus, temperature within the tissue rises to 65 to 100C, destroying the diseased tissue by coagulation necrosis. Each sonication of the beams treats a precisely defined portion of the targeted tissue.The Research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the HIFU research sites, preclinical research sites, clinical research sites, technical research sites, commercial treatment sites and treatment by indication. Additionally, the report includes insight of clinical trials of the HIFU System. Key trends in terms of collaborations, distribution agreement and partnership deals are analyzed with details.To view detailed description and Table of Contents of this report please visitMore than 570 commercial treatment sites treated over 115, 000 cases with HIFU system throughout the world with great success.Market growth can be attributed to factors such as increasing population base of cancer patients, technological advancements in HIFU devices, increasing number of commercial treatment centres, increasing demand for minimally invasive treatment procedures, and growing awareness regarding the benefits offered by HIFU procedures over those of conventional therapeutic.The report also includes comprehensive profiles of HIFU system manufacturers such Philips Healthcare, EDAP TMS, Sonacare Medical, Haifu Medical, Shanghai A&S Co., LTD, Mianyang Sonic Electronic Ltd., Insightec, Theraclion, Alpinion Medical Systems, FUS Instruments, Image Guided Therapy, Medsonic Ltd, Promedica Bioelectronics, Sumo Corporation Ltd and Mirabilis Medica.The thorough description of players includes parameters such as business overview, revenue, products analysis and recent development & trends of the manufacturers.To Get Sample Copy of this report please visitAbout ReportsWorldwide.comReportsWorldwide.com is a leading provider of global market intelligence reports and services. With research reports from top publishers, consulting and advisory firms, ReportsWorldwide.com offers instant online access to a growing database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, geographies and trends. Moreover, ReportsWorldwide's Research Associates have in-depth knowledge of the reports and services on offer and are ready to provide assistance.Press Contact:Abigail CrastoSenior Vice President101, Arch StreetBoston, MA 02110USPhone +1 (617) 398-4994Fax +1 (617) 398-4995abigail@reportsworldwide.com Ban on API Imports from China to Boost Heparin Production in Europe, predicts TMR https://goo.gl/bzqLLx www.transparencymarketresearch.com The heparin market in Europe is rather consolidated, with the Sanofi, Aspen, Pfizer, and Leo Pharma accounting for over 65% of the market in 2015. In a new study, Transparency Market Research (TMR) has found that Sanofi is the clear leader in the Europe heparin market, enjoying a 47.5% share in 2015. Increased global sales of Lovenox can be attributed to the companys success.A focus on the expansion of R&D activities, in-licensing and acquisitions, and portfolio management are the key strategies adopted by the market leader, the author of the study finds. In 2015, the company spent over US$5 bn on the research and development of 18 new medicines and vaccines. Companies in the heparin market in Europe are also emphasizing on key BRIC-M countries, developing market-specific innovations, and prioritizing resource allocation.Rise in Incidence of Coagulation and Renal Disorders Spurring Demand for HeparinThe recall of heparin products imported from China in 2008 was a turning point in the heparin market across the globe. The presence of a high level of allergenic substances in heparin products imported from China resulted in over a 100 deaths in the U.S. Tainted supplies were also found in several European countries, forcing the implementation of strict regulations regarding the use of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) produced outside the European Economic Area (EEA).This event spurred the domestic development of crude and API heparin and a number of companies entered the heparin processing business in the years that followed. This has had a significant impact on the growth of the heparin market in Europe, a lead analyst at TMR comments.The heparin market in Europe is also fueled by the growing incidence of coagulation disorders such as venous thromboembolism (VTE). These disorders cause nearly half a million deaths in the region each year, even more than the collective deaths caused by breast and prostate cancer, AIDS, and highway accidents, the author of the study finds.Low-molecular-weight Heparin to Register Remarkable Growth by 2024The opportunity in the Europe heparin market is estimated to be worth US$3.4 bn by 2024, rising from US$2.2 bn in 2015. The market is projected to register a steady CAGR of 5.2% from 2016 to 2024. Among the key product types, low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) accounted for a massive share of close to 80% in 2015, emerging as the leading segment. Generating a revenue of US$2.9 bn by the end of the forecast period, LMWH is also anticipated to post substantial growth, registering a 5.8% CAGR from 2016 to 2024. Unfractionated heparin, on the other hand, will grow at a sluggish pace.On the basis of end user, hospitals led the heparin market in Europe by value and are also anticipated to expand at the most rapid pace by 2024. By region, Germany contributed majority of the heparin market share in 2015. In addition to Germany, France, Belgium, and Portugal are likely to register the highest growth rates throughout the forecast period.Download Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Rising Expenditure on Animal Healthcare by Pet Owners and Livestock Farmers to Drive Global Veterinary Vaccines Market, reports TMR https://goo.gl/NjmMlf www.transparencymarketresearch.com The global veterinary vaccines market is highly consolidated, with the top five vendors accounting for a share of nearly 65% in the overall market in 2015, reports TMR in a new study. Zoetis, Inc., Merck & Co., and Sanofi Aventis, the top three companies in the market collectively held a share of more than 45% of the overall market in the same year.Targeted in-licensing and acquisitions, expansion of global manufacturing and supply capacities, and increased investments towards research and development activities are some of the key strategies adopted by leading vendors in the market. A recent instance is the strategic alliance of Sanofi with Boehringer Ingelheim in June 2016. Under this alliance, an exchange of Boehringer Ingelheims consumer healthcare (CHC) unit with Sanofis animal health business took place.Rising Prevalence of Zoonotic Diseases and Increased Spending on Companion Animals to Boost Demand for Veterinary VaccinesIn the past few years, factors such as globalization and intense changes in global climate have led to a vast rise in the prevalence of zoonotic diseases globally. To prevent the huge loss of livestock and potential threat to human lives that global outbreaks of several zoonotic diseases cause, there has been a surge in government initiatives aimed at mandating vaccination for companion and farm animals. Active efforts are also undertaken by government and non-government bodies to increase awareness among pet and livestock owners about rampant and hazardous animal diseases, their symptoms, and medication.Also, the vast surge in the global demand for meat, chicken, eggs, and milk is compelling livestock farmers to pay proper attention to vaccination to ensure the production excellent quality products and thereby keep their businesses sustainable and profitable. In the past few years, pet ownership and the money spent for ensuring health and wellness of companion animals has significantly increased on a global front. According to the national pet owners survey of 2015-2016, 65% households in the U.S. own a pet. The pet industry in the U.S. had a valuation of US$ 60.59 bn in 2015 and is expected to rise to US$62.75 bn in 2016.These factors are collectively expected to have a significant impact on the overall development of the global veterinary vaccines market in the next few years. Moreover, the market is also expected to benefit enormously from the vast rise in research and development activities and increased demand for advanced and more effective veterinary vaccines across the globe.High Dependence on Government Distribution Channels and Shorter Product Exclusivity to Hamper GrowthNational governments play a key role in deciding the profitability of the veterinary vaccines market. For instance, the Government of India purchases foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines in bulk from manufacturers and supplies it to different parts of the country. Such bilk purchases result in reduced prices of the vaccines, substantially bringing down the profitability of manufacturers.The short product exclusivity period in the animal healthcare industry, of nearly 3-5 years results in intense competition from cheaper generic substitutes and over-the-counter products. Additionally, strict regulations for product approval and the resulting decline in the number of products that can enter the market limit the overall profitability of the global veterinary vaccines market substantially.Live Attenuated Vaccines to Make Sizeable Contribution to Overall RevenuesThe global market for veterinary vaccines is expected to expand at a healthy 6.9% CAGR over the period between 2016 and 2024. The market, which had a valuation of US$6,271.8 mn in 2015, is expected to rise to US$11,403.6 mn by 2024. In terms of technology type, the segment of live attenuated vaccines is presently the leading contributor to markets overall revenues. The segment accounted for over 44% in the global market in 2015. Geography-wise, North America held nearly 37% of the global markets overall revenues in 2015.Download Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Patent Expiry of Blockbuster Drugs for Treatment of Kaposi Sarcoma to Present Lucrative Opportunities, says TMR https://goo.gl/37edLV www.transparencymarketresearch.com The global Kaposi sarcoma (KS) market is immensely consolidated and the top two players, namely Johnson & Johnson and Merck & Co. Inc. accounted for almost 50% of the overall market in 2015. The contribution of domestic players such as Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited is presented low. However, Transparency Market Research predicts that the contribution of these companies will increase during the forecast period owing to the patent expiry of several major drugs.Partnerships, acquisitions, and collaborations with other leading companies for the development of newer products with improved efficacy are part of the growth strategies adopted by a number of players in the Kaposi sarcoma market. For instance, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd launched a new Global Access Program in September 2014 in partnership with the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the Clinton Health Access Initiative, and the Global Fund. The program was centered on HIV viral load testing.High Incidence of HIV/AIDS, Organ Transplants Driving Growth of KS MarketIncreased organ transplant procedures are a leading factor driving the Kaposi sarcoma market since the incidence of the cancer is high among patients who have undergone an organ transplant. Organ transplant patients are given immunosuppressive agents to prevent their body from rejecting the graft. This makes them highly susceptible to Kaposi sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infection, the author of the study explains. The long term use of these agents increases the rate of risk of these patients by more than 100 times compared to the general population.The high incidence of HIV/AIDS associated Kaposi sarcoma is one of the major factors driving the adoption of HAART therapy, which subsequently fuels the overall KS market.High Cost of Treatment a Major DrawbackThe cost of cancer drugs used for the treatment of Kaposi sarcoma has been on the rise in the past few years, making it difficult for patients to seek treatment. This is a major concern for both the patients and the payers. The prices of patented drugs have increased by over five times in the past few years in the U.S. and continue to rise, the TMR analyst comments. For instance, prices of major drugs used for the treatment of KS, such as liposomal doxorubicin, liposomal daunorubicin, or paclitaxel in combination with HAART, have been increasing significantly, making these unaffordable for middle and lower income groups.Slow but Steady Growth in Store for Kaposi Sarcoma MarketThe global market for Kaposi sarcoma is projected to expand at a modest 2.2% CAGR from 2016 to 2024, with the opportunity in the market rising from US$118.5 mn in 2015 to be worth US$143.2 mn by the end of the forecast period. Hospitals formed the leading distribution channel in 2015, generating over US$40 mn revenue that year. The segment is also slated emerge as the fastest growing segment in the KS market, expanding at a 2.6% CAGR from 2016 to 2024.By type of treatment, HAART led the overall Kaposi sarcoma market in terms of revenue, with chemotherapy and immunotherapy poised to register the highest growth rate over the coming years. In terms of region, the global Kaposi sarcoma market was led by North America in 2015 and the MEA region will record the fastest growth by 2024.Download Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: E-Learning a Highly Lucrative Investment Avenue for Players in Medical Education Market, reports TMR https://goo.gl/igiCij www.transparencymarketresearch.com The global medical education market has a handful of players such as Apollo Hospitals, TACT Academy for Clinical Training, Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. (Zimmer Institute), Olympus Corporation, Gundersen Health System, GE Healthcare, and Medical Training College. Transparency Market Research identifies Apollo Hospitals as the leading contributor to the growth of the overall market owing to its extensive course portfolio, strong market penetration in countries in Asia Pacific, and vast scope for practical hospital experience.Geographical expansion in several developing countries has been Apollo Hospitals leading growth strategy, in addition to the acquisition of smaller local players, finds the lead author of the TMR study.In July 2016, Apollo Hospitals Group signed MoUs with Kenyatta National Hospital and Airtel Kenya to not just focus on capacity building in the Kenyan healthcare sector but to also conduct educational lectures and training programs in the country. In the same month, the company signed an agreement with Hainan Ecological Smart City Group in China to develop a highly integrated modern healthcare service facility in the Hainan province, which is likely to lend nursing, medical, and paramedical colleges in the island city tremendous support.Advantages of Online Training over Traditional Modes of Education a Driving FactorThe demand for medical education is primarily driven by the growing preference for online education. Online education is a highly lucrative investment avenue, a TMR analyst observes. The exposure to modern technologies around the world and the increasing penetration of the internet has greatly fueled the preference of students for online education. Moreover, online training presents several advantages over traditional modes of education, including variation in training and educational programs, lower cost, comfortable and flexible learning programs, and opportunities for improved technical skills.In line with this growing trend, TMR predicts that the emergence of e-learning markets in several developing countries will be a major opportunity for players in the medical education market.High Tuition Fee a Major RoadblockThe cost of higher education, especially in developed countries, continues to pose a key challenge for low-income students. Medical education is one of the most expensive fields and the tuition fee for classroom courses as well as on-campus training is extremely high. This acts as a major barrier for the medical education market, the author of the study says.In addition to this, the declining preference for distance education in medicine and paramedical training is likely to restrict the growth of the medical education market to an extent.Steady Growth in Store for Medical Education MarketExpanding at a 4.3% CAGR over the course of the forecast period, the global medical education market is poised to rise from a value of US$25.9 bn in 2015 to US$38.4 bn by 2024. By mode of education, the medical education market is led by on-campus training. Changing student preferences will restrict the demand for distance training by 2024, TMR predicts. However, online training is fast emerging as a lucrative mode of medical education and this segment is likely to register the highest CAGR of 7.29% from 2016 to 2024.By type of training, the demand for cardiothoracic training has surpassed the rest, while training in radiology presents the highest scope for growth. By geography, North America led the overall medical education market with Asia Pacific as the most rapidly expanding regional segment through the forecast period.Download Exclusive Brochure of This Report :About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Mobile Imaging & Cath Lab Services Market Assessment & Forecast: 2016 - 2020 https://www.reportsworldwide.com/report/global-mobile-imaging--cath-lab-services-market-assessment--forecast-2016---2020 https://www.reportsworldwide.com/enquiry?report_id=4572 ReportsWorldwide has announced the addition of a new report title Global Mobile Imaging & Cath Lab Services Market Assessment & Forecast: 2016 2020 to its growing collection of premium market research reports.This latest report covers the market of mobile diagnostic imaging services for multiple imaging modalities such as MRI, CT, Ultrasound, x-ray, mammography, cone beam CT and cath lab services among others.It also provides market analysis for five geographies of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle-East & Africa (MEA).Mobile imaging and cath lab services market is largely dominated by local players who offer services at county or state level. Very few players offer services at multinational level or nationwide. Majority of the players in the mobile imaging and cath lab services market are based in the U.S. and offer services locally.Considering growing popularity of the mobile imaging services in the western countries, devices manufacturers such as Siemens and Toshiba have started providing mobile imaging platforms. GE has also addressed the market by manufacturing mobile ready Discover IQ PET/CT platform.To view a detailed description and Table of Contents please visit:The new report Global Mobile Imaging & Cath Lab Services Market Assessment & Forecast: 2016 - 2020 reveals that North America mobile imaging and cath lab services market was valued at US$ 9,520.1 in 2015 is expected to grow at a compounded growth rate (CAGR) of 2.18% from 2016 to 2020.North America contributed to 90.2% of the market share while Europe contributed to 7.6% of the market. Latin America and parts of Asia are emerging as potential commercial opportunities to expand market reach. However, regional and local players are anticipated to continue dominating respective geographies. In the Middle East and Africa not-for-profit organization and larger hospitals are more active in providing mobile medical services along with diagnostic imaging to provide medical services in areas where hospital setup is not available, and people are deprived of basic medical treatment.Rapid economic improvement in several developing countries has uplifted the healthcare sector significantly. However basic medical facilities are not accessible to rural parts of the countries. Mexico has only 2.25 MRI machines per million populations in 2015, which was least in the OECD country list. Chile recorded 9.43 machines in 2014, while Brazil had 7.2 machines in 2014. Focusing on medical tourism, these countries have growing number of well-equipped hospitals. Overall quality of medical services has also increased in the recent past. Government has taken various initiatives to increase awareness regarding diseases such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), tuberculosis and others in rural areas where large percentage of population goes undiagnosed. In Singapore, UBS Bank raised US$ 471 Million in 2014, for developing new cancer treatment alternatives.To Get Sample Copy of Report please visit @About ReportsWorldwide.comReportsWorldwide.com is a leading provider of global market intelligence reports and services. With research reports from top publishers, consulting and advisory firms, ReportsWorldwide.com offers instant online access to a growing database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, geographies and trends.Press Contact:Abigail CrastoSenior Vice President101, Arch StreetBoston, MA 02110USPhone +1 (617) 398-4994Fax +1 (617) 398-4995abigail@reportsworldwide.com Global Breast Cancer Screening (Mammography, MRI and Ultrasound) Market and Population Forecast to 2022 https://www.reportsworldwide.com/report/global-breast-cancer-screening-mammography-mri-and-ultrasound-market-and-population-forecast-to-2022 https://www.reportsworldwide.com/enquiry?report_id=4571 ReportsWorldwide has announced the addition of a new report title Global Breast Cancer Screening (Mammography, MRI and Ultrasound) Market and Population Forecast to 2022 to its growing collection of premium market research reports.The report titled Global Breast Cancer Screening (Mammography, MRI and Ultrasound) Market and Population Forecast to 2022 is a 532 Page report in its second edition with 448 Figures and 16 Tables. This report provides a comprehensive assessment of the breast cancer mammography, MRI and ultrasound screening market in terms of value and volume.Detailed description and table of contents of this report is available here:United States is the largest market for breast cancer screening. Germany and China are the second and third leading market for breast cancer screening and are competing closely with each other to grab maximum share of the pie. United Kingdom is the fourth largest market for breast cancer screening followed by Italy, Spain and France.In terms of breast cancer screening population, the countries such as United States, China, Japan, Germany and United Kingdom captures maximum share of the pie. In 2016, these five countries together accounted for over 60% share of the global breast cancer screening population. Brazil, Spain, Italy, France, South Korea and India are the other top contributors to the global breast cancer screening population.All the 31 countries covered in the report have been analyzed from 8 viewpoints:1. Breast Cancer Screening Population and Forecast2. Breast Cancer Screening Market and Forecast3. Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Population and Forecast4. Breast Cancer MRI and Ultrasound Screening Population and Forecast5. Breast Cancer Mammography Screening Market and Forecast6. Breast Cancer MRI Screening Market and Forecast7. Breast Cancer Ultrasound Screening Market and Forecast8. Global Breast Cancer Screening Market - Drivers and ChallengesTo Get Sample Copy of Report please visit @About ReportsWorldwide.comReportsWorldwide.com is a leading provider of global market intelligence reports and services. With research reports from top publishers, consulting and advisory firms, ReportsWorldwide.com offers instant online access to a growing database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, geographies and trends. Moreover, ReportsWorldwide's Research Associates have in-depth knowledge of the reports and services on offer and are ready to provide assistance.Press Contact:Abigail CrastoSenior Vice President101, Arch StreetBoston, MA 02110USPhone +1 (617) 398-4994Fax +1 (617) 398-4995abigail@reportsworldwide.com Artificial Intelligence Market - Extensive use of AI across various Sectors Including Design, Monitoring, Scheduling & Planning http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=4674 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Artificial intelligence is a fast emerging technology, dealing with development and study of intelligent machines and software. This software is being used across various applications such as manufacturing (assembly line robots), medical research, and speech recognition systems.It also enables in-build software or machines to operate like human beings, thereby allowing devices to collect, analyze data, reason, talk, make decisions and act The global artificial intelligence market was valued at US$ 126.24 Bn in 2015 and is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 36.1% from 2016 to 2024 to reach a value of US$ 3,061.35 Bn in 2024.The global artificial intelligence market is currently witnessing healthy growth as companies have started leveraging the benefits of such disruptive technologies for effective customer reach and positioning of their services/solutions.Market growth is also supported by an expanding application base of artificial intelligence solutions across various industries. However, factors such as low funding access or high upfront investment, and demand for skilled resources (workforce) are presently acting as major deterrents to market growth.Request A Sample Of This Report:On the basis of types of artificial intelligence systems, the market is segmented into artificial neural network, digital assistance system, embedded system, expert system, and automated robotic system. Expert system was the most adopted or revenue generating segment in 2015.This was mainly due to the extensive use of artificial intelligence across various sectors including diagnosis, process control, design, monitoring, scheduling and planning.Based on various applications of artificial intelligence systems, the market has been classified into deep learning, smart robots, image recognition, digital personal assistant, querying method, language processing, gesture control, video analysis, speech recognition, context aware processing, and cyber security. Image recognition is projected to be the fastest growing segment by application in the global artificial intelligence market.This is due to the growing demand for affective computing technology across various end-use sectors for better study of systems that can recognize, analyze, process, and simulate human effects.North America was the leader in the global artificial intelligence market in 2015, holding approximately 38% of the global market revenue share, and is expected to remain dominant throughout the forecast period from 2016 to 2024.High government funding and a strong technological base have been some of the major factors responsible for the top position of the North America region in the artificial intelligence market over the past few years.Middle East and Africa is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 38.2% throughout the forecast period. This is mainly attributed to enormous opportunities for artificial intelligence in the MEA region in terms of new airport developments and various technological innovations including robotic automation.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: The demand for Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Installation Market mainly arises for industrial applications 2024 Combined Heat and Power Installation, Combined Heat and Power Installation Industry, CHP Installation Market Research, http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=966 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/combined-heat-and-power.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ http://cmfeglobalreports.blogspot.in/ The presence of a large number of companies offering diverse products and services related to combined heat and power (CHP) installations is fueling competition in the global CHP installation market. A CHP system is manufactured using numerous components such as turbines, filters, generators, engines, valves, and compressors. Several companies are therefore present in the market, selling key components, providing after-sales services, and distributing equipment.BDR Thermea Group B.V. held the largest share in the global CHP installation market in 2014, as per TMR analysis. Some of the most prominent enterprises operating in the market include 2G Energy AG, Siemens AG, Edina Ltd., Wartsila Corporation, ENER-G Holdings Plc (ENER-G), Clarke Energy Ltd., and others. The top eight companies hold 53% of the global combined heat and power installation market.The demand for CHP systems mainly arises for industrial applications, followed by commercial and residential applications. As the industrial segment accounts for the largest share in the market, it holds lesser scope for growth compared to the residential and commercial application segments. As per TMR, the U.S., Japan, and Germany are at the fore of adopting CHP systems for commercial and residential applications.Download the Exclusive Report Sample Here :Strong Existing CHP Networks Facilitate CHP Installations GloballyCHP systems sales worldwide are riding on the strong existing CHP network. Furthermore, the increasing awareness regarding the benefits of CHP systems will boost their installations across emerging economies of Asia Pacific. Since the last few years, these countries have been exhibiting high demand for energy-efficient technologies. Developing countries therefore offer attractive opportunities for the vendors operating in the market.TMR forecasts the value chain of the global CHP installation market to remain highly complicated during the forecast period from 2014 to 2024. The implementation of stringent emission control norms worldwide has compelled leading enterprises to adopt forward integration. Such strategies could have an adverse impact on the markets growth trajectory, said a TMR analyst. Combined with this, the high cost incurred on installing CHP systems is also inhibiting the large-scale proliferation of CHP installations, he added. Nevertheless, increasing scope in the residential and commercial sector is expected to boost the prospects for the market in the near future.Large-scale CHPs to Lose Market Share to Micro & Small CHPs in the Forecast PeriodBy type, large-scale CHPs hold a dominant share of 85.69% in the global CHP installation market, followed by micro- and small scale CHPs in 2014. However, they are expected to lose a significant part of their market share to the latter in the near future. The rising usage of micro- and small-scale CHPs across residential and commercial sector will enable the segment to report the fastest CAGR during the forecast period. However, the increasing CHP installation in India and China will keep the demand for large-scale CHPs high in the forthcoming years.Easy Availability of Natural Gas Boosts Prospects for CHP Installations in EuropeRegionally, Europe emerged as the largest market for CHP installations in 2014. The region accounted for a share of 67.96% in the overall market in 2014. The easy availability of natural gas in Russia, has significantly contributed to the increased demand for CHP installations in Europe. Other countries in Europe exhibiting increasing demand for CHP installations include Germany, Poland, Belgium, Italy, and the Netherlands.Leading companies operating in the market are also looking to explore untapped opportunities in the Asia Pacific market.Driven by the increased demand across emerging economies, the global combined heat and power installation market is poised to surge at 4.38% CAGR. TMR pegs the markets valuation at US$524.89 bn in 2014. By the end of 2024, the market is expected to reach US$812.80 bn.This review is based on the findings of a TMR report, titled Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Installation Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends, and Forecast 2016 2024.Browse the Full Brochure at :The report segments the global combined heat and power installation market at:CHP Installation Market: By CHP Type-Large-scale CHP-Micro & Small-scale CHPCHP Installation Market: By CHP Application-Residential-Commercial-IndustrialCHP Installation Market: By CHP Technology-Combined Cycle-Steam Turbine-Combustion/Gas Turbine-Reciprocation Engine-Others (Microturbine, Fuel Cell, and Waste Heat Recovery)CHP Installation Market: By Fuel-Natural Gas-Coal-Biomass-Others (Wood, Waste Heat, and Oil)CHP Installation Market: By Region-North America-U.S.-Canada-Mexico-Europe-Russia-Germany-France-U.K.-Italy-Spain-Netherlands-Poland-Rest of Europe-Asia Pacific-China-Japan-India-South Korea-Taiwan-Rest of Asia Pacific-Rest of WorldAbout UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog : Embedded System Market - 18.3% of the Market Value by 2021 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=995 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The applications of embedded systems have increased drastically over the past years, especially in the automotive industry. Multi-core technologies are being appreciated and are now in great demand across various industry verticals.Embedded graphics systems have now become a mainstay in consumer electronics, which is another industry growing at an exceptional rate.Healthcare, defense, aerospace, and telecommunications are other industries where the use of embedded systems is bringing about a sea of changes for the better. Embedded systems are also finding a wide range of use in the current high demand concept of smart electronics and connected devices.The cumulative growth in demand for embedded systems through all these application industries is expected to be a high impact driver for its global market and all its players.There is, however, a major constraint on the production of embedded system, and that is the set of complications that arise on real time embedded systems implementations.Real time applications impose a very high strain on embedded systems that are already restricted by regulatory concerns over cooling, weight, power, size, and reliability. This can be mitigated to a large degree through the implementation of modern low-energy consumption embedded systems and low performance controller applications.The revenue generated in the global market for embedded systems is, as a result, expected to progress at a strong CAGR of 6.4% from 2015 to 2021. This market is expected to reach US$233.19 bn by the end of 2021.Request A Sample Of This Report:North Americas Lead over Embedded Systems to PrevailBy the end of 2021, the demand for embedded systems in North America is expected to generate a revenue of US$89.87 bn, which will be the leading share at the time.The demand for embedded systems in this region has always been very high due to a head start this region gained from early penetration in the U.S. This region has housed a great number of the key players currently functioning in the global market, including Intel Corporation, Texas Instruments, and Freescale Semiconductor.The high level of research and development efforts taken by these companies has increased the self-reliance of the embedded systems market in North America and eventually had a positive impact on the global market as well.Asia Pacific held the second place in the top revenue generating regions for embedded systems players in 2014 and is expected to retain its position till 2021. China, Taiwan, South Korea to name a few are well on their way towards large scale implementation of modern embedded systems in automotive and consumer electronics industries. The region is expected to see a boom in the demand for embedded systems in the healthcare sector over the coming years.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Preventive Healthcare Technologies and Services Market Research Report Forecast to 2014- 2020 Preventive Healthcare Technologies and Services Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/preventive-healthcare-technologies.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=822 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Preventive healthcare comprises measures taken for prevention of disease by predetermination of the disease or immunization. The diseases that are monitored or immunized vastly are cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, accidental complications, diabetes and certain infectious diseases. In the modern era, preventive healthcare is attributed with technology that aids significant growth in its application range and efficiency. A decade old revolution of information technology has also influenced the healthcare market and primarily contributed in the market growth of preventive healthcare technology and services market globally.Browse Full Research Report on Preventive Healthcare Technologies and Services Market -The preventive healthcare technologies and services market is segmented as early detection and screening technologies, prophylaxis technologies, advanced technologies to reduce errors and chronic disease management technologies. In 2013, early detection and screening technologies accounted for the highest market share, while the market for advanced technologies to reduce errors is expected to be the fastest growing market segment during the forecast period. Early detection and screening technologies market is further sub-segmented into personalized medicine, automated screening techniques and other automated screening techniques. Personalized medicine was observed to be the largest sub-segment in this category, with the increasing research on proteomics and genomics, being the vital reason for its growth in the coming years.Constructive government policies that are providing favorable environment for healthcare information technology and increasing awareness and initiatives for prophylaxis are major reasons that are driving the growth of this market. Similarly, reduced healthcare cost burden due to penetration of healthcare information technology and increasing demand for self-monitoring devices are other key factors anticipated to propel the market growth. However, high installation and maintenance costs have hindered the penetration of preventive technologies in the emerging markets of the world. Deficient patient engagement activities have demotivated the physicians and pharmacists to adopt the technology.Geographical scenario of preventive healthcare technologies and services market depicts the market revenue, size and forecast for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. In year 2013, North America was observed to be the largest and fastest growing market during the forecast period of 2014 to 2020 for preventive healthcare technologies and services. The supportive reimbursement policies, international hub of information technology, high awareness about preventive healthcare technologies and presence of major players in this market are some of the major factors supporting the growth of this market in North America. Some of the technologies such as electronic prescribing, clinical decision support system and automated prescription, formulation and dispensing are at nascent stage and expected to affect the market significantly after the entry, hence the other geographies especially Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World are anticipated to be potential markets in the future, with the current market penetration estimated to be low.The preventive healthcare technologies and services market is very dynamic and the key players of this market can be differentiated on the basis of segments. In early detection and screening market major players includes Dilon Technologies, Inc., Myriad Genetics, Inc., Novx Systems, Inc., U-Systems, inc. and Viatronix, Inc. Sanofi Pasteur MSD, Merck & Co. and GlaxoSmithKline plc are the key players operating in Prophylaxis segment, whereas advanced technologies to reduce errors segment includes players such as Lifecom, Inc., ScriptPro LLC and Omnicell, Inc. Chronic disease management technologies segment include Alere, Healthways, Inc., Omron Healthcare, Inc. and Medtronic, Inc, as the key players in this segment of the market.Request A Sample Of This Report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Optical Imaging Market Research Report Forecast to 2014- 2020 Optical Imaging Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/optical-imaging-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=2093 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Optical imaging is a rapidly evolving and emerging medical imaging technology, which utilizes the light spectrum for assessing the optical properties of different body tissues. This emerging technology possesses a huge potential for improving disease prevention, medical diagnosis and treatment as well as in life science and clinical research. With the introduction of optical coherence tomography based imaging devices by Carl Zeiss Meditec AG in 1996, the world received its first optical imaging solution. Since its introduction, there have been significant technological advancements in this field and hence several new technologies have been introduced in the global optical imaging market.The global optical imaging market has been classified into four major segments, namely, optical coherence tomography (OCT), hyperspectral imaging (HSI), photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The optical coherence tomography segment has been further divided into three sub-segments, namely, time-domain OCT, Fourier-domain OCT and full-field OCT. In 2012, the optical coherence tomography (OCT) segment held the largest share (76.5%) in the global optical imaging market followed by hyperspectral imaging (HSI). Among the three sub-types of the OCT, Fourier-domain OCT held the largest share. Photoacoustic tomography is expected to be the fastest growing segment in the global optical imaging market during the forecast period 2014 to 2020.Browse Full Research Report on Optical Imaging Market Some of the major driving factors for the growth of this market are increasing prevalence of various disorders related to different anatomical areas, shift in lifestyle, aging population, and increasing awareness and acceptance of several optical imaging technologies. Changing lifestyle such as, sedentary sitting work style, longer working durations and refraining from exercises and physical activities are leading to a number of health problems among todays population all over the world. Several diseases such as diabetes, hypertension etc. are also becoming highly prevalent across the world and even in low to medium income countries. Aged individuals are more prone to various age related disorders, such as, vision problems, dental problems, and cardiovascular diseases among others. Most of the developed economies have a high rate of aging population. Thus, increasing prevalence of disorders related to eyes, skin, teeth and other vital organs of the body would lead to increased demand for optical imaging modalities that help to diagnose as well as treat these disorders.North America dominates the global optical imaging market in 2013 and is followed by Europe. Key factor responsible for the growth of the North American market is the high usage of the optical imaging technologies in several applications like ophthalmology, dentistry and dermatology in the region. This region also comprises huge geriatric population that suffers from several disorders that require the use of optical imaging devices, which in turn will contribute towards the growth of this market. Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing geographic segment in the global optical imaging market during the forecast period 2014 to 2020. Key factors responsible for the rapid growth of this market in the region are presence of high patient population suffering from disorders of eyes, skin, teeth etc. along with high prevalence of chronic diseases that further add to the targeted patient population. Increasing healthcare awareness and developing healthcare infrastructure in the region along with growing purchasing power of the general population will add to the growth of this market in the region.Bioptigen, Inc., Canon, Inc., Carl Zeiss AG, ChemImage Corporation, Heidelberg Engineering GmbH, Headwall Photonics, Inc., Michelson Diagnostics Ltd., NIDEK CO., LTD., Optovue, Inc., St. Jude Medical, Inc., and Topcon Medical Systems, Inc. are some of the major players operating in the global optical imaging market. Most of these players constantly innovate and develop technologically advanced and/or improved optical imaging devices and systems to maintain their position in the global market.Request A Sample Of This Report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Industrial And Commercial LED Lighting Market - Huge Opportunity to Reduce Energy Consumption http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=2013 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The global industrial and commercial LED lighting market is growing rapidly mainly due to high efficiency of LED lights, government regulations to ban incandescent lamps and attractive payback of LED lighting. Moreover, LED lighting is environmental free lighting, as it does not emit harmful gases that result in hazardous disorders in human beings.For example, fluorescent lights emit harmful gases that are carcinogenic and may cause cancer, while incandescent lamps emit large amounts of CO2. However, LEDs overcome these disadvantages with improved reliability and high degree of illumination.Incandescent lamps use more energy than LED lamps; hence, several governments have introduced measures to ban their use. Governments have set minimum efficiency standards and introduced measures to ban the use of incandescent lamps.For example, in the U.S., federal law scheduled the phasing out of incandescent bulbs by 2013 and replacing them with energy efficient LED bulbs. Phasing out of incandescent bulbs began in January 2013 started with 100 watt bulbs followed by 75 watt bulbs in 2014.Moreover, 40-watt and 60-watt incandescent bulbs are expected to join the list soon. In Japan, all incandescent lamps have been banned since 2012. In China, 100-watt and 75-watt incandescent lamps have been banned since 2012 and 2013 respectively. In Brazil, 100-watt and 60-watt+ incandescent lamps were banned since 2012 and 2013 respectively.Moreover, non-commercial growth drivers in the market include actions taken to support LED lighting systems at the legislative level, development of regulations and standards that fuels the growth of LED lighting systems and different programmes for implementing energy-efficient lighting systems at the level of an individual organization levels.In Japan, after the Ministry of Economy took the decision to ban the use of incandescent lamps in 2012, some manufacturers announced that they would stop production of incandescent lamps and to improve the production of LED lights.Request A Sample Of This Report:Hence, penetration of LED lighting increased to 30% in 2012 from 16% in 2010. Europe banned import as well as manufacturing of all incandescent lamps from September 2012. The U.S. has banned incandescent lamps since 2012; South Korea banned the use of incandescent lamps in 2013.According to a conservative study conducted by the DOE (Department of Energy) LEDs have the potential to reduce yearly consumption by 190 terawatt hours in the U.S. Additionally, LEDs can further reduce greenhouse gases by at least 10% over the period of five to ten years.LED lighting lowers overall cost of lighting as it offers about 50,000 hours of illumination with a fraction of energy used by traditional incandescent bulbs.It extends time between bulb replacements. LED lighting is preferred as near zero maintenance lighting system. Suppliers of LED lighting offer more than 150 different lamp and bulb styles to meet the needs of businesses and consumers.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email:sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Medical Transcription Services Market Research Report Forecast to 2013- 2019 Medical Transcription Services Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/medical-transcription-services.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1662 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com In the past, medical documentation involved lots of paper work and was time consuming. Such documents were sometimes handwritten or typed on paper and gradually started occupying space in healthcare institutes, hospitals and clinics. Apart from being space consuming, retrieving any particular patient record from piles of record files posed as a bigger issue. Documentation and maintenance of patient records was not only a burden on hospitals but also on physicians and other healthcare staff which thereby created demand for a medical documentation process which involved less manpower, space and processing time.Browse full report on Medical Transcription Services market -Medical transcription process involves transcribing the patient information dictated by physician into text format. Physicians record patient information using audio recorders and send such recordings to medical transcriptionist for further process. This process has not only reduced writing work and efforts of physicians across the globe but has also helped in reducing space required for the saving of such documents. Apart from efficiently recording patient records medical transcription services also turn out to be instrumental in reducing the risk of legal disputes and insurance reimbursement issues.Many medical transcription service providers are offering both transcription services and transcription software. Audio recorders are being rapidly replaced with speech recognition software that allows automatic conversion of audio into text format. Medical transcription service providers offer services mainly to transcribe History and Physical reports (H&P), Discharge Summary (DS), Operative Notes (OP), Consultation reports (CONSULT) and other reports. Medical transcription services can be offshored or outsourced. Many developed countries prefer offshoring medical transcription jobs to the companies situated in developing countries such as India, China and Philippines. Medical transcription demands high end accuracy and hence requires skilled manpower. Developing in-house manpower capable of transcribing medical information with accuracy along with developing and maintaining infrastructure necessary for providing medical transcription services is a costly affair. Hence many healthcare professionals outsource their transcription jobs to save both time and monetary resources. Healthcare institutes prefer offshoring medical transcription activities over outsourcing as it is more beneficial for labor as well as healthcare institutes to avail the transcription services in exchange of dollars (currency rate benefits).Medical transcription has extended definitions of healthcare services by enabling physicians and specialty physicians to treat patients across the globe, refer documents in history for special cases and guide for physicians in case of transfer of patient from one physician to another for better treatment. Developing countries in Europe are investing more on building medical transcription service organizations (MTSOs). Countries in Asia-Pacific are focusing more on medical transcription service industry rather than on availing medical transcription services. Governments in India, Philippines and China are providing subsidies, incentives, cost benefits in internet services and tax benefits for developing infrastructure required for set up of medical transcription company, developing skilled manpower and improving technology.Geographically, North America dominates the global medical transcription services market due to increased medical documentation in the U.S. Contribution of the U.S. in availing medical transcription services is going to increase further as effects of passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Furthermore, most of the healthcare professionals availing medical transcription services are domiciled in the U.S. thus giving more scope to in-shore outsourcing. Many major MTSOs are coming up with cost effective products in the market that is driving cost reduction in this market. Growing awareness of medical documentation and its implementation by many healthcare professionals, hospitals, clinics and healthcare institutes is driving growth of medical transcription market.Moreover, factors such as increased awareness about the benefits of electronic patient recordkeeping, government initiatives, increased geriatric population worldwide; reimbursement processing and availability of various software leading to competitive cost reductions are driving growth of medical transcription services market. Use of novel recording system, which combines different type of automatic audio recorders and speech recognition technology, is a rapidly progressing trend. Medical transcription services is a promising and a fast growing segment in the field of next generation patient documentation and healthcare database and is changing the perception and look of healthcare industry.Request A Sample Of This Report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Ablation Technologies Market Research Report Forecast to 2014 - 2020 Ablation Technologies Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ablation-technologies-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=294 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Ablation technologies based surgeries are minimally invasive and are emerging as an alternative to primitive invasive surgical procedures. Ablation involves either complete destruction or removal of abnormal tissue with the aim to cure the disease. Ablation technologies market can be segmented into two prominent categories namely thermal ablation and non-thermal ablation. The thermal ablation technology encompasses radiofrequency, microwave, ultrasound, hydrothermal, electrical and light/laser technologies whereas, cryoablation technology falls under non-thermal ablation category. The principal advantage of these procedures over surgery is short recovery time, minimum invasion, low risk of infection, lesser blood loss, and shorter hospital stays. Ablation technologies have applications in various clinical areas such as cancer, cardiac, ophthalmology, urology, gynecology and orthopedics. The report also provides the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) for each of the segments for the forecast period 2014-2020, while market size estimations have been made considering 2012 and 2013 as base years.Browse full report on Ablation Technologies Market -The global market for ablation technologies market has been studied on the basis of application type and technologies type. The application segment has been sub-segmented into these prominent categories namely cardiovascular, gynecology, pain management, oncology, urology, ophthalmology and others. Whereas, the ablation technologies market has been fragmented into radiofrequency, light/laser, electrical, ultrasound, microwave, cryotherapy and others. RF ablation is the most established device type, but ultrasound ablation and cryoablation are growing rapidly owing to advantages associated such as minimal damage to associated tissues among others. Cryoablation devices are the only kind of ablation device that can be used to treat prostate cancer. Urologists and interventional radiologists both use cryoablation to treat kidney cancer using differing techniques. As per an analysis by Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) approximately 5.1 million people face heart failure every year of which one in nine deaths in 2009 were primarily due to cardiac arrhythmia. As per WHO projection, approximately 32 million people are living with some form cancer causing 8 million deaths across the world which clearly depicts scope of opportunities for players operating in the ablation technologies market.Other prominent drivers to the global ablation technologies market include increasing adoption of ablation techniques and devices in cosmetics such as varicose vein treatment, psoriasis among others are key areas of opportunities in developing economic countries. Restraints to the ablation technologies market include disparities in the reimbursement scenario across globe along with regulations to curb pricing pressure which include Affordable Care Act and deployment of Accountable Care Organization especially in developed economic regions, thus affecting the overall growth and uptake of the ablation devices. Furthermore, high procedural cost is main area of concern for companies operating in this market.Geographically, North America which includes the United States and Canada continues to be a leading market in ablation technologies. The United States market accounts for major contribution owing to larger population base, larger penetration of healthcare services and wider acceptance of these novel technologies. Although Canadas contribution in North America revenue is significantly low as compared to the United States yet there has been a shift in trend towards adoption of novel ablation technologies such as radiation and microwave ablation therapies in past couple of years. Pertaining to the adoption rate, the market for ablation products is likely to grow exponentially in forthcoming years. An estimated 191,300 new cases of cancer and 76,600 deaths from cancer will occur in Canada in 2014 accounting for 30% of overall deaths. About 52% of all the new cases of cancer in Canada will include prostate, breast, lung and colorectal cancers. Companies like Medtronic in 2008, looking at the untapped opportunities in Canadian market acquired Montreal based CryoCath Technologies Inc. to form Medtronics AF Solutions division which as of now offers an extensive line of diagnostic, cryoablation and radiofrequency ablation tools to diagnose and treat a broad spectrum of cardiac arrhythmias.Asia-Pacific region during the forecast is the fastest growing region owing to larger population base of patients suffering from cardiovascular, cancer and arthritis and other orthopedic disorders. Overall drivers to Asia-Pacific market for ablation technologies include increasing healthcare awareness, rise in healthcare expenditure and increase in chronic diseases due to change in lifestyle and food habits. Rest of the World market is still at nascent stage and is expected to grow considering continuous rise in prevalence rate of hypertension, cardiovascular and urological diseases.Some of the key companies operating in this market include St. Jude Medical, Inc., Bioscience Webster Inc., Medtronic, Inc., Boston Scientific Corp, Covidien PLC and Angiodynamics, Inc. among others.Request A Sample Of This Report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: By Brett Campbell The word is out: Jazz is dead. Why, it says so in "La La Land," one of this year's Best Picture Oscar nominees. Legendary jazz critic Nat Hentoff died last month, shortly after Portland's finest jazz club, Jimmy Mak's, closed its doors for the last time and owner Jimmy Makarounis died. Jazz record sales are tiny compared to hip-hop's and rock's, and it's been decades since the genre occupied the center of popular culture. So long jazz, been good to know ya. Not so fast. Jazz music and musicians are insinuating themselves into pop music (Kendrick Lamar) and movies ("La La Land," "Miles Ahead"), and reports of Portland jazz's demise may be greatly exaggerated. The music still resounds in Portland cafes and clubs, and the BiAmp PDX Jazz Festival, which begins Thursday, Feb. 16, offers one of its strongest lineups ever (see our recommendations). Rather than a crisis, what Portland jazz is going through now is actually "a hiccup," says veteran drummer Mel Brown, a Jimmy Mak's mainstay who's leading several bands at this year's festival. He worries that jazz mostly happens in restaurants with no stages rather than dedicated venues like Jimmy Mak's. But having grown up in Portland playing jazz in Northeast Portland's legendary Jumptown scene as a teenager, he's seen these cycles before. "We had a lot of clubs here, then rock came and everything went away," he recalls of the days before he went off to study with legendary drummer Philly Joe Jones and tour nationally before returning to Portland in the mid-1970s. "Now it's trying to come back. We've got enough people pushing, but it takes time to really get the whole thing together." Jimmy Mak's closing "does not reflect on the state of jazz in Portland," says festival director Don Lucoff. He noted that the club closed not because it was faltering financially but because its building was sold and its owner fell ill with terminal cancer before he could complete plans to move the club to a new location. "Jimmy's numbers, (local jazz radio station) KMHD's numbers were up, our sales are up. It's nothing to do with people not being interested in the music." "It's a wakeup call," Brown says about Jimmy Mak's closing, "but we'll get it back." The festival shifted its Jimmy Mak's performances to other venues, and the club's former managers are working to put together a new incarnation that jazz lovers hope will open before the year's out. "These things go in cycles," says alto saxophone master Steve Wilson, who plays with some of jazz's biggest stars, like Chick Corea and Maria Schneider, and visits Portland often. "Clubs open and close, they come and go. I've seen this happen just about everywhere, including New York. I don't think the closing of one or two clubs is a barometer of things in general. In the history of the music and the business, there's always some proprietor who steps up to the plate and opens some club or nonprofit organization to replace them." Meanwhile, Portland jazz is springing up in new places. Lucoff, Brown and others cite new or imminent clubs like The 1905, Club Rialto (in the old Jack London bar) and Solae's Lounge on Northeast Alberta Street, where Alberta Abbey also welcomes jazz. PDX Jazz regularly stages shows at Southeast Portland's newish Revolution Hall. Even McMenamins' Mission Theater, which jettisoned jazz in favor of films a few years ago, is back in the jazz orbit. The venerable Mt. Hood Jazz Festival may be gone, but the Montavilla Jazz Festival recently arrived to fill the summer jazz slot along with the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival, which continues in its 37th year. Moreover, the city boasts a solid corps of top-notch jazz artists. "When I moved here from New York, I was worried I'd be the biggest fish in a small pond," recalls jazz guitarist Ryan Meagher. "I'm so glad I was wrong. The talent pool of musicians here is almost comically deep." Wilson, who teaches at City College of New York and The Juilliard School and numbers several Portlanders among his top students, says Portland's jazz future looks strong. "The foundation is there. Portland State has a very good program with (pianists and composers) George Colligan and Darrell Grant and teachers like Thara Memory and Alan Jones. I know there's some great musicians there. Portland seems to be very conducive to creative music and creative activity." "For a city its size, there is no city in America that has as vibrant a jazz scene as Portland," says Lucoff, who splits time among Denver, Philadelphia, Portland, New York and Los Angeles. "We have a three-legged stool: an active jazz festival, presenting organization, the top-rated jazz radio station. We had the national club here, and I firmly believe we're going to have a new Jimmy Mak's within 12 months." Jimmy Mak's closing is "more symbolic of the current state of affairs than actually representational," says Meagher, who helps lead Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble and Montavilla Jazz Fest, edits Jazz Society of Oregon's JazzScene monthly magazine and is jazz director at Metropolitan Youth Symphony. "Jimmy Mak's wasn't where the scene was thriving," as it primarily booked weekly performances by house bands like Brown's and the occasional touring band. "We had to find our own places to play anyway because Jimmy's wasn't available." Those included the Creative Music Guild's series at the Northeast Portland record store-bar Turn Turn Turn! and other venues like downtown Portland's The Old Church. Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble, which is a community partner of the festival, will book five or six shows this year featuring 21st-century music, rather than the venerable artists and mid-20th century standards typically heard at Jimmy Mak's. "We're all about jazz composition," Meagher says. "We want to get younger generations involved." "We're not retreating," declares Lucoff. "We're in a transition time. It's really just a matter of logistics." Brown credits the jazz festival with stoking interest in jazz by bringing national and local performers. "Thanks to Don Lucoff, Portland is getting exposed to top people we don't have locally," Brown says. "It's like a smorgasbord: People are getting a chance to see something and look into it and then they want to go see more of it. " --Brett Campbell, for The Oregonian/OregonLive *** PDX Jazz Festival When: Feb. 16-25 Where: Various locations, including Newmark and Winningstad theatres, 1111 S.W. Broadway; The 1905, 830 N. Shaver St.; Classic Pianos, 3003 S.E. Milwaukie Ave.; Revolution Hall, 1300 S.E. Stark St.; Fremont Theater, 2393 N.E. Fremont St.; Al's Den, 303 S.W. 12th Ave.; The Old Church, 1422 S.W. 11th Ave.; and more. Tickets: Tickets start at $20 for individual concerts (no festival passes); pdxjazz.com or 503-228-5299 By Brett Campbell With dozens of commendably diverse shows covering emerging, established and legacy artists, including 30 headline concerts, the 2017 Biamp PDX Jazz Festival is, like jazz itself, too big for a listener to take it all in. Related: 2017 PDX Jazz Festival reflects 'vibrant' local jazz scene So we've broken this guide into two categories for different kinds of jazz listeners. Portland Jazz Master Mel Brown also suggests listening to Portland's first rate-jazz station, KMHD, or the nonprofit community radio station KBOO (90.7) to learn about more jazz you might want to check out in person -- always the best way to experience this in-the-moment music. Jazz for Newbies If you're jazz-curious or new to the music, PDX Jazz's executive artistic director, Don Lucoff, suggests checking out multi-Grammy Award-winning composer-bandleader Maria Schneider's Feb. 17 show with her regular sextet. "Her music comes out of a wellspring of (legendary jazz arranger) Gil Evans and out of her home state of Minnesota: pastoral, impressionistic, approachable," Lucoff says. "People will come away with a real optimistic feeling." Lucoff also recommends the Feb. 19 Yellowjackets show with guest guitarist Mike Stern, whose "fire and juice and melodicism" might especially appeal to pop and rock fans. The Heath Brothers' straightahead, funky Feb. 18 set, featuring 91-year-old saxophonist Jimmy Heath and drummer Tootie Heath, offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to hear the renowned siblings, who between them have performed with practically all of post-World War II jazz's biggest names -- Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock and dozens more. The show is double-billed with Javon Jackson's popular Sax Appeal band. Guitarist John Scofield's Feb. 24 show offers a quite different sound -- reimagining country music classics from Dolly Parton to Shania Twain -- than the sideman's many earlier festival appearances. Portland Jazz Master Mel Brown's Feb. 22 big band show, featuring trumpeter Jon Faddis, pays tribute to Faddis' mentor, Dizzy Gillespie, while Brown's opening act reassembles most of his original Jimmy Mak's house septet. Roy Ayers' Feb. 23 concert brings the funk/soul vibes pioneer, whose music has been sampled in more hip-hop songs than any other. Local funk-soul ensemble Farnell Newton & The Othership Connection opens. Jazz for Nerds For experienced jazz fans looking to expand their horizons, Lucoff suggests emerging stars and musicians' musicians not as widely known as they should be. Drummer Ralph Peterson's late show with TriAngular on Feb. 17 brings a veteran who's played with everyone from Art Blakey to the Marsalis brothers. Solo pianists Amina Claudine Myers (Feb. 19) and Bill Mays (Feb. 23), one just emerging, the other long acclaimed, highlight the piano concerts at Classic Pianos. Award-winning keyboard master Craig Taborn's quartet features terrific players like The Bad Plus' Dave King and saxophonist Chris Speed performing Feb. 23. The Aaron Parks Trio's Feb. 24 show offers the opportunity to see both a rising Northwest jazz pianist, Parks, and an ageless, versatile drummer, Billy Hart. Classical/world music fans will want to hear the Feb. 21 solo set by Ralph Towner, the pioneering acoustic guitarist and University of Oregon alum who founded the global jazz band named after his home state of Oregon. He's double-billed with cello/piano duo Anja Lechner and Francois Couturier. For a heavier, bluesier electric guitar sound, try James "Blood" Ulmer's Feb. 19 solo set. No matter how much jazz you do or don't know, take the festival's once-a-year chance to break out of your comfort zone. Try names you don't recognize, and be sure to catch some of the free or low-cost shows featuring local acts who enrich our city's enviable jazz scene year-round. --Brett Campbell, for The Oregonian/OregonLive *** PDX Jazz Festival When: Feb. 16-25 Where: Various locations, including Newmark and Winningstad theatres, 1111 S.W. Broadway; The 1905, 830 N. Shaver St.; Classic Pianos, 3003 S.E. Milwaukie Ave.; Revolution Hall, 1300 S.E. Stark St.; Fremont Theater, 2393 N.E. Fremont St.; Al's Den, 303 S.W. 12th Ave.; The Old Church, 1422 S.W. 11th Ave.; and more. Tickets: Tickets start at $20 for individual concerts (no festival passes); pdxjazz.com or 503-228-5299 China Manufacturing A welder works at a subsidiary of the China Offshore Oil Engineering Co. Ltd. in Qingdao in east China's Shandong province. An official survey has found that Chinese factory activity rose again in November to its highest in more than two years. (Chinatopix Via AP) By the editors of Vloomberg View President Donald Trump seems determined to start a fight with China over trade. He's appointed notable China skeptics to his economic team, badgered companies like Apple Inc. to stop making products on the mainland, and threatened tariffs of 45 percent on Chinese goods. He hopes to get companies to move their manufacturing operations back home and create jobs in American factories. It won't work. In fact, it's likely to hurt the very voters he's promised to protect. China's factories now compete less on cheap labor and more on advanced technology. China has top-notch infrastructure, a skilled workforce, and factories that thrive on process innovation -- the ability to rethink how products are assembled to maximize efficiency and flexibility. They're embedded in the vast supply chain known as Factory Asia, which means they can smoothly synthesize components and raw material from around the world and quickly respond to the fickle tastes of global consumers. Increasingly, they're moving from assembly work to higher-value pursuits, such as engineering, design and branding. Outbound direct investment surged by 44 percent last year as Chinese firms acquired technology companies overseas. Investment in automation has soared: China is now the world's biggest market for industrial robots, with sales growing by about 20 percent a year. By and large, U.S. manufacturers haven't responded to this competition by becoming more innovative in their own right. One recent study found that, faced with rising Chinese imports, they've cut spending on research and development and filed far fewer patents. A bigger problem, as Apple's Tim Cook recently noted, is that the U.S. labor force lacks the skills required for large-scale advanced manufacturing. Conceivably, many Chinese factories could outcompete their American peers even with Trump's tariffs in place. When production does return to American shores -- as a result of tariffs, blandishments or threats -- is more likely to be done by robots than by Trump voters, as automation continues its relentless advance. If the benefits of these policies are illusory, however, the drawbacks will be real. For a start, prices will rise and living standards will fall. By one estimate, the cost of making an iPhone would increase by $30 to $40 if Apple were made to assemble its devices in the U.S., and by $100 if it also tried to make the components domestically. When the Barack Obama administration placed a 35 percent tariff on Chinese tires in 2009, the result was $1.1 billion in added costs to consumers. The burden of such price increases falls most heavily on the poor, who have benefited hugely from cheap Chinese-made goods. Another consequence is that these policies are likely to invite retaliation. China has already suggested it might step up tax and antitrust scrutiny of U.S. businesses, initiate anti-dumping investigations, or reduce government purchases of American goods. It could easily erect more tariffs of its own, on everything from airplanes to agriculture. U.S. companies doing business there are rightly concerned. A better way to level the playing field is to push China to open more of its markets to U.S. products and to protect intellectual property. A better way to boost American competitiveness is to invest in upgrading the workforce for the age of automation. A larger lesson is that global trade isn't a zero-sum affair -- and that harming China's economy, far from helping Americans, will only make everyone worse off. Contact the senior editor responsible for Bloomberg View's editorials at davidshipley@bloomberg.net. GARRETT.JPG Oregon Department of Transportation Director Matthew Garrett, in a file photo from last month. (Mike Zacchino/Staff) Catherine M. Mater A solution may be at hand to resolve the ongoing dispute between the Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon legislators and members of the public. It is a dispute that culminated in the need for an ODOT audit last year. Concerns driving the need for the audit had focused on the agency's fiscal practices, project management performance and disconnects with the overseeing Oregon Transportation Commission. Governor Brown's decision to retain an independent outside auditor, McKinsey and Company, was spot-on. McKinsey recently released its audit, with insights that should be taken seriously. We now know the following: 1) ODOT excels in outreach to its Oregon stakeholders, outpacing peer agency organizations; it's an achievement that should be acknowledged and celebrated. 2) The agency's cost to operate is out of sync with peer agency organizations. For every dollar of revenue received by ODOT, the cost to run the agency is more than 40 percent higher than peer agencies operating at efficient levels. Information technology expenditures run 70 percent higher than they are at peer agencies (over $12,200 per employee compared to $7,000 per employee in peer agencies). 3) ODOT performance in procurement and construction/contract management needs significant improvement. Auditors ranked ODOT "worst in class" here. The audit shows that since 2008, half of ODOT's transportation projects went over budget, with on-time completion dates falling below other peer agency performance levels. 4) ODOT's overall footprint (facilities, transportation fleet, etc.) needs trimming. Specifically, more than 20 percent of ODOT facilities should be evaluated for consolidation opportunities, which could result in a potential taxpayer savings of $4.5 million; and the agency fleet should be reduced by more than 300 vehicles. Auditors also detailed improvements needed within the transportation commission, such as more direct involvement in ODOT project funding decisions, performance evaluations and agency director evaluations. This review comes at a critical time. An ODOT budget request of $5 billion is now before the Legislature and features infrastructure projects that will most certainly impact areas important to all Oregonians: public safety, human health and carbon emissions reductions. A dilemna? Not necessarily. Despite defining critical areas for improvement within ODOT, auditors also determined agency staff at all levels to be capable and highly talented. So the capacity is within the agency to make the needed changes in a timely fashion. With the audit report in hand, Oregon legislators should be able to tie required internal ODOT improvements to important agency allocation requests that deserve solid support this legislative session. And ODOT staff should be able to perform. We now know what we have to do. Let's get the job done. Catherine M. Mater, past chair of the Oregon Transportation Commission, is a member of the Oregon Global Warming Commission. She can be reached at mater@mater.com 1merkleywyden.JPG U. S. Senators Jeff Merkley (L) and Ron Wyden respond to the crowd at a 'Rally to Save Health Care' in North Portland on Jan. 15. (John Rudoff/For The Oregonian) It is readily apparent that Oregon has serious financial issues. The Legislature has no choice but to balance a difficult budget. Right now it looks very ominous. Can Oregon expect any help from the federal government such as participation in proposed infrastructure projects? How about timber revenue relief as in the past, particularly for Southwest Oregon? And what is our Oregon delegation doing to seek such help? I only am reading that every member of the Oregon congressional delegation except Rep. Greg Walden is in a frenzy about a "temporary" 90 day immigration order to finalize vetting procedures regarding immigrants from seven countries. I am reading that Sen. Jeff Merkley will not vote on any Trump Supreme Court nominee. I am reading that Sen. Ron Wyden boycotted a committee hearing on critical cabinet appointments. Senators and Representatives, there are consequences to losing elections. Your efforts to obstruct the new Trump Administration will gain you few, if any, favors from the feds. Your ideology may benefit you, but Oregonians, your constituents, will lose out in the long run. Gary Hager, Sherwood Screen Shot 2017-02-06 at 12.45.59 PM.png (Courtesy/Olympia Police Department) A would-be burglar was foiled early Sunday morning at an Olympia Taco Bell after he left behind a perfect trail for investigators to follow -- fresh tracks in the deep snow that blanketed Washington state overnight. Olympia police officers responded to a 911 call about a burglary alarm around 3:30 a.m., The Olympian reported. The first officer on the scene saw fresh tracks in the snow, which he followed led directly to a ladder. At the top of the ladder, more tracks led to a hatch on the roof. "The officers looked in the hatch and could hear a grinder," Lt. Paul Lower told the newspaper. More officer arrived and arrested the track-leaving culprit as he tried to force his way into the restaurant's safe, presumably in search of an after-hours chalupa. The suspect, who was not identified, was taken into custody on suspicion of commercial burglary. + = ? We caught a burglar trying to break into a safe at a last night...it wasn't too complicated. pic.twitter.com/37ZQGX4P8U Olympia Police Dept (@OlyPD) February 6, 2017 "Snow makes crime scene investigation much easier," Lower told The Olympian. -- Kale Williams kwilliams@oregonian.com 503-294-4048 Donald Trump President Donald Trump salutes a Marines honor guard as he disembarks from Marine One upon arrival at the White House Monday from a trip to Florida. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) (Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP) Oregon has officially signed on to support Washington State's lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump's executive order curtailing refugee immigration, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum announced Monday. Oregon is one of 15 states plus the District of Columbia that signed the joint friend-of-the-court brief filed with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In the brief, states outline the many ways they were harmed by the immigration ban and would be further harmed if it were reinstated, including losing college professors, college students, medical students, doctors, tourists and business travelers barred or deterred from entering the country. Washington's attorney general challenged the executive order in court last week, which resulted in a federal judge applying a temporary hold on implementing the executive order. The U.S. Department of Justice has appealed that ruling. If the Court of Appeals were to send the case back to a trial court, Oregon may offer legal resources, the state attorney general's office said. "We want to be ready to help in any way we can to establish the permanent illegality of the Executive Order," Rosenblum said in a statement. Separately, Oregon and Washington plan to jointly ask the Washington judge to allow an amendment to add Oregon to the lawsuit, Rosenblum's office said. She said that action could come as soon as Tuesday. Oregon's involvement in the lawsuit comes days after Gov. Kate Brown asked Rosenblum to "explore legal remedies" for resisting Trump's actions in court. Trump's order temporarily shuts down legal refugee immigration program and indefinitely halts refugee immigration from seven majority-Muslim nations. -- Gordon R. Friedman gfriedman@oregonian.com; 503-221-8209 Portlanders showed up Sunday, despite rain and the Super Bowl, to support the congregation of St. Peter's Catholic Church. One week ago, churchgoers were yelled at by "street preachers" from Portland's controversial and aggressive group, the Bible Believers. Last Sunday, Bible Believers were filmed shouting at congregants, "Jesus Christ is going to come back and judge every single one of you," and "You're not the true Christians." St. Peter's is a Spanish-speaking church and some of the comments were also racist and slurs about immigration status, according to people who were present at the time. Posted by Nelly Rodriguez on Sunday, January 29, 2017 Posted by Nelly Rodriguez on Sunday, January 29, 2017 Over the phone, one of the Bible Believers who was later punched at the Portland Airport, Grant Chisholm, said he and his group will continue to stand in front of churches on Sundays. "We're preachers," he said. "We use horns. We yell." In response, a community coalition joined together to support the church. A press release sent out Sunday by Moviminento For La Paz read, "We have our faith and belief and Love Trumps Hate." "Sunday, February 5, 2017, a coalition of Immigrant Protectors will join Hermandad Mexicana, Jobs With Justice, Veterans For Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Portland Faith Communities and the Portland community at large to celebrate our Solidarity with St. Peter's Immigrant Parishioners in Prayers for Peace, Liberty and Justice for All humankind," it said. On Sunday, The Portland Tribune reported that about 200 people showed up to support the church, forming a line to protect the congregants. Juan Mayoral, one of the organizers of the event, said over email Monday that he thinks at least 300 people showed up a half an hour before the Sunday Spanish mass and that that number grew to between 600 and 800 at around noon. "The atmosphere was for me personally, something that I have never experienced before," Mayoral told us. "I have participated in many marches and protest before but this one -- this one you could feel the love and support for everyone that was there. People we loving and supportive -- labor, pro-immigration activists, church groups, anarchists, all different races and cultures!" No members of the Bible Believers were present. "We went because members of our community were being harassed and now more than ever we need to watch out for each other," Laura Herrera, a neighbor of the church who attended the rally on Sunday told us. "It was so important," she added, "to send the message that love, acceptance and support will always be more powerful than bigotry and hate." -- Lizzy Acker 503-221-8052 lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker A boisterous crowd of about 100 greeted a stunned young Iraqi couple and their three wide-eyed daughters Sunday night at Portland International Airport, the first refugees to land here since the controversial travel ban was rescinded by a federal judge last week. Mustapha Mohamed, a former interpreter for U.S. military in Iraq and member of Iraqi security forces, had worked and waited for four years to get a visa that would allow him and his family to relocate. Just when they thought they'd gotten approval, President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily banning visitors from Iraq and six other Muslim-majority countries. "They were originally scheduled to arrive on Friday," said Matt dos Santos, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon. "But they got caught up in the shameful executive order, which we contend is illegal and unconstitutional." Catholic Charities of Portland played an instrumental role in getting the family here. The organization feared its work was in vain after Trump signed the executive order on Jan. 27. "It took a very bold judge in Seattle to make this happen," said Richard Birkel, Catholic Charities' executive director in Portland. Fadha, Mohamed's cousin who lives in Beaverton, was among the welcoming crowd. She paid $5,000 for the family's flights, she said. Fadha, who didn't want to give her last name, immigrated herself to the U.S. in 1993 after the first Persian Gulf War. She was 13. Fadha was frantic when her cousin got held up by the travel ban. His service to the U.S. military and the three years of vetting by U.S. immigration authorities seemed to count for little, she said, after the new president signed the travel ban order. "I talked to every government official I could think of," she said. It was a lawsuit brought by Bob Ferguson, attorney general for the state of Washington, that finally paved the way. U.S. District Judge James Robart, a George W. Bush appointee in Seattle, issued a temporary order Friday banning enforcement nationwide of the travel ban. The U.S. Justice Department's subsequent appeal was denied early Sunday by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. At PDX, members of the crowd shouted "Welcome," and "We love you," as the family reached the ticket lobby. Several stuffed cash into the hands of the local sponsors of the Iraqi family. Portland Police Chief Mike Marshman was among the greeting party. He said the Police Bureau makes it a practice to reach out to new immigrants, who know little about how the local system works and can be easy prey for con artists. Marshman said he also wanted to reach out "cop to cop" to Mohamed given his background working security for the U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Mohamed said only "thank you," repeatedly. Fadha, his cousin, said the family was too exhausted to talk much. "They've been traveling for days, from Baghdad to Qatar to New York and to Phoenix and now Portland, and always the 3-year-old cries," she said. The 3-year-old was all smiles Sunday night. Someone had given her a handful of helium balloons, which she gazed up at adoringly as they walked toward the airport exit. -- Jeff Manning jmanning@oregonian.com, 503-294-7606 101crash.jpeg The scene of a fatal crash on Highway 101 near Coos Bay on Sunday afternoon. (Courtesy/Coos County District Attorney's Office) Two teenagers died, a third suffered major injuries and a state trooper was hurt when a Mitsubishi crashed into an Oregon State Police pickup Sunday on Highway 101 near Coos Bay, officials said. Around 1:30 p.m., the driver lost control of the Mitsubishi near milepost 241 and drifted into the northbound lanes, crashing head-on into the trooper's truck, Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier said in a news release. A third vehicle crashed while trying to avoid the wreck, Frasier said. The driver and a passenger in the Mitsubishi, both 18-year-old males from the Coos Bay area, died at the scene. A 16-year-old girl riding in the back seat was airlifted to River Bend Hospital in Eugene with life-threatening injuries. The trooper was taken to Bay Area Hospital and was expected to be released by Sunday evening. The man, woman and two children traveling in the third vehicle were not injured, Frasier said. Officials did not identify any of the people involved. Speed may have played a role in the collision, investigators said. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the Coos County Sheriff's Office, which is leading the investigation. -- Kale Williams kwilliams@oregonian.com 503-294-4048 Work on the new Central Park Elementary School took place through much of 2016 and continues. Last winter, the Midland Public Schools Board of Education approved 13 contracts totaling $17.56 million for construction of Central Park Elementary School, which is to open at the beginning of the 2017-18 school year at the site of the former Central Middle School. To the editor: The Coleman community would like to take this opportunity to thank the Midland Daily News for selecting the Lighted Coleman Holiday Parade as one of the top places to visit in Michigan. How proud you have made our community to be recognized as a parade showing off the most Christmas spirit. Each year we usher in the holiday with our lighted parade and fireworks on the second Saturday of December along with collecting food for our local food pantry. We wish to extend an invitation to have everyone visit Coleman on Dec. 9 when our next parade entitled, A Story Book Christmas, takes place. Coleman maybe a small town, but we like to do things in a big way! Thank you Midland Daily News, we appreciate the honor you have given to the Coleman community. ROXY SMITH Secretary Coleman Business Association The Pacific Air Forces commander and command chief visited Airmen and families here Jan. 31-Feb. 1, to discuss current operations, share the commanders vision and thank members of Team Andersen and local community leaders. During their visit, Gen. Terrence OShaughnessy and Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Johnson encouraged Andersen Airmen to take pride in their role as forward-deployed Airmen who must be prepared to fight tonight, given the 36th Wings ongoing role in projecting airpower and deterrence across the Indo-Asia-Pacific. The Pacific is a power projection theater and Team Andersen plays a critical role in power projection both for the United States Air Force as well as our joint force, said Gen. OShaughnessy. Weve seen this demonstrated during various joint support exercises, international engagements like COPE NORTH and several high-visibility bomber missions throughout the region. In the past two months alone, Andersen has executed several high-visibility operations, including approximately 15 integrated B-1B Lancer and B-52 Stratofortress bomber missions near Australia and the South China Sea. Additionally, three B-2 Spirits concluded a three-week deployment to Andersen AFB, where they conducted joint, integrated operations with various U.S. military units and long-range training with Australian partners. The missions demonstrated the ability to rapidly project American airpower across the vast distances of this region in concert with partners and allies. The general and command chiefs visit kicked off with a stop at the Pacific Regional Training Center complex at Northwest Field, which is home to the 36th Contingency Response Groups 554th RED HORSE Squadron, 644th Combat Communication Squadron and others. The centers two schoolhouses, Commando Warrior and Silver Flag, are now graduating more than 1,500 students in a variety of contingency-oriented fields, from airbase opening to expeditionary defense. Squadrons like the ones here at Andersen are the foundation of how the Air Force accomplishes its missions, OShaughnessy said. Revitalizing our squadrons is a top priority for Air Force leaders and as such, we will work to empower you with the resources and time necessary to get the mission done in support of our very vital joint mission. At the U.S. Armys Terminal High Altitude Air Defense site, OShaughnessy met with deployed Soldiers who operate the ballistic missile defense system and discussed defense capabilities. The general noted effective teamwork between joint partners remains essential to ensuring the defense of U.S. territory and our allies and partners. Any successful crisis response in this region will likely hinge on an effective integrated air and missile defense capability, said the general. Thanks to our U.S. Army brethren who operate the THAAD, we are well postured to protect Guam, ensure air superiority over any adversary, and preserve our ability to project airpower throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific. With a focus on quality of life for Andersen Airmen, families and personnel deployed to the base, the general and chief toured housing areas and community spaces such as the medical clinic, dining facility, fitness center and deployment lodging, as well as seeing firsthand the construction of training centers and a ground-up renewal of base housing. During several meetings with Airmen and families, OShaughnessy and Johnson received feedback and listened to concerns of service members and spouses. Additionally, OShaughnessy and Johnson took time to meet with local community leaders to thank them for their support to Andersens Airmen and mission. I can't emphasize enough how privileged I am to have the opportunity to lead great Airmen like those who serve here at Andersen, OShaughnessy said to local civic leaders in attendance. Their ability to accomplish the 36th Wings mission hinges on the awesome support they receive from the local community and leaders like you, he added. The visit culminated in a base all-call that allowed OShaughnessy and Johnson to address Andersen Airmen and field comments and questions in an open forum. Every Airman in PACAF is critical to the mission, whether you prepare food, load weapons, maintain or fly aircraft, or generate orders and work manpower issues; every Airman is vital, said Chief Johnson. When you see aircraft launching day and night; that is a testament to the hard work of every Airman in every specialty doing their part. The chief pointed out that despite the challenges ahead, the safety and well-being of Airmen will remain the commands priority. In order to protect one another, he asked Airmen to foster a culture of dignity and respect in work centers in order to produce a resilient, combat-ready force. To operate effectively, we need Airmen like you to be empowered, trained and equipped to meet mission requirements, Johnson said. Ive been impressed with the Airmen Ive had the opportunity to meet here. This is one of our greatest strengths as a service and one that we will continue to leverage in the future. While articulating the commands priorities and focus for 2017, OShaughnessy highlighted how Guam will maintain its role in ensuring airpower resiliency in the region, noting that the region continues to experience a dynamic shift which demands increased vigilance and readiness. We need to look at things differently than we did 10 years ago. OShaughnessy said. We cannot rely on strategic indications and warnings that we might have had years ago, so we need each Airmen to be ready to deliver combat power with very little notice. I think the Airmen of Andersen are going to be a key part of our changing strategy in the pacific. As the general wrapped up the all-call, he lauded Team Andersen for its continued commitment to projecting airpower in the region. I want to say thank you to your commitment thank you for your dedication to this profession, he said. I know that sometimes the challenges put here are immense but I know this team, this team in particular, is always going to prevail. Editor's note: This is part of a series of stories The Pantagraph will publish on the challenges facing people after their release from prison, including issues in housing and employment, and re-entry efforts at the state and federal levels. BLOOMINGTON At 19, Kristen Braffet didnt grasp the long-term consequences of a felony conviction. She quickly learned that probation was the easy part of living with a record that would impede her ability to vote, work and even volunteer at her childrens school. The mistake that put Braffet, now 30, in the felon category related to her use of a friends's debit card to settle a debt. Coming on the heels of a misdemeanor shoplifting conviction a year earlier, the debit card case was a felony. Going to court and being forced to tell people about her arrest was a much-needed wake-up call, said Braffet, who now lives in Kentucky. At the time, it was just what I needed. I had a problem with theft. But now that I've learned my lesson, it's time to let me move on, she said. The immediate impact of the conviction came with Braffets firing from her house cleaning job. From that time on, it was denial after denial, she said of her job search. With help from Project Oz, a Bloomington agency that helps homeless and at-risk youth, Braffet landed a job with the Bloomington District 87's food services department. For six years I was a lunch lady. Getting that job was huge. I was feeling really depressed and just really lost, said Braffet. Subsequent jobs came through connections: Everything was based on who I knew. When she finishes her degree in paralegal studies, Braffet hopes to go to law school. This shadow of a felony haunts me. Im serving a life sentence that continues every single day, she said. Braffet was in the Twin Cities recently to start the process of having her criminal record sealed and of filing a petition for clemency with Gov. Bruce Rauner. The request to seal her felony records starts with the Prisoner Review Board. Some offenses are not eligible for sealing, including drunken driving, sex offenses, crimes of violence and domestic violence-related convictions. A person must wait five years from the end of a sentence, or their last arrest before filing a petition. A successful petition allows a person to have his or her criminal record expunged. Defendants who agree to plead guilty to a charge are now informed by a judge of the potential consequences of such a decision. A new law, effective Jan. 1, requires judges to inform defendants that their plea could make it difficult to obtain housing, a job and other privileges. Defense lawyer Josh Rinker said the information in the judges statement should be covered in discussions between defendants and their lawyers before the plea is finalized. Requiring the court to address these warnings on the record ensures that even if it was forgotten by the defense attorney, the defendant is entering into a decision fully aware of the consequences," said Rinker. The statement that includes a potential requirement to register with authorities a mandate for sex offenders, for example causes confusion and concern for some defendants, said Rinker. "Much of the confusion can be avoided by spending a few extra minutes explaining these warning to the client, but even then the concerns can still linger," said Rinker. Back in January, Balenciaga meme master Demna Gvasalia paid homage to progressive icon/the politician-that-got-away, Senator Bernie Sanders. Balenciaga incorporated Bernie Sanders' campaign logo for their F/W 2017 collection. #Balenciaga2017 pic.twitter.com/jo0pOnz3ux models daily (@supermodeldaiIy) January 18, 2017 Theming the iconic brand's FW17 menswear collection around Sanders' campaign logo and imagery, it was an unexpected co-sign to say the very least -- and one that Sanders himself has now finally addressed. Asked by CNN's Jake Tapper yesterday if he fancied himself a "fashion icon," Sanders (seemingly unaware of this occurrence before) responded good-naturedly, saying, "No, not quite, Jake. I think, of my many attributes, being a great dresser, a fashion maven, is not one of them." See his response for yourself below. Great things are happening, the state of Illinois wants to declare the birthday of everyone's best bud Obama a public holiday. Gonna be a yes from me, dawg. The fate of August 4 is being debated in Illinois House and Senate in two house bills that, if passed, would be the first new state holiday created in 40 years. Businesses would have the option of celebrating but schools and state offices would be closed for the day. Despite Massachusetts or Obama's birthplace of Hawaii arguably having just as much a claim on the former president, Illinois is the first state to option his birthday as a commemorative holiday. Obama worked as an organizer in Chicago, returning after graduating from Harvard Law to teach at University of Chicago Law School and represented the 13th district for seven years before becoming a state senator in 2004. Holiday state Rep. Andre Thapedi (D-Ashburn) says Obama is "basically an Illinoisan," referencing Texas' honoring of Lyndon B. Johnson and California's day for Ronald Reagan. Illinois' last state holiday was created in 1973 for Martin Luther King, it was the first state to adopt the now nationwide commemoration. [h/t dnainfo] Even though the Falcon's lost last night, leading us again to query whether good really can trump evil, at least The Museum of Modern Art is out here doing something ( everything ) right. Since Trump signed an executive order banning citizens of Muslim-majority nations from travelling to the United States, MoMA has been quiety replacing Western works from the likes of Picasso and Matisse with pieces by Iranian, Sudanese, and Iraqi-born artists three of the countries included in the ban. As if the move didn't make the gallery's position clear enough, the card accompanying each creation assures the viewer fully understands its decision. It reads as follows: "This work is by an artist from a nation whose citizens are being denied entry into the United States, according to a presidential executive order issued on January 27, 2017. This is one of several such artworks from the Museum's collection installed throughout the fifth-floor galleries to affirm the ideals of welcome and freedom as vital to this Museum, as they are to the United States. " While news broke on Friday that judge James Robart was blocking the ban , the current administration is treating the order like a "preliminary injunction" and is furiously fighting to see the order through. [h/t Jezebel] Image via Flickr Naomie Harris, who has continually distinguished herself as a mother-freaking dream, is on the cover of New York Magazine's spring issue and she knocks the whole situation out of poignant park. Here are the four greatest things we learnt from the Naomie Harris profile. 1. Naomie Harris wants you to get out of here with your "everything-is-totally-bitchin'-with-race-now-in-Hollywood-that-black-people-in-Hollywood-are-nominated" nonsense. Like Viola Davis recently, Harris, who also starred in an Academy Awards front-runner (Moonlight) playing the strung-out mother of a gay son, hits out at the common notion that the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag that trended on social media last year had anything to do with the premiere lineup of black actors this year. "I know that everyone thinks this year is a response to that whole campaign. When, in fact, these films were in production or preproduction for years before all of this. So they aren't actually a response to that whole argument. So I don't like the way that they're used as a response to that. And people are saying, you know, 'Isn't it amazing in a year how things have changed as a result of that campaign?'" 2. Naomie Harris, naturally, is not about Trump's immigration ban. Harris, whose parents are both immigrants hailing respectively from Jamaica and Trinidad, tells NY Magazine that the current approach towards immigrants in American and British politics (remember Brexit?) is hugely "regressive". "Because the whole foundation of these countries America in particular is based on immigration. Britain wouldn't be the country it is without immigration. So it's madness. It just seems so retrograde to talk about these ideas now, at a time when the world is just becoming smaller and more interconnected. And now, to want to take a step backward, almost to the dark ages, where, you know, 'We want monocultures and mono-races,' it just seems really yeah, regressive. And very sad." 3. Naomie Harris feels sorry for Tom Hiddleston, like us all. After Tom Hiddleston's unfortunate Golden Globe acceptance speech, during which he humble-bragged in a big way or, as he stipulated in his apology later, expressed himself "inelegantly", Harris and her look of disappointment became a viral meme. "I really sympathize with Tom," she says, "because I think it's so easy, under the pressure of those moments to find yourself going down the path of telling a story and as you're telling it, think, This is not what I want to say, it's not how I mean it to go, but you're kind of trapped on that train and you can't stop And then ridiculing a person for that I just think it's so mean!" 4. Finally, Naomie Harris is grateful for your Oscar nod, but does not expect to win, doesn't think she should win. "It's not going to happen. It's Viola [Davis]'s year, you know?" Perhaps Naomie, but that doesn't stop you from being a 10/10, all-round great gal. [h/t New York Magazine] Image via New York Magazine, shot by Erik Madigan Heck A young man has released an app that could help fight bullying. The Brighten app sends out compliments to social media users and its impact could bring positive changes. Austin Kevitch was still in high school when he thought of an app that would allow the anonymous sending of compliments among its users. It was his friend Oliver Pacchiana's death which motivated Kevitch to make the app a reality. Pacchiana's Facebook page was filled with heartwarming comments from family and friends, but he was no longer there to read them. Kevitch said he learned a lot of new things about his friend from the comments. Some of the messages posted on the page were even life-changing. "Just hearing one of those comments could change your life," Kevitch, now the CEO of the app Brighten which is based in Santa Monica, California, told Huffington Post. "It was a wake-up call that the world needs something like [Brighten]," he added. Kevitch's Brighten app was released in 2015 and has been downloaded more than a million times since then. Compliments referred to as brightens, as well as the snapshot of the sender's smile can be sent anonymously using the app. Other users, however, reveal their identities when sending the brightens. Brighten will soon join forces with Kind Campaign, a platform against bullying, in a bid to combat the problem among girls, as per New York Times. It will also participate in a social media campaign tagged as "Be Cool Be Nice." The campaign was hatched by Kendall Jenner and Willow Smith to promote kindness in the society. Dr. Malcolm Smith, an anti-bullying proponent, may be hesitant about the anonymity function of the Brigthen app but he is optimistic about its goal of putting social media to do good, according to Real News. Brighten recently partnered with Sandy Hook Promise, an anti-gun advocacy group. The app will be introduced to over 1,700 schools to help the group in its campaign against social isolation. A woman from Whittier, California volunteered to become the surrogate of her sister with cancer. Morgan Williams stepped up to help her younger sibling, Maggie Paxton, when doctors told the latter she could become sick again if she were to get pregnant. Now, they are awaiting the arrival of twins. According to ABC7, Paxton was diagnosed with an aggressive type of breast cancer in 2015. She has been doing great in remission so, together with her husband, Danny Paxton, they sought advice from doctors about having a baby. Unfortunately, doctors told Paxton getting pregnant was not a good idea for fear that it will only make her cancer return. So, Williams agreed to be the surrogate for her younger sis. "She's giving me and my husband a gift that we will never be able to repay her for and that's been like a struggle for me," Paxton said of her older sister. Williams said, on the other hand, she didn't want Paxton to have problems with finding a surrogate when she should be focusing on getting healthier, so she volunteered. "I'm ready to see her be a mom," Williams told the news outlet. "I'm ready to see her hold her baby," she added. The sisters were born 13 months apart. Whittier Daily News reports Paxton had her eggs retrieved before she underwent a double mastectomy and chemotherapy. In June 2016, fertility doctors were able to create two embryos with her eggs and the husband's sperm, which Williams now carries. The babies, who are due to be born this week, will be named Emery Layne and Deeanna Nicole. Williams, a single mom with a 9-year-old daughter, said she's not worried about postpartum depression knowing the babies won't be coming home with her. "I don't think I'm going to have that big of an issue because I'm going to see them and I'm going to be pumping and they need their milk," Williams said. An ailing toddler receiving medical care in a U.S. hospital has been separated from his parents. Their visas were revoked due to President Donald Trump's Muslim ban. Dilbreen is an Iraqi child receiving treatments at the Shriner's Hospital in Boston after sustaining serious burns at a refugee camp. The almost 2-year-old has been through surgeries since September 2016 but he is scheduled for more operations. His father was with him during the preliminary rounds of the medical treatment. His mother, however, gave birth at the refugee camp in November, so his father Ajeel had to temporarily go back. The problem is the Muslim ban has delayed Dilbreen's family's entry to the U.S. to be with the toddler. They were supposed to join Dilbreen last Jan. 25 in time for his next rounds of surgery, the Independent Journal Review reports. Without his parents and his new baby brother, who has been named Trump, Dilbreen remains under the care of the Yazidi American Women's Organization based in Michigan. Lawyers have been working to help the family get new visas for the U.S. Humanitarian Sally Becker shared Dilbreen's story on Facebook, which has been gaining international support. Becker said the family fled Iraq because of the ISIS and Dilbreen, like Trump, was born in the refugee camp. An accident in the camp, however, cost his health and he will be needing a series of surgeries for a year to ensure that his body can still function normally. Over the weekend, however, the federal court issued a temporary stop to the president's executive order. Essentially what this means is that those in the Muslim ban list can enter the U.S. without their valid visas getting revoked, according to The Washington Post. The government has already filed its appeal and a hearing is expected to take place Monday. CNN reports Dilbreen's family has not yet secured a visa as of Feb. 5 despite the court's block. President Donald Trump has issued a statement addressed to Catholic schools to commemorate National Catholic Schools Week. He commended educators under these institutions for their "tremendous work" and acknowledged that they are "vital to our success and prosperity as a country." The statement, which has been published in the White House official page, had the president also thanking Catholic schools who guide two million students every day. "I appreciate the many ways in which Catholic schools nurture devotion, impart wisdom, and minister," the president said. Fortune reports despite exit polls saying otherwise, Trump received a solid support from Catholics during the elections (52 percent) compared to when Obama won the presidency (9 and 2 percent for each term). Many support Trump for his stand on abortion and contraception, as well as other issues that civil society structured in the name of progress, such as gender-free bathrooms. Crux Now reports Catholics are hopeful President Trump will remain steadfast in his pro-life policies, human rights stance and teachings that the Church supports. "The government should not be in the position to coerce consciences," Rep. Chris Smith said. Among the president's very first orders was actually a victory for Catholics. He signed a policy that was enforced during the Reagan administration, which bars U.S. funding for international non-government organizations (NGOs) that perform or promote abortion. Most affected are agencies that provide health care and family planning initiatives in developing countries. "The President, it's no secret, has made it very clear that he's a pro-life president," Sean Spicer, the press secretary said, according to CNN. "The reinstatement of this policy is not just something that echoes that value, but respects taxpayer funding as well." The president, however, is not immune to criticisms from Catholic Church leaders. BBC reports that some think his travel ban on Muslims could be putting Catholics in the Middle East at risk. It could also make the U.S. an even bigger target with extremists. "I think safety, in the long run, is not secured by fear, it's secured by improving relationships, it's secured by getting to know people around you," Cardinal Vincent Nichols said. "In that sense [it's] opening up things, not shutting them down." An 8-year-old boy from Jacksonville, Florida was left alone at home with his sister, a 5-year-old, and brother, a 4-year-old last Saturday. The 8-year-old boy was able to get a hold of a gun and accidentally fired the weapon striking his sister dead. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Chief Chris Butler said the elder boy fired a single shot from the gun. The 4-year-old was also wounded but is expected to survive. Emergency personnel was called to the apartment and tried to revive the child. They were unsuccessful as she succumbed to her injuries later, Boston Globe reported. Butler said of the incident, "We believe, in the absence of any other information being developed, that, unfortunately, this is a tragic unfortunate accidental shooting." Upon further investigation, authorities learned the mother went out to go to a store. It was unclear who owns the gun and where the father of the children was at the time of the incident. It was also not clear how the child got hold of the gun and if it was properly stored and secured prior to the shooting. Officials are still investigating and are yet to decide whether or not charges will be filed regarding a gun being accessible to the kids. A therapist is said to be working with the boy who fired the weapon. The Florida Department of Children and Families is also being consulted, as well as the attorney's office. None of the other kids' names as well as the parents' names have been released yet. However, Daily Mail reported the child who died was identified as Serenity Allen. The identity is yet to be confirmed. Some people gathered to mourn the loss of the child. One woman collapsed to the ground while crying and others screamed in anguish. Butler noted the expressions of the family and friends of the child who died is not pleasant to go through as they investigate the matter. A teenager shared snaps of her foot being impaled with an iPhone charger noting this happened because her room was messy. The teen added she could not see the things on her floor and many Twitter users expressed their shock over the photo that the teen shared. CNET identified the teenager was Julia Pechar, 18. She posted three photos on her Twitter account showing her foot impaled with the charger and her messy room. Indeed, the room's floor was filled with sorts of things making it difficult to see what she steps on. It is unclear how the teen is doing but it was reported that she had a tetanus shot and is on antibiotics. She said in a statement she was lying in bed and was watching Netflix when the microwave went off. "I got so excited that I literally jumped off of my bed. I landed right on the charger," she told Buzzfeed. She also admitted that even before she screamed for her mom to help her rip the iPhone charger from her foot, she tried to crawl to get to her phone so she can take a photo to post on social media. The Nebraska teenager's post on the social networking platform garnered 14,000 retweets and 18,000 likes as of press time. A lot of her followers had mixed reactions as other were disgusted about the photo, while others showed their rooms being neat and tidy. when your room is this messy, you have to accept the consequences of not being able to see where you step pic.twitter.com/MuRr5Uen1w Jules (@JEWL_ia) January 31, 2017 Pechar also wrote in the comments that her mother wrote a note asking for her daughter to be allowed to ride the elevator at school noting the incident had a decent outcome. One Twitter user, however, suggested Pechar's mother should write her daughter a note telling her to clean her room instead, The Sun reported. Other Twitter users took the time to examine what the mess was. Most of the things on her floor are clothes, but one Twitter user took notice of a toilet paper that had Donald Trump's face on it. Another saw a Christmas tree and a Minions poster. Here is a video of other accidents caused by an iPhone. Have you encountered the same? Let us know in the comments below. A 2-year-old boy was taken to a hospital in Rocky Hill in Hartford County, Connecticut by a family member. Following an examination by the doctors, the father of the child was arrested as authorities believed he was responsible for burning his own son. The family member originally claimed to staffers at Hartford Hospital that the severe burns of the child were due to an electrical fire at their home in Cold Springs at the Century Hills Apartment complex. The supposed incident was not reported to officials, but it was believed that the incident happened in the early morning hours on Saturday, NBC News reported. The child is said to be in serious condition. As per further investigation, however, police learned that the reason why the fire was never reported to the either their department or the fire department was because that was not the case. The stories did not match up and the person who had the last contact with the child was interviewed resulting in police believing something else happened. That person is a friend of the child's mother, Fox 61 reported. Police did not say what the witnessed told them but qualified in a statement that the mother's friend led them to investigate further. How the child was burned or what the father did to the child was also not revealed by police. After the interviews, police arrested the father named Michael Shamel Davis, 27-years-old. He was charged with risk of injury to a minor, interfering with police, tampering with evidence, reckless endangerment, and arson. He is now being held on a $100,000 bond and will appear in court soon. The incident is still under further investigation by the criminal investigation unit, the fire marshal's office, and the Department of Children and Families. Anyone who could help in providing police with information is urged to call Rocky Hill Police Department at 860-258-7640. Here is a video of a father who left his children unsupervised resulting in one of his kids getting burned. What do you think about the news above? Comment below! The election of Donald Trump as President of the United States has posed many problems for parents. On top of these is how to explain to their children Trump's stand on various issues including migration and diversity. They are also at a quandary as to how to explain the rage and the hate now prevailing in the U.S. Various social network sites have been filled with posts against migrants and minorities. Some students used Facebook to threaten students of color, bringing back memories of the Ku Klux Klan, a movement espousing anti-immigration and white supremacy ideas. One student even said his classmates should be deported by Trump to Mexico. There is a sense of frustration and misplaced anger all over Massachusetts and the rest of America today, according to Boston Magazine. A hotline was created by Massachusettes Attorney General Maura Healey even before the election to allow people to report cases of hate crimes. Healey's office has recorded more than 400 incidents of threats based on gender, bullying and spray-painting of swastikas in the garage of a black student, a week after the electiion. Trump's attacks against minority has made it difficult for parents to instill the ideas of right and wrong to their children, as per Medium. Some parents have always taught their children about the freedom to act and the consequences of one's actions. Trump's electoral victory and his taunts against the minority has demoralized a lot of parents. "It's hard to be a parent tonight, for many of us," CNN political commentator Van Jones said, per Facebook. "You tell your kids not to be a bully, you tell your kids don't be a bigot, you tell your kids, do your homework and be prepared. How do I explain this to my children?" he added. Parents are now wondering how to explain Trump's victory and bad behavior to their children, according to Huffington Post. A survey conducted by Huffington Post showed that 75 percent of parents in the U.S. who have minor children agree that the new president does not provide a good example to the children. The anxiety is greater for parents who come from communities considered as minority in the U.S. In December 2016, the Norwegian Court of Appeal handed down its decision in Pharmaq v Intervet[1], which concerns the validity of Intervet's SPC for a viral vaccine for preventing pancreatic disease (PD) in salmonid fish. Followers of SPC case law will be aware that questions relating to this case have previously been considered by the EFTA Court[2], having been referred by the Oslo District Court. The advisory opinion of the EFTA Court was subsequently interpreted by the District Court who found in favour of Intervet[3]. The recent decision concerns Pharmaq's appeal. The case is of general interest in that it relates to the extent to which an SPC for a biological product may be considered to encompass closely-related alternatives such as biosimilars. The guidance of the EFTA court was that an SPC is invalid due to non-compliance with Article 4 of the SPC Regulation[4], to the extent that it has been granted with a wider scope than that set out in the relevant Marketing Authorisation (MA). However, the EFTA Court also proposed that an SPC for a viral vaccine could extend to cover a specific strain of virus encompassed by the claims of the patent but not mentioned in the MA, provided said strain constitutes the "same active ingredient" as the authorised product, and has therapeutic effects within the same indications for which the MA was granted. Applying this guidance, the Oslo District Court had found in a majority decision that the competing products of Pharmaq and Intervet did constitute the "same active ingredient", thus holding in favour of Intervet. However, reconsidering the EFTA Court's guidance in the light of new evidence before it, the Norwegian Court of Appeal has now overturned that earlier decision. Claim 1 of Intervet's patent explicitly recited the deposited virus strain (of type SAV-1) that was used in its own vaccine. However, the claim referred also to "closely-related strains which share similar genotypic or phenotypic characteristics". In proceedings relating to the patent, the virus strain (of type SAV-3) used in Pharmaq's competing product was found to infringe the claim by virtue of this "closely-related" feature. Intervet's MA specifically describes the deposited strain used in its own product. Nonetheless, when applying for an SPC from the Norwegian Patent Office, Intervet stipulated a definition of the product which precisely mirrored the wording of claim 1 of the patent, thus including the reference to "closely-related strains". The Norwegian Patent Office was evidently concerned that this product definition was broader than that provided by the MA, and thus problematic under Article 4 of the SPC Regulation. There is some suggestion that the examiner's preference would have been to limit to closely-related strains of the SAV-1 type, but he found no basis for this interpretation in the patent. Therefore, recognising a legitimate concern that an SPC limited solely to the deposited strain could be easily circumvented, the Office awarded Intervet the benefit of the doubt -- in the knowledge that Pharmaq were bringing a legal challenge to the SPC and that the question would ultimately be decided in the courts. The proceedings before the Court of Appeal spent a considerable amount of effort interpreting the EFTA Court's guidance, and the extent to which Intervet's and Pharmaq's products might be considered to constitute the same active ingredient. As part of their argumentation, Intervet relied upon the decision of the CJEU in Farmitalia[5]. This long-standing decision established that where a patent claims a chemical compound and the marketing authorisation specifies a particular salt, the SPC is interpreted to cover alternative salts and esters of the same compound, which are in principle therapeutically equivalent. It has been argued (including by Intervet) that similar reasoning should apply for closely-related biological products in order for the purpose of the SPC Regulation to be met. The Norwegian Court of Appeal recognised the importance of Farmitalia in establishing that the purpose of the SPC Regulation would not be satisfied if therapeutically equivalent salts and esters were not covered by an SPC for a small chemical entity. They also recognised the desirability of establishing a corresponding definition for biological medicinal products which, in line with Farmitalia, prevents third parties from escaping the scope of an SPC by making only minor changes to an active ingredient that otherwise remains therapeutically equivalent. However, they noted that Farmitalia provides limited guidance for biological products (unsurprisingly given the age of that decision) and the Court was concerned also to balance the scope of protection of SPCs for such products against the other objectives of the SPC regulation. In particular, the aim that improved medicinal products should not be kept off the market to the detriment of human or veterinary health. Much of the Norwegian Court of Appeal's decision is thus spent grappling with these conflicting pressures. They found what they considered to be helpful guidance in a 2009 judgment of the Dutch Appellate Court submitted by Pharmaq, referred to as the "Yeda judgment" (2000809060/1/H3). In that judgment, the Dutch Court upheld the decision of the Dutch Patent Office to grant an SPC only in respect of the specific active ingredient Adalimumab (a monoclonal antibody) mentioned in the relevant MA, despite the patent claims encompassing other antibodies specific for the same target. Yeda had argued that the other antibodies would be expected to have the same therapeutic effect as Adalimumab, and pointed to Farmitalia as supporting grant of an SPC with a broader product definition. The Dutch Court found that it was not proven that other antibodies would have the same therapeutic effect, and furthermore that even closely related biological medical products are qualitatively different to salts and esters of a chemical product. The Dutch Court noted that even minor differences in a biological product could be significant for the quality, safety, and efficacy of the said product. The Norwegian Court of Appeal adopted much of the same reasoning, stating that for there to be a different active ingredient, the difference between two products must be expressed such that there is a practical and appreciable effect on the quality, safety, and efficacy of the medicine in question. Intervet argued that any such difference must be systematic, consistent and significant in order for two products to be found different. The Court expressed some doubt that a "significant" standard was too high a threshold, but did not need to consider this further since, on the evidence before it, they found that Pharmaq's product was systematically, consistently and significantly more efficacious against SAV-3 infection than Intervet's product. Having reached this conclusion, the Norwegian Court of Appeal decided that Intervet's SPC was invalid for lack of compliance with Article 4 of the SPC Regulation. The Court noted that this is not a ground for invalidity under Article 15 of the SPC Regulation, and thus was obliged to define Article 15 as "not exhaustive" in order to make their decision. Interestingly, the Court also felt that they had no legal basis to amend the SPC to provide a compliant product definition, even though the guidance from the EFTA Court appeared to suggest such an option. The EFTA Court's guidance was that an SPC would be invalid to the extent that it covers anything other than the authorised product. The decision of the Norwegian Court of Appeal is not yet final since an appeal to the Norwegian Supreme Court remains possible at time of writing. In addition, it remains to be seen whether the CJEU and/or other national courts will adopt similar reasoning. Nonetheless, we offer the following conclusions and recommendations: 1. Applicants should be alert to the risk involved if the definition of the product offered in an SPC application could be interpreted as broader than the authorised medicinal product -- a definition that is too broad may result in loss of the entire SPC and it may be impossible to amend after grant. 2. The approach of the CJEU in Farmitalia for salts and esters of small chemical compounds has been confirmed, but it appears likely that this will not be found to be directly applicable to (complex) biological products. 3. There may be some scope for an SPC to protect biological products that are "therapeutically equivalent" to an authorised product, but it remains unclear how best to define the product in order to allow for this -- language relating to a lack of any systematic, consistent (and significant) difference in quality, safety and efficacy may be helpful. 4. Where possible (bearing in mind patent claim scope and time limits) consider applying for a separate SPC based on the applicant's own patent and a competitor's MA. Such an application could use a narrow product definition directed specifically to the competitor's authorised biological product. This will permit an SPC application for the applicant's own product to be presented with a definition that minimises the risk mentioned in 1. [1] Translation of decision available here. [2] Translation of decision available here. [3] Similar status to the CJEU for matters referred by the national courts of the EFTA states: Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein. Copy of the advisory opinion available here. [4] Article 4: Within the limits of the protection conferred by the basic patent, the protection conferred by a certificate shall extend only to the product covered by the authorisation to place the corresponding medicinal product on the market and for any use of the product as a medicinal product that has been authorised before the expiry of the certificate. Full regulation available here. [5] C-392/97. Full decision available here.Bottom of Form This article was reprinted with permission from J A Kemp. In November Patently Apple posted a report titled "The Australian Bank Cartel is denied the Ability to Force Apple to Open Apple Pay API's on their Terms." Apple has been struggling to get Apple Pay up and running in Australia since 2015 with the banks not only refusing to go along with Apple, they've been trying to force Apple to hand over their Apple Pay API's so that they could offer home grown Apple Pay alternative services. They're too dumb to pool their resources and devise their own card system, they just want to rip Apple off. Thankfully thus far the Australian Commission has denied the banks the legal ability to form a cartel to force Apple to comply. The official ruling from the commission is due sometime between March and May. Until such time, the banks have no incentive in supporting Apple Pay until there's a rulling where they could officially force Apple to comply or they'll give up and work with Apple like most other civilized nations. A new Australian report this morning says that Apple sent a letter to the Australian Commission accusing their national banks of deliberate delays in implementing Apple Pay. To date only the ANZ Bank has had to initiative to work with Apple and even put out a unique TV for the Australian market as noted below. In the US, issuers must pay 0.15 percent of a credit card transaction and 0.5 cents for each debit card transaction, and 7 cents to Visa and 50 cents to MasterCard for each card that is added to an Apple wallet. But Apple doesn't allow banks to recoup these fees from their customers. The Australian banks want to be able to pressure Apple to let them pass on the costs to their users. The Australian report notes that Apple argues there was no difference in customer experience between a bank utilizing the embedded NFC chip compared to a bank linking its own digital wallet with Apple Pay. Specifically, Apple stated that "The only benefit ... is a purely private benefit where they would be allowed to free-ride on the significant investments made by Apple ... to facilitate NFC payments without paying any fees for transactions processed via Apple's secure element infrastructure." Apple claimed the banks were using the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission process to delay the expansion of Apple Pay in Australia to the 70 percent of cardholders controlled by the applicant banks, and had made "little to no attempt" to understand how Apple Pay works and how it can be utilized by their own mobile apps. "The applicant's refusal to engage with Apple during the authorization process provides evidence of the chilling effect of the proposed collective conduct on the benefits of competition..." it said. Before the commission makes its final ruling on the matter, Apple is reminding the commission how the banks are collectively refusing to work with them on a solution. 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. A report out of Dubai today claims that an Arabic daily notes that "Apple is set to recall 88,000 iPhone 6s devices due to battery issues." However, the publication is getting a head of reality. This isn't a classic recall at all. Last year Apple publicly published a web page titled "iPhone 6s Program for Unexpected Shutdown Issues" On Apple's website they noted that "Apple has determined that a very small number of iPhone 6s devices may unexpectedly shut down. This is not a safety issue and only affects devices within a limited serial number range that were manufactured between September and October 2015. If you have experienced this issue, please use the serial number checker below to see if your iPhone 6s is eligible for a battery replacement, free of charge." A translation of the Arabic report noted today that "The director of the Consumer Protection Department in the Ministry, Dr. Hashim Al Nuaimi, in a press statement, said that Apple informed the Ministry of Economy, yesterday, the emergence of a defect or malfunction respect to the battery in a specific category of device (iPhone 6 S)." Apple's UAE iPhone users are being asked to use the serial number checker on the link noted above to see if their iPhone 6s is eligible for a battery replacement at no charge. This is a far cry from being a full pledged recall. A faulty battery from China eventually caused Samsung to shut down production of the Note7 from the market. The fault of the battery was revealed during a special Samsung event last month. Samsung is seriously considering dropping ATL for a Japanese supplier Murata for their upcoming Galaxy S8. Whether Apple will likewise consider Murata is unknown at this time. 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. This advertisement was meant to air at last nights Super Bowl: The ad, created by 84 Lumber, depicts a mother and her young daughter traveling north, sometimes by truck, sometimes by train, sometimes on foot. On the way, the daughter picks up scraps of colored cloth or plastic she finds, weaving them into an American flag. At times we see montages of men at work, cutting and sawing and building something out of wood. Finally, the mother and her daughter are confronted by a wall, standing twenty feet tall and extending in either direction. On the brink of despair, they discover something around the cornera massive door through the wall. This is what the builders had been constructing. As the pair walk through, faces alight, the words The Will to Succeed Is Always Welcome Here appear on the screen. What happened? Why didnt it air? According to Vanity Fair: When 84 Lumber set about making an ad for the Super Bowl, the company didnt expect that their full commercial wouldnt make it to air. But Fox forced the Pennsylvania-owned company to cut the ending of the spot, which follows a mother and daughter on a vague journey north. The ending was then supposed to be available on 84 Lumbers website, which, shortly after the first part of the commercial aired on Fox, crashed as curious Super Bowl viewers rushed to find out what happened next. Why was the ad censored? This appears to be the reason: Fox declined to comment on the censored ad, but the networks advertising guidelines prevent expressions of viewpoint or advocacy of controversial issues. I have seen concerns that Lumber 84 was profiteering off of the plight of immigrants, using the controversy they knew the spot would bring to gain attention to their company, and the companys response to a question about undocumented immigration is concerning. Regardless of the companys motivations, it is worth noting that it was Fox, the network Trump holds up as an example of how media should cover his presidency, that deemed this advertisement too controversial for TV. This is not direct government censorship, no. However, censorship does not have to stem from explicit government dictate for it to be concerningor for the government to be involved in some capacity. Censorship is not always explicit or directly statedand no, Im not suggesting a conspiracy theory. Trump appears to in fact believe that it is part of his job as president to exert some form of control over the media. According to Vox: In his first meeting with national news outlets, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said that accountability would be a two-way street, and the White House would hold the press accountable. No, sir, that is not how the presidency works. It is not how the First Amendment works. Because of the immense power of the presidency, it is strictly not allowed to exert control over the media. Trump has made a practice of scolding media for being mean to him not only during his campaign, but also during his presidency. He even spent more time lambasting the media than he did staying on topic during his black history month address. Trump has made no secret that he favors Fox. In fact, it tends to be the standard he presents the other networksbe nice to me, like the people at Fox. A network like Fox, then, would be extremely aware of how the Trump might respond to the airing of an ad that appears to take direct aim at one of his signature proposalshis wall. It is not normal to have a president this obsessed with his media coverage. It is not normal for a president to publicly (and privately) scold the media when he doesnt like their coverage of his presidency or his actions. But this president does all of this. As we enter the next four years we need to be painfully aware of the dampening effect Trumps constant berating of the media may have on their coverage and what they are willing to say. The concern hereand going forwardis not direct censorship by Trump so much as self-censorship by the news media in an effort to appease Trump. The latter is harder (if not impossible) for the courts to stop, and thus arguably more dangerous. I have a Patreon! Please support my writing! Latest U.S. Iran Sanctions Signal New Policy Of Confrontation 02/04/17 Source: RFE/RL Mad Man (source: Cover of Iranian business magazine Tejarat) WASHINGTON -- The United States on February 3 imposed new sanctions against Iran, a move that comes days after Tehran conducted a ballistic-missile test and amid an escalating war of words between the two governments. The U.S. Treasury Department on February 2 added 13 individuals and 12 entities with ties to Iran to its sanctions list, targeting Iranians and at least one Chinese national. Shortly after the announcement, U.S. national security adviser Michael Flynn signaled a new, more confrontational U.S. policy toward Iran, saying the "international community has been too tolerant of Iran's bad behavior." "The days of turning a blind eye to Iran's hostile and belligerent actions toward the United States and the world community are over," he said in a statement. Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a statement the same day denouncing the new sanctions as "not compatible" with U.S. international commitments. The statement added that Iran "will impose legal restrictions on some American individuals and entities that were involved in helping and founding regional terrorist groups" in response. Iran's ILNA news agency quoted Rasoul Dinarvand, head of Iran's Food and Drug Administration, as saying the new provisions that expand the list of restricted medical equipment are "inhumane." A U.S. Treasury Department press release said the sanctions target individuals and entities "involved in procuring technology and/or materials to support Iran's ballistic-missile program" or "acting for or on behalf of, or providing support to, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF)." The newly sanctioned entities and companies are based in Lebanon, China, and the United Arab Emirates. Treasury Department official John Smith was quoted as saying Iran's "continued support for terrorism and development of its ballistic-missile program poses a threat to the region, to our partners worldwide, and to the United States." At a White House press briefing, spokesman Sean Spicer said that the sanctions have been in preparation since before U.S. President Donald Trump took office, but that the timing "was clearly in reaction to what we've seen over the last couple days." 'Strategic Review' A senior U.S. administration official told reporters that under Trump, Washington has been conducting a "larger strategic review" of its approach to Iran and that the new sanctions were just "initial steps" in a more confrontational policy. "We have consistently said that we will continue to counter Iran's support for terrorism, destabilizing activities in the region, human-rights abuses, and its ballistic-missile program, including through sanctions where appropriate," the official said. The official stressed, however, that the United States abides by its commitments made under a deal between Tehran and major international powers that restricted Iran's nuclear program in exchange for some sanctions relief. A second senior U.S. administration official told reporters that the sanctioned individuals and entities have "touch points to the United States" that would be affected by the punitive measures. "For example, they procure U.S.-origin goods, or they may have transactions that hit the U.S. financial system. And that would be blocked by this action," the second official said. The move followed stern warnings by the White House earlier this week that Tehran was being "put on notice" over the missile test and other activities. Iran's Defense Minister General Hossein Dehghan on February 1 confirmed that Tehran had conducted a test, but did not say when it occurred or what kind of missile it was. U.S. officials, however, were quoted as saying said it was a medium-range ballistic missile and the test on January 29 ended with a failed re-entry into the atmosphere. 'Playing With Fire' The standoff escalated just hours before the new sanctions were made public, when U.S. President Donald Trump warned in a tweet that Iran is "playing with fire." Trump, who has previously vowed to tear up or renegotiate the deal between Iran and major world powers restricting Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for an easing of sanctions, also tweeted on February 3 that Iran didn't appreciate how "kind" Washington had been. U.S. Representative Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, lauded the Trump administration for "taking long-overdue steps to hold the regime accountable." "Iran's dangerous and provocative acts are a direct threat to the United States and our allies," the California Republican said in a statement. His Democratic counterpart on the committee, Representative Eliot Engel of New York, also welcomed the new sanctions, saying Washington must continue "to confront Iran's malign activities." My latest for @HuffingtonPost on how Trump's reckless actions are bringing us closer to war with Iran: https://t.co/x7phcu9HGc Senator Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) February 3, 2017 In Moscow, Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the International Relations Committee of the Russian State Duma, warned that the new U.S. sanctions "may in the long run be a counterproductive step" that could undermine the Iran nuclear deal. Earlier on February 3, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif downplayed the U.S. "threats" and said Tehran would never initiate war. "Iran [is] unmoved by threats as we derive security from our people. Will never initiate war, but we can only rely on our own means of defense," Zarif wrote on Twitter. Trump campaigned on promises to take a much tougher stance on Iran than his predecessor, Barack Obama, in response to Iranian actions such as threats against Israel and involvement in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen. The first senior administration official told reporters that Washington "will work positively with Iran when [Tehran] abides by its international commitments, while underscoring our commitment to aggressively counter Iran's destabilizing activities, including its support for terrorist and militants groups." The official declined to comment on the U.S. administration's communications with Iran since Trump took office on January 20. With reporting by RFE/RL's Carl Schreck and Mike Eckel, Reuters, AP, and AFP Related Articles: White House Warns Iran To 'Think Twice' Before Testing U.S. Resolve 02/05/17 Source: RFE/RL U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has warned Iran "not to test the resolve" of the Donald Trump administration days after the U.S. imposed new sanctions on the Islamic republic over a ballistic-missile test. Read related article by Yahoo News: At gathering on 'politics of love,' Sanders warns Trump could start a war Pence made the warning in a February 5 interview amid rising tensions between the two countries. "Iran would do well to look at the calendar and realize there's a new president in the Oval Office. And Iran would do well not to test the resolve of this new president," Pence told ABC News. The warning came a day after U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis called Iran "the single biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world." The Trump administration has signaled a more confrontational U.S. policy toward Iran. Last week U.S. national-security adviser Michael Flynn said, "The days of turning a blind eye to Iran's hostile and belligerent actions toward the United States and the world community are over." Asked by ABC News how the United States would respond to provocation by Iran, Pence said that the "president said everything's on the table" -- including military action. Pence also said that Washington is looking into the 2015 nuclear agreement that obligated Iran to significantly restrict its sensitive nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. "Well, we're evaluating that as we speak," he said. Pence said that Trump will make a decision in the days ahead. "He'll listen to all of his advisers, but make no mistake about it. The resolve of this president is such that Iran would do well to think twice about their continued hostile and belligerent actions," Pence added. Tehran has denied that its missile test violates a UN Security Council resolution or the nuclear deal it struck with world powers, including the United States. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote last week on Twitter that his country is unfazed by U.S. threats. "Iran [is] unmoved by threats as we derive security from our people. Will never initiate war, but we can only rely on our own means of defense," Zarif wrote on February 3. With reporting by ABC and AFP Related Stories: mSecure password manager review TechRadar Pro Updated In our mSecure password manager review, we take an in-depth look at this password manager to help you decide if its the most secure way to handle your sensitive data. News organizations operating in France will open up a new fact-checking service, CrossCheck, at the end of this month. Their initial focus will be on covering the forthcoming French elections, but with a number of international organizations participating, the projects reach could grow. CrossChecks focus will be on identifying and debunking misleading news sites, photographs, videos, memes or comment threads. The service is backed by First Draft News, an organization that offers guidance on how to find, verify and publish content from the social web, with support from Google (through Google News Lab), Facebook and news organizations including BuzzFeed News, Agence France-Presse (AFP), and a host of national and regional French newspapers. The news organizations involved will help debunk false information, and use that work to improve the accuracy of their own reporting, First Draft said Monday. But at the News Impact Summit in Paris on Monday, some speakers doubted whether readers appreciate such fact-checking initiatives in the coverage of politics. Journalists tend to believe that candidates for office should not tell lies, and assume that readers share that opinion, said Yoni Appelbaum, Washington bureau chief for The Atlantic. The audience may not share that opinion of whats qualifying or disqualifying in politics, he said. One of the things the media gets in trouble with is bludgeoning its audience over the head with facts rather than telling stories. Matthew Ingram, a senior writer for Fortune, summarized that: The more you argue, the less they trust you. The more you fact-check, the less they believe you. One reason for that, said Amy Mitchell, director of journalism research at Pew Research Center, is, There are so many different definitions of whats fake news, its so hard to agree on the basic facts, even when its data. That wont stop CrossCheck and its contributors. These include French newspaper Le Monde, which has built a database of more than 600 news sites, Le Decodex, identifying them as satire, real, fake, and so on. Facebook, one of the vectors for the kinds of information CrossCheck seeks to debunk, will also support the project, providing dedicated tools, explaining the verification process to its users, and keeping them up to date with confirmed and disputed information relating to the election. Its impossible to fact-check every piece of information published in the press or circulating on the internet, so CrossCheck will be picking its battles. It will use CrowdTangle to discover social media content relevant to the election, and Spike a tool developed by NewsWhip to predict which posts will go viral. Its not just about France: Bellingcat, one of the CrossCheck partners, will map patterns in misinformation as part of a wider project to map European elections. And First Draft and Google News Lab have been involved in election coverage before, through the Electionland initiative to report on voter suppression in the November 2016 U.S. presidential election. News of the project will be published on the @crosscheck Twitter account. Google has been ordered by a federal court in Pennsylvania to comply with search warrants and produce customer emails stored abroad, in a decision that is in sharp contrast to that of an appeals court in a similar case involving Microsoft. Magistrate Judge Thomas J. Rueter of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ruled Friday that the two warrants under the Stored Communications Act (SCA) for emails required by the government in two criminal investigations constituted neither a seizure nor a search of the targets data in a foreign country. Transferring data electronically from a server in a foreign country to Googles data center in California does not amount to a seizure because there is no meaningful interference with the account holders possessory interest in the user data, and Googles algorithm in any case regularly transfers user data from one data center to another without the customers knowledge, Judge Rueter wrote. He added that when Google produces the electronic data in accordance with the search warrants, and the government views it, the invasion of the account holders privacy the searches will take place in the U.S. In the Microsoft case, which was cited by Google, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York quashed a warrant that would have required the company to disclose contents of emails stored on a server in Ireland. The court said in its opinion that the SCA under which the warrant was served does not authorize courts to issue and enforce against U.S.based service providers warrants for the seizure of customer email content that is stored exclusively on foreign servers. The architecture of Googles system that partitions user data into shards does not let the company establish with any certainty which foreign countrys sovereignty would be implicated when the company accesses the communications to produce it in response to a legal process, making it difficult for law enforcement to look for other means such as Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) between countries to get access to the data. Google admits that the location of the data could change from the time the Government applies for legal process to the time when the process is served upon Google, the Judge wrote. Microsoft had argued in court that nowhere did the U.S. Congress say that the Electronics Communications Privacy Act, of which the SCA is a part, should reach private emails stored on providers computers in foreign countries. The company provided non-content information held on its U.S. servers in response to the search warrant, but tried to quash the warrant when it concluded that the account and the content of the mails were hosted in Dublin. Microsoft instead favored an inter-governmental resolution to the U.S. demand for access to the emails in Dublin, through the use of MLATs the U.S. has with other countries including Ireland. In the Microsoft case, unlike that of Google, all the relevant user data of a presumably Irish citizen was located exclusively in one data center in Ireland and remained stable there for a significant period, Judge Rueter wrote. The assumption made by the majority in the decision of the Second Circuit was that messages stored in the cloud have a discernable physical location, which could not be made in the Google case. The judge held that under the warrants against Google, the invasions of privacy will occur in the United States; the searches of the electronic data disclosed by Google pursuant to the warrants will occur in the United States when the FBI reviews the copies of the requested data in Pennsylvania. He described the cases against Google as involving a permissible domestic application of the SCA, even if other conduct (the electronic transfer of data) occurs abroad. Google said in a statement that the magistrate in the case had departed from precedent, and it planned to appeal the decision. We will continue to push back on overbroad warrants, it added. HINKLEY The team studying the worlds largest chromium-6 plume here has won two years of access to a device to better gauge to what extent the cancer-causing form of chromium will return after a cleanup. Access to the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource will allow U.S. Geological Survey researchers to understand to what extent the toxin could return after the ongoing cleanup process is completed, John Izbicki, who is in charge of the study, told the Hinkley community during a meeting there Thursday night. Access to this machine isnt something you can buy. It (time for its use) is awarded on the basis of scientific and societal benefit, said Izbicki, a USGS research hydrologist. In studies of naturally occurring chromium-6 at the El Mirage Lake, and other locations, Izbicki said researchers have found measurable amounts of naturally formed chromium-6 produced from the more benign chromium-3. Chromium-3, in small amounts, is sometimes used as a vitamin supplement. El Mirage Lake is a mostly dry lake bed northwest of Adelanto. At the site, Izbicki said, magnesium eroded from rocks in the San Gabriel Mountain runoff which then accelerated the formation of chromium-6 from chromium-3. Izbicki said the treatment process being used by San Francisco-based Pacific Gas & Electric Co. temporarily allows magnesium into the groundwater of treated areas within Hinkleys chromium-6 plume. Another use of the Synchrotron, he said, will be to study how the behavior of man-made chromium-6, like what was used by PG&E, compares to the chromium-6 produced naturally. Daron Banks, along with other Hinkley residents, is concerned that in 20 to 40 years, enough chromium-6 will have migrated back into the water that residents will be drinking water that exceeds the states safe level standard of 10 parts per billion. It will be like a dog chasing its tail, Banks said Thursday night. Currently, according to Izbicki, there are no Hinkley residents drinking well water that exceeds the state guidelines. Izbicki said knowing when and if this return of chromium-6 might happen will allow PG&E and state water regulators to develop a treatment plan. From 1952 until 1964, PG&E discharged untreated chromium-6 into unlined ponds, a common practice at that time. Hinkleys water contamination problems were thrust globally into public view in the 2000 film Erin Brockovich, starring Julia Roberts. A major part of the study is to determine how much of the chromium-6 found in Hinkley groundwater was put there by PG&E operations and how much was put there by nature. This information will be used by water regulators to determine how long and to what level PG&E is required to mediate the Hinkley plume. Water samples have been sent to the Institute of Environmental Physics at the University of Bremen in Germany, which is the only lab in the world with the capacity to measure whats necessary to help with this determination. Izbicki told about 50 people gathered in the Hinkley Community Center on Thursday that the five-year, $5.5 million study is on time for completion in December 2019 and will be able to provide answers to the questions being asked by all parties to the cleanup. Located in Menlo Park, the Stanford Synchroton is operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Department of Energy. Contact the writer: jsteinberg@scng.comTwitter: @JamesDSteinberg WASHINGTON President Donald Trump is threatening to withhold federal funds from out of control California if the state declares itself a sanctuary state. If we have to, well defund, Trump said in an interview with Fox News host Bill OReilly before the Super Bowl. We give tremendous amounts of money to California, California in many ways is out of control, as you know. Trump was responding to a question from OReilly about efforts by Democratic state legislators to make California a de-facto sanctuary state that would restrict state and local law enforcement, including school police and security departments, from using their resources to aid federal authorities in immigration enforcement. _informq.push([embed]); I think its ridiculous. Sanctuary cities, as you know, Im very much opposed to sanctuary cities. They breed crime, theres a lot of problems, Trump said. Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Francisco are sanctuary cities and have said they will challenge in court any attempt by Trump to withhold federal funds from them. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said he doubted the 10th amendment to the Constitution, which reserves power to the states, would allow Trump to defund. RELATED:Riverside sanctuary city backers, foes to rally Tuesday Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg has said he would join, if not lead, any effort to fight (the sanctuary city threat) with litigation. Trump told OReilly that he didnt want to defund a state or a city and would like to give them the money they need to properly operate. But the president added that if theyre going to have sanctuary cities, we may have to do that. Certainly that would be a weapon. Californa Gov. Jerry Brown pledged in his State of the State address last month to defend everybody who has come to the state for a better life and has contributed to the well-being of our state. I recognize that under the Constitution, federal law is supreme and that Washington determines immigration policy. But as a state we can and have had a role to play. California has enacted several protective measures for the undocumented: the Trust Act, lawful drivers licenses, basic employment rights and non-discriminatory access to higher education, Brown said in his State of the State. We may be called upon to defend those laws and defend them we will. The Ghana Police Service has dismissed 206 police recruits who were undergoing training at the Pwalugu Police Training School in the Upper East Region, not 3000 as is being speculated in a section of the Ghanaian media, Superintendent Cephas Arthur, Director of Public Affairs, Ghana Police Service, has clarified. The number is 206, not 3000. If the number were 3000, it would mean we dismissed all the police officers we recruited in the service. That is not the case. The figures are nowhere close to 3000, he told Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom, on Accra100.5FM on Monday February 6. He further stated: The administration has decided to enforce the law against them, especially those who forged documents to deceive a public officer. They will face the law. On Friday February 3, Mrs Beatrice Vib-Sanziri, Commissioner of Police, Director-General/Human Resource Department, wrote a letter to the Officer Commanding PPSTS, Pwalugu, saying: I am directed by the Inspector General of Police to inform you to withdraw from training all recruits who do not meet the required academic qualification as follows: Only BECE Certificates (44), BECE and NVTI (22), NVTI (22), BECE and NABPTEX (7), NABPTEX (2), WASSCE (15), City and Guilds (1) and No Certificate (1). Source: classfm Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Lobbying for who becomes the next Chief Executive (CEO) of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), following the sack of its immediate past boss, Hudu Mogtari, is assuming interesting but dangerous twist, with potential candidates maligning each other all in the hopes of grabbing the coveted position. Ironically, one of the few women who stood against the tyranny of the for chief executive, Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, at a time it became glaring that he was running the organization into the ditch, Delese Mimi Darko, is the one at the receiving end of the backstabbing going on at the Authority. Already, this paper is informed that an independent committee formed by the presidency to recommend a name for the CEO position settled on Mimi Darko, such that in the coming days, the Pharmacist would be announced as the next FDA boss. The Crusading GUIDE can confirm that barring any last minute hitches, competent and affable Mimi Darko is the new FDA boss. One of the issues raised against Mimi, as her contemporaries call her, is that she is not popular but workers at the FDA say that argument is flat and dead even before its arrival because there is no one at the Authority that is more known than Mimi Darko. More so, contrary to media blister last week that Mimi Darko was an NDC woman who would only continue with the reign of terror Opuni left behind, independent checks on the woman who recently initiated the establishment of patient safety centers in pharmacies nationwide, to ensure that patients are empowered to report the safety of medicines that they take is a dye-in-the wool NPP sympathizer, with a father that is a card-bearing member of the same party.. Her initiative it was, that led to the improvement of the anti- counterfeiting strategies and helped to develop and the awareness creation in the detection of counterfeit and substandard medicines in Ghana. She is a pharmacist with over 25 years' experience in regulation. Our findings on Mimi Darko revealed that after graduating from the university in 1991, she worked first with the then Pharmacy Board, specifically in the laboratory for 7 years where she helped put in the systems to ensure that drugs locally manufactured and imported were analyzed for quality before they were put on the market. In 1997, the paper learnt, she was one of the pioneers of the newly established FDA and rose through the ranks to become the Head of Registration- a position she held till 2010. During this period she implemented innovative strategies that resulted in upgrading of products manufactured by the local pharmaceutical industry. Mimi Darko also initiated regulation of herbal medicines in Ghana and supported the development of the herbal medicine industry. It was during her time, we were told, that herbal medicines evolved to become well packaged and labelled. Under her leadership, Ghana became a member of the WHO programme for international drug monitoring in 2001, ensuring that medicines used were safe. Under her leadership, the regulation of clinical trials started and has grown to the point where Ghana is considered the leader in clinical trials in the sub-region. In acknowledgement of her global leadership and technical expertise, the WHO organized its annual meeting of Medicine experts in Ghana in 2010. Following that she was appointed onto The WHO/ CIOMS Committee on Vaccine Safety to work with leading regulators from the US, Europe, Canada, Japan and other countries to set standards for global vaccine safety. Due to her performance, the final meeting for that committee was hosted by the FDA in Accra in 2016, first time ever in sub Saharan Africa Her expertise has led to the FDA the being nominated and recognized by the nepad/ African Medicines Regulation Harmonization (AMRH) as 3 Regional Centres of Regulatory Excellence in Medicines Safety (pharmacovigilance), Clinical Trials and Drug Registration. She is a founding member of AVAREF, the African Vaccines Regulatory Forum and was last year nominated to serve on the technical coordinating committee of the newly organized AVAREF. She has served as an expert advisor on the African regulators network and worked tirelessly to ensure harmonization of regulatory systems across Africa. Source: The New Crusading Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video New figures released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) show that even though the Accra Metropolis has the smallest land area, it is heavily populated with establishments, followed by the Tema Metropolis. According to the Integrated Business Establishment Survey (IBES) I, released by the GSS, a total of 177,152 establishments are distributed over the sixteen districts in the Greater Accra region. The GSS defined establishments as structures located at a specific place for economic purpose. Three notable districts namely; Accra Metropolis, Tema Metropolis and Ga South Municipal have significant numbers of establishments located within them. Among these three districts, though Accra Metropolis has a smaller land area, it has the highest number of establishments of 80,824, representing more than two-fifth which is 45.5% of the total number of establishments in the region, the Project Coordinator for the report Mr. Anthony Krakah said. He explained that this was followed by the Tema Metropolis with 17,250 establishments, which has the least land area and also has the countrys main harbour. However, the Ga South Municipal which has the largest land area among the three districts had a total of 11,810 establishments. Mr. Krakah stated that even though Shai Osudoku is the district with the largest land area in the region, it had the least number of establishments of 415. Sectorally, establishments in the services sector are dominant with 149,512 followed by those in the industry sector with 27,302 and institutional agriculture with 338, he said. A similar distribution pattern is observed at the district level, where about eight out of every ten establishments operate in the services sector. Nearly half of the services sector establishments in the region are located in the Accra Metropolis with 68,333 and almost one-tenth in the Tema Metropolis with 14,545, he added. He stated that Ga South Municipal had 10,079 of the services sector establishments while the least number was located in Shai Osudoku district with 345. He pointed out that out of a total of 27,302 establishments in the industry sector, almost half were located in Accra Metropolis with 12,311, while about one-tenth were in the Tema Metropolis with 2,655. He noted that Shai Osudoku district had the least number of establishments of 65 operating within its boundaries. On the distribution of establishments by type of legal organization, Mr. Krakah indicated that within the region sole proprietorship was 141,963, partnership 12,181, and private limited company by guarantee 17,604). In fact, eight out of every ten establishments registered as private limited company by guarantee are located in Accra Metropolis with 11,518 and Tema Metropolis with 2,919. He observed that the least proportions of sole proprietorship and partnership establishments are in Shai Osudoku with 0.2% each. The highest proportion of establishments operating as formal establishments in the region was within the Tema Metropolis with 26.3%. This was followed by Accra Metropolis with 24.2%, La Dade Kotopon Municipal with 13.3%, Ledzokuku/Krowor Municipal with 13.0%, Shai Osudoku with 11.3%) and Adenta Municipal with 10.2%. Source: Citifmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The 29 foreigners arrested for illegal mining in the Atiwa Rain Forest Reserve have pleaded not guilty to three charges levelled against them by a Koforidua Circuit Court B on Friday, February 3. They were charged with three counts of conspiracy to mine without authorization, mining without authorization (Minerals and Mining Amendment Act 2015) and trespassing (Criminal Code Act 29), which they all pleaded not guilty to. The court presided over by Her Honour Ms. Mercy Adei Kotei, refused to the plea for bail from the lawyer for the accused persons on the grounds of the nature of the offense, the severity of punishment involved, and the fact that there is no proof of permanent residence in Ghana by the accused persons. The accused persons have thus been remanded to reappear in two weeks time for separate trials in batches, which will commence on February 17 to March 1st 2017. In an interview with Citi News after the court hearing, the lawyer for the accused persons, Dollah D.B Djaba-Mensah, said he will consider applying to the High Court for bail for his clients on the grounds of human rights. The illegal miners of various nationalities were arrested on Thursday, January 26th by the Eastern Regional Forestry Commission in a joint operation with a combined Rapid Task-force of Police and Military personnel in the Atiwa District of the Eastern Region. This was after the forestry commission received an anonymous tip that some nationals suspected to be from Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali and Togo, had entered the Atiwa Rain Forest Reserve and were operating illegally with sophisticated devices in search of gold. Source: Citifmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The immediate past Inspector General of Police, (IGP) John Kudalor has asked Ghanaians to forgive him if in the discharge of his duties as the number one policeman he unknowingly wronged anyone. According to him, every action he took was guided by the fact that he wanted to ensure that the Ghana Police Service was a first class security service. COP John Kudalor was appointed by former President John Mahama in an acting capacity in November 2015 and was confirmed in February 2016. Until his appointment, Mr Kudalor had held the position of Director General of Police Operations from 2009 till his elevation as the new IGP. He has a 27-year wealth of experience in the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the Ghana Police Service. Mr Kudalor came under heavy flak when he hinted that the Police Service was considering the shutting down of social media during the December 7 general elections. The inability of the police to act under his watch after the election at a time some persons suspected to be supporters of the ruling NPP government were on an illegal seizure spree of state assets was another instance where his leadership qualities was questioned. But speaking at an event in Accra, Mr Kudalor said he welcomed all criticisms of his tenure but added he tried to ensure that his actions were at all times in the interest of the state. In my quest to get the best out of my officers and men I might have stepped on toes and offended anyoneIve put it in quotation marks because I dont think I can offended anybody, these acts were unintentional, non-diabolical, not deliberate or from malice or ill-will. I took such actions in my fervent hope to get a world class police service. To the good people of this country I want to thank you as to how we all carried ourselves as patriots before, during and after the 2016 elections in particular and during my tenure of office in general. Mr Kudalor was also confident that the new IGP, COP Asante Apeatu will deliver as hes known him to be a distiguished and competent police officer. There were times and moments that one had to stomach and contain bitterness, ridicule, pain, blatant lies and of course periods of joy and satisfaction, success and praises. Im not saying this to frighten my successor but as the saying goesto be forewarned is to be forearmed and I know hell deliver though its not all that rosybut know hell deliver, hes somebody that Ive known very well for so many years. Source: kasapa Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ghana Cocoa Coffee and Shea-nut Farmers Association (GCCSFA) has appealed to the government to bring back the Akuafo Cheque System to protect them from cheating by unscrupulous purchasing clerks. Receiving payment for cocoa sold to the licensed buying companies (LBCs) through the bank, they said would also enable them to secure loans from the financial institutions to procure vital equipment and inputs to maintain their farms. Nana Kwaku Duah, the Offinso Municipal Chairman of the Association, said that would additionally help to stop the rising theft of cocoa beans in the farming communities. The call for reintroduction of the Akuafo cheque followed a meeting of the farmers held at Offinso. It provided the platform for them to discuss the challenges in the cocoa industry and how to increase production and returns. Nana Duah urged the strengthening of the cocoa mass spraying exercise, an intervention, they said could tremendously assist to boost crop yield. He asked that the mass spraying of farms was completely de-politicized to benefit every farmer and the cocoa industry. He complained about experiences in the past where the spraying gangs would not touch the farms of some people because of their perceived political affiliation and said that chapter must be closed. Such discrimination was unhelpful and counterproductive to the national effort to raise cocoa production levels, he added. The Chief Farmer also called for the regulation of the importation of fertilizers and pesticides to make it easier for them to get these inputs. He said everything should be done to ensure that these inputs were readily available and affordable. Nana Duah said they were confident that the government would give priority attention to the development of the agricultural sector to make farming attractive and more rewarding. That, he indicated, was the way forward to entice the youth into farming and bring down the high employment among them. Mr Gabriel Tetteh, Municipal Cocoa Officer, advised the farmers to adopt improved farming techniques to increase the per hectare yield of the crop. He reminded them to stick to best practices proper fermentation and making sure that the cocoa beans were thoroughly dried before being sold to the LBCs. The farmers later elected Nana Andrews Takyi Badu as the new Municipal Vice Chairman of their Association. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A state attorney, Rebecca Aryitey-Smith, collapsed on the morning of Monday February 6, 2017 in court. Ms Aryitey-Smith, according to Accra News Ama Brako Ampofo, walked from her office at the Attorney-Generals Department to the law court complex due to the unavailability of a vehicle at the department to convey her. Justice Charles Edward Ekow Baiden was sitting at Criminal Court 4 when the incident happened. The sitting was immediately suspended as other lawyers in the court, including former NACOB boss Akrasi Sarpong, administered first aid to the state attorney until the paramedics stationed at the ground floor of the law court complex arrived at the scene. Madam Aryitey-smith was subsequently taken away in a wheelchair to the clinic at the court premises for further treatment. Source: classfmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The nomination of Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba as Minister-designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection is said to face objection from the Minority Caucus in Parliament. The Minority in Parliament is reportedly not in agreement with approving Otiko Djaba to the Gender Ministry after she appeared before the Parliamentary Appointments Committee (PAC) to be vetted. During her vetting, she was asked by some minority members on the Committee, principally the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, to retract some disparaging comments she is alleged to have made about former President John Dramani Mahama prior to the last year's elections. The Minister-designate however refused to retract and apologize to the former President. Following her appearance before the Appointments Committee, there are reports she may not gain the approval of the minority on grounds that she failed to undergo National Service, a prerequisite for appointment as a Public Servant, and also vilified the former President but refused to eat back her words. Speaking on "Alhaji and Alhaji" on Radio Gold, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. came to the defence of Otiko Djaba, claiming she can't be disqualified for allegedly casting aspersions on the former President. According to Mr. Pratt, there have been several instances where some leaders in the country have been hailed for their ability to insult, and so wondered why the Gender Minister-designate should be set as a scape goat. How can we disqualify Madam Otiko Djaba simply because she insulted or allegedly insulted former President Mahama? In this country, some of the people who have been at the echelon of power have been most insulting. Theyve used far-weightier expressions than that of Madam Otiko Djaba and indeed, even today, there are people who exercise tremendous power who continue to insult and nobody is arguing that we should remove them from their positions. So, it will be a mark of hypocrisy if a country which tolerates, has tolerated, and it appears to continue to tolerate insults in public discourse, singles out Madam Otiko Djaba and frustrates her appointment simply because she insults. And Im not saying for one moment that insults in public discourse is acceptable. It is not acceptable. It is an aberration. In fact, it does not make it possible for us to address the concrete issue before us. It should be discouraged. But Im saying, Im asking; why do we treat Madam Otiko Djaba differently from others? he queried. To him, the public discourse should center on whether Otiko Djaba is lawfully fit to hold her position. Mr. Pratt argued that the country's laws do not permit a person to hold public office if he or she hasn't done his or her national service and so, asked "are we going to uphold the law or were not going to uphold the law? That is the issue before usThe point is what does our law say about national service? Its a matter of law. In his view, by her (Otiko Djaba) admission before the Committee that she failed to do her national service; it is prudent for the legislators to apply the laws the country. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi /Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Audio Attachment: Listen to Nana Akomea in an interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi Peace FM's 'kokrokoo' The denial by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) about the $13.9 million cost of the Vice Presidents' official residence has suffered a major setback as documentary evidence from the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) - the state agency responsible for costing such projects - supports the figures as put out by Vice president Mahamudu Bawumia. The knockout document, dated January 2016, is titled Consultancy services for the administration and supervision of construction works of the official residence for the vice presidents of the Republic of Ghana. It shows that the NDC, under John Mahama in its spirited denial, lied when it put the cost of the project at $5.9 million, the contractor Consor Limited - having received over $8 million as part-payment of the total cost. The project has stalled because of the non-settlement of the outstanding balance - a fact which debunks the NDC's argument seeking to paint a varying picture of the cost of the project. The NDC charge was lied by former presidential staffer, Clement Apaak, who put out the $5.9 million figure to believe that claimed by the vice president. The tabulated evidence which Nana Akomea, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Director of Communications, flaunted like a prized game during last Saturday's segment of the much-followed Joy FM's 'Newsfile' programme, which put the total cost of the project at $14 million, has put paid to the debate over the real cost of the residence as an integrity-injured NDC seeks cover in a media warfare that has backfired. An obviously excited Nana Akomea could not resist saying based on the evidence the NDC could not be trusted. The NDC has so far failed to support its claims that the project was valued at $5.9 million. "The expenditure would have been much lower had the project been awarded through competitive bidding," the vice president said - a suggestion which put the NDC on the defensive. Characteristic of their denial, the NDC descended upon Dr. Bawumia, claiming that he was engaging in petty politricking - their favorite in the post-election political environment. They had earlier told him to exit the political campaign season and be real. According to the AESL document, the total cost the project is $13,968,252.66 covering the cost of stone fencing works, hard wood panel doors, eternal electrification works, sculpture and emblems. A total amount of $8,179,138.95 the document shows, had already been expended on the project with an outstanding amount of $5,789,113.71 left to be paid for completion, the document indicates as it depicts pictures of some parts of the building still under construction. The authenticity of the document has been queried by the MP for Bolga Central, Isaac Adongo, opening another front in the raging controversy as he especially said it lacked some critical elements such documents should contain. He was however, unable to provide opposing evidence but was quick to add that such inability did not take away his right to question the integrity of the document. Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia is not new to controversy; the now opposition NDC attacks figures whenever he posts these in his public discourse and the like. While addressing Muslims in Saborn Zonngo last Saturday, he told his audience that he dose not put out figures and details that are not grounded in evidence and integrity. The vice president had expressed shock over the $13.9 million being spent on the construction of an accommodation for vice presidents, which is currently stalled. Dr. Bawumia said such a huge amount could have been used to construct many boreholes. He questioned the decision by the NDC government to invest $14 million on the project. "I asked; how much is this house actually costing and I was shocked when I was told. Can you believe in Ghana we are building a house to house our vice presidents, and this house is supposed to cost $13.9 million? "I mean what sort of a house is this supposed to be? Is the gate made of gold? The blocks of gold? A house in Ghana for $13.9 million? I could not believe it,' he charged. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has pledged to execute the desires of Ghanas political stalwart, Dr Joseph Boakye Danquah, in making Ghana deep-rooted in the tenets of freedom, the rule of law, equity and justice. He said the late J.B. Danquah had a seamless and inspiring passion for the national cause that placed the betterment of Ghana beyond any other consideration and that was what he (the President) was committed to emulating. President Nana Akufo-Addo made the pledge at a ceremony to commemorate Dr Danquahs death at his graveside in Kyebi on Saturday. Dr Danquah was a member of the Big Six of Ghanas independence struggle and the Presidents grandfather. It was a solemn and emotionally moving scenario when President Nana Akufo-Addo laid a wreath on the grave of his grandfather while tears streamed down his face. Fighting back tears, the President said: The work you did, the values you stood for are today the principles on which our nation is being built. You never held office and yet the work you have done has gone beyond the work of all those who have held offices. Flanked by the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye, and some New Patriotic Party (NPP) bigwigs, Nana Akufo-Addo said Ghanaians had embraced Dr Danquahs teachings and that the desires for which he died had been realised. Virtues JB believed in The Ghanaian wanted to live in the conditions of freedom the freedom that you gave your life for the rule of law and constitutional government and to project what you believed was noble in the Ghanaian character. We are here to let you know that you have not been forgotten and that you can never be forgotten as long as the nation of Ghana lives, he said. President Akufo-Addo gave an assurance that he was stoutly committed to serving the country in a manner that would make Dr Danquah proud where he was. To that end, he affirmed: We can never thank you enough for your sacrifice. I am one of those persons who continue to make sure these principles guide us and provide the strength for what we do. Like you, we have no personal aggrandisement or outlook for wealth and riches they were never your considerations and they are not the concerns of our generation. Atta Akyeas eulogy The Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa South, Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, described Dr Danquah as a great man who started the journey for the countrys independence and who, while in incarceration, passed away on February 5, 1965. The reason for his imprisonment, the MP said, was that he was defending the rule of law because he felt that the Preventive Detention Act (PDA) was very pernicious one Black man trying to oppress another. They said he should quit Ghana because death was very imminent but he did not quit. I see him as our redemption sacrificed politically, but God is just. It seems to me that all that he did has paid off with the overwhelming victory of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the President of the Republic of Ghana, he added. Making a comparison between Dr Danquah and President Akufo-Addo, Mr Atta Akyea said: Dr Danquah was insulted and vilified and I saw Nana Akufo-Addo being insulted and vilified. Some people said Nana Akufo-Addo was not worthy to be the President of Ghana and said all manner of things about him, but I also saw that he had the same iron will that Dr Danquah had. JB reflected in Akufo-Addo Beyond the worst dream of those who said it was impossible for one of your kind to lead this country, God has defied everybody. I am confident in God that Nana Akufo-Addo has the ideals that you held dear. Even your manner of behaviour, I find them in Nana Akufo-Addo. I stand at this graveside and declare that he will never be an ordinary President but that we are going to see a legacy President, he prophesied. Forthright man In a sermon, Rev. Ansah Peasah of the Akyem Abuakwa Presbytery compared Dr Danquah to the Prophet Daniel in the Bible who had to be punished for his forthrightness in doing what pleased God. He described Dr Danquah as exemplifying the kind of politician and patriot whose life ought to be emulated by modern-day politicians. He said the political circus had now become an avenue for the hurling of insults by younger persons at elderly ones who were old enough to be their parents. That political nonsense must stop for this country to move forward in dignity, freedom and respect, he said. Source: Daily Graphic Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Member of Parliament for Lawra Constituency, Anthony Abayifa Karbo has defended Gender Minister Nominee, Otiko Afisa Djabas decision not to withdraw her comments made against the former President John Dramani Mahama ahead of the 2016 elections saying, she spoke the mind of right-thinking northerners. Hon. Otiko Djaba minced no words in describing Mahama as wicked, evil and someone with a heart of the devil at a rally in Tamale and pointed out during her vetting at Parliament House in Accra, that she owes the former President no apology for her comments. when I talked about him being an embarrassment, I spoke in relation to SADA. SADA is very dear to my heart. My mother is a Northerner, the incidence of poverty is highest in the three Northern Regions and for a President who comes from the Northern Region, who promised to alleviate poverty, what happened to the Guinea fowls? It was an embarrassment to me and to the North. The Chiefs of the North actually made that statement and so I dont owe him or you any apology. We are developing and building a nation, she noted. Otiko Djabas defence of the description has led to her rejection by the minority who thinks her attitude and character will be an affront to the ministry she is to head. But speaking to ghanaweb, Hon. Karbo said Mahama indeed embarrassed Ghanaians living within the savannah areas of the three northern regions and should rather apologise. I am a northerner. I feel very embarrassed by what President Mahama did in terms of his legacy with SADA. You will be amazed how many northerners are applauding Madam Otiko for taking that stance. We have been very upset with the manner in which SADA has been managed and mismanaged by a northerner, a man whose father is a farmer. A man whose father has been part of the struggle to liberate northerners, [he] finally gets the opportunity to become president, promises his people that he will do a lot to better our lives and only to take GHC 260 million and there is nothing to show. That is a scar on the conscience of any right-thinking northerner It was such an embarrassment, he said. Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) was a flagship programme of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government launched in 2008. It promised to put GH200 million as seed money to develop the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Brong Ahafo Regions and some areas in the Volta Region. However, an investigation by ace journalist, Manasseh Azure in 2014, revealed massive rot at the Authority which had become a vehicle for severe mismanagement. Further investigations by the Auditor-General confirmed that government wasted GH48 million in a Guinea Fowl rearing and Tree Planting projects. There were no Guinea fowls to show for the investment and there was no value for money for the tree planting project. Although SADA paid GH32 million for five million trees, only 700,000 were planted. video below- Source: ghanaweb/myjoyonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mr Francis Ganyaglo, former Deputy Volta Regional Minister, has said that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was only on holidays and not dead. He said the Partys seemingly calmness meant it was organising to re-launch itself after the massive defeat in the December polls and not dead. Mr Ganyaglo was addressing an end of year get-together for media practitioners in the Volta Region under the auspices of the Ghana Journalists Association, Volta, with support from Mr Emmanuel Bedzrah, Member of Parliament for Ho West and Mr Kwame Agbodza, Member of Parliament for Adaklu. He said though the NDC was in opposition, the Party would maintain good relationship with the media to recapture power in 2020 and called for support from the media. Mr Agbodza commended the media for its role in promoting good governance and charged it to ensure that projects started by past governments were completed. He said the NDC was not against the creation of a new region in the Volta Region and prayed that the exercise was done to benefit all. Mr Bedzrah asked the media not to see itself as for or against the government, but should continue as an agent of development, irrespective of the political party in power. He stated that the NDC Volta Caucus in Parliament had resolved to meet regularly with stakeholders in the Region to push for its rapid development. Mr Bedzrah said the annual end of year get-together would be expanded to include all MPs in the Region and some chiefs. He presented awards to three journalists and announced a sponsorship package for any journalist in the Region who would win the Best Reporter in Environment at the annual Ghana Journalists Association award ceremony. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A group calling itself the Western Region New Patriotic Party (NPP) Zongo for Change has declared its solidarity with the Minister designate for Gender and Social Protection, Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba, insisting that she has no apologies to render to former President John Mahama. Rather, the group, mainly the youth, maintained that Mr Mahama ought to render an unqualified apology to the entire people in the north for what they described as "disappointing and failing northerners" in respect of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA). Taking her turn at the ministerial vetting before the parliamentary vetting committee, a couple of days ago, Madam Djaba was questioned on her description of former president Mahama as "wicked and an embarrassment" due to his inability to develop the three northern regions, where he came from, using SADA funds. Press conference However, addressing a press conference at Sekondi Zongo in the Western Region last Thursday, the NPP Zongo for Change indicated that while all the National Democratic Congress (NDC) followers were criticising Hon. Otiko for that statement, none of them was from the northern sector to experience the underdevelopment of the area. "If indeed you are from those parts of the country and your people are coming to the southern sector to earn their livelihood as Kayayie, even when they are underage and should have been in school, then you must bow your head in shame," the group argued. GH200 million SADA money The group recalled that the government, through the Ministry of Finance, raised GH200 million SADA money in July 2012, through a three-year bond for purely infrastructural purposes. Around the same time, the government organised a donor's conference at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in Accra to solicit for financial support from the development partners for the authority, to augment what had been domestically advanced to SADA. The Vice Chairman of the Western Region NPP Zongo for Change, Mr Umar Nasama Hamza, who addressed the press, added that most of the young people from the north who should have rather been in the classrooms were roaming on the streets and engaged in menial jobs in various parts of the southern sector. So we all stand by Hon. Otiko for what she said and calling on ex-President John Mahama to apologise to us, the northerners, for the disappointment and failure, they further insisted. Mr Hamza pointed out that when funds were made available to eradicate poverty in the northern part of Ghana, the money was misused. President Mills The vice chairman again recalled that SADA was formed under the late President J.E.A. Mills, who was from the southern sector, and that the organisation collapsed during the tenure of ex-President Mahama, who happens to be a northerner. He added that the former president should have owned SADA himself to bring development to the north. For what reason should Hon. Otiko apologise when she has spoken the truth. It is unacceptable and we support her to the point that John Mahama has failed us and ought to apologise to northerners, the group further maintained. Confidence in NPP They expressed the hope that the NPP government, led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, would reverse the trend of the economic downturn of the country and ensure that the three regions of the north got their due share of national development. Source: graphic.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Youd expect human rights groups to rail against U.S. President Donald Trumps mind-blowingly shortsighted travel ban, but when business gets involved, thats when you know his administration might just take notice. 97 American tech companies, including names like Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter, Uber, and even goddamn Reddit, have banded together on a legal brief against the ban. According to The Washington Post, the brief details a deep, deep resentment on the ban, which blocks residents from seven majority-Muslim nations from entering the United States for at least 90 days. (The ban has been temporarily suspended, but the Trump administration is still fighting to have it reinstated.) The brief says Trumps executive order makes it more difficult and expensive for U.S. companies to recruit, hire, and retain some of the worlds best employees. It disrupts ongoing business operations. And it threatens companies ability to attract talent, business, and investment to the United States. It goes on to remind the reader that a whole whack of American companies were founded by immigrants or their children, before reiterating the ban will impede them from competing in the global marketplace. This move comes after Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg took issue to the ban in a post on his own site. Again, we need to be clear: the financial ramifications of the travel ban shouldnt be the focal point. The move is demonstrably discriminatory against people who are looking for a better life, and thats not even including the suspension of Americas refugee intake. But the fact so many heavy-hitters have banded together to damn the move especially after Trump met with several heads of those companies is testament to how badly the prez has fucked up, and how counterintuitive his method of Making America Great Again really is. Source: Washington Post. Photo: Andrea Franceschini / Getty. The Community & Public Sector Union has announced that Centrelink staff will be undertaking a rolling strike to protest the automated debt recovery scandal and other issues which they see as an ideological attack from the Turnbull government. The CPSU issued a statement today saying that Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support workers will be striking at various locations over the course of the 13th, 15th, 17th, 20th, 22nd and 24th of February, and that critical staff (such as those dealing with the automated debt crisis) would be exempt, so as not to further affect those already having a shit time with it: There are 34,000 hardworking Medicare, Centrelink and Child Support staff whove gone more than three years without a pay rise as theyve fought for a new enterprise agreement. Budget cuts and the 5,000 jobs that have been slashed from this agency also mean these workers are finding it more and more difficult to provide the quality services that the Australian public needs and deserves. Its important to emphasise that this industrial action is targeted at the Turnbull Government and its ideological attacks on DHS, along with the senior management thats blindly followed that agenda. Our members are doing this because they care about the quality of the services they provide, which is why workers dealing with sensitive clients such as those being dragged through the robo-debt crisis will not be taking industrial action. The Turnbull government has been facing heavy criticism after a large number of people were issued debt notices for incorrectly calculated outstanding amounts, with some having had the amounts referred to debt collectors before they were able to confirm or contest them. You can read the full statement below: Staff in the Department of Human Services are preparing for six days of targeted industrial action over the continuing damage caused by senior management and the Turnbull Government, including through the stalled enterprise bargaining process and the Centrelink robo-debt crisis. Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support workers will strike and take other forms of industrial action at various times and various locations on February 13th, 15th, 17th, 20th, 22nd and 24th. Staff providing critical services, including those dealing with customers unfairly targeted by the flawed automated debt recovery, will not participate. CPSU National Secretary Nadine Flood said: The Turnbull Government has rightly been condemned over the Centrelink automated debt debacle, but the problems go far deeper in the Department of Human Services because of years of budget cuts and the Governments harsh and illogical public sector bargaining policy. There are 34,000 hardworking Medicare, Centrelink and Child Support staff whove gone more than three years without a pay rise as theyve fought for a new enterprise agreement. Budget cuts and the 5,000 jobs that have been slashed from this agency also mean these workers are finding it more and more difficult to provide the quality services that the Australian public needs and deserves. Its important to emphasise that this industrial action is targeted at the Turnbull Government and its ideological attacks on DHS, along with the senior management thats blindly followed that agenda. Our members are doing this because they care about the quality of the services they provide, which is why workers dealing with sensitive clients such as those being dragged through the robo-debt crisis will not be taking industrial action. Our members hope this action will highlight the damage being caused to DHS and their plight through enterprise bargaining. Hundreds of them made personal submissions last year to the Senate inquiry into public sector bargaining, telling their personal stories of financial hardship and their worries about the enterprise agreement being pushed by their bosses. These workers are among the lowest paid in the Commonwealth public sector, and stand to lose the most under the Governments harsh public sector bargaining policy. Their pay has been frozen as the Governments bullied them, trying to strip essential rights, such as the family-friendly conditions that allow a call-centre worker to balance shift work with raising a family. The public deserves better from the Turnbull Government in terms of the essential services DHS provides. Its also well and truly past time for this Government to give Medicare, Centrelink and Child Support workers a fair deal, along with each and every one of the 100,000 public sector workers still without a new agreement. Source: CPSU. Photo: Getty Images / Matt King. Todays the big day, folks. Todays the day ultraconservative Senator / rampant homophobe / weird lizard-man Cory Bernardi finally makes good on a years-long threat and ditches the Liberal Party. Hes expected to use the first sitting day of Parliament to announce that hes jetting. His colleagues in the Libs are making a couple of last-minute pleas for Cory to stick around. Id encourage Cory to have maybe one last think, MP Craig Kelly told the ABC last night. You can do a lot more inside the Liberal party, working for, arguing those things that you believe in, than actually outside the tent. Its possibly a good call. Cory has said he was inspired by Donald Trumps ascendancy that a populist right-wing platform can resonate with voters, but its important to remember that Trumpism didnt involve a third party pitch the Don worked inside the existing Republican Party towards his ends. Its also important to remember that whereas Pauline Hanson has the racism and anti-multiculturalism as well as a programme of economic nationalism, Cory really only has the culture wars stuff. Hes still a hardcore free trade liberal when it comes to economics so itll be mighty hard for him to pitch to the same disillusioned crowd who are feeling the pinch. Basically, you can get wingnuts onboard with a crusade against The Gays and halal food, sure, but can you make a broad popular movement without real politics? The stuff that materially affects Australians every day? Also, hes got zero credibility as an outsider, unlike Hanson. Hes been working within party politics for years. Not that Pauline hasnt, mind you, but shes still got more credibility on that front than Bernardi. Health Minister Greg Hunt issued a carefully worded encouragement for Cory to stick with the Libs on ABC 7.30. I hope that each and every person who committed to the Liberal Party, and through that committed to the voters, honours that pledge. The point that Cory needs to reflect on is he is in the Parliament by virtue of the endorsement of the South Australian Liberal Party, the Environment and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg told Q&A. Hes always been treated courteously within the Liberal Party and our party resembles that broad church of views. George Christensen, the bloke everyone thought most likely to ditch the Coalition with Bernardi, says he wasnt approached and wouldnt do it, and that he was loyal to his rural electors and Barnaby Joyce. George Christensen still not confirming Bernadi defection on @rnbreakfast but says LNP needs to double down on conservative issues. Alice Workman (@workmanalice) February 6, 2017 That said, George is still keen to see the Coalition become markedly more conservative, and obviously will leverage any kind of defection as a means of making that happen. Guess well have to stay tuned and see if Cory actually goes through with it, the absolute madman. Source: ABC. Photo: ABC. 1.4 tonnes. Think about that weight for a moment. Thats equivalent to a reasonably-priced Japanese hatchback, your entire rec-league footy team, or a particularly husky giraffe. Yet, somehow, thats how much cocaine the Australian Federal Police seized during a huuuge bust last week. One point four goddamn tonnes. And its an Australian record. All told, authorities reckon that would have accounted for 1.4 million average hits, with a street value around $312 million. Fair crack of the snaplock, that. The seizure was made on Thursday, when a yacht absolutely laden with yay was intercepted by the Navy vessel HMAS Bathurst about 370km east of New South Wales. Authorities nicked the vessels two occupants, a 63-year-old Kiwi and a 54-year-old Swiss-Fijian national. Three others were arrested on the mainland in relation to the bust. The drug importation charges theyve been slapped with carry a maximum life sentence. A sixth man was arrested on suspicion of being involved, too. Its alleged the yacht Elakha, travelling from New Zealand, had received the drugs from a mother ship which was floating around the South Pacific. According to AFP acting Deputy Commissioner Neil Gaughan, this bust was the result of more than two years of work on Operation Armour. At least the bust is tied to a cool-ish name. Gaughan reckons cocaine is so overpriced in Australia that it presents a honey pot effect for organised criminals from all around the world. Still, said crims may have to rethink the rinky-dink yacht approach after this one, hey? Source: news.com.au. Photo: Australian Federal Police. An Australian Federal Police officer has tragically passed away, after sustaining a gunshot wound inside Melbournes AFP headquarters yesterday. The shooting occurred just before 6pm last night at the Melbourne HQ on La Trobe Street, and the officer was rushed to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Its now been confirmed that the officer died shortly after this. While details about the incident about being held tightly under wraps, the AFP confirmed the death of the female officer this morning. In a statement public statement, AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin said this: It is with great sadness I can confirm one of our police officers has died in Melbourne as a result of a gunshot wound. Our colleagues death is not believed to be suspicious. My thoughts are with her loved ones and the broader AFP family who are dealing with the loss of one of our own today. We are offering support to her family and the wider AFP workforce. Colvin says the incident will be investigated by Victoria Police, and at this time no further comments will be made out of respect for the officers family. MEDIA STATEMENT: An update from @AFPCommissioner Andrew Colvin on the Melbourne office incident pic.twitter.com/NmEUQItQQv AFP National Media (@AFPmedia) February 6, 2017 Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and loved ones of the officer. Source: 9 News. Photo: Google Maps. If you are troubled by this report, experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide, you can call Lifeline 131 114 or visit lifeline.org.au. Back in December, Kanye West met with Donald Trump, at Trump Tower in New York City. The internet exploded. This meeting came shortly after Kanyes cancellation of his Saint Pablo tour which he had ended with a range of erratic rants, one of which included him telling his audience he would have voted for Trump. So, when he rocked up at Trump Tower and met with the then-President-Elect, everyone panicked: Was Kanye playing the Inauguration? Were they discussing Kanyes previously-stated campaign for 2020? OH GOD IS KANYE GOING TO BE GIVEN A CABINET POSITION?! None of these were true, however Yeezy later tweeted saying he met with the President to discuss multicultural issues. I wanted to meet with Trump today to discuss multicultural issues. These issues included bullying, supporting teachers, modernising curriculums, and violence in Chicago. I feel it is important to have a direct line of communication with our future President if we truly want change. #2024 Now, those tweets have disappeared from his account, and TMZ is reporting that sources close to Kanye say he is totally done with Donald Trump after watching his first two weeks of presidency. Theyre reporting that the decision to remove the tweets was Kanyes idea, and that the Muslim ban and other actions has caused Kanye to completely lose faith in the President. Its a pretty fair decision really: Kanye clearly thought he could have some influence on Trump for issues regarding multiculturalism and PoC in particular, the growing unrest and gun violence in Chicago, Kanyes hometown but looking at Trumps trigger-happy nature with the unconstitutional Executive Orders, this is very obviously not the case. Poor Ye. Guess hell just have to wait for #Kanye2024. Or maybe hell go back to his OG plan of #Kanye2020 now? Considering he aint happy with Trump, he surely wont mind trying to nick his second term. Source: TMZ / Twitter. Photo: Drew Angerer / Getty. Shifty 17-year-olds all across Queensland just got a sudden, chilling feeling that they wont be able to hit the clubs for Damos birthday after all: a fake ID racket has just been busted in Caboolture, north of Brisbane. A 30-year-old Godwin Beach man was arrested on charges of fraud, forging documents and stealing identity information, and is due to appear in court on February 21. Police found fake drivers licences, staff IDs (for where?? I must know), bank cards, about 500 blank magnetic stripe cards, and a sophisticated commercial-grade ID printer that would have cost about $7000. And a good investment it was, apparently, because those fake IDs were about as legit as a fake can get. Detective Sergeant Sarah Boniface told the Brisbane Times: They were quite high-quality drivers licences, which to the normal person would appear to be legitimate. The man apparently has no connections to bikie gangs or other groups, but that hasnt stopped police from doing their best to freak everyone out about identity theft. Detective Superintendent Terry Lawrence told the media: The production of fake identities is a serious crime as it is often just the tip of the iceberg and typically connected to various other large-scale fraud and stealing offences. Once youve got someones identity or an identity thats not your own, you can do whatever you want whether it be simply getting an online loan all the way, dare I say it, committing acts, such as terrorism. I dont want to concern people, but thats the reality of having someone elses identity. Thanks Terry, I am pretty concerned about that actually! Those highly convincing fake notes were found circulating in Warwick last week, and now weve got to deal with this you cant trust anyone up here. Source: Brisbane Times. Image: Queensland Police. The partner of the 20-year-old Victorian woman who was killed in the waters off Phuket when the pairs jet skis slammed into one another will be charged with reckless driving causing death. Thomas Keating, who is 22, had told Thai police that the accident happened because bright light reflecting off the surface of the water had made it difficult for him to see Emily Jayne Collies jet ski before the collision. Thai police lieutenant Patiwat Yodkhwan told reporters on Monday that Keating was being charged. Ms Collies boyfriend, Mr Keating, who was driving the other jet ski when they collided, will face a charge of reckless driving causing death. Police say that the vendor who rented the jet skis to the couple is not seeking compensation for the damage to the skis, because he wanted Phuket to maintain a good reputation for tourists. In Thailand, anyone using a jet ski is supposed to have a captains permit, but that law is generally disregarded when it comes to tourists. Keatings sister Bree Lyon issued a statement to Fairfax about the death of Ms Coyne: My dearest angel, one you have always been and will always remain. From the very moment I met you I loved you, I cherished your genuine heart, and that beautiful smile. I was inspired by you in so many ways, my darling girl, you were so strong and so determined. I miss you so much, Emily. I truly do. I love how you loved my brother, the way you looked into his eyes with nothing but pure love, it was the truest thing Ive ever been grateful to witness. I promise to look after your Tommy forever and always, our darling girl with those beautiful curls. Keating himself posted a series of photos of Collie on Facebook, along with a post which said that she had been taken from us far too soon and that he hoped she would rest easy. Collies parents are currently travelling to Phuket to collect her body. Source: Sydney Morning Herald. Photo: Facebook. Unless you yourself are entrenched in it and benefit from it, the political establishment sucks. In both Australia and America, the political class work primarily to serve only their own interests through a series of processes that are largely inscrutable and untouchable to people who live outside of that class. The frustration people feel seeing the fate of the country and the course of their own lives decided by people who, in all likelihood, dont give a shit about them or their concerns has, unsurprisingly, given rise to successful populist / anti-establishment movements, as seen through Trump and, to a much lesser extent, Hanson. While in a way, its good to see the status quo challenged and to see power taken away from an out-of-touch and highly exclusive group of politicians and power-brokers, its fucking shithouse that theyve done it by appealing to the worst instincts and opinions of the worst people alive. Fortunately, despite their undeniable success, weve been thrown one single, joy-filled bone: these people are hugely incompetent. Having existed outside the political realm in any meaningful way, the politicians and staff behind these movements have no idea what they are doing. In Australia, this has evidenced itself in One Nation constantly shooting themselves in the dick, particularly in regards to their endless sea of unvetted, dipshit candidates who cant get five metres from their house without fucking up in some way. For America, this has meant an administration that has no idea how to conduct basic tasks and no idea how the legal system works. 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 Its not even complex political tasks theyre struggling with, according to the New York Times his staff cant even operate the light switches in the White House, for reals: WASHINGTON President Trump loves to set the days narrative at dawn, but the deeper story of his White House is best told at night. Aides confer in the dark because they cannot figure out how to operate the light switches in the cabinet room. Visitors conclude their meetings and then wander around, testing doorknobs until finding one that leads to an exit. In a darkened, mostly empty West Wing, Mr. Trumps provocative chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, finishes another 16-hour day planning new lines of attack. The article focuses on some other, more important flubs (like their inability to successfully launch major policy and the fact that Trump is polling at a historically low level for a first term president), but its hard to get past the mental image of his staff wandering around in darkness trying to figure out which doors will let them out of a room. Please take a moment of silence for all the die-hard Trump fans who are giving themselves an aneurysm defending the dignity of an administration full of people who are currently lost in unlit corridors. Source: New York Times. Photo: Getty Images / Joe Raedle. For a brief while, we had a reprieve. The ludicrous, unconstructive arguments between Australias politicians and media semi-celebrities were constrained to either Twitter or whatever secret murder clubs they all go to together on the weekends. But, dear reader, that time is over: Q&A is back. Whether you watch it because you think theres a chance you might glean something useful about current affairs or because you hate yourself, watching Q&A is a universally unpleasant experience. To make the show interesting they pit staunch, vocal ideologues who are diametrically opposed to each other, in the hopes that they will leap past Tony Jones and engage each other in mutual combat. Often times, it gets very close. Tonights panel was a particularly intense mix: Liberal MP Josh Frydenberg, Victorian premier Daniel Andrews, 16-year-old climate change activist Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, conservative writer Helen Andrews and conservative journalist Daisy Cousens the latter two of which are both strong Trump supporters. It went pretty much exactly how youd expect: a lot of pointless arguing and empty soundbites, and the brief part of the show that wasnt that was largely just super toxic bullshit. Refugees thats a topic on which people would tend to show at least a degree of humanity right? Because theyre desperate people seeking refuge from violence and death? Haha, no, of course not. Its a great opportunity for people to be huge assholes. Take, for instance, Daily Cousens listening to the story of two Syrian refugees starting new lives in Australia and choosing to immediately follow that up with a patronising comment about how immigration tends to get sentimentalised of course it gets fucking sentimentalised, its about peoples lives. Just because you personally have never experienced hardship in your life doesnt mean other people are being dramatic when theyre talking about fleeing actual persecution. .@DaisyCousens believes it is not a racist ban & troublemakers ruin it for everyone. She thinks resettling in the ME is cheaper #QandA pic.twitter.com/s0kOauzCKJ ABC Q&A (@QandA) February 6, 2017 But dont worry, it gets even better: Helen Andrews listens to a man talk about fleeing Syria because he was short and tortured and then when asked how she feels about it says that theres no cause for concern because the Trump immigration ban is just 90 days which is actually only true of everywhere except Syria, for which it is indefinite. Why would someone ban people like us from being citizens of its country? @herandrews & @XiuhtezcatlM respond #QandA pic.twitter.com/JLxgnDiRPf ABC Q&A (@QandA) February 6, 2017 We can only look forward to next episode, where theyve slated Dr Karl against a swarm of 10,000 wasps. Source and photo: ABC. Unreasonably large pythons are on the move in Queensland thanks to the oncoming wet season, and theyd prefer to move into your house, please. The states far north is copping a bunch of rain at the moment, which it turns out our slithery friends arent too jazzed on. Problem is, the nicest places for snakes to shelter from the inclement weather are the places we have built to shelter ourselves, and many of us feel less than positive about sharing our living quarters with 5 metre serpents trying to eat our pets. Cairns snake catcher Matt Hagan was recently called to deal with that very situation a 5.2 metre scrub python attempting to make itself comfortable in a suburban family home, and doing its best to grab a snack while it was at it. Having trouble imagining what 5.2 metres of snake looks like? Have a gander: Monster Scrub PythonReleasing a 5.2M Scrub Python caught at Speewah Posted by Cairns Snake Catcher on Sunday, 5 February 2017 In a post on his Cairns Snake Catcher Facebook page, Hagan explained: This gentle giant was caught earlier in the week from Speewah and was desperately trying to find the entrance to the all you can eat duck buffet. Meticulous snake proofing of the duck enclosure was all that stopped this massive 5.2m scrub python from finding his seat at the table. According to Hagan who, its gotta be said, does appear to be an expert in naughty noodle-wrangling snakes like to move indoors en mass during wet weather, so if you live in a snek-prone area and its pissing down, keep your door and window screens shut against the oncoming tide of scaly constrictors. Precautions are particularly important at night, lest you want to end up like our friend with the serial bed-intruder, or a veritable limbless menagerie going on if youre to believe Hagan: Brown tree snakes, slaty-grey snakes, spotted pythons, common tree snakes, and scrub pythons have been the most common species relocated from inside peoples houses. In case you were wondering, scrub pythons can grow up to 8 metres long, because the world wasnt already horrifying enough. Source: Cairns Post. Image: Facebook / Cairns Snake Catcher. Before the latest episode of Saturday Night Live, Sean Spicer was probably most recognisable to Australians as the bloke who called Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull Prime Minister Trumble three bloody times. After the episode? Well, hes become the bloke whose soul was captured by Melissa McCarthys powerhouse impersonation. Audiences worldwide were forced to recognise that, yeah, the new White House Press Secretary is a gum-swallowing ball of resentful energy. Melissa McCarthy Plays Sean Spicer Going Nuts on the Press in Hilarious SNL Sketch APOLOGIZE TO ME! @melissamccarthy @PressSec @seanspicer pic.twitter.com/g4aYPJDCsZ TODAYS TURKEY ???? (@TODAYS_TURKEY) February 5, 2017 Now, the man himself has a take on the skit shows rancorous rendition, and he even had a minute to talk about the whole gum situation. Speaking to Extra of all places, Spicer said the comedian needs to slow down on the gum chewing; way too many pieces in there. He admitted he found the entire deal to by funny, but that McCarthy really could could dial back somewhat. Of course, looking back at Spicers now-infamous verbal sledgehammering of White House journos, McCarthy does kinda seem to be on the right side of public perception here. .@seanspicers presser yesterday IN FULL: Were going to hold the press accountable. pic.twitter.com/T0dx6pMGvM Fox News (@FoxNews) January 22, 2017 As for his boss, Spicer is leaning on Donald Trumps much-publicised perception of the show. Alec [Baldwin] has gone from funny to mean, and thats unfortunate. SNL used to be really funny. Theres a streak of meanness now that theyve crossed over to mean. Of course, its a bit galling to say that a comedy show can really be mean to an administration that has already demonstrated a damning contempt for anyone but mewling supplicants, but whatever at least he didnt tweet about it. Source: Extra. Photo: Saturday Night Live / NBC / FOX News. If you're a fan of "Stranger Things," you have 267 more days to wait. The Netflix SciFi series will bring all its 80s wonderfulness back this fall, according to its Super Bowl ad. In the meantime, you can meet Eleven this summer in Philadelphia. Here's how. The Cru Pizza & Deli is not your typical corner pizza shop. Sandwiches are served loaded with deli meats and cheeses and pizzas made using a family crust recipe. Items such as grilled filet mignon and lobster rolls are listed on the menu. "Our goal was to be something different than a normal pizza place," said Thad Eisenhower, co-owner of The Cru with Kasey Kirk. "There's plenty of corner pizza places." The two opened the restaurant on Jan. 23 at 1104 Carlisle Road in Lower Allen Township at the Cedar Cliff Mall. It's located near another new restaurant, Joey's Chicken Shack at the mall which is undergoing an update. Both Eisenhower and Kirk arrive at the Cru with plenty of experience in the restaurant industry. Eisenhower's late father Ike Eisenhower owned Gullifty's Restaurant and Underground in Lower Allen Township. Kirk has worked at several local restaurants and hotels and is currently the food and beverage director at the Park Inn by Radisson Harrisburg West in Hampden Township. After searching the Harrisburg region for a location for the Cru, they settled on the Cedar Cliff Mall near Gullifty's. They renovated the interior, adding booths and a red color scheme. The restaurant operates with the tagline "Like No Other," a theme that carries through to the menu. "Everything here is meant to be big," Eisenhower said. Sandwiches such as the Deli Turkey and Maple Bacon and The Loaded Italiano are piled high with ingredients. The thick-cut bacon is soaked in real maple syrup. "It's just like going to a New York deli - those piled high sandwiches. A lot of that came into play," Kirk said. Pizzas are made using a crust recipe from the 1960s from Eisenhower's family and doesn't mimic the pizzas served at Gullifty's. There are nearly a dozen pizza choices including a Cru cheese, Sicilian style, Mexican and Rancher style with chicken and bacon. Pizza ingredients are stuffed into pizza dough shaped like a cone for the pizza cones, a recipe Eisenhower said he found on Pinterest. Other sandwich selections range from a grilled pastrami, prime rib cheese steak and burgers such as the Big Ike with ham, cheddar cheese, onion rings and KC sweet BBQ sauce. The Cru serves spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna and chicken parmesan as well as non-traditional pizza shop foods - grilled filet mignon served with vegetable of the day, grilled Delmonico steaks and crab cakes. Prices range from $4 for a bowl of chili to about $7.50-$9 for sandwiches and $8-$15 for pizzas. The highest priced item is the Delmonico Steak at $18. It's open 11 am.-10 p.m. daily. Phone is 717-731-1017. Donald Trump has used Twitter to criticize media outlets, insult lawmakers, announce policy decisions and express his unfiltered thoughts. Now as president, he's continuing his communication strategy while millions hang on his every tweet. The Republican billionaire has sent out 100 tweets in less than two weeks in office from two accounts -- one personal and another for the office of the president. His tweets have included a little bit of everything we've come to expect from the controversial New Yorker. He's slammed the Washington Post and New York Times over coverage. He's criticized Democratic lawmakers for opposing his plans. And he's announced drastic plans to "Make America Great Again." But why does he choose Twitter to express his message? Is it a brilliant communications strategy or public relations stunt? Will people tire of his contentious tweets or become even more fervorous? President Donald Trump has defied conventional wisdom by taking to Twitter to express his message. Anything but conventional Trump has defied conventional wisdom by neglecting the press in favor of speaking directly to the people through Twitter, according to G. Terry Madonna, director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin and Marshall College. "His supporters love it," Madonna said. "They embrace his candor on it." Trump's reliance on Twitter to express his thoughts -- good or bad -- is highly unconventional among U.S. lawmakers and world leaders. Most speak through the press or have their social media messages skillfully coordinated through staff. But that's not Trump's style. "They have decided this is the way he is going to communicate with the world," Madonna said. "And not just with his own people, not just Americans, people throughout the world." Any expectations that Trump would end his Twitter habit were quickly dashed when he got into office. Trump tweeted out 14 times from two accounts on Inauguration Day alone. "The bottom line is we're just going to have to get accustomed to it," Madonna said. "'Cause it isn't going to change. This is how he's going to conduct himself in office." Communications strategy President Franklin D. Roosevelt had his fireside chats on the radio. President John. F. Kennedy had television addresses. And Trump has his tweets. Chris Borick, Muhlenberg College political science professor, said Twitter is a major part of Trump's communication strategy to the world. He wants to bypass intermediaries as much as possible. "It's a multi-faceted tool that he absolutely loves and has made a cornerstone of his outreach," Borick said. "There's nothing we can compare it to. Ever." During his first 100 days in office, Trump has tweeted about his banning refugees from Muslim countries, restoring the Keystone Pipeline and building a wall between Mexico and the United States. Madonna said Trump is not just using the social media platform to send out random information. He's using it to lay the groundwork for bits and pieces of his policies. "It's an inkling for what he's likely to do," Madonna said. Trump has previously tweeted about banning refugees from Muslim countries, restoring the Keystone Pipeline and building a wall between Mexico and the United States. Now those ideas are being being put into action as president. Madonna said it's anybody's guess if Trump will act on the things he tweets out. Will he actually ban federal funding for UC Berkeley following recent protests, as he said he would? No one knows. "We're in unchartered territory," Madonna said. "We don't know the full implications of what he's doing and where it's likely to lead. Only time will tell." Borick said Twitter is a perfect social media platform for Trump. It matches his personality and style of talking. "Could you imagine a design of a president more fit for Twitter than Donald Trump?" he said. "His thoughts are never detailed. They're simple. They're short. They don't have a ton of context. And that's what Twitter is." Marcia DiStaso, an associate communications professor at Penn State, said Trump is making his own rules by using Twitter to disseminate information. Twitterer in Chief Trump doesn't follow the normal rules of social media communications, according to Marcia DiStaso, an associate communications professor at Penn State. Social media platforms were created to spur conversations across a variety of people, industries, education levels, expertise and income levels. Trump, however, is using them to disseminate information instead of fostering conversations. "He's looking to circumvent gatekeepers and get his exact message out the way he wants to get them out," DiStaso said. What Trump has accomplished is building his brand with social media. One of the best ways to build a brand or expertise, DiStaso said, is to get your message out on Twitter. "That's essentially what he's doing. He's building his subject matter expertise as president and using Twitter," she said. "Whether or not you agree with his subject matter expertise [is debatable]." Will people still care in four years? Madonna warned that people may soon become immune to Trump's tweets. At the rate he tweets, Madonna said people may not take what he says seriously in a couple months or years. "There's always a possibility that he grows on us and it becomes an acceptable way of dealing with Trump," he said, "and learning about what he's likely to do or likely to say." DiStaso said the general public may lose interest with Trump's tweets over time, but the media and certain groups will continue to follow along intently. Borick said he doesn't see much chance that the media or public will become immune to Trump's tweets while he's in office. And that's because he is a president with immense power to impact millions of people. "You have to take everything that Trump tweets seriously," Borick said. "I think that's why a lot of people are on edge. You're getting these statements that are coming directly from the president, we assume." Regardless of whether or not Trump's tweets will be taken with the same vigor four years from now as they are today, Madonna said people should be prepared for anything. "I think we're in for a wild ride and nobody knows for sure where it's all going to go," Madonna said. Trump Travel Ban Philadelphia Sarmad Assali, left, accompanied by her son Joseph Assali, and Farzaneh Ahmadi Darani, center left, and her sister Shadi Ahmadi Darani, speaks during a news conference at City Hall in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (Matt Rourke) PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Attorneys for a Pennsylvania family whose six Syrian relatives were denied entry to the United States at Philadelphia International Airport more than a week ago says the relatives are expected to arrive Monday in New York. Immigration attorney Jonathan Grode said Sunday evening that the two Syrian families have already been admitted to the country at a Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance center in Abu Dhabi. He said their Allentown relatives, Dr. Ghassan Assali and his wife, Sarmad, plan to be on hand to meet them when they arrive Monday morning at John F. Kennedy airport. Attorneys said Dr. Assali's brothers, their wives, and their two teenage children were denied entrance Jan. 28 although they had visas in hand after a 13-year effort. Grode said his clients are now "ecstatic." U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey is blaming "people outside of our state" for his offices being inundated with phone calls and emails regarding President Donald Trump's cabinet nominees. Toomey took to Facebook Monday to urge Pennsylvanians to contact him through his website following a "high volume of calls and emails" to his offices. The calls have been coming as the U.S. Senate votes on the confirmation of Betsy DeVos, Trump's education secretary nominee, on Tuesday. My D.C. and PA offices are receiving a high volume of calls and emails from people outside of our state weighing in on... Posted by Senator Pat Toomey on Monday, February 6, 2017 Many have complained -- including those that attended the "Tuesdays with Toomey" protests -- that they've been unsuccessfully trying to reach the senator about DeVos. Calls to Toomey's offices on Monday went straight to voicemail. There was no room on the Harrisburg office's voicemail to receive any messages. By late January, 1 million people have emailed and 40,000 people have called their senators opposing DeVos, according to the National Education Association, the nation's largest labor union. The DeVos confirmation is coming down to a tight vote in the Senate. Vice President Mike Pence is set to be the tie-breaking vote on the confirmation. Critics -- both Democrats and Republicans -- have been vocal against Trump's education secretary pick. During her confirmation hearing, DeVos said she never attended a K-12 public school, sent her kids to public schools or taught in a public school. Elizabeth Ayers, of Dillsburg, said during the Harrisburg "Tuesdays with Toomey" protest that she had been calling and emailing Toomey's offices in an attempt to talk to her representative. However, her phone calls and emails have gone unanswered. "This was an opportunity to make a public statement that his constituents are trying to reach him," said Ayers, who was holding a giant styrofoam phone. "There are so many issues that so many people are concerned about, after just a week [of Trump in office]." SILVER SPRING TOWNSHIP - A fire broke out in a double-car garage attached to a home in the 200 block of Ridge Hill Road at about 3:30 p.m. Monday. No one was injured in the blaze, which crews extinguished within minutes of arrival, said New Kingstown Fire Co. Chief Curtis E. Hall. The cause remains under investigation, Hall said. The fire does not appear to be suspicious, he said. The garage and its contents appeared heavily damaged in the fire, which crews were able to contain before it spread to the adjoining ranch-style home, Hall said. The home took on little smoke damage, and should be inhabitable, he said. At least two people live in the house. There were two vehicles in the garage, a Nissan and a Corvette, and at least one was heavily damaged, Hall said. No additional information was immediately available. A Pennsylvania lumber company's Super Bowl commercial, one reportedly deemed too controversial and political for TV, has seen no shortage of reaction in the hours since it first aired Sunday. The ad, which depicts a Spanish-speaking mother and daughter trekking through the desert, boarding a Beast-like train and confronting a Trump-esque border wall between the United States and Mexico, was referred to by a number of publications as having "tackled," "targeted" or "trolled" the President's border wall proposal. But there are also those who saw it differently, calling it an affirmation of, instead of a challenge to, Trump's immigration platform. Some of the skepticism owes to the company behind the 90-second spot itself. 84 Lumber, a private supplier of building materials located roughly 30 minutes south of Pittsburgh, is owned and operated by the father-daughter duo of Joe Hardy and Maggie Hardy Magerko. Hardy is a one-time Republican politician in southwestern Pa., while his daughter recently declared herself a Trump voter in an interview with the New York Times. In that same interview, according to the Times, Magerko explained that the company's Super Bowl ad was meant to "recruit employees in their 20s who really believe in American dreams." "She expressed concern about the labor shortage her company is facing," the Times added. "She said she had a welcoming attitude toward certain immigrants, while providing the caveat that she had faith in elected officials to 'make the decisions to make us safe.'" This may come as a surprise to those who interpreted the ad as a celebration of even those immigrants who subvert the laws to, as Magerko put it, chase the American Dream. And among those online critics disapproving of the ad's perceived liberal lean, there are also those who see it instead as an endorsement of legal immigration alone, something Trump has championed while vowing a total and complete crack down on illegal immigration, sanctuary cities and more. (This interpretation often owes to the ad's use of a symbolic door -- one seen as being representative of legal avenues of entry only -- to usher the women into the country. Keep in mind that Trump has himself shared visions of a border wall with a "big, beautiful door," see below.) Seriously guys: @84LumberNews ad really isn't as welcoming as you all think. Trump wall with a door imagery. #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/cHOd9qb7zn Latino Rebels (@latinorebels) February 6, 2017 For all of you celebrating that @84LumberNews ad, as we suspected, they are just spouting what @POTUS has said in the past. #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/95UxqlJxgB Latino Rebels (@latinorebels) February 6, 2017 The 84 Lumber owner voted for Trump! Said she wanted to make a pro legal immigration ad. I think she got taken for a ride for this ad. https://t.co/AjuuYytgbC Patrick Thornton (@pwthornton) February 6, 2017 There are also those critics who have labeled the commercial a crass exploitation of a fractious national debate currently taking place under Trump, while the ad was deemed so controversial by Fox that the network forced 84 Lumber to retool it. The company wound up removing the ending and linking to a full version online, the website for which later crashed. Meanwhile, whether the ad was a deliberate attempt to court controversy -- not unusual in a Super Bowl context -- rather than a direct expression of company ethos remains open for debate. Rob Schapiro of Brunner, Inc., the Pittsburgh-based ad agency behind the spot, told Business Insider the ad was meant to make a "patriotic statement," and was "aimed to make the company a household name throughout the country as it expands and opens more stores in the US." That mission was almost certainly accomplished by Monday morning, for better and worse. Schapiro continued: "[The message behind the ad] is that in this great land of opportunity, 84 Lumber is a company of opportunity. With this expansion will come an ongoing recruitment campaign, and on this journey we depicted characters who embody the traits and characteristics they are looking for in their people: strong will, determination, and hard-working people." Schapiro concluded: "This is a conversation that's taking place in homes across America and so 84 Lumber was willing to be part of that conversation, to be relevant and timely ... in Part Two [of the ad] you will see what a beacon of light America is, not just within America but beyond to other countries. We are that beacon of light for people for finding success from hard work and making a contribution." Attempts to reach 84 Lumber and Schapiro were immediately unsuccessful on Monday. The lumber company's only tweet since Sunday has been a simple: "We will always support the American Dream." Some are likely to remain skeptical, however, something Magerko touched on in her interview with the Times. "I'm sure I'm going to have economists and all these people say she's an idiot, and maybe I am," she told the paper. "But I'm an idiot that has some money now that my people made for me, and I owe it to them to say that they're great and I need more people like them." Subway robbery.jpg Police have released these surveillance photos of a hungry male suspect accused of robbing a Subway restaurant of about $100 and a sandwich in Lower Allen Township Saturday morning. (Lower Allen Township police) Police have released surveillance photos of a hungry male suspect accused of robbing a Subway restaurant of cash and a sandwich in Lower Allen Township Saturday morning. The suspect, described as white male in his late 30s, robbed the Subway in the Windsor Park Plaza of about $100, but not before ordering a sandwich he also absconded with at about 10:52 a.m., police said. After ordering his sandwich, the suspect demanded cash as an employee opened the register in the store, located at 5234 Simpson Ferry Road, according to police. The suspect held his hand in his coat pocket during the robbery as if he had a gun and told the employee, "I'm serious ... I'll hurt you." The suspect got away with about $100 in small bills and his sandwich. Police did not say which type of sandwich the suspect ordered. He was wearing a dark trench coat, a dark knit hat, blue jeans, dark shoes and white latex gloves, police aid. He is about 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs roughly 250 pounds. Anyone with information about this robbery is asked to contact Det. Troy McNair of the Lower Allen Township Police Department at 717-975-7575, or email him at tmcnair@latwp.org. Tom Wolf Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf (PennLive file) (James Robinson, PennLive) A lot has changed for Gov. Tom Wolf since he rolled out his disastrous first budget in January 2015. Bowing to political reality, the York County Democrat has dropped the calls for broad-based tax increases (higher sales and personal income taxes) that he previously wanted to use for a broad program that included more money for public education and other programs. He's also watched as the ranks of legislative Democrats have grown progressively smaller, dropping to a historic low in the 203-member House, while handing a 34-16 veto-proof majority in the Republican-controlled Senate. But some things also haven't changed. Wolf still wants more money for public schools and he hasn't ditched his long-standing contention that the state has been robbing Peter to pay Paul for entirely too long. In advance of his third budget speech to a joint session of the state House and Senate on Tuesday, Wolf sketched out a broad vision of a fiscal 2017-18 spending plan that sees the state "live within our means" by consolidating some government services, freeing up money "for the things that people want us to do." So far, some Republicans are cautiously optimistic. "I give him credit for the direction he's been going in," in the run-up to the speech, Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre, told PennLive's Charles Thompson last week. In a 10-minute conversation Monday, Wolf kept the fine-print details his third budget speech close to the vest. But some of the broad outlines have already emerged. The Democrat wants to increase state spending on heroin and opioid addiction treatment; he's shut down one state prison, and he's rolled the private management of three funds formerly within the executive branch to the Treasury, saving $5 million to $6 million. That comes on top of the "modernization" of Pennsylvania's state-run liquor monopoly that saw wine sales expand into grocery stores and allowed for the sale of six-packs at beer distributors. "We have to live within our means and we will present a budget tomorrow that does that," Wolf said. While he's dropped the call for broad-based tax increases, Wolf says he still wants a "budget that is balanced in real terms." And it appears likely that he'll turn to a menu of likely revenue-raisers, including his long-sought severance tax on Marcellus shale natural gas drillers, to do that. Republicans have also appeared receptive to a gross receipts tax (kind of like a sale tax) on natural gas on your utility bill. Electric users already pay such a tax. Wolf has also looked at restructuring business taxes and 'clawing back' some of the hundreds of millions in tax credits the state issues each year to dubious economic benefit. One of the big motivators: Replenishing Pennsylvania's Rainy Day Fund. That's the emergency savings account used to prepare for fiscal emergencies. After years of big balances, Wolf said he recently checked the account and found a mere $245,000 in it. Pennsylvania's paltry balance comes even as other states, including California and Georgia, Idaho and Utah have enacted targeted tax hikes and taken other steps allowing them to build healthier balances in their respective savings accounts, Stateline.org reported last month. On Monday, Wolf said a series of poor policy choices, colored by politics has "kept us from doing what other states have done ... We have played fast and loose with our budget, so we have not built up the equity." Wolf makes his budget address to a joint session of the state House and Senate at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday. PennLive will be providing full coverage of the speech and the legislative reaction to it. Neil Gorsuch In this Friday, Jan. 27, 2017, photograph, 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Neil Gorsuch makes a point while delivering prepared remarks before a group of attorneys at a luncheon in a legal firm in lower downtown Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) By Dick Polman When Senate Republicans decided last year to ditch their constitutional duty - by stiffing President Obama's eminently qualified Supreme Court nominee, denying him even the courtesy of a hearing - they took a big political risk. They gambled that the voters wouldn't punish them on election day. Dick Polman (PennLive file photo) Turns out, they were right. Their unprecedented power play paid off. And that's why the minority Democrats are currently up the creek. They can fume all they want about how the GOP stole Merrick Garland's seat - justifiably so - but their options for blocking Trump nominee Neil Gorsuch are basically nonexistent. Senate rules require 60 votes for passage, which means that Mitch McConnell needs eight Democrats to say yes. But if Democrats dig in, McConnell can always change the Senate rules and put Gorsuch on the court with a simple majority vote - 51 Republicans saying yes, no Democrats needed. How come Senate Democrats have so little leverage about the future of the high court? Because elections have consequences, and the 2016 election is Exhibit A. Last year, Democrats calculated (or hoped, or assumed) that voters would be outraged about the GOP's work stoppage on the Garland nomination. McConnell and his allies insisted that Garland was DOA simply because Obama was a lame duck in his final year, that presidents don't get to put anyone on the court in their final year. The Republicans lied, of course, because lame duck Ronald Reagan got to put Anthony Kennedy on the court, with bipartisan support, in his final year. Democrats figured that the 2016 electorate would rail at the injustice of the GOP stance on Garland, and that Democratic-leaning voters, in particular, would cast ballots en masse with the court's future direction in mind. That didn't happen. According to the national exit polls, 21 percent of all voters cited the Supreme Court as the "most important" factor in their voting decision. In that cohort, Trump swamped Clinton by 15 points. Overall, 70 percent cited the Supreme Court as an "important" factor, and Trump beat Clinton there too. Those stats jibe with what we learned on the ground last year. Social and religious conservatives, who fixate on the Supreme Court far more than their liberal counterparts, opted to ignore Trump's serial lying and moral failings, because he was their best hope for a post-Scalia conservative bench. Evangelical Christians, in particular, recognized that Trump was a detestable human being, but Mike Pence worked hard, and successfully, to hose them down and stoke them up. Even the Republican establishment folks who personally loathed Trump got in line on the court issue. John Boehner, the ex-House speaker, said last fall that Trump's behavior "disgusted" him. Nevertheless, "The only thing that really matters over the next four years or eight years is who is going to appoint the next Supreme Court nominees...The biggest impact any president can have on American society and on the American economy is who's on that court." So while the average Democratic-leaning voter dozed off about Merrick Garland's hostage status, the average conservative voter got assurances that Trump would deliver on tilting the court. Promise made, promise kept. McConnell, in his role as Trump enabler, says that Trump's nominee should be "confirmed based upon the completely outstanding credentials that we're going to see," which is galling, of course, because Gorsuch will occupy the seat that was meant for Garland, whose completely outstanding credentials, as a lower-court judge, had long been vetted and supported by Republicans. But there's no point in lashing the Republicans for their success. They got their voters stoked about the court, Democrats did not. If party leaders had driven home the "stolen seat" message; if the Democratic-leaning citizens who stupidly stayed home, or wasted their votes on Jill Stein and Gary Johnson, had instead paid sufficient attention to the Garland farce; if they had made peace with Clinton's imperfections and sensibly viewed her as the best vehicle for tilting the high court leftward, then the odds are high that Trump would never be where he is. And Senate Democrats would not be reduced to firing blanks. Dick Polman is the national political columnist at NewsWorks/WHYY in Philadelphia (newsworks.org/polman) and a "Writer in Residence" at the University of Pennsylvania. His work appears on Mondays on PennLive. Readers may email him at dickpolman7@gmail.com. Donald Trump President Donald Trump prepares for a battle with Democrats over his SCOTUS nominee Neil Gorsuch. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP) By Jennifer Rubin Just a couple of weeks ago, critics of post-inaugural protesters argued the anti-President Donald Trump movement lacked coherence. Too many small, identity-politics issues, the marcher-watching pundits sniffed. Well, as we imagined, Trump has provided the unifying theme and emotional inspiration, one that can galvanize Americans from many walks of life and political persuasions. Jennifer Rubin (Washington Post photo) Trump's poorly executed and monumentally counterproductive refugee freeze and travel ban demonstrated just how many aspects of American society are connected and dependent upon people outside the United States. The Hill reports: "A coalition of 598 college and university presidents has released a letter voicing 'concerns' with President Trump's temporary ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations. "In the letter, sent Friday to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly through the American Council on Education (ACE), the presidents say they are concerned about how the order will affect international students, faculty, researchers and staffers." Academics ordinarily might not have much in common with the business community, but in this case they see eye to eye. Walt Disney Company chief executive Bob Iger didn't attend Trump's Friday business forum. Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick abandoned the group altogether after his urban customer base vilified the ban, criticized Kalanick for cooperating with Trump and in many cases deactivated the Uber app on their phones. A slew of CEOs in the new and old economy have lashed out at the president, making clear a discriminatory ban on Muslims from certain countries is bad business and antithetical to their corporate cultures. Silicon Valley, traditionally reluctant to mix it up in electoral politics, now is fully engaged. Politico reports: "A collection of Silicon Valley executives, engineers and activists are quietly plotting a progressive counterattack against President Donald Trump, a sign of the industry's growing anger at his election victory and actions on immigration. "Through a new organization tentatively called Win the Future, or WTF, the likes of LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Zynga founder Mark Pincus are teaming up with former Sierra Club President Adam Werbach to connect political organizers and shore up progressive candidates and causes ahead of the 2018 midterm and 2020 presidential elections, according to three sources familiar with the plan." Employees in retail, manufacturing and financial services have exactly the same reason to get on board the anti-Trump train. Their employers cannot pull up the drawbridge, and if Trump continues down this protectionist, xenophobic path they, not foreign countries, will bear the economic brunt. On the political front, Democrats instantly seized the opportunity to attack the White House as did some free-market conservatives and many libertarians. City and state governments, particularly in border states, are up in arms as well, seeing the threat to their local economy and the humanitarian harm Trump is causing in their communities. Massachusetts, New York, Virginia and Washington state this week joined litigants in challenging both the travel ban and the sanctuary cities executive order. Just as Trump forged his coalition with a nationalist, xenophobic message, opponents have now found their common cause: protecting America as a tolerant, dynamic place that derives real benefits from -- and in some instances cannot operate without -- international talent, markets and travel. Productive, innovative and modern Americans now have a common cause. Regardless of ideological differences on a host of issues, they now see defense of the international liberal (small "l") ideal as critical to the country's economic, political and psychological health. They do not want to be dragged back to the 1950s (as if such a thing were possible) or lose talent and capital that will go elsewhere if the United States turns inward. The vain attempt to make America "great," Trump critics now see, would destroy the environment in which a diverse populace can cross-pollinate and collaborate. That understanding -- a defense of modernism itself -- requires that we stay engaged in the world, defend democratic norms and vital institutions and eschew the image of the "Ugly American." We already see some political push-back against Trump's travel ban, and also against the wall on our Southern border. (CNN reports, "President Donald Trump's plan to build a wall on the border with Mexico is facing a major problem: A wall of resistance from his own party. A growing number of congressional Republicans are objecting to the cost and viability of a proposal that was a rallying cry for the billionaire businessman during his insurgent campaign. Interviews with more than a dozen GOP lawmakers across the ideological spectrum suggest Trump could have a difficult time getting funding for his plan approved by Congress.") A wide and deep coalition of students, teachers, scientists, high-tech and industrial workers and CEOs, state and local leaders, religious leaders and Americans of all political stripes now has its message and calling: America is great because it is free, welcoming, dynamic, generous, exerts leadership in the world and has institutions (e.g., an independent judiciary, a free press) that promote inclusion and success (however we define it). If anti-Trump Americans aim to reinforce those qualities and the institutions that promote them, then the know-nothing populists and xenophobic characters who occupy the White House will not destroy what makes America great. Jennifer Rubin writes the Right Turn blog for The Washington Post, offering reported opinion from a conservative perspective. Her work appears occasionally on PennLive Opinion. Protestors Bonfire Protestors watch a bonefire on Sproul Plaza during a rally against the scheduled speaking appearance by Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos on the University of California at Berkeley campus on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017, in Berkeley, Calif. (Ben Margot / AP) (Editor's Note: The editorial below appeared in The Los Angeles Times. It was not written by the PennLive/Patriot-News Editorial Board.) The cancellation last week of a speech by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos at the University of California at Berkeley was, according to a university spokesman, "not a proud night for this campus, the home of the free speech movement." That's putting it mildly. Even if the cancellation was justified by concerns about public safety after an outbreak of violence and property destruction, the fact that Yiannopoulos was prevented from speaking to a willing audience of campus Republicans should make supporters of free speech shiver. In a characteristically knee-jerk reaction to the events, President Donald Trump tweeted: "If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view _ NO FEDERAL FUNDS?" That would be a ludicrous overreaction even if it were true that the university had been on the wrong side of the issue. But actually, UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks had steadfastly defended the right of the Republicans to invite Yiannopoulos to speak, rejecting a request by a group of professors that the Breitbart News writer's appearance be canceled because he engaged in "hate speech" and, based on his appearance at another university, might harass or belittle individual students. In responding to the professors, the chancellor's office pointed out _ correctly and courageously _ that "the courts have made it very clear that there is no general exception to 1st Amendment protection for 'hate' speech or speech that is deemed to be discriminatory. Our Constitution does not permit the university to engage in prior restraint of a speaker out of fear that he might engage in even hateful verbal attacks." The university insists that it made elaborate preparations for protests. It canceled the speech only after what it called an "unprecedented" invasion of the campus by "more than 100 armed individuals clad all in black" who engaged in violent, destructive behavior. They hurled metal barricades, threw Molotov cocktails and smashed windows at the student union. In his own self-serving response, Yiannopoulos wrote on Facebook: "One thing we do know for sure: the Left is absolutely terrified of free speech and will do literally anything to shut it down." That's a gross generalization: Many of Yiannopoulos' critics object to his outrageous statements _ such as his claim that feminism is a "cancer" _ but wouldn't deny his right to express them. It's also true that one can protest at a speaker's appearance without trying to shout him down. Yet it's also true that, on colleges campuses and elsewhere, some "progressive" voices do call for the stifling of speech they don't approve of. A leaflet circulated at the Berkeley protest said Yiannopoulos has "no right to speak at Cal or anywhere else" because he's a "tool of Trump's possessive fascist government." This is just the latest variation on the age-old argument of the censor that "error has no rights," or, put another way, that one only has a right to free speech if one is speaking the "truth." It's an insidious notion that needs to be opposed in every generation. Donald Trump President Donald Trump prepares for a battle with Democrats over his SCOTUS nominee Neil Gorsuch. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP) Of all the ridiculous, destabilizing, patently nonsensical things that have come tumbling out of the mouth of the President of the United States over the last two weeks, there's now this: "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril," President Donald Trump tweeted over the weekend. "If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" And just like that, after scraping the bottom, Donald Trump has once again found a way to redefine it. Trump's allies have complained since the president's Jan. 20 inauguration that his critics in the news media and political adversaries have been trying to delegitimize him. Their gaze is misdirected. Trump's actions since taking office - with the guidance of his personal Richelieu, Stephen K. Bannon - have delegitimized our democratic institutions and dealt a body blow to America's rich tradition of welcoming those fleeing oppression, regardless of their faith or creed. Now, with his poorly worded and even more poorly executed travel ban brought to a merciful (if temporary halt) by a federal appeals court, the White House is, stunningly, trying to delegitimize the rightful and legal actions of an entirely independent branch of government. Trump's Twitter tantrum came in addition to his attack on the judge who made the ruling, James Robart, a Bush 43 appointee, whom Trump dismissed as a "so-called judge" whose "ridiculous ruling" will be "overturned," The Associated Press reported. That's still entirely possible. By the sun goes down on Monday, Trump's order might be reinstated - or it might not. 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 And as Bloomberg News notes, it's more than likely that the fight over Trump's travel ban will land in the laps of a still short-handed U.S. Supreme Court sooner rather than later. The judge opens up our country to potential terrorists and others that do not have our best interests at heart. Bad people are very happy! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2017 But even still, Trump's fit of pique, similar to the one he leveled against Indiana-born Judge Gonzalo Curiel during the campaign last year, was merely offensive when he was a presidential candidate. However, Trump's attack on Robart, who was doing his lawful duty and one enshrined in the Constitution, is shocking and dangerously destabilizing when it comes from the President of the United States. It also speaks volumes of how the man-child in the White House understands and perceives the rule of law. What might happen if the Supreme Court hands down a ruling that runs counter to the White House's interests? Will Trump and his ultra-nationalist adviser Bannon direct the government to ignore the court's orders? And will Trump's legion of self-styled "deplorables" simply wave their red #MAGA hats in assent? Trump's counter-factual rantings about "bad people" flooding into the country disregards, once again, the reality that refugees seeking entry to the United States are the mostly strictly screened of all potential entrants, going through a process that can take years to complete. Trump wanted "extreme vetting" of these individuals. We already have it. But what Trump's order did accomplish was keeping out - at least temporarily - the kinds of immigrants he claimed he wanted to welcome to America; those who wait in line, go through the proper channels and become part of the fabric of our cities and towns. Such was the case with the Assali family of Allentown, whose Syrian relatives were detained at JFK in New York last week and then sent back home. They had a fully furnished home waiting for them as a part of their own American Dream. Fortunately, the Syrian Christian family, who spent 13 years trying to get immigrant visas, were reunited with their American relatives on Monday once Robart's ruling was in place. Let's be clear - no one's saying that America doesn't have the right to secure its borders and to ensure that potential overseas threats are kept at bay. But what Trump did - and the way he went about it - makes clear that the administration's travel ban was a poor piece of policy from start to finish. Keeping a campaign promise is one thing - keeping it at the expense of our values and laws is another matter entirely. Pennsylvania's latest abortion rights debate got a quick reset Monday, as a bill carrying the most far-reaching restrictions on legal abortions seen here since the early 1990s passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 10-5 vote. The Senate is where a very similar bill - considered a major milepost for anti-abortion forces on two fronts - stalled last year, after passing the House on a 132-65 vote. Its supporters, now unburdened by the political weight of a fall general election in which women's rights were a central issue, are pressing for quick move to the Senate floor this time. That would be a big new step toward the real showdown: A veto override battle with Gov. Tom Wolf, who is a strong supporter of abortion rights. Neither side in this debate really doubts the ability of the new Senate Bill 3 to pass either chamber in the General Assembly. The real question is whether its backers can muster the two-thirds majorities needed to override a certain Wolf veto. The new bill, sponsored by Sen. Michele Brooks, R-Mercer County, puts Pennsylvania squarely among a wave of conservative state legislatures trying to rewrite American abortion law. Its two major provisions would: Limit abortions to cases of medical necessity after 20 weeks of pregnancy rather than the current 24-week ceiling. Sharply curtail the use of a common second-trimester abortion technique known as dilation and evacuation, in which the fetus is extracted with tools, their bodies often torn apart in the process. Sen. Brooks' bill defines that technique as "dismemberment abortion." It, too, would only be permitted in cases where the mother is otherwise at risk of death or "substantial and irreversible" loss of major bodily functions. The bill's supporters characterized it Monday as a modest update designed to adapt Pennsylvania's generation-old Abortion Control Act to a changed health care environment marked by great advances in neo-natal care. Citing U.S. Supreme Court decisions that effectively guarantee a right to abortion until the fetus is viable outside the womb, Judiciary Committee Chair Stewart Greenleaf, R-Montgomery County, said he can support SB 3 because new technologies have pushed that date well before 24 weeks. "The science has changed, and we have children being aborted who are viable, and that wasn't the purpose (of Pennsylvania's existing abortion control act)," Greenleaf said. But Democrats on the committee, flanked by a room full of abortion rights supporters, said they were appalled at the willingness of a panel of mostly white men to exercise control over women's bodies and wedge government into the most personal of decisions. One of the most emotional appeals came from Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Northampton County, who tearfully noted that she had had five miscarriages. "You would think I would be the one that sits there and goes: 'Well, you shouldn't have abortions... because maybe I could adopt (that child).' And yet I'm not there," Boscola said. "I would never ever put this on any other family to make a decision about what they should do. "With that being said," Boscola continued, "I can't wait for the day that 50 percent of the Senate is made up of women." Twenty weeks has become such a battlefront because it is the precise point when many fetal deformities first present themselves through ultrasounds and other pre-natal examinations. In December, Ohio became the 18th state to place a 20-week threshold in place. In two of those states -- Arizona and Idaho -- the 20-week bans have been struck down as unconstitutional by federal courts. Pennsylvania abortion rights supporters say their argument that these are not abortions of convenience are backed by statistics: In 2014, according to the state Department of Health, just 328 abortions -- or slightly more than 1 percent of the total -- were performed after 20 weeks of gestation. In some ways, however, Brooks' bill is less extreme than the language offered last fall. It does not, for example, not contain a requirement in the House bill that a second physician be present for any "dismemberment abortion" that is performed, for the express purpose of trying to preserve the child's life. Brooks' version would still require a second doctor to certify that the procedure is needed to protect the life or health of the mother. The House bill drew opposition last session from the Pennsylvania chapter of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which said it amounted to "governmental interference in the doctor-patient relationship." Sari Stevens, executive director of Planned Parenthood PA Advocates, said Monday she is confident that abortion rights supporters can block the bill with Gov. Wolf's help. But she sharply criticized leaders of the Republican-controlled Senate for making this one of the first bills to see daylight in the new legislative term. "It is extremely disappointing that given the pressing issues our state faces, the legislature is blatantly ignoring the constitution and wasting its time on a measure that the governor repeatedly said he would veto," Stevens said. "... Senate Bill 3 isn't about women's health. It's about pushing an extreme political agenda --- plain and simple." The earliest the Brooks bill could hit the floor would be Wednesday, but Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre County, was non-committal about the near-term schedule Monday afternoon. Corman said Republicans were scheduled to caucus on the bill Tuesday, and that he will determine whether and when to schedule a floor vote after that point. These days, it's rare for a school year to go by without hearing of a violent act happening on school ground somewhere in this nation so a Pennsylvania lawmaker wants to be sure students and teachers are practiced in how they should respond in the event one happens in their building. Rep. Gary Day is sponsoring legislation requiring school districts to conduct an annual school security drill in every public school that would arm students and teachers with information about what to do in an emergency situation. The measure unanimously passed the House Education Committee on Monday. The drills are intended to serve as a reminder about what to do in situations that go beyond a fire drill or natural disaster drill and include such events as a terroristic act, an armed intruder or some other violent threat, said the Lehigh County Republican. It would replace a current mandate on public schools to conduct not less than monthly fire drills though some schools and districts do not conduct them that frequently. Day said many schools already do the security drills so it wouldn't pose an additional burden on them but he wants to ensure it is done in every building - elementary, middle and high schools. In the times we live in today, Day said these kind of drills have become necessary. "The key is following directions, stay in line, keep everybody together, and move quickly and quietly to the designated safe place," he said. Some paramedics are hoping a citizens initiative that would change the way they negotiate labour deals would also help address the issues of staff retention in rural areas and wait times in metropolitan hubs. The Trudeau government's group of economic advisers will release a new set of recommendations today that could help shape the upcoming federal budget. Finance Minister Bill Morneau stands during Question Period in the House of Commons in Ottawa, Wednesday, February 1, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand Turkish anti-terrorism police stand by their armoured vehicle during an operation to arrest people over alleged links to the Islamic State group, in Adiyaman, southeastern Turkey, early Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. Turkey's state-run agency says anti-terrorism police has detained more than 400 people in simultaneous police operations that spanned several cities, including Istanbul and Gaziantep near the border with Syria, according to the report. (Mahir Alan/Dha-Depo Photos via AP) FILE - In this Monday, Nov. 2, 2015 file photo, the first twin-engine 158-seater C919 passenger plane made by The Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) is pulled out of the company's hangar during a ceremony near the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China. After years of delays, China's first large homemade passenger jetliner will take to the air for its maiden flight in the first half of this year, state media reported Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. (AP Photo, File) We value your privacy. Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy. Here, there, everywhere why car washes seem to be on every corner Vitol's top trader sees oil rattled as Trump makes market fret Brent crude may trade between $52 and $62 a barrel this year SINGAPORE Petroleumworld.com 02 06 2017 Donald Trump and global crude producers are set to take prices on a bumpy ride this year, according to the world's biggest independent oil trader. As investors are kept on tenterhooks over U.S. policies and whether OPEC and other nations will curb output as pledged, global benchmark Brent crude may vacillate between $52 and $62 a barrel, according to Kho Hui Meng, the head of the Asian arm of Vitol Group. The market's structure could also shift in the third quarter, with near-term cargoes turning costlier than those for later delivery, flipping from the other way around. I think this market is going to be very volatile, Kho, the president of Vitol Asia Pte., said in an interview in Singapore. People are worrying about U.S. policy. With the new administration, a lot of things are being speculated. So we can't predict the future, we just have to wait. The sentiment reflects the uncertainty gripping markets amid Trump's ascent, with traders of everything from currencies to metals and stocks trying to decipher the effects of measures by the leader of the world's biggest economy. The oil market has been ruffled by the prospect of more geopolitical tensions on his harder line on major producer Iran. He's also mooted a border tax on imports, which Goldman Sachs Group Inc. says had a low chance of being introduced but could trigger an oil selloff if implemented. Trading companies such as Vitol and rivals including Trafigura Group and Glencore Plc could reap rewards from volatility. Vitol's $1.6 billion in earnings in 2015 were boosted as it profited from price swings in the energy market. It posted a 42 percent decline in first-half 2016 profit amid fewer opportunities to benefit from price changes. The company, which is formally incorporated in Rotterdam but operates from locations including Geneva, London, Singapore and Houston, has experienced strong growth over the last 20 years on the back of expanding oil trade, large price swings and, more recently, investment in storage and refining. In 1995, Vitol earned just a little over $20 million. Oil traders often look to take advantage of a market structure known as contango -- where future prices are higher than current levels, allowing investors to buy oil cheap, store it in tanks or ships and lock in a profit for a later sale. But with global producers cutting output, the market may be poised to go into backwardation, when prompt crude is costlier than later cargoes. The structure is now quite flat so people are still watching, Vitol's Kho said. Once the backwardation comes in, which we're not there yet, then people begin to look at the viability of the floating storages and ultimately they'll come out. Output Curbs Oil has fluctuated above $50 a barrel since a December deal between the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers to trim supply by as much as 1.8 million barrels a day to ease a global glut. While OPEC members including Saudi Arabia are implementing their share of cuts and Russia says it's ahead of schedule on its reduction, investors are wary of America pumping more. The revival of U.S. drilling has entered into its ninth month, extending the biggest surge of oil rigs in more than four years. Brent for April settlement advanced 19 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $57 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange by 1:17 p.m. Singapore time. U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate for March delivery was up 18 cents at $54.01 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. People also recognize that as oil tightens up and the price begins to rise, shale oil in the U.S. will start to come out again, Kho said. We're seeing signs of that but it isn't overwhelming yet. With a majority of the output reductions coming from Middle East nations, the regional Dubai crude benchmark has turned costlier than WTI and strengthened relative to Brent. That's opened the window for arbitrage cargoes to flow into Asia from regions including the North Sea and West Africa . While the stream of such oil from the U.S. and Europe to Asia won't probably be the norm, it will continue to be an opportunistic trade in 2017, Kho said. Middle Eastern crude will remain the base flow for Asian refiners, in addition to West African supplies. Shipments from the U.S. and North Sea may not be as common going forward as the arbitrage window can open and close with market volatility, he said. In the world of fuels, the lack of new large-scale refineries coming online globally in the near term could tighten the market for distilled products, Kho said. That's especially pertinent to diesel, which makes up the biggest portion of output from processing units. Diesel has gone through a rough time for a number of years, but probably will turn to come back, said Kho. This would strengthen the spread between diesel and fuel oil, ahead of the implementation of new International Maritime Organization standards that could spur ships to switch to cleaner products such as ultra-low-sulfur diesel. Oil-product markets are currently in a sweet spot, backed by seasonal winter demand and refinery outages , according to Kho. The direction of the crude market, meanwhile, may hinge on the effects of the Trump administration's policies. Investors and traders are waiting for a signal from the U.S. because this is the biggest equation unknown, Kho said. It's the function of the global economy. If there's nothing drastic from the U.S., it will be quite good this year. To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. Taipei, Feb. 6 (CNA) The sale of electric motorcycles reached 20,000 units in 2016, up 98 percent from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), which, encouraged by the new high, said it will continue incentives for buyers with the aim of doubling sales this year. Venezuela/PDVSA debt deadlines: Will oil cover February? A default is becoming hard to avoid. How long can Venezuela /PDVSA continue to finance via arrears before converting into fixed U.S.-dollar liabilities? NEW YORK Petroleumworld.com 02 06 2017 The government of Venezuela and state-controlled oil company Petroleos de Venezuela together face $10 billion in debt payments this year, though April deadlines could prove especially onerous and February's burden is sizable. The government is on the hook this year for $3.4 billion and Pdvsa, $6.6 billion with $2.9 billion due mostly by Pdvsa in April, according to a Caracas Capital . It puts the total debt burden of Venezuela, an oil producer and OPEC member, at $71 billion, not including a number of special arrangements including loans from China to be paid back with oil shipments . Nomura Securities debt strategist Siobhan Morden , wary after Venezuela's payment delay in November , is focused on Venezuela's February debt payment burden of $705 million. She expects the government to muddle through as oil prices rise. She warns that the government has not released balance of payment statistics since the third quarter of 2015, so estimates from pundits are just that: We are now entering into a heavy coupon month with higher oil prices providing a buffer but still latent concerns after payment delays last November. There is risk of underestimating U.S.-dollar liabilities on the growing arrears that eventually converts into fixed income liabilities and a higher service deficit including payment to oil suppliers (maturing promissory notes), payments to joint ventures and other incidental payments such as headlines on delays of oil shipments for arrears on tanker cleaning and inspection fees. How long can Venezuela/PdVSA continue to finance via arrears before converting into fixed U.S.-dollar liabilities? The newswire reports are also disconcerting on higher exports to China @ 555,000 barrels per day; however this may not challenge the assumption of a grace period of payments if [it is] cashed-in exports as opposed to payment in kind on loans See our posts Venezuela & Oil Debt: Default Probable, Fitch Says and Gartman On Gold: Venezuela's A Seller . Also see Morden's analysis of assets that can be used for payments: Venezuela Debt Default? Nomura Counts The Cash . Venezuela government bonds were among the holdings in the iShares JPMorgan USD Emerging Markets Bond exchange-traded fund ( EMB ), and Pdvsa bonds were among the holdings in the VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF ( HYEM ), as of Dec. 30, according to Morningstar. But there are no Venezuela equities in the iShares Latin America 40 ETF ( ILF ), which is moving higher today. Story by Dimitra DeFotis from Barron's. barrons .com 02 04 2017 Copyright 1999-2017 Petroleumworld or respective author or news agency. All rights reserved. We welcome the use of Petroleumworld (PW) stories by anyone provided it mentions Petroleumworld.com as the source. Other stories you have to get authorization by its authors. Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated. Petroleumworld welcomes your feedback and comments, share your thoughts on this article, your feedback is important to us! We invite all our readers to share with us their views and comments about this article . Write to editor@petroleumworld.com By using this link, you agree to allow PW to publish your comments on our letters page. Any question or suggestions, please write to: editor@petroleumworld.com Best Viewed with IE 5.01+ Windows NT 4.0, '95, '98,ME,XP, Vista, Windows 7,8,10 +/ 800x600 pixels Thredbo. Views for days. Sunny and dry conditions in practice and seeding. Brosnan down the fire road in practice. Harry Parsons, Ben Dengate and Zack Hutchison all looking fresh in their new YT racing kit in practice. Trackside chats. Good to see riders of all ages out on the hill. Pat Butler, representing Lusty for the series before his big move to Bergamont. Baxter Maiwald. Styling it up. A dusty seeding session. Troy in the gate while Elite Men wait for seeding. Brosnan in seeding. Brent Smith in seeding. Having a chat in the pits. Kye and Sian A'Hern ready for the weekend. A wrist injury kept Sian away from racing, but she was out practicing. Bill keeping the new YT Racing bikes running smooth and clean. Brosnan enjoying some downtime in the pits. Tyson Wise whipping the table in his race run. A'Hern, Beecroft and Buchanan stopped to check out the True Blue rock chute. Kellie Weinert. Danni Beecroft powering it out of the start gate. Danni Beecroft, on her way to 2nd place in Elite Women's. It was good to see Caroline Buchanan out on the big bike. Unfortunately her race run was ruined by a rear flat. Kellie Weinert. Tegan Molloy in the gate. Tegan sprinting out of the gate. I just knew this weekend I just had to ride how I do up here and that paid off this weekend. - Tegan Molloy It's just another race, get on with it and get it done. - Tegan Molloy Elite Women's podium. 1st - Tegan Molloy 5:16.08. 2nd - Danielle Beecroft, 5:24.64. 3rd - Kellie Weinert 5:44.24. Remy Morton. Joel Willis. Tim Eaton through Bunnywalk in practice Brent Smith, on his way to third. Jackson Frew in seeding. An unlucky front flat further down the hill saw him come down with the slowest seeding time. Jackson had a much better race run. Coming down at the very start of the Elite Men, he was in the hot seat the whole time until Troy came over the line. The run that I had was pretty much perfect, the wind was playing a bit of a factor but I just pedaled as hard as I could and stoked to come away with the win. - Troy Brosnan It's been a good race to be back on the new bike and get a win and some more confidence on it. - Troy Brosnan Eilte Men's podium. 1st - Troy Brosnan, 4:34.36. 2nd - Jackson Frew, 4:38.47. 3rd - Brent Smith 4:41.77. Everyone loves the track and loves the venue, it's all so close, so it's always a great event. - Timmy Windshuttle, Thredbo MTB Thredbo, always a favourite spot for many Australian racers, hosted Round 2 of the Australian National Downhill series this weekend. After Round 1 at Awaba two weekends ago which had a mix of blisteringly hot temperatures and damp racing conditions, the weather in Thredbo was far more comfortable, although there were forecasts of high winds and rain for Sunday.All eyes were on Troy Brosnan, and his fresh Canyon contract, would his new Sender enable him to take yet another win? In the Elite Women's, Caroline Buchanan was back racing the downhill bike again but she would have some tough competition to beat, as Tegan Molloy, Danni Beecroft and Kellie Weinert were all showing great speed.Full Results here Hardtails and Slicks Downmall Budapest Photography: Sebastian Sternemann // Words: Alexandra Werner A tourist's view: Budapest is divided into two parts by the river Danube, Buda and Pest. After kicking off last weekend in Frankfurt, Germany the European Downmall Tour headed east to hold its second stop of three in Budapest - the proud capital of Hungary, shining in old grace of the Imperial Era.The tour took place in Arkad Mall which you can find at the final station of subway 2, so its a little bit outside the city centre, but easy to find for spectators of which plenty came. Arkad Mall is smaller than MyZeil Mall which saw the tour in Frankfurt. Due to this the venue was closely spaced.The track was shorter than last weekend and had less obstacles as well. It started with the riders descending escalators, then they had to pass tree stubs entering into a turn which lead to another escalator followed by a big drop. After hitting this drop, riders had to pedal hard in the final straight and rocks the famous 'Downmall Double'. Every tour stop ends with this double, but here it was built up bigger due to the limited space at the finish area.During the breaks spectators were entertained by a dirt jump contest and a BMX freestyle contest. Budapest saw a hard competition, riders were battling hard to finish in best time. Some of the Downmall tour's top dogs were fiercely missed in Frankfurt but gladly most of them made it to Budapest. Times were tight between Hannes Slavik, Tomas Slavik and Michal Prokop. Unfortunatly, Johannes Fischbach is still suffering from an injury and wasnt able to come.[PI=14381At the end oft he day Tomas Slavik(CZ) was able to take the top spot followed by Felix Beckeman (SWE) in 2nd and Ondrej Stepanek(CZ) in 3rd. Ben Moore was likely to defend his No. 1 numberplate but couldnt find last week's top form. Spectators were witness to an exciting event and once more mountain biking could show its bright side to a broader audience. Next weekend will see the tour's final stop in Prague, Czech Republic.1. Tomas Zejda, trick - double tailwhip2. Ivan Popov, trick - backflip turndown3. Damjan Siriski, trick - flip no hand1. Konrad Szabo, trick - flip triple whip2. David Janac, trick - 360 bar spin to downside tailwhip3. Vilibald Vatek, trick - double backflip1. Tomas Slavik (CZE), time 17.11 sec2. Felix Beckeman (SWE), time 17.18 sec3. Ondrej Stepanek (CZE), time 17.46 sec Agencies that understand the investigative power of vehicle location intelligence are generating more leads, solving more crimes, apprehending more violent offenders, enhancing officer safety, and better protecting the communities they serve. As a former NYPD Lieutenant Commander of Detectives, I have conducted hundreds of investigations, many with the help of license plate recognition (LPR) technology. And every time the topic of LPR comes up, people inevitably want to talk about the cameras. Maybe thats because the cameras can easily be seen and touched. But, in reality, the real power is in the LPR data. Cameras Capture Data and Data Helps Solve Crimes The camera serves a twofold, specific, and targeted purpose: to capture anonymous, publicly available license plate data, and send alerts to a police car. Heres how that data capture works: The cameras take pictures of the plates required by law to be visible in public. The software reads the characters on the plate and notes the date, time and location of the image capture. No personal data is collected and access to the data is governed by a strong federal law called the Drivers Privacy Protection Act (DPPA). It is what goes on behind the scenes after the data is captured that makes LPR such a valuable tool for law enforcement. Thats when the data becomes more than just data; its when the data becomes vehicle location intelligence, valuable to law enforcement in three important ways: Analytics Prediction Real-time alerts Time and again, I have seen how vehicle location intelligence helps law enforcement develop leads, solve crimes, and stay safe on the job. Analytics Power the Data How? Through powerful analytical capabilities that enable agencies to develop leads and solve crimes quicker and more efficiently. For example, partial plate searches, as well as being able to filter by year, make, model, time, date, and location enable law enforcement to quickly verify what license plates were scanned in the area around a set of crime scenes. This provides more than a simple dump of scans from a camera it provides actionable, workable intelligence. From there, agencies can analyze and identify a plate or plates common to multiple crime scenes. In a matter of minutes, one officer sitting at his desk can identify a potential lead in a pattern or serial crime simply by analyzing historical vehicle location data or detections. Once a plate or vehicle of interest is identified, the same historical data can help investigators predict where that vehicle can be found. Sample Case: Take for example, the case of a hit and run involving a 9-year old girl who was holding her mothers hand as they crossed the street. The child was struck by a sport-utility vehicle. The police had a general description of the vehicle and a partial plate. They performed a partial plate search of the LPR data and identified a suspect plate through the search. They then took that suspect plate and searched Vigilant Solutions Commercial LPR data and shared LPR data from neighboring agencies. The search returned images of the suspect vehicle. The mother and eyewitnesses can then confirm that it was in fact the vehicle that struck the girl. Predictive Intelligence Is Better than Guessing Once a plate or vehicle of interest is identified, the same historical data can help investigators predict where that vehicle can be found. By looking back at previous scans and scoring methodology, they can identify a set of locations where the vehicle is most likely to be, and even give investigators the location type (residence, business, etc.). They can even compare how many times a vehicle has been seen versus the number of times an LPR unit scanned at that location for a percentage seen; essentially reporting a canvass seen rate. Again, this allowed further development of vehicle location intelligence for investigators, while maximizing resources. All thanks to the power of the data. Real-Time Alerts Improve Situational Awareness Now lets go one step further into this hypothetical investigation. Investigators have identified the vehicle and the locations where the vehicle is most likely to be found. Investigators now have probable cause to add the license plate to a hotlist of vehicles of interest. Upon sending officers to the suspects likely residence and work place, the vehicle isnt there, but officers are posted to wait for its return. At the same time, a patrol officer across town or even an officer across the state, gets a real-time alert as they pass the vehicle of interest on a hotlist at a shopping mall. With permissible purpose to access DMV records and determine the owner of the vehicle under the Driver Privacy Protection Act, the officer is able to determine the driver has a history of violence and aggression. This real-time intelligence leads to a call for backup, and officers apprehend the person of interest without incident, and turn the suspect over to the investigating officers. All of the vehicle location intelligence in the scenario, from identification to location prediction and real-time situational intelligence for officers, would only be possible thanks to data, not just a camera. Agencies that understand the investigative power of vehicle location intelligence are generating more leads, solving more crimes, apprehending more violent offenders, enhancing officer safety, and better protecting the communities they serve. In the end, thats what it all about. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print *The following is an opinion column by R Muse* As this column has stated on more than one occasion, it is increasingly difficult to keep up with the mountain of outrages issuing forth from Trump; and that is not including the absurdly amateurish practice of keeping tabs on his stinking stupid Twitter activities. That kind of job is better left to parents of troubled preteens who should be monitoring what their kids are tweeting. But however chaotic and outrageous Trump or his administration appears to be, and it is both, there is method to Trump madness and it is a method Republicans in Congress are excited to use as a distraction from their already insane dismantling of the government while lavishing gifts on their wealthy campaign donors; no matter what industry those donors represent. ThinkProgress is keeping track of the atrocities coming out of the Trump on a weekly basis, and they took a minute to explain Trumps method of using spread to swamp the media and keep the American people confused about what the lunatic in the White House is going to do next. Anyone familiar with debate strategy is familiar with the concept known as spread; throw out as many arguments whether they are valid, dishonest, or batshit insane as possible to overwhelm your opponent. Trumps administrations is pure spread with mountains of lies, dishonesty and incompetence but there is so much of it that no-one can possibly keep track of all of it. It is a brilliant distraction Republicans in Congress are taking advantage of to pass horrendous legislation the people never hear about until they are law. The good folks over at Social Security Works noted that Paul Ryan is one taking great advantage of the Trump and his spread administration by advancing his plans to phase out Medicare this year, a highly unpopular move and stealthily work on a means of dismantling Medicaid and Social Security. They noted that Ryan is not spineless in refusing to condemn Trump and is instead he is and evil opportunist using Trumps spread chaos to destroy Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. As Linda Benesch wrote in the Huffington Post, Ryan isnt bothered with Trumps religious ban against Islam, or a racist as attorney general, or a Russian oil company director as Secretary of State because while the nation is focused on the Bannon White Houses disgusting policies and actions, Ryan is thriving on Trumps chaos to slip in his own deplorable but more mundane agenda without anyone noticing. Even though the Koch Congress hasnt yet passed a budget necessary to eviscerate social programs and dismantle the government as part of their typical job-killing agenda, they have used Trumps distraction to pass some seriously hateful legislation as remuneration to special interests responsible for keeping them in office. What is noteworthy about three pieces of legislation in particular, is that they are naked gifts to corporations and blatant attacks on the people they are elected to serve. It is nearly certain that if the people knew what kind of abominable laws Republicans were trying to pass, even their racist and religious supporters would be in the streets protesting. This is particularly true because the legislation will negatively impact nearly every American on some level which, although a travesty, is very typical for Republicans who have not, in recent memory, passed one law that actually benefits the population; that is, unfortunately, the normal purview of the party doomed to stay in the minority because they are Democrats. One law that makes no sense to anyone except the Koch brothers, mining and dirty energy industry is making it legal to dump toxic coal waste into streams and waterways. Seriously, even though America is now a second-rate banana republic with a two-bit fascist dictator, it is highly doubtful that any citizen, including stupid Trump supporters, actually believes it is a good idea to dump poison into the water, much less to pass legislation making it legal. It is also doubtful that any citizen thinks the legislation was the Republican way of helping Americans or making America great by poisoning its water supply legally. Apparently, the Koch brothers are still angry that one of their subsidiaries was scolded for dumping coal waste chemicals into West Virginians water supply; so they bought Congress for Republicans who promptly repaid them with the legal right to dump coal waste chemicals into everyones water. So as not to leave out the National Rifle Association from the gift-giving, Republicans actually passed legislation allowing the severely mentally ill easier access to firearms; all while Americans were mesmerized by the avalanche of chaos and crazy coming out of the White House. This is a particularly egregious, even for Republicans terrified of the NRA because they are cheerleaders for the argument that guns are not the problem, crazy people are the problem and they need legislation giving them help. So instead of legislation to help the mentally ill, Republicans decided what better way to repay the NRA than allow the severely mentally ill easier access to guns and make America even greater. There is little doubt that even NRA members and the preponderance of gun owners do not think it is a good idea to allow schizophrenics and people with severe anxiety disorder to have more readily-available guns; especially after a mentally disturbed person the FBI said shouldnt have a firearm just took his firearm and shot up a Florida airport. The third atrocity Republicans passed while everyone was too busy panting over the next Trump Twitter tantrum is a gift to all industries and likely the most damaging to all Americans. The REINS Act requires any and all safety rules or regulations, like a toxic chemical or prescription warning, be approved by a special resolution in each Republican-controlled House of Congress within 70 days in order to take effect. What that means if, say, there is a restriction on predatory lending, or selling prescription drugs deemed unsafe for human consumption, Republicans beholden to the chemical or pharmaceutical industry will have to give their approval or the restriction never goes into effect. The legislation offers absolutely no benefit whatsoever to the population, but of course that was not its intent; it is allowing the special interests controlling Congress to have purview, and veto power, over rules and regulations that exist solely to protect the people. Most Americans are still unaware that the REINGS Act was even passed because they have been too focused on the barrage of chaos coming from the Trump. Look, theres no doubt the Trump is a colossal disaster for America and the world, and he needs to be closely monitored by mental health professionals. The people or Democrats in Congress can do little but complain and try to resist. But while theyre all throwing fits about the latest Trump atrocity, their time would be better spent monitoring what Congress is doing. As Americans have started to discover, finally, when they flood their congressional representatives with phone calls and messages of sheer outrage, it has an effect that complaining about Trumps latest tweet will never approach. Their time would be better spent focusing on Republicans in Congress because although Trump is a nasty character who thinks his authority is limitless, he cannot pass, or even vote on Republican legislation raping the people. It is important to keep track of what the lunatic in the Oval Office is doing, but not at the expense of ignoring what the malicious malcontents in the Republican Congress are doing. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print In a very strongly-worded and no punches pulled op-ed in The New York Times tellingly titled, I Was on the National Security Council. Bannon Doesnt Belong There, Admiral Mike Mullen, who served on the National Security Council under both George W. Bush and Barack Obama, lays down the facts on and concerns about Steve Bannons participation. Admiral Mullen says that Some of Mr. Trumps plans, such as including the director of the C.I.A. as a full voting member of the council, are welcome. He notes, however, that there is is a very big but: But some of Mr. Trumps other plans are unsettling and should be remedied as soon as possible in particular the role he has given to his top political adviser, Stephen K. Bannon. He explains the need for professionals on the council: In my experience there are very few if any meetings of the principals committee at which the input of the military and the intelligence community is not vital. With an increasingly belligerent Russia, tensions in the South China Sea and a smoldering Middle East, it makes little sense to minimize the participation of the professionals leading and representing these two groups. Next, he goes on to explain why Steve Bannon does not belong as a participant in what can be heated and territorial discussions: Putting aside for a moment Mr. Bannons troubling public positions, which are worrisome enough, institutionalizing his attendance threatens to politicize national security decision making. These discussions, he says, seldom get political nor should they. We have already seen concerns raised about Steve Bannons influence in the White House and his power struggles with Reince Priebus, including concerns raised by Madeleine Albright and others that it is Bannon who is calling the shots, and that Trump either does not know or perhaps does not even understand what it is he is putting his signature to. Trump has shown that he is sensitive to these concerns. What he has not shown is that he genuinely understands how serious they are. Mullen observes that Bush excluded Karl Rove and that though Obama allowed David Axelrods attendance in early meetings, he did not vote or otherwise engage in the discussion. Trump may or may not have known he was adding Bannon to the National Security Council when he signed the papers, but he is there now and now it is Donald Trumps problem to resolve. Ranting in tweets that he calls his own shots isnt going to comfort anybody, least of all sober-minded individuals like Admiral Mullen who have not only talked the talk but walked the walk in our nations service while Trump was fleeing the draft and thinking he deserves a Medal of Honor for having sex. Donald Trump is a businessman (and a not very successful one at that) and to politics, a dilettante, and Mullin rightly fears Bannon will have a chilling effect on deliberations and, potentially, diminish the authority and the prerogatives to which Senate-confirmed cabinet officials are entitled. As Mullin stresses, they are accountable; Bannon is not, and it results in a blurring of presidential responsibilities Republican Party leader and commander in chief that is unhealthy for the republic. It is to be hoped that Donald Trump will address these very real and serious concerns and in more than defensive, hysteria-ridden tweets. So far, he has given us no reason to feel confident that this will happen. As Mullen concludes, partisan politics has no place at that table. And neither does Mr. Bannon. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print After hailing the New England Patriots as total winners for coming out on top in last nights Super Bowl, Donald Trump got back to the business of calling the polls showing him to be speaking for the majority, fake news. Perhaps he was feeling the sting from last nights Super Bowl message of diversity. On the other hand, as NBC News Bradd Jaffy pointed out, CNN (which, he says, Trump never watches) had just commented on his new low approval numbers: 6:30am: CNN (which Trump never watches) reports new low approval numbers 7:01am: Trump tweets polls are fake newshttps://t.co/lzFObEN8Wg Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) February 6, 2017 Trump tweeted his outraged response: Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017 Notice he included just about everybody but the Trump-compliant Fox News network and CBS, which instantly makes CBS suspect (but lets not let him divide us!). CNNs Brian Stelter was dismayed, as he revealed in his tweet: I honestly thought this tweet was from a Trump parody account the first time I saw it. https://t.co/Ijhw9Toy2u Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 6, 2017 NPR White House correspondent Tamara Keith observed that, in fact and contrary to Trumps claim, In the end, the national polls were surprisingly on-target with the popular vote. (But of course, popular vote doesnt determine president). And Bradd Jaffy helpfully added that NBC/WSJ poll had HRC +4, she finished +2. NBC/WSJ poll shows Trump with historically low ratings. Meanwhile, not just Americans on the street oppose Trumps immigration exclusivity. Some Ninety-seven companies, including Apple, Facebook, Uber, Google, Intel, Snap, and Netflix, have filed a legal brief against Trumps Muslim ban. The United States of America, of course, already has extreme vetting and no one from any of the countries in Trumps ban have ever engaged in a terrorist attack in the United States. Corporations point to the importance of immigrants to our economy and society, to the much-needed (and soon to be diminished) pool of trained people capable of performing needed jobs in a high-tech marketplace. Americans dont want people demonized on account of their religion and they dont want walls. They want inclusion, not exclusion, and Donald Trump, who has fallen victim to his own rhetoric of hate and division, is reaping what he has sown. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Donald Trump is very impressed with himself. Others are less so, like Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who told KIRO Radios Dave Ross that its sad that Hes a bully and he cant take defeat like a man. Trump had referred to U.S. District Court Judge James Robart as a so-called judge, which prompted Ferguson to say: Calling a federal judge whatever you think of their decision a so-called judge, its insulting to our system of government, the judiciary. Its not right and frankly, you know, the president is on an island with comments like that. Listen courtesy of KIRO Radio: Ferguson went on to say, One cannot favor one religion over another and President Trump was crystal clear when he was a candidate for office that he wanted a Muslim ban. As recently as a few days ago, Mayor Giuliani went on the news to say Yeah, the president called me to put together a Muslim ban but find a way to do it legally. Thats not how it works. He added, If it is a motivating factor behind why something was implemented, even if on its face the plain language does not necessarily suggest its discriminatory, as long as its clear the motivating factor or a motivating factor was, as in this case, favoring one religion over another, that makes it unconstitutional. To the administrations position that the courts cant challenge the presidents actions, that this amounts to second guessing, an action that is somehow suddenly illegal: The injunction contravenes the constitutional separation of powers; harms the public by thwarting enforcement of an Executive Order issued by the nations elected representative responsible for immigration matters and foreign affairs; and second-guesses the Presidents national security judgment about the quantum of risk posed by the admission of certain classes of aliens and the best means of minimizing that risk. And there was Mike Pences claim that Trump was operating within his authority as president, both under the constitution and under clear statutory law. The argument seems to be that whatever Trump wants to do is legal and because he says so. Ferguson replied unequivocally to these claims: One cannot look behind an executive action at all. Cant be questioned, cant look at the motivation, cant try to understand why they did it. That is not the law and frankly, it cannot be the law in our country. Not only is Trump a bully then, but his very manhood is being called into question, and as we are all well aware, Donald Trump ran his campaign based on his claim that he was a man and Hillary Clinton was a weak woman. In the Icelandic Saga of Grettir the Strong, Ornund Treefoot told a man who had mocked him and whom he had just felled, Braver are many in word than in deed. This applies to Donald Trump, who responded to his defeat by mocking a federal judge and then trying to claim his executive order was actually a ban imposed by the Department of Homeland Security. Trump is too much the coward to accept personal resonsbility for his actions, or even for his own words. If the best argument he can make is that the judge is so-called and that upholding the Constitution is second guessing, Trump is going to have a painful four years ahead of him. What the president wants does not get pride of place above the United States Constitution, and Trump is not man enough to admit when he is wrong, or to realize that acting like a child when he loses is not going to accord him the respect of the office he so desires. . ( ) Watchdog and Public Service reporter Thad Moore is a reporter on The Post and Couriers Watchdog and Public Service team and a graduate of the University of South Carolina. To share tips securely, reach Moore via ProtonMail at thadmoore@protonmail.com or on Signal at 843-214-6576. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Low near 70F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Low near 70F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. As winter or colder weather at least slowly approaches, start thinking about how to the best take care of your plants to ensure they make it to spring. Read moreTips for taking care of your plants as winter approaches in the SC Lowcountry As Laffittes case has moved toward trial, it has helped shed new light on Alex Murdaughs alleged financial crimes. His trial is poised to unpack them in the finest detail yet. Read moreEx-SC banker Russell Laffitte set to face trial in first Murdaugh case to be heard by jury S.C. Education Superintendent Molly Spearman wasnt dreaming up hypothetical problems when she went to the Statehouse in 2019 to ask for authority to remove school boards in districts the state has to take over. Read moreScoppe: Allendale interventions show SC school takeovers work while they last Caesar August thought he was the world he thought the world revolved around him. He could order a taxation and require everyone to report to their ancestral city. He had a lot of power. Then there was King Herod, who was King over Judea. He feared the future the future of another king taking over and even his own family usurping him in the future. When King Herod heard the news that the Magi came to seek the "King of the Jews," he was disturbed. He called in all his teachers/ advisors to discover what was prophesied about this "king." Joseph and Mary had traveled to a little town named Bethlehem because of Caesar Augustus. Caesar had no idea he was fulfilling Micah's 700-year-old prophecy. A baby in any household changes everything. History has revealed that this child has changed the world in far more ways than any other person. Yale historian Jeroslav Pelikan wrote, "Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western culture for almost 20 centuries. If it were possible, with some sort of super magnet, to pull up out of history every scrap of metal bearing at least a trace of his name, how much would be left?" ADVERTISEMENT Here are six ways that Jesus impacted and changed our world: 1. Children.In the ancient world children were routinely left to die of exposure. They often were sold into slavery. Jesus' treatment of and teachings about children led to the forbidding of such practices, as well as orphanages and godparents. 2. Education.Universities such as Cambridge, Oxford and Harvard all began as Jesus-inspired efforts to love God with all one's mind. The first legislation to publicly fund education in the colonies was called the Old Deluder Satan Act , under the notion that God does not want any child ignorant. 3. Compassion.Jesus had a universal concern for those who suffered that transcended the rules of the ancient world. His compassion for the poor and the sick led to institutions for lepers, the beginning of modern-day hospitals. 4. Humility.Jesus' life as a foot-washing servant eventually would lead to the adoption of humility as a widely admired virtue. 5. Forgiveness.Hannah Arendt, the first woman appointed to a full professorship at Princeton, claimed, "The discoverer of the role of forgiveness in the realm of human affairs was Jesus of Nazareth." 6. Humanitarian reform.Jesus had a way of championing the excluded that often was downright irritating to those in power. His inclusion of women led to a community to which women flocked in disproportionate numbers. Slaves up to a third of ancient populations might wander into a church fellowship and have a slave-owner wash their feet rather than beat them. The apostle Paul said: "Now there is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave or free, male and female, but all are one in Christ Jesus." This little baby born in a manger was to be the hope for the entire world. This little baby born in a manger came to change the world not with power, not with money and not with revolution, but with love. Love changes everything. Christ's love changes us and his love has changed the world. ADVERTISEMENT Jesus said we are to love one another as he loves us, and people will know that we are his by our love. Jesus is love and he is the love that changed the world. Life Editor Jeff Pieters' proposition about potential topics for my new column is accomplished at last. He proposed that occasionally I illuminate comparisons between Rochester and Joliet, where Sheryl and I have returned after nine years away. How do the two towns size up? Joliet's population is closing in on 150,000, around 40,000 more than Rochester's. These Cities of the First Class, despite their large size, have retained commendable small-town virtues. Chiefly, townsfolk in both communities care about the welfare of one another, offering help to one another when need arises. Perhaps the most noteworthy difference is that Rochester is strengthened by Minnesota's strong fiscal position; Joliet regrettably not at all. Here's the evidence: Minnesota functions comfortably statewide with a $1.4 billion spending budget surplus while Illinois miserably writhes from a $7.8 billion budget deficit. Yikes! What economic peril have I come back to? Illinois' elected officers have not approved a spending budget for going on two years, a situation unheard in Minnesota. In Illinois, Republican Governor Bruce Rauner has feuded with the Democratic-controlled state congress. The long-standing situation has grown so dire that Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has requested that the state's 63,000 employees go unpaid if a Feb. 28 deadline to finalize a spending budget is not met. Only Illinois state police and prison personnel would be exempt from the no-pay decree. Working together ADVERTISEMENT On Jan. 27, I attended my first large-scale foray into local issues. The Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry hosted a community summit, "The Economic Value of a Healthy Human System." Established by the Illinois Partners for Human Service, a series of statewide summits are intended to create community awareness of the need for a healthy human infrastructure and to increase residents' ability to reach their full potential. By attending the Joliet summit, I expected to fully re-engage with civic leaders, and I did, receiving an enthusiastic "Welcome back!" from many, expressing pleasure that Sheryl and I have returned to Joliet. Yet among the nearly 200 attendees for the two-hour box-lunch gathering at Joliet Junior College, nearly all attendees represented local nonprofit sectors. I truly was surprised there were only few from the business community, given the economic-based topic. If a similar event were to be held in Rochester, the business leadership surely would have attended. The panel of presenters turned out to be superior in their fields of expertise, exactly what I needed to catch up on the state of health care in my community and statewide. Speakers included representatives from local health organizations, public safety, education, employment and economic development as well as state office-holders and officials. The observable community difference: Destination Medical Center and Journey to Growth initiatives along with Rochester city and Olmsted County government collaborations have created a positive health care-business-government synergy that would be enviable in Illinois. There is no doubt to me that Illinois state government has significant dysfunction. Extreme partisanship has not shaped a healthy economic environment, pun intended. Depressed mindset One supremely edifying insight was the case study brought forth by Judith Gethner, executive director of Illinois Partners for Human Service . Gethner revealed results from a state survey of this curious question: "How do public human services employees feel society thinks of them?" The answer from Illinois public health care workers was a feeling of "tremendous disrespect" from the public. I suspect you would agree with me that this is a dismaying response. Yet not unexpected in a state where for years and years public health care reimbursement has been chronically slow and underfunded. ADVERTISEMENT What is even more disconcerting about this negative perception of those who labor in Illinois' public human services is a depressed employee mindset. Extending that thought concludes how difficult it must be to attract dedicated, passionate workers into the Illinois public health sector. Check future columns for more insight about comparisons between my two beloved communities. Rochester police are investigating a stabbing that occurred sometime early Sunday, but wasn't reported by the victim. Officers were called by hospital staff about 4 a.m. to a local emergency department, where they found a 19-year-old with stab wounds to his upper shoulder/chest area, said Capt. John Sherwin. The victim was initially uncooperative, the report says, then said he'd been stabbed by a stranger as he walked home from a convenience store on Marion Road Southeast. The man said he was approached by a Somali male in his 30s, riding a mountain bike; the alleged suspect had a beard and was between 6 feet 2 inches and 6 feet 5 inches, and weighed between 180 and 200 pounds. The suspect stopped the victim, who pushed him away, the report says. The suspect "came at him again," Sherwin said, and the victim thought he'd been punched in the upper body. ADVERTISEMENT The two parted ways; the 19-year-old reportedly discovered he'd been stabbed when he got home. A preacher of the prosperity gospel, which espouses that God materially rewards the faithful for right living, spoke from the TV in the wee hours of a Sunday morning when people who aren't slave to habit are asleep. The preacher was followed by a husband and wife team who mixed politics and religion to conclude that world events suggest the end times have drawn near. A 30-minute infomercial touting a miracle face cream that claims to cover years of hard miles was followed by a hair enhancement product, which piqued my interest. Four a.m. on a Sunday is not a good place to be when there's no place to go or something worthwhile to do. I could have settled down with a book, but words aren't easily read with blurry eyes. The preacher's message was strengthened with testimonials from former have-nots who now have more than they previously imagined. Theologians who never seem to agree on either the important or the trivial are generally skeptical. Some see the prosperity gospel as a strange marriage between Biblical truth, the American Dream and an effective tool to obtain more donations. ADVERTISEMENT I'm a firm fence-sitter on the matter, which leads the predawn muddled mind to consider how big a donation is needed to achieve what is desired. Would a $10 donation lead to a new fridge or washing machine? Could giving $1,000 to the cause yield a Florida beachfront home? An acquaintance, who is agnostic and thinks all religion has on balance done more harm than good, snorted when I mentioned the programs. "You've got too much time on your hands,'' he said and suggested more worthy diversions are needed. He might be equal friend and foe, but in any case a worthy conversationalist because he is blunt. Unfortunately, he also holds the opinion that his thoughts are correct and others less so. I was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt. "If you had money, you'd blow it anyway,'' he said with assurance. I took enough umbrage at that to ask him why. "You're jinxed,'' he responded. "Bad luck spores hover all around you." Perceptions can be wrong, but the litany of mini-disasters that he recited from memory nearly convinced me otherwise. ADVERTISEMENT A knee injury similar to Teddy Bridgewater; calves that escaped the fence and crossed the tar road before stopping a couple miles away; a friend's tractor that entered my field and suddenly lost all hydraulics; a storm that felled the grain bin; and a blown engine because a filter fell off and drained all the oil. By the time he stopped to catch a breath, he almost had convinced me I was Joe Btfsplk personified. Btfsplk for those who might not remember was a comic strip character created by Al Capp in Li'l Abner. Although well-intentioned, Joe brought misfortune to all around him. Capp drew a dark cloud as Joe's constant companion. Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck and Sylvester the cat might be better comparisons. I could relate better to Fudd, Daffy and Sylvester than to those who always came out on top. Ah, but I've been blessed in love. That's because the more of it you give, the more you get back. The truth of that is found in the Bible, where faith, hope and love with the latter being greater than the former. Hate has its triumphs, but they are only temporary. The conversation ended, and I don't expect to see him for a couple months. The prosperity gospel with regards to love be it at the dinner table, in the community or among the poor seems a sound philosophy. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Delaney stepped off a plane Saturday night to a homecoming welcome like he has never received before. Delaney, who recently completed a 14-month stint that included nine months in Iraq along the Syrian border, has served four tours in the Middle East in his 17-year career in the Army. Each of the other times he returned home, he was met at the airport by his family and perhaps some friends. But Saturday night was a little different. After deplaning, Delaney was welcomed by American Legion groups, members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, law enforcement and first responders, and Rochester City Lines, his employer when he is stateside. "For the first responders, they put in a lot of hours, and for them to come out is special," said Terry Throndson, who made the calls that rallied the folks to welcome Delany home. "This is all successful because people show up," Throndson said. Throndson said he has helped organize other welcome home greetings for members of the military, but Saturday's response for Delany was the largest he has seen. The only hitch with Saturday's event was the time of Delany's flight, which kept changing during the week as Throndson organized the event. ADVERTISEMENT In the end, Delany made it home Saturday night instead of Sunday, which meant seeing his wife and children that much sooner. "He'd been deployed for 14 months," Throndson said. "One more day is a big, big deal. Jeremy was taken in very much by (the welcome home)." MINNEAPOLIS Mahamed Iye, 66, couldn't stop smiling as he waited near the baggage carousel at the Twin Cities airport Sunday afternoon. Waiting along with him were a half dozen reporters. Iye's reunion with his wife, Saido Abdille, and daughters ages 2 and 4 is a scene that's played out thousands of times for Somali-Americans in Minnesota. But this reunion almost didn't happen. "We're going to find the time that we missed together, so we're going to spend time with the family," said Iye, speaking through an interpreter. Iye said one of the first things he's going to do is find medical treatment for his 4-year-old, who suffers from microcephaly. She was unable to get adequate treatment in east Africa. ADVERTISEMENT Iye is an American citizen. So are the girls. But Abdille is a Somali national. Even though she got her visa last month after a four-year vetting process, Trump's 90-day travel ban meant she couldn't board her flight out of Nairobi. The State Department reported last week that as many as 60,000 people from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia had their visas canceled. But on Friday, Seattle Federal Judge James Robart a George W. Bush appointee temporarily blocked Trump's order. The ruling came after Washington state's attorney general Bob Ferguson and his Minnesota counterpart, Lori Swanson, filed a lawsuit challenging the ban. Early Sunday, an appeals court in San Francisco declined a request from the Trump Administration to reinstate it. It's unclear whether Abdille could have entered the U.S. without the court order; authorities had been granting exemptions prior to the ruling. "I've been feeling a lot of worry that I might not get the trip, and I might not make it here," Abdille said. Abdille said she had no trouble with immigration officials after her connecting flight from Amsterdam landed at the airport Sunday. Iye and Abdille are plaintiffs in a separate lawsuit filed by immigration advocacy groups in Minnesota. Their co-plaintiffs, Farshid Zadeh, a legal permanent U.S. resident, and his wife, Samaneh Raghimi, an Iranian citizen, were flying back from Tehran the day President Trump signed the executive order. Raghimi now is planning to fly to Minneapolis, following a separate judge's ruling in Washington state. She expects to land at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport later today. WASHINGTON Lawyers for Washington state and Minnesota have told a federal appellate court that restoring President Donald Trump's ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries would "unleash chaos again." The filing with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco came early today after the White House said it expected the federal courts to reinstate the ban. Washington and Minnesota said their underlying lawsuit was strong and a nationwide temporary restraining order was appropriate. If the appellate court reinstated Trump's ban, the states said the "ruling would reinstitute those harms, separating families, stranding our university students and faculty and barring travel." The rapid-fire legal maneuvers by the two states were accompanied by briefs filed by the technology industry arguing the travel ban would harm their companies by making it more difficult to recruit employees. Tech giants such as Apple and Google, along with Uber, filed their arguments with the court late Sunday. Trump's executive order was founded on a claim of national security, but lawyers for the two states told the appellate court the administration's move hurts residents, businesses and universities and is unconstitutional. ADVERTISEMENT The next opportunity for Trump's team to argue in favor of the ban will come in the form of a response to the Washington state and Minnesota filings. The 9th Circuit ordered the U.S. Justice Department to file its briefs by 5 p.m. Monday. It already had turned down a Justice request to set aside immediately a Seattle judge's ruling that put a temporary hold on the ban nationwide. In the latest filing, lawyers for Washington state and Minnesota said: "Defendants now ask this court to unleash chaos again by staying the district court order. The court should decline." That ruling last Friday prompted an ongoing Twitter rant by Trump, who dismissed U.S. District Court Judge James Robart as a "so-called judge" and called his decision "ridiculous." Trump renewed his Twitter attacks against Robart on Sunday. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" He followed with another tweet saying he had instructed the Homeland Security Department to check people coming into the country but that "the courts are making the job very difficult!" Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday that "we don't appoint judges to our district courts to conduct foreign policy or to make decisions about the national security." Trump himself had offered an optimistic forecast the previous night, telling reporters during a weekend at his private club in Florida: "We'll win. For the safety of the country, we'll win." The government had told the appeals court that the president alone has the power to decide who can enter or stay in the United States, an assertion that appeared to invoke the wider battle to come over illegal immigration. Congress "vests complete discretion" in the president to impose conditions on entry of foreigners to the United States, and that power is "largely immune from judicial control," according to the court filing. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, predicted the appeals court would not have the last word. "I have no doubt that it will go to the Supreme Court, and probably some judgments will be made whether this president has exceeded his authority or not," she said. ADVERTISEMENT In his ruling, Robart said it was not the court's job to "create policy or judge the wisdom of any particular policy promoted by the other two branches" but to make sure that an action taken by the government "comports with our country's laws." Whatever the outcome and however the case drags on, a president who was used to getting his way in private business is finding, weeks into his new job that obstacles exist to quickly fulfilling one of his chief campaign pledges. "The president is not a dictator," said Feinstein, D-Calif. "He is the chief executive of our country. And there is a tension between the branches of government." The Twitter attacks on Robart appointed by President George W. Bush prompted scolding from fellow Republicans as well as Democrats. "We don't have so-called judges," said Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb. "We don't have so-called senators. We don't have so-called presidents. We have people from three different branches of government who take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution." However, Pence defended the president, saying he "can criticize anybody he wants." The vice president added he believes the American people "find it very refreshing that they not only understand this president's mind, but they understand how he feels about things." Trump's order applied to Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen Muslim-majority countries the administration said raise terrorism concerns. The order had caused unending confusion for many foreigners trying to reach the United States, prompting protests across the United States and leading to multiple court challenges. The State Department said last week that as many as 60,000 foreigners from those seven countries had had their visas canceled. After Robart's decision, the department reversed course and said they could travel to the U.S. if they had a valid visa. ADVERTISEMENT The department also advised refugee aid agencies that refugees set to travel before Trump signed his order now would be allowed in. The Homeland Security Department no longer was directing airlines to prevent visa-holders affected by Trump's order from boarding U.S.-bound planes. The agency said it had "suspended any and all actions" related to putting in place Trump's order. Pence appeared on ABC's "This Week," CBS' "Face the Nation," NBC's "Meet the Press" and "Fox News Sunday." McConnell was on CNN, Feinstein spoke on Fox and Sasse was interviewed by ABC. I cant tell any more if the fanatical obscurantism of the left is due to malice, ignorance, or the long decline of teaching reading comprehension in our education system. These explanations are not mutually exclusive, of course, and perhaps they reinforce each other. Since the Weekly Standard outed Michael Anton a few days ago as the notorious Decius, the left has been having a proverbial cow. Why, hes even worse than Steve Bannon! Jonathan Chait says in New York magazine that Anton is Americas leading authoritarian intellectual, which is pretty rich coming from someone who just published a book singing hosannas for the audacity of Barack Obama. (This must also come as deflating news to Melissa Click and other campus authoritarian wannabes.) And somebody at a thing called Policy Mic calls Anton a shadowy, far-right figure. Shadowy? This is a guy who wrote a hilarious book about mens fashion style. And never to be outdone, Salon calls Anton a dystopian prophet. (Again, liberals must hate it when anyone else intrudes on their dystopian turf.) Now that Michael is suited up at the National Security Council and working 18 hour days, hes not going to be able to defend himself against such calumnies. Chris Buskirk over at American Greatness has offered a rousing defense (including a sharp jab at Bill Kristols critical tweetsto paraphrase Orwell, it could appear that West Coast Straussians have always been at war with East Coast Straussians, even though a certain new book brokers a peace between them), but Ill add a few observations of my own. Starting with: Seriously? Authoritarian? Puh-leese. It is curious that Antons leftist detractors pass over entirely how Anton has come around to so many of their arguments, i.e., that the Iraq War was a blunder, that trade deals havent worked out for the working class, and that Davoisie, as Anton calls them, are out for themselves, etc. Maybe theyre scared that Anton is on to something that will put them out of business? If you have a moment, go back and take in my Power Line podcast with Anton from last summer, and ask yourself if this person sounds like an authoritarian (let alone shadowy). Beyond this, the whole point of the Claremont project to which Anton is attached is to reverse the centralization of political power whose entire premise is authoritarian control over American life. The irony here is that Chait and other liberals approve of this authoritarian project. I think psychologists call this projection? You should go back and take in my Weekly Standard article from October on this very point. Heres the key paragraph: The political character of the administrative state is more important than the economic inefficiency or arbitrariness of bureaucracy that is the usual target of conservative ire, because it represents a new answer to the classic political question: Who should rule? The premise of the Constitution is that the people should rule. The premise of the administrative state, explicitly expressed by Woodrow Wilson and other Progressive-era theorists, is that experts should rule, in a new administrative form largely sealed off from political influence, i.e., sealed off from the people. At some point, it amounts to government without the consent of the governed, a simple fact that surprisingly few conservative politicians perceive. Trump may or may not be the ideal president to take on this challenge (Ill have more to say on this point in a separate post later), but he represents the most serious challenge to the administrative state since Reagan and hes the only president weve got right now. And even Trump skeptics ought to be glad that Anton has a senior post in the administration. Thus I was also dismayed at this Bill Kristol tweet that references the Chait article: In fairness to Bill, Anton did throw down some heavy blows on the conservative establishment, including its magazines, in several of his Decius posts, and while his authorship was widely known to most of his targets, they decently refrained from fully outing him at the time because they knew hed be the next Brendan Eich at his Wall Street job if they did. (There were a few leaks, but the mainstream media never picked them up.) I was amazed his cover held as long as it did, and it is to be expected that hed now get some overdo smacking around over this previous business. In any case, Im not sure whether this particular tweet shouldnt be read in an ironic way, or with a double meaning. Surely Bill Kristol doesnt think much of Chaits analytical powers, and while the reference to Carl Schmitt is certainly inflammatory on the surface, is this possibly a subtle (too subtle) dig at the lefts infantile hysteria while cautioning Anton to take cognizance of how the style of his political argument can ignite the lefts calumnies? Chait and the other leftists attacking Anton are a farce, just as the simplistic leftist renderings of Schmitt are a farce. This is not the place to sort out Carl Schmitt, who is simple-mindedly described as a Nazi legal theorist, in part because the question is very dense. His criticism of the defects of modern liberalism and democratic institutions are in places profound. Ive long thought his 1923 book The Crisis of Parliamentary Democracy could be compared in some respects to Hayeks The Road to Serfdom, because both foresaw how democratic government might crumple before socialist challenges. But like Heidegger, Schmitt is hard to make out clearly because he wrote in German. Nuff said. I havent asked Bill about this, but he does like to be mischievous, making friends think harder while spreading chaos among his enemies. Sort of like Trump. The womens protest march on the day after the inauguration of President Trump was a peaceful affair. The protesters I encountered were mostly good-natured, especially given how disappointed they must have been. Inauguration day was a different story. Rioting left six police officers injured and caused tens of thousands of dollars in property damage to vehicles and store windows. Police arrested 230 people in connection with the riot. So far, according to the Washington Post, charges have been dropped against nine of them, including four journalists who say they were simply covering the festivities. To date, 63 of those arrested have been indicted on felony charges. Prosecutors are still sifting through the evidence, including photos, video, and accounts by undercover officers, to see whether additional felony indictments are warranted and whether more charges should be dropped. In addition, and this is very good news, federal prosecutors are trying to identify rioters who were not arrested. Assistant U.S. attorney Jennifer Kerkoff says: We are continuing to get new information every day. In the next week or two, we expect to bring in more defendants. Prosecutors reportedly have even subpoenaed Facebook for information from the accounts of suspects. Great work! Sifting through photos, videos and Facebook accounts is painstaking work. Many rioters wore goggles, hats, and/or black scarves to prevent identification. After recent rioting in Portland, Oregon, local prosecutors decided not to undertake such a review, even for people who had already been arrested. They ended up dropping around 80 of 120 cases and charged only two people with rioting. Its heartening to see the Justice Department being more aggressive. Felony rioting carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000. It would be great if the Justice Department could put a goodly portion of the inauguration day rioters behind bars for a even a few years. Otherwise, we can expect the same people to injure police officers and destroy property in cities and towns throughout America. Naturally, the defense bar is doing what it can to achieve that result. According to the Post, one of the arguments is that the U.S. attorneys office should recuse itself from prosecuting these cases because the president selects and nominates the U.S. Attorney. The current U.S. attorney wasnt nominated by the man against whom the rioting ostensibly was directed. The theory, perhaps, is that President Trump will decide whether the incumbent stays in that position, and that this provides an extra incentive to prosecute. Its a creative but specious argument one that would preclude federal prosecution of violent anarchists and revolutionaries, and perhaps many other federal criminals. The president has a duty to defend the country against those who seek through violence to overthrow or undermine the government. Federal prosecutors have a duty to help the president accomplish this. A president might move to dismiss a prosecutor who doesnt vigorously fulfill this duty (or any other of his prosecutorial duties), but this prospect provides no basis for recusal. If prosecutors become overzealous for whatever reason, courts are there to protect the rights of defendants. The problem I foresee is that courts in the District of Columbia may be underzealous when it comes to sentencing the thugs who rioted on inauguration day. Many of the judges here are liberal Obama appointees. Perhaps they should recuse themselves (just kidding). The handling of the inauguration day rioters will be a good test for both the U.S. attorneys office and the courts. With violent left-wing rioting spreading throughout America, the stakes are high. PR-Inside.com: 2017-02-06 07:02:02 A.M. Best to Sponsor Dubai World Insurance Congress A.M. Best Charlotte Jackson, +(44) 20 7626 6264 charlotte.jackson@ambest.com A.M. Best is a sponsor of the first Dubai World Insurance Congress event, to be held 28 February - 1 March 2017 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Hosted by Global Reinsurance, the Dubai International Financial Centre and the DIFC Insurance Association, the Dubai World Insurance Congress is a new international (re)insurance event. A.M. Bests delegation will be available for meetings and will hold bilateral discussions at their meeting location in the conference Premium Lounge. To arrange a meeting, please email Bouchra.AbouNader@ambest.com. More information about the conference is available at http://www.dubaiwic.com/dubaiwic. A.M. Best rates more than 50 (re)insurance companies in the GCC and broader MENA region and has a representative office in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) to support its growing presence in the region. To learn more about Bests Credit Ratings, please visit http://www.ambest.com/ratings. A.M. Best is the world's oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright 2017 by A.M. Best Company, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201702050050 The village of Galtelli, Sardinia, has announced the second edition of the Galtelli Literary Prize contest for 2017. The international prose contest is dedicated to the great Sardinian writer, Grazia Deledda, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1926. Her masterpiece, Canne al Vento, or Reeds in the Wind, was set in the village of Galtelli, so the location and theme are particularly notable. PR-Inside.com: 2017-02-06 17:01:56 Press Information Galtelli Literary Prize Municipality of Galtelli Piazza SS Crocifisso, 08020 Galtelli (NU), Italy Fabrizio Bestoso Marketing Manager +66876187018 email http://www.galtelliliteraryprize.com # 445 Words Municipality of GaltelliPiazza SS Crocifisso, 08020 Galtelli (NU), ItalyMarketing Manager+66876187018 THE GALTELLi LITERARY PRIZE RETURNS FOR 2017.The village of Galtelli, Sardinia, has announced the second edition of the Galtelli Literary Prize contest for 2017.The international prose contest is dedicated to the great Sardinian writer, Grazia Deledda, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1926. Her masterpiece, Canne al Vento, or Reeds in the Wind, was set in the village of Galtelli, so the location and theme are particularly notable.Writers from around the world are invited to enter their unpublished written submissions, of up to 5,000 words. In addition, applicants must include a cover letter outlining why they believe their piece dovetails with Grazia Deleddas work.The top five selected writers, plus two selected writers for the Sardinian language category, will be invited to Sardinia for workshops and lectures from 23rd-25th June 2017. The eventual winner will then be officially announced at the end of that weekend.In addition to a cash prize of 1,000, the winner will receive up to 1,000 for travel expenses to Sardinia, as well as publication. Runners-up (to fifth place) will also win travel expenses and publication, and a separate prize fund for the winner (1,000 prize, up to 300 travel expenses and publication) and runner-up (travel up to 300 and publication) in the Sardinian language is also available.During its first running in 2015, the contest attracted worldwide entries, from countries including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, India, Israel, Australia, Egypt, Ghana, Pakistan, France, Germany, Portugal, Singapore, Zambia, Hong Kong, and Italy, to name a few.The deadline for submissions is April 15th, 2017, and the shortlist will be officially announced on 20th May 2017.The contest will be judged by a prestigious international jury, and members of the judging panel will be announced in course. More information can be found by http://www.galtelliliteraryprize.com About Grazia DeleddaGrazia Deledda was born in Nuoro in 1871 and died in Rome in 1936. Almost an autodidact, she devoted her life to describing the Sardinian populace between the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries, portraying their harsh lives and combining the imaginary and the autobiographical. The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to her for her idealistically inspired writings which with plastic clarity picture the life on her native island and with depth and sympathy deal with human problems in general. About GaltelliGaltelli (Sardinian: Garteddi) is a Comune (municipality) in the Province of Nuoro in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 140 kilometres northeast of Cagliari and about 25 kilometres northeast of Nuoro. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,452. Galtelli borders the municipalities of: Dorgali, Irgoli, Loculi, Lula, Onifai, Orosei.Municipality of GaltelliPiazza SS Crocifisso, 08020 Galtelli (NU), Italy.Facebook: /GaltelliLiteraryPrizeWebsite: www.galtelliliteraryprize.com Email: info@ galtelliliteraryprize.com Moscow, February 6, 2017 Two churches and four houses were recently attacked by night in the Greek mountain village of Xirovalto in the Pogoni municaplity, near the Greek-Albanian border, 195 miles southwest of Thessaloniki, and other villages. We will not become slaves in our homes, is the cry of despair of the few guards living on the border, living in fear of the Albanian thugs who easily pass into Greek territory. Police were called late in the afternoon on Sunday when local farmer Sophia Demetriou and another villager noticed that the Church of St. Parasceva had been attacked, reports Romfea. They then locked themselves in their houses, afraid to come out until the police arrived. We saw that the churchs windows had been broken and were opened Although we have a key to the church we didnt open it until the police came, because we were afraid to find someone inside. We wanted to go to the other houses in the village to see what was happening, but we were afraid A month ago a pair of breeders in the next village over, Pontikates, found some Albanians outside their home with Kalashnikov machine guns. We are in a panic, Demetriou said. We dont want to leave our homes that we built with our own blood, she exclaimed. When police arrived it was discovered that two icons had been stolen from the church. The same parish of St. Parasceva was also attacked a year earlier, when thieves removed icons from the iconostasis and stole the epitaphios (plashchanitsa). It was also reported that on the night of Friday to Saturday houses were burglarized in Ioannina. An icon, embroidered epitaphios and two metal candlesticks were also stole from the Church of St. Nicholas in Xirovalto. Similar cases have been reported just over the border, in small Greek villages in Albania. Pogoni mayor Kostas Kapsalis believes it is likely the same group looting on both sides of the border. The villages are at the mercy of Albanian criminals, he said. Despite the commitments repeatedly made by those responsible to reopen military posts and that police presence would be strengthened at the border, with thermal cameras, we have as yet seen nothing. The lack of security has the villagers sleeping with guns and afraid to leave their homes, the mayor lamented. Die, Sand ni gg er go home and #muslimban then... Beloit Police Chief David Zibolski is speaking out after a hate crime, reported on Beloit College's campus, turned out to be fake."There were certain indicators that led us to believe there was a little more to the story," he said on Thursday.It all began with a real hate crime: An anti-semitic note passed under a student's door at a residence hall. Zibolski says that threat was investigated immediately."We were already investigating the first incident when this one came up, which obviously ratcheted up the fear and concern on campus," he said.Zibolski says another student came forward with a hate crime report, this one involving anti-Muslim messages painted on a residence hall door. But after a thorough investigation, detectives discovered the victim, 20-year-old Michael Kee, had painted the messages himself. Kee admitting to the crime, saying he wanted the same attention the campus was giving the other student.Zibolski says false reports like Kee's can increase the trauma for real hate crime victims."Especially something of this magnitude, which has that kind of draw and fear that comes with it," he explained. "That really can cause delegitimizing or diminishment of the public's response when we have additional crimes of that nature."Beloit College Spokesperson Whitney Helm says students have come together to help each other process both the real hate crime and the fake one."Making sure that their fellow students feel supported, and definitely those communities and marginalized groups feel most supported," said Helm.Zibolski says he wants the public to know his department will continue to investigate hate crimes vigorously, despite the false report.Kee is charged with obstructing, disorderly conduct, and criminal damage to property. Beloit Police are still investigating the other, legitimate hate crime. Mowich said: No, I don't. Anyone needing sanctuary is obviously in our country illegally and should be turned over to authorities. Click to expand... RIGHT ON!!! I saw some Toronto Silly Hall councilor whining about how hard it was for undocumented workers to access unemployment insurance, welfare, and affordable housing!!!! If they are undocumented then they are not paying taxes-because-NO DOCUMENTS-DUH!!!! And lots of them DON`T WANT to pay taxes either! Lots of construction people here from all over-NOT PAYING that roughly 40 percent tariff for workers compensation insurance, not paying that health levy, not paying income tax either!If they get hurt on the job they use forged Nigerian health documents to access our health care-and if they get caught-like the Polish brick layer or the Portuguese carpenter with his Brazilian wife and four kids, the WORST that happens is they get shipped home!lts all a racket and WE PAY for it while govt dorks seek to BUY immigrant votes and keep themselves on the govt gravy train-using borrowed money that we cannot afford to pay back! Undocumented workers are stealing jobs! How many young Cdn guys would dump their current McJob immediately if they could get into construction jobs-with about 100 percent increase in pay!!!! But there are no union apprenticeships available and no non union company will hire our kids because they can get non documented workers for at less than half the price of Cdns- once all the govt taxes are stripped off!Undocumented construction workers in Canada have the best of both worlds-Cnd work at Cdn pay rates with NO need to pay Cdn taxes-along with fraudulent access to Cdn health care as needed- and they can send pay back to their home country to ensure they get their govt pension when they get tired of working!Viva Canada-sucker nation of the world! GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP The Student Senate at Stockton University will host a rally and march Monday afternoon to bring attention to a recent immigration suspension issued by President Donald Trump. The Time to Act is NOW rally will begin at 1 p.m. in the Campus Center Grand Hall, followed by a student march to the K wing circle. Last week, Trump issued an executive order that indefinitely stopped the Syrian refugee program and temporarily halted immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries. Over the weekend, a federal judge suspended implementation of the ban nation-wide. The suspension was upheld by another judge in San Francisco after a challenge from the White House. The White House is continuing its effort to have the ban reinstated. Diane Miller found herself at the foot of a wood-paneled house in Connecticut. The average person would say it appears old. After all, its located in a historical home section of Milford, Connecticut. But for Miller, an assistant librarian at the Atlantic County Historical Society in Somers Point, it was much more than that. It was the 17th century home of her ancestor, Deacon George Clark, an English immigrant considered to be one of the founding fathers of the city. Its one of three homes that have been relocated to property owned by the Milford Historical Society. It was one of several trips Miller had taken to trace her familial roots to try to find another distant ancestor: Joseph Camp Clark. He fought in the Revolutionary War and was her ticket to joining the Daughters of the American Revolution, a Washington, D.C.-based group of women who descend from patriots that promotes volunteerism. She and others have caught the genealogy bug in trying to find their ancestry. Many find themselves in the throes of a gratifying, emotional experience. Miller works with volunteers at the Atlantic County Historical Society that help South Jersey residents come up with records about their family. Many, like her, are searching to apply to become a member of either the DAR or SAR, Sons of the American Revolution, for male descendants of patriots. For Miller, she took vacation time to try to find documents to tie the six generations that could connect her to Joseph Camp Clark. There was the trip to Iowa to find his descendant Daniel Clark. It took more digging to find Daniels wife and their son, William. William is Millers great-grandfather. Gems of information can be uncovered, but family anecdotes told for generations also can wind up disproved. Theres always a family tradition or story you have, but dont believe it all, said Mary Beth Ortzman, DAR member and volunteer at the Atlantic County Historical Society. Ortzmans own dive into her family history turned up two witches who were killed in Salem, Massachusetts. Norman Goos, an SAR member and the librarian of the Atlantic County Historical Society, also had ties to the Salem witch trials. He even had a family member who was hanged but not killed what would have been considered a sure mark of evil. Of course, she was killed the second time. Ortzman and Goos have done different kinds of DNA tests, which is a newer way of linking to other people. For Ortzman, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, it is helping her to uncover clues about her familys medical history, now more important to her than ever. Mary Creedon, of Ventnor, is the granddaughter of Italian immigrants. They were musicians and came to Atlantic City in its heyday. One grandfather was an orchestra leader. The other was a cellist. The immigrants were attracted to Atlantic City for its show business. My grandmother lived with us for eight years when I was growing up, Creedon said. In junior high, I did a family tree, so Ive been interested in it since the 70s. I asked my grandmother word-of-mouth questions. When Creedon got a computer in 1999, things took off. With more home computers, programs such as ancestry.com started opening doors for a digital network of people to meet through their family research. I saw that the family came through Ellis Island, she said. I just find it interesting. Her past few generations have deep ties in South Jersey. Her father and uncle, twins Henry and Emil Martinelli, were lifeguards of the Ventnor Beach Patrol throughout the 1930s and 40s during WWII. To go back further, Creedon and her sister sat down to pen a letter in Italian asking for more records, which they eventually received from Italy. Another family tie connecting Creedon to Atlantic City was uncovered recently, when Creedon worked with Heather Perez, the head of adult services at the Atlantic City Free Public Library. Perez saw the name Vincent Speciale on a list in the librarys archives, the name of a former business agent with the Atlantic City Musicians Union and a performer at Steel Pier. Perez was able to pull sheet music written by Speciale for Creedon, who now has copies to add to her collection. We get a lot of questions, Perez said. Id say at least 40 percent of people who come in are looking into finding something about their family history. Perez said the library has an oral-history collection of about 100 people, allowing people to hear the voices of family members no longer living. Interview your family members and put them on tape, and back it up, Perez said. It will be priceless one day. A Hamas fighter succumbed on Sunday to wounds he sustained a day earlier in an accidental explosion in the northern Gaza Strip, the Ministry of Health said. Gaza Ministry of Health spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra told the Palestinian Information Center that 37-year-old Muhammad Walid al-Quqa died in the hospital on Sunday morning following an accidental explosion in al-Sudaniyya in the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday evening. The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said in a statement that al-Quqa was killed during preparations without giving details. However, the statement went on to add that al-Quqa had been involved in jihadist activities, including manufacturing and assembling explosives. Hamass military wing, the Qassam Brigades, said in a statement posted to its official website that high-ranking field commander Muhammad Hemada Walid al-Quqa, 37, died Sunday morning. Other reports from Gaza said he was 44 years old. According to Israels Channel 2 news, Quqa was the head of Hamass explosives unit and the Qassam Brigades said he had been involved in including manufacturing and assembling explosives. The Palestinian website al-Resalah, which is affiliated with Hamas, said the explosion that killed Quqa occurred in the Sudaniye area in northern Gaza. The report quoted medical sources who said the Hamas commander had been brought to the hospital with his arms and legs blown off. that's a shame.Muhammad Walid al-Quqa, the explosives chief of Hamas, reportedly blew himself up in what commonly is referred to as a work accident.The Palestinian Maan News Agency reports: The Times of Israel added::lol: PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. Gov. Chris Christie on Monday vetoed a bill that would have punished billionaire investor Carl Icahn for closing Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort in Atlantic City. Despite the veto, Icahn said he plans to sell the shuttered, 4.2 million-square-foot property, citing the bill and Senate President Steve Sweeney, D-Salem, Gloucester, Cumberland, as the reasons. I believe other large investors will similarly have no interest in investing significant amounts in Atlantic City or New Jersey as long as Sweeney is in control of the Senate, Icahn said in a statement. No potential buyer for the property has been announced. Sweeney said Christies veto of the bill, which called for a five-year license suspension for anyone shutting down a casino after January 2016, is flat-out wrong. The only person who will benefit from this veto will be billionaire investor Carl Icahn, who is a good friend of the casinos namesake, Donald Trump, Sweeney said in a statement. In a Monday letter to lawmakers, Christie said the proposed bill represents the Legislature at its worst. It is a transparent attempt to punish the owner of the Taj Mahal casino for making the business decision to close its doors after its union employees went on strike and refused to negotiate in good faith, Christies letter stated. In January, Trump Taj Mahal Associates LLC notified the Department of Gaming Enforcement that it intends to surrender its casino license. The company also placed a deed restriction on the property not allowing gambling if the property is sold, according to paperwork filed with the Atlantic County Clerks Office on Dec. 19. Sen. Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic, said he was not surprised by governors veto. At this point, I just want to see the property reopened, as either a casino hotel or a hotel, Whelan said. While the measure was passed the state Assembly by a 60-17 margin in December, Whelan doesnt know if the votes are out there for an override. Taj Mahal ownership closed the facility, once known as the eighth wonder of the world, in October. The casinos management had accused striking Unite Here Local 54 members of preventing a path to profitability. Setting aside the governors confusing array of alternative facts in support of this veto, it comes as no surprise that a governor who has done so little to support working people during his troubled tenure would abandon Atlantic City workers by vetoing a bill designed to protect them, said Bob McDevitt, president of Local 54. In his veto letter, Christie said the bill kowtowed to legislative members union constituents. This bill sends a chilling signal to businesses in New Jersey, and those thinking of relocating here, that they must play ball with the unions or face retaliation by the Legislature, the veto letter states. Such a result is contrary to this administrations efforts to further economic growth and development in the state and is therefore unacceptable. Assemblyman John Burzichelli, D-Salem, Gloucester, Cumberland, called the veto unsettling. We want businesses to come to and we want casino gaming to flourish in Atlantic City, but we do not want casino license holders who toy with the system and harm worker, said Burzichelli, a co-sponsor of the bill. With this veto, that toying and harming is exactly what will be allowed. Very concerning. President Donald Trump frequently credits social media as a key tool he used to get elected, allowing him to speak directly to the public. But social media is a tool that can backfire, too, as politicians in South Jersey and across the country have learned during the past few weeks. Youd think were in an era of immunity with politicians speaking their mind, Rutgers journalism professor David Greenberg said. Donald Trump is one of a kind. What he got away with isnt necessarily transferable to other politicians. Greenberg said posting to Facebook is equivalent to making a statement on television or radio. Social media has been around for years now, so you would think everyone would know this, he said. But peoples habits change slowly. John Carman, an Atlantic County freeholder, came under fire last month after he posted a meme to his Facebook page that showed a woman standing over a cooking pot with the caption, Will the womens protest be over in time for them to make dinner? Carman, who said the post was just a joke and told people to lighten up, eventually apologized after more than 30 people most of them women chided him at a Jan. 24 freeholder meeting. And last week, Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo, D-Atlantic, drew criticism after sharing a video on his Facebook page captioned, Illegal Immigrants Training for the Trump Wall that showed men racing up a wall with ladders. The post was later deleted, and Mazzeo told The Press of Atlantic City he didnt have his glasses on while posting it and never intended to share it. Atlantic County Freeholder Chairman Frank Formica said everything posted from official county social media accounts is closely vetted before being sent out. The freeholders also take a class once a year that teaches sensitivity and how to act as a public servant. But he said there are no rules on what public servants can or cant post on their personal social media accounts. Other politicians throughout the state and the nation have had to delete posts because of backlash. Indiana state Sen. Jack Sandlin, a Republican, deleted a meme he shared on his Facebook page that showed the womens march with a caption, Donald Trump got more fat women out walking than Michelle Obama did in 8 years. Greenberg, who wrote the book Republic of Spin: An Inside History of the American Presidency, cautioned that even though Trump finds support with controversial Twitter posts, he still entered the Oval Office as the least popular candidate in American history. Because of that, there are many areas where constituents arent going to tolerate controversial posts on social media, he said. Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo shares inappropriate Facebook post Another Atlantic County elected official is facing criticism over an inappropriate Facebook post. A Ventnor woman was sentenced Monday to eight years in prison for causing the death of her 7-month-old baby last year by giving her methadone, authorities said. Lisa M. Scalia, now 33, pleaded guilty in December to aggravated manslaughter in the death of Olaia Marie Mejia. Scalia administered methadone to the baby, acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane Ruberton said in a statement. The baby was unresponsive when police and emergency personnel responded to a 911 call Jan. 3, 2016, at Scalias home in the 5700 block of Monmouth Avenue, authorities said. After police performed CPR on the baby, she was transported to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus, in Atlantic City and transferred to St. Christophers Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. The baby died five days later. Scalia was arrested the day after the 911 call and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and four counts of possession of controlled dangerous substances, including suboxone, oxycodone, heroin and Lyrica. Authorities initially believed Scalia was under the influence of narcotics and rolled onto the baby. Ruberton, on Sept. 27, charged Scalia with aggravated manslaughter, alleging she recklessly caused Olaias death by administering methadone to her, according to the statement. Scalia, who had been placed in Atlantic County jail in Mays Landing, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter Dec. 8 before Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Michael J. Blee. According to the No Early Release Act, Scalia must serve 85 percent of the sentence 6 years and 9 months before she can become eligible for parole, the statement said. Was your smart TV too smart? It may have been spying on you and selling your data, state and federal officials allege. Smart TV manufacturer Vizio Inc. agreed Monday to pay the state and federal governments a combined $2.5 million to settle allegations it violated consumer-protection laws by tracking viewers TV habits and selling the information to third parties, officials said. In a joint complaint filed in federal court, New Jersey and the Federal Trade Commission alleged Vizio and its subsidiary Inscape Services LLC didnt inform consumers that the brands smart televisions were collecting and storing information since February 2014. New Jersey residents enjoying television in the privacy of their own homes had no idea that every show they watched, every movie they rented, every commercial they muted was being secretly tracked by the defendants who then exploited that personal information for corporate profit, as we allege, state Attorney General Christopher Porrino said in a statement Monday. In a statement, Vizio General Cousel Jerry Huang said the company is pleased to reach a resoultion. Going forward, this resolution sets a new standard best industry privacy practices for the collection and analysis of data collected from todays internet-connected televisions and other home devices, Huang said in the statement. The feature, called smart interactivity, allegedly continuously tracked viewer habits, including how long people watched TV, what commercials and programs they viewed and what channels they were watching. An investigation was conducted by the state Division of Consumer Affairs Cyber Fraud Unit and the Federal Trade Commission. According to the complaint, the TVs allegedly collected through service providers, external streaming devices, DVD players and broadcasts. The information may also have contained IP addresses, wireless signal strength and access points and was sold to third parties through licensing agreements, according to the complaint. For safety's sake, don't dawdle on filing taxes Many financial experts say its a good idea for Americans to file income taxes early so they Vizio and Inscape are paying the state $915,940 in civil penalties and $84,060 in attorney fees and investigative costs, according to Porrino. The Federal Trade Commission obtained $1.5 million in the settlement. Vizio also agreed to destroy consumer viewing data collected before March 1, 2016, and get users expressed consent before collecting the viewing information in the future, the state said. Complaints about businesses can be filed at the Division of Consumers Affairs website, njconsumeraffairs.gov, or by calling 800-242-5846. Last September, a $10 room tax was part of Atlantic City Councils desperate grab for new revenue to sustain the citys perpetual mismanagement (along with a city income tax). That would have put the citys growing convention and meetings sector at a disadvantage to East Coast competitors, knocking back one of the citys few areas of growth. The room tax was widely derided and went nowhere. That should have been an end to it, but the Democratic leader of the state Assembly has revived it. Speaker Vincent Prietos proposal, in a bill that cleared the Assembly Appropriations Committee at the end of last month, of $2 per room per night is only a fifth as bad as the self-serving City Council plan. But it introduces a new and especially misguided element, making the room tax temporary (theoretically), kicking Atlantic Citys financial instability down the road for two more years. This is a Prieto specialty. He and Assemblyman Chris Brown, R-Atlantic, allied last year to give Atlantic City municipal government another five months (on top of many prior years) to make meaningful progress toward fiscal responsibility. That ended in November with typical Atlantic City-style avoidance of responsibility in the form of a fiscal plan to borrow $110 million from itself with the water utility as collateral. Delaying the inevitable state takeover for five months achieved nothing except putting off the day of reckoning for the public employee union pals of Prieto. Meanwhile, the recovery of Atlantic City, which cant meaningfully begin until its finances are stabilized, was put off at great cost to citizens and taxpayers. Now Prieto wants to delay Atlantic Citys recovery again, with a scheme to find new revenue for his partys union backers. That revenue of $2 per room per night would push Atlantic Citys total room tax already at 19 percent well above those in Philadelphia, Boston and Baltimore. The Meet AC conventions board says this would damage not just the convention business but the citys tourism industry overall. Imagine trying to explain to convention and meetings planners why Atlantic City is more expensive than those major metropolitan areas. Making the new tax supposedly temporary would extend the cloud over Atlantic Citys municipal finances for another two years. Prominent bankers in the region told The Press editorial board recently that business owners have approached them about the opportunities in Atlantic City but theyre holding off on committing to the city until theyre pretty sure what tax load their businesses would bear. Business success cant be reliably forecast if a key element of the balance sheet is unknown. When a temporary Prieto tax ended, maybe the profligate city would jack up local taxes further to keep the gravy train running. The Senate should reject this new room tax if it gets to that house. And if Senate Democrats are foolish enough to send it to the governor, he should veto it. Proud of Booker effort I have never felt more proud to be represented by Sen. Cory Booker than when he testified against attorney general nominee Jeff Sessions. Breaking with tradition was a courageous decision on his part. Sandra Warren Atlantic City Siganos deserves honor We think The Press of Atlantic Citys selection of George Siganos as a recipient of the Bailey Award was excellent. Siganos and his wife, Patti, are great supporters of the mission of the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City, which is to provide opportunities to youth so that they can develop to their maximum potential and into responsible and caring adults. As the Jan. 9 editorial, Siganos the epitome of helpful businessman who overcomes frustrations, correctly pointed out, not only is Siganos a notable philanthropist, but his attributes of hard work, dedication and social responsibility provide a great role model to youth. Were glad the newspaper recognized the immense contributions of the Siganoses to our community. Michelle Carrera Chief executive officer, Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City Margate Conways job is tough Recently, a letter praised the hard work and dedication of KellyAnne Conway, the first female campaign manager to win the White House, doing so for her candidate, Donald Trump. The writer is right, her job was and is indeed going to be hard, because her boss frequently lies and her job is to swear to it. Actress Meryl Streep recently said it was painful to watch Trump mock a disabled reporter, as widely shown on television news. He immediately mocked Streep and said he didnt do it, as if he lived in an alternative universe. Conway too said he didnt do it and said he was misunderstood. She said the media shouldnt jump to conclusions and people should try to understand whats in his heart. People who mock the disabled dont have a heart. I guess we shouldnt believe our lying eyes. Conway tried to repeat his lie that he was not briefed on unsubstantiated Russian reports and said CNN had linked them, when it had not. I hope Trump is paying her appropriately for this hard job, as she will work a lot of overtime since about two-thirds of everything he says is potently false. I wish her luck. Jennifer Benson Villas Christian foundation made U.S. strong, just The nations original leaders were architects of exquisite standards. These men had vision, intellect, common sense, fortitude and unity. They built a foundation from the principles and teachings of Aristotle, Moses and Jesus. As a Christian, I am reassured that these principles and values will continue to be the guiding light of the nation. I saw this after listening to the words spoken during the presidential inauguration. God was mentioned many times. Jesus Christ was mentioned by more than two speakers. It amazes me that the new vice president, president and others can refer to God and Jesus while speaking to the nation, yet the public schools discourage this. They cite the excuse of separation of church and state. The country has been strong and just because of following Gods word. Americans believe in religious freedom but need not limit the education of religions in schools. Knowledge is important. Preaching is proper in places of worship but not in the public schools. Having knowledge of different religions is not a bad thing. It is knowledge not belief. Because of freedom of speech and freedom of the press, I can write my opinions. Christians around the world are being persecuted, killed, beheaded and enslaved. The U.S. is a Christian-based nation, so I am happy its new leaders are supportive of its traditions. Americans are strong because of their faith in God. Bill Flynn Wildwood For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. You can beat the living bejesus out of anyone if you do it in the name of higher morale standards . It's called a crusade. Remember when we used to do it to the Muslims all the time? It's perfectly justified. And it still is.The more things change, the more they stay the same. PLATTSMOUTH An Omaha man who had previously been convicted of four drunk driving offenses admitted Monday that he had been driving on a suspended license in Cass County. Carl L. Wid, 37, appeared in Cass County District Court for a plea hearing on two criminal charges. He pled guilty to one Class IV felony charge of felon driving under revocation and one Class I misdemeanor of attempted possession of controlled substance-methamphetamine. Deputy County Attorney Steven Sunde told the court a Cass County Sheriffs Office deputy was on patrol near Eagle at approximately 8 a.m. Nov. 13. The deputy saw two men traveling eastbound in a blue car on Highway 34 east of town. The deputy then saw the car make an abrupt lefthand turn onto 238th St. and pull off to the shoulder. The driver and passenger then quickly shifted places inside the car. The deputy became suspicious about the behavior and pulled up to the car to investigate. Sunde said the deputy learned Wid had been driving the car before the seat-switching took place. Wids drivers license had been revoked for 15 years as the result of a 2011 conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol. The 2011 case marked Wids fourth DUI conviction. He had also been convicted of DUI once in 2003 and twice in 2005. Two offenses took place in Douglas County, one happened in Lancaster County and another happened in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Sunde said the other person in the car gave the deputy permission to search the vehicle. The deputy located a white substance stored in a bag during the search. Tests at the state crime lab later confirmed the substance was methamphetamine. Sentencing will take place May 1. The court ordered Wid to complete a chemical dependency evaluation prior to the sentencing hearing. Wid remains free on bond. PUNE, India, February 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "1,6-Hexanediol Market by Application (Polyurethanes, Coatings, Acrylates, Adhesives, Polyester Resins, Plasticizers), and Region (Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa) - Global Forecasts to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global market is projected to grow from USD 727.8 Million in 2016 to USD 1,042.1 Million by 2021, at a CAGR of 7.44% during the forecast period. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 80 market data Tables and 25 Figures spread through 176 Pages and in-depth TOC on "1,6-Hexanediol Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/1-6-hexanediol-hdo-market-1080.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. Growth in this market is mainly attributed to the increased demand for 1,6-Hexanediol from various end user products. In addition, the increasing applicability of 1,6-Hexanediol in polyurethanes, coatings, and adhesives, among others, is anticipated to fuel the growth of the global 1,6-Hexanediol market. The current industry growth is backed by the increasing demand for 1,6-Hexanediol from the Asia-Pacific region and the improved captive consumption by manufacturers across varied industry verticals. Polyurethanes is the largest application segment of the global 1,6-Hexanediol market The polyurethanes segment is largest application segment of the global 1,6-Hexanediol market, in terms of value and volume; this segment is anticipated to continue its dominance till 2021. One of the most significant factors driving the growth of the polyurethanes segment is the demand for its sub-applications and derivatives, such as thermoplastic polyurethanes elastomers, coatings, and foams, across varied regions worldwide. Request for Sample PDF of the Report @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=1080 Increasing demand for 1,6-Hexanediol from the Asia-Pacific region is driving the growth of the 1,6-Hexanediol market, globally The 1,6-Hexanediol market in the Asia-Pacific region is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. There is a rising demand for 1,6-Hexanediol from emerging countries of the Asia-Pacific region, such as India, China, South Korea, Vietnam, and Singapore, among others. Growth in this market is mainly driven by the increase in standard of living of individuals and rise in per capita income. In addition to this, the increasing use of 1,6-Hexanediol in various end-use applications such as coatings, PU, acrylates, and polyester resins, among others is expected to drive the demand and consumption of 1,6-Hexanediol, globally. Key players in the global 1,6-Hexanediol market Key players operating in the global 1,6-Hexanediol Market include BASF SE (Germany), Fushun Tianfu Chemicals Co., Ltd. (China), Lanxess Aktiengesellschaft (Germany), Lishui Nanming (China), Perstorp AB (Sweden), Ube Industries, Ltd. (Japan), and Shandong Yuanli Science and Technology Co., Ltd. (China). Make an Inquiry @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=1080 Browse Related Reports: Adhesives & Sealants Market by Technology (Water, Solvent, Hot-Melt, Reactive & Others), by Chemistry (PAE, PVA, VAE, EVA, SBS, Synthetic Rubber, Polyamide, Polyurethane, Epoxy, Cyanoacrylate, & Others), & by Application - Global Forecast to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/adhesive-sealants-market-421.html Paints & Coatings Market by Resin Type (Acrylic, Alkyd, Epoxy, Polyurethane, Polyester, & Others), by Technology (Waterborne, Solvent Borne, High Solids, Powder & Others), by Application (Architectural & Paints) - Global Forecasts to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/paint-coating-market-156661838.html Subscribe Reports from Chemicals & Materials Domain http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Knowledgestore.asp About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is the largest market research firm worldwide in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers. We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Contact: Mr. Rohan Markets and Markets 701 Pike Street Suite 2175, Seattle, WA 98101, United States Tel: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/chemical Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets SAN FRANCISCO, February 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The global battery management system (BMS) market size is anticipated to reach USD 11.17 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The growing trend of renewable energy generation was driven by the increasing concerns of climate change across the globe. Additionally, the decreasing prices of solar photovoltaic cells, favorable government incentives, and the declining costs of batteries are likely to increase the renewable energy generation. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/723757 ) However, the energy generated via the wind and solar sources is affected by weather, location, and time. Batteries used at wind turbines and in solar panels smooth the variabilities and store energy for future use. The prevailing safety issues, the resistance from utilities, and regulatory barriers have restricted the integration of these batteries into mainstream power systems. Electricity grids are undergoing modernization with the implementation of power flow measurement and controlling power production & distribution and are gathering information on electricity use. Storage is a major barrier to the adoption of renewable energy. Several battery technologies including lead-acid, lithium-ion, and sodium sulphate have been developed and tested for applications such as grid investment deferral and arbitrage. Energy storage systems (ESS) aid in storing renewable energy sources for further commercial use. The increasing demand for ESS is expected to augment the market demand over the forecast period. Lead-acid batteries are the most commonly used battery types in ESS, owing to applications such as standalone battery systems used to handle output fluctuations from the wind and solar power. Browse full research report with TOC on "Battery Management System Market Analysis By Battery Type (Lithium-Ion Based, Lead-Acid Based, Nickel Based, Flow Batteries), By Topology (Centralized, Distributed, Modular), By Application, And Segment Forecasts, 2014 - 2025" at: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/battery-management-system-bms-market Further key findings from the report suggest: The growing penetration of UPS solution in businesses to counter data loss is expected to spur the demand for BMS Lithium-ion batteries are used in applications requiring high-energy density solutions The lithium-ion based battery type is anticipated to witness a significant growth with a CAGR of over 22% over the projected period Centralized topology is anticipated to dominate the market in terms of revenue over the forecast period, owing to the increasing applications such as industrial UPS, Electric Vehicles (EV), drones, and energy storage system The stringent regulations toward carbon emissions in the developed countries and the growing penetration of EVs in the emerging economies are expected to spur the automotive application demand The Asia Pacific region is anticipated to portray high growth rate over the forecast period region is anticipated to portray high growth rate over the forecast period The key players in the BMS market include Texas Instruments, Inc. (U.S.), NXP Semiconductor N.V. ( Netherlands ), Elithion, Inc. (U.S.), and Vecture, Inc. (U.S.) Browse related reports by Grand View Research: Natural Gas Storage Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/natural-gas-storage-market Penstock Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/penstock-market Gasification Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/gasification-market Energy Storage Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/energy-storage-market Grand View Research has segmented the battery management system market based on battery type, topology, application, and region: BMS Battery Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Lithium-ion based Nickel based Lead-acid based Flow batteries BMS Topology Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Centralized Distributed Modular BMS Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Automotive Consumer electronics Energy Defense BMS Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) North America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe Germany UK France Netherlands Norway Asia Pacific China India Japan South America Brazil Middle East and Africa (MEA) Read Our Blog: Battery Management System Market Outlook: Analyst Perspective About Grand View Research Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: http://www.grandviewresearch.com SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. HELSINKI, Feb 06, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Caverion Corporation Investor news 6 February, 2017 at 1.00 p.m. EET Caverion implements Total Technical Solutions for office and laboratory building in Dresden, Germany. Caverion and the construction company Bilfinger Hochbau have agreed on the project execution of Total Technical Solutions covering all building systems. The end-customer is Novaled, organic semiconductor manufacturer in Dresden, Germany. The contract includes the renovation of a historical office building and a new laboratory building and has a volume of approximately EUR 5 million. The work started in January and will be completed in March 2018. The gross floor area of both buildings will total over 6,000 square meters. Caverion's Total Technical Solutions for the buildings includes all technical disciplines, including Heating and Sanitation, Ventilation and Air Conditioning, Cooling, Electricity, Information and Communication systems, Security and Safety as well as Automation. The new laboratory building will contain clean rooms which are classified as ISO7 and ISO5 and have demanding requirements concerning clean air solutions. They will be used for the research and development of materials for premium organic light-emitting diode (OLEDs) and organic electronics. "Caverion has been our reliable partner for clean rooms and building services for a long time. Also other references in the high technology field speak in favour of Caverion," says Gerd Gunther, CEO of Novaled GmbH. "In the Novaled project we can showcase our expertise in all technical disciplines. We have tightened our project management and our operating models make it possible to implement such a large-scale and demanding project," says Werner Kuhn, Executive Vice President & CEO, Division Germany of Caverion. Novaled is a leader in the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) field. Bilfinger Hochbau belongs to Caverion's general contractors client segment. Illustration: Novaled GmbH For more information, please contact: Holger Winkelstrater, Head of Marketing and Communication, Caverion Germany, Tel: +49 89-374288-117, E-mail: holger.winkelstraeter@caverion.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/caverion/r/caverion-implements-total-technical-solutions-for-office-and-laboratory-building-in-dresden--germany,c2181177 The following files are available for download: SOURCE Caverion NEW YORK, February 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Increasing construction activities, expanding vehicle fleet size and growing replacement tire market to fuel demand for tires in Ethiopia through 2022 According to TechSci Research report, "Ethiopia Tire Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2012 - 2022", tire market in the country is forecast to cross USD180 million by 2022. Despite unfavourable government policies and political instability in Ethiopia, demand for tires grew at a moderate pace over the past few years. Continuously expanding vehicle fleet size, recovering automobile sales and growing Chinese tire penetration in the country are the major factors boosting demand for tires in the country. Gross domestic product (GDP) of Ethiopia increased from USD31.95 billion in 2011 to USD61.54 billion in 2015, and the economic scenario in the country is further expected to improve in the coming years. Moreover, Government of Ethiopia is increasingly focusing on increasing foreign investments, in order to expand the industrial sector in the country. Therefore, aforementioned factors are anticipated to further propel demand for tires in the country during 2017-2022. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140117/663730 ) Browse 20 market data Tables and 52 Figures spread through 122 Pages and an in-depth TOC on "Ethiopia Tire Market" https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/ethiopia-tire-market-forecast-and-opportunities/888.html Tire market in Ethiopia was dominated by Addis Ababa, Harari & Oromia region in 2016, and this region is further expected to continue dominate tire market in the country through 2022. There are several Chinese players operating in Ethiopia tire market, along with various major tires brands such as Bridgestone, Michelin, Continental, etc. Moreover, Chinese tire manufacturers cumulatively accounted for highest market share in Ethiopia tire market in 2016 and their market share is further anticipated to increase in the coming years as well. Low average selling price of Chinese tires is further fueling penetration of Chinese tire brands in Ethiopia tire market. Download Sample Report @ https://www.techsciresearch.com/sample-report.aspx?cid=888 Customers can also request for 10% free customization on this report. "Sale of automobile vehicles are recovering that is one of the major factor driving demand for tires in Ethiopia. Increasing construction activities, rising use of public transport systems and growing industrialization are further boosting demand for commercial and OTR vehicles in the country. Moreover, increasing purchasing power is driving demand for passenger cars and two-wheelers in the country. Thus, aforementioned factors are expected to positively impact Ethiopia tire market during 2017-2022.", said Mr. Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based global management consulting firm. "Ethiopia Tire Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2012 - 2022" has evaluated future growth potential of the tire market in Ethiopia, by providing statistics and information on the market size and structure. The report intends to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers take sound investment evaluation. Besides, the report also identifies and analyzes the emerging trends along with essential drivers, challenges and opportunities in Ethiopia tire market. Browse Related Reports Sri Lanka Tire Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2021 http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/sri-lanka-tire-market-forecast-and-opportunities-2021/654.html Serbia Tire Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021 http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/serbia-tire-market-forecast-opportunities-2021/633.html Latvia Tire Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2021 http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/latvia-tire-market-forecast-and-opportunities-2021/643.html About TechSci Research TechSci Research is a leading global market research firm publishing premium market research reports. Serving 700 global clients with more than 600 premium market research studies, TechSci Research is serving clients across 11 different industrial verticals. TechSci Research specializes in research based consulting assignments in high growth and emerging markets, leading technologies and niche applications. Our workforce of more than 100 fulltime Analysts and Consultants employing innovative research solutions and tracking global and country specific high growth markets helps TechSci clients to lead rather than follow market trends. Contact Mr. Ken Mathews 708 Third Avenue, Manhattan, NY, New York - 10017 Tel: +1-646-360-1656 Email: sales@techsciresearch.com Connect with us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/TechSciResearch Connect with us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/techsci-research SOURCE TechSci Research CAMBRIDGE, England, February 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Early stage biotechnology company targeting ophthalmology and other areas of unmet medical need Exonate, an early stage biotechnology company has been awarded a 4.9m Seeding Drug Discovery award by the Wellcome Trust to continue development of an eye - drop treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161130/444099 ) (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464617/Exonate_Eye_Drop.jpg ) Exonate is bolstered further by a recent successful funding round of 1.5Million from new and existing shareholders at the end of 2016. The Wellcome Trust investment will be used to accelerate the development of Exonate's first in class molecules - a topical eye drug as a much-needed alternative to current treatment by injections for wet Age-related Macular Degeneration. Exonate have developed small molecules that inhibit production of pro-angiogenic VEGF through selective inhibition of serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (SRPK1)-mediated VEGF splicing. These inhibitors have already demonstrated superior efficacy as topical agents in preclinical models of wet AMD. Thanks to Wellcome Trust, Exonate will take several of these inhibitors into an optimisation programme culminating in the nomination of a preclinical candidate drug with optimal characteristics for clinical development. The funded project will also involve the assessment of the candidate in regulatory toxicology and safety pharmacology studies to support an application to the regulatory authorities for clinical evaluation at the end of the funding. Exonate expects to reach this milestone and enter the clinic in early 2020. Exonate was delighted with the news that they had been awarded the grant as it means the company can continue to focus on topical delivery of ophthalmology products for diseases of the back of the eye and to expand its science base to address other disease areas. Exonate believes that its approach to wet AMD can provide significant improvements for patients in both efficacy of drug and a reduction in unpleasant injections into the eye. By leveraging the truly global span of this investment Exonate will become a successful company making scientific progress on three continents. Exonate has an experienced international management team, with a wealth of clinical and start-up experience. Commenting on the announcement, Dr Catherine Beech, CEO of Exonate, said: "I am very pleased that Exonate has been awarded the grant from the Wellcome Trust. This award represents a strong endorsement of the approach taken by the company to discover and develop novel small molecules with a more targeted mode of action. The funding will enable us to accelerate our current programme to develop safer, more cost-effective drugs that can be easily administered as eye drops, improving adherence and benefiting patients. Exonate's early data is very promising and we have a clear aspiration to successfully deliver medicines in areas of unmet need. We very much look forward to working in close collaboration with the Trust during this funding period." Sunil Shah, Chairman of Exonate further added: "Exonate's board is delighted to have the backing of the Wellcome Trust. This is a very competitive funding stream, and winning it is testament to the quality of Exonate's science and management team. The financial support and expertise provided by the Trust will enable the company to execute its strategy to deliver safer and non-invasive treatments to wet AMD patients." Uniseed Chief Executive Officer, Peter Devine, said: "the Wellcome Trust award further validates the decision to invest into Exonate as it has provided a unique opportunity for Uniseed to get in at the "ground floor" of a drug development program that has been de-risked by being supported by the world's largest pre-eminent medical research charity funding research into human health". About Exonate: Exonate is a privately held, early stage, biotech, company spun out of the University of Nottingham that is focused on Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). The Company has grown significantly in the last year as it welcomes investment and input from an increasing global market. Exonate undertakes medicinal chemistry in laboratories in the University of New South Wales which is led by Jonathan Morris and in January 2017, the Company welcomed Dr John Kurek from new investor Uniseed to its Board of Directors. Exonate continues to be funded from the University of Nottingham and also has links with the University of Bristol. Exonate continues to have strong links with Cambridge Angels and have offices based in Cambridge, laboratories in Nottingham and collaborations with laboratories in India. It aspires to successfully deliver medicines in areas of unmet need, such as ophthalmology, pain, nephropathy and cancer, by targeting diseases through regulation of VEGF isoforms/variants that are both protective and disease promoting. Exonate's lead program is focused on wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration, known as wet AMD, which is the leading cause of vision loss in people aged 60 and older. The Company is founded on scientific excellence with strong links to Prof. David Bates and his lab at Nottingham University specialising in the biology and biochemical pathways of VEGF splice variants. Exonate is led by an experienced, international management team that has worked together previously, successfully raising capital for start-ups and early stage companies over many years. Management has cross-disciplinary experience in medicine, finance, drug development and the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. CEO Catherine Beech, OBE, has over 25 years biotech/pharma experience including 12 years in big pharma leading development programs in cardiovascular, Parkinson's disease and HIV. Exonate is her 4th role as CEO of an emerging biotech company and she also has extensive experience as a non-executive board director. About Wellcome: Wellcome exists to improve health for everyone by helping great ideas to thrive. We're a global charitable foundation, both politically and financially independent. We support scientists and researchers, take on big problems, fuel imaginations and spark debate. About wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (wet AMD): Today, wet AMD is a leading cause of vision loss in people aged 60 years or older and affects more than 30 million patients worldwide, over 200,000 of those in the UK alone. If untreated patients are likely to lose sight in the affected eye within 24 months of disease onset. The main currently available treatment options for wet AMD are: anti-VEGF antibody drugs - to prevent the growth of new blood vessels in the eye. Unlike small molecule drugs or eye drops these treatments must be injected into the eye once every 1 or 2 months. Resistance can develop to these drugs causing the disease to progress anew. laser surgery - to destroy abnormal blood vessels in the eye. This type of surgery is only suitable if blood vessel damage is not too extensive and if the abnormal blood vessels aren't close to the fovea, as performing surgery close to this part of the eye can cause permanent vision loss. Please contact Louise Shave at Exonate for further information +44-(0)1223-437042, louise.shave@exonate.com SOURCE Exonate Ltd TAIPEI, Taiwan, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Foresee Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (6576.TWO) ("Foresee") today announced that it has successfully concluded its scientific advice discussions with German BfArM on key regulatory and development issues relating to a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) submission of FP-001, Leuprolide Mesylate Injectable Suspension (LMIS) 50 mg, a 6-month depot of leuprolide mesylate for subcutaneous injection. Foresee has very recently completed a global registration study with FP-001 LMIS 50 mg and plans to seek regulatory approvals in the US and several major EU countries. Foresee reached general agreement with the BfArM on all of the key development and regulatory issues relating to data requirements including clinical, preclinical and CMC for a MAA submission in Germany and other major EU markets. Foresee plans to register LMIS 50 mg through the decentralized procedure in Europe. "We are very pleased with the positive outcome of our discussions with the BfArM on the regulatory and development strategy for FP-001, LMIS 50 mg," commented Ben Chien, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO of Foresee. "With the general agreement we reached with BfArM, we are confident about our plan to file MAA in 2018." Following the positive outcome of its discussions with German BfArM, Foresee has now successfully achieved an important milestone towards its ultimate goal of bringing FP-001 to patients in key global markets. About Foresee Pharmaceuticals Foresee is a Taiwan and US-based biopharmaceutical company listed on the Taipei Exchange. Foresee's R&D efforts are focused in two key areas, namely its unique stabilized injectable formulation (SIF) depot delivery platform and derived drug products targeting large specialty markets, and its transformative early stage preclinical and clinical NCE programs targeting inflammatory & fibrotic diseases and other disease areas with high unmet needs. Foresee has a balanced clinical development-stage product portfolio including late stage and early stage programs such as FP-001 which has recently successfully completed a global Phase III Registration Study and FP-025 a highly selective oral MMP-12 inhibitor targeting inflammatory and fibrotic diseases and is currently completing a Phase 1 study. SOURCE Foresee Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. NACKA STRAND, Sweden, Feb 06, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hexagon AB, a leading global provider of information technologies that drive productivity and quality across geospatial and industrial enterprise applications, today announced the launch of a cost savings programme to further accelerate margin improvement, set to be implemented in the first quarter of 2017. At Hexagon's Capital Markets Day (CMD) in December 2016 a new financial plan was launched to reach a sales target of 4.6-5.1 billion EUR and an EBIT margin of 27-28 per cent by 2021. The profitability will be improved through new applications, richer software mix and acquisitions. Also, as discussed during the CMD, Hexagon will accelerate its solution-centric strategy by increasing R&D spend and investments in sales resources and reducing non-accretive operating expenses. Hence, Hexagon will launch a company-wide cost savings programme in Q1 2017 with a focus on reducing administration costs. The programme will affect approximately 480 employees and is expected to drive cash cost savings of approximately 24 MEUR in 2017 and 43 MEUR per annum as of 2018 when fully implemented. The cash flow impact of the programme amounts to approximately -34 MEUR. The restructuring costs will be reported as non-recurring items (NRI) in Q1 2017. For further information, please contact: Maria Luthstrom, Investor Relations Manager, Hexagon AB, Tel: +46-8601-26-27, E-mail: ir@hexagon.com Kristin Christensen, Chief Marketing Officer, Hexagon AB, Tel: +1-404-554-0972, E-mail: media@hexagon.com This information is information that Hexagon AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 07:59 CET on 6 February 2017. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/hexagon/r/hexagon-to-launch-a-cost-savings-programme,c2180899 The following files are available for download: http://mb.cision.com/Main/387/2180899/623948.pdf Cost savings programme SOURCE Hexagon NACKA STRAND, Sweden, Feb 06, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hexagon AB's Nomination Committee proposes the election of John Brandon, Henrik Henriksson, Hans Vestberg, Sofia Schorling Hogberg and Marta Schorling Andreen as new members to Hexagon's Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2017. Furthermore, the Nomination Committee proposes reelection of Ulrika Francke, Jill Smith, Gun Nilsson and Ola Rollen as Board of Directors. As previously announced, Melker Schorling will leave the Board as of the AGM 2017 due to health reasons. The Nomination Committee proposes Gun Nilsson as the new Chairman and Hans Vestberg as Vice Chairman. Additional Nomination Committee proposals will be presented in the notice of the AGM. At the same time the Board appoints Gun Nilsson as Vice Chairman of the Board for the period up to the AGM 2017. John Brandon spent the last 15 years at Apple, reporting directly to the current President and CEO, Tim Cook, for a number of years. He held various leading roles at Apple including Vice President of the Americas and Asia and more recently, Vice President of International, where he managed Apple's largest revenue stream. John has also held leading roles at many large IT organizations, including President and CEO of Academic Systems. John currently resides in California, USA. Henrik Henriksson currently serves as President and CEO of Scania. Prior to stepping in as President and CEO in 2016, Henrik held various positions within Scania over the last 20 years, including Head of Trucks and Head of Marketing and Sales. Hans Vestberg has extensive experience with Ericsson, where he held the position of President and CEO between 2010 and 2016. Before he was appointed President and CEO, Hans held several other leading roles at Ericsson including Group CFO, CEO of Ericsson in Mexico and CFO of Ericsson in both Brazil and North America. Sofia Schorling Hogberg serves on the Board of Melker Schorling AB (since 2006) and Securitas (since 2005). Sofia has previously served on the Board of Attendo and has also worked as a trademark consultant within Essen International. Marta Schorling Andreen serves on the Board of Melker Schorling AB (since 2010), AAK (since 2013) and HEXPOL (since 2014). Marta previously worked as a trademark and innovation consultant at Pond Innovation & Design. The AGM will be held on 2 May 2017 at 17:00 CET at City Conference Center Stockholm (Norra Latin), Drottninggatan 71 B, Stockholm Sweden. For further information, please contact: Mikael Ekdahl, Chairman of the Nomination Commitee, Tel: +46-709-777 203, E-mail: valberedning@hexagon.com Maria Luthstrom, Investor Relations Manager, Hexagon AB, Tel: +46-8-601-26-27, E-mail: ir@hexagon.com Kristin Christensen, Chief Marketing Officer, Hexagon AB, Tel: +1-404-554-0972, E-mail: media@hexagon.com This information is information that Hexagon AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 08:05 CET on 6 February 2017. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/hexagon/r/hexagon-s-nomination-committee-proposes-new-board-of-directors,c2180892 The following files are available for download: http://mb.cision.com/Main/387/2180892/623954.pdf Board Nomination SOURCE Hexagon On the wall outside my office hangs a framed copy of one of the first pieces of legislation I worked on. The bill increased the number of Iraqi translators who could come to the United States. Serving alongside our troops, these translators had put themselves and their families at grave risk in service to our country. Among those who have benefited from the policy were members of the Yezidi tradition, a peaceful, ancient faith that ISIS has targeted as part of their extermination campaign against Christians and other religious minorities, including innocent Muslim communities. America has long opened her arms to persons fleeing persecution who wish to rebuild their lives and become good citizens. My hometown of Lincoln is a diverse and welcoming community with a number of first-generation Americans, and we are the better for it. However, when there is chaos and disorder at the border, or uncertainty in immigration policy and procedures, this undermines the ability of our country to be generousor worse, affects our safety. President Trumps Executive Order, Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry to the United States, suspended all new-refugee admissions into the United States for 120 days. In addition, it blocks all travelers for 90 days from seven "countries of concern"Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen (a list created by the Obama Administration in 2015). Refugees from Syria are banned indefinitely. Travelers from these countries with a green card will be allowed to enter since they are permanent United States residents. From my perspective, I believe it is reasonable to pause and review our refugee policy from dangerous parts of the world. But the implementation of the policy has caused confusion, difficulty, and concern some of which was clarified throughout last week. As an example, a Yezidi man named Nawaf, who translated for our military, visited my office last Monday night requesting help for his wife Laila. Two of his brothers live in Lincoln. Although I did not recognize him at first, I remembered that a president of a university in Iraq once told me about a Yezidi student who had become the class valedictorian of an Iraqi university, and I began to piece the story together. Nawaf arrived in America last year. Following 18 months of vetting, his wife was awarded a special visa a week and a half ago, but as Nawaf, with great composure, told me, Laila was barred from entry. Immigration and refugee policy always involves difficult choices. A country has to consider absorption capacity, the possibilities of assimilation, and the necessity of accepting the values of the host country. A review of policy in Europe sheds some light. Germany recklessly threw open its border recently. Waves of personsmany young single menentered the country, sparking an uptick in crime and violence, and possibly the conditions for more terrorist attacks. Confusion still continues as to who is where. Germanys rapidly considered and naive refugee policy has unwittingly created an anti-immigrant backlash, as well as political turmoil. Immigration and refugee movement should always be a matter of last resort. Everyone can't come to the West. Rather, it is the responsibility of governments around the world to create the conditions in which persons can live securely. If this breaks down, robust humanitarian assistance and repositioning persons in nearby safe zones creates the possibility of a right of returnavoiding the trauma of uprooting from one's home and culture. Yet, with all of the complex considerations surrounding immigration, it is always important to remember that we are dealing not with statistics, not with remote policy, but with the lives of real persons. Happily, last Friday morning, after my office worked successfully on her case, Laila arrived. With open arms and flowers, Nawaf greeted her at the airportand welcomed her to America. NEW YORK, February 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The demand for water pumps across North America and Latin America continues to grow in parallel with the growth in the region's population. More households emerging in countries such as the US, Canada, Brazil or Mexico will certainly require water pumps for domestic purposes. Concurrently, agricultural, administrative and industrial sector in these regions will also adopt such pumps to keep up with the surging demands of consumers. Water pumps being deployed in the residential sector of North America and Latin America are projected to grow as municipalities & county authorities from this region will strive to improve their drinking water facilitation and upgrade the wastewater treatment plants. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161114/438683LOGO ) Nevertheless, a recent study developed by Persistence Market Research projects that revenues garnered from sales of water pumps across Latin America and North America will soar at a moderate CAGR of 4% over an eight-year forecast period. After amassing an estimated US$ 9,422.9 million revenues in 2016, the water pumps market in North America and Latin America is anticipated to reach a valuation of US$ 13,412 .8 million by the end of 2024. View full North America & Latin America's Water Pump Market overview@ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/frozen-pastries-market.asp Key Deterrents for Adoption of Water Pumps in North & Latin America Availability of cheap Chinese water pumps: North American and Latin American manufacturers of water pumps are constantly at risk of losing market presence to newly-entered Chinese pump makers. Consumers in these regions end up opting for cheap Chinese water pumps, which tend to go kaput in short span of time. On the other hand, availing Chinese water pumps becomes more practical for consumers with tight budget, especially for deploying them in agricultural activities. North American and Latin American manufacturers of water pumps are constantly at risk of losing market presence to newly-entered Chinese pump makers. Consumers in these regions end up opting for cheap Chinese water pumps, which tend to go kaput in short span of time. On the other hand, availing Chinese water pumps becomes more practical for consumers with tight budget, especially for deploying them in agricultural activities. Durability & energy efficiency of centrifugal pumps: Manufacturers of centrifugal water pumps in this region are improving the operating life of their products. This has decelerated the rate at which water pumps get replaced. Low replacement rate has dragged down the aftermarket sales of water pumps in North America and Latin America , thereby impeding the aggregate market revenues. Manufacturers of centrifugal water pumps in this region are improving the operating life of their products. This has decelerated the rate at which water pumps get replaced. Low replacement rate has dragged down the aftermarket sales of water pumps in and , thereby impeding the aggregate market revenues. Budget limitations in industrial and agricultural sectors: Expenditure on water pumps fares on a tightrope in North America . Submersible pumps are also expected to impact the adoption of centrifugal water pumps in this region. Latin America's industrial sector is likely to trim its gross expenditure, which will incidentally impact the sales of water pumps in this region. Low profit margins in North America's agriculture industry have also slowed down the rate at which water pumps were being installed or replaced in farming activities. View Report Table of Contents, Figures, and Tables@ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/north-and-latin-america-water-pumps-market/toc In the report, titled "North and Latin America Market Study on Water Pumps: Centrifugal Pumps Poised to be the Dominant Segment During 2016 - 2024," Persistence Market Research predicts that more than 90% of water pump revenues in Latin America and North America will be accounted by sales of centrifugal pumps. While over 936 thousand units of positive displacement pumps are estimated to be sold in the Americas during the forecast period, sales of centrifugal pumps will be raking in revenues worth over US$ 12 billion by the end of 2024. In 2016, centrifugal pumps worth nearly US$ 3 billion were estimated to be consumed by wastewater and water treatment plants across North America and Latin America. Oil and gas industries in this region have been predicted to have consumed over 200 thousand units of positive displacement pumps in 2016. A sample of this report is available upon request@ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/13618 Compared to Latin America, North America will continue to have a large share in their collective regional market for water pumps. In 2016, the US water pumps market accounted for more than two-third of North America's water pump revenues, while Brazil and Mexico attributed to more than 50% growth in Latin America's water pumps revenues. US-based companies Xylem Inc. and Flowserve Corporation are the leading native players in North America and Latin America's water pumps market. The market will continue to witness higher participation from European water pump manufacturers such as KSB AG, Weir Group Plc., Grundfos, and Sulzer AG. Japanese water pump manufacturer, Ebara Corp is also observed to be a key participant as the company has established two manufacturing plants in North America and one in Latin America. PMR Overview Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance. To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes. Contact Persistence Market Research U.S. Sales Office: 305 Broadway, 7th Floor New York City, NY 10007 United States USA - Canada Toll-Free: 800-961-0353 Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com SOURCE Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd. ALBLASSERDAM, The Netherlands, February 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Oceanco's outstanding project JUBILEE, with striking exterior styling by Lobanov Design, grand interior by Sorgiovanni Designs and owner's representation by Burgess, is the largest yacht ever built in The Netherlands. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/465091/Launch_Oceanco_Y714_1.jpg?w=1600 ) (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/465089/Launch_Oceanco_Y714_2.jpg?w=1600 ) (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/465087/Launch_Oceanco_Y714_3.jpg?w=1600 ) At an impressive 110m/361ft length over all, generous 16.4m/54ft beam and just over 4,500 Gross Tons, this yacht has a very sleek and original profile that will surely turn heads wherever she travels. Her elongated profile flows elegantly & gracefully from bow to stern; with no fewer than six decks, her progressively longer horizontal lines make JUBILEE distinctive from all other yachts. JUBILEE is truly a vessel in a class of her own. Igor Lobanov has created a unique & architecturally challenging design which creates a visual effect of multi-level decks - never seen before. She offers a fully certified helicopter operating deck forward with a concealed mooring deck below. Viewed from above, her curvaceous lines lead aft to a large pool deck with built in Aquarium and substantial beach club below. Built to the Passenger Yacht Code, her elegant Sam Sorgiovanni designed interior is both spacious and comfortable offering accommodation for up to 30 guests in 15 staterooms including an entirely private owner's deck. This project was introduced to Oceanco by Burgess who also provided Technical Consultancy & Project Management throughout the entire build process. She represents a number of firsts in yachting, not only for her size, but also the fact that she is a fully turn-key project completely outfitted at delivery including all Owner's supplies; tenders, spares, watersports equipment, china, crystal, silverware, table linen, sheets, loose furniture, cushions, etc. A visual and technological tour de force, JUBILEE will be undergoing sea trials in the North Sea and is scheduled to cruise the Mediterranean during the summer season. Technical Specifications Type: Steel Hull and Aluminium Superstructure Length: 110m / 361ft Beam: 16.4m / 54ft Speed: 18.5 Knots Exterior Designer: Lobanov Design Interior Designer: Sam Sorgiovanni Designs Owner's Representation: Burgess *Photography -Francisco Martinez Photography SOURCE Oceanco YANGON, Myanmar, February 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Partnerships with UNESCO and Positive Planet and an expanding agriculture program are helping PepsiCo play a positive role in Myanmar's growth Sanjeev Chadha, CEO, PepsiCo Asia, Middle East and North Africa, and Adel Garas, President, PepsiCo Asia Pacific, reconfirmed PepsiCo's focus on promoting economic development in Myanmar during a visit to the country on February 1-3, 2017. The visit focused on reviewing key business priorities, meeting with local partners and speaking with individuals who have been positively impacted by PepsiCo's efforts. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464769/PepsiCo_Supports_Economic_Development.jpg ) (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464770/PepsiCo_Economic_Development_in_Myanmar.jpg ) Through successful partnerships with Positive Planet and UNESCO, and by expanding PepsiCo's potato-growing program within Myanmar, PepsiCo is investing in education, building human capital, and enabling opportunities for employment. These initiatives are an integral part of Performance with Purpose, PepsiCo's belief that its success is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the world around. PepsiCo believes that continuously improving the products it sells, operating responsibly to protect the planet and empowering people around the world is what enables PepsiCo to run a successful global company that creates long-term value for society and its shareholders. PepsiCo re-entered Myanmar in 2012 and in 2014 teamed up with LOTTE-MGS to locally manufacture its core carbonated soft drink portfolio, including Pepsi, Mirinda and 7UP, as well as Sting energy drink. Myanmar is an attractive frontier market with strong economic growth potential and a population of approximately 53.9 million people. Reducing rural poverty with Positive Planet Mr. Chadha and Mr. Garas visited the city of Hpa An, the capital of the Kayin State, on February 2 to meet with individuals who have benefitted from a project supported by PepsiCo and led by Positive Planet, an organization working to help men and women across the world create the conditions for a better life for future generations. The objective of this project is to alleviate poverty and reduce economic vulnerabilities in conflict-affected villages in the Kayin State, and to promote financial inclusion among low-income rural households. The project creates cooperatives within villages that provide members sustainable access to financial services, as well as financial education training. It also promotes business development by providing grants to support commodity or enterprise activities. A total of 33 activities were implemented between the second half of 2015 and November 2016. Activities included demonstration farms for crops and livestock, as well as modeling of rural enterprises such as garments retailing, concrete products, rice trading, and grocery store operations. Successful farmers and entrepreneurs who have made their businesses profitable are invited to become community-based trainers, thereby creating local resources for technical knowledge. "Positive Planet's project in Myanmar uses a two-pronged strategy to tackle complex issues around rural poverty in minority agricultural communities. Combining a strong financial inclusion element through the creation of a vibrant cooperative, as well as the diversification of agricultural value chains, we have strengthened local communities, helped build their financial reserves and provided local youth with an alternative to migration over the border," said Jacques Attali, President, Positive Planet Foundation. "This flagship project shows how by working with local communities we can create added value in local economies and build people's resilience through strengthened social and financial networks. PepsiCo is and has always been a strong partner of Positive Planet, fighting with us on the ground to create a better world for future generations," added Audrey Tcherkoff, Global Head of Fundraising and Communications, Positive Planet Foundation. Mr. Chadha said, "Empowering people around the world to improve their economic situations is a critical part of PepsiCo's Performance with Purpose agenda. I applaud Positive Planet as a terrific and long-term partner in helping develop economic opportunities for families and communities, and I am very impressed by the progress being made by the people of Myanmar." Centre of Excellence for Business Skills Development Mr. Garas and Mr. Chadha announced PepsiCo's continued financial support of Myanmar's first Centre of Excellence for Business Skills Development (CEBSD) at a ceremony at the Centre in Yangon on February 3. The CEBSD, founded in 2014, is the result of a public-private partnership between PepsiCo, UNESCO and the Myanmar Ministry of Education, the first initiative of its kind in Myanmar to address the issue of youth employment. The CEBSD aims to improve employment prospects for youth in Myanmar by offering targeted courses and training in business and employability skills, career counselling, and networking opportunities. To date, seven courses have been developed and delivered to more than 670 students. Courses cover topics such as business skills for youth, English for the business world, and retail and hospitality management. In total, more than 2,500 individuals have attended trainings and events since June 2014; of those, 68% were female. Additionally, more than 80 business people and leaders from the local and international community in Yangon have engaged with the Centre as speakers, moderators, and workshop facilitators, including nine executives from PepsiCo. Mr. Garas said, "Myanmar is an emerging market with great potential, and the country's economic progress will be enhanced by developing practical and technical skills to increase employment. The Center of Excellence for Business Skills Development addresses this issue by providing the training necessary for individuals, especially young people, to compete in today's economy. PepsiCo is proud to be a part of this initiative and play a positive role in the country's growth." Min Jeong Kim, Head of Office, UNESCO Myanmar, said, "UNESCO Myanmar is very grateful that support for innovative approaches in skills development among Myanmar youth will continue thanks to PepsiCo in partnership with the Yangon University of Economics. The ongoing partnership provides a space for young people to grow professionally, to learn from each other, and to connect with different business partners." PepsiCo promotes sustainable agriculture PepsiCo is contributing to the economy in Myanmar with an agriculture program that is helping meet the company's need for potato supplies in Southeast Asia, as well as providing economic opportunities for local farmers. PepsiCo identified Myanmar as a potential hub for growing potatoes, thanks to its rich, fertile lands and favorable climate. The company undertook a comprehensive approach to partnering with farmers, training them on sustainable agriculture practices, and guiding them on investments in infrastructure, such as drip irrigation technology that conserves water usage and minimizes the use of fertilizers and chemicals, as well as improved potato storage facilities. When PepsiCo began the local sustainable agriculture program in 2014 through its partner in Myanmar, 38 farmer partners produced 700 tons of potatoes that year. By the end of 2017, the company projects there will be 144 farmers producing 3,300 tons of potatoes annually, reflecting improvements in average yields in tons per acre over the last three growing seasons. Continued field yield improvements can help PepsiCo drive better purchasing prices and expand to additional export markets to meet growing demand in countries such as Indonesia and Thailand. It also has the potential to improve farmers' incomes, which are expected to rise 9 percent in 2017. Bassim Rizk, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain, PepsiCo Asia Pacific, said, "When we first started agricultural operations in Myanmar, we saw a great opportunity to bring new farming expertise to the country. Now, our teams of experts have transferred knowledge and innovation in farming practices to our farmer partners, with the ultimate goal of increasing farm productivity and enhancing crop yields and quality. These efforts deliver maximum benefits to both PepsiCo and to our farmers in line with our Performance with Purpose work to expand sustainable agricultural practices and spur economic development and prosperity in communities around the world near where we work." www.pepsico.com/newsroom SOURCE PepsiCo FAIR LAWN, New Jersey, February 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Computer graphics school now gets the high-speed access they need Siklu radios deliver gigabit throughput to Ikei Island in Okinawa. The link delivers a much needed high-speed link to a computer graphics school, over 1900 meters of open water. GLBB is one of Japan's top ISPs, with operations in all 47 prefectures. They offer high speed business and residential connectivity over various types of infrastructure. In Okinawa, one of the challenges they face is coping with the lack of fiber infrastructure. GLBB was approached by N high school, located on the Ikei Island. The school needed more bandwidth for a computer graphics program. As GLBB had an existing client with clear line of sight to the island, they were certain the link would be a simple matter of adding another hop to the network. However, their attempts to get a sub-6GHz link operational over water failed, due to its relative large radio wave length, which suffers from severe reflections of the sea. GLBB brought in a wireless consultancy, Upside, who advised them to try a Siklu millimeter wave radio which operates over higher frequencies, namely the 70GHz. The Siklu radio was easily set-up and immediately provided gigabit throughput to the island school. GLBB's network engineering team had just a few hours of training before setting out to do the installation. "Installation was a piece of cake," said Gary Blankenship, Technical Director of GLBB, "Siklu is a real easy system to install, the alignment of the antennas is especially simple". The entire first installation took under 4 hours before the link was fully operational. Performance on site exceeded GLBB's expectations. They are monitoring throughput and RSSI on the customer side and seeing a consistent 700mbps throughput. Even severe storms passing through the region, such as the recent Typhoon Chaba, haven't impacted the link's performance. "We're pleased, once again, to bring the high-throughput access urban residents take for granted to more remote, infrastructure-less regions. Millimeter-wave once again provides performance closer to fiber than other wireless alternatives," says Eran Sagi, Siklu Head of Marketing. About Siklu Siklu delivers multi-gigabit fiber-like wireless connectivity in urban, suburban and rural areas. Operating in the 60, 70/80 GHz bands, its millimeter wave solutions are used by leading security integrators, service providers, municipal authorities and mobile network operators worldwide. Thousands of carrier grade units delivering interference-free performance have been successfully deployed world-wide. Easily installed on street-fixtures or rooftops, the price-competitive radios have proved to be ideal for networks requiring fast and simple deployment of secure, fiber-like and future-proof connectivity.http://www.siklu.com. Press Contacts Shiri Butnaru Marketing Manager, Siklu Shiri.b@siklu.com SOURCE Siklu Inc. OSTERSUND, Sweden, Feb 06, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Skanska has signed a contract with AMF Fastigheter to construct a new building for commercial and office premises in central Stockholm, Sweden. The contract is worth about SEK 1.2 billion, which will be included in order bookings for Skanska Sweden for the first quarter of 2017. The project includes demolition of the existing building, ground improvement and new construction of twelve floors totaling 44,000 square meters. The new building will meet high sustainability standards and aiming for Platinum certification, the highest level, according to the environmental certification system LEED C&S. Great emphasis will be placed on logistics, security and the adjacent mall will be kept open during the entire construction period. The assignment is part of AMF Fastigheter's development Urban Escape. The project includes an entire block of five buildings on 130,000 square meters in the center of Stockholm, and the adjoining street environment. The goal is to create an urban space with international appeal. Skanska and AMF Fastigheter have for several years worked in a number of projects, the latest in an ongoing office project in the same block. Construction will start immediately and the building will be completed in the spring 2019. Skanska is one of the leading development and construction companies in the Nordics, with operations in building construction and civil engineering in Sweden, Norway and Finland, and developing residential and commercial property projects in select home markets. The commercial development stream is also active in Denmark. Skanska also offers services in public-private partnerships. Skanska had sales of about 67 billion SEK and 10,600 employees in its Nordic operations during 2016. For further information please contact: Bengt Staaff, Regional Manager, Skanska Sverige AB, Tel +46 (0)10 448-12-33 Henrik Gustavsson, District Manager, Skanska Sverige AB, Tel +46 (0)10 448-03-25 Andreas Joons, Press Officer, Skanska AB, Tel +46 (0)10 449-04-94 Direct line for media, Tel +46 (0)10 448-88-99 This and previous releases can also be found at www.skanska.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/skanska/r/skanska-constructs-new-building-for-offices-and-retail-in-stockholm--sweden--for-sek-1-2-billion,c2180887 The following files are available for download: http://mb.cision.com/Main/95/2180887/623925.pdf 170206 SE mixed-use Related Links http://www.skanska.com SOURCE Skanska PETACH TIKVA, Israel, February 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- 'Hybrids' are the new generation of crop protection products Stockton STK specializes in the development and marketing of botanical based biopesticides, today announced REGEV its first ever Hybrid fungicide obtained registration from the Ministry of Agriculture in Israel for the control of fungal plant diseases. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464995/Stockton_Regev_Logo.jpg ) Botanical-based biopesticides are known to offer a perfect compatibility with chemical pesticides. For the last 5 years, Stockton's R&D department has continuously been working on a new concept to create 'hybrid' products, a mixture of conventional agrochemicals with botanical-based biopesticides in order to offer a better cost effective approach for the grower and to reduce the synthetic chemical load. "This is an important milestone development for Stockton STK. We are very proud of REGEV and our success in creating an excellent synergy between chemical ingredients and biological ingredients known as 'Hybrid'. It allows farmers to be more efficient, reduces pesticide usage, provides an effective resistance management control, has less of an impact on our environment, and increase the grower's profitability through better quality and higher yield" said Guy Elitzur, CEO of Stockton STK. "This is a new generation of crop protection technology that will enable farmers a more cost effective solution". REGEV is expected to be available for growers in Colombian and other countries in Latin America during 2017. Other countries will have the ability to use REGEV in the near future as well. "The approval of REGEV brings growers an environmentally responsible and effective solution for managing plant disease. It is the first hybrid fungicide that contains both a conventional chemistry with bio fungicide making this a new era in the pesticide arena. This is a significant confirmation of our products' platform, paving the way for the flow of our new and innovative products towards a sustainable crop protection future," concluded Elitzur. To learn more about the benefit of 'Hybrids' as a new generation of crop protection products, please join Mr. Guy Elitzur, CEO of Stockton, this week at the upcoming Crops & Chemicals Europe Conference on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Berlin, Germany, where he will be the Keynote Speaker. Mr. Elitzur will be available during the conference to discuss possible strategic partnerships with biological companies large and small. For a meeting write to jamdursky@aol.com About the Stockton STK Stockton STK specializes in the development and marketing of botanical-based biopesticides. Its core focus is on the incorporation of these biopesticides into integrated agriculture spraying programs that use conventional chemical products, thus creating a balanced, cleaner and sustainable agricultural environment. Stockton is a global company established in 1994 and has an active R&D Center for the development of future natural products for crop protection. Its unique research and development center in Israel invests substantial resources in developing 'green' products. Stockton has a variety of products adapted to different agro ecological areas, biological parameters and regulatory guidelines. Stockton's flagship product Timorex Gold is used to control a broad spectrum of diseases in diverse crops. The product demonstrates an efficacy equivalent to chemical fungicides and is suitable to be used in conventional and organic agriculture. Timorex Gold is registered and sold in over 30 countries. Contact: For more information, please visit our website: http://www.stockton-ag.com or contact Judy Jamuy at: +972-52-7599242 or judy@stockton-ag.com SOURCE Stockton LONDON, February 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Customers can use same data plan in 40 countries with an introductory offer of 100MB for free Truphone, the world's first global mobile network, today announced it is launching international data plans for iPad users with Apple SIM, beginning in Spain. iPad customers in Spain can select Truphone data plans on Apple SIM starting at an attractive 8 for 500MB for 1 month and use that same plan in 40 countries eliminating the need to buy a local SIM or more data when traveling. Truphone plans to roll out this service to iPad customers with Apple SIM across Europe and beyond in the coming weeks. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro features an embedded Apple SIM making it even more convenient for customers to connect to and manage Truphone's international data plans directly on their iPad. Apple SIM is also available at select Apple Stores for individual purchase and is compatible with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4. Truphone is the first carrier to offer an international data bundle in Spain for iPad with great value domestic rates. There is no contract and customers can select these plans with one tap directly on their iPad whenever they need data. As an introductory offer, Truphone is giving customers 100MB of data for free. Just to go Settings > Mobile Data > Set up Mobile Data and Choose Truphone. Ralph Steffens Chief Executive Officer at Truphone commented, "We are delighted to launch this new service on iPad with Apple SIM. iPad users can now connect to an attractive data plan right on their iPad and use the same data in 40 countries worldwide, at no extra cost." To learn more, visit http://www.truphone.com/uk/data-for-ipad/ For more information on iPad, please visit http://www.apple.com/ipad Pricing & Availability 500 MB Plan 1GB Plan 3GB Plan EUR8 EUR11 EUR20 Data allowance valid for 30 days. Top-up directly from your iPad. Available on iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 4, and iPad Pro 12.9 running iOS 10.2 and later with an Apple SIM or on the iPad Pro 9.7 with Embedded Apple SIM. Introductory offer of free 100MB is available for first time buyers only. Available Countries: Once purchased a local data plan the service is available in the following 40 countries at no extra cost: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France (Including the Reunion Island, and French Guiana), Germany, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy (including Vatican City), Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Martinique, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, and United States of America About Truphone We're changing the way the world communicates and in doing so creating a whole new set of possibilities. Our global network and patented SIM technology powers connectivity for any device anywhere. We deliver game-changing products and services: mobile recording for compliance, international mobile business plans and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. Nine of the world's leading investment banks trust Truphone for their mobile recording compliance. More than 3,500 companies choose us as their business mobile provider. Headquartered in London, Truphone has 10 offices worldwide. To learn more, visit http://www.truphone.com Media Contact: Catherine Gibbon +44-(0)-7408811675 catherine.gibbon@truphone.com SOURCE Truphone STOCKHOLM, Feb 06, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The annual general meeting will be held at 13.00 in City Conference Centre, Folkets Hus, Barnhusgatan 12-14, Stockholm. Registration of participation at the annual general meeting will be terminated at the opening of the annual general meeting. The premises will open at 11.30. Requirements for the right to participate in the annual general meeting and instructions for notification Shareholders who wish to participate in the annual general meeting shall be entered in the share register maintained by the Swedish Securities Register Center (Euroclear Sweden AB) on 10 March 2017 and notify Nordea Bank AB (publ) (the "Company") thereof according to the instructions set out below. Shareholders whose shares are held in trust therefore must temporarily re-register their shares in their own names in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB in Sweden to be entitled to participate at the annual general meeting. This applies to for example shareholders who are holders of Finnish Depository Receipts in Finland and shareholders who are holders of shares registered in VP Securities in Denmark. Such re-registration must be completed at Euroclear Sweden AB in Sweden by 10 March 2017. This means that the shareholder shall, in good time prior to this date, inform the trustee about this. Holders of shares registered with Euroclear Sweden AB in Sweden Notification of participation in the annual general meeting shall be made at the latest on 10 March 2017 preferably before 13.00 Swedish time by post under address Nordea Bank AB (publ), c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, SE-101 23 Stockholm, Sweden, or by telephone +46 8 402 90 64, or at the Company's web site www.nordea.com. Holders of Finnish Depository Receipts (FDRs) in Finland Request for re-registration in one's own name and notification of participation in the annual general meeting shall be made at the latest on 9 March 2017 at 12.00 noon Finnish time by post under address Nordea Bank AB (publ), c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, SE-101 23 Stockholm, Sweden, or by telephone +46 8 402 90 64, or at the Company's web site www.nordea.com. Shareholders whose shares are registered in the shareholders' own names in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB in Sweden may also notify their participation in the annual general meeting later, however not later than 10 March 2017 preferably before 14.00 Finnish time in the above-mentioned manner. Holders of shares registered with VP Securities in Denmark Request for re-registration in one's own name and notification of participation in the annual general meeting shall be made at the latest on 9 March 2017 at 12.00 noon Danish time by post under address Nordea Bank AB (publ), c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, SE-101 23 Stockholm, Sweden, or by telephone +46 8 402 90 64, or at the Company's web site www.nordea.com. Shareholders whose shares are registered in the shareholders' own names in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB in Sweden may also notify their participation in the annual general meeting later, however not later than 10 March 2017 preferably before 13.00 Danish time in the above-mentioned manner. Number of shares and votes etc. The total number of shares and votes in the Company amounts to 4,049,951,919. The Company's holding of own shares amounts to 10,922,702. The board of directors' and the CEO's duty to provide information Upon request by any shareholder and where the board of directors believes that such may take place without significant harm to the Company, the board of directors and the CEO shall provide information at the annual general meeting in respect of any circumstances which may affect the assessment of a matter on the agenda, and any circumstances which may affect the assessment of the Company's financial position. The duty to provide information also applies to the Company's relationship to other group companies as well as the group accounts and subsidiaries' circumstances. Other information Representation by proxy Shareholders who are represented by proxy shall issue a written, dated proxy for the representative. The proxy is valid for maximum five years after its execution. Such proxy form can be obtained from the Company by telephone +46 8 402 90 64 or at Smalandsgatan 15, Stockholm and is also available at the Company's web site www.nordea.com. The proxy in original should be presented to the Company at the above-mentioned address for notification in good time prior to the annual general meeting. If the proxy is issued by a legal entity, a certified copy of the registration certificate or an equivalent certificate of authority shall be submitted. It should be noted that shareholders that are present through a representative by proxy must notify the Company of their participation according to the instructions set out above and also be entered in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB in Sweden on 10 March 2017. Advisers Shareholders or their proxies may bring at most two advisers to the annual general meeting. An adviser to a shareholder may be brought to the annual general meeting only if the shareholder gives notice to the Company of the number of advisers in the manner mentioned above in connection with the shareholder's notification of participation. Proposed agenda Election of a chairman for the general meeting Preparation and approval of the voting list Approval of the agenda Election of at least one minutes checker Determination whether the general meeting has been duly convened Submission of the annual report and consolidated accounts, and of the audit report and the group audit report In connection herewith: speech by the Group CEO Adoption of the income statement and the consolidated income statement, and the balance sheet and the consolidated balance sheet Decision on dispositions of the Company's profit according to the adopted balance sheet Decision regarding discharge from liability for the members of the board of directors and the CEO (The auditor recommends discharge from liability) Determination of the number of board members Determination of the number of auditors Determination of fees for board members and auditors Election of board members and chairman of the board Election of auditors Resolution on establishment of a nomination committee Resolution on authorization for the board of directors to decide on issue of convertible instruments in the Company Resolution on purchase of own shares according to chapter 7 section 6 of the Swedish Securities Market Act (Sw. lagen (2007:528) om vardepappersmarknaden) Resolution on guidelines for remuneration for executive officers Appointment of auditor in a foundation managed by the Company Resolutions on the following matters initiated by the shareholder Thorwald Arvidsson : That the annual general meeting decides a) to adopt a vision on absolute equality between men and women on all levels in the Company b) to instruct the board of directors of the Company to set up a working group with the task of realizing this vision on the long term and monitoring closely the development in both the equality and the ethnicity area, c) to annually submit a written report to the annual general meeting, as a suggestion by including the report in the printed annual report, d) to instruct the board of directors to take necessary measures in order to create a shareholder's association in the Company, e) that the board directors shall not be allowed to invoice their board fees through a legal person, Swedish or foreign, f) that the nomination committee when performing its tasks shall pay specific attention to questions related to ethics, gender and ethnicity, g) to instruct to the board of directors to submit a proposal for decision on representation in the board of directors as well as in the nomination committee for the small and medium sized shareholders to the annual general meeting 2018 (or any extraordinary shareholders' meeting held before that), h) in relation to item e) above, instruct the board of directors to write to the appropriate authority in the first place the Swedish Government or the tax authorities to bring about a changed regulation in this area, i) to instruct the board of directors to write to the Swedish Government and draw its attention to the desirability of amending the law meaning that the possibility to have shares with different voting rights shall be abolished in Swedish limited liability companies, and j) to amend article 7 of the articles of association Decision proposals etc 1. Election of a chairman for the general meeting The nomination committee's proposal: Eva Hagg, member of the Swedish Bar Association. 8. Dispositions of the Company's profit according to the adopted balance sheet The board of directors and the CEO propose a dividend of 0.65 euro per share, and further, that the record date for dividend should be 20 March 2017. With this record date, the dividend is scheduled to be sent out by Euroclear Sweden AB on 27 March 2017. 10. Determination of the number of board members The nomination committee's proposal: The number of board members shall, for the period until the end of the next annual general meeting, be ten. 11. Determination of the number of auditors The nomination committee's proposal: The number of auditors shall, for the period until the end of the next annual general meeting, be one. 12. Determination of fees for board members and auditors The nomination committee's proposal: The fees for the board of directors shall amount to 294,600 euro for the chairman, 141,300 euro for the vice chairman and 91,950 euro per member for the other members. In addition, fees shall be payable for committee work in the compliance committee, the audit committee and the risk committee amounting to 48,650 euro for the committee chairman and 29,600 euro for the other members and for committee work in the remuneration committee amounting to 36,050 euro for the committee chairman and 25,750 euro for the other members. Remuneration is not paid to members who are employees of the Nordea Group. The nomination committee's proposal: Fees to the auditors shall be payable as per approved invoice. 13. Election of board members and the chairman of the board The nomination committee's proposal: For the period until the end of the next annual general meeting Bjorn Wahlroos, Robin Lawther, Lars G Nordstrom, Sarah Russell, Silvija Seres, Kari Stadigh and Birger Steen shall be re-elected as board members and Pernille Erenbjerg, Maria Varsellona and Lars Wollung shall be elected as board members. For the period until the end of the next annual general meeting Bjorn Wahlroos shall be re-elected as chairman. 14. Election of auditors The nomination committee's proposal: For the period until the end of the next annual general meeting Ohrlings PricewaterhouseCoopers AB shall be re-elected as auditor. 15. Establishment of a nomination committee The nomination committee's proposal: The annual general meeting resolves to establish a nomination committee with the task to present proposal for the chair for the annual general meeting and to present at general meetings where election shall take place of board member and chairman of the board and auditor, and decision shall be made regarding fees for board members and auditor, proposals to the general meeting for such decisions. The nomination committee shall consist of the chairman of the board of directors and four other members. The committee shall elect its chairman among themselves. The chairman of the board may not serve as chairman of the nomination committee. Shareholders with the four largest shareholdings in terms of voting right in the Company shall be entitled to appoint one member each. Changes in the composition of the committee may take place owing to shareholders, which have appointed a member to the committee, selling all or parts of their shareholdings in Nordea. The nomination committee is entitled to co-opt members to the committee, who are appointed by shareholders that, after the constituting of the committee, have come to be among the shareholders with the four largest shareholdings in terms of voting rights in the Company and that have not already appointed a member to the committee. Such co-opted members do not participate in the nomination committee's decisions. The nomination committee is moreover entitled to co-opt a maximum of three persons who in respect of the work of the committee possess the required knowledge and experience of the social, business and cultural conditions that prevail in the regions and market areas in which the Group's main business operations are conducted. Such co-opted members do not participate in the nomination committee's decisions. Such co-opted members are entitled to remuneration from the Company for work carried out as well as compensation for costs incurred, as decided by the committee. The nomination committee will be constituted on the basis of the known shareholding in the Company as per 31 August 2017. 16. Authorization for the board of directors to decide on issue of convertible instruments in the Company Background: New rules on capital requirements consisting of an EU Regulation and an EU Directive, the so-called CRD IV package, entered into force in 2014. Within the framework of the capital requirements rules, loss absorbing capital instruments can be used to meet parts of the capital requirements. The board of directors proposes that the annual general meeting authorizes the board of directors to issues such capital instruments. The board of directors' proposal: The annual general meeting resolves to authorize the board of directors for the period until the next annual general meeting, on one or several occasions, with or without preferential rights for existing shareholders, to decide on issue of convertible instruments, and then the amount that the share capital may be increased with at full exercise of the convertible instruments shall be maximum ten per cent of the Company's share capital, which would correspond to issuance of 404,995,191 new ordinary shares calculated on the current amount of ordinary shares issued in the Company. Issue of convertible instruments by virtue of the authorization shall be done on market conditions. The purpose of the authorization is to facilitate a flexible and efficient adjustment of the company's capital structure to the capital requirements. The authorization means that the board of directors will be able to swiftly carry out issues without firstly holding an extraordinary general meeting, which the board of directors considers appropriate with regard to that these capital instruments principally are intended to be issued in the international debt market. The board of directors intends to use the authorization if the board of directors judges that the capital trigger level at which conversion shall take place is at such a level that gives the shareholders and the board of directors the possibility to act in good time and propose alternatives to conversion. 17. Purchase of own shares according to chapter 7 section 6 of the Swedish Securities Market Act (Sw. lagen (2007:528) om vardepappersmarknaden) The board of directors' proposal: The annual general meeting resolves that the Company, in order to facilitate its securities business, up until the next annual general meeting, may purchase own ordinary shares according to chapter 7 section 6 of the Swedish Securities Market Act (Sw. lagen (2007:528) om vardepappersmarknaden). However, with the limitation that the Company's holding of such shares in the trading book must never exceed the lower of 0.1 per cent of the total number of shares in the Company or 10 per cent of the Company's exceeding Common Equity Tier 1 capital. The price for the ordinary shares shall equal the market price prevailing at the time of the acquisition. 18. Guidelines for remuneration for executive officers The board of directors' proposal: Nordea shall maintain remuneration levels and other employment conditions needed to recruit and retain executive officers with competence and capacity to deliver on the strategy and targets thus enabling Nordea to become a Great European bank. The term "executive officers" shall in this context mean the CEO and deputy CEO of Nordea Bank AB (publ) and the executives who are members of Group Executive Management (GEM). Remuneration for executive officers will be decided by the board of directors in accordance with Nordea's internal policies and procedures, which are based on the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority's (SFSA) regulations on remuneration systems, the Swedish Corporate Governance Code, national implementation of the EU's directive on capital requirements for banks as well as international sound compensation practices. Salaries and other remuneration in line with market levels constitute the overriding principle for compensation for executive officers at Nordea. Compensation for the executive officers shall be consistent with and promote sound and effective risk management and not encourage excessive risk-taking or counteract Nordea's long-term interests. Annual remuneration consists of fixed salary and variable salary. Variable salary to the executive officers will be offered as an Executive Incentive Programme 2017 (GEM EIP 2017) with predetermined targets at Group, business area/group function and individual level. The effect on the long-term result is to be considered when determining the targets. The outcome of GEM EIP 2017 will be based on the board of directors' assessment of performance of the predetermined targets. The outcome of GEM EIP 2017 will be paid over a five-year period in cash and be subject to forfeiture clauses, Total Shareholder Return indexation (dividend factor to be excluded during the referral period) and retention based on the SFSA's regulations on remuneration systems, taking account of domestic rules and practices where relevant. GEM EIP 2017 has a one year performance period and the outcome shall not exceed the fixed salary. The executive officers have been offered similar programmes since 2013. In accordance with SFSA's remuneration regulations guaranteed variable salary is to be exceptional and may only occur in the context of hiring a new executive officer and then be limited to the first year of employment. Non-monetary benefits are given as a means to facilitate executive officers' performance. The levels of these benefits are determined by what is considered fair in relation to general market practice. The executive officers shall be offered retirement benefits in accordance with market practice in the country of which they are permanent residents. Fixed salary during the period of notice and severance pay shall in total not exceed 24 months of fixed salary for executive officers. The board of directors may deviate from these guidelines if required due to new remuneration regulations or if there are other special reasons for this in a certain case. 20 j) Amendment to article 7 of the articles of association The shareholder Thorwald Arvidsson proposes to amend article 7 of the articles of association by inserting the following two paragraphs: A former Government minister may not be appointed as a board director until two years have passed from the date when such person resigned as a Government minister. Other politicians on full time pay from the public may not be appointed as board directors until one year has passed from the date when such persons left office, unless there are extraordinary reasons for it. The nomination committee comprises Torbjorn Magnusson, chairman of the committee, appointed by Sampo Plc as a shareholder, Mogens Hugo, appointed by Nordea-fonden as a shareholder, Katarina Thorslund, appointed by Alecta as a shareholder, Anders Oscarssson, appointed by AMF and AMF Funds as a shareholder, and Bjorn Wahlroos, chairman of the board of directors. The nomination committee has submitted proposals according to items 1 and 10-15 on the proposed agenda. A statement on the proposal regarding the board of directors is available on the Company's web site www.nordea.com as from today and will be forwarded free of charge to shareholders requesting this report and stating their postal address. The accounts, the auditor's report, the complete decision proposals regarding items 8, 15-19 and 20 j) as well as documents pursuant to chapter 8 section 54 and chapter 18 section 4 of the Swedish Companies Act are made available at the Company, address Smalandsgatan 15, Stockholm from 23 February 2017 and will be sent free of charge to shareholders requesting such information and stating their postal address. The documents will also be available on the Company's web site www.nordea.com from the same date. Nordea Bank AB (publ) The Board of Directors The notice is published in the Swedish official gazette and at nordea.com. An announcement that notice has been given will be published in Dagens Nyheter and Svenska Dagladet on 9 February 2017. For further information: Rodney Alfven, Head of Investor Relations, Tel: +46-72-235-05-15 Claes Eliasson, Acting Head of Group External Communications, Tel: +46-72-141-67-12 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/nordea/r/welcome-to-nordea-s-annual-general-meeting-on-16-march-2017,c2181271 The following files are available for download: http://mb.cision.com/Main/434/2181271/624206.pdf AGM Notice (PDF) Related Links http://www.nordea.com SOURCE Nordea IOWA CITY, Iowa, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The University of Iowa and the University of Iowa Foundation announced the successful conclusion of For Iowa. Forever More: The Campaign for the University of Iowa. More than 270,000 UI alumni and friendsenough to fill Kinnick Stadium nearly four timescontributed more than $1.975 billion, passing the $1.7 billion goal, to help the UI remain at the forefront of education, research and health care. Donors from all 50 states and 76 countries contributed to the campaign, directing their gifts to benefit the areas of the university they care about most. Their giving will support people and programs at Iowa for generations to come. This support includes undergraduate and graduate scholarship funds, new faculty chairs and professorships, funds that support vital research and academic programs, exceptional performing and visual arts and creative writing programs, and Hawkeye student-athletes and programs. Donors also helped make possible the construction, renovation and replacement of 13 facilities, including: "Our donors are helping to ensure the UI continues its role as one of the top public research universities in the nation and as the state's premier academic medical center, with world-renowned arts programs and exceptional undergraduate and graduate programs," said UI President Bruce Harreld. "Private giving is crucial to our university's success, and we are incredibly thankful to everyone who contributed to the campaign." More than half of the contributors to the campaign gave $100 or less, totaling $4.6 million and showing the collective power of the UI's generous donors. Thirty-two percent of donors are alumni, and 68 percent are Iowa friends, patients and fans. The UI Foundation is the preferred channel for private contributions that benefit all areas of the UI, and its mission is to promote the UI's commitment to excellence through engagement and philanthropy. For more information about the For Iowa. Forever More. campaign, visit www.uifoundation.org. Contact: Dana Larson, [email protected] www.facebook.com/givetoiowa www.twitter.com/givetoiowa SOURCE University of Iowa Foundation Related Links http://www.uifoundation.org DALLAS, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Board of Trial Advocates, a non-partisan organization consisting of an equal balance of plaintiff and defense lawyers, opposes the direct and personal attacks made by President Donald J. Trump about U.S. District Senior Judge James L. Robart. ABOTA is dedicated to the preservation of a fair and impartial judiciary and the right to trial by jury. State and federal judges are accountable to the law, not to special interests or political pressure. On Jan. 27, President Trump issued an executive order that suspended the entry of refugees to the United States. Judge Robart issued a temporary restraining order on Feb. 3 that immediately lifted the president's executive order. After Judge Robart's ruling, the Trump administration appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Through Twitter, the president referred to Judge Robart as "this so-called judge" and wrote that the ruling was "ridiculous and will be overturned!" F. Dulin Kelly, ABOTA national president, said President Trump's comments about Judge Robart "lack dignity and civility, and the remarks were disrespectful to the judge, the bench and the judicial branch of our government." Mr. Kelly said, "It is a fundamental principle of our democracy that we are to be governed and served by three co-equal branches of government. The judicial branch is an indispensable part of this historic system of checks and balances our founding fathers thought to be so precious and which has served us so well for more than two centuries." "While it is the right of every American to freely express opinions, such expressions should still be respectfully tempered, especially when such expressions come from our president," Mr. Kelly added. "Respect for our institutions and adherence to the rule of law are fundamental privileges we enjoy as Americans." Mr. Kelly pointed out that before taking the bench as judge of a United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Judge James Robart was a highly skilled, preeminent trial lawyer in Seattle, Washington. He received a unanimous "well qualified" rating from the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary during the nomination process for the federal bench. His nomination was made by President George W. Bush and submitted to the United States Senate for confirmation hearings. After the Senate's investigation and hearings were concluded, the Senate voted 99-0 for confirmation. Judge Robart became a federal judge in 2004. "We respectfully urge President Trump to extend to the judicial branch and its members the same degree of dignity and respect that he would expect our citizens to show to the executive branch of our government," Mr. Kelly said. Preserving the quality and independence of the judiciary has been a hallmark of ABOTA's efforts for decades, and the organization believes that confidence in the nation's judicial system is profoundly important. More on this topic can be found in the ABOTA white paper, "Preserving a Fair, Impartial and Independent Judiciary," available at www.abota.org. About the American Board of Trial Advocates Founded in 1958, ABOTA is a national association of experienced trial lawyers and judges. ABOTA and its members are dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the civil jury trial right provided by the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. ABOTA membership consists of more than 7,600 lawyers equally balanced between plaintiff and defense and judges spread among 97 chapters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. For more information: Brian Tyson (214) 871-7523 [email protected] SOURCE American Board of Trial Advocates Related Links http://www.abota.org Our Constitution gives U.S. senators the power of advice and consent on nominees to the Supreme Court. This is a great power, and the responsibility attached is no less so. The decisions of a Supreme Court justice affect the rights and freedoms of millions. Assessing a nominees fitness is no easy task. Nor should it be. There are certain qualities I seek in a judge, but first, let me identify the nonstarters: A judge cannot be a lawmaker. In America, Congress, the representatives of the people, author our laws. A judge cannot be a social advocate. That is not the function of an impartial judge, nor can it ever be. Lastly, a judge cannot be a trailblazer, quick to be creative with the foundational concepts and structures of our republic. Our Constitution and our nations laws must be respected. So what do I look for in a nominee to our nations highest court? First, the person must be a follower of the Constitution. A judge must follow the laws, as written. He or she must neutrally apply the laws of Congress and uphold the Constitution as envisioned by our founders. Under no circumstances should he or she impose a personal preference. Second, the nominee must possess the sharpest intellect and the highest academic qualifications. There must be no aspect of the law beyond a nominees mental reach. Third, the nominee must be a known quantity. There must be a reliable record for senators to carefully assess. In the Senate, this investigation is carried out through the hearing process. By it, my colleagues and I will determine if President Trumps nominee, Judge Neil Gorsuch of Colorado, is fit to serve on the Supreme Court. His education, experience, and record certainly make a compelling case. Judge Gorsuch attended Columbia as an undergraduate before earning a law degree from Harvard and a doctorate from Oxford University. He clerked for two Supreme Court justices, worked ten years at a firm in Washington, D.C., and has served in a senior post in the Justice Department. Judge Gorsuch currently serves as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. He has held this position for ten years. As a result, we have ten years of his legal opinions available to review. They suggest an incredibly strong commitment to the rule of law. It is critical to note: Judge Gorsuch required Senate approval before he could take a seat on the circuit court. That approval was granted unanimously in 2006. Some very notable Democrats supported him, including Barack Obama and Joe Biden, both members of the Senate at the time. I am looking forward to a vigorous confirmation process in the weeks and months ahead. I hope my colleagues in the Senate demonstrate the statesmanship of which they are capable and consent to give the American people that process. Thank you for your participation in our democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week. INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Allison Transmission Holdings Inc. (NYSE: ALSN) today announced that it has entered into a Stock Repurchase Agreement with ValueAct Capital Master Fund, L.P. ("ValueAct Capital") and has entered into a Cooperation Agreement with Ashe Capital Management LP ("Ashe Capital"). The Company also announced that William R. Harker of Ashe Capital will be nominated for election to the Company's board of directors at the Company's 2017 annual meeting of stockholders, taking the place of Gregory P. Spivy of ValueAct Capital, who has indicated that he will not stand for reelection. "The Stock Repurchase Agreement with ValueAct Capital accelerates the share repurchase program authorized last fall by Allison Transmission's board of directors and reflects our growing confidence in what we believe is improved momentum in several of our end markets," said Lawrence E. Dewey, chairman and CEO of the Company. "We would like to thank Mr. Spivy and ValueAct Capital for the productive and positive relationship enjoyed by both parties. Allison Transmission and Ashe Capital have engaged in a series of thoughtful discussions about our business. We value our stockholders' input and look forward to working closely with Mr. Harker and Ashe Capital, maintaining meaningful stockholder representation on our board." "We have had a constructive dialogue with the management team at Allison Transmission since we first invested in the company in October 2013," said William R. Harker, Co-founder and President of Ashe Capital Management. "We look forward to working with management and the board to execute Allison's business strategy and continue to grow its long-term value per share." Under the terms of the Stock Repurchase Agreement with ValueAct Capital, the Company has agreed to repurchase 10,525,204 shares of the Company's common stock, which is all of ValueAct Capital's holdings in the Company, at a purchase price of $34.50 per share, representing aggregate consideration of approximately $363 million. The transaction is expected to close on or about February 8, 2017, subject to customary closing conditions. In connection with the Company's repurchase of ValueAct Capital's stock, Mr. Spivy has notified the Company's board of directors that he will not stand for re-election at the 2017 annual meeting of stockholders. Allison Transmission intends to fund the repurchase with cash on hand and borrowing under its revolving credit facility. The repurchase is being effected under the $1 billion common stock repurchase program authorized by the board of directors in November 2016 after completing a review of the Company's business plan including product development and capital spending forecasts supporting growth initiatives and other shareholder value enhancing programs. The Company remains committed to maintaining a prudent capital structure commensurate with its business plan and underlying end markets, and expects to complete the aforementioned common stock repurchase program by December 2019. The Cooperation Agreement provides for the nomination of Mr. Harker for election to the Company's board of directors and includes customary "standstill" provisions, by which Ashe Capital has agreed that it will not submit any nominations for election to the board of directors or stockholder proposals and will vote in favor of the election of the Company's board nominees and certain other proposals. The Stock Repurchase Agreement and Cooperation Agreement are included as exhibits to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company today with the Securities and Exchange Commission. About Allison Transmission Allison Transmission (NYSE: ALSN) is the world's largest manufacturer of fully automatic transmissions for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles and is a leader in hybrid-propulsion systems for city buses. Allison transmissions are used in a variety of applications including refuse, construction, fire, distribution, bus, motorhomes, defense and energy. Founded in 1915, the company is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA and employs approximately 2,700 people worldwide. With a market presence in more than 80 countries, Allison has regional headquarters in the Netherlands, China and Brazil with manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Hungary and India. Allison also has approximately 1,400 independent distributor and dealer locations worldwide. For more information, visit allisontransmission.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, including all statements regarding future financial results. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plans," "project," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "intend," "forecast," "could," "potential," "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar terms or phrases. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks. Factors which may cause the actual results to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made include, but are not limited to: risks related to our substantial indebtedness; uncertainty in the global regulatory and business environments in which we operate; our participation in markets that are competitive; the highly cyclical industries in which certain of our end users operate; the failure of markets outside North America to increase adoption of fully-automatic transmissions; the concentration of our net sales in our top five customers and the loss of any one of these; future reductions or changes in government subsidies for hybrid vehicles and other external factors impacting demand; U.S. defense spending; general economic and industry conditions; the discovery of defects in our products, resulting in delays in new model launches, recall campaigns and/or increased warranty costs and reduction in future sales or damage to our brand and reputation; our ability to prepare for, respond to and successfully achieve our objectives relating to technological and market developments, competitive threats and changing customer needs; risks associated with our international operations; labor strikes, work stoppages or similar labor disputes, which could significantly disrupt our operations or those of our principal customers; and other risks and uncertainties associated with our business described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that the expectations will be attained or that any deviation will not be material. All information is as of the date of this press release, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in expectations. SOURCE Allison Transmission Holdings Inc. Related Links http://www.allisontransmission.com "Our vision has always been about building an Anova Kitchena kitchen where devices are accessible, affordable, and connected in a meaningful way to help people cook like pros, every day," said Stephen Svajian, CEO and co-founder of Anova. "We're excited to join the Electrolux family and to continue this mission of building the smart kitchen of the future." Electrolux aims for Anova to retain its unique culture. Anova will continue to operate under Svajian's leadership and with its own distinct brand identity. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals in the US. About Anova Anova is the leading smart kitchen brand with its award-winning connected sous vide device, the Anova Precision Cooker. Since its inception, the company's vision has been to build an Anova Kitchena kitchen where devices are user-friendly, connected, and affordable, so everyone can cook like a pro. For more information, go to anovaculinary.com. About Electrolux Electrolux is a global leader in home appliances and appliances for professional use, based on deep consumer insight. They offer thoughtfully designed, innovative and sustainable solutions, developed in close collaboration with professional users. The products include refrigerators, ovens, cookers, hobs, dishwashers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, air conditioners and small domestic appliances. Under esteemed brands including Electrolux, AEG, Zanussi, Frigidaire and Electrolux Grand Cuisine, the Group sells more than 60 million products to customers in more than 150 markets every year. In 2015 Electrolux had sales of SEK 124 billion and 58,000 employees. For more information go to electroluxgroup.com. Media Contact: Jordan Ramsdell 855-421-8282 [email protected] SOURCE Anova Related Links https://anovaculinary.com TUCSON, Ariz., Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AudioEye, Inc. (OTCQB: AEYE) ("AudioEye" or the "Company") today announced its 2017 financial targets. The Company anticipates cash contract bookings of $4.0 to $6.0 million for 2017, compared to $1.9 million in 2016. In support of this goal, the Company reported its prospective new business pipeline is now in excess of $5.4 million, compared to approximately $1.5 million at the same time in 2016. AudioEye recently hired additional sales staff to address increased demand in key regional and end-user markets. "We are off to a strong start in 2017 as momentum continues to ramp for our Digital Accessibility Platform and Ally Managed Service solutions," said Dr. Carr Bettis, Executive Chairman of AudioEye. "We aim to more than double annual bookings over 2016, while prudently managing operating costs." Todd Bankofier, CEO of AudioEye, stated: "More organizations than ever are addressing the need for digital accessibility, whether driven by compliance or commercial interests. Our decision to focus on six high-value end markets in 2016 was validated by an increasing number of high-profile reference accounts. Momentum for our solutions also continues to accelerate, as exemplified by our recent Seattle Public Schools contract and the addition of more than 60 local and community banking customers late last year. As such, we expect to further expand our client lists in human resources, government, education, financial services, e-commerce and healthcare throughout 2017." About AudioEye, Inc. AudioEye's software enables every enterprise, from corporations to government agencies, to make their content more consumable through technology. More accessible. More usable. More people. AudioEye's common stock trades on the OTCQB under the symbol "AEYE." The Company maintains offices in Tucson, Atlanta and Washington D.C. For more information about AudioEye and its online accessibility solutions, please visit https://www.audioeye.com. Forward-Looking Statements Any statements in this press release about AudioEye's expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, prospects, financial condition, assumptions or future events or performance are not historical facts and are "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined under the federal securities laws. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as "believe", "anticipate", "should", "intend", "plan", "will", "expects", "estimates", "projects", "positioned", "strategy", "outlook" and similar words. You should read the statements that contain these types of words carefully. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from what is expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements, including the risk that the Company's bookings will not increase as currently expected or at all. There may be events in the future that AudioEye is not able to predict accurately or over which AudioEye has no control. Other risks are described more fully in AudioEye's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements reflect management's analysis as of the date of this press release and AudioEye urges you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. AudioEye does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to such forward-looking statements to reflect events or uncertainties after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. For Further information, please contact: Matt Kreps Darrow Associates Investor Relations (512) 696-6401 [email protected] David Kovacs Strategic Advisor AudioEye, Inc. (520) 308-6143 SOURCE AudioEye, Inc. Related Links http://www.audioeye.com SAN RAMON, Calif., Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BioVentrix, Inc. a pioneer of technologies and procedures for less invasive treatment of heart failure (HF), today announced that InEk, the German Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System, has awarded NUB Status 1 for the Revivent TC TransCatheter Ventricular Enhancement System. The NUB process supports introduction of new and innovative medical devices in Germany. It allows participating hospitals to receive full reimbursement and a supplemental payment for new technologies in the German reimbursement system. NUB Status 1 is the highest priority designation available, and was only assigned to a small minority of product submissions for 2017. "Achieving NUB Reimbursement Status 1 is an important step towards increasing product adoption in Germany, where there's a growing need for effective, less invasive, and cost-effective HF treatment options such as Revivent TC," stated Kenneth Miller, president and chief executive officer of BioVentrix, Inc. "We look forward to working closely with physicians and hospitals to bring this novel therapy to patients suffering from left ventricular dysfunction." About BioVentrix and the Revivent TC System BioVentrix, a privately held medical technology company headquartered in San Ramon, Calif., is focused on developing and commercializing minimally invasive therapies for treating HF. The company recently received CE mark certification for its closed-chest Revivent TC TransCatheter Ventricular Enhancement System for plication of scar tissue in post-MI, ischemic cardiomyopathy patients. Placement of the Revivent TC System via the LIVE procedure obviates the need for more invasive surgery. Instead, small titanium anchors are placed along the outer surface of the heart and along one of the interior walls via a catheter-based approach. The anchors are then pulled towards one another, effectively excluding the scarred and non-functioning heart wall. Ventricular volume is immediately reduced as a result of the exclusion, by as much as 30-40 percent1. Click here for corporate video with animation Note: The Revivent TC System is approved for sale in Europe; it is not approved for sale in the United States. 1Wechsler, A. et al., Clinical benefits twelve months after less invasive ventricular restoration operations without ventriculotomy. Annual meeting of the European Society of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 07 Oct. 2013, Vienna, Austria. SOURCE BioVentrix, Inc. Related Links http://www.bioventrix.com PISCATAWAY, N.J., Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BlackStratus, a leading provider of cloud-based security and compliance technology tailored for both small to midsize businesses (SMBs) and large enterprises, today announced that it has received the coveted SMB All-Star Award from the prestigious ChannelPro Network for its new SaaS-based SIEM service, CYBERShark. The award-winning CYBERShark technology is the first white-label SIEM platform designed specifically to monitor and remediate cyber security threats and compliance violations for SMBs. CYBERShark takes BlackStratus' proven enterprise-class security and compliance platform, trusted by thousands of large enterprise customers, and delivers it via the cloud to SMBs at an affordable price point. Cybercriminals often attack SMBs as a way to launch attacks against large enterprise targets, since most SMBs have access to partners' computer systems, valuable data, and intellectual property. Previously, the SMB market was unable to afford advanced security and compliance technology because of the enormous cost, leaving only large enterprises the means to afford the only technology capable of identifying cyber security threats in real-time. "We're humbled to receive an industry award for our new CYBERShark service from one of the most highly-recognized and respected industry media outlets, the ChannelPro Network." said Dale Cline, CEO of BlackStratus "Until recently every small to midsize business was unable to acquire the same SIEM technology capable of securing the largest enterprises in the world because of costs and complexity, but with the debut of CYBERShark we've been able to break that glass ceiling. By exponentially reducing the costs, placing the deployment in the hands of MSPs and managing the daily monitoring and remediation process in the hands of our Security Operations Center we've been able to package and deliver a SaaS-based SIEM service tailored exclusively for the SMB market." To read why BlackStratus received the award from the ChannelPro Network, please visit the following link. CYBERShark Features Advanced architecture designed to cover complex regulatory compliance, business continuity and risk management needs Multi-tenancy support silos customer accounts and files, protecting privacy and data integrity Real-time attack visualization identifies zero-day attacks based on rules-based, vulnerability, statistical, and historical correlations Vulnerability correlation integrates data from detection systems, eliminating false positives and freeing up your team to focus on actual threats Unparalleled visibility in distributed networks to correlate activity in individual customer environments, identifying hidden threats, suspicious trends and other potentially dangerous behavior Sophisticated reporting tools for ISO, PCI, HIPAA, SOX and other compliance standards To learn more about becoming a reseller of CYBERShark, please contact the sales team at (203) 569-2444 or visit www.cybershark.com. About BlackStratus BlackStratus is a pioneer of trusted security and compliance solutions deployed and operated on premise, in the cloud or "as a Service'' by providers of all sizes, government agencies and individual enterprises. Through patented multitenant security information and event management (SIEM) technology, BlackStratus delivers unparalleled security visibility, prevents downtime and achieves and maintains compliant operations at a lower cost to operate. BlackStratus is headquartered in Piscataway, New Jersey, and protects millions of devices and thousands of businesses worldwide. For more information about BlackStratus, please visit www.blackstratus.com. Follow the firm via Twitter at @BlackStratusInc. BlackStratus PR Contact: David Splivalo [email protected] 1.703.798.2395 SOURCE BlackStratus Related Links http://www.blackstratus.com "The availability of prime real estate in dense neighborhoods with comparable demographics to much of Blink's home turf in the New York area made the Los Angeles marketplace an appealing next step for expansion," said Todd Magazine, President of Blink Fitness. "We look forward to providing both a luxury gym experience at an affordable price and a groundbreaking approach to fitness." The first lease signing Blink is announcing in Los Angeles is at 6714 Pacific Boulevard in Huntington Park, with plans to open the location by the end of 2017. The address is home to the landmarked Huntington Park Warner Theatre, a former 1930's movie theater that has been vacant since the mid-1990s. The company plans to preserve the historic elements of the building, including the marquee and original painted art deco designs. Blink Fitness will be the only tenant in the theater space. "We're so pleased that Blink has found a home in Huntington Park so that area residents can have access to a high-quality, clean, and affordable gym," said Huntington Park Mayor Graciela Ortiz. "There's no question that our community will respond enthusiastically to Blink's universally inclusive take on fitness." Recently dubbed 'the Target of gyms,' by Yahoo! Finance, Blink will provide the same Feel Good Experience members have come to expect. Specifically, Blink is committed to providing a modern and colorful design, elevated customer service, relentless focus on cleanliness, energizing music and confidence-boosting training programsall while offering memberships at a low cost (starting at just $15 per month). Blink is also on a mission to change the rhetoric around fitness through its Mood Above Muscle philosophy. While the majority of the fitness industry touts unrealistic goals and perfect body images, Blink breaks an industry paradigm by celebrating the positive feeling members get from working out as opposed to just the physical benefits. This concept comes to life in the company's latest ad campaign, "Every Body Happy," which features real Blink members of all shapes and fitness levels. Blink Fitness plans to reach 300 locations in the next five years through corporate-owned expansion as well as franchise growth. About Blink Fitness Founded in 2011, Blink Fitness is a premium quality, value-based fitness brand with more than 70 locations open or in development throughout New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and California. Blink Fitness puts Mood Above Muscle which celebrates the positive feeling you get from exercise, not just the physical benefits. Each club employs the company's signature Feel Good Experience that highlights enthusiastic staff members, a clean environment, an open, spacious, and colorful design, energizing music and fitness training that is motivating and affordable. For more information about Blink, visit blinkfitness.com. Franchising details are available on blinkfranchising.com. Blink Fitness has franchise opportunities available nationwide with a focus on the following markets: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Miami, Tampa and several areas of California, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Facebook: BlinkFitness Twitter: @BlinkFitness Instagram: @BlinkFitness SOURCE Blink Fitness Related Links https://www.blinkfitness.com BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Brandzooka, the automated media planning and buying platform revolutionizing Programmatic advertising, has successfully completed a second round of funding to the tune of $1.5 million bringing the total raised in Seed stage funding to $3.2 million. This most recent infusion of investment support, led by Batshit Crazy Ventures, will accelerate client services and underwrite the hiring of additional sales and support staff. The latest round will also prepare Brandzooka for a formal Series A. With more than 6,000 clients world-wide, Brandzooka, which saw 1,600% Revenue growth in 2016, is proof that an automated media-trading platform is an in-demand necessity in the marketplace. Now, small and medium-sized businesses have a viable opportunity to participate in the video programmatic marketing space. Much like the stock market was once exclusive to a select few individuals with sizeable portfolios, programmatic marketing had a similar high-dollar engagement threshold that wasn't accessible to healthy, but smaller budgets. "Clients have been cheated by a process that rewards outright fraud. Brandzooka's transparent and automated buying and reporting is delivering what fed-up clients are looking for," said Alex Bogusky, Managing Partner at Batshit Crazy Ventures. Given the rise in large, full-scale digital marketing agencies in recent years, there was some inherent skepticism around the efficacy of automating the media-buying process. 2016 proved to be important to Brandzooka's future. Not only did The Company solidify their role in the marketplace by reaching 6,000, unique clients, Brandzooka's customer base experienced a marked flip from the majority being domestic advertisers to roughly 45% now coming from international interest, the lion's share being in Asia and Europe. A capability of particular interest to current and prospective clients is Brandzooka's ability to outperform traditional ad-buys while placing both produced and amateur video content across highly competitive, hyper-targeted media inventory, such as: New York Times, Refinery 29, CNN, and Wall Street Journal. By removing the middle-man (i.e.: media buyer/trader), Brandzooka is able to generate significant, immediate brand lift and attributed sales. "The days of opacity in media are numbered. By automating the digital buying process, we are changing the way people access, measure and thus, absorb media," said Bogusky. "Brandzooka is the model on which the future of digital marketing will be built." About Brandzooka Brandzooka puts the power of online video advertising into the hands of any company with any size marketing budget. Our online video advertising platform makes it easy and cost-effective for anyone to execute highly targeted online video advertising campaigns across the biggest sites on the web. We democratize online video advertising by giving users large and small the same access and reach formerly available only to giant advertisers, reaching every major ad network, while micro-targeting highly relevant local audiences in just three easy steps, for as little as $50. Visit www.brandzooka.com for more. Contact: Mandy Melby [email protected] SOURCE Brandzooka Related Links http://www.brandzooka.com LAS VEGAS, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Feb. 6, the United Nations' Zero Tolerance Day for victims of female genital mutilation (FGM), the humanitarian organization Clitoraid will send its recovering patients a "Womanizer" vibrator donated by its inventor, Mickael Lenke. "Using that vibrator will be part of our patients' post-operative therapy following clitoral restorative surgery," explained Clitoraid Spokesperson Nadine Gary - See Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfxNMN3il-k She said Clitoraid's volunteer surgeons, Dr. Marci Bowers and Dr. Harold Henning, have successfully operated on over 250 FGM victims since 2009. "The surgery and postoperative therapy restored their dignity as women," Gary said, adding that her organization's revolutionary charity stems from the humanitarian vision of international spiritual leader Maitreya Rael. "His pacific, atheist philosophy advocates women's rights, including the inherent right to sexual pleasure," Gary explained. FGM, also called genital cutting, affects 130 million women in the world today according to the WHO. "This gruesome practice consists of mutilating the genitals of little girls, particularly the clitoris," Gary said. "It's usually performed without anesthesia, and it's done to deny sexual pleasure. The intent is to turn women into chaste, subdued and faithful wives." But husbands don't like having an FGM wife, Gary pointed out. "Thousands of victims reach out to Clitoraid, begging us to make them whole again and save their marriages," she said. During the past two decades, science has significantly updated anatomical knowledge of women's genitalia. "For the first time in history, the clitoris has been properly mapped, revealing an organ far more voluminous than previously thought," Gary explained. "Its visible glans is only the tip of a massive amount of pleasurable tissue. That makes genital mutilation a reversible condition, and French urologist Dr. Pierre Foldes launched a revolutionary surgical technique for FGM survivors." Clitoral restorative surgery requires post-op therapy, Gary said. "The touchless technology of the Womanizer vibrator will help our patients recover pleasurable sensations without irritating the clitoral tissue the way other vibrators tend to do after surgery," she said. "And Michael Linke says he will modify the technology of his vibrator and adapt it to our patients' needs after getting their feedback." Clitoraid is planning a humanitarian surgical mission to Kenya in May. "Over 50 FGM patients are awaiting surgery there," Gary said. "We hope to introduce Mr. Lenke's post-op therapeutic device to those patients." SOURCE Clitoraid DALLAS, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Alerian announced today that Columbia Pipeline Partners (NYSE: CPPL) is expected to be removed from the Alerian MLP Index (AMZ), Alerian MLP Equal Weight Index (AMZE), and Alerian Mid Cap MLP Index (AMMI) in a special rebalancing. Special rebalancings are triggered by corporate actions such as mergers, bankruptcies, and liquidations. Pending shareholder approval, CPPL will cease to trade due to its merger with TransCanada (TSX: TRP). If approved, the rebalancing will take place one trading day after the issuance of a press release indicating all needed merger votes have passed. The index will be rebalanced in accordance with its existing methodology. Constituent additions to and deletions from the index do not reflect an opinion by Alerian on the investment merits of the respective securities. About Alerian Alerian equips investors to make informed decisions about Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) and energy infrastructure. Its benchmarks, including the flagship Alerian MLP Index (AMZ), are widely used by industry executives, investment professionals, research analysts, and national media to analyze relative performance. As of December 30, 2016, over $17 billion is directly tied to the Alerian Index Series through exchange-traded funds and notes, separately managed accounts, and structured products. For more information, including index values and constituents, research content, and announcements regarding rebalancings, please visit alerian.com. SOURCE Alerian Related Links http://www.alerian.com NEW YORK and WASHINGTON, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Boardroom diversity in Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies has increased for women and certain minority groups, according to the "Missing Pieces Report: The 2016 Board Diversity Census of Women and Minorities on Fortune 500 Boards," a multiyear study published by the Alliance for Board Diversity (ABD), collaborating with Deloitte for the 2016 Census. However, minority men and women have experienced only slight gains in the last six years, since the ABD first started tracking Fortune 500 board diversity in 2010, up from 12.8 percent in 2010 to 14.4 percent in 2016. The total number of board seats also has not changed much during this time; there were 5,440 total board seats in the Fortune 500 in 2016, compared to 5,463 in 2010. Key findings include: In 2016, fewer than 15 percent of all board seats in the Fortune 500 were held by minorities, including African Americans/blacks, Asian/Pacific Islanders and Hispanics/Latino(a)s. Some progress has been made for African Americans/blacks in securing/holding Fortune 500 board seats, with the bulk of the African American male increases occurring within the Fortune 100. There has been an increase in the Fortune 500 of African American women board members by 18.4 percent, while the total number of African American male board members in the Fortune 500 had only an increase of 1.0 percent. African Americans/blacks appear to have the highest rate of individuals serving on multiple boards indicating that companies are going to the same individuals rather than expanding the pool of African American/black candidates for board membership. Asian/Pacific Islanders have shown continued growth in percentage representation on Fortune 500 boards. However, their starting baseline was small the overall representation of Asian/Pacific Islanders is only 3.1 percent, representing a total of 167 seats. Hispanic/Latino men picked up a nominal gain of eight board seats, while there was a loss of two Fortune 500 board seats for Hispanic/Latina women since 2012. Overall, Hispanic/Latino(a) men and women hold 188 total board seats, or 3.5 percent of the total. "The increase in boardroom diversity over the last four years is a small step in the right direction but it's equally important to note the larger context in which these gains were made. Almost 70 percent of board seats in the Fortune 500 are still held by Caucasian/white men, and at the current rate of progress, we won't likely see the number of women and minorities increase to ABD's target of 40 percent board representation until the year 2026. This is not acceptable," said Ronald C. Parker, ABD chair and president and CEO of The Executive Leadership Council. "A great deal of work remains for corporate board composition to keep pace with the changing demographics of the country at large." In addition, the report includes data for the Fortune 100 showing these companies lead the growth in boardroom diversity, outpacing the Fortune 500 with 35.9 percent of women and minorities holding board seats, compared with 30.8 percent in the Fortune 500. Currently, 65 percent of Fortune 100 boards have greater than 30 percent board diversity, compared to just under 50 percent of Fortune 500 companies in the census. However, since the ABD began conducting its census of Fortune 100 board directors in 2004, collective gains for women and minorities have been minimal. In 2016, women and minorities held 35.9 percent of board seats in the Fortune 100, compared to 30.1 percent in 2010 and 28.8 percent in 2004. Other findings include: Representation of minorities within the Fortune 500 is smaller than in the Fortune 100, where minorities held nearly 20 percent of board seats. Minority men have gained only 1.0 percent in the period 2004-16, and today 82.5 percent of total Fortune 100 seats are held by Caucasian/white individuals. While nearly 50 percent of Fortune 500 boards have reached at least 30 percent women and minorities on their boards, the "recycle rate" or rate at which individuals serve on more than one board is higher for women and minorities than Caucasian/white men, which indicates that while diversity on boards may be increasing, there needs to be a broader net cast to capture "new" women and minorities on boards. This rate also points to the need to look at a broader set of networks, backgrounds, skills and experiences in potential board candidates. To download the full report "Missing Pieces Report: The 2016 Board Diversity Census of Women and Minorities on Fortune 500 Boards," which includes additional data on board diversity in the Fortune 100, Fortune 500 and a list of companies with the broadest diversity on their boards, please visit www.deloitte.com and http://theabd.org/. Methodology The Alliance for Board Diversity and Deloitte utilized a census methodology for the 2016 Board Diversity Census. The Board Diversity Census counts Fortune 500 board directors to provide a measurement of the representation and progress of women and minorities in business leadership and to allow for comparable statistics based not on a discrete list of identical companies, but on the Fortune-listed companies in the given years for which the census was conducted. The Board Diversity Census analyses are based on companies on the Fortune 500 list published in 2016. ABD examined Fortune 500 companies because they are recognized, and serve as the most influential businesses in the United States, ranked by revenue each year. For the purposes of this study, extensive research was conducted to confirm the gender, race, and ethnicity of board directors. To ascertain each company's total number of directors and board composition, Deloitte reviewed Securities and Exchange Commission annual filings submitted as of June 30, 2016. For more details on the methodology and definitions used for this census, see the full report at www.deloitte.com and http://theabd.org/. Quotes from Deloitte and Alliance for Board Diversity members: Catalyst, The ELC, HACR, LEAP and Diversified Search "Unfortunately, U.S. companies have a long way to go to achieve diversity in their boardrooms and their executive ranks. Progress is glacially slow and boardrooms don't look anything like the customers and stakeholders they serve and represent. It takes intentional, bold action to accelerate meaningful change," said Deborah Gillis, president and CEO, Catalyst. "We'll continue to work with business leaders across the country to prioritize board diversity, build it into the fabric of their decision-making, and help them take advantage of an incredible talent pool they're currently missing out on." "Studies have shown that boardroom diversity is tied to company performance. We're committed to a diverse board here at Deloitte, and have seen first-hand the benefits of diversity on board performance through our own board, as well as our work with clients," said Deb DeHaas, vice chairman and national managing partner, Center for Board Effectiveness, and chief inclusion officer, Deloitte. "Because the majority of new board members are still selected through relationships with other board members, it's important to ask boards to consider board diversity based on gender, race/ethnicity, age and other perspectives as they look to fill positions, and to consider their extended networks both in business and in their communities." "While the report clearly indicates there is much to be done, I think there is some light pouring into the tunnel," said Patrick Prout, a managing director for Diversified Search, one of the nation's premier executive search firms for recruiting minority talent in the C-suite and on corporate boards. "I can tell you that our clients are increasingly demanding that candidate slates be diverse. And it's not just lip service. There is a growing feelingand it's growing quicklyamong corporate leadership that board diversity is vital for generating new ideas and strategies, which in turn makes it great for the bottom line." "Progress has been slow for Hispanic representation in Fortune 500 boardrooms, even as we constitute 17 percent of the total U.S. population," said Cid Wilson, president and CEO of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR). "The data are pointing in the right direction, but there's more work to do. As Corporate America sets out to create shareholder value, HACR will continue to be at the forefront in supporting corporations that make a commitment, do the work, and foster Hispanic inclusion." "Asian and Pacific Islanders are often stereotyped as 'doers' and not leaders which often results in exclusion from leadership pipelines that lead to board positions. We challenge companies to expand their concepts of what a leader looks like. This is even more important as the U.S. becomes a 'majority minority' country and non-western countries become increasingly important in the world economy," said Linda Akutagawa, CEO and president, Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc. (LEAP). "The Executive Leadership Council is encouraged by the increase in African American women board members in the Fortune 500. However, at a time when our pipeline of African American talent is stronger than ever, there are still many companies that have zero African American representation on their boards. We are looking at an entire decade of virtually no growth. If other business objectives yielded the same results, it would be viewed as unacceptable business performance," said Ronald C. Parker, president and CEO, The Executive Leadership Council. About The Alliance for Board Diversity Founded in 2004, the Alliance for Board Diversity is a collaboration of four leadership organizations: Catalyst, Inc. (ELC), the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR), and Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc. (LEAP). Diversified Search, an executive search firm, is a founding partner of the alliance and serves as advisor and facilitator. The ABD's mission is to enhance shareholder value in Fortune 500 companies by promoting inclusion of women and minorities on corporate boards. More information about ABD and access to the "Missing Pieces Report: The 2016 Board Diversity Census of Women and Minorities on Fortune 500 Boards" is available at http://theabd.org/. About Catalyst Founded in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit organization accelerating progress for women through workplace inclusion. With operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, India, Australia, and Japan, and more than 800 supporting organizations, Catalyst is the trusted resource for research, information, and advice about women at work. Catalyst annually honors exemplary organizational initiatives that promote women's advancement with the Catalyst Award. www.catalyst.org About Deloitte Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including 80 percent of the Fortune 500 and more than 6,000 private and middle market companies. Our people work across more than 20 industry sectors to deliver measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to make their most challenging business decisions with confidence, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthy society. Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms. About Diversified Search Diversified Search is the largest U.S. female-owned and -founded executive search firm in the world and one of the top ten largest executive search firms in the nation. Headquartered in Philadelphia, the company has offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. and is the exclusive U.S partner of AltoPartners, an international alliance of independent executive search firms that spans 35 countries across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific. http://www.diversifiedsearch.com/ About HACR Founded in 1986, the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) is one of the most influential advocacy organizations in the nation representing 14 national Hispanic organizations in the United States and Puerto Rico. Our mission is to advance the inclusion of Hispanics in Corporate America at a level commensurate with our economic contributions. To that end, HACR focuses on four areas of corporate social responsibility and market reciprocity: Employment, Procurement, Philanthropy, and Governance. For more information, please visit www.hacr.org. About LEAP LEAP's mission is to achieve full participation and equality for Asian and Pacific Islanders through leadership, empowerment, and policy. Envisioned as a vehicle to develop future leaders, LEAP is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to achieve full participation and equality for Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs) through leadership, empowerment, and policy. LEAP works to meet its mission by: Developing people, because leaders are made, not born; Informing society, because leaders know the issues; and Empowering communities, because leaders are grounded in strong, vibrant communities. Unmatched in vision and scope, LEAP offers leadership training and programs, publishes leadership research and conducts community education to advance a comprehensive strategy of API empowerment. www.leap.org About The Executive Leadership Council The Executive Leadership Council, an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation founded in 1986, is the pre-eminent membership organization committed to increasing the number of global black executives in C-suites, on corporate boards and in global enterprises. Comprised of more than 600 current and former black CEOs, board members and senior executives at Fortune 1000 and Global 500 companies, and entrepreneurs at top-tier firms, its members work to build an inclusive business leadership pipeline that empowers global black leaders to make impactful contributions to the marketplace and the global communities they serve. For more information, please visit www.elcinfo.com SOURCE Deloitte Related Links http://www.deloitte.com XIANGTAN, China, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Song's 3D treatment is a new option for patients. It involves injecting patients through the pelvic gap, avoiding blood vessels and nerves, a thoroughly safe procedure with no side effects. The fine needles used can reach lesion sites of the prostate, seminal vesicles, vas deferens and epididymis. Injected into the lesion tissue are natural herb extracts which begin to eliminate the causative pathogens and pathogenic cells, clearing blockage as well as toxic substances. Dr. Song's 3D natural prostate treatments are capable of killing enlarged prostate cells and naturally shrinking the prostate. Patients can see proof of the efficiency of the treatment as they begin to see blockages, toxic substances, necrotic and inflammatory materials and calcified materials discharged through urine. Dr Song and Dr Song's clinic in China dr Song's 3D prostate and prostatitis treatment China Dr Song and Dr song's clinic in China Dr. Song's 3d prostate and prostatitis treatment China Like acupuncture and acupoint injection therapy which has thousands years of history, the 3D treatment is a safe non-surgical procedure. It is able to cure various types of enlarged prostate. It usually starts with the eradication of the pathogens and pathogenic calls, as well as clearing out the blockages and toxic substances. The enlarged prostate begins to shrink and return to normal as the patient's body condition generally improve significantly with time as the body begins to heal itself. Prostate blood circulation and endocrine secretion also begin to return to normal. A peculiar case of how 3D treatment is super effective in curing enlarged prostate is that of Mr. Ronald Bazar. Mr. Ronald had a prostate volume of 240 cc reduced to below 80cc after two rounds of the treatment. His PSA value which was 19.35 decreased to 1.75. He stopped using his catheters and the food allergies were gone. His overall condition improved significantly in no time. He is presently waiting and observing for further signs of improvement. It is expected that his prostate volume would return to normal in the near future once he receives his third round of treatment from Dr. Song. About Dr. Song: Dr. Song received his medical degree from the Medical School of Southern China University in 1986. He has had a long career spanning 28 years. Since his first foray into the world of prostatitis diagnosis and treatment, he has gone on to develop the 3D treatment method that was recognized and accepted by the Chinese medical community in 1994. Dr. Song is a well experienced expert and specialist in treating various chronic, complicated and drug resistant prostate diseases. Contact: Alisa Wang 86-186-7321-6429 prostatecure3d(at)gmail(dot)com SOURCE Dr. Song 3D Urology and 3D Prostatitis Clinic STOCKHOLM, Feb 06, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Electrolux today announced it has agreed to acquire Anova, the U.S. based provider of the Anova Precision Cooker, an innovative connected device for sous vide cooking that enables restaurant-quality results in the home. The acquisition provides a significant opportunity for profitable growth in this emerging product category. Anova's direct-to-consumer business model and digital focus are also of strong strategic interest to Electrolux. Anova was founded in 2013 and is growing rapidly amid popular acclaim for its innovative product, which was rated best cooking gadget of 2016 by reviewed.com. Net sales in 2016 amounted to around USD 40 million. The up-front cash consideration in the transaction is USD 115 million, with an additional amount of up to USD 135 million, depending on future financial performance. The company has approximately 70 employees and contractors globally and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. Sales are primarily carried out online directly to consumer and through major retailers. "Anova's mission to make it easy for consumers to cook like a pro is so similar to our own focus on great tasting food that this was quite obviously a perfect match," said Ola Nilsson, Head of Electrolux business area Home Care and Small Domestic Appliances. "It's also a great strategic fit in terms of Anova's approach to online sales and digital marketing, and in how they leverage connectivity in the products. We have a lot to learn from each other, and look forward to helping Anova take the next steps on their global growth journey while maintaining an agile and innovative culture." The Anova Precision Cooker connects to a user's smartphone and offers thousands of recipes to make it easy to cook sous vide a cooking technique that is well established in gourmet restaurants and growing among consumers. Food is placed in a sealable bag and brought to a precisely controlled temperature in a water bath. The precision cooker is an immersion circulator, which heats and maintains the water at a precise temperature, ensuring great results. Read more about Anova here. "This acquisition offers a valuable stepping stone in our journey to deliver best in class consumer experiences through smart, connected appliances. Additionally, Anova's passionate community of food lovers is a great example of the kind of relationship we are building with people around the world," said Jonas Samuelson, President and CEO of Electrolux. See a video with Jonas Samuelson here. To further leverage the benefits of joining forces with Anova, Electrolux Home Care business area intends to open an office in San Francisco, in order to establish an innovation hub for creating meaningful and innovative consumer experiences in the smart home arena. Related opportunities will be made public at Electrolux on LinkedIn. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals, and is expected to be closed during the first quarter of 2017. For further information, please contact: Electrolux Press Hotline, Tel: +46-8-657-65-07. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/electrolux/r/electrolux-to-acquire-fast-growing-smart-kitchen-appliance-company-anova,c2180826 The following files are available for download: SOURCE Electrolux SAN DIEGO, February 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Zander Prepares to Move Forward With Development of its Small Molecule Therapies for Treating Animals With Cancer and Autoimmune Disorders Which Include Arthritis Entest BioMedical Inc.'s (OTCPINK: ENTB) Zander Therapeutics subsidiary has added Harry Lander, PhD, MBA as its President and Chief Scientific Officer and Todd S. Caven as its Chief Financial Officer. Thomas Ichim, PhD will assist the company as its Senior Scientific Consultant and Debbie Dorsee will serve as Director of Business Development. Zander Therapeutics Inc. is focused on the rapidly growing veterinary medicine market niche. In 2016, the U.S. pet market was estimated to be $62.75 billion dollars in size, which is up from $38.5 billion in 2006 and $48.53 billion in 2010. Out of $62.75 billion, $16 billion was spent on veterinary care alone. Lander has over 25 years of professional scientific, business and financial management experience related to biomedical research. He has a deep knowledge of operations and research administration. . He has extensive relationships with large and small biotechnology and pharmacology expects to leverage for company growth. He has served as Research Chief / Administration for Sidra Medical and Research Center (Doha, Qatar), Assistant Provost for Weill Cornell Medical College (Cornell University) and served as Assistant Dean for Research Administration at Weill Cornell Medical College (Cornell University). Caven has 30 years of experience in corporate finance, taxation, mergers & acquisitions, corporate valuations and financing activities for various types of transactions. He co-founded Saguaro Capital Partners, an Arizona-based firm that raises growth capital for medical device, pharmacology and technology based companies throughout the western United States. Caven also founded Rock Ridge Enterprises, a Minnesota-based boutique private equity firm that focuses on the acquisition of manufacturing, distribution, construction and business services firms in the upper Midwest. Formerly, Caven served as CFO of Atterro Human Capital Group (formerly Pro Staff), a $500 million privately-held firm in the staffing and recruiting industry. He also held senior-level finance and marketing positions at Nordic Track and the Carlson Companies., both in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He started his career in corporate finance at Amoco Corporation in Chicago, Illinois (now British Petroleum). Caven earned a bachelor's degree in Accounting from the Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa, and he received an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. Dr. Ichim has 20 years of biotechnology experience, including founding Immune Advisors LLC, a biotechnology consulting group focused on accelerating commercialization of companies in the regenerative medicine and immune-oncology space. Dr. Ichim previously served as Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Executive Officer of Medistem Inc. which was acquired by Intrexon Inc. He also co-founded bioRASI (a contract research organization), served as a Vice President of Cellular Therapies at Intrexon Inc. Dr. Ichim has more than 100 peer reviewed publications on cell therapy and immunology and over 100 patents and patent applications. Debbie Dorsee is the founder and principal executive of The Dorsee Company, a leader in public relations for businesses and individuals both regionally and nationally. She has an integrated focus on community relations, marketing, fundraising / capital raising and business development. Dorsee received the San Diego North Chamber of Commerce's Volunteer of the Year honor and was named one of San Diego Metropolitan Magazine's Metro Movers to Watch. Zander's Chairman & CEO David Koos noted, "With the addition of these new management team members, Zander is poised to advance its business model rapidly. We have both proprietary intellectual property and licensed intellectual property (from Regen BioPharma Inc.), which are aimed at addressing maladies suffered by our pets through the development of small molecule therapies. The veterinary market is something I'm extremely passionate about, as I have two basset hounds and lost my first basset hound to cancer. I'm excited that Zander can provide therapies that prevent the suffering of our pets." About Zander Therapeutics Inc.: Zander Therapeutics is a wholly owned subsidiary of Entest BioMedical Inc. (OTCPink: ENTB), a publicly traded biotechnology company focused on veterinary medicine. The Company seeks to develop small molecule and immune stimulating therapies for veterinary application. Currently, the Company's major interest is in developing small molecule therapies for treating cancer and autoimmune diseases in animals, which include arthritis. Zander Therapeutics Inc. is the exclusive licensee for veterinary applications of Regen BioPharma Inc. (OTCQB: RGBP) (OTCQB: RGBPP) intellectual property and technology relating to NR2F6. NR2F6 is a molecular switch known as a "orphan nuclear receptor", which controls genes associated with the immune response. Zander Therapeutics is solely focused on veterinary applications. David Koos serves as Chairman and Chief Executive officer of Regen BioPharma, Inc. (OTCQB: RGBP), Entest BioMedical Inc. (OTCPINK: ENTB) and Zander Therapeutics Inc. (wholly owned by Entest BioMedical Inc.). Disclaimer: This news announcement may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties to which forward looking statements are subject include, but are not limited to, the effect of government regulation, competition and other material risks. CONTACT INFORMATION Zander Therapeutics Inc. and Entest BioMedical Inc. David R. Koos, Ph.D. Chairman & Chief Executive Officer 619-702-1404 Phone 619-330-2328 Fax http://www.zandertherapeutics.com/ [email protected] SOURCE Entest BioMedical Inc. Hu joins Latham from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where she most recently served as Head of the Office of Clearance and Settlement Supervision. In this role, Hu oversaw clearing agencies registered with the SEC and was responsible for their risk supervision under the regime established by the Securities Exchange Act and the Dodd-Frank Act. She was also responsible for reviewing clearing agency rule filings, including vetting potentially market-transformative FinTech businesses that are seeking to operate in the new technology-driven financial environment. Before that, Hu served as an Assistant Director exclusively responsible for CDS clearing supervision, working closely with domestic and foreign CDS clearing houses. During her tenure at the SEC, Hu was also a key player in the SEC's proposed rulemaking with respect to applying Dodd-Frank Title VII requirements to security-based swap dealers in the cross-border context. Hu has a particularly deep understanding of the financial regulatory infrastructure that is fueling the growth of FinTech. While at the SEC, Hu was one of the agency's principal contacts for FinTech startups with a focus in clearing, post-trade processing, data management and related market infrastructure areas. Over the years, she has established a reputation as one of the top practitioners in the application of the securities markets regulatory framework to modern financial technology products and services. Hu is the latest financial regulatory hire the firm has made to its preeminent Financial Institutions Group, following the hires of leading English law practitioners Rob Moulton and Nicola Higgs in London. Her extensive regulatory experience further enhances the firm's integrated global financial regulatory and market infrastructure practices in Europe and globally. A native Mandarin speaker, Hu will also work closely with the firm's Asia practice, and she will offer her insights to Asian clients that are seeking to expand their business globally. "Wenchi is a recognized leader in clearing, financial technology and intermediary matters across the securities markets, and we are delighted to welcome her to the firm," said Michele Penzer, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins in New York. "She will bring tremendous value to our financial institution clients in New York and across the globe navigating emerging areas like FinTech, as well as regulatory issues and product structuring challenges spanning major jurisdictions." Witold Balaban, Global Co-Chair of Latham's Financial Institutions Group, said: "Wenchi's arrival solidifies Latham's position as the leading firm on global financial regulatory matters. She is an authority in the market on Dodd-Frank and brings deep understanding of the financial regulatory infrastructure that is a driving force behind the growth in FinTech, as well as substantial experience in derivatives regulatory and transactional matters focused on clearing and related market infrastructure areas. She will work closely with the firm's integrated US and EU financial regulatory practices to help global financial institution clients address complex, cross-border regulatory challenges." Ian Schuman, Global Co-Chair of the firm's Capital Markets Practice, added: "Wenchi is a 'go to' resource for the investment banks, regulators and innovative technology firms who are looking for guidance in developing a regulatory compliant product offering. Wenchi's reputation as one of the leading regulatory lawyers in the US is rightfully earned by her many years on the front lines of financial regulation. She will be a significant contributor to the growth of our practice and a major asset to the corporate suite at the global banks, global market infrastructure providers and FinTech startups." "Few firms can match Latham's combination of financial regulatory, emerging company and technology experience, and still fewer have the depth of talent in these intersecting areas in the world's financial capitals," said Hu. "The firm's substantial resources and global platform make it uniquely positioned to respond to the needs of clients as they navigate the evolving regulatory environment. I look forward to collaborating with the firm's M&A, capital markets, emerging companies, technology transactions and FinTech teams to bring all the firm's resources to bear for our clients." Prior to joining the SEC, Hu was a Managing Director and Senior Counsel at Rabobank America in New York, where she headed a legal team supporting Rabobank's US capital markets and derivatives businesses. She received her JD from University of California-Berkeley School of Law, her MA from University of Wisconsin-Madison and LLM from Harvard Law School, and her LLB from National Taiwan University. Download Photo Wenchi Hu Headshot or Casual About Latham & Watkins Latham & Watkins is a global law firm with more than 2,200 lawyers in its offices located in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States, including: Barcelona, Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Century City, Chicago, Dubai, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Munich, New Jersey, New York, Orange County, Paris, Riyadh, Rome, San Diego, San Francisco, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. For more information on Latham & Watkins, please visit the website at www.lw.com. Notes to Editors 1Latham & Watkins operates as a limited liability partnership worldwide with affiliated limited liability partnerships conducting the practice in the United Kingdom, France and Italy and affiliated partnerships conducting the practice in Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore. Latham & Watkins operates in Seoul as a Foreign Legal Consultant Office. Latham & Watkins practices in Saudi Arabia in association with the Law Office of Salman M. Al-Sudairi. Contacts Michele Penzer, New York Office Managing Partner, +1.212.906.1245 Witold Balaban, Financial Institutions Group Global Co-Chair, +1.212.906.4550 Ian Schuman, Capital Markets Practice Global Co-Chair, +1.212.906.1894 SOURCE Latham & Watkins Related Links http://www.lw.com BINGHAM FARMS, Mich., Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- FOURMIDABLE, a national real estate property management and brokerage firm currently managing 15 communities throughout Tennessee, is pleased to announce the opening of Turnrow, its newest community in Somerville. "FOURMIDABLE is proud to be part of the city and looking forward to managing such an upscale community," said Michael Schocker, President of FOURMIDABLE. "Turnrow is going to be a wonderful addition to the Somerville area." Turnrow in Somerville, Tenn. is the newest community to open under the management of FOURMIDABLE, a national real estate property management and brokerage firm that is currently managing 15 communities throughout Tennessee. Turnrow is being developed in cooperation with the Tennessee Housing Development Agency under the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. FOURMIDABLE manages a total of 87 communities in 10 states. Turnrow offers residents 56 one, two and three bedroom homes. The newly constructed, energy efficient community features fully equipped kitchens with dishwasher, and in-unit washer and dryer. The community will also offer residents an outdoor pool, business center, fitness center, furnished clubhouse and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the property. Turnrow is being developed in cooperation with the Tennessee Housing Development Agency under the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program. The general contractor is BACAR Constructors of Nashville, Tenn. The developers for the property are Turnrow 2015 Limited Partnership. The first residents moved into their beautiful new homes in January. Applications are still being accepted online at www.turnrowtn.com. Rental rates for Turnrow range from $490 to $590 a month. There are income limitations for residential applicants based on the area median income, but no direct rent subsidies are offered at the community. About FOURMIDABLE FOURMIDABLE is a national real estate management and brokerage company that specializes in managing, marketing and leasing market rate, tax credit, senior and family government assisted, public housing and rural development apartment communities. Founded in 1975, FOURMIDABLE currently manages 87 communities in 10 states, with more than 9,256 units under management. FOURMIDABLE is a member of the elite AMO (Accredited Management Organization) and is an approved management firm for HUD, MSHDA and other State Agencies. Additionally, FOURMIDABLE affiliated companies offer support for property management companies and owners, including agility-pm, a provider of back office accounting, HR, IT and compliance support; eCrosstown, a provider of free WiFi amenity services to apartment residents; and ePhonz, a specialized telephone product for apartment management companies. For more information, please call 248-593-4634 or visit www.fourmidable.com. CONTACT: Michael Schocker, President 248-593-4634 Sue Voyles, Logos Communications 734-667-2005 SOURCE FOURMIDABLE Related Links https://www.fourmidable.com HOUSTON, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Freedom Oil and Gas Ltd. (ASX: FDM, OTCQX: FDMQF) ("Freedom" or "the Company") today announced the signing of a contract with Patterson-UTI Drilling Company for the drilling of two wells in the Eagle Ford Shale. These wells will be drilled on Freedom's newly acquired 8,000 acres located in Dimmit County in south Texas. The Patterson rig is currently drilling approximately 50 miles from the Company's acreage and is expected to mobilize to the first Freedom drilling location in April. Freedom's acreage is in one of the most active areas of the Eagle Ford Shale surrounded by over 300 offset wells, which provides a very high understanding of the geology and productivity of this region. Additionally, the Company has purchased 3D seismic data over the planned drilling area and has obtained cores from five surrounding wells that give a foot by foot understanding of the reservoir. Freedom's intent is to locate the two wells immediately adjacent to offset operator's producing locations. "We are pleased to announce the initial drilling in our new Eagle Ford position," said J. Michael Yeager, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Freedom. "Working with Patterson, one of the industry's top drillers, and using a high quality rig that is in service with a proven drilling crew certainly gives us confidence in drilling quality wells. "This Eagle Ford opportunity has a number of significant characteristics to benefit our shareholders," continued Yeager. "We targeted this area of the Eagle Ford Shale based on expectations of low cost and attractive returns at today's oil and gas prices. The Eagle Ford formation is the thickest at nearly 400 feet in our acreage and many successful wells have been drilled at three separate intervals adjacent to us. The well depths in this area are only about 6,500 feet to the center of the Eagle Ford Shale, which results in wells that can be drilled quickly and at a relatively low cost. Additionally, recent technical advancements used to drill and complete adjacent wells have resulted in initial production and reserve recovery increases of over 40 percent per well. The wells are expected to produce 70-80 percent of high value, quality volatile oil and liquids and 20-30 percent natural gas. So we are excited that we could drill 300 to 450 wells on our current acreage in the three separate intervals with these solid characteristics." Freedom estimates that its initial well cost of approximately $5 million should decline to around $4 million per well once a full development program is underway. The Company's current 8,000- acre position is expected to reach 10,000 acres when several new leases are acquired in the next few weeks. Freedom has a 100 percent working interest in its acreage and has acquired it at a cost of approximately $1,000 per acre. Its acreage is contiguous and it can drill optimal lateral lengths of its choosing. The recent large purchase of Anadarko acreage by Sanchez Energy and the Protege purchase of Newfield acreage are adjacent to Freedom's position. Both acquiring companies have significant drilling programs planned surrounding Freedom's position. About Freedom Oil and Gas Ltd., ACN 128 429 158 (ASX: FDM, OTCQX: FDMQF) Freedom Oil and Gas Ltd. is a development stage company striving to build a growing, investment grade oil and gas company. The Company continues to acquire undeveloped acreage in the liquids rich area of the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas, in the United States. Forward Looking Statements This release may contain forward looking statements. Forward looking statement may be based on assumptions which may or may not prove to be correct. None of Freedom, its respective officers, employees, agents, advisers or any other person named in this release makes any representation as to the accuracy or likelihood of fulfillment of the forward looking statements or any of the assumptions upon which they are based and disclaim any obligation or undertaking to revise any forward looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future event or otherwise. CONTACT Further inquiries contact information: Howard Selzer Andrew Crawford Chief Financial Officer Company Secretary +1-832-783-5700 +61-2-4925-3659 Website: www.freedomog.com SOURCE Freedom Oil and Gas Ltd. Related Links http://www.freedomog.com PITTSBURGH, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Black Law Students (ABLS) at Rutgers School of LawNewark recently honored Osato Chitou, ESQ, MPH, Compliance Officer, Gateway Health and a 2010 graduate of the law school, at their 2017 "Jazz for Justice" event on Friday, February 3. Osato serves as Gateway's Medicare Compliance Officer. In her role, she develops and implements important policies and procedures to protect Gateway's Medicare health plan from fraud, waste and abuse. By maintaining the integrity and transparency of the organization, she helps protect Gateway Medicare members by making sure they receive all the important care they need in a timely and efficient manner. While relatively new to Gateway and Pittsburgh, Osato has more than 15 years of leadership, service, and experience in and on behalf of the Newark community. She serves on the board and committees of several nonprofit and charitable organizations, including RISE, a national civil rights nonprofit working with multiple state legislatures in all aspects of social justice campaigns, including healthcare. Osato is a former freelance writer for The National Jurist and an adjunct professor at Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration and has taught the following courses: Law and Public Health, Leadership and Diversity, and Healthcare Management. Additionally, she serves as President of the Board of Trustees of the Alumni Association for Rutgers School of Law-Newark, as well as on the Executive Board of Directors for the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association and is Co-Diversity Officer. The "Jazz for Justice" event benefits the Wanda Green Memorial Scholarship Fund, established by Donita Judge '03 and ABLS to provide tuition assistance to a law student who in some way was affected by the events of September 11, 2001 or Hurricane Katrina. Wanda Green was a flight attendant on United Flight 93. About Gateway Health Gateway Health is a nationally ranked managed care organization that focuses on providing the best possible healthcare to a growing number of Medicaid and Medicare Advantage consumers. A not-for-profit organization, Gateway Health serves the needs of at risk and vulnerable citizens with not only healthcare coverage, but services such as disease management, health and wellness programs and preventive care. The organization provides Medicaid services in Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia and Medicare coverage in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio and North Carolina. Our commitment to helping our members and their communities get and stay healthy is what keeps members, providers, communities and partners "Good with Gateway." To learn more about Gateway Health, visit us online at www.imgoodwithgateway.com. SOURCE Gateway Health Related Links http://www.imgoodwithgateway.com LONDON, February 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI), Transcatheter Mitral Valve Implantation (TMVR) The global interventional cardiology market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.1% in the first half of the forecast period and CAGR of 16.9% in the second half of the forecast period. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.0% from 2017 to 2027. The market is estimated at $13,920m in 2021 and $35,537m in 2027. How this report will benefit you Read on to discover how you can exploit the future business opportunities emerging in this sector. In this brand new 225-page report you will receive 111 charts - all unavailable elsewhere. The 225-page report provides clear detailed insight into the global interventional cardiology market. Discover the key drivers and challenges affecting the market. By ordering and reading our brand new report today you stay better informed and ready to act. Report Scope Global Interventional Cardiology Market forecasts from 2017-2027 Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) submarket forecasts from 2017-2027, further segmented into: - Drug-eluting Stents (DES) - Bare Metal Stents - Bioresorbable Stents This section also discusses the leading products, competitive landscape, market share of the leading players, drivers & restraints, pipeline analysis, SWOT analysis, reimbursement schemes for PCI in the US, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Japan, Australia, Singapore, China and India. Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI/TAVR) from 2017-2027 This section also discusses the market share of the leading players, drivers & restraints, pipeline analysis, SWOT analysis, reimbursement schemes for TAVI/TAVR in the US, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Japan, Australia, Singapore, China and India. To see a report overview please email Sara Peerun on [email protected] Trans Mitral Valve Implantation (TMVR) submarket forecasts from 2017-2027 This section also discusses the market share of the leading players, drivers & restraints, pipeline analysis, SWOT analysis, reimbursement schemes for TMVR in the US, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Japan, Australia, Singapore, China and India. Interventional Cardiology Leading National Market forecasts from 2017-2027 covering the US, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Japan, Australia, Singapore, China, India and the Rest of the World (RoW) Each country is further segmented into PCI, TAVI and TMVR. Assessment of selected leading companies that hold major market shares in the interventional cardiology market SWOT and STEP analysis of the global interventional cardiology market Visiongain's study is intended for anyone requiring commercial analyses for the Global Interventional Cardiology Market. You find data, trends and predictions. Buy our report today Global Interventional Cardiology Market 2017-2027: Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI), Transcatheter Mitral Valve Implantation (TMVR). To request a report overview of this report please emails Sara Peerun at [email protected] or call Tel: +44 (0) 20 7336 6100 Or click on : https://www.visiongain.com/Report/1786/Global-Interventional-Cardiology-Market-2017-2027 List of Companies and Organisations Mentioned in the Report 3mensio Medical Imaging Abbott Accucinch Alvimedica Amaranth Medical Aperture Venture Partners Arterial Remodelling Technologies B.Braun Balton Biosensors International Biotronik Boston Scientific Group British Heart Foundation Caisson Cardiac Dimensions CardiAQ Cardica Cardiosolutions Centre for Disease and Prevention Control (CDC) Centres for Medicare & Medicaid Services Cordis Direct Flow Medical Edwards Lifesciences Elixir Medical Corporation Emory University European Society for Cardiology FDA HighLife JenaValve JW Medical Systems Kardium Kyoto Medical Planning Lepu Medical Technology Life Science Partners Mardil Medical Medfavour Medical Co., Ltd. Medtronic Micell Technologies Microport Scientific Milipede Ministry of Health Labor and Welfare (MHLW) Mitralign Inc. Mitralix MitrAssist MVRx NCSI Neovasc OrbusNeich Medical, Inc. Paieon Inc Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PDMA) Phillips Reva Medical Sahajanand Medical Technologies Pvt. Shanghai MicroPort Medical (Group) Co., Ltd. Siemens AG Singapore Heart Foundation St Jude Medical Surmodics Inc. Sysmetis Tendyne Holdings, Inc. Terumo The Health Science Authority (HSA) The Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) TransCardiac Valtech Cardio Vascular Concepts Venus Medtech Inc., WHO To see a report overview please email Sara Peerun on [email protected] SOURCE Visiongain Ltd CLEVELAND, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyland, a leading provider of software for managing content, processes and cases, today announced plans to expand the campus at its global headquarters in Westlake, Ohio. The expansion, which breaks ground today, will add a third wing to its research and development center located at 28105 Clemens Road. The 70,000-square-foot addition has a target completion date of May 2018 and will include office space for an additional 400 employees and a state-of-the-art training center. This is the second time in four years that Hyland has expanded its global headquarters. "This is an exciting time for Hyland. This expansion reflects our continued growth and is one of many initiatives underway to support our growing global customer base," said Bill Priemer, president and CEO at Hyland. "We feel fortunate to be in this position and look forward to welcoming employees, customers and partners to our new space." Hyland estimates it will add 330 employees in 2017 to support its business needs across the globe. For more information about available positions, visit careers.hyland.com. For more details about its building expansion plans, contact Hyland's Corporate Communications team. About Hyland Hyland is a leader in providing software solutions for managing content, processes and cases for organizations across the globe. For 25 years, Hyland has enabled more than 15,400 organizations to digitalize their workplaces and fundamentally transform their operations. Named one of Fortune's 2016 Best Companies to Work For, Hyland is widely known as both a great company to work for and a great company to do business with. For more information, please visit OnBase.com. Media contact: Megan Larsen +1 440-788-4988 [email protected] SOURCE Hyland Software Related Links https://www.onbase.com BOSTON, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- John Hancock Investments published a new white paper today entitled "Target-date funds: embracing open architecture in retirement's most important investment option," by Andrew G. Arnott, President & CEO. The paper argues that investors in target-date funds deserve the same benefits afforded by open-architecture lineups at the plan level, and draws on data and anecdotal feedback from a variety of third-party surveys of plan sponsors, investment consultants, and elite DC plan advisors. "Today, plan-level best practices call for an open-architecture, or multimanager, lineup of investment offerings, but that line of thinking rarely extends to target-date portfolio construction," said Mr. Arnott. "If open architecture is important, then perhaps more target-date funds should be open, incorporating a variety of specialized teams based on their merits." The paper notes that participants benefit from asset manager diversification, and many larger plan sponsors have already moved to reduce the risks of manager concentration by complementing or replacing single-manager target-date funds in their lineups with multimanager target-date funds. However, other sponsors, particularly among the midsize and smaller plan segments, may still have work to doespecially in light of increasing plan-related litigation and prospective changes across the retirement regulatory regime. This is part of a broader focus the firm is making in 2017 on target-date investing inside of retirement plans. "Our more than 20 years of experience overseeing multimanager asset allocation portfolios for retirement plans have taught us the wisdom of this open-architecture approach," said Todd J. Cassler, president of institutional distribution. "Now more than ever, we believe DC plan sponsors and advisors should consider extending these benefits to target-date fund investors." Asset allocation portfolios at John Hancock Investments total over $53 billion.* The firm is supporting the target-date initiative with a full complement of advertising and educational resources for DC plan sponsors, advisors, consultants, and participantsincluding the new white paperavailable at jhinvestments.com/targetdate. About John Hancock Investments John Hancock has helped individuals and institutions build and protect wealth since 1862. Today, we are one of the strongest and most-recognized financial brands. We serve investors globally through a unique multimanager approach: We search the world to find proven portfolio teams with specialized expertise for every strategy we offer, then we apply robust investment oversight to ensure they continue to meet our uncompromising standards and serve the best interests of our shareholders. Our approach to asset management has led to a diverse set of investments deeply rooted in investor needs, along with strong risk-adjusted returns across asset classes. About John Hancock Financial and Manulife John Hancock Financial is a division of Manulife, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada, and the United States. Operating as Manulife in Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, our group of companies offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents, and distribution partners. Assets under management and administration by Manulife and its subsidiaries were CAD$966 billion (US$862 billion) as of September 30, 2016. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as MFC on the TSX, NYSE, and PSE, and under 945 on the SEHK. Manulife can be found at manulife.com. The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers and administers a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments, 401(k) plans, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com. Diversification does not guarantee a profit or eliminate, the risk of a loss. This material is not intended to be, nor shall it be interpreted or construed as, a recommendation or providing advice, impartial or otherwise. John Hancock Investments and its representatives and affiliates may receive compensation derived from the sale of and/or from any investment made in its products and services. * John Hancock Investments as of 12/31/16. SOURCE John Hancock Investments NORTHFIELD, Ohio, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Justin MacEachern, who works in the Ross Croghan Stable, has been named the recipient of the 2016 Caretaker of the Year Award sponsored by Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park (HHRNP) in conjunction with the U.S. Harness Writers Association (USHWA). MacEachern will be honored at USHWA's annual Dan Patch Awards event on Sunday, Feb. 26, in Las Vegas. As winner of the HHRNP Caretaker of the Year Award, MacEachern will receive a cash prize of $500, transportation and hotel and event accommodations. "I am so overwhelmed by this, I can't even begin to explain it," says MacEachern. "When you take care of a horse, and I've taken care of "Call Me Queen Be" for two years and she was my only horse up until this winter, just waking up every day knowing that I had so much to do with the horse, it's just great. There is a whole connection there and it's an amazing feeling." All caretakers in North America are eligible for the award, with nomination letters submitted detailing the skills and special qualities of the nominee. MacEachern received several nominations, with one noting the "countless hours he has dedicated to the filly "Call Me Queen Be" and a pacer who he needed "to use his horsemanship skills to gain the trust of." Croghan agreed, saying, "MacEachern has spent hours with this filly giving her confidence and getting her mannered. He put his heart and soul into this horse. Croghan also noted MacEachern's attention to detail, including shipping, shoeing, exercise schedules or equipment. Another nominator says MacEachern "risked his own life" last winter when fire engulfed a barn at the South Florida Trotting Center. One of the first on the scene, MacEachern helped rescue several horses from the burning barn -- later helping ship the injured to a nearby vet clinic. "I currently live in Millstone, NJ on Ross Croghan's farm, 'Dockside'; and we also are stabled at Gaitway Farm in Manalapan, NJ. My favorite music artists are Bob Marley, J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar. I love reggae music and the Caribbean culture. And am very influenced by their cuisine; but I am very intrigued by all international cultures and cuisines." For More Information Contact: Vivian Davis, Manager, Public Relations 330-908-7771 (office) or 330-888-8084 (mobile) SOURCE Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park Related Links http://www.hrrocksinonorthfieldpark.com SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The following open letter to President Donald J. Trump is being issued by Mr. Kais Menoufy. February 2, 2017 The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500 Letter to the President - On Friday, January 27, 2017, you issued an Executive Order blocking all refugees from entering the United States for 120 days, and barring all entrants from seven Muslim-dominated countries for 90 days. Mr. President, I concur with you in recognizing that national security and immigration issues are two of our highest priorities. No one disputes the fact that there are flaws with our immigration process and procedures, just as no one disputes that we must be ever vigilant and committed to fighting terrorism and keeping our nation safe. However, Mr. President, your Executive Order does not improve our national security; in fact, it does the opposite. It targets a group of people seeking refuge from oppression and violence, and it provides ammunition for radical terrorist groups who spout rhetoric of violence against the United States. Regardless of intent, it also paints an entire religious faith with the broad brush of suspicion and distrust. I am deeply concerned that issues of national security have been a catalyst for anxiety and division among so many Americans. We must seek common ground to address a growing dissension in our nation. Campaign rhetoric and slogans have their place, but it is now time to lead. I beseech you as a concerned citizen and as a proud American to seek a council of diversity and inclusion. Instead of marginalizing a particular group, invite Muslim American leaders to be a part of the solution. We each have a responsibility to educate and inform each other about the diversity of our faith communities. Next week, the Japanese American Citizens League will hold "Time of Remembrance" to reflect on the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. I believe this may serve well as a reminder for us not to repeat the mistakes of our past. Best wishes in your sacred responsibility to lead, unite, and protect our great nation. God bless America. Sincerely, Kais Menoufy Kais Menoufy is the President and CEO of Delegata Corporation, a leading business solutions company in Sacramento, California. He is a long-time community leader and the founder of two non-profit organizations: - Building Bridges breaks down cultural and ethnic barriers through multinational events and programs; it sponsors students, academic research, community delegations, and exchange programs from California and the Middle East. - Closing the Gap provides funding to proven organizations that offer mentoring and support to "at risk" students on the path to college; it has helped over 3,000 students. 2450 Venture Oaks Way, Suite 400 Sacramento, CA 95833 Related Files The White House Letter.pdf This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com. SOURCE Kais Menoufy BOSTON, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Erecruit announced today that ManpowerGroup, the world leader in innovative workforce solutions, has chosen its enterprise staffing software platform to help drive productivity, profitability and efficiency in North America. ManpowerGroup connects more than 70,000 people in North America to meaningful work across a wide range of skills and industries every day. Its Manpower and Experis brands will leverage the configurability and functionality provided by Erecruit's enterprise staffing platform to boost operational efficiency, simplify the enterprise software footprint and empower further growth across North America. "With skills needs changing faster than ever and 46 percent of U.S. employers experiencing talent shortages, it's important to have tools that advance our technological capabilities and continue to scale our business in the digital age," said Michael Stull, Senior Vice President, Manpower North America. "Blending our high-touch approach with Erecruit's high-tech capabilities allows us to put more people to work, help them get ahead and connect their skills to the needs of our clients." "This marks another major milestone in Erecruit's position of being the number one choice for the largest enterprise staffing firms," said Dave Perotti, Chief Executive Officer, Erecruit. "Erecruit's software will help ManpowerGroup address the most complex workforce challenges organizations face today while making sure it delivers the right individual to the right job, faster and with better business results." To learn more about Erecruit's enterprise staffing software technology platform, visit www.erecruit.com. About Erecruit Erecruit is the leading innovator in enterprise staffing software, VMS and onboarding solutions for large staffing firms and employers. Erecruit uses modern, standards-based technologies to provide a highly scalable and configurable solution that allows today's best firms to put their clients, candidates and vendors at the heart of their businesses. To learn more, visit www.erecruit.com. Erecruit is a trademark of Erecruit Holdings, LLC. About ManpowerGroup ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN) is the world's workforce expert, creating innovative workforce solutions for nearly 70 years. We connect more than 600,000 people to meaningful work across a wide range of skills and industries every day. Through our ManpowerGroup family of brands Manpower, Experis, Right Management and ManpowerGroup Solutions we help more than 400,000 clients in 80 countries and territories address their critical talent needs, providing comprehensive solutions to resource, manage and develop talent. In 2016, ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the sixth consecutive year and one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies, confirming our position as the most trusted and admired brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup makes powering the world of work humanly possible: www.manpowergroup.com. SOURCE Erecruit Related Links http://www.erecruit.com KELOWNA, British Columbia, February 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Marapharm Ventures Inc. (OTCQB: MRPHF) (CSE: MDM) (FSE: 2M0) "Marapharm is the sole owner of Econevada LLC, which is the holder of a provisional production license for lab tested oils and edible cannabis infused products which will be produced in Marapharm's facility. The facility is presently under construction in Apex Industrial Park, Las Vegas, Nevada. Proven and successful recipes for a variety of products have been obtained and include cookies, chocolates, brownies, candies, hot chocolate packets, topicals and oils. Child proof and secure containers are being designed for the marketing and branding of products. Online brochures for preview and pre orders from marijuana dispensaries in Nevada will be distributed within several weeks. The potential for sales revenue and profit for edibles in Nevada is huge; it's exciting to be in this industry!" Linda Sampson, Marapharm CEO. The Marijuana Business Magazine, January, 2015, wrote that the estimated market for general marijuana infused products in was between $650 to $850 million. That was based on 2014 sales, and, prior to many States legalizing the use of medical and or recreational marijuana. In Colorado some retailers reported that 60% of their revenue came from cannabis infused products compared to 30% in 2014. At that time, Colorado ranked as the biggest edibles market in the country. "Nevada's going to blow it up" said Chad Tribble, CEO of Mountain High Suckers in Colorado, making reference to, if and when Nevada legalized marijuana for recreational use. "Since the story in the Marijuana Business Magazine was written, Nevada has legalized marijuana for recreational use. In addition to the Nevada market, there are close to 50 million adults who travel to Nevada annually. Tourists might be more inclined to purchase edibles over raw cannabis because they are less conspicuous and easier to consume. Marapharm is preparing to meet the projected needs of the market place." Linda Sampson, Marapharm CEO. ABOUT MARAPHARM VENTURES INC. http://www.marapharm.com Marapharm trades in Canada, ticker symbol MDM on the CSE, in the United States, ticker symbol MRPHF on the OTCQB, in Europe, ticker symbol 2M0 on the FSE. Marapharm has 300,000 square feet of medical marijuana licenses for it's land and facilities in WA and NV and about two and a half years ago, Marapharm applied in Canada to Health Canada for a MMPR (Production and Sales) license and has passed the necessary security clearances. The application is currently in the in-depth screening process. In September 2016, Health Canada contacted Marapharm with a provision to amend its application to allow for the new regulations, ACMPR. Additional information on the operations or financial results of Marapharm are included in reports on file with applicable securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed through the CSE website ( http://www.thecse.com), the OTC website (http://www.otcmarkets.com) and Sedar website (http://www.sedar.com ) under the profile for Marapharm Ventures Inc. STOCK EXCHANGES: Neither the CSE, the FSE nor the OTCQB has approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the CSE, the FSE nor the OTCQB accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD - LOOKING STATEMENTS: Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward looking statements. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", 'may", "will", "project", "should", 'believe", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumption but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and the forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: http://www.marapharm.com or Linda Sampson, CEO, +1-778-583-4476 [email protected] SOURCE Marapharm Ventures Inc. WHO/WHAT: Join Actifio and Oracle for a joint session on Wednesday, February 8th at 1:15PM at the largest Oracle regional user group conference in the nation. Training Days is the Rocky Mountain Oracle Users Group's (RMOUG) annual technical conference that features over 90 top database experts from around the world speaking on topics specializing in all areas of database technology. Actifio and Oracle's joint presentation will show attendees how to satisfy resiliency and test dev requirements with a single Actifio data virtualization platform on premise and/or in the Oracle Cloud. STOCKHOLM, Feb 06, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Medivir AB (OMX: MVIR) today announces that a Capital Markets Meeting will be arranged for investors, analysts and journalists, on Thursday 23 February, at 2pm - 4pm CEST, in Stockholm. CEO Niklas Prager and the management team will present a summary of the company's strategy, platforms and projects and finances after the transformation of the company in 2016. After the presentation there will be a break-out session on the presented projects. Time: Thursday 23 February, at 2pm - 4pm CEST Venue: IVAs Conference Center, Grev Turegatan 16, Stockholm Invitation for: Institutional investors, analysts and media The event will also be available after the meeting through Medivir's website; www.medivir.com Registration for investors, analysts and journalistsTo participate, please register at; http://www.financialhearings.com/event/10014, no later than 20 February. For further information, please contact: Ola Burmark, CFO, Mobile: +46-725-480-580. About Medivir Medivir develops innovative pharmaceutical products for the treatment of cancer. The company specialises in protease inhibitor research and nucleotide/nucleoside science and conducts research in all stages of the drug development process, from original idea to clinical phase III studies. Its development work is done both in-house and through partnerships. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/medivir/r/medivir-capital-markets-meeting-on-23-february-2017,c2180462 The following files are available for download: http://mb.cision.com/Main/652/2180462/623621.pdf Press release (PDF) SOURCE Medivir Related Links http://www.medivir.com LANSING, Mich., Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Michigan Chamber Foundation's Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) received accolades from the Eaton Regional Education Service Agency (RESA) for helping the agency to create real-world experiences for high school students as they prepare for a career in business. Eaton RESA and the Michigan Chamber Foundation received the Career and College Readiness Initiative Excellence in Practice Award for its Business Academy Program at the Michigan Career Education Conference held last week in Detroit. At the conference, Eaton RESA Superintendent Cindy Anderson thanked the Michigan Chamber Foundation for collaborating with the agency to provide a relevant and rigorous business education for RESA Career Preparation Center students. "Strong business partnerships like this are essential to preparing our students for success and developing entrepreneurial talent to support our local economy," Anderson said. The Michigan Chamber Foundation's YEA! program teaches high school students to "make a job, not just take a job" and networks them with local business leaders, entrepreneurs, and resources to give them a head start in business. Each student participates in a minimum of three rounds of start-up funding presentations, including local pitch competitions, investor panels, and a tradeshow. Over fifty students currently participate in the YEA! program. Students have the opportunity to raise over $15,000 in start-up funding or educational scholarships through these competitions. In addition, one team from the class will have the opportunity to travel to Rochester, New York to compete in the National YEA! Saunders Scholarship Competition. The Michigan Chamber Foundation's YEA! program was launched in the fall of 2015. Twelve Lansing-area high school students, representing 10 new Lansing-area businesses, were awarded $5,000 to launch their businesses last spring and summer. For more information on the Michigan Chamber Foundation's YEA! program, including engagement and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.michamber.com/young-entrepreneurs or contact Bob Thomas at [email protected] or (517) 371-7639. The Michigan Chamber Foundation was organized in 1985 as a 501(c)3 charitable foundation to plan and conduct nonpartisan public education programs; establish and operate a leadership institute to help current and future leaders make a positive impact on Michigan's future; and conduct nonpartisan research and distribute policy studies on key business climate issues in Michigan. SOURCE Michigan Chamber of Commerce Related Links http://www.michamber.com ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) today announced it has appointed Ashley Bunce as Executive Director of Women In Defense, an NDIA affiliate that supports the advancement and recognition of women in national security. Bunce most recently served as Women In Defense's Associate Director. She comes to Women In Defense from the Office of the Secretary of Defense where she served at the pleasure of the President as a Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Community and Public Outreach. In her new role at Women In Defense, she will be responsible for leading the strategic direction of the organization, cultivating external relationships and developing and executing key programming that provides professional networking, promotes professional growth and develops leaders. "Women In Defense is in a period of accelerated growth and expansion," said NDIA President and CEO Gen. Craig McKinley, USAF (Ret.). "With Ashley at the helm, Women In Defense will be able to provide even more dynamic, forward-thinking professional development opportunities to further the educational and career objectives of those involved and will actively be a part of creating a more diverse national security marketplace." Women In Defense is a rapidly growing national organization with 20 chapters throughout the United States. Last year, Women In Defense recognized The Honorable Christine E. Wormuth, former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, and Lisa Atherton, Executive Vice President, Military Business of Bell Helicopter as two of our nation's strongest, most successful women in defense who serve as role models for women and girls who aspire to serve in national security. "Women are playing crucial roles in our Armed Forces and national security and bringing new perspectives to the table," said Bunce. "Women In Defense is an innovative organization that is investing in the future workforce and providing thought-leadership and professional development programming. I'm honored to lead a forward-thinking organization that is contributing to a more inclusive workforce." Women In Defense is growing its social media presence and is launching a new website in the spring. For more information and updates on its events, follow Women In Defense on twitter at @WIDNational and on Facebook, or visit www.womenindefense.net. Membership is open to women and men whose primary professional activities relate to the national security of the United States and its allies. Women In Defense represents members from defense organizations of every size; all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces; government agencies; academia; think tanks, associations and professional services. Active military and government employees receive complimentary membership. About NDIA: The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) is the trusted leader in defense and national security associations. As a 501(c)3 corporate and individual membership association, NDIA engages thoughtful and innovative leaders to exchange ideas, information and capabilities that lead to the development of the best policies, practices, products and technology to ensure the safety and security of our nation. NDIA's membership embodies the full spectrum of corporate, government, academic and individual stakeholders who form a vigorous, responsive and collaborative community in support of defense and national security. For more information, visit www.ndia.org. SOURCE NDIA Related Links http://www.ndia.org SAN MATEO, Calif., Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Only 42% of U.S. adults currently have estate planning documents such as a will or living trust, according to a new Caring.com report. The percentage is even lower among those with children under age 18 (36%). Click here for more information: https://www.caring.com/articles/wills-survey-2017 Nearly six in 10 U.S. adults don't have a will Mark Gilfix, an estate planning attorney, discusses the key documents everyone needs to have in place As age increases, it's more likely that someone has estate planning documents. Just one in five millennials (ages 18-36) has a will or living trust. For Generation X (37-52 year-olds), the figure is 36%, and it's 58% for Baby Boomers (ages 53-71). A whopping 81% of those in the Silent Generation (age 72+) have a will or living trust. Among those who don't have estate documents, the main reasons are: "I just haven't gotten around to it" (47%) and "I don't have enough assets to leave to anyone" (29%). Medical/healthcare powers of attorney are more common than wills/living trusts. 53% of U.S. adults have granted someone legal authorization to make decisions on their medical care if they are unable to do so. The likelihood increases with age, from 41% of millennials to 83% of the Silent Generation. "It's not just a concern for older people everyone who is 18 or older should have a healthcare power of attorney," said Caring.com vice president Katie Roper. "If your college-age son or daughter, God forbid, were seriously injured in a car accident, you as the parent could not even find out they were in the hospital, let alone discuss their condition with physicians, without this document in place." Republicans, Democrats and independents are all essentially as likely to have healthcare powers of attorney (55%, 53% and 54%, respectively). There's a big difference when it comes to wills, however. 58% of Republicans have one versus just 38% of Democrats and 37% of independents. The survey was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. PSRAI obtained telephone interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1,003 adults living in the continental United States. Interviews were conducted by landline (502) and cell phone (501, including 312 without a landline phone) in English and Spanish by Princeton Data Source from January 19-22, 2017. Statistical results are weighted to correct known demographic discrepancies. The margin of sampling error for the complete set of weighted data is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. About Caring.com: With three million visitors per month, Caring.com is a leading senior care resource for family caregivers seeking information and support as they care for aging parents, spouses, and other loved ones. A Bankrate company headquartered in San Mateo, Calif., Caring.com provides helpful caregiving content, online support groups, and a comprehensive Senior Care Directory for the United States, with nearly 150,000 consumer ratings and reviews and a toll-free senior living referral line at (800) 325-8591. Connect with Caring.com on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and/or YouTube. For more information: Ted Rossman Public Relations Director [email protected] (917) 368-8635 SOURCE Caring.com ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Volunteers of America of Florida is hosting its first ever benefit concert, 2017 Jazz & Gumbo Festival, in which proceeds will benefit homeless Veterans, Veteran families and related services. Nonprofit Hosting Jazz & Gumbo Festival to Benefit Homeless Veterans & Families, www.voaflorida.org/JazzGumboFest Volunteers of America of Florida Facts The 2017 Jazz & Gumbo Festival will take place in Williams Park, 330 2nd Ave N, St Petersburg, FL 33715 from 4:00 PM 9:00 PM. There will be Jazz & Blues music to include Siobhan Monique & The Product, http://siobhanmonique.com and headliner The Sauce Boss, https://www.sauceboss.com. The Sauce Boss invites families & individuals to attend here: https://youtu.be/734FHBKMRzs. There will also be local food trucks to include Maggie on the Movie, Cajun in The Truck, The Cheesesteak truck and Krepelicious. Beer & wine will also be sold, to those over 21 years of age. Tickets are available here: www.voaflorida.org/JazzGumboFest. Veteran sponsorship available. Proceeds will benefit homeless Veterans & services via Volunteers of America of Florida and Rotary Clubs of The St. Petersburg Area & Gulf Beaches, https://www.rotary.org. Volunteers of America of Florida is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that engages Floridians in need to create positive life changes through compassionate support services. Support services include housing, behavioral health and job training/education/employment. Services are provided to homeless Veterans, families & individuals coping with mental illness and low-income seniors. To learn more about Volunteers of America of Florida please visit: http://www.voaflorida.org. Partners and sponsors that made the 2017 Jazz & Gumbo Festival possible are The Rotary Clubs of the St. Petersburg Area & Gulf Beaches, Johnson & Cassidy Attorneys At Law, RBC Wealth Management and the St. Petersburg Parks & Recreation Department. "We at Volunteers of America of Florida are grateful for the opportunity to help Floridians in need," stated President & CEO, Janet Stringfellow. "We value our partnerships, team members and supporters who are all making this first Annual Jazz & Gumbo Festival a huge success. The success of this event will allow us to serve more of those in need." About Volunteers of America of Florida Volunteers of America of Florida is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, faith-based organization dedicated to helping those in need live healthy, safe and productive lives. Since 1914, our ministry of service has supported and empowered Florida's most vulnerable groups. Volunteers of America of Florida serves more than 5,500 people each year through 78 programs and services in 28 locations from Pensacola to Key West and is the largest transitional housing (Grant Per Diem) provider for Veterans in the state of Florida. Volunteers of America of Florida is a chartered affiliate of nationally recognized Volunteers of America, Inc. Learn more at www.voaflorida.org. Follow us on Twitter @VOAFLA Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/voafl. Media Inquiries Contact: Dani DiVittorio (703) 965-2217 [email protected] SOURCE Volunteers of America of Florida Related Links http://www.voaflorida.org SEATTLE, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Nordstrom today announced its latest donation from Treasure&Bond, the company's give-back brand that donates 2.5% of net sales to nonprofit organizations empowering youth. The $719,000 donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Canada marks the largest gift to-date from Nordstrom through Treasure&Bond, and brings its total donation from sales of the brand to more than $1.4 million since 2014. "Treasure&Bond has been a great way for us to give back to nonprofits in the communities we support and the brand's purpose, as well as its laid-back, Americana aesthetic has really resonated with our customers," said Jennifer Jackson Brown, president of Nordstrom Product Group. "Thanks to our customers, Nordstrom has been able to bring Treasure&Bond into more departments throughout the store, which enables us to give even more to organizations that are doing such important work to support young people." "We've got a lot of exciting things planned for 2017 that we believe will help us better connect with our customers and further increase the charitable impact of Treasure&Bond," continued Jackson Brown. Currently found in Women's, Men's and Girls' apparel, Women's and Girls' shoes, Soft Accessories, Jewelry and Hosiery departments, in 2017 Treasure&Bond will be expanding to include Boys' apparel later this year. The spring collection will continue to focus on a classic, all-American aesthetic, but with a reworked, lived-in twist. Customers can expect to find lots of easy-to-wear pieces that can be layered for an effortless, casual look soft tees, worn-in button-downs, cozy sweaters and must-have denim favorites. The company also announced that from February 1, 2017 through January 31, 2018, Treasure&Bond will support the efforts of YWCA associations in the United States and Canada. In the U.S., funds will support YWCA USA's TechGYRLS initiative, which works to raise interest, confidence, and abilities in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) among girls aged nine to 12. Annually, 260,000 girls, children, youth and teens are building their futures at YWCA through programs including girls' empowerment, TechGYRLS and other STEM programs. Eight-nine percent of TechGYRLS participants reported an increase in their self-esteem and that same percentage identified at least three non-traditional careers they could attain. Seventy-two percent of those served in YWCA girls' empowerment, children's, youth and teen programs have incomes at or below the federal poverty level. "TechGYRLS teaches girls how to use technological tools and enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving skills," said Tycely Williams, vice president of development, YWCA USA. "The program offers girls a supportive environment in which to enhance their curiosity and overall knowledge in the areas of design, animation, programming and robotics. We also know that exposure to this type of programming provides girls with the confidence and skills they need to achieve excellence in any profession they chose to pursue. We are thrilled to have Nordstrom support this effort." Treasure&Bond will support various YWCA youth programs in Canada. Treasure&Bond is available in Nordstrom stores and online at Nordstrom.com. Product images can be found on the Nordstrom Press Room. Media Contacts: Nordstrom Emily Sterken 206.303.3034 [email protected] YWCA USA Cindy Hoffman 202.524.5330 [email protected] About Nordstrom Nordstrom, Inc. is a leading fashion specialty retailer based in the U.S. Founded in 1901 as a shoe store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 349 stores in 40 states, including 123 full-line stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico; 215 Nordstrom Rack stores; two Jeffrey boutiques; and two clearance stores. Additionally, customers are served online through Nordstrom.com, Nordstromrack.com and HauteLook. The company also owns Trunk Club, a personalized clothing service serving customers online at TrunkClub.com and its seven clubhouses. Nordstrom, Inc.'s common stock is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol JWN. About YWCA USA YWCA USA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. The organization is one of the oldest and largest women's organizations in the nation, serving over 2 million women, girls, and their families each year. Learn more: www.ywca.org. SOURCE Nordstrom Related Links http://www.nordstrom.com ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The co-founders of DotCom Therapy, Rachel Robinson and Emily Purdom, have been selected to present to the Alaska Statewide Special Education Conference (ASSEC) on the benefits of teletherapy, the practice of providing quality speech therapy across long distances with the help of modern technology. DotCom Therapy's mission to provide therapy to everyone, everywhere stemmed from the co-founders' personal ties to working as certified speech-language pathologists in the Alaska bush where the national therapist shortage was front and center. In addition to the shortage there was also a need for services that understood the Alaskan landscape that makes therapy delivery there so unique. This understanding of the importance of specialized services and the proper utilization of innovation laid the groundwork for DotCom Therapy progressing as leaders in the teletherapy space. The presentation, entitled "Breaking Barriers: Improving Access to Life-changing Speech and Language Therapy through Remote Service Delivery," will highlight research as well as the clinical successes and accomplishments DotCom Therapy has seen among special needs children and all others who utilize their innovative service. The conference will take place Feb. 6th-12th at the Hilton Anchorage Hotel. Attendees will include Alaska special educators, school administrators, therapists and paraprofessionals. DotCom Therapy is revolutionizing speech therapy for students across their lifespan by offering specialized services online. Through an integrated online video platform, students can work directly with an expert clinician who can deliver customized speech therapy to their student populations. Travel, location and scheduling are no longer barriers to working with an expert clinician. "We are excited to leverage our experiences with DotCom Therapy to lead an international discussion and progress toward the best practice and use of technology in our field," said Emily Purdom co-founder of DotCom Therapy. "It's all about providing the best therapy possible for our students, and innovation is allowing us to do just that." "It's been so exciting to see our students learn and grow alongside our organization," added Rachel Robinson. "Innovative technology has given our students, teachers and families access to the specialized services they need." The Alaska Statewide Special Education Conference is committed to providing high quality professional development relevant to the cultural, rural and remote characteristics of Alaska. About DotCom Therapy, LLC DotCom Therapy is a global leader in the teletherapy service modality. The rapidly growing company is revolutionizing speech therapy by making specialized therapy services more convenient with their seamless One-Click Access platform. Located in Springfield, MO. DotCom Therapy presented to investors and others at the Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium in November. DCT is dedicated to making therapy services available to everyone, everywhere. DotCom Therapy "Making therapy services available to everyone, everywhere" SOURCE DotCom Therapy Related Links http://www.dotcomtherapy.com LOS ANGELES, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Playing For Change artist and advocate Rocky Dawuni has released the compelling and inspiring music video "Shine A Light." Recipient of last year's Bass Awards Artist of the Year, his recent production brings added resonance to the challenging social landscape on the world stage today. "Shine A Light" combines the sounds of New Orleans with reggae and samba to create an anthem of positivity. The song and video celebrate the power of shared humanity and the importance of courage to tap into the power of expression. In a time of great uncertainty, "Shine A Light" reminds the listener to uphold the positive - and recognize each person's capability as an agent of hope and change - a value upheld by the Playing For Change movement. Dawuni is from Ghana, and the Playing For Change Foundation's global mission includes a free music and arts education program in the West African country. "I've been involved with Playing For Change from the earliest recordings and strongly share in the mission of using music as a force for unifying and empowering people," Dawuni said. "The most important part of being the first GRAMMY nominee from Ghana is that the symbolism of this breakthrough has now inspired many musicians to aim to achieve this as well in my country, which for me is very inspiring." The new video for the track, filmed in Los Angeles, directed by renowned photographer Myra Vides and produced by Cary Sullivan, is a tribute to joy in all of its organic expressions. "Shine A Light" is launched in association with Whole Planet Foundation, whose shared vision Dawuni has promoted through Musicians for Microcredit, a program seeking the alleviation of poverty through microcredit loans in communities around the world. WATCH ROCKY DAWUNI'S NEW JOYOUS "SHINE A LIGHT" VIDEO: http://bit.ly/2jbHtjx About Playing For Change Foundation Playing For Change Foundation was established in 2007, providing music education in areas that are culturally rich yet economically challenged. Children in countries around the world, from Africa, Latin America to Southeast Asia, attend free classes in music, dance and languages, taught by qualified local music teachers and led by regional administrators. Students learn about their own cultural traditions while employing technology to connect and share experiences with others around the world. Playing For Change, led by Co-Founders Mark Johnson and Whitney Kroenke, arose from the universal belief that music can connect people across circumstances, challenges and cultural differences. In 2002, a small group of filmmakers set out with a mobile recording studio in search of inspiration and the heartbeat of the human race on the streets. The first music video production, "Stand By Me," combined 35 musicians from 10 countries who had never met in person. The phenomenon swept across the world, with "Stand By Me," one of the Playing For Change productions, being viewed over 100 million times online and counting. The Playing For Change movement has since attracted hundreds of global artists including Sara Bareilles, Jimmy Buffett, Bono, David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Ziggy Marley, Keb Mo and Keith Richards, in addition to street musicians from 47 countries who have participated in PFC video recordings. http://www.playingforchange.org About Rocky Dawuni International musician and activist Rocky Dawunioriginally from Ghana, West Africa, straddles the boundaries between Africa, the Caribbean and the U.S. to create his appealing Afro Roots sound that unites generations and cultures. A galvanizing performer, Dawuni has shared the stage with Stevie Wonder, Janelle Monae and John Legend, among many others. Named one of Africa's Top 10 global stars by CNN, he has showcased his talent at prestigious venues and events including The Kennedy Center, Montreux Jazz Festival and The Hollywood Bowl. Rocky Dawuni's sixth album, Branches of the Same Tree (Cumbancha), which features the song "Shine A Light," was nominated for a GRAMMY for "Best Reggae Album." http://www.rockydawuni.com Photo(s): https://www.prlog.org/12617865 Press release distributed by PRLog SOURCE Playing For Change Related Links http://www.playingforchange.org His work includes nationally recognized advances in liver transplantation, laparoscopic liver surgery, and surgery requiring expertise in bile duct and hepatic vascular resection and reconstruction. His clinical expertise has been deepened by investigative work into new treatments for cholangiocarcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. Welling also is studying the role of the immune system and cancer stem cells on liver cancer development and progression. His investigative work has been consistently supported by the National Institutes of Health. At Perlmutter Cancer Center, Welling will lead a strong team that has already made important strides in refining clinical practices to treat primary liver cancer, hepatic metastases (e.g., from colorectal cancer) and will help recruit additional investigators and clinicians. His appointment also complements important programmatic and research efforts already underway through NYU Langone's Transplant Institute, whose specialists will work collaboratively with the Liver Cancer Program to foster a team approach in personalized and comprehensive commitment to patient care. Liver cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer worldwide, with particularly high rates among people of African and Asian heritage. The American Cancer Society estimated that close to 30,000 new cases of liver cancer were diagnosed in the U.S. in 2016. "Like many malignancies, symptoms of liver cancer do not appear in early stages, so it tends to be diagnosed when it is more advanced and less likely to be cured," says Benjamin G. Neel, MD, PhD, director of Perlmutter Cancer Center. "Our goal is to help change the course of this disease, develop better ways to identify it early and improve patient outcomes. We are confident that under Dr. Welling's leadership our liver cancer program can make major advances." About Dr. Welling An undergraduate alumnus of the University of Michigan, Welling earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan Medical School, where he also completed his residency in General Surgery and a two-year surgical fellowship in Transplant Surgery. He joined the surgical faculty at the medical school and the University of Michigan Health System in 2007, working in progressively important positions up to his current role. His published studies have appeared in leading peer-reviewed journals, including Lancet, Cancer Research, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, among others. He also has authored many book chapters and review articles, and has lectured extensively both nationally and internationally. Welling is a member of several professional societies and has served or currently serves on many committees associated with these organizations. He also has received several awards and commendations from his peers for his commitment to clinical care, education and research. "I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to lead such an innovative clinical and translational Liver Tumor Program designed to advance therapies for hepatic malignancies," Welling says. "The vision and leadership of NYU Langone and its Perlmutter Cancer Center has led to the creation of an excellent team of health care providers and researchers to help accomplish this mission." Media Inquiries: Jim Mandler (212) 404-3525 [email protected] This news release was issued on behalf of Newswise(TM). For more information, visit http://www.newswise.com. SOURCE NYU Langone Medical Center Related Links http://nyulangone.org LAS VEGAS, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Las Vegas law firm of Reid Rubinstein & Bogatz is proud to announce that John P. Witucki has been named a Partner in the firm, and that Karlie M. Gabour and Kerry Kleiman joined as Associate Attorneys. Mr. Witucki joined RRB in January 2015, and currently serves as the firm's day-to-day assigned attorney in its role as general counsel of the Clark County Department of Aviation, which manages four general aviation airports as well as one of the nation's busiest airports, McCarran International Airport. In addition to his duties with the Department of Aviation, Mr. Witucki represents a diverse range of clients in matters involving various areas of the law, including real estate and commercial litigation, aviation and airport law, eminent domain litigation, right-of-way acquisition, government relations, administrative proceedings, complex Chapter 11 reorganization and liquidation proceedings, prepackaged and pre-negotiated restructurings, real estate finance, real estate acquisitions, and commercial transactions. Immediately prior to joining RRB, Mr. Witucki served as counsel for the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) through his position as a Deputy Attorney General with the Nevada Attorney General's Office. Mr. Witucki received his JD and MBA degrees from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, after having graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Utah. While attending law school, Mr. Witucki served as a legal extern for U.S. Senator Harry Reid and for Judge Philip M. Pro, U.S. District Court, District of Nevada. Mr. Witucki received Nevada Business Magazine's Legal Elite honors as a "Best Government Attorney" in 2014 and 2015 and as one of "Southern Nevada's Top Attorneys" in 2016. Ms. Gabour is an experienced trial attorney, having spent years representing plaintiffs in various areas of personal injury litigation. She has focused her practice on medical malpractice and wrongful death actions, catastrophic injury cases, defective product liability, mass torts and class action litigation. Before joining RRB, Ms. Gabour served as general counsel/legal consultant for The Influential Network, a major social media advertising corporation. Ms. Gabour drafted contracts, FTC compliance guidelines, and corporate policies, and drafted and negotiated millions of dollars in technology licensing and software resale agreements. Ms. Kleiman is the newest member of the firm. Prior to joining RRB, Ms. Kleiman served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Elissa F. Cadish in the Clark County District Court. Ms. Kleiman has published articles in both the Nevada Law Journal and the UNLV Gaming Law Journal and co-authored a new chapter on evidence that will appear in the sixth edition of the Nevada Civil Practice Manual. While in law school, Ms. Kleiman was on the executive board for the Society of Advocates and served as the Editor-in-Chief for the UNLV Gaming Law Journal. She also practiced as a student attorney in the Thomas & Mack Juvenile Justice Clinic and currently sits on the Board of Directors for The Embracing Project, a local non-profit organization dedicated to helping at-risk youth break the cycle of violence in their lives. Media Contact: Kristee Kallas 702-776-7009 [email protected] SOURCE Reid Rubinstein & Bogatz NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Greenhill & Co., Inc. (NYSE: GHL), a leading independent investment bank, announced today that Richard Phillips will join the Firm in Melbourne as Co-Head of Greenhill Australia and Vice Chairman of the Firm globally. Mr. Phillips has over 21 years of investment banking experience. He will join the Firm from Goldman Sachs, where he was a Melbourne-based partner and Co-Head of the Natural Resources group for the Asia Pacific region ex-Japan. In that role he focused on the metals and mining, energy, infrastructure, chemicals and agriculture sectors. Prior to 5 years at Goldman Sachs, Mr. Phillips was a Managing Director at Greenhill, also based in Melbourne. He initially joined Greenhill as part of its acquisition of the Australian firm Caliburn, where he had worked 6 years as a partner and founded the Melbourne office. Earlier in his career, Richard was an Executive Director at Macquarie, where he had roles in Melbourne, Perth and Toronto. Scott L. Bok, Chief Executive Officer of Greenhill, said, "We are very pleased to be bringing Richard back to the Firm in a senior role. He is well known to our partners around the world, and will play an important role in strengthening our global energy practice, as well as helping us build a global advisory practice in the mining sector. His broader sector knowledge, including experience in the infrastructure sector, will also be of great value to our Australia business." Roger Feletto, Head of Greenhill Australia, said, "I am pleased to be reunited with Richard in leading our business in Australia. He will strengthen our team in Melbourne, as well as our capabilities throughout the region across a range of sectors including natural resources." Greenhill & Co., Inc. is a leading independent investment bank entirely focused on providing financial advice on significant mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, financings and capital raising to corporations, partnerships, institutions and governments globally. It acts for clients located throughout the world from its offices in New York, Chicago, Dallas, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Melbourne, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Stockholm, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto. Contact: David M. Trone Director of Investor Relations Greenhill & Co., Inc. (212) 389-1800 SOURCE Greenhill & Co., Inc. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/464944/FORM_Hotel.jpg ) FORM's 143-key flagship property is being developed by Dubai Contracting Company (DCC), and designed by Paris-based global architectural firm, Architecture-Studio. The hotel is currently under construction and is planned to open in Q1 2018. FORM Hotel Dubai's facilities will include a lifestyle restaurant, a rooftop infinity pool, a rooftop gym, a design boutique, and a boardroom. The hotel will be in direct proximity to Downtown Dubai, Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai Design District, and Dubai International Airport, one of the world's busiest airports. FORM Hotel has introduced a retail operating model to deliver a hotel experience that meets the needs of today's "novel consumer". Smartotels' Founder, Tarek M. Daouk said: "By offering a core hospitality experience with the flexibility of add-on service and amenity features, FORM will empower its guests to customize their journey. The hotel will benefit from an operating model that is engineered to drive strong returns to investors through an increased ability to control operating expenses by compressing fixed costs and exploiting variable costs". FORM's five primary value propositions include a superior-quality luxury bed, a high-pressure shower, a seamless technology experience, free high-speed Wi-Fi, and a premium breakfast. Further, hotel guests will be able to select from a series of add-on service and amenity features, such as turndown service, plush bathrobes, and a number of alternative offerings. Smartotels is currently focused on the UAE with an active pipeline of purpose-built assets, and plans to grow its portfolio of lodging brands to 25 properties by 2026. About FORM Hotel: FORM Hotel ("FORM") is the flagship brand of Smartotels Hospitality International LLC. Its offering is based on a unique retail operating model that empowers guests to customize their stay by choosing the services and amenities they value for their hotel experience. FORM aims to provide a bespoke hotel experience that is designed by its guests and delivered by specialists. For more information, visit: http://www.form-hotel.com About Smartotels: Smartotels Hospitality International LLC is a UAE-based world-class hotel real estate investment and full-service hospitality and asset management firm that provides a broad range of management services with a focus on developing and operating hotels under its unique proprietary hotel brands. Smartotels' leadership team has over 40 years of combined experience in hotel operations, asset management, real estate finance, development and advisory across four continents, and has proven strategies and achieved results with managing branded and independent limited-, select-, and full-service hotels and resorts. For more information, visit: http://www.smartotels.com SOURCE Smartotels According to TechSci Research report, "Korea Water Purifiers Market By Technology, By Business Model (South Korea), By Sales Channel (North Korea), Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011-2025", water purifiers market in South Korea is forecast to grow at a CAGR of more than 15% during 2016-2025, on account of growing number of flood incidents due heavy rainfall, rising awareness among consumers regarding increasing microbial and chemical contamination and increasing urbanization. The country witnessed an increase in phosphate levels in South Korean rivers including Han, Geum, Yesongsan river water, causing algal boom. In 2013, phosphorus levels in major rivers of the country such as Nakdong, Han, Geum, & Yeongsan stood at 0.06 mg/liter, 0.04 mg/liter, 0.02 mg/liter and 0.01 mg/liter. This is a primary factor catalyzing demand for water purifiers in South Korea. Growing industrialization, and uncontrolled discharge of agriculture wastewater in water sources is impacting COD and BOD levels of water resources in South Korea and this is expected to bolster demand for water purifiers in the country during the forecast period. According to Seoul Metropolitan Government, in 2015, total BOD load generated in Seoul stood at 764,643 kg per day. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140117/663730 ) Browse 1 market data Tables and 49 Figures spread through 111 Pages and an in-depth TOC on "Korea Water Purifiers Market" https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/korea-water-purifiers-market-by-technology-membrane-ultraviolet-offline-gravity-by-business-model-south-korea-rental-open-by-sales-channel-north-korea-direct-indirect-competition-forecast-and-opportunities/897.html In 2015, Central region of South Korea generated high demand for water purifiers, owing to high level of COD and total phosphorous content in two major rivers - Geum and Nakdong. In addition, sites near Daegu and Nakdong river were reported to have poor water quality and high concentration of water pollutants. This is further driving demand for water purifiers in the region. Rental sales dominate South Korea water purifiers market in 2015, owing to growing awareness among consumers about cost benefits of rental system. On the back of low installation and maintenance charges as compared to the open market, rental sales channel is anticipated to maintain its dominance in South Korea water purifiers market through 2025 as well. Few of the prominent water purifier companies operating in South Korea include ChungHo Nais, TONGYANG Magic, Altwelltech, Coway Co., Ltd., and Kyowon Co., Ltd. Download Sample Report @ https://www.techsciresearch.com/sample-report.aspx?cid=897 Customers can also request for 10% free customization on this report. "South Korea water purifiers market is primarily being driven by rising demand for membrane water purifiers owing to their high efficiency in removing both chemical and biological impurities in water sources, as compared to other types of water purifiers. In addition, ability of membrane water purifiers to eliminate divalent and hardening ions in supplied water is accelerating demand for membrane water purifiers in South Korea's residential sector. Furthermore, demand for RO technology based water purifiers is growing at a robust pace owing to its high effectiveness in removal of microbial and chemical contaminants and this is anticipated to augur well for South Korea water purifiers market through 2025.", said Mr. Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based global management consulting firm. "Korea Water Purifiers Market By Technology, By Business Model (South Korea), By Sales Channel (North Korea), Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011-2025" has evaluated the future growth potential of South Korea water purifiers market and provides statistics and information on market size, structure and future market growth. The report intends to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers take sound investment evaluation. Besides, the report also identifies and analyzes the emerging trends along with essential drivers, challenges and opportunities in South Korea water purifiers market. Browse Related Reports GCC Construction Chemicals Market By Type (Concrete Admixtures, Waterproofing, Protective Coatings, Adhesives, etc.), By End User, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011 - 2021 - Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman & Bahrain https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/gcc-construction-chemicals-market-by-type-concrete-admixtures-waterproofing-protective-coatings-adhesives-etc-by-end-user-competition-forecast-and-opportunities-2011-2021-saudi-arabia-uae-qatar-kuwait-oman-bahrain/613.html India Construction Chemicals Market By Type (Concrete Admixtures, Waterproofing Chemicals, Flooring Chemicals, Repair & Rehabilitation Chemicals and Others), By Application and Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2010 - 2020 https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/india-construction-chemicals-market-by-type-concrete-admixtures-waterproofing-chemicals-flooring-chemicals-repair-rehabilitation-chemicals-and-others-by-application-and-competition-forecast-and-opportunities-2010-2020/596.html South Africa Construction Chemicals Market By Type (Concrete Construction Chemicals, Flooring Chemicals and Waterproofing Chemicals), By End User (Commercial, Infrastructure and Residential), Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2010 - 2020 https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/south-africa-construction-chemicals-market-by-type-concrete-construction-chemicals-flooring-chemicals-and-waterproofing-chemicals-by-end-user-commercial-infrastructure-and-residential-competition-forecast-and-opportunities-2010-2020/603.html About TechSci Research TechSci Research is a leading global market research firm publishing premium market research reports. Serving 700 global clients with more than 600 premium market research studies, TechSci Research is serving clients across 11 different industrial verticals. TechSci Research specializes in research based consulting assignments in high growth and emerging markets, leading technologies and niche applications. Our workforce of more than 100 fulltime Analysts and Consultants employing innovative research solutions and tracking global and country specific high growth markets helps TechSci clients to lead rather than follow market trends. Contact Mr. Ken Mathews 708 Third Avenue, Manhattan, NY, New York - 10017 Tel: +1-646-360-1656 Email: [email protected] Connect with us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/TechSciResearch Connect with us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/techsci-research SOURCE TechSci Research SANTA ANA, Calif., Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- This month, El Monte Gateway celebrates a significant milestone in its ambitious transit-oriented development (TOD) realization. On Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 9:30am, SVA Architects, the City of El Monte, and the entire El Monte Gateway development team will celebrate the groundbreaking of a Mixed-Use Apartment Community, also known as Parcel 4. The new community is a key component of the El Monte Gateway Master Plan. The Groundbreaking ceremony, presided over by Mayor Andre Quintero, will recognize a major milestone in the project which has become a national model for BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) and smart growth design. Transit Oriented Development El Monte Gateway is adjacent to the El Monte Station, a major regional bus transfer center serving 22,000 Metro, Foothill Transit, El Monte Transit and Greyhound ridership daily, with the potential to accommodate nearly twice that capacity. The new $80 million BRT center helped catalyze new development in the City of El Monte, including the El Monte Gateway TOD project. Design Aesthetic El Monte Gateway's urban design leverages SVA's extensive experience in TOD. The highly anticipated Mixed-Use Apartment Community at El Monte Gateway features 25,000 square feet of commercial retail and 208 market-rate apartments. The four-story building, which sits on 2.33 acres, will have two levels of parking (one underground), and is anticipated to achieve LEED certification. Ernesto Vasquez, FAIA, Partner & CEO of SVA Architects, states, "We are very proud to be a part of the El Monte Gateway Master Plan. Not only is it sustainable and adjacent to BRT, it incorporates all the principals of smart growth which make livable, healthy, and walkable communities for current and future generations to enjoy." The Mixed-Use Apartment Community is built by the Public Private Partnership of City of El Monte and Grapevine Development. The project was designed by SVA Architects Inc., financed by Romspen, and made possible by financing from the voter-approved Proposition 1C Infill Infrastructure Grant Program through the California Department of Housing and Community Development. About SVA Architects Founded in 2003, SVA Architects has become one of the Country's most innovative and respected design and planning organizations. For more information, visit www.sva-architects.com. Media Contact: Beth Binger BCI Mobile: (619) 987-6658 [email protected] SOURCE SVA Architects, Inc. Related Links http://www.sva-architects.com KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Team Health Holdings, Inc. ("TeamHealth" or the "Company"), a leading physician services organization, today announced the successful completion of its acquisition by funds affiliated with Blackstone, a leading global asset manager, and certain other investors, including Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec ("CDPQ"), the Public Sector Pension Investment Board ("PSP Investments"), and the National Pension Service of Korea ("NPS") for $43.50 per share in cash, valued at approximately $6.1 billion. The transaction was announced on October 31, 2016, and received approval from TeamHealth's stockholders on January 11, 2017. As a result of the transaction, TeamHealth is now a privately held company. TeamHealth's common stock is no longer traded on the New York Stock Exchange, effective today. "We are pleased to reach this significant milestone at TeamHealth," said Leif Murphy, President and CEO of TeamHealth. "We are committed to delivering the highest quality of patient care and supporting our affiliated clinicians and hospital and post-acute partners. With Blackstone's support, we look forward to continuing to leverage our national scale and functional expertise to drive high quality patient care, operational efficiencies and clinician satisfaction in hospital-based and post-acute settings." "We are pleased to have completed this transaction with Blackstone and appreciate their recognition of the strength of our organization and the thousands of skilled and dedicated clinicians and non-clinical healthcare professionals who comprise TeamHealth," said Lynn Massingale, MD, co-founder and Executive Chairman of TeamHealth. "As we continue to execute on our strategic priorities, Blackstone will be a valuable partner as we continue our long-term objective to be the leading provider of hospital and post-acute clinician services." "TeamHealth has built an industry leading physician services platform ideally positioned to navigate the evolving healthcare landscape, and we are pleased to have invested in the Company," said Neil Simpkins, a Senior Managing Director at Blackstone. "We look forward to once again working together with TeamHealth's experienced management team and supporting the Company's next phase of development." Bruce McEvoy, a Senior Managing Director at Blackstone, added, "We are excited to help the Company further its long track record of organic and acquisition-driven growth while continuing to provide outstanding service to its patients." Goldman, Sachs & Co. acted as lead financial advisor, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. acted as co-financial advisor to TeamHealth. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP acted as TeamHealth's legal counsel. Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays, J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC acted as advisors to Blackstone on the transaction. Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Ropes & Gray LLP acted as Blackstone's legal counsel. About TeamHealth At TeamHealth, our purpose is to perfect physicians' ability to practice medicine, every day, in everything we do. Through our more than 20,000 affiliated physicians and advanced practice clinicians, TeamHealth offers outsourced emergency medicine, hospital medicine, critical care, anesthesiology, orthopedic hospitalist, acute care surgery, obstetrics and gynecology hospitalist, ambulatory care, post-acute care and medical call center solutions to approximately 3,300 acute and post-acute facilities and physician groups nationwide. Our philosophy is as simple as our goal is singular: we believe better experiences for physicians lead to better outcomesfor patients, hospital partners and physicians alike. Join our team; we value and empower clinicians. Partner with us; we deliver on our promises. Learn more at http://www.teamhealth.com. The term "TeamHealth" as used throughout this release includes Team Health Holdings, Inc., its subsidiaries, affiliates, affiliated medical groups and clinicians, all of which are part of the TeamHealth organization. "Clinicians" are physicians, advanced practice clinicians and other healthcare clinicians who are employed by or contract with subsidiaries or affiliated entities of Team Health Holdings, Inc. All such clinicians exercise independent clinical judgment when providing patient care. Team Health Holdings, Inc. does not have any employees, does not contract with clinicians and does not practice medicine. About Blackstone Blackstone is one of the world's leading investment firms. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, and the communities in which we work. We do this by using extraordinary people and flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Our asset management businesses, with over $360 billion in assets under management, include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow Blackstone on Twitter @Blackstone. About CDPQ Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) is a long-term institutional investor that manages funds primarily for public and parapublic pension and insurance plans. As at June 30, 2016, it held C$254.9 billion in net assets. As one of Canada's leading institutional fund managers, CDPQ invests globally in major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure and real estate. For more information, visit cdpq.com, follow us on Twitter @LaCDPQ or consult our Facebook or LinkedIn pages. About PSP Investments The Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) is one of Canada's largest pension investment managers with C$125.8 billion of net assets under management as at September 30, 2016. Its diversified global portfolio is composed of investments in public financial markets, private equity, real estate, infrastructure, natural resources and private debt. Established in 1999, PSP Investments manages net contributions to the pension funds of the federal Public Service, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Reserve Force. Headquartered in Ottawa, PSP Investments has its principal business office in Montreal and offices in New York and London. For more information, visit investpsp.com, Twitter @InvestPSP or LinkedIn. About NPS The National Pension Service of Korea ("NPS") is a public pension institution in South Korea. Established in 1988, NPS launched the Investment Management ("NPSIM") in 1999 for professionally managing its pension fund. The National Pension Fund has become one of the top 3 global public pension funds in the world with U$466bn in assets as of November 30, 2016. Over the past decade, NPS has pursued investment diversification in order to maximize long-term returns. NPSIM has diversified global portfolio with investments in fixed income, equities and alternatives including private equity, real estate and infrastructure. NPSIM has currently its principal business office in Seoul and overseas offices in New York, London and Singapore. For more information, visit http://www.nps.or.kr/ or fund.nps.or.kr. INVESTOR CONTACT: David Jones Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 865-293-5299 MEDIA CONTACT: Pat Ball Senior Vice President Strategic Resources Group 865-293-5352 Andy Brimmer / Dan Katcher Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher 212-355-4449 SOURCE Team Health Holdings, Inc. Related Links http://www.teamhealth.com IRVING, Texas, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market report published by Lucintel, the North American automotive composites market is expected to reach an estimated $3.5 billion by 2021 and it is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 6.0% from 2016 to 2021. This report has 84 figures/charts and 22 tables spread through 165 pages. For more detail please click http://www.lucintel.com/north_american_automotive_composites_16.aspx Emerging trends, which have a direct impact on the dynamics of the industry, include increasing penetration of thermoplastic and carbon composites. Strategic alliances between OEMs, carbon fiber and resin suppliers in the automotive industry are also the emerging trends. Continental Structural Plastics, IDI composites, DuPont, and Interplastic Corporation are among the major suppliers of composites in the North American automotive market. Download Free PDF Report Brochure here http://www.lucintel.com/rb/north_american_automotive_composites_16.aspx The study includes a forecast for the North American Automotive Composites market by application, by resin composites type, material type, by fiber composites type, by resin group type, and by country as follows: By Application Type (Value ($M) and Volume (M lbs) from 2010 to 2021): Interior Exterior Under the body systems Chassis Power trains Others By Resin Composite Type (Value ($M) and Volume (M lbs) from 2010 to 2021): Polypropylene (PP) Composites Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) Composites Polyamide (PA) Composites Vinyl ester Composites Polyester Composites Phenolic Composites Other Composites By Material Type (Value ($M) and Volume (M lbs) from 2010 to 2021): Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) Bulk Molding Compound (BMC) Glass Mat Thermoplastic (GMT) Short Fiber Thermoplastic (SFT) Long Fiber Thermoplastic (LFT) Continuous Fiber Thermoplastic (CFT) Phenolic Composites Polyurethane (PU) Composites Natural Fiber Composites Other composites By Fiber Composite Type (Value ($M) and Volume (M lbs) from 2010 to 2021): Glass Fiber Composites Carbon Fiber Composites Natural Fiber Composites This 165-page research report will enable you to make confident business decisions in this globally competitive marketplace. For a detailed table of contents, contact Lucintel at +1-972-636-5056 or click on this link http://www.lucintel.com/north_american_automotive_composites_16.aspx or [email protected]. About Lucintel Lucintel, the premier global management consulting and market research firm, creates winning strategies for growth. It offers market assessments, competitive analysis, opportunity analysis, growth consulting, M&A, and due diligence services to executives and key decision-makers in a variety of industries. For further information, visit www.lucintel.com. Roy Almaguer Director of Client Engagements Tel. +1-210-878-7693 [email protected] SOURCE Lucintel Related Links http://www.lucintel.com Acquisitions demonstrate Thomson Reuters continued commitment to solving critical industry client reference data and on-boarding challenges. NEW YORK, LONDON and SINGAPORE, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Thomson Reuters has signed definitive agreements to acquire Clarient Global LLC and Avox Limited. Clarient is a leading global Know Your Customer ("KYC") and client reference data platform owned and used by the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation ("DTCC"), Barclays, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, BNY Mellon, and State Street, among others. Avox is a leading supplier of legal entity data, hierarchies and identifiers on financial entities globally, owned by the DTCC. The Clarient and Avox acquisitions represent another step forward by Thomson Reuters, who brought the first KYC managed service to market three years ago (Org ID) and today serves 23 leading financial institutions worldwide with over 200,000 KYC records published to date, consistently on-boarding or refreshing over 2,000 clients per month and helping customers accelerate client on-boarding, comply with regulation, reduce costs and improve client experience. These businesses will be integrated into Thomson Reuters portfolio of risk management, compliance and reference data offerings. "We are excited to sign these acquisitions, bringing with them significant continued commitment of a wide range of customers including the founder banks of Clarient," said Steve Pulley, Managing Director, Risk Managed Services, Thomson Reuters. "The selection of Thomson Reuters by the founder banks and DTCC as the firm to lead the next wave of development in this exciting space reflects the progress we have made in our legal entity and KYC managed service franchise over the past three years, including the successful launch of the industry-first regional KYC service last year in Africa." Matt Stauffer, CEO, Clarient said: "Clarient and Avox have made a significant impact addressing the industry's client reference data and lifecycle management requirements, reducing both cost and risk for our clients. We are proud of their successes and are confident that by integrating these businesses into Thomson Reuters already strong portfolio of risk management, compliance and reference data offerings, they will form a holistic solution that supports and accelerates the industry's desire to mutualize client data solutions." Julie Harris, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs said: "As founder banks, we have invested significant time and expertise in developing the Clarient platform to meet the stringent requirements of our industry and the customers we serve. We are excited to partner with Thomson Reuters and work with them to deliver on the vision of centralized KYC as a driver of increased efficiency, robust compliance and improved experience for our customers." James Hardy, Chief Data Officer at State Street said: "KYC is a key foundational component to creating a client reference data industry solution that will have positive impact for customer onboarding and management. Clarient and Thomson Reuters are well positioned to further this strategy." Colin Hall, Group Chief Data Officer at Credit Suisse said: "Combining the services and vision of Clarient and Thomson Reuters will provide an enhanced and more effective client experience, supporting critical processes throughout the onboarding process in times of continuous global regulatory change. We will continue to partner with Thomson Reuters to drive further efficiencies for the industry and are excited for the benefits this will provide." Clarient Global LLC is a DTCC company founded with Barclays, BNY Mellon, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan and State Street. Clarient Entity Hub acts as a central hub for investment managers, hedge funds, and corporations to upload, securely store, maintain and permission use of legal entity level information, documentation and ownership information. It integrates technology and operational expertise to provide increased controls, standardization, data quality and transparency during client on-boarding and ongoing client lifecycle activities. Clarient was established in response to the industry's call to reduce operational complexity and to address regulatory requirements including Know Your Customer (KYC), Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR), and Dodd-Frank requirements. For more information, visit www.clarientglobal.com. Avox Limited, a subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), is a UK-based leading supplier of legal entity data on financial entities globally, that matches, enriches and maintains legal entity reference data for its clients, delivering corporate hierarchies, registered address information, industry sector codes and company identifiers. This approach ensures that clients can rely on the most accurate and timely data available to facilitate decision making and regulatory reporting. For more information, visit http://www.dtcc.com/data-services/entity-data-management/avox-data-services The acquisitions of Clarient and Avox are expected to close by the end of Q1 subject to customary closing conditions. Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of news and information for professional markets. Our customers rely on us to deliver the intelligence, technology and expertise they need to find trusted answers. The business has operated in more than 100 countries for more than 100 years. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges (symbol: TRI). For more information, visit www.thomsonreuters.com. CONTACTS Lemuel Brewster Global Senior PR Director, Financial & Risk Office +1 646-223-5147 Mobile +1 917-805-1089 [email protected] Mark D. Harrop PR Manager, Financial & Risk Office +1 646-223-7803 Mobile +1 347-803-5575 [email protected] Brian Mairs Global Head of External Communications Financial & Risk Office +44 20 7542 7866 Mobile +4407799 477998 [email protected] SOURCE Thomson Reuters Related Links http://thomsonreuters.com "Ricoh is a key supplier to the AM industry and has a rich history of service and manufacturing innovation. Our team of services and training experts fully understands how to help other manufacturers adopt and integrate new technology, and can help lead advancements in AM innovation, safety and quality education," said Glen Mandernacht, Senior Vice President, Service Advantage, Ricoh USA, Inc. "We're committed to helping organizations transform by leveraging Ricoh's capabilities to innovate their business. Our relationship with UL is a direct outcome of this commitment." UL's three-tier AM training curriculum, which spans introductory industry topics through more advanced design, technical and hands-on AM learning, focuses on the continued learning and development of AM technical and business professionals. As part of the agreement, UL will utilize its AM train-the-trainer program to on-board Ricoh experts to deliver AM training classes to both UL and Ricoh customers. Initially, Ricoh will deliver the first two tiers of the curriculum, which includes foundational level learning as well as more complex design, material, process, business and quality and safety courses. Ricoh and UL plan to launch the training initiative during March of 2017 at Ricoh's Lawrenceville, Georgia location, just outside Atlanta. Registration for these courses is currently open. Following the launch, Ricoh will expand the training program to its Irvine, California location and beyond. "Ricoh and UL are working to accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing through our shared manufacturing and innovation services. By leveraging Ricoh's extensive expertise in services and training, along with its significant infrastructure of manufacturing centers, we can drive AM knowledge into the manufacturing sector faster and more consistently," said Simin Zhou, UL Vice President of UL Digital Manufacturing. For more information about UL's AM training and services, visit http://www.UL.com/AM. To learn about Ricoh, visit http://www.ricoh-usa.com. About UL UL fosters safe living and working conditions for people everywhere through the application of science to solve safety, security and sustainability challenges. The UL Mark engenders trust enabling the safe adoption of innovative new products and technologies. Everyone at UL shares a passion to make the world a safer place. We test, inspect, audit, certify, validate, verify, advise and train and we support these efforts with software solutions for safety and sustainability. To learn more about us, visit www.UL.com. | About Ricoh | Ricoh is a global technology company that has been transforming the way people work for more than 80 years. Under its corporate tagline imagine. change. Ricoh continues to empower companies and individuals with services and technologies that inspire innovation, enhance sustainability and boost business growth. These include document management systems, IT services, production print solutions, visual communications systems, digital cameras, and industrial systems. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in approximately 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ending March 2016, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,209 billion yen (approx. 19.6 billion USD). For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com 2017 Ricoh USA, Inc. All rights reserved. All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies. Contact: John Greco Ricoh USA, Inc. (973) 882-2023 [email protected] Matt Pasha UL (847) 664-1029 [email protected] SOURCE Ricoh USA, Inc. Related Links http://www.ricoh-usa.com General Electric, Johnson & Johnson Earn Top Spot for Best-in-Class Employment Branding TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- WilsonHCG, a global talent solutions leader, today unveiled its 2017 Top 100 Employment Brands Report, an annual evaluation and ranking of Fortune 500 companies according to how well they brand themselves to potential employees. Of the hundreds of companies analyzed, General Electric and Johnson & Johnson scored highest based on six key employment branding indicators. "As the global talent wars continue to heat up and competition for hiring is fierce, it's critical for organizations to invest in employment branding to attract new employees. Yet for many, this is easier said than done. In fact, a recent Conference Board survey revealed that retention, finding the next generation of leaders, and attracting top talent are the top concerns for U.S. CEOs," said John Wilson, CEO of WilsonHCG. "The companies that will win at attracting and retaining employees are those that build a great employment brand, and the organizations that ranked highest in our report demonstrate the type of participation, engagement and transparency that's required to stand out as a top employer in today's competitive job market." This year's Top 100 Employment Brands Report saw a number of repeat companies in the Top Ten, demonstrating a continued commitment to branding efforts, as well as some newcomers that rose quickly through the ranks from previous years. The Top Ten employment brands for 2017 include: General Electric, Johnson & Johnson, AT&T, General Mills, 3M, Goldman Sachs, General Motors, Procter & Gamble, CDW, Cisco Systems, Hilton Worldwide, and Salesforce.com. Other key findings from the report include: Consistency in Excellence : There was an evolution to the scoring criteria since 2015, including placing greater emphasis on career pages and recruitment marketing as well as adding new scoring categories, Johnson & Johnson, General Mills and Goldman Sachs all hung onto their Top Ten rankings for a third time. : There was an evolution to the scoring criteria since 2015, including placing greater emphasis on career pages and recruitment marketing as well as adding new scoring categories, Johnson & Johnson, General Mills and Goldman Sachs all hung onto their Top Ten rankings for a third time. Big Gaps : The top 100 on the list performed almost two times better than the bottom 100. In fact, the top 100 scored more than 10 times better than the bottom 100 in the accolades category, and almost five times better in recruitment marketing. The leaders also scored 225 percent better in the Corporate Social Responsibility category, which is of growing importance to today's employees, and they outranked the bottom 100 on career pages, job boards, employee reviews and candidate experience. Additionally, Fortune 500 companies with a top 10 employment brand ranking had combined revenues four times greater than organizations ranked in the bottom 10. : The top 100 on the list performed almost than the bottom 100. In fact, the top 100 scored more than 10 times better than the bottom 100 in the accolades category, and almost five times better in recruitment marketing. The leaders also scored 225 percent better in the Corporate Social Responsibility category, which is of growing importance to today's employees, and they outranked the bottom 100 on career pages, job boards, employee reviews and candidate experience. Additionally, Fortune 500 companies with a top 10 employment brand ranking had combined revenues four times greater than organizations ranked in the bottom 10. Biggest Jump: MassMutual Financial Group rose 36 points in the Employment Brand report compared to the prior year, moving to rank at 99 from 472 in the prior report. The WilsonHCG 2017 Top 100 Employment Brands Report ranks Fortune 500 companies based on a points system that evaluates key criteria including career pages, job boards, employee reviews and candidate engagement, accolades, recruitment marketing and corporate social responsibility. Companies can earn up to 100 points, with greater weight given to key areas of importance in employer branding, such as employee reviews and candidate engagement due to its influence and significance in the recruitment journey. To download the 2017 Employment Brand Report or learn more about WilsonHCG, visit: http://whcg.co/2kmjwqb. About WilsonHCG WilsonHCG is a global talent solutions leader that operates on the principle of providing true partnership to its clients. Delivering business-impacting talent solutions including recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), talent consulting, contingent workforce solutions and executive search WilsonHCG is transforming its clients' businesses through their talent. Founded in 2002, the company's global headquarters is located in Tampa, Florida. Its global capabilities span six continents and more than 35 countries. While optimizing clients' talent strategies is essential, WilsonHCG recognizes the relationships it develops lead to the results its clients realize. Better People, Better Business. For more information about WilsonHCG and its services, visit www.wilsonhcg.com. Media Contact: Brittany Bevacqua Affect 212-398-9680 [email protected] SOURCE WilsonHCG Related Links http://www.wilsonhcg.com HONOLULU, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor and 400 guests paid tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen and the vital role they played during World War II with a special "WWII Tuskegee Airman Hangar Talk" by decorated WWII Tuskegee Airman Pilot Colonel Charles McGee. The event commemorated African American History Month. Tuskegee Airman Colonel Charles McGee stands with a WWII Japanese Zero in Hangar 37 at Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor. During his military career, Colonel McGee was awarded the Legion of Merit with Cluster, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star and the Air Medal (25 times). Col McGee was the featured speaker at Saturday's Tuskegee Airmen Hangar Talk. Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor and 400 guests paid tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen and the vital role they played during World War II with a special "WWII Tuskegee Airman Hangar Talk" by decorated WWII Tuskegee Airman Pilot Colonel Charles McGee (center). The event commemorated African American History Month. Colonel McGee fought in WWII, Korea and Vietnam, and holds a record for one of the highest three-war total of fighter combat missions of any pilot in United States Air Force history. Colonel McGee began his military service as one of the Tuskegee Airmen in the 332nd Fighter Group. The Tuskegee Airmen were pioneers who fought racial prejudices to fly and fight for their country during WWII. His career in the U.S. Army Air Corps and U.S. Air Force spanned 30 years and three wars, where he flew 409 aerial combat missions. During his military career, Colonel McGee was awarded the Legion of Merit with Cluster, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star and the Air Medal (25 times). Event photos are available at: https://flic.kr/s/aHskSTgXdE Also honored at the Hangar Talk was WWII Tuskegee Airman Philip Baham. Baham served as a crew chief for the 337th Composite Group at Tuskegee Army Air Field. Baham is a dedicated volunteer at Pacific Aviation Museum, sharing his story with visitors as a greeter in the lobby of Hangar 37. The day before, on Friday, February 3, more than 250 Honolulu students in grades 612 were invited and attended another Museum presentation geared towards youth entitled, "In His Own Words," presented by Colonel McGee. "It was such an honor to have a veteran pilot of Col McGee's stature and distinction speak with us," said Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor Executive Director Kenneth DeHoff. Prior to 1940, African Americans were prohibited from flying for the U.S. military. Even in light of extreme racism, African Americans fought to defend their country, which led to the formation of an all African-American pursuit squadron based in Tuskegee, Alabama, in 1941. They became known as the Tuskegee Airmen, who overcame segregation and prejudice to become one of the most highly respected fighter groups of WWII. Their dedication to defending the freedom of all Americans and their acts of heroism paved the way for full integration of the U.S. military. Tuskegee Airmen completed more than 1,500 missions. Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor is located on Historic Ford Island, where bombs fell during the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. The Museum is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. Its mission is to develop and maintain an internationally recognized aviation museum on Historic Ford Island that educates young and old alike, honors aviators and their support personnel who defended freedom in The Pacific Region, and to preserve Pacific aviation history. CONTACT: Anne Murata, Director of Marketing 808-441-1013; 808-375-9577 (cell) [email protected] (Media photos are available at: https://flic.kr/s/aHskSTgXdE) SOURCE Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor SUSE Security Update: Security update for spice ______________________________________________________________________________ Announcement ID: SUSE-SU-2017:0392-1 Rating: important References: #1023078 #1023079 Cross-References: CVE-2016-9577 CVE-2016-9578 Affected Products: SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12-SP2 SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP2 SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 12-SP2 ______________________________________________________________________________ An update that fixes two vulnerabilities is now available. Description: This security update for spice fixes the following issues: CVE-2016-9577: A buffer overflow in the spice server could have potentially been used by unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code. (bsc#1023078) CVE-2016-9578: Unauthenticated attackers could have caused a denial of service via a crafted message. (bsc#1023079) Patch Instructions: To install this SUSE Security Update use YaST online_update. Alternatively you can run the command listed for your product: - SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12-SP2: zypper in -t patch SUSE-SLE-SDK-12-SP2-2017-200=1 - SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP2: zypper in -t patch SUSE-SLE-SERVER-12-SP2-2017-200=1 - SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 12-SP2: zypper in -t patch SUSE-SLE-DESKTOP-12-SP2-2017-200=1 To bring your system up-to-date, use "zypper patch". Package List: - SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12-SP2 (x86_64): libspice-server-devel-0.12.7-8.1 spice-debugsource-0.12.7-8.1 - SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP2 (x86_64): libspice-server1-0.12.7-8.1 libspice-server1-debuginfo-0.12.7-8.1 spice-debugsource-0.12.7-8.1 - SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 12-SP2 (x86_64): libspice-server1-0.12.7-8.1 libspice-server1-debuginfo-0.12.7-8.1 spice-debugsource-0.12.7-8.1 References: https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-9577.html https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-9578.html https://bugzilla.suse.com/1023078 https://bugzilla.suse.com/1023079 -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-security-announce+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-security-announce+help@opensuse.org If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Gurugram, Feb 4 : The Gurugram police on Saturday held a meeting with police officers from neighbouring states and sought their help to solve the gang rape and robbery near Pataudi last week. Gurugram Deputy Commissioner of Police Sumit Kumar (Crime) attended the meeting of police officers from the crime branches of Delhi, Rajasthan and neighbouring districts of Gurugram. DCP Kumar said the police of neighbouring states and districts must share more information regarding incidents of crime specially crime against women and minor girls. He sought help in solving the January 29 incident that took place near Pataudi. A group of 8-10 men armed with pistols and sharp weapons stormed into a casting factory and poultry farm in Mandpura village near Pataudi, 30 km from Gurugram. They gang raped two women labourers at gunpoint, tortured the labourers and escaped with Rs 42,000. During the four-hour incident, they also cooked chicken using the gas stoves of the labourers. The casting factory and poultry farm belong to Gurugram resident Pritam Singh. Gurugram police chief Sandeep Khirwar, who visited the crime scene, said several police teams were formed to find the robbers. Despite their efforts, police failed to even identify the criminals. Washington, Feb 6 : US President Donald Trump has agreed to attend the upcoming NATO summit slated to be held in May, after having repeatedly criticised the alliance and having called it "obsolete", the media reported. Trump spoke with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday evening regarding the US' "strong support for NATO", the White House press office announced in a statement. According to the statement, the two leaders discussed "how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defence spending commitments" and the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border, NBC News reported. During his campaign, Trump set off alarms in Europe after suggesting that he might set conditions for defending members of the alliance under attack. Last July, Trump told The New York Times that the US was shouldering too much of the cost for the security alliance. Trump has also repeatedly called NATO obsolete, most recently in an interview with Germany's Bild daily in January. Also in January, Stoltenberg said he had a phone call with Trump after he won the November 8 presidential election and was sure he would remain strongly committed to the institution. "I am absolutely certain that the new president and the new administration will be strongly committed to a strong NATO," Stoltenberg told CNBC last month at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. British Prime Minister Theresa May, who sought reassurances about Trump's commitment to NATO during her visit to the White House also said Trump told her the United States is "100 per cent behind NATO". Washington, Feb 6 : US lawmakers have rejected President Donald Trump's most recent notion that the American government was morally equivalent to Russia, media reports said. Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse said: "There is no moral equivalency between the US -- the greatest freedom loving nation in the history of the world -- and the murderous thugs that are in (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's defense of his cronyism," NBC News reported Meanwhile defending Trump, US Vice President Mike Pence said, "American ideals are superior to countries all across the world. But, again, what the president is determined to do, as someone who has spent a lifetime looking for deals, is to see if we can have a new relationship with Russia and other countries that advances the interests of America first and the peace and security of the world." Meanwhile, Democratic leaders continued to call for an investigation on Russia's involvement in the hacks of the Democratic Party during the presidential election. On Sunday, in a Fox News, Trump defended his decision to criticise longtime allies instead of the Russian authoritarian regime. "I say it's better to get along with Russia than not," the President said. The interviewer pushed back saying that Putin is a killer, to which Trump said: "There are a lot of killers. We got a lot of killers. What, do you think our country's so innocent?" New Delhi, Feb 6 : The Lok Sabha was adjourned till noon on Monday after opposition parties disrupted proceedings over the death of Kerala MP and former union minister E. Ahamed. Carrying posters of Ahamed, the opposition parties alleged delay in the announcement of his demise to ensure the Union Budget was presented as scheduled on February 1. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned the proceedings till noon. The Lok Sabha member from Mallapuram in Kerala had suffered cardiac arrest during the President's address to Parliament on January 31. The opposition had alleged attempts, including by the Prime Minster's Office (PMO), to suppress the news of Ahamed's death, which they claimed happened on Tuesday. RML Hospital, where he was admitted, however denied the allegations saying Ahamed was alive when brought to the hospital but died early Wednesday. London, Feb 6 : An experimental Japanese probe has failed in its mission to clear space junk from the Earths orbit, media reported. While Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's H-II Transfer Vehicle Kounotori 6 (HTV6), launched on December 9, 2016 successfully delivered supplies to the International Space Station (ISS), it failed to achieve one of the mission objectives of removing space debris. The space cargo ship left the ISS on January 28 and re-entered the atmosphere on Monday, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has confirmed. Following undocking, the scientists expected to eliminate space debris on low-earth orbits with the Kounotori Integrated Tether Experiments (KITE), an on-orbit demonstration of electrodynamic tether on HTV. The hope was that the clutter would eventually enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up harmlessly before it had a chance to crash into the planet, The Guardian reported. But problems in the 700-metre tether developed soon after undocking and technicians could not fix the problems before the space cargo ship's re-entry. "We believe the tether did not get released," leading researcher Koichi Inoue was quoted as saying. "It is certainly disappointing that we ended the mission without completing one of the main objectives," Inoue added. Mumbai, Feb 6 : In a significant milestone, Maharashtra will be declared an Open Defecation Free (ODF) state by March, a top official said here on Monday. Chief Secretary S. Kshatriya has conveyed to the Centre in a meeting held with Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary Parameshwaran Iyer here that the state is "on track to achieve this goal". He added that the state has a strong third party verification system for ODF declarations with three levels of confirmation. Kshatriya said that besides ODF, the state was aiming to include hand washing, menstrual hygiene, community toilets, etc, as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) implementation in the state. For this, multiple cleanliness campaigns like Clean Offices, Clean Gram Panchayats, Clean Schools and others were also underway in the state, he pointed out. Iyer, on his part, assured of the Centre's full support in these initiatives to the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led government in the state. Under the Zilla Swachh Bharat Prerak initiative, a Prerak would be provided at district-levels to support the SBM activities by the ministry in association with the Tata Trusts, he said. Making a detailed presentation to the top brass of all PSUs in the western region on the issue, Iyer urged them to contribute to the SBM at various levels, train workers and management trainees as sanitation champions and agents of change. New Delhi, Feb 6 : Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Monday accused the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party of misusing the administration and its officers for manipulating the Uttar Pradesh polls. "Samajwadi Party has lost the trust of the people by taking away the cycle from the man (Mulayam Singh Yadav), who brought the party where it is today, and then handing over that cycle's handle to the Congress," Naidu said. Naidu said this after meeting Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi here, along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and other delegates. The minister said that some District Magistrates in the state were serving at the same place for over four years in different positions. "We apprised the EC that during elections, such officers should be temporarily removed," he said. The state with 403 seats is headed to the polls in seven phases: February 11, 15, 19, 23, 27 and March 4 and 8. Mumbai, Feb 6 : Actor Varun Dhawan has been signed as the brand ambassador for innerwear brand Lux Cozi. Saket Todi, Senior Vice President, Operations and Strategy, Lux Industries Ltd., said in a statement: "Over the years, Varun has carved a niche in the minds of the film buffs and critics alike. His style and fashion sense makes him endearing to all sections of the audience cutting across age groups, especially the youth." Varun is delighted to be their brand ambassador. "Their innerwear products stand for comfort and quality and I really liked the vibe of the ad campaign when I met with the creative team," said the "Student of the Year" actor. LUX Cozi recently conducted a campaign 'Sunotohapnedilki' with actor Sushant Singh Rajput as its face. Over the years, the brand's ads have been fronted by actors like Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal, Boman Irani and Shekhar Suman. New Delhi, Feb 6 : Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said the Congress should be thanked for protecting the democracy in the country because of which Narendra Modi, coming from a poor family, could become the Prime Minister of India. Participating in the Motion of Thanks to the President for his Address here, the Congress leader said the Congress protected democracy for 70 years, slamming the ruling party for saying repeatedly that the Congress did not do anything for years. "I think you brought Green Revolution. And White Revolution in your Gujarat also came in your time... (Verghese) Kurien was also born in these times -- everything happened in the last two and half years," Kharge said sarcastically. "We brought Green Revolution to feed the people, we brought White Revolution... You question what happened in 70 years, if nothing had been done, you would not have been alive, there would not have been democracy, the Constitution would not have been protected," he said. "We protected the Constitution. If Modi came from a poor family and became the Prime Minister, the credit goes to the Congress, which kept democracy alive," Kharge added. Prime Minister Modi was present in the Lok Sabha at the time Kharge made the remarks. As members from treasury benches pointed at the Emergency, the Congress leader said: "At that time there was declared Emergency, today there is undeclared Emergency." "In the name of 'Sanatan Dharma', you want people to be divided," he added. New Delhi/Raipur, Feb 6 : Budget passenger carrier IndiGo on Monday said that it has refused to ferry alleged criminal Udyan Das on board its Raipur-Kolkata flight, as the police escort accompanying him did not possess valid security documents for the trip. Das has been accused of murdering his girlfriend and parents. "Due to lack of documents, IndiGo airline's management had refused to ferry Udyan Das. Despite this, the West Bengal Police had argued that they are taking him at their own risk, as they have limited time to present Das before designated court," a senior police official told IANS from Raipur. According to the official, IndiGo airline declined to take the West Bengal Police team and Das on board the flight on Sunday evening and as well as on Monday morning. "Passenger Udayan Das was not accepted by IndiGo at Raipur station as police personnel were not carrying valid BCAS (Bureau of Civil Aviation Security's) documents," IndiGo's official spokesperson Ajay Jasra told IANS in New Delhi. On Sunday, a joint team of West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh Police recovered the bodies of Das's parents from his residence in Raipur. Das was earlier arrested on charge of murdering his live-in partner Shweta Sharma and entombing her body in his Bhopal house. New Delhi, Feb 6 : With Donald Trump in the White House, India should not stop but continue its lobbying efforts in the US Congress to further its interests, an Indian academic familiar with the practice said here on Monday. Delivering a lecture on "US-India relations under Trump-Modi administration: What lies ahead", Ashok Sharma, Fellow at the Australia-India Institute in the University of Melbourne and the author of the book "Indian Lobbying and its Influence on US Decision Making", said that all US governments have tried to curb the practice of lobbying but failed and Trump too was trying to bring some reforms in the practice. "The US-India relationship is at a stage where it cannot be derailed," Sharma said. "But we have to continue our lobbying efforts in the US Congress if we have to make it the defining partnership of the 21st century." Sharma said that India's lobbying efforts got a strong boost with the formation of the India Caucus in the US House of Representatives in 1993. He said that it was lobbying that helped boost the India-US bilateral relationship and was the reason behind the historic India-US civil nuclear deal that was signed in 2005. The academic said India-US ties were based on geopolitics and with China marking its presence in various parts of the world, including the Asia-Pacific, and rise of Islamic terrorism, New Delhi has become an indispensable partner of Washington. As for what would President Trump mean for India, he said that "we need to wait and watch 100 days of the Trump administration". Sharma said that Trump was a businessman and he would want to cut deals with other countries. "He (Trump) is questioning all multilateral deals, including the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and the TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership," he stated. However, Sharma added that the India-US partnership was very much institutionalised now and no US president could bring it down just like that. Kolkata, Feb 6 : The Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday seized seven pigeons of a rare species from West Bengal's Nadia district, an officer said. Acting on a tip about bird smuggling, the troopers at Madhupur outpost raided Mahakhola village and challenged a man carrying a cage. Seven Old German Owl pigeons were seized from the cage but the smuggler fled, said BSF officer R.P.S. Jaiswal. The South Bengal Frontier of BSF has seized 27 protected wildlife animals and caught one smuggler in 2017, the official added. Navi Mumbai, Feb 6 : In a shocking incident, a snake lover in Navi Mumbai paid with his life for attempting to kiss a rescued cobra and click a selfie here last week, an activist said on Monday. The tragedy befell a 25 year-old snake lover Somnath Mhatre living in Belapur town who used to rescue snakes and other creatures. On January 30, he was summoned to remove a deadly poisonous cobra which had slithered into a private car parked in a nearby housing complex, said the activist, preferring anonymity. After successfully retrieving it from the vehicle, Mhatre took it some distance away to check for any injuries on the cobra. The snake was fine but jittery, so Mhatre decided to make the rescue mission memorable by kissing the cobra for a selfie with his mobile phone. He managed to click the selfie, but the scared creature suddenly panicked and sharply bit his rescuer on the chest. Bleeding and in sheer pain from the poisonous bite, he was rushed to a local hospital for treatment, but he succumbed five days later. His shocked family members and other animal lovers said he was an expert who had rescued over 100 snakes and released them back in the wild safely in the past few years. This is stated to be the 31st such incident in the state in the past over a decade involving rescuers or animal lovers, and at least 22 from cobra bites, and the rest by other rescued reptiles. There have been demands from various NGOs and animal welfare groups to the forest department to issue a set of guidelines to be adopted by animal rescuers and action if they posted pictures of stunts on social media networks. Ludhiana, Feb 6 : Alleging that some officials had trespassed into a strong room where electronic voting machines were kept, the AAP on Monday filed a complaint with the police and the Election Commission. Aam Aadmi Party leader H.S. Phoolka told the media that the complaint was filed against the Returning Officer (RO) of Gill constituency, Gagandeep Singh Virk, for alleged breach of the strongroom. The complaint said that Virk and other officers entered the strongroom at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) campus here on Monday and objections by AAP leaders were brushed aside. Phoolka said it was stated in the complaint that the EVMs could have been tampered with. "Entering the strongroom where EVMs are kept is illegal and against law. The concerned candidates of the constituency were not informed," he said, adding that strict action should be taken against Virk and others. He said when AAP leaders asked Virk and the officials why they entered the strongroom, the latter maintained they had left behind some valuables there which they wanted to take back. Election to the 117 assembly seats in Punjab were held on February 4. The fate of 1,145 candidates has been sealed in the EVMs. The vote count will take place on March 11. The state saw a triangular contest among the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine, the Congress and the AAP. Islamabad, Feb 6 : The release of much-anticipated Bollywood film "Raees" starring Shah Rukh Khan and Pakistani actress Mahira Khan, was on Monday banned in Pakistan due to its "objectionable" content. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) said the Rahul Dholakia directorial, which marks Mahira Khan's Bollywood debut, will not release in the country. The film was scheduled to hit Pakistani cinemas on Sunday. Sources in the know said the reason behind the ban was that "the content undermines Islam, and a specific religious sect, (It also) portrays Muslims as criminals, wanted persons and terrorists". Most members objected to the film's release, an official of the Punjab censor board said, adding that they will follow the decision of the central censor board. The self-imposed ban on Bollywood films ended on February 1 as Karachi's Atrium Cinemas screened Hrithik Roshan starrer "Kaabil". The information ministry and CBFC also cleared Karan Johar's "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" for screening in the country. Last week, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif gave the thumbs up to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to lift the "ban" by issuing No Objection Certificate to Indian films, subject to clearance by the Censor Board. According to an official handout issued by the Information Ministry, the government was "pleased to continue the existing open policy to display all international movies (including Indian films) in Pakistani cinemas". The statement, however, pointed out that the cinema houses would be allowed to screen movies only after approval from relevant censor boards. Following the tensions over an attack on an Indian army base in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, and surgical strikes across the Line of Control in September last year, Pakistani cinema owners had decided not to screen Indian movies until the atmosphere became better. They took the decision after the Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association banned all Pakistani artists from working in film projects in India. New Delhi, Feb 6 : Former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Monday said that the best way to boost demands would have been to cut the indirect taxes. "I would have cut indirect taxes. Thats the best way to boost aggregate demands. Nine out of ten economists will tell you to do that," the Congress leader said in an interview to India Today news channel. Asked to rationalise his suggestion in terms of Goods and Service Tax(GST) which will change the tax regime of the country, Chidambaram said: "GST is not around the corner. Not coming any where before October 1." In August last year, Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill, a proposed system of indirect taxation, was passed which will merge most of the existing taxes into single system of taxation. "He was dismissive of it. He has not cut any indirect taxes that I think is a terrible mistake," Chidambaram said while referring to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's decision to not cut indirect taxes in the Union budget. Explaining further, he said, "The budget was presented on February 1. Indirect tax cut would come to force immediately. He had eight full months to cut indirect taxes and see the effect of that on the economy." Talking on the benefits of the reduction in the indirect taxes in the union budget, he added: "It would have boosted sales. It would have allowed or encouraged people to make new investments." "There is so much slack in existing capacity, why would any one invest in creating new capacity?" he said. Aurangabad (Maharashtra), Feb 6 : The Bombay High Court's Aurangabad Bench on Monday ordered deletion of four scenes from the upcoming film 'Jolly LLB 2', which it held are defamatory to the judiciary and could amount to contempt of court, an official said here. A Division Bench of Justice S.S. Shinde and Justice K.K. Sonawane also ordered the Central Board of Film Certification to certify the film afresh after implementing the cuts in the Akshay Kumar starrer. The order follows a report by a court-appointed three-member committee of experts, comprising Senior Advocates R.N. Dhorde and V.J. Dixit and medico Dr Prakash Kanade, petitioner-lawyer Ajaykumar Waghmare said from Nanded. The committee viewed the film last Friday in Aurangabad and submitted its two-page report stating that a particular scene is "defamatory to the lawyers' profession and would be contempt of court". They added that the visual or words also involved "defamation of the body of lawyers and undermines the dignity of lawyers and courts". After taking the report on record, the judges ordered that the scenes objected to by the committee should be deleted and that the CBFC should re-certify the film, Waghmare said. "This is a historic and significant order concerning any film in the country. It is also a lesson to the CBFC which certified the film during the pendency of the PIL, indicating some malpractices," Waghmare told IANS. The scenes ordered to be deleted include the ones in which a judge is shown crouching behind the dias, hurling of a shoe at a judge and an objectionable dialogue. The lawyers representing the filmmakers agreed to the necessary cuts/modifications. The film's producers, Fox Star Studios, had challenged before the Supreme Court the January 27 ruling of the Bombay High Court to appoint the three-member. The Supreme Court on Friday refused to put on hold the screening of 'Jolly LLB 2' before the three-member panel and allowed the committee to preview the film and ascertain whether the said scenes denigrated the judiciary in any manner. Slated for release on February 10, 'Jolly LLB 2' is a courtroom drama starring Akshay Kumar, Huma Qureshi, Annu Kapoor and Saurabh Shukla, and is written and directed by Subhash Kapoor. New Delhi, Feb 6 : The wife of BSF trooper Tej Bahadur Yadav on Monday met the force's Director General K.K. Sharma here and urged him to expedite the departmental enquiry initiated against her husband whose social media video over "sub-standard" food triggered controversy last month. In the around half-an-hour meeting with Yadav's wife Sharmila at the headquarters of the Border Security Force (BSF) here, Sharma "assured" her of "fair inquiry as per procedure". Sharmila, who was accompanied by her elder brother and ex-paramilitary association General Secretary Ranbir Singh, had earlier requested for the meeting with the BSF DG following the cancellation of her husband's Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) plea by the force on January 30. The BSF had rejected Yadav's VRS plea owing to the pending court of inquiry. The move by the country's largest border-guarding force had not been seen kindly by Yadav's family which had alleged that the trooper was being "threatened and tortured mentally". Yadav had complained about the quality of food being served to security personnel, and accused unnamed officers of illegally selling off the food supplies meant for the troopers. The video uploaded by Yadav had gone viral in the social media. The trooper is also facing charges of indiscipline for uploading the social media post and also on various other counts. The video had gone viral triggering a flurry of reactions with the Prime Minister Office and Home Ministry seeking a detailed factual report over the incident from the BSF. New Delhi, Feb 7 : A earthquake, measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale, shook residents of Delhi and north India on Monday night, creating panic and causing office workers to evacuate buildings, the IMD said. There were no reports of any casualties or any damage yet. According to the preliminary IMD report, the quake, classified as moderate, occurred at 10.33 p.m. at a point 30.5 degree North latitude 79.1 degrees East longitude in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district. Its depth was 33 km. Tremors were felt in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand also. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the situation of the earthquake and prayed for everyone's safety and well-being. "Spoke to officials and took stock of the situation in the wake of the earthquake felt in various parts of North India. PMO is in touch with officials in Uttarakhand, which is the epicentre of the quake. I pray for everyone's safety & well-being," Modi said on his official Twitter account. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh sought a detailed report, while the National Disaster Response Force has been put on high alert. "The MHA is closely monitoring the situation in earthquake hit Uttarakhand and other north Indian states where the tremors have been felt. "The NDRF teams have been rushed from Ghaziabad to Uttarakhand to conduct rescue and relief operations, if the situation arises," said official Twitter account of Home Minister. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted saying: "Earthquake in Delhi NCR. I pray for everyone's safety." Private forecaster Skymet Weather Services Pvt. Ltd Director Mahesh Palawat told IANS that aftershocks could be expected. "Aftershocks may recur tomorrow (Tuesday) as well, but will be of very low intensity. These aftershocks will be strong in the areas close to the epicentre in Uttarakhand. Mild aftershocks may be felt tonight as well," he added. The last major quake in the region was a 4.2 tremor epicentred in Haryana on November 17 last year, while nearly 10 people were killed in a 6.8 Richter scale quake on the India-Myanmar border on January 4, 2016. The Arizona Association for the Education of Young Children (AzAEYC) and CCA For Social Good, a division of CCA Global Partners, have entered into a partnership to develop an Early Childhood Education (ECE) Shared Resources online platform for Arizona child care providers. Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust (Phoenix, Arizona) has awarded AzAEYC with funding to launch the ECE Shared Services platform. This project will support child care providers throughout Maricopa County, and ultimately statewide. The Arizona platform, AzAEYC Toolkit, will give early childhood education practitioners access to over 1,600 pragmatic tools including the following: Administrative business resources Forms, policies, and procedures Quality materials for the classroom Professional development training services Human resource management Health and safety practices Compliance with quality initiatives in the state The AzAEYC Toolkit includes pre-negotiated discounts that can reduce costs. Child care practitioners in other states have trimmed operating expenses by an average of $9,000 per year, simply by leveraging four out of the twenty-five programs available. The ECE Shared Resources platform is unlike anything available in the early childhood education market, said Denise Sayer, Vice President of CCA For Social Good, the innovator of the resource platform. As demands increase in the ECE community, the platform provides a virtual support system that allows child care program directors and family child care providers to be more efficient and effective, giving them the freedom to turn their attention to what matters most, the children in their care. Melissa Busby, President of AzAEYCs Board of Directors, said that AzAEYC was pleased to offer this new service. The development of this platform aligns with our mission to ensure all young children have access to high quality early care and education. This as a giant step forward in positively impacting the early childhood education system as we provide tools to enhance the financial stability of child care businesses in our state. We are delighted to work with ECE Shared Resources, and we are truly grateful for the generous support from the Piper Charitable Trust. Arizona joins twenty-five other states that have adopted this platform to strengthen the work of child care directors, teachers and technical assistance staff. AzAEYC Toolkit is set to launch in early spring 2017. For more information on ECE Shared Resources, please contact Erin Holt at eholt(at)ccaglobal(dot)com. For more information on AzAEYC Toolkit, please contact Vicki Balint at vbalint(at)azaeyc(dot)org. ### About CCA For Social Good CCA For Social Good is an operating division of CCA Global Partners, a privately held cooperative helping small businesses thrive for 30 years. CCA For Social Good provides web-based platforms that help thousands of nonprofit organizations and early childhood education (ECE) centers manage the administrative aspect of their organizations. The platforms (integrated password-protected websites) deliver a set of powerful tools and shared resources resulting in more efficient and successful operations. CCA For Social Good puts time and money back in the hands of directors and managers of ECE programs, allowing them to focus where it matters most: on the children in their care. To view a sample platform, please visit http://www.ecesharedresources.com. About AzAEYC The Arizona Association for the Education of Young Children (AzAEYC) is a state affiliate of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). AzAEYC promotes high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children. A first in Central Asia: The newest Hyatt Regency Hotel was inaugurated late 2016; PENETRON crystalline technology secured the hotel basement areas, the covered parking areas, the indoor pool and spa. Inaugurated in late 2016, the Hyatt Regency Hotel Tashkent (Uzbekistan) features extensive use of PENETRON materials in its concrete structures. The Silk Road, the renowned trade route that has connected the Mediterranean region with China since ancient times, now also features PENETRON crystalline technology - in Hyatts newest hotel. Inaugurated in late 2016, the Hyatt Regency Hotel Tashkent (Uzbekistan) features extensive use of PENETRON materials in its concrete structures. Bringing modern luxury and amenities to todays travelers of the Silk Road, Uzbekistans first Hyatt Hotel features 300 guestrooms, as well as 52 suites, a large indoor swimming pool, a spa, a 24-hour fitness gym, four restaurants and bars, and a 400-car garage. This $205 million dollar project is situated next to the prestigious National Library and many local landmarks. Were proud to contribute to the completion of this world-class construction project, adds Igor Chernogolov, President of PENETRON Russia. Our local PENETRON team in Uzbekistan provided valuable support and experience for an effective design mix and choice of topical applications. They were able to show PENETRON crystalline technology was an ideal solution. PENETRON crystalline materials were mixed into the concrete and applied to finished concrete structures in the hotel basement areas, the covered parking areas, the indoor pool, and the spa. Our crystalline products ensure completely waterproof concrete structures with the added benefits of increased concrete durability and an inherent self-healing capability, adds Mr. Chernogolov. This new hotel is state-of-the-art for Central Asia! The PENETRON Group is a leading manufacturer of specialty construction products for concrete waterproofing, concrete repairs and floor preparation systems. The Group operates through a global network, offering support to the design and construction community through its regional offices, representatives and distribution channels. For more information on PENETRON waterproofing solutions, please visit penetron(dot)com or Facebook(dot)com/ThePenetronGroup, email CRDept(at)penetron(dot)com, or contact the Corporate Relations Department at 631-941-9700. Golden Gate BPO Solutions, a global provider of customer management and business process outsourcing solutions, announced today that Jaime Weinsier has joined the leadership team as Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer. With over 20 years of marketing experience, Ms. Weinsier brings a results-oriented marketing mindset to the Golden Gate BPO Solutions organization through her various positions in both agency and corporate environments. Her expertise is in developing and executing strategic direct-response marketing programs that create awareness and drive leads, customer acquisition, sales and revenues for companies. Ms. Weinsiers diverse background includes roles in public relations, traditional media planning and buying, partnership marketing, digital strategy, digital media planning and execution, paid search, SEO, content marketing, and marketing technology management. With a background in both digital and traditional marketing, her experience is extensive and dynamic. We are extremely fortunate to have Jaime join our leadership team as we continue on our mission to redefine outsourcing, says Stephen Ferber, CEO & Managing Partner of Golden Gate BPO Solutions. When evaluating our ambitious plans for 2017 and beyond, it became crystal clear we needed someone with Jaimes credentials and depth of experience to take our overall marketing, communications, messaging and company to a whole new level. As CMO for Golden Gate BPO, I am confident she will not only be a tremendous asset to our company, but to our clients and business partners as well. Weinsier added, I was really drawn to Golden Gate BPO and this role because of their innovative and consultative approach to providing world-class outsourcing and customer relationship management solutions. Golden Gate BPOs entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to being a seamless extension of their clients businesses and organizational culture was a unique opportunity for me to bring my branding, relationship and direct-response marketing agency experience to the table, and I am excited to be a part of this team. Ms. Weinsier excels at tailoring ROI-focused marketing initiatives to drive growth and achieve business goals through efficient and scalable programs. She has worked directly with brands such as Turner Broadcasting System, The Home Depot, Hotels.com, Air Canada, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Harrahs Hotels & Casinos, Travelzoo, Laser Spine Institute, Hoveround Mobility Scooters, ServiceMaster, Navy Federal Credit Union, Havertys Furniture, Floor & Decor, and IHG, among others. Jaime graduated from the University of Floridas school of Business Administration, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing. Founded in 2006, Golden Gate BPO Solutions provides multi-channel contact center management, customer engagement and business process outsourcing services. We offer a unique and effective call center outsourcing alternative that provides our clients with a high touch client-service provider relationship. Our outsourced call center alternative yields world-class customer care, technical support and sales along with the full spectrum of outsourcing functions required to serve clients customers. Our customer engagement centers are located in the United States, Dominican Republic, Belize, Jamaica, the Philippines and India, from which we offer multi-lingual voice, email, web chat, social media, back-office, online help desk and automated support. Golden Gate BPO Solutions is ranked NO. 975 on Inc. magazines 35th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The Inc. 5000 represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segment its independent small businesses. Started in 1982, this prestigious list of the nations most successful private companies has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. Companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Dominos Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees of the Inc. 5000. ### We believe Janssens experience in developing diagnostic and therapeutic products will help us introduce new and groundbreaking innovations that promote individual health. Lihi Segal, CEO, DayTwo DayTwo Ltd. (http://www.daytwo.com), today announced a new collaboration with Janssen Research & Development, LLC (Janssen), one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, through its Janssen Human Microbiome Institute (JHMI), focused on DayTwos products and research conducted at the Weizmann Institute of Science, in Rehovot, Israel. The agreement was facilitated by Johnson & Johnson Innovation. DayTwo provides actionable health solutions based on gut microbiome, utilizing the DayTwo Microbiome Platform. Its first product, the DayTwo Personalized Nutrition Platform, is based on groundbreaking research from the Weizmann Institute of Science led by Prof. Eran Segal and Dr. Eran Elinav (Cell, Nov15). The research showed that food that is healthy for one person may not be healthy for another, thus nutrition that lowers post meal sugar responses must be personally tailored. High blood sugar is linked to increased risk for diseases like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, as well as to energy dips, excessive hunger and weight gain. The DayTwo algorithm accurately predicts individual blood sugar responses to different foods based on the unique microbiome and other personal parameters and provides users with tailored recommendations. The DayTwo Personalized Nutrition Platform is available in the US and is scheduled to begin shipping to consumers later this quarter. DayTwo and the Weizmann Institute scientists will work together with Janssen to evaluate DayTwos platform for the effective interception of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome-associated disorders. This newest collaboration with Janssen is the latest in a series of high profile collaborations with leading health related organizations in the US, including the Mayo Clinic. Working with the Janssen Human Microbiome Institute and its internal and external network is an exciting and beneficial opportunity for us, said Lihi Segal, Co-founder and CEO of Daytwo. This collaboration will create critical new insights to address metabolic disorders through microbiome-based diagnostics and therapeutics and we believe Janssens experience in developing diagnostic and therapeutic products will help us introduce new and groundbreaking innovations that promote individual health. About DayTwo DayTwo (http://www.daytwo.com) is the world's first provider of health improvement and disease prevention solutions based on Gut Microbiome research. Its first product, based on groundbreaking research led by Prof. Eran Segal and Dr. Eran Elinav from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, and exclusively licensed to DayTwo, is a personalized nutrition platform. It aims to normalize blood sugar levels and reduce risk for metabolic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, leveraging the world's largest and most detailed microbiome database. DayTwo's product pipeline includes additional microbiome-based diagnostic and therapeutic solutions. Prambanan Temple. CREDIT: Martijn Barendse (Creative Commons) The purpose of the trip will be to conduct dialogues with experts and practitioners to explore current issues relating to religion in Indonesian politics and society. Carnegie Council's Asia Dialogues program will lead a one-week fact finding trip (site visit) to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, during the week of October 16, 2017. The purpose of the trip will be to conduct dialogues with experts and practitioners to explore current issues relating to religion in Indonesian politics and society. Topics of conversation may include: Islam in politics, religious extremism, tolerance and pluralism, civil rights, gender equality, and populism in Asia and the West. The trip leverages both a global network of scholars and a method of moral inquiry that Carnegie Council has developed over the past several years. Delegates on this trip will be expected to publish at least one article (less than 2,000 words) based on their experience in Indonesia and educational resources provided by Carnegie Council. The articles, which can be published on Carnegie Council's website or elsewhere, will be included in a final Field Guide, which the Council will curate for public education. Other opportunities to present participants' findings may also occur. Carnegie Council is now accepting applications from students and professionals under 40 from the United States and East Asia to join this trip as a delegate. Thanks to support from the Henry Luce Foundation, the Council will cover airfare and hotel expenses of the delegates. Carnegie Council is working with scholars from Indonesian universities to facilitate the dialogues between the delegates and experts, activists, and other members of Indonesian society. Eligibility: Citizen of the United States or from one of the following in East Asia: Brunei, Cambodia, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), East Timor, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, North Korea, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, or Vietnam; A student or a professional under 40 years of age; Able to travel to Indonesia during the week of Oct. 16, 2017; Students must identify a professor who can oversee their research project; Have a demonstrated interest in Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and/or religion in politics; English proficiency. Please send CV and a letter of interest (1,000 words or less) to Amanda Ghanooni (AGhanooni(at)cceia.org) by March 1, 2017. The letter should explain: the topic of the applicant's independent research project and how traveling to Indonesia will assist that project; the applicant's interest in Indonesia and/or Islam; the professor who will oversee the project if the applicant is a student; how the applicant's professional experience will relate to this project if the applicant is a young professional. Carnegie Council's aim with this project is to foster mutual learning, forge new meaningful relationships across cultural lines, and continue to bring the Council's ethical dialogue to local communities around the world. ABOUT CARNEGIE COUNCIL Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1914, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs is an educational, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that produces lectures, publications, and multimedia materials on the ethical challenges of living in a globalized world. For more information, go to http://www.carnegiecouncil.org. Felix Valenzuela, an advocate for the rights and personal growth of Mexican immigrants, has completed his new book The Salsa Culture Invades America: a comprehensive collection of true stories, discussion points, creative works, recipes, and images that paints a breathtaking picture that is the story of the Mexican immigrant. Having been raised in the barrio of South El Paso, Valenzuelas personal story is one starting small and underestimated and overcoming stigma, legislation, and a lack of formal support and resources in order to become not only successful but influential. I also hope that through my pen, many descendants of Mexican immigrants will discover the God-given purpose that awaits them as they prepare for the new and heavy tasks ahead along the path of the American Dream. Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Felix Valenzuelas extraordinary tale acknowledges the difficulties in the road to successful immigration, which has been slowly paved by Mexicans seeking a better life in a land of promise. One chapter describes the condition of the barrio dwellings as being prone to infestation and having a lack of proper plumbing. Another speaks of academic discrimination, including corporal punishment being used to subdue the use languages other than English. Valenzuela also describes the very uplifting experience of the Mexican immigrant or the descendent of such. The tapestry he weaves is one of strong families, unbreakable dreams, incredible artwork, and blissful celebrations. Even food is given its well-deserved pages in the form of delicious recipes. The progress that has been made in America in not only that of acceptance but of movements towards equality and ensuring success for Mexican Americans, something that would not have been possible without the willingness of the immigrants who came in harder times to endure deplorable conditions. This book is a profound statement of gratitude for their sacrifices. Readers who wish to experience this inspiring work can purchaseThe Salsa Culture Invades America at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional New York based full-service publishing house that handles all of the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not bogged down with complicated business issues like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes and the like. Its roster of authors can leave behind these tedious, complex and time consuming issues, and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. UtahRealEstate.com, Utahs largest Multiple Listing Service, and one of the largest Regional Multiple Listing Services in the United States, has been awarded two achievements by the Real Estate Standards OrganizationData Dictionary Platinum Certification and Web API Certification. The Platinum Certification is the highest designation given by RESOa nonprofit organization that creates and maintains a set of data standards for the entire real estate industry. Speedier real estate software development, more features, quicker paths to listing data, and a simpler way to develop tools are all key benefits of RESO, according to Jeremy Crawford, Chief Executive Officer of the Real Estate Standards Organization. When an MLS achieves the highest certification, it means that it has opened up a vast marketplace for vendors to provide new and exciting applications to their members, stated Crawford. UtahRealEstate.com is one of the premier Multiple Listing Services in the country and continues to lead the way by being among the first MLSs to achieve our highest certification. Brad Bjelke, CEO of UtahRealEstate.com, is at the forefront in supporting MLS data standards for the industry. At UtahRealEstate.com, we place a high priority in fostering innovation through technology and RESO data standards. We look forward to adding additional cutting edge real estate tools for our members using the RESO standards and our vendor partnerships, and we are very excited about the future of real estate technology. About UtahRealEstate.com Founded in 1994, UtahRealEstate.com is the leading provider of real estate technology in Utah. UtahRealEstate.com is the top-ranked real estate website in Utah and serves approximately 14,000 subscribers and 12 million consumers every year. About RESO The mission of the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) is to create and promote the adoption of standards that drive efficiency throughout the real estate industry. RESO incorporated in November 2011, as an independent, not-for-profit trade organization that was previously a section of the National Association of REALTORS. The RESO has more than 630 active members, including NAR, multiple-listing services, real estate associations, brokerages and industry technology providers. For more information, visit http://www.reso.org. Over the last couple of months, the number of Linkyfi deployments in Latin America has substantially grown. The Linkyfi platform - comprehensive WiFi access management solution created by AVSystem, was installed at a number of Telefonicas biggest operating businesses. That included the largest shopping malls, food chains and other public venues handling thousands of users daily. Not surprisingly when Telefonica, one of the largest telco groups in the world, started looking for a solution for managed WiFi at a global level, Linkyfi platform was at once considered to be one of the most adequate tools. Telefonica chose AVSystems solution because it significantly outpaced other products available on the market. Due to its great range of functionalities, providing both a WiFi management solution, data analytics, WiFi indoor location engine and a WiFi marketing platform all in one - it will be used globally as Telefonicas WiFi value-added service delivery platform. Its extreme flexibility, scalability and continuous support were essential to be deployed at all Telefonicas subsidiaries. Many years of cooperating with the largest telcos around the world enabled AVSystem to gain competence and knowledge other factors appreciated by Telefonica during the evaluation phase. We are thrilled that Linkyfi is considered to be the best product for WiFi management, data analytics, indoor location and marketing by one of the largest Telco brands in the world says Slawomir Wolf, AVSystems CEO. Once again, our engineering-oriented approach has paid off. A secure and technically mature solution providing large flexibility and various tailor-made functionalities is exactly what Telefonica and other large Telcos expect their WiFi value-added service to look like. Linkyfi will be the default solution for all Telefonica projects and business operations regarding any WiFi related service. Linkyfi, as every product created by AVSystem, is truly vendor agnostic supporting out of the box lots of WiFi access points brands including Ruckus Wireless, Meraki and Aruba. About AVSystem AVSystem is shaping the world of connected devices. Being an expert in large scale solution for Telco operators, AVSystem built its product portfolio around device management and monitoring solutions (TR-069, LWM2M), M2M and IoT service delivery platforms, WiFi value added service platforms and others systems for SDN and NFV. AVSystem actively participates in standardization of the upcoming LWM2M standard to enable secure device management and service orchestration of Internet of Things ecosystem of tomorrow. 70+ large telco operators worldwide prove the superiority of AVSystems technology. For more information please visit: https://www.avsystem.com/ About Telefonica Telefonica is a Spanish multinational broadband and telecommunications provider with operations in Europe, Asia, and North, Central and South America. Operating globally in over 20 countries, it is one of the largest telephone operators and mobile network providers in the world. For more information please visit: https://www.telefonica.com/en Vollrath Experience Tour Vollrath Company will give attendees an exclusive opportunity to explore its extensive line of serving systems and components with its new Vollrath Experience Tour a traveling showroom in an expandable 48-foot trailer. The tours first stop will be in Vollraths booth 1435 at The North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) Show, held from Feb. 9-11 in Orlando, Florida, at Orange County Convention Center. Committed to providing the foodservice community with best-in-class products and training, Vollraths serving systems showroom includes intuitive guides that walk guests through each step of the specifying and purchasing processes. Architects, designers, consultants and foodservice operators alike are invited to explore the mobile showroom to get inspired and see everything from design and engineering, to construction and materials, to graphics, signage and lighting, along with Vollraths wide-ranging equipment selection. The 600-square-foot trailer highlights Vollraths unique in-house design and engineering studios, which allow exclusive flexibility in materials and construction methods creating better products at better prices. It will tour through the year across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Creating unique experiences in line with your surroundings is one of the most exciting aspects of the foodservice and merchandising industries, said Brian Hedlund, managing director of serving systems and components. With an extensive array of in-house design capabilities, Vollrath has a well-earned reputation for offering the industrys most strategically branded carts, kiosks and inline systems. We expect this cross-country endeavor to increase market awareness and create some excitement of our capabilities. For more detail on the 2017 Vollrath Experience Tour, visit vollrath.com/tour. About Vollrath Company The Vollrath Company, LLC, based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, has a reputation for the design, development and manufacture of the foodservice industrys finest smallwares and equipment. With a collection of exceptional people, industry leading products and helpful consultative services, Vollrath is assembled for one purpose to advance the art of hospitality. For more information about Vollrath, its products, facilities in the U.S., Europe, Mexico and China, and the 19 foodservice industries it serves, visit vollrath.com. Stay connected with Vollrath on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn. With the ongoing threat of social turmoil, it is crucial for citizens to be aware of the human rights context of all important decisions made by government, business, NGOs, and educational institutions so they can encourage and even guide their organizations to achieving their highest goals, all while holding them accountable. As a former lawyer and teacher, the author laments the fact that human rights are not taught and defined as human potentials. Seven Rights for Citizen Slackers, 40 years in the making, presents a unique perspective on human rights. A major premise of the book is that the Constitution is not true to the principles of the Declaration of Independence as governments powers are not organized for securing the peoples rights and, of the eight rights of the Declaration of Independence, seven are left out of the Constitution. The human rights omissions have resulted in an imbalanced distribution of governments resources and have placed limitations on the individuals full development of his or her attributes and potentials. The book hypothesizes on what people have been missing by not having a government, an educational system, and a corporate system based on human rights. It also lays out plans for alternatives, complete with organizational graphics. I began writing the book because I believed in the premise of the Declaration of Independence, that governments are instituted to secure the rights of the people; and I believed I had discovered a comprehensive body of rights that could be used to organize government and confirm the premise of the Declaration, said Boaz. Seven Rights for Citizen Slackers serves as a resource to recharge democracy and encourage social transformation based on a unique comprehensive body of rights. It promotes the necessity of holding an open Article Five Convention for proposing constitutional amendments. Boaz proposes more than thirty amendments; among them, ridding public elections of private money, abolishing the Electoral College, abolishing corporate personhood, prohibiting the filibuster, abolishing capital punishment, and legalizing marijuana. Michael Simmons of High Times calls Boaz, an entertainingly irreverent idealist and relates anecdotes from an interesting life (including those with Gary Gilmore, Norman Mailer, Geraldo Rivera, and Tommy Lee Jones) with plans for constitutional reform. Boaz urges citizens to understand their rights and to recognize those that are not completely fulfilled. Seven Rights for Citizen Slackers allows people to become better informed about how to achieve a society whose purpose is to encourage and secure peoples rights. Seven Rights for Citizen Slackers By Dennis Boaz ISBN: 978-1-48345-768-0 (softcover); 978-1-48345-767-3 (eBook) Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Lulu Press About the author Dennis Boaz has worked as a lawyer, high school teacher, and union leader. His activism includes support for marijuana legalization and federal voting rights for Island-Americans. In the early 70s, Boaz discovered the foundational elements for a holistic matrix of individual consciousness, inspiring him to develop a comprehensive body of human rights for use in government, education, and business. Review Copies & Interview Requests: LAVIDGE Phoenix Bryan Beach 480-998-2600 x 510 bbabeach(at)lavidge(dot)com General Inquiries: LAVIDGE Phoenix Chris Pena 480-998-2600 x 519 cpena(at)lavidge(dot)com CCRA TRUESites CCRA will be hosting their first PowerSolutions Live of 2017 in Atlanta at the Le Meridien Atlanta Perimeter Hotel on Friday, February 24th, from 4:30 8:30 PM EST. This premier networking event will give travel agents the opportunity to network with local and national representatives from CCRAs supplier network including air, hotel, travel insurance, and more. CCRA will be discussing their newest product, which is to be launched in February 2017, TRUESites powered by Voyager Websites. In conjunction with the products release, Richard Earls of TRO will be present as the events keynote speaker. He will be discussing, Harnessing the Power of a Professional Web Presence. In Earls keynote, he will cover the importance of having a consumer-facing website to support travel businesses. Whether agents in attendance do or do not have a website, have a website and are unsure of how to use it, or could use a refresh on the subject of web presence, this keynote will cover a valuable topic for travel business owners delivered by one of the most powerful voices in travel industry media. Other topics that will be discussed are: Helpful social media tactics that will win business and drive leads, What to include in your web content and where to get it, Important laws and issues online sellers of travel may be faced with CCRAs new Atlanta Area Chapter Director, Clavia Howard will also be present for the event, and will be delivering a brief introduction and her plan to grow CCRAs Atlanta Area Chapter. In addition to Richards discussion on CCRAs newest product, TRUESites, CCRAs VP of Membership Services and social media expert, Margie Jordan will be delivering an additional keynote speech on Leveraging the Power of Facebook to Sell More Travel. Agents who attend will also receive $25 off the membership fee for TRUE, as well as a waived setup fee for CCRAs brand new website solution, TRUESites, developed in partnership with Earls. Featured Suppliers: Allianz Global Assistance Carey International Emirates Visit St. Petersburg Clearwater Florida Posadas Etihad Airways & Air Serbia Hilton Worldwide LaQuinta Inns & Suites Red Roof Inn Two Roads Hospitality Vistana Villa Resort IHG Qatar Airways PowerSolutions Live is free for CCRA Members to attend. For those who wish to preview CCRA Membership, a $25 fee will be charged per ticket to ensure attendance. Upon joining CCRA, $25 will be credited back as a membership discount. Travel agents of all experience levels are welcome and encouraged to attend PowerSolutions Live Atlanta. To read more about PowerSolutions Live in Atlanta on February 24th, and to register, please visit: https://powersolutionsatlanta.eventbrite.com To see all upcoming PowerSolutions Live Events in 2017, please visit: http://powersolutions.eventbrite.com About CCRA: Based in Ft. Worth, Texas, CCRA Travel Commerce Network is a global hub for travel technology, marketing, accreditation and education. For over forty years, CCRA has connected travel professionals and suppliers with the products and services they need to drive revenue, relationships and brand recognition in the travel marketplace. From the TRUE accreditation and coding system to hotels, air, call center services and more, CCRA is truly where the travel industry connects. ClearDB, a pioneer in enterprise cloud database technologies, today announced its Cloud 1st Premier Partner Program. As part of ClearDBs channel partner growth initiative, the Cloud 1st Premier Partner program is tailored for Microsoft Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) and offers partners the opportunity to grow consumption directly through a CSPs Azure subscription and drive end-to-end customer engagement, which is a key tenant of Microsofts CSP program. According to a Market and Markets report the Cloud Database and Database as a Service (DBaaS) Market is expected to reach $14 billion by 2019. More and more customers are starting to move mission critical data to the cloud, so it is essential that CSPs expand their services and leverage third-party database and data platform services where applicable, said Allen Holmes, VP of marketing, ClearDB. The new premier level of our Cloud 1st partner program allows Microsoft CSPs to provide full service value to customers while staying at the forefront of the digital transformation. The Cloud 1st Partner Program offers two partner levels. The Authorized partner is best suited for companies that prefer to sell services that are hosted and managed by the vendor, and focuses on solution selling and bundled value added services. The Premier partner program is ideal for those who have a commercial license with a cloud provider and prefer to own the customer experience. Partner sales and services are streamlined through ClearDBs Partner Portal, which enables account management, sales fulfillment, and service operation tasks. These services can also integrate into existing partner marketplace platforms through the ClearDB API interface. Designed for Microsoft CSPs, the Cloud 1st Premier program enables partners to create new managed services for customers by leveraging ClearDBs award winning Database as a Service platform. It also allows Microsoft CSPs to provision and manage custom services within their AZURE subscription. ClearDBs Cloud 1st Premier Partner Program: CSPs manage the full customer relationship running on their infrastructure Provides direct provisioning into CSPs Azure subscriptions setting their own pricing and services; Requires no cost to join. Designed to work on major public clouds and to support private cloud and on-premises operations, the Partner Program utilizes ClearDBs nonstop Data Services Platform, which extends the companys MySQL DBaaS offering and automates provisioning and management processes with an intuitive services framework that accelerates performance and guarantees high availability. MySQL continues to maintain market momentum as a leading royalty-free database management system (DBMS) supporting next generation application development. MySQL in a database as a service (DBaaS) delivery model allows partners to provide customers with agile and flexible environment to meet growing application and development needs. The ClearDB Data Services Platform works in major cloud environments, including Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and IBM SoftLayer all while reducing management and infrastructure costs. ClearDBs Database-as-a-Service solution is sold direct and through certified partners. The ClearDB Partner Program delivers value, market differentiation and provides a consistent and profitable partner experience assuring a trusted and fast path to market. Partner Program information can be found here or by contacting the ClearDB partner team partners(at)cleardb(dot)com. ### About ClearDB ClearDB Inc. is a pioneer of cloud-based technologies and solutions that optimize the computing efficiency and utility of any database application. ClearDB cloud services provide customers with SLA-backed guaranteed high availability, accelerated performance, easy administration to deliver unprecedented levels of database reliability, efficiency and simplicity on major cloud platforms and on-premises data centers. With more than 200,000 users worldwide, ClearDB is the largest private MySQLaaS solution provider. Recognized by Frost & Sullivan for product leadership, we are transforming the way database resources are consumed so that IT can focus on innovation and business growth. Learn more at http://www.cleardb.com. UNCF will host an inaugural Black History Month fundraising campaign, Build #BetterFutures, with a goal to raise $500,000 to support students attending UNCFs 37 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). In a month that celebrates African American history and culture, we also want to remember education, said Maurice E. Jenkins, Jr., UNCF executive vice president. Build #BetterFutures is a national effort to request support for our HBCUs and the deserving students they serve. By investing in UNCF, you are helping to build a better and brighter future for the next generation of scientists, engineers, educators, clergy and business leaders. Recent data show that 39 percent of students enrolled at HBCUs in the fall did not return to college the following year, due in part to lack of financial resources. Additionally, a report issued last month by UNCFs Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute found that HBCU students borrow student loans at higher rates and, consequently, graduate with substantially higher debt than their peers at non-HBCUs. Thus, financial assistance can make the difference between a student dropping out of college or graduating with a degree and entering the increasingly competitive workforce. During the month of February, which is dedicated to honoring black history in the United States, UNCF is receiving campaign awareness thanks to media partners at ABC7/WJLA-TV, American Urban Radio Networks, ASPiRE.TV, iHeartMedia, Inc., Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. and WE tv. HBCU students and alumni are invited to join in the campaign on social media sharing stories of how UNCFs support helped them get through college, using the hashtag #BetterFutures. To donate to UNCFs Build #BetterFutures campaign, visit http://www.uncf.org/donate or text UNCFNA to 50555, or contact your local UNCF office to make a contribution. About UNCF UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nations largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding nearly 20 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF awards more than $100 million in scholarships annually and administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, A mind is a terrible thing to waste, but a wonderful thing to invest in. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at more than 1,100 colleges and universities. Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous news and updates, follow UNCF on Twitter @UNCF The Award Wining Prospect Plaza Multifamily Housing Project's Prefab Bathroom by SurePods We have continuously improved and refined our manufacturing process, using both computer automation and lean manufacturing concepts, to build a better, greener and leaner bathroom. said Bill Seery, Director of Business Development-Oldcastle SurePods Oldcastle SurePods is pleased to announce their prefabricated bathroom pods were an integral element of the Prospect Plaza Site 1 project, winner of the 2016 National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Pillars of Industry Award for Best Green Building Concepts. The award-winning project, Prospect Plaza Site 1, is a 110-unit low income housing facility located in Brooklyn, New York. The project team leveraged the advantages of several prefabricated building components in addition to the bathroom pods, including a precast concrete building system provided by Oldcastle Precast. Blue Sea Development Company, lead entity in the projects development partnership, was challenged with the need to modernize a demolished, poverty-line, high-rise apartment complex with a leaner and greener housing development. Oldcastle SurePods is familiar with the green-space world, having automated the traditional hammer-and-nail approach to building bathrooms 10 years ago. SurePods unique manufacturing process vastly reduces construction waste through careful purchasing and employing lean processes. Prospect Plaza Site 1 achieved a 94% construction waste diversion with the help of SurePods prefab bathrooms and manufactured walls. The Prospect Plaza project gave us the opportunity to combine our environmentally conscious manufacturing process with common sense engineering decisions and material selections such as low flow plumbing fixtures and low VOC paints and adhesives to provide a bathroom that met or exceeded the criteria of several prestigious green building programs. said Bill Seery, Director of Business Development for Oldcastle SurePods. In addition to the 2016 National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Pillars of Industry Award for Best Green Building Concepts, Prospect Plaza Site 1 also achieved a LEED Platinum certification, National Green Building Standard (NGBS) Gold certification and Energy Star certification. About Oldcastle Surepods Oldcastle SurePods is the leading provider of prefabricated bathrooms in North America. Using Building Information Modeling (BIM) and lean manufacturing technology, Oldcastle SurePods works with customers from design to installation to produce custom, ready-to-install bathroom pods for hotels and multi-unit residential projects. Replacing on-site bathroom construction, bathroom pods accelerate the construction timeline, improve overall quality and eliminate the punch list for the bathroom, the most problem-ridden part of a construction project. Oldcastle SurePods is part of Oldcastle, one of the largest manufacturers of building products in North America. http://www.oldcastlesurepods.com Watch a time-lapse video of the Oldcastle SurePods installation in Prospect Plaza: https://oldcastlemodular.com/surepods-builds-multi-family-project-nyc/ AMG Founder and President Paul Mengert (center) and AMG VP May Gayle Mengert (left) with Carolyn Woodruff, Honorary Chair of The Big Hair Ball (right). Our philanthropic endeavors give our employees the opportunity to make a difference in the community and help ensure a better quality of life for residents throughout North and South Carolina Association Management Group, Inc. (AMG) is one of the Carolinas largest professional homeowner association managers with five offices in North and South Carolina. Yet on Saturday night, Jan. 28, the company became part of the fashion industry with the sponsorship of the extremely well-attended 5th Annual BIG HAIR Ball benefitting the Family Service of the Piedmont, one of the largest non-profit organizations of its kind in Guildford County. We were pleased to be part of such a fine event that helps families in need and we had an excellent time at this years event, held at the Elm Street Center in Downtown Greensboro, said AMG Chief Executive Officer Paul K. Mengert. This year's theme, Midnight at the Oasis: an Arabian Night, presented by The Guild of Family Service of Greensboro, charmed event goers with big hair, edgy fashions, food and drinks. This year's BIG HAIR Ball raised a record breaking $165,000 and pulled in 650 community supporters. The Ball began with a cocktail reception followed by an incredible runway fashion show that showcased big hair, and highlighted elaborate dresses created by design students and local designers. This is the second year in a row that AMG has served as a sponsor for this event, which helps fund Family Service of the Piedmonts efforts to restore hope and achieve stability for families and individuals in times of crisis through advocacy, education and stability. The organization services thousands of adults and children each year. AMG strongly believes in giving back to our community, noted Mengert. Our philanthropic endeavors give our employees the opportunity to make a difference in the community and help ensure a better quality of life for residents throughout North and South Carolina." For more information about Family Service of the Piedmont, please visit its website at http://www.safeandhealthyfamilies.com; to learn more about the Guild, please visit http://guildfsgso.org. About AMG: AMG is a professional community association management company dedicated to building effective community associations. AMG guides and assists executive boards to help protect the association's interests, enhance the lives of community members and improve the property values in the community. With offices throughout the Carolinas in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Raleigh, NC, and Greenville and Aiken, SC, AMG is a knowledgeable partner in enforcing community governing documents with a proven set of processes and techniques, and supporting communities with a broad range of services which can be tailored to individual community needs. Association Management Group, Inc. is a locally Accredited Business by the BBB and is a nationally Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC) by the Community Associations Institute. For more about AMG, visit http://www.amgworld.com. A Seattle-based author and cake-decorating aficionado has released a Christian romance novel that highlights the importance of trusting God when faced with difficult decisions. In a new book, titled Patti Cake, Donielle Ingersoll explores themes of faith, love, prayer and, of course, cake. In the book, Ingersoll unwinds the narrative of Patti, whose successful cake decorating business, called Exquisite Cakes, attracts the attention of a dashing celebrity. Ultimately, romance blossoms between the two; however, Patti finds herself at a crossroads when, through a series of humorous encounters, another man from her hometown begins to woo her. Torn between the two men, Patti turns to God for an answer. Through decadent descriptions and emotional twists and turns, Patti Cake emphasizes the importance of standing by ones beliefs and relying on Gods guidance in times of turmoil. I firmly believe in the power of both creativity and prayer, Ingersoll said. This book combines my love for making cakes and my faith in God, and I hope it offers readers encouragement and inspiration. Ingersolls clever and humorous tale will leave readers longing to tap into their own creativity and imagination. Patti Cake By Donielle Ingersoll ISBN: 978-1-491-79471-5 (paperback); 978-1-491-79472-2 (electronic) Available at the iUniverse Online Bookstore, Barnes & Noble and Amazon About the author Donielle Ingersoll spent more than 10 years as an educator. The authors hobbies include making and decorating cakes, writing and being a grandparent. Ingersoll currently resides in Central Washington. ### Review Copies & Interview Requests: LAVIDGE Phoenix Danielle Grobmeier 480-998-2600 x 614 dgrobmeier(at)lavidge.com General Inquiries: LAVIDGE Phoenix Maggie Driver 480-998-2600 x 584 mdriver(at)lavidge.com MRI Software, a global leader in real estate software solutions, today announced the acquisition of Dallas-based ResidentCheck, a provider of resident screening for the multifamily real estate industry. ResidentChecks extensive screening services enable property owners and operators to maximize financial performance and reduce resident delinquency rates. To stay competitive, todays multifamily property operators require increased visibility into all stages of the resident lifecycle, said Patrick Ghilani, Chief Executive Officer at MRI Software. The acquisition of ResidentCheck expands MRIs prospect and resident engagement capabilities while also formally establishing an MRI footprint in Texas. Weve served numerous clients in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for many years, and were pleased to now establish an office in the region that will represent our full portfolio. ResidentCheck offers a unique combination of automated screening plus human diligence to provide a comprehensive background check service. In addition to credit and criminal background screenings, a dedicated team of employees conducts online and in-person research to verify the accuracy of information, giving property owners and operators significantly greater insight into the history of prospective residents. Screening services are available for conventional and affordable housing, and screening recommendations are tailored to specific client requirements for each property. Additionally, the integration of ResidentChecks screening services into MRIs Multifamily Connect Suite will offer clients deeper insight into the relationship between an applicants initial screening results and future payment behavior. Im very proud of what the ResidentCheck team has accomplished since we founded the company more than twenty years ago, said Jorge Baldor, President and Co-Founder of ResidentCheck. We are very excited to join MRI Software, a pioneer in the real estate technology industry. MRIs deep client relationships and focus on innovation and scale will enable us to continue delivering new and improved services for our clients. We want to thank our valued employees and our many loyal clients that have made ResidentCheck the success it is today. All of them will benefit from the new and innovative services that MRI Software offers, said Kevin Hastings, Vice President and Co-Founder of ResidentCheck. ResidentCheck will continue to serve its clients without interruption and remains committed to providing and supporting solutions for all organizations, regardless of their property management software. MRI Software will focus on alignment of shared services, sales and account management, and joint product development to integrate the ResidentCheck solution into MRIs Multifamily Connect Suite. Similarly, MRI remains committed to providing choice and flexibility for its clients through an open and connected ecosystem. MRIs Partner Connect program includes three screening partners, and the addition of ResidentCheck gives MRI clients even more freedom to choose the right screening solution for their needs. This is MRIs second acquisition in the multifamily sector within the last four months. In October 2016, MRI purchased CallMaX, a leader in automated, mobile front-office solutions, to streamline communications between residents and property managers. This transaction does not include ResidentChecks multifamily collections business, which will continue to service its existing clientele as a stand-alone entity. Shea & Company acted as the exclusive financial advisor to MRI Software and their private equity sponsor, GI Partners. About ResidentCheck ResidentCheck is a national provider of resident screening and pre-employment screening for the multifamily real estate industry. ResidentCheck gives multifamily clients visibility into the direct correlation between front-end screening and bad debt recovery to provide a total risk management solution. About MRI Software MRI Software is a leading provider of innovative real estate software applications and hosted solutions. MRIs comprehensive and flexible technology platform coupled with an open and connected ecosystem meets the unique needs of real estate businessesfrom property-level management and accounting to investment modeling and analytics for the global commercial and residential markets. A pioneer of the real estate software industry, MRI develops lasting client relationships based on nearly five decades of expertise and insight. Through leading solutions and a rich partner ecosystem, MRI liberates real estate companies to elevate their business and gain a competitive edge. For more information, please visit http://www.mrisoftware.com. Press contact: Emily Wells 404.250.4018 emily.wells(at)MRIsoftware.com TD Charitable Foundation officials present a check to Chef James Cwynar and Eva's culinary students. The Foundation has provided annual support to Eva's programs for two decades. "The TD Charitable Foundation believes that supporting our community partners is more than just writing a check," said Kim Rupp, Retail Market Manager, TD Bank." Past News Releases RSS Evas Village Hosts New Event to... Partnership Supports Culinary... Evas Village Gala honored... The TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, Americas Most Convenient Bank recently awarded a $30,000 grant to support the Community Kitchen and Culinary School programs at Evas Village. This grant provides critical funding that helps to sustain new and established programs serving the growing numbers of homeless and working poor in the Paterson community. More than one million New Jersey residents struggle with hunger each day: nearly that many (10.7%) live below the poverty level and 27.5% of residents pay more than 50% of their income on rent. Private donations contribute more than a third of our annual revenue, Evas Development Director, Heather Thompson noted. Several of Evas programs, including the Community Kitchen, rely entirely on donations from individuals, businesses and community groups, she explained. For the past 35 years, Evas Village has provided a daily nutritious meal to those in need. Evas Community Kitchen now serves meals to more than 350 individuals 365 days a year. Last winter, Evas Village added breakfast service on weekdays to address the persistent problem of hunger. Through interactions with staff and volunteers, individuals who come for meals learn about other services and programs available at Evas Village. Opened in 2013, The Culinary School at Evas Village is one of these programs, offering job training and support to prepare students for entry-level positions in the food service industry. Since 2013, seven classes have completed the six-month course. Evas Village reports an 88% job placement rate for graduates. The TD Charitable Foundation has supported the food and culinary programs at Eva's Village for two decades. "The TD Charitable Foundation believes that supporting our community partners is more than just writing a check," said Kim Rupp, Retail Market Manager, TD Bank. "Volunteering in the community with organizations such as Eva's Village is in our corporate DNA. The impact Eva's Village has on the community is truly incredible and we are proud to be supporters. TD Bank, Americas Most Convenient Bank and the TD Charitable Foundation provide support to affordable housing, financial literacy and education, and environmental initiatives, many of which focus on improving the welfare of children and families. About Evas Village Founded by Msgr. Vincent E. Puma in 1982, Evas Community Kitchen began by serving 30 meals a day to feed the hungry in Paterson. In response to the related issues of poverty, addiction, mental illness and homelessness in the community, additional programs and services grew out of the Community Kitchen to become Evas Village, a non-profit, social service, anti-poverty organization that is one of the most comprehensive in New Jersey. For 35 years, Evas Village has worked to carry out its mission to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, treat the addicted, and provide medical and dental care to the poor with respect for the human dignity of each individual. Today, Evas Village helps thousands of individuals rebuild their lives each year through 20 integrated programs addressing needs in the community for Food & Housing, Medical & Recovery Services, and Education & Training. About the TD Charitable Foundation The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, Americas Most Convenient Bank, and is one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. The Foundation's mission is to support individuals, families and businesses in the communities TD Bank serves, The Foundation has made more than $167.3 million in charitable donations since its inception in 2002 primarily in the areas of affordable housing, financial literacy and education, and the environment. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including an online grant application, is available at http://www.TDBank.com. About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at approximately 1,300 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD". To learn more, visit http://www.td.com. Weve been working with portfolio lenders for some time, but now, any mortgage banker that sells its production to Fannie Mae can feel comfortable employing eClose360 and enjoy the benefits it offers them, their partners and consumers. NotaryCam, Inc., the global leader in online notary and mortgage eClosing services, announced today that the company is now listed on Fannie Maes list of eMortgage technology solution providers. Specifically, NotaryCams eClose360 online closing solution with remote eNotarization is now on the list of software Fannie Mae has certified and approved for use on loans it purchases from mortgage loan originators. We are very proud to have made this important list of industry solutions for digital mortgage, said Rick Triola, Founder and CEO of NotaryCam. Weve been working with portfolio lenders for some time, but now, any mortgage banker that sells its production to Fannie Mae can feel comfortable employing eClose360 and enjoy the benefits it offers them, their partners and consumers. NotaryCams eClose360 is an online notary platform that allows mortgage closings to take place entirely online, removing all associated stress and the friction of having to attend closings physically. The technology won more attendee votes than any other digital mortgage technology in its category after its demonstration at the recent Digital Mortgage Conference in San Francisco. The company was invited to demo it again at the MBAs Independent Mortgage Bankers conference on January 26, 2017. Our research and experience indicates a growing interest and increasing number of lenders adopting eMortgages, stated Michael Cafferky, eMortgage Product Manager, Fannie Mae. Fannie Mae is committed to supporting customers and business partners as we move the market forward. We are very pleased to add NotaryCam to the list of approved solution providers to further expand options available to our customers to originate and deliver eMortgages to Fannie Mae. Fannie Maes eMortgage Technology Solution Provider List provides the industry with a selection of companies that offer technology solutions that enable the submission of electronic mortgages to Fannie Mae. Fannie Mae's provisioning of the information does not indicate any endorsement of or affiliation with the listed providers, but rather includes technology providers who have conducted eNote technical compatibility testing with Fannie Maes eNote delivery system. See the list on Fannie Maes eMortgage page. NotaryCam allows businesses and individuals to legally notarize, sign and execute documents and agreements online. The company has legally completed tens of thousands of notarizations in all 50 states and over 65 countries. Parties from anywhere in the world can connect to a live notary public in a secure virtual signing room. Identities and eSignatures are verified in a face-to-face web interaction to eClose real estate and mortgage transactions, notarize deeds, power of attorney, health directives, and more. NotaryCam was developed in lockstep with the changing needs of the GSEs to ensure that eClose360 meets all investor requirements. NotaryCam signing agents are also certified by the National Notary Association. About NotaryCam NotaryCam is a pioneer and leader in remote notarization and identity verification solutions. NotaryCams enterprise-grade platform has helped tens of thousands of consumers and enterprises get documents notarized online from anywhere in the world, at any time, by a network of certified, licensed notaries. The company was venture backed and endorsed by NAR/Second Century Ventures and was selected for the 2015 NAR/REach Class as one of the most innovative companies to improve the real estate process/experience. NotaryCams technology provides the highest level of identity verification, security, and fraud prevention, as well as unmatched customer convenience. Visit http://www.notarycam.com for additional information or to get a document notarized today. Students engage in STEM education at iD Tech Camps. iD Tech, the number one STEM camp provider for kids and teens nationwide, has launched a Cryptography & Cybersecurity course for teens at four iD Tech Camps locations in the D.C. area. This course teaches students the history of cryptography and shows them how it is still relevant in modern cybersecurity today. Students learn how to send encoded messages to their classmates, encrypt data with programs and computers, and stay one step ahead of would-be cyber attacks. Weve teamed up educators at the collegiate level as well as industry professionals to build a course that excites students about a possible future in the growing network security field, says Pete Ingram-Cauchi, CEO of iD Tech. As countries around the world become more connected, and different laws about information security clash, it will be more important than ever to have knowledgeable, capable, and passionate students of network security. The weeklong course is offered at Georgetown and American Universities in Washington, D.C. beginning the week of June 26, 2017, and Virginia Tech - Falls Church and the University of Maryland beginning the week of July 3, 2017. We see this this course is an entry point for students of all levels, and it will provide a real taste of what the field of cybersecurity is all about, preparing students to study at any college, says Ricky Bennett, Director of Innovation and Partnerships for iD Tech. This course is being offered at our locations in the D.C. area for convenience to parents and to give our students a taste of the distinct collegiate life each of these campuses provide. These four universities are unique and inspiring, from the 18th Century stonework of Georgetown to the bright red brick of the University of Maryland. The campuses are imbued with history and stunning architecture, and iD Tech is providing the kind of educational prowess parents want for their college-bound children to help prepare for the future. About iD Tech iD Tech is the leader in summer STEM education programs for students ages 618. Over 275,000 students have attended iD Tech since 1999. Camps are held at over 150 prestigious campuses in the United States, including Stanford, MIT, Harvard, and many others. In addition to its flagship program, iD Tech Camps, the company offers four distinct divisions all aimed at delivering inventive technology experiences to the next generationone student at a time. Learn more at iDTech.com. On February 17, a 16-person team of patients with multiple myeloma and supporters will set off on their attempt to summit the famed Uhuru Peak on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. The group is taking on this challenge to drive fundraising and awareness for critical myeloma research as part of the Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma program, a collaboration between the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), CURE Media Group and Takeda. All proceeds from this climb, which will be the Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma initiatives fourth event and second trek of Mount Kilimanjaro, will benefit the MMRFs efforts to accelerate the development of multiple myeloma treatments. To date, Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma participants have raised more than $794,698 through the three completed hikes Mount Kilimanjaro in January 2016, the Grand Canyons Bright Angel Trail in May 2016 and Machu Picchus Inca Trail in August 2016 and ongoing fundraising efforts in support of the upcoming Kilimanjaro and other 2017 climbs. The MMRF is honored to continue to collaborate with CURE and Takeda in this effort, and we are inspired by the nearly $800,000 that has been raised thus far, which will fuel our precision medicine model to ensure that every patient receives precision-based treatment and care. We are especially proud that the 2017 Mt. Kilimanjaro trek will include six myeloma patients validating the extraordinary progress the MMRF and our partners have driven over the last decade to extend and improve the lives of patients, said Paul Giusti, CEO, MMRF. CURE Media Group president, Michael J. Hennessy Jr., added, We are pleased to announce that we are continuing to team up with MMRF and Takeda to raise awareness for multiple myeloma. This inspirational climb shows that multiple myeloma is not insurmountable and that this climb builds a global awareness. At 19,341 feet (5,895 meters), Mount Kilimanjaro is the worlds highest free-standing peak. The Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma team will ascend through multiple climate zones, from rainforest to alpine desert, and face challenges such as extreme altitude, high winds and below-freezing temperatures. Over eight days, they will gain 11,599 feet in elevation and cover up to 43 miles on foot. This year, six patients living with multiple myeloma will join the Mount Kilimanjaro team: Terry White of Juneau, Alaska, is an avid outdoorsman who climbed Colorados Mt. Democrat during his first round of radiation. Nancy Dziedzic of Sacramento, Calif. has wanted to go on a safari in Africa since she was a teenager. Now in remission, she is ready to experience her lifelong dream and, in the same trip, trek Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for myeloma research. Matt Goldman of Long Beach, Calif. sees this climb as a chance to give back to the multiple myeloma community that has supported him since his diagnosis in 2011. Mark Herkert of Seattle, Wash. has run half and full marathons and Olympic distance triathlons within days of receiving treatments for multiple myeloma. Now, he has his eyes on Kilimanjaro. Gary Rudman of Columbia, S.C. lives by the motto Never Quit, Never Stop, Not Today, Not Ever, and shares that philosophy when he meets other patients with myeloma. Already an endurance cyclist, he hopes to achieve the same sense of freedom that riding provides when hiking Mount Kilimanjaro. April Jakubauskas of Sag Harbor, N.Y. always dreamed of going on a great adventure. Three years after her second stem cell treatment, she is transforming her dream into a reality by climbing Africas highest mountain. "At Takeda Oncology, our greatest aspiration is to cure cancer. Programs like Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma drive funding for research, and this research may serve as the foundation for someday achieving this aspiration, said Shawn Goodman, Head of Global Oncology Corporate Communications, Takeda. Partnering with the MMRF and Cure in this Moving Mountains global initiative, we have a unique opportunity to make this journey alongside patients with multiple myeloma six of whom are part of this years team to help increase awareness, raise money for research and bring us one step closer to a cure. To learn more about Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma and to donate to multiple myeloma research, please visit http://www.movingmountainsformultiplemyeloma.com. About Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma is supported by the MMRF, CURE Media Group and Takeda. In addition to the Kilimanjaro 2017 climb, Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma treks planned for 2017 include trips to the Grand Canyon in May and Mount Fuji in July. Funds raised by the Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma endeavors will go directly to research, supporting the MMRF mission. For more information, visit http://www.movingmountainsformultiplemyeloma.com. About Multiple Myeloma Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells, which are found in the bone marrow. In multiple myeloma, a group of plasma cells, or myeloma cells, becomes cancerous and multiplies, increasing the number of plasma cells to a higher than normal level. Because plasma cells circulate widely in the body, they have the potential to affect many bones in the body, possibly resulting in compression fractures, lytic bone lesions and related pain. Multiple myeloma can cause a number of serious health problems affecting the bones, immune system, kidneys and red blood cell count, with some of the more common symptoms including bone pain and fatigue, a symptom of anemia. Multiple myeloma is a rare form of cancer, with more than 26,000 new cases in the U.S. and 114,000 new cases globally per year. About the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) The mission of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) is to find a cure for multiple myeloma by relentlessly pursuing innovation that accelerates the development of next-generation treatments to extend the lives of patients. Founded in 1998 by Kathy Giusti, a multiple myeloma patient, and her twin sister Karen Andrews as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, the MMRF is a world-recognized leader in cancer research. Together with its partners, the MMRF has created the only end-to-end solution in precision medicine and the single largest genomic dataset in all cancers. The MMRF continues to disrupt the industry today, as a pioneer and leader at the helm of new research efforts. Since its inception, the organization has raised over $330 million and directs nearly 90 percent of the total funds to research and related programs. To learn more, visit http://www.themmrf.org. About CURE Media Group CURE Media Group is the leading resource for cancer updates, research and education. It combines a full suite of media products, including its industry leading website, CUREtoday.com; innovative video programs, such as CURE Connections; a series of widely attended live events; and CURE magazine, which reaches over 1 million readers. CURE Media Group is part of the Cranbury, N.J.-based Michael J. Hennessy Associates, Inc., family of businesses, which includes the acclaimed OncLive (http://www.onclive.com) platform of resources for the practicing oncologist. For more information, visit http://www.curetoday.com or http://www.mjhassoc.com. About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited is a global, research and development-driven pharmaceutical company committed to bringing better health and a brighter future to patients by translating science into life-changing medicines. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on oncology, gastroenterology and central nervous system therapeutic areas plus vaccines. Takeda conducts R&D both internally and with partners to stay at the leading edge of innovation. New innovative products, especially in oncology and gastroenterology, as well as our presence in Emerging Markets, fuel the growth of Takeda. More than 30,000 Takeda employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients, working with our partners in health care in more than 70 countries. For more information, visit http://www.takeda.com/news. Additional information about Takeda is available through its corporate website, http://www.takeda.com, and additional information about Takeda Oncology, the brand for the global oncology business unit of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, is available through its website, http://www.takedaoncology.com. Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation Anne Quinn Young 203-652-0212 quinnyounga(at)themmrf(dot)org Takeda Amy Atwood 617-444-2147 amy.atwood(at)takeda(dot)com Granicus Granicus, the largest provider of cloud software solutions to government, today announced that it has appointed Mark Hynes as its new Chief Executive Officer. Hynes joins Granicus after over two decades of leadership and experience driving growth and developing scalable organizational capabilities in a variety of executive roles, including President, COO, and co-founder across startup, midsize, and large technology organizations. Most recently, Hynes served as Chief Strategy and Development Officer of Altisource as well as President, Technology Products. During his time at Altisource, Hynes led one of the companys three primary business segments, which focused on the commercialization and growth of mortgage and real estate software and advanced data analytics solutions. Altisource was named No. 20 and No. 26 in Fortunes fastest growing global companies during Hynes tenure. Prior to Altisource, Hynes served as President of high-growth software company Digi-Net which developed advanced marketing automation and analytics software-as-a service solutions for B2C e-commerce companies. Building on Granicuss success as the market leader in government cloud software, I look forward to working with our customers and the newly combined Granicus team to help empower government agencies to provide better lives for the people they serve, said Mark Hynes, CEO of Granicus. Hynes joins Granicus following its merger with GovDelivery, the leading provider of cloud-based communications software to government. In November of 2016, Granicus and GovDelivery announced the companies were merging to become the largest provider of cloud solutions to government in North America and in the United Kingdom. Together, they work with more than 3,000 government agencies at the local, state and federal levels to support their efforts to more effectively communicate, promote transparency, and transform the citizen experience. Moving forward, the combined organization will operate under the company name Granicus with three major product suites: GovDelivery Communication Cloud, Meeting and Agenda Suite, and Digital Services Suite. Further, to reflect the companys new joint leadership and identity, Granicus unveiled a new website and brand identity representing its effort to empower government to improve decision making, achieve greater impact, and drive outcomes for the citizens they serve. Mark is succeeding Jason Fletcher, former CEO of Granicus, who will serve as Chief Operating Officer in the new combined entity, and Scott Burns, former CEO of GovDelivery, who will begin a new role as a Senior Advisor to the company. We thank Scott and Jason for their common vision, commitment to empowering government agencies with innovative technologies, and leadership. We are excited to work with Mark to continue their success and building upon Granicuss solutions for the public sector, said Patrick Severson, Granicus Board Director and Principal at Vista Equity Partners. Mark has a unique set of experiences and skills that will support Granicuss continued growth and globalization while extending its track record of rapid innovation for government customers. We look forward to partnering with Mark and the entire Granicus leadership team. The merger was majority backed by Vista Equity Partners, a leading investment firm focused on software, data, and technology-enabled businesses, which recently announced acquisitions of GovDelivery and Granicus. Previous Granicus majority shareholder K1 Investment Management continues to support the combined business as a minority shareholder. About Granicus Granicus provides technology that empowers government organizations to create better lives for the people they serve. By offering the industrys leading cloud-based solutions for communications, meeting and agenda management, and digital services to over 3,000 public sector organizations, Granicus helps turn government missions into quantifiable realities. Granicus products connect over 150 million people, creating a powerful network to enhance citizen engagement. By optimizing decision-making processes, Granicus strives to help government see better outcomes and a greater impact for the citizens they serve. For more information on Granicus, visit http://www.granicus.com. About Vista Equity Partners Vista Equity Partners, a U.S.-based investment firm with offices in Austin, San Francisco, Chicago, and Oakland with more than $28 billion in cumulative capital commitments, currently invests in software, data and technology-based organizations led by world-class management teams with long-term perspective. Vista is a value-added investor, contributing professional expertise and multi-level support towards companies realizing their full potential. Vistas investment approach is anchored by a sizable long-term capital base, experience in structuring technology-oriented transactions, and proven management techniques that yield flexibility and opportunity in private equity investing. For more information, please visit http://www.vistaequitypartners.com. Dermatology Associates We are honored to partner with the highly-experienced team at Texoma Dermatology, said Geoff Wayne, CEO of Dermatology Associates. Their great reputation and long-standing presence further bolsters our market-leading position in Texas. Dermatology Associates (DA) is pleased to announce that it recently completed the acquisition of Texoma Dermatology Clinic (Texoma or TDC). The transaction closed in February 2017. Dermatology Associates is a dermatology-focused physician services and management organization backed by private equity firm ABRY Partners. Based in Sherman, TX, with an additional location in Paris, TX, TDC has provided patients across North Texas and Southern Oklahoma with quality health care since its foundation in 1976. Its specialized physicians provide up-to-date, evidence-based medicine supporting their combined 60+ years of experience to help treat a comprehensive array of dermatologic conditions, including inflammatory diseases, skin cancers, and infection. TDCs physicians have a combined experience of treating over 60,000 skin cancers. Texoma Dermatology provides services to patients via three board-certified dermatologists and two physician assistants. Dr. Mark Koone has been in private dermatology practice since 1990. In addition to being with TDC since 1993, he is also a dermatologist for the Austin College Student Clinic. Dr. Koones educational background includes a B.S., Magna cum Laude from Houston Baptist University, Doctor of Medicine with High Honor at Baylor College of Medicine, an Internal Medicine Internship with Baylor College of Medicine at St. Lukes Episcopal Hospital and a dermatology residency at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Koone has been selected to Best Doctors in America every year from 1995-2016. Dr. Creed Stewart is a Southern Oklahoma native, and has lived in Sherman, TX since 2002. He received his medical degree and completed his residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where he served as chief resident. Dr. Stewart is a board-certified dermatologist and is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. Dr. Stewart has been a fellow of the American Society of Mohs Surgery since 2005. Dr. Clint Moss joined Texoma Dermatology in 2012 after spending many years in Lubbock, TX. He is a board-certified dermatologist and has expertise in both general and surgical dermatology. He received his dermatology training at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center where he also served as Chief Resident, and was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society there as well. Joining the physicians of Texoma Dermatology are their highly-experienced physician assistants, Amy Edwards, PA-C, and Ashley Chappell, PA-C. We are honored to partner with the highly-experienced team at Texoma Dermatology, said Geoff Wayne, CEO of Dermatology Associates. Their great reputation and long-standing presence further bolsters our market-leading position in Texas. If you would like more information about Dermatology Associates, or if you have any questions regarding the partnership with TDC, please contact one of the team members listed below: Dermatology Associates Geoff Wayne Chief Executive Officer GWayne(at)dermatologyassociates(dot)com Scott Wells Chief Development Officer SWells(at)dermatologyassociates(dot)com Brent Ohlsen Director of Corporate Development BOhlsen(at)dermatologyassociates(dot)com About Dermatology Associates Headquartered in Dallas, TX, Dermatology Associates provides comprehensive practice management services to over 85 board-certified dermatologists across more than 50 locations in Texas, Kansas and Missouri. Dermatology Associates is focused solely on supporting providers so that they can focus exclusively on delivering high-quality care to patients. By leveraging the benefits of a broad group platform, Dermatology Associates physicians are able to maintain professional autonomy while the business aspects of practice management are handled by its team of experts. About ABRY Partners Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, ABRY Partners is an experienced and successful private equity investment firm focused on media, communications, healthcare services, insurance services, business and information services. Since its founding, ABRY has completed more than $62 billion of transactions, representing investments in more than 550 properties. JAMIS Software Corporations CEO, Jeffrey Noolas, said Joe is a great asset to the team and were proud to have such a great leader in our company. We look forward to Joes continued success in the future and all he will bring to JAMIS. JAMIS very own Joe Satlin was named Acumaticas Most Valuable Professional for the second year in a row at Acumaticas 2017 Summit in San Diego, CA. The award is presented to the individual who has influenced the growth and direction of Acumatica in a positive way through dedication and passion. Joe Satlin serves as JAMIS Director of Product Innovation and has been with JAMIS since 2012. His experience in software solution design, as well as his extensive knowledge in product development and delivery has boosted JAMIS success and growth in the past years. I appreciate the recognition from our partner company, Acumatica, and I would like to thank the JAMIS team for their support. Receiving this honor for the second year in a row has inspired me to continue working hard on behalf of JAMIS and proud of the success of our Prime ERP product, said Satlin. JAMIS Software Corporations CEO, Jeffrey Noolas, said Joe is a great asset to the team and were proud to have such a great leader in our company. We look forward to Joes continued success in the future and all he will bring to JAMIS. The Acumatica Summit is an exclusive event where Acumaticas partners and customers come together to discuss the latest innovations in cloud computing and the future of cloud ERP software. During this summit, there are versatile training courses on the future of ERP software and the industry, and lectures by executives with product expertise ### About JAMIS Software Corporation JAMIS Software Corporation is a leading provider of ERP software solutions designed specifically for government contractors and other project-focused organizations. JAMIS delivers comprehensive, intuitive, innovative, and cost-effective solutions for the most respected names in government contracting. Companies large and small rely on JAMIS to provide detailed visibility into all of their projects, as well as provide the foundation for DCAA and other regulatory compliance. JAMIS helps companies connect with customers, partners, and employees in entirely new ways to foster new levels of collaboration and drive profitability and growth. For more information, visit http://www.jamis.com. About Acumatica Acumatica provides cloud-based business management software that empowers small and mid-size businesses to accelerate their businesses and drive growth. Built on cloud and mobile technology and a unique customer-centric licensing model, Acumatica delivers a suite of fully integrated business management applications, such as Financials, Distribution, CRM and Project Accounting, on a robust and flexible platform. In an interconnected world, Acumatica enables customers to take full control of their businesses, play to their organizations unique strengths and support their clients by following them anywhere on any device. For more information, visit http://www.acumatica.com. A perfect pairing with everything from a rich, hearty winter stew, to tacos, to a sweet dessert, the slightly spicy kick of El Treeablo is only available for a limited time. Treehorn Cider, the first local craft cider brand in the Atlanta market, released its first seasonal cider today, a subtly spicy three-chile cider named El Treeablo. As a limited-time release, El Treeablo will be available from February through April of 2017. Our first true seasonal release comes in the middle of winter, when we can appreciate a cider with a little kick to it, says Mallory Law, one of Treehorns ciderists. And this kick comes with a story, too. The balanced heat in this cider comes from a perfect combination of habaneros, jalapenos and most importantly Hatch chiles, a taste that Law and Head of Quality Assurance, Kathryn Pierce, gained during their time living in New Mexico. In New Mexico, Hatch chile is a staple in every household, says Kathryn. Just as we've taken the care to choose the perfect blend of apples in our cider, we've made the same effort to choose the blend of peppers that gives El Treeablo an extra kick and complements the sweetness and tartness of our dry apple cider. Though the heat of New Mexico is what inspired this seasonal cider, Treehorn wanted to make El Treeablo a distinctly Atlantan beverage. To that end, Treehorn partnered with famed barbecue haven, Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q, to roast their first batch of Hatch chiles. "We've been fans of Fox Bros. since they were hosting backyard barbecues and doing Widespread Wednesdays at Smith's, says Treehorn Ciderist Andrew Wheeler. They're very supportive of the local food and beverage community and we're grateful they were willing to help us with this cider. A perfect pairing with everything from a rich, hearty winter stew, to tacos, to a sweet dessert, the slightly spicy kick of El Treeablo is only available for a limited time. For up-to-date information on El Treeablo, Treehorn and more, like Treehorn Cider on Facebook or follow on Twitter &/or Instagram at @TreehornCider. *** Marietta-based Treehorn Cider is the premier local, sustainable craft cider brand in the Atlanta area. Available in restaurants, bars, package stores and growler shops throughout Georgia, Treehorn is best known for its clean, crisp and refreshingly dry taste. In addition to El Treeablo, Treehorn currently offers three year-round varieties: their flagship Treehorn Dry, ginger-infused Ginger Reserve and hop-infused Hoppy Little Trees. For more information on Treehorn Cider, visit http://www.treehorncider.com. Roy W. Dean Grant Winner "Do No Harm" Explores Epidemic of Physician Suicide This documentary shines a light on a dark side of our medical system. commented Carole Dean, president of From the Heart Productions. We are proud to support Robyn and her film on this important under reported story. Why are the doctors we rely on to keep us healthy, ending their own lives at an alarming rate? Emmy winning former PBS Producer/Director Robyn Symon examines this critical problem in the documentary Do No Harm, the winner of the Roy W. Dean Grant for Fall of 2016. As the grant winner, Robyn will receive $30K in cash, film products, and services to help her finish her project. The Roy W. Dean Grant is awarded 3 times each year to a unique film that makes a contribution to society. Founded in 1993 by the 501(c)3 non-profit From the Heart Productions, grants are open to all types of film projects including documentaries, short films, features, and web series in any stage of production. This documentary shines a light on a dark side of our medical system. commented Carole Dean, president of From the Heart Productions. We are proud to support Robyn and her film on this important under reported story. Following three people bonded by grief, Do No Harm delves into why young physicians in medical school have the highest suicide rate of any profession, almost twice the national average. They are jumping from hospital roofs, hanging themselves in closets and overdosing on readily available drugs. The film shows how what it calls this dirty little secret in the medical community is a symptom of a broken heath care system thats not only putting the lives of doctors at risk but patients too. Medical mistakes are the third leading cause of death in the United States alone,notes director Robyn Symon,often caused by sleep-deprived and disillusioned doctors forced to practice assembly line medicine. And the crisis is getting worse. Robyn Symon is a two-time Emmy winning Producer/Director and has produced programming for many national networks including PBS, The Travel Channel, CNBC and DISCOVERY HEALTH. Robyn began her career as a TV news reporter in Texas before joining the PBS station WPBT in Miami, where she produced documentaries, public affairs programs, the TV series Florida!, the docu-series Voices of Vision, and the medical series Health & Family airing on the Discovery Health network. Her most recent film, Uncle Gloria: One Helluva Ride!, was selected for a prestigious Film Independent Documentary Lab Fellowship and is currently on the film festival circuit. In addition to two Emmys, Robyn has been honored with 3 national Telly awards; 2 national NABJ awards and honors by both the Associated Press and UPI. The Roy W. Dean Grant includes $3,000 cash given by From The Heart Productions. The winners also receive a G-Technology hard drive, $15,000 in theme and score music from composer David Raiklen, $6,000 in animation services from Charlie Canfield, one week DSLR camera package rental from Birns and Sawyer, and much more from many heart-felt donors. About the Roy W. Dean Grant Now in its 23rd year, the Roy W. Dean Grant has awarded over $2,000,000 in cash and donated film services to films. It is now accepting applications for the 2017 grant. The Roy W. Dean Grant has been an important lifeline for filmmakers needing help to continue working on their film and to get it completed. Without assistance from the grant, many excellent and important films may never have been made. Past winners of the grant that have been completed include the Emmy winning "Mia: A Dancers Journey", the SXSW Best of Fest Music Film "The Winding Stream: An Oral History of the Carter and Cash Family", and the now in release on video and on demand the very relevant "The Brainwashing of My Dad". About From The Heart Productions From The Heart Productions is a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to helping filmmakers get their projects funded and made. Besides providing funding through the grant, they are also a fiscal sponsor which allows donations made to films they sponsor to be tax deductible. From The Heart has raised over $3 million via crowdfunding films as a partner with Indiegogo and on Kickstarter and Seed & Spark. President Carole Dean is the best-selling author of The Art of Film Funding: 2nd Edition, Alternative Financing Concepts. For More Information and interview requests, please contact: Richard Kaufman richard@fromtheheartproductions.com http://www.fromtheheartproductions.com Support for Patients with Mesothelioma Active participation in a guided and closed support group allowed participants to share their experiences and concerns... A study of mesothelioma patients who participated in support groups that met online and on the phone shows that most found them very helpful. Click here to read Surviving Mesotheliomas new article on the findings. Observing how devastating and emotionally taxing it can be to receive a mesothelioma diagnosis and go through mesothelioma treatment, the developers of the Mesothelioma Survivor Project invited patients to participate in a six-week program of weekly online and telephone meetings. According to the study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the meetings were exclusively for people with mesothelioma and were guided by a counselor. Active participation in a guided and closed support group allowed participants to share their experiences and concerns about their diagnoses, comfortably - supporting transition beyond active-treatment, writes study author Toby Bressler of Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn. Mesothelioma patients who attended the meetings regularly reportedly found them very helpful while less regular attendees gave the group mixed reviews. Multiple studies have now shown that the opportunity to interact with other mesothelioma patients and their families can be tremendously helpful to people fighting mesothelioma, says Alex Strauss, Managing Editor for Surviving Mesothelioma. The idea that a remote platform can be effective at providing this support is particularly good news since this is such a rare cancer. To read more about the support group study, including the many ways in which mesothelioma can impact quality of life, see Closed Support Group May Bolster Mesothelioma Quality of Life, now available on the Surviving Mesothelioma website. Bressler, Toby, et al., Approach to offering remote support to mesothelioma patients: The Mesothelioma Survivor Project, January 20, 2017, Journal of Clinical Oncology, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28151150 For more than a decade, Surviving Mesothelioma has brought readers the most important and ground-breaking news on the causes, diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma. All Surviving Mesothelioma news is gathered and reported directly from the peer-reviewed medical literature. Written for patients and their loved ones, Surviving Mesothelioma news helps families make more informed decisions. Julie Reynes Julies effective leadership and unique combination of nonprofit and startup experience will strengthen the Foundations business operations and lay the groundwork for continued development. The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, a nonprofit organization that addresses today's food and agriculture challenges through innovative science, today named Julie Reynes Chief Operating Officer (COO). Effective immediately, Reynes assumes oversight of operational and administrative functions and reports directly to Executive Director Sally Rockey, Ph.D. Acting COO Katy Raymond will continue in her role as Director of Strategic Planning. As a self-employed entrepreneur over the past six years, Reynes has contributed to the success of more than 10 organizations in the Washington, D.C. area, through leadership as interim CEO at several nonprofits and as Founder and CEO of her own food company. Were extraordinarily pleased to have Julie, an individual steeped in executive experience, join the rapidly evolving Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, said Executive Director Sally Rockey. Julies effective leadership and unique combination of nonprofit and startup experience will strengthen the Foundations business operations and lay the groundwork for continued development. Reynes has held a variety of executive positions in the health, science and technology nonprofit sectors, including Vice President of International Services at American Red Cross. There, she established the organizations first grants-based approach to disaster response. As the first President of Patient Access Network Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting cancer and chronic disease patients, Reynes established initial policies and procedures, cultivated donor relationships and developed a strategic plan. In the food sector, Reynes founded and built Julies Datery, a startup manufacturer and wholesaler of stuffed dates. She led all aspects of brand-building, finance, and operations and expanded product availability to eight states and 85 stores in two years. Its exciting to find such a unique organization where my diverse experience is valuable and where I will continue to learn, said Reynes. The innovative Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research has an important mission in our challenging and fast-changing food and agriculture environment. The United Nations Foundation today announced that Pete Ogden has been named the Foundations new Vice President for Energy, Climate and the Environment. Ogden brings a wealth of experience to this role, in which he will serve as chief strategist for the Foundations work with the United Nations and its partners in the business, faith-based, civil society, and philanthropic communities to combat climate change, promote sustainable energy solutions, and advance critical environmental priorities. Ogden has built an exceptional reputation on these issues, having most recently served as Senior Fellow for International Energy and Climate Policy at the Center for American Progress, and Senior Advisor and Fellow at the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago. Pete Ogden joins the UN Foundation at a pivotal time in the global effort to take decisive action on climate change, while increasing energy access around the world and putting all of our economies on a sustainable and growth path, said Kathy Calvin, President and Chief Executive Officer of the UN Foundation. Under Petes leadership, we will further our work with the UN and its partners to help ensure that the benefits of climate action remain at the forefront of the global agenda. Before his work with the University of Chicago and Center for American Progress, Ogden served in the U.S. Government in various roles, including in the White House as Senior Director for Energy and Climate Change on the Domestic Policy Council and as Director for International Climate Change and Environmental Policy on the National Security Council. Ogden also served in the U.S. Department of State as Chief of Staff to the Special Envoy for Climate Change. The UN Foundation has an important role to play in helping to meet today's pressing energy, climate, environmental challenges, while also advancing the broader agenda of economic growth, poverty eradication, and social equity, said Ogden. I look forward to building on the Foundations success by working with the UN and partners across the U.S. and around the globe to make further progress toward these vital goals. Ogden was preceded by Reid Detchon, who served as the Foundations Vice President for Climate and Energy Strategy for the past 10 years. In that role Detchon helped craft and implement the Foundations climate and energy work, from early initiatives in energy efficiency to supporting development of the UNs Sustainable Energy for All initiative. Detchons contributions helped shape the terrain that will change how our societies and governments make progress on these issues. Having decided to step down as Vice President, he has now been named as Senior Advisor for Climate Solutions at the Foundation. ### About the United Nations Foundation The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the worlds most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by philanthropic, corporate, government, and individual donors. Learn more at: http://www.unfoundation.org Evidence-based decisions about acquiring, managing, and paying for health technologies I hope to apply my considerable payer policy development experience and real-world clinical experience to improving the quality of our services as well as continuing our goal of delighting our current and future clients, Hayes, Inc., a leading provider of unbiased health technology assessments and consulting services, welcomes Mary McCabe Paine, RN, MPhil, DHSc as Director of Clinical Services, a key new role focused on enhancing client relationships and satisfaction. We are delighted to welcome Dr. Paine to the company, says Maura Connor, Chief Operating Officer at Hayes, Inc. She brings a trifecta of clinical experience, an epidemiological background, and extensive payer experience. In addition, her strong background in organizational leadership makes her the perfect person to lead our clinical services team. The clinical services team focuses on enhancing the client experience with Hayes as part of their subscription to the Knowledge Center and custom consulting engagements. With the company already at a 93% retention rate, Dr. Paine will be tasked with furthering client satisfaction. The combination of her clinical and payer experience provides her with a unique perspective regarding the needs of all Hayes clients and will prove invaluable in her new role. Dr. Paine holds a Doctor of Health Science degree from A.T. Still University, Arizona School of Health Sciences, with a concentration in Leadership and Organizational Behavior. In addition, she earned a Master of Philosophy degree in Epidemiology from Yale University, and her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing with a minor in Sociology from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.. Prior to joining Hayes, Dr. Paine served as an epidemiologist with the Clinical Policy Unit in the Office of the CMO at Aetna. Her additional professional experience includes: Vice President of Editorial Affairs, Snyder Communications Director of Clinical Informatics, Mount Sinai Home Health Agency Project Director of Educational Programs, Medical Education Programs, Inc. I hope to apply my considerable payer policy development experience and real-world clinical experience to improving the quality of our services as well as continuing our goal of delighting our current and future clients, says Dr. Paine. I feel very fortunate to join a team dedicated to using unbiased evidence analysis to improve the quality of healthcare. ABOUT HAYES Hayes, Inc., an internationally recognized leader in health technology research and consulting, is dedicated to the delivery of high-quality healthcare and improved outcomes through the integration of evidence into decision making and policy development. The unbiased information and comparative-effectiveness analyses we provide enable evidence-based decisions about acquiring, managing, and paying for health technologies. Our worldwide clients include hospitals, healthcare systems, government agencies, health plans, and employers. For more information about Hayes, Inc., visit http://www.hayesinc.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. I would recommend iCare to doctors interested in problem solving. Doctors can help patients work out the treatment they need, without compromising ethical standards. Between taking iCare Financial as a payment method and offering pain-free dentistry with sedation options, there is nothing to stand in the way of patients receiving the treatment they need at Family and Sedation Dentistry. Family and Sedation Dentistry is a North Carolina practice that focuses on helping to ensure patients are relaxed and comfortable. Dr. Bertrand Bonnik has over 1100 hours in sedation dentistry. Between offering pain-free dentistry and unique payment options, this practice is able to ensure the highest quality of patient experience. Located in High Point, Dr. Bonnick Bonnick serves the High Point, Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Triad areas. Tonya is the Front Desk Administrator who handles coordinating treatment plan payments. She has been very pleased with their decision to take payments via iCare Financial. One reason that she likes it is that offering this alternative payment option is just another way that their practice is able to customize their actions to meet patient needs. She also appreciates the fact that iCare gives the patient room to decide what kind of payment plan they would like per month. The dental team is then able to work directly with the patient to coordinate what makes them most comfortable. Dr. Bonnick explained, "I would recommend iCare to doctors interested in problem solving. Doctors can help patients work out the treatment they need, without compromising ethical standards." What Patients Choose iCare Financial? Tonya has found that patients are typically choosing to use iCare Financial to finance larger treatment plans that cost between $500 - $5,000. When she explains how it works to patients, she has found reactions ranging from surprise to happiness. Often they are worried about the status of their credit. This can be due to the fact that they do not have good credit or for another reason such as they are trying not to get any dings on their credit report prior to making a large purchase such as a house. Ensuring a Smooth and Problem-Free Experience In regards to their use of iCare Financial to date, Dr. Bonnick added, "One of the things iCare does it take away emotional aspect from the front desk in terms of negotiating payments for balances due or large amounts. It takes away the subjectivity and allows us to follow along with the program. The plan is all written out, signed and there is a history and record." Expanding the Patient Base Tonya has noticed that there has been positive word of mouth among their patients. Patients find that pressure has been taken off of them and they want to share the information. Now when people call into the office and ask if they have payment plans, the team at Family and Sedation Dentistry is able to firmly say, "Yes!" They also distribute brochures in the office about this payment method and have a large banner on their website that plainly states, "Payment plans available through iCare." Dr. Bonnick pointed out, "Lots of patients can't afford treatment without dental insurance and only 50% of them actually have dental insurance. Now we can say if you really want to use a plan, here is another alternative to get the care you need. It is a great option to have." About iCare Financial iCare Financial is a national financial organization in the dental patient financing, medical patient financing, veterinary patient financing and automotive repair financing verticals. iCare Financial offers consumers and patients financial programs with no credit check for businesses and medical practices wanting to service more patients and consumers. Instead of offering patients and consumers another credit card, iCare offers businesses and medical practices a unique payment solution on one platform that accepts all patients and consumers. To learn more visit the website at http://www.icarefinancialcorp.com. John O'Leary, inspirational speaker and author of "ON FIRE," keynote presenter at Refresh Your Soul 2017.. The only other thing I was thinking was. Do I have the strength to take the next step in my journey?' " John O'Leary Burnt beyond recognition from an accident at home with gasoline, clinging for life in a hospital at age 9, John OLearys mother asked him if he wanted to live or die. OLeary remembers thinking only how much trouble he was going to get in with his dad. The only other thing I was thinking was. Do I have the strength to take the next step in my journey?" says OLeary, now married, a best-selling author and inspirational speaker. OLeary is also the keynote speaker for the 2017 Refresh Your Soul Conference, presented annually by the Parish Health Ministry of Episcopal Retirement Services (ERS), an event expanding in exponential fashion next year with a two-day symposium in partnership with Xavier University. To be held at The Cintas Center March 13 and 14, the 2017 Refresh Your Soul Conference, the primary fundraising vehicle for Parish Health Ministry, promises to be as insightful, thought-provoking, informative and fun as ever. A longtime service of ERS, Parish Health Ministry serves as the ecumenical outreach between ERS (http://www.episcopalretirement.com) and 70+ churches across Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Mr. OLeary will be sharing his inspirational life story and buoyant messages to a crowd of caregivers and health care professionals seeking to understand more about life-changing conditions such as Alzheimers and dementia. He will be joined by renowned industry speakers Loretta Anne Woodward Snow and Teepa Snow; Ms. Snow spoke last year. Alzheimers & Dementia: Overcoming the Struggles and Living Inspired is the theme; day two is the annual Xavier Dementia Care Summit. Tickets are on sale for a $59 early-bird price good until Feb. 22, 2017, after which the fee is $69. Contact Hours are available for continuing education and professional accreditation purposes (RN/LPN, Social Worker, Nursing Home Administrator, etc.) Ms. Veney is an author and well-known speaker who has motivated, taught and trained audiences throughout the U.S. and Europe. She is the founder and principal consultant of Superior Training Solutions, LLC. She has delivered numerous presentations on dementia and elder care planning for the Alzheimers Association, support groups, and memory care communities. She chronicles her nine-year journey with her Moms dementia as their parent/child roles have reversed in her book, "Being My Mom's Mom - A Journey through Dementia from a Daughter's Perspective." Their journey has been faithful, funny, heartbreaking and hopeful. Teepa Snow is one of Americas leading educators on dementia. Working as a Registered Occupational Therapist for more than 30 years, her experience has led her to develop Positive Approach to Care techniques used by families and professionals working or living with dementia throughout the world. She has an independent practice as well as clinical appointments with Duke University and University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She is an enlightening, witty, entertaining, and energetic speaker. Registration, exhibitors and continental breakfast starts at 8 a.m. Luncheon presentations will be offered by Mr. OLeary and Ms. Veney, entitled ON FIRE: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life and Lifting the Spirit of Caregivers, respectively. For tickets, registration and additional information, please visit: http://www.episcopalretirement.com/parish-health-ministry/refresh-your-soul-conference. To help meet the long-term goal of Parish Health Ministry becoming self-supporting, this event is the primary fundraiser for the ministry. One hundred percent of the proceeds from this conference will benefit ERS Parish Health Ministry. Parish Health Ministry, a program of Episcopal Retirement Services (ERS), assists congregations of all denominations throughout Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and Southeastern Ohio develop or enhance their own faith community nurse/health ministry. The ministry was founded in 1998 and currently serves 70 congregations across southern Ohio. Since 1951, ERS has dedicated itself to improving the lives of older adults through innovative, quality living environments and in-home and community-based services delivered by experienced and compassionate professionals. Contact: Mr. Bryan Reynolds, Director of Integrated Marketing (513) 979-2243 breynolds(at)erslife(dot)org dB Sound Controls new website features a refreshed design with quick and easy access to its line of sound proofing products. The last thing we want to do is make it difficult for our customers to find the information they want on our products. Past News Releases RSS dB Sound Control Solutions recently launched a new corporate website dbsoundcontrol.com featuring a refreshed design that provides quick and easy access to its line of commercial and residential sound proofing products. The website provides customers with a transparent view of dBs products, offering downloadable PDFs of everything from three-part specifications to UL certifications to testing data. The last thing we want to do is make it difficult for our customers to find the information they want on our products, explained Casey Shaw, dB Sound Controls brand manager. We want them to have everything they need to make an educated decision regarding their sound control solutions. In addition to the informative product section, the website showcases successful installations in its portfolio section. A small description of the project and product used is accompanied by a scrolling slideshow of photographs. dB Sound Control Solutions is the brand of United Plastics Corporation devoted to sound and noise control of commercial and residential buildings. Inspired by the engineering and quality demands of the automotive industry, dB Sound Control Solutions engineers products to address specific noise damping problems in floor, wall and ceiling assemblies. All materials are produced in dBs Mount Airy, North Carolina, facility. For more information, visit http://www.dbsoundcontrol.com or call 336-786-2127. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Cookies What are cookies ? How do we use cookies? How to control cookies? 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You can delete all cookies that are already on your computer and you can set most browsers to prevent them from being placed.Most browsers allow you to:If you chose to delete cookies, you should be aware that any preferences will be lost. Also, if you block cookies completely many websites (including ours) will not work properly and webcasts will not work at all. For these reasons, we do not recommend turning cookies off when using our webcasting services. MINNEAPOLIS (TNS) -- New federal regulations mark the first serious attempt in at least 20 years to tackle what some call the systematic overuse of antibiotics in healthy farm animals. The rules that took effect Jan. 1 do not come without controversy. Livestock associations have said the new rules will increase paperwork and costs, while consumer groups say the regulations don't go far enough. The regulations require producers who raise cattle, cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys and other animals to obtain a veterinarian's approval before using any antibiotics that also are important to human health. Antibiotics may no longer be used in healthy animals as a feed additive to increase weight. "The overarching goal is to ensure these medically important antimicrobials that are given to food-producing animals in medicated feed and drinking water are used judiciously," said Mike Murphy, veterinary medical officer at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine. He said the problem is that the more frequently antibiotics are used, the more quickly bacteria can develop resistance to them, rendering the drugs less effective or ineffective. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates at least 2 million people annually become infected with bacteria resistant to antibiotics, and at least 23,000 people die as a direct result of infection. Health professionals and consumer groups have pressed the FDA and the livestock industry to avoid unnecessary or inappropriate uses of antibiotics. Fast-food companies including McDonald's, Panera, Chipotle and Subway have announced policies to stop buying at least some meat products from producers that use certain antibiotics routinely. University of Minnesota extension educator Nicole Kenney Rambo said the new rules mean that when antibiotics are fed to animals for a medical reason -- to treat an infection or reduce the risk of disease spreading -- they require a veterinarian's prescription for antibiotics. The rules also require producers, vets and feed mills to document the use of prescribed antibiotics and keep those records on hand for several years. "That is a big deal for the livestock industry simply because it requires extra infrastructure," said Rambo, who works primarily with the beef industry. The regulations also authorize enforcement measures, including fines, for producers and vets who don't comply. David Wallinga, a medical doctor and senior scientist for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said antibiotics fed to animals to increase weight are only about 15 percent of all antibiotics fed to livestock. So the total use of the drugs may not drop much, he said. David Preisler, executive director of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association, said the new federal rules have been in the works for the past couple of years so producers on the state's 3,000 hog farms have been expecting them. Many farmers already have phased out using antibiotics to help animals gain weight, he said. Those most affected by the new rules, he said, will be hog and other livestock farmers who have not routinely used vets and now will need prescriptions for antibiotics previously available over the counter. "It's really putting that decision in the veterinarian's hands and taking that decision away from a farmer," Preisler said. BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (AP) On Jan. 11, Bourbonnais patrolmen Brett Bukowski and Lazarus Hughes were parked at Central Christian Church, going over field training, when the call came through. Dispatch said there was an armed robbery at 1 Heritage Drive, and the suspect was heading west toward Illinois Route 102 in a small black SUV. The suspect was a white male with a scruffy beard. A 14-year veteran of the Bourbonnais Police Department, Bukowski knew Bank of Bourbonnais had been robbed and drove up Brown Boulevard with Hughes, who just graduated from the police academy last month, sitting in the passenger seat. They spotted the vehicle near Gettysburg Drive and caught a glimpse of the suspect. They hit the lights and pulled the vehicle over in the Ace Hardware parking lot on Latham Drive. "Every officer in our department would think it was suspicious," Bukowski said. "The vehicle matched the description, and he kept rubbing his head and putting his arm on the passenger seat's headrest." The suspect stopped briefly before backing into a grassy ditch, starting a pursuit that wove through neighborhoods and school zones. Bukowski told Hughes to observe everything. That came in handy when they briefly lost track of the suspect. Hughes then spotted the vehicle, and the pursuit eventually reached U.S. Route 45/52, where the suspect sideswiped a vehicle before reaching speeds in excess of 90 mph. After leading police for three miles, the suspect, David J. McDonald, 53, of Orland Park, crashed near the old Cigna building and was arrested. "I was extremely nervous," Bukowski said. "Anytime you are going that speed, it's an unknown. It came out as an armed robbery, so I assumed he had a gun. He was driving at a high rate of speed, which puts everybody at risk. Not only do we have to get him, but we have to make sure nobody else gets hurt." Just a few weeks into field training, Hughes was stunned by the pursuit. He joined the department last September after working nine years as a correctional officer at the Jerome Combs Detention Center. "It was like something you would see on 'Cops,' only it was really happening," Hughes said. "I was nervous because of all the unknowns. (Bukowski) stuck with his instincts, and in the academy, they tell you to rely on that sixth sense. I learned a lot." In a way, the pursuit brought Hughes back to his childhood living room, where he watched 'Cops' with his late stepfather, Ron Hardiman, who passed away when Hughes was in fifth grade. Those moments on the couch inspired Hughes to become a police officer. So, how would he rate his first high-speed chase? "I'd give it a 5 or a 6 out of 10," Hughes said with a laugh. "In some episodes, there are just confrontations. I'd give those a 1. Then, there are episodes where police have to search buildings. In our case, we completed the pursuit, and the man was confined to his vehicle when it was over." For Bukowski, this also was a case of deja vu. In 2008, he was training another officer when Centrue Bank was robbed. "I guess we could say Brett is a good luck or a bad luck charm," Bourbonnais Police Chief Jim Phelps said. "It's extremely rare for something like that to happen." But Phelps couldn't be happier with his officers' performance. With a string of bank robberies hitting the area toward the end of last year, he increased patrols at banks and businesses, and that positioning enabled his officers to arrest McDonald, who bonded out of jail last weekend. "It was an invaluable experience for Lazarus," Phelps said. "It just goes to show that there is no such thing as a normal day when you are a police officer. It also gives veteran officers a wakeup call. Sometimes you can get in a routine, but we have a solid case here." Today is Monday, Feb. 6, the 37th day of 2017. There are 328 days left in the year. 1867 -- 150 years ago: Mr. Schlegel sold his tobacco and cigar store to C.P. Hengstler, who will carry on the business at the old stand. 1892 -- 125 years ago: Henry Schuck, of Big Island, narrowly escaped death when a locomotive struck his wagon in Milan. 1917 -- 100 years ago: Rock Island High School students were given permission by the Board of Education to hold dances. 1942 -- 75 years ago: John McKinney was appointed as president of the newly organized Iowa-Illinois Gas and Electric Co. 1967 -- 50 years ago: Black Hawk Chapter, National Campers and Hikers Association, is working to get a new state park in the Quad-Cities area to replace Black Hawk State Park. William Conover, said at the associations monthly meeting yesterday. Black Hawk park is surrounded by the city of Rock Island and cannot be expanded to facilitate everyone who would like to camp in this area. We need a new park big enough for more camping facilities. 1991 -- 25 years ago: Seven of Molines 14 aldermen this morning said they will vote tonight in favor of the proposed merger of United and Franciscan medical centers if seven who favor tabling the issue are not successful in delaying the vote. WASHINGTON (AP) The fierce battle over President Donald Trump's travel and refugee ban edged up the judicial escalator Monday, headed for a possible final face-off at the Supreme Court. Travelers, temporarily unbound, tearfully reunited with loved ones at U.S. airports. The Justice Department prepared to ask a San Francisco-based federal appeals court to restore Trump's ban on travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations. The lawyers were expected to argue in a brief that the president, not the courts, has the authority to set national security policy and that an executive order to control access at the country's borders is lawful. The filing with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was to be the latest salvo in a high-stakes legal fight surrounding Trump's order, which was halted Friday by a federal judge in Washington state. The appeals court refused to immediately reinstate the ban, and lawyers for Washington and Minnesota two states challenging it argued anew on Monday that any resumption would "unleash chaos again," separating families and stranding university students. It's not clear how quickly the appeals court might rule. Whatever the outcome, either side could ask the Supreme Court to intervene. It could prove difficult, though, to find the necessary five votes at the high court to undo a lower court order; the Supreme Court has been at less than full strength since Justice Antonin Scalia's death a year ago. The last immigration case that reached the justices ended in a 4-4 tie. The president's executive order has faced legal uncertainty ever since Friday's ruling by U.S. District Judge James Robart, which challenged both Trump's authority and his ability to fulfill a campaign promise. The State Department quickly said people from the seven countries Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen could travel to the U.S. if they had valid visas. The Homeland Security Department said it was no longer directing airlines to prevent affected visa holders from boarding U.S.-bound planes. On Monday in Colorado, a college student who had traveled to Libya with her 1-year-old son to visit her sick mother and attend her father's funeral was back in Fort Collins, welcomed with flowers and balloons by her husband and children. Two Yemeni brothers whose family has sued over the travel ban, and who'd been turned away in the chaotic opening days of the order, arrived at Dulles International Airport in Virginia, where they were greeted by their father. "America is for everybody," Aqel Aziz said after greeting his sons. Syrian immigrant Mathyo Asali said he thought his life was "ruined" when he landed at Philadelphia International Airport on Jan. 28 only to be denied entry to the United States. Asali, who returned to Damascus, said he figured he'd be inducted into the Syrian military. He was back on U.S. soil Monday. "It's really nice to know that there's a lot of people supporting us," Asali told Gov. Tom Wolf, who greeted the family at a relative's house in Allentown. The legal fight involves two divergent views of the role of the executive branch and the court system. The government says the president alone has the power to decide who can enter or stay in the United States, while Robart said a judge's job is to ensure that an action taken by the government "comports with our country's laws." His Friday ruling triggered a Twitter rant by Trump, who dismissed Robart as a "so-called judge." On Sunday, Trump tweeted, "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" States challenging the ban have been joined by technology companies, who have said it makes it more difficult to recruit employees, and by national security officials under President Barack Obama. A declaration filed by John Kerry and Madeleine Albright, former secretaries of state, and others said the ban would disrupt lives and cripple U.S. counterterrorism partnerships around the world without making the nation safer. "It will aid ISIL's propaganda effort and serve its recruitment message by feeding into the narrative that the United States is at war with Islam," they wrote. How and when a case might get to the Supreme Court is unclear. The travel ban itself is to expire in 90 days, meaning it could run its course before a higher court takes up the issue. Or the administration could change it in any number of ways that would keep the issue alive. The bench also could be full, with a new ninth justice on board, by the time the court is ready to hear arguments. If Judge Neil Gorsuch is confirmed this spring as Senate Republicans hope, chances of a tie vote would disappear. THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) It's been a miserable winter in Greece, especially for the many thousands of refugees staying in tents in old factories and warehouses. At a tiny workshop in the northern city of Thessaloniki, they're trying to make a little bit of a difference. Volunteers are working long hours to try to keep the refugees warm, with bursts of noise from sewing machines revealing their mission: To turn discarded blankets into jackets, overcoats and other winter wearables. There's an almost endless supply: The blankets mostly army issue, gray with red stitching came from the sprawling refugee and migrant encampment at Idomeni on the Macedonian border that is now closed. As many as 14,000 people lived in tents at the site last year after European countries closed borders to refugees streaming into the continent. Greek police cleared the camp last May, leaving hundreds of tents and thousands of blankets behind. A Greek-German charity called Naomi collected them by the vanload to be washed and reused. Project organizer Elke Wollschlaeger helps make and even model the coats, which have the label "Remember Idomeni" stitched inside. "We're trying to keep it in people's minds what happened in Idomeni last year, and what Europe did to refugees and the Greek people, just leaving the borders closed and thousands of people stranded," she said. Greece's government says more than 60,000 refugees and migrants remain stuck in the county following the border closures. It has struggled to shelter camp dwellers from freezing overnight temperatures. Authorities on the island of Lesbos are investigating three recent deaths at a refugee camp there, possibly caused by fumes from makeshift heaters. For Syrian refugee Hasan Al Kodsy, helping out at the coat workshop in Thessaloniki was a natural fit. The 30-year-old used to run a family textile business in Damascus that employed about 100 workers. His journey to Europe stopped at Idomeni but he's still hoping to join his wife and 2-year-old daughter in Munich, Germany, through the European Union's slow-moving relocation scheme. "I saw women (in Idomeni) shivering in blankets and that was not a nice thing to see," he said. "So we started making clothes with the blankets." The charity doesn't distribute the jackets directly but passes them on to other aid groups in return for donations, using any money raised for skills-training programs for refugees and projects to take them out of camps and place them in apartments. It also sells the coats to walk-ins, like resident Katerina Tsolakidou. "We really liked the idea of re-using the blankets from Idomeni," she said after picking up a coat. "It gives the refugees something to do. So instead of spending the money somewhere else, it'll be put to good use here." How many children are home-schooled in Illinois, I asked a school official, to answer an inquiry made of me from a reader? We dont know, she responded. You dont know? I said, surprised. The school official explained that our state is one of maybe a dozen that do not require parents who educate their children at home to let the state know as much. So we dont know who is being home-schooled or, much worse, maybe not being schooled at all. I called an education expert. He said a few years ago a new state senator in Illinois introduced a bill that would have required home schooling parents to register, so there could be some way of telling a home-schooler from a truant. The expert recalled that thousands of home school parents descended on the state capitol to protest against the proposal, crowding the broad corridors under the capitol dome, singing hymns to punctuate their cause. The astounded newbie senator dropped the bill like a blistering hot potato. No one wants to do or say anything that would draw their (the home schoolers) attention, my expert friend says, adding, By the way, dont use my name. Seriously. I am not opposed to home schooling. I know a couple in my community who have done marvelous jobs educating their seven children at home, all of whom have graduated from college. Yet effective home schooling takes skill, discipline and much hard work. I worry that some parents may do a lousy job, or no job at all. I was told that Iowa once had what another school friend said was a model law. Iowa home-school families registered. Their children received an annual evaluation and took a test each year to see that progress was being made. The state education agency even offered assistance to home school parents to help them do their job. Then in 2013, the Iowe Legislature, prompted by several lawmakers who were home schooling advocates, agreed to drop all that and make the state a non-registration state. I talked with Margaret Buckton, a veteran lobbyist for a group of 17 of the larger school districts in Iowa. Every one of my superintendents has told me, she says, of parents who were in trouble over the chronic truancy of their children. After 2013, the parents learned to tell the superintendents, in effect, Bug off, Im home-schooling my children. A central Illinois school superintendent tells me, We have had some previously home-schooled students enroll at our schools in the past. Some of those students have been well-prepared, and some have had little or no preparation for the grade they are entering. Very brief history: Imbued with the values of The Enlightenment that all people should be educated, in 1785 our Founding Fathers set aside the 16th section of every 36-section township in the Northwest Territory (the Midwest basically) to support public education. Horace Mann led the public school movement in the 1800s, and soon Americans had come to cherish their own public schools. In 1963, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down the first in a series of decisions that in effect bans prayer in public schools. I am guessing this germinated the home schooling movement by conservative Christians] The National Center for Education Statistics reported in 2012 that 3 percent of Americas children are home-schooled, more than a million youngsters (how do they that know, I wonder?). The number is increasing, according to a home school acquaintance, as dissatisfaction with the public schools grows. I contacted the Home School Legal Defense Association in D.C., to ask for their take on the matter of registration. They havent responded, but I think I know their position. The groups website has a national map of home school regulations by state. Illinois plus the rest of Midwestern states and Texas all appear to be no-registration states. States in the Northeast, at the other end of the spectrum, appear to have regulations similar to those Iowa had before 2013. This issue poses, I think, a conundrum between the freedom to educate ones children as one wishes versus the obligation of citizenship that all children be adequately educated. How to balance the two? I understand the home school parents fear that the government wants to regulate them somehow. Otherwise, why require them to register? But if the parents are doing a bang-up job of education at home, whats the worry? On balance, if registration would somehow help identify those who are not otherwise educating their children at home well, or at all, then registration makes sense. First up, in the interests of transparency, I admit that Im a disgruntled employee. That fact, however, doesnt make my words any less true. After more than 15 years working behind the scenes as a receptionist, content coordinator, marketing assistant and producer in community radio, AM talkback and FM commercial radio, I believe my experience gives me the right to speak up. It may come as a surprise to most listeners to learn that there are more than just radio announcers working in a station. I get that. They only hear the voices of maybe ten people (including journos) each day on the wireless and have no reason to think about the hundreds of people who work behind the scenes. What is more disappointing is the fact that a large number of people WITHIN the industry also seem to forget that it takes more than just the guys behind the mic to make a radio station successful. The recent allegation that the person who leaked the infamous Channel 9 Jacketgate video will escape reprimand simply because they are an on-air talent is another example of the double standards and extreme bias toward so-called talent in the media industry. One doesnt need to think very hard to come up with examples where producers or panel operators became scapegoats, while the people that were primarily responsible for the transgressions usually the jocks got off scot-free. In some cases even being rewarded for their appalling behaviour by being poached by other networks for even greater sums of money. On a personal level, I recall one occasion where an announcer, during an enormous tantrum, smashed a computer on the ground. Instead of the announcer being told off, I was reprimanded by the PD for not keeping him under control. In my career, I have also been denied the opportunity for promotion because I had dare argue with a talent when he had made sexist comments towards another staff member. Apparently speaking my mind and considering my opinion as valid as an announcers meant that I was not the right personality type for the role. Ive even heard an announcer call a producer a c*#t with no adverse consequences. I expect anyone who has worked in behind the scenes positions at a radio station can recount a situation where they have been expected to treat an announcer as someone who is superior to themselves. I do not deny that announcers work hard. Many of them, particularly breakfast jocks, get up silly early and they put their personal lives up for scrutiny every day. Thats a tough gig. But they get paid well to do this. Usually in the six figures and sometimes, if they are considered to be extra special, in the seven figures. But do you know who else gets up silly early and is still working well into the afternoon, several hours after the breakfast announcers have left? Breakfast producers. I know of one Breakfast Producer who was working on the number one rating radio show in a metro market, and he was earning just over $35 grand a year. If rumours are to be believed, one high-profile announcer stipulated in his contract that he have a personal barista and that coffee-maker gets paid nearly double the amount of the breakfast producer. That is appalling. How can you expect someone to get up at 3am, work in the office until at least 2pm (not to mention the hours they work from home) and then pay them just over minimum wage? When the announcers on the same show are earning at least three times that amount? And most presenters have a clause in their contract stating they get a bonus if their show is number one. None of the producers I know gets that perk. And its not just Producers who get a raw deal. I know of at least one sales team (although I suspect its a common problem in the industry) that is continually losing sales coordinators. Its not because the job is bad, or the team is unpleasant in fact, most of the sales reps are amongst the nicest people around and the station environment is great. The reason these coordinators tend to leave is that they soon realise that they can work shorter hours and get better pay in a different industry. There is absolutely no financial incentive for them to work hard, the way there is with the sales reps commission. If the team makes budget, the coordinators receive nothing in the way of a reward. Barely even a thank you. So they leave. And then the whole team suffers because they have to hire and train a brand new person. Mistakes are then made, clients are unhappy and money is lost simply because the station refused to spend a few extra thousand dollars compensating the support staff for their long hours. Can you imagine an announcer was treated this way? I have worked for a network for four years, and the national content director wouldnt know my name. Whenever hes in the market, he spends hours with the announcers, but I dont even get a hello. This kind of inequality doesnt foster a positive workplace environment. I could go on forever singing the praise of the unsung heroes in a radio station. The street teamers and receptionists who are on the frontline with listeners every day. The EAs, who makes sure the sandwiches are delivered, and the office doesnt fall apart. The HR guys, moderating disputes and recruiting staff. The techies who manage to keep the station on-air while juggling an infinite number of other technical problems. The legal folks who are arguing the case after some tosser has gone and breached the codes again. The digital, news and social guys who ensure we are on top of the biggest celeb gossip and stories. The Payroll and AP teams with the most important job of all making sure everyone gets paid. We all work long hours, most of us for mediocre wages and yet we all find the time to visit other departments, clean up after ourselves in the kitchen and attend the regular team catch-ups. We are all held accountable for our actions and are expected to keep our promises. If any of us went and deliberately leaked confidential behind-the-scenes audio of announcers berating each other, wed probably be fired. Itd be nice if talent were held up to the same standards. Anonymous Confessions is a new Radio Today series based on one simple idea: We trade anonymity to people working in the media industry, offering a platform to start important conversations, in exchange for complete honesty. If youd like to contribute, contact the editor. Line 3, also known as the Orange line, is 41.5km long with an 11km underground section. It will have 22 stations. Salini Impreglio leads the ArRiyadh New Mobility (ANM) consortium, which was awarded a 3.72 bn contract in October 2013. It is one of three involved in the $US 23bn, six-line Riyadh Metro project which will have a total network length of 176km. Bombardier is supplying 47 two-car Innovia 300 trains for Line 3, which have a maximum length of 36.7m, a capacity of 267 passengers and a maximum speed of 100km/h. The first train was delivered in November 2016. For the latest updates on projects around the globe, subscribe to IRJ Pro. The deal also includes an option to renovate 10 additional trains, and delivery of the first two sets is scheduled for 2019. The modification of the interior design will include increasing seating capacity from 216 to 312 seats per car, replacing the floor covering, the lamination of interior trim elements and the replacement of the seats. Air conditioning, new holding bars and LED lighting will also be added as well as a video protecting system which includes security cameras. Alstom will also restore the high voltage transformers and door mechanisms. The studies and renovation will be carried out at Alstoms plant in Reichshoffen. The four-car MI84 trains were assembled at Alstoms plant in Valenciennes and entered commercial service in 1985. The renovation will align the comfort levels of the MI84 trains with those of the MI79 trains renovated between 2010 and 2015, also in circulation on Line B. Freight shipments could be delayed as much as 48 hours through the Montana Rockies as BNSF re-opened the Northern Corridor route late Tuesday after an avalanche blocked tracks and temporarily stranded two Amtrak trains over the weekend. Freight customers of BNSF may experience delays of 36 to 48 hours on shipments moving through the area, the railroad stated. It had rerouted some freight traffic over a southern route via Montana Rail Link. Late on Feb. 7, Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari told Railway Age, We just received word from BNSF that we will originate tomorrows (Wednesdays) Empire Builder trains to operate normally over their full route, reaching Idaho and Montana on Thursday. The avalanche at Marias Pass damaged tracks near Summit, Mont. on Sunday. Amtraks train No. 8, the eastbound Empire Builder traveling from Seattle to Chicago, was initially stopped at Essex, Mont., and was later moved back to Whitefish. The No.7 westbound Empire Builder out of Chicago was stopped at Browning, Mont., before being moved east to Cut Bank. Magliari said that Train No.7 was eventually moved even further east to Shelby, Mont., where theres more support services and personnel in place to handle the needs of passengers. Plus, Shelby is located on an interstate highway, which became a necessary part of getting passengers around the affected area due to U.S. Highway 2 also being impacted by the avalanche. Passengers on Train No.8 were given the option of returning by train to their point of origin or continuing eastward on chartered bus from Spokane, Wash., to Shelby via Interstates 90 and 15. Passengers who had been stranded since Sunday on Train 7 in Shelby would then board those buses for Spokane. Both stranded trains were re-stocked with food and supplies while in Whitefish and Shelby. Magliari said, We provided complimentary breakfast, lunch, and dinner for both coach and sleeping car passengers. He noted that meals are normally included in the fare for sleeping accommodations anyway. When asked why arrangements werent made to detour the Empire Builder around the avalanche-impacted area by way of Montana Rail Link, Magliari said that while Amtrak does utilize alternate routes when they can be properly scheduled and crewed in advance of known closures (such as track maintenance on its regular routes), detouring at this time via MRL would have proven difficult. With BNSF already rerouting a number of its own trains via MRL, Magliari said that option has become highly congested, and is also being stretched thin for crew members who would be needed to pilot any detouring passenger trains over what is normally a freight-only route. Contributing Editor Bruce Kelly provided information for this story. Welcome to Railway Gazette. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of these cookies. You can learn more about the cookies we use here. OK United States Secretary of Defense James Mattis will make his first overseas trip this week, visiting Japan and South Korea to reaffirm U.S. commitments and hopefully calm rattled nerves. After a campaign in which he demanded that countries hosting U.S. forces pay more for their own defense and a first week in office that has included withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the election of Donald Trump as 45th president of the United States has unnerved many of America's closest Asian allies and partners. In his meetings with Asian counterparts, Secretary Mattis could deliver several key messages that the Trump administration has stressed during the campaign and since: The U.S. is still with you, but the U.S. would like you to do more. Mattis's first objective could be to open and deepen his personal lines of communication with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Minister of Defense Tomomi Inada. He can do so by building on the positive legacy that he inherits from former President Obama. In addition to a symbolically important exchange of visits with Abe to Hiroshima and Pearl Harbor in 2016, Obama expanded cooperation with Japan on outer space, cyberspace and maritime 'gray zone' contingencies while initiating new linkages designed to improve allied military planning and coordination. The Abe administration will be looking for Mattis to reaffirm the alliance and, specifically, to confirm that Article Five of the U.S.Japan Security Treaty applies to the Senkakus islands that China covets and which past U.S. administrations have agreed to help defend. Mattis might use the opportunity to urge the Abe administration not to lose momentum on base realignment in Okinawa, where local officials, activists and outside agitators have sought to prevent construction of a replacement facility that would shift Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from a crowded downtown area to a safer, more remote location. When he meets with Acting South Korean President Hwang Kyo-ahn and Defense Minister Han Min-koo, Secretary Mattis could send a similarly strong message of support to a key U.S. ally facing an all-encompassing domestic political crisis at the same time as it faces a growing threat from North Korea's expanding nuclear and missile arsenal. The Dec. 9, 2016, impeachment and on-going trial of Park Geun-hye has brought much of South Korean political life to a standstill, and a measure of reassurance that the United States is not planning to abandon its partner could be helpful. Already, leading contenders in the race to succeed Park have questioned whether or not Korea can continue to rely on extended deterrent guarantees from the United States to defend the South. Mattis could also reaffirm the commitment of the United States to honor its treaty obligations and encourage the South to follow-through with its agreement to permit the U.S. to bring a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense missile battery onto the peninsula as soon as possible to help defend the U.S. forces that are stationed in Korea. Mattis can help to explain the goals the Trump administration is pursuing with its emerging Asia-Pacific security policy and its strategy. In his meetings with the leaders and defense chiefs of both countries, Mattis can help to explain the goals the Trump administration is pursuing with its emerging Asia-Pacific security policy and its strategy for achieving those goals. The administration appears to have signaled an intention to adopt a more competitive stance vis-a-vis China and North Korea, but has not yet clarified the role it sees for U.S. allies in support of such a posture or how it envisions coordinating with Washington's allies to ensure a unified position. Mattis could also clarify the administration's intent regarding the Third Offset strategy, designed to counter the erosion of key U.S. capabilities through investments in advanced technologies. At the same time, he could offer insights into reports that the U.S. will pursue an expanded missile defense shield and a much larger fleet of naval vessels. These are areas where Japan and South Korea, as allies with advanced military technologies, may be poised to contribute to joint defense industrial development, thereby helping lower the costs of research and development and ultimately procurement. Building personal contacts and providing clarity on the U.S. regional vision and strategy will be important, but a second objective of Mattis's visit could be to explore ways Japan and South Korea might contribute more to their own defense. The U.S. is not leaving the Asia-Pacific, but it cannot meet the challenges of a rising China and a provocative and nuclear-armed North Korea alone. Japan has done much to enhance its contributions to its defense in recent years but could be encouraged to do even more to enhance jointness within the Self-Defense Forces and interoperability with U.S. Forces Japan while also accelerating investments in upper-tier missile defense; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; base hardening; and anti-submarine warfare. These will make Japan harder to coerce and more resilient in the face of attack. South Korea, for its part, has upgraded its abilities to impose costs on North Korea if it is attacked but could be encouraged to make further improvements. These might include its command, control, computers and communications capabilities and network resiliency; new and improved missile defenses; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets; and expanded munitions stockpiles. Other possibilities include enhancing its anti-submarine warfare capabilities and its artillery fire capacities and procuring more counter-battery radars. Such investments could enhance the Republic of Korea's ability to sustain and prosecute a war on the Korean peninsula should the North lash out or collapse suddenly. All of this would require the allies to spend more than the roughly $36.5 billion that South Korea and $43.5 billion that Japan allot to their defenses today. Mattis might deliver the message that, if the allies deepen their contributions to their own security, the U.S. will not ask Seoul or Tokyo to revise upwards the level of the contributions they put in for the forces Washington stations on their soil to help defend them. A third goal of the Mattis visit might be to highlight the importance to the United States of several recent instances of bilateral and trilateral cooperation in Northeast Asia. Mattis could encourage Japan and South Korea to build on these positive steps, including the December 2015 'comfort women' agreement; a 2016 deal to enable the exchange of military intelligence; and a trilateral ballistic missile defense exercise that wrapped up earlier this month. The allies also could be encouraged to deepen planning and exercises at the operational level, building on their past experiences focused on search and rescue and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. One area where discussions could be advanced quickly would be on what roles and communication channels would be employed in the event of a crisis on the Korean peninsula requiring the execution of a noncombatant evacuation operation. While U.S. Forces Korea routinely exercise for such a scenario, and Japan has practiced for them as well, Seoul and Tokyo have never been brought into a position of planning for such an eventuality side-by-side, where assumptions can be surfaced, interrogated, revised and refined, and potentially problematic approaches de-conflicted in advance. These issues are politically sensitive, so it may be best to raise them in private conversations, but the possibility of a Korean peninsula contingency that would require the allies to respond to such a situation has grown with North Korea's continuing provocations, and the need for such discussions is growing more urgent by the day. The start of a new administration can be a time for revisiting past assumptions and asking questions about long-standing approaches to managing regional diplomatic and security policy challenges. It is good that Mattis is coming to Asia very early in his tenure at the Department of Defense to coordinate with two key U.S. allies and partners. If he can reassure them that the new administration intends to fully support them, while also clarifying Washington's expectations, it could go a long way toward calming the concerns that America's Asian allies have expressed over the prospect of a new and uncertain approach to alliance management coming from Washington. Scott W. Harold is the associate director of the RAND Center for Asia Pacific Policy, a political scientist at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation and a member of the Pardee RAND Graduate School faculty. This commentary originally appeared on U.S. News & World Report on February 2, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. Charges against Russian tycoon Chigirinsky dropped in U.S. MOSCOW, February 6 (RAPSI) A criminal case against Russian tycoon Chigirinsky, who is currently residing in the U.S., has been dropped, according to the press release issued on Monday by Benaur Law firm representing the businessman. Chigirinsky is satisfied with the investigations results and victory of justice. However, he believes that his name and reputation were seriously hurt, lawyer George Benaur said. The tycoon was charged with illegal contact with a minor under the age of 16 years and risk of injury in March 2016. The case was connected with the dispute between Chigirinsky and his ex-wife Tatiana Panchenkova over custody of their daughters, the statement reads. Charges of the risk of inflicting harm to minors and their moral decay brought against Panchenkova have been also dropped, according to Benaur. Ex-spouses have reached an agreement in the child custody case, the American daily newspaper New York Post reported earlier. However, the property dispute between Chigirinsky and Panchenkova is underway. Chigirinsky has filed a lawsuit against Panchenkova with a court in New York. The businessman claims that in 2010 his ex-wife partially sold received property in violation of agreement to hold the collection in trust for their children. The property includes valuable art collection comprising among others antiques, antiquarian books, Faberge collection and unique interior features. Russian businessman sentenced to 10.5 years in prison for murdering lawyer MOSCOW, February 6 (RAPSI, Yevgeniya Sokolova) Moscows Khamovnichesky District Court has sentenced entrepreneur Rashid Boziyev to ten years and six months in high security penal colony after he was found guilty of killing a lawyer during property register, RAPSI reported from the court on Monday. Boziyev was also found guilty of illegal possession of weapons. The court ruled to recover one million rubles ($17,000) in moral damages from the man in favor of his victims family members. The court found that on February 4, 2016, Boziyev fatally shot a creditors representative during the property register in presence of court bailiffs. According to the Federal Bailiff Service, Boziyev was subjected to a court ruling on recovery of 166.8 million rubles ($2.8 mln) in favor of the creditor. Ex-deputy prosecutor gets 5 years in prison for attempted bribery MOSCOW, February 6 (RAPSI) The Dorogomilovsky District Court on Monday sentenced former deputy prosecutor of one of Moscows districts Julia Gorbacheva to 5 years in prison for attempt to give a 3-million-ruble bribe ($50,600) to a judge, RIA Novosti reports. Gorbacheva has been also fined 3 million rubles. She was taken into custody immediately after rendering the sentence. According to investigators, the former deputy prosecutor has tried to give a judge around 3 million rubles in bribes for mitigation of sentence for defendants in one of the criminal cases. During investigation and trial Gorbacheva was under the house arrest. During the first phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on 28 January, both sides agreed on the need to improve the US-Russian relationship. While its still uncertain how this new relationship will evolve, the conclusion of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during his confirmation hearing that were not likely to ever be friends is telling. More importantly, Tillerson noted that the Kremlin has a geographic plan and that it is taking actions to implement that plan. Russia has much more than a simple territorial plan. In fact, in recent decades Moscow has actively pursued Putins long-term vision of reestablishing Russian power and influence in the former states of the Soviet Union and not shied away from redrawing borders and launching military campaigns. Since the 2000s Russia has shown increasing tendency towards reimperialization of the post-Soviet space, especially in regards to the territories inhabited by ethnic Russians, as I argue in my book "Beyond Crimea: The New Russian Empire." Moscow counts some 35 million Russians and Russian speakers abroad as compatriots concentrated in states such as Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Latvia and Estonia and has repeatedly demonstrated commitment to engage and protect these populations. In other words, broad reimperialization is the end-goal of Moscows policies, and Russian compatriots are among the means for Moscow achieving that end. The concept of reimperialization should not be solely understood in the narrowest sense of the term. An empire does not simply result from acquisition of territories. Rather, reimperialization should be understood as a process allowing a dominant country to have indirect control over the sovereignty of other states. To achieve this end, namely dominance of the post-Soviet region, Russia uses a consistent seven-stage trajectory of policies to reimperialize the former Soviet republics. This trajectory begins with soft power and cycles through humanitarian policies and compatriot policies, which create institutions, laws and policies to co-opt the Russian diaspora. This proceeds to information warfare; passportization, which hands out Russian citizenship and passports to compatriots abroad; calls for compatriot protection, which can eventually result in annexation of territories. Although various stages can occur simultaneously or in different order, the general trajectory involves cooptation of the Russian diaspora to achieve territorial expansion under the guise of compatriot or minority protection. All of this occurs under the veil of a blitz of information warfare. Russia has already achieved various degrees of success with these policies across former Soviet republics, but possibly the most effective application is in Ukraine. Russias use of soft power instruments in Ukraine traces back to the early 1990s and gained considerable momentum after Ukraines attempts to turn westward with the Orange Revolution of 2004. For example, in October 2008, Viktor Chernomyrdin, the Russian ambassador to Ukraine, called on the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to monitor the rights of Russians in Ukraine. He claimed that Ukraine used restrictive measures without taking into account the interests of the Russian-speaking citizens of Ukraine. However, no international human rights organizations had received personal complaints from ethnic Russians living in Ukraine. The timing of Moscows policies was related to Ukraines ambitions of moving closer to institutions like the EU and potentially NATO, which from Russias point of view could have been perceived as a security threat. If Kiev had succeeded, it would have not only removed Ukraine as a neutral buffer state, standing between Russia and the West, but would have also reduced Moscows sphere of influence in the region. Alongside humanitarian efforts, Russia simultaneously ramped up compatriot policies. Russian citizens created illegal and semi-legal organizations in eastern Ukraine and provided members with paramilitary training. According to media reports and information from social networks, in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk, a pro-Russian separatist organization, Donetskaya Respublica, was registered in 2006 and started receiving military training no later than 2009. In the late 2000s, Russia increased the scope of its passportization strategy in Ukraine. In 2008, the Ukrainian media reported that the Russian consulate as well as individuals such as a librarian in a Sevastopol library began systemically handing out Russian passports to Ukrainian citizens. Soon after, estimates suggested that the number of Crimeans with Russian citizenship ranged from 8,000 to 40,000. During this time Russian officials continued to deny the policy of passport distribution in Crimea. Once sizable populations in neighboring foreign states became Russian citizens, Moscow then could call for their protection both rhetorically and militarily, starting the process of annexation or de facto control of these territories. Russias information warfare accelerated in wake of the Ukrainian Maidan revolution of 2013-2014. In autumn 2013, Russian television including Perviy Kanal, Rossya 24, Life News, the Russian edition of Euronews and Russia Today began a wide-ranging propaganda campaign to shape the perceptions of Russian compatriots. First, they discredited European integration of Ukraine and the Maidan protests. Second, the Russian media turned to a favorite tactic smearing opponents as fascists. The media tried to propagate a narrative among eastern and southern Ukrainians and Russian speakers that fascism is returning to life in Kiev and western Ukraine, and that their rights would be severely undermined. Following President Viktor Yanukovychs departure from both government and Ukraine on February 21st, Moscows instruments of soft power suddenly shifted to what can be best described as a hybrid warfare campaign under the pretext of protecting the rights of Russians and Russian speakers in Ukraine. The night of February 27, 2014, Russian special-mission troops captured the local legislature of Ukraines Autonomous Republic of Crimea. At the same time, Russian troops, previously stationed in Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, attacked Ukrainian troops, governmental buildings and infrastructure in the same region. In the meanwhile, pro-Russia hackers embarked on a cyber-espionage campaign against the Ukrainian government. Using a technique called spear-phishing, the hackers sent emails to targets that appeared to come from legitimate sources and included attachments that, when opened, enabled access to their computers. On March 16th, Russian authorities and pro-Russian separatists conducted an illegal referendum for Crimea and Sevastopol to join Russia with the reported but unlikely outcome of 96.7 percent supporting annexation. However, annexation of Crimea was not the only objective. Despite sporadic violence that broke out in eastern Ukraine in early March, the real fighting began after April 11th when a special Russian military detachment, commanded by Russian Colonel Igor Girkin, who had participated in the capture of Crimea, crossed the Russian-Ukrainian border and captured the city of Slavyansk in the region of Donetsk. In later months, pro-Russian militias continued advancing on other towns and cities in eastern Ukraine. Despite the Ukrainian Armys efforts to liberate the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, subsequent offensives in 2014 and 2015 enabled militants to maintain control over some territories in the area. This led to a frozen conflict in the eastern part of the country, which not only severely hampered Kievs bid of joining the EU, but also complicated its chances of joining NATO. The aggressive policies Moscow pursued in Ukraine in the name of Russian compatriots recall Russias war in Georgia and efforts to strike discord among ethnic minorities in the Baltic States, in Kazakhstan and beyond. By establishing frozen conflicts in such places as Luhansk and Donetsk, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Russia gained considerable leverage over Kiev and Tbilisis politics and foreign policy for years to come, without having direct territorial control. The world waits for how the Trump administration will manage Russias ambitions in the former Soviet republics, though tension is anticipated between efforts to improve relations with Putin and the Kremlins strategic plans of preventing neighboring countries from slipping away from its sphere of influence. In late December, with just weeks left in his administration, former U.S. President Barack Obama delivered a shot in the arm to the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement, or BDS. Obama instructed the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, to abstain instead of vetoing a U.N. Security Council resolution rebuking Israeli settlement activity. Resolution 2334 deems Israels presence in disputed territories in the West Bank and East Jerusalem to be illicit. Combined five days later with a didactic anti-Israel speech from Secretary of State John Kerry, the resolution administered a body blow to Israels brand. The BDS movement, which also has an anti-American agenda, thrives on de-branding Israel as the Middle Easts only free state and democracy. In short, BDS uses economic warfare in its effort to label Israel as a pariah state and to end its existence as the Jewish homeland. There are several policies that a Trump administration can pursue to retard the growth of BDS. First, the U.S. Congress should submit the Combating BDS Act of 2016 for President Trumps signature. The bipartisan legislation would permit state and local governments to penalize companies participating in BDS by pulling taxpayer money from those businesses. Second, Trump can join other world leaders, especially those from BDS ground-zero countries in Western Europe, and declare BDS an anti-Semitic movement that runs counter to all peace efforts. Moreover, lawmakers should push through Congress The Anti-Semitism Awareness Act, introduced by Sens. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Bob Casey (D-PA). This legislation would give the U.S. Department of Education the statutory tools to examine anti-Semitic incidents in the broadest and most effective way possible. The Anti-Semitism Awareness Act mirrors the State Departments Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism definition of anti-Semitism that includes the critical language covering where anti-Israel conduct crosses the line into prejudice and discrimination. The act will enhance the Department of Educations ability to identify, investigate, and punish all forms of anti-Semitism, including anti-Zionism and anti-Israel harassment. Third, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, can help to move the United States out of the den of the jackals and state that Resolution 2334 boosts BDS and should be discarded and disdained. Already, Rex Tillerson, the new secretary of state, was asked during his Senate nomination hearings how he would respond to BDS: He replied that he would change the relationship with countries that cooperated with the boycott movement, and that those countries need to understand that it does shape our view of them. Finally, U.S. ambassadors in countries where BDS is flourishing -- countries such as Ireland, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Belgium -- should deliver speeches in those countries condemning the movement. Moreover, the ambassadors should advocate that the European Union replicate anti-BDS legislation. Frances anti-discrimination statute -- the Lellouche Law -- has been invoked to stop BDS activism based on its discrimination against national origin. The Lellouche Law can serve as a model for Brussels. The BDS movement has been incorrectly viewed as exclusively anti-Israel. Take one telling example, Code Pink, an allegedly pro-peace U.S. group that is a main actor in the BDS network. Code Pink supports many of America's principal enemies -- the Islamic Republic of Iran and communist North Korea, just to name a couple. There are clearly many unknowns regarding what the Trump administration will do. However, Donald Trump, speaking at last years AIPAC Policy Conference, underscored that BDS is a real strategic threat. Understanding the architecture of BDS and navigating universities where so such much of the BDS work is happening is not a simple task. Administrators and trustees are self-interested stakeholders devoted to seeing that peace and quiet prevail at their institutions. But faculty and students are the heart of the university. Only a small minority of both implacably opposes the existence of Israel. But this minority successfully shapes the larger university environment by playing to politically correct views on violence and supposed racism, hijacking other issues such as minority rights and fossil fuels, and cowing opponents with harassment and intimidation, false claims of persecution, and undertones of threatened violence. The actions proposed above can help in providing concrete long-term solutions. Winning the war against BDS will require a playbook that understands the opposing players and their strengths and weaknesses. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. 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Men and women of different races and backgrounds came to Sanford Hall on April 13 to take part in a discussion hosted by the Muslim Students A As part of a nationwide protest, local businesses in Athens closed their doors for one day on Feb. 16 to commemorate 'A Day Without Immigrants Cheers of both satisfaction and disapproval were echoed across the nation on Nov. 18 and are still just as thunderous following President Dona Oftentimes, the saying, there are plenty of fish in the sea, is given as a consolation aft Cars pass by the entrance of the Double Door in Wicker Park on Feb. 6, 2017. The music venue was evicted from its longtime location. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) The Double Door club was evicted from its longtime Wicker Park space Monday after club management failed to post bond while appealing a judge's decision in their eviction case, according to an attorney for the building's owner. Cook County Circuit Judge Orville Hambright Jr. ruled in August that Double Door had until the end of 2016 to vacate 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave. because club management did not properly notify landlord Brian Strauss in 2015 it wished to extend its lease. Advertisement Double Door attorneys filed a notice of appeal of that decision in September and an appeal bond was set at $468,000. In a December court filing, club attorney Cary Schiff asked the appeal bond be vacated because the "court gave no basis for the amount of this bond" and Strauss "failed to make a sufficient showing that the $468,000 bond was necessary to protect (his) interest in the leased premises." Schiff did not return a request for comment and Double Door co-owner Joe Shanahan said he would not comment until he had more information about the eviction. Advertisement Strauss' attorney, James P. McKay, Jr., said Double Door management did not pay the bond. "It was time for either Double Door to post the appeal bond or move, get out. They did neither. They willfully violated Judge Hambright's court orders," McKay said. McKay said talks between Strauss and Double Door management recently stalled again, and there are no immediate plans for the club's former space. The Cook County sheriff's office carried out the eviction Monday morning, hours before the band No Men was scheduled to play there. The show was moved to the Emporium Arcade Bar in Wicker Park, a band representative said. Double Door has shows booked through April, according to its online calendar. At stake is the fate of 40 Double Door employees, a number of whom have been working at the club since it opened in 1994. Chicago's music scene -- and Wicker Park in particular -- was being celebrated as one of rock's most vibrant scenes when Double Door began booking bands. The club hosted shows by everyone from local up-and-comers and national touring acts to the Rolling Stones. But gentrification eventually overtook the neighborhood and priced out many of the artists who lived there. In their place came upscale restaurants, high-priced chains and soaring rents. It now appears Double Door is the latest casualty of that shifting economic climate. Advertisement RELATED STORIES: Double Door considering move to Logan Square as legal appeal continues Judge rules Double Door may stay in Wicker Park spot until end of year Judge postpones decision on deadline for Double Door to vacate space Double Door must vacate Wicker Park space, judge rules Judge may announce decision in Double Door eviction case Thursday Advertisement Judge says he will decide fate of Double Door 'in fairly short order' Double Door eviction case now focused on paperwork technicality Watch the latest movie trailers. 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) Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg are shown in a scene from, "Adventureland." (Photo Credit: Abbot Genser HANDO) Whether you're single or taken, going out on Valentine's Day can be a struggle. Reservations are hard to come by, everything is marked up and the pressure to be in lovethe kind that's perfectly Instagrammableis overwhelming. If you'd rather skip the pressure, we say stay on the couch. Netflix can make for a perfectly suitable Valentine's Day date, as long as you plan ahead to avoid the dreaded hour long scroll. A ROMANTIC (AND FREE) NIGHT AT HOME Advertisement 1. Adventureland: This weird and lovely indie is more a coming-of-age tale than a love story, but Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg supply a surprisingly romantic feel. 2. Sing Street: Despite it being nominated for a Golden Globe, not a lot of people are talking about this sweet and optimistically romantic movie, but it's great. Advertisement 3. Blue is the Warmest Color: You have to commit to this one: It's three hours and in French. But the story of two young women who fall in love in Paris is one of the most captivating and devastating romantic films out there. 4. The Office: If you're not feeling a movie, watch the best Pam and Jim episodes from Seasons 2 and 3 to get that true love vibe you're going for. 5. Step Up: Hear us out. It may have spawned a million sequels, but you can watch the true original, where Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan actually first fell in love. THROWBACK MOVIE MARATHON 1. 10 Things I Hate About You: Baby Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger will charm you with their witty high school-meets-Shakespeare mash-up. 2. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days: Probably the most quintessential rom-com in existence. 3. Clueless: Another '90s gem, enjoy classic lines like "As if" while marveling at Paul Rudd's agelessness. 4. Bridget Jones's Diary: A boyfriend might not find Bridget charming or relatable, but you and your friends know better. Advertisement 5. High School Musical: Sometimes you just have to sit back and laugh at what you were into as a kid. "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" will also serve this purpose. Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > THE ANTI-LOVE CELEBRATION 1. Heathers: What's your damage, Heather? Love is not a part of high school. 2. Pulp Fiction: Stop any romance with an adrenaline shot to the heart. Samuel L. Jackson is not here for Valentine's Day mushiness. 3. Louis C.K.: Live at the Beacon Theater: The comic's dark view of love, marriage, kids and life in general will be just what your black soul needs. 4. The Shining: All work and no play, right? Commit to the creepiness and don't give love a second thought. Advertisement 5. Jaws: Trying to track down an elusive, mythic thing that will try to kill you if you do find it. We're talking about a shark, not love. Obviously. @lchval | laurenchval@redeyechicago.com 'The world is going to be more insular.' 'What India needs to do is develop the domestic market for domestic consumption.' 'The emphasis has to be on Bharat as against India.' Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com Dr Krishnamurthy Subramanian, associate professor of finance at the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, is a member of both the Reserve Bank of India's expert committee on governance of banks and SEBI's standing committee on alternative investment policy. Dr Subramanian, who serves on the board of Bandhan Bank, the first bank to be licensed after Independence in eastern India, also works with the finance ministry to reform food policy. Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier discusses the 2017 Budget with him. Are you satisfied with the Budget? It is a mixed feeling for me. There are a bunch of things which I am happy about and there are a few things I am unhappy with. I am happy with the emphasis the Budget has on the rural and agriculture sector without being too populist. One of the key narratives today is quite a few developed countries are becoming protectionist and they do not want to import much. So the returns from the export-oriented policies which China and many other East Asian economies have followed will be diminishing soon. The world is going to be more insular. So, what India needs to do is develop the domestic market for domestic consumption. Unlike the smaller countries like Taiwan, Vietnam, etc, India's economy can grow catering to the domestic market. For domestic consumption to grow, the income capacity of the bottom half of the population has to go up. It can happen only through productive enterprise and jobs. It means the emphasis has to be on Bharat as against India. Looking at some data from 1990 to 2013, we see that the number of poor people has increased. Inequality also has increased significantly. If the GINI index was 45 in 1990, it is 51 in 2013, which means inequality has increased. 80% of the rural population was poor in 1990, but it was less than 30% in 2011. 40% of the urban population was poor in 1990, but it was less than 20% in 2011. This shows more people have benefited, but inequality has increased. So, if India has to grow, the emphasis has to be on the poorer sections of society. It is also a fact that economic shocks affect the poor more than the middle class or the rich. We are a population of 1.2 billion and if the people at the bottom of the pyramid are pulled up, this market itself is enough for India to grow. That's why I am happy with the emphasis on the Budget to increase the productive capacity of the rural sector and not giving out doles. One such policy is the Fasal Bheema Yojana which covers 40% of the irrigated area under insurance in fiscal 2018 and 50% in 2019. This will help 27% of all farmers as of December 2016. Insurance is very useful to this section of the population. Next is the target for agriculture. Allied credit has been set at 10 lakh crores for 2017-2018. So, there is emphasis on insurance and credit. There is emphasis on irrigation through the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sanchal Yojana and the allocation is up by 71%. The worry everybody has is that we are having jobless growth. With automation and technology, the biggest challenge Narendra Modi has is to create jobs for the young population. How is the Budget going to tackle this? Another positive aspect of the Budget is the emphasis on affordable housing. With this, construction activities will start, which is very labour intensive. It can give employment to low skilled workers. With work on gram sadak, infrastructure activities will begin and again, it is another area that can give jobs to many. Both roads and housing require significant labour. Allocation for MNERGA also has increased to Rs 48,000 crore. All these will create jobs for low skilled workers of the bottom third of the population in both the rural and urban areas. Unfortunately, those who are not as rich as the top third of the population but not as poor as the bottom third need jobs and it has not been addressed at all. I feel Make In India should be combined with Make For India because export oriented growth is not going to happen. For this to happen, a lot of job creation in the second third of the population is essential, but this is not happening. What is the biggest disappointment in the Budget for you? It is the banking sector. Nothing much has been done to ease the problems in the banking sector. NPAs in the banks are rising and a lot of problems structural and governance related. I have spoken to the Naik Committee about this. Creation of The Bank Investment Company spoken about in the last Budget is ignored now and the Bank Board Bureau headed by Vinod Rai has not done anything so far. Why do we have to wait for the Budget to address the problems the banking sector faces? Of course, it can be addressed otherwise. The banking sector, particularly in India, is the heart of the economy. If the heart is blocked and cannot pump fresh clean blood which is credit properly, the body will lose its vitality. We expect activities in the economy because of the allotments in infrastructure and housing but do you feel because the heart is not functioning properly, it may take more time for a revival of the economy? Yes, it may take more time. That's what I am saying. The initiatives in infrastructure and housing are good, but because the problems the banking sector faces is not addressed, the effect of the initiatives will not happen soon. A clean up of the banking sector is absolutely essential and urgently needed. Is the Budget in the direction of achche din? As a political slogan it is good, but it takes time for any initiative to show results. It is going to take time to clean up the mess created by the previous government. How long can this government give excuses about cleaning up the mess? People expect results. I agree. The reality is it takes time to see the results. Liberalisation started in 1991, but we saw the results only a few years later. A lot of economic results come with a lag. I think to some extent, the government has over-promised and it may have to pay the price politically. How many marks will you give the Budget? Eight-and-a-half. I am taking out one-and-a-half marks for not addressing the problems the banking industry faces. One good thing about the Budget is that it is not a populist Budget. Instead of giving fish free, this government is teaching the poor fishing, and this is the right thing to do. That's the difference between this government and the earlier one. "Immigrants make many of the nation's greatest discoveries, and create some of the country's most innovative and iconic companies," says their court motion. Silicon Valley's top firms, including Microsoft, Apple and Google, are among 97 technology giants that have filed a motion in a US court against President Donald Trump's controversial immigration order calling it "violation" of the laws and the Constitution. The ban represents "a sudden shift in the rules governing entry into the US, and is inflicting substantial harm on US companies," says the court document filed on Sunday, which was also backed by Twitter, Netflix and Uber. The motion was filed with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which on Sunday denied the US government's emergency request to resume Trump's travel ban, CNNmoney reported. Other companies that have filed included other top tech firms including Facebook, eBay and Intel, as well as non-tech companies such as Levi Strauss and Chobani. It's the latest move by the tech industry to oppose Trump's controversial order, which has run into hurdles in the US court system. The temporary travel ban which affects seven Muslim-majority countries that include Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen has been a highly controversial move by the new Republican President causing widespread protests around the world. The appeals court has asked for both sides to file legal briefs before the court makes its final decision after a federal judge halted the programme on Friday. The lawsuit in question was filed by the attorneys general of Washington state and Minnesota. The motion from the 97 companies seeks permission to file what is known as an amicus brief in the case. Tech companies have been at the vanguard of businesses opposing the ban. Their court motion filed on Sunday emphasizes the important role of immigration in the US economy. "Immigrants make many of the nation's greatest discoveries, and create some of the country's most innovative and iconic companies," it says. "The Order represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system of the US for more than fifty years. The order inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth as a result," the brief stated. The legal briefing argues that immigration and economic growth are "intimately tied," and that the order would damage the US's ability to attract the world's talent. It is not the first legal move by tech firms over Trump's ban. Amazon and Expedia filed motions last week in the Washington attorney general's lawsuit. They argued the immigration order will hurt their employees and their businesses. An estimated 37 per cent of the workforce in Silicon Valley is foreign born, according to a report by the think tank Joint Venture. In a big blow to beleaguered businessman Subrata Roy, the Supreme Court on Monday directed attachment of Sahara Group's prime property worth Rs 39,000 crore at Aamby Valley in Pune for realisation of money to be paid to its investors. The apex court also asked Sahara Group to provide it within two weeks the list of unencumbered properties which can be put on public auction to realise the remaining over Rs 14,000 crore of the principal amount of around Rs 24,000 crore that has to be deposited in the Securities and Exchange Board of India-Sahara account for refunding money to the investors. A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra, which will hear the matter again on February 20, noted that out of the principal amount, the group has deposited around Rs 11,000 crore and it has to deposit over Rs 14,000 crore more. The bench, also comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and A K Sikri, was told by SEBI counsel Pratap Venugopal that the interest on the principal amount till October 31, 2016 would lead to a liability of Rs 47,669 crore on the Sahara Group, which on Monday deposited over Rs 600 crore in accordance with the January 12 order by which extension of time beyond February 6 was refused. The apex court had said failure to pay the said amount would lead Sahara Group Chief Subrata Roy going back to jail. The top court was not in agreement with Saharas counsel senior advocate Kapil Sibal that the amount should be realised in accordance with the roadmap provided by the group, which suggested the deadline of July 2019 will be adhered to. No small token amounts, the bench observed, adding that the balance amount of over Rs 14,000 crore can be realised by public auction of Sahara's unencumbered properties which are free from litigations, mortgage and any charge. The fundamental question is that the court (Supreme Court) found that the money collected by you from XYZ etc was in violation of the rule, the bench observed while not accepting Sibals plea that he should be given at least a minimum of two hours to explain that the apex court judgment against Sahara was ex facie erroneous. Its a question of a core verdict, the bench said, while referring to the August 2012 judgement by which the Sahara Group was asked to make refund to the investors. Sibal said the court should refrain from passing any order as the review petition against the August 2012 judgment was pending and he would demonstrate the error on the face of the records. The bench, which was not impressed with his contentions, said, You talk about the attachment of the property. We have no option. You give the list of unencumbered properties which are good enough to bring Rs 14,000 crore. Then we will let you (take back) the Aamby Valley (property) and we will hear you. The bench also said the question of consideration of the interest amount would be taken up after the principal amount has been realised. When the Sahara Group pleaded that it should be given an opportunity to explain its case to satisfy the court that its orders were erroneous, the bench said, There is no question of going back. Sibal submitted that there was a need for breathing time for making the payment and contended that no bank or investor was claiming the money from Sahara Group. The senior advocate also raised the issue of demonetisation and liquidity crunch in generating the money. It was following this submission, that the bench asked him to make effort for public auction of the unencumbered properties and expressed its intention of seeking placing a list of properties which are free from litigation and mortgage. While the bench was deliberating on the issue of the list of properties and wanted to know about the Aamby Valley, senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, and SEBI counsel, said the hill resort was approximately worth Rs 39,000 crore. The bench noted that the SEBI counsel and Naphade were of the view that the Aamby Valley property was substantial for realising the amount and they favoured its attachment as such a move would press Roy and other directors to endeavour for depositing the amount in the SEBI-Sahara account. This was opposed by Sibal. However, the bench said, it was convinced that the property should be ordered to be attached. During the hearing, Sibal said if the bench was dealing with the issue of Aamby Valley what was the need for seeking a list of properties. When he raised the issue of demonetisation and sought more time to arrange the money, the bench said, Either you speed up or we will go for your property. We are talking about attachment when we have no option. So, give us the list of properties which are good enough to bring Rs 14,000 crore, it said. The bench had at the last hearing granted liberty to the Sahara Group chief to transfer 35 million pounds, equivalent to Rs 285 crore, deposited in a bank in London to SEBI-Sahara account as part of Rs 60-crore payment required to be made. That order was complied with on Monday. The apex court had on November 28 last year asked Roy to deposit Rs 600 crore more by February 6 in the SEBI-Sahara refund account to remain out of jail and warned that failure to do so would result in his return to prison. The apex court had on May 6, 2016 granted a four-week parole to Roy to attend the funeral of his mother. His parole has been extended by the court ever since. Roy was sent to Tihar Jail on March 4, 2014. During the last hearing, the bench had scrutinised the repeated extension of Roy's parole and said too much indulgence had been shown to him by the court. Besides Roy, two other directors -- Ravi Shankar Dubey and Ashok Roy Choudhary --were arrested for the failure of Sahara group two companies -- Sahara India Real Estate Corporation (SIRECL) and Sahara Housing Investment Corp Ltd (SHICL) -- to comply with the court's August 31, 2012 order to return Rs 24,000 crore to their investors. However, woman director Vandana Bhargava was not taken into custody. 'Modi followed a prime minister whose second term was marked by such tragic passivity that Indians, it would seem, are willing to go to great pains to help this one realise his ambitions for them,' says Vikram Johri. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com The News Minute reported of an old woman in Kerala who learnt only in the new year, that is after the deadline to exchange them had passed, that old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 were no longer legal tender. Sathi Bai, who lives all alone in Ernakulam district, told the online news outlet: 'I don't have electricity here. I don't need it. I have no idea how to use a television... never used a phone either in my life.' When Sathi reached the SBI branch she receives her pension in, she was told that the bag of old notes she had brought could not be accepted. Luckily for her, the police intervened and they are now in touch with the income tax department to help her convert her currency. Sathi's case may be extreme but her dilemma is hardly different from that faced by many in the days since November 8, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled his grand design to rid India of a host of evils. For two months, we have seen long queues outside banks, harried customers and bank staff, but perhaps most damagingly, a government and RBI unable to contain the chaos unleashed by demonetisation. ,font size=7>We have been told this is being done to rid the country of corruption and terrorism. Indeed, there are reports that hawala transactions have gone down and that terror funding -- in both Kashmir and the Naxal heartland -- has dried up. Belatedly, the government also evangelised the benefits of digital payments, of how less cash in the system will force people to adopt mobile wallets and online money transfer. But none of this takes away from the deep pain the exercise has wrought. Scores in the informal sector have been affected and the GDP is expected to go south of 7 per cent for this financial year. More worryingly, the hallowed aim of rooting out corruption may remain unrealised. Much black money has been laundered in return for stiff fees charged by some unscrupulous bankers. Even as the queues outside banks lengthened, new notes made their way to those capable of meeting the asking price. If this had been another prime minister, the gamble would have backfired badly. But Modi benefits from more than charismatic leadership. He followed a prime minister whose second term was marked by such tragic passivity that Indians, it would seem, are willing to go to great pains to help this one realise his ambitions for them. Modi is also -- and this has been proved repeatedly since his Gujarat days -- politically astute. For a while, it was believed that protests against demonetisation were not happening because there was no cash to go around (and in our society, even protests must bow to the power of pelf before they can be 'spontaneous'). But as the days went by, it became clear that there was genuine support for the move among the poor, even as they suffered hardships far greater than merely waiting in lines. Ironically, the dominant narrative in the media -- of people suffering inside and outside banks for days on end -- fed into what some commentators uncharitably called schadenfreude. These commentators failed to see that to the poor man, lines are a symbol of access. Used as he is to being denied entry, he finds it unfathomable that people should complain about being made to wait. Perhaps there was some glee, too, at the sight of others, better off than him by orders small and large, scrambling to ensure that their currency remains usable. But who can blame him? We reserve our empathy for those who face our problems. It is this poor man and his ilk that are likely to vote Modi back to power should the prime minister manage to keep the issue alive over the next two-and-a-half years. Modi has brilliantly diffused, and even at times valiantly adopted, barbs directed at him. In the popular imagination, he remains the chaiwallah, the outsider who stormed the pearly gates of Lutyens' Delhi and who will not rest till he recasts his country and society in his image. He is here for the long haul, a fact that gets lost in the heat of politics. He outgrew his blackened past to emerge the national leader. Now, he has jettisoned his 'minimum government' agenda under the guise of cleansing India. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was famously known as the man to whom no charge stuck. Modi has done one better, wrapping his idiosyncratic experiments in the gloss of change. For a long-suffering nation, his words are music. For a democratic one, they are ominous. Kindly check out More Fascinating Features in the Related Links below! 'On the one hand, they are targeting NGOs that are doing development work, accusing them of accepting foreign funds by bypassing rules, and on the other they are allowing political parties to take foreign funds.' Presenting the Budget on February 1, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced that political parties will not be allowed to accept donations of more than Rs 2,000 in cash from an individual donor. Earlier, parties could receive cash donations of up to Rs 20,000. On the face of it, the move is aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in donations received by political parties. Lawyer and political activist Prashant Bhushan speaks to Veenu Sandhu about whether this will indeed serve the purpose. Will reducing the limit of cash donation make political funding transparent? Nothing will come out of this because once the parties don't have to declare who has given them the cash or how many people have given them the cash, they can declare a consolidated amount. For example, earlier they would say Rs 1,000 crore received in small donations under Rs 20,000. Now they will say Rs 1,000 crore received in small donations under Rs 2,000. So, it is not going to make any difference whether the limit is Rs 20,000 or Rs 2,000 or even Rs 1,000, Rs 500 or Rs 100. The Election Commission had recommended bringing down the limit to Rs 2,000 without understanding that it is not going to make any difference. On top of this, the whole business of allowing electoral bonds makes it even more anonymous. With this, the names of even those people who donate large amounts, say Rs 1 lakh or Rs 5 lakh or Rs 10 crore, will not be known. How will electoral bonds make the system more opaque? The identity of the person who donates money through these bonds does not have to be disclosed by the political party. The party too need not know who the holder of that bond is. This then makes the identity of the donor anonymous, at least to the voter, the citizen. Only the issuing bank might know who the donor is, but that;s about it. There is also no limit to the amount one can donate through electoral bonds. So the whole objective is to conceal this from the people. Jaitley's speech said that there have been complaints that donors are hounded or harassed; therefore, to conceal the identity of these donors, we are introducing these bonds. Bonds may have to be purchased through cheques or digital accounts, but that will only be known to the banks that have issued those bonds. The bonds themselves will not reveal the identity of the donor. Therefore, when you make a donation to a political party through these bonds, it becomes an anonymous donation so far as that political party is concerned. That's why it makes the funding more opaque. Even the Election Commission will not come to know the identity of the donor. Through a new amendment to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, the government has also allowed foreign companies to donate to political parties. How will this impact political funding? This effectively allows political parties to accept foreign funding through subsidiaries of foreign companies in India. This way they have made political funding more opaque and more amenable to foreign influence, while trying to project that they are all for transparency by the gimmick of reducing the limit on cash donations. These foreign companies can also buy bonds, in which case their identity remains concealed. What would be an effective alternative? The government is talking about shifting towards a cashless economy. In that case, all transactions should be through the bank, even for political funding. If they were serious about bringing about transparency, they should have said that there will be no donations whatsoever through cash. In that case, everything, down to the last paisa, would have been accounted for. It appears the whole objective of this plan -- of amending the Act -- was to allow foreign funding to political parties. On the one hand, they are targeting NGOs that are doing development work, accusing them of accepting foreign funds by bypassing rules, and on the other they are allowing political parties to take foreign funds. In effect, they are giving foreign companies the power to call the shots in a political party. There have been repeated demands to bring political parties under the ambit of the Right to Information Act. The Chief Information Commissioner had said that all political parties should come under the Right to Information Act. Yet, no political party has implemented this, or even agreed to implement it. No political party has appointed a public information commissioner. The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is claiming to be leading from the front, is also conspicuous in not doing this. This government has been the worst offender. It wants political parties to take foreign funds. It wants no transparency in political funding. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, and Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah. An Afghan diplomat was on Monday shot dead by a security guard following an altercation between the two inside the Afghan Consulate in this Pakistani port city. Private security guard Hayatullah Khan opened fire on the third secretary, Zaki Abdu, in the lobby of the Consulate in the high-security Clifton area after a personal disagreement between the two, according to the Deputy Inspector General South Azad Khan. "There is no terrorism element in this sad incident," DIG Khan said. "This is not a premeditated act neither a terrorist act. The guard opened fire on the spur of the moment after he lost his temper following an argument with the deceased over timings," the police official said. "We have checked the CCTV cameras and recorded eyewitness statements," he said. The diplomat killed was the brother of Mohammad Abdul, an MP from northern Balkh province, Afghanistan's Tolo News reported. Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was quoted by Khaama Press as saying that a delegation comprising of officials from the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad and Pakistani officials has been formed to probe the incident. A statement by MoFA said the delegation has been sent to Karachi city to jointly probe the killing of diplomat. The Afghan Consulate is located in the heavily secured and posh area of Clifton and the provincial government has deputed security outside the building. There are a number of other foreign consulates in the area and also the Bhutto family's residence is situated in the locality. Khan said Hayatullah has been taken into custody and investigations have begun. The guard was an Afghan national employed by the Consulate. Police cleared the Consulate building for resumption of work after a thorough search. Security of the area has been increased after the incident, a Sindh government official said. Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal was quoted by The Express Tribune as saying that it was not an act of terrorism. "It seems to be a personal dispute related criminal act," Zakhilwal said. The Afghan envoy said the firing inside the Afghan Consulate in Karachi at around 12:30 pm was carried out by an Afghan guard inside the compound resulting in the fatality of one of the diplomats. IMAGE: Ducks walk in front of the Afghan consulate, where a paramilitary soldier stands guard after an Afghan diplomat was shot dead on Monday in the consulate in Karachi. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/ Reuters The Opposition in Rajya Sabha on Monday took the government to task for ignoring the woes of the common man hit hard by demonetisation and attacked Bharatiya Janata Party members for only painting a rosy picture to the prime minister as they were scared. Congress leader Rajeev Shukla, participating in a debate on the Motion of Thanks for Presidents address, said it was a disappointment as there was nothing new in it. He said every speaker from the ruling BJP was only painting a rosy picture to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the demonetisation move as everyone is scared. While speaker after speaker from the government side have spoken about how people were happy with the note ban, the same leaders when they met privately over a cup of tea in Parliaments Central Hall spoke about the problems being faced by the people. I can understand when people are scared of losing their jobs. But it is the responsibility of the MPs to tell the prime minister the truth, he said. Maintaining that small traders, farmers and unorganised sector workers have been hit very hard, he pointed out that despite there being no religious festival, trains to Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal were crowded as people were going back after losing their jobs in cities and rural areas of North India. Noting that the manufacturing sector has also been hit hard, he said alluded to inspector raj and said on top of it, the government has ensured that one inspector is put behind each manufacturer. If they (manufacturers) are running away, how will you provide jobs? Observing that the Presidents address had referred to the cross-border surgical strike, he said three such operations were carried out during the Congress-led rule which were spoken about only by a former Army chief and the Foreign Office. Given the level of publicity, I thought it was like they had reached Islamabad, Shukla said Even when Indira Gandhi fought the 1971 war, there was no such publicity, he said, adding that the Modi government was interested only in publicity and does it so much that it becomes over-publicity. Shuklas contentions received support from other Opposition members, including Sanjay Seth (Samajwadi Party) and Sharad Yadav (Janata Dal-United). Shukla also said the government has systematically downgraded the relevance of various institutions like the Planning Commission and now nobody knows what happens where. The Congress member also criticised the governments foreign policy saying relations have deteriorated with all neighbouring countries and the hugs between Modi and the Pakistan prime minister also did not help. He spoke of the need for accountability in judiciary, an issue which was also supported by JD-Us Sharad Yadav, who went a step further and asked why there was no reservation in the Supreme Court. Shukla also referred to Indo-US relations saying the new American President has come out with rules which will affect Indian companies and asked the Modi government to take it up with Washington. He was supported by SP leader Sanjay Seth who also spoke on the same issue and highlighted how the farmers and common man have been affected by demonetisation. Yadav spoke of the affects of demonetisation on the poor people and said land of tribals was being taken away and the government remained unresponsive. The government has many schemes but not everything reaches the people, he said and cited figures on representation of SCs, STs and OBCs in institutions and universities. He said social disparity was the root cause of economic disparity. Yadav also spoke on the Kashmir issue and said the government should talk to various sections to ensure that the state does not face problems again. Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury attacked the government on a variety of issues, including demonetisation and religious intolerance and said the Presidents address had failed to mention a single word on over 100 lives lost during the demonestisation move. Normally the Honourable President is very fond of using three Ds to describe parliament democracy -- debate, discussion and decision, and not disruption. That is his fond philosophy, Yechury said. However, unfortunately, the irony is that he read out a speech which also has three Ds. These three Ds are not what he is fond of, but are Deception, Disruption and Diversion which are leading up to a diabolic agenda which is being unfolded, the CPI-M general secretary said. Invoking Guru Ramanuja and Sikh Guru Gobind Singh, Yechury attacked the government for building an atmosphere of fear and religious intolerance in the country. If you do not believe in my god, you are not part of India. That is what has been happening in the country, he said. Citing Gobind Singh, he said the Guru had introduced the kirpan (knife) to protect the poor and the weak from all kinds of religious and casteist oppression. Now what do we have in our country where the kirpan was meant to defend the poor and oppressed from religious persecution, Yechury asked, adding that in the past year, there have been greater atrocities against minorities with official patronage. He called the demonetisation drive of the government as the biggest disruption which has affected the normal existence of the vast majority of people and their livelihood. None of the four points which the PM listed for undertaking the initiative have been achieved and, on the contrary, many things have been endorsed and legalised, he said. There is more money than that was demonetised that has come to your banks. Now what does that mean? All your black money has now been converted into white, all the counterfeit currency has been legalised, Yechury said. Attacking the note ban move, he said the prime ministers assertion that it will impact terror funding has not yielded any result. After the surgical strike.. the number of our jawans who have laid down their lives in terrorist attacks has doubled in these three months as compared to three months earlier, he said. In the Presidents address, there was no mention of over 100 people dying in queues while trying to take out their own money from banks during demonetisation. All these deaths of innocent people have been put aside as a sacrifice for a big thing that was being achieved, Yechury said. Explaining the impact on the overall economy of the country, he said around 45 per cent of the countrys gross domestic product is controlled by informal economy, which also employs around 80 per cent of the people and is almost 100 per cent cash-based. All that has been disrupted. Crores of Indians have been put to unnecessary disruption as a result of this, he said, adding that the move has led to economic disruption. Giving examples, he said two-wheeler sales in the country have dropped by as much as 35 per cent while there has been a drop in orders for Banarasi sarees by half in the prime ministers constituency of Varanasi. Opposing payments through digital medium, Yechury asked what are you (government) doing? Giving a profit bonanza to these companies, bulk of which are foreign companies? Globally, there are three major companies who handle credit and debit cards, that is Visa, Mastercard and American Express, and if these are going to benefit from this, what is the meaning of demonetisation. In addition, India has been reduced to a subordinate strategic ally of the US and that is when Donald Trump has become the US President, the CPI-M leader said. Five lakh youths are working in the US on H-1B visas. There is complete sense of insecurity and not a single word from the government that we will protect you, he aid. What signal are you giving to the world that you are a junior partner of US in terms of containment and their policy of hegemony.. is that in our countrys interest, he asked. Commenting on public sector lenders, he said that banks have become vulnerable due to rising bad loans and added that those who looted the banks have gone scot-free and what do you do? You get after poor farmer, confiscate his property, his cattle. For the big fish, there is no way of confiscating their properties. Attacking Modi for terming SP, Congress, Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati as SCAM, he said: SCAM is battle against the Scheduled Castes and the minorities. This is what the PM and his government are doing in the country. Congress leader Ahmed Patel charged the government with indulging in vendetta politics and acting with a revengeful mindset towards the Opposition. He said the demonetisation decision was taken without thinking of the consequences. Patel also alleged that the Government had misused probe agencies in the last three years. The way appointments are being made, the heads of agencies are getting extension and being told that they will get promotion. The agency heads visit the houses of extra-constitutional authority and procure orders. What can be more shameful than this? You will know when you take out call records, Patel said. Referring to the issue of simultaneous holding of state assemblies and Lok Sabha elections, he said any decision should be taken after evolving consensus on the matter. However, he concluded by saying that he formally supports the address given by the President. Vishambar Prasad Nishad of the Samajwadi Party said the Presidents address was full of false promises and farmers are feeling cheated. He asserted that post demonetisation, the state of agriculture has worsened and that farmers were unable to sell the produce and not even able to get the input cost. V Vijayaasai Reddy (Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party) said there was not even an iota of reference to special category status to Andhra Pradesh in the Presidents address. He pointed out that the assurance to grant special category status to the divided Andhra Pradesh was given by then prime minister Manmohan Singh. What will be the recourse when decision of Union cabinet is not implemented? I am raising a question of law, he said and asked what is the sanctity of a Union cabinet decision? Reddy demanded that the government should introduce an amendment to set a timeline for Speaker to dispose off the cases related to anti-defection. He also asked the government to bring and implement women reservation Bill. Joy Abraham (Kerala Congress-Mani) criticised the government for naming all the central programmes in Hindi. For every scheme of central government if it is in Hindi, there should be an English equivalent to it. He also sought a separate Railway Budget like the earlier practice. Satyanarain Jatiya (Bharatiya Janata Party) complimented the governments programmes for all-round development of the people, while Rajni Patil (Congress) asked the government to inform the House how much black money has come back into the system and how much has terrorism declined post-demonetisation. She also demanded bringing of the Women's Reservation Bill. D Srinivas (Telangana Rashtra Samiti) spoke about a raw deal to Telangana in the Budget and sought help from the Centre for the development of the new state. The discussion remained inconclusive and will continue on Tuesday. Seeking to clear the air on the health of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa when she was rushed to the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai on September 22 last year, the British doctor who treated her asserted that she was conscious while being brought in an ambulance from her home. The late chief minister was on and off ventilator and often also interacted after being admitted for fever and dehydration, Richard Beale told a news conference. Beale was flanked by P Balaji of Madras Medical College and K Babu of Apollo Hospitals, who had signed in election forms on which her thumb impression was taken. This was for nominating All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidates for elections to two seats and a bypoll to one segment last year. Rs 5.5 cr Approximate cost of Jayalalithaas hospitalisation and treatment Beale clarified that it was possible for sepsis, the bodys response to infection, to spread fast and damage other organs though Jayalalithaa showed signs of recovery during her 75-day stay at the Apollo Hospitals. On the day she was admitted she became short of breath at home and very short of breath when the ambulance brought her to the hospital... there was an infection resulting in damage to organs and contributing to shortness of breath. He said at that time it was not clear what the source of infection was but subsequent tests showed there was indeed infection in her blood. So bacteria was going from the blood and that was where the infection was identified and resulted in her general poor condition, he said. It was known that Jayalalithaa was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, he said. When asked about why no pictures of Amma were released, the doctor said that they did not allow release of information about patients who are critical. It is not normal practice to take photos and publish private details. It is an intrusion into her privacy, he said. On the final moments of Jayalalithaa, Dr Beale said it was a completely unexpected collapse. Why it happened we dont know, except that Jayalalithaa was of mature years with chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, with recovering sepsis and an infection in the heart, he said. The doctors said AIADMK general secretary Sasikala and other top state officials were briefed on a daily basis about the progress in treatment. They said there was no political pressure to hold the press conference. Beale said Governor Ch Vidyasagar Roa, on his second visit, had gone into the intensive care unit and flashed a thumbs-up to Jayalalithaa which she responded to. Beale further explained that Jayalalithaa was diagnosed with Septicemia. Sepsis can come on extremely quickly, and its consequences can be severe, he said, adding that diabetes and high blood pressure had increased her vulnerability. Dr Babu and Dr Balaji said she was admitted with uncontrolled diabetes alongside septicaemia and the best of treatment was given. They, along with Beale, said that when admitted, Jayalalithaa had fever and dehydration and when evaluated, it was also found that her sugar levels were uncontrolled. She also had urinary infection and since it was sepsis increased, it had cascading effects. She was treated with non-invasive ventilation which involves putting a mask to the face. Her condition improved somewhat initially and she was conscious and responding. Unfortunately as the sepsis progressed she got more tired she was put on ventilator fully, they said. Dr Balaji reiterated that he attested the signature of Jayalalithaa for the bypoll papers and it was witnessed by Dr Babu. She was conscious when she put her thumb impression, I spoke to her, he said. She could not sign the papers as her hand was inflamed due to administration of IV fluids, he added. Dr Balaji also said that no amputation was carried out on Jayalalithaas legs during her 75 days in hospital. No amputation was done and no transplantation (of any sort) was done, he said, when asked on claims that Jayalalithaas legs were removed. He said the late chief minister had her legs intact till the end. It may be recalled that senior counsel K M Vijayan, who appeared for AIADMK worker Joseph last month, had told the Madras high court that people were worried about the secrecy surrounding Jayalalithaas death and wanted to know whether her leg was amputated during treatment prior to her passing away. The court was hearing a PIL seeking a judicial inquiry into the circumstances leading to her death. Prof Dr Sudha Seshaiyan of the Madras Medical College, who oversaw the late chief ministers embalming procedure, said she had found no deep marks on Jayalalithaas cheek, as claimed by some social media users. Images that purport to show dots on Jayalalithaas cheek have been widely shared on social media. I did check, there were no deep dots (on cheek)...I cannot say why such dots appeared deep in social media (videos), Dr Seshaiyan told reporters. However, Dr Beale sought to clarify that critically ill patients often have some markings on their face. When asked why Jayalalithaas photograph is not being released, he said, It is absolutely not a normal practice to photograph people who are critically ill. He said there was no CCTV footage of Jayalalithaa getting treated. Seshaiyan said that normal embalming procedure was followed to preserve the body. She said the procedure that began on the midnight of December 5 was completed in 15 minutes and was done to prevent the body from deteriorating. As many as 5.5 litres of embalming liquid were used to preserve Jayalalithaas body, she said. Image: A supporter of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa cries as she attends a prayer ceremony at the AIADMK party office. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters -- Inputs from Agencies The Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board, the BJP's brainchild, has been able to create only 1,500 jobs, reports Sohini Das. Goans want jobs, simply put, this is at the heart of assembly elections in India's smallest state. While every political party has promised to create jobs and make Goa unemployment-free in the next five years, looking at things on the ground, it all seems uphill. Sample this: The Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board, the Bharatiya Janata Partys brainchild to attract fresh investments and make way for smooth clearances, has been able to create only 1,500 jobs in the past few years. While 151 projects were sanctioned with an investment commitment of Rs 11,482 crore and employment generation potential for 25,980 people, only 16 projects have been completed and 25 are under execution. Manohar Parrikar, former Goa chief minister, said there is a potential of at least 24,000 jobs through the projects approved by IP&FB. 'Skill enhancement is thus our focus,' he said. Unemployment in Goa is 9.6 per cent (going by the 2015-2016 Union labour ministry report), much higher than its neighbouring states: Gujarat 0.9 per cent), Karnataka 1.5 per cent, and Maharashtra 2.1 per cent. Even after the Supreme Court lifted the mining ban in 2014, Goas rural unemployment was 13.8 per cent in 2015-16. Unavailability of land for new projects is the biggest hurdle to employment. R S Kamat, director general, Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, pointed out that a huge amount of land is locked in eight scrapped special economic zone projects. While 20 industrial estates in Goa (plotted and developed by the Goa Industrial Development Corporation) have a total landmass of 17,418,000 square metres, the eight SEZs alone have around 3,556,000 square metres of land, he said. In a state which has total land area of 3,702 square kilometres, including sensitive coastal belts where environmental regulations do not allow development to take place, land is indeed a precious asset. Government sources indicated GIDC is now working on a plan to release land in its existing industrial estates by reducing compulsory provision of 15 per cent open area. From 15 per cent, it would be brought down to 7.5 per cent, thus releasing 7.5 per cent of the 17,418,000 square metres of land for expansion of existing projects, said a senior official. The state government has also stepped up plans for acquiring 150,000 square metres of land for new industries. While the state administration is trying to bring in more private investment in Goa, Goans prefer government jobs to private ones. There are around 50,000 public servants in Goa for a population of 1.4 million; that roughly works out to one public servant for every 28 people in the state. Tapping this sentiment, political parties have extended the age for securing a government job in Goa to 45 years. But, there is hardly any hope for new job creation in the government. As for private sector units, the typical size of industry here is Rs 100 crore to Rs 500 crore with job opportunities for 500 to 1,000 people at best, informs Kamat. Goans, as such, are not for heavy industries, which is why there are no steel units here despite availability of iron ore. The Electronic City at Tuem, and the information technology park at Chimbel, are expected to create 15,000 to 20,000 jobs. Goans are banking on these two projects to bring back those who had left for greener pastures. Assembly Elections Coverage: Uttar Pradesh ' Punjab ' Goa ' Uttarakhand ' Manipur Representative Image: Reuters Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao on Monday accepted the resignation of Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, clearing the decks for V K Sasikla to take over the top post. Panneerselvam had resigned on Sunday citing personal reasons. His resignation came after All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief Sasikala was elected the Legislature Party Leader. I hereby accept your resignation and the resignation of your Council of Ministers tendered vide your letter dated February 5, 2017, Rao told Panneerselvam. In a letter addressed to the chief minister and released by the Raj Bhavan, Rao also asked Panneerselvam and his Cabinet to function until alternate arrangements are made. In his resignation letter addressed to the Governor on Sunday, he had said, Due to my personal reasons, Im tendering my resignation from the post of chief minister of Tamil Nadu. Kindly accept my resignation and relieve the Council of Ministers of Tamil Nadu appointed by me on December 6, 2016, he said. Panneerselvam was appointed chief minister on the night of December 5 within hours of the death of his predecessor J Jayalalithaa. Incidentally, he had proposed the name of Sasikala for the top post at the AIADMK MLAs meeting held at the party headquarters on Sunday. Image: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam leaves after attending the partys MLAs meeting in Chennai on Sunday. Photograph: R Senthil Kumar/PTI Photo StanChart India CEO Zarin Daruwala is building a culture of 'celebrating liabilities,' the tough negotiator tells Niraj Bhatt and Anup Roy over lunch. Illustration: Dominic XavierRediff.com Zarin Daruwala, who took over as Standard Chartered Banks India head in April 2016, has had an eventful nine months. The first thing she did after taking charge was to work with a consulting firm on the bank's future strategy. The strategy includes firing up the retail engine, starting off technology investments and improving productivity and customer service. She has also been busy leveraging her network in the corporate world and convincing promoters to sell assets to address the bank's stressed loan problem. Like all other bankers, she too got busy with demonetisation since November. As she is pressed for time, we agree to her request of having lunch at her office in Bandra Kurla Complex. Standard Chartered Bank, which has presence in 70 countries, has changed since new Chief Executive Bill Winters took over in mid-2015. Winters did away with verticals reporting to global heads, and gave more operational responsibility to the country CEO. We settle down in Godavari, one of the bank's conference rooms, and start on the Caesar salad. We ask her how difficult the switch was from her first job at ICICI Bank -- where she worked for 26 years -- to Standard Chartered. "It was smooth as I wasn't changing my industry; I only moved from one bank to another," says Daruwala. At a time when other foreign banks in India are scaling down on retail, StanChart's plan has put retail as the critical piece, with a large proportion of the 800 new hires in that segment. Daruwala explains the reason: "It's very different for other banks and us. India is among the top four markets for StanChart, and it is meaningful in the bank's scheme of things globally. While other foreign banks have current and savings accounts (CASA) of over 50 per cent, for StanChart it is only 35 per cent. Daruwala is trying to push this figure up, but says that it is a long journey. "Low CASA results in higher cost of funds, and that leads to adverse selection of loans," she says. The organisation was asset-centric, and she is trying to change it to liabilities first and building a culture of "celebrating liabilities." The bank has set its plan in motion to improve retail, with concrete targets every six months. "The brand, after all, is strong in India. All it needs is tapping the retail market aggressively," she says. Her mobile phone rings, she excuses herself and says it's her son calling from the US. A first year engineering student, he is leaving for India for the first time, the same day, and needs to consult her about the immigration formalities. Daruwala breaks into Gujarati, and mildly scolds him for staying up till 3 am. Technology, which was earlier centralised globally, now has a country and a sector element. Besides, the unified payment interface, IMPS, and Bharat Bill Payment System are all India-specific elements within technology. She bumped up the tech budget for India, and made it either the first or the second country in StanChart's global map of 70 countries to pilot new products and services. Besides process change, she is also counting on end-to-end digital solutions to improve productivity. How was her experience managing demonetisation? In many ways, it would be a demonstration of her leadership. While she had managed the wholesale bank at ICICI Bank, which in itself is huge, she hadn't had much experience of retail banking. As part of the senior leadership at ICICI Bank, she was present in all the strategy meetings and had macro understanding of retail. She says that one can't have hands-on experience in everything, and adds that she has a good team at the micro level. For demonetisation, she wore her crisis management hat. "We asked the Reserve Bank of India if we could release soiled Rs 100 notes from our our currency chest; customers were happy to take them." StanChart separated queues for senior citizens, and provided for refreshments. She ordered all those at headquarters with experience of handling cash to go to the branches. "While the queues were long, it was well-organised," she says, stressing that for every five complaints from customers, she received 30 compliments. Daruwala is soft-spoken and unassuming, but her competitors and borrowers say she is an excellent negotiator and has been successful in extracting repayment from many a recalcitrant borrower. The main course of fish and chips, Thai green curry, rice and lasagna is neatly arranged in the corner of the room. Over lunch, we ask what makes her such a good negotiator. "Nobody teaches you; you observe people and learn. Chanda Kochhar is fantastic at negotiation," she fondly says of her boss of a dozen years. Notwithstanding corporate boundaries, they are still close, says Daruwala. She says one has to treat defaulters with dignity. "Most Indian promoters don't want to default. They are willing to work with bankers and more often than not ready to sell assets and repay banks," she said. However, the same set may turn hostile when bankers treat the promoters shabbily, because they have defaulted on payment. Of course, there are unscrupulous customers out there to trip the system. "They are a different breed altogether and dealing with them is always difficult. But you figure out ways, provided you are persistent enough," she says. Her skills in dealing with promoters come in handy at the bank. In a few cases, she managed to convince promoters to sell assets in the first meeting. With large corporate accounts, she personally reaches out to clients, both for getting new business and for recovering dues. "It makes a huge difference if the CEO is involved. It's symbolic too, and shows the seriousness of the bank, she says. Daruwala is good at structuring financial deals and finding innovative solutions. "I have a never-say-die attitude, she says and talks about a particular deal where one of her borrowers had put an industrial unit in the US on the block. She found an interested buyer, but he backed out, as his brother was in the same business. She met him again and convinced him to buy the asset. A rank holder in chartered accountancy and a gold medallist from ICSI, Daruwala joined ICICI Bank as a management trainee. Her parents wanted her to stay in Mumbai, and Y H Malegam, the well-known chartered accountant, recommended she join ICICI Bank, where she rose through the ranks and in 2010 went on to head the wholesale bank, which accounts for a significant proportion of ICICI's assets and profits. We are done with the main course and start on the blueberry cheesecake. We ask how she has managed her family commitments. She says that one finds solutions around situations. Her children's birthdays were celebrated on weekends, and she changed her office timings when they had exams. A rule she follows is not to carry work home or work on weekends. "Once you have accepted that your "me time' is going to be low, it's fine," she says. Please check out more interesting features in the Related Links Below! The Indian Navy wants 'day and night capable, all weather multi-role deck based combat aircraft which can be used for air defence, air-to-surface operations, buddy refuelling, reconnaissance, electronic warfare missions' from its aircraft carriers. Ajai Shukla reports. After declaring that the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft was not suitable for operations from aircraft carriers, the Indian Navy has declared its interest in buying 'approximately 57' multi-role carrier-borne fighters for deck operations. The navy's request for information, RFI, posted on the Web on January 25, does not specify whether it wants a single-engine or a twin-engine fighter. However, the expansive role capability spelt out biases the selection towards a medium-to-heavy, twin-engine fighter. 'The MRCBF are intended as day and night capable, all weather multi-role deck based combat aircraft which can be used for air defence, air-to-surface operations, buddy refuelling, reconnaissance, electronic warfare missions etc from Indian Navy aircraft carriers,' states the RFI. The RFI specifies that in its operational configuration, the MRCBF would carry four 'beyond visual range' missiles, two 'all-aspect air-to-air missiles' and a gun. The RFI asks whether the MRCBF is capable of both STOBAR (short take off but arrested recovery) as well as CATOBAR (catapult take off but arrested recovery) aircraft carriers. The navy's two current carriers -- INS Vikramaditya, which is in service; and INS Vikrant, which is being built at Cochin Shipyard Ltd -- are both STOBAR vessels. INS Vishal, which would probably be commissioned around 2030, will probably be a CATOBAR carrier. Theoretically, in the fray are six contemporary fighters. Three are twin-engine: Dassault's marine Rafale, called the Rafale M; Boeing's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet; and the Russian MiG-29K/KUB. Another three -- Lockheed Martin's F-35B and F-35C; and Swedish company Saab's Sea Gripen -- are single engine fighters. The navy has already bought 45 MiG-29K/KUB for its two current carriers and, given the problems with that fighter, will not buy more. The Rafale M and the Super Hornet are designed for CATOBAR operations, but Boeing officials say computer simulations confirm that the Super Hornet is capable of short take offs from a ski-jump. "Boeing has completed extensive analysis and done some testing on the F/A-18's compatibility with Indian carriers. We have assessed that the Super Hornet is capable of launching off a ski-jump carrier and could be operated from Indian carriers," says Pratyush Kumar, head of Boeing India. Meanwhile, development delays could rule out the two F-35 variants -- the vertical take off and landing F-35B and the catapult launched F-35C. However, Saab officials, speaking off the record, confirm emphatically that they will offer the Sea Gripen. "We have done detailed feasibility studies that encounter no problem in evolving the Gripen E into a carrier-borne fighter." Effectively, that places Saab's and Boeing's aircraft in pole position for the MRCBF. Both fighters are also in contention to be built in India to meet the IAF's requirements. The contours of the race will become clearer on May 24, when original equipment manufacturers must submit responses. Significantly, the new RFI asks OEMs whether they are willing to manufacture their fighter in India. Given the timelines for delivery -- with the first fighters to be delivered within three years of contract signature and all 57 delivered within another three years -- the OEMs will find it challenging to establish production in India with an acceptable degree of indigenisation. "We can establish an assembly facility in India within 18 to 24 months, with about 10 to 15 per cent indigenisation of the fighter. But it would take four years to get 30 per cent indigenisation, and at least seven years to indigenise 45 to 50 per cent of the fighter," says a senior official from one of the OEMs that received the RFI. The family members of Border Security Force jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav, whose social media post on 'sub-standard' food quality triggered a controversy, on Monday met the force's director general in New Delhi seeking speedy disposal of the inquiry instituted against him. Officials said that Yadav's wife Sharmila Yadav, her elder brother and ex-paramilitary association General Secretary Ranbir Singh met Border Security Force chief K K Sharma at the forces' headquarters, where they were assured that a "fair inquiry as per procedure" will be conducted in the case. They said Yadav's family had expressed desire to meet the DG following which the meeting was arranged. The BSF had recently rejected the voluntary retirement plea of Yadav. The move by the country's largest border-guarding force had not been seen kindly by Yadav's family which had alleged that the trooper was being "threatened and tortured mentally". Rejecting Yadav's plea under the voluntary retirement scheme, the BSF said that it has been "cancelled pending the court of inquiry and finalisation of its recommendations". "Cancellation of VRS was communicated to constable Yadav on January 30 evening only," the BSF said in a statement while making it clear that he "has not been arrested" as alleged by the family. Yadav's wife had claimed that her husband had called her and claimed that he was being threatened and harassed and that he has been put under arrest. Officials in the force had said that as per the laid down procedures under a court of inquiry, all witnesses in a case are questioned by the probe team till the investigation is complete. The trooper is also facing charges of indiscipline for uploading the social media post and also on various other counts and hence in such a case the privilege of granting a VRS to an employee is disallowed, they had said. A video shot by Yadav in which he was complaining about the quality of food had gone viral last month triggering a flurry of reactions with the Prime Minister's Office also seeking a detailed factual report on it from the Union home ministry and the BSF. The ministry had informed the PMO that the BSF has maintained that there was no shortage of rations at any post and that security the personnel deployed along the borders never complained about food. The border-guarding force had also came out with fresh guidelines for maintaining high quality of food for its personnel after the video went viral. Yadav, wearing uniform and carrying a rifle in the video, claimed that while the government procures essentials for them, the higher-ups and officers "sell these off" in an "illegal" manner in the market and the personnel have to suffer. He had also posted other videos in which he had claimed that the quality of food served was not good. The prospects of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary V K Sasikala's immediate swearing-in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Monday appeared remote with Governor C Vidyasagar Rao headed for Mumbai from New Delhi and not to Chennai. Amid reports that Rao was seeking legal advice before administering the oath of office to Sasikala, Maharashtra Raj Bhavan sources said he was arriving in Mumbai on Monday night. There was, however, no official word on what the Governor was exactly planning to do after the Supreme Court indicated it could deliver a judgement soon in a disproportionate assets case against Sasikala. Late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa is also an accused in the case. A conviction after being sworn in would result in Sasikala having to step down as chief minister. Meanwhile, a public interest litigation was filed in the Supreme Court seeking to restrain the swearing-in of Sasikala on Tuesday. However, the Madras University Auditorium, which had earlier hosted the swearing-in of the late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, was being reportedly spruced up for the occasion, while apparently awaiting the court directive. The party remained tight-lipped on Sasikala taking over as chief minister on Tuesday as is being widely speculated. Rao had travelled from Coimbatore to the national capital on Sunday night after Sasikala was elected leader of the AIADMK legislature party, clearing the decks for her elevation as the chief minister. Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Monday tendered his resignation and those of his ministers to Governor Rao which were accepted. A senior AIADMK source, however, indicated that all arrangements were in place in the event of the ceremony taking place on Tuesday. The PIL have been filed in the SC on the ground that the apex court was likely to pronounce within a week the judgement in a corruption case in which, apart from Jayalalithaa, Sasikala is also an accused. The PIL was filed by Chennai resident Senthil Kumar, general secretary of NGO Satta Panchayat Iyakkam, hours after the apex court indicated it could deliver its judgement on the appeals challenging the acquittal of Jayalalithaa and Sasikala in a 19-year-old disproportionate assets case. The petition is likely to be heard on Tuesday morning. Kumar, who mentioned in the plea that he will argue the matter in person, sought a stay on Sasikalas swearing-in, contending that if she was convicted and forced to resign, there was a possibility of riots erupting all over Tamil Nadu. He said law and order may worsen in such an eventuality as the state was already facing a desperate situation due to cyclone, demonetisation and death of Jayalalithaa. The petitioner claimed in case the appeal against her acquittal results in conviction, the AIADMK workers may once again protest and disturb the normal life of Tamil Nadu. The petitioner said he filed the plea in the interest of people of Tamil Nadu and to maintain the peace in the state. After Jayalalithaa passed away on December 5, 2016, Sasikala, who was her shadow for nearly three decades, was elected general secretary of AIADMK on December 29 and elected leader of its legislature party on Sunday. Jayalalitha, along with her aides Sasikala Natarajan, V N Sudhakaran and J Elavarasi, was booked under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code for amassing wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income in 1997. The trial of the case was shifted by Supreme Court to Bengaluru on a petition filed by a Dravide Munnetra Kazhagam leader and the court there had convicted them on September 27, 2014. However, the Karnataka high court had reversed the Special Court's judgment on May 11, 2015. The Karnataka government had filed an appeal in the Supreme Court, which reserved its judgment in June last year. Earlier in the day, an apex court bench headed by Justice P C Ghose asked senior advocate Dushyant Dave, representing Karnataka, to wait for a week after he made a mention before it regarding the delay in pronouncement of the verdict. The apex court had last year, before the demise of Jayalalithaa, reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions challenging the the Karnataka HC order of her acquittal. In case the Supreme Court upholds the lower court verdict, Sasikala would have to step down. Photograph: R Sentil Kumar/ PTI Photo Just days before Uttar Pradesh goes to poll for the first phase, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday moved the Election Commission against the chief secretary, the director general and the additional director general of police, demanding they be replaced in order to ensure 'free and fair elections' in the state. Along with the three top officers, the party also demanded that district magistrates of Rampur, Firozabad and Meerut should also be replaced, accusing them all of 'partisan behaviour'. A three-member delegation of the party -- Union ministers Venkaiah Naidu, Nirmala Sitharaman and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi -- met EC officials and submitted their memorandum. The recent spurt in crime wherein anti-social elements have unleashed a reign of terror 'on behalf of the ruling party' is evidence enough that the state authorities are hand-in-glove with the ruling party, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu told reporters after meeting the commission officials. "The party has filed a complaint against Uttar Pradesh chief secretary, DG and ADG (law & order) of the state police to the Election Commission, as they are indulged in partisan behaviour, they should be replaced for conducting free and fair elections in the state," Naidu said. In view of 'deteriorating' law and order, a feeling of fear has gripped the state and permeated the BJP's rank and file, Naidu said, adding these three officials and DMs of Rampur, Firozabad and Meerut, should be replaced with 'non-partisan' officers. He further said it is an 'open secret' that state DG police had also 'taken side' with one faction of the SP during party's internal fight. The selection of current DGP was controversial as he was appointed by superseding eight competent officers, the BJP claimed in its complaint to the commission. The party also demanded deployment of Central Armed Police Forces in sensitive districts. There are various DMs in the state who have been in their current posting for longer than four years, which is a clear violation of EC's norms so they all should also be replaced, the party said. Complaining that there is pattern of delay or denial in giving permissions and approvals to the partys candidates and district units, BJP said this is still going on despite an advice in this regard was issued by the state chief electoral officer. Since there is no ban on displaying party symbols on the motor vehicles for campaigning, the BJP asked the EC to issue an advisory in this regard to various state government officials, who are not allowing this. The state goes to poll in seven phases starting February 11. IMAGE: From left, Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Venkaiah Naidu and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi talk to media after meeting EC officials in New Delhi on Monday. Photograph: @MVenkaiahNaidu/ Twitter United States President Donald Trump has described the nuclear deal with Iran as "the worst" agreement ever negotiated, calling the Islamic Republic the number one terrorist state in the world. "They (Iranians) are the number one terrorist state. They're sending money all over the place -- and weapons. And can't do that," Trump told Fox News in an interview telecast during the Super Bowl tournament. Trump said the nuclear agreement with Iran was the "worst deal" that he has ever seen negotiated. "I think it was a deal that should of never been negotiated," he said. Last week, Trump administration imposed additional sanctions against Iran for its alleged destabilising behaviour in the region and ballistic missile test in alleged violationof the UN Security Council resolution. The Trump administration has also issued tough warning against Iran. "The deal that was made by the Obama administration. I think it's a shame that we've had a deal like that and that we had to sign a deal like that. And there was no reason to do it. And, if you're going to do it, have a good deal," he said. "We gave them $1.7 billion in cash, which is unheard of. We put the money up and we have really nothing to show for it," he rued. Trump did not gave a clear answer if it is possible that he would tear up the Iranian nuclear deal. "We'll see what happens," he said, adding, "I can say this, they have total disregard for our country." The US is currently moving an aircraft career in the region. ******* 'Check them VERY CAREFULLY!' Trump has asked the Department of Homeland Security to do a very "careful" checkup of those entering the country after a US court rejected a request by his administration to reinstate travel ban on citizens of seven Muslim-majority nations. The US President continued to be critical of the judge for passing an order that halted his executive order which banned people form seven countries frim entering the United States. "I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult!" Trump tweeted. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" Trump said. Earlier on Sunday, a US federal appeals court rejected a request by his administration to immediately reinstate Trump's travel ban on citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. The Justice Department had made the request with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco as part of an appeal against a lower court order halting the travel ban on people from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen. The court asked that challengers of the ban respond to the appeal, and for the Justice Department to file a counter-response. The Justice Department said it would not elevate the dispute to the Supreme Court before that. An irked President Donald Trump has hit out at a US judge who blocked his controversial travel ban on citizens from seven Muslim-majority nations, saying Americans should blame the judge and the courts if something happens. The US presidents ire was aimed at San Francisco District Judge James Robart, who put a nationwide hold on Trumps executive order barring citizens of seven countries from entering the US for 90 days, all refugees for 120 days and indefinitely halts refugees from Syria. Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! Trump tweeted, not just attacking Judge Robarts decision but going after him who may yet make more decisions on the matter this week. At the same time, Trump said that he has asked the Department of Homeland Security to do a very careful check of those entering the country after the court order. I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult! Trumps criticism comes after the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, in a brief order, denied the administrations request to set aside Robarts ruling that put a temporary hold on the ban. Trump says the 90-day travel ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, and a 120-day bar on all refugees, are necessary to protect the United States from Islamist militants. The travel restrictions have drawn protests in the US, provoked criticism from US allies and created chaos for thousands of people who have, in some cases, spent years seeking asylum. In his ruling, Robart questioned the use of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States as a justification for the ban, saying no attacks had been carried out on US soil by individuals from the seven affected countries since then. For Trumps order to be constitutional, Judge Robart said, it had to be based in fact, as opposed to fiction. In a series of tweets on Saturday, Trump had attacked the opinion of this so-called judge as ridiculous. US Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday called the rulinga wrong decision and vowed the Trump administration will take all legal means to protect the country. We believe the judge made the wrong decision, the Boston court made the right decision. Were going to continue to use all legal means at our disposal to stay that order and move forward to take the steps necessary to protect our country, Pence told Fox News. Meanwhile, CNN, quoting people close to the White House said that Trumps attacks will be a problem -- particularly as his administration shepherds his Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch toward confirmation. No one was happy the President attacked the judge, one official said. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said it was not the best idea to attack judges. I think its best not to single out judges for criticism. We all get disappointed from time to time, he said, before Trumps latest tweet. Fridays ruling has also seen visa holders from the affected nations scramble to get flights to the US, fearing they have a slim window to enter. The State Department has been reversing visa cancellations and US homeland security employees have been told by their department to comply with the ruling. The ban caused confusion at US and foreign airports when it came into force. 'A man, probably a lawyer, in black trousers and a white shirt, next to me, was talking to a woman in white.' 'My stock-taking stopped frozen in its tracks.' 'I was sitting almost right next to Indrani Mukerjea.' Rediff.com's Vaihayasi Pande Daniel spends a morning at the Sheena Bora murder trial. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com The first attempt by a court reporter greenhorn like me to attend Day One of the Indrani Mukerjea-Peter Mukerjea-Sanjeev Khanna trial for the murder of Indrani's daughter Sheena Bora ended in embarrassing failure on Wednesday, February 1. I couldn't locate the trial room. By the time, befuddled, I found the honorable Judge H S Mahajan's mostly empty courtroom -- just two clerks, one policeman along with his honour were inside, no sign of Peter or Indrani -- it was well over one hour after the designated trial time. I first awkwardly circled the corridor outside, wondering who to ask if I was in the right place and when the proceedings would begin; then spoke to the clerk in the honourable judge's chamber who directed me to go into the courtroom and finally gingerly made my way into the courtroom, under the judge's gaze. The second clerk, I asked inside, exclaimed perplexed: "Woh toh ho gaya!? Next date: 4th." On Saturday, February 4, I was determined to be early and at the right place. When I walked into Courtroom 51 on the third floor of the sessions court at Kala Ghoda, south Mumbai, half an hour before time, it was fairly full. Legal interns, lawyers, reporters and others filled the benches. I squeezed my way, as unobtrusively as possible, into a wooden bench at the back and settled down to wait patiently. I took stock of the room, and then cast a glance to the right of me. A man, probably a lawyer, in black trousers and a white shirt, next to me, was talking to a woman in white. My stock-taking stopped frozen in its tracks. I was sitting almost right next to Indrani Mukerjea. Accused Number 1 was ensconced between her lawyer and two policewomen. Behind her sat three policemen. Dressed in a white kurta, edged with lace and a translucent white salwar, a black bindi, her grey-white hair, with its red-dyed ends, pulled back with a clip, she was busy writing a statement in a neat hand on plain, lined paper. She looked slightly ethereal. Very thin, hunched. But her plain face -- no makeup, black reading glasses -- is of someone much younger and unlined. She occasionally smiled at her lawyer or a gentleman sitting behind. A young man, his British accented girlfriend/wife, who I had seen that earlier day, came in and took the bench in front. The clerk suddenly shouted, "Peter Mukerjea, call your advocate!" I realised Peter too was sitting to the right of me, separated by the policewomen from Indrani, his wife of 14 years. Peter, looking trim and fairly natty, in khakis and a crisp white shirt and a charcoal tikka on his forehead, got up to confer with the clerk. Both Peter and Indrani looked much younger than their actual ages. Perhaps, as odd as it might seem, being in jail means you end up losing weight and therefore seem young. When Peter came back, he and the young man and foreign woman began to speak. They were, it turns out, elder son Rabin Mukerjea and his wife/GF, who are based in England. An older woman entered, sat behind Peter and chatted with him over his shoulder. His sister Shangon. Murmuring continued in the court room for a while. Lawyers scurried about. Someone asked for more time. And then a little after 1 pm the judge strode out. Everyone got up, and it was over. From my ignorant eye, it seemed like it had not even begun. Later I was told that yes, legal business had been conducted. Bharat Badami, the Central Bureau of Investigation's lawyer, put it to the judge that he did not want to release his list of witnesses, meant to be the order of business on Saturday, in case any attempt was made to tamper with them. Nor did he want the witnesses' names to appear in the media. The judge retired to his chambers and a fresh date would be given. Peter, who the media calls a media baron, walked out to sit in one section of the corridor outside the courtroom, as they waited for the date. His sister took out a dabba of peeled pomegranate, from a House of Fraser plastic bag, which Peter began eating as he spoke to her, his son, d-i-l/gf, relative and lawyer. Indrani retired to another corner, never exchanging a glance with Peter, her head bowed talking and conferring with her lawyer. There was no family or friends near her. His Honour's lunch -- dal, alu curry, rice in a steel thali -- went by. A chai boy in a maroon uniform handed out little plastic cups of chai to all. I realised that Sanjeev Khanna, Accused No 2 and Indrani's husband No 2, had to be somewhere. As well as the driver Shyamvar Rai. The driver, I was told, because he had turned approver in the case, would be brought to court another day. Khanna was standing outside with a chatty friend and a young man, presumably a relative. Dressed in a green cotton shirt and black pants, thin, slightly hunch backed, unshaven, Khanna was not hard to miss. Unlike the more perhaps self assured Peter, the Kolkata businessman does not have a presence and is a sort of self effacing, easy-going man it would seem. He had with him two plastic bags -- one with papers, another with toiletries, with a box of earbuds visible. Snippets of conversation wafted in the air, some emanating from journalists, some emanating from others. Someone said Peter is writing a book. And that several journalists are too. Someone spoke about the value of infamy and how it should be used. There was a reference to the Talwar trial. In India the faces of the well-to-do always look faintly familiar. You actually don't know them. But then you also do -- everyone wears similar clothes, similar perfumes, speak in similar accents about similar things and have the same air of prosperity. Twelve policemen, three women, as different from the well-heeled lot, as chalk and cheese, floated about. The posse of three or four policemen, one with handcuffs guarding Peter, seemed upset. One spoke angrily in Marathi to a senior officer, gesturing at Peter. Peter had apparently complained about them earlier, saying the police guards didn't cooperate. The policemen, perhaps in retaliation, kept attempting to herd Peter and Sanjeev back to the prison bus more quickly than perhaps was customary. But Peter kept resisting, saying he had to read and sign papers with his lawyer even as he continued to snack on the pomegranate. Finally, Sanjeev was sent down. He hugged his friend/relative and shuffled off. Peter followed about 40 minutes later. He kissed his family and headed back to the Arthur Road jail in central Mumbai. Indrani was brought down last. She too walked off to another bus, headed to the women's prison in Byculla, central Mumbai, unhugged by family or friends. 'Politics is about caste in Eastern UP and religion in Western UP.' Travelling on a UP government bus in Western Uttar Pradesh, Rediff.com's Archana Masih gets a sense of the fault lines in this election's most volatile region -- that can make or break the future of political parties in UP. Photographs: Seema Pant IMAGE: Passengers on a UP Roadways bus from Dehradun, Uttarakhand, to Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Without any broken windows or ripped seats, the on-and-off bumpy ride in a UP Roadways government bus required the constant clutching of the bar on the seat ahead, but barring the peanut shells littered on the floor, it was fairly clean and comfortable. With instructions written in Hindi about not putting any body part outside the window and a toll free number for reporting any complaints about the driver in case he was drunk or driving rashly or misbehaving, the bus made its way through North India's fog. Full to almost capacity -- including bundles of vegetables in the last rows -- there were several women and a single girl sitting with earphones in the first seat by the gate. "It is safe. Girls travel in the bus till late in the evening. There are two lady conductors on this route," says Brijesh, the conductor, a temporary staffer of UP Roadways, visibly upset about not being made permanent 10 years after being hired. Inducted into the department under the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party regime, he was earlier paid 32 paise per kilometre which was raised to Rs 1.17 paise per km 5 to 6 years ago, he says. He does around 2 to 3 daily trips for two days, then takes a break for two days, thus covering 850 odd kms in a couple of days. Calculating the number of days, he works, he makes around Rs 10,000 odd a month. "Akhilesh Yadav has improved the big roads and improved the quality of buses, but the smaller roads on the bus routes need to be worked upon. But what I find deeply upsetting is that though the temporary staff put in more hours, those who were hired after me have been made permanent," he says, dejection writ large over his face. "I gave them training and today they earn more. I have to call them sahab, sahab." The job is a majboori, he continues. "Whatever dreams I had have been crushed." IMAGE: A battery operated rickshaw in Chhutmalpur, Saharanpur district, Western Uttar Pradesh. Dejected as he is and not interested in politics, he is going to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party because that's what people around him have been saying. O P Garg, a retired school principal, in the seat behind, says it is Narendra Modi's image that will still dominate the BJP's poll narrative. "He works harder, you can't even work like he does. He is able to communicate his message to the people clearly. I have not seen a leader like him. He has impressed me," says the teacher, folding the Hindi newspaper he has been reading. IMAGE: A glimpse of Chhutmalpur, Saharanpur district, Western Uttar Pradesh. The BJP won only one assembly seat in Saharanpur district in 2012, but in the Lok Sabha election of 2014, it won the Saharanpur Lok Sabha seat with a lead in five of the seven assembly segments -- and swept western UP. "Notebandi ki barf to bas kala dhan walo par padi hai (the avalanche of demonetisation has fallen on black money hoarders), even if you had 1.5 lakhs, where was the problem? You could just go and deposit the money, koi dikkat nahi," the teacher adds. Giving us an example of how Modi is bringing change directly to the people, he says earlier you could not get a gas cylinder in time even if it was in your name. "Now even if you book it online at 1 am, the cylinder will be at your doorstep in two days, that's the biggest change in my personal experience." Uttar Pradesh is a large state and can't be expected to vote in a uniform pattern, especially in a state election. "Purab mein jati ki rajniti aur paschim mein dharm ki (Politics in eastern UP is based on caste, while in western UP it is religion)," says Ravindra Mishra, a shopkeeper in Chhutmalpur. The deep polarisation of the Hindu-Muslim vote in the shadow of the Muzaffarnagar riots in 2013 propelled the BJP to power with the party winning 71 of UP's 80 Lok Sabha seats. The religious dynamics once again remain a potent factor. Even though Hindus are in a majority, the percentage of Muslims is higher in Western UP than in the rest of the state. The mandir and masjid share a common wall in the small town of Chhutmalpur in the Behat assembly constituency, surrounded by factories, but it does not take time for a clash between the two communities to take a communal turn in the region, says Sahil Kakkar, a young shopkeeper selling wedding decorations in Punjabi market. "The reputation of Western UP has fallen to such depths that people don't want to marry their daughters in this area. The law and order situation is not good," says his father, who has lived in the town all his life. "Though the girls' families don't say it upfront, in between the lines, my reading is that they don't want to send their daughters this side," Mr Kakkar adds. Dismissing his father's observation by a wave of his hand, Sahil says Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has projected himself as a pro-development, forward looking leader, but this part of UP, bordering Uttarakhand, is like the step child. "Nothing has changed here. We seem to be too far from Akhilesh's sight," says Sahil, whose brothers work in Chandigarh and Mumbai. IMAGE: A newspaper vendor inside the bus that had several students getting off at colleges en route to Saharanpur. The significance of the area is representative of the fact that Saharanpur, the district HQ, is where Modi began his UP election campaign. It was also a venue for Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's khat sabha. With nearly 42% Muslims and 22% Dalits, it has been a BSP stronghold. The BSP won four of 7 assembly seats in the district in 2012. The BSP has not lost Behat, the assembly constituency where Chhutmalpur lies, since 2002. However, two BSP candidates have left the party to join the BJP. Four of the 7 BJP candidates in the area have come from other parties. "Mayawati's core vote bank will largely remain intact," says Professor Maurya, who teaches chemistry at a local college. "Let's see who the Muslims will vote for? BSP or the SP-Congress alliance this time." In its seat sharing alliance, the Congress received more seats than the SP in the area and is eyeing the Muslim vote, just like the BSP. With the election on February 15, people are still to make up their mind and it is to be seen which way the vote will shift. "The Congress was such a big party and it has been reduced to a junior role with the SP in UP," says Ravindra Mishra, whose father is the only one in the family who might vote for the Congress because he is still connected with that old Congress "vichardhara" (way of thinking) "Rahul ki baton se koi jud nahi raha hai, par yeh bhi nahi keh sakte ki BJP jeetegi (people are not able to connect with Rahul but neither can the BJP can be sure of a win)," Mishra says, ruing the fact that very few politicians wear khadi kurta-pyjama, preferring the ones sold in malls instead. "Choti ki takkar hai yaha," he adds, "(it will be a narrow finish here)." KABUL, Afghanistan -- An advocacy group campaigning for promoting womens rights in Afghanistan says violence against women is on the rise in the country. The Afghan Womens Network says a recent spikesex in the reported cases of violence against women shows they are not safe anywhere in the country and are subject to rising violence and atrocities. The group says it recorded seven cases of severe violence against women in various Afghan provinces last week. According to a statement by Afghan Womens Network, the rise is worrying despite existing legal protections and a robust womens rights campaign by civil society organizations. Nilofar Sherzad, in charge of advocacy at the Afghan Womens Network, wants the Afghan government to be more proactive about protecting women from violence and abuse. We want the government to implement the existing laws and end the culture of impunity for offenders, she said. We want the security institutions to arrest the offenders. We want the office of the attorney general and the special courts for addressing the violence against women to vigorously pursue cases to fully implement the law on violence against women. Afghan Womens Network says recent reported cases of violence against women show that strong patriarchal structures spur the prevalence of misogyny, which often leads to violence. The seven cases reported by the group make for a depressing reading. Most cases involve violence by male relatives. The husband of Zarina, 23, chopped off both of her ears after an argument in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif. In the northern province of Badghis, Nasima was shot to death by her father for an alleged illicit relationship with her cousin. Masooma, a resident of a remote violence in northeastern Badakhshan Province, died on her way to the hospital after being beaten by her husband. He was later arrested by local police. In some cases, women are at the receiving end of what appears to be random violence. In the central province of Bamiyan, Parveen, 20, was knifed to death by unknown attackers after attending a literacy course. Yasmeen was raped more than 20 times after being abducted by unknown men in the northern province of Kunduz two months ago. She was freed last week and now lives in a shelter. Some of the most horrific violence against women is being carried out in the Taliban-controlled rural regions. The insurgents are now estimated to control or contest a third of Afghanistan where one-third of the countrys estimated 30 million people live. Last week the Afghan Womens Network documented two horrific incidents involving the Taliban. The insurgents killed Amir Begum in Badakhshans Yamgan district after accusing her of debauchery. In another incident 23-year-old Bek Bibi was killed in the regions Yaftal district after refusing a marriage proposal from local Taliban commander, Mawlavi Safiullah. In Kabul, the Afghan Womens Affairs Ministry too is alarmed by the rise in violence against women. Last month it recorded 30 cases of women being killed in the name of honor in eight Afghan provinces. Kubra Razaee, a senior official in the ministry says they are doing whatever they can to address violence against women. We are adamant to follow up on all cases of violence against women so we can create a safe environment for women, she told Radio Free Afghanistan. We intend to fulfill the government promises and are working with the judiciary and the law enforcement to address violence against women. According to global rights watchdog Human Rights Watch, Kabul is still far from implementing its National Action Plan for Womens Peace and Security. As of November 2016, the government had not finalized a budget for the implementation plan, noted the groups annual report, released late last month. Abubakar Siddique wrote this based on reporting by Radio Free Afghanistan Kabul correspondents, Arzo Ghiasi, and Khan Mohammad Seend. fg DES MOINES | Iowans warned lawmakers Monday that a proposed $40 million increase in state school aid to K-12 schools will result in larger classes, fewer course offerings and layoffs. Its a travesty, Mark Bussel of Marion said at a 90-minute public hearing before the House took up Senate File 166. which was approved on a party line vote by the Senate last week. After four hours of floor debate, SF 166 was approved on a party line vote. However, floor manager Rep. Walt Rogers, R-Cedar Falls, argued that more money is not always the answer to the challenge of meeting the states goal to educate every student the very best we possibly can. Does it always involve more money? I dont believe it does, he said when floor debate began about 7 p.m. Dollars are one tool, one tool of many in the toolbox of educating our children. That might be true, said Rep. Sharon Steckman, D-Mason City, who pointed out the average annual increase in state school aid over the past eight years has been 1.83 percent. But you cant underfund schools year after year after year and say, Well, its really not about the money. It is about the money, she said. Rogers concluded the debate by pointing out that since Republicans have been in the majority in the House they have never cut education funding. Instead, education funding has increased by $730 million or 30 percent, he said. With schools telling lawmakers their costs are rising more than 3 percent a year, House Democrats called for raising new funding to 4 percent to bring school districts to what Rep. Cindy Winckler, D-Davenport, called wholeness. It was what 70 percent of superintendents surveyed by Democrats said they needed. Another 10 percent of superintendents asked for a 6 percent increase. When that amendment failed 38-57, Democrats tried to amend the bill to raise funding to the 2 percent Branstad recommended for each of the next two years -- $78.8 million next year and $63.5 million in fiscal 2019. That also failed. That failed 39-56. The floor debate was the culmination of a day-long discussion of school funding that started with the governors weekly question-and-answer session to a news conference organized by Iowans for Public Education to a 90-minute public hearing. Parents, teachers, union officials and lawmakers said a 1.11 percent increase is not enough to meet schools increased costs next year. It represents a lot of pink slips to hardworking teachers, Sioux City school board member Perla Alarcon-Flory said. This is not sufficient to fund my districts schools and I know many other districts are in the same position. Alarcon-Flory blamed the low funding increase on older lawmakers (who) dont even have grandchildren in the school system. Those who have school-aged children either homeschool them or send them to private schools, she said. The 1.11 percent increase would amount to an additional $73 per student, increasing the state cost per pupil from $6,591 to $6,664, according to the Legislative Services Agency. The bill also will boost categorical funding to help reduce class sizes, boost teacher salaries and pay for early intervention programs by 1.11 percent and provide a $5.3 million boost in property tax replacement money. As a result of SF 166, about 179 school districts -- 54 percent will be under the states budget guarantee a safeguard for schools dealing with declining enrollments that provides for 1 percent funding growth using local property taxes. The LSA estimated the total increase in property taxes, including budget guarantee as well as the increase from the uniform levy and adjustments due to enrollment changes for all districts will be about $55.4 million to $1.75 billion. A 4 percent increase would mean only 56 districts on the budget guarantee and a $3.45 million property tax increase, Winckler said. Brad Hudson of the Iowa State Education Association, which represents 34,000 educators, said the increase in school aid should be in line with K-12s share of the general fund budget. According to the Legislative Services Agency, K-12 state school aid has increased from about $1.6 billion in 1998 to slightly more than $3.1 billion in fiscal 2016. As a percent of the general fund budget, it has increased from 35.7 percent to 42.3. Hudson said the 1.11 percent hike is about 25 percent of the new money projected for the coming fiscal year. Iowa City parent and teachers spouse Karen Nichols told lawmakers continual underfunding of K-12 schools is placing stress on teachers. Like many speakers, she warned that low salaries will make it hard to attract and retain good teachers. As teachers deal with large class sizes, the cost of buying their own classroom supplies and the time needed to prepare students for testing they are unable to offer the same rigor as in the past. That impacts not only students, but Iowa as a whole, Steckman said. Were educating the next generation workforce, she said. We need to give kids the tools they need. However, increasing school funding does not necessarily result in higher student achievement, said Drew Klein of Americans for Prosperity. Cost should not be seen as a measure of quality, he said. Also in the bill, lawmakers eliminated the forward-funding law that required the Legislature and governor set state supplemental aid to schools more than one year in advance. Lawmakers have violated that on a regular basis in recent years. Branstad said he understands why lawmakers want to see the Revenue Estimating Conference projections in March before setting the school funding beyond the next school year. James Q. Lynch writes for the Globe Gazette's Des Moines Bureau. Reach him at 319-398-8375 or james.lynch@thegazette.com. Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. DES MOINES | Iowans could legally buy, sell and explode consumer fireworks during two holiday periods annually under a bill approved by a Senate subcommittee over objections by firefighters, medical organizations, veterans groups and safety advocates. Senate Study Bill 1051 was approved 2-1 by a Senate State Government panel. It would allow licensed retailers in permanent structures or community groups to sell consumer fireworks in permanent or temporary structures between May 20 and July 6 and between Dec. 10 and Jan. 3. A similar provision would apply to conforming temporary structures, such as tents, from June 13 to July 6 each year. The measure includes a fee structure for various licensure levels, allows counties or cities that do not want to legalize the expanded sale and use of fireworks to "opt out" of the new law. It bars the sale or purchase to those under 18 and make a violation punishable by a fine of at least $250. "This is about freedom," said Sen. Jake Chapman, R-Adel. "The whole purpose of this is to expand personal freedom." Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, said he was supportive of the measure, while Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines, said "I'm not in favor of changing our state's fireworks law. They're fine." Iowa law currently classifies the possession, sale or use of consumer fireworks without a permit other than sparklers and snakes to be a simple misdemeanor. Chapman said Iowa is among a small number of states that have those strict fireworks restrictions. During Monday's subcommittee meeting, Bill Halleran, president of the 20,000-member Iowa Firefighters Association, expressed "grave concerns" over the expanded legalization of fireworks. He said it would push up emergency responses and injuries for Iowa's 840 fire departments, while Des Moines fire marshal Jonathan Lund said the temporary facilities would be "incredibility difficult to manage" and pose safety risks. "It creates a major safety concern and a legitimate enforcement nightmare," Lund said. Des Moines fire chief John TeKippe said the proposed legislation envisions a "massive endeavor" for licensing, inspecting and overseeing permanent and temporary facilities that will be offering a "hazardous substance" for public purchase and use. "Most people underestimate what fireworks can do," he said. "I think it's unfortunate that we keep having this conversation." The measure also was opposed by hospital, emergency response officials and representatives of veterans group who were worried more children would be injured and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder would be impacted. "We just know that fireworks lead to injuries and deaths, period, and we're against it for safety reasons," said Katy Hill, who represented Unity Point of Des Moines and the Iowa EMS association. Danial Peart of Phantom Fireworks said he "unequivocally" supported the expansion of the sale and use of fireworks in Iowa. However, he worried the provisions would discourage economic investments in permanent brick-and-mortar facilities, especially the time limits and the temporary retail outlets that do not offer the same training and safety measures. "The state of Iowa is going to pass a fireworks bill that doesn't benefit the state of Iowa in anyway other than bringing in fireworks," Peart said. "You're not going to create a new industry in this state. You're going to create jobbers that will come in and make a bunch of money and be gone within two weeks." However, Chapman said the focus of the legislative change is personal liberty, not creating a new cottage industry. "I don't believe the intent is for us to have some economic boon from this industry," Chapman said. "This is more about freedom of individual Iowans to enjoy the Fourth of July like most Americans." The proposed legislation would take effect upon enactment if it clears both legislative chambers and is signed by the governor. Rod Boshart writes for the Globe Gazette's Des Moines Bureau. Reach him at 515-243-7220 or rod.boshart@thegazette.com. DES MOINES Of the five most expensive contracts entered into by Iowas state education department during the 2015-2016 fiscal year, three were for programs that identify and help young, struggling readers. The departments spending on early reader programs was revealed during a cursory examination of education spending contracts at the state and local level. The state in recent years has placed an emphasis on early literacy, and that emphasis can be seen in the education departments spending. In the 2015-2016 fiscal year, the Iowa Department of Education contracted with Minnesota-based Technology and Information Educational Services for $3.5 million for software designed to help the department collect and analyze data on young readers. That was the states most expensive contract during the fiscal year. The department contracted with the University of Iowa for $1.2 million for the schools Reading Research Center, which studies and determines strategies for assisting struggling young readers. The department also contracted with Minnesota-based FastBridge Learning for $743,000 for a program that monitors reading proficiency and progress in kindergarten through Grade 6. Research shows early reading proficiency is an indicator of future educational success. The Iowa education department has taken that research to heart, pouring millions of dollars into programs designed to help ensure more young students are reading at sufficient levels. The aforementioned programs totaled more than $5 million in 2015-2016. The importance of early literacy couldnt be overstated, said Ryan Wise, director of the state education department. Ensuring that all Iowa students are reading proficiently by the end of third grade is critical to ensuring that they have the skills that they need to access more rigorous coursework and opportunities as they progress through school and beyond school. We know that the easiest way to prevent reading problems is to catch them before they start," he added. "Thats why our focus has been on this screening and early intervention, to ensure that we identify these problems early on, and that teachers in schools are equipped to address these challenges. The University of Iowa also received another $634,000 to develop programs to help the department track and report student progress. The state started a focus on early reading with a new law in 2012, which the department has spent the past five years implementing. While the programs have not yielded dramatic improvement on a statewide level, Wise said there is evidence of improvement at the local level. It depends on how you look at the challenge. From a statewide, aggregate test score lens, we havent seen growth yet in terms of our statewide proficiency rates, Wise said, noting 1 in 4 young Iowa students are not proficient in reading by the end of third grade. That number maybe has shifted a percentage point or two over time, but we havent moved the needle on that number statewide yet. Were seeing great progress within the school year. We havent yet seen the progress for the state as a whole, Wise added. But we do believe were putting the right foundational components in place. Other big-money state education contracts included: $952,000 to New York-based NYC Leadership Academy for coaching administrators and other leaders to implement the states teacher leadership program, which uses veteran teachers to mentor younger and new teachers. $850,000 to the Grand Wood Area Education Agency in Cedar Rapids to be used by all nine of the states AEAs to help districts implement the Iowa Core. Education is a big business in the United States: total spending by public schools surpassed $620 billion in 2012-2013, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. In Mason City, the top three contracts were: Henkel Construction, construction -- $5.3 million. Area Education Agency, special education -- $1.5 million. North Iowa Bus Company, transportation -- $1.5 million. One regional food service company appears to be a favorite and financial beneficiary of Iowa schools. Reinhart Foodservice, based in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois, in 2015-2016 had contracts with three of the districts surveyed for this story, including Mason City; those contracts were worth a combined $5.5 million. WATERLOO | A man has been detained following a chase that ended when he crashed into two parked cars in Waterloo on Monday. The fleeing driver had children in his pickup, but no serious injuries were reported. The pursuit started shortly after 3 p.m. when officers attempted to stop the driver for outstanding warrants, police said. The pursuit ended at Crossroads Square apartments on Ridgeway Avenue when the pickup plowed into two cars in the parking lot. The driver then ran off, leaving the children alone, and was caught a short time later. Paramedics with Waterloo Fire Rescue took the children to a hospital as a precaution. Jeff Reinitz writes for the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, another Lee Enterprises newspaper. Reach him at jeff.reinitz@wcfcourier.com. Brentwood, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/06/2017 --Since his 2013 reggae reincarnation, Snoop Dogg's outlook has felt blurred and somewhat unsure of itself. The transition from the gangsta pop days of 'Drop It Like It's Hot' to the eventual birth of Snoop Lion received mixed reactions from fans; some applauding the fearless stylistic shift whilst others struggled to get on board with the hype. Unhappy with his intended direction, the hip-hop heavyweight soon ditched his lion persona and reverted back to the days of the dog. Despite leaving his reggae endeavours far behind him, his attempts to reconnect with his roots dragged a little longer than many expected. It wasn't until the release this year's Coolaid that fans were triumphantly reintroduced to the genre Snoop originally helped pioneer. Having finally decided to fall back on his technical rapping ability, the old Snoop returned with his first legitimate hip-hop record since 2011's Doggumentary. His new single with Long Island's Mike Baggz suggests his love affair with hip-hop is yet to run its course. The song, which is titled 'Running', offers a modern interpretation of old school hook arrangements. It's purely the strange infatuation rap artists have with overstating their gangster demeanour. Everything from boasting about being "too slick" to then referencing Miley Cyrus' twerking habit; two traits that are both relentlessly overused and frankly exhausting to listen to in practice. Baggz's involvement breaks up the track well but isn't enough to draw attention away from its often vacuous nature. Ignoring the negatives, it feels like Snoop Dogg is beginning to sink back in his comfort zone. 'Running's' west coast flavor is a clear indication that his future is set on revisiting his past. Despite the quality not quite reaching the standard of previous ventures, his fans will no doubt be rejoicing in the knowledge that the old Snoop is back and ready for business. Soundcloud Link: http://https://soundcloud.com/mikebaggz/snoop-dogg-x-mike-baggz-runnin-feat-maine The Canadian investment property sector will be generally healthy this year, despite a backdrop of elevated risk, Morguard president and COO George Schott said in the real estate firms 2017 outlook report.Morguard said the forecast for Canadas economic growth over the next few years should support demand for industrial and office space in the countrys major markets. Canadas GDP may expand by over 2.0% over 2017, boosting business activity in most sectors and regions."For many domestic and foreign investors, Canada's commercial property market represents stability over the long term resulting in a willingness to place capital in this market," said Morguard director of research Keith. "This sector has a solid record of performance which we anticipate will continue to drive investment decisions, against a backdrop of global political uncertainty."The firm specifically mentioned British Columbia and Ontario as regions continue to perform well above the national average. Both cities' financial and technology driven economies will continue to support high levels of interest from foreign and domestic investors, creating a real estate market fueled by strong competition, aggressive bidding and the potential to push prime asset values slightly higher, it said in a press release.On the other hand, markets supported by the resource sector are expected to gradually improve over time, following tepid economic activity last year. The commodities slump in Alberta, coupled with the weak growth in Quebec, Saskatchewan and parts of the Eastern provinces, has indicated that Canada's reliance on resources as an economic driver is decelerating in favour of the financial and technology markets in Vancouver and Toronto. But the firm said there remains opportunity to find solid returns within these markets."Quality investment opportunities will be found in markets across the country, said Reading. "Low risk investors will continue to look to Vancouver and Toronto, especially at strategic locations for acquiring multi-suite residential properties. Opportunistic investors will look to markets that are depressed with the potential for longer-term success." WATERLOO | A man who jumped out a bedroom window to escape a house fire in Waterloo last week is now accused of setting the blaze. Michael David Morehouse, 46, of 1144 Glenny Ave., was charged Sunday with second-degree arson after he was released from Covenant Medical Center. Authorities allege Morehouse made statements that he set the fire in a failed suicide attempt, according to court records. Firefighters were called to his home on Thursday morning after he fled through a window and sought help at a neighbors house. Fire crews discovered damage around the stairs to the basement and severe heat damage to the rest of the home, and they found a gasoline can. Officers could smell a gasoline-type substance in the house, and Morehouses clothing also had a gasoline odor, court records state. Morehouse was taken to the hospital for possible smoke inhalation. The city fire marshal investigated the blaze, and samples in the home were removed for chemical testing. Morehouse has been released from jail. Jeff Reinitz writes for the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, another Lee Enterprises newspaper. Reach him at jeff.reinitz@wcfcourier.com. A look back on all of our reporting of the Delphi murders since 2017 Note all articles are independently researched and written by myself. However, if you buy via one of the links it may be an affiliate and I may earn a small commission. If the previous shoes in this series are anything to go by, the Adidas Gazelle GTX Milan trainers will be a tough one to pick up. Those past issues were the Amsterdam and the London, both of which were limited editions and in very short supply. Likewise with this one too I presume. Like those others, this is a mix of a classic Gazelle, upgraded with a Gore-Tex membrane for waterproofing and a City Series colourway. In this case, as you might have guessed, the Milans deep navy suede with gold branding and stripes. If you want a pair, get up early on Friday 17th February, when you will find them in Size? stores and online, priced at 95. Size? website In a sign of China's growing dependence on foreign oil, the government has projected a double-digit jump in imports with a drop in domestic production for the next several years. Implications of the five-year energy forecast issued last month by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration (NEA) are likely to be far-reaching. Edward Chow, senior fellow for energy security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said that "the Chinese and American relative positions on import dependency have flipped" since the U.S. development of shale oil and the drop in China's high-cost production. "The Chinese position is actually much worse than the American position ever was," Chow said. U.S. oil and gas gains recently made headlines with a report by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) that the United States could become a net energy exporter by 2026. "The U.S. could be completely ... energy independent," said EIA Administrator Adam Sieminski, while presenting the findings of the agency's annual outlook report on Jan. 5. But China is moving in the opposite direction with its rising reliance on imported oil. The government's energy plan sets the target for China's oil production in 2020 at 200 million metric tons (4 million barrels per day), down 6.8 percent from 2015 and nearly even with last year. Net imports would rise 17 percent over the five-year period to 390 million tons (7.8 million barrels per day), while demand would grow by 8 percent to 11.8 million barrels per day (mbpd), the agencies said. The result is that import dependence would increase to over 66 percent from 64.5 percent last year, meaning that China will buy two barrels of oil abroad for every barrel it produces at home. Looked at another way, China's increase in oil consumption over the five-year span will have to come entirely from imports. Not realistic at all China's reliance on oil imports in 2020 could be even greater than the government's plan suggests. In its annual World Energy Outlook, the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA) projected that China's oil demand in 2020 will reach 12.6 mbpd with domestic production of 3.9 mbpd, implying import dependence of 69 percent. Wood Mackenzie, an international energy consultancy, has estimated that China's oil output will fall even further by 2020 to 3.5 mbpd, The Wall Street Journal said. In a separate report, the Journal also cited skepticism among analysts about the government's estimate of a 17-percent increase in foreign oil, noting that net imports climbed 41 percent during the previous five-year period from 2010 to 2015. "It's not realistic at all," said Yen Ling Song, an analyst at S&P Global Platts, according to the paper. Song said she expects the government's import forecast to be revised up. Instead of increasing domestic production to meet the challenge, China has been cutting back due to price pressures on its national oil companies (NOCs), which have relied for years on high-cost fields. China's NOCs have reported steep drops at the country's two oldest and largest production centers last year, while no major new resources have been found. Output fell 4.8 percent at the Daqing oilfield in northern China's Heilongjiang province, while production slumped 11.8 percent at the Shengli field in eastern Shandong province, based on data reported by the official English-language China Daily. Total crude production dipped 6.9 percent in 2016 from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said, as imports rose 13.6 percent, according to customs figures. The NOCs have suffered from China's slower-growing economy and have faced pressure from the government to avoid mass layoffs from steeper production cuts. But the government's concern over China's capital outflow is only likely to grow if the country keeps paying for more oil from overseas. At the government's urging, the NOCs have invested heavily in foreign ventures to gain access to "equity" oil and gas under China's "going out" strategy over the past two decades. The state-owned companies spent U.S. $123.5 billion (850 billion yuan) on overseas mergers and acquisitions between 2005 and 2013 alone, according to a report by Beijing-based SIA Energy. But China's foreign assets, often purchased at a premium, have also come under pressure from lower energy prices, while the preponderance of oil imports has continued to climb. A local resident buys noodle soup from a cart next to an oil derrick in Daqing, China's northern Heilongjiang province, May 2, 2016. Credit: AFP Pressing need to secure oil The risks to China's energy security and economy seem likely to rise if the trends continue. In a recent paper for the Seattle-based National Bureau of Asian Research, Meghan O'Sullivan, a professor at Harvard University's Kennedy School, suggested that ample world energy supplies have reduced China's worries. "The shift from perceived global energy scarcity to actual energy abundance has not eliminated China's pressing need to secure oil and natural gas. But it has eased concerns that finite resources would become the source of conflict and ... increased the government's confidence in the market as a means of delivering oil and gas resources," the paper said. But growing import reliance has raised concerns that China has become increasingly exposed to risks from oil suppliers in volatile regions including the Middle East and Africa. China's dependence could add to its motivations for projecting military power abroad, although few expect China's buildup to have a significant effect on its energy security anytime soon. "Obviously, America's power projection capabilities were and are much stronger than China's, even in the future," said Chow in an email message. "Chinese oil imports are from much more politically unstable and vulnerable countries farther away," he said. China's own vulnerability makes it all the more remarkable that the government has kept silent about the energy security risks for the country of continually increasing oil imports. Commentaries on the concern appeared in the official press periodically in the years before 2008, when China's import dependence first reached 50 percent. But similar expressions of concern have been notably lacking as the dependence ratio approaches 70 percent, raising the question of whether the government is ignoring the issue. Chow said it seems more likely that the government is concerned but has decided not to call attention to the problem because it does not have a solution. "So, they are not saying anything publicly, but are worried. So, what should they do?" he said. Alternative is no solution One alternative that China has triedalthough it is unlikely to be a solutionis to increase its volume and share of oil imports from Russia by overland pipeline to Daqing and the nearby Kozmino port in the Russian Far East. In 2016, Russian oil deliveries rose 23.7 percent to an average of 1.05 mbpd, taking the lead among China's suppliers from Saudi Arabia for the first time. Saudi exports to China edged up only 0.9 percent to 1.03 mbpd, according to customs data. China's crude imports from Russia have climbed 165 percent by volume in three years, despite Beijing's longstanding security concerns with relying on energy supplies from its powerful neighbor to the north. Moscow has eagerly pursued links with China for the past decade as part of its Asia strategy to offset pressures from its main energy markets in Europe. Russia's crude deliveries to China last year accounted for 22 percent of its oil exports outside the CIS, based on official dispatch data reported by Interfax. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen doesnt want to see Taiwans flag flying anywhere inside Cambodia, but hell gladly take Taiwans money. Speaking at the Cambodian-Chinese Association dinner on February 4, Asias longest-serving ruler made clear that Cambodia would remain one of Chinas strongest allies in Southeast Asia. May I ask all of you here to not raise any Taiwanese flag at a hotel or a reception during a Taiwanese national holiday, he said. Hun Sen made clear that he will continue to support Beijings One China principle as he referred to Taiwan as just another one of Chinas provinces. Respecting the One China principle is like respecting Chinas sovereignty, he said. To put it simply, Taiwan is just a province of China. Allowing Taiwan to have its consulate or raise its flag in Cambodia would be just like recognizing Taiwans independence. Hun Sen also said that Cambodia considers Tibet to be part of China. While Taiwan is ruled independently, Tibet is ruled with a tight fist by Beijing, although it is formally called an autonomous region in China. While Hun Sen dismissed any policy change toward China, he said Cambodia is still open for business with Taiwan. I would only allow Taiwanese to do business in Cambodia, but I wont allow them raise the Taiwanese flag or set up an office here, he said. Support from China China provides military aid, including uniforms, vehicles, loans to buy helicopters, and a training facility in southern Cambodia. Between 2011 and 2015 Chinese firms funneled nearly $5 billion in loans and investment to Cambodia, accounting for around 70 percent of the total industrial investment in the country, according to The Economist. Cambodia has been one of Chinas staunchest supporters, and its backing for Beijing has drawn accusations that Phnom Penh is a proxy vote for Beijing in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). During a July 2016 meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers, Cambodia blocked consideration of any statement on maritime disputes in the South China Sea. China claims most of the sea, but ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei all have rival claims. Taiwans claims predate and match those of China. While the U.S. says it maintains neutrality in questions of sovereignty in disputes over the South China Sea, Washington supports freedom of navigation in the area and has sailed naval vessels through the important seaway to underscore its policy. Moves by China to militarize the disputed islands in the sea have alarmed Washington and neighboring countries. Some of the worlds busiest sea lanes traverse the South China Sea, which is also a rich fishing ground and may contain petroleum reserves under the sea bed. Reported by Sel San for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Nareth Muong. Written in English by Brooks Boliek. Chinese authorities in the northern region of Inner Mongolia have formally arrested an ethnic Mongolian activist who posted social media comments in support of his Mongolian herding community near Tongliao city amid a long-running dispute over land. Hai Wenming, 32, was detained on Dec. 12 in the regional capital Hohhot after he posted details online of a land dispute at his home village in Horchin Left Back Banner (county), 75 kilometres (47 miles) to the north of Tongliao city. The activist's formal arrest notification was issued Jan. 20 by the state prosecutor in Horchin Left Back Banner, placing him under continued investigation by local police, ethnic Mongolian rights activist Xinna told RFA. Hai is currently being held in the Ganqika town detention center, she said. His wife posted a photo online on of herself with the couple's two-year-old daughter holding up a placard calling for her husband's immediate release. "I want my Daddy," the placard said. "I miss my Daddy. Please let my Daddy go soon." An ethnic Mongolian academic who asked to remain anonymous told RFA that the authorities have so far denied permission for Hai to meet with his lawyer. "He was detained at the beginning of December for sending out a tweet on social media that said the government wasn't acting when it should," she said. "Then they detained him, and now it seems they have converted the detention into a formal arrest, and a case is being brought by the prosecution," the academic said. "He hasn't met with his lawyer yet." She described Hai as an intellectual who has previously spoken out about environmental pollution of his home village in Horchin Left Back Banner. Land swallowed up The villagers there are currently in a dispute with the Wudantaraa Forestry Station, which has swallowed up most of the land previously allocated to local people for grazing and agriculture. Clashes between mining or forestry companies backed by the ruling Chinese Communist Party and herding communities are now common in the region, which borders the independent country of Mongolia, activists say. Repeated calls to the Tongliao municipal government offices rang unanswered during office hours on . Veteran ethnic Mongolian dissident Hada, Xinna's husband, said the takeover of herders' traditional grazing lands by the government under the pretext of forestry has been going on since the 1950s in the region. "This plunder has continued to the present day, leaving the herders in a very vulnerable position," Hada said. "But there's nothing they can do about it, and you could say that some are getting more and more desperate in the face of this huge imbalance of power." "Nobody cares or does anything about it," Hada said. Last November, authorities in Horchin Left Middle Banner detained ethnic Mongolian herder Unench in connection with the killings of four Han Chinese farmers, who activists said had repeatedly bullied and abused him in a dispute over his care of their sheep flocks. China's 5.8 million-strong ethnic Mongolian community have long complained of widespread environmental destruction, violent evictions from traditional grazing lands, and unfair development policies in the region. Hada and Xinna have said the routine eviction of herders from their traditional grazing lands, often in the name of ecological protection, is part of a calculated program of ethnic cleansing by the Communist Party in Inner Mongolia. Reported by Wong Siu-san and Lee Lai for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. South Korean cookware seized illegally by North Korean authorities after the Kaesong joint industrial park was closed last year is being found for sale in large quantities in Chinese cities near the North Korean border, sources say. Formerly viewed as a symbol of cooperation between the two halves of the divided Korean peninsula, Kaesong was closed in February 2016 after North Korea ordered all South Koreans out of the complex, seized South Korean assets there, and declared the area under military control. The move came a day after South Korea announced it was pulling out of Kaesong in retaliation for North Korean nuclear and long-range missile tests earlier in the year. Now, electric rice cookers produced by South Korean firms in Kaesong are turning up for sale across northeastern China, a source in Kaifeng, in central Chinas Henan province, told RFAs Korean Service. North Korea began to sell South Korean products left behind in Kaesong starting in mid-December, said the source, familiar with trade in the northeast and speaking on condition of anonymity. Their exact number is unclear, but its known to be in the hundreds. Electric cookers bearing the Kaesong markings Made in Korea are among the most popular items offered for sale in Korean stores located in cities in Chinas northeast, sources said. Those buying the cookers are mainly South Korean businessmen, then they resell them to Korean merchandise stores located in Shenyang, Yanji, and other places, RFAs source in Kaifeng said. 'A complicated problem' Speaking separately, the operator of a shop in China near the border with North Korea told RFA that he was approached in early December by four North Koreans he had never seen before. They asked if I would be interested in buying electric cookers made in Kaesong for a low price, the source said, also speaking on condition he not be named. They said there were about 6,000 of these that they could sell. At first, I thought that I could make a lot of profit by selling them, but then I refused the offer because I thought this could become a complicated problem for me later on, he said. While the same rice cookers are also made in Qingdao, in China, and labeled Made in China, those made in Kaesong are more popular with consumers because of their Made in Korea markings, he added. Reports had already circulated several times in the last year that South Korean-manufactured products left behind in Kaesong were being traded secretly inside cash-strapped North Korea. Some people in South Korea claim that the factory equipment and product stocks are still being kept at Kaesong, a North Korean defector living in the South told RFA. However, they say this only because they dont know the nature of the North Korean regime, he said. This is just wishful thinking." Reported by Joonho Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Soo Min Jo. Written in English by Richard Finney. MASON CITY | A Mason City man has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for felony drug possession convictions in two North Iowa counties. Martin J. DeVries, 57, was sentenced in Cerro Gordo County District Court Monday to up to five years in prison for possession of a controlled substance, third or subsequent offense. He was ordered to pay a $750 fine and a $125 surcharge. DeVries was arrested on June 29, 2016, at the North Iowa Events Center after police found he had two baggies in his pants pocket containing more than 4 grams of a substance believed to be methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty to the charge in December, in addition to a Floyd County charge of possession of a controlled substance, third of subsequent offense. DeVries, who was arrested on that charge in April 2016 by the Charles City Police Department, was sentenced last week to up to five years in prison. A $750 fine was suspended. DeVries also was ordered to spend 358 days in jail after having his probation revoked Monday on a 2015 Cerro Gordo County conviction of misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, second offense. -- Mary Pieper A joint committee overseeing the drafting process of the framework for political dialogue in Myanmar on Monday suspended regional-level discussions by two ethnic minority groups in the run-up to the second meeting of nationwide peace talks scheduled for the end of February. The Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC), headed by State Counselor and de facto national leader Aung San Suu Kyi, has put on hold regional-level discussions about policies regarding national-level talks planned by the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) and the Chin National Front (CNF) in Chin state in western Myanmar before the 21st-Century Panglong Conference on Feb. 28. The UPDJC, which is holding a two-day meeting in the capital Naypyidaw, is composed of ethnic armed groups that have signed a nationwide cease-fire agreement (NCA) with the government, representatives from political parties and the central government, and military officers. The UPDJC did not give a reason for suspending regional-level talks in Rakhine and Chin state, while other ethnic minority parties that have signed the NCA have been permitted to hold them in their respective regions in preparation for the national-level conference later this month, said presidential spokesman Zaw Htay. Its not that there wasnt any solid reason [for the decision], he said. We are not saying they cannot do it. Of course, the talks will take place sooner or later. The ALP and CNF are both signatories to the NCA. Kachin political parties in Myanmars northernmost state have held discussions to prepare for the next round of the Panglong Conference, but the UPDJC has not recognized their preparatory meetings, and the groups will not be able to submit their meeting results to the peace conference, Eleven Myanmar media group reported on Monday. The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), one of the states major parties and the political wing of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), has not signed the NCA and is not officially allowed to hold talks, the report said. The KIA has been engaged in recent skirmishes with the government army in neighboring northern Shan state. Who will attend? The UPDJC urged those in attendance at the current meeting to do what they can to ensure that ethnic militias that have not signed the NCA attend the Feb. 28 conference. It is not yet clear whether groups that did not sign the NCA will be invited to attend. About 700 delegates will attend the second session of the of the 21st-Century Panglong Conference to work out a peace plan for the nation to end decades of civil wars between the military and ethnic militias. Delegates who attended the first session at the end of August and beginning of September 2016 agreed to hold the national-level talks between sessions of the Panglong Conference in order to consider what various ethnic groups and political parties wanted. Both Rakhine and Chin states have been scenes of recent volatility. Security forces moved into northern Rakhine state in October 2016 after nine border guards were attacked and killed in raids by Rohingya militants. Deadly clashes between army troops and groups of armed men ensued in November. The crackdown has left hundreds dead by some estimates and forced more than 66,000 Rohingya Muslims who live in the region to flee, mostly to neighboring Bangladesh where they have accused security forces of murder, toture, rape, and arson. Renewed clashes between the government army and Arakan Army (AA) took place last December in Paletwa township, Chin State, which sits on the border with Rakhine state. The fighting displaced hundreds of residents. Rohingya Muslim women, sheltered in a house at Kutupalang Rohingya camp in Bangladesh, talk about the abuse they endured during security operations in western Myanmar's Rakhine state, Jan. 27, 2017. Credit: DPA HRW calls for action On Sunday, New York-based human Rights Watch issued a call for the Myanmar government to endorse an independent, international investigation into alleged human rights abuses in northern Rakhine, including reports of rape and sexual violence against Rohingya women and girls. The group, which documented cases of rape from interviews it conducted with Rohingya survivors and witnesses in Bangladesh, also called for security forces involved in the violence to be punished. These horrific acts on Rohingya women and girls by security forces add a new and brutal chapter to the Burmese militarys long and sickening history of sexual violence against women, said Priyanka Motaparthy, senior emergencies researcher at HRW. Military and police commanders should be held responsible for these crimes if they did not do everything in their power to stop them or punish those involved, she said. The groups statement comes two days after the United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) issued a report confirming attacks of rape and sexual violence against Rohingya women and girls based on interviews it conducted, and said that abuses committed against the minority by security forces indicate the very likely commission of crimes against humanity. Rights groups have blasted a national-level commission investigating the violence, which said in an interim report issued in January that it had found no cases of genocide or religious persecution of Rohingya Muslims living in the region. The commission also said that its interviews of local villagers and women had yielded insufficient evidence of rape to take legal action, though its investigations into accusations of arson, torture, and illegal arrests were still under way. Commission inspects jails Meanwhile, Myanmars independent National Human Rights Commission inspected jails and prisons in Rakhine states capital Sittwe on Monday about two weeks after a U.N. human rights envoy visited the state. During a 12-day visit, Yanghee Lee visited violence-affected areas in northern Rakhine state, the prison in Buthidaung township, Sittwe prison, and internally displaced persons camps where Rohingya live. She will deliver a report on her findings to the U.N. Human Rights Council in March. The members of the commission found that improvements have been made in Sittwe Prison and other jails in Rakhine state according to human rights guidelines, a member of the body said. We noticed there were still minor violations at the prisons we inspected, commission member Yu Lwin Aung told RFAs Myanmar Service on Monday after his visit to Sittwe. The toilets in Sittwe prison are not as clean as they should be, and some of the plastic bedsheets are torn. Apart from that, we didnt find any major human rights violations. Regular inspections by officials and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) had resulted in the improvements, he said. Commission members also inspected courtrooms and the general hospital in Sittwe and visited Ponnagyun, a township of Sittwe district, Yu Lwin said. The Commission has drawn up a working plan to meet the minimum standards in prisons prescribed by the U.N. and are on an inspection tour of various prisons, he said. No Rohingya support from Cambodia The crisis in Rakhine has prompted government leaders of some member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to condemn violence against the Rohingya and increased pressure on Myanmar to stop it, though the members of the regional body have long agreed to a policy of noninterference in each others internal affairs. Malaysia and Indonesiaboth Muslim-majority countrieshave sent ships with food and other essentials to Rakhine state. But Cambodia is not among those criticizing Myanmar. Following a meeting with Myanmar President Htin Kyaw, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said his country would refrain from intervening in the Rohingya crisis. Hun Sen also said the issue was an internal matter, and that the ASEAN charter bans members from intervening in each others internal affairs. The issue is purely that of Burmas, said Cambodia government spokesman Phay Siphan, using the former name of Myanmar. It falls within the sovereignty of Burma. We shall respect that. Reported by Min Thein Aung and Kyaw Thu for RFAs Myanmar Service, and by Sel San of RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane and Nareth Muong. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. A woman collects dead clams on a beach at Ky Anh district, in the central Vietnamese coastal province of Ha Tinh, April 27, 2016. About 1,000 people in Vietnams Quang Binh province protested the central governments handling of last years Formosa environmental disaster, demanding transparency over compensation payments from Hanoi. The protestors gathered Saturday afternoon in Quang Loc villages Con Se Commune yard and at the house of the commune chief seeking an explanation for the uneven payouts that have come from a $500 million compensation fund. Despite the protests, the villagers apparently got few answers before the commune chief and the village chief fled. Both the commune and village heads ran away, a villager told RFAs Vietnamese Service on Monday. The villager told RFA that fishing boat owners were given some compensation for losses from the mass fish die-off last April, but that the pay-out to ordinary fishermen and laborers was minimal from a disaster that caused widespread joblessness. The boat owners have received compensation, but the laborer component is still low, the villager explained. Around one thousand of the communes people have yet to receive any compensation. In June, the Taiwan-owned Formosa Plastics Group acknowledged it was responsible for the release of toxic chemicals from its massive steel plant located at the deep-water port in Ha Tinh Province. The April spill killed an estimated 115 tons of fish and left fishermen and tourism industry workers jobless in four central provinces. Vietnam's government said in a report to the National Assembly in July that the disaster had harmed the livelihoods of more than 200,000 people, including 41,000 fishermen. The company pledged $500 million to clean up and compensate people affected by the spill, but the government has faced protests over the amount of the settlement and the slow pace of payouts. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had ordered compensation for the affected people by the end of 2016, but many have yet to receive any money, sparking protests like the weekend rally in Con Se commune. Dissent is often followed by crackdowns Public demonstrations are rare in Vietnam, but the Formosa disaster has brought people to the streets and the acts of dissent have also caused Hanoi to react. A Vietnamese activist known for filming the Formosa protests was charged earlier this year with abusing democratic freedoms, RFAs Vietnamese Service has learned. Nguyen Van Hoa, 22, was arrested by police on Jan. 11 as Vietnamese authorities picked up several activists in advance of the Tet lunar new year holiday, but police notified his family of the charges only on Friday, according to a police notice. Hoa is accused of abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens under Article 258 of Vietnams penal code, the police notice said. Article 258 is one of several statues like Article 88 that Hanoi uses to prosecute dissidents. If convicted, Hoa faces up to seven years in prison. In October, Vietnamese authorities also arrested popular blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, who blogged extensively about the Formosa steel plant disaster under the pen name Mother Mushroom. Quynh co-founded the Network of Vietnamese Bloggers, one of the few independent writers associations in a country where the news media and publishing industry are tightly controlled by the governing Communist Party. The network defended Quynh, writing in a statement that she is an activist who has advocated for human rights, improved living conditions for people, and sovereignty for many years. She was charged with violating Article 88 of the Vietnamese Penal Code by conducting propaganda against the state. Article 88 is considered a national security offense and carries a sentence of between three and 20 years of imprisonment. Reported and translated by RFA's Vietnamese Service. Written in English by Brooks Boliek. Russian and Ukrainian forces exchanged heavy artillery fire in multiple locations, officials in both countries said, as Russian-appointed officials continued evacuating people from the west bank of the Dnieper River amid a mounting Ukrainian counteroffensive. 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. Ukraine's national grid operator, meanwhile, said on November 5 that it would increase rolling blackouts in Kyiv and seven other regions as the countrys national grid remained severely damaged by weeks of Russian air strikes. Electricity consumption is rising across Ukraine as the weather turns colder, and energy providers have raced to do repairs, ordering planned power cuts to avoid overloads. Ukraines General Staff said that its troops thwarted Russian attacks a day earlier in the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions. The military also claimed that Ukrainian air defenses shot down multiple Russian and Iranian drones and two Kalibr cruise missiles. The claim could not be immediately verified. The head of the Vynnytsya region, Serhiy Borzov, said the central region was hit overnight by Russian kamikaze drones. Russian troops have been actively using Iranian drones in recent weeks to attack critical civilian and infrastructure objectives. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the fiercest fighting over the last week had taken place around Bakhmut and Soledar in Donetsk and that Ukrainian forces are holding their positions there and elsewhere. He also spoke of "good gains" in the south, praising infantry and artillery brigades for destroying enemy equipment, Russian manpower. The claims of battlefield success could not be independently verified. Ukrainian forces have been mounting a slow, incremental counteroffensive in the southern Kherson region for weeks now, moving closer to directly threatening the Dnieper River port of Kherson, which was captured early after Russias February invasion. In response, Russian authorities have been evacuating civilians and military troops to the opposite bank of the Dnieper. Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russia-installed administration in the Kherson region, announced a 24-hour curfew on November 4, saying it was necessary to defend it from an expected Ukrainian attack. The Russian military said "more than 5,000 civilians" were being evacuated daily to the east bank of the river. And Russian President Vladimir Putin on November 4 called for civilians to be moved out from Kherson. Those who live in Kherson must now be removed from the zone of the most dangerous hostilities, Putin said in remarks broadcast on state television. The civilian population should not suffer from shelling, from the offensive, counteroffensive, and other measures related to military operations. Russias Defense Ministry said on November 5 that troops had repelled Ukrainian attacks in in the Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson regions. In the Kherson region, which the Kremlin last month declared had been annexed, authorities reported the heaviest artillery fire in days. Ukrainian officials have likened the departures of Kherson residents to Soviet-style deportations, though its unclear to what extent the departures are forced or voluntary. Russian officials said people were being moved to safety from the path of the Ukrainian advance. Ukraines counteroffensives in Kherson and the northern Kharkiv region have been powered in large part by powerful Western weaponry. On November 4, the U.S. Defense Department announced another $400 million shipment of weapons and other equipment, including refurbished tanks, surface-to-air missiles, new coastal defense boats, and other items. The announcement came around the same time that the U.S. national-security adviser, Jake Sullivan, made an unannounced visit to Kyiv to meet with top Ukrainian officials. At a news conference later, Sullivan sought again to calm Ukrainian jitters about whether U.S. weapons would continue after the upcoming midterm U.S. congressional elections. Polls show that Republicans are poised to take control of one, or possibly both, chambers of Congress, and a small but vocal number of Republicans have voiced misgivings about the amount and duration of U.S. aid for Ukraine. There will be no wavering, Sullivan said at a news conference. Im confident U.S. support for Ukraine will be unwavering and unflinching. Asked about the prospect of peace talks with Russia, Sullivan repeated what U.S. officials have said in the past: "Nothing is discussed about Ukraine without Ukraine." "For me, the main question about these negotiations is what a just peace looks like and how it can be achieved, Sullivan said. If you look at Russian accusations, Russian actions, in particular regarding the annexation of [Ukrainian] territories, it does not really encourage negotiations. With reporting by RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service, Reuters, dpa, and AP Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has canceled a meeting with the European Parliament president in Brussels, where he held talks with EU officials on issues including a new partnership agreement between Baku and the European Union. Aliyev cancelled a meeting with Antonio Tajani, the president of the European Parliament, which hosted an event on "continued human rights violations in Azerbaijan." The event's panel included Emin Milli from Meydan TV and RFE/RL journalist Khadija Ismayilova. Ismayilova was arrested in December 2014 and subsequently spent 17 months in Azerbaijani prisons after being convicted of "illegal entrepreneurship" and other charges. Her supporters said the case was the government's revenge for reporting on corruption involving Aliyev and his family members. She was released in May 2016. Aliyev did meet with European Council President Donald Tusk, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, and other top EU officials on February 6. A new framework agreement for EU and Azerbaijan ties being discussed would replace the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which came into force in 1999, and would guide relations in trade and investment as well as economic, legislative, and cultural cooperation. Speaking at a joint news briefing with Tusk after their meeting in Brussels, Aliyev praised what he called "a new chapter in our cooperation." "I wish success to the negotiators and hope that they will not lose [any] time starting immediately tomorrow and soon will present a document, which will determine a strategic cooperation between us for many years to come," Aliyev said. Tusk, meanwhile, said that EU-Azerbaijani relations "go beyond energy and trade" and that he was very happy to announce that negotiations on a new agreement between the two sides would be launched on February 7. "We want to upgrade our relationship and develop its full potential through a new bilateral agreement," he said. Tusk added that, during his talks with Aliyev, he "stressed the importance attached to human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of expression." "The EU believes that an open society is the best guarantee for long-term stability and prosperity. We look forward to continuing to work as a partners on these issues," he told reporters. Ahead of Aliyev's visit, 76 human rights organizations signed a joint letter urging EU leaders to use the trip to insist that the president "commits to concrete, lasting human rights reforms in Azerbaijan." In a February 6 statement, Human Rights Watch said the Azerbaijani government has made "concerted efforts" in recent years to "restrict independent activism, critical journalism, and opposition political activity by imprisoning and harassing many activists, prominent human rights defenders, and journalists." "Draconian laws and regulations impede the operation of independent groups and their ability to secure funding," it added. Aliyev also met with Maros Sefcovic, the EU energy minister, to discuss the Southern Gas Corridor pipeline project. An initiative of the European Commission, the project would bring natural gas from the Caspian Sea region to Europe through a series of pipelines that would go from Azerbaijan through Georgia, Turkey, Greece, Albania, and Italy, reducing Europe's dependence on Russian-based energy. Earlier, Aliyev met with Belgian King Philippe at the royal palace in Brussels. With reporting by RFE/RL's Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels, Commonspace.eu, and apa.az In her storied career as Azerbaijans most prominent investigative reporter, Khadija Ismayilova has been harassed, stalked, banned from traveling, and had compromising videos of her circulate on the Internet. She also spent 17 months in custody on charges her supporters say were politically motivated. But what Ismayilova says happened to her on February 6 as she spoke to a European Parliament panel by video conference may have charted new territory. Ismayilova, an RFE/RL journalist, was invited to testify before the Brussels panel discussion on human rights in Azerbaijan. Since the conditions of her release from prison last year include a ban on leaving the country, she had to speak by video conference. About 20 minutes before the beginning of the scheduled discussion, she said her Internet connection was cut off. Five minutes later, she said, the electricity was shut off, not just to her house, but to her entire city district. Then, she said, two of the main local cell providers also halted her service, restricting her ability to do the video conference. She said she noticed what appeared to be two SUV-type cars with satellite dishes on their roofs parked near her house. So she called a taxi and set off driving around the capital Baku in search of an Internet signal. "So now I am wandering around the city, [sitting] in a car, catching the Internet antennas through [the] mobile network," Ismayilova told the Brussels audience. "Hopefully, it will not be cut off in the middle of my speech." She said she was able to continue speaking for around 10 minutes in the video conference. When the taxi she was in approached a tunnel, she told the driver to park at a nearby gas station, so as not to lose a mobile signal. 'Surrounded By Police' Immediately after parking, her taxi was approached by three traffic-police cars and two other cars carrying plain-clothed officers, who surrounded the car, she said. "I was still speaking and I made a sign to driver to get out of the car and speak outside, so I could finish. [The driver] was arguing outside the car, while I finished speaking my main speech, and was waiting for questions," she said. "While I waited inside the taxi, one of the policemen sat in the driver's seat, and said we had to drive the car to the" police lot for impounding cars. Coincidentally, Ismayilova said, one of her colleagues happened to be driving by. The police gave her permission to leave, and while in her colleague's car, she was able to answer one question from the panel in Brussels. Then her signal was lost and she couldnt reconnect. Her phone service, she said, was restored an hour later. WATCH: Cat-And-Mouse In Baku by RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service In Brussels, panel participant Darya Mustafayeva told RFE/RL that Ismayilova was responding to the first question from an audience member when the connection was lost. "We didn't see any police or police cars or anything like that. We only saw her face as she was in a moving car the whole time and then the connection broke," said Mustafayeva, who represents the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, a group that brings together civil society organizations in the European Union and six former Soviet republics. Aliyev Cancels Meeting As it happened, Ismailyova's presentation overlapped with remarks given by Azerbaijans president, Ilham Aliyev, who was visiting Brussels to mark the beginning of negotiations between the European Union and the South Caucasus nation on a new cooperation agreement. Speaking briefly before reporters, Aliyev made no mention of human rights as he spoke alongside European Council President Donald Tusk. Tusk, meanwhile, said the issue of human rights did come up in their meeting. "I stressed the importance attached to human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of expression," he said. Aliyev later canceled a meeting with the European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, though it was unclear whether it was specifically due to the panel discussion Ismayilova was speaking at. Officials with Azerbaijan's Ministry of Communications could not immediately be reached for comment. Azerbaijani authorities did not immediately respond to queries from RFE/RL. Ismayilova was detained in December 2014 and later sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison on charges that were widely seen as retaliation for her award-winning reporting on the wealth of Aliyev and his family. Among her most notable investigations was that Aliyev's relatives personally profited in the construction of a $134 million concert hall, built for Baku's hosting of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. Since her release in May 2016, she has continued to openly criticize corruption in Azerbaijan and conducted other journalistic investigations With reporting by Mike Eckel in Washington OK, here's a memo to everybody. The fighting in Donbas is not taking place on Ukraine's "border." On the contrary, the escalation in Avdiyvka is happening deep inside Ukraine's internationally recognized borders. The front line in a conflict separating land seized by Moscow and its proxies from land controlled by Ukraine's legitimate authorities is not a "border." All the recent talk about fighting on Ukraine's border is reminiscent of Moscow's allegation last year that Ukraine had sent saboteurs across the "border" with Crimea. Ukraine, of course, doesn't have a border with Crimea. Crimea is an internationally recognized part of Ukraine that is illegally occupied by Russia. Language matters and the Kremlin has been masterful at getting everybody to frame issues like this to Moscow's liking. And not just in Ukraine. When Moscow-backed separatists in Georgia's South Ossetia region periodically grab a few kilometer of additional territory building fences in the dead of night, it is routinely described as "moving the border." Repeat after me: Georgia does not have a border with South Ossetia. South Ossetia is an internationally recognized part of Georgia. Now, Vladimir Putin has famously said that "Russia's borders don't end anywhere." And when we describe the front lines in Russia's manufactured wars as borders, we validate this sentiment -- and bring it closer to reality. Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page. Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov plunged his country into a deep political crisis on April 12 when he announced the effective pardoning of more than 50 officials implicated in a wiretapping scandal. But the crisis in the country actually began last year when officials were charged with election fraud, media manipulation, judicial corruption, and a murder cover-up -- all of which were purportedly revealed in thousands of illegally recorded phone conversations. Here's a look at how the tumult started and where it is headed. The Wiretapping Affair On February 9, 2015, opposition leader Zoran Zaev accused then-Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and secret police chief Sasho Mijalkov (Gruevski's cousin) of authorizing the wiretapping of some 20,000 people, including social activists, religious leaders, judges, political opponents, police, foreign ambassadors, and more than 100 journalists. Gruevski rejected the charges and said the recordings were fabricated with the help of an unnamed foreign intelligence service in an attempt to destabilize Macedonia. But Zaev, head of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia opposition party, undermined government denials of the wiretappings by releasing recordings of phone conversations -- many of them involving Gruevski and members of his government. Zaev said a whistleblower within the Interior Ministry had provided him with the recordings. Many journalists and others allegedly heard on the wiretaps came forward to say that they recognized their voices on the recordings. Several government officials subsequently resigned their posts. Hundreds of opposition activists and protesters later set up tents and camped near government headquarters vowing to stay until Gruevski and the government resigned. But Gruevski accused Zaev of attempting to blackmail him and the government -- and refused to step down. Abuse Of Power, Electoral Fraud Charges Zaev said the recordings he obtained featured government officials with the ruling party, VMRO-DPMNE, discussing vote-buying and intimidation ahead of parliamentary and local elections held between 2011 and 2014. In one recording, a voice purported to be that of then-Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska can be heard joking about the "little people" who are going to rig the elections. The same voice also speaks about dragging "gypsies by their ears [to polling centers] and getting them to vote." Zaev also said there are recordings of officials plotting to put journalists under surveillance and ordering editors at state media outlets to publish favorable news stories and kill negative ones. He also claimed that other officials can be heard arranging the outcome of court cases and discussing the placement of friendly judges in powerful positions. Perhaps most disturbing were alleged recordings of Gruevski speaking with Jankulovska and other officials about the cover-up of the killing of a man who was reportedly beaten to death by a special police unit, the Tigers, after the 2011 parliamentary elections. Jankulovska -- who resigned last year amid the protests -- said the recordings had been spliced together and edited by "foreign secret services." Protests Grow Macedonia's state-run media largely ignored the Zaev leaks, but a student-led demonstration of some 1,000 protesters took to the streets of Skopje on May 5-6 to demand that Gruevski resign. Days later, a deadly shoot-out occurred near the Serbian border in the town of Kumanovo between Macedonian security forces and what the government described as ethnic Albanian "terrorists." The incident -- in which eight police and 14 gunmen were killed -- was deemed suspicious by the opposition and others, who suggested it was staged to distract Macedonians from the wiretapping crisis. But demonstrations continued grow, culminating with tens of thousands of people both opponents and supporters of Gruevski -- marching on the streets of the capital on May 18 and 19. Elections Endangered? The crisis prompted to EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn to intervene. After a series of difficult meetings in Strasbourg and Skopje that Hahn mediated between the leaders of Macedonia's two largest parties and other opposition leaders, a deal was reached. On June 2, Hahn announced that all four parties had agreed on early elections in April 2016 and on the resignation of Gruevski's government ahead of those elections. Gruevski resigned in January, and the parliament was dissolved on April 6. But soon after Ivanov announced the end of the investigation and pardoned the main suspects in the wiretappings on April 12, several consecutive days of violent protests erupted. Officials in Brussels and Washington have said Ivanov's action to end the investigation into the wiretapping has jeopardized the credibility of the upcoming polls. The EU's Hahn tweeted on April 12 that he had "serious doubts if credible elections are still possible." But parliament speaker Trajko Veljanovski officially confirmed on April 15 that early elections will be held on June 5 despite the current political crisis in the country. Zaev immediately announced that the Social Democrats will boycott the elections unless their conditions to establish a free and fair vote are met, including a new media bill and a review of the country's electoral lists. Zaev himself was charged in January with planning to overthrow the government. That charge will apparently also be dropped as part of Ivanov's controversial pardon announcement. International Condemnation Ivanov's decision to end the investigation by special prosecutor Katica Janeva has not only angered Macedonians, but sparked sharp criticism from Washington and Brussels as well. EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini said Ivanov's blanket pardon risks "undermining years of efforts within the country and with the support of the international community to strengthen the rule of law." Hahn told RFE/RL that the situation was "really deteriorating" and said the move to end the wiretapping investigation goes against his "understanding of the rule of law." The U.S. State Department said in a statement on April 13 that Washington was "deeply concerned" by Ivanov's move, which it said will "protect corrupt officials and deny justice to the people of Macedonia." It added that failure to allow the courts to do their job and continue the investigation undermines Macedonian leaders' "commitment to the fundamental values of NATO and the European Union." Small Concession As domestic and international pressure grew on Ivanov to revoke his decision, he made an offer on April 15 for those implicated in the scandal to have the investigation into their involvement in the affair to continue. "I think the decision [to pardon potential wiretapping scandal suspects] protects the state interest, and I inform you that I am standing by it," Ivanov said. "Anyone who thinks that a right has been taken from him or that I have done him a bad favor, or wants to prove his innocence in court, I call on him personallyto submit a request to annul the decision regarding him." With reporting by Robert Coalson, Zoran Kuka, and Deana Kjuka Georgian authorities say separatists who control the breakaway South Ossetia region have illegally sentenced a Georgian man to 20 years in prison. The Georgian State Security Service (SUS) said on February 5 that a separatist court convicted Giorgi Giunashvili of illegal border crossing and participating in the five-day Georgian-Russia war over the breakaway region in 2008. Giunashvili, 39, is a resident of Disevi, a village close to the administrative boundary with the breakaway region. He was detained by Russian troops in June 2016 and was sentenced on February 3. The SUS says that Giunashvili was jailed illegally and that the charges against him were fabricated. Russia recognized South Ossetia and another separatist region, Abkhazia, as independent countries shortly after the war. Moscow maintains thousands of troops in both regions, in deployments that NATO and Western governments say violate the EU-brokered deal that ended the fighting. Over the past five years, Iranian officials and state media have touted the "indigenous" ingenuity in the Islamic republic's mass-produced Mohajer-6 combat drone, which Russia has deployed in its war against Ukraine. But a new investigation by Schemes, the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, has found that electronic components underpinning Tehran's production of the Mohajer-6 are far from homegrown. The Mohajer-6 drones contain components produced by companies from the United States and the European Union, both of which have sanctions restricting the export to Iran of such technology that can be used for both civilian and military purposes dual-use technology. The presence of these components in the Mohajer-6 does not mean their producers are in violation of U.S. or EU sanctions, and RFE/RL does not have evidence that this is the case. The investigation also found Mohajer-6 components produced in China, including a real-time mini-camera made by a Hong Kong firm that said it was "very sorry" that its products were being used in war. At least one major foreign-produced component of the Mohajer-6 has previously been identified by reporters in a Mohajer-6 recovered from the battlefield by the Ukrainian military: an engine made by the Austrian manufacturer BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG, a subsidiary of the Canadian company Bombardier Recreational Products. But Ukrainian intelligence assesses that the Iranian combat drone contains components from nearly three dozen different technology companies based in North America, the EU, Japan, and Taiwan, the Schemes investigation has found. A majority of these companies are based in the United States. A Schemes reporter who personally inspected the foreign-made drone parts identified components produced by at least 15 of these manufacturers. These include parts made by the U.S. technology firm Texas Instruments, which said in a statement that it does not sell into Russia or Iran and complies with applicable laws and regulations. To identify these components, Schemes reporters examined parts of the Mohajer-6 drone that the Ukrainian military shot down over the Black Sea near the Mykolayiv region coastal town of Ochakiv. They also reviewed Ukrainian intelligence records on the sources of these components. The drone also contains a microchip bearing the logo of a California technology company and a thermal-imaging camera that Ukrainian intelligence says may have been produced by a firm based in Oregon or China. Both Western officials and experts on illicit technology transfers say Iran has built a broad, global procurement network using front companies and other proxies in third countries to obtain dual-use technology from the United States and the EU. "Exporters will look at the request coming from the [United Arab Emirates] or another third country, and they'll think that they're selling to an end user based there, when really the end user is in Iran," Daniel Salisbury, a senior research fellow with the Department of War Studies at King's College London, told RFE/RL. In September, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions specifically targeting Iranian companies that Washington links to the production and transfer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Russia for deployment in its war on Ukraine. Fighting rages with no sign of an end more than eight months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an unprovoked invasion on February 24. "Non-Iranian, non-Russian entities should also exercise great caution to avoid supporting either the development of Iranian UAVs or their transfer, or sale of any military equipment to Russia for use against Ukraine," U.S. Undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in a statement announcing the sanctions. Chinese Cameras, California Chips Development of the Mohajer-6, the latest model in a series of drones Tehran has used since the 1980s Iran-Iraq War, began in 2017, while mass production began the following year. During a ceremony commemorating the Islamic Revolution, then-Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami said that the new tactical drone could perform surveillance, reconnaissance, as well as help destroy targets. Hatami extolled what he described as the drones domestic design, a portrayal echoed in later reports by Iranian media. "The homegrown drone was made through cooperation among the army, Defense Ministry, and Quds Aviation Industries," the English-language Tehran Times quoted an Iranian military official as saying in July 2019. The dismantling of the Mohajer-6 drone recovered by the Ukrainian military shows that the UAV is packed with foreign components. One of these parts is a bright-orange real-time mini-camera produced by the Hong Kong-based company RunCam Technology. Documents seen by Schemes show that Ukrainian intelligence has also identified RunCam as the producer of the camera, which likely assists in remote guidance of the drone. Founded in 2013, RunCam is involved in the development and production of so-called "first-person-view" real-time cameras. "Our users are our friends," the company's website states. The site says that RunCam has two authorized Iranian dealers. Reached by Schemes for comment about the use of its camera in the Iranian drone deployed by Russia in its war on Ukraine, RunCam said in an e-mailed response: "We are very sorry to know that RunCam's products were used in warfare. RunCam is specialized in producing products for model aircraft hobby. We never contact any customer related to military." The provenance of the Mohajer-6 drone-s thermal-imaging camera is more difficult to determine. A Ukrainian intelligence assessment reviewed by Schemes indicates it could be the Ventus Hot model produced by Sierra-Olympic Technologies, based in the U.S. state of Oregon, but that it also resembles a cheaper analog available for sale by the Chinese company Qingdao Thundsea Marine Technology. Qingdao Thundsea Marine Technology said in an e-mailed statement that the company did not "have any business with Iran," because "it will affect our business." The company said it specializes in marine services and is not involved in manufacturing. It also said that it did not have a single successful order for its online advertisement of the thermal-imaging camera resembling the one recovered from the Iranian drone. Sierra-Olympic Technologies did not respond to a request for comment on the possible use of its thermal-imaging cameras in Iranian combat drones in time for publication. Microchips recovered from the drone also featured the logos of the California-based company Linear Technology Corporation and its parent company, the Massachusetts-based semiconductor company Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI). ADI did not respond to an e-mailed request for comment on the possible use of its technology in the Iranian combat drone. Schemes reporters also observed among the components of the Iranian drone a voltage step-down converter produced by Texas Instruments. The company said in an e-mailed statement that it "does not sell into Russia, Belarus, or Iran." "TI complies with applicable laws and regulations in the countries where we operate, and does not support or condone the use of our products in applications they weren't designed for," Texas Instruments said. Schemes reporters also saw several components produced by the California-based technology manufacturer Xilinx, whose parent company is the multinational semiconductor company Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), also based in California. According to Ukrainian intelligence, one of these Xilinx components was integrated into a video data-link module located in the wing of the Mohajer-6 that helped carry out attack missions. "This module transmits information from the board to the missile head. That is, guidance for the missile. With the help of this module, it was possible to guide the missile to the target," a Ukrainian military intelligence representative told Schemes. AMD did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication. 'No Authorization' Previous media reports about the components of the Mohajer-6 drone, including by CNN, have shown evidence that its engine was produced by the Austrian manufacturer BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG, whose parent company is the Quebec-based Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP). The Canadian company responded to the reports on October 21, saying in a statement that it "has not authorized and has not given any authorization to its distributors to supply military UAV manufacturers in Iran or Russia." "As soon as we were made aware of this situation, we started an investigation to determine the source of the engines," BRP said. . But Schemes reporters found that the authorized Rotax distributor listed on the Austrian manufacturer's website advertised itself as a Rotax aircraft engines distributor for Iran as recently as December 2020. The distributor, the Italian company Luciano Sorlini S.p.a., has posted multiple magazine advertisements on its websites in which it describes itself as a Rotax distributor for numerous countries. Prior to January 2021, Iran was listed among these countries. The Rotax website also lists a Tehran-based company -- MahtaWing -- as an official service center for its engines. The company, known in Persian as Mahtabal, conducts repairs of Rotax engines, including the Rotax 912 iS, the engine that was found in the Mohajer-6 combat drone recovered in Ukraine. BRP said in an e-mailed statement on November 4 that while Luciano Sorlini S.p.a. is the appointed distributor of Rotax aircraft engines in Iran, "since 2019, no Rotax engines have been sold in Iran, and we will not sell any engines to Iran moving forward." The Canadian company said it had "internal controls" that "significantly" restrict the sale of its products for military purposes. "For example, the sale of any BRP product to operators with any military activity in Iran, Turkey, and Russia is strictly prohibited," BRP said. "We conduct our business in compliance with all EU, Canadian, and U.S. applicable regulations." BRP described the Iranian company MahtaWing as a "local service center" that "offers maintenance services for previously sold aircraft engines." Shahriar Siami of RFE/RL's Radio Farda contributed to this report. A senior Kazakh lawmaker has sharply criticized a Russian legislator who reportedly called for the return of what he said were "Russian territories temporarily taken by Kazakhstan." In a statement made public on February 6, the chairman of the Kazakh parliament's Committee for Foreign Ties, Defense, and Security, Maulen Ashimbaev, said that Russian State Duma Deputy Pavel Shperov's remark was "unacceptable." Ashimbaev said that Shperov's remarks "regarding territorial claims on Kazakhstan...do not correspond to the spirit of friendly and neighborly ties between Kazakhstan and Russia." Media reports quoted Shperov, a member of the Duma committee on Eurasian integration, as saying on January 26 that the Kazakh-Russian borders "are not eternal, and...the territories that are indeed ours will soon be returned to us." Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry has also expressed concern about the remarks. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Shperov was not authorized to make official statements on Russian foreign policy. Calls for changes in the Kazakh-Russian border have been made frequently by some Russian officials and public figures, including late Nobel laureate Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and support for pro-Russian separatists fighting government forces in eastern Ukraine have raised concerns among Russia's neighbors that the Kremlin may have designs on parts of their territory. With reporting by Zakon.kz and Kazinform A U.S. appeals court will hear testimony on February 7 over whether to restore President Donald Trump's temporary ban on all refugees as well as travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco asked lawyers for the Justice Department and the states of Washington and Minnesota to present their arguments at 3 p.m. local time on whether to keep blocking the travel ban. A Seattle court suspended Trump's immigration order on February 3, opening a window for people from Iran, Iraq, and other affected countries to enter. The lawsuit has triggered an outpouring of opposition to the Trump order from more than a dozen U.S. states, former top diplomats, law enforcement officials, and global technology companies. In a brief filed late on February 6, the Justice Department argued for limiting the court order blocking Trump's travel ban, saying it is too broad and should be narrowed to permit entry only of people who were already granted entry to the country and were temporarily abroad, or those who want to leave and return to the United States. Trump insists his order is needed to protect the country against terrorism, while opponents say it is unconstitutional in barring entry on the basis of religion. Moreover, lawyers for Washington and Minnesota told the appeals court that reinstating Trump's temporary travel ban would "unleash chaos again" in the country's airports, businesses, and families. The Seattle judge's order received a furious response from Trump, who warned on February 5 that the courts could be placing Americans in "peril." Speaking at U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, on February 6, Trump defended the order. "Radical Islamic terrorists are determined to strike our homeland as they did on 9/11," he said. "We need strong programs for people who love our country," Trump said, adding that "people who want to destroy us and destroy our country" should not be allowed in. The White House, meanwhile, is confident that it will prevail, spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters on February 6. "Clearly the law is on the president's side," he said aboard Air Force 1. "He has broad discretion to do what's in the nation's best interest to protect our people, and we feel very confident that we will prevail in this matter." The filing by lawyers for Washington state included a declaration by former top U.S. officials -- including former U.S. Secretaries of State John Kerry and Madeleine Albright -- expressing their concerns about Trumps order, which they called "ill-conceived, poorly implemented, and ill-explained." They added that the order harms national security, saying that "we risk placing our military efforts at risk by sending an insulting message" to Iraqis working with U.S. forces battling the extremist group Islamic State (IS) there. "The order will likely feed the recruitment narrative of [IS] and other extremists that portray the United States as at war with Islam," they also said. Lawyers for prominent U.S. technology companies such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft also lodged arguments with the appeals court in San Francisco, arguing that Trump's order "inflicts significant harm on American business." With reporting by AFP, Reuters, AP, and The New York Times The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Thousands of Pakistani tribesmen set off for Islamabad to demand major administrative reforms. These men joined a convoy in Peshawar, before heading to the capital to call for a merger of the tribal areas into Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province. (RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal) Romanian Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu has insisted he will not step down as protests mount despite his move to repeal an unpopular decree that would have decriminalized some official corruption. "I will not resign," Grindeanu told broadcaster Antena3, adding he could only be forced out by the parliament, where he holds a majority. Grindeanus vow to remain in office came on February 5 as massive public protests against the decree turned into demonstrations against his rule by many in the crowds. As many as 500,000 demonstrators hit the streets nationwide on the sixth day of protests, including more than 200,000 in the capital Bucharest, according to media estimates. Earlier in the day, Grindeanu's cabinet confirmed the withdrawal of the measure in a statement issued after an emergency meeting on the issue. But that provided Grindeanu with no respite as protesters remained on the streets. Many of them chanted "Resign! Resign!" as they waved flags and signs and blew whistles. In the face of the calls to resign, Grindeanu said his government, which has been in office barely a month, "has a responsibility to the people who voted for us." A day earlier, Grindeanu yielded to public pressure and promised to withdraw the decree because, he said, he didnt want to "divide Romania...Romania in this moment seems broken in two." The six nights of protests -- the largest demonstrations since the toppling of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989 -- have shaken the political landscape, with the president and prime minister on opposing sides of the decree issue. The decree would have made the abuse of power a crime only punishable by jail if the sums involved exceeded 200,000 lei ($47,500). Grindeanu's Social Democrats (PSD) party argued the move was meant to bring the law into line with the constitution and reduce overcrowding in prisons. Critics said the motive behind the government's action was to let off the many PSD officials and lawmakers who have been caught in a major anticorruption drive of recent years. The government's pullback could be seen as a victory for President Klaus Iohannis, who filed a Constitutional Court challenge against the decree, arguing that it undermined the rule of law and efforts to combat corruption. With reporting by Reuters and DPA The wife of well-known Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza, Jr., who fell critically ill last week in Moscow for the second time in two years, said doctors have diagnosed him with "acute poisoning by an undetermined substance." Yevgenia Kara-Murza told RFE/RL on February 6 that samples of her husband's blood, hair, and fingernails have been sent to a private laboratory in Israel in an effort to identify the toxin that triggered his sudden illness. "We want to get some samples tested again to try to determine what this 'unidentified' substance may be," she told RFE/RL in a Facebook message. Doctors at the Moscow hospital where Kara-Murza is being treated could not immediately be reached for comment. Kara-Murza, 35, was hospitalized on February 2 and placed in an intensive-care unit. His wife said later that her husband had suffered kidney failure and was on life support after being placed in a medically-induced coma. She said he was still in a coma on February 6 but his condition had stabilized. His friends and family say his symptoms closely resemble those he suffered in May 2015, when he abruptly fell ill in Moscow and was hospitalized in critical condition. Deliberate Poisoning? Kara-Murza, who spent two months in hospitals in Moscow and outside Washington, D.C., believes his 2015 illness was the result of a deliberate poisoning with a sophisticated toxin and that he was targeted for his political activities. His doctors in Moscow at the time posited that his near-fatal illness had been linked to his ingestion of a prescription antidepressant, though independent experts told RFE/RL at the time that it would be highly unusual for the drug to trigger such a severe reaction. Kara-Murza's wife said on February 6 that since his recovery from his first illness, her husband had not taken any medicine and that his body was "completely healthy." After he was hospitalized last week, U.S. lawmakers urged an investigation into his case and called on the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to speak out on his behalf. Kara-Murza splits his time between Russia and Centreville, Virginia, a Washington suburb where he resides with his wife and three children. He is a coordinator for former tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky's nongovernmental organization, Open Russia, and has advocated for sanctions against Russian officials and media executives before U.S. lawmakers. At the time of his most recent hospitalization, Kara-Murza had been traveling around Russia, conducting screenings of a documentary about his close political ally, the late opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead outside the Kremlin in February 2015. With reporting by RFE/RLs Russian Service A globe-trotting Paolo Macchiarini once epitomized the excitement around pioneering uses for stem cells in medicine. The Italian regenerative scientist and surgeon's goal was to use stem cells to create replacement organs for the terminally ill. And only a few years ago, there were indications that he'd found a way. Except that his patients kept dying. So after nine headline-grabbing operations in Sweden, Russia, Britain, and the United States in which most of his patients died after receiving artificial tracheas made from plastic and coated with stem cells, Macchiarini became the focus of media and peer criticism so strong that he was dismissed by his most prestigious employer. The Karolinska Institute in Stockholm fired him in March for breaching its "fundamental values" and damaging its reputation. Three months later, in June, Swedish police opened an investigation -- which is continuing -- into whether he might have committed involuntary manslaughter. Meanwhile, despite the ongoing criticism of his record in Europe, Macchiarini continues to lead a research team in bioengineering and regenerative medicine at the University of Kazan, on the banks of the Volga River in Tatarstan, about 800 kilometers east of Moscow. But there are signs his welcome in Russia may be running out. Today, Macchiarini is restricted purely to research activities in a country that previously allowed him to perform four artificial trachea transplants. "The grant that Paolo Macchiarini has for work at Kazan Federal University is exclusively for preclinical studies and applies to creating tissue-esophageal structures to replace damaged organs in test nonhuman primates," university spokeswoman Natalia Darashkevich told RFE/RL's Russian Service recently. Working With Baboons The restriction to preclinical studies means Macchiarini conducts research that might later be applicable in organ transplants for humans but that he is not operating on human patients. Instead, he is working with baboons. He also no longer works with tracheas, commonly known as windpipes, but with a different organ, the esophagus, and he no longer pursues the difficult goal of using synthetic materials for the "scaffold," or base structure, of the replacement organ. Instead, he is restricted to using biological tissues, which have been studied by researchers far longer than synthetics such as plastic, and are widely seen as a less challenging substrate on which to grow stem cells. Roman Deev, the director of science at the Human Stem Cells Institute in Moscow, a leading Russian biotech company, has followed Macchiarini's work in Russia for many years. He told RFE/RL that the surgeon's existing grant from the Russian Science Foundation, which funds his work at Kazan Federal University, automatically expires in 2018. Deev expressed skepticism that Macchiarini would get another research grant in Russia. "I don't consider [his work now] as something on the front line of real science," he said. That is a long way from Macchiarini's early work in Russia in the late 2000s, when he was a rapidly rising star in his field. Macchiarini was initially brought to the country by Russian businessman Mikhail Batin, an enthusiastic promoter of life-extension technologies and the founder of the Science for Life Extension foundation. Batin invited Macchiarini to perform a trachea transplant in Russia using not a synthetic trachea but one from a human cadaver. The recipient was a 26-year-old woman from neighboring Kazakhstan named Zhadrya Iglikova, whose own trachea had been seriously injured in a car accident four years earlier. Failed Experiments The operation took place in Russia in December 2010 and was initially celebrated by Russian media as a success. Russia's Channel One quoted Iglikova as saying afterward that she was looking forward to going back to work after rehabilitation. But then she dropped out of sight until a TV crew from Swedish national broadcaster SVT interviewed her parents in mid-2016 for a three-part documentary aired by the BBC on Macchiarini titled Fatal Experiments: The Downfall Of A Supersurgeon. The parents told the broadcaster that their daughter was unable to speak or stand and only left their home to visit health facilities. Just six months after his first operation in Russia, Macchiarini performed his first synthetic trachea transplant in Sweden. That operation, in June 2011, propelled the surgeon to the height of fame and then to the depths of notoriety as he initially claimed full success but, 2 1/2 years later, the patient Andemariam Beyene died when the plastic trachea came loose because the stem cells had failed to fix it to his throat. In the meantime, Macchiarini went on to perform four more synthetic-trachea transplants in Russia. His other patients were Yulia Tuulik and Aleksandr Zozulya, who died within two years of their 2012 operations; Jordanian citizen Sadiq Kanaan, who died after his operation in 2013; and Dmitry Onogda, who survived the implant in 2014 and its subsequent removal. Throughout his controversial career, Macchiarini has rejected any suggestions of misconduct. "I always believed that my operation is able to help the patient," he told RFE/RL in a written response to questions about his activities. Macchiarini also said that data he received on his patients' postoperative condition justified optimism about their progress. "None of the reports that I had from the patients' clinicians contained information that was unexpected and concerning, and none of the clinicians raised any urgent or unresolvable issues until the very last days of the first patient's life," he wrote. Macchiarini added that he had responded in detail to peer criticism and that "my responses to all the accusations made so far are publicly available." As Macchiarini carries out research in Russia, he continues to come under pressure from scientists in Sweden, including former colleagues, who criticize his work. Courageous Or Irresponsible? In October, the editors of the respected online scientific journal, Nature Communications, appended an "Expression Of Concern" to a research report by Macchiarini and co-authors published in April 2014. The editors' note said that an investigation conducted on behalf of the Karolinska Institute had raised concerns regarding the accuracy of some of the data in the report. In December, a group of Swedish doctors published a petition asking Russian authorities to conduct an investigation into Macchiarini's activities in Russia in light of allegations about his work in Sweden. The petition was handed to Moscow's ambassador to Stockholm but has yet to receive a response. Still, it remains to be seen whether the criticism will realize its goal of ending Macchiarini's research career. That appears to depend on whether he is offered any new grants in Russia or elsewhere in the future. As to whether Maccharini's once-revolutionary goal of using synthetic organs combined with stem cells as made-to-order replacement parts for humans will one day be reached, some experts say they are confident it will. But some of them also argue that it will not be through the former superstar scientist's working methods. "Further progress is possible, but in science you cannot move forward with giant leaps -- you need to go by small steps," Bengdt Gerdin, a retired professor of surgery at the University of Uppsala who suggested Maccharini had "relied on chance" in his research, told RFE/RL. "Can I call it courage? Perhaps this is a form of courage that borders on irresponsibility." Based on reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service correspondent Sergei Dobrynin. Written by Charles Recknagel The Kremlin says it wants an apology from Fox News over what it said were "unacceptable" comments one of the U.S. channel's presenters made about Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking to U.S. President Donald Trump in an interview broadcast on February 5, Fox News's Bill O'Reilly called Putin "a killer." Trump responded, "There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country's so innocent?" Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said on February 6 that O'Reilly's comments were "unacceptable and insulting." He said the Kremlin would like "to receive an apology to the president" from Fox. Peskov declined to comment on Trump's response to O'Reilly's remark. Trump's remarks on the Russian president have been followed closely in the United States, where critics say he is too complimentary about Putin. U.S. intelligence agencies say Russia used hacking and other methods to meddle in the 2016 presidential election campaign with the aim of discrediting U.S. democracy, bolstering Trump, and undermining his rival in the November vote, Hillary Clinton. O'Reilly did not say who he believed Putin has killed. Some Kremlin opponents say they believe Putin was behind killings of critics such as journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was shot dead in 2006, and politician Boris Nemtsov, who was gunned down in February 2015, as well as 1999 apartment-building bombings that killed hundreds of people in Russia and increased popular support for a second war against separatists in Chechnya. Putin and the Kremlin have denied involvement in these and other attacks. In January 2016, after a British judge ruled that Putin might have authorized the fatal poisoning of Aleksandr Litvinenko in London with the radioactive isotope polonium-210 in 2006. Trump noted that Putin had not been convicted of killing the former KGB officer and said: "Many people say it wasn't him. So who knows who did it?" Speaking to journalists on February 6, Peskov also said that the Kremlin did not agree with remarks by Trump in which he called Iran a "terrorist state." 'Don't Fix What's Not Broken' Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, meanwhile, warned the United States not to try to "rewrite" a July 2015 deal between Tehran and six world powers that curtailed Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. "My advice to our U.S. colleagues on the Iran nuclear deal is very simple: Don't try to fix what is not broken," Ryabkov said in an interview with the Russian PIR-Center think tank's magazine, Security Index. "It would be too risky to try to launch a new process on such a serious issue and seek new terms of the deal," he said. "This would be an undesirable and negative scenario, which would only add fuel to the fire in the Middle East." Trump has called the deal forged with Iran by the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany "one of the worst deals we have ever made" and indicated during his campaign that he would seek to abandon or alter it, but has taken no specific steps to do so since he took office on January 20. His administration did, however, impose new sanctions on Iran on February 3, after Tehran carried out a medium-range ballistic-missile test. Russia has close relations with Iran, and both countries' military forces are backing the Syrian government in the country's civil war. While criticizing Trump's characterization of Iran, Peskov said that differences between Russia and the United States should not stop the two countries from building a mutually beneficial relationship. Ukraine Conflict The Kremlin also took issue with the White House's description of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where government forces are fighting Russia-backed separatists in a war that has killed more than 9,750 people since April 2014. In a brief statement about Trump's February 4 telephone call with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, the White House said the two discussed topics including "Ukraine's long-running conflict with Russia." Peskov said: "There is no conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Donbas is exclusively an internal Ukrainian conflict." Russia has repeatedly denied involvement in the conflict, despite large amounts of evidence that it stirred up separatism in eastern Ukraine early in 2014 and has sent military forces and weapons into the region, which borders Russia, to help the separatists. The White House statement quoted Trump as saying the United States "will work with Ukraine, Russia, and all other parties involved to help them restore peace along the border." Trump's talk with Poroshenko came a week after he spoke by phone with Putin, their first conversation since Trump took office on January 20. An upsurge in fighting in the Donbas killed at least 35 people last week in a week of escalated fighting between Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists. On February 2, the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, expressed "strong condemnation of Russia's actions" in eastern Ukraine. Haley also said that "Crimea is a part of Ukraine" and that U.S. sanctions related to Russia's seizure of Crimea in March 2014 "will remain in place until Russia returns control over the peninsula to Ukraine. With reporting by Reuters, Interfax, AP, and TASS The mystery of a missing Tajik special-forces commander has deepened, with Turkish reports claiming he was captured with fake documents trying to enter Syria and extradited, and Dushanbe denying he was returned home while acknowledging it is investigating his possible ties to the Islamic State (IS) group. The latter marks the first time that Tajik authorities have publicly discussed last month's disappearance of Gulmurod Halimov, one of Tajikistan's most powerful police chiefs. Halimov, the commander of the Tajik Interior Ministry's special forces, known as OMON, disappeared on April 23 after telling his wife he would be traveling on business for three days. His disappearance sparked reports that he had recruited fighters for IS and headed to Syria to fight. Those reports were followed up this week by Turkish media with claims that the long-serving colonel had been arrested in Turkey while trying to enter Syria with a fake passport and extradited to Tajikistan. Tajik Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmonov told reporters on May 20 that authorities were investigating the initial allegations. Interior Minister Ramazon Rahimzoda also mentioned the investigation, the results of which he said would be made public by the end the week, but denied the latest reports that Halimov had been arrested and extradited. Quizzed by journalists over Halimov's alleged intention to join IS militants, the minister said only that "we'll talk about it later." Halimov's brother Nazir told RFE/RL's Tajik Service earlier this month that the family was "extremely worried" because Halimov, a 40-year-old father of eight, hadn't contacted anyone since leaving home. Nazir said Halimov's mobile phone was apparently turned off and that he had not been using his social-network accounts. The family said Halimov left home after giving his wife around $200 in spending money, less than the amount he usually gave her before going on business trips. Quoting unnamed sources, Tajik media reported that Halimov left Dushanbe on May 1 along with 10 other men. The following day Halimov and his companions were allegedly seen at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport. Halimov's family has rejected as baseless reports suggesting the colonel left for Syria to join IS militants there. The family also said reports claiming Halimov had been gathering material from social media about IS's ideology and its military capabilities "don't make any sense." Tajik media quoted unidentified sources as claiming Halimov had shown growing interest in IS activists in recent months. The Asia-Plus news agency quoted a "friend" as saying Halimov "turned into an IS fanatic and began to promote the terrorist organization's ideas among his friends and acquaintances." Halimov's brother, however, portrayed him as a family man who has been planning private business projects, including a chicken farm and a fitness center. A lawyer by profession, Halimov was appointed as the head of OMON in 2012. Written by Farangis Najibullah based on reports by RFE/RL's Tajik Service correspondent Mirzonabi Kholiqzod and Shahlo Gulkhoja ON MY MIND Paying attention to whom Russia's propaganda machine chooses to attack can be very revealing. And over the weekend, Sputnik suggested that Emmanuel Macron, the independent French presidential candidate, "could be a U.S. agent" lobbying for banking interests. Why would the Kremlin's disinformation machine target Macron? Well, until very recently the upcoming French presidential election was going swimmingly for Russia. It appeared to be heading for a runoff between the openly pro-Moscow National Front leader, Marine Le Pen, and conservative candidate Francois Fillon, who has argued that sanctions against Russia should be lifted. But suddenly Fillon is embroiled in a financial scandal. And suddenly, Macron -- who is not as Moscow-friendly as Fillon or Le Pen -- is drawing big crowds and is surging in the polls. Suddenly the runoff looks like it could very well be Le Pen vs. Macron instead of Le Pen vs. Fillon. Suddenly is isn't win-win for the Kremlin anymore. So we should expect the anti-Macron propaganda to keep on coming. IN THE NEWS A senior Kazakh lawmaker has sharply criticized a Russian legislator who reportedly called for the return of what he said were "Russian territories temporarily taken by Kazakhstan." Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry says Russia, Turkey, and Iran have begun meeting to discuss mechanisms to monitor the ceasefire they brokered in Syria. The White House says President Donald Trump has discussed the conflict in eastern Ukraine during a call with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and agreed to attend a meeting of alliance leaders later this year. Trump has shrugged off a description of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "killer," saying the United States had "a lot of killers" as well. Fighting has appeared to subside in the Ukrainian town of Avdiyivka after a weeklong surge, as Trump told Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko the United States will work to end the deadly conflict near the Russian border in eastern Ukraine. Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine say one of their top commanders was killed when his car exploded early on February 4. Norway's security services say hackers suspected of having ties to Russia have targeted several of the country's institutions. the BBC World Service reports. LATEST POWER VERTICAL PODCAST In case you missed it, the latest Power Vertical Podcast, Beyond Hybrid Warfare, looked at the nuts and bolts of Russian military strategy with analysts Michael Kofman and Johan Norberg. NEW POWER VERTICAL BRIEFING And on this week's Power Vertical Briefing, I look ahead to the verdict in Aleksei Navalny's retrial on embezzlement charges. Joining me is RFE/RL's News Editor Steve Gutterman. WHAT I'M READING Putin's New Model Empire In a piece of YaleGlobal Online, Agnia Grigas, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and author of the books Beyond Crimea: The New Russian Empire and The New Geopolitics Of Natural Gas, argues that Russia is building an "empire by other means." "The concept of reimperialization should not be solely understood in the narrowest sense of the term. An empire does not simply result from acquisition of territories. Rather, reimperialization should be understood as a process allowing a dominant country to have indirect control over the sovereignty of other states," Grigas writes. Toward A New Containment In a piece in Foreign Affairs, Leon Aron, director of Russian studies at the American Enterprise Institute and author of the book Roads To The Temple: Truth, Memory, Ideas, And Ideals In The Making Of The Russian Revolution, 1987-1991, argues for a new policy of containment. "There is a way to make Putin change course. It is to gradually reverse the regime's sustaining political dynamic by turning its foreign policy, which today is by far the most powerful source of the Kremlins successes, legitimacy, and popular support, into a wellspring of doubt, embarrassment, and, finally, humiliation and remorse," Aron writes. Revisiting Putin, Obama, And The Red Line Aron Lund of The Century Foundation looks back at the 2013 "red line" episode and how Putin undermined U.S. policy in Syria. Reset Interrupted Alexander Motyl, a professor at Rutgers University-Newark, has a piece in Foreign Affairs on why U.S.-Russian cooperation won't last. Putin's Intelligence Crisis In an essay in The New York Review Of Books, Amy Knight, author of the book Orders From Above: The Putin Regime And Political Murder, looks at the recent espionage cases against FSB cybersecurity officials and argues that they point to an "intelligence crisis." RosBalt, meanwhile, explains how Russian investigators identified members of the hacking group Shaltai-Boltai in its recent espionage investigation. Political Education According to a report in Republic.ru by Anastasia Yakoreva, Soviet-style ideological educational institutes are making a comeback. Governors In The Crosshairs The Russian business daily Vedomosti explains why a bunch of governors are about to get fired. Lukashenka The Clever Gamer Opposition journalist Oleg Kashin has a column in Republiuc.ru on how Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukasnenka has become adept at outsmarting Putin. Propaganda Then And Now Mikhail Iossel has a brief piece in The New Yorker on the Soviet disinformation that nobody believed, but was nevertheless corrosive. Decoupling Moscow And Tehran The Wall Street Journal reports that the United States is trying to drive a wedge between Russia and Iran Imprisoned Uzbek rights activist and journalist Dilmurod Saidov is being kept behind bars despite a recent amnesty in the Central Asian country. Abdurahmon Tashanov of Tashkent-based Ezgulik (Compassion) human rights group said on February 5 that a parole commission rejected Saidov's request for clemency under a mass amnesty for prisoners that was announced in October. Tashanov said the commission based the rejection, issued on February 2, on what they called "bad behavior" in prison. Saidov, 54, a former member of Ezgulik, was convicted of fraud and sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2009. His supporters and rights defenders say the charges were politically motivated. Saidov's wife and daughter -- their only child -- died in a car accident on their way to visit him in jail in 2009. His mother died at the age 89 in 2014. Saidov's brother, Obid Saidov, says the journalist has lost dozens of kilograms. Obid Saidov said about a year ago that his brother had been diagnosed with tuberculosis. International rights organizations and several Western governments consider Saidov a political prisoner. An international monitoring group says people around the world demonstrated to governments in 2015 that they must become more transparent and tackle the large-scale corruption that continues to plague so many countries and hinder their development. In its 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released on January 27, Transparency International ranked 168 countries based on perceived levels of public-sector corruption, with Denmark edging out Finland to win the title as the least corrupt country in the world and Somalia and North Korea being declared the most corrupt. The high levels of corruption in Afghanistan -- which was ranked 166th -- Iraq (161st), Turkmenistan (156th), and Uzbekistan (153rd) placed them all near the bottom of the index. Central Asian countries as a whole did poorly, with Tajikistan tying with Nigeria for 136th place and Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan seen as equally corrupt and listed 123rd on the index. "All five countries of Central Asia areat the bottom of the CPI table," said Svetlana Savitskaya, Transparency Internationals regional coordinator for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Europe and Central Asia, told RFE/RL. "[The low score] is a signal that corruption is endemic, it is deeply ingrained, and it has a systemic nature [in Central Asia]," she said. Savitskaya said there have been no big changes or improvement in corruption levels in any of the Central Asian countries since 2012, saying the situation is one of "stagnation all over the region." She said the situation is similar in several other former Soviet republics such as Russia (119th), Ukraine (130th), Moldova (103rd), Armenia (95th), and Azerbaijan (119th). "If you analyze what is going on as far as anticorruption reforms [in Ukraine], not so much is going on," Savitskaya said. "The political will is pretty weak -- the government doesnt demonstrate that it is so committed to perform well on [taking] anticorruption [actions]." Savitskaya said Transparency International (TI) has not seen any positive changes in Russia in recent years, even though the government has declared that it is trying to fight corruption. "[Russian authorities] continue to limit space for civil society; they continue to press nongovernmental organizations including [Transparency International Russia]; to exert pressure on investigative journalists, on independent media," she said. Savitskaya said Transparency International "has not registered any tangible changes [in Russia regarding corruption] when you speak to ordinary citizens they dont sense any positive change yet." She said Belarus (107th) recently adopted a new anticorruption law which envisages regulations on conflicts of interest, public officials making income and asset declarations, and the participation of civil society in anticorruption efforts. "It will be interesting to see how this will materialize in real life because this country doesnt have any freedoms like political or civic liberties; it doesnt have independent mediaand these things are very important for qualitative anticorruption work," Savitskaya said. Corruption is currently one of the leading topics in Moldova, which is embroiled in a political crisis due to the disappearance of more than $1 billion from state banks and numerous reports of corruption among the countrys political leaders and oligarchs. TIs office in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, said in a statement that "as never before, the link between corruption and state capture has become visible." It added that there has been a delay in the approval of several laws addressing "the system of integrity and the failure in taking a prompt action against those responsible for overseeing the security of the banking sector." Corruption Perceptions Index (Click On Each Country To See Its Score) Source: Transparency International) Turning to the Caucasus, Savitskaya said "Georgia (ranked 48th on the CPI) as usual is the champion, it is the best performer of all in the whole region." She added that there has been no change in Azerbaijans score and that Armenia had actually gone down from 2014 to 2015. Savitskaya pointed out that "in most of the countries of the former Soviet Union Belarus, Moldova, and [those in] Central Asia there exists this nexus, this link between political parties and businesses is so strong [and] which causes huge political corruption." The Transparency International report says that "a failure to tackle corruption is feeding ongoing vicious conflicts" in Afghanistan (186th) and Pakistan (117th). It points out that the setting up of anticorruption commissions in these countries and others in the region is a good first step, but such efforts are often undermined by political interference and inadequate resources. Iran is in a stagnant position (130th) and Iraq checks in as one of the 10 worst countries on the Corruption Perception Index (161st). Mass public demonstrations in several Iraqi cities in 2015 resulted in pledges by Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi to reduce government largesse and to implement several other reforms, but the actions thus far seem to have not satisfied the people or some important religious leaders. A minimum of three opinion polls among residents of a country on their perception of public corruption is needed for Transparency International to secure a "score" for a country on the Corruption Perception Index. As the report points out, no country came close to achieving a perfect score, and it lists a string of corruption scandals that occurred in Denmark -- considered the worlds least corrupt country -- and fellow upstanding countries Finland, Sweden, and Norway. The report says the way to fight corruption is to attack graft within politics and to reform a country's financial sector. But it points out that these things are impossible unless a country's civil society and the media are "genuinely free" -- preconditions that are unfortunately missing in many of the countries in RFE/RL's broadcasting regions. Legislation that would carve out trade-secret protections in Virginias Freedom of Information Act for chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking, has been amended to require disclosure of the chemical name and identifying abstract number, a concession from the oil and gas industry amid opposition to the exemptions from some local government officials and environmental groups. In an effort to try to come to consensus with those parties that are not friendly to the industry, we decided to allow for the disclosure of the chemical name and abstract number for anyone who is concerned that what is going into the ground is harmful to groundwater, said Miles Morin, executive director of the Virginia Petroleum Council, a division of the American Petroleum Institute. We wanted to disclose as much as possible without disclosing valuable trade secret information. Truly with this we have one of the most strict chemical disclosure requirements of any state except for California. But opponents say it doesnt go far enough and want state health and environmental agencies to have access to the exact recipe of chemicals used in wells. Its been our position consistently as well as the administrations that (the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality) and (the Virginia Department of Health) must have access to this trade secret information, said Kristin Davis, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center in Charlottesville. They need to have efficient access to that information if theres a concern. ... It was astounding to us they were not willing to share that information with the agencies. One of the bills in the package by Del. Roxann L. Robinson, R-Chesterfield, has already passed the House of Delegates and heads to the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology. HB 1678 exempts as trade secrets the amount or concentration of chemicals or ingredients used to stimulate a well from disclosure under the FOIA law. A similar bill was defeated in the Senate Finance Committee last week. The second piece of legislation, HB 1679, which authorizes the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy to require the disclosure of fracking fluid exact recipes to other staff members and other state and local officials in the event of an emergency but prohibits such individuals from disseminating such information further, has not yet passed the House. Natural gas fracking has been happening in Virginia for decades, though its historically been different from the practice that has been controversial in states such as Pennsylvania and North Dakota. Most of the gas produced is in the southwestern part of the state and comes from coal beds rather than shale formations. That type of production involves much less water than in shale drilling, Morin said. After a well has been drilled, large amounts of fluid, which generally include water, sand, a gelling agent, acid, a biocide and emulsifier, are pumped in to fracture rock formations and keep them open so gas and oil can be recovered. Its not some mysterious and hazardous cocktail. Thats why the wells in southwest Virginia havent been contaminated and nobodys gotten sick, Morin said. So why keep the recipes secret? Its because the mix is tailored to the drilling areas specific geology and some recipes work better than others, the industry says. They might not want to tell you their exact mixture because they think their mixture is superior, said Stan Sherrill, president of Shore Exploration and Production. We would not want any company in our area where we were not aware of what was going down the hole. The company, which is based Bowling Green, holds roughly 87,000 acres of oil and gas leases in the Taylorsville Basin, an area that includes a large swath of land east of Fredericksburg, including the Northern Neck, and parts of Maryland north of the Potomac River. Though it has not yet applied for any drilling permits, the purchase of leases sparked concern in places such as King George County, which has enacted local fracking restrictions. A 2015 report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found no evidence that fracking has led to widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources in the United States. We found specific instances where one or more mechanisms led to impacts on drinking water resources, including contamination of drinking water wells. The number of identified cases, however, was small compared to the number of hydraulically fractured wells, the report says. In December, however, the EPA issued a final version of that report that excised that language. EPA scientists concluded that the sentence could not be quantitatively supported, the agency said when the report was released. Contrary to what the sentence implied, uncertainties prevent EPA from estimating the national frequency of impacts on drinking water resources from activities in the hydraulic fracturing water cycle. Though fluid can leak during the fracking process as a result of surface spills or failing casings around well bores, its disposal can also be a source of concern. When the fluid comes back up the well, it may contain the injected chemicals plus naturally occurring materials such as brines, metals, radionuclides, and hydrocarbons, according to the EPA. The produced water is typically stored on site in tanks or pits before treatment or disposal, which has also been controversial. Injecting the used fluid back into deep underground wells for disposal, for example, has been linked to earthquakes in several states, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In areas where underground disposal is not an option, it may be treated and reused or processed by a wastewater treatment facility and then discharged to surface water. Asked why the states environmental and health departments shouldnt have access to full fracking fluid recipes in the event of an emergency, Morin said too much dissemination would make it difficult to protect trade secrets. When you have multiple agencies involved in dealing with these things, it makes it less like that those things could remain protected, he said. The governors office had an opportunity to add the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Health to the new hydraulic fracturing regulations Gov. Terry McAuliffe approved last year after a three-year regulatory process, Morin noted. They had an opportunity to include them and they decided not to, he said. Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney issued a directive to city employees Monday reiterating existing policies that he said make Richmond welcoming and safe regardless of immigration or refugee status. A young, progressive mayor, Stoney has recently found himself caught between activists calling for him to formally declare Richmond a sanctuary city and President Donald Trump, who has promised to pull federal funding from cities that adopt such policies. On Monday, Stoney promised to protect and promote policies of inclusion, but avoided the word sanctuary. We have been outspoken on these issues from the beginning, Stoney said, but I thought that it might be helpful to provide some official clarity to you all on where our city stands today. Stoney criticized Trumps order, as well as two bills currently working their way through the General Assembly that aim to limit localities ability to adopt sanctuary policies. These actions peddle fear, Stoney said. They are ill-informed and I believe misguided. Some are unconstitutional, and others are just plain un-American. That is not the country we are. It is not the city we will be. Stoney did not take any questions after reading his order to reporters at the end of his weekly cabinet meeting, saying he had to depart for another appointment. Asked if Stoneys directive will change how the city does business, his press secretary, Jim Nolan, said, its a statement that clarifies any misunderstanding or misconceptions that might be out there with regard to what the city is doing for every resident in this community. Activists with a group called ICE out of RVA held a rally outside the federal courthouse last week asking Stoney and the City Council to adopt policies to address the persisting issues of policing, state violence and racial justice. Several hundred people attended. The group is currently circulating a petition online titled Tell Mayor Levar Stoney to Defy Trump, Defend Richmond and Expand Sanctuary. It asks the citys leaders to take action that doesnt just symbolically defend immigrants but transforms our citys policies to stop targeting us for imprisonment, risk of removal, and state violence at the hands of police and aggressive immigration agents. As of Monday morning, 1,379 people had signed on. The group is planning a march to City Hall to deliver the petition on Monday. An organizer with the group, Carolina Bautista-Velez, said members applaud Stoneys directive but question whether it would effect any change. Its a symbolic act, she said, and in this moment where all of our executive orders are coming and our communities are really being targeted more than ever, we need more than symbolic acts. There was no mention of sanctuary in these policies. Its supposed to be a peace of mind for people. There needs to be a process of accountability if city employees ask about immigration status. Asked about the petition and the groups stances, Nolan said the city welcomes the input from members of the community and looks forward to working with them. Asked why Stoney opted not to use the sanctuary city terminology, Nolan said in an email: The term Sanctuary City is often used derisively by immigration opponents to undermine community policing policies. In fact, community policing policies are about providing public safety services to both immigrant residents and the entire community. That is what we will do, and that is what the Mayors directive affirms. The term sanctuary city is indeed used by people on both sides of the issue and has a variety of meanings, sometimes referring to policing policies and sometimes more focused on describing a decision not to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement requests to detain immigrants. Like other major police agencies in the region, the Richmond Police Department says it has long had a policy of not asking people about their immigration status unless they are being charged with a crime. Stoneys directive reiterates that order. It also sets a policy that the department will not participate in partnerships with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, though Nolan said the city already does not engage in partnerships with the agency. Bautista-Velez said that despite the directive for officers not to question peoples immigration status, its a common occurrence in the Hispanic community. She said she filed a complaint in 2014 with the department after an officer questioned her status and never received any indication the department investigated the issue beyond a letter acknowledging the complaint. Richmond Police Chief Alfred Durham said the department encourages residents to let the department know when officers violate the policy. He looked up Bautista-Velezs complaint and said the officer in question was disciplined, though he said he was unable to say what specific disciplinary action was taken because it was a personnel issue. We want to hear from folks if any officer has asked anyone and made an inquiry into immigration status, Durham said. Beyond not asking about immigration status, municipalities in Virginia are limited in the steps they can take to disentangle themselves from immigration enforcement directives. State law in Virginia requires information sharing with ICE when someone is arrested and, in practice, it is performed across the country automatically behind the scenes as criminal databases are updated, according to immigration advocates. Sheriff C.T. Woody Jr., who is independently elected and runs the city jail, is somewhat more empowered to take steps to stop cooperating with ICE. As in the surrounding counties, jail officials said they make inmates sought by ICE available for pickup in the final five days of their sentence, though they do not hold them longer if ICE does not come. Tony H. Pham, the jails general counsel, said ICE picked up 10 inmates from Richmond last year. Stoneys office encouraged activists interested in the issue to turn their attention to the state and federal government. "We have been working to better understand the facts of these situations and, importantly, both the intent and impact of these events on members of our community," the provost says. Ed Gillespie, front-runner for the GOP nomination for governor, told Liberty Universitys convocation on Monday how his Catholic faith has sustained him through personal disappointments and professional setbacks. Liberty is an important campaign stop for national and statewide GOP hopefuls seeking support among evangelical voters. Rather than talk about hot-button issues, Gillespie reflected on lessons he learned while bouncing back from rejection. Gillespie cited Romans 8:28, which says, We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. He added: As I look back on my past, the first part of this verse explains a lot to me all things, including defeats and unpleasant experiences, work for the good. Gillespie said that while the Atlanta Falcons are having a hard time seeing that today, it is true in his life. You see, some of the most disappointing moments in my life have resulted in the best things that ever happened to me. Gillespie recalled that when he was a senior in high school, he set his sights on an elite liberal arts college in New England. In retrospect, given my grades and SAT scores, it was beyond my reach. But Id convinced myself I could get in. I didnt, and I was devastated. He ended up going to The Catholic University of America in Washington where he fell in love with a student whom he thought he would marry. He said they dated for a while, but the young woman transferred to another school when they were sophomores. On one of his visits to her school, Gillespie said, the woman broke up with him. I was heartbroken. Despondent, he recalled. Thought Id never be able to be truly happy. He threw himself into his studies and his work. He moved up from Senate parking attendant to an internship, and, to ultimately, a full-time job for a member of Congress. Following President Ronald Reagans 1984 re-election, Gillespie interviewed with two incoming members of Congress for a press secretary job. He did not get the job with one member of the House, whom many expected to be a rising star but then ended up losing his next election. Instead, Gillespie got the job with a somewhat nutty professor, Dick Armey of Texas, who rose through the ranks to become the first GOP House majority leader in 40 years. Gillespie said his work with Armey for more than a decade prepared him to become chairman of the Republican National Committee and ultimately, White House counselor to President George W. Bush. In Washington, on a congressional league co-ed softball team, Gillespie met Cathy Hay, his future wife. The Gillespies will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary in May. As its turned out, those feelings of devastation, heartbreak and rejection earlier in my life while not fleeting were temporary, Gillespie said. And every one of them led to lasting acceptance, love and fulfillment. Of course, I didnt know then what I know now. I wish I did. And I wish I had then the relationship with the Lord that I have now, because I would have had greater acceptance and much more peace in trying times, he said. Gillespie said he suffered another rejection in 2014, when he lost a squeaker to U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va. But I am a better person for having made that race. And I am a better candidate now because of that experience. Gillespie said he loves the passage from Romans because it puts our past in context, and helps rid us of the corrosive effect of living with regret. And it inspires us with hope for a future in accordance with Gods will. Gillespie is one of four Republican hopefuls for governor in the June primary, along with state Sen. Frank W. Wagner, R-Virginia Beach; Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors and Denver Riggleman, co-owner of Silverback Distillery in Nelson County. Two candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination: Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam and former Rep. Tom Perriello, D-5th. During my four years on the Virginia State Board of Education the most frustrating question was What can we do about school divisions that persistently fail to effectively educate their children? Virginias public education system remains one of the top performers in the nation, ranking high on such metrics as Advanced Placement, ACT and SAT scores, as well as the National Assessment of Educational Progress. But one of the biggest concerns remains children who face an uncertain educational future in a select number of school divisions. This year, 94 Virginia schools have had their accreditation denied. More than half 55 percent came from just five school divisions. Lets be clear: Accreditation Denied isnt some halfway point to full accreditation. Accreditation Denied is defined as the school fails to meet the requirements to be rated fully or provisionally accredited for four consecutive years. Meaning that these schools were in trouble long before they received their rating. Not only is it a narrow range of school divisions, but it is an even narrower range of schools: Nine schools have had their accreditation denied for at least three of the past five years. One school has been denied accreditation for a full 11 years in a row an entire generations worth of children given no choice but to attend a school that fails to teach. And if nine schools doesnt seem like a lot, look at it another way: 6,600 students spent their entire school career so far in a school whose accreditation has been denied. If they were a school division, it would be larger than 97 school divisions in Virginia. The solutions offered in the past have been new teachers, new principals, new math programs, new reading programs, leadership development and more. None of them have worked. Frustration over this state of affairs boiled over in 2013, when the General Assembly created an Opportunity Education Institution (OEI), modeled after the successful Recovery School District that restored schools in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina and was empowered to take over similarly failing schools. But state constitutions are all different, and Virginias gives absolute authority to local school boards to supervise their schools. OEI was correctly ruled unconstitutional. Del. Steve Landes, chairman of the House Education Committee, has now come forward with a proposal, sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Mark Obenshain, offering a pathway toward providing alternatives for the children suffering in those schools. The same state constitution granting absolute authority to local school divisions also grants the State Board of Education the right to create new school divisions subject to the criteria and conditions set by the General Assembly. Landes legislation sets the criteria under which the State Board can exercise its right to create regional charter school divisions, offering independent quality public schools. These new regional charter school divisions would focus only in areas where schools have been denied accreditation for two out of the past three years; would overlay geographically upon existing traditional school divisions, but leave existing local schools under the control of existing school boards; could not access local dollars; and would be subject to the same civil rights, health and safety requirements applicable to other public schools. While this is no silver bullet, it opens Virginia to effective charter school operators like KIPP Academies. KIPP teaches 80,000 students in 200 schools nationwide. Ninety-six percent are children of color who choose to attend their school; 88 percent are on free and reduced meals subsidies; 17 percent are English language learners. More important is KIPPs success: 94 percent of its students graduate high school, 81 percent start college, and 44 percent complete a four-year college. The statistics for low-income students nationally are 74 percent, 45 percent and 9 percent, respectively. Conditions set down by local school boards have made Virginia an inhospitable state for quality charter operators, so few strong applicants seek to open here. Virginias applicants, then, are frustrated moms and dads who really dont know how to make it work but are desperate to help their children. As a result, they put together a poor application, and the local school board properly rejects it but then says, Well, we dont get any good applications, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. The Landes-Obenshain legislation avoids the trap of many previous charter proposals by focusing on persistently low-performing schools. It would let existing school divisions operate their schools uninhibited, retaining local control and keeping local funds in the hands of local authorities. But it offers a new opportunity to try a different approach with a new set of schools run by experienced people who have done it successfully elsewhere. Well get a chance to break out the short sleeves this week, but the chance will be short-lived. Tuesday and Wednesday will be the warmest days of the week in Richmond, with temperatures more typical of April than February. Tuesday has a good chance to warm into the lower 70s, which could tie or break the record high of 70 from Feb. 7, 2008. Temperatures will be pushed higher by a strong breeze from the south-southwest. Henrico County revoked permits for open burning on Monday and Tuesday because of an increased fire threat, the Henrico Division of Fire said via Twitter. On Tuesday afternoon, the wind will gust from the southwest at 20 to 30 mph while the air has a relative humidity between 40 and 50 percent. Wednesday morning will be extremely mild by February standards, with lows in the mid- to upper 50s. Wednesdays high will be about as warm as Tuesdays, likely in the lower 70s. The record high to beat for Feb. 8 is 75 and, for now, it looks just slightly out of reach. Compared with Tuesday, it will feel more humid and less gusty. A few chances of rain but no washouts There are a few opportunities for rain showers between Tuesday and Thursday, but most of that time period will be dry. The first chance could come in the form of some spotty sprinkles early Tuesday morning. Most of Tuesday's rain will stay north and west of Virginia, closer to a low-pressure system in the Great Lakes region. Ahead of a cold front, severe storms could bring damaging gusts and a few tornadoes to parts of the Ohio Valley and Tennessee Valley on Tuesday. When that system moves east on Wednesday, it wont bring as much rain to Virginia, let alone any severe storms. Some scattered showers are possible early in the day, then again in the evening, but most of the daytime hours will be dry. Another low will zip from west to east across the state on Wednesday night and Thursday morning while a colder air mass starts to arrive. This system could bring widespread, chilly rain showers for the Thursday morning commute. Its possible that the rain could switch to snowflakes at some point on Thursday. Despite air temperatures above freezing, the air will be getting much colder aloft before the showers clear out of the state. Northern Virginia would be most likely to see a switch from rain to snow. Even if snow comes down in Richmond, the short duration and warm ground should prevent accumulations. Some lingering flurries could pass through on Thursday evening while colder air blows into the region. Cold air will come and go Typical wintertime cold will take hold again on Thursday and Friday, and this round will feel even colder in the wake of the mild weather. Look for temperatures to drop throughout the day on Thursday, from 50s in the morning to 40s in the afternoon and 30s for the evening. Friday will be the coldest day of the week, with a low in the lower 20s and a high in the lower 40s. Typical of this winter so far, the cold air wont last long. Another warming trend will begin on Saturday, and Richmond could enjoy temperatures in the 50s and 60s over the weekend. Nokia Cloud Packet Core provides converged access to drive ultra-broadband and IoT service delivery #MWC17 6 February 2017 Nokia extends its Cloud Packet Core to address the increasing connectivity needs in a world where more people and devices are becoming interconnected Supports industry's widest range of access technologies that can be used separately or combined to improve service quality and expand footprint Built with cloud-native architecture to provide the massive scalability, performance, flexibility and reliability needed to deliver broadband, IoT and MTC services, and enable a path to 5G Espoo, Finland - Nokia announces that its Cloud Packet Core, a cloud-native converged core, now supports the industry's widest array of access technologies. Its cloud-native architecture supports converged broadband, Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine Type Communications (MTC) service delivery across wireless licensed, shared and unlicensed spectrum, as well as fixed access. In a digital world, where everyone and everything is connected, the network is under significant new pressure. Broadband, IoT and MTC lead to a huge increase in devices and people that must be interconnected, introducing a diverse range of service requirements and characteristics that operators will need to support, including any access technology. In addition, the sheer number of devices places massive scalability demands on the network, and the applications supported have strict performance and reliability requirements. Operators must embrace this new environment while also ensuring the most flexible and efficient use of cloud resources to deliver this economically. Innovation in the network core is central to this transformation as it is the connection hub, and Nokia continues to invest in its Cloud Packet Core to support this new reality. Nokia's flexible, multi-access approach enables fixed and wireless technologies to be used, individually or together, to ensure the delivery of converged services anchored in a common core for a seamless service experience. These technologies include licensed spectrum such as 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G, as well as shared and unlicensed spectrum, including Wi-Fi, MulteFire and LTE-based CBRS, and fixed access. Moving beyond just simple virtualization of existing platforms, Nokia has architected its Cloud Packet Core from the ground up using cloud-native architecture concepts including software disaggregation, functional software elements with 'state-efficient' processing combined with a common data layer, network slicing, along with centralized and distributed deployment to achieve massive scalability, performance, flexibility and reliability. Nokia's Cloud Packet Core also includes a new rich 3GPP R13 Cellular IoT (CIoT) feature set and new capabilities, such as the CIoT Serving Gateway Node, to support new service and application requirements, including narrowband IoT (NB-IoT). The Cloud Packet Core will create significant broadband business opportunities and support diverse applications for multiple segments and verticals, including consumer mobile, residential, enterprises and governments. Fast facts: Nokia Cloud Packet Core anchors the industry's most extensive range of standards-based wireless and fixed access technologies, and supports concurrent service delivery across multiple access technologies Rich 3GPP R13 feature set and new CIoT Serving Gateway Node capabilities to support applications and services such as NB-IoT Cloud-native architecture delivers greater flexibility in resource deployment and efficient utilization to drive better economics New pre-integrated and modular Cloud Packet Core solutions (Cloud Mobility Manager/Cloud Mobile Gateway) expand on existing Cloud NFV deployment capabilities for rapid deployment and operational integration, and to engage expanded markets Builds on cloud-native investment required today for 4G and converged networks, facilitates a path to 5G, and has further innovations to deliver expanded service capabilities, scalability, agility and network functions Stephane Teral, Senior Research Director and Advisor, Mobile Infrastructure and Carrier Economics, IHS Markit, said: "While the requirements and use cases for 5G continue to be defined, it's clear that a new flexible multi-access cloud native packet core will be needed to support the nearer-term enhanced mobile broadband and IoT/MTC services and applications. This cloud-native packet core must provide the scale, capacity, reliability and flexibility to cost-effectively deliver this diverse set of services/applications, while providing the foundation for 5G. Nokia clearly understands this transformation with its Cloud Packet Core, which goes beyond virtualization to a cloud-native architecture that leverages webscale technologies to deliver this evolution strategy." Sri Reddy, head of the IP Routing and Packet Core Business Unit at Nokia, said: "Broadband evolution to 5G and IoT/MTC will place a diverse set of service characteristics and requirements on the network. These services will need to be concurrently delivered across the widest range of fixed and wireless technologies to provide a seamless service experience and support extensive personalization. The Nokia Cloud Packet Core provides the converged anchor point to make this possible. With its cloud-native architecture, it has the flexibility, performance, scalability, reliability and improved operations for organizations to embrace and profit from mobile broadband, IoT/MTC and coming-5G opportunities." The Cloud Packet Core will be in the Nokia booth at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Feb 27-Mar 2, Hall 3 Stand 3A10. Key Resources: About Nokia Nokia is a global leader in creating the technologies at the heart of our connected world. Powered by the research and innovation of Nokia Bell Labs, we serve communications service providers, governments, large enterprises and consumers, with the industry's most complete, end-to-end portfolio of products, services and licensing. From the enabling infrastructure for 5G and the Internet of Things, to emerging applications in virtual reality and digital health, we are shaping the future of technology to transform the human experience. www.nokia.com Media Enquiries: Nokia IP/Optical Networks communications Sarah Miller 613-720-9716 Sarah.miller@nokia.com @sarahjmiller2 Communications Phone: +358 (0) 10 448 4900 E-mail: press.services@nokia.com MONDAY The Richmond Planning Commission will meet at 1:30 p.m. in the conference room on the fifth floor of City Hall, 900 E. Broad St. The Richmond School Board will meet at 6 p.m. at Albert Hill Middle School, 3400 Patterson Ave. TUESDAY The Chesterfield County School Board will meet at 4 p.m. at the Career and Technical Center, 13900 Hull St. The Dinwiddie County Board of Supervisors will hold a work session at 4 p.m., 14016 Boydton Plank Road. The Prince George County School Board will meet at 6 p.m. to hear the superintendents budget proposal, 6410 Courts Drive. The Petersburg City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Union Train Station, 103 River St. The Hopewell City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m., 300 N. Main St. The Ashland Town Council will meet at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at Ashland Town Hall, 101 Thompson St. WEDNESDAY The Hanover County Board of Supervisors will meet at 3 p.m. in the boardroom of the Hanover County Administration Building, 7516 County Complex Road. The Ashland County Planning Commission will meet at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at Ashland Town Hall, 101 Thompson St. The Dinwiddie County Planning Commission will meet at 7 p.m., 14016 Boydton Plank Road. THURSDAY The Henrico County School Board will hold a work session at 2:30 p.m. in the New Bridge Auditorium, 5915 Nine Mile Road. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. TORONTO, Feb. 06, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. (TSX:AVL) and (OTCQX:AVLNF) (Avalon or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has received results from recent laboratory testwork on lepidolite (lithium mica) mineralization from the Separation Rapids lithium deposit confirming that a 99.88% pure lithium carbonate product can be made from this material. The work was conducted by Lepidico Ltd., of Perth, Australia (ASX:LPD) (Lepidico) using its patented L-Max hydrometallurgical process technology. The results are summarized in more detail in Lepidicos news release dated January 25, 2017. Avalon and Lepidico have subsequently entered into a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) under which it is contemplated that Avalon would sell a minimum of 15,000 tonnes per annum of lepidolite concentrate produced from its planned demonstration-scale pilot plant to Lepidico for processing at Lepidicos planned Phase 1 commercial lithium carbonate production facility. Lepidico is currently preparing a Pre-feasibility Study for this plant which it plans to be located near large consumers of lithium battery materials. Lepidico is also planning to complete a definitive feasibility study by December, 2017. Both companies anticipate initiating construction of their respective process plants in 2018. Avalons President, Don Bubar commented, We are pleased to have identified a second opportunity to recover a lithium battery material from the Separation Rapids deposit, in addition to the lithium hydroxide product that can be recovered from the known petalite resource as documented in the Companys recent Preliminary Economic Assessment. This gives us potential to increase the recoverable lithium resources in the deposit and serve more markets with our lithium products, as well as other potential by-products such as rubidium and cesium. Avalon plans to proceed with a winter drilling program by the end of February, 2017 to test known extensions of the Separation Rapids lithium deposit and expand the mineral resource. This will include a number of holes designed to better delineate the lepidolite-bearing sub-zones to the east of the main petalite resource and bring them into the total lithium resources on the property. The technical information included in this news release has been reviewed and approved by the Companys Senior Vice President, Metallurgy and Technology Development, Mr. David Marsh, FAusIMM (CP), and Donald S. Bubar, P.Geo. both Qualified Persons under NI 43-101. For questions and feedback, please e-mail the Company at ir@AvalonAM.com, or phone Don Bubar, President & CEO at 416-364-4938. About Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. is a Canadian mineral development company specializing in niche market metals and minerals with growing demand in new technology. The Company has three advanced stage projects, all 100%-owned, providing investors with exposure to lithium, tin and indium, as well as rare earth elements, tantalum, niobium, and zirconium. Avalon is currently focusing on its Separation Rapids Lithium Project, Kenora, ON and its East Kemptville Tin-Indium Project, Yarmouth, NS. Social responsibility and environmental stewardship are corporate cornerstones. For questions and feedback, please e-mail the Company at ir@AvalonAM.com, or phone Don Bubar, President & CEO at 416-364-4938. This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements related that to it is contemplated that Avalon would sell a minimum of 15,000 tonnes per annum of lepidolite concentrate produced from its planned demonstration-scale pilot plant to Lepidico, that Lepidico is currently preparing a pre-feasibility study for this plant which it plans to be located near large consumers of lithium battery materials, that Lepidico is also planning to complete a definitive feasibility study by December, 2017, that both companies anticipate initiating construction of their respective process plants in 2018, that this gives [Avalon] potential to increase the recoverable lithium resources in the deposit and serve more markets with our lithium products as well as other potential by-products such as rubidium and cesium, that Avalon plans to proceed with a winter drilling program by the end of February, 2017 to test known extensions of the Separation Rapids lithium deposit and expand the mineral resource and that this will include a number of holes designed to better delineate the lepidolite-bearing sub-zones to the east of the main petalite resource and bring them into the total lithium resources on the property. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as potential, scheduled, anticipates, continues, expects or does not expect, is expected, scheduled, targeted, planned, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be or will not be taken, reached or result, will occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Avalon to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made. Although Avalon has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from expected results described in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to market conditions, and the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses as well as those risk factors set out in the Companys current Annual Information Form, Managements Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure documents available under the Companys profile at www.SEDAR.com. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Such forward-looking statements have been provided for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Companys plans and objectives and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Avalon does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that are contained herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. ROSEMONT, Pa., Feb. 06, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rosemont College is pleased to announce the launch of a new masters degree in Homeland Security with a lecture on Politics, Hacking, and the New Russia by Jack Thomas Tomarchio on Wednesday, February 22nd in the Colleges Rotwitt Theater. A reception will follow the lecture. Jack Thomas Tomarchio was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2005 to be the first Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis. In 2007 he was promoted to Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Operations. In his work at the Department of Homeland Security he was the primary senior official in charge of the Intelligence Directorates partnership with state and local governments to build a domestic intelligence sharing network. He also worked closely with other components of the federal intelligence community. He left the department in late 2008 to return to the private sector. Mr. Tomarchio is currently a principal with the Agoge Group, LLC, an international strategic advisory firm based in Wayne, Pennsylvania. He advises companies, law firms, financial services firms, federal government contractors and government organizations on trends and changes in geopolitical markets and issues effecting international security. He also advises clients on business processes for technology companies, many of them in the defense, homeland security, cyber security and intelligence fields. He is also an active entrepreneur and has been involved in numerous early and mezzanine stage companies as an investor and a principal. His lecture, which is free and open to the public, will explore the timely topic of how Russias influence in the political and cyber spheres impacts our nation and our world today. One only needs to look at headlines in the media around the world to know that this subject is on the minds of so many today. Im pleased that Rosemont College is addressing this topic through this lecture, but also through the establishment of a new masters degree in Homeland Security. Our world needs educated leaders in this field now more than ever before. said Mr. Tomarchio when asked about his lecture at Rosemont College. Mr. Tomarchio is speaking as a guest of Rosemont Colleges newly launched Homeland Security Program. The masters degree program, which begins in March 2017 and was developed in partnership with the Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security- University Agency Partnership Initiative, provides a unique graduate level learning experience that prepares students to analyze, mitigate, and manage the complex issues related to natural and human-made disasters including disaster response, emergency management, public health issues, cyber security, the psychology of terrorism, and the role of law enforcement and the military in protecting the general population. The program examines these topics through the lens of the Cornelian educational experience with modern Catholic social justice and civil liberties teaching, advocating for the dignity of each human being, pursuit of the common good, protection of the poor and the marginalized, and care for Gods creation. An information session for the Homeland Security Program will be held prior to the lecture from 6:00 6:30 pm in Rotwitt Theater. To register for the February 22nd lecture by Jack Thomas Tomarchio on Politics, Hacking, and the New Russia or the information session, please visit: www.rosemont.edu/hacking. ****Please note that in the event of inclement weather, Mr. Tomarchios lecture will be held on Tuesday, February 28th at 7:00 pm in Rotwitt Theater. If the lecture is changed to February 28th, registered guests will be notified by email and the date change will be posted on www.rosemont.edu. Rosemont College is a private, coeducational Catholic institution founded in 1921 by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. Rosemont offers a comprehensive education through small group and experiential learning experiences while providing campus-wide academic, spiritual, and professional support. We respect and embrace diversity and individuality and promote students lifelong success. For more information, visit www.rosemont.edu. New Bionano Solve 3.0 assembly and analysis software to be released this quarter SAN DIEGO, Feb. 06, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bionano Genomics, the leader in physical genome mapping, today released the first comprehensive dataset outlining the performance of large structural variant (SV) detection in human genomes. In a pre-print publication appearing online, Bionano describes its new assembly and SV discovery algorithms that far outperform array or sequencing-based technologies. The study, "Rapid Automated Large Structural Variation Detection in a Diploid Genome by NanoChannel Based Next-Generation Mapping, demonstrates that Bionanos next-generation mapping (NGM) technology comprehensively detects large SVs, including both heterozygous and homozygous variants, with unrivaled sensitivity and precision in the industry. Precision medicine initiatives require accurate analyses of human genomes. While improvements in sequencing technology have allowed for spectacular progress in the detection of single nucleotide changes, the analysis of larger SVs has remained ineffective. Standard methodologies for detecting SVs have significant limitations. Chromosomal microarray is insensitive to novel insertions, mobile element insertions, many low copy repeats, and all balanced translocations and inversions. Short-read sequencing methods have low sensitivity to most large variants and often fail in repetitive regions or those with high GC-content. Long-read sequencing has better sensitivity for heterozygous SVs, but is unable to span larger repetitive regions. The new Bionano Solve 3.0 assembly pipeline within the Bionano Access analysis and visualization software introduces a number of improvements, including the capability to integrate SV calls collected from two separate experiments using orthogonal labeling enzymes. The improvements allow for unprecedented sensitivity and precision to detect large SVs: results showed that Bionano detects all insertions and deletions larger than 1 kilobasepair (kbp) with more than 90% sensitivity. More specifically, Bionano detects homozygous insertions and deletions 1.5 kbp to megabasepairs in size with more than 99% sensitivity while detecting the typically much harder to detect heterozygous insertions and deletions larger than 1.5 kbp with 87% sensitivity. These high sensitivity rates far outperform sequencing-based SV calling. Best-reported rates for PacBio, arguably the next-best solution for SV detection, show 78% sensitivity for homozygous and 54% sensitivity for heterozygous SVs of the same size when tested on the exact same samples, and almost twice the false positive rate as Bionano. The study also showed that Bionanos NGM detects translocations, whether balanced or unbalanced, with 98% sensitivity, and the chromosomal breakpoint can be determined to a median distance of 2.9 kbp which is approximately 1,000 times more precise than karyotyping and FISH. Bionanos automated SV calls have a false positive rate of less than 3% for each reported type of structural event, giving researchers high confidence of those SV calls. Unlike array or sequencing technologies, Bionanos NGM also detects inversions, repeat array expansion or contractions, and visualizes complex genomic rearrangements. Erik Holmlin, Ph.D., CEO of Bionano Genomics, commented, Geneticists increasingly understand the clinical importance of correct order and orientation in the genome. As demonstrated by this study, highly accurate discovery and analysis of large structural variants is now available. These comprehensive results demonstrate that Bionanos structural variation analysis is by far the most cost-effective, fast, and accurate technology able to detect a wide spectrum of SV types balanced and unbalanced, simple and complex, spanning a wide size range." Studies of patients with cancer and genetic disorders that used Bionano Access analysis will be announced at the upcoming Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (AGBT) General Meeting. Bionano Access will be released this quarter. The bioRxiv publication is available online at http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/02/01/102764 About Bionano Genomics Bionano Genomics, Inc. provides next-generation mapping (NGM), which is the leading solution in physical genome mapping, offering customers whole genome analysis tools that reveal true genome structure and enabling researchers to capture whats missing in their data to advance human, plant and animal genomic research. NGM uses NanoChannel arrays to image DNA at the single-molecule level with average single-molecule lengths of about 350,000 base pairs, which leads the genomics industry. The long-range genomic information obtained with NGM detects and deciphers structural variations (SVs), which are large, complex DNA segments involving repeats that are often missed by sequencing technologies and which are a leading cause of inaccurate and incomplete genome assembly. As a stand-alone tool, NGM enables the accurate detection of SVs, many of which have been shown to be associated with human disease as well as complex traits in plants and animals. As a complementary tool to next-generation sequencing (NGS), NGM integrates with sequence assemblies to create contiguous hybrid scaffolds for reference-quality genome assemblies that reveal the highly informative native structure of the chromosome. NGM also provides the additional ability to verify, correct and improve a NGS-generated genome assembly. Only Bionano provides long-range genomic information with the cost-efficiency and high throughput to keep up with advances in NGS. NGM has been adopted by a growing number of leading institutions around the world, including: National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, BGI, Garvan Institute, Salk Institute, Mount Sinai and Washington University. Investors in the Company include Domain Associates, Legend Capital, Novartis Venture Fund and Monashee Investment Management. For more information, please visit www.BionanoGenomics.com. Notes: Bionano Genomics is a trademark of Bionano Genomics, Inc. Any other names of actual companies, organizations, entities, products or services may be the trademarks of their respective owners. NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C., Feb. 06, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medac, Inc., a Medical Business Management Services provider, today announced the company has successfully completed a Service Organization Control 2 (SOC 2) Type 2 certification under AT Section 101. Medac also has successfully completed a third-party assessment of its controls and procedures required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The HIPAA Security Rule is a United States federal regulatory requirement specifying a series of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for assuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of certain healthcare data. The demanding third-party examinations that led to the achievements was administered by the professional IT assurance and compliance staff at 360 Advanced, a respected national Qualified Security Assessor, HITRUST CSF Assessor and Certified Public Accountant firm based in St. Petersburg, FL. Completion of the SOC 2 Type 2 examination is widely recognized as proof that a service organization has been through an evaluation of their control activities as they relate to the applicable Trust Services Principles and Criteria. The SOC 2 Type 2, developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), is the most widely recognized authoritative guidance that provides service organizations a uniform method for disclosing independently assessed information about the design and operation of internal controls related to their services. Companies completing an annual SOC 2 examination are able to demonstrate a substantially higher level of assurance and operationally visibility than those companies who do not. The SOC 2 Type 2 process is an extensive effort towards security and proper controls and ensures that Medac is cyber secure, said Bellinger Moody, Medacs President. It provides an outside validation for our clients, vendors, and board of directors that we are committed to excellence as we continue to grow. The Service Auditors Report includes a detailed description of Medac, Inc.s controls and an independent assessment of whether the controls are placed in operation and suitably designed. For any further questions, please contact Sam Bruce, CISM, PMP, CSM, CSSGB, at Medac. ABOUT MEDAC, INC. Medac is an anesthesia practice management and medical billing company with over 500 employees operating from 83 locations in the United States. Medac uses proprietary and third-party licensed technology to process government, patient and insurance reimbursement to anesthesia groups to improve financial performance and reduce compliance risk. ABOUT 360 ADVANCED 360 Advanceds services are provided, but not limited to, the following industries: Title Services, Hosted and Managed IT, Data Center and Colocation, Software as a Service (SaaS), Healthcare, Financial Services, Insurance, HR | Payroll | PEO, Legal and Collections, Bulk Mail Printing and Distribution, Background Screening, Business Process Outsourcing and Marketing. Services provided by 360 Advanced include HITRUST CSF, SOC 1 (SSAE 18), SOC 2, SOC 3, PCI DSS, HIPAA Security/HITECH, Microsoft Vendor Policy and other security and compliance services. Jane Collins A HIGH Court judge will decide today (Monday) how much UKIP MEP Jane Collins must pay in damages after she libelled Rotherhams three MPs. Ms Collins claimed that John Healey, Kevin Barron and Sarah Champion knew about child grooming gangs but deliberately ignored them out of political correctness. She asked the European Parliament for immunity when the MPs launched High Court legal action against her. But Parliaments Committee on Legal Affairs approved a report which found no ground for defending Ms Collins immunity. Ms Collins claimed a right to protection as attending court in Britain was restricting her freedom to work in Europe. But the committee found there was an exception to MEPs right of freedom to travel where they faced legal action at home. The MEP also claimed that opinions she expressed as a European politician were immune from libel lawsuits. But the committee found that was not the case, as Ms Collins had made the comments at a UKIP party conference. The Libertines will headline Tramlines 2017 THE Libertines, All Saints and Toots and the Maytals have been revealed as the headline acts for Tramlines 2017 festival. Joining them on the bill are Metronomy, The Coral, We Are Scientists, Twin Atlantic, Cabbage, Goat Girl, Hot 8 Brass Band, M.O, Omar Souleyman, Cate Le Bon, Nadia Rose, Akala and many more. Sheffields inner-city music festival returns from Friday, July 21 to Sunday, July 23 and this year brings with it some big changes. The ninth edition of Tramlines will be an exclusively outdoor event, spanning three of Sheffields parks. Tramlines festival director, Sarah Nulty, said: After each festival, we turn to our audience to find out what theyd like to see at the next event. The overwhelming feedback was that people wanted to see bigger acts on the Tramlines stages. By streamlining Tramlines to three outdoor stages, its meant we could deliver something really special. Sheffield is often hailed as an outdoor city, and has a ton of public parks and a third of it sits within the glorious Peak District National Park. It is the UKs leading destination for people seeking outdoor adventure and we are excited to present an exclusively outdoor event for 2017. The Main Stage will remain in Ponderosa Park and promises to be a melting pot of sounds, with indie from The Libertines, reggae courtesy of Toots and the Maytals and R&B delivered by one of the biggest girl bands of the 90s, All Saints. All Saints Rock fans are catered for with Glaswegian quartet Twin Atlantic, while fans of hip-hop, rap and grime can check out the melodic sounds of The Age of LUNA, rising star Nadia Rose and former Mobo winner Akala. Metronomy serve up electronica, girl group M.O bring the pop, Hot 8 Brass Band bring the sound of New Orleans to Sheffield with a set of infectious jazz and funk, while R&B, soul and reggae are provided by the legendary Don Letts. The Devonshire Green stage will be graced by New York-based We Are Scientists, Mersey five-piece The Coral and hip-hop royalty The Pharcyde, who arrive in Sheffield 20 years after the release of the timeless Bizarre Ride II album. Devonshire Green is also the place to discover emerging talent with performances from rising scuzz-rock band Cabbage, the dynamic Welsh outfit Estrons, alt-R&B from Bossy Love and indie band Fizzy Blood. Endcliffe Park will host the third outdoor area known as the Folk Forest, specialising in world music, alt-pop, folk, jazz and more. Highlight performances come from Syrian musician Omar Souleyman, alt-pop artist Cate Le Bon, progressive-pop trio Blaenavon, the experimental Yorkston Thorne Khan, Rough Trade signings Goat Girl and more. Earlybird and first release tickets for Tramlines Festival 2017 sold out in record time, but second release weekend tickets are on sale at 38 plus booking fee. Tickets can be purchased from www.tramlines.org.uk Metropolitan Transportation Authority/Patrick Cashin New Yorks Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has reported record ridership numbers on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), Metro-North Railroad and the newly-added Second Avenue Subway. The LIRR reportedly transported 89.3 million passengers in 2016, which MTA cites as a 1.9-percent increase compared to the year prior and is noted as the highest ridership since 1949. Metro-North Railroad has carried approximately 86.5 million customers in 2016, which MTA says is the highest ridership in the railroads history. The 2016 numbers surpass those of last years record of 86.3 million. Metro-Norths total ridership has more than doubled since the railroads founding in 1983, MTA says. Since the Second Avenue Subway opened Jan. 1, ridership has grown consistently by approximately 8,000 daily riders each week, reaching 155,000 daily riders as of Jan. 27. The opening of the Second Avenue Subway was a singular event, and New Yorkers have been quick to embrace the new line, with ridership climbing quickly, said Ronnie Hakim, the MTAs interim Executive Director. The fact that so many daily riders are using the new line has also helped to ease crowding during the morning rush at key stations on the Lexington Avenue line, making commuting easier, faster and better for thousands of New Yorkers. The LIRR has documented a 1.97 percent average growth per year throughout the past five years. The railroads ridership has grown 10.2 percent in five years, from 81.0 million in 2011, MTA says. The ridership figures underscore the importance of the LIRR capacity expansion projects that are underway or proposed, said MTA Chairman and CEO Thomas F. Prendergast. MTA says the ridership figures underscore New York Gov. Andrew Cuomos proposal for significant capacity increase work to be done on the LIRR to expand the Main Line from two tracks to three between Floral Park and Hicksville. The LIRR is currently constructing a second track between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma. The MTA reports that a demographic and travel analysis of LIRR users reveals an increasing reliance on the railroad by younger customers, and the beginnings of a reverse-travel market segment, which the MTA predicts would be further developed if Gov. Cuomos Main Line Expansion project proposal is built as expected. Our data reinforces what weve seen elsewhere that millennials are more likely to opt for the railroad as a matter of choice, and to embrace a lifestyle built around downtown activities and living than previous generations, said William Wheeler, MTAs director of planning. We know that habits that are developed early in ones adult life tend to stick with them through their entire working lives. So the trend bodes well as a long-term positive for LIRR ridership. LIRR President Patrick Nowakowski says the survey results are valuable to the railroad as it makes decisions regarding service planning, capital expenditures and marketing for future years. There is an intrinsic demand for reverse-peak travel to the Island that today is very difficult for the LIRR to accommodate as a two-track railroad, Nowakowski said. This data shows that if and when the Main Line is expanded to a third track, our reverse-commute service would fill an immediate unmet need. Guns N' Roses earned a total gross of $56.545 million and more than 565,000 tickets sold for their thirteen concerts on the South American leg of their 'Not In This Lifetime Tour,' according to Billboard Boxscore. Billboard reports that 105,000 tickets were sold to the band's November 4 and November 5 shows in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with another 93,600 fans attending the group's November 11 and November 12 gigs in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The October 29 concert at Santiago, Chile's Estadio Nacional drew 62,375 people. Also, according to Billboard, the North American leg of the 'Not In This Lifetime' summer stadium tour grossed $116.8 million with over one million tickets sold. The 2016 trek kicked off on June 23 and included 25 concerts in 21 stadiums, wrapping on August 22. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Entertainment News French English LONGUEUIL, Quebec, Feb. 06, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stornoway Diamond Corporation (TSX:SWY) (the Corporation or Stornoway) is pleased to announce 2016 production results for the Renard Diamond Mine and 2017 guidance. Highlights are as follows: 2,074,827 tonnes of open pit ore mined and 399,162 tonnes processed, increases of +136% and +77% respectively over plan; 448,887 carats recovered at an attributable grade of 112 carats per hundred tonnes (cpht), increases of +106% and +15% respectively over the 2016 plan of 218,400 carats at 97 cpht; 38,913 carats sold for gross proceeds of US$7.6 million, representing un-budgeted pre-production revenue; Commercial production declared on January 1 st , 2017; , 2017; 2017 production guidance of 1.7 million carats produced and 1.8 million carats sold, at an average diamond price between US$100 and US$132 per carat; 2017 operating cost guidance of C$59.68 per tonne processed (C$66.49 per carat sold); and, 2017 sustaining and deferred capital cost guidance of $C78.7 million. Matt Manson, President and CEO commented: In 2016 we completed construction of the Renard Diamond Mine ahead of schedule and below budget, achieving commercial production at year end. Todays press release highlights an operating performance that was similarly strong, with better than expected production in the open pits, and development of the underground mine proceeding comfortably on-schedule. Our ability to bring the project into production early resulted in significantly higher carat production than planned for the year, and an earlier than expected first sale that gave us unbudgeted pre-production revenue. With the first few months of ore processing behind us, we are pleased with the performance of the projects Mineral Resource, with better than expected grades reflecting better than expected geology at the top of the Renard 2 and Renard 3 ore bodies. For 2017 we are being cautious with our diamond price forecasting, due to uncertain market conditions and a reduction in pricing for smaller and certain lower quality items. This trend began earlier in 2016, deepened with the Indian de-monetization events, and was reflected in the results of our first two diamond sales. Our price forecasting further reflects higher than expected levels of diamond breakage that we are experiencing in the process plant and which is influencing our initial diamond recovery profile. The source of this breakage is evident to us and a mitigation plan is underway to reduce it to acceptable levels. Our focus in 2017 is the maintenance of our good operating performance and the progressive improvement in the quality of our recoveries as our plant ramp-up continues. At year end, our (preliminary, unaudited) total financial liquidity stood at C$159 million1, comprised of cash and cash equivalents, expected receivables, and undrawn debt facilities. 1 Excludes an undrawn C$48 million project cost-overrun facility. 2016 Production Results For the year ended December 31, 2016, Stornoway extracted a total of 7,840,130 tonnes of ore, waste and overburden from the Renard 2- Renard 3 and Renard 65 open pits, compared to a plan of 6,339,501 tonnes (+24%). 2,074,827 tonnes of ore were mined compared to a plan of 879,641 tonnes (+136%). At the end of the year the ore stockpile stood at 1,842,068 tonnes, excluding an additional 63,243 tonnes of non-resource Renard 3 material. A total of 399,162 tonnes of ore were processed with carat production of 448,887 carats, compared to a plan of 218,400 carats (+106%), with an attributable grade of 112 cpht compared to a plan of 97 cpht (+15%). The higher tonnage of ore processed was due to the earlier than expected availability of the plant, and the higher grade was due to a better than expected mix of ore units available in the Renard 2-3 open pit. One diamond sale was completed during the year, being 38,913 carats sold for gross proceeds of US$7.6 million, representing un-budgeted pre-production revenue. 2,729 meters of development was completed in the underground mine, compared to a plan of 2,768 meters (-1%). There has been no recurrence of the water inflow issues that slowed ramp development towards the end of 2015. The Renard 2 kimberlite was intersected at the 160 meter level on December 4, 2016 and by year end 117 meters of development within ore had been completed in good ground conditions. Stornoways lost time incident frequency rate for the year was 1.55, with zero incidents of environmental non-compliance. During the year, the proportion of Stornoway employees and contractors who were Crees of the Eeyou Istchee averaged 19%. 2017 Guidance Mining, Processing and Sales In 2017 Stornoway plans to mine 4.4 million tonnes of ore and waste from the open pits and 0.5 million tonnes from the underground mine. 2 million tonnes of ore will be processed for a planned recovery of 1.7 million carats at a grade of 86 cpht. Full name-plate capacity of 6,000 tonnes per day, based on 73% plant utilization, is scheduled to be achieved by the end of the second quarter. 2,300 meters of underground development and 2,600 meters of production stope development is planned in the underground mine. Diamond sales of 1.8 million carats are planned in ten tender sales in Antwerp, Belgium. Capital and Operating Costs Operating costs for 2017 are forecast at C$59.68 per tonne processed, being C$70.41 per carat processed and C$66.49 per carat sold. Capital costs are forecast at C$78.7 million. This includes scheduled cap-ex of $45.5 million for the underground mine, and sustaining capital items associated with the projects process plant, power plant, and processed kimberlite containment facility. The capital cost estimate includes $11.8 million of site service costs associated with capital items but previously shown as operating general and administrative costs, and $1.7 million of costs deferred from 2016. Diamond Pricing and Revenue Based on the profile of diamonds recovered to date, market conditions, and the results of early sales and valuations, Stornoway forecasts average diamond pricing during 2017 of between US$100 and US$132 per carat. This yields a gross revenue forecast of US$180 million to US$230 million based on planned diamond sales. Compared to previous estimates, the 2017 pricing guidance incorporates reduced pricing for smaller and certain lower quality rough diamond categories seen during the course of 2016 and confirmed in the first two Renard sales. This trend, already underway, was exacerbated by the Indian de-monetization event of late 2016 which has prompted many diamond producers, including Stornoway, to temporarily withhold this material from sale. Stornoways 2017 price guidance assumes stabilization of the Indian currency market and the beginning of price recovery prior to the end of the second quarter of 2017. 2017 pricing guidance further reflects the profile of diamonds recovered at Renard in the initial ramp-up period. During the first few months of operation, the Renard diamond process plant has liberated a higher proportion of small diamonds than expected, and has induced higher levels of diamond breakage than expected. Both of these factors have a strong influence on average run-of-mine pricing. Diamond breakage occurs in all diamond process plants, and is measurable and remediable. Stornoway is undertaking a breakage mitigation plan in conjunction with 3rd party experts and equipment vendors. This work will be ongoing through the first half of 2017. Achieved diamond pricing will continue to be influenced by this breakage until it is resolved. Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources Year-end Mineral Reserves have been updated based on mining depletion. PROVEN MINERAL RESERVES(1,2) Stockpile (4) Carats (millions) Tonnes (millions) Grade (cpht)(3) Renard 2, All Units 0.55 1.31 42 Renard 2 0.29 0.29 98 CRB-2A 0.03 0.11 33 CRB 0.23 0.91 25 Renard 3 0.23 0.28 81 Renard 65 0.09 0.25 35 Reload 0.003 0.004 76 Renard 2 UG 0.004 0.007 52 Total Stockpile Proven Mineral Reserves 0.87 1.85 47 PROBABLE MINERAL RESERVES(1,2) Open Pit Carats (millions) Tonnes (millions) Grade (cpht)(3) Renard 2, All Units 1.06 1.93 55 Renard 2 0.82 0.90 91 CRB-2A 0.10 0.33 32 CRB 0.14 0.69 20 Renard 3 0.56 0.58 97 Renard 65 1.28 4.30 30 Total OP Probable Mineral Reserves 2.90 6.80 43 PROBABLE MINERAL RESERVES(1,2) Underground Carats (millions) Tonnes (millions) Grade (cpht)(3) Renard 2 15.65 19.67 80 Renard 3 0.86 1.22 70 Renard 4 1.67 3.46 48 Total UG Probable Mineral Reserves 18.18 24.35 75 Total Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves(5) 21.95 (-0.31) 33.00 (-0.42) 67 (--) Notes 1 Reserve categories follow the CIM Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. 2 Totals may not add due to rounding. 3 Carats per hundred tonnes. Estimated at a +1 DTC sieve size cut-off. 4 Represents mine and stockpiled ore as of December 31, 2016 5 Changes from March 2016 Mineral Reserve estimate shown in italics Exclusive of the Mineral Reserves, the Renard Diamond Mine includes additional Indicated Mineral Resources of 0.9 million carats (3.4 million tonnes at 27 cpht), Inferred Mineral Resources of 13.4 million carats (24.5 million tonnes at 54 cpht), and 33.0 to 71.1 million carats of non-resource exploration upside (76.2 to 113.2 million tonnes at grades ranging from 25 to 168 cpht). All kimberlites remain open at depth. Readers are cautioned that the potential quantity and grade of any such exploration target is conceptual in nature, there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. Conference Call Details The Corporations senior management will host a conference call on Tuesday February 7, 2017 at 8:30am Eastern Time to discuss the 2016 results and 2017 guidance. Participants in Canada may join the call by dialling 416-340-2216 or 1-800-377-0758 for calls outside of Canada. A live webcast of the conference call, with guidance support materials, will be available on the companys website; www.stornowaydiamonds.com. The conference call will be archived on the Companys website until March 31, 2017. About the Renard Diamond Mine The Renard Diamond Mine is Quebecs first producing diamond mine and Canadas sixth. It is located approximately 250 km north of the Cree community of Mistissini and 350 km north of Chibougamau in the James Bay region of north-central Quebec. Construction on the project commenced on July 10, 2014, and commercial production was declared on January 1, 2017. Average annual diamond production is forecast at 1.8 million carats per annum over the first 10 years of mining. Readers are referred to the technical report dated January 11, 2016, in respect of the September 2015 Mineral Resource estimate, and the technical report dated March 30, 2016, in respect of the March 2016 Updated Mine Plan and Mineral Reserve Estimate for further details and assumptions relating to the project. Qualified Persons Disclosure of a scientific or technical nature in this press release was prepared under the supervision of M. Patrick Godin, P.Eng. (Quebec), Chief Operating Officer, and Mr. David Farrow, Pr.Sci.Nat (South Africa) and P.Geo. (BC), Vice President Diamonds, both qualified persons under NI 43-101. About Stornoway Diamond Corporation Stornoway is a leading Canadian diamond exploration and development company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol SWY and headquartered in Montreal. Our flagship asset is the 100% owned Renard Diamond Project, Quebecs first diamond mine. Stornoway is a growth oriented company with a world-class asset, in one of the worlds best mining jurisdictions, in one of the worlds great mining businesses. On behalf of the Board STORNOWAY DIAMOND CORPORATION /s/ Matt Manson Matt Manson President and Chief Executive For more information, please contact Matt Manson (President and CEO) at 416-304-1026 x2101 or Orin Baranowsky (Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Development) at 416-304-1026 x2103 or toll free at 1-877-331-2232 Pour plus dinformation, veuillez contacter M. Ghislain Poirier, Vice-president Affaires publiques de Stornoway au 418-254-6550, gpoirier@stornowaydiamonds.com ** Website: www.stornowaydiamonds.com Email: info@stornowaydiamonds.com ** This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. This information and these statements, referred to herein as forward-looking statements, are made as of the date of this press release and the Corporation does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements with respect to Stornoways objectives for the ensuing year, our medium and long-term goals, and strategies to achieve those objectives and goals, as well as statements with respect to our beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates and intentions. Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect current expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) the amount of Mineral Reserves, Mineral Resources and exploration targets; (ii) the amount of future production over any period; (iii) net present value and internal rates of return of the mining operation; (iv) assumptions relating to recovered grade, size distribution and quality of diamonds, average ore recovery, internal dilution, mining dilution and other mining parameters set out in the 2016 Technical Report as well as levels of diamond breakage; (v) assumptions relating to gross revenues, operating cash flow and other revenue metrics set out in the 2016 Technical Report; (vi) mine expansion potential and expected mine life; (vii) expected time frames for completion of permitting and regulatory approvals related to ongoing construction activities at the Renard Diamond Mine; (viii) the expected time frames for the completion of the open pit and underground mine at the Renard Diamond Mine; (ix) the expected time frames for the ramp-up and achievement of plant nameplate capacity of the Renard Diamond Mine (x) the expected financial obligations or costs incurred by Stornoway in connection with the ongoing development of the Renard Diamond Mine; (xi) future exploration plans; (xii) future market prices for rough diamonds; (xiii) the economic benefits of using liquefied natural gas rather than diesel for power generation; (xiv) sources of and anticipated financing requirements; (xv) the effectiveness, funding or availability, as the case may require, of the Senior Secured Loan and the remaining Equipment Facility and the use of proceeds therefrom; (xvi) the Corporations ability to meet its Subject Diamonds Interest delivery obligations under the Purchase and Sale Agreement; (xvii) the impact of the Financing Transactions on the Corporations operations, infrastructure, opportunities, financial condition, access to capital and overall strategy; (xviii) the foreign exchange rate between the US dollar and the Canadian dollar; and (xix) the availability of excess funding for the operation of the Renard Diamond Mine. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as expects, anticipates, plans, projects, estimates, assumes, intends, strategy, goals, objectives, schedule or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made based upon certain assumptions by Stornoway or its consultants and other important factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performances or achievements of Stornoway to be materially different from future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business prospects and strategies and the environment in which Stornoway will operate in the future, including the recovered grade, size distribution and quality of diamonds, average ore recovery, internal dilution, and levels of diamond breakage, the price of diamonds, anticipated costs and Stornoways ability to achieve its goals, anticipated financial performance, regulatory developments, development plans, exploration, development and mining activities and commitments, and the foreign exchange rate between the US and Canadian dollars. Although management considers its assumptions on such matters to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. Certain important assumptions by Stornoway or its consultants in making forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) required capital investment and estimated workforce requirements; (ii) estimates of net present value and internal rates of return; (iii) recovered grade, size distribution and quality of diamonds, average ore recovery, internal dilution, mining dilution and other mining parameters set out in the 2016 Technical Report as well as levels of diamond breakage, (iv) receipt of regulatory approvals on acceptable terms within commonly experienced time frames; (v) anticipated timelines for ramp-up and achievement of nameplate capacity at the Renard Diamond Mine, (vi) anticipated timelines for the development of an open pit and underground mine at the Renard Diamond Mine; (vii) anticipated geological formations; (viii) market prices for rough diamonds and their potential impact on the Renard Diamond Mine; (ix) the satisfaction or waiver of all conditions under the Senior Secured Loan and the remaining Equipment Facility to allow the Corporation to draw on the funding available under those financing elements; (x) Stornoways interpretation of the geological drill data collected and its potential impact on stated Mineral Resources and mine life; (xi) future exploration plans and objectives; (xii) the Corporations ability to meet its Subject Diamonds Interest delivery obligations under the Purchase and Sale Agreement; and (xiii) the continued strength of the US dollar against the Canadian dollar. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward- looking statements as a number of important risk factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates, assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions and estimates expressed above do not occur, including the assumption in many forward-looking statements that other forward-looking statements will be correct, but specifically include, without limitation: (i) risks relating to variations in the grade, size distribution and quality of diamonds, kimberlite lithologies and country rock content within the material identified as Mineral Resources from that predicted; (ii) variations in rates of recovery and diamond breakage; (iii) the uncertainty as to whether further exploration of exploration targets will result in the targets being delineated as Mineral Resources; (iv) developments in world diamond markets; (v) slower increases in diamond valuations than assumed; (vi) risks relating to fluctuations in the Canadian dollar and other currencies relative to the US dollar; (vii) increases in the costs of proposed capital, operating and sustainable capital expenditures; (viii) increases in financing costs or adverse changes to the terms of available financing, if any; (ix) tax rates or royalties being greater than assumed; (x) uncertainty of results of exploration in areas of potential expansion of resources; (xi) changes in development or mining plans due to changes in other factors or exploration results; (xii) risks relating to the receipt of regulatory approvals or the implementation of the existing Impact and Benefits Agreement with aboriginal communities; (xiii) the effects of competition in the markets in which Stornoway operates; (xiv) operational and infrastructure risks; (xv) execution risk relating to the development of an operating mine at the Renard Diamond Mine; (xvi) failure to satisfy the conditions to the funding or availability, as the case may require, of the Senior Secured Loan and the Equipment Facility; (xvii) changes in the terms of the Forward Sale of Diamonds, the Senior Secured Loan or the Equipment Facility; (xviii) the funds of the Senior Secured Loan or the Equipment Facility not being available to the Corporation; (xix) the Corporation being unable to meet its Subject Diamonds Interest delivery obligations under the Purchase and Sale Agreement; (xx) future sales or issuances of Common Shares lowering the Common Share price and diluting the interest of existing shareholders; and (xxi) the additional risk factors described herein and in Stornoways annual and interim MD&A, its other disclosure documents and Stornoways anticipation of and success in managing the foregoing risks. Stornoway cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive and new, unforeseeable risks may arise from time to time. Factory orders from Germany and Sentix investor confidence from euro area are due on Monday, headlining a light day for the European economic news. At 2.00 am ET, Destatis is scheduled to issue Germany's factory orders figures. Orders are forecast to grow 0.5 percent month-on-month in December, reversing a 2.5 percent fall in November. In the meantime, Norway's industrial output data is due for December. At 3.00 am ET, the Czech Statistical Office is set to publish retail sales for December. Economists forecast sales to grow 6.2 percent annually after expanding 8.6 percent in November. At 4.00 am ET, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders releases U.K. new car registrations data for January. At 4.30 am ET, Eurozone Sentix investor confidence survey results are due. Economists expect the investor confidence index to drop to 16.5 in February from 18.2 in January. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. President Donald Trump shrugged off recent polls showing that a majority of Americans disapprove of his executive order on immigration, claiming that the results represent "fake news." Trump compared the results of the polls about his immigration ban to those showing Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton leading in the presidential race. "Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting," Trump tweeted on Monday. The tweet from Trump comes after a CNN/ORC poll showed that 53 percent of Americans oppose the president's executive order, while 47 percent favor the order. A separate CBS News survey found that 51 percent of Americans disapprove of the order compared to the 45 percent that approve. On Friday, a federal judge halted Trump's executive order, which bans immigrants from seven majority-Muslim countries and suspends the U.S. refugee program. (Photo: Michael Vadon) For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News Qatar Airways has launched the world's longest scheduled commercial flight with service of its flight from Doha to Auckland, New Zealand. The world's longest commercial flight will take 17 hours and 30 minutes and will cover a distance of 14,535 kilometers. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker traveled on board the inaugural flight from Doha to Auckland and was welcomed by Todd McClay, New Zealand's Minister of Trade and State Owned Enterprises; and Auckland Airport Chief Executive, Adrian Littlewood, Qatar Airways said in a statement. "The launch of our new service to Auckland is an important milestone for Qatar Airways as we expand both in the region and globally across our network providing more options and better connections to exciting and leisure destinations in Europe and the Middle East," Al Baker said. The outbound journey from Doha to Auckland takes about 16 hours and 20 minutes on the Boeing 777-200LR, while return trip takes nearly 17 hours and 30 minutes due to headwinds. Previously, Qatar Airways' rival Emirates had held the record for the longest route between Dubai and Auckland. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News A number of Republican lawmakers are looking to put distance between themselves and President Donald Trump's comments seemingly drawing a moral equivalence between the U.S. and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Republicans expressed concerns about Trump's defense of Putin in an interview with Bill O'Reilly of Fox News that aired prior to the Super Bowl. During the interview, O'Reilly questioned Trump's assertion of respect for Putin, calling the Russian president a "killer." "There are a lot of killers," Trump said in response. "We got a lot of killers. What, do you think our country's so innocent?" The comment drew the ire of several Republicans, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ken., denying any equivalency between the way the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does. "I'm not going to critique the president's every utterance," McConnell said on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday. "But I do think America is exceptional, America is different." "We don't operate in any way the way the Russians do," he added. "I think there's a clear distinction here that all Americans understand, and I would not have characterized it that way." Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a well known hawk on Russia, also raised questions about Trump's comment in a post on Twitter. "When has a Democratic political activists been poisoned by the GOP, or vice versa? We are not the same as #Putin," Rubio tweeted. Senator Ben Sasse, R-Neb., was also critical of Trump's remarks in an interview on ABC's "This Week," calling Putin the enemy of the kind of political dissent the U.S. celebrates. "There is no moral equivalency between the United States of America, the greatest freedom living nation in the history of the world, and the murderous thugs that are in Putin's defense of his cronyism," Sasse said. In a post on Twitter, Congresswoman Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., said suggesting moral equivalence between Putin's Russia and the U.S. is "deeply troubling and wrong." However, Vice President Mike Pence sought to downplay Trump's comments in an interview on CBS's "Face the Nation," arguing the president was not drawing any moral equivalence. "There was no moral equivalency," Pence said. "What you heard there was a determination to attempt to deal with the world as it is to start afresh with Putin and to start afresh with Russia." For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Neoconservative foreign policy insider Elliott Abrams is being considered by President Donald Trump for a top job at the State Department, according to media reports. Politico and CNN both reported Abrams will meet with Trump on Tuesday to discuss serving as Deputy Secretary of State. Recently sworn-in Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who reportedly favors Abrams for the job, will also attend the meeting. Abrams, currently senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, previously served under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. Both Politico and CNN said Abrams' appointment has been on hold for weeks as Trump's senior advisers, led by chief strategist Steve Bannon, debated whether he could be trusted. Politico said the decision will be a test of Trump's willingness to accept members of the foreign policy establishment who opposed him. Abrams questioned whether Trump was qualified to be commander in chief during the presidential campaign but was not seen as part of the "Never Trump" movement. CNN said the possibility of Abrams at the State Department has been welcomed by several career diplomats concerned about the lack of diplomatic experience in the Trump administration. However, CNN noted Abrams has a controversial past that could complicate his confirmation as the No. 2 official at the State Department. Abrams disputed alleged humans rights abuses by Central American governments backed by the U.S. and was convicted on two misdemeanor counts of withholding information from Congress during the Iran-Contra affair. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is seen as potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2020, but the results of a new WBUR poll suggest she could face a challenging race for re-election next year. While the poll found that 44 percent of Massachusetts voters think Warren deserves re-election, 46 percent said it is time to give someone else a chance. "No one's going to look at a 44 percent reelect number and think that that's a good number," said Steve Koczela, president of The MassINC Polling Group, which conducts surveys for WBUR. He added, "No one's going to look at it being close to even between 'reelect' and 'give someone else a chance' and think that that's reassuring." However, the poll also showed Warren with a positive favorability rating, as 51 percent of Massachusetts voters view her favorably compared to the 37 percent that view her unfavorably. Donald Brand, a political science professor at the College of the Holy Cross, also told Fox News he would not bet against the incumbent and said he expects out-of-state money to come to Warren's aid. The survey of 508 registered Massachusetts voters was conducted January 15th through 17th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News In an effort to convince at least one Republican to switch to their side, Senate Democrats plan to speak for 24 hours in protest of President Donald Trump's nomination of Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary. Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash., said Democrats will hold the floor until the final vote on DeVos' nomination on Tuesday. "Democrats will hold the floor for the next 24 hours, until the final vote, to do everything we can to persuade just one more Republican to join us," Murray said. She added, "I strongly encourage people across the country to join us to double down on your advocacy and to keep making your voices heard for these last 24 hours." The planned speak-a-thon come as Democrats and GOP Senators Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, oppose DeVos, potentially resulting in a 50-50 tie. Vice President Mike Pence has indicated he would cast the deciding vote in favor of confirming DeVos, marking the first time a vice president's vote was needed to approve a Cabinet secretary Democrats, teachers unions, and other liberal groups have staunchly opposed the nomination of DeVos, a charter school advocate and Republican mega-donor. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The first German edition of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo arrived on newsstands December 1, nearly two years after Islamic Hooligans attacked the publications headquarters in Paris, killing top editors and cartoonists, ostensibly because they insulted Islam. The German edition is a response to significant German interest in Charlie Hebdo after the attack, editors told Charly Wilder at the New York Times. Its an experiment, Gerard Biard, Charlie Hebdos editor in chief, who added that the paper had been the subject of numerous exhibitions, awards and news coverage in Germany since the attack on January 7, 2015. The new edition will consist mostly of translated material from the French version, but with some original content for its German readers. The editor of the German edition, who uses the pseudonym Minka Schneider, said, Germans feel particularly close to France and to Charlie Hebdo, and the debate about freedom of expression is very passionate here compared to other countries. The first German issue, with 16 pages, offers a four-page travel feature by the cartoonist Laurent Sourisseau, who uses the pen name Riss, depicting people he met across Germany and their thoughts on cultural heritage, national identity and the influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees, most of them Muslims, in the last several years. The reaction in the German news media has largely been positive, with a few exceptions. I dont believe that magazine will go over well in Germany, said Martin Sonneborn, a former editor of Titanic, a satirical magazine, because it has such a specifically French aspect and represents a very unique type of humor. Charlie Hebdos brand of satire tends to be harsher and darker than German counterparts like Titanic and Eulenspiegel, said Wilder. The editors acknowledge the challenge of appealing to a German audience but said the timing of the new edition was opportune. Germany is facing problems today that France already faced a few decades ago, like immigration and the banlieues, Schneider said, referring to the heavily immigrant neighborhoods that ring many French cities. So maybe learning something about French society can help the Germans, and humor is a good way to do this. Everybody can be a subject in Charlie Hebdo, Biard continued. So we feel pretty free to have a look at German society. By SA Commercial Prop News - JLL Preliminary analysis suggests that direct European investment in retail real estate for Q3 is in the region of 6 billion, up from the Q2 2012 volume of 3.9 billion. Jones Lang LaSalle reports retail real estate investment picked up markedly in Q3 2012, following the subdued volumes experienced in the first half of the year. Preliminary analysis suggests that direct investment in retail real estate for Q3 is in the region of 6.0 billion, up from the Q2 2012 volume of 3.9 billion. Year to date volumes are estimated at 13.0 bln, in comparison with 23.3 bln in the first three quarters of 2011, and the five year Q1-Q3 average of 15.4 bln. Geographically, as in the first half of the year, the majority of activity remains focused on the large, liquid markets of the UK, Germany and France which together transacted 75% of total volumes. The UK enjoyed a particularly strong quarter, which included the purchase of Festival Place in Basingstoke by TIAA-CREF from Grosvenor Festival Place Fund for 350m. Adrian Peachey, Head of Retail Capital Markets UK, commented: There is still plenty of international equity seeking prime product in the UK, which is supporting yields. Supply of prime product, however, remains limited, which is persuading equity buyers to exploit current pricing levels outside super prime. "The evidence this quarter is that investors are starting to expand their horizons in the UK, in particular by targeting good quality schemes in regional towns. Supply may be boosted in the final quarter by some reweighing of institutional portfolios, and an increase in distressed debt sales by banks." Across Europe, on-going Eurozone uncertainty is still at the forefront of many investors minds, which has translated into weaker demand for real estate in many markets, softer yields and prolonged deal execution. Looking forward, Q4 has started positively, with Norges Bank Investment Management purchasing a 50% stake in Meadowhall shopping centre (UK) and there are several other large transactions pending across Europe. Our estimate for 2012 is that year end volumes will be between 18 bln and 20 bln, broadly in line with the five year average of 21 bln. 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. Meet Sultan Kosen, the tallest man living in the world. He holds four world records, the first one is he is the tallest man in the world; his second record is having the largest feet - size 62; the third record he has the largest hands which are nearly 12 inches and the fourth record well, we will never find out because we were not allow to ask. This was according to Ringmaster Tupai Bruno Loyale. Mr Kosen is from Ankara, Turkey and he is 251cm (8ft 2.8in) and was born on the 10th December 1982. Mr. Kosen was on the plane for about 30 hours travelling to Samoa to appear inthe Magic Circus which will open its Big Top on the 9th of this month at Tuanaimato. According to Tupai, the logistics of getting Mr. Kosen to Samoa were not without problems. It takes a lot of special arrangements for him to travel because things are not made for someone of his size, Tupai told the media. The bathroom in the airplane for example. We have a special ie lavalava that we hold up for him when he goes to the bathroom. We consulted with the airline because he cannot go inside the bathroom of the airline because its too small. So he has to stand outside and the male attendants have to hold up a curtain for him. Its a little complicated. It sounds funny but at the same time its very difficult for him and all the flights have been business class only and the planes must be big. However, this flight from Fiji was small plane because we could not get a better connection for him. Hopefully hes going to be okay for this flight. Tupai was also asked how he would be able care and arrange for Mr. Kosens medicines that are vital for his well being. Its already been dealt with. He carries a medical supply for about three months and it has to be refrigerated. The medicines are very expensive and are made in Richmond, Virginia and there are only few people in the world who take this medicine. The government of Turkey pays for his medicine and its about USD$10,000a month so its very expensive. However, the medicines sustain his life and keep him from growing. in the last three years hes grown another inch so if it wasnt for that medicine hell probably have grown one or two feet. Hes still growing but because of the medicine, it slows it the growth down. He also has two injections a week. His brother comes with him because hes the one who gives him the injection to keep him from growing. Mr Kosens growth and massive height is caused by a condition known as "pituitary gigantism", which is the result of an over-production of growth hormone. Growth hormone is released from the pituitary gland in the brain; if the gland is damaged by, say, a tumour, it can release too much (or too little) hormone. The effects of over-production includes large hands, a thickening of the bones, and painful joints. Mr Kosen didn't start his incredible growth spurt until he was 10 years old. But he finally appears to have stopped growing. Revolutionary gamma-knife surgery on the tumour affecting his pituitary gland, provided by the University of Virginia, USA, in August 2010, has finally halted his production of growth hormone. I also got the chance to spend time with his parents and they are absolutely lovely people, said Tupai. His mother is very short and his father is about five foot six and yet their big baby is 8ft, 4inches so hes still a mommas boy. He has three brothers and one sister and he is the middle child. TupaI said he is sure that Mr. Kosen will be the centre of attention at his Magic Circus. Sultan will be as the super attraction where people can see with their own eyes the Guinness Book of Record holder and of course when you think of the planet Earth, we are talking about billions of people and of all those people, he is the tallest person in the world, Tupai said. So what he does is,he just comes out and says hello he gives people the opportunity to have a picture with him because hes very special. He will with be us for one month in the circus in Upolu and then we will be going to American Samoa for another month and then we fly to New Caledonia. As for food Tupai said Mr Koses favourite food is chicken. He doesnt eat pork at all and he eats a very small amount of other meat, he said. He eats mostly chicken because he loves it; he eats about two or three times the amount of food that we eat. He also loves salad and so weve got it because we know what he likes and we know how much the portion is and he feels very comfortable with us. We also know how to take care of him in terms of resting. We have a 10 foot bed and a big chair all ready for him during his stay here in Samoa. Bringing such a special person to Samoa was difficult, Tupai said. Initially we were not going to bring Sultan just for Samoa because its a very expensive show to operate. In some countries we can charge admission much, much higher; the equivalent of USD $20-$30 then that allows us to spend more money and bring more people to this big show. So its a little bit difficult for us here in Samoa because we put our admission a little bit lower so that everyone has the chance to see the circus. Then once we leave, our admission goes a bit higher. But I really wanted to bring Sultan here to Samoa because I want the people of Samoa to see him and I didnt want to leave him out of our programme. It is very expensive for us to bring him and we dont have any help from airlines. According to the Guinness World Record Book, Mr. Kosen is a part time farmer. The part-time farmer was the first man over 8 ft (2.43 m) to be measured by the Guinness World Records in over 20 years. Indeed, the G.W.R. Book only knows of 10 confirmed or reliable cases in history of humans reaching 8 ft or more. Sultan first became the world's tallest living man in 2009, when he measured 246.5 cm (8 ft 1 in) in height. He took the title from Xi Shun (China, b. 1951), who measured 2.361 m (7 ft 8.95 in) in height when measured in 2005. Sultan also holds the record for largest hands of a living person, each one measuring 28.5 cm (11.22 in) from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger. He previously held the record for largest feet on a living person, with his left foot measuring 36.5 cm (1 ft 2 in) and right foot measuring 35.5 cm (1 ft 1.98 in). Speaking at the time of his entry into the Guinness World Records family he said: 'I never imagined I would be in the book, I dreamed about it, but it was still a huge surprise'. The rest of his family, including his mum and dad, are all 'normal' sized. Because of his extreme height he was never able to finish school but works occasionally as a farmer to support his family. He describes one of the advantages of being tall as being able to help out his mum out with jobs such as changing a broken light bulb and hanging curtains. Disadvantages to his height he lists include not being able to find clothes or shoes that fit or finding it extremely hard to fit into a regular size car. Like every young man in their twenties, Sultan enjoys listening to music, playing computer games and watching movies. What are the giant's dreams for the future? "I want what everyone else wants," says Sultan. "A wife, a family, a nice home. I'd also like the chance to find some decent clothes that fit! I've already had a suit made for me, and at least one dream has come true: I now own a pair of jeans made especially for me!" Noumea, New Caledonia The Pacific Community (SPC) today marks 70 years of serving Pacific development. Pacific Community Director-General, Dr Colin Tukuitonga, said: We are excited at the timely opportunity to reflect and celebrate the shared progress we have made with our members, who own and govern our development organisation, and our partners over the years. Over its 70-year history, SPC has grown into one of the primary regional bodies contributing to the development of the Pacific Island region. This is testimony to the strong leadership, commitment and effective governance of our members and partners to build and shape their development organisation with a strong shared regional vision and purpose for a prosperous and resilient Pacific. SPCs headquarters are in Noumea, New Caledonia, with a regional hub in Suva hosted by the Government of Fiji. We also have offices in Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Federated States of Micronesia, improving our physical presence, sub-regionally and nationally, and strengthening ongoing engagement with our 26 member countries and territories. We work across more than 20 sectors to support members development aspirations, by contributing to building a resilient Pacific Islands region. We are known for our knowledge and innovation in such areas as fisheries science, public health surveillance, geoscience, and conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. SPCs efforts are guided by our Strategic Plan 20162020, the Framework for Pacific Regionalism, the SAMOA Pathway and the 2030 Development Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. SPC is the principal scientific and technical agency in the Pacific Region, supporting development since 1947. Dr Tukuitonga explained: Our responsibility and service to our members and partners will not stop at producing good science and technical advice. Collectively, we must continue to ensure that we are making a difference in peoples lives. SPCs comparative advantage lies in our deep and nuanced understanding of the Pacific Island context, and our capacity to formulate integrated and targeted programmes that effectively tackle development challenges across the region, which also contribute to global benefits. Dr Tukuitonga noted that SPC recognises that development issues are complex and multi-dimensional, and cannot be solved by a sectoral approach alone, and by taking a multi-sectoral and integrated approach to responding to Pacific Islands development priorities, we draw upon skills and capabilities from around the region and internationally. As a result, SPC continues to empower Pacific communities through the sharing of expertise and skills, and lessons learned between countries and territories. He added: In the face of global and regional challenges, genuine and sustainable partnerships will continue to be crucial to achieving sustainable, longer-term outcomes. SPC, its members and partners remain united in our shared aspiration for a prosperous and sustainable future for all. To those same ends, SPC will redouble its efforts to ensure the organisation is in the best shape to deliver on those outcomes so that all Pacific people can lead free, healthy and productive lives, leaving no-one behind. Originally called the South Pacific Commission, the Pacific Community was established on 6 February 1947, with the signing of the Canberra Agreement in Australia, between Australia, France, Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The Prime Minister is refusing to allow parents to abdicate their responsibilities when it comes to problems with their children. Technology and phones are hurting our children - but the real culprit is bad parenting, he said It is dangerous especially in the hands of our children. As a parent himself, Tuilaepa thinks that parents need to do their job by making sure their children are not addicted to their phones. The truth is, there is a big problem regarding the negligence of the parents, when it comes to technology, said Tuilaepa. Children should never be given cell phones. He made the comments during his weekly press conference. But maybe because we have money nowadays, and most parents can afford to buy phones for their children, children can just walk up to their parents and ask them to buy a phone so they can communicate, and they will just give it to them. And you know what happen next? If you have a son, he will use that phone to call his girlfriend, or if you have a daughter, she will use that phone to call her boyfriend. Some children dont even study at night, they just go into their rooms, then talk to their boyfriends and girlfriends, but they are only 13 and 14 years old. Parents are not being alert and they are not aware of this, he said. He went on to say that using cell phones have resulted in a lot of drama and crime within communities. An old man can now talk to a young girl over the phone, lure her out and then take her somewhere else, only to find out later that the girl is almost the same age as his daughter. Moreover, weve had cases as well where men are calling other mens wives. Those are all the bad things we can get if people dont use technology wisely. Its dangerous, especially when its in the hands of our children. According to Tuilaepa, the impacts of technology should never be blamed on technology itself; rather it is the negligence of the parents. The thing is you can never convince a foolish father or parent about the impact of these things if they arent being vigilant. For most of them, they wait until something bad happens to their daughter or son, then they will do something about it. These problems are happening around the world, and Samoa is no exception, Tuilaepa said. This is the responsibility of the parents. They are the first teachers and the first ones to teach their children the right way to live life. They lay out the foundations for the children. And if the foundation is not solid and well-built, it can be destroyed easily. Tuilaepa said its time for people to stop pointing fingers at the Ministry of Police and government whenever there are issues involving youths and children in Samoa. Sometimes, they point fingers at police officers and question their work, but the truth is, there is always a right time for police to step in and try and solve some issues when they get really complicated. But preventing the matter before it happens, is in the hands of the parents. Government and police dont have to do everything in this country. Ive noticed that whenever there is a problem involving our children, they quickly question the duties of the Ministry of Police. But the first question they should ask is, Where are the parents? A family that works together stays together. Thats the spirit behind the new uniform for the faataulelea of the Sa Tapu family at Levi, Saleimoa for the beginning of this year. Family representative, Vaitele Uiese told Samoa Observer that their new uniform is for their faataulelea duties not only in their family but in the village as well. This is all about unity. he gladly said. Yes, weve had our ups and down but at the end of the day were still a one, big happy family. The new uniform is a great start for us this year and we believe that well continue to work together for the good of our family especially our village. Well use these two new uniforms, white shirt, green ie and vests during village curfews and other activities in our family and the village. He believes that working together is the key to success. For our family, we believe that everything is smooth and faster when work together. Theres always a family saying that goes, a family doesnt need to be perfect, but to be united in love, peace and harmony. He said that this is also a good example for their children Setting good examples to our children when they grow older is something that were looking at now to teach to our children. They should also understand that this life is all about family, families need to stay together no matter what. Life begins in a family. There have been many problems concerning social media not only in Samoa but in many other countries of the world. However, many parents are blaming social media due to the problems faced by young people. But one believes that social media is good but its the person itself who is to blame for the many problems. Meet Junior Mosese, 24-year-old of Laulii. He is married and has a son of his own. Mr. Mosese told the Village Voice yesterday that social media especially Facebook plays a big role in saving money for him to call his family. Mr. Mosese is one of the entertainers at the Magic Circus of Samoa run by TupaI Bruno Loyale so he travels a lot but he uses social media to connect to his wife, son and his family as a whole. Social Media, particularly facebook is very useful because we get to stay in touch with our families. If we didnt have this, I know it would be very hard on our families and relatives here in Samoa, he said. Because for me, I am one of the performers at the Magic Circus and I tell you I am very thankful for facebook because I get to talk to my wife and son without spending a lot of money buying cards to call them. As we all know everything is expensive so buying credit to call here is just too much but with facebook it saves me a lot of money too and means I am not buying cards to call my family here in Samoa. Mr. Mosese went on to say its the person who abuse social media and thats when it becomes a problem. Nowadays the young ones are abusing social media, using it to do wrong things and going into bad websites, he told the village voice. People made social media so that it will help us save money but others are using it the wrong way. Its becoming a problem because we make it a problem. If we can only use it the right way then it doesnt become a problem and I think we ought to look at it from that perspective. I think parents should answer this because they are the key factors in their childrens lives, said Mr. Mosese. Young ones should never be allowed to have cell phones until they get to a certain age Then the government should establish a law and come up with a punishment that will deal with those who abuse social media. I know if that was done then I believe the young ones would be reminded that there is a consequence to pay if they do abuse social media. I know as a father that is what I will be doing when my son grows up because I dont want him to experience the life that most of the young ones are going through. NEW YORK (AP) The company behind Snapchat, a teen-oriented social network famous for its quickly disappearing messages, has filed for what could be one of the largest tech IPOs in years. Snap Inc. said Thursday that it's seeking up to $3 billion in an initial public offering, a figure that could shift based on investor demand. That demand will help determine the price per share sought by Snap in the upcoming weeks. Snapchat has millions of users, and Snap has built a thriving ad business on it. But the company has also made a lot of money nearly $900 million disappear in the past two years. SNAP, CRACKLE, POP The fast-growing social network for the younger set boasts 158 million daily users. It lets people send photos, videos and messages that disappear a few seconds after viewing. It was created in 2012 by Evan Spiegel, who dropped out of Stanford University just three classes shy of graduation to focus on the app. Spiegel, 26, is poised to become a multibillionaire, along with his former fraternity brother at Stanford, Robert Murphy, 28, who is also a company co-founder. Each man owns 227 million shares of Snap stock, which was valued at $30.72 per share nine months ago when the company raised $700 million from a group of investors, according to its IPO documents filed Thursday. If Snap can fetch the same price in its IPO, Spiegel and Murphy each will be worth $7 billion. Snapchat could have died a quick death as a "sexting app," but Spiegel showed a knack for adapting to users' whims and demands, just as Facebook has over the years. This, as both companies have discovered, is key to outlasting social media fads. Snapchat is no longer just about disappearing messages. Over the years, it has added a "Discover" section where a diverse group of publishers including People, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Vice and Food Network post video-heavy stories aimed at millennials. Another feature, "Stories," lets people create a narrative from messages, videos and photos from the past 24 hours. It's so popular that Facebook's Instagram now has a version of it, too. And then there's goofy "Lenses," which lets people add animated overlays to photos and videos animals, for example, or flower crowns and sparkly eyes. The company came under fire a couple of times for adding filters many saw as racist. One had slanted eyes and buck teeth commonly associated with negative Asian caricatures; another, which Snap called a "Bob Marley" filter, darkened people's skin. Snap later got rid of the offending filters. BIG MONEY The highly anticipated IPO is expected to be the one of the largest since Alibaba Group went public in 2014. But Snap is better known than the Chinese e-commerce company, and so draws comparisons to the IPOs of Facebook and Twitter. Facebook raised $16 billion when it went public in 2012. If its IPO matches the $30.72-per-share price obtained in its last round of financing, Snap would have a market value of about $30 billion, based on the quantity of outstanding stock listed in its IPO documents. Investors who snap up the IPO will be taking a gamble on a Los Angeles-based company that has lost $1.2 billion so far while growing rapidly. Snap had revenue of $404.5 million in 2016, up from $58.7 million in 2015. Its net loss was $514.6 million last year, up from $372.9 million the year before. Facebook, on the other hand, was profitable in 2011, the year before its IPO, with net income of $1 billion. Twitter has never turned a profit. Snap stockholders must also evince near-complete trust in the business acumen of Spiegel and Murphy. The co-founders will have controlling power over all matters at Snap through a special class of stock that gives them 10 votes for every share they own. The stock being sold in the IPO has no voting power, while another class has one vote per share. The discriminating classes of stock designed to give final say to the company founders is similar to setups at Facebook, where CEO Mark Zuckerberg holds all the power, and Google parent Alphabet, where Larry Page and fellow co-founder Sergey Brin can override all other shareholders. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi is right. Quoted in the Sunday Samoan of 5 February 2017 as having said that even the Samoa Observer, went and hired a very expensive lawyer from overseas to defend itself against a government defamation claim, he is absolutely right. Tuilaepa was apparently trying to justify the Attorney Generals decision to engage the services of an overseas prosecutor, to handle the second round of charges made against the suspended Police Commissioner, Fuiavailili Egon Keil. The prosecutor in question, Attorney General, Lemalu Herman Retzlaff has revealed, is the New Zealand Queens Counsel, Nigel Hampaton. Announced Tuilaepa: We brought in the big fish from overseas. These are people whose sphere of expertise could not be found locally especially when we are faced with major issues such as the one that led to the court case against the Samoa Observer for defamation. He said: Even the Samoa Observer went and hired a very expensive lawyer from overseas because with these things you just dont take them lightly. Now, is that so? Why is Prime Minister Tuilaepa continuing to frown on Samoas own lawyers who, after all, had been well trained in overseas universities like everyone else, know well that they would one day return home and serve their country the very best way they can? The only difference here though is that whereas the expatriate prosecutor, Nigel Hampatons legal fees will be paid for by the government in other words the taxpayer the legal fees that had been submitted by the New Zealand lawyer whod handled the Samoa Observers defense in the case that Tuilaepa had referred to, had been paid for by the Samoa Observer, and no one else. Indeed, why is he griping about the Tofilaus defamation claim against the Samoa Observer now after all these years? Now the questions are: How many times had the claimant incurred the displeasure of his employer? And if Tuilaepas memory is intact as were dearly hoping it still is, he should reply: Two times. That was the number of convictions recorded in the claimants Police Card then, and if the truth be told, not even Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailelele Malielegaoi, can either dispute or even erase that now. And now referring to Prosecutor Nigel Hampatons legal fees, Tuilaepa said: So although it is expensive, it is money worth spending in the pursuit of justice and the truth. Now, is that so? Truth and justice! What colour of truth and justice is he talking about now? Red! Blue! Or black! Because even with our eyes wide open, we still cannot see any sign of truth or justice anywhere in the Samoan government today, and instead all were seeing is escalating corruption spawning violence, poverty and stealing and yes, the desire not to have any desire at all. So lets take a brief look back on the defamation claim by the late Prime Minister Tofilau, that Tuilapea is now moaning about. It was in January 1998. The Samoa Observer had hired the services of a New Zealand Q.C. to defend itself against a defamation suit launched by Prime Minister, Tofilau Eti Alesana. It followed the publication of a story in the paper that Tofilau claimed had defamed him. The story was about Tofilaus Police Card. Everyone who was convicted in a court of law had one. It listed the number of ones convictions. Tofilau had a Police Card. In it was recorded his two convictions of theft before he became prime minister. That Police Card of his was presented as evidence in court. Our defense was the truth. And so, as far as our legal team was aware, there was nothing to worry about. And then the moment wed been dreading arrived. Our supportive evidence was rejected by the court, and right away I lost interest in the trial; I did not care any more about what would happen next. And yet I have a pretty good idea what the verdict will be. There will be no clear-cut victory. Neither the plaintiff nor the defendants will win. They will both lose. Even His Honour will lose. His only victory is a paid-for holiday at my expense. All that I care about now is that the real losers are the people of Samoa, and the only winners here are the lawyers. Finally on 16 September 1998, Justice Sir Gordon Bisson delivered his judgment. He denied Prime Minister Tofilaus full claim of $WS549,441 and awarded him $75,000 instead. On Tofilaus claim of damages for $WS400,000, His Honour said he took into account that the plaintiff was only 12.5 percent successful, and awarded him $WS50,000. Now that, in my book, is hogwash! Either the plaintiff is 100% successful or he is nil-successful. Is the judge saying the plaintiff is 12.5% honest and 75.5% dishonest? Preposterous. Honesty is 100%. Nothing more. Nothing less. At that point all I wanted to do was get up and walk out of that courtroom. Tuilaepa was Tofilaus deputy at the time. He was the one who submitted Tofilaus legal fees of $783,000 for Parliaments approval. Right away approval was granted. It was endorsed in the 1998-99 budget. Sometime later Tuilaepa requested a further $400,000 for the same purpose and once again approval was granted. That was when the government made another significant announcement. It said from then on, top government officials from the prime minister to leaders of state ministries and corporations could use public funds to pursue defamation claims, against newspapers. Interestingly enough though, the word media was absent in the government announcement; it was clear then that only newspapers were being threatened with punishment in a scheme aimed at discouraging them from disclosing alleged government corruption. As it turned out though, only the Leader of the Opposition, Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese, made his opposition known. Attacking the move as unconstitutional, he told Parliament: This decision breaches freedom of speech guaranteed by the Constitution. The Prime Minister does not worry about money because the government is paying. However, the Observer is bound to be hurt financially whether it wins or not, since it is paying for its own legal fees. And if this is what will be happening to newspapers, their freedom to express themselves as required by the Constitution cannot be protected. Tuiatua continued: The Prime Minister and other government officials will keep on suing them for defamation knowing well they do not have to part with a cent of their own. And he finished with a question: Where else in the world does a government pay for the legal fees of a Prime Minister when he sues a newspaper? Stay tuned! Speed and slippery conditions dont match. Thats the lesson a driver had to learn the hard way when his vehicle crashed at Letogo on Sunday evening. The car was heading from the east to Apia when the driver lost control and crashed. Luckily no one was injured. Letogo villagers were quick to the rescue, helping the driver out of his car. Bystanders said the vehicle was speeding and driver simply lost control as it was slippery after days of heavy rain. Samoas health sector has just received a major helping hand. This is thanks to China who donated up to $2 million worth of medical equipment to the Ministry of Health yesterday. The Ambassador of China to Samoa, Wang Xuefeng met with the Minister of Health, Tuitama Dr. Leao Tuitama, Director General of Health, Leausa Dr. Take Naseri and top Samoan medical professionals to officially handover the medical equipment. The donation included one portable x-ray machine, an x ray machine, one colour full digital ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, one full automatic biochemistry analyzer and three boxes of lead protective clothing. The donation is in line with a Memorandum of Understanding (M.O.U) between the Huizhou Municipal Peoples Government and the Ministry of Health dating back to November 2015. Tuitama graciously thanked Mr. Xuefeng for continuing to support the health sector by donating vital medical equipment. These essential diagnostic medical equipment and protective clothing which is a total amount of $987,119 USD will greatly assist Samoas healthcare service providers in improving healthcare services to our people, he said. We acknowledge the Memorandum of Understanding and agreement that was signed in November 2015 between Samoa and the Huizhou Central Peoples Hospital in Guangdong and will promote health cooperation and share medical achievements between our countries. I wish to note that this is the second lot of medical equipment and supplies received under the M.O.U. with the Huizhou Peoples' Hospital. We are deeply grateful for these contributions to assist us in our goals to continuously improve the health status of our people . These kind of donations will go a long way to assist with diagnosing illnesses and will save a lot of time which is a crucial element in saving peoples lives. This is not the first time China has come on board to assist with the medical development of Samoa. China assisted with the building of the Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital and donated medical equipment during its grand opening. They have sent 14 medical groups and the 15th will be arriving soon in the span of almost 30 years. China has also provided medical training for 30 local doctors to be trained at top facilities in China. Four Samoan doctors have already been deployed to China to receive training on how to properly use these equipments to maximize their usage in hospitals. The four doctors will be returning at the end of the month equipped with the knowledge that will benefit us all greatly. The government took another step forward in its bid to fast track the Samoas digital economy yesterday. It happened at Vaivase-tai where the Samoa Submarine Cable Company (S.S.C.C.) broke ground to begin the construction of the Tui-Samoa Submarine Cable landing station. Deputy Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, hailed the development. It will provide school children in rural villages the same access to information that children in developed countries take for granted, it will provide local Samoan businesses the platform to promote their goods and services and compete in international markets, and it will also allow our Government to fast track our National Digital Economy Strategy in order to provide eGovernment services to our people, she said. Today is the commencement of commercial negotiations between S.S.C.C. and Southern Cross Cables in relation to Southern Crosss Project Next. This is an important step towards positioning Samoa as a submarine cable hub in the region and will further enhance the prospects of winning the rights to also land the Pacific Connectivity Project submarine cable from Tahiti at this cable landing station. The government of Samoa and S.S.C.C look forward to working with Southern Cross Cables to be your reliable and trusted partner and to fulfill our ambition to be the cable hub for central Polynesia. The Deputy Prime Minister thanked Samoas development partners the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the Australian Government for their support of the project as well as the S.S.C.C equity investors, the Southern Cross Networks for the opportunity to develop Samoa as a hub for the region. The Chief Executive Officer of Southern Cross Network, Anthony Briscoe said he is pleased to be working in partnership with the Government of Samoa. The continued need for greater connectivity in order to bridge the digital divide for the Pacific is core to Southern Cross involvement in the Pacific region, said Anthony. We are pleased to work with Samoa as a hub to help them enhance broadband connectivity for Region. Pepe Fia'ailetoa Fruean, Chairperson of S.S.C.C, said the project aims at bringing fast, reliable and affordable internet services to the people of Samoa. Information is power and S.S.C.C. is pleased to be the vehicle to empower economic and social development by providing communities access to information and services that will help improve their peoples lives and also accelerate I.C.T development and growth in the region. S.S.C.C is fully supportive of Governments plans to position Samoa as a hub for the region and Southern Cross is an extraordinary partner who will help deliver that vision. The Minister of Finance, Sili Epa Tuioti, kicked off the project by digging the first shovel into the ground. He was joined by Anthony Briscoe, representatives from the World Bank and the Government of Australia. The Tui-Samoa cable is an 8 terabit system which will connect Samoa (Upolu and Savaii), the Territories of Wallis & Futuna and Vanua Levu to Suva on the Fiji mainland. The Tui-Samoa ground breaking also signalled Samoas intention to become a hub in the region by also announcing its partnership with Southern Cross Networks. The Government of Samoa through the Samoa Submarine Cable Company (S.S.C.C.) formally announced its commencement of commercial negotiations to host a spur off the 12,500km Trans-Pacific Southern Cross Next connecting Australia & New Zealand (and also Samoa) to the Los Angeles in California, USA. Smokers who switch to e-cigarettes greatly reduce their exposure to carcinogens and other toxic inhaled substances, according to a British study released Monday. The study of 181 smokers and former smokers was the first to directly measure and compare levels of these substances in people, its authors said. The harm reduction depends on a total substitution of e-cigarettes for smoking, the study stated. Advertisement Previous studies have been performed on cell cultures or animals, or measured substance levels in e-cigarette vapor. While these proxy measurements are useful, direct measurements in people provide superior knowledge of the risks incurred. Researchers analyzed the saliva and urine of long-term smokers, as well as that of e-cigarette users, called vapers, and users of nicotine replacement therapies, or NRTs. They measured levels of TSNAs (tobacco-specific nitrosamines) and VOCs (volatile organic compounds), established risk factors for smoking-related diseases. The study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. It can be found at j.mp/ecigrisk. Four other researchers who didnt take part in the study said it added to evidence that e-cigarettes are less harmful than smoking. But they differed on its significance. American public health organizations have generally opposed vaping, even as an aid to quitting smoking. They say evidence is lacking that e-cigarettes are effective, and endorse alternative methods of quitting, such as nicotine patches or gum. And they say non-smokers may take up vaping under the mistaken belief that its harmless. Meanwhile, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is imposing strict new rules on e-cigarettes, classifying them as tobacco products. The e-cigarette liquids vaporized contain no tobacco. The e-cigarette industry says these rules would add so much expense that smaller makers would fold, leaving the market to the big vendors, who happen to be tobacco companies. But British public health agencies have generally endorsed e-cigarettes as being far less risky than conventional cigarettes, and useful for smokers trying to quit. They embrace an approach called harm reduction that endorses lessening risk. Since there is widespread agreement that e-cigarette vaping poses less of a risk than smoking, they say smokers should be encouraged to try vaping. Last spring, the Royal College of Physicians approved vaping for smokers, saying that e-cigarettes have been shown to be effective for smoking cessation. Where danger lies While nicotine is the addictive drug in cigarettes, its not the most harmful one. Researchers are even studying the use of nicotine to help against certain neurodegenerative illneses, such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons diseases. The real danger of cigarettes lies in the other substances carried in smoke, include those produced by combustion. The threats include lung diseases, including cancer, and cardiovascular disease. The study paid particular attention to the risk for cancer. The level of dangerous chemicals found in solo e-cigarette users was found to be a fraction of that in solo smokers of regular cigarettes, expressed in percentages. -- 2.5 percent the level of TSNAs -- 33.3 percent for acrolein -- 42.9 percent for acrylamide -- 2.9 percent for acrylonitrile -- 11.0 percent for 1,3-butadiene -- 43.5 percent of ethylene oxide, acrylonitrile and vinyl chloride. But e-cigarette users were found to have 126.9 percent of nicotine or equivalent of smokers. These numbers were reported at a 95 percent confidence level. The four researchers interviewed for this article agreed that e-cigarettes are less hazardous than smoking. But they disagreed on the studys significance. Useful, but limited David W. Bareham, a specialist respiratory physiotherapist in England, cautiously endorsed the study, while emphasizing that it has limitations. The study indicates that a total switch from cigarettes to vaping should significantly reduce the risk from cancer, all else being equal, said Bareham, of Lincolnshire Community Health Services near Nottingham, England. But the studys findings related to cancer dont address other potential harms from e-cigarette use, Bareham said by email. Moreover, more work is needed to reduce potentially harmful chemicals in e-cigarette vapors. This new study under review here, though helpful, is only part of the puzzle that is e-cigarettes, Bareham said. Further, long term studies, following e-cigarette users for a prolonged period of time, tracking not just issues mostly related to cancer, but other specific respiratory and cardiac risks, are still required, before anyone can confidently claim that the harmful effects of switching purely to e-cigarettes are minimal . . . . CDC data demonstrates, importantly, that basically as many people die from the cardiovascular effects of smoking tobacco as from cancer effects, so, if we then add on the premature deaths of the non-cancer lung disease, it becomes clear that the health effects of smoking are much more than those purely related to cancer, Bareham said. Ground-breaking Dr. Michael Siegel, a tobacco control specialist at Boston University who supports e-cigarettes for smoking cessation, was enthusiastic about the findings. This study adds to the abundant evidence that e-cigarettes are much safer than real tobacco cigarettes, Siegel said by email. In fact, for the four carcinogens and two toxins tested, levels in e-cigarette users were comparable to those in nicotine patch users and much lower than in cigarette smokers. The study also showed that dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes did not significantly reduce exposure to these 6 chemicals. Siegel said the study suggests that benefits in terms of cardiovascular disease and cancer will only occur if a smoker switches to vaping completely. The bottom line of this study is that there is now no scientific uncertainty: vaping is much safer than smoking, Siegel said. The study also breaks new ground by measuring levels of dangerous chemicals directly from people, Siegel said. Cautious optimism Laura Crotty Alexander, M.D. a UC San Diego researcher and pulmonologist, said by email that the study is a nice addition to existing research. These data are reassuring in that e-cigarette users have lower urine levels of nitrosamines and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are two types of chemicals that are found in the urine of conventional tobacco smokers, and contribute to the development of tobacco related diseases, Crotty Alexander said. Thus, these data suggest that e-cigarettes are far less dangerous than smoking conventional cigarettes. Crotty Alexander said caution is still needed, because the long-term health effects of regular e-cigarette use have yet to be determined. These researchers were specifically looking at levels of chemicals known to be a problem in tobacco smoking, which is an excellent starting point for evaluating the safety of e-cigarettes, she said. However e-cigarette vapor is very different than tobacco smoke, and thus effects on human health may not mirror those seen with tobacco use. Skepticism UCSD researcher Wael Al-Delaimy, M.D., said by email that the study didnt find anything significantly new. We all know that using only e-cigarettes is less harmful than using combustion cigarettes for the simple reason that combustion of tobacco is what produces the carcinogens, said Al-Delaimy, UCSDs division chief of global health in the department of family medicine and public health. E-cigarettes have been documented to produce close to 50 percent of the harm from regular cigarettes, he said, because of the effect on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The authors just brushed aside that impact and focused on the lower carcinogens from tobacco, Al-Delaimy said. Nevertheless if a smoker has a choice between smoking a cigarette or an e-cigarette, of course it is better to use e-cigarettes as the less harmful choice. Al-Delaimy said he was especially concerned that smokers generally dont find e-cigarettes helpful in quitting, especially in the United States. Further, there is clear evidence that non-smokers are starting e-cigarettes (especially young adults and teens) because of the publicity and novelty of e-cigarettes. The paper does not address nonsmokers who use e-cigarettes compared to nonsmokers who do not use any e-cigarettes to see the chemicals they are being exposed to (other than the carcinogens, such as flavoring chemicals). More importantly, the paper shows that those who use both combustion cigarettes and e-cigarettes actually have higher levels of these carcinogens which is counter to the belief of the e-cigarette and vaping advocates that using e-cigarettes will help cut down combustion cigarette use. It is indicating the opposite, and this is consistent with studies we have published and others, that using e-cigarettes is making it more difficult for smokers to quit. The authors dont point to this problem and try to justify it otherwise. In this paper the former smokers who now use only e-cigarettes is a positive outcome, but what is their proportion in the real world of smokers? Not a substantial one I am afraid, Al-Delaimy said. For information on how to quit smoking without e-cigarettes, go to smokefree.gov. For information on how to use e-cigarettes to quit smoking, go to vaping.org. bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1020 About eight years ago, ViaSat Chief Executive Mark Dankberg bet the company he co-founded on satellite broadband, eventually spending $1 billion to transform a technology considered barely better than dial-up into a service that smoothly streams YouTube video. At the time, the space industry didnt believe ViaSat could build a satellite with more capacity than all the other Internet satellites in orbit combined. Advertisement And even if it did, there wasnt enough demand to justify the cost of the satellite and distribution network needed to sell satellite Internet service which, while better, still fell short of cable and many telephone company alternatives. Today ViaSat-1, which launched in 2011, is full with 700,000 Internet subscribers. In addition, the satellite powers in-flight Wi-Fi on more than 500 commercial aircraft from JetBlue, American Airlines, United Airlines and Virgin America, delivering video streaming speeds to each seat. ViaSat-1 also provides in-flight Wi-Fi to Air Force One and other government VIP aircraft. The uptake for ViaSat-1 affirmed Dankbergs belief in satellite broadband. So the company has doubled down, and then some. It plans to launch ViaSat-2 in late March/early April. The satellite will blast off from French Guiana on an Ariane 5 rocket. At around 300 gigabits per second capacity, the new satellite has about twice the bandwidth of ViaSat-1. The added horsepower will enable faster speeds and bulked up monthly data allowances so subscribers can watch more online video. There are more and more over the top services DirecTV Now, HBO Now, said Dankberg in an interview. There is just an enormous demand for bandwidth. The new satellite also will expand coverage beyond North America and into Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, parts of South America and over the Atlantic Ocean. ViaSat-2 represents the latest test to Dankbergs strategy of engineering satellites to maximize speed and economical bandwidth in hopes of mitigating the Achilles heel of satellite Internet costly ground equipment/installation, data usage caps and latency. We are not perfect but we are markedly better than (satellite Internet) used to be, said Dankberg. With ViaSat-2, we will be a lot better than ViaSat-1. If ViaSat gets it right, the market for satellite Internet might expand beyond its traditional niche of farms and mountain cabins. The better we can make our service, the bigger our market, said Dankberg. But that doesnt mean we are going after people who have Google Fiber. What we are trying to do is go after a bigger segment of people who dont have those speeds. ViaSat-2 is the second act in ViaSats plan to dramatically expand bandwidth in orbit. The third act is being pieced together at a company-owned facility in Arizona, where workers are assembling payloads for ViaSat-3 a three satellite constellation slated to begin launching in 2019. Each ViaSat-3 satellite will have 1 terabit-per-second maximum capacity more than triple that of ViaSat-2. When all are in orbit, the company will have near global coverage. Boeing will build the satellites to carry ViaSat-3s broadband payloads into space. According to ViaSat, the first two ViaSat-3 satellites will have twice the combined capacity of the 400 communications satellites in orbit today Meanwhile, the all-in cost of building, launching and insuring each ViaSat-3 satellite is expected to be the same as the all-in cost of ViaSat-2, or around $625 million. In theory, that should allow ViaSat to deliver more bandwidth to customers at good prices. I think the pace of innovation has been faster in satellite than in terrestrial communications, said Michael Crawford, an analyst with B. Riley & Co. ViaSat has been very disruptive. Some analysts are skeptical of ViaSats broadband ambitions, however. Wilton Fry of RBC Capital Markets wrote in a research report that the company initially believed it could pack 1.5 million subscribers on ViaSat-1. It ended up filling the satellite with just 700,000 subscribers perhaps signaling that the company had to serve up more bandwidth than expected to subscribers to counter competitive pressure from non-satellite alternatives. Dankberg said the company is far more concerned with the financial results than the number of customers we have. One of the things that has worked well for us is we have given more bandwidth to fewer people. ViaSat faces direct competition from Hughes, owned by EchoStar. Hughes launched its second high capacity Jupiter-2 satellite in December, with an estimated throughput of roughly 200 gigabits per second. It will be delivering Internet service months before ViaSat-2 is up and running. Longer term, skeptics contend cable and fiber optic lines eventually will branch out beyond cities and into satellites rural stronghold. In addition, the roll-out of 5G cellular will beef up download speeds and capacity on terrestrial wireless networks, providing an alternative to satellite. And there are new competitors such as OneWeb, which in December got a $1 billion investment from Japans SoftBank. It proposes a constellation of 900 small, inexpensive low-orbit satellites globally with 10 terabits per second total capacity. They would offer low latency compared with bigger, high orbit satellites such as ViaSats. San Diegos Qualcomm is an investor in OneWeb. ViaSat faces a triple whammy over the next 15-plus years, the lifetime of a satellite: Fixed-line coverage build-out, mobile technology (7G by 2030?) and low earth orbit satellite systems designed to bring global broadband coverage, said Fry, the RBC analyst. Dankberg has doubts about the business models, timing and capabilities of some rival solutions. Even so, he thinks there is plenty of demand for bandwidth to go around not only from households but also from airlines for in-flight Wi-Fi, high-speed connectivity for cruise ships at sea, oil and gas exploration data streaming, border surveillance video monitoring and other government demands. In 2020 if things go well, well have three or four terabits up there, he said. The world market for bandwidth is probably going to be over 1,000 terabits. At the cavernous Boeing Commercial Satellite Systems factory in El Segundo, everything seems super-sized: Ceilings seven stories from the floor, a 100-ton door guarding a thermal chamber that mimics the extreme temperatures in space, a pool size vibration table to simulate the violent shaking during launch. Even here, ViaSat-2s size stands out compared with the other satellites under construction. It weighs as much as 4.5 Toyota Camrys. When fully deployed, its solar panels equal the wingspan of a 767 airliner, generating power equivalent to 300 60-watt light bulbs. It contains 23 miles of electrical wiring. ViaSat forbid pictures of the satellite. Four years ago, the company filed a lawsuit against the builder of ViaSat-1, Space Systems Loral of Palo Alto. It charged Loral with copying ViaSats patented payload designs and giving them to arch rival Hughes. In 2014, a San Diego jury found in ViaSats favor and ordered Loral to pay $283 million in damages. After a federal judge called for a new trial on the damage award, the companies settled for $100 million. ViaSats current residential Internet plans start with 12 megabits per second download speeds for $60 a month. For residential subscribers, there are usually data usage caps for satellite Internet hovering in the 10 to 30 gigabits per month range, which can be gobbled up quickly for subscribers who stream Netflix regularly. Still, satellite Internet is winning market share in rural areas, where speeds for wire line DSL can top out at 2 megabits per second, said Llluc Palerm, senior analysts with Northern Sky Research. About 14 million U.S. households are outside the cable/DSL footprint or have slow DSL service, according to industry estimates. ViaSat and Hughes combined have only about 1.7 million subscribers on their current ViaSat-1 and Jupiter-1 satellites. The market penetration is still tiny compared with the total addressable market, said Palerm. ViaSat-2 and Jupiter-2 might be able to support 1 million extra subscribers each. So even after these new launches, there is still more market to cover. ViaSat hasnt disclosed details of the Internet plans it will offer with ViaSat-2. But analysts speculate they could start at 25 megabits per second. As for monthly data caps, Dankberg said the company hopes to have enough bandwidth so usage limits wont be an problem for most subscribers. We would like to make it where 85 percent or 90 percent of people would never go above them, he said. One way ViaSat aims to ease the data-cap problem is with flexibility. It has designed ViaSat-2 so some of its bandwidth can be directed where there is peak demand, which usually occurs between 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The bandwidth in the evening rolls across the country from East Coast to West Coast as people watch Netflix, said Crawford, the B. Riley & Co. analyst. You can move some beams around to where there is demand. ViaSat is more than an Internet service provider. Its Satellite Services division accounts for just 40 percent of $1.48 billion trailing 12 months revenue as of Sept. 30. The company also has large government/defense communications hardware and services arm, which provides 43 percent of revenue. And it designs airborne antennas and ground equipment for itself and other commercial satellite operators globally. Satellite Internet and defense, however, have been the main drivers of the companys 52 percent increase in revenue since ViaSat-1 entered orbit in the fall of 2011. There is a pent up appetite in the U.S. for satellite Internet, since existing satellites have been full for more than a year, said Tim Farrar of Telecom Media and Finance Associates. The purpose of the ViaSat-2 launch is to get back on track where they can add customers and also improve the service to keep pace with the improvements in terrestrial technology, he said. With the upcoming ViaSat-3 launches, however, its less clear if there is a market globally, said Farrar. Some 470 million people worldwide dont have good Internet access, according to industry estimates. But many of them cant afford to pay hundreds of dollars for ground equipment and installation, plus a $50-$60 per month subscription fee.. Maybe they only have $20 a month, said Farrar. So a lot of things ViaSat has done in the U.S., it is really unclear whether they can take those lessons and apply them directly to the broadband market in other parts of the world. The first two ViaSat-3 satellites aimed at the Americas and Europe/Middle East/Africa are slated to launch six months apart starting in 2019. These satellites will be able to deliver 100 megabit per second residential Internet service enough to power 4K video streaming. The third satellite is targeting Asia with an undetermined launch date. ViaSat-3 satellites are expected to have a lower cost per bit than ViaSat-2. That could benefit ViaSat as it figures out how to serve global markets where affordability is key, according to analysts. One example of a potential business model is creating satellite Wi-Fi hotspots in villages. Residents could tap into the hotspots using their smartphones, prepaying for data use in a way similar to prepaid cellular plans, said Dankberg. You can see in the poorest towns in Mexico, the kids have smartphones, he said. They want to do the things that other kids do. The underlying demand is universal. The way you package and fulfill that demand will be different than in other markets. But to me those are more tactical issues than fundamental issues. Business mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com; Twitter:@TechDiego 760-529-4973 Satellite-to-ground data speeds could top 100 gigabits per second more than 10 times fast as the 5G mobile phone phone standard being prepared for deployment according to Japanese researchers who have developed an ultraspeed transmitter. Scientists from Hiroshima University and Panasonic are scheduled to present details of their technology at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), to be held Feb. 5 9 in San Francisco. Advertisement The researchers say the speed will rival that of fiber-optic links. By comparison, the existing 4G mobile networks offer peak speeds of more than 50 megabits per second for downloading. For the average consumer, this could mean reception of high-definition video without the need to wait for buffering, and quick downloads of movies and other large data files. In-flight wireless service, sometimes spotty today, could become seamless. And businesses could receive all the bandwidth they need, as long as they are within range of satellites with the transmitter. To reach this speed, the transmitter will use the 300-gigahertz band. This year, we developed a transmitter with 10 times higher transmission power than the previous versions, Minoru Fujishima of Hiroshima University said in a statement. This made the per-channel data rate above 100 Gbit/s at 300 GHz possible. We usually talk about wireless data rates in megabits per second or gigabits per second. But we are now approaching terabits per second using a plain simple single communication channel. Science Playlist On Now In a first, scientists rid human embryos of a potentially fatal gene mutation by editing their DNA On Now Space station flyovers visible from San Diego this week 0:55 On Now UCSD's 'ghost drivers' begin testing people's reaction seemingly empty cars 1:29 On Now 10 interesting facts about Mars On Now Kids can add years to your life On Now LA 90: SpaceX launches recycled rocket On Now Big passions, big giving: Malin Burnham 2:30 On Now Big passions, big giving: Darlene Shiley 2:40 On Now Big passions, big giving: Joan and Irwin Jacobs 2:45 On Now Ocean temperatures warming at rapid rate, study finds bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1020 CITY COUNCILS Advertisement CARLSBAD The Carlsbad Housing and Planning commissions have set two public meetings to discuss updates to the citys housing element, a state-required plan to ensure the city can meet future housing needs, including for low-income and special-needs residents. The housing element is part of the General Plan, the citys blueprint for land use. The Housing Commission will meet Thursday and the Planning Commission on Feb. 15, both at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive. Copies of the plan are available at city libraries, Faraday Center, Senior Center, City Hall and at www.carlsbadca.gov/planning. Comment at the meetings or by emailing scott.donnell@carlsbadca.gov. Call (760) 602-4618. DEL MAR The Del Mar City Council will meet at 5 p.m. Monday in closed session at Suite 100 at 2010 Jimmy Durante Blvd. to discuss litigation. In open session at 6 p.m., the council will report on the Priorities Workshop held Friday and Saturday, continue discussion and provide direction to staff. The council will review the proposal for road and sidewalk work on Camino del Mar from Carmel Valley to Fourth Street and will hear an appeal of the Design Review Boards decision to approve construction of two wood-burning chimneys for a house on Zapo Street. The council will also discuss sending a letter to the County Board of Supervisors and 3rd District Supervisor Kristen Gaspar supporting a recommendation to investigate Community Choice Aggregation to achieve greenhouse gas reduction. ENCINITAS The Encinitas City Council will meet in special session at 6 p.m. Monday in Council Chambers, 505 S. Vulcan Ave., to discuss next steps regarding the development of a legally compliant Housing Element. The regularly scheduled Wednesday meeting has been canceled. POWAY The Poway City Council is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Council Chambers, 13325 Civic Center Drive for a public hearing on an ordinance updating definitions regarding housing and homeless shelters for the citys housing code, and to hear a report on the citys job classifications and pay scale. SOLANA BEACH The Solana Beach City Council will meet in closed session at 5 p.m. Wednesday in City Council Chambers, 635 S. Highway 101, and in open session at 6 p.m. SCHOOL DISTRICTS BONSALL The Bonsall Unified School District board will meet at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Bonsall Community Center, 31505 Old River Road. CARDIFF The Cardiff School District board is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. Monday in the district auditorium at 1888 Montgomery Ave. to consider a resolution to establish a building fund and a debt service fund; and to consider approval of the North Coastal Consortium for Special Education 2016 Local Plan Revision. The board will then meet in closed session to discuss litigation and negotiations. ESCONDIDO The Escondido Union School District board will meet in special session at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the district office, 2310 Aldergrove Ave., to discuss releasing EC Constructors Inc. from its contract for work at Mission Middle School and awarding a contract to Straight Line General Contractors Inc. for site preparation and installation of a modular building at Mission Middle School. The board will then meet in closed session for the superintendents midterm evaluation and to discuss human resources. FALLBROOK The Fallbrook Union Elementary School District board will meet in closed session to discuss personnel matters at 5 p.m. Monday in Room 106 of the district office, 321 N. Iowa St. In open session at 6 p.m., the board is scheduled to review the comprehensive school safety plans at eight of its schools. POWAY The Poway Unified School District board will meet in special closed session at 7 p.m. Monday at the district office, 15250 Avenue of Science, San Diego, to discuss property negotiations and personnel matters regarding the superintendent and interim superintendent positions. SOLANA BEACH The Solana Beach School District board is scheduled to meet in closed session for labor negotiations at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the district office, 309 N. Rios Ave., and in regular session at 6:30 p.m., when it will consider a final reading and approval of the districts Comprehensive School Safety Plans; a contract with Continental Environmental Solutions Inc., to remediate mold at Skyline School; and environmental reports prepared for the demolition and reconstruction of Skyline School. VALLEY CENTER The Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District board is scheduled to meet in closed session to discuss personnel and litigation at 5 p.m. Thursday in the Valley Center High School Media Center, 31322 Cole Grade Road. In regular session at 6 p.m., the board: will consider adopting the new English Language Arts/Spanish Language Arts and English Language Arts curriculum for TK-5; will hear updates on the 2016-2017 Local Control Accountability Plan and on physical fitness testing results; and will consider revised board policies on several topics. laura.groch@sduniontribune.com CITY COUNCILS DEL MAR Advertisement The Del Mar City Council met Friday and Saturday for a two-day workshop on council priorities at the LAuberge Del Mar, 1540 Camino Del Mar. Public input was requested on what has been going well in Del Mar and where improvements might be made. ENCINITAS The Encinitas City Council met in special session Wednesday for a community workshop on developing a legally compliant Housing Element Update. Several hundred people attended and spoke about the housing element and ways to ensure that affordable housing is built in the community. ESCONDIDO The Escondido City Council met in closed session Wednesday to discuss litigation and property negotiations. In open session, the council discussed possible sites for a BMX course, including at Kit Carson, Mountain View and Jesmond Dene parks, and directed staff to put out a request for proposals. The council held a hearing on its proposed water, wastewater and recycled water rate increases of 5.5 percent for five years, to take effect every March 1 from 2017 through 2021. The council approved the increases, but modified the agricultural recycled water rate from a $3 increase to $2.70. OCEANSIDE The Oceanside City Council met in closed session Wednesday to discuss litigation. In open session, the council approved plans for the Railroad Crossing Safety Improvements project, which includes three traffic alterations on North Myers Street; and approved an ordinance to limit remarks by council members to 10 minutes per item. SCHOOL DISTRICTS ESCONDIDO The Escondido Union School District board met in closed session Tuesday to discuss litigation. In regular session, the board heard updates on the Local Control Accountability Plan and a report from the Declining Enrollment Task Force. It approved an agreement with Neighborhood Healthcare for free dental screening for the district preschool program in the 2016-17 school year. You Make Escondido Shine awards were presented to Stefana Smiljkovich, Jacqueline Perez, Karime Jimenez Sandoval and Delaney Itzkowitz (L.R. Green); Victoria Herrera, Luna Garcia, Christopher Guerrero and Victor Lopez (Farr Elementary); and Dylan Diaz, Natalie Corbin, Logan Swain and Sarai Swain (home education). OCEANSIDE The Oceanside Unified School District board met in closed session Tuesday to discuss litigation and the superintendents evaluation. In open session, the board heard a proposal from the city to install underground pipe and two injection wells at Foussat Elementary to pump treated water into an underground aquifer. The board also approved its long-range facilities master plan and approved an agreement with Strategic Partnership Schools Group for grant writing and financial services that will include researching available funding opportunities, to cost no more than $20,000. POWAY The Poway Unified School District board met in special closed session Monday to discuss the superintendent search. The board also met in closed session Tuesday to discuss a superintendent candidate. In open session, the board also discussed its self-evaluation goals and the Safe Haven proposal, which states that all students are welcome in PUSD regardless of immigration status. The board reported that its superintendent search firm has presented 11 candidates to be considered from 91 applicants, and five semi-finalists have been invited for interviews. The October Jack O Smash event raised $20,000 for the district to be divided equally between the Special Education Foundation and Abraxas High Schools Transition Program. Solar installations were approved for 16 schools. SAN DIEGUITO The San Dieguito Union High School District board met in closed session Thursday to discuss personnel. In open session, the board approved an agreement with San Dieguito Alliance for Drug Free Youth to support the districts Tobacco Use Prevention Education program for $79,350; and approved a resolution creating a prequalification process for bidders. SAN MARCOS The San Marcos Unified School District board met Tuesday for a public hearing on the transition to by-district elections; no public speakers commented. The board also heard presentations from three recruitment firms specializing in searches for public school superintendents. After discussion, the board decided to go with Dave Long & Associates. SOLANA BEACH The Solana Beach School District board met for a workshop Thursday on board/superintendent roles and responsibilities and governance practices. laura.groch@sduniontribune.com As the La Jolla Playhouse-launched musical Come From Away prepares for its Broadway debut in less than two weeks, another Playhouse-developed work has just been announced for a Broadway run of its own. Ayad Akhtars Junk: The Golden Age of Debt, which had its world premiere in La Jolla last summer, will begin performances at Lincoln Centers Vivian Beaumont Theater on Oct. 5, with an official opening set for Nov. 2. (Editors note: These dates have been updated since the original post.) The play, an epic drama set among the New York high-finance scene of the 1980s, will be the second Playhouse-bred Akhtar work to head to New York, after The Who & The What in 2014. Advertisement Akhtar won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2013 with Disgraced, his story of New Yorkers grappling with issues of religion, politics and the specter of terrorism. (The playwright is of Pakistani-American heritage, and has often included elements of the Muslim experience in his work.) Disgraced received its local debut at San Diego Rep in October. Junk, directed by Tony Award-winner Doug Hughes, is nominated for four awards (including outstanding new play) at tonights Craig Noel Awards, presented by the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle. The plays transfer from San Diego to Broadway is an unusually quick one. Most things take years to get to New York, said Michael Rosenberg, the Playhouses managing director. But the combination of the fact this is such a well-crafted play, (and) that the play was so well received here, and also the timing of the importance of having this kind of conversation about economics at this particular moment, I think is pretty spectacular. Rosenberg noted that Akhtars The Who & The What was programmed for the first edition of the Playhouses DNA New Work Series before the playwright won the Pulitzer for Disgraced. His was (also) the first play to come of the series and go straight into production, Rosenberg said. And so he really set that bar for us. He very much views the Playhouse as an artistic home. In a U-T interview last summer, Akhtar said that while religion is less overtly a part of the storyline in Junk than in some of his past plays, its still present in the sense that the lords of finance and the high priests of finance won our minds starting in the 1980s. Because our lives now are completely dominated by finance. Theres also this notion of immigrant struggle. One of the stories of the 80s is a rising immigrant class within the world of finance, whether it was the Jewish financiers or Italian-American prosecuting attorney (Rudolph) Giuliani, who later became New Yorks mayor. Mergers and acquisitions became a tool to pull apart an economy that came from one era and was suited to that way of life, and to remake it. So that battle is very much onstage minorities and immigrants moving their way up. Junk is set to become the 29th Playhouse-connected show to hit Broadway, after Come From Away and then Indecent in April. The Jimmy Buffett-centric musical Escape to Margaritaville, which has its world premiere at the Playhouse in May, is poised to become No. 30 when it heads to New York next year. Twitter: @jimhebert jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com While the nation turned its attention to the Super Bowl over the weekend, President Donald Trumps recent executive orders on immigration continued to reverberate in courtrooms and on Twitter. Heres what you need to know about what happened over the weekend. The court concludes that the circumstances brought before it today are such that it must intervene to fulfill its constitutional role. Judge James Robart Advertisement A federal judge in Seattle issued the strongest ruling yet against Trumps ban on all refugees and travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries. Have you seen this? Get her on a flight right now. Friends of an Encinitas student, reacting to the court ruling After the judges ruling, those who had been trapped outside the U.S. rushed to return. They are going to give lip service to going after criminals, but they really are going to round up everybody they can get their hands on. David Leopold, a former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Assn. Meanwhile, the southwest border still waits to see how the enforcement and border wall orders will play out. kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate We rely on your support to make local news available to all Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2022. Donate today A federal appeals court has indicated it will move swiftly to decide whether to keep in place a nationwide hold on President Trumps moratorium on travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries. A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals declined early Sunday to immediately block an order from a federal judge in Washington that halted the travel ban. Instead, the panel established a rapid schedule for written arguments. Advertisement A brief from the two states that challenged the ban was filed early Monday. The administrations response was due at 3 p.m. Pacific time. A panel ruling could come anytime after that most likely within a week, experts said. In the meantime, the judges probably are already doing legal research on the issues. The three judges who happen to be sitting on the 9th Circuits motions panel this month and who will rule on the case are William Canby Jr., a President Carter appointee; Richard Clifton, appointed by President George W. Bush; and Michelle T. Friedland, appointed by President Obama. Clifton is considered moderately conservative and the two Democrats are viewed as moderately liberal. The 9th Circuit is broadly viewed as the most liberal federal appeals court. The panels decision will not determine whether Trumps order is constitutional. The court will decide whether an emergency hold should remain in force against the order until the constitutional issues are decided. If the court decides to continue to block the ban, travelers who already have visas may continue to enter the U.S. In issuing a temporary restraining order against Trumps directive, the federal court in Washington state determined the states that challenged the ban would suffer immediate and irreparable harm in employment, business, education, familial relations and freedom to travel. Some legal experts have described the dispute as uncharted, both in the legal sense and in the extraordinary scope of the travel ban. If Trump loses, he could immediately go to the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, who handles matters from the 9th Circuit, would probably ask the other justices to weigh in. The Supreme Court could issue a decision immediately, though it normally asks for written arguments. If the court were to tie 4-4 the Senate has not yet confirmed Trumps nominee to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia the 9th Circuit decision would prevail. The case before the 9th Circuit stems from a challenge by the state of Washington, which Minnesota quickly joined. The states argued the ban would harm their economies and colleges. U.S. District Judge James L. Robart issued the nationwide hold on President Trumps travel ban. (Jose Romero / AFP/Getty Images) U.S. District Judge James L. Robart, an appointee of President George W. Bush, ruled in favor of the states. He cited a 5th Circuit decision that blocked an Obama executive order on immigration. The 5th Circuit decision against Obamas directive, which would have protected certain immigrants from deportation, became law when the Supreme Court tied 4-4 after reviewing it. The Trump administration appealed Robarts decision to the 9th Circuit, which decides legal matters for nine Western states. In his order, Robart emphasized that the United States has three equal branches of government. The work of the Judiciary, and this court, is limited to ensuring that the actions taken by the other two branches comport with our countrys laws, and more importantly, our Constitution, Robart wrote. Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Irvine School of Law, suggested Sunday that the 9th Circuit was likely to rule against the Trump administration. Virtually every judge to consider the executive order has said that there is a substantial likelihood that it is unconstitutional, Chemerinsky said in an email. Both Republican and Democratic appointees have come to this conclusion. Having read some of the briefs in these cases, I think any court is likely to come to this conclusion. Chemerinsky said predicting what the Supreme Court justices will do amounts to guesswork. My instinct is that they are unlikely to get involved at this early stage, especially with virtually all the lower courts coming out the same way, he said. Trump has prevailed in at least one case, though, when a federal judge in Boston refused to extend an order prohibiting officials from detaining or deporting people with valid visas or green cards. The suit had been filed on behalf of two University of Massachusetts professors from Iran, who subsequently were admitted to the U.S. The decision by Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, who was appointed by President George H.W. Bush, said the American Civil Liberties Union had failed to show that the initial restraining order was needed after the Trump administration revised the ban. maura.dolan@latimes.com Twitter: @mauradolan ALSO Legal battle over travel ban looms as Trump continues attacks on judge How Trumps policies and rhetoric are forging alliances between U.S. Jews and Muslims In North Dakota, it could become legal to hit a protester with your car UPDATES: Feb. 6, 9:02 a.m.: This article has been updated to reflect that the brief from the states was filed. This article was originally published at 6:15 p.m. Feb. 5. A Sunday protest over Mexicos gasoline price hike prompted freeway access into the country to be closed again . Its the fifth weekend in a row officials have diverted two southbound freeways Interstate 5 and Interstate 805 away from the San Ysidro Port of Entry, across from El Chaparral in Tijuana, where previous protests have taken place. Advertisement It was unclear how many protesters participated or where the demonstration took place. In past weekends, thousands of people have swarmed lanes just south of the border. California Highway Patrol officials issued a traffic alert at the entry point about 1:45 p.m. The freeways reopened about 5:10 p.m. The protests have spread across Mexico since the countrys Jan. 1 gasoline price hikes of up to 20 percent as part of an effort to deregulate the countrys energy sector. Demonstrators, who have been largely peaceful, have also expressed dissatisfaction with the countrys political and economic climate, with some calling for President Enrique Pena Nietos resignation. Twitter: @LAWinkley (619) 293-1546 lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com A man was shot eight times during an argument in Egger Highlands Saturday night and survived, police said. A group of people were standing near a car parked on Ionian Street near Transite Avenue when a fight broke out about 10 p.m., San Diego police Officer Robert Heims said. One male pulled out a gun and shot the 30-year-old victim numerous times. Advertisement Most of the bullets struck him in the lower abdomen. He was taken to a hospital with injuries that werent believed to be life-threatening, Heims said. The suspect ran and was seen driving off in a white truck. A detailed description of the shooter was not available. Twitter: @LAWinkley (619) 293-1546 lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com Police on Sunday released a photograph of the SUV that drove off after hitting and killing a pedestrian in Chula Vista two weeks ago. Investigators hope someone will recognize the vehicle, leading them to the driver. Advertisement The Jan. 22 crash happened on Broadway Avenue near G Street about 6:45 p.m. The victim, 42-year-old Fermin Mateo-Cruz, was crossing the street when he was struck, police said. A surveillance camera recorded the vehicle, which appeared to be a red 2002 to 2005 Ford Explorer, as it sped away. Police said the vehicle likely has front headlamp damage. Mateo-Cruz emigrated from Puerto Rico and had been married to his wife for 19 years. They had three children. Family members said he had a passion for painting, music, cooking and the beach. Anyone who saw the crash or who has information about the vehicle was asked to call police at (619) 409-5440 or (619) 476-5374. Twitter: @LAWinkley (619) 293-1546 lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com A bill sponsored in December by state Sen. Toni Atkins would raise money for affordable housing a critical state need, but also her wifes line of work. If approved, Senate Bill 2 would generate revenue for affordable housing by tacking a $75 to $225 filing fee on property transfers, excluding home sales. Under the proposal, about a third of those dollars would be set aside to build homes for low-income families and migrant workers. Advertisement The rest, perhaps hundreds of millions of dollars, could be used for nearly a dozen other purposes -- including several that might benefit Atkins wife Jennifer LeSar, who runs a pair of consulting businesses that specialize in affordable housing. A near-identical version of the draft legislation, Assembly Bill 1335, died early last year, but not before critics raised concerns about Atkins role in authoring proposals they said could boost LeSars bottom line. Californias voter-approved conflict-of-interest laws prohibit lawmakers from making decisions that financially benefit them. The Office of Legislative Counsel said those rules didnt apply to affordable housing bills Atkins unveiled in 2015 because they didnt benefit specific people or companies. A statement attributed to Atkins and relayed by a spokesman on Friday said the longtime San Diego lawmaker again consulted with counsel before introducing SB 2 and nothing has changed because the new bill is not substantially different from AB 1335. Atkins, who defended her 2015 bill as one that addressed an issue that has been a staple of her agenda for decades, picked up on a similar theme on Friday. There is no conflict because SB 2 is policy matter, she wrote. It merely identifies a source of funding and creates a process for allocating the revenue. I have no role in determining who gets the money either at the state or local level. That is a competitive process, and the decisions will be made by others, as spelled out in the bill. Critics remain skeptical. "(LeSar and Atkins) are just pocket-liners, cut from the Clinton cloth, said Monica Ball, a longtime San Diego homeless advocate who sits on the Downtown Community Planning Council, a citizen advisory board focused on economic development. Talk about a colossal conflict of interest. LeSar did not return requests for comment. She told the Los Angeles Times in 2015 that she would never apply directly to the state for any of the funds sought by the Atkins bill. The two met while working on homelessness issues in San Diego, where Atkins served on the City Council from 2000 to 2008. They married in 2008. Atkins briefly worked for LeSars firm as a senior principal for housing policy following her time on the City Council. Atkins state-mandated financial disclosures show more than $4 million paid to LeSars businesses since 2010, usually from nonprofits, local government agencies and affordable housing developers. Individuals and political committees affiliated with some of the same clients -- mostly those backed by developers and construction trade unions -- donated almost $1 million to Atkins campaign coffers over the same time period. Atkins real estate recording fee proposals, though born two years apart, are near carbon copies. The key statutory difference between the two is a pair of sentences that would allow local government agencies to spend dollars generated by the fee on zoning ordinance changes and general plan updates. Such agencies accounted for more than one quarter of the LeSar Development Consultants billings disclosed by Atkins since 2010. Work completed for those clients includes a Five-Year Work Plan Toward the Goal of Ending Homelessness in Downtown San Diego for Civic San Diego, a city-owned nonprofit agency; and San Diegos Consolidated Plan, a document that determines community needs and allocation of funds to help low-to-moderate income people, according to LeSar Developments website. Atkins new bill also suggests tweaks regarding the appointment of board members to oversee the trust fund created to hold dollars generated by the legislation. It calls for three of those members to be appointed by the Senate Rules Committee, where Atkins serves as a member, and three others by the Assembly Speaker, a post she held between March 2014 and May 2016. The old version of the bill called for those appointees to be named by then-Speaker Atkins and the Senate President Pro Tempore. Atkins said the appointment changes stemmed from an oversight written into the 2015 version of the bill and served only to make the board-building process consistent with methods used to construct other oversight bodies. She said other tweaks -- such as those that could benefit a segment of LeSars consulting clientele -- were added to make the proposed policy stronger and more effective. Marco Gonzalez, a prominent San Diego land use attorney, said he had no doubts about the bills legal bona fides or Atkins virtually unassailable commitment to affordable housing efforts. But he said he understands why her involvement would raise eyebrows. This is where things get sticky, he wrote in an email Thursday. Of course there is an appearance of conflict. Any time a legislator has a particular interest in the outcome of legislation that can in any way be tied to a financial interest, it appears to be a conflict. Gonzalez said Atkins could have avoided that perception by coordinating with another office to have the bill authored by someone else, though hes not sure she should have to. Its a noble cause, he added, and Toni deserves credit for taking a leadership position on the issue. Atkins said she never considered having someone carry the bill. Its well known that this is a top priority for me, she added. Its my bill. Ill see it through. Regarding Trump rattles world leaders as Cabinet tries to soften tone (Feb. 3): While it was undoubtedly in the U.S. national security interest for the first Bush administration to foster the trade agreement known as NAFTA to strengthen the Mexican economy, it would be folly for the Trump administration to think that Mexico has limited tools available if it wishes to end our long-positive relationship with our neighbor. Mexico could, if it wished, substantially strengthen its relationship with an expansionist China as a counter to a threatening U.S. president. Advertisement 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. You can also leave a comment below It could stop selling oil to the U.S. and divert it to oil-hungry China and Japan, as well as facilitate the establishment of a Western Hemisphere Chinese naval base on Mexicos west coast. This would not benefit the U.S., but it might create a valuable stable strategic relationship for Mexico with China. Richard Dittbenner San Diego Mexico is taking us over little by little Mexico has colonized California and the United States. It has done so in violation of U.S. law. And no one has raised a hand to stop it. On the contrary, everyone seems to be in accord with it. Now I know how the Palestinians feel. Doug Bell Rancho Penasquitos Our nation must not let history repeat itself Regarding Lori Sheins letter (Trumps executive orders draw opposing views, Jan 31). I believe shes referring to the German liner MS St. Louis, which left Hamburg with more than 900 Jewish passengers seeking refuge from Nazi Germany in May 1939. Their destination was Cuba, but due to political turmoil there, they were rejected. They next turned to the U.S. for asylum, but the Roosevelt administration also turned them away. It is believed that some of FDRs advisers were anti-Semitic. Passengers were forced to return to Germany, where most of them ended up in concentration camps or worse. Im not saying Trump is another dictator, but if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hmm. Jack Strumpf Escondido Fear of refugees is nothing new to the U.S. The 90-day ban against seven mostly Muslim nations preventing their citizens from entering the U.S. is bad enough, but it could be worse, and it has been. In July 1950, during the Korean War, U.S. troops were ordered to fire on fleeing refugees, fearing they were infiltrated by North Koreans. It started with attacks from the air and ended after three days with U.S. soldiers machine-gunning refugees under the bridge at No Gun Ri. Few were left alive. Hundreds were killed, mostly women and children. It pains me to repeat this, but we must learn and guard against it. We must aid these poor people, certainly not harm them. Gregory West Poway Hunter seems like a fit in Trumps Cabinet After reading your front-page story about Rep. Duncan Hunter (Rep. Hunter mixed his personal, campaign expenses, Jan. 30), and all his shady campaign finance shenanigans, I just have one question: Why hasnt Trump brought him into his administration? Don Szalay Point Loma San Diego must answer the homeless problem I wonder how many times Mayor Faulconer will have to see and hear that his city, our city, is a national disgrace because of our homeless crisis before he starts paying attention. Dan McSwains excellent reporting on this crisis (Homeless crisis is solvable, but wont yield to political inaction, Jan. 30) offers a plausible explanation for this disgrace: a glaring lack of leadership from Mayor Faulconer. In spite of all our government agencies and nonprofits pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into solutions, the crisis grows worse by the day. Why? Other American cities with strong political leadership are making major strides in solving their homeless problems by coordinating all their funding resources and concentrating on the housing first and permanent supportive housing programs. Mayor Faulconer hired a political consultant, Stacie Spector, last October to be his senior adviser for homeless solutions. For what? When will Mayor Faulconer take responsibility? Pete A. Powell Downtown Rep. Issa says he wants to listen but does not Darrell Issas recent piece, Republicans mission? Listen more, talk less (Jan. 26) is nothing more than a public relations ploy. Issa has a track record of avoiding his constituents. He has ignored requests for meetings in face-to-face town-hall forums, and his local staff arbitrarily refuses to engage with citizens. On Inauguration Day, 26 constituents visited his Vista office. Our goal was to deliver a signed letter stating our concerns on a variety of issues. Issa was in Washington, and his staff refused to open the door or acknowledge us even after 90 minutes. We left the letter outside the door only later to have staff deny they received it. This is bad faith. These are public servants whose jobs are to serve local citizens. Local voters are trying to get their message to Issa, but he really doesnt want to listen. Karen Abrams Encinitas H1B visa program does not help Americans Regarding Why is Rep. Issa now so willing to listen? (Jan. 30): Couldnt agree more with Gregg Ferry about the need to improve our education system. Get rid of Common Core and the U.S. Department of Education. States and municipalities are better suited to educate our children. Encourage college students to get employable degrees, such as accounting, computer science or finance, etc., not in communications, psychology or arts, etc. But he doesnt understand completely the H1B visa program. Immigrants often put Americans out of high-paying jobs and are paid less. The H1B immigrant replaces Americans in specialty occupations as occurred at Disney. It fired American employees who were required to train their less-qualified H1B replacements. Disney is not unique. H1B immigrants can stay three to six years. The fired Americans often settle for lower-paying jobs, sometimes two jobs to replace their lost income. Gary Ritzman La Jolla We should think about how to care for elderly Regarding Med students learn the pains of aging (Jan. 30): Thank you for the article regarding UCSD med students learning the challenges for older patients. I believe all doctors should circulate this article to all employees in the office. My son installed a handrail on my steep stairs for Christmas. Grab rails in the bathrooms became a necessity. Think about this when pondering, I just dont know what present to get for my parents. J. Myles Callahan Linda Vista Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook. Elementary school students will have the opportunity to visit 10 living history encampments during the fifth annual Ramona Old West Days on May 4 and 5, Jim Cooper said at the recent Ramona Unified school board meeting. Were proud to announce that were going to do it again this year, said Cooper, who attended the meeting with Steve Johnson, who with him coordinates the event. They (students) seemed to enjoy it. Our encampment people come down and enjoy interfacing with the elementary school students. On May 6 and 7, Old West Days will be open to the public at the Ramona Rodeo Grounds. In addition to the encampments, the public will witness Shootout at Sundown gunfight reenactment competitions hosted by the Guns of the Round Table based in Riverside. They do an exceptional job, Cooper said. They just came back from placing first at the Gathering of the Gunfighters in Yuma. Ramona Old West Days admission is free the four days. The first two days is reserved for students educational tours of the rendezvous encampments, where they experience what life was like in the 1800s. Each living history encampment presents a different aspect of the Western Expansion Period of U.S. history. Among them are a family moving west in the early 1800s, mountain men bartering beaver and other animal hides, and Doc Holliday, gambler and gunfighter who was part of the legendary shootout at the O.K. Corral The weekend adds two days of gunfight competitions, food vendors, and 1800s merchandise vendors, said Cooper. We dressed up just a little bit to give you a touch of the flavor that you might see in the 1800s, he told trustees, saying that people in the 1800s built their own clothes. Johnson wore a period wool coat with hood made with blankets, and Cooper had a buffalo vest and elkskin sleeves with fringe. For more information about Ramona Old West Days, see www.ramonaoldwestdays.com. Shaun Savages business model is similar to Uber. Advertisement Except his truck and van drivers dont transport people but things. Through its mobile app or web site, San Diego-based GoShare helps connect people who have vans or trucks with people who need help with small apartment and office moves, furniture deliveries and junk removals. GoShare has hundreds of drivers and helpers who both load and unload cargo. GoShares rate starts at 99 cents per minute with a minimum fee of $29.99. GoShare delivery professionals take 80 percent of the total rental fee. About half of GoShares sales come from mom-and-pop businesses and big-name retailers like Ace Hardware that need deliveries sometimes several times a day or on a monthly basis. The companys other clients use its services to haul heavy things a short distance once or twice a year. Savage declined to provide last years revenue for the company with 15 employees that he started out of his apartment in 2014. GoShares services are in parts of San Diego County, Los Angeles County, New Jersey and Georgia. Below, Savage, 33, also the company CEO, chats about how his business got about 15,000 people to apply to be a GoShare driver or helper and how his hiring process has evolved. Q. Have you spent any money advertising for drivers? A. Yes, we do spend some money on marketing but a lot of them are finding us through word of mouth. In general, a lot of our online marketing is done in house. We dont outsource it. Dont pay for anything that you can do yourself. Its also important to keep it in house because you need people close to the business to work on that. (In-house employees know the companys story better.) There are platforms that help you grow the business without (requiring you to) spend a lot of money. One of the things that works for us is Craigslist. When we started, we did free marketing on Craigslist. We didnt have to spend money on ads. We just spent time to put up the Craigslist ads. We still put up free posts on Craigslist. We also pay for some ads on Craigslist. We ask everyone on the team to do it: help us out, throw some ads on Craigslist. We put ads on Craigslist throughout the day. We use Craigslist to advertise for customers, drivers and employees. Q. What qualities do you look for in a driver? A. A lot of it has to do with customer service. We want to make sure every customer has a great experience with GoShare. We want our delivery professionals to be polite, friendly, a good communicator. Errors (happen). We try to encourage the driver to call the customer to find out that the time they input is correct, that the address is correct. So if there is a mistake, they are not running behind. Q. Have you had to change what you ask, look for in a driver since you started the company? A. The questions we ask the drivers have been pretty consistent over the last few years. But weve automated (the process) instead of having all of the drivers come to our office for orientation. Thats the biggest change. It wouldnt be realistic for us to do that (as we expand). In the past, the application was still initially online but they would have to come in for orientation. So instead of me repeating the same lecture (during orientation), they can now watch a video. Instead of coming in, they learn it online. We made that shift to automation probably a year ago. We also created the online test (thats based on the video) about a year and half ago. Questions include: Are drivers allowed to accept cash payment? No. All payment is done through credit cards. Other questions are related to customer service. Q. Is the application all online? A. Its mostly automated, but we do end up talking to them on the phone. We call them to take their credit card info because they pay for their own background checks. We listen to them, make sure we are comfortable with them. Weve never had to turn away a person (after the phone call). I remember when we brought people in for the orientation. There were people wearing shorts and flip flops. OK, this is a not a good fit. Thats a little casual even for San Diego. Q. Do you worry that you cant detect that from a completely automated interview process? A. No, because the application process is more thorough then before. We werent giving them a test before. Now we have a way of verifying that they listened (to the video). Seeing them in person is not necessary. Between passing the test, the vehicle inspection and background check, we are able to weed out a lot of the bad people. (Even after we hire them), we are able to figure out pretty quickly if a person (is not the right fit for GoShare). A lot of our customers rate the drivers and helpers. We have only had to deactivate less than 1 percent so far. Part of that reason is that we do a good job of setting the expectation. This is a customer-service job. We want them to help customers load and unload. We want them to keep their vehicles clean. We want them to be professional in the way they look and interact with the customers. If they dont like dealing with people, they walk about pretty fast. More on GoShare In the background checks, GoShare is looking to see if the person has had a felony or DUI, or is on the terrorist-watch or sex-offender lists. GoShares cargo insurance policy covers all of the items that it carries for customers. Customers can track the delivery status and receive notifications when the GoShare drivers arrive and when their cargo is delivered. Half of GoShares 15 employees are full time; the other half are part time. Based on the locations of GoShares driver and helper applicants and app downloads, Savage says theres interest in major cities like New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas and Houston. Merchants at some small stores on San Ysidro Boulevard said business dropped Sunday during a seven-hour boycott of shopping in San Diego by Tijuana residents. The event was planned by a group linked to Mexicos Institutional Revolutionary Party, the PRI, which urged people not to cross the border Sunday morning, in protest of President Donald Trumps border policies. Spreading the message through social media, organizers asked Tijuana residents not to cross between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. to let Trump know that we have dignity. Advertisement Mexican customers account for 90 percent of sales in San Ysidro, so merchants said they felt the impact from that loss of business. Claudia Acevedo, of Fashion Glow boutique on San Ysidro Boulevard, said sales were down about 70 percent Sunday morning. We had lower sales, she said. Now, not many people came from Mexico to shop. Other merchants said sales were down between 50 and 80 percent early Sunday. Crowds appeared light at the Outlets at the Border, although shoppers there said they werent aware of the boycott. The Mexican website UniEnsenada.com reported that traffic at San Ysidro was light Sunday morning, with fewer than 20 cars per lane. It was unclear, however, if the slow Sunday was entirely due to the boycott, or whether the Superbowl, and domestic protests in Tijuana also contributed to the apparent drop in shopping. The boycott was the first since Operacion Dignidad in 1994, which urged Tijuana residents to avoid crossing the border in protest of Californias Proposition 187 ballot initiative that sought to deny unauthorized immigrants state health care, education and other services. deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @deborahsbrennan The centennial of the hamburger is being celebrated this year inTexas and St. Louis, which both have ties to the man thought tohave first brought the all-American concoction to the masses. But dont tell that to Seymour, Wis., which for years has calleditself the birthplace of the burger and each year holds a hamburgerfestival. Residents of Hamburg, N.Y., have their own claim, while aplaque in Connecticut marks the site of a diner that supposedlymade the first hamburger. Many people credit the hamburgers invention to a Texan namedFletcher Davis, including a Texas writer named Frank X. Tolbertwhose work often is cited in support of the claim. A plaque inAthens, Texas, honors Davis. Advertisement But Seymour, Wis., claims the inventor was one of their own, aman named Charlie Nagreen. The town holds a record for making theworlds biggest hamburger (8,266 pounds in 2001), and residentsthrow an annual hamburger festival each August to honor theirman. According to the Hamburger Hall of Fame in Seymour, Nagreen cameto town at age 15 in 1885 to set up a food stand at the OutagamieCounty Fair. He intended to sell meatballs, but had more successwhen he smashed the balls into patties and served them betweenbread. Nagreen continued to sell his hamburgers yearly at the fairuntil his death in 1951, and the town continues to honor his memorywith an annual Burger Festival that includes a ketchup slide,bun-toss, burger-eating contest and parade. Some have credited Louis Lassen with inventing the hamburger in1900 at Louis Lunch in New Haven, Conn. Skeptics, includingTolbert, have noted that Lassens descendants did not make theclaim until they were trying to save the diner from demolition. The diner was relocated, and the New Haven Preservation Trustmarked the original site with a plaque proclaiming it as home ofthe first hamburger. Tolbert, who died in 1983, claimed to have aletter from a former Connecticut resident who said Lassen servedsteak sandwiches, not hamburgers, as late as the 1930s. Meanwhile, folks in Hamburg, N.Y., believe they are the realhome of the hamburger. As their story goes, brothers Charles andFrank Menches of Ohio were selling hot sandwiches while traveling acircuit of fairs, picnics and races in the early 1880s, when theyarrived at Hamburg. They ran out of pork and approached a localbutcher, who offered to grind some beef for them. The newsandwiches were a hit, and the name of the town became associatedwith the burger. That version of the story explains the origin of the hamburgersname. In other versions, the name is linked to Hamburg, Germany,and the connection dates to Genghis Khan, whose troops would eatground meat as they rode. When Khans great-grandson, Khublai Khan,invaded Moscow in 1238, he also carried ground meat, which theRussians adopted and called steak tartare. Ships from Hamburg, Germany, began stopping at Russian ports inthe 1600, bringing home new cuisine such as ground beef. In the1800s, German immigrants arrived in the United States, bringingwith them a dish that became known as the Hamburg steak. A more specific claim credits a Hamburg cook named Otto Kuaswwith making a ground-beef sandwich in the 1890s. Sailors travelingfrom Hamburg to New York would ask waterfront restaurant owners tomake them a hamburg-style sandwich. The true origin of the hamburger may be lost to the ages. Theremay be some truth to all the stories -- it wouldnt be the firsttime that people had the same idea in different parts of the world-- but apparently no hard evidence exists to prove any claimabsolutely. Perhaps the only written historical evidence to back up any ofthe claims is a 1904 New York Tribune article that describes avendor at the St. Louis Worlds Fair selling a new sandwich calledthe hamburger. Immigrants from southern Germany apparently calledthe ground beef sandwich a hamburger as a jab at northern Germans,who were known to eat ground, raw beef. The Tribune article didnt name the vendor, but many insist itwas none other than Fletcher Davis, a potter from Athens, Texas,who used to sell ground-beef sandwiches when business was slow. When he returned to Athens from the fair, according to hamburgerhistorian Tolbert, Davis found that other diners already had hishamburger recipe and were selling their own. He returned topottery, apparently figuring there was little future in the burgerbusiness. In honor of the 100th anniversary of the hamburger, SutterHome Family Vineyard is offering a $50,000 prize for the bestburger recipe. Entries may be submitted on-line atwww.BuildaBetterBurger.com. Complete rules can be obtained bysending a self-addressed #10 stamped envelope to Build a BetterBurger, P.O. Box 248, St. Helena, CA, 94574-0248. The deadline isAug. 31. Contact staff writer Gary Warth atgwarth@nctimes.comor (760)740-5410. Saturday morning I woke up early for one of my favorite days of the year the Annual Rib Cook-Off at Estels Dine by the Sea. Estels is one of my very favorite spots in San Pedro. Its an absolute MUST VISIT for breakfast you are going to want to add a side order of fry jacks to anything you try AND an absolute must for the weekend BBQ by Charles. The view, as you eat with your feet in the sand, isnt half bad either. But Im already talking too much. Let me be brief. Saturday was the SIXTH Annual International BBQ Cook-off. I got there early since I WAS ASKED TO JUDGE!!!! and I didnt miss my chance. This event is so much fun. And to convey just how much fun, I put together some very low tech animation. Get ready to be WOWed. There were 8 grillers 5 locals chefs from VERY popular spots: Charles of Estels Jennie of Elvis Kitchen, Amy of Wild Mangos Chris of Blue Water Grill and Kevin from Crazy Canucks and 3 imports: Rick, Jim (tearing up in front of this huge smoker) and Jim with just part of his team and Ally. Some quick Estels BBQ Trivia: The very first cook-off was a last minute thingthe ribs were only served to the judgesand the winner won $800 that had been collected between the four grillers Jim, Charles, Rick and Kevin. Jim won and Charles came in second place. Heres the photo from 2012. Barrington striking a pose as he readies to emcee the event. 220+ tickets were sold. And there were three categories. Peoples Choice. Cooks Choice (the 8 contestants would blindly choose a winner) and the highest honor: Judges Choice. Ive never seen Estels so PACKED. The smells of BBQ and charity were in the air. Good times, live music, GREAT FOOD and money raised for a great cause, the Sunshine Scholarship Foundation. The crew sold 50/50 tickets and, along with the help of Estels, raised a TON OF MONEY to send kids to school. I went to visit the judges table. There were 7 of us. Heres the crew sitting across the way from me. Kelly McGuire, Kendall of Ecologic Divers and Macarena Rose. Our SERIOUS scoring sheets And thenTHENthe ribs! We received the very first plates. And for the ticket price ($35bzd), everyone received 4 ribs, the tastiest beans, slaw and a big tortilla. If you bought two tickets you and your friend could try all eight. And vote. I will agree that the plate looks SO tasty, this job seems SO desirable but by the time you taste each one onceand then go around again and then again I realized that you need some real skills for this. And an INSANELY huge appetite. We handed in our scores and all were tallied. THE CHEFS #1: Kevin! Peoples #3 Ally #2 Jennie (last years Grand Champion) #1 JIM! Proudly accepting the award with his team. Judges #3 I FORGOT! #2 Amy AND THE PRIZE OF ALL PRIZES! Judges #1 Grill Master: Charles of Estels! Very lucky for all of us, Charles appears each and every weekend at Estels serving up BBQ. And just two more quick pictures. The photo I took of Chris of Blue Water Grill at the 2015 Cook-off with his new pup Lola. And Chris and Lola on Saturday. LOLA! How youve changed. And if youd like to read about the FIRST cook-off (2012), the THIRD (2014), FOURTH (2015)I miss a few. If Im lucky, Ill get asked back again. Glenolden, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/06/2017 -- Renew Medical Spa and Wellness can help their patients feel good by helping them look good. This wellness center is offering lip augmentation to people in Philadelphia, Glenolden, PA, and other local areas, who are seeking plumper and fuller lips. This treatment uses lip injections to provide more fullness to a person's lips and also improve their overall appearance. There are a couple of reasons why people choose to receive lip enhancements. It may be because they want more balance in their face by increasing the symmetry in not only their lips but also their eyes, cheeks, and nose. It may be because they'd like to have a healthier and more youthful appearance. Or it may be because they want that extra confidence boost. Whatever the case may be, Renew Medical Spa and Wellness can help them get the results they want and deserve. Those wondering whether they're a good candidate or not can turn to the experts at Renew Medical Spa and Wellness for a free consultation. Their staff will find out the person's wants and needs, and then determine the best way to proceed. Although almost anyone can receive lip augmentation, it's best for individuals who have low volume in their lips, whether it's due to aging or genetics. Located in Glenolden, PA, Renew Medical Spa and Wellness provides services and treatments for people throughout Delaware County, PA, as well as other local areas. To learn more about receiving lip enhancements, contact Renew Medical Spa and Wellness at 1-844-736-3932. About Renew Medical Spa & Wellness Renew Medical Spa & Wellness focuses on the health and appearance of their patients. They understand that when someone looks good, it helps them feel good. This professional aesthetics medical spa offers the best non-surgical solutions and treatments for those looking to remove excess fat or restore their appearance. Their services include CoolSculpting, dermal fillers, Botox treatments, and more. For more information, go to http://www.renewvip.com/. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/06/2017 -- The smart education and learning market in the ASEAN region is rising due to government initiatives towards digitizing education, increasing use of smartphones and tablets, internet penetration and developed information and communication (ICT) infrastructure. Virtual reality-infused classrooms and cloud-based smart education and learning solutions are gaining heightened popularity in the region and are becoming a standard across many educational institutions in countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. Transparency Market Research estimates that the ASEAN smart education and learning market holds immense growth potential in the near future. The market is expected to exhibit a remarkable 19.7% CAGR over the period between 2016 and 2020. If the prediction holds true, the market is expected to rise from US$36.84 bn to US$88.97 bn by 2020. Request a Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.mrrse.com/sample/2198 Simulation-based Solutions Witness Adoption at Promising Rate The ASEAN smart education and learning market has been segmented on the basis of delivery model into classroom-based, desktop/mobile-based and simulation-based solutions. Among these, the desktop/mobile-based segment was the leading segment, occupying approximately 67% of the market share in 2015. It is also expected to remain the leading segment throughout the forecast period. However, the segment is expected to lose prominence to the simulation-based delivery model in terms of the rate of growth over the period between 2016 and 2020. The segment is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 21% over the said period. This up-and-coming segment will, however, still be able to occupy a very small share in the market pie owing to the dominance of desktop/mobile-based and classroom-based smart education and learning solutions. The segment of classroom-based solutions is projected to see a decline in its share in the overall market by the end of the forecast period owing to the rising demand for simulation-based smart education and learning solutions. Malaysia and Thailand to be Potential Growth Markets The ASEAN smart education and learning market has been examined for seven regions: Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Rest of ASEAN (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), and Brunei). Malaysia currently leads the ASEAN smart education and learning market, accounting for a dominant share of 36.9% in 2015. The highly developed state of the information and communication technology (ICT) and vast penetration of smartphones have bolstered the Malaysia market for smart education and learning. Inquiry on this report @ http://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/2198 Furthermore, government initiatives toward promoting the use of technology in education have resulted in the increased use of smartphones and desktops in delivering smart education to learners in the country. The market for in Malaysia is projected to remain the dominant regional market in the ASEAN smart education and learning market throughout the forecast period as well. Malaysia, along with Indonesia, is also expected to be one the most promising regions in terms of rate of growth of the smart education and learning market over the next few years. Both the countries are projected to exhibit a 20.3% CAGR over the forecast period. The launch of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) has bolstered the demand for English language courses in Indonesia. Additionally, high smartphone penetration and government initiatives towards delivering digitized education have further added to the growing market revenues in the smart education sector in Indonesia. Read Complete Report with TOC @ http://www.mrrse.com/asean-smart-education-learning-market The key market players operating in the ASEAN smart education and learning market include Blackboard, Inc., Educomp Solutions Ltd., Cisco Systems Inc., Adobe Corporation, Scholastic Corporation, Smart Technologies Inc., NIIT Ltd., Saba Software Inc., Scholastic Inc., and Extramarks Education Pvt., Ltd. About MRRSE MRRSE stands for Market Research Reports Search Engine, the largest online catalog of latest market research reports based on industries, companies, and countries. MRRSE sources thousands of industry reports, market statistics, and company profiles from trusted entities and makes them available at a click. Besides well-known private publishers, the reports featured on MRRSE typically come from national statistics agencies, investment agencies, leading media houses, trade unions, governments, and embassies. A new dwarf lemur species has been discovered in the dry and transitional forests of northern Madagascar, according to a paper published in the latest issue of the journal Primate Conservation. Dwarf lemurs (genus Cheirogaleus) are small, nocturnal primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. The new species was described by Dr. Cynthia Frasier of Omahas Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium and her colleagues from the United States, Madagascar and Australia. The species scientific name is Cheirogaleus shethi. The proposed English name is the Sheths dwarf lemur. This new species is named after Brian Sheth, the Chair of the Board of the NGO Global Wildlife Conservation, the researchers explained in the paper. Brian is deeply committed to biodiversity conservation worldwide, and is a leading philanthropist for species and ecosystem conservation. He has supported many projects in Madagascar, including research and the establishment and management of nature reserves. So far, the new species is known from northern Madagascar, from Ankarana east to Bekaraoka in dry and transitional forests. Cheirogaleus shethi can be found along the forest corridor from Ankarana Special Reserve east to the Analamerana Special Reserve down to the Bekaraoka forest in the Loky-Manambato Protected Area, Dr. Frasier and co-authors said. This species is separated from other Cheirogaleus populations by a significant geographical distance with the exception of the recently described Montagne dAmbre dwarf lemur (C. andysabini). Also known as the Ankarana dwarf lemur, the new primate is one of the smallest in its genus. It weighs up to 125 g (0.28 lb) and has a head plus body length of 16-17.5 cm (6.3-6.9 inches) and a tail length around 16 cm (6.3 inches). The dorsum, limbs and head of Cheirogaleus shethi are gray, with no dorsal stripe. Underside white, from interramal area to base of tail, the researchers said. Facial mask poorly expressed; the area around the orbits is narrowly brownish and dorsally bleeding into the gray of the forehead and crown; median strip between them is paler than rest of face. The ears are sparsely furred. Hands and feet are light colored. The identification of this new species highlights the importance of northern Madagascar as a reservoir of biodiversity, they said. _____ Cynthia L. Frasier et al. 2016. A New Species of Dwarf Lemur (Cheirogaleidae: Cheirogaleus medius Group) from the Ankarana and Andrafiamena-Andavakoera Massifs, Madagascar. Primate Conservation 30: 59-72 If you want to win an Oscar it is best to be an American actor in a movie that portrays American culture. That is the conclusion of a paper by an international team of psychology researchers from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, the University of Exeter in UK, the University of Queensland and Macquarie University in Australia. The team, headed by University of Queensland researcher Niklas Steffens, analyzed the award of merit prizes for Best Actor and Actress in a Leading Role for the international award of US-based Oscars and British-based BAFTAs since BAFTAs inception of this category in 1968. This covered a total of 908 participants, comprising 97 winners and 383 (unsuccessful) nominees for the Oscars and 97 winners and 331 (unsuccessful) nominees for the BAFTAs. Both awards state that they aim to recognize best performances in movies from all over the world. The results show that US actors dominated the awards, winning more than 50% of all prizes across Oscars and BAFTAs. Nevertheless, actors were more likely to win if they shared social group membership with the judges. This meant that American actors won 52% of all BAFTAs but 69% of all Oscars, while British actors won 18% of all Oscars but 34% of all BAFTAs. We know a lot about the factors that increase peoples capacity to show exceptional performances, Dr. Steffens said. However, a somewhat different question is what makes a given creative performance likely to be seen as exceptional. This was the question we addressed in this research. These results show that whether we see a given performance as extraordinary is not just a function of the objective quality of that performance. For perceivers are much more likely to recognize a performance as truly brilliant when perceivers and performers share membership in a social group. The data also showed that nationality made a difference to actually winning an award. For the Oscars, American actors received 67% of all nominations but 78% of all awards. The same held true for the BAFTAs, where British actors won 31% of all nominations but 42% of all awards. Another important determinant of success was the subject matter of the movie. In the Oscars, American artists accounted for 26% of award winners whose performance was in movies about non-US culture but for 88% of award winners whose performance was in movies about American culture. There is a widespread belief that our perception of makes a creation original and outstanding is given by its objective qualities, but in fact it is heavily influenced by the social groups we are members of, and which provide the basis for making sense of the world, Dr. Steffens said. The teams findings were published online February 5 in the British Journal of Psychology. _____ Niklas K. Steffens et al. Genius begins at home: Shared social identity enhances the recognition of creative performance. British Journal of Psychology, published online February 5, 2017; doi: 10.1111/bjop.12242 This article is based on a press-release from the British Psychological Society. Both pharmaceutical and medical advancement are on its way as scientists are currently studying a new drug to counteract antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The study was headed by Dr. Ishwar Singh together with his team from the School of Pharmacy, one of the colleges of University of Lincoln, United Kingdom. In 2015, USA scientist discovered Teixobactin a drug that kills pathogens which prove its antimicrobial ability. According to Science Daily, Teixobactin was isolated from microorganisms that are found in soil. The University of Lincoln then produced synthetic derivatives of Teixobactin which opened a new gate in battling AMR. The different derivatives of Teixobactin that was synthetically synthesized by Dr. Singh and his team were biologically tested by Dr. Edward Taylor. The team was able to discover that the molecular structure of the antimicrobial agent is directly related to its antimicrobial spectrum or bactericidal efficacy. Specifically, the disoriented and unstructured form of teixobactin promotes the effective biological activity of the drug as compared to its oriented and structured form. Thus, the team was also able to identify the way to maintain the disoriented structure of the drug maintaining also its antimicrobial efficacy. Dr. Singh stated that they have successfully defined the molecular structure of the seven teixobactin analogs including the different amino acids and their contribution to the pharmacologic and antimicrobial efficacy of the drug. It was further revealed by Dr. Taylor that extensive research regarding the structure of the different versions of teixobactin will enable them to produce a drug with the best pharmacologic and pharmaceutical properties in a larger scale. According to World Health Organization, antimicrobial resistance is the ability of bacteria, virus, and parasites to overcome the effects of commercially available antibiotics that possess a different spectrum of activity. Antimicrobial resistance has been a great challenge in the healthcare industry worldwide packed up with different evolving bacterial and viral infections. Because of the public's wrong choice of medication and antibiotic drug misuse antimicrobial resistance was truly evident in every country. This newest discovery regarding the eradication and addressing AMR issues is surely a great help in the medical and pharmaceutical platform. Meanwhile, get to know the newest update on polio vaccine; click here for more information. The Alaska Marijuana Control Board rejected the proposal regarding marijuana consumers to use the pot they purchase at authorized retail stores. The rejection has affected both parties involved; the consumers and the business owners. According to Seattle Times, the proposal was rejected with 2-3 votes giving a hard time for industry officials and business owners who pushed to allow marijuana use at retail shops. The proposed new rules will allow the citizens to buy marijuana products in any authorized stores and go to different and separate stores to share. Considering President Donald Trump's view on Marijuana use, Board Member Mark Springer suggested that they should slowly and carefully tackle the issue. Spinger, one of those who voted for the rejection of the proposed rule stated that Alaska doesn't want a waving red flag in front of their federal law enforcement. Cary Carrigan, one of the leaders of Alaska Marijuana Industry Association revealed that they are willing to find a way allowing consumption of marijuana at authorized stores. As reported by ABC News, public consumption of cannabis especially in public place is prohibited. One of the most important forces of the newly proposed rule is to provide a place for tourist most especially for cruise sheep passengers getting a legal and free place to use marijuana after purchase. There are more than two million tourists that visited Alaska in the year 2016 and almost half of the tourist departed on cruise ships. The public revealed that the tourist count for Alaska will go down in numbers because some countries already provide recreational marijuana aside from its alleged medical uses. Cannabis sativa or marijuana was banned illegal on the federal level but recreational marijuana has already been legalized in eight states including the District of Columbia. Marijuana has gathered a lot of issues regarding its use be it recreationally or medically. Meanwhile, a lost continent was found under the earth's ocean. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is going to be the first Islamic country to launch a Mars mission. The nation wants to send an unmanned spacecraft called HOPE to the Red Planet in 2020. According to a Khaleej Times report, HOPE will take off from Japan where it will be sent off aboard a Japanese H-IIA rocket model. Incidentally, the rocket is also scheduled to launch UAE's KhalifaSat satellite into the orbit of Earth by 2018. The satellite, which is being created entirely by Emirati engineers, weighs around 50 kilograms. "We are delighted to launch the UAE's Mars explorer by the Japanese launch vehicle H-IIA from Tanegashima Space Center in Japan in 2020," said Yuichi Yamaura, vice president of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. "We are confident that we will accomplish our responsibility, together with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries." The HOPE spacecraft will go into orbit around the planet and not be touching down on the surface of Mars. In line with this, UAE aims at becoming the first Arab nation to launch a mission to Mars. It created its space agency in 2014. However, last year, UAE's religious leaders had issued a fatwa that forbade Muslims from landing on the Martian surface. The country's General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment issued the fatwa because, according to them, going to Mars was akin to embarking on a suicide mission. According to the the religious organization, a one-way journey to Mars is the same as risking life and therefore cannot be justified in Islam. In addition, there are chances that humans who travel to Mars may not be able to survive there, and thereby are vulnerable to death. The religious edict was issued in response to the Mars One mission, which wants to send humans on a one-way trip to the Red Planet. The Mars mission has become much more than a space exploration program. It is now the center of an international fight for space between countries like the U.S., China, Russia and many more. According to the latest news, UAE is aiming to be the first ever Islamic nation to land on Mars. Experts are speculating that soon, there will be an all-out space war, and the winner will claim the right to access space resources. According to a recent announcement made at the Global Space Congress by the Middle Eastern country's space agency, it will launch its own Mars explorer within the next three years. The agency also declared its collaboration with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on Wednesday, The Daily Star reported. "We are delighted to launch the UAE's Mars explorer by the Japanese launch vehicle H-IIA from Tanegashima Space Centre in Japan in 2020," vice president of JAXA, Yuichi Yamaura, said. The space exploration program of UAE has been under the scanner, not because of the technical issues but on account of the religious beliefs related to it. The religious leaders in the UAE have condemned the Mars mission, because they deem it to be anti-Islam. The Islamic community has also issued a notification or "fatwa" that bans all Muslims from participating in such space programs, News.com.au reported. According to the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment, a one-way journey to space is a death threat for the passenger, which is in violation of the basic principles of Islam. "There is a possibility that an individual who travels to planet Mars may not be able to remain alive there, and is more vulnerable to death," the organization announced. The website of the organization also stressed that Islam encourages exploration of the bounty of nature, and even quoted a verse form the Koran, which encourages "Muslims to go out and see the signs of God's creation in the 'heavens and the earth'." Under these circumstances, it will be highly interesting to find out who will lead the world toward the Red Planet. A resident of Pinedale, Wyoming, spotted a rare phenomenon known as the "light pillar" that shone in the sky. It was a rainbow-colored light that lit up the sky of Wyoming. David Bell, who captured an image of the glowing lights in the sky, described it as "incredible." He told the CBS News that he has seen it before, but he has never seen it this intense. Bell who studied light pillars over the years said that they had a bigger snowstorm that lasted about 36 hours, and typically when those clear out, they get a plunge in temperature. He further explained that as the temperature plunges, it takes the remaining moisture in the air and it turns it into ice crystals. The light pillars are created when those ice crystals shape way and they have to be diagonally shaped. According to Weather.com, the rare natural phenomenon is most commonly seen when nearly flat, hexagonal-shaped ice crystals reflect city lights. These are found in higher-level clouds when the air is very cold. Mr. Bell took several photos of the glowing lights and shared them on his Facebook page. One photo he shared received about over 500,000 since it was posted in the past week. Other people witnessed the rare phenomenon. AOL reports that in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, Britanny Smarkusky has also seen the glowing lights in the sky as she arrived home in Nicholson last Monday. She said it was so strange. "I was like, 'Oh, my God! It's an alien abduction!' I don't know. It was crazy!" Many people have witnessed the towers of light also referred to as "light pillars." Some took photos of these and shared them through social media. They were amazed at its beauty and glow that lit up the sky of Wyoming. I am offering the solution to a problem most Republicans don't know they have -- that they can be outmaneuvered and thrown on the defensive endlessly, on nearly any issue, because they accept as true Democrat lies about the Republican Party. To correct that misperception and to help the Republican Party get 'back to basics' is why I'm a man on a mission. A few years ago, after one of my speeches, a man told me "Do you know what your problem is? You're too far ahead of your time!" My efforts to show Republicans how they would benefit from celebrating the heritage of our Grand Old Party have been arduous, but if this were easy someone else would have already done it. Among my speech topics are Reconciling the Tea Party and the GOP; Barack Obama, the Worst President Ever; Socialism, the new Slavery; Appreciating the Heritage of our Grand Old Party; Returning to the Founding Principles of the United States; The Womens Rights Achievements of our Grand Old Party; Abraham Lincoln, Republican; Frederick Douglass, Republican; Martin Luther King and the Republican Civil Rights Legacy. Think twice before you call a man fat. A Mississippi man who was hailed as fat by his doctors was recently found to have a 130-pound (59 kg) benign growth inside him. The New York Daily News said that Roger Logan's doctors have insisted that his massive weight gain was nothing more than obesity. But as it turned out, it was a massive growth likely caused by an ingrown hair. The human-sized tumor was believed to have developed for 15 years until it eventually hung from his midsection, confining him to a chair for most of his time. Roger Logan said that the lump was similar to having three bags of cement around him all day long, but swinging. The medical professional who managed to diagnose him properly, Dr. Vipul Dev, previously worked with patients having the same problems and moved to quickly remove the growth. Roger Logan had to fly from Mississippi to California to have the operation -- and he seemed to be in good spirits regarding the surgery. In fact, according to Yahoo, he shared regular updates about his surgery through his Facebook page. Moreover, at one point even, he held up a newpaper article about his surgery with a smile on his face. While Roger Logan's human-sized tumor is massive on its own, it is not the largest ever to be removed from a human being. That record goes to Yang Jianbin of Beijing, China, who in 2014 checked in to a hospital with a massive 242-pound (110 kg) growth in his back. The Chinese hospital's chief surgeon, Chen Minliang, said back then, "We have seen neurofibromatosis patients before, but this is the biggest nerve tumor we ever saw." The said operation took 16 hours and required transfusion for 5 liters of blood, which is more than the amount traveling through an average person. A four-month-old Iranian baby is said to have immigrant relatives in the United States and will soon get the medical attention she desperately needs in the United States. This is after her family is caught in the immigration ban set by President Donald Trump. CNN reported that the girl, who has serious heart defect, finally received the all-clear to enter the U.S. for her critical surgery at Oregon Health and Science University's Doernbecher Children's Hospital. The baby, Fatemeh Reshad, and her parents are expected to arrive in a few days, after they have been delayed from a meeting that was supposed to happen on Sunday with doctors in Portland. Several congressional Democrats released a letter on Friday evening, asking Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to grant the child and her parents a waiver that can allow them to step on the U.S. soil. The delay came when the president put up an executive order that abruptly stopped travel to the U.S. for citizens in seven Muslim-majority countries -- Iran included. The baby and her family managed to get through after a federal judge temporarily stopped the said order. The family's attorney, Jennifer Morrissey, told the news site, "The family decided that it would be best to have their daughter treated at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital because of the hospital's pediatric cardiology expertise and family support in Portland." In The Washington Post report, the child's family is said to have had an appointment in Dubai to obtain a tourist visa to the U.S., but it was canceled after the President's order. They were told to reapply again in 90 days -- precious time that they do not have. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici took the cause to the House floor on Friday, saying that "Fatemeh's family does not know if she can wait that long." The family's situation is said to have caught the attention of a group of lawmakers in Oregon, among which is Bonamici, who said, "It is heartbreaking and disgraceful that this even happened. I hope the courts invalidate this unconstitutional Executive Order soon, and I hope it's in time for baby Fatemeh." Though a Trump presidency promises rollbacks of regulations generally - indeed one of Trumps Executive Orders signaled a rollback of new burdensome regulations, lost in the glare of more controversial announcements - there will be no shortage of issues for the lawyers in New York and Washington DC to decipher the implications of for their clients. Two firms, Holland & Knight (H&K) and Blank Rome, have posted their online takes on what might happen with the new administration, while a third firm, Seward & Kissel, was interviewed. Almost all who have commented agrees on the salutary impacts of Cabinet members Rex Tillerson Secretary of State, Elaine Chao - Transportation Secretary, and Wilbur Ross - Secretary of Commerce. Though its early days, H&K says: At the very least, Holland & Knight's discussions with key transition leaders and members suggest that the US maritime industry, including ports and terminals, will be a part of the infrastructure investment discussion. Also at Cabinet level, Blank Rome opines that: The appointment of Gen. John Kelly as Secretary of Homeland Security may also indicate an expanded role for the Coast Guard [he] understands the value and importance of the Coast Guard maritime law enforcement efforts in US counter-drug interdiction in the southern border approaches, and has advocated for more resources for the Coast Guard in the past. Insiders in Washington shine particularly when discussing the impacts of movements along the rungs below Cabinet level. Blank Rome adds: The appointment of Robert Lighthizer as chief trade negotiator, a Washington lawyer known for leading roles in key antidumping and countervailing duty trade remedy cases, signals the Trump administrations intention to take a tough stance on trade with China and other global partners. H&K highlights a potential cargo preference wrinkle worth watching, as the prospects brighten for more LNG exports: For their part, Democrats have taken steps suggesting that they will pursue additional provisions, such as a proposal by Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) to reserve hydrocarbon exports to US-flag shipping. Another major concern for shipping people is the issue of sanctions. Seatrade Maritime News spoke to Bruce Paulsen, Partner in the Maritime Group at Seward & Kissel, whose firm gives advice to clients on US sanctions affecting Cuba, Russia, Iran and other countries. From a legal standpoint, he explained that the sanctions have legal force- they are put in place by acts of Congress, which, in the case of Cuba, go back decades to the Kennedy years. Paulsen said: The sanctions are laws, still on the books, but were lifted by Executive Orders from President Obama. Noting that President Obama, a Democrat, had difficulties enacting laws because of opposition from the Republican legislature, he said: The modifications, for example the lifting of the 180-day rule for Cuban port calls, and the lifting of secondary sanctions on Iran - where foreign companies could not place insurance through New York, for example - were all done through Executive Orders while the original legislation stayed in place. The bottom line is that the new President could issue his own Executive Order, rescinding those of President Obama, which would have the effect of putting the sanctions back into place. Hatton resigned on 2 February and he has been replaced by deputy ceo Roger Woods, who is now promoted to acting ceo with effect from the same date. FSL Trust Management, trustee-manager of FSL Trust, said in a regulatory filing to the Singapore Exchange (SGX) that the board of directors had called on Hatton to provide his explanation as to certain matters involved potential misconduct and breach of duties. A show cause noticed issued to Hatton stated that his misconduct and breach of duties included disclosing of confidential information to third parties, failing to give correct information and giving wrong information to the board, and setting up and providing services for remuneration through his majority owned Lionwharf, in breach of express and implied duties. Prior to the show cause notice, the board noted that Hatton had increasingly displayed antagonistic behavious towards board members who he considered were not aligned to him; in particular, Hatton displayed resistance to the appointment of a cfo and deputy ceo, the FSL Trust Management statement said. In his resignation and response, Hatton argued that he was excluded from the decision making process in the appointment of the cfo and deputy ceo. Hatton also gave his reasons as to why he did not consider his actions as amounting to misconduct or breach of duties. The board was highly dissatisfied with Hattons performance in relation to refinancing; and documents discovered show that he was acting, at the material time, in furtherance of his own agenda and in disregard of his duties as ceo and director and his obligations to unitholders, FSL Trust Management said. The board added that documents were discovered showing that Hatton had been acting in furtherance of his own agenda, and in disregard of the boards views and his obligations to the unitholders and as ceo and director. Accordingly the board concluded that Hattons conduct represented serious misconduct and sufficient grounds to cease his appointment as director and ceo, it said. Meanwhile, Singapore-listed FSL Trust expects to record a significant net loss for FY2016, it told the stock exchange in a separate announcement. The loss is mainly attributable to impairment provisions on vessels and a loss on the disposal of two vessels. Despite the accounting loss, FSL Trust continues to generate positive cash flow and income available for distribution, the company said. The renewed MOU will have an expanded scope to include autonomous systems and intelligent shipping. The intelligent shipping systems include autonomous vessels and drones for maritime purposes, or the use of data analytics to create robust and optimal shipping solutions. These systems will help to enhance safety and sustainability of shipping and port activities. Andrew Tan, chief executive of MPA, said: MPA is pleased to renew the MOU with DNV GL to include autonomous technologies, intelligent shipping and data analytics. This is aligned with Singapore's efforts to keep pace with developments in smart ships and ports as the industry moves towards adopting smarter shipping systems to achieve higher standards of efficiency, productivity and safety. The collaboration also includes green ports to examine environmental gains to be made through the use of energy saving and emission reduction technology in ports, marine environment projects to cut emissions and boost fuel efficiency, research into LNG as an alternative fuel, and organisation of thought leadership forums to promote Green Shipping, Green Ports and Green Technology within the Singapore maritime community. The renewed MOU has extended the duration of collaboration for another three years. Remi Eriksen, president and ceo of DNV GL, said: Five per cent of our annual group revenue is harvested from a wide set of R&D projects - often together with our customers and trusted partners. In this re-signing of the MOU, we will reinforce and strengthen the good cooperation with the forward looking maritime industry and research institutes in Singapore. Yinson could even start generating earnings from this project by the third quarter of the year, he added. The FPSO is due to sail for Ghana by the end of this month and could see first oil several months earlier than the deadline of August set in its contract, with revenue coming into the fiscal second quarter results, he said. As a side benefit of the project, Yinson had converted its existing $780m conventional syndicated term loan into an Islamic Murabahah term financing facility to partially finance the project and this has resulted in it being able to meet the debt over total assets financial ratio benchmark that is required for the group to be a Shariah-Compliant security. The $3.3bn, 15-year FPSO chartering, operation and maintenance contract from Eni Ghana Exploration & Production was signed in January 2015 and has five yearly extension options. FPSO John Agyekum Kufuor will process oil and gas from the Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) block, located in the Tano Basin, about 60km off the coast of Ghana. Lim noted however that Eni has also been awarded a new exploration license at Cape Three Points Block 4 in March last year. This partially surrounds the OCTP block and Eni, which operates both blocks, is reportedly considering a potential tie in of Block 4 with OCTPs existing infrastructure and Yinsons FPSO John Agyekum Kufuor. We envisage the development of subsea wells tied back to a FPSO, which will be connected to shore via a gas transport line. The OCTP oil production start-up is expected in 2017 while the gas production, which will supply the domestic market for power generation, is expected in 2018, said Eni. As such, Lim noted it is likely that Yinsons FPSO contract with Eni will span 18 years, since Eni and the Ghanaian government has signed an 18-year gas sale contract. "Including the additional oil and gas block that was newly awarded (Block 4), there is a high chance that FPSO John Agyekum Kufuor will be deployed for more than 20 years, said Lim. Other factors such as the signing of a letter of intent (LOI) from Talisman Energy are also positive for Yinson going forward. Going forward, Yinsons earnings momentum will be driven by its strong clientele, as well as formidable and long-term contracts. The African and Asian regions will remain as our geographical focus," said Lim. We target to complete negotiations with Talisman Energy by April, after which we can provide more clarity on the contract terms along with the value of FPSO OSX-1 vessel that we are acquiring." The LOI from Talisman Energy is for the supply of an FPSO facility for the Ca Rong Do (CRD) Field offshore Vietnam. First oil is seen likely to be during the early third quarter of 2019. The acquisition of FPSO OSX-1 will add to Yinsons current fleet of FPSO vessels, bringing its total FPSOs owned to six. Lim also noted that it currently only has one FPSO , FPSO Four Rainbow, yet to be redeployed. He added the group is in the process of bidding for projects that require FPSO Four Rainbows facilities, which feature a large storage capacity of 600,000 barrels per day and production capacity of 40,000 barrels of oil per day, but reiterated the company is not unduly concerned as its cash flow remains strong and holding costs are not high. West Africa would be a good location for this vessel as it is best suited for the waters there. We hope to redeploy it soon, though it is not a pressing task for us to do, seeing that it is only one vessel that is not utilised. FPSO Four Rainbow, which is laid up in Labuan at the moment, is not costly to maintain, plus we do not have cash issues, added Lim. The confirmation of this latest restructuring plan followed an inconclusive earlier move by Siem Oilservice Invest Holding to take control of Farstad. With this solution, we provide Farstad, Solstad and Deep Sea Supply with an industrial platform to sustain the current downturn in the OSV market and be well positioned to exploit a market recovery. We are pleased to have reached an agreement with our banks, bondholders and other stakeholders, said Karl Johan Bakken, ceo of Farstad Shipping. Industry observers have been saying the Norwegian OSV market is highly fragmented and in need of a consolidation. By agreeing to complete the Farstad restructuring and to work for the proposed combination, senior lenders, bondholders and long-standing family owners supported by industrial investors are making a collective effort to to create a new OSV company operating out of Norway, Farstad Shipping stated. The company added that the combined entity will create the largest company in the high-end global OSV industry with a fleet of 154 vessels, comprising 66 PSVs, 55 AHTS vessels and 33 construction support vessels. For over a year we have advocated strongly for consolidation in the OSV industry. One step was taken through the merger of REM Offshore into Solstad Offshore in 2016. With a successful completion of the combination we would take further steps to build the worlds leading OSV company, said Lars Peder Solstad, ceo of Solstad Offshore. It is proposed that Solstad Offshore will be the parent company with Deep Sea Supply and Farstad to be merged as individual subsidiaries. The consolidated group will have support of Aker Capital, wholly-owned by Aker ASA, and Hemen Holding, indirectly controlled by trusts established by shipping magnate John Fredriksen. We are excited by this opportunity to work closely with the Fredriksen group and other stakeholders to realize our ambition to establish an efficient global leader in the OSV segment. The proposed combination of Solstads, Farstads and Deep Sea Supplys operational experience, high quality fleet and global network together with the Fredriksen groups and Akers industrial expertise, M&A capabilities and financial strength will provide a powerful platform through Solstad Offshore, said yvind Eriksen, president and ceo of Aker. The combined entity is expected to enable realisation of substantial cost and revenue synergies in the range of NOK400m ($48.5m) to NOK650m annually. "What the carnivores [in this case, plants] are after is phosphorous and nitrogen: fertilizer," said Victor Albert, a biologist at the University of Buffalo. "The prey animals have this in abundance in the form of the proteins and nucleic acids that are released when the plant digests them." The Australian pitcher plant (Cephallotus follicularis) and other carnivorous plants, described in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, appear to have independently evolved their carnivorous ways, but they all have certain traits in common. For example, they likely started with a craving for meat, which turns out not to be so different from a craving for fertilizer. The genome of the Australian pitcher plant, which has slippery leaves that lead insects into a deadly cavity, has just been sequenced and has helped solve a longstanding mystery: why some plants become predators. Albert worked on the genome pitcher plant project with lead author Kenji Fukushima and their team. "Many of the extant carnivorous plants and their ancestors have grown on nutrient-poor habitats, like acidic freshwater wetlands," helping to explain why they turned to eating meat, said Fukushima, who began the project when he was a graduate student. He's now a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. RELATED: How Smart Are Plants? For the study, the researchers not only investigated the Australian pitcher plant, they also analyzed digestive fluids in three independently evolved pitcher plants and a sticky carnivorous plant, Drosera. Pitcher plants have deep cavities full of digestive fluid, while sticky meat-eating plants have leaves that are covered with goo. Like flypaper, the sticky leaves can then also trap insects. Some carnivorous plants have also evolved clamshell-like snap mechanisms and even the ability to suck in prey underwater via suction traps. The investigation found that although the various carnivorous plant lineages had split from a common ancestor more than 100 million years ago, each had repurposed genes, and their related proteins associated with stress response, to digesting meat. Fukushima explained that many disease-fighting proteins in plants have the ability to break down basic cellular and extra-cellular components, such as a pathogen's protein, RNA and a fibrous substance called chitin. "These compounds largely overlap with an insect's body components, and that might be one of the reasons why carnivorous plants were able to recruit pathogen-killing enzymes to carnivory," Fukushima said. RELATED: Plants Have a Way of Seeing Underground Albert added that the digestive functions were basically already in place; they were just recruited and specialized to handle other tasks. You might then wonder if more plants, if sufficiently stressed out, could become carnivores too. Both Albert and Fukushima said that's possible, although evolving a life of meat eating is not the universal solution to surviving in a harsh environment. Fukushima did say that carnivorous plants all tend to live in sunny, moist places. One could therefore keep an eye on such areas that are nutrient-poor, but the wait would probably be long before a plant evolved into a carnivore. As Fukushima said, "I don't know how many million years it takes." Top photo: Carnivorous Australian pitcher plant, Australian pitcher plant Cephallotus follicularis. Credit: Mitsuyasu Hasebe WATCH: How Bionic Plants Will Change Everything Taiwan has banned euthanising animals in shelters, which follows the tragic suicide last year of a vet burdened with the task of putting down animals. The law came into effect Saturday, two years after it was passed by parliament - a period meant to prepare shelters for the ban. But during the wait, animal lover Chien Chih-cheng took her own life with euthanasia drugs, reportedly upset at having to kill animals at the shelter at which she worked. Reports at the time said Chien was called a "butcher" by activists. Her death sparked calls for authorities to improve conditions for animals and staff at shelters. An animal welfare group, Life Conservationist Association, estimated more than 1.2 million animals not adopted from shelters have been put down since 1999. "Animal protection in Taiwan has moved towards a new milestone," the association's executive director Ho Tsung-hsun said in a statement. But Taiwan's Council of Agriculture warned the ban would lead to a deterioration in the quality of shelters through a surging intake or it may discourage the capture of strays. "It's impossible for there to be no problems," said Wang Chung-shu, deputy chief of the animal husbandry department, according to The China Times. He said Taiwan's ban was "quite idealized", adding that manpower was a problem because the vet's suicide had had a "chilling effect" on the sector, according to the report. RELATED: 'Euthanized' Dog Rises from the Dead Even before the legislation, the number of animals being put down had been steadily declining. Last year, 12.38 percent of the 64,276 animals in public shelters were euthanized, according to official statistics. That compares with 94,741 animals in shelters in 2014, of which 26.45 percent were put down. WATCH VIDEO: China's Controversial Dog Meat Festival Press Release February 6, 2017 STATEMENT OF SEN. LEILA M. DE LIMA ON THE GOV'T RESPONSE TO NDF LIFTING OF CEASEFIRE The major reason for the breakdown of the peace talks is being projected to be the CPP-NPA-NDFs lifting of its ceasefire with the government due to the non-release of so-called political prisoners. There is a misconception here. A ceasefire is always a confidence-building measure, not a pre-condition to peace talks. The same is true with the release of political prisoners. The non-satisfaction of either is not a valid cause for the withdrawal of either the GPH or the NDF from the negotiating table. Peace talks can continue without a ceasefire or the release of political prisoners. The GPH can pursue other confidence-building measures under the CAHRIHL that need not be exclusive on the release of political prisoners. At the same time, the NDF need not stubbornly demand the release of their comrades who, in the first place, have also committed crimes against the people, including human rights abuses. No one here really has clean hands, especially not this administration which is guilty of sanctioning EJKs and other human rights violations in the war on drugs. But our people still want peace from both sides and a stop to all the killings. If we have to wait again until the next administration after another six years to start new peace talks, then, in the meantime, we must prepare more body bags for our soldiers. Expect more casualties among our brother soldiers and rebels as this war is fought with renewed vigor by both sides. Asking our soldiers to now fight a two-pronged war, one against the poor as a substitute of the PNP in undertaking the EJKs in Operation Tokhang, and another against the NPA, is asking too much from the AFP. With this two-pronged war, we might see a severely weakened AFP which is certainly detrimental to national interest. Press Release February 6, 2017 De Lima vows to fight death penalty Sen. Leila M. de Lima today vowed to fight the administration-sponsored move in the Senate to pass a law reinstating the death penalty which has not been proven with credible empirical evidence as an effective deterrent to the commission of crimes. De Lima made the avowal as the Senate is expected to commence this week consideration of at least five measures re-imposing death penalty in the country which had been outlawed during the Arroyo administration. "It is shaping out to be a fight. It is not a fight that we are called to fight with our fists, weapons or even words. It is a fight we must fight in our minds: the fight to resist being psychologically and morally broken down by events," she said. "Death was never as much an effective instrument of justice, as it has been a horrifyingly potent weapon for the politically and militarily powerful to wield against those they seek to oppress and subjugate," she added. Instead, the Senator from Bicol said she will push for the immediate passage of a measure she authored which seeks to increase the period for reclusion perpetua or life sentence to 50 years with no possibility of parole as an alternative to death penalty. "I am not only fighting several legislative measures pending before the Senate that will bring back the death penalty, but also I am championing my own alternative bill imposing qualified reclusion perpetua for extraordinary heinous crimes," she said. De Lima filed Senate Bill (SB) 368 which seeks to establish the penalty of reclusion perpetua as punishment for those convicted of extraordinary heinous crimes, such as trafficking, terrorism, kidnapping, carnapping, rape, murder, plunder, among others. The former justice secretary also vowed to champion other legislative measures that seek to empower, improve and modernize our criminal justice system to make it more effective and responsive to modern times. She also filed SB 369 which seeks to streamline and strengthen the process of criminal investigation that will expedite and improve the administration of the criminal justice system in the country. Even during the Aquino administration, De Lima had always been vocal against moves by some quarters to reintroduce death penalty law which she said is especially deleterious and prejudicial to the poor. "My insight as former justice secretary is that by far, the most damning testimony against capital punishment is the wrongful sentences that have plagued different jurisdictions in the world pursuing the hallow promise of death penalty," she said. "If you think about it, the most certain promise of death penalty is the collective nightmare of a people who will eventually wake up to realize that an erroneous death sentence is immutably and tragically irreversible," she added. Press Release February 6, 2017 Hontiveros proposed alternative strategy to drug problem "We cannot kill our way out of the drug problem." This was the statement of Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday as she filed a bill that seeks to replace the government's corrupt and abusive anti-drug campaign with an "alternative health and law enforcement strategy" to address the country's drug problem. In a press conference together with different health advocates and community leaders, Hontiveros presented to the public Senate Bill No. 1313 otherwise known as "the Barangay Health and Rehabilitation Strategy Act of 2017". Hontiveros said that her bill aims to provide a comprehensive public health approach to the country's drug policy and establish appropriate barangay-based programs and services for drug-related issues and concerns. "The suspension of Oplan Tokhang is a recognition that a simplistic crime and punishment approach is simply ineffective. There is a need for a new and sustainable strategy that is humane, rehabilitative and less susceptible to abuse. We cannot kill our way out of this problem," Hontiveros said. "Offer hope, not death" Hontiveros said that the mistakes and abuses of Oplan Tokhang must not be repeated. "Even as we seek justice for the innocent victims of the government's flawed and abusive war on drugs, we will start implementing a new strategy in the barangays, particularly Pasay and Caloocan which were severely ravaged by Oplan Tokhang. We must shift our policy from simple punishment to treatment. We must offer hope not death," Hontiveros added. Citing data from the Dangerous Drugs Board, Hontiveros said that only about nine per cent (9%) of over a million drug users who expressed their willingness to access treatment needed to be committed in rehabilitation centers. Ninety one per cent (91%) did not need institutionalized intervention. "Without any government program to address their needs, they remain in the "Kill List." The government response is currently limited to criminal prosecution and facility-based rehabilitation. These are clearly inadequate," she said. Barangay-based rehabilitation centers and programs Hontiveros, who is the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, said that she wants to create a Health Intervention for Drug Use Bureau (HIDUB) which will establish and implement along with local government units (LGUs) a National Health Intervention for Drug Use Program, absorbing existing drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation programs of the Department of Health (DoH). The senator, who pointed to the success of Barangay Culiat in implementing her proposed strategy, said that her bill also seeks to create barangay-based health intervention and rehabilitation programs and centers for drug dependents to be able to provide intervention programs to respond to the assessed needs of drug dependents, which include consultation, case management, psycho-education, counseling, health and social support, relapse management, and other evidence-based health interventions and strategies. Alternative drug law enforcement strategy targeting big-time drug syndicates Meanwhile, Hontiveros said that a public health approach to the drug problem must be complemented by a "rules-based and modern drug law enforcement strategy" targeting big-time drug syndicates. She said that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) must take the lead, with the Philippine National Police (PNP) taking a coordinative role in the conduct of anti-drug operations. "The government must bring the campaign to the drug lords and not to the poor. As such, side by side with a public health approach, our drug law enforcement strategy must shift focus to organized drug syndicates. We must focus on crimes associated with big drug operations, such as money laundering and extortion. We must also strengthen border control in international airports and seaports, and heighten operations against cross-country narco trafficking," Hontiveros explained. Hontiveros said that her alternative law enforcement strategy has five major pillars: 1.Internal cleansing of law enforcement agencies to ensure that they are not infiltrated by elements corrupted by drug syndicates. 2. Replenish ranks of law enforcers with new agents who are impervious to police corruption. Salaries and benefits must be increased to attract the "best and brightest". 3. Mobilization of government resources to fund modern crime-fighting and solving infrastructure and capability enhancement programs, such as a nationwide automated crime reporting system, security-camera command centers in police districts and stations, air assets and modern laboratory equipments which can be used for more thorough and extensive substance analysis. 4.Strengthened community policing as a response to reactive, incident-driven law enforcement work. 5. Focus law enforcement resources on big-time drug lords and syndicates. Hontiveros filed the bill together with advocates from the No Box Transitions Philippines, Sustained Health Initiatives of the Philippines (SHIP) and community leaders from Barangay Culiat, Quezon City. Press Release February 6, 2017 Legarda on Climate Action: Gov't Agencies Must Converge, Prioritize Local Action Plans, Transition to Low Carbon Economy In anticipation of the country's ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, Senator Loren Legarda today said that the convergence of all government agencies is crucial in addressing the impacts of climate change and transitioning towards a low carbon economy. "Now that all key agencies have expressed their concurrence in the government's ratification of the Paris Agreement, we should plan the way forward, we must continue on previous discussions as to what strategies for mitigation and adaptation are realistic, doable, and beneficial," said Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committees on Climate Change and Finance. "While the Climate Change Commission (CCC) is the lead agency here, it is very important that all government agencies work towards adapting to climate change and addressing the impacts. And while adaptation is our priority since we are highly vulnerable to climate risks, we should also strive to mitigate or reduce our carbon emissions as part of our aim to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius," she added. Legarda explained that mitigation is also a function of adaptation. For instance, while forests are carbon sinks, they also help reduce disaster risks, like mangroves which are natural buffers against storm surge and tsunami. "We should also start transitioning to a low carbon economy, not only by promoting renewable energy sources but also through energy conservation," she said. Legarda also asked the CCC to prioritize the completion of the local climate change action plans (LCCAP) of all the 1,634 local government units (LGUs). "The CCC should guide LGUs in crafting the LCCAP and we hope this could be completed within the year. This is crucial because LGUs are the frontliners in our fight against climate change. They are the ones who can determine how their community is affected by climate change," she explained. "We should also be able to tap various fund sources for climate change adaptation and mitigation such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), among many other international funding sources. We even have our own People's Survival Fund, which should already be accessed by LGUs for adaptation and mitigation programs," said Legarda. "Addressing the climate crisis needs a whole-of-society approach and ratifying the Paris Agreement is just the beginning of a lot of work to do. We need the government to lead, but all other sectors of society must also give their wholehearted commitment to make our communities climate resilient," Legarda concluded. Koko backs Bato in anti-rogue cop drive Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III on Monday said that he backs Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald dela Rosa's order to suspend anti-illegal drugs operations to focus on "internal cleansing". The order came after President Rodrigo Duterte himself called for the dissolution of all anti-narcotics groups within the PNP after some of its officers were implicated in the murder of a South Korean businessman. "Allowing rogue cops to stay in the service mocks the efforts of honest police officers who put their lives on the line to rid our country of illegal drugs", said Pimentel. Pimentel noted that drug syndicates, with the help of scalawag policemen, are able to penetrate specialized agencies fighting against the illegal drug trade. Pimentel urged dela Rosa to not just focus on the rogue personalities currently in the police force, but also to ensure that the institution can prevent the damage rogue cops can do. Pimentel said, "The PNP must observe high standards in recruitment, promotion, and assignment of all its officers." Pimentel earlier criticized the practice of sending erring policemen to Mindanao instead of filing cases against them. Pimentel said, "Bad cops should not be sent to Mindanao, they should be sent to jail." Despite the suspension of PNP operations against drug traffickers, Pimentel remained confident that this does not mean that the gains of the war on drugs would be lost. Pimentel explained that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, or PDEA, is still actively pursuing operations against drug syndicates. In addition, he emphasized that the lull on the part of the PNP is temporary. Pimentel said, "This is nothing more than a pause to regroup. I expect the PNP to come back stronger than ever after this cleansing." Press Release February 6, 2017 Transcript of Ambush Interview of Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III Q: Sabi ng CBCP may reign of terror daw? SP: You know, CBCP members being citizens of the Republic, can also comment pero let's try to keep church and state separate, but not totally airtight separate from each other. If it is running the government, let's give the government some slack or leeway to run the government. On the suspension of peace talks SP: Nakakalungkot but we can continue talking even if there is a resumption of military or shooting war, we can continue. Actually, sabi ko nga, may mga countries nga at war with each other and yet meron pang on-going peace talks. There is a country like Syria and on-going civil war, and yet nagpe-peace talks pa rin yung mga parties, so dito sa Pilipinas we are better situated. So, patuloy pa rin po natin sana. I hope that the suspension of the peace talks is also temporary and will be resumed in due time. Q: Yung state na separation sa CBCP? SP: CBCP can comment. Let's allow them to comment. They are citizens of the Republic of the Philippines. But of course, just like citizens, they will try to influence policy, through the policy makers. Q: Do you see the statement of the CBCP as sort of stopping the government's war on drugs? SP: it's their sentiment. Maybe they want it to stop, but that's still a sentiment of some citizens of the Republic of the Philippines, but because of the separation, policy makers should be convinced of their sentiments and should adopt their sentiments. Ron Chapple/Getty Image A man was killed and an officer was injured Sunday after police responded to an altercation outside a Fremont home. The incident began at 4 p.m. when officers responded to a call concerning a disturbance near Mowry Avenue and Sutter Drive, in a stretch of single-family homes between central Fremont and Interstate 880. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle A medical emergency at the West Oakland BART station Monday morning caused 20-minute delays for trains coming into San Francisco, but the agency said the system is in recovery mode, officials said. Emergency medical workers treated a passenger who had a seizure about 9:40 a.m. at the West Oakland station, said Alicia Trost, a BART spokeswoman. City College of San Francisco will be free of charge to all city residents under a deal announced Monday by Mayor Ed Lee and Supervisor Jane Kim that college trustees hope will lead to an enrollment jolt and more state funding for the school. Under the agreement, which is expected to take effect in the fall, the city will pay $5.4 million a year to buy out the $46-a-credit fee usually paid by students. The citys contribution will also provide $250 a semester to full-time, low-income students who already receive a state-funded fee waiver. They will be able to use the money to pay for books, transportation, school supplies and health fees. Part-time students with fee waivers will get $100 a semester for the same purpose. Now we can say to California resident students that your City College is free, Lee said at a City Hall news conference with Kim, City College trustees, faculty members, acting Chancellor Susan Lamb and others. This is a good story. Kim said all San Franciscans who have lived in the city for at least a year will be eligible. Even the children of the founders of Facebook, she said, noting that kindergarten through grade 12 is free to all. The money will come from a measure that San Francisco voters approved in November, Proposition W, enacting a transfer tax on properties selling for at least $5 million. The Board of Supervisors had earlier voted to use about $13 million of the annual revenue from Prop. W to make City College free to anyone who lives or works in San Francisco but it was a nonbinding resolution that didnt formally commit the money for that purpose. After the election, Lee resisted committing the money to pay for City College fees because voters rejected a proposed sales tax increase on the same ballot that had been expected to bring in $150 million a year. Kim then accused Lee of raiding transfer tax revenue to make up for the loss of the sales tax. The new deal represents a compromise. Prop. W is expected to raise $44 million annually, with most going into the citys general fund. The new deal will send $5.4 million of that to students not to City College for their fees. Of that, $2.1 million a year for two years has been committed to students for their free education at City College, after which the allocation would have to be renewed by the city. The remainder will go to the students who already have fee waivers. Its not clear how many students will benefit from the city funding. The $2.1 million will buy 45,000 academic credits, said Hydra Mendoza, Lees education adviser and a member of the San Francisco Board of Education. That amounts to just 3,750 students taking a full-time load of 12 credits. Lamb, the chancellor, said the numbers were right. We have a lot of empty seats, she said, and urged the public to come back (to City College) and give us a try. Since 2012, when a commission threatened to revoke the schools accreditation over governance and fiscal planning problems, enrollment has plunged to 65,000 from 90,000 full- and part-time students. Last month, the schools accreditation was finally renewed for another seven years. The college gets state funding on a per-pupil basis. Administrators cut more than 100 classes last semester and said they expect to cut hundreds more over the next few years. Although emergency state funding helped keep the school afloat during its accreditation crisis, that pool of money has expired. Now, City College officials hope the money from the free-college deal will help increase enrollment and restore state funding. This deal should make City College much more attractive to students and potential students, said Rafael Mandelman, a member of the college Board of Trustees. Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov Former Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory chief Paul Alivisatos has emerged as the front-runner to replace UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks, who plans to exit by the end of May after a bumpy 3-year tenure. UC President Janet Napolitano has promised to name a new chancellor in time for the Board of Regents meeting in March. Right now, all signs point to the 57-year-old Alivisatos, vice chancellor for research at UC Berkeley. He will have immediate credibility with a whole swath of people on campus, and if the goal is protecting our core mission run by the hard sciences then they got their guy, said one administration insider who is following the hiring sweepstakes, speaking on condition of anonymity because the selection process isnt public. Getting someone who will protect the core mission took on added importance when President Trump questioned in a tweet whether the university should continue to receive federal funds after Wednesday nights violent protest kept right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos from speaking on campus. Napolitano is expected to interview a handful of finalists for the chancellors job within the next couple of weeks. Candidates have been drawn both from within and outside the UC system. Alivisatos would definitely be counted as a Cal insider which many on campus view as a real plus, after Dirks uneasy transition from the private environment of Columbia University. Alivisatos earned his doctorate in chemistry from UC Berkeley in 1986 and joined the schools faculty two years later. After holding a series of jobs at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, he was named in 2009 to succeed lab Director Steven Chu, who headed off to Washington to be then-President Barack Obamas energy secretary. Alivisatos ran the lab until 2015, when then-Vice Chancellor for Research Graham Fleming resigned amid allegations that he had sexually harassed his top assistant and Alivisatos was brought in to calm the waters. And he doesnt lack for intellectual cred. The National Academy of Sciences just announced that Alivisatos, an expert in nanochemistry, will be one of five people honored in Washington, D.C., this spring for extraordinary scientific achievements. Impressive as they are, Alivisatos scientific successes dont exactly make for the star power of, say, former Labor Secretary Robert Reich , currently at Berkeleys Goldman School of Public Policy. Despite urging by fellow faculty, however, Reich has not applied for the chancellors job, according to sources in the know. Reich did not return calls for comment, and Alivisatos declined to be interviewed out of respect for the integrity and fairness of the process. The only other in-house candidate being mentioned is Reichs boss, Henry Brady, dean of the Goldman School. Many believe Brady has plenty more charisma than Alivisatos, but he lacks the science pedigree that may be needed to protect the schools all-important research dollars. My candidate is (interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost) Carol Christ, and I hope they choose her she would be fabulous, Brady told us last week. And its time they had a woman chancellor. Its true that no woman has ever been at the top of UCs flagship campus. But Christ a former Smith College president who was pulled out of retirement to come to Cal has told colleagues she doesnt want the job. Put it all together, says one UC insider, and Alivisatos is the one candidate standing who meets most of the criteria considered important namely, someone from inside who knows Berkeley, who has been a CEO and someone who the faculty will accept. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle Caltrain shocker: Freshly empowered California Republicans in Congress are pushing the Trump administration to hold off on approving $647 million for the Caltrain system to go electric something that could kill the redo of a line that carries more than 60,000 riders a day between the South Bay and San Francisco. Its critical that we get the funding, said Caltrain spokesman Seamus Murphy. In a Jan. 24 letter to newly sworn-in Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, all 18 members of the states GOP congressional delegation called for the Caltrain money to be put on hold until a full audit is done on Gov. Jerry Browns high-speed rail project. The Republicans dont have anything against Caltrain electrification per se its the high-speed rail line they cant stand. And high-speed trains will have no way of getting from San Jose to San Francisco if the Caltrain line isnt electrified. Caltrain says that if its federal funding is delayed even for a couple of months it could mean having to rebid the work already being contracted out. Losing the money entirely would effectively kill electrification of the line. Republicans have long seen high-speed rail as a boondoggle, but theyve been up against an Obama administration that refused to spike its funding. Thats not a problem anymore. Caltrain and its advocates hope the tech titans along the Peninsula and in the South Bay can convince the Trump administration of the projects pluses. One such plus: the jobs that electrification will create both here and in red states such as Utah, where 500 people are to be put to work building new train cars for the line. A decision is due soon the funding renewal will be on Chaos desk for signing by mid-February. San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross ROSEVILLE, Placer County Behind a wrought-iron fence, in a big house with big walls in a remote neighborhood youre not likely to drive past, lives the man recently blamed for violating Americas privacy. Dustin Weirich, a 36-year-old software developer who has never strayed far from this city where he was born, founded a website that incurred the wrath of many last month for revealing personal details with the click of a mouse: details like your birthday, home address, relatives names. But Weirich clearly does not want to be found. He lives far from public view in a quiet community, behind a black fence bearing a monogram of his last name. Where he works is unclear. The listed address for his tech company, Blade Fire Studios, leads to a mailbox inside a UPS store. The address for the website that drew such criticism last month leads to an office building where Weirich hasnt been seen in months. Weirichs personal details, notably, are not listed on his own website, FamilyTreeNow.com. But his information is readily available on dozens of others. And, probably, so is yours. Some legal experts posit there is no such thing as privacy anymore, not when countless websites exist solely to scrape public documents for personal information like home addresses, phone numbers, and the names of relatives and associates. Others say its an area that is still evolving and requires legislation and regulation to better protect private citizens from threats both online and off. If someone is motivated to find out information about you, they can and they will, said Chris Dore, a privacy lawyer and partner at Edelson PC. Its part of a larger question about privacy, what people are putting into the public sphere and what is able to be drawn into the public sphere from available records. And a lot of people arent going to be comfortable with how much information there is. Weirichs website came under fire last month with headlines across the country calling it creepy after Anna Brittain, a young-adult author from Birmingham, Ala., drew attention to the site on Twitter. Brittain wrote that she had looked herself up and found the names of her young children listed alongside her own. It freaked her out. Once she figured out the process for requesting that the website remove information about herself and her husband, she tweeted instructions for doing so to the masses. This is super important, she wrote. If youre a part of an online community, especially if you receive threats, take note. You need to opt out, and Im going to tell you how. Her tweet was shared more than 3,600 times. There are other websites, like Whitepages.com, MyLife.com, Spokeo.com and PeekYou.com, which collect and sell much of the same information. But what makes FamilyTreeNow especially creepy to many was how easy it makes finding peoples personal details. The website purports to be a genealogy aid, like a smaller, more shallowly sourced Ancestry.com. But it does not require users to enter any information of their own or pay before viewing mounds of personal information on people around the country. All you need is their first and last names and a general idea of where they live. The website will do the rest. FamilyTreeNow is one of many people-search websites that compile personal data from public documents and stockpile, sell it or give it away. Many such search engines offer cursory glimpses into peoples lives in the form of reports like a virtual background check made up of information drawn from birth certificates, marriage licenses, arrest records, court records and credit information. But information from public documents is often plenty to paint an uncomfortably complete picture of a person. This is a huge privacy issue, said Melissa Krasnow, a partner at VLP Law Group who specializes in privacy and data security. Sure, you can look someone up in the phone book. You can look someone up by requesting government documents, but when all that information is being made readily available, with the amount of fraud that can happen, its a bad idea. Though most of these websites offer ways of opting out, or removing a listing from public view, those mechanisms are not always effective. And going through such sites one by one is like playing an Internet game of whack-a-mole another website you didnt know existed is likely to pop up even after you thought you got them all. The information on these sites raises red flags for privacy experts, who say the problems are wide and varied: Many websites like this may not have accurate information, causing problems when theyre used to research a persons background. Information from these sites cannot legally be used to deny someone employment or housing, though there are few ways to prove or enforce that rule. They also cannot legally be used to stalk someone, though critics worry that will happen regardless. The information, if accurate, may also pose a cybersecurity threat. Questions like What street did you grow up on? or In what city did you meet your spouse? are used as common security questions by websites to reset your password. They can easily be answered by the information in one of these reports. One issue is while you could argue that this information could otherwise be available online, (websites like FamilyTreeNow) make it very readily available and public, Krasnow said. You can take different pieces and put them together to pose a real security threat. In California, state law mandates that if a public official asks that his or her personal information home address, spouses name, etc. be removed from a website, the website needs to comply. But there is no legal requirement that these websites honor the requests of private citizens in the same way. Some lawyers, like Dore, say this lack of regulation creates a Wild West where there is little most people can do to stop data brokers from profiting off of their personal information. There needs to be legislation at either at the state or federal level. Right now its largely unregulated, he said. Their ability to distribute and disseminate personal information could have very negative repercussions for individuals. Thats a problem. Opt-out measures, like the procedure Brittain explained on Twitter, are usually hard to find and convoluted. This is not by accident. Websites that profit off the sale and circulation of personal data want to make it hard for people to request the removal of their information. And legally, they dont even have to take it down if you ask. Krasnow said the most responsible way to operate a website such as this would be to flip the script and require people to consent to having their information displayed. But that is probably a pipe dream, Dore said. Even when you can opt out, its a concern whether companies will honor that request, he said. In his experience, he has seen some websites within days put a persons information back online after receiving an opt-out request. So what can you do? Besides going through every such website and opting out one by one, as some Internet users have suggested, attorneys suggest lobbying state legislators, district attorneys and other legal actors to investigate these companies. Report companies of concern to the Better Business Bureau and other organizations that track consumer complaints, Krasnow suggested. FamilyTreeNow, it seems, has gotten plenty of such complaints. Complainants are typically unhappy that FamilyTreeNow.com can be used to look up personal information such as current and past addresses as well as possible relatives, reads an alert on the Better Business Bureaus page about the site. FamilyTreeNow is a danger and menace to society, wrote a woman identified as Cassandra A. Just because the information is easy to obtain or public record does not mean that it is morally responsible to post it. Despite the noise, Weirichs site has not changed its operation, tightened access or responded to any requests for comment about the sites purpose or use. More than 319,000 people peruse the site every month, according to website-metrics tracker Quantcast. They arent being asked what they are looking for or why. Anyone looking for answers from Weirich, the sites founder, will be disappointed, too. He didnt respond to a note left on the gate that keeps visitors far away from the home where he lives his very private life. This week, the Bay Areas biggest beer bust, S.F. Beer Week, returns. The nine-day celebration, which will feature 700-plus events to choose from around the Bay Area ranging from tap takeovers to beer dinners kicks off with a star-studded opening gala at Pier 48 on Feb. 10. Much like over-imbibing, deciding what events to check out can be enough to make ones head swim, so weve highlighted a few events for every type of beer lover. Details and events can be found at www.sfbeerweek.org/schedule. If you really want to feel like youre in San Francisco Seven Stills Whiskey Train (5-8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18): For the fourth year running, the San Francisco distillery will rent out Munis historic boat train on the F-line and load it up with beer kegs, a barrel of whiskey and even a banjo band. Tickets are $60, and as there are just 45 spots aboard, tickets are sure to go fast. If you fancy a beverage pairing Fort Point dim sum beer brunch (1-4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 11): Skip the tea and instead sip cans of the Presidio brewerys Kolsch-style KSA, as well as its other brews, while feasting on Peking duck, dumplings and more at Hong Kong Lounge in the Richmond District. Blackberry Farm & Evil Twin beer dinner (6-11 p.m., Monday, Feb. 13): Mission District gastropub Monks Kettle will celebrate the beers of East Coast breweries Blackberry Farm (Walland, Tenn.) and Evil Twin (Brooklyn, N.Y.), with an eight-course dinner. Tickets, $135, are required for the event. Belgian beer/Sichuan dinner pairing (5:30-9 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday, Feb. 14-16): Castro restaurant Mama Jis, which specializes in Sichuan-style dishes like spicy Chongqing chicken and fish fragrant eggplant, will offer a multicourse dinner paired with its house selection of Belgian brews. $55/person. Bobs Donuts & Woods Beer (Noon-5 p.m., Sunday, Feb.19): Russian Hill brew pub Woods Polk Station is brewing up a batch of its special Belgian Quad, which is flavored to pair with the apple fritters from beloved Polk Street doughnut shop Bobs Donuts. If youre bringing the kids Circus Oakland (5-10 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17): For this kid-friendly (and free) event, Oaklands Ale Industries will transform its 6,000-square-foot brewery into a festive circus-like atmosphere, complete with aerialists, and pour a one-night-only version of its Kolsch-style beer, Beast Oakland. Bay Leaf Kitchen Beer Brunch (Noon-5 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 19): The Bayviews Laughing Monk Brewing will collaborate on a beer-friendly brunch menu with nonprofit Bay Leaf Kitchen for this fundraiser event. If youre really just a kid at heart Pinballs & Pints (3-8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 12): Alamedas Pacific Pinball Museum Annex, which is home to over 400 pinball machines, will serve 20-plus beers from Bay Area breweries, including Speakeasy, Cleophus Quealy and Triple Voodoo. Admission for the 21+ event is $35 and includes unlimited play on the machines, as well as tastings. If you want to spend Valentines Day doing beer things Oyster & Beer Valentine Extravaganza (11 a.m.-10 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 14): Magnolia Gastropub in the Haight will offer a selection of raw and cooked oyster dishes to partner with its Oysterhead Stout, which is brewed with a whopping four bushels of Hog Island oysters. Tcho Chocolate & Stout Pairings (11:30 a.m.-midnight, Tuesday, Feb. 14): Richmond Republic Draught House will pair Tcho chocolates with different Bay Area stouts. OL Sweet & Sour Fest (4 p.m.-midnight, Tuesday, Feb. 14): Walnut Creeks OL Beercafe & Bottle Shop will host seven breweries, each one showcasing both a sweet and sour beer that will be paired with chocolates and other confections. Fireside Romance (5-9 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 14): Mission Bay food truck park and gathering place, Spark Social SF, which also boasts several fire pits, will offer a flight of aphrodisiac-inspired beers from local breweries and smores fixings for $20/person. If you are an advanced beer aficionado Advanced Off-flavors Seminar (12:30-2:30 p.m., Saturday & Sunday, Feb. 11 & 12): In this two-day seminar, held at the Beer Hall in Mid-Market, master cicerone Rich Higgins will help attendees learn to identify off-flavors, staleness and funk in beers. $85 per person. Beer + Design (6-8 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 15): Chronicle Books will host this panel discussion featuring Fort Point Beer and San Francisco design studio Manual, about the intersection of beer and design, including a brief visual history of the beer can. $10/person. Brew It Yourself 102 (11 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18): Comrades Beer Lab in the Mission will teach aspiring home brewers how to make beer using the advanced full-grain brewing method. The class is $125 and limited to 8 people. If you love funky beer Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Cellarmaker + Rare Barrel Collaboration Release (1-8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 12): Grab your growlers! These South of Market and Berkeley breweries are teaming up to release three collaboration beers. Real Smoked BBQ will also be on hand serving up 'cue to help soak up the brews. Brett Fest (4-11:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 13): The Inner Sunset's Social Kitchen & Brewery will be pouring six house beers that highlight the funky and complex wild yeast. Double the Funk (4-11 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 16): It's all about brettanomyces. Woods Beer Co.'s Oakland outpost will pair classic sour beers with wild-fermented wines. If youre into beer history Historic breweries, bars & brothels walking tour (2-3:30 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 12): San Jose Walks & Talks will lead the curious on an exploration of downtown San Joses famous former breweries and infamous watering holes. $10/person. Brewers by the Bay (6-8:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18): The California Historical Society in S.F. will host a Q&A and special screening of filmmaker Jared Stutts new documentary on the history of San Francisco craft beer. This being a Beer Week event, there will also be beer tastings from local breweries. $20/person. If youre an IPA junky Double IPA Festival (11 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 11): The Bistro in Hayward will host its 16th annual hop-filled celebration, featuring live music, food and most importantly over 60 double and 30 triple IPAs on tap. Tickets, $55, will be sold at the door only. Hopocalypse Extravaganza (6-11 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 11): Original Gravity Public House in downtown San Jose will have all of the Drakes super hoppy brews on draft. IPA Challenge (7-10 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17): The Half Moon Bay Brewing Co.s Berkeley taproom will play host this year for the long-running S.F. Beer Week blind-tasting challenge. If you really just want an all-you-can-drink event Victory Lap (10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 19): The finish line for this 5K fun run will be at Mission Bays Spark Social SF, where participants will be able to reward themselves with bottomless beer and grub from the parks food trucks. Sarah Fritsche is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sfritsche@sfchronicle.com Twitter/Instagram: @foodcentric The procession of wild turkeys looked like an invasion force last week as they marched down the street: 38 paraded down North Dutton Avenue in Santa Rosa. All 8 a.m. traffic drew to a halt, said Kim Connolly, the first to report the event. This is a four-lane street with a fair amount of traffic. We have been thinking about putting up a Turkey Crossing sign. This is not the first time in the past year that wild turkeys have taken over a neighborhood. In El Cerrito, a flock of turkeys that looked something like the USC marching band strode down the street, wall-to-wall. This occurred several times, and then one morning, Ken Lerch walked out to his driveway only to find a wild turkey blocking him from his car. There have been many similar showdowns. In March, I was attacked by a wild turkey in my backyard. It rose like a helicopter, talons forward, and when I whacked it on the head with a magazine, it looked at me like, What, you think thats gonna stop me? Other encounters have occurred in many areas, including the parking lot at Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness. This latest story from Santa Rosa crowns them all. Connolly said the flock began last year with two hens and seven jennys, or what locals have been calling turkeyettes, that grazed and pecked around her office building daily. In January, the number of turkeys grew to 18 then, in a few weeks, to 38. There is a trench outside of our meeting room and the turkeys would walk in the trench, and outside the window, and all we could see was their heads bopping along, she said. We interviewed someone in there and I guess the turkey heads popped up and scared her half to death. A floating turkey head. As far as the road encounters go, Traffic is getting a little pissy about the whole thing, she said with a laugh. Theres talk of trying to herd them off the road, she said, and if that were to happen, I am trying to arrange a video of the event. You might as well try herding cats, eh? Tom Stienstra is The San Francisco Chronicles outdoors writer. Email: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @StienstraTom Collaboration may be the most abused term in the dance world. For too many artists, a collaboration amounts to assembling a choreographer, a composer and a designer and ordering them to display their creations simultaneously. The fusion of creative impulses is often so tenuous that its little wonder the failure rate is high. Not so in the wonderfully intriguing restaging of Available Light, a Cal Performances co-commission, which arrived at Zellerbach Hall for a two-night stay Friday, Feb. 3. The collaborators are composer John Adams (the engagement inaugurates the festivities for his 70th birthday), choreographer Lucinda Childs (and 11 members of her current dance company) and architect Frank Gehry. The work was initially created to celebrate the 1983 opening of the Los Angeles Temporary Contemporary Art Museum. There have been some modifications. Dancers now perform on two levels; the upper platform is supported by a forest of girders. Kasia Walicka-Maimone has furnished new costumes in red, black and white, all exposing the barefoot dancers limbs. But its the artistic bond between Adams and Childs that has kept Available Light a remarkable experience. The music is the rarely heard and slightly revised Light Over Water, scored for synthesizer and recorded brass; throughout its 55 minutes, you can sense Adams moving from minimalist protocols to a neo-Romantic universe that he would explore more fully in the decades to come. Even so, when a gentle horn passage emerges from an electronic matrix, you feel Adams unique vision. Adams has reportedly said that he didnt really understand his piece until he saw Childs choreography; although choreographers have feasted on Adams scores, very few of them (Mark Morris is one) have found a synthesis of music and movement that produces an artistic unity. Childs is that rare artist who, from the very beginning, almost instinctively knew how to respond to Adams. Available Light would be another of the artists typical pattern dances, were it not an interpretation of that music. The work begins with dancers in silhouette against the rear wall as the music seems steeped in brooding sensuality. The range of movement is not huge, and the performers never touch each other; dancers leap, spin, swivel, rise on demi-pointe, extend arms and let an occasional arabesque leaven their trajectories. Unisons are rare, canons proliferate, but the one or two dancers on the upper level mirror what a pair is doing below. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the choreography is Childs talent for feeling the pulse of the score; she scrupulously avoids the lazy, one-note-one-step treatment of minimalist scores and phrases over a long span. There are even passages when the dancers stand immobile, while the music bubbles on, and these moments take you aback, filling the theater with tension. The second part of the score has an almost baroque feeling, and the choreography feels a bit looser. Here, the dancers come at you in waves, as extended arms take on a fluidity they lacked earlier. Beverly Emmons re-created her original lighting with John Torres. It glows. Allan Ulrich is The San Francisco Chronicles dance correspondent. Cal Performances: Available Light. Through Saturday, Feb. 4, at 8 p.m. Zellerbach Hall, University of California, Berkeley. $36-$126, (510) 642-9988, www.calperformances.org Because every special beer issue deserves a good, old-fashioned barstool debate, we asked some of The Chronicles top beer lovers ahem, experts a simple question: Which beers belong on the Mount Rushmore of Northern California beer? That is, as we consider the state of local craft brewing for Beer Week 2017, which four beers are the regions most important, iconic, influential and delicious? Its a question that sparked much debate in our office, and hopefully will be a fun conversation for you, too. Share your four picks and join the discussion on social media with the hashtag #FourBayBeers. Esther Mobley, Chronicle wine, beer and spirits writer Anchor Steam. This is the easy call: the absolute, undisputed OG of San Francisco beer arguably of American craft beer. You could make a case for other Anchor beers (Liberty Ale, the first West Coast IPA, or Christmas Ale, because its so unabashedly, kitschily San Francisco), but Ive got to give this to the steam beer. Its been Anchors signature since the 19th century, decades before Fritz Maytag bought the company and transformed it into the craft-beer icon it is today. Obviously Anchor Steam is George Washington. I dare anyone to dispute this. North Coast Old Rasputin. First of all, North Coast Brewing (in Fort Bragg, a place once settled by Russian immigrants) started making this 9% alcohol, mega-rich, malt bomb way before people were used to drinking such full-flavored beer which is a classic California beer trailblazing move. Its also one of the best Imperial Russian Stouts on the market, IMHO. And I know, I know, Fort Bragg is technically outside of the nine-county Bay Area, but when it opened in 1988 there were so few breweries in Northern California that Im gonna say it gets grandfathered in. Russian River Brewing Pliny the Younger. I was tempted to say Pliny the Elder, the more democratic of Russian River Brewing Co.s ancient Roman-inspired IPAs. But what single beer could capture the contemporary sense of the craft-brewing craze better than Younger, the ultra-hoppy triple IPA that draws thousands of people to wait in line for hours (days!) at the Santa Rosa brewery every February? It encapsulates cult as no other California beer can. Fort Point KSA. OK, this is the shocker, but every Mount Rushmores gotta have its Teddy Roosevelt: the Him? Really? wild card. (I get it, actually FDR didnt become president until after Mount Rushmore was already under construction.) Fort Points Kolsch Style Ale is symbolic of the Bay Area today. No brewery here has grown at such rapid speed as Fort Point, which in its barely three years of existence has become relentlessly ubiquitous around town. KSA represents the moment were in right now: beer gone viral. Paolo Lucchesi, Chronicle food editor Anchor Steam. Yes. What Esther said. Lagunitas IPA. Even though Heineken owns half of the company these days, there must still be a spot reserved for Lagunitas (Laguneiken? Heinekinitas?). And given the citys ongoing, fervent love affair with IPA, IPA still rules the city. So there needs to be one IPA on the list. Bear Republics Racer 5, Speakeasys Big Daddy and Lagunitas IPA all brought that beer style into our mainstream, but more importantly, they were part of the generation that really helped propel craft beer to the San Francisco masses not just fancy breweries, but normal corner bars. And in pure volume, Lagunitas still easily leads the way for all Northern California brewers not named Sierra. 21st Amendment Hell Or High Watermelon. You cant talk about Fort Point its whimsical branding, its smart cans, its easy-drinking beers without 21st Amendment. The SoMa (and now San Leandro) brewery rode the novelty of its watermelon wheat ale as it became a de facto summertime drink. Its unique. Its creative. Its seasonal. Its Bay Area. And there is no mistaking it, ever. You know what youre drinking, and that logo design the Statue of Liberty lounging on the Golden Gate Bridge as she gazes wistfully into space is about as perfect as a modern beer label can get. Amid a tempest of hoppy beers and SERIOUS BEER PEOPLE, Hell or High Watermelon is a welcome reminder that beer should be fun, easy and light. Speakeasy Prohibition Ale. First, the contenders that missed the cut: Trumer Pilsner (too German), Fort Point (too new), either Pliny (not democratic enough), Sierra Nevada (not Bay Area enough), Sufferfest (not gluten enough), Magnolia (not one standout) and Oaklands Linden Street (in transition to a new brand). I even tried to figure out how to get Hamms in here, in honor of the old sign by Seals Stadium. But Speakeasy Prohibition Ale is my pick. The amber ale was the Bayview brewerys first beer and it still holds up. Readily available throughout the Bay Area, those Speakeasy sneaky eyes are a welcome sight on any tap. Maggie Hoffman, Bay Area beer writer Anchor Liberty Ale. Sure, Steam has been around much longer, but in 1975, Liberty was the beer that changed it all, that in many ways launched the identity of the hop head. Maybe some other small brewer would have come along to popularize dry-hopping with copious (for the time) quantities of Cascade hops and convinced us to embrace deliciously bitter beer the iconic Sierra Nevada Pale Ale arrived on the scene soon after but Anchors Liberty took that first step, and for that, we should be thankful. (Though Lagunitas IPA is a pretty good call, too.) Trumer Pils. We drink a ton of hoppy beer here in San Francisco, but were also partial to lighter thirst-quenchers, and were lucky to have such a widely available crisp and delicious example of pilsner brewed in Berkeley so we can drink it fresh. We take this gold medal-winning beer for granted way too often. (And thankfully, theyve finally started packaging it in cans, so you arent stuck drinking skunky green-bottle versions.) Moonlight Brewing Death and Taxes. Few people nationally would say black lager is their favorite style, but its second nature to San Franciscans to order this beer, which makes me proud to live here. I love that its rich in coffee-and-chocolate flavor but not at all heavy, and I love that it can be found on tap all around the Bay Area but not too far beyond. Its ours, all ours. Russian River Brewing Consecration. This list would feel incomplete without a sour or wild-fermented beer many of the best local breweries today focus on tart, earthy, fruity brews made with the help of brettanomyces, lactobacillus and pediococcus. Russian River started brewing this delicious concoction in 2008, inspired by a deep, rich anniversary beer it brewed for Toronados 20th anniversary. Made with black currants and aged in Cabernet barrels, it brought together wine and beer, tannins and fruit, gathering so many flavors of the Bay Area together in one bottle. Owner-brewer Vinnie Cilurzo says hes still drinking bottles from the original release; it makes me wonder which beers the Bay Area is producing today that will go the distance, and which new breweries will live to see another decade. Tim ORourke, Chronicle assistant managing editor Anchor Steam. Its the obvious choice for a reason: Its been the signature San Francisco beer since before Mount Rushmores giant presidential heads were carved in South Dakota granite. Steams success paved the path for Anchors Liberty Ale and Jack McAuliffes New Albion Brewing, which inspired Ken Grossman and Sierra Nevada, which led to just about every one of the approximately 4,000 craft breweries producing excellent beers across the U.S. today. Russian River Brewing Pliny the Elder. Whats the most important measure of a beer? Its drinkability. This, however, isnt only about pleasing the palate. More important, its about being able to find the beer and drink it when youre thirsty. Pliny the Younger is the California cult craft beer, no doubt. But its double IPA Elder cousin is bottled and sold year-round across the region, and is available without standing in line with the tourists for five hours in the rain. Plus, at 8%, and with a blend of Amarillo, Centennial, CTZ and Simcoe hops, its smoother than the 10.25% Triple IPA hop bomb that draws the hordes to Russian River Brewing Co. every February. Hail to the Elder of the Plinys. Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA. Yes, we know. This list is getting a little hop heavy for the refined tastes of the Bay Area. Still, theres no denying the regions impact on the global interpretation of the indefatigable India pale ale, no matter how oversaturated the market. With apologies to Lagunitas, Drakes, Fieldwork and Faction, Bear Republics standard-bearer has defined the floral-accented flavor profile of the Bay Area IPA better than any of its rivals. Almanac Saison Dolores. The Teddy Roosevelt pick could have gone a number of directions. Cellarmakers Coffee & Cigarettes porter might have cracked the top 4 if it were available year-round. The Rare Barrels ever-rotating list is a sour fiends dream, but it doesnt help the Berkeley brewery scale Mount Rushmore. Outside the nine-county Bay Area, Sierra Nevada is the benchmark, with Sante Adairius in Capitola, Ruhstaller in Sacramento, Tahoe Mountain in Truckee, and Berryessa in Winters all making exciting, expectation-shattering brews outside the mainstream. The Bay Areas most popular saison isnt Almanacs most ambitious offering, but its fruit-and-fermentation forward, does justice to the style and offers the masses a flavorful option outside the hop highway. Jonathan Kauffman, Chronicle reporter Anchor Steam. Refusing to put Anchor Steam on the Mount Rushmore of beers is like saying George Washington doesnt deserve a 60-foot bust because he wasnt as eloquent as Samuel Adams (no slight, Bostonian beers). Every city needs a house beer, and were lucky enough to have Anchor Steam. I do have to grumble that Anchor has chosen to trademark steam beer, forcing a wave of younger breweries that also want to honor the Bay Areas only native beer style to call it California commons instead of by its historic name. Russian River Brewing Consecration. Im with Maggie on this one: Consecration is a stunning sour, with fruit and funk and tart all kept in balance, a wily corralling of wild yeasts. Compared with many of the sours that have come on the market since Consecration was first brewed, not to mention every brewery that thought sticking a beer in a wine keg for a few months would make it magic, Consecration gives lie to the assumption that progress is always chronologically forward. (Not you, Sante Adairius, Rare Barrel, Almanac, and Tahoe Mountain Brewing youre doing some great work here.) North Coast Le Merle. First off, I think all Northern California is one beer ecosystem, not just the Bay Area. This 9-year-old farmhouse ale is my Teddy Roosevelt, whose release helped signal a countermovement in local brewing: food-friendly beers. Le Merle has the richness of a Belgian golden ale but with enough of a hop-sharpened edge to remind you its from the West Coast. You can see its legacy in the saison boom, but also in the work of younger breweries like Fort Point and Woodfour, which are focusing on beers that dont demand you pay attention to them, but reward you when you do. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Someone has to give Ken Grossman a shout-out! As a beer lover who likes his hops kept in check, this is all the IPA I need. Pouring the first of what would be many Cuba Libres he would make that day, Israel the bartender at Hotel Nacional said he was excited that restrictions on U.S. travelers would soon be lifted. He hoped the embargo would soon follow. He was eager to meet more people from America, he said, and his family and country would be better off. He pushed the drink across a bar that has propped up the elbows of John Wayne, Ava Gardner and Winston Churchill. I took the dripping Cuba Libre to a table outside, lit up a robusto-size Romeo y Julieta, took a puff and sat back, an intentional cliche of an American in Cuba. Soon there would be many more, I thought. It was 23 days after the first inauguration of former President Barack Obama in 2009, and I had been dispatched to Cuba to learn about the mystique of the island nation, to see what, if any, Cold War animosity remained toward the United States, and to find out what travelers could expect when the embargo and restrictions were removed, which appeared to be just around the corner. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Spud Hilton/The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Spud Hilton/The Chronicle Show More Show Less The findings: The mystique, it seemed, could not be described and must be experienced, I couldnt find anything resembling animosity, and travelers could expect a developing nation with a historic, threadbare infrastructure and a warm, complex, vibrant culture one that already hosts plenty of tourists from the rest of the world. What U.S. travelers could not expect, it turned out, was to legally see any of it soon. For travelers, legal, unrestricted travel to Cuba has long been the prize that waited just over the next hill. While there has been widely publicized progress during the past eight years to normalize relations, the top of the hill is still in the distance. And depending on the will and whims of the Trump administration, that progress might just be another case of travelers playing Sisyphus, doomed to keep pushing their hopes up the hill, only to be knocked back and forced to start again. Most of the progress in warming relations during the Obama years was done through executive order, a presidential prerogative with which President Trump is already familiar. Anything thats been done can be undone by the next guy. But what about the host of tours, new flights and even cruise ship stops in Cuba? Didnt American Airlines just open a ticket office in Havana? Nearly all of it can all be rolled back. How do we know? Its happened before. Spud Hilton/The Chronicle In 1999, then-President Bill Clinton made it possible for the Treasury Department to issue people-to-people licenses for educational travel to Cuba. It required going with one of the handful of approved tour operators and, because of the embargo, it meant that travelers could not directly spend money there. In 2003, President George W. Bush imposed travel restrictions, effectively halting the people-to-people licenses and forcing most of the tour operators to drop those trips. Is it possible the Trump administration could do the same thing? Yes, although at this point it hasnt issued an unequivocal position on the topic, only isolated references by Trump and his staff that there will be a full review of the policy, and the fact that a few members of the administration strongly oppose Obamas attempts at detente. The uncertainty drew a response from Cuban President Raul Castro. Cuba and the United States can cooperate and live side by side in a civilized manner, respecting our differences and promoting all that is of benefit for both countries and people, Castro told a summit of Caribbean and Latin American leaders on Jan. 25, according to Reuters. But it should not hope that to achieve this, Cuba will make concessions inherent to its independence and sovereignty. There is enough concern about Trumps plans that the Cuba Study Group, a coalition of business leaders working toward peaceful change in Cuba leading to a free and open society, and a number of U.S. groups focused on improving relations with Cuba sent him a four-page memo three days before he took office. To reflexively reverse course could have pernicious consequences for U.S. economic and foreign policy interests and the prospects of evolutionary change in Cuba, the memo states. Past policies of isolation did not elicit internal reforms or lead to political opening. Furthermore, history shows that the Cuban people, not the government, tend to be the victims of state-to-state confrontation. I dont know if Israel the bartender is still making Cuba Libres at the Hotel Nacional. I dont know if he has enough access to news to know that the American politics that affect his life could again shift into reverse. I do know that he, like the U.S. travelers he hopes to meet, is still waiting. Spud Hilton is the editor of Travel. Email: shilton@sfchronicle.com Twitter and Instagram: @SpudHilton Last November, a nonprofit called Transparent California reported that a BART janitor named Liang Zhao Zhang made $271,000 in a single year over $162,000 of that in the form of overtime. Now, a KTVU investigation into Zhang's hours and pay revealed that he disappears into a storage closet at the Powell St. station, sometimes for hours a day. In order to observe how Zhang spent his sometimes 17-hour work day, KTVU requested surveillance video from BART. On it, they saw Zhang entering a storage closet twice in one day, once for 54 minutes and again for 90 minutes later in the day. On another day, they observed Zhang in the closet for 90 minutes in the afternoon and another 78 minutes in the evening. More: Parking fee increase at 5 East Bay BART stations starts today Zhang tells the TV crew he is taking his meal breaks during that time, although a BART representative told KTVU employees eat their lunch in the separate break room. BART employees are normally given 30 minutes for lunch, although BART doesn't track their breaks. KTVU also discovered that Zhang failed to clock in or out 16 times in one year. Last year, BART spokesperson Alicia Trost told SFGATE that Zhang was paid every single day in 2015 and provided a breakdown of his pay and benefits for the year: For regular hours he did: 1420.73 regular hours 24 hours of protected sick leave 192 of vacation hours 48 hours of holiday pay 3.27 of administrative leave For overtime he did: 63 hours of "holiday work" 1821.53 hours of time and a half (1.5 for regular day off 1). 601 hours of double time (2 for regular day off 2) Transparent California found that Zhang worked 17 hours a day for 18 days in a row in July 2015, a feat that a writer from the nonprofit called "super human." "This employee signs up for every overtime slot that becomes available," Trost told SFGATE. "He is likely working almost every day of the year cleaning our stations. He is signing up for time that is also available to others if he doesn't take the hours, someone else will. The sign-ups are based on seniority." MORE: Some BART workers are nearly tripling their salary with overtime pay BART confirmed that 49 other janitors made over $100,000 in 2015 and that no city, state or federal regulations prevented employees from working that much voluntary overtime. None of those employees have been audited, BART told KTVU. The knowledge transfer sessions started a few months after Jeff Tan received notice last summer that he and about 80 co-workers would be laid off by UCSF at the end of February. At daily two-hour meetings with employees from HCL Technologies, an Indian tech services company that had landed the outsourcing contract from UCSF, Tan trained HCL staff members in India by videoconference and employees brought to the United States on H-1B visas how to do his job. More than any other industry, tech companies depend on the 85,000 foreign workers allowed into the United States annually under the H-1B visa program. The H-1B is a temporary visa intended to bring in foreign professionals with college degrees and specialized skills to fill jobs when qualified Americans cannot be found. Technology giants like Microsoft and Google have pressed for increases in the annual quotas, saying there are not enough Americans with the skills they need. But for tech workers like Tan, the program has had very negative consequences. I thought the purpose of H-1B visas was to give America a competitive edge, not help companies ship American jobs abroad, said Tan, who had worked for the university as an information technology systems administrator for 20 years. This is now standard practice in the technology industry. The debate over H-1B visas has gained new urgency as employers prepare for President Trump to sign an executive order to overhaul the program. It is not clear what action Trump plans to take, but a draft of a proposed executive order on the matter was leaked last week. It included a passage saying options for modifying the H-1B program would be considered to ensure that beneficiaries of the program are the best and the brightest. The H-1B programs critics say the system provides a way for U.S. companies to turn over technology departments to outsourcing companies. These are gaming the system to snap up the visas so they can replace American workers with less expensive, temporary staff members. A research report by Goldman Sachs estimates that 900,000 to a million H-1B visa holders now reside in the United States, and that they account for up to 13 percent of U.S. technology jobs. In 2014, 13 outsourcing firms accounted for one-third of all H-1B visas. They use a loophole in the current first-come, first-served lottery system to flood the applicant pool with their candidates. In many cases, those candidates are paid slightly more than the $60,000-a-year minimum salary required by the program but less than what American technology workers make. Proponents of the H-1B system argue that it is an important vehicle to attract top talent to America. After coming to the United States, these visa holders may apply their skills to start new companies or create new, innovative products leading to more jobs in America. The debate over who wins and who loses as a result of the H-1B visa program echoes similar discussions of how free trade helps or hurts the economy. While the benefits are spread broadly throughout the economy, the costs are much more concentrated and easy to identify. In other words, its true that cheaper labor helps employers increase profits and grow, and having more skilled workers in the United States contributes to economic innovation. But at the same time, individual American employees do face more salary pressure from newcomers who will work for less. And in some cases, they risk losing their jobs entirely, especially older employees who earn higher salaries. After 11 years working in the IT department of Northeast Utilities, a Connecticut company now named Eversource Energy, Craig Diangelo was among 220 employees laid off in 2014. Before leaving the company, he was told he needed to train his replacement if he wanted to receive his severance. Diangelo, who is now 64 and was receiving $130,000 a year in salary and bonus, said he trained an employee from the Indian outsourcing firm Infosys who was an H-1B visa holder making $60,000 a year. There was also a team of workers in India making $6,000 a year who shadowed him on the computer. The problem, he said, is that my job is still there. I went away. The American worker went away. A representative of Infosys declined to comment. Al Lara, a spokesman for Eversource Energy, said in a statement: We made changes to our IT department three years ago during a period of transition and change to support the merger of our two companies while under much regulatory scrutiny. We are proud of the new IT organization. Lara was referring to a merger with NStar in 2012. In other instances, the jobs are filled only temporarily by H-1B workers before the outsourcing firm moves the job permanently to a lower-cost country. Thats the endgame, said Sara Blackwell, a lawyer representing former employees of Walt Disney Co., Abbott Laboratories and other companies in discrimination claims pertaining to tech-job outsourcing. Some economists are skeptical about the claimed lack of qualified workers, especially an oft-cited 500,000 open positions in technology that cannot be filled. Im sure employers might not have as much choice as they would like, but if the shortage story were true, wed see wages rising more rapidly than they are, said Dean Baker, co-director of the liberal Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington. There is substantial unemployment, Baker said, even among workers in science, technology, engineering and math fields. Lawrence F. Katz, a prominent labor economist at Harvard, said companies like the H-1B visa program because it expands the pool of applicants. That means having to pay less in salary and retaining more control over employees. From the point of view of an economist, there are two big winners, he added. The workers who come here with H-1B visas and the companies that employ them. While it remains to be seen what Trump will do, various members of Congress have proposed measures to change the H-1B system. One idea is to raise the minimum salary of an H-1B worker to $100,000 or more from the current $60,000. The hope is that this will narrow the gap between the standard pay for an American tech worker and that of a foreign worker. Another proposal is to change the current first-come, first-served lottery system that is benefiting outsourcing firms. Daisuke Wakabayashi and Nelson D. Schwartz are New York Times writers. A police-involved shooting in Fremont that left a man dead Sunday near a shopping center started when a veteran officer responded to a report of battery in progress and ended up in a physical confrontation with a suspect that prompted the deadly gunfire, officials said Monday. The Alameda County district attorneys office and Fremont detectives were investigating the fatal shooting, but released little information, including the name of the man who was shot and whether he was armed. The Bay Area could be seeing more of Gwyneth Paltrow, if this weekend was any indicator. The actress was spotted at a number of West Marin spots. It seems that Paltrow was in the area for business: She shared a photo of herself at Juice Beauty headquarters in San Rafael. Paltrow teamed with the local beauty company in 2015 and took on the role of creative director for makeup, the Marin Independent Journal reported, with a certified organic makeup line that launched last year. The Hawaii Legislature opened in January and will run until May. The HSTA is putting forth an amendment to the State Constitution in order to allow the State to impose a new tax upon vacation rentals. There are 20 bills currently on the table dealing with vacation rentals and they boil down to four themes. Advertising Platforms (such as VRBO) can collect and remit taxes on behalf of operators (you). Travelers to Hawaii and people and companies who provide accommodation to the travelers should pay more in tax. People who rent out property on a secondary or accessory basis should be limited to renting out no more than 60 nights per year and owning no more than one or two properties. (More on this below) Counties should be allowed to change zoning to eliminate transient vacation rentals. This proposal comes up each year, but this year it only applies to the County of Kauai. TAXES There are a number of proposals to increase the TAT from 9.5% to 13.5%. There are also proposals to add additional taxes on top of the 13.5% to cover education, environment and housing (ie HSTA, UPW, and HGEA jobs). There is also the proposal to amend the Constitutuin to create a State property tax. HB1470 This bill is one of many dealing with the question of hosting platforms as tax collection agents. It requires operators, to keep records (putting the onus of audit on the operator). The bill provides for hosting platforms to de-list any advertiser (you) who does not comply with tax or zoning laws and requires the platforms to obtain attestation from you that you are in compliance with zoning laws. It provides for an increase of 4% in the TAT, giving Hawaii the distinction of the most expensive hotel tax in the country. The bill also provides for the ability of counties to restrict zoning and phase out transient vacation rentals. This bill also introduces the distinction between short term lodging and transient vacation rentals, discussed above. The bill also limits the number of rentals any person, couple or company can own to one unit. The bill also restricts the number of nights an operator can rent registered short-term rental lodging units to 60 per calendar year. HB1471 / SB1087 These bills are similar to HB1470, but allows anyone, not just hosting platforms, to act as tax collection agents. However, crucially, it does not have the language around increased taxes, limits on ownership and limits on the number of nights rentable in a year. HB1471 hearing set for Feb 7 at 9AM. SB1087 hearing set for Feb 10 at 2:30PM. SB1281 / HB1242 / SB1202 This is similar in concept to the two bills described above. SB1281 hearing set for Feb 10 at 2:30PM. SB1202 hearing also set for Feb 10 at 2:30PM. HB546 This bill will allow counties to impose a surtax on the TAT, effective January 1, 2019. This is in addition to the 4% increase in the TAT proposed in a number of bills this session. The funds are to be used to fund housing. HB546 hearing set for Feb 10 at 9:00AM. HB180 / SB686 This bill increases visitor taxes to help fund the education system in Hawaii. The bill would apply a tax on residential investment property as well as on visitor accommodations. HB180 is deferred until Feb 6. SB686 was approved with amendments by EDU February 3, 2017. Its next referral is WAM/JDU. Property Value Surcharge per $1000 of property value Under $500,000 $3.50 $500,000- $750,000 $4.50 $750,000-$1,000,000 $5.50 $1,000,000 - $2,000,000 $6.50 $2,000,000 and over $7.50 So, if your property was worth $400,000, you would pay $1400 in residential property tax surcharge each year. If your property was worth $2,000,000, you would pay $15,000. In addition, there is proposed a nightly tax of $3.00 for rents up to $150 per night and $5.00 per night for rents over $150. This is regardless of occupancy. So the $400,000 property probably commands a rent of $150 a night on average, so 365*$5 = $1825, for a total tax of $3225. The rate of tax, as a percentage of the rental rate decreases as the rental rates increase. Lower valued properties are hit harder than the high end properties. Currently, this type of tax is most likely not possible to implement in Hawaii, so they are proposing a constitutional amendment (SB683 & HB182) to allow the state to impose this tax. This is the same tax which has been the subject of a legal battle in the City and County of Honolulu. HB1453 / SB1143 This is another tax on tourists, this one being $20 per guest to fund environmental protection and conservation. The wording indicates that a party of 4 would pay $80. SB862 / HB1331 This bill allows for the phase out of single family transient vacation rental units in the counties with populations under 100,000, which is essentially Kauai. The County of Kauai has put forward this bill every year for at least the past 5 years. Every year it gets defeated. By narrowing the scope to just that county, perhaps they think it will have a better chance. SB862 passed PSM January 31. Its next referral is CPH. HB1586 The preamble to the bill proposes moving the tax burden from residents to non-residents. The bill, as currently drafted, doesnt actually change the tax structure to affect non-residents. SB702 This bill has already garnered some media attention as it states that failure to register for TAT and GET is a class C felony. For those who werent fans of Law and Order, a Class C felony is punishable by a maximum of seven years in prison. Class C felonies include crimes such as theft, possession of a controlled substance, second-degree statutory rape and first-degree involuntary manslaughter. This bill also sets up a public database whereby anyone can look you up to see if you are properly registered. This raises certain security and privacy concerns. SB695 This bill applies TAT to rent and mandatory fees charged to guests. SB704 This bill proposes to set up a committee to study transient accommodations in the State and provides for membership from vacation rental owners. WASHINGTON One month after retiring from the U.S. Senate, Barbara Boxer has a new focus not far removed from her old one: electing like-minded Democrats. Its not as though anyone expected the kinetic Boxer to sit home and knit after 10 years in the House and 24 in the Senate, often as a fire-bombing assailant of Republicans. But her plans show she has no intention of retiring at 76. In addition to delivering speeches she has a contract with a Hollywood talent agency Boxer will be raising money through a newly formed super PAC based in Los Angeles. Donations will go to candidates, particularly for the U.S. Senate, and to issues of importance to Boxer and her fellow liberal Democrats. As with almost everything political these days, the impetus for her actions is President Trump. An enthusiastic supporter of Hillary Clinton, Boxer said Trump has taken aim at American values so she is taking aim at him. The new fundraising vehicle will be a spin-off of Boxers campaign apparatus while in the Senate, called PAC for a Change. It will be run by members of Boxers political team, including her longtime campaign manager, Rose Kapolczynski. In an interview, Boxer emphasized that she will not be paid by the super PAC. I dont want people to get the misimpression that Im creating a job for myself, she said. This is my country, and Im going to stay out there. Theres a symmetry to Boxers political involvement. She started in politics as Americans were taking to the streets to protest the Vietnam War and then-President Richard Nixon. The current protests echo the tenor of the 1960s and 1970s. We are going to build on the outpouring of ordinary people after the election, to focus them on the 2018 elections, she said. We can march and march and I still march, I started out that way but we have to march to the polls. Enthusiasm is what Boxer is counting on. Trumps presidency has unified Democrats, a fact made evident by the nightly protests against him. Boxer was succeeded in January by another Democrat, Kamala Harris; the states other Senate seat has been held for 24 years by Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat who intends to run for another term in 2018. Cathleen Decker is a Los Angeles Times writer. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. President Trump said he respects Vladimir Putin, and when told the Russian leader is a killer, Trump said the United States has many of them. What do you think? Our countrys so innocent? he told Foxs Bill OReilly in a taped interview aired Sunday on the Super Bowl pregame show. Trump has long expressed a wish for better ties with Moscow, praised Putin and signaled that U.S.-Russia relations could be in line for a makeover, even after U.S. intelligence agencies determined that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. During Putins years in power, several prominent Russian opposition figures and journalists have been killed. OReilly said about Putin: But hes a killer, though. Putins a killer. Trump responded: There are a lot of killers. Weve got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our countrys so innocent? When OReilly said he doesnt know any government leaders who are killers, Trump said, Take a look at what weve done, too. Weve made a lot of mistakes and references the Iraq War. Democrats and Republicans took issue with Trumps comparison of Russia and the U.S. I dont think theres any comparison, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said on ABCs This Week. I really do resent that he would say something like that. The Senates top Republican, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, distanced himself from the president. Putins a former KGB agent. Hes a thug. He was not elected in a way that most people would consider a credible election. The Russians annexed Crimea, invaded Ukraine and messed around in our elections. And no, I dont think theres any equivalency between the way the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does, McConnell told CNNs State of the Union. OReilly also asked Trump to back up his claims that some 3 million to 5 million illegal votes were cast in the Nov. 8 election. Trump said he will set up a commission to be headed by Vice President Mike Pence, and were going to look at it very, very carefully. Darlene Superville is an Associated Press writer. MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. President Donald Trump vowed Monday to allow only people who want to love our country into the United States, defending his immigration and refugee restrictions as he made his first visit to the headquarters for U.S. Central Command. Trump reaffirmed his support for NATO before military leaders and troops and laced his speech with references to homeland security amid a court battle over his travel ban on people from seven majority-Muslim countries. He did not directly mention the case in which a federal district judge temporarily suspended the ban. We need strong programs so that people that love us and want to love our country and will end up loving our country are allowed in and those who want to destroy us and destroy our country are kept out, Trump said. Freedom, security and justice will prevail, Trump added. We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism, and we will not allow it to take root in our country. Were not going to allow it. Trump touched upon various alliances in his remarks, noting, we strongly support NATO. He spoke Sunday with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. A White House statement said the two discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments, as well as the crisis in Ukraine and security challenges facing NATO countries. Trump once dismissed the trans-Atlantic military alliance as obsolete, and he would decide whether to protect NATO countries against Russian aggression based on whether those countries have fulfilled their obligations to us. Earlier, Trump sat down for lunch with a room full of troops in fatigues from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, as well as senior members of his White House staff. Trump stopped at the base on the way back to Washington after his first weekend away from the White House. He spent the weekend at his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., with first lady Melania Trump, who had not appeared in public since shortly after her husband took office. At MacDill, the president was briefed by Central Command and Special Operations Command leaders. A number of his advisers, including Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Michael Flynn, Trumps national security adviser, also attended. Trump met with Florida Gov. Rick Scott before delivering his remarks, telling the crowd at Central Command that Scotts endorsement of his candidacy for president makes him a better friend of mine. Darlene Superville is an Associated Press writer. Rebuffed in its bid for a quick reversal, the White House said Sunday it expected the courts to reaffirm President Trumps executive power and reinstate a ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. The case promised to extend into Monday at least, when fresh legal filings were due, and observers had no doubt the Supreme Court ultimately will have a say. The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, in a brief order overnight, denied the administrations initial request to set aside a Seattle judges ruling that put a temporary hold on the ban nationwide. The lawsuit by Washington state and Minnesota said Trumps order harmed residents and effectively mandated discrimination. Their lawyers had until 1 a.m. Monday PST to submit briefs opposing the governments request. The Justice Department then had a 3 p.m. PST Monday deadline to respond. Well accomplish the stay and will win the case on the merits, Vice President Mike Pence said. Late Sunday, a group of 97 companies, primarily from the technology sector, filed a brief in support of Washington states action seeking to overturn Trumps executive order. Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Netflix and Salesforce, among others, argued that American businesses, workers, and consumers ... gain immense advantages from immigrants infusion of talents, energy, and opportunity. Members of Trumps Republican Party scolded him for Twitter attacks on U.S. District Court Judge James Robart, appointed by President George W. Bush, and accused Trump of stepping over the line that separates the executive from the judiciary. To Trump, Robart is a so-called judge whose ridiculous ruling will be overturned. Pence defended Trump, saying the president can criticize anybody he wants. Pence added that he believes the American people find it very refreshing that they not only understand this presidents mind, but they understand how he feels about things. At issue is the legality of a presidential action undertaken in the name of national security. Whatever the outcome and however the case drags on, a president who was used to getting his way in private business is finding, just weeks into the job, obstacles to quickly fulfilling one of his chief campaign pledges. The president is not a dictator, said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. He is the chief executive of our country. And there is a tension between the branches of government. The government had told the appeals court that the president alone has the power to decide who can enter or stay in the United States, an assertion that appeared to invoke the wider battle to come over illegal immigration. Trumps order applied to Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen Muslim-majority countries that the administration said raise terrorism concerns. The order had caused confusion for many foreigners trying to reach the United States, prompted protests across the country, and led to multiple court challenges. Trumps criticism of Robart echoed campaign comments against a federal judge of Mexican heritage who was overseeing a lawsuit against Trump University. Justice Department lawyers could be called upon to answer for Trumps words as the travel ban case makes it way through the courts. We all get disappointed from time to time at the outcome in courts on things that we care about, said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. But I think it is best to avoid criticizing judges individually. The State Department said last week that visas were canceled for as many as 60,000 foreigners from the seven countries. After Robarts decision, the department reversed course and said they could travel to the U.S. if they had a valid visa. The department also advised refugee aid agencies that refugees set to travel before Trump signed his order would now be allowed in. The Homeland Security Department no longer was directing airlines to prevent visa-holders affected by Trumps order from boarding U.S.-bound planes. The agency said it had suspended any and all actions related to putting in place Trumps order. Pence appeared on ABCs This Week, CBS Face the Nation, NBCs Meet the Press and Fox News Sunday. McConnell was on CNN, and Feinstein spoke on Fox. Eric Tucker is an Associated Press writer. WASHINGTON Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walkers crackdown on collective bargaining could serve as a model for President Trumps plans to overhaul the federal workforce. But any such move by the new president would risk a fight with already wary labor leaders. Walker, the chief promoter, says he spoke last week with Vice President Mike Pence about how they may take bits and pieces of what we did with the union law and public workforce overhaul and apply it at the national level. They look at not only what we did with (the collective bargaining law) but even some of the civil service reforms, the two combined, so they can hire and fire based on merit and pay based on performance, Walker said in an interview. Those remarks raised fresh hackles among leaders of public and private unions, many of whom endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton and have seethed over Trumps choice of a fast food executive to be his secretary of labor, as well as his executive order freezing most federal salaries. To them, Wisconsin is a warning. President Trump and Vice President Pence should stay far away from Gov. Scott Walker, said J. David Cox Sr., president of the American Federation of Federal Employees. Walkers record on labor, he added, is a bad investment, particularly if you'd like to be known as a jobs president. Under Walker, the state's 2011 law barred collective bargaining over working conditions and big pay increases for most public workers. It also required them to pay more for health care and pension benefits. The measure led to massive protests and an unsuccessful attempt to recall Walker in 2012. His legacy includes a 2015 law that made Wisconsin one of at least 28 states with right-to-work laws that generally prohibit businesses and unions from requiring all workers, not just union members, to pay union dues. Republicans in Congress introduced a national version of right-to-work legislation last week that would, for the first time, allow millions of workers to opt out of union membership. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka shrugged off the idea of Trump making a Walker-style assault on the federal civil service because, he said, even the Republican-controlled Congress wont allow it. Most people understand that if he does that in a Republican administration, it can also happen in a Democratic administration, Trumka said. And that wouldnt be so good, would it? Laurie Kellman and Scott Bauer are Associated Press writers. For All U of U Health Patients & Visitors MISSOULA -- In 2016, 12.3 million travelers from out of state visited the Big Sky state, which has a population of just over 1 million. That means there were 12 times as many tourists as locals here last year. And the main reason theyre coming here is because of the states mountains, rivers, lakes, streams, wildlife, national parks and other outdoor recreation opportunities. According to Norma Nickerson, the director of the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana, those visitors created 52,630 jobs in the state and spent an estimated $3.49 billion in the state. The outdoors is our business, Nickerson told the crowd during a recent Economic Outlook webinar presented by UMs Bureau of Business and Economic Research. If it werent for our mountains, lakes and streams -- and access to those places -- our way of life and the economy here would be different. Our economy wouldnt be the same and there would be less people spending money here. Because it sits in the nexus between Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park, Missoula sees a fair amount of those travelers. Last year, 4.2 million people visited Yellowstone, and 68 percent of them came through Montana, although the majority of the park is in Wyoming. Since 2012, Glaciers visitation has increased 34 percent to almost 3 million people this past year. Nickerson said that with the increased visitation, there are downsides like enormous added pressure on natural resources and the costs that come along with that. Yellowstone National Park found that since 2012, there has been a 96 percent increase in wildlife violation tickets issues in Yellowstone, along with a 61 percent increase in search and rescue calls, a 28 percent increase in domestic violence incidents and a 62 percent jump in driving under the influence citations. There are traffic jams and lines to the bathroom 20 people deep, she said. It has made it difficult for the parks administrators to follow their mandate of protecting resources while providing access to the public. All those extra visitors are taking an environmental toll as well. High-profile incidents, such as when people walked across a delicate thermal feature in Yellowstone last summer, are only the tip of the iceberg because they only came to light when video was posted to social media. There was a 177 percent increase of out-of-bounds camping citations in 2015. In Glacier, camping spots are filling up by 8 in the morning, Nickerson said. We have never seen that before. But despite all these crowds, surveys show that when people are asked about their satisfaction levels, they are happy. Were a very adaptive species. She said more and more people are learning to get up earlier or visit parks in other seasons to avoid crowds. Besides the two crown jewels of Yellowstone and Glacier, Montana also boasts many other lakes, streams and rivers that provide a lot of outdoor recreation jobs. When the Yellowstone River was closed on Aug. 19 of last year due to the deaths of thousands of whitefish from a disease, Nickerson estimates that the local economy suffered an estimated impact of between $360,000 and $524,000. The incident underscores how the health of the natural environment is tied in with the health of local economies. She said that 120 businesses reported that they had a negative impact (after the fish die-off). The majority were outfitters, guides and fly shops. It was across the board. The average net loss was $7,000 but it went up to $50,000 for some rafting companies. And when the employees are college kids trying to pay for school, its tough. The threat posed by invasive mussels to Montanas waterways is more than an environmental concern; its also an economic one, Nickerson explained. This past November, they were found in the Tiber Reservoir and the Canyon Ferry Reservoir. Once you have mussels in a waterway, you wont get rid of them, she said. Its virtually impossible. When you look at maps of where they had been found before, it was bound to happen. What mussels do is clean the water, but they do such a good job that they get rid of everything else and it devastates the aquatic ecosystem. She said that a city in Michigan had to pay $325,000 to rid mussels from public drinking water pipes. It is for those reasons and more, she said, that several different public surveys have found that roughly 68 percent of people in the Rocky Mountain states say they want the Trump administration to protect clean water, clean air and wildlife viewing opportunities. It may be different out East, but in the Rocky Mountain west there is a lot of concern and a lot of support for conservation, she said. The outlook for tourism is strong in Montana. She said that surveys of tourism-dependent businesses show that 57 percent of owners expect an increase in 2017, even though 2016 was a huge year. Overall, U.S. travel is expected to pick up 2 percent this year, although those surveys were done before the November elections. Outdoor recreation is a $646 billion industry in the United States, and it generates $5.8 billion in consumer spending in Montana. She said that Gov. Steve Bullock has recognized the importance of the industry and has hired a public access specialist whose main role is to troubleshoot specific issues that prevent full access to public lands. Protecting natural resources Dan Vermillion, the chairman of the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission, said that Montana has to grapple with protecting natural resources if the economic benefits of tourism are to continue to be reaped. Montanans also have to realize that while they may view tourists as a nuisance that overruns public lands here, they are a huge contributor to the economy. Im in the tourism business; I own a fly shop in Livingston, Vermillion said. It allows us to employ the people we employ. People see tourism activity as additional people on public resources. Its kind of like Montanans think Montana should be for Montanans only. But in a place like Livingston, theres a broad understanding of how critical tourism is to our economy. In places like Billings or Great Falls, its a little less obvious. But theres still thousands of visitors who are staying in hotels, eating in restaurants and stopping in gas stations on their way to Yellowstone or Glacier. Vermillion said the Fish and Wildlife Commission must rely on biologists and trained scientific professionals to manage wildlife in a sustainable way. We try to make sure we manage our resources so we have healthy rivers and healthy big game herds for wildlife watchers and hunters, he said. We are trying to figure out how to accommodate so many users on the landscape. Sometimes we have to limit certain uses. There is no right answer. Its a tricky conversation, so we have to try to be as mindful as possible. Vermillion said he believes compromises can be found between those who want to preserve jobs in mining, forestry and drilling and those who want to preserve pristine environments for outdoor recreationists. If you look at a place like the Paradise Valley, there are two mining proposals on the northern border of Yellowstone Park, he said. Both incoming Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Sen. Jon Tester have made it pretty clear thats not a place there should be an open pit gold mine. It jeopardizes the incredible value of the tourism resource there. However, Vermillion said the massive Stillwater Mine near the Boulder River is an example of a mine that has found a way to preserve the river. Theyve done a really good job of having a really strong mine that employs a lot of people and right downstream were fishing every day, he said. Theres a way to do it. You can accommodate both industries by acknowledging that we need minerals to operate the industrial society while also knowing that Montanas best competitive advantage is the quality of our natural environment. Vermillion said that it is Montanas great outdoors that allows companies to attract workers here. You look at the cities in Montana that are experiencing the most growth -- Bozeman, Missoula and Kalispell -- the common denominator there is the quality of public lands right out their back door, he said. So when technology companies move to Bozeman, it is the quality of life that allows them to attract high quality talent. Vermillion is profoundly opposed to the sale or transfer of federally administered public lands to the states, where they would be more susceptible to being sold to private owners and locked up. A lot of those public rivers that we fish from, they come out of drainages where the upper reaches is all public land, he said. If those reaches are not properly managed, anything that happens really affects downstream. Its super important to make sure the management of public lands takes into account the implications that can occur downstream. The House Judiciary Committee heard an hour of powerful testimony from people in favor of abolishing the death penalty, who shared a comprehensive list of reasons for their support. Those who testified included a man wrongly sentenced to death, the mother of a murder victim and attorneys who were haunted by years of adherence to the death penalty system. Conservative legislators and religious leaders asked the committee to consider the ethics of a system where a death results in more death. Several people said eliminating the death penalty is a cost-saving measure. Bills to abolish the death penalty have never made it off the House floor. Last session, a bill to replace the death penalty with life in prison without parole came close, but died in the house with a 50 to 50 vote, largely along party lines with Republicans against it. However, some conservatives are realizing the death penalty doesnt align with their core values. Adam Hertz, R-Missoula, introduced House Bill 366 this session, which would substitute life without parole for the death penalty. Hertz said he introduced the bill in part to be a good steward of tax dollars, and said an inmate on death row costs 10 times more than an inmate sentenced to life without parole. The bill does not yet have a fiscal note to determine the cost savings for abolishing the death penalty. Several committee members questioned whether it would be significant, as there are only two Montanans on death row. While concerned about fiscal responsibility, Hertz said the bill would also fulfill his belief that life begins at conception and ends with natural death, and would provide inmates with a chance for redemption. I believe the death penalty system overlooks why we condemn murder in the first place, Hertz said. As a Christian, I believe in redemption. Rep. Adam Rosendale, R-Billings, Rep. Mike Hopkins, R-Missoula, and Marc Hyden represented the Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty organization. Hyden said conservatives are realizing the death penalty violates core principles of valuing life, promoting fiscal responsibility and a limited government. Ray Krone, who spent a decade in prison for a crime he didnt commit, told the committee his story. He was accused of a murder involving a bite wound and found guilty after the prosecutor hired an expensive expert who testified the bite on the victim matched Krones teeth. His parents mortgaged their house and cashed in retirement funds to afford an appeal. He was again found guilty, but was sentenced to life in prison after the judge doubted his guilt. In 2012, DNA testing finally proved his innocence. Krone is the 100th death row inmate to be exonerated in the United States. I was number 100, he said. Ten years, three months, eight days of the hell my family went through. Susan DeBree, a pastor at United Methodist in Livingston, is the mother of a murder victim. Gretchen, her daughter, was shot in the back of the head. Her death was found to be suspicious, but no charges were filed. While the family has spent a lifetime with questions regarding the murder of Gretchen, DeBree said the death penalty wouldnt have brought closure either. The death penalty reinforces the practice of killing another human being to end the conflict, she said. Redemption is a gift from God. Our faith teaches us its possible for all. Franklin Bookhart, a representative with the Montana Association of Christians, said the idea of killing a person for having killed a person is contradictory and calls the whole practice into question. I would add human justice of course is always approximate. Sometimes we execute people who are innocent, he said. Sarah Beck, a pastor from Billings, said the death penalty process forces the families of victims to relive the crime with each appeal and denies the ability to grieve or heal. Beck presented the committee with a letter signed by 50 family members of murder victims, who also oppose being complicit in taking a life. Betsy Griffing, an attorney, said she supports the end of the death penalty for ethical reasons, the exorbitant cost and its arbitrary application. She said death penalty cases are inherently complex and often take 20 years to get through motions, challenges of searches and confessions and constitutionally required appeals. The lengthy process is supposed to ensure that the innocent are not executed. In her years of experience, Griffing said she thought minorities and low-income people were disproportionately sentenced to death. Griffing spoke of a fellow attorney haunted by the hypocrisy of a system that takes a life because it values life. After she supervised the legal team in Montanas first execution in 50 years, she could no longer support the death penalty. I too vowed I would do everything I could to see that the death penalty was abolished, she said. SK Rossi, director of advocacy and public policy for ACLU Montana, said there isnt any evidence suggesting the death penalty deters people from committing capital offenses. No one testified in opposition to the bill. This is an open letter to Rep. Derek Skees, who is promoting a "Personhood Amendment" to prohibit abortion. Rep. Skees, how is it that you fail to understand that under existing law ABORTIONS ARE NOT MANDATORY? If you do not realize this basic fact, then perhaps you also fail to understand that 70 percent of Americans support the U.S. Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision. The Personhood Amendment ain't gonna happen, so quit wasting taxpayer dollars on futile attempts to make it so. Your proposed legislation is a perfect example of why we should limit legislators to one bill per session. Maybe we need an initiative to do just that! Bob Balhiser Helena OAKLAND (BCN) California Highway Patrol officers arrested a man this morning on suspicion of arson after he allegedly set a vehicle on fire in Oakland's Fruitvale neighborhood, CHP officials said. At about 8 a.m., officers located a burning car near the corner of Fruitvale Avenue and East Seventh Street, according to the CHP. With help from witnesses, officers were able to locate a suspect connected to the burning vehicle and arrested him. The suspect has been identified as 20-year-old Jose DeJesus Hermosillo, a transient, CHP officials said. The CHP did not provide a motive for why Hermosillo may have set the vehicle on fire. MISSOULA Justice for Charlie Ann Wyrick came in many forms. It came from Missoula police detective Stacy Lear, who put together the case that led to the arrest of Wyrick's abusive boyfriend, Emmanuel Gomez. It came from Missoula County Attorney Kirsten Pabst and Senior Deputy County Attorney Jordan Kilby, who over his eight-day trial walked through the testimony and evidence that showed Gomez stabbed Wyrick in the chest and dumped her body in a Deer Creek ravine in December 2015. And justice came Monday from the six men and six women of Gomezs jury who found him guilty of deliberate homicide. Wyrick told friends and coworkers, family and doctors that Gomez abused her. The people who worked with her at Pattee Creek Market testified that the 26-year-old told them Gomez threatened to kill her if she tried to leave him. That he used to drive Wyrick up into the Pattee Canyon area showing her the overlooks and ditches he could use to dispose of her body. On Dec. 27, 2015, search teams found Wyricks body at the base of a ravine in the area, right where friends had desperately told police to look after she went missing. Prosecutors charged Gomez with deliberate homicide, believing that he killed Wyrick after an argument at their home on Dec. 21. Roommates testified during the trial they were awoken that morning by yelling, then heard a thump and a scream, and came upstairs to see Gomez get in his SUV and drive quickly away from the house. On Monday, the jury also found Gomez guilty of misdemeanor partner or family member assault for repeatedly attacking Wyrick over the course of their 2015 relationship. Gomez stood, thumbs tucked in his pockets, showing little reaction as the verdict was read. Wyricks death left behind her 6-year old son, who lives in Helena with his father. During the two and a half hours that the jury deliberated, other members of her family waited in the hallway outside the Missoula courtroom. Her mother Crystal Wyrick said when District Court Judge Karen Townsend came down the stairs and told her a verdict was in, she started to shake. The shaking didnt stop until the guilty verdict was read and Missoula County Attorney Kirsten Pabst walked over and hugged Crystal, followed by hugs from senior deputy county attorney Jordan Kilby and detective Stacy Lear. Im just so relieved they found him guilty. I saw no reason why they wouldnt, Crystal said. Townsend hasnt set a sentencing date for Gomez, but it likely wont be until the spring. He faces the possibility of life in prison. Crystal Wyrick said shell be back at the sentencing hearing to tell the judge things about her daughter only a mother could know. I want her to really know about Charlies life outside of all this trauma, she said. I want her to know how alive she was. She was a great mother, she was a great sister. She was the best daughter anyone could have. During her closing argument Kilby went back over the evidence and testimony the jury had heard over the trial, including reminding them that Wyricks blood was found in Gomezs vehicle and home. That GPS data from his cellphone showed he went to Pattee Canyon the morning after the fight, and store receipts and surveillance footage showed him buying cleaning supplies the next day. He dumped her body in Pattee Canyon just as she said he would, and thats where we found her, Kilby said. Pabst told the jury Wyricks behavior of breaking away from Gomez only to get back together with him was that of a classic domestic abuse victim. That may be what ultimately killed Charlie, the decision to continually allow him back into her life, Pabst said. Convict him because hes guilty. Dont feel sorry for anyone; look at the facts. KALISPELL In Northwest Montana, portions of a major highway and rail lines were closed, the Blackfeet Nation declared a state of emergency, Amtrak passenger trains were stuck in Whitefish and Shelby, most schools across more than 9,000 square miles cancelled classes Monday and avalanche danger in much of the region was jacked up to extreme. Its snowing. Relentlessly, in some places. Areas northwest and east of Kalispell were hardest hit. The National Weather Service in Missoula said the Libby-Troy-Eureka areas have gotten 2 to 3 feet of snow since the winter storm entered the area late last week. In Essex, on the southern border of Glacier National Park, its 3 to 4 feet. On the parks east side, in East Glacier and St. Mary, its 4 to 4 feet. The Montana Department of Transportation closed U.S. Highway 2 between West Glacier and East Glacier to all but local traffic Monday morning. Severe conditions have contributed to heavy drifting, which has made the road impassable, DOT advised. The highway was opened between West Glacier and Essex Monday afternoon, but remained closed over Marias Pass. BNSF Railway suspended train operations between Whitefish and Shelby because of avalanches and snowfall, and Ross Lane, the BNSF regional director for public affairs, said there was no estimated time for reopening both main tracks. Amtrak stuck That left approximately 180 passengers on Amtraks Empire Builder which uses the BNSF tracks stuck, half of them who were eastbound, in Whitefish, and half who were westbound, in Shelby. Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said alternative plans were being formulated in case the route over Marias Pass remains closed for an extended period. It could be a few days, Magliari said. Well rebook or offer refunds if the trains are not operating soon. Passengers remained on the trains, which are fully functional save for the fact that they arent allowed to move forward. Magliari said passengers were free to leave and spend time exploring Whitefish or Shelby. Empire Builder trains departing Seattle and Portland, Oregon, were canceled Monday, and on the other side of the route, were only operating between Chicago and St. Paul, Minnesota. Classes canceled Back in Flathead County, dozens of schools canceled classes Monday, including public schools in Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Libby, Eureka, Troy and Bigfork. Bigfork, at the north end of Flathead Lake, got 18 inches of snow between 5 p.m. Sunday and 5 a.m. Monday. Travis Booth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Missoula, said the north shore area of Flathead was the southern boundary of the winter storms heaviest affects. Avalanche danger was rated extreme above 6,000 feet in the Flathead, Whitefish and Swan mountain ranges and in Glacier Park. The Flathead Avalanche Center also said avalanche danger was high in the same areas between 3,500 feet and 6,000 feet. James McNeely, an assistant to Blackfeet Business Council Chairman Harry Barnes, said the tribe declared a state of emergency Monday and encouraged reservation residents to shelter in place. While the snowfall, which ranged from 20 inches in Kalispell to 54 inches on the east side of Glacier, was causing all sorts of problems, skiers were celebrating. At the Whitefish Mountain Resort website, updates to its snow report Monday included this one at 6:15 a.m.: Its been absolutely dumping fat flakes most of the night and the snow keeps coming down hard. By 10:15 a.m., this had been added: Holy. Moly. This is an A-plus, drop-what-youre-doing-come-ski, plow through the pillows kind of day Gnarly roads The winter weather effects were not limited to the extreme northwest corner of Montana. Five crashes involving five semitrucks and a passenger vehicle within 100 yards of each other blocked westbound lanes of Interstate 90 near Saltese for a time Monday. Likewise, in Missoula, a roll-over crash blocked the eastbound lanes of I-90 between the Van Buren Street and East Missoula exits. By 2 p.m., all of those incidents had been cleared. But Sgt. Shawn Smalley of the Montana Highway Patrol said there were three more crashes at mile marker 10 near the Saltese overpass Monday afternoon. None of those blocked the road, he said. There are no injuries, he said, but added, Roads are very slick and icy. The problem spot is 10 miles from the top of Lookout Pass. Motorists were told to expect road closures. The National Weather Service said blowing and drifting snow is causing treacherous driving conditions in the area. Snow accumulations of 10 to 20 inches are anticipated through 11 p.m. Monday from Saltese to Lookout Pass. Lookout Pass alone could receive up to 25 inches. 'Amount unbelievable' Videos posted to the parks Facebook page showed how deep the snow was getting in St. Mary. Were not going to be able to see out of the windows before you know it, the employee, whose name was not given, says as he records the scene outside of his home. The man first took video Sunday night after the Super Bowl ended, letting his pets outside with him. The amount of snow is unbelievable, he says. The dogs are drowning. By Monday morning, the snow was over his waist as he waded through his front yard, and levels had crept significantly higher around his home. Booth, the meteorologist, said the northwest corner of the state could expect snow showers to continue Monday night, but Tuesday would be generally dry. We have another weak system coming up that could drop 1 to 3 inches in Missoula, but in northwest Montana it should be very light, Booth said. Another system Wednesday night and heading into Thursday should begin with snow, but then transition into rain. Temperatures should be in the mid-20s Tuesday, the upper 20s Wednesday and the mid to upper 30s Thursday and Friday. That could produce ponding on roads and properties in places with lesser amounts of snow, but probably not in the hard-hit northwest corner of the state. Theyve got so much snow, they may not have ponding yet, Booth said. MISSOULA -- A proposed pig research facility would not be located on campus, but the lab remains under consideration at the University of Montana. "The location has not been determined," said Scott Whittenburg, vice president for research, on Friday. "It will not be on campus. And it will not be at Fort Missoula." According to UM records, the university may consider sites outside Missoula County including locations closer to Hamilton. UM officials have tried to keep the idea under wraps although internal communications show discussions about porcine research have been underway since at least May 2016. Friday, UM had not yet decided whether to move forward on a proposal that involves hiring a faculty member with expertise in pig research, and opening the porcine research facility. The idea already has drawn support and opposition. Some faculty members have weighed in to back the proposal arguing animal research saves lives and is "vital to relieving human suffering." But other faculty members and community members have protested the idea. Opponents have urged UM to fund "cutting-edge non-animal methods" instead of animal research. Kevin Boileau, co-director of Freedom 4 Animals, has said he wants UM to engage the wider community about the research, and he provided public records from UM to the Missoulian on Friday. In December, Anita Santasier, chair of the School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, sent a note to colleagues about the facility in response to a Missoulian story. "One of the issues discussed centered around having one consistent and accurate voice," Santasier wrote. "We are not going public with the porcine facility until we get the president's OK, which is presently dependent on the overall cost estimate ... "But I do believe we need to address the ethics and practice at UM for animal research in general." In response, another faculty member agreed UM's response needed to be broad and not focused on one species. "I think the response needs to reflect the importance of all animal models, not just pigs," said a professor in biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences. "That being said, (redacted) will be sending me some of the talking points she has used in public education regarding her projects. "(For example I am pretty sure all injuries are induced under anesthesia)." UM has been in discussions with a researcher and associate professor at the University of Alabama School of Medicine, Candace Floyd, about coming to Missoula. Floyd's web page notes she directs a research team at her laboratory focused on spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation website identifies its spinal cord research program as having the only porcine lab in the U.S. Friday, Whittenburg addressed the proposed location of the site, but otherwise declined to respond to questions. Whittenburg directed inquiries to communications director Paula Short, who agreed to an interview next week. In emails, another research professor also urged recipients of the chain "try to take the focus off pigs and address the protections ... in place for all animal research at UM." "A single well written statement (one consistent and accurate voice) from the university stating our commitment to animal welfare and upholding the highest standards of animal care for all work conducted at the university could go a long way to dispel some of the community concerns. "If the large animal facility is approved, a community or university outreach forum could be set up to address questions and concerns at that time." In the communication, UM employees also argued that faculty searches should not be subject to political pressure. UM is the "ideal environment" for discussing animal research, but a Faculty Senate meeting is a questionable forum for the dialogue, one professor argued. Whittenburg agreed, the communication shows: "As you say, next, right wing groups will want us (to) open up searches and help choose a climate person." *** In correspondence last summer, Whittenburg discussed purchasing or leasing a facility "to do the porcine work." The needs include an enclosed loading dock, surgery room, pre-surgery room, post-surgery room, animal run, and animal holding "for up to 15 pigs and the 30 pigs" for another UM researcher, an email said. Whittenburg declined Friday to identify the species of pigs or address the specific projects UM might launch at such a lab. An email notes the facility would also need a dirty wash room, clean room, and clean storage for cages, food and bedding, as well as office space, showers, a break room, and locker rooms for workers. In July, the research vice president toured a potential facility near the airport, and at the time, he said in an email he believed UM was at least six months away from a facility, "assuming no major hurdles in getting approved," but likely closer to a year. In correspondence, Whittenburg also suggested a site "outside Missoula County," writing that "permitting process in Missoula is tough." The animal expenses were estimated at $100,000, according to the records. The funding sources were not clear, but Whittenburg said that UM would own the facility after five years and "can only make money on this." "Large animal facilities are in demand," he said in early August. DECATUR A teen couple was in a northside apartment on a recent morning, when the locked front door was kicked in and two men entered. One of the intruders allegedly pointed a semiautomatic handgun at the couple and threatened to blow off the kneecaps of the male if they did not hand over their money. Jordan Butts, 21, the alleged gunman, and his accomplice, Trenton C. Sullivan, 20, were later located and are being held in the Macon County Jail on $75,000 bond. Both men have been charged with four Class X felonies, two counts each of home invasion and armed robbery. Each count is punishable by six to 30 years in prison, with the armed robbery counts also carrying 15-year firearm enhancements, if convicted. The victims were in a residence on the 3700 block of North Moundford Avenue about 8 a.m. Jan. 29, when the incident occurred. The male victim provided the suspects with $1,500 after the shooting threat, said a probable cause affidavit by Decatur patrol officer Aaron Carr. Throughout the incident, the two suspects, Jordan and Trenton, acted together. While Jordan had the handgun pointed at (the teen male) and demanded money, Trenton was going through dresser drawers in the bedroom looking for money, Carr wrote in his statement. Three other people were in the apartment at the time of the incident. Three of the occupants told police they saw Butts with a handgun. Butts and Sullivan were arrested about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. They are due in court today for their arraignments. As a condition of their bonds, Butts and Sullivan were ordered to have no contact with the five occupants of the apartment and not to go to that apartment building. Butts is serving a 12-month term of conditional discharge, a form of probation, after he pleaded guilty Aug. 2 to a misdemeanor charge of aggravated assault in an unrelated case. As part of a plea deal, a misdemeanor count of mob action was dismissed. In that case, a 17-year-old male reported that he was approached by three males in Goodwin Park in Mount Zion, who threatened to hit him in the head with a crowbar and shouted insults at him, including a racial epithet. One of the males who threatened the victim threw a pocket knife at him, but missed. The victim told police (Jordan) Butts was holding a silver wrench and was threatening to hit him with it. The incident occurred about 6:40 p.m. May 18. Butts was arrested four days later and jailed in connection with that incident. DECATUR Heavy fog blanketed the city today, kicking off a week of unpredictable weather that will include both snow and high temperatures in the 50s. The weather service has issued a dense fog advisory until 1 a.m. Tuesday for a swath of Central Illinois that included Macon, Moultrie, DeWitt, Piatt and McLean counties. Showers and a possible thunderstorm are expected tonight, including the potential for hail. I wish I had a term to explain it, said James Auten, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service at Lincoln. It's almost like we're in the transition period from winter to spring now. We're getting really warm, there's some warm air, and then what's this? Cold? And then we're going to go back to being warm again at the end of the week into the weekend. Decatur drivers apparently took appropriate precautions for the fog, according to local law enforcement agencies. Lt. Shannon Seal of the Decatur Police Department said there were at least five traffic accidents today, but that was fewer than usual and it was not clear whether fog had played a role in any. The Macon County Sheriff's Office reported no crashes by 5:30 p.m. Auten said the fog in Decatur, which dropped visibility to a quarter-mile at times and was varied in density throughout Central Illinois, occurred because of warm air moving over cold ground. The forecast Tuesday in Decatur calls for a chance of showers before noon and cloudy weather that gradually becomes sunny, with a high near 60 degrees. Winds could gust as high as 25 miles per hour. Tuesday night, the temperature is expected to drop, with a low of 29 degrees. On Wednesday, the forecast calls for a 40 percent chance of snow before noon. The high temperature is 33 degrees. There's good news ahead in the forecast, Auten said. The eight- to 14-day outlook for the weather service shows above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation. Through the middle of February, temperatures are going to be on the mild side, Auten said. WASHINGTON - A trio of Republican senators reacted sharply Sunday to President Donald Trump's latest apparent defense of Russian President Vladimir Putin, rejecting Trump's suggestion in an interview that America cannot claim moral superiority to Putin's Russia. Trump's remarks came in an interview with Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly that was previewed Saturday and is set to be broadcast in full Sunday evening before the Super Bowl. In the clip, Trump repeated his past praise for Putin, saying "it's better to get along with Russia than not," which prompted O'Reilly to press him: "But he's a killer, though. Putin's a killer." "There are a lot of killers," Trump said. "We've got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country's so innocent?" Congressional Republicans have broken with Trump over dozens of controversial statements he has made during his campaign, his transition and now his presidency, but no issue appears to have flummoxed lawmakers as much as his consistent defense of Putin. Trump's coziness is at odds with years of GOP foreign policy orthodoxy calling for a more aggressive stance toward Putin's regime. In a CNN interview Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., rejected any comparison between the two nations, citing Russia's annexation of Crimea, its invasion of Ukraine and its interference in the U.S. presidential election. "I don't think there's any equivalency between the way that the Russians conduct themselves and the way the United States does," he said, adding: "I'm not going to critique the president's every utterance, but I do think America is exceptional. America is different. We don't operate in any way the Russians do. I think there's a clear distinction here that all Americans understand, and no, I would not have characterized it that way." Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., weighed in on Twitter: "When has a Democratic political activist been poisoned by the GOP, or vice versa? We are not the same as #Putin." And on ABC's This Week, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., lambasted Trump's remarks and called on him to "show moral leadership about this issue." "Let's be clear: Has the U.S. ever made any mistakes? Of course," Sasse said. "Is the U.S. at all like Putin's regime? Not at all. The U.S. affirms freedom of speech. Putin is no friend of freedom of speech. Putin an enemy of freedom of religion. The U.S. celebrates freedom of religion. Putin is an enemy of the free press. The U.S. celebrates free press. Putin is an enemy of political dissent. The U.S. celebrates political dissent and the right for people to argue free from violence about places where our ideas are in conflict. "There is no equivalency between the United States of America, the greatest freedom loving nation in the history of the world, and the murderous thugs that are in Putin's defense of his cronyism. There's no moral equivalency there." Sasse continued: "I don't understand what the president's position is on Russia. But I can tell you what my position is on Russia: Russia is a great danger to a lot of its neighbors, and Putin has as one of his core objectives fracturing NATO, which is one of the greatest military alliances in the history of the world. And so Putin is a mess. He's committed all sort of murderous thuggery, and I am opposed to the way Putin conducts himself in world affairs, and I hope that the president also wants to show moral leadership about this issue." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Environmental Protection Agency has come under constant fire from the Trump administration, enduring both a temporary gag order which was later partially lifted and news that President Trump was looking to cut the agency's budget and staff. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) introduced HR 861 Friday to get rid of the agency altogether. Although details of the bill weren't immediately available, Gaetz said his bill to terminate the agency was meant to leave it to local governments "to protect their environmental assets in the absence of federal overreach." "They have exceeded their original mission substantially under both Republican and Democratic presidents and violated the sovereignty of the states," Gaetz told the Northwest Florida Daily News. "I think we need to start fresh." Scott Pruitt, Trump's pick for EPA administrator, passed a Senate committee vote on Thursday and will head to the senate floor. Pruitt is considered a controversial pick for the position, given that he has questioned climate science, is considered an ally to the fossil fuel industry and has sued the EPA as attorney general in the past. Pruitt is expected to scale back the agency in the likelihood that he becomes EPA administrator, and Myron Ebell echoed those sentiments in a recent interview with the Associated Press. Ebell, who was charged with transitioning the EPA between administrations, said that he would like to cut the agency's staff by about half as a start. "Undoubtedly the federal government has been staffed with scientists who believe the global-warming alarmist agenda," Ebell told the AP. The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Rep. Seven Palazzo (R-Miss.) and Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.). In an email obtained by the Huffington Post, Gaetz sought co-sponsors for the bill and wrote that "it is time to take back our legislative power from the EPA and abolish it permanently." "As conservatives, we must understand that states and local communities are best positioned to responsibly regulate the environmental assets within their jurisdictions," Gaetz said in his email. "This legislation abolishes the EPA effective December 31, 2018, to allow our state and local government partners to implement responsible policies in the interim." BRUSSELS The European Unions top diplomats vowed Monday to uphold sanctions against Russia for destabilizing conflict-torn Ukraine, despite confusion over how President Trump plans to manage his relations with Moscow. Determined to wait no longer for a clear message from Washington, EU foreign ministers said their economic sanctions must remain in place until Russian President Vladimir Putin respects his promise to work for a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine and ensure that heavy weapons are withdrawn from border areas. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini underlined that the EU will never recognize Russias 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, and insisted all sides must respect the Minsk peace agreement aimed at ending the fighting in eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russia-backed separatists. I cannot say where the U.S. administration stands on this, but I can say where the Europeans stand on this, Mogherini said. Fighting has escalated over the past week in eastern Ukraine, killing at least 36 people, including civilians, and wounding dozens. More than 9,800 people have died since the war began in 2014. The EU imposed a series of rolling economic sanctions against Russia in July 2014. They include economic and diplomatic measures, like the cancellation of top meetings, and travel bans and asset freezes on people linked to the annexation of Crimea or accused of interfering with Ukraines territorial integrity. Some of those measures were renewed in December until July 31. The United Kingdom will be insisting that there is no case for the relaxation of the sanctions, every case for keeping up the pressure on Russia, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linus Antanas Linkevicius described the developments in eastern Ukraine as highly unpredictable. It could erupt at any time, he said. The sanctions must be preserved, to say the least. EU member countries were rattled by Trumps generally benevolent view of Putin during the election. Trump has repeatedly praised Putin and signaled that U.S.-Russia relations could be in for a makeover under his leadership, even after U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign to help Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton. Lorne Cook is an Associated Press writer. 1 Deadly slides: A string of avalanches and snowstorms has killed scores of people in Afghanistan in the past two days, blocking key roads across the country and canceling all flights at Kabul Airport, officials said Sunday. About 50 people died in avalanches in the rugged province of Nurestan in one village Sunday, said its governor, Hafiz Abdul Qayoum. There were reports of deaths in Parwan, to the north of Kabul; Badakhshan in the northeast; and several other parts of the country. The total number of dead is about 100, said the minister for national disaster management, Wais Ahmad Barmak. 2 Turkey raids: Antiterrorism police in Turkey have detained 445 people for alleged links to the Islamic State group, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported Sunday. At least 60 suspects, the majority of them foreigners, were taken into custody Sunday in the capital, Ankara. Other raids were conducted in Istanbul and Gaziantep, near the border with Syria. Turkey, which endured a failed coup attempt and dozens of bloody attacks linked to Islamic State or Kurdish militants last year, has been intensifying its antiterrorism efforts. KABUL In the second piece of alarming news in just a week for the anti-Taliban fight in Afghanistan, the United Nations reported Monday that nearly 3,500 Afghan civilians died and more than 7,900 were wounded in the conflict last year the highest tolls since U.N. officials began recording civilian casualties in 2009. The report said the figures represented a 3 percent increase over 2015 and a 24 percent rise in the number of children, who accounted for 923 of the dead and 2,589 of those injured. It said two thirds of the casualties were inflicted by insurgents but that air strikes by Afghan and NATO forces accounted for 250 deaths and 340 injuries, nearly double the rate for the previous year. The U.N. Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, called on all parties to the conflict to take immediate concrete measures to protect the ordinary Afghan men, women and children whose lives are being shattered. The devastating report came just days after a U.S. government watchdog group reported that the Afghan government continued to lose territorial control to the insurgents in 2016. The report, from the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR), found that the government maintains full control over only 57 percent of Afghan territory, down from 72 percent at the end of 2015. As civilian deaths hit record numbers last year, SIGAR reported that conflict-related violence also took a high toll on Afghan security forces. It said 6,785 soldiers and police had been killed and another 11,777 wounded through last November. In addition, nine U.S. troops died in Afghanistan in 2016. The spate of alarming reports came after the second full year in which Afghan defense forces have been doing almost all of the fighting against the Taliban and other insurgent groups, after the Obama administration pulled out the majority of U.S. forces at the end of 2014. Currently, there are about 8,400 U.S. troops remaining in the country, most as the result of a decision by then-President Barack Obama last summer to slow down his planned final draw down amid persistent incidents of Taliban aggression. Most of them are limited to advising and supporting Afghan ground forces, but that includes conducting air strikes that often take a deadly civilian toll. The U.N. report released Monday said fighting on the ground, especially in civilian areas, was the leading cause of civilian casualties, followed by explosive devices, suicide attacks and deliberate killings. It also noted an increased number of attacks by Islamic State-affiliated fighters, which killed 209 people and wounded 690, mostly in bombings of Shiite communities. Throughout 2016, the Taliban staged repeated assaults on scattered provincial capitals and cities, which forced an estimated 600,000 people to flee their homes at least temporarily. The insurgents also staged suicide attacks in major cities including Kabul and Kandahar. Sayed Salahuddin and Pamela Constable are Washington Post writers. Liking Twilight is often derided as a sign of how shallow (especially young) women are. I don't believe that, but that's a separate post. We now live at a time where Trump appeals to many men precisely because they see him as an authentic "man's man," unlike the feminized "SJWs" or "cuckservatives." But, like, there he was - as Stewart points out - tweeting 11 times about her on-off relationship with her Twilight co-star Robert Pattinson, in 2012, and specifically disparaging her. What? Who does that? The man who won the electoral college in 2016, apparently. Stewart referred to herself as "so gay" during the monologue. I hear *some* queer women have feelings about that (n=1?). In all seriousness, by appearing on SNL, she's now in all likelihood on Trump's (and his fans') radar for further cyber-bullying. I hope she is able to navigate that safely. She also accidentally said "fuck" on live TV, which made Kate McKinnon have this reaction: Kate's reaction to Kristen lowkey dropping the fuck bomb has added about 5 years to my life span pic.twitter.com/zBLIctvaHs . (@katemreactions) February 5, 2017 [content note: transphobia, homophobia, gender policing, sexual assault] Exit polls showed that LGBT voters overwhelmingly cast ballots for Hillary Clinton (77%) compared to Donald Trump (14%) in Election 2016. With LGBT identities cutting across all racial, gender, ethnic, and religious/non-religious identities and socioeconomic classes, the reasons for this support are likely many. So, here I'll speak to my experience.The first election in which I voted was in 2000, placing me within a generation of lesbians who came of age as adults during the Bush II years. I remember these years feeling like an ongoing barrage of anti-LGBT sentiment, not just from politicians but from the religious right, as well. Organizations like National Organization for Marriage (NOM) and Family Research Council ran campaign after campaign seeking to restrict LGBT rights and promote special privileges for anti-LGBT religious organizations.George W. Bush generally opposed LGBT equality as President, opposing LGBT adoption, supporting Don't Ask Don't Tell, opposing marriage equality, and opposing hate crimes legislation that covered sexual orientation. In 2004, Bush succumbed to pressure from Evangelical Christians and supported an amendment to the US Constitution banning same-sex marriage, a move that set him apart from his Democratic opponent John Kerry . Of note, Kerry also opposed same-sex marriage, as did many prominent Democrats then, but I saw a general consensus among my LGBT friends that Democrats had more potential to evolve on the issue compared to Republicans. Questions about support for trans people's rights do not seem to have been regularly asked of candidates in "On the Issues" surveys back then, but I do not remember Bush as a public advocate for trans rights either.Then, in 2009, early in President Obama's first term, the National Organization for Marriage released a propaganda video, "A Gathering Storm," which true to the group's gay-baiting style painted same-sex marriage as a quasi-terroristic threat to the nation. Instead of being effective, the video inspired a strong backlash against bigotry, as dozens of high-profile parodies and responses were created. In retrospect, the video seemed to foreshadow NOM's Obama Era decline. (It's really hard to even find the original video, but here is one version, in which someone inserted a laugh track , because of course they did).During President Obama's two terms, as just some examples, he signed legislation repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell, signed federal hate crimes legislation, supported marriage equality, called for an end to "conversion therapy" for gay and trans youth, and signed an Executive Order prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation ( and more ). At the same time, progress has lagged for trans people. For instance, the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell did not end the ban on allowing trans individuals to serve openly in the military. And, anti-trans groups continue to propose "bathroom bills," demonizing trans people as predators and policing gender.Now, with Mike Pence serving on Trump's team, Evangelical Christians rallying around Trump, and the threat of an upcoming Executive Order that would grant religious organizations the special privilege to discriminate, many in the LGBT community fear a rollback of progress made during President Obama's tenure.It is no surprise to me then, that since November 8, 2016, my social media timelines have been full of LGBT people resisting Trump in various ways. Today, I'd like to highlight just a few recent instances that I'm aware of (which I'd like to make semi-regular updates to, as well):On Saturday, thousands of LGBT people (and, presumably, allies) gathered at Stonewall Inn in New York City's Greenwich Village to protest. The intent was, per The Guardian , "to stand with immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers outraged by the presidents executive order banning refugees and travelers from certain Muslim-majority countries from entering the US." I love the intersectional message here:Stonewall Inn, of course, is a historic site of LGBT resistance in the US, even though advocacy work had begun before the riots of 1969. Many accounts credit a black drag queen, Marsha Johnson, and a Puerto Rican transgender woman, Sylvia Rivera, for sparking the crowd to fight back against the ongoing police raids at the bar, which many now see as the symbolic beginning of the modern LGBT rights movement. Other sources include further claims that the first punch was thrown by a butch lesbian who was being arrested . (ps - I skipped the recent Stonewall movie ).As a reminder that mainstream Republicans are hardly innocent in paving the way for Trump, here is former presidential contender, and Governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee tweeting over the weekend:Here, Huckabee ridicules Senator Schumer for having gotten emotional while speaking out against Trump's Muslim Ban (Trump ridiculed Schumer as well). As a broad note, Mike Huckabee might be one of the political establishment's least funny guys. The Christian Reverend's Twitter "jokes" consistently rely on appealing to cruelty and a complete lack of empathy for other people. In this tweet in particular, Huckabee is policing gender () while also referencing as the "punchline" of his joke a movie that's based on Brandon Teena, a trans man who was raped and murdered by men who policed his gender.Truly deplorable.In response, actually-funny comedians (and real-life married couple) Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher started a campaign to raise money for the nonprofit Trans Lifeline, in Brandon Teena's memory. So far, they've raised $13,000.I propose adding Mike Huckabee's opinions to the ongoing tally of things to never normalize. (ps -, starring Butcher and Esposito, is funny and good if you're looking to support queer women's art).On a lighter note, I enjoyed Kristen Stewert's opening SNL monologue. She accomplished three important items:As a general note about resisting Trump, I've seen a fair amount of tsk-tsking about "appropriate" resistance behavior and cursing, in particular. I'll just point out that from a posterity standpoint, "I didn't oppose fascists because the people resisting said 'fuck' sometimes" is probably not going to age well.When I made foray into blogging 10 years ago, one of the first slurs aimed at me was from a homophobic Christian who called me a "potty-mouthed dyke." To paraphrase, Solange: yeah, well, we've got a lot to say "fuck" about. Welcome to Shakesville, a progressive feminist blog about politics, culture, social justice, cute things, and all that is in between. Please note that the commenting policy and the Feminism 101 section, conveniently linked at the top of the page, are required reading before commenting. Strong demand from China combined with limited supply has seen the price for the humble lamb flap rise to match its previous record high. The price for lamb flaps advanced to US$5.50 per kilogram in January, from US$5.40/kg in December, matching the previous record set in January 2014, according to AgriHQ's monthly sheep & beef report. Poor lamb growth rates through spring and early summer combined with improved grass growth has crimped the number of lambs being sent for slaughter in New Zealand, pushing up the price of all lamb cuts tracked by AgriHQ compared with their year-earlier levels. Lamb export volumes in December fell 25 percent from the year earlier to 20,580 tonnes, the lowest level for the month since 2011, according to the latest data. Volumes exported to China were down 40 percent as demand for lamb flaps, a key ingredient for traditional hotpot dishes, remained strong heading into the Chinese New Year holiday period which started late January. "Moderate production levels, the transition from frozen to chilled production and low inventories held by processors have all continued to stifle the volume of frozen lamb available to international buyers," AgriHQ analyst Reece Brick said in his report. "In-market prices for flaps have kept nudging upwards to the point where they are now in line with the highest level recorded by AgriHQ in the eight years prices have been collected. The short-term outlook is for a similar or slightly firmer market in the coming months." Elsewhere, the benchmark price of a leg of lamb in the UK increased to 4.50 British pounds/kg in January, ahead of 4.35 pounds/kg in December and 3.35 pounds/kg a year earlier, however AgriHQ's Brick said New Zealand dollar returns have been dented by an increase in the value of the kiwi dollar against the British pound. "Market participants have described demand out of the UK as good, but there's been nothing positive to report around exchange rates, which appear set to hamper any efforts by exporters," Brick said. The price for US imported 95CL bull beef, the raw ingredient for meat patties, edged up to US$2.12 a pound, from US$1.92/lb the previous month, and US$1.94/lb a year earlier. However Brick noted that while the US imported beef market had improved, the benefits to New Zealand exporters were undone by exchange rate movements, with prices for 95CL in New Zealand dollar terms down 2 percent from year-earlier levels. Meat is New Zealands second-largest commodity export product behind dairy, according to the latest annual data published by Statistics New Zealand. The value of meat exports declined 13 percent $5.9 billion last year, with the value of beef exports dropping by $481 million and the value of lamb by $415 million. The volume of meat exports fell 7.4 percent, with beef down 14 percent and lamb slipping 4.6 percent. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: SKC - ADDITIONAL US PRIVATE PLACEMENT FUNDING SECURED Spark New Zealand Limited's Annual Meeting Results 2022 Fonterra Australia settles class action proceedings PFI - Q3 Dividend, Development and Divestment Update November 4th Morning Report FPH to announce half year results on 29 November 2022 ATM - FDA approval to supply infant milk formula to United States Steel & Tube - Adopts ESG World Platform BGP - 3rd Quarter Sales to 30 October 2022 GEO - Quarterly Operating Update DECATUR The Decatur City Council will be asked today to consider approving a staff reorganization that could save nearly $300,000. The structural changes would create three positions while eliminating three as a result of staff leaving or retiring, City Manager Tim Gleason said. No layoffs are included in the plan, Gleason said. He said the plan is a result of trying to create a more streamlined approach rather than reacting to financial shortfalls. Some of the plans are a result of anticipated retirements that Gleason said have not officially been announced yet. We do not have to push the panic button, Gleason said. We want to capitalize on opportunities whenever we can. The goal is to have more staff in positions to hit the ground running and have fewer supervisors as part of a more efficient organizational setup, Gleason said. Among the new positions would be a director for the department of economic and community development, which would include the neighborhood services department. Neighborhood services, which is responsible for code enforcement, is currently supervised by the city's legal department. In addition to economic development, the department would be responsible for planning and sustainability, along with building inspections. Mass transit would be moved into the new economic development division. The mission of the new position would be related to increasing the desirability of the community, Gleason said. Development and revitalization specialist Tim Dudley, who started work last week, would be included in the department, Gleason said. Dudley is taking over some of the duties of former economic development officer Patrick Hoban, who left Friday for a job in Tinley Park. Other proposed changes include establishing a human resources department and director along with information technology department. The city's water management department would be consolidated into the public works department, Gleason said. He said that would allow public works more oversight with several multimillion-dollar projects under way and allow it to work in a more efficient, cost-effective manner. Gleason said a deputy city manager position would be created with both current assistant city manager positions eliminated through attrition. He said the change would go into effect June 1. Gleason said the city clerk would report directly to the city manager rather than an assistant city manager. CLINTON Representatives of a Kansas-based wind farm continue to stay in touch with DeWitt County officials, but a proposed wind farm is at least a year away from breaking ground. Currently, there are no wind farms based in DeWitt County, but Trade Winds Energy of Lenexa, Kan., began meeting with local officials a decade ago about launching a project. They remain interested. Jeff Hammond, a project manager for the company, visited with DeWitt County representatives and prospective landowners about a year ago, said DeWitt County zoning administrator Angie Sarver. They keep in touch, but they have not yet submitted any kind of special-use permit with the land use committee, which would enable them to move forward, she said. Still, the project is listed as In development on Trade Wind Energys website as a potential project. According to the company website, about 18,000 acres have been secured involving about 143 individual landowners. Tradewind Energy is in ongoing conversations with landowners in rural DeWitt County regarding the proposed Alta Farms II Wind Project, said development director Gina Wolf. We hope to have the opportunity to bring economic development to the area through the potential wind project. According to the website, the project would be in western Dewitt County and extend partly into eastern Logan County. If it is built, power would be sold to regional utility companies and is expected to produce enough power for about 60,000 homes. Also, according to the website, the project would utilize significant local labor for construction and operations. When representatives last visited with Sarver and DeWitt County officials, they expressed interest in applying for a special-use permit in the fall of 2017 and beginning construction in the spring of 2018. Dear Dr. Roach: My son was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder. The doctor prescribed sertraline (Zoloft). When I inquired about a blood test to determine his serotonin levels, the doctor told me it wasn't necessary. How could a medication be prescribed without knowing what his levels are? My wife has her levels checked each year for her thyroid medication. -- M.M. A: There are some medications whose effectiveness can be followed using blood tests, and a few that must be. If a medication is being used to treat a symptom, it usually is more important to treat the symptom than to treat a number, so sometimes experienced clinicians will use a dose that causes the blood level to be a bit higher or lower than recommended. On the other hand, some medicines -- for instance, warfarin to prevent blood clotting -- need to be precisely regulated using blood testing to be sure it is both effective and nontoxic. In the case of sertraline and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, there isn't a blood test to be followed. It's not serotonin in the blood that is affected by these medications, but serotonin in the synapses (the connections between brain cells). SSRIs block the clearing of serotonin after it is released, allowing the nerve to increase the rate of firing. The dose of sertraline depends on the condition treated. Smaller doses are needed for anxiety or depression than usually are needed for obsessive compulsive disorder. Fortunately, sertraline is fairly safe: Even the higher doses needed for OCD generally have few side effects. Cardiac amyloidosis Dear Dr. Roach: Your recent column on shortness of breath hit home. At age 59, I had shortness of breath, and my doctors said I had asthma. That winter I got pneumonia, and a sharp doctor saw something on my test results and called in a cardiologist. After talking with and examining me and reviewing my scans, he called it cardiac amyloidosis. Further tests proved him right. I have the wild type. Unfortunately, there is no cure. They are finding this disease in younger people today, and often it is missed or misdiagnosed. -- J.P. A: I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I have seen a few cases of cardiac amyloidosis. Amyloid is a family of related proteins, and amyloidosis is the deposition of a type of that protein into various organs. The deposited protein interferes with the functioning of the organ. The kidneys, skin, liver, muscles and nerves all may be affected. Amyloidosis can occur in combination with various diseases, especially multiple myeloma. Myeloma -- a disease of plasma cells, which make antibodies -- is associated with AL amyloidosis. These proteins are made up of the light chain of antibodies, and this is the type that also occurs in people with no underlying disorder. (This used to be called "primary amyloidosis"). There is another type, called ATTR amyloidosis. A mutation of this gene causes familial amyloidosis, but the "wild type," a nonmutated gene, causes many cases of what used to be called "senile systemic amyloidosis" ("senile" because it happens in older adults). In cardiac amyloidosis, the proteins interfere with the function of the heart, which can lead to the heart being unable to pump efficiently and the clinical syndrome of heart failure. It also can affect the conduction system. Treatment for cardiac amyloidosis needs to be undertaken by an expert, as therapies for other types of heart failure can be ineffective or even harmful in people with cardiac amyloidosis. Heart transplant sometimes is considered for very severe cases. You are right that this disease is underdiagnosed, and I appreciate your writing to help raise awareness. More information is available at www.amyloidosis.org. EFFINGHAM Illinois State Police said a driver was in no state to be behind the wheel when he crashed his semitruck into an interstate median and the vehicle rolled onto its side early Saturday near Effingham. The accident happened at 5:20 a.m on I-57 southbound about five miles north of Effingham. Truck driver Roland G. Balossa, 40, of Texas was injured. He was taken to HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham and later airlifted to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. Police ticketed Balossa for improper lane usage and driving while ill or fatigued after the wreck. NEW DELHI: Handset maker Micromax is setting up a $75-million independent fund that will focus on investing in domestic and international consumer internet companies. In the last two years, Micromax has already invested in about 10 startups, including ixigo, Gaana, HealthifyMe and Scandid. The fund -- Orbis Capital -- aims to raise $75 million in the next 12-18 months. Backed by Micromax as an investor and strategic partner, the fund will focus on investing in consumer internet companies both locally and internationally. "We have tasted a great amount of success with all our investments that we strategically did over the last two years and this progression to announce an independent fund was due to the large opportunities that the market presents. This fund will look at investing in consumer internet companies across the world that have local relevance," Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma said. This will also allow Micromax to further leverage its platform for larger opportunities, he added. Orbis Capital is in the process of building an advisory board alongside the investment team and has already brought on board leading entrepreneurs including Nami Zarringhalam (Truecaller co-founder) and Parry Blacher (former co-founder, Covestor). Kumar Shah, who spearheaded Micromax's global investment programme will lead Orbis Capital along with his existing team. Read Also: India's GDP Growth Likely At 7.1 Pct In 2017-18: HSBC Indian Bank Revises Interest Rates In FCNR(B) Deposits At todays first spring parliamentary session, MP Zarouhie Postanjyan proposed that Armenias National Assembly invite Garo Paylan, an Armenian MP in the Turkish parliament, so that he could address the legislature. I believe that you should extend such an invitation, Postanjyan said addressing parliament president Galoust Sahakyan. Are you ready our colleague and compatriot to Armenia? Shakayan responded that the matter must be reviewed to see whether such an invitation was in the best interest of Armenia. Its a good idea and acceptable to all. But, at the same time, it raises a political issue that we must discuss, Sahakyan said. Postanjyan argued that Paylan was being persecuted for his remarks in Turkeys parliament and that parliamentarians in Armenia must express their solidarity with him. Photo: Galoust Sahakyan MUMBAI: State-run Bank of Maharashtra has entered into a corporate agency agreement with Cigna TTK Health for distribution of the latter's products in the bank's branches. The bank will offer Cigna TTK's health insurance products to its two crore customers through its network of over 1,896 branches, it said in a statement here today. "We are glad to have Cigna TTK as our health insurancepartner, and our coming together will help us in not only offering a wide range of products, but also help us enhance customer satisfaction and deliver increased value to our customers," Bank of Maharashtra's Managing Director and CEO Ravindra Marathe said. Cigna TTK Health's Managing Director and CEO Sandeep Patel said, "Bank of Maharashtra enjoys great visibility in a large number of tier-III and tier-IV cities, helping expand Cigna TTK's footprint across the previously unchartered territories, and also helping to offer affordable health insurance solutions to an increasing number of people." Last week, the bank had signed a similar agreement with Future Generali India Insurance to offer its customers non-life insurance products of the insurer. Read Also: Satya Nadella To Address Microsoft's India Event KPMG India Appoints Arun Kumar As Chairman And CEO JERUSALEM: Renowned Indian-origin British sculptor Anish Kapoor, who has emerged as a champion of Syrian refugees' rights, today won Israel's prestigious USD one million Genesis Prize for his commitment to Jewish values. Kapoor, 62, spoke out against "abhorrent government policies" towards refugees as he was named the recipient of this year's Genesis prize, dubbed Jewish Nobel. The prize committee, headed by Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky, acknowledged Kapoor as "one of the most influential and innovative artists of his generation". Kapoor joins Itzhak Perlman, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and actor-director Michael Douglas as recipients. Kapoor, born in Mumbai to an Iraqi-origin Jewish mother and Indian father, said he will donate the award money to help people who have fled war or persecution. He said he would use the money to help alleviate the refugee crisis and try to expand the Jewish community's engagement in a global effort to aid Syrian refugees. More than 12.5 million Syrians, including 2.5 million children, have been displaced during the current political turmoil in the West Asian state, he noted. "Jewish identity and history have witnessed recurring conditions of indifference, persecution and Holocaust. Repeatedly, we have had to repossess ourselves and re-identify our communities," Kapoor said. "As inheritors and carriers of Jewish values, it is unseemly, therefore, for us to ignore the plight of people who are persecuted, who have lost everything and had to flee as refugees in mortal danger," he said. "Outsider consciousness resides at the heart of Jewish identity and this is what motivates me, while accepting the honour of the Genesis Prize, to re-gift the proceeds to refugee causes." He also made a passionate plea to Jews around the world to speak out for refugees wherever they are. "I am an artist, not a politician, and I feel I must speak out against indifference for the suffering of others. There are over 60 million refugees in the world today - whatever the geography of displacement, the refugees crisis is right here on our doorstep," he said. Kapoor created the Holocaust Memorial for the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in London and the 70 candles for Holocaust Memorial Day in Britain in 2015, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz from the Nazis. The prize, which is awarded by the Genesis Prize Foundation, the office of the Israeli Prime Minister and the Jewish Agency for Israel recognises individuals who have attained excellence and international renown in their fields and whose actions and achievements express a commitment to Jewish values, the Jewish community and the State of Israel. Sharansky, who heads the prize committee, said, "Throughout our history, the Jewish people suffered not only from active and violent antisemitism, perpetrated by a minority, but also from the indifference of the majority." "It is this indifference that made persecution, massacres and the Holocaust possible. Anish Kapoor has campaigned against this. His message is clear, powerful and inspiring," he added. Stan Polovets, chairman and co-founder of the Genesis Prize Foundation, said the profound impact of Kapoor's work continues a long history of Jewish contribution to the arts, while his social activism reaffirms the commitment of the Jewish people to humanitarian causes. "We particularly admire how, in an age frequently characterised by cynicism and indifference, Anish continually advocates for the world's disadvantaged - challenging all of us to do more to help wherever and whenever we can," Polovets said. Read Also: Satya Nadella To Address Microsoft's India Event KPMG India Appoints Arun Kumar As Chairman And CEO NEW DELHI: As part of efforts to combat blackmoney and fake currency through demonetisation, government agencies have conducted over 1,100 searches and issued 5,100 notices to verify suspicious high-value cash deposits. This led to seizure of valuables worth over Rs 610 crore, of which as high as Rs 513 crore were in cash. "Post demonetisation, during November 9, 2016 to January 10, 2017, more than 1,100 searches and surveys were conducted and more than 5,100 notices were issued by the Income Tax Department for verification of suspicious high-value cash deposits," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Friday. He was responding to a query on the extent to which the government has achieved its objective of the cash ban announced on November 8. The seizure of the money in the whole exercise so far has involved Rs 110 crore in the form of new currency notes (of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000). "The undisclosed income detected in these ongoing investigations till January 10, 2017, was more than 5,400 crore," he said. In a separate reply, Minister of State for Finance Santosh Gangwar said relevant information has been shared by the I-T Department with other law enforcement agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation for appropriate action. "As on November 8, 2016, there were 17,165 million pieces of 500 and 6,858 million pieces of Rs;1,000 in circulation. The value of specified bank notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 returned to RBI and currency chests amounted to Rs 12.44 lakh crore as of December 10, 2016," Gangwar said. Jaitley said demonetisation seeks to create a new normal wherein GDP would be "bigger, cleaner and real". "This exercise is part of the government's resolve to eliminate corruption, blackmoney, counterfeit currency and terror funding," said the finance minister. The government is taking steps such as collection of requisite information from various sources, conducting investigations in appropriate cases, searches, surveys, assessment of income, levy of penalty and launching of criminal prosecution to curb blackmoney, he said. Formation of the special investigation team (SIT) on blackmoney, enactment of comprehensive law, Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015, amendment of the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988 are among other measures taken by the government to weed out blackmoney inside and outside the country, he said further. In reply to a question on action taken or proposed against offenders, Gangwar said it is an ongoing process and a number of effective measures have been taken to verify cash deposits in old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in banks by those whose case deposits were not in line with their existing profile based on filings with the tax department. In another reply, Jaitley said there has been a rise in deposits made in accounts opened under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana since November 9, 2016, adding that the 5,100 notices issued to verify suspicious deposits also included such accounts. "A number of measures have been taken by the government, which include collection of information on cash transactions, collation and analysis of such information, extensive use of information technology and data analytic tools for identification of high-risk cases, expeditious verification of suspect cases and enforcement action as required," he added. Read Also:} Microsoft Seeks Exemption For Workers, Students From Travel Ban Telecom Subscriber Base In India Crossed 1.12 Bn In Nov: Trai Page Content The Child Protection Agencies of the Dutch Caribbean and Judges of the Joined Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba held a one-day conference on St. Maarten, entitled The Child as Focus of Attention in the Caribbean, Together, We are Stronger. The conference was initiated and hosted by Dutch Dependents Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba (the BES islands). It was attended by representatives from the BES islands and St. Maarten. The related entitiesCourt of guardianship, Child Protection Services, Center of Youth and Family and the Court officialscame together to discuss the legal frame of the protective measures, matters related to alimony request/collection and other matters of interest. Paramount also was seeking ways on how these organizations can work better with each other in a more efficient and effective manner to provide assistance to each other in the service of protecting the children in their respective Countries. At the opening of the conference, there was a welcome address by the Minister of Justice Rafael Boasman, who welcomed participants and encouraged a productive meeting, seeing the critical importance of the topic and the real life situations with our countries and islands. Other opening remarks were given by Director of the Court of Guardianship St. Maarten/SXM, Mrs. Richelda Rodriguez-Emmanuel and the substitute Director of Center of Youth and Family from the BES, Mrs. Ingrid Sealy. Short lectures were given by Judge Mauritsz de Kort (St. Maarten) as well as Judge Gerardus Van den Dungen (Bonaire), Mrs. Ingrid Sealy ( substitute Director Center of Youth and Family of the BES) and Curvin George (Director of the Court of Guardianship of the BES). Mr George also chaired the panel discussion and the debate that took place on the different elements of child protection. The attendees were committed in their efforts to offer the same quality of protection and care to minors living on the respective islands of the Dutch Caribbean. Photo caption Group photo of attendees Page Content Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), announces that there will be a partial road closure of the Walter J.A. Nisbeth road on Sunday, February 5. The partial closure will be between 7.00am and 12.00pm and will take place between Voges Street and the Salt Pond Pickers Round-a-bout in the vicinity of Police Headquarters. The partial closure is in efforts of applying the white dividing lines and pedestrian crossings for the newly paved areas of the road. All road painting will be completed within short by the Department of Infrastructure Management within the Ministry of VROMI. The resurfacing of Walter J. A. Nisbeth road, Coralita road and Mount William Hill road has been completed. Honorable Minister C. Emmanuel is focused on resurfacing as many roads as the budget permits. A new approach has been taken where minimal patch work will be conducted and a longer area of the road will be resurfaced in order to increase the durability. Ministry VROMI apologizes for any inconveniences this may cause. Styopa Safaryan, Founder of the Armenian Institute of International and Security Affairs (AIISA) After the collapse of Europes last empireUSSR and 25 years later from Armenias independency its still difficult to insist without ambiguity on the complete and irreversible elimination of neo-colonization risks if not for many of former soviet republics, then surely for some of them, including Armenia. The countrys security policies remain deeply affected by crucial developments of the last 100 years yet, which have also left a large imprint on the national identity and memory. Being the first nation in the world to adopt Christianity as a state religion (301 AD) Armenians experienced the cruelest hardships in the periods of collapses or in juncture of especially two empiresOttoman and Russian. The nation saw the first Genocide of the 20th centurymassacres of more than 1.5 million Armenians in 1915, in the period of the Ottoman Empires agony and in the whirlpool of the WWI. Then incorporation of the first Armenian Republic (1918-1920) into a reformatted Communist Russian Empire, followed by partition of Armenian homeland between Kemalist Turkey and Bolshevist Russia, and by attaching Armenian-populated regions of Nakhijevan and Nagorno Karabakh (NK) to Soviet Azerbaijan by Stalins decision were quite enough to hate both empires. Nagorno Karabakh: detonator for dismantling the empire and driving force for Armenias security policies Under Gorbachevs Glasnost policy, the first massive democratic movement with the agenda of the reunification of NK and Armenia erupted in these very months of 1988. Shaking the foundations of the empire, the ethnic tension, heated and nourished from Armenian pogroms in Azerbaijani cities Sumgait, Baku, Kirovabad and irrelevant feedbacks by Baku and Moscow rather quickly transformed the movement into a full-scale decolonization process. Refusing new reformatting of the USSR, among the five dissident republics (Baltic republics, Georgia, Armenia), in 1991 not only Armenia, but also NK declared their independence in full compliance with the international and USSR laws. While in the period of 1988-1991 the democratic movement had increased the gap with the Kremlin, the 4-year full-fledged war of aggression, unleashed by Azerbaijan against Armenia and NK and stopped by Russia under OSCE Minsk Group, has drastically changed Armenias security move. In a complicated regional environment with other frozen conflicts and Turkeys hostile policy and blockade, Russia became a crucial factor for Armenias policies of counterbalancing power asymmetry. Deployment of Russian military base in Armenia, membership to Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization, in overall dominance of Russia and its interests in Yerevans policy choices, didnt seem that much dangerous in the period of Yeltsins presidency. From todays perspective, it is obvious that two crucial failures complicated Armenias full decolonization then. Firstly, not reaching a settlement for NK conflict right after the war and by virtue of its outcomes due to its complexity, as well as being greatly beyond the power of Yerevan and Stepanakert. However, avoiding of the second shortcoming was exclusively in hands of Yerevan, like other republics, failing in their test of democratization: serious deficit of legitimacy for leaderships, distortion of free market economy and political institutions, shortcomings in democratic and good governance, etc. Amid the ghosts of Neo-Ottomanism and new Eurasian empire Though Russian-Armenian relations have always been asymmetric, the situation became rather bothering after in 2000 V. Putin came to power in Russia with his agenda of establishing a multi-polar world under the smokescreen of Eurasian integration and declaring the collapse of the USSR as the greatest humanitarian disaster of the 20th century. Despite NK conflict has permanently been Moscows favorable toy, it is hard to believe that the Kremlin has forgiven it as a detonator of the greatest humanitarian disaster. Apart from NK conflict, the above-mentioned shortcomings became no less vital tools in its hands to extract decisions from Yerevan. Already by late 2000s Armenias major industrial, energy, communication and strategic giants were possessed either by Russia or by its companies. The Georgian-Russian war of 2008 and its outcomes, then hybrid war in the territory of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea delivered a rather clear message to Armenia regarding what may happen, if it continues moving to association with Europe and Euro-Atlantic organizations together with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, denying Russia-led integration plan. Almost in parallel with that project, the neo-Ottomanism, another ambitious concept initiated by Turkeys president Erdogan to establish a pan-Turkish integration, more pressed Armenia between Russian and Turkish anvils: by canceling the Association/DCFTA agreements with the EU, the country joined Putins Eurasian Economic Union. As a result, by virtue of restriction of the sovereignty in conducting economic policies and new commitments within that Union, Armenia still faces difficulties in making use of the opportunity that provides unsanctioned neighboring Iran in terms of diversification of policies or redefining relations with the EU for more than 3 years. Now, after Russia included Armenia in its orbit, Russias new plan for conflict settlement targeted Azerbaijan, promising to return some territories of NKR and not recognizing its status as an attractive bait for Baku. If succeeded, Russias new plan for conflict settlement may reach several strategic goalsdeploying Russian peacekeepers on the conflict zone and controlling the region solely, thus minimizing the influence of the West on it, keeping the key to resolution of NK status in its hands, and therefore keeping the subdued Armenia and targeted Azerbaijan in its orbit. Moscow pursued those very goals during the 4-day war unleashed by Azerbaijan in April 2016, but failed as the Armenian army prevented another attempt of colonization. Nevertheless, the formulation Russia is an oven, to which if approached, one may get burnt, and if stepped backone may get frozen is the best reflection of two-faced nature of Karabakh factor and Armenian-Russian relations. It is derived from Armenias lessons learned from its colonial track-record, i.e. subduing empires but keeping distance from them, obeying them but with historically accumulated deep hatred and desire to revolt against them if endangered. Recognition as a key to capitulate neo-imperialism If today total and irreversible capitulation of Communism is an established fact, we cannot state the same for complete capitulation of imperialistic infection, inherited from previous empires and re-activated in the post-Soviet space. This is because NK issue, one of the heavier legacies of two empires and linked to their foundations, is still facing the threat of return to its former status. Recognition of the NKR remains the key not only to dismantle the remnants of previous empires, still alive in the Caucasus, but also to open the perspectives for full decolonization and democratization of Armenia and Artsakh (NK). This disease of neo-imperialism will also be maintained as long as the history isnt completely detonated and discharged, primarily by international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. A brave step, which German president and Pope Francis did on the centennial of that crime in 2015, and the Bundestag in 2016, following other countries of the world. Finally, that infection will successfully corrode foundations of independence and sovereignty of Armenia and same-fortune countries, even Russia, as long as they have not completely dismantled the Soviet past, their systems resembling Soviet political culture, and havent become democratically powerful and sovereign states either. In addressing that imperial legacy of Armenia and others, Europes role is tremendous, to which we all civilizationally belong, but remain too far from its fundamental values and guidelines. Nevertheless, Europe is seemingly cautious and undetermined yet to touch the very foundations of empires and to eliminate all remnants of imperialism for Armenia. The article was prepared for and recently printed in the German online news outlet Zeit Online within the series The legacy of the empire Russias role in Europe 25 years after the end of the USSR, in partnership with the Korber Foundation. The Armenian and English versions of the article were prepared by Lusine Moghrovyan. By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree Already, a group of former U.S. officials, including Giuliani, wrote a letter to Trump last month encouraging him to "establish a dialogue" with the MEK's political arm. With Trump's ban on Iranians entering the U.S., his administration's call this week to put Iran "on notice" and the imposition of new sanctions on Friday, the exile group may find his administration more welcoming than any before. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., was similarly wary. "Speaker Ryan has consistently and frequently spoken out on Russia and Putin and made his opinions well-known, including the need for continued sanctions," spokeswoman AshLee Strong said Sunday. She pointed to Ryan's comments at a CNN town hall broadcast last month where he called Russia a "global menace" and said Putin "does not share our interests; he frustrates our interests. Let me put it this way, the Russians are up to no good, we all know that," Ryan said, responding to a question about Russia's election meddling. "We've got to make sure going forward that we do everything we can on cyber, on all of the other things to make sure that they can't do this again." Best Canadian Blog 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 About Kate Why this blog? Until this moment I have been forced to listen while media and politicians alike have told me "what Canadians think". In all that time they never once asked. This is just the voice of an ordinary Canadian yelling back at the radio - "You don't speak for me." (goes to a private mailserver in Europe) I can't answer or use every tip, but all are appreciated! Katewerk Art Support SDA I am not a registered charity. I cannot issue tax receipts. Reconnaissance Man Economics for the Disinterested Montrose County "I enjoyed these poems immensely." - William Peter Blatty, author of The Exorcist Ages 7 and up, ideal for adults and kids to read together! Want lies? Hire a regular consultant. Want truth? Hire an asshole. Historical Evidence Concerning Climate Change Social Conservativism In an age of Revolution Weather Shop Click to inquire about rates. Dow Jones What They Say About SDA "Smalldeadanimals doesn't speak for the people of Saskatchewan" Former Sask Premier Lorne Calvert "I got so much traffic after your post my web host asked me to buy a larger traffic allowance." Dr.Ross McKitrick Holy hell, woman. When you send someone traffic, you send someone TRAFFIC. My hosting provider thought I was being DDoSed. - Sean McCormick "The New York Times link to me yesterday [...] generated one-fifth of the traffic I normally get from a link from Small Dead Animals." Kathy Shaidle "Thank you for your link. A wave of your Canadian readers came to my blog! Really impressive." Juan Giner - INNOVATION International Media Consulting Group I got links from the Weekly Standard, Hot Air and Instapundit yesterday - but SDA was running at least equal to those in visitors clicking through to my blog. Jeff Dobbs "You may be a nasty right winger, but you're not nasty all the time!" Warren Kinsella "Go back to collecting your welfare livelihood."Michael E. Zilkowsky Intelliweather Seismic Map Comments Policy Read this Best Of SDA Hide The Decline The Bottle Genie (ClimateGate links) You Might Be A Liberal Uncrossing The Line Bob Fife: Knuckledragger A Modest Proposal (NP) Settled Science Series Y2Kyoto Series SDA: Reader Occupation Survey Brett Lamb Sheltered Workshop Flakes On A Plane All Your Weather Are Belong To Us Song Of The Sled The Raise A Flag Debacle (Now on Youtube!) (.mwv Video) Abuse Ruins Life Of Girl Trudeaupiate Kleptocrat Jeans Child Labour I Concede Small Dead Feminist Protein Hoser: THK Interview The Werewolf Extinction Dear Laura (VRWC) We Wait Blogging The Oscars Jackson Converts To Islam Just Shut The HELL Up Manipulating Condi Gay Equality Rights The ACT Law Society and its professional standards manager have successfully defended claims they discriminated against, vilified and victimised a black Canberra lawyer. The claims of Emmanuel Tam Ezekiel-Hart, a solicitor who came to Australia from Nigeria more than a decade ago, centred around an alleged incident at the society's office and its decision to refuse him a practising certificate. Emmanuel Ezekiel-Hart took a discrimination claim against the ACT Law Society to the tribunal. Credit:Rohan Thomson On February 23, 2016, Mr Ezekiel-Hart went to the society's office for help filling out an online application for a practising certificate. A lawyer can't practise without the certificate. He was granted access to a secure area of the office and was being helped at a computer. What happened next was the subject of dispute. Mr Ezekiel-Hart claims staff received a phone call, and that he heard the society's professional standards manager Rob Reis telling them to send him away. When the staff returned they shut the webpage down, and told him he had to leave, he said. Seventeen people associated with Catholic religious orders have been accused of abusing children in the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra-Goulburn over six decades, analysis of the church's own data has revealed. The ACT and southern NSW diocese also had an above average concentration of religious accused of sexually abusing children, with two orders implicated in abuse cases in Canberra counted among the most notorious. A survey of church data by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse revealed 8.4 per cent of the 211 religious who served in the archdiocese from 1950 to 2010 were believed to have abused children. This equates to one in 12. More than 30 criminals are serving sentences in the community after intensive corrections orders, considered a "last resort" to time behind bars, took the place of periodic detention in Canberra nearly a year ago. The latest snapshot of the ACT government's sentencing reform agenda, released on Monday, showed it would forge ahead with plans for a drug court and electronic monitoring of offenders under a continued overhaul of sentencing laws and practices. The government announced plans to scrap periodic detention in favour of a new community-based alternative to full-time imprisonment, and expand its restorative justice scheme, as part of the justice reform strategy. An initial report into the scheme said the government would phase out "ineffective and outdated" periodic detention - which had already been repealed in all other states and territories - from last July and consult on a new option which emphasised rehabilitation. Intensive corrections orders, or ICOs, allow offenders to serve sentences in the community subject to a strict set of restrictions and conditions. Neighbours have described the distressing moment a Belconnen woman ran from her home, black with ash and calling for her dog with ACT Police confirming the house fire was now under investigation. ACT Fire and Rescue were alerted at 11:30am on Monday, arriving to find the building engulfed before taking an hour to stop the fire, with one neighbour rolling out his garden hose to fight the fire before emergency services arrived. Belconnen woman Jenny Magee provided this photo of the fire underway. Jenny Magee was in her apartment on Monday morning when she heard screaming, she went to her balcony and saw the blaze, with black smoke snaking into the air above the roof, with a couch on the porch alight as fire leapt from the front door. "Pretty decent fire," Ms Magee said. "I was quite distressed." Timely of Tim Royle to remind us that Elizabeth II is Queen of Australia and indeed of the UK and other realms, a fact that seemed to be overlooked by the ABC, notes Brian Collins, Cronulla. "In its Sunday night television news it had an item reminding us that the next day would be the 65th anniversary of 'Princess Elizabeth becoming the head of the Commonwealth'. Even the most ardent pro-republican would admit that it was a slightly bigger gig than that." Peter Riley of Penrith thinks he knows why Mal and The Don didn't quite hit it off with their first phone call. "I was watching Vice President Mike Pence interviewed on NBC's Meet The Press this morning. At the end of the interview he was asked, 'You're going to the Superbowl, do you have a rooting interest?' Can you imagine Bob Hawke being asked that about the NRL grand final? Perhaps we need an interpreter." Is anyone taking bets on who will be the first Australian politician to use the term "fake news"? If so I would like to put $10 on Pauline Hanson, says Sue Jay of Drummoyne. Simon Dodd of Waverton applauds the Get Hairy February campaign (Private Sydney) where Australian women are raising awareness of domestic violence by growing their armpit and leg hair. "However, I think they should have taken a leaf from Movember's book (or plucked a follicle from their 'tache) and named the event Febyouhairy, or even Furbruary." News that the giant Chinese e-commerce platform, Alibaba, now has an Australian presence prompts Allan Gibson of Cherrybrook to ask, what of the 40 thieves? "Further, to help reduce the likelihood of online identity theft, customers might be well advised not to use the obvious password 'open sesame'." Of all his comments, perhaps the one that most starkly illuminates Donald Trump's world view came on Sunday when he was asked how he could respect Russian president Vladimir Putin: "He's a killer," said Fox News' Bill O'Reilly. The US president rejoined: "There are a lot of killers. We have a lot of killers. What do you think? Our country is so innocent?" This remark helps us explain Trump views which are otherwise pretty inexplicable. Though it's factually accurate, it's a remarkable thing for a US president to say because "it betrays a stunning ignorance of American political culture", says Michael Wesley, a former diplomat and a professor of international affairs at ANU. How? "To suggest moral equivalence of what the US does and what Russia does, even if true, is really amazing. Can you imagine Ronald Reagan saying that, or George W. Bush? It's inconceivable. Even a professor, like Obama, may have thought it but would never have said it. Most Americans like to think of the US as a moral actor in world affairs," Wesley explains. According to other Western Australian research not as newsworthy, granted, as Whitely's heroic piece parents agonise over whether or not to medicate their children, and typically experience a period of denial and grief in the wake of a child's diagnosis; an experience exacerbated by the lurid depiction of ADHD in the media, and its periodic portrayal as a myth or a fraud. As for the architects of that portrayal, who are seemingly unconcerned with the "anguish'' caused to families and sufferers: they're lining up to condemn, pointing the finger at the adverse effects of stimulant medication which are, for the most part, manageable and largely silent on the downsides of not treating. Which I could tell you all about. The consequence of that option the other side of coin when it comes to the stimulant debate is not a child who's bouncing off the walls or out of control, ill disciplined or misunderstood. Or unloved. It's this: a bright child who sits staring at a blank page for hours because he simply can't focus for long enough to finish, or even start, the task at hand. It's a quiet child who despairs before she even puts on her shoes in the morning which itself takes quite a while contemplating the day ahead, who has to be reminded a dozen times to finish her breakfast. It's the creative, the dynamic, the curious and the charismatic who struggle to control their impulses, to impose order on the chaos, and who mysteriously fail at every turn. And it's those who've just stopped trying altogether. There's little doubt we need more research into ADHD. We need to better understand the role of brain iron and dopamine and molecular genetics. We need to unpick why it happens and how to cure it or at least how to make the world more friendly for the ADHD brain. We also need to adopt more flexible instructional methods, more creative teaching, and place greater value on divergent thinking. But every time I read another disavowal of ADHD, here's what I think: perhaps we are being deceived, and let down, after all. Not by doctors, or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals or by other clinicians who are, on the whole, doing their level best in a diabolically complex medical area. The outsider populist movements that spawned Donald Trump, Brexit, Pauline Hanson and potentially Marine Le Pen in France share elements but still conceal inherent philosophical differences. Now that Cory Bernardi reckons he can capitalise on populism by quitting the Liberals and leading the Australian Conservatives, he will have to bridge those divides or be left with just another minor party. Cory Bernardi threatens to fracture the Coalition or, conversely, encourage like-minded Liberals to bring back Tony Abbott. Credit:Harrison Saragossi The South Australian renegade Senator will be pitching to right-leaning voters. Some are traditionalists who want things to stay as they are/were. Others are anti-establishment types who distrust the very social institutions that conservatives once valued. Senator Bernardi has another problem, too. He must convince enough Australians that he's different. The current system, of which he is a well-paid part, has left 75 per cent of people disgruntled, according to Fairfax Media's Political Persona Project collaboration. Donald Trump's intention in his phone call with Malcolm Turnbull last week was to terminate the refugee resettlement deal with Australia. And that's exactly what he told the Australian Prime Minister, according to a US official who was briefed on the call. The official told Fairfax Media that the American President told Mr Turnbull that he "hated" the refugee deal and was "not going to do it". The Australian Prime Minister responded forcefully that the two countries had a deal, and persuaded Mr Trump to change his mind, according to the official. Liberal senator Cory Bernardi has confirmed he will quit the party. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "It is a betrayal when someone leaves... People will be angry and they will be disappointed," he told ABC radio. "I think people will be angry about any defection, angry about the betrayal of the Liberal Party values." Mr Dutton said he was confident no other Liberals would leave to join the new conservative party. "People, if they want to defeat Bill Shorten at the next election, will be united as a Liberal Party to make sure we can stare down that threat. "People are much more effective inside the tent than outside... in the end the crossbench don't run the country." The defection has further derailed the government's start to the new parliamentary year and will lead to speculation about Mr Turnbull's leadership. Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce slammed the move. "I've seen this movie before, that one ends in tears," he said. "I thought that Cory was made of sterner stuff." "Bravery presides in staying in the party and trying to change the party, not running away because you can't handle the heat of the kitchen." Trade Minister Steve Ciobo said his former colleague had been unhelpful. "Many Liberals feel this way, if you look back over Cory's career, with one or two exceptions he's never laid a glove on the Labor Party. "Every time he's been in the headlines, it's been about criticism of his own party," he said. Revenue and Financial Services Minister Kelly O'Dwyer said voters would feel betrayed by a defection so close to the election. "I think anybody who is elected as a Liberal owes a responsibility not only to the people who have pre-selected them but also to the people who voted for them, who placed their trust in them to be a member of a particular political party." "I think the Australian people have got no tolerance for parliamentarians who are engaged in ego trips or vanity projects. They want to know that parliamentarians who have been sent to Canberra are focused on their interests and focused on the broader national interest." Treasurer Scott Morrison said he was thinking of South Australian Liberal Party members as Senator Bernardi quits. "They're the ones he made the promise to, to be a Liberal," Mr Morrison said. Education Minister Simon Birmingham told the Financial Review Senator Bernardi has betrayed Liberal voters and should resign his seat. "There is effectively a contract that all of us undertake when we offer ourselves at election. We go to that election on the ballot paper, with not just our names, but also our party affiliation attached to that and that is an enormous guide," he said. "I don't kid myself into thinking that there are hundreds of thousands of South Australians who know and like Simon Birmingham and choose to vote just for me." The soon-to-be-former Liberal attracted 2043 first preference votes at the July 2016 double dissolution election, 0.025 per cent of the required quota. West Australian Liberal Andrew Hastie said Senator Bernardi was a good friend, and the defection would only add to Senate gridlock. "I wish that he had attended the Liberal Party room meeting this morning, looked us all in the eye and explained his reasons," Mr Hastie wrote on Facebook. "He was elected as a Liberal Party senator and owes his colleagues an explanation. Party members and voters will be rightly disappointed." Nationals MP David Gillespie said he was not surprised by the move. "Cory has always been a man of his own opinion. He's been very forthright in previous governments and this current one," he said. "As opposed to the other side ... where you get expelled if you don't follow the party line." WA Liberal Ken Wyatt said he'd like to see Senator Bernardi remain, "but if he's made that decision then I'm not going to begrudge him," he said. Right-wing backbencher Craig Kelly said his colleague should think again. The group behind the Women's March have announced their next political action: a general strike dubbed "a day without a woman". The group revealed the upcoming event in a Twitter post on Monday. Demonstrators hold signs while marching towards Trump Tower during the Women's March in New York, U.S., on Saturday, January 21, 2017. Credit:Bloomberg The date of the strike is to be confirmed, and the group did not hint at what form it would take. Although details of the strike are not yet available, the concept of a woman's strike is not new. Layna Nona had never travelled south of Cairns the Year 9 student is from remote Badu Island in the Torres Strait, and English is her third language but last month she joined 236 other Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander high school students at a week-long University of Sydney summer camp designed to give them a taste of tertiary life. The campus and the city felt big, perhaps overwhelming, but a visit to the courts at the Downing Centre sparked something for Layna, who headed back north to start school last week contemplating a career in the law. "I just think it's interesting," she said. "It would mean I could have a career and I wouldn't have to be reliant on the small number of jobs in the Torres Strait. It means I could help support my family." Universities Australia Chief Executive Belinda Robinson said there had been strong growth in Indigenous student numbers since the federal government lifted the cap on publicly funded student places a decade ago. All NSW students in year 11 and 12 will be offered free meningococcal vaccination to combat the rise in W strain cases and protect them against the potentially fatal disease. The NSW Government announced the new $9 million school-based meningococcal vaccination program for senior students at all public, private and Catholic schools in response to the increasing number of W strain cases detected in the state and nationally. "The NSW Government is now allocating $9 million for this vaccination program in its first year, which will see 180,000 vulnerable teenagers in all high schools eligible to be vaccinated," Health minister Brad Hazzard said on Monday. W strain has become the most prevalent strain nationally and in NSW. Though the total number of cases is low, NSW notifications have almost tripled since 2015, from nine to 26 cases in 2016. Two more cases have been confirmed in 2017. Architect Helen Day feels "very positive". Credit:Simon Schluter "Now I tend to think about that, instead of the world more broadly, because I know I'm really privileged and really lucky, and I need to take stock of that and focus on the things I can control ... rather than get upset about these macro events." Being wealthy and in control Low-income Australians - those earning between $15,600 and $52,000 - were twice as likely to say they felt let down by society, with 36 per cent feeling this way compared to 17 per cent of those on high incomes of $91,000 or more. "I'm getting sick of the elitism that is everywhere": Darryl Coventry. Credit:Mark Jesser They were also nearly twice as likely to agree or strongly agree with the statement "everything is changing too often and too fast". Nearly 50 per cent of low-income earners fell into this group, compared with just 26 per cent of high-income earners, according to the survey. "Richer people are able to adapt because they have the means to do so," said Ariadne Vromen, Professor of Political Sociology at the University of Sydney. "They've got disposable income, they can buy new technology when they need to, they can even buy more education and training when they need. And they're the people who are behind a lot of social and economic change as the leaders of society, as well." It comes down to a sense of feeling in control, with those who have more economic security enjoying greater control of their futures, Professor Vromen said. In Melbourne, architect and consultant Helen Day, 47, said she felt "very positive" and believed Australia's population growth presented countless opportunities. "There's just more potential for people to create a livelihood out of their passions and their true interests, whether that be a niche service, a new product or a specialisation if you're an academic," said Ms Day, who holds a masters degree from the London School of Economics, lives in the inner city suburb of Clifton Hill and earns more than $90,000 a year. "Overall I'm positive but I do note that with any growth of a city there are issues around social disparity and violence. With the good, there will always come bad." The young and the pessimistic The same dynamic of control plays out across differences in age and education, with younger Australians and those with university educations much more likely to feel comfortable with change. For example, 52 per cent of Australians whose highest level of education was high school felt everything was changing too fast and too often, compared with only 27 per cent of university-educated Australians. Ms Katterl, who has a Masters degree, is among those advocating for greater change. "Australia is moving way too slowly, particularly on same sex marriage. It's a little bit ridiculous - we've been discussing it for such a long time," Ms Katterl said. "Even the discussion around climate change. Fifteen years ago when I was still living in North Queensland, I remember campaigning to save the Great Barrier Reef I am amazed that we haven't moved forward on that debate at all." However, the research also found young adults were the most pessimistic of any age group, bucking a long-term trend in previous studies. Nearly 45 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds agreed or strongly agreed with the statement "I feel let down by society", compared with 25 per cent of people aged 55 and older, according to the ANU survey. Only 49 per cent disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement "I sometimes feel the future holds nothing for me", compared with more than 70 per cent of people aged 65 and older. Professor Vromen said pessimism among young people was rising both in Australia and globally. "Younger people usually tend to be more optimistic [But] in some ways the sentiments in this survey are a realistic reaction to growing inequality, housing unaffordability, job insecurity and so on," she said. The educated, the poor and the altruistic On the other hand, young people were the least likely of any age group to support offshore processing of asylum seekers, the survey showed. Just under 35 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds agreed or strongly agreed with the statement "offshore processing of asylum seekers should continue", compared with 65 per cent of people aged 65 and older. "With young people, we tend to find they worry about the world at large and how politics affects people other than them," said Jill Sheppard, a researcher and lecturer in politics and international relations at ANU involved in the project. "Across the Western world, young people have much more progressive social attitudes, and part of that is that they weren't brought up to worry about their hip pocket first. They're the kids of the people who were around during the civil rights movements, the women's liberation movement, and often they're even more liberal than their parents." The only group more likely to oppose than support the continuation of offshore processing were those with university degrees, with 47 per cent opposed and 41 per cent in favour, according to the ANU research. "The more well-educated people are, the more likely they are to prefer positions that benefit society at large," Dr Sheppard said. "It comes from a 'hierarchy of needs' approach - the better you're able to support yourself, the better you're able to look after 'higher order' needs, such as those of asylum seekers or other marginalised groups." However, the survey also found lower-income earners were more likely to oppose offshore processing of asylum seekers than high-income earners, with 41 per cent disagreeing or strongly disagreeing with the policy, compared to 35 per cent of high-income earners. Dr Sheppard said this may reflect "a fairly well-documented phenomenon ... that people on low incomes tend to be more compassionate and altruistic". The city versus the bush When it came to the divide between the city and bush, the treatment of people living outside our cities elicited one of the largest differences in opinion. Seventy-six per cent of Australians living outside a capital city agreed or strongly agreed with the statement "politicians ignore people in rural and regional areas", compared with 57 per cent of people in capital cities. Darryl Coventry, 49, who lives in Albury's working class suburb of Lavington, thinks people in Sydney and Melbourne do not realise the wealth disparity existing in regional Australia, and that politicians are just as city-centric. A former policeman who spent much of his career in rural Queensland, Coventry now delivers parcels and gets a pension but is struggling to find consistent work, having moved to be closer to his two young children who live with their mother. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, I'd just like to be a bit better off," he said. "But people don't know that once you go out of the big cities to Lavington there's not a lot of people at work, there's a lot of arguments and even street violence." "I'm getting sick of the elitism that is everywhere," he said. "I think Australia needs to work out what it's good at and start learning how to make it, because there's so much talent here," he said. The research also showed that people in regional areas were more likely to feel pessimistic about the future, with 29 per cent agreeing or strongly agreeing with the statement "I sometimes feel that the future holds nothing for me", compared with 23 per cent in capital cities. "People outside the cities are much further away from the centre of power, from the decision-makers. It's probably not a surprise that people in regional and rural areas feel left behind or not understood," Professor Vromen said. Second, though the general issue was parliamentarians' expenses, Ley was a minister as well as a member of Parliament. As such, she was subject to the ministerial code of conduct that is overseen by the Prime Minister. This allowed Turnbull to step in and directly involve his departmental secretary. Parkinson's report on Ley's conduct has not been released. But we may presume he took a careful, objective view of the issues and the code. He will then have played an active role in shaping the eventual recommendation for a new independent authority to oversee MPs' expenses. If Ley had been an ordinary backbencher, however, such a strong executive response wouldn't have been so easy. Members of Parliament don't have their own code of conduct and are accountable only to Parliament. Issues of MPs' behaviour are caught up in either the partisan conflict of adversarial politics or the cosy consensus of self-serving privilege, neither of which are conducive to the sensible assessment of ethical procedures. The focus on a minister fortuitously helped Turnbull impose a new level of external scrutiny on all MPs. First, the scandal erupted in the depths of January, whenmembers of the press gallery are desperate for copy. The daily drip-feed of revelations about Ley's various trips to the Gold Cost were journalistic manna from heaven, prompting a stream of further juicy stories about other parliamentarians. As the evidence steadily mounted and media-inspired anger intensified, Turnbull was forced to act, not only referring Ley's conduct to his department's secretary, Martin Parkinson, but also promising significant reforms to the entitlements system. At any other time of the year, the issue could have been safely parked in the non-urgent basket. But not in January. The row over former health minister Sussan Ley's use of parliamentary travel entitlements and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's decision to establish an independent parliamentary expenses authority will yield a valuable addition to the federal government integrity regime. For too long, the issue has been allowed to fester without strong government action. But, this time, a number of factors were conveniently aligned. Third, the Prime Minister and his advisers had plenty of relevant material to draw on. The government was already developing a response to an independent review of parliamentary entitlements co-chaired by John Conde and David Tune. This review was established by then prime minister Tony Abbott in August 2015 as a response to the "choppergate" scandal involving then speaker Bronwyn Bishop. The review team produced its final report a year ago. Its main recommendations were to change the terminology from "entitlements" to "work expenses'", to introduce a simplified principles-based system for assessing expenses, and to require more public transparency. Sussan Ley announces her resignation last month after her travel expenses sparked a scandal. Credit:Mark Jesser In addition, the government could look to the experience of Britain, which had its own parliamentary expenses scandal in 2009 over blatant misuse of housing allowances and established an independent parliamentary standards authority. In his press conference, Turnbull referred explicitly to Britain as a source of useful precedents. Britain also figured prominently as a model in a 2011 discussion paper by the House of Representatives' privileges and members' interests committee on a draft code of conduct for members of Parliament. That paper canvassed the possibility of an independent parliamentary integrity commissioner overseeing a members' code of conduct on British lines, issues that were championed by independent MPs Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor as part of their compact with Labor prime minister Julia Gillard. Like so many promising initiatives on parliamentary ethics, it eventually went nowhere, withering under the weight of major-party indifference. But it laid some useful groundwork and helped keep the issue alive. Turnbull has already announced that the authority will have a governing board including an auditing expert, someone with experience in remuneration (for the time being, the Remuneration Tribunal president), a former judicial officer and a former MP. It is to be a "compliance, reporting and transparency body" that will "monitor and adjudicate all claims by MPs, senators and ministers". The Prime Minister also indicated reforms to the administration of the system to allow monthly disclosure of parliamentarians' expenses. (He also strongly endorsed the recommended change in terminology from "entitlements" to "expenses".) The new expenses regime, we can presume, will follow the simplified principles-based approach recommended by Conde and Tune. Contrasting with a reliance on specific and detailed rules, the principles-based approach is now standard practice in most codes of professional ethics, not just for politicians. The situations in which particular ethical problems arise are so complex and varied that they can't be covered by detailed rules and prescriptions. Ethical professional judgment involves a few broad principles (e.g. equity, accountability, honesty), which are then used to guide a careful assessment of a particular issue and to justify an eventual decision. Responsibility for the decision lies with the person making it and can't be shifted on to someone else. A political (or public) empathy underpinned by integrity acknowledges emotion but inhibits manipulation. It also exposes bullying and the use of 'emotional politics' to target particular groups, such as women, or muslims, by appealing to the fears or prejudices of others. The attempt to normalise the idea of "alternative facts" has generated significant reaction some serious, some comedic. The danger of this reaction is that it risks being reductionist, of arguing that something is either "true" or "false". This may be the case in some circumstances but, in politics and public policy, where you stand influences what you see. Ideas, experience and connections help shape our response to different situations, and our political and policy preferences. The role of experts is to intervene in policy debates to bring the best evidence to bear on the questions at hand. Expertise is often as not about nuance and "it depends" rather than absolutes. And for this reason it's essential for enabling us to make progress on difficult policy problems. Expertise can counter "emotional politics" but it can also aid our ability to empathise and add weight to felt experiences through supplying evidence. This combination of empathy, integrity and expertise is, for me, integral to developing the wise public policymakers and leaders we need in our region and globally. Many institutions have a responsibility to help make this happen, universities included. Public policy schools have more of an obligation than most to contribute. Fortunately, they are also better placed than most to do so. Their interdisciplinarity allows for different kinds of expertise to be tested in the pursuit of the best policy solution. Their approach to teaching critical, experiential and case-based embeds rigour with practical application. And the active engagement of faculty with policymakers and influencers ensures the free exchange of ideas in private as well as public. Six men have been arrested following the largest seizure of cocaine in Australian history. About 1.4 tonnes of the drug were found on a New Zealand yacht, the Elakha, when it was intercepted about 370 kilometres off the NSW South Coast in the early hours of Friday, police said. Police allege the Elakha had travelled from New Zealand and met a "mother ship" in the South Pacific Ocean last month to collect the drugs. The cocaine was intended to be transferred from the Elakha to a motor boat that was due to leave from the small NSW South Coast town of St Georges Basin. A UW-Madison student trying to form a pro-white group has abandoned his efforts after intense backlash from other students and university officials. American Freedom Party National Chairman William Johnson confirmed Monday that Daniel Dropik is no longer forming a Madison chapter after an Associated Press reporter noticed the groups website had been made private. The American Freedom Party has deep ties to white supremacism, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups. Johnson says Dropik, 33, also plans to take a break from his coursework under an arrangement he hopes to make with the university. UW spokeswoman Meredith McGlone said Dropik, a computer science student, is currently still enrolled. Dropik did not respond to email and phone messages seeking comment. He previously said Johnson would speak on his behalf. Dropik earlier told the AP he started the group after feeling the university had gone overboard in supporting nonwhite students and promoting cultural diversity. Hundreds of students protested last week after it came out late last month that Dropik spent five years in federal prison for setting fire to two predominantly black churches in Wisconsin and Michigan a decade ago. After the news that Dropik was forming the group came out, Chancellor Rebecca Blank said that university officials were monitoring Dropik and were not aware of any safety threats, but student leaders said Blanks response was the latest in a string of weak responses to racist incidents on campus. Protest organizer Kat Kerwin said her group, the Student Coalition for Progress, is cautiously optimistic about Dropiks decision to abandon his plans. While we view this as a triumph of deliberate democracy and community action over hate and selfishness, we recognize how much work remains to be done, she said. Dropiks past set off a debate over whether the university should take criminal history into account during admissions. Blank asked System President Ray Cross to revisit the systems policy against it. But the Student Coalition for Progress and student government representatives sharply criticized requiring applicants to disclose criminal records, saying it would unfairly affect students of color. Wisconsin League of Women Voters Executive Director Andrea Kaminski also cautioned against it last week, saying ex-offenders should have a full restoration of their rights. Johnson said he knew Dropiks crimes against black churches could reflect poorly on the American Freedom Partys agenda but concluded Dropik had served sufficient time in prison and showed remorse. I agree with the League of Women Voters, he said, adding that he encouraged Dropik to continue forming his group but that Dropik feared for his safety. Johnson has said that Donald Trumps presidency has made fertile ground for his groups recruiting efforts. When people hear youre a nationalist, they used to say, Oh, youre like Mussolini? Now they say, Oh, youre like Donald Trump, he said then. Dropik had said about a dozen students and community members expressed interest in joining his group. Johnson said he asked Dropik to send their names so he could connect them to the national party but hasnt received any names yet. Republican state Sen. Stephen Nass of Whitewater has frequently accused the university system of stifling unpopular viewpoints on campus. His spokesman Mike Mikalsen said while Nass disagrees with many of Dropiks views, the university community unfairly targeted Dropik. Individuals who have alternative viewpoints have a right to express themselves in a university, Mikalsen said. That did not happen here. "Mr Big". "The Bank." "That motherf---er right on the top." These were all references to property developer Ron Medich during a secretly recorded conversation between the murderers of Michael McGurk, a jury heard on Monday. Ron Medich outside court during his trial for the murder of Micheal McGurk who was gunned down outside his Cremorne home in 2009. Credit:James Alcock. It was October 2010, and Lucky Gattellari, who organised the businessman's killing, was trying to calm one of the men who had carried it out the year before, Haissam Safetli. Over the din of machinery in a western Sydney factory, the pair were heard discussing the fallout of Mr McGurk's execution in the driveway of his north shore Sydney home, as well as an unnamed figure behind the operation. Sydney is becoming a lopsided city as some suburbs approve thousands more new developments than planned and others only a fraction of their share, a new analysis shows. Recent targets having been surpassed, the state government's latest plan aims for 700,000 new homes in Sydney over 20 years to keep up with population growth. Councils have their own share. But a new analysis comparing how many new dwellings each council has approved against its targets over the past decades suggests development in Sydney is very uneven. Ryde Council, for example, has approved 150 per cent of the new apartments and homes (dwellings) asked for in its target, or some 3800 more. The Queensland arm of the Australian Medical Association is showing an appalling disregard of evidence and is telling a story that's starting to wear thin on even the most tolerant of midwives. Dr Chris Zappala a sleep specialist is head of the AMA in Queensland and is spending a large proportion of his time spruiking that midwives throughout Queensland are working without obstetrician supervision or input and this is leading to newborn deaths. This message is wrong. Obstetricians do need to step in when they are needed. So do anaesthetists, paediatricians, orthopaedic surgeons and ER doctors. Credit:iStock Why is this message getting so much air time? And why is Dr Zappala willing to spruik his message to the public, but unable to justify his position when asked about it by an independent facilitator at a recent day-long summit with over a hundred lead obstetricians, midwives, health professionals and politicians in Queensland? He would not state his case in front of those who could actually speak to it with authority. A fire that destroyed a home and tore through bushland on the Gold Coast has been contained by fire crews. Police have also revoked their emergency situation declaration for the Mudgeeraba fire, and Strawberry Road has been reopened. The cause of the fire that started in a Rising Fast Road property about midday is yet to be determined, and fire investigators and police are set to make further inquiries. EARLIER Stirling Hinchliffe has resigned from his cabinet position over the Queensland Rail chaos. What went wrong? Mr Strachan said the problems did not stem from one issue, but compounding issues that "accumulated over time". While demand for train crew grew significantly, supply of qualified drivers declined, limitations meant the growing gap between supply and demand was not widely appreciated, and QR's unclear governance arrangements made it difficult for the chief executive officer to maintain oversight. A train driver shortage became apparent to the public following the opening of the Redcliffe Peninsula Line in October 2016, with hundreds of services cancelled in the following months. But QR realised it might not have enough crew for the new line in mid-2015, beginning internal recruitment of 100 drivers and 100 guards. The driver shortage was caused by several issues, including a QR preference to operate with a 5-10 per cent undersupply of train crew and a consequent over-reliance on overtime - which boosted pay packets. In the months leading up to the new timetable in October, QR staff worked unsustainable levels of overtime. There were restrictions on external recruitment, and a 12-month halt of driver training from February 2014, and then training took about 18 months on average - twice as long as it should - with small class sizes. "Increasing demand and decreasing supply opened up a gap of around 100 drivers at the end of last year, a shortfall," Mr Strachan said. "That gap has been traditionally closed by the use of overtime but in the end of October that lever of overtime became exhausted and could no longer close that gap." BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 04: Generics at Milton train station.Train timetable problems in Brisbane on November 4, 2016 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Robert Shakespeare/Fairfax Media) Credit:Robert Shakespeare Who was to blame? Mr Strachan said he did not think people deliberately hid the truth, but there was an unwillingness to share "bad news". "There were people down deep in the organisation that were having some concerns about some shortfall issues as far back as 2015 but there wasn't a clear communication upwards into middle management and senior management to the CEO, to the board or to the responsible ministers," he said. "I don't think there was any deliberate attempt to hide information we touched on some cultural issues within the organisation, perhaps not always being willing to share some bad news or share issues. "I'd like to see that culture change going forward." Mr Strachan pointed to accountability issues and communication failures. He said the senior manager for train service delivery was focused on 58 hours ahead, but did not take action in the medium to longer term. Mr Strachan said the general manager Citytrain was inexperienced and saw issues but did not have the confidence to raise them at the right time. After pointing out other issues at senior levels, Mr Strachan said the chief operating officer did not raise issues or challenge assumptions. Mr Strachan said chief executive officer Helen Gluer sought some assurances but was relying heavily on her chief operating officer, and did not challenge what she received. He said the board was being briefed by the executive, which was not aware of the emerging issue, so the board was not being properly informed, and in turn did not advise ministers until October 2016. Mr Strachan recommended QR confirm the senior manager for train service delivery should be accountable for managing supply, demand and responses to projected train crew shortfalls for at least a rolling eight-week forecast period. Despite both sides of Parliament levelling the blame at each other in recent months, Mr Strachan said neither the present Labor government or previous LNP government were at fault. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Mr Strachan had uncovered issues that lay dormant for years. Who has lost their job? Stirling Hinchliffe is the latest to lose his job over the saga, stepping down as transport and Commonwealth Games minister. He follows chief executive officer Helen Gluer, chairman Michael Klug and chief operating officer Kevin Wright, who all resigned, with the head of train service delivery being stood down. And there are more job losses to come. Mr Strachan has recommended eight layers of management become five layers and the role of chief operating officer be scrapped. The Director-General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet has also referred the report to the Public Service Commissioner. The Commissioner has been asked to consider whether the conduct of any Queensland government employees referred to in the report should be the subject of a disciplinary process under the Public Service Act 2008. What were the other recommendations? QR should develop a five-year rolling monthly forecast of demand and supply for train crew, a shake-up of managers' roles and discuss rules around working time, meal breaks and rostering processes with unions. QR should maintain a surplus of train crew to make sure operations can be conducted without the systemic reliance on overtime and tutors and inspectors having to take on operational roles. Recruitment should be opened externally and to people with no experience, with an ongoing recruitment. Training should also be sped up to nine months or less, with the curriculum overhauled. Staff should be encouraged to proactively escalate potential issues to senior management, and communication to government overhauled. The ratio of supervisors to train crew should also be increased significantly to improve the relationship and information flow between management and train crew. Reporting to TransLink and the public should also be improved, so people can plan alternative travel arrangements when issues arise, with information to be available in real time at stations, online and through the call centre. Report identifies $3 billion in savings by 2040 if alternative to Queensland Rail runs day to day rail operations and Brisbane's buses. Credit:Glenn Hunt What happens next? Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has committed to all 36 recommendations. This includes establishing a new Citytrain Response Unit, for an initial period of 12 months, to act as a watchdog for QR, ensuring it stays on track. But do not expect a quick fix as Mr Strachan said it would take two years for some of the 36 recommendations to take effect. Ms Palaszczuk said it was important to open up QR driver positions to external recruitment as soon as possible. "It should take around nine months to train a driver, especially if we look at the learning of the driving on sectors of the railway network," she said. QR expects it will have sufficient train crew to deliver the full timetabled services by late 2018, assuming 10 per cent overtime, or mid to late 2019, assuming no overtime. The report states: "It is the Commission's view that Queensland Rail has made limited progress in this regard since October 2016." Until there is enough crew to deliver the full timetable, QR will continue to operate with reduced services and high levels of overtime, the report reads. Ms Palaszczuk has also pledged her government would work with the union. Mr Strachan will meet shortlisted candidates for the position for chief executive officer on Friday. QR has also been directed to provide a high-level response plan within 30 days. Loading The days of TV journalists and photographers using helicopters to get a bird's eye view are fast fading. Drones, big and small, are increasingly being used to get stunning aerial images most of us thought were out of reach. In fact, drones could well be the next "must-have" technological accessory for photographers. Each year we're thrown new models with more advanced cameras, better stability, and longer battery life which has been one of the biggest issues for photographers. The machines already have their place in the kit bag for many wedding and event photographers, where height can really add to the occasion. Drone-mounted cameras make it easier to capture images in difficult locations, like this ibis colony. Credit:Nick Moir Consumer demand is almost as dizzying as the rate at which the technology has been improving. The value of the industry is set to balloon from $2 billion in 2016 to an estimated $127 billion by 2020, according to figures from consulting group PricewaterhouseCoopers. But just how useful are drones? Fairfax Media photographers Nick Moir and Joe Armao use them, and agree that they had a growing place in their kit. A controversial proposal to ban camping in the city has ignited such strong public interest that Melbourne City Council has moved its vote on the changes to a larger venue. Under current laws, camping is only illegal if people use a vehicle, tent, caravan or other structure. But under the proposed changes the definition would be broadened: a person sitting on a blanket or sleeping in a swag, for example, could be deemed to be 'camping'. The changes would also bar people from leaving items unattended in a public place. Belongings could be confiscated and destroyed or given away unless a fee is paid within two weeks. A brief of evidence made against Cardinal George Pell regarding sexual assault allegations has been returned to prosecutors for review. Victoria Police confirmed on Monday that a brief of evidence against Cardinal Pell had been returned to the Office of Public Prosecutions for consideration. The development in the case against the Cardinal comes after three detectives from the Sano Taskforce flew to Rome to interview him in October. On Monday, police spokeswoman Leonie Johnson said: "Investigators have delivered the brief to the Department of Public Prosecutions for consideration." A member of the Australian Federal Police who was shot at police headquarters has died in hospital. The female officer was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital from the AFP office in La Trobe Street about 5.45pm on Monday night in a critical condition and died a short time later. "It is with great sadness I can confirm one of our police officers has died in Melbourne as a result of a gunshot wound," AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin said in the statement on Tuesday morning. He said the incident would be investigated by Victoria Police and that a report would be prepared for the Coroner. The heartbroken boyfriend of a Victorian woman who was killed in a jet-ski crash in Thailand says he is "so broken and I know I'll never be able to mend". Thomas Keating, 22, is co-operating with Thai police after his girlfriend, Kyabram woman Emily Collie, 20, was tragically killed when the holidaying couple's jet-skis crashed at high speed in waters off Phuket on Sunday. Mr Keating told police that strong sunlight reflecting from the sea made it impossible for him to see the jet-ski being ridden by his girlfriend. On Tuesday morning, the young man's sister Bree Lyon said the family were in Thailand with Mr Keating. She said "right now he is co-operating with authorities, it was an absolute accident". More on the Lower Plenty Road level crossing removal in Rosanna, from Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allen: "The rail bridge will protect train services from disruptions caused by flooding and save hundreds of local trees compared to the rail trench option, which would have been about double the length of the bridge," Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said. "Raising or lowering the road over the train line was previously ruled out due to the significant amount of property acquisition required and impact on the local shops, parkland and community. "The project will also build a brand new Rosanna Station next to the crossing and duplicate the notorious single section of track between Heidelberg and Rosanna, creating space for more frequent, reliable services, which will have flow-on benefits for the South Morang line." Works will begin within months and finish in 2019. A woman is in hospital with serious injuries after a driver involved in a police pursuit crashed into her in Melbourne's north-east. The collision took place on Bell Street, Preston, at 11.20pm on Monday night when the male driver failed to stop at a red light and slammed into the car with one female passenger. Police had been pursuing the vehicle with alleged false number plates along Bell Street after the driver began driving erratically. The male driver, 31, is in hospital under police guard with minor injuries while the female driver of the second car was taken to hospital with serious injuries. A man has died in hospital on Sunday after being seriously injured by a boat propeller south of Perth on Saturday. The 27-year-old Singleton man was out boating with friends on the Murray River around 2pm when the incident occurred. A 27-year-old man has been seriously injured by the propeller on this boat. Credit:WA Police Peel Water Police, Pinjarra Police, Mandurah Detectives and St John Ambulance attended the scene and the man was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital. "Sadly, the 27-year-old man from Singleton passed away late yesterday as a result of the injuries he sustained," police spokesman Michael Slaughter said on Monday. An unsavoury political menage a trois is heating up a month out from the WA election, but both the major parties will be hoping the sex tape doesn't see the light of day. Only a few months ago, One Nation's dance card was all but empty, but now both the Liberals and Labor are lining up with bouquets and chocolates, trying to sweep Pauline Hanson off her feet. Politics makes for strange bedfellows. And with a recent Newspoll in The Australian showing PHON could get 13 per cent of the primary vote, the major parties will scramble over each other trying to be the first to jump into bed with One Nation. We are constantly told politics makes strange bedfellows, but given both the Liberals' and Labor's open disdain for One Nation's policies in the past, the parties cutting a direct preference deal with PHON could mean the weirdest bedmates ever in a WA election. WA Labor has released the costing for stage one of its "congestion-busting" pet rail project Metronet which it says is expected to cost around $2.5 billion. Since Labor released its ambitious rail project in 2013 the party has reworked the costings of the plan, held 16 community forums across Perth and sought industry feedback. Congestion in Perth will outstrip that of Sydney within 15 years, according to Infrastructure Australia. Credit:Michele Mossop Labor is claiming the first part of its plan to connect Perth's suburbs by rail will cost $2.5 billion, which will take six years to complete, and will create more than 10,000 jobs. When Labor first launched its plan to expand Perth's rail network in 2013 it had a price tag of $3.8 billion, but former transport minister Troy Buswell said the Barnett government believed Metronet would actually cost nearly $6.5 billion. Helping hand ... an aid worker comforts a sick child at a clinic. Credit:Janie Barrett But, with four months to go until the next harvest, their future is very uncertain. Two weeks earlier, 18-month-old Mamdu arrived at the same clinic severely malnourished and was transferred to a special hospital ward for treatment. But it's the fifth time Mamdu has been admitted with severe malnutrition, highlighting the difficulties mothers have feeding their children once they are sent home from hospital. The experiences of Adam and Mamdu illustrate how vulnerable children are in a country as poor as Niger, especially when food gets short. I often sit in my house with my arms crossed and keep thinking about where I will go today to get food to eat - Abarta Sakka, villager. I also was struck by the number of women I met who had endured the death of a child. Out of 25 village women I interviewed in Niger, 18 had lost at least one child and eight had lost three or more. One of them, Maira Mamdu, had given birth 11 times but watched six children die before their fifth birthday. Two were stillborn, three succumbed to fever and a year ago, Maira lost a one-year-old to an unexplained illness after her neck swelled up. That child's twin, Girigirdi, is now being treated for acute malnutrition in the government hospital in Maine Soroa. "When Girigirdi first got sick I was very worried," she says. "But now I'm hopeful she's getting better." Like most households in Niger, Maira's family depends heavily on the annual harvest. "Farming is all we do," she says. "If there are crops, then we eat. Otherwise we just have to find ways to manage." A series of poor harvests has left the family increasingly vulnerable. A complete crop failure last October means their food stores are now empty and the family is living hand to mouth. "My husband goes out every day to find food," said Maira. "Sometimes at night we go to bed hungry." Halima Adamou, from the village of Kourfet in south-central Niger, had a similar story. She has lost two children and is struggling to feed her remaining seven. "I feel very uneasy when I wake up and see the children but don't have any food to give them," she said. "It's not good. ''It makes me cry when I see them hungry but can't do anything." It's no surprise that research by the aid agency Save the Children shows Niger has replaced Afghanistan as the worst place in the world to be a mother. It is normal for villagers in Niger to cut back on meals in the "lean season" - the period when food stocks run low just before the harvest in October. But a devastating drought last year means the lean season started way ahead of schedule for millions of Nigeriens this year. When I asked villager Abarta Sakka how her family was surviving, she fetched a bowl from her mud hut and plonked it in front of me. Inside was a clump of limp-looking leaves she and her children have been eating since their grain supplies ran out months ago. "It's only because of hunger that we eat this," she told The Sun Herald. For now, the unappetising gruel is keeping Abarta's family from starvation. But, like many parents in Niger, she fears it won't be enough. "I'm very afraid I will lose someone else, especially my children. "I often sit in my house with my arms crossed and keep thinking about where I will go today to get food to eat." Abarta has already experienced more than her share of misery. Poverty and chronic hunger has claimed seven of the 45-year-old's 10 children and her husband is dead. Despite all that, Abarta says this is the worst year she has seen. The price of some staple grains has risen by 75 per cent since last year and Abarta and her family are often go without meals. "Even now I'm hungry," she told me as we sat outside her mud hut. But Abarta is not alone. Most of the families in her village, called Zoure Azga, have run out of grain and must venture into the parched, sandy scrub each day in search of leaves to eat. Now even that last remaining source of food is under threat because villagers must compete with camels and other animals for the edible leaves. In some parts of Niger, villagers are so desperate they are collecting toxic berries that must be boiled repeatedly before they can be eaten. Even if the supply of leaves and berries lasts, they are not a viable long-term food. . "The nutritional power of those things is very limited," says the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Niger, Guido Cornale. One of Abarta's neighbours, a 65-year-old widow, Tegou, told me that when food ran out there was no choice but to be resourceful. I saw many examples of how people have developed innovative ways to cope when their grain stores run out. Yakoubou Dolle, who has eight children, crosses the border into neighbouring Nigeria and begs on the streets in one of its big cities. The 67-year-old had returned to his village 10 days earlier to share the earnings with his family. "After three months begging in Nigeria, I can live for six months here in my village," he told me. It's common for families in Niger to send people abroad in search of work. But the vast majority rely on the annual harvest. Atoiliasou, an elderly village leader at Kourfet in south central Niger, fears the next crop will also be a flop because farmers have spent all their resources surviving. "Even if it rains we don't have any seeds to plant," he said. Another bad growing season would be devastating. "If we get poor rains again and the harvest at the end of this year is poor, 2013 will be very, very critical," said Guido Cornale. Niger's government has won praise from UN officials and other governments for its willingness to seek international assistance to cope with the current food crisis and the transparency of its approach. But it faces overwhelming challenges. Niger's literacy rate is just 29 per cent (about 10 per cent for women), adults have spent an average of only 1.4 years at school and about one in every seven children die before their first birthday. Niger's northern deserts are encroaching on scarce agricultural land at an alarming rate and the effect of climate change appears to be making droughts in the region more common. Niger is enduring its third acute food shortage caused by drought since 2005. Djibo Tinni, a senior government official in Diffa district, which has had hardly any rain for three years, says sand dunes are threatening many fields and the villages in the region. "It's a sign of the widening desert and this makes us scared because we are powerless," he said. Most worrying of all is Niger's population growth rate which, at an average 7.7 per woman is one of the highest in the world. "By 2040 we will have 55 million people in this country but we have great difficulty feeding the 16 million that live here now," says Rheal Drisdelle, Niger country director of aid agency Plan. "In Niger 51 per cent of the population are below 20 years of age so how are you able to respond to the needs of this growing generation?" Professor Mahaman Tidjani Alou, a political scientist at Niger's Abdou Moumouni University, warns that Niger and its poor West African neighbours are being pushed to the brink. "Niger is under so much stress," he says. "We have our own security problems, disease and a food crisis. For the government of Niger it's too much in the long term it could become unbearable." Matt Wade and photographer Janie Barrett were supported by CARE Australia, Plan International Australia and Save the Children Australia to report from West Africa. How you can help Plan International Australia - 13 75 26 www.plan.org.au Save the Children - 1800 76 00 11 www.savethechildren.org.au CARE Australia - 1800 020 046 www.care.org.au/westafrica London: The British parliament's Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow has made a passionate statement arguing why US President Donald Trump should not address MPs from Westminister Hall, citing the parliament's opposition to "racism and sexism" and commitment to equality. Bercow said an address by a foreign leader to the Houses of Parliament is not an "automatic right" but an "earned honour". The speaker said he was "strongly opposed" to Trump addressing Parliament but became "even more strongly opposed" after the President's executive order banning travel and immigration by citizens of seven Muslim-majority nations was implemented. "I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations," he said to applause by SNP MPs in the chamber. Washington: There's madness in the method of this White House. But what's the objective is it merely to give Donald Trump's critics whiplash, or is it an opening blitzkrieg of orders and insults that calculatedly defines a new 'normal,' by which the outrageous becomes just irritating? The short answer is Americans can't be sure. Trump doesn't subscribe to the conventional political notion of staying on message, but just because he seems to suffer attention deficit disorder doesn't mean that he doesn't have a plan. Addressing the issue of a Seattle judge's decision to put the president's controversial immigration crackdown on hold, the White House took a stab at being presidential it recalled its first statement to delete the word "outrageous". But that was Friday. And through the weekend, even as a higher court rejected an administration appeal to have the Seattle order overturned, Trump hammered the Seattle judge James Robart a "so-called" judge, a "ridiculous" decision and then this: "If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" Jakarta: Indonesian President Joko Widodo is slated to visit Australia at the end of this month, with Jakarta confirming its outgoing ambassador Najib Riphat Kesoema had been asked to stay on for the presidential trip. The visit is a fillip for the bilateral relationship and reflects that lasting damage was not inflicted by the recent defence fracas over material found at an Perth army base that caused offence to Indonesia. Relaxed: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Indonesian President Joko Widodo take off their ties during a visit to Tanah Abang Market in Jakarta in November 2015. Credit:AP Ambassador Najib was farewelled at a diplomatic function in Canberra last month after serving a five-year posting in Australia. However the Indonesian Foreign Ministry's director-general for Asia Pacific Affairs, Desra Percaya, told Fairfax Media he had been asked to stay on a bit longer. Trump and his aides have suggested that terrorists and others who wish to do harm to the United States could arrive through normal immigration channels. Credit:AP Families and immigration advocacy groups were buoyed twice over the weekend - first when the Seattle judge temporarily blocked the executive order, and again when the 9th Circuit US Court of Appeals in San Francisco denied the government's attempt to gain an emergency stay. But a mood of uncertainty persisted after a week in which thousands of travellers bound for the United States were halted in transit and turned away at airports, and courts across the country issued conflicting rulings over whether and how the executive order should be carried out. Trump reacted angrily Sunday. In a Twitter post, he seemed to give immigration lawyers and advocates reason to fear that the country may not remain open for long to refugees, or to visa holders from the seven nations - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. 'I need to get back to work': Dr Kamal Fadlalla was stranded in his native Sudan, where he had been visiting his mother. Credit:New York Times "I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult!" he wrote. Doyle said that between Monday and February 17, about 2000 refugees would be rebooked on flights to the United States. Those who were expected to leave first had moved out of their apartments or refugee camps, sold their belongings and turned in their food ration cards. Sahar Harati, left, and Motahhare Eslami waiting for their parents to arrive at Logan Airport in Boston on Sunday. Credit:New York Times If you need to be back in this country, you should do it now. Mary McCarthy, executive director of the US National Immigrant Justice Centre In Kenya, dozens of Somalis who had cleared all the final security and medical checks to enter the United States were waiting Sunday in the refugee camp, where they were told that they might be able to travel in the next few days. But they were no longer sure who - or what - to believe. "I feel completely ruined," said Ahmed Hassan, a Somali refugee heading for Rhode Island. In the past few weeks, Hassan was bused out of the camp; sent to a transit centre in Nairobi, Kenya's capital, several hundred miles away; given travel documents; told he was about to fly to the United States; told he was not about to fly to the United States; bused back to the camp; and then told he might actually fly to the United States after all. He boarded a bus in Nairobi to return to the camp just hours before the federal judge lifted the travel ban. Hassan had sold his home and feared that he could be targeted as a US sympathiser by the Islamist and anti-US militants known to move in and out of the camps. He had arrived back at the refugee camp Saturday afternoon, retreated from the crowds shouting questions at him and hid inside a room. On the floor of Terminal 4 at Kennedy Airport, Wael Izzeldin, 6, clutched a green marker as he wrote a welcome sign for his father's best friend, Dr Kamal Fadlalla. Fadlalla is a second-year resident at Interfaith Medical Centre in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, and had been on vacation visiting his mother in Sudan, his first time home in three years. When Fadlalla appeared, the boy went running across the arrivals hall, leapt and wrapped himself around the doctor, crushing the tiny sign. Fadlalla was ebullient but fatigued. Though he holds a visa for people in specialty professions, he had been turned away at the airport, and spent a week marooned in Sudan. Around him, members of his union, Committee of Interns and Residents, wearing white lab coats, cheered. "I'm glad justice won," he said, adding that he was happy to return to his family and patients. "I need to get back to my work." Across the country Sunday, the non-governmental agencies that place refugees into homes and help them find jobs were gearing up to resettle as many as possible, while recovering from the whiplash of last week. Before Friday, their work had begun to trickle off, as they could resettle only refugees who were in transit when the president's order was signed. They had been preparing for their activities to come to a halt for four months in accordance with the order. Leslie Aizenman, of Jewish Family and Children's Services, a resettlement agency in Pittsburgh, had already put back on the market an apartment prepared for a family from Homs, Syria, who had been scheduled to arrive in the United States on Tuesday. The State Department cancelled their trip last week, and Aizenman was unsure when it would be rescheduled. Her staff had returned the backpacks filled with school supplies and stuffed animals they had prepared for the family's 9-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter. They had also told another Syrian family in Pittsburgh, who had volunteered to make a warm meal to welcome their new neighbours, not to bother. Because of the last-minute change, Aizenman said that the refugee family may have to live briefly in temporary housing, and settle for a restaurant meal rather than something homemade. "We had stopped the process, but no matter what, we'll accommodate them when they get here," she said. An interim ruling on whether the executive order may be enforced is likely to come quickly from the appeals court. But the ultimate decision on whether the order is lawful will take much longer, and is likely to come from the Supreme Court. That means people seeking to travel or settle here may be in limbo until the case is finally resolved. Over the weekend, lawyers were telling clients to take advantage of the precarious window. "We are encouraging people to come in as soon as possible," said Mary McCarthy, executive director of the National Immigrant Justice Centre, a Chicago-based organisation that provides legal services and advocacy to immigrants. "If you need to be back in this country, you should do it now." McCarthy said her organisation had been in regular contact throughout the weekend with a network of roughly 1500 lawyers who had volunteered to help travellers pro bono. The lawyers were stationed in shifts at airports across the country, observing customs officials to ensure that the Seattle judge's ruling was being carried out, and counselling refugees and visa holders on how to prepare for issues that could arise with their immigration status. Loading PHILIPSBURG:---The Central Committee will meet in a session on February 6, 2017. The Central Committee meeting has been set for Monday, February 6, 2017 at 14.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of Finance will be present. The agenda point is: The draft national ordinance establishing annual accounts 2012 Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg. The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org. Shaw Announces National Partnership With Canadian Red Cross and Kicks Off Campaign to End Bullying CALGARY, ALBERTA (Marketwired) 02/06/17 Shaw Communications Inc. (TSX: SJR.B)(TSX: SJR.PR.A)(TSX: SJR.PR.B)(NYSE: SJR)(TSX VENTURE: SJR.A) today announced the launch of its #PinkShirtPromise social media campaign, a platform for Canadians to speak up and help shape a future for children and communities that is free of bullying. Now in its third year, the #PinkShirtPromise campaign has seen thousands of Canadians make commitments to join the movement against bullying. This year, Shaw will donate $1 for every social media post with #PinkShirtPromise to the Canadian Red Cross and other charitable organizations who are working to end bullying at school, on the playground, and online. The #PinkShirtPromise campaign starts today and culminates with Pink Shirt Day on February 22. Statistics show that in 90% of bullying incidents, peers are present and watching yet it stops within 10 seconds when a bystander steps in.(1) The research is increasingly clear that bullying has become a significant public health issue that requires people working together to eliminate it, said Chethan Lakshman, Vice President, Communications and Public Relations, Shaw Communications. Every social media post made with the Pink Shirt Promise hashtag represents an individual willing to take a stand, speak up, or make a positive commitment for kids and youth while generating funds to support the real and lasting efforts of charities working to end bullying. A longstanding partner of the Canadian Red Cross, Shaw will be supporting the organizations Respect Education Beyond the Hurt program through this years #PinkShirtPromise campaign. The Red Cross program reaches thousands of students in schools across Canada each year, providing resources, training, and online courses to teach kids the importance of promoting respect, building empathy, and fostering healthy relationships. Targeted at youth in grades 6-12, Beyond the Hurt has educated millions of Canadian kids through training and certifying Youth Facilitators in schools and youth-serving organizations. Now, more than ever, kids and adults need help to recognize, respond to, and prevent bullying, said Judi Fairholm, National Director of Respect Education at the Canadian Red Cross. With the support of Shaw, we will continue to educate and promote respectful, healthy relationships to thousands of Canadians. To make it easier for Canadians to post their #PinkShirtPromise pledges, Shaw will open up its Shaw Go WiFi Network across Western Canada on Pink Shirt Day, February 22. The network is already available to all Shaw Internet subscribers; others can access the Guest Network by selecting ShawGuest from the list of available options at more than 80,000 hotspots across Western Canada. For more information on #PinkShirtPromise, please visit . For more information on Canadian Red Cross programs and bullying prevention, please click . (1) Source: PREVnet, . About Shaw Communications Shaw Communications Inc. is an enhanced connectivity provider. Our Consumer division serves consumers with broadband Internet, Shaw Go WiFi, video and digital phone. Our Wireless division provides wireless voice and data services through an expanding and improving mobile wireless network infrastructure. The Business Network Services division provides business customers with Internet, data, WiFi, telephony, video and fleet tracking services. The Business Infrastructure Services division, through ViaWest, provides hybrid IT solutions including colocation, cloud computing and security and compliance for North American enterprises. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX SJR.B, SJR.PR.A, SJR.PR.B, NYSE SJR, and TSXV SJR.A). For more information, please visit . Contacts: For media inquiries, please contact: Shaw Communications Inc. Chethan Lakshman, VP, Communications and Public Relations (403) 930-8448 Solar Novus Today Has Been Integrated With Novus Light Technologies Today Visit Novus Light Technologies Today to see all the cutting-edge stories and products that you have come to enjoy on Solar Novus Today. In addition, you will find more information on related light-based technologies. Get the latest solar and renewable energy news delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for the Green Technologies newsletter CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR GREEN TECHNOLOGIES NEWSLETTER Weather update: Notre Dame places tailgate restrictions as result of NWS wind advisory As the result of a wind advisory issued by the NWS for the South Bend area Saturday, Notre Dame has placed restrictions on tailgate activities. Welcome to SwanseaOnline - your home for the best news, sports and what's on coverage of the city. Never miss a Swansea story with our daily newsletter Sign up to comment on our stories here Follow us on Facebook and Twitter | Swansea City news | Ospreys news | InYourArea A simulated image of a lake filling Mars' Gale Crater in the ancient past. Observations by NASAs Curiosity rover suggest that Gale Crater once hosted potentially a habitable lake-and-stream system for long stretches perhaps millions of years at a time. The mystery of how Mars could have once had water flowing on its surface is now deepening, as a new study reveals that the Red Planet's early atmosphere likely possessed up to hundreds of times less carbon dioxide than needed to keep it warm enough for liquid water to last. Although Mars is now cold and dry, there are decades of evidence suggesting that the Red Planet's surface was once covered with rivers, streams, ponds, lakes and perhaps seas and oceans. Dark, narrow lines seen on Mars even hint that water could run down some of its slopes every spring. There is life virtually wherever there is water on Earth, so these findings raise the possibility that Mars was once a home to life, and might host it still. "The watery environments that once occupied the floor of Gale Crater look like they were pretty hospitable to life not too hot, not too cold, not too acid, not too alkaline, and the water probably was not too salty," said study lead author Thomas Bristow, a planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California. [Photos: Ancient Mars Lake Could Have Supported Life] Bedrock at this site inside Mars Gale Crater, which was studied by NASAs Curiosity rover, added to a puzzle about the ancient Red Planet. Curiositys data indicated that a lake was present, but little carbon dioxide was apparently in the air to help keep a lake unfrozen. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS ) Ancient Mars must have been much warmer than the planet is today for such environments to persist, many scientists think. As such, prior work sought to look for signs that Mars once possessed ample amounts of greenhouses gases such as carbon dioxide in its atmosphere, which trap heat from the sun. However, analyses of data taken from orbit above Mars suggested little in the way of the carbonate minerals on the Martian surface that one would expect to find if its atmosphere were once richer in carbon dioxide. To help solve this mystery, scientists examined data collected from the Red Planet's surface by NASA's Curiosity rover as it traversed the lower slopes of the mountain Aeolis Mons (known informally as Mount Sharp), which rises about 3.4 miles (5.5 kilometers) high from the center of Gale Crater. The researchers analyzed Martian mudstones, siltstones, sandstones and other sedimentary rocks deposited by lakes and rivers on the floor of Gale Crater about 3.5 billion years ago. They did not detect carbonates, suggesting that atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide back then were tens to hundreds of times lower than those required by climate models to warm early Mars enough to keep liquid water on its surface. These findings do not suggest that ancient Mars wasn't wet, study team members said. "The sedimentary evidence at Gale Crater is indisputable in showing the prolonged presence of liquid water on the surface of early Mars," Bristow told Space.com. One possible explanation for this discovery is that Mars once did have carbonates on its surface that were later destroyed. However, "the nature of the minerals in the samples we focused on don't support that conclusion," Bristow said. "They don't show any sign of suffering an acidic attack that could have dissolved any carbonates there in the past." Another possibility is that early Mars was warmed by other greenhouse gases, such as sulfur dioxide, methane or nitrous oxide. "The downside of all these other greenhouse gases is that they tend to be quite reactive, so when you put them in the atmosphere, they don't hang out an especially long time," Bristow said. "So the warming periods driven by those kinds of greenhouse gases are relatively short-lived, which is not consistent with observations from Gale Crater where we have evidence for lakes and rivers that persisted for hundreds of thousands or even millions of years." Other scenarios that might explain the water of early Mars include ice caps that could have kept liquid water insulated under them, or a change in the Martian orbit that made the Red Planet warmer. "Our findings mean that scientists have to think a bit more deeply about what kind of mechanisms could lead to stabilization of surface water," Bristow said. Future research will analyze more data that Curiosity is collecting as it makes its way up Aeolis Mons. "It looks like the rover should be sampling the rock record of ancient Mars during a climatic transition as it dried out and cooled down," Bristow said. "We are hoping to get more clues as to how the early Martian climate system operated." The scientists detailed their findings online today (Feb. 6) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Follow Charles Q. Choi on Twitter @cqchoi. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less. Algiers, February 06 2017 (SPS) --The Sahrawi Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Salem Ould Salek stated Monday in Algiers the African Union (AU) is sufficiently mature and independent to counter Morocco's plans and attempts to undermine the Constitutive Act of the pan-African organization. "The AU is sufficiently and independent in its decisions that allow it counter Morocco's plans and attempts to infringe the provisions of the Constitutive Act of the pan-African organization," said Ould Salek in a press conference held at the Sahrawi embassy in Algiers, stressing the "majority, even all African states expect Morocco to comply to the document it signed and ratified (AU Constitutive Act)." Ould Salek said the AU decided to accept Morocco as the 55th member state of the AU following a "consensus among the member states," adding "no vote took place as some Moroccan media report." "The accession was enforced in accordance to Articles 9 and 29 of the Constitutive Act based on respect for borders inherited from independence and non-use of force for acquisition of territories, sacrosanct principles," affirmed the Sahrawi official. "Morocco sits alongside the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and coincidentally, coordination between the countries of the Zone 5 of the AU (North Africa) is entrusted to Western Sahara. It is a fait accompli to which Morocco must adapt," said Ould Salek. If not, "Morocco will not only be faced to SADR but to all AU member states and bodies." "Regardless of the agenda behind Morocco's request to join the AU, the pan-African organization is aware of the continent's interests that intersect with those of the international community." "Therefore, the AU will pursue playing full role to find African solutions to Africa's issues," he added. SPS 125/090/700 Formed initially by a merger of the Weed, Insecticide and Fungicide Councils, BCPCs early membership was drawn from the fore-runners of organisations such as Rothamsted Research, the National Association of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC) and the Crop Protection Association (CPA). The first President was former Rothamsted Director Sir Frederick Bawden, a pioneer of research into plant viruses and a fierce campaigner for long-term research into crop production. Back in the 60s, increasing UK food production using new technology was the main priority, says Dr Colin Ruscoe, BCPCs Executive Chairman. But current demands also encompass safety, the environment, research priorities and the need for UK farming to be competitive and profitable. Provision of authoritative, unbiased information based on sound science is a key driver of competitiveness and has always been one of BCPCs main activities. The internationally acclaimed Pesticide Manual was first published in 1968, joined later by The UK Pesticide Guide the Green Book. Lat er publications have included handbooks on pesticide application, The Manual of Biocontrol Agents and the Biotech Crops Manual. BCPCs events include its flagship Annual Congress, now back in its original home in Brighton. Working Groups organise popular Annual Reviews on Weeds, Diseases, Pests and Beneficials, actively transferring the latest science and opinion to advisers, growers and other practitioners. Regular industry news is disseminated free to subscribers via the BCPC Newslink service, and its key publications are now available as online resources, enabling regular updates and giving much-valued searchability. President Donald Trump has been a vocal critic of "fake news," but now the president is under fire for sharing an apparently false news story on his own Facebook page. First, it's important to clarify that President Trump has co-opted the term "fake news" from its definition of a fabricated post designed to look like a legitimate story in order to mislead for political or financial gain, to mean simply any news he doesn't like. He's even gone so far as to repeatedly call CNN and other legitimate news outlets fake news organizations. T he AIM-listed company behind a pioneering cancer treatment suffered a major setback today when it agreed to terminate orders from China worth $120 million (96 million). Advanced Oncotherapy agreed to scrap the deal after Chinese customer Sinophi Healthcare complained about delays in the manufacturing of its revolutionary LIGHT proton-beam therapy system. The company, which is developing a proton-beam therapy centre at Harley Street, previously said the Chinese private hospitals firm had no legal basis to terminate the deal, its only contract apart from Harley Street. It also returned a $250,000 deposit paid by Sinophi. The company said it was close to completing its first LIGHT system and insisted it would secure more sales in due course. Chief executive Nicolas Serandour admitted it was disappointing, but added: I am confident that as we move closer to completing our first operational machine we will be able to deliver the commercial success that our shareholders expect. The shares tumbled 7.5p, or 10%, to 65p. I t was a killer question. Why, asked a reader in Singapore, are we so sure the backlash against globalisation is definitely a bad thing? She wondered whether anti-globalisation could push companies to operate in a different way, one that may not decrease overall living standards. It was the old idea that necessity was the mother of invention, especially in a digital world. I promised a reply, and here it is. Well, it is certainly true that those of us who grew up in a world shaped by the post-war institutions of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, Gatt and its successor, the World Trade Organisation (WTO), see greater freedom of trade and finance as the prime driver in increasing living standards. Since China joined the WTO, half a billion people have been lifted out of poverty, and that is thanks to what we call globalisation. Attacks used to be just from the Left. If you search for anti-globalisation in Google images, what pops up are pictures of street marches against the WTO. The movement has now been joined by Donald Trump and Marine Le Pen, who has based her presidential bid on the back of an attack on globalisation. So the short answer to the question is that if the far Left and far Right agree on something, the rest of us can be pretty sure it is a bad idea. But it is a lazy answer, and actually there are instances in the past of the beneficial effects of pushback against total freedom of trade. Perhaps the best example was the way the world responded to the huge trade surplus of Japan in the early Eighties when Japanese companies first limited their exports to Europe to some 10% of the market and then built local plants to supply the markets. The deal to build the Nissan plant in Sunderland, signed in 1984, was the first in Europe. Two years earlier, Honda had started production in Ohio in the US, and eventually European manufacturers followed. Now the largest BMW assembly plant in the world is in South Carolina. What started out as a way to appease protectionists became a means of transferring knowledge and bringing manufacturing employment to less-favoured regions. You can see the value the UK places on that Nissan plant by the way the Government quickly agreed a deal (we dont know the details) that Nissan would not be disadvantaged by Brexit. Legislation to allow PM to start formal Brexit talks clears first Commons hurdle It is very early days but already you can start to see how multinationals are responding to concerns about shipping jobs abroad. The switch of investment by General Motors away from Mexico and back to the US has hit the headlines for obvious reasons. But there have been plenty of examples of bringing jobs that have been offshored back home that have nothing to do with political pressure. It has been customer complaints that have encouraged banks that had moved call centres to India to shift the jobs back to the UK. More generally, the advantages of lower costs have to be set against the growing complexity of supply chains, and in some industries the slow response times if you have to ship stuff across the world. Zara, the fashion chain, sources much of its clothing from Portugal, Spain and Morocco, giving it the ability to switch lines very quickly to meet customer demand. There is a further thing automation. If you have to produce in a high-wage place, you automate as much of your production processes as possible. You have to invest to do so. The effect is that your industry achieves higher productivity as a result. Thus pushback against offshoring forces companies in developed countries to lift their game. There is one industry where globalisation has been in reverse for nearly a decade: banking. The banks have found that trying to break into foreign markets is a bit of a mugs game. British and European banks have lost huge amounts in the US mortgage market, and are now in addition are being fined for their failures. Bank of Scotlands catastrophic incursion into Ireland was arguably the biggest single reason for needing to seek a bailout from Lloyds and then the Government. Finance has gone back home. That does not mean that a retreat from globalisation will be better for other industries, too. But if you look at retailing, foreign adventures have a very mixed record. Lidl and Aldi have done wonderfully in the UK but Tesco managed to lose 1.8 billion in America, trying to challenge Whole Foods with Fresh & Easy. In any case, the balance of global trade is already shifting from merchandise to services. Right now, services account for between 60% and 80% of a developed world economy but global trade in services is only one third the size of trade in goods. It may be that the push against globalisation will inhibit physical trade but encourage trade in services. Instead of shipping the goods around, we will ship ideas and money around and that will cause less tension. So it will be a softer form of globalisation: more joint ventures, more local control, more local branding, more licensing of knowledge and more portfolio investment rather than direct investment. It may or may not be more efficient in economic terms, but it will certainly be less divisive in social terms and that ultimately matters more. A major property investor which suspended trading in one of its funds following the Brexit vote, on Monday showed its confidence in Londons residential market with a 85 million housebuilding loan. Under M&G Investments 35-year financing deal with One Housing, the developer will create 1,050 properties for shared ownership, social and affordable rent, and 400 for market sale. They will be built in the capital, including Barnet and Lewisham, and the South-east by 2020. Mark Davie, M&Gs head of social housing, said the deal brings benefits to pension fund clients who seek sustainable long-term returns, secured against residential property. He added: M&G has now invested over 6 billion in UK social housing through property transactions, public bonds and private placements and were keen to do more. Last year M&G Investments joined rivals such as Aviva, in temporarily preventing investors from yanking their money out of commercial property funds in the wake of Britains decision to leave the EU. R eckitt Benckiser chief Rakesh Kapoor stands to gain at least 15 million from the benefits of a proposed takeover of US baby milk target Mead Johnson. Kapoor, the second-best-paid FTSE 100 chief, has a lucrative share award that will pay out if he boosts earnings by 10% a year between now and 2018 and City analysts expect the looming takeover to help Reckitt surpass that figure, triggering the windfall. The pay deal was agreed last year as part of a controversial long-term incentive plan, which prompted a partial shareholder rebellion with one in five voting against the package. Under the scheme, Kapoor will receive 240,000 shares worth 15.4 million plus an extra 400,000 share options potentially worth millions if he grows earnings per share by more than 10% in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Berenberg and Royal Bank of Canada analysts are among those expecting Meads takeover to push Reckitt over the 10% hurdle. They previously expected earnings to grow by between 8.4% and 8.7%, underneath the hurdle. The proposed deal has fuelled concerns that earnings per share is too narrow a measure on which to judge Kapoor. We would like to see a broader set of measures for his long-term incentive plan. If you do a big cash deal like this, it will give you a big leg up on EPS growth, one investor said. Reckitt said that the 10% target was extremely stretching, and added that the policy was based on long-term value creation for shareholders, and management only win if shareholders win. R yanair has revealed the wounds it has suffered after being forced to slash fares to boost passenger demand and battle rivals, with the budget carrier posting a profits slump and putting flier freebies under review. Average fares between October and December fell faster than initially planned, Ryanair said, plunging by 17% to 33 (28) per passenger. The resultant 16% traffic surge to 29 million fliers wasnt enough to redress the balance. More passengers paying far lower fares meant profits, after tax, fell 8% to 95 million in the third quarter, worse than the City had expected, and shares fell 1.9% to 14.49. Europes biggest budget airline is sticking for now to its forecast for post-tax profits for the year to April of 1.3 billion to 1.35 billion. But chief executive Michael OLeary conceded the guidance relied on a turbulence-free final two months and no security events hitting late bookings. Ryanair also warned that passenger charges could rise as it reviews services such as the two free carry-on bags. It said these were causing boarding delays as punctuality fell from 90% last year to 88% over the past nine months. But Brexit has been Ryanairs biggest problem, since about a quarter of its bookings are made in sterling, but the Irish carrier books earnings in euros. A new front has emerged in the virtual war between Silicon Valley and the White House as almost 100 firms including Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Twitter filed legal opposition to President Donald Trumps executive order on immigration. The 97 major tech firms unified to make a legal filing attacking Trumps entry ban, which prevented refugees from entering the US indefinitely and restricted travel for citizens of Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and Sudan, claiming it is discriminatory. Airbnb, Uber, Dropbox, eBay, Lyft, Spotify and Kickstarter are also among the technology giants that filed an amicus brief (friend of the court) document, filed by non-litigants with a heavy interest in the subject, to the ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals. It urges the States to make a fundamental commitment to welcoming immigrants and simply employ more background checks to boost security. Immigrants make many of the nations greatest discoveries and create some of the countrys most innovative and iconic companies, the brief said. The order represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system The order makes it more difficult and expensive for US companies to recruit, hire and retain some of the worlds best employees. The amicus brief is aimed at supporting the move, made late on Friday, by a US District judge, who temporarily lifted the Trump administrations ban. Silicon Valley firms have been the most vocal in the fight against Trumps immigration order, with Microsofts president Brad Smith dubbing the ban a significant burden on US firms. Amazon has 49 employees born in countries named in the executive order, as well as seven Iranian-born prospective staff members. President Donald Trump lashes out at US judge on Twitter Thousands of Google staff in the US staged a protest against the order last week, and the search giant pledged as much as $2 million to match staff donations to support refugees. At Apple, whose co-founder Steve Jobs was the son of a Syrian immigrant, chief executive Tim Cook pointed out that the iPhones giant would not exist without immigration. Uber boss Travis Kalanick resigned from Trumps advisory council after a user boycott. Airbnb screened a politically charged advert during last nights Super Bowl, featuring a diverse array of its staff. T here are some 300,000 French people living in London, making us the equivalent of Frances sixth-largest city. Many of them work in the City, drawn by the galvanic energy of London as a financial centre but also repelled by French over-regulation and President Hollandes onerous tax and labour regimes. They obviously add greatly to the cosmopolitanism, style and food culture of London. Now France is seeking to woo them back. Valerie Pecresse, president of the Paris region, has taken over part of the Shard today to encourage banks, financial technology firms, green finance companies and start-ups to move to France, post-Brexit, rather than, say, to Dublin or Frankfurt. She argues that it is most likely that Britain will lose so-called passporting rights for financial services companies, which allows them to do business across the EU. Certainly some companies are, as a precautionary measure, setting up subsidiary branches elsewhere in the EU. Shes not alone in wooing the expats. The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, declares: If you want to come back, you should know that we are ready to have you back. As inducements, she claims Paris is Europes green financial centre, strong on the digital economy with the best engineering schools, universities and the biggest start-up campus in the world. Mme Pecresse is over-hasty in assuming City firms will not be able to do business freely in the EU post-Brexit; one of the Governments top priorities in the Brexit negotiations must be to protect the position of the City. The obvious point is that if the City were to lose ground, the winner would not be Paris or Frankfurt but New York. Financial services have a global remit and it is London that has the history and expertise to trade with the world. London must also go out of its way to retain our French bankers and others by ensuring the environment here is propitious. The tax regime must be favourable and labour laws must continue to be less rigid than elsewhere in the EU. But our cultural life, our education system we need more French lycees and our encouragement of environmentally friendly business must be attractive too. We cannot rely on the negative aspects of doing business in Paris to retain French and other bankers; we have to make sure London is the work capital of choice for all. Lion king Londoner Dev Patel was so keen to appear in the film Lion that he turned up at the home of its scriptwriter to beg for a part. As it turns out, he is perfectly cast, and Lion which won the International Film prize at the Evening Standard Film Awards is up for Best Film at the Academy Awards. Patel has been shortlisted in the best supporting actor category for both the Oscars and this Sundays Baftas. We will be cheering him on. L eaving work the other evening I was intercepted by a young colleague curious to know where I was headed. I explained I was going to watch a preview screening of a new film by Gurinder Chadha, who is best known for directing Bend it Like Beckham. It was called Viceroys House, and it was about Partition. Whats Partition? she replied. I cant really blame her. But for people like Chadha and me, Partition is part of our family story. We have relatives who were caught up in it: the largest and arguably the bloodiest migration in history a vast movement of peoples that was caused by the British decision in 1947 to divide India and create the Muslim state of Pakistan. For as long as I can remember, my mother has referred to herself as a displaced person displaced by choice when, in 1962, she married my English father, Charles Wheeler, then the BBCs Delhi-based South Asia correspondent, and left India forever; but first displaced when, aged 14, she and her Sikh family were forced from their home in Sargodha in the Punjab, in what is now Pakistan. As the crisis approached, my mothers family were lucky. At the urging of their Muslim friends and neighbours, they left for Delhi, where a married sister was living. The idea was to take refuge until the madness passes. The madness intensified. Many lost their lives in horrific inter-communal violence, or were pulled off trains and slaughtered as they tried to flee. The death toll is estimated at anything between 250,000 and a million. For my mothers family there was no way back. To live in Pakistan meant converting to Islam. So I grew up with my mothers wistful descriptions of life on the lost homestead: picking jasmine barefoot in the morning dew amid orchards of grapefruit and mango, and vines fertilised with goats blood. In their handling of India in the 1940s, the British not only divided the country, they divided my own family. My grandfather was a doctor and local magistrate who maintained firm allegiance to the Raj and recruited soldiers to fight for the empire. 'In 2014 the party that had dominated Indian politics for 49 years was complacent, out of touch and perceived as corrupt' My mothers older siblings, on the other hand, were passionate supporters of Gandhis Quit India campaign, and they teased her when, as a schoolgirl, she was chosen to present a bouquet to the visiting governors wife. So when our own extended family has recently fallen to wrangling about the UKs role in the EU, my mother reminded us of her youth. Which is partly why I was so keen to see the film. The film is a fine, if not flawless, work moving and informative, as well as engaging and visually sumptuous. When it reaches the cinemas on March 3, I will go again. Chadha says she wanted to present the peoples Partition. I dont think it is that. But given that for millions the experience involved violence and suffering, that is probably just as well. If you doubt me, read The Other Side of Silence by Urvashi Butalia, which collates oral accounts so grim and harrowing I doubt even Ken Loach would touch it. Chadha tells the story largely from the perspective of the familiar historical protagonists but with a Downtonesque sub-plot featuring a young Muslim and Hindu who have a go at romance across the religious divide. The film opens with the arrival of Lord Dickie Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India (Hugh Bonneville), and his wife Edwina (Gillian Anderson), and charts the increasingly frantic negotiations with Indias leaders as the country appears to slide into civil war. Mountbatten is often blamed for an over-hasty transfer of power and not doing enough to halt the slaughter that ensued. But here the central figures are sympathetically portrayed. Mountbatten is well intentioned and charming; Edwina, bright and humane; Nehru (Tanveer Ghani), elegant and Anglophile; Jinnah (Denzil Smith) uncompromising but not inhuman; and Gandhi (Neeraj Kabi) humble and wholly devoted to a united India. The credits cite Freedom at Midnight by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre as a historical source. This posits that after decades of struggle Indias political leaders were agitating for independence, and Jinnah would countenance nothing less than a Muslim state. Britain was exhausted and bankrupted by the Second World War and unable (morally or politically) to commit troops to quelling riots on the Indian subcontinent. But in the absence of an on-screen villain, Chadha reaches for a scapegoat off-screen: perfidious politicians in London. Mountbatten is told of a secret plan for partition cooked up by Churchill. The aim was to keep the port of Karachi (Pakistan) out of Russian hands. Nehrus communist sympathies were well known, so India could not be a relied on as the Cold War approached. I am not convinced of the merits of this thesis, and suspect it was inserted to widen the appeal of the film. Indeed, Chadha appeared to confess as much when she told The Observer: Ive had to jump into so many camps to make this film. I wanted to be able to sit and watch it in London, in Delhi and in Lahore. I hope it is watched widely, not least to celebrate what is now 70 years of independence. For me two questions are key: what is the legacy bequeathed by the British, and how resilient is the modern Indian state? My Indian relatives readily agree that good things left by the British include language and infrastructure (railways and canals), the civil service, legal system and parliamentary democracy. There is less consensus about how the fathers of independence would view the modern Indian state, and in particular the government of Narendra Modi, which champions loudly the rights of the Hindu majority. Some find the populist mood uncomfortable. But few deny that when Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party swept to power in 2104, the Congress Party deserved to lose. The party that had dominated Indian politics since independence (heading central government for 49 years) was complacent, out of touch and perceived as corrupt. If this secular, socially liberal party is to lead one of the worlds great democracies again, it has no option but to reconnect with the people. Indias struggles remind us that people want to be heard and respected and they want to govern themselves. The challenge is to satisfy these desires and build a strong nation, without unleashing hatred and intolerance of others. M uch-loved London chain Pizza Pilgrims are giving away pizza this week, on Thursday February 9, to celebrate National Pizza Day and their forthcoming new restaurant in Shoreditch. The Pilgrims will be taking their three-wheeler van which gave founders Thom and James Elliot their start down to The Red Gallery on Rivington Street in Shoreditch. Throughout Thursday, the team will give away free pizza to anyone willing to draw them something on one of their pizza boxes. The best contributions will be then be used to decorate the walls of the new site. The new Naples-inspired pizzeria will open on Shoreditch High St in early March will be the first Pizza Pilgrims where customers are encouraged to BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze). There will be a 2.50 corkage charge. It will also be the first of three new Pizza Pilgrims opening across London this year. There are also plans for openings in West India Quay and Waterloo. Read our guide to the best pizza in London. The best pizza in London 1 /18 The best pizza in London 50 Kalo di Ciro Salvo Don't be fooled by the red and black Dennis the Menace-style decor this place does seriously good pizza. Ingredients are rich and authentic (the mozzarella is flown in from Campania) and the pizzas come with generous helpings of lip-smacking tomato sauce (that you be mopping up with leftover crust afterwards). Luciano Furia Sodo Pizza Cafe In case you were wondering about the name, Sodo stands for sourdough. And thats something they take pretty seriously here. All the pizza dough is fermented for 48 hours and then baked at over 450 so that its light and airy with plenty of that sourdough tang. With such great bases it makes sense to keep toppings simple, but special kudos must go to the brilliantly named Jon Bon Chovy topped with anchovies, olives, capers, chilli and fresh parsley. Pizza Pilgrims With restaurants in different corners of London, brothers James and Thom Eliot have come a long way since their days as street food traders. The Neapolitan-style pizzas here are soft and doughy with a plumped-up crust and a rich tomato base try the nudja variety if youre feeling spicy. L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele Flying in to Baker Street from Naples, this pizzeria which incidentally was featured in Eat, Pray, Love has been described as the best in the world, never mind London. The London branch is less scruffy (and a little more expensive) than the Naples original, and the pizzas are slightly different, too the bases are thicker for a start. That said, the full-flavoured tomato base which is a signature is present and correct and theres no doubting this is among the finest pizza in the capital. Be prepared to queue. Santore A hefty proportion of the clientele always seems to be Italian at this old-school Clerkenwell local, and thats got to be a good sign. The signature order is pizza by the metre, made with varying toppings along the stretch you might want to bring a couple of friends to help polish it off though. For something different try the i panuozzi, a pizza sandwich that has the same toppings but double the dough. Crate Brewery No two items could be more perfectly suited to each other than beer and pizza and few places are as geared up for the pair of them as Crate is. As well as making its own beer on-site it serves crispy, thin-base pizzas that are worthy of much more than just soaking up your drinks. Try the Middle Eastern lamb variety, topped with spicy mince, alongside more traditional numbers. Franco Manca There's a staggering number of Franco Manca branches throughout the capital, from Soho to Southfields and Covent Garden to Chiswick. Despite its size, the slightly sour, salty chewy Neapolitan base which made such an impression at the original Brixton Market branch remains, as do the simple but well-sourced toppings. The original Brixton branch is still the best. Homeslice There are now six buzzy Homeslice sites across London serving up impressive 20-inch pizzas. Some off-the-wall toppings may put off purists, but clever combos and a blistering hot oven ensure the end results really do work even a goat shoulder and savoy cabbage number. Devour them whole or by the slice. Pizza Union This casual pizzeria with sites in Spitalfields and Kings Cross is buzzy, fast and impressively cheap plus the pizzas are the real deal. Theyre made in the Roman style, with bases that are thin and crispy rather than chewy, and come in an abundance of varieties. Good news for coeliacs just ask for gluten free bases. Yard Sale Pizza Yard Sale Pizza started out how you might expect in a yard. Founder Johnnie Tate began his dough spinning journey cooking pies in a pizza oven in his Hackney back garden, but now the brand boasts five sites across London and has collaborated with the likes of foodie rapper Loyle Carner and, err, Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin. The proof of their success is in the pie its Holy Pepperoni is topped with two types of pepperoni and nduja sausage, while more contemporary options include the TSB, topped with tenderstem broccoli, manchego and pine nuts. Voodoo Rays Crust-leavers, get yourself to Voodoo Rays. This Dalston-originating pizza joint serves its pizza by-the-slice from massive 22-inch New York-style pies do the maths and that means less crust, more topping. And what toppings they are: fior di latte mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes are used across the board and varieties include both Italian classic and the likes of the very English Porkys, made with Cumberland sausage, Stilton, red onion and parsley. Zia Lucia Zia Lucia really knows its dough. The growing pizza group has four different doughs on its menu a traditional, a wholemeal, a vegetable charcoal and one made with gluten-free flour. Toppings are Italian in essence, with a few tantalisingly unusual variations along the way: the Andrea Pirlo is topped with gorgonzola, apple, truffle and olive sauce, while the Green Vegana is spread with spicy broccoli cream and sundried tomatoes. Circolo Popolare The pizzas here are as luxurious as the restaurants famously flamboyant surroundings. Delicious metre-long 'zas arrive from the open kitchens twin rotary oven, placed on tables under floral ceilings and surrounded by walls stacked with 20,000 bottles. The crusts are chewy and light, the toppings are liberally applied and the sauces are perfect. ES Magazines critic Jimi Famurewa was full of praise for the doughy dishes, calling the peach-topped Orlando Blue pie a balanced blast of sunshine. The pizzas at Gloria, Circolos sister restaurant, are just as good too. Lateef Okunnu @lateef.photography Made of Dough At Made of Dough, its all about that crust generously charred and tangy as heck, its arguably the star of the show. Heading into the centre, be sure that the Truffle is somewhere on your order a white pizza, both mozzarella and parmesan are topped with white alba truffle oil and portobello mushrooms, with the option to add a mind-boggling portion of burratina on top. Starting life as a residency at Pop Brixton, the Made of Dough team now have a permanent spot in Peckham, as well as popular stalls in Market Hall Fulham and the West End location of crazy golf bar Swingers. Visit standard.co.uk/restaurants for the latest news and reviews from Londons food scene. Follow David Ellis on Twitter @dvh_ellis Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESGoingOut R ising star Ella Purnell has said working with Margot Robbie and Keira Knightley made up for not going to drama school. The 20-year-old east Londoner has played younger versions of both the Hollywood stars and said they helped her learn the craft. She is now about to put her lessons to good use on the stage, playing one of three nameless teenagers in Natives, at Southwark Playhouse, about young lives in the internet age. With her film experience including portraying the younger version of Knightleys character in 2010s Never Let Me Go and the young Jane Robbies role in last years The Legend Of Tarzan, Purnell said she had no problem playing supporting roles to such successful, amazing women. Arts picks of the week: February 6th-12th 1 /8 Arts picks of the week: February 6th-12th David Hockney Hockney is perhaps the nation's favourite living artist, and his most comprehensive exhibition yet opens at Tate Britain this week. It's bound to be popular, so plan your visit very precisely. You'll want to get the best spot to be able to see his greatest achievements in painting, drawing, print, photography and video. February 9 - May 29, Tate Britain; tate.org.uk ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES/JENNI CARTER Vanessa Bell The Dulwich Picture Gallery are opening the first major retrospective of Vanessa Bell's work, making it clear that she was much more than just Virginia Woolf's sister, Bloomsbury Group figurehead and artist's muse. Around 100 paintings and objects will show a life passionately dedicated to creating art. February 8 - June 4, Dulwich Picture Gallery; dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk Yale Center for British Art Woolf Works live broadcast Wayne McGregor's ballet triptych is a feast for the senses, with a thrilling soundtrack from Max Richter and the Royal Ballet's most brilliant talent performing. If you can't make it to the Royal Opera House to see the show live, there's a chance to see it broadcast live in cinemas this week. Read our guide to Wayne McGregor's work. February 8, cinemas across the country; roh.org.uk Tristram Kenton La Ronde Max Gill has reimagined Arthur Schnitzler's classic play to examine 21st century sexuality in the city. The cast's roles will be selected with a roulette, and it will feature verbatim testimonies from prostitutes and adulterers, suggesting The Bunker will keep marking out a space as a centre for experimenting. February 11 - March 11, The Bunker; bunkertheatre.com The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin The European premiere of Kirsten Childs' show about a young African American girl who meets the realities of racism and sexism with optimism and faith opens this week. It promises 'Sondheim meets Beyonce'. Read Kirsten Childs' advice to writers. February 1 - March 11, Theatre Royal Stratford East; stratfordeast.com Revolution: Russian Art 1917-1932 One hundred years after the Russian Revolution, arts venues across the capital are remembering this radical event from history. The Royal Academy tooks inspiration from an exhibition that took place in Russia at the time, showing avante-garde art flourishing, before free expression was clamped down on under Stalin. Read the review. February 11 - April 17, Royal Academy; royalacademy.org.uk Travesties in the West End Patrick Marber's much-loved production of Tom Stoppard's Travesties transfers to the West End this week, with Tom Hollander and the cast reprising their roles. Read the review. Until April 29, Apollo Theatre Buy tickets for Travesties with Evening Standard Tickets Johan Persson Adriana Lecouvreur Cilea's tragic opera was given a sumptous production by David McVicar in 2010, and this week sees its first revival. Angela Gheorghiu stars as an adored actress who meets a tragic fate. February 7 - March 2, Royal Opera House; roh.org.uk ROH / Catherine Ashmore She said: I love it, it is one of my favourite things. I never went to drama school and shadowing them is a great way to learn the craft. On filming The Legend Of Tarzan, Purnell said: We had three days together and the way it worked was if she took three steps to the right I would have to take three steps to the right. You really start to see the thought that lies behind every word and every move. Natives, which opens next month, sees her playing a young woman obsessed with numbers who measures her life in calories and how many likes she gets for her posts online. It is a subject Purnell, who has 213,000 followers on Instagram, says she can understand. She has used her online presence for everything from starting a debate about the UK prison system to asking her fans to commit three random acts of kindness a day. She said: I try to inspire people and start debates about things. Natives by Glenn Waldron is at Southwark Playhouse from March 29 to April 22. Visit standard.co.uk/theatre for the latest news and reviews from Londons theatre scene. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout I f you speak to someone as passionate about supporting women and championing theatre as actress Sophie Melville, then you can really have a conversation. Better still when she is about to appear in feminist theatre classic Low Level Panic, getting its first revival at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond since its 1988 Royal Court premiere. The day we speak may be so cold that shes got chilblains, but shes fired up to perform the play, which she says has become even more relevant since Donald Trump became president. Clare McIntyres play puts three women in a bathroom and allows them to speak in an unfiltered way about the insecurities. They worry about porn, what to wear, meeting men, what men think of them, what men do to them but they are figuring it out together. I want to look like I feel, says Melvilles character Mary, imagining a life free from the male gaze. Its not just the canon status of the play as a piece of feminist writing that makes it one to watch, but Melvilles performance last year in Gary Owens Iphigenia in Splott. It saw her shortlisted for best actress at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards, alongside Billie Piper, Helen McCrory and Noma Dumezweni. Henry Hitchings described it as sensational. The one-woman show offered a blistering polemic against the governments austerity measures, and showed their human impact. What did it mean to Melville? I feel like its me, she says, having been the first person to perform it and create the character. I feel so, so strongly about it. Sophie Melville in Iphigenia in Splott / Mark Douet She says she wanted to do it more than anything else shed ever auditioned for in fact, she needed to do it. Its something that really speaks to my heart. To be now starring in a play asking searing questions about feminism and the effects of the patriarchy seems to suggest that Melville is drawn to political writing. She agrees. My grandad was the head of the Socialist Party for South Wales, so I kind of have had that battered into me since birth, she says. Shes drawn to stories about areas that are struggling, or people who are finding it difficult. Even when talking seriously, she always has a smile in her voice. Thats whats brilliant about theatre. Sometimes I stop and question my choice of job, and think maybe I should do something that helps people more. And then I realise, actually it does. Theatre is necessary, because it gets people talking about things, and without forcing it down peoples throats, you do raise questions that need to be answered. This is one of the reasons she feels so excited to be working on Low Level Panic. When her agent sent her through the script, she knew straight away that it was something she wanted to do. Because I have arguments about it all the time, she says, before correcting herself. Well, not arguments. Healthy discussions! Low Level Panic - in rehearsals 1 /8 Low Level Panic - in rehearsals Low Level Panic - in rehearsals Helen Murray Low Level Panic - in rehearsals Helen Murray Low Level Panic - in rehearsals Helen Murray Low Level Panic - in rehearsals Helen Murray Low Level Panic - in rehearsals Helen Murray Low Level Panic - in rehearsals Helen Murray Low Level Panic - in rehearsals Helen Murray Low Level Panic - in rehearsals Helen Murray There are many questions she asks herself already: Im also confused about how much Im allowed to have on show with my body, and where empowering yourself and empowering other women then becomes playing into the hands of sexism. The issues are complicated, and Melville says the plays company havent found the answers nor do they necessarily expect to. One of the strengths of the play is that it isnt trying to get you to think in a particular way. It doesnt demonise men in any way, but it definitely asks a lot of questions about porn, and womens relationships with men in general. The cast, also starring Katherine Pearce and Samantha Pearl, and director Chelsea Walker, have been reading widely throughout rehearsals. Melville mentions Naomi Wolfs The Beauty Myth and Vagina as books that have helped her ask questions about the sexism embedded in society. The company, nearly all female, have also been speaking to Clare McIntyres sister, Lesley (Clare passed away in 2009), to find out what she was like, as some of the play is based on her own experiences. The play may have been inspired by what life was like for women in the 1980s, but its proving to be increasingly relevant, Melville suggests. Now weve got a man who has said such degrading statements about women controlling one of the strongest, most powerful countries in the world, she says. The things that have come out of that mans mouth are disgusting. But its not a play just for women, nor does putting it on making them men haters, she says. They want to question how society treated women in the 1980s, and whether that has really changed for the better. There is a lot in the play that Melville admits personally resonates with her: the need for reassurance, the anxiety about what youre wearing first thing in the morning, the concern that porn is too violent. Melville currently lives with three male housemates, who she says have a very different attitude towards porn. Theres something deep within me that cannot wait it. It upsets me. It doesnt make me feel sick, it genuinely makes me feel a bit teary, she says. Because thats not how it is, and were not celebrating love and relationships. That is just an act that is quite often violent. Sophie Melville at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards / Dave Benett If you like it, go for it, she adds - but it shouldnt be the main idea that people have about sex. For young women, its degrading and confusing. And for men too, she thinks. If Low Level Panic were to be written in 2017, Melville thinks it would still be addressing similar issues, but also, she hopes, from the male point of view, because porn impacts on them in a harmful way too. They cant help it, because thats what theyre being fed this degrading attitude towards women, and that will seep into real life, and I think it is. Old fashioned sexism may be sticking firmly in many regards, but there have been some positive changes since Low Level Panic was first written. One of the many issues the play deals with is attitudes towards sexual assault. Our movement director was in her 20s in the 1980s, so she remembers it vividly, and she said you wouldnt report it it was kind of accepted as the norm, Melville tells me. She was saying that sometimes youd just get a little squeeze, someone would grab your bum or your boobs, and you didnt really have a leg to stand on because thats what happened. Compared to then, Melville believes victims of sexual assault are more likely to report it, and thats important, because its your body. We also have shows like Fleabag and Girls, celebrating female sexuality and making protagonists out of women who dont have to be perfect but Low Level Panic was doing this first. Things will improve, Melville hopes, the more we show that actually its okay for us to be a bit grubby and a bit dirty and to have our flaws. That we are just people, and what actually makes us really interesting is our flaws. It was widely commented that 2016 was a significant year for women owning the stage in London. Billie Piper stunned in Yerma, Glenda Jackson took on King Lear after 25 years away, the Donmars all-female Shakespeare trilogy came to a thrilling conclusion, and Caryl Churchill wrote a brilliant new play about four 70-something women. Melvilles performance in Iphigenia in Splott made her a huge part of that. But what are her hopes for women in theatre in 2017? She finds the question hard, because she thinks there should be more female leads, but also, women should be nouns rather than adjectives. I think it just needs to be equal. We need to have equal opportunities. A lot of the time, if you get a breakdown through for a TV part, it says things like she needs to be sexy or she needs to be quite dull looking. The male breakdowns arent like that, she says, passionately. It needs to be less about our looks. That would be really impressive, just to stop objectifying us, and let different personalities shine through. Yeah, she says, with that smile in her voice. Low Level Panic at at the Orange Tree Theatre, February 16 - March 25; orangetreetheatre.co.uk Visit standard.co.uk/theatre for the latest news and reviews from London's theatre scene Follow Going Out on Facebook and Twitter B efore she worked at one of the worlds leading law firms, Claudette Shay was a frightened homeless teenager who had just found out she was pregnant. Aged 18, she was staying in a womans refuge in south east London, having left home at 16, unable to live any longer with her mother. She had been placed by her local authority in the basic temporary accommodation and was working in Primark, feeling fortunate to have not had to spend any time on the streets but often really alone. When she discovered she was pregnant to her long-term boyfriend, she was scared about the circumstances she was bringing her child into. She said: I was happy, but I was terrified, I didnt know what I was doing or where I would be living when I had my baby. I just wanted to be a good mum. I didnt want him to have the same life Id had. We couldnt stay at the refuge, it wasnt allowed, and it could feel like a prison anyway. I didnt know what would happen to us. At that time in March 2010, she says it seemed impossible that less than three years later she would be working for leading US law firm Latham & Watkins, in its offices in Bishopsgate in the City. Fresh start: her son on his first day of school Even more remarkable, she says, was that it came after she had dropped out of college and not finished her A-levels as she struggled to cope with being homeless. But her life began to turn around after she was referred to youth homelessness charity Centrepoint. They moved her into specialist mother and baby accommodation in Lewisham, south east London in summer 2010 when she was seven months pregnant. 'So alone': Claudette turned her life around with the help of Centrepoint After her son was born in Lewisham Hospital, she brought him up in a shared flat with two other young mothers, while getting support from Centrepoint staff there. The birth was the trigger for a much-improved relationship with her mother, who came to see her the day her son was born. Claudette was keen to keep moving forward, and when her son was 18 months old, joined Centrepoints Workwise scheme one of the skills programmes that will be funded through our Young and Homeless Helpline appeal. It offers workshops, one-to-one support and work experience opportunities for young people in the charitys accommodation to find work and move on in their lives. Having impressed on the course, starting in August 2012, aged 20, she worked in a paid placement for six months as an accounting assistant and six months as a library technician for Latham & Watkins. Centrepoint poem about homelessness She earned enough to move into her own privately-rented flat in South Bermondsey, south London. Her son went to nursery. Her experience with the law firm impressed bosses at GSM university in Greenwich to the extent she was offered a place despite not having the A-levels normally required to do a degree. After graduating with a 2:2 in Human Resources Management in August last year, now, aged 24, she is looking for full-time work and still living in her flat with her son, now six. Centrepoint resident interns at the Evening Standard A lot of people can write you off and judge you when you come from where I had. I wanted to give a better life to my son, to all the opportunities that were offered to me, she said. But things were tough because I hadnt finished college, I didnt have good qualifications, it was hard to imagine getting a good opportunity anywhere, she added. So getting that opportunity through Latham & Watkins and Centrepoint was so important. She said she was delighted the Workwise skills programme would help transform more lives by also benefiting from the Young and Homeless Helpline appeal funding. Our charity appeal has raised more than 3million to launch the UKs first helpline for 16 to 25-year-olds who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Because of the incredible amount raised, money can now also be spent on programmes providing Centrepoint young people with the skills they need to get back into employment or education. It comes as the charity is expanding the programme by setting up apprenticeship opportunities where young people come out with recognised qualifications. Sally Orlopp, Director of Skills and Employability at Centrepoint, said: Its about creating a pathway for young people, wherever you are when you come into Centrepoint, we can take you on that journey to job and career. E arlier this week we gladly (and gratefully) reported that the UK has managed to avoid a gin crisis. Now we're equally pleased to pass on the news that Listoke Distillery in County Louth, Ireland has opened a gin school. That's right, an actual School of Gin. A class at Listoke Distillery's Gin School lasts for three hours, beginning with a tour and explanation of its gin-making equipment. Then things get practical: you'll learn about gin profiles and botanicals before creating your own signature blend, which obviously you can take home after class. Don't worry about working up a thirst while you study: Listoke Distillery promises that "refreshments and G&T's will be served throughout your class." A class costs 95 (82) for one person, or 180 (155) for two people. Further information is available on the Gin School website. Today's gin makers...welcome #Monasterboice Inn#ginoclock #ginschool#fun# A photo posted by Listoke Distillery & GinSchool (@listokedistillery) on Sep 7, 2016 at 9:38am PDT If you're not planning a trip to Ireland any time soon, London's Portobello Road Gin runs a "Ginstitute" where you can also create your own unique blend. Their gin-making experience costs 110 per person, and further information is available on the website. The best gins from around the world - in pictures 1 /16 The best gins from around the world - in pictures Scroll to see our pick of the best gins from around the world... Shutterstock No.209 Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Reserve Gin From: San Francisco, USA Made by the 209th distillery to be registered in the States (hence the name), this unique gin is aged in used Cabernet Sauvignon barrels from the Rudd Oakville Estate winery in Napa Valley for six to seven months before being bottled. The result is a fruity gin with hints of sherry and spice, though still plenty of juniper, lemon and more typical gin flavours. It also has a more viscous mouthfeel than youd expect from a gin and a pretty sunset-orange tint both making it an appealing gin to drink neat. The same distillery also makes gins rested in Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc barrels. 59.59, Drink Supermarket, Buy it now Elephant Gin From: Germany Made in northern Germany by Robin and Tessa Gerlach, this gin is inspired by the more exotic habitat of its namesake mammal. Botanicals include a medicinal root called lions tail and blackcurrant-like buchu berries from South Africa and citrusy Malawian baobab, as well as apples, citrus peel, pine and elderflower from closer to home. The result is a full-flavoured gin that is herbaceous, spicy and zesty. As an added bonus, 15% of proceeds go to charities fighting the illegal ivory trade. 30, The Whisky Exchange, Buy it now Dictador Premium Colombian Aged Treasure Gin From: Colombia This is a particularly interesting offering from the same crew behind the Dictador selection of rums. Botanicals include the Colombian fruit limon mandarino (a cross between a lemon and a mandarin) which leaves its mark in the form of a prominent orange flavour. After distillation, the gin is aged in rum barrels for 35 weeks, which lends it not only a slightly amber tint, but also a touch of rum-like sweetness. Mix with tonic for a sprightly twist on a G&T or serve straight up over ice perhaps after dinner to really appreciate the unique flavour. 43, Amazon, Buy it now Citadelle Gin From: France This gin from Dunkirk was originally developed in the 18th century, when the port was a major base for the spice trade. This meant the best botanicals from across the world were at the distillerys fingertips, from Moroccan coriander to Chinese liquorice and Mexican orange peel. Following the same recipe but now made in Cognac and triple-distilled from wheat, it is a very fine gin indeed with its main strength being its smooth, crisp, clean and balanced taste. It is successful where other gins arent at treading the line between being delicate and being bland. 34, Amazon, Buy it now Cruxland Gin From: South Africa Rare Kalahari truffles are one of the prominent ingredients in this luxury gin created by well-known South African winemakers KWV using a grape-based spirit. It is double-distilled and cold filtered for a pure, crisp taste while the truffles lend a rich, earthy flavour. Coriander, cardamom, honey bush tea, rooibos, aniseed, almonds, and lemon are among the other botanicals used along with juniper berries. 33, Yuppiechef (South Africa), Buy it now Glendalough Gin From: Ireland Hailing from Irelands first craft distillery, Glendalough is made using locally-found botanicals which are foraged and distilled on the same day. What is used changes with the seasons, and so does the gin four variations are released each year. Expect the likes of dandelion flowers, meadowsweet, woodruff leaves, ground ivy and hawthorn leaves to feature creating a faintly grassy, floral and aromatic gin with a lot of backbone. 34, The Whisky Exchange, Buy it now Rutte Celery Gin From: The Netherlands This is a modern gin with much less modern heritage. It takes inspiration from the distillerys recipe for Old Simon Genever, which dates back to the 1800s and uses celery as one of its botanicals. A distinctive celery flavour is balanced by citrus and juniper ensuring it doesnt overpower, but its strong enough that it might divide opinion. The gin is t its most perfect when used in a Red Snapper, the gin-fueled relative of the Bloody Mary. 38.50, The Whisky Exchange, Buy it now Gin Mare From: Spain Becoming increasingly well-known in the UK as well as its motherland, Gin Mare is not just a gin that is made in Spain, it fully embraces the flavours of its sunny home. Its crafted in the town of Vilanova just outside Barcelona, and includes olive, rosemary, thyme and basil among its botanicals. It is zesty, citrusy and bright-flavoured, with aromatic rosemary taking a lead all the more when served with a sprig of the herb as recommended. Ideal for injecting a bit of sunshine into your drinking, irrelevant of the weather. 31.60, Amazon, Buy it now Blue Bottle Dry Gin From: Guernsey Made by the Three Fingers Distillery on the island of Guernsey, Blue Bottle is made with large quantities of local fragrant gorse flowers along with nutmeg, cubeb pepper and juniper. The latter remains the dominant flavour, but is backed up with a pleasing mix of honeyed floral tones, vanilla and peppery spice. Its an all-rounder but with plenty of character of its own. 42, Drinks 21, Buy it now Herno Blackcurrant Gin From: Sweden Gin from the Herno distillery in Angermanland in eastern Sweden is matured with blackcurrants and honey to create this ink-coloured and very Nordic take on sloe gin. It doesnt go overboard on sweetness but has enough to make it a delicious sipping drink akin to a liqueur. You could also use it anywhere you might use creme de cassis. It can be bought at Wine Rack stores as well as online. 39, The Whisky Exchange, Buy it now Crafters London Dry Gin From: Estonia Made in Tallinn, this traditional London Dry style of gin embraces its Nordic origin with the addition of fennel seeds and veronica along with other woodland botanicals. Notes of mint (from the veronica), citrus, pine and aniseed dominate making a particularly refreshing G&T. 35, Drinks21, Buy it now And if all this is making your mouth water, why not try one our favourite easy and creative gin and tonic recipes? Any time after 11am is acceptable, the Queen Mother is rumoured to have believed. Read more from Refinery29: 8 Recipes That Prove Guacamole Makes Everything Better Oreo Beer Has Arrived & It Combines Two Of The World's Most Wonderful Things Why Your Favourite Chocolate Bars Could Be About To Shrink K ate Middleton fans and avid Instagrammers, it's time to pack your iPhone and take a trip to Melbourne, Australia to visit a very special cafe. Called the Middletown Cafe (of course), this brunch spot features navy and white walls, gleaming brass lamps and accents, and plenty of cosy places to sip an iced latte. It might be the most Instagrammable place to drink coffee on the planet. A photo posted by Middletown Cafe (@middletowncafe) on Feb 3, 2017 at 2:48pm PST The cafe has Kate-friendly healthy menu items like paleo granola and chia seed pudding, as well as waffles and plenty of perfect looking coffee drinks. In this Melbourne heat, cool down and enjoy our refreshing Chia Seed Pudding with fresh mango, macadamia, almond, maple coconut crumble and watermelon sorbet! #middletowncafe : @lisas_wide_interests A photo posted by Middletown Cafe (@middletowncafe) on Dec 29, 2016 at 2:27pm PST Middletowns owner, Randy Dhamanhuri, told People that Kate was his muse for the cafes decor. When we think of Kate, the colour blue or navy always comes to mind, he told People. We decided to use royal navy as the dominant colour for the wall. A photo posted by Middletown Cafe (@middletowncafe) on Dec 6, 2016 at 1:06pm PST The cafe's diamond-shaped marble terrazzo tiles were placed in a pattern to resemble the look of Westminster Abbey, where Kate married Prince William in 2011. They brought the Duchess into the shop in other ways, with illustrations of a trench coat and Kates famous sapphire engagement ring (that first adorned the hand of Princess Diana), hanging on the walls. A photo posted by Middletown Cafe (@middletowncafe) on Dec 26, 2016 at 2:20pm PST Its a subtle hint to show that Kate lives here, without putting her portrait, Dhamanhuri says. And would he like a Middleton visit to Middletown? Of course, he says, That would be the dream. Read more from Refinery29: Why Your Favourite Chocolate Bars Could Be About To Shrink Taylor Swift's Super Bowl Meal Sounds So Decadent 8 Recipes That Prove Guacamole Makes Everything Better M azi Mas is a London catering business founded in 2012 by Nikandre - Niki - Kopcke, employing migrant and refugee women who cook dishes from their home countries. Number of followers: 1.1k Featured food: All sorts, depending on who is cooking that day, as well as portraits of the chefs. Saffron chicken or roasted aubergine with fermented yogurt, walnuts and pomegranate are dishes from Zohreh Shahrabis home country of Iran, while cassava chips are from Roberta Siaos home in Brazil. There is also a photograph of Ethiopean chef Azeb Woldemichael with a bowl of beef with berbere (an Ethiopian spice mix) and tomato. Fasolakia (Greek bean stew) and kolokithopita (courgette and feta pie) have also featured in the past. Mazi Mas Why we should follow it: Because not only will it give you an insight into some delicious food from these countries, but it also seems more important than ever to hear and share the stories - whether its through food or other means - of people who have left their home countries in order to set up a life and a home here. Takes pics with: Whichever phone or camera is handy - the team share the photography. First post: A Greek bifteki (hamburger) with chips and pita bread with sweet and spicy tomato sauce. Mazi Mas Most popular post(s): People really love and respond positively to the photos of the chefs holding food. Thats what were about, really, says Kopcke. Mazi Mas How Mazi Mas came about: Its creation was two-fold. In the first instance, Kopcke, who was born in Berlin to a German father and Greek-American mother, then raised in New York, was very much influenced by her Greek godmother who was an immigrant in the US for many years. Second, when Kopcke moved to London to do a masters she also began volunteering in kitchens at migrant and refugee centres and community cafes, because cooking has always been my great obsession. [And I would be] cooking with all of these migrant and refugee women who were there because they couldnt find work, who loved to cook, were very skilled, wanted to meet new people and practice their English and give back to their communities as well yet they just encountered huge barriers to accessing employment. Kopcke thought it was ridiculous that the women would end up locked in the cycle of unemployment because no one will give them a first job, so she set up Mazi Mas, a platform that would enable these very skilled home cooks to get paid for what they were doing, and potentially support them to create sustainable livelihoods for themselves. Mazi Mas How has Mazi Mas developed since then? At the end of 2012, there were two chefs on board. Since then Kopcke has worked with 15, one of whom is now Mazi Mass general manager and who makes pan de quejo, what she describes as "wonderful little Brazilian cheese balls. As well as catering for big events, where the menu will be a mixture of dishes from different countries, Mazi Mas set up three successful pop-up restaurants between 2014-16. The group is currently focused on developing the catering arm. Mazi Mas What to look out for: Kopcke recently began a training and recruitment programme, which takes in a cohort of five chefs and five service staff who do seven months of intensive training followed by six months part-time employment, before the next cohort arrives in September. In this way, she says, they support women for a period of time then develop employment pathways for them. What were trying to create here is a business model that is not reliant on grant funding. [By] focusing on developing the catering model - the financial backbone - it is foremost a business and it can continue to be in order to have an impact on peoples lives. London's top foodie influencers 1 /14 London's top foodie influencers Click through the gallery to find out who London's top foodies influencers are 1. Clerkenwell Boy @clerkenwellboyec1 Followers: 146k 2.Giulia Mule @mondomuli Followers: 56k 3. James Thompson @food_feels Followers: 77k 4. Leyla Kazim @thecutlerychronicles Followers: 86k 5. Chris Fynes @wethefoodsnobs Followers: 15.5k 6. Throughly Modern Milly @millykr Followers: 6k 7. Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley @hemsleyhemsley Followers: 265k 8. Rosie Birkett @rosiefoodie Followers: 50k 9. Tun Sin Chang @tschang Followers: 101k 10. KS T @ks_ate_here Followers: 44k Kopcke is also planning to re-start the catering business in April, as well as run another pop-up. In 18 months time, she hopes to open a transition into a permanent space with a restaurant. Follow them on Instagram @mazimas or find more information at mazimas.co.uk Follow Victoria Stewart on Twitter @vicstewart or Instagram @victoriastewartpics W hen taking a yoga class, the question: Could I ever fall asleep? often crosses my mind. Although, it hasnt happened so far, I got very close to it on Thursday night. So close I might have even drifted off for a minute or two. Trying the Calm by Candlelight yoga at one of London's Virgin Active gyms brought together a combination of elements that allowed me to relax like I have never been able to in a fitness class. The Class Lit candles around the room paired with dim lighting and soothing music quickly set the mood for the 60 minute yoga practice. At first, I was surprised at all the props that were set out for us to use: bolsters, blocks, mat and a blanket. It was quite a setup, but it turned out that each one was helping to make one pose after the other as comfortable as possible. Following the deep voice of the international yoga instructor Patrick Beach, it was easy to get lost in time and space even if just for a little while. As Virgin Actives global yoga ambassador, Patrick helped create a programme that welcomed everyone, no matter if you are a yoga newbie or pro. One of the new classes of 2017, Calm by Candlelight is meant to help restore the body and refresh the mind through postures that focus on stretching, recovery and breath work. What it entails It all began with Patrick leading us into being fully aware of every breath we took. And from then on, it was one pose after the other, but very slowly and steadily. If youre used to the Vinyasa yoga, this may be a bit slow for you. It was more of a floating than flowing experience. With each pose, the focus was on letting the body melt into the stretch. There were no rushed moves, but rather holding each pose for at least five minutes. Some people were bending more than others, but Patrick assisted us all to make sure everyone felt comfortable. Best yoga leggings for women- in pictures 1 /12 Best yoga leggings for women- in pictures Stretch and breathe in our pick of the best yoga leggings Every Second Counts Love Every Moment Legging This may be the most expensive pair on the list but its also the most versatile. Suitable for HIIT, running and yoga, the back-of-the-knee mesh panels will increase ventilation, whilst the moisture wicking fabric will keep sweat at bay. Great for Bikram, this pair also resists shrinkage and fading, meaning you can work through even the most strenuous poses and theyll still snap back at the end. 96, Every Second Counts, Buy it now Animal Eyelyn Ocean Legging Go bold and beautiful with this psychedelic print by Animal. The hidden waistband and back pockets will keep your essentials safe without getting in the way. If youre not quite ready to show off your abs, the internal draw cord will provide extra security and the high waistband will help you to feel locked in tight. Forgotten your hairband? Dont sweat it: theres one attached on the side. 45, Animal, Buy it now Fabletics Winn Mid Rise Capri Legging If youre petit, leggings can often be a couple of inches too long, which not only ruins the aesthetic but gets in the way too. A capri- length will eliminate this problem and flatter your smaller frame. Kate Hudsons sportswear brand Fabletics offers a good range; our particular favourite being this tiger print. You can also show off the v-shaped waistline with a matching sports bra. 65, Fabletics, Buy it now Om Shanti Rainforest Palms Legging For truly stunning prints, take a look at Om Shanti. This particular style is simple yet effective, with a tight fit that wont induce bunching and a high rise waist for ultimate comfort. Made from recycled plastic bottles, theyre eco-friendly too. 69, Om Shanti, Buy it now Lululemon Align Pant II For a totally free feeling, Lululemon has got you covered, although it wont feel like it. Responding to feedback from customers, this pair has been engineered from lightweight Nulu fabric which is supersoft and feels like a second skin. So popular have they become that the store often sells out, so snap up your pair before everyone else does. 88, Lululemon,Buy it now Sweaty Betty Ahimsa Yoga Pants For slow moving yoga, streamlining isnt so important. With wide legs, this Sweaty Betty pant allows free movement, but the fitted cuffs make sure they stay in place. Made with soft-to-the-touch, sweat-wicking fabric, youll never want to take these off. 75, Sweaty Betty, Buy it now M & S Performance Legging Yoga wear doesnt always have to be expensive, as M and S has proven here. The strobe effect on this Performance legging will have you thinking of Disco nights whilst you stretch out. Made from super-stretch fabric, they also feature a diagonal back pocket on the left hand side, meaning you wont feel it digging into your back as you do floor work. 25, M & S, Buy it now LUrv Nuts & Crackers Legging Aussie brand LUrv brings an array of delectable styles in luxury packaging, showing us Brits how sportswear really should be done. This Nuts & Crackers parrot print will be coveted by everyone else in the class, so make sure youre ready for the attention. 23, LUrv, Buy it now Amy Bonifas took this class for the first time, and said it was one of the calmest she has ever tried. After having an intense week at work, this class helped her to let it all go for a bit. I was just trying to clear my head of anything I was worrying about and just be here, she said. Patrick said this is exactly the purpose of the calm practice. It allows you to hold poses for a longer period of time, letting them marinate into your system, he said. And what that does things begin to release, your mind begins to wander, going to all these different places. It helps you completely relax. So often we are so tied up in our regular lives that taking a little bit of self-care is very beneficial. Patrick Beach, International yoga instructor, Virgin Active global yoga ambassador.His journey into teaching yoga began with stretching and practicing handstands every day, he said. / Klaudia Balogh The Verdict Relaxation accomplished. Although I didnt fall asleep in class, I slept like a baby that night. Holding each pose was relaxing and helped my body release lots of tension. However, transitioning from one pose into another was a different story. There was one I particularly struggled with. Having sat back between my heals leaning back and resting on the bolster was rather challenging. Once I found the position I could hold for a few minutes, sitting up didnt go as I expected. Patrick would say: And now slowly, rise up. But my body would go: I dont think so. It took my mind a second to convince my body to move and come out of the stretch. We finished up the class by laying down, tucked under the blanket. As Patrick was guiding our thoughts from sandy beaches to snowy mountains our minds drifted off to a worry-free place where we all felt comfortable and relaxed. virginactive.co.uk Klaudia Balogh is a freelance health and fitness writer. Follow her on Twitter @ByKlaudiaBalogh T he author Robert Harris has had to stop reading about Brexit and Donald Trump on social media: It jangles your head. He waves a hand by his temple. Interferes with work. A master of the thriller genre stunned by the actual news? Its almost laughable. Its horrible, Harris says. But its impossible to write contemporary fiction of the thriller type because you couldnt improve on reality. Really. And how do you do satire? Of course Harris isnt only versed in thriller writing. As The Observers former political editor and once a close confidante of Tony Blair (and still of Peter Mandelson) hes long familiar with Westminster intrigue. At 59 hes working on his 17th book (bestsellers include Fatherland, Enigma and Archangel) but hes still a sage in political circles and many myself included make the pilgrimage to his doorstep for insight. The house he shares with his wife the writer Gill Hornby (sister of Nick) is a solid red-brick vicarage in a Miss Marple-y village in Berkshire. When I arrive in the rain he gives me tea, Christmas cake and invites me to sit on a plump sofa by the fire. There are a couple of dogs lying around and outside the sound of ducks by the canal. Were it not for the Epstein bust of Somerset Maugham throwing me a disgusted look, very cosy it would be too. The chat is anything but. Harris is softly spoken and tempered but he admits hes been tested by Europe, by Corbyn and Trump: the stupidity of it. The failure to learn any lesson from history, thats the thing that puts my head in my hands. His next novel will be set in the 1930s but its his trilogy on the Roman politician and philosopher Cicero Imperium, Lustrum, Dictator I am here to discuss, since the Royal Shakespeare Company is adapting it for the stage in November as part of its Roman season. I always take the belief that human beings dont change, Harris says. Were not really different from the Romans. There was the same proportion of geniuses to psychopaths 2,000 years ago. A successful society keeps the psychopaths out of power. When theres a breakdown and those people get control as they are possibly in the US thats the time to worry. Trump as an individual, he says, is not an echo but a unique phenomenon theres never been anyone like that before, but there are distinct parallels between the end of the Roman republic and Trumps America. President Donald Trump lashes out at US judge on Twitter The same forces were at work: ambition, the same use of the law courts, the same sense of institutions outliving their usefulness and belonging to a different time. And democracy disappeared from the Earth for more or less 1,700 years with the death of Cicero. One reason he was motivated to write was to show how political structures that seem solid as granite can suddenly collapse and within a generation turn to nightmarish civil war and dictatorships. Weve been lucky in this country, he says, we dont realise how lucky. Matt Writtle Looking around at the political landscape today, however, Harris is gloomy. He so despairs at Labour, the party to which he once donated wads of his hard-earned writing cash, that he now supports the Liberal Democrats. Despite encouraging others to join Labour to oust Corbyn last year, he says: When my membership lapses I shant renew it. I dont believe in the leader and I dont believe in the policies. The party is dead, he says, just a sect like the Seventh Day Adventists or Scientologists. Corbyn himself is testy and peevish, and to those who point to the leaders supposed goodness, he says: A great deal of evil is done in the world by people who are well-meaning. Perhaps Corbyns biggest crime in Harriss view was his damp rag of a campaign to stay in the European Union. At the top of Labour there was a definite feeling that they secretly hoped wed leave. Theres an element who want to bring on calamity and catastrophe in order to smash the world and make it anew. I think the paradox is that Europe, which was supposed to split the Tories forever, has unified them, and its actually split and destroyed the Labour Party. But thats Corbyns leadership. Harris is an avowed Remainer. But on a societal level he fears that Brexit-supporting politicians such as Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Nigel Farage will be unable to tame the tiger theyve roused by galvanising votes on the basis of scaremongering about the enemy within. He warns of a pernicious unpleasantness in national life. Things that I liked about Britain tolerance, good humour, practical pragmatism, common sense, caution, politeness things that I would have thought were British virtues seem one by one to be becoming rarer. Theresa May fuels this by engaging in very ugly rhetoric, he adds. A citizen of the world is a citizen of nowhere; red white and blue Brexit these are phrases that I have never heard a leader of the Conservative Party utter, ever. I cant think of anyone who has used such crude nationalistic language. He detects viciousness in her tone. The way she said all that stuff about Boris being put down like a dog was really nasty. And amateurism in the way she has dealt with Trump. Shes made obvious mistakes, not least the offer of a state visit so early on. And even I know that you dont give him the thing hed really like before hes given you anything at all. That is pretty stupid. Donald Trump Inauguration Day - In pictures 1 /44 Donald Trump Inauguration Day - In pictures Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States AP US President Barack Obama (right) and First Lady Michelle Obama (left) welcome Preisdent-elect Donald Trump (second right) and his wife Melania to the White House in Washington Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images President Barack Obama stands at right as first lady Michelle Obama hugs President-elect Donald Trump at the White House in Washington Evan Vucci/AP The presidential motorcade drives down Pennsylvania Ave towards the U.S. Capitol in Washington Joe Raedle/Getty Images Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton waves as she arrives with her husband former President Bill Clinton Rick Wilking/Reuters People gather on the National Mall prior to the inauguration Patrick Smith/Getty Images Donald Trump's children Ivanka Trump (L), Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump Jr, and Eric Trump arrive on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington lex Wong/Getty Images US President Barack Obama (right) and First Lady Michelle Obama (second left) welcome Preisdent-elect Donald Trump (left) and his wife Melania (second right) to the White House in Washington Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images Members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the seats on the West Front of the US Capitol several hours before Donald J. Trump is sworn in as the 45th President of the United States in Washington Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., Ivanka Trump, Vanessa Trump and Jared Kushner arrive on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Drew Angerer/Getty Images Protesters chain themselves to an entry point prior at the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump Bryan Woolston/Reuters People begin to gfill in the National Mall a short time before Donald J. Trump is sworn in as the 45th President of the United States in Washington Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA Supporters and protesters turn out for the Inauguration of President-Elect Donald Trump in Washington Theo Wargo/Getty Images A man walks a dog in a Donald Trump costume carrying a doll depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin holding an US flag as they head to join a demonstration at the US embassy in central London Hayoung Jeon/EPA President Elect Donald Trump's children Barron Trump (L), Tiffany Trump and Eric Trump arrive on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington Joe Raedle/Getty Images President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greet President-elect Donald Trump at the White House in Washington Evan Vucci/AP Former US President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter arrive for the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump at the US Capitol in Washington Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images Demonstrators march on the street near a security checkpoint inaugural entrance Jose Luis Magana/AP Former US Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife Lynne arrive at the US Capitol in Washington Saul Loeb/EPA Demonstrators chant near a security checkpoint entrance to the inauguration, Friday, Jan. 20, 2017 in Washington, ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration Jose Luis Magana/AP US Senator Ted Cruz arrives for the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump at the US Capitol in Washington Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images Former US President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush arrive John Angelillo/EPA The statue of Civil War General and former US President Ulysses S. Grant faces the Washington Monument and the crowd gathering for the inauguration ceremonies to swear in Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington Carlos Barria/Reuters A military helicopter lands at the US Capitol Rob Carr/AFP/Getty Images Protesters attack a man trying to pass at an entry point prior at the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Washington Bryan Woolston/Reuters President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrives for a church service at St. John's Episcopal Church across from the White House in Washington Alex Brandon/AP Protesters chain themselves to an entry point prior at the inauguration of Donald Trump in Washington Bryan Woolston/Reuters Vice President-elect Mike Pence and his wife Karen, arrives for a church service at St. John's Episcopal Church across from the White House in Washington Alex Brandon/AP The sun begins to rise behind the Capitol dome several hours before Donald J. Trump takes the oath of office as the 45th President of the United States in Washington Andrew GombartAFP/Getty Images Protesters move toward an entry point prior at the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump Bryan Woolston/Reuters The early morning sun lights up the Washington Monument as people gather on the National Mall prior to the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Washington Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Protesters chain themselves to an entry point Bryan Woolston/Reuters US Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden leave the White House for the final time as the nation prepares for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump in Washington Kevin Dietsch/EPA We talk about the preoccupation with liberal elites. Despite growing up as the son of a print worker on a Nottingham council estate and going to a large comprehensive, Harris has a Cambridge education, a modest Downton Abbey, a house in France, plus good art and a passion for vintage cars. Does he qualify? He concedes that he does (my parents would be proud) but says its wrong to confuse elite with rich. The direction of the mob is not pointed towards the rich, they are pointed at intellectuals who might not have made any money at all. For example, the aristocracy are not lumped in with the current definition of elite. Its extraordinary that the Duke of Westminster has managed to preserve all that wealth with minimal tax. Billionaires dont seem to pay much tax and they dont qualify as elite either. Its strange. The elite is a lower tier of people: its more like teachers and actors and writers. Its not really very wealthy people. I wouldve thought Rupert Murdoch would be part of the elite, for example, but he seems to be part of the anti-elite. Robert Harris says he still gets a Christmas card from Tony Blair (Fergus McDonald / Getty ) / Fergus McDonald / Getty Furthermore, he argues, were he growing up today, the opportunities available to him would be different. He says his friend Mary Beard, the television presenter and professor of classics, who he met when she was unknown when his publishers paid her to proof-read Pompeii, tells him hed never get into Cambridge today, not because of his lack of brains, but because social mobility is now so stunted. And shes quite right. A working-class boy like me wouldnt have a chance today. He went because his English teacher had been to the same college and put in a word. It was an old boys network which worked to the advantage of comprehensive school pupils as well as the Etons and Winchesters, he explains. We were not polished. Wed never visited Petra or been to the opera. It required imagination on their part. The angel was very much still in the marble. Equally university was not full of dull characters who excelled in exams as, he suggests, it is today. There were some really crazy people. One guy a viscount kept a pack of beagles at Magdalene. God knows how. But it was the charm of the place, I suppose. Although his second of four children is currently taking a postgraduate degree in Oxford he says: What I hope, what I really hope, is that Oxbridge doesnt have the dominance that it used to. I ask about Blair, whom he hasnt seen for 10 years. His book Ghost was a pretty explicit attack on the former Labour leader after they fell out over the invasion of Iraq, and was made into an award-winning film by Roman Polanski. Oddly I do get a Christmas card, he says, but I dont know if thats Christian charity or the fact that Im still on his computer. Harris doesnt send one back. Ive rather stopped sending cards, so thats nothing personal. r Robert Harris, actors Ewan McGregor, Olivia Williams and Pierce Brosnan at 'The Ghost Writer' Premiere / Getty Images If anything hed welcome a rapprochement. I liked him personally, and while he may not want to speak to me, Id be happy to talk to him. Ive said harsh things, but it wasnt personal. It was more about this constant interest of mine in what politics does to people. To recap, Harris said Blair had parted company with reality. All political leaders do, he says. The frightening thing about Trump is, if this is what hes like at the beginning, whats he going to be like in four or five years? When Harris first met Blair, he was wonderfully refreshing voice. He was just like the guy next door, not all pretentious. And then at some point he morphed into this Christ-like figure and he seemed very much removed from ordinary life. I regard that as a tragedy. I ask about David Cameron, and Harris immediately says that his decision to hold the referendum was the product of Etonian insouciance and self-confidence. The country was being run by a set of Oxford University politicians, very much of a type. There were a lot of jolly japes and standing committee elections and theres a certain fundamental lack of seriousness about it. David Cameron - a career in pictures 1 /50 David Cameron - a career in pictures JULY 2016: David Cameron speaking to the media outside 10 Downing Street, London, after Theresa May secured her place as the UK's second female prime minister through the surprise withdrawal of her only rival in the battle to succeed him Philip Toscano/PA JULY 2016: Britain's outgoing Prime Minister, David Cameron, accompanied by his wife Samantha, daughters Nancy and Florence and son Arthur, prepare to pose for photographs in front of number 10 Downing Street, on his last day in office as Prime Minister Stefan Wermuth/Reuters JUNE 2016: Prime Minister David Cameron walking out of 10 Downing Street, London, with wife Samantha where he announced his resignation after Britain voted to leave the European Union Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA JUNE 2016: Prime Minister David Cameron (C) and Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn (R) arrive to pay their respects at the scene of the murder of Jo Cox, 41, Labour MP for Batley and Spen, who was shot and stabbed yesterday at her constituency surgery in Birstall, United Kingdom Christopher Furlong/Getty Images JUNE 2016: British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron leave after voting in the EU Referendum at Central Methodist Hall, Wesminster Dan Kitwood/Getty Images APRIL 2016: Prime Minister David Cameron joins students at the launch of the 'Brighter Future In' campaign bus at Exeter University Dan Kitwood - WPA Pool /Getty Images DEC 2015: Prime Minister David Cameron meets soldiers working on flood relief in York city centre after the river Ouse burst its banks, on December in York Darren Staples - WPA Pool /Getty Images NOV 2015: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and British Prime Minister David Cameron attend the annual Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph on Whitehall Carl Court/Getty Images NOV 2015: Prime Minister David Cameron and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose for a photograph during their bilateral meeting on day two of the G20 Turkey Leaders Summit in Antalya, Turkey Chris McGrath/Getty Images OCT 2015: Prime Minister David Cameron talks with Home Secretary Theresa May after greeting China's President, Xi Jinping, at an honour guard in London Carl Court/Getty Images SEPT 2015: Prime Minister David Cameron meets Syrian refugee families at a tented settlement camp in the Bekaa Valley, on the Syrian border with Lebanon Stefan Rousseau - WPA Pool /Getty Images AUG 2015: Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha relax on holiday in Alvor, Portugal Steve Parsons-Pool/Getty Images MAY 2015: David Cameron hosting a cabinet meeting in Downing Street, London Dan Kitwood/PA MAY 2015: Prime Minister David Cameron poses for a photo with the newly elected Conservative Party MPs in Palace Yard Stefan Rousseau - WPA Pool/Getty Images MAY 2015: Prime Minister David Cameron speaks after winning his constituency declaration in Witney Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images APRIL 2015: Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party David Cameron feeds orphaned lambs on Dean Lane farm near the village of Chadlington Leon Neal - WPA Pool/Getty Images APRIL 2015: Prime Minister David Cameron speaks with Lilli Docherty and her daughter Dakota, as he has lunch with people who have benefited from tax and pension changes that come into force, in a garden near Poole Kirsty Wigglesworth - WPA Pool/Getty Images APRIL 2015: Prime Minister David Cameron helping with a reading lesson at the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School in Westhoughton near Bolton where he met pupils, Lucy Howarth, six, and Will Spibey, five Stefan Rousseau/PA JAN 2015: Prime Minister David Cameron, British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Leader of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband attend a Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony at Central Hall Westminster Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Getty Images JANUARY 2015: World leaders and dignitaries, including (L-R) Taoiseach of Ireland Enda Kenny, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and British Prime Minister David Cameron attend a mass unity rally following the Paris terrorist attacks Dan Kitwood/Getty Images MAY 2014: Boris Johnson and Prime Minister David Cameron Stefan Rousseau/PA JULY 2013: British Prime Minister David Cameron and First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond celebrate during the Gentlemen's Singles Final match between Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon Getty Images FEBRUARY 2013: British Prime Minister David Cameron arrives to pay his respects at a memorial for police and uniformed personnel who lost their lives in the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai AFP/Getty Images NOVEMBER 2012: Prime Minister David Cameron talking to US President Barack Obama on the telephone from his office in Downing Street Peter Macdiarmid/PA AUG 2012: Prime Minister David Cameron stands with London Mayor Boris Johnson as the Olympic cauldron is lit for the Paralympic Games in Trafalgar Square Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images MARCH 2012: U.S. President Barack Obama (L) and British Prime Minister David Cameron (R) eat a hot dog as they watch the first half at UD Arena as the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers take on the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils in the first round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament Gregory Shamus/Getty Images MAY 2011: U.S. President Barack Obama (L) and Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron play table tennis at Globe Academy in London Paul Hackett - WPA Pool/Getty Images MAY 2010: Prime Minister David Cameron (right) with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg Christopher Furlong/PA MAY 2010: Prime Minister David Cameron (middle left), leading his first cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street in London Andrew Winning/PA MAY 2010: The Queen greeting David Cameron at Buckingham Palace for an audience to invite him to be the next Prime Minister John Stillwell/PA MAY 2010: David Cameron and his wife Samantha meet Cabinet Secretary Gus O'Donnell in the Cabinet Room of 10 Downing Street, London Stefan Rousseau/PA DECEMBER 2009: Leader of the Conservative Party David Cameron takes part in the Great Brook Charity in Chadlington, Oxfordshire. Andrew Parsons/Conservative Party via Getty Images APRIL 2008: Mayoral Conservative Party candidate Boris Johnson canvasses with Conservative Party leader David Cameron at a Conservative Party call centre Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images February 2007: 'Hoodie' Ryan Florence gestures a pretend 'click-bang' shooting at Tory leader David Cameron as he tours the Benchill Estate in Manchester, England. NOVEMBER 2006: Prime Minister Tony Blair talks to the leader of the Opposition David Cameron, prior to the traditional reading the State Opening of Parliament in London Alistair Grant/AFP/Getty Images APRIL 2006: David Cameron driving a dog-sled on his way to the Scott-Turner glacier on the island of Svalbard Andrew Parsons/PA FEBRUARY 2006: David Cameron and his wife, Samantha, standing outside their home in Notting Hill, west London, with their new born son, Arthur Elwen Andrew Parsons/PA OCTOBER 2005: Conservative Leadership challenger David Cameron celebrates with supporters at his constituency office in Witney, Oxfordshire Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images He clears his throat. I feel even more about Boris that to him its almost a game. That differentiates Boris from a lot of politicians in the past: hes not a serious person. Hed be just as happy to give this up in six months or two years and write a book and perform on television. Hes not a statesman, to use a pompous phrase. It would have been funny in a terrible way he continues, if Boris had won the Tory leadership and Trump had been elected, purely because the spectacle of him and Trump together, two TV stars, tousle-haired, coming from nothing, summing up the age in which we live. Harris reflects that he cant think of any other modern party where theres been a political revolution like this. Ted Heath took us into Europe and Margaret Thatcher was one of the architects of the single market. And now only Ken Clarke voted against triggering Article 50. I cant think of any modern political party that has behaved in that way. The Romans wouldve put up statues of Clarke, he says. And hes serious. Hes the Cato of our times, crying out in opposition to the madness of Julius Caesar. Im feeling despondent about the future, I tell him at the end of our afternoon. The one thing to remember is that nothing lasts, he says, unexpectedly cheery. The cycle goes on and on and on. And what is up now will be down tomorrow. Someone else will rise. That is an absolute rule of politics, nothing lasts. Neither triumph nor failure. Follow Charlotte Edwardes on Twitter: @chedwardes T here are more than 130 million women alive today who have been subjected to Female Genital Mutilation. "Tell me about the day that changed your life..." asks the reporter sent to interview Waris Dirie (played by Liya Kebede) in the 2009 biopic Desert Flower. The film is an adaption of a book that tells the harrowing, true story of Waris, a Somalian nomad who, after struggling in London for many years, was discovered by photographer Terence Donovan and became a supermodel. In the film, the reporter blindly assumes that the day that changed Waris life was that day when she was spotted cleaning the floors in a fast-food restaurant. Instead, Waris answer unravels her gut-wrenching history as a victim of female genital mutilation. Most commonly practiced in Africa, Asia and The Middle East, Female Genital Mutilation intentionally alters or causes injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. (NHS.uk) The operation is typically performed on young girls using knives, scissors, scalpels, pieces of glass and razor blades, and often, barbarically, without any anaesthetic. FGM is often misinterpreted as a holy tradition, dating back to Ancient Egypt, despite there being no mention of female circumcision in the Bible or the Quran or any other religious scripture. Female Genital Mutilation is seen as a mandatory part of growing up as a young female in many communities of many different faiths and it is considered a vital qualification in securing a husband. Indeed, many men have paid a hefty dowry for the girls hand in marriage men who see the circumcised genitalia as clean, chaste and insurance that she is a virgin. The practice can and does cause excruciating long-term health complications including the spread of HIV, tetanus and Hepatitis B and C, problems during pregnancy and childbirth due to vaginal walls being sewn too narrowly, painful menstruation and urination, and numbness during sexual activity. This numbness is often the cause of the mutilation, as many communities believe it will discourage a woman from having sex before marriage. The sad fact is, considering the emotional and physical pain it incurs, it probably does. This is not only an epidemic that affects women overseas: 700,000 girls are subjected to FGM in the EU, with an estimated 137,000 of those women in the UK, and numbers in the US have doubled in the last ten years. Google FGM or type it into YouTube and a number of articles and short form documentaries appear, but for such a widespread and serious issue, it is often swathed in secrecy, shame and family loyalty. Waris, now 50, has dedicated her life to campaigning against FGM via the Desert Flower Foundation, which she set up in 2002. She told Refinery29 UK that: "The media plays a key role in the fight against FGM. Without discussing FGM in public, no politician would do anything to stop this cruel crime on innocent little girls. The perpetrators must be punished, hard." Waris was one of the first people to talk about the epidemic publicly; she published her best-selling book Desert Flower in 1998, and was a UN Special Ambassador from 1997 and 2003. "You will suffer for the rest of your life from trauma, nightmares, chronic pain and many more problems, she says, and as nobody controls communities practicing FGM and the integrity of the girls, the crime does not stop. One of the most agonising parts of her film, and her life story, is the discovery of Waris' circumcision by her British roommate, Marilyn. "Only a cut woman is a good woman," she says, defiantly, in the film. Her chilling words echo the over-arching feeling towards FGM in countries where it is prevalent. Cutting, seemingly, has a Pied Piper effect, where most people understand its effects and realise that it is morally wrong, but would much rather not deal with the shame of being ostracised by their community. Safa Nour is the little girl from Djibouti who was cast as the young Waris in the film. On accepting the role, Safa was provided with private education and her family given food, water, travel and medical care, under the condition that her parents signed a contract stating they would never subject her to FGM. Devastatingly, this important act of prevention had unforeseeable results, with Safas father speaking out about his unease with the decision to sign the contract, admitting that his family are now "shunned because we have an unclean, uncircumcised daughter. Though making FGM illegal globally is a crucial and important first step, the resolution is not as simple as banning the practice and hoping it ripples change among communities, because the intention is often mistaken as an unwillingness to understand tradition. Implementing long-term plans for FGM prevention and dissimilation of taboos must also happen. "People practicing FGM have to be educated", Waris urges. There are a number of women opting to claim back what was taken away from them by deinfibulation (reversal surgery), which is becoming increasingly common. Charitable organisations like the Desert Flower Foundation are entering into sponsorship contracts with families, asking that they abandon the practice in exchange for school places for the girls, regular appointments with pediatricians and education for parents by way of workshops. FGM is a barbaric attempt to suppress women and strip them of their sexuality in the most basic and degrading way. In many of these countries across the world, women have no choice in what is done to their bodies. And even when the wounds heal, the psychological damage remains forever. Fortunately, attitudes towards Female Genital Mutilation are slowly starting to change in rural communities and it is illegal in most countries Nigeria outlawed the practice this year but change must come quicker, as there are an estimated 3 million girls in Africa at risk of undergoing female genital mutilation in 2016, according to the World Health Organisation. Sadly, for many, its simply too late. desertflowerfoundation.org forwarduk.org.uk This article was first published December 8, 2015. Read more from Refinery29: LGBT Rights Advocates Protest Trump Outside The Stonewall Inn This Melania Trump Clip Is Equal Parts Awkward & Sad The Obamas Just Made A Major Announcement About Their Plans After The White House D on't worry if you felt like calling in sick this morning, because today you're not alone. That's because the first Monday in February has been dubbed 'National Sickie Day', when sick rates are said to peak thanks to post-Christmas blues and miserable weather. Thousands of workers across the UK will have called in sick on Monday, February 3, which also conveniently falls after Super Bowl Sunday and the first weekend after Dry January. With today the most likely day for people to phone in sick, here's everything you need to know about National Sickie Day 2020. What is National Sickie Day 2020? Simply put, the first Monday in February is said to be the day that most workers pull a sickie, either through genuine reasons or not. Research suggests this is down to a number of factors, but among them are that it's the first weekend after payday and the first weekend after Dry January, meaning there will likely be some sore heads nursing a self-inflicted hangover this morning. The Super Bowl will be a factor, with many in the UK staying up into the early hours to watch the spectacle. Others will call in sick because of the January blues, while many will be pulling a sickie because they are attending interviews elsewhere. Added to this, Monday's are traditionally the most popular day of the week for people to call in sick. The estimated amount of employees calling in sick today will average around 350,000, which is thought to cost the economy around 45 million. What are the most common reasons for taking time off work? Most workers 'playing hookie' will stick to excuses such as flu or back pain to take time off. Other reasons include having a cold and struggling with mental health issues, while stress, recurring medical conditions and musculoskeletal disorders also feature. However, some will go to more outrageous lengths to not go to work. According to Employment Law Experts (ELAS), some of the worst excuses for missing work include: My only pair of work trousers is in the wash Its my dogs birthday and I need to arrange a party for him The dog ate my shoes I got arrested I lost my PPE I stayed out partying last night and havent had any sleep My friend is on annual leave so I cant get a lift I have no way to get to work My wife earns more than me so I have to look after the kids." Is your office looking a bit empty today? It might be because your colleagues are wolfing down on pizza as they lie in bed watching Netflix. Better get your excuses in early. B uilders at a West End gallery made no efforts to secure three heavy window frames which fell and killed a lawyer on her way to work, the Old Bailey heard today. Amanda Telfer, 43, died when the frames, weighing around 665kgs, fell on top of her outside 5 Hanover Square on August 30 2012 during renovation of a ground floor and basement gallery. The frames had been delivered the previous day but left unsecured overnight, the court heard, and toppled over as Ms Telfer passed on her way to the officers of at Keystone Law, in Davies Street, near Oxford Street. Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC said those in charge of the construction site did not take reasonable steps to make the area safe for pedestrians passing by. "Amanda Telfer was walking along a public pavement past a construction site situated at 5 Hanover Square, in the West End of London, when three large, unglazed window frames, together weighing some 655kgs, fell on to her and killed her, he said. "The window frames, once unloaded, were simply left on the public pavement at Hanover Street overnight, leaning against the building. No efforts had been made to secure them to prevent them from falling, nor had any barrier been placed around them to protect members of the public using this busy central London thoroughfare. He said some people passing noticed the frames moving in strong winds, but there was no cordon around the site to protect the public. "There can be no dispute that there was a clear and serious risk posed by these window frames, given their weight and size, said the prosecutor. "Indeed it was obvious to anyone that they carrier a clear and serious risk of death, and that such a risk was posed to those, like Amanda Telfer, who were affected by their work simply by walking past the construction site while going about their own lives. There were a series of obvious and, in many cases, straightforward steps that could have been taken to avoid that risk, ranging from cancellation, delay, refusal of delivery to storage, the use of straps and barriers. "None were taken by any defendant and Amanda Telfer died as a result. Construction site manager Damian Lakin-Hall, 50, project manager Claire Gordon, 36, and supervisor Kelvin Adsett, 63, are all in the dock accused of gross negligence manslaughter and failure to take reasonable care for safety while at work. A fourth defendant, Senior contracts manager Steve Rogers, 62, is also accused of a failure to take reasonable care for safety while at work. Adsetts employers, I S Europe Ltd, based in Slough, Westgreen Construction Ltd, based in Richmond, Surrey, who employed Lakin-Hall and Rogers, and Leeds-based Drawn Metal Ltd, who employed Gordon are all accused of health and safety breaches. Mr Atkinson said all the defendants were directly and significantly involved with the ongoing buildings project and had duties to conduct their work in a reasonably safe way so as not to endanger other people. "This case is concerned with the failure by each of these defendants to discharge their health and safety responsibilities, with particular reference to the way that they managed or addressed the risks associated with the delivery and installation of these very large and very heavy window frames where it should have been obvious to anyone involved - and indeed, frankly, to anyone - that such large and heavy objects could inflict serious injury, and indeed could kill. The court heard the construction team were not ready for the frames when they were delivered, so they were left propped up outside. Mr Atkinson said neither Larkin-Hall nor Rogers took any meaningful steps to secure the frame when they arrived at work the following morning. Lakin-Hall, of Portsmouth Road, Cobham, Surrey; Claire Gordon, of Ashby Crescent, Leeds; and Adsett, of New Road, Slough, Berkshire, Rogers, of Sheering Mill Lane, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, deny the charges against them. The three companies have also all pleaded not guilty to the charges. The trial continues. A former master at the prestigious private school attended by ex-Chancellor George Osborne has been jailed today for 18 years for sexually abusing pupils. Patrick Marshall, 70, was today convicted of the abuse of ten boys in the sixties and seventies while he was employed first at Windsor Grammar School and then at St Paul's School in Barnes, south-west London. Marshall, a rowing coach and geography teacher, used his position to gain the trust of the boys' families, before plying the youngsters with alcohol and presents and making them perform sexual acts. He is the third St Paul's teacher to be convicted of sexual abuse of pupils, it can now be revealed as the scale of sexual abuse at the top school is laid bare for the first time. The private school counts Mr Osborne, former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, TV presenter Dan Snow, and news reporter John Simpson among famous ex-pupils. Sports teacher Michael Ellis, 71, was found guilty last July of indecently assaulting two boys and having child porn pictures, receiving an eight-and-a-half year jail sentence. In court: Patrick Marshall / PA And last November another ex-teacher, David Sansom-Mallett, 70, was jailed for 14 years and nine months for a catalogue of abuse at St Paul's prep school, Colet Court. Court orders prevented reporting of their convictions until today, at the end of Marshall's trial. Southwark crown court heard Marshall created a "clique" of boys around him, targeting victims as young as 11 who he singled out as a favourite so that he could abuse them. He took some of his victims on trips across Europe, staying over at their homes, and helping them with building work. "Child after child after child was groomed after the defendant coached them", said prosecutor Rosina Cottage QC. "It was one boy after another. He moved from one boy to the next boy to the next boy. Left to right: David Sansom-Mallett and Michael Ellis / Metropolitan Police Ellis abuse two boys 20 years apart, getting a 15-year-old boy drunk before showing him pornography and performing a sex act on him. The other victim was lured to Ellis' house and forced into bed, the court heard. Marshall, Ellis, and Sansom-Mallett were all snared under the Met's Operation Winthrope, set up to investigate historic abuse at the school. Former head of history Keith Perry, 73, was also convicted of possessing 600 child abuse images on memory sticks hidden under an umbrella at his home. He admitted being "obsessed with boys" and was given a two year jail sentence suspended for two years in February 2014. Classics master Anthony Fuggle, 60, was also given a suspended sentence in June 2015 after admitting downloading naked pictures of young boys. Samuel Main, a Crown Prosecution Lawyer, said today: "We hope the conviction of Patrick Marshall today, along with the convictions of two other former St Pauls teachers, will bring some sense of justice and closure for their many victims. These men groomed and abused vulnerable boys using their status as teachers, in Marshalls case befriending their families before going on to abuse their sons and their trust. In Marshalls trial the court heard the testimony of parents who had to come to terms with the horrific realisation their sons had been abused, and the evidence of the victims themselves, each forced to relive their experiences in court by his refusal to admit the truth. Ellis, too, had befriended the family of one of his intended victims before the abuse occurred, while Sansoms abuse included an offence in a changing room at St Pauls School and a classroom at another school in the 1970s and 1980s. Each of the victims has shown great bravery in coming forward and but for their courage it would not have been possible to bring these prosecutions. A spokesman for the school said: We have been deeply saddened by the nature of the allegations and the details which have come to light during these investigations. We are reaching out to those former pupils affected directly to express our deep sorrow and regret for the pain and suffering they endured. "We also wish to apologise to all those in our community who have felt the impact of these cases. These historical events represent serious violations of the values which St Pauls School holds dear. We apologise unreservedly to the victims for the abuse of trust by those whose primary responsibility was their care and well-being." The school added that it had worked closely with the authorities to ensure that any allegations had been "properly and fully investigated". A young man was shot and stabbed yards in front of horrified partygoers celebrating a 21st birthday. The 22-year-old was found collapsed in a car outside the bash at the upmarket Praba Banqueting Suite in Ilford at just before 5am on Sunday. One witness described the scene as a war zone as police officers and paramedics swarmed the area, leading to road closures that lasted throughout the day. The victim was rushed to an east London hospital with serious injuries after being shot, Scotland Yard said. He also suffered minor knife wounds. Detectives from the Mets gang unit Trident are investigating the attack, which took place less than 100 yards from Ilford police station. The scene of the shooting in Ilford Praba Banqueting Suite remained cordoned off behind police tape last night as officers guarded the door while investigations continued inside. A notice at the entrance to the 550-capacity venue, which advertises itself as one of Londons classiest banqueting locations, reads: No drugs, guns, knives or weapons allowed on premises. One local shop worker said hundreds of people had attended the party on Saturday night. A neighbour told the Standard she had woken just before 5am to the sound of screaming and shouting that continued for more than an hour. The scene outside Praba Banqueting Suite in Ilford after the shooting Taxi driver Attiq Jan said: There were lots of people outside, and about 20 police cars and ambulances. I asked what was going on and somebody said it was a shooting, and somebody else said it was a stabbing. A Met Police spokesman said: At 4.57am on Sunday police were called by the London Ambulance Service (LAS) to a man injured in High Road, Ilford. Officers found an injured 22-year-old man inside a car. He was taken to an east London hospital where he remains with serious injuries. The man is believed to have been shot and also sustained minor knife injuries. His condition is not believed to be life-threatening. The owners of Praba Banqueting Suite did not respond to a request for comment. One man is being questioned after being arrested suspicion of affray. A fare-dodging thug who launched a brutal attack on rail staff over a train ticket costing 2.20 has been jailed. Shocking footage released by British Transport Police showed Elliot Nash ranting at a female train worker before kicking and lashing out at her colleague on a London Midland service. The 32-year-old, of Chatham Road, Northfield, Birmingham, told three members of rail staff to "f*** off" and threatened to knock them out while travelling between Bournville and Northfield in November. The video taken from one ticket officer's body-worn camera showed Nash repeatedly swear at staff before and launching a running kick at one inspector in the train's aisle He was heard telling the female inspector she had a s*** job before he told her was lucky she was a woman. Behind bars: Elliot Nash was jailed for 52 weeks / btp Nash admitted assault and two public order offences at Birmingham Crown Court last month. He was jailed for 15 weeks at the same court on Friday. Foul-mouthed: Elliot Nash swore at train staff / BTP PC Nicola Mallaber said: "Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, Nash had the audacity to deny the offences initially, only changing his plea when the case went to trial. "As the footage shows, his attitude is completely unacceptable and there was absolutely no need for this to have escalated into violence ... all for the sake of a 2.20 fare. Brutal attack: Elliot Nash launches a flying kick at train inspectors / btp "No member of rail staff should be spoken to in this way or attacked simply for doing their job. We hope this spell behind bars will teach Nash a valuable lesson and make him review his behaviour in the future." London Midland's head of security and revenue protection, Darren Hanley, said: "No colleague or customer should have to see behaviour like this when travelling by train. "Fare-dodging, anti-social behaviour and violence will never be tolerated by London Midland. "In partnership with the British Transport Police and local forces we have made great strides in reducing crime and fare evasion in recent years. Incidents like this just make us more determined to make our railways even safer." Last fall the Environmental Protection Agency announced new rules to reduce toxic air pollution from oil refineries by forcing operators to adopt new technology that better monitors and controls emissions. The rules for require refineries to monitor levels of benzene, a cancer-causing compound. Will that be one of the rules that the Trump administration rolls back? A seven day firearms surrender was announced today by Scotland Yard as a woman jailed for five years for storing a gun for her boyfriend issued a video appeal to other young Londoners not to ruin their lives. The new surrender will allow anyone possessing an illegal gun to hand it in without sanction until 11pm on Sunday. The aim is to reduce the number of unlawful weapons on the streets and follows the seizure by police of more than 1,400 illegal guns in London over the past two years. There has also been a significant rise in firearms discharges over the past 12 months. The move came as a London woman arrested and jailed for hiding her boyfriends gun sent a dramatic video appeal from prison, telling others to hand in their weapons and shun gun crime before ending up behind bars. In the video, the woman, who police say is too scared of retribution to be named or appear in person, has her words spoken by an actress as she spells out how she was duped into hiding the gun and now regrets the damage her decision has caused. "My boyfriend asked me to look after a gun for him, the woman says. He told me I wouldn't be in any danger. He told me I wouldn't get in any trouble. I put my family's life at risk, everyone I live with, everyone I love. I'm in prison for five years now. Hand it in to police before your life gets ruined or someone you love gets hurt." Detective Chief Superintendent Jim Stokley, of the Mets Trident and Area Crime Command, said: Illegal firearms cause nothing but misery and devastation. We are urging anyone holding an illegal firearm to take this opportunity and hand it in to police this week. Our aim is to remove all illegal firearms from the streets of London and we work relentlessly to disrupt and arrest anyone suspected of being involved in gun crime. If you hold on to an illegal gun, you are putting yourself and your loved ones in danger and you are likely to be arrested and face at least five years in jail. Met figures show that the force recovered 714 illegal firearms in 2015 and 697 in 2016. The totals include guns seized by police during anti-firearms operations, as well as guns handed in to officers and weapons found by members of the public. Previous firearms surrrenders have proved successful with 220 weapons handed in during a surrender in November 2014 and other ten guns taken to police stations during a further hand-in the following November. The new surrender which is using the hashtag #giveupyourgun will allow Londoners with guns to take them to a local police station and handing them in without giving their details to officers. Any antique or decommissioned weapons which has the potential to be reactivated, or any loose ammunition, can also be handed in to police. The initiative follows a rise in what the Met describes as lethal barrelled gun discharges in the capital over the past year. Lethal barrel gun discharge is recorded when evidence is identified of a firearm being used. For example, a bullet casing is found or a person is treated for a wound inflicted by a firearm. There were 305 such incidents in the 12 months up to January 25th this year , compared to 226 in the previous year. The number of lethal discharges has fallen over the past three months, however. In response to the threat, the Mets Trident command has launched Operation Viper, under which of high gun discharges and known gun crime offenders are targeted. Weapons sweeps and operations using Automatic Number Plate Recognition data are also used to identify illegal weapons and offenders. Trident officers have also worked with the Milestone Foundation, as part of the Mets DIVERT programme, to steer young people away from gun crime and into employment or development. Police emphasise that any weapons handed in during this weeks surrender will still be subject to forensic testing, however, and police action could follow if they are found to have been used in a crime. Anyone has any information about someone who they believe is in possession of an illegal gun, is asked to ring police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. A man accused of beating to death a five-year-old boy in a Catford park will stand trial in July, the Old Bailey heard this afternoon. Marvyn Iheanacho, 38, allegedly inflicted head injuries on Alex Malcolm in an attack in Mountsfield Park on November 20 last year. Police were called to the hospital at around 1.45am the following morning when the boy was admitted with critical head injuries. He died the next day. Iheanacho, of Wesley Avenue, Hounslow, appeared in the dock this afternoon in prison issue clothes to face the charge of murder. Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC, the Recorder of London, remanded him in custody until a plea hearing on April 17. Iheanacho is due to face a three-week trial starting on July 3. Following Alex's death, his mother Liliya Breha described the year 1 pupil at Archbishop Sumner C of E primary school in Kennington as "beautiful, kind and gentle". "He shouldn't have been taken away from me", she said. Alex had played an angel in his school's nativity play and had recently completed a portfolio to start child modelling. Iheanacho, of Wesley Avenue, Hounslow, has not yet entered a plea to the murder charge. D etectives are hunting a suspected arsonist after a fire ripped through classrooms at a north London primary school. Churchfield Primary School in Latymer Road, Edmonton remained closed on Monday after police and firefighters were called to a blaze on the grounds just after 5.30am on Sunday. Seven classrooms were damaged as the flames tore through the school before being brought under control by fire crews at 8am. Headteacher Matthew Kleiner-Mann said he was outraged the school was apparently targeted but revealed herculean efforts by staff meant it would reopen on Tuesday. Some pupils are being relocated to Heron Hall Academy in Ponders End as a result of the damaged classrooms. Damage: A fire ripped through Churchfield Primary School in Edmonton / Enfield Council On Monday Scotland Yard said an investigation into the blaze is under way and added it was being treated as arson. Detectives from Enfield CID have issued an appeal for anyone who noticed anybody acting suspiciously around the school at the time. Acting Detective Inspector Adam Rowland of Enfield police, who is the senior investigating officer, said: "Thankfully no one was hurt during this incident and the school was empty at the time. If this had happened during the week and the school was occupied there is no doubt that there would've been some serious injuries. "If you were in the vicinity of Latymer Road during the early hours of Sunday morning and saw anyone or anything you believe may have been suspicious, I would urge you to come forward. "Whoever was responsible for this is still at large and must be caught." Mr Kleiner-Mann, said: Following an arson attack at Churchfield Primary School in the early hours of Sunday we were forced to close the school to all pupils today. Unfortunately as a result of this mindless attack, seven classrooms have been damaged, along with the plant room and we are investigating suspected structural damage to a wall on the site. Despite this setback, the herculean efforts of school staff means we will be reopening the school to Nursery, Reception and Year 1-4 children on Tuesday. Because the classrooms damaged were predominantly used by Years 5 & 6 they will be taught at the state of the art Heron Hall Academy until on site arrangements can be made for them. I would like to apologise to parents and pupils affected by this terrible event, and I share their horror and outrage that a primary school should be targeted in such a destructive way. We are co-operating fully with the police in order to identify and prosecute the individuals responsible and I would urge anyone who has any information about this incident to contact the police so that we can catch the people responsible. Anyone with any information that can assist police are asked to contact Enfield CID via 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via crimestoppers-uk.org A teenager has admitted killing an American tourist and stabbing five others in a knife rampage through Russell Square. Zakaria Bulhan, 19, was in the grip of a psychotic episode when he stabbed to death retired teacher Darlene Horton, just a day before she was due to fly home to the US. Her husband, psychology professor Richard Wagner, watched in horror as Bulhan plunged a knife into Mrs Hortons back in the attack on August 3 last year. The Norwegian-born teenager, who is of Somali origin and moved to the UK in 2002, also stabbed Martin Hoenisch, Lillie Sellentin, David Imber, Bernard Hepplewhite and Yovel Lewronski during the rampage before he was Tasered by police. Psychotic episode: Zakaria Bulhan, 19 Initial fears were of an ISIS-inspired terror attack, but police swiftly identified mental health problems rather than radicalisation as the root cause. The Old Bailey heard today Bulhan's mental health was deteriorating in the days before the stabbings, and he gave his family the slip hours before arming himself with a knife and heading to Russell Square. "The case involves what seemed to be a series of deliberate armed attacks directed randomly at a sequence of passersby on the pavement in Russell Square", said prosecutor Mark Heywood QC. Police and ambulance crews at the scene in the aftermath of the stabbing rampage "On a fine, warm evening, that part of London was busy with pedestrians heading back after an evening for the most part in London's West End. "The area has a number of large hotels and many passing were visitors to London from overseas." Armed police officers patrol past the scene of the knife attack in Russell Square / Reuters He said Bulhan was seen carrying just a large kitchen knife, and began behaving "erratically" shortly before launching the knife attacks. "He veered across the pavement towards individuals in succession, and without warning or any provocation whatsoever, he stabbed six people in quick succession, saying nothing as he did so either to them or anyone else. Zakaria Bulhan, 19, stabbed to death retired teacher Darlene Horton "After each single stabbing, he moved forward, sometimes deviating towards his next victim." Mr Heywood said Mrs Horton was stabbed in the lung and heart, dying at the scene in Russell Square. At the Old Bailey this morning, Bulhan pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility and five charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He denied allegations of murder and attempted murder, and prosecutor Mr Heywood told the court guilty pleas to the lesser charges had been accepted following assessment of Bulhan by psychiatrists. Victim: Darlene Horton died in the attack / Met Police "At the time of these events, it is clearly established the defendant was suffering from an acute episode of mental illness, and has been diagnosed as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia", said Mr Heywood. "That acute episode was a psychotic one and floridly so. "He was able to and had the capacity to form an intent but his ability to form a rational judgement and exercise control was considerably affected so that the test for the relative charge under the heading diminished responsibility is easily satisfied." Mrs Horton, a mother-of-two from Tallahassee, Florida, had spent the summer in London while her husband had been teaching classes as a visiting professor from Florida State University. The couple were regular visitors to London for the art galleries and museums, according to friends, and had decided to extend their stay by an extra day when tragedy struck. Among the others injured was Israeli teenager Ms Lewronki, 18, who was stabbed in the hand, and Mr Hoenisch, a retired firefighter from Las Vegas who was visiting London with his wife. Bulhan's family had noticed his mental health deteriorating, the court heard, and his father was looking after him on the day of the attacks. However, Bulhan gave him the slip during a visit to a mosque at around 5.30pm, around five hours before the stabbings. Mr Justice Spencer is due to hear medical evidence today, and will pass sentence tomorrow afternoon. L ondon's deputy mayor for policing today warned that people who inflict female genital mutilation on girls had escaped justice for too long, as she stepped up pressure for new prosecutions over the abhorrent crime. Sophie Linden said that a lack of understanding among frontline professionals and inconsistencies in the way these crimes are recorded had allowed perpetrators to avoid charges, despite genital mutilation being a widespread problem. She said the situation has to change and vowed that City Hall would work to spread the message that FGM was illegal and unacceptable. Ms Lindens comments came as campaigners staged an international day of zero tolerance against female genital mutilation. Events included a protest outside Ealing town hall over the closure next month of the Acton African Well Woman Centre, which has given 500 women FGM reversal procedures and offered psychological support to hundreds of others since opening in 2007. The centre is shutting because of a decision to stop providing advocacy and midwife services there in a move which campaigners say is a betrayal of vulnerable women. In her comments today, Ms Linden focused on the failure to secure any convictions for FGM, despite the practice being illegal in Britain since 1985 and a series of subsequent legislative changes designed to make it easier to bring prosecutions. Ms Linden said that FGM was an abhorrent practice and a widespread issue with thousands of girls at risk, and that she and Mayor Sadiq Khan were committed to tackling it as part of our work to drive down violence against women and girls. However, she added: For too long, there has been a lack of understanding among frontline professionals and inconsistencies in the way these crimes are recorded, meaning that people are not being prosecuted for these barbaric practices. This has to change. We are working with a range of partners, including the police, schools, health services and local communities to spread the message that this is an illegal, unacceptable practice. Ms Linden said that City Hall had also spent 250,000 on a pilot scheme across five boroughs, in which specialist training has been provided to frontline workers who help women who are either at risk of, or have experienced, harmful practices such as FGM. Meanwhile, in a further development today, the National Police Chiefs Council and the Freedom charity began a campaign of selling red triangle badges to raise awareness among people that FGM is a crime. The proceeds will be used to supply books about FGM to schools. A hero black cab driver has told how he risked his life by clinging on to a woman who was trying to jump from a London bridge. Steve Teague described how he leaned over the side of Lambeth Bridge, grabbing hold of the distressed womans arm, while another bystander clutched the cabbies belt to stop him being pulled over the edge. The 50-year-old, along with two other members of the public, stayed with the lady and held her back until police could arrive and take her to safety. Mr Teague told the Standard he was driving home to Bickley when another vehicle pulled up sharply in front of him and ran over to the side of the bridge on Friday evening. He said he saw a struggling woman on a ledge. She was being held back by a man who was pleading with her not to jump. He said: I jumped over the top of the bridge so I was off my feet. There was a guy behind me who was hanging on to the back of my trousers to stop me going over. I was hanging over the top of the bridge reaching over to the girl. "I managed to get hold of her wrist while she was trying to fight off the other guy. I was telling her to stand up but she was really struggling. She was adamant she was going to throw herself off. The cab driver told the struggling woman: Youre not going anywhere, theres no way Im letting you go, its not going to happen. Mr Teague said the real hero turned up seconds later, a man in a business suit and tie who climbed over to get a better grip of the woman. The three men then worked together, each getting hold of each other to stay steady until the emergency services could arrive. He said: Without a second thought, he went over and tried to calm her down. We were all holding on to each other. I was saying to the guy behind me dont let me go, if one goes well all go. The cabbie said it felt like they were holding on for around 15 minutes, but in reality the police arrived after around five, turning up alongside the RNLI and fire brigade. She was rescued and taken to a place of safety, while a shaking Mr Teague drove home, feeling a bit emotional. The cabbie, who has been operating in the capital for 17 years, was given a heros reception and a round of applause by other taxi drivers at a cafe in Victoria station at the weekend. And it is not the first time he has saved a life, jumping in a Kent river to help a drowning eight-year-old three years ago. But he told the Standard: Ive said to the other drivers wed all do the same. Im just glad I was there. It was the right place, right time I think. Youd hope everybody would do it." The London Fire Brigade confirmed they were called to Lambeth Bridge at 8.43pm on Friday to assist the Met Police. Lambeth Borough Commander Richard Wood said: I would like to thank everyone who assisted in the rescue of a distressed young woman from Lambeth Bridge. Several members of the public showed remarkable courage, risking their own safety to save her as she came perilously close to falling. The London Fire Brigade and my own officers also did an exceptional job in difficult circumstances. For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details. A nurse who burned himself to death near Kensington Palace suffered a mental breakdown following a disciplinary investigation at work, an inquest heard today. Amin Abdullah, 41, set himself on fire just yards from the London home of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on February 9 last year after being sacked from Charing Cross hospital in Hammersmith, west London. Terry Skitmore described his partner as a wonderful, caring person who had spiralled into depression after just seven months earlier being the happiest man in the world. He held up a picture of Mr Abdullah on a beach just months before his death and then described how he had become depressed when faced with a disciplinary at Charing Cross Hospital. Showing the picture of an apparently healthy, smiling man, he told Westminster Coroners Court: This was seven months before he died. How can someone end up as a pot of ashes after such a short time?. The inquest was told that Mr Abdullah, an award-winning nurse who had excelled in his profession, had been investigated over his writing of a letter to support a colleague. Mr Skitmore claimed at the inquest that the three months he spent under investigation caused the breakdown that led him to take his own life. He said: I dont want this to happen to anyone else. He was proud of what he had achieved and had done nothing wrong. He never had a day off sick and was well liked by his colleagues and patients ... He just couldnt believe what was happening to him. He said that shortly before his death he had sent him harrowing text messages. One read to the court by Mr Skitmore said: I know you will be heartbroken but you have to be strong for your children and grandchildren. Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Charing Cross, opened an investigation into Mr Abdullahs conduct on September 15 last year after he became embroiled in a dispute involving a patient and another nurse. The investigation concluded on October 22 but he had to wait a further six weeks for a disciplinary hearing. His dismissal for gross misconduct was confirmed on December 21. The inquest was told by Mr Skitmore that the nurse had suffered bullying when growing up in Malaysia but was immensely proud of his success in Britain. The nurse had also attempted to take his own life with a fatal injection the inquest was told. The hearing, which is due to last three days, continues. A north-east London borough could be left without an A&E department under new plans for the NHS in England. Redbridge could be left without an accident and emergency unit if proposals go ahead leaving 300,000 out of reach of emergency medical care. Residents will instead be able to visit an urgent care centre at the hospital but will have to travel to neighbouring boroughs to seek "blue light" care, officials said. Wes Streeting, MP for Ilford North, said that alternative units are not far away geographically, but because of heavy traffic in the capital, it can take between half an hour and an hour to get there. Under the North East London Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP), the A&E at King George Hospital in Goodmayes, near Ilford, will be downgraded to an urgent care centre, with changes proposed to come into effect by summer 2019. Emergency cases in the borough will instead be taken to Queen's Hospital in Romford, in Havering, or Whipps Cross University Hospital, in Waltham Forest. Mr Streeting said Queen's Hospital frequently had queues of cars spilling out on to nearby streets. And Whipps Cross was rated as "inadequate" by the Care Quality Commission in December last year. The hospital was lambasted by health inspectors who said they did not find a single element of outstanding care. Mr Streeting said: "Redbridge patients who have used King George's A&E are scratching their heads wondering where they are going to go. "My main worry about the STP process is that it is really about managing cutbacks and decline in the NHS rather than dealing with the big long-term challenges in the health service." Mr Streeting has been encouraging residents to sign a petition against the closure of the A&E In his campaign material, he said: "I don't believe the plans make any sense. Our population is growing, our GP services can't cope with demand, Queen's Hospital in Romford can't cope with existing numbers, Whipps Cross and Barts Health Trust are in special measures. "I believe these decisions are being driven more by money than by the best interests of patients." An NHS spokeswoman said: Under the scheme, the A&E unit at King George will be replaced by a significantly upgraded Urgent Care Centre (UCC). Run by GPs and nurses, and open 24/7, the centre will benefit from many improvements, including more space and access to investigations such as blood tests and X-rays. It will be able to treat many of the types of cases dealt with by the existing A&E unit and be supported by the 111 and out-of-hours GP service, which is also being developed to provide a modern integrated urgent care service. The only difference will be that patients who call 999 and need treatment by a full emergency medical team will be taken by ambulance straight to a nearby larger unit, such as those at Queens, Whipps Cross or Newham hospitals. A mal Clooney is officially a cover girl at last. The human-rights lawyer, style queen and wife of actor George Clooney has finally undertaken a covershoot of a glossy magazine. So who managed the coup? Is it Vogue? Vanity Fair? Harpers Bazaar? Nope: 1843 Magazine, the bi-monthly from The Economist. This months issue shoots Clooney with Nadia Murad, the Yazidi activist, Nobel Peace Prize nominee and the first Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking of the United Nations. They make an impressive pair. Amal Clooney is an Oxford-educated human-rights lawyer married to a film star, Economist foreign editor Robert Guest writes. Nadia Murad was born in a poor Iraqi village and once aspired to become a teacher. Clooney is tall, dazzling and so recognisable that people walk up to her in the street and tell her they love her. Murad is small, shy and avoids eye contact. Yet among her people, the Yazidis, Murad is better known and more admired than any other woman on Earth. Clooney is certainly happy to take the back seat, ensuring that her case with Murad takes precedence. The pair are battling to bring Islamic State leaders before an international court, to seek justice for the Yazidi genocide. Survivor interviews are, Clooney says, the most harrowing witness statements Ive ever taken. Her period working in Beirut investigating the death of the Lebanese PM Rafic Hariri in 2005, she recalls, brought risks. There were times when I would look at parked cars with trepidation. Red carpets it aint. As I understand it, shes been asked to be on a lot of covers, says 1843 editor Emma Duncan. She chose to go with us because were featuring a case that she is passionately involved in. Read the full 1843 piece here -- Rosa Prince has written a biography of Theresa May surtitled The Enigmatic Prime Minister. Tory MP Cheryl Gillan was interviewed for the book. Shes going to have proper Cabinet government, she says. Whereas I always felt, with her predecessor, it had all been decided elsewhere possibly in the kitchen over a lasagne. Thats not healthy. Buon appetito, Dave. Darkness spreads in the White House IN THE storm of the first fortnight of Donald Trumps presidency, it has felt at times as if the administration is groping in the dark. In the rush to churn out executive order after executive order, have the practicalities of life in the White House fallen by the wayside? Aides confer in the dark because they cannot figure out how to operate the light switches in the cabinet room, during evening meetings, according to The New York Times, and visitors to the West Wing conclude their meetings and then wander around, testing doorknobs until finding one that leads to an exit. Perhaps the team behind Make America Great Again could learn from another iconic slogan let there be light. Stephen Frys a bit robotic AWARDS season is almost here, starting with the Baftas on Sunday. Drumming up publicity for the event is red carpet interviewer Laura Whitmore and host Stephen Fry, she's trialing the EE Roboselfie, a robot that lets people submit photos of themselves, which will then appear on the screen ready for the glittering guests to pose with. Could her appointment have been swayed by the publicity the Baftas gained because of her tete-a-tete at last years after-party with star guest Leonardo DiCaprio, who won best actor for his part in The Revenant? The Delevingne girls know how to get snappy Poppy, meet pelican. The model and actress hit the headlines last week after being snapped in Los Angeles with David Beckham, who is currently embroiled in an e-mail leak scandal. But now shes hanging out with a new pal: her sister, model Cara Delevingne, Poppy posted a picture of her with a brown pelican in California yesterday, captioning it Pelican Brief. Considering the novel of the same name, written by John Grisham and turned into a film starring Julia Roberts, follows the pursuit of classified documents which threaten to undermine a public figure, we wonder if Caras being completely oblivious or pretty smart. -- CAREFUL what you say in front of your kids. Actress Sienna Miller is interviewed in this months issue of LOVE magazine, where she explains that she is trying to teach her four-year-old daughter about a new album every week. Current favourites, Miller says, are The Smiths: She was sitting in the bath, singing I know Im un-love-a-ble. Better than Heaven Knows Im Miserable Now, we suppose. How Becks faces the music With David Beckham facing new questions over leaked emails, The Londoner thought back to the days of innocence. Or, more precisely, eight days ago when he appeared on Desert Island Discs. The BBC had apparently been pursuing Goldenballs for the much-loved interview for years, and Beckham finally agreed to chat with Kirsty Young for the 75th anniversary of the programme. His top pick was Every Time We Say Goodbye by Ella Fitzgerald. But his selection also included Something About the Way You Look Tonight by Sir Elton John, The Girl is Mine by Sir Paul McCartney with Michael Jackson and Wild Horses from Sir Mick Jagger and the rest of the Stones. Not that a knighthood is important or anything. -- Hashtag of the day: Nicholas Soames MP. #dontsayyouwerentwarnedleopardsneverchangetheirspotshugechallengeaheadforusall B usiness leaders say they are already being hit by Brexit as Theresa May faces a potential backbench revolt over the terms of leaving the EU. A poll of more than 100 large companies by Ipsos Mori showed 58 per cent felt the referendum result had affected their business negatively. The survey, published by the Financial Times, found just 11 per cent of the companies thought Brexit had boosted their business. It comes as the EU (Notification Of Withdrawal) Bill returns to the Commons for a further three days of debate during committee stage, giving MPs the chance to amend the legislation. Companies are said to be worried over potentially higher tariffs after Brexit, with negotiations making them cautious on long-term projects Ipsos Mori chief executive, Ben Page, told the FT: Business in this country is already feeling the pain of the economic upheaval of leaving the EU. There is no sign that this is likely to ease this year. Woman admits to voting brexit on Question Times because of straight bananas Theresa May is facing a potential backbench revolt, with rebel Tories threatening to vote with Labour and the SNP to change the Brexit Bill. Pro-Remain Conservatives are seeking assurances Parliament will get a say on the "endgame" if the Brexit negotiations collapse without a deal with the remaining 27 member states. The Prime Minister has promised MPs and peers will be given a vote on any agreement she reaches in the talks with Brussels. However pro-Remain MPs fear that if the negotiations fail, Britain would simply leave the EU without any agreement at all, with potentially serious consequences for the economy. They argue that before that happens Parliament should be given a chance to vote to send ministers back to the negotiating table to try again. The move has infuriated pro-Leave Tories who believe it is a backdoor attempt to derail the whole Brexit process. MP shouts suicide as the Brexit bill is passed in parliament Pro-Remainers have dismissed a claim by the leading Brexit campaigner Steve Baker that as many as 27 rebels could vote with the opposition as wide of the mark. But with a Government majority of just 16 in the Commons, the arithmetic may be tight if it does come to a vote. Former ministers Anna Soubry and Dominic Grieve were reported to be among the potential rebels, alongside veteran pro-European Ken Clarke, the only Tory to oppose the Bill in last week's second reading vote. Speaker John Bercow will decide which of the scores of amendments that have been tabled MPs will have the chance to debate or vote on. Meanwhile Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is struggling to contain a revolt in his own ranks after 47 pro-Remain Labour MPs defied the leadership to vote against the Bill at second reading. There was fury among MPs that shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, one of Mr Corbyn's closest allies, escaped unpunished after she failed to vote, claiming a migraine, despite a three-line whip. Additional reporting by the Press Association. A woman was killed in a crash and a sheriff's deputy working at the scene was injured by an alleged drunken driver on Sunday evening, the Kenosha Sheriff's Department reported. On Sunday evening at 6:45 p.m., the Sheriffs Department, along with Town of Salem Fire and Rescue, responded to the 11100 block of Antioch Road for a serious crash, according to a press release issued Monday morning by the Kenosha Sheriff's Department. Upon arrival, it was determined that a northbound 2015 Hyundai Accent and a southbound 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier collided head-on on Antioch Road in that location, the release stated. The driver of the Chevrolet, a 30-year-old woman from Bristol, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Hyundai, a 20-year-old woman from Trevor, was transported by Flight for Life helicopter to Froedert Hospital in Wauwatosa with non-life-threatening injuries. As deputies controlled traffic around the scene, at 8:13 p.m. a driver attempted to drive past a deputys traffic control point which was marked with a fully marked patrol vehicle and road flares at Highway JF and Antioch Road. As the deputy confronted the suspect, the vehicle ran over the deputys foot, the release stated. The operator of that vehicle was arrested by the Wisconsin State Patrol for fourth-offense drunken driving, operating while intoxicated causing injury, and operating without a license. The operator of that vehicle was identified as Randy Eppers, a 65-year-old man from Ingleside, Ill. Eppers was taken to the Kenosha County Jail. The injured deputy was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, the release stated. The roadway was closed until approximately 11:45 p.m. Names of the involved parties will be released after notification of relatives is confirmed. B ritish Airways cabin crew will visit Parliament to lobby MPs to mark the third day of a strike over pay. Members of Unite working in BAs mixed fleet crew, who joined the airline after 2010, will ask for support from politicians to their protest on Tuesday. On Thursday cabin crew will stage a second three-day walkout. Unite national officer Oliver Richardson said: "A number of MPs have already voiced their concern in Parliament about the behaviour of British Airways and its treatment of mixed fleet cabin crew. "From threats to the withdrawal of bonuses and travel allowances, the lengths that British Airways is going to defend some of the lowest pay rates in the industry is shameful. "With support for the strike remaining strong, we would urge MPs to come along to the lobby and hear first-hand about the effect low pay is having on mixed fleet cabin crew and back their campaign against poverty pay. "We would also urge British Airways to wake up to the determination of our members, who contribute massively to the billions of pounds in profits the airline generates, and get around the negotiating table to resolve the dispute." BA said all its passengers were flown to their destinations despite the industrial action, with just a few short-haul Heathrow flights having to be merged. "Our pay offer for mixed fleet cabin crew is consistent with deals agreed with more than 90% of British Airways colleagues, including many Unite members. "More than 9,000 cabin crew, represented by a different Unite branch, voted overwhelmingly to accept the deal. "The offer also reflects pay awards given by other companies in the UK and will ensure that rewards for mixed fleet remain in line with those for cabin crew at our airline competitors." Unite said mixed fleet cabin crew earned an average of 16,000, including allowances, a year, but BA insisted no-one was paid below 21,000. BA said: "100% of our customers will fly to their destinations during the proposed industrial action by mixed fleet Unite this week. "Our pay data shows that mixed fleet cabin crew who worked full time over the 12 months to last November earned more than 21,000 based on pay, allowances, incentive and bonus, and we have offered to let Unite carry out an independent audit of this data. "Our pay offer for mixed fleet cabin crew is consistent with deals agreed with more than 90% of British Airways colleagues, including many Unite members." J ohn Bercow has said he would block an invitation for US President Donald Trump to address Parliament because of his "racism and sexism". The Commons Speaker said an invitation to give a speech at Westminster Hall was an earned honour for a foreign leader and not an automatic right. Mr Bercow is one of three people that would have to approve an invitation for Mr Trump to address MPs at Westminster Hall. He said he was strongly opposed to the idea of an address even before the new US president imposed his controversial travel ban and that he had since become "even more strongly" against it. His extraordinary intervention was applauded by MPs on the opposition benches as he said he believed Parliament must stand up to "racism and sexism". Opposed: Commons Speaker John Bercow said he would block an invitation for US President Donald Trump to address Parliament The sharp comments saw Downing Street re-affirm its backing for the visit, stating: "We look forward to welcoming the president to the UK later this year. The dates and arrangements for the state visit will be worked out in due course." Number 10 has insisted it is too early in the process to say if Mr Trump would be offered the honour of addressing MPs and peers in Westminster. Responding to a point of order raised in the Commons by Labour MP Stephen Doughty, he said: "Moreover, there are many precedents for state visits to take place to our country which do not include an address to both Houses of Parliament. That's the first point. "The second point is in relation to Westminster Hall there are three key holders to Westminster Hall, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Speaker of the House of Lords and the Lord Great Chamberlain. President Donald Trump lashes out at US judge on Twitter "Ordinarily we are able to work by consensus and the hall would be used for a purpose such as an address or another purpose by agreement of the three key holders. "I must say to you, to all who signed your early day motion and to others with strong views about this matter on either side of the argument that before the imposition of the migrant ban I would myself have been strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall. Donald Trump with Theresa May during her trip to the US / REUTERS "After the imposition of the migrant ban by President Trump I am even more strongly opposed to an address by President Trump in Westminster Hall." He added: "We value our relationship with the United States. If a state visit takes place that is way beyond and above the pay grade of the speaker. "However, as far as this place is concerned I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the House of Commons." Labour's Dennis Skinner then raised his own point of order and said: "Two words: Well done." Thousands march in protest over Theresa May's Donald Trump invitation Mr Bercow also outlined his opposition to Mr Trump being invited to address MPs and peers in the Royal Gallery, a room often used for state receptions. He said: "So far as the Royal Gallery is concerned, and again I operate on advice, I do not perhaps have as strong a say in that matter. "It is in a different part of the building although customarily an invitation to a visiting leader to deliver an address there would be issued in the names of the two speakers. "I would not wish to issue an invitation to President Trump to speak in the Royal Gallery." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn backed the Speaker, tweeting: "Well said John Bercow. We must stand up for our country's values. Trump's state visit should not go ahead." P aris today launched a major campaign to lure Londons financial firms across the Channel after Brexit. More than 80 key business bosses, who were gathered at the Shard in central London, were told that the French capital could offer stability as the only global city that will be left in the EU when Britain quits. At the same time, the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo invited an estimated 300,000 French nationals in London to come back to France. Valerie Pecresse, president of the Paris region, led the charm offensive to encourage more banks, financial technology firms, green finance companies and start-ups to look to the French capital for an EU foothold once the UK leaves rather than to Frankfurt or Dublin. French appeal: Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo / Jean-Baptiste Gurliat She argued that it was most likely that Britain will lose passporting rights for financial firms, which allow them to do business without barriers across the EU, so they would be seeking a base across the Channel. She accepted the French authorities had to challenge what she described as preconceived ideas about France being a high tax economy, heavily-regulated and anti-banks, with President Francois Hollande having previously described the financial world as the true adversary. Woman admits to voting brexit on Question Times because of straight bananas However, Ms Pecresse argued: When we looked at comparative taxation, comparative labour laws, the difficulty for hiring or firing people, or changing the rules in between the companies, we realised that in fact it was much easier than people thought in France, than for example in Germany. We are a very stable choice, we are very near London. The market is in Europe, the clients are in Europe, the tech is in Paris, the quality of life is in Paris. However, Ukip MEP Patrick OFlynn hit out at the laughable attempt by Paris, a fast declining city, to take financial services business from London. Socialist mayor Ms Hidalgo, though, laid out her vision for Paris to be Europes green financial centre, trumpeting the city as strong on the digital economy, having the best engineering schools, universities and the biggest start up campus in the world, called Station F. In an appeal to her fellow citizens who have made London their home, she said: I say to the French in London: if you want to come back, you should know that we are ready for you to come back. Gerard Mestrallet, chairman of Paris Europlace, which promotes the citys financial centre, made clear how France is vying against Germany, Ireland and other EU countries to attract key businesses from the UK. He said: Paris has a leading position and offers the best opportunities in the asset management industry which is twice the size that of Germany and also in corporate and investment banking, insurance and fintech. Brexit: David Davis forgets EU departure dates Paris vice-mayor Jean-Louis Missika added: With more than 1,200 fintech enterprises in France, Paris leads continental Europe in this sector, ahead of Berlin. Patrick Ollier, president of Greater Paris metropolis, stressed that it was uniting to offer new opportunities for urban and economic projects. Paris last year launched a drive to tempt financial institutions from London with the slogan Tired of the fog? Try the Frogs!. T he Duchess of Cambridge today spoke from the heart about her campaign to help children overcome mental health issues. Kate, who is patron of childrens mental health charity Place2Be - along with her husband - was attending The Big Assembly at Mitchell Brook Primary School in Brent. The Duchess, who was dressed in a familiar red Luisa Spagnoli suit, which she was first pictured wearing in 2011, told staff and children that teaching kindness is as important as teaching maths. "If we are worried, upset, lonely or angry the best thing to do is to talk to someone about it," she said. Kate said her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, taught her about the importance of qualities like "kindness, respect, and honesty". Kate wore red Luisa Spagnoli suit (John Stillwell/PA ) / John Stillwell/PA "I realise how central, values like these have been to me throughout my life. "That is why William and I want to teach our little children, George and Charlotte just how important these things are as they grow up. "In my view it is just as important as excelling at maths or sport," she said. She told an assembly of London pupils she believes it is important to give young children "the best possible start in life. Drawing on her own upbringing she said, ""People often ask me why I am so interested in the mental health of children and young people. "The answer is quite simple - it is because I think that every child should have the best possible start in life. "When I was growing up I was very lucky. My family was the most important thing to me. "They provided me with somewhere safe to grow and learn, and I know I was fortunate not to have been confronted by serious adversity at a young age. "For some children, maybe there are some here today; I know that life can sometimes feel difficult and full of challenges," said. "I think that every child should have people around them to show them love, and to show them kindness, and nurture them as they grow. This is what Place2Be is doing so amazingly here in your school," she said. The 35-year-old was joined by her husband Prince William as she visited Mitchell Brook Primary School in Neasden, north London, in her role as patron of the children's charity Place2Be. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Mitchell Brook Primary School 1 /10 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Mitchell Brook Primary School The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the Mitchell Brook Primary School in Brent Jeremy Selwyn She wore a familiar red Luisa Spagnoli suit for the visit where she discussed mental health issues Jeremy Selwyn The Duchess of Cambridge waves to children after visiting Mitchell Brook Primary School in London Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA The Duchess of Cambridge told staff and children that teaching kindness as important as teaching maths. Frank Augstein/AP The visit came at the start of Childrens Mental Health Week Chris Jackson/Getty Images The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the Mitchell Brook Primary School, north London, where she and her husband are attending the Place2Be Big Assembly with Heads Together for Children's Mental Health Week John Stillwell/PA "If we are worried, upset, lonely or angry the best thing to do is to talk to someone about it," the Duchess told children John Stillwell/PA The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the Mitchell Brook Primary School, north London, where she and her husband are attending the Place2Be Big Assembly with Heads Together for Children's Mental Health Week Chris Jackson/Getty Images The royals looked in upbeat as they greeted flag-waving children and staff before making their way inside for 'The Big Assembly', an event being held at schools across the country to mark Children's Mental Health Week. Kate went on, "It is great to be here to support Children's Mental Health week. "Recently I met an 11-year-old girl who was helped by Place2Be. She told me that if you keep your feelings inside, you can feel as though you will blow up like a balloon. "But, by talking to someone about them, it can make you feel so much better. "I thought that was such a clever way of looking at it. Kate said talking about problems with somebody close is the best way to resolve them. She said, "Whether that is your mother or father, a teacher or a friend. "know that in your school you have been working on a project to spread a little kindness and I think this is such an important thing to do. "If you see someone who you think might need help, try and be kind to them. "Keep a look out for them if they are on their own or seem sad or worried. "Perhaps they just need a hug or someone to talk to. "I know it is hard if you are feeling down yourself. "But helping someone out will also make you feel so much better too," she said. The visit came at the start of Childrens Mental Health Week as Place2Bs - which Kate has been patron of since 2013 - released a new survey about the concerns of young school pupils. The survey said before they reach the end of primary school, 68 per cent of children in London say they worry all the time about at least one thing to do with their school life, home life or themselves Among the top concerns of London pupils are their family (61 per cent), friends being okay (50 per cent), and not doing well at school (49 per cent). O ld tyre inner tubes and leather offcuts are to be transformed by a British start-up into luxurious and ethical handbags. A Kickstarter campaign by travel entrepreneur Raj Olickel is being launched this month to fund production of the bags, which will also help children in India. Prices range from 95 for a messenger bag to 175 for a weekend holdall, and New Globe Traveller will also donate 30 from each sale to help send a disadvantaged child in India to primary school. Old inner tubes will form the base of the bags and the offcuts which would otherwise be thrown away will be used to make the exteriors. Managing Director Raj Olickel grew up near Mumbai but lives in Essex / COLLECT FROM RAJ Bags will be handmade at an Indian factory set up by a charity that pays workers a good wage. Customers can be sent photographs and online updates on the childs educational progress to form a meaningful connection between them. For smaller upcycled New Globe Traveller products, such as iPad covers and clutch bags, up to 10 is donated in the buyers name. The start-ups partners for distributing the education money include Nanhi Kali, an Indian non-governmental organisation that helps underprivileged girls go to school. Mr Olickel, 41, a father of two from Essex who grew up near Mumbai, said: Its the first range of bags which are made of upcycled materials that also supports the education of children. We get unused pieces of leather from tanneries, which reduces the amount of waste because otherwise it would have gone to landfill. For the sale of every product we will support the eduction of a primary-age child for the year, which pays for tuition, bags, shoes and uniform. Thirty pounds goes a long way towards kick-starting a childs education. Were starting the project supporting children in cities across India but the idea is to take it worldwide, working with non-governmental organisations to facilitate this. A David Bailey portrait of the Queen has been re-issued to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the monarch's accession to the throne. The photograph shows the head of state wearing a suite of sapphire jewellery given to her by King George VI as a wedding gift in 1947. Sapphire is the 65th anniversary gemstone and the King's gift to his eldest daughter, then Princess Elizabeth, featured a glittering necklace, dating from 1850 and made of 16 large oblong sapphires surrounded by diamonds, with a pair of matching sapphire and diamond drop earrings. The Queen has added a sapphire and diamond tiara - made from a necklace that originally belonged to Princess Louise of Belgium - and a bracelet in 1963 to the collection to compliment the original sentimental pieces. Queen Elizabeth II Sapphire Jubilee: 30 looks in blue 1 /40 Queen Elizabeth II Sapphire Jubilee: 30 looks in blue October 9, 1989 Visiting British Queen Elizabeth II (R) chats with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew when he pays a courtesy call on her at the Presidential Palace Toru Yamanaka/AFP/Getty Images June, 1993 A portrait of Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II in an open carriage during Royal Ascot Chris Cole/Allsport/Getty Images 19 February, 1994 An Anguillan resident points her camera at Queen Elizabeth II as she greets residents and tourist lined up at a downtown street Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images March 5, 1997 Queen Elizabeth with President Mugabe of Zimbabwe and his wife, pose for photographers after being the Queen's guest at Buckingham Palace Johnny Eggitt/AFP/Getty Images November 20, 1997 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in jovial mood after thanking the Dean of Westminster for a special service at Westminster Abbey to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary, leave the Westminster Abbey Gerry Penny/AFP/Getty Images May 13, 1998 Queen Elizabeth II and the Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien (2L) inspect the honor guard at Buckingham Palace Dylan Martinez/AFP/Getty Images November 7, 1999 Queen Elizabeth II and Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings walk together upon the Queen's arrival for a state visit to the former British colony Issouf Sanogo/AFP/Getty Images February 23, 2000 Queen Elizabeth talks with Princess Anne (right) and Dame Helen Reeves (left), Chief Executive of Victim Support, during a meeting with members of the voluntary sector in the London Marriott Hotel, County Hall Adrain Dennis/AFP/Getty Images July 14, 2000 Queen Elizabeth II arrives for the Service of the Order of St Michael and St George at St Paul's Cathedral in London Micahel Stephens/AFP/Getty Images October 8, 2001 Queen Elizabeth II holds a hi-tech baton, designed to relay the Queen's opening message to the Golden Jubilee Commonwealth Games in Manchester next year, which was presented to her at Buckingham Palace, London Fiona Hanson/AFP/Getty Images April 30, 2002 Queen Elizabeth II is escorted by Speaker of the House Michael Martin (right) through Central Lobby at The Houses of Parliament after making an historic address at the start of her Golden Jubilee celebrations in London Adrian Dennis /AFP/Getty Images June 4, 2002 Queen Elizabeth II waving to the crowd as she rides in the Gold State coach from Buckingham Palace to St Paul's Cathedral for a service of Thanksgiving to celebrate to her Golden Jubilee PA July 6, 2004 Domenica Lawson (L), god daughter of the late Princess Diana presents a posy to Queen Elizabeth ll and the Duke of Edinburgh (R) after the unveiling ceremony for the Princess Diana memorial fountain in London's Hyde Park Arthur Edwards/AFP/Getty Images December 5, 2006 Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh leaving The Ritz in Londo PA October 21, 2008 Queen Elizabeth II inspects an honour guard during a welcoming ceremony at Brdo castle, some 50 kilometers north of the Slovenian capital Ljubljana Hrvoje Polan/AFP/Getty Images October 11, 2010 Queen Elizabeth II looks at a newly commissioned portrait of herself in The Queen's Room as she is given a tour of the Cunard's new cruise-liner Queen Elizabeth II in Southampton Docks in Southampton Arthur Edwards/WPA Pool/Getty Images April 27, 2011 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh arrive to open the Sainsbury Laboratory for Plant Sciences in the University of Cambridge Botanic Garden in Cambridge Andrew Winning/WPA Pool/Getty Images July 28, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II visits the Aquatics Centre on day one of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Park in London Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images November 14, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II meets the crowd after her visit to the Royal Commonwealth Society on in London Ian Gavan/WPA Pool/Getty Images December 25, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II leaves St Mary Magdalene Church after attending the traditional Christmas Day church service in Sandringham, near King's Lynn Chris Jackson/Getty Images June 2, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh arrive at The Derby in Epsom Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images December 18, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II leaves Number 10 Downing Street after attending the Government's weekly Cabinet meetingon in London Chris Jackson/Getty Images April 29, 2014 Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to the Chapel to view the restoration and meet local people involved with the project at the Royal Dockyard Chapel during an official visit in Pembroke Dock Bethany Clarke/Getty Images June 16, 2015 Queen Elizabeth arrives in the royal carriage for day 2 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot Chris Jackson/Getty Images April 5, 2015 Queen Elizabeth II leaves the Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, Neil Hall/WPA Pool/Getty Images March 26, 2015 Queen Elizabeth II smiles at schoolchildren as she leaves the National Memorial to the Few after opening a new wing in Folkestone Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Getty Images April 30, 2015 Queen Elizabeth II reacts after presenting New Colours to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Windsor Castle in London Cathal McNaughton/WPA Pool /Getty Images March 8, 2016 Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she meets people being helped by the Prince's Trust at the Prince's Trust Centre in Kennington in London Chris Jackson/Getty Images December 24, 2016 Queen Elizabeth II sits at a desk in the Regency Room after recording her Christmas Day broadcast to the Commonwealth at Buckingham Palace in London Yui Mok/WPA Pool/Getty Images March 14, 2016 Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she arrives at the annual Commonwealth Day service on Commonwealth Day in Westminster Abbey, London Geoff Pugh/WPA Pool/Getty Images She had the necklace shortened and the largest stone made into a pendant. Sapphire Jubilee: The Queen in numbers The photograph was taken and first issued in 2014 after being commissioned for the Government's "Great" campaign, which aims to promote the UK abroad. David Bailey: The portrait was first issued in 2014 / REUTERS Bailey took a number of portraits of the monarch and when the Duke of Cambridge saw them during a visit to a Great event in Shanghai the following year he said "I love them". Loading.... The photographer, whose famous sitters include the Kray twins, Diana, Princess of Wales and the Beatles, said at the time of the commission: "I've always been a huge fan of the Queen. "She has very kind eyes with a mischievous glint. I've always liked strong women, and she is a very strong woman." A t important milestones her beloved father King George VI presented his darling Lilibet with gifts of velvety blue sapphires. On Princess Elizabeths 18th birthday he gave her a bracelet featuring the most precious deep blue gemstone. Three years later, on her wedding day, he gave her what is known as the King George VI Victorian Suite, made in 1850 - a long necklace of oblong sapphires and a pair of square sapphire earrings. And when her son and heir Prince Charles was born a year later the King handed her a sapphire brooch in the shape of a flower basket. Sapphires are then, perhaps inevitably, Her Majestys favourite gem. Now the stone has added significance for the 90-year-old monarch. Milestone: The Queen / PA For today our longest lived and longest reigning Queen becomes the only British sovereign to celebrate a Sapphire Jubilee - marking 65 years on the throne. She has chosen to remain out of public sight today, spending it in calm reflection at her country estate Sandringham in Norfolk. After all, February 6, 1952, marks not only the moment she ascended the throne but also the anniversary of her fathers death in Sandringham House at the age of just 56. As a senior royal aide put it: This will be a day of quiet reflection for Her Majesty, not of celebration. One must remember, the moment she became Queen marks the moment her beloved father passed away. Special day: The Queen celebrates her Golden Jubilee in 2002 / Getty Images It is another milestone in a long and illustrious reign full of them. On September 9, 2015, she became the longest reigning monarch in British history, surpassing Queen Victorias reign of 63 years and 216 days. She is also now the longest reigning monarch in the world, following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand aged 88. Queen Elizabeth II Sapphire Jubilee: 30 looks in blue 1 /40 Queen Elizabeth II Sapphire Jubilee: 30 looks in blue October 9, 1989 Visiting British Queen Elizabeth II (R) chats with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew when he pays a courtesy call on her at the Presidential Palace Toru Yamanaka/AFP/Getty Images June, 1993 A portrait of Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II in an open carriage during Royal Ascot Chris Cole/Allsport/Getty Images 19 February, 1994 An Anguillan resident points her camera at Queen Elizabeth II as she greets residents and tourist lined up at a downtown street Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images March 5, 1997 Queen Elizabeth with President Mugabe of Zimbabwe and his wife, pose for photographers after being the Queen's guest at Buckingham Palace Johnny Eggitt/AFP/Getty Images November 20, 1997 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in jovial mood after thanking the Dean of Westminster for a special service at Westminster Abbey to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary, leave the Westminster Abbey Gerry Penny/AFP/Getty Images May 13, 1998 Queen Elizabeth II and the Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien (2L) inspect the honor guard at Buckingham Palace Dylan Martinez/AFP/Getty Images November 7, 1999 Queen Elizabeth II and Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings walk together upon the Queen's arrival for a state visit to the former British colony Issouf Sanogo/AFP/Getty Images February 23, 2000 Queen Elizabeth talks with Princess Anne (right) and Dame Helen Reeves (left), Chief Executive of Victim Support, during a meeting with members of the voluntary sector in the London Marriott Hotel, County Hall Adrain Dennis/AFP/Getty Images July 14, 2000 Queen Elizabeth II arrives for the Service of the Order of St Michael and St George at St Paul's Cathedral in London Micahel Stephens/AFP/Getty Images October 8, 2001 Queen Elizabeth II holds a hi-tech baton, designed to relay the Queen's opening message to the Golden Jubilee Commonwealth Games in Manchester next year, which was presented to her at Buckingham Palace, London Fiona Hanson/AFP/Getty Images April 30, 2002 Queen Elizabeth II is escorted by Speaker of the House Michael Martin (right) through Central Lobby at The Houses of Parliament after making an historic address at the start of her Golden Jubilee celebrations in London Adrian Dennis /AFP/Getty Images June 4, 2002 Queen Elizabeth II waving to the crowd as she rides in the Gold State coach from Buckingham Palace to St Paul's Cathedral for a service of Thanksgiving to celebrate to her Golden Jubilee PA July 6, 2004 Domenica Lawson (L), god daughter of the late Princess Diana presents a posy to Queen Elizabeth ll and the Duke of Edinburgh (R) after the unveiling ceremony for the Princess Diana memorial fountain in London's Hyde Park Arthur Edwards/AFP/Getty Images December 5, 2006 Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh leaving The Ritz in Londo PA October 21, 2008 Queen Elizabeth II inspects an honour guard during a welcoming ceremony at Brdo castle, some 50 kilometers north of the Slovenian capital Ljubljana Hrvoje Polan/AFP/Getty Images October 11, 2010 Queen Elizabeth II looks at a newly commissioned portrait of herself in The Queen's Room as she is given a tour of the Cunard's new cruise-liner Queen Elizabeth II in Southampton Docks in Southampton Arthur Edwards/WPA Pool/Getty Images April 27, 2011 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh arrive to open the Sainsbury Laboratory for Plant Sciences in the University of Cambridge Botanic Garden in Cambridge Andrew Winning/WPA Pool/Getty Images July 28, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II visits the Aquatics Centre on day one of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Park in London Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images November 14, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II meets the crowd after her visit to the Royal Commonwealth Society on in London Ian Gavan/WPA Pool/Getty Images December 25, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II leaves St Mary Magdalene Church after attending the traditional Christmas Day church service in Sandringham, near King's Lynn Chris Jackson/Getty Images June 2, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh arrive at The Derby in Epsom Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images December 18, 2012 Queen Elizabeth II leaves Number 10 Downing Street after attending the Government's weekly Cabinet meetingon in London Chris Jackson/Getty Images April 29, 2014 Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to the Chapel to view the restoration and meet local people involved with the project at the Royal Dockyard Chapel during an official visit in Pembroke Dock Bethany Clarke/Getty Images June 16, 2015 Queen Elizabeth arrives in the royal carriage for day 2 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot Chris Jackson/Getty Images April 5, 2015 Queen Elizabeth II leaves the Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, Neil Hall/WPA Pool/Getty Images March 26, 2015 Queen Elizabeth II smiles at schoolchildren as she leaves the National Memorial to the Few after opening a new wing in Folkestone Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Getty Images April 30, 2015 Queen Elizabeth II reacts after presenting New Colours to the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Windsor Castle in London Cathal McNaughton/WPA Pool /Getty Images March 8, 2016 Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she meets people being helped by the Prince's Trust at the Prince's Trust Centre in Kennington in London Chris Jackson/Getty Images December 24, 2016 Queen Elizabeth II sits at a desk in the Regency Room after recording her Christmas Day broadcast to the Commonwealth at Buckingham Palace in London Yui Mok/WPA Pool/Getty Images March 14, 2016 Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she arrives at the annual Commonwealth Day service on Commonwealth Day in Westminster Abbey, London Geoff Pugh/WPA Pool/Getty Images The Queen will be 91 on April 21 and those close to her say privately she is indifferent to the historical significance of the occasion. She is not interested in competing with her ancestors. A senior former member of the Royal Household told us: Her Majesty doesnt think one should be lauded simply because one lives longer than somebody else. She understands the symbolism of course but finds such praise and the reason for it a little disconcerting. The monarch said as much publicly when she surpassed the record set by her great grandmother, Queen Victoria, saying it was not a title to which I have ever aspired. Queen Elizabeth II - In pictures 1 /114 Queen Elizabeth II - In pictures PA Princess Elizabeth waving from the carriage as she drives in London in May 1928 PA The Queen wearing the Imperial State Crown and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh in uniform of Admiral of the Fleet wave from the balcony to the onlooking crowds around the gates of Buckingham Palace after the Coronation in 1953 PA England captain Bobby Moore receives the Jules Rimet Trophy from The Queen after England defeated West Germany in 1966 AP Queen Elizabeth II and Paddington Bear having cream tea at Buckingham Palace PA PA Wire Chris Jackson/Buckingham Palace via Getty Images PA The Queen sitting with her corgis at Virginia Water to watch competitors, including Prince Philip in the Marathon of the European Driving Championship, part of the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 1973 PA The then the Duke and Duchess of York with their daughter Princess Elizabeth at her christening on May 1, 1926. It was not expected that Elizabeth would become Queen PA Princess Elizabeth arriving at Olympia for the Royal Tournament in 1930 PA Two-year-old Princess Margaret with her sister Princess Elizabeth in 1933 PA Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) with her eldest daughter on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, after the coronation of King George VI in May, 1937 PA Princess Elizabeth after she broadcast on Children's Hour from Buckingham Palace in October 1940 PA Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) and King George VI with Elizabeth in April 1944, shortly before her 18th birthday PA Elizabeth at the wheel of an Army vehicle when she served during the Second World War in the Auxiliary Territorial Service in January 1945 PA Elizabeth holding her son Prince Charles after his christening ceremony in Buckingham Palace in December 1948 PA Princess Elizabeth and Lt Philip Mountbatten at Buckingham Palace after their wedding ceremony, November 20, 1947 PA And with her baby daughter, Princess Anne, after her christening at Buckingham Palace in October 1950 PA Queen Elizabeth II, in a black mourning outfit, waving as she returns to Clarence House in London the day after she became Queen in February 1952 PA Queen Elizabeth wearing the St Edward Crown and carrying the Sceptre and the Rod after her coronation at Westminster Abbey, June 2 1953 PA Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill bowing to Queen Elizabeth as he welcomes her and the Duke of Edinburgh to 10 Downing Street for dinner in April 1955 PA Her Majesty holds Prince Andrew during an outing in the grounds at Balmoral, Scotland. He was the first child to be born to a reigning monarch for 103 years PA The Queen wearing a leopard-skin coat at a Sandown Park race meeting in March 1962 PA The Royal Family in the grounds of Frogmore House, Windsor, Berkshire. Left to right: Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Anne, Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew in 1968 PA The Queen on a walk-about in Portsmouth during her Silver Jubilee tour of Great Britain in June 1977 PA Her Majesty on a walkabout during a visit to Liberia, Antigua, during her Silver Jubilee tour of the Caribbean in October 1977. The Queen has travelled around the world 42 times, visiting 117 countries according to the official count during her 90 years - and all without a passport PA Queen Elizabeth II with some of her corgis walking the Cross Country course during the second day of the Windsor Horse Trials in 1980 PA Mother Teresa with the Queen in New Delhi, India in 1983 PA The Queen Mother, The Queen, Prince William, Prince Harry and the Prince and Princess of Wales after the christening ceremony of Harry in December 1984 PA Her Majesty takes the salute of the Household Guards regiments during the Trooping of the Colour ceremony in London in June 1985 PA The Queen surveys the scene at following the fire at Windsor Castle in November 1992 PA The Queen surveys the damage caused by the fire inside Windsor Castle in 1992 PA South Africa's President Nelson Mandela greets The Queen as she steps from the royal yacht Britannia in Cape Town at the official start of the her first visit to the country since 1947 PA Nelson Mandela, President of South Africa, and The Queen ride in a carriage along the Mall in 1996 PA The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh viewing the floral tributes to Diana, Princess of Wales, at Buckingham Palace following her death in 1997 PA Members of the Royal Family appear with The Queen Mother during celebrations to mark her 101st birthday in 2001 Getty Images The Queen and Prince Philip ride in the Golden State Carriage at the head of a parade from Buckingham Palace to St Paul's Cathedral celebrating the Queen's Golden Jubilee along The Mall in 2002 Getty Images The Queen waves to the crowd as she rides in the Gold State coach from Buckingham Palace to St Paul's Cathedral for a service of Thanksgiving to celebrate to her Golden Jubilee PA Her Majesty - and Berry the corgi - with the England rugby squad after the 2003 Rugby World Cup win PA The Queen smiles in 2004 during her visit of the Light Cavalry of the Honourable Artillery Company to present a Royal Warrant in Windsor Getty Images Prince of Wales and his new bride Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, with their families (L-R back row) Prince Harry, Prince William, Tom and Laura Parker Bowles (L-R front row) Duke of Edinburgh,The Queen and Camilla's father Major Bruce Shand in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle after their wedding ceremony in 2005 Getty Images The Queen in the Regency Room at Buckingham Palace in London looking at some of the cards which have been sent to her for her 80th birthday in April 2006 PA The Queen attends the Royal Windsor Horseshow in 2007 Getty Images The Queen is handed a puck by President of Slovakia Ivan Gasparovic before throwing in the puck to start an ice hockey match between Aqua City Poprad and Guildford Flames in 2008 Getty Images The Queen meets singer Lady Gaga following the Royal Variety Performance in 2009 Getty Images The Queen watches the International Driving Competition at the Royal Windsor Horse Show held in the grounds of Windsor Castle, Berkshire in 2009 PA The Queen studies and re-launches the new layout of the Monarchy Website in 2010 Getty Images The Queen inspects the Grenadier Guards in 2010 before presenting their new colours in the garden of Buckingham Palace Getty Images The Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh wear 3 D glasses to watch a display and pilot a JCB digger, during a visit to the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research centre in 2010 Getty Images The Queen places a wreathe at Ground Zero in 2010 in New York to honor the victims of September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center AFP/Getty Images The Duke of Edinburgh looks on as aThe Queen talks with Pope Benedict XVI exchange gifts during an audience in the Morning Drawing Room at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh in 2010 PA U.S. President Barack Obama, The Queen and First Lady Michelle Obama arrive at Winfield House, the residence of the Ambassador of the United States of America, in Regent's Park in 2011 Getty Images The Queen is escorted by her grandson Prince William during a visit to RAF Valley in 2011 Getty Images Queen Elizabeth II drives her Range Rover as she attends Windsor Horse Show in 2011 Getty Images On stage outside Buckingham Palace in London with Charles, Camilla and a host of pop stars at the Diamond Jubilee concert during celebrations to mark her 60 years as sovereign in 2012 PA Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Queen, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge onboard the Spirit of Chartwell during the Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the River Thames in 2012 Getty Images The Queen appears in cameo role for the opening of the London 2012 Olympic Games The Queen speaks during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games Getty Images The Queen attends an audience with Pope Francis, during their one-day visit to Rome in 2013 Getty Images The Queen and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales watch the action during the Braemar Highland Games in 2014 Getty Images Queen posts first tweet signed 'Elizabeth R' in 2014 The Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visit the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red evolving art installation at the Tower of London in 2014 PA The Queen sitting next to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh looks up during the Queen's Speech in House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster in 2015 Getty Images Her Majesty attends the formal unveiling of the new logo for Crossrail, which is being named the Elizabeth line, at the construction site of the Bond Street station in central London, February 23, 2016 Reuters The Queen sits at a desk in the Regency Room after recording her Christmas Day broadcast to the Commonwealth at Buckingham Palace in 2016 Getty Images Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Charles, Prince of Wales, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, The Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh watch a fly past during the Trooping the Colour in 2017 Getty Images The Queen arriving at the National Service of Thanksgiving to mark her 90th birthday at St. Paul's Cathedral Alex Lentati The Queen hands out Maundy money during the Royal Maundy service at Leicester Cathedral in 2017 Reuters The Queen and Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh (C-R) attend the Royal Maundy Service in Leicester Cathedral in 2017 EPA The Queen smiles as she departs after officially re-opening the The National Army Museum in 2017 Getty Images The Queen arrives at Hull Railway Station, during a visit to the city to mark its year as the UK City of Culture PA Service: The Duke of Edinburgh, The Queen and the Duchess of Cornwall observe from a balcony during the annual Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph in 2017 PA Queen Elizabeth II sits and laughs with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex in 2018 Getty Images The Queen joins Anna Wintour on the front row at London Fashion Week AW18 PA The Queen posts her first ever Instagram message in 2019 @RoyalFamily The Queen smiling during a visit to the headquarters of British Airways at Heathrow Airport, London, to mark their centenary year PA US President Donald Trump, Queen Elizabeth II, Melania Trump, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, during a group photo ahead of the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace, London PA The Queen with keeper Maia Gordon as Olive the duck walks alongside them during a visit to Gorgie City Farm in Edinburgh. PA The Queen talks to guests following the State Opening of Parliament at the Houses of Parliament Getty Images The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in 2003 (Countess of Wessex/PA) PA Media The Queen sat alone at the Duke of Edinburghs funeral PA Wire The Queen sat alone at the Duke of Edinburghs funeral PA Wire Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh in the quadrangle of Windsor Castle PA Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh in the Oak Room at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, looking at their homemade wedding anniversary card, given to them by their great grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, ahead of their 73rd wedding anniversary PA Queen Elizabeth II waits in the Drawing Room before receiving Liz Truss for an audience at Balmoral, Scotland PA And on her 90th birthday celebrations last year she joked that the fuss about her age could grow a bit tiresome. How Ill feel if people are still singing Happy Birthday in December remains to be seen, she said. For the Queen, it is not the length of her reign that matters but what she achieves in that time and how she serves her people, her country, her Commonwealth and her God. She is the most travelled monarch in history, having visited more than 116 countries. She still carries out hundreds of engagements a year. Her next will be on Valentines Day when she opens the National Cyber Security Centre in Victoria. Re-issued: A potrait of The Queen was re-issued to mark the occasion / REUTERS She is patron of more than 600 charities and organisations, having held 400 of those posts since 1952. She has conferred more than 400,000 honours, personally presided over hundreds of investitures and is head of state in realms around the world. She has given her assent to many thousands of Acts of Parliament and, excluding 1959 and 1963 when she was pregnant with Andrew and Edward respectively, has attended every State Opening of Parliament. All this from a woman who was never supposed to be Queen, until fate and the abdication of her uncle David Edward VIII intervened and changed her path. A strategy is in place to make allowances for her age. Loading.... Key to that strategy is the role of the Prince of Wales, supported by William, Kate and Harry. The younger royals have taken the baton and this year will be representing Her Majesty at more and more public events. It is unlikely, unless it were absolutely necessary through mental or physical frailty that the Regency Act will ever need to be implemented. Prince Charles is already doing an excellent job on the world stage as a roving royal ambassador in Her Majestys place. This year he will represent her in Canada for its 150th Anniversary of Confederation. On her 21st birthday Princess Elizabeth made a solemn promise, saying: I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service. She has been true to her word. On this special anniversary everyone, whatever their political persuasion or views on monarchy, will salute our Sapphire Queen. A young Australian woman has died after a jet ski crash in a Thai tourist spot. Emily Jayne Collie was killed after two jet skis, one thought to be ridden by her partner, collided near to Kata Beach in Phuket, Thailand. The 20-year-old suffered injuries to her neck and shoulder and was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital. The crash happened after sunlight reflecting off the water made it difficult to see, local media reported. Tributes: Emily Jayne Collie, 'taken far too soon'. Partner Tom Keating, identified by Australian media, said on Facebook: My beautiful girl! Taken from us far too soon! I love you so much Emily and I wish I could just bring you back into my arms. Im so broken and I know Ill never, never be able to mend. Beach: Tourists in Phuket, Thailand. / AFP/Getty Images A spokesman for the Australian consular told the BBC: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian woman who died in Phuket." Ms Collie was from Victoria in Australia and had studied at Charles Sturt University, her Facebook page said. Bree Lyon, Mr Keatings sister, said the family was absolutely devastated, Fairfax Media reported. "I love how you loved my brother, the way you looked into his eyes with nothing but pure love, it was the truest thing I've ever been grateful to witness," she said. A flight attendant has told how she rescued a teenage girl from human trafficking after she left a note in the planes toilet. Shelia Frederick said she was working on an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to San Francisco when she noticed the dishevelled girl travelling with a well-dressed man. Ms Frederick became suspicious when the girl wouldn't look at her or respond to questions, and the man she was flying with answered everything. The 49-year-old told 10 News: "Something in the back of my mind said something is not right. "He was well dressed, that's what kind of got me because why is he well dressed and she is looking dishevelled and out of sorts? Concerned for the girl's welfare, Ms Frederick left a note for her on the mirror of the planes toilet. In response, the girl apparently wrote: I need help." Ms Frederick then told the pilot who alerted police in San Francisco. The man was arrested when the flight landed. Ms Frederick said: "I've been a flight attendant for ten years and it's like I am going all the way back to when I was in training and I was like I could have seen these young girls and young boys and didn't even know." Since rescuing the teen in 2011, Ms Frederick said she has stayed in touch, and added the girl is now attending college. T he death toll from a string of avalanches in Afghanistan today soared to more than 100. Omer Mohammadi, spokesman for the Afghan state minister for disaster management and humanitarian affairs, said avalanches had claimed at least 107 lives, injuring more than 65 others and destroying over 150 homes. Many of the newest fatalities come from Nuristan province, near the Pakistani border, where two villages were buried in snow. Mr Mohammadi said rescue teams have so far recovered 48 bodies from those villages. Thirteen people were also killed in an avalanche in northern Pakistan, nine of them in the town of Chitral. Dozens of houses have been destroyed and people were reported to have frozen to death inside cars trapped by the snow. T he worlds longest commercial flight has landed in New Zealand having taken off almost more than 9,000 miles away in Qatar. Qatar Airways non-stop service from Doha to Auckland landed at 7.25am (6.25pm GMT on Sunday) after spending 16 hours and 23 minutes in the air. Weve officially landed in Auckland, tweeted the airline as its long-range Boeing 777-200LR made aviation history. With four pilots on board taking shifts, the plane passed through 10 time zones on its 9,032-mile journey. The 15 members of crew served 1,100 cups of tea and coffee, 2,000 cold drinks and over 1,000 meals on the flight. The airline noted that the journey time was long enough to watch either the entire Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit trilogy. As is tradition for inaugural flights, the plane was welcomed with a showering from water cannons. Journey: the 9,032-mile service will now run daily / Qatar Airways Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Mr Akbar Al Baker, who travelled on board the inaugural flight, said: Arriving in Auckland on Waitangi Day, and achieving the title of worlds longest flight for the return record-breaking service, which covers a distance of 14,535 kilometres and lasts 17 hours and 30 minutes, makes this an even more momentous occasion for Qatar Airways and provides another accomplishment to celebrate in this our 20th year flying the flag internationally for Qatar. The service will not depart daily between the two cities, taking off from 02.50am local time and from Auckland at 2.40pm local time. Last March, Emirates airline launched a flight from Dubai to Auckland which, at 8,824 miles, was thought to be the longest non-stop flight at the time. The North American Amateur Drivers Association (NAADA), which is on the verge of announcing dates for its Spring Trotting Series, has received a formal invitation for a rematch with the very competent French amateur drivers. The invitation was extended to Joe Faraldo, president of the North American Amateur Drivers Association, during his recent visit to Paris for the Prix d' Amerique. The rematch is scheduled to center around races at famed Vincennes racetrack outside of the City of Lights as well as a racetrack in Normandy. According to Faraldo, there will be at least two races surrounded by some sightseeing of places popular with tourists and historians. The challenge will require six amateur drivers from the U.S. and their guests. The rematch will be an effort to avenge the terrible loss the U.S. amateurs sustained at the hands of the French when they invaded our shores for a similar competition two years which lasted some seven days and covered four racetracks, Faraldo said. The selection of drivers will be limited to those who participate in NAADAs Spring Trotting Series, which tentatively will commence in March with contests at both Monticello and Yonkers Raceways. The tentative schedule for the competition against the French amateurs is slated for the 2017 Memorial Day weekend at, or about, the same time as the Elitloppet in Stockholm. (NAADA) After a bit of musical chairs, the new Muramoto Downtown opens to the public at 5 p.m. Monday. It will just be open for dinner this week. The new restaurant is at 108 King St., in the location of owner Shinji Muramoto's former 43 North restaurant. He closed 43 North this summer due to plumbing issues, which weren't resolved for two months. The new Muramoto had a soft opening Sunday, the anniversary of Muramoto's original location next door at 106 King St. That initial Restaurant Muramoto opened on Feb. 5, 2004. Four years later, Muramoto moved it to 225 King St., a location that had previously housed Cocoliquot. He closed that spot in late November and Cuco's Mexican Fusion is getting ready to open there. Muramoto Downtown will serve lunch, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting next Monday. It does not take reservations. In moving the restaurant, Muramoto said he also fine-tuned it, although it has kept its sushi and Asian-fusion focus. Meanwhile, in mid-December, Muramoto opened Morris Ramen with former Muramoto chefs Matt Morris and Francesca Hong. The ramen restaurant is located next door, in the original Muramoto location at 106 King St. It was most recently home to RED sushi. Three men were arrested Friday afternoon when a loaded handgun was found in their SUV that had been pulled over by Madison police. The traffic stop occurred at about 3:10 p.m. in the 2100 block of Leland Drive, police said. Jakiv McReynolds, 22, no permanent address, was tentatively charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and obstructing; Maurice Jenkins, 18, of Madison, was tentatively charged with possession of a firearm by an adjudicated felon and obstructing; and Terrance Moore, 20, of Madison, was tentatively charged with obstructing. "An officer could see furtive movement going on inside the SUV that had been pulled over, and believed the occupants were likely trying to conceal the weapon," said police spokesman Joel DeSpain. "It was found beneath the driver's seat." With one hand holding a bottle of champagne and the other an oversized certificate declaring him the winner of $1 million from Publishers Clearing House, Bruce Saunders stood on the front porch of his western Davie County Monday and rattled off a list of things he plans spend his spend money on medical bills, fixing his lawnmower and helping family members. Fitchburg police are looking for a suspect who allegedly struck a man with a metal object, possibly a firearm, Thursday night. The assault happened at about 8 p.m. in the 2900 block of King James Way, police said. Arriving officers found the victim suffering from non-life-threatening injuries. The victim told police the suspect was a younger black male, wearing black pants and a black jacket. A police dog brought to the scene was not able to track the suspect. "It is believed the victim was specifically targeted by the suspect," the police report said. 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Dartanyan Moore, 38, was taken to the Dane County Jail following his arrest at about 5 p.m., police said. He also was ticketed for operating a motor vehicle while revoked, and for failure to install an ignition interlock device. An officer made the traffic stop at the intersection of Elmwood Avenue and Maple Street, after checking the driving status of the vehicle's owner and finding that Moore's driving status had been revoked. Upon making contact, the officer said Moore displayed signs of impairment by alcohol. He was arrested after taking field sobriety tests. A pension fund in Cleveland became the first plan to approve benefit cuts for current retirees before the plan has run out of money. The move, some critics say, could open the door for other troubled pension plans to follow suit. Roughly half of the 2,000 participants in the Iron Workers Local 17 Pension fund are seeing their pension benefits cut. The cuts are part of an effort to keep the fund from going under. Under the plan, benefits will be cut by 20 percent on average. Some retirees are exempt from the cuts because of their age or a disability, but others are seeing dramatic reductions. Larry Burruel, 68, said his pension check is being cut in half. Ive been sort of sitting here staring off in the distance, he said after learning the results of the vote. Burruel, who worked for nearly 30 years welding metal and manning construction sites, said he is worried he and his wife will struggle to afford their medical bills with the smaller paycheck. Were going to have to make a lot of cuts, he said. The reductions were made possible under a 2014 law that, for the first time, allowed troubled pensions to shrink payments to retirees if it would improve the health of the fund. Prior to the law, troubled pension plans could only cut benefits for current workers. Reductions for retirees were only possible after a fund had become insolvent. Retirees ... performed dangerous work counting on the promise of their pensions, said Karen Ferguson, director of the Pension Rights Center. It is simply wrong that after their years of backbreaking work, they have been left out in the cold. The funds proposal was green-lighted by the Treasury Department late last year. The plan was then put up for a vote by the members of the pension fund. The iron workers make up a small portion of the roughly 1 million workers and retirees in pension plans that are on track to exhaust funds within two decades, according to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, which insures private pensions. The Central States Pension Fund, one of the largest multiemployer pension plans in the country, became the first pension fund to apply to cut benefits under the law with a proposal that would have affected nearly 300,000 current and retired truckers. But the Treasury Department rejected that application in the spring, saying the changes would not be enough to save the financially struggling fund. The leaders of the iron workers fund said making cuts now could prevent the need for more dramatic reductions in the future. The suspension plan, while reducing their pensions now, is a better alternative than letting the pension fund become insolvent, the trustees of the fund said in a statement. Without changes, the fund was on pace to run out of cash by 2024. At that point, the plan would have had to rely on the federal insurance program meant to protect multiemployer plans. But that program is also facing steep shortfalls and is on track to run out of money by 2025. Ferguson and other consumer advocates argue that rejecting the cuts would have given lawmakers more time to come up with another plan for shoring up pension funds. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, who is critical of the cuts, called on Congress to find a long-term fix. Too many retirees across Ohio face uncertainty over the benefits theyve earned, he said. We need to work on a bipartisan solution to protect Ohio workers from the mistakes made by those managing their funds. COMMENTARY President Donald Trump on Friday kicked off what he said would be a major restructuring of the Dodd-Frank Act, justifying the effort by arguing that post-financial crisis law was making loans too hard to get. But evidence that Dodd-Frank is making lending conditions tighter is thin, at least for the vast majority of the U.S. economy. "We expect to be cutting a lot out of Dodd-Frank because, frankly, I have so many people, friends of mine, who have nice businesses who can't borrow money. They just can't get any money because the banks just won't let them borrow, because of the rules and regulations in Dodd-Frank," Trump said Friday while meeting with corporate executives. Former Goldman Sachs President Gary Cohn, now serving as director of the National Economic Council, stood behind Trump as he signed the executive order and later reinforced the loan argument. "Today banks do not lend money to companies. Banks are forced to hoard money because they're forced to hoard capital and they can't take any risk. We need to get banks back in the lending business. That's our number one objective," Cohn said later on Friday. Banks, of course, are lending money to companies, as a quick look at the statistics bears out; commercial and industrial (C&I) loans are now higher as a percentage of economic output than they've been since the 1980s, when the capital markets were far smaller and the economy more reliant on direct finance via banks. Credit card and auto lending is at or near record highs and mortgage loans outstanding are in shouting distance of their pre-crisis high. The Trump administration view also doesn't accord with the closely watched Federal Reserve Survey of Senior Loan Officers. Banks spent most of the time since Dodd-Frank became law loosening rather than tightening standards for C&I loans to large and middle market firms. The same is true for C&I loans to small firms. Terms on lending for commercial real estate have been getting steadily tighter, according to the Fed, which perhaps explains Trump, a developer himself, hearing about this from his friends. That tightening may be a good thing, as regulators have expressed concern over the past two years about commercial real estate as a potential source of stress. Not too big to lend Another outright canard is any assertion that Dodd-Frank, which was intended to address the perils of too-big-to-fail banks, has clamped down on them so tightly as to impair their ability to intermediate capital. Lending in constant dollar terms at Citigroup was up 6 percent in 2016, a year when the overall U.S. economy only grew 1.6 percent. C&I loans growth was similarly robust at JPMorgan Chase, though overall loan portfolio growth was slowed by its decision to allow its student loan portfolio to dwindle. A look at the bank loan market also shows credit is ample, and, relatively speaking, cheap. The average yield for issuers issuing today in the leveraged loan market, for three-year money, on first-lien institutional term loans is 4.5 percent so far in 2017, more than two whole percentage points lower than a year ago, according to data from Thomson Reuters LPC. This level has not been seen since 2004. And it isn't just buy-out or M&A loans which are being made; lending for working capital last year was higher than in any year since 2007, according to Thomson Reuters LPC. There is evidence that Dodd-Frank regulatory constraints may be limiting leveraged buy-out loans, but this is in part a function of high equity prices which themselves drive higher leverage to make the deals possible. It is, again, far from clear from a market or banking safety point of view that these constraints are a bad thing. Relatedly, the volume of the riskiest loans, those with an all-in spread of 500 basis points or more above LIBOR, collapsed last year, to just $20 billion from $106 billion in 2015, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. The stated purpose of loosening lending also doesn't accord well with House Republican preferences for tax reform, or the Trump pre-election proposals, which detailed plans to eliminate debt service cost tax deductions, in what would be a massive change. Why worry about loan availability if you are about to make lending much, much less attractive? If Trump does both, loosening Dodd-Frank but getting rid of the write-off for borrowing costs, banks will find loan demand sinks like a stone, while equity issuance increases. None of this is to say that Dodd-Frank works on its own stated terms. Nor do we know what Trump and his cohorts will propose or carry out. Company credit availability is not the problem, and solving non-existent problems has a way of creating new and worse ones. Tyson Foods Inc. said on Monday it received a subpoena from U.S. authorities, and was cooperating with an investigation, which it believes to be in an early stage. Last year, U.S. poultry buyers sued Tyson, the nation's biggest chicken processor, and other companies, claiming they had colluded since 2008 to reduce production in violation of antitrust laws. Tyson has denied the accusations. The seller of Jimmy Dean sausage and Ball Park hot dogs received a subpoena from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Jan. 20 in connection with an investigation related to the company, according to documents filed with the SEC. The company revealed the subpoena as it reported better-than-expected quarterly revenue and profit, helped by higher beef and pork exports and lower livestock costs. Commenting on the SEC subpoena, JPMorgan analyst Ken Goldman said "obviously it is not a positive" for Tyson shares. The subpoena and strong results come as Tom Hayes is getting his footing as Tyson's new chief executive officer. He took over from former CEO Donnie Smith on Dec. 31. "We wonder what exactly is being investigated and what risk this creates for Tyson," RBC Capital Markets said about the subpoena. In a separate lawsuit last month, chicken farmers sued Tyson and other top U.S. poultry companies for allegedly conspiring to depress their pay. Tyson has denied those allegations. The company has sought to increase profit by selling more value-added items such as pre-seasoned products and heat-and-serve meals, which command higher margins than basic meats. Net income attributable to Tyson rose to $593 million, or $1.59 per share, in the first quarter ended Dec. 31, from $461 million, or $1.15 per share, a year earlier. Sales were $9.18 billion, up from $9.15 billion a year ago. Analysts on average had expected earnings of $1.26 per share and revenue of $9.05 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Tyson said earnings per share and operating margins for Tyson's pork and beef units reached record highs in the quarter. "Strong exports and big domestic supply created the perfect storm for beef and pork," RBC Capital Markets said. Tyson raised its forecast for full-year profit to $4.90 to $5.05 per share, up from its earlier forecast of $4.70 to $4.85. OTTAWA Any move to tear up the North American Free Trade Agreement would devastate the economies of members Canada, Mexico and the United States, the head of an influential U.S. business group said on Monday. President Donald Trump, who says NAFTA has been a disaster for American workers, wants to renegotiate the deal and says he is prepared to walk away if he does not get the changes he wants. Thomas Donohue, president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said Canada and Mexico were America's two top export markets. "Withdrawing from NAFTA would be devastating for the workers, businesses, and economies of our countries," he told a business audience in the Canadian capital Ottawa. "Beneath all the debates, arguments, and attention-grabbing headlines, I think our leaders across the board understand this," said Donohue, who was due to meet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau later in the day. Canada and Mexico both send the bulk of their exports to the United States and would suffer badly if NAFTA were ripped up. Since Trump won the election, senior Canadian officials have stressed to their U.S. counterparts how closely linked the two economies are. Trudeau also is fond of noting that 9 million U.S. jobs rely on exports to Canada, a point that Donohue repeated. "First, let's do no harm. Let's preserve, protect, and advance the robust trade that supports both of our economies and millions of our workers," he said. Donohue, who did not criticize Trump, said it was crucial for the United States to keep NAFTA as a single agreement rather than negotiating bilateral deals with Canada and Mexico. "To address areas open for modernization or improvement, we would insist on doing it in a way that doesn't disrupt the $1.3 trillion worth of trade that depends on NAFTA," he said. Perrin Beatty, who heads the Canadian chamber of commerce, noted that Trump had promised to boost employment. "You don't create jobs by dismantling a relationship that works well," he told reporters after the speech. WASHINGTON The Secretary of the Army could make a decision on the final permit needed to complete the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline as soon as Friday, the government's lawyer told a Washington, D.C., court on Monday. The Army Corp of Engineers told the court it has submitted its recommendation to Robert Speer, the acting secretary of the Army, on whether it needs to complete a full environmental review before it can grant the final permit allowing work to start on a contested tunnel under a lake. The review was requested in December by former President Barack Obama. Opponents argue that letting the pipeline cross under Lake Oahe, a reservoir that is the water source for the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, would damage sacred lands and could leak oil into the tribe's water supply. Proponents believe the pipeline, which will run from North Dakota to Patoka, Ill., is necessary to transport U.S. oil safely and that it would create jobs. Jan Hasselman, an attorney with Earthjustice, who represents the Standing Rock Sioux, said the tribe will challenge the U.S. government in court if the Army grants the easement. The tribe, other Native American groups and environmentalists have opposed the $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline led by Energy Transfer Partners LP. He said it is unclear whether construction could begin while the decision is challenged or whether the court will grant an injunction blocking the work. "Our position is the tribe's treaty rights and the law require the full (Environmental Impact Study) process that the government initiated in December. Issuing the easement without that process will be a serious violation of the law," Hasselman told Reuters. A spokesman for the Army was not immediately available to comment. Energy Transfer Partners declined to comment on the legal proceedings. At the hearing at the D.C. Circuit Court on Monday, lawyers for ETP said the pipeline would become fully operational around 90 days after construction begins. If the easement is granted, oil can start crossing under the lake, a reservoir that is part of the Missouri River, as soon as 60 days after construction starts. Additional reporting by Liz Hampton in Houston. ST. LOUIS Barbara Blaine, founder and president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, has stepped down after 29 years, the organization said. Blaines resignation from the nonprofit group was effective Friday. It has been the greatest honor of my life to have found and been your president, Blaine said in a statement. Blaine and SNAPs new managing director, Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, said Blaines decision had absolutely nothing to do with recent litigation. In a lawsuit filed last month, a former development director for SNAP claims she was fired in retaliation for confronting the organization for making referrals to lawyers in exchange for donations. Dorris will now serve as the groups highest ranking official. She said she will continue to work with SNAPs board to help sex abuse survivors everywhere. Blaines departure follows that of David Clohessy of St. Louis, who resigned as SNAPs executive director Dec. 31. Clohessy started with SNAP in the late 1980s. SNAP was sued last month in Cook County, Ill., by Gretchen Hammond, a former employee who raised money for the organization from 2011-2013. SNAP was based in Chicago until moving to the Central West End late last year. The group has denied allegations in the lawsuit that 54 percent of the $440,000 in contributions to SNAP in 2003 came from plaintiffs sex abuse attorneys. SNAP also has denied Hammonds claims that it is a counseling organization, instead insisting it is a volunteer, peer-support network of survivors. SNAP said it is accurate that it refers sex abuse victims to lawyers and has accepted donations from attorneys but that SNAP has never and will never enter into any kickback schemes as alleged by Ms. Hammond in her lawsuit, nor has SNAP ever made donations an implied or express conditions of the referral of victims. ST. LOUIS If students curse, fight or show other bad behaviors at Carver Elementary School, they arent suspended. More likely, theyll have to do mindfulness yoga. Thats the kind of mindset toward student discipline that St. Louis Public Schools is working to foster across the district. Its a mindset thats largely driven by a vow made nine months ago to end out-of-school suspensions for children in preschool through second grade. Carver, like many district schools, is working through how to meet that goal. Instead of punishing students, Carver is seeking to tend to students emotions, which are often the source of bad behavior. Its about, how do we proactively create environments where kids are happy, versus going down this road by reactively dealing with their misbehaviors, said David Hardy, the districts deputy superintendent for academics. For example, misbehaving students at Carver are taken to a reflection room with a staff member who is trained to de-escalate tense situations and cater to the students needs, rather than simply doling out punishment. The staff member, Deontrel Brownlee, asks students to reflect on their actions and role plays with them to help them understand empathy. On Fridays, these students do yoga-like mindfulness exercises, focusing on their feelings and thoughts. Its been a fundamental kind of shift in how we approach consequences. School culture is what we call it, said Principal Anna Westlund. St. Louis is the first district in the region to ban suspensions for some students. But schools statewide are facing pressure from community members to reduce punitive discipline, which disproportionately affects students of color. Several area school districts have been adding counselors and social workers to reduce the need for discipline. So far, St. Louis has issued 13 out-of-school suspensions this academic year for preschoolers through second-graders, according to district numbers. Thats far behind the pace for last school year, when there were 367 total. Meanwhile, there were 954 for students in all other grades this year, down from the pace last school year, when there were 2,837 for the year. Reducing suspensions and changing school culture hasnt been easy, administrators say. The district has financial limitations when it comes to hiring and training staff such as social workers and counselors. The biggest challenge is its a mindset shift, Hardy said. We also realize we want to grow as fast as we can, but as slow as we must. A space to reboot On one recent day at Carver, in the Grand Center neighborhood, Brownlee was keeping busy. One minute, he was taking care of a crying boy in the front office. Another minute, he was supervising about half a dozen students in the reflection room. While some students go there to address their misbehavior, others go there when theyre emotionally overwhelmed or need a space to reboot. Some students are naturally defiant of authority, Brownlee said. Some havent been taught how to properly interact with others. Many are upset because of troubles at home a parent is in jail, they have no permanent home or their parents have no jobs. Brownlee greets students in the morning. If a student doesnt respond to him, and he knows that student is high-risk, hell pull him or her aside and address the problem. Sometimes its as simple as talking to them, really talking to them, seeing them as a person. Some of the kids really need that, Brownlee said. Carver was founded three years ago to absorb students from the former Imagine charter schools, which were forced to close by the state in 2012 for financial mismanagement and failing academic performance. When Carver opened, fights and office referrals for misbehavior were part of the norm. The school was seeing 250 referrals every week, which was completely overwhelming, Westlund said. We were not where we wanted to be. One of the keys to fixing that problem is a data system called Kickboard, which comes from a company based in New Orleans. Students or scholars, as Westlund calls them earn virtual dollars in Kickboard every day if they perform certain good behaviors. They earn credits for behaviors like sitting up straight and listening, using kind words, wearing their uniforms and coming to school on time. Teachers assign Kickboard dollars to students every day on an iPad, and the principal can check their progress. Students who earn enough dollars can turn them in for incentives like a college T-shirt, a book or lunch with a teacher or the principal. If a student curses, gets in a fight, or acts out so badly that a parent needs to be called, Westlund and a team including Brownlee, the school nurse and a lead teacher worker know right away through a Kickboard phone alert dispatched by a staff member. Every Friday, during the last hour of school, students who earned a certain number of dollars get to go to college majors, or elective classes. Some of the majors this year include computer coding, animation and engineering. Students who dont earn enough dollars go to the reflection room for mindfulness instead. In addition to using Kickboard, teachers at Carver have created safe spaces or cool-out corners in their classrooms, which are stocked with pillows, blankets, books and stress-relieving fidget toys like squishy balls. If a student is struggling with anxiety or life at home, he or she can spend some minutes in the space to cry or sleep. Brownlee said he sees how this time away from instruction can be exploited as free time. Dont get me wrong, it can be manipulated, but some of our kids really need that, he said. Some of them really need that time to isolate themselves and get themselves back to a level they can function at. Carvers efforts to change school climate have paid off. Instead of 250 office referrals every week, there are now about 35, Westlund said. Other district schools using Kickboard have seen similar decreases in referrals. About 25 district schools are using Kickboard, at a cost to the district capped at about $165,000. Were not perfect, Westlund said, but the general goal is to put things in place ahead of time so that for the student who we know might struggle at 10 a.m. and I just got a text about this, right theres already a system in place. Three Parkway West Middle School students were suspended in connection with a fight on a school bus last week that at one point involved a student with a Make America Great Again cap. The conflict began with an argument Wednesday between two male students on an after-school activity bus, according to the school district. It was unclear why they were arguing. At some point during the dispute, one of the students put on a Make America Great Again hat, which sparked further conflict with the other student, said Cathy Kelly, Parkway School District spokeswoman. The phrase was President Donald Trumps campaign slogan during the presidential election. Both students hit each other in the face, Kelly said, but neither was seriously hurt. In a Snapchat video of the incident obtained by KMOV (Channel 4), an argument about Trumps proposed Mexican border wall could be heard, in addition to multiple curse words. The mother of the student with the hat spoke to KMOV and said she believes her son was targeted and bullied because of his political beliefs. She could not immediately be reached by the Post-Dispatch. Both students involved were suspended. A third student who videotaped at least part of the incident and posted it online was also suspended, for verbally escalating the conflict. We regret that this incident occurred as it does not reflect the positive character we expect from our students, the Parkway School District wrote in a statement published Sunday. We will continue to work together with students, staff and families to ensure all students learn to treat each other with dignity and respect. Parkway administrators conducted an investigation of the incident using video footage from cameras inside the school bus. WASHINGTON The Wikipedia biography of Sen. Roy Blunt, who has been receiving high volumes of social media protests over his plan to vote for Donald Trumps education secretary nominee, was temporarily changed to cast Blunts support for that nominee in a negative light. The Missouri Republican has said he will vote for Betsy DeVos, the former Michigan Republican Party chair, whose views on charter schools and public education have drawn intense opposition from some educators and teachers unions. The vote is expected sometime Tuesday in the Senate and could be very close. Two Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine have said they will oppose DeVos. That means that the best-case scenario for Trump to get his nominee through would come on a tie-breaking vote by Vice President Mike Pence. Democrats have been trying to put pressure on one Republican to flip. On Monday, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., on the Senate floor urged opponents to "keep making your voices heard" and said Senate Democrats would "double down" to try to get one more Republican to vote with them. Wikipedia edits On Friday, two passages were added to Blunts biography on Wikipedia, an open-content, online encyclopedia. Wikipedia requires registration to begin an entry but not to edit one. The same unidentified user apparently added both lines, according to Wikipedia logs. In a session about Blunts early life and pre-Washington career, one that mentioned his presidency of Southwest Baptist University, this line was added: Mr. Blunt so despised his tenure in education that he supported the 2017 nomination of Betsy DeVos. Later, a new section titled, Controversy, the following language was added: In 2017, Senator Blunt faced backlash for his support of Betsy DeVos' nomination as Secretary of Education. DeVos and her organization All Children Matter contributed a total of at least $234,352.33 to the Senator and his causes. Despite her unpopularity and lack of experience in educational roles, Blunt declared his intention to support her candidacy. This resulted in thousands of constituents submitting their written and verbal disagreements. About an hour after a story on the edits appeared in the Post-Dispatch, those passages were removed. The source given for the amount of money was from an anti-Blunt blog post by a former teacher and journalist, and actually said that Blunt had received about $38,000 from DeVos or members of her family over multiple elections. The bulk of the larger figure was from a DeVos-supported activist group reported spending against Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., when McCaskill ran for governor against Roy Blunt's son, Matt, in 2004 Matt Blunt won that election by about 3 percentage points. Sen. Roy Blunts Facebook page has lit up with opposition to the nomination, with many of the nearly 2,000 comments on a recent thread referring to opposition to either DeVos or Trump adviser Steve Bannon. Others opposing DeVos have been calling his Senate offices. And protesters against Trump's policies and nominees have gathered near Blunt's offices in the state. Our offices, and all congressional offices, are seeing large call volumes that oppose the current administration on several issues, Blunt's communications director, Brian Hart, said. We have also seen increased efforts by support groups to call in as well. Hart told the Post-Dispatch that the new material on Wikipedia breaks the rules of the site because it does not provide sources for the first claim, and that it is not objective in that it appears to copy an anti-Blunt blog post in the second. Hart predicted the two recently added passages will likely be challenged and removed because of that lack of sourcing. He said he and other members of Blunts Senate office are prohibited, by Wikipedia rules, from removing the material he considers incorrect. Otherwise we would help on a host of things that are posted incorrectly, Hart said. Last week, Blunt, who chairs a Senate Appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over the Department of Education, issued this statement when he announced he would support DeVos: I believe Betsy DeVos understands that decisions about education need to be made much closer to where kids are. I look forward to working with her to find ways to get those decisions back to local school boards, and moms and dads. All Senate Democrats and independents, including Sens. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.; Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.; and Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; are expected to vote against DeVos. In an email to supporters and potential donors last week, McCaskill wrote: Betsy DeVos never attended a public school. Shes never worked at a public school. She likes to talk about siphoning resources away from public schools so families have a choice but in rural Missouri, good public schools are often the only choice families have. Our small towns dont have the kinds of options available in urban centers. Teachers protest Teachers opposed to DeVos were picketing outside Blunts Columbia office on Monday, during lunchtime on a professional development day. I have colleagues who have never even called their representative or sent a letter suddenly every single teacher at my lunch table has done those things, MacKenzie Everett-Kennedy, an English teacher at Columbia's Hickman High School, said while protesting outside Blunts office there. Everett-Kennedy said she and her fellow teachers watched DeVos confirmation hearing and that she was rankled that DeVos, who did not attend public school, seemed unfamiliar with testing standards or federal laws on educating people with disabilities. During her hearing, DeVos also said the federal government should let districts decide whether to allow guns in schools, for instance to protect from potential grizzlies. I teach high school where I have the six-foot-tall football players who can overpower me. I dont want a gun in my classroom but she thinks bears are a concern, Everett-Kennedy said, adding that Blunts support for DeVos in spite of educators concerns is deeply insulting for the teachers in this state, especially considering he himself was a teacher. There's a new kind of phone scam out there these days. Or maybe not. Law enforcement officials around the country are issuing warnings about what some are calling the can you hear me now? scam, after the familiar cellphone commercial. Others call it the say yes scam. It goes like this: An anonymous call comes in, the recipient answers and the person at the other end immediately asks something like, Can you hear me? The recipient, reflexively answering the question the way most of us would, says yes. And the caller hangs up. Some time later, the recipient of the call discovers he or she is on the hook for a purchase that was never authorized, apparently as a result of an audio recording of the person saying "yes." In another variation of the scam, the recipient tries to challenge the purchase, and the seller produces the recorded yes as proof that the purchase was authorized. "Their goal is to get you to answer `Yes,' . . . and that `Yes' answer you gave can later be edited to make it sound like you authorized a major purchase, warns a posting by the Better Business Bureau. The issue has gotten some breathless national press in the past few weeks, and local media outlets around the country, including in Missouri, are reporting people claiming to have been tricked into saying yes on the phone. However, virtually all the media coverage ultimately looks like a recent report from emissourian.com, which tells the story of a Missouri resident who was tricked into saying yes into the phone, and then . . . Well, and then nothing. I feel violated and depressed, says the putative victim, according to the story which notes, almost as an aside, that to this point no suspicious activity occurred on his accounts. In fact, even the Better Business Bureau warning notes again, as an aside that so far, none (of the victims) have reported money loss, though it points out the calls were all recent and the losses could in theory still be coming. Snopes.com, the rumor-debunking site, also couldn't come up with a single instance in which someone lost money as a result of saying yes to an anonymous caller. The site recently reviewed media coverage nationally and determined that, like the emissouri.com story, the coverage consists entirely of people who found they had been tricked into saying the word yes and are now waiting in dread for the rest of the scam to start. Viewed that way, fear of the scam seems to be little more than a theoretical explanation for the odd fact that there apparently are callers out there trying to get people to say "yes" into the phone. But does the theory make any sense? Primarily, we haven't yet been able to identify any scenario under which a scammer could authorize charges in another person's name simply by possessing a voice recording of that person saying `yes,' Snopes reported. For such a scam to work, it noted, the scammers would also need access to the target's financial accounts in which case, they would have no need for the person's voice. The 'can you hear me?' scam for now seems to be more a suggestion of a hypothetical crime scheme than a real one that is actually robbing victims of money, reported Snopes. So it may be akin to the annual national fretting over nefarious people handing out poisoned or otherwise tampered-with Halloween candy to unsuspecting trick-or-treaters another supposed danger that police officials warn the public about every year, despite the fact that there isn't a single documented case of someone randomly endangering kids this way. (Think about it: How, exactly, would someone even imagine getting away with that particular crime?) All of that said, the best response to an anonymous caller asking any question is, of course, the hangup button. KIRKWOOD The City Council is considering whether to allow the Magic House to make building additions and expand its parking lot to the east on East Woodbine Avenue a move that some neighbors say negates a pledge the childrens museum made about limiting expansion in that direction. During a nearly two-hour public hearing Thursday, 13 speakers were divided over the plan. Some employees, volunteers and other supporters of the 38-year-old, nonprofit museum at 516 South Kirkwood Road advocated for the additions and parking expansion for safety reasons. But some neighbors said the proposal would bring visitors even closer to their homes and wondered when campus expansions would stop. City Planner Jonathan Raiche told the council that the museum occupies 4.55 acres. Plans would add about 5,200 square feet, mainly on the east side, to the existing 26,800-square-foot building. Additions would include a porch enclosure, a corridor to connect two wings of the building plus office and education space. The parking lot expansion to the east would add 40 spaces on the site of vacant or demolished homes at 206 and 208 East Woodbine. It would bring total parking spaces to 282. While Raiche said the citys Planning and Zoning Commission gave a positive recommendation to the plans, that board recommended prohibiting parking of buses and commercial trucks in the new portion of the lot, with vehicle idling to be banned east of the existing driveway. Beth Fitzgerald, president of the Magic House, said that adding 40 parking spaces would allow 240 to 480 more visitors a day to park onsite, rather than parking on Taylor or Woodbine avenues or across Kirkwood Road at Concordia Lutheran Church. But some council members were concerned. Im troubled by paving over more and more of Kirkwood, Councilwoman Ellen Edman said, adding she was worried that some mature trees will be removed. She suggested the Magic House consider offsite, satellite expansions. They want to use every square foot to maximize parking. I dont see (continued offsite) parking at the church (across South Kirkwood) as a terrible disadvantage. Councilwoman Maggie Duwe said that a letter given to neighbors by Magic House officials in the past pledged there would no more expansion to the east. I know that letter is not legally binding, but what will they do next? They keep pushing the envelope, she said. While calling the Magic House a wonderful amenity, Councilman Paul Ward said previous expansions had led to the loss of 30 condominiums and seven homes. The school district is suffering, he said. We keep eroding our base people move here for our school district, and we cant lose sight of that. However, during public comments, former Councilman Gary Reim praised the Magic House for bringing out-of-town visitors to the community and supporting education countywide. Families having to walk across Kirkwood Road for overflow parking is a safety concern, he said. Scott Barthelmass, of West Woodbine Avenue, said the Magic House brings people here to shop and eat at restaurants, which funds our fire department and other services. The plans will create safer and more functional space for children and will allow for expanded curriculum, said Sally Schoenecker, a Dickson Street resident and Magic House volunteer. Miriam Joseph, of Angenette, insisted the organizations officials had pledged in 2000 that there would be no more expansion to the east. Since 2000, the Magic House has purchased and demolished five homes and 16 condos, resulting in the citys loss of income, based on assessed valuation, of about $500,000. Julie Allman, also of Angenette, said shes seen Magic House visitors park on Angenette and picnic on her front lawn and has had events at her home disturbed by loud noise from the facility. I dont know what a nonprofit is doing, buying all this property and banking it theyre driving affordable home buyers out of the market, she said. This isnt a quaint little Magic House, Allman said. Its a monstrosity, and I can promise theyll come back, asking for more. Kevin Zirges said he and other residents on Angenette must move their cars to the street on weekends to prevent losing their parking. The Magic House is a wonderful asset to the community but they need to find a long-term solution for parking that works for everybody not just the Magic House, he said. A preliminary vote is set for Feb. 16, and a final decision on March 2. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy I took my children into the voting booth with me and later my grandchildren so they could learn the procedure and why it is so important. Worldwide, communities are depending on functioning ecosystems to sustain livelihoods and quality of life. Management of these social-ecological systems might improve the ecological status and the wellbeing of many but there might be undesired consequences for some. Such trade-offs often hit the most vulnerable and least visible in society. The consequence is often a negative spiral of continuing poverty. This became evident in a study of a fishing community close to the rapidly growing city of Mombasa in Kenya. In the study, which was recently published in Ecology and Society, centre researchers Diego Galafassi and Tim Daw together with colleagues from Kenya, UK and France explored how trade-offs can be made visible in interventions and policy-making processes to avoid harm of some groups. Different effects of change The researchers used a participatory approach to get insights from different perspectives on who are winning and who are losing out when the community is affected by for instance changes in tourism or climate change. This approach is crucial as different people see wins and losses differently but also because trade-offs might be hidden, downplayed or intentionally ignored. Diego Galafassi gives an example: Some might advocate strongly for a certain intervention, for example offshore fishing or banning the use of certain fishing gears, and believe it to be a solution. But establishing deeper conversations about these assumptions help reveal how they may affect different people in different ways. A man was detained soon after a Southwest Side bank was robbed Monday afternoon with the help of witnesses tracking his whereabouts, the Madison Police Department said. Around 2:30 p.m., a man who indicated he had a weapon but didn't display one robbed Old National Bank, 5750 Raymond Road, police said. After he took off with cash, witnesses in the bank followed him at "a safe distance behind," police said. With the West District Police Station a few blocks from the bank, officers were quick to the scene. Witnesses pointed out the direction to the fleeing robber, and police apprehended him in a parking lot across from the bank, police said. He was transported to the nearby police station. A group of Wisconsinites who helped elect President Donald Trump say his early flurry of executive action is a welcome match with his campaign rhetoric, even as some admit unease with Trumps blustery style or most controversial ideas. The opening weeks of a presidency typically provide a honeymoon for a new chief executive. Trumps first days brought frequent controversy and a national wave of protests. Particular flashpoints were Trumps executive orders to build a wall on the Mexican border and halting refugees and travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Still, a handful of grassroots Republicans in Wisconsin who spoke to the Wisconsin State Journal said they like what theyve seen so far. Hes doing what he said he was going to do, said Larry Yunck of rural Coloma, who is chairman of the Adams County Republican Party. As President Obama said, elections have consequences. Some say Trumps early actions auger well for his presidency; others say its tough to draw conclusions yet. Wisconsin was one of three states, including Michigan and Pennsylvania, that typically vote Democratic in presidential elections but went for Trump this time, tipping the Electoral College in his favor. So there will be national implications for how Trump is viewed by those who supported him here. Mark Molinaro, chairman of the town of Somers in Kenosha County owner of an architectural company and a friend of Trumps chief of staff Reince Priebus, who grew up in Kenosha said he knew what he was voting for when he picked Trump. That is a break from what he described as a comforting, but also nauseating, status quo. So far Molinaro who tends to vote Republican for president but also has voted for Democrats, and considers himself a conservative independent is unnerved by several facets of Trumps transition and first two weeks in office. I knew his style of management would be mostly what were seeing right now, Molinaro said. I had no illusions going into this thing. Its going to be a very unsettling situation for awhile. Molinaro called Trumps inauguration speech the worst hes ever heard because it continued to focus on the election, rather than looking ahead to leading a unified country. He didnt appreciate Trump continuing to obsess over the size of his inauguration crowd during his first television interview after being sworn in as the 45th president. While hes not too concerned about Trumps Cabinet picks, he doesnt like that Trump is signing so many executive orders, rather than making changes in concert with a Republican-controlled Congress. But he mostly doesnt disagree with the content of the orders. As a small-business owner I am as optimistic as I am nervous, Molinaro said. What would calm my nerves is if he slowed himself down a little bit and truly engaged the people he claims are the brightest and the best in the world. Protests, tariffs at issue A recurring theme with Republicans is that Trump is doing what he told voters to expect. Even Trumps skeptics within the GOP acknowledge that point. Hes keeping his promises, said David Blaska, a prominent a Dane County conservative who voted for write-in candidate Evan McMullin. Another point of consensus was praise for Trumps nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Neil Gorsuch. Orville Seymer, a Milwaukee County Republican activist who said he wasnt initially a big Trump fan, said everything he hears from Republicans is that Trump is doing a fine job. Seymer said hes not bothered by Trumps executive order temporarily halting refugees and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries. He characterized the thousands of people who protested it as so far over the top (conservatives) look at them as being a bunch of crackpots. A protest in Madison last month drew a crowd estimated by police as between 75,000 and 100,000, drawing comparisons to the Act 10 protests against Gov. Scott Walker in 2011. Dennis Popp of Belmont, who leads Republicans in Lafayette County, said the comparison is apt, but not in a way Democrats and liberals might want. Popp believes the Act 10 protests helped galvanize support for Walkers agenda in rural Wisconsin. If protests against Trump continue nationally especially if they lead to lawlessness he predicts they will backfire among rural voters. Such scenarios would be unlike the Act 10 protests, which were almost entirely peaceful. They can do whatever they want; it just hurts their own cause, Popp said of Trump protesters. As during the campaign, some of Trumps words and actions contradict Republican orthodoxy. The White House last month said Trump is considering a 20 percent tax on imports from Mexico to pay for the southern border wall, defying free trade sentiments among the business community and other traditional GOP allies. Youre seeing a strategy Yunck acknowledged such a tariff could leave U.S. consumers footing the bill. Thats perhaps going to send the cost up, but its going to send a message to the Mexican government, Yunck said. Some Republicans have theories about Trumps unconventional methods. Seymer speculates many of the controversies that swirled around Trumps first two weeks from false crowd size estimates to unsubstantiated claims that millions voted illegally are intentional distractions set by the Trump team. Hes using deception to get people moved away from whats really important, Seymer said. In the meantime hes doing all the other things he thinks is important and its getting very little attention. During the campaign, Seymer said he didnt appreciate Trumps attacks on Sen. John McCains war record or on a disabled New York Times reporter. But over time he understood those to be similar deceptions intended to distract the media. Richard Church, a Republican activist from Adams, said he isnt alarmed when Trump proposes a measure that first appears radical. Church said Trumps bestselling book, The Art of the Deal, written with Tony Schwartz, is a guide to understanding his leadership style. Youre seeing a strategy from Trump ... He always leads with something very extreme and then walks it back, Church said. He wrote a book about that. So what do Trumps first days as president tell us about what his presidency will be like? It tells me that hes a man of action, Yunck said. I think hes going to do things that are going to upset the nation, at least 48 percent of them. But he doesnt take any guff from anyone. Church is more circumspect. Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF) today announced that for the first time in more than 15 years, it will unveil a new store concept. The store will open on Friday, February 17th, at the Polaris Fashion Mall in Columbus, Ohio and 20% of all opening weekend sales will be donated to Nationwide Children's Hospital. Designed by MJ Sagan Architecture, which was also involved in the creation of the company's New Albany headquarters, the prototype's look and feel is in line with the brand's new evolution. This boutique, which is 4,860 feet in size, is the first of seven that will be built this year and provides the customer with a new vision of the brand. In line with the changes that have taken place over the past eighteen months, the space was imagined with the best customer experience in mind, encouraging the discovery of the brand's new collections. "It is important that our stores reflect what the Abercrombie & Fitch brand is today, so we've created a new space for our customers, that is warm, inviting, inclusive and open. We are excited for customers old and new to rediscover what is at the core of this American Heritage brand: timeless, high-quality clothing that you want to live in," said Stacia Andersen, Brand President of Abercrombie & Fitch and abercrombie kids. "The new Abercrombie and Fitch store design illustrates a strong brand, with a rich history that is evolving and moving forward. A cohesive material palette, an elevated collection and residential scale elements enhance the personal, more intimate aspect of the A&F shopping experience," said MJ Sagan, Architect. The striking updates begin at the entrance. The storefront is transparent and features a metal sculpture of an A&F logo first used in the early 1900s. Upon entering the store, the customer will discover two shop-in-shops: a fragrance "apothecary" and an area for seasonal capsule collections. There will also be a dedicated denim room. Mannequins for both genders will live on a concrete platform that runs from the storefront through the middle of the store, showcasing the key trends and ideas for the current season. Throughout the store, the collections will be merchandised to inspire the customer and showcase how pieces can be mixed together. Looking to provide a unique and personal shopping experience, the updated layout includes accommodating features such as, innovative fitting rooms and omni-channel capabilities. The fitting rooms will serve as a comfortable haven from the mall or street, comprising two individual capsules within a larger, private suite. This allows each guest to share new looks with a friend or family member while also enjoying privacy. Each suite has thoughtful amenities that heighten the customer's mood, including separate controls for light and music, as well as a phone charging dock. With a focus on seamless service, associates will be on hand to help shoppers place and pick up online orders in store. Furthermore, cash wraps will be located throughout the space, enabling a quicker and more accessible checkout experience. The interior features a cohesive palette of modern, tactile materials including cork, bronze, galvanized steel, concrete, vegan leather, wood and marble that act as a neutral but complimentary background to the collections. The store will be subtly scented with a lighter, cleaner, gender-neutral fragrance. Allgeier SE, one of the leading IT companies for Business Performance, today announced an agreement with Ciber, Inc. (NYSE: CBR), a leading global information technology consulting, services and outsourcing company, to acquire its business in Germany and Denmark. With this acquisition, Allgeier builds on an established presence in Germany and Denmark and reinforces its position as a leader in providing fully integrated IT solutions and IT services. The transaction is expected to close in February following receipt of regulatory approvals. "This acquisition reflects our strong commitment to the future of SAP and the value for our customers by bringing Enterprise IT- Services and new SAP technologies together," said Hubert Rohrer, Member of Executive Board of Allgeier SE. "Our interests are completely aligned with Ciber as we transition, support and deliver for our customers." "The sale of Ciber Germany and Ciber Denmark is consistent with our announced strategy to divest non-core assets," said Ciber President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Boustridge. "With Allgeier, we have found a terrific home for our German and Danish employees and customers." A major U.S. hospital service provider, TeamHealth Holdings (NYSE: TMH), as successor in interest to IPC Healthcare Inc., f/k/a IPC The Hospitalists Inc. (IPC), has agreed to resolve allegations that IPC violated the False Claims Act by billing Medicare, Medicaid, the Defense Health Agency and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program for higher and more expensive levels of medical service than were actually performed (a practice known as "up-coding"), the Department of Justice announced today. Under the settlement agreement, TeamHealth has agreed to pay $60 million, plus interest. "This settlement reflects our ongoing commitment to ensure that health care providers appropriately bill government programs vital to patient health care," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler of the Justice Department's Civil Division. The government contended that IPC knowingly and systematically encouraged false billings by its hospitalists, who are medical professionals whose primary focus is the medical care of hospitalized patients. Specifically, the government alleged that IPC encouraged its hospitalists to bill for a higher level of service than actually provided. IPC's scheme to improperly maximize billings allegedly included corporate pressure on hospitalists with lower billing levels to "catch up" to their peers. "Medical providers who fraudulently seek payments to which they are not entitled will be held accountable," said U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Fardon for the Northern District of Illinois. "False documentation of treatment is not just flawed patient care; it is illegal." As part of the settlement, TeamHealth entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) covering the company's hospital medicine division. This CIA is designed to increase TeamHealth's accountability and transparency so that the company will avoid or promptly detect future fraud and abuse. "When health care companies boost their profits by misrepresenting the services they bill to taxpayer-funded health care programs, our office will make sure they are held accountable for their deceptive schemes and that they make changes to bill these programs appropriately," said Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh of HHS-OIG. The settlement resolves allegations filed in a lawsuit by Dr. Bijan Oughatiyan, a physician formerly employed by IPC as a hospitalist. The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Chicago, Illinois, under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private individuals to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and to share in any recovery. The Act also allows the government to intervene and take over the action, as it did in this case. Mr. Oughatiyan will receive approximately $11.4 million. The government's intervention in this matter illustrates the government's emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the Civil Division's Commercial Litigation Branch, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois, and HHS-OIG. The case is captioned United States ex rel. Oughatiyan v. IPC The Hospitalist, Inc., et al., Case No. 09-C-5418 (N.D. Ill.). The claims resolved by the settlements are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SunCommon, a Vermont-based solar installer, has joined Sunpreme Channel Network a strategic partnership program designed to deliver the most advanced solar products and expertise to residential, carports and commercial clients through leading solar installers. Sunpreme carefully selects its strategic channel partners, awarding the distinction only to installers that consistently put customers first with high quality solutions. As Vermont's largest solar company, SunCommon provides the residential, carports and commercial solar markets with the best and most reliable solar packages while delivering the highest level of installation quality. "Our customers trust us to provide technically superior products with compelling value, and know that they can count on years of our experience to deliver results. Sunpreme represents everything we look for in a premier product to inspire the customer's enthusiasm and drive customer delight," said James Moore, President at SunCommon. "We are honored to be recognized by Sunpreme as a Channel Partner after successfully installing projects using Sunpreme Solar Technology. Their global reputation and high standards are an endorsement of SunCommon's commitment to our customers and to superior quality," added Moore. "Sunpreme Channel Partnership recognizes exceptional installers for their relentless focus on providing high end solar products, superior installations and customer satisfaction. Vermont and New York Solar market are of strategic importance, and we warmly welcome SunCommon to Sunpreme Channel Partnership. We congratulate them on their commitment to high standards and helping clients reach their energy goal," said Surinder S. Bedi, Executive Vice President for Global Quality & Reliability, System Products and Market Development at Sunpreme. "Sunpreme bifacial smart panels are an industry game changer offering customers the highest performance solar panels -- with impedance matching technology and its improved lifetime yield. This complements a highly compelling product offering that integrates bifacial technology, robust product reliability and most cost effective solar electricity solution available to their strong customer base," added Bedi. About SunCommonAs Vermont's largest solar business, SunCommon believes that everyone has the right to a healthy environment and brighter future and renewable energy is where it starts. Energy from the sun can power our lives and build vibrant communities. Our mission is to tear down barriers to clean energy and use our business as a force for good. SunCommon has helped over 3000 Vermonters and New Yorkers go solar at home or join a Community Solar Array and nearly 30 businesses power with solar and save. SunCommon was chartered as one of Vermont's pioneering Benefit Corporations and is a Certified BCorp based on a rigorous third party assessment of our commitment to the triple essential point of people, planet and profit. The business is headquartered in Waterbury where most of our 70 workers operate out of Vermont's largest net-positive office building, which produces more energy than it uses. In our first three years, SunCommon earned distinction as one of Vermont's Best Places to Work, from the US EPA with an Environmental Merit Award, and with a Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence. For more information, please visit www.suncommon.com. About Sunpreme, Inc.Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Sunpreme is a global solar photovoltaic company that designs, develops, and manufactures its innovative bifacial double glass panels utilizing a proprietary Hybrid Cell Technology (HCT), with efficiencies from 21.5% to 23.5%. These panels deliver the best cost performance value to clean-tech customers, worldwide. Sunpreme's Bifacial, Smart panels are among the world's most powerful, with STC outputs ranging from 310 to 510W before the bifacial boost of up to 15% with superior product reliability and environmental stewardship. Sunpreme was ranked among the top three performers in the entire global PV market. It has won 7 of the top 10 rankings among thin-film PV products. Sunpreme solutions are deployed in 25 countries around the world. For more information, please visit www.sunpreme.com or contact Samantha Lam [email protected]. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/suncommon-collaborates-with-solar-technology-leader-to-become-sunpreme-channel-partner---promoting-bifacial-pv-panels-300402479.html SOURCE Sunpreme, Inc. Cafe CODA, the jazz club musician Hanah Jon Taylor had planned for the ground floor of a Mifflin Street condominium complex, is now set to open Saturday as part of the Fountain on State Street. The concern was that the sound could carry into the residences above in Metropolitan Place. The idea of having to appease 300 condo owners I couldnt meet that challenge, Taylor said. He also looked at a location on Regent Street and said it may still be an option, but it would require a six- to eight-month build-out. In the meantime, landlord Harold Langhammer approached Taylor with the idea of taking over the 2,900-square-foot, 78-person capacity back room in the Fountain, which has been an occasional venue for jazz during the past five years. Langhammer called Taylors project the extension and culmination of what has been going on and we look forward to it. ... It should be an exciting experience to come to the Cafe CODA at the Fountain. The venue has entrances at 122 State St. and also at 113 W. Dayton St. It, along with a six-story building next door, is slated to become a $30 million-plus, 120-room boutique hotel. Langhammer said the hotel is less than a year away. Taylor and a number of other local musicians, including some from Chicago, will play during Saturdays opening. A grand opening March 4 will feature the Dee Alexander Quartet. Alexander is a world-renowned vocalist based in Chicago, whom Taylor has known since she was 19. The two of them have performed together many times over the years, said Taylor, who plays flute and saxophone. Cafe CODA will host music five or six nights a week, starting out with programming Tuesdays through Saturdays. On Tuesdays he plans to host a night of improvising rather than a typical jam session, and said no fake books will be allowed. Fake books are brought to gigs by musicians and consulted when the performer doesnt know the tune being played. In my generation fake books werent allowed because it compromised the whole idea of improvisation, Taylor said. But I notice when I go to jam sessions here, that many musicians want to whip out their fake books. And so we want to offer those musicians a different experience, the experience of improvisation. The improvisational sessions will still include tunes familiar to everyone, but hopefully the musicians wont play them the same way from week to week, Taylor said. On Wednesdays hed like to host students from UW-Madison to showcase their work, Thursdays hes planning to hold Latin jazz jam sessions, Fridays would feature local and regional jazz combos while Saturdays would be reserved for artists from other places Chicago, Milwaukee, New York, Minneapolis, Paris. A lot of the places Im reaching from because I have intimate contacts with musicians in all of those cities, Taylor said. Artists who come from Paris to play in Chicago dont have other places to play in the Midwest, he said. Cafe CODA will be a place that rectifies that reality, Taylor said. Taylor intends to hold a drum session at noon on Saturdays and a high school youth jam session in the afternoon from 3 to 5 p.m. If he is able to extend the programming into Sunday, he envisions a poetry to music presentation run by Madison hip-hop artist Rob Dz Franklin and Fabu Phillis Carter, Madisons former poet laureate. Candace Flowers, who runs the southern comfort food spot Sweet Tea in the front of the Fountain building, will serve tapas and finger foods at Cafe CODA. At Sweet Tea her menu changes daily, and at Cafe CODA she said she will start with five tapas and switch them out regularly. Taylor promises an elevated wine list from what the Fountain offered before, and a better selection of beers on tap and in bottles. A GoFundMe campaign for Cafe CODA raised just less than $11,000 after the website took out its percentage. Taylor spent the money on new Gretsch drums and other equipment, while a separate supporter donated a piano. Taylor said by the club supplying some instruments, it will be easier for him to bring in musicians. He also put some money into sprucing up the room, buying drapery and fixing up some of the booth seating, which Taylor called 40 percent naugahyde, 60 percent duct tape. Atmosphere and ambiance contribute to the whole experience as much as the music, Taylor said. Where you do something and what the venue looks like is, I think, is just as important as the execution of the art form. HONG KONG, CHINA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/06/17 -- Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704) (TSE: 4704), a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, today announced it has been placed highest and furthest in the Leaders quadrant for ability to execute and completeness of vision in Gartner, Inc.'s 2017 Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP)(1). The company has been named by Gartner as a Leader in enterprise security solutions for endpoints and servers since 2002(1). "We feel that effective security requires a cross-generational blend of threat defense techniques. In my view, our placement of highest and furthest within the Leaders quadrant recognizes our visionary approach to security," said Kevin Simzer, executive vice president, sales, marketing and business development for Trend Micro. "We believe being positioned as a leader for so many years, demonstrates Trend Micro's unique capability to offer the latest technology while constantly developing the necessary techniques to fight tomorrow's threats. Our ability to protect enterprises throughout every aspect of their organization is what sets us apart." Trend Micro protects endpoints with XGen" security, a blend of cross-generational threat defense techniques that intelligently applies the right technology at the right time, resulting in more effective and efficient protection against a full range of threats. Trend Micro is the first to infuse 'high-fidelity' machine learning into its approach -- uniquely analyzing files both before execution and at runtime to block those with malicious intent and using 'noise cancellation' features, such as census checking and whitelisting, to reduce false positives. "Trend Micro's XGen" security has advanced our organization's endpoint security tremendously," said Ty Smallwood, infrastructure and security manager for Navicent Health. "We now have one vendor that offers the full breadth of protection with visibility across our business. Their 24/7 customer support has always made Trend Micro available and responsive to our questions around the solutions and general threat intelligence." Trend Micro also protects server endpoints across the data center and cloud with XGen" security, delivering optimized protection for workloads deployed on VMware, AWS and Microsoft Azure. Managed through a single connected dashboard with full visibility across physical, virtual and cloud, Trend Micro's hybrid cloud security solution simplifies the deployment and management of security; speeds response to sophisticated attacks and accelerates compliance with key regulations such as PCI, HIPAA and others. To access the 2017 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms report, visit https://resources.trendmicro.com/Gartner-Magic-Quadrant-Endpoints.html. To find out more information about user endpoint security, visit https://www.trendmicro.com/xgen. For more details on hybrid cloud security, visit https://www.trendmicro.com/hybridcloud. Gartner Disclaimer Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. (1) Gartner "Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms," by Eric Ouellet, Ian McShane, Avivah Litan; January 30, 2017 (previously Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Antivirus). About Trend Micro Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in cyber security solutions, helps to make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Our innovative solutions for consumers, businesses, and governments provide layered security for data centers, cloud environments, networks, and endpoints. All our products work together to seamlessly share threat intelligence and provide a connected threat defense with centralized visibility and control, enabling better, faster protection. With more than 5,000 employees in over 50 countries and the world's most advanced global threat intelligence, Trend Micro enables users to enjoy their digital lives safely. For more information, visit www.trendmicro.com.hk. MEDIA CONTACT: Claudius Lam Trend Micro + 852 2866 4362 (Office) + 852 9022 0876 (Mobile) Email Contact Source: Trend Micro The Facebook logo is displayed on their website in an illustration photo taken in Bordeaux, France, February 1, 2017. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau PARIS (Reuters) - Giant Internet firms Facebook and Google joined forces with news organizations on Monday to launch new fact-checking tools designed to root out "fake news" stories in France ahead of the country's presidential election. Social networks and news aggregators came under fire during the U.S. presidential vote when it became clear they had inadvertently fanned false news reports. Facebook , said it would work with eight French news organizations, including news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP), news channel BFM TV, and newspapers L'Express and Le Monde to minimize the risk that false news appeared on its platform. Facebook, the world's biggest social network, has 24 million users in France, more than a third of the country's population. It will rely on users to flag fake news on its network so that the articles can then by fact-checked by its partner organizations. Any news report deemed to be fake by two of its partners would then be tagged with an icon to show that the content is contested, Facebook said. Facebook is also supporting a separate initiative launched by Google dubbed "CrossCheck" which calls on users to submit links to contested content to a dedicated website so that it can be investigated. Seventeen French newsrooms have joined the project, including AFP and the French public national television broadcaster. Facebook is also taking steps against fake news in Germany, where government officials have expressed concerns that false stories and hate speech online could influence a federal election in September in which chancellor Angela Merkel will seek a fourth term in office. In the United States, Facebook has said users would in future find it easier to flag fake articles as a hoax, and added that it will work with organizations such as fact-checking website Snopes, ABC News and the Associated Press to check the authenticity of stories. (Reporting by Gwenaelle Barzic and Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Richard Lough) Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Mohammed Al Khalifa, arrived in Pakistan on Sunday along with a high level delegation. The Foreign Minister of Bahrain would co-chair the inaugural session of Pakistan-Bahrain Joint Ministerial Commission with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz on Monday. Soon after his arrival, both sides held a meeting to review the dynamism and scope of existing relations between the two countries, a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here said. The meeting was also attended by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi as well as Secretaries of the Ministries of Defence and Overseas Pakistani besides other senior officials from both sides. Appreciating the consistent development of bilateral relations in all areas of mutual cooperation, both Ministers welcomed the up-gradation of the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) to the level of Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC). Sartaj Aziz highlighted that the Ministerial Commission will serve as a regular platform to discuss cooperation in all areas of mutual interest. During the meeting, both Ministers exchanged views on possibilities of improving bilateral economic cooperation while highlighting that regular business-to-business interactions were the key in this regard. The Adviser expressed gratitude to King of Bahrain for facilitating the convening of the first Pakistan-Bahrain Business Opportunity Conference in Manama, in September 2016. The 2nd session of the conference, being held in Pakistan in March 2017, will further boost commercial linkages between the countries. The Adviser also thanked the King of Bahrain for the generous gift of Nursing Training University to Pakistan which has become an icon of Pakistan-Bahrain friendship. The project was jointly inaugurated in Islamabad last month by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Lt. Gen. Sheikh Mohamed Bin Isa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa, Commander National Guards of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Underscoring the substantial potential on both sides, the Adviser stated that the warm political relations between Pakistan and Bahrain were the foundation to strengthen cooperation in economic and trade sector. He informed that the current investment policy of Pakistan had created an investment friendly environment, guaranteeing equal treatment of foreign and domestic investors. Sartaj Aziz invited Bahraini businessmen to invest in Pakistan, especially in the energy, infrastructure and agriculture sectors, urging them to take advantage of the lucrative incentives on the offer for foreign investors. While briefing the Bahraini side on the China Pakistan Economic Corridor Project (CPEC), the Adviser informed that CPEC, including its Gawadar Port project, has emerged as a remarkable means to enhance the economic depth of regional countries. He assured that Pakistan remained ready to connect various surrounding regions for a win-win outcome for all. The Adviser also briefed the Bahraini side on Pakistans achievements in decisively subduing the menace of terrorism through its successful Zarb-e-Azb military operation. He informed that stability achieved by Pakistan would immensely contribute in crystallizing an environment of peace, prosperity and economic development in the region. Reciprocating the sentiments of the Adviser, Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Mohammed Al Khalifa reiterated that Pakistan-Bahrain relations reflected a consistently strong bond of friendship which was devoid of any irritant or divergence of interests on important issues. Bahrain highly appreciated and expressed great satisfaction over the notable success Pakistan had achieved in defeating the scourge of terrorism which has contributed to regional peace and stability. The Bahraini Foreign Minister also expressed his satisfaction over the strength contributed to the bilateral relationship through close cooperation in defence and security areas. The Foreign Minister added that Bahrain remains eager to strengthen the already strong Pakistan-GCC relation even further. He added that Bahrain, currently holding the chair of GCC, will make serious efforts to reinforce this important relationship, for the benefit of all sides in the region. The inaugural session of JMC will be held on February 6, 2017 including plenary and technical sessions for thread base review of the bilateral cooperation in various sector. Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Saleem Shahzad was arrested at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport upon his return to Pakistan on Monday after 24 years away from the country, Senior Superintendent Police Malir Rao Anwar confirmed. Shahzad, a founding member of the MQM-London, had been living in London since 1992 and announced his return on Twitter on Sunday. He returned to Pakistan on a flight from Dubai. Arrest warrants were issued for Shahzad in 2016 for the 10th time by an Anti-Terrorism Court in Karachi in a case related to providing treatment and shelter to alleged terrorists. Upon Shahzad's arrival at Karachi airport, the Federal Investigation Agency contacted the police regarding the matter of his involvement in the Dr Asim case, airport sources told, after which the SSP Malir confirmed that he had been taken into custody. Speaking to media before departing from Dubai, Shahzad had said he would announce his next political move after arriving in Karachi following consultation with friends and family. He said various circles in Karachi were sending him threats of arrest but he was not afraid. "I have not committed any crime, I am not afraid of getting arrested," he told. In 2014, Shahzad had spoken about "a corrupt lobby in the Muttahida which is against ideological workers." "These elements are involved in extortion, murder, smuggling and other illegal activities," the London-based leader of the party had said. State investigators have revoked the licenses of a longtime Madison-area financial adviser after discovering he set up a phony investment venture and used hundreds of thousands of investors dollars to pay personal bills. James P. Kolf of Sauk City, had been a state-registered broker-dealer from 1981 to Aug. 29, 2016, and an investment adviser from 2009 to 2016. He worked at several national companies Madison offices and also set himself up as sole proprietor of SFN Financial Network, which investigators for the Department of Financial Institutions called a fictitious company. Between 2011 and 2016 he defrauded 14 investors out of $905,000, in amounts from $9,000 to $150,000, promising to invest the money in energy companies and produce returns of 6 to 8 percent annually. DFI reported the customers were reimbursed by Kolfs employer. At least eight of his customers liquidated accounts to move the money to Kolfs fake investment. Attempts to contact Kolf for comment were unsuccessful. According to the consent order signed by Kolf in December, he provided his customers with marketing materials for the similarly named FS Investment Co., an approved product offered through New England Securities, which employed Kolf until 2015. He told investigators he used it because the name sounded similar, so was intended to boost the appearance of legitimacy and credibility to the investors. Kolf paid $47,572 in phony interest payments to convince early investors they were making money and mailed false account statements to investors reflecting re-investments of their interest, according to the consent order. But the rest of the money was used to pay the full $280,534 price of his Sauk City home, home improvements of $15,935, credit card payments of $74,298, $4,957 for a car, legal bills of more than $40,000 and a federal tax bill of $152,640. In September he was permanently barred from the broker business by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Wisconsin financial regulators found he had violated three state laws requiring brokers to tell the truth and not misappropriate investments. DFI has not taken any further action against Kolf since the December consent order, spokesman George Althoff said, but we still consider that an open case. It has been referred criminally, but because it is an open case we are choosing not to comment, he said. There was no record of state criminal charges filed as of Friday, and the state Department of Justice said it was not investigating Kolf. Kolfs activities were brought to the agencys attention by his employer, Althoff said. According to FINRA records, in 34 years Kolf has worked for five companies, including New England Securities from 2009 to 2015, MetLife Securities from January 2015 to May 2016 and NYLife Securities from May 2016 to August 2016. Complaints from customers have continued to be filed with FINRA as recently as last month. He also had a license to sell insurance in Wisconsin that lapsed at the end of 2016. I am old enough to remember the 13 days of the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, a very scary time. During those 13 days, the United States had qualified, competent leadership in the White House. That leadership dealt with the crisis in a business-like manner with direct communications. Now, I have witnessed the first 13 days of the current administration in the White House. This is scarier than 1962. The new administration creates a new crisis every day. The Trump Administration is not qualified for the job. Mistakes are routinely explained away using alternative facts or by blaming the media. Being in charge of the government of the United States is not a place for on-the-job training. Nor is it a job to be done by tweets. Quite possibly the scariest thing about the first days of this administration is the willingness of the leaders of the legislative branch of our government, most notably Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, to willingly fall in line with the White House. It seems any Republican now in office is petrified to be singled out by a White House tweet. They need to develop a backbone. My hope is voters can make it to 2018 and vote for a change in leadership in the legislative branch. -- Mike Neary, Edgerton About 400 people, including more than 50 who were not born in New Zealand, gathered before dawn at Mt Drury to celebrate Waitangi Day. The theme of Waitangi this year is whanaungatanga which speaks of the relationship, kinship, and sense of family connection. "We all have our identities as workers, fathers, mothers, and those identities are different but we are all the people of New Zealand," says Ellis Te Arahi Bryers. Whanaungatanga is a relationship through shared experiences and working together which provides people with a sense of belonging. Last year the Waitangi celebration was unable to be held due to weather. This year the Ratana Band opened the dawn celebration, marching on to the grounds under an overcast sky. Guests included Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless, Hon MP Simon Bridges, Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy, Western Bay of Plenty Mayor Gary Webber, city and district councillors and iwi leaders. Pastor Katie Milgate from Mosaic Church spoke of unity. "The lesson of the old is crying out to us today to put our differences aside and choose unity," says Katie. "The responsibility for unity is on all of us who call Aotearoa home. It starts with me in my neighbourhood." Rev Kate Burton of St Peters Presbyterian Church also spoke of unity. "Gods voice calls us to unity," says Kate. "May we as a nation remain bound in love and unity." The Waiata International Group performed He Honore and led the gathering in the National Anthem. The groups members, made up of children and adults, came from the Phillipines, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Samoa and New Zealand. They also performed a selection of songs. The theme of New Zealand being a multicultural, multilinguist, multi-vibrant culture permeated the gathering. Mayor Greg Brownless confessed to being a little nervous, attending his first Waitangi Day event as newly elected Mayor of Tauranga. He expressed his commitment to building stronger relationships. Mayor Garry Webber from Western Bay of Plenty District Council highlighted how Waitangi Day is increasingly becoming a valued national day to New Zealanders since it was first introduced as a public holiday in 1974. "When it became a public holiday it generally meant another day to spend with family and friends and to watch the news to see what had happened at Te Tii marae during the day," says Garry. "However over the last 30 to 40 years, I believe the importance of Waitangi Day has moved up in its level of importance to our nation, much like Anzac Day has. "Our Treaty is one of the longest standing peace treaties that exist in the world," says Garry, "and notwithstanding rough bits along the way, the spirit of goodwill that was evident in its beginning still exists today albeit the context in which we live has changed beyond what our forefathers thought possible in 1840." Bay of Plenty Regional Council chairman Doug Leeder spoke of the spirit of whanaungatanga and the positive relationships regional council has built. "We are all members of a whanau," says Doug, "and our nation is the sum of that diverse whanau. Its important to remember those things that bring us together. Its important to build and maintain relationships." The Honourable Simon Bridges was at Waitangi on Friday. He commented that he found most of his conversations at Waitangi were economic, about enterprise and export. "It gives me a great sense of optimism for New Zealand that Maori are adopting a culture of success," says Simon. "I very much hope as a Maori, as an MP, and as a New Zealander that people will come together." Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy spoke about the importance of knowing our history. "This year, 2017 is not very old," said Dame Susan, "but already we can see overseas what happens when people dont get along with each other." Matt Dawson and Isabella Perkins were the invited rangatahi (youth) speakers. Isabella likened New Zealands treaty to a rock standing in the sea. "Today we are celebrating what I believe is the foundational rock in our beautiful land," says Isabella. "There are stories of betrayal, grief and ignorance. Stories of pain. But I want to unveil a different view of the treaty." "The treaty is more than a physical document, its a spiritual covenant," says Isabella. "That phrase: we are one people still resounds. "The rock stands in the sea. Stands, stands, stands." A woman from Puerto Rico came to the microphone and prayed. "I want to thank you Lord for the welcome of this nation. I thank you for the spirit of this country." Matt Dawson and speakers from other countries spoke eloquently of the human need to belong and to live. "Its loving someone who is unlike me that helps me grow and mature. Love is built on a foundation of love and respect. Ive learned to honour those who work behind the scenes." "Everyone no matter how different or seemingly insignificant deserves to speak, says Matt. "Its real life on planet earth, its messy but its worth it. The treaty was a statement of faith and an extension of trust. Extend grace to each other like never before. Listen to each other like never before." "The treaty calls us to a deeper need to love each other, he says. "We will believe media that tells us it is about what happens on one marae, but it doesnt happen on my marae here in Tauranga. I am at home in New Zealand." A karakia, followed by the hymn Whakaria Mai and a march off by the Ratana Band brought the proceedings to a close. New Zealand Customs officers working in league with Australian Federal Police have pulled off one of the biggest ever cocaine busts. So far six people have been arrested after a trans-Tasman customs and police operation spanning two and a half years. A yacht, which had been under surveillance, was intercepted off the New South Wales coast last week. And AFP say they seized hundreds of kilograms of the illegal class A drug. The Australian media say its one of the biggest ever drug seizures by the AFP, certainly in recent Australian history. The police have described the haul as a significant amount of cocaine. Pictures have been released showing the Australian Federal Police leading handcuffed men away from the yacht and loading large evidence bags from the yacht in a truck. Just before Christmas 186 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $60 million was seized from another vessel off the Australian coast. This afternoon New Zealand Customs are expected to outline its role in the trans-Tasman drug bust. -Additional information from Stuff. The yacht at the centre of the biggest cocaine bust in Australian history is the Elakha from Tauranga. The Elakha departed Tauranga mid-January for an alleged South Pacific rendezvous with a mother-ship from which the claimed A$370 million worth of drugs was loaded on board. Elakha was intercepted just after midnight on Friday, 370km off the New South Wales south coast, with the cocaine on board. On board were owner Hamish Thompson, 63, from New Zealand, and dual Swiss-Fiji national Valentino Fries, 54. Elakha which means Sea Otter first arrived at the Tauranga Bridge Marina in millenium year, says marina manager Tony Arnold today. A Canadian sailed it in, settled here. Its had several owners. It was out on a mooring for a long time. Its famous now though, really famous. Hamish Thompson wasnt from Tauranga and Tony doesnt know where hes from. He was always pleasant enough. Still cant really believe it, that amount. Hes done a few miles in that boat since he bought it. He wont be doing any more though. New Zealand Customs, group manager intelligence, investigations and enforcement, Jamie Bamford, says the seizure is the culmination of a three-year investigation by New Zealand Customs into the activities of the Elakha and its crew. Intelligence obtained by Customs was shared with the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force and this seizure is testament to the strong partnerships and cooperation between New Zealand, Australia and Pacific nations focused on combatting drug smuggling operations in the region. Our partnerships enable us to act as one and our sophisticated intelligence capabilities and commitment prevent drugs reaching our communities, says Jamie. A google search for Hamish Thompson turns an article explaining why NZ Customs have been keeping an eye on him ever since he bought Elakha. A New Zealander, Hamish Edmond Thompson, then aged 49, was appealing a 24 year jail sentence for helping to smuggle a record shipment of cocaine into Australia. Thompson was arrested in NSW in February 2002 when the yacht Ngaire Wha, from New Zealand, was found to have 500kg of cocaine on board, also with an estimated street value of $327 million. A boat had sailed from Colombia and met the Ngaire Wha near the Bay of Islands, where it offloaded the 21 bales of cocaine, says the report. In 2002, Thompson was appealing his 16 year non-parole sentence because the organiser of the deal, a Russell Douglas Bateman, did a plea bargain with police and received a sentence with only an eight-year non-parole period. Thompsons lawyers appealed the conviction on the grounds they couldnt call Bateman as a witness to explain Thompsons claimed minor role. Thompson claimed he was taking the Ngaire Wha for a "trial trip" after buying it for $160,000 on behalf of co-offender Thomas Graham Fry, but for Bateman. It was to be used for charters. Thompson claimed he became aware of the cocaine when the Colombians loaded it on board in the middle of the night. Fry and the other crewmember forced him to sail to Australia. "Hamish was the local patsy being used by the international big boys," says his lawyer at the time, Piet Baird. Thick black smoke filled the air around the CEPSA refinery on the Spanish mainland last weekend, as the result of what was reported to have been an electrical fault. As the wind direction was east/southeast at the time the smoke and fumes were blown away from Gibraltar, but local residents were concerned at the effects of this unprecedented level of flaring on the air quality. Environmental Agency experts immediately began to investigate the impact it may have had on Gibraltar. Meanwhile, the Gibraltar government issued a statement to say that it is taking decisive action to follow the matter up at the highest levels, and would be raising the issue with the EU Commission as a matter of urgency. The Battle of Malaga, which began in Ronda on 3 February 1937, was an offensive carried out by the Nationalist and Italian forces during the Spanish Civil War. The assault was a combined effort to eradicate the Republicans' hold over the province of Malaga. The force of 15,000 Nationalist troops was commanded by the notorious Queipo de Llano. They were backed by nine mechanised Italian battalions of around 10,000 soldiers. On 3 February, the pro-Franco forces were met by heavy Republican resistance in Ronda, but the defensive efforts were quickly squashed. Arms and ammunition were short in Malaga, moral was very low and panic developed because of the fear of being cut off. The Nationalist campaign to conquer Malaga continued at great speed and they soon reached the heights around the city. Nationalist troops infiltrated Malaga with artillery and tanks, while Italian and German aerial and marine forces bombed and devastated the city. Because the Republicans were unprepared for armoured warfare, the battle for Malaga was over in less than a week. The city of Malaga was besieged and burning, forcing a general evacuation of civilians from the city. The Republican high command, which feared the consequences of a nationalist occupation, had already left. The fortunate fled in the few available cars, the rest on foot, and Republican sympathisers who were left behind were shot or imprisoned. The Italian military authorities are said to have been horrified by the number of executions that took place. Witness accounts claim that more than 4,000 Republicans were shot in the first week of the occupation. A march to remember the deaths on the road to Almeria. / Sur Thousands of Republican refugees had attempted to flee Malaga along the coastal road, but Nationalist troops soon caught up with them. The refugees faced a 200km journey along the N340 in search of a safe refuge, while being pursued by Italian tanks, bombed by German aircraft and shelled by rebel Nationalist ships. The civilians were left defenceless and completely unprepared for the attacks. It is believed that between 3,000 and 5,000 citizens, who were mostly mothers carrying children, the old and the sick, were killed. In his book, 'The Spanish Holocaust', Paul Preston claimed that the "scale of the repression inside the fallen city explained why they were ready to run the gauntlet". An eyewitness depiction of the Battle of Malaga is given by Arthur Koestler, the Hungarian-British writer who was in Malaga at the time. Koestler had come to Malaga as a journalist and narrowly avoided being put to death. Koestler recalls the attack in his book, Dialogue with Death, in which he describes the agonies he endured while incarcerated in a Nationalist jail in Malaga. In 2005, a memorial was initiated in Torre del Mar (approximately halfway between Malaga and Almeria) to honor the victims of the massacre. When 19-year-old James Harper told his parents that he had decided to work with a charity in New York, they had certain reservations about his decision. James had volunteered to help dysfunctional families in areas like Brooklyn, Queens, Harlem and Coney Island. These areas are notorious for gangs, drug lords, daily muggings and shootings; a different world to what the teenager was used to growing up on the Costa del Sol. To his parents' relief, James survived all this and returned to Spain after four-month internship with Metro World Child, a ministry that cares for the inner-city children of New York City. "When people think about New York City, they rarely think about the poverty that exists there" On returning to Spain, he realised there was not much opportunity for this type of work in Andalucia, and so it wasn't long before he was making plans to return to New York . His parents, originally from Walthamstow in East London, have lived on the Costa del Sol for almost 30 years. Although they at first had concerns, they now wholeheartedly support the work their son is doing. James, now 27, was born on the Costa del Sol and lived the best part of his life in Fuengirola. When he first considered his internship he was relatively new to the Christian faith, but he was fascinated by the work of Metro World Child. He had witnessed the poverty first hand and so he thought it would be rewarding job to do. "When people think about New York, they rarely think about the poverty that exists there; they think about the famous parts like Time Square. If you actually venture into the poor areas of Brooklyn, you will find a great deal of necessity," James told SUR in English. The Metro World Child mission was started by an American called Bill Wilson nearly 40 years ago, and it has since expanded throughout the city and is now an international concern. Wilson began ferrying the children to church by bus, but the organisation began to grow significantly and it became impossible, and impractical, to continue to provide transport for the children. Nevertheless, Bill overcame the problem by converting his bus so he could take the church to the children. The organisation now has 14 mobile churches that visit 200 sites in New York every week. James began as an intern and he worked his way up and became a team leader. He now works in the administration department, while helping the 14 teams that operate in different neighbourhoods of the city. He also goes out into the streets to visit the children on a one-to-one basis. James admits that it was a bit of a culture shock at first, because he missed the laid-back ambiance of sunny Spain. "It was a bit scary in the beginning, because I live in a dangerous area and the people are very rough. It was a far cry from the tranquility of Andalucia," James says. He currently cares for around 250 children every week and he has built up a good relationship with them. The children call him Yogi Bear because of the uniform he wears. His team occasionally takes the children out for a burger or a trip to the park, but their main aim is to provide the gospel to children in the poor areas of New York City. "Something unique about our ministry is that we actually visit the kids that we work with, and they trust us because we have become part of their family," James explains. The Metro sponsorship scheme helps provide the children's with necessities such as clothing and education. Supporters can sponsor a child and get a monthly update on his or her progress. The organisation now looks after more than 20,000 children in New York; across the world in places like the Philippines, Romania, India and Kenya, Metro reaches over 200,000 children every week. Aside from the work James does in New York, he has also been active in India, where he helped to set up a missionary. He has also visited Indonesia to help with training projects. James returned to Spain last week in order to visit his parents, and while here, he has been busy promoting the missionary. He aims to raise awareness and help to fulfil the works of the ministry, while developing other funding platforms to ensure that the work continues and grows. "The work we are doing is unique, because we are helping people that need help," James says with a hint of satisfaction. The Malaga provincial court has sentenced Jesus Ruiz Casado, owner of real estate promotor Aifos, to two years in prison, according to documents made accessible to SUR. He has been convicted of misappropriation after making off with the 56,000 euros paid by a couple for an apartment which was never built. The lawyer representing the couple, Antonio Castillo Adam, explained that they had emigrated to Canada, but on retiring and the wife developing lung problems, the couple decided to spend their life's savings on a move to the Costa del Sol. Attracted by an advertisement, the couple signed a contract for a 84-square-metre home on the Las Caballerizas estate in Mijas in November 2004. They paid 13,500 euros up front, then took the total up to 56,221 over the course of 20 monthly payments. On seeing that construction had not started, the couple asked for the money to be returned - a request that was denied despite no works licence having been granted or even submitted. The money, which had been used to finance other business endeavours, must now be returned to the couple, plus legal interest charges. Ruiz Casado must also pay a fine of 2,400 euros as well as serving time in jail. His wife, Teresa Maldonado, who acted as administrator, was also on the bench and was acquitted on the basis of not being part of any contractual processes. A team of scientists investigating the age of the drawings in the Nerja caves has dated them back 20,000 years, instead of the previously believed 43,500 to 40,000 years. The team, which has been led by professor Jose Luis Sanchidran, from the University of Cordoba, has been working at the site for five years using a new technique to analyse paintings such as the famous 'goat,' which is used by the Nerja Caves Foundation as their logo, as well as the Camarin de los Pisciformes. In 2010 an analysis of the materials used to create the latter drawing dated it back to Neanderthal times. However, the latest findings suggest that the paintings could have been done by Homo-Sapiens. The results of Sanchidran's team's work were published on Monday in an article in the Journal of Archaeological Science, which is already available online with the title, 'New perspectives for 14C dating of parietal markings using CaCO3 thin layers: An example in Nerja cave (Spain). The journal itself will come out in April. This new method can only analyse drawings which mix organic elements such as charcoal, with inorganic materials like calcite. "We want to continue to deepen our knowledge of the age of these drawings, without harming their conservation," said Professor Sanchidran, who highlighted that the method used is "not destructive." The team will now ask the Junta de Andalucia's permission to take samples from other cave drawings. The Fiesta de Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria also called Fiesta de las Candelas or Fiesta de la luz, is a popular Catholic festival in honour of the Virgen de la Candelaria that has been celebrated in Spain since the tenth century. The date of the festival traditionally coincides with the lengthening of daylight hours or the Winter solstice The festival originated from the Orient and was called the 'Encuentro'. The tradition extended to the West in the VI century and was celebrated in Rome although with a more penitent theme. The origin is also sometimes attributed to the Roman festival 'Lupercales'. The festival in Spain usually starts on 2 February which according to the Bible is the day in which the Virgin Mary was purified following the birth of Jesus. In Andalucia, events vary from town to town but a huge bonfire is always at the centre of the celebrations with processions, dancing, eating and drinking. INFORMATION uWhen: Until 17 Februaray, Tuesday to Saturday11am - 1.30pm, Sunday 11am - 10pm uWhere: Casa Fuerte Bezmiliana, Avda. Mediterraneo, 194 Rincon de la Victoria Local British artist Derek Worthington has returned after a long break with his new exhibition, 'Reality - Fantasy - Abstraction', which will be open until 17 February at the Casa Fuerte Bezmiliana in Rincon de la Victoria. This is Derek's second exhibition in conjunction with Rincon de la Victoria Town Hall and comprises around 40 works of paintings and collage. Derek says; "The exhibition reflects my love of Malaga and it's surroundings," and has taken the artist in a; "new direction in abstract constructions," partly inspired by the work of British artist Ben Nicholson. Derek Worthington was born and educated in Manchester and attended Manchester College of art. He went on to enjoy a long and successful career in advertising, working in major London advertising agencies on a number of famous brands. His work took him to Madrid as Creative Director of a multinational group and as a result fell in love with Spain. He and his wife moved to La Herradura which is where Derek started painting and holding exhibitions. In 2007 the couple moved to Cerrado Calderon in Malaga. Sadly Derek's wife died in 2014 and this is the first time that he has exhibited since then. Visitors to the exhibition will easily recognise a number of well-known sights, including Malaga's lighthouse, docks and the long, tree lined Paseo del Parque. The United States Department of Defense on Monday announced a successful demonstration of one of the worlds largest micro drone swarms at China Lake in California. Three F/a-18 Super Hornet combat jets launched 103 Perdix drones in the exercise, which took place last fall. The micro drones demonstrated advanced swarm behaviors such as collective decision making, adaptive formation flying and self-healing. The Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Lincoln Laboratory debuted Perdix in 2013. Since then, the DoDs Strategic Capabiities Office has upgraded the technology using commercial components, 3D printing and agile manufacturing. The DoD demo, which employed sixth-generation Perdix micro drones, confirmed that the their commercial components were reliable under a variety of potential deployment conditions that is, speeds of Mach 0.6, temperatures of -10 degrees Celsius and large shocks. Perdix is one of the first examples of the DoD using teams of small, inexpensive autonomous systems to perform missions previously conducted with large expensive systems. Perdix fits into the DoDs concept of future battle network scenarios in which autonomous systems allow humans to make better decisions more rapidly. Sting Like a Bee Perdix autonomous micro drones can be launched in the air, at sea, or on the ground. They can operate in small or large numbers. Once launched, the micro drones gain situational awareness and locate other micro drones to create a swarm. The drones run on AA batteries. They are 6.5 inches long and have a wingspan of 11.8 inches. They have propellers 2.6-inch propellers. They weigh 290 gm, fly at 40 to 60 knots, and can stay airborne for 20 minutes. More than 670 Perdix micro drones have flown since the systems first test two years ago. Perdixs Brain Perdix micro drones share one distributed brain for decision-making and adapting to each other. They collaborate through communications. This is called swarm robotics, noted Philip Solis, a research director at ABI Research. Perdix operators set a mission, and Perdix decides how best to carry it out. Because the system cannot change its mission, operators can predict the swarms behavior without micromanaging. Swarms have communication, cooperation and coordination capabilities, noted Mike Blades, a senior industry analyst at Frost & Sullivan. Communication is the foundation that allows the passing of information. Cooperation is the next step information sharing throughout a swarm. Coordination involves using that shared information to make autonomous or semi-autonomous decisions for all or part of the swarm. For example, the swarm must decide whether a drone thats been destroyed is expendable or needs to be replaced, and this is where much of the testing of algorithms, communication and processing is going on now, Blades told TechNewsWorld. Gradual increases in swarm sizes also are being tested. Potential Uses Perdix can be deployed for low-altitude missions such as surveillance and reconnaissance. The system is now best for intelligence gathering, suggested Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. Each drone could be specialized and redundant, and the systems collective mind spread over an area could provide an unprecedented level of information and be very hard to block, he told TechNewsWorld. Eventually, you can attack multiple targets while gathering intelligence, said Frosts Blades, and do so while overwhelming the enemys defense capabilities. The drones also could use artifical intelligence to alter attack routes or surveillance operations based on changing conditions communicated by other drones in the swarm, he speculated. Still, drones can be jammed or taken over under the right circustances, Blades noted, which could lead to a mini arms race. There are commercial uses for mini-drone swarms, Enderle said, noting that Disney is using them in some of its parks. This may be an option for unique Christmas lights in a few years, he remarked, a thought that likely keeps the FAA up at night. We're used to hearing about patent infringement cases in the tech world, but recent years have seen most of these high-profile lawsuits involve Apple and Samsung. Now, semiconductor manufacturer AMD has filed a patent complaint. The firm has requested the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) investigate claims that several companies infringed its graphics processing patents. The complaint, which was filed last month, accuses MediaTek, LG, Vizio, and Sigma Designs of manufacturing products that infringe on two patents filed by ATI (acquired by AMD in 2006) and one from AMD itself. The infringements relate to technologies such as unified shaders, graphics processing architecture, and parallel pipeline graphics systems. As reported by Anandtech, the unusual part of this complaint is that these companies license their GPU tech from third party developers like Imagination and ARM. But, given that it's easier to sue over physical products than ideas, AMD is suing the manufacturers instead. Some of the alleged infringing products include MediaTek's Helio P10 SoC that's used in certain LG smartphones, such as the LG X Power, as well as Sigma's SX7 (STV7701) SoC for UHD TVs with HDR support, which is used by Vizio in its high-end televisions. AMD points out that both Samsung and GlobalFoundries have licensed its IPs covered by the patents in question. The company states that anyone infringing on its patents damages legitimate licensees of AMD intellectual property. AMD wants the infringing devices banned from import and sale in the US, which would affect multiple products from LG and Vizio. Expect this case to spend quite a few years in the courts. Ever since Donald Trump announced his immigration ban two weeks ago, tech industry rivals have been unified in their opposition against the order. But now the firms are making their resistance official: 97 different companies, including Apple, Google, and Facebook, have filed an amicus brief condemning the President's policy. The brief was filed late Sunday evening with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. It argues that the ban is illegal, discriminatory, and hinders US companies by making the hiring of new employees from around the world more expensive and difficult. The firms say it will also have a negative effect on how they do business because of travel restrictions on their employees. The Order effects a sudden shift in the rules governing entry into the United States, and is inflicting substantial harm on U.S. companies. It hinders the ability of American companies to attract great talent; increases costs imposed on business; makes it more difficult for American firms to compete in the international market-place; and gives global enterprises a new, significant incentive to build operations --- and hire new employees --- outside the United States. The brief notes other immigration laws that were eventually overturned, including the Literacy Act and the Johnson-Reed Act. The filing follows the temporary lifting of the ban by Seattle Federal Judge James Robart on Friday after hearing arguments from Washington state and Minnesota. An appeal by the government to have it immediately restored was rejected early on Sunday. "Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril," Trump wrote on Twitter. "If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!" 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 As noted by TechCrunch, a few notable absences from the list are Amazon, Oracle, IBM, Space X, and Tesla. While Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has been critical of Trump in the past, he has yet to speak out against the order. And both Oracle and IBM have been conspicuously quiet since Trump unveiled the ban. As for Elon Musk, the Tesla/Space X boss recently announced that he would be staying on Trump's advisory board, unlike Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, as he believes the best way to bring about change is to remain on the forum. Virtually every large US tech firm has opposed the ban, be it with actions, words, or both. Several companies have started funds that will be donated to immigration charities, or to help employees affected by the order. The brief follows last week's news that several tech giants are in the process of writing a formal letter of protest to the President. Here's the full list of companies participating in the brief: Google is rolling out a new update to its Maps app for Android that will make it easier to access commute information as well as information on nearby places. The redesigned user interface nos includes a new information panel at the bottom of the home screen, which users can swipe up to reveal three tabs: one for nearby places, one for real-time commute information and one for public transportation. Google Maps Product Manager Marcus Lowe explained the new additions in a blog post. The places tab offers curated lists of places to eat and drink, with options like the "best diners," "cheap eats," or "business dining." From this tab, you can also search for ATMs, pharmacies, gas stations, and grocery stores. The second tab shows your estimated arrival time for a drive to your house or to work --- assuming you have these addresses saved to your Google Maps account. You can then tap on your desired route for turn by turn navigation or just choose to receive real-time traffic information as you drive. Finally, the third and last tab is designed to provide you with public transit options and make suggestions based on where you are and what time it is. You'll see when the next bus or train is arriving along with ETAs for each individual ride that you can share with friends and family. These are not new entirely new features to Google Maps but rather a redesign meant to bring the most commonly used features to the forefront of the experience. The update comes about a week after the company introduced another feature aimed at helping you get around more easily a new feature called Parking Difficulty, which calculates the anticipated parking situation at your destination. Netflix has seen the demand for Japanese animation and has been trying to please anime fans by expanding its library of series and movies for the past year. The streaming service's library is still currently limited and may not satisfy the voracious appetites of true anime fans, but there are some notable selections worth watching, regardless. The service offers a meager collection of anime titles across genres, but at least there are some great series to watch, if that is any consolation. Netflix does not seem to have long-term rights to the anime in its library, but it does offer some titles that exclusively stream. Take a look at the best titles we've seen in Netflix's library. Puella Magi Madoka Magica (Dubbed) Puella Magi Madoka Magica is an excellent series that pulls the rug from under the magical girl trope we all know. Unlike the more classic titles from the magical girl genre, Madoka, her fellow magical girls, and the cat-like alien, Kyubey, are not simply fighting bad elements to keep the world safe. The series also delves deeper and questions the very core of what it means to be a magical girl. It is all a series of fantastically woven cycles of cause and effect involving teenage girls who agree to fight witches in exchange for a wish they want granted whether for themselves or for others and its varying consequences. A magical girl hell-bent on stopping Madoka from becoming one of them. An extremely logical cat-like race of aliens that can grant any wish. And the grim truth about what magical girls and witches are. The 12-episode series streaming on Netflix has a two-part movie summary version called Beginnings and Eternal and, while those two are excellent, trust us when we say that you would probably understand it better if you watch the 12-episode series instead. What is sad, however, is that Netflix does not have the third movie, Rebellion, which is also excellent in its own right. Mushishi (Subbed) Mushishi is a supernatural anime that has quite a relaxed pace because it focuses on the "mushi" or what the mushishi consider to be the very essence of life that, obviously, not everyone can see. Follow the strange but talented mushishi, Ginko, in his travels all over the land as he treats people with strange illnesses caused by the mushi. Just so you have an idea, the first episode deals with a boy living in the mountains who can create and bring anything to life simply by drawing them. Too bad Netflix only has the first season available in its library, so we can only hope that its second and final season, Mushishi Zoku Shou, would be made available in 2017. Rurouni Kenshin (Dubbed) Does Rurouni Kenshin being on our list really need to be justified, considering how popular and well-loved the reverse-edged sword wielding former Samurai, Kenshin, is? No, not really, because this is hands-down one of the best classic anime in Netflix's library. Durarara!! and Durarara!! X2 (Dubbed) If you're looking for some excitement to break the monotony in your life, so is Mikado Ryuugamine, the main protagonist in Durarara!! So what Mikado does is to move to Ikebukuro to have a more exciting life, and his wish is granted when he and his fellow residents get mixed up in all the supernatural commotion happening in the area. The events in the series are seen from the perspective of different characters so viewers would definitely enjoy the narratives. Deathnote (Dubbed) Deathnote is one of the more popular anime titles, and it focuses on the themes of good, evil, justice, and the fine line separating those three, which the characters are treading on. The story is about a high school genius, Light Yagami, who stumbles upon the Deathnote, a notebook of the shinigami (death deities), which has the power to "kill" anyone simply by writing their name on it. Light decides to use the notebook to enforce justice on evildoers. But the mysterious genius "L" does not believe that justice is being served and works to bring the person responsible for the mysterious deaths to justice. Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Dubbed) Another classic anime in the Netflix library, Brotherhood is a reboot of the original Full Metal Alchemist series, though its story is closer to the original manga. This time, the focus is on the Elric brothers who seek the Philosopher's Stone to restore their original bodies. The reason why it's on the bottom of the list is because Full Metal Alchemist titles, whether series or movies, seem to come and go from the Netflix library; it can be quite a guessing game trying to determine how long you have to watch all 52 episodes. Netflix Exclusives As mentioned earlier, Netflix nabbed some anime series for excusive streaming in its service. Here are two titles exclusive to Netflix that may pique your interest: Ajin: Demi Human (Subbed) The story follows Kei Nagai, a medical student, who discovers he is part of an immortal race when an accident that was supposed to claim his life did not actually kill him. The bad news is that, since the discovery of the Ajin, humanity has considered the race to be a threat, so they are scorned and taken into custody immediately when discovered. The series has an R 17+ rating due to violence, so you may want to watch it away from kids. Knights of Sidonia (Dubbed) Knights of Sidonia is an exciting sci-fi, mecha anime that takes place thousands of years after the alien race, Gauna, destroyed the Earth. The survivors living aboard the spaceships have developed giant robot suits to protect them as they are actively pursued by the Gauna, who aim to completely wipe out humanity. It is worth noting that the Netflix anime library could change anytime and not always for the better. For instance, back in September 2016, the streaming service removed more than 10 series from its library and has added none so, if you want to watch a certain title, try to watch it before the month ends. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The solution to nagging global drinking water shortages need not be expensive as university researchers show the world how: through a solar-powered water purifier. In the journal Global Challenge published Jan. 30, a group of academics outlined the concept that may solve the problem of access to safe drinking water worldwide particularly in depressed communities and regions hit by natural calamities. The team utilized cheap materials "to create a system that makes near maximum use of the solar energy during evaporation," says lead researcher Qiaoqiang Gan, an associate professor at the University at Buffalo. He is joined by other academics from UB's Department of Chemistry, Fudan University in China, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Generating Drinking Water To Every Home Better, Cheaper Water is everywhere but, as former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said, is "increasingly vulnerable and threatened" where some 663 million people do not have access to safe drinking water. Taking cue from solar panels that energize homes, Gan said the new model will make access to safe drinking water affordable especially in poor communities. The team developed a prototype solar still the size of a small refrigerator to purify salt water using the heat from sunlight. The process is almost straightforward: The water is evaporated using sunlight and moves into gaseous state leaving behind the salt and other impurities as residues. Once the water vapor returns to liquid state, it is stored in a container sans salt and other unwanted elements. The device, called as "water vapor generator", is both efficient and affordable. Research leading co-author Haomin Song observed that most devices are inefficient in a sense that it loses so much heat energy during the evaporation process. Some systems are also costly because they "require optical concentrators ... to concentrate the sunlight." To address the issues of cost and efficiency, the researchers developed a device almost the size of a mini-refrigerator made of a common plastic to serve as thermal insulator and a rough paper coated in carbon black. The paper absorbs water while the carbon black absorbs the needed sunlight for water evaporation where, the UB-led team noted, only 12 percent of the available solar energy lost in the process. The study showed that the new still can produce as much as double compared to commercial ones which can produce only 1 to 5 liters in a day. As to the cost, the new device costs less than $2 in every square meter a huge difference from $200 for every square meter of the black-bottomed commercial devices. With the cheap cost the new device entails, it will be good news not only to impoverished regions but also to aid workers in calamity-stricken communities. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. It was not too long ago when Faraday Future wowed us with its flashy presentation of the FF 91 at CES 2017 in January. Back then, the future looked promising for the company touting itself with "the next generation of sustainable luxury mobility." Things are looking bleak for the company now. First, the company is scaling back its EV production lineup. The original plan was to come up with a portfolio composed of seven electric vehicles, but now the company has decided to stick with just two: the FF 91 flagship and a less expensive, mass-market model called the FF 81, which will be in direct competition with the Tesla Model X. Faraday Future's $1 Billion Factory Will Be Downsized Aside from the production downgrade, plans of building an auto assembly factory have shrunk in size. The company was planning to build a 3-million-square-foot plant on 703 acres of land in Nevada. But construction has been stalled due to lack of funding and cash flow issues. The company was also widely criticized for receiving tax subsidies for its planned Nevada plant. According to North Las Vegas City Manager Qiong Liu, the plant's construction will begin later this year, but will only be 650,000 square feet, a quarter of its original planned size. Suppliers Suing FF For Unpaid Bills The Mill Group, a visual effects studio, is suing the company for $1.8 million due to unpaid bills for a presentation it created that was used by the company during its CES 2017 launch. Seat supplier Futuris has also sued the company for non-payment. Top Talent Leaving The Company Former chief executives Marco Mattiacci and Joerg Sommer left the company late last year, and now it appears that Umran Ashraf, an engineering director, is throwing in the towel as well. Ashraf left the company to join another car startup (founded by former FF employees) called Romeo Power. Several engineers from FF have also reportedly followed Ashraf's departure. Top Investor Putting 'Over-extended' Efforts Jia Yueting, a Chinese tech billionaire, is Faraday Future's top investor. But he also happens to be the CEO of LeEco and oversees the operations of LeSee, which is the company's electric car division in China. Back in November, Yueting admitted to employees that LeEco is running out of cash because he "over-extended" his plans for expansion in the U.S. market. Some of the talent from Faraday Future is behind the technology used to develop LeSee's sedan. The spread of talent not to mention funds have made a negative impact on Faraday Future. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The next version of Android Nougat is now available for beta testing. Google has released a public beta of Android 7.1.2 Nougat, which means that early adopters who enrolled in the Android Beta Program can access the recent build. A public beta is a work-in-progress build of Android 7.1.2 Nougat that is released before consumer rollout of the full version. The beta helps collect and incorporate feedback from users. The final Android 7.1.2 Nougat software is expected to be available in the next few months. Those who have not yet enrolled in the Beta Program can still join. Once you do, you will receive over-the-air updates from Google. Android 7.1.2 Nougat Device Compatibility Only a select few devices are eligible for beta testing: Nexus Player, Nexus 5X, Pixel, Pixel C, and Pixel XL. To check whether your device is eligible, go to https://www.google.com/android/beta. The device you have signed into with your Google account will appear. Google has confirmed that Nexus 6P will be included in the beta test, while Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 will not be included in the cut. How to Install Android 7.1.2 Nougat on Your Phone The same beta program for Android 7.1.2 Nougat was used for Android 7.0 and 7.1, so installing the recent build is quite simple. Android Beta Program 1. If you have not yet enrolled in the Android Beta Program, visit https://android.com/beta to sign-up. 2. Log into your Google account when prompted. 3. Scroll down the page and you will see a list of your eligible devices. Click the 'Enroll Device' button to sign-up in the Beta Program. 4. Tick the box to agree to terms and conditions and tap 'Join beta.' 5. A message will pop up confirming that your device has been enrolled. You will receive an OTA update to the beta version. Click OK. Updates will arrive over the air. If you have not received your update notification after 24 hours, check if you're connected to the internet, head to Settings, About, System updates and check for updates. If you manually flashed Android on to your device, you will not receive OTA updates. You will need to manually install Android N on your device. This is a traditional way of getting the build. System Image/Manual Flashing Route Download the system images from Google. Visit https://developers.google.com/android/images to get the binary image files. It will be a fresh install and all the previous files on your device will be erased. Opt-Out of a Beta Test and Return to Public Release You may opt-out of the beta program anytime to return to the public version of Android. Before you do so, however, you must backup all your Android data. Any data not backed up will be wiped. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Tech Times has reported an overview of U.S. President Donald Trump's actions in his first week as chief executive and how his E.O., with extreme vetting measures against Muslim immigrants, has been contested by lawmakers, politicians, the media, and civilians for its unconstitutional nature. President Trump has already left a negative impression on many people both in the U.S. and around the world but, after the extreme Executive Orders he signed during his first week in the White House, more publications are criticizing his actions. Some publications directly responded to Trump's immigration ban through their respective magazine covers. Take a look at some of them below. Der Spiegel The German news magazine Der Spiegel tapped Edel Rodriguez for its February cover. Rodriguez created a very compelling piece that is actually reminiscent of a New York Daily News 2015 cover when Trump first called for a Muslim ban. Der Spiegel and Rodriguez portray Trump as an eyeless, open-mouthed, knife-wielding man in a suit holding up the beheaded Statue of Liberty. Only two words are written beside him: "America First." Der neue SPIEGEL. Ab jetzt zum Download und ab morgen im Laden erhaltlich: https://t.co/qv6ihBqCQm pic.twitter.com/xtfI9YL2yW DER SPIEGEL (@DerSPIEGEL) February 3, 2017 The Der Spiegel cover is powerful in many ways. First is that the artist Rodriguez is actually a Cuban political refugee in the U.S. back in the 1980s; he knows first-hand how a child feels unsafe when uprooted from their own countries but have nowhere to go to. "I was 9 years old when I came here, so I remember it well, and I remember the feelings and how little kids feel when they are leaving their country [...] so it bothers me a lot that little children are being kept from coming to this country," Rodriguez says. He notes that the Statue of Liberty is a sacred symbol of America's history of welcoming immigrants. Add to that the fact that the Statue of Liberty was actually a gift from France, so Lady Liberty is technically an "immigrant," much like all of modern Americans' ancestors. Bloomberg Businessweek The Feb. 6 cover of Bloomberg Businessweek is less violent and more of a direct criticism with regard to the content of Trump's Executive Orders. The cover shows President Trump holding up a signed E.O. but, instead of the usual lengthy text, it reads "(Insert hastily drafted, legally dubious, economically destabilizing executive order here)." Village Magazine Ireland's political and cultural magazine received criticism from both Trump supporters and those who did not actually read the publication's piece regarding the cover. This is because Village Magazine shows a full closeup image of President Trump's head with crosshairs on his temple. Below it, the words "WHY NOT" are written. Village February out today, Friday. Cover and editorial: why taking #Trump out would be unethical pic.twitter.com/Wr2lmgTtvx Village Magazine (@VillageMagIRE) February 3, 2017 People immediately responded to the publication on Twitter and called it out for wishing death upon Trump, but the magazine is actually strongly against anyone wishing death on him because it believes that democracy must be what will take Trump out of the presidency and not unjust death. Take note of the lack of a question mark on the "Why not" on the cover, which automatically discounts the phrase from becoming a challenge. The reader becomes the person holding the rifle and the magazine is telling you not to pull the trigger. "Trump is a fool [...] He will fall on a metaphorical sword, he does not need one wielded by a third party. Shooting Trump is unnecessary and disproportionate. Furthermore in the process of self-destruction he will generate an awareness of the dangers of allowing power to an intolerant narcissist so that institutions will be reformed, progressive policies enshrined and popular opinion inured against ever repeating the Trump mistake. [...] the Natural Law would wait to see democracy play its proper role [...] Rights-based theories would perhaps come closest to condoning violence against Trump but the right to life of Trump himself would weigh heavily," Village Magazine concludes. The New Yorker The New Yorker released one of the simpler but equally powerful covers for February. There are no images of President Trump doing anything questionable or even any images of him at all. The cover is simply the torch of Lady Liberty no longer lit a symbol of the light in America being put out and democracy no longer leading the way to safety. Beautiful New Yorker cover for next week. https://t.co/oI5AaQ1BXz pic.twitter.com/0Dihek47Mf Nicholas Thompson (@nxthompson) February 3, 2017 The world can probably expect to see more President Trump-themed covers as publications roll out so we will just have to wait and see how other magazines see the current administration. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Yalu102 jailbreak provides support for the iOS 10.2 firmware update and is being used in a variety of Apple's 64-bit devices such as the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and iPhone SE, among others. For the owners of Apple's current flagship phones, there is great news, though. Luca Todesco, the man behind the Yalu jailbreak, announced over Twitter that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will soon be supported. Unfortunately, there was no specific release date mentioned on when the update would become available, so the tweet should be taken cautiously, as Tudesco says that this is not a priority for him right now. This is certainly welcome news for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus owners who want to jailbreak their phones. Apple Stops Signing To iOS 10.2 The jailbreak from Todesco is semi-untethered, which means you will have to repeat the jailbreak whenever you reboot or restart your device. Another bad news is that Apple has closed the signing window for iOS 10.2, so if you have upgraded to 10.2.1 and were hoping to downgrade to the iOS 10.2 firmware in order to jailbreak your device, you will no longer be able to do so. If you currently own an iPhone 7 or an iPhone 7 Plus that is on iOS 10.2, make sure to remain on that version and avoid updating. Don't attempt to jailbreak your device just yet; wait for the update from Yalu first. For Those On iOS 10.2, Save Your SHSH2 Blobs If your phone is already on iOS 10.2, it is highly advisable that you save the SHSH2 blobs in your device first to ensure it will have unsigned firmware downgrades when you need them. The blobs give you the ability to jump into a firmware that Apple isn't signing. Once you have saved the blobs properly in your device, you can jailbreak it using the latest version of Yalu102. One thing is for sure: the iOS 10 has been a tough nut to crack for jailbreakers. Aside from Tudesco's Yalu102, other users have been looking forward to an update from Pangu, a Chinese group of hackers. The group has also delayed the release of its iOS 10 jailbreak and has been silent for the last couple of months. This could be due to Apple's frequent security patches, so the group is waiting for a more stable iOS before it releases its jailbreak. To clear it up: Yalu1011 for iPhone 7 will be updated at some point. Just not a priority right now. Got stuff to do. qwertyoruiop (@qwertyoruiopz) February 1, 2017 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An anthropologist from Iowa State University described chimps' behavior as "shocking" after one chimpanzee was killed at the research site in Fongoli, Senegal where she carried out her studies. Both the fact that the community of chimpanzees killed one of their members and the abuse that followed the killing were unexpected, according to the specialist. Jill Pruetz is a professor of anthropology at the Iowa State University, who established her research site in Fongoli back in 2001. The woman was the first specialist to witness chimpanzees using tools in their hunting process. Chimps' Deadly Aggression An Unusual Phenomenon In 2013, the anthropologist and her research team discovered the body of a former leader of the chimpanzee community in Fongoli, who had been exiled from the group for years. The dead chimpanzee, named Foudouko, was reportedly killed and cannibalized by members of the community. Following the animal's death, the abuses continued for four hours. "It was very difficult and quite gruesome to watch. I couldn't initially make sense of what was happening, and I didn't expect them to be so aggressive with the body," noted Pruetz. Most of the available information on how chimpanzees go through the grieving process is anecdotal. However, the anthropologist noted that the animals showed no sign of mourning while torturing the body of their former leader. Of the animals, the most signs of aggression were shown by the younger adult male chimpanzees. "We report attacks by multiple chimpanzees on his dead body, most frequently by a young adult male and an older female. The latter also cannibalized the body. Coalitionary killing is rare among West African chimpanzees compared to the East African chimpanzee," noted the research. The report of this occurrence, published in the International Journal of Primatology, documents that the only two animals who showed no aggressiveness were former allies of Foudouko. Although one of them hit the body and yelled at it, the anthropologist noted that the chimp's behavior was an attempt to rouse the dead animal and not to hurt it. Chimps' Aggression Could Be Influenced By Man-Made Changes There are numerous unusual aspects of this occurrence, according to the scientific report, the first of which is that the exiled animal had survived for such a long time in exile. The scientific community hasn't reported this type of isolated longevity in a long time. During the exile, Foudouko had been spotted interacting with former allies, but on very rare occasions and only in private conditions, which was all the more surprising as chimpanzees are very sociable animals, for whom long-term isolation can be very stressful. Another odd occurrence is the deadly aggression. There is no scientific consensus regarding the causes of this behavior among these animals. However, there are very few primates to exhibit this behavior, but researchers are especially interested in finding the causes of these actions, since chimpanzees are an endangered species. Concerning this interest, back in 2014, Pruetz also published a scientific paper on the importance of understanding the causes of aggression among chimps. The paper appeared in the journal Nature. One of the hypotheses of that research was that human changes can have an influence on the aggressiveness of the chimpanzee populations. "You have people coming in disturbing parts of the habitat that are important for chimpanzees. In one village near another research site, the population went from 100 people to around 10,000. When you have a human influx like that the chimps don't have much choice but to move. If they move into another chimp community's home range, something is going to happen and not all the chimps are going to survive," Pruetz noted at the time. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Antarctica's ice sheet is the largest single mass of ice on the planet covering an area of almost 14 million square kilometers. It contains 30 million cubic kilometers of ice. The ice sheet contains about 90 percent of fresh water on Earth's surface. Scientists already know a great deal about Antarctica but much about the oldest, coldest, driest and windiest continent in the world remains unknown particularly how it formed so rapidly about 34 million years ago. Theories Explaining How Antarctica Formed Two competing theories attempt to explain how the continent was formed. The first theory lies on the idea of a global climate change. The level of atmospheric carbon dioxide dropped steadily since the start of the Cenozoic Era 66 million years ago, and once the gas dropped below a critical threshold, the cooler temperatures allowed the formation of Antarctica's ice sheets. The second theory, which is about the dramatic changes in ocean circulation patterns, posits that when the Drake Passage that lies between Antarctica and the southern tip of South America deepened dramatically, the phenomenon set off a complete reorganization of the ocean circulation. The theory suggests that the increased separation of South America and the Antarctic land mass helped create the powerful Antarctic Circumpolar Current that served as a sort of water barrier which prevented the warmer waters from the Central Pacific and North Atlantic from going toward the Antarctic land mass. The isolation of Antarctica and the lowered temperature helped in the formation of ice sheets. Combining The Two Theories Now, a new study links these two theories. In the new paper published in Nature Geoscience, researchers argued that the changes in the Drake Passage led to a sort of domino effect. The warmer waters were initially pushed north which resulted in more rainfall about 35 million years ago since a warmer atmosphere can contain more moisture compared with a cooler one. All the excess rain resulted in lowered carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere which can be attributed to increased plant and tree growth, further made possible by a process known as silicate weathering, where carbon dioxide is trapped inside newly formed limestone. The levels of carbon dioxide eventually dropped low enough to allow the rapid formation of ice sheets in Antarctica. "We suggest that this mechanism illustrates another way in which ocean-atmosphere climate dynamics can introduce nonlinear threshold behaviour through interaction with the geologic carbon cycle," wrote study researcher Galen Halverson, from McGill University's Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences, and colleagues in a study published online on Jan. 30. The researchers think that they are the first to consider combining the two theories since the time scales of the ideas are vastly different. The changes in the ocean circulation occurred over a period of thousand years while global silicate weathering occurred over hundreds of thousands of years. Antarctica And Climate Change Scientists have been monitoring the Antarctic ice sheet as the melting ice can serve as indicator of a warming world. Late last year, scientists reported finding a lake of freshwater underneath the Roi Baudouin ice shelf in East Antarctica, which hints that climate change has impacted the region. The phenomenon raised concern about the broken masses of ice melting more easily in the sea. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A U.S. judge reportedly ruled Friday that Google must comply with an FBI probe seeking access to emails stored on a foreign server. U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Rueter handed down the ruling, ordering Google's surrender of said emails. The move is inverse to that of a previous case that involved Microsoft, which, unlike Google, could not be forced to hand over emails stored on a server in Ireland, which was needed for a case involving narcotics. Google Ordered To Surrender Emails Stored On A Foreign Server In this new case, however, Judge Rueter of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ruled that the transfer of emails culled from a foreign server for FBI agents's review didn't qualify as a seizure, Reuters reports. According to the judge, this was because there was no "meaningful interference" with the account holder's "possessory interest" in the data being probed as part of a domestic fraud case. The judge noted that while Google's retrieval of data from foreign servers might qualify as an act of privacy invasion, the actual infringement "occurs at the time of disclosure in the United States." The ruling, however, is not set in stone, as it has the potential to go against the precedent set last year as part of Microsoft's case. The case and its upshot received significant fanfare by other tech companies, crusaders of privacy, and other institutions. Google Says Ruling Contradicts Precedent Set By Similar Microsoft Case Google already has intentions to appeal the ruling, releasing a statement that noted the magistrate's departure from the aforementioned precedent. "We will continue to push back on overbroad warrants," the Mountain View, California-based company said Saturday. The Microsoft ruling last July was nearly revisited by the same appeals court late January, with the four dissenting judges calling on the U.S. Supreme Court or Congress to reverse it, opining that the decision was detriment to law enforcement, while also inciting national security concerns. Both cases involved warrants issued under the Stored Communications Act, a 1986 federal law many tech companies and advocates of privacy consider archaic and outdated, or at the very least certainly not modern enough for present-day situations. Court papers stated that Google "sometimes" parses emails into disparate pieces as a way to improve its network performance, meaning the company didn't particularly know where specific emails might be stored. Google believes it has complied with the warrants it had received by facilitating the handover of data stored in U.S. servers. According to the judge's ruling, Google receives over 25,000 requests per year for email handovers that aid criminal probes. The Stored Communications Act is now more than 30 years old, and given how recent threats to privacy have shaped the climate of the subject matter, maybe the federal law needs a timely touch-up. Maybe it could use some amendments to reflect concerns today. This past December, Google released eight national security letters sent by the FBI as part of the search company's commitment to transparency. The letters were sent by different FBI offices across the country, spanning 2010 to 2015. The letters, in most cases, were trying to obtain names, addresses, and account usage and behavior on particular platforms. Usually wrung tight so as to veer away from public disclosure, Google relied on the recently passed USA Freedom Act to publish the letters. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Those who are still using Microsoft's Windows Vista or XP on their aging machines will have one more thing to worry about later this year. Google recently announced that Gmail will stop supporting version 53 of Chrome or older by December. Gmail Ending Support For Older Versions Of Chrome The halt specifically affects those still using Vista or XP since Google ended support for both systems since version 49 of Chrome. So what does this mean for users still unfortunately stuck with either operating systems? Will Gmail stop working in Chrome? Not exactly, but it would provide a lesser experience than modern, more updated Chrome versions. What Will Happen To Gmail For Those Still On Chrome 49? Google says the first thing that'll happen is that beginning Feb. 8, a banner will start sitting atop Gmail encouraging users to update to the latest version of Chrome. Of course, doing such won't be possible for Vista and XP users since they're locked down to version 49. Afterward, when December finally dawns, it appears Google will redirect Gmail users to the site's basic HTML version instead of the much snappier web version upgraded Chrome users are privy to at present. For Vista and XP users, if Gmail doesn't shift to its HTML version, then there's nothing to worry about. But if Google does implement the said change, then there's no recourse, at least within Google's ecosystem. Losing the current web app version of Gmail entails a handful of features, such as spell checker, import of contacts, rich text formatting, keyboard shortcuts, and more. Sure, that's a lot of useful extras, but those who only need to write and read emails, or send attachments on Gmail, then the HTML version should fare well enough, that is, unless Google implements further changes down the line that'll ultimately break the service. Here Are Your Alternatives Of course, even with the impending halt of Gmail support, there are always third-party solutions. Vista and XP holdouts may turn to different email software such as Outlook Express or Mozilla's Thunderbird, which at present supports Windows XP SP3. Thunderbird pretty much provides every feature Gmail's HTML version won't, save for customized "from" addresses also known as aliases which are Google-dependent. But those with an alias already in use can use it with Thunderbird. Google stopped releasing Chrome updates for Vista and XP after version 49, since Microsoft itself no longer supports the operating systems. Those who will be affected by the change should have plenty of time to upgrade to a newer OS before Google starts reverting Gmail to its HTML version. Make sure to update to Windows 7, 8, or 10 before December, if you can. Anyway, it's high time users ditch Vista or XP, since a lot of programs are now unsupported on both operating systems. Hopefully Google doesn't bar anything else aside from Gmail, but the opposite sounds entirely plausible. In the rapidly moving tech world, companies just don't have enough compelling reasons to remain in support of older, possibly lagging operating systems. Will this affect you? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below! 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Millions of broadband internet consumers just became the latest casualty of Donald Trump's blitzkrieg campaign. This came after the newly installed leadership at the Federal Communications Commission has moved to overturn a federal program that seeks to provide more affordable broadband internet to low-income families. 'Midnight Regulation' It was announced by Ajit Pai, FCC's new chairman, last Feb. 3. He explained that the decision mainly stems from the fact that the broadband subsidy inclusion to the program, which is called Lifeline, has been a midnight regulation, passed without support from the majority of FCC commissioners. It should be noted that when the program's expansion was put to vote in March 2016, two commissioners voted against it. You may be assured that Pai constituted one of the pair while the other was commissioner Michael O'Reilly. FCC has five commissioners. Pai has already directed nine companies to stop selling low-cost internet plans that draw subsidy from the federal assistance program. What Is Lifeline? Essentially, Lifeline provides qualified low-income households with $9.25 monthly credit, which could initially be used to help pay for landline and mobile phone services. Recently, the credit has been allowed to be used to pay for home broadband internet service. "We can recite statistics all we want, but we must never lose sight of the fact that what we're really talking about is people - unemployed workers who miss out on jobs that are only listed online, students who go to fast-food restaurants to use the Wi-Fi hotspots to do homework, veterans who are unable to apply for their hard-earned benefits, seniors who can't look up health information when they get sick," previous FCC chairman Tom Wheeler said. The program would have provided as much as 13 million Americans access to broadband internet. Reports reveal that there is a huge gap in broadband penetration especially among senior citizens, minorities, and low-income families. As Lifeline got reversed, many consumers will now see an uptick of as much as $9.25 to their monthly internet bill. Ironically, Pai has declared upon his appointment as chairman that closing the digital divide will be one of the signature policies of his tenure. Affected ISPs "I'm most concerned about the children we serve," Daniel Neal, founder of one of the identified nine ISPs, said in a Washington Post report. "We partner with school districts 41 states and the District of Columbia to provide educational broadband so that poor kids can do their homework." Officials also cited that FCC is now investigating Lifeline for fraud, particularly about users purportedly taking advantage of the program to prevent waste and abuse. It is worth noting, however, that the nine ISPs blocked from offering the subsidized broadband internet have not been involved in or investigated for any fraudulent practices. Blitzkrieg The Lifeline reversal is just one of several FCC policies dumped at the same time. It followed Donald Trump's preferred strategy, which effectively disorients the opposition. Alongside Lifeline, the net neutrality rule also took a hit after the FCC invalidated its previous decision holding AT&T and Verizon guilty of violating net neutrality through the practice of zero rating. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A new brain scan study attempts to explain why some people hate the sound of someone chewing food so loudly or breathing heavily and sort of fly into a rage when they hear those sounds. A team from Newcastle University reported on why some individuals suffer misophonia, a disorder marked by a hatred of sounds including eating, chewing, or repeated pen clicking. These so-called trigger sounds can prompt a fight-or-flight response. Brain Activity In Misophonia Sufferers In the research, the team played a range of sounds from neutral to undesirable, and the neurological reactions of misophonia patients differed from others. The study covered 20 misophonic individuals and 22 without the condition in multiple UK centers. Magnetic resonance imaging scans showed that the patients had changes in their brain activity once they heard trigger sounds. The MRI scans also demonstrated that these patients have abnormal connections between the frontal lobe and anterior insular cortex, or AIC, the brain area that is and known to be involved in emotion processing and integrating human senses with emotions. When given trigger sounds, activity in normal subjects goes up in the AIC but down in the front lobe, while it rises in both areas in misophonic individuals reflecting an abnormality of a control mechanism governing the front lobe and AIC. Going Into Overdrive Lead author and neuroscience professor Dr. Sukhbinder Kumar said this is the first time the brain structure and function of misophonia sufferers were seen different from the rest. This study demonstrates the critical brain changes as further evidence to convince a skeptical medical community that this is a genuine disorder, he said in a statement. Patients go into overdrive when they hear trigger sounds, Kumar told BBC News, with anger as a response for the most part. [T]he dominating emotion is the anger it looks like a normal response, but then it is going into overdrive. Olana Tansley-Hancock, a 29-year-old from the UK, has been suffering the condition for over two decades. She feels hers is a relatively mild case unlike other people she knows, and she has learned to cope through using earplugs. Anyone eating crisps is always going to set me off, the rustle of the packet is enough to start a reaction, she recounted. The team hopes to next identify the brain markers for the trigger sounds to potentially help treat related neurological conditions as well as allow people to self-regulate how they react to such sounds once the exact brain activity is identified. The findings were discussed in the journal Current Biology. A separate study last month conducted by researchers from the University of Manchester and U.S. National Institutes of Health revealed that chewing food well can protect from illness. Chewing was seen helpful in stimulating the T helper 17 cells, an immune cell that is very important in protecting the mouth from bacterial and fungal infections. Damage resulting from the act can pave the way for good bacteria to respond to the Th17 cells, although it remains unclear how mastication actually releases these cells inside the mouth. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. It was a long time coming but a rare frog in Zimbabwe was spotted again since it was discovered in 1962. Called the Arthroleptis troglodytes, the frog was prioritized in 2015 as one of the top 10 southern African species in need of conservation research, with its rediscovery tagged as high priority. It is also known as the "cave squeaker" because it prefers living in caves. There are only 16 specimens of the frog in collections today, all of which were likely acquired at the top of Zimbabwe's Mount Chimanimani near or in the Bundi River. Likely to live in micro habitats located at altitudes 5,000 feet or more, the cave squeaker was considered extinct or near extinct and was listed as critically endangered in 2004. The Rediscovery Headed by Robert Hopkins, a team of researchers traveled to Chimanimani Mountain, the cave squeaker's known habitat, on Dec. 1, 2016. The researchers left for the summit on Dec. 2 and Hopkins received a call later in the day from Francois Becker telling him that a cave squeaker has been located. The researchers continued with their examination of the area and were able to find three more of the frogs: one female and two males. The first cave squeaker they found was male. Photographs were taken and DNA clippings were gathered before the frogs were released. "I am able to state that this species is alive and well on the summit of Chimanimani, and is breeding well, there seems to be a very viable population," Hopkins wrote in a report. But while the cave squeaker's rediscovery is definitely good news, it also brought concerns. According to Hopkins, he is concerned there will be increased interest in the frog, resulting in the illegal exportation of specimens. Fortunately, Hopkins has the support of Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management. "We are expecting an influx of scientists looking for it. We will do everything in our power to protect and conserve the frog," said Caroline Washaya-Moyo, Zimparks spokesperson. Amphibians At Risk Amphibians experience exposure to both land and water so they are used to gauge the overall health of an ecosystem. Unfortunately, worrying trends have presented themselves in recent decades. Completed in 2004, the Global Amphibian Assessment reported that 32 percent or a minimum of 1,856 species were at risk of extinction. Today's current conditions may have resulted in different figures but the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural resources said the assessment remains relevant. It's important to know which amphibian species are still out there for appropriate measures for conservation to be developed so the IUCN launched a six-month search for threatened species across 19 countries in 2010. The Search for Lost Frogs' aim was to look for amphibians that have not been seen in more than 10 years. Results for the search were dismal, with scientists only finding four of the 100 amphibian species they were aiming for by February 2011. However, scientists part of the search did not give up, and it was in one of their meetings in 2015 that Hopkins advocated for the cave squeaker. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Arce stressed that "this table has a vital importance to continue giving certainties and solutions, above the whims, subway agreements and political calculations". | Read More Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission The state is launching its first bid to dramatically improve Baton Rouge traffic with private help, less than two years after a similar push died with little fanfare. But there's no comparison, said Shawn Wilson, secretary for the state Department of Transportation and Development and one of the leaders of the latest effort. "They are totally different," Wilson said of today's bid and the 2015 push for a high-speed route around the city called the Baton Rouge Urban Renewal and Mobility Plan, or BUMP. In this case, he noted, it is the state soliciting private firms, not the other way around. In addition, the governor, now John Bel Edwards, is behind the latest plan, another big difference from the debate in 2015. Wilson on Jan. 30 announced that the state is sending out requests for information from giant firms to consider partnering with the state on high-profile road projects in the Baton Rouge area. That list includes widening Interstate 10 and accelerated work on I-10 interchanges at Pecue Lane and in Gonzales and Sorrento. The arrangements, called public-private partnerships, or P3s, can launch stalled projects. Private companies do the building in exchange for a revenue stream, possibly over 40 years. The advantage for the state is that private firms do the work, offer schedule guarantees and absorb any cost overruns. "The developer is incentivized to bring in innovation," said Bob Schmidt, a veteran Baton Rouge transportation consultant. Firms also can make a profit of 10 percent or more through yearly payouts on projects that, in this case, could total $1 billion or more. But a similar, private push to build an $800 million "inner loop" in Baton Rouge BUMP was submitted to the state in 2015 by worldwide engineering firm AECOM. Nine months later, a state panel killed the proposal amid concerns that taxpayers could be on the hook for up to $400 million, which backers disputed. Despite the fate of that plan, Wilson and others said a 2016 change in state law and other developments mean the latest proposal has a better chance of paying dividends. "If the governor is behind it, I think there is a much greater chance of getting this through," said state Rep. Franklin Foil, R-Baton Rouge and a supporter of the 2015 effort for a public-private partnership to build BUMP. Foil noted that, two years ago, then-Gov. Bobby Jindal was not involved in AECOM's proposal. The former governor also opposed tax hikes for transportation and other areas, which is crucial for the latest plan to have any chance. In addition, the administration of then-Mayor-President Kip Holden opposed the proposal, mostly over concerns that it would kill efforts to build another "loop" around Baton Rouge that Holden backed. East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Sharon Broome did not respond to a request for comment on the state's plan. State Rep. Steve Carter, R-Baton Rouge, another promoter of BUMP, said the state's bid to entice private investment is worth pursuing. "I am willing to try any and every opportunity to try to solve this problem," Carter said of traffic congestion. Schmidt said the state has to explore new approaches. "The world is changing," he said. "We obviously can't keep up with our needs the way we have always done." Adam Knapp, president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, said in a prepared statement that his group backs the push for innovative financing "given the monumental traffic challenges" in south Louisiana. U. S. Rep. Garret Graves, a Baton Rouge Republican, also said the public/private partnership push has merit. "We have to pull every tool out of the tool box to solve this crisis," Graves said. Graves also said he is still perplexed the the BUMP proposal failed to advance two years ago. AECOM is the sort of giant firm that could be interested in the state's trial balloon, which is called a Request for Information. The company is a Fortune 500 organization. Two years ago it claimed revenues of $19.5 billion. AECOM also touted what it called public-private transportation success stories in other states, including a tollway in the Dallas area. "We welcome AECOM," said Wilson, who was not DOTD secretary two years ago. Wilson said one of the chief differences now compared to the BUMP proposal stems from a 2016 law sponsored by Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Page Cortez, R-Lafayette. That measure gave the state the ability to solicit public-private partnerships. Wilson compared the difference to a homeowner putting a house on the market instead of being approached, without prompting, to sell. "One is solicited; one was unsolicited," he said. "I think this is much more strategic." Two years ago, AECOM had to go through a little-known state panel called the Louisiana Transportation Authority instead of DOTD. Kenneth Perret, a former top official of DOTD and now president of the Louisiana Good Roads and Transportation Association, said the newest push is a good mechanism for road improvements. The crucial issue, Perret said, is whether the Legislature will find dollars for transportation in the 2017 regular session, which begins April 10. "The key is getting more state revenue," he said. A task force named by Edwards, and led by Wilson, concluded in December that the state needs to spend another $700 million for state transportation needs. Louisiana has a $13 billion backlog for rank-and-file improvements and a $16 billion list of "mega" projects, including a new bridge across the Mississippi River south of the current "new" bridge. The plan is to divide any new money between maintenance and new projects. The BUMP proposal two years ago also was hampered by the fact that only parts of the 23-mile corridor were on the priority plan used by DOTD. The list of projects that could benefit from any public-private partnership today is topped by the widening of I-10 between the bridge and the split, up to $400 million. Others include widening I-10 between La. 73 and La. 22; widening I-10 between La. 415 and La. 1; and improved interchanges at I-10 and La. 30 in Gonzales and I-10 and La. 22 near Sorrento. Proposals could include all or some of those in DOTD's list, or even the BUMP. Wilson said that, while a new Mississippi River bridge remains a priority, preliminary work is further along on the I-10 widening between the bridge and the I-10/12 split. "It is both, not either or," he said. There were strong and sustained calls from the international community for crimes amounting to genocide to be investigated by an international tribunal, preferably the UN. To counter the aggressive propaganda of Sinhala nationalists, the calls for international action included the inclusion of war crimes committed by the Tamil Tigers. Governments in Australia have gone along with this in order to bolster their illegal policy of turning back asylum seekers arriving by boat. Returning asylum seekers and refugees to a place of danger attracts a strong legal sanction known as sur place, and in this instance makes Australia directly complicit in the crime of genocide. The alienation of the minority Tamil population from the majority Sinhalese began in colonial times, when Britain sought to accentuate rivalries by favouring Tamils in administrative positions. After independence, when the Sinhala language was declared the official language, Tamils had restrictions imposed on their access to education, jobs in the public sector and professional bodies. A state-sanctioned pogrom against Tamils occurred in in 1983, and many Tamils fled Colombo and the south for the north. The notion of a separate state was born as the means of surviving Sinhalese chauvinism. A military force was established to protect these aims. According to successive Sri Lankan governments the only war crimes committed during the country's long civil war, from July 1983 to May 2009, were those perpetrated by the Tamils; aggressive denial has defined their response. The previous Rajapaksa government received support and assistance from Australia in prosecuting its policy of genocide against the Tamil population. An Australian Federal Police contingent is posted to the Australian High Commission in Colombo to assist the local police and navy stop boats. There are allegations that the AFP contingent is aware that Tamils returned illegally from Australian custody have been tortured in detention. Australia supplied patrol boats to the Sri Lankan navy for the express purpose of turning back boats, despite it becoming public knowledge that President Mahinda Rajapaksa's brother, installed as minister for defence, was involved in the chain of people smuggling. On a visit to Sri Lanka in 2013, Tony Abbott, as Prime Minister, said that under certain circumstances torture could be justified, which was and remains an extraordinary statement. As Foreign Minister, Bob Carr, referred to Tamil asylum seekers as economic migrants, despite all evidence to the contrary. His successor, Julie Bishop, has done the same. Australian governments have adopted the fiction that the minority Tamils were the aggressors in the civil war. Their position is that Sinhalese won the war, peace has been restored and the Tamils must accept it and get on with life; which consists of a military occupation of the north, confiscation of their land, desecration of their cemeteries, rape of the women and marginalisation from economic activity; all against a background of bribery, cruelty and corruption. That is not the finding of the Peoples' Tribunal on Sri Lanka, which met in Bremen in 2013. It found that, "On the strength of the evidence presented, the tribunal reached the consensus ruling that the state of Sri Lanka is guilty of the crime of genocide against Eelam Tamils (Tamils from the north and east) and that the consequences of the genocide continue to the present day with ongoing acts of genocide against Eelam Tamils". The tribunal determined that the following acts were committed by the government of Sri Lanka: killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group and acting with the specific intent of destruction of a protected group. It also found that there was continuity of genocide through ongoing acts of genocide and that the state deliberately inflicted on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part. The bugs both represent and induce a bloody-minded hyper-partisanship that's driving Washington to the brink of disaster. But even before they make their entrance on a blazing meteor captured by a thousand Russian dash-cams Washington's politicos have brought themselves to the precipice without any need for help from ET. As the televisions in the background run news coverage of Donald Trump's and Hillary Clinton's bitter election contest, we meet the main players. Is a metaphor still a metaphor if it's redundant from the outset? Take the brain-eating alien bugs in this strange political horror-drama starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Danny Pino. Laurel Healy (Winstead) is a sweet aspiring documentary-maker who can't seem to finish editing her ever-so-worthy film about the church choirs of the Solomon Islands. She takes a job with her brother, Luke (Law & Order: SVU heartthrob Danny Pino), who is the Democrats' Senate leader and the man whose job it is to avert a Republican-led government shutdown that would cut off vital government services and throw thousands of employees out of work. Luke's best hope of a compromise is alcoholic Republican congressman Red Wheatus (Tony Shalhoub), whose nostalgia for less partisan days might lead him to make a stand against his own party. But as the alien bugs begin burrowing into politicians' ears and ejecting chunks of brain on to their pillows everyone becomes dramatically more extreme in their views, and rapprochement seems impossible. All of this raises several questions. Why are people possessed by space bugs so enamoured of one particular '80s pop hit? And by portraying both sides as being equally bad and equally responsible for the deplorable state of modern America, aren't series creators Michelle King and Robert King (The Good Wife) engaging in a pernicious false equivalence, excusing those who are really to blame and so further entrenching the very problem they aim to address? Why does their show bring neither laughs nor scares, just the odd bit of listless splatter? And why would you bother watching this when you could be enjoying the more insightful and infinitely funnier Alpha House or Veep? Puzzlers indeed. Garfunkel and Oates: Trying to Be Special Netflix Defecting senator Cory Bernardi has told Malcolm Turnbull that his 2015 leadership coup against Tony Abbott is a key factor behind his decision to quit the Liberal Party and start his own conservative movement. The soon-to-be former Liberal senator formally informed the Prime Minister of his intentions in a phone call on Tuesday morning, after details of the move were first revealed by Fairfax Media on Monday. Senator Bernardi has now formally resigned from the party, ahead of an expected address to the Senate after midday. According to sources, Mr Turnbull asked Senator Bernardi the reasons for his departure just seven months after being re-elected for a six-year term to represent the Liberal Party in South Australia. Senator Bernardi replied he would explain his reasons to the public on Tuesday. Ominously, Senator Bernardi warned Mr Turnbull that moves were afoot to displace him because of his own poor performance in the polls a reason the Prime Minister used to justify his 2015 move against Mr Abbott. The Trumpification of the right wing of Australian politics has begun. On Sunday night, Coalition backbencher George Christensen defended Vladimir Putin's Russia, saying on Twitter it had been "demonised unfairly" and asking, "What threat do they cause us or the West?" This is a startling message to a country that lost 38 people in the shooting down of flight MH17 in the skies above Ukraine. In his tweets, Mr Christensen distanced Moscow from involvement in MH17 and said only that separatists "allegedly" shot down the plane, though on Monday morning he clarified that he accepted most investigators' conclusion that "separatists backed by Russia" were responsible. But his string of tweets point to an affinity with the US President's foreign policy view that strong men who pursue their country's national interests with scant regard to the international system are to be admired and emulated. It was a conversation with former prime minister Tony Abbott that sealed the deal. Liberal senator Cory Bernardi had been fending off months of speculation that he was about to defect and spearhead his own conservative movement. After watching closely the backlash against the political establishment in Britain and the United States, and the stunning record-high number of voters willing to vote for anyone but the two major parties in Australia, he knew something had to give. Still despairing over the Liberal Party's decision to copy another Labor policy and kill off a sitting prime minister in its first term and the role it played in the Coalition's near-death election experience, Bernardi confided his worries to Abbott. It's only February and we've already gotten a contender for oddest couple of the year with the news Pamela Anderson may be romantically linked to Julian Assange. Page Six reports the former Baywatch star has been a regular caller to the Ecuadorian Embassy in London where the Australian Wikileaks founder has been holed up for close to five years. Julian Assange: still inside. Credit:AP The Canadian-born actor turned environmentalist activist has visited Assange more than four times in the past three months during her visits to London. Back in October she hand delivered him a vegan lunch. "I brought him a nice vegan lunch and some vegan snacks," she told The Telegraph. "He said I tortured him with bringing him vegan food. See, it wasn't meant to go like this. As Margaret Talbot wrote in The New Yorker last year during the presidential campaign, Ivanka was intended to be the glossy haired, empowered, liberal foil to her father's divisive and crude bombast. The tweet follows the news that US department store chain Macy's is under pressure to drop Ivanka Trump's jewellery and clothing line along with the likes of Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom adding to what has been a rocky start to Ivanka's political makeover. This week The New York Times have reported that department stores T.J Maxx and Marshalls employees were told to discard Ivanka Trump signs and put her merchandise in with other brands on clothing racks. Donald Trump, President of the United States, has defended his daughter against retailers that have stopped stocking her clothing brand. She was with him, but also not. She was every woman, she was a "woman who worked" (all part of her brand, see). But also, she was never these things. And now she's finding that out. "Her quest to float along, empowered but unsullied, beside her father throughout his increasingly ugly campaign has been getting harder and harder," wrote Talbot at the time. The decision by retailers to remove the Ivanka Trump brand from online and stores (Nordstrom announced that they will no longer carry the line, but will sell out remaining stock, and Neiman Marcus removed the brand's products from its online store) was said to be based on declining sales. But the decision also follows the grassroots campaign Grab Your Wallet, which called for shoppers to boycott the brands that carried Ivanka and Donald Trump merchandise. As Axios noted, customers have commented on Macy's social feeds asking for them to take similar actions as Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. Despite this, a representative from Ivanka Trump's brand (from which Ivanka is said to be stepping away), told Business Insider that business was still good. What's more, the brand was maintaining its "integrity." The extent of alleged paedophilia in Catholic institutions has been laid bare for the first time with a royal commission hearing that almost 4500 people have made claims of child sexual abuse over the past 35 years. Data gathered by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse show certain Catholic orders had a high proportion of alleged abusers, including the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and St John of God. Francis Sullivan, chief executive of the Catholic Church's Truth, Justice and Healing Council, which assisted the royal commission's analysis of alleged abuse, became emotional as he addressed the packed public hearing before Justice Peter McClellan. "These numbers are shocking," he said. "They are tragic and they are indefensible. Each entry in this data ... represents a child who suffered at the hands of someone who should have cared for and protected them." A man captured on CCTV footage at the departure gate at Sydney Airport's international terminal could hold vital information about the suspicious disappearance of a restaurant manager from Sydney's west nearly four years ago. Detectives now believe Sang Don You, a Korean national who has lived in Australia for nearly 40 years, met with foul play after he was last seen leaving the restaurant where he worked on Bridge Street in Lidcombe on the afternoon of March 6, 2013. Police would like to speak to this man about the disappearance of Sydney man Sang Don You. Credit:NSW Police Police said Mr You, who would now be 56, a father of three, had not been in touch with his family or friends, which was out of character. Mr You had no known connections to any gangs or criminal activity before his disappearance, police said. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's decision to establish government with 14 mega-portfolios the initial cabinet of the former Newman government had 19 ministers was a mistake, political commentator Dr Paul Williams said. As a result, responsibility for Queensland Rail was just half of one of five portfolios administered by Deputy Premier Jackie Trad. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's government started with 14 mega-portfolios, in contrast with the previous LNP government. Credit:Lisa Maree Williams "It was a bad idea and I said so at the time," Dr Williams said on Monday. "I mean having 14 in the cabinet would have been difficult for an experienced government, but given you had so many new faces in the Parliament and in the cabinet - learning new portfolios, learning new body politics, trying to meet with pressure groups - it was almost impossible." Victorians have been urged to steer clear of all Melbourne beaches after the city received one month's worth of rain overnight, washing faecal matter into the bay. The Environment Protection Authority on Monday gave all of Port Phillip Bay's 36 beaches a "poor" water quality rating. EPA has warned of poor water quality in Port Phillip Bay. Credit:Justin McManus EPA group manager of applied sciences Dr Anthony Boxshall has predicted the situation could last several days after up to 50 millimetres of rain was dumped on Sunday night. "The bay is like a shallow tub and all the catchments drain into it," he said. "The water stays in the bay for quite some time just because it's got that little entrance so there's not much exchange." Jaron was suicidal. In between the daily grind of scoring heroin to feed his habit, while trying to hold down a job, he had been looking up rehab centres, making calls and asking around for help. He was desperate to stop but was getting nowhere. And he was starting to give up. Jaron with his dog, Marlo, in Sydney. Credit:Janie Barrett When he got an interview at a public Victorian residential rehab, his hopes lifted. It was October when a friend drove Jaron, then 35, to the country location. Afterwards, he walked back to the car with news he wouldn't be getting a bed until sometime in the new year. Two men have pleaded guilty to shooting a police officer in the head with a shotgun during a pursuit through Melbourne's north-western suburbs. Constable Ben Ashmole was lucky not to be killed when he ducked and turned and his head when he saw a shotgun pointed at him and his colleague, while in their patrol car, from a car in Moonee Ponds in the early hours of July 7, 2015. The scene in Moonee Ponds in July 2015 where Constable Ben Ashmole was shot in the head. Credit: Darrian Traynor Constable Ashmole suffered a shot to back of his head and required surgery to remove shotgun pellets. Rodney Phillips and Sam Liszczak were to face trial on charges included attempted murder, but on Monday pleaded guilty to a series of lesser charges, including shooting at a fence outside the home of George WiIliams, the father of underworld mass murderer Carl Williams. Schools would be forced to publish their vaccination rates online under a Coalition proposal aimed at stamping out outbreaks. In an election pledge pitched at families, Liberal leader Matthew Guy announced on Monday that if the Coalition formed government in 2018 it would publish the immunisation rates of every year level at every school. It follows recent research which found that a measles outbreak that tore through Essendon North Primary could have been contained faster if schools were forced to keep detailed vaccination records. "Parents want to know, they have a right to know," Mr Guy said. Edinburgh: A decision on calling a new Scottish independence referendum could be made within weeks, said a Scottish Greens lawmaker whose party is a key ally of Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. The timing of a potential new Scottish referendum - which polls say most Scots do not want - would be determined by the process of Britain's exit from the European Union, said Ross Greer, a lawmaker and a key campaigner in the 2014 vote in which Scots rejected independence by a 10-percentage-point margin. "We are working on a timescale now where Article 50 (which triggers Britain leaving the European Union) will be activated next month - that's the timescale when it will almost certainly become clear whether there's going to be a referendum or not. So that's the timescale we should be working on to get our campaign up and running," Greer told The Herald on Sunday. Scotland - one of the United Kingdom's four territories with England, Wales and Northern Ireland - voted to keep its EU membership last June, but will leave the EU because the UK as a whole voted to do so. This means Scotland must have a fresh choice on its future, Sturgeon's nationalists argue, if its wishes are not respected as part of the Brexit negotiations. On a normal Monday morning, police surveillance cameras might have spotted Vivian Marrows killer as he left the grandmother to die in her wheelchair. But a cyber attack on the citys cameras in the days before President Donald Trumps Jan. 20 inauguration left the surveillance footage blank, and Marrows family searching for answers. On Jan. 12, 70 percent of Washington, D.C.s police surveillance cameras went dark . The cameras had been infected with ransomware , a type of malware that shuts down a device until its owner agrees to the hackers demands, usually money. Four days later, a camera on a southeast D.C. corner was still inactive when Marrow, 68, left her home on her motorized wheelchair and crossed paths with two men, one of whom was chasing the other with a gun. Footage from the nearest functional cameradistant, grainy, and partially obstructed by a treeshows two blurred figures sprinting from the scene while Marrows wheelchair spins in place. But the closest camera, which might have shown her killers face, was on lockdown. Neighbors in Marrows apartment complex knew her as Miss Vivian, they told The Washington Post . A grandmother, Marrow was known to open her home to anyone in need, taking in the homeless and playing gospel music from her wheelchair. In the summer, Marrow would grill hot dogs outside her apartment and give them to anyone who asked, neighbors told the Post. She kept cookies for neighborhood children, who called her the Candy Lady. Marrows kindness was a balm to her community, where 10 people had been shot to death over the past two years on her block alone. In an effort to step up security, the housing complex had installed 22 cameras. But when a stray bullet struck Marrow shortly after 10 a.m. on Jan. 16, the closest camera was one of the 123 police-owned devices that were shut off during the ransomware attack. The use of ransomware against government-owned computer systems has increased in recent years. In November, hackers locked down computers in San Franciscos train system, refusing to unlock them unless the city paid approximately $73,000 in Bitcoin. (The city refused and gave commuters free rides until an IT department managed to wrest control from the hackers.) U.S. Police departments and schools also came under ransomware attack in 2016. When 123 of D.C.s 187 police cameras went offline on Jan. 12, the district refused to pay the hackers ransom. The hackers reportedly targeted cameras connected to public internet, disabling 70 percent of police CCTVs. But even with an IT team working frantically to restore the cameras before Inauguration Day, the system still took four days to fully repairand on the fourth day of the outage, Marrow was killed. Footage from one of the apartment complexs cameras , released by D.C. police, shows the scene in partially obscured, grainy detail. Marrow was in her electric wheelchair, the same seat from which she would play gospel music for her neighbors. She was moving down the sidewalk on a morning trip to the grocery store, her son William told WUSA9 . When the two figures came running from behind her, one of thema man in a red shirtappeared to be fleeing the other, a man in a dark sweatshirt. As they ran past Marrow, her chair stopped moving. The gunman in the dark shirt paused and turned back toward Marrow. For a second he appeared to consider going to her aid, then sprinted off around a building. The man he was chasing made a beeline in the opposite direction. In a statement to The Daily Beast, D.C. police confirmed that their nearby security camera had been hacked but said they doubted whether the footage could have identified Marrows killer. The camera located at Elvans and Stanton Roads, SE was infected with the ransomware, though we believe it did not have an impact on the case, a police spokesperson said. As you are aware, we were able to retrieve footage of the shooting from the residential property that captured the masked subject responsible for the senseless murder of Mrs. Marrow. We have received community tips concerning the shooting but still need additional information to identify the individual responsible and believe that the community will be instrumental in helping us close the case. All cameras are operational at this time and there are measures in place to prevent this from occurring in the future. But an unnamed police source told D.C.s WUSA9 that the hacked police camera was closer to the crime scene and higher quality than the apartment complex camera that recorded some of the killing. On Jan. 19, Britains National Crime Agency arrested two 50-year-olds for the ransomware attack on D.C.s police cameras. The unnamed suspects, one British and one Swedish, have been released on bail until April. In D.C., officials have yet to announce any suspects in Marrows killing. Police have offered a $25,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest. SHIKHAN, IraqThe gleaming surgical kits are lined up with precisionone for amputation, one for excising wounds, another for basic surgery. The surgeon, anesthetist, and nurses are ready in the fresh-scrubbed but very basic operating room, awaiting patients on the way from Mosuls front line. In the past 24 hours, theyve saved lives, and limbs, of a young boy and a badly injured anti-ISIS militia member. If the Red Cross wasnt here, my son would have lost his leg, said Nashwan of his 12-year-old, whose leg required delicate but swift surgery to repair it. At the Shikhan Hospital outside Mosul, the operating theater is basic, by design. Everything is pared down to save lives from battlefield trauma as quickly and simply as possible, all the while prepared to flee with those patients in case the battle shifts their way. This is the International Committee of the Red Cross at work. But these frontline professionals find themselves somewhat at seaunder fire by an enemy that does not respect the laws of war, and uncertain that the incoming administration in the White House understands what they do, and will keep funding it. Their concerns reflect that of a wide spectrum of non-governmental agencies who have read draft executive orders from the new Trump administration that aim to pare down U.S. contributions overseas, in deference to rebuilding American infrastructure at home. A draft Trump administration executive order that would re-open CIA black sites and ban Red Cross access to detainees caused another wave of concern for an organization founded to spread understanding of the Geneva Conventions, although President Donald Trump has since pledged to reject a return to Bush-era harsh interrogation measures. The organization granted The Daily Beast rare access to their mission in Iraq because they are concerned the incoming administration may not know what they do, or how carefully they count the costsconcern leavened by President Trumps tweet in December aimed at the United Nations, which he said has such great potential but right now it is just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. The ICRC has been at pains to point out they work alongside United Nations aid organizationsbut they dont work for them. We are masters of our own decisions and we are not influenced by security council resolutions or political negotiations about where aid should go, ICRC operations chief Dominik Stillhart said in an interview. U.S. taxpayers fund a quarter of the ICRCs $1.6 billion budget, so Stillhart visited Washington, D.C., after the inauguration to explain what America is getting for its investment, and to ask Washington to step up again. In meetings from the Pentagon to Capitol Hill, Stillhart made the case that more than 90 percent of that funding goes to missions overseas, with just 6.5 percent going to administration. The ICRC makes public a 600-page-plus budget every year so donors can track their money (an important distinction as its U.S. cousin, the American Red Cross, has faced controversy over how it spends its own budget). Our operations have grown by 60 percent in the past four years, whereas our headquarters has remained extremely lean, with growth limited below 15 percent, Stillhart said. We are making an effort at becoming more efficient and making sure that it is spent on operations. It is not spent on bureaucracy in Geneva. In return for U.S. government funding to the ICRC, teams like the one outside Mosul provide emergency medical aid, and short term supplies like blankets that help keep refugees where they are, then easier to return home when the conflict endslikely a selling point in a Trump administration that just announced a 4-month suspension of refugee travel to the U.S. They are preaching to the choir in the U.S. State Department.The work that ICRC conducts around the world, often in places that are difficultif not outright impossiblefor other agencies and organizations to reach, is critical, said Simon Henshaw, Acting Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees, and Migration, in a statement to The Daily Beast Monday. There is no substitute for the assistance and protection that ICRC provides to vulnerable populations in some of the most conflict-affected regions imaginable. In Iraq, where some 3 million people have been displaced by the two-year-plus fight against ISIS, including roughly 100,000 from Mosul, the ICRC has gotten aid like emergency food kits to roughly 800,000 people, in addition to sending four surgical teams into the Mosul area. Theyre part of a network of aid organizations serving displaced Iraqis, in coordination with local Iraqi and Kurdish officials. Part of the problem has been reaching those in need in a fluid war zone, where ISIS sleeper agents stay behind in liberated villages to launch stealth suicide bombings on unsuspecting returnees. In December, an Iraqi aid organization was hit by ISIS mortars as it handed out aid, killing and injuring a number of aid workers and villagers, though the chaos at the scene meant no one is sure how many. How do we assist the people of Mosul without hurting them? said Katharina Ritz, ICRC head of delegation in Baghdad. Our first principle is do no harm. Its not for our safety but also the safety of the people. A key tenet of the ICRCs mission is staying neutral, and that means traveling unnarmed, as they are doing in Iraq. That means they cant always get as close to the front as UN teams, which usually travel with armed protection. UN Humanitarian Coordinator Lise Grande gave the ICRC and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) grief for not being close enough to the front line, at a fall conference to help coordinate aid to Iraq. I identified exactly the same shortcoming, said Stillhart, sanguine about the criticism. As a neutral, independent humanitarian organization, we just need to make sure that we can provide sufficient security for those teams so we can work in that hospital structure. As Iraqi forces have now cleared most of western Mosul, he said the ICRC has been able to send additional teams. (Grandes spokesperson did not respond to repeated requests for comment, and MSF declined to comment, adding that theyd set up a number of field facilities.) The ICRCs less visible work includes visiting the screening facilities where Iraqi forces question Iraqis fleeing combat areas, trying to spot ISIS fighters mixed in with the crowd. You have the people leaving a battle zone or village or neighborhood being security screened and they end up arrested or charged and going to detention, or they go to an IDP (internally displaced person) camp, said Ritz. What we look for is to see where the security clearance starts to have humanitarian consequences. We can then assist the government in dealing with such consequences. In the battle for Fallujah, the Iraqi government estimated there were some 50,000 civilians inside, and that it would take them weeks to exit. Instead, some 60,000 people poured out in a couple of days during Iraqs boiling hot summerand no one was ready. There hasnt been a census across Iraq in decades, so the Iraqi government has to guess at how many people might be on the move. Suddenly we had thousands and thousands to be cleared, Ritz said. It was hot, people were sick and needed water. The ICRC among others rushed in aid, but it took weeks to catch up with the backlog of need. Thats one reason why Ritz and other aid officers interviewed say they over-prepared for a surge from Mosul, that has been slower to materialize. ICRC delegates, as the organization calls its employees, also visit official Iraqi detention centers, allowed to question the detainees in private about their treatment by their captors and exchange letters An ISIS prisoner at one such detention center interviewed by The Daily Beast confirmed the ICRC regularly delivered letters to him from his family, a point of pride for the Iraqi officials that run the facility, which they say shows they are heeding international laws of war. Kurdish officials confirmed they too have a longstanding relationship with the ICRC, which one Kurdish adviser said quietly told them their detention facilities werent up to parso theyve changed them. As per its confidentiality, ICRC officials would not comment on their private conversations with either sets of officials. The Red Cross interaction with the U.S. military stretches back decadesthough some havent always appreciated the organizations refusal to take a side. That treasured neutrality that has sometimes frustrated some American commanders means delegates from the Swiss-run organization can go where most others cant. An ICRC representative was able to visit the injured Black Hawk pilot Mike Durant in 1993 when he was captured in Mogadishu. Badly injured and convinced he would be killed, Durant said everything changed when his warlord captors told him a Red Cross representative was coming to see him. The captors moved him to better detention facilities and gave him some basic medical care in preparation for the visit, and eventually let him go. A senior U.S. commander told The Daily Beast that the ICRC had also confidentially reported the abuses of Abu Ghreib prison by a handful of U.S. troops, several months before the case became public, but U.S. military chiefs didnt believe those reports. Then photos of the abuse emerged, and the U.S. reputation in the region was shredded a blot that remains in the Arab worlds memory to this day. Now, U.S. commanders embrace the visits by the ICRC as a chance to check on their own. We opened to the ICRC all of our detention facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan, including those administered by special mission units, and the process was beneficial to us and reassuring to them, said General David H. Petraeus (U.S. Army, Ret.), former commander of coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and of U.S. Central Command, in an email to The Daily Beast. Allowing inspections and access is a way to show the world that they are following the laws of war as articulated in the Geneva Conventions. The Geneva Conventions were first drafted in the late 1800s and updated after World War II, designed to limit what weaponry is permitted, allow access to prisoners of war, and allow aid to reach civilians. The United States technically drafted the conventions precursor, the 1863 Lieber Code (PDF), commissioned by President Abraham Lincoln to limit the devastation of the U.S. Civil War. The hardest part of working in Iraq and Syria? ISIS doesnt follow the Geneva Conventions, and has no desire to be seen as humane. ISIS is inaccessible even for us, but that doesnt mean you just ditch your principles, said an ICRC official who must remain anonymous because he works in ISIS territory. His team sticks to a simple mantra when working with the hodgepodge of forces involved in the ISIS fight: We dont question the motivations of the parties to the conflict. Theyre just there. Now lets make the best out of it. This story was reported in Shikhan, Erbil, Baghdad, and Washington, D.C. UPDATE NOTE: This story was updated Monday to include comment from the State Department. If the Trump administration follows through on veiled hints that its considering cutting foreign aid to Mexico, it could shut down a program that blocks hundreds of thousands of immigrants at Mexicos southern borderkeeping them from eventually entering the United States. Thats according to a report put together by Congresss in-house think tank and obtained by The Daily Beast. Buried in Trumps recent executive order on immigration is a section ordering the heads of federal agencies to figure out how much foreign aid and assistance the U.S. sends to Mexico every year. Its widely speculated that this provision was included as a first step toward cutting aid to Mexicoand then using that money to have Mexico pay for Trumps much-promised border wall. But eliminating that aid could undercut Trumps stated goal of reducing the number of undocumented immigrants who enter the U.S. every year. The report obtained by The Daily Beast shows that the bulk of U.S. aid to Mexico funds the so-called Merida Initiative, which helps bankroll Mexicos own Trump-esque border policyone that turns away Central American immigrants by the hundreds of thousands. If Trump wants a southern barrier against asylum-seekers, he already has one. Under the Merida Initiative, the government of the U.S. pressures Mexico to turn away Central American immigrants before they reach the U.S. While immigration from Mexico to the U.S. has largely been static for years, border hawks in the U.S. point to a recent uptick in illegal immigration from three Central American countriesHonduras, El Salvador, and Guatemalaas evidence that the federal government needs to implement stricter border policies. But if Trump makes good on threats to cut funding to Mexico in exchange for his border wall, his anti-immigrant fight could just move one border closer. A substantial piece of the Merida Initiative in recent years has gone toward strengthening Mexicos southern border, Lisa Haugaard, executive director of the Latin America Working Group, told The Daily Beast. The Obama administration in recent years put significant pressure on Mexico to step up its southern border and the deportation of Central Americans. The Congressional Research Service report that The Daily Beast obtained shows that the U.S. gave $100 million in fiscal year 2016 to the Mexican government to fund the Merida Initiative as part of the State Departments support for international narcotics control and law enforcement. Critics say the U.S. government uses these funds to push the Mexican government to send migrants with legitimate asylum claims back to their violent home countries. Mexico was deporting Central Americans, many of whom had valid asylum claims because they were fleeing violence, Haugaard said, adding that Mexico has been bending over backwards to meet the American governments demands. Haugaard said these U.S.-aided efforts on Mexicos southern border helped fund hundreds of thousands of deportations, often returning immigrants to violent nations before they could apply for refugee status or reach Americas southern border. In 2015, Mexico apprehended nearly 172,000 migrants who came from the northern triangle [El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala] of Central America. In 2016, Mexico apprehended another 153,000 migrants from Northern Triangle countries, and tens of thousands from other countries, the CRS report reads. I think right now the emphasis of Trumps policy on immigration, the general recognition within Washingtons policy-making community, is that Mexican immigration has significantly slowed down, said Ana Quintana, a policy analyst focused on Latin America and the Western Hemisphere at the conservative Heritage Foundation. What were seeing the ramp-up of is from Central America. According to the CRS report, the U.S. gave the Mexican government a total of $161.2 million in FY 2016. Trumps wall, meanwhile, would cost $12 billion to $15 billion, according to a January estimate from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The actual figures, some scientists say, will run much higher. A study by the MIT Technology Review concluded that, even if the wall only covered half of the 2,000-mile border, the project would cost $40 billion, not including mile-high maintenance costs. And despite Trumps campaign promise that Mexico would pay for the wall, his administration has yet to outline a concrete funding plan, instead suggesting a series of policies that would put the burden on Mexican immigrants or American consumers. In April 2016, Trump sent The Washington Post a two-page memo promising that, if elected, he would demand Mexico make a one-time payment of $5 to $10 billion or he would cut off money transfers between U.S.-based Mexican immigrants and their families in Mexico, which account for some $25 billion annually. He has also suggested imposing fees on visas and green cards for Mexican immigrants, or imposing a 20 percent tariff on Mexican imports. Mexican leaders have flatly denied the country will pay for the wall. On Jan. 25, on the eve of a planned meeting with Trump, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto reiterated that Mexico will not pay for any wall. If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting, Trump wrote the following morning. Later that day, Pena Nieto canceled. The pair spoke on the phone the following morning and reportedly agreed not to address their dispute in public. Facing his own low approval ratings, Pena Nietos dealings with Trump could determine his political future. President Pena Nietos approval rating has remained extremely low (under 25 percent) since 2014, the CRS report reads. Pena Nieto may have limited room to maneuver in future negotiations with the Trump administration, as Mexican legislators and businesspeople are urging him to more vigorously defend Mexican interests. If Pena Nieto is seen as weak in negotiations with Trump, support could swing toward political opponent Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a leftist populist who is unafraid to antagonize the United States, in Mexicos 2018 elections, the CRS report reads. Quintana said she expects the Trump administration to keep funding immigration enforcement efforts on Mexicos southern border. I think its in both countries interests to not let things escalate beyond this point, she told The Daily Beast. On Wednesday, the trial of climate activist Ken Wardwho faced felony charges of burglary and sabotage after shutting off a tar sands pipeline between Canada and the United Statesended in a hung jury in Skagit County Superior Court in Washington state. This neutral-sounding result was in fact a stunning victory for an activist who admitted that hed broken the letter of the law to protect the climate, and who was barred from calling witnesses on his own behalf to establish a defense of necessity. It was also a possible harbinger of things to come for a new generation of activists desperate for strategies outside the mainstream. With the rise of Donald Trump, the gap between the political systems ostensible ideals and its reality yawns ever wider. Few dissidents still believe that social progress is best achieved by running political campaigns or lobbying legislators. Instead, for those who are willing and able, direct actioninterventions that strike at the root of an issue and often involve breaking the lawis the last, best option for tackling problems that our government cant handle. Combined with principled legal defense, this method can create a parallel political arena for the opposition. On Oct. 11, 2016, Ward cut a lock on a chain-link fence and turned a valve to stop the flow of tar sands oil through a Kinder Morgan pipeline in Anacortes, Washington. Along with valve-turners in Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesotawho together temporarily stopped the flow of heavily polluting tar sands fuel into the United Stateshe was responding to a call to action from the Standing Rock camp in North Dakota, and accompanied his protest with a request that the president extend the pipeline shutdown permanently. Ward, who spent decades as a Big Green leader and organizer fighting climate change, had turned to civil disobedience after finding traditional legal avenues blocked by the influence of fossil fuel money and the corruption of legislators and regulators. Heading into trial, Ward planned to present a so-called climate necessity defense. (My organization, the Climate Defense Project, provided legal support to the defense team.) He was ready to call experts in climate science, energy economics, and political theory to testify about the present and future consequences of climate change and the failure of government actors to address it. This legal strategywhich has been attempted several times and builds off a long history of political necessity defenses in the United Statesis part of a broader climate movement effort to build power through a combination of direct action, courtroom activism, and grassroots organizing (PDF). Prior to trial, the judge ruled that Ward would be barred from presenting any evidence related to necessity. Labeling the existence and causes of climate change matters of tremendous controversya statement that flies in the face of years of scientific consensusthe judge left Ward no option but to testify on his own behalf about his beliefs and motivations. That testimony, bare bones as it was, apparently did the trick. With at least one juror refusing to convict Ward, the case ended in a mistrial, meaning that the prosecution has the option of trying the charges again or adding new ones. For now, though, Ward walks free, his justification having won the day. The failure of the prosecution to convince 12 jurors of Wards guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is clearly a big victory for the climate movement, which had already turned to civil disobedience before the climate science-denying Trump administration made a mockery of efforts to address the climate crisis through electoral politics and inside-the-Beltway politicking. But for the growing ranks of political activists who find the normal channels of democratic deliberation hopeless, its also a case study in how to build power from below. The jurys refusal to convict Ward ratified the basic premise of civil disobedience: When the government fails to protect the planet, defend rights, or check corporate power, individuals must take matters into their own hands. Its no crime to conscientiously break the letter of the law to serve to the public good. This model of political action is radical in two senses. Its radical because it challenges the assumptions that our institutions are representative and that our laws serve the public good. Action must be taken outside the system to realize the systems democratic pretensions. Its radical, too, because its a strategy thats been used in this country since before the Revolution. When juries refused to convict newspaper editors who had criticized colonial governors and abolitionists who harbored fugitive slaves, they ratified risky political action in defiance of established power. The same holds true for juries that acquit pipeline protesters or people sheltering immigrants. And by emphasizing a mismatch between the law and the will of the people, such campaigns often force reform of the challenged policy or institution. Its important to note that such a strategy is politically neutral: that is, it can be used to serve divergent goals. Under Jim Crow, Southern juries regularly acquitted defendants who violently enforced racists social codes, and last year a jury acquitted the Bundy crew that staged an armed occupation of the Malheur Refuge to protest the federal governments environmental stewardship. Theres also a limit to who can participate in this risky behavior. People of color, those with disabilities, and undocumented and poor people are unlikely to trust their fate to a criminal justice system that has shown scant ability to give them a fair shake. And some issues, like voting reform, do not easily lend themselves to the practice of direct action. Despite those limitations, actions like Wards can form an important part of the civil resistance thats rising to challenge Trump and his allies. When it works well, the political jury trial is an exercise in democracy, allowing a small group of public representatives to pass judgment on whats good for society. With the apparatus of the law blocking social progress, activists have the opportunity to turn a small part of the legal system to their favor and to ratify an oppositional position from within otherwise oppressive institutions. Ward was able to convince at least part of a rural Washington jury that turning off tar sands pipelines is good for society and worth a minor disruption to corporate property rights. In the coming months and years, there will be many more questions of pressing public importance upon which juries will be asked to pass judgment. Its up to the swelling ranks of activists to decide what those issues will be, and how theyll be forced into the courtroom. Ted Hamilton is a co-founder of the Climate Defense Project and a freelance writer. Matteo Salvini is President Donald Trumps most outspoken foreign surrogate, and he isnt ashamed of it. Salvini, 43, is the leader of Italys Northern League (Lega Nord)a populist, right-wing faction in Italian politics that calls for deporting all illegal immigrants, exerting more control over the countrys borders, and taking Italy out of the eurozone common currency. From the nascent stages of the U.S. presidential campaign and the Republican primary, Salvini was a Trump loyalist. And ever since the real-estate magnate and reality TV star was elected president and inaugurated, Salvini has positioned himself as Trumps leading surrogate outside the U.S.taking to social media and the airwaves to defend the president and push back against his critics. Salvini idolizes Trump, Frances Marine Le Pen, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the Netherlands Geert Wilders, among others. After he successfully sank former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzis constitutional referendum in December, Salvini celebrated in a way that doesnt need translation, and exemplifies the pure elation felt by euroskeptics and nationalist voices by their recent victories: Viva Trump, viva Putin, viva Le Pen e viva la Lega! Finally, we have an international alliance that, until a few years ago, didnt exist because we were all on our own, Salvini told The Daily Beast on Sunday in a phone interview from his home in Milan. We had [former President Barack] Obama, we have [German Chancellor Angela] Merkel, we have Europe, we have [French President Francois] Hollande, we had [former Italian Prime Minister Matteo] Renzi. Now, in my opinion, we have a great alliance thats supported by the people and not by financial interests. After Brexit, Trumps victory, and the defeat of Italys constitutional referendum, populists have sent a clear message to those in power throughout Europe. Salvini feels emboldened by Trumps surprise win, and he isnt the only one. Everybody is, all over the world. In France, Germany, Holland, Austria, Italy I hope its a good sign for peace, he said. Salvini hopes the populist wave will push Italy to revisit commitments to the European Union, NATO, and the United Nations, and spark positive relations with countries like Israel and Russia. The Northern League was founded in 1991 by its longtime leader, Umberto Bossi, as a separatist movement with the aim of seceding from Italy and forming a new northern state. It was fueled by a deep resentment of the southern part of the country, whose inhabitants Bossi viewed as mooching off the success of the north. Since taking over the party in 2013, Salvini has sought to drop the northern portion of the partys name in a bid to welcome southerners, and has brought his movement onto the international stage by openly embracing European populists such as Le Penwho once said Salvini sends her into ecstasy. The bombastic Salvini also sported a black shirt at one of his rallies, where supporters waved neo-Nazi symbols and photos of former dictator Benito Mussolini, whose notorious supporters were known as the Black Shirts. (A spokeswoman for Salvini confirmed to The Daily Beast that he wore a black shirt at the rally but denied he was showing support for fascist groups or sympathy for Mussolini.) Positioning himself as Trumps most ardent supporter in Europe, Salvinilike the American presidenthas a habit of taking to Twitter to air his grievances against his political opponents and the news media, and has done so more recently to defend Trump as the American president faces a barrage of criticism at home. They all attack him. Everybody is against Trump. In Italy, too: mass media, Sky, Rai, newspapers, [George] Soros, multi-nationals, Merkel, Hollande, Salvini told The Daily Beast. Like Trump, he often lumps his political opponents and the press together. Now that Trump is president, Salvini says he doesnt think he has an obligation to defend Trumps every move. But if his Twitter account is any indication, Salvini revels in the opportunity to defend and champion the American president at every pass. What @POTUS is doing on the other side of the ocean, Id like it done in Italy. An invasion is underway, it needs to be blocked, Salvini tweeted after Trump signed an executive order banning foreign nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entry into the United States. When protests were raging at U.S. airports in the days following the executive order, Salvini again defended Trump: Americans voted, #Trump won and hes doing what he promised. Protesters against @POTUS are in bad faith, they dont accept democracy. After a federal judge in Seattle issued a ruling that temporarily blocked the travel ban, Salvini impugned the judges motivesjust as Trump himself didin a tweet: Small world Judges who play politics are everywhere. Its not unusual for a foreign politician to voice their love or displeasure for an American president. But Salvinis consistent defenses of Trump amount to much more than a tweet or two here or there. Its spontaneous, Salvini said. I was already supporting him in the spring and the summer [of last year] when nobody thought he would win. I like his ideas on a flat-tax, controlling borders having a relationship with Putin. I do it because I believe in him. Last April, the flame-throwing populist put his money where his mouth was, and traveled to the U.S. to attend a campaign event in Pennsylvania for then-candidate Trump. Recently, at a meeting in Brussels, Salvini posted a photo of himself wearing a Trump inauguration shirt underneath his blazer. According to Italys ANSA news agency, the pair met for 20 minutes and Trump told Salvini he hopes he becomes Italys prime minister soon. While his political support is likely not robust enough to propel him to Italys prime ministership, Salvini wields influence over Italians who share the same nationalist, anti-establishment sentiments that catapulted Trump to the presidency and are fueling similar candidates throughout the continent. Additionally, Salvini helped sink a constitutional referendum that was championed by Renzi, the former prime minister who is rumored to be plotting a political comeback. Recent polling data shows Salvini with just 9 percent support among Italians in a crowded field, while his party stands at 13.5 percent. A center-right coalition would garner around 30 percent support, but such an alliance would be contingent on Silvio Berlusconianother former prime minister to whom Trump is often comparedpartnering with Salvini. Berlusconi holds the most power and influence in Italys right wing. Barring any alliance with Berlusconi or the Five Star Movements Beppe Grillo, Salvini will likely be left out of any ruling coalition. He told The Daily Beast that he would not form an alliance solely to win, and would only enter into one if his policy prescriptions were honored. Otherwise, I would prefer that we stay away, he said. Grillo has been an easy target for Salvini, who accuses the populist Five Star Movement, born less than eight years ago, of being weak on illegal immigration. In the U.S., Trump often made use of this same critique of Democratsand even his fellow Republicanswhen they criticized his initial proposal for a Muslim ban and his subsequent hard-line stance on building a wall on the southern border. Asked what the world would look like with himself as the leader of Italy alongside Trump as the U.S. president, Salvini said it would be more orderly, controlled, and peaceful. Salvini believes that there are too many Muslims coming into Italya view that he has repeated in the pastand calls for more restrictions on those coming to Italy. More specifically, he wants to halt migration for those who are not escaping war. The problem, according to Salvini, is Islam itself. Its not only a religion. Its a law. Its the only religion that imposes its laws, he said. With Islam, theres the Sharia. Theres the Islamic law which prevails, and as long as it doesnt distinguish between God and the state, its a problem. Critics say this type of rhetoric encourages terrorists and boosts recruitment efforts, but Salvini believes hes simply calling attention to the problem. Asked whether Muslims should even be in Italy, Salvini said they should be regulated. In my opinion, Islam is an outdated religion. Its not modern. And therefore, theres too much space for violence, he said. In the past, he has called Islam incompatible with Western society. While Trump often uses vague language like getting smart or getting tough on securing and controlling U.S. borders, Salvini is much more blunt in describing his views. Salvini laughs off accusations from his critics, who charge that he is a racist or fascist. Racist means thinking more highly of another, being superior to another. I dont feel better or superiorwhite, black, yellow, all the same, he added. Editors note: The interview with Matteo Salvini was conducted by the reporter in Italian and translated for this article. Kellyanne Conway referred to a fictitious Bowling Green attack to defend President Donald Trumps ban on travel and immigration days before she said she misspoke on MSNBCs Hardball. During a brief video interview with TMZ on January 29, Conway referenced the event that did not happen. The fact is that it was President Obama and the Congress who identified these seven countries so President Trump is just following on, Conway says in the video. President Obama suspended the Iraq refugee program for six months in 2011 and no one certainly coveredI think nobody noticed. He did that because, I assume, there were two Iraqis who came here, got radicalized, joined ISIS, and then were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green attack on our brave soldiers, she added. Conway told The Daily Beast she was referencing the 2011 arrest of two Iraqi refugees in Bowling Green for attacks on the U.S. in Iraq. According to the Department of Justice, Mohanad Shareef Hammadi and Waad Ramadan Alwan admitted using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) against U.S. soldiers in Iraq and attempted to send weapons and money to al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) for the purpose of killing U.S. soldiers. In 2013, ABC News reported the FBI was led to Alwan in 2009 after his fingerprint matched one found on bomb parts that were recovered in Iraq in 2005. The unexploded bombs were discovered in the aftermath of an IED attack that killed four U.S. soldiers. Alwan was admitted as a refugee to the U.S. in 2009 before the FBI matched his print. The terrorists were in Bowling Green and their attack occurred in Iraq, Conway told The Daily Beast via email. Read the ABC News piece I cite. (Which now has heavy traffic so I am pleased we raised awareness of this). They were radicalized members of al Qaeda who entered the US and bragged about attacking American soldiers." "What they did bothered the Obama Administration and it should bother us all," she said, referring to the 2011 decision to conduct a review of some 57,000 Iraqi refugees who had been recently admitted into the country as a result of the Kentucky arrests. "I meant to say masterminds or terrorists and not massacre. It does not detract from the evil they perpetrated and the evil that others may wish to perpetrate if they lie about why they are here. They remain in jail." The same day she spoke to TMZ, Conway told Cosmopolitan about the fictitious massacre. Just days later, on February 2, Conway discussed the massacre again during an interview on MSNBC with Chris Matthews. Conway later acknowledged that she misspoke after the MSNBC interview and meant to say Bowling Green terrorists. She also told Cosmopolitan in response to their story: "Frankly they were terrorists in Bowling Green but their massacre took place in Iraq. At least this got clear-thinking people to focus on what did happen in Bowling Green. Update, 2/6/2017, 3:30 PM: This story has been updated to include comment from Conway. Its hard to overstate Michael Schwartzs effect on Miami. The chef has been opening restaurants in the city since 1994, but it was his flagship, Michaels Genuine Food & Drink that changed Miamis food scene for good. Its philosophy of simple and affordable food made from fresh and local ingredients garnered a James Beard Award in 2010 and helped to put the city of Miami on the national culinary map and to revitalize its Design District, which has today become the vibrant home of dozens of art galleries, high-end shopping destinations, and more restaurants. Schwartzs empire now encompasses several restaurants, a pizzeria chain called Harrys and even a set of Michaels Genuine Pubs aboard Royal Caribbeans Quantum Class cruise ships. And with the 10-year anniversary of Michaels Genuine coming up this March, we asked the eminent chef to share his favorite cocktails in Miami. Gin & Tonic at Bazaar Mar Spain is infatuated with the Gin & Tonic, so its no surprise that Schwartz recommends the version of the drink served at the Miami outpost of famed Spanish chef Jose Andres. The Gin & Tonic is a simple drink, so the ingredients need to be chosen with care, Schwartz says. And Joses is just a little more special. The cocktail here is made with Scottish Hendricks Gin and Fever-Tree Tonic, and comes with an elaborate garnish of citrus peel, juniper berries, and fresh lemon verbena. Boulevardier at Edge Steak & Bar Aussie chef Aaron Brooks, who Schwartz says makes me proud to be a chef in Miami runs this farm-to-table steakhouse in the citys Brickell neighborhood. (Schwartz and Brooks also work together on the charitable program, Wellness in the Schools, which teaches local schoolkids about the importance of healthy eating.) A great partner for a steak is the Boulevardier, which is a twist on the Negroni that replaces the gin quotient with rich whiskey. Bonus tip: Drop by during what Schwartz calls the best happy hour in the area for half-off cocktails and two-for-one appetizers every day from 4 to 7. Rum Old Fashioned at The Regent Cocktail Club While South Beach used to be more of a nightclub, bottle-service kind of town, a new generation of watering holes, like The Regent Cocktail Club, are leading a mixological makeover of the city. Housed in a renovated Art Deco hotel, the bar offers a menu of enduringly popular standards and live jazz most nights. Schwartz orders the spots signature Old Fashioned made with sweet and tropical rum: Its a Miami-appropriate twist on the classic, he says. Whats not to love? Check out our complete Three Drinks travel guide to cocktails . NAPLES, ItalyBelow the white wrought iron balconies and green shutters that one expects in this city, at street level the Sheik Narghile Arabian Bar and Restaurant advertises belly dancing and Arabic cuisine in bright lettering on its darkened windows. It seems out of place among the ice cream parlors and pastry shops. But, then, decor is the least of the problems associated with this building. The landlords are Annamaria Fontana, 62, a former local councilwoman who has been known as the Dark Lady since she converted to Islam more than a decade ago, and her husband Mario di Leva, 68, who has gone by the name Jaafar since he converted to Islam in the late 1980s. They, along with their son Luca di Leva, were arrested last week for trafficking arms and helicopters to Iran and the so-called Islamic State in Libya. Another man, Andrea Pardi, who manages a helicopter manufacturing firm, was also arrested. Ali Mohamud Shaswish from Libya is named in the warrant as well, but his whereabouts are unknown. The di Levas and Pardi have all protested their innocence. The arrests underscore law enforcement concerns in Italy and throughout Europe that organized crime is deeply in bed with the terrorists who threaten random acts of violence either directed or inspired by ISIS. Those worries multiplied after police discovered that Anis Amri, a Tunisian who murdered 12 people in a truck attack on a Christmas market in Berlin, had spent time in Camorra country. Catello Maresca, head of the Naples anti-mafia and anti-terrorism unit says it was able to trace a number of specific weapons and well equipped helicopters to the four Italians and Libyan, including nearly 14,000 M14 semi-automatic rifles, a military use air ambulance that was converted for assault use, MI-17 Soviet assault helicopters, and at least three Italian A129 Mongoose attack helicopters. Even though some of the weapons never left the port because of a logistics snafu, investigators say the defendants are still charged with trafficking the entire inventory because of their intent. The couple and the Libyan suspect are separately accused of trafficking several Soviet-made weapons to ISIS in Libya, including a cache of anti-tank and surface-to-air missiles. And the couple alone are accused of exporting nearly 1 million ($1.08 million) worth of spare parts for helicopters to Iran between 2011 and 2015 in defiance of the United Nations embargo on such exports. Investigators say they also intercepted a number of calls and conversations relating to negotiations to supply Iran with the necessary materials for ammunition production. The police records include information about several trips the pair made to Iran and include a number of photos showing them arm in arm with former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Both Fontana and Di Leva have been previously suspected of involvement with several Camorra crime family clans in the area. Fontana, during her time as a councilwoman, also reportedly worked as an informant for Italys secret service, but her services became questionable when she converted to Islam. The question has also been raised in the press as to whether she worked with the Iranian secret services. When the couple were arrested, the authorities carried out 10 raids simultaneously in Rome, Naples, LAquila, and Salerno that netted documents and other materials. Authorities with Italys anti-Mafia and anti-terrorism division, which is one and the same, say they were first tipped off to Fontana and Di Leva back in 2011 when they investigated a Somali man who was seeking out weapons from the Camorra to train insurgents in Somalia. They had apparently been under surveillance since then. They raised suspicion again on July 22, 2015, a few days after four Italians working in the oil development sector were kidnapped by ISIS in Libya. According to police working on the investigation, Di Leva sent a WhatsApp message to his wife that said, Hey, they kidnapped four Italians in Libya, to which she replied, Already done, old news. Im already in touch. They have the ones where we went. Im already working on it calmly and with caution. Two of the kidnapped Italians were killed in a firefight in March 2016 that led to the liberation of the other two. Authorities will not yet say if they are investigating Di Leva and Fontana for involvement or knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the kidnapping. Investigators are also watching several other people who have been radicalized in Camorra territory, who they say may also be affiliated with the arms trafficking, which, along with drug trafficking, is a multi-million euro business for the Camorra and other criminal gangs. Investigators tell The Daily Beast that they expect more arrests in the coming days. The Arab restaurant on the ground floor of the building where the alleged traffickers lived, which has been open for less than a year, is still open. It is run by Carlo di Stefano, who says the business has nothing to do with the people it rents from, even though the name Luca is listed as the manager on its Facebook page. Di Stefano says it was just by coincidence and mutual contacts that they found the location to open their vegetarian, Moroccan and Middle Eastern belly dancing bar, which is apparently so busy it was impossible to get a reservation this weekend. We wont comment on the arrest, Di Stefano told The Daily Beast. But it has nothing to do with us or what we do. A trafficking trial against the couple and the others could start some time later this year. In The Godfather, Michael Corleone tries explaining to his fiance how his gangster father, Vito Corleone (the Don), is no different than any powerful man like a president or senator. She pushes back: Do you know how naive you sound, Michael? Presidents and senators dont have men killed. Now whos being naive, Kay? Michael replies. This was essentially the same conversation President Donald Trump had with Fox News Bill OReilly on Super Bowl Sunday. OReilly pointed out that Russian President Vladimir Putin has people killed, and Trump said, What do you think? Our countrys so innocent? Now whos being naive, Bill? In Michael Corleones world, the American political system was just as corrupt as the mafia, just more honest about it; it was sort of a moral equivalence. Trump seems to buy into the geopolitical version of this theory, too. Putin has people killed, sure. But so does America. Trump said virtually the same thing more than a year ago on Morning Joeso you know he didnt just misspeak. There are two primary problems with Trumps theory. First, its true America is not perfect; weve made mistakes. Yet in World War II, for example, America sought to liberate, not conquer (like the Soviets). And domestically speaking, Saturday Night Lives ability to mock the president and his administration the way they did last nightand get away with itproves that this nation is a free country. Rush Limbaugh is another example: He mocked Bill Clinton and Barack Obama for a combined eight years, and the only real damage he suffered during that time was self-inflicted. Good luck trying that in Putins Russia. Yes, America has made mistakes over the years. We do a lot of self-flagellationanother sign that we are transparent about our sins. And yes, sometimes a complex world requires tough choices. But a doctor who performs surgery is not to be confused with a butcher. Here, motives matter a great deal. When someone tried to compare the invasion of Grenada to the Soviets invasion of Afghanistan, William F. Buckley explained that comparing the two things was like saying that the man who pushes a little old lady into the path of a bus is morally equivalent to the man who pushes her out of its path, because they both push little old ladies around. Donald Trump is not a transformational leader; he is a transactional leader. He does not summon us or inspire us with big ideas; he makes us want what is coming to us. We get what we want because we are powerful enough to demand it. We do deals. This ethos is perfectly fine for a New York casino magnate; it is a problematic ethos for the leader of the free world. It means he rejects American exceptionalism, a concession that has made him some strange bedfellows. Trump has no use at all for American exceptionalism, wrote Jeet Heer of The New Republic. Thats one of his few redeeming qualities. And Glenn Greenwald called this moment your periodic reminder that the U.S. arms, funds, supports, protects & props up the worlds most savage despots, and has for decades. Meanwhile, as Jake Tapper pointed out, Republicans would be protesting in the streets if Barack Obama had uttered the words: What do you think? Our countrys so innocent? Trump is half-Howard Zinn and half-Gordon Gekko. He combines a traditional left-wing assumption that America is just as compromised as every other nation (maybe worse) with the transactional business ethos that puts profits ahead of people, ideas, and values. Aside from his false assumption, it is obviously problematic to have a president whose worldview sees America as less than exceptional. (Think of the potential implications of a president who thinks killing journalists isnt abnormal.) The second problem is that Americans need to believe that America is special. During times of crisis, the president should be able to inspire Americans to sacrifice and serve a cause greater than their own self-interest. When people believe that they are part of something special and exceptional, this belief binds them together and makes them stronger. This type of political rhetoric must ring true in an authentic (not manipulative) way. In his first inaugural address, President Ronald Reaganwho would later channel moral clarity by calling the Soviets an evil empiresaid, we must realize that no arsenal or no weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. He went on to say that the crisis we were facing does require our best effort and our willingness to believe in ourselves, and to believe in our capacity to perform great deeds; to believe that together with Gods help we can and will resolve the problems which now confront us. And after all, why shouldnt we believe that? We are Americans. It is the kind of speech that Donald Trump could never (and likely will never) givebecause he doesnt believe it. Donald Trump probably thinks that he can Make America Great Againand simultaneously suggest that we dont have any more moral authority than Russia. Now whos being naive? ISTANBUL Donald Trump has picked fights with most of Americas closest allies and upset the world with his visa suspension for seven Muslim-majority stories. Hes also rattled sabers at North Korea and Iran. But for Turkey, a NATO ally on the front lines of the fight against ISIS, his biggest offense may be that he hasnt bothered to call. If and when he does, hell have a lot to discuss with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkeys strongman president, for Trump has made destruction of the so-called Islamic State terror group his top national security goal, and Turkey has troops on the ground in Syria fighting ISIS. But the areas of disagreement are growing. Erdogan vehemently opposes the term radical Islamic terrorism that Trump uses regularly. The indefinite ban on Syrian refugees announced Jan. 27 shocked Turks, who now host three million Syrians. The recent delivery of armored personnel carriers to northern Syria to benefit Kurdish forces fighting ISIS is viewed as a threat to Turkeys security. But Erdogan has held his tongue. Whenever the call comes, and Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Saturday it could be any day, Turkey clearly isnt high on Trumps dance card. This comes as a surprise to some, since both sides had earlier signaled a desire to repair the rift that opened between the two countries under the Obama administration. Just after Trumps victory, Ret. Gen. Michael Flynn, whos now National Security Adviser, called for removing Fetullah Gulen, a retired cleric whom Erdogan blames for an abortive coup last summer, from his refuge in Pennsylvanias Poconos mountains. And Erdogan sent his foreign minister to Trumps Inauguration, where he met Flynn and other members of Trumps national security team. But starting with Trumps Inaugural address, in which he pledged to eradicate radical Islamic terrorismfrom the face of the Earth, his real intentions have come into question in majority Muslim nations, especially secular states like Turkey, which take umbrage at his rhetoric. When German Chancellor Angela Merkel used a more nuanced phrase than Trump in Ankara on Thursday, referring to the fight against Islamist terrorism, Erdogan rebuked her publicly. The Islamist terror expression gravely saddens us as Muslims, he said. Such an expression cannot be used. It is not right because Islam and terror dont go side by side. Islam literally means peace. Turks were infuriated by the Jan. 27 executive order blocking all refugees for four months, Syrian refugees indefinitely, and refugees from six other Muslim majority countries for three months. All of the countrieson the list are crisis spots in their region and face systematic slaughter, massacres and violence, as well as human rights violations, said Yasin Aktay, the deputy chairman of Erdogans ruling Justice and Development Party. Theres only one word for those that shut their doors to people fleeing such places and seeking shelter. That word is racist, he said. Then there was Trumps Jan. 28 executive order instructing the Pentagon to produce a plan within 30 days to destroy ISIS. Its hard to imagine stepped-up U.S. military operation in Syria that dont make use of Turkeys Incirlik Air Base and its logistics and support. Turkey also is the only U.S. ally that currently has ground troops in Syria who are now attempting to capture the city of al Bab from ISIS. It has lost 56 soldiers so far. But there was no sign Trump consulted anyone knowledgeable before signing the order. Trump justified the move by saying that ISIS was complicit in attacks abroad in which Americans died such as in Paris, Nice and Brussels. But he omitted mention of Turkey, which sustained seven ISIS attacks that left 300 people dead. ISIS assaults are but one layer in Turkeys continuing security crisis. After an ISIS attack on an Istanbul nightclub before dawn on New Years Day, Turkish police arrested dozens of central Asian suspects in Istanbul. This past weekend, police detained 820 people all around Turkey, mostly foreign nationals, on suspicion of ISIS ties. But Turkey also has been under terror attack by offshoots of the Kurdistan Workers Party or PKK, which Turkey is fighting in the southeast of the country. And its still recovering from an abortive coup attempt last July which Erdogan blames on Gulen. Erdogans and Trumps positions should overlap in many areas but they divide at crucial points. Both view Irans expansionist role as destabilizing the entire Middle East. Turkey is concerned about Irans growing control over much of Syria through its dispatch of its own forces and Shiite militias from as far away as Afghanistan, while Trump has even suggested that in the fight against ISIS, he might work with the Assad regime in Syria which Iran is sustaining in power. In his first two weeks in office, Trump has imposed new sanctions following Irans ballistic missile tests and sent a destroyer into the Red Sea after Houthi rebels, reputedly backed by Iran, attacked a Saudi frigate. Both leaders have made overtures to Russia, which helped turn the tide of the Syrian war through an air intervention against rebel forces that began in September 2015. Erdogan turned to Russian leader Vladimir Putin in desperation after giving up on working with the Obama administration, and the two leaders announced a cease-fire, which has been widely violated since it began Dec. 30. Trump has said he sees Putin as a potential partner in the war against ISIS, belying the fact that Russia has consistently been bombing civilian targets and moderate rebel forces while claiming to be attacking ISIS. How they will sort out this tangle of contradictions remains to be seen. Erdogan and Trump both say they are determined to wipe out terrorism, but Erdogans definition of the threat is a lot broader, taking in the PKK and Gulen as well as ISIS, while Trump has yet to explain what he really means by radical Islamic terrorism. Take the Muslim Brotherhood, the sole opposition in much of the Arab world to secular socialist leaders like Syrias Assad dynasty, but widely viewed as the incubator for political Islam, including terror movements such as al Qaeda. Trump is under political pressure to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terror group, which would deeply upset Erdogan, whose Justice and Development party is spiritually close to the Brotherhood. Erdogan openly backed Brotherhood member Mohamed Morsi after he was elected president of Egypt in 2012 and sharply criticized his overthrow the following year in a military coup. Moving forward, Trump seems unlikely to come down on Erdogans side, judging from his telephone log. Just three days after his Inauguration, Trump called Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi, the general who led the coup. One of the thorniest issues between the U.S. and Turkey is the next steps in the battle against ISIS. After the fall of Mosul, Iraq, to ISIS in June 2014, President Obama at first paid little attention to ISISs role in Syria, even though the terror group had declared its capital in Raqqa, eastern Syria, about 60 miles south of the Turkish border. Over strong Turkish opposition, the U.S. sent military aid to the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG), which dominate much of northeastern Syria. Turkey objected that the YPG is the Syrian branch of the PKK. The U.S. provided air support and weapons as Kurds defended the town of Kobani from ISIS in the autumn of 2014, and then sent in U.S. special operations forces, who now total somewhat less than 500 personnel. The YPG moved on to seize major mostly Arab towns from ISIS control, first Tel Abyad in June 2015 and most recently Manbij last August. As President Obama prepared to leave office, he ordered a step-up in operations to take Raqqa, utilizing the YPG and a grouping of Arab fighters under its command, called the Syrian Democratic Forces or SDF, as its ground force. On the recommendation of the U.S. military, Obama approved the shipment of armored personnel carriers into Kurdish-controlled northern Syria, which arrived after Trump took office. A lot more arms appear to be in the pipeline. Erdogan has repeatedly denounced U.S. military aid to the YPG as support for a terrorist group with which Turkey is at war. Last August, Turkey sent its own troops into Syria, first capturing the border town of Jarablus, and then moving towards Al Bab, and Erdogan offered to send Turkish forces in a combined operation to oust ISIS from Raqqa. But Turkeys plan is in three steps. First is to oust ISIS from Al Bab, where its forces have been bogged down and are now in a race with Syrian government forces to capture the city center. Then, according to Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkish forces will move to Manbij to take control of the city now under YPG control, after which they will move to Raqqa. The U.S. has not been on board with Turkeys plan to take Manbij. I dont expect Turks to have a role there, Col. John Thomas, spokesman for the U.S. Central Command, told The Daily Beast last month. If Trump is determined to crush ISIS fast, agreement with Turkey on strategy may be out of reach, but its hard to see how the U.S. can proceed without Turkish support. Another major issue is the fate of Gulen. Obama repeatedly rebuffed Erdogans demand to extradite Gulen to face charges that he directed the failed coup last July. Turkey last month sent more documentation to Washington backing up its case, but the U.S. up to now has said this is a decision for U.S. courts to make. Gulen himself has denied playing any role in the coup attempt. Writing in The Hill on the day after Trumps election victory, Flynn called Gulen a radical Islamist and compared him to Ayatollah Khomeini, the cleric who spearheaded Irans Islamic revolution in 1979. The Gulen movement fits the description of a dangerous sleeper terror network, Flynn wrote. We need to adjust our foreign policy to recognize Turkey as a priority. The forces of radical Islam derive their ideology from radical clerics like Gulen, who is running a scam, wrote Flynn. We should not provide him safe haven. In this crisis, it is imperative that we remember who our real friends are. Now the question is whether Trump will follow Flynns advice. Then theres the matter of a safe zone inside Syria, which Trump said he absolutely will set up so that Syrians fleeing the barrel bombing and missiles of the Syrian regime can find safe refuge inside their won country. Turkey has long advocated such a zone, but Obama declined to provide military support. The main reason, Turkish officials say, was Irans threat that it will send in its own Basij paramilitaries to fight any force trying to protect the safe areas. Turkey, though a powerful regional player, was unwilling to take on Iran, its current major rival, without U.S. support. Now, by virtue of its intervention in Jarablus and Al Bab, Turkey has begun carving out a safe zone. But the mystery is what Trump has in mind. Some here fear that the safe zone will be on territory conquered by the YPG with U.S. air support. And its hard to see how planning on safe zones can proceed without major input from Turkey. But thats where things appear to stand. Meanwhile, Erdogan waits for Trumps call. President Trump may be continuing his public pursuit for Vladimir Putins affections. But behind the scenes, the United States is quietly preparing to wage an information war against Russia. The 2016 presidential campaign alerted the public to the concept of information as a weaponand to its incredible effectiveness when used just right. From WikiLeaks to RT to Sputnik, the Russian government tried to sow discord among Americans, according to a recent U.S. intelligence report. To some extent it succeeded, by facilitating public skepticism of American institutions and the pressand undermining Hillary Clintons campaign. Russia is trying to create civic chaos, questions about what is reliable, and mistrust about institutions, said Karl Altau, director of the Joint Baltic American National Committee, which advocates against Russian misinformation. Its a national threat. This is something responsible citizens need to be aware of. Russian intervention in the U.S. democratic process caught many American policymakers dozing at the wheel, observers say. But the dramatic nature of the intelligence communitys findings, both before and after Trumps election, has woken them up. This was not paid much attention to until the Hillary Clinton [presidential campaign was upended by hacked and leaked emails] last summer, said Donald Jensen, a senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, a leading think-tank on Russian information warfare. If you went around town last spring and asked senators and lawmakers if this is a problem, they would have said no People are playing catch-up. Without fanfare, the catch-up is slowly beginning. The United States government is spending tens of millions of dollars to counter propaganda from Vladimir Putin and other state actors, a move slipped into the thousands of pages of the annual defense policy bill passed by Congress. The great uncertainty of the new counter-propaganda initiative lies in how it will take shape under the Trump administration and whether the administration will use propaganda tools wisely and for the intended purposes of the law. Trumps public coziness with Putin puts that in question. And the new measure raises yet another question: Is giving the president another propaganda tool a good idea? Typically, when Congress directs a response against Americas enemies, it takes the form of sanctionsa targeted squeeze on an adversarys economic health. Countering propaganda and information warfare is more abstract and complex, and often goes under the radar. But a bipartisan initiative led by Republican Sen. Rob Portman and Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy has authorized $160 million over two years to fight propaganda state actors through a little-known interagency office housed at the State Department called the Global Engagement Center (GEC). Bipartisan Russian sanctions legislation, proposed last month by Sens. Ben Cardin and John McCain, would expand it even further, dedicating an additional $100 million for the GEC and others to support objective Russian-language journalism, counter fake news, and support research on the effects of information warfare. The interagency office, when it enters operation later this year, will mark the first centralized counter-propaganda pushback against the Russians since the 1990s, when the Cold War seemingly left such counter-propaganda obsolete. The GEC will track foreign propaganda campaigns, analyze the tactics, and counter them through a series of grants to overseas journalists, civil-society organizations, and private companies. By directly countering false narratives and empowering local media and civil societies to defend themselves from foreign manipulation, this legislation will help support our allies and interests in this increasingly unstable world, Portman told The Daily Beast. The grants would go to independent organizations. For example, websites like Bellingcat and StopFake.orgwhich provide access to truthful information and counter false Russian narratives in Ukrainewould be eligible for these resources. We cannot respond to state propaganda with more state propaganda. The proper response is to use the main advantage that Western societies still have over authoritarian regimes: a really robust, pluralistic civil society, explained Alina Polyakova, who is the Atlantic Councils Eurasia Center deputy director and was an early supporter the GEC legislation. The Global Engagement Center was initially created under the Obama administration to fight ISIS propaganda, but the Portman-Murphy measure expanded its scope to target propaganda from state actors, with Russia in mind as a primary antagonist. The measure also upped their funding 16-fold. The GEC originally had just $5 million a year for operations, according to Murphys office. However, information warfare remains a battlefield where the Russians are far more advanced. The concept is a formal idea in Russian declarations of their military doctrine, released publicly in 2013. And Putin puts his money where his mouth is: Polyakova estimated that Russia spends, at a bare minimum, $400 million annually on information warfare in the United States. Russia has a well-thought-out, complex information strategy that seeks to influence narratives and politics and policy in Western countries unrivaled in the scope and complexity and maliciousness, she said. Unlike the Cold War, Putin doesnt need to promote Soviet-style communism: He merely has to undermine Americas democracy. Russia doesnt have to sell an ideology; it just needs to exploit divisions in the West and the Wests uncertainty about its own values and what is true and what isnt, Jensen said. Theres a complacency in the West about the danger this poses. The United States, on the other hand, moved away from much of the anti-Russian information warfare game with the closure of the U.S. Information Agency in 1999. The resources dedicated to counter-propaganda in recent years have been focused on countering jihadi propaganda, rather than Russianand many of these have been shown to be of dubious effectiveness. The Center for Global Engagement, in the Obama administrations original conception, focused on targeting would-be extremists with anti-ISIS messaging. But ISIS has had an advantage over the Wests campaign to defeat it: The United States and its allies have not been able to agree on anti-ISIS messaging. One anti-ISIS messaging effort, which used video of the terrorist groups savagerycrucified bodies and severed heads among themwas criticized by some experts as embarrassing and possibly even beneficial to the enemy. And the initiatives have seemed stale, despite the efforts of Hollywoods most talented creative minds. American officials have previously concluded that ISIS is more effective in spreading its message than the U.S. is in countering it. Other American information-warfare efforts, such as spending $24 million to fly a plane around Cuba, beaming U.S.-sponsored television programming that the Cuban government immediately jams, have been ill-conceived or poorly executed. Around the turn of the decade, the United States began trying to create internet access and social-networking tools in order to empower dissidents and democracy activists, including ones in Russia. These efforts on social media networks like Twitter and Facebook backfired, as Putin viewed these tools as U.S.-backed efforts to overthrow himand now uses these same networks to spread fake or pro-Russian news. Still, Russias aggressiveness and effectiveness on this front, combined with American flat-footedness, have started to attract the attention of Americas intelligence community. In one of his final hearings on Capitol Hill, outgoing Director of National Intelligence James Clapper proposed that the United States reestablish an U.S. Information Agency to counter misinformation. Its an idea that has energized lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. Both Democratic Sen. Chris Coons and Republican Sen. Todd Young spoke about countering Russian propaganda at the confirmation hearing for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Our enemies are using foreign propaganda and disinformation against us and our allies, and so far the U.S. government has been asleep at the wheel. We have to delegitimize false narratives coming out of Russia, China and other nations and increase access to factual information, Portman told The Daily Beast. We need to get the law implemented and the new center up and running so it can help confront the extensive, and destabilizing, foreign propaganda and disinformation operations being waged against us by our enemies overseas. If anything, Trump knows the powers of using new mediums, such as social media, for counter-messagingwith widespread effects. As presidential pal and notorious conspiracy theorist Alex Jones might say, theres a war on for your mind. Update 10:10am 2/6/17 for clarity. Bethany Lutheran Videos at Each Live Worship Service Such is the contrast between the Bible of the old and the Bible of the new theologies. That there are compromise systems between the twoor at any rate attempts at a compromise is certainly true; but it is impossible to effect a compromise between systems fundamentally and essentially at variance. This is a case of either or, Delitzsch was right when he maintained that a deep chasm existed between the old and the new theology, and this chasm exists because there is a chasm between the Bible of the old and the Bible of the new theologies. In one word, the Scriptures of the one is the Bible without God; the Scriptures of the other is the Bible of and with God. The Bible Of The Old And The Bible Of The New Theology. By Rev. Professor George H. Schodde, Ph. D., Columbus, O. in Loy, ed. The Columbus Theological Magazine. Vol. 18, 1898. LutheranLibrary.org With a new administration and president so unlike anything we have seen before, it may seem fruitless to try to draw any instruction from the past. But theres one lesson, almost half a century old, that raises what may well be the most fundamental question about the Trump presidencya question that could well be literally a matter of life and death. In early 1968, the Vietnam War had become a quagmire. More than 500,000 Americans were in combat there; 500 were dying every week. Dissent was spreading not only on college campuses, but also within the Democratic Party. A peace candidate, Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy, was mounting a primary challenge to President Lyndon Johnson. When Johnson realized that Defense Secretary Robert McNamara was increasingly plagued by doubt, he replaced him with Clark Clifford, the consummate Washington lawyer-lobbyist, who had been a key counselor in Democratic Party affairs for 20 years, as well as a highly paid lawyer with blue-chip corporate clients. After the 1960 election, President Kennedy said of Cliffords assistance, All he asked in return was that we advertise his law firm on the backs of one-dollar bills. Clifford had been one of Johnsons more hawkish confidants as the war escalated, but within days of his nomination, the Tet Offensivea series of attacks by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces across South Vietnamhad shaken U.S. confidence that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. When the Pentagon asked for an increase of 206,000 troops, Johnson asked Clifford to chair a task force to probe exactly where and how the troops would be deployed. The result was a revelation. I know for three full days I spent down in the tank with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, where you sit with all of the communications devices that go all over the world, Clifford recalled years later in a PBS television interview. We had long talks. How long would it take? They didnt know. How many more troops would it take? They didnt know. Would 206,000 answer the demand? They didnt know. Might there be more? Yes, there might be more. So, when it was all over, I said, What is the plan to win the war in Vietnam? Well, the only plan is that ultimately the attrition will wear down the North Vietnamese and they will have had enough. Is there any indication that weve reached that point? No, there isnt. As a result of that kind of interview, and that kind of information, before the final examination was over and we submitted our reports to President Johnson, I had turned against the war. The next stepthe key stepwas to convince the president that his present course of action was doomed to failure. The turning point came on March 25, just a week after Robert Kennedy had entered the presidential race, and days before the president had planned a Churchillian speech to the nation, attempting to rally the country behind the war. On that day, LBJ gathered a group of senior advisors, from inside and outside the administration, men who had supported escalation every step of the way. They were labeled the wise menfigures like former Secretary of State Dean Acheson, former Ambassador to Vietnam Maxwell Taylor, and former National Security Adviser McGeorge Bundy. To his shock, the group advised him not to increase ground forces, to halt most of the bombing of the North, and to find some alternative approach to ending the war. As Clifford put it, Now here was a group saying, Mr. President, stop trying to win the war. Start cutting back. Dont send any more men. We think you ought to get out. It was a very bitter pill for him. But he swallowed it. A week later, on March 31, Johnson went before the nation to announce a halt in the bombing, and a willingness to negotiate with North Vietnam and the insurgent forces in the South. He also announced, I do not believe that I should devote an hour or a day of my time to any personal partisan causes or to any duties other than the awesome duties of this officethe presidency of your country. Accordingly, I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your president. The relationship between LBJ and Clifford suffered permanent damage. By late 1968, Johnson was increasingly rejecting Cliffords advice, and Clifford had come to believe Johnson wanted Richard Nixona man Clifford despisedover Hubert Humphrey in that falls presidential race. (Cliffords own reputation would suffer years later as a result of his involvement in a bank linked to criminal activity.) But in March 1968, when a critical decision about war and peace was at stake, Johnson listened when he was told that his bedrock assumptions had been proven wrongand changed course. There may be no more vital aspect of a presidents character than the willingness to abandon deeply held beliefs when the facts demand it. For Johnson, whose primal fear of humiliation is rivaled only by that of Donald Trumps, it meant giving up on the job hed hungered for for decades. For Richard Nixon, it meant heeding the advice of Republican leaders when the Watergate scandal overwhelmed him, rather than risking a constitutional crisis by rejecting a Supreme Court order to turn over the tapes that doomed him. For Ronald Reagan, it meant acknowledging that in fact his administration had traded arms for hostages held by Iran. As he put it, in one of the more candid admissions of any president, A few months ago I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages. My heart and my best intentions still tell me thats true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not. For George W. Bush, whod launched the invasion of Iraq in 2003 on the premise that it would trigger a birth of freedom throughout the Middle East, it meant a radical change of policyand a new defense secretarythree years later when that premise lay in ruins. From this history, two questions emerge: First: Is there any figureinside this administration or outwith the willingness to present to President Trump an argument that he is on a wrongheaded, dangerous course? Second: If there is such a person, is there any reason to believe that the president would listen and change course, as opposed to dismissing any argument, no matter how steeped in evidence, that suggests that he has been wrong? It is impossible to overstate just how much may be riding on the answers to those questions. ROME Something strange is happening in Vatican City. Over the weekend, dozens of inflammatory posters showing a dour-faced Pope Francis were plastered in central Rome. Under the picture of the frowning Francis, written in Roman dialect, was what seemed like a not-so-veiled warning. Ah Francis, youve taken over congregations, removed priests, decapitated the Order of Malta and the Franciscans of the Immaculate, ignored Cardinals but wheres your mercy? No one has yet claimed responsibility for the anti-pope propaganda, which was swiftly covered up with illegal posting signs by Roman cops. But most Vatican insiders and followers of the papal press have surmised that it has something to do with American Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, a man who would impeach the pope if he could.Burke, an ultra-conservative who seems fond of the good old days when cardinals could condemn sinners for even the slightest infraction while living large at the Churchs expense, is the frugal popes most vocal opponent. He and three other conservative cardinals are behind the filing of what are called dubia or doubts about the popes interpretation of Catholic doctrine.In a letter signed and delivered to Francis last November, the four threatened to launch a formal act of correction of a serious error against the pope for his perceived leniency to divorced and remarried Catholics, gays and other previously taboo topics.The pope responded by telling a local journalist he wasnt losing sleep over it and had no intention of responding formally.Burke was the Cardinal Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura under Benedict XVI, a lofty post that oversaw all matters of Vatican law that afforded him respect and more than a little power. But when Francis was elected he cleaned house, and clerics like Burke, who would often be seen roaming around Rome in opulent attire like velvet capes and ornate hats, were marginalized and replaced by men with ministry, not diplomatic, experience. It was then that Burke was sidelined to oversee the Sovereign Council of Knights of Malta where, under his guidance, Albrecht Freiherr von Boeselager, the Grand Chancellor was canned over a condom distribution scandal aimed at helping to prevent HIV/AIDS transmission. Francis intervened and asked for the resignation of the Knights Grand Master Matthew Festing. Burke and other conservatives balked, reportedly trying to get Festing to refuse to resign since the Knights of Malta enjoy sovereign status and are one of the oldest Catholic orders around. Festing did resign and Francis put one of his own men in place, who quickly reinstated von Boeselager as Grand Chancellor and effectively replaced Burke as the liaison between the order and the Holy See. It must be said that there is no proof that Burke has ink on his hands in the anti-papal poster scandal, but there is even less indication that he doesnt. Calls to the Knights of Malta for a comment were left unanswered. Gianni Riotta, a prominent journalist in Rome, cried conspiracy against the pope. They were concocted, paid for, and posted by a very shady, rich and powerful network, he told The Daily Beast. This is not a childish prank. Still, the public display of venom against one of the most-loved popes in anyones memory, has sent shockwaves through the city. The posting in some neighborhoods of Rome of anonymous posters irreverently critical towards the work of Pope Francis has aroused sadness and disapproval, Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the popes vicar for the diocese of Rome said in a statement. The faithful of the Christian community, along with all the inhabitants of the city, do not identify with these unjust insinuations and renew their sentiments of esteem, respect and filial gratitude to the Bishop of Rome, Successor of the Apostle Peter, for his personal witness to the Gospel and to his work of evangelization and closeness to humanity, especially to the poor. A fan and friend of the pope, Father Antonio Spadaro, editor of the Jesuit magazine La Civilta Cattolica summed up the popular consensus in a tweet: The derogatory posters of #PapaFrancesco posted in Rome are threats. They are detached from the hearts of the people. And the effect is the opposite! Diageo returns to Irish whiskey sector Diageo has announced its return to the Irish whiskey category with plans for a whiskey distillery in the old power station at St James' Gate, Dublin, in a 25m investment over three years. Further to this, Diageo is releasing a premium NAS blend, Roe & Co. Diageo identified a clear opportunity in Irish whiskey to drive overall category growth via premiumisation. Responding to this, Roe & Co was created. Diageo claims that the brand has been created to reflect modern, contemporary luxury, in everything from pack to liquid, and with a focus of making Irish whiskey more prominent in Europes cocktail culture. Roe & Co is made from hand-selected stocks of Irish malt and grain whiskies and aged in bourbon casks. Roe & Co is named in honour of George Roe, the once world-famous whiskey maker who helped build the golden era of Irish whiskey in the 19th Century. His distillery, George Roe and Co extended over 17 acres on Thomas Street in Dublin and was once Ireland's largest distillery. As neighbours for hundreds of years George Roe and Co and Guinness were the two biggest names at the heart of Dublins historic brewing and distilling quarter. Diageo will now build on this heritage with the creation of a new distillery by converting the historic former Guinness Power House on Thomas Street. The new St. Jamess Gate distillery, will be situated shortly from where the George Roe and Co distillery once stood and subject to planning approval will begin production in the first half of 2019. Using her 30 years of experience, Diageos master blender, Caroline Martin, and her team sourced and selected stocks of Irish whiskies. Roe & Co is non-chill filtered and bottled at 45% ABV. The first blend of Roe & Co will be available in key European cities from 1st March 2017 as part of Diageos growing Reserve portfolio. Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD says: Irish whiskey is experiencing a renaissance and is truly an Irish success story. It is seeing a return to the success it experienced in its golden era in the 19th Century and is now the fastest growing spirit drink in the world with global sales increasing by over 300% and record exports of over 400 million in the last ten years. This commitment and investment by Diageo comes at an opportune time for the sector which is experiencing unprecedented global demand. 25 million investment in this project over 3 years will support the local economy, create jobs, and bring a welcome new addition to the citys tourism offering. The Irish whiskey market has a great story to tell and todays announcement marks an exciting new chapter in its development. Mary Mitchell OConnor TD, minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovations, says: It is great to see Diageo continue to invest in and further enhance the historical Dublin 8 area to create a fantastic attraction for tourists and locals alike. The proposed distillery will play a major role in the overall regeneration of the Liberties through the repurposing of the St James Gate Power House. Irish produced whiskey has never been as popular, garnering international acclaim and recognition. Diageos decision to move into the premium Irish whiskey category and its plans to invest in a new distillery will further enhance Irelands reputation as one of the finest premium whiskey producers in the world. Commenting on the launch, Tanya Clarke, general manager of Diageo Reserve Europe says: This is a wonderful project for us at Diageo, highlighting the opportunity we see to develop the premium segment of Irish Whiskey and contribute to the categorys growth as it sees new investment and entrepreneurial interest. In crafting Roe & Co we explored the demands of todays consumers for more premium drinking experiences and the desire of bartenders for an adaptable, flavourful whiskey that works in both traditional and new cocktails. Colin OBrien, operations director, Diageo says: The planned distillery will provide employment in the coming years both at construction and operation stages. It will complement what is already the countrys most popular tourism offering, The Guinness Storehouse. This investment further demonstrates Diageos commitment to the growing vibrancy of The Liberties, one of the Citys most dynamic districts and the home of Irish whiskey during the original golden age of Irish distilling. We are excited that the planned distillery will help revive the proud tradition of distilling in the Liberties. 6 February 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, editorial assistant On the top page of Google (again) we see that the Guardian, Telegraph and 'Science' blame the movement of the clock hands on the election of Mr Trump. ABC seems to think it is global warming. But global warming, even in worst case scenarios (and I have myself followed this and made my own calculations) wont wipe out life on Earth, except indirectly by creating resource wars which might go nuclear. And a virus pandemic would always have some survivors. Total nuclear exchange would not: so that is what we are dealing with. It is a very real possibility. But not because of Donald Trump. What I see in the election of Trump, and in Brexit also, is a spontaneous creation of civil society, in countries which have seen their lives ruined by globalisation and what has been called 'the new world order'. Outrageous, flamboyant, petulant? For sure. But world destroyer? What I see in Mr Trump is an independent flamboyant showman, along the lines of an earlier US President Andrew Jackson, a man who also despised and tried to destroy the US establishment. I have a lot of time for people like this, being a version myself; I watched the media system doing their uttermost to paint Trump as a madman. Trump clearly thinks outside the system of smoke and mirrors that passes for western media news, the constructions on the web and TV and newspapers which are increasingly spun and slanted with nonsense and demonstrable lies about the state of the world. So if I was running the Doomsday clock, the election of Trump would make me put the clock back rather than closer to annihilation. He doesn't trust the US security services. Does anyone? He disassociates his Presidency from the collection of dodgy characters previously running the US global domination operation, including all the presidents in living memory. The votes for Trump and not for Hilary were the eventual revolution against the fat-cat control of America and its continuous war against the people on the planet, fought as if the world were a battleground that it had to dominate. The war machine built up in the post World War II period until the demise of Hilary Clinton is well known to readers of spy novels and if not, can be seen by anyone who looks at the history. It was fuelled by paranoia about Communism (even a child would say that this is a just idea and indeed is at the base of Christianity) and the immense amounts of power and wealth associated with developing and manufacturing weapons. Russian aggression? Where is the real threat coming from? When the Soviet Union broke up and could no longer justify the huge US military budget, other enemies had to be found. Bombs had to be dropped on someone, in order to order new ones. Hence the continuous and endless wars about 'democracy' and 'freedom'. Let's look some scenarios. How big an exchange would represent apocalypse? A baseline is that there were a huge number of nuclear weapons tested in the atmosphere in the period 1952-1963. The peak in radioactive fallout was from 1959 and 1963. This did not wipe out humanity, although there was a mini nuclear winter in the 60s. The European Committee on Radiation Risk [2] estimated some 60 million extra cancers together with a few million dead babies (about 0.2% of births) as consequence. But we are all (just about) still around. Nuclear exchanges between India and Pakistan, or Israel and Iran will not do. The number of warheads involved would result in some mega-Hiroshimas, the global fallout contamination would jump, but not an end of the world. The combined yield of the approximately 100+100 warheads (say 200kT each) just about equal the yield of the 1962 Tsar Bomba 40Mt test on its own. And Iran has no nuclear weapons: but even if it had, an Israel-Iran exchange would be even more feeble than India Pakistan. North Korea? The same. As for China, it has no real enemies, and the Chinese have always been traders rather than invaders. China is doing alright and doesn't need to attack anyone. So what is the real Doomsday threat? It is the US and British obsession with Russia, the tail of the cold war guard dog of the spy novels, which seems to have taken on a life of its own, long after the dog itself became obsolete and unnecessary. It is the sabre-rattling encroachment of NATO on the borders of Russia. It is the deployment of sophisticated (and enormously expensive) antimissile systems in countries like Rumania and Poland. It is the crazy NATO and US generals who want to (and have) put troops and battle-tanks and helicopters in the Baltic States (where I live), on the basis that the expansionist Russians are intent on marching over the borders of Latvia and taking back their lost empire. Which they easily could, by the way, since the Russian military far out-guns the pathetic armies of NATO running about on the Baltic and Polish borders. A worms' eye view from the Baltic I live near Riga. Since I moved there in 2010 I have seen the NATO infestation of the country. Big new tanks with the Latvian Flag rumble though the villages, and helicopters thud overhead disturbing the badgers and deer in the forest. Russia has no need to invade Latvia; it can get what it wants or needs. In fact it is the other way round. Latvia needs Russia. But the media whip up a frenzy of fear, that there will be a Russian invasion, like the one in Ukraine. There is even a book about this insanity, written by a general, retired Deputy NATO commander Sir Richard Shirreff. Like most things in politics, this is about money. The people who make the money control the Media which demonises Trump because he won't follow the master plan to globalise the planet, drive down unit costs by moving production to the lowest wages and control it's diminishing resources (oil) whilst making huge amounts of money for the military and the arms manufacturers, Raytheon, Boeing, McDonnell Douglas et al. involved in the endless global battlefield. I was invited to the Perdana Foundation's Criminalize War conference in Kuala Lumpur, and spoke with Tun Mahatir Mohammed, whose brilliant idea it was [3]. Since then Ditta Rietuma and I have made presentations from conferences in Latvia and Sweden about the dangers of nuclear war, what is driving it, and specifically about this most dangerous confrontation between the USA and NATO and Russia. Now, let's hope Trump makes good his most important election promise ... The election of Trump, who (sensibly) sees no reason why the USA should continue to pay for NATO, is a good thing. His promise to de-escalate tensions between the US and Russia was popular and surely the best of all reasons to vote for him! Finally: one thing. The real Doomsday clock passed midnight long ago. The mad race to extinction fuelled by the market-forces laissez faire western system created a monster: a system which is not really controlled by anyone, but drives itself with only one imperative-to become richer and more powerful, so as to become richer and more powerful. The monster has no soul; it was not constructed to look after life on the planet. Following nuclear fallout, and nuclear energy accidents, Depleted Uranium, and now fracking, background radioactivity continuously increases. The fertility rate is falling. IVF is advancing. Cancer is an epidemic in real terms. This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper. Chris Busby is an expert on the health effects of ionizing radiation. He qualified in Chemical Physics at the Universities of London and Kent, and worked on the molecular physical chemistry of living cells for the Wellcome Foundation. Professor Busby is the Scientific Secretary of the European Committee on Radiation Risk based in Brussels and has edited many of its publications since its founding in 1998. He has held a number of honorary University positions, including Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Health of the University of Ulster. Busby currently lives in Riga, Latvia. See also: chrisbusbyexposed.org, greenaudit.org and llrc.org. This article is the unedited version of one originally published on RT. Representatives of many of organizations Phyllis founded, including her many Eagle Forum chapters, RNC for Life and America's Future met together at Gathering of Eagles in St. Louis, MO January 26 - 28. The conference was held one block away from the Phyllis Schlafly Center in Clayton, MO, which was dedicated on Friday, January 27. The late conservative icon Phyllis Schlafly left a great legacy and much work to be done. That work was the topic of discussion at this year's Gathering of Eagles as the attendees planned for the upcoming year. The weekend included panel discussions on "Pro-Life Matters"; "How to Reach the Next Generation"; "Education and Abstinence"; "What DC can do for you?"; a visit to Phyllis' home where she wrote, read, and went about her daily life; and a dedication of the Phyllis Schlafly Center with Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft. Phyllis' life was celebrated with expressions of love which included fond remembrances by many who had been inspired and mentored by her. What you should know about Phyllis Schlafly Phyllis Schlafly was a national leader of the conservative movement since the publication of her best-selling 1964 book, A Choice Not An Echo, until her death on September 9, 20l7. Phyllis was likewise a leader of the pro-family movement since 1972 through her founding of Eagle Forum, which was successful in its fight to stop radical feminists' ultimate goal, the Equal Rights Amendment. Phyllis Schlafly founded Eagle Forum in 1972 and named it after reading the Biblical passage Isaiah 40:31: "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." At a Trump rally in St. Louis, MO on March 11, 2016 Phyllis Schlafly, in keeping with her 1964 book, A Choice Not An Echo, accordingly endorsed candidate Donald Trump. Phyllis wrote a final book before her death six months later in collaboration with Ed Martin and Brett M. Decker, The Conservative Case for Trump. As fate would have it, Phyllis Schlafly passed away on September 5, 2016, the day before the release of her book. Candidate Trump attended her funeral mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016. Celebrating Life! Dinner: Janet Porter Promotes Heartbeat Bill One of several noteworthy events at this year's Gathering of Eagles was the Celebrating Life! Dinner which featured Janet Porter. Janet (Folger) Porter is the President and Founder of Faith2Action, the nations largest network of pro-family groups. Its mission is to win the cultural war for life, liberty, and the family. She also hosts a 60-second daily radio commentary which airs in 200 markets, including the American Family Radio and the Bott radio network, contributes to WorldNetDaily. Ms. Porter initiated the nations first Heartbeat Bill in Ohio on Feb. 2011 to legally protect unborn babies with detectable heartbeats. This effort inspired Arkansas and North Dakota to pass Heartbeat Lawsnow the most protective pro-life laws in the nation. While Janet Porter and Rep. Steven King were both attending the funeral of Phyllis Schlafly in St. Louis in September, 2016, Porter persuaded Rep. King to act by initiating a federal Heartbeat Bill. I gave him a packet and Rep. King agreed to introduce a federal Heartbeat Bill, which would protect every baby whose heartbeat can be detected. Ninety to 95 percent of the abortions will be ended with that bill. Janet Porter gave this certain and consistent marker: It is with 96 - 97% certainty that a child will survive until a live birth when a heartbeat is heard. Congressman King introduces Federal Heartbeat Bill Republican Congressman Steve King, who represents the 4th District of Iowa, followed through with his promise to Janet Porter on January 12, 2017, by releasing the following Press Release statement upon introducing The Heartbeat Bill that would require physicians to detect the heartbeat and prohibit the abortion of a baby with a beating heart: (HR 490, the Heartbeat Protection Act of 2017). This bill is modeled off similar legislation proposed in Ohio at the end of last year. Ohio governor John Kasich ultimately vetoed the state's so-called Heartbeat Bill (which he said he feared might not be constitutional) in favor of a 20-week abortion ban. Even the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals recognized that the point at which an unborn child possesses a detectable heartbeat is a more consistent and certain marker than viabilitywhere the court allows legal protection. H.R. 490 is now in the Judiciary Committee. Rep. Steve King needs co-sponsors. Randy Hultgren as a co-sponsor (R-District 14) Illinois Congressman Randy Hultgren participated in the 2017 March for Life in Washington, D.C. on Friday 27, 2017. Rep. Hultgren, having participated in the Washington D.C. event which celebrates life, should volunteer to become a co-sponsor of Rep. King's bill. Get behind and help create a grassroots swell for Rep. King's Heartbeat Bill - Federal HR 490. Contact Randy Hultgren and your own representative and encourage them to support the bill. To contact Randy Hultgren: Washington, D.C. office (202) 225-2976. Campton Hills District Office: (630) 584-2734 Remember this slogan: "Heart my Heart, Save my Life" Subsequent articles will cover other memorable events at the Gathering of Eagle, as well as one that will inform readers about the personal side of conservative icon, Phyllis Schlafly, observed from a field trip to her home and through others Eagles in attendance, some who knew Phyllis for 50 years. By Susan Wright - At what point can we say theyve run out of ideas for creative forms of protest, and theyre doing any random, obnoxious thing, just because? Hundreds have signed up for a Facebook event called Chicago moons Trump Tower, in which hundreds plan to drop their trousers in front of Trump Tower Chicago as an act of protest. According to the Facebook page for the event, titled Operation Kiss Our Asses, Release Your Taxes, the goal of the protest is to get President Trump to release his tax returns. Im absolutely positive that after repeated unsuccessful attempts, during the primary and election season, by every opponent, every commentator and pundit, to convince him to release his taxes, a couple hundred morons dropping their pants in mid-February, on some street in Chicago is going to be that trigger that causes a sudden wave of transparency from Donald Trump. The page goes on to say: Republican candidates make final campaign pitch in Burlington Reynolds, Grassley, Miller-Meeks, and other Iowa Republicans made their final pitch to supporters during a campaign stop in Burlington on Friday. But those Germans who courageously opposed the Nazis were not "nice" -- in the old sense of the word, that is, "unknowing": "I know no one ever believes us nowadays - everyone thinks we knew everything. We knew nothing, it was all kept well secret....We believed it - we swallowed it - it seemed entirely plausible." Beginning then and ever since a piercing question has often been forced upon ordinary German civilians, soldiers, bureaucrats, and others: "What did you know about the camps?" What, for instance, did Brunhilde Pomsel , Goebbel's secretary who recently died at 106, know? The subject of a 2015 documentary, A German Life, she said, In Nazi Germany, late April 1945, my father and other soldiers were invited to visit a newly liberated Nazi concentration camp. He declined, but other seasoned soldiers came back sickened by what they saw. The miniseries Band of Brothers depicts the liberation of a death camp. American officers rounded up German civilians, including the mayor, his wife, many well-dressed and nice looking, and took them to the camp to show them the carnage. Some were made to dig graves for thousands of murdered victims of the Nazis. Despite the hyper-version of " Godwin's Law " (1990) which suggests making any comparison to Hitler in debating a contentious issue means losing your credibility, I am going to use a 4-letter N word that conjures Hitler: Nazi. I can't help it: reading McEhinney and McAleer's haunting true-crime story Gosnell: The Untold Story of America's Most Prolific Serial Killerforces a comparison, even if the book doesn't make it. [nice]: late 13c., "foolish, stupid, senseless," from Old French nice (12c.) "careless, clumsy; weak; poor, needy; simple, stupid, silly, foolish," from Latin nescius "ignorant, unaware," literally "not-knowing," from ne- "not" + stem of scire "to know." ..."agreeable, delightful" (1769); ... by 1926, it was pronounced ".... a mere diffuser of vague and mild agreeableness." [Fowler] But ignorance, willful or semi-willful (the heart is deceitful) is not unique to Germany, and does not seem much different than the grand display of such "nice" Americans, including well-educated officials and media, turning blind eyes to the death camp run by Dr. Kermit Gosnell, Philadelphia abortionist doctor now serving three life sentences for murdering born-alive infants, among other crimes. There were many signs of something not right at the "clinic"; complaints were made to health officials for years. Nothing was done. No investigations. It didn't fit what most people wanted to hear and report about an inner city abortion mill. The physical contents of his mill and the manner in which babies and women were treated there can only be described as nightmarish and hellish. (Investigators were creeped out by the place. Assistant District Attorney Joanne Pescatore said, "I felt like people were touching me in side that building.") By many accounts, Gosnell was a community leader, a charming and nice man. Except he wasn't so nice to hundreds of children aborted past Pennsylvania's legal limit, born alive, then stabbed to death. (Sorry, it's ugly). The place contained shelves of bottles of dead babies and hundreds of preserved tiny severed feet. Reading the book's grim eyewitness accounts, I couldn't help but think of those Nazi camps my dad talked about. Well, in 1978 Dr. Gosnell visited Auschwitz. The authors quote his account: "What was most impressive were the bins where they kept the children's shoes ... hair ... clothing.... [T]he sheer volume of it was very impressive." That was the only adjective he used: "impressive." Not heartbreaking or tragic or horrific. No, Gosnell thought the storage of the little shoes, clothing, and remains of small, innocent Jewish children who were massacred by the Nazis was "impressive." Big media refused to cover Gosnell's trial until shamed into it by social media exposure and Kirsten Powers' mea culpa column in USA Today. They were dragged to the trial like those German civilians were dragged to the death camp. The media's enlightenment didn't last. Those today who seek to expose the truth about abortion, like David Daleiden with his uncover videos, are hated and are not "nice." Gosnell sold out at Amazon in 3 days and reportedly ranked 4th in book sales (non-fiction hardcover). Surprise--the New York Times did not include Gosnell in their bestsellers list. Nice. Some people want to make America great. Some think it is already great. They may fight each other about it. But as long as a nation refuses to face its crimes and repent of such bloodshed, it has no chance of being great. It could, I suppose, aspire instead to being both Nazi and nice. My hat's off to authors Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press Show More Show Less 3 of 3 HARTFORD Betsy DeVos, President Donald Trumps candidate for secretary of Education is unqualified, unknowledgeable and unprepared, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal declared Monday, calling for one more GOP lawmaker to defeat her candidacy. This nomination is a disgrace to American education, Blumenthal said during a morning news conference in the state Capitol complex. Betsy DeVos has helped defund and privatize public schools, he said, recalling her recent committee appearance as disgraceful and warned that she would be a threat to Americas public schools. NORWALK A more equitable system for the way Connecticut divvies out money to its public school systems could soon become a reality. Connecticut legislators have made the development of a new school funding formula a top priority in the General Assemblys new session. The move comes after a Connecticut Superior Court judge made a September 2016 ruling in a more than decade-long lawsuit brought forth by Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding giving the state six months to fix what the judge dubbed an irrational school funding formula. Though the court decision was appealed to the state Supreme Court, legislators said the decision provided an impetus for action. It opened the door to general frustration that had been out there about changing the formula and actually having a formula that works, said State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk. Duff and several other state legislators have said theyve tried bringing forth changes to the states education funding formula in the past but those initiatives gained little-to-no traction until now. Earlier this month, Duff proposed Senate Bill 2, co-sponsored by state Rep. Bruce Morris, D-Norwalk, with the aim to develop a more equitable education cost sharing grant formula. I introduced it, Duff said, because it is one of the highest priorities of the General Assembly. Education advocates encouraged Individuals and organizations across the state seemed pleased with the idea of bringing the issue of educational funding to the forefront. ConnCAN, the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now, an organization dedicated to improving education outcomes for Connecticuts kids, is encouraged that Duff sponsored Senate Bill 2. Jennifer Alexander, CEO for ConnCAN, said his action sends a strong signal that the development of a new, more equitable education funding formula will be a top priority this session. It is time that we fairly fund students based on their learning needs, across all types of public schools, Alexander said. While the details of the bill are still light at the moment, Duff promised there is a lot of behind-the-scenes work going on. He said it would ultimately be important for the bill to address student achievement in a way that fairly funds schools in places like Norwalk and Stamford and actually gets results that will produce graduates who are ready for college or career. As Duff and other General Assembly members work on the issue, ConCAN recommends the new school funding formula incorporates what the organization calls six key design principles, including equity, innovation, coherence, transparency, fairness and accountability. Those core principles were put forward by several other education advocacy organizations as well, including the Connecticut Association of Board of Education, the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents, the Connecticut Association of Schools and the Connecticut Council for Education Reform. Norwalk poster child for inequity Any changes to the formula to encompass factors such as a school systems number of English language learners or number of students who receive free and reduced lunch would be sure to aid Norwalk Public Schools, which receives roughly 7 percent of its total funding from the state Education Cost Sharing formula and has been called a poster child for the problems within the current system of funding. About 50 percent of Norwalk Public Schools students are receiving free and reduced lunch and nearly 15 percent of students are English Language Learners. The state currently uses a formula primarily based on property taxes, which many say represents Norwalk unfairly due to the citys inflated property values by virtue of its location along the coast and near New York City. Duff said a public hearing would take place on the bill in the coming weeks. This is a key moment that we have, Duff said. A once-in-a-generation moment to help all of our students in the state, to help close our achievement gap and to make sure all students have the ability to have the necessary resources to succeed. KSchultz@thehour.com; 203- 354-1049; @kevinedschultz NORWALK A Norwalk man was charged with assault after, police said, he launched an unprovoked attack on another man outside a homeless shelter Saturday night. Yusef Muhammad, 35, of Merritt Street, was charged with second-degree breach of peace, third-degree assault, and interfering with an officer. NORWALK Motorists driving the Route 7 Connector will be hitting the brakes if the Connecticut Department of Transportation picks Alternate 26 to overhaul the Route 7-Merritt Parkway interchange. Alternate 26, as the design is called, would add missing links, make the interchange fully directional and create three traffic lanes in each direction along the connector near the parkway. But it also would change the connector from a freeway to signalized boulevard by installing two traffic signals one north and the other immediately south of the parkway. And that would create a whole new commute for the thousands of motorists, many of whom use the connector to get to and from their jobs at nearby Merritt 7 Corporate Park. David Fiore, principal of Marcus Partners, the leasing agent for the corporate park, said he has yet to review the design. But anything that completes the incomplete interchange is a step forward, he said. As a person who lives in Westport and works in Norwalk and travels quite a bit in the tri-state area, any way of (better) connecting the Merritt to Route 95 would be beneficial to everybody, Fiore said. It would seem to me it could be a plus if its well designed. While still requiring extensive study, Alternate 26 is the freshest design on the table in the states long-but-frustrated effort to complete the Route 7-Merrit Parkway interchange. And although the design would slow traffic by converting the connector from a freeway to signalized boulevard, it also could bring benefits. Less money, smaller footprint Before the interchange overhaul project halted in 2009 amid the economic recession, the DOT had arrived at Alternate 21C as its preferred design. The design, which emerged after numerous meetings with residents and other stakeholders, would rely upon ramps but not traffic signals. Alternate 21C, if built, would improve the existing connections and create the four missing connections between the parkway, Route 7 Connector and Main Avenue. The design would minimize impact on wetlands and existing bridges, and wouldn't employ high-flying ramps, a DOT engineer said in 2006. But it also would cost roughly $200 million to build, according to the DOT. John Eberle, principal and project manager with Stantec, the consultant engineer engaged by the DOT, explained Alternate 26 along with its benefits and drawbacks during a recent public information meeting at Norwalk City Hall. We anticipate you would need seven bridges on this one where 21C was 14 bridges, so you can see how the compactness of it is certainly a savings, Eberle said. This would be significantly less expensive than 21C. I think were looking on the order of half the cost. Based upon the DOTs initial analysis, the potential benefits of Alternate 26 are a smaller footprint, fewer structures, a significantly lower cost and fewer impacts to the environment and historic resources along the Merritt Parkway. On the downside, the new design could worsen air quality and increase traffic noise, and yet still lack the capabilities necessary to handle future traffic loads as rated by level of service. The DOT rates motorists grief and wait times in traffic on an A-to-F scale with A representing excellent service and F unacceptable. Under Alternate 26, motorists would encounter C-service or better at the Route 7 Connector stoplight north of the Merritt Parkway, and D-service or better at the stoplight to the south, according to the DOTs initial analysis. Eberle described D as minimally acceptable in an urban environment. Thats a drawback. While the levels of service, at least at this point, appear to be satisfactory and OK, theyre actually reduced from what 21C was offering, Eberle said. In 2005, the parkway conservancy and other preservationist groups filed a lawsuit against the Federal Highway Administration and the DOT in an effort to get the state to downsize its original design, which the groups considered too large, too costly and destructive to the parkway. U.S. District Court in New Haven found that the Federal Highway Administration had not met its legal obligation to ensure that all possible planning was done to minimize harm prior to approving the interchange project. Merritt Parkway Conservancy Executive Director Jill Smyth, while noting that Alternate 26 is just a concept, said she is pleased with what it would mean for the parkway. Obviously, the conservancy is pleased to see that the footprint is much smaller and more compact, less structures are going to be needed, and also its less expensive, Smyth said. And it appears that this plan, compared to the previous Alternate 21C, has less impact to the Merritt Parkway. More vetting ahead Adolph Neaderland, a Norwalk resident, asked at last weeks meeting if engineers had considered the thousands of new apartments being built in Norwalk. Last January, plans were approved for Grist Mill Village, which will entail 710 apartments along Glover Avenue. When this (analysis) was done, did you have an understanding that there were going to be a thousand houses on Glover Avenue, a thousand residences, which is 2,000 additional cars? he asked. Eberle said engineers actually anticipate 5,000 units coming on board as part of ongoing apartment construction in Norwalk. At this point, Alternate 26 remains one of a half-dozen design alternatives that may emerge through further review and public input. Said Eberle, it still has to go through the full vetting. For all the previous design work and review that have gone into the interchange overhaul, more remains. This year, the DOT plans to continue its public information meetings, develop all alternatives, identify a preferred alternative and begin preliminary design. The department hopes to complete required environmental reports, begin final design in 2018 and start construction in 2021. That leaves time for residents, motorists and elected officials to weigh Alternate 26, Alternate 21C and whatever else might emerge. Im not an engineer or anything but I found it very interesting, state Rep. Gail Lavielle, R-Wilton, said of Alternate 26. What I like about it is that its less disruptive to the character of the Merritt Parkway and it spends $100 million less, approximately. But she added, based upon the DOT information, that the design could add to air and noise pollution and slow traffic down. Someone joked it will slow down the traffic for anyone going up to Wilton, Lavielle said. I think everyone in Wilton would want an answer to that, but I just dont have a clear idea yet on how long you would spend in traffic. rkoch@hearstmediact.com Gorsuch gives every indication that he will be just such a justice if he is confirmed by the Senate. He has demonstrated that he understands the proper, limited scope of the judicial power. In other words, a justice should interpret the text and structure of a statute, or the Constitution, based on the original public meaning of that text at the time it was adopted, and should not, under the guise of statutory or constitutional interpretation, impose on the rest of society his own policy preferences based on his perceptions of contemporary values. When it comes to interpreting statutes and the Constitution, a Supreme Court justice must keep uppermost in mind that he did not write the text and should not attempt to rewrite that text through creative interpretation to mean something quite different from what was intended by its drafters, but which the justice personally considers more fair, wise, or just. John Malcolm, Elizabeth Slattery, and Tiffany Bates write: One recent study singled out Gorsuch as one of the top judges whose approach to interpreting the law was closest to that of Scalias approach. Gorsuch ranked second out of 15 judges in Scalia-ness, surpassed only by Utah Supreme Court Justice Thomas Lee. Read the rest of their article A Closer Look at Neil Gorsuch, an Excellent Choice for the Supreme Court for a quick biography and review of Judge Gorsuchs significant opinions. [Daily Signal] * * * * * * * * Ed Whelan agrees: Gorsuch is a brilliant jurist and dedicated originalist and textualist. He thinks through issues deeply. He writes with clarity, force, and verve. And his many talents promise to give him an outsized influence on future generations of lawyers. Gorsuchs judicial outlook is reflected in his beautiful speech celebrating and embracing Justice Scalias traditional understanding of the judicial role and his originalist methodology: Perhaps the great project of Justice Scalias career was to remind us of the differences between judges and legislators. To remind us that legislators may appeal to their own moral convictions and to claims about social utility to reshape the law as they think it should be in the future. But that judges should do none of these things in a democratic society. That judges should instead strive (if humanly and so imperfectly) to apply the law as it is, focusing backward, not forward, and looking to text, structure, and history to decide what a reasonable reader at the time of the events in question would have understood the law to benot to decide cases based on their own moral convictions or the policy consequences they believe might serve society best. In that speech, Gorsuch acknowledges that Justice Scalias project had its critics, from the secular moralist Ronald Dworkin to the pragmatist Richard Posner. He explains why he rejects those critics and instead sides with Justice Scalia in believing that an assiduous focus on text, structure, and history is essential to the proper exercise of the judicial function. The Constitution itself carefully separates the legislative and judicial powers. Whereas the legislative power is the power to prescribe new rules of general applicability for the future, the judicial power is a means for resolving disputes about what existing law is and how it applies to discrete cases and controversies. This separation of powers is among the most important liberty-protecting devices of the constitutional design. Among other things, if judges were to act as legislators by imposing their preferences as constitutional dictates, how hard it would be to revise this so-easily-made judicial legislation to account for changes in the world or to fix mistakes. Indeed, the very idea of self-government would seem to wither to the point of pointlessness. [National Review] * * * * * * * * One of the things Randy Barnett is hopeful for, he tells Reason TVs Nick Gillespie, is that Gorsuchs critical stance toward the idea that courts should defer to agency interpretations of laws (Chevron deference) will lead the Court to cry foul more often when Congress delegates its legislative powers to unelected agencies. He explains: There are certain doctrines that the Supreme Court could start to revive and it would have an effect. One of them is called the non-delegation doctrine, which says Congress cannot delegate its legislative powers to the executive branch (which it has been doing since the thirties). [] Theres a lot of conservative agitationnot just libertarian but conservative agitationto revive that idea. I dont know what Judge Gorsuch thinks of this, but I would be guardedly optimistic that he is a friend of that because as he says in his criticism of [the] Chevron [doctrine], legislators are the ones who should be legislating. The problem with the delegation is that they are delegating their legislative power to another branch and his objection to Chevron is [based on] separation of powers and thats the same objection you make to this delegation. [Reason] * * * * * * * * Neal Katyal is a liberal who thinks a Justice Gorsuch will be an independent voice for the Constitution and the rule of law: I was an acting solicitor general for President Barack Obama; Judge Gorsuch has strong conservative bona fides and was appointed to the 10th Circuit by President George W. Bush. But I have seen him up close and in action, both in court and on the Federal Appellate Rules Committee (where both of us serve); he brings a sense of fairness and decency to the job, and a temperament that suits the nations highest court. [] I have no doubt that if confirmed, Judge Gorsuch would help to restore confidence in the rule of law. His years on the bench reveal a commitment to judicial independence a record that should give the American people confidence that he will not compromise principle to favor the president who appointed him. Judge Gorsuchs record suggests that he would follow in the tradition of Justice Elena Kagan, who voted against President Obama when she felt a part of the Affordable Care Act went too far. In particular, he has written opinions vigorously defending the paramount duty of the courts to say what the law is, without deferring to the executive branchs interpretations of federal statutes, including our immigration laws. In a pair of immigration cases, De Niz Robles v. Lynch and Gutierrez-Brizuela v. Lynch, Judge Gorsuch ruled against attempts by the government to retroactively interpret the law to disfavor immigrants. In a separate opinion in Gutierrez-Brizuela, he criticized the legal doctrine that federal courts must often defer to the executive branchs interpretations of federal law, warning that such deference threatens the separation of powers designed by the framers. When judges defer to the executive about the laws meaning, he wrote, they are not fulfilling their duty to interpret the law. In strong terms, Judge Gorsuch called that a problem for the judiciary and a problem for the people whose liberties may now be impaired by an avowedly politicized administrative agent seeking to pursue whatever policy whim may rule the day. That reflects a deep conviction about the role of the judiciary in preserving the rule of law. [New York Times] They havent come to the U.S.yet. Right now, our primary threat is Islamist-related terror plots that are organized by terrorists who are already here. The reason why we all worry is because, from those countries, foreign fighters could well try to flow to the West, principally by using visas or posing as refugees. When they get to the West, they could carry out terrorist acts. We know that because they already havespecifically in Western Europe. The Presidents immigration order is a response to the growing refugee crisis in Syria. James Carafano, who served on the Trump administration transition team, explains the thinking behind the administrations executive order on travel from Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen: As the space for the Islamic State, or ISIS, gets squeezed in the Middle East, the remains of the tens of thousands of foreign fighters will have to flow somewhere. Every nation, not just the U.S., believes they are most likely to flow to the countries cited in the order. That fact, and only that fact, is why those countries are included on the list. Indeed, when it comes to visa vetting, thats why the European Union has restrictions that are comparable to the United States. What this administration is doing is making sure we are ready for the next wave of terrorism as wellthe outflow of terrorists from the countries of conflict where the foreign fighters are likely to go first. [The Daily Signal] * * * * * * * * * Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a former refugee from Somalia and a former Muslim. She thinks tougher immigration controls to screen out terrorists are just the beginning of a more sensible policy. She writes: The Obama administration had a flawed solution to this problem, which it called countering violent extremism. The Trump administration needs a completely new approach that targets not just violence, but the proponents of subversive Islamist views the phenomenon of dawa or proselytizing. This ideological indoctrination is the essential prelude to acts of jihad, yet for too long it has been going on with impunity. Addressing the problem of Islamist terrorism will require much more than better immigration controls, though we certainly need those. It will necessitate the systematic dismantling of the ideological infrastructure of dawa, which is already well established right here in the United States. President Trump was right back in August. The threat posed by the hateful ideology of radical Islam needs to be countered. American citizens including immigrants must be protected from that ideology and the violence that it promotes. But the threat is too multifaceted to be dealt with by executive orders. That is why Trump was right to argue in August for a commission of some kind I would favor congressional hearings to establish the full magnitude and nature of the threat. Until we recognize that this ideology is already in our midst, we shall expend all our energies in feverish debates about executive orders, when what is needed is cool, comprehensive legislation. [WorldPost] John McCain has long prided himself on his reputation as a maverick, a Republican willing to buck his partys leaders. Now he faces what may be the biggest maverick moment of his career and he sounds like a man whos ready for a fight. The conservative senator from Arizona has warned President Trump against cozying up to Russias Vladimir Putin (a thug). Hes criticized Trumps order banning U.S. entry to people from seven mostly-Muslim countries (harmful). Hes denounced Trumps decision to withdraw from a trade deal with Asia (a serious mistake) and his proposal to tax imports from Mexico (insane). Thats not all. Asked about Trumps suggestion that the U.S. resume using torture on suspected terrorists, he said: I dont give a damn what the president of the United States wants to do. We will not torture. ... The law is the law. Other Republicans have objected to some of Trumps actions. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has echoed McCain on Russia. Bob Corker of Tennessee, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was one of half a dozen who criticized the immigration order. But ... will Republicans in Congress act as a serious check against Trump? Despite McCains outlier dissents, it still looks unlikely. But none have taken on the White House on so many issues as the 80-year-old McCain. If there is to be any kind of loyal Republican opposition on Capitol Hill, hes already its de facto leader. I feel, frankly, a greater burden of responsibility, he told the Wall Street Journal recently. The worlds on fire. We have more challenges than any time in the last 70 years. ... Whatever influence I have, I need to exercise it. The differences between McCain and Trump are substantive. McCain is a Ronald Reagan conservative, a product of his partys history. Trump ran against the GOP establishment and has abandoned large parts of the Reagan legacy. The starkest contrasts are on foreign policy. McCain views Putins Russia as a major threat to the United States and its allies; Trump hopes to make Putin a strategic partner, and has dismissed criticism of Russias invasion of Ukraine. But theres personal history here too. Early in his presidential campaign, Trump belittled McCains six years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. Hes not a war hero, candidate Trump said. I like people that werent captured, OK? After Trump won the presidential nomination, McCain endorsed him barely. (The senator said he supported the nominee of my party, without uttering his name.) But after a tape surfaced of Trump bragging about sexually assaulting women, McCain withdrew his support drawing an angry response. The very foul-mouthed Sen. John McCain begged for my support during his primary (I gave, he won), then dropped me over locker room remarks! Trump tweeted. In November, McCain won Arizona by a bigger margin than Trump. Now, with a six-year term ahead, he is free to go his own way. After 34 years in Congress and two presidential campaigns of his own, hes a hard man to intimidate. But this is getting ahead of the larger story. Will Republicans in Congress act as a serious check against Trump? Despite McCains outlier dissents, it still looks unlikely. The normal impulse, especially for a party that has won control of every branch of government, is to rally around the president. And Republicans in the Senate are fragmented. Some are unabashed Trump supporters. Others are quietly critical, but mostly on individual issues Russia, immigration, trade. Trumps refugee ban drew more criticism than anything else he has done, but most of it was pragmatic, aimed at the chaotic rollout of the policy as much as any substantive demerits. GOP senators, moreover, want to enact the big tax cuts the president has promised plus repeal and replace Obamas health care law. One more problem: Some Republican senators worry that if they appear disloyal, theyll face a primary challenge from Trump supporters. So far, the president remains hugely popular among Republican voters. If the Republican establishment decides to push back, it probably wont take the form of open rebellion. It will look more like guerrilla warfare, with lawmakers doing tax reform and Obamacare their way, not Trumps, and slow-walking proposals they dislike (a costly infrastructure plan, for example). The battle for the soul of the Republican Party has long been underway. Trumps arrival in the White House didnt end it; it merely sent it spinning in new directions. So perhaps we need to explain what the events of November 2016 really meant and how, after eight years of treasonous behavior by a corrupt Democratic president and his acolytes, the American people have reclaimed the right to speak for ourselves in declaring Who We Are. The Left screams that rational limitations on the endless hordes of non-Americans who want to come here are not Who We Are as if George Soros had any say in our identity as if the un-American Left were, in any way whatsoever, representative of who real Americans are. And before the ink was dry on his Executive Order (almost word for word an executive order issued by his predecessors, with nothing radical about it at all), the George Soros funded rent-a-thugs descended upon federal buildings, town centers, and college campuses to wreak the havoc that only lawless goons can wreak. President Trump is attempting to bring some sanity to our immigration programs requiring vetting before admission of refugees, for example, so that we dont suffer the horrific outbreaks of criminality car fires, riots, gang rapes, honor killings, and the like that Europe has suffered for years, at the hands of these very same so-called refugees. We are not the Left a party and movement that twists the unemployment statistics to claim that unemployment is only at 5%, so they can pretend theres no problem. We are the Right, the middle, the populists, the real Americans. We are the movement that recognizes the fact that when 95 million people are outside the workforce, thats NOT a five percent unemployment rate, no matter WHAT the book-cookers may say. We proclaim the truth, and demand a solution, by returning the nation to the free market growth engine that America was intended to be. We are not the Left a party and movement that looks at a factory and sees only smoke and hard labor, and immediately tries to shut it down, or drive it across the seas, out of some fear that the smoke will hurt a fragile planet or that the labor will be too hard for a fragile populace. No, we are the Right, a party and movement that looks at a factory and sees vigor and jobs and careers and opportunities. When we see a factory, we see dozens, or hundreds, or thousands of people getting a start, then building careers, even building wealth, even gaining the experience to branch out on their own and start their own companies, creating that many more opportunities for still more thousands. We recognize the value of that factory, and we try to ease its government burdens so that it can grow and flourish. We appreciate those factories, and we want to see many more! We are not the Left a party and movement that sees criminals under arrest and pities the criminals, that sees muggers being jailed and feels sorry for the muggers, that sees girls being raped and pities the rapist. No, we are the Right, a party and movement that looks at crime and rightly aims our compassion toward the victim. We side with the victims, both past and potential, and demand that the streets be cleared of the muggers, drug dealers, gang recruiters and killers whom the Democrats would set free in pursuit of their votes. We side with the victims, and call for more stringent sentencing, and for the death penalty when appropriate, because the Chicagoan walking home from work IS more important to society, more valuable in the eyes of his or her fellow man, than the mugger, rapist, gang member or addict who would attack him or her if given the chance. We demand a crackdown on the crime thats destroying our cities. We side with the victims. We are not the Left a party and movement that sees the violence in the Middle East and imagines some moral equivalence that sides with the terrorist truck driver against the American army base that sides with the terrorist bomber against the innocent tourists in the cafe or pizzeria that sides with the monstrous jihadists against the peaceful and free state of Israel. No, we are the Right, a party and movement that can tell the difference between good and evil, and therefore sides with our troops, our friends, and our allies. We take the side of the innocent tourists, the innocent schoolchildren, the innocent shopkeepers. We call for the eradication of the islamofascist terrorists, whatever it takes. We are not the Left a party and movement that sees hospitals and communities bankrupted by the influx of illegal aliens and their drug addiction, stabbings and shootings, maternities, and other costly healthcare needs and just passes a bill call it Obamacare to make everyone else pay for it, no matter the cost. No, we are the Right, a party and movement that knows how to deal with this problem, as with all problems: with law enforcement, and border enforcement, and the free market. We are the movement that will free this country from the chains of Obamacare, a program that caused millions to be unemployed, that bankrupted millions and destroyed thousands of businesses, just to pay for healthcare for the indigent and criminal. We are the movement that understands capitalism, and will therefore return the nation to the wisdom of the Invisible Hand. We are not the Left a party and movement that sees people weak or poor or unwanted in foreign countries, and invites them all here, in unbearable numbers, to dilute our heritage and change our culture until we are no different from the third-world hellholes they flee, all in pursuit of their votes. No, we are the Right, a party and movement that wishes the best for all good people, but which recognizes that we owe our first duty to American citizens. We recognize that sacrificing our economy for the sake of foreign indigents is no real help to either group, for the United States is the growth engine of the world, and if we allow that engine to die, the whole world suffers anyway. We therefore call for a return to rational immigration policy, and a halt to the unrestricted open door of years past. We call for Borders, and the Rule of Law, after much too long without respect for either. We must put our own house in order before we can again welcome guests. We are not the Left a party and movement that has spent decades attacking churches, chapels, and synagogues, by trying to deny people of faith the freedom to participate in American politics and to educate our children in the Lords path even to the point of literally booing Gods name at their national conventions! No, we are the Right, a party and movement that knows and respects the Lord, and understands that the Constitutional freedom of religion was written in the assumption that of course America is and must be a Judeo-Christian nation, but one in which the government can never choose your denomination for you. We are therefore the side that knows our history, and refuses to deny or twist it. We remember President John Adams famous words on this subject: Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. We are the side that will find a way to properly restore the balance in America, so that this nation can again aspire to be One Nation, Under God, as we were meant to be. On issue after issue, policy after policy, the un-American Left has spent a century undermining this nation, turning away from the great design of our Founding Fathers. The Left took a nation that was designed to respect and protect the individual, and gradually twisted our very institutions from the far-off central bureaucracy to our local schools to attack the individual and to collectivize everything they could. In November, 2016, by a razor thin margin, perhaps, but still a margin in state after state, from sea to shining sea, this country finally took a few steps in the right direction: toward a future of liberty, in full respect for the heritage of a distant and noble past, when 55 delegates in Philadelphia defined this nation as one in which its national government would be severely limited, and its people would be truly free. So, in case you ever wondered That is who we are. Copyright 2017 John F. Di Leo John F. Di Leo is a Chicagoland-based international trade lecturer, writer, actor and family man he has been a Chicagoland precinct captain and Milwaukee County Republican party chairman, but has now been a recovering politician for nearly twenty years. His columns are found weekly in Illinois Review. Permission is hereby granted to forward freely, provided it is uncut and the IR URL and byline are included. Those fond of art, history and architecture won't want to miss SIUE Arts & Issues' next presentation when Director Mark Richard Smith visits the Arts & Issues stage on Feb. 23 to present his documentary Louis Sullivan: The Struggle for American Architecture. Smith will introduce the 7:30 p.m. film which will be shown in the Dunham Hall Theater and afterwards show footage of SIUE's Louis Sullivan ornament collection. A question and answer session will follow. Known as the father of the skyscraper and as the person to create the iconic phrase, form follows function, Sullivan is a well-known name in American architecture and produced some of the country's most beautiful buildings. Sullivan was at the peak of his career in 1890, but through a series of setbacks, he plunged into destitute obscurity from which he never fully recovered. However, Sullivan's beliefs and ideas inspired his protege, Frank Lloyd Wright, to fulfill his own dream of a truly American style of architecture. The story of Louis Sullivan, the revolutionary and brilliant Chicago architect, was brought to life in 2010 by Director Mark Richard Smith in the first feature-length documentary Louis Sullivan: The Struggle for American Architecture. Smith, who wrote, produced and directed the film, talked about why he chose to tell Sullivan's story for his documentary. The subject of Louis Sullivan really combines three of my passionate interests which are history architecture and design, Smith explained. I had been a graphic designer for 20 years before I sold my business and went back to school to get a history degree because that was something that I had always wanted to study further but was dissuaded in doing because there was no money in it. Smith said that he had always loved architecture too. In fact I wanted to be an architect when I was a kid but was terrible at math and science. I was just too creative to embrace those subjects, Smith said. When I encountered the story of Louis Sullivan and saw his work which was exciting to look at and so different from anything I'd seen, I then realized no one had really told his story on film before. Smith recalled that at that time, he had one of those ah-ha moments when he knew he had to make the documentary. It was like this is the biggest sign in the world that I need do this, he said. It was this moment of inspiration, and I just went for it. Filming of the Louis Sullivan documentary brought Smith to the SIUE Museum that houses a significant collection of Sullivan ornamental architecture pieces. SIU is a really important repository of Sullivan's work. The school and the museum really bent over backwards to accommodate me and my crew when I was there, Smith noted. Although Smith was only in Edwardsville for a couple of days for filming, they turned into memorable ones. We shot one day, and then we went to St Louis because there are a couple of very important Sullivan buildings in downtown St. Louis. I photographed those, and then we had a technical issue where our footage that we shot in Edwardsville was erased so I had to call the (museum) director again and see if we could go back. He said of course you can, and then we had to go back and shoot it all again, Smith said with a chuckle. It all had a happy ending though. Smith emphasized that the university was simply amazing to work with. And it was such a pleasure to go in there and photograph these relics really of Sullivan's work. It's almost like photographing King Tut's tomb for me because it's such a really amazing collection of art that I hope one day can be seen by more people, he said. I'm just really excited to be going back to Edwardsville, Smith added. That was the place that really made it easier for me to tell the story. Smith also pointed out that he felt Louis Sullivan was more than just an architect. He's a really important cultural figure in the U.S. he noted. And the time that he was practicing architecture was a time of huge change in our society. Society wrestling with going from a rural society to an urban society - you see that in his work, and I just think that's really important to look at. Beyond the drama of Sullivan's story there's a real intellectual part of it that I really enjoy. Following the documentary showing on Feb. 23, Smith will also show a rough cut of part of the story that never made it into the film. The extra footage includes the story behind Richard Nickel, a Chicago preservationist, who rescued and amassed a large collection of Sullivan architecture ornaments in the 60s before selling them to SIU in 1965. Smith will then host a question and answer session after the showings and will have a director's cut of the documentary available for sale on DVDs after the event.View Smith's documentary's trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqAcZyXnDD4 and a short highlight clip from the Louis Sullivan Documentary at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfl0yB9OpMw For this event, Arts & Issues is also collaborating with the SIUE Lovejoy Library to present a one-day Louis Sullivan Conference as well as collaborating with the Edwardsville Arts Center for a special art exhibit where regional artists have used the form of Sullivans work and biography of his life as a platform for their own creative projects. The Louis Sullivan Architectural Ornaments at SIUE Conference: Bringing the Past to Life in the 21st Century will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 24 with sessions at the Morris University center, Edwardsville Arts Center and SIUE Lovejoy Library. Keynote speakers for the conference will include Mark Richard Smith, John Celuch, Inlandesign director and first curator of the SIUE Sullivan Collection, and Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago. This unique, free conference is open to the public and is being sponsored by SIUE Graduate School Conferences and Workshops Program, Friends of Lovejoy Library, SIUE's Arts & Issues and Preservation Chicago. This day-long conference is dedicated to celebrating SIUEs Louis Sullivans architectural ornament collection, Sullivans designs and legacy, and preservation efforts, Therese Dickman, Fine Arts Librarian and Associate Professor in SIUEs Library and Information Services, said. It will bring a fresh perspective through various speakers, media presentations, and new, exhibited artworks inspired by Sullivan architectural ornaments. Registration for the Louis Sullivan conference is limited to 100, and the registration deadline is Feb. 17. Register at http://www.siue.edu/lovejoylibrary/misc/sullivanconference.shtml The Louis Legacy: Artists Respond to Louis Sullivan art exhibit at the Edwardsville Arts Center will take place from Feb. 10 to March 17. Entry into the exhibit is free. Tickets for the SIUE Arts & Issues Louis Sullivan documentary showing at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 24 can be ordered on-line at artsandissues.com or in-person at the Morris University Center (MUC) Welcome Desk. The MUC Welcome Desk is open Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. The Welcome Desk is closed on Sunday. To place your order by phone call 1-866-698-4253. The HeartLands Conservancy is opening up a second sign-up period for the Upper Silver Creek Watershed cost-share grant program. The watershed encompasses roughly 120,000 acres of land with an estimated population of more than 26,000 people. While most of the land located within the watershed is agricultural, portions of Edwardsville, Glen Carbon and Maryville are part of the Sliver Creek drainage. Janet Buchanan, head of HeartLands Conservancys environmental planning and policy, said the first sign-up period in October, 2016, yielded 40 applicants, several of which were for the same project. It is hoped that this second sign-up period will attract applicants who can use the remainder of the funds towards highly effective ponds and other projects, she said. The HeartLands Conservancy received a $500,000 grant from the Illinois EPAs 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Control program. Monies are to be used on a cost-sharing plan with interested individuals and municipalities. The program is part of the Upper Silver Creek Watershed Plan developed by the IEPA, the HeartLands Conservancy and Madison County along with other key stakeholders that include Edwardsville and Glen Carbon. The program is designed to help implement certain best management practices (BMPs) recommended in the watershed plan, Buchanan said. HeartLands Conservancy is seeking landowners to sign up to install these BMPs, using the new funds as a cost share." The deadline for applications is Feb. 28. A map to find out if property is located within the project area can be found at http://www.co.madison.il.us/departments/planning_and_development/silver_creek_cost_share_program.php. To sign up to implement a project using these funds, fill in the application at www.surveymonkey.com/r/uppersilvercreek319, or fill out and mail in the application available at https://www.heartlandsconservancy.org/uppersilvercreek.php. Eligible projects are grassed waterways, pond, stream bank stabilization, stream channel stabilization, terraces and water and sediment control basins. The grants will reimburse a portion of construction costs spent on selected projects. For more information about the cost share program, contact project manager Janet Buchanan at HeartLands Conservancy at 618-566-4451 ext. 25 or email janet.buchanan@heartlandsconservancy.org. HeartLands Conservancy would like to thank project partners Illinois EPA, Madison County Planning and Development, the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC), the Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), and Midwest Streams, Inc. for their assistance in obtaining and supporting this program. All of our partners in the watershed plan, as well as residents and landowners weve spoken to, are looking forward to building on the Upper Silver Creek Watershed Plan, Buchanan said. Weve examined the water quality problems and flooding problems and now were ready to implement projects that help solve those problems. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Retno LP Marsudi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 08:15 2098 9b519824cb3263083aedb70a0be665b4 3 Opinion bandung,Asia,Africa,Indonesia,foreign-policy,international-relations,Retno-Marsudi Free At the 2014 World Economic Forum, the global managing director of McKinsey and Company spoke of a continent that represents our fastest-growing region in the world. He said if you want to be relevant, you need to be in this part of the world. If one was to guess the region being referred to, chances are many would get it wrong, as the answer was Africa. Just as Indonesia has transformed over the past couple of decades, so has Africa. The continent now has a US$2 trillion economy with about a third of its countries registering growth of more than 6 percent annually. In fact, out of the worlds top 10 fastest growing economies, six are from Africa. As Africa is brimming with tremendous potential, is Indonesia a part of the story? The bond between Indonesia and Africa is forged by the shared historic solidarity against colonialism. Indonesia was one of the sponsors of the 1955 Asian-African Conference that helped pave the way for the national awakening and independence of some African countries with the so-called Bandung Spirit. While the conference and the Bandung Spirit are of paramount importance, today we have gone beyond. In this regard, Indonesia has bolstered its cooperation with Africa. From 2000 to 2014, Indonesia-Africa trade value jumped more than fivefold to $11.7 billion. Today, Africa is a major non-traditional market for Indonesia. Amid the global economic slowdown, sluggish demand and low commodity prices, Indonesias exports to some African markets bucked the trend. In 2016, Indonesian non-oil and gas exports to South Africa increased 9 percent, while exports to Benin rose 16 percent. Indonesia has not only exported its traditional commodities to Africa but has also exported some of its value-added manufactured goods, including aircraft, to Senegal, Guinea and Burkina Faso. It is worth noting that some of the largest contributors to the annual Trade Expo Indonesia hail from Africa. Indonesian companies have also invested in Africa in a wide array of sectors, including palm oil, textiles, food and beverage, energy and consumer products. An Indonesian instant noodle brand controls approximately 74 percent of the market share in Nigeria with an estimated annual growth of 40 percent. Notwithstanding the positive signs, we cannot be complacent. Our trade value with Africa is dwarfed by the trade value between the continent and India, which stood at $70 billion or by Africa-China trade that reached $200 billion. We realize that current bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Africa is still way below potential, and as such Indonesia is determined to advance its cooperation with Africa. A testament of that commitment is my visit to three African countries this week, namely to Egypt, South Africa and Mozambique. It will lay the ground for President Joko Jokowi Widodos tour to the region in the near future. The focus of our relations will be economic cooperation. That is why in my visit I will bring along prominent Indonesian businesspersons. I will also speak before the business forum in South Africa and Mozambique. In order to boost trade, I will explore the possibility of further expansion of our strategic industry to the region. For example, the Indonesia railway industry has interest in exporting passenger trains to Africa. Going forward, we need to address the issue of financing, which is a major hurdle for two-way trade. As the result of this impediment, a substantial part of our trade has to pass through third parties, which renders it more costly. I encourage export-import banks of both sides to step up and facilitate the financial transactions, which eventually will foster our trade. There is also the option to conduct counter trade. As the African economy rises, there has been growing interest from Indonesian companies to invest there, particularly in energy. Indonesian state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina has actively sought to spread its wings in the region. Aside from seeking to gain benefit from its ties to Africa, Indonesia is also keen on supporting Africas development. That is why we need to promote the technical South-South cooperation, with which Indonesia has endeavored to support Africas development. Indonesia has provided capacity building assistance in numerous areas to Africa, including agriculture, maritime and fisheries and human resources. Indonesia has also donated hand tractors to Senegal and Gambia to support agricultural mechanization. Indonesia and Africa also need to foster regional cooperation, including through the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). I welcome the IORA member states from Africa to attend the first IORA summit in Indonesia in March. I felt honored to speak before the African Union Meeting when Indonesia was accepted as an observer of the group in 2015. The Bandung Spirit may not define our future cooperation, but it can and must inspire Indonesia and Africa to elevate our partnership to new heights. African countries remain our close friends with whom we share values and solidarity. More than that, now they are also increasingly strategic partners for Indonesia, which is why it is only natural for Africa to be high on Indonesias foreign policy agenda, as reflected by the fact that my visit to Africa occurs in the beginning of this year. Moreover, we also envision an Indonesia-Africa Forum as a platform for both parties to discuss issues of mutual concern and advance bilateral partnership as well as regional cooperation to promote shared stability and prosperity. For our own interest, it is imperative for us to foster mutually beneficial cooperation with Africa, the continent of hope. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jenny Zhang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 Indonesians are right to be wary of United States President Donald Trumps executive order on immigration, which temporarily bans travel and immigration by people from seven Muslim-majority countries. Indonesia is not one of the seven countries affected and it is wholly possible that President Trump will never issue a travel or immigration ban that directly affects Indonesian citizens. Even if Indonesians remain free to travel to the US, the damage to US-Indonesia relations is substantial, with ripple effects from top diplomatic levels to the grassroots. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi has expressed Indonesias deep regret at the executive order, pointing out that the policy, which discriminates on the basis of religion, hampers efforts for international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. At the individual level among Indonesian people, there is a growing perception of Islamophobia and xenophobia in America. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Qraved (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 09:51 2098 9b519824cb3263083aedb70a0be6bace 3 Food qraved,#Qraved,food,jakarta Free Gone are the days of youngsters hanging out at food courts. Jakarta's teens and early 20s crowd are today flocking to more sophisticated joints and are known to be picky when it comes to food. As restaurants are regarded as places for old people and eateries are so 2014, we are being ushered into the era of food spaces. A food space usually comprises several food vendors offering various options. Its a stylized and modernized food court, if you will. Now brace yourselves, as we examine five food spaces currently trending in Jakarta. Shophaus A photo posted by SHOPHAUS Menteng (@shophaus.id) on Jan 18, 2017 at 9:54pm PST Established in Menteng not so long ago, Shophaus instantly became a place where hipsters flocked to enjoy good food. The selection of eateries includes Gelato Secrets, Berry Well and Pigeonhole Coffee. Ruci's Joint A photo posted by RUCI's Joint (@rucisjoint) on Jan 20, 2017 at 8:31pm PST Upholding its reputation for being an upper-class restaurant haven, Jl. Senopati has welcomed Ruci's Joint. Consisting of several restaurants and an art gallery, Ruci's Joint is one of the hottest up-and-coming food spaces in town. Coffee enthusiasts may want to try Toko Kopi Tuku's signature drink, kopi susu tetangga, while health food fans can order a dish or two from Nebula Seni. Other food vendors include Chizukek, Ya Dong Dimsum, Osu! Skewers and Bar and last but not least, GGlato for a delectable dessert. FAME A photo posted by rezaramadan (@rezaramadan14) on Sep 13, 2016 at 6:30am PDT For an option that is friendlier to local tastes but still offers a sophisticated selection of food, Fame in Menteng could be your food space of choice. Featuring vendors like Warteg Express, Sate Sosial & Beer, Mad Rice, Noodle Station and the well-known Martabak Boss, Fame is ready to serve crowds with quality food. For music lovers, the live music show is a must-see. (Read also: Dos and don'ts for fine dining from top hospitality, culinary figures) Food Fighters A photo posted by FOOD FIGHTERS (@foodfighters.id) on Jan 23, 2017 at 6:03am PST Back in the 1980s, Melawai was the place to see and be seen, and we're happy to report that hipsters are bringing back the trend. Hang out at Food Fighters, a food space with a wide selections of eateries including ZuckerWaffle, Bonara, Kopi Pasar, Black Jack, Papricano Mexican Cantina, Miechino, Yipiko, Kantin SD, Oma's Kitchen, Sloppy Bro, Bahnmilly, Lachlan Fusion Lasagna and Sate Yakitori. Southbox A photo posted by SOUTHBOX (@southbox.prapanca) on Aug 6, 2016 at 8:02pm PDT Offering a wide range of eateries, Southbox in Prapanca should be on your to-visit list. Vendors include Bakmi RN, The Halal Bros, Tropicle, Quebec Burger, Warteg Gaspoll, Havelaar, Balboa Cheesteak, Woodstock, The Juicy Fresh Bar & Dessert, Mangkuk, Hao Chi Jakarta, Freezing Flamingo, Zucker Waffle, Namex, Bubur Kwang Tung Express, El Coco Loco, Fresh Loveu Salmon & Chicken, Good News Steak & Seafood, Bakso Nampol and Octenia Telese. Its a great option for hanging out with friends with different palates. (asw) Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 12:48 2098 9b519824cb3263083aedb70a0be730f8 4 Science & Tech Pramoedya-Ananta-Toer,Google-Doodle,Google,#Google,doodle,#doodle Free Google Indonesia is celebrating the 92nd birthday of one of Indonesias most acclaimed writers, Pramoedya Pram Ananta Toer, through its homepage doodle on Monday. Pram, who passed away in 2006 in Jakarta, was known as a proponent of human rights and freedom of expression who fought against Japanese and Dutch colonialism. Todays Doodle celebrates Prams birthday with an animation of the industrious novelist seated at his typewriter, hard at work, Google wrote on its Doodle page. Through his works, Pram was consistently critical of whatever regime was in power, according to kompas.com. He was imprisoned by the Dutch colonial administration and during the Soeharto regime he spent more than a decade as a political prisoner after being sent to Buru Island, Maluku, in 1969. (Read also: Google Doodle celebrates 'Pak' Radens 84th birthday) Among his well-known works are the four volumes of Tetralogi Buru (The Buru Quartet), which consists of Bumi Manusia (This Earth of Mankind), Anak Semua Bangsa (Children of All Nations), Jejak Langkah (Steps) and Rumah Kaca (Glass House). Pram wrote the stories during his time as a political prisoner where he was prohibited from using a pen and paper. Because of this he orally shared with his fellow prisoners the story of a Javanese boy named Minke who rejects Indonesias hierarchal society in the last years of Dutch colonization. Aside from Tetralogi Buru, Pram also wrote Arok Dedes, Mangir, Bukan Pasarmalam (Its not an All Night Fair), and Gadis Pantai (Girl from the Coast). (wir/kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sebastian Partogi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 13:21 2098 9b519824cb3263083aedb70a0be76af5 4 People writer,novelist,journalist,human-rights Free Maria Hartiningsih has extensive experience as a reporter for prominent Indonesian daily Kompas from June 1984 to December 2015. Her entire journalistic career was aimed at providing portrayals of some of lifes ugliest occurrences. It was not always easy, but she kept moving forward. Her outstanding works have a common signature in the form of the intimate portrayal of human suffering caused by structural injustice. Among her published articles are stories on Chinese-Indonesian rape survivors of the May 1998 riots. She also wrote down her experiences working as a volunteer in Mother Teresas Home for the Dying and Destitute in Kalighat, India, with her colleague Myrna Ratna in 1990. She has also immersed herself among the urban poor to practice what is termed empathy journalism. Her consistency in writing articles that uphold and educate on human rights earned her the prestigious Yap Thiam Hien award in 2003. Introduced in 1992, the award has been influential in the efforts to increase the awareness of human rights in the country. Maria actually has a wide area of interests, having also interviewed and profiled figures like physicist Jorga Ibrahim and writer Seno Gumira Ajidarma. She is also interested in spirituality, as seen in her new book Jalan Pulang (Road Home), published by Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia. The 461-page book chronicles her experiences of being a journalist for three decades, building a narration around her spiritual pilgrimages to five different sojourns: Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain, Lourdes in southwestern France, Plum village in France and Mostaganem and Oran in Algeria. Warm moment: Jubing Kristianto performs during the Jalan Pulang book launch.(JP/Donny Fernando) (Read also: Seno Gumira Ajidarma: No rest for the wicked) Those stations embody traditions of Catholicism, Buddhism and Islam, respectively. In the book, she frequently talks about journalism being a vocation that keeps calling her. However, I cant identify exactly when the vocation, or the drive to cover issues related to injustice, starts calling me. I just feel a magnetic pull toward these issues, Maria wrote to The Jakarta Post in an email. However, I think we all have a sense [of the fact] that injustice has always been interwoven with human life; that the marginalization of certain groups has always been tied up with societal and communal lives, she said. She regretted that some people were segregated by their own group-led self-righteousness, even when discussing justice, human rights and tolerance. For instance, some people could accept cultural pluralism, while finding it very difficult to comprehend diversity in terms of gender identity and sexual orientation, said Maria, who earned a Masters degree from the University of Indonesias (UI) prestigious gender studies program. The 62-year-old writer said her work as a journalist at Kompas constantly challenged her to explore these issues, feeding her enthusiasm. Retirement might have been a blow of sorts for Maria, but it was not the end of her journey. I was at a loss when the time came for me to leave Kompas. I felt as if I was losing the identity that had made me felt at home; a home that gave me freedom to be my own person and perform my lifes duty for 31 years. That crisis had given birth to Jalan Pulang, she said. The crisis also forced her to finally confront questions that had been on her mind her whole life: about who she essentially is, her true purpose in this life and where shes going next. Im not a person who takes things at face value. I always need to dig deeper, beyond what I see, read and feel by reading and discussing with other people, she said. (Read also: Bonnie Triyana: Learning about today's society from history) Maria believes that these intellectual pursuits have to be complemented by spiritual activities like meditation, as human knowledge definitely has its limits. In Jalan Pulang she wrote: I have abandoned religious traditions filled with dogmas in the shelves of history. This is why she opens herself up to various religious traditions. Above all, the Javanese spirituality and wisdom that she learned through her mothers bedtime stories is something that serves as a guiding light for her to this day. I always remember this piece of wisdom, translated loosely from Javanese: In order to find salvation, we must be aware that we will reap what we sow. Evil, albeit being covered with thick layers, will be uncovered in the end. Disgrace is like a decaying object: Although you spray it with perfume, you cant disguise its unpleasant stench, she explained. The desire for the truth is evident in her work as a journalist. Journalism isnt as simple as merely covering both sides, moreover when it only seeks to pit people or parties that are in vehement disagreement with one another. Journalism has to be able to unravel any subject matter to the core, she explained. This is why, journalists are not only required to outline elements of how and why in an excellent manner, but they also must have a strong sense of justice and deep comprehension of human rights, so that they know where they should stand. In order not to get lost in the ocean of information and competing agendas, journalists must engage in lifelong learning, Maria says. This constant learning also humbles the soul, making us aware of how insignificant and small we are in the face of this vast and complex universe. This awareness, in turn, will refine our compassion and automatically make us side with the oppressed. She said, for instance, that she had just recently updated her knowledge on issues surrounding the oppression of people identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), in keeping with contemporary developments of human rights issues. Her battle to defend human rights, however, has not always been easy. When she wrote about sexual violence against women in former military operations areas across Indonesia, somebody intimidated her through phone calls and text messages. Driven by her convictions, she chose to ignore these threats and moved ahead with her stories. She said that as a journalist, you might not be able to attain conventional measures of success like fame, structural position or money. The wisdom gained from years of experience being a journalist, however, will help you strike spiritual gold. I love reading. And Ill never stop writing, although Im still not sure which subject Im going to write on next, Maria said. She is still treading her path. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Cho Chung-un (The Korea Herald/Asia News Network) South Korea Mon, February 6, 2017 Expressing bewilderment, Samsung officials in Seoul on Friday remained confused over a tweet by US President Donald Trump that praised the South Korean tech giant for considering building a stateside factory. After news reports on Samsungs plan to build a plant for home appliances in the US, Trump said in a Twitter message: Thank you, @Samsung! We would love to have you! (Read also: Men found to crave social media attention more than women: Kaspersky) Thank you, @Samsung! We would love to have you! https://t.co/r5nxC9oOA4 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 The South Korean company has neither tweeted back to Trump, nor denied the report. Rather than give a direct answer, Samsung Electronics said its stance in considering building a plant remains the same, but nothing has been confirmed. The US is an important market for Samsung Electronics, and we have been making significant investments, including in Austin, Texas, where we have invested $17 billion to date in our semiconductor manufacturing facility, Samsung said in a statement after Trumps tweet. We continue to evaluate new investment needs in the US that can help us best serve our customers. Last month, Samsung said it would have a new plant in US as Trump demanded businesses build factories in the country. Trump also warned the new administration may impose taxes for products manufactured outside the US. Korean companies including Samsung, LG and Hyundai Motor have plants in Mexico serving the US market with tax benefits granted by the North American Free Trade Agreement. If Trump renegotiates the deal, they are expected to be slapped with heavier tariffs, losing price competitiveness in the market. (Read also: Samsung details causes of Note 7 fires but questions remain) The unexpected tweet went viral here, particularly among Korean tech giants and carmakers as they feel the pressure from Trump to make more investments on US soil. We feel pressured for (President Trump) thanking Samsung because nothing has been decided yet, but it could give the wrong impression that Samsung may have done something (as he wished), a Samsung official said. New investment plans like building factories take a considerable time to review. But with the president making such a comment first, we could be viewed as withdrawing from a plan that we havent even decided yet. Meanwhile, other companies like Hyundai Motor and LG Electronics confirmed last month they would build new plants. Hyundai Motor said it would invest $3.1 billion in the US over the next five years while LG said it would make a final decision by June on plans to build a plant there. Trump, however, has mentioned the plans by neither Hyundai nor LG. -- Staff reporter Song Su-hyun contributed to this article. -- Ed. This article appeared on The Korea Herald newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bayu Widhiatmoko (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 14:15 2098 9b519824cb3263083aedb70a0be7d562 1 Science & Tech Samsung,Galaxy-A,smartphone,#smartphone,water-resistant Free Samsung has recently released the latest versions of its Galaxy A series in Jakarta, namely the A3, A5 and A7. The series has received an AP68 certification, which means the three models can be submerged in water up to 1.5 meters deep for as long as 30 minutes. In addition to water-resistance, the Galaxy A7 comes with a 5.7-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) Super AMOLED display, 16-megapixel camera and Android 6.0.16 Marshmallow operating system. As for the hardware, it has an octa-core 1.9GHz chipset, 32GB internal memory and 3600 mAh battery. (Read also: Samsung confused over Trumps thank you tweet) Its sibling, the Galaxy A5, is equipped with a similar camera, operating system, chipset and internal memory. Other features include 5.2-inch FHD Super AMOLED display and a slightly lower 3000 mAh battery. Meanwhile, the most affordable version of the series, the Galaxy A3, offers 4.7-inch HD 720p Super AMOLED display, 8 megapixel camera, octa-core 1.6GHz chipset, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal memory, 1350 mAh battery, as well as a Marshmallow operating system. The South Korean company's product marketing manager Irfan Rinaldi told The Jakarta Post that the prices for the products would be Rp 5,999 million (US$450), Rp 4,999 million and Rp 3,999 million for the A7, A5 and A3, respectively. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Duncan Graham (The Jakarta Post) Malang Mon, February 6, 2017 11:12 2098 9b519824cb3263083aedb70a0be70e6b 4 Books fiction,book-review,#bookreview,Indonesia-Australia,Islam,Muslim,Bali-bombing Free This is how Troppo starts: The first story I hear about my new boss is in a brothel in Bandar Lampung. I dont realize its a brothel at first. From the outside it looks like a typical Indonesian beauty salon; pink curtains tacked up in a prayer arch over lace, a gritty Salon Kecantikan sign at the front and a becoming ladyboy at the door with toilet paper molded into boobs. Thats an addictive intro. Troppo is Australian slang derived from tropical. To go troppo is to abandon normal conventions, to go native. It also means turning crazy. In the hands of West Australian writer Madelaine Dickie, Troppo is a sinewy take on the people next door seeing Indonesians as humans with flaws and qualities, not economic units in a government statement. The surfing, skateboarding knockabouts literary talents won her a Prime Ministers Australia-Asia Endeavour Award. She used this to live in West Java, where she was mentored at Universitas Padjadjaran and Universitas Islam Bandung while writing her debut novel. The result may not be what they expected. Promoted as a book about black magic, big waves and mad Aussie expats, Troppo follows the life of Penelope, a name associated with steady faithfulness. Thats not her bag, so she becomes Penny, as in dreadful. Miss adventurous enjoys the Indonesian lifestyle, though her hosts have trouble slotting her into their mindsets. And so will many readers who are not into the religion of surfing and the worship of waves, or too old to remember overwhelming lust and its aftermath. (Read also: Australia-Indonesia cultural relationship: Those who shaped our critical mind) Its 2004, two years after the Bali bombing. Penny is 22 going on 16. Shes a part-time hangover artist and full-time risk-taker on a break in Indonesia from her older conservative boyfriend in Perth. As she says, a bolter when things get too hard. Soon this liberated lass is getting perved in the shower by masturbators, stalked in the bush by weirdoes and stoned by kids before making it into bed with a thigh-biting pilot who already has a pregnant girlfriend. While her demure Sumatran sisters are treading an ancient path of service, mapless (but not hapless) Penny is desperately seeking self before her use-by date when tissues sag and a bikini is inadvisable. The gap between Indonesians and Australians could hardly be wider despite Pennys sympathies, empathies and occasional eruptions of guilt. She wants to find a bridge, but doesnt know how, so turns to gin in a water bottle. Shes set for a job at a resort, where the arrogant and explosive bule boss Mister Shane, a former freedom fighter in Aceh, is in deep trouble with the citizenry. Penny gets warnings aplenty, but this surfing tragic is still in Pollyanna-land even when thugs hurl rocks through windows while a boozy party is underway. Yet this libidinous lass is no naif. She speaks Indonesian, likes street food and sleeps with a knife under her pillow, ready to turn unwanted amorous advances into limp retreats. She can even handle unflushed squat toilets. The tension builds. Fundamentalists are talking bombs. The expats tell her to go. So do local friends. But with only a third of the book gone and knowing Pennys temperament, we doubt shell be dozing on the next bus south. Pennys Indonesia doesnt feature in airline mags. People are kind and cruel, honest and thieving, dirty and clean, treacherous and loyal like anywhere. Their cut-andpaste view of outsiders has been colored by brash, exploitative drunks with too much money and too little understanding. Like Elizabeth Pisani, author of the essential Indonesia Etc, Dickie has insights to offer through her unstable heroine: For Indonesian people, Islam is a symbol, not an ideology, Penny asks a mountain village woman why she has started wearing a jilbab, expecting a deep discourse on faith. The reply to keep warm. She ponders the treatment of the elderly: Here the old people arent shut away. They continue to be part of the communi- ty [] everyone has a place. The expat group is a handy literary device to explore at- titudes: Aging academics in an ethnographic wonderland, balding failures seeking compliant brown virgins as the whitegoods market has closed, hucksters running businesses denied permits in their rule-bound homeland and the driftersturned-stayers. One long-timer says; The whole world speaks English. Why would I bother learning Indo? On the other side are teens trapped by customs dictated by men, controlling clerics, venal cops, dutiful wives whose dreams of a liberated lifestyle are destined to be trashed by frustrated and jealous husbands. They ask Penny about free sex and boyfriends, questions as predictable as where you from, Mister? Ponders Penny: Sometimes there are things you cant explain. Cultural difference so vast you dont know where to start. She says shes from New Zealand. Australia carries too much baggage in Indonesia. What these generally unpleasant people share is a common hatred of Mister Shane, so plot his downfall through black magic and violence, which is bound to cause collateral damage. Enough said. Less able writers would have resorted to cliches in exploring this swamp, but Dickie doesnt use a monochrome palate. She has a fine sense of places where the earth holds a memory, but is more at home with the sea, like compatriot writer Tim Winton. What is it about these beachcrazed West Aussies? Theyre always looking away, unlike Indonesians who know theyre at one with the land. Troppo has already won a major award named after journalist and author Tom Hungerford, so Dickie, now 29, seems set to make a mark. Hopefully through revealing another Indonesia: Theres something intoxicating about living in extreme places, among extreme people. You never, for a moment, forget that you are alive. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 Jakarta incumbent gubernatorial candidate Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama denied on Monday allegations that he had made several blusukan (impromptu visits) without permits from the Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu). Ahok received several complaints from Panwaslu for not providing information about campaign visits to several areas, including North Jakarta and West Jakarta. According to Panwaslu, all candidates running in the Jakarta gubernatorial election should inform the Jakarta Police, Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) and General Elections Commission (KPU) about their campaign schedule. Bawaslu will then distribute their schedules to Panwaslu offices at the city and district levels. Ahok argued that during those visits he had only held discussions with residents and did not ask anyone to vote for him. (Read also: Ahok to hold another mass campaign before voting day) "Was I campaigning? Campaigning is pushing [people] to vote for me, while I was not doing any such thing. You can ask the RT [community unit] head. I told them that it was okay if he didn't want to vote for me. I was just being fair," Ahok said during his visit to Cakung, East Jakarta, on Monday. "Like right now, I am here not to talk about my programs. What programs? I am here for a discussion. I want to tell [the residents] the truth that they are occupying state land. I don't want lie to them," he added. During his visit to Cakung on Monday, Ahok was dressed in his famous checkered campaign shirt and was accompanied by his campaign team. (trw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Chris Grygiel (Associated Press) Seattle Mon, February 6, 2017 Dozens of tech companies, including behemoths like Apple, Google, and Facebook, are siding with Washington state and Minnesota as they fight President Donald Trump's ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. The companies filed briefs late Sunday with a federal appellate court saying the Trump executive order hurts their businesses. In their court filing with the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a total of 97 companies said Trump's travel ban "hinders the ability of American companies to attract great talent; increases costs imposed on business; makes it more difficult for American firms to compete in the international marketplace." The travel ban would prompt businesses to build operations outside the United States, said the companies. The long list of enterprises looking to join the fight against Trump are among the country's biggest, most high-profile businesses like Uber, eBay and Netflix. The businesses are looking to help Washington and Minnesota as they sue Trump. The states have said the ban harmed residents and effectively mandated discrimination. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this weekend denied the administration's request to immediately set aside a Seattle judge's ruling that put a hold on the ban nationwide. Trump's order applied to Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen countries the administration said raise terrorism concerns. The order sparked nationwide airport protests and caused confusion for many foreigners trying to reach the United States. (Read also: US suspends enforcement of travel ban, DOJ moves to appeal) Trump has said he's trying to protect Americans. The government says the president has the authority to decide who can enter the country. However the companies, in their court filing, said Trump's executive order would destroy the entrepreneurial spirit that fuels American businesses. Immigrants make many of the nation's greatest discoveries, and create some of the country's most innovative and iconic companies," the court filing said. "The experience and energy of people who come to our country to seek a better life for themselves and their children_to pursue the 'American Dream'_are woven throughout the social, political, and economic fabric of the nation." (dan) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6 2017 The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) warned Sunday that heavy showers accompanied by strong winds would occur until Wednesday throughout Java, including Greater Jakarta, and the Nusa Tenggara islands, which could bring down trees and billboards. BMKG spokesperson Hari Tirto Djatmiko, therefore, asked those who happened to be outside when the rain came to take shelter in permanent buildings instead of semi-permanent ones. People were also encouraged to avoid taking shelter under trees and billboards during heavy downpours. We have been urging residents and relevant public service workers to trim the branches of big trees to avoid incidents, since the rainy season is about to come, which was in August last year, Hari told The Jakarta Post. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 The government has reiterated that buffalo meat imported from India is safe for consumption, despite confirming the findings of the National Cattle Board (Depernas) that India does not have foot and mouth disease (FMD)-free zones. The OIE [World Organization for Animal Health] has indeed not found India to be FMD-free but has acknowledged that some slaughterhouses in India have an official FMD control system, as stated in OIEs Terrestrial Animal Health Code, said I Ketut Diarmita, the ministrys livestock and animal health director general, in a text message on Friday. So the imports are legal and safe. Even the United Kingdom and Malaysia import buffalo meat from India, he remarked. Veterinarians also confirmed the safety of the meat. (Read also: More buffalo meat to enter local market) As long as it is meat that is imported and not live buffalos, it is fine, said Heru Setijanto, chairman of the Indonesian Veterinarians Association (PDHI). But government needs to make sure it is processed correctly in the slaughterhouse and the meat doesnt come from FMD-infected areas, he added. FMD is a contagious disease amongst ruminants or even-toed mammals, such as buffalo, cows, goats and pigs. The government has for the first time in history imported buffalo meat from India to stabilize meat prices amid a beef price that has been hovering between Rp 120,000 (US$8.9) per kg and Rp 80,000 per kg. The buffalo meat, which began to enter the country around September last year, is being sold at prices starting from Rp 65,000 per kg. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 A falling tree in South Jakarta has claimed the lives of Miftah Abdillah Achmad, 27, and Rustiana Imala Putri, 25, on Saturday afternoon and left their infant orphaned and crying for milk ever since. Nine-month-old Alfa Naufal Nareswara cried on Sunday as the bodies of his parents arrived at their home in Pabuaran, Cibinong, Bogor, West Java. However, the baby, who cannot speak yet, may not yet be aware that his parents are dead. According to his grandmother, Alfa has been crying for milk since Saturday evening. He only drinks breast milk, Alfas grandmother told Beji Police chief Comr. Bambang as quoted by wartakotalive.com. A tree with a diameter of 4 meters fell and hit the couple while they were riding a motorcycle along Jl. Lenteng Agung Timur, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta, at around 5 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. The baby has been waiting for his mom to drink breast milk. I am so sad to hear his cries as now his mom is no longer alive, Bambang said. (vny) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Semarang Mon, February 6, 2017 The National Police and Islamic leaders have called on the public to remain calm and stay united amid what appears to be growing tensions ahead of simultaneous regional elections on Feb. 15. "[Differences] are common in a democracy. You may have different candidate preferences, but dont let those differences divide us, National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said Friday. Tito was speaking at Central Java Police headquarters in Semarang at an event also attended by thousands of Islamic leaders, scholars and students. Tito called on Muslims to follow the Prophet Muhammads teaching for initiating the Charter of Medina. "At that time, the Prophet Muhammad made a deal with non-Muslims in Medina to respect each other's religion. This time around, we surely could follow the example of our prophet for promoting tolerance, Tito went on. "Democracy and the regional elections should not divide us. They should unite us instead, he added. Meanwhile, Habib Muhammad Luthfi bin Yahya, a notable Islamic scholar from Pekalongan in Central Java, told the story of local Islamic propagator Sunan Gunung Jati, who tirelessly promoted tolerance. Habib said Sunan Gunung Jati's influence could be seen at the Sunan Gunung Jati sacred tomb. "There are two groups of people who carry out cemetery pilgrimage Muslims and non-Muslims. They pray in their own way, everything is fine. Nobody feels annoyed, said Habib. "Sunan Gunung Jati has passed away, but we still can feel his influence in uniting the country, he added. (trw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 In a bid to modernize its garbage disposal fleet, the Jakarta Environment Agency has proposed that the purchase of 1,000 motorized carts be included in the citys revised 2017 budget. Environment Agency head Isnawa Adji said on Monday that the plan was in accordance with a recommendation from City Council members. Isnawa said the council members had received many complaints from residents that their areas needed more carts to transport their garbage to the nearest temporary garbage disposal site, from where it is picked up by dump trucks. Therefore, we will propose more motorized carts to replace the manual ones, he said, as quoted by beritajakarta.com. Isnawa said the motorized carts would use a hydraulic system and cost around Rp 40 million (US$3,000) to Rp 50 million. We will purchase them through the electronic catalog, he said. He added that the carts would be distributed to community units in residential areas. With a population of some 10 million people, Jakarta produces around 7,000 tons of solid waste per day. The waste is transported to the Bantar Gebang landfill in Bekasi, West Java. (cor) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 President Joko Jokowi Widodo will hold a limited Cabinet meeting to discuss the progress of the light rail transit (LRT) development connecting from Cawang to Cibubur in East Jakarta which will enter operation in March 2019. The meeting will start at 3 p.m. today at the president office, State Palace media bureau head Bey Triadi Machmudin said. The technical progress has reached 12 percent, expecting the infrastructure for the LRT will be finished in the middle of next year, according to the government. (Read also: LRT construction for 2018 Asian Games back on track) Planned routes of light rail transit by state-owned contractor PT Adhi Karya and the central government.(Courtesty of PT Adhi Karya/File) We need eight more months to finish installing rolling stock and the syste, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said recently, adding the LRT infrastructure used precast technology. Besides serving railway transportation, the LRT infrastructure also accommodated phone lines and fiber-optic communication. The central government and state-owned contractor Adhi Karya plan to eventually connect Bogor, Depok and Bekasi with Jakarta through the LRT system. The first phase was for a connection from Cibubur to Cawang, which would be followed by an extension to Bogor, because 30 percent of PT Keretaapi Commuter Jabodetabeks 800,000 passengers are from Bogor, according to the government. (dan) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Semarang Mon, February 6, 2017 National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said the force had never wiretapped former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. He made the statement in response to allegations that police tapped the phone of the former president, popular known by his initials SBY, after the team of lawyers of Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama claimed to have a copy of a recorded phone call between SBY and the chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Ma'ruf Amin. Ahok is currently on trial for alleged blasphemy. The police never tapped Pak SBY, Tito said during an event at Central Java police on Saturday. (Read also: SBY calls for investigation into alleged 'Watergate' scandal involving Ahok) He also said he was ready to explain as much to lawmakers should they ask him to clarify. Yudhoyono has claimed to be the victim of illegal state-sponsored wiretapping following Ahok's statement during a trial hearing last week that he had strong evidence of a phone conversation, in which the Democratic Party chairman put pressure on Ma'ruf to issue a fatwa declaring that Ahok had committed blasphemy. Ahok, who is supported by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), is contesting Yudhoyono's eldest son Agus Harimurti in the ongoing Jakarta gubernatorial race. (wit) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Andi Hajramurni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 A sub-district head and a civil servant have been found guilty of taking part in campaigning for a candidate pair in the West Sulawesi gubernatorial election, they faced a Rp 5 million (US$375) fine or one-month imprisonment. The two officials are Papalang sub-district head Muliadi and Muhammad Ibrahim, head of the governmental division at the Mamuju regency administration. They were charged with taking part in the campaign of West Sulawesi gubernatorial candidate pair Suhardi Duka - Kalma Katta in violation of Article 71 of the 2016 Law on election crimes. "They had to pay a Rp 5 million fine or spend one month in prison. They chose to pay the fine, said Muhammad Saleh, head of legal division of the West Sulawesi Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) on Monday. (Read also: Thousands of ballots in West Sulawesi damaged) Even though they were found guilty, they were not dismissed from their current positions. Administrative sanctions, Saleh said, would be handled by the Home Ministry. West Sulawesi Bawaslu has sent a letter in regard to the matter, he added. Besides the two officials, the North Mamuju sub-district head also allegedly campaigned for a candidate pair. The dossier of the case has been submitted to the North Mamuju prosecutors office. As of Monday, Saleh said, there were 69 cases of election violations. In Mamuju itself, there were 25 cases. Most of the cases involved civil servants. (trw) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nethy Dharma Somba (The Jakarta Post) Jayapura Mon, February 6, 2017 State-owned electricity company PLN in Papua and West Papau (WP2B) has signed an agreement with PT Merauke Marada Energi to develop biomass power plants in Merauke, whose sale and purchase agreement was made in late January in Sorong, West Papua. PT Merauke Narada Energi will develop a renewable power plant that will use biomass energy, which is expected to start production in 2017, PLN WP2B general manager Yohanes Sukrislismono said in a statement received by The Jakarta Post over the weekend. Currently, PT Merauke Narada Energi, a subsidiary of PT Medco Energi, is developing a biomass power plant (PLTBm) in Wapeko, Merauke, with a capacity of 1x3.5 MW, which will be distributed to the Special Economic Zone (KEK) in Salor, Merauke, Yohanes said. (Read also: Incentive cut discourages investment in renewable energy: Expert) Wood chips will be used as the organic raw material to generate power at the plant. We have 250,000 hectares of land to produce wood chips. We have conducted research into using wood chips as raw materials in energy production to help the government supply electricity in Papua, said PT Medco Energi commissioner Budi Basuki. The trees that will be used as a source for wood chips include Acacia, Eucalyptus and Meulaluca, Budi said, adding that 26 other tree species are being studied as possible wood chip sources. PT Medco Energis Maluku and Papua regional director Haryanto WS said his company was the first independent power producer (IPP) to operate in eastern Indonesia. The government has set a target of renewable energy contributing 23 percent of the total energy supply by 2025. Currently, its contribution is only 14 percent. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. M. Iriawan has called on members of Muslim organizations to refrain from staging rallies in the capital ahead of the upcoming simultaneous regional elections. I have been informed about the Feb. 11 [rally]. However, I hope that it wont happen. There has not been any official statement regarding the plan so I urge the public to refrain from holding activities on that day, Iriawan said as quoted by tribunnews.com in Warakas, North Jakarta. Elections will be held on Feb. 15 in 101 regions across the archipelago, including in Jakarta. In Jakarta, three candidate pairs, namely Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono-Sylviana Murni, Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama-Djarot Saiful Hidayat and Anies Baswedan-Sandiaga Uno, are competing for the top job. Iriawan said a rally prior to Election Day might disrupt the safety of the city. We have nothing to do with the election. Whoever wins, Jakarta should remain safe, he said on Sunday. Muslim organizations held two large-scale rallies demanding the prosecution of Ahok last year for alleged blasphemy. Each rally involved hundreds of thousands of protestors. Jakartas Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) enforcement division earlier urged the police not to allow events or rallies related to the Feb. 15 election. (fac) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 Internet users should now really think twice before tweeting or posting anything on social media. The police have decided to deploy more personnel to investigate citizens who are suspecting of violating the controversial Electronic Information Transactions (ITE) Law, including its draconian articles on defamation and hate speech. The National Police have announced that they had expanded their cybercrime unit, which was initially operating under the Criminal Investigation Departments special economic directorate, into becoming a separate directorate. When it was still a subdirectorate, the polices cybercrime unit only had 40 investigators and was led by a senior commissioner. It now has 100 personnel and will be led by a one-star police general. The creation of a special cybercrime directorate was aimed at increasing the forces capacity to tackle the growing number of criminal threats in cyberspace, National Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar told The Jakarta Post on Saturday. With a bigger number of personnel and a bigger budget for investigations, it is expected that the polices ability to investigate cybercrimes will be better than in previous years, Boy said. The cybercrime directorate will have at least three departments: economic cybercrimes, cyberterrorism and general cybercrimes. Sr. Comr. Mohammad Fadli Imran, who previously served as deputy chief of the special economic crimes directorate, will be promoted to the rank of one-star police general to lead the new directorate. His installment will take place within two weeks. In addition to expanding the cybercrime unit, the police have also set up a special multimedia bureau under the National Polices public relations division to deal with social media policing. The bureau will deal with efforts to raise awareness and education for the public to utilize social media in the right way, instead of engaging in incitement that can divide the nation, another police spokesperson, Comr. Gen. Martinus Sitompul, said. (Read also: Police to support national cyber agency) While the new units establishment showed the polices commitment to tackling cybercrimes, Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) executive director Supriyadi Widodo Eddyono warned that the move could lead to more people being prosecuted for violating the controversial defamation and hate speech articles stipulated in the ITE law. In recent months, more and more people among the 129 million active social media users in the country have been reported for, or charged with, online defamation or hate speech. The ICJR recorded that at least 708 online defamation and hate speech cases were reported in 2016, although the police only settled 166 of them. In 2015, they recorded only 485 cases, 129 of which were settled. In handling cybercrime, Supriyadi said, the police tend to focus more on cases related to online defamation, since it is easier to obtain evidence for them and takes a shorter time to conduct the investigation. With more resources to follow up on public reports, more people can be brought to court for defamation. Based on our monitoring, in most cases people charged with defamation are likely to get convicted, Supriyadi told the Post. Police should really improve their personnels capacity to investigate cybercrimes, including online defamation and hate speech, Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM) researcher Wahyudi Djafar said. The police investigators, for instance, are still reliant on conventional evidence such as print-screens of a social media post of someone who has been accused of spreading hate speech, instead of using digital forensic tools, he said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 The National Police have urged participants of an upcoming protest to maintain order and have reiterated that the police will take security measures of the event planned for Feb. 11. National Police spokesman Ir. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said on Monday that the police had not yet received notification about the protest. The National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesian Ulema Councils Fatwa (GNPF-MUI) members, including the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), the Muslim Peoples Forum (FUI) and other conservative groups, have announced plans for a rally on the date, which falls one day before the cooling-off period ahead of countrywide elections on Feb. 15. Every protest must follow the regulations, maintain order and avoid any conduct that could disrupt the regional elections, Boy said at the National Police headquarters. (dis/rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Grace D. Amianti and Prima Wirayani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6 2017 The selection of the Financial Services Authoritys (OJK) board of commissioners candidates is in the spotlight as top politicians are jumping to get involved, making the future of the multi-quadrillion rupiah financial and capital market industry prone to political intervention. The selection process of the OJKs new executives concluded its first phase last Friday with 174 out of 843 applicants passing preliminary selection. However, the government-appointed selection committee has kept the results secret. Rumor has it that several members of the House of Representatives are on the list. Golkar Party politician Melchias Markus Mekeng and a politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Andreas Eddy Susetyo are reportedly on the list. They are, respectively, the chairperson and a member of the House of Representatives Commission XI overseeing finance and banking. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 The Union of Print Media Companies (SPS) announced on Monday that it would assist the Press Council in verifying media institutions in the country in its efforts to uphold the professionalism of the Indonesian press. The SPS said that the union, which examines the quality of print media in the country, would help the council in conducting the verification process. "We will focus on our members," SPS secretary-general Heddy Lugito told a press briefing at the union's headquarters in Jakarta. The SPS has 471 print media companies registered as members. The organization talked to the press hours after its leaders met the council members to prepare the process. Press Council chairman Yosep "Stanley" Adi Prasetyo said the Press Council agreed to grant the SPS the role on condition of free verification for all members, unlike the current practice of the SPS charging up to Rp 7 million (US$ 526.25) to certify a media company. (wit) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nethy Dharma Somba and Agus Maryono (The Jakarta Post) Jayapura/Cilacap Mon, February 6 2017 Several regions in the archipelago are facing various challenges in trying to get women to vote in the upcoming simultaneous regional elections, which will be participated by 101 provinces, cities and regencies on Feb. 15. In Jayapura, Papua, lack of knowledge on the election and ballot system seem to be the main issues. Jayapura city only has a single candidate pair running in the election, namely incumbent mayor Benhur Tomi Manno and Rustan Saru. The city is one of nine regions in the country that have a sole candidate. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6 2017 Ahmad Budiman, a spokesman for the Indonesian Islamic Education Teachers Association (AGPAII), said he acknowledged the huge responsibility his organization had to bear. With intolerance rising, many have pointed their fingers at the failure of religion teachers to instill the values of tolerance and inclusivity in Indonesian youth. A 2016 study by the Center for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM), for instance, found 80 percent of Islamic education teachers refused to give shelter to the followers of Ahmadiyyah and Shia Islam, the two Islamic sects that are considered heretical by majority Sunni Muslims. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Moses Ompusunggu and Safrin La Batu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, February 7 2017 Another survey has suggested a decline in support for the Jakarta gubernatorial candidate pair of Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and Sylviana Murni, though their campaign team remains optimistic that Agus field guerilla style will help win votes on election day on Feb. 15. Agus-Sylvianas popularity dropped from 25 percent before the second official debate on Jan. 27 to 21.8 percent after the event, according to a Populi Center poll released on Monday. We will still emphasize field guerilla campaigning. Greeting residents one by one through eye contact and handshakes is an important method to gain support, the Agus-Sylviana campaign teams spokesperson Roy Suryo told reporters in response to the poll results. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, February 7 2017 Pakistan hopes to see an increase in exports of its famous Kinnow oranges to Indonesia, as it has started to infiltrate the market through giant retailers. A press statement from the Pakistani Embassy made available to The Jakarta Post states that consignments of the Pakistani Kinnow have started arriving in Jakarta, and are currently being sold in many major grocery chains, including Carrefour, Ranch Market, Hypermart and Giant. The Kinnow is a larger orange, touted to be extremely easy to peel and is cited as having a unique flavor as a result of the soil and climate in which they are grown. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, February 6, 2017 17:30 2098 9b519824cb3263083aedb70a0be8939b 1 News flight,#flights,Airlines,#airlines,Qatar-Airways,longest-flight Free On Monday, Qatar Airways QR920 flight from Doha to Auckland, New Zealand, became the longest non-stop flight in the world. Clocking in at around 16.5 hours, this 14,535-kilometer flight eclipsed the previous longest flight, Emirates flight from Dubai to Auckland, by 335 kilometers, according to The Guardian. Due to headwinds, the scheduled trip back to Doha from Auckland will last about 18 hours. When the Boeing 777 touched down in Auckland it was welcomed firehoses sprayed by the airport fire and rescue crew, as per international tradition to welcome new flights. (Read also: Singapore Airlines to introduce longest non-stop flights to San Francisco) Weve officially landed in New Zealand, the Land of the Long White Cloud. Kia ora! #AucklandTogether pic.twitter.com/d0BNsWRU9f Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) February 5, 2017 The flight was staffed by four pilots and 15 cabin crew, who served 1,100 cups of tea and coffee, 2,000 cold drinks and 1,036 meals during the flight. The Boeing 777 accommodates 217 passengers in economy and 42 in business class. Mondays flight was at capacity. On the flight was Akbar Al Baker, Qatars chief executive. When asked whether any rise in fuel prices could affect the route and Qatars continuation of it, he said it was a long-term commitment to New Zealand. "We never close a route when we launch. We are not an airline that is only here for good times. We are here for good times and bad times because we serve the people that we operate for, he stated as quoted by nzherald.co.nz, adding that Auckland rounded off his airline's network in that part of the world. But Qatar Airways wont be holding the crown for very long. Singapore Airlines will take back the title of longest flight when its Singapore-New York service returns next year with a distance of 15,344 kilometers and a 19-hour flight time. (sul/kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Associated Press) Berlin Mon, February 6, 2017 17:31 2098 9b519824cb3263083aedb70a0be8b057 2 News Miniatur-Wunderland,Gerrit-Braun,tourism,travel,tourist-destination,#tourism,DonaldTrump,Donald-Trump Free A wall has appeared around the United States at a popular miniature world attraction in the German city of Hamburg. Operators of the Miniatur Wunderland erected the wall complete with barbed wire this week, separating the U.S. display from the rest of the world. The site is one of Hamburg's most popular tourist attractions, featuring a vast indoor model railway stretching across two floors. (Read also: Visiting Hamburg: Chocolate, coffee and trade, then and now) Co-founder Gerrit Braun said Thursday the idea for the wall arose after staff discussed whether the U.S. display needed changing to reflect "current developments." Braun said the wall wasn't meant to represent U.S. President Donald Trump's promised concrete barrier along the border with Mexico. Instead, it was intended to encourage visitors to think about what happens "when we build ideological walls around our countries." The Board of Fire Commissioners of the Lakewood Fire District, along with Lakewood Fire Chief of Department Mike DElia, today congratulated the members of the Lakewood Fire Department who recently completed Incident Response Training at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. This very intense, week-long course, sponsored and funded by the Department of Homeland Security. It is designed specifically for the many and varied incidents encountered by First Responders. Training included classroom presentations, case studies, field laboratories as well as practical exercises. These dedicated members of the Lakewood Fire Department took time away from their jobs and their families to attend this valuable and informative training, the Board of Fire Commissioners said. The knowledge they acquired will be disseminated to benefit the entire Fire Department and ultimately, positively impact the safety of the Township of Lakewood community. Responders from several Public Safety Agencies throughout the United States also attended and included: Fire and Police Departments from the States of California, Chicago, Colorado, Tennessee, Texas, etc. as well as representatives from the NYPD, FDNY, N.J. State Police, U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Secret Service. Lakewood Fire Department members pictured left to right: Captain Mark Rios, 1st Lieutenant Mike Gomez, Captain Joe Sandstrom, 2nd Assistant Chief Steve Mulholland, Captain Cameron McNeal, and Captain Jason Wallace. Here are some of the cultural events happening in the neighborhood this week: On Sunday, the merchants of the Essex Street Market are teaming up with the Lowline for a winter food festival. It will take place inside the Lowline Lab, the prototype of a proposed underground park thats being planned in the defunct Williamsburg Bridge Trolley Terminal. Its one of your last chances to see the lab before it closes at the end of the month. Participating vendors include Saxelby Cheesemongers, Formaggio Essex, Osaka Grub, Ni Japanese Delicacies and many more. Sunday, Feb. 12, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., 140 Essex St., RSVP here. The pivotal American artist, Raymond Pettibon, gets his first full-scale New York exhibition this week. Three floors of the New Museum will be devoted to his drawings, which poignantly evoke the countrys shifting values across time. Wednesday, Feb. 8 (through April 9); New Museum, $18, more info. The acclaimed 2004 production, Good Samaritans, will be revived this week on the Lower East Side. Downtown theater auteur Richard Maxwells play is set in the dining hall of a rehab center. This production is presented by the New York City Players and performed by the original cast. Previews begin Wednesday, Feb. 8, Abrons Arts Center, $25, more info. The Acker Awards, a tribute to the avant garde arts community, will be held this year at Theater 80, 80 St. Marks Place. The event was created by Alan Kaufman (San Francisco) and Clayton Patterson (New York). This years MC is Phoebe Legore. Sunday, Feb. 12, 7 p.m., free, more info. The scholar, Mark Slobin, will discuss the rise of Yiddish music in vaudeville dives, in the Yiddish theater and on parlor pianos in tenement homes during the era of mass migration to the United States. There will be a sing-along as Miryem-Khaye Seigel, Lauren Brody and Jake Shulman-Ment bring the music to life. Sunday, Feb. 12, 3 p.m., Museum at Eldridge Street, $14, more info. The extraordinary pianist, Kris Davis, is holding a one-week residency at The Stone this week, each night appearing with a different musician. John Zorns beloved club only has another year at its current Lower East Side location, so catch performances here while you can. Feb. 7-12, 9 p.m., $20, website. Check out our CALENDAR for more events and submit your own events HERE. And here are some of the civic events happening in the week ahead: Monday, Feb 6 Community Board 3 State Liquor Authority Committee Meeting Tuesday, Feb. 7 Community Board 3 Transportation Committee Meeting Wednesday, Feb. 8 Community Education Council/District 1 Calendar/Business Meeting Thursday, Feb. 9 L Train Shutdown Meeting Monday, Feb. 13 Community Board 3 Arts & Cultural Affairs Subcommittee Meeting Alexander Chees debut novel, Edinburgh, was called, spectacular, gripping, and gut-wrenching, by critics and widely lauded for his careful handling of the tough subject of sexual abuse. As The New Yorker put it, by balancing its anguish with fantasy and Korean folk tales, he keeps a sad story from becoming maudlin. Ive been feeling the buzz about Chees second novel, The Queen of the Night (Feb 2) since the summer. It tells the story of Lilliet Berne, a legendary soprano who is offered the last big accolade she has yet to gain in her singing career, a libretto written just for her. When she realizes that the libretto is based on her life, she knows that someone is trying to reveal the secrets of her past, but who? An early review says that the novel, feels in many ways like Thackerays Vanity Fair. The Queen of the Night is Chees first novel hardcover release since Edinburgh in 2001 and its reissue in 2003. While he has hardly been idle, I wondered how that felt. As novelists often talk of the pressure to publish, were the intervening 13 to 15 years productive or full of angst? What I found was a story filled with all the twists and turns of the greatest writing careers, a publisher bankruptcy, bouts of teaching yoga, the consequences of missing a deadline by 10 years, the advance money running out, an Amtrak residency, surviving through four changes of editor, and whether its all worth it in the end. I interviewed Chee by email. The Millions: Since Edinburgh was published, you have done a few things, like been named one of Out Magazines 100 Most Influential People, been published in Granta, Tin House, and Guernica, written for The New York Times, won fellowships, awards, and taught for Wesleyan, University of Leipzig, and Princeton, to name just a few. But, you have not published a second novel. Why did you keep us waiting? Alexander Chee: Well, when you say it like that, it does seem like a lot. But I feel much as I did the last time, with Edinburgh I remember telling a friend it felt like digging a tunnel to freedom and arriving at a party. I had worked several jobs in order to write the first novel teaching writing, writing freelance, waiting tables, cater-waitering, working as a yoga instructor. I had hoped to earn a break from that, but instead, during the entire paperback re-launch of Edinburgh by Picador, I had to deal with how my hardcover publisher, an indie publisher who sold the paperback rights to Picador, went bankrupt owing me the equivalent of a years salary at the time. And so as I went on tour, I felt celebrated and also robbed simultaneously. I switched agents then, and my agent was able to get me half of the remaining paperback money owed to me. But Ive never recouped that loss. And while this may seem small, perhaps what is a year among 13? well, it was the first one, it set the tone. It said, you could work all this time and at the end have everything taken from you. Theres something else, an essay Ive tried to write for a while, in my next, next book a book of essays Im collecting now about a recovered memory I had in that first year the novel was out. I remember a guy at book club asking me why I hadnt written a memoir. I said, I dont remember all of it. This was how I learned to articulate something about fiction writing: that you write to describe something you learn from your life but that is not described by describing your life. So I wrote Edinburgh. I wrote to fit the shape of what I knew to be true, but what I found was, I hadnt dealt with what it described. And then once the book was out, the missing pieces came back. It was as if Id cornered myself to force the truth out of me. For example, the night before Edinburghs official pub day, I understood I hadnt ever told my mother Id been through something like what the novel describes. And the novel just couldnt be the way she found out. So I called her and told her. TM: Was the time in between your two novels a frustrating period, or was it fruitful? AC: Both. Fruitful work periods are full of frustration, I think. Marilynne Robinson once observed to me something like, Great works of art are never created out of self esteem. I think that may be true. There was a brief moment when I remember feeling so excited about showing the world what I could do with a novel now that Id published Edinburgh. But, in addition to the aforementioned psychic crisis, I was also just burnt out. And so as much as part of me was so excited by the idea of writing more novels, that soon became, You want me to do all this again? What happened next is, I won two prizes that fall the Whiting Writers Award and the National Endowment for the Arts fellowship prizes that on their own would have meant for an amazing year. At the level of magical thinking, it felt like the universe making up some for what bankruptcy court had taken away from me. And as I had won the N.E.A. for an excerpt of The Queen of the Night, the prize seemed like a finger pointing at me and saying, Go and do this. So, I didsort of. It was like wandering blind into a storm. I moved to Los Angeles, where I really just sort of rested for a few months, read things, and went to parties and libraries and tried to put my head together again. When I ran out of money, I moved to my Moms in Maine, Charles DAmbrosio-style, writing in her basement every morning starting at 5 a.m., taking a break for Buffy the Vampire Slayer reruns at 11 a.m. and making an early lunch before working more. It was like the weirdest saddest colony stay, about three months. And then I showed my agent what I had and she sold The Queen of the Night as a partial in 9 days. This shocked me. It had taken two years to find a publisher for Edinburgh. I moved out, spent the summer researching in Paris, spent a year in Rochester as a disgruntled faculty spouse to a man I was trying to love, and when that fell apart, got a job at Amherst College, where I had the honor of being their Visiting Writer for four years. I wrote much of the novel there. When that ended, I moved to New York again, where it seemed as if all that had troubled me about the city before had bleached away in the weather. But the writing schools in New York all pay terribly they can have anyone they want for adjunct money we should all go on strike actually and force them to give raises. Anyway, you have to constantly leave town to make enough money to live. Thus my stints at Iowa, Leipzig, and Austin. These were productive, but the moves slow the writing down. I wrote many other things besides the novel to make a living nonfiction is one of my day jobs. I did a lot of research, maybe too much. I was haunted by that review you get from a historian who claims your novel is stupid because of one minor historical mistake. TM: Did you hit a low while writing The Queen of the Night? AC: The hardest part came when I decided to pull the novel in 2013, and revise it around new research Id found regarding the relationship between the singer Pauline Viardot-Garcia and Ivan Turgenev both characters in the novel. In particular, it was information on how she was composing operas as her voice faded, and he was writing the libretti he loved her, believed in her talent, and was urging her to do this. I knew if I didnt find a way to include this, I was in danger of returning to the material to write an entire novel just about the two of them. That piece then, and The Last Sorcerer, perhaps the most successful of their opera collaborations, is now a part of the novel that I may love the most. TM: Did you experience any pressure from your agent or publisher? AC: Yes. And they were well within their rights. My original contract was for a book due in 2006. Everyone involved has been remarkably patient and supportive, though there was a period when my agent would punch me in the arm whenever I saw her out. Other writers in this situation have been cancelled, so I would never complain about the pressure. While it often made me feel guilty, I tried to understand it as a way of being loved. TM: Did you feel commercial pressure, or worry about your own livelihood? AC: This is a constant under capitalism though, right? But nothing in the book is there to make it more commercial or I would have used quotation marks around the dialogue. Other people may be able to write cynically, but when I do I want to die. Which was never the point of writing. The biggest pressure was when I had run out of the money. I was paid for this book, everything else was essentially unpaid work during which time I also had to work to pay bills. And the longer the novel wasnt published, the more it seemed to endanger everything in my life my ability to get teaching work, to successfully apply for grants, my relationship, future projects. Each small delay, each mistake, each wrong turn in the writing became enormous as a result and it was unendurable in the last two years. The novel also ruined every family holiday vacation for a decade, too typically the down time between semesters when you can get writing done. Right near the end, I had a student write a story about the workshop, in which she was unkind to everyone in the class except herself, who she portrayed as a talented writer and a great beauty. This is something that happens at least once in every writing teachers life the student who thinks it is brilliant to write about the class and make everyone talk about what she thinks of them. Me? She portrayed me as a failed writer who couldnt sell his new book. All I can say is, I look forward to when this happens to her. TM: Edinburgh came out with Picador, while The Queen of the Night is published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, why did you change publishers? Did it have anything to do with the gap between them? AC: This was pretty ordinary. Picador was nothing but supportive of Edinburgh and kept it in print well after anyone else would have. I can say nothing but good things about them. The publisher at the time declined to bid on The Queen of the Night. I think they knew I was likely to follow my editor at the time, who had left Picador for Houghton. The Queen of the Night took so long to write that I was orphaned three times. My current editor, Naomi Gibbs, is my fourth, the former assistant to the third, promoted now to associate. And she really did much of the trench work on the novel at the end, assisting me with the insertions I made. A painstaking task I will owe her for forever. TM: Were you concerned that you might be forgotten as a novelist? AC: Definitely. I would sometimes come across blog posts praising the first novel and saying things like, It seems like hes stopped writing. That was hard to read. But, I understand. Eventually, I accepted that I was known more for personal essays and social media than for my first novel, especially after my idea for the Amtrak Residency became a real thing thanks to Twitter. But, this all makes the reception of this novel thus far really gratifying. My friend Maud Newton and I were talking about our history with blogs recently, and we agreed to think of them respectively as the sort of minor books that you publish in between the books that matter, an experiment done in a way that eventually helps the sale of the next book people read it, treat it like a blog and not a book and which allows to sustain a readership without suffering the damage of a tragic sales track record. TM: Facebook didnt exist, let alone Twitter or anything like that when Edinburgh came out. Does it feel like a very different world to publish a novel into? AC: Sure, like different planets. I laughed recently to remember those post cards I was asked to make. How I would leave them at the yoga studio I worked at, and then would feel guilty if they blew onto the floor, guilty again when I had to recycle them for having gotten dirty on the floor, etc. Such a mess. But in addition to the postcards, back in 2001, I also had a website, made for me by a friend who is an early adopter which I remember people treated it as a bit of a curiosity. I remember the moment my webmaster said, You should have a blog, something to keep your readers coming back for, something I couldnt imagine at first. It wasnt until I moved to L.A. and everyone there seemed to have a blog that I began blogging as a way to work out of burnout. I never found out why everyone in L.A. was blogging, but I remember people sometimes mocked me for having a blog, saying it was something serious literary writers didnt do. Sarah Manguso and Susan Steinberg, one night at MacDowell, the writers colony, kept chanting at me delete your blog delete your blog. But by 2006, hiring committees told me it helped them hire me that it showed I was a thinker in a bigger way than the books and submitted essays did and by 2008 I found I had a reputation as a literary writer who used the Internet like a blogger, with a blog that had a reputation for literary quality. I began consulting with writers and literary organizations, teaching them how to use Twitter and Facebook, blog strategies for publication that supported their launches and tours. Its become popular to mock writers use of social media again, but everyone is using it. If we disdain it, how will we know what peoples lives are like? Almost no one lives in the way these critics are asking writers to live, offline and shuttered away. Anything you write from that position will be literally blinkered. Social media makes it much easier to get attention as a writer and to be relevant between books in my case, a very long time. It has also leveled the playing field for LGBTQ writers and writers of color. Yes, I too hate the weird sort of wedding toast atmosphere that can come over Facebook. But, at least when I write about it in fiction, I wont be guessing what it is like. TM: What is the biggest difference for you this time around? AC: I dont know how to describe it yet. Mostly, Im trying to focus on whats next. I have my essay collection, plus ideas and pages for a nonfiction book as well as four novels. And a screenplay Ive adapted with my partner, Dustin Schell. Weve adapted Barry Werths biography of Newton Arvin, The Scarlet Professor, and we have high hopes for it. Dustin has never known me until now without me working on this novel and feeling like I would be killed by writing it. So Im introducing him to that guy. The one who finished and survived it. TM: There is huge buzz about The Queen of the Night. How did it start? AC: Well, thanks. This answer is just an educated guess but Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has some serious game, I have to say. Their strategy was to begin with galleys early, to give people time to read it, and to make the cover into something physically beautiful a galley that was also an object of desire. Anyone who says a cover doesnt matter isnt paying attention. Michelle Triant there and Hannah Harlow were the galley masters. But I have to give a lot of credit to Liberty Hardy first of all, and her partner in crime, Rebecca Schinsky over at Book Riot, who were early champions of the novel. Liberty even made a countdown clock. Rachel Fershleiser, of Tumblr, Lisa Lucas, of Guernica, Maris Kreizman over at Kickstarter, Michele Filgate, Stephanie Anderson (aka Bookavore), and Sarah McCarry what we call the Bookternet, basically. Women in cool glasses who read crates of books. Plus Jason Diamond and Tobias Carroll, of Vol. 1 Brooklyn and Saeed Jones and Jarry Lee at Buzzfeed. And of course, The Millions. It has to have helped to have the novel on your most anticipated list for several years. Im just glad it is really finally coming out. And then the writer Maud Newton, who will be in conversation with me at my launch at McNally Jackson on February 2. She has consistently written about me and the novel over the years, even read an early draft shes a great friend and when I thought of who to do this first event with, she was my first choice. Im really looking forward to talking to her about it. TM: The Queen of the Night comes out on February 2. How do you feel right now? AC: I feel great. For a while I was telling people, It could never be worth it, in terms of the time and sacrifices. Now it feels like maybe it was. Well see. Raj Jeyaraj, leader of Strathclyde Universitys SU, has discussed the abuse non-white student representatives have faced, claiming he had to endure such vitriol every single day. "I have experienced a lot of abuse online, where people have even threatened to take my life," Jeyaraj, who is originally from Malaysia, said.In a recent Facebook post, the 25-year-old went into detail about the nature of the abuse. They would blame me and accuse me of being linked to terrorist attacks, of bombing countries, or simply every single f*****g time something wrong happened in the f*****g world. Jeyari has blamed the abuse on the fact that he deliberately tries to make himself as accessible as possible to students of Glasgows Strathclyde university, as well as recent political developments. "Since Brexit and Trump, people dont feel like they have to hide their racism anymore," Jeyaraj toldA great deal of Jeyarajs time since becoming the union president has been devoted to reporting such incidents to the police, but as the abuse is often sent through anonymous emails, it is very difficult to trace. In spite of the attacks, Jeyaraj, a postgraduate in biomedicine, has said it is vital that he and other students of colour take up leadership roles in order to show an example to all victims of racism. "Without me being the type of person I am, many students would have never spoke about what happened to them to anyone else," he wrote. A spokesperson from Strathclyde University told the Herald that the institution has a zero tolerance policy to racism. Scientists have found a lost continent under the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, concluding that the island was actually on top of an undiscovered fragment of the 200-million-year-old "super-continent" Gondwana. The tropical island nation of the Mauritius is a volcanic creation from about 9 million years ago. However, researchers recently identified a peculiar mineral in rocks in a tourist location, determining its provenience back to several billion years ago. Therefore, this may be the supercontinent that split to form Africa, South America, Antarctica, India and Australia about 180 million years ago. Earth is made up of two parts continents, which are old, and oceans, which are 'young', lead author of the Nature Communications journal, Professor Lewis Ashwal, told The Independent. "On the continents you find rocks that are over four billion years old, but you find nothing like that in the oceans, as this is where new rocks are formed. The fact that we have found zircons of this age proves that there are much older crustal materials under Mauritius that could only have originated from a continent." 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Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The man, Thomas Keating, 22, and his girlfriend, Emily Jayne Collie, 20, were riding jet-skis near Kata Beach at 4:45pm yesterday (Feb 5) when they collided in the water at high speed leaving Ms Collie with severe injuries to her neck and shoulders. (See story here.) Mr Keating said strong sunlight reflected off the sea and made it impossible to see the jet-ski of Ms Collie, leading to the crash. (See story here.) Lt Patiwat Yodkhwan from the Karon Police said, Ms Collies boyfriend, Mr Keating, who was driving the other jet-ski when they collided will faces charges of reckless driving causing death. Ms Collie was pronounced dead at the scene her body was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital. Her parents are coming to Phuket to collect her body and they are expected to arrive on Wednesday (Feb 8), Lt Patiwat said. Lt Patiwat went on to say that the owner of the jet-skis ridden by Mr Keating and Ms Collie has not taken any payment for damages caused to the jet-skis and that insurance coverage on the jet-ski entitles Ms Collies parents to a payout of B50,000. The owner of the two jet-skis did not want money for the damage because he wants Phuket to have a good reputation as a holiday destination, Lt Patiwat said. In addition, the insurance coverage of the jet-ski will pay B50,000 compensation for the death of Ms Collie, he added. Meanwhile, family and friends have taken to social media to remember Ms Collie, who was described as bright and bubbly. Phuket man dead as tyre blowout slams pickup truck into power pole PHUKET: A 39-year-old Thai man died in the early hours of this morning (Feb 6) after his pickup truck slammed into an electricity pylon on Wichit Songkram Rd in front of Central Festival Phuket. Lt Patchree Wongbhut of the Wichit Police was informed of the accident at 4:30am. accidentsdeath By Eakkapop Thongtub Monday 6 February 2017, 10:41AM The driver, Aroong Gikas, 39, was dead at the scene, said Lt Patchree Wongbhut of the Wichit Police. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Lt Patchree Wongbhut of the Wichit Police was informed of the accident at 4:30am. The driver, Aroong Gikas, 39, was dead at the scene, said Lt Patchree. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident, Lt Patchree said. Police believe a tyre blowout caused Mr Aroong to lose control of his pickup truck after it rounded the bend at the Darasamut Interesction. We were told that he was heading towards Kathu when he lost control of his vehicle after a tyre blowout, Lt Patchree said. The pickup crossed the central reservation and crashed into a pylon on the opposite side of the road, he added. Mr Aoongs body was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital and his family has been notified of the accident, he said. Samui airport land row reaches head SURAT THANI: The governor of Surat Thani province has ordered a probe into claims of public land encroachment by Samui Airport. crimecorruptionlandtransport By Bangkok Post Monday 6 February 2017, 08:54AM Surat Thani province officials are investigating whether Samui International Airport has encroached onto public land. Photo: Bangkok Airways via Bangkok Post The land covers 16 rai and is located at the end of the airports runway strip. Bangkok Airways, which owns and operates Samui Airport, has rented the land plot registered as state property land from the Treasury Department. The rented land is used as an air safety zone where construction of structures, buildings or tree planting around the airport are strictly controlled to prevent obstacles to air navigation as required by aviation law. Previously, a National Legislative Assembly committee on national administration investigated claims of land encroachment by the airport as the panel found the land plot is part of a swamp forest serving as a water retention pond, which means the land must be registered as public land, not state property land. Governor Uaychai Innak said a provincial probe panel has inspected land use by the airport. According to initial findings, the land suspected of encroachment is a low-lying area with a canal running through it, which suggests it may be a water retention pond and a canal, Mr Uaychai said. The area is located at the end of the airports runway strip and is under the supervision of the Treasury Department, Mr Uaychai said. The panel is examining whether the land was acquired legally. It is gathering information from residents, he said, adding the probe is expected to be wrapped up this week. Bangkok Airways said the company started renting the land plot from the Treasury Department in 1999. It has been designated as an air safety zone as required by the Aviation Act. The land is not located on the airport area, but is about 100 metres away from the end of the runway strip. The company also said it is up to state agencies to decide whether the land plot is public land or state property land. The company is ready to provide information if requested. Amornrat Klumplob, Deputy Chief of the Treasury Department, said officials are ready to restore the 16-rai land plot to the status of public land as recommended by a Treasury Department working panel set up to solve the Samui Airport land problem. The panel has also recommended the department cancel the land rental contract with Bangkok Airways within 30 days. Ms Amornrat said the department will need to discuss the matter with Bangkok Airways and study the contracts details to avoid any legal problems with the company if the rental contract is revoked. It is not known what recourse Bangkok Airways will have if the lands status is changed. Read original story here. Thai man, 18, in serious condition following Phuket drive-by shooting PHUKET: Police are currently looking for a man and woman who took part in a drive-by shooting in Thalang at midnight on Saturday leaving an 18-year-old man fighting for his life. crimeculturepoliceviolencetransport By Eakkapop Thongtub Monday 6 February 2017, 10:52AM Friends of the victim give information to police at Thalang Hospital. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Lt Col Sanit Nookong from the Thalang Police received information from staff at Thalang Hospital at midnight on Saturday (Feb 5) where it was reported that an 18-year-old man, named as Anurak Nakponkeaw, had been shot and was receiving treatment at the hospital. Hospital staff advised Lt Col Sanit that Mr Anurak had been shot once in his lung and was in a serious condition. An unnamed 14-year-old boy who was with Mr Anurak at the time of the shooting said, I was driving away from the Boo Seng Tong Shrine where Mr Anutrak and I had been for a Chinese ceremony. When we approached the Thung Thong ice factory at Moo 1, Thepkrasattri Rd a blue Honda PCX motorbike with male driver and female passenger approached us. The driver pulled out a gun and shot Anurak once. They then sped away on the motorbike, he said. Lt Col Sanit said, I think Mr Anurak has some issue with the shooter. However, I am following up on this incident to find out who the suspects are and to bring them in to face legal action. How many people have already voted absentee in South Dakota ahead of Election Day? elections An opportunity for foodies and beer lovers to get lost in a world of food and drink from a hand-selected range of food trucks and breweries from around New Zealand. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will provide counselling to de-stress students during exams, the board announced on Monday. The counselling will be provided over the phone to students of all CBSE affiliated government and private schools. The service will be available to CBSE affiliated schools located abroad as well. The helpline will start functioning on February 9 and will continue till April 29. Counselling is open to parents of the students too. A total of 90 Principals, trained counsellors from CBSE affiliated government and private schools, a few psychologists and special educators will participate in tele-counselling and address exam related psychological problems of the students. Of these, 68 will be available in India, and 22 abroad in Nepal, Japan, Saudi Arabia (Al-Khobar, Jeddah), Oman, the UAE (Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al-Khaimah), Kuwait, Singapore and Qatar. This will be the 20th consecutive year when the CBSE will be giving tele-counselling to students during exams. The students can dial a toll-free number 1800 11 8004 from any part of the country to connect to the counsellors between 8 am to 10 pm. Four special educators will help the differently-abled students. With the Central government announcing provisions for more autonomy for educational institutions across the country, Delhi University has formed a committee for its colleges which are seeking autonomy or university status. Prestigious colleges like SRCC, St Stephens, Ramjas, Hansraj and the ones run by Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee had approached the university and HRD officials seeking greater autonomy and decision-making powers. "Following announcement of provisions for granting more autonomy to colleges in the annual budget, we have formed a committee to study such proposals being sent by colleges and streamline the process," a senior DU official said. Unless the colleges get university status with degree awarding powers, just granting them more autonomy will not necessarily mean that they will not be part of the university. At present, we are inviting proposals from colleges in this regard which the committee will study and only "quality institutions" will be considered for granting of autonomous tag, the official added. Besides imparting quality education, maintaining the student-faculty ratio and required infrastructure, the colleges are also required to gain A grade in NAAC accreditation for three consecutive times, in order to be eligible for the autonomous status. Former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Monday said that the best way to boost demands would have been to cut the indirect taxes. "I would have cut indirect taxes. Thats the best way to boost aggregate demands. Nine out of ten economists will tell you to do that," the Congress leader said in an interview to India Today news channel. Asked to rationalise his suggestion in terms of Goods and Service Tax(GST) which will change the tax regime of the country, Chidambaram said: "GST is not around the corner. Not coming any where before October 1." In August last year, Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill, a proposed system of indirect taxation, was passed which will merge most of the existing taxes into single system of taxation. "He was dismissive of it. He has not cut any indirect taxes that I think is a terrible mistake," Chidambaram said while referring to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's decision to not cut indirect taxes in the Union budget. Explaining further, he said, "The budget was presented on February 1. Indirect tax cut would come to force immediately. He had eight full months to cut indirect taxes and see the effect of that on the economy." Talking on the benefits of the reduction in the indirect taxes in the union budget, he added: "It would have boosted sales. It would have allowed or encouraged people to make new investments." "There is so much slack in existing capacity, why would any one invest in creating new capacity?" he said. India is looking at acquiring coking coal assets abroad as the country lacks the requisite technology for the commercial exploitation of reserves, Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal told Parliament on Monday. State miner "Coal India Ltd (CIL) is scouting for acquiring coking coal assets abroad, as India is faced with constraints of techno-commercially viable domestic coking coal reserves," the minister told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply. "The recent spurt in global coal prices, particularly for coking coal, is expected to create an encouraging scenario for such an acquisition process," he said. Coking coal, as distinct from the thermal variety, is used for iron and steel production. In this connection, the Coal India board has approved execution of a memorandum of understanding between CIL and the South African government-run African Exploration Mining and Finance Corp. for identification, acquisition, exploration, development and operation of coal assets in South Africa. CIL Chairman S. Bhattacharya has earlier said that the company is targeting acquisition of coking coal assets in Australia and Indonesia. Goyal also told the Rajya Sabha that Coal India has surrendered two mining licenses in Mozambique, and currently does not own any foreign coal assets. A Congress leader on Monday flayed the Social Welfare Department of the Delhi government over the working of care homes for mentally challenged people in the national capital. "All the good work of the previous Congress government has been undone by the AAP government. Five 'halfway homes' including one in Dwarka and two in Rohini were built by 2013 during my three years as minister to house the mentally challenged people. Family members would leave the mentally challenged people at these homes in the morning and take them away by day-end," former Social Welfare Minister Kiran Walia told IANS. She said the building of Asha Kiran Home in Rohini was expanded and a number of its inmates shifted to a building in Narela for decongestion. The Asha Kiran Home is now in the news for the death of 11 inmates in the last two months. " but after 2013, these people (the current government) completely forgot about these buildings which are in disuse now. Even the Supreme Court had praised our efforts then," Walia said. Walia's comments came in the wake of a visit by Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal to the Asha Kiran Home on Saturday, where she found inmates living in inhuman conditions. Maliwal submitted a stinging report to the Department of Social Welfare and sought an explanation by February 8. The report mentioned the death of 11 inmates in two months at Asha Kiran Home. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday expressed shock over the matter and ordered the Chief Secretary to file a report on the lapses that led to the deaths. A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to DCW chief Swati Maliwal in a case of alleged irregularities in appointments to the women's rights panel. Special Judge Hemani Malhotra granted the bail to the Delhi Commission for Women chief after asking her to furnish a personal and surety bond of Rs.20,000. While granting bail, the court observed that the case was based on documentary evidence. Maliwal appeared before the court in pursuance of summons issued in January. The court has listed the matter for April 6 for further hearing. Taking cognizance of the chargesheet filed by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), Malhotra on January 18 issued the summons to Maliwal. Maliwal was charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The ACB action followed a complaint filed by Maliwal's predecessor Barkha Singh Shukla of the Congress. Shukla alleged that Aam Aadmi Party workers were appointed in the DCW to fetch them financial gains. The ACB investigated 85 appointments. Maliwal denied the charges and said the action was taken to put pressure on her not to investigate cases against leaders of a political party. The Delhi government on Monday approved a pilot project to build 6,178 flats for people living in slums. These will be built at a cost of Rs.866 crore at Lajpat Nagar, Bhalaswa, Dev Nagar, Mongolpuri and Ambedkar Nagar by upgrading the existing slums on Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) land. The matter was decided at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. A proposal to construct 582 houses for economically weaker sections at Sangam Park for Rs 83 crore was also approved. The department also cleared the construction four new homeless shelters in the city to accommodate 72 families and 1,200 homeless people. "These shelters will be constructed under the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) at Dwarka, Geeta Colony, Rohini and Nangloi," an official statement said. It was also decided to provide 5,000 bunker beds, 10,000 mattresses with bed sheet, blanket, pillow and pillow cover, LED TVs, water coolers and geysers to improve the quality of life in homeless shelters. A Supreme Court appointed committee under Justice Kailash Gambhir had asked DUSIB to ensured adequate facilities for the homeless in Delhi and to improve their living condition. Representatives of various Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) on Monday urged Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to get himself treated for his diabetes at the mohalla clinics instead of going to Bengaluru. "To build greater trust of Delhi residents we appeal to the Delhi Chief Minister to get himself treated at the one of the mohalla clinics in the capital instead of going to Bengaluru for his diabetes treatment," said Convener, Delhi Residents Forum, V K Arora. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain recently attended an international conference in Bangkok to present the AAP government's mohalla clinics healthcare model. "Delhi CM's treatment at mohalla clinic will also lead to Chief Ministers of other states to follow suit and establish such infrastructure which is presently providing free treatment in various parts of the city," said Ritesh Dewan, President of CA block association, Shalimar Bagh. Kejriwal is expected to visit Bengaluru on Tuesday for treatment of his high blood sugar. Kejriwal is expected to return to the national capital after 10-12 days. Kejriwal, who was relentlessly campaigning in Punjab over the last one month, has been on three doses of insulin a day. The date for swearing-in AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala as Tamil Nadu chief minister is yet to be finalised, a party spokesperson said on Monday. "There is no information (yet) on the swearing-in date," C R Saraswathi said amid speculation that it could be on February 9. A Raj Bhavan official said Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao is presently in Delhi and there is no word on his arrival in the state capital. Rao accepted Chief Minister O Panneerselvam's resignation on Monday. In a letter to Panneerselvam, copies of which were given to the media, Rao said: "I hereby accept your resignation and the resignation of your Council of Ministers tendered vide your letter dated February 5." "I request you and the present Council of Ministers to function until alternate arrangements are made," Rao said. Panneerselvam tendered his resignation on Sunday to enable Sasikala, who was elected the legislature party leader of AIADMK, to become the third woman chief minister of Tamil Nadu. Delhi Police arrested a wanted criminal who carried a reward of Rs.25,000 during a shootout with a gang in the national capital on Monday, a police officer said. The shootout took place around 2.30 am near Eros hotel in Nehru Place when a police team tried to stop the criminals. Deputy Commissioner of Police Romil Baaniya said that the police retaliated after the criminal gang started firing to avoid their arrest. "After the shootout, Akbar alias Danish was arrested while his accomplice Asif managed to escape with other associates," he said The officer said that Akbar was a notorious robber and snatcher. "He is wanted in many cases of robbery, theft, snatching and attempt to murder," he said. He also said that Akbar carried a reward of Rs.25,000 on him for a shootout case that took place in Pul Prahaladpur in south Delhi in December 2016. Baaniya said that two policemen who were hit in the gunfight luckily escaped without injuries as they were wearing bullet-proof jackets. The release of the Indian movie "Raees", which was scheduled to hit Pakistani cinemas on Sunday, was on Monday banned for its "inappropriate" portrayal of Muslims. Rumours about the Mahira Khan and Shah Rukh Khan starrer releasing in Pakistan were ripe for the past one week. However, according to Dawn News, the Central Censor Board decided not to release the film in Pakistan. Sources in the know of the development told Dawn the reason behind it was that "the content undermines Islam, and a specific religious sect, (It also) portrays Muslims as criminals, wanted persons and terrorists". Earlier, the film was in turbulent waters owing to the sour relations between Pakistan and India. Pakistani artistes were banned by certain outfits in India, due to which Mahira was not able to promote the film in India. Last week, Bollywood film "Kaabil" released in Pakistan after a months-long self-imposed ban by exhibitors was lifted. Even as the BJP-led government in Assam has launched a drive to evict encroachers, over 141 sq km in the states national parks and wildlife sanctuaries continue to be under the grip of encroachers. Man-animal conflict meanwhile has left 99 elephants dead in five years, says a report in the Dimapur-based Nagaland Post. Assam Forest and Environment Minister Pramila Rani Brahma told the state assembly in Guwahati last week that of the 141.76 sq km of sanctuary land under encroachment, as much as 42 sq km were in four of the five national parks like Manas, Nameri, DibruSaikhowa and Orang. There, however, were no encroachment in Kaziranga after the last Septembers eviction drive. The minister also disclosed that among the 18 wildlife sanctuaries in Assam, Sonai-Rupai topped the chart of encroachment, others being Amchang wildlife sanctuary in Guwahati, Burachapori, Laokhowa, Bornadi and Bherjan-Borjaon-Padumoni. She also said that 99 wild elephants died due to electrocution, poaching, poisoning and train accidents between 2012 and 2016. Of these, electrocution accounted for the highest elephant deaths (48), followed by train accidents (27), poaching (13) and poisoning (11). As many as 36 leopards too were killed in Assam in the last five years, of which 27 deaths were caused as a result of retaliatory killings after the animals had entered human habitations. From 2012 to 2016 as many as 426 lives were lost, caused by wild elephants. Leopards on the other hand killed one person in 2016. Replying to yet another question, the minister said 101 one-horned rhinos suffered natural deaths in 2016, Kaziranga alone accounted for 93. The closing down of the Metropolis winter festival held at Nehru childrens park in early January by Assams powerful minister Himanta Biswa Sarma showed a certain misunderstanding of what Assams youth deems as culture. Indeed it was an apparent conflict between popular perception of new age cultures of spectacle and what is taken to be the perennial values of Assamese culture. The reason stated was that holding the fest in such a park was appropriate as the organisers believed that children would take part in large numbers to enjoy the variety of dance forms brought to them by the Thimpubased Royal Academy of Performing Arts, a noted cultural outfit of South Asia. But it was alleged that atmosphere in the festival was spoilt by liquor, gambling and indecent exposure, which was the reason for the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority shutting down the fest on its last day. It is extremely rapacious to see this kind of state-sponsored crackdown on a cultural event,which was sponsored by the tourism department as well as the GMDA itself. Biswa Sarma tweeted,Why GMDA allowed Nehru park for so called winter festival? The park belongs to thechildren. I will not tolerate atmosphere to be vitiated. (sic) When a large number of young dancers and performing artists in their costume and colourful attire were gathering in the festival, there was no reason to think that it vitiates atmosphere for the children, as the latter were equally attracted to various animations and other shows. It is now believed that the fest had the blessings of the former chief minister, Tarun Gogoi and his son, Gaurav Gogoi, member of parliament and hence it was subjected to such a crackdown. Miguel Dash Queah, a child rights activist, who held sessions on corporal punishment in schools had expressed his resentment with the act of shutting down, arguing that the fest was a rallying point for both youth and children involving hundreds of vibrant scholars, musicians, artists, photographers, dancers, designers, social workers, couples and activists who are star attractions in their respective fields of work. This secular, modern and new age gathering of ideas and performances created a new sense of urbanity, lifestyle and free mixing but was dubbed immoral,illegal and illegitimate by the culture brigade. Just to erase this huge act of repression, the Assam government inaugurated the Brahmaputra Literary Festival on 24 January, which saw the presence of a large number of authors, poets and thinkers, but this time blessed by chief minister, Sarbanada Sonowal and Biswa Sarma. Like the winter fest, a large number of scholars, activists, artists gathered attracting the youth and children alike, but this time, it had the sanction of the authorities and hence no moral policing and no culture brigands attacked it. Again just the other day, Ahoms festival,Mei-dam-mephiwas organised with gaiety and colour adorned by Biswa Sarma sharing the stage with veteran Ahom Tarun Gogoi. Such is the power of culture that it can bring together apparent rivals and make them exchange pleasantries. Indeed Assams rich cultural heritage, marked by immense tolerance,fellow-feeling,mutual participation and appreciation, makes it possible to shun political difference over matters of culture. Unfortunately, in shutting down the winter fest, such a spirit was tarnished by apparent political difference that led to an ugly crackdown. The recent celebration of the Rabha dance troop visiting Bhopal and performing Rabha, Bihu, Tiwa and bamboo dances under the auspices of Lokrang Samaroh of Madhya Pradesh government is taken to be a boost for traditional dance forms. Similarly, popular new age Assamese songs like Hul kata mere Sali , Disco bhonti, Taxi gariand a lyrical line like Supi khabo de,supi khabo de,tur bukure morom khini supi khabo de are played at every public place but doesnt evoke much of a reaction from the authorities. Occasional crackdown at parks, hookah bars, discotheques and river sides are equated with a culture of obscenity by the moral police that can be activated anytime. Saraswati Puja also becomes an occasion for a kind of carnival of mass dating and romance that often results in mishaps and loss of life. Similarly Assamese film makers Himangshu Prasad Dass Shakira Ahibo Bokultolor Bihuloi(Shakira will come to Bakultola Bihu premises) being forcibly removed by owners of theatre halls is seen as an affront to the facilitation of Asomiya cinema. In its script, the movie brings out the paradox of governmentality, as the government fails to repair broken embankments along the Brahmaputra and lakhs of people annually get displaced by floods. The film goes on to show that in such a situation, the news that Shakira, the Colombian pop star, will visit a Bihu function brings thousands of people and it is announced that remits from the function will go towards helping the flood victims. But on the day of the function, instead of Shakira, the organisers present Shakira Khatun, who is a flood victim and lost her mental composure after losing her son in the floods. The film remains a social irony that critiques, both the public and the government, as neither are ready to support the work of repair of embankment but the same public pours in money for a Bihu function supposed to be graced by Shakira. Here again, the theatre owners of Guwahati received instructions to accommodate Raees and Kaabil at the time slot meant for local Assamese movie and they started removing Dass Shakira from the theatre halls. Das wrote a protest note addressing it to ULFA chief Paresh Barua,whose outfit had earlier declared a ban on Hindi films. Barua, in his letter supporting Das movie, warned Assams theatre owners of dire consequences if they removed Shakirato accommodate Kaabil and Raees. This also brings out the picture of a severe contestation among the stakeholders of culture, who do not hesitate to use power, directly or indirectly, to influence cultural choices. Apart from use of force, persuasion, insinuation, direct and indirect blame-game and logic of commercial success and failure, these people who all are willy-nilly attached to culture and cultural identity, use their positions of power to tilt a decision in favour or against cultural items,objects,shows or performances. Assams cultural map is increasingly getting problematised by a negative reception of cultural productions such as music, film, art et al in a manner that it affects the congenial atmosphere of the cultural milieu itself. Another very significant facet of this war of positions on culture is measurement of popular sentiments. As much of Assams culture retains its ethnic and traditional roots, rituals, worldviews and heritage is still lived by the people by their attachment to places, monuments, memories and other such intangibles. In a situation of increased contest, claims and counter-claims, there is also a tendency to trivialise. It is worthwhile to mention that some outfits, apparently inspired by Hindutva ideology performed pujason Ahom kings remains, which are kept in typical ahom architectural monuments called moidam and washed the floor with tons of milk and observed Hindu rituals that are meant for commemorating dead ancestors. The Ahom community strongly responded to such ritual appropriation of their legacy by stating that Ahom rites are totally different from Hindu ones. In a similar vein, a recent court case filed by the All Bodo Students Union on Koch Rajbongshis wearing their Dokhona (womens attire) and naming it differently as Patani has created a sense of contest and appropriation. Within this overlapping and yet different names, claims and ideas of cultural practice, artifacts and values, the arrival of new age modernity has further cleaved the field of culture into a broad divide between conservatism and opening up to new trendy items. The presence of the political forces who are motivated by a logic of power to keep measuring popular sentiments and accordingly carve out an extra-cultural logic either to defend or to spoil any cultural item that does not support their agenda.This is potentially dangerous, as it creates multiple conflicts not just between connoisseurs and practitioners,but also between government and cultural groups to further deepen Assams fractured cultural mosaic. Prasenjit Biswas is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Nehu, Shillong, and Suraj Gogoi is a researcher in Sociology at the National University of Singapore Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said the Congress should be thanked for protecting democracy in the country because of which Narendra Modi, coming from a poor family, could become the Prime Minister of India. Participating in the Motion of Thanks to the President for his address here, Kharge said the Congress had protected democracy for 70 years and slammed the BJP for saying repeatedly that the Congress did not do anything for years. During the course of Kharge's around one hour-40 minutes long speech, members from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sparred with the Congress members several times, as Kharge launched an attack on the government. The long speech also forced Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to ask him to conclude repeatedly, with one of the ruling party members even quoting a rule urging the Speaker to force him to stop the address. Kharge also took on the government over demonetisation, stating that the Prime Minister should apologise for the deaths that happened due to banning Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. "I think you brought Green Revolution. And White Revolution in your Gujarat also came in your time (Verghese) Kurien was also born in these times everything happened in the last two and half years," Kharge said sarcastically. "We brought Green Revolution to feed the people, we brought White Revolution You question what happened in 70 years, if nothing had been done, you would not have been alive, there would not have been democracy, the Constitution would not have been protected," he said. "We protected the Constitution. If Modi came from a poor family and became the Prime Minister, the credit goes to the Congress, which kept democracy alive," Kharge added. Prime Minister Modi was present in the Lok Sabha at the time Kharge made the remarks. As members from treasury benches pointed at the Emergency, the Congress leader said: "At that time there was declared Emergency, today there is undeclared Emergency." "In the name of 'Sanatan Dharma', you want people to be divided," he added. Talking about demonetisation, the Congress leader said: "So many people died, at least the Prime Minister should have apologised to the people. You can apologise even now," he said. Kharge said government should inform the nation how much black money was recovered post demonetisation, and added: "PM knew elections were coming, he wanted people to forget the promised Rs 15 lakh." He also alleged that people were selectively informed about demonetisation. Quoting Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who said not a single riot or protest against demonetisation had taken place, Kharge said: "Did you want a riot to happen? If there was no agitation it does not mean your step was supported. People of this country are so patient; we were ruled by outsiders for 1,000 years," he said. As a member from the treasury benches quipped that Kharge was still "being ruled by outsiders", he said: "I am a slave. You were slave to the British, I was a slave to you." To accusations by the government over "politicising" the September 29 cross-border surgical strike, the Congress leader said they did not question the army but the government. "Surgical strike did not happen for the first time; it will keep happening as long as our enemies are there. You are not the custodians of patriotism. The whole nation is with the Army We are questioning you," he said. The speech saw several angry exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches. Members from the BJP and Congress got into a war of words in the Lok Sabha after Kharge claimed people from his party had laid down their lives for the nation, while none from the BJP had done so. Kharge said leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, and former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi had laid down their lives for the country. Kharge said no one from the present ruling party died for the nation and used "unparliamentary" language. Even as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said she would remove the comment from the records, it created an uproar in the treasury benches. As ruling party members protested, Kharge said: "This is history, it is not unparliamentary." Instructing Kharge not to make such comments, Mahajan said: "You should not say something like this. Many people have laid down their lives for the nation." An angry Ananth Kumar of the BJP said Jana Sangh leaders like Syama Prasad Mukherjee and Deendayal Upadhyay also died for the country, and demanded that Kharge should apologise. Launching a direct attack on the Prime Minister, Kharge said: "You are very smart in speaking and good at mouthing speeches. But speeches do not fill the stomach." He also quoted Abraham Lincoln and said: "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time." Months after her death, doctors on Monday said that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had suffered a "cardiac arrest" on December 4 last year and her leg was not amputated as some reports claim. They said she was immediately put on resuscitation and the best possible treatment was provided to her in Apollo hospital. "She had a cardiac arrest. CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) was started immediately. The on-call cardiologist in the hospital came down within a few minutes. The CPR (process) went for 20 minutes but there was no heart rhythm," said a doctor, who was in the panel of doctors that addressed a specially convened press conference in Chennai. The doctor said that for 24 hours Jayalalithaa was put on another machine to see if her heart restarts, but there was no "own heart beat". He said it was decided to discontinue the process after about 24 hours and the decision was taken with consultation with all doctors, including the AIIMS team. "Everything that could have been done was done," Richard Beale, a UK-based doctor who attended on Jayalalithaa, also said. He said he had met Jayalalithaa's aide VK Sasikala during the treatment and she was closely engaged in her treatment. Meanwhile, in yet another clarification, a doctor who attended on her said that no amputation was carried out on Jayalalithaa's legs during her 75 days in hospital that culminated in her demise. "No amputation was done and no transplantation (of any sort) was done," Dr P Balaji of Madras Medical College replied when asked on claims that Jayalalithaa's legs were removed. He said the late chief minister had her legs intact till the end. It may be recalled that senior counsel K M Vijayan, who appeared for AIADMK worker Joseph last month, told the Madras High Court that people were worried about the secrecy surrounding Jayalalithaa's death and wanted to know whether her leg was 'amputated' during treatment prior to her passing away. The court was hearing a PIL seeking a judicial inquiry into the circumstances leading to her death. Jayalalithaa was declared dead at Apollo Hospital here on December 6. She was admitted to the hospital on September 22 with fever and dehydration. In an official statement after the demise of Jayalalithaa, doctors said she had suffered a cardiac arrest. Sasikala was on Sunday elected leader of the AIADMK legislature party and is now set to become the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. (With inputs from agencies) Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday asked if Prime Minister Narendra Modi considered "Pakistan-occupied Kashmir" (Pok) to be a part of that country. Scindia said the Prime Minister in a rally said Indian soldiers carried out the surgical strike on Pakistani soil. "PM said in a rally, the strike was done on Pakistan. The country wants to ask if you consider Pakistan-occupied Kashmir a part of Pakistan? Have you given up on PoK?" he questioned. He was countered by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Prahlad Joshi who said Scindia was misquoting the Prime Minister. "You are misquoting the Prime Minister If at all Kashmir problem is existing even today, it is because of wrong policies of Congress," Joshi said. At a time when there was compelling need for a bold and path-breaking budget to bring relief to tens of millions of people adversely affected by demonetisation, the NDA government has come up with an ordinary, business-as-usual budget which fails to meet expectations of people and the needs of the economy in very critical times. The people have been repeatedly assured of light at the end of the tunnel but they have failed to see it after the much-publicised 50 days. Even after the presentation of the budget this light is not visible. Within the existing paradigm of development and government programmes, a significant increase in the MGNREGA budget would have been the most obvious and convenient-to-implement budgetary provision for providing relief to villagers as well as those urban workers who have been forced to return to their villages as a result of demonetization related disruption. The available data and other evidence also points to much greater demand among people for work under MGNREGA in the aftermath of demonetisation. But all that the budget had to offer was a very modest rise compared to the actual expenditure in the previous year, and even this modest increase may prove to be a false one once we take into account the pending wage payments. Yet another area where it was relatively easy to provide relief was in increasing the allocation for providing pensions to elderly people from weaker sections, including widows and disabled people. This subject has been widely discussed and significant levels of help have been found to be within manageable limits of fiscal options. A few states have even been able to make significant breakthroughs on their own. The elderly have suffered quite a lot due to demonetisation. Increasing pensions for them as well as increasing the number of beneficiaries directly would have helped them and their families. But this very practical and convenient way of providing relief has also been denied to people. The situation was also appropriate for some well thought-out debt relief for farmers. This also has been much discussed and, learning from past mistakes, an improved version of debtrelief would have served a useful purpose in view of the recent accentuation of distress. Farmers may well be asking in the context of widely anticipated relief if not now then can we ever expect relief from you? Attractive promises of doubling income will hardly provide consolation to farmers whose recent experience has been of increasing hardships. Significant increases in budgetary provisions for several social sectors, particularly public health have been long overdue and this need became all the more pressing in the aftermath of demonetization. Improvement of publi health and education can help to reduce the distress of people. But the wait for these badly needed increases has just become prolonged after the presentation of the budget for 2016-17. This is not to say that there are no good initiatives in the budget proposals. The announcement of special campaigns against Kala azar, TB and leprosy can open up new hope as can the special scheme for villages affected by excess of fluorides and arsenic in their water supply. As leather and textiles in particular have been very adversely affected by demonetisation, the announcements of revival and relief for these industries are welcome, as are some wider announcements for helping small and medium scale units. But these few good provisions fall short of the much wider initiatives that were needed. These initiatives were needed on the one hand for providing short-term relief to tens of millions of distressed people and on the other for bringing such stability in economy as was needed for restoration of disrupted livelihoods. However such hopes have been shattered by a very ordinary budget which shows no signs of even trying to live up to the special responsibilities of the present times. This attitude is in keeping with the self-denial mood of the Union Government towards the widespread distress it has inflicted on people. Instead there are many signs and warnings that the distress and disruption caused by demonetisation may be prolonged, particularly if the external situation also gets adverse on fronts like increasing import bill of oil and reduced earnings from IT exports. From the perspective of common people and particularly the weaker sections, therefore, there is need for increasing unity of people particularly farmers and workers for asserting and protecting their livelihood rights. The writer is a free-lance journalist who has been involved with several movements and initiatives. The uppermost thought on 30 January this year, the 69th death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, was that the 79-year-old man, whose heart bled at the sight of misery, had bled to death on January 30, 1948 after three bullets were fired at point-blank range by a certain Nathuram Godse. The Mahatma had gone the way of all saints. India had lost its soul but his spirit shall live as long as the country survives. Three days after the assassination, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru told the Constituent Assembly: The only way to pay homage is to express our determination, to pledge ourselves anew, to conduct ourselves in a befitting manner and to dedicate ourselves to the great task which he undertook and which he accomplished to such a large extent. So we have to work, we have to labour, we have to sacrifice and thus prove, to some extent at least, worthy followers of his. Gandhi undertook the task to rejuvenate villages. He said; The soul of real India lives in its villages. He romanticised village life as self-sufficient, simple, free, non-violent, and truthful. On the contrary, Nehrus vision relied heavily on industrialisation and creation of material prosperity. In his reckoning, the city was the conduit for trading. Shortly before independence, Mahatma wrote to Nehru to share his vision of a free India. Nehru was non-committal and their discussion remained inconclusive owing to the rapid political changes and the outbreak of communal violence. Soon after Independence, Gandhi was heart-broken in the face of rampant corruption and favouritism indulged in by Congress ministers at the Centre and in the States. On January 29, 1949, he drafted a constitution for the Congress, famously known as His Last Will and Testament, and delivered the same next morning the day of the assassination to the Secretary of the Indian National Congress. In the Will, he advised the Congress to go into voluntary liquidation as a political party and to form an association for the service of the people (Lok Sevak Sangh) and rush to the village units so that they control national policy and put in place a non-violent society. But before the date of the proposed meeting at Wardha he was assassinated. The All-India Congress Committee did not accept his proposal. The Indian economy was mired in stagnation through centuries of colonial rule. However, in spite of the grim beginning, independent India could claim significant political and economic successes. During the last two decades, the economy has done well in terms of GDP and has earned the reputation of being second to China in terms of economic growth. Though India has climbed rapidly up the ladder of growth rates, it has fallen relatively behind in the scale of social indicators of living standards. The existing systems of economic growth are already showing signs of strain not least because of climate change and environmental damage. Gandhis message for the modern man was that the Earth provides enough to satisfy mans need, but not for every mans greed. Gram Swaraj envisaged every village as a republic to ensure the greatest good of all. If his idea of Gram Swaraj is applied to the world at large with his theory of antyodaya or the last man which speaks of providing every individual with the basic necessities it can negate the effects of globalisation by ensuring the benefits of development to every citizen. Gandhis greatest legacy was that he made India fearless. He taught Indians to live and die fearlessly. He had raised his quiet and determined voice against the overwhelming sense of fear. As he said: That nation will be great which sheds fear and uses death as its pillow. When he was in Champaran to enquire into the hardship of peasants, he was told that the planter of this place is the worst of the lot. He is bent on murdering you. He has engaged some men to kill you. . In response, he went to the planters bungalow and told him: I hear that you have engaged men to do away with me. That is why I have come alone and in secret to your house. Gandhi was the prophet of non-violence. Since his assassination, his conviction in non-violence has been validated on many occasions in the civil rights movement of the US, during the Tibetan peoples movement under the leadership of the Dalai Lama, in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, by the solidarity movement in Poland in the 1980s, and, more recently, by pro-democracy protesters across the world. His message of non-violence still rings a bell of sincerity and hope. Arguably in the face of todays terrorism, he would have involved social institutions as well as individual beliefs and commitments. In his reckoning you cannot defeat nastiness, including violent nastiness, unless you yourself shun similar nastiness altogether. Independent India has demonstrated how democracy can flourish despite a multiplicity of languages, religions and ethnicities. But India, like other democratic countries around the world, is yet to achieve democracy in the fullest sense of the term government of the people, by the people, for the people. Despite many laws, the electoral process is becoming less and less honest and more and more criminalised. Indeed, Gandhis uniqueness does not lie in the fact that he was extraordinary but his in being extraordinarily ordinary. As the pyre was lit and Gandhis frail body consigned to flames, someone from the mourning millions exclaimed: Now he belongs to the ages. If humanity is to progress, Gandhi cannot be ignored. Let us be inspired by his views and practices. In the words of Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the Mahatmas grandson: Gandhi has done more than what one man can do in his lifetime. What we need is not a modern Gandhi but the inner power that he wanted to see in us to do what is right for us today. The writer is a retired IAS officer. British Prime Minister Theresa May warned pro-European members of her Conservative party today not to "obstruct" Brexit by seeking to amend a bill empowering her to begin the negotiations. MPs overwhelmingly backed the first stage on Wednesday of a bill to start Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, but opposition lawmakers were to begin debating amendments that could tie ministers' hands. A Eurosceptic Conservative lawmaker claimed at the weekend that 27 of his fellow MPs were planning to support some of these "wrecking amendments" during three days of discussion at the House of Commons. But May warned MPs: "This House has spoken, and now is not the time to obstruct the democratically expressed wishes of the British people." The government was forced to introduce the bill after the Supreme Court ruled that only parliament could start Brexit, and it is under pressure to get it passed quickly. May has promised EU leaders she will trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, beginning the two-year exit process, by the end of March. To speed up the passage of the bill through the Commons and the unelected upper House of Lords, the government kept it short just two clauses. But opposition MPs have tabled more than 140 pages of amendments covering areas such as parliamentary scrutiny of the negotiations, the government's priorities and the involvement of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Some of May's Conservative MPs have expressed particular concern about her promise to leave the EU and the single market with no new trade deal in place if she cannot agree on a satisfactory agreement within the two-year timeframe. This would mean Britain falling back on World Trade Organisation rules and tariffs, with potentially damaging effects on the economy. At least one amendment to be debated tomorrow calls for parliament to decide on whether or not the deal will be accepted, with the option of staying in the EU if it is rejected. "If there is no deal then the government will determine what happens next. I think it should come into parliament," MP Anna Soubry told the BBC yesterday. However, this would require the other 27 EU countries agreeing to extend the negotiating period to allow for further discussions on a new deal. Only one Conservative MP, committed Europhile Ken Clarke, voted against the bill last week. China on Monday said it was "pushing India" to complete procedures to return a Chinese soldier who is stuck in India for over 50 years, even as its envoy to New Delhi spoke to him over phone and assured all help. Chinese ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui just had a telephonic call with soldier Wang Qi, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told media here today answering questions on the status of the soldier's return to China. "In recent years, Chinese Embassy to India had kept in close touch with Wang Qi and made relentless effort to help him return to China including pushing Indian side on exit and entry procedures for him," he said. "In 2013, the Embassy issued a 10-year Chinese passport to him and provided living allowance for him every year since then. I believe that with the joint efforts of China and India, and respecting the will of Wang himself, the case will be properly solved," he said. Wang says he was caught in 1963, a year after India-China war when he strayed into Indian side. After his release from prison in 1969, Wang shifted to Tirodi village in Madhya Pradesh where he married a local woman and settled there ever since. He had three children and grand children. Asked what would happen to Wang's wife and children, Lu referred to the ambassador's phone conversation with Wang. In his conversation, Ambassador Luo expressed sympathy over the suffering Wang underwent over the years. "I instructed the Embassy to keep in touch with you, to know your ideas and provide assistance as much as possible, including the replacement of your passport," he said, according to a statement in Chinese language posted on China's embassy website in New Delhi. "We have been in contact with the Government of India regarding your visit to China. We also fully understand that you have relatives in China. In India, you have a wife, children and grandchildren. Both countries have relatives who are part of family," Luo said, adding that Wang has to make a "thoughtful and appropriate choice". It appears that both India and China have left the choice to Wang. While he wants to visit China to meet relatives, he also wants to return back to be with his Indian wife and children which may be a problem for India considering his background. Wang s plight has been highlighted recently in the Chinese media following a BBC television report on him. Helping Wang to return to home will enhance mutual understanding and contribute to warming bilateral ties, state-run Global Times said in oped page article few days ago. "Although it's unclear whether Wang is a prisoner of war, it is inhumane to have isolated the elderly man from his family for such a long time," the article said. "Wang's story caused quite a stir on China's social media and appeals are rising that the man should be helped back home as soon as possible," it said. Moscow expects an apology from Fox News after host Bill OReilly called Russian President Vladimir Putin "a killer". The controversial term was used to question US President Donald Trumps intention to work more closely with Russia. "We consider the words of the Fox News host unacceptable and insulting," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday. "We would prefer to receive an apology to the Russian President from a respected TV station like that." O'Reilly labelled Putin "a killer" during an interview with Trump, in which they discussed the Republican's numerous statements on his willingness to work with Russia to jointly deal with issues such as terrorism. Trump shrugged off the comment, saying: "There are a lot of killers. We've got a lot of killers. What, do you think our country is so innocent?" Trump did not name specific US officials or officials among Washington's allies as killers, but mentioned the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 as an example of why he did not consider America to be innocent. "A lot of people were killed" there, he said. Pakistan and China on Monday held high level counter-terrorism talks, days after Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed was put under "house arrest" in Lahore. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi met Chinese State Commissioner for Counter Terrorism and Security Cheng Guoping who is here on a three-day visit and reviewed all aspects of bilateral relationship, with a special focus on security and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Fatmi said Pakistan viewed its relationship with China as the "cornerstone" of its foreign policy and the country will continue to support Beijing on all its issues of core interest, including combating "evils" of terrorism and separatism. "The SAPM affirmed that friendship with China was the cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy," Foreign Office quoted Fatemi as saying. He said Pakistan supported China on all its core issues, while firmly opposing any attempt to undermine China's sovereignty. "Pakistan will continue to support China's efforts to combat the three evils of terrorism, extremism and separatism," he said in a statement. Appreciating China's forthright position on Pakistan's counter-terrorism strategy and its successes, Fatemi thanked China for its support to national security and territorial integrity. The talks take place days after Saeed was put under "house arrest" in Lahore by Pakistan government after Punjab Province's Interior Ministry issued an order in pursuance to a directive from the Federal Interior Ministry on January 27. During the talks, both sides noted that the all-weather friendship between the two countries has withstood the test of time, notwithstanding changes in the international, regional and domestic environments. Noting the importance of CPEC for the economic development of Pakistan, the two sides stressed that timely completion of the USD 46 billion project would not only give a boost to Pakistan's economy, but would also significantly contribute towards regional connectivity, peace and development. Fatemi stated that Pakistan was fully committed to the timely and effective implementation of all the projects under CPEC. Cheng said China attached great importance to its relations with Pakistan, and supports its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. He thanked Pakistan for its consistent support to China on issues of core interest and lauded Islamabad for its fight against terrorism, extremism and separatism. The two sides expressed satisfaction at the continuing progress in bilateral relations in all fields and expressed their resolve to work towards further solidifying political relations, deepening economic bonds and security cooperation and closer people-to-people contacts to achieve the common goal of China-Pakistan "Community of Shared Destiny". Donald Trump will meet fellow NATO leaders in May, the White House said after the president's call with the alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Trump expressed "strong support for NATO" but called on European members to pitch in more, the White House said in a statement yesterday, adding that Trump "agreed to join in a meeting of NATO leaders in Europe in late May." "The parties agreed to continue close coordination and cooperation to address the full range of security challenges facing NATO," the White House statement said. The United States provides significant funding to NATO, and Trump has previously urged other member nations to step up their contributions. "The leaders discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments," Sunday's statement added. European leaders are concerned about Trump's virulent criticism of NATO he has dubbed the transatlantic military alliance "obsolete" at a time when it stands as the main defense against Russia's President Vladimir Putin. According to the White House statement the parties also discussed "the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border." Kiev and the West have accused Russia of supporting eastern Ukrainian rebels and deploying troops across the border, claims that Moscow refutes. Trump's friendly stance toward Putin has been under scrutiny since he won the US election in November. Trump took office with US-Russian ties at new lows amid accusations by American intelligence agencies that the Kremlin hacked Democratic Party emails as part of a pro-Trump campaign to influence the election. The US is committed to its strong and active engagement in Asia, President Donald Trump has said as he telephoned New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English to discuss regional peace and security. "The two leaders discussed regional issues, including challenges to regional peace and security, and the President affirmed to the Prime Minister the US commitment to strong and active engagement in Asia," the White House said in a readout of the call. During the call, Trump expressed appreciation for New Zealand's significant contributions to international peace and security concerns, it said. "The two leaders affirmed the close friendship and bilateral alliance between the US and New Zealand," the White House said. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Terming the Central governments stand to ban triple talaq as a 'vote bank politics', Muslim cleric Hina Zaheer on Monday said the leaders are politicising the issue to woo the voters ahead of the assembly elections. The matter of triple talaq is sub-judice and thus no one can take law into his/her hand. Why leaders are politicising the issue. We as Muslim women are persistently demanding to follow the talaq procedure as per the Quran. The matter is being raised by the politicians at a time when elections are around the corner and this clearly shows that this is mere a vote bank politics. They are just trying to woo voters in the name of triple talaq, Zaheer told ANI. Meanwhile, women activist Zakia Soman called for an action against triple talaq saying that it is not an issue of politics and must be restricted. It is necessary to prohibit such practices. It is violation of human rights. Triple talaq is not valid in Shia community. One sided and oral talaq is not at all relevant. It is to understand that triple talaq is a injustice not just against women but against a daughter, sister, mother. The question that arises here is gender justice. The Muslim women have awakened now, Soman told ANI. Vowing to ban triple talaq after the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Union Minister for Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday said triple talaq is a major issue in the state, adding that it is a practice that is still haunting women even after 70 years of freedom. Several women have filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking the quashing of the triple talaq practice. The Central government has also told the top court that it is against gender injustice and for equality between men and women under the Constitution. However, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has defended the practice, saying it is better to divorce a woman than kill her. The rights bestowed by religion can't be questioned in a court of law, it said. In December last year, the Allahabad High Court termed the Islamic practice of divorcing a woman by uttering the word "talaq" thrice as unconstitutional. The court further observed that the triple talaq practice sanctioned under Muslim Personal Law that governs marriage, property and divorce violates the rights of Muslim women. Triple talaq is unconstitutional, it violates the rights of Muslim women," ruled the High Court, adding that no personal law board is above the Constitution. 4,500 people reported cases of pederasty or child sexual abuse perpetrated by members of the Catholic Church in Australia between 1980 and 2015, according to a report released on Monday ahead of a new round of hearings by the Royal Commission. The Royal Commission, which is responsible for investigating the extent of and response to child sexual abuse in Australia since 1950, will make a statement to all the country's bishops in a series of public hearings that will last until February 27, Efe news reported. On the first day, the counsel assisting the commission, Gail Furness, said a total of 4,444 complaints had been filed and that these point to hundreds of priests, 93 of whom hold high positions in the Church, and affect more than a thousand institutions. The data collected indicates that 78 per cent of the complainants were male and 22 per cent female. It has also been revealed that the average age of the victims was 11.6 years old in the case of boys and 10.5 in the case of girls. It took them an average of 33 years to file complaints after the alleged abuses were committed. "Of the 1,880 identified alleged perpetrators, 597 or 32 per cent were religious brothers, 572 or 30 per cent were priests, 543 or 29 per cent were lay people and 96 or 5 per cent were religious sisters," Furness said. The data also suggested that between 1950 and 2010, more than 20 per cent of Marist Brothers, Salesians of the Don Bosco and Christian Brothers were accused of child sexual abuse, while in the St. John of God Brothers the figure stood at 40.4 per cent. Like his predecessor, President Donald Trump seized on a go-it-alone strategy for fast-tracking his agenda. It took him two weeks to run into the nations system of checks and balances. The legal battle over his executive order on immigration and refugees is a surprisingly early demonstration of a lesson all presidents learn eventually. Governing by executive action may appear easier and faster, but it carries its own legal and political risks. President Barack Obama was confronted with that reality late in his tenure when, thwarted by the GOP-controlled House, he used what he called a pen and phone strategy to advance his agenda. He ultimately found one of his most sweeping actions, the expansion of a program deferring deportation for some immigrants, blocked by the courts, while Republicans blasted him for what they said was an abuse of power. Republicans have been notably quiet as Trump has taken a similar approach, particularly taking advantage of the precedent giving the president broad leeway when it comes to immigration. A federal judges order in Seattle Friday evening blocking Trumps ban on admitting travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries showed the limits of the presidents powers and the role of checks and balances among the three branches of government. The administration appealed the judges order, but the higher court denied its request for an immediate stay that would have enabled Trump to reinstate the ban. The State Department cancelled visas for about 60,000 people from the affected countries; the legal setbacks had many rushing to restore their documents and find flights to the United States over the weekend. Trump isnt alone in trying to maximize executive muscle. Presidents rarely voluntarily restrict their own power. And recent presidents also have used a burst of unilateral action to spur progress at the start of their administrations and to set a tone for Congress, where legislation often moves slowly. Trumps opening weeks have shown hes likely to rely on the Republicans who hold a majority in Congress to pass top agenda items like overhauling the Obamacare law, changing the tax code and repairing aging roads and bridges. The president has also signed a blitz of actions on border security, health care and financial regulation, showing few signs of slowing down. On Friday, Trumps administration imposed sanctions on companies and individuals in response to Irans recent ballistic missile test after months of bitter criticism of Obamas landmark nuclear deal with Tehran. Still, his actions stand out for their sweep and haste. On some issues, Trump didnt just leapfrog Congress, where his own party is in control, he cut Republicans out of the consultations and rollout of his plans. I think that Trump has been unusually aggressive in the scope of what he is trying to do and also I think remarkably casual in issuing orders and other actions that dont appear to have gone through what would be a typical process of reviewing and vetting and consideration, said Kenneth Mayer, a University of Wisconsin professor who has studied executive actions by presidents. Since Inauguration Day, Trump has signed 20 memoranda and executive orders. That number is in line with Obamas first two weeks. One of his orders directly reversed one of Obamas early orders: The former president signed a memorandum in his first week in 2009 rescinding a ban on providing federal money to international groups that perform or provide information on abortions. Trump reinstituted the regulation, known as the Mexico City Policy, on his first day in office. In this, Mayer said Trumps use of unilateral powers has shown some similarities to a general pattern set in 1993, 2001 and 2009 when the White House switched parties. But he added that theres a big qualification. None of those incoming presidents sparked the controversy that Trump did last week. Chaos at airports and concern around the world quickly followed Trumps signing of the executive order to temporarily ban all refugees and also travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries. The president said quick, forceful action was needed to reduce the threat of terrorist attacks. The executive actions on immigration have led to lawsuits. Interest groups also have vowed to challenge any unilateral efforts to curtail Obamas environmental regulations and other rules. Despite his initial flurry of action, Obama became more reliant upon executive orders during his second term, when he faced opposition from Republicans. Ive got a pen and Ive got a phone, he declared at one point, promising public orders and personal efforts to build support. When he acted unilaterally on immigration in 2014, providing temporary legal status to millions living in the U.S. illegally, Republicans insisted he was acting illegally. The House speaker at the time, John Boehner, accused him of acting like a king or an emperor. This time, with full control of the White House and Congress, Republicans have been largely muted in their assessments of Trumps executive actions. A notable exception has been Arizona Sen. John McCain, who warned Trump not to allow the resumption of enhanced interrogation techniques such as waterboarding following reports that the new administration was planning a review. The president can sign whatever executive orders he likes. But the law is the law. We are not bringing back torture in the United States of America, McCain said. Democrats are broadly and bitterly opposed to Trumps proposals on the health care law, oil pipelines and the border wall as well as the unilateral way hes going about pursuing some of them. What he is doing is reprehensible to them in most cases, said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic strategist and former aide to former House Democratic leader Dick Gephardt. The go-it-alone approach, Elmendorf said, is going to inflame the base of the party and make it hard for Democrats to work with him on other issues. Even members of Trumps own party have distanced themselves from the rollout of his executive orders on immigration. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said that Trump didnt think it through and the orders were a classic example of putting something out there that wasnt ready for prime time. But Graham said the bumpy start still pales in comparison to Obamas use of executive action, pointing to federal courts blocking the former presidents executive actions on immigration and a piece of his health care overhaul. Look what Obama did. His executive orders got struck down by the court. Im not going to listen to a bunch of Democrats complain about Trump when they sat on the sidelines and did nothing about Obama, he said. (AP) Honenu attorney and long-time right-wing activist Itamar Ben-Givir is calling to double the number of justices serving on Israel High Court of Justice. Ben-Givir was responding to a motzei Shabbos appearance in Meet the Press (Israel Channel 2) by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, who spoke of advancing the Regulation Law. Ben-Givir, who has been a longtime critic of the liberal left-wing High Court, feels by doubling the number of justices to 30, a move that can easily be accomplished in Knesset, the current administration can appoint right-wing justices to change the court. He explained that trying to change the current status quo will be shot down by the left-wing court so there is no hope in that direction. Ben-Givir explains the change can be made by the Knesset Law Committee, which he points out has a majority even without coalition members from the Kulanu party, who are more likely to oppose the move. Ben-Givir feels it is time for thinking outside the box, adding he has admiration for Shakeds performance as a minister, seeking to persuade her into diluting the ultra-libertarian court by appointing new justices whose hashkafa is in line with the right-wing coalition. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) At the first pan-European Limmud FSU (former Soviet Union) conference, which opened in Windsor, England last week, Jewish leaders from around the world reacted to a report released earlier this week by the Community Security Trust showing anti-Semitic hate crime is at a record high in the UK. Were all aware of the record number of anti-Semitic attacks that have been reported across the U.K., said Limmud FSU International Steering Committee Chairman Matthew Bronfman, who is an American businessman and philanthropist. What are we doing about it? Were gathering here, just outside of London the UKs largest Jewish community and place with the highest incidence of anti-Semitic hate crimes to show the world who we are and why were important. Studying and learning and expressing our Judaism is how we fight this. There is less anti-Semitism in Azerbaijan or Kazakhstan than there is in Europe right now, said Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations Executive Vice Chairman Malcolm Hoenlein. What did the Jews do wrong? Its not what we did wrong; its what we did right. We are a strong and unified people both in Europe and around the world and the unity of the Jewish people will cause this resurgence of anti-Semitism to melt away. There is more anti-Semitism in London than in any other European city. Its shameful, said Limmud FSU Founder Chaim Chesler. Were here in the UK to show that we are ready to fight back. Unlike on the eve of WWII, we will not be silent. Photo: Limmud FSU Founder Chaim Chesler speaking about the rise of anti-Semitism in the U.K. at Limmud FSU Europe. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem / Photo Credit: Ekaterina Nikitina) Vice President Mike Pence says he fully expects billionaire GOP donor Betsy DeVos will be confirmed as education secretary with his tie-breaking vote. Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Pence says the Trump administration is very confident she will take up her Cabinet post soon. Last week, two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, said they would vote against DeVos nomination, citing concerns from parents and teachers. Their opposition set up a 50-50 tie in the Senate if all Democrats vote against her and no other Republicans dissent. Pence would be the tie-breaker. DeVos has faced fierce criticism from labor unions for her promotion of school choice. Democrats and teachers organizations also accuse her of seeking to dismantle public education. The Senate vote is Tuesday. (AP) Israels prime minister is moving ahead with a contentious law that would legalize dozens of settlements, despite claims by experts that the bill itself is illegal and a warning from the White House that settlement construction may not be helpful. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under intense pressure from members of his coalition to bring the bill to a vote in parliament following last weeks court-ordered demolition of Amona. But he risks drawing angry international condemnations, possibly even from the ostensibly friendly Trump administration, if he pushes forward. Netanyahus nationalist coalition is dominated by the right-wingers and their supporters. Bayit Hayehudi, a powerful coalition ally, has been leading the calls to vote on the outpost law this week, perhaps as soon as Monday. Bayit Yehudi believes that with a friendly president in office, it is time for Netanyahu to lay out a clear policy for the West Bank, including the possible annexation of parts of the areas. Netanyahu has sent mixed signals about the legislation, publicly voicing support for it while also reportedly expressing private misgivings. On Sunday, he indicated that he might once again delay the vote in a possible sign he is rethinking his support. MK Shuli Moalem-Refaeli, one of the bills sponsors, said that the Yehuda and Shomron are dotted with homes that she claimed had been built over the years in good faith and should now be legalized. What has been established cannot be destroyed, she told Israel Radio. Israels powerful settler lobby was jolted last week by the court-ordered demolition of Amona, an outpost found to have been built on private Palestinian land. Over 40 families were forced from their homes, putting pressure on the government to respond. Proponents of the new legislation are bent on passing it to prevent similar scenes from taking place. The bill would retroactively legalize several thousand homes built illegally on private Palestinian land. The original landowners would be compensated either with money or alternative land, even if they do not agree to give up their property. Critics have said the bill will not pass legal muster. Netanyahus own attorney general has said he will not defend the bill before the countrys Supreme Court, and Netanyahu has reportedly expressed concerns that the legislation could strengthen a case against Israel in the International Criminal Court. People on the right havent got the courage to tell the settlers the truth, Tzachi Hanegbi, a member of Netanyahus Likud Party, said over the weekend. It is reasonable to assume that the bill will not pass. Dan Meridor, a former justice minister and Likud member, said the bill is problematic because it would affect Palestinians living on land that is not part of Israel and who do not have the right to vote. The idea is that we are taking land from someone, accidentally or not, and then are getting rid of him without him getting in a word, without him participating in the legislation, he said. This is something destructive that must be stopped. The American Jewish Congress, a mainstream pro-Israel Jewish organization in the U.S., on Sunday called on Israeli legislators to reject the bill, saying it undermined hopes for a two-state solution with the Palestinians. Adalah, an Israeli group that protects Arab rights, said it would immediately file a challenge in the Supreme Court if the bill is approved. This sweeping and dangerous law permits the expropriation of vast tracts of private Palestinian land, giving absolute preference to the political interests of Israel as an occupying power and to Israeli settlers, said Suhad Bishara, a lawyer with the group. Legal troubles are just one of Netanyahus considerations. The international community overwhelmingly opposes the settlements and sees them as an obstacle to peace. The Palestinians say the settlements, home to 600,000 Israelis, are making it increasingly impossible to partition the land into two states. In December, President Barack Obama allowed the U.N. Security Council to pass a resolution declaring settlements illegal. After repeatedly clashing with Obama, Netanyahu is optimistic about a new era of relations with Trump, who harshly criticized the U.N. resolution. Trump has signaled a far more sympathetic approach to the settlements, raising hopes in Netanyahus government that it will be able to step up construction. But after Netanyahu announced plans to build over 6,000 new settler homes during Trumps first two weeks in office, the White House over the weekend signaled that it too may have its limits. While we dont believe the existence of settlements is an impediment to peace, the construction of new settlements or the expansion of existing settlements beyond their current borders may not be helpful in achieving that goal, the White House said. Netanyahu said he was looking forward to discussing the matter at the White House on Feb. 15. Amid these misgivings, Netanyahu late Sunday signaled that he might once again delay the vote, which had also been scheduled last week. An official in the Likud Party said Netanyahu was trying to consult with the new U.S. administration to see how it would react. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal party deliberations. But a vote remained scheduled for late Monday, shortly after Netanyahu is to return from a one-day visit to London for talks with Prime Minister Theresa May. As he boarded his flight, Netanyahu remained vague about his plans. I hear all the time disingenuous ultimatums. I dont get excited, Netanyahu said in an apparent reference to his Bayit Yehudi allies. When I manage the country, I think about our national interest. I act only according to this. (AP) 9:07AM IL: Sirens sounded in Ashkelon Coast communities in southern Israel a short time ago. Officials are working to determine if there was an actual rocket attack from Gaza. 9:13AM IL: A rocket landed in an open area. Bchasdei Hashem without loss of life, injuries or property damage. 10:02AM IL: IDF artillery targeted a Hamas installation in northern Gaza following the rocket attack earlier today. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) As the new Trump administration sends a new message to Iran, one stating clearly the US will no longer tolerate missile testing, senior Iranian official Mojtaba Zonour announced if attacked, its target will be Tel Aviv. President Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on 25 companies that are connected to Tehrans missile program in response to illegal missile testing. According to an i24 News report, Zonour, a senior National Security & Foreign Police Commission official, stated if America makes a mistake, Tehran will turn around and launch a missile at Tel Aviv, adding it only takes seven minutes to hit Tel Aviv. Not stopping there, the senior Iranian officials warned Americas base in Bahrain would be leveled as well if Tehran is attacked. UN Security Council 2331 prohibits Iran from conducting missile testing, which it has preferred to ignore to date. This led to the warning from the new US administration. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) China said Monday it had lodged a formal protest with the United States over a decision to impose new sanctions targeting Iran, which affected a handful of Chinese companies and individuals. The sanctions were imposed Friday after Iran conducted a ballistic missile test. They affect 25 people and entities allegedly involved in helping Iran develop its ballistic missile program, or in supporting groups that the United States considers terrorist, such as Lebanons Shiite Hezbollah militant group. They include two Chinese companies and three Chinese individuals, who are now blocked from the U.S. financial system or dealings with U.S. companies. Foreign companies and individuals are also prohibited from dealing with them at risk of also being blacklisted by the United States. On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that Beijing had lodged a formal protest. We have consistently opposed any unilateral sanctions, Lu told a regular news conference. The sanctions will not help in enhancing trust among the different parties involved and will not help in resolving international problems. China has close economic and diplomatic ties with Tehran, but also played an important role in a landmark 2015 deal to curb the nations nuclear program. Chinas state-run Xinhua news agency said the sanctions cast a shadow over the prospects for a peaceful settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue, and called them a ticking time bomb for peace and stability in the entire Middle East, an issue into which it said world leaders have invested enormous resources. It would be a colossal shame and unbearable misfortune for the globe if such efforts were thwarted by unchecked diplomatic adventurism and unconstructive antagonism, it wrote on Saturday. In Tehran, Irans Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Qasemi, described the Trump administration as still in an unstable stage, but insisted that Iran did not conduct the recent missile launch to test the new White House. Irans missile test was not a message to the new U.S. government, he was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency. There is no need to test Mr. Trump as we have heard his views on different issues in recent days We know him quite well. Iran says its missile launches do not violate U.N. resolutions since the missiles are not designed to carry nuclear warheads. The Trump administration, however, views the launches as provocative and has vowed to curb Irans missile program. China has previously been angered by U.S. sanctions against Chinese firms accused of supporting Iran or North Koreas nuclear ambitions. Executives from the two Chinese companies included on the list denied doing anything wrong. Yue Yaodong, an executive at Cosailing Business Trading Co in the eastern city of Qingdao, said his firm was collapsing, with his account at the Agricultural Bank of China frozen, a shipping company refusing to accept his goods and clients abandoning him. We have not done any business with Iran for three to four years, he said. There have been some Iranian customers coming to us asking prices, but we have not conducted real business. Go search the customs record. He said his company sells items for everyday use, as well as porcelain, hydraulic parts, and motors for treadmills, but said it was only a small, private firm. I am so lost, both the United States and China are sanctioning me, he said. There is no way to do business now, I dont know what our little company did wrong. An export manager at Ningbo New Century Import and Export Company, based in the eastern city of Ningbo, told the Reuters news agency it had only carried out normal exports to Iran, but did not elaborate. U.S. relations with China have hit a distinctly rocky patch since Trump took office, with the new president seeing the government in Beijing as more of a threat than a partner. Indeed, President Trump has yet to speak to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping since taking office, despite talking to at least 18 other world leaders. But nerves in Beijing appear to have been somewhat calmed by comments from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis while on a tour of Japan and South Korea last week. Mattis took pains to reinforce previous U.S. commitments to Tokyo and Seoul, pledging to press ahead with deployment of a high-end missile defense system to South Korea this year, and vowing to honor a mutual defense pact with Japan. But he also called for diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute in the South China Sea and played down the need for U.S. military maneuvers there. His remarks followed comments from other Trump administration officials that appeared to suggest the possibility of a naval blockade of Chinas artificial islands, something that experts say could amount to an act of war. Chinas Lu said the U.S. stance towards South Korea and Japan could jeopardize regional security, but he said the remarks about the South China Sea were worthy of affirmation. This accords with the common interests of China and all countries in the region, and we hope that countries outside the region can respect the joint interests and wishes of countries in the region, Lu said. The official English-language China Daily newspaper said in an editorial on Monday that Mattiss comments were a mind-soothing pill that had dispersed the clouds of war that many feared were gathering over the South China Sea. Mattis has inspired optimism here that things may not be as bad as previously portrayed, the newspaper said. (c) 2017, The Washington Post Simon Denyer [By Rabbi Shlomo Crandall, Director, Chai Lifeline Midwest] Every year, Chai Lifeline invites a group of teens who have finished treatment for cancer or who are living with chronic illnesses to Wish at the Wall, a ten-day trip to Israel. Each teen invites a parent, someone who has been (and in some cases, continues to be) a full-time caregiver, to share the adventure. Its an arduous tour. The itinerary takes them from north to south and everywhere in between. They visit holy sites and are privileged to receive greetings and brachas from Roshei Yeshiva and rebbeim. And, as Rabbi Crandall describes, every day is another bracha in itself. Its hard to believe, but this is the 10th time I have led this trip. I think I have finally run out of adjectives to properly describe what this trip means for the 14 teenagers and the moms and dads who join them. I may have run out of words, but I havent run out of tears that flow each and every year as I am given renewed strength by a group of the most incredible young people that I have ever met. No, they are not tears of sadness. They are tears of joy, the joy of learning to live every day to the absolute fullest. One can ask, and Im sure many would, what does it mean to live life to its fullest for a teenager that has cerebral palsy? What does it mean to live life to its fullest when a teenager lives a life where is she is fully dependent on their parents for daily functions? What it can possibly mean when you have to travel to Israel with oxygen and need a wheelchair to be transported down the aisle of a 747? This years Wish at the Wall participants include teenagers with multiple sclerosis, familial dysautonomia, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, and a host of other illness that are by and large not known to most educated adults. But these kids know all too well what they mean and the daily ramifications. Living life to the fullest means keeps your head high and not allowing the stares you receive from onlookers to bother you. In the words of one mother, Im tired of peoples sympathy and do not need the blessing of every person I meet at the supermarket. Chai Lifeline says, Bless them back. They need the blessing more than we do. Living life to the fullest means not allowing I cant do it to leak into your vocabulary. For some it means getting onto a camel knowing the risks involved. For others it means floating in the Dead Sea like any other teenager would love doing. And that is exactly how we spent the past few days. The respect and admiration I have for this young group of men and women is beyond imagination. They teach me what it means to live life to the fullest when they say, I CAN and I WILL. Our Chai Lifeline and Camp Simcha counselors deserve amazing praise. They are heroes in my mind. But our Chai Lifeline parents are on call 52 weeks a year. I have the privilege of watching them care for their children with love and respect that goes so far beyond how one is used to seeing parents relate to their children. I stand in total awe as they teach their children to live life to its fullest, instilling confidence and joy within them. Chai Lifeline is so honored to share this most precious partnership. Over the past few days, we have sung together, cried together, and just had fun together. Most significant, we are doing it together, notwithstanding that we are a very diverse group. Yes, they are all teenagers, but it is very evident that they come from very different places on the Jewish spectrum. And together, we are living life to its fullest. In the words of one mom this past Shabbos afternoon, If I had the magic dust to take away my daughters illness, I wouldnt do it if it meant that I have to return all the beautiful relationships my daughter has built over the years. That is strength. That is living life to its fullest. What is Chai Lifeline? What is Wish at the Wall? It is the renewed hope in the Jewish people and the gold standard of what chesed is all about. What an honor it has been to take this journey with this amazing group of people, and its only day four of this astounding journey. Thank you Hartman Family, and all our friends in Chai Lifeline Midwest, for making Wish at the Wall possible this year and every year. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) It's not often I can combine an age-related post with a political one as directly as I can today so I'm taking advantage of it while the opportunity is here. When I moved to Oregon nearly seven years ago, the state's Death With Dignity Act played no part in my choice although I knew it existed. Having had plenty of time now to look into it and think about it, I am relieved to have this law. Understand that not just any person can request the drugs and die willy-nilly. There are restrictions: A physician must determine that the patient has less than six months and a second opinion is required, reported my late friend, Pulitzer Prize-winner Saul Friedman in these pages in 2010. The patient must make repeated requests, waiting at least 15 days between requests. If these procedures are followed, an Oregon physician can prescribe the life-ending drugs, which may be taken with or without a doctor present. Personally, I think the rules are too restrictive but they are better than not and changing public perception is a slow process. Oregon was the first state to enact a death with dignity law and since the act was passed 1997, and through 2015, 991 patients have used it to end their lives. Here's the chart: It gives me comfort to know that if my end days are filled with pain, for example, and my days are short, there is recourse for me. It's my life; no one else should have the right to prevent me from making this choice. Last week, President Donald Trump nominated federal appeals court judge, Neil Gorsuch, to fill the Supreme Court chair left empty when Justice Antonin Scalia died a year ago. That, I believe, is an illegitimate nomination that should not stand given that Congressional Republicans barely acknowledged President Barack Obama's choice, Merrick Garland, let alone held hearings on him. But let's let that go for today and take a look at who Judge Gorsuch is. As the Washington Post reported last week, in the year the judge was appointed to the federal bench, 2006: ...he published a book titled The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. The front cover looks almost like a Tom Clancy novel, with purple all-caps block text set against a black background. But the book itself is a deep, highly cerebral overview of the ethical and legal debate surrounding the practices. I have not read the book so I am relying on the WaPo reporter, Derek Hawkins, who writes that Gorsuch opposes assisted suicide, euthanasia and death with dignity laws because the intentional taking of human life by private persons is always wrong. Really? Even if the life-taking is done by the person whose life it is? I don't think that is at all as obvious as he makes it sound. The Washington Post again: Some of Gorsuchs sharpest criticisms were directed at one of his fellow jurists, Judge Richard Posner of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Posner has written in favor of permitting physician-assisted suicide, arguing that the government should not interfere with a persons decision to take his or her own life, especially in cases where the patient is terminally ill. Gorsuch rejected that view, writing it would 'tend toward, if not require, the legalization not only of assisted suicide and euthanasia, but of any act of consensual homicide.' Huh? How does that follow? It gets even less rational as his argument continues: Posners position, he writes, would allow 'sadomasochist killings' and 'mass suicide pacts,' as well as duels, illicit drug use, organ sales and the 'sale of ones own life.' Gorsuch concludes his book by envisioning a legal system that allows for terminally ill patients to refuse treatments that would extend their lives, while stopping short of permitting intentional killing. Judge Gorsuch is a young man - 49 now, 39 when his book was published. Aside from physicians trained in science and health and such people as hospice workers, I do not believe that younger adults have any idea what old age is really like. You cannot know until you get there. Unless he has suffered through a prolonged period of debility and ongoing, untreatable pain, Judge Gorsuch cannot possibly imagine why an old person would find themselves arriving at a place where they know it is time for them to go and even yearn for it. There are other good reasons to oppose Judge Gorsuch's nomination to the Supreme Court but from my perch here as what a reporter at the Baltimore Sun once called a bloviator on all things ageing, this one issue is enough. Particularly so because if he is confirmed and in addition, Congress follows through on President Trump's recent vow to the overturn the 1954 law restricting political speech by tax-exempt churches, we are heading deep toward Christian control of government. The New York Times quoted Trump about that vow last week: 'Freedom of religion is a sacred right, but it is also a right under threat all around us,' Mr. Trump told religious leaders at the National Prayer Breakfast. 'That is why I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution.' These may never come to pass. But to potentially lose death with dignity laws while gaining unfettered political speech for religious organizations combined with the new survey showing that one-third of Americans believe a citizen must be a Christian to be a real American well, you tell me what that means. MBABANE - They say all good things come to an end. This is what Christian rapper Switch has done as he has revealed that he would be quitting music. Switch, whose real name is Mkhulisi Khumalo, made this known on social media that his musical career is coming to an end. The award-winning artist, who has also had the chance of performing in big stages such as the SABC Crown Gospel Awards stage, sharing the stage with the likes of the late Sfiso Ncwane, Sipho Makhabane and Benjamin Dube, pointed out that after his graduation he would quit music. Switch is a student at the University of Swaziland. In an interview with SwaziFYI.com, an online publication, he disclosed that his dreams and plans about the future, including becoming a politician and helping the society of Msunduza, his home area, are ongoing and that he hopes to fulfil them. During the interview, the rapper revealed that he still had one album left to release. He said he will be performing until he graduates and on the day of his graduation, he will release this last and final album. He further said that when he turns 30, he doesnt see himself still interested in being an artist as he feels like he will be too old for it then. The rapper said he will focus on his other life plans, like being a Member of Parliament or someone prominent in the country. The gospel rapper has been labelled as one of the best artists that have ever come out of the country. He has recently performed during the Back to the Cross fellowship. His other highlights include the electrifying performance that he delivered during last years Crown Gospel Awards. MBABANE Shiselweni Regional Administrator (RA) Themba Masuku is livid that police have started an investigation over a three-hour visit to the eNduma Royal Kraal. Masuku is said to have paid a visit to the royal kraal located within Motshane, which is currently under the leadership of Umntfwanenkhosi Salaphi, who is the acting chief. In an interview, the RA expressed anger at the fact that his visit to the area a fortnight ago has now turned him into a suspect of sorts as police are said to be questioning community members on the reason for his visit. I have taken offence over the fact that four police officers are said to be investigating the reason for my visit to the royal kraal, he said. Masuku revealed that a certain member of the community close to the matter, informed him that the police officers approached him and asked why the RA had paid a visit to Motshane and what his interest in visiting the area was. I am, of course, waiting to hear what charges will be laid against me as I believe police investigate criminal elements; what was criminal about my visit? he asked. The alleged investigation comes at a time when there is mounting suspicion that Masuku was in the area because he had been allocated land by the acting chief. This is despite the fact that Motshane currently has no leader as the rightful chief of the area, Chief Sipho Shongwe, died in 2011. It is said the Shiselweni RA, who was accompanied by his wife, spent over three hours in a closed meeting with the acting chief. MBABANE It seems Swazilands financial problems are over, at least according to self-proclaimed Apostle Prophet Simon Fana Ngwenya of Chosen Family Church. Ngwenya said the country would have money from this year to 2019. He was speaking during an interview at his church at Bethany, Matsapha last Friday. The minister of Finance would not complain about a deficit, at least until 2019, said Ngwenya. Ngwenya was conveying a message which he claimed was from God to the country and its authorities. He said God had appeared to him in a vision and appointed him to be the countrys prophet. He said God had told him to inform the country that no harm would ever come to Swaziland without him knowing. He said God had told him that He would reveal to him things before they happened. Ngwenya cautioned the nation not to worry about the new president of the United States of America Donald Trump like other countries were. He said Swaziland would be the destination for international investors and many countries will want to strengthen their relations with the country and bring in investors. Swaziland will not be asking for much from other countries from now on, said Ngwenya. Ngwenya stressed that three years from now, poverty would be no more in the country. He said God had told him that the country would have a lot of rain until April and that He had confirmed to him that the drought was over. He said the Minister of Agriculture would not have to worry about food security. MBABANE Senate President Gelane Zwane says she has sought therapy and divine intervention following her lapse during the official opening of the fourth session of the 10th Parliament. Zwane said she required therapy after what transpired when she presented her speech before Their Majesties. Her presentation did not last longer than a minute. According to the acting chief of Kontshingila, to suppress her shock, she engaged a therapist and a man of the cloth. This she said was to assist her recoup from the shock she suffered after words on the paper which contained her talking points disappeared. I had to seek prayer as this was absurd. Though she could not state the therapist and man of God who offered her counselling and prayer respectively, Zwane said her spirits were high. She sounded hopeful that God would see her through this mishap that left her confused. The Senate president emphatically relayed that she was still baffled by what transpired during the official opening of Parliament. She alleges that when she was about to read her speech, the words disappeared. I cant rule out that there may be evil forces behind such an incident. However, I cant boldly say I was bewitched. It shall remain my suspicion, she said. She was definite that something amiss led to her lapse. She said what was puzzling was that leading to the ceremony, she had gone through the speech. I rehearsed the speech in the presence of the Senate clerk at table and my personal assistant as they are the people I had worked with in crafting it. MBABANE Almost two years after getting married, popular radio personality Nelisiwe Ntfombitanele Motsa, popularly known as Awu mine, is divorcing her husband. This comes after Motsa, who is employed by the Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Services (SBIS), allegedly discovered that their marriage was based on untruths. She, among other things, allegedly discovered that Dube was still married to another woman and was residing with her at Ludzeludze. Motsa and her husband Roy Dube, who is a businessman, displayed love and affection for each other during their low-key wedding ceremony which was held at Cross Works Ministries housed at the Manzini National Library in March 2015. Through her attorney Noncedo Ndlangamandla, Motsa has since filed an application in the High Court where she is seeking an order directing the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths (BMD) to cancel the marriage between her and the businessman. In her application, Motsa of Mashobeni in the Shiselweni Region describes the wedding between her and Dube as a purported marriage. In motivating the application for the annulment of the marriage, the radio personality stated that on or about May 3, 2015 she entered into a civil rites marriage with Dube. She alleged that after the marriage celebrations, she submitted the necessary documents to the Registrar of BMDs for a marriage certificate to be processed. However, upon making a follow-up on the issue, I was informed that one Tholakele Nxumalo had submitted a letter to the Registrar of BMDs opposing that I be issued with the marriage certificate, alleged Motsa. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Patrick Donachie A six-month effort to find a suspect in the August 2016 murder of Karina Vetrano ended in a deep dive investigation of a 911 call about a suspicious person in the area from May last year, NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce. said. Police charged Chanel Lewis, 20, of East New York with the murder that occurred at about 5:40 p.m. on Aug. 2. Vetrano, 30, was attacked and sexually assaulted as she jogged through a remote area of Queens known as Spring Creek Park, which straddles the Brooklyn/Queens border, police officials said. Boyce said Lewis was cited as a suspicious person in the May 911 call, and an investigation into the call led police to probe further, finding several summons issued to Lewis in the Howard Beach area. Police spoke to Lewis Thursday evening, and he willingly gave a DNA sample which matched evidence found on Vetranos body and cell phone, Boyce said. He was taken into custody at the 106th Precinct Saturday night, and was arraigned Sunday in a Queens criminal court charged with murder in the second degree, according to the criminal complaint filed by the Queens district attorneys office. The complaint said Lewis punched Vetrano repeatedly and strangled her, causing her death. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years to life in prison, according to DA Richard Brown. At this time he is being charged with intentional murder in the second degree, although the investigation is continuing and a grand jury may consider additional criminal charges when the case is presented to them, Brown said in a statement. Boyce said police do not believe Lewis knew Vetrano and it appeared to be a chance encounter. Lewis lives with his mother. Vetrano fought back furiously against her attacker, whose DNA was found on her cell phone, under her fingernails and her neck. Boyce said Monday the investigation involved more than 600 DNA samples collected and 1,700 investigative reports filed. The Vetrano family mounted a public campaign to find Karinas killer, which drew widespread support from within the Howard Beach community. They established a GoFundMe page to collect contributions that could be used as a reward and have also advocated for the use of familial DNA testing, which would allow authorities to search DNA databases for potential relatives of a recovered DNA sample. Strong defense, pair of goals from Shaye Bailey hands Freedom WPIAL Class 1A championship A shutdown defense and a pair of second-half goals from junior Shaye Bailey led the Freedom Bulldogs to a convincing 3-0 win over Springdale Friday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Troy Firefighters battled flames Monday morning inside an apartment building on Third Street. Fire Chief Thomas Garrett said crews arrived about 9 a.m. at 184 Third St. to find heavy fire in the rear of the building. No one was injured. Garrett said the two-story building was structurally sound but heavily damaged by the flames and the apartments are uninhabitable. The cause is under investigation but Garrett said he suspects it started in the back of the home. Firefighters on roof are putting out hotspots. Chief, Assistant Chief on scene but not ready to take questions. Third St in #TroyNY closed pic.twitter.com/2VYNO14USm Emily Masters (@emilysmasters) February 6, 2017 The American Red Cross provided emergency aid to four families, including eight adults and two children ages 3 and 10. The Third Street blaze was the second house fire Troy crews responded to Monday. About midnight, firefighters pulled a soot-covered woman from a burning home at 585 Fifth Ave., Garrett said. The chief said the woman was taken to the hospital and is alive. He said the fire was most likely sparked by an electrical problem. Sirin Hamsho, an engineer with GE Renewable Energy in Schenectady who has been in Qatar with two young children since President Donald Trump issued his Jan. 27 travel ban, is hoping to get home to her husband in Niskayuna in the coming days. Hamsho, who holds dual French and Syrian citizenship, feared she would be stuck in Qatar indefinitely since Trump's executive order barred citizens from seven Muslim majority countries, including Syria, from entering the United States. "I was on a business/personal trip to the Middle East when I heard that I might not be able to go back home, the reason? is simply because I was born in Syria! the wrong place according to Donald's terminology," Sirin wrote in a Jan. 31 Facebook post. There has been a lot of confusion over whether dual citizens with one passport from a country like France would be allowed into the U.S. Hamsho was in Qatar on a business and personal trip but feared she would be blocked trying to come back to New York. It is unclear if she tried to board a plane home or was told not to try. However, that became moot after a federal judge in Washington State blocked the ban with a temporary restraining order on Friday. "It's been quite a week and I hope it is over now with the federal judge order to halt the unjust (executive order)," Hamsho wrote Sunday on her Facebook page thanking those who helped her clear up her case. "In the coming days I should be able to go back home. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, you are the people, you are the real America!" Hamsho said that GE attorneys and staff had assisted her in the case, and so did U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko. GE spokeswoman Chris Horne said Monday she did not have any updates on Hamsho's travel plans and when she would be returning to the United States. Horne would not say if Hamsho, who designs wind turbnes, was in Qatar on GE business. "We are all anxiously waiting for a reply from Sirin," Rabbi Glenn Jacob, a friend, told the Times Union. Sirin could not immediately be reached for comment Monday. Jacob said she had been advised by her attorney to reveal as little as possible about her travel plans. The Super Bowl's most controversial ad left TV viewers with a cliffhanger Sunday. The pro-immigration advertisement was reportedly deemed too controversial by FOX to air in its entirety. 84 Lumber's minute-and-a-half advertisement that aired on television told the story of a Mexican mother and daughter who set out on a journey, apparently to leave the country. The pair pack up their belongings and hitch a ride with other would-be immigrants in the back of a pick-up truck. The construction company's ad follows them trekking through the desert, riding in a railroad car, and crossing a river. But before we found out what happened to the mother and daughter, the ad ended, directing viewers to the company's website. It appears so many people wanted to find out what happened next, that the website temporarily crashed. Part 2 picks up where the first part left off, with the mother and daughter duo making their way through the desert. Until they come across a giant wall. You can watch Part 1 of the 84 Lumber ad in the video above. Watch what happens in Part 2 below: 84 Lumber wrote on their website that the second part of the ad was banned from broadcast because it contained "content deemed too controversial" for television. The CEO of the agency behind the ad Michael Brunner told Business Insider last week: "Fox rejected our original commercial because they determined that some of the imagery, including 'the wall' would be too controversial. So we went back and revised the spot to make it acceptable to them. 84 Lumber challenged us to create a thought-provoking 90 second spot that would tell the world who 84 Lumber is and what they stand for a company looking for people with grit, determination and heart, no matter who they are, where they come from, or what they look like. And while that full story will no longer be told on TV at the Super Bowl, we all believe too strongly in that message to leave it on the editing room floor. So we are going to launch it during the Super Bowl and make the full story available online." THE ISSUE: The State University of New York appears to be skirting rules on double dipping. THE STAKES: The rules are there to insure integrity in hiring police and other public employees. More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse --- It's no small irony that a dozen or more State University of New York police officials owe their jobs to a law that appears to be routinely bent, if not broken, for their benefit. There's plenty of embarrassment to go around on the part of police, whose job is to uphold laws, university officials, who know what's going on, and state legislators, who don't seem to care much that a law is disregarded with a wink and a nod. As issue are restrictions on "double dipping" drawing two public checks at the same time, one for a pension, the other for a post-retirement government job. Under Civil Service law, retirees under 65 cannot earn more than $30,000 in a new government job unless they obtain a waiver. Those waivers aren't supposed to be granted willy-nilly. Agencies must try to fill the position and attest the appointment is necessary because the retiree is uniquely qualified for the position, or that a reasonable search yielded no qualified candidates. They are also usually supposed to show the waiver will be temporary. Normally, these waivers are reviewed by the state Civil Service Commission, but presidents of SUNY campuses may issue them without that oversight. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Not that it would necessarily curtail the abuses. The commission has its own less than perfect track record, including at the local government level. One example: John Burke, a former Albany city police officer, was granted waivers for more than 20 years to be a drug unit inspector for the Albany County Sheriff's department before he was fired amid a dispute over a disability claim. In SUNY's case, the Times Union's Brendan J. Lyons found that at least 12 chiefs and other campus public safety officers are working under these waivers. Yet documents show that a former vice chancellor warned of a "systemic issue" in complying with the waiver rules, and urged other administrators and top officials to review their policies and procedures. There is no indication that they did. One might argue that there are advantages to hiring retired police officers, who in some cases can collect their pensions after just 20 years on the job. They don't need basic training, they bring decades of experience, and employers don't need to pay certain benefits including retirement. The effect on the state retirement system is negligible. There are, however, good reasons for the law. Giving public sector jobs to retirees means fewer positions are available for people in the job market who have no other source of income. It's demoralizing for younger workers looking to advance their careers. It's an end run around the Civil Service system that was meant to limit patronage and cronyism in government. And the public isn't underwriting 20-year pensions just so police departments can rehire retirees. This has gone on for years in and out of SUNY. It's time for a look at the abuses in the waiver system. This is, after all, the law. The Legislature didn't pass it so mayors, sheriffs, governors, and SUNY presidents could play fast and loose with it. Improving Productivity and Efficiency in the Contact Center A well run contact center has a lot of attributes, but at its core, its supposed to provide an excellent customer experience without wasting resources on overstaffing, duplicate work or onerous administrative processes. If the contact center has a good infrastructure at its heart but its poorly staffed, it wont result in good customer support. Likewise, if it has obsolete technology and a great, hardworking staff, it still wont achieve its objectives. Efficiency and productivity are, therefore, the two most important elements of successful call center management. Neither will be easy to maintain: no red light flashes on when the quality of the customer experience begins taking a nosedive. The challenge with maintaining these attributes is that they dont stop working all of a sudden, wrote Monet Software (News - Alert) CEO Chuck Ciarlo in a recent blog post. Productivity rarely drops suddenly instead it slides, gradually, over a period of weeks and months until, left unchecked, a lower standard becomes the new normal. If the organizations efficiency and productivity arent what they could be (or what they used to be), there are some steps call center management can take to put it back on track. Training. Are agents struggling to complete calls? Is first-call resolution on the wane? Your agents may simply not have the knowledge or the tools they need to do the job, and this will show up in the form of agent attrition, which can get very expensive. Agent attrition is an ongoing concern at most call centers, and one of its most important components is the training of new agents to replace those that depart, wrote Ciarlo. If that training effort falters, a business will exchange qualified agents with less-qualified substitutes, and productivity is certain to suffer. Agent desktops. Are your agents computer desktops cluttered with old or poorly integrated software? Many agents use six or more applications on the average call. If theyre having to toggle back and forth between them, comparing information that may (or may not) match, theyre wasting time and not serving customers well. Ensure your agent desktop solutions are integrated, coordinated and, if possible, all on one screen. Meetings. Businesses just have meetings on a daily basis. Thats just the way it is. Or is it? If your organization seems to spend interminable hours in meetings without anything ever really witnessing improvement, its time to see what you can cut. Can you replace some team meetings with collaborative messaging? After-call work. Most agents spend a great deal of time just finishing the last call before they can take the next. This may limit how many calls or contacts they can successfully handle each day. Finding a way to streamline after-call work can help improve efficiency and productivity, and technology is at the core of it. Among other benefits, speech analytics can expedite how customer information is updated, reducing wrap-up time on every call, wrote Ciarlo. Your agents want to do well: nobody wants to spend their working day in frustration, missing performance goals. Ensure they have the time and the technology to do a good job, and put all else to the back of the queue. Edited by Stefania Viscusi Japan Meteorological Agency Releases First Images from Harris Corporation-Built Imager Onboard New Weather Satellite The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) released the first images taken by Harris Corporation's (News - Alert) (NYSE:HRS) Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) onboard Himawari-9, the country's newest weather satellite. The imager captured detailed clouds over Japan and the Pacific Ocean. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005755/en/ The first picture taken by the Harris-built Advanced Himawari Imager onboard Japan's Himawari-9 weather satellite. (Photo: Business Wire) The Harris-built AHI significantly improves the quality, speed and accuracy of information provided to meteorologists with its higher resolution, 11 additional spectral bands and more rapid scans than older imagers. The AHI captures images of Japan 12 times faster and the full Earth three times faster than older systems. These features generate many more weather products and much improved video capability compared with older imagers. "The similar Himawari-8 already has been very helpful in providing greater detail and predicting the paths of several typhoons in the Pacific Ocean," said Eric Webster, vice president and general manager, Harris Environmental Solutions. "These innovative Harris imagers also benefit airlines by distinguishing between smoke, sand/dust and volcanic ash, which can interfere with flight operations." Himawari-9 was built by Mitsubishi Electric (News - Alert) Corporation and launched Nov. 2, 2016. The AHI leverages similar technology used for the Harris-built Advanced Baseline Imager onboard the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-16 (GOES-16) weather satellite, launched Nov. 19, 2016, by NASA and the U.S. National Oceanic (News - Alert) and Atmospheric Administration. About Harris Corporation Harris Corporation is a leading technology innovator, solving customers' toughest mission-critical challenges by providing solutions that connect, inform and protect. Harris supports government and commercial customers in more than 100 countries and has approximately $6 billion in annual revenue. The company is organized into three business segments: Communication Systems, Space and Intelligence Systems and Electronic Systems. Learn more at harris.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005755/en/ [February 06, 2017] LegalShield Joins the Oklahoma Business Roundtable LegalShield, one of North America's leading providers of affordable legal plans and the IDShield identity theft solution for individuals, families and small businesses, announced today that the company joined the Oklahoma Business Roundtable. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005713/en/ Jeff Bell, LegalShield CEO (Photo: Business Wire) As the State's primary economic development support organization responsible for providing vital funding to assist business retention, expansion, recruitment and company start-up efforts, the Oklahoma Business Roundtable plays a major role in creating jobs and expanding Oklahoma's economy. In becoming a member of the organization, LegalShield further cements its role as one of the State's top business leaders. "LegalShield was founded 45 years ago here in Ada by Harland Stonecipher, an Oklahoma native. I myself have strong famiial roots in the state," said Jeff Bell, LegalShield CEO. "As one of Oklahoma's most successful businesses employing 750 people in the state and serving more than 141,000 businesses, LegalShield will actively contribute to the economic conversation and push for stronger, faster, better business development in Oklahoma," continued Bell. "The Oklahoma Business Roundtable serves as the key economic development support organization for Oklahoma, promoting meaningful business and workforce development activities," said Ann Ackerman, Roundtable President/CEO. "We are especially pleased one of Oklahoma's outstanding companies, LegalShield, under the excellent leadership of CEO Jeff Bell, has joined our efforts." LegalShield was founded 45 years ago on the premise that democratizing access to justice for all would satisfy an ever-growing need for Americans who face significant exposure to legal and exponentially growing identity theft challenges. Its affordable membership-based legal and identity theft plans help citizens live free under the law. About LegalShield LegalShield is one of North America's leading providers of legal safeguards for individuals, families and small businesses. The company also offers IDShield, one of the industry's most affordable and comprehensive identity theft plans. LegalShield plans provide protection to more than 1.6 million families and 4.2 million individuals, and IDShield provides identity monitoring and restoration services to more than one million individuals across North America. In addition, LegalShield and IDShield serve more than 141,000 businesses. For as little as $20 per month, LegalShield members get access to attorneys with an average of 19 years of experience in areas such as family matters, estate planning, financial and business issues, consumer protection, tax, real estate, benefits disputes and auto/driving issues. Unlike other legal plans or do-it-yourself websites, LegalShield has dedicated law firms in 50 states and four Canadian provinces for members to call for help without having to worry about high hourly rates. For more information, visit http://www.LegalShield.com or http://www.IDShield.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005713/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] Nielsen Collaborates with RichRelevance to Bring New Retail Personalization Capabilities to Nielsen Marketing Cloud NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) today announced an integration with RichRelevance through the Nielsen Marketing Cloud that enables retailers to deliver highly personalized ecommerce experiences. Now retailers can leverage the power of Nielsen audience data, analytics and technology to engage more shoppers with better personalized content, product recommendations and search results, including those who have not previously shopped with the brand. By delivering a more relevant experience to every customer from the first click through checkout and beyond clients can achieve significant increases in consideration, loyalty and sales. With this integration, mutual clients of Nielsen Marketing Cloud and RichRelevance can use the Nielsen Data Management Platform (DMP) and Nielsen cross-device audience data -- spanning demographics, interest and intent -- to deliver more tailored onsite and in-app experiences to every shopper. Potential customer experiences can also be personalized across digital media, so that consumers receive relevant content and product recommendations along the entire path to purchase. For example, when a shopper visits a big box retailer's ecommerce site for the first time, she is greeted with products and content tailored to her based on her demographics, current interests and intent to purchase specific products or services. Content, search results and product recommendations are continuously updated as she browses the site based on her behavior and up-to-the-moment wisdom of the crowd modeling. If she leaves the site prior to purchase, personalized content and recommendations will be shown on other digital channels in her journey. "Working with RichRelevance, we are helping retail clients leverage deep, people-based insights to make shopping experiences across online and mobile commerce more relevant for their customers," said Karen Fichuk, President, Lead Markets at Nielsen. "This should have a big imact on retail customer acquisition and retention efforts - effectively increasing lifetime value with the best data, technology and analytics available." "Personalization is one of the most important competitive differentiators in the retail industry today," said Eduardo Sanchez, CEO and president of RichRelevance. "Nielsen Marketing Cloud extends the Relevance Cloud platform to more effectively connect with customers who are new to a retailer, as well as more deeply understand existing customers in the full context of who they are. The result is an elevated experience for all shoppers, no matter whether they are first-time or long-time customers." "Approximately 60% of traffic to a retail site or app is anonymous to the retailer, meaning that no data on these audiences is available when they first arrive," said Nielsen's Mark Zagorski, Executive Vice President, Nielsen Marketing Cloud. "With Nielsen Marketing Cloud and RichRelevance, retailers can now access rich data on these anonymous shoppers the moment they hit the site and deliver more relevant experiences from the very start." Nielsen Marketing Cloud is integrated with marketing applications across dynamic personalization, programmatic, website, mobile, video, search, email and social media platforms. It empowers brands, agencies and media companies to connect more deeply with customers by combining Nielsen's world-class data, analytics, media planning, marketing activation and data management platform capabilities in a fully-integrated cloud software. Marketing outcomes include a deeper understanding of consumers, more effective messaging across devices, and superior ROI analysis and campaign optimization capabilities. About Nielsen Nielsen Holdings plc (NYSE:NLSN) is a global performance management company that provides a comprehensive understanding of what consumers Watch and Buy. Nielsen's Watch segment provides media and advertising clients with Total Audience measurement services across all devices where content video, audio and text is consumed. The Buy segment offers consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers the industry's only global view of retail performance measurement. By integrating information from its Watch and Buy segments and other data sources, Nielsen provides its clients with both world-class measurement as well as analytics that help improve performance. Nielsen, an S&P 500 company, has operations in over 100 countries that cover more than 90 percent of the world's population. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com. About RichRelevance RichRelevance is the global leader in omnichannel personalization and is used by more than 230 multinational companies to deliver the most relevant and innovative customer experiences across web, mobile and in store. RichRelevance drives more than one billion decisions every day, and has generated over $20 billion in sales for its clients, which include Office Depot, Costco, Darty, and Marks & Spencer. Headquartered in San Francisco, RichRelevance serves clients in 42 countries from 9 offices around the globe. For more information, please visit www.richrelevance.com. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nielsen-collaborates-with-richrelevance-to-bring-new-retail-personalization-capabilities-to-nielsen-marketing-cloud-300402273.html SOURCE Nielsen [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2017] The American College of Trial Lawyers Issues Statement Opposing the Recent Public Statements by President Trump Regarding Federal Judge James L. Robart The American College of Trial Lawyers, a non-political organization composed of the leading trial lawyers in the United States- Republicans and Democrats, plaintiffs' lawyers and defense lawyers, all selected without regard to political views- today issues a statement condemning the recent public statements by President Trump regarding Federal Judge James L. Robart. The College considers such attacks as a direct assault on judicial independence. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170205005030/en/ Bartholomew J. Dalton, president, American College of Trial Lawyers (Photo: Business Wire) Dalton said, "The President used inappropriate and insulting language because he did not agree with Judge Robart's ruling. The President stated, 'The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned.' Judge Robart is not a "so-called judge" but a federal judge who was appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the Senate. It is wrong for the Chief Executive of the Executive Branch to demean a member of the judiciary with such language. This undermines judicial independence which is the backbone to our constitutional democracy." The President has the right to disagree with a judicial opinion and to seek legal means to overturn it on appeal; but ad hominem and disparaging personal attacks on an individual judge are an affront to the fundamental principle of judicial independence that cannot be ignored. The position of the American College of Trial Lawyers is documented in a white paper on Judicial Independence: A Cornerstone of Democracy which must be Defended, which is available on the College website. The American College of Trial Lawyers is composed of preeminent members of the Trial Bar from the United States and Canada and is widely considered to be the premiere professional trial organization in both countries. The College is dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice and the ethics of the profession. The College has long supported the independence of the Judiciary and respect for the courts in the United States and Canada; that independence is fundamental to our democratic societies. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170205005030/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 05, 2017] Graphite Software appoints Dr. James Duan as Chief Marketing Officer BEIJING, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Graphite Software, the leader in Android multi-persona solutions, today announced that James Duan has been named Chief Marketing Officer for Graphite Software. He will report to CEO Alec Main. An experienced digital marketing and advertising leader, James has excelled at delivering impressive brand and campaign awareness results for many global brands. He joins Graphite Software from ADirects Technologies, a digital advertising display company that he co-founded and held the role of CMO. James spent many years at Ogilvy & Mather in various roles from Managing Partner, General Manager and Group Vice President that had him responsible for many global brands including Unilever, PingAn, Fuji Xerox, Michelin and SAP. His efforts resulted in tremendous revenue growth and awards for his marketing ideas and approaches. James earned a PhD in Consumer Behavior from the University of South Australia and his Masters in Marketing from the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing. "It is an exciting time for Graphite Softwae when our opportunity attracts the attention of someone of James' caliber," said Alec Main, Graphite CEO. "James brings extraordinary marketing expertise, brand advertising and mobile industry knowledge to lead Graphite to the next level. With deployment to over 100 million devices already, James is uniquely skilled to drive global growth and revenue in both the consumer and enterprise markets. We are delighted to welcome his inspiration and leadership." "I found Graphite Software's company mission, technology platform and market traction extremely compelling. Compared to Cyanogen, who tried to replace the operating system, Graphite has a compelling virtual phone solution that works alongside OEMs the proof is in the numbers. As the needs of Android users, OEMs, enterprises and brand advertisers evolve, the pace of mobile technology continues to hasten. I believe Graphite Software is well positioned to make a measureable impact on mobile security and user experience," says James Duan. About Graphite Software's Secure Spaces Secure Spaces is an Android virtualization platform that enables multiple virtual devices or "Spaces" to co-exist on a single device - such as a Personal Space, a Kids Space, a Work Space and a Secure Banking Space. This addresses not only fundamental Android security and privacy issues but it also enables Spaces to provide different user experiences in terms of apps, wallpapers, launchers and unique Space security settings, which leads to new forms of app discovery and distribution. Like the material graphite, Secure Spaces is strong and lightweight there is no impact in device performance compared to previous virtualization technologies. For more information, visit: www.graphitesoftware.com Media Contact: Robert Grapes Graphite Software 613-266-2323 / [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] CropIn Technology on Road to Become the Backbone of Crop Insurances, to Benefit Over 25 Million Farmers in India by 2018 BANGALORE, February 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A 6-Year-Young Startup is now Betting Big on its Data Algorithms Fuelled by 'Farm Insights and Artificial Intelligence,' to Create Holistic Solutions for Crop Loan and Farm Insurances, to the Root Level Farmers in India CropIn Technology Solutions , a Bengaluru-based startup is now on an onslaught of initiatives to implement the benefit of Agriculture Technology (AgTech) to the last mile. After securing the Series B funding, CropIn Technology is now investing $5 million toward its AI (Artificial Intelligence) by developing a new product called SmartRisk. This new application will be positioned along with the flagship SmartFarm application, which currently assists over 5 million farmers toward farm management, crop cycle monitoring, harvest and brings in produce traceability from farm to fork. SmartRisk is a digital platform which helps Micro Finance, Banking and Non-Banking Financial Institutions to identify and minimize the risk in lending and insurance business. At a macro level, it leverages the remote sensing technology supported by data science, machine learning and AI to analyze cropped farm areas and to identify high risk and low risk zones. At a micro level, it has capabilities to monitor a specific farm and help enterprises identify and intervene in taking timely measures, to minimize the issues in crops. The technology also analyzes billions of data points (weather, soil, NDVI etc.) to arrive at a score for each region at a level of 10 X 10-meter grid. This helps build a credit rating for the topography analyzed. All the analysis is then presented through simple andpowerful dashboards which help businesses in decision making. "With SmartRisk, CropIn brings in the most important and valuable players of the agri ecosystem, by making them more accessible to the farmer community. SmartRisk will benefit the Government in our sincere effort to contribute to the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana where emphasis is on the one nation, one scheme type crop insurance - be it for floods or droughts. Not just the Government, but various other allied Central & State Government bodies, private - public banks, MFC's and NBFC's now have a robust technology to rely on. Agriculture insurance risk handling, will now be simpler and smarter with SmartRisk," said Chittranjan Jena, Chief Technology Officer, CropIn Technology. "We already are working with one of India's leading private sector bank in state of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh in India and the results are paying off. While currently only few hundred thousand farmers are now benefitting from transparent loans to buy seeds, fertilizers, farm machinery and allied. Also there are many others cooperatives and Indian state governments which are on the cusp to benefit from crop insurance during this year's sowing cycle. At the end, we keep a farmer at the forefront of everything we do, by helping him increase his yield per acre and ensuring banks and other Govt financial institutions, do not suffer losses due to unplanned bad loans and write offs," said Siddhartha Choudhary, Chief Business Officer, CropIn Technology. With 3 existing cutting edge products such as SmartFarm which ensures holistic farm management, SmartSales which benefits agro input companies and mWarehouse which defines norms of food traceability to the last mile, SmartRisk is now directly aiming to benefit over twenty-five million Indian farmers through banking and insurance partners under (Non-Lending Technical Assistance - NLTA) by working in sync with the Government (State and Central), National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and various business consulting forums such as ASSOCHAM and FICCI. About CropIn Technology: With its mission to 'Increase per acre value' and vision 'To make every farm traceable', CropIn Technology brings in the latest computing technologies - data analytics, cloud computing, mobile apps and is enabling to interconnect all agricultural stakeholders on a single platform. Currently, in its operational span of six (6) years, the company manages over seventy plus (70+) variants of crops ranging from field crops, fruits and vegetables, plantations, spices, coffee, cotton, tea, seeds production etc. and has digitized (via geo tagging) over a million acres of farm lands across five (5) countries, thus connecting five (5) million farmers to technology. CropIn Technology has been honoured with 6 awards and recognitions for innovations in Agri Tech and currently partners with clients such as McCain Foods, Louis Dreyfus Commodities, Philip Morris, Atlantic Sun Farms, Sulphur Mills and Big Basket to name a few. Media Contact: Aniket Jha Manager - PR and Communications CropIn Technology Solutions [email protected] +91-9886310910 Twitter: @CropinTech LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cropin-technology [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] Introducing Fleetmatics REVEAL In Poland WARSAW, Poland, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Fleetmatics, a leading global provider of mobile workforce solutions for service-based businesses of all sizes delivered as software-as-a-service (SaaS), today announced the availability of Fleetmatics REVEAL in the Polish market available through Poltrack. Fleetmatics acquired TrackEasy Oy, a fleet management software provider in Germany and Poland, in November of 2016. Fleetmatics REVEAL is a powerful yet simple-to-use fleet management solution designed to help drive cost savings and improve productivity for virtually any mobile workforce. Fleetmatics shows its customers an in-depth view of the status of their field teams with near real-time fleet monitoring via the Fleetmatics REVEAL solution. The cloud-based fleet management solution helps service-based businesses to lower fuel costs, rein in oertime pay, optimize routing, increase safety and security, enhance customer service, as well as minimize vehicle wear and tear. "Fleetmatics REVEAL can help Polish businesses to be smarter about their mobile workforces and can help turn them into true engines for growth by providing cost savings and differentiated customer service," Krzysztof Kuros, Sales Director for Germany and Poland and co-founder of Poltrack . About Fleetmatics Group Fleetmatics Group, a Verizon Company, is a leading global provider of mobile workforce solutions for service-based businesses of all sizes delivered as software-as-a-service (SaaS). Our fleet management solutions enable businesses to meet the challenges associated with managing local fleets, and improve the productivity of their mobile workforces, by extracting actionable business intelligence from real-time and historical vehicle and driver behavioral data. Fleetmatics Group's intuitive, cost-effective Web-based fleet management solutions provide fleet operators with visibility into vehicle location, fuel usage, speed and mileage, and other insights into their mobile workforce, enabling them to reduce operating and capital costs, as well as increase revenue. An integrated, full-featured mobile workforce management product provides additional efficiencies related to job management by empowering the field worker and speeding the job completion process quote through payment. For more information, please visit http://poltrack.pl/. Media Contact: Juli Burda Fleetmatics, A Verizon Company [email protected] (847) 378-4398 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] Nokia Cloud Packet Core provides converged access to drive ultra-broadband and IoT service delivery #MWC17 Nokia Cloud Packet Core provides converged access to drive ultra-broadband and IoT service delivery #MWC17 6 February 2017 Nokia extends its Cloud Packet Core to address the increasing connectivity needs in a world where more people and devices are becoming interconnected Supports industry's widest range of access technologies that can be used separately or combined to improve service quality and expand footprint Built with cloud-native architecture to provide the massive scalability, performance, flexibility and reliability needed to deliver broadband, IoT and MTC services, and enable a path to 5G Espoo, Finland - Nokia announces that its Cloud Packet Core, a cloud-native converged core, now supports the industry's widest array of access technologies. Its cloud-native architecture supports converged broadband, Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine Type Communications (MTC) service delivery across wireless licensed, shared and unlicensed spectrum, as well as fixed access. In a digital world, where everyone and everything is connected, the network is under significant new pressure. Broadband, IoT and MTC lead to a huge increase in devices and people that must be interconnected, introducing a diverse range of service requirements and characteristics that operators will need to support, including any access technology. In addition, the sheer number of devices places massive scalability demands on the network, and the applications supported have strict performance and reliability requirements. Operators must embrace this new environment while also ensuring the most flexible and efficient use of cloud resources to deliver this economically. Innovation in the network core is central to this transformation as it is the connection hub, and Nokia continues to invest in its Cloud Packet Core to support this new reality. Nokia's flexible, multi-access approach enables fixed and wireless technologies to be used, individually or together, to ensure the delivery of converged services anchored in a common core for a seamless service experience. These technologies include licensed spectrum such as 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G, as well as shared and unlicensed spectrum, including Wi-Fi, MulteFire and LTE-based CBRS, and fixed access. Moving beyond just simple virtualization of existing platforms, Nokia has architected its Cloud Packet Core from the ground up using cloud-native architecture concepts including software disaggregation, functional software elements with 'state-efficient' processing combined with a common data layer, network slicing, along with centralized and distributed deployment to achieve massive scalability, performance, flexibility and relibility. Nokia's Cloud Packet Core also includes a new rich 3GPP R13 Cellular IoT (CIoT) feature set and new capabilities, such as the CIoT Serving Gateway Node, to support new service and application requirements, including narrowband IoT (NB-IoT). The Cloud Packet Core will create significant broadband business opportunities and support diverse applications for multiple segments and verticals, including consumer mobile, residential, enterprises and governments. Fast facts: Nokia Cloud Packet Core anchors the industry's most extensive range of standards-based wireless and fixed access technologies, and supports concurrent service delivery across multiple access technologies Rich 3GPP R13 feature set and new CIoT Serving Gateway Node capabilities to support applications and services such as NB-IoT Cloud-native architecture delivers greater flexibility in resource deployment and efficient utilization to drive better economics New pre-integrated and modular Cloud Packet Core solutions (Cloud Mobility Manager/Cloud Mobile Gateway) expand on existing Cloud NFV deployment capabilities for rapid deployment and operational integration, and to engage expanded markets Builds on cloud-native investment required today for 4G and converged networks, facilitates a path to 5G, and has further innovations to deliver expanded service capabilities, scalability, agility and network functions Stephane Teral, Senior Research Director and Advisor, Mobile Infrastructure and Carrier Economics, IHS Markit, said: "While the requirements and use cases for 5G continue to be defined, it's clear that a new flexible multi-access cloud native packet core will be needed to support the nearer-term enhanced mobile broadband and IoT/MTC services and applications. This cloud-native packet core must provide the scale, capacity, reliability and flexibility to cost-effectively deliver this diverse set of services/applications, while providing the foundation for 5G. Nokia clearly understands this transformation with its Cloud Packet Core, which goes beyond virtualization to a cloud-native architecture that leverages webscale technologies to deliver this evolution strategy." Sri Reddy, head of the IP Routing and Packet Core Business Unit at Nokia, said: "Broadband evolution to 5G and IoT/MTC will place a diverse set of service characteristics and requirements on the network. These services will need to be concurrently delivered across the widest range of fixed and wireless technologies to provide a seamless service experience and support extensive personalization. The Nokia Cloud Packet Core provides the converged anchor point to make this possible. With its cloud-native architecture, it has the flexibility, performance, scalability, reliability and improved operations for organizations to embrace and profit from mobile broadband, IoT/MTC and coming-5G opportunities." The Cloud Packet Core will be in the Nokia booth at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Feb 27-Mar 2, Hall 3 Stand 3A10. Key Resources: Website: Nokia Cloud Packet Core website Image #1: https://resources.nokia.com/asset/200980 Image #2: https://resources.nokia.com/asset/400001 Whitepaper: Embracing an Industry Inflection Point with the Cloud-Native Packet Core Whitepaper: Bell Labs Consulting: Gain 60 percent or greater TCO savings with a dedicated cloud packet core for IoT/MTC services Video: Nokia Cloud Packet Core: Profit from opportunity, evolve with confidence About Nokia Nokia is a global leader in creating the technologies at the heart of our connected world. Powered by the research and innovation of Nokia Bell Labs, we serve communications service providers, governments, large enterprises and consumers, with the industry's most complete, end-to-end portfolio of products, services and licensing. From the enabling infrastructure for 5G and the Internet of Things, to emerging applications in virtual reality and digital health, we are shaping the future of technology to transform the human experience. www.nokia.com Media Enquiries: Nokia IP/Optical Networks communications Sarah Miller 613-720-9716 [email protected] @sarahjmiller2 Communications Phone: +358 (0) 10 448 4900 E-mail: [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] BOC Group Announces the Release of ADOIT 7.5: Game changing EA at Your Fingertips! BOC Group is happy to announce the next release of BOC Group's professional EA suite. ADOIT 7.5 comes loaded with an array of improvements that set ADOIT apart from all the mere run-of-the-mill architecture tools. The 100% web-based EA suite ADOIT steps out of the box and delivers valuable insight that is easily digested by decision makers through its powerful aggregated views. Quickly launch your Enterprise Architecture and IT Management initiatives and start turning buried or hidden information into business value with easy analysis, just a few clicks away. Backed by the extensive experience, acquird in the course of delivering projects to more than 1,000 clients worldwide, ADOIT has developed into an essential tool for EA Management. Whether you want to view how your architecture will transform over time or identify your most critical applications and technologies where action is needed, we have built in the views that will uncover the evidence to steer your next steps. "ADOIT 7.5 allows our clients to get an immediate view of their most important reports stored in their architecture repository. Furthermore, companies benefit from higher application quality by using EA railroad maps that take the best picture of their EA roadmap," explains Christoph Moser, ADOIT Product Manager. Details on the most important new features of ADOIT are available on the BOC Group website. BOC consultants are at the disposal of interested parties and offer free demonstrations of ADOIT 7.5. About the BOC Group The BOC Group develops software products and services for effective and extensive management of all capabilities and assets within your organisation. The main focus lies on improving Process Management and Enterprise Architecture capabilities as well as facilitating better Governance and Compliance. ADOIT global customers include, among others, Allianz, PostFinance, Raiffeisen Bank, Vienna International Airport and Volksbank Wien. We deliver our products and services with over 200 employees spread across Athens, Berlin, Dublin, Madrid, Paris, Vienna, Warsaw and Winterthur and with more than 90 partners around the globe. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005043/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] Gore Fabrics Division Establishes Ambitious Environmental Goals for 2020 FELDKIRCHEN-WESTERHAM, Germany, February 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- - bluesign Approval for 85% of Consumer Garments Laminate Volume - OEKO-TEX Certification for 100% of Consumer Garments Products - Elimination of PFCs of Environmental Concern From Consumer Laminate Shipments That Correspond to 85% of Product Units Produced (Jackets, Shoes, Gloves, Accessories) Today, W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) announced ambitious environmental and chemical management goals for 2020 as part of Gore Fabrics Division's long-term sustainability program. These goals complement its existing chemicals management program which is based upon stringent and independent third-party standards like bluesign system and OEKO-TEX. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161004/415065LOGO ) Included in these goals is Gore Fabrics' intent to eliminate PFCs of environmental concern from its consumer fabrics products as an important milestone in its long-term journey towards continuously reducing the environmental footprint of its products throughout their full life cycle. By implementing an aggressive innovation program, Gore is working towards the elimination of PFCs of Environmental Concern from its Durable Water Repellent (DWR) treatments and membrane manufacturing processes as a two-step initiative: By the end of 2020, Gore Fabrics will eliminate PFCs of Environmental Concern from its consumer laminate shipments corresponding to approximately 85% of product units in the market. This includes jackets, shoes, gloves and accessories. Between 2021 and 2023 Gore Fabrics will remove PFCs of Environmental Concern from the remaining consumer fabrics laminate shipments while continuing to deliver products which meet the performance specifications relevant for the end use. To achieve these goals Gore will undertake a substantial innovation program which will include collaborating with suppliers to eliminate PFCs that are present in the processing aides Gore Fabrics' suppliers use to manufacture PTFE. Christian Langer, member of Gore Fabrics' Divisional Leadership Team, comments: "Gore continuously strives to deliver outdoor products with the optimal combination of high technical performance and sustainability. By adopting the ambitious goal to eliminate PFCs of Environmental Concern from all of our consumer fabrics products we are underlining our decades long commitment to continuously improve the environmental profile of our products. Together with our suppliers, we itend to achieve our goal through an aggressive innovation program that will entail the development of new DWR treatments and membrane materials." Gore Fabrics is pursuing multiple technical solutions in parallel, including the development of fluorinated and non-fluorinated solutions. The first products with a DWR treatment free of PFCs are targeted for availability at retail in the Autumn/Winter 2018 season. As part of its ongoing engagement with stakeholders, Gore entered into a dialogue with Greenpeace regarding the use of PFCs in outdoor apparel industry. As an initial valuable outcome of this exchange and following substantial in-depth discussions, Greenpeace and Gore have come to a mutual understanding on the distinct properties of materials that constitute a PFC of Environmental Concern. Bernhard Kiehl, Gore Fabrics Sustainability Leader: "The clear distinction between PFCs of Environmental Concern and PTFE will help overcome a long-standing ambiguity of how to differentiate materials that are safe from those that raise concerns. In addition to providing clearly defined guardrails for the outdoor industry, a rigorous and precise definition clears the way for Gore and its customers to deliver more sustainable technology innovations." Based on broad scientific consensus and supported by Greenpeace, Gore's membrane material PTFE made without the use of PFCs of Environmental Concern, is considered environmentally sound. This polymer is inert, insoluble in water and does not degrade to become a source of PFCs of Environmental Concern. Chiara Campione, Detox Outdoor Corporate Lead, Greenpeace Italy: "Greenpeace welcomes this move as a real game-changer in the outdoor industry. Given Gore Fabrics' influential role in the value chain, the innovation that Gore is driving will significantly broaden the range of materials free of hazardous PFCs for outdoor products, including those using PTFE membranes with less environmental burden." Kiehl: "We are developing different material options, but according to our current technical understanding the unique performance and durability of PTFE will make it the preferred choice for many, especially high-demanding end-uses. Its outstanding durability further distinguishes PTFE as a beneficial choice from an environmental point of view. The longer a product is worn, the better for the environment." Consistent with Gore Fabrics' life cycle approach to evaluating the environmental impact of its products and ensuring responsible chemical management practices, the company has been leveraging independent third-party validation for more than 20 years. Currently, almost 90% of consumer garment laminates are certified according to the OEKO-TEX Standard 100, with the rest manufactured in compliance with its requirements. By 2020, Gore Fabrics intends to have 100% of consumer garment laminates achieve OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification. 70% of consumer garment laminate volume is currently bluesign approved, with Gore now targeting 85% of its consumer garments volume to be bluesign approved by 2020. Kiehl concludes: "With our new chemical management goals we are initiating an impressive technology development program that will have a substantial impact due to our unique position in the value chain. We are excited about the opportunity to drive meaningful change in the outdoor industry." To actively contribute to further transparency in chemical management reporting within the outdoor industry, Gore Fabrics Division will not only disclose its progress, but also its assessment methods and results towards more sustainable chemistry, for example in its annual 'Responsibility Update' and via its website. Please find further information about Gore Fabrics sustainability strategy and goals on http://www.gore-tex.com and http://www.gore-tex.com/pfcgoal. About Gore W. L. Gore & Associates is a global materials science company dedicated to transforming industries and improving lives. Founded in 1958, Gore has built a reputation for solving complex technical challenges in the most demanding environments - from revolutionizing the outerwear industry with GORE-TEX fabric to creating medical devices that improve and save lives to enabling new levels of performance in the aerospace, pharmaceutical and mobile electronics markets, among other industries. The company is also known for its strong, team-oriented culture and continued recognition from the Great Place to Work Institute. Headquartered in Newark, Del., Gore employs approximately 10,000 associates and generates annual revenues that exceed $3 billion. http://www.gore.com Media Contact: Dr. Anja Herberg W. L. Gore & Associates Herman-Oberth-Strasse 24 D-85639 Putzbrunn Telephone: +49(0)-89-4612-2774 Mobile: +49(0)-172-1359374 Email: [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] Google, Harvard, China Mobile to Speak at the OpenStack Summit Boston Today the OpenStack Foundation announced that Brian Stevens of Google (News - Alert), Merce Crosas of The Institute for Quantitative Social Science (IQSS) at Harvard University and Junwei Lu of China Mobile (News - Alert) are among the speakers committed to the next OpenStack Summit, the must-attend open infrastructure event, taking place May 8-11 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. OpenStack users at Bloomberg, eBay (News - Alert) and the US Army Cyber School are also among the first round of confirmed speakers. The call for presentations is open through February 6, and the full agenda will be published in March. More than 6,000 participants from 60+ countries are expected to attend the OpenStack Summit to discuss how open infrastructure is helping companies increase agility and save money as software becomes more strategic to their business. Headline sponsors are Intel, Mirantis, Deutsche Telekom (News - Alert) and Red Hat. Stevens, vice president of cloud platforms at Google, will discuss how open source is the vehicle for hybrid cloud and is also enabling new use cases such as machine learning. Crosas, chief data science and technology officer at Harvard IQSS (Institute for Quantitative and Social Science), will discuss the Cloud Dataverse collaboration with the Massachusetts Open Cloud (MOC) to host datasets, supporting thousands of researchers at more than 500 worldwide institutions using Dataverse, in the MOC's OpenStack cloud. Additional featured speakers include Sunee Nandwani, senior director of cloud infrastructure and platforms at eBay, who will talk about integrating Kubernetes and OpenStack; David Aronchick, product manager at Google, who will provide an update on the Kubernetes roadmap; Jacob Rosenberg, head of infrastructure engineering at Bloomberg; Anni Lai, head of global business development at Huawei (News - Alert); and Chris Apsey, deputy director of the Cyber Technical College at the US Army Cyber School. Also on the Agenda: Roadmap, Containers, NFV, New Projects and More Summit attendees will learn about the latest OpenStack release, Ocata (scheduled for release on February 22), directly from the contributors who built it. The event also will spotlight enterprise IT strategies, cloud application development, emerging NFV architectures in the telecom ecosystem, and exciting new projects and technologies within the OpenStack community. Presentations will cover topics including: ROI case studies Multi-cloud strategy Next-generation telecom networks Managing containers on bare metal or in virtual machines Cloud reference architectures proven in production Enabling application developers Follow updates and register to attend at https://www.openstack.org/summit/boston-2017/. Deadlines Discounted Early Bird Registration is available through March 14. The Call for Presentations is open until February 6 at 12 a.m. PST (0800 UTC). Sponsorships are available until March 13. Members of the media can contact [email protected] for information about event registration. About OpenStack OpenStack is the de-facto standard for private clouds and is also available as a service via dozens of public cloud providers around the world. At its core, OpenStack is an open source integration engine that provides APIs to orchestrate bare metal, virtual machine and container resources on a single network. The same OpenStack code powers a global network of public and private clouds, backed by the largest ecosystem of technology providers, to enable cost savings, control and portability. OpenStack is a global community of more than 60,000 individuals across 180 countries supported by the OpenStack Foundation, which facilitates the development of many innovative projects in the open infrastructure space. The community delivers two software releases each year, which are Apache 2 licensed and productized by a large ecosystem of technology vendors in our Marketplace. For more information and to join the community, visit www.OpenStack.org. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005025/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] R/GA Announces the Ten Companies Selected for Its IoT Venture Studio UK Program LONDON, February 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Focus is on startups creating connected products and services R/GA Ventures is pleased to announce the ten companies that will participate in its first ever UK-based venture program, the R/GA IoT Venture Studio UK. The companies include a diverse mix of the next generation of entrepreneurs and startups that are using Internet of Things technology to transform everything from food waste to board games. Launched in collaboration with Innovate UK, the UK Government's innovation agency, the program officially starts today and is to be housed at R/GA London's new connected headquarters. Participating companies in the R/GA IoT Venture Studio UK Program are: 1. Den is building the next generation of light switches and plug sockets, for the world. 2. DigiSEq is the global standard for delivering payment, access, loyalty, and guaranteed provenance to the Internet of Things and into the world of traditional manufacturing. 3. Flock provides pay-as-you-fly insurance for drones. 4. Hoxton Analytics offers privacy-conscious in-store analytics which counts and profiles people based on their shoes. 5. Iota Labs automates smart home devices using accurate indoor positioning. 6. KG Protech provides a hardware-enabled software solution for the next generation of automotive training. 7. ScreenCloud makes it super simple for a business to turn any screen into a digital sign. They believe that as consumer hardware is now of commercial grade it is more important that customers get to use fantastic software at affordable prices and that our attention shifts towards compelling content and away from the big black boxes showing it. 8. Sensible Object makes games that combine beautiful things, custom hardware and digital apps into new kinds of play. 9. Snaptivity is an innovative robo-camera infrastructure that drives an engagement at live Sporting & Music events by capturing the emotions and reactions of ecstatic, scarf-waving and hi-fiving fans. 10. Winnow is on a mission to prevent food waste. They believe that food is too valuable to be wasted and that technology can transform the way we make food. Beginning today, all companies will have access to resources from R/GA for the duration of the program, as well as input and collaboration from mentors, clients and partners of R/GA. The program will emphasize opportunities for business development, pilots, and partnerships, and will enable the companies to develop and grow new business models and technologies that will drive disruption using IoT. This program will build on the innovative format of the previous R/GA Venture Programs by focusing on both growth-stage and early-stage companies and immediate business opportunities designed to create a path to category leadership and scale. As with all R/GA Ventures programs, R/GA will provide the selected startups with direct access to its award-winning business transformation, strategic marketing, branding, design and technology services, as well as access to its network of clients, industry partners, global brand leaders, mentors and investors. Also joining the program as Entrepreneur in Residence is Jon Bradford, founding partner of Motive, cofounder of F6S and previously MD at TechStars London, who brings with him deep expertise and a broad network to support the companies. "R/GA looks forward to working collaboratively and closely with the ten companies in order to help create real momentum for each of them in their respective markets," said Stephen Plumlee, Global Chief Operating Officer, R/GA and Managing Partner of R/GA Ventures. "As this is R/GA's first ever IoT Venture Studio to be housed in London, we're delighted that nine of the chosen start-ups are UK based." "These startups are bringing the disruptive and refreshing power of the internet to the real world. They show us that Internet of Things technologies are now mature, and ready for business," said Matt Webb, managing director of the R/GA IoT Venture Studio UK. "We look forward to welcoming investors, any interested corporates, and R/GA clients to the Venture Studio, to explore partnerships and to get a glimpse of the future." The program will conclude on May 4th with invite-only demo event at which each startup will present to industry leaders, partners, and customers from the technology and innovation community. About R/GA R/GA, the company for the Connected Age, develops products, services and communications to grow our clients' brands and businesses. Founded in 1977, the agency has been a pioneer at the intersection of technology, design and marketing with work spanning web, mobile, and social communications, retail and e-commerce, product innovation, brand development and business consulting. R/GA has more than 2,000 employees globally with offices across the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia-Pacific and is part of The Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG), one of the world's largest advertising and marketing services organizations. R/GA Ventures was founded in 2013 and is a member of the GAN (gan.co), a network of the world's most respected accelerators and organizations in support of the startup ecosystem. For more information about R/GA, please visit http://www.rga.com, @rgaventures, and http://www.rgaiot.com Contact: [email protected] / +44(0)207-0713-269 SOURCE R/GA [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] Career Step Acquires Panacea Healthcare Solution's Revenue Capture and Coding and Documentation Divisions Career Step, LLC ("Career Step"), a portfolio company of Revelstoke Capital Partners ("Revelstoke"), a Denver-based private equity firm, is pleased to announce that it has acquired the Revenue Capture and Coding and Documentation Divisions of Panacea Healthcare Solutions. Career Step and Panacea will now provide end-to-end education, consulting and data analytics solution to the revenue cycle and healthcare financial marketplaces. Career Step, based in Lehi, Utah, is a leading provider of online, career-focused education and professional training programs in the high-growth healthcare sector. Career Step offers high quality, cost effective, job-specific training solutions that help learners and corporate employees quickly gain career skills and prepare to sit for nationally recognized certifications. The Company has proprietary course content developed by industry experts and distributed through a robust online learning management system. Founded in 2007 and based in St. Paul, Minnesota, with additional offices in New Jersey and Florida, Panacea Healthcare Solutions provides expert coding, compliance, technology and financial advice to hundreds of healthcare providers each year. These services help healthcare organizations improve their bottom line, and industry-proven Panacea products and strategies include CLAIMSauditor, I10FocusTM and Hospital Zero-Base Pricing. "At Career Step, our focus is on improving lives and business results through education," said Steve Tober, Career Step President and CEO. "With the acquisition of Panacea and the combination of our complimentary product and service offerings, we will now be able to drive better results for healthcare organizations by tying the information available through their consultants and data analytics to the education we offer. We have been working closely with Panacea for the past two years, and we have proven through our joint efforts that our combined offerings can meet an important market need." "The Panacea team is xcited to join Career Step," said Frederick Stodolak, Panacea CEO at the time of the acquisition. "Both companies have worked successfully together for years, and we look forward to integrating our combined talent and technology to offer our clients a more synergistic and comprehensive offering. The combined business model is unique in that we provide learning solutions at the onset of individuals' careers as well as integrated educational, consulting and technology services to support them throughout their career lifetime." "We are enthusiastic about Career Step's momentum in executing on our strategic initiative to expand the professional training service offering," said Simon Bachleda, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Revelstoke. "Panacea is a great addition to the corporate training foundation Career Step established and will aid in bolstering its base of recurring revenue streams." Career Step's acquisition further expands its educational offerings to the information available through consulting and data analytics. This acquisition also brings more than 25 industry experts in-house, which will augment Career Step's Professional Training division and enable faster development and delivery of educational products. Career Step will operate the Panacea Healthcare solution business as an independent brand and entity within the Career Step Professional Training Division, and as part of the transaction Frederick Stodolak and others on the current Panacea management team will continue as shareholders. The transaction closed February 1, 2017, and Hogan Lovells US LLP acted as exclusive legal advisor to Career Step. About Career Step: Career Step, a portfolio company of Denver-based equity firm Revelstoke Capital partners, is an online provider of career-focused education and professional training. The company has trained over 100,000 students for new careers, has more than 150 partnerships with colleges and universities nationwide, offers a variety of continuing education courses for healthcare professionals and has educated more than 8,000 health information professionals through its Professional Training Division. Career Step provides training for several of the largest and most respected healthcare employers in the nation and is committed to helping students and practicing healthcare professionals alike gain the skills they need to be successful in the workplace-improving lives, advancing careers and bettering business results through education. More information can be found at www.careerstep.com or 1-800-246-7836. About Revelstoke: Revelstoke is a private equity firm formed by experienced investors who focus on building industry- leading companies. Revelstoke strives to partner with management teams to execute on a disciplined organic and acquisition strategy to build exceptional companies. Since the firm's inception, Revelstoke has raised approximately $780 million in equity commitments across its various investing entities and has completed 30 acquisitions totaling $1.4 billion in enterprise value. www.revelstokecp.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005370/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] Jerry Built Homegrown Burgers Saves Time, Improves Customer Experience with Table Tracker ADDISON, Texas, Feb. 06, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jerry Built Homegrown Burgers was founded in 2009 when CEO and President Chad Glausers father, Jerry, encouraged him to start a business in fast-casual dining. The mission of Jerry Built is to make food that tastes great, with integrity. They serve the freshest, all-natural ingredients sourced from sustainable, local farmers and ranchers. Jerry Built believes in the importance of providing a superior fast-casual dining customer experience, and in 2014 they partnered with Long Range Systems to install Table Tracker in all of their locations. The customer service experience at Jerry Built was ?at one time, very different. "Early on, customers were served their burgers in a bag with their name on it. We called out their name and they came to the counter," said Glauser. "Onc we decided that we wanted to mesh the fine dining experience with quick service, we knew we needed a better system." After experiencing Table Tracker at another establishment and doing thorough research, Glauser and the Jerry Built team moved forward with LRS' Table Tracker system. "After installing Table Tracker, the benefits to the customer experience were clear - no more calling out people's names, customers can sit down and not have to get up and get anything, and they're getting their food faster," said Glauser. Jerry Built also found that a byproduct of implementing Table Tracker was the opportunity to do more direct marketing at tables. "Now when customers sit down, they are more likely to engage with us. For example, we have a Super Bowl ticket giveaway - to enter, they log onto our WiFi hotspot and opt into receiving communications from Jerry Built." Table Tracker gained a positive reaction from Jerry Built staff members for several reasons. "Our ?previous way was inefficient, so our staff welcomed the change," said Glauser. "They don't have to wander to find a table number because Table Tracker already tells them where the customer is. Another result we noticed is that our staff started getting tipped more for clearing tables - which they like." "We knew we wanted to improve our customer experience and still maintain quality finished product. The Table Tracker system was the right fit to help us toward achieving those goals," said Glauser. About Long Range Systems, LLC Since 1995, Long Range Systems has been dedicated to developing technologies that help service-based businesses provide a better customer experience. Businesses need simple solutions that streamline communications between guests and staff. From messaging devices to guest management applications, LRS provides a better means for managing customer flow. Media Contact: Christen Lazarcheck Marketing Manager Long Range Systems, LLC [email protected] 914.500.3187 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] With the New ClaimVantage Product, AbsenceDirect Work Accommodations, Broadspire Brings New ADA Services to Market ClaimVantage, an international provider of Life, Health and Absence claims software, today announced the launch of AbsenceDirect Work Accommodations. The first of its kind to market, this interactive product enhances the existing AbsenceDirect leave management product, to offer work accommodations in conjunction with leave as an accommodation. The Work Accommodations software solution documents the interactive process between an employer and employee, offering at work accommodations or leave as an accommodation to employees who have a disability, in line with the Americans with Disability Act of 1990 (ADA) or the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008. This product can be used independently or integrated with other ClaimVantage products to manage Disability and FMLA claims. The Work Accommodations platform allows case managers to document accommodation requests, research accommodations for specific conditions, as well as prompting case managers to interview supervisors, peers, and physicians to determine appropriate accommodations. The cost of offering an accommodation is tracked, allowing employers to compare the cost of absent employees to the cost of providing the resources for them to stay at work or to return to work (RTW) early. Broadspire, a global TPA specializing in claim needs, has been the first ClaimVantage customer to rollout their Work Accommodation services. "We care about our customers' need for specialized services, so we are excited to offer a better way to provide them with a rich suite of ADA services anchored by what we feel is the market-leading technology for ADA administration," said Marc Cunningham, VP of Client and Business Development at Broadspire. Additionally, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) index is embedded in the software. This easy-to-use searchable online accommodation resource provides customers with various at work accommodation options for people with specific disabilities. About ClaimVantage ClaimVantage is the leading international provider of Life, Health and Absence claim management software solutions. Headquartered in Portland, Maine, with global operations, ClaimVantage provides cloud-based, automated claim processing solutions that drive efficiency, accuracy and productivity to a wide-range of insurance companies, Third Party Administrators (TPAs), and employers around the world, including two of the top three carriers in Canada, and two of the top ten carriers in the U.S. About Broadspire Broadspire, a leading global third-party administrator, offers casualty claim, medical management, accident and health, and disability and leave management solutions, helping increase employee productivity and reducing the cost of risk through early intervention, professional expertise and data analytics. As a Crawford Company, Broadspire is based in Atlanta, Ga. Services are offered by Crawford & Company under the Broadspire brand in countries outside the U.S. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005092/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] James Hobson To Lead Attune, Data-Enabled Company Established by AIG, Hamilton Insurance Group and Two Sigma NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Attune, the data-enabled company established by American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG), Hamilton Insurance Group, Ltd. ("Hamilton"), and affiliates of Two Sigma Investments, LP ("Two Sigma"), today announced that James Hobson, Chief Operating Officer of OnDeck (NYSE: ONDK), has accepted an offer to assume the position of Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Hobson, who will step down from his role at OnDeck on March 15, will be responsible for achieving Attune's goal of using data science and advanced technology to streamline the submission and insurance underwriting process to meet the needs of small businesses in the US. "If it's possible to describe an appointment as a perfect fit, then James and Attune meet that description," said Attune Chairman Brian Duperreault. "His deep experience with using technology to enable the growth of small businesses aligns with our objective of making it easier for companies in that segment to get the protection they need to succeed. I look forward to working with James to make Attune's significant potential a reality." "I am honored to join the Attune team," said Mr. Hobson. "When three companies of the caliber of AIG, Hamilton and Two Sigma come together, you pay attention. Attune has already transformed how a small business owner's policy is issued, and I am excited to build upon this early success. I am humbled by the faith the Attune Board has in me and am looking forward to working with Attune team, Brian and the other members of the Board, and our partners, to transform the way small businesses access the insurance they need to protect and grow their operations." Mr. Hobson's career represents an array of experience in building and leading technology-enabled businesses. As COO of OnDeck, he oversaw the Company's development into the industry leader in online small business lending. His responsibilities included operations, product, analytics, credit, risk management, platform solutions and business development. Mr. Hobson played integral roles in stewarding OnDeck through an IPO in 2014 and launching OnDeck's landmark partnership with JP Morgan Chase in 2015. Before joining OnDeck, Mr. Hobson served as SVP, Technology Operations for iQor, Inc., a leading private equity-backed global business process outsourcing company. At iQor, he helpedto build a platform for commercializing iQor's proprietary suite of business applications and managed a global technology team. Prior to iQor, Mr. Hobson co-founded BuyYourFriendADrink.com, which was sold to LivingSocial in 2009. Early in his career, he was a consultant at McKinsey & Company. Mr. Hobson holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Hamilton College, Clinton, New York, and a master's of business administration with high distinction from Harvard Business School, where he was chosen as a Baker Scholar. About Attune Attune leverages a state of the art, technology-enabled platform to streamline the development and distribution of insurance products for small commercial businesses. For more information, please contact Attune at [email protected]. About AIG American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is a leading global insurance organization. Founded in 1919, today we provide a wide range of property casualty insurance, life insurance, retirement products and other financial services to customers in more than 100 countries and jurisdictions. Our diverse offerings include products and services that help businesses and individuals protect their assets, manage risks and provide for retirement security. AIG common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Additional information about AIG can be found at www.aig.com and www.aig.com/strategyupdate | YouTube: www.youtube.com/aig | Twitter: @AIGinsurance | LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/aig. These references with additional information about AIG have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. AIG is the marketing name for the worldwide property-casualty, life and retirement, and general insurance operations of American International Group, Inc. For additional information, please visit our website at www.aig.com. All products and services are written or provided by subsidiaries or affiliates of American International Group, Inc. Products or services may not be available in all countries, and coverage is subject to actual policy language. Non-insurance products and services may be provided by independent third parties. Certain property-casualty coverages may be provided by a surplus lines insurer. Surplus lines insurers do not generally participate in state guaranty funds, and insureds are therefore not protected by such funds. About Hamilton Insurance Group Hamilton Insurance Group is the Bermuda-based holding company for property and casualty insurance and reinsurance operations in Bermuda, the U.S. and at Lloyd's. The company leverages analytics and research to create underwriting and investment value for its clients and shareholders. For more information, please visit www.hamiltongroup.com | Twitter: @HamiltonInsures | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hamilton-insurance-group About Two Sigma Two Sigma is a technology company dedicated to finding value in the world's data. Since its founding in 2001, Two Sigma has built an innovative platform that combines extraordinary computing power, vast amounts of information, and advanced data science to produce breakthroughs in investment management, insurance and related fields. Today, Two Sigma manages approximately $41 billion in assets, employs more than 1,100 people and has offices in New York, Hong Kong, Houston and London. For more information, please visit www.twosigma.com. Media contact: Wendy Davis Johnson [email protected] or +1 441 707-5240 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/james-hobson-to-lead-attune-data-enabled-company-established-by-aig-hamilton-insurance-group-and-two-sigma-300402390.html SOURCE Hamilton Insurance Group [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] Jim Greco, IoT Business Leader, Joins mnubo to Spearhead Industrial IoT Analytics Growth mnubo, the leader in Internet of Things (IoT) analytics, announced the appointment of IoT solutions veteran Jim Greco as its Vice President of Industrial IoT (IIoT), to accelerate the company's expansion in North America. Under Greco's leadership, mnubo will work closely with manufacturers of industrial equipment to extract intelligence from their asset data and empower their product, business and service teams with critical IoT KPIs. Prior to mnubo, Jim held Vice President positions at Axeda (News - Alert) and PTC-ThingWorx and has extensive experience in helping business leaders across verticals implement complex IoT solutions and derive actionable value from their investment. In his new role at mubo, Greco will leverage his 11 years' expertise in IoT to help manufacturers build-out their data strategy as well as nurture partnerships with IoT solution providers. "In my previous roles, I had the opportunity of leading teams of IoT experts in the connectivity space. I am thrilled to join mnubo's talented team to bring high-value data insights and predictive models to the Industrial IoT market," said Greco. "Helping manufacturers innovate and differentiate on their expanding datasets is a really exciting place to be and is the cornerstone of mnubo's strategy". Greco's appointment comes at a pivotal point for mnubo as 70% of IIoT manufacturers already have asset analytics on their strategic roadmap, but less than 10% are actively extracting relevant insights. To accelerate time-to-value and provide cross-organization visibility, mnubo is rapidly growing its portfolio of IIoT insights applications. "mnubo's Industrial SmartObjects solution is already recognized as one of the leading products in the market and now, with the addition of Jim, we are committed to serve the fast-growing market of IIoT manufacturers seeking to unlock the value of their asset data," said Jean-Francois Marcoux, Managing Partner at White Star Capital, the lead investor in mnubo. "We are delighted to continue to grow and invest in one of the strongest teams of IoT data experts." About mnubo mnubo is an Internet of Things (IoT) company, providing data analytics solutions to connected product manufacturers and service providers. mnubo extracts business value from IoT data by delivering a SaaS (News - Alert) solution with out-of-the-box IoT insights, data services, and advanced IoT data science. More at www.mnubo.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005595/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] North America ATM Market (2016-2022): Driven by the Increasing Use of Automated Systems - Research and Markets Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "North America ATM Market (2016-2022)" report to their offering. Customers are increasingly opting automated devices to reduce manual operations. Therefore, increasing use of automated systems would be the primary driver for the ATMs market growth. In order to avoid long queues in the banks for mundane activities such as withdrawals, transfers and depositions, the financial institutions are extensively promoting ATM services, which would save transactional time for customers. In order to curb the instance of frauds, ATM manufacturers and financial institutions together are choosing anti-skimming, biometric devices, and voice recognition systems. Most of the ATMs today have these technologies inbuilt. Due to aforementioned reasons, the demand for automated devices would increase and influence the ATM industry, leading to he market growth. In addition to this, Incorporation of superior security standards for safer online and physical financial transactions has led to a rise in the use of ATM services and majorly influencing the ATM markets growth. The growing trend of incorporating wireless communicating devices for secure ATM transactions will have a sustained impact and could positively influence the revenues for the North America ATM market. The report also provides a detailed analysis of key countries such as US, Canada, Mexico and Rest of North America. US remained the dominant region in the North America ATM market in 2015. However, Mexico would witness highest CAGR during the forecast period (2016-2022). Companies Mentioned: Diebold, Incorporated Euronet Worldwide Inc. Fujitsu (News - Alert) Limited GRG Banking HESS Cash Systems GmbH & Co Hitachi Ltd. NCR Corporation Nautilus Hyosung Key Topics Covered: 1. Market Scope & Methodology 2. Executive Summary 3. Market Overview 4. North America ATM Market By Solution Type 5. North America ATM Market by Type 6. North America ATM Market By Country 7. Company Profiles For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/glgcxg/north_america_atm View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005632/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] Selman & Company Extends Administrative Services Reach Through Acquisition of Vision Financial Corporation Selman & Company, a leading insurance administrator serving more than 1,500,000 individual customers, has acquired the business and assets of Vision Financial Corporation, a third party administrator (TPA) of voluntary worksite benefits. The combined firm's portfolio leverages Selman's scale and investments in talent and technology with Vision's experience and expertise serving employer, producer, and carrier clients. "This addition of Vision's talented team and client roster is a strategic fit that increases our appeal in the growing employer market segment," said David L. Selman, President and CEO. "We're excited to offer more opportunities for our clients and partners and to undertake this significant expansion," he added. Employer supplemental benefits are expected to account for over 20% of SelmanCo's post-acquisition business. Selman & Company provides insurance marketing and administrative services to associations, credit unions, banks, employers, and insurance companies. With this transaction, Selman & Company has completd a total of eleven acquisitions during its 36-year history. Vision Financial's business assets boost SelmanCo's premium under administration to nearly $300 million, with company revenue having increased more than 200% during the last three years. Selman & Company most recently acquired Association & Society Insurance Corporation in 2014, making it the leading provider of supplemental medical insurance for retired military personnel and their families. Since 1989 Vision Financial has provided a complete outsourcing solution in the field of voluntary benefit administration. With innovative benefits administration software and decades of experience in the space, the company enables its clients to enter the voluntary benefits market with minimal initial investment. The company is headquartered in Keene, New Hampshire, where operations will continue. Jay Pettapiece, President of Vision Financial, stated, "This is a great day for Vision, its employees, and Keene. We're very proud to deliver customized technology and superior customer service, and now we'll be able to do so on a much broader scale." The company employs 60 people and provides administrative, billing, and consulting services for nearly 2,000 employer clients. About Selman & Company Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Selman & Company has marketed and administered life and health insurance products to members of associations and affinity groups, customers of financial institutions, and employees through their employers for 36 years. Selman & Company is among the largest, privately-held firms in the nation with focus on the markets in which it serves. Visit us at www.SelmanCo.com. About Vision Financial Corporation Based in Keene, NH, Vision Financial Corporation is a third party administrator (TPA) of voluntary insurance benefits. Since 1989, Vision has provided the partnership and support that insurance carriers require to run their worksite business efficiently, smoothly, and successfully. With a highly qualified staff and decades of combined experience, Vision excels at finding unique solutions to the challenges of worksite administration. Visit us at www.VisFin.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005667/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] Medac, Inc. Completes SOC 2 Type 2 and HIPAA Assessment, Proving Medac's Dedication to Consumer Data Security NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C., Feb. 06, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medac, Inc., a Medical Business Management Services provider, today announced the company has successfully completed a Service Organization Control 2 (SOC 2) Type 2 certification under AT Section 101. Medac also has successfully completed a third-party assessment of its controls and procedures required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The HIPAA Security Rule is a United States federal regulatory requirement specifying a series of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for assuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of certain healthcare data. The demanding third-party examinations that led to the achievements was administered by the professional IT assurance and compliance staff at 360 Advanced, a respected national Qualified Security Assessor, HITRUST CSF Assessor and Certified Public Accountant firm based in St. Petersburg, FL. Completion of the SOC 2 Type 2 examination is widely recognized as proof that a service organization has been through an evaluation of their control activities as they relate to the applicable Trust Services Principles and Criteria. The SOC 2 Type 2, developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), is the most widely recognized authoritative guidance that provides service organizations a uniform method for disclosing independently assessed information about the design and operation of internal controls related to their services. Companies completing an annual SOC 2 examination are able to demonstrate a substantially higher level of assurance and operationally visibility than those companies who do not. The SOC 2 Type 2 process is an extensive effort towards security and proper controls and ensures that Medac is cyber secure, said Bellinger Moody, Medacs President. It provides an outside validation for our clients, vendors, and board of directors that we are committed to excellence as we continue to grow. The Service Auditors Report includes a detailed description of Medac, Inc.s controls and an independent assessment of whether the controls are placed in operation and suitably designed. For any further questions, please contact Sam Bruce, CISM, PMP, CSM, CSSGB, at Medac. ABOUT MEDAC, INC. Medac is an anesthesia practice management and medical billing company with over 500 employees operating from 83 locations in the United States. Medac uses proprietary and third-party licensed technology to process government, patient and insurance reimbursement to anesthesia groups to improve financial performance and reduce compliance risk. ABOUT 360 ADVANCED 360 Advanceds services are provided, but not limited to, the following industries: Title Services, Hosted and Managed IT, Data Center and Colocation, Software as a Service (SaaS), Healthcare, Financial Services, Insurance, HR | Payroll | PEO, Legal and Collections, Bulk Mail Printing and Distribution, Background Screening, Business Process Outsourcing and Marketing. Services provided by 360 Advanced include HITRUST CSF, SOC 1 (SSAE 18), SOC 2, SOC 3, PCI DSS, HIPAA Security/HITECH, Microsoft Vendor Policy and other security and compliance services. Contact: Eric Ratcliffe [email protected] 866.418.1708 ext.710 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] FASTSIGNS Reports Unprecedented Growth With Record Signing Of 63 New Franchise Agreements In 2016 CARROLLTON, Texas, Feb. 6, 2017 /CNW/ -- FASTSIGNS International, Inc., franchisor of FASTSIGNS, the leading sign, graphics and visual communications franchise, announced today that it has signed 63 franchise agreements in 2016 with new and existing franchisees in the U.S., Canada and U.K. In the third quarter alone, the brand inked 22 new agreements, including 13 locations in western and midwestern states, such as California, Florida, Texas, Kansas, New Mexico and Washington. In addition, FASTSIGNS opened 35 new centers in 2016 in new and existing markets with a projected 45 additional opening in 2017. Today, FASTSIGNS International, Inc. has more than 650 independently owned and operated locations in nine countries worldwide, including the U.S., Canada, England, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Grand Cayman, Mexico and Australia (where centers operate as SIGNWAVE). Strong domestic expansion in 2016 was also coupled with international growth. The brand signed a Master Franchise Agreement in the Dominican Republic and U.S. Virgin Islands, adding new countries to FASTSIGNS' global footprint. "2016 was another record year for FASTSIGNS," said Catherine Monson, president and CEO, FASTSIGNS International, Inc. "Our network generated over $446,000,000 in sales with strong sales growth in all regions and countries. We have the highest franchisee satisfaction ratings in the industry. Our franchisees continue to lead the industry in advanced products and services and provide comprehensive visual communications solutions to their customers. Our satisfied franchisees are our best reference! We are thrilled to be welcoming so many new franchisees to the FASTSIGNS family." In addition to closing out the year with record-breaking growth, FASTSIGNS International, Inc. was recently ranked number 1 in the Business Services/Signs category and 95 overall in Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500, the world's first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking. Acknowledged by entrepreneurs and franchisors as a top competitive tool of measurement, the Franchise 500 recognizes FASTSIGNS for its exceptional performance in areas including financial strength and stability, growth rate and brand power. "Growth like this definitely underscores the power of the FASTSIGNS brand and strength of our business model. We look forward to continuing this rapid expansion as 2017 brings a strong focus on the Northeast corridor, New England, Southern California and beyond, including entering new countries," said Mark Jameson, EVP of Franchise Support and Development, FASTSIGNS International, Inc. In addition to more than 400 U.S. and Canadian markets targeted for development, FASTSIGNS has 65+ international locations open for continued expansion. As part of the brand's development strategy, FASTSIGNS is also targeting co-brand and conversion opportunities whereby print shop owners can expand their services by adding FASTSIGNS to their existing business or convert their business into a thriving FASTSIGNS center. For information about the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity, contact Mark Jameson ([email protected] or 214-346-5679) or download an eBook that explores the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity at http://amzn.to/1FrnDJu. About FASTSIGNS FASTSIGNS International, Inc. is the largest sign and visual communications franchisor in North America, and is the worldwide franchisor of more than 650 independently owned and operated FASTSIGNS centers in nine countries including the US, Canada, England, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Grand Cayman, Mexico and Australia (where centers operate as SIGNWAVE). FASTSIGNS locations provide comprehensive sign and visual graphic solutions to help companies of all sizes and across all industries attract more attention, communicate their message, sell more products, help visitors find their way and extend their branding across all of their customer touch points including decor, events, wearables and marketing materials. Learn more about sign and visual graphic solutions or find a location at fastsigns.com. Follow the brand on Twitter @FASTSIGNS, Facebook at facebook.com/FASTSIGNS or LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/fastsigns. CONTACT: Michelle Estevam Fish Consulting 954-893-9150 [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fastsigns-reports-unprecedented-growth-with-record-signing-of-63-new-franchise-agreements-in-2016-300402626.html SOURCE FASTSIGNS International, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] According to Global Network Deans: Global Business Education is the Best Antidote to Economic Nationalism The Global Network for Advanced Management, a network of 29 leading international business schools dedicated to driving innovation and creating value through exchange and engagement, will celebrate its fifth anniversary in April. Today, the principles on which the network was founded are more important than ever. The world is currently experiencing an upsurge in populism, economic nationalism, and anti-globalization rhetoric. Despite such sentiment, we recognize that the global economy is more interconnected than ever before. Business operations are increasingly global, with ideas, products, capital, and teams moving across borders. At the same time, big challenges - from climate change to financial stability and the fight against debilitating diseases - are global in nature and cannot be addressed without the private sector. Business cannot deliver for all its stakeholders if borders are closed or certain groups are prevented from crossing them because of their country of origin or religious beliefs. Ongoing global engagement and exchange are paramount. Today, Global Network member schools join in a commitment to: understand the manifest challenges that market economies face given the changes in political sentiment; deliver on our responsibility to develop principled leaders who create value and access to opportunities; support the rights of our students, faculty, alumni, and knowledge partners to freely engage in our programs and work; and advocate for the positive impacts that global exchange, in education and in business, have on society. The power of the Global Network lies in its ability to harness diverse insights to address important global issues. The Global Network connects students, faculty, and alumni from around the world, allowing them to increase their effectiveness by understanding differences and commonalities in their economies and societies. In its brief history, more than 5,000 master-evel students and faculty have participated in Global Network courses, exchanges, and cross-school virtual team projects. The network has conducted global inquiries into major issues including sustainability and the obstacles facing women in management roles. Faculty have collaborated on international entrepreneurship, urban resilience, and social enterprise. Member schools have co-authored case studies on palm oil in Indonesia, banking in Ireland, manufacturing in China, agriculture in Mexico, and impact consulting in Ghana. We do this because of our unwavering commitment to developing leaders who can work successfully across boundaries, who are prepared to address pressing global issues, and who can perform at the highest levels in diverse and complex contexts. As deans of Global Network member schools, we recognize that the fundamental drivers of global business are not changing. Technology will continue to advance and disrupt markets and societies, and the transfer of innovations and expertise across borders will continue. We believe that countries that retrench will harm themselves and their citizens. Therefore, we redouble our commitment to collaborative learning across countries and cultures, and to gain and leverage the insights of the best and brightest throughout the world. In this way, we continue to improve educational outcomes and professional development of our students, deliver innovations that benefit business and society, and contribute to a better world. Jikyeong Kang, President and Dean, Asian Institute of Management (The Philippines) Juan Pablo Murra Lascurain, Acting Dean, EGADE Business School, Tecnologico de Monterrey (Mexico) Jorg Rocholl, President, ESMT Berlin (Germany) Luiz Artur Ledur Brito, Dean, FGV Escola de Administracao de Empresas de Sao Paulo (Brazil) Xiongwen Lu, Dean, School of Management, Fudan University (China) Richard K. Lyons, Dean, Haas School of Business, University of California Berkeley (USA) Peter Todd, Dean, HEC Paris (France) Kazuo Ichijo, Dean, Hitotsubashi University, Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy (Japan) Kar Yan Tam, Dean, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Business School (China) Martin Boehm, Dean, IE Business School (Spain) Jean-Francois Manzoni, President, IMD (Switzerland, Singapore) Enrique Bolanos, President, INCAE Business School (Costa Rica, Nicaragua) Ilian Mihov, Dean, INSEAD (France, Singapore, Abu Dhabi) Nida Bektas, Executive Director, Koc University Graduate School of Business (Turkey) Enase Okonedo, Dean, Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University (Nigeria) Naufel Vilcassim, Head of Department, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Management (United Kingdom) Bernard Yeung, Dean, National University of Singapore Business School (Singapore) Jose Miguel Sanchez Callejas, Dean, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile School of Business (Chile) Jiye Mao, Dean, Renmin University of China School of Business (China) Peter Tufano, Dean, Said Business School, University of Oxford (United Kingdom) Robert Helsley, Dean, Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia (Canada) Choelsoon Park, Dean, Seoul National University Business School (South Korea) Miriam Erez, Vice-Dean, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology (Israel) Ciaran O hOgartaigh, Dean, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School (Ireland) Ari Kuncoro, Dean, Universitas Indonesia, Faculty of Economics (Indonesia) Mills Soko, Director, University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (South Africa) Joshua Yindenaba Abor, Dean, University of Ghana Business School (Ghana) Edward A. Snyder, Dean, Yale School of Management (USA) View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005874/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] Accenture Helps Australian Department of Defence Deliver New Codification System to Enhance Logistics and Supply Chain Accenture (News - Alert) (NYSE:ACN) has helped the Australian Department of Defence develop and deploy a new cloud-based NATO supply codification system on time and on budget. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005893/en/ The new system will enable the Australian Department of Defence to enhance logistics and supply chain processes. (Photo: Business Wire) The new system - the Department of Defence's first software-as-a-service (SaaS (News - Alert)) solution - will enable the Department to receive up-to-date NATO codification data and develop new supply chain processes and procedures. Codification is crucial for defence organisations to accurately identify, classify and number items of supply and to manage defence logistics. Working with multiple stakeholders across various geographies, the integrated project team - led by Defence, working closely with Accenture and AURA - introduced the codification capabilities and integrated the new technology with internal systems to ensure unique functional requirements. NATO compliance testing was undertaken to ensure the techology was able to successfully communicate with the defence agencies of other nations and the relevant NATO agencies. "Accenture is proud to have had the opportunity to work alongside Defence and AURA to deliver this project focused on achieving maximum effectiveness in logistics support," said Matt Gollings, managing director for Accenture's Defence business [in Australia]. Critical to project success was the skilled team of industry specialists and a highly collaborative delivery approach between Defence and its multiple industry partners." As systems integrator on the 12-month project, Accenture established the system design, undertook the data migration activity from the existing system testing activities, and deployed the new solution. Learn more about Accenture's work with the Australian Department of Defence and Accenture's global defence business. About Accenture Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions - underpinned by the world's largest delivery network - Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With more than 394,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206005893/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [February 06, 2017] Dreyer Babich Buccola Wood Campora, LLP Obtains Jury Verdict in Tehama County against the State of California in 2012 Fatal Truck Collision A Tehama County Superior Court jury has found the Department of Transportation for the State of California (Caltrans) liable for creating a dangerous condition that took the life of truck driver Chad Walker and seriously injured his driving partner Jerry Kline. The jury also exonerated Mr. Walker by determining he was not at fault for the fatal collision between his truck and a bridge support column on northbound I-5 at the Sunset Hills overcrossing. Mr. Walker's heirs were represented at trial by Jason Sigel of Dreyer Babich Buccola Wood Campora, LLP. Mr. Kline was represented by Leland Aiken of Aiken & Jacobsen. In the early morning hours of June 28, 2012, 47-year-old Chad Walker was driving a fully loaded tractor trailer northbound on I-5 in Tehama County, just north of Red Bluff, through a Caltrans construction zone. As he approached the Sunset Hills overcrossing, Mr. Walker allowed his truck to drift to the right and strike the overpass's support structure. Mr. Walker was killed in the collision and Mr. Kline suffered injuries to his neck, shoulder, and arm. At trial, Plaintiff contended that the roadway was in a dangerous condition due to the elimination of all recovery space to the right of the number two lane. Caltrans defended on the grounds that 120,000 trucks passed under the overcrossing without colliding with it in the 30 days prior to the Walker collision. Caltrans never made a pre-trial offer and the case went to trial against Caltras and Tullis, Inc. - the contractor who won the bid to build the project. Plaintiff discovered before trial that Tullis's vice president had voiced concerns to Caltrans of the danger of running truck traffic on what had previously been the road's shoulder. The normal travel lanes on I-5 are sloped at 2%. However, the shoulders are sloped at 5% to facilitate drainage. The effect of using what was previously the shoulder for a travel lane was to lean the truck traffic in towards the overcrossing support structures. Approximately 11 hours before the Walker crash, there was another collision between a tractor trailer and the bridge support structure at the same location. Within two hours of the first collision Caltrans made the decision, based on safety concerns that another similar collision could occur, to bring the shoulder up to 2%. Between the time that decision was made at 5 p.m. and Mr. Walker's collision at 2 a.m. the following morning, Caltrans did nothing to warn truck drivers of the danger. Caltrans maintained its position that the collision was entirely Mr. Walker's fault and argued that if Tullis had believed that there was a dangerous condition, they should have taken the actions necessary to remediate it when Caltrans refused to do so. Tullis, Inc. was found as a matter of law not to be responsible for the collision and the case went to the jury solely on the question of Caltrans' liability and the comparative fault of Mr. Walker. After a two week trial the jury returned a verdict finding Caltrans 100% at fault and exonerating Mr. Walker. "It has taken more than four years for Chad's widow and his four children to get closure. The family is proud of this Tehama County jury for having the courage to hold the state responsible for what it did and to let the world know that Chad Walker didn't do anything wrong," said the Walker's attorney Jason Sigel after the verdict. "The engineer who designed this construction zone testified that he'd do it the same way tomorrow. I hope Caltrans listens to this verdict and makes sure that never happens again in Tehama County or anywhere else in California," Sigel said. Caltrans was represented by Bruce McGagin from its legal department and John Haluck from Roseville. Tim Nisson from Redding represented Tullis, Inc. Walker, et al. v. Department of Transportation for the State of California, et al. Superior Court of California, County of Tehama Case No.: 68341 Lead (Consolidated with 68356; 68423) Hon. Richard Scheuler, Dept. 4 View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170206006171/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] A look back on all of our reporting of the Delphi murders since 2017 crime Apparently you can't even trust your TV not to spy on you anymore. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that Vizio will pay $2.2 million to settle charges that it "installed software on its TVs to collect viewing data on 11 million consumer TVs without consumers knowledge or consent." The FTC, along with New Jersey's attorney general and Department of Consumer Affairs, previously said that Vizio started to sell TVs with tracking software enabled by default in February 2014. The company was also alleged to have updated older TVs with this tracking software at the same time. At no point were people made aware of the inclusion of this software in new TVs, and older TVs showed a vague message that offered little information. Here's how the agencies described the software's capabilities in their complaint: Through the ACR software, VIZIOs televisions transmit information about what a consumer is watching on a second-by-second basis. Defendants ACR software captures information about a selection of pixels on the screen and sends that data to VIZIO servers, where it is uniquely matched to a database of publicly available television, movie, and commercial content. Defendants collect viewing data from cable or broadband service providers, set-top boxes, external streaming devices, DVD players, and over-the-air broadcasts. Defendants have stated that the ACR software captures up to 100 billion data points each day from more than 10 million VIZIO televisions. Defendants store this data indefinitely. Vizio was also said to be able to gather "IP address, wired and wireless MAC addresses, WiFi signal strength, nearby WiFi access points, and other items" using this software. "In addition, VIZIO facilitated appending specific demographic information to the viewing data, such as sex, age, income, marital status, household size, education level, home ownership, and household value," the FTC said in its settlement announcement. Vizio sold this data. The data was then used to figure out what people watch, determine if ads were effective by seeing if commercials resulted in website visits from the same IP address, or target ads displayed on other devices based on someone's TV habits. People could turn off this data collection, which would prevent Vizio from sharing personal information with other companies, but the agencies said Vizio's messages didn't make it easy for consumers to do that. The FTC said Vizio's actions were "unfair and deceptive" and "in violation of the FTC Act and New Jersey consumer protection laws." The commission will receive $1.5 million from Vizio, which will also give $700,000 to New Jersey's Department of Consumer Affairs, as part of the settlement agreement. Hot on the heels of Micron's announcement that it is developing the "world's smallest" 64-layer 3D NAND, WD announced that it has begun pilot production of the "world's first" 64-layer 512Gb TLC NAND die. WD is developing and producing its 64-layer NAND at its Yokkaichi, Japan fab that it operates with Toshiba under their joint Flash Forward venture. WD and Toshiba have struggled to bring a meaningful amount of their 48-layer 128Gb 3D NAND to market, which many cite as a major contributor to the ongoing NAND shortage. WD and Toshiba aren't the only vendors to encounter 3D NAND production challenges; Samsung has also apparently encountered production issues with its 48-layer NAND. Last year, WD announced its transition to 64-layer 256Gb BiCS3 3D NAND, but the new revision has also been scarce. WD refers to its new 512Gb die as BiCS3, so it apparently employs the same architecture and process as the previous version. The joint WD/Toshiba Yokkaichi fab is the largest NAND facility in the world. At one time, it punched out more than two million products per day, so many industry analysts predict that the current NAND shortage will not subside until it begins to produce significant amounts of 3D NAND. WD's press release stated that the company is in pilot production with its new 64-layer TLC NAND, and it will reach full-scale production in the second half of the year. WD inherited the Toshiba NAND partnership when it purchased SanDisk. NAND production capability provides WD with a commanding position in the SSD market, but a series of scandals and failed investments have plagued Toshiba. As a result, Toshiba recently announced plans to sever its semiconductor business and make it into its own entity. The move would allow Toshiba to sell up to a 20% stake in the new business to investors, thus raising enough cash to rescue the company. There have been numerous reports that WD will invest in the new business, but that remains unconfirmed. WD CEO Steve Milligan touched on the issue (and fanned the flames) during the company's recent earnings call (via Seeking Alpha). "As we all know from recent disclosures by Toshiba and news reports, our flash joint venture partner is facing challenges. We have been in regular communication with them over the last several weeks. We are confident that their semiconductor memory business remains healthy and strategically viable. Under any circumstance we will act to protect Western Digital's interest and work to ensure that we maintain the leadership position of our joint venture." The addition of the latest BiCS3 iteration indicates that, despite its financial challenges, Toshiba continues to execute on its semiconductor roadmap. 3D NAND presents many challenges, particularly with high aspect ratio processing, but density is the key to alleviating the current NAND shortage. Western Digital will present a technical paper on its high aspect ratio advancements during the International Solid State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) tomorrow. EDIT: 2/17/17 4PST - Corrected mass production schedule Its pretty messed up that sexual assault is even an issue in Australias music industry, but a Hobart security company has suggested drones may be the answer to stopping it at festivals. The owner of the company, who spoke anonymously to The Examiner, recommended large music events use drone cameras in mosh pits to survey bad behaviour. The company owner, who The Examiner named Greg, said sexual assault is a showstopper for everyone and that its stunting the growth of Tasmanias festival industry. Promoters are trying to get good music for [Tasmania], but if this sort of thing happens, no-one will come, he said. Greg said he currently stations plain-clothed security guards amongst the festival crowd to assist in stopping bad behaviour. The article doesnt actually describe what constitutes bad behaviour, but considering the numerous odious reports from local festivals (Rainbow Serpent cited four reports of sexual assault during this years festival), a new method of harm reduction is certainly needed but maybe drones arent the answer. In 2015, Enrique Iglesias was onstage in Mexico when he reached up and grabbed one of the drone cameras flying overhead getting shots of the cheering crowd. He sliced his hand so badly he fractured his middle finger and required a skin graft and reconstructive surgery. Then again, Enrique getting cut by a drone seems like a small price to pay for the safety of people at festivals. Even beloved and original TV Fake News Anchorman Jon Stewart had to apologize forMeanwhile, it's important to realize that the greater. . . In history or otherwise . . . Harry Truman Still Casts A Long Shadow in Independence, Missouri Fake News or an 84% Lie??? YOU DECIDE!!! THE RESULTS ARE IN AND THEY'RE NOT CLOSE. Better than prediction . . . One of theon an upcoming vote and comes away with some rather shocking numbers along with just a bit of celebration of our blog community. And the research we've doneon this tax.Checkit:The numbers on Tony's Kansas City around City's $800,000,000 bonds have been called into question. People have accuse Tony ofand incorrect numbers only meant to harm the effort of the City's much needed improvement project.So who do you trust? Since we all know the KC Star is in the pocket of City Hall, we must discount anything they say. We're left with a City notorious for lying to us and Tony's KC that has been accused of FAKE NEWS.So I challenged myself to see if I could, using Tony's KC information, and the city's website, either verify the allegations that the City is deliberately misleading us . . .I'll illustrate here exactly how to do the math so you can take the challenge right along with me and calculate how much your taxes are going to, the City's website, as highlighted by Tony's KC's article, shows that the. (Here goes:Step 1) The city's assessed valuation in 2016 is $7,199,431,000 (which can be found in the City's audit).Step 2). How much annually will $40,000,000 cost, over 20 years? That answer is given by the city's own numbers and is $3,209,703 (a year, every year, for 20 years).So far, these numbers are brought to you by the City.Step 3) Divide the payment by the assessed value ($3,209,703 / $7,199,431,000 = 0.00045) gives us 0.00045.Step 4) Now since we're not tax on each $1 of assessed value, but on each $100 of Assessed value, we have to multiply step 3's answer (0.00045) by 100 which gives us 0.045 levy needed to be raised. (0.00045 x 100 = .045).The tax will be applied to almostyou own that the city can find, but the most common stuff will be real estate and personal property. Home and auto.Step 1. Determine How much is my property worth? Remember, we're using the City's example so they chose a $200k home and a $35k auto. HOWEVER, you're not tax on the market value of your home or car, but the assessed value (AV).Step 2. Determine the AV of your property. MISSOURI LAW says real property is to be taxed at 19% of it's acutal value and personal property at 33-1/3rd % of it's market value. Get your trusty calculator and multiply $200,000 by 19% and $35,000 time 33.3%. (200k x 19% = 38,000 & 35k x 33.33% = 11,665.50).Step 3. Now you're not assessed on each dollar, but each $100 of AV accord to Missouri law. You'll need to divide the answers in Step 2 by 100. This produces 380 for the home and 50 for the auto. (38,000 / 100 = 380 av & 11,665.50 / 100 = 116.65 av).This is where things get fun. Take the answers in Step 3 and multiply by thefound in Step 4 of the first section. So (drum roll please), the $200,000 home has an assessed value of 38,000 and the tax increase will bewe can't forget the lovely $35,000 vehicle in the driveway. We need to tax 0.045 to each $100 of the assessed value of $11,665.50 (116.56 x 0.045 = ) by our levy and we get $ $5.25. So you get a grand combined total your first year of $17.10 for your home and $5.25 for your car or $22.34 for your first years tax.The City has advertised on their sitethe first year., articles showed the tax increase to be substantially higher. The same car and home atThe results are in andare that there is no fake news here and TKC is correct our increase will be 84% higher than our mayor, "Lying-Sly's", numbers.Chalk another Win up for Tony's KC NEWS.############You decide . . . The latest political melee between the ruling party and the main opposition in Greece revolves around the same city, Paris, with rival New Democracy (ND) party charging that Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras used the a state-owned corporate jet to take a junket to the French capital last week. Conversely, the leftist government on Monday called on ND leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis to provide answers over his wealth and assets statements, following a front-page article in a pro-government weekly a day earlier. The left-leaning periodical, "Documento", claimed that Mitsotakis wife is the owner of an upscale apartment in Paris, which was not listed on the politician's obligatory statements. The charges against Tsipras, nevertheless, dominated the media's scrutiny on Monday, following a "back-and-forth" exchange between the government and ND. The two rival parties verbally jousted over previous weekend visit to Paris by Tsipras, after a mini summit in Lisbon for southern European leaders. Speaking during an urgently held urgently held press conference, ND spokesman Vassilis Kikilias demanded the leftist government answer whether there was any contract between the Greek state with the Rothschild financial advisory group as of Jan. 30, 2017. Over the weekend, a "non paper" circulated by the Maximos Mansion, the Greek premier's office, said Tsipras arrived in Paris on Sunday, Jan. 29, for a meeting with Rothschild officials to discuss Greece's return to international markets for its borrowing needs. Additionally, a meeting with L'Oreal executives was cited, with the former multinational described as eyeing a major investment in the capital-starved country. "Why did Mr. Tsipras choose to meet, alone, on Sunday afternoon, with Rothschild, without the (Greek) finance minister, the president of the Public Debt Management Agency, or another of his economic aides? Was (Greek FinMin) Euclid Tsakalotos briefed over this meeting or not? Did Panos Kammenos (the Greek Defense Minister) know that Mr. Tsipras was to travel to Paris with the official aircraft to meet with Rothschild (officials)?" High-pitched criticism against Rothschild Kikilias' reference to Kammenos is directly related to high-pitched criticism by the former against the specific financier family's international role. Kammenos is the head of a small rightist-populist party that is the junior coalition partners of the current SYRIZA-dominated government. "Does Mr. Kammenos continue to maintain his views over the Rothschild (group), which he has expressed over the years?" Kikilias, a former ND minister, asked rhetorically, while demanding a list of the passengers on the flight that took Tsipras to Paris from Lisbon on the specific weekend. "The time when they fooled citizens without any cost is over. The silence or evasions is a confession of guilt. For us it's a major political issue," Kikilias told reporters. The furor began on Saturday, when outspoken ND MP and vice-president Adonis Georgiadis charged that Tsipras took a short holiday over the specific weekend, using the state executive jet as his own personal transportation. The government, unofficially, responded with by saying the allegations were " unethical and false". The Maximos Mansion added that government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos and general secretary Michalis Kalogirou were on the plane. What emerged over the recent weekend and on Monday was dubbed "disneyland_gate" on social media -- a thinly veiled reference to Euro Disney, outside the French capital -- after ND charged that Tsipras went to Paris for a brief holiday with his family, paid for by the Greek state. Monday, Jan. 30, was a school holiday in Greece. In terms of the counter-charges leveled at the Mitsotakis family, the government spokesman, Dimitris Tzanakopoulos, said the ND leader cannot "escape" from the new revelations. "He must provide answers over his wealth and asset statements and over the purchase of the property," was a Tweet by Tzanakopoulos. 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 UN Special Adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, is set to visit Ankara and hold meetings with Turkish officials on Tuesday UN Special Adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, is set to visit Ankara and hold meetings with Turkish officials on Tuesday and Wednesday, UN Cyprus Spokesperson Aleem Siddique told CAN English today. Siddique noted that Eide will travel to Turkey on Monday evening and will hold his meetings at the Turkish Foreign Ministry. Siddique also said that Eide may meet with other relevant officials, adding that his meetings have not yet been confirmed. GREECE VISIT Eide visited Athens, Greece on Friday and met with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias. Eide said after that meeting he had the "opportunity to go through in detail some of the ideas we are developing on how to think about a new security framework for Cyprus. The UN Special Advisor added that the framework must be one which can be accepted and supported both by the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities, but also by the guarantor powers, so that they can be part of the necessary change from what we have today to what we will have tomorrow." MONT PELERIN TALKS Eide added that he was particularly encouraged by the second Conference on Cyprus session, which took place at a technocratic level, which showed that there was a certain space for further discussions which we are elaborating on with this particular visit." TURKEY-GREECE TENSIONS Eide also commented on "some [recent] complicated tensions between Turkey and Greece", noting that this was a background setting that I would rather be without" but which should not be allowed to negatively affect the Cyprus talks. Tensions over disputed Greek islets in the Aegean Sea, airspace violations and discord on how to handle Byzantine heritage inside Turkey have cracked open an old schism between the two NATO allies. The refusal in January of a Greek court to extradite eight former Turkish army officers over the failed July 15 coup widened that chasm. NEGOTIATORS MEETING The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot chief negotiators are set to meet on Tuesday prior to Thursdays meeting between Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot chief Mustafa Akinci. Tuesdays meeting is taking place following a decision by Anastasiades and Akinci to ask the UN to prepare, along with consulting the guarantor powers, for Conference on Cyprus to continue at political level next month. According to CNA English, the Conference is not scheduled to take place before March 6. BACKGROUND January 11 saw the historic exchange of territorial adjustment maps. A day later, the Geneva-based Conference on Cyprus was convened with the islands three guarantor powers (Greece, the UK, Turkey), the EU and UN. Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot chief Mustafa Akinci have been engaged in UN-led talks since May 2015 aiming to reunify the island under a federal roof, following Turkeys 1974 invasion and illegal occupation on the island. Source: CNA English 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 Simone Kohl, Groups and MICE Supervisor for Pacific World Greece has revealed that meetings and incentives planners are expressing more and more interest in Greece Simone Kohl, Groups and MICE Supervisor for Pacific World Greece has revealed that meetings and incentives planners are expressing more and more interest in organizing events in Athens, Thessaloniki and now on the island of Paros. As shre states in the following interview, Greece is one of the most requested destinations for meetings and incentives in the last 12 months as it combines events with destination-inspired themes offering a unique experience. Q: What destinations are clients demanding in Greece? A: Athens still being the most demanded destination but there is a growing interest for second-tier destinations. More and more clients are requesting Thessaloniki for their conferences or their incentive programs. For the Cyclades island the requests for the lovely small island of Paros has increased. Q: Have you seen any change in the way clients are conceiving meetings and events? A: The clients are demanding more and more all elements of the meeting or incentive to be aligned even with a theme related with the destination (Mamma Mia, Ancient Greek, etc) or with the company brand, vision of strategic goals. All the elements will be chosen according the theme or vision. The events should have a meaning not just for the organizers but to each attendee. Q: What experiences are having more success? A: Standard team building or activities are not an option anymore. Guests want to have an experience, to interact with locals and to see authentic products. Besides this, high-end experiences are having great success in Greece. Q: Any advice about how to enhance a high-end experience? A: Deluxe transportation add a VIP touch to every meeting or incentive. Soon we will operate a very special program. We will organize the transfers from the airport to the resort with helicopters and daily activities in private yachts visiting the small islands around (Spetses and Hydra). At Pacific World Greece, we are in the business of creating personalized experiences according to the clients interests and program goals too. Pacific World is part of Destination Services and releases the Pacific World Destination Index which provides corporate, association and agency planners with an indicator of destination popularity for MICE activities. The index assesses over 5,000 international enquiries, meeting and event results and feedback from attending delegates from around the globe. 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 A diplomatic incident between the USA and Albania took place, a few days ago, leaving many wondering what form the relations of the two countries will take in the foreseeable future. The incident took place between the Albanias General Prosecutor and the US Ambassador to Tirana last week. In an event about democracy organized by the EU office in Albania, the American diplomat directly accused the General Prosecutor that he is working against crucial reforms in the judicial system, something that is of vital importance for the EU, the US and Albania itself. The US diplomat stated that for reasons that have to do with these reforms, the US Embassy denied a visa to him and his wife as well as seventy other Albanian prosecutors and judges. The General Prosecutors reaction was swift and his representative accused the US Ambassador of mingling with the Albanian Justice. He argued that this as well as previous statements the diplomat had made were targeting him for personal reasons, indeed mentioning that, he had tried to intervene and cancel certain interrogations linked with specific important open cases. Before this incident the General Prosecutor had sent a letter to the President of Albania and to the Head of the Albanian Parliament, complaining about the pressure he was accepting from the US Ambassador about some cases. Right after the exchange of these statements, the US Ambassador went to meet the Prime Minister and they talked for 30 minutes without any announcement as to what their conversation was about. But things got even worse as the American diplomat requested a hearing from the President of Albania, but it was turned down! On the contrary, the President saw the General Prosecutor, sending a clear message to Washington as to whose side he is on. It will be very interesting to see how all this is going to evolve 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 Brazilian imports for GCC countries amounted to $2.67 billion while Brazilian exports for GCC countries amounted to $6.05 billion during 2016, according to figures released by the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC). Saudi Arabia registered the highest number of exports to Brazil at $1.3 billion. This was followed by Qatar at $532 million, the UAE at $366million, Kuwait at $287 million, Oman at $95 million and Bahrain at $88 million. Among all the countries, Oman registered the most growth at 32.58 per cent followed by Bahrain at 19.98 per cent. In terms of imports from Brazil, Saudi Arabia once again leads with the highest amount, at $2.48 billion, followed by the UAE 2.23 billion, Oman at $492 million, Qatar at $378 million, Bahrain at $260 million and Kuwait at $197 million. Dr Michel Alaby, secretary general and CEO, Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC), said: We are eager to share this information and statistics with the public in celebration of the strong and ongoing ties between Brazil and GCC Countries. It serves as further encouragement in our efforts to strengthen communication channels ties between the Gulf countries and Brazil. Both have always maintained a mutually beneficial relationship in the past and we are eager to see its continued growth in the years to come, as it plays a vital role in the long-term agenda of GCC countries which is aimed towards sustainability and economic diversification, he added. The recent data also suggests thriving contracts and deals on various resources. Sugars and sugar confectionary registered one of the highest growths with a 31.92 per cent increase in 2016 compared to the numbers in 2015. Brazilian exports in 2016 have amounted to $2.29 billion on meat and edible meat offal, $1.07 billion on sugars and sugar confectionery and $504 million on ores, slag and ash. For the same period, Brazilian imports registered $1.62 billion on mineral fuels, mineral oils, bituminous substances; mineral waxes; $751 million on fertilizers, and $94 million on plastics and articles thereof. Fertilizers registered one of the highest growths in 2016 at 8.02 per cent. TradeArabia News Service ArthVeda Fund Management (AVFM), based in Mumbai (India), today announced that Qatar Holding (QH) has committed to invest $250 million in its affordable low and middle income (LMI) fund. The fund projects an internal rate of return (IRR) in excess of 18 21 per cent, said a statement. Bikram Sen, CEO of Arthveda, said the subscription of the entire corpus of its FDI-compliant affordable housing fund by Qatar Holding (QH) was the first substantial foreign inward investment into Indias affordable housing segment spanning LMI residences, immediately after Indias Union Budget on February 1. Bikram Sen was previously the CEO of DHFL. The sweet spot of LMI residential real estate in India offers a significant opportunity to grow investments and AVFM will continue to build on this success by conceiving more of such vehicles. AVFM has built a robust track record and is uniquely positioned to successfully manage such investments, said the statement. According to ArthVeda, it is estimated that India needs to build 19 million urban housing units in the low and mid-income category by 2022 across Tier 1, 2 and 3 cities which requires a capital of $1 trillion. AVFM is part of Wadhawan Global Capital, a financial services conglomerate, with Dewan Housing Finance Corp. Ltd (DHFL) as the flagship entity. DHFL has over three decades of track record in lending to LMI segment in India. It has lent over $25 billion to this segment and overall, DHFL along with its associate housing finance company, Aadhar Housing Finance, lends on an average $350 million in a month to home buyers at more than 500 locations in India. AVFMs Affordable Housing Fund leverages our entire groups leadership in the LMI lending segment and applies that to investments in affordable housing. I am very proud that a prestigious institution from Qatar has invested in this fund through Arthveda, said Kapil Wadhawan, chairman and managing director of DHFL and ArthVeda. Apart from the Affordable Housing Fund, which is AVFMs first offshore fund raising, other domestic real estate funds of the asset management company have been extremely successful. AVFMs domestic $17 million Dream Fund, which exited in 2015 gave a gross IRR of 17 per cent (net to investors). A mid-income $22 million domestic Star Fund I, which is due to achieve exits from all its investments in the next couple of months, will give equally high returns. A domestic low-income housing fund, Asha, is currently in deployment phase. According to AVFM, the great push by India to make affordable housing a centre piece of the countrys growth agenda will trigger more foreign investments into this sector. The positive FDI policy changes that have happened in this segment will also continue to give a boost to inward investments. The Government of India has gradually removed minimum project and investment ticket size restrictions in this segment, which should significantly catalyse development and investment, the statement said. Investments into the AVFM fund were raised in collaboration with the Dubai-based CI Holding Global, founded and run by Omar Farooqui. TradeArabia News Service The Gulf Industry Fair 2017 (GIF) will open tomorrow (February 7) in Bahrain with nearly 100 companies taking part in the Northern Gulfs leading specialist business-to-business industrial event. The three-day event will be held under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of Bahrain, at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIECC). As the Northern Gulfs undisputed trade and logistics hub and a strategically located manufacturing base for companies looking to access major regional markets like Saudi Arabias Eastern Province Bahrain has for the past 10 years proven to be the ideal venue for the fair, attracting company owners, procurement officers, traders and businessmen from the kingdom and further afield. The Fair has drawn manufacturing firms from across the GCC as well as key players from around the world. The Gulf Industry Fair will cover all major industrial activities in the region. It will also showcase new products and technologies as well as environment-friendly products. The main focus areas will be Aluminium, Energy & Environmental Protection, Industrial Processes & Manufacturing, Ports & Maritime Industries, Training for Industry, Industrial Safety & Security, Industrial Metals (Steel and Alloys), Logistics & Industrial Facilities, and IT for industry. The fact that all these main sectors of industry are being represented under one roof makes the show unique in the region, says Jubran Abdulrahman, Managing Director of Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE), the shows organiser. Gulf Industry Fair is dedicated to promoting the economic opportunities arising from the march to diversify the economies of the GCC, and the 2017 event showcases the wide variety of products manufactured in the GCC, he says. The Fair will also host two forums: "The India Business Partnership Summit" on February 7 and the "GIF Dialogue: Future of Industry in the GCC" on February 8. There will also be seminars on Solar Energy and Gulf Projects on February 9. Gulf Industry Fair 2017 is sponsored by the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) in association with Noga and Aluminium Bahrain (Alba). Majaal and Naffco will be supporting the Industrial Facilities and Fire and Safety sectors respectively. Supporting organisations for GIF 2017 includes AHK Saudi Arabia, the German Saudi Arabian Liaison for Economic Affairs, the Saudi British Economic Offset Programme and the Bahrain Industrial Association. -TradeArabia News Service Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), a leading global maritime services company, and Babcock International Group, the UKs leading engineering support services company, are collaborating to develop a ground-breaking Gas Supply Vessel (GSV). The 7,500 cu m vessel, which will be used for the LNG fuelling of ships, including ferries, containers, cruise vessels and other shore-based gas consumers in the Baltic Sea, is the first vessel of its kind to utilise Babcocks market leading FGSV0 technology, said a statement. BSM and Babcock have developed the patent pending FGSV0 technology to deliver LNG from the GSV into the receiving vessel with zero emissions to the environment during normal operations, greatly minimising environmental impact. The vessel is also designed to meet the International Maritime Organisations global cap of 0.5 per cent on shipping-related sulphur emissions which will be enforced from January 2020, as well as the creation of Emission Control Areas (ECAs) in the North Sea, Mediterranean, Baltic and the US Gulf among other areas. The GSV will be built at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Ulsan, South Korea. The keel is scheduled to be laid down in February 2018 with the cargo tanks delivered in January 2018. The vessel is due to be launched in April 2018 with delivery expected in September 2018, said the statement. Many LNG refuelling hubs are in the process of being planned globally with GSVs expected to be more widely used as new LNG fuelling infrastructure is developed, enabling greater market growth potential and opportunities, it said. Ian Lindsay, Babcock managing director for energy and marine technology, said: Working with well-established partners such as the Schulte Group is an exciting prospect for our team. As innovators in Liquefied Natural Gas technology, working on this first of its kind programme is a great opportunity to further expand our reach into the international LNG arena. The same sentiments were echoed by Angus Campbell, BSM director for energy projects. This new sector will enable Babcock and the Schulte Group to innovate and deliver safe, efficient and environmentally responsible fuel delivery to meet demand in this growing sector of our industry, Campbell said. - TradeArabia News Service Aviareps, a global leader in destination marketing, PR and sales, has been appointed as market representative for the Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and China. Aviareps marketing and PR specialists, located within each targeted market, will be responsible for proactively coordinating and developing the authoritys media relations, press events and familiarization trips, and the organisation of road shows and seminars in Central Europe and China based on Bahrains unique tourism offering. These activities will also include a major presentation to be conducted at ITB Berlin, a leading travel trade show taking place in March. Thomas Drechsler, chief operating officer Tourism of Aviareps, said: Our media partners will be pleasantly surprised with the unique and aspirational stories the Kingdom of Bahrain has to tell. Bahrain is a small country packed with many wonders of nature and a unique culture to share with travellers. At the same time, Bahrain boasts an impressively modern tourism infrastructure. We are very excited and honoured about our appointment, and looking forward to representing Bahrain`s interests in both German-speaking Europe and China. Commenting on the appointment, HE Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al-Khalifa, CEO of BTEA, said: Although Bahrain has a number of unique offerings for tourists, we noticed that tour operators around the world did not have enough information or packages to push holidaymakers to visit the island. The new representative offices would help bridge the gap and boost visitor numbers to the kingdom. Yousef AlKhan, director of marketing and tourism promotion at BTEA, added: BTEA took a huge step forward by introducing its new brand Ours.Yours.Bahrain at the World Travel Market in London in November 2016. We are now showcasing our new brand outside of the region. Ours.Yours.Bahrain embraces the generosity and hospitality of our people, which visitors will surely feel when they come to Bahrain. Through Brand Bahrain, we are hoping to place Bahrain on the world map by not only showcasing its authentic culture and heritage but also the harmonious blend of an old and modern, business-friendly world. - TradeArabia News Service Oman Air is celebrating the latest in a string of prestigious wins, following the presentation of the Best Arab Air Carrier supporting Arab Tourism award to the airline. The 2017 Arab Tourism Media Awards ceremony organised by the Arab Centre for Tourism Media was held at Casablanca Grand Hotel Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Usama Karim al-Haremi, head of corporate communications and media of Oman Air, said: Oman Air is pleased and proud to accept the Best Arab Air Carrier supporting Arab Tourism award and we would like to thank the judges and everyone else at the Arab Tourism Media Awards for this accolade. Since last year, Oman Air saw the introduction of six new Boeing 737-800s and two B787-800s joining the airline's fleet. And with the addition of the new aircraft Oman Airs fleet currently stands at 48. This will not only offer more people a superlative passenger experience, but also enable even more people to visit Oman and discover for themselves the unique beauty and timeless culture of this wonderful country, which is increasingly renowned at an international level as a distinguished tourist destination. Oman Air continues to further consolidate its global position as one of the world's leading airlines through its prestigious award wins. Recent awards in 2016 include Worlds Leading Airline Economy Class at the World Travel Awards in the Maldives, and Foreign Airline of the Year by Sector to the Middle East at the annual KLIA Awards, introduced in 2006 to recognise the best in Malaysian aviation industry. The coveted Signum Virtutis, the seal of excellence, from the Seven Stars Luxury Hospitality and Lifestyle Awards 2016 and winner for the best airline in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. The accolades are not limited to the passenger operation; Oman Air Cargo was also awarded Best Cargo Airline for Valuable Goods North and East at the India Cargo Awards 2016 held in Delhi. Almost 900,000 people participated in voting for 260 participants from all the Arab countries. The Omani winners were among several Arab contenders in various categories, including entrants from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Bahrain, Sudan, Algeria, Morocco, the UAE, Tunisia and Jordan. - TradeArabia News Service As part of its participation in the third edition of Shop Bahrain, the largest event in the kingdom, Saar Mall offers its visitors many exciting activities as well as chances of winning valuable prizes throughout the festival period. Saar Mall will host a Tea Party on February 9 from 5 pm to 6:30 pm with Dalal Al Doub, a well-known social media influencer. A competition will also be launched on Instagram where 20 of her followers will be chosen to join her at the Tea Party. Mall visitors will also get the opportunity to meet Dalal and take memorable pictures with her. The mall visitors will also enjoy watching their favorite Disney movies at the Kids Cinema located in the mall every day and until February 6 from 10am to 10pm. Shoppers will receive three points for every BD1 ($2.5) spent against receipts totaling BD10 ($25.8) or more across all outlets. The points will be registered within the Shop Bahrain loyalty system allowing shoppers to enter the weekly raffle draw for an opportunity to win valuable prizes. We are delighted to be part of the participating malls in the new edition of Shop Bahrain, and provide mall visitors a unique shopping experience filled with fun activities and instant prizes. Saar Mall aims to attract local shoppers from different age groups and with varying interests since our focus has been to include comprehensive services and facilities under one roof," said Esmahan Hassan Bokhowa, general manager of Saar Mall. Yousef Al Khan, director of Shop Bahrain, added: We are pleased to collaborate with shopping malls from across the Kingdom for the third year in a row, especially with Saar Mall. Shop Bahrain activities and events aim to attract visitors from Bahrain and the neighboring GCC countries to drive foot-fall and increase commercial activities at the participating malls. Shop Bahrain aims to energise the tourism and retail sectors by hosting a number of entertaining activities and weekly raffle draws including 12 cars, airline tickets, and over 25,000 valuable prizes. Shoppers and visitors can learn more about "Shop Bahrain" through the website: www.shopbahrain.com or through the account @shopbahrain on the social networking channels Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. The Festival organizers have also launched a dedicated whatsapp channel on 38999111. - TradeArabia News Service Anyone who is fond of listening to reggae or gospel music could not have avoided hearing about Zion. Examples include Bob Marley's upbeat "Iron Lion Zion" and the renowned black gospel song "Zion is Calling Me" by Stephen Hurd. Despite its abundant appearance in lyrics and slogans, a lot of people identify this revered place as mystical than real. This utopian place is important for both Judeo-Christian faith and the Afro-centric movement. And it is with these two principal set of points where one can determine the ideology (myth) and the geography (real) of Zion - and yes, this place is real as far as history is concerned (but we'll get to that, eventually). But first... The Myth. For the many famous Afro-centric movements, particularly the Rastafarians, Zion refers to the future (post-apocalyptic) African continent. Proponents of the Afro-centric movements believed that the Western world (Babylon) will eventually collapse. Hence, the downfall of Babylon will overturn the historical African Diaspora and recall all of them from Europe, America and the Caribbean back to their homeland, recreating the paradise on earth. For now, Rastafarians speculate that Zion is Ethiopia. Apart from the fact that it is chosen as the African political capital, it is the homeland of the 'living messiah,' Rastafari (Emperor Haile Selassie I). The Facts. The actual location of Zion is found in the chronicles of the Judeo-Christian history. At the height of King David's conquest throughout Jerusalem, he conquered a mighty Jebusite fortress at the city's southeastern hill. After claiming the hill, King David named it Mount Zion. Until today, Judeo-Christian faiths understand Zion as God's Promised Land in direct reference to this historical event in the Holy Land. In Popular Media. With history repeating itself, the history of the Hebrew people bears a stark resemblance to the history of Africans. It didn't come as a complete surprise that Zion represents the sense of freedom that modern humanity is fighting to attain. Hence, Zion as the chosen name of the last human city in a machine-dominated universe of "The Matrix" is just too much of a coincidence. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Hotel 41 may have topped the listing of travel tips and reviews website TripAdvisor but Bishop's Gate Hotel took the cake even if the website listing has placed it second. According to tourists and locals often fancying the hotel when in London, five things about it make it stand out from the competition. According to Newsletter UK, Bishop's Gate Hotel ranked second in TripAdvisor's best hotels in London despite opening its doors only last 2016. Hotel 41 -- the first hotel on its list -- had made number 1 but it has been established for a great number of years. The news website said Bishop's Gate believes it was them "[having] rarely ever get a bad review" that made their website spring to the top. Should one journey to its TripAdvisor page, Bishop's Gate hotel has a five-star rating with most reviewers praising the amazing food from appetizer to dessert. A traveler said he gave the hotel five stars because their staff are the "friendliest helpful" anyone could get as they "[go through the] extra mile of making our time there so enjoyable." Travelers also praised the hotel for its "very chic and relaxing" decor while being the counterpoint of the city's Cathedral Quarter. Newsletter UK said the hotel "blends stunning Edwardian architecture" combined with "exceeding the contemporary needs and desires of its guests," a formula for success indeed. Bishop's Gate Operator Ciaran O' Neill -- speaking to Newsletter UK -- added that the staff prioritizes providing a "genuine welcome" and are committed to "delivering the best accommodation, food and service." But, they go beyond; travelers had testified that even when using gift vouchers, they still felt welcome despite spending less than mainstay guests. Despite having only a few rooms, many also found Bishop's Gate Hotel a great place for family. While no gift vouchers exist for family-sized stays, staff are attentive and are prepared to deliver extra beddings to allow families to stay in one of the 30 grand-sized hotel rooms. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 Emergency cases are inevitable even on commercial flights. Cases can range to simple allergies to childbirth and those that can cause death. Neurological cases are the most common and occur more frequently than accident-related deaths. It is best to consult a physician before booking a flight and consider the following conditions that need special attention. Disabilities. The U.S. Department of Transportation makes the Air Carrier Access Act available online. It provides the detailed airline policies for those who need constant assistance and medication in flights. According to Jetstar, all medical supplies necessary for the journey must be packed in the carry-on baggage with a professionally published identification label. If hypodermic needles are needed, they should be documented and declared to airport security. Pregnant Mothers. USA Today stated that a comprehensive analysis shows greater risk of miscarriages for frequent fliers, especially flight attendants. One key factor is the chronic lack of sleep during long flights and change of time zone. Another factor is the exposure to galactic radiation. For those who want to know the potential radiation on a specific flight and date, the Federal Aviation Administration offers an estimation tool. Infants. For those carrying a child on board, it is essential that their carry-ons have common medication such as analgesics, antihistamines and anti-emetics since respiratory and gastrointestinal ailments are common for children on a flight. Also put into consideration the advice of Dr. Neumann, an expert on pediatric travel, that an approved child restraint provides safety to children under two years. Chronic Conditions. It is important to read the medical guidelines form which states allowed conditions to travel given they comply the necessary documents and acquire medical clearance. However, some illnesses are not safe to travel according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Today, a range of medical and health concerns happen during flights. It is important that we take necessary precautions especially when we are traveling in a pressurized cabin. For travelers with specific conditions, it is a must to consult your doctor and review the medical guidelines form. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 This year's Pancake Day falls on the last day of February and just in time for Lent. Also known as Shrove Tuesday, people around the world will be "shroving" or "freeing themselves from sin" by munching down indulgent and fatty foods before Ash Wednesday. But why pancakes, though? According to Metro UK, Christians believe that the four ingredients in making pancakes signify the four pillars of the Christian faith. Flour represents sustenance, eggs for creation, milk for purity, while salt is for wholesomeness, said the report. If you're traveling to any of these five countries, be sure to catch their pancakes on Pancake Day! These aren't your normal American, round, maple syrup hot cakes. Finland. The Finnish country is celebrating their 100 years of independence, and everybody will be eating Pannukakku on Pancake Day as part of their celebration. These pancakes are baked and are prepared in squares rather than the usual round cakes. Made with the traditional ingredients, some people serve it with fresh fruits, cream, and powdered sugar. Japan. Japan, being Japan, is known for their creativity and uniqueness when preparing food. They have a pancake that means "What you want" in English. Called as Okonomiyaki in their country, this pancake is made of flour, egg, cabbage and anything you want to place in like tuna or squid, pork or sea urchin, wasabi or octopus and the likes. Because, you know, Japan. Denmark. Aebleskiver may not look like your traditional pancake because it's not flat. It's round but is still made with the usual ingredients. They are often dipped in jams or marmalade and sprinkled with powdered sugar. They are cooked in a special round pan that gives them that shape. Italy. Farinata is an Italian pancake is sliced like a pizza and consists of ingredients like chickpea or nuts. It's pretty crispy on the outside yet moist and creamy inside. Highly topped with herbs as well, don't you know this pancake is best served with wine? Sweden. Raggmunk is the Swedish potato pancake that is served with meat, sausage or bacon. One can garnish it with onion leaves, lentils, celery or any leafy vegetables. From all the berries best served with Raggmunk, lingonberries, a Scandinavian fruit is the one that would complete its taste. Can't travel? You can check the internet for alternative ingredients. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 It started in the 1800s where the inhabitants installed furnaces along with smoky chimneys in a little village of Zalipie, Poland. It was a rather ghastly sight because it blackened the walls, and consequently, the women of the town painted flowers all over the buildings to cover the smudge made by the smoke. Now, Zalipe continued to paint much of the village's homes, churches, and schools with colorful flower bouquets 200 years ago. The village became one of the prominent tourist spots of Poland because of its interesting sights. In the 1800s, there were no brushes or paint the women can get hold to. According to Unusual Places, the women never lacked creativity in them as "they manufactured the brushes themselves, using hair from the tails of their cows. As or the paint itself, women used fat from the dumplings they made." Not only had they painted the exteriors of the buildings, but on chicken coops, dog houses, and their stoves as well. These women painted their walls regularly as black smokes continued to blotch the walls. When modern cooking and heating equipment came, everybody thought the paintings would disappear. However, it persisted, and the floral strokes and techniques became more elaborate and sophisticated as the women had access to paint and brushes finally. The paintings continued and grew more popular each year inviting locals and nearby neighbor towns to join them. An annual art competition is being held in spring after the Feast of the Corpus Christi, and even the men now can enter the contest. Though, it is still predominantly joined by women artists. The most famous landmark in Zalipie is the Farm Felicia Curyowa to honor the woman who retained and developed the tradition of flower painting in the village. After her death, her house was elevated to the status of the museum and became one of the prime destinations for art workshops in Poland. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 The world's most authentic sushi comes from its hometown in Japan indeed but it can be costly to head to Japan for the sake of a sushi dinner. While most Americans complain about small sushi joints not bringing that "authentic" taste to the community, five amazing sushi restaurants and bars that exist in the country. In Santa Barbara, California is Arigato Sushi -- a name that sounds unassuming because it sounds like an American language lure to have local interested in the restaurant. But "Thank You Sushi" focuses on making diners' sushi attractive as an artwork -- to a point Thrillist describes as something "plated at the Louvre." Thrillist also stands by the taste of the sushi. When in Seattle, Washington, Maneki is the oldest sushi restaurant around. While most would call it a bar because of its size and inebriation celebrations almost every night, eating sushi standing up with a cold bottle of beer does not sound bad. A huge selection of tasty fish for their authentic-tasting Japanese sushi is complemented further by its wonderful eastern decor. New York's dozens and dozens of Sushi bars and restaurants may have one skip Ichimura in Brushstroke. According to Thrillist, the chef owns the restaurant and is dedicated to retaining the centuries-old style of sushi preparation. The interiors are bright as they are modern -- and the sushi reflects the feeling of an urban, authentic Japanese taste. Oregon's own selection of Japanese restaurants is numerous but none comes close to how Mirakutei could do it. Ramen, tsukemen and sushi they make are amazing but the sushi stands out. Strange though, Mirakutei needs customers to order an Omakase a day before they eat, but it makes sense; the ingredients are freshly sourced. A proof of deep dedication to food preparation. According to The Daily Meal, Japanese Market is not a market but rather a "small counter" serving "life-altering sushi" that one can assume is said in a great way (else why is it in this list.) Aside from their homemade sushi are tempura, omakase, teriyaki and curry. See Now: The U.S. had the highest number of Most Wanted properties, dominating the Hotels.com Loved By Guests Awards 2018 A Premium Application Centre offering personalised services for UK visa applicants, enabling them to submit UK visa applications at short notice, has been opened by the UK Home Offices commercial service provider VFS Global, in Houston, TX. (TRAVPR.COM) UK - February 3rd, 2017 - Premium Application Centre offering personalised services for UK visa applicants opens in Houston A Premium Application Centre offering personalised services for UK visa applicants, enabling them to submit UK visa applications at short notice, has been opened by the UK Home Offices commercial service provider VFS Global, in Houston, TX. Customers applying for work, travel or study visas for the UK can now have their visa applications considered within 24 hours following submission of applications at this new Application Centre. The new services are expected to be of particular interest to personnel from the Technology and Energy industry, students and business travellers among other professionals travelling to the UK. The Centre in Houston is the latest to be launched for UK visa applicants after positive response to similar centres opened in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Boston. To book appointments or know more about the services offered at the centre, applicants can visit https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/usa/ Premium Application Centre in Houston: 700 Milam Street, Regus Centre Suite 1300, Houston, TX 77002. Email: UKHOU_Premium@VFSGlobal.com The services on offer at the Premium Application Centres are: Super Priority Visa Service : Next day processing and return of your visa : Next day processing and return of your visa Priority Visa Service : Quicker processing of your visa application within 3 to 5 days : Quicker processing of your visa application within 3 to 5 days Flexible appointment choices during regular or prime time appointment slots choices during regular or prime time appointment slots Walk-in Without an Appointment: Walk in without a prior appointment Walk in without a prior appointment Passport and Document Pickup during flexible hours during flexible hours Biometric enrolment: Fingerprint, signature, photo and biographic data capture Fingerprint, signature, photo and biographic data capture Digital Assist : Personalised form-filling services at the centre : Personalised form-filling services at the centre Get it Right Service : Personalised document checking by the centre staff and the opportunity to submit missing documents to the UK Decision Making Centre within prescribed time-frame : Personalised document checking by the centre staff and the opportunity to submit missing documents to the UK Decision Making Centre within prescribed time-frame Certification Service : Copies of your original documents are certified by the centre staff, allowing you to submit certified copies instead of your originals : Copies of your original documents are certified by the centre staff, allowing you to submit certified copies instead of your originals Courier Service : Express delivery to the UK Decision Making Centre and return courier mail service of your passport and documents to the address of your choice : Express delivery to the UK Decision Making Centre and return courier mail service of your passport and documents to the address of your choice SMS Service: Automated real-time messages on the status of your passport and documents at each stage of your application Commenting on the new centres, Anil Katoch, COO Americas & Caribbean, VFS Global, said, The Premium Application Centres are convenient for UK-bound travelers in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco and Houston, who will for the first time be able to get their visas processed within 24 hours. These centres cater to the growing demand for more personalised services for customers who have to make unplanned journeys to the UK or who are under time constraints. On Demand Mobile Visa where the visa service comes to your Work site, Home or Business! The Centres also offer the on-demand services which enables customers to submit applications from the convenience of a location of their choice. Whether it is your worksite, home, university campus or office, VFS Global staff can travel to the desired location to accept applications and enroll biometrics. ODMV is ideal for individual customers who have demanding schedules and value the personal, private service it provides. In contrast it is perfect for larger groups where bringing the service to you makes the process easier for the group and more cost effective for the company. For further information on the Premium Service VAC and other services, please visit: http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/usa *VFS Global will be responsible only for accepting applications for UK Visas and Immigration. All applications submitted will continue to be assessed and processed by UK Visas and Immigration. Timelines for turnaround of visas are as per the discretion of the authorities. ### Andhra Pradesh beckons global tourists with its pristine beaches, stunning hill stations, divine temples and serene backwaters Aims to develop the state as the most preferred destination globally Appeals for investment in tourism projects and be a part of a wonderful growth story (TRAVPR.COM) INDIA - February 6th, 2017 - Andhra Tourism reaches out to Spanish Outbound Market! Organizes Roadshow to Entice Tour-Operators Andhra Pradesh beckons global tourists with its pristine beaches, stunning hill stations, divine temples and serene backwaters Aims to develop the state as the most preferred destination globally Appeals for investment in tourism projects and be a part of a wonderful growth story Madrid, Jan 19, 2017: The Sunrise state of Andhra Pradesh, blessed with some of the finest tourist destinations in India, beckons international tourists to come and experience the hospitality and create a memory that would be etched ever after. Andhra Pradesh Tourism participated this year at the FITUR exhibition on 19th of January, 2017 with a dominating presence as a stand-alone exhibitor at this years FITUR, Madrid. Taking advantage of the huge gathering of the worlds travel-trade fraternity in Madrid during FITUR 2017 Exhibition, the Dept. of Tourism, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh also held a roadshow to connect with key tour operators and media representatives from across the world, including from Spain. The rich and varied culture of Andhra Pradesh can be perceived from its melodious music, scintillating dances, delectable cuisine, ingenious arts & crafts and wonderful people. Right from the pristine beaches of Visakhapatnam to the backwaters of Dindi and again from the holy Lord Balaji temple of Tirupati to the beautiful Araku Valley, the state has all the elements making it a world class tourist destination. Andhra Pradesh is a vibrant conglomeration of People, culture and Festivals. Dr. Srikant Nagulapalli, IAS, Secretary, Culture & Tourism, Government of Andhra Pradesh led the team and made an exalting pitch to the international audience at the roadshow. He also stressed upon the point that with a favorable tourism policy in practice and a business friendly approach, Andhra Pradesh is keen to attract investment in the tourism infrastructure projects. He listed a spate of opportunities that the government is keen to offer potential investors. Apart from various fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, he emphasized that the state assures investors of full-fledged support and co-operation. Our endeavor is to develop Andhra Pradesh as the most preferred destination and under the dynamic leadership of Honble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu we are taking progressive steps in that direction. Our vision is to create an all-round tourist friendly environment in the state which ensures a memorable experience for each and every guest every time they visit Andhra Pradesh. The event was also graced by the newly appointed Indian Ambassador to Spain, Shri D B Venkatesh Varma. Giving his wholehearted support to Dr. Srikants outreach program, the Ambassador invited the audience to take full benefit of the business-friendly and development oriented initiatives being spearheaded by the Government in Andhra Pradesh. The Secretarys presentation covered details on key tourism circuits that international travelers can experience. An audio-visual on Andhra tourism was also played. He informed that with the aim to attract tourists from far and wide, the state is organizing multiple mega festivals such as Visakha Utsav, Lepakshi festival, Araku festival and Flamingo festival in the upcoming months. These programs are in line with the State governments missionary approach to promote the state as Indias most preferred tourist destination and position as a global tourism brand by providing world class tourism products and services, while preserving the culture, heritage, environmental balance and natural beauty of the state. Rich culture is always prevalent in the state of Andhra Pradesh. A huge collection of performing arts emerged from this state including music, drama and dance to our world. The most popular form of classical dance, Kuchipudi originated from Andhra Pradesh. The audience at the roadshow was enthralled by a captivating Kuchipudi performance by Ms. Korneliya, a Polish national and student of Ms. Arunima (of Arunima Kumar Dance Company, London). The networking dinner spread that followed included Andhra dishes to introduce guests to Andhra cuisine. ### Hailing from Porto, the second-largest city in Portugal behind Lisbon, port wines have a long international history stemming largely from British traders that discovered local wines, when fortified by adding brandy to the casks, would arrive in Britain with a smooth, sweet taste highly preferred by the local market. Adding spirits to the wine during fermentation stops this process, resulting in a higher sugar content and a sweeter taste. To this day, the largest port producing companies have retained the names of their British and Irish founders, such as Warres, Cockburns, Sandeman, Graham and Osbourne. Commonly drunk in Europe before dinner as an aperitif, port wines are most often drunk in Britain and the United States as an after-dinner drink. The range of styles available raise the possibility of serving port wines with meals, provided you pair the foods thoughtfully. On a recent trip to Porto, an idyllic riverside sidewalk cafe served me a vintage tawny-style port aged in wooden barrels for 20 years. The port was paired with a spicy sausage flambeed tableside in brandy, and the semi-dry wine complemented the spices and heat of the sausage perfectly. Color is often the best determination of the style of port, with shades ranging from green and white, corresponding to traditional Portuguese Vinho Verde and Vinho Branco styles, to a deep red color. The most common and affordable style, Ruby, has an approachable sweetness, and the more complex and aged Tawny ports pair easily with dark chocolates and rich Iberian cheeses. Most newcomers to port wines will be more comfortable with the Ruby and Tawny styles to start, progressing to more complex styles and flavors as their palates develop. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Hyderabad, February 6 Former Reserve Bank of India Governor C Rangarajan on Monday said banks could not escape from the responsibility of controlling Non-Performing Assets (NPA) in their balance sheets. At a panel discussion on Union Budget-2017, Rangarajan said though the adverse impact of demonetisation would wear off as the currency availability improved, some effects would not go away even as sectors like real estate would have to rethink their business models. The banking system is undoubtedly under stress. How to resolve that particular problem is only through capitalisation. Please remember even in good old Basil-I, the capital is 8 per cent of the risk weighted assets. So Rs 10,000 crore (capital infusion to banks in 2017-18 as mentioned in the budget) should not be compared with Rs 1 lakh crore or Rs 2 lakh crore, he said. I think the general scene is that the capital provided is not adequate...I think this cannot let the banks escape the responsibility for the non-performing assets that they have in their asset portfolio. It is best to take steps to ensure that they collect as much as possible from the non-performing assets, Rangarajan said, when asked if the Rs 10,000 crore capital infusion for banks next year would be sufficient in the wake of mounting NPAs. Earlier, giving his opinion on the recent budget speech by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the former chairman of Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister said the budget is well intentioned, and actions should match the intentions. The adverse impact of demonetisation will wear off as currency availability approaches normalcy. But some effects will not go away. Sectors like real estate will have to rethink of how to run their businesses, he said. Rangarajan said the revenue projections in the budget had been done conservatively and, therefore, would hold. According to him, the budget acted prudently to keep the fiscal deficit at 3.2 per cent of the GDP in 2017-18, which is lower than 3.5 per cent during the current fiscal and slightly higher than 3 per cent which was indicated earlier. PTI Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 6 Ousted Tata Sons Chairman Cyrus Mistry was today removed as director of the company with shareholders voting in favour of his removal with requisite majority. The shareholders of Tata Sons Ltd, at the extraordinary general meeting held today, passed, with the requisite majority, a resolution to remove Cyrus P Mistry as a Director of Tata Sons Ltd, the Tata Groups holding firm said. On the implications of Mistrys ouster, Vaibhav Agrawal (Head of Research, Angel Broking, said in its EGM the shareholders of Tata Sons voted to remove Cyrus Mistry from the directorship of Tata Sons. The decision was a foregone conclusion as the Tata Trusts own 66% in Tata Sons and Tata group companies hold another 15%. Tata Sons has already appointed former TCS CEO, N Chandrasekharan, as Chairman of Tata Sons. The Board has tried to rest the uncertainty over management and control of Tata Group companies which brings the focus back to business issues. The legal battle between the two sides, however, is likely to continue hence the road ahead needs to be watched closely, Agrawal said. Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 6 Traders from across the country will hold a two-day national conference at Nagpur on February 7-8 to deliberate on various issues concerning, including GST and digital payments. It is being organised by the Confederation of All India Traders and over 200 leaders are expected to attend it. CAIT national president BC Bhartia and secretary general Praveen Khandelwal said: GST is an attempt to bring radical changes in taxation system which is a welcome step since current taxation system is fraught with various anomalies. But at the same time, the proposed model of GST also provides various provisions which will be difficult to comply with. Unfortunately, no attempt has been made by the government to initiate talks with stakeholders on GST and a larger section of traders is still unaware of the proposed structure. Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 6 The Chandigarh Police have arrested a native of Nepal for allegedly strangling a 58-year-old man, whose charred headless body was found in the forest area at Makhan Majra. The accused, along with his three accomplices, first took liquor with the victim and then murdered him in September 2016 to loot Rs 40,000 from the victim. Who beheaded the victim and burnt his body is still a mystery for the police. The headless charred body of the man was found under mysterious circumstances in the forest area at Makhan Majra close to the Chandigarh-Ambala highway on January 25. The police had recovered the victims voter ID card from the spot that helped them identify the victim as Dhan Bahadur, a native of Nepal. Satish Kumar, DSP (East), said the victims family gave them the mobile number which he was using. With the help of the mobile number, we were able to trace one of the accused, Kiran Singh, who was using the victims mobile phone, the DSP said. He said the victim worked at an apple orchard in Narkanda, around 70 km from Shimla. On September 29 last year, the victim, along with the four accused, who were known to him, came to Chandigarh, the DSP said. The victim and the four accused took liquor in the forest area after which the accused strangled the victim. The accused knew that the victim was carrying Rs 40,000 following which they hatched a conspiracy and murdered him. The accused also stole his mobile phone, said a police official. The police said the accused, Kiran Singh, was arrested and the mobile phone recovered from him. According to the police, a hunt for the remaining three accused is on. The accused was produced in the court today, which sremanded him in 10-day police custody. Sandeep Rana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 6 The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) has convicted Col BS Goraya (retd) in a case of selling his attached agricultural property in Punjab. Judge Akshdeep Mahajan has scheduled the quantum of sentence for February 8. In 2011, the court of special CBI judge had ordered initiation of criminal action against the former Army officer and had filed a complaint against him in the court of the then CJM. Proceedings against him under Section 340 of the CrPC were started in the court of the CJM. The property of the Sector 9 resident was attached during the investigation of a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The court had directed that he was not entitled to sell his land. However, he sold off one of the attached properties. A case was registered by the premier investigating agency under Sections 13(2) and 13(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. It was stated that between January 1987 and August 1990, the accused and some others had acquired properties worth Rs 82.58 lakh. The properties were disproportionate to his known sources of income. The CBI court, during the trail, had also attached the Sector 9 house of the former Army officer. He had several properties in his as well as his family members name in Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana, which led to the registration of the case against him. Colonel Goraya, however, had submitted an application on March 26, 2014, seeking verification regarding the sale of the Sector 2 plot. Pritam Singh PUNJABS election scene was both annoying and fascinating. It was annoying because confronted with the enormity of the task Punjab faces due to its stunted development, we saw cheap tricks, theatrics and personal insults in the course of electioneering. One must appreciate at least two political leaders, Parkash Singh Badal and Dharamvir Gandhi, who thankfully stuck to civilised language and decorum during campaigning for the polls. Despite this annoyance, the election scene was still fascinating because for the first time, the duopoly of political rule in Punjab has been challenged by a third player, that is the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). This will, hopefully, strengthen democracy by enabling Punjabis to widen their political choices and not be forced to choose only between two rivals the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Congress party. Historically, once there did emerge the possibility of a Left alternative, in the 1950s and in a modified form until 1980. In the 1957 assembly elections in the erstwhile Punjab, 13.6 per cent voters had voted for the Communist Party and 1.3 per cent for the Praja Socialist Party, thus taking the combined Left vote to 15 per cent. If we confine ourselves only to the constituencies which fall in the present-day Punjab, this vote was around 25 per cent. Every fourth voter had then voted for the Left. Outside parliamentary politics, the Naxalite movement in Punjab in the late 1960s and the early 1970s attracted the brightest and idealistic Punjabi youth to its fold. The parliamentary Left too maintained a good position so much so that for the Assembly elections in 1980, the Akali Dal-CPI-CPM combine narrowly missed capturing power in Punjab. It is tempting to imagine that had that coalition won, the politics of Punjab might have followed a different historical course with consequences for Indian politics. Until then, the Punjabi Leftists were reasonably successful in combining their roots in Punjab's egalitarian Sikh traditions with modern socialism. The parliamentary Left damaged itself after 1984 when instead of following its reputable political philosophy of standing with the oppressed; it became an ally of the establishment while there were massive human rights violations taking place in the rural areas of Punjab. Every movement has its soul and when that soul is lost, the death of the movement is inevitable. The degeneration of the parliamentary Left leadership led to its two elected CPI MLAs in 2002 being lured into the Congress by the then Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. The final demise of this Left alternative was symbolised by its complete absence in the Punjab legislature since 2007. The AAP has risen as a third alternative in Punjab on the ruins of Punjab's parliamentary Left and the brutal suppression of the Naxalite movement in the early 1970s and of the Sikh militant movement in the 1990s. It is this specific Punjab link that is central to resolving the puzzle that a party with no Punjabi in its central leadership managed to win 4 out of 13 Lok Sabha seats from Punjab in 2014. It not only lost every seat it contested elsewhere in the country but 414 out of the 434 candidates fielded forfeited their security deposits. This stunning performance in Punjab also contributed significantly to its spectacular success in the Delhi Assembly elections in February, 2015. Then Left sympathisers and Sikh activists had actively campaigned for the AAP in Delhi. The suppression of the Naxalite movement in Punjab involved physical liquidation of nearly 100 activists in encounters and imprisonment, torture, abuse, harassment and monetary exploitation of thousands of sympathisers. The suppression of this movement left thousands of families broken, discontented, helpless and angry. This network of families and activists had virtually no political home in the existing political parties. The rise of the AAP since 2013/2014 has provided them a platform of hope. Unleashing of the dormant energies of these activists had played a crucial part in the AAP's electoral victories in 2014, particularly in the Faridkot and Sangrur constituencies and to a lesser extent in the Patiala constituency where Dr Gandhi defeated the Congress candidate Perneet Kaur. These constituencies formed areas where the Naxalite movement had had a substantial following, especially among the youth. The suppression of the Sikh militant movement in the 1980s and 1990s was even wider and deeper than the Naxalite movement. It affected hundreds of thousands of families whose members were liquidated by the security forces or tortured, humiliated or subjected to extortion. A substantial section of the Sikh population was disgruntled and rebellious but without an obvious political home. At one stage, these angry masses supported the Simranjeet Singh Mann-led Akali Dal candidates, leading to massive victories of those candidates to the Lok Sabha in 1989. However, Manns inability to organise this support in a sustainable manner led to this discontented mass migrating almost en bloc in its support to the AAP. The election in 2014 of Harinder Singh Khalsa from Fatehgarh Sahib showed the strength of this stream of the AAPs support base. The other components in the AAP's support base include idealistic youth opposed to corruption from the urban Hindu middle class, a section of the Dalits and the diaspora. The AAP's potential as a third alternative has been weakened by its organisational blunders such as expelling its founding Punjab convener Chhottepur and political blunders such as superimposing the image of the jharoo over that of Golden Temple in its publicity material. Despite these blunders, the AAP remains a substantial player in Punjab's electoral politics. It does not have the organisational network that the Akali Dal has but it has fully exploited the Akali Dal's vulnerability on the government's mishandling of the desecrations of Shri Guru Granth Sahib. As far as the Congress is concerned, it has nothing to show except Amarinder Singh as a popular leader. One significant political outcome from the AAP's foray into Punjab is that the issue of Punjab politics being governed by Punjab politicians and not Delhi-based centralised leaders has acquired a level of importance never seen before. All political parties are being forced to underplay the role of their central leaders and to project greater decision-making powers to their state-based leadership. Irrespective of the outcome of this Assembly election, the lasting and valuable contribution of the highly centralised AAP to Punjab would be, paradoxically, to strengthen the regionalisation of Punjab politics. The writer is a Professor of Economics at Oxford Brookes University, UK Within two weeks of his installation as the President of the United States Donald Trump has breathtakingly managed to offend conventional sensibilities at home and disgust decent voices all over the world. His ban on all refugees and travellers from seven Muslim-dominated countries has, understandably, evoked criticism domestically and disapproval from almost each one of American allies and friends. That ban order has now run into judicial difficulties but that has not prevented President Trump and his surrogates from growling and snarling at the judges. He seems to be totally unwilling to submit himself to the constitutional stipulations of restraint, including judicial scrutiny of executive actions. Though he has rightly refused to judge President Putin of Russia, Donald Trump has been prone to be provocatively boorish in his interactions with foreign leaders. His telephonic conversation with the Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, was over-spiced with arrogance; no leader, even if he happens to be the President of the United States, has any business to conduct himself so presumptuously with another Head of Government. President Trump has already had nasty exchanges with the Mexican President. Protocols and proprieties in international behaviour are not empty rituals and do serve the purpose of deepening civilised conduct. Influential voices in Germany and France are already urging their leaders to stand up to Trump and his bullying habits. From prescribing dress codes for his female staff to telling publicly Arnold Schwarzenegger how to conduct a reality show, the President is just being himself impulsive, abusive and reckless, and ever ready for a Twitter combat. For now his antics are generating dismay and amusement. Those who had hoped that responsibilities of the new office would sober him up are disappointed. After all, the US presidency is conducted in the open with almost daily negotiation with the Congress (even when both Houses are controlled by the Republicans), the judiciary and a combative media. But the President is happy calling, almost daily, media names. His take-no-prisoners demeanour is bound to beget divisions, bitterness and partisanship at home; more ominously, his anti-elite rhetoric is likely to encourage illiberalism abroad. Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 6 Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today hit out at the BJP government on the issue of promises made by the party to government employees before coming to power and said merely raising the retirement age would not work. Hooda said the BJP had made a plethora of promises to the government employees, including giving pay scales equivalent to Punjab and regularisation of jobs of temporary and contractual workers, but it forgot all its promises after coming to power and even reversed Congress governments decision to increase the retirement age to 60 years. He said it was only after the BJP promised to raise the retirement age in Punjab in its poll manifesto that the Khattar government thought of raising it again in the state to avoid embarrassment. Hooda alleged that the BJP government had committed breach of trust with all sections of society. In the past more than two years, the BJP government has merely issued sermons to others and spent time on writing one or the other unpleasant things on social media without doing any development work, the former CM alleged. Hooda said while the BJP had already paid its price in Delhi, the results of Punjab polls would see the ouster of the party from that state also. He said the performance of the government could be gauged from the fact that without even generating a single new employment, the states loan burden had doubled since October 2014. The BJP, he alleged, promised Rs 2,000 per month as pension to senior citizens, but backtracked after attaining power. He said the message of breach of trust committed by the BJP in Haryana had reached the neighbouring states too. Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 6 The state government seems to have learnt little from last years agitation with practically no efforts being made by its ministers or legislators to engage leaders of the Jat community protesting for their dues. The government keeps sending feelers but remains non-committal about fulfilling our demands. We have got the support of the two main Opposition parties in Haryana, the INLD and the Congress, but the BJP ministers and MLAs are maintaining a distance from us, said Yashpal Malik, president, All-India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS). The agitation, which has completed nine days since it was re-launched on January 29, has seen the numbers on ground grow after the two political parties supported the cause of the Jats who are demanding reservation for the community, besides dropping of cases registered in last years agitation and jobs for those killed and compensation for the injured. The only dialogue the government has had so far with the protesters has been a meeting with one faction of the Jat leaders led by Hawa Singh Sangwan and a section of khap leaders who held a meeting on January 26 in Sonepat while the Malik faction has turned down table talks with the government. Sources in the Opposition maintain that most of the governments leaders, including ministers and legislators, are busy campaigning in Uttar Pradesh or Uttarakhand even as the dharnas continue to grow bigger in their own backyard. As a party and as an individual, I believe that dialogue alone can resolve any situation. The elected representatives should be acting like a bridge between the protesters and the government, hearing out people and airing their grievances to the government. Instead, the BJP government feels that elections in a neighbouring state are priority while this can wait, little realising that reaching out to protesters at various levels can diffuse the situation. The government seems to be failing on this front yet again, said state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar. While state INLD president Ashok Arora maintained that the BJP government did not want to resolve the issue at all and was deliberately staying away. State BJP state president Subhash Barala held that the government was going all out to address the grievances. We have done all we could in the court or otherwise, accepting their demands and redressing their grievances. The top brass in the government has already held talks with a big section of the khaps and Jat leaders, the only exception being Malik. We will begin to engage with the protesters to put across our view in a few days and you will see a step up in activity, Barala said, and added that the growing numbers at the dharnas were coming from the INLD and the Congress which were sending their workers. He said that the government was trying its best to talk to the protesters and stated that there would be greater visibility of the BJP MLAs and ministers in the field shortly, denying that the BJP was missing from the action scene. Tribune News Service Shimla, February 6 The Himachal Pradesh Medical Officers Association (HMOA) and the resident doctors associations today called off their strike after Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today assured the agitating doctors that the Bill treating attack on doctors during duty hours as cognisable offence would be brought in the coming Assembly session while their other demands would be considered sympathetically. The association after discussing the matter in a meeting with Chief Secretary VC Pharka called on the Chief Minister here today. The Chief Minister said the demands of the doctors regarding action on those mounting attacks or assault on them during duty hours would be made a cognisable offence. The Bill to this effect would be tabled in the upcoming Assembly session to enact the law, he added. He also assured the members of the Himachal Pradesh Medical Officers Association that their demand of 4-9-14 scale would be tabled before the Cabinet. He also assured them that the promotion of block medical officers would be done in a time-bound manner. The Chief Minister gave directions to the health department to look into the demand of residences for resident doctors. The doctors led by their patron Dr Baldev Thakur, state president Dr Jeeva Nand Chauhan, and general secretary Dr Pushpinder Verma gave a call to end the strike. Tribune News Service Shimla, February 6 Approving an Annual Plan of Rs 5,700 crore for financial year 2017-18, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said the state government had decided not to do away with the yearly allotment system despite the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI), Aayog, Government of India, discontinuing the process. At the state planning board meeting chaired by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, Cabinet ministers and top officials said priority would be given to social service, transport, agriculture and hydro-power in 2017-18. Despite limited financial resources, the government was committed to delivering on its promises, said the Chief Minister. He said the proposed plan size was 9.1 per cent higher as compared to last year's Rs 5,200 crore allotment. An outlay of Rs 2,213 crore has been proposed for the social service sector and Rs 1,073 crore for transport and communication. For agriculture and allied services, an outlay of Rs 714 crore has been proposed. A sum of Rs 683 crore has been allocated for hydro power. Besides, a sum of Rs 1,436 crore has been proposed under the Scheduled Castes sub-plan, Rs 513 crore for the tribal sub-plan and Rs 70 crore for the backward area sub-plan.Virbhadra said the government was in the process of preparing Vision Document-2030 containing seven-year development strategy and three-year action plan. In its budget for 2016-17, the government not only decided to achieve most of these targets set under the sustainable development goals, but also resolved to surpass them by 2022. The Chief Minster said to keep a check on the absence of staff in schools, biometric machines would be installed. He said the enrollment of students was better in rural schools and in far-flung places as compared to urban areas, where people preferred to send their children to private schools. He said nutritious meal should be given to the students. The Chief Minister said child sex ratio, which was 972/1,000 in the state, needed to be improved though it was far better than the national average of 943/1,000, adding that a tab should be kept on private clinics bordering Himachal. Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur said the state government had started a pilot project in Una, Kangra, and Hamirpur to keep a check on sex determination. He said recently a doctor was fined and imprisoned for a year under the PNDT Act. Vice-chairman, planning board, Gangu Ram Musafir said the proposals would be brought under the annual budget 2017-18. As India Today Group concluded the 2022 Mumbai edition of its premier thought event -- the Conclave, Group Vice Chairperson Kalli Purie thanked the city of Mumbai and its people for playing host to two days of engrossing discussions and debates. "It is so good to be back in Mumbai after three years. Since our last conclave we've all had the best of times and worst of times so it's even more important that we are all here together discussing contentious issues that affect us all," Kalli Purie said. Talking about the two days of Conclave Mumbai and the sessions witnessed, she said that the event's eclectic line-up of speakers and personalities was a reflection of the city and its people. Tribune News Service Jammu, February 6 Several unemployed veterinary doctors were injured today in a police cane-charge when they were taking out a protest march towards the civil secretariat after boycotting the veterinary exam conducted by the Public Service Commission (PSC). Some protesters were also detained by the police. The veterinary doctors, including women, were protesting against the government apathy towards them as they alleged that they were the most ignored lot among the qualified people in the state. Around 400 unemployed veterinary doctors assembled outside the PSC complex here and lodged a strong protest against the alleged callous and non-serious attitude of the government towards them. They raised slogans against the state government and alleged that the ruling dispensation had failed to address their genuine issues. They alleged that the government had advertised only 24 posts to accommodate the blue-eyed people. The successive governments promised us of rejuvenating the department and employment to the qualified veterinarians but have failed miserably. The twin Departments of Animal and Sheep Husbandry are run by the staff strength of 1970 though there has been increase in livestock population and the number of districts. The departments are mostly run by quacks and the skills of more than 800 veterinarians are going waste, they alleged. They alleged that there had been low recruitment of vets during the last 10 years. There has been a creation of only 14 new posts from 1984 to 1989 and since then no new post has been created. In spite of an increasing demand of veterinary hospitals in the state, the government hardly has or is taking any step to meet it. The urgent requirement of veterinarians in the state was put forth at more than 1,200 (as per VCI regulations), they said. The same was refused for one or the other reason even in the tenure of two Ministers of Animal and Sheep Husbandry. After series of discussions and rejections, the Planning Department agreed the creation of 420 posts in September 2012. The seriousness and urgency of the requirement was such that it took eight complete years for the Planning Department to clear the file in March 2015 and now the same is lying in the Finance Department, they said. The protesters demanded clearance of the file of 420 posts which was currently with the Finance Department and clearance of 220 DPC posts, whereby all higher rank officers were holding the VAS posts thus hindering the recruitment of new VASs, and advertisement of all vacancies available with the department till January 2017. Later, they took out a protest march towards the civil secretariat, which was foiled by policemen who had a scuffle with the protesters. The police also resorted to lathicharge that resulted in the injuries to several veterinary doctors. Brig IJ Singh (retd) THERE has been much debate on the officer-jawan relationship in recent months in the media. Let me forcefully state that the Indian Army officers can cross all boundaries of laid-down rules to look after the welfare of their troops. Here goes an actuality. I got my flying wings in 1975, and by 1976, was flying in an Observation Post Flight in Jammu. The three-seater Krishak aircraft was mainly meant for directing fire on enemy locations, photo missions, evacuation of injured personnel and ferrying of Commanders for operational tasks. The switch to this aircraft from Auster MK IX, which I flew earlier, was done under the watchful eye of a flying instructor who was a no-nonsense man and a stickler for rules. VIP tasks soon came my way. I was to pick up the GOC of a division from Poonch and fly him to Rajouri. I had to clear the hills by midday to avoid turbulence. The takeoff from Jammu was delayed by an hour due to inclement weather and I landed, an hour late, at my final destination, Poonch. As I was taxying to a mini ad-hoc dispersal, I saw the staff officer from the Brigade HQ, heading towards my aircraft. I was told that the GOC had already left for Rajouri by road as he was not sure of my arrival due to bad weather. In the same breath, I was told that the Brigade Commander wanted me to join him for breakfast. Quick to accept the offer, I directed the Guard Commander to ensure that guards were placed all around the aircraft. The breakfast was sumptuous, and soon, I was heading back to the landing ground. As I approached the kit, I could see someone already sitting in the co-pilot seat a handsome Sikh soldier, carrying a small bag in his lap. In a commanding voice, I asked my unauthorised passenger to come out of the aircraft. I asked the Guard Commander how he allowed this security breach. He replied that he was told that he and I were performing similar duties and had the right to board the aircraft. My next arrow was fired at this overconfident soldier; and I asked him how our duties were similar. Pat came the reply, Sir, you are a driver, and so am I. If a driver does not look after another, who will? I was fuming. How dare he call a pilot a driver! To put him in his place, I asked him what type of vehicle/aircraft he drove on which he rested his claim. Proudly, he stated that his task was more difficult than mine, for he was a mule driver, and had taken the liberty of taking a lift in my aircraft as he wanted to reach his hometown early to see his ailing mother. My anger gave way to guilt. I immediately strapped him in my co-pilot seat. Seeing him smile, I felt I had made up for the unwanted vocal ordeal of the last 10 minutes. I made contact with the Jammu Air Traffic Control and said I was carrying a passenger who was not a planned occupant and this be told to my Flight Commander. On landing, I ensured that he was taken to a langar, where a feast was laid out for him. The jeep driver was directed to drop him at the railway station, with the order that he must be brought to my office before leaving the air base. Soon, he entered my office, his salute perfect. His verdict was that I was a good driver. Indeed, I was a driver in the air and was lucky to have been given an opportunity to ferry a VIP mule driver! Vadodara, February 6 As many as nine students were injured in a clash among them at a private educational institute here, police said on Monday. Eleven students--eight foreign nationals and three Indians--have been arrested in connection with the incident and booked under the IPC sections, including 307 (attempt to murder), police sub-inspector Anirudh Singh Kamaliya said. It started with a verbal fight over some issue between students from a foreign country and Indian students staying in the hostels on the campus of the university here on Sunday night. Later, the students pelted each other with stones, police said. One of the injured students was admitted to a hospital run by the university, they said. The Waghodia town police rushed to the spot at around 2 am on Monday and brought the situation under control. PTI Chennai, February 6 Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao on Monday accepted the resignation of Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, clearing the decks for V.K. Sasikla to take over the top post. Panneerselvam had resigned yesterday citing personal reasons. His resignation came after AIADMK chief Sasikala was elected the Legislature Party Leader. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) I hereby accept your resignation and the resignation of your Council of Ministers tendered vide your letter dated February 5, 2017, Rao told Panneerselvam. In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister and released by the Raj Bhawan, Rao also asked Panneerselvam and his Cabinet to function until alternate arrangements are made. In his resignation letter addressed to the Governor, he had said, Due to my personal reasons, Im tendering my resignation from the post of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Kindly accept my resignation and relieve the Council of Ministers of Tamil Nadu appointed by me on December 6, 2016, he said. Panneerselvam was appointed Chief Minister on the night of December 5 within hours of the death of his predecessor J. Jayalalithaa. Incidentally, he had proposed the name of Sasikala for the top post at the AIADMK MLAs meeting held in the party headquarters here yesterday. PIL against Sasikala swearin in A Public Interest Litigation has asked the Supreme Court to temporarily restrain All India Dravida Munnetra Kazagham General Secretary VK Sasikala from being sworn in as chief minister after reports said that the leader was likely to take oath of office on Tuesday. Agencies New Delhi, February 6 The Finance Ministry has warned employees of disciplinary action if they criticise the government or its policies. The directive assumes significance as associations representing employees of Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) are protesting against certain decisions taken by the GST Council led by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Goods and Services Tax. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Instructions have been issued in the past wherein it has been impressed upon all concerned to refrain from commenting adversely on the government and its policies, the ministry said in a recent order. It said failing to comply with its instructions may lead to appropriate action (including disciplinary action). The instructions cite service rules that bar any government servant from making any adverse criticism of any policy or action of the government. No government servant shall, in any radio broadcast, telecast through any electronic media or in any document published in his own name or anonymously, pseudonymously or in the name of any other person or in any communication to the press or in any public utterance, make any statement of fact or opinion which has the effect of an adverse criticism of any current or recent policy or action of the central government or state government, reads the service rules. Certain members of Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), All India Association of Central Excise Gazetted Executive Officers, All India Central Excise Inspectors Association and All India Central Excise and Service Tax Ministerial Officers Association had recently participated in a symbolic protest to oppose some decisions taken by the GST Council. When contacted President of IRS (Customs and Central Excise) officers association, Anup Srivastava, said their members are not adversely commenting on the states policies by any way. PTI New Delhi, February 6 The Supreme Court on Monday reversed Gauhati High Courts ruling that ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation to inquire into corruption allegations against former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Nabam Tuki that dated back to 2006, while he was PWD minister in the state. A bench of Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justice NV Ramana asked the high court to hear a Public Interest Litigation on which the court ruled on August 21, 2015, again. Referring to the high courts order, the Supreme Court said that the former chief minister was not given a hearing, but accepted CBIs argument that investigations already been launched after the court gave its order and that they should not be stalled. "If something has been initiated, they will remain if he (Tuki) has not challenged them," it said. The court stayed Gauhati High Courts order against Tuki on August 26, 2015. Tuki has been accused of having manipulated the deal to ensure that the Arunachal Pradesh government commissioned some work to his relatives. "Majority of the said contracts were of Kendriya Vidyalayas of Government of India at Shillong, Kolkata and Rohtak, Haryana and another one was of house keeping in newly constructed Arunachal House in Delhi, and two other small contracts in the state capital of Arunachal Pradesh," the PIL says. The former chief minister has claimed that the high courts decision was hasty and had all PILs related to the allegations transferred from Itanagar Bench to principal bench in Guwahati. "The present SLP raises important questions as to whether the high court without hearing the parties should have passed an order ordering a CBI enquiry into various ten-year-old contracts, which have already been completed," the petition said. PTI Jerusalem, February 6 Well known Indian-origin British sculptor Anish Kapoor was on Monday named the winner of a prestigious $1 million Genesis prize by Israel for his commitment to Jewish values. Kapoor, 62, spoke out against abhorrent government policies towards refugees as he was named the recipient of this years Genesis prize, dubbed Jewish Nobel. The prize committee, headed by Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky, acknowledged Kapoor as one of the most influential and innovative artists of his generation. Kapoor joins Itzhak Perlman, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and actor-director Michael Douglas as recipients. Kapoor said he would use the award money to help alleviate the refugee crisis and try to expand the Jewish communitys engagement in a global effort to aid Syrian refugees. Jewish identity and history have witnessed recurring conditions of indifference, persecution and Holocaust. Repeatedly, we have had to repossess ourselves and re-identify our communities, Kapoor said. As inheritors and carriers of Jewish values, it is unseemly, therefore, for us to ignore the plight of people who are persecuted, who have lost everything and had to flee as refugees in mortal danger, he said. Outsider consciousness resides at the heart of Jewish identity and this is what motivates me, while accepting the honour of the Genesis Prize, to re-gift the proceeds to refugee causes. I am an artist, not a politician, and I feel I must speak out against indifference for the suffering of others. There are over 60 million refugees in the world today whatever the geography of displacement, the refugee crisis is right here on our doorstep, he said. Stan Polovets, chairman and co-founder of the Genesis Prize Foundation, said the profound impact of Kapoors work continues a long history of Jewish contribution to the arts, while his social activism reaffirms the commitment of the Jewish people to humanitarian causes. We particularly admire how, in an age frequently characterised by cynicism and indifference, Anish continually advocates for the worlds disadvantaged challenging all of us to do more to help wherever and whenever we can, Polovets said. Anishs commitment to alleviate the plight of Syrian refugees will resonate with the Jewish community, especially young Jews, everywhere. Kapoor was born in Mumbai to a Jewish mother who had immigrated to India from Iraq as a child and a Punjabi Indian father who served in the Indian Navy as a hydrographer. After moving to London to study art, he frequently returned to Israel and spent a significant amount of time in Jerusalem, where he created the reflective stainless steel hourglass at the Israel Museum, called Turning the World Upside Down. Kapoor won the Turner Prize in 1991 and received a knighthood in 2013. His works include Cloud Gate at Chicagos Millennium Park and the Orbit at Londons Olympic Stadium. Kapoor also created the Holocaust Memorial for the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in London and the 70 candles for Holocaust Memorial Day in Britain in 2015, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Beyond his contributions to the arts, Kapoor has a long history of social activism and a commitment to social justice. For many years, he has been a public advocate for the cause of refugees and an outspoken advocate for displaced people everywhere. PTI New Delhi, February 6 Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday expressed shock at the deplorable conditions at the Asha Kiran Home for the mentally challenged and ordered the Chief Secretary to file a report on lapses leading to the death of 11 inmates. In an official note to Delhi Chief Secretary MM Kutty, Kejriwal ordered him to file a report by February 13 and to personally ensure that the situation is rectified within a week. Kejriwals directions came a day after Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal on Sunday paid a surprise visit to the Asha Kiran Home and found deplorable conditions that had led to the death of 11 inmates over the last two months. Maliwal noted over-crowding with up to four patients on a single bed, women inmates made to remove clothes in the open while queueing up for bath and walking naked in the corridors, and CCTV cameras being monitored by male staff. She also observed stinking rooms, filthy toilets and excreta and urine in the corridors. Expressing shock, Kejriwal wrote that he was extremely disturbed by the reports. Chief Secretary should personally ensure that all these deficiencies are removed within a week to the satisfaction of DCW, he ordered. He also ordered Kutty to submit a report by Monday evening on how many times the Secretary of Social Welfare and Women and Child Development departments, Dilraj Kaur, visited the Asha Kiran Home and two other homes for mentally challenged in the past. The Chief Minister also asked why the official did not bring the reports of deaths to the notice of the government. What steps did she take when each death was brought to her notice? What steps did she take to prevent these serious lapses, Kejriwal asked. IANS Patna, February 6 Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday brushed away political speculations about old partners JD(U) and BJP coming closer after he painted a lotus at Patna Book Fair on February 4. Kumar, who is the JD(U) national president, also avoided any direct answer to questions on the Uttar Pradesh elections. This is just a non-event, why are you asking me?...You should ask the organisers who requested me to fill colour on a painting of lotus drawn by famous Madhubani painter Bahua Devi during inauguration of the Patna Book fair, Kumar told reporters. The organisers took me to the spot and requested to colour a painting drawn by Bahua Devi, which I did and put my signature to it, he said, in the presence of Congress state chief and minister Ashok Choudhary and other ministers of the coalition. Kumar adding colour to a lotus painting drawn by Padma Shree artist Bahua Devi at the Patna Book Fair on Saturday last had triggered speculations if the JD(U) was inching towards the BJP, whose election symbol is lotus. The JD(U) and the BJP remained partners in Bihar for 17 years and had snapped ties in mid-2013 over elevation of Narendra Modi as BJPs Prime Ministerial candidate at that time. Earlier, Kumars support to demonetisation and Modis praise of the Bihar CM on prohibition and successful conduct of 350th Prakash Parva on January 5, had also given wings to the speculation. Without directly referring to the alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in UP, Kumar told reporters after a Lok Samvad (Public Interaction) programme It cant be called a Mahagatbandhan (grand alliance) like in Bihar... Mahagatbandhan could have been achieved in UP only if the SP and the BSP had joined hands. He also sidestepped a question on senior RJD leader Raghubansh Prasad Singh making adverse comments on him. In reply to a question on his Nishchay Yatra, Kumar said it helped in taking feedback from people on prohibition and also plug loopholes in implementation of his seven resolves of good governance. He highlighted fruitfulness of the Public Grievance Redressal Act launched in June last year and said so far 1.13 lakh complaints were registered by citizens under the Act out of which 90,000 were redressed. PTI New Delhi, February 5 A 12-year-old boy, whose both arms had to be amputated after he came in contact with a high-tension wire in an agricultural field, has been awarded a compensation of over Rs 1 crore by the Supreme Court that held the Himachal Pradesh Government vicariously liable for the negligence. While granting compensation, to be paid in three months, the court considered the boys family background with limited means and his excellent performance as a brilliant student in studies saying he would have had a decent earning in his life. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The incident occurred on March 18, 2012, as the boy, aged eight then, accompanied his mother to collect saag (spinach) from the fields. He came in contact with a high-tension live wire and suffered severe burns. A week later, doctors at Rajendra Prasad Medical Hospital, Tanda, amputated both his arms. The boy suffered 100 per cent disability and his poor parents incurred expenses of Rs 2 lakh on his treatment. The boy, through his mother, approached the Himachal Pradesh High Court seeking a compensation of Rs 50 lakh saying he has become totally dependent on family members for his day-to-day activities for his entire life. The boy had to discontinue schooling after the incident. The HChad awarded a compensation of Rs 1.25 crore to the boy which was challenged by the state before the SC saying the amount was on a much higher side. The apex court allowed the states appeal and modified the high court order by reducing the compensation. The SC awarded Rs 90 lakh with a simple interest of 6 per cent on it from 2013, the year when the boy filed the petition in the high court. Thus, the total compensation to be paid by the state government would be Rs 1.16 crore. PTI Simran Sodhi Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 6 Indian-origin British sculptor Anish Kapoor was today awarded the Jewish Nobel Genesis Award for his commitment to Jewish values. The award carries the prize money of $1 million which Kapoor has already announced will be used to help alleviate the Syrian refugee crisis. Kapoor, whose father was a Punjabi and mother an Iraqi-Jew, is today regarded as one of the most influential artists of our times. The Israel embassy here today said awarding Kapoor the Genesis Prize of 2017 symbolically coincides with the celebration of 25 years of diplomatic relations between India and Israel. For India and Israel, the award to Kapoor who studied in Doon School before moving to the UK, is a reaffirmation of the fact that the bilateral warmth can now come out of the closet. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to travel to Israel in June or July this year, in a visit that is highly anticipated on both sides. Kapoor is best known for his many artistic contributions to the world but the lesser known aspects of him are his commitment to social justice and social activism. In a statement Kapoor said he had to, speak out against indifference for the suffering of others, adding, Jewish identity and history have witnessed recurring conditions of indifference, persecution and Holocaust. Repeatedly, we have had to repossess ourselves and re-identify our communities. The annual Genesis Prize was established in 2012 and has been dubbed by Time Magazine as the Jewish Nobel. The prize is awarded by the Genesis Prize Foundation, the office of the Israeli Prime Minister and the Jewish Agency for Israel. Kapoor today joins an illustrious list of winners, which includes former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Michael Douglas and Itzhak Perlman. Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 6 The Supreme Court today ordered to attach Sahara groups prime property Aamby Valley for the companys failure to pay over Rs 14,000 crore of the principal amount it owed to its investors. Situated in Pune district of Maharashtra, Aamby Valleys is said to be worth Rs 39,000 crore. A Bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra ordered Sahara to submit by February 20 a list of its properties free from encumbrances for auction to realise over Rs 14,000 crore, the remaining amount the company is supposed to pay to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) towards the money owed to duped investors. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Sahara has already deposited more than Rs 11,000 crore with SEBI and Rs 14,779 crore of the principal amount remains to be paid. Sahara proposed to pay it by July 2019. The SC had sent Sahara chief Subrata Roy to Tihar Jail in March 2014 after he failed to appear in response to its summons over non-payment of investors money. Roy is on parole since May last year. On Monday, the Bench extended Roys parole till February 27, the next date of hearing after the company handed over bank drafts for over Rs 600 crore to SEBI in the court. On behalf of Sahara, senior counsel Kapil Sibal pleaded with the court not to order attachment of Aamby Valley. What is the hurry? There is no bank there are no investors asking for money, Sibal said. He also showed to the Bench an order of the income tax appellate tribunal, according to which Sahara had already refunded money to 85 per cent of the investors. Its an order of a statutory body, he insisted. Sibal also questioned the August 2012 order to Sahara to refund the money it collected from investors under its financial schemes that were termed as illegal by SEBI. We are not going to revisit the order. There is a judicial finding against you and we are not here to review that order, the Bench said and went on to pass the attachment order. Expressing displeasure over the company paying the money in small instalments, the top court said such an order was needed to expedite the payment process. It took note of the fact that Sahara had presented a repayment plan that was to be completed by July 2019. An unimpressed Bench said it would prefer to auction Sahara properties to realise the amount. Shiv Kumar Tribune News Service Mumbai, February 6 Somnath Mhatre, a youth from Navi Mumbai, lost his life last week after trying to kiss a cobra he rescued a short while earlier, police said. Mhatre, a wildlife activist, who is said to have rescued more than 100 reptiles in the past, was called by locals to trap the cobra which had entered a residential area at Navi Mumbais CBD Belapur neighbourhood last week. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) According to police, Mhatre rescued the cobra and took it to a secluded location and attempted to get himself photographed while kissing its hood. However, the snake suddenly bit the youth. Mhatre died in hospital on Sunday after undergoing treatment for five days, police said. Following the death of the 21-year-old youth, Maharashtras forest department is likely to ask snake rescuers not to attempt kissing the hood of snakes for publicity. Activists told reporters that as many as 30 people had died in recent times while attempting to get them photographed in this manner. Activists are demanding that the forest department advise people working on rescuing snakes from participating in such dangerous stunts. Photographs of Mhatre trying to kiss the snake have going viral on social media. Chandigarh, February 6 Four persons, including a woman and child, were killed on Monday morning when a car collided with a bus due to thick fog in Punjab's Tarn Taran district, police said. Three people were injured in the accident. There were seven passengers in the car. The accident took place near Harkie Patan, 185 km from here, on the highway connecting Amritsar with Moga town. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Police officials said that the impact of the collision was such that it took nearly two hours for police and local authorities to recover those from inside the vehicle. Met officials here said that thick fog had engulfed several parts of Punjab and Haryana on Monday after a gap of few days. Visibility in Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala in Punjab and Karnal and Ambala districts in Haryana was reduced to less than 50 metres. Road and rail traffic were hampered in both states. Arrival and departure of at least 10 flights to and from the Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport at Amritsar was delayed. The morning temperature at most places was between 11 and 14 degrees Celsius on Monday after a relatively warm Sunday. On Sunday, the minimum temperature at most places in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh was six to 10 degrees above normal. Chandigarh and its surrounding areas received some rain on Sunday. However, there was bright sunshine here on Monday. IANS Jupinderjit Singh & Rajmeet Singh Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 6 As employees at the Civil Secretariat, mini secretariat and the Punjab Police headquarters returned to work today post Punjab elections, all talk centred around the likely outcome. Many were seen cosying up to officers considered close to a party expected to be the winner. Each employee had a firm opinion on the seats likely to be bagged by the main parties and if the incumbent Chief Secretary and DGP would continue or there would be a major shuffle. An audio clip of a senior officer claiming he was sure to be appointed the next DGP created quite a stir. Officers, who had hitherto been reluctant to speak their mind, eagerly participated in the gup-shup. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Officers were seen collecting information from their staff on the voting trend, with one of them expressing fear that sycophants may be rewarded if a particular party forms government. The more enterprising among them dialed colleagues in Delhi for a feedback on the working mechanism of the party holding the reins of power there. Officers, who had shunned mediapersons earlier, were unusually warm as they tried to decipher the peoples mood from field reports. Some employees said they had placed bets on high-profile candidates. Still others were seen keeping a tab on the satta bazaar. There was some cheer too with the Punjab Police issuing appointment letters to a number of persons on compassionate grounds after getting the EC's approval. The appointment letters to the next of kin of policemen who had died during duty were on hold till the voting day. Also, promotions, including one of an IG-rank officer, were cleared. Most ministers did not attend office. There was a dip in the number of visitors too. As most employees remained huddled in their rooms, the usual hustle and bustle was missing. A senior officer said only routine matters were being handled. Policy-related issues were being referred to a committee set up the EC. "It's a blissful period till March 11", he added, smiling. Amaninder Pal Tribune News Service Chandigarh, february 5 The polling process cost Punjab approximately Rs 120 crore. The state election authorities have completed the entire process well within the budget allocated by the state Rs 132 crore to the Election Department last year. As per the norms, all state governments pay half the expenditure incurred on conducting Lok Sabha elections. But for Assembly elections, it is the state government that foots the entire election bill. Edit: Violence-free poll The election cost us Rs 120 crore. Conducting elections is a mammoth exercise, given its scale and significance. Some bills are yet to be cleared. But there will be no major change in the expenditure figures, said VK Singh, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Punjab. He said most of the money was spent on fuel for vehicles of polling teams as well as stationery, which was printed on a large scale this time to make the electorate more informed. Also, considerable money was spent on paying honorarium to security personnel. We have paid Rs 1,500 per day to each security man of central paramilitary forces. Those deployed in the state for more than 15 days were given Rs 750 per week more, the CEO said. As many as 12,390 calls were received during 30 days. Out of these, only 1,784 were complaints. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Repoll recommended at 2 polling stations Chandigarh: Poll observers have recommended repoll at one polling station each in Moga and Sardulgarh Assembly segments. In their reports sent to the Election Commission of India, independent observers said the EVMs kept displaying the votes polled during mock polling even after the start of voting at 8 am. State Chief Electoral Officer VK Singh has confirmed the development. The EC will take the final call on the matter. In Sardulgarh, the staff forgot to delete the dummy votes after polling began, said a senior officer. TNS Mohit Khanna & Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 6 A controversy erupted after AAPs Dakha candidate HS Phoolka alleged that Returning Officer (RO) Gagandeep Singh Virk and eight others entered a strong room at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) here. Virk and other men spent nearly half an hour in the strong room, where EVMs of the Gill Assembly constituency are kept. They entered the strong room around 11am, he claimed before the media. An AAP volunteer, Phoolka said, spotted Virk and others entering the strong room. He informed AAP leaders Darshan Shankar and Suresh Goyal, and partys Gill nominee Jiwan Singh Sangowal. When AAP leaders present in PAU objected, the RO and others left the scene, claiming they had forgotten some valuables in the strong room, the Dakha nominee claimed. Phoolka said the EC and police had been informed and AAP was proceeding with a criminal trespass case against Virk. In view of todays incident, I have decided to visit all strong rooms in the state. Virk said that being the RO, he could visit the site, where the EVMs were kept, to ensure that everything was in order. For this, it is not mandatory to take along candidates every time. I can visit and check the safety aspects from outside. I have not done anything wrong. It was a routine visit, he said, adding AAP leaders were levelling baseless allegations and CCTV footage would reveal the truth. Later, DC-cum-District Electoral Officer Ravi Bhagat sent Sangowal and others to the site (PAU) so that they can check for themselves the CCTV footage and the security arrangements. There was no breach in the strong room. Everything remains under seal and tight security, he said. Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 6 In all, 561 voters out of 584 from Mundi Chowlian village in Shahkot turned up to cast their vote a heavy turnout of 96.06 per cent. Reason: This is the village where AAP workers had on August 22 last year held a major protest against the death of a 45-year-old man due to the consumption of contaminated water. About 50 other villagers had been taken ill as the supply from an overhead water tank in the area came under the scanner. After the protest, AAP workers had faced police wrath and many of them had FIRs lodged against them. The AAP leadership, including state convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich, Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann, Durgesh Pathak, Sukhpal Khaira and Sajjan Singh Cheema, had protested outside the police station at Lohian two days later, followed by a dharna in Shahkot a week later. Irate villagers had taken up cudgels against Transport Minister Ajit Singh Kohar, blaming him for the state of affairs. Shahkot AAP candidate Dr Amarjit Singh Thind said, The villagers had begun calling Kohar Parchian wala baba (one who gets FIRs lodged). They have given vent to their anger through the ballot. Im sure they have voted en masse in my favour. He added, We made repeated visits to the area since the incident. The 23 voters listed at the polling booth who didnt vote are mostly NRIs. They were not present here. A few had died, but their votes were not deleted. BD Kasniyal Pithoragarh, February 5 The demand for telecommunication facilities is the main election issue in over 50 villages in Dharchula, Munsiyari, Bangapani and Tezam subdivision of the Dharchula Assembly constituency. Of the 200 villages, over 72 are in no position to make a call to the 108 emergency medical service as they have no telecommunication facility available. Residents of Dharchula say their villages have no telecommunication service and sometimes no transportation facilities too. They have to take patients needing emergency care on palanquins from interior villages to highways or main roads. If a poor patient is not able to afford a private vehicle or finds no villager to take him or her on palanquins to road head, he or she does not survive, says Dharma Singh Bora, a resident of Samkot village. Bora says they had held a fast at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi last year nut nothing had been done in this regard. In the absence of telecommunication facilities in areas bordering Nepal, more than 13 villages across the Gori river and in the Talla Johar region have to use Nepalese telecom SIM cards to communicate with their relatives, says Bora. We have written several times to local MP Ajay Tamta and Chief Minister Harish Rawat in this regard but no one has come to help us. We have received nothing but assurances, says Devendra Singh Rana, a block development committee member in Gini Gaun village of the Talla Johar region. By Press Trust of India: From Shirish B Pradhan Kathmandu, Feb 6 (PTI) In a grisly incident, a 27-year-old Nepalese woman was killed after a man whose marriage proposal she had rejected threw acid on her. The victim from Nawalparasi, was undergoing treatment for burn injuries at a Bhairawaha-based hospital in western Nepal. She succumbed to injuries today, police said. advertisement The woman was attacked by her alleged lover, Sunil Koirala, 28, after she declined his marriage proposal, prompting him to pour acid on her last night, they said. The victim along with her aunt had come to Rupandehi to meet Koirala. He lost his temper after the woman declined his marriage proposal, police said. Police took Koirala and the victims aunt into custody. A probe has been initiated into the incident. PTI SBP AJR AKJ AJR --- ENDS --- Ajay Ramola Tribune News Service Mussoorie, February 6 BJP rebel candidate Asha Rani Nautiyal and the 2013 flash flood relief issues have returned to haunt the turncoat BJP candidate Shaila Rani Rawat from the prestigious Kedarnath Assembly constituency. Being the first election following the 2013 Kedarnath tragedy, the pain of the disaster and the incompetence shown by then Congress government along with disaster scams are the main issues. The voters are peeved at the high-handed approach adopted by Shaila Rani Rawat, then Cong MLA, during the natural disaster of 2013. The voters are of the view that Shaila Rani Rawat failed to provide relief to the people and was not available for even consoling the people who suffered due to the disaster. The villages Kabilda, Bhanigram, etc that suffered a lot, are yet to recover from the scars of the disaster and many voters blame the sitting MLA Shaila Rani Rawat for doing little to end their sufferings. BJP rebel Asha Nautiyal, who was promoted as the BJP candidate from Kedarnath, is up in arms from Kedarnath. Most of the BJP cadre workers, who were finding it difficult to go with Shaila Rani Rawat, are planning to shift their loyalties to Asha Nautiyal, who helped the people during the disaster. The Congress candidate Manoj Rawat, a journalist-turned politician, is being considered as an outsider by many but his supporters say that he has been instrumental in promoting a trekking trail to Kedarnath and worked towards providing economic assistance to the people following the Kedarnath disaster. The Congress is banking on the restoration work done by the Harish Rawat government as the achievement to attain the victory in the elections. Asha Nautiyal, who fought on the BJP ticket in 2012, secured 17,632 votes and lost to Shaila Rani Rawat who garnered 19,960 votes. She is angry that the ticket was given to a turncoat but is buoyed with the amount of support she is getting from the BJP cadres. Under such circumstances, the caste equations could also play an important role in determining the outcome of the election. The other candidates trying their luck are Kundan Lal from Bahujan Samaj Party, Gangadhar Semwal from the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal, Vikram Singh from the Sainik Samaj Party. Kuldep Singh Rawat and Shambhu Prasad Bhatt as Independents are ready to play a spoilsport in the elections. Sandeep Rawat Tribune News Service Haridwar. February 6 On the Haridwar city seat, the contest seems to be between Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Madan Kaushik and the ruling Congress candidate Braham Swarup Brahmachari. Both parties pitching in their resources to ensure win of their respective candidates. BJP candidate Madan Kaushik is somewhat ahead of his rival Congress candidate Braham Swarup Brahmachari. Kaushik organised a major election gathering here today at the Chandracharya Square. He had already carried out two roadshows, which has upped his campaign. Braham Swarup Brahamchari, who is contesting his maiden Assembly election, is relying heavily on local senior leaders like Purushottam Sharma, Sanjay Paliwal and Pradeep Chaudhari. Whereas, Kaushik is directly involved in campaign strategies and is easily available to party workers and supporters. Eyeing fourth record straight win in the Assembly, Kaushik today assured local voters of the maximum development, if gets elected and BJP forms government in the state. When there is same government at the Centre and in the state its much easier to carry out development works. The Congress-led state government has failed to implement Central-funded schemes in the state. The constituencies of BJP MLA were ignored by the Harish Rawat government. Voters have made their mind to vote for BJP candidates in the state. I assure people of mass development works in the segment in next five years, if BJP gets elected with majority, said Kaushik. In the 2012 Assembly poll, he defeated Satpal Brahamchari of the Congress and now another saint has been brought in the election field but it wont create much difference in his victory margin. Brahamchari held a closed-door meeting with district party leaders today. Party leaders said in the coming days more roadshow would be organized to boost election campaign. At Bakra market, Braham Swarup tried to lure minority community voters into the party fold by saying that he would resolve their issues. He lashed out at Kaushik for ignoring minority dominated pockets of the segment. He said the BJP had hidden agenda to ignore minority community and instill seeds of fear among them. Planning Commission chairperson Dr Santosh Chauhan said there was enthusiasm among party workers and local voters, who want a change in the city segment. Vikas Tiwari, election in charge of the BJPs city segment, said Madan Kaushik had been representing city segment for the last 15 years and people were quite happy with his work, approach and vision. Congress has no leader of stature of Kaushik ,which is the reason, Congress is looking on saints to defeat him. Its a reflection of huge popularity of Kaushik in this segment and fear among Congress leaders, who refrain to contest from this seat, said Tiwari. London, February 6 WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has made a fresh plea to the UK and Swedish authorities to "restore" his liberty, the media reported on Monday. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Assange, who has been questioned about a sex allegation in Sweden, spoke out on Sunday, a year after a UN legal panel ruled he should be allowed to walk free, the BBC reported. "I call on the UK and Sweden to do the right thing and restore my liberty," he said. "These two states signed treaties to recognise the UN and its human rights mechanisms." Assange said a year on the two governments had failed to comply with the ruling by the UN's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention which found thathe was being "arbitrarily detained". The WikiLeaks founder has been living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since June 19, 2012 after he sought asylum following the rejection of his appeal against being extradited to Sweden to face sex assault allegations. He reportedly lives in a small room with a bed, sun lamp, computer, shower, treadmill and cooking facilities, the BBC said. Assange has refused to travel to Sweden for questioning because he fears he will then be handed over to the US over Wikileaks' release of 500,000 secret military files. WikiLeaks previously said its founder would agree to be extradited if clemency was granted to Chelsea Manning - who leaked documents to the website. The transgender US Army private, born Bradley Manning, will be freed on May 17 after former US President Barack Obama commuted her sentence. Assange has said he would stand by his offer as long as his rights were protected. IANS Karachi, February 6 An Afghan diplomat was shot dead on Monday in the Afghan consulate in Pakistans southern city of Karachi in what was described as a personal dispute, Pakistani officials said. The consulates Third Secretary was killed by a private guard, who had been arrested, police official Saqib Ismail said. The guard used his automatic weapon, firing multiple bullets, Ismail said, adding that the guard was also an Afghan national. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Another police official, Deputy Inspector General Azad Khan, told reporters the shooting appeared to be the result of a personal dispute. Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal confirmed the shooting on his official Facebook account. Firing inside Afg Consulate General in Karachi at around 12:30 pm today ... has been carried out by an Afghan guard inside the compound resulting in fatality of one of our diplomats, Zakhilwal wrote. It seems to be a personal dispute related criminal act. Reuters Karachi, February 6 An Afghan diplomat was today shot dead by a security guard following an altercation between the two inside the Afghan Consulate in this Pakistani port city. Private security guard Hayatullah Khan opened fire on the third secretary, Zaki Adu, in the lobby of the Consulate in the high-security Clifton area after a personal disagreement between the two, according to the Deputy Inspector General Azad Khan. There is no terrorism element in this sad incident, DIG Khan told PTI. This is not a premeditated act neither a terrorist act. The guard opened fire on the spur of the moment after he lost his temper following an argument with the deceased over timings, the police official said. We have checked the CCTV cameras and recorded eyewitness statements, he said. The diplomat killed was the brother of Mohammad Abdul, an MP from northern Balkh province, Afghanistans Tolo News reported. Khan said Hayatullah has been taken into custody and investigations have begun. The guard was an Afghan national employed by the Consulate. Police cleared the Consulate building for resumption of work after a thorough search. PTI Beijing, February 6 China's population, the largest in the world, is expected to reach about 1.42 billion by 2020, according to the country's National Health and Family Planning Commission. As of the end of 2015, China had a population of about 1.37 billion. China's population is expected to reach about 1.42 billion by 2020, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said while calling for more support for women returning to work after giving birth. It also encouraged employers to support a balance between work and family relations among employees. The annual natural population growth rate will be around six per thousand while China's gender ratio at birth is expected to be reduced to 112 boys for every 100 girls by 2020, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. According to the National Population Development Outline released by the Chinese central cabinet the gender ratio, which was 113.5 men to every 100 women in 2015, one of the highest in the world, is forecast to drop below 112 by 2020 and 107 by 2030. China last year scrapped the decades-old 'one-child policy' as the country is saddled with more old age people. The natural population growth rate stayed at five per thousand, while the male-to-female ratio among newborns fell from 117.94 to 113.51, the report said. An official plan released by the China's central government said China will create over 50 million new urban jobs by 2020. The government will improve employment structure and quality and keep the urban headline unemployment rate under 5 per cent by 2020, according to the employment facilitation plan for the 2016-2020 period released by the state council. The plan pointed out that employment was key to affecting standards of living and supporting economic growth, and that China would make proactive employment policies. China will support sectors that create lots of jobs and promote entrepreneurship, such as businesses related to the sharing economy. The government will help college graduates, farmers and workers, affected by the country's overcapacity cutting drive, to secure jobs, according to the plan. Latest figures from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security show that the country managed to create jobs for more than 13 million urban residents in 2016, and the registered unemployment rate in Chinese cities stood at 4.02 per cent at the end of 2016, the report said. PTI Quebec City, February 6 Several hundred people braved snow and cold in Quebec City to honor the six men shot to death a week earlier while praying at a local mosque. "No to Islamophobia, Yes to Peace," "Open Your Heart" and "No to Terrorism" were the messages on some of the signs and banners carried by marchers, many of them Muslim. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The victims included two Algerians, a Tunisian, a Moroccan and two Guineans, all holding Canadian citizenship as well. They had been attending evening prayers at their mosque when a gunman stormed in and unleashed a barrage of bullets from a pistol and a semi-automatic rifle. Eight other men were wounded -- three remain hospitalised -- in one of the worst attacks on the Muslim community of a Western nation. The suspect, Alexandre Bissonnette, 27, surrendered to police and was charged with six murders and five attempted murders. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The march yesterday began not far from the mosque, at Laval University, where the presumed killer was a student, before proceeding to the national assembly of the French-speaking province. In a display of solidarity, organisers paired Muslim and non-Muslim marchers for the procession. Mohamed Yangi, president of the Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec, where the mosque was located, said the march provided an opportunity to show a "unified" Quebec. He said he wanted to work with political leaders to help "eliminate messages of hate." Canadian politicians, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have denounced the words or acts of those who target Muslims. On Friday, at the funeral of three victims, Trudeau blasted radio commentators and politicians who have fanned tensions. AFP Beirut, February 6 The Islamic State group was "completely besieged" in Al-Bab after forces loyal to Syria's regime cut off a road into the jihadists' last major stronghold in Aleppo province, a monitor said on Monday. "Al-Bab is now completely besieged by the regime from the south, and the Turkish forces and rebels from the east, north and west," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. It came after "the regime's forces and allied militia seized the only and last main road used by the jihadists between Al-Bab and Raqaa", Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said, referring to the jihadists' de facto capital in Syria. Regime forces were backed by fighters from Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah and by Russian artillery, said the Britain-based Observatory, which relies on a network of sources on the ground for its reports. The town of Al-Bab, 25 km (15 miles) south of the border with Turkey, is seen as a prize by nearly all sides in the complex war. The regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has refocused on Islamic State since fully recapturing Aleppo city in December, in the biggest blow to rebels who have been fighting to topple his regime since 2011. Islamic State is among several jihadist movements that have shot to prominence during the conflict, which has left more than 310,000 people dead and has forced millions more from their homes. Assad's forces were also locked in fighting with Islamic State in the central province of Homs at the weekend, the Observatory said. It reported that the troops had captured the Hayyan oilfield west of the celebrated desert city of Palmyra. They also fought back against Islamic State around Al-Seen military airport northeast of Damascus, said the monitoring group. AFP Moscow, February 6 The Kremlin on Monday urged US network Fox News to apologise after its presenter called Russian President Vladimir Putin a killer while interviewing US President Donald Trump. We consider such words from a Fox News correspondent unacceptable and offensive, Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in a conference call. To be honest we would prefer to receive an apology addressed to the president from such a respected television company, the Kremlin spokesman added. Fox Newss Bill OReilly in an interview broadcast yesterday pressed Trump on Putins alleged links to extrajudicial killings of journalists and dissidents, saying: hes a killer though, Putins a killer. Trump answered: Weve got a lot of killers. You think our countrys so innocent? Take a look at what weve done too. Weve made a lot of mistakes, Trump added. Asked to react to Trumps response, Peskov said in this case I would prefer to leave this without comment. Trump has prompted a political firestorm with his remarks on Putin in the interview broadcast ahead of the Super Bowl. Trump and Putin had their first call since the US President took office on January 28, which the White House called a significant start to improving the relationship between the United States and Russia. AFP Auckland, February 6 A Qatar Airways commercial flight, deemed the world's longest, landed in New Zealand here on Monday after leaving Doha just over 16 hours ago, the media reported. The flight eclipses what is now the longest duration flight, Emirates' Dubai to Auckland service, by up to an hour. The Doha-Auckland service is 342 km longer than that of its Gulf rival, the New Zealand Herald reported. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Flight QR 920 took off from Doha's Hamad Airport at 3.04 p.m., on Sunday, according to the airline. The plane crossed 10 time zones on its flight. The airline is using a long-range Boeing 777 which has 217 economy and 42 business class seats. Its flight track took it over Dubai, then over the southern tip of India, Sri Lanka to the south of Indonesia and then through Australia before heading to Auckland. The return flight - which leaves Auckland Airport at 2.40 p.m., on Tuesday can take up to an hour longer due to prevailing headwinds. The plane operating is eight years old and the round trip flight between Doha and Auckland will cover 29,066 km. There are four pilots aboard and 15 cabin crew who will serve 1,100 cups of tea and coffee, 2,000 cold drinks and 1,036 meals. Air India's Delhi-San Francisco flight is the world's longest by distance but, according to the "Great Circle" route, Doha and Auckland are further apart on the surface of the Earth. Tailwinds mean Air India's flight time is less than 17 hours. Auckland Airport has estimated the daily Qatar services will pump close to $200 million into the economy, the New Zealand Herald said. The airline's outspoken chief executive Akbar Al Baker will be in Auckland for the launch of the service and host a gala dinner for the travel industry on Tuesday night. IANS By Press Trust of India: Guwahati, Feb 6 (PTI) A total of 52,560 persons have lost their lives in various crimes during the 15 years of Congress rule in Assam, the state Assembly was informed today. In a written reply to a query by AGP MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita, state Parliamentary Affairs minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said 20,269 people lost their lives in murder cases. advertisement "A total of 2,593 people were killed by extremists till May 2016 from 2001 and 1,922 people died in dowry related cases," Patowary said on behalf of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who also holds the Home portfolio. Besides, 287 students have committed suicides in this period and 27,489 people died in accidents, the Parliamentary Affairs minister said. In similar cases, 2,502 persons have lost their lives from June 2016 to January 2017 after the BJP government came to power in the state, he said. Patowary said in this eight-month period, 827 murders, 26 death by extremists, 17 suicides by students, 97 dowry deaths and 1,535 accidental deaths took place across the state. Apart from these cases, a total of 46,461 kidnapping, 11,815 loot, 1,22,793 theft, 4,881 dacoity and 22,223 rape cases were also reported in the 15-year period from 2001-2016, he said. During the eight-month period, 4,101 kidnapping, 974 loot, 9,141 theft, 114 dacoity and 1,294 rape cases have taken place in Assam, Patowary told the House. PTI TR DKB --- ENDS --- San Francisco, February 6 Silicon Valleys top firms, including Microsoft, Apple and Google, are among 97 technology giants that have filed a motion in a US court against President Donald Trumps controversial immigration order calling it violation of the laws and the Constitution. The ban represents a sudden shift in the rules governing entry into the US, and is inflicting substantial harm on US companies, says the court document filed yesterday, which was also backed by Twitter, Netflix and Uber. Other companies that have filed included other top tech firms including Facebook, eBay and Intel, as well as non-tech companies such as Levi Strauss and Chobani. Its the latest move by the tech industry to oppose Trumps controversial order, which has run into hurdles in the US court system. The lawsuit in question was filed by the attorneys general of Washington state and Minnesota. The motion from the 97 companies seeks permission to file what is known as an amicus brief in the case. Tech companies have been at the vanguard of businesses opposing the ban. Their court motion filed yesterday emphasizes the important role of immigration in the US economy. Immigrants make many of the nations greatest discoveries, and create some of the countrys most innovative and iconic companies, it says. The Order represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness that have governed the immigration system of the US for more than fifty years.. PTI Barcelona, February 6 Thousands of protesters shouting down with Spains justice system turned up today in Barcelona at the trial of Catalonias former leader Artur Mas, accused of civil disobedience for holding an independence referendum in 2014. The trial has stoked pro-independence sentiment in the wealthy, northeastern region of Catalonia at a time of high tensions between the local separatist government and Madrid. Shouting independence, independence, down with Spains justice system and we want to vote, several thousand Mas supporters gathered on a large palm tree-lined avenue next to the courthouse where the trial of the ex-Catalan president and two former associates began. They are accused of serious civil disobedience and misconduct for having organised a symbolic, non-binding referendum in November 2014 despite a ban by Spains Constitutional Court, which deemed it illegal. Prosecutors want them banned from holding public office for nine to 10 years, but their defence argues they were merely defending the right to freedom of expression of Catalans, many of whom want a say in the future of their 7.5-million strong region. We are determined to go forward. We did what had to be done in 2014 and we would do it again if the circumstances allow it again, Mas told a press conference in Barcelona yesterday. But in recent years, tensions with Madrid have markedly increased, as have calls for outright independence, culminating with the election in 2015 of a pro-independence government in Catalonia backed by a majority separatist parliament. A watershed moment was in 2010, when Spains Constitutional Court watered down a special statute awarded to Catalonia in 2006 under the Socialist government, giving it more powers. Supporters of independence slammed what they said was judicial harassment and asked for a referendum similar to the one organised in Scotland in 2014. After the Constitutional Court banned that, Mas and his associates held the non-binding vote for which they are on trial. AFP Boston, February 6 Travelers from the seven predominantly Muslim countries targeted by President Donald Trump enjoyed tearful reunions with loved ones in the US after a federal judge swept the ban aside. Airlines around the world allowed people to board flights as usual to the United States. One lawyer waiting at New Yorks Kennedy Airport said visa and green-card holders from Iraq and Iran were encountering no problems as they arrived. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Its business as usual, said Camille Mackler, of the New York Immigration Coalition. Fariba Tajrostami, a 32-year-old painter from Iran, came through the gate at Kennedy with a huge smile and tears in her eyes as her brothers greeted her with joyful hugs. Im very happy. I havent seen my brothers for nine years, she said. Tajrostami had tried to fly to the US from Turkey over a week ago but was turned away. I was crying and was so disappointed, she said. Everything I had in mind, what I was going to do, I was so disappointed about everything. I thought it was all over. Tajrostami said she hopes to study art in the US and plans to join her husband in Dallas soon. He moved from Iran six months ago, has a green card and is working at a car dealership. Similar scenes played out across the US two days after a federal judge in Seattle suspended the presidents travel ban and just hours after a federal appeals court denied the Trump administrations request to set aside the ruling. The US canceled the visas of up to 60,000 foreigners in the week after the ban on travel from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen took effect, according to the State Department. Trump also suspended nearly all refugee admissions for 120 days and barred Syrian refugees indefinitely. The order triggered protests and a multitude of legal challenges around the country and blocked numerous college students, researchers and others from entering the US. Trump, who said the goal was to keep terrorists from slipping into the country, lashed out against US District Judge James Robart for putting the ban on hold. He referred to Robart as a so-called judge and called the ruling ridiculous. On Sunday, the President tweeted: Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! At JFK on Sunday evening, Abdullah Alghazali hugged and kissed his 13-year-old son, Ali Abdullah Alghazali, who he had not seen in six years. That wait was made even longer by Trumps executive order. AP West Palm Beach, February 6 President Donald Trump agreed to meet alliance leaders in Europe in May in a phone call on Sunday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that also touched on the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine, the White House said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Trump was elected on a pledge to push NATO members to increase their funding to the western alliance to ease the financial burden on the United States. This proposal has drawn opposition from both his fellow Republicans as well as Democrats and the idea has worried European allies who fear Russian President Vladimir Putin might take advantage. A White House statement said Trump and Stoltenberg "discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments." "President Trump agreed to join in a meeting of NATO leaders in Europe in May," the statement said. Trump and Stoltenberg also "discussed the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border." Over the past week a flare-up in hostilities has erupted between the Ukrainian military and Russia-backed separatists, with each accusing the other of a new wave of shelling. More than 40 people have been killed in both government- and rebel-held areas. Trump has drawn fire at home for wanting to warm up ties with Putin. In an interview broadcast on Sunday during Fox Channel's Super Bowl pre-game show, Trump waved off concern from interviewer Bill O'Reilly that "Putin's a killer." "We've got a lot of killers...You think our country's so innocent? You think our country's so innocent?" Trump said, citing the 2003 war in Iraq. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who had lost to Trump in the Republican presidential primary battle last year, tweeted that it would be a mistake to lift US sanctions on Russia, a step Trump has been considering. "Only reason we should ever lift sanctions on #Putin is if he meets conditions of sanctions & ends violations of #ukraine sovereignty," he said. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, told CNN's "State of the Union" he was not going to critique everything Trump says but on Russia, "I obviously don't see this issue the same way he does." Reuters Washington, February 6 An irked President Donald Trump has hit out at a US judge who blocked his controversial travel ban on citizens from seven Muslim-majority nations, saying Americans should blame the judge and the courts if something happens. The US Presidents ire was aimed at San Francisco District Judge James Robart, who last week put a nationwide hold on Trumps executive order barring citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US for 90 days, all refugees for 120 days and indefinitely halts refugees from Syria. Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! Trump tweeted, not just attacking Judge Robarts decision but going after him who may yet make more decisions on the matter this week. At the same time, Trump said that he has asked the Department of Homeland Security to do a very careful check of those entering the country after the court order. I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country very carefully. The courts are making the job very difficult! Trumps criticism comes after the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, in a brief order, denied the administrations request to set aside Robarts ruling that put a temporary hold on the ban. Trump says the 90-day travel ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, and a 120-day bar on all refugees, are necessary to protect the United States from Islamist militants. The travel restrictions have drawn protests in the US, provoked criticism from US allies and created chaos for thousands of people who have, in some cases, spent years seeking asylum. PTI Washington, February 6 US President Donald Trump ramped up his criticism of the judiciary for blocking his travel ban on citizens from seven Muslim-majority nations, saying the federal judge and the court would be to blame if something happens. Trump said he had asked the Department of Homeland Security to do a very careful checkup of those entering the country after the court order. Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril. If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad! Trump tweeted on Sunday. I have instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY. The courts are making the job very difficult! Trumps criticism comes after the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, in a brief order, denied the administrations request to set aside a Seattle judge James Robarts ruling that put a temporary hold on the ban. Trump says the 90-day travel ban on citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, and a 120-day bar on all refugees, are necessary to protect the United States from Islamist militants. The travel restrictions have drawn protests in the US, provoked criticism from US allies and created chaos for thousands of people who have, in some cases, spent years seeking asylum. In his ruling, Robart questioned the use of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States as a justification for the ban, saying no attacks had been carried out on US soil by individuals from the seven affected countries since then. For Trumps order to be constitutional, Judge Robart said it had to be based in fact, as opposed to fiction. In a series of tweets on Saturday, Trump attacked the opinion of this so-called judge as ridiculous. US Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday called the federal judges ruling a wrong decision and vowed the Trump administration would take all legal means to protect the country. We believe the judge made the wrong decision, the Boston court made the right decision. Were going to continue to use all legal means at our disposal to stay that order and move forward to take the steps necessary to protect our country, Pence told Fox News. PTI February 6 Several technology giants, including Apple, Google and Microsoft, banded together on Sunday to file a legal brief opposing President Donald Trump's temporary immigration ban, arguing that it "inflicts significant harm on American business." The brief, filed in the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, included other top tech firms, including Facebook, Twitter and Intel, as well as non-tech companies such as Levi Strauss and Chobani. In all nearly 100 firms, including eBay, Netflix and Uber signed onto the brief. Trump's temporary immigration ban, the most contentious policy move of his first two weeks in offices, faces crucial legal hurdles. His administration has a deadline on Monday to justify the executive order temporarily barring immigrants from seven mostly Muslim countries and the entry of refugees, after a federal judge in Seattle blocked it with a temporary restraining order on Friday. "The Order represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system of the United States for more than 50 years," the brief stated. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) "The Order inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth as a result," it added. "Immigrants or their children founded more than 200 of the companies on the Fortune 500 list." US tech firms have been among the more vocal sectors speaking out against the policy, with many of its staff made up of foreign-born nationals. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco over the weekend denied the Trump administration's request for an immediate stay of the federal judge's temporary restraining order that blocked nationwide the implementation of key parts of the travel ban. But the court said it would reconsider the government's request after receiving more information. Reuters The information was shared by Union Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to AIADMK MP M Vasanthi in Lok Sabha recently. By India Today Web Desk: In some good news for defence pensioners, disbursing agencies have started releasing the Seventh Pay Commission arrears due to them. The amount released and the number of pensioners to be benefitted from this are still being calculated. The information was shared by Union Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to AIADMK MP M Vasanthi in Lok Sabha recently. advertisement According to a state-wise tabulation of the number of defence pensioners as on April 1, 2016, Punjab and Haryana lead the pack with 2,77,985 and 2,71,034 pensioners respectively. Defence pensioners from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra too form a sizeable number with both states together accounting for 4,21,530 retired personnel. ALSO READ: 7th Pay Commission: All you need to know about how states are stealing a march on Centre All you need to know on Seventh Pay Commission: Central government employees are reportedly upset at no mention of them in the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 1. Government employees were expecting some announcements on allowances and an increase in the minumum wages. The Seventh Pay Commission has increased the minimum wages from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000. The National Joint Action Committee (NJAC) wants it to be further raised to Rs 26,000. In some cheer for autonomous organisations, a revision of salary as per the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission was approved recently for the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan approved the revised pay scales, benefitting more than 1,500 employees and pensioners of BIS. The Seventh Pay Commission's recommendations cover 47 lakh Central government employees and 53 lakh pensioners. This includes 14 lakh serving employees and 18 lakh pensioners in defence forces. The Narendra Modi government had approved the report of the Seventh Central Pay Commission in June 2016. Over eight months later, the Central government is yet to fully implement the recommendations of the commission, especially on allowances. Employees are, however, hopeful that the government will make some positive announcement on April 1, 2017, which marks the beginning of the new financial year. ALSO READ: 7th Pay Commission: Bureau of Indian Standards employees to get salary hike 7th pay commission: This is why Modi government not giving hike to 47 lakh employees 7th Pay Commission: Jammu and Kashmir employees to get benefits from January last year ALSO WATCH --- ENDS --- WASHINGTON There are many people to thank for the coming accession of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. Donald Trump for winning the election. Hillary Clinton for losing it. Mitch McConnell for holding open the high court seat through 2016, resolute and immovable against furious (and hypocritical) opposition from Democrats and media. And, of course, Harry Reid. God bless Harry Reid. Its because of him that Gorsuch is guaranteed elevation to the court. In 2013, as then-Senate majority leader, Reid blew up the joint. He abolished the filibuster for federal appointments both executive (such as Cabinet) and judicial, for all district and circuit court judgeships (excluding only the Supreme Court). Thus unencumbered, the Democratic-controlled Senate packed the lower courts with Obama nominees. Reid was warned that the day would come when Republicans would be in the majority and would exploit the new rules to equal and opposite effect. That day is here. The result is striking. Trumps Cabinet appointments are essentially unstoppable because Republicans need only 51 votes and they have 52. They have no need to reach 60, the number required to overcome a filibuster. Democrats are powerless to stop anyone on their own. And equally powerless to stop Gorsuch. But isnt the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees still standing? Yes, but if the Democrats dare try it, everyone knows that Majority Leader McConnell will do exactly what Reid did and invoke the nuclear option filibuster abolition for the Supreme Court, too. Reid never fully appreciated the magnitude of his crime against the Senate. As I wrote at the time, the offense was not abolishing the filibuster you can argue that issue either way but that he did it by simple majority. In a serious body, a serious rule change requires a serious supermajority. (Amending the U.S. Constitution, for example, requires two-thirds of both houses plus three-quarters of all the states.) Otherwise you have rendered the place lawless. If in any given session you can summon up the days majority to change the institutions fundamental rules, there are no rules. McConnell can at any moment finish Reids work by extending filibuster abolition to the Supreme Court. But he hasnt. He has neither invoked the nuclear option nor even threatened to. And hes been asked often enough. His simple and unwavering response is that Gorsuch will be confirmed. Translation: If necessary, he will drop the big one. Its obvious that he prefers not to. No one wants to again devalue and destabilize the Senate by changing a major norm by simple majority vote. But Reid set the precedent. Note that the issue is not the filibuster itself. Theres nothing sacred about it. Its routine use is a modern development with effects both contradictory and unpredictable. The need for 60 votes can contribute to moderation and compromise because to achieve a supermajority you need to get a buy-in from at least some of the opposition. On the other hand, in a hyper-partisan atmosphere (like todays), a 60-vote threshold can ensure that everything gets stopped and nothing gets done. Filibuster abolition is good for conservatives today. It will be good for liberals tomorrow when they have regained power. Theres no great principle at stake, though as a practical matter, in this era of widespread frustration with congressional gridlock, the new norm may be salutary. What is not salutary is the Reid precedent of changing the old norm using something so transient and capricious as the majority of the day. As I argued in 2015, eventually the two parties will need to work out a permanent arrangement under which major rule changes will require a supermajority (say, of two-thirds) to ensure substantial bipartisan support. There are conflicting schools of thought as to whether even such a grand bargain could not itself be overturned by some future Congress by simple majority led by the next Harry Reid. Nonetheless, even a problematic entente is better than the free-for-all that governs today. The operative word, however, is eventually. Such an agreement is for the future. Not yet, not today. Republicans are no fools. They are not about to forfeit the advantage bequeathed to them by Harry Reids shortsighted willfulness. They will zealously retain the nuclear option for Supreme Court nominees through the current Republican tenure of Congress and the presidency. After which, they should be ready to parlay and press the reset button. But only then. As the young Augustine famously beseeched the Lord, Give me chastity and continency, only not yet. Charles Krauthammers email address is letters@charleskrauthammer.com. 2017, The Washington Post Writers Group Oral Roberts University on Monday honored the memory of Carl H. Hamilton, who played a key role in the schools founding and development, and served for many years as its chief academic officer. Hamilton, 82, died last week at St. John Medical Center. The memorial service was held in Christ Chapel on the ORU campus. Carl Hamilton was a giant of a man. He worked tirelessly to see the birth of this amazing educational institution, said ORU President William M. Wilson in a statement. His legacy is the alumni who are all over the globe engaged in industry, business, commerce, media, ministry as well as the legal and medical professions. ... All of us have been beneficiaries of Dr. Hamiltons stellar academic leadership at ORU. Our hearts are saddened by his passing and eternally grateful for this life so well lived, Wilson said. Hamilton was a longtime associate of Oral Roberts, founder of the university. He came to Tulsa from Oklahoma City in 1960 to be publications manager and editor of the Abundant Life Magazine, produced by the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association. He was part of the ministry when the first dreams of ORU were being discussed, Hamilton later told the Tulsa World. In 1968, three years after ORU admitted its first students, Hamilton became the dean of academic affairs. He worked on the process that led to ORUs initial accreditation in 1971. He was named executive vice president for academic affairs in 1972 and provost in 1976. In 1984, Hamilton left ORU to become senior vice president for ministries of Morris Cerullo World Evangelism Inc. In 1986, he became chief of staff to Oklahoma City-based Larry Jones International Ministries. In 1987, he became executive vice president of Execu-Services Inc., a Tulsa consulting firm. Hamilton returned to ORU in 1990 as provost and chief academic officer, serving until his retirement in 1998. He received a Lifetime Global Achievement Award during ORUs 50th-anniversary celebration in 2015. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Joyce Hamilton, a son, two daughters and a grandchild. bill.sherman @tulsaworld.com Twitter: @bshermantulsa By Press Trust of India: Vadodara, Feb 6 (PTI) As many as nine students were injured in a clash among them at a private educational institution here, police said today. Eleven students, including eight foreign nationals and three Indians, have been arrested today in connection with the incident and booked under relevant IPC sections, including 307 (attempt to murder), police sub-inspector Anirudh Singh Kamaliya said. advertisement It started with a verbal fight over some issue between students from a foreign country and Indian students staying in the hostels on the campus of the university here late last night. Later, the students pelted each other with stones, police said. One of the injured students was admitted to a hospital run by the university, they said. The Waghodia town police rushed to the spot at around 2 AM today and brought the situation under control. PTI CORR GK GK BAS --- ENDS --- OKLAHOMA CITY Gov. Mary Fallin on Monday will deliver her seventh State of the State address to lawmakers assembled in joint session in the House chamber. Fallin, the first female Oklahoma governor, is serving her second term. She is expected to call for an overhaul of the states tax system, a teacher pay raise and seek support for revenue-raising measures. She will also call for passage of a bond issue and ask for supplemental appropriation for certain agencies. I will continue to focus on what I think is our most important need, and that is bringing good-paying jobs to our state, encouraging our businesses to expand in Oklahoma because we have a better business climate and also diversifying our economy, especially in the two years plus, going into our third year, of our downturn in our energy sector, Fallin said Thursday. Legislative leaders have said making the state compliant with the federal Real ID Act of 2005 is a priority, along with a teacher pay raise. House members filed 1,340 bills and 24 joint resolutions, according to House staff. Last year, representatives filed 921 bills and 31 joint resolutions. In the upper chamber, senators filed 831 bills, 46 joint resolutions and one concurrent resolution. In 2015, some 815 Senate bills were filed, along with 32 joint resolutions. Every new legislative session brings with it a new opportunity to move Oklahoma forward, said Senate President Pro Tem Mike Schulz. Senate Republicans have put forward an agenda focused on long-term solutions. Were excited to get to work on that agenda and begin laying the groundwork for a more prosperous Oklahoma. Also on Monday, Fallin is expected to release her executive budget, which outlines her spending priorities. The Board of Equalization met in December to certify how much money Fallin will have to build her budget. The panel will meet again on Feb. 21 to determine how much will be available for lawmakers to spend. The state expects to have $868 million less to spend in crafting a fiscal year 2018 budget. Both chambers will convene separately at noon. They will then assemble in the House chamber where Fallin is expected to start her speech about 12:45 p.m. Lawmakers must adjourn by 5 p.m. May 26. Prof. Brian Cox will appear under the Catalyst banner on ABC in March. As recently revealed by TV Tonight, the UK science guru has been in discussion with ABC for some time. Late last year ABC Director of TV Richard Finlayson told TV Tonight Weve been talking to Brian Cox for a while. Hes very popular out here. He causes a big flurry on Q&A. The Catalyst special screens Tuesday March 7th on ABC. Last year ABC ditched its weekly format of Catalyst in favour of 17 one hour specials. Stargazing Live, hosted by Cox and comedian Dara O Briain, is due to film in Australia for three episodes and is expected in late March. UPDATED: Brian Cox specials are no longer featuring under the Catalyst umbrella. From Sunday February 26 SBS screens a themed Face Up To Racism week, challenging Australias understanding of racism and prejudice today. Ray Martin presents the doco Is Australia Racist? capturing the experience of racism with hidden cameras, through the eyes of those who have suffered it. It airs on Sunday 26 February at 8.30pm. Also screening are: Date My Race at 8.30pm Monday 27 February, exploring the role race plays in finding love. Hosted by African-Australian journalist and host Santilla Chingaipe. Insight special 8:30pm Tuesday 28 February. The Truth About Racism at 8:30pm Wednesday 1 March, looking at unconscious racial bias in the brain. Hosted by Yassmin Abdel-Magied. One in five Australians have experienced racism in the last 12 months according to one of the biggest ever surveys conducted on racism and prejudice in Australia, commissioned by SBS with the Western Sydney University*. Other findings from the survey which delve into Australias varied attitudes and experiences with racism include: nearly a third of those surveyed said they experienced racism within their workplace 35% said they have experienced racism on public transport or on the street almost a third said they have experienced racism within an educational facility nearly half of Indigenous respondents said they experienced racism at sporting events. However, most people surveyed agreed that it is a positive thing that Australia be made up of different cultures and that they would face up to discrimination in society if they encountered it. Face Up To Racism week begins on SBS on Sunday 26 February at 8.30pm with Ray Martin investigating the question: Is Australia Racist? This one hour documentary puts the survey findings from Western Sydney University into action through a series of hidden camera social experiments, capturing the experience of racism through the eyes of those who have suffered it. The results are at times confronting, but Is Australia Racist? also reveals inspiring Australians facing up to racism and standing up when witnessing discrimination. On Monday 27 February at 8.30pm on SBS, Date My Race explores the role race plays in finding love, and reveals Australias surprising patterns when it comes to online dating and racial preferences. Its a personal theme for 30 year old African-Australian journalist and host Santilla Chingaipe, who is on the hunt for love. With a smorgasbord of potential mates a swipe away, she is having little luck with online dating, and wonders if it is the colour of her skin that is sabotaging her chances. This playful, surprising and often funny look at modern dating will challenge Australians to think about what drives their own romantic attraction and connection, asking the question: when looking for love, does having racial preferences amount to racism? On Wednesday 1 March at 8.30pm, The Truth About Racism uses science to challenge the way we think about racism. Scientists have made breakthroughs in understanding the neuroscience behind racism, and can now detect unconscious racial bias in the brain. Host Yassmin Abdel-Magied, a Sudanese-born Muslim-Australian, along with four volunteers from different ethnic backgrounds, undergo a series of scientific psychological tests during the documentary, including experiments involving facial recognition, empathy and pain, and split second fear responses to try and find out if racial bias is inevitable, if it can be consciously overridden, and if brains can even be re-trained. In addition to these three new documentaries, SBSs flagship news and current affairs program Insight will explore the subject of cultural sensitivity in a special program on Tuesday 28 February from 8.30pm. Recent calls to change the date on which we celebrate Australia Day, and questions around whether or not the word Christmas should be featured on public banners, are just some topics that have recently prompted national debate. Insight asks if as a multicultural nation, Australia has a responsibility to allow migrants to continue their cultural practices, how should we navigate what causes offence to certain cultural groups, and how far should we go when considering cultural sensitivity. These challenging new programs will be supported for the entire week by a range of other stories, discussions and programs exploring race and prejudice across the SBS network, including through SBS news and current affairs, across SBS Radio, and on SBS VICELAND, NITV and SBS On Demand, as well as online. More information will be available in the coming weeks. With a week of thought-provoking programs and discussion, SBS is asking Australians to Face Up to Racism to encourage greater understanding, inspire change and support an inclusive Australia. Former 60 Minutes producer Stephen Rice has begun working freelance for Sevens Sunday Night. Rice was dismissed by Nine CEO Hugh Marks following the debacle in Lebanon, despite an internal network investigation recommending no individual be singled out. He subsequently hired lawyer John Laxon to represent him. Ironically, it was Sevens Sunday Night that then did a story criticising the whole sorry affair with Child Abduction Recovery agent Adam Whittington. Sunday Night executive producer Hamish Thomson was also at Nine running Inside Story, when he turned down the Sally Faulkner story before it later landed at 60 Minutes. Source: News Corp Aajibaichi Shala is Maharashta's answer to education for all, and in this school, the youngest student is 55 years old. By India Today Web Desk: Proving the saying "age is just a number", women senior citizens in Maharashtra's Fagne village attend an unusual school. Aajibaichi Shala is a school in Maharashtra that believes in education for all and teaches elderly women who are keen to become literate even at the age of 90. Photo: ANI The school has 30 students, who are between 55 and 90 years of age, willingly attending classes and setting an example for everyone around the world. Photo: ANI advertisement Yogendra Bangar, a teacher at the primary school, explained how they have made teaching these elderly women an interesting job. The school has put a Hindi varnmala at the entrance to encourage the students and have given them a tree to look after. Photo: ANI Photo: ANI But it wasn't an easy task to convince these women to sign up for this. Initially, they laughed at themselves for not being able to read at all, but now, they have learned to write even. Sheetal Morey, a teacher at the school, said now instead of thumb impression, these women use signatures. Photo: ANI Apart from writing and learning how to read, the students of Aajibaichi Shala are encouraged to learn basic arithmetic as well. The elderly women got a uniform too! They wear bright pink sarees and carry all the necessaries like any other student. As many of the women going to the school are mostly widowed, the bright pink colored uniform denotes liberation and freedom from all the taboos. In a country where widowed women are not encouraged to wear colourful attires, this school shows that there can be a societal metamorphosis if we encourage the ones around us instead of chaining them with unnecessary cultural norms. --- ENDS --- Fenerbahce and St-Etienne grabbed the spoils on a weekend of high-profile derbies against fellow UEFA Europa League hopefuls, and there were smiles too for a Manchester United team back on track. The Turkish Cup round of 16 brought a pair of UEFA Europa League sides together in Besiktas and Fenerbahce, and it was Fener who got the better of their Istanbul neighbours thanks to Robin van Persie's decider in a 1-0 victory. A place in the last eight proved beyond Osmanlspor, on the other hand, as they succumbed to Kasmpasa after extra time. Schalke drew 1-1 away to Bayern Getty Images Over in France, St-Etienne celebrated their fourth victory against Lyon in the last seven Rhone derby fixtures. Kevin Monnet-Paquet and Romain Hamouma found the net to lift Les Verts within a point of fourth-placed OL in the Ligue 1 table but not before a late red card for the victors and two for their opponents. Manchester United mustered an even more emphatic win as they piled more pressure on Premier League champions Leicester via a 3-0 away success, while second-placed Tottenham saw off Middlesbrough 1-0. Elsewhere, Schalke secured a point against Bayern and Villarreal held Liga high-fliers Sevilla. TUESDAY Roma 4-0 Fiorentina SUNDAY Roda 0-2 Ajax APOEL 1-1 AEK Celta P-P Real Madrid Zulte Waregem 1-1 Gent Leicester 0-3 Manchester United Olympiacos 3-0 Iraklis PAOK 3-2 Asteras St-Etienne 2-0 Lyon Besiktas 0-1 Fenerbahce (Turkish Cup last 16) Kasmpasa 1-0 (aet) Osmanlspor (Turkish Cup last 16) Sevilla 0-0 Villarreal SATURDAY Barcelona 3-0 Athletic AZ 2-4 PSV Genk 1-0 Mouscrom-Peruwelz Maccabi Tel-Aviv 1-0 Hapoel Beer-Sheva Monchengladbach 3-0 Freiburg Bayern 1-1 Schalke Tottenham 1-0 Middlesbrough FRIDAY Astra 1-0 Targu Mures Lokeren 0-0 Anderlecht NO GAME Kbenhavn: the Danish Super League is on winter break until the weekend of 18 February Krasnodar, Rostov, Zenit: the Russian Premier-Liga is on winter break until the weekend of 4 March Legia Warszawa: the Polish Ekstraklasa is on winter break until the weekend of 11 February Ludogorets Razgrad: the Bulgarian A League is on winter break until the weekend of 11 February Shakhtar Donetsk: the Ukrainian Premier League is on winter break until the weekend of 25 February Sparta Praha: the Czech First League is on winter break until the weekend of 18 February Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it. I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends. More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it. The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity. About me: I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS. Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line). Age: 42 Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed. I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it). An Afghan diplomat was shot dead in Karachi on Monday by a guard. By India Today Web Desk: An official of the Afghan consulate in Karachi of Pakistan was shot and killed by a guard on Monday, Dawn reported. The Third Secretary at the consulate, Zaki Adu, was killed at the consulate in the Old Clifton area. Private security guard Hayatullah opened fire on Adu following a disagreement between the two, Deputy Inspector General Azad Khan said. advertisement Hayatullah was arrested and the situation was under control, the DIG said, adding that the incident did not appear to be an act of terrorism. The Pakistan Police and Rangers have cordoned off the highly sensitive area which is home to a number of foreign missions. More details awaited Watch the video here Also read: Pakistani Pashtuns seek refuge in Afghanistan after Pakistan Army, Air Force raid Waziristan --- ENDS --- BEIRUT, Lebanon The United Kingdom Secretary of State for International Development Priti Patel and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi today called for urgent international support to Lebanon and Syrian refugees in a joint visit to the Bekaa Valley, east Lebanon. The humanitarian situation for Syrian refugees in Lebanon remains very serious, said Mr. Grandi. They are stretched to breaking point and so are the Lebanese communities that have unconditionally welcomed and hosted them. The international community needs to redouble its support to Lebanon during this critical time and share responsibility for refugees and host communities. Mr. Grandi made those comments during a stop at an informal settlement in Taalabaya, central Bekaa, where the delegation met with refugee families who spoke about their worries and concerns. The settlement which hosts nearly 60 families is one of 1,500 informal settlements in the area where UNHCR provides winter assistance including shelter kits and cash. The delegation also discussed the needs of the Lebanese education system with Education Minister Marwan Hamadeh during a visit to Taalabaya Intermediate Public School, where 600 Syrian students are enrolled in the morning and afternoon shifts. The UK has delivered on the promises we made last year, reaching hundreds of thousands of Lebanese and refugees now it is essential that the international community and host governments alike step up with the funding and reforms needed to complete the ambitious agenda agreed in London, said Ms. Patel. Lebanon faces great adversity, but it is also a country of great generosity, great resilience and great symbolism. I think there is a real opportunity for Lebanon to make the most of its partnership with the international community, both for its own people and for the many refugees it is hosting, she added. Lebanon has been at the forefront of one of the worst humanitarian crises worldwide. The countrys population has grown by 28 per cent in less than five years with a ratio of one refugee to every four Lebanese. The Government of Lebanon and its national and international partners last month appealed for US$2.8 billion to provide critical humanitarian assistance and protection as well as invest in Lebanons public infrastructure, services and local economy in 2017. Some US$1.2 billion were received against the joint Lebanon appeal last year, which has helped UNHCR and partners provide much-needed humanitarian assistance and capacity-building and avoid a sharp deterioration in living conditions and the countrys infrastructure. Media contact: Samsung is one of the major manufacturers in the world who confirmed its attendance for Mobile World Congress 2017 to be held in Barcelona, Spain. The South Korean company has already sent out invites to media people that linked out to the excitement of the company to reveal the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8. Find out the truth here! Samsung is Reportedly Showing Video on Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 in MWC 2017 Samsung has started sending out invites for their conference happening in February 26th during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. According to Phone Arena, the South Korean tech is reportedly revealing their flagship smartphone Galaxy S8 but no further information has been reported about the Galaxy Note 8. Samsung has already announced the launching date of Galaxy S8 which will happen one month later, but it seems like the company wants to maintain the hype that surrounds its upcoming flagship smartphone. Although the fans are excited for the one-minute video, what they are expecting to see from the preview are the characteristics of the phones that are not revealed in the series of leaks from the last few days. Samsung is Confirmed to Unveil Flagship Tablet in MWC 2017 Samsung is said to be focusing on a premium tablet this coming MWC 2017. The said tablet is named Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 in which according to The Indian Express, reflected in the invitation of the South Korean company in a silhouette. Accordingly, Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is the next-gen tablet surpassing the performance of its predecessor. The device is sporting a 9.6-inch display with screen resolution of 2048 x 1536, Snapdragon 820 processor, 4GB of RAM, 12MP rear camera and 5MP for the front-facing one. Furthermore, Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 is reportedly running the Android 7.0 Nougat that is expected to bring a lot of feature enhancements. The device will be available in two variants - LTE model (SM-T820) and Wi-Fi model (SM-TB25). Dancing is a discipline that involves so much art and variety that there's no wonder why it isn't a surprise how many students discover their passion in one or more of its forms. And the talents and skills these students possess are not being put to waste because a number of groups and organizations offer scholarships not only to reward their efforts, but to also help them pursue their dreams and career. Getting into college is definitely costly but the good news is dance scholarships exist to provide financial aid for the artists and performers who are really passionate about dancing. Students who dream of becoming professional dancers should look into these dance scholarships. Princess Grace Dance Awards This is a national program for aspiring dancers, as well as film and theater artists, and according to US News, eligible undergraduate students must have completed one year of higher education as a dance major at a non-profit school. They should also be US citizens or permanent residents nominated by their schools. Beverly Miller Dance Scholarship This scholarship is open to US and Canadian citizens who are between 12 and 21, according to Love to Know. This is intended to help young people to pursue their education as dancers where $10,000 are given on an annual basis. In order to apply, the steps are very easy. Applicants only need to fill out an online application form and describe their passion for dance. They should also acquire letters of recommendation from their teachers. YoungARTS Scholarship This scholarship program is hosted by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts and is one of the most popular scholarships for dancers. The program awards $250 to $10,000 to 150 dancers every year. And although there is a $25 to $35 fee for the registration, most applicants agree that it is worth their time and money. By Press Trust of India: Karachi, Feb 6 (PTI) An Afghan security guard today shot dead a diplomat with a sub-machine gun following an altercation between the two inside the Afghan Consulate in this Pakistani port city. Private security guard Hayatullah Khan opened fire on the third secretary, Zaki Adu, in the lobby of the Consulate in the high-security Clifton area after a personal disagreement between the two, according to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Azad Khan. advertisement "There is no terrorism element in this sad incident," DIG Khan told PTI. "This is not a premeditated act neither a terrorist act. The guard opened fire on the spur of the moment after he lost his temper following an argument with the deceased over timings," the police official said. "We have checked the CCTV cameras and recorded eyewitness statements," he said. The Afghan Consulate is located in the heavily secured and posh area of Clifton and the provincial government has deputed security outside the building. There are a number of other foreign consulates in the area and also the Bhutto familys residence is situated in the locality. Khan said Hayatullah has been taken into custody and investigations have begun. The guard was an Afghan national employed by the Consulate. Police cleared the Consulate building for resumption of work after a thorough search. Security of the area has been increased after the incident, a Sindh government official said. Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal was quoted by The Express Tribune as saying that it was not an act of terrorism. "It seems to be a personal dispute related criminal act," Zakhilwal said. The Afghan envoy said the firing inside the Afghan Consulate in Karachi at around 12:30 PM was carried out by an Afghan guard inside the compound resulting in the fatality of one of the diplomats. PTI SH/NSA CORR ASK AKJ ASK --- ENDS --- President Donald Trump has amassed a great following on Twitter even before he took the seat as the president of the United States. And a university student from Nova Scotia has found a unique way to use social media in relation to Trump and his campaign. Erica Baguma, a 23 year old student from the University of King's College in Halifax, has been collecting tweets of disillusioned Donald Trump voters. In the list of Trump's followers are celebrities such as Rosie O'Donnell, Olivia Wilde and many more. The social anthropology student created the Twitter handle Trump_Regrets on November 2016. Seeing how Trump supporters react to the president's reversal on some of his campaign promises, Baguma started to compile the reactions, as reported by CFJC Today. The undergraduate retweets Trump voters' qualms. She starts with his unconventional use of Twitter, dismissal of intelligence reports involving Russia's meddling in the recent election and other contradictions he made. Since the creation of Trump_Regrets, she has already amassed over 195,000 followers. Baguma notes that the account grew in popularity after celebrity profiles started following the account. Because of the nature of the profile, Trump's Twitter followers accuse it for being a smear campaign. When asked about her thoughts on the account, she says it has given her a new perspective when it comes to Trump's supporters involving the country's best interest. The account is still active today and continues to collect and retweet social media sentiments. Some tweets also include regrets from the recent Trump travel ban. In related news, a Federal judge temporarily halts the Trump travel ban in the country, as reported by CNN. The Federal judge who approved the order is James Robart. According to Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferbuson, no one is above the law. He adds that not even the President is above the law. Watch the video below regarding Robart's halting of Trump's travel ban: A new leak purportedly belonging to the HTC 11 reveals the device as having the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 and running the newest Android Nougat 7.1.2. The leak seems unlikely since Samsung is set to have first dibs on the latest Qualcomm chipset while the Nexus and Pixels have only begun receiving the newest Nougat beta version just this week. A leaked image reportedly posted on Weibo, the popular Chinese microblogging site reveals specs of HTC's second flagship phone. The latest HTC 11 leak reportedly claims to be a screenshot of the devices' About Phone page. The leaks indicate that the newest HTC iteration will have the Snapdragon 835, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The phone will also have the Android Nougat 7.1.2, which Google just announced this week. The latest Nougat beta version has begun rolling out to Google's own devices, the Nexus, and the Pixels. It seems unlikely that HTC as non-Google devices will get it first. Moreover, the leak also revealed the HTC Sense 9.0, which has not been heard of previously. Again, it seems unlikely that HTC will have kept their native technology a secret since it will come as its greatest asset. In the past, the Taiwanese have relied on their own innovations, but recent devices have shown that the company is set to use other company's platform and technology. Hence, the device is also lining up to receive the latest SoC from Qualcomm and most likely from Google too. Another interesting piece of information on the purported HTC 11 leak is the curious configuration of the resolution display. The device will have 1556x2550 pixels, which is uncommon in Quad HD, but may be indicative of a curved display according to Softpedia. The LG G6 and the Galaxy S8 also have unusual resolutions with 2880x1440 pixels. Last month, the Taiwanese company unveiled the HTC U Ultra as its first flagship phone powered by the Snapdragon 821, Ray Arena reported. Recently, the company has just announced that it will skip the MWC 2017. The primary reason for the delayed launching of the unofficial HTC 11 is because the Snapdragon 835 is not yet available. Samsung's foundry arm is tasked to manufacture the premium chipsets, which explains why the Samsung Galaxy S8 will get to feature it first. HTC has always been in the forefront of the latest technology including the latest SoC and the Taiwanese are willing to wait before unveiling another flagship device. The HTC 11 is expected to be unveiled by the second half of 2017. There are many ways to court a company when it comes to making sure they bring their business to their town or city. In Lithuania, building a virtual Tesla factory inside a Minecraft video game is the key. Other states or countries are encouraging businesses to be put up in the area through tax discounts or other cuts in order to provide employment and innovation to the area. If the vicinity is rich in man power and intellectual resources, it would be a vital source of business assets. But how will Lithuania persuade Tesla to go to their home town? Lithuanians badly want Tesla to build its next factory in the country, as reported by the New Jersey Herald. Through the use of a virtual version of a facility using Minecraft, they hope to grab the tech giant's attention. Vladas Lasas is the man behind the courtship. They want to send a message to Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk that the country has a host of assets to provide Tesla. He points out that the country has a lot of skilled workers that can fit a factory's needs. Aside from the virtual factory set up, the 3D video blasts a Welcome to the dream" sign for viewers. Lasas boasts that they have a team that can build a virtual factory in less than a week, as reported by Taipei Times. To which he adds that the country has teams that can work in real factories within just a couple of years. In response to Lithuania's courtship, Tesla tweeted on Friday that the European country knows the way to their heart. As of the moment, there is no official announcement as to where Tesla will be building their next factory. The cost of the site is said to cost about $5.4 billion dollars. Watch the Gigafactory LT clip below on how Lithuania made the virtual factory: A study led by University College Dublin (UCD) has theorized that water on Earth may have been initially formed by chemical reactions within the planet's mantle. This provides an alternative explanation to how water originated in our home planet. It is widely believed that water on Earth came about when comets collided with the planet. This could have deposited massive amounts of ice which later melted and formed water. Phys.org reported that Zdenek Futera, UCD School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, under the direction of Profesor Niall English, UCD School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, and the Materials, Energy and Water Simulations research group, did computer simulations and found that reactions between chemicals in the Earth's mantle can form liquid. The researchers also collaborated with the paper's co-author, Professor John Tse, University of Saskatchewan in Canada. Specifically, the reactions of high-pressure and high-temperature fluid hydrogen and silicon dioxide in quartz found in the Earth's upper mantle, under the right conditions, are enough to form liquid water. The scientists tested the reaction at different temperatures and pressures that are usually found in the Earth's layers, 40 to 400 kilometers below the planet's surface. It was revealed that the silica and fluid hydrogen can form liquid water when exposed to temperatures just above 1400C and at a pressure that is 20,000 times higher than the Earth's atmospheric pressure. Silica can be found above and below the Earth as mineral quartz while the planet's crust is 59 percent silica. Speaking to New Scientist, Professor Tse said that the simulation showed how the water was formed inside quartz, not outside as initially believed. With this, the pressure builds up, reaching as much as 200,000 atmospheres. He added that the high pressure of the water may have led to induced earthquakes. Other scientists also claimed that this suggested that the water may have caused deep quakes. It is still unknown, though, exactly how much water was formed inside the Earth and how much was caused by external forces. Rice University in Houston has once again been defaced with racist vandalism on campus. Last month, the school also had to battle the issue of vandalism. The university's memorial of the Berlin Wall was defaced with pro-Donald Trump vandals last month. "#DeportSpanos" and "TRUMP BABY!" were two examples of the sentiments spray-painted on a mural that was attached to the side of the Moody Center shipping containers. Rice University's portion of the Berlin Wall was tainted with "Aloha!" and "Trump 2016." The memorial, which became a permanently fixture last 2000, is located in front of the school's Baker Institute for Public Policy. It was also noted that a student saw two unidentified individuals in Fondren Library wearing clothing which may have had swastika symbols last November. The university was still investigating the reported incident. This time, KTRK reported that someone vandalized the statue of Rice University founder William Marsh Rice with swastikas. John Hutchinson, Dean of Undergraduates, has expressed that he is fed up with this type of behavior. Hutchinson described the culprit as "either ignorant of the history of true evil" associated with the swastika or "is genuinely motivated by blind hatred." He added that this act showed disrespect for the entire university community. According to Forward, the word "Trump" was also written on the statue. The incident was said to have happened on Friday night. This is the third act of vandalism on the campus. CNN noted that two other major U.S. cities have fallen victims to incidents of swastika vandalisms aside from what happened at Rice University. On Saturday, a surveillance video was released by Chicago Police showing a man smashing a window of a synagogue and placing swastikas on the front door. In New York City, passengers of a subway train car saw swastikas and Nazi slogans drawn on the vehicle. Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton took to Twitter to share the passengers' efforts to clean up the vandals and to say that "we will not let hate win." Scientists have organized and announced an event in April. Named "March for Science," the event will occur in Washington, D.C. In its official website, "March for Science" is described as a celebration of the passion for science as well as a call for support and safeguard the scientific community. It explained how recent policy changes by the Trump administration have increased the worries and concerns of scientists as well as people from around the world. The Christian Science Monitor reported that the event will take place on Earth Day, which is on Apr. 22. It was noted that the movement has gained popularity since Americans are concerned about President Trump's administration as well as his choice of people in the Cabinet's support for "alternative facts." Last month, the 45th President of the United States met with Princeton physicist William Happer. He is known for being vocal about how the benefits brought about by climate change outweigh its disadvantages. William Happer was spotted at Trump Tower on Jan. 13. There are speculations that the meeting was to discuss about a government post for the Princeton physicist in the energy or science departments. This came after Donald Trump appointed climate-change deniers to office. He has previously tweeted that "the concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive." According to The Washington Post, theoretical physicist Laurence Krauss has admitted that he will be joining the "March for Science" event while Sen. Bernie Sanders expressed his approval of the movement. Rush Holt, chief executive of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, noted that he thinks that the march may become a "gigantic endorsement of the idea of science, the idea of verifiable evidence." Meanwhile, Caroline Weinberg, a public health researcher and science writer and co-organizer of the event, said that now may be a good time for scientist to join the fight. She added that both political parties are guilty of disregarding scientific evidence, however, it is no longer possible to ignore policy especially when it affects the future of science itself. The most common picture that flashes through the mind with the mention of asteroids is a huge chunk of rock that could destroy the Earth. However, a lot of these space rocks are replete with minerals, such as iron, gold, and platinum. One of these mineral-rich asteroids will be explored by the NASA Discovery Program not long from now. The asteroid, called 16 Psyche, is found in an area between Jupiter and Saturn called the Trojan Belt. It is 310 miles in diameter, much like the size of Massachusetts. Scientists actually consider it a minor planet because of its size. The planet could have exploded due to collision shattering it into smaller pieces. What caught the scientists eyes, however, is that it is full of platinum, iron, and gold. NASA has scehduled two missions to explore the metal asteroid, the first of which is in October 2021 with the space agency sending a robotic spacecraft named Lucy while the second mission is in 2023. NASA said that it will take six years for the NASA Discovery Program spacecraft to reach the asteroid. According to Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator at NASA's Science Mission and Directorate, it will be the first time for the agency to explore such type of asteroid. On the other hand, Lucy's principal investigator Harold F. Levinson said that the asteroids found in the Trojan Belt are remnants of the outer planets that used to exist in that area. Studying the asteroid and other space rocks in the area might give clues to the origin of the solar system and, eventually, the human life. Jupiter has two groups of asteroids around it - one at the front and one group trailing behind it. They go with the monolith planet as it completes its axis around the sun. According to scientists, the information the asteroids hold could be around a billion years. Chinese tech billionaire made headlines last month after visiting Donald Trump who announced Alibaba would help create one million jobs for the United States. When Trump and Ma met last January, the former was happy to crow that the latter promised to bring a million jobs to the United States. However, critics predicted that Ma will not push through with his pledge, seeing it merely as a good P.R. opportunity as he sees it, Gizmondo reported. Ma's gambit played off right into Trump's pledge to bring growth and get jobs for the American people despite a nine-year low in unemployment. Pundits who have followed Ma were not sold on his pitch, according to them, Ma is a great PR man, and he knows a good opportunity when he sees it. What he said are merely buzzwords that appeal to the Trump's administration that was yet to be to officially inaugurated into the U.S. seat of power at the time. Though it is enticing for an American entrepreneur to develop a product and have it distributed through Alibaba to a country of 1.3 billion people, the big challenge is moving goods and prevent potential piracy. Alibaba is known to be a haven for counterfeits. Last Saturday, Ma opened the Australian and New Zealand headquarters for his Alibaba e-commerce company. More than 350 business and political figures were present during Ma's opening of the Melbourne office to see the man who built his $36 billion fortune from humble beginnings. Speaking to attendees at the auspicious event, Ma said that everybody is concerned about trade wars. He added, if trade stops, war starts. The words reverberate as a warning for Trump and his anti-globalization ideas after pulling America out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal as part of his presidential memoranda on his third day in office. Ma expressed that globalization is the future. Accordingly, the world needs globalization, it needs to trade, he said. Additionally, he said, Trade is about trust and cultural exchange, The Australian reported. Trump described the TPP as a potential disaster for the U.S., He said, he would negotiate for fair bilateral trade deals that bring jobs and industry back, in place of the TPP. By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) Following protests from students, JNU has decided that the admission policy for MPhil and PhD programmes will continue to have a weightage of 80 per cent for entrance exam and 20 per cent for viva voce. The university had last December approved amendments in the admission policy giving 100 per cent weightage to viva voce and reducing entrance examination as a qualifying criteria. The amendments had attracted consecutive protest demonstrations from students. advertisement "The admission policy would adhere to all constitutional provisions related to reservation system. There should be a three-tier entrance test consisting of a qualifying test where all students need to get 50 per cent for moving on to the next stage of descriptive type written test and viva voce," the steering committee of admission at JNU said. "The ratio of weightage for descriptive type written test and viva voce should be 80:20. Legal opinion should be taken on applying reservation system at the first qualifying test where the qualifying marks is 50 per cent," it added. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Steering Committee of admission of JNU to discuss the relevant portions of new regulations and its impact on the current practices of the university. "The main concerns of the students were related to the weightage given to written tests and viva voce; status of constitutional provisions on reservations given to the deprived sections of the society in the admission process; impact of the new UGC regulations on the deprivation points given to socially deprived sections of the society," the university said in a statement. "It was decided that the admission policy would adhere to all constitutional provisions related to reservation system. Current practice of deprivation points given to relevant students in the final selection for admission should continue. "The revised policy on quartile points, designating 36 more districts, on the basis of a four-point formula should be adopted. While several members were in favour of phased implementation of a policy that would lead to adoption of the UGC regulations-based student intake, student representatives expressed their opposition to any reduction in the intake," it added. Meanwhile, the JNU students union alleged that the varsity has issued a statement without confirming minutes of the steering committee meeting and false facts have been projected. "We raised strong objections to many of the agenda items as were put by the chair which the administration has not pointed out in the statement. We have written a letter to the committee in this regard and will continue with protests," a JNUSU statement said. advertisement The administration also assured the students that the deliberations and discussions with stakeholders are on and appealed to students who are on hunger strike to immediately end their fast and cooperate with the varsity. PTI GJS KUN --- ENDS --- February 6 2017 Perth & Kinross Council have launched a hunt to find an architect to lead the rejuvenation of Perth City Hall , ending years of doubt as to the buildings future. Having initially sought to demolish the landmark the local authority now intends to transform the building into a 20m cultural attraction as part of a bid to be crowned UK City of Culture 2021. Organised by the RIAS the competition invites architects to apply for the pre-qualifying stage of the competition before five qualifying architects go on to draw up more detailed proposals as part of the tender process.Together with a revamped Perth Museum & Art Gallery the attraction will play host to collections and exhibitions from the local area and around the UK, stretching from the kingdom of Alba through to famous sons such as the painter John Duncan Fergusson.Helen Smout, chief executive of Culture Perth and Kinross, which delivers and develops museum and library services in the region, added: "City Hall and its redesign is a crucial element to the continued development of culture and arts in Perth and Kinross, and to Perths UK City of Culture bid. Culture Perth and Kinross hopes this competition will attract architects who can help showcase City Hall for what its going to be cornerstone of the regions burgeoning cultural scene and a place to showcase our own important collections alongside an exhibition programme of national and international significance.The successful architect will be confirmed by the end of the year who will then proceed to draw up a final design. Work on this scheme should get underway by early 2019 for completion in early 2021.A civil engineer, services engineer and principal designer will be appointed directly by hub East Central Scotland from their current supply chain. Thanks for visiting ! The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Thank you for your support! The AIIMS administration had suspended five doctors, three senior and two junior residents, on charges of medical negligence after a staff nurse died on Sunday during treatment. By Abhishek Anand: The resident doctors' association of AIIMS has threatened to go on strike demanding reinstatement of five of their colleagues who were suspended on charges of medical negligence following the death of a staff nurse. Rajbir Kaur, 28, staff nurse with the hospital had died on Sunday during treatment. Her death had triggered a massive protest by the nurses union. The AIIMS administration had suspended five doctors, three senior and two junior residents, on charges of medical negligence. On Monday the resident doctors' association staged a protest against the suspension of their colleagues and threatened for a strike if their demands are not met. advertisement "According to a Supreme Court's order, no doctor can be suspended without a thorough enquiry. The AIIMS administration's order seems to have been announced after pressure from the nurses union. The administration should revoke the suspension and take action against whosoever is found guilty in the enquiry," said Dr Vijay Kumar, president of resident doctors' association, AIIMS. "We have no options left but to go on strike if the administration does not listen to our demands," said Kumar. When contacted, the AIIMS administration said it was in talks with the doctors and will respond once the enquiry concludes. Staff nurse Rajbir was admitted for delivery and she died due to post caesarean complications. The AIIMS administration has constituted a committee to enquire into the matter, reports of which are likely to be out in a couple of days. The resident doctors, however, claim that there are too many staffers working in all the departments of the AIIMS apart from the resident doctors. They accused the administration of making resident doctors 'scapegoats' to end the protest of the nurses union. "The administration succumbed to the pressure of the nurses union. We want a fair probe and reinstatement of our fellow resident doctors," Dr Ila said. --- ENDS --- UTSA announces dates for spring Commencement ceremonies (Feb. 6, 2017) -- The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has announced the dates for its Spring 2017 Commencement ceremonies. More than 4,000 UTSA students will receive their degrees in one of three ceremonies scheduled on Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14 at the Alamodome. UTSA's first spring Commencement ceremony begins at 10 a.m., May 13 and honors graduates from the College of Liberal and Fine Arts, the College of Public Policy and University College. Students who are earning a degree from the College of Architecture, Construction and Planning, College of Business and College of Engineering will walk the stage on May 13 at 4 p.m. The third ceremony, scheduled at 2 p.m. on May 14, will recognize graduates from the College of Education and Human Development and the College of Sciences. Students who are graduating this spring also should plan to attend Grad Fest, a fun event offered to help Roadrunners prepare for graduation and Commencement. Aside from getting important information about commencement and life after UTSA, Grad Fest features prize giveaways and a fun selfie station to take pictures. UTSA students may attend one of two Grad Fest events: Monday, March 6, 2-6 p.m. Buena Vista Street Building Meeting Assembly Room (BVB 1.338) UTSA Downtown Campus Tuesday, March 7, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. H-E-B University Center Ballroom (HUC 1.104) UTSA Main Campus UTSA class rings are also available to 2017 graduates. One of UTSA's most unique traditions, the rings sleep in the Alamo the night before the Ring Ceremony, when students receive this lasting symbol in front of family, friends and university dignitaries. UTSA Ring ordering and pricing information can be found here. UTSA is ranked among the top 400 universities in the world and among the top 100 in the nation, according to Times Higher Education. - Courtney Clevenger ------------------------------- Learn more about UTSA graduation. Learn more about UTSA Commencement. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn. UTSA, Alamo Colleges and high school students collaborate to uncover galactic mysteries Alamo Colleges student Tyler Rucas (left) and UTSA student Oscar Cantua (right) observe images and data of nearby galaxies. (Feb. 6, 2017) -- An eclectic group of high school and college students led by Eric Schlegel, Vaughan Family Endowed Professor in Physics at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), has published a series of abstracts detailing their efforts to map the contents of a trio of spiral galaxies. The students, ranging from high school seniors to college seniors, are mapping signals emitted by the galaxies in an effort to better understand our own starry environment. The goal is to find the sources of these signals in these galaxies and to identify what those objects are, Schlegel said. The students, guided by Schlegel, are studying one very well-researched galaxy, NGC 300, which is one of the closest galaxies to our own, in addition to two lesser-known bodies, NGC 1232 and NGC 3938. The group analyzed data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, a NASA satellite in orbit around the planet, and mapped signals from within the galaxies, basing their characterizations on the consistency of the signals. By analyzing the energy of the light from the galaxies, we can understand what they might be, said Oscar Cantua, a UTSA sophomore and physics major. Black holes and neutron stars are more inconsistent in the way they shine, whereas the more persistent signals are usually remnants of a supernova. Cantua, who came to UTSA as part of the Top Scholars program, has aspired to be a part of mission control at NASA since meeting legendary flight director Gene Kranz at the Johnson Space Center in high school. Being able to reach for the stars as an undergraduate researcher at UTSA, he said, is bringing him closer to his dream. I feel like Im very fortunate, he said. Its been very exciting. Cantua is working with Tyler Rucas, an Alamo Colleges student who has been gaining first-hand research experience through the Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Participation Ciencia, Ingenieria y Matematicas Aliados (LSAMP-CIMA) program. The program is a partnership between UTSA and Alamo Colleges that provides community college students with the opportunity to work in top-tier research laboratories. Rucas eventually wants to earn his Ph.D. in physics at UTSA, but for now is enjoying his experience delving into the mysteries of nearby galaxies. This work is important, Rucas said. By studying these galaxies we can find out more about our own galaxy and where we come from. UTSA physics seniors Kevin Turner and Dale Bobar both said theyre enjoying the collaborative experience of undergraduate research. The research is exciting, but the experience has been very educational as well, Bobar said. Initially we were researching one galaxy and that project didnt work out. It was disappointing, but it was very good to see that side of research and to learn that sometimes you have to readjust and do something else. Bobar stressed the importance of UTSA undergraduates asking professors for research opportunities. Its rare for students at this level to be able to participate in work like this, he said. Its important to get into a lab as early as possible. Schlegel is also working with Kelsey Buhidar, an aspiring Roadrunner who is currently a senior at John Jay Science and Engineering Academy. She contacted Schlegel last fall as part of an independent study course that required her to interview professionals in a field she was interested in becoming a part of. Dr. Schlegel was very nice and interesting, of course, she said. I was nervous, but I asked if he could mentor me and thankfully he said yes. Buhidar, who has been fascinated by astrophysics since kindergarten, is motivated by understanding the mysteries of the universe, excited by the fact that there are still so many. It interests me that the universe is so big, but theres still so much to be learned, she said. Its this new frontier, and so much of what makes up our universe is hardly understood at all. Schlegel and his students presented their research to the American Astronomical Society in January, and plan on publishing a full study later this year. - Joanna Carver ------------------------------- Learn more about the UTSA Department of Physics and Astronomy. Learn more about the UTSA Top Scholar program. Learn more about the LSAMP-CIMA program. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn. By Press Trust of India: Bhopal, Feb 6 (PTI) A court here today issued bailable warrants against the then district collector and Superintendent of Police, booked for allegedly helping Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) chairman Warren Anderson escape from India after the 1984 gas tragedy. Chief Judicial Magistrate Bhubhaskar Yadav issued the warrant of Rs 5,000 each to the then Collector Moti Singh and retired SP Swaraj Puri after they failed to appear in the court. advertisement The CJM directed that the warrants should be served through the Bhopal Senior Superintendent of Police to the two accused. On January 13 too they didnt turn up in the court after summons were issued to them. Anderson, a US citizen, never deposed before the Bhopal court for trial in the case related to worlds worst industrial disaster, and was declared an absconder. He died in the US in 2013. Both the officers, now retired, were charged under IPC Sections 212 (harbouring offender), 217 (public servant disobeying direction of law with intent to save person from punishment) and 221 (intentional omission to apprehend on the part of public servant bound to apprehend). The magistrate had on December 19 directed the two ex- officials to appear before him on January 13. The court was hearing petitions filed by Abdul Jabbar of NGO Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog Sangathan and Bhopal Gas Peedit Sangharsh Sahyog Samiti, and Satinath Sarangi of Bhopal Group for Information and Action. The case was filed after the activists sought action against the two former officers for allegedly helping Anderson escape from the country. Toxic gas leaked from UCCs now-defunct pesticide factory here on the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984. Nearly 15,000 people were killed and lakhs maimed in the industrial disaster. PTI LAL MAS RMT ZMN SRE --- ENDS --- Antibiotics import norms to be tightened The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development recently issued regulations to tighten import of antibiotics to prevent their use in the breeding of sea animals. However, a list of 57 government approved antibiotic substances can be imported to produce veterinary medicines, which are certified or legally permitted in Vietnam. Importers applying for licenses are required to furnish details of previous shipments and cannot sell to veterinary medicine dealers, breeders, and farmers, but only to licensed veterinary medicine manufacturers. The stricter food safety norms come after Vietnamese seafood exports (heading mostly for Japan and EU) were returned last year due to chemical contamination and high antibiotic residue levels. To control the overuse of certain antibiotics, Vietnams Veterinary Department has ceased issuing import licenses, imposing a temporary suspension of operations for six firms involved in antibiotics trading. Bank shareholders required to disclose assets Vietnam will soon introduce a law requiring the full disclosure of incomes and assets by large shareholders of privately owned banks. The new law aims to clean up the countrys banking system, which has the highest ratio of non-performing loans in Southeast Asia. In the last few years, bad debts have impeded the countrys economy growth with non-performing loans in 2012 rising to 11 percent of the countrys GDP at US$12.5 billion (VND 280 trillion). In order to keep a check on stock manipulation and bad debt, the Vietnamese State Bank will be introducing regulations compelling stockholders of major banks to disclose details about their stock ownership. If the government finds any irregularities in their finances, bank executives will not be able to join the board of other firms. About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email vietnam@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight. Annual Audit and Compliance in Vietnam 2016 In this issue of Vietnam Briefing, we address pressing changes to audit procedures in 2016, and provide guidance on how to ensure that compliance tasks are completed in an efficient and effective manner. We highlight the continued convergence of VAS with IFRS, discuss the emergence of e-filing, and provide step-by-step instructions on audit and compliance procedures for Foreign Owned Enterprises (FOEs) as well as Representative Offices (ROs). Navigating the Vietnam Supply Chain In this edition of Vietnam Briefing, we discuss the advantages of the Vietnamese market over its regional competition and highlight where and how to implement successful investment projects. We examine tariff reduction schedules within the ACFTA and TPP, highlight considerations with regard to rules of origin, and outline the benefits of investing in Vietnams growing economic zones. Finally, we provide expert insight into the issues surrounding the creation of 100 percent Foreign Owned Enterprise in Vietnam. Tax, Accounting and Audit in Vietnam 2016 (2nd Edition) This edition of Tax, Accounting, and Audit in Vietnam, updated for 2016, offers a comprehensive overview of the major taxes foreign investors are likely to encounter when establishing or operating a business in Vietnam, as well as other tax-relevant obligations. This concise, detailed, yet pragmatic guide is ideal for CFOs, compliance officers and heads of accounting who must navigate Vietnams complex tax and accounting landscape in order to effectively manage and strategically plan their Vietnam operations. Rescue workers attend to a fire at the Metapolis shopping mall in Dongtan, south of Seoul, on Feb 4, 2017. (Photo: Yonhap/AFP) Police suspect that sparks from a welding torch might have started the fire on Saturday in a kids' play area in the Metapolis mall in Dongtan, a commuter town south of Seoul. Two of the four who died were builders and the others were a mall worker and a shopper. Most of the 47 injured complained of smoke inhalation. The play area was closed at the time of the fire. Fire authorities urged builders to follow safety regulations, noting that welding torches were blamed for past blazes. These include a December 2008 warehouse fire in the eastern city of Icheon that claimed eight lives and a shopping mall blaze at a bus terminal in Koyang, north of Seoul, which killed nine and injured 60. Vietnam is orchestrating a range of events to bring the region closer According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), the 42nd ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting (AEM-42), the 4th ASEAN Economic Community Council Meeting (AEC-4) and related meetings, to be held from the August 22-28, 2010 in Danang, will see Vietnam propose various economic cooperation initiatives. They include private sector dialogue regarding the regional policy-making process, first consultations between economic ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam to discuss measures to narrow the development gap between the countries and the other ASEAN members. Vietnam will also organise a business forum on regional integration in ASEANs logistics industry and dialogue between ASEAN economic ministers and the private sector. Besides, Vietnam will also debut its ASEAN competition policy manual, which will help the blocs member countries devise their own competition policies to cope with possible risks from outside. Vietnams proposals are to boost the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015, said MoIT deputy minister Nguyen Cam Tu. With a theme of AEC: A Community for Dynamic and Sustainable Growth, the AEM-42 will affirms ASEANs commitments towards both economic growth and a balanced, stable and sustainable development. The outcomes of the AEM-42s discussions will be reported to AEC-4 and from which to the 17th ASEAN Summit in this October in Hanoi. MoIT Minister Vu Huy Hoang said the AEC was selected by Vietnam as the most important content of ASEANs agenda for 2010, in which the AEC must be established by 2015. This is a big target that can determine the existence of ASEAN as a united economic entity and a driving force for the process of economic integration in East Asia, Hoang said. The MoIT said that 2010 was a key time in the process of realising the AEC. Many core and significant ASEAN agreements, including the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement, the 7th package of services under the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services would come into force. ASEAN will also vigorously implement many important cooperation programmes such as the ASEAN Single Window, the Trade Facilitation Work Programme and measures to enhance the participation of private sector in the regions integration activities. In his recent speech at the 15th anniversary of Vietnams membership in ASEAN, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said that ASEAN should continue efforts to accelerate the implementation of agreements relating to the AEC, ASEAN connectivity and Free Trade Area agreements with other partners. ASEAN needs to pursue a policy of sustainable and balanced development, which ensures economic growth, social development and clean environment, Dung said. To be chaired by Hoang, the AEM-42 is the most important annual event of the ASEAN economic pillar in 2010. Eighteen economic ministers from ASEAN, eight dialogue partners including China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, India, EU and Russia and representatives from businesses will participate in the event. Many people in Vietnam take to the streets to buy gold as they believe this will bring them good luck. Here are the photos that VIRs Dung Minh took in front of some gold stores on Tran Nhan Tong Street. Many people brought their children along to buy gold with the hope that some good luck will rub off on them, too. The gold stores opened at 6.30 am in the morning today, two hours earlier than usual, but people had been lining up since 5.00 am. Caishen is a Chinese deity whose birthday has been celebrated for a long time by the sizeable Chinese-Vietnamese diaspora in the south of Vietnam. In the north, however, the custom is relatively new, only having taken root in the past 20 years. In China, people celebrated Caishens birthday on the 5th day of the year instead of the 10th and they burn imitation paper money instead of buying gold. Accordingly, only certified antibiotics or those listed as permissible can be imported for the production of veterinary medicine in Vietnam. There are currently 57 antibiotics on this list. In addition, while applying for a licence, importers are required to report on the use of previous shipments and disclose further information, such as the identity and address of the sellers. The traders are not permitted to sell the antibiotic materials to establishments which are not licensed to produce veterinary medicines, Dam Xuan Thanh, deputy director of the ministrys Veterinary Department, told local media, adding that to fully prevent unauthorised antibiotics from reaching livestock, the regulations prohibit sales to veterinary medicine dealers or breeders and farmers. The restrictions came amidst the increasing qualms about the quality of Vietnamese seafood exports. Probably as the first serious steps to combat the overuse of antibiotics in sea animal breeding, the Veterinary Department has ceased handing out licenses to import the antibiotic Enrofloxacin and ordered six firms to suspend operations (terms of three to 12 months) for violating antibiotics trading regulations. According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in 2016 Vietnams seafood export was $7 billion, up 7.4 per cent. Of the amount, shrimp continued to make up the biggest portion of 44 per cent in terms of value, with $3.1 billion. Pangasius ranked second with $1.6 billion, while tuna contributed $500 million and octopus $440 million. In 2017, the seafood production and export industry is going to face some challenges including high cost of production, as drought and salt water intrusion may cause a reduction in the yield of shrimp and increase risk of disease. Traditional markets such as the US, EU, Australia and Japan are tightening criteria for seafood import in terms of origin, labour conditions, and food safety. The US has withdrawn from the TPP and may increase import tariff so VASEP expected Vietnams seafood export to the US to halve this year, while export to the EU and Japan is expected to be stable. China on the other hand, may increase its seafood import from Vietnam; and VASEP expected the figure at $1 billion. After the confinement of over 100 days in the BB 10 house, Bani Judge is on a much-needed vacation with best friend Gauahar Khan. By India Today Web Desk: Bani Judge is a free bird now. After spending over 100 days in Bigg Boss 10 house, the Bigg Boss 10 runner-up is having the time of her life with friend Gauahar Khan in London. Bani and Gauahar also arranged a hang out with their fans in the Serpentine Cafe at Hyde Park. Bani has been thanking her fans and showering them with love and affection, ever since she came out of the house. advertisement During her holiday, she also met Roadies friend Rannvijay Singh Singha and his newborn daughter. Rannvijay thanked her on Twitter, saying the gifts she brought along for his little bundle of joy are cute. Also read: BB10 winner Manveer Gurjar to appear on this show next? Like a true friend, Rannvijay constantly lent his support by tweeting in Bani's favour, during her Bigg Boss 10 stint. Bani's journey on Bigg Boss 10 was full of ups and downs. While she stood out due to her unique personality, she was criticised for being selfish on the show. She even got physical with co-contestant Lopa, but later apologised to her after the grand finale. However, everybody knows that she's an honest and straighforward person and that was the root cause of all the troubles. She was adjudged the first runner-up and that in itself in a big achievement. Meanwhile, Bani should totally let her hair down and relax before resuming with her hectic schedule. --- ENDS --- Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc inspects the shrimp processing chain at Minh Phu Seafood Corporation. - VNA/VNS Photo Minh Phu is Vietnams leading shrimp exporter, shipping products to more than 50 foreign markets. Shrimp export alone earns the corporation US$535 million in 2016, according to its management. The corporation is employing 12,000 workers. The PM hailed the companys research into various models for shrimp farming, noting that any model should ensure the protection of the environment. He expressed his hope that Minh Phu will earn $2 billion from exports by 2021, contributing to realising the national target of $10 billion in shrimp export value. The company reported to the Government leader that it is developing a chain of shrimp farmers to ensure supply of clean raw materials meeting the quality requirements of strict markets and the easy verification of product origin. It proposed a mangrove-based shrimp farming model, which could be an effective way for Ca Mau to reduce poverty and develop the local economy, considering the fact that the province currently has 100,000 hectares of mangrove forest. From its modest beginnings as a cornstarch manufacturing plant in 1954 with the first introduced product Panda Corn Syrup in 1956, URC has grown to become one of the largest branded food product companies in the Philippines and now has a stronger presence in the ASEAN markets. The company has also expanded its reach to include the Oceania region through the acquisition of Griffins Food Limited, the number one snack foods company in New Zealand and Snack Brands Australia, the second largest salty snacks player in Australia. URC is engaged in a wide variety of businesses that includes manufacturing and distribution of snack foods, beverages and grocery products. It is also into food ingredients (flour milling, sugar milling and refining) and allied agro-industrial products. URC has also ventured in the renewables business through the distillery and cogeneration divisions. Rooted in values of Passion to Win, Dynamism, Integrity and Courage which were espoused by its founder, John Gokongwei, Jr, the companys key to success is to build very strong branding through a robust product innovation pipeline, consumer-centric marketing and world-class manufacturing and supply chain management. With the vision to become one of the leading players in Pan-Asian-Oceania region in snack foods and beverages, URC now has full scale operations in ten countries outside the Philippines, and soon in emerging markets like Laos and Cambodia. In addition, URC's products are already being exported to mainstream markets in the US, Europe, Japan, Korea, the Middle East and frontier markets in West Africa, like Ghana and Nigeria. URC has built three strong regional brands over the years; "Jack 'n Jill" for snack foods, "C2" for ready-to-drink tea, and "Great Taste" for coffee. These brands are becoming popular across the ASEAN region and have grown to represent the simple pleasures of life as well as the fun and camaraderie of snacking. Premium brands were also added into URCs portfolio through its acquisitions such as Griffins and Nice & Natural from Griffins Foods, and Kettle, Thins, CCs and Cheezels from Snack Brands Australia. This occasion marks URCs 13 years of presence in Vietnam, having been incorporated in Vietnam in 2003. In 2005, URC Vietnam started commercial operations with the introduction of Dynamite Candies as their first locally manufactured product, which then expanded to snacks (Funbites, Jack & Jill Potato Chips), Beverage (C2) in 2006 and Biscuits (Cream O/Magic) in 2007. On top of the product expansion, the company has built three factories in Binh Duong, one in Quang Ngai and one in Hanoi respectively. It currently employs approximately 1,600 local employees. The 60th anniversary is a remarkable milestone of URC as a leading company in consumer food & beverage in ASEAN market. This is a meaningful and historic moment to review great achievements we contributed to not only the Philippines but also ASEAN markets in which Vietnam plays a significant role, said Jai Gamboa, general manager of URC Vietnam at the anniversary celebration. Regarding URCs plan, Gamboa said, We start the year 2017 with a stronger spirit and determination to improve our business. This year we make a change by focusing on a few but key and big initiative for our brands. We will focus our resources to our key brands C2 and Rong Do, and continue to build a strong presence in Biscuits, Candies and Snacks. We also start an effort this year in having a more positive impact to the Vietnamese community through activities that affect peoples lives. This is part of URCs commitments to a long-term presence in Vietnam. URC took this occasion to introduce a new logo and packaging for all its product lines which represents a new visual expression of its corporate identity with the aim of uplifting URC as a brand that is closer, valuable, visible, and meaningful to consumers. The action aimed to show URCs firm determination to transform itself in line with the changing external dynamics of the market and increasing opportunities in Asia and beyond. Demonstrators opposed to President Donald Trump's executive order barring travellers and immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the US march through Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport. ( Source: AP Photo/Reed Saxon) The early-morning ruling from a federal appeals court was the latest chapter in a saga which began on Jan 27, when Trump issued a blanket ban on all refugees, and travellers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Trump had not commented on the appeals ruling by mid-afternoon and was uncharacteristically silent on Twitter but Vice President Mike Pence, who made the rounds on Sunday's political talk shows, called the decision "frustrating." "We will move very quickly," Pence told Fox News. "We are going to win the arguments because we will take the steps necessary to protect the country, which the president of the United States has the authority to do." On Saturday, the Manhattan property mogul had unleashed a string of fiery tweets defending his policy and attacking federal judge James Robart, who on Friday blocked the ban nationwide pending a wider legal review. "The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law-enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!" Trump wrote on Twitter, in rare criticism of a judge by a sitting president. Asked by multiple networks whether Trump's comment about Robart was out of line, Pence defended his boss, saying he was not questioning the judge's legitimacy but simply expressing his disagreement with the ruling. "Every president has a right to be critical of the other branches of the federal government," Pence told CBS News. 'IRREPARABLE HARM' Trump's executive order slapped a blanket ban on entry for nationals of the seven countries for 90 days and barred all refugees for 120 days. Refugees from Syria were blocked indefinitely. In an appeal filed late Saturday, the Justice Department said that suspending the ban was causing "irreparable harm" to the American public. It said Robart's ruling had run afoul of constitutional separation of powers, and "second-guesses the president's national security judgment." But in the early hours of Sunday morning, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a request calling for the travel ban to be immediately reinstated, without offering a reason. The court asked the states of Washington and Minnesota, which had filed the original suit over the ban, to provide additional documents by 0759 GMT Monday. And the Justice Department was given until 2300 GMT on Monday to complete its legal dossier. 'I'M ECSTATIC' Meanwhile, in line with Robart's ruling, travellers from the targeted countries with valid visas began arriving on American soil, while others prepared to set off for the United States. In New York, 33-year-old Sudanese doctor Kamal Fadlalla rejoiced - after a week blocked in his home country, he was back in the Big Apple with friends and colleagues. "It feels great," Fadlalla told AFP on Sunday at John F. Kennedy International Airport. "It was a tough week actually." In Syria, a 25-year-old law graduate who asked not to be named said he was driving to Beirut on Sunday to catch a flight to Amman and then a connecting flight to New York. "I jumped up and haven't been able to sleep since. I'm ecstatic," the man told AFP. In Iran, a 30-year-old woman told AFP she had rebooked her tickets to the United States and was ready to travel late Sunday to see her brother. "Until yesterday, I was completely disappointed. We have some new hope after this news, but it's 50-50. I am willing to take this risk," said the woman from the city of Shiraz, who did not want to give her name. The State Department has said visa holders from the seven countries are allowed to travel to the US as long as their documents have not been "physically cancelled." The department had earlier said up to 60,000 people had their visas revoked as a result of Trump's order. 'CONTEMPTUOUS' The restrictions have fueled numerous protests at home and abroad - from London to Washington and Palm Beach, where Trump was spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago retreat - now dubbed the "Winter White House." Hundreds of expatriate workers rallied on Sunday in Hong Kong - many of them women from the Philippines or mainly Muslim Indonesia. Also on Sunday, dozens of Trump supporters rallied in front of Trump Tower in New York, urging Americans to give him a chance - but they ended up in a face-off with a dozen counter-protesters. "He's been in office less than three weeks - he's entitled to have a fair shot and to run the government the way he wants to," said Cindy Grosz, one of the co-organisers. UC Berkeley officials are talking with law enforcement officials on how to avoid so-called black bloc protesters leaving hate-filled graffiti on campus and causing incidents filled with violence. Pro and anti-gay marriage demonstrators rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court as it hears arguments on the question of same-sex marriage on April 28, 2015, in Washington, D.C. President-elect Donald Trump, center, and Apple CEO Tim Cook, right, are seen at a meeting of technology leaders at Trump Tower in New York. A petition accuses Moti Singh and Swaraj Puri - collector and SP, respectively, of Bhopal in 1984, of helping Warren Anderson, CEO of Union Carbide, escape from India. By Hemender Sharma: Bhopal Chief Judicial Magistrate Bhaskar Yadav has directed the Bhopal senior superintendent of Police to ensure the presence of Moti Singh and Swaraj Puri -- the collector and SP, respectively, of Bhopal in the year 1984 when the deadly gas tragedy struck the city -- in his court on March 1. A bailable warrant of Rs 5000 each has been issued against the two retired officers. advertisement The court had earlier issued bail able warrants against the two officers on a petition filled by gas activist Abdul Jabbar. JABBAR: OFFICERS HELPED WARREN ANDERSON ESCAPE Jabar in his petition alleged the two officers facilitated the escape of Warren Anderson, the then CEO of Union Carbide Corporation, which owned the insecticide plant that developed the leak in 1984. Anderson died in 2014. Referencing material from a book written by the then Bhopal collector Moti Singh, Jabbar claimed Anderson was allowed to escape from Bhopal in November 1984 despite a non-bailable case being registered against him. Singh and then SP Swaraj Puri conspired to illegally grant bail to Anderson who was then escorted to the airport by the Bhopal police, the petition further alleges. Also read: 32 years since Bhopal gas tragedy: The industrial disaster that affected 5,20,000 people EARLIER WARRANTS RETURNED The court of CJM Bhaskar Yadav had issued bailable warrants against the two former officers on November 19 last year, but the warrants were returned to the court with a note from the police that the two were not found in their respective government bungalows. "Obviously they (Singh and Swaraj) would not have been found in their government bungalows as both of them have since retired from government service but everyone knows where they live. The court accepted this argument and hence directed the district SSP to ensure their presence in court on March 1," Jabbar said. THOUSANDS DEAD IN DEADLY ACCIDENT Tragedy had struck Bhopal during on intervening night of December 3 and 4 when methyl isocyanide leaked from the Union Carbide's factory in the JP Nagar area of Bhopal. In the mayhem that continued for several weeks, thousands lost their lives and several thousand suffered life-long disabilities. The left over toxic chemical waste is still lying at the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal and according to experts, is seeping into groundwater. The contamination radius is expanding with every passing day even as survivors, activists and the government fail to reach an agreement on how to dispose off it. advertisement Also read: After Kodaikanal won't, Sofia Ashraf raps for Bhopal gas tragedy victims Also read: Bhopal gas tragedy: 32 years on, world's worst industrial disaster continues to haunt --- ENDS --- Former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke, with his attorney Dan Herbert, stands in front of Judge Vincent Gaughan at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in December for a hearing on the shooting death of Laquan McDonald in Chicago. Van Dyke faces charges in McDonalds death. On Monday, H. and his family learned their move from Bangkok to the United States as refugees from political persecution in Vietnam would be delayed because of President Donald Trump's sweeping executive order on immigration, signed January 27. The order halted the entry of all refugees for 120 days for a review of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, barred all Syrian refugees indefinitely, and set a 90-day entry ban on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. The order also cut the number of refugees that the U.S. can accept in fiscal year 2017. President Barack Obama had set the level at 110,000 before he left office. Trump set the level at no more than 50,000 refugees. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, refugees receive "the highest degree of security screening and background checks for any category of traveler to the United States." The process can take years. Trump's order, while highly unpopular overseas, is supported by roughly one-half of all Americans, according to polls, and is consistent with repeated promises he made during his election campaign. Homeland Security chief John Kelly maintained at a news conference this week that the ban is not aimed specifically at Muslims, adding that his agency's mission "is to safeguard the American people, our homeland, our values." The final confirmation of the delay of the H. family's transfer for resettlement came via the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on the Monday following Trump's action. Family members had already surrendered the lease on their apartment, taken their children out of school and quit their jobs as they readied to leave Thailand. "My wife and I were devastated by the news," H. said, asking VOA to identify him only by the first letter of his given name for safety reasons. "My wife is almost six months into her pregnancy. She took it really hard and almost fainted." When asked about the H. family, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok said in an email to VOA that the embassy "was not able to comment on specific cases." She added that the Refugee Admission Program would resume after a period of 120 days "for nationals of countries for which the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence determine that there are adequate procedures to ensure the security and welfare of the United States." The Trump administration on Tuesday said nearly 900 refugees would be allowed into the U.S. this week despite the ban, saying they already were traveling, and that stopping them would cause "undue hardship." H., once a Buddhist monk, is from the Khmer Krom ethnic group indigenous to Vietnam's Soc Trang province. In 2007, he participated in protests demanding religious freedom. Jailed for seven days, he said he was forced to return to secular life. In 2009, he fled to Cambodia, and then because "Vietnamese authorities were hunting for me," he fled to Thailand and applied to become a refugee. With help from lawyers from Boat People SOS (BPSOS), a Virginia-based organization that resettles former political prisoners of Vietnam, H. and his family obtained refugee status from the UNHCR in 2014. When contacted by IOM, the H. family was preparing to surrender to Thai authorities to enter the Immigration Detention Center (IDC) prior to a February 8 departure for Los Angeles. People seeking refugee status in Thailand are often in violation of that nation's immigration laws. Some have overstayed their visas. Others have entered Thailand illegally. These offenses mean the refugees must be held in the IDC before leaving Thailand. The H. family had anticipated paying a fine equivalent to $190 for violating Thailand's immigration laws and being held at the IDC for about a week. Now the family is subsisting on that money. Jennifer Bose, reporting officer for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Thailand, said the U.N. would be providing assistance to those affected families as a matter of the agencys policy. The UNHCR does not comment on individual cases, but Bose says there are "a couple of hundred" people that were preparing to depart Thailand as part of the resettlement program within the coming weeks. Their journeys are on hold. The UNHCR is waiting to see "what will happen after the 120 days," Bose said. "Because we don't know more than you, we have been talking with authorities and with the U.S. Embassy in trying to just understand the situation. But at the moment we don't know." Phil Robertson, deputy director of the Asia division of Human Rights Watch, said, "This blunderbuss type of approach to ban all refugee resettlement for 120 days is really putting people in a very difficult situation," adding that Trump's order is "causing a great deal of consternation, apprehension for no good reason, to be honest." H. said he hopes Trump will rethink his order, but he admits uncertainty overshadows his family's future. "My wife will probably have given birth after 120 days," he said. "I'm not so sure if we'll be allowed to resettle in the U.S. then." An Afghan diplomat was shot and killed by his security guard inside the consulate in the Pakistani port city of Karachi on Monday, officials said. Mohammad Zaki Abdu, the third secretary at the consulate, died of his wounds shortly after the shooting, according to the consulate's spokesman, Haris Khan. "We were working at our office when we heard gunshots," he said. "Everybody was running in panic." The guard, identified only as an Afghan national named Rahatullah, was taken into custody, said Pakistani police official Azad Khan. Both officials said the motive behind the killing was not yet known. Pakistan has long been a hotbed of Islamic militancy. Foreign missions are provided extra security and also frequently hire their own private guards. Rahatullah was the slain diplomat's personal bodyguard, and it wasn't clear whether the Afghan Consulate had hired him officially, said Khan, the police official. Noor Wali Khan Noor, a Foreign Ministry official in Kabul, said a delegation from the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad has been dispatched to Karachi to investigate the incident. Pakistan's Foreign Office said police intervened immediately after the shooting, which took place in the lobby of the consulate. It said Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry spoke by phone with the Afghan ambassador to offer condolences and assistance in the investigation. Afghanistan and Pakistan have long accused each other of tolerating Islamic militants who operate along their porous border. The speaker of Britain's lower house of parliament says he is "strongly opposed" to letting U.S. President Donald Trump address parliament during a state visit to Britain later this year. John Bercow said Monday that a speech to parliament is "not an automatic right, it is an earned honor." He said he would have opposed the invitation even before Trump's temporary ban on immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries. "After the imposition of the migrant ban by President Trump I am even more strongly opposed," he said. Bercow said that while Britain values its relationship with the United States "our opposition to racism and to sexism, and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary, are hugely important considerations." The House of Commons speaker is one of several people whose approval would be needed for any parliamentary address. Trump is due to visit Britain later this year, but the date and details of the state visit are still being worked out. Trump has not yet been scheduled to address parliament, but such a speech has been a feature of many previous state visits, including one by former President Barack Obama in 2011. British Prime Minister Theresa May extended the invitation for Trump to visit Britain while she was at the White House last month. More than 1.8 million British citizens have signed a petition calling on ministers to cancel the visit. However, support for a counter petition supporting Trump's visit has been growing and now has a quarter of million people. Lawmakers are expected to debate the matter later this month. Bercow said that decision was above his pay grade. The United Nations Mine Action Service is appealing for more than half-a-billion dollars, a 50 percent increase from last year's appeal, to clear landmines and other explosive hazards in 22 countries and territories. Activists still are advocating for a mine-free world by 2025. However, that prospect appears to be dimming as mine-clearance work in places such as Afghanistan is slowing due to lack of money, and new areas where explosive hazards are appearing are increasing. This year, the U.N. Mine Action Service or UNMASS celebrates its 20th anniversary and the adoption of the convention banning the use, stockpiling, production and destruction of anti-personnel mines. Money from the appeal will fund more than 200 projects in countries contaminated by landmines, unexploded cluster munitions, rockets and improvised explosive devices across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and South America. The director of UNMASS, Agnes Marcaillou, says Iraq is one of the agency's biggest operations and $50 million will be needed to carry out work there. She tells VOA that de-miners have begun assessing the situation in the Iraqi city of Mosul, although weapons clearance operations will not go ahead until the conflict has abated and it is safe to begin. Besides Iraq, the highest funding requirements include the active zones of Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen. In addition, Marcaillou says UNMASS needs money to clear mines and other explosive hazards in countries with extensive residual contamination. These include Cambodia and Laos. She says successful ongoing programs are occurring in Mali, Somalia and Palestine. Election observers in Somalia say corruption is running rampant ahead of Wednesday's presidential election, with candidates giving gifts and large sums of cash to lawmakers to secure their votes. Twenty-three candidates are challenging incumbent Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who is seeking a second four-year term as leader of the Horn of Africa nation. The president will be elected by members of the parliament, who were elected last year. Warning from official Speaking to reporters Monday, the chairman of an independent anti-corruption committee threatened to expose those who are offering and accepting bribes. We know what is going on in the city and we want to make sure that things happen in a transparent and legal way, said Abdi Ismail Samatar. There is no way we can immediately prevent if a lawmaker makes deals under the table, but we make sure that the voting process is free and fair, and later if we find out any corruption and bribery involvement, we will make it public, he said. The committee, which has no policing authority, was established by parliament to oversee the election and report any malpractices and irregularities. Election moved to airport The election has been delayed several times, and organizers decided last week to change the venue after 18 candidates expressed concerns about security at the original location, the Mogadishu police academy. The candidates spoke out after the commander of the police reportedly endorsed President Mohamud for re-election. Now, members of the upper and lower houses of parliament will gather inside the heavily-fortified Aden Abdulle International Airport. But few expect the change in venue to cause a change in tactics. Heikal Kenneded, a Somali scholar and writer who lives in Virginia, said he saw political dishonesty during a trip to Mogadishu last week, though he would not specify who was involved in the dishonesty. I definitely saw with my own eyes the vicious political corruption and wheeling and dealing of corrupted officials among the current candidates, he told VOA's Somali service Monday. Government jobs have a price Political insiders, speaking on condition of anonymity, said candidates have begun reimbursing would-be supporters for their expenses, including airfare, hotel bills and meals. In addition, officials say bribes of between $1,000 and $10,000 have been paid. According to a member of parliament, one candidate has spent $1.3 million in an effort to get elected. Candidates are also offering positions in the government. The major candidates have already began striking political deals with lawmakers to corrupt them, vote for them, one lawmaker told VOA. The influential and prominent lawmakers have already secured offers of a future role in the coming administration in exchange for votes if their card wins, another lawmaker said. Fadumo Dayib was planning to become the first woman in Somalia's male-dominated political culture to make a run for president. But after an active social media campaign, she did not register for the contest, citing a high level of corruption. I am not running because of the shocking level of corruption, and I don't want to be part of something that is illegitimate, Dayib said in a brief message posted on her social media platforms. Security tightened Somalia has a longstanding reputation for corruption and weak government. No government has been able to assert much authority outside Mogadishu since the regime of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre fell in 1991. The situation has worsened periodic food shortages caused by drought, enabled militant group al-Shabab to seize chunks of territory and for several years, allowed pirates to freely hijack ships off the Somali coast for ransom. Al-Shabab carries out periodic suicide bombings in Mogadishu, mainly aimed at the hotels where lawmakers, diplomats and businessmen tend to meet. So security has been stepped up in most parts of the city, and VOA reporters say government forces are patrolling the streets to prevent possible attacks. Streets to be shut down during election The current mayor of Mogadishu, Hussein Yusuf Jimale, said most of the city's public and vehicular movements will shut down during the election. For two days, all the streets of the city will be shut down, starting from 6 p.m. Monday, all public transportation in the city will be suspended, schools will be shut down, and we ask people to remain in their houses, Yusuf told reporters on Sunday. Residents said security forces were deployed overnight in all streets leading to the airport from the rest of the city. Two days of debates Ahead of the vote, parliament is holding presidential debates on Monday and Tuesday, in which candidates are touting their plans to improve security, fight terrorism and implement good governance. Among the president's main challengers are his prime minister, Omar Abdurashid Ali Sharmarke; former president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed; and former prime minister, Mohamed Abdullahi, a dual U.S.-Somali national better known as Farmajo. Other candidates include former ministers, former Mogadishu mayor, businessmen, and civil society activists. In a speech to lawmakers Thursday, Mohamud vowed to rebuild the army to take over the security of the country within two years, and to prepare for elections by popular vote in 2020. The French presidential race is in full swing, with candidates officially launching their campaigns Saturday and Sunday. In an effort to reach as many voters as possible, a far-left candidate has resorted to state-of-the art hologram technology to appear in two places at once. VOA's Zlatica Hoke reports. Some international Fulbright fellows in the U.S. say they are worried about their ability to return to their studies if they travel home during a temporary travel ban the U.S. has issued. The only thing that helped me persevere through the notoriously harsh winter in Syracuse was the thought that I will be back home in February to see my family, said Ayman Idris, a Fulbright scholar at Syracuse University in New York who is from Sudan. Idris said he had hoped to attend his younger brothers graduation from medical school in Sudan on February 10. But he canceled his trip after the Trump administration on January 27 issued a temporary ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries. Immigrants from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen as well as all refugees were temporarily barred by the order from entering the United States. American courts are now reviewing the action the Trump administration says is important for U.S. security in order to determine whether it is legal. It is unclear when courts will render a final verdict. Academic and study visas The order also affects students who are in the U.S. on temporary academic and study visas. They normally would be allowed to travel to their home country and re-enter the United States without restriction. Idris, who studies technology policy and management at Syracuse, said he had planned to join his family and watch my kid brother accomplish his lifelong dream of becoming a doctor. ... Now, thanks to President Trump, I only get to live that moment vicariously through the pictures taken by a shaky cellphone camera. The Fulbright program awards fellowships to nearly 4,000 international students each year. More than 370,000 Fulbrighters from more than 160 countries have participated since 1946 in the program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Samaneh Seifollahi, a Fulbright fellow from Iran who studies at the University of California-Davis, said the temporary ban has disrupted her Fulbright program. She said she was making contacts in her field of study natural resources, environmental policy and climate change -- and hoped to be granted a postdoctoral position at the University of California-Irvine with the best researchers in my major. Seifollahi said other students at University of California-Davis, where there are more than 35 Iranians, fear that new immigration policy might interrupt their studies and research in the U.S. Families of Fulbrights also have been affected. Some who planned to visit the U.S. have canceled their trips because they, too, say they are fearful of their ability to travel. Anxiety beyond the 7 countries And some Fulbright scholars from countries not included in the temporary travel ban have also expressed anxiety. Although Pakistan is not among the countries currently facing the immigration curbs, the recent statement by a White House official about possible inclusion of other countries has raised concerns among Pakistanis students, some of whom have to go back between the semesters to meet their families, said Waseem Abbasi, a Fulbright fellow at the University of Maryland. Abbasi referred to a statement by White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, who said in a television interview, You can point to other countries that have similar problems like Pakistan and others, perhaps we need to take it further. International students from India also say they are concerned. A law firm specializing in immigration from India Madan and Saigal, a New York-based law firm has distributed a notice advising immigrants and students not to leave the United States to avoid being denied re-entry. Their advice applies to everyone, the statement said, not just to people from the seven countries on the list, their statement said. Community doctors at risk Simultaneously, the American Medical Association (AMA) wrote to Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly to discuss its concerns about the temporary ban affecting international medical graduates (IMGs). IMGs are physicians who received their medical school education outside of the U.S. Many are foreigners who have been granted visas to train, practice or attend medical conferences in the U.S. The associations CEO, Dr. James Madara, wrote that 1-in-4 physicians in the United States are IMGs. Many communities, including rural and low-income areas, often have problems attracting physicians to meet their health care needs. To address these gaps in care, IMGs often fill these openings, Madara said. These physicians are licensed by the same stringent requirements applied to U.S. medical school graduates. There are reports indicating that this executive order is affecting both current and future physicians as well as medical students and residents who are providing much needed care to some of our most vulnerable patients, he added. The AMA has asked the Trump administration for guidance on the future of the visa program. Speaker of Bihar Assembly Vijay Kumar Chowdhary said more 100 legislators have approached him in last couple of days expressing their desire to donate blood. By Rohit Kumar Singh: The 97th Foundation Day of Bihar Assembly would be celebrated on February 7 and the occasion would be marked by several legislators cutting across party lines donating blood for the poor people at the blood donation camp. Speaker of Bihar Assembly Vijay Kumar Chowdhary said more 100 legislators have approached him in last couple of days expressing their desire to donate blood. In fact last year too, similar kind of blood donation camp was organised which saw 112 legislators donating blood. Deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav too had donated blood last year. advertisement Chowdhary informed that how the Bihar Assembly was the only legislative house in the country where this kind of blood donation camp were being organized. The blood that would be collected from the legislators would be then sent to Bihar's biggest hospital, Patna Medical College and Hospital where it will be used to save lives of poor and ailing patients. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, leader of Opposition in Assembly Prem Kumar, Leader of Opposition in Council Sushil Modi, MLC Rabri Devi along with her Minister sons Tej Pratap and Tejaswi will be participating in the event. --- ENDS --- A delegation of experts is meeting in Kazakhstan's capital to discuss the cease-fire agreement in Syria. Representatives from Russia, Turkey, Iran and the United Nations are in Astana Monday for the first meeting of the Joint Operational Group. The delegates are discussing various issues, including how to monitor the cease-fire agreement and prevent violations, as well as how to insure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid. Last month, Turkey and Russia, along with Iran, brought delegates from the Syrian government and rebel groups to Kazakhstan for a round of peace talks that ended with the three nations agreeing to help monitor a partial cease-fire and work toward a political resolution to the Syrian conflict. Turkey spokesman Huseyin Muftuoglu said his country would not allow certain fighters to spoil the cease-fire, which went into effect in late December. He also reiterated Turkey's position that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has no place in Syria's future. Turkey has backed the rebels throughout the conflict that began in 2011 as peaceful protests before spiraling into a civil war. Assad's fate has been a point of disagreement during multiple international efforts to achieve peace in Syria. The U.N. has created a framework that calls for a new constitution and new elections. Assad's allies, which include Russia and Iran, have said he should stay in power. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appealed to Britain to join new sanctions against Iran as he met his British counterpart Theresa May in London on Monday, while she cautioned about Israel's plans for new settlements in occupied territory. Netanyahu said "responsible" nations should follow new U.S. President Donald Trump's imposition of sanctions against Iran following a ballistic missile test. "Iran seeks to annihilate Israel, it seeks to conquer the Middle East, it threatens Europe, it threatens the West, it threatens the world. And it offers provocation after provocation," Netanyahu told May ahead of their meeting. "That's why I welcome President Trump's assistance of new sanctions against Iran, I think other nations should follow suit, certainly responsible nations. I'd like to talk to you about how we can ensure that Iran's aggression does not go unanswered." May, who has repeated her backing for the nuclear deal with Tehran strongly opposed by both Netanyahu and Trump, said they would discuss Iran in their talks. Earlier her spokeswoman said May would also tell Netanyahu that continued Israeli settlement activity in occupied lands captured in the 1967 Middle East War on which the Palestinians hope to create independent state undermined trust in the region. Despite their differences, London has adopted a more positive approach to Israel since May became leader after last year's vote to leave the European Union, echoing the more sympathetic tone set by Trump, with whom Britain wishes to secure a post-Brexit trade deal. Last month Britain said it had reservations about a French-organized Middle East peace conference in Paris and did not back the final communique by 70 countries which reaffirmed that only a two-state solution could resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Its stance angered many EU members. In December, Britain also scolded then U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for a speech criticizing Israeli policy. May told Netanyahu Britain was a "strong and close friend of Israel" and highlighted their co-operation in science, trade and security. Their meeting had an awkward start as the Israeli prime minister arrived early at Downing Street, meaning May was not there to greet him. Having entered her office alone, he returned outside minutes later for the customary handshake. Small groups of pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protesters gathered outside Downing Street and Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party, said May's stance on settlements was not good enough. "Theresa May must make clear to the Israeli prime minister that the British government will stand unequivocally behind the rights of the Palestinian people," said Corbyn, who once described members of Palestinian group Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah as friends in comments he later said he regretted. The Kremlin wants Fox News to apologize for a comment journalist Bill O'Reilly made about Russian President Vladimir Putin during an interview Sunday with U.S. President Donald Trump. O'Reilly called Putin "a killer" after Trump said he respected the Russian leader. "We consider such words from a Fox News correspondent unacceptable and insulting, and honestly speaking, we would prefer to get an apology from such a respected TV company," Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday in a conference call with reporters. When O'Reilly asked the president about what the journalist called "atrocities" committed by Putin in the past, and how Trump could respect him knowing this history, Trump responded that "There are a lot of killers. Weve got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our countrys so innocent?" Trump's comments bothered some members of the president's Republican Party. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said he doesn't think "there's any equivalency" between the U.S. and Putin. McConnell characterized Putin, a former KGB agent, as "a thug." U.S. intelligence agencies have accused Russia of hacking computers connected to the Democratic Party as part of a wide-ranging campaign aimed at interfering in the U.S. presidential election . Before taking office, Trump repeatedly questioned the intelligence community's findings. Those criticisms have since eased. Still, the president has continued to say publicly he is open to better relations with Moscow. Trump and Putin spoke by phone recently in what the White House described as "a significant start to improving the relationship between the United States and Russia that is in need of repair." The Fox News interview also included a question about Trump's call for investigating voter fraud in the November presidential election. Trump has made many claims that undocumented immigrants voting illegally cost him the national popular vote. Trump won the Electoral College vote to defeat Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton, but he lost the popular vote by nearly three million votes. "Let me just tell you when you see illegals - people that are not citizens and they are on the registration rolls," Trump said. "You have illegals, you have dead people, you have this. Its really a bad situation, its really bad." Election officials who have analyzed the November 8 vote say there were almost no indications of voter fraud, certainly not on the scale Trump cites. The State Department plans no daily briefings this week, an unprecedented situation that has been the status quo since the inauguration of President Donald Trump. Acting spokesman Mark Toner told VOA the State Department will continue to be responsive to media queries and requests, but will not hold an on-camera daily press briefing the week of February 6-10. He said officials "look to resume daily press briefings at the soonest possible time. The last time there was a daily briefing at the State Department was on January 19 when spokesman John Kirby, a political appointee and retired Navy admiral, made his final appearance at the lectern. Career foreign service officers in the press office, since then, have continued to be responsive to correspondents requests for comment via e-mail or in person. But the lack of daily briefings this many days into a new administration is deemed unprecedented by veteran reporters and others. The State Departments briefing is Americas most important daily platform for discussing world affairs. If we dont take to the podium our voice is often absent in important global debates, said former U.S. diplomat Brett Bruen, the president of the Global Situation Room strategic communications firm. Other nations continue to churn out media briefings for broadcast. Adversaries such as ISIS are producing video content daily. America needs to be on camera contesting that space. Without it our influence is diminished and our policies put in peril, Bruen, also a former director of global engagement at the White House, told VOA. The White House is conducting daily on-camera briefings on weekdays, with spokesman Sean Spicer presiding. But the majority of the interactions with correspondents there, and now from around the country via Skype, focus on domestic issues. The State Department briefings center on international crises and are a daily deep dive into diplomacy, with frequent incisive questioning to elucidate arcane matters of administration policy. The spokesperson at the State Department lectern usually does not hesitate to engage in rapid back-and-forth and extensive exchanges with reporters. While the front-row wire service reporters kick it off asking about major current events abroad, typically following brief readouts from the spokesperson, time is also allotted to foreign correspondents, including those from countries with unfriendly policies towards the United States. Scribes from special interest publications and web sites, such as those representing the interests of the Kurds or the Palestinians, are also frequent questioners. These exchanges in the press briefing room and live-streamed via the state.gov website are what are now on hiatus while the new administration formulates its foreign policy. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was not confirmed by the U.S. Senate until last Wednesday and made his official debut at the Truman Federal Building the following day. The top layer of appointed deputies remains vacant. No one has yet been nominated for the two most critical deputy secretary of state posts, as well as the under secretaries. In the top echelon of appointees, only the ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, the former governor of the state of South Carolina, is on the job. A successor to Kirby, as the top spokesperson, also has not been named. Saudi Arabia has accused Iran of involvement in a series of missile attacks launched from Yemen. Saudi Arabia says the attacks also targeted its naval vessels in the Red Sea. Some analysts worry that the ongoing proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia could escalate. The almost two-year-old proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia in Yemen has been aggravating both regional and international tensions. Yemens Houthi militia, which controls large portions of the country and is aligned with Iran, is battling Saudi Arabia and its allies for control of the country and strategic ports along the Yemeni coast. Nothing, however, has provoked tensions more than ballistic missile and rocket attacks by Yemen's Houthi militia fighters and forces loyal to their ally, former President Ali Abdallah Saleh. Saudi media reports say that Iran has supplied some of those missiles and rockets, in addition to helping train combatants to use them. Saleh, who held power for nearly 34 years before stepping down in a Gulf-brokered power-sharing agreement in 2012, said his own forces and Houthi allies will stop firing missiles into the Saudi Kingdom if a cease-fire deal is worked out. He said that missiles fired into Saudi Arabia, both across the border and into Saudi military and industrial facilities deep into the country, will stop [once a deal is reached]. No cease-fire deal, though, appears close at hand and the battle for control of Yemen took an ominous turn last week when Iranian-supported Houthi fighters attacked a Saudi warship off the coastal port of Hodeida, killing two Saudi sailors. Saudi-owned al Arabiya TV reports that a Houthi suicide boat hit the vessel, while the Houthis say a missile they launched struck it. The incident occurred just days after the Saudi-led coalition captured the nearby Houthi-held Red Sea port of al Mukha. Arab media reported Monday that the Houthis have mined waters surrounding the port of Hodeida, further south, in a bid to prevent Saudi forces from trying to take the strategic facility near the Bab al Mandeb and international sea lines leading to the Suez Canal and the Israeli port of Eilat. Saudi analyst Ali Touati argued that the upcoming battle to take Hodeida will not be easy and that the Houthis' Iranian allies are not likely to let it fall easily. He said that Iran and the Houthis are not eager to see the port of Hodeida fall and will fight hard to prevent it from happening, especially after the recent loss of the smaller port of al Mukha. Analyst Khattar Abou Diab, who teaches at the University of Paris, told VOA that he thinks the attack on the Saudi naval frigate al Medina last week, along with a recent missile test, were intended to test the resolve of the new Trump administration. He said that [recent Houthi] missile attacks [into Saudi territory] and the attack on the Saudi naval vessel during the past couple of weeks were meant to test the pulse of the Trump administration and see how it would react and they discovered that it would act much more forcefully than the prior Obama administration. Abou Diab said he doesnt expect any direct conflict between the U.S. and Iran over recent incidents in Yemen, arguing that Tehran prefers proxy wars and small attacks, here and there, in places like Iraq, Bahrain or Yemen. Former Iranian President Abolhassan Bani Sadr, however, is not so sure, telling VOA that he worries that the Trump administrations forceful language, along with recent new sanctions it imposed on Tehran, could spark a conflict. He said that harsh words and fresh sanctions imposed by the U.S. could result in war. Iran and Saudi Arabia, he notes, are already fighting a semi-war in six areas, including on the military, diplomatic, economic, religious, terrorism and propaganda fronts, and he thinks the state of war could worsen unless the US helps de-escalate the situation. President Donald Trump told Fox News, in a recent interview, that he thinks Iran has total disregard for the U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis has also called Iran the biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world. Bani Sadr worries that such language could increase tensions and in his words, "could undermine the Iranian peoples long-standing opposition to many of the policies of its own regime." In a city menaced by the threat of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and floods, protecting thousands of families living in Quito's low-income neighborhoods from disasters is an urgent task, said a senior official for the Andean city. People settle in high-risk areas where you cannot mitigate those risks. It's a trend that we need to turn around, David Jacome Polit, Quito's chief resilience officer, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an interview. The problem will be addressed in a strategy to bolster the resilience of Quito one of the world's highest capital cities and home to around 2.6 million people in its metropolitan area which is due to be released by the end of the year, he added. What is really affecting us right now is the poor handling of our territory, the informal growth, the urban sprawl which makes this city highly vulnerable, Jacome said by telephone from Quito, which is part of the 100 Resilient Cities initiative, backed by the Rockefeller Foundation. Marginalized areas of the city boxed in by mountains and built on the slopes of the active Pichincha volcano should also benefit from the opening of the first metro line in two years' time, he said. Alongside transport, the new urban resilience strategy will prioritize the issue of informal and often illegal settlements. It will also promote environmentally sustainable businesses, boost youth employment and promote wider social involvement in decisions on how to develop the city, said Jacome. With private cars making up 70 percent of traffic but only 30 percent of trips each day, the planned 22-km (14-mile) metro line should substantially ease worsening congestion, as it becomes integrated with the bus network, he added. For people living outside the busy center of Quito, which hosted last year's U.N. summit on the future of the world's cities, the metro could help create job opportunities and lead to investment in better housing around the 15 planned stations. We see the first metro line as an opportunity to build resilience, to make the city efficient, to make it inclusive, to start creating prosperity from these concentration points the metro stops," he said. Risky slopes The new strategy will also strive to reduce the risk of natural disasters for city residents, said Jacome. Preventing the construction of new developments in precarious locations such as the city's slopes must be a priority, alongside improving existing housing, he said. But he admitted there is little in the way of funding to relocate people from vulnerable areas of Quito, whose colonial center is a UNESCO world heritage site. It's not only that they are settled where they shouldn't be settled, but the construction quality is very low. It's not earthquake-resistant at all, he said. The use of concrete roofs and blocks, for example, increase the risk for people during tremors. Last year's 7.8-magnitude earthquake the strongest in Ecuador since 1979 devastated parts of the Pacific coast and killed more than 660 people, sorely testing the Andean country and denting its economy. With a string of volcanoes close to Quito, including the active snow-capped Cotopaxi some 50 km to the south, drawing up the city's resilience strategy has involved mapping districts' vulnerability to eruptions, landslides and flooding, so this can be factored into development plans, said Jacome. Greener business Another key sector for resilience efforts is Quito's water supply. The city has benefited from the first of around 60 water funds developed worldwide by U.S.-based group The Nature Conservancy to invest in the protection of watersheds such as the high-altitude plains around Quito, located just a few miles south of the equator. There is a need to focus on the rural areas surrounding the city, which are part of the greater metropolitan area and a biodiversity hotspot, said Jacome. Here, the flora and fauna are threatened by environmentally harmful businesses such as open pit mines and cattle ranching for beef, he added. If we provide a different opening for people living off these activities for example, ecotourism or carbon sequestration markets that's an opportunity for preserving these lands and providing jobs for the people living there ... in a very sustainable way, he said. The city, meanwhile, should involve more of its residents in urban planning, and making policies and decisions, in order to strengthen the social tissue, he added. That's what's going to make the city resilient in the long term from a social point of view, he said. Serbs in Kosovo's ethnically divided city of Mitrovica Sunday tore down a controversial wall that ethnic Albanians say aggravated an already tense situation. Bulldozers quietly knocked down the 2-meter concrete barrier after talks between the ethnic Albanians and the city's Serb minority, mediated by the European Union and U.S. diplomats. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the agreement shows both sides were "demonstrating courage and vision by taking down walls and focusing on building bridges." Serbs in northern Mitrovica built the wall in December, saying they needed to shore up the land near a bridge across the Ibar river. The city's ethnic Albanians regarded the wall as a provocation, especially because Serbia sent a train with the words "Kosovo is Serbia" painted on the side to Kosovo last month. Border guards stopped the train. Tension between Serbs and ethnic Albanians in Mitrovica have been simmering since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Serbia does not recognize an independent Kosovo. The European Union has said both countries must normalize relations if either plans on joining the EU. American business leaders in South Korea are urging leaders in Seoul to increase market access to U.S. companies to dissuade U.S. President Donald Trump from enacting protectionist policies. During the U.S. presidential election campaign Trump threatened to pull out of the U.S.-South Korea bilateral free trade agreement (KORUS FTA) that he called a job killing deal that doubled our trade deficit with South Korea and destroyed nearly 100,000 American jobs." Non-tariff regulations The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM Korea) wants to preserve the KORUS FTA that took effect in 2012 and eliminated 95 percent of tariffs on consumer and industrial products over a five-year period. But to convince Trump it is worth saving, James Kim, the president of GM Korea and Chairman of AMCHAM Korea said Seoul needs to end practices that circumvent the FTA by imposing non-tariff related regulations on imports. We need to make the Korean economy more transparent and predictable, by making the regulatory process more deliberative, said Kim at a recent press conference in Seoul. The American auto industry in particular has complained that they spend an inordinate amount of time and money to deal with unwarranted environmental standards and certification procedures that are often introduced without notice or clear explanations. In South Korea, foreign cars make up only 15 percent of the market, compared to 40 percent import penetration in developed countries like the U.S. and European nations. Nearly 80 percent of the current $28 billion U.S. trade deficit with Korea is in the automotive sector, according to the American Automotive Policy Council. South Korean authorities have downplayed charges of unfair trade practices, saying most complaints have been resolved through negotiations, and arguing the FTA has also benefited the U.S. economy. U.S. auto imports into South Korea, for example, have increased over 20 percent in the last two years, according to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA.) However, international investment attorney Jeffrey Jones said President Trumps tough talk on trade adds new urgency to clearing up any misunderstandings over alleged unfair trade practices and ending discriminatory policies that unfairly favors domestic industry over American imports. I think the message that we would like to achieve is that we are out of time, said Jones, who is a former AMCHAM Korea chairman and advisor to the Seoul International Business Advisory Council. American jobs AMCHAM Korea is sending a delegation to Washington to defend the KORUS FTA, and discuss with lawmakers the mutual benefits of trade with South Korea. The AMCHAM Korea chairman views President Trump not as a hardcore proponent of protectionist trade policies, but more as a pro-business advocate trying to negotiate more equitable trade terms. Given that Trump is a respected business person with many senior leaders in his administration coming from a business background, we believe a pragmatic and practical approach by business will be received very, very well, said Kim. The way to persuade Trump to support the U.S.-Korean trade agreement, Kim said, is to first and foremost point out the increase of American exports to South Korea from steel and semiconductors that rose by close to 8 percent over the last decade. Also since the FTA was put in place, some U.S. agricultural exports to Korea improved dramatically. Cheese exports grew by 500 percent and pork bellies increased by over 90 percent. Kim said South Korean companies like Hyundai and Kia, which have opened manufacturing plants in the U.S, have created more than 45,000 American jobs. After Reuters reported last week that Samsung was considering opening a new manufacturing facility in the U.S, Trump tweeted Thank you to the company, We would love to have you. The Korean electronics giant did not confirm it will build a new U.S. plant, but said in a statement that it is making significant investments that include the existing $17 billion semiconductor manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas. The Korea Herald newspaper reported last week that Samsung, LG and Hyundai all have plants in Mexico that export to the U.S. under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The Korean companies are concerned they may face increased tariffs if Trump renegotiates NAFTA and are reportedly feeling pressure to expand their operations into the U.S. Nearly 100 companies, two states, and two former U.S. secretaries of state have filed arguments against President Donald Trump's temporary ban on immigration from seven Muslim countries with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. A group of prominent Democrats, including former Secretaries of State John Kerry and Madeleine Albright, called for the court to continue blocking the ban Monday, arguing that it was "ill-conceived, poorly implemented, and ill-explained." "We view the order as one that ultimately undermines the national security of the United States rather than making us safer," they argued, in contrast to Trump's arguments the ban would enhance national security. In addition, 97 tech companies, including Silicon Valley giants Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter, filed a legal brief late Sunday with the ninth circuit, supporting the lawsuit against the travel ban. Late last week, U.S. District Court Judge James Robart of Washington state temporarily blocked Trump's executive order temporarily halting travel to the U.S. by refugees and others from seven Muslim majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. On Sunday, the appeals court rejected the Trump administration's demand to reinstate the travel ban. Among others who have filed briefs in support of the lawsuit filed by Minnesota and Washington are the state of Hawaii, a group of lawyers, the Korematsu Center for law studies at the University of Washington, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), HIAS, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Any other interested parties have until late Monday to file briefs with the appeals court, which has jurisdiction over the western United States. The three-judge 9th circuit panel is expected to rule fairly quickly after the Monday deadline, after which the case will likely move on to the Supreme Court, according to legal analysts. Trump blames judge "The judge opens our country to potential terrorists and others that do not have our best interests at heart," Trump tweeted Sunday, referring to Robart. "Bad people are very happy!" In a follow-up tweet, the president said he has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to check people entering the United States "very carefully," adding that the courts have made the job "very difficult." Vice President Mike Pence defended Trumps criticism of Robart, saying the president expresses himself in a unique way and the American people find it refreshing. The judges action in this case about making a decision about American foreign policy and national security, its just very frustrating to the president, Pence told NBC's Meet the Press Sunday. But Senate Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on CNN he thought it was best not to single out judges for criticism." We all want to keep terrorists out of the United States, but we cant shut down travel. We certainly dont want our Muslim allies who fought with us in countries overseas not to be able to travel to the United States. We need to be careful about this," McConnell said. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, told NBC Sunday she would be willing to work on legislation to allow for a temporary suspension as long as we are honoring the Constitution. We always have to subject our vetting to scrutiny to see if its working, but doesn't mean we institute an unconstitutional, immoral ban on Muslims coming into the country, she said. After the judge's decision, the Customs and Border Protection Service started to allow travelers with valid visas to come to the U.S. But a Somali refugee said about 140 refugees whose resettlement in the United States was blocked by Trump's executive order were sent back to their refugee camp and it was unclear if or when they could travel. The group had been expected to settle in the United States this week, but was sent back to the Dadaab camp in eastern Kenya on Saturday from the International Organization for Migration transit center in Nairobi where they had been staying. At least 14 people were killed and 74 injured were Saturday in a suicide bomb attack at a crowded market in Chad's capital, N'Djamena. The incident came hours after at least 10 villagers were slain in Ngamdu, Nigeria, when Boko Haram Islamic extremists attacked their settlement and took over a major highway in the region. Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the Chad attack, as well for a second Nigerian attack, this one in the city of Maiduguri, the SITE Intelligence Group said. The U.S.-based monitoring group said the claim, made on Twitter, was signed "Islamic State, West Africa Province," as Boko Haram has styled itself since pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group in March. "Our current count is 15 dead," N'Djamena police spokesman Paul Manga said. The total included the suicide bomber a man dressed in a woman's burqa. Chad authorities banned the head-to-toe religious garment last month, citing the risk that attackers could use it as a disguise or hide explosives underneath. The bomber attempted to enter the market, then detonated his bomb when military police tried to stop him, Manga said. Ngamdu attack In the Ngamdu attack, a local police official who spoke on condition he not be named said the victims were all shot when the extremists stormed their village and fired at fleeing residents. Many other residents were wounded, the official said. In Maiduguri, two people were killed when two suicide bombers tried to target a busy bus station. Heavy security prevented the attackers from getting into the terminal. Maiduguri is Boko Haram's birthplace. The attacks underlined the threat still posed by the Islamist militants, despite claimed military successes in recent months and with a new regional force set to take on the group at the end of the month. In an interview to India Today, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram questioned the "wisdom" behind Sasikala taking over as Tamil Nadu's chief minister. By India Today Web Desk: In an exclusive interview to India Today's Karan Thapar, P Chidambaram spoke about the recent political developments in his home state of Tamil Nadu. Expressing 'sadness' at VK Sasikala's elevation as the legislative leader of the AIADMK, Chidambaram said the party should "behave responsibly". Predicting dark days ahead for the state, the former Finance Minister said AIADMK and Tamil Nadu are moving in 'opposite directions' and that there is a disconnect between the party and the people. advertisement Questioning the need for O Panneerselvam, whose resignation as Tamil Nadu's chief minister has paved the way for Sasikala to take over, to step down, Chidambaram commented that chief ministers can't simply by made or unmade. The senior Congress leader went on to say that Sasikala is 'unacceptable' to most and that her taking the office of Tamil Nadu's chief minister would be a poor exercise of Governor Vidyasagar Rao's discretion. "I am questioning the wisdom of the choice," Chidambaram commented. Also read: Tamil Nadu's CM to be: 10 things you need to know about Sasikala Natarajan Watch interview --- ENDS --- Swaziland has officially opened the newl King Mswati III International Airport. The newly constructed airport cost about $150 million and fulfills part of the countrys Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), says Percy Simelane, spokesman for the government.The airport is also a component of King Mswati III's $1 billion millennium investment initiative which is aimed at boosting the countrys position as a tourist destination and serving as a gateway to Swazilands game parks.The airport construction took longer than was expected but the government spokesman says, Its complete now, and we are happy that finally we have a modern airport. It comes after another huge water project called the Lower Usuthu Irrigation Project, which is benefiting thousands of people downstream.Opposition groups call the new airport the kings white elephant pet project and argue its completion is unlikely to improve the lives of the poor citizens.Critics also charge that the expense of airport construction was not a judicious use of scarce public resources for a government that always complains it is unable to increase public sector worker salaries. The government's detractors also argue that the funds could have been better used to improve hospitals and schools around the country.Simelane disagrees, saying the airport will create jobs for Swazis. He says the government is encouraging public-private-partnerships to develop lands around the new airport to create jobs. "Already, people have been given free land to develop projects around the airport, says Simelane.A feasability study persuaded the government the bigger airport was necessary particularly because we had a very small airport at Matsapha airport near Manzini, which did not have the range to take bigger aircraft, says Simelane.That meant our cargo from all over the world was dropped in South Africa and we had to fetch it in trucks or the railway, the government spokesman says.The new airport will boost Swaziland tourism because the old airport in Matsapha could receive only regional aircraft. Tourists used to have to land in South Africa and take a bus or a train to get to Swaziland.We are not looking forward to a situation whereby we continue to go to South Africa by road or our tourists have to travel by road to [come] here.The airport will enable Swaziland to fairly compete with neighboring South Africa to attract international business investors, too, says Simelane. We are going to compete with them as we have in sugar.""We know how to market this airport, and it is going to be beneficial to us, says Simelane. The U.S. Senate could vote as early as Monday on President Donald Trump's choice to be secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, with the looming prospect of a standoff requiring Vice President Mike Pence to act as the tiebreaker. On Friday, DeVos cleared a major hurdle when the Senate voted 52-48 to cut off debate on her nomination, setting the stage for a final vote. DeVos, a billionaire Republican donor, has faced strong opposition for a Cabinet post that usually receives little congressional debate or even public notice. Two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have said they will vote against her nomination, and other Republicans are being bombarded by phone calls and letters from parents and teachers across the country. If all Senate Democrats vote against her and no other Republicans dissent, Vice President Mike Pence would have to break a 50-50 tie in order for DeVos to be confirmed. Only nine Cabinet nominees in U.S. history have failed to win confirmation. Opponents of DeVos have accused her of seeking to dismantle public education and divert taxpayer money to charter schools and private school vouchers. Voters have flooded Capitol Hill with calls and emails trying to block her nomination. DeVos, 59, is the wife of Dick DeVos, heir to the Amway Co. marketing fortune. She has spent more than two decades advocating for charter schools in her home state of Michigan and elsewhere around the country. Her support of anti-LGBT organizations and her advocacy for conservative religious values also have caused concern. No matter how the Senate vote proceeds, DeVos is off to an uneasy start. "It's definitely been contentious in an unprecedented way,'' Elizabeth Mann, an education policy fellow at the Brookings Institution, told the Associated Press. "Not having a majority vote when her party controls the Senate and when a member of her party is in the White House does not send a signal of bipartisan support of her agenda.'' But Patrick McGuinn, a professor of political science and education at Drew University, believes DeVos will be confirmed. "The fact remains that Democrats will have a very difficult time blocking her agenda and actions as education secretary.'' Legal experts almost all agree that the constitutionality of President Donald Trumps executive order temporarily halting travel to the U.S. by refugees and others from seven Muslim majority countries will end up being decided in the Supreme Court. Numerous cases involving the travel ban are now working their way up through the courts, and one already seems destined for the nation's highest court. Here's how the U.S. courts may end up deciding whether President Trump's travel ban will stand. Case path The U.S. court system is like a pyramid. At the bottom level are 94 trial courts called district courts. If one person or entity wants to hold another to account, this is the place to start. In the middle are the 13 U.S. courts of appeals. If one side or the other does not like the outcome at the district court level, they have recourse here. At the top, all by itself, is the Supreme Court, the last court of appeal. All Supreme Court decisions are final. District courts There is at least one district court in each state and the District of Columbia. These courts resolve disputes by determining the facts and applying legal principles to decide who is right. Numerous suits were filed against the travel ban in district court. The Civil Rights Litigation Clearing House has recorded 60 of them, some 20 of which have been already dismissed. Most of the suits were brought on behalf of individuals or groups of individuals, who were not admitted to the U.S. under the executive order. They claim that their civil rights, such as due process and equal protection under the law, have been violated. They also claim that the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of religion has been abrogated because only Muslims were included in the order. District court suits also were brought by multiple states. On January 29, two days after the order was signed, a New York District Court judge put a seven-day stay on deportations nationwide. On February 6, a judge in Washington State blocked the entire executive order, allowing both refugees and people from the seven banned countries to resume flying to the U.S. Appeals courts The appellate courts task is to determine whether the law was applied correctly in the trial court. Appeals courts consist of three judges and do not use a jury. They review the procedures and the decisions in the trial court to make sure that the proceedings were fair and that the proper law was applied correctly. Lawyers for the Trump administration went to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, asking the higher court to overrule the Washington State judge and reinstate the travel order. The Department of Justice attorneys argue that the president has broad based power to determine who may come into the country and that he is largely immune from judicial control. Trump says the order is necessary to protect Americans from terrorists. The states of Washington and Minnesota say the ban hurts their economic interests and would unleash chaos again. On Sunday, the appellate court refused to immediately lift the stay, pending a review of the case. Ten former high-ranking diplomatic and national security officials, almost 100 tech companies, 280 law professors, and a number of civil liberties organizations filed in support of the suit. The three judge panel will hear oral arguments in the case Tuesday, and a decision could come soon after. Supreme court No matter which side wins at the appeals level, the loser is likely to take the case one step higher to the Supreme Court. The normally nine justices on the Supreme Court do not take all the cases that are appealed to them. They pick and choose, although the justices are likely to take on this travel ban. After the death of Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016, the court is currently one justice short. This raises the specter of a possible tie. If the court is unable to muster a 5-3 majority, the case reverts back to the appeals court ruling. President Donald Trump agreed to attend a meeting of NATO leaders in May during a phone call Sunday with alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg. The conversation also touched on the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine, according to a White House statement. Trump and the NATO secretary-general "discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments," the statement said. On the campaign trail, then Republican presidential candidate Trump criticized NATO, calling it "obsolete," worrying some European leaders about his level of commitment. But in the call Sunday, Trump expressed "strong support" for NATO. Trump and Stoltenberg also "discussed the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border," the White House statement said. A flare-up in hostilities has erupted between the Ukrainian military and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine with each side accusing the other of a new wave of shelling. More than 40 people have been killed in government and rebel-held areas. Trump has drawn criticism from both Democrats and his fellow Republicans at home for his expressed desire for warmer relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin; statements that have also made some European leaders feel uneasy. The previous U.S. administration and the European Union have imposed sanctions on Russia for its 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and in retaliation for Moscow's support for separatist militants in the Donetsk region where more than 9,750 people have been killed since the conflict erupted nearly three years ago. President Donald Trump is sending a U.S. delegation to Haiti to attend the inauguration of President-elect Jovenel Moise on Tuesday. Thomas Shannon, undersecretary of state for political affairs, is leading the delegation, which includes Peter Mulrean, the U.S. ambassador to Haiti, the White House said Monday. Others in the delegation are Kenneth Merten, acting principal deputy assistant of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, and Omarosa Manigault, communications director for the Office of Public Liaison. Manigault was a contestant on the reality television show Celebrity Apprentice when it was hosted by Trump. Moise, whom former Haitian President Michel Martelly hand-picked as his Bald Heads Party (PHTK) candidate, won with nearly 56 percent of the votes cast in the November 20 election. The Haitian businessman, 48, faces lingering accusations of money laundering. Late last month, Moise spent four hours answering an investigative judge's questions in a closed Port-au-Prince courtroom, in a process similar to that of a U.S. grand jury. He has denied the allegation, saying it is politically motivated. His political opponents, including at least two other candidates for the presidency, had pressed for a decision by Tuesday. The government's prosecuting attorney, Danton Leger, was scheduled to make an announcement Monday morning but did not do so. Neither his office nor that of the judge, Bredy Fabien, responded to VOA's repeated attempts for more information. Moise is scheduled to be sworn in at 7 a.m. EST Tuesday at the parliament building in the capital city, Port-au-Prince. Speaking at a dinner Sunday organized by members of Haiti's diaspora, Moise said he would seek parliamentary representation for the diaspora: one senator and three members of the lower house. Roughly 915,000 Haitians and their children live in the United States, primarily in Florida and New York, the Washington-based Migration Policy Institute reported in 2014. Other significant concentrations are in the Dominican Republic, Canada, Cuba, the Bahamas and France. Haiti itself has approximately 11 million people. In a recent interview with Reuters news agency, Moise drew parallels between himself and the new U.S. leader. "President Trump and I are entrepreneurs, and all an entrepreneur wants is results," Moise said. "And, therefore, I hope we'll put everything in place to make sure we deliver for our peoples." Moise has said he would govern inclusively as president. "We have to work together," he told VOA in an interview in Haiti's capital on the eve of his election victory. President Donald Trump reaffirmed support for NATO while calling on allies to pay their share as he spoke Monday to troops at the headquarters of the U.S. Central Command. "We strongly support NATO. We only ask that all of the NATO members make their full and proper financial contributions to the NATO alliance, which many of them have not been doing," Trump said during his first visit to CENTCOM, which included a briefing with military leaders. Trump said during his campaign for president that NATO was "obsolete" and suggested the U.S. would only come to a member's defense unless they have "fulfilled their obligations." In his speech Monday, which followed lunch with members of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, Trump pledged to take care of the country's military veterans. "We will make a historic financial investment in the armed forces of the United States and show the entire world that American stands with those who stand in defense of freedom," he said. He also vowed to "defeat radical Islamic terrorism" and keep it from taking root in the U.S. Trump did not specifically mention a court battle over his executive order suspending entry to refugees and people from seven nations, but said the country needs policies to let in "people that love us" and keep out people who "want to destroy us." CENTCOM is responsible for military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia. It oversaw a recent raid by U.S. forces on an al-Qaida compound in Yemen that left one U.S Navy SEAL dead.. The body of Navy SEAL Ryan Owens was returned last Wednesday to Dover Air Force Base, where President Trump made a previously unannounced visit to pay his respects. Another three U.S. service members were injured when their aircraft made a so-called hard landing at a staging area for the mission. Since early Sunday, Turkish police have been breaking down the doors of suspected Islamic State members, detaining more than 700 people across the country. More than 30 people were detained in Istanbul, many in the area where a gunman responsible for the New Year's nightclub attack was captured by police last month. That attack, which killed 39 people, spurred an unprecedented crackdown on the terrorist group. "Even before this recent attack, it was a major threat to Turkeys security, said Haldun Solmazturk, who heads the 21st Century Turkey Institute, an Ankara-based research institution, and now it is an even bigger threat, because it has a terror infrastructure within Turkey. It has clear aims and purposes." Dozens were arrested in the city of Izmir, and according to local news reports, an imminent attack was foiled. Analysts say this latest crackdown is on an unprecedented level nationwide, with arrests in 29 provinces. So-called Islamic State is believed to have built up a national network, created to smuggle people from across the globe into neighboring Iraq and Syria. Foreigners and Turkish nationals are among those who have been detained. Critics have accused the government, and even some of its Western allies, of turning a blind eye to the threat, being more interested in bringing down the Syrian regime. In a sense they were given a free hand to further radicalize Turkish society, says analyst Solmazturk, and now its a huge threat, in a sense, its a beast of our own creation. Experts say many jihadists arrested in previous crackdowns were subsequently released, in what has been dubbed a "revolving door" policy. Turkish media have reported one of those arrested in connection with the Istanbul New Years attack was detained last year and set for deportation, but instead was let go. "Turkey has changed its position towards the Islamic State, notes Sinan Ulgen, visiting scholar of the Carnegie Europe Institute in Brussels, "and is now involved in a bitter struggle, in a military campaign against Islamic State. Turkey will remain a target for the Islamic State militants for the foreseeable future." Turkey's government has promised to eradicate Islamic State, and Turkish soldiers are currently fighting the jihadist group in neighboring Syria. IS has vowed revenge. Analysts warn that Turkish security forces are now engaged in a race against time. The security forces, however, are facing are ongoing purge within their ranks. Tens of thousands of police officers, prosecutors, intelligence and army offices have been arrested or dismissed. They have been accused of being followers of the U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, blamed by Ankara for Julys failed coup. Analyst Ulgen says the purge inevitably raises questions over the effectiveness of Turkish security forces. The government has started to purge the administration from the Gulen influence. This has incapacitated to some extent the same entities that are responsible for providing security. So the functional, the operational effectiveness of these institutions has seemingly been affected or that is at least the conclusion we can reach since the Turkish government most tragically was not able to preempt or prevent a series of attacks which we have seen in recent months. Since July, Islamic State and the Kurdish rebel group the PKK have carried out a series of major attacks, killing more than 100 people. The government refutes allegations the purge has impacted the effectiveness of the security forces and has warned of the need for further waves of arrests and dismissals, maintaining that followers of Gulen are just as dangerous to Turkey as Islamic State. That stance leads some in Turkey to continue to question the governments priorities in the war against Islamic State. Even now we are not at a position that a firm decision, with political determination, has been made to fight back against Islamic State, warns analyst Solmazturk. Two earthquakes with preliminary magnitudes of 5.3 jolted Turkey's northern Aegean coast on Monday, damaging dozens of homes in at least five villages and injuring at least five people. The first quake was centered beneath the Aegean off the coast from the town of Ayvacik in Turkey's northwestern Canakkale province and struck at 6:51 a.m. (0351 GMT), the government's crisis management agency said. The second temblor occurred at 1:58 p.m. (1058 GMT) and was centered in Ayvacik. The seismology center also recorded an aftershock measuring 4.9. Orhan Tavli, the governor for Canakkale, said around 90 homes were damaged in the first quake and at least five people were hospitalized with minor injuries. Tents were being dispatched to temporarily house those whose homes were damaged. The state-run Anadolu news agency said the villages of Tasagil, Tuzla, Yukari, Cam and Gulpinar - near Ayvacik - were affected. Earthquakes are common in Turkey, which sits on top of active fault lines. Leading United Nations and humanitarian organizations have called for an end to female genital mutilation, a traditional practice that causes physical harm and extreme emotional trauma to tens of millions of girls and women around the world. Nearly 200 million girls and women are living with the traumatic consequences of female genital mutilation. The United Nations reports an additional three million girls, most under the age of 15, are mutilated every year. U.N. agencies report half of all women and girls have been cut in three countries Egypt, Ethiopia, and Indonesia. They add that the highest prevalence of FGM among girls ages 14 and under is found in Gambia, Mauritania and Indonesia. Adebisi Adebayo, program adviser to the U.N. Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices, told VOA that female genital mutilation, which has no formal basis in religion, persists because of social and cultural pressure. "In some communities, it is a requirement for girls to pass into womanhood," Adebayo said. "It is a requirement for them to be eligible for marriage. In some communities, like in Kenya and I think also in Edu, which is in the southwestern part of Nigeria, a girl that is not cut is not marriageable. And that is when you find an adult lady willingly submitting herself to be cut." Adebayo said in some communities in Liberia and Sierra Leone, women who have not undergone this procedure will not be socially recognized. "If a woman is not cut, she has no say in society. She cannot belong to the highest women's group in the country," she said. "Women that are not cut will be made fun of and stigmatized. ... Families are so ashamed that they will do everything to enforce that." Female genital mutilation involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. The procedure can cause severe bleeding, as well as problems urinating, infections, and even death. It also can create complications in childbirth and increases the risk of newborn deaths. FGM has usually been carried out by female circumcisers. In many places, however, health care providers perform FGM. Cristina Catherine Pallitto, a scientist and expert in FGM at WHO, said doctors often carry out this procedure in the mistaken belief that they are reducing harm. "They believe it is dangerous," she said. "They have heard the messages that there are health consequences and if it is done in unsterile conditions it does bring greater risk. However, we do argue that any kind of cutting and the medicalization of that in any sense is against their medical ethics and that the harms, definitely, outweigh the benefits." Making progress The U.N. Population Fund and U.N. Children's Fund have been supporting 17 countries in a Joint Program on Female Genital Mutilation since 2008. Alfonso Barraques, Director of the UNFPA Geneva Liaison Office, noted the program is achieving results and that last year, 2,906 communities across 15 countries and 10,080 families in Egypt have publicly declared that they were abandoning FGM. "We have seen in the program a rapid decline in the practice of FGM in places like Burkina Faso, Kenya, Liberia and Egypt, and in some regions of Ethiopia and Senegal as well," he said. Despite that, he noted that the problems "of political instability, fragility and insecurity" in some of these countries have affected the normal implementation of this program. As part of the Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations has called for an end to FGM by 2030. For this to occur, U.N. officials have agreed that faster action is needed to build on the progress that has been made. They said this meant governments must enact and enforce laws and policies that "protect the rights of girls and women and prevent FGM," that those at risk have greater access to support services, and that families and communities take action and refuse to permit their girls to undergo the practice. Barraques noted that FGM is not just a woman's issue. Men also have an important role to play, he said. "It is important to get men and boys engaged in addressing the practice, in speaking up and in making their communities understand that FGM was harmful," he said. A federal appeals court has denied the Justice Departments request for an immediate reinstatement of President Donald Trumps ban on certain travelers and all refugees. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco instead asked both the state of Washington and the Trump administration early Sunday to file more arguments by Monday afternoon. The Trump administration appealed a federal judges ruling that temporarily placed the ban on hold. The higher courts denial of an immediate stay means legal battles over the ban will continue into the coming week at least. Acting Solicitor General Noel Francisco forcefully argued in the governments brief Saturday night that presidential authority is largely immune from judicial control when it comes to deciding who can enter or stay in the United States. By Press Trust of India: Melbourne, Feb 6 (PTI) Commonly used pain killers, such as ibuprofen, provide little benefits against back ache and cause side effects such as stomach ulcers and bleeding, a new study has warned. Researchers at The George Institute for Global Health in Australia found only one in six patients treated with the pills, also known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), achieve any significant reduction in pain. advertisement Earlier research has already demonstrated paracetamol is ineffective and opioids provide minimal benefit over placebo. The study highlights an urgent need to develop new therapies to treat back pain which affects 80 per cent of Australians during their lifetime, said Manuela Ferreira, associate professor at The George Institute for Global Health. "Back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is commonly managed by prescribing medicines such as anti-inflammatories," said Ferreira. "However our results show anti-inflammatory drugs actually only provide very limited short term pain relief. They do reduce the level of pain, but only very slightly, and arguably not of any clinical significance," said Ferreira. "When you factor in the side effects which are very common, it becomes clear that these drugs are not the answer to providing pain relief to the many millions of Australians who suffer from this debilitating condition every year," Ferreira added. Researchers, who examined 35 trials involving more than 6,000 people, also found patients taking anti-inflammatories were 2.5 times more likely to suffer from gastro-intestinal problems such as stomach ulcers and bleeding. "Millions of Australians are taking drugs that not only do not work very well, they are causing harm. We need treatments that will actually provide substantial relief of these peoples symptoms," said Gustavo Machado from The George Institute. "Better still we need a stronger focus on preventing back pain in the first place. We know that education and exercise programs can substantially reduce the risk of developing low back pain," he said. Most clinical guidelines currently recommend NSAIDs as the second line analgesics after paracetamol, with opioids coming at third choice. The study was published in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. PTI NKS MHN SAR MHN --- ENDS --- Immigrants are now making their way into the United States again, after a federal court temporarily halted President Donald Trump's executive order banning travel to the United States from seven Muslim majority nations. Reports say the New York Immigration Coalition has been assisting U.S. green card holders and non-immigrant visa holders who have arrived, without problems, at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Attorney Camille Mackler told the Associated Press on Sunday that "it's been business as usual." Iranian Fariba Tajrostami received a call Saturday and learned she was being allowed to fly to the U.S. after the court order. Her two brothers met her at JKF, where she said she feels "very happy" and "secure." Tajrostami was not allowed to board a plane in Istanbul last week after Trump's order. Fuad Sharef, who worked for a USAID subcontractor in Iraq, was not allowed to board a U.S.-bound flight with his wife and three children. But after the court's decision, Sharef and his family took one of the first planes to Seattle. Sharef told Reuters he wants to share with his children a lesson he learned after a tumultuous week. "Yeah, my life changed dramatically. You know, ups and downs, and I learned a lesson that if you have a right, never surrender," he said. The family departed Irbil, the capital of the Kurdish region in northern Iraq, and planned to make their way to Nashville, Tennessee, where members of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugees Rights Coalition had plans to welcome them. U.S. Judge James Robart, a 69-year-old jurist in the northwest state of Washington known for his conservative legal views, put a nationwide block on Trump's week-old executive order temporarily barring refugees and nationals from seven Muslim majority nations from entering the United States. Hours after the federal judge blocked President Donald Trump's executive order, the president hurled fresh criticism at the judge, warning that the ruling would allow "many very bad and dangerous people into our country." "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.," Trump tweeted. Earlier he called Robart's decision "ridiculous," and vowed to have it overturned. The Justice Department appealed the judge's decision, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco denied the governments request to immediately reinstate the temporary travel ban. The court asked the Trump administration and the state of Washington to file more arguments by Monday afternoon. In the meantime, Nael Zaino, a Syrian refugee who worked for the International Organization for Migration in Turkey, said even though he was put through a secondary screening, a U.S. agent told him to Go on, start your life, and enjoy your time with your son. "I didn't believe it until I came out of the airport. At that moment I realized I'm not in a dream," Zaino added. Reports said Zaino was reunited with family in Boston Saturday after receiving a waiver from the State Department with the help of U.S. lawmakers who were contacted by Zaino's relatives. President Donald Trump says that though he "respects" Russian President Vladimir Putin, they may not necessarily get along. "I say its better to get along with Russia than not. And if Russia helps us in the fight against ISIS (Islamic State), which is a major fight, and Islamic terrorism all over the world -- thats a good thing," Trump told Fox News in a pre-Super Bowl interview Sunday. "Will I get along with him? I have no idea." When asked about atrocities committed by Putin in the past, and how Trump could respect him knowing this history, Trump likened Russia to the United States. "There are a lot of killers. Weve got a lot of killers. What do you think? Our countrys so innocent?" he said. Responding to these comments on CNN, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said he doesn't think "there's any equivalency" between the U.S. and Putin. U.S. intelligence agencies have accused Russia of hacking computers connected to the Democratic Party as part of a wide-ranging campaign aimed at interfering in the U.S. presidential election . Before taking office, Trump repeatedly questioned the intelligence community's findings. Those criticisms have since eased. Still, the president has continued to say publicly that he is open to better relations with Moscow. Trump and Russian President Putin spoke by phone last Saturday in what the White House described as "a significant start to improving the relationship between the United States and Russia that is in need of repair." The interview also included a question about Trump's call for investigating voter fraud in the November presidential election. Trump has made many claims that undocumented immigrants voting illegally cost him the national popular vote. Trump won the Electoral College vote to defeat Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton, but he lost the popular vote by about three million votes. "Let me just tell you when you see illegals - people that are not citizens and they are on the registration rolls," Trump said. "You have illegals, you have dead people, you have this. Its really a bad situation, its really bad." Election officials who have analyzed the November 8 vote say there were almost no indications of voter fraud, certainly not on the scale Trump cites. VOA National Security correspondent Jeff Seldin contributed to this report. President Donald Trump is telling the American people that if "something happens," blame the judge who blocked his ban on immigration from seven Muslim majority countries. In one of his trademark tweets Sunday, the president said he "just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril." Late last week, U.S. District Court Judge James Robart of Washington state temporarily blocked Trump's executive order halting travel to the U.S. by refugees and others from seven Muslim majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Then on Sunday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco rejected the Trump administration's demand to reinstate the travel ban. In his Sunday tweets, Trump said he has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to check people entering the U.S. "very carefully," adding that the courts have made the job "very difficult." He also singled out Judge Robart again, saying, "The judge opens our country to potential terrorists and others that do not have our best interests at heart. Bad people are very happy!" The appeals court has given federal officials and states until Monday to file more arguments on whether the ban should be declared unconstitutional or reinstated. The case likely will wind up in the Supreme Court. The Justice Department's appeal said the judge's decision "second guesses the president's national security judgment" and harms the public by "thwarting enforcement" of Trump's executive order. Vice President Mike Pence defended Trumps criticism of Judge Robart, saying the president expresses himself in a unique way and the American people find it refreshing. The judges action in this case about making a decision about American foreign policy and national security, its just very frustrating to the president, Pence told NBC's Meet the Press Sunday. But Senate Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on CNN he thought it was best not to single out judges for criticism." We all want to keep terrorists out of the United States, but we cant shut down travel. We certainly dont want our Muslim allies who fought with us in countries overseas not to be able to travel to the United States. We need to be careful about this," McConnell said. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, told NBC Sunday she would be willing to work on legislation to allow for a temporary suspension as long as we are honoring the Constitution. We always have to subject our vetting to scrutiny to see if its working, but doesn't mean we institute an unconstitutional, immoral ban on Muslims coming into the country, she said. After the judge's decision, the Customs and Border Protection Service started to allow travelers with valid visas to come to the U.S. Several major airlines, including Air France and British Airways, began allowing passengers from the seven countries banned by the executive order to board planes headed for U.S. territory. But a Somali refugee said about 140 refugees whose resettlement in the United States was blocked by Trump's executive order were sent back to their refugee camp and it was unclear if or when they could travel. The group had been expected to settle in the U.S. this week, but was sent back to the Dadaab camp in eastern Kenya on Saturday from the International Organization for Migration transit center in Nairobi where they had been staying. 24: Legacy Noon to 1:00 P.M. Season 1 Episode 1 Editors Rating 1 star * Previous Next Previous Episode Next Episode Corey Hawkins as Eric Carter. Photo: Ray Mickshaw/FOX The climax of Oliver Stones 1994 film Natural Born Killers takes place on Super Bowl Sunday. Wayne Gale, the tabloid-TV sleazeball played by Robert Downey Jr., has booked an interview with Woody Harrelsons mass-murdering media sensation Mickey Knox, airing live from prison immediately after the Big Game. The killers Zen-nihilism ramblings and the hosts how-dare-you-sir platitudes are interrupted with soft-drink ads and shots of happy families watching at home. When the show cuts to commercial, the inmates riot. Mickey slaughters his guards, rescues his wife, and escapes, leaving literally hundreds dead, including the host of the interview. All of it is broadcast live to viewers nationwide. This is only a slightly less responsible programming decision than the one Fox made when it chose to put 24: Legacy on the air. Legacy is a sequel of sorts to the Bush-era terror-and-torture fantasia that starred Kiefer Sutherland, brought to you by many of that shows early principals, including director Stephen Hopkins and producers Howard Gordon (late of Homeland, a.k.a. 24: Woke Edition), Brian Grazer, Manny Coto, Evan Katz, and Sutherland himself. Legacy is so noxious and stupid, however, that it could well be subtitled Based on the tweet by Donald J. Trump. The world it posits is a paranoiac delusion of all-powerful, omnipresent terrorist hit squads, infiltrating the highest echelons of the intelligence community, recruiting literal children and their namby-pamby liberal teachers to blow up high schools, and murdering Army rangers and their entire families in their cheery suburban homes. Just for example, tonights pilot begins with a generic Evil Muslim saying, This is for Sheikh Bin Khalid a moniker that sounds as if the writers played Evil Muslim Name Boggle and shooting a veteran in the head before casually mentioning to his comrades that hed killed his wife and child too. On the very day that Donald Trump told his followers to blame the judicial system in the event of another terrorist attack on American soil, Fox debuted this claptrap to the largest TV audience its possible for a network to get. The story, which maintains the original series ludicrously overstuffed one episode equals one hour of real-time events structure, centers on Eric Carter (Straight Outta Comptons Corey Hawkins), one of the last surviving members of the Ranger unit that the Evil Muslims are killing off one by one, Kill Bill style. Escaping the bloodbath at his house with his spouse, Nicole (Anna Diop, in a thankless worried-wife role), he turns to the only person he can trust, former counterterrorist-unit head turned potential future First Lady Rebecca Ingram (Miranda Otto, whom Id prefer to remember as Eowyn, thanks). After dropping Nicole off with his estranged brother Isaac, whos a drug lord, because of course he is, Eric uses Rebeccas help to track down the other survivor, Ben, whose PTSD left him homeless and heroin-addicted. The Evil Muslims are murdering women and children and Our Troops nationwide in order to track down a strongbox Ben stole from Bin Khalids compound when the team raided it and killed him; the box contains a thumb drive with a complete listing of the many, many, many Evil Muslim sleeper cells located around the country. One of these cells involves a teenage student and her brother, sent from Chechnya for the express purpose of murdering everyone in a high school, and the girls beta-male teacher, who in addition to being a terrorist sympathizer and school-shooter-to-be is also sleeping with his student. Eric reaches Ben just in time to thwart the terrorists, who are also targeting him (and who earlier murdered his mother and sister despite promising not to if they helped track Ben down, dirty rats that they are). He shoots one, stabs another with rebar, and crushes a third under a gigantic rolling metal pipe, like if a Super Mario Bros. level were Islamophobic. But by then Ben is gone, as is the thumb drive, which hes now threatening to sell to the highest bidder because of how badly the government treated him during and after the war. Homeless vets: Dont trust em! As the episode ends, the clock ticks to 1 p.m. Do you know where your children are? If youre Muslim and youre on 24: Legacy, youre probably plotting to blow up a school. Clearly, the ways in which this episode is repulsive could fill up a thumb drive on their own. Quite a few revive the many iterations of post-9/11 jingoistic garbage. The omnipotent Evil Muslim Terrorist Network Already Operating Inside America, which bears no relation at all to the lone wolves or hapless FBI-sting patsies that are all the real world has to offer, are a case in point. So is the idea that someone in the government is a Benedict Arnold, deliberately undermining our safety; as the script, by Katz and Coto, puts it with representative subtlety, Someone in the governments working with the terrorists. But the scapegoating of a literal child as a sinister seductress and cold-blooded killer who immigrated to America with murder on her mind deserves special consideration. It combines Islamophobia, misogyny, the sexualization of minors, the portrayal of teachers as a fifth column, and the sort of anti-immigrant view that circuit-court judges must now block from the bench. In a climate in which Muslim children live in fear for their lives and the safety and unity of their families, its unforgivable. And now its the Super Bowl post-game show. Theres one unintentionally revealing exchange between Eric and Nicole that could serve as 24: Legacys summary statement. What do you want from me? he grouses at her, for no real reason other than being mad at the fact that shes taking birth control pills. (!!!!!!!) You gotta get past everything that happened to you over there, she says. Im okay, he assures her, to which she skeptically replies, Are you? No, Nicole. Judging from what we put on TV, no, were not. Photo: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images Good news for fans who miss the old Kanye: The rapper has deleted all of his pro-Donald Trump tweets. Nearly two months after his meeting with old friend and then-president-elect Donald Trump, Kanye has seemingly rescinded his support for the president. A source told TMZ Kanye deleted the tweets because hes mad about the presidents ban on immigration from majority-Muslim countries. So now, all those tweets explaining his meeting of the minds with Trump I wanted to meet with Trump today to discuss multicultural issues these issues included bullying, supporting teachers, modernizing curriculums, and violence in Chicago are no more. Is this Yes way of saying that he was actually #WithHer the whole time, or that hes still readying that 2020 run for office? Anyway, those tweets are gone. True Penelope Spheeris fans may prefer her as the director of cult music-doc trilogy The Decline of Western Civilization or 80s punk gems like Dudes, The Boys Next Door, and Suburbia, but everyone else knows her work as the director of 90s comedy staples Waynes World and Black Sheep. Spheeriss refreshingly candid attitude toward these two types of projects is simple: If youre offered a ton of money to sell out, you better be ready to sell out. While Waynes World is a departure from Spheeriss earlier films, its aged so well since it was initially released 25 years ago, thanks in no small part to Spheeriss fruitful collaboration withSaturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels and stars Mike Meyers and Dana Carvey. To celebrate the films impending rerelease, we talked with Spheeris about all things Waynes World, as well as This Is Spinal Tap, Albert Brooks, and Mean Girls. When you got the call to direct Waynes World, you were working on a PBS documentary about psychotic killers, right? It was a documentary that was actually made by Joan Churchill, who took the gig after I stepped away. It was a documentary about the Patton State Hospital for the Criminal Insane. I was actually in that place when I went to a wall phone, and called my agent. Thats when I found out that I got the call to do Waynes World. So it was either something on the criminal insane or Waynes World. Not a lot of difference, mind you. [Laughs.] Another project that almost but didnt come to pass was your version of This Is Spinal Tap. You turned that one down because of how attached you were to that world. Were there specific gags or characters or an experience that made you want to turn that down? Yeah, in a way. The guys that were doing the movie whats his name, David Jablin. He was friends with Chris Guest and Harry Shearer. I knew Harry from back in the day with Albert Brooks. We all sat down and discussed the film. I brought in some notes, and the part that bothered me was that those guys were not really into metal music. Its so weird, because I thought they were going to make a mess of it. But I was wrong! They got Rob Reiner, and did it right. And Im pissed at myself for not doing it. Your preWaynes World relationship with Lorne Michaels seems to have begun with your collaborations with Albert Brooks. What was working with him like? He seems very fastidious. Working with Albert I was mentally pretty stable before I met Albert. And he was the most neurotic person I had known in my career until that point, although I had worked with Richard Pryor as well. But Albert was a hybrid of neuroses. He was hypochondriac, and all these shakes, and twitches, and shit. I actually became neurotic from being in the same room with Albert Brooks for four years. But Im not going to complain because I really did learn a lot about comedy from Albert. I really learned a lot about Hollywood because I was a babe in the woods when it came to what Hollywood was about. And Albert learned how to make movies. Thats why everyone called me, because they didnt know. I just got out of film school, and I kinda knew my shit. But Albert didnt have an idea, and I taught him. Thank you for helping him to make Real Life. No, no, I dont like taking too much credit, or even for Waynes World. Although for Real Life, my boyfriend at the time did design the headset cameras in that film. But I did show Albert where to put the camera tripod, and when to get another camera and put it there, and make sure your eyelines are right. Not too many people could have done what he did with his first feature: He was acting in it, and writing it as well. Thats a big deal! The sign of a great collaborator, too. And the sign of a great producer, too. One of the funniest thing happened on that film: I dont know if you know this, but Albert likes to cast leading women hes infatuated with. So he cast Frances Lee McCain, and they were kinda flirty, kinda going out. Kinda. Then she decides that she doesnt want to be his girlfriend about halfway through shooting the movie, okay? Hed given her a couple of points in the movie. And he says to me, Go get the points back. And I said, You cant do that! He said, You just go ask her. Were breaking up now, I want my points back. It was like two points on the back end, whatever. So I went and told her and she started throwing shoes at me in her dressing room. Crazy stuff like that. I gotta write a book, right? In your DVD commentary for Waynes World, you say that Metallica and Megadeth brought weight to metal music. From your perspective, how would you say you observed that turning point in metal? Oh, yeah. Before that, what was really flourishing here in L.A. was the glam metal, hair metal, poofy metal. Metallica, Guns N Roses well, Guns N Roses was pretty on the fence, because that guy [Axl Rose] got his hair pretty poofy sometimes. But Metallica and Megadeth really signaled a turning point. I was glad of that, because Im not really a frivolous person. I probably would have been better off making more serious movies. I would have been better at that, but I would have been poor still. So there you go. Which was more of a boys club: the metal scene or TV and movie producers? They both didnt treat women all that well. The metal scene was a little more overt about their transgressions against women, and minorities. But the executives were more subtle about it. Sneaky bastards, what can I tell ya? Its okay if I insult them these days because none of the people I was working with are still at the studios I dont think. So I dont care anymore, Ill say whatever. Mama done passed that age. That whole thing with me and Mike [Myers] on Waynes World 2 I was just telling the truth, but then I got into a lot of trouble for griping about not getting hired. Ive always had kind of an unfiltered voice, as it were. So you didnt turn down Waynes World 2? No! No, thats not true. They didnt want me to do it because I wouldnt do the cuts that Mike wanted on the first Waynes World. Can you talk a little about those cuts? That whole thing, they dont want me to talk about it. But Mike didnt want me to Waynes World 2 because I wouldnt do requested cuts on the first Waynes World. I got shit on right there, but thats cool. Honestly? There were 11 pages of suggested cuts. I dont know if Im exaggerating when I saw that the pages were singled-spaced, but there were a lot of notes. Its not his fault! Its not his fault, because he wasnt around when we had the test screening, so he didnt see what happened with an audience. His dad had passed away, and he was a mess because he loved his dad so much. He went back to Toronto, so when he came back and we kept saying, Hey, man, its perfect, he kept saying No, heres all the things we have to do. It was just bad timing. If he had been there for that test screening, there wouldnt have been a problem. Can you give an example of how you had to essentially plan the film three ways: your way, Danas way, and Mikes way? [Laughs.] See, the great thing about Mike and Dana and all great comedy teams, really is that part of the way they get their jokes and energy is by trying to one-up each other. So it got to a point with a lot of comedy teams where these guys downright hated each other. Mike and Dana had their disputes, but really, it had a lot to do with Mike getting an idea, and then Dana feeling compelled to one-up him. Then the other way around. So I had to shoot it my way, then Danas way, then Mikes way, then sometimes the studios way. But I knew all along that I would be okay because I had it my way. Sometimes their way worked better, you know? Use whatever works. But when I get in the editing room, theres nobody saying, Hey, do it this way. Was editing the most challenging phase rather than preproduction or shooting? Well, now you remind me Im going to have to give equal anxiety to those three sections. Because the preproduction really was difficulty. Everybody was freaked out: Oh my God, how are we going to turn this five-minute skit into a 90-minute movie. Oh my God, its never going to work. Then: Oh my God, Mike has to have the perfect house to live in. I mean, every house looks the same out there in the Valley. You can pick any house, it works. But it had to be the perfect this and the perfect that. So everyone was nervous. Production was actually the most fun part. There wasnt a lot of dissension or stress. I only 32 days in Los Angeles, and two days in a distant location. Postproduction was freaky because my editor [Malcolm Campbell], who is the sweetest guy in the world, was going through a divorce. And he was oftentimes so sad, and just emotionally wrecked that he couldnt edit. So I felt really bad for him, brought him coffee and cookies a lot. And I wound up editing the film with Earl Ghaffari, the editor of Decline of Western Civilization II. I like editing; thats my forte, I believe. So while I felt bad for Malcolm, it helped me out, a little bit. What was the hardest product that you had to get clearance for? I remember them going back and forth on Nike versus Reebok shoes. There was a lot of problems there. I think the pizza was okay. Mike had to have Bohemian Rhapsody in there, and I agreed with him. That wasnt a problem. Of course, we couldnt get any clearance on any more than two notes on Stairway to Heaven, so that was funky. And I fought like hell to get the Jimi Hendrix song Foxy Lady! Foxy Lady, yeah. They wanted something else, I dont remember what right now. But I won that. And I was right, because it works. How did you choose your battles? Where did you draw the line and say, Well, this is worth fighting for, but I gotta give em this? Well, you cant piss off your actors, you know what I mean? I ultimately did, I guess. But that was in postproduction. Its a real fine line to walk. There was a point where John Goldwyn, who was a Paramount executive on the picture, came to me and said, Penelope, youre going to get fired unless you stop being so wishy-washy. And what he didnt know is that my agent told me that my contract wasnt signed yet. Because sometimes you start prep without having a contact signed. So my agent tells me: You cannot rock the boat until your contract is signed. So for a while there, I really had to walk on thin ice. I could have been booted at any moment if I pushed the wrong person the wrong way. Im not a wishy-washy person. I know how to make decisions and I know how to stick by them. Still, it was tricky in the beginning. How hard was it to get Alice Cooper to replace Aerosmith during the big concert scene? Funny, I was just talking to Alice about that today. Mike was extremely adamant about Aerosmith. The band had to be Aerosmith. Then, from my recollection and Id love to have somebody prove me wrong but Aerosmith didnt want to do it. So when you get close to the day when you gotta shoot whatever? Decisions get made. Thats when I brought up the idea of Alice Cooper. And he was available, he wanted to do it, he knew me from having done Decline of Western Civilization II. He has that radio show now, and he and I were just laughing about it today. Aerosmith did Waynes World 2, so they made two bad decisions there. [Laughs.] One more: How hard was it to get them to clear saying sphincter boy and penis during the Brian Doyle Murray product placement interview? Yeah, I know! The one that Im always astounded about is when theyre in Rob Lowes apartment, and theyre ordering Chinese food, and Mike orders Cream of Sum Yung Guy. Thats a really dirty joke! We got a PG, didnt we? Or did we get a PG-13. Lets check PG-13. It must have been that darn language. I was surprised that we got that in, and sphincter boy, and penis. I thought [The MPAA] isnt doing their job down there On the commentary track, you say that you should never go out with your extras. Is there a story here? Oh, did I say that? Yes. I wouldnt doubt I said that. I dont think I ever oh, I think I know what it means. There was a film I did I think it was The Boys Next Door. We were filming on Hollywood Boulevard, and this gorgeous guy came out of the extras truck, and I fall in love. I regret it to this day, believe me. To this day that guys like a stalker. Youve said previously that Lorne Michaels taught you to scale back the violence of certain slapstick gags so that viewers knew that nobody got hurt, like when Lara Flyn Boyle crashes through the skylight or flips over the car hood. Big confession: That wasnt Lara, it was a stuntwoman both times. But we had a really good look-alike. And honestly? The girl that hit the car I forgot her name. But when she hit the car, she actually got banged up pretty bad. You always feel bad when something like that happens. We did a panel discussion about the film a little while back at the Academy, and Mike mentioned that there were two jokes that he thought really would not work. One was the Terminator cop joke. Its a great joke! I know. But the other joke was when Lara hit the car. Mikes cool enough to acknowledge that it takes a village, and all of us together, picking the right things for the movie, made the movie work. He wasnt right 100 percent of the time, and neither was I. Were there any specific alternative projects that you wanted to make postWaynes World but couldnt? I had written scripts over the years that are still on a shelf, that have never been made. But to answer your question, there was one movie at Paramount that they were shooting right after Waynes World that I really wanted to direct. It was called Leap of Faith, and it was something I felt I could do very well, about a traveling evangelist dude. Im from a carnival, so I get the roadshow thing. But I was shocked because when I went in to meet with John Goldwyn, I was so confident and cocky. Oh, hey, man, Id like to do this movie which you got, okay? Id just made him $185 million, so I thought theyd let me do anything. But they wouldnt let me do that. Thats a bummer of a note to end on! Oh, no, no, not at all. I look at every one of those situations where a door gets slammed in my face Lorne calls me and tells me to talk to Tina Fey about directing Mean Girls. And I do that, but I get the door slammed in my face. Ive had so many doors slammed in my face. But every time I look at it as a time to learn a lesson. And I do learn. Im fine with it. So many people want to make movies and werent able to, like my contemporaries. But I was not only able to make movies, but make a bunch of money doing it. So I dont want to complain. Its been a rough road, and it made me jaded. I saw this term the other day Im not sure if Trump came up with it or not, but the phrase is Hollywood Secret Society. Have you heard that term? No way. Youre doing a Waynes World! Way! Hollywood Secret Society. Let me tell you something theres no way ha, no way that theres a Hollywood Secret Society because nobody likes each other enough to be in a secret society. You gotta like the people youre in the cult with. Everybodys out for themselves here. Although Cyrus Mistry has now been removed from Tata Sons the questions he raised several questions regarding the business' health, questions that, experts say, are pertinent. By India Today Web Desk: With the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in New Delhi dismissing Cyrus Mistry family firms' appeal to stop Tata Sons from removing him from its board on February 3, the latter, in a shareholders' meet held Monday, removed Mistry as a director of the holding company. The removal does not come as a surprise, since Tata Trusts, of which Ratan Tata is Chairman, holds two-third shareholding in the holding company. Mistry's family firms hold 18.4 per cent stake, while the remaining is held by Tata Group companies. advertisement Mistry was already removed as Chairman of Tata Group in October 2016, and thereafter, major group companies had called shareholder meetings to remove his as director on their respective boards. Also read: Ousted Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry now removed as company director A PUBLIC SPAT Mistry's removal from Tata Sons board comes after more than three months of public spat between Tata Sons and the former over his ouster, which he alleged was done with least regard to corporate ethics. Although he has now been removed from the holding company and the group firms, the questions he raised are pertinent, say experts, and many hope the new Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran has his task cut out. Chandrasekaran's mandate, it is widely acknowledged, would be to restore the credibility of the Tata Group by addressing some of the issues raised by Mistry, as well as to restore the Group to good health by focusing on some of the key problem areas. Also read: Who is N Chandrasekharan, the new Tata Sons chairman? MISTRY OUTLINED PROBLEMS IN LETTER In his five-page letter sent to the Tata Sons board after his ouster, Mistry had said how the amendments to the articles of association of Tata Trusts severely acted as a constraint upon him and limited his ability to engineer a turnaround at the Tata Group. This also, according to him, "created alternative structures" which again limits the freedom of the Chairman. In the letter, Mistry warned that the salt-to-software giant may face $18 billion (Rs 1.18 lakh crore) in writedowns because of five unprofitable businesses he inherited. Mistry alleged that the foreign acquisition strategy of the Tata Group, with the exceptions of JLR and Tetley, had left a large debt overhang. Corus faced potential impairments of over $10 billion. Foreign properties of Indian Hotels and holdings in Orient Hotels have been sold at a loss. The UK and Kenya operations of Tata Chemicals "needs tough decisions", he said. Also read: Cyrus Mistry ready to take legal battle with Ratan Tata to Supreme Court Tata Capital, meanwhile, had a huge pile of bad loans on its books from the infrastructure sector, that had to be cleaned up. Not to talk of the telecom business, which has been "continuously haemorrhaging," and where any distress sale or shut down would have cost the group $4-5 billion. advertisement Non-performing assets at Tata Motors Finance mounted to an excess of Rs 4,000 crore. The Nano project has been consistently losing money, as much as Rs 1,000 crore. Mistry felt that the best turnaround strategy at Tata Motors was to close down the project. He also says he was pushed by Ratan Tata to enter the aviation sector in partnership with Air Asia and later with Singapore Airlines, without the businesses being necessarily promising. He signed off saying he was being pushed into the position of a "lame-duck" Chairman, but he wanted to break free and create an institutional framework for effective future governance of the group. The Tata Group, however, has refuted all these charges, saying that Mistry showed scant regard to these issues when he was heading the organisation, and chose to highlight them only when he was shown the door. Moreover, it said all the deals it conducted were transparent and were discussed with the respective boards as an when necessary. advertisement Also watch: 10 charges Cyrus Mistry has levelled against Tata Sons --- ENDS --- Tata Sons' ousted chairman Cyrus Mistry was today removed as the company's director at an extraordinary general meeting held in Mumbai. By Virendrasingh Ghunawat: Cyrus Mistry was today removed as the director of Tata Sons Limited at an extraordinary general meeting held today in Mumbai. The resolution for his removal was passed by the shareholders with the requisite majority. "The shareholders of Tata Sons, at the extraordinary general meeting held today, passed, with the requisite majority, a resolution to remove Cyrus P. Mistry as a Director of Tata Sons," the company said in a statement. advertisement Mistry has been embroiled a business feud that has rocked Dalal Street ever since he was ousted as the chairman of Tata Sons, which is the holding company of Tata Group. Tata Sons' board had removed Mistry as chairman on October 24, 2016, as its Chairman and appointed Ratan Tata as Interim Chairman. Also read: Ousted Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry moves National Company Law Tribunal Also read: No Cyrus mystery: All you need to know about sacked Tata chairman (With inputs from IANS) --- ENDS --- Gatesville Exchange Club is sponsoring the 20th annual Taste of Gatesville from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Gatesville Civic Center, 301 Veterans Memorial Loop in Gatesville. Guests can sample food from local restaurants and vendors and explore what some of Gatesvilles retail merchants have to offer. Cost is $7 in advance or $8 at the door. For more information, call 499-0102. Reicher Shadow Day Reicher Catholic High School, 2102 N. 23rd St., will have a Cougar Cub Shadow Day from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 13. Potential students can tour the school; meet teachers, students and the principal; and learn about clubs, sports, activities and service. To reserve a seat, call 752-8349. Baylor Wind Ensemble Patrick Lenz, winner of the 2016 Baylor Composition Contest, will be the guest artist at a performance by the Baylor University Wind Ensemble at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Jones Concert Hall in Baylors Glennis McCrary Music Building. The 75-member ensemble will perform Lenzs prize-winning work, Pillar of Fire. For more information, visit www.baylor.edu/music or call 710-3991. WMCRTA meeting The Waco McLennan County Retired Teachers Association will meet at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Stilwell Retirement Residence, 5400 Laurel Lake Drive. The meeting will feature a performance from the Brazos Knights Barbershop Quartet. For more information, call 715-0934 or email lhallenbama65@gmail.com. Hewitt story time The Hewitt Public Library, 200 Patriot Court in Hewitt, will present story times for toddlers, ages 12 to 36 months, and preschoolers, ages 3 to 5, on Tuesday and Wednesday. The toddler sessions will start at 9:30 a.m. Preschoolers will meet at 10:30 a.m. with a program about The Snowman. For more information, call 666-2442. Widowed luncheon Lake Shore Funeral Home, 5201 Steinbeck Bend Road, will host its fourth annual Widowed Men and Womens Valentine Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 14 at its on-site reception center. The event is open to those who have lost their spouse or significant other. The luncheon gives participants an opportunity for fun, food, fellowship and to make new connections with others who have lost their partner. Reservations are required by Thursday. To make a reservation, call 752-5900. Submit items for Briefly in printed or typed form to Briefly, P.O. Box 2588, Waco 76702-2588; fax to 757-0302; or email to goingson@wacotrib.com. The Congress had demanded that the presentation of the Union Budget should be postponed by a day over E Ahamed's death By India Today Web Desk: Upping the ante on E Ahamed's death, Rahul Gandhi today led a Congress protest alleging that the Kerala MP's death was hushed up by the government to ensure the Union Budget is presented on time. The 78-year-old former Union minister and IUML (Indian Union Muslim League) MP collapsed during the President's address to the joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on January 31, a day before Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented the Union Budget. advertisement ALSO READ: E Ahamed, Kerala MP and former Union Minister, passes away after collapsing in Parliament HERE ARE THE DEVELOPMENTS: The Congress had demanded that the presentation of the Budget should be postponed by a day over Ahamed's death. "We are Ahamed Sahab," said the placard held by Rahul as he stood with other MPs from Kerala near Mahatma Gandhi's statue. "The government will answer if the issue is raised in Parliament. They are trying to politicise it. The doctors did their best. I don't understand what is the issue?" Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said. The Congress, an ally of the IUML, has alleged that Ahamed had passed away while he was taken to the hospital, but the government wanted to keep the body in hospital until the Budget was presented. The party said it was not only an "insult" to the late MP and his family, but also "the Muslim community". The Congress has also alleged that Ahamed's family was "ill-treated" at the Delhi hospital after Ahamed was admitted there on January 31. Senior Congress leader KV Thomas has demanded strong action and probe by a Parliamentary Committee into the incident. "Had Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi not intervened strongly, Ahamed's children would not have got the opportunity to see his body and offer prayers as per Muslim customs," Thomas claimed. ALSO READ: Why Modi Sarkar went ahead with presentation of Union Budget despite Kerala MP Ahamed's death How Budget 2017 crossed four major hurdles to create history Watch the video here --- ENDS --- WAHOO The first semester of behavioral health services in Saunders County schools was utilized more than expected. Referrals came from schools quicker than we had planned, said Tammy Sassaman, behavioral health program coordinator with Family Service in Lincoln. Family Service is being contracted by Saunders County Youth Services to provide the behavioral health program. The program, which began in July by grant funding, has two in-school therapists that rotate between Yutan, Mead, Ashland-Greenwood, Bishop Neumann, Wahoo and Cedar Bluffs schools. The therapists visit the elementary, middle and high schools at each school, she added. Sassaman said both the fulltime and part-time employee are completely booked and that there is a waiting list. Were in the process of hiring another therapist, Sassaman said. Because the referrals are so high, we need another person. Sassaman said per grant funding approval, students age 12 through 19 have been the focus for the program, but a therapist is able to meet with a younger student if considered high need. The Nebraska Crime Commission funding will expire in June, Sassaman said. In an effort to keep the services, Youth Services is reapplying for grant funding to cover costs for at least another year. But the ultimate plan to provide free behavioral health services is to have the schools buy in, Sassaman said. We are in the beginning stages of having conversations with schools if they can financially support it, she said. Area school administrators report benefits of receiving weekly visits from behavioral health professionals. Weve got several students, as all schools do, that need some behavioral health opportunities, said Mead Principal P.J. Quinn. Quinn said the countys behavioral health program has eliminated the barrier of getting students to a facility where those opportunities are provided. The opportunity for those students to receive behavioral health at school is a win for the student, its a win for the family and its a win for the school, he said. Wahoo Superintendent Brandon Lavaley said the program has been well received by families and school administrators. The addition of Family Services and continued relationship with Blue Valley (Behavioral Health) have expanded the availability of supplemental support services to our students and families, he said. District staff and the families throughout our school district have expressed great value in these partners, and we look forward to continuing a positive relationship with them. A non-concessional contribution is money from savings, inheritance, redundancy payout, or the sale of shares or property, for example. Super is still one of the best ways to save for retirement. That's different to "concessional" contributions, such as salary sacrifice into super, where the marginal rate of income tax is swapped for the 15 per cent super contributions tax that applies to most people. The concessional cap is also coming down from $35,000 for over-50s and $30,000 for under-50s to $25,000 for everyone from July 1. The $25,000 includes the 9.5 per cent compulsory super paid by employers. From July 1, the three-year bring forward will be $300,000 to reflect the lower annual cap. New $1.6 million cap Phillip Gillard, a financial planner at Shadforth Financial Group, says there is a further incentive to act before July 1 for those with large superannuation account balances. That's because, from July 1, non-concessional contributions will not be allowed by those whose super balances are higher than $1.6 million. From July 1, a maximum of $1.6 million will be allowed to be held by a retiree in a pension where no tax is paid on the money. However, non-concessional contributions before July 1 that push the balance beyond $1.6 million will be able to stay in super, Gillard says. Those who will have more than $1.6 million in a pension will be required, from July 1, to either take the excess out of super, or to put it into an accumulation super account where the 15 per cent tax applies on earnings, he says. Melinda Houghton, a financial adviser and founder of Houghton Strategic Solutions, says not that many people are able to make really big non-concessional contributions. "But someone could be thinking of selling something and I would be thinking of bringing the sale forward to before June 30 to take advantage of the higher non-concessional caps," she says. "However, all aspects have to considered before bringing forward a sale, including any tax events such as tax on capital gains from the sale of shares or property," Houghton says. Concessional caps Gillard suspects many people may think that they have to do something before July 1. "But the reality is that for most people the $100,000 non-concessional cap per person will be enough," he says. More people are likely to be affected by the new $25,000 cap on concessional contributions, he says. Another of the government's super changes is that the unused concessional cap can be carried forward for up to five years. That means that up to $125,000, less compulsory super, can be put into super over a five-year period as long as the super balance is less than $500,000. This measure was to start on July 1 this year, but it has been deferred until July 1, 2018. Houghton says it is those in their 50s, especially women, who have increased their hours of paid work, who are the most likely to take advantage of the catch-up measures. As well as increasing their hours of paid work, their children have finished school and the mortgage, if not paid off, is likely to be much smaller, she says. Hutton points to the opportunity to use the higher concessional caps that are available for the remainder of this financial year. Personal contributions Dennis Eagles, the national head of self-managed superannuation at Grant Thornton Australia, says another important change is that which extends the tax benefits of sacrificing salary into super to almost everyone. From July 1 this year, those under the age of 65, and those aged 65 to 74 who meet the work test, will be able claim a tax deduction for personal contributions to super, up to the $25,000 concessional contributions cap. It's important to keep in mind this cap is inclusive of compulsory super contributions, Eagles says. Small employers sometimes do not offer salary sacrificing to their employees and these employees will now be able to make personal contributions. It will also benefit those who are partially self-employed and partially wage earners, such as self-employed contractors. They will be able to make contributions and receive the same tax benefits as if they were salary sacrificing through an employer. Robert Ross, a senior financial adviser with Fitzpatricks Private Wealth in Sydney, points to another benefit of this change. It means that people can make personal contributions to their super from proceeds of, say, a sale of shares, where tax is payable on the capital gains. That can reduce the amount of taxable income and, therefore, reduce the tax paid on the capital gains. This extension of the ability to make personal contributions is even more powerful after July 1, 2018, when $125,000 of deductible contributions, less compulsory super, can be put into super over a five-year period as long as the super balance is less than $500,000. That means even larger proceeds from an investment on which capital gains tax is payable can be put into super as a personal contribution and get the tax deduction. Two policemen were injured in an encounter with criminals near Nehru Place metro station in South Delhi on Monday morning. By India Today Web Desk: A dramatic chase culminated into a fierce gun battle between police and criminals near Nehru Place metro station in south Delhi on Monday morning. Sources said that about 13 rounds were fired in the encounter in which two policemen were injured. Police sources confirmed that casualty was averted as they were wearing bullet proof vests. advertisement The two criminals fired 8 rounds while police fired 5 rounds in retaliation. The accused have been identified as Akbar and Shahid. While Akbar was caught by the police, Shahid managed to flee. The police commissioner had in the past announced a reward of Rs 25,000 on Akbar. Delhi: After shootout near Nehru Place Metro Station, Police nabbed criminal Akbar, carrying a reward of Rs25k on his head.His aide escaped. pic.twitter.com/ZVyxhFOBwO ANI (@ANI_news) 6 February 2017 The police intercepted the duo near Eros hotel and followed them till the spot of firing. Police said that the duo had earlier opened fire near Prahaladpur area. Deputy Commissioner of Police Romil Baaniya said that the police retaliated after the criminal gang started firing to avoid their arrest. "After the shootout, Akbar alias Danish was arrested while his accomplice Asif managed to escape with other associates," he said The officer said that Akbar was a notorious robber and snatcher. "He is wanted in many cases of robbery, theft, snatching and attempt to murder," he said. WATCH | Politics over OROP suicide, India Today's explosive SIMI encounter audio, more Also read: Two top Hizbul Mujahideen militants killed in encounter in Kashmir J-K: 2 militants killed in Ganderbal encounter, operation over --- ENDS --- The leader of the West Australian Nationals is going to find it hard to hang on to his Pilbara seat in the upcoming state election. That's the verdict of Pauline Hanson, whose One Nation party is fielding a candidate against Brendon Grylls in the March 11 poll. One Nation candidate for the PIlbara David Archibald called single mums 'too lazy to attract and hold a mate' Credit:YouTube/mmattjanet "It looks like Brendon Grylls ... is going to find it difficult to hold his seat. I think he is under the pump," she told Nine Network on Monday. Ms Hanson said a few weeks ago her party was polling 26 per cent of the vote in the Pilbara despite her candidate David Archibald's offensive and bizarre comments towards single women labelling them too "lazy to attract and hold a mate". Tough penalties for methamphetamine dealers are proving a central theme in the WA election campaign, with the major parties backing and matching each other's plans. The opposition has focused on maximum sentences and targeting wholesalers rather than street dealers, promising life for 28 grams or more. Under the Liberal plan, mandatory time behind bars would start at one year, rising to a minimum of 15 years for more than 200 grams. Credit:Shannon Morris The Liberals have gone hard on minimum sentences, pledging to jail anyone caught dealing even small quantities of the drug. Police will have discretion to determine whether someone found with just 1g is a dealer or not, looking at factors such as whether it had been divided up into bags or the offender had scales for weighing the drug. Rio de Janeiro: Brazil's president on Monday ordered 200 troops to the southeastern state of Espirito Santo, where a police strike in recent days sparked a wave of violence including what is already believed to be dozens of murders. The law enforcement stoppage in a state struggling with a budget shortfall is the latest example of how depleted public finances, amid Brazil's worst recession on record, are crippling even basic health services, education and security in some states. The crime surge in Espirito Santo, a small coastal state just north of Rio de Janeiro, began over the weekend, after police on Friday stopped work because of the pay dispute. Since then, local media and citizens with mobile phone videos have broadcast scenes of chaos as thieves and other criminals appear to run rampant, particularly in state capital Vitoria and its suburbs, home to about 2 million people. Paris: Far-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon embraced technology during the launch of his presidential campaign at a rally in Lyon on Sunday, with a 3D hologram of him making his speech appearing at the same time at another rally in Paris. Melenchon, wearing a Nehru-style jacket, tried to use the hologram technology give a modern look to his launch, which coincided with that of the far-right leader Marine Le Pen. Melenchon is certainly not the first politician to employ such technology - in 2014, then-Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan used a huge hologram of himself to attract wider support, while India's Narendra Modi trounced the opposition with a campaign that included holograms of his speeches in villages across the country. Melenchon tried to position himself on Sunday as a key adversary of Marine Le Pen, choosing Lyon - and almost the same timing - for the launch of his campaign. By India Today Web Desk: Sasikala to take oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister tomorrow Earlier today, Tamil Nadu Governor C Vidyasagar Rao accepted incumbent Chief Minister O Panneerselvam's resignation after the AIADMK MLAs chose Sasikala their legislative party leader on Sunday. Sahara's Rs 39000-crore Aamby Valley property in Pune to be attached, orders Supreme Court While allowing chief Subrata Roy to remain out on interim bail, the apex court asked Sahara to furnish a list of unencumbered properties within two weeks for being auctioned to realise remaining Rs 14,000 crores of principle amount. advertisement Shraddha Kapoor unveils Haseena first look: Who was Haseena Parkar? Before Shraddha Kapoor steps into the shoes of Haseena, here's all you need to know about Dawood Ibrahim's sister, Haseena Parkar. India a tough place to tour: Kane Williamson's warning to Australia New Zealand captain Kane Williamson said Australia will have to adapt quickly on their tour of India where they will play a four-Test series. --- ENDS --- From 23 to 27 January 2017, the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) held a joint regional Transit Workshop in La Paz (Bolivia), with the financial support of the Japanese Customs Co-operation Fund and the assistance of the National Customs of Bolivia. This Workshop was a continuation of a series of events to discuss the WCO Transit Guidelines, a new tool that will be released at the Global Transit Conference in Brussels on 10-11 July 2017. The first two Transit Workshops were held in Cote dIvoire in June 2016 and Zambia in October 2016. Experts from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the World Bank (WB) and the International Road Transport Union (IRU), representatives of regional organizations such as the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA), the General Secretariat of the Andean Community (SGCAN) and the Caribbean Customs Law Enforcement Council (CCLEC), and the Customs administrations of the Americas and Caribbean region took part in the Workshop. The event was supported by WCO-accredited experts from Austria and Peru. The five-day Workshop focused on discussing the draft Transit Guidelines developed by the Secretariat with the aim of supporting WCO Members efforts to establish efficient and effective transit regimes. Transit experts exchanged their views on over 150 standards covering different aspects of transit operations including guarantee systems, fees and charges for transit, electronic customs seals, effective information management, one stop border posts etc. The participants appreciated the initiative of the WCO to develop clear guidelines for transit regimes. They shared their national and regional practices, including the existing regional initiatives aimed at transit facilitation, such as TIM (International Goods in Transit) in Central America, SINTIA (International Customs Transit Computerized System) in MERCOSUR countries. As part of the Workshop, the participants visited the border post of Tambo Quemado, located at the Bolivia-Chile border, where they witnessed the full range of control operations being carried out on goods in transit. During their visit, the participants were also welcomed by Tambo Quemados indigenous community. The Transit Guidelines will serve as a practical instrument for the implementation of special provisions on freedom of transit set out in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement, the UN Vienna Programme of Action and the WCO Revised Kyoto Convention. The IADB confirmed that it would translate the final version of the Transit Guidelines into Spanish, for presentation to the international community at the Global Transit Conference in July 2017. Prior to that, the WCO will hold another Transit Workshop in Central Asia. Nearly 100 US companies, including top tech giants, filed a legal brief saying Trump's travel ban is a "departure from the principles of fairness". By India Today Web Desk: US technology giants, including companies likes Apple, Google and Microsoft, on Sunday came together to file a legal action opposing President Donald Trump's temporary ban on US arrivals from seven Muslim-majority countries. Trump signed an executive order putting in place the temporary immigration ban soon after he took office. The ban has been opposed by several quarters, and in their legal brief filed Sunday, the tech companies argue that it would cause harm to American businesses. Among the nearly 100 companies who signed the brief are Facebook, Twitter, eBay, Netflix, Uber and Intel as well as non-tech organisations such as Levi Strauss and Chobani. advertisement What the brief says "The Order represents a significant departure from the principles of fairness and predictability that have governed the immigration system of the United States for more than fifty years". "The Order inflicts significant harm on American business, innovation, and growth as a result". "Immigrants or their children founded more than 200 of the companies on the Fortune 500 list." Also read: Donald Trump threatens to defund California to fight illegal immigration Travel ban currently on hold Federal judge James L. Robart on Friday stayed the immigration ban while it considered a lawsuit filed by two US states against it. The US Justice Department then filed an appeal in the Ninth Circuit Court seeking a stay on Robart's stay. The Ninth Circuit Court ruled out providing any immediate relief to the Trump administration, which must by today justify Trump's executive order. (With inputs from Reuters) Also read: Donald Trump slams judge for halting travel ban, says the court order puts US in peril Also watch: US Court revokes Donald Trump's travel ban order --- ENDS --- Kharge slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his demonetisation move, saying 125 people died because of it, he should have at least apologized for it. By India Today Web Desk: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge today criticised the government for hushing up veteran MP E Ahamed's death in a hospital ahead of the annual union budget's presentation on February 1. Congress MPs, led by their leader Rahul Gandhi demanded a Parliamentary probe into the death of IUML leader and Kerala MP. "Ahamed was unnecessarily kept on life support when he had already expired. They wanted to hide this fact, they hushed up his death. That is why we are demanding a Parliamentary Committee to be formed to probe the matter," Kharge said. advertisement Apart from slamming the government over the death of veteran Kerala MP E. Ahamed, Kharge also touched upon the issue of demonetisation. Also read: E Ahamed's death hushed up, alleges Congress Kharge slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his demonetisation move, saying 125 people died because of it, he should have at least apologized for it. He further said, "Gandhi ji sacrificed his life for the country; Indira ji too sacrificed her life. Who came from your house? Not a single dog came from your family." Desh ki ekta ke liye Gandhi ji ne kurbani di,Indra Ji ne kurbani di. Aapke ghar se kaun gaya? Ek kutta bhi nahi gaya! :Cong's M.Kharge in LS ANI (@ANI_news) 6 February 2017 Also read: E Ahamed passes away after collapsing in Parliament Kharge then added, "You are good in speaking, you give good speeches, but you can't fill stomach with good speeches." Bolne mein tez hain aap, bhashan me bahut ache. Lekin bhshan se paet (stomach) nahi bharta: Cong's Mallikarjun Kharge in LS #BudgetSession ANI (@ANI_news) 6 February 2017 "No need to take credit for surgical strikes, it is not only you who is with the Army, but the whole nation too is with them," he said. #Surgicalstrikes ka credit lene ki zaroorat nahi hai; Sirf aap (PM) nahi, pura desh Army ke saath hai: Cong's Mallikarjun Kharge in LS ANI (@ANI_news) 6 February 2017 --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: Surat, Feb 5 (PTI) Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu today laid foundation stone for several projects in Gujarat and said the budget allocated for development of railways in the state has been increased "significantly." Among the projects for which he laid the foundation stone include gauge conversion of Dhasa-Jetalsar section of Bhavnagar division of Western Railways, construction of 35 road under bridges across Gujarat and infrastructure facilities for BCNHL wagons in Vadodaras Pratapnagar workshop. advertisement Meanwhile, the Minister inaugurated routine overhauling depot for train engines at Gandhidham, locomotive stimulator at Sabarmati and launched Disha mobile app. "Laid foundation stone and dedicated to nation a host of rail infra passenger amenities across Gujarat at Surat," Prabhu tweeted. "Budget allocation for Gujarat has been stepped up by 578 per cent. We have significantly increased spending on infra creation in all states," he said in another tweet. Prabhu told reporters that fund allocation for development of railway infrastructure in Gujarat is among the highest. "Especially for Gujarat, we have allocated so much fund that it never be compared with any thing else. It has been increased five-six times and this will help complete several projects pending since several years," Prabhu said. "We have also taken up the work of electrification (of Railways) across the state. We have undertaken gauge conversion across Gujarat on a large scale," he added. PTI KA NRB SRE --- ENDS --- Aetna Inc. operates as a health care benefits company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Health Care, Group Insurance, and Large Case Pensions. The Health Care segment offers medical, pharmacy benefit management service, dental, behavioral health, and vision plans on an insured and employer-funded basis. It also provides point-of-service, preferred provider organization, health maintenance organization, and indemnity benefit plans, as well as health savings accounts and consumer-directed health plans. In addition, this segment offers Medicare and Medicaid products and services, as well as other medical products, such as medical management and data analytics services, medical stop loss insurance, workers' compensation administrative services, and products that provide access to its provider networks in select geographies. The Group Insurance segment offers life insurance products, including group term life insurance, voluntary spouse and dependent term life insurance, group universal life insurance, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance; disability insurance products; and long-term care insurance products, which provide the benefits to cover the cost of care in private home settings, adult day care, assisted living, or nursing facilities. The Large Case Pensions segment manages various retirement products comprising pension and annuity products primarily for tax-qualified pension plans. The company provides its products and services to employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups, and expatriates. Aetna Inc. was founded in 1853 and is based in Hartford, Connecticut. Suncor Energy Inc. operates as an integrated energy company. The company primarily focuses on developing petroleum resource basins in Canada's Athabasca oil sands; explores, acquires, develops, produces, transports, refines, and markets crude oil in Canada and internationally; markets petroleum and petrochemical products under the Petro-Canada name primarily in Canada. It operates through Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; Refining and Marketing; and Corporate and Eliminations segments. The Oil Sands segment recovers bitumen from mining and in situ operations, and upgrades it into refinery feedstock and diesel fuel, or blends the bitumen with diluent for direct sale to market. The Exploration and Production segment is involved in offshore operations off the east coast of Canada and in the North Sea; and operating onshore assets in Libya and Syria. The Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil and intermediate feedstock into various petroleum and petrochemical products; and markets refined petroleum products to retail, commercial, and industrial customers through its other retail sellers. The Corporate and Eliminations segment operates four wind farms in Ontario and Western Canada. The company also markets and trades in crude oil, natural gas, byproducts, refined products, and power. The company was formerly known as Suncor Inc. and changed its name to Suncor Energy Inc. in April 1997. Suncor Energy Inc. was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit The Beauregard Parish Police Jury will meet Tuesday. Here are the agendas: WARD 6 WORKSHOP PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that there will be a Ward 6 Workshop Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017 at the Police Jury at 1:30 p.m. for the following purposes: Discussion of budget Discussion of new yard for Ward 6 Any Other Business LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that there will be a Legislative Committee Meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017 at the Police Jury at 2 p.m. for the following purposes: Approval of the 2017 Multi-Jurisdictional Agreement Any Other Business INSURANCE COMMITTEE MEETING PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that there will be an Insurance Committee Meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017 at the Police Jury at 2:15 p.m. for the following purposes: Kathy Sonnier, BCBS Review the Years Claims and Close Out the Renewal Cycle Any Other Business FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that there will be a Finance Committee Meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017 at the Police Jury at 2:30 p.m. for the following purposes: Approval of 2017 Annual Police Jury Association of Louisiana Dues Discussion of funds from Gothic Jail Haunted House Discussion to move Health Unit funds to offset Inmate Expenses Any Other Business BUILDING & GROUNDS COMMITTEE MEETING PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that there will be a Buildings & Grounds Committee Meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017 at the Police Jury at 3 p.m. for the following purposes: Discussion of Alternate #3 for Courthouse Renovation Parking Lot Approval of Change Order # 5, $42,085 Credit Tour Old Post Office Any Other Business ROAD & BRIDGE COMMITTEE MEETING PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that there will be a Road & Bridge Committee Meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017 at the Police Jury at 4 p.m. for the following purposes: Open Bids: Hydraulic Fluids and Motor Oils Washed Road Gravel Approval to Advertise Crushed Limestone for Road Maintenance (White) Review Hardship Application for approval Approval of Boom Mower Purchases Discussion of changes to the Cintas Bills for Uniform Maintenance Parish Engineers Report Construction project package Update on bridges and ongoing projects Any Other Business PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Regular Monthly Police Jury Meeting will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017 at 201 W 2nd Street, DeRidder, in the Police Jury Meeting Room at 5 oclock p.m. to transact official business of the Police Jury in Regular Session according to the following agenda: BEAUREGARD PARISH POLICE JURY REGULAR SESSION FEB. 14, 2017 5 p.m. AGENDA: Invocation Pledge of Allegiance Amendments to the Agenda Approval of Minutes Approval of January 2017 Minutes PUBLIC PARTICIPATION A) General Beauregard Award January 2017 Morris Tire Service, Inc., James C. Morris B) General Beauregard Award February 2017 U-Need-A Shed, Verl and Wanda Smith C) David Wallace Discussion of Public Defenders Office ANNOUNCEMENTS 2017 Police Jury Association of Louisiana Annual Convention, February 14-17, 2017, at the Golden Nugget in Lake Charles, LA. 2017 Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Association (LEPA) Annual Conference May 1-4, 2017, at the Golden Nugget in Lake Charles, LA. Rapides Parish Coliseum Authority and Rapides Parish Police Jury are hosting the Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting for the New Parish Coliseum in Alexandria, LA on Friday, Feb. 10, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. CHAIRMANS COMMITTEE REPORT (S) A) FINANCE S.E. Teddy Welch B) ROAD & BRIDGE Gerald McLeod C) LEGISLATIVE Carlos Archield D) PERSONNEL Ronnie Libick E) ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT John Stebbins F) BUILDING & GROUNDS Jerry Shirley G) INSURANCE Ronnie Jackson WAYS & MEANS Mike Harper LANDFILL SOLID WASTE Elvin Holliday SECRETARY/TREASURERS REPORT ADMINISTRATORS REPORT A. Approval of January 2017 Emergency Work Orders FORT POLK -- The 50th Military Working Dog Detachment, 519th Military Police Battalion looked back on the life of Military Working Dog Cpl. Max in a memorial service and Military Working Dog Cemetery dedication Jan. 27 at the MWD kennels on Fort Polk. Max passed away unexpectedly Jan. 5 at age 3. He was born March 12, 2013 and selected to begin his MWD career, completing his training and receiving his certification as a patrol and drug detector dog in October 2014 at Lackland Air Force Base. He arrived at Fort Polk in Jan. 2015, participating in many training exercises and performing several MWD demonstrations for thecommunity. Corporal Maxs loss came as a surprise and hit the detachment hard, said Lt. Col. Kirk Whittenberger, 519th Military Police Battalion commander, at the memorial. Whittenberger addressed the importance of conducting the memorial service for Cpl. Max. From the command perspective, MWDs are viewed as an enabling force that provide specialized military police capabilities to combatant commanders, home station security and contingency operations, Whittenberger said. From the handlers perspective, its about the loss of a team member a team that has slowly formed over time, founded on a deep trust and sense of loyalty with an instinctive confidence, reinforced by endless training repetitions under the most difficult of environments. More simply, the handler and dog are dependent on each other to accomplish the mission and the loss of either abolishes their team. Kennel Master Staff. Sgt. Robert Neese praised Maxs service to the country. As Soldiers, we are given the choice of whether or not to serve in the armed forces; Max was not given that choice, Neese said. While Maxs career was short, it was full of potential and promise. I am thankful, and we should all be thankful, for the sacrifices that mans best friends have made for our country. Neese said Maxs death brought awareness to the need for an MWD cemetery. Soldiers ofthe 519th MP Bn and Fort Polk community members joined to build the cemetery in front of the MWD kennels. This collective effort has built a fitting place to remember Corporal Max, his predecessors and future detachment dogs, Whittenberger said. The addition of the MWD Cemetery creates another option after MWDs pass away, especially if they are not currently assigned to a handler. Sometimes,when an MWD has been with a trainer through deployments, theyll be cremated when they pass away and the handlers like to keep the ashes, Neese said. So we have another option for them to be buried at the MWD Cemetery. Max had two handlers while serving at Fort Polk: Staff Sgt. Daniel Hargrove and Pfc. Jesikah Waite. Hargrove and Max were teamed up in April 2015, until he deployed a year later, and Waite became Maxs handler in October 2016. Both handlers described Max as unique. Max was a different kind of dog, Hargrove said. He wasnt like the typical dog you see here. He was stubborn but lovable. Waite said Maxs personality made him stick out among the MWDs. You always knew which dog he was walking through the kennels, Waite said. Every dog walked happily to their kennel, but Max always wanted to bark at every single dog on the way down to his it was comforting hearing him go through the kennels. As a young dog, Hargrove and Waite said it was rewarding seeing Max get things right. Max was always high strung and hardheaded. We were a little behind the learning curve because he was young and he needed work in the obedience portion of training, Waite said. But we were getting there slowly but surely moving along every day trying to improve on things. When he did remember or execute something, I was happy for him because thats a step in the right direction. He had the heart and the will to please me, his handler. Hargroves fondest memory of Max illustrated his young, full-of-life personality. One of the best memories Ive ever had with him was the first time he completed the obedience course off-leash by himself. After that, I could never get him to do it again, Hargrove said, laughing. Max did it perfectly. It just so happened that was the day of certification. He did it and I was so excited. Twenty minutes later we went to do it again for the real run-through for certification and as soon as I let him off-leash he ran away. He was a great dog, but man, was he stubborn. Hargrove said he enjoyed seeing Max grow and learn new things. When I first picked him up, he didnt know much, Hargrove said. He was really young but throughout the time I worked with him, he went from not knowing how to sit or heel, to being able to do those things. His sense of smell was good when I picked him up but after so much training he was probably one of the best dogs when it came to sniffing and locating narcotics. Waite also praised Maxs skills in detecting narcotics. He was really good at detection, Waite said. He was the strongest in that. He hardly missed anything. He was very independent when he was searching in different training scenarios. He basically did everything on his own. I didnt have to do much except hold the leash and give him a presentation here or there for an area he missed. He was a good dog probably the strongest detection dog Ive had. Waite said Max was a playful dog with a lot of energy. He had a big blue plastic ball in his kennel because he had so much energy, Waite said. He reminded me of a seal because he would hit the ball with his nose and it would go up in the air and he would chase it around. Waite said that Max was a good MWD. He wanted to do the job, Waite said. This was what he was excited to do every day. By Press Trust of India: From Aditi Khanna London, Feb 6 (PTI)Queen Elizabeth II, the worlds longest reigning sovereign, today became the first British monarch to reach a Sapphire Jubilee, with 65 years on the throne. Royal gun salutes in London marked Ascension Day today with a 41-gun salute by the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery at Green Park near Buckingham Palace. advertisement A 62-gun salute by the Honourable Artillery Company was fired at the Tower of London soon after. Gun salutes also took place across the UK in cities of Cardiff, Edinburgh and York. The bells at Westminster Abbey in central London were also rung in honour of the occasion. The queen rose to the throne in 1952 at the age of 25 upon the death of her father King George VI. Prime Minister Theresa May offered her congratulations, hailing the Queen as "remarkable" and "truly an inspiration to all of us". "I know the nation will join with me today in celebrating and giving thanks for the lifetime of service Her Majesty the Queen has given to our country and to the Commonwealth," she said in a statement. "It is a testament to her selfless devotion to the nation that she is not marking becoming the first monarch to reign for 65 years with any special celebration, but instead getting on with the job to which she has dedicated her life," she said. The 90-year-old monarch is marking the landmark as a day of private contemplation at her Sandringham estate in Norfolk as it also coincides with the day her father, George VI, died. To mark the occasion Buckingham Palace have re-released a photograph of the Queen wearing distinctive sapphire jewellery. The picture was taken by celebrated photographer David Bailey in 2014 for the GREAT campaign, a publicity campaign to promote Britain around the world. In the photograph The Queen is wearing a suite of sapphire jewellery given to her by King George VI as a wedding present in 1947. At the time of the commission, Bailey said he had "always been a huge fan of the Queen". "She has very kind eyes with a mischievous glint. Ive always liked strong women, and she is a very strong woman." It was on the 6 February, 1952 that her father died while at Sandringham. advertisement Princess Elizabeth, who was 25, was in Kenya on a royal tour with her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at the time. The UKs Royal Mint is to mark the 65th anniversary with a range of specially designed Sapphire Jubilee commemorative coins, as the Royal Mail issues a Sapphire Blue 5 pound stamp. The Queen had already become the longest reigning British monarch in 2015, when she crossed her great grandmother Queen Victorias milestone. Large-scale jubilee celebrations are now expected to be reserved for the Platinum Jubilee in 2022, when the monarch will mark 70 years.PTI AK ZH --- ENDS --- Fall back tonight -- for the last time? By West Kentucky Star Staff Feb. 05, 2017 | 05:08 PM | WINGO, KY Five Graves County residents face drug and stolen firearm charges. According to the Graves County Sheriff's Office, drug detectives carried out a search warrant on Lloyd Loop in Wingo Friday at the home of 37-year-old Donald Joey Lunsford and 36-year-old Jamie Readenour. When officers made entry they found Lunsford and 38-year-old Hubert Diel Jr, of Mayfield in a bedroom. During the interview process it was learned that Lunsford had flushed a large amount of methamphetamine down the toilet before officers could get inside. During a search of the home, officers found a handgun that had been stolen during a burglary in Water Valley. Deputies also found methamphetamine, marijuana, prescription medications, digital scales and various other items used in the distribution of illegal drugs. While the officers were conducting the search, two women, 28-year-old Natsha Allen and 54-year-old Stephanie Carter, both of Wingo. came to the home to purchase methamphetamine from Lunsford. All five at the home were arrested and lodged in the Graves County Jail. Lunsford and Readenour were charged with receiving stolen property (firearm), trafficking meth, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Lunsford was also charged with tampering with physical evidence. Diel Jr. was charged with possession of controlled substance, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. All of the drug charges on Diel, Lunsford and Readenour were firearm enhanced. Allen and Carter were charged with possession of meth and possession of drug paraphernalia. By West Kentucky Star Staff Feb. 05, 2017 | 09:45 PM | MAYFIELD, KY Two people were arrested on drug and alcohol charges Sunday morning in Mayfield. According to the Mayfield Police Department, officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for an equipment violation on Cuba Road. Police said the driver, 53-year-old Charles Rodgers of Farmington, and his passenger, 45-year-old Gina Scarborough, of Murray, displayed several indicators of possible criminal activity. The police department's K-9 unit was called to the scene and alerted on the presence of illegal drugs inside the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, officers located methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Rodgers and Scarborough were arrested and transported to the Graves County Jail. Rodgers and Scarborough were each charged with possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a motor vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, tampering with physical evidence and possession of drug paraphernalia. Rodgers was additionally charged with rear license plate not illuminated and no insurance. By The Associated Press Feb. 06, 2017 | 10:45 AM | FRANKFORT, KY State officials say every certified law enforcement agency in Kentucky has adopted sexual assault response policies. A 2016 state law required agencies certified through the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund to adopt the policies by Jan. 1. The law was passed in response to an audit that found more than 3,000 rape kits statewide had not been tested. A rape kit is a collection of physical evidence taken soon after a sexual assault to help authorities identify suspects with DNA. The policies lay out guidelines for collecting and transporting the evidence. They also govern how to notify victims when the results become available. Authorities have tested slightly less than a third of the rape kit backlog. Attorney General Andy Beshear says investigations are underway. By India Today Web Desk: Shraddha Kapoor is taking a break from her girl-next-door image and will be seen playing Dawood Ibrahim's sister Haseena Parkar in her upcoming film, Haseena. Shraddha will be seen in a gritty avatar, and admitted to India Today that she was "scared" when the film first came her way, but is excited to be "playing a grey character" for the first time in her career. advertisement SEE PIC: Shraddha Kapoor's gritty Haseena is a far cry from her bubbly girl image But before Shraddha steps into the shoes of Haseena, here's all you need to know about the 'Godmother of Nagpada.' Haseena Parkar was the sister of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, who rose to power in the world of crime when her husband Ismail Parkar was gunned down by Arun Gawli's gang in 1991. Dawood avenged his brother-in-law's death by orchestrating the infamous JJ Hospital shootout in 1991, while Haseena rose from the ashes of her grief to become the undisputed underworld queen. After the incident, Haseena shifted to the Gordon Hall Apartments in Nagpada, which became the headquarters for her crime syndicate. While Haseena insisted to the police and court that she was not in touch with her brother, she in fact, began overseeing Dawood's business in Mumbai. Reportedly, she owned undeclared assets valued at Rs 5000 crore. Known locally as Haseena Aapa, she was allegedly involved in hawala rackets to transfer money from the Middle-east to India and vice versa. She was reported to be negotiating overseas rights of Bollywood films, and even had a role to play in Mumbai's Slum Redevelopment Authority's (SRA) projects. Haseena was the go-to person for builders when they needed "permission" from slum dwellers to redevelop their plot. She was the final authority when it came to cable wars - she would decide territories of cable operators, and no one dared encroach into another's territory. She also settled construction and property disputes in return for a hefty cut. Haseena gave orders from the shadows, while her trusted aide Salim Patel executed them. The Indian Express quotes author Hussain Zaidi saying, "Parkar was mostly berated as she was Dawood's sister. The picture media reports carried was far from the actual person she was. In my first interaction with her, I didn't stand up when she walked into the room. Her house help asked why I didn't stand. I simply told her it would have been out of fear and not genuine respect. She smiled and accepted the answer. I often found her to have a totally different side to what was reported in the media." Parkar, who wrote the book Dongri To Dubai about the underworld in Mumbai, said that Haseena told him that Dawood too was "bad as he is made out to be." Haseena had reportedly said, "One must know there are many false cases too slapped on him." advertisement Haseena lost her eldest son Danish, who was reported to be Dawood's favourite nephew, in a car crash in 2006. Haseena, who was said to be the most tailed member of Dawood's family, passed away from a cardiac arrest in July 2014. She was survived by her three other children, two daughters and a son named Alishah. ALSO WATCH: Dawood's sister dies of heart attack in Mumbai --- ENDS --- The Russian government has proposed a giant, 12,910 mile roadway to be connected, linking New York City and London and effectively uniting most of the countries of the world by land. Proposed by Russian Railways head Vladimir Yakunin, the roadway would contain some already built roads but would also consist of a large building project that could cost as much as $3 trillion.Despite the cost, the popularity and the connection Yakunin has with Vladimir Putin could make it a reality. The roads would be laid along side the Trans-Siberian Railwaythe longest railway in the world. There would be a span of 55 miles linking mainland Russia and Alaska. There is also about 520 miles of wilderness between the closest Alaskan settlement to RussiaNomefrom the nearest major city, Fairbanks.There is also talk of the construction of a high speed rail system along-side the road. Gretchen S. Yeninas, a breast cancer survivor, shares her story and advice for early detection. As a breast cancer survivor, what advice do you have for others in monitoring their own health? I was 41 and just had my second mammogram when my cancer was found. And despite it being By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Feb 6 (PTI) Historians and urban planners today slammed the renaming of Dalhousie Road to Dara Shikoh Road in the national capital as a "populist move" while alleging that history was being "distorted and appropriated" for political gains in the garb of rechristening. "One should not meddle with the past, a citys life span is layers of past and present and, the past, whether good or bad, cannot be erased or wished away. These names are not just names, but also documentation of our past. advertisement "It is sad that one after another, streets are being renamed. History is always the first victim of politics and now, with a spree of rechristening, history has been distorted and appropriated," noted historian Irfan Habib alleged. New Delhi Municipal Council, the civic body which governs the posh Lutyenss Delhi area, in a special meeting today decided to rename Dalhousie Road after the eldest son of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. This is the third time that the NDMC has renamed a street in less than two years. In 2015, Aurangzeb Road was changed to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road and Race Course Road, where the Prime Ministers residence is located, was rechristened Lok Kalyan Marg last year. Lamenting the decision, renowned architect and urban planner A G K Menon said, "Aurangzeb Roads renaming only had opened the Pandoras box. And Race Course road, which was a harmless name, was changed. And now Dalhousie. We fear that this pattern will now continue. "Renaming is a populist move and carries a political imperative. Political parties, of all hues, have done it for decades. Peoples representatives and municipal bodies should focus on addressing civic issues instead, that is the way forward, not renaming streets and meddling with history," Menon told PTI. Dalhousie Road, which is less than 2 km away from the Rashtrapati Bhavan, was named after James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie, who served as the Governor-General of India from 1848-1856. His reign also saw consolidation of railways in the country. "Street names in Lutyens Delhi reflect the span of history, from Ashoka Road to Humayun Road to Chelmsford Road, carrying with it the layers of history from ancient to Mughal to British era. Renaming only reflects prejudice towards history and a very immature sense of politics," Habib said. New Delhi was designed by British architect Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens along with Sir Herbert Baker from 1911-1931. According to noted historian Narayani Gupta, names of streets were suggested by noted historian Percival Spear, who was teaching history at St Stephens College then. Anil Kumar, Associate Professor of History at Visva Bharati University, says, "It has opened a can of worms. Fringe elements in places outside Delhi would now try to do the same. But, what is sad is that a figure like Dara Shikoh has unnecessarily been dragged into a controversy." PTI KND ZMN --- ENDS --- advertisement Huma Qureshi is serving us some delectable inspiration by taking up a new form of yoga. By India Today Web Desk: The actresses we adore on screen have a gruelling life we can't imagine living. Besides staying beautiful and putting their best foot forward in front of every camera, they also have to overcome their deep, dark phobias every now and then. Such a moment became a reality for Dedh Ishqiya actress Huma Qureshi, when she tried out aerial yoga--where she was suspended by cloth strings, upside down, from the ceiling. advertisement Huma has in the past said that she is scared of heights; aerial yoga, however, is helping her overcome the fear. About aerial yoga, she said, "I have seen people doing it (aerial yoga) and it is really fascinating. I am a little scared of heights, so I think when you have such fears, you should do something to get rid of that. So, I recently started aerial yoga. It's cool." Huma is confident and unapologetic about her appearance, though initially she faced a lot of criticism for being on the heavier side. Asked if she and her contemporary Vidya Balan brought about the change in terms of appearance of a leading lady in Hindi films, she said, "Trying to bring about a change is too much of a responsibility. I am trying to do my best as an actor and be happy." Recently though, the actress has been spotted looking prettier than ever, in pretty much everything she dons. Take this maroon pant-suit she wore for her appearance on The Kapil Sharma Show with Akshay Kumar: Picture courtesy: Instagram/iamhumaq Going by her projects, she has shown versatility. Huma has appeared in crime thrillers like Gangs of Wasseypur, shared screen space with iconic actress like Madhuri Dixit in Dedh Ishqiya and also featured in Marathi film Highway, Malayalam film White and British-Indian movie, Viceroy's House. She will soon be seen on the big screen in Akshay Kumar-starrer, Jolly LLB 2, set for a February 10 release. (With inputs from IANS) --- ENDS --- Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 02/02/2017 (2102 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. When a Winnipeg judge delivers his decision in the case of a mother accused of keeping dead babies in a storage locker, hell do it in front of a camera. A livestreamed verdict from provincial court Judge Murray Thompson, which will be broadcast on www.winnipegfreepress.com, is coming Monday in the case of 42-year-old Andrea Giesbrecht, who is accused of storing the remains of six infants five boys and a girl. During a lengthy trial that wrapped up in October, medical experts testified the babies were likely born alive. Their decomposed remains some no more than bones were found in garbage bags contained in plastic containers inside a McPhillips Street storage locker two years earlier in October 2014. Global TV asked permission to bring one TV news camera into the courtroom to livestream the verdict as part of Manitoba Justices cameras in courtrooms program, which launched as a pilot project in 2014. Winnipeg Free Press files This surveillance footage of Andrea Giesbrecht from the McPhillips Street U-Haul was supplied as evidence in the trial. The first verdict to be broadcast in Manitoba happened April 16, 2014, when Cassandra Knott was acquitted of second-degree murder. Since then, a smattering of other court decisions have been filmed and livestreamed with permission from the presiding judge. Cameras have been allowed inside courtrooms to broadcast civil and criminal decisions in several provinces, including Alberta, B.C. and Ontario, and at the Supreme Court of Canada level. As Giesbrechts case comes to a close Monday, the video camera will be focused only on the judge and wont capture an overall view of the courtroom. Giesbrecht is charged with six counts of concealing a childs body. On the final day of Giesbrechts trial last fall, her defence lawyer Greg Brodsky said his client did store the human remains but didnt have any criminal intent. She could have got rid of them. She wanted to keep them, he said at the time. Either way, Crown prosecutor Debbie Buors argued, you cant save human remains. The offence of concealing a childs body carries a maximum two-year sentence. The law prohibits dispos(ing) of the dead body of a child, with intent to conceal the fact that its mother has been delivered of it, whether the child died before, during or after birth. In the Crowns interpretation of the law, that would include stillborn babies, but the Crown had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the six infants could likely have been born alive. Giesbrecht would have been well aware of the gestational age of the fetuses, the Crown argued, pointing to Giesbrechts multiple pregnancies two children, 10 abortions and a number of miscarriages. katie.may@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @thatkatiemay By Press Trust of India: Islamabad, Feb 6 (PTI) Pakistan today accused India of not fulfilling its responsibilities under the Indus Waters Treaty as it voiced concerns over Indias construction of new dams. Pakistan Prime Ministers Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, in his written reply submitted in the National Assembly, said Pakistan has expressed concerns over construction of new dams by India along the Indus river system. advertisement Aziz was quoted by Geo News as saying that India has not been fulfilling its responsibilities under the Indus Waters Treaty. Last week, Sharif had taken up the issue of the construction of dams with CEO World Bank Kristalina Georgieva in Islamabad. Sharif had urged the World Bank to play a "lead role" in resolving the water disputes between Pakistan and India by establishing a Court of Arbitration. The World Bank had brokered the famous Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in 1960, apportioning the several rivers and utilisation of their waters between Pakistan and India. It is also the guarantor of the IWT and adjudicates any dispute between the two countries. Recently, its role has been under scanner due to the dispute over two hydropower projects by India to which Pakistan has objected. In October, Pakistan had approached the World Bank, seeking appointment of the Chairman of Court of Arbitration to resolve the dispute over construction of two mega projects. Last week, a UN report had said the 40-year-old Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan has been an outstanding example of conflict resolution but scarcity of water in the basin states since the early 1990s has brought the agreement under strain and its "survival appears weak". PTI ASK AKJ ASK --- ENDS --- During the Cold War, we had a huge military presence in Europe to counter the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact. Many of us in the military often wondered, however, if all or any of the Warsaw Pact nations would fight alongside the Soviet Union were there to be war. But we couldnt be sure, so NATO based its military strategy on having to combat all of the Warsaw Pact along with the Soviet Union. Some concluded, for example, that the East Germans would be somewhat reluctant to fight against NATO but would do so out of a sense of duty. And since Poland was between a rock and a hard place, we assumed they would as well. After the Soviet Union fell, I had an opportunity to speak with the chief of one of the branches of the Polish military services. One of the things he told me was stunning. That is, the Polish military found it very hard to comprehend that NATO actually believed that Poland would really go to war together with the Soviets against us. He said they just couldnt understand how we could even consider such a thing. Unfortunately, I didnt ask him about what he thought the other Warsaw Pact nations would do. Had a war started, apparently the Polish military would have turned around and headed east. I suspect that some of the other Warsaw Pact countries would have done so as well. Consider the implications about the woulda, coulda, and shouldas that actually existed during that time. Incredible. I attended the Air Forces three-month Squadron Officers School (SOS) for captains and also the 10- month Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) program for majors. The Air Force has what is called a Living History Program in which SOS, ACSC, and Air War Colleges host historically important and prominent people. People like General LeMay, General Doolittle and others would provide an hour of remarks followed by at least an hour of questions from students. These are all recorded and kept the Air Forces Historical Research Center at Maxwell AFB in Alabama. I had an opportunity to hear from the horses mouth, so to speak. Twice for some of them. General Curtis LeMay had some remarkable things to say about the Cuban Missile Crisis. He left me with the understanding that the whole thing was way overblown. There actually was very little chance of a nuclear war occurring. That because, the United States had a vastly more capable and powerful nuclear force than did the Soviet Union. Moreover, we had forces in positions to strike. He also said that he received a cable from the State Department that was addressed to Soviet leadership. He thought he got it by mistake and wasnt absolutely sure it was authentic. The cable was in response to a Soviet offer to abandon Cuba completely. The U.S. cable stated that, no, the Soviets could stay in Cuba and that the United States would remove missiles in silos in Turkey and Italy. The Kennedy administration said, for public consumption, that the silos were old and we didnt need them any more. LeMay said, however, that the concrete was barely dry in those silos and thought we should have kept them. While at ACSC I also had a chance to talk to Rex Barber, the pilot who shot down Japans Admiral Yamamoto. He said it wasnt hard to do since the airplane Yamamoto was in wasnt very fast and was easy target. I told him that it was quite a feat nevertheless. No, he said. The guy who should have gotten the greatest credit was the flight lead who, against almost impossible odds, navigated the flight over the open ocean and got the flight into position to make the attack. He said that this was the really incredible part of the operation. I also had an opportunity to speak to the biographer of worlds number-one ace, German pilot Erich Hartmann, who shot down 352 airplanes. The biographer had spent his time in WWII as a test pilot at Wright Field in Ohio. During the war, he flew and evaluated more than 200 kinds of airplanes to include all of those from Japan, Germany and the Soviet Union. I asked him which aircraft he thought was the best fighter aircraft of the war. He said, at the end it was a Soviet airplane. Which one, I asked. He said he didnt remember its designation or the Soviet factory that built it. I flew so damn many of them, he said. Brigadier General Paul Tibbets piloted the Enola Gay and dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. One question he was always asked was whether or not he or any of his crew had any regrets about dropping that weapon. He said no. None of them regretted it or had second thoughts. They were given a job and they did their duty. The co-pilot, however, did have regrets and consequently was made a poster boy for the anti-nukey kooky crowd. But Tibetts said that they found, during a later investigation, that the co-pilot had issues that had been missed prior to his being selected to fly on that mission. If you have any questions, read Tibbets book. What a privilege to serve those 30 years were. By Press Trust of India: Vadodara, Feb 6 (PTI) A clash broke out between Indian and foreign students of a city-based private university, leaving nine of them injured, police said today. Eleven students -- eight foreign nationals and three Indians -- were arrested today in connection with the clash which took place on Sunday night, Sub-Inspector Anirudh Singh Kamaliya said. They were booked under relevant sections of the IPC, including 307 (attempt to murder), he said. advertisement Six of the injured were Indians and remaining three were foreign students. The incident took place when Indian students were passing by the international hostel of the university located on the citys outskirts. The Indian students involved in the clash were staying in a separate hostel. At first, there was verbal altercation between the two groups over some issue which later took a violent turn with the students attacking each other with stones and sticks, police said. Waghodia town police rushed to the spot at around 2 AM and brought the situation under control. Both groups later lodged complaints against each other at Waghodia police station. In their cross-complaints, they blamed each other for the violence on the campus. According to the complaints, sticks and stones were used to attack each other. The arrested foreign students hail from Afghanistan, Uganda, Cameroon, Cameroon and Congo, and their respective embassies in New Delhi have been informed about the development, Vadodara district Superintendent of Police Saurabh Tolambia said. "We have sent fax messages to the embassies of these countries in New Delhi informing them about the arrests," he told PTI. Sub-Inspector Kamaliya said, "Complete peace prevailed on the university campus today and normal educational activities continued." PTI COR GK RSY BSA --- ENDS --- Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton unveiled his budget recommendations recently. As expected, he not only wants to collect more of your money but spend it as well. For the next two-year budget cycle, the governor is proposing a $45.8 billion budget, which is roughly a 10 percent increase over our current spending of $41.5 billion. With a $1.4 billion over collection of the peoples money accumulating in St. Paul, Dayton is also coming forward with huge tax increases that the people of Minnesota just cant afford. The governor would like a $1.4 billion tax increase on trips to the doctor by extending the provider tax, and $1.5 billion in new taxes and fees in the next biennium alone by increasing things such as the gas tax, tab fees, and new license surcharges. Its mind blowing that with state budget reserves at all time high $2 billion of the publics money currently sits there for governments economic security our chief executive wants to increase government spending by ten percent and wants hardworking Minnesotans to contribute another $3 billion into the state coffers. At the same time, median family incomes are below what they were in 2008. Minnesotans are battling to get ahead, dealing with college debt expenses, home mortgages, and ridiculous health insurance costs in the face of Obamacare and a failed MNsure program. To review, Dayton has now proposed to raise taxes in times of deficit, and twice asked to raise taxes in times of surplus. Truly, there is no time when he wouldnt raise taxes in order to better fund the budget of an already bloated state government. I thank the governor for sharing his preferred budget roadmap with us. However, he would take Minnesota in a direction thats exactly the opposite of what the people voted for in November. Its time for us to once again say no to an outlandish tax-and-spend approach. ITProPortal is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Heres why you can trust us. A Baraboo church is casting light on crimes committed in the shadows. On Tuesday, St. Joseph Catholic Church will host a presentation on human trafficking. Sauk County Assistant District Attorney Rick Spoentgen and local law enforcement officers will discuss the supply lines that run along the areas interstate highways. Were kind of in a crossroads right here, said Tim Lowe, one of the events organizers. Its kind of like, all roads lead to Sauk County. Lowe is a member of the parishs social justice committee, which is setting up Tuesdays presentation. St. Joes has invited other churches and interested residents to come learn about human trafficking activities in the area, efforts to address them, and what ordinary citizens can do to help. There is quite a problem, Lowe said, noting that 21 million people worldwide live in slavery, the most in human history. I think people would be real surprised if they knew how bad it was. Many homeless girls and young women are lured into the sex trade and kept there by pimps who take advantage of drug addictions or the need for food, clothing and shelter. So many of them get roped into it innocently, Lowe said. The prevalence of human trafficking has prompted religious leaders to call attention to it. In a November address, Pope Francis denounced the trade of human beings and said much more needs to be done on the level of raising public consciousness. St. Joes is doing its part locally to address a tragedy felt globally. Its important for residents to be aware of the problem, and know how to spot and report it. What we hope is that we bring some attention to the matter, Lowe said. Since marriage is still the longing ofdare one saymost heterosexual and homosexual couples in love, it is worth reflecting upon what can make for a successful, long-term relationship in marriage. With a little creativity, one can apply these ideas to deep friendships, the relationship between an organization and the community, and even the contract between government and the people. American wit Ogden Nash has some humorous though pertinent advice to give to married folks: To keep your marriage brimming, /With love in the loving cup, /Whenever youre wrong, admit it; /Whenever youre right, shut up. The English poet Lord Byron adds a sobering observation when he describes marriage as the bloom or blight of all mens [sic] happiness. Indeed, marriage can be a relationship that brings much joy and confidence, peace and growththe bloomor it can result in sadness and regret, fighting and stagnationthe blight. Perhaps, at times, both. Just as Hi-C is a nourishing drink, there are some Hi-Cs of marriage that can nourish the relationship in good health. Commitment: In many ways, love is a mystery, but part of the mystery is fleshed out in commitment. I will to love you. You intentionally place your life alongside anotheryour beloved. Each day, reaffirm your intention, your will to love the beloved. Some wrongly think, The grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Commitment says, Whatever of value there is to experience in life, I will experience it with my beloved in our way and in our time. The grass will grow green where you are for commitment will nourish you. Compassion: This is the heart-quality, God-inspired, that keeps one looking outward, reaching outward beyond the narrow restrictions of self-centeredness. The Latin root of this word means to feel with. This is the capacity to sense what the other needs and then to offer that to the best of ones ability. Compassion does not stand above, against, beyond, behind or ahead of the belovedbut, with the beloved. And, more than feeling, it is also action. Compassion manifests itself with acts of kindnessself-giving and even sacrificial acts that seek only to build up and uphold the beloved. Compromise: A Scottish proverb says, Better bend than break. The trees that survive the storm learn how to bend with the wind. When two people live together, there are bound to be disagreements. This is natural and healthy. Remember, no one is all right and no one is all wrong in a disagreement. Compromise recognizes that and strives to find middle ground where both can stand together with each other and not against each other. It means giving up ones need to have ones own way and instead taking up the others cause. When both do this mutually, common ground can always be found. Community: Your relationship is not an isolated entity. It is part of a web of relationships that created you at first, nurtured you, brought you together and now surround you with encouragement and opportunities to grow deeper into the family of life. This community is made up of your ancestors, your nuclear and extended family, your friends and co-workers, your neighbors and even the strangers surrounding you. Engage creatively, energetically and lovingly with this wide-ranging community and you will receive blessings upon blessings as you yourselves will be a blessing to others. Since this month of February will be filled with hearts, chocolates, flowers and cupids arrows, seize this time to add delightful shape, sweetness and color to love in all your relationships so your quiver may be filled with abundant joy. (Mark J. Molldrem is a writer, community volunteer, and daily host of Joy in the Morning on WBEV. He lives in Beaver Dam with his wife, Shirley. WordPowerSolutions@gmail.com) Items are listed under the day of the event only, running as space permits prior to the event. To submit items, call 745-3511, email jcutsforth@capitalnewspapers.com or visit www.portagedailyregister.com. Include name and phone number. TODAY Clinic: 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Westfield Municipal Building, 129 E Third St., Westfield. Bring childs immunization record. Parents must accompany all children under 18 years of age. If this is not possible, call the Marquette County Health Department at 608-297-3135 prior to the clinic. Euchre card party: 6:30 p.m. Bethlehem Lutheran Church, W8267 Highway 33 East, Portage. Public welcome. Contact: Cloe, 429-2363. Knights of Columbus: 7 p.m. meeting, Knights of Columbus Hall, Silver Lake Drive, Portage. Zumba/Zumba Toning: 6 p.m. Harrisville. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com. TUESDAY, FEB. 7 Blood drive: 12 to 4 p.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. Download the American Red Cross Blood Donor app, visit www.redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767 to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed. A blood donor card or drivers license or two other forms of identification are required. Photography Interest Group: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Northwoods Inc., Highway 51 South, Portage. Meet with fellow photographers to share photos and tips, explore new ideas and inspire creativity for upcoming events. Call Fred Baewer with questions at 608-742-4691. Zumba Toning: 4:30 p.m. Woodridge Primary School, Portage. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 8 Bingo: 5:30 p.m. 131 Restaurant, North Main Street, Pardeeville. Bingo will be played every Wednesday, except the first one of the month. St. Vincent de Paul free medical clinic: 9 a.m. to noon. Wilz Drugs lower level, 140 E. Cook St., Portage. No appointments needed. Information needed is name, date of birth and a contact number. A chiropractor is available from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays. A foot clinic is available every week. The clinic can do exams and prescribe medications. Physical therapist available. Discounted medications are available at Wilz and Walmart. Call Bonny Oestreich, RN, at 608-234-0159 for information. Womens Civic League: Luncheon meeting, Dinos Restaurant, New Pinery Road, Portage. The program From Bean to Barn, Farming Fine Chocolate will be presented by Lisa Nelson, chief chocolate officer of Roots Chocolates. Social hour begins at 11:30 a.m., lunch at noon, followed by the program. All women in the community are invited. Call to make or cancel reservations by Feb. 5 to Kathy Crawford at 742-5262. Zumba/Zumba Toning: 5 p.m. Montello. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com. Zumba: 5:30 p.m. 1208 Northport Road (the former Freedom Carpeting building). This is a $5 drop-in class. For more information, contact Deb at DJMACK00001@yahoo.com or Rena at 697-6713. THURSDAY, FEB. 9 Cookie sale: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. front lobby, Divine Savior Healthcare, 2817 New Pinery Road, Portage. On the second Thursday of each month, the Volunteer Partners of Divine Savior bake Smart Cookies. Cookies are 50 cents each or $5.50 per dozen. Cookie selection varies month to month, but chocolate chip is always available. All proceeds benefit scholarships for students educating in healthcare-related fields. Ice Age Trail Alliance Lodi Valley Chapter full moon hike: Meet at the Robertson Trailhead on Lodi/Springfield Road at 7 p.m. The group will take a short walk in the light of the full moon. Watch for the yellow "Ice Age Trail Event" signs. For directions visit https://goo.gl/maps/RE2C5. For more information, call Bill at 843-3926. Wear appropriate clothing for the weather, sturdy shoes, and in case of slippery conditions, a walking stick. We'll have some extra for you to use. Leashed, well behaved dogs are welcome. Museum: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Portage World War II Museum, 119 E. Cook St., Portage. Free tours for veterans every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The tours take 2 1/2 hours. For information, call 608-697-3690. Writing group: Writers at the Portage, 5:30 p.m. Portage Public Library, 253 W. Edgewater St., Portage. New writers and any genre welcome. FRIDAY, FEB. 10 Seniors Bowling Social: 1 p.m. Fireball Lanes, 817 E. Wisconsin St., Portage. Cost is $6 and includes three games of bowling and shoe rental. Unique Singles: 5 p.m. Trail's Lounge, 125 Wauona Trail, Portage. All single men and women older than age 50 welcome. The group is strictly social with no dues or officers. SATURDAY, FEB. 11 Concert: 7:30 p.m. Performing Arts Series concert, Portage Center for the Arts, 301 E. Cook St., Portage. Blend, an a cappella doo-wop quartet, mixes music with comedy. Reserved tickets on sale online, over the phone or at the office. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets will also be available at the door. Sponsored by Johnson Chiropractic. Endeavor Wisconsin Committee to Protect All Pensions: 10 a.m. Endeavor/Moundville Fire Station/Bingo Hall, 631 S. Limits Road, Endeavor. Active workers, retirees, spouses and all people concerned about stopping retirement theft are invited to attend. For more information, visit http://mycspensionhandsoff.com. Meat raffle fundraiser for Carol Heisz: 3 to 5 p.m. Jack's Tap, 1207 Dunn St., Portage. SUNDAY, FEB. 12 Mackenzie Center Snowshoe and Hike: 1 to 4 p.m. MacKenzie Center, W7303 County Highway CS and Q, Poynette. Snowshoes will be available to use or bring your own. Enjoy hot chocolate by the campfire. Park in the lodge parking lot and dress for the weather. If there is less than six inches of snow on the ground, the Center will not be able to lend out snowshoes. People can use their own or hike. The event is free, but donations are appreciated. Call 608-635-8105 or email DNRMacKenzieCenter@wi.gov for more information. Pancake breakfast: 8 a.m. to noon, Pardeeville High School 120 S. Oak St., Pardeeville. All-you-can-eat pancakes. Hosted by the Rocky Run Riders Snowmobile Club. Zumba: 5:30 p.m. Rusch Elementary School, Portage. $5 drop in fee. Contact Tami at 608-346-3971 or 4dreamers@frontier.com. Information is taken from the records of the Portage Police Department and does not represent a comprehensive list of police activity. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Between 7:14 a.m. Tuesday and 7:39 a.m. Friday police responded to 112 calls. West Howard Street and Clark Street: Police on Tuesday at 9:17 a.m. stopped Rebecca Denman, 27, of Portage, who was cited for operating a vehicle after suspension of a license as an eighth offense. Walmart: Police on Tuesday at 11:39 a.m. responded to a reported theft in which Jody Lauer, 44, of Portage, was arrested for alleged theft and two counts of bail jumping. Portage High School: Police on Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. responded to an incident in which a 15-year-old Portage male was referred to Columbia County Health and Human Resources for disorderly conduct. New Pinery Road and Hiawatha Avenue: Police on Tuesday at 5:59 p.m. stopped Brianna Neprud, 18, of Pardeeville and Gabriel Rosario, 27, of Portage, after the vehicle remained stopped at a green light for over 25 seconds. Rosario, the passenger, was arrested and cited for possession of marijuana, violation of probation, and two warrants. Neprud was cited for misdemeanor possession of marijuana. East Collins Street and New Pinery Road: Police on Tuesday at 9:12 p.m. responded to a two-vehicle collision in which Heidi Boaz, 18, of Pardeeville, was cited for driving too fast for conditions. DeWitt Street: Police on Tuesday at 10:36 p.m. responded to disturbance in which Vanessa Hauenstein-Julseth, 21, of Portage, was arrested and cited for disorderly conduct. Wayne Bartels Middle School: Police on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. responded to a situation in which a 12-year-old Portage male was referred to Columbia County Health and Human Services for disorderly conduct. West Franklin Street and Cass Street: Police on Thursday at 12:39 a.m. stopped Marcos Avila, 21, of Portage, who following a field sobriety test was arrested and cited for operating a vehicle while intoxicated as a third offense as well as operating a vehicle after revocation of a license and held in custody on a probation and parole warrant. West Pleasant Street: Police on Thursday at 7:17 a.m. responded to a report of possible drug activity in which a 15-year-old female of Portage was referred to Columbia County Health and Human Services for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Village Road: Police on Thursday at 7:54 p.m. responded to a domestic disturbance in which a 30-year-old Portage man was arrested and cited for domestic disorderly conduct and a 40-year-old Portage woman was cited for domestic disorderly conduct. By Press Trust of India: Ranchi, Feb 6 (PTI) Japan, Czech Republic, Tunisia and Mongolia would be partner countries for the Global Investor Summit, Jharkhand which is expected to attract 2,500 delegates from across the globe, state Chief Minister Raghubar Das said today. The two-day summit is scheduled to begin on February 16. Delegations from America, Russia, Australia, Singapore, China, Afghanistan and United Arab Emirates would be present at the programme, Das said adding 12 to 15 central ministers and 40 industrialists would grace the occasion. advertisement Claiming that the image of Jharkhand is changing in the country and abroad, the chief minister said development of the state depended on both agriculture of industrial development. The policies prepared by the government would remove poverty and unemployment, Das was quoted in an official release. This would not only stop migration but also economic resources could be made available for the people for all round development. Jharkhand has 40 per cent of the countrys mineral resources, besides efficient human resources. What was necessary was to give fillip to Make in Jharkhand, the chief minister said. He said due to team Jharkhand the state had reached thus far and appreciated officials and employees for this and added that it was the responsibility of everyone to improve the state for the better. The summit is being held in partnership with CII to promote industrial activity in the state and establish Jharkhand as one of the prime investment destinations of eastern India has taken numerous steps towards improvement of overall investment climate. PTI PVR KK MKJ --- ENDS --- Though never unwelcoming, the Drury Gallery had an exceptional sense of warmth to it on Friday afternoon, aglow in deep, vibrant watercolors, an oasis amid the omnipresent gray of February in Wisconsin. I feel like just walking up to that one and getting warm, like it was a fireplace, said one patron, pointing to the most literal of the pieces in the gallery, Prairie Fire, by Helen Klebesadel. The show is a testament to both natural beauty and the tragedy of witnessing its destruction. Multiple threats to the environment can lead a person to despair, explained Klebesadel, who is presenting at the gallery with Mary Kay Neumann. Some of the things happening now do not help that sense of despair, Klebesadel said. But sometimes you need a prairie fire. As visitors made their way around the gallery Klebesadel, said her favorites among the pieces in the room were the collaborative works she created with Neumann. In terms of negotiating or sticking to an imagined concept of what a creation should look like, she dismissed out of hand any issue of compromise along with any pre-existing ideal. You have to see where the materials take you, she said. When asked similarly, Neumann quickly clarifed if the question would be her work, her collaborators work, or their work together. Narrowed to her own works, she pointed to a painting on the adjacent wall. This one was so much fun, Neumann said. She described a process of creative outpouring with everything going onto the canvas leading to the beginning of their exhibition. It was still wet in the car. The inspiration for the painting is sea star wasting disease, a condition that has decimated the worlds populations of 20-legged sunflower sea star. A lot of tears went into this, Neumann said. Although the artists have photos of subjects included in their literature, she did not include images of the wasting disease, but not because they are difficult to find. Its pretty grisly, she saiid. As the gallery has moved from the Overture Center in Madison, to the Wausau Center for the Visual Arts and now to Portage, some of the most moving feedback, according to Neumann, has come from members of the scientific community appreciating the way the project has snuck vitally important science to the art-lovers and the public at large. The show, The Flowers are Burning: Incandescent Watercolors, which runs through Feb. 25 in Portage, will keep moving down the road with more locations and a particular eye toward the west coast. So much of this is happening there in particular, Neumann said, drawing attention to the grand-scaled painting of bees pollinating sunflowers, alluding to the problem of bee die-offs. One third of every bite of food that reaches our mouths has had bees involved. Despite the gravity of the subject matter and the overwhelming gloom of factual details when one digs into them, both artists are insistent on the optimism of their production, as the creative force that comes with a wildfire although ideally controlled. As is also the case on their website, they did not want to simply lay this all on visitors, without also letting them know what they can do for starfish, for bees, for flowers. We want you to have hope when you leave, Klebesadel told the group, describing their project as an act of hope. Mining charter challenged Legal challenge to the transformative aspirations of the Mining Charter continues The Mining Charter was first introduced in 2004 as a means of addressing the historical inequalities in the mining sector based on, for example, race and gender. The Charter aims to advance meaningful transformation and sustainable development in the industry by introducing a number of requirements for mining right holders. Many of these are already improving the lives of mine workers and their families, such as the requirement to convert overcrowded, dehumanising hostels into family units. While the Mining Charter has so far been treated as a binding legal document, Malan Scholes Attorneys seeks to challenge this. In June 2015, the firm launched proceedings against the Department of Mineral Resources in the North Gauteng High Court, arguing that the Charter provides only guidelines that should not be interpreted as mandatory requirements. On 15 March 2016, Judge Rabie of the North Gauteng High Court ordered that the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS) be admitted as amicus curiae or friend of the court in the matter. CALS recognises the importance of this case and seeks to assist the court by presenting evidence concerning the historical and persistant racism of the extractive industry in the country. Our legal submissions highlight the importance of the Charter in transforming the extractives industry. Having a binding Charter is critical for comprehensive transformation and addressing exploitation in the mining sector, said Nomonde Nyembe, attorney at CALS. If the applicants got their relief in this matter, its possible that transformation in the industry would be set back significantly. The matter is set to be heard on 7 and 8 February 2017. You can read the CALS court papers here. For inquiries, please contact Nomonde Nyembe 011 717 8606 nomonde.nyembe@wits.ac.za Putting an to end to rumours suggesting an unnatural death, Dr Beale said that the chief minister suffered from acute diabetes and died of organ failure. By India Today Web Desk: Over two months after the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, the London specialist who treated her, Dr Richard Beale, addressed a press conference today in Chennai. Beale was accompanied by Balaji, a government doctor, Babu Abraham, a critical care consultant for Apollo Hospitals and Sudha Seshaiyyan, who performed embalming on Jayalalithaa's body. advertisement Putting an to end to rumours suggesting an unnatural death, Dr Beale said that the former chief minister suffered from acute diabetes and died of respiratory failure. He said that it was complication and not conspiracy that kept them from revealing details about the CM's health. The doctor said that an infection led to organ failure. When asked about why no pictures of Amma were released, the doctor said that they did not allow release of information about patients who are critical. "It is not normal practice to take photos and publish private details. It is an intrusion into her privacy," he said. "Jaya recovered only to sink quickly," he added. The doctor said that they ensured the best treatment for Amma. HERE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS: When asked about the Madras High Court's suggestion that Amma's body be exhumed he said that it was 'ridiculous'. The only thing extraordinary about this medical case was that the patient was extraordinary: Dr Beale I have seen this course of events happen many times...There is nothing unusual about this case from a medical perspective: Dr. Beale It's now that the government chose to facilitate it, and when we were available: Dr Richard Beale, on why the press conference was held after such a long gap. We spoke about what she liked to watch on the TV, food, rehabilitation, and about my children: Dr. Beale recalls the last things he spoke to Jayalalithaa about. Apollo's doctors were briefing Sasikala and government officials: Dr. Balaji on who was being briefed about Jayalalithaa's health. It was a sudden, witnessed cardiac arrest: Dr. Babu on the sudden deterioration in Jayalalithaa's health. Upon waking up, she refused to be moved out of the hospital: Dr Beale When asked about why she was not shifted to London, Dr Beale said that Apollo team is highly equipped Jaya was intermittently conscious: Dr Beale Jayalalithaa was conscious, I spoke to her when she gave thumb impression for EC forms says Dr Balaji of Chennai's Apollo Hospitals. Bacterial infection in blood was underlying problem. Infection spread to organs, led to shortness of breath: Dr Richard Honourable Amma was suffering from infection, sepsis set in, bacteria in blood subsequently attached to the heart: Dr Richard Beale. No amputation or transplantation was done on her: Dr Beale We don't have CCTV in patients' rooms. You do not take photo of critically ill patients: Dr. Richard Beale Dr Ramesh was present when she suffered cardiac arrest and immediately started resuscitation Jayalalithaa became short of breath suddenly: Dr. Richard Beale Body was embalmed as it had to be kept for public display There was a possibility of stench emanating from the body. MGR too was embalmed Jayalalithaa was conscious, I spoke to her when she gave thumb impression for EC forms says Dr Balaji of Chennai's Apollo Hospitals At the beginning, when she was unwell, she wasn't able to interact. Later, situation improved she was aware and able to interact more: Dr Beale Not a normal practice to photograph patient &publish private details. It is an intrusion into her privacy: Dr.Richard Beale Jayalalithaa was treated with non-invasive inhalation. Initial condition improved somewhat. She was conscious: Dr Beale Also read: How did Jayalalithaa die? Tamil actor Gautami Tadimalla writes to PM Modi for answers What was the origin of reports on Jayalalithaa's rumoured death? No white paper on Jayalalithaa's treatment, says AIADMK No CBI inquiry into Jayalalithaa's death, Supreme Court rejects Sasikala Pushpa's petitionWATCH VIDEO --- ENDS --- BT Group plc provides communications services worldwide. Its Consumer segment sells telephones, baby monitors, and Wi-Fi extenders through high street retailers, online BT Shop, and Website BT.com; and offers home phone, copper and fiber broadband, TV, and mobile services in various packages. The company's EE segment offers 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile network services; broadband, fixed-voice, and TV services; and postpaid and prepaid plans, and emergency services network. This segment also sells 4G mobile phones, tablets, connected devices, and mobile broadband devices from various manufacturers. Its Business and Public Sector segment provides fixed voice, mobility, fiber and connectivity, and networked IT services to retailers, utilities, public sector, healthcare, sports, construction, finance, and educational sectors. The company's Global Services segment offers business communications and ICT services comprising BT Connect, BT Security, BT One, BT Contact, BT Compute, BT Advise, and BT for financial markets. This segment serves approximately 5,500 customers in 180 countries. Its Wholesale and Ventures segment enables communications providers and other organizations to provide fixed or mobile phone services. Its ventures provide mass-market services, such as directory enquiries and payphones; and enterprise services comprising BT Fleet and BT Redcare. This segment also provides broadband and Ethernet, voice, hosted communication, mobile virtual network operator, managed solutions, machine-to-machine, roaming, and media services. The company's Openreach segment engages in the provision of services over the local access network; and installation and maintenance of fiber and copper communications networks that connect homes and businesses. The company was formerly known as Newgate Telecommunications Limited and changed its name to BT Group plc in September 2001. BT Group plc was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Over two months after the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, a panel of doctors who had treated her addressed a press conference today in Chennai. By India Today Web Desk: Putting an to end to rumours suggesting an unnatural death, the London specialist who treated her, Dr Richard Beale, said that the former chief minister suffered from acute diabetes and died of respiratory failure. Over two months after the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, Beale addressed a press conference today in Chennai. Beale was accompanied by Balaji, a government doctor, Babu Abraham, a critical care consultant for Apollo Hospitals and Sudha Seshaiyyan, who performed embalming on Jayalalithaa's body. advertisement He said that it was complication and not conspiracy that kept them from revealing details about the CM's health. The doctor said that an infection led to organ failure. HERE ARE 10 BIG REVELATIONS No amputation was carried out on Jayalalithaa's legs during her 75 days in hospital. "No amputation was done and no transplantation (of any sort) was done," Dr P Balaji of Madras Medical College said. As many as 5.5 litres of embalming liquid were used to preserve Jayalalithaa's body. According to the doctors, normal embalming process was followed after Jayalalithaa's death. There were no deep dots on cheek. "I did check, there were no deep dots (on cheek)...I cannot say why such dots appeared deep in social media (videos)," Prof Dr Sudha Seshaiyan of the Madras Medical College said. It was a sudden, witnessed cardiac arrest. "She had a cardiac arrest. CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) was started immediately," a doctor said. Jayalalithaa was intermittently conscious. A doctor said that for 24 hours Jayalalithaa was put on another machine to see if her heart restarts, but there was no "own heart beat". Bacterial infection in blood was underlying problem. Infection spread to organs, led to shortness of breath. No transplantation was done on her. Initially, Jayalalithaa was treated with non-invasive inhalation. According to a Tamil Nadu government doctor, P. Balaji, the total hospital bill for treatment of Jayalalithaa was between Rs 5 crore and Rs 5.5 crore. "I am told the bill has been given to the family members of Jayalalithaa." Doctors said her collapse was completely unexpected. They attempted to revive her for 20 minutes. "The CPR (process) went for 20 minutes but there was no heart rhythm," said a doctor. ALSO READ Jayalalithaa's death: Apollo doctors reject conspiracy theories, differ with court on exhuming body How did Jayalalithaa die? Tamil actor Gautami Tadimalla writes to PM Modi for answers No white paper on Jayalalithaa's treatment, says AIADMK WATCH VIDEO --- ENDS --- Jayalalithaa was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act in 1996 for allegedly amassing unaccounted wealth worth nearly Rs 67 crores. Jayalalithaa was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act in 1996. By India Today Web Desk: The Supreme Court is expected to pronounce within a week its judgment in the high-profile disproportionate assets case against former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who died last year. Among the other accused in the case is current AIADMK chief VK Sasikala, who is now set to be the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. advertisement The apex court will decide on Karnataka government's pleas challenging the acquittal of the two leaders in the assets case. The Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose said 'Wait till next week' - as senior counsel Dushyant Dave appearing for Karnataka said that the main accused has already passed away and Sasikala is expected to become Chief Minister soon. The top court had reserved its verdict on the Karnataka government's appeal a few months ago. Jayalalithaa was booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act in 1996 for allegedly amassing unaccounted wealth worth nearly Rs 67 crores. In 2015, the Congress government in Karnataka had moved the Supreme Court after the Karnataka High Court acquitted her in the case. A year ago in 2014, a special Bengaluru court had found Jayalalithaa guilty and sentenced her to four years in jail along with close aide Sasikala. Watch the video here --- ENDS --- A new 5million project is to be launched by the University of Wolverhampton to transform the lives of people in the Congo rainforest and protect the endangered environment. The Centre for International Development and Training (CIDT) has secured funding of 6.25m Euros from the European Union to support forest governance in five Congo Basin countries. The project will benefit 75 million poor men, women and young people living in forest dependent areas in the Congo Basin, which is home to the second largest tropical rain-forested area in the world. Over the next four years, the CIDT team will work with partners in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Gabon and Democratic Republic of Congo. The aim is to work in partnership with local organisations and communities to ensure private sector companies are working within their contracts and operating within EU timber regulations governing deforestation and legal exports. The project aims to empower the communities to monitor activities on the ground in the countries, ensuring social agreements are met. CIDT experts have significant experience of working in communities on forest governance projects in countries such as Nepal, Cameroon, Ghana and Liberia. They will spend time in the Congo Basin working with partners in the country, sharing their expertise and knowledge to build capacity. Kara Thompson honored with Thomas Jefferson Teaching Award A league of her own: "Professor Thompson does more than change livesshe reaches our students in profoundly transformative ways," wrote Suzanne Raitt, English chair, and Charles McGovern, director of American studies, in their letter explaining why Thompson would make a perfect candidate for the Thomas Jefferson Teaching Award. Thompson will be recognized at Charter Day on Feb. 10. Photo by Stephen Salpukas Photo - of - Hide Caption Merriam-Webster defines a blanket as a large, usually oblong piece of woven fabric used as a bed covering. Kara Thompson sees things much differently. A blanket is such a mundane object and yet culturally so profound, said Thompson, assistant professor of English and American studies at William & Mary. For some, its a matter of survival; for others a way of marking someones passing. It can also function as a weapon, as it did when the British disseminated smallpox in gift blankets to Native people who were defending their homelands in the 1700s. That out-of-the-box thinking (which led to an essay in The Atlantic on the deeper meaning of blankets and a forthcoming book) is precisely what drives Thompson to create new classes, develop innovative assignments and facilitate unique discussions with her students at W&M. Its also one of the many reasons Thompson is being honored with the Thomas Jefferson Teaching Award this year. I love taking something familiar and making it strange, said Thompson, but in ways that are totally productive in the end because they encourage a deeper way of thinking about things in the world. Thompson will be presented with the award at W&Ms Charter Day ceremony at 4 p.m. on Feb. 10 in Kaplan Arena. The award is presented annually to a younger faculty member who has demonstrated through concern as a teacher and through character and influence the inspiration and stimulation of learning to the betterment of the individual and society, as exemplified by Thomas Jefferson. Thompson received the award after being nominated by Suzanne Raitt, chancellor professor and department chair of English, and Charles McGovern, director of the American studies program and associate professor. In their recommendation letter, the two commend Thompson for her approach to teaching as an ethical, as well as educational, practice. Her powers of empathy, her ability to make the material relevant to students lives, and her capacity to inspire students to look outward as well as inward, to alter their relations with the world around them because of what they have learned from her, are unique on campus, Raitt and McGovern wrote. In her five years at W&M, Thompson has introduced 12 new classes to the American studies and English programs, including Queer Theory, Introduction to Dis/ability studies, and Reimagining the American West. Students praise her for her imaginative assignments and slow reading approach, allowing ample time to digest information thats often complex and sometimes controversial. In her popular theory classes, Thompson raises questions that encourage students to rethink normality, whether around the definition of a disability or the concept of time. In a freshman seminar focused on haunted houses in American literature, Thompson challenged the notion of ghosts and tasked the class with hypothesizing what a haunting actually represents. I think we came to the conclusion that this is a stolen nation, so perhaps the ghost is standing in for a kind of guilt over land theft, or the idea that many of us are not supposed to be where we are, said Thompson. Much of Thompsons research focuses on 19th century settlers and displaced Native populations, an interest she developed after questioning her own legacy growing up in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the homelands of the Lakota. Her teachings, however, are often broadly rooted in themes of power and oppression. Im always engaged in questions of the present, said Thompson. How did we get here? and How do we see these things not just as vestiges of our past but as things that really affect our lives in the present? In addition to past challenges facing American Indians, Thompson frequently addresses current struggles. Hayley Hahn 17, a former student in Thompsons American Indian Sovereignty: Land, Governance, Identity class, said Thompson opened her eyes to the contemporary challenges of Native populations. From our discussions, I learned to regard Native people and traditions not as relics of some bygone era, but as individuals and cultures that populate the present and embody the promise of the future, Hahn wrote in her recommendation letter. As a result of this class, I try to keep informed of issues affecting Native individuals, such as the Dakota Access Pipeline. The pipeline is one of many current events and issues Thompson introduces to students in her classes. In a recent class on Indigenous literature of the 20th and 21st centuries, Thompson followed the situation as it unfolded through the semester and facilitated an information night with her class and the American Indian Student Association to educate the W&M community on the pipeline and its implications. One might wonder what a pipeline has to do with literature, but I argued on the first day of class that it has everything to do with literature, said Thompson. Native people have survived for 500 years despite many efforts to kill them off because they have their stories. These contemporary Native authors are not just survivors, they are fierce carriers of culture, and to me theres nothing more exciting than to be able to engage with a story like that. I think it became that way for a number of students, too. Thompsons enthusiasm for the material and ability to make things relevant to everyday life has inspired students like Jessica Cowing, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in American studies with an emphasis on settler colonialism and American Indian sovereignty. Dr. Thompsons introductory course for the American studies graduate program remains the most influential seminar of my student career, she said in her recommendation letter. Her approach to introducing the study of American culture through Native/Indigenous studies challenged our class to reconceptualize ideas of nation and sovereignty that are often taken for granted as uncontested conditions. This course asked me to reconsider stories about belonging in a nation settled through the displacement of Native peoples. As Lindsey Hutchison 12 said, these complex notions not only serve students who go onto become scholars; it touches each and every student as citizens. She wants her students to be better scholars, but she really wants them to be better humans, said Hutchison. For Thompson, thats the greatest reward imaginable. If I can get my students to open up their minds and think about how they might have been touched by oppression or privilege and maybe feel emboldened to do something about it it doesnt matter to me whether they go on to be a professor or a journalist or to work in the public sector, said Thompson. If I can be a part of that process, I think thats the best thing that could come out of my teaching. Two women from Manipur travelling to Saint Kitts in the Caribbean islands, have alleged racism and harassment on the part of Jet Airways staff at Delhi airport. By Mustafa Shaikh: Two women from Manipur who were taking a flight from Delhi to Amsterdam on Sunday, have alleged racism and harassment on the part of four Jet Airways staff who stopped them just before immigration at Delhi Airport. Huishuwo Horngamla, 24, and Ramrek Premmi, 22, were headed to the Caribbean island of Saint Kitts, for which they were supposed to take a transit flight - Jet KLM 3817 Delhi- Amsterdam - at 3 AM on Sunday. advertisement "We reached Delhi as per the schedule. Just as we were headed for immigration Jet staff stopped us asking for documents," said Premmi. She explained that she and Horngamla showed the staff "all the documents like passport, visa and work permit." "Then too they said that we can't go. We asked why can't we go. The staffer replied that you will know the answer when you miss the flight," Premmi said. The women allegedly missed their flight because of the staff, one of whom has been identified as Sanjiv. They were made to sit at a Jet Airways counter for 10 hours by the duty manager Sapna. Then, their employer - S R Shahani - contacted authorities in Saint Kitts, who in turn contacted immigration authorities. The women were then booked into a flight back to Mumbai, and on a Mumbai- Amsterdam- Saint Martin flight on February 10. "Behaviour of the staff was rude and they did it because we come from a particular place. We want action against the staff", Premmi said. She and Horngamla are headed to the Caribbean to work at a salon. A ROUTINE PROBLEM: JET AIRWAYS Guests travelling on 9w-234, BOM-DEL-AMS-SXM-SKB, had check in luggage which could be tagged to SXM and not to final destination SKB, as the carrier does not have a codeshare nor interline through check in arrangement with the onward carrier Windward Island Airways. As is practiced by airlines from time to time, Jet Airways staff consulted the Airline Liaison Officer located in Delhi , (out of concern) to check if guests could collect their bags at SXM and check in for their final destination. The ALO advised that this was not a suitable way to travel and hence the airline could not board the guests for the flight. (It may be noted that the guests did not have transit visa nor hotel booking at SXM). Guests were then explained the situation and offered refreshments by the airline. The airline staff in the meantime checked all other routing possibilities , however only AMS was available. The guests upon their request were rerouted back to their point of origin, being Mumbai, for a fresh travel itinerary. advertisement Jet Airways regrets inconvenience to guests. --- ENDS --- China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page by Adrienne Mayor (monthly contributor) Modern books and blogs about ancient Celtic warrior women include the story of Chiomaca, the wife of Ortiagon, a chieftain of the Gauls (Celts) in the second century BC in Asia Minor (now Turkey). The modern writers claim that Chiomaca fought and bravely killed a Roman centurion in 186 BC. But what is the true story? If we go back to the original ancient accounts, we can set the record straight. First, we learn that this womans name was not Chiomaca but Chiomara. She was captured by the Romans in 189 BC (not 186 BC), after Gnaeus Manlius Vulsos army defeated the Galatians, Greco-Gauls who had settled in Asia Minor. The ancient sources are Plutarch Bravery of Women, Polybius; Livy; Valerius Maximus; and Florus. According to the ancient accounts, Chiomara did not fight in the battle. She was captured along with other Galatian women and slaves. She was raped by a centurion. The centurion then demanded a ransom from Chiomaras husband Ortiagon. Chiomara, who had been captured with her slave, was allowed to dispatch her slave with the demand for ransom. Ortiagon sent two Galatians to deliver the ransom. The centurion released Chiomara but insisted on embracing her. While his back was turned, either counting the gold or embracing her, Chiomara gave the Galatians a signal to kill the centurion. Chiomara then wrapped the Romans head in her robe and delivered it to her husband, saying Only one man alive should have me. It is fascinating to trace how the false tales about Chiomara came to be perpetuated. No ancient Greek or Roman historian ever described Chiomara taking part in the battle, yet typical modern accounts state that in 186 BC the Gaulish soldiers retreated but Chiomaca stood her ground and killed several Roman soldiers before she was captured [and] raped by a centurion. Later she escaped, found the officer, cut his head off, and presented it to her husband, writes David Jones in Women Warriors: A History (Potomac Books, 1997, rpt. 2000, 2005), p. 148. Jones incorrectly cites his source as Norma Goodrich, Medieval Myths (1977). In fact, Jones found the story in Jessica Amanda Salmonsons popular Encyclopedia of Amazons (Paragon House, 1991, p. 57). which states: Chiomaca: A martial princess of the Gauls . . . captured . . . in 186 BC. . . . She refused to leave the battlefield but raged on with her few companions. When captured, she was raped by a centurion. She subsequently killed the centurion and chopped off his head which she delivered to her husband. Salmonsons source was Sarah Hales 1855 book, Womens Record: or Sketches of All Distinguished Women, from Creation to A.D. 1854 (Harper & Bros., 1855, p. 30). In 1855, Sarah Hale spelled Chiomaras name correctly but she said nothing about Chiomara taking part in the battle. Hale gave an embellished account of the delivery of the ransom. Hale says that the Galatians killed the centurion as he accepted the gold and but she claims it was Chiomara who cut off his head and presented it to her husband. The truth is that the historical Chiomara did not participate in combat, nor did she behead the Roman centurion herself. But the ancient Greek and Latin sources do tell us that she was a brave and resourceful woman.